1 year later
Lionel walked out of Lex's principle's office. Lex was sitting outside, nervously waiting his punishment. "Let's go, Lex." Lionel said angrily, as they both walked out of the elementary school. Lex was silent as he followed his father to the car; once inside Lionel spoke, "Alright Lex, I'm getting real tired of this. Why did you do it?"
"They were picking on me!" 10 year old Lex pleaded.
"You are a Luther, and Luther's don't let there emotions get the better of them, it only leads to trouble." Lionel sighed, "No more fights Lex, I'm serious."
Lex just nodded and sank back into his seat. Why couldn't his father understand? Everyone there picked on him, he didn't have any friends at all. They all laughed at him, and he couldn't take it anymore; he felt like crying.
"Lex, stop pouting." Lionel said annoyed as he started the car and drove away from the school, home. Lex jumped out of the car and ran inside the house, away from his father. Lionel went inside too.
"Lionel, what wrong with Lex?" His wife asked.
"Nothing, Lillian. He is just pouting. He got into another fight at school." Lionel said taking off his coat.
"Why? What happened?" Lillian asked concerned.
"Does it really matter? This is just what Lex does." Lionel said coldly.
"Yes, Lionel, it does!" Lillian said angry. "I'm going to talk to him."
"Lex?" 4 ½ year-old Clark said coming into Lex's room, "What's wrong?"
"I got in trouble at school." Lex told his little brother. Clark climbed up onto the bed, next to Lex.
"What did they do?" Clark asked.
"They were teasing me... no one likes me there." Lex confessed.
"I like you, Lex." Clark said. "Is dad mad?"
"He doesn't care. He is just mad that he had to come to the school to talk to my principle."
Lillian walked into the room, and Clark ran out. She sat on the bed next to Lex and rubbed his back, "I know they hurt you, but you have to try and not let it bother you."
"But they are so mean, mom." Lex said, glad that someone cared.
Meanwhile Clark ran downstairs to greet his dad. Lionel smiled when he spied Clark, "Hey Clark."
"Hi." Clark said as sat in a chair near Lionel. After a long pause Clark said, "Are you mad?"
"No, I'm not mad." Lionel said getting up and walking into the kitchen. "Are you hungry, Clark?"
"Nope."
They didn't have very much help in the house, only the maid and cook. Lionel worried that the more people exposed to Clark, that his secrets would be exposed. He gave up a lot to ensure Clark's safety, and that was one of the reasons he stayed in Smallville.
Lillian came down the stairs, "Lionel, I need to talk to you."
"Not now, Lillian." Lionel said annoyed.
"Yes now!" Lillian was upset.
"What is it?" Lionel asked.
Lillian walked over to face Lionel, "Your son is in a lot of pain and you don't even care! How can you be so cruel to Lex?"
"Lillian, not in front of Clark." Lionel warned.
"Of course not! Do you always have to favor him? You have 2 sons you know!" Lillian said on the brink of tears.
"Clark, go upstairs." Lionel said in a calm voice. Once Clark had left, "Lex started the fight, Lillian. When you indulge him like this, you only encourage this kind of behavior."
"He wants your attention more than anything! These fights are a cry for attention from YOU! They tease him constantly, Lionel. Just show him some love." Lillian said frustrated and angry.
"I'll raise my son how I see fit." Lionel said, "You are making Lex weak."
1 year later
"Alright Clark, remember, you can't tell anyone about your... abilities, the other kids aren't like you." Lionel instructed Clark on his first day of kindergarten.
"I know Dad. You've told me a gazillion times." Clark said, leaving Lionel, and walking towards the other kids, more specifically, a girl. Lionel left.
"Hi." The girl greeted Clark.
"I'm Clark."
"My name is Lana." The little girl smiled shyly.
"My dad is famous." Clark bragged, trying to impress Lana.
"My parents died." Lana said sadly.
"Then who takes care of you?" Clark asked curiously. He had never really dealt with death before.
