"Dad..." Clark addressed Lionel as they waited for Clark's doctor to come, as
he did every two weeks, to run tests on Clark and make sure nothing had
changed, Clark hated these exams, but Lionel insisted o them, and he did it
to make his father happy.
"What?" Lionel asked seeing the uneasiness in Clark's eyes.
"Have you ever wondered why I'm different?" Clark asked seriously.
"Well... of course I have, but Clark, some things just can't be explained." Lionel told his son.
"But what if they can. What if I'm not the only freak?" Clark insisted.
"You're not a freak; you're a Luther. Clark, I don't know if there is or not? Where is all this coming from?" Lionel asked.
"What if I knew why I was different?" Clark was testing Lionel, he wanted so badly to share the information Chloe and Lana had provided him.
"Do you know something, Clark?"
"Uh..." Clark didn't know how to say he thought the meteors had affected him, without telling him that Chloe and Lana knew his secret.
"Clark, you better tell what you know right now." Lionel sounded edgy, and Clark could never believably lie to his father, he always knew, even if he didn't say so.
"But...I don't know, know... I just had an idea?" Clark was trying hard to word this right, leaving Chloe and Lana out of it, "Smallville has had some weird stuff happen here, and-"
"What weird stuff?" Lionel was aware of the 20 pound tomatoes and other odd things like this, but every place had its share of weird happenings.
"Like? People." Clark regretted ever bringing this up to his father.
"Explain." Lionel said.
"Okay... Well some people at school, they have this theory that all the weird people and things in Smallville are related to the meteor rocks, Dad, it's really strange things, like people who have abilities like me, well not like me, but? this one kid could read minds, and another could shape shift and? Dad, I know it sounds crazy, but they saw it. What if that is what happened to me? What if the meteors messed with my body, and that is why I can do, what I do." Clark said taking a deep breath, not wanting to hear Lionel's reaction.
"That is not what happened to you." Lionel stated.
"But how do you know?" Clark said disappointed.
"Clark... I never told you this, well because I didn't think it mattered, but when you about 5 or 6, I started trying to figure out any possible reason for you. For why you are different, and these people you're talking about... these meteor infected people, they have human DNA, but it's twisted a little bit... your DNA is completely different, it's utterly unique." Lionel said sounding proud, of what Clark didn't know.
"What? You knew about the meteors, and what they did, and never told me? Dad, this means I wasn't the only one!" Clark was mad.
"What would you have done if you knew? It doesn't change anything." Lionel said.
"You should have told me." Clark was mad.
The doctor walked in, "Alright, ready to get started, Clark?"
"I'm not doing them." Clark stomped out of the room. The doctor looked to Lionel,
"Your excused doctor."
"Clark what's wrong?" Lana said as she passed Clark in the school halls,
"Nothing." Clark was trying to get into a better mood, and just wanted to forgot his conversation with his father.
"You are such a bad lair, you know." Lana teased. Clark wished he could just say, 'I'm just not feeling well' or some other excuse, but he couldn't. "Well, are you still coming over tonight?" Lana asked, changing the subject.
"Of course." Clark was so grateful for the distraction from his problems at home.
"Where are you going?" Lex asked Clark.
"I'm going to a friend's house for dinner." Clark relayed.
"What's the matter, you don't want to be around when me and Dad start going at it with each other?" Lex said. Clark knew that Lionel and Lex were going to start fighting about Lex's vacation, and that was basically the whole reason Lex was over here, to start trouble with Lionel. It just gave Clark yet another reason to get out.
"No, but if I stayed, I might actually help you Lex." Clark said bitterly.
"Are my ears deceiving me? Could daddy's little boy ACTUALLY be fighting with him?" Lex poked fun.
Clark sighed, "Ya. But it doesn't matter. I'll be back later." Clark left, all Lex did was try and make Clark see "the real Lionel", just because Lex hated his father, didn't mean he had to.
"Chloe, anything I should know before meeting Lana's parents?" Clark asked as they walked to Lana's door.
"Geez, Clark, why are you so worried about meeting her parents?" Chloe said, cocking an eyebrow at him, "You act as if you are meeting the In- Laws."
Clark ignored her and knocked on the door, and Lana answered.
"Hey guys, come on in." Lana smiled. "Hope you guys like chicken." And once they were all inside "Okay, let the forced family bonding begin."
