Jonathan's POV:

I pulled my truck to a stop out in front of the Luthor mansion. I saw Lex's car still parked out front which told me he was home.

I reached over and grabbed the manilla folder that had the contract in it off the seat and got out of the truck. I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell.

The door was quickly answered and before I knew it I was following one of the servants through the spacious hallways of the mansion. It struck me on how quiet the house was and despite all the stuff in the mansion how empty it was. I didn't even want to think about how lonely it would be to live in a place like this.

The servant opened some doors and then stepped off to the side to let me walk into the room. Lex was lining up a shot at the pool table.

"I thought we put an end to those stupid things Dad," Lex was saying. He then straightened up without taking the shot. "Wait a second, this is what your PR folks dreamed up isn't. A big birthday bash for your son to show how much of a caring father you are."

"Lex, the party is tomorrow night," I heard Lionel Luthor's voice say coming from the phone sitting on a nearby desk. "Be there."

"Dad, I have to go. Business is calling," Lex said as he saw me standing in the doorway. "You know how that is, don't you Dad," he continued as he put the pool cue away.

"Lex, tomorrow night . . ."

"I'll be there Dad. It is business after all isn't it," Lex said walking over toward the phone. "Later Dad," he said and hit the button to hang up the phone without waiting for his father's reply. "Mr. Kent," Lex said turning around to face me. "Please come in. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon," he told me

"I'm sorry if I interrupted . . ." I started to say and then hesitated. I wasn't sure what to call what I had just witnessed. If Clark even thought about talking to me that way he would be grounded for a very long time.

"Don't worry about it," Lex told me. "It was a boring conversation anyway," he said with a shrug. "Please, have a seat," he said indicating a nearby easy chair.

I sat down and he sat down in the chair facing me.

"I take it you've had time to read through the contract I sent over with Clark last night."

"Yes, I did and before I sign it, I'd like to ask you something," I told him.

"Go ahead. I'll answer anything you want," he said with a smile. I got the feeling that he already knew exactly what I was going to ask him.

"Page three, section 5 clause c," I said and saw him nod indicating that he knew what part of the contract I was talking. "Why is it there?" I asked him straight out. There was really no delicate way to put the question.

"You mean why did I write the contract to give you the advantage," Lex said with a smile. "Look Mr. Kent, to put it bluntly I don't trust my father anymore than you do especially not after certain recent events. I have no doubt that if he could figure out a way, he would use this contract as a way to take over you farm. It's the way the business world works, Mr. Kent. You've got to be ready to pounce on an opponents weakness because your opponent won't hesitate to do the same exact thing to you. But this isn't a typical business proposition and we both know that."

I knew what he was getting out. Yes, if this worked, Lex Luthor could make a profit but there were other farms in Smallville. Farms that weren't in as much debt as mine was. Lex Luthor didn't offer this proposition to us as because it was good business. He did it because of Clark. Because for some reason Lex Luthor had taken to my son and to my family.

"Mr. Kent, I'm going to be straight with you," Lex told me leaning forward in his chair. "I know that your nothing like the typical people I do business with. That your not going to be going around behind my back trying to figure out a way to stab me in the back. I respect that which means I'm not going to be trying to do that to you. I had that clause put into the contract to try and prove that to you. Now, my father is going to tell me that it's a sign of weakness but then we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things."

I had been watching him closely while he was talking. Looking for some sign that he wasn't being completely honest with me. All I saw on his face though was sincerity.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" he asked me.

"No, like you said, the contract is basically the same as it was before."

"Then shall we finalize things," he said standing up and heading toward a nearby desk.

I followed him and we both signed the contract. The farm was no longer mine alone. Lex Luthor now had forty percent ownership in the Kent Farm.

"If it works for you, we can go to the bank tomorrow morning. Get the loans and mortgage paid off. Then we can set up some time at the beginning of next week to start making the rest of the plans for the improvements to your farm.

"That will be fine," I told him secretly thankful that he hadn't used the phrase our farm. I wasn't sure I was ready for that.

"Nine o'clock? I can pick you up if you'd like."

"One condition," I told him. "You do the speed limit when I'm in the car."

"I can do that," Lex said with a smile. "Tomorrow then," he said holding out his hand.

"Tomorrow," I agreed taking his hand. I let go of his hand and then started for the door. As I reached it though I turned around. "Lex, if you keep it up you might just change people's opinions of you in this town."

"Thanks Mr. Kent. That means a lot to me."

Lana's POV:

"He was just doing it to look out for himself. All the Luthor's care about is money. The fact that they had to evacuate the plant meant they were losing money."

