Never Alone: When things get interesting

Still don't own Smallville

Thanks for all the nice reviews, I do love getting them. I'm glad everyone seems to like Chase and his friends, even if they all seem a little eccentric to me...well Chase and Toy do anyway. Have fun. And, special thank you to Lex's Lady, who offered to Beta this for me, but when I finally got it done I just wanted the thing out of my sight...umm...

"Hey Alex." Chase said cheerfully, sliding into his seat and grinning widely. "Do you have the notes for yesterday? I might have lost them."

"Yeah." Alexander said pushing the paper towards him.

"Thanks man." Chase flashed him another grin then began scribbling the notes hastily. "So what's up?"

"Looking for a job after school." Alex grumbled. "My parents say if I want anything other then school supplies, food, and the necessary clothes, I've got to buy them myself."

"You can keep me company then." Chase said, glancing up. "I need a few things, but I am not asking the Kent's. I think they've done enough for me already, and I am in major guilt mood since I'm not exactly pulling my own weight. And well, guilt sucks."

"Well, it's not your fault you're a girly boy." Alex said logically. Chase glared. "And Clark's all big and strong."

"Are you lusting after Clark too?" Chase frowned. Not that there was anything wrong with that. If Alex liked Clark then good for him...good for Clark...damn it, was this going to be a constant thing from now on? Everyone seeming to want Clark and him being alone and depressed? "If so I think I might be forced to kill you. I've got plans for him and I won't have you mucking them up."

"I feel bad for Clark." Alex said seriously. "I sure as hell wouldn't want you plotting against or for me."

"Cause your stupid and don't realize my full potential." Chase said solemnly.

"Please everyone turn the fire to low and bring the blue solution to a slow boil." Mrs. Pyrce, the chemistry teacher said then turned on her own fire.

Chase turned the gas then the fire on and giggled. "Oh, pretty flames!"

"You're a pyromaniac aren't you?"

"I once got arrested for arson if that's what you mean." Chase admitted, watching the blue and orange flames with obvious interest. "Fire is fun. It gives warmth and light and essentially life, but if you get to close it'll hurt and burn and kill." He laughed again.

A few kids looked back then edged away much to Alex's amusement.

"Don't scare the kids Chase, it's not nice." Chase shrugged and Alex sighed. "So, that Halloween dance is tomorrow. Did you buy a ticket?"

"I`m kind of broke." Chase said, grinning. "But since it's my birthday, I think I'm ditching it in favor of skipping school and hanging out in the barn all day."

"Your birthday is on Halloween?" Alex looked skeptical.

"Demon child from the day the Burlin's adopted me. Nothing's changed." Chase shrugged a little. "Which is besides the fact that Clark's is on Christmas Eve, so Halloween isn't that far fetched, thank you very much."

Alex shrugged then looked back at whatever the hell they were heating. It was no longer blue and had turned into a thick greenish-mixture and the smoke rising from it was green as well. He leaned forward to get a better look.

Then his stomach lurched and the room began to spin. He felt sick and faint, which was rare because he never got sick. He heard Chase call his name, but it was far away.

Chase watched with wide eyes as Alex all but collapsed to the ground, knocking over the flask of liquid and the burner as he went. The burner stopped an inch above the floor and hovered then landed up right. That would raise questions later.

The liquid on the other hand, spilled over Alex's hand and there was a sizzling sound. Alex cried out and nearly fainted as he caught a glimpse of his hand and swore his skin was moving. Then Chase wiping the greens stuff away with a cool rag blocked his view.

Alex blinked dimly then felt the pain lessen. He didn't see Chase waver on his feet a little before tossing the rag away and taking a step back so the teacher could look at him.

"Mr. Mead, please, get up so we can get you to the nurse."

Alex took a deep breath then shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Mrs. Pyrce looked outraged. "I think not young man. You just spilled a highly acidic compound heated to nearly a hundred degrees on yourself, I find it hard to believe that you are okay." She reached for his hand, ready to point out the swelling and burns she expected to find.

Instead she encountered perfectly smooth skin, as if nothing had happened at all. She blinked openly then stood up. She walked to the front of the room then spoke softly.

"Class is dismissed for the time being, be prepared to continue this tomorrow."

Alex and Chase were the first one's out, neither boy wanting to stay in the room any longer then they had to. They ended up wandering around the football field, since Chemistry was their last real class of the day, followed by a study hall they never went to.

"What happened in there?" Chase asked, sitting down abruptly, then stretching out in the soft grass.

Alex sat down beside him. "I don't know. That green gas made me want to heave then that crap was on me, and then you wiped it off and I was fine."

"But it was hot, because of the fire." Chase said stubbornly. "You should have been burned, that is how things work you know."

"Well some of us don't get burned." Alex whispered and that was it. Chase couldn't argue with that and he honestly didn't want to.

God, he was acting like he wanted Alex to be on his way to the hospital numb on painkillers, with half of his arm burned off. Which wasn't what he wanted at all, probably the exact opposite. He had thought his heart had stopped when he had seen Alex fall.

And, damn it all, he was getting sappy again. It had to be something in the air around here, but maybe in the end Smallville wasn't such a bad place. It was kind of dull and nothing really happened, but Clark was here and he had good, stable, and most of all, sane friends here, and he could deal with this for a few years, maybe longer.

But he wasn't wearing flannel, cutting his hair any shorter, or shoveling anything that wasn't snow, giving up the way he dressed or his multitude of hair colors. He could learn to adapt to Smallville but Smallville had to learn to adapt to him as well.

Chase smiled happily and closed his eyes. It was a little warmer then the first day he had come to school, nearly two weeks ago, but he was used to pretty bad winters so it wasn't that bad as far as he was concerned. And the sun was shining so it was fairly comfortable.

Alex started a quite snore from his friend then smiled fondly. Chase had clonked out after five minutes of silence and was looking very peaceful...almost angelic, which was probably one of the biggest contradictions in the world, because Chase wasn't seriously evil, but he wasn't a saint either.

Actually...he was seriously evil, as in he was very serious about his evil...ness.

Alex frowned a little, wondering if Chase would get cold out here. He shrugged out of his jacket then draped it over his friend. Chase didn't stir and Alex looked out across the field.

He wouldn't be cold he was never cold. He could probably go to the North Pole in shorts and not be cold. It came with being who, and whatever, he was. The cold didn't mean much to him, because he was always warm. Always.

He rubbed the back of his hands, which were already starting to ache. It would be simple enough to let off the energy he had stored up, but the issue of what to do with it hung heavy in the air. He'd have to wait until he was alone and someplace where he couldn't accidentally hurt anyone. Until then his hands would have to ache a little bit.

