Author's Note: Thank you for the nice reviews. Thank you LaCasta for the
wonderful Beta help.
Chapter 4 No Retreat
Clark and his father worked in a steady rhythm. Automatically sharing tasks in tandem that showed years of practice working together and a rapport that came from silent understanding. Jonathan Kent was however anything but understanding at this moment. As he worked with his son, he could not get his mind off the events of the night before. Clark had come home late last night after his deliveries were made. Too late to finish the chores expected of him that Jonathan had had to complete. Jon had been annoyed and prepared to say so in no uncertain terms, until he saw his son's face. Looking at his son now he saw only a hint of that turmoil.
Clark had missed supper and gone straight to his room on coming home. He had not met his parents eyes when apologising and claimed to have been held up by Chloe with a problem with the Torch. Jonathan had started to follow Clark when Martha had put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Give him time. Clark has always come to us but he's older now and trying to make his own decisions. "We have to give him space and he'll let us know if he can't handle it, whatever it is."
"He looked really upset Martha." Jonathan answered, worried. "It won't hurt to let him know we're worried."
"Alright, but let him make the decision?" Martha asked trying to will her husband to back down.
Jonathan smiled "I know, I'm trying not to be overbearing." With that he climbed the stairs and knocked quietly on Clark's door. "Son, is everything all right?"
Clark rolled over on his bed and spoke to the ceiling, "I'm OK, Dad, just tired. Can I talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sleep well son."
"Goodnight, Dad."
Clark slept poorly. He'd been unable to contact Lex. He'd have to try to see him tomorrow but had no idea what to say. How do you tell someone such things about their father? He didn't know if he could mention what Lionel had implied. He had never thought of Lex that way but he knew he was more comfortable with Lex than even his oldest friends. Lex understood without having to explain. Lex was also an outsider. Lex had become a necessary part of his life, like breathing. He counted on seeing Lex to feel calm in his mixed up life. This would destroy that sense of calm.
The way Lionel had touched him had made him feel dirty as if he was a thing and without feelings. He remembered the feel of Lionel's beard, the roughness and he shivered. If Lex was to touch him would it be as frightening? Clark didn't believe that Lex would ever hurt him but he hadn't believed Lex's father would ever touch him like that! Clark's father reminded him often that Lex was a Luthor. Now he had an idea how horrible that was. "The apple doesn't fall far ..." his father's sayings rattled in his head.
Clark flipped over and punched the pillow and accepted the fact his thoughts would battle his feelings for the rest of the night.
In the heat of the afternoon, father and son worked in silence for some time. One trying not to say anything, the other agonizing over what to say. Finally Clark paused, leaning one arm across the handle of his pitchfork and watched his father approach with the wheelbarrow. "Dad, why do you dislike Lex so much?"
Jonathan sighed uncharitably. It figured this problem had the Luthor kid involved. "I don't know Lex well enough to dislike him, son. I just don't trust him."
"Why?"
Jonathan looked at Clark, surprised that the question didn't come with some "in defense of Lex" rider attached. "His father and grandfather were cut throat businessmen. Lex has been trained from birth to be like them. It's unlikely that he's not, no matter how much he wants to curry your favor now. He will eventually move on and I want you to keep enough distance to not get hurt."
"How do you know he will move on? We could be friends for life." Clark raised his chin defiantly with this protest.
"I don't know anything. All I can do is try to do what's best for you and make my judgements based upon my broader life experience. Unfortunately part of that experience has been to get a glimpse of the Luthor world. The rich and elite with spoiled children and little purpose in life. Lex may be trying to change but all of his life is involved with those people and their expectations. What he has here in Smallville is most likely temporary as he will have to return to that world."
Clark seemed to mull this over but his look was less than believing.
"Clark, I know I sound harsh to you but I just want to shield you from the bad that is out there in the big wide world. You'll always be partly my little boy that I want to protect. Watching you grow and make your own decisions is hard. I can't stop you from doing as you will but I hope you will always stop to at least consider my older opinion."
"I'll try." Clark smiled slowly. Jonathan walked over and ruffled Clark's hair feeling a wave of desperate love. He had lost the ability to protect this boy from those that could hurt him and that broke off a piece of his parental heart.
"Dad, Lex is coming to pick me up after supper tonight. Mom said it was OK." Clark's arms swung tentatively at his sides, one hip hitched out waiting for possible rejection.
I can't stop you he thought but said "Please Clark, just remember what I said." Martha was the eternal peacekeeper and seemed to genuinely like Lex. Jonathan watched his tall son walk with graceful strides back to the house for the evening meal realising that he wanted happiness for him at all costs. If that could only come to Clark from the son of Lionel Luthor then he would just have to get used to that fact.
Conversation was reasonably normal while they ate but Clark had to concentrate not to drift off in worry about the evening to come. His parents discussed the current prices on the farm report in the evening news while Clark made a few assenting noises and watched the clock. He helped clean up and do dishes as 7:00 pm came and went. At 7:30 he began to pace. He tried to call Lex but his cell was off and the house staff said he was engaged but would give no details.
"Mom, Dad, Lex was supposed to be here an hour ago. It's not like him not to call. I'm going to the mansion to check on him. I promise to be sneaky and not interfere if everthing's OK."
"He's a grown man son."
"He's not that much older than Clark, Jonathan. Five years older doesn't make him wordly wise. I'm worried too."
"Alright, but remember to be careful Clark."
"Promise. Thanks." Clark smiled gratefully, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.
Arriving at the mansion Clark used his x-ray vision to locate Lex in the house, looking for the distinctive bonestructure at the back of Lex's skull. He was in his usual study apparently speaking to another skeleton form. They appeared to be having an argument. Suddenly the other person hit Lex and he staggered back with the force of it. Clark gasped in surprise then dissappeared through the stone doorway in a blur of super speed.
