Chapter Nine

Warnings: gore, character death, violence, language, smut. You have been warned!

Leisurely climbing the stairs to the loft in the barn, Clark stopped at the top to admire the sight before him. Dean was standing shirtless in front of the window with the afternoon sun illuminating his pale skin and burnishing it gold. Dean looked to be deep in thought as he stared out over the fields with his arms crossed casually over his broad chest.

Quietly, even though he knew that Dean had probably already heard him, Clark moved over to stand behind Dean and slowly wrapped his arms around the older man's waist. He smiled as Dean leaned back into him silently and he rested his chin on Dean's shoulder. They both gazed out at the sunlit fields in comfortable silence, wrapped up in each other and their own private thoughts as the sun traveled across the sky towards its resting place.

After a while, Clark kissed Dean's shoulder tenderly and smiled again when Dean 'hmm'ed faintly in response. Repositioning himself with his chin on Dean's shoulder, Clark whispered, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Shrugging slightly, Dean sighed as he watched some birds fly past. "Just...we'll be finishing up tonight," he finally said and stopped as he swallowed hard. He looked so sad and resigned about whatever was happening that Clark instinctively tightened his hold in comfort.

"And then you'll be leaving, huh?" Clark asked just as softly as he turned his gaze down to focus on the worn wooden frame of the barn window.

"Yeah," was Dean's bleak reply and Clark rubbed his nose gently along Dean's neck before placing a kiss behind Dean's ear.

"You'll come back to visit, right?" Clark inquired hopefully, but when Dean tensed in his hold and sighed, he felt that hope dim.

Dean turned until they were face to face and gazed grimly into Clark's eyes.  "There's...there's stuff going on and...it's just never a good idea to make a promise that I won't be able to keep," he explained hoarsely and Clark was shocked to see that Dean was near tears. He knew that Dean was a very private man in regards to his personal troubles, but he didn't get to ask on it as Dean pushed away abruptly and went over to the couch.

He watched as Dean sank onto the cushions and wanted nothing more than to take away the agony Dean was obviously in. He went over and sat down next to Dean before wrapping an arm around the broad shoulders and pulling Dean into him. Dean rested his head on Clark's shoulder and they fell into a much more somber silence than before. Clark turned his head just a bit and pressed a kiss to Dean's head before murmuring, "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

He wasn't answered immediately, but then Dean sat up and shifted until he was straddling Clark's lap. Clark looked up into Dean's face as he was explored just as intensely by Dean's inscrutable gaze and reached up to palm Dean's cheek with a gentle hand. He brushed his finger along Dean's cheek, encouraging him silently to do what he wanted and he could tell that Dean knew it when Dean's look softened. Dean leaned in and brushed their lips together briefly before whispering, "Give me some good memories."

Clark swallowed hard at that before he was kissed again, this time with more insistence and heat as Dean started rotating his hips against Clark's in a slow grind. Clark groaned into the kiss as he ran his fingers through Dean's short hair while their tongues collided and slid together in rising passion. His hips bucked up a bit before mimicking Dean's rhythm so that they were rocking together in perfect counterpoint. He caressed his hand down Dean's flexing back and spread his fingers, feeling every single contraction and extension as the muscles worked to bring them as much pleasure as they could stand while clothed. He swallowed the whimper that floated out of Dean into him as his hand traveled down to the gyrating hips and squeezed a firm buttock. He grinned into the kiss when Dean's rhythm stuttered and sped up desperately. He cupped Dean's face again with his other hand and slowed them down before their kiss broke and they stared at each other while panting hard.

Their lips brushed together as they continued moving, their eyes fluttering in pleasure and want as their breaths mingled and heated each other's face. Clark lifted his arms as Dean pulled his shirt up and they tossed it aside before resuming their kissing as their hands traveled swiftly to each other's pants. It wasn't long until they were skin to skin and Clark couldn't help the growl that left him as their cocks rubbed together with just the right combination of slickness and friction to make it perfect. He pulled Dean in closer by the ass and hungrily took in the breathless whimper as Dean bucked wildly against him. They both needed release so much, but underneath the frantic passion was the need to make it last.

