It was mid-November, by the time Brad's hand had finally healed, keeping Clark on as starter for longer than the farmhand would have preferred. He toned down his performance, doing just well enough to win games—but not all of them. Winning was the job of his teammates too, and after that first game, he was not about to win on their behalf. Truthfully, he considered losing on purpose, but doing that went against his personal code of ethics. Also, for the first time, Smallville was heading to the play-offs, regardless of the outcome of this weekend's game, the final one of the season.
His teammates were understandably upset that he was planning to quit when Brad returned, but Clark saw no other option; Chloe now knew about his powers, and he had already told Lana. He also thought that Lex suspected, but Clark could not be certain of that.
The Wednesday was at an end, and as Clark walked toward the front door to leave, Lana and Pete at his side, Lex fell in line and joined them.
"Hey, Clark."
"Hey, Lex," Clark replied. "What's going on?"
Lana and Pete both greeted their bald friend, seeming more at ease with him now.
"I wanted to discuss football."
Clark, Lana, and Pete looked incredulously at Lex as they walked.
"You hate football, Lex," Lana exclaimed.
"Yeah," Pete agreed. "You think they're all subhuman except for Clark."
"They are," Lex agreed. "But I don't think you should quit the team, Clark."
Clark shrugged. "Why not?"
"Because," Lex explained, "you're the only one on the team who didn't need some kind of work around with your grades in order to play. Besides, signing up for the football team – as pedestrian as ball sports are in my opinion – represents a commitment. You're the kind of man who honors his commitments. It goes against your character to quit."
Lex had a point, and Clark could not disagree without revealing the real reason he planned to quit the team.
"You have a point Lex," Kent conceded. "But I feel like I'm playing below my weight – my skills and abilities are such that it feels like I'm cheating."
Pete shrugged. "Not your fault you're that good."
"No," Clark agreed, "but I have no aspirations for professional or college ball, and honestly, I don't enjoy it. How can I get psyched up when I know I'm going to win without even trying?" He hoped he had not said too much in front of Lex.
Luthor grinned. "We do that in academics every day, Clark."
Kent agreed again. "Yes, but in academics, I'm not competing with anyone but myself, while in football, I'm competing head to head with people who are so far below my own level that I may as well be playing against children."
Lex nodded. "When Brad is back, return to second string."
"That's the coach's decision," Lana interjected. "Players don't get to choose who's first string an' who ain't."
"I can be persuasive," Clark assured. "Thank you, Lex; you're right – I made the commitment and I should honor it."
-S-
That afternoon at practice, Brad returned, and Clark asked to be put back at second string, much to the disappointment of Coach Quigley, who had gotten used to the steady stream of wins that Clark had brought him.
"Sorry, Clark, but you're hotter than Brad ever was. Unless you can give me a very good reason to put you back to second string, you're my starter."
Clark looked at Brad and shrugged. "Sorry, Brad; I tried."
Brad only nodded glumly. His former bluster and confidence was gone – Clark was the star now. He had humiliated Brad in front of everyone, Lana was back with him, even though the two were not dating, and the team idolized the big farm boy who could throw like the pros. For Brad, the worst part was that it was clear that Clark was not even trying. Even at his best, Brad was no match for Clark at his worst.
Then Clark had an idea. "Coach, it's the last game of the season, and we have our play-off spot. Why not let Brad start? It'll give me a break, and if things look bad, then you can always put me back in."
The coach considered this thoughtfully, and then grinned. "You're a good man, Kent. You really do understand team work. Alright, Son; but when the playoffs start, you're starting."
-S-
Clark took his seat in A.P. biology class, and Lex took the seat next to him. Theirs was a strange friendship. Clark was tall, muscular, and good looking, exuding an earnest, friendly demeanor, while Lex was brooding and aloof, with his bald head and slight build making him look even more out of place next to Kent.
"I hear you're the starter from here on out," Lex noted.
"Unfortunately. I hoped that when Brad was back, things could go back to normal, but …."
Luthor just laughed. "There's nothing normal about us, Clark, and especially about you! You can do great things, and people will expect it of you – you just have to accept that. It's why my father wants to recruit you."
"Lana, Pete, Chloe, and I are getting together tonight," Clark said, changing the subject. "We were hoping you'd join us."
Lex did a double take. "You guys want to hang out with me … outside of school?"
Clark smiled. "Yeah; it'll be fun. We're playing Monopoly. Bring your little sister if you want – it'll make it even numbers."
"Lena?" Lex was visibly puzzled. "She's only in seventh grade, but Monopoly is rated G, so sure, but … why do you need even numbers?"
"We pair off and play in teams," Clark explained. "That way, I don't win all the time."
Lex shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. "Do you organize all your activities so that you don't outshine the people around you?"
"Not all of them," Clark said with a grin. "I guarantee you I did better on the exam last week than everyone else in this class, yourself excluded."