"My new parents. I'll show you." Lana said taking Clark's hand and leading them over to two people.
"This is Clark, he is my friend." Lana told her parents.
Clark felt like he had done something wrong, by the look Lana's parents were giving him, they were just starring at him.
"Jonathan...is that..." Martha asked starring down at Clark.
"Clark..." Jonathan bent down, "what is your last name?"
"Luther" Clark beamed.
Martha started crying but said, "Hi Clark."
Clark whispered into Lana's ear, "Did I make your mom cry?"
"Martha, lets go." Jonathan said pulling his wife outside the classroom.
"Oh my god, Jonathan, it's Clark." Martha cried in Jonathon's arms.
"I know..."
"He is so big! I just want to go hug him..." Martha was crushed by old emotions.
"How was school, Clark?" Lionel was a little nervous.
"So fun! I made a friend. Her name is Lana-"
"Clark, you didn't tell Lana your secret, did you?" Lionel asked.
"No, I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Only you, mom, and Lex." Clark recited.
"That's right." Lionel said happily.
1 week later
"Lana, were are you going?" Clark said.
"My parents don't want me going here anymore. I can't come back. I'm going somewhere else." Lana told her friend.
"Why?" Clark asked sadly.
"I donno... but my mom starts crying every time I talk about you, and Dad gets mad. I think they don't want me being friends with a BOY." Lana said sadly.
"But we are best friends... you can't leave." Clark said holding Lana's hand.
"Lana, let's go." Jonathan said walking Lana out of the classroom.
Clark was so mad, he wanted his friend back. He just walked out of class, and the teacher followed him, "Clark get back into the classroom."
"NO!" Clark yelled and ran, not fast, because he is never supposed to run fast, but faster than his teacher.
"Mr. Luther, we have a bit of a problem with Clark." Clark's kindergarten teacher informed him.
"What kind of problem?" Lionel wondered.
"He is very upset and well... I tried to stop him, but he..." She was afraid how Lionel, a powerful man, would react. "He was fast, and I couldn't leave the other children... Clark ran off... I'm going to call the police and-"
"No, it's okay. I have Clark, he is fine." Lionel lied. He knew Clark wasn't going to get hurt, and he would just go find him, himself. But it turns out that he really did have Clark. Clark had run home.
"Clark, what happened?" Lionel asked, making Clark look at him.
"Lana left. I hate her parents." Clark said coldly. It almost frightened Lionel, he had never seen Clark be anything but good natured, sure he had his tantrums but...
"What? Why" Lionel asked, as he wiped away tears on Clark's cheeks.
"Because they don't like Lana being friends with a boy." Clark said angrily.
"I don't think that is it, Clark. Who are Lana's parents?" Lionel said wanting to laugh.
"Her new parents are the Kents."
Lionel was shocked. He didn't want Clark having anything to do with Martha and Jonathan, and I'm sure they felt the same way.
"Clark, stop crying. Be a big boy. You will meet other friends. You can't just run off." Lionel said rather coldly.
"Nu uh! What if I'm like Lex and no one wants to be my friend." Clark confessed his hidden fear.
"That is not going to happen." Lionel didn't like facing the fact that his other son, his real son, was so weak that he couldn't grab a single friend. "No more of this behavior, Clark. You are different, and I don't want anymore attention drawn to you. Do you understand me?"
Clark knew how scary his father could be sometimes and he never wanted to be yelled at like Lex was, "Yes."
"Good." Lionel wasn't going to let Clark be weak like Lex. Clark was in a bad mood, and ran up to his room, and punched a hole in the door, and fought the urge to cry. He picked up his toy truck and threw it at the door, making another hole.
"Clark! What are you doing?" Lionel said referring to the holes.
"Go away!" Clark yelled and turned away from his father. Lionel grabbed Clark by the arm,
"I said stop acting like this. No more tantrums, Clark." Lionel let Clark go and went back downstairs.
2 years later
"Get out of my room, Clark." Lex yelled.
