Disclaimer: still don't own any of it.


Chapter 6:

Lois raced down the highway, twenty miles over the speed limit, going over in her mind everything that had happened since she had brought Clark to Metropolis. Most of it was confusing to say the least. Like, how had he been able to get past the doormen at Atlantis like they were all old friends? Chancing a glance over at him, Lois noticed that he seemed relaxed, yet nervous. Did that even make any sense?

She glanced over at him again and caught him watching her with a huge grin on his face. "What?" she asked, no longer able to keep a widespread grin from her own face.

His grin widened even more, if that was even possible, "Nothing."

"Uh-huh. Ya know, you never did explain how you were able to get us into that nightclub so quickly."

"You're right. I didn't."

When he didn't say anything else, she looked over at him again briefly. "Well, are you going to tell me?"

"It's a really long story," he said evasively.

"Well, the way I see it," Lois prompted. "It takes us three hours to get back to Smallville, so, I think we have enough time, and besides, long stories are always the best ones."

Clark took a deep breath before beginning, "Well, at the end of my sophomore year, Jor-El, my biological father, started talking to me through my ship, saying that I had to leave Smallville and accept my destiny. Earlier, I had read a message in my ship that said that I was sent here to rule."

"So, that was why you went to Metropolis?"

"Not exactly... it's a bit more complicated than that," Clark said quietly. "Lionel Luthor had created a green Kryptonite key to use in the cave walls. I stole the key-"

"Wait, I thought you said that you were allergic to green Kryptonite. How could you hold it for so long?"

"It was in a lead box. Lead shields me from green Kryptonite and blocks my X-ray vision."

Under her breath, Lois muttered something about getting a lead lined wardrobe.

"Hey! That's only the third time that's happened!" Clark quickly protested, not realizing what he had just let slip.

Lois, however, jumped all over his slip up. "Third! And how did you even hear me!"

"Superhearing. The first time was when I first got my X-ray vision. I fell from the rope in gym class when I started seeing, my friend, Pete's muscles- like out of a textbook- and uh... kinda saw into the girls' locker room- that was completely accidental though."

"I'm sure it was, Smallville," Lois said sarcastically.

"What! It was."

She smirked. "What was the second time?"

"I was on red Kryptonite; and then the third was last night," he finished quickly.

"Wow, wow, wow. Back to the second time, who was it?"

"Yeah, like I'm really gonna tell you that."

"Oh, come on, Smallville, it can't be that bad."

"You'd be surprised."

"C'mon, just tell me."

"You might as well drop it. I'm not gonna tell you who it was."

"Lucy?"

"No!"

"Lana?"

"No. It was years ago, can we just drop it?"

"Fine." Lois kept her attention on the road. After a few moments she asked, "Was it Chloe?"

"Lois! I though you said you would drop it?"

"So, you're not denying it?"

"I'm not confirming or denying anything else. It only provokes you more."

Lois grinned at that. "Fine, no more questions about it. So, what happened after you stole Lionel's green Kryptonite?"

"I put it in the ship. It blew up, creating a shockwave that spread for miles. My parents were driving back to the farm, when the shockwave hit their truck. It flipped over, injuring my mom, and killing her unborn child."

When Clark didn't say anything else, Lois looked over at him and saw him looking out the window and fidgeting, as if not sure what to do with his hands. She put her hand on his forearm and squeezed gently in a comforting gesture, and felt him relax a bit under her touch. "Clark," she started slowly, waiting until he looked over at her before continuing. "You didn't know that they'd be on the road, it wasn't your fault that the baby died."

He nodded sadly, "I know."

"What happened next?" she asked gently.

"I got a red Kryptonite school ring, got on my motorcycle, and left. Once I got to Metropolis, I smashed a bunch of ATM machines, bought expensive cars, and even robbed a bank. Every night I went to Atlantis with a different girl, though, usually they'd leave after I yelled at them for trying to ask about that scar I had."

"The one Elaine mentioned?"

Clark nodded. "Jor-El gave it to me, to remind me of my Kryptonian heritage," the last part came out caustically.

"What did you do for the rest of the night, once whatever girl you brought left?"

He smirked. "I drank more alcohol in a week, than you probably have in a year," he remarked dryly.

"Then, how come-"

"There was red Kryptonite in the shots. At first it just turned me into red Clark, but then it got me drunk."

"Next time we get into a drinking contest, I'll have to make sure there's red Kryptonite in the alcohol," Lois muttered under her breath.

"Then I guess I'll have to make sure we don't get into anymore drinking contests," Clark said.

"How'd you- that superhearing of yours is gonna get really annoying, really quick."

"I'll remember that," he said with a laugh, "when you want to know what someone's saying.

"I wouldn't advise that," Lois said matter-of-factly.

"Why not?" Clark said, utterly confused.

Lois didn't respond right away, but kept her attention on the road. A moment later she asked in an off-handed tone, "You value your life, don't you, Smallville?" She glanced over at him and grinned broadly at the terrified expression on his face. "Relax, Smallville, I was just kidding."

"I knew that," he said, rather unconvincingly. "Are you gonna be staying in Smallville for a while, or will you be heading back right away?"

"Well, my next class is tomorrow morning, so how long I can stay depends on one thing."

"What's that?" Clark asked with a hint of hopefulness in his voice.

"How long it'll take me to get back. So, how long will it take me to get back, Clark?"

He grinned. "About two minutes."

"Wow, you're that fast?"

"About how much longer will it take us to get to the farm?"

"About another hour, why?"

"Pull over."

"What!"

"Pull over."

"Why?"

"Just pull over, and then I'll explain."

"Fine," she said as she slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. "Now, you mind telling me why I just-" She stopped when she heard a tapping noise on the window and rolled the window down. "I'm still waiting for an explanation, Smallville." He just grinned and effortlessly, lifted the car into the air. "What the heck are you doing, Smallville!" she shrieked.

"Just relax, Metropolis. You should know by now that I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"I know you wouldn't, Clark," she said quietly with a small smile. The world began to go by in an indistinguishable blur that became the Kent farm a short while later. Clark gently lowered the car to the ground as the Kents ran out to them.

"Clark Jerome Kent!" Jonathan shouted. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I told Lois, dad."

Jonathan and Martha shared a look and then looked at Lois and Clark with a heavy sigh.

Lois looked over at Clark with a lopsided grin and gave him a shrug.