Hey peeps. For those of you still mad at me for villainizing Lana in the last chapter, bear with me. I promise you'll see a reason for Lana's apparent hatred of Clark.

NOTE: For those of you who don't read the profiles :) I'm moving soon, and may or may not be able to update things for a few months afterward. I'll try to update all my WIPs at least once before then, but don't be mad if I can't. I'm moving within the week, in all probability. I'll let you guys know as soon as I do whether I can work on my fics or not, 'kay? If you have questions drop them in a review and I'll try to get you an answer.

DISCLAIMER: Copyrights? I don' need no steenkeen copyrights! (A cookie and an OC-- original character-- for whoever can tell me the line my disclaimer this time was a spoof of, and the movie it's from. My brother and father are always quoting the line, and I don't remember what movie they said it's from, lol. I'll ask, to make sure your answer is correct.)

Chapter Six

Clark laughed as the Lex's silver Porsche passed into Smallville city limits. He shook his head. "When you said 'think small,' I thought you meant some little island somewhere, or some secluded little village in Europe." He glanced at his friend and said softly, "Thanks, Lex."

Lex grinned, looking at Clark for a moment. "I figured you'd be more at home here than on some island or a village in Europe." Turning his eyes back onto the road-- he did not want a repeat of the car crash that had brought the man next to him into his life-- his expression became more serious. "We need to drop in on your parents first. I know you don't think you're ready, but with Lana chasing you down, your parents need to know."

A heavy sigh told him Clark was still reluctant. Lex spared a glance in that direction. His friend looked like a balloon that had been popped, just sagging in the passenger seat. "I know. They have a right to know what's going on, it's just... It'll be so hard to tell them. What do I say? 'Hi Mom and Dad! Life in Metropolis has been great! Not only am I an alien and a superhero, but guess what! I got raped by the ex-head cheerleader who happens to have been one of my best friends in high school!'"

To let Clark calm down a little, Lex remained silent for a moment. He hadn't known it had been so prominent in Clark's mind that he was different. Though looking back on things, he supposed he really should have guessed it would be. Clark had always been rather insecure, and anything that made him stand out in the crowd just heightened that insecurity so much more. He had always tried harder than everyone else to be normal. He's trying to make up for being an alien by doing his best to be more human than everyone else.

Lex sighed. "No, Clark." He paused, trying to figure out what to say. All his public speaking hadn't taught him what to say in a heart-to-heart with his best friend who was trying to decide how to tell his parents he'd been violated.

"Then what, Lex? What do I tell them? Because I have no idea."

Silence permeated the little sports car as Lex once more searched for the right words. He couldn't find them.

Kent Farm

Lex's car idled in the Kents' driveway. He and Clark were both staring out the windshield at the little yellow house and trying to second-guess what Clark's parents-- well, Jonathan, mostly-- would say and do when they found out why their son was in pictures with Lex on sloughs of newspapers.

Clark was the one to break the silence, surprising Lex enough to make him jump. "Guess I should go in, huh?"

He didn't wait for a response, just opened his door and got out of the Porsche. As he slowly began towalk toward his childhood home, he heard Lex's door pop open and shut, then another set of footsteps joined his slow, reluctant march.

When they reached the front door, Clark was at a loss as for what to do. He hadn't been home since a couple weeks before the... incident. Can I go right in, or should I knock? he worried. He didn't live there anymore, but that particular rule of etiquette had never applied with his family. A hand was suddenly on his upper back, as near as Lex could comfortably put it to his shoulder. Clark made up his mind and swung the door open before he could think about it enough to decide against it.

The hand remained on his back as he moved into the living room. No one was in there. He hadn't expected anyone to be; his father would still be out in the fields, and his mother would be cooking, cleaning house and holding a debate with a couple of her friends on speaker-phone. The thought brought a slight smile to his face; his mother could debate with the best of them. Still smiling, he checked the kitchen. Not there. But he did hear a voice coming from somewhere close. Clark followed his ears and found himself in the laundry room. As predicted, Martha was very adamantly standing her ground on an issue she was debating with Mrs. Fordman and Mrs. Ross. She always has loved three-way calling, Clark thought with amusement.

"--should have all the same rights as straight couples! What does it matter what a person's gender is, as long as the couple is in love? It shouldn't matter! Love is love!" Martha said firmly.

"But marraige has always been something exclusively between a man and a woman," argued Mrs. Fordman.

"Yes, but Martha has a point. In many countries gay relationships were permitted for centuries, even encouraged. And if gay marriage became legal, certain things could come into place that would make gay relationships safer and healthier," Mrs. Ross said.

"Thank you," Martha said with a grin as she folded a bright blue towel that had a big pink rose in the middle. She turned to stack it with the rest of the clean, folded laundry behind her and-- without missing a beat, "I have to go girls, Clark and Lex just got here."

"Okay, talk to you later dear," Mrs. Ross said.

"Talk to you later Martha," said Mrs. Fordman.

There were two clicks as the two women on the other end of the line hung up. Martha put away her towel, hung up her own phone and then hugged both men at the same time. "I've missed you two, why haven't you called lately?"

"Um, well, uh..." Clark and Lex both fumbled for an answer that didn't sound selfish or forgetful.

Martha rolled her eyes. "Come on, I've got cookies cooling in the kitchen."

The three moved into the kitchen. Immediately Clark grabbed one of the still-steaming cookies and ate it in two big bites. Martha shook her head, thinking, All these years and he still always eats like it's his first food in a month. "Your father should be in in a few minutes, Clark. And don't you dare run off, Lex."

Lex sat back down on the stool he'd claimed, blushing slightly. She always made him feel like a little kid, but in a good way. "Yes ma'am."

Martha got the guys each a glass of milk and they tucked into the cookies. As predicted, Jonathan soon came in. "Hello Son... Lex."

"Hello Mr. Kent," Lex replied, suddenly feeling inadequate. His own father and the other corporate sharks he often faced were nothing; Jonathan Kent, now there was an intimidating man.

The farmer sat down and picked up the glass of milk that had been set out for him. For almost five minutes, there was peace, and Lex thought maybe Jonathan wouldn't bring up the subject of the long-time rift between him and Clark, and his sudden return. Then, "So what's this about you two living together?"

"It's not what you think, Mr. Kent," Lex said.

"But you are living together?"

"Yes," Clark spoke up. "I... you see... Dad, I've been living with Lex because I trust him. He knows about Superman-- I told him." His father seemed angry, and started to say something, but Clark interrupted. "Hear me out." He paused. Unable to find the right wording, he finally just said, "I don't know how she found out, but Lana knows too, and she attacked me."

Shocked silence exploded in the kitchen.

Martha was the first to speak. "That's impossible. She's been in Paris for the last eight months."