After the large breakfast, everyone sat around the table knowing what happened was going to be discussed but not sure how to start it. Jonathan finally asked, "What happened?" He had a sinking suspicion that Lex was involved in this somehow.

Clark started, "After we got over to Lex's, I stayed in the study while Lex left with Peter to show him some of the mansion. They weren't gone very long when the power went out."

"What caused the power to go out?" Jonathan interrupted.

Clark shrugged, "I don't know. The next thing I knew I felt sick and Eric Summers was standing over me." Clark pointed to the fading mark on his head.

Martha gasped, "Oh, sweetie."

"Eric just happened to know you were at Lex's and decided to attack you there." Jonathan remarked accusingly.

"What!" Clark exclaimed. "You think Lex is involved?"

"Don't you think it is just a little more than coincidence that Eric shows up out of the blue and the first time you see him is at Lex's mansion after he made a point to come over here and invite you over?

"Well..." Peter spoke. "Not to defend Lex, but..." Peter looked over at Clark hesitantly before continuing. "This isn't the first time we've seen Eric."

"What?" Jonathan asked getting angrier. "When else have you seen him?"

Peter would have cringed away if he was able. "The other night...we met him at the Foundry."

Jonathan turned his glare from Peter to Clark. "Just when were you planning on telling me about this?"

"I wasn't! " Clark thought to himself. "I thought I wouldn't worry you and mom. I thought I could handle it and I did." Clark glanced over at Peter and added. "With a little help. Besides, I had to go."

"Nevermind the fact that you sneaked out of the house and went somewhere dangerous. Please, tell me why you had to go?"

"Eric went after Chloe." Clark answered sincerely.

"Is she okay?" Martha asked worried. "Why did he go after her?"
"Yeah, she's fine. He just scared her." Clark replied. "He used her to get his message to me."

"Did she want to know why Eric wanted to meet with you?" Martha questioned. "Why did he?"

"I told her I didn't know why and she seemed to buy it." Clark took a breath before answering the next question. "The reason Eric wanted to meet was to get my powers back."

"What does he know about your abilities?" Jonathan asked concerned.

"I don't know." Clark continued. "He said he'd had a lot of time to think and I guess he figured I was the source of his sudden power since I was there when he got it and when he lost it."

Jonathan sighed, trying to release his frustration, he'd worry about Eric in a little while right now he wanted to find out the rest of the story. "Clark, I know you feel responsible for Eric, but you need to talk to us about these things instead of going off on your own."

"I wasn't own on my own." Clark said turning to Peter. "I had backup."

Martha turned to Peter, "I'm guessing back up was needed. How did you get hurt?"

"Yeah," Peter said wincing at the pain in his side. "Well, Eric was successful with his plan on the second attempt and I had a forceful encounter with a metal pole."

"What about Eric?" Jonathan asked cautiously.

"I don't know." Clark shook his head. "When we left he was on the ground and wasn't moving."

Jonathan put his hand on Clark's shoulder. "This is not your fault. Eric brought this on himself." Jonathan looked over at Peter. "Now, I want you boys to stay here and take it easy alright. No more secret meetings okay?"

Peter nodded his head. "You don't have to worry about me."

Martha got up and started clearing the table of dishes. "Do you need some help with those, mom?"

"No, sweetie," Martha smiled. "You just rest today."

"Okay, we're going to be in the loft."

"I'm going to go to town and get some feed," Jonathan said. "Do you need any groceries?"

"Just some flour."

After Peter got settled in the loft he asked skeptically, "You don't think Lex had anything to do with what happened?"

Clark looked at him but didn't say anything.

"I know you don't want to admit it since he is your friend, but is a really big coincidence if he isn't."

"He wouldn't intentionally try to hurt me." Clark thought to himself. He started to head out of the barn but stopped at the sound of Peter's voice.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find out." Clark said seriously.

"What about what your father said?" Peter grunted as he stood up. "You're supposed to stay here. You don't need to go by yourself. What if he tries something."

"Peter, you're in no condition to go," Clark said. "I'll be fine. I'm not going to be gone long. He'll never know I was gone."