Heritage
Lana, Chloe and Pete drove Martha and Clark home from the hospital. The shock of finding out that her husband was dead was gone, but now Martha had other things to do. She needed to make the necessary arrangements, which meant calling friends and family. She would have help in the form of Lana and Chloe.
Clark on the other hand was still in a state of grief and guilt. It was his fault that his father was dead. No matter what anyone told him, no matter what was done, he was the reason his father was dead. If he had only been allowed to die that day, none of this would have happened. Maybe it would have been better if his parents never took him in that day. If they left him out in that field, maybe his father would still be alive and his mother would have not have to go though this pain.
They pulled into the driveway of the house and saw someone sitting on the steps of the house. Pete stopped the car. Lois stood up and walked to Martha and hugged her. Then Lois turned to Clark and hugged him. He stood there like a statue, no emotion what so ever. The only thing that proved that Clark was in mourning was his red-rimmed eyes from his tears. Everyone walked inside the house, everyone but Clark. How could he go into a house that was never his? Lois noticed and walked over to him.
"Come on, Clark." Lois said then she led him inside the house.
The next few hours were all a blur. Everyone talk about the fond memories that they had of Jonathon. Pete remembered the first time he met Jonathon, he remembered how tall he was and how he helped out his grandfather. He worked all day and into the night. When he grandfather was going to pay him Jonathon would have none of it. He just shook Pete's grandfather's hand and told him he would see him at the game.
Lana remembered how her aunt would always talk about Jonathon and how jealous she would get seeing Martha and Jonathon together. A first she could not figure out why her aunt would have a feeling for the handsome farmer. Lana said that she develop a schoolgirl crush on Jonathon, there was something about the Kent men.
Chloe talked about the first time she met Mr. Kent. At first she found him kind of odd why would anyone what to be a farmer. She took pictures and asked questions. So many questions that it was Jonathon's idea that Clark show Chloe the barn. He was shocked when he went into the barn and found Chloe kissing Clark. He smiled when Chloe and Clark tried to cover up what had just happened. Lois looked around and saw that Clark was nowhere to be found. She walked up stairs to his room. When she discovered that he was not there she headed outside and to the barn.
She found Clark in the loft. She could tell that he had been crying. She was about to turn and leave but then again she knew what Clark was going through. She knew what it was like to bury a parent. She went and sat down next to him.
"Lois, I just want to be alone right now." Clark said.
"No you don't." Lois said.
"I would you know?" Clark asked.
"Clark I know what it's like to bury a parent." Lois said.
"Well not the reason your mother is dead." Clark said.
"Don't assure Clark, When my mother died I swore to everyone that I was the reason she was dead. Everyone told me that I wasn't. Even Lucy tried, but never listened. Even the General took off the rank and acted like my father, but it didn't work." Lois said.
"Did you ever get over it?" Clark asked.
"One day I woke up and realized, that no matter how much I wanted to blamed myself it was not my fault. You're going to have to learn that. If you need someone to talk to look me up." Lois said. Clark was not prepared for the kiss on the cheek that Lois gave him.
It was about eleven o'clock when everyone went home for the night. Clark stayed in the loft until everyone was gone. He went inside and found his mother in their bedroom. She was taking Jonathon's favorite suit out to take to the funeral home. Clark tired to get to his room without his mother noticing him.
"You were in the loft all day." Martha said.
"I just wanted to be alone." Clark said.
"Clark now is the time that you should be with your friends and family." Martha said.
"I think I should get use to the idea one day everyone I care about is going to die." Clark said.
"Sweetie." Martha said.
"No it's true, one day you and Lana and everyone else I care about is going to die. In fact the day is going to come when I'm the only person on this planet." Clark said.
"Honey I know that your hurting, but don't think about that right now." Martha said.
"Is there anything you need me to do?" he asked.
"Just tell me you love me." Martha said.
"I love you mom." Clark said. Martha hugged her son. The next few days were going to be very hard on them.
