Lex sighed and sat back in his chair. He watched Kal-El lie back and close his eyes, various expressions passing over his face. Curiously, the strongest was confusion.

Lex had no idea if the conversation had gone well or not. It had seemed as though, as they talked, Kal-El would almost forget his situation and was a little more open. But all too quickly, he’d remember and shut down again.

Obviously, it was too much to expect Kal-El to trust him immediately, but for some reason that didn’t stop Lex from feeling disappointed. He didn’t understand his own feelings in the matter; what almost felt like a connection with this sad, sensitive man. Alien he may be, but he was more human than a lot of people he knew. His father being a prime example.

Lex watched Kal-El until he went to bed. Then he started reading files again, concentrating mainly on the psychological profiles. It was frustrating in a way; they only seemed to skim the surface, as if *they* were barely aware of the depths Lex *knew* were there. For a start, the information on Kal-El’s dreams and fantasies, seemed such obvious and blatant lies, which actually made him feel relieved somehow. But it made him wonder what Kal-El was hiding.

Lex had been oddly reluctant to read the earliest files, to find out where Kal-El had come from. That it had something to do with the meteor showers that had caused his own hair loss, he’d already guessed. The files he’d read indicated Kal-El’s alien origin, but for some reason, Lex didn’t want to know what had been done to the child Kal-El had been.

With a sigh, Lex watched the sleeping Kal-El a little longer, then shut down his computer. He went to bed wondering how he was ever going to get to sleep.

@>*~

Lex sat at his desk watching Kal-El again. He felt… strange, uncomfortable; almost like something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what. Ever since he’d woken up that morning, panting hard from some nightmare he couldn’t remember, he’d had a feeling of anticipation. Anticipation for what, he wasn’t really sure.

He’d missed most of Kal-El’s day, due to a heavy workload, but as soon as he’d finished for the day, he’d rushed straight to his desk and started to watch. The final hour of his day, although the session had probably been longer, was spent with Dr Redman yelling at Kal-El about him not trying hard enough to float.

Lex wanted to kill Redman, he could see Kal-El withdrawing more and more to hide his upset. How Lex knew he was upset, when no one else seemed to, he wasn’t sure.

When Kal-El was alone in his room again and the majority of the scientists had gone home, Lex turned his override system back on.

“Hi,” he said quietly. Kal-El looked briefly up at the camera, then groaned and dropped his head on his bent knees.

“What do you want?” Kal-El asked.

“Just to talk,” Lex sighed, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. You’ve had a hard day.”

“Every day is hard,” Kal-El laughed bitterly, “So, you’re giving up on me already.”

“No, I’m never giving up on you,” Lex reached out and touched the screen gently, wishing he could touch Kal-El, reassure him.

Kal-El was silent for a moment, but then his shoulders started to shake and Lex could hear him struggling to hold back sobs.

“I’m sorry, Kal-El,” Lex sat up, closer to the screen, “Are you okay?”

“What do you think?” Kal-El whispered, then he laughed, “You do realise how long I’m going to be in with Dr Newman tomorrow now, don’t you?”

“Dr Newman,” Lex frowned, “He’s the…?”

“Psychiatrist.”

“Oh,” Lex grimaced in annoyance, “Shit, I’m sorry.” Damn, he didn’t want to make things harder for Kal-El.

Kal-El’s hands dropped from his knees to the bed, but his face remained hidden. “Why? I don’t get it.”

“What’s to get?” Lex asked with a slight frown. “It is possible for someone to like you, you know.”

Kal-El snorted, “After a couple of days? I doubt it, Lex. At best it’s pity, at worst you’re just screwing with my head, so why should I believe a word you say?”

“I don’t pity you!” Lex said emphatically, “I hate what my f-, what’s been done to you and I want to be a friend to you, everyone needs friends. I know, I don’t exactly have many.” Lex winced at the bitterness of his tone.

“Really?” Kal-El asked hesitantly.

Lex sighed, “Yeah, I’m different too. Not quite as spectacularly as you, but enough. Listen this is weird for me too, you know? But, I just, I feel… God, I don’t know.”

Kal-El looked up at the camera for a second, eyes shining again with tears. Lex swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. He almost felt like Kal-El could see him.

“Connected,” Kal-El whispered.

Lex sat back in shock and nodded, then remembered he couldn’t be seen. “Yeah,” he breathed, “You feel it too?”

Kal-El buried his face in his knees again and shrugged, but didn’t reply.

“Kal-El?” Lex whispered, “Would you prefer me to go?”