"I heard his father was content to just wait the situation out though. How do you explain that?"

"Lionel Luthor was probably hoping we would all die in there so that his insurance company would pay out."

"What about that load of bull about LuthorCorp putting family first. The Luthor's have never cared about people or family. All they care about is money."

"I don't know. My dad says working at the LuthorCorp plant is much better since Lex Luthor took over. I think he's trying to improve things there."

"It's all a PR trick. He comes down her, gets everyone thinking that he's for his workers. That he's here to make things better and then when we least expect it he'll stab anyone that ever trusted them in the back. His father did it my Dad which is why we're stuck in an apartment and he's working two jobs to make ends meet instead working his farm. Dad says Lex Luthor is after the Kent farm now. That's the reason he's made pals with Clark."

That was the last straw. I had been trying to ignore the conversation at the table behind me, just as I had been trying to ignore most of the talk about Lex and his family all day but that last comment was the last straw. These kids didn't know Lex. I wasn't even really sure I knew Lex and I probably knew him more than anyone in this school including Clark. I did know that he had changed. That even though he appeared to be the stereotypical business man that everyone thought he was that there was a different side to him. That he wasn't like his father. That he had been a good friend to Clark ever since the two had met.

I pushed my chair back and stood up.

"Lana, don't. Just let it go," Whitney told me putting his hand on my arm.

"I'm tired of just letting it go Whitney," I told him brushing his hand off. I turned around and made my way over to the guys table. "You guys should really keep your mouth shut when you have no clue what your even talking about. Especially you Troy." Troy was the only one at the table that had been inside the plant with us the other day. "He saved you life, you should at least show a little gratitude."

"What is your problem," Jeff Trent said from beside Troy.

"You forget Jeff, rumor has it her mom use to shack up with old man Luthor. Its even possible that Lionel Luthor is her father and not who she thinks."

I was taken aback. My family had always been friends with the Luthors. I had even heard the rumor about my mom and Lionel Luthor but this was the first time anyone had ever said it to my face.

"That's uncalled for Troy," Whitney said from behind me.

"Oh boyfriend to the rescue," Troy said. "You know Whitney I'd keep an eye on Lex Luthor if I were you. For all you know he might be shaking up with your girlfriend. It would after all run in the family."

Before I had a chance to react Whitney went after Troy. In seconds the two were on the floor of the cafeteria. Conversations around us came to a stop as everyone became more interested in the fight.

"Whitney stop it. He isn't worth," I called to him but if he heard me he didn't care. He kept pounding on Troy.

It seemed like forever until a couple of teachers came through the crowd to break them up. They didn't bother trying to find out what happened as they escorted both Whitney and Troy out of the cafeteria while a third teacher tried to break up the crowd that had gathered.

I grabbed my backpack from next to my chair and headed out of the cafeteria. I needed to be alone for a little while. I needed to get away from all the talk about Lex Luthor and his family. I had heard a few positive things about him but most of the kids were like Troy and his friends.

I headed out to the track and climbed up into the stands hoping no one would find me here. I really just wanted to be alone. A few moments later though I heard footsteps on the bleachers. I looked up to see Clark walking up the steps toward me.

"Okay if I join you?" he asked.

"Not really," I told him and I really didn't. I had thought I wanted to be alone but just having Clark nearby made me feel a little better.

"Sorry about what Troy said. I know that must have been hard to hear," he said softly sitting beside me.

I nodded not knowing what to say to that. Instead I tried to get the conversation off of me.

"How are you doing? It can't be easy to be hearing all these things being said about Lex when you know they're not all true. He is your friend after all."

"Actually I haven't heard that much," he told me. "People have been getting quiet when they see me coming not that I don't know what they're talking about. I think they're afraid if they talk around me that it will get back to Lex."

"I guess your lucky then," I told him wishing that people would stop talking when I was nearby.

"Don't let them get to you Lana. People just want something to talk about. Around Smallville there isn't much interesting happening all the time except for the Luthors. They were the talk of the town before Lex moved here. Just because he moved here isn't going to change that."

"I know, but it just didn't seem so personal before," I told him.

Clark put my arm around me and pulled me close. I let my head rest on his shoulder.

Clark's POV:

"Chloe I think the article is fine the way it is. It gives readers a whole new look at what happened during the hostage situation," I told her handing her article across the table to her and leaning back on the couch.

"I think Myers is right," I heard someone saying from behind me. I turned to look and see who it was. "Lionel Luthor doesn't care about his son which is the only reason Lex Luthor is doing what he's doing. He's trying to . . ." a guy said trailing off as his buddy with him poked him in the side and pointed in my direction.

