Title: Vulnerable

Author: Ashley Graham

Rating: K+ -Just to be safe…there is some swearing and a bit of blood…

Summary: Who exactly found Clark in the middle of the road in Hidden, after he was shot? This is an AU version of what I wish had happened…Hints of a future CLIOS relationship, nothing too obvious since Clark is with Lana at this point in time.

Authors Note: Very AU version of 'Hidden', Please leave a review and let me know what you think! This is my very first Smallville fan fiction, so forgive me if the characters aren't dead on!

Vulnerable

Lois Lane brushed a piece of her hair out of her face irritably as she drove down the long, boring stretch of road. Europe hadn't exactly gone the way she had wanted, and she had decided, against the Generals wishes, to return to the little farmers town; Smallville.

She herself couldn't explain why exactly she wanted to come back to the small town, and instead she blamed her decision on her eccentric cousin Chloe, who she couldn't help but miss when she had been halfway across the world.

The brunette couldn't help but grin in anticipation as she neared the Kent farm. No one new about her sudden, very early return to Smallville, and she was excited to see both the looks on Chloe and, more importantly, Clarks face when she showed up on his porch. She could already picture his face falling when she told him the great news.

I just hope I can bunk with Chloe this time, Lois thought a little anxiously. She hadn't been in contact with her blonde cousin in a month; she had never been one to write letters or emails. I kind of want to stay at the Kent's though; the look on Smallville's face would be priceless! Laughing to herself at the mental image, she tapped her hands on her steering wheel, attempting to follow the beat of the music that blared from the stereo.

Soon, she found herself singing loudly, completely ignoring both her hair (which was whipping around her face wildly from the wind), and the numerous police cars that were parked against the side of the road. It seems like this place never has a dull moment, she thought fleetingly, not giving the emergency vehicles a second glance.

She also paid no attention to the motorcycle that drove past her, doing well over the speed limit. The small vehicle made a sharp left at the next available turn, and soon disappeared from view.

Instead, she continued to drive, singing loudly to herself and beating her fingers against steering wheel. She was in a good mood; therefore she didn't even blush in embarrassment at her obvious tone deafness. "You better be at the Kent's, Chloe." Lois said aloud when the song ended. She had gone to her cousins home, only to find that she wasn't there. She wanted to surprise the future reporter first, and she hoped that she hadn't missed her.

She was pretty sure that Chloe was supposed to be heading towards Metropolis for her university orientation sometime soon. Frowning, Lois shook the negative thought of her cousin missing her surprise, and began to sing loudly again as the next song began to play.

Lois stopped singing abruptly not long afterwards, as an odd sight met her eyes. Frowning, she squinted and sped up so that she could see what was ahead of her better. Is that Chloe's car? An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she got closer. Something, or rather someone, was sprawled out in the middle of the road. Okay, that is definitely her car, but who's laying the middle of the road…? She questioned herself once the red vehicle became clearer.

Lois' heart sped up. Her cousins' car was laden with all of her possessions, and it was halfway in a ditch.

Slowing down, she leaned up in her seat to get a better look at the figure on the ground.

What she saw made her heart drop to her feet, and she could practically feel the blood draining from her previously flushed face. "Oh my god, Clark?!" Lois gasped, slamming on her brakes and leaping out of her car in a matter of seconds.

She reached the farm boys' side, and fell down to her knees. "Clark? Clark! Come on Smallville, answer me NOW!" She yelled frantically into the teens face.

Clark moaned from beneath her, his head lolling to the side weakly.

Gritting her teeth, Lois quickly flew back to her car, grabbed one of her shirts from the back seat, and was soon back at Clark's side. "This is going to hurt a lot, but I know a bullet hole when I see one, and I need to apply some pressure." She said, mostly to herself since her injured friend didn't seem to be listening.

Clark, even in his delirious state, still screamed in agony when the pressure was applied.