He turned when his name was called and smiled at the teens headed over to him. Touya and Sky, who Alex was now positive were joined by invisible cords, Clark, who always showed up where Chase was sooner or later, and Clark's friends Chloe and Pete.

Clark looked at his brother and rolled his eyes. "Like he doesn't get enough sleep at home."

Chloe ignored that and bounced over to Alex, looking more then a little hyper. "I heard you got doused with a boiling chemical and came out unharmed."

"Other then the fact I almost fainted, yeah I'm fine. No burns." Alex held a hand.

"And you don't think that's a little strange?" Chloe pressed.

"No, Chloe, I don't." Alex smiled. "It wasn't that hot, Chase forgot to turn on the burner until a minute before."

"Oh." Looking a little deflated, she sat down nest to Pete. Alex almost felt bad for lying to her, but some things were better left unsaid.

"Did you know Chase's birthday was tomorrow?" Alex asked, shifting any thought from his lack of injuries away.

"It is?" Clark frowned. "He didn't say anything about it."

"Hence me telling you." Alex said, smiling faintly. "I think he was being weird and didn't want us to know about it."

"Why would he do that?" Touya asked. "I'm making sure you all know when my birthday is rolling around. I`ll hand out flyers-"

"He was being weird." Skylar said, repeating Alex's words.

"Wonder what's stranger, his birthday being on Halloween or my being on Christmas Eve." Clark said absently. It was just a stray thought in the way of figuring Chase out.

"But, if your twins, and he's the younger twin, why is his birthday in October?" Pete asked.

Chloe smacked his arm. "Doesn't the term separated upon adoption mean anything to you? It wasn`t like Clark`s family and Chase`s family could just call each other up and come up with birthdays they were all happy with you know." Pete pouted cutely and rubbed his arm.

"Sometimes I don't think you love me."

"One day?" Sky winced. "That's not exactly enough time to put together a half way decent party, let alone something I wouldn't be ashamed to be associated with."

"He is such an over achiever, just can`t be associated with something mildly half-assed." Touya teased, though he was clearly thinking too. He had never had many friends, so Chase was definitely one of his best, and sixteen was supposed to be a big deal and everything. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"Because he's an idiot." Clark said like it was obvious. "But Chase does know what he wants, he probably didn't want us to know about it, for some reason or another."

"Probably." Alex agreed then frowned a little. "Hey, tell Chase I'll meet him at the Beanery at four, I have to run home and take care of something."

"Alright." Chloe said pushing honey colored hair from her face and smiling a little. She and Pete had been trying to be nice to Clark's brother and by default Clark's brother's friends, but it was a little strange to hang out with four extra people when they were used to just the three of them.

Alex left them to their own devices and walked across the field quickly and into the parking lot to wait. He was almost a hundred percent positive that Lex gave Chase and Clark a ride every Monday and Thursday.

He wasn't disappointed, because a sleek blue car speed into the parking lot and Alex found himself feeling bad for any small animals or children who got in Lex's way. The car came to a halt in front of him.

"Hello Alexander."

Alex shook his head. "Don't you find calling someone else by your name just a little bit creepy?"

Lex shrugged and slid out of the car. "It's been so long since anyone has called me that, I guess I don't think of myself as Alexander anymore."

Alex nodded and looked up. "Call me Alex then, Alexander is a name for when I say I don't want to run my own company, be a lawyer, or a doctor." He glared at Lex's amused look. "What?"

"Nothing." Lex said, far too easily for Alex's liking. "It's just I was talking to your mother yesterday, lovely woman by the way, and when I mentioned I had an internship open at the plant, she suggested you."

"Excuse me for not being surprised." Alex said dully. "But that's not why I wanted to talk to you, though what I had to say doesn't seem as important as going home and slamming a few doors."

"I'm sure." Lex said.

"Umm." Alex frowned a little. "You and Chase are friends right?"

Lex raised an eyebrow curiously, but Alex just waited. Well, Chase was annoying, too smart for his own good, a jackass, far too aware of how cute he was, and pretty much a very evil boy, and Lex couldn't think of any negative traits at the moment.

"More or less."

"Well his birthday is tomorrow and he didn't tell anybody, so I'm guessing he doesn't want it to be a big deal, but-"

"You want to ignore the fact he'll be mad and throw a last minute party anyway, so you decided to ask me to help out." Lex concluded.

Alex shrugged. "Basically."

Lex looked at him hard, clearly thinking it over. Alex was willing to bet he wanted to know what was in it for him, because after all, why should he waste his time throwing a party for a high school kid who did nothing but patronize him all day long?

"Okay." Lex said leaning against the car door.

Alex blinked at the sudden and careless response. "Huh?"

"I said okay." Lex looked amused. That was almost a scary thing. "If you can manage to get Chase up to the manor around eight tomorrow, I can take care of the rest."

"And that's it?" Alex felt like he had missed something. "No strings or anything?"

"It's a birthday party Alex, no one is that evil, not even me." Though his father might be, but Lex had serious doubts about his humanity and decided the man didn't count.

"Oh, right...I mean, I didn't mean...it came out and I...thanks?" Alex stopped then, deciding it was best to just shut his mouth before Lex changed his mind.

"Sure."

Alex smiled then looked around. Kids were starting to file out of the school and onto the buses; school was officially over. He turned back to Lex and pointed to the field.

"Clark and Chase are out there if you don't want to wait for Clark to wake Chase up."

Lex nodded then watched Alex walk off. He knew that Alex didn't live to far from here, a mile or two he guessed. He was a nice kid, though he was obviously captivated with Chase, which did make Lex question his intelligence as well as sanity, but maybe it was a brotherly thing.

He found Clark impossible to resist, though he was doing an excellent job of restraining himself, which, he had to admit, was a hard thing to do. Maybe Chase had the same effect on Alex.

If so he really felt sorry for the kid.

Chase was talking to the woman behind the counter when Alex walked into the Beanery a few minutes late. The woman looked skeptical for a moment then Chase, being the evil but cute boy he was, turned on the pleading puppy anime eyes. (Which are the most evil things in the world) His eyes became amazingly round and wet, sparkling with seemingly unshed tears.

Both the woman and Alex were scarred for life, but Chase seemed satisfied when the woman reached under the counter handed him a piece of paper and an apron. He walked over to a chair and plopped down to skim over the paper he had been handed.

Alex took a moment to blink out of his daze then sat across from Chase who smiled at him.

"Hey, I got a job."

"You scarred that poor woman for life." Alex pointed out. Chase shrugged.

"It happens. Besides she was looking like she was going to say no and I couldn't have that now could I? It might have bruised my ego." Chase grinned.

"Yeah, right, your ego is far too massive for anything to even touch it."