They all laughed, and walked into the dining room. "Hey Mrs. Kent." Chloe said as she sat down."
"Mom, this is Clark." Lana introduced them.
Martha just stared at Clark, almost coldly. Great, Clark thought, this is going to be a pleasant evening, they obviously weren't fans of the Luthers.
"Hi, Clark." Martha said leaving quickly.
Lana felt awkward, she didn't think he mom would be that rude to Clark, she didn't' even know him, I made a point not to tell her his last name, until they got to know him. But I'm sure they recognized him as a Luther.
"Jonathan, the kids are here." Martha said to Jonathan in the kitchen.
"Okay, lets go eat."
"No?" Martha said halting him.
"What?"
"You know Lana's friend Clark?" Martha asked.
"Um, I've heard her talk about him before, but isn't that why we are here? To meet her friends?" Jonathan said.
"You already know him." Martha said, "It's Clark... Luther."
"What? Lana never said... Martha... she can't be... best friends with... are you sure?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm sure, I recognize him, I've seen him hundreds of times, I know." Martha said.
"Well... can you deal with this?" Jonathan asked, already knowing the answer. It had been so many years ago, and they only had Clark for 6 months, but for Martha, it was like losing her first child, and she would always remember, and with the memory came the pain.
"I can't... I don't want to see what he has grown into... as a Luther, I've heard so many bad things, Jonathan." Martha said.
"Okay, Martha, you don't have to." Jonathan left the kitchen and returned within a minute. "I told the kids we wouldn't get in their way tonight, and that they could just have fun. You don't have to see him."
"Whoa, Clark... I guess parents REALLY don't' like you." Chloe couldn't help saying it.
"Clark, I'm sorry, I guess I should have told them more about you. But I'm sure they just want to..." Lana didn't know what to say. Her parents were never this rude before, Lana couldn't even pass it off, it was way too obvious; they didn't like Clark.
"It's fine. Maybe I should just go." Clark felt like an outsider.
"No." Lana said.
"Hey, Clark, maybe you could take us to Metropolis." Chloe said hopeful, "Please, Clark?" She gave him puppy dog eyes. It was no secret Chloe loved the city, where she grew up and talked Clark into bringing her there every chance she got.
Clark smiled, he had NO problem walking out on this dinner, "You want to come Lana?"
"Yes!" Chloe said already getting her coat.
"I'd love to." Lana said, not even asking her parents, she didn't care after how they treated Clark.
Lana tip toed in around 12am, it was Saturday night and just barely made it in before her curfew, but she didn't even let them know were she was. She hoped her parents were asleep. She had so much fun with Clark and Chloe tonight, it was worth getting in trouble for.
"Lana." Jonathan said angrily.
"Hi Dad." Lana said nervously.
"Where were you?" He asked more coldly than she had expected.
"I was out with Chloe and Clark. Clark took us out to dinner." Lana admitted.
"I should have known. Lana, you shouldn't be hanging out with Clark Luther." Jonathan got to the real issue.
"Why? He is my friend." Lana said defensively.
"He is a bad influence, I won't have my daughter hanging around with any of the Luthers." Jonathan raised his voice.
"No he isn't. Have I ever gotten in trouble the 6 months I've been friends with him? No! I can be friends with whoever I want!" Lana shouted.'
"No you won't! Lana, Luthers are trouble." Jonathan warned.
"I don't know why you hate them so much! Clark isn't like his family." Lana said knowing Lex's reputation.
"They raised him. Lana, trust me on this one. I've been around longer and I know what the Luthers are like. Stop hanging out with that boy." Jonathan commanded.
"No, Clark is a good guy!" Lana stomped up to her room.
"Clark, I'm sorry, I didn't think it would upset you so much, if I would have known, I would have told you." Lionel said walking into Clark's room. Clark had long forgotten their fight.
"It's okay, Dad. I kind of over reacted." Clark said taking off his shoes.
"Listen, I know you want answers, and it must be frustrating not getting them." When Clark didn't say anything, "So did you have fun tonight."
"I guess... how do you deal with everyone hating you?" Clark had dealt with it so much, but it really hurt this time.
"Lex told me you went out with your friends... Clark, sometimes friends turn on each other, but you just have to be strong and-" Lionel was cut off.
"Chloe and Lana would never turn on me." Clark said too defensively, and felt he had to explain, "It was Lana Lang's parents."
