Not Fast Enough

The air was whipping over his skin. There was a hint of a relaxed smirk on his lips, and his eyes were clear, though hidden behind dark sunglasses. The sun was warm on his skin, soaking into the dark fabric of his clothing and heating flesh that had difficulty maintaining warmth.

Lack of body hair tended to pose that problem.

The car was pristine, dark and new, and worth more than the entire town he was speeding towards. A 'nothing' town, just a few miles east of Metropolis, and he was going there for the personal surveillance of a new lab he'd established in the last few months.

Life was exactly as he had planned. It was working just fine.

The music on the radio was loud and hard and rough. The sound poured out of the convertible, disturbing the quiet peace as he ate up the miles with ease.

A crackling hiss and a deep voice interrupted the song on the radio, and he scowled. Reached out with a finger and switched the station, only to discover every station on the radio being paused for an 'emergency broadcast'.

'Terrific', he thought; all he needed now was a storm. He should have brought the Mercedes.

He was just moving to insert a CD into the sound system when a DJ's typically professional voice turned frantic, scared.

"This has just been confirmed by the Metropolis Police Department. The Daily Planet has been taken over by a group of former, disgruntled employees. There is believed to be a bomb in the building, although the police are not releasing any details as to the range or power of the alleged bomb. Apparently, the group have established a hostage situation, and, while the bottom floors of the building have been evacuated, the top floor remains held at the will of the group. The hostages confirmed are Perry White, Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan, and Clark Kent."

Lex Luthor's laugh overpowered the volume of the radio and the thrum of the car's engine. Chuckling, and shaking his head, he continued to listen with a grin.

"The leader of the group, a Mr. Cameron Thornton, has made this statement.:"

"People of Metropolis. You have been lied to for years. The Daily Planet is held under the control of Lionel and Lex Luthor, and will continue to be, until someone steps forward and does something about it. Myself, and my companions, were fired because of our convictions in the truth. We held evidence of criminal acts perpetrated by the Luthors-"

The man's voice continued, but was mostly ignored by Lex as he laughed.

Until the man's voice flattened. Became cold and clinical. And very familiar in it's tone.

"I have a bomb. It is something unique, and should be taken quite seriously. Most people in Metropolis are not familiar with the meteor shower that occurred in Smallville, but the fact is, the meteors tend to have an adverse affect on people. It never turns out well for anyone. And, unless we are speaking with a Luthor in the next ten minutes, our bomb and fifty pounds of this freaky, green shit will explode and fall all over the city."

"Clark."

It took several moments, Lex turning the car around, yanking his cell phone out of his pocket, and dialing the number of the Daily Planet, before he realized he had spoken the name out loud.

The phone rang endlessly, and Lex's heart felt like it was going to rip it's way out of his chest.

"Pick up the fucking PHONE!" He was screaming into the wind, and when no one answered, he snarled, blinking furiously. He sped up as he radio crackled again.

"We thought the people here might like a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. Ms. Lane."

Lex's hand pounded on the steering wheel. "Pick up the phone, you sick fuck! Pick it UP! Damn it!"

He heard Lois's voice, vaguely, and blocked it out. Tried dialing the police department.

It was busy.

Lex nearly threw the phone from the car in frustration. The car wasn't fast enough. Why wouldn't anyone pick up? Just PICK UP! He couldn't breathe.

The fucker wanted to talk to him, right? Why didn't he pick up?

He dialed again, letting the phone ring and ring. His foot was flat against the floor of the car, pushing the engine to it's limits.

Not close enough. Not fast enough. His ears were ringing, the world blurring around him, and he fought to focus on the road...on the ringing.

Chloe's voice came over the radio, clear and scared.

"I'm speaking for myself and Clark. He's unable to speak, at the moment."

Lex's heart stopped. The hard thud as it started again rocked against his chest, causing an angry pain that drew a shocked gasp out of him.

"I'd like to tell my dad that I love him, and that I've always been very proud to be his daughter. You always did your best, Dad, and I know it wasn't easy with a girl like me...always getting my nose into everything. Take good care of yourself."

The pause was too long, too harsh in the utter silence, and when her voice returned, it was shaky and anguished.

"Clark wanted to tell his mom 'thank you'. He said 'Thank you for accepting me, and for loving me. I know I made things hard for you, just by being me, but you always made me feel wanted.'" Chloe's voice was shaking horribly, and the deep sobs were wrenching at him. "He also wanted to say something to Lex."

He couldn't breathe. Couldn't feel his face, or the skin on his hands. Everything he felt was what he heard.

There was a loud scraping, and whispering, and a blunt pounding noise before he heard a rasping, weak voice. It was full of pain, and Lex leaned forward, listening as Clark Kent's voice fell into the air quietly.