"Hey, Burlin, quit flirting with your boyfriend and fill that out so you can get to work!" The woman shouted. Chase blushed a deep scarlet.

"He is not my boyfriend!"

"Whatever. Just hurry up."

Chase smiled apologetically then set to work. He was done in about five minutes then stood up to take the application back to the woman. Alex spent the next few hours watching Chase run around filling out and bringing people their drinks, and doing so with a large smile that was fake it almost made Alex want to laugh out loud.

Chase went past every so often and the smile would fade and become a patronizing smirk that made his gray-blue eyes sparkle madly.

Chase sat down across from him later on and sighed. "I suddenly remember why I quit working at that Starbucks last year. My face hurts."

"I'll bet." Alex agreed. "You've been smiling like an idiot for over an hour and I don't see why. I doubt they care whether or not you look happy to bring them coffee Chase."

"No one wants coffee from a sarcastic looking gothic guy. It's a fact of life." Chase nodded a little then perked up. "Hey, do you think you could go to the Claire's and buy me a box of hair dye? Mine is fading."

"Are you serious?" Chase nodded and Alex sighed. "What color?"

"Plum explosion 134." Chase said matter of factly. "I promise to pay you back later."

"No, it's fine. Think of it as a birthday gift." Alex found himself smiling as he stood up. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Chase waved then rose to his feet, plastering that smile on his face again. God he hated this.

"Hey, cutie over here."

Chase looked around and, seeing he was the only person serving at the moment, sucked up his pride and walked over to the small group of guys sitting at a table in the corner. They had on letterman jackets, but not from Smallville High, these had pictures of panthers as opposed to...whatever the hell was on the Smallville ones. He kind of forgot, but he was pretty sure it was a bird. A big ugly looking black bird.

A raven...no Ravens were cool by default, must have been a crow.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"Yeah." Chase said, looking at his tablet. Thankfully he had mastered the art of selective hearing and unconscious writing long ago, so he had been following along. "Anything else?"

"Well actually." The biggest guy, his jacket said Brown, grabbed his wrist and pulled so Chase found himself in the guys lap. He wrinkled his nose, not aware of how innocent and cute a gesture it was, when he caught a whiff of what had to be vodka.

Damn, he could use a drink right about now. Maybe a Long Island Ice Tea...those were pretty good and a lot harder to get smashed on.

"Dude, what are you doing?"

"Wondering if I could get you to go?"

"Ugh, lame, and no, I don't go home with strange assholes who don't ask nicely." Chase pulled but found this guy had a vice-like grip. Where was Clark when you needed his farm boy ass? Probably off somewhere trying to convince himself he wasn't drooling over Lex, typical schoolboy angst. Anyway...

"Please." Brown said, smiling rather unpleasantly at Chase who felt his skin crawl. "And who said anything about going home, I just need company for a few minutes."

"Not something to brag about." Chase muttered. "And no. Let's chalk it up to town loyalty and call it a day before I call Marie on you guys."

They didn't look scared and Chase felt a little nervous. Why the hell wasn't anyone doing anything? He glanced around and found everyone staring, but no one was moving. Great, just fucking great! So much for friendly townsfolk and all that shit.

"Oh, he's going to call the little manger on us!" Brown mocked.

`Yes, mock the telekinetic.' Chase thought, looking for something to have drop on this idiots head. 'I'll will so go Carrie on his ass.'

"Hey, get off of him."

"Alex!" Chase had never been more relived. He'd get away from this asshole and his friends, and wouldn't have to do anything suspicious while he was at it. Having friends was a good thing.

Alex looked rightly confused but was more then willing to put that on hold. "Well, what are you waiting for, a written invitation? Not that I think you could read it or anything."

"Give me one good reason." Brown sneered, then squeezed Chase's. Chase yelped then whimpered, as tears sprang into his eyes. Okay, that really hurt! Which was odd, since most people got confused blinks when they tried to hurt him.

"How about harassing and attempting to have sexual relations with a minor?" Alex asked. This guy looked over eighteen; it was worth a shot right? Having a lawyer mom had to pay off sooner or later didn't it? If not he wanted a refund on the bitching he had been forced to put up with before his mother and father had gotten divorced.

Why they still worked together was beyond him, something about an injury claim lawyer needing a great doctor around. Not that he cared; if they killed each other he got the house.

Brown growled then shoved Chase off of his lap and into Alex's waiting arms. Chase cradled his arm and whined softly. Brown smiled as he and his friends brushed past them.

"Maybe next time cutie. I'm sure we can have a better time then you and your little boyfriend can."

Alex glared after them then led Chase over to the counter where Marie, a small twenty-something woman with bottle black hair and hyper pink streaks, was waiting.

"Sorry about that Burlin, not a good way to start here is it?" She said taking Chase's apron. "Why don't you get your boyfriend to take you home and don't bother with tomorrow?"

Chase nodded, for the second time since he had come to Smallville having nothing to say. Alex on the other hand had a lot of questions, but only asked one.

"Why didn't anybody do anything?"

Marie looked down ashamed for a moment. "Those were kids from Spriton, one of our biggest rivals during the football season. They come up here every fall and pick the provable virgin to fuck with, it's a really weird tradition, so we don't do anything about it."

"Virgin?" Chase whispered. "They are so looking in the wrong place. I haven't been a virgin in close to four years." Okay, two, but he had a look to maintain.

"Be that as it may hon, I suggest you stay close to home until Monday, because they are rather persistent bitches in Spriton."

Chase nodded one last time then slid off of the stool and looked up at Alex. "So-"

"Come on, I'll walk you home." Alex said grabbing Chase's coat.

"It's kind of far out." Chase warned. Alex shrugged.

A little while later Chase and Alex were walking up the gravel driveway to the Kent farm. Chase was still cradling his arm but had firmly refused to let Alex take a look at it. It was turning dark out and halfway up Alex realized he wasn't getting home before nightfall. Oh well.

They got to the porch then Chase turned around and looked at Alex, red staining his cheeks.

"Thanks for helping me out." Even though he didn't normally need anybody's help. Needing help was embarrassing and weak and he was starting to act as femme as he looked. It was all this stupid towns fault.

Alex shrugged. "Of course. I wasn't just going to let them drag you away and...anyway, we're friends, why wouldn't I help?"

"You'd be surprised." Chase said, a tiny smile that didn't reach his eyes curving his lips. "There are a lot of people back in New York who didn't think I was worth trying to save." Just his few friends and that creepy lady from the Guidance department who kept going on and on about how he had a future and shouldn't waste it and stuff. He'd been too busy eating the candy on her desk to pay her much mind.

"But not everyone is as smart as I am, so what can you expect?" Alex said, trying to lighten the mood and make Chase smile. Depressing Chase was more frightening then Plotting Chase or Insane Pyromaniac Chase, those were apart of Case's odd personality.