"Well Clark, if the Lang's choose to feel that way towards yo-"
"Kents." Clark corrected his father.
"Jonathan and Martha Kent?" Lionel eyes shone with recognition.
"You know them. Is that why they hate me?" Clark was hopeful for another explanation.
Lionel did not want his son by the Kents, no matter what. Clark could never know.
"Clark, just ignore them. Don't put yourself among people like that." He needed to put a rift between Lana and Clark, no connection to the Kents was acceptable.
"Dad, I have to tell you something." Clark looked down.
"What did you do, Clark?" Lionel knew Clark's mannerisms and red flagged the lack of eye contact.
"Lana and Chloe... they know." Clark admitted terrified of the outcome.
"Clark? how could you let them find out? Where you that careless that you don't even bother to protect yourself!" Lionel yelled. When Clark just sat there, Lionel continued, "I knew you were keeping something from me... How long have they known?"
"6 months. They haven't told anyone Dad, it's okay, it's fine." Clark said.
"No it's not. You can't trust people like that Clark! They will tell someone, Clark you shouldn't have done that." Lionel said looking at Clark in a way he recognized.
"Dad, don't do anything to them! I'm serious! They are my friends! Dad, they weren't even freaked out when I told them!" Clark said trying to persuade his father to his point of view.
"Clark, you did this to them, not me." Lionel said coldly.
"Dad. Don't!" Clark yelled, "If you do..." Clark was thinking out his threat, he wanted to say he would tell more people, but he was just as scared as his father of being exposed, "I'll never ever speak to you again! I'm just asking one thing!"
"Clark?" Lionel had succeeded so far in keeping Clark under control, and a key point in that was having his son's trust, "I won't... but you have to tell me this stuff! How am I going to protect you, if I don't know!"
Clark visibly sighed, "I'm sorry, I will tell you." And just before he left his room, "Thanks, Dad."
Clark felt relieved that his father knew and wasn't going to 'do' anything to his friends and confused. His father wasn't telling him something. HE knew more than he said, and Clark had his own ways of finding things out.
Lionel loved Clark more than anything. He liked that Clark wasn't weak like most people, but tonight he wished Clark could just get into normal trouble, with girls or alcohol, he didn't mind that. Clark had picked the worst friend ever, If he knew about how he had taken Clark from the Kents...
Lionel picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.
"What?" Lionel asked seeing the uneasiness in Clark's eyes.
"Have you ever wondered why I'm different?" Clark asked seriously.
"Well... of course I have, but Clark, some things just can't be explained." Lionel told his son.
"But what if they can. What if I'm not the only freak?" Clark insisted.
"You're not a freak; you're a Luther. Clark, I don't know if there is or not? Where is all this coming from?" Lionel asked.
"What if I knew why I was different?" Clark was testing Lionel, he wanted so badly to share the information Chloe and Lana had provided him.
"Do you know something, Clark?"
"Uh..." Clark didn't know how to say he thought the meteors had affected him, without telling him that Chloe and Lana knew his secret.
"Clark, you better tell what you know right now." Lionel sounded edgy, and Clark could never believably lie to his father, he always knew, even if he didn't say so.
"But...I don't know, know... I just had an idea?" Clark was trying hard to word this right, leaving Chloe and Lana out of it, "Smallville has had some weird stuff happen here, and-"
"What weird stuff?" Lionel was aware of the 20 pound tomatoes and other odd things like this, but every place had its share of weird happenings.
"Like? People." Clark regretted ever bringing this up to his father.
"Explain." Lionel said.
"Okay... Well some people at school, they have this theory that all the weird people and things in Smallville are related to the meteor rocks, Dad, it's really strange things, like people who have abilities like me, well not like me, but? this one kid could read minds, and another could shape shift and? Dad, I know it sounds crazy, but they saw it. What if that is what happened to me? What if the meteors messed with my body, and that is why I can do, what I do." Clark said taking a deep breath, not wanting to hear Lionel's reaction.
"That is not what happened to you." Lionel stated.
"But how do you know?" Clark said disappointed.
"Clark... I never told you this, well because I didn't think it mattered, but when you about 5 or 6, I started trying to figure out any possible reason for you. For why you are different, and these people you're talking about... these meteor infected people, they have human DNA, but it's twisted a little bit... your DNA is completely different, it's utterly unique." Lionel said sounding proud, of what Clark didn't know.