"I just wanted to see what you were doing. You don't have to be so mean just because you are older." 8-year-old Clark said.
"Okay, you saw what I'm doing, now get out." 13-year old Lex said annoyed with his brother.
"You're just mad because you in trouble again!" Clark retorted.
"Shut up! Just because dad likes you more!" Lex shouted.
"Well mom loves you more!" Clark yelled back, hurt.
That was how it had also been, Lex was Lillian's favorite, and Clark was Lionel's. Ever since the incident with Julian, Lionel seemed to hate Lex, and Lillian never wanted another child, and felt like Clark took away from Lionel's and Lex's relationship. But miraculously the two children hadn't been pit against each other, and were remarkably close, but like all brothers they did their share of fighting.
"Get out Clark." Lex didn't like this subject.
Clark left the room with pouting, only to return a few minutes later.
"Clark, I said to get out." Lex was really getting annoyed.
"Mom told me to get you for dinner! Gosh! You don't have to yell at me every second!" Clark said hurt.
"Sorry, I thought you were in here to bug me for the billionth time, squirt." Lex said throwing Clark on the bed playfully.
"Clark! Lex!" Lillian called from downstairs.
"Lex..."
Lex had seen that face so many times on Clark, "What?"
"Is something bad going to happen?" Clark asked.
"No, why would you ask that."
"Because we never have dinner together and when we do, mom and dad just fight." Clark said, getting off the bed and walking towards the door.
"Everyone fights, Clark. Relax." Lex said as the two boys raced down the stairs.
Clark sat by Lionel, and Lex by Lillian.
"How was your day, kids?" Lillian was trying to have a good family conversation for once.
"Why don't you tell your mother how your day was, Lex." Lionel said coldly.
Lillian sensed some knowledge between the two.
"What am I missing?" She asked.
"I got suspended from school." Lex said looking down, hating disappointing his mother.
"Again." Lionel added.
"Lex, what happened?" Lillian asked.
"He did what he always does, he gets in trouble and I have to come in after him and clean up his mess!" Lionel raised his voice.
"Lionel please." Lillian said.
"What? You want me to what? Tell him how proud I am that he screwed up again?" Lionel said getting even louder.
"I'm sorry! God! I hate you so much!" Lex said standing up in his chair and started to run off, but Lionel grabbed him,
"You do NOT talk to me that way." Lionel said gripping Lex's arm.
"Let go of me!" Lex shouted and tried to get free of Lionel's grasp.
Clark ran over to the scene, "Don't yell at him." Clark pleaded.
"Stay out of this, Clark." Lionel warned.
"You would never yell at Clark! Let me go you bastard!" Lex yelled.
"Maybe I don't yell at him, because he doesn't screw up ever 5 seconds!" Lionel countered.
"Dad, please, stop!" Clark yelled.
"I will not let you throw away everything I've done for you! You will finish the year without being expelled or-" Lionel was interrupted.
"Or What! You'll ground me? Or will you stop loving me? Oh wait! You already did that!" Lex screamed.
"Enough! Lionel let him go!" Lillian said, getting between the two, as Lex ran up to his room and slammed the door.
"I've had enough of his behavior, Lillian! I'm sending him to that boarding school!" Lionel said.
"No, Lionel... that isn't going to fix anything. Please..." Lillian pleaded.
"One more thing... and he is gone." Lionel declared.
Clark hated this more than any thing in the world. He couldn't stand Lex and Lionel fighting. Clark loved Lex, but he loved Lionel too.
Lionel looked at a scared Clark, starring back at him, "Clark... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that in front of you."
"You shouldn't have done it at all." Lillian said, running up to Lex's room.
"What did Lex do that was so bad?" Clark wanted to know.
"Clark, you don't need to worry about this stuff." Lionel said. Clark and Lionel finished dinner in silence until Lionel finally asked Clark, "I have to go on a trip for business, I'll be gone for a week."
"But you won't be here for Christmas!" Clark couldn't contain the disappointment he felt.