Depression did not look good on Chase.

"Alright. I might see you tomorrow."

Alex nodded and turned to leave. Chase hesitated to open the door then turned back around.

"Alex, I almost forgot something." Chase looked sheepish. "I think you're cute."

Alex stared as Chase blushed then slipped into the house and was gone. He weighed that in his mind then smiled and jogged down the driveway.

So this wasn't home exactly, he could learn to like it here all the same.

~Just weird stuff between Chase and Clark~

Why're you so happy?"

"I'm not allowed to be happy? Would you rather I'd be depressed and moping somewhere?"

"Maybe."

"Ha ha...are you watching Dawson's Creek?"

"..."

"Do you have any idea how horribly wrong that is? Watching Buffy and Angel I understand." Cute guys, doing athletic type stuff...yummy. "But explain to me the point of watching a bunch of people in their mid to late twenties pretending to be teenagers and have teenager like problems?"

"..."

"And just out of curiosity when was the last time you fell in love with your best friend, dated but never slept with each other, then lost said friend to a gay guy, got friend back, lost to other best friend, who they did sleep with, then over a period of time and hijinks end up with your former, as in before your best friend, significant other, but try to hide it while your friend boinks their professor?"

"..."

"And another thing...you are allowed to talk Clark."

"...I know."

"Well as long as you know"

"I do."

"...Right. As I was saying, I have yet to meet a gay person who figured out they were gay while dating some guys girlfriend, that is typical book and TV clich, I tell you, all fake."

"So why are you so happy again?"

"Lex proposed."

"No, seriously."

"Are you implying that I couldn't get Lex to propose?"

"Since I'm pretty sure he's straight and thinks you're an idiot, yeah."

"He does not think I'm an idiot."

"Fine, I think you're an idiot."

"Which says a lot about you since I'm the smart one."

"As long as you acknowledge that fact that you're an idiot."

"You're...whatever is below an idiot."

"Nice comeback."

"I thought it was witty."

"I'm sure."

"Go fuck yourself." Though I'm sure Lex would rather do it...hum...eww, bad place, bad bad place, must get mind out of gutter!

"Is that actually possible?"

"I don't think so."

"Then why'd you say it?"

"It seemed good at the time?"

"Have you ever noticed that people say the strangest things, yet never realize what exactly they're saying?"

"...You tried to listen to Lex's psychological babble didn't you?"

"...Yes."

"How often do I have to say this `Lex is talking about things we will never be able to comprehend without a dictionary handy and even then we'd have a problem`?"

"I guess..." But watching hm babble is fun. He goes into Science-geek mode...or comic geek mode or...Lex is a geek. Why did I not notice that?

"You guess...what's going on?"

"Joey got mugged, guy's in the hospital, she's talking to the guys wife because she sees herself in the guys daughter and...why does it sound stupid now?"

"It didn't before?"

"No, it was heartfelt and touching."

"Do you listen to yourself speak?"

"Do you?"

"No, too traumatizing."

"Ah...what happened to your arm?"

"My arm? Oh...nothing."

"Chase."

"Clark."

"..."

"..."

"...!"

"...What?"

"Forget it."

"Forgotten."

"...So why are you really so happy?"

"I told Alex he was cute."

"Oh."

"Oh? What no oh my god, or screaming, or flailing limbs, or grabbing of pitchforks or preparations to tar and feather me?"

"Well, the last one does sound fun."

"No it doesn't."

"A little."

"No."

"A tiny bit?"

"No, you weird, sick little boy. And I'm the strange one."

"You are." I thought that was obvious by now.

"Whatever."

"Fine."

"So?"

"So what?"

"You know."

"If I knew why would I be asking?"

"To annoy me, yeah."

"No."

"I think so."

"I wouldn't."

"Then you are sure to fail at the brother thing. Annoying each other is one of the essentials."

Silly me, and here I thought it was blood relation. "Okay."

"Alright."

"...I heard you on the porch."

"Heard wha- oh."

"..."

"You were spying on me!"

"No, I heard you on the porch." Paranoid much?

"Grr...fine."

"Okay."

"Great."

"Wonderful."

"You like Alex?"

"You're pushing it Clark."

"Sorry."

Silence

Silence

"Yeah, I like Alex."

"Oh."

"Does that bother you?"

"Are you planning to make out in front of the whole school?"

"Uh...no." And the prize for weird question of the day goes to.

"Then no."

"Oh."

"Did you think it was going to bother me?"

"Do you mean did I think you might try to tar and feather me?"

"..."

"No, I wasn't worried, much, though I did expect at least a little freaking out on your part."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"You're just taking it very well...anything you want to tell me?"

"Now that you mention it, there is."

"...I've gotta go do my homework." Can't hear this, might fuck up plans, must escape...and damn Clark from making me watch Star Trek while I'm at it.

"Bye."

"Clark? Clark...hey Clark!"

"What!?!"

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Huh?"

"You know, you said there was something you wanted to say and I went off to do my homework."

"It's three in the morning."

"And?"

"It's a school day."

"I'm not going."

"I am."

"So?

"I am this close to smacking you."

"That's nice...Clark I was only playing, there is no need to get up! I'll scream like a-" Damn, pillow, pain.

"Now shut up." Nice, quiet, good.

Uncalled for. "You didn't tell me what you were going to tell me though."

Why won't he just shut up? "I'd hate to have to kill you because you couldn't keep your mouth shut."

"Fine."

Mm...Christ! "I was just going to say Alex is a nice guy and if you like him, that's nice."

"OH. Sorry."

"It's fine."

"...Thanks Clark."

"Welcome. Now get out of my room."

"...But I'm lonely."

"Ugh." I'm not listening, I will not let that pitiful tone of voice get to me, I refuse to give in to that skinny jackass.

"Alright. Night."

...I'm such a pushover. "Wait, stay."

"Thank you."

"Just go to sleep."

Lex frowned and drummed his fingers on his desk, trying to figure something out. What did you do for a sixteen year olds birthday? His birthday party had consisted of him and his sister hiding in the bathroom of some hotel, waiting for it all to be over.

So that wasn't a great example.

Lana's birthday had been a big elaborate thing with almost everyone in town, and he could have all of that ready by tonight, but he had the feeling Chase would turn around and leave if he saw that.

So a small guest list was a must, easy enough, a gift would be simple since he could get pretty much whatever he wanted, it was the party itself that was going to be a problem.

As far as he knew, teenage boys, himself included when he was younger, were interested in one thing, and since he couldn't legally get that, he was a bit stumped.

He could always ask for help...that idea really didn't appeal to him. In fact, other then those rare occasions when he was about to fall to his death, he had never really asked for help.

