Lex's POV:

"You need to put an end to this Lex," my father said his voice coming over loud and clear over the speaker phone. As I predicted he did not like the article on the front page of the Smallville Daily. He could've lived with that though. What he was currently ranting about was the editorial page.

"Why Dad, they're making me out to be the good guy."

"Lex," my father said in a warning tone. I knew I was reaching the limits of his patience with me.

"As I see it Dad, this is your problem not mine," I told him.

"Lex you're there and I'm not. I'm asking you to fix this."

"How? By telling this reporter that he has to print a retraction because he's absolutely wrong about you. That you genuinely care about me," I told him letting a little more bitterness into my voice than I really wanted to. "Sorry Dad, but I can't ask him to print something I know to be false."

"Lex, son you know I care about you."

"Mom cared about me Dad. To you I'm just the continuation of the Luthor empire," I told him. As much as I hated it I knew that was the truth. If my dad had another kid there was no way he would put up with some of the stuff I did. But he didn't. Like it or not, I was all he had. If he disowned me, the Luthor dynasty ended with him.

"Lex, I know you don't mean that. You're just still upset from all the excitement yesterday. You're not thinking straight."

"Rationalize it however will help you sleep at night Dad," I told him. "As for your little "problem" here in Smallville," I said slowly picking up the paper that sat opened on the desk in front of me, "I think your PR people have a lot a work to do but then that is what you pay them for isn't it."

"Have a good day Lex," my father told me.

"Good-bye Dad," I said pushing the button to hang up the phone glad that the conversation was over.

I leaned my elbows on the desk and put my head into my hands. Dealing with Dad was trying on a good day. With the way I was feeling, it had only made the headache worse.

"Is this a bad time?" someone asked. I recognized the voice right away. I looked up to find Clark standing in the doorway of the library.

"No, come on in. Have a seat?" I said sitting back in my chair. "I just got off the phone with my father."

"How did it go?"

"Stimulating as always," I told him sarcastically. "Seems he doesn't like the views of certain reporters here in Smallville."

"I bet," Clark said.

"So how are you doing Clark?" I asked wanting to get off the topic of my father.

"Me," Clark said surprised. "I'm fine."

"How did school go?"

"Alright. The teachers were fussing over everyone that was at the plant yesterday though and the guidance counselor insisted on talking to all of us. I almost wished I would have just stayed home today."

"I would've thought you would be use to the attention by now," I told him. Clark looked at me questionly. "Well, so far this year you've pulled me out of the river, saved Whitney from the truck explosion, saved your principal from a burning car just to name a few things. You seem to have a knack for showing up at just the right time."

"Coincidence I guess," he said looking at me with an innocence expression on his face. I knew he was hiding something I just didn't know what.

Before either of us could say anything else there was a knock at the door. Looking in that direction I saw James Murphy, the lawyer who had drawn up the new contract for the deal with Mr. Kent.

"You said you wanted the papers as soon as I was done, Mr. Luthor," Murphy said holding up the papers in his hands.

"Yes, of course," I said. "Come on in."

"I could leave . . ." Clark said starting to stand up.

"No need to Clark. This will only take a couple of minutes. Besides, as long as everything is in order I can send this over to your father with you," I told him as I took the stack of papers from Mr. Murphy.

Clark didn't say anything but he sat back in his chair.

"Did you add what I wanted you to?" I asked him as I started looking over the document.

"Yes sir," Murphy told me. "It's right there on the bottom of page three," he continued reaching over my shoulder and pointing to it. "Although I still don't understand why you would . . ."

"I don't need to explain myself to you," I replied cutting him off. "I pay you to do as I ask not to question me."

"Yes sir," he replied quickly as I continued to look over the document.

"Looks to be in order," I said flipping back to the front page. "That will be all."

"Yes sir," Murphy said and then left the room.

"Here Clark," I said handing the copy of the contract I had looked through across the desk to him. "Can you take this to your father for me. He'll be expecting it."

"I know, he told me that he was thinking about taking you up on your offer when I got home from school today," Clark replied as he took the contract from me. He didn't say anything but I knew there was a question that he wanted to ask me.

"Go ahead Clark, I know you want to ask."

"Why are you doing this Lex?"

"Like I told your father when I first made the proposal Clark, I believe there is profit in it," I told him. I saw the look he gave me. The look that clearly said that he knew that wasn't the only reason. "Besides Clark, I like your family. I don't want to see your parents lose the farm. I mean if they did where would I get my produce."

