He entered the fire station and ran up the stairs. He'd stopped to help a neighbor carry up a new sofa so he was running a bit late. He opened his locker, scanned the area and then used his speed to change into his EMT uniform. Running back out to the common area, he saw that his partner, Lois, was bitching at the Captain. He didn't bother to listen, why hear her bitch twice. Filling his travel mug with coffee, he headed down to the bus to check the supplies.

"Smallville, we have a ride along tonight. We'll pick him up at the hospital after the well body check the Captain just handed me. I don't know why they can't let the other crew deal with the baby docs."

Clark gave her a grin; the ride alongs were always entertaining to him. He loved the insight he got when they did this. It built his rapport with the ER docs and that helped smooth over the feathers Lois seemed to ruffle on a daily basis.

He got through the next hour by tuning her out, a talent he'd learned in less than a week working with her. She'd blown off most of the head of steam by the time Clark pulled the bus into the parking space outside the ER.

She went for coffee as Clark went to find the new doctor who was to ride with them that night. He reached the main desk and grinned at Chloe. "Hi, Clo, I'm here to pick up our date."

She giggled as his choice of words. "He's in the men's room. Why don't you go in and report back. I want to know if I should hit on him."

"Now, Chloe, I don't kiss and tell."

He waived to her as he headed for the bathroom. He pushed the door open and stopped dead. Standing at the urinals was a bald man. Clark noticed the bump on the back of the sleek head, and then his eyes tracked down to the best-looking ass he'd ever seen. Clark shifted as his dick began to swell.

"If you're going to stare at my ass, you should at least introduce yourself."

"Are you the doctor who's doing the ride along with us tonight?"

The man shook off and turned before he began to tuck his dick away. Clark didn't bother to pretend he wasn't looking. When he finally looked up he realized that the doctor wasn't as old as the bald head had made him appear. Clark estimated that the man was only a few years older than he was. That explained Chloe's interest.

"If you're Kent then yeah, I'm the one." He walked past Clark to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly. 

"I'm Kent. You ready to roll?"

"Is there anything I need to bring with me?"

"Just a deaf ear, my partner isn't happy about being stuck with you."

"Really? How do you feel about it?"

"I think the night is looking up."

That got him a grin that lit up Clark's brain. Damn! He hadn't been this attracted to anyone, ever. Maybe his mother was right, one day it just happens to you. He led the way back to the main area of the ER to find Lois tapping her foot.

"This him?" She asked as she gave the doctor a quick once over.

"Yeah, but I haven't gotten his name yet."

"Luthor, Alex Luthor."

"Well, Luthor, you may be god in here but in our bus you're an obstacle. So, get in, sit down, and keep quiet."

"Is she always this friendly?"

"This is one of her good days."

"Ah…"

"See you later, Chloe." Lois called to her cousin as she ignored Clark and Alex to head for the bus.

"After you." Clark swept his arm out as he bowed to Alex.

Chloe watched them go, a puzzled look on her face. Clark had looked happy; his smile hadn't reached his eyes since before the night his father died. Dr. Luthor had looked more alive than any time since he'd come to work there three weeks before.

Clark watched Alex's ass as they made their way toward the bus. Lois was waiting; tapping her foot again. Alex looked at her and she gestured for him to climb in first. Clark circled around to get in the driver's seat.

They pulled out onto the street and turned toward the next stop. Metropolis had set up weekly stops for each of the EMT crews, no need in them just sitting around between calls. Clark was acutely aware of Alex. The man smelled of disinfectant soap, the detergent used by the hospital to wash the scrubs, but underneath was an earthy odor, the smell of man sex.

Clark knew it was going to be a long night.

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~      

Alex shifted a bit on the seat. Lois wasn't fat but she took up a lot of space. The foldaway seat wasn't that comfortable either. Then there was the decidedly male, extremely handsome hunk of muscle sitting next to him on the other side. Who, strangely enough, smelled like gingerbread.

As Lois complained about the heat, Alex went over what he knew so far about Clark Kent. Gay – no straight man would have stared at his dick like Clark did. Big – always a plus in Alex's book he liked them that way. Great smile, intense green eyes, a head full of curly black hair.