“I… don’t know,” Kal-El said in a slightly hoarse voice. “I, it’s like I feel like I can trust you, but I can’t Lex, I can’t afford to.” His tone pleaded for understanding.

Lex dropped his head to his chest and sighed, “I know. There’s something there though, Kal, I know there’s something. I, I’ll be back tomorrow.” He knew he couldn’t talk to Kal-El anymore that night, it was so hard seeing him so sad and lonely. Especially when Lex hadn’t even been able to find out where they were keeping him yet.

“Okay,” Kal-El breathed. He lifted his head and stared at the camera, “Night, Lex.”

“Goodnight, Kal.” Lex switched the system back to the complex and touched the screen where Kal-El was still staring at the camera. There had to be some way to convince Kal he could trust him, he just knew it. If only he could work out what, maybe if he could just understand why he felt so strongly about Kal-El, that would help.

@>*~

Kal-El lay back on his bed and rubbed his eyes. Now, more than ever, he could feel this urge to trust Lex. His night time visitor had seemed genuinely concerned for him and sorry that he’d caused him problems. Then the unexpectedness of Lex feeling this… connection between them.

Dr Redman had told him he’d floated longer than ever before; before he’d woken up at least. Kal-El had to guess that it was to do with the fact that his dreams had intensified even more. The mysterious man from his dreams had spoken, had a voice for the first time. And it was Lex’s voice. Kal-El wasn’t sure how to deal with that.

He’d thought he might be annoyed, that this stranger had ruined his dreams, his only sanctuary. Except he hadn’t; it had been the best dream so far, even worth all the time with Newman and Redman trying to prise out of him what made him float in his sleep.

And when Lex had spoken to him again tonight, he hadn’t been able to stop the initial elation. But again, he’d crushed his hope brutally, been a little offhand with Lex. He could *not* afford to risk trusting him, especially now he suspected there was more involved; his heart. And that was ridiculous too, falling for a voice, just because Lex said he wanted to know him, see him smile.

Kal-El shook his head and went to get ready for bed, determined not to think about Lex.

@>*~

Lex woke with a gasp and sat up, trying to breathe deeply to slow his pounding heart. With a sigh, he lay back, remembering his dream. Remembering running, frightened and alone as the whole world exploded around him. Lex hadn’t dreamed about the meteor shower for years.

He tried to rationalise it. It was probably to do with being in Smallville, everything that was happening with Kal-El, just bringing memories to the surface.

But Lex couldn’t help feeling he’d forgotten something, that there was more to what had happened that day. But what?

Lex decided he wasn’t going to put it off any longer. He was going to find out how and where they’d found Kal-El and what had happened. Maybe if he knew that, he could work out why he felt so connected to Kal-El, find a way for him to trust him. He desperately wanted Kal-El to trust him.

The urge to go and read now was almost overwhelming, but Lex knew that if he did, he’d end up watching Kal-El all day. And, not only did he have work to do, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to cope with watching what amounted to torture of Kal-El for a whole day.

Lex sighed and got up, heading for the shower as he continued to talk himself out of watching Kal-El. Relaxing under the hot spray, Lex allowed himself the indulgence of letting his mind wander, knowing already where it would go. The sight of Kal-El naked was etched into his mind and had invaded his thoughts regularly over the last couple of days.

He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t jerked off to the image; he was hard now and he still didn’t touch himself. For some reason, it felt wrong. He leaned back against the wall of the shower, shuddering lightly as the water flowed over the sensitive skin of his cock. But that was all the stimulation he allowed himself. Hurriedly, Lex washed and got out of the shower before he gave into his need.

He had to get out of the mansion or he’d never get any work done. The last thing he needed right now was a visit from his father or Dominic to find out why he was slacking.

@>*~

As predicted, Kal-El had spent most of his morning with Dr Newman, trying to find out why he’d been crying the night before. The fact that Kal-El could have just been upset about the day he’d had didn’t seem to occur to him. No, there had to be *some* underlying reason. Of course, there was, but Kal-El wasn’t about to admit to that. Still, he couldn’t help wondering if they were testing his reactions to Lex.

Kal-El was tempted to mention what had happened the last two nights, but the tiniest tendril of hope that it was real made him keep silent. All it would prove to them if it *was* a test, was that he didn’t tell them everything, and really, there was not much they could do about it except punish him. And he’d been through plenty of shit before, he could handle it… hopefully.

Getting back to his room that evening was even more of a relief than usual. He wasn’t even overwhelmed with loneliness for once. But he *was* tense with nervous anticipation. Would Lex talk to him tonight, after the awkwardness of the previous night? The man from his dreams still had Lex’s voice and it was now intertwined with all his fantasies. Would the real thing have the same effect on him?