First time for everything he supposed. But who to call?

He reached for the phone and dialed quickly. Two rings later someone picked up.

"Hello, Bruce? It's Lex."

"I know. What do you want?"

Lex smiled. "I can't just call to say hello?"

"No."

"In that case, I've got a question." Lex paused, waiting to see if his friend would say something. In true Bruce for there was silence and Lex could swear he heard an eyebrow raise. (Think about it) "Well, that kid staying with you-"

"Dick."

Lex scowled. "I didn't say anything yet, can the name calling wait?"

"No, his name is Dick." Pause. "Do I want to know how you know about him?"

"Word travels fast." Lex said dismissively. "Though I wonder what it is about a circus boy that would make you take him in."

"Lex..."

"Is he cute?" Lex asked. "Flexible?"

This was meet with an eerie silence and Lex found himself wondering if Bruce was even there anymore, because he couldn't even hear the other man breathing. Then again it was Bruce, and he had always been a little...off to say the very least.

It figured Lex's only friend beside Clark would be insane...okay maybe not insane, but Bruce was not a fully sane or normal guy by anyone's standards. The simple truth was that he was brilliant and rich, and the latter could make people forget about anything if you offered enough. Lex would know better then most about such things.

"He's legal, unlike certain farm boys I could name."

Lex coughed and winced. Was his little obsession public knowledge or something? It was only a matter of time before Clark's father came after him with a shotgun. He doubted even Clark could get in the way of that. But his father trying to cover it up might be amusing.

"Okay, I'll give you that one." Lex conceded.

"Of course." Bruce sounded smug. Prick. "So what about him?"

"How old is he?" Lex said deciding getting back to the original purpose of this call would be a very good thing.

"16, last month."

"So he's barely legal."

"Yes," Bruce agreed. "But you might be interested in what he wanted for his birthday."

"Oh?" Lex was willing to bite. Once again there was silence, but this one was different. He could almost feel his friend's superior smirk. "Oh."

"Indeed."

No, Lex decided, he was not jealous of Bruce, even if he had gotten those twins, won every bet they ever had, and got his not quite legal love interest first.

"What kind of party would a boy turning sixteen like?"

"The farm boy?"

"His brother."

"His brother..." Bruce trailed off. Lex suppressed a laugh. Finally, something Bruce hadn't known. "Think if you can get in his brother's good graces you'll have a better shot?"

"Interesting theory, but no." Lex had to admit he hadn't seen that bonus yet. "He's a jack ass, but he's one of the few people around here who understands the concept of fun and knows why it never includes hay, corn, or dirt."

"Ah." Bruce said then grew quiet as the sound footsteps could be heard, even by Lex. "Dick." Muffled voice then. "My friend wants to know what you do for a sixteen year olds birthday. No, other than that."

"Not to mention that he has a guy." Lex added.

"Like that has ever stopped you before." Bruce muttered. "Dick said anything that involves speed."

"Are we promoting drug use in today's youth?"

Bruce let out a sigh. "That is not what I meant."

Lex paused. "Well, is that it? What about speed?"

"Do I have to figure out everything for you Lex? Try an amusement park."

"An amusement park?" Funny, Bruce had never struck him as the `fun, rides, and greasy food' type.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Anywhere that doesn't have people in costumes, clowns, or an Alice in Wonderland theme"

Lex frowned, wondering what the hell Bruce was talking about. Best not to ask, least he be stuck on the thought all day.

"Hey, Alex, man, your mom said get up."

Alex opened his eyes then blinked. He closed them then opened them again, just to be sure. "Chase?" The dark haired boy gave him a 'no shit' look and he blinked again. "Am I awake?"

"Yeah." Chase flashed him an annoying grin. "Why, do you dream about me?"

Alex rolled his eyes and rolled onto his side, or meant to anyway. His misjudged how close to the edge he was and went tumbling to the floor. Chase had the common decency to not laugh outright, but the corner of his mouth did twitch a little. Alex sighed and climbed to his feet then stumbled into the bathroom, careful to shut the door behind him. He heard Chase sit on his bed and rubbed his eyes.

Why the hell was Chase in his bed? Or rather, why was Chase in his bed without...never mind, bad thoughts, he should learn to control those. He turned on the shower and began to strip.

"What kind of dreams?" Chase asked loudly. Alex ignored him. "No, honestly, do you have nice fluffy dreams with me dressed in pink or something equally if not more disturbing? Or maybe I chase you around with a butchers knife and threaten to cut off your head, feel free to pick which one I mean."

Alex winced. Chase knew how to make someone uncomfortable. "Not that I recall."

"Oh. Well, maybe a domination dream, with leather and handcuffs and-"

"No. Not a pain-freak thank you."

"Who said you were?"

Alex blinked water out of his eyes. "But you said..."

"I know what I said." Chase said, then more quietly, but not low enough to escape Alex's sensitive hearing. "People treat being submissive like it's a bad thing." Alex stayed silent. "Okay, how about wet dreams? Trust me, I would not be offended."

"None that I'm telling you about." Alex said. Just how annoying could one person be?

"Ah..." Chase fell silent and Alex frowned and reached to turn off the shower. Something about Chase being quiet didn't sit well with him. What the hell was he doing?

It was right then that Alex remembered that his clothes were in his room...with Chase. Of course. There was some kind of force at work that was determined to embarrass the hell out of him. He wrapped a towel around his waist and sighed. He pushed the door open and found Chase still sitting on his bed cross-legged on his bed. Nothing looked damaged or blown up or even out of place.

"Can you look out of the window or something?"

Chase raised an eyebrow but had the decency to close his eyes and keep them closed while Alex dressed hastily. Alex flopped down next to him finally.

"So how did you get in?"

"Your mom let me in." He hesitated. "She seemed nice, but uh..."

Alex smirked. "No, she isn't my mother. She's like five years older then I am and my dad`s second wife. Oh, and a giant bitch, but I`m not supposed to say that."

"Actually, she seemed to perky to be related to you." Chase admitted. "But, as long as we're on the same track."

Alex choose not to point out that they weren't on the same track and instead asked the next question on his list. "Why are you here?"

"Wanted to see if I could get you to skip school with me." Chase shrugged. "I asked Clark but he said no. I think its code for must delude myself into thinking I'm straight and drool over Lana Lang."

"Why can't he be straight?" Alex asked, curiosity getting the better or him.

"Straight guys don't stare at other guys' asses." Chase said logically. "It's not like I'm saying he's gay, I'm just saying he isn't straight."

"And what about you?"

"Oh, I'm gay." Chase laughed. "I am unbelievably gay, so gay it would so blow you mind as to the level of gayness that anyone could possibly achieve." Alex quirked an eyebrow and Chase kind of shrugged. "I'm a weird guy, haven't you noticed?"