"That is why I want you to come with me." Lionel said.
"Really! Just you and me." Clark said excited.
"Yes, really." Lionel said smiling at Clark's reaction.
"wait... but what about Lex?" Clark couldn't picture Christmas without his brother, or without his Dad.
"It's your choice, Clark." Lionel said.
"Alright. I'll go." Clark said.
6 months later
"Mom, I love you." Lex said as his mother lay in a hospital bed, trying to fight her cancer, but failing horribly.
"I love you too, Alexander. So much... You are my favorite person in the whole world." Lillian said.
"Mom, you can't die... I need you so much. Please..." Lex felt hot tears well up in his eyes.
"I'll always be with you, baby. Always." She tried to comfort him.
"No...No..." Lex held her cold hand, as the life slipped out of her.
Lionel and Clark watched from outside the room, having already said their goodbyes. Clark let out a cry as he saw her monitor flat line. "No!" Lionel held Clark in his arms, rubbing his back.
Clark and Lionel went into the room, and Clark hugged Lex, and they both cried uncontrollably. "I need her, Clark! I need her so bad..." Lex cried, and Clark knew, he could feel his brother's pain.
It got so much worse for Lex after Lillian's death. He was sent off to boarding school at 14, and he didn't care anymore, he was as bad as he wanted to be, and Lionel just covered up his messes. Clark stayed in Smallville with Lionel, and he dealt with Lillian's death remarkably well, but Clark couldn't help but remember a girl he knew once, who lost both her parents, and sad she must have been, it was the first time he thought about Lana in a long, long time.
Clark was 14 now, and Lex had been sent back to Smallville to run one of his father's plants, or as Lex called it, "the crap factory."
Lionel wanted Clark to go to some fancy prep school, but after much pleading, had managed to grant permission to attend Smallville High. Clark wanted to be normal, not only was he different with his strength and speed, but he was also one of the richest kids in the world.
Clark stepped into the school, two months before school actually started, right on time for his meeting with one of the school counselors (she was going to help him pick out his classes).
As Clark was coming out, he decided he should walk back to the mansion. He didn't like Smallville that much, but he didn't hate it.
He wasn't watching were he was going and completely collided with someone. "Oh, I'm, sorry." Clark said helping up the girl he just knocked over.
"It's okay." The girl smiled back.
"Have we met before?" Clark asked her.
"I'm not sure. Probably, this is Smallville." She laughed brushing a hair behind her ear. "I'm Lana Lang."
"I'm Clark." He didn't like to tell people his last name, they always got weird around him once they knew.
"Are you going to Smallville high next year?" Lana asked.
"Yep. How bout you?"
"Yes, freshman year... the thought is a little scary." She admitted.
"Ya, whatever." Clark never really thought about it.
"Well, I guess I'll get going." Lana said feeling like she was somehow lower than Clark.
Clark just turned and left, didn't even say good bye. Lana was a little pissed off, he trampled her, and he acted as if she was an annoyance to him.
Clark didn't like getting close to people, afraid they would find out the truth.
3 months later
Lana was wrapping up her shift at the Beanery; there was no one in the coffee house, so she just decided to close up early. Before she got to the door, a large man walked in holding a gun, "Empty the register."
Lana froze. "Now!" He yelled. She couldn't move, she was too scared. The man grabbed a handful of her hair and she left out a scream.
Clark heard someone scream as he was wandering the streets and ran into the store it came from.
"Let her go!" Clark yelled. The man threw Lana towards the counter. "Get out of here boy!" He yelled.
"Give me the money!" He barked at Lana.
She did what he asked, keeping her eyes on the gun at all times, and handed him the bag with the money in it.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard cop sirens. "You lil bitch, did you set off an alarm?"
The man fired at Lana, and Clark jumped in front of her, taking the bullet. The robber panicked and fled. Clark panicked too, and turned to see Lana wide eyed and shocked.
"How did you..."
"Please, don't tell anyone." Clark ran out.
