Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They are the property of the WB and producers of the Smallville series.
Clark's Challenge IV
Clark drove to his house to help his dad for a while and to wait for Lexie to get off the school bus. When they had finished up in the barn Jonathan and Clark went inside for something to drink.
"So. Are you ready for Round 2?" his father asked jokingly.
"Guess you heard about this morning, huh?"
"You know, son, all kids need structure and limits," Jonathan advised.
"Yeah. I talked to Mom about it this afternoon. Starting tonight, we're going to have some rules," Clark said confidently.
"Just make sure you're ready with some consequences when those rules get broken," his father said.
"I'll be ready," Clark assured him.
Jonathan looked out the window. "Good. Because she just got off the bus."
On the ride home, Clark decided to plunge right in.
"Listen, squirt. I know all that last night about the candy and not taking a bath and all that other stuff was load of crap," he began.
"You do?"
"I do. And just so you know, it's not going to happen again tonight."
Lexie looked visibly disappointed. She had hoped to stretch it out for at least a week before he caught on. Clark continued.
"And we're going to make out a schedule – together – about what the bedtime routine is going to be. And we're going to stick to it. Got it?"
"Got it," she agreed sadly.
"And tomorrow morning you're going to get ready for school on time," he told her.
"Mrs. Kent said she was going to stop by and make sure I was ready," Lexie reported dismally.
"I know, she told me."
"I'll be ready," she promised.
It took them about 45 minutes to hammer out the details of their nightly routine. After that, Lexie did her homework while Clark took care of the farm chores. They then headed back to the Kent house for dinner. Lexie appeared not to hold any grudges against Martha about their unpleasant encounter that morning and it was a very enjoyable evening for all.
That night, Clark implemented the new routine and it went off without a hitch. He had one scary moment with Lexie's bath (there were about four more bath products that he knew what to do with) but a quick phone call to Martha cleared everything up.
Lexie was in bed and asleep by 8:05 and Clark breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this was going to be easier than he thought.
The next three days passed in much the same way. Clark had pretty much decided this parenting thing was a snap until the weekend came and things took a nasty turn.
Martha had decided to give them some time to work out their routine and thought it would be best to give them a little space. She hadn't stopped by since that second morning but decided that she would go over on Friday afternoon to pick up their laundry. She considered trying to teach Clark how to do it himself but decided that he had taken on enough new challenges for one week. Rome wasn't built in a day and all.
She let herself in with the extra key Clark had given her. What she found inside made her gasp. She hadn't exactly expected to find the house neat as a pin, but she wasn't expecting to find it totally trashed, either. She began cleaning up and was about halfway finished when Clark came home with Lexie.
"Mom. What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see her.
She put her hands on her hips and looked at him with a scowl. "I came to pick up your laundry and got a little more than I bargained for."
Clark looked around the house, embarrassed. "I've been meaning to clean up," he said.
Martha's face softened. "I know you've had a lot to get used to this week. But, trust me, it's much easier to just clean up things as you go."
"I'll try to do better," he promised.
Martha turned to Lexie. "And as for you…"
"Me?"
"I know for a fact that your grandmother would never let you keep your room so messy. You get in there and start cleaning some of that up," she said sternly.
"Yes, ma'am," Lexie said and went to do as she was told.
Martha turned to Clark. "I know she's only six, but she's more than capable of keeping her room neat and making her bed. You need to make sure she at least does that."
"I will, Mom. Here, let me take that trash outside," he said, taking the bag she was holding.
The three of them finished cleaning up the house and then headed over to join Jonathan for dinner. Martha had made a chicken casserole that was delicious. While they were eating, Jonathan brought up the subject of the county fair that was going on that weekend.
"Can we go?" Lexie asked Clark.
"I don't see why not," he said.
"Can we ride the Ferris wheel?" she asked excitedly.
The thought instantly terrified Clark, who was deathly afraid of heights. "We'll see," he said, clearly making no promises.
When they got home, they went through their usual routine and everything was going smoothly until Clark suggested that Lexie pick up the few toys she had gotten out and put her dirty clothes in the hamper.
"Can't I do it in the morning?" she said with a yawn. "I'm tired."
Ever the pushover, Clark agreed. "Okay, but do it first thing."
The next morning, not only did Lexie not clean up the toys that were out, she added to the pile of clutter that was again accumulating in her floor. Clark continued reminding her throughout the day to clean up, but without success. By mid afternoon it was evident to him that Lexie was testing him. He realized the time had come to be firm.
"Lexie," he said as he entered her room. "I'm going to give you 30 minutes to get this stuff picked up."
"Or what?" she asked in more of a curious tone than one of defiance.
"Or I'm going to get a box from the barn and put everything that's out of place in it and take it away," he said firmly.
Lexie's mouth dropped open. "You can't do that!"
Clark squatted down to her level. "I don't want to, but I will if you don't clean up. So why don't you get busy so that doesn't happen," he suggested as he tousled her hair.
Lexie said nothing as he stood and walked back out.