"Well."

Chase nodded to himself. "Yes, I'm really gay and on top of that I figured it out in the lamest way. Gym class, sixth grade, wrestling, I got paired with the straightest guy in school." Chase sighed. "Got a hard on and was forever shunned. Shunned." He chuckled. "Cool word."

"How's your wrist?" Alex reached out to touch it but Chase pulled it back and jumped to his feet.

"It's fine, I already told you." Chase laughed nervously. "I heal fast. Hey you wanna go and...why're you looking at me like that Alex? Dude..."

Chase ran for the door, relying on the small fact that he was faster than most people, only to have Alex grab him around the waist and end up in tangled heap on the floor. He wiggled but Alex gave him an annoyed look. It wasn't like there was a big difference in height or weight, Alex was the same size as Clark, who had an inch or two on Chase, but Chase had a feeling both Clark and Alex could kick his ass. The pains of being a skinny white guy.

Alex looked satisfied when Chase sat still in his lap, with only a pout to reveal his annoyance. He rolled his eyes. "I just want to make sure your wrist isn't swelling or anything, it's not like I plan to chop off your hand or anything."

"Uh hu." Chase just crossed his arms over his chest. "Nosy fucker."

"You're determined to make this hard aren't you?" Alex asked. Chase shot him a withering look. Alex frowned then shrugged and pulled Chase's hand away from his body, with much protesting from the other boy.

"Damnit, let go! You're just going to get pissy!" Chase half whined half shouted. "And if I was still hurt you wouldn't be helping me at all."

To be truthful, Alex just wanted to see what Chase was hiding now. Chase was back to wiggling and Alex was mildly regretful that he couldn't enjoy the experience. He had never been this close to another boy...or at least not one he thought was cute. Then Chase twisted in his arms and dipped down some and managed to end up on the floor, on his back and wincing in pain. Floor plus head equals pain. He would make a serious note of that.

Alex stared at him then pushed up his sleeve. Then blinked twice and looked up at Chase who was scowling at him. Back to his arm, which was covered in marks, and, being the son of a doctor and having hung out with a few fucked up people in his lifetime he could guess what they were. Half moon digs in his skin from nails, long angry red scratches going the length of his arm from his wrist to his elbow. He'd think they were from Chase's nails as well, but they looked straight and planned.

So that part confused him a little bit. He would have asked but Chase yanked back his arm and pushed down his sleeve, glaring darkly.

"Told you so." He muttered. "Don't look so surprised, it takes serious brain damage to be as perky as I am all the time and still be depressed enough to have gothic tendencies."

"That isn't funny."

Chase shrugged. "I know that. I just don't care."

"So you...huh." Alex shook his head and stood up. "Alright, what did you want to do today?"

Chase quirked an eyebrow. "I was hoping you'd like to get stoned with me." Alex looked at him, clearly startled. Chase stood up and swiped his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, I didn't think you'd go for it. Well, we can just sit around for a few hours, then lunch or something is on the birthday boy."

"You really aren't funny." Alex muttered.

"Dude, I'm fucking hilarious." Chase rolled his eyes. "I'm a very realistic person. I do stuff, I deal with it the best I kind, so I have permission to be laid back and treat my life like a giant joke. Besides, oh teen who's gonna get gray hair if he keeps it up, I have nightmares, I scratch up my arms, it happens. It looks a lot worse then it actually is. Not that it tickles or anything like that, because it doesn't, but it doesn't hurt or anything."

"Right." Alex sighed then plopped back on his bed. "Whatever. It's your life after all."

"Alex." Chase frowned. "I like you, wouldn't mind doing a few naughty things with you if the chance were to arise, but you are so not my boyfriend, so I will ask you to kindly not get involved in things long done with."

"Far be it for me to care about my friends." Alex said, sarcasm plain.

"Yeah, keep pushing it Alex." Chase growled.

"Whatever." Alex said, crossing his arms over his chest. Chase glared at him and he glared back. They pretty much glared at each other for at least a minute then Chase sighed and sat next to him. Alex could practically see the anger draining out of his body.

"Sorry, excessively bitchy moment there." Chase grinned feebly. "And, if you aren't totally disgusted by now, I wouldn't mind you being my boyfriend."

Alex snickered despite himself. "Chase."

"I'll even give you nagging rights." Chase said, grinning wider. Alex smiled slightly then shook his head. "No? Why not?"

"Don't wanna be your boyfriend."

"My ego." Chase looked wounded. "In that case you get no kisses. So...are you mad at me?"

"Slightly disturbed. But that isn't new." Alex admitted. "Come on, I don't feel like sitting around all day."

"What do you want to do?"

"We can walk around." Alex said. "I hear Smallville has all sorts of freaky shit going on, maybe we'll stumble on something interesting."

"Works for me." Chase agreed.

"So we're throwing Chase a party?" Pete asked. "And Lex is helping?"

"Uh...no. Alex is taking care of Chase, we're skipping school to go look for gifts, and Lex is throwing the last minute party." Clark admitted.

"Yeah...would you hate me forever if I said I'd rather go to school?"

"Yes." Chloe said.

"Oh...well, looks like I need new friends." Pete said, turning around. Clark grabbed his arm and tried to look convincing.

"Come on Pete, he is not a bad guy." Pete just stared. "Okay, fine, it's my brothers birthday, you're one of my best friends, you have to go."

"Why?"

"Because of you don't I'll blackmail you forever." Chloe said. Pete frowned, but nodded. Getting on Chloe's bad side was pretty much reputation suicide. Especially when she knew everything about you and then some.

"Great." Clark looked around. "Now we just need to wait for Sky and Touya."

"You called?" Touya popped up behind him and grinned.

Sky made an unhappy noise. "My mom gave him brownies. He'll be acting like a hyper twelve year old for at least an hour."

"So he'll act like Pete for a little while, I think we'll survive." Chloe said, grinning at her friend's offended look.

"Well...Toy has a tendency to be distracted by shiny objects."

Touya snorted. "I am really not that oh glitter." He probably would have run off into the crowd but Sky reached out and grabbed his shirt.

"Stop that." Sky scolded. Touya stuck out his tongue. "You are so embarrassing."

"Hum. How about I go with Sky, you con give Touya to Pete, and Clark can uh...wander." Chloe grinned at him. Clark raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks Chloe." Clark said.

Chloe shrugged then took Sky by the arm and lead him off somewhere. Touya might have been a little out of it but he had enough common sense to be jealous that Chloe was dragging his best friend off...okay maybe that wasn't why he was jealous, but it was close enough.

"See ya." Clark said, shaking his head some as he walked off.