He was looking forward to learning more about this man. He'd heard rumors that Clark was fantastic in the field, not only as a paramedic but he often helped the firefighters free trapped victims. It should be an interesting evening.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~  

It was the third run of the night, all hell had broken loose; there had been an explosion in a sweatshop. Lois was doing support as Alex worked triage. Clark was everywhere. At one point he placed a body down close to Alex and called out.

"This one has a punctured lung. He needs help quickly."

Alex ran to him, wondering how Clark had reached that conclusion with no real equipment. He knelt down as Clark ran back into the building. It occurred to him that the building was still burning brightly and Clark wasn't wearing an air tank or any other gear that the firemen were wearing.

The man on the ground made a strangled sound and Alex turned back to his work. He might have missed seeing Clark a few times over the next two hours, but he always saw the victims that Clark was carrying out of the building.

It was midnight when the last patient was loaded into the bus and Clark got behind the wheel. His clothes reeked of smoke and blood. He had a grim expression as he clicked on the siren and put the vehicle into gear.

Alex worked steadily on the woman on the stretcher as Clark drove full out and Lois moved smoothly to give Alex the things he needed. For a rude woman, she was incredibly intuitive. Alex was amazed at the way the two very different people meshed in emergency situations.

At the hospital, as the staff converged on the back, Lois grabbed a bag. "I'll leave your stuff in the locker room, Clark."

She jumped out of the back and closed the doors. Clark put the bus in gear and rolled slowly over toward the reserved space. He turned off the engine, and then dropped his head on his hands where they rested on the steering wheel.

"You did your best."

Clark's head jerk up and he turned to look at Alex.

"I thought you got out with Lois."

"No, I thought I'd walk in with you. Keep you company."

"Thanks."

The two got out of the bus and entered the hospital. Without discussion they headed for the men's locker room. Clothing was tossed into the laundry hamper and the two men entered the shower. Clark stood under the hot water letting it wash away the blood and grime.

He shivered as Alex scrubbed his back. When Alex stepped away, Clark turned to look at him. The sympathy in the blue eyes caused the floodgates to open. In two steps Alex was there, holding him as he sobbed for the ones he couldn't save.

They sank to the floor and Alex rocked him as he whispered soft words of comfort. They sat that way until Alex shivered from the cold water pouring down on them. Clark lifted his head and realized that Alex was turning blue but hadn't loosened his hold on Clark.

Clark got them to their feet and grabbed a towel to wrap around the shivering man. Using just a touch of his heat vision Clark warmed Alex's body. When he stopped he realized that Alex was watching him closely.

"Smallville, are you two fucking in there?"

"We'll be out in a minute, Lois."

Alex touched Clark's arm. "I think my ride along is over for tonight. They'll need me here."

Clark nodded. He walked over to the bench where Lois had left his change of clothes. The two men dressed in silence. Alex gave Clark a brief pat on his shoulder as he headed for the ER. If Lois noticed his strained look she didn't mention it. The rest of the night was blessedly slow.

The sun was coming up as Alex stepped outside at the end of his shift. Clark was leaning against the streetlight across from the entrance. Alex gave him a tired smile as he crossed the street.

"Want to get some breakfast?"

"Sounds good. They told me that I have to complete my ride along before the end of the month. I'd prefer to do it with you if that's okay?"

"We aren't on again until Thursday."

"That's fine. I'm off tomorrow, anyway."

They entered the diner across from the hospital. A waitress called out a greeting and Clark answered. They took the booth as far from the door as possible. Before they had completely settled the waitress was at the table with juice and coffee. She plunked them down and grinned at Clark.

"Finally bagged yourself a doctor, huh, Clark?"

"Shh, he's not in the bag yet."

The two shared a laugh as Alex tried to suppress a grin. The waitress turned to look at Alex.

"I know what he'll have. What do you want?"

"Toast, fruit if you have it, and one egg over easy."

"You'll need more than that to keep up with him."

"Would you stop, before you run him off."

She touched Clark's shoulder softly. "You'll catch him if he runs."

