Clark squinted against the sharp sunlight. He hoped that this time his wish would work out the way it was supposed to. He became aware of a small, slender hand in his and sighed with deep relief when he opened his eyes and looked at Lana.

A quick look down himself, revealed that he was still wearing the tight fitting clothes. Well there was no need to change everything for the new wish.

"What is it, Clark?" She looked a little worried as she tucked him through the door to the Beanery.

"Oh, nothing's wrong." Clark smiled broadly. 'Nothing's wrong - it's all sooo cool, nice, right. I'm straight, I'm in love - and it looks like I finally have Lana.'

They entered, still hand in hand, found a table and sat down. Clark suddenly noticed that Lana seemed a little lost in her thoughts.

"Is something wrong?" He felt a strange pang in his chest. Now what? There were no meteor rocks anywhere near the Beanery. He shook his head a little to clear it.

"I... I need to talk to you about something." Lana looked downright uneasy now.

Clark nodded and took her hands in his, the squishy feeling in his stomach still there. "Yes?" God, how he loved her dark hair, her sparkling eyes her... Clark frowned. 'Calm down Clark, no need to get all emotional.'

Before Lana could share whatever it was bothering her, the door burst open and what sounded like half the football team entered the Beanery. Rude behaviour seemed to be the main entertainment of the day, because they shoved their way through the room and bullied a couple of kids to get a table. Clark frowned again - that wasn't nice.

He thought about getting up and asking them what this was all about, until he noticed the way Lana was looking at them - at Whitney. To Clark's dismay, Whitney had noticed it too, grinning broadly and making his way over to the table. Rudely ignoring Clark, Whitney leaned close to Lana, whispering something in her ear.

She giggled, then looked a little embarrassed as she looked over at Clark, who only caught a little of her answer to Whitney. "... no, I haven't told him yet." Clark's stomach did a twisted lurch. Told him what? "To-to-told me what?" he stuttered.

Whitney laughed out loud, cold eyes bearing into Clark's. So unlike the Whitney he knew now - so much like the Whitney he'd known before.

"That she's going with me to the prom." An evil grin spread on his lips. "That she's ditching you in favour of me - and who can blame her?"

Clark swallowed hard. God, this... this *hurt*. "Bu-but, why?" Why couldn't he keep Lana?

"Well, why do you think, dork?" Whitney pulled Lana to her feet, putting his arm possessively around her.

"But..." Clark couldn't think of anything to say as Lana leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"For all it's worth, Clark," she whispered. "I think you're a really nice guy - just... not really my type." She stood. "I'm sure you're gonna find the right one for you."

A rude laugh interrupted them, as Whitney pulled her back toward the rest of the team. "Yeah, right! Someone for Clark. Not in a million years." With that they left Clark behind. It seemed that whatever it was that Lana wanted, sensitive guy wasn't it.

Clark, who was having a hard time breathing, thinking - doing anything. Thus lost to the world, he almost cried out when a hand squeezed his shoulder.

"You ok?" Softly spoken inquiry.

Clark closed his eyes. Lex, who sounded genuinely worried about him. Lex, who was as he should be - his friend, his *straight* friend.

"Yeah," was all Clark could get out.

"You don't look it." Another squeeze. "Wanna go for a ride?"

So innocently asked, and still... Clark couldn't help remembering his meeting with the Devil. "Um, sure." What's the harm? This was Lex, his best friend.

"Ok, let's go then." Lex led the way out - not once turning to see if Clark was behind him. Not that he had to, and somehow Clark knew that Lex knew him better than anyone.

The trip was made in silence, one road taking over the other, fields whipping past as the Ferrari devoured mile after mile. Finally Lex pulled over, unbuckling his seat belt and turning his attention to Clark. "Well?"

Clark squirmed, feeling the tight knot in his stomach contract. "I know it was pathetic."

Lex leaned his head against the wheel. "Clark, if there's something you want, take it - if there's something you'd like to keep - fight for it."

"I... I know, Lex," he answered subdued. He really did - it had just been... so odd. He didn't realize he was crying until the hot tears fully blurred his sight. What the hell? He wasn't normally this emotional. Perhaps it had been too much for him to finally know that he was with Lana - to only lose her again just as fast. Or maybe he was just tired, though he didn't really feel tired in the normal sense of the word.

Lex reached out for him, and before Clark knew it, he was being rocked gently. Held by strong arms, a warm hand stroking soothingly up and down his back. He was surprised to feel hot tears run down his cheeks. 'God, you're pathetic, Clark.' He cried into the offered shoulder for what felt like forever. Then Lex pushed him back a little, looking into his eyes.

"Clark, do you want me to take you home?" His hands were still resting gently on Clark's shoulders.