"Lex. I'm so sorry. I-" there was a low, female voice in the background. Soothing. "Lex. I wish I'd had time. I wish it'd been different. I want you to know something. I want you to believe it, if you believe nothing else I've ever said to you."

Lex was unaware of the desperate, heaving sobs that were breaking out of his chest. Had to get there. Faster. Had to. Clark.

"You are loved. I love you. You are worthy of love, Lex. Trust that."

The voice of the man. The fucking bastard who WOULDN'T ANSWER THE FUCKING PHONE came onto the radio. He sounded sad and resigned.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. There are three minutes left, by my clock."

Lex dialed the police again, and screamed in relief as a human voice answered the phone.

"This is Lex Luthor. I need you to get me on the phone to the man at the Planet. NOW. Patch me through, NOW."

The phone was silent for a minute as he was transferred, and he howled in outrage as a detective answered the phone.

"Mr. Luthor, we're going to go ahead and put you through, but there's a few things we need to discuss first."

"There's no time! NO TIME! Goddamnit, put me through!" He was out of control, threats dripping from his mouth like poison, grief already loud in his blood, and when the familiar, awful voice from the radio FINALLY answered, he breathed normally for the first time in what seemed an eternity.

"Mr. Luthor?"

"Yes. Yes, this is Lex Luthor. You just need to tell me what you want, and I'm more than willing to accommodate you. Just stop the bomb." He was pleading and frantic, and no where near the Luthor he'd been working to be for years, and it was terrifying.

"Mr. Luthor, excuse me if I find that a little difficult to believe....we need you to acknowledge our dismissals, and the reasons for them. We need an apology. We need a lot of things I don't think you're going to want to give."

"I will. I swear to you. Do you want it on television? In writing? I'll do it. I'm on my way there, now. Don't let that bomb go off. I'm coming, now. I'm almost there." His voice broke. "Please."

"Who is this?"

"What?" Lex was frantic, confused. He couldn't think. Everything was streaming down on him, and there was no time. "This is Lex Luthor. I told you."

"No. Lex Luthor would never say please. He wouldn't agree so easily. Luthor's don't negotiate. They don't beg, or bow down." The voice was angry, skeptical. "This is just a trick."

Lex roared in frustration. "I am Alexander Luthor. Tell me how to convince you...tell me what to do, damn you, and I will DO IT. Just don't-" his voice left him for a horrifying second, and he gasped wordlessly into the phone. He forced a deep breath through his mouth, and swallowed. Tried again, and hunched in his seat in relief. "Don't take him."

The pause was enormous. A giant, empty wasteland of pain, and Lex felt the phone slide across his jaw. He lifted it, and saw the shiny cover was wet. Shuddering, he brought it back to his face, and begged.

He begged.

"Please. Please, don't hurt him. What do you need? Please-"

There was noise. Chaos and terror and horrified screams. Angry shouting filled the air, and there was a wet thud. And then, Lex was looking into the sky. Watching as a brilliant light lit up the skyline of Metropolis. Glowing orange flames surged near the top of the Luthorcorp towers, and blackened smoke coated the sky like night.

"NOOOOOO....No no no no no NO!"

Lex's car was stopped, somehow. The side of the road was there, and he was out of his car, and on his knees.

He was screaming, pain tearing him apart. He couldn't stop. Couldn't think. He could only scream, and then he was off the road. His hands tight in front of him, bloody and broken, and he was wrapped in someone's arms. Vaguely, he noticed there was heat, and he managed to pull back. Looked up.

Into wet, green eyes. Eyes in a face that was pale beneath the gold, with lips that were moving. He could not hear a sound, but he saw the mouth moving, and he shook his head.

"I heard...I saw. It went off. You're-"

"I'm not. I'm okay, Lex. Lois grabbed the meteors. They were on a cart, and she kicked them into Perry's office. Chloe dragged me far enough away, and I threw the bomb over the building. It was singed, and the fire department has some work to do, but we're all okay." A soft, gentle hand brushed his face, drawing lines through the still-falling tears.

"You were gone."

"I wasn't."

"You were." Lex whispered. "I couldn't get there, and then I heard you, and there wasn't anything I could do. And Clark. God, he wouldn't pick up the phone." Lex's eyes slid shut, and he bit his lip, fighting the total loss of control he knew his face was showing. His voice was bleeding.

"I'm so sorry." Beautiful, man with his sweet, wonderful voice. "I heard you, and I came. Lex."

A tender kiss from soft lips, brushing against his brow, and he shivered against it. Leaned in, grabbed handfuls of shining, black hair and yanked the face down. Held it against his, and screamed into his mouth.

"YOU WERE GONE!"

Watching, feeling those full, perfect lips tremble as harsh, ruptured sounds fell out of a raw throat broke him, and he slammed his mouth against Clark's. Bit and sucked, and forced his way in against lips that parted with no hesitation.