Finally, Dean pulled away and off of Clark's lap to find the lube and a condom. He found them where they'd left them in the nearby desk and turned to go back, but stopped as he found Clark bent over the arm of the couch and leaning on his forearms with his legs spread almost obscenely wide as he watched Dean. He felt his mouth go dry at the amusement and warmth in the younger man's gaze. "C-Clark..." he managed, but ended up stuttering to a stop.

"Please, Dean...inside me. I want you inside of me. I want to feel you like I did for you," Clark whispered invitingly and Dean couldn't help closing his eyes tightly as he looked down.

He took a steadying breath before nodding and looking up with a smile. "All right. If you're sure," he whispered roughly before walking towards the couch and kneeling behind Clark on the soft cushions.

"I'm very sure. Fuck me, Dean...fuck me hard," Clark growled out and grinned as Dean groaned. He turned his head and watched Dean slick up his fingers with a generous dollop of lube before pressing them into his tight hole. His breath hitched at the strange sensation of pressure where it shouldn't be as well as what he might have termed as pain. But it was brief and was soon replaced by pleasure as Dean stretched him and brushed against his prostate repeatedly. He begged quietly for more until he felt Dean shift behind him. He heard the sound of foil ripping and bucked as Dean moaned in need when he must have rolled on the condom and slicked himself up. He held his breath as he felt a blunt object at his hole that was so much bigger than the fingers that Dean had used, but he merely bent forward as Dean's chest pressed against his back while he was breached.

The process was slow and long as Dean filled him up, but Clark pressed back, wordlessly begging for more until Dean was balls deep within his body. He reached behind him and gripped Dean's hip as he pushed back again and started moving, encouraging Dean to take him in an ever increasing pace. Soon he was crying out as Dean pounded into him, their thrusting and grinding shoving Clark repeatedly into the couch arm and rubbing his leaking cock just enough to bring him to the edge quickly. He shouted Dean's name as he came hard, covering the couch arm with his release as he shook and jerked in reaction. It didn't take long for Dean to follow him over the edge with a soft grunt as he bit into Clark's neck when he filled his condom.

They stayed locked like that for a few minutes before Dean pulled out and fell back onto the couch. He grunted as Clark turned and collapsed on top of him, but he didn't push away the other man as he took the brunt of Clark's dead weight. He sighed and ran his fingers through Clark's sweaty hair as they just rested until he heard Clark's breath even out into sleep. He dozed himself for an hour or so, but then carefully edged out from underneath Clark and stood. He pulled off his condom with a grimace and threw it into the trash can that was near the small desk before looking around and grabbing his clothes. He pulled them on and straightened his shirt before going over and kissing Clark tenderly on the cheek. His breath held as Clark shifted a bit before settling and he sighed quietly. Silently, he stuffed his feet into his boots and tied them before leaving Clark sleeping on the couch.

He went to his car and headed for the freeway and Metropolis. He was going to meet Sam and Lex there at the last site of murders, though he wasn't very happy about Lex being there in the first place. But they needed the guy's security clearance, which would definitely come in handy. He spent some of his trip going over what they would have to do. They hadn't figured out how they could make sure that they didn't get smashed by any flying machinery, but that was the cost of their job. They would just have to work fast and, since Lex was going to be more aware of what could happen, they knew that he would have their backs.

But his thoughts drifted eventually to Clark and he felt another pang of despair shoot through him. Clark represented everything that he had wanted in life: safety, security, understanding... But it was stupid of him to even think of getting into something with Clark. Yet he'd given in to his need and attraction and had slept with Clark. They'd say good bye the next day, but it wasn't without consequences. The biggest consequence was that there would be no returning.