“Hi.”

Kal-El glanced at the camera, then rolled away from it so his face was hidden. There was his answer, Lex just said one word and it was enough to make him shiver. “Hi,” he replied.

“Are you… okay?” Lex sounded tense and Kal-El frowned.

“Not bad, considering,” he said with a shrug, “How are you?”

“Me?” Lex was obviously surprised by the question. “Oh, um, I don’t know really.”

Kal-El blinked. “You don’t know?” he asked curiously.

Lex sighed, “No, I know, I just… it’s nothing.”

“You know,” Kal-El started, “I was under the impression you wanted to be friends. Don’t friends talk?” He could hear Lex shifting around and waited. He found that he really, genuinely wanted to know what seemed to be bothering Lex.

“Okay. I’m pissed off and frustrated,” Lex admitted.

“Why?”

“Because I can’t find out where you are, and because there is little information about how and where you were found.”

“Why do you want to know that?” Kal-El asked with a frown.

“Which one?” Lex asked.

“Well,” Kal-El thought for a moment, “Why do you want to know how and where I was found?”

“It… it feels important.” Lex sighed, “It feels like it’s something I should already know.”

“Really?” Kal-El wished he could see a face instead of talking to a wall.

“Yeah. Do, do you remember much about it?” Lex asked.

Kal-El frowned again. Was this an attempt to get more information than they already had out of him? “I…” he paused and licked his lips, “I remember being scared and then a feeling of warmth and comfort, I remember it being ripped away from me and being brought here. That’s all.”

“Oh.”

“Why do you want to know where I am?” Kal-El asked.

“I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life in there, I don’t want to see you getting hurt *every* day.”

“Why?” Kal-El was surprised, but… touched, by the level of emotion in Lex’s voice.

“I told you, I feel, I…”

“Do you find me attractive?” Kal-El sucked in a sharp breath of horror. Where in the hell had that come from? It was bad enough that he was talking so openly with Lex, that Lex’s voice made him hard and was battering at his defences.

“I… pardon?” Lex sounded bewildered.

Kal-El flushed, “Never mind.”

“Why do you ask?”

“I… I don’t know. I just, this whole thing…” Kal-El trailed off.

“I do.” Lex’s husky whisper sent a shiver down Kal-El’s spine to his groin.

“Oh.” Kal-El couldn’t quite manage to say more.

“I can’t help it, Kal, I like you and I feel connected to you somehow. It’s more than just a physical attraction…”

“Enough, please,” Kal-El begged desperately. He had to stop him, he couldn’t hear this, couldn’t listen, couldn’t want, couldn’t trust. He just *couldn’t*.

“I’m sorry,” Lex whispered, “I’m sorry, Kal, I’ll go. Tomorrow, can I…?”

“Yes,” Kal-El whispered, wishing he had the strength to say no. He curled himself up into a ball and tried not to cry.

@>*~

Lex smacked his head down on the desk, hard. Stupid! How could he have been *so* stupid? But the unexpected question had completely thrown him. How the hell was he going to get Kal-El to trust him, if he thought he wanted something from him? And what was with that babbling explanation? That hadn’t helped at all, Kal-El’s tone had nearly broken his heart.

What had been going on in Kal-El’s head, to suddenly come out with that question? He hadn’t quite admitted to the connection between them, but Lex knew that it *was* there for Kal-El too. If only he could get him to admit it, it would be a step closer to building trust between them… hopefully.

The other problems he had still remained; where was Kal-El being kept and what were the circumstances in which he’d been found? Lex pinched the top of his nose and rubbed his brow, feeling a headache building. He watched Kal-El until he went to bed and then retired himself.

Sleep was a long time coming. Lex couldn’t help feeling that if he could just remember what had happened the day of the meteor shower that half the problem would be solved.

He also had to ask Kal-El next time if he’d been kept in the same place the entire time. He was counting on the fact that they wouldn’t have taken a young child far, and if he hadn’t been moved since, maybe, just maybe, Kal-El was actually in or near Smallville.

If that *was* the case, escape might be possible. But only if he was right and only if Kal-El trusted him.

@>*~

Kal-El spent most of the day getting into trouble. But he couldn’t help it, he couldn’t concentrate. Either he was worrying about his conversation with Lex the previous night, or he’d get lost in the memory of his dream. The dream had intensified again. The pale, hairless man had made gentle love to him, whispering softly in Lex’s voice. And when Kal-El had come, he’d cried out Lex’s name.