"What? You knew about the meteors, and what they did, and never told me? Dad, this means I wasn't the only one!" Clark was mad.
"What would you have done if you knew? It doesn't change anything." Lionel said.
"You should have told me." Clark was mad.
The doctor walked in, "Alright, ready to get started, Clark?"
"I'm not doing them." Clark stomped out of the room. The doctor looked to Lionel,
"Your excused doctor."
"Clark what's wrong?" Lana said as she passed Clark in the school halls,
"Nothing." Clark was trying to get into a better mood, and just wanted to forgot his conversation with his father.
"You are such a bad lair, you know." Lana teased. Clark wished he could just say, 'I'm just not feeling well' or some other excuse, but he couldn't. "Well, are you still coming over tonight?" Lana asked, changing the subject.
"Of course." Clark was so grateful for the distraction from his problems at home.
"Where are you going?" Lex asked Clark.
"I'm going to a friend's house for dinner." Clark relayed.
"What's the matter, you don't want to be around when me and Dad start going at it with each other?" Lex said. Clark knew that Lionel and Lex were going to start fighting about Lex's vacation, and that was basically the whole reason Lex was over here, to start trouble with Lionel. It just gave Clark yet another reason to get out.
"No, but if I stayed, I might actually help you Lex." Clark said bitterly.
"Are my ears deceiving me? Could daddy's little boy ACTUALLY be fighting with him?" Lex poked fun.
Clark sighed, "Ya. But it doesn't matter. I'll be back later." Clark left, all Lex did was try and make Clark see "the real Lionel", just because Lex hated his father, didn't mean he had to.
"Chloe, anything I should know before meeting Lana's parents?" Clark asked as they walked to Lana's door.
"Geez, Clark, why are you so worried about meeting her parents?" Chloe said, cocking an eyebrow at him, "You act as if you are meeting the In- Laws."
Clark ignored her and knocked on the door, and Lana answered.
"Hey guys, come on in." Lana smiled. "Hope you guys like chicken." And once they were all inside "Okay, let the forced family bonding begin."
They all laughed, and walked into the dining room. "Hey Mrs. Kent." Chloe said as she sat down."
"Mom, this is Clark." Lana introduced them.
Martha just stared at Clark, almost coldly. Great, Clark thought, this is going to be a pleasant evening, they obviously weren't fans of the Luthers.
"Hi, Clark." Martha said leaving quickly.
Lana felt awkward, she didn't think he mom would be that rude to Clark, she didn't' even know him, I made a point not to tell her his last name, until they got to know him. But I'm sure they recognized him as a Luther.
"Jonathan, the kids are here." Martha said to Jonathan in the kitchen.
"Okay, lets go eat."
"No?" Martha said halting him.
"What?"
"You know Lana's friend Clark?" Martha asked.
"Um, I've heard her talk about him before, but isn't that why we are here? To meet her friends?" Jonathan said.
"You already know him." Martha said, "It's Clark... Luther."
"What? Lana never said... Martha... she can't be... best friends with... are you sure?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm sure, I recognize him, I've seen him hundreds of times, I know." Martha said.
"Well... can you deal with this?" Jonathan asked, already knowing the answer. It had been so many years ago, and they only had Clark for 6 months, but for Martha, it was like losing her first child, and she would always remember, and with the memory came the pain.
"I can't... I don't want to see what he has grown into... as a Luther, I've heard so many bad things, Jonathan." Martha said.
"Okay, Martha, you don't have to." Jonathan left the kitchen and returned within a minute. "I told the kids we wouldn't get in their way tonight, and that they could just have fun. You don't have to see him."
"Whoa, Clark... I guess parents REALLY don't' like you." Chloe couldn't help saying it.
"Clark, I'm sorry, I guess I should have told them more about you. But I'm sure they just want to..." Lana didn't know what to say. Her parents were never this rude before, Lana couldn't even pass it off, it was way too obvious; they didn't like Clark.
"It's fine. Maybe I should just go." Clark felt like an outsider.
"No." Lana said.
"Hey, Clark, maybe you could take us to Metropolis." Chloe said hopeful, "Please, Clark?" She gave him puppy dog eyes. It was no secret Chloe loved the city, where she grew up and talked Clark into bringing her there every chance she got.
Clark smiled, he had NO problem walking out on this dinner, "You want to come Lana?"
"Yes!" Chloe said already getting her coat.