Blowing out a sigh, Dean refocused on the road for a few minutes before thinking about Clark again. The last time he'd thought about someone this seriously, it had been Cassie and well...that hadn't ended well. This time, instead of their personalities just not meshing, it was because Dean didn't have enough time. He didn't even know *how* to tell Clark that he had a little over a week left to live. He almost didn't want to tell Clark to avoid the painful questions or hopeful suggestions that he'd have to shatter. He just craved Clark's happiness, since it was so hard for the other man to even find that since he was so different. Dean could understand that feeling almost sickeningly well...he always had. To watch everyone else around you live normal, blindingly simple lives while you dwelled in darkness day in and day out had been something that he'd never adjusted to, though you couldn't tell by his attitude on life. But that's just how he lived. Mask the hollowness with what people *wanted* to see.

Only Sam had seen what was inside. Sam...and Clark. But now, he was going to abandon them both when he got dragged down to Hell. It was almost ironic how he'd just found love and was going to lose that fire to the fires of the pit. Too bad he couldn't laugh over it.

Clearing his throat over the sudden lump in his throat, Dean swallowed as he found the exit he was to take. Pulling off, he flipped open his phone as he turned left at the stoplight. "Hey Sammy. I'm just getting to the lab. You there?"

"Yea, we're here. Lex already had everyone evacuate the facility, so there will be less chance of casualties," Sam replied over the sounds of wind that seemed to be trying to cut them off.

"Yea, just us...expendable as always," Dean joked bitterly and smiled when Sam snorted in reply. "All right, I'll be there shortly. Wait for me and no funny stuff," he stated grimly.

"Right. And Dean...I'm sure whoever you're seeing would understand if you told them," Sam said quietly, stunning Dean a bit before his natural bravado kicked in.

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy...are you gunning for Doctor Love's position?" he teased lightly, though he seriously wanted to cry. His brother knew and was trying to help even though they both knew it was an impossible thing. Sometimes he loved his brother so much for not giving up on him that it was like poison. He was almost glad that he was going to die soon since then Sam would finally be free to do what he wanted. "I'll see you in a bit," he finally said thickly and hung up before Sam could say anything. He scowled as he stared at the road and gripped his steering wheel tight. He had no time to be sentimental. Being sentimental cost lives.

He pulled into the parking lot in front of the rather extensive lab that held the imposing sign of Luthorcorp hanging over it. He parked near Lex's car and stared pensively at the building that was growing darker as night neared. They had a couple of hours at most before things would go to hell, so they would have to work fast. He got out and went to the trunk, hauling out a sawed off and some extra rock salt rounds before he looked up to see Sam at his side. They nodded in greeting before collecting the rest of their supplies: rosaries, blessed chalk, the incantation book, and the Colt. They both had a bad feeling that things were going to be pretty violent as they had been the last time, but at least they were a bit more prepared. Dean tossed a sawed off to Sam and then to Lex when the bald man appeared around the corner of the Impala. He nodded at Lex once and received a nod in return before slamming the trunk shut. "Let's do this," he ordered coldly before marching inside with them.

They went silently down the halls, focused on what they had to do as well as on their own thoughts as they traveled the silent halls to the major massacre site. They arrived at the main laboratories and all three grimaced as they saw the blood and even body pieces that were strewn around the room at varying intervals. Dean grunted before going over to one of the cleaner lab tables and putting his stuff down. Sam joined him and they got out what they needed before going about their business. Dean went to each of the walls and marked down the symbols necessary before chanting softly over each one and moving to the next wall. Finishing, he went over and helped his brother close the devil's trap before they went over and grabbed their guns. It was disturbing them that they had yet to have a confrontation, but they weren't looking a gift horse in the mouth by complaining.