Lionel walked out of Lex's principle's office. Lex was sitting outside, nervously waiting his punishment. "Let's go, Lex." Lionel said angrily, as they both walked out of the elementary school. Lex was silent as he followed his father to the car; once inside Lionel spoke, "Alright Lex, I'm getting real tired of this. Why did you do it?"
"They were picking on me!" 10 year old Lex pleaded.
"You are a Luther, and Luther's don't let there emotions get the better of them, it only leads to trouble." Lionel sighed, "No more fights Lex, I'm serious."
Lex just nodded and sank back into his seat. Why couldn't his father understand? Everyone there picked on him, he didn't have any friends at all. They all laughed at him, and he couldn't take it anymore; he felt like crying.
"Lex, stop pouting." Lionel said annoyed as he started the car and drove away from the school, home. Lex jumped out of the car and ran inside the house, away from his father. Lionel went inside too.
"Lionel, what wrong with Lex?" His wife asked.
"Nothing, Lillian. He is just pouting. He got into another fight at school." Lionel said taking off his coat.
"Why? What happened?" Lillian asked concerned.
"Does it really matter? This is just what Lex does." Lionel said coldly.
"Yes, Lionel, it does!" Lillian said angry. "I'm going to talk to him."
"Lex?" 4 ½ year-old Clark said coming into Lex's room, "What's wrong?"
"I got in trouble at school." Lex told his little brother. Clark climbed up onto the bed, next to Lex.
"What did they do?" Clark asked.
"They were teasing me... no one likes me there." Lex confessed.
"I like you, Lex." Clark said. "Is dad mad?"
"He doesn't care. He is just mad that he had to come to the school to talk to my principle."
Lillian walked into the room, and Clark ran out. She sat on the bed next to Lex and rubbed his back, "I know they hurt you, but you have to try and not let it bother you."
"But they are so mean, mom." Lex said, glad that someone cared.
Meanwhile Clark ran downstairs to greet his dad. Lionel smiled when he spied Clark, "Hey Clark."
"Hi." Clark said as sat in a chair near Lionel. After a long pause Clark said, "Are you mad?"
"No, I'm not mad." Lionel said getting up and walking into the kitchen. "Are you hungry, Clark?"
"Nope."
They didn't have very much help in the house, only the maid and cook. Lionel worried that the more people exposed to Clark, that his secrets would be exposed. He gave up a lot to ensure Clark's safety, and that was one of the reasons he stayed in Smallville.
Lillian came down the stairs, "Lionel, I need to talk to you."
"Not now, Lillian." Lionel said annoyed.
"Yes now!" Lillian was upset.
"What is it?" Lionel asked.
Lillian walked over to face Lionel, "Your son is in a lot of pain and you don't even care! How can you be so cruel to Lex?"
"Lillian, not in front of Clark." Lionel warned.
"Of course not! Do you always have to favor him? You have 2 sons you know!" Lillian said on the brink of tears.
"Clark, go upstairs." Lionel said in a calm voice. Once Clark had left, "Lex started the fight, Lillian. When you indulge him like this, you only encourage this kind of behavior."
"He wants your attention more than anything! These fights are a cry for attention from YOU! They tease him constantly, Lionel. Just show him some love." Lillian said frustrated and angry.
"I'll raise my son how I see fit." Lionel said, "You are making Lex weak."
1 year later
"Alright Clark, remember, you can't tell anyone about your... abilities, the other kids aren't like you." Lionel instructed Clark on his first day of kindergarten.
"I know Dad. You've told me a gazillion times." Clark said, leaving Lionel, and walking towards the other kids, more specifically, a girl. Lionel left.
"Hi." The girl greeted Clark.
"I'm Clark."
"My name is Lana." The little girl smiled shyly.
"My dad is famous." Clark bragged, trying to impress Lana.
"My parents died." Lana said sadly.
"Then who takes care of you?" Clark asked curiously. He had never really dealt with death before.