Clark's POV:

I ended up staying at Lex's a little longer than I had planned on. The sun was starting to set by the time I started home. Lex offered me a ride home but I declined. I could tell he was still sore from the day before even though he was trying to hide it. Besides, I needed the walk home to think about things.

I wasn't sure what to make of what I overheard between Lex and his lawyer. As I walked down the steps of the Luthor Mansion I looked down at the contract in my hand. I could simply flip to page three and check things out for myself but something held me back. Maybe because if it was something I didn't want to see there was no denying it. It would be right there in front of me in black and white.

I liked Lex. I thought he was a pretty decent guy even though I didn't understand him at times. Lex lived in a different world than I did. He saw things differently than me. Still, I didn't want to believe that he would do, could do, anything to hurt me or my family.

"There you are," my mom said as I walked into the kitchen. "I was just about to call over to Lex's."

"Sorry, mom I lost track of time."

"Dinner is just about ready," she told me.

"What Lex couldn't give you a ride home," Dad said.

"He offered," I told my dad "but I wanted to walk. He sent the contract over with me Dad," I told him holding it out to him.

My dad took it from me looking at me quizzically.

"What's up Clark?" he asked me.

The last thing I wanted to do was give my dad even more reason not to like Lex. At the same time though I couldn't lie to him.

"I probably shouldn't say anything," I said with a sigh sitting down at the table across from him. "I was there when Lex's lawyer brought the contract in to them. They mentioned something that Lex wanted added to the contract that the lawyer didn't think was a good idea to add."

My Dad looked over at my Mom at the stove. I looked down at the table. I didn't even want to see the look that I know passed between them.

"Did they say where it was son."

"Bottom of page three is all they said," I told him feeling like I was betraying Lex.

My Dad quickly flipped to the third page as my Mom came over to the table from the stove. She stood behind my dad and read over his shoulder.

"I don't see anything different," she said after a few minutes.

Dad was quiet as he kept looking at the contract.

"Right there's the difference," he said a few moments later. He read part of the contract out loud to us. It didn't make much sense to me.

"And in English that means what?" I asked wanting to know what was going on. Was Lex really trying to pull something on my dad.

"It means that Lex just added more security into the deal in our favor," my Mom said with a smile on her face which although made me feel better about my friend didn't help me understand things in better. I looked from her to Dad hoping that he would explain things a little it better.

"Basically son, that clause makes this contract an agreement between me and Lex Luthor not LuthorCorp. Should anything happen that Lex is no longer in the position to fulfill the terms of the contract, whether it be a change in LuthorCorp or something else, then the contract becomes null and void and all control of the farm reverts back to me."

"In other words, he protecting you from his father," I said putting what we were all thinking out in the open. I felt bad for ever doubting Lex even though he didn't know about it.

"Why would he do this?" my Dad asked. I could tell he really didn't expect an answer from either of us. "Anyone making a business proposition always gives themselves a little bit of an advantage. From a business perspective this contract makes no sense."

"I keep telling you Lex isn't his father," Mom told him as she went back over to the stove to finish up dinner.

I sat back in my chair relieved. I must have had some kind of smile or something on my face though because as my mom started bringing things over to the table my dad looked over at me.

"Don't you say anything," he told me.

I held my hands up in defeat. I wasn't planning on saying anything anyways but especially not after that comment.

Jonathan's POV:

"What you're not still looking at that contract," Martha said as she climbed in to bed next to me. "I figured you'd still be going over it trying to figure out what catch Lex Luthor put in it."

"I guess I deserved that," I told her as I put the bookmark in the book I was reading and closed the book. "I'll admit it. It looks like I was wrong about Lex Luthor," I told her as I sat the book on the bedside table next to the bed.

That still didn't mean that I wasn't going to question him about that clause in the contract the next day. I wanted an explanation from him before signing the contract even though I was thinking that Clark was right. Lex was trying to protect us from his father.

"Did you have any plans for tomorrow morning?" I asked Martha as we turned out the lights.

"Other than housework, no. Why?"

"I'm going to go over to the Luthor mansion tomorrow morning and get this deal finalized."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"You don't have to," I told her. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't need the truck."

"No, I won't need it."

"Okay," I said as she snuggled close to me. "I have to admit that it will be nice to not have to worry about the finances so much," I told her.

"We are making the right decision aren't we Jonathan. I mean this farm has always been in your family. I know Lex will only be a partner and then only for a set period of time, but still it's the first time someone outside your family has had any influence over this farm."

"We're making the only decision we really have Martha. Its either give up some control over the farm or give up the farm altogether."

"I guess your right."

"This is going to work out Martha," I told her and I meant it.