Chapter 4 No Retreat
Clark and his father worked in a steady rhythm. Automatically sharing tasks in tandem that showed years of practice working together and a rapport that came from silent understanding. Jonathan Kent was however anything but understanding at this moment. As he worked with his son, he could not get his mind off the events of the night before. Clark had come home late last night after his deliveries were made. Too late to finish the chores expected of him that Jonathan had had to complete. Jon had been annoyed and prepared to say so in no uncertain terms, until he saw his son's face. Looking at his son now he saw only a hint of that turmoil.
Clark had missed supper and gone straight to his room on coming home. He had not met his parents eyes when apologising and claimed to have been held up by Chloe with a problem with the Torch. Jonathan had started to follow Clark when Martha had put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Give him time. Clark has always come to us but he's older now and trying to make his own decisions. "We have to give him space and he'll let us know if he can't handle it, whatever it is."
"He looked really upset Martha." Jonathan answered, worried. "It won't hurt to let him know we're worried."
"Alright, but let him make the decision?" Martha asked trying to will her husband to back down.
Jonathan smiled "I know, I'm trying not to be overbearing." With that he climbed the stairs and knocked quietly on Clark's door. "Son, is everything all right?"
Clark rolled over on his bed and spoke to the ceiling, "I'm OK, Dad, just tired. Can I talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sleep well son."
"Goodnight, Dad."
Clark slept poorly. He'd been unable to contact Lex. He'd have to try to see him tomorrow but had no idea what to say. How do you tell someone such things about their father? He didn't know if he could mention what Lionel had implied. He had never thought of Lex that way but he knew he was more comfortable with Lex than even his oldest friends. Lex understood without having to explain. Lex was also an outsider. Lex had become a necessary part of his life, like breathing. He counted on seeing Lex to feel calm in his mixed up life. This would destroy that sense of calm.
The way Lionel had touched him had made him feel dirty as if he was a thing and without feelings. He remembered the feel of Lionel's beard, the roughness and he shivered. If Lex was to touch him would it be as frightening? Clark didn't believe that Lex would ever hurt him but he hadn't believed Lex's father would ever touch him like that! Clark's father reminded him often that Lex was a Luthor. Now he had an idea how horrible that was. "The apple doesn't fall far ..." his father's sayings rattled in his head.
Clark flipped over and punched the pillow and accepted the fact his thoughts would battle his feelings for the rest of the night.
In the heat of the afternoon, father and son worked in silence for some time. One trying not to say anything, the other agonizing over what to say. Finally Clark paused, leaning one arm across the handle of his pitchfork and watched his father approach with the wheelbarrow. "Dad, why do you dislike Lex so much?"
Jonathan sighed uncharitably. It figured this problem had the Luthor kid involved. "I don't know Lex well enough to dislike him, son. I just don't trust him."
"Why?"
Jonathan looked at Clark, surprised that the question didn't come with some "in defense of Lex" rider attached. "His father and grandfather were cut throat businessmen. Lex has been trained from birth to be like them. It's unlikely that he's not, no matter how much he wants to curry your favor now. He will eventually move on and I want you to keep enough distance to not get hurt."
"How do you know he will move on? We could be friends for life." Clark raised his chin defiantly with this protest.
"I don't know anything. All I can do is try to do what's best for you and make my judgements based upon my broader life experience. Unfortunately part of that experience has been to get a glimpse of the Luthor world. The rich and elite with spoiled children and little purpose in life. Lex may be trying to change but all of his life is involved with those people and their expectations. What he has here in Smallville is most likely temporary as he will have to return to that world."
Clark seemed to mull this over but his look was less than believing.
"Clark, I know I sound harsh to you but I just want to shield you from the bad that is out there in the big wide world. You'll always be partly my little boy that I want to protect. Watching you grow and make your own decisions is hard. I can't stop you from doing as you will but I hope you will always stop to at least consider my older opinion."
"I'll try." Clark smiled slowly. Jonathan walked over and ruffled Clark's hair feeling a wave of desperate love. He had lost the ability to protect this boy from those that could hurt him and that broke off a piece of his parental heart.
"Dad, Lex is coming to pick me up after supper tonight. Mom said it was OK." Clark's arms swung tentatively at his sides, one hip hitched out waiting for possible rejection.
I can't stop you he thought but said "Please Clark, just remember what I said." Martha was the eternal peacekeeper and seemed to genuinely like Lex. Jonathan watched his tall son walk with graceful strides back to the house for the evening meal realising that he wanted happiness for him at all costs. If that could only come to Clark from the son of Lionel Luthor then he would just have to get used to that fact.
Conversation was reasonably normal while they ate but Clark had to concentrate not to drift off in worry about the evening to come. His parents discussed the current prices on the farm report in the evening news while Clark made a few assenting noises and watched the clock. He helped clean up and do dishes as 7:00 pm came and went. At 7:30 he began to pace. He tried to call Lex but his cell was off and the house staff said he was engaged but would give no details.
"Mom, Dad, Lex was supposed to be here an hour ago. It's not like him not to call. I'm going to the mansion to check on him. I promise to be sneaky and not interfere if everthing's OK."
"He's a grown man son."
"He's not that much older than Clark, Jonathan. Five years older doesn't make him wordly wise. I'm worried too."
"Alright, but remember to be careful Clark."
"Promise. Thanks." Clark smiled gratefully, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.
Arriving at the mansion Clark used his x-ray vision to locate Lex in the house, looking for the distinctive bonestructure at the back of Lex's skull. He was in his usual study apparently speaking to another skeleton form. They appeared to be having an argument. Suddenly the other person hit Lex and he staggered back with the force of it. Clark gasped in surprise then dissappeared through the stone doorway in a blur of super speed.