"My new parents. I'll show you." Lana said taking Clark's hand and leading them over to two people.
"This is Clark, he is my friend." Lana told her parents.
Clark felt like he had done something wrong, by the look Lana's parents were giving him, they were just starring at him.
"Jonathan...is that..." Martha asked starring down at Clark.
"Clark..." Jonathan bent down, "what is your last name?"
"Luther" Clark beamed.
Martha started crying but said, "Hi Clark."
Clark whispered into Lana's ear, "Did I make your mom cry?"
"Martha, lets go." Jonathan said pulling his wife outside the classroom.
"Oh my god, Jonathan, it's Clark." Martha cried in Jonathon's arms.
"I know..."
"He is so big! I just want to go hug him..." Martha was crushed by old emotions.
"How was school, Clark?" Lionel was a little nervous.
"So fun! I made a friend. Her name is Lana-"
"Clark, you didn't tell Lana your secret, did you?" Lionel asked.
"No, I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Only you, mom, and Lex." Clark recited.
"That's right." Lionel said happily.
1 week later
"Lana, were are you going?" Clark said.
"My parents don't want me going here anymore. I can't come back. I'm going somewhere else." Lana told her friend.
"Why?" Clark asked sadly.
"I donno... but my mom starts crying every time I talk about you, and Dad gets mad. I think they don't want me being friends with a BOY." Lana said sadly.
"But we are best friends... you can't leave." Clark said holding Lana's hand.
"Lana, let's go." Jonathan said walking Lana out of the classroom.
Clark was so mad, he wanted his friend back. He just walked out of class, and the teacher followed him, "Clark get back into the classroom."
"NO!" Clark yelled and ran, not fast, because he is never supposed to run fast, but faster than his teacher.
"Mr. Luther, we have a bit of a problem with Clark." Clark's kindergarten teacher informed him.
"What kind of problem?" Lionel wondered.
"He is very upset and well... I tried to stop him, but he..." She was afraid how Lionel, a powerful man, would react. "He was fast, and I couldn't leave the other children... Clark ran off... I'm going to call the police and-"
"No, it's okay. I have Clark, he is fine." Lionel lied. He knew Clark wasn't going to get hurt, and he would just go find him, himself. But it turns out that he really did have Clark. Clark had run home.
"Clark, what happened?" Lionel asked, making Clark look at him.
"Lana left. I hate her parents." Clark said coldly. It almost frightened Lionel, he had never seen Clark be anything but good natured, sure he had his tantrums but...
"What? Why" Lionel asked, as he wiped away tears on Clark's cheeks.
"Because they don't like Lana being friends with a boy." Clark said angrily.
"I don't think that is it, Clark. Who are Lana's parents?" Lionel said wanting to laugh.
"Her new parents are the Kents."
Lionel was shocked. He didn't want Clark having anything to do with Martha and Jonathan, and I'm sure they felt the same way.
"Clark, stop crying. Be a big boy. You will meet other friends. You can't just run off." Lionel said rather coldly.
"Nu uh! What if I'm like Lex and no one wants to be my friend." Clark confessed his hidden fear.
"That is not going to happen." Lionel didn't like facing the fact that his other son, his real son, was so weak that he couldn't grab a single friend. "No more of this behavior, Clark. You are different, and I don't want anymore attention drawn to you. Do you understand me?"
Clark knew how scary his father could be sometimes and he never wanted to be yelled at like Lex was, "Yes."
"Good." Lionel wasn't going to let Clark be weak like Lex. Clark was in a bad mood, and ran up to his room, and punched a hole in the door, and fought the urge to cry. He picked up his toy truck and threw it at the door, making another hole.
"Clark! What are you doing?" Lionel said referring to the holes.
"Go away!" Clark yelled and turned away from his father. Lionel grabbed Clark by the arm,
"I said stop acting like this. No more tantrums, Clark." Lionel let Clark go and went back downstairs.
2 years later
"Get out of my room, Clark." Lex yelled.