Pete stared at Touya.

Touya stared at Pete.

Had somebody forgotten that the most they had every said to each other was...hello or something of equal unimport. Damn it.

Pete blinked and Touya sighed.

"Our friends suck."

"Yep." Pete nodded.

"We should revolt." Touya continued.

"We should." Pete said.

Touya looked around the mall. "How do you feel about gag gifts?"

"Since I don't know him that well, works for me." Pete agreed. "What did you have in mind?"

Touya grinned. "Follow me." He half walked, half bounced off with a curious Pete close behind.

Sky blinked at the wide range of...black. Chloe had pulled him into a dimly lit store that smelled like incense and had some mildly annoying music playing in the back round. Chloe winced a little bit.

"I take it you two aren't White Zombie fans." A girl behind the front counter said, looking disdainful. "Shopping for a friend?"

"Yeah." Chloe nodded. The girl cast a look at her blond hair and nodded.

"Thought so. What're they like?"

Sky frowned. "He's my height, black hair, pale skin, kind of bitchy."

"Gee, that's helpful." The girl sighed. "What's he like, not what he's like, music, clothes, colors, guys, chicks, kinks, that sorta crap. Work with me."

"Oh." Chloe titled her head off to the side. "He wears a lot of black and blue, some red, streaks his hair, likes tight kind of girly clothes, and I think he has a thing for this guy. I don`t know him that well."

The girl let out a long-suffering sigh. "Fine, give me a minute."

Sky raised an eyebrow as the girl walked off. "Was it something we said?"

Chloe snickered. "I wouldn't know. I just saw this place last time I was here and since we are shopping for Chase and I thought he might like this kinds stuff."

"You might not be wrong." Sky said easily. "Looks like his kind of place. Dark and weird. Sums him up very nicely."

Chloe smiled then pushed a strand of hair from her face. She could get along with Chase and his friends if she wanted to, not just because Clark asked her too. And Sky wasn't so bad. Hadn't displayed any odd talents or tendencies to avoid questions and situations, nor had he run off with some lame excise yet. And he wasn't bad looking.

If Pete or Clark were here they would have made some comment about the wheels turning in Chloe's devious little mind, which would have lead to a joke about her height most likely. But since they weren't here...this might be kind of fun.

Clark frowned and walked into a more or less decent looking jewelry shop. What to get the twin brother you never knew you had? Something he already has.

Clark fingered the chain in his pocket then withdrew it. Chase had been wearing it every night for a while, but Clark had weaseled what it was out of him a few nights ago.

"Clark, this is unfair!" Chase whined. "Damn it, give me back my headphones."

"Nu hu." Clark shook his head and held the headphones and CD player just out of Chase's reach. "Not until you start talking."

"Prick." Chase pouted but reached back to unclasp the chain around his neck anyway. He held up the clear crystal so Clark could see. "It was with me, when the people who adopted me found me. Around my neck or something. You don't have one?"

"No." There was something wrong about this. Chase got a crystal and he got a slab of rock. It hardly seemed fair.

"Maybe our parents liked me more." Chase suggested. "Maybe they intended to keep me, but got bored and let me off in Colorado, as opposed to wonderful Kansas."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "You don't know that we're..."

"What?" Chase blinked, wondering if he could for his stuff now. "Abandoned in the middle of nowhere, twins, good looking, far too accepting of all of this? Give me a hint Clark."

"Not of this Earth?"

Chase stopped and stared. "Aliens? You think we're aliens? Mm hmm. You were out in the sun too long weren't you? I think I'll go talk to your mother."

"She'd tell you the same thing." Clark broke in. Chase frowned.

"That you spend too mush time in the sun and now your brain is fried? I'll risk it."

"Not what I meant." Clark crossed his arms over his chest.

"Your serious aren't you?" Clark nodded and his brother shook his head. "See, Clark, aliens don't just send their kids to earth, not to say they even exist, but if they did, they aren't us. I mean, no creepy mutations, tentacles, we don't even have pointed ears."

"I've noticed." Clark agreed. "But I also know that there's a ship in the storm cellar."

Chase blinked, taken aback. "Seriously?"

"Yep."

"You're lying." Chase muttered, fingering the crystal absently. But he knew Clark wasn't and safe to say, and scared the hell out of him. "Look, being a freak like me is one thing, I accept that because that's who I am, but this is...never mind. Here." He tossed the chain to Clark then pushed past him. "I'm going for a walk."

Clark blinked after him then looked at the crystal. It gleamed in the light of their room, casting a rainbow on the wall. He closed his palm around it thoughtfully. That probably could have gone a little better...but it could have gone a lot worse right?

Clark sighed and walked inside. He had gotten Lex to do this for him over the phone. All he had to do was give the crystal and chain and then wait for an hour and a half...somehow it just didn't sound like fun to him, but whatever worked. Besides Chase was doing the whole isolation thing whenever Clark tried to bring it up again, and it was really unnerving.

Chase walked, casting glances at Alex who pretended not to notice. He knew Alex knew he was watching him and he also knew Alex didn't care that he was watching, he liked that Chase was watching in fact. Chase knew that was a little strange, knowing what other people felt or thought was just...freaky even for him...then again he was an alien, what the hell? God only knew what kind of freaky shit he could do. Which would explain the fact that things went all...gravity defying when he was in a bad mood. Something to think about later he supposed.

Alex turned, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Did you hear something?"

"You talking." Chase sad, his usual amount of sarcasm and mocking back, the anger he had been carrying around long forgotten. He didn't stay with on particular emotion for long amounts of time, it just...didn't work out for him or something. He had more mood swings then any women in the world...except most of his were dark and broody moods, mingled with bitchy and super bitchy laced with insane hyperness.

Alex frowned. "You're projecting."

"I'm what?" Chase asked, eyebrow going up.

"Projecting." Alex repeated. "Giving off bad feelings." Chase's eyebrow went even further up. "What, you are! I've become depressed just walking with you."

"Sorry." Chase muttered, pushing his hands into his pockets. "I'll try and keep my feelings to myself."

Alex glanced at him, half wanting to say something about earlier, or at least say he'd just been joking about the going out thing, and half just wanting to keep walking and not spoil the...two hours they had left before he was to steer Chase in the direction of Lex's mansion. The sun was already getting low in the sky and it was going to be setting around the time they started to head back.

If he wasn't sure Chase would laugh at him he'd almost say it was romantic.

"I wouldn't laugh." Chase murmured, more to himself then to Alex. Alex turned, eyebrow going up as he prepared to ask Chase what the hell had just happened, when Chase almost collapsed against him. He grabbed the smaller boys arm to keep him upright.