The two guys walked past where Chloe and I were sitting and sat at a table in the back corner. Unfortunately with my hearing I could still hear them talking about Lex. I tried to tune them out and concentrate on what Chloe was saying.

We were sitting in the coffee shop after school Thursday afternoon. Chloe had asked me to proof read the article before tomorrow's issue of the torch went to bed.

"I know but I just keep thinking we need something more. I mean all the kids are speculating about the relationship Lex has with his father, he's the talk of the school not to mention the town. I was thinking maybe publishing my own views on that and maybe if you had some information you could add,"

"I can't believe your trying to take advantage of my friendship with Lex Luthor to fuel one of your editorials."

"It's just that this story is so big. The Luthors have been a part of Smallville for years and stories involving them are always big."

"I'm not doing it Chloe and I think this is one time you should keep to the facts and keep your opinions to yourself."

"Clark's right," another voice said from near-by. Chloe and I looked up to see Lex Luthor standing next to the table. "I heard the reporter for the Smallville Daily that wrote that editorial got sued for libel. Knowing my Dad, he's probably still trying to find something to sue the photographer for. Mind if I join you."

"Not at all," I said moving my backpack off the couch so that Lex could sit down next to me.

"Can I see your article?" Lex asked her as he sat down. Chloe handed it to him and Lex skimmed through it. "I think you should leave it the way it is, Chloe," Lex told her as he handed it back to her.

"But there is more there isn't there," Chloe said looking at Lex.

Lex kept his face neutral not giving anything away to her.

"Chloe, this is one story that I really think you need to leave alone. Remember your father works for LuthorCorp."

"Is that a threat?" Chloe asked defensively.

"From me no. But should you chose to print an editorial related to this subject and it gets back to my father there is only so much I can do. Besides, I'd appreciate it if you kept your speculations about me and my family to yourself. I got all the publicity from what happened that I want," he said looking briefly in the direction of the two guys sitting in the corner which told me that he had overheard them.

"Okay, Lex," Chloe said putting her article into her bag.

"Thank-you," he told her.

"So was there something else that brought you here or were you just looking for a good conversation to drop in on?" I asked Lex trying to change the subject.

"Actually, I was looking for you Clark. My father went and sprung a business function on me tomorrow night so I'm going to have to cancel on you," Lex told me.

Lex and I were suppose to have gone fishing the following afternoon which had actually surprised me when he had brought it up. The fact that he was canceling bothered me a little. I had been looking forward to spending the time with him not to mention I hadn't been fishing in a while.

"Not a problem," was what I told him though. "We can do it some other time."

"Clark, I'm really sorry. If there was some way I could get out of it I would but my Dad's being insistent that I be there."

"I understand Lex, really," I told him.

Before any of us could say anything else though we got another visitor to our table.

"I'm really starting to wish Lex Luthor had never moved to Smallville. Troy and his friends are now calling me Lana Luthor and Whitney isn't speaking to me," Lana said sitting down on the couch next to Chloe and across from Lex. Her face got red as she looked across the table and realized that Lex was sitting with us. "Lex, I didn't realize you were there."

"Obviously," he said with a smile on his face.

"Its not that. I didn't mean. It's just that." Lana said stumbling over her words.

"The kids at school have been talking non-stop about the incident on Tuesday and about you. Lana went to stand up for you during lunch and a couple of guys brought up a rumor that has been circling Smallville since before I was here that your father and her mother had something going on," I said trying to explain things for Lana.

"Sorry, to hear that," Lex said, "although thanks for standing up for me."

Lana looked down at the table still embarrassed.

"Why isn't Whitney talking to you?" Chloe asked. She had been working on the Torch during lunch.

"He's upset about what Troy said," Lana said. I think she wanted to leave it there but Chloe looked at her questionly. "Troy said that Whitney should keep an eye on Lex because . . ." her face was turning red again and she stopped talking.

"Because you and Lex probably had something going on which explains the Lana Luthor," Chloe said finishing for her.

"You know maybe I should go before I have to start fielding questions from the local authorities," Lex said standing up. I could tell by the slight smile on his face that he was amused by the situation but trying not to show it in front of Lana.

"Lex, I'm sorry," Lana said as he stood up.

"It's not your fault Lana," Lex told her. "People are going to talk about me. It comes with the territory. I'm just sorry you and your family are getting pulled into this time. I'll catch up with you later Clark."

"Okay," I replied as he walked out of the coffee shop.

"I can't believe I said that in front of him," Lana said putting her head down into her hands.

"I don't know,I kind of liked watching you turn red," I told her trying to lighten up the situation.

Lana reached for a pillow beside her and tossed it in my direction.