Lois did not remove the cloth, and with one bloody hand, she pulled out her cell phone from her jean pocket and dialed 911. She didn't even wait for the operator to speak, but quickly explained what she had discovered and where she was.

Closing her phone with a snap, and ignoring the operator, who was telling her to "stay on the line"; Lois shoved the cell back into her pocket.

Clark seemed to have regained some level of consciousness and was looking at Lois, his blue green eyes dull with pain. "Lo…is?" He gasped out, choking on the blood that flew from his mouth.

"Yeah Smallville, it's me. Don't worry you're going to be just fine."

"G-Gabriel…he…he h-has her…" He coughed out painfully.

"Relax Clark, I don't know who Gabriel is but I do know that Chloe can take care of herself." Lois said calmly, although her heart was hammering inside her chest at the thought of some nutcase who had obviously kidnapped her cousin. Please be okay Chloe…please be okay…

Lois was startled out of her thoughts by Clark, who had just tried to rise from his position on the ground.

He moaned in agony, and fell backwards almost immediately. "I h-have…save her, can't let him hurt…Chl…oe…" Clark mumbled painfully.

"Listen Smallville, and listen good. You are in no shape to do anything at the moment. You're going to the hospital and there's nothing you can do about it. Understand?" Lois said in a tight voice, she was terrified for Clark. The bullet had torn through his chest area, and his entire shirt, his jeans and her own clothing was covered in blood.

Clark laughed weakly as more blood trickled down the side of his mouth, and he gasped out in a slightly sarcastic voice, "I…miss...ed you t-too…Lo…is…" before the pain overwhelmed him and he fell into darkness.

"Clark? Clark don't you dare fall asleep on me! Smallville, wake up!" Lois cried anxiously, her hands beginning to tremble with fear when he didn't respond to her at all. "Damnit, where is that stupid ambulance?" She yelled out in anger.

As if on cue, the wailing of sirens could be heard, and soon a police car and an ambulance pulled up.

The paramedics took over immediately, and it was only a matter of minutes before Clark was stabilized and loaded in the back of the ambulance. One of the paramedics called out to the police officers, who had been busy keeping Lois away from her friend. "I need one of you to drive; we're both needed in the back! This kid is a serious scoop and run!"

The female officer nodded and quickly ran to the vehicle.

"Wait! Let me go with him at least!" Lois cried out, struggling out of the officers grasp.

"Sorry, there isn't enough room; you'll have to meet him at the hospital."

Lois shot a death glare at the paramedic, but it was of no use, the ambulance was already flying down the road, leaving her and the other officer in its dust, its sirens shrieking.

"Come on, ma'am, I'll take you there."

Lois nodded numbly, and stumbled over to the passenger's side of the police car. Thoughts of her own car, which was still sitting in the middle of the road, completely out of her mind, "His parents, someone needs to call his parents…Jonathan and Martha Kent."

The officer nodded and quickly spoke into his radio. "An officer is on their way over there right now, don't you worry."

Lois smiled feebly at the man, and quickly looked down; she was uncharacteristically speechless as she stared down at her bloody hands. Her mind however, was going a mile a minute. Chloe had been kidnapped, Clark had been shot, and she hadn't even been back in town for more than half an hour…Never a dull moment in Smallville, she thought to herself gloomily as she continued to stare at her hands, blinking furiously to keep her tears at bay.

She could feel her heart wrenching in two when she thought of how Clark had been laying there…so helpless. How could someone do that to him? He's so…self sacrificing, he'd do anything for anyone…how could anyone WANT to hurt Clark Kent?

TBC

I've got almost all of this written…review if you're interested in reading the rest :) Once again, sorry if the characters aren't spot on…this is my first Smallville fiction (and I've only seen seasons 4,5 and parts of season 1 and 6- I just started watching this show and I bought s4 and s5 on DVD…I asked for the other 3 for Christmas!)

Hope you like it so far!

Ashley