Clark had finished most of the outside chores already that morning and now took a few minutes to tidy up inside. He had decided to take his mother's advice and try to stay on top of the housework each day. Besides, Lana had offered to come over tonight and cook dinner and he didn't want her thinking he was a pig.
By the time he had picked up a bit and washed the few dishes that were in the sink, Lexie's time was up. He took a deep breath and headed back to her room.
As he had feared, Lexie had chosen to call his bluff. He took a quick look around her room and then headed out to the barn. He returned a few minutes later carrying a large box.
"No!" Lexie cried out as he came back in with the box.
"Sorry, squirt. But, I warned you," he said sympathetically as he began loading toys into the box.
Lexie walked over to the box and started taking the toys back out again.
"Lexie, knock it off," Clark warned.
"I don't want you to take them away," she complained with tears in her eyes.
Clark's heart sank. Please don't let her start crying.
"You should have cleaned up when I told you to," he said.
"I'm sorry," she said as a tear rolled down her face. "I promise I'll keep them cleaned up from now on."
Clark couldn't take it. "Last chance," he told her, standing up and dumping the toys back out. "I'm going to keep this box in the house and the first time you don't clean up when you're supposed to, out they go."
Lexie threw her arms around his legs. "Thank you, Clark!"
Clark patted her head. "Yeah, yeah. Now clean up!"
Lexie began putting toys away in a hurry and Clark left her to it, feeling a little ashamed of how easily she had been able to manipulate him.
Lana arrived about 4:30 and began getting dinner ready. She invited Lexie to help her, and Lexie was delighted to do so. She carefully shredded the lettuce for salad and buttered rolls and set the table. Clark was finishing the afternoon chores outside and when he came back in Lexie proudly showed him what she had done.
Clark scooped her up and kissed her cheek. "You've been holding out me," he said, tickling her. "From now on, you're in charge of all the meals around here."
Lexie giggled and squirmed in his arms, shaking her head. "Uh, uh!"
The three of them had a great time at dinner and afterward Clark alternated between helping Lana clean up and supervising Lexie's bath. Lana had brought National Velvet to watch and told Lexie that it was her favorite movie when she was little. Clark agreed to let Lexie stay up late, since it was Saturday and everyone settled in to watch.
There was a tense moment when Lana sat down next to Clark, a seat that Lexie had come to view as hers. Clark picked up on it and quickly moved to the middle of the couch and patted the seat next to him. Lexie happily plopped herself down and snuggled up next to him.
Despite all her begging to be allowed to stay up, Lexie crashed halfway through the movie and Clark carried her to her bed. He invited Lana to stay with promises to wake her up before daylight, but she thought it would be best for her to go back to the dorm. He reluctantly let her go, knowing that he would see her again the next day. He had cleverly invited her to go with him and Lexie to the fair, partly because he enjoyed spending time with her in any setting, and partly so Lexie would have someone to take her on the Ferris wheel.
The next morning when he woke up, Lexie was in the living room watching TV.
"Hey, you," he called from the kitchen. "You want some breakfast?"
Without turning around, she held up a box of Cheerios.
Clark nodded. "That'll work," he said to himself as he started a pot of coffee.
He walked across the house and stuck his head inside Lexie's room. The toys she had played with last night were still on the floor and her bed was not yet made. He went back to the living room.
"Hey."
Lexie turned around.
"As soon as you're done eating, go clean up your room and make your bed, okay?"
"Okay," she agreed.
Clark went into his room to get dressed. As he came back to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee, Lexie brought the cereal box over.
"Want some?" she asked him.
He smiled. "Sure. Mind if I use a bowl?" he asked, getting up to get one.
"What time are we going to the fair?" she asked.
He thought about it as he poured his cereal in a bowl and added some milk.
"I need to do a couple of things around here and then I promised to help my dad for a little while. I'd say around 3:00 maybe. That sound okay?"
"What should I do until then?"
"You can help me if you want."
That brought a quick smile to her face. "Okay," she said quickly.
"Go get dressed," he told her. "And don't forget to clean your room."
"Okay," she said with a sigh.
By the time Clark finished his cereal and coffee, Lexie returned, fully dressed.
"How do I look?" she asked.
He raised an eyebrow. "Did you brush your hair?" he asked.
Lexie made a face.
Clark took the list his mother had written out for him from its place on the refrigerator and scanned it.
"Mom says you should brush you hair first thing in the morning, before you go to bed, and a couple of times in between."
Lexie rolled her eyes and went back to her room.
"And brush your teeth, too, while you're at it!" Clark called to her.
They were finally on their way out the door when Clark stopped and turned to her.
"Did you pick up your room and make your bed like I told you?" he asked.
"Yes."
He smiled. "Good girl. Come on."
They finished the chores and then made a trip to the hospital to see Lexie's grandmother. Lexie was full of stories to tell her about her week and Mrs. Lipton beamed as she talked. She could tell that Lexie was healthy and happy and she took a private moment to make sure Clark knew how much she appreciated it.
They had lunch with Martha and Jonathan and Lexie helped Martha bake an apple pie to enter in the fair while Clark helped Jonathan get caught up on things around the farm.
