Day Nineteen: Voices

Lex woke, his heart pounding, the sound of screams fading in the air. Gasping, he struggled to bring his breathing under control, his fear was choking him. Sitting up, he clawed at the blankets restricting his arms, vague memories of another time, another place overwhelming him.

"Lex?"

Startled, Lex followed the sound, glancing toward the door. Clark stood there, the light spilling in from the hallway framing his form in a soft, golden glow. His hair mussed, no shirt, pajama bottoms riding low on his hips, he looked like he’d been asleep as well. The edges of the dream still had him, its fright and disjointed images still curling through his mind like the drugs he’d once so freely taken in his quest to escape his life. But, he hadn’t done anything like that for a long time, had he? He shook his head, trying to clear it as Clark moved into the room. He could see the concern etched on his face, even in the uncertain light.

Clark’s voice sounded hesitant; worried, as he walked toward the bed. “Lex? Are you okay?” He heard Clark ask again, then felt his hand, so light against his brow. “Toby said you might have some really vivid dreams, even nightmares until that damned junk worked its way out of your system…”

Closing his eyes at the comfort of the cool fingers touching him, a cold dread settled in Lex’s stomach as he registered just what Clark was saying. “Junk? Clark, I don’t know…” Lex felt himself drawing a shuddering breath, his heart still pounding painfully in his chest. “What happened? Where are we? I don’t… I don’t understand…”

Opening his eyes and looking up at Clark, Lex saw anger cross Clark’s features before he carefully schooled his features, trying to hide how worried he was from Lex. He somehow knew this was what Clark always tried to do although he wasn’t sure where the memories came from.

Surprising Lex even further, Clark leaned over him, giving him a soft kiss on his forehead before sitting down on the edge of the bed. His fingers worrying the fabric of the comforter covering Lex, Clark’s eyes looked sad, unsure. “Helen came back Lex, she showed up about a week ago…” A look of pain clouded his eyes as Lex watched him speaking; Clark looked almost guilty about something. His next words told Lex why. “I should have been there, Lex. She never could have hurt you if I were.”

Lex searched his face, trying vainly to make sense of the jumble of thoughts rattling around in his head. “Hurt me, Clark? I know I sound like a broken record but, how? What the hell is going on?” Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Lex stood up, knowing that the odds of any more sleep tonight were probably pretty damned low at this point. As his feet hit the floor however, a wave of dizziness hit him, causing Lex to lose his balance. He would have fallen except for the strong arms suddenly circling his waist.

“Shhh, be careful, Lex… Unless you want to pass out, I think we’d better take it easy for a little bit, okay?” At the sound of the softly spoken words, Lex felt himself nodding, already agreeing with what Clark was whispering so earnestly in his ear as he helped him over into the armchair placed near the fireplace. Shivering hard at the coolness of the air hitting his skin through the fabric of his own pajamas, Lex felt a sudden burst of warmth hit him as the flames suddenly leapt to life. Startled, he looked up at Clark as he settled him in the chair, warm blanket covering his legs to help the warmth from the fireplace keep back the phantoms of his dream where they still lurked in the corners of the darkened room.

“How… How did you do that…?”

Confusion marred Clark’s face. “What? The fire…? Lex, you know this, you have for the last few years.” Lex also saw increased fear suddenly flare to life in Clark’s eyes as he leaned over, starting to pick up the portable phone on the table at Lex’s right elbow. “That’s it; I’m calling Toby to come back over here…”

Lex’s hand shot out, it almost felt like it was someone different from himself asking him to wait, “No, Clark, please… Just tell me what happened, please...”

Sighing, Clark dropped down to the ground, shocking Lex even further as he leaned against his leg, gazing quietly at the flames. “She got to you, Lex… Even though we thought we had you safe… She would have hurt you even more if I hadn’t found you when I did.” Clark’s voice trailed away for a moment as he remembered, an answering shudder to Lex’s moving through his large frame.

Lex leaned his head back, closing his eyes against the lingering dizziness. “She drugged me? How? Why? What did she hope to accomplish?”

Clark’s voice wobbled slightly as he answered Lex. “Revenge, Lex, she just wanted to hurt you, any way she could. She knew you were scheduled for an important meeting with your stockholders for later today… What better way to undermine you, and their confidence in you, than have you show up apparently high as a kite for your own meeting?”