He breathed heavily through his nose, not letting Clark's mouth go. Moved his tongue against the inside of Clark's cheeks, over sharp teeth...slid underneath his tongue, and drank down the incomparable taste.

Rough fingers were kneading his lower back, and he pushed against them, needing it harder and more real. Needed to feel everything for a lifetime. He wanted marks down to his muscles. Down to his bones.

He wanted Clark inside of him. Inside of HIM. He needed to be inside of Clark. Needed him so much.

He pushed, hard, moving forward into Clark as he fell onto the ground. There was a dried, reddish-brown smear on Clark's collar bone, and he moaned and licked his thumb. Rubbed it against the mark until it was gone.

"What-?"

Clark sighed, his breath thick against Lex's face. "There was a lot of the meteors. I was weak, and I fell. It's okay, Lex. It's okay." His eyes watched Lex bring his thumb up to his scarred mouth.

He sucked on his thumb, tasting the blood underneath the sweat, and he brought the thumb to Clark's mouth. The nail pressed against a plush lower lip, and moved inside. Clark's lips closed over the tip, and sucked it inside. A firm, warm tongue swirled around the sides, rubbing hard against the thick pad. Moved down, drawing the digit inside further, to soak the skin at the base.

Lex growled, and jerked it back; used both hands to draw a torn, burnt shirt up over a beautifully muscled abdomen. His head went down, teeth working to bite and enflame. Moving upwards, he drew the shirt up more with his nose. Worked a tongue around a hardened nipple and bit down, hard. He sucked the satiny nub into his mouth, pulling on it as his head moved back. Heard the throaty breaths coming from Clark and dug his fingers in. Clutched.

Hands were all over him. His neck, his head, his shoulders. A long finger was on his cheek, feeling as his mouth worked. Lex groaned and licked at it, nipping on the end before sitting up.

Furious, frantic hands tore at damaged black trousers. His face was down, and fighting against his own hands to open the fly. Couldn't be fast enough.

And that drew him back, shocked him into stillness.

He noticed he was sitting across Clark's thighs, and his hands came up to cover his face. Trying to hide was impossible, however, with sweet arms sliding around his waist...hands massaging up his back to linger on his spine. Clark had somehow moved them, maybe floated them, further into the field. He could hear cars rushing along the highway in the back of his head.

"Lex. I'm okay. I'm here, with you." Clark's voice. It really was there. He was here, beneath him. Not gone. "I'm here."

"You love me." His own voice shocked him. He sounded so naked. Nowhere to hide, and he found himself surprisingly unafraid.

"I do."

He felt safe. Strange. Comforted. New and sharp. Loved.

"Clark, you don't even know. I love you. I've always loved you."

"I know." It was said with such tenderness.

Lex felt the shift; he was being laid on his side, in the dirt. Clark was laying next to him, facing him, and his face was raw, torn-wide open, and everything was there in his eyes.

Not kissing those lips was very wrong, and Lex surged into Clark's body, sucking on Clark's lips.

"When you were fifteen, and so innocent-sweet, I wanted you. I wanted to do things to you that you wouldn't have understood. Things you still might not understand. And, I still want to do them. It's never stopped. I've wanted you through the lies and the anger, and the fury. I've looked at you, and said things...and the whole time I've wanted you. I don't think I'm able to NOT want you, Clark."
"I was laughing. Clark, I was laughing. I knew you were in there, and I thought it was funny." Lex was gasping for breath. "I knew you couldn't be hurt; I was so certain and sure, and then he said there were meteors, and-"

"I know, Lex. I know."

"No. I thought you were going to die. I knew you were. And I knew I wouldn't get to tell you everything. I wanted to tell you, and I wasn't going to be able to." Lex swallowed, hard, his eyes open and glassy. "I can't conceive of a world that doesn't include you."

"Lex, I'm not going anywhere." Clark's voice was achingly loving, hitching at every syllable.

"You almost did. Tonight. Just now. You almost left, and there wouldn't have been anything I could have done. Do you have any semblance of an idea what that would have done to me? To someone like me?"

"Oh," Clark sighed, his hands grasping Lex's, bringing them up to his mouth to kiss. "Someone like you." Turning the hand over, he ran his tongue over the inside of the palm, catching the flavor and savoring it. "Would you have destroyed the world, Lex?"

Lex shifted, jerking his hands free to run sharp nails around the edge of Clark's waistband. "Yes, I would have."

"No, you couldn't-"

"We both know I could." Lex's voice thickened, and his hands twitched on the waist of the pants beneath his fingers. Yanked and tugged, until he could shove thin, dirty fabric down hips. "A world without you in it is worthless." He slid down in the dirt, shrugging off his wrecked, damp shirt as it caught in the earth. He pressed an open-mouthed kiss just beneath Clark's navel. Sucked. "Anything without you is meaningless. Pointless. Without you, I'm hollow, Clark."