The attack, when it came, was unexpected however and almost fatal. Dean sighed as he got up from the dusty floor and went towards the door to find a bathroom. He almost didn't hear Sam's shout of warning before a large table zoomed at him and flew over him as he dropped to the ground to avoid it. He jumped up almost immediately and looked around, but this time, Sam's warning was too late as a sharpened steel bar rammed into his right shoulder, piercing it as it sent him flying into a wall and pinning him there. He screamed in agony as his weight caused the wound to tear around the rod, but the rod didn't budge as he struggled to brace himself so he wasn't in danger of ripping his shoulder off while trying to yank the rod out of the wall. He looked up as he heard a scraping noise and saw one of the spirits flying at him with another large table in its grip.

But the sudden sound of gunshots echoed around the room as rock salt dissipated the spirit, which caused the table to crash to ground as its momentum was lost. "Dean!" Sam shouted as he ran over with Lex and they struggled to pull the bar out of the wall and Dean's shoulder, even as Dean cursed and gasped in pain from the sheer torture the movements were causing. They managed to pull it out and Sam braced his brother when Dean collapsed forward, but they didn't get anymore of a respite as Lex suddenly went flying with a cry of alarm into some of the tables that were stacked in a corner. "Lex!" Sam cried as he braced his brother against the wall and trained his gun on a couple of the spirits as they zigzagged around the room before firing a couple of times, dispersing them.

"G-Go to him...I'm fine," Dean gritted out as he gripped at his shoulder, which was bleeding profusely. He glared at Sam when his brother moved to protest and shoved him off. "Go! I'm good!" he snarled out as he grabbed his shotgun and steadied himself against the wall.

Nodding, Sam ran to Lex's side as the other man finally rolled over and started to stand. Lex slung his arm over Sam's shoulders and they stumbled towards Dean, but were separated all of a suddenly as two more spirits appeared and dragged them apart. They shouted and struggled to get free just as a couple of gunshots rang out, but the spirits still dragged them around and slammed them into a couple of walls. Dean was fighting his own battle as another spirit tried to impale him on the same rod that had been used on him earlier and was still dripping with his blood, but his dodging was getting more and more sluggish as he lost blood. Suddenly, the rod was yanked away, confusing the spirit before it was shot and scattered. Dean slumped to the ground as Clark came to his side. "Clark...what..." Dean managed and curled up in pain. "Sam...Lex..."

"I know...just shoot the spirits, right?" Clark whispered as he took the gun and took aim. He dispelled both of the spiritual tormentors and Lex and Sam fell to the ground in a daze before getting up.

"Clark? What the hell are you doing here?!" Lex demanded as he wrapped a hand around his opposite elbow, which was bent at a funny angle.

"Looks like he's saving his new boyfriend," a voice answered him as a shape separated itself from the shadows of the lab. Lex, Dean, and Clark stared in shock as Lana smirked at them as she sauntered into the full light just outside of the devil's trap. Her eyes flashed neon green and black before returning to her normal color and she tossed her hair. "Really Clark...if you had wanted to suck some cock, all you had to do was ask. I'm sure I would have understood," she chided him mockingly.

"You're not Lana," Clark retorted stiffly as he moved between Dean and her as she laughed at him.

"Oh I'm more Lana Lang than that pale shade you called a girlfriend ever was! I'm...the improved version," Lana replied smugly as she ran her hand over her body. "I must admit though. I never thought I'd get to meet the famous Winchesters face to face, much less sucking my boyfriend's cock and lusting after my ex-husband."

"Shut your mouth, bitch. Why don't you do us all a favor and leave her now and maybe you'll live long enough to know Hell again," Dean suggested with a sneer, but his face was growing paler as the pool of blood grew around him.

"Oooo, such tough words from the boy who's bleeding out! Don't worry, Dean...you'll still get that deal done even if you die here. Just a different way," Lana responded mock soothingly and laughed lightly.

"All those people dying...it was just to get us here," Sam whispered in rage as he glared at Lana and she turned her gaze to him with a smile.