Lex rubbed his hand over his face, trying to clear his thoughts. “So, you saved me somehow again and then took me here?” Really looking around them, Lex realized they were in the sitting room for the penthouse.

Clark nodded slowly before turning his eyes up to him. “Yeah… and called Toby to come take a look at you…”

Feeling violated once again, by someone who had supposedly loved him once upon a time, Lex shivered. No sooner then it happened, Clark’s hands were immediately there to tuck the blankets more securely around his legs. “Did he say what he thought it was?”

Clark nodded again, his features solemn as Lex looked at him. “Yeah, some kind of mild hallucinogen, he said. Told me that all we could do was ride out the effects as we waited for whatever it was to run its course.” Lex could easily see, even with his foggy brain, just how overjoyed by this turn of events he was.

Lex attempted a smile for Clark, hoping against hope that it didn’t look like a scary grimace. He thought it must have been okay when he got a small smile back in response from Clark. His hand moving without conscious thought to tangle in Clark’s dark curls, Lex sighed. “Hey, it must not have been too bad, right?” He looked around the room. “No pink elephants or weird dads lurking about so I guess I’m getting better…” Suddenly realizing just how late it was, Lex jumped slightly. “Clark? What time is it? Are you going to be in trouble with your parents?” Lex wondered why his words seemed to worry Clark even more.

“Lex? Do you know what year this is?”

Lex had to think for a minute, realizing that he wasn’t sure what the right answer was. “I’m not… 2004? It’s almost Christmas, right?”

Clark nodded. “Yes, Lex, it’s almost Christmas but, it’s 2010, not 2004. We both live in Metropolis full time now, I work at the Planet, you run Lexcorp.” A blush not caused by the warmth of the fire suddenly seemed to be painting his cheeks as Clark continued. “We both live here, Lex. Have for the last couple of years now…”

Fresh pain seemed to blossom behind his eyes as Lex tried to assimilate what Clark was saying but it all felt right, even in his slightly off-kilter state. “How do you mean? We live here? Together?” Hope warred in his head, even as he asked his next question. “Just as friends...? Or something more?”

“More, Lex… way more then as ‘just friends’…” As he spoke, Clark leaned his head against Lex’s knee, seeming to need the contact just as much as he did right then.

Warmth flooded Lex at the familiar touch, memories flooding back, overwhelming him a little but in a good way. Running his fingers through Clark’s hair, Lex spoke aloud, wonder evident even to his own ears. “I remember… it’s five years now, right? Since we got together?”

A tired but happy smile crossed Clark’s face as he raised his head, looking up at Lex at his words. “Yeah… it’s five years this month… You do remember…”

Leaning over so he was able to meet Clark halfway, Lex kissed him, feeling the need for that simple comfort. The feeling of ‘home’ that washed over him at the first contact made Lex know this was right. The sound of the clock on the mantle chiming midnight broke the silence of the room as they looked at each other, seeming to clear out the rest of the cobwebs from his mind. Smiling, he traced a finger over Clark’s lips where they were slightly reddened from the pressure of their kiss as he spoke. “Merry Christmas, Clark…”

Clark covered his hand with his where it rested against his cheek, leaning over to claim his own kiss. “Happy Anniversary, Lex…” He murmured quietly, resting his forehead against Lex’s.

Feeling tired but happy now as more and more good memories surfaced to chase away the remnants of the dream, he didn’t resist as Clark stood up, gently helping him to stand too. Lex closed his eyes, leaning into Clark’s loose embrace as his arms moved to encircle Lex’s waist.

“Feel like trying to get some more sleep now?” A warm thrill ran through Lex at the warmth of Clark’s breath on his skin as he spoke. Silently nodding his consent, Clark walked Lex back over to the bed, crawling under the covers with him. His chest to Lex’s back, Clark wrapped himself around him, seemingly determined to keep Lex safe from any other night demons.

Lex closed his eyes, surrendering to the exhaustion pulling him under, Clark’s lips at his temple letting him know he was safe. How could he not be? Not many people had their very own living, breathing, sexy as hell Christmas angel. Lex sighed quietly at the thought, a sleepy smile crossing his face as he snuggled into Clark’s warmth.

fin