"Oh?" Lex was surprised. "You think I did better?"
"No – we both scored perfectly, I'm sure."
Before Lex could answer, Miss Warren – the teacher walked in and began returning the graded exams to the students. Sure enough, both Clark and Lex had perfect scores, while the rest of the class had some amount of red ink on their papers.
"Join us tonight, Lex. It'll be fun."
"You know, I think I will."
-S-
Lana, Pete, Clark's new friend, Chloe, and Clark set up the Monopoly board in the Kent's living room while Ma cooked her famous apple pie. As soon as the pies went into the oven, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," she called as she went to the front door and opened it, letting in the cool November air.
Much to her surprise, a grinning Lionel Luthor and his two children, Lex and Lena stood on the porch. Lex looked about how she expected, but was taller than she had thought he would be. Lena was a petite, slight girl who came up to Lex's shoulder. Unlike Lex, Lena had a full head of luxuriant dark brown hair. Large blue eyes made her look almost like a character from one of those Japanese cartoons Clark liked.
Both children were well dressed, Lex in what looked like the latest GQ business-casual attire, wearing a navy-blue sport-coat with tan elbow patches, a white turtleneck shirt, and tan pants, while Lena wore a red blouse and a navy skirt, her legs sheathed in blue hose.
"Mister Luthor," Ma said warmly. "Good to see you again. And this must be Lex and Lena. My, but aren't you two dressed up nicely!"
"Mrs. Kent," Lex said formally, making a bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Thank you for having us," Lena added.
"Won't you come in?" Ma Kent escorted them inside. As she passed the living room, she called, "Clark, you have guests."
"Lex, Lena," Clark called, standing from his seat on the floor to greet them. "Doctor Luthor," he added. "Good to see you again!"
Lionel shook Clark's hand. "Likewise, Clark. I hear you're the new starter."
Clark nodded. "Yes, Sir. Didn't expect it once Brad was back, but there it is."
"And the Crows are no longer eating their namesake," Lex noted with a grin. "So, Clark, what are these "Monopoly teams" you were talking about?"
"I want to be on his team," Lena blurted out as she pointed at Clark, the young girl's eyes filled with admiration for the big varsity quarterback.
Pete and Chloe laughed, Lex raised his left eyebrow, and Lana pouted. Ma Kent just laughed.
"Come on Lionel," she said. "Jonathan is brewing coffee, and I always have sweet tea. Pies are coming out of the oven in just a bit."
Lionel stood contemplatively for a moment and then said, "I was going to leave, but you know? I think I'll stay and enjoy your hospitality."
As the adults retreated to the kitchen, the six kids were gathered around the coffee table in the Kent's living room, each seated cross legged on the floor. Lex and Lena seemed unused to such a casual setting, but as soon as Clark took his seat at the "Go to Jail" corner of the board, Lena put aside her formal upbringing and joined him on the floor.
Her large blue eyes remained fixed upon Clark Kent, much to Lana's chagrin.
"I thought you'd want to be on my team," Lex noted with mock disappointment as he took a seat at the "In Jail" corner and winked at Clark.
Lena shook her head, grinning. "We play chess all the time, Lex. We're with new friends, so we should mix with them, should we not?"
"Fair point," Lex conceded. "Lana, I choose you."
"Me?" Lana looked perplexed.
"Guess that leaves us, Pete," Chloe noted.
"That's right," Pete said enthusiastically. "Prepare to fall to our hotels," he warned the others as he and Chloe took their seat at the "Free Parking" corner and took the money tray. "And while we're at it, we're the bankers."
"Then you can begin enriching us," Lex announced.
As Pete passed out the money and the others chose their pieces, Ma Kent brought out sweet tea and lemonade to the kids except for Lex and Lena. At each of their corners, she placed two teacups.
"I'm told you both prefer coffee," Clark's mother said.
"Thank you ever so much," Lena said as she took the cup. Somehow, it sounded earnest and uncontrived, in spite of the girl's overly formal manner.
Lex took a sip and grinned. "This is excellent, Mrs. Kent; thank you – it reminds me of my mom's coffee."
"You're quite welcome, Lex." Then she looked at Clark. "Looks like Lena's your new best friend."
"And Lana is mine," Lex said with an impish grin.
Lena beamed, and Lana offered a smile and a nod.
"Pete," Mrs. Kent noted, "You and Chloe look ready to clean up over here. I think you may have the others outmatched."
Pete and Chloe high-fived, but Lena giggled.
"I'm as smart as my brother …" the Luthor girl began.
"Smarter," Lex interjected.
"Yes," Lena agreed. "And Clark – according to Lex – is as smart as either of us. I think it is we who shall be victorious."
"May the best team win," Lana declared.
"Challenge accepted," Clark replied with a grin.
-S-
As the kids whiled away their time playing Monopoly, the Kents and Lionel Luthor conversed in the kitchen over coffee. It did not take long for the topic of Clark's interest in journalism to come up.
