"Clark, maybe you should slow down." Lana said, as Clark speeded along the road at 90 MPH.
"Oh... yeah." Clark hadn't been aware of how fast he was going. His hands were sweaty as he loosened his grip on the steering wheel. He was not even 5 minutes from the courthouse, and he was so incredibly anxious of the verdict. The court had gone to extreme lengths to ensure that the jury was not tampered with or bought. They knew the risk of that when dealing with 2 powerful, rich parties.
Clark pulled into a parking space, close to the door to the courthouse.
"Clark, it's going to be alright. Don't worry." She rubbed his arm, trying to calm him down.

"Clark." Lex greeted his brother as he walked into the courtroom.
"Hey, Lex." Clark definitely couldn't hide the nervousness he felt.
"Clark, whatever the verdict, don't worry. He will never get custody of you again." Lex tried to comfort Clark. But that wasn't good enough for Clark; he needed Lionel out of his life, he needed them to be separated by bars. He needed Lionel's power to be stripped.
"Lex..." The Luthors were never good at talking about their feelings, or showing emotions, "thanks."
Lex and Clark both knew the significant meaning behind that simple word. Clark was eternally grateful for everything Lex had done, and dealt with the things he could not.
So Clark and Lex did something that they didn't do very often. They hugged.
"You've been a great brother." Clark meant it.
"Yeah and I love yeah." Lex mocked teased, but they both knew he meant it and that it was a mutual feeling.
Clark tensed up as Lionel entered the room, cuffed, along with his lawyers.
Clark started to get even more edgy when Lionel made eye contact with him, and he retained the eye contact and he started walking towards Clark.
Lex sensed an outburst coming. Why was Lionel coming towards them? He was going to try and rattle Clark, Lex knew it.
"Clark, just go." Lex gestured for Clark to go to the other side of the room, opposite of Lionel. But Clark didn't move, and he had a fierceness in his eyes.
"Son." Lionel approached Clark, and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I want-"
"Don't." Clark slapped Lionel's hand away from him, pushing Lionel away too, "Touch me again and I'll fucking kill you!" Clark shouted it, furiously.
Everyone turned and stared at Clark and Lionel.
"Son, I just wanted-" Lionel began again.
"No." Lex intervened, placing himself between Clark and Lionel, "Clark." Lex gave Clark a look. Clark, knowing he couldn't control himself around Lionel, walked away, to the other side of the room.
Lex turned back to Lionel, "Stop it. I know what you are trying to do. Just leave him alone.
"He is my son, I have the right to-" Lionel was cut off.
"No, you don't have the right. I don't care what your justifications are, leave Clark alone." Lex said the last 3 words sternly, "Clark's not stupid and neither am I. You aren't insane, and you shot him."
"Lex, don't let petty grudges blind you." Lionel smirked.
"Leave Clark alone." Lex walked away. He wasn't going to allow Lionel to involve him in another mind game. Lex sat down next to Clark and Lana.
"I fucking hate him." Clark had both his hands in his hair, pulling.
"I know, but don't let him get to you." Lex knew at 17 he would have done the same thing, if not worse.
"God, when are they going to tell us!" Clark said frustrated.
"In a few minutes." Lex said, taking notice of his brother's agitation and anger. "Clark, don't get all upset if the verdict is not guilty-"
"I won't! I can't control myself." Clark took his frustration out on his brother. Lex understood how stressed Clark was, and didn't take offense.
"Good, because if you do something or..." Lex was seriously worried Clark would try and fulfill his threat, and attack Lionel, "hurt anyone in court, you know you could get arrested, right?"
"Yeah. God!" Clark was mad, and jumped from his seat, and paced to the back of the room. Lana made to follow, but Lex grabbed her arm.
"Don't Lana. He is pissed, just let him calm down, otherwise he'll just end up yelling at you." Lex warned.
5 minutes later the judge called everyone to hear the verdict. Despite Lex's warning, Lana found Clark, and held his hand. Clark wanted to hold her close, but it would have looked weak, and that was something he vowed Lionel would never see him as, so he just squeezed Lana's hand.
"Do you have a verdict?" The judge asked, and one of the jurors stood up.
"Yes we do." He said timidly.
They passed up the documents that stated each juror has agreed to the verdict about to be read.
"Okay. Read the verdict that you, the jurors, have come to." The judge said.
"On the charge of Attempted Murder, we find the defendant not guilty." He said loudly.
Clark felt like he had been shot again.
"On the charge of Aggravated Domestic Assault in the first degree we find the defendant guilty." The juror concluded.
Clark felt so angry; he wanted to punch Lionel so bad. Clark looked over at Lionel, and he had an expression of shock, as if he was guaranteed he wouldn't be charged guilty on anything.
The judge interrupted Clark's angry thoughts, "I am going to sentence the defendant with the 3 years in jail, with the option of parole, pending good behavior."
Clark really felt as if they were pushing him over the edge. 3 years was nothing, the medium sentence being 7 years. It was like a slap in the face. Clark had gone threw everything, all so Lionel would be locked up, forever.
It was too much and Clark snapped. He stormed out of the courtroom.
Lex took a deep breath and sighed. He could fully understand Clark's reactions, but it didn't comfort him any. He, himself, felt so angry, and he wasn't even the victim, like Clark. At least Clark hadn't done anything in court.

"Lex..." Lana had a tone of deep concern, as they exited the courthouse.
"Damnit." Lex muttered as he saw that Clark's car was gone, and that broken glass and blood covered the sidewalk. Clark had undoubtedly punched in the passenger window on the Porsche, before driving off.
Lana felt sick. What was Clark doing?

"How did it go?" Jonathan asked Lana as she entered the house.
"Pretty bad." Lana was worn out.
Jonathan gave her a look, urging her to explain.
"Lionel got 3 years in prison, with parole." Lana sighed.
"How is that possible?" Even Jonathan knew how little that was for the crime.
"I don't know... Lex thinks Lionel bribed the judge." Lana sat down on the couch, thankful for the support it gave her.
"How did Clark take it?" Jonathan had been worried about him the whole trail.
"Um... not good." Lana said, looking at the clock, which read 5pm.
"What did he do?" Jonathan was aware of Clark's outbursts.
"Nothing. He just left, and we don't know where he went." Lana said. It scared her more that Clark didn't create a scene, and yell at Lionel. He had just left, slamming the door open, and left... just left, not a single word.
"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just needs to cool off." Jonathan sat down next to her.
"I don't know. I wouldn't be alright if I was him... especially alone." Lana said, and Jonathan completely agreed. He'd of snapped long before.
"Don't worry Lana." Jonathan tried to comfort his daughter.
"Ya..." Lana said, as her eyes began to swell with unshed tears.

TBC...