"Of course. We knew you wouldn't be able to resist taking on the infamous meteor freaks. It was just luck that we were able to fulfill Lana's need for revenge. Taking down Luthorcorp and its head...well that was just too good to pass up." She leered at Sam as she stepped around the circle, deliberately taunting them. "And killing the one person outside of Dean that you care about...what a better way to get you to open up to who you are, Sammy," she whispered invitingly. She suddenly moved so fast that they couldn't follow and had Lex by the neck, lifting him up slowly as he choked and fought her hold. She watched Sam with a knowing smirk as he brought out the Colt and aimed it at her. "Uh uh, Sam...you don't get to kill me that way," she goaded him before two spirits suddenly knocked him flying.

"Lana no! Don't do this!" Clark shouted desperately then cried out as he was sent soaring into a wall. He groaned as he slid to the ground before getting up slowly. "Lana..."

"You're such a fool, Clark! Did you ever think that using your powers to rule would have gotten you farther than cowering in your little farm in fear of being discovered?! You're just like Sam! You both have such potential!" Lana snapped out before tossing Lex to the side and facing Clark as he stood up little by little. She smirked then and looked at her nails. "But, if it takes the death of the ones closest to your heart to get you to wake up and follow your destiny...I'm happy to oblige," she stated lightly before going over towards Dean. She grabbed him around collar and pulled him up roughly, grinning evilly as he grunted in pain and glared at her. She cocked an eyebrow and slammed him into the wall, earning a muffled shout of pain before she gripped his bloody shoulder and made him scream with the agony. "I'm going to rip you apart and send you in pieces to hell," she whispered maliciously as she gripped the gaping hole and started to rip it open, causing Dean to scream again as he thrashed weakly and tied to get away.

"NOO!!" Clark roared in panic and rushed her, sending her flying into a wall as he rammed her and made her drop Dean. He suddenly gasped and collapsed slowly to the ground over Dean, who was barely conscious from the pain. He looked up as Lana came out of the wall with a small ball of Kryptonite in her hand. "L-Lana...fight this thing..." he whispered pleadingly as he shook from the pain.

"You know...you make me sick. What do you see in this pathetic man?" Lana snarled as she wiped the blood from her forehead and glared at him.

Looking up at her, Clark smiled slightly. "Understanding," he said and groaned as she growled before punching him with the rock in her hand and knocking him to the ground.

"You deserve to die!" she shouted, but then a gunshot resounded throughout the room and she jerked. She looked down at her chest and saw the gaping hole as it smoked a bit. She looked over and saw a tearful Lex as he held the smoking Colt. She choked and suddenly jerked as sparks went flying through her body until, lifeless, she fell to the ground, her eyes staring at Clark unseeingly.

"Lana!" Clark cried tearfully as he managed to knock the meteorite away and went to her lifeless body. He sobbed as he hugged her to his chest and vaguely heard Sam start the chanting that would exorcise the remaining spirits in the building. He saw Lex kneel next to the barely conscious Dean and whispered, "How? Why?"

"Because the Lana we knew and loved was long dead, Clark. This gun just released her spirit," Lex whispered just as tearfully before looking down at Dean to see how much he could help the nearly unconscious man. Clark watched them for a bit before turning his gaze back to Lana's lifeless body. His past lay dead in his arms and his future lay dying in Lex's arms. He knew that what Lex had done was what had to be done, but it still didn't make his heart hurt any less. He looked over as there was a flash of light and several shrieks to see that Sam had succeeded, but it felt hollow.

Sam came over to them, his face grim and blood covered. "I'm sorry, Clark," he said sincerely and Clark smiled at him a little in understanding. He watched as Sam went to Dean's side while Lex called for an ambulance and he felt himself wondering what the future held for them all now. Dean had said that they'd be leaving after they had finished. With Dean injured so badly, obviously they'd be staying. The question was what would happen after that?

TBC

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