The first thing he’d thought about when he’d woken up, was whether or not he’d spoken in his sleep; he didn’t want anyone to know, to hear what he’d been dreaming. Definitely didn’t want to get Lex into trouble if he *was* his friend.

By the end of the day, he was exhausted and ill because, in a fit of temper, Dr Redman had ripped off his necklace and forced Kal-El to wear it for several hours. They’d had to carry him to his room and he’d been dumped onto his bed once he’d finally been able to take it off.

Resisting the urge to crawl to the bathroom to throw up, Kal-El curled up in his bed, hoping Lex would talk to him tonight, needing to hear that soft voice.

@>*~

Lex stared at the screen in horror. Kal-El looked pale and haggard, he was sweaty as if he had a fever. Switching the override on, he spoke.

“Kal? Are you okay, what happened?”

Kal-El licked his lips and looked up at the camera before turning away. “Punishment,” he whispered.

“What, why?” Lex frowned. What could possibly warrant a punishment that made Kal-El look like that?

“Daydreaming, had to wear a green rock,” Kal-El sighed.

Lex’s jaw clenched in anger, “That’s it. You are getting out of there!”

Kal-El laughed weakly, “How? You don’t know where I am, and then there’s guards, security codes…”

“That’s not a problem. Not knowing where you are is the problem. I have a theory though.” Lex sat back and sucked on his bottom lip thoughtfully.

“What?” Kal-El asked.

“When you were found, can you tell me anything else? Can you remember if they took you far?” Lex asked quietly, hoping Kal-El would trust him enough to talk to him. Kal-El rolled onto his stomach with a quiet groan and Lex winced.

“I remember someone crying,” Kal-El started, “I… I remember being taken somewhere, but it was okay, I still felt safe and then.” His voice broke and Lex sat up in concern, touching the screen, again silently cursing the fact he couldn’t touch Kal-El.

“Then?” Lex whispered softly.

“Then I was taken away from… from something important. Something that’s missing. All my life I felt like something was missing, until…” Kal-El stopped and Lex sighed in frustration. Kal-El had almost admitted something important, he knew it.

“Until?” he asked quietly.

“Nothing,” Kal-El shook his head, “I don’t remember being taken far and I’ve been here ever since,” he said abruptly.

Lex sighed. Kal-El still didn’t trust him, or at least was fighting it, that much he’d admitted to before. “Okay,” Lex said quietly, “I’m hoping that means you’re close, but where?” He tapped his fingers on his desk. Where in or around Smallville was there space for a facility like that?

“You’re the one on the outside,” Kal-El snapped.

Lex swallowed. “Yeah, I guess I am,” he whispered sorrowfully.

“Lex, I’m sorry.” Kal-El glanced up at the camera, “I’m sorry, I’m just really tired.”

Lex stared at the screen and sighed, “I know, Kal, I’m sorry too. I’m going to find you, and get you out of there, I promise.”

“Okay,” Kal-El whispered.

“Goodnight, Kal.”

“Goodnight, Lex.”

Lex switched off the override and sat back. Kal-El had to be close, he just knew it. He just had to dig deeper. There was something missing, something he couldn’t quite remember. If he could just remember, he knew he had the key for Kal-El trusting him, an explanation of why they felt so connected.

@>*~

Kal-El dragged himself to the bathroom to run a bath, hoping it would make him feel better.

What had possessed him to tell Lex so much about when he’d been found? Things he hadn’t spoken about before. Almost admitting that since Lex had started talking to him, he felt complete for the first time in twelve years.

He still had no real reason to trust Lex and yet it was there, growing each day they spoke, and each night he dreamed. He just wished he hadn’t snapped. Lex had sounded so hurt, and nothing could have stopped the feeling that he wanted to reach out, wanted to touch Lex.

Maybe it was the lack of loving contact over the years, but Kal-El wanted to touch Lex, wanted Lex to touch him, like the man in his dreams. He sighed, who’d have thought that a friendly voice could do so much to him; break down defences built up over years, in just a few days.

Sinking into the hot water, Kal-El tried not to let himself hope that Lex would keep his promise.

@>*~

Lex dreamt about the meteor shower again, but again he’d woken before he could remember anything other than feeling scared. It was frustrating to say the least. He got up and dug in his drawer for some painkillers, he couldn’t seem to shake this headache. Probably the stress he was putting himself under trying to find Kal-El.

Someone had to know something, have seen something. The scientists had to come and go from somewhere for a start. He had people working on it but so far nothing. There was no way something this big could be hidden completely, surely?