"I just wanted to see what you were doing. You don't have to be so mean just because you are older." 8-year-old Clark said.
"Okay, you saw what I'm doing, now get out." 13-year old Lex said annoyed with his brother.
"You're just mad because you in trouble again!" Clark retorted.
"Shut up! Just because dad likes you more!" Lex shouted.
"Well mom loves you more!" Clark yelled back, hurt.
That was how it had also been, Lex was Lillian's favorite, and Clark was Lionel's. Ever since the incident with Julian, Lionel seemed to hate Lex, and Lillian never wanted another child, and felt like Clark took away from Lionel's and Lex's relationship. But miraculously the two children hadn't been pit against each other, and were remarkably close, but like all brothers they did their share of fighting.
"Get out Clark." Lex didn't like this subject.
Clark left the room with pouting, only to return a few minutes later.
"Clark, I said to get out." Lex was really getting annoyed.
"Mom told me to get you for dinner! Gosh! You don't have to yell at me every second!" Clark said hurt.
"Sorry, I thought you were in here to bug me for the billionth time, squirt." Lex said throwing Clark on the bed playfully.
"Clark! Lex!" Lillian called from downstairs.
"Lex..."
Lex had seen that face so many times on Clark, "What?"
"Is something bad going to happen?" Clark asked.
"No, why would you ask that."
"Because we never have dinner together and when we do, mom and dad just fight." Clark said, getting off the bed and walking towards the door.
"Everyone fights, Clark. Relax." Lex said as the two boys raced down the stairs.
Clark sat by Lionel, and Lex by Lillian.
"How was your day, kids?" Lillian was trying to have a good family conversation for once.
"Why don't you tell your mother how your day was, Lex." Lionel said coldly.
Lillian sensed some knowledge between the two.
"What am I missing?" She asked.
"I got suspended from school." Lex said looking down, hating disappointing his mother.
"Again." Lionel added.
"Lex, what happened?" Lillian asked.
"He did what he always does, he gets in trouble and I have to come in after him and clean up his mess!" Lionel raised his voice.
"Lionel please." Lillian said.
"What? You want me to what? Tell him how proud I am that he screwed up again?" Lionel said getting even louder.
"I'm sorry! God! I hate you so much!" Lex said standing up in his chair and started to run off, but Lionel grabbed him,
"You do NOT talk to me that way." Lionel said gripping Lex's arm.
"Let go of me!" Lex shouted and tried to get free of Lionel's grasp.
Clark ran over to the scene, "Don't yell at him." Clark pleaded.
"Stay out of this, Clark." Lionel warned.
"You would never yell at Clark! Let me go you bastard!" Lex yelled.
"Maybe I don't yell at him, because he doesn't screw up ever 5 seconds!" Lionel countered.
"Dad, please, stop!" Clark yelled.
"I will not let you throw away everything I've done for you! You will finish the year without being expelled or-" Lionel was interrupted.
"Or What! You'll ground me? Or will you stop loving me? Oh wait! You already did that!" Lex screamed.
"Enough! Lionel let him go!" Lillian said, getting between the two, as Lex ran up to his room and slammed the door.
"I've had enough of his behavior, Lillian! I'm sending him to that boarding school!" Lionel said.
"No, Lionel... that isn't going to fix anything. Please..." Lillian pleaded.
"One more thing... and he is gone." Lionel declared.
Clark hated this more than any thing in the world. He couldn't stand Lex and Lionel fighting. Clark loved Lex, but he loved Lionel too.
Lionel looked at a scared Clark, starring back at him, "Clark... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that in front of you."
"You shouldn't have done it at all." Lillian said, running up to Lex's room.
"What did Lex do that was so bad?" Clark wanted to know.
"Clark, you don't need to worry about this stuff." Lionel said. Clark and Lionel finished dinner in silence until Lionel finally asked Clark, "I have to go on a trip for business, I'll be gone for a week."
"But you won't be here for Christmas!" Clark couldn't contain the disappointment he felt.