"Chase-"

Chase shook his head in an effort to clear it. He could hear things, voices, and as much as he joked about insanity, he did not want them there. And it hurt, they bounced off of his skull and little flashes of vision ran in front of his eyes in some sort of screwed up filmstrippy type of way. It pushed at him, crushed him, threatened to swallow him whole. And then black. Black on black on black and

Nothing.

"Shit." Alex cursed when he felt Chase go limp and shifted quickly to keep them from crashing to the ground. `Lets see, a hundred and some odd number pounds of cute, knocked out boy, middle of the woods with nowhere to go...now all I need is some evil monsters who want to kidnap Chase and I'll be set.'

"If it isn't the hero and his pretty boy bitch."

Alex nodded and rolled his eyes heavenward. `Sarcasm damn it, I was being sarcastic!' He laid Chase down then straightened up, ready to take on those idiot football players. Then cringing and almost tripping over the prone form of his friend.

It kind of looked like the guys from last night, only...scaly and brown with green muck hanging from them. Sighing some, he shook off his head in an effort to get rid of a sudden dizziness. It was kind of like the day before, with that green crap from Chemistry.

There were about seven of them and they were all moving towards him slowly, probably having issues with the whole webbed feet on solid ground thing. Alex felt his stomach lurch. Why was he getting so sick all of a sudden?

Clark shoved the box he had gotten into his book bag then smiled at Chloe and Sky who were headed in his direction. Chloe had a black bag in one hand and was gesturing with the other, while Sky laughed at whatever she was gesturing about. He also spotted Pete and Touya but they were still pretty far away. They too looked as if they were having a goodtime, which, considering Pete's personality and the little he knew about Touya, couldn't be good for Chase.

He smiled and leaned against the wall before wincing. A brief flash of pain hit him, but it was muffled, like it was far away...not his.

Chloe smiled at Sky then turned back to where Cark had been standing. "Where did he go?"

Sky turned as well then shrugged. "Don't know. I guess we should wait for him." Chloe nodded and shifted the weight of her bag. Hopefully Clark hadn't pulled one of his infamous disappearing acts on them and would be back soon.

Alex was getting his ass kicked. He had never gotten beaten up, it was an impossibility as far as he knew, he had always been stronger then the other kids. Not that reptile football players were kids, but the same principal applied, kind of. He got the feeling he wasn't even being hit that hard, but each blow felt like someone smacking him with a two-by-four.

The metallic tang of blood almost had him gagging. Nasty. Looked like he could cross blood letting off his list of possible kinks. A kick to the stomach and he was pretty much down for the count. This was a sucky way to die, beaten to death by mutant jocks. He could here his sister laughing at him already.

Was the ground shaking? Odd.

He opened a slightly swollen eye in time to see a big ass branch crack a few of the less then friendly mutant boys over the back of the head and send them a few feet through the air. A few sickening thuds alerted him to the fact that they landed eventually.

The two not bludgeoned mutants ran. Alex felt the weird urge to wave and say something really corny, like those spandex wearing super heroes on TV. Spandex...mental shudder. It was a fact that only really hot girls should wear spandex. How would Chase look in spandex?

"Uh, Alex." A tentative voice asked. He groaned and turned enough to see Clark holding Chase who was still out. "Are yo okay?"

"What'd you think?" Alex grunted, pushing himself up. To be honest he felt a lot better already. Mind you his eye was already feeling fine shut and his lip was busted but otherwise he was unharmed, so actually. "I'm good. Weren't you at the mall?"

"Uhrm-"

"Was that you wielding that stick?" Alex pressed. Clark was looking everywhere but at him. "Thanks man. Those mutant guys had me feeling...sick, like I was going to pass out. Must have been the smell."

Clark blinked once, like he was thinking then nodded some. "Yeah, the smell." He wasn't going to even entertain the thought that maybe those mutants had made Alex sick for the same reason they had made him feel sick and the reason Chase had probably passed out. That green slime had glowed, like the rocks he was always encountering, and if those two mutants he hadn't hit had put up a fight he probably wouldn't be much better off then the other two boys.

"We should get him home." Alex said after a moment. "He was...acting weird. I thought he was reading my mind for a minute there."

Clark smiled wryly. "And here I thought that was just a twin thing. Must be a Chase thing." That thought gave him pause. A Chase thing...maybe.

Alex smirked. The two of them walked quickly in silence, Alex trusting that Clark knew where they were headed, since he did live here and all, and he had no idea where the hell he and Chase had wandered off to. At some point Alex did wonder if he should question how Clark was carrying his brother so easily, but pushed it aside. After all Chase was thin where Clark was muscular, he didn't look like he would weigh much.

Chase stirred abruptly and Clark stopped walking. He waited for Chase to open his eyes, figuring that the effects of the slime had worn off by now. Chase groaned then started trashing. Taken by surprise Clark kind of dropped him. Chase scrambled away, eyes opened but glazed and unfocused.

His lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Clark frowned and took a step toward him.

"Chase, what-"

"Get away from me!" Chase shouted, fingers digging into the ground. "Stop thinking, get out of my head, stop stop stop!" He shook his head and put his hands over his ears. His nails dug into his skin, tearing at the near invulnerable skin until he could feel the first trickle of blood over his fingertips. Voices all around him, inside of him, all over him, suffocating, crushing, bad, it hurt...hurt, stop, go away.

Pain, blood, focus. Bad voices, pain focus on it, make it go away.

Clark bit his bottom lip then walked toward his shaking brother slowly. He reached out to touch Chase's shoulder, but the other's boy arm swung out and caught him hard. He went flying. So much for not having super strength.

Alex watched as Clark flew back into a tree...no; forget that, through a tree. And more then that, he was still moving, cursing fluently as he did so, but still moving. So that meant he got to try. Joy. Did he even like Chase this much?

Yes.

Damn his hormones.

He walked over, and reached for him, prepared for the fist that was swung at him blindly, since Chase's eyes were screwed shut. He caught it, cringing at the shock of pain, then gasping as unbelievable warmth flooded his body. Chase's eyes flew open and actually looked at him, through him, inside of him, confused.

It took Alex a moment to realize he was draining energy from Chase. Opps. He'd never done that before. Getting zapped by his sister's hair dryer was something completely different. He started to let go of Chase's fist, a little reluctant to let go of the warm feeling when he wasn't...there, he was somewhere dark and hurting...assuming a place could hurt. Then a hand gripped his shoulder and he was pulled back.

Cark pulled Alex back, watching as once again his brother left the world of the waking then looking down at Alex who shuddered violently then shrugged his hand off and rose to his feet unsteadily.

"Clark, for the record, your brothers mind." He took a deep breath. "Not a good place to be."

Scratches head in confusion. I have no idea what the hell just happened. Oh well. I'll figure it out, I always do.