"I'd love to." Lana said, not even asking her parents, she didn't care after how they treated Clark.
Lana tip toed in around 12am, it was Saturday night and just barely made it in before her curfew, but she didn't even let them know were she was. She hoped her parents were asleep. She had so much fun with Clark and Chloe tonight, it was worth getting in trouble for.
"Lana." Jonathan said angrily.
"Hi Dad." Lana said nervously.
"Where were you?" He asked more coldly than she had expected.
"I was out with Chloe and Clark. Clark took us out to dinner." Lana admitted.
"I should have known. Lana, you shouldn't be hanging out with Clark Luther." Jonathan got to the real issue.
"Why? He is my friend." Lana said defensively.
"He is a bad influence, I won't have my daughter hanging around with any of the Luthers." Jonathan raised his voice.
"No he isn't. Have I ever gotten in trouble the 6 months I've been friends with him? No! I can be friends with whoever I want!" Lana shouted.'
"No you won't! Lana, Luthers are trouble." Jonathan warned.
"I don't know why you hate them so much! Clark isn't like his family." Lana said knowing Lex's reputation.
"They raised him. Lana, trust me on this one. I've been around longer and I know what the Luthers are like. Stop hanging out with that boy." Jonathan commanded.
"No, Clark is a good guy!" Lana stomped up to her room.
"Clark, I'm sorry, I didn't think it would upset you so much, if I would have known, I would have told you." Lionel said walking into Clark's room. Clark had long forgotten their fight.
"It's okay, Dad. I kind of over reacted." Clark said taking off his shoes.
"Listen, I know you want answers, and it must be frustrating not getting them." When Clark didn't say anything, "So did you have fun tonight."
"I guess... how do you deal with everyone hating you?" Clark had dealt with it so much, but it really hurt this time.
"Lex told me you went out with your friends... Clark, sometimes friends turn on each other, but you just have to be strong and-" Lionel was cut off.
"Chloe and Lana would never turn on me." Clark said too defensively, and felt he had to explain, "It was Lana Lang's parents."
"Well Clark, if the Lang's choose to feel that way towards yo-"
"Kents." Clark corrected his father.
"Jonathan and Martha Kent?" Lionel eyes shone with recognition.
"You know them. Is that why they hate me?" Clark was hopeful for another explanation.
Lionel did not want his son by the Kents, no matter what. Clark could never know.
"Clark, just ignore them. Don't put yourself among people like that." He needed to put a rift between Lana and Clark, no connection to the Kents was acceptable.
"Dad, I have to tell you something." Clark looked down.
"What did you do, Clark?" Lionel knew Clark's mannerisms and red flagged the lack of eye contact.
"Lana and Chloe... they know." Clark admitted terrified of the outcome.
"Clark? how could you let them find out? Where you that careless that you don't even bother to protect yourself!" Lionel yelled. When Clark just sat there, Lionel continued, "I knew you were keeping something from me... How long have they known?"
"6 months. They haven't told anyone Dad, it's okay, it's fine." Clark said.
"No it's not. You can't trust people like that Clark! They will tell someone, Clark you shouldn't have done that." Lionel said looking at Clark in a way he recognized.
"Dad, don't do anything to them! I'm serious! They are my friends! Dad, they weren't even freaked out when I told them!" Clark said trying to persuade his father to his point of view.
"Clark, you did this to them, not me." Lionel said coldly.
"Dad. Don't!" Clark yelled, "If you do..." Clark was thinking out his threat, he wanted to say he would tell more people, but he was just as scared as his father of being exposed, "I'll never ever speak to you again! I'm just asking one thing!"
"Clark?" Lionel had succeeded so far in keeping Clark under control, and a key point in that was having his son's trust, "I won't... but you have to tell me this stuff! How am I going to protect you, if I don't know!"
Clark visibly sighed, "I'm sorry, I will tell you." And just before he left his room, "Thanks, Dad."
Clark felt relieved that his father knew and wasn't going to 'do' anything to his friends and confused. His father wasn't telling him something. HE knew more than he said, and Clark had his own ways of finding things out.
Lionel loved Clark more than anything. He liked that Clark wasn't weak like most people, but tonight he wished Clark could just get into normal trouble, with girls or alcohol, he didn't mind that. Clark had picked the worst friend ever, If he knew about how he had taken Clark from the Kents...
Lionel picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.