"That is why I want you to come with me." Lionel said.
"Really! Just you and me." Clark said excited.
"Yes, really." Lionel said smiling at Clark's reaction.
"wait... but what about Lex?" Clark couldn't picture Christmas without his brother, or without his Dad.
"It's your choice, Clark." Lionel said.
"Alright. I'll go." Clark said.
6 months later
"Mom, I love you." Lex said as his mother lay in a hospital bed, trying to fight her cancer, but failing horribly.
"I love you too, Alexander. So much... You are my favorite person in the whole world." Lillian said.
"Mom, you can't die... I need you so much. Please..." Lex felt hot tears well up in his eyes.
"I'll always be with you, baby. Always." She tried to comfort him.
"No...No..." Lex held her cold hand, as the life slipped out of her.
Lionel and Clark watched from outside the room, having already said their goodbyes. Clark let out a cry as he saw her monitor flat line. "No!" Lionel held Clark in his arms, rubbing his back.
Clark and Lionel went into the room, and Clark hugged Lex, and they both cried uncontrollably. "I need her, Clark! I need her so bad..." Lex cried, and Clark knew, he could feel his brother's pain.
It got so much worse for Lex after Lillian's death. He was sent off to boarding school at 14, and he didn't care anymore, he was as bad as he wanted to be, and Lionel just covered up his messes. Clark stayed in Smallville with Lionel, and he dealt with Lillian's death remarkably well, but Clark couldn't help but remember a girl he knew once, who lost both her parents, and sad she must have been, it was the first time he thought about Lana in a long, long time.
Clark was 14 now, and Lex had been sent back to Smallville to run one of his father's plants, or as Lex called it, "the crap factory."
Lionel wanted Clark to go to some fancy prep school, but after much pleading, had managed to grant permission to attend Smallville High. Clark wanted to be normal, not only was he different with his strength and speed, but he was also one of the richest kids in the world.
Clark stepped into the school, two months before school actually started, right on time for his meeting with one of the school counselors (she was going to help him pick out his classes).
As Clark was coming out, he decided he should walk back to the mansion. He didn't like Smallville that much, but he didn't hate it.
He wasn't watching were he was going and completely collided with someone. "Oh, I'm, sorry." Clark said helping up the girl he just knocked over.
"It's okay." The girl smiled back.
"Have we met before?" Clark asked her.
"I'm not sure. Probably, this is Smallville." She laughed brushing a hair behind her ear. "I'm Lana Lang."
"I'm Clark." He didn't like to tell people his last name, they always got weird around him once they knew.
"Are you going to Smallville high next year?" Lana asked.
"Yep. How bout you?"
"Yes, freshman year... the thought is a little scary." She admitted.
"Ya, whatever." Clark never really thought about it.
"Well, I guess I'll get going." Lana said feeling like she was somehow lower than Clark.
Clark just turned and left, didn't even say good bye. Lana was a little pissed off, he trampled her, and he acted as if she was an annoyance to him.
Clark didn't like getting close to people, afraid they would find out the truth.
3 months later
Lana was wrapping up her shift at the Beanery; there was no one in the coffee house, so she just decided to close up early. Before she got to the door, a large man walked in holding a gun, "Empty the register."
Lana froze. "Now!" He yelled. She couldn't move, she was too scared. The man grabbed a handful of her hair and she left out a scream.
Clark heard someone scream as he was wandering the streets and ran into the store it came from.
"Let her go!" Clark yelled. The man threw Lana towards the counter. "Get out of here boy!" He yelled.
"Give me the money!" He barked at Lana.
She did what he asked, keeping her eyes on the gun at all times, and handed him the bag with the money in it.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard cop sirens. "You lil bitch, did you set off an alarm?"
The man fired at Lana, and Clark jumped in front of her, taking the bullet. The robber panicked and fled. Clark panicked too, and turned to see Lana wide eyed and shocked.
"How did you..."
"Please, don't tell anyone." Clark ran out.