He pulled down wash-worn boxers, and paused above the erection throbbing beneath his huffing breaths. Looked up into streaming eyes set in a face filthy with dirt and wet with tears.

His tongue darted out, sliding quickly around the head and down the steadily leaking slit.

"You're the only one that matters, Clark. It's the only absolute in my life." His mouth closed over hard flesh. A hand was against his cheek, and he reached up, covered the hand with his own. His mouth worked down slowly, tongue rolling in waves on the pulsing vein that ran on the underside of Clark's cock. A pulse of heat hit the roof of his mouth and he pulled back a little, tasting Clark. Closing his eyes, and tasting him. Memorizing him. Absorbing him.

Clark was tugging at his arms, pulling him up. "Stop."

"I can't."

Clark shook his head, frantic and ragged. "I want to come with you."

Whose hands ripped his pants from his body didn't matter. Lex wasn't sure where his silk boxers had gone to. He didn't care. He saw Clark suck two fingers into his mouth, shaky with need and fear, and move them down to his ass. Parting himself, Clark filled himself, twisting and opening himself. He readied himself for Lex, and his eyes were brilliant and shining. His mouth was open and panting, sobbing.

"Please, Lex. Please." Clark's legs were pulled high, hands grasping behind his knees, holding himself wide open as Lex held his hand over Clark's mouth. He moaned as a tongue swiped out, licking a wet line across his palm.

Clasping his cock, coating it, he lined it up with Clark's center and pushed. Past a firm ring of muscle into a smooth, searing grip. Clark closed around him, and as he pulled back, a golden back arched up, bringing him in closer. Sweet, swollen mouth screaming, and he rammed back in, answering Clark with an endless, gasping cry into the darkening night.

Curling over, he shifted, jerking into Clark at a different angle, and he groaned as Clark's legs moved down to twist around his waist. He was pulled in even tighter, and he reached down as Clark reached up. Mouths searching and finding each other, and sighing into one another.

He felt the cock against his stomach, leaking against his jerking belly, the silky skin rubbing against him. Reaching down with the hand holding onto Clark's, he clasped the weeping cock and pulled. Twisted his thumb over the tip, and edged around the ridge. Pulling and twisting, and surging in. He couldn't stop, had to move.

He saw Clark change. A flood of stunning color transformed his face. His eyes locked onto Lex's, a shimmering red floating in the depths before Clark's lids slammed shut. Clark's neck was exposed and offered as the beautiful face was thrown back against the ground. Gasping screams tore from Clark's throat as he erupted against Lex's skin. His entire body jerked over and over again, and Lex felt him clamp down on his cock.

The rippling pressure sucked the air out of him, and he pushed forward, letting himself go. He felt Clark squeeze inside his soul, and he came. He filled Clark, and felt the urgency calm within him. The need, however, remained, and he did not pull away.

Instead, he lay his head down on the dampened, heaving chest. Stroking fingers moved through the sweat to curl above Clark's heart.

"You're inside me." Lex whispered.

"I could say the same to you, Lex." A soft chuckle, and he raised his head to cock an eyebrow at the sleepy, amused smile.

He raised Clark's relaxed hand to his own chest, pressing it into the skin. "You're there."

"I've always wanted to be." Clark murmured, rubbing little circles into pale skin.

Lex lay back down, hearing the steady tha-thump in the perfectly built chest. He smiled, and felt a drop roll across the bridge of his nose to splash down on impenetrable skin. He sighed and licked the drop away, replacing it with a kiss.

"Today changed everything."

"Yes."

Rubbing his cheek against the hot skin, he breathed a cool breath out, grinning at the goose bumps that rose up. A lifetime of things, just like that, to discover. It filled him with wonder and gratitude.

"You feel a responsibility to the people, here, on this planet. You feel like you're supposed to protect them."

Clark's voice was strong and sad, "Yes, I do. Lex, I can't let that go. Not-"

"You misunderstand me, Clark." Lex said softly. "I'm grateful for that. I revel in knowing that."

The answering voice was confused, "I thought you hated what I did. Hated me when I was doing it."

"I never hated you. I never could, Clark." Lex wrapped arms around Clark's torso, tightening them until he felt Clark's arms respond in a firm, safe grip. "And now, I know that I'll never lose you. Not now or ever. Because, the best way you can protect the people of this world is to live. And you, Clark, would never let this world down. You don't know how. Just like I could never know how to let you go."

Clark's mouth was warm on his scalp, the kiss feather-soft and perfect. "I love you, Lex."

Smiling against the heartbeat on his face, Lex whispered. "Thank you."


~~~I hope you like this. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed for me. I appreciate all comments, and thoughts. (Chibikitten, you rock, just so you know. lol) Also, this story is going to be a 4 parter, so there are 3 parts to come. Please, let me know what you thought. Thanks!
~Morgan