She walked away. Clark doctored his coffee as Alex sipped his juice.

"I take it you come here often?"

"Next to my mom they make the best pancakes."

"Ah - an excellent reason to eat here. Does she always talk to you that way?"

"No, usually I'm alone when I eat here."

"So tell me, where is your mom? Won't she cook you breakfast?"

"She's in Smallville. I get home as often as I can. She treats herself to a trip to the city every couple of months. What about yours?"

"She's in Arizona. Her health isn't the best. She's like a desert flower there. It suits her."

The waitress came back and put a platter in front of Clark and a smaller plate by Alex. Clark's plate was loaded down with a stack of pancakes, three eggs, bacon and sausages. Alex's plate looked almost empty in contrast.

The two men shared their meal and talked on many topics. When the check arrived Clark picked it up and Alex allowed him to pay. The two men parted ways outside the diner. Clark ducked into an alley and then launched himself to the roof. He used the roofs as stepping stones until he reached the outskirts of town. From there he took to the air.

~^~^~^~^~^~        

Martha looked up as Clark pushed open the door allowing the screen door to bang shut like he did at fifteen. She grinned at him, indulgently. He bounced over to her and gave her a hug. Seeing his mother always made him feel better.

"Clark, I wasn't expecting you today. Is everything alright?"

"I had a bad night."

"I saw the news. I know you did your best.  You can't save them all."

"I know. I just wish I could.'

"Sit down; I'll cook you some breakfast."

"I ate. That was the thing that went right."

Martha heard the hope in her son's voice. She looked at him as he gave her a soft smile.

"Well?"

"We had a new doctor ride along with us last night."

"Pretty?"

"Handsome."

"Really?" Martha watched her son as his face transformed.

"I think he's the one, Mom. He just 'fits'."

"How so?"

"He seemed to know what I was thinking. When I fell apart in the shower he held me, just held me. The water went cold and he still didn't let go."

Martha touched her son's hand and smiled. "Sit down and tell me all about him. When will you bring him to meet me?"

Martha had long known that her son was attracted to the person, not their gender. During high school he'd kept to girls, but during college the dates who came to the farm with him were as often male as female.

They took a seat at the table and Clark began to talk. "He's not quite as tall as me, slender, beautiful eyes, a great smile. Oh and he's bald, but it looks right on him."

"Bald? Does he shave it? Or is he older?" Briefly, Martha wondered if her son was falling for a much older man.

"It's not shaved. I'm not sure why he's bald."

"What's his name, Clark?"

Clark looked at his mother hearing the change in her manner. "Alex Luthor."

"Oh…"

"Mom?"

"He was here that day. That's when he lost his hair. We found you sitting next to him, holding his hand and petting his head. There was one wisp of hair still clinging to his scalp. As you touched him it came off in your hand."

"Mom?" Clark jumped to his feet and bolted from the room.

He was back in a flash the small box that he had always called his treasure chest. He opened it and removed the small zip lock bag that contained a lock of red hair. He opened it and touched it carefully.

"When they took him from us at the hospital, you cried like your heart was broken. That bit of hair went everywhere with you for weeks. I finally convinced you to let me put it in that bag."

"I thought it was yours."

"I know. I didn't think you'd ever see him again and it was better for you to forget."

"I guess I never really forgot. That's why I knew him."

Martha waited as Clark processed the news.

"I have to tell him the truth."

"Clark, I don’t think…"

She was speaking to thin air, Clark was gone and so was the treasure chest.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^     

After a stop at his fortress, Clark flew low over the city, seeking Alex's heartbeat. It didn't take long for him to find it. He touched down on the roof and entered the building. He made his way down to the apartment and tapped on the door.

Alex opened the door. He leaned against the doorframe. "Stalking me?"

Clark held up the bag. "I have something to tell you."

Alex looked at the bag. Then he turned puzzled eyes on Clark. "Come in."

Clark entered the apartment. He glanced around, noting how warm the room was. He watched as Alex disappeared into what his x-ray vision told him was the kitchen. Alex returned with a couple of bottles, holding one out to Clark.