They started back to Lexie's house about 2:30 so that Clark could get a shower and some clean clothes. Lana was meeting them there so that she and Clark could have some time alone together after Lexie went to sleep.
Once he had showered and changed, Clark went to Lexie's room to see if she was ready to go. He looked around the room and frowned.
"Lexie?"
"In here," she called from the living room.
"Could you come here, please?"
She appeared beside him. "Yes, Clark?"
He pointed to her room. Inside, toys and clothes were everywhere. Not only was the bed not made, but the comforter and blanket were in the floor beside the bed.
"You lied to me," he accused.
Lexie said nothing and stared at the floor.
Clark walked over and picked up the box that was beside the couch, took it to her room, and began loading up everything in sight.
"Clark, no! I'll clean it up now!"
"Too late," he said.
"Clark, please! Don't!" she said, beginning to cry.
This time Clark was ready for her. He ignored her tears and continued packing up the toys.
Now angry that her show of tears had failed to do the trick, Lexie started taking the toys back out of the box. Clark picked her up and sat her down on her bed.
"Sit right there and don't get up until I'm done," he told her.
The moment he turned his back Lexie sprang up from the bed and again began reclaiming her possessions.
Clark patiently picked her back up and put her back on the bed.
"Stay there," he commanded. "If you get up again, we're not going to the fair," he warned.
Lexie sat there for a moment, pondering his threat. Deciding that Clark wouldn't really go back on his promise to take her, she slid down from the bed and walked over to the box. She looked him right in the eye as she slowly retrieved a Barbie from the top of the pile.
"Okay," he said calmly. "No fair for you tonight."
"But you promised!" she yelled.
"That was before you decided not to mind me," he said as he put the last of the toys in the box.
"I wanna go!" she cried as tears spilled down her cheeks.
Clark remained firm. "Then you shouldn't have disobeyed me," he told her, carrying the box to the living room. Lexie followed on his heels, crying all the way.
He opened the large closet by the front door and slid the box inside.
"Now, if you keep your room clean this week and behave yourself, you can earn these back," he explained.
"You're mean!" she cried.
"I know," he acknowledged.
There was a knock at the door and Clark opened it. It was Lana.
"Everybody ready to go?" she asked cheerfully as she came inside. Her smile quickly vanished as she saw Lexie sobbing in the floor beside the couch.
"We've had a little change in plans," Clark said.
"What's wrong?" she asked, kneeling next to Lexie.
"Clark broke his promise," she said between sobs. "He said he'd take me to the fair but now he won't!"
Lana looked questioningly at Clark. "She's being punished," he explained.
He leaned down. "Lexie, I want you to go to your room and stay there until you stop crying," he said gently.
"No! I want to go to the fair!" she continued to cry as Lana tried to comfort her.
"Lexie, go to your room," he said again, this time more sternly.
"NO!" she screamed, kicking her feet on the floor.
He helped Lana up and nodded towards the kitchen. "Excuse us a minute?"
Once Lana was clear, he reached down and picked Lexie up off the floor. She began to kick with everything she had.
"No! No! Put me down!" she yelled.
He carried her kicking and screaming to her room and closed the door behind him. He put her down on her bed as she kicked out at him with her foot.
"Lexie, you need to stay here on your bed for 10 minutes. I'll tell you when time's up," he said, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
He walked into the living room and sat down beside Lana.
"So, this parenting thing's a blast, huh?" she said, trying to lighten the tension.
He smiled slightly and leaned his head back. "I have no idea what I'm doing," he confessed.
"You're doing great," she said encouragingly.
They both listened as Lexie continued to scream from her bedroom.
"I doubt Lexie would agree with you," he told her, looking at his watch.
When 10 minutes was up, he knocked softly on her door and opened it. He was happy to see that she had at least stayed on her bed like he told her. He walked over and sat down, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
"Leave me alone!" she screamed at him, pulling away.
"Lexie, I need to talk to you. I need you to understand why I gave you a time-out," he said softly.
"I know why!" she yelled into her pillow. "Because you're mean! You're mean and I hate you and you're not my friend anymore!"
Clark felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. He knew she was just hurt and angry and that she was just trying to hurt him back. He knew she was only six years old. He told himself not to let it get to him. That everything would be okay once she calmed down. But he couldn't help it. If she was trying to make him feel like crap, she had definitely succeeded.
"I'll come back and check on you in a little while," he said as he stood up to leave.
"No! I don't want you to! I want my Gram!" she cried. "Gram! I want Gram!"
Clark went back and picked her up and cradled her. "Shhh," he said and continued to talk softly in her ear. "I know you miss her. I'm sorry she's not here. But we'll go see her real soon. Tomorrow, if you want. Would you like that? Shhh. It's okay."
He sat there holding her and rocking her and talking softly to her until she finally stopped crying.
After a long silence, Lexie finally spoke.
"Clark?"
"Hmm?"
"I didn't really mean it," she said, barely audible.
"I know," he assured her as he stroked her hair. "Everything's going to be okay, Lexie. I promise."