Lex resigned himself to another long, frustrating day, and he hoped against hope, that Kal-El wouldn’t get into any trouble that day, the sight of him the previous night had almost broken his heart.

@>*~

Kal-El forced himself to concentrate, despite just wanting to curl up in his bed and wait for Lex. He’d called the man in his dream ‘Lex’ again. But he couldn’t let himself get distracted, not when Dr Redman seemed to be in an even worse mood than usual. He didn’t want to feel so sick and tired again when he spoke to Lex.

Try as he might, Kal-El couldn’t stop himself from looking forward to the evening when he’d be alone again and Lex would talk to him. Couldn’t find the strength to berate himself for hoping and trusting. He just couldn’t help it, Lex’s voice broke through every defence and lodged deep in his heart, without even trying.

He performed his tasks perfunctorily, not even caring when Dr Redman shouted at him. He still couldn’t seem to float except in his sleep, but as far as he was concerned, that was a good thing and he would resist trying properly for as long as he could.

@>*~

The phone ringing made Lex jump. He picked it up. “What?!” he snapped.

“We may have found something,” said the voice at the other end.

“What?” Lex repeated.

“Local nutjob. He insists that the plant has a third level, with a secret elevator to access it. Don’t know if he’s reliable, but I thought you should know.”

Lex sat back in his chair. “Good job, thanks.” He put the phone down, shaking his head.

Of course! Why hadn’t he thought of that before? It was *so* obvious. The plant was large enough, owned by LuthorCorps, it was ideal.

Now if only Kal-El would trust him, he could get him away from that place.

@>*~

Kal-El let himself be pushed into his room with a grateful sigh. As usual, he lay down on his bed to wait, letting himself at last remember his dream until Lex spoke to him. For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he had a sense of anticipation, like something big was going to happen tonight. He stared at the camera, willing Lex to talk to him, *wanting* Lex to talk to him.

“Hey,” Lex said quietly, “You’re looking better.”

“I feel better,” Kal-El almost smiled, even though Lex couldn’t see him as he had his back to the camera as usual. “You sound excited,” he commented.

“I think I know where you are.”

Kal-El could hear the smile in Lex’s voice. “Really?” he asked, trying to smother his own excitement and happiness. “Where?”

“Right under my nose.”

“Oh?” Kal-El was surprised.

“Yeah, it was so obvious, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before,” Lex chuckled.

“That’s… good, I guess,” Kal-El sighed. There was a brief silence.

“Kal…” Lex started.

Kal-El turned onto his back. “Turn on the video feed.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” Kal-El said quietly.

“How did you know?”

“If you can switch the sound over, you can feed them fake video footage too. Why didn’t you before?” Kal-El asked.

Lex sighed, “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning until you trusted me.”

Kal-El could hear the hope in Lex’s voice and he sighed. “Lex, I…”

“Never mind,” Lex breathed out.

Kal-El could have sworn he heard a catch in his voice. He looked away from the camera, he desperately wanted to trust Lex, and he could only think of one way. Taking a deep breath, Kal-El made a leap of faith.

“Lex, why don’t you have any hair?” he asked quietly.

For a moment there was utter silence. “H-how, how could you possibly know that?” Lex whispered, shock and disbelief evident in his tone.

Kal-El swallowed, more than a little shocked himself. “It *is* you,” he whispered. He stared directly at the camera and licked his suddenly dry lips, “Oh God.”

“Kal, how… how did you know that?” Lex repeated quietly.

“I didn’t, not really,” Kal-El breathed, “I guessed.”

“You… guessed?” Lex sounded a cross between suspicious and completely confused. “How?”

“I wanted to know if it was you,” Kal-El grinned, he knew he was probably confusing the hell out of Lex, but he was just too happy. Happy now he knew that Lex really was the man from his dreams, and that this *was* real. And just maybe, Lex had feelings for him too. “Lex, I want to get out of here,” he whispered.

“Really?” Lex gasped, “You trust me?”

Kal-El smiled up at the camera, a real genuine smile, and he heard Lex gasp. “Yes, I trust you, completely.”

“I, I don’t get it, Kal,” Lex whispered.

“I know you. I know you, Lex. I don’t know how, or why, but I’ve been dreaming of you for such a long time now, you’ve been my lifeline,” Kal-El sighed and smiled ruefully at the camera. “But only this week did the man in my dreams have a voice, your voice, and now I know it’s you, that’s why I called him Lex for the last two nights.”

Kal-El heard Lex take a deep breath and clear his throat. “You… dream about *me*?”

Kal-El almost laughed at the distinct squeak in Lex’s voice. “Always,” he breathed.

@>*~