"Was he hurt?"

"No. He’s just upset, afraid of how you’re going to react."

Jonathan nodded and headed for the door.

"Jonathan!" Martha called after him in a voice that pleaded for leniency.

"I know, Martha." He smiled at her, trying to reassure her of his intentions. He knew it wasn’t easy to be different, knew his son felt like a freak. Yet, despite all their missteps, he loved his son with everything he had.

He climbed the steps up to the loft and spotted the dejected boy. "Alex?"

Wiping his eyes, Alex turned to face his father, prepared to face the consequences of his actions.

"Are you hurt, son?" his father asked gently, surprising him.

"No, sir."

"What happened?"

"It appears the new mixture is combustible at 12.78 Celsius."

"That’s unexpected." Jonathan frowned for a moment. "Is there any way to stabilize it?"

Alex nodded enthusiastically. "I think I figured out what went wrong."

"Good. Once we get the new shed built, you can go over your notes and try again. You did back-up your notes, didn’t you?"

Alex smiled in relief, realizing he was forgiven.

Clark frowned as he concentrated on translating. "On this third planet from this star Sol, you will be a god among men. They are a flawed race. Rule them with strength, my son. That is where your greatness lies."

Clark stood backed, startled, and blinked in surprise. "I think I was sent here to conquer the planet."

Lionel reached forward and hugged his son tightly. "I told you that you were meant for greatness, that you had a destiny."

A pain-filled voice broke through Alex’s reverie as he walked through the college’s cornfields, checking the instruments which monitored his latest experiment.

Sighed softly, he realized that the superstitious football team had once again sacrificed a college freshman in order to win their Homecoming game. He made his way through the crops until his flashlight shone on the boy who was strung up like a scarecrow.

"Here, let me help you down."

When the boy collapsed, he lifted him off the tiny green meteor rocks which littered the ground.

"I got you," Alex said, carrying the boy home.

"They left me."

"It’s an irreprehensible tradition. I’ll call campus security as soon as you feel up to dealing with them."

"You don’t understand. Students... found me, but left me... because of who I am."

"I’m so sorry."

"Do you know who I am?"

Alex nodded. "But if it makes you feel any better, I don’t particularly care."

"Why not?"

"Because I would’ve helped you no matter who you were."

"Just who are you?"

"Alexander Kent."

"Clark Luthor. We’re going to be great friends, Alexander."

Alex rubbed his eyes. "I can’t accept a gift from a student, Pete. You know that. It looks like I’m accepting a bribe."

"But Luthor isn’t in any of your classes."

"It’s the principal that matters."

"Man, I can understand sending back the 4x4, but this set-up is sweet."

Alex nodded in agreement as he looked longingly at the computer on his desk. Unless he won the lottery, he was never going to own a system this powerful.

"Send it back," he whispered, before he changed his mind.

Alex shook his head and smiled at Clark’s plaintive tone. "But I do want something from you."

"What? You return all my gifts, my--"

"I want your friendship."

"But you already have my friendship."

"I know."

"But--"

"Look, Clark. It’s simple. I like you and you don’t treat me like a bald-headed brainiacal freak."

"I know what it’s like to feel like a freak," Clark admitted quietly. He raised his gaze to meet Alex’s. "I think you better sit down."

"Why?"

"Because I have something I want to share with you."

"It felt fantastic, like I really made a difference."

"You did. You saved her life."

Clark nibbled his bottom lip. "Dad’s gonna freak."

"Your father was right, Clark. You do have a destiny. It’s just not exactly how he envisioned it."

"You’ll help me stay on the straight and narrow?"

"Consider me your own personal Jiminy Cricket." Alex grinned. "But you really do need to lose the lycra."

Hey, I like it. It shows off my assets."

Lex sighed. "It certainly does."

Alex blinked back into consciousness as Clark’s broken voice surrounded him. "What happened?"

"I thought he’d killed you. I thought... I thought... and I’d never..."

"Never what?"

Clark sobbed and hugged Alex close to his chest. "I can’t ever lose you."

"You won’t, I promise."

"Too close. It was too damn close."

Alex opened his mouth to comfort his friend, but found his words stopped by Clark’s warm lips on his. "I love you," Clark whispered against his lips when the need to breathe became overwhelming.

"I love you too, Clark."

"I’m thinking you better be prepared to do right by me or there’s going to be a shotgun wedding."

Clark snickered. "Invincible, remember?"

"You’ve never met my mother."

"You realize my dad’s serious about disowning me?"

Alex nodded. "You better plan on putting your journalism degree to good use then."

"So we’re going to be dual-income yuppies who save the world in their spare time?"

Alex laughed. "Works for me."

Clark sighed happily as he rolled Alex beneath him. "Me too."