"Lex tells me that Clark has offered to, in his future career, cover groundbreaking discoveries made at Luthor-Corp," the elder Luthor opened.
Pa Kent nodded. "I imagine that would be a daily occurrence—your company makes groundbreaking discoveries all the time."
Lionel laughed. "Oh, if only that were true—we work hard every day to make those discoveries and new technologies happen every year or two. There is a new discovery, however, one that I hope will mean big things for Luthor Corp. We've been working to crack it for almost twenty years, but this week, we did it!"
Martha smiled approvingly. "That's wonderful, Lionel! I'm sure it will be everything you're hoping for."
"I'm hoping for a lot," Lionel said with a laugh. "However, if Clark is willing to highlight our work in the future, that would be a huge boon to our company." Then he leaned back and looked out into the living room at his children playing with their friends. "If only Lilian were here to see the work we've done, and to see Lex and Lena. She would have loved Clark." Then he smiled wistfully. "Lex takes after her in so many ways."
"She must have been a wonderful woman," Martha posited.
Lionel nodded. "I miss her every day. But I see her in my children, which is a blessing in itself. I'm sure you both feel the same way about Clark—the best of each of you wrapped up in one fine young man." Then he chuckled and added, "Lena seems to have developed quite a crush on your boy."
Martha almost froze at the statement about Clark being the best parts of Jonathan and her. There was nothing of either her or her husband in Clark apart from the love they had given him. Perhaps that was the most important part. The thought made her smile, but before she could respond, the buzzer went off, interrupting the conversation.
"The pies!" Ma Kent jumped up and got the potholders and removed the pies from the oven.
Soon, everyone was enjoying Ma Kent's famous apple pie, ice cream, and either coffee, tea, or soda. Lex and Lena's eyes bulged wide at the sight. Not having a mom to make such delights, Ma Kent imagined that the Luthor children only had deserts from fine confectionaries or at restaurants—Lionel did not seem the cooking type.
Lena took a bite of the pie, and her eyes lit up. "Mrs. Kent, this is … magnificent!"
"Delicious," Lex agreed.
Chloe agreed. "Where did you learn to bake like this?"
"Lana an' me have been havin' pie at the Kents' place all our lives," Pete said. "It's the real reason we hang out with Clark."
"It's an old recipe from Jonathan's ma," Martha Kent revealed. "It sounds like y'alls are havin' a grand old time out here playing Monopoly—thought it was time for a food break."
"Yeah," Chloe noted. "Lex and Lana are killing us!"
Lex and Lana high five each other, but Clark and Lena just laughed.
"We haven't played our masterstroke," the young Luthor girl announced, still looking admiringly at Clark.
"It'll have to wait," Pa Kent said as he walked in, carrying his coffee. "Ma's apple pie is an institution."
Lionel laughed. Martha noticed that he laughed without reservation. It was a healthy, hearty laugh, and it made her feel very much at ease around the tech mogul.
"I tell you, I don't think we've been this happy since …." Lionel began. Lex and Lena nodded.
"Mother would have loved being here tonight," Lex declared. "You're the best friends I've ever had—you especially, Clark. I won't forget you; any of you."
"But we've got a whole 'nother year of high school," Pete said with puzzlement.
"No," Clark said, "you have another whole year of high school. Lex and I have enough credits to graduate this year."
"I think we both could have graduated earlier," Lex noted, "But Father thought that it was important to remain in high school for socialization."
"No fair," Lana gasped. "I … I won't see you no more … will I?"
Clark looked at her with puzzlement. "Why do you say that? I'm not leaving the country."
"No, but I know you'll leave Smallville."
"Clark has a full scholarship to Emerson College," Pa Kent said proudly. "No one in my family ever went to college—Clark'll be the first."
"You and your wife made that possible," Lionel noted. "Lex will be off to M.I.T, while Lena … I think Lena will do great things." He looked at Lana, Chloe, and Pete. "She's starting high school next year—the girl is brilliant—I hope you'll look out for her."
Chloe smiled, and reached across taking Lena's hand. "She's always got a place with us."
"Even after we graduate," Lana added, though she was still very distressed over Clark's sooner than expected departure for college. She would be losing Clark forever, somehow, she knew. He did not seem to think so, but Lana was certain. She prayed that Clark was correct.
Clark suddenly froze, looking intently at … something. Then he stood. Lana's heart skipped a beat. Clark wore blue jeans his blue "Smallville High" jersey with a big red "S" on the chest, and to her, Clark looked like a comic book superhero.
"What is it, Clark?" Ma asked.
"Old Bessie again?" Jonathan mentioned the old dairy cow.
"No," Clark said. "Something else …." Without explaining, Clark Kent took off, leaving a bewildered gathering of friends and family. Chloe and Lana looked at each other, both knowing the truth.