They took a seat on the sofa. Alex placed his bottle on a coaster and reached for the bag.

"What is this?"

"I…This is so hard." Clark took a deep breath and decided that if Lex felt a tenth of what he felt when they'd sat on the floor in the shower the night before, then it would be okay.

"It's a long story that begins in a cornfield, in Smallville in 1989."

Alex sucked in a deep breath, but made no other sound as he opened the bag and pulled out the lock of hair that he surmised was his.

"My folks found us. I was sitting next to you, holding your hand and caressing your head. Mom called it patting, but I know what I was doing. I was marking my mate, imprinting myself on you."

"Imprinting?"

"I was mentally the age to mate. On Krypton we mate for life and as soon as we come in contact with a compatible person, with a touch we know. Krypton also had no taboos about same sex relationships. Mating is for love, companionship, sometimes for reproduction."

"Krypton? You're an ET?"

"Yes."

"You imprinted me?"

"Yes."

"What happens if I tell you to go to hell?"

"I will give you the means to protect yourself from me."

"Protect myself, what does that mean?"

"A time will come when I want to claim you, mount you, feel you under me as I flood you with my come."

Alex shivered and Clark took that for revulsion. He stood and turned away. "I'll have the necessary protection delivered by tomorrow. You should keep a small amount with you at all times."

Clark was surprised to find the doorway blocked when he reached it. He looked down into Alex's eyes. They were stormy and bright with moisture. He grabbed Clark's shirt in one hand, fisted the other in Clark's black hair.

"You said for life."

"Yes."

"I'll have questions, lots of questions, later."

"Later?"

"Later."

Alex tugged and Clark bent his head, taking the mouth that was offered with a passion he'd never felt before. When they broke for Alex to breathe, Clark moaned at the sight of Alex, flushed, lips swollen and bitten looking.

"Bedroom's that way."

Clark didn't need another invitation. He picked Alex up and had them undressed and on the bed before Alex knew they had moved.

"I hope you don't do everything that quickly."

"I stay hard, even after I come."

"Good, because I love riding a hard cock."

Clark let out a moan as his dick dribbled against Alex's body. He rolled Alex beneath him, kissing the bruised lips fiercely. Alex bucked up against him. Clark moaned again as he felt the head of Alex's dick poke against the sensitive skin of his stomach.

They rutted together until Clark exploded against Alex's body. Alex pushed on him and Clark obliged by rolling over. Clark watched, avidly as Alex scooped up the come that was across his chest and belly. As he reached behind himself to smear the thick fluid into his hole, Alex straddled Clark's body.

Clark reached up to steady him. More come was gathered and smeared over Clark's dick. With one hand wrapped around Clark's thick cock, Alex used the other for balance. Clark waited, holding his breath as Alex worked himself down on Clark. When he was flush with Clark's body Alex leaned forward.

"I need a minute to adjust. It's been a long time since anyone has been where you are now."

Clark nodded, too overcome with the feeling of being 'home' to speak. Alex smiled tenderly before bending even farther to kiss Clark gently. The kisses lasted for several long minutes before Alex straightened.

Clark watched, mesmerized as Alex began to ride as he had said he would. Whenever he felt himself close he would stop moving. Clark helped him postpone his climax by staying completely still each time Alex was still.

It was late afternoon before Alex allowed himself to tumble over the edge. Just seeing the way Alex looked as he came, caused Clark to come for the fourth time, filling Alex once more with cream.

Alex dropped forward, lying full length on Clark's body, waiting for his muscles to relax. Clark's big hands moved gently over Alex's sweaty back.

"I didn't know human's could last that long."

"I'm not exactly human anymore."

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"The meteors came with me."

"So I should be angry with you for giving me health? Or for killing my abusive father? Or maybe for picking me to mate with?"

"All of those things."

"We're not going there. I'm sleepy. We'll talk later."

Clark kissed the bald head that was resting on his chest. Alex nuzzled his throat for a minute, leaving a wet spot on his Adam's apple. Clark held Alex as he slept, Clark didn’t need sleep but found himself drifting off anyway.

They would have much to talk about, but they would also have a lifetime to do it.

The end