Chapter 15
(Several days have passed. It is early morning. Jonathan turns off the tractor. Jumping down he calls for Clark.)
Jonathan: "Clark? Clark!"
Clark (From inside the house): "Coming, dad!"
(Jonathan walks around the tractor, patting the large back wheel as he does. Wiping sweat from his brow, he bends down to unhitch the harrow. He wrestles with it for several seconds before giving up and sitting down on top of it. Clark rushes out the front door, his backpack slung over one shoulder and a piece of toast in the other. He becomes a blur and is then beside his father.)
Jonathan: (Standing up): "Think you could help me lift this?"
Clark: "Sure, Dad."
(Clark easily lifts the harrow up. Jonathan climbs onto the tractor and drives it several feet away. Clark sets the harrow back down with a slight thud as Jonathan jumps down from the tractor. Again, Jonathan wipes sweat from his brow. Clark notices.)
Clark: "You alright?"
Jonathan (Rubbing his arm): "Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry, just a bit sore."
Clark: "You sure?"
Jonathan: "Go on, get to school."
(Clark turns and begins walking to the front gate. Jonathan slumps to the ground beside the tractor. A new wave of sweat breaks out on his forehead. As Clark walks away, he focuses his hearing. A struggling 'thump-thump... thump-thump.... thump-thump........ Thump-thump........... thump-thump...............' can be clearly heard. Dropping his backpack and the toast, Clark turns and runs to Jonathan.)
Jonathan (Breathing hard): "Clark..."
Clark: "Don't move Dad! I'll, I'll get you to a hospital! Just, just hold-!"
Jonathan (Stopping him): "Clark!"
(Clark stops and stares into his father's eyes.)
Jonathan: "Clark, please... don't leave me, not now."
Clark (Taking his hand and getting beside him, his voice choking with emotion): "I'm right here, Dad."
(Everything gets quiet. Jonathan's lips move and Clark squeezes his hand tighter. Tears of pain now come from Jonathan's eyes. Clark blinks back a tear. It is followed by another, and then another... In the background, "What Is This Love" by Sarah McLachlan and Blue Rodeo begins to play. It plays for several minutes, until it gets to the line below...)
Voice (Singing): "... What is this world, where we always pretend... that it's worth it... worth it in the end..."
(Jonathan's breathing becomes more and more shallow. Clark hugs him tightly, silently speaking his name over and over again. Jonathan's hand falls limp. Clark rocks back and forth as the camera slowly leaves them, raising into the sky. A cloud passes over the sun, casting a shadow on the ground below it. We can hear Clark's voice fade in.)
Clark (Voice extremely heavy): "I... I don't know what to say."
(The scene fades to that of a closed casket. All of Smallville has turned out for the funeral. Clark stands at the head of it; beside him is a priest.)
Clark: "He was always trying to protect me... but I couldn't... but I couldn't..."
(Clark inhales sharply.)
Clark (His voice breaking): "I couldn't protect him."
(A tear rolls down Clark's cheek.)
Clark: "Good bye, Dad..."
(Clark slowly kneels down and sets a white daisy on top of the casket. He stands, and takes a step back. Martha silently walks up to him. For a moment, they look into each other's eyes. Martha's are swimming with tears. Clark's mirror hers as he hugs her tightly to himself. She openly sobs into his warm embrace. Looking up, Clark sees Lana Pete and Chloe standing at a distance. Pete steps forward, placing a hand on Clark's shoulder. No one speaks. Slowly, the scene fades to black.)
Voice (Singing): "What's going on... how'd it get so wrong... ...what's going on... how'd it get so wrong..."
(After several moments, the song fades out. The screen is black for a time, and slowly, the credits begin.)