Clark Kent felt strange. After leaving the Luthor home and returning to his own, he immersed himself in his chores. It was easier that way, giving him time to think and to not be bothered. Why had Lionel been looking at him that way? And why did it make him feel so... weird?

Especially when Lionel had touched his arm. It made the arm go all tingly. And not entirely unpleasantly so, either. Not that he was attracted to Lionel Luthor in anyway. He was the father of one of his best friends. Plus, Lionel was... old. Old as his dad, maybe older. That just made his feelings really wrong.

Besides, the man did have that creepy Vincent Price like voice and look going on. Clark wasn't exactly sure what it was, but there was something about Lionel that reminded him of the old horror star. With hands that could work to keep a boy warm on those cold nights in the loft-

Plus, Clark reminded himself, he liked girls. He liked Lana. Nice, safe, non-Vincent Price like Lana with the bouncy hair. How did she get her hair to do that anyway?

Oh, dear god. Was Clark Kent contemplating getting beauty tips from Lana Lang? What next? Sharing nail polish secrets?

Still, Lionel did have an aura about him, one of power and experience. Clark supposed he could do worse-

Ack! NO! No thoughts about Lionel and his experience! Cease and desist nasty thoughts. "I like girls, I like girls."

"That's good son."

Clark almost made a very girly scream. When had his father shown up? More importantly, when had he started speaking out loud?

"Uh, yeah, Dad, I like girls." Grreeeaaattt cover there, Kent. And why was his father looking at him like that?

Jonathon opened his mouth to say something, then decided to let the moment pass.

Twenty minutes after throwing a dish at his son's head, Lionel was still frustrated. A phone call from an angry German investor had to be dealt with. Forty minutes after that had been consumed with plant business. Then there was the press conference about strange occurrences at one of the research facilities. Which wouldn't have been so bad if he had had time to take care of... personal business.

Dominic showed up and insisted on going over affairs. So, Lionel had been forced to hide in his shower. A very cold shower that still wasn't helping. Well, no sense in suffering then. And a switch to hot water was made.

"Sir, I'm just saying we should reinvest the money into more profitable research."

Dear god, was the man in the bathroom with him? One minute of peace at this point was all Lionel needed about now. "Put the report on my desk and I'll look at it shortly." Was that a bit of a whine he detected in his own voice?

The sound of Dominic's retreating footsteps nearly got Lionel off. Finally. Lionel reached down to deal with-

"Now, about Lex getting more responsibility at the plant-"

"God damn it, Dominic!" Lionel yelled. "Give me a moment alone!"

"But, sir, we really need to discuss-"

Which got a bar of soap thrown at Dominic's head. Which caused him to cry out in pain. Which made Lionel feel a little bit better. He was going to have to deal with this Clark Kent problem soon. It just wouldn't do for him to continue throwing things at people's heads.

And speaking of head- Lionel's mind began to wander.

Lex slipped into his father's office. Not that it was likely that his father had left the photos in here, it couldn't hurt to look. And, true to form, the pictures were nowhere in sight.

So, what had his father been looking at that Lionel felt he needed to hide it from his son? Lex was not about to be deterred. Those pictures were in this house. It was all a matter of finding them.

As he walked by his father's room, he heard Dominic cry out in pain. A moment later, Dominic emerged, holding his head to a growing lump on his forehead. "Be careful," Dominic admonished. "He's in a foul mood."

So, he wasn't the only one his father was throwing things at. Lex could hear the shower running and the soft panting of his father. Good, he would have a few minutes to look around his father's bedroom. Just don't think about what he's doing in there... Don't think about it... Damn. I'm thinking about it. Which was just... wrong. And also guaranteed that Lex would not desire sex for a while. At least one whole night.

"If I were a hidden photograph, where would I be?" Lex whispered to himself, leafing through his father's briefcase. No incriminating photos there. Nor in the desk, nor on the desk. Lex looked in the nightstand, only to come up empty handed.

The water shut off. Lex noticed a file folder sticking out from under the nightstand. "Son of a bitch," he muttered. Of course he would find it just as his father was about to show up.

The bathroom door started to open. Lex fled.

Carmella checked into a hotel just on the outskirts of Smallville. Not like Smallville had all that many hotels. She needed to talk to Lionel Luthor. But how was she going to do it?

She found herself driving up to the Luthor mansion. She found herself standing at their front door. Leave. Now. She commanded herself. But her feet wouldn't listen.

Nor would her hands listen when she commanded them not to open the door. Carmella slipped in, undetected. Which seemed really odd. Shouldn't there be at least one bodyguard trying to throw her out?

I'm in Lionel Luthor's house! In his HOUSE! Realization sunk in.