"No, please." Clark bit back another sniffle. "Anywhere but home right now."

"Drive or the mansion?" Lex still didn't let go of him.

Clark closed his eyes for a moment. The large castle-like house with its cold stones, impenetrable fortress-like walls. "The mansion." Clark finally managed to answer.

Lex reluctantly let go of him, turning the key, but never fully taking his eyes off Clark.

Clark was lost in his own little world, still wondering what might have made him this sensitive, such a... cry baby - whiny. Somehow he suspected the Devil had more than a little to do with it.

They pulled up in front of the mansion, both getting out of the car slowly. Lex went around to Clark's side and took him by the elbow, guiding him up the stairs and through the front door. After a moments hesitation he nudged him in the direction of the kitchen.

"It's the cook's day off," Lex apologized, as he pulled out a mug, poured milk in it and put it in the microwave. "And the only way I know how to make hot chocolate is by nuking it."

Clark couldn't help smiling. Lex was actually trying to make him feel better by making him hot cocoa. That was actually... cute. Clark felt a blush rise to his cheeks. 'Don't you dare start this again!' He quickly sat down.

The mug was placed in front of him, after Lex had added the chocolate powder. Clark didn't look up to meet his eyes - not really sure he could keep himself from crying if he did. He drank most of the warm drink in one draw. Oh. Well, not as good as his mother's homemade cocoa, but good nevertheless.

Lex wrapped his arms around him, holding him close - comforting him. Which was... fine... good, actually. Strong, warm comfort. Lex pulled back a little, looking into his eyes.

"God, Clark, how can anyone bring themselves to treat you like that?" Lex gave him a pained look.

Clark felt the tears well up again. "I... I." He really didn't have an answer for that. Unless he could say: *It's the Devil's fault, really!*

Next thing he knew were hot, dry lips on his cheeks, kissing away the tears, nipping at the corner of his mouth. And before he could react to it, he was kissing Lex, or Lex was kissing him - again! Somehow the Devil kept dealing him the same cards in different disguises. Damn, it was hard to concentrate, think with Lex sucking on his tongue. And what was his tongue doing in Lex's mouth anyway?

"Lex, please," Clark tried to stop him, a little breathless, when their lips parted for air.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Clark," Lex pulled back, an unreadable mask over the features that were so open and vulnerable a moment earlier. "I didn't mean to..."

Clark shook his head, not wanting Lex to take the blame. But how do you explain your best friend that the reason he's hitting on you is that he's part of the Devil's devious chess game? There was, Clark realized, only one way out of this. "I, I need to go to the bathroom for a moment."

A sad, disappointed look - eyes dark with... things that Clark didn't want to think about. But Lex nevertheless nodded toward the door to the hallway. "Second door to the left." The voice was carefully neutral, not betraying anything that might lie beneath.

Clark stood and was almost at the door when something hit him. He'd wished for Lana, gotten Lex instead and had twice now ended up turning him down and this time probably hurt his feelings. It wasn't as if Clark had been fighting him off from the beginning. The Devil was obviously right about Clark sending out mixed messages.

'I have to get the next wish right or this will have been in vain. But even though Lex won't remember this, I don't want to leave him like this.' Before he could stop himself, he'd turned around and hurried back to Lex. Clark put his hands on Lex's shoulders and pulled the shorter man to his feet.

Clark closed his eyes. 'Come on, you've done this four times already - why should the fifth time be more difficult?' It wasn't really - and yet it took far more of Clark's courage than anything he could remember ever doing. Lex had kissed him before, but Clark had never initiated any of those kisses. So soft and sweet. And Clark was amazed that Lex let him do it.

They were both panting when they parted again. "I... I'm sorry Lex. I'll be right back." It hurt him a little to have to lie like that. 'I won't be back, but you won't know that. I have to think hard for the last wish - have to - can't waste it, can't do this to you anymore. I have to phrase this last question so it'll give me exactly what I want... And leave you out of it.'

He hurried out into the hallway, into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Punching in the three 6s with shaking fingers Clark waited for the Devil to appear.

"We've gotta stop meeting like this."

Clark wasn't even startled by the sudden appearance. "My last wish?"

The Devil nodded. He seemed to suddenly be much more serious - not making a joke out of it all. "Your last wish." Eyes unreadable.

Clark drew a deep breath, closed his eyes. "I want to be with Lana, I want her to like me, love me... and I don't want you to involve Lex in it - in any way. And don't make me a whiny baby."

The Devil nodded. "If you're sure that's what you want."

Clark nodded. Yes - there was nothing he wanted more. He squashed the little voice inside his mind that tried to tell him otherwise.

Another nod, the Devil snapped his fingers and it all went dark.

TBC in Part 5