Unable to help herself, Carmella took a quick look around, then slunk up the stairs. She took a chance and went left. She could hear Mr. Sentori's voice on one side of a door, and the sounds of a shower. Another door clicked open, Carmella dove into an empty room. There was a crash as Lex Luthor stood outside the door. Carmella explored the room she was in, which appeared to be some kind of library. She randomly picked up several books, flipping through them.

A few moments later, the other door opened and someone came out.

Now, a good girl would go right back downstairs, slip back outside and go right back to Metropolis. But, Carmella knew that would get her nowhere. Beside, a little peek wouldn't hurt anyone.

She poked her head into the room. The bedroom. Where Lionel Luthor slept. "Golly," she whispered.

Now, a semi-good girl would have walked right back out to go right back downstairs. But she was curious. And what would it hurt? No one knew she was here.

With a stifled giggle, Carmella sat on his bed. She bounced up and down a couple of times. "Oh, my," she whispered, slightly scandalized. She could now say that she had been in Lionel's bed. Well, on it, anyway.

It was then that she noticed a file folder at her feet. Curious, she picked it up. Inside were photographs of a young man. A young man working in a field. A young man reading in class. A young man with his friend. A young man in gym. More pictures of him in gym.

"Oh, my," she gasped again, quickly shoving the photographs back where she found them. And promptly rushed back downstairs. And right into Mr. Luthor.

"Ah. Er. Sorry," she mumbled. "I was looking for the bathroom. Got a little lost."

"Indeed."

Boy, he has a great voice! Carmella thought.

"Ms. Fitzpatrick, what are you doing here?"

"You have a very important phone message?" Carmella scrambled. "I tried to call you, sir, but couldn't get a hold of you." Her hands gestured, her voice was giggly. "And so here I am to make sure you get it."

Lionel regarded the doctor coolly. Damn, she was so... cutesy, for lack of a better word.

"And so you drove all the way here to deliver this message."

"Um, yes?" Carmella squeaked. "It's very important."

Lionel stared at her expectantly for a moment. "And that message is?"

"Oh, yes, Mr. Takamoto is flying in from Japan tomorrow night to meet with a representative from your company."

"I see," Lionel stepped away. "Well, thank you for breaking into my home to tell me that, Ms. Fitzpatrick."

"Well, I guess I'll be leaving now." And Carmella promptly fled.

Dominic was well aware that there was absolutely no meeting with Mr. Takamoto tomorrow night. He had spoken to the Japanese businessman himself earlier that day.

So what was this little woman up to?

But there were more important matters to attend to. Like getting rid of Lex Luthor to put himself in a better position in Luthor Corp.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a picture he had... borrowed from Lionel's room. Clark Kent changing the locker room. There was an opportunity here, if he could just see what it was.

The next day went mostly without incident for Clark. Except when he was in the locker room, he felt like he was being watched. He couldn't shake the feeling. But when he looked around, he didn't notice anyone staring.

While walking out of the school, he noticed Lionel Luthor walking in. "Mr. Luthor, what are you doing here?" Clark asked in genuine surprise. Don't look him in the eye. Don't look him in the eye. Clark chose to focus on Lionel's forehead. Even though he knew better, he couldn't help feeling like Lionel was trying to read his mind.

"Well, Mr. Kent, since I donated all of the computers to this school, it's only fair that I check up on them once in a while."

Clark chanced a look lower only to catch Lionel licking his lips. Gah! "I see."

The two stared at each other. "If you will excuse me-" Lionel motioned Clark out of his way.

"Oh, right." Clark wanted to run.

Lionel started to walk past him, then turned. "Oh, my son wanted me to pass along a message to you. He would like you to come play pool with him tonight."

"Sure thing." Clark walked out into the parking lot. Since when did Lex said him messages through his father? There was something strange going on here, he just wasn't sure what.

"Hey, Clark, wanna go to the movies tonight?" Pete asked, jogging up to him.

"Actually I was-"

"Going to go do something with Lex Luthor." Pete put his hands up. "Whatever, man, it's cool." He started to walk away.

"Wait, Pete, I... what are you doing tomorrow?"

"I-" Pete frowned. "Why is Lionel Luthor staring at us?"

Clark's head snapped around to see that, yes, Lionel Luthor was in fact staring at them. At him, from the doorway. Then he disappeared back into the school.

"Creepy," Pete shuddered. "What's he doing here, anyway?"

"He says he's checking up on the computers he donated to the school."

"Yeah, right, probably coming to stare at all the underage girls."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Lionel was getting careless. Throwing things, staring at Clark Kent. What next?

"Mr. Luthor."

A small smile formed at the corners of his mouth. "Ah, Miss Sullivan."

TBC