Lex sat in his office as Mercy brought him his morning coffee and morning paper. Lex looked through the papers and read the headlines. He started off with the Inquisitor: Air Force test pilot goes missing in Nevada. The Daily Star followed this: Queen Industry's stocks fall after owner declared dead. Lex then looked at the headline for the Daily Planet: Brainic Ultra Super Computer Too Good to be True. Lex tossed the Planet to a side and went to the out of town papers. First up was the Gotham Goble: Wayne Foundation Opens New Housing Project. Last but not least came the Smallville Ledger: Beloved Smallville Farmer dies.
Lex put the paper down on his desk and looked at Mercy. "Send flowers to the Kents along with a check to cover the expenses" Lex said.
"Why are you going to help this guy, he did still your girl." Mercy said.
"I was closer to his father than I was to my own." Lex said. Mercy walked out of the office and made the call. Lex began to think about his time in Smallville. He could still remember the day he met Jonathon. He was sitting on a rock, wrapped in a blanket after Clark had just pulled him out of the river. Over the years Jonathon and Lex had an up and down relationship. That ended when three psychos kidnapped him and tried to kill Clark. Jonathon never forgave Lex and the two never spoke again. Mercy walked back into the office.
"Everything's ready." Mercy said.
"I'm going to Smallville." Lex said.
"Are you sure?" Mercy asked.
"Never question me again." Lex said.
Lois, Chloe, Pete and Lana sat in the Talon. They were still trying to adjust to the fact that Jonathon Kent was no longer around. They could get use to that the problem for them right now was Clark. He was nowhere to be found. Clark was most likely at thee farm helping his mother.
"I still can't believe that he's gone." Lois said.
"Same here." Pete said.
"I'm really worried about Clark." Lana said.
"Same here, I never seen him this way. He's withdrawn from everyone" Chloe added.
"He really thinks that he's the reason his father is dead." Lois said.
"Clark knows that it's not true." Pete said.
"I think I should go talk to him." Lana said.
"You want me to drive you over?" Lois asked.
"Sure." Lana said.
As they drove to the farm Lana and Lois made small talk.
"Your stories in the Planet are great." Lana said.
"Thanks, I just don't think the editors agree." Lois said.
"Why is that?" Lana asked.
"I'm not a very good speller, in fact I have a kid following me around as my own personal spell check." Lois said.
"Well either way you're a great reporter." Lana said.
"Lana, do you mind if I ask you why you and Smallville haven't gotten married yet?" Lois asked.
"We've talked about, Clark said that we would after he got a job with the Ledger, he didn't what to work on the farm, we not as a real job." Lana said.
"Clark Kent a reporter, thank god I live in Metropolis." Lois said.
"I don't think that's going t happen now." Lana said.
"I'm sure it will just give it sometime." Lois said. Lois pulled the car into the drive and they headed to the house. Martha met them.
"Hi, girls." Martha said.
"Hi, Mrs. Kent." Lois said.
"Is Clark around?" Lana asked.
"He's in the loft." Martha said. Lana turned and headed toward the barn. Martha and Lois watched her go.
"Lois would you like some coffee?" Martha asked.
"I'd love some." Lois said.
"Great, come in." Martha said.
Lana walked into the barn and found Clark doing his chores. He knew that she was there but chose not to pay any attention to her. She watched him work for a moment. She hoped that he would say something to her. Clark hoped that she would go away. Finally Lana could not stand the silence anymore.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"How do you expect me to feel I killed someone." Clark said.
"Clark, you had nothing to do with your father's dead." Lana said.
"You don't get it do you. None of you get it." Clark said.
"What are you talking about?" Lana asked.
"Jonathon's life was exchanged for mine." Clark said.
"Clark, what do you mean?" Lana asked.
"When I was shot my life was exchange for someone I cared about. He was it." Clark said.
"Clark, that's not true." Lana said.
"Lana your so naïve. I'm an alien I will out live all of you. It's over." Clark said.
"Over, because of al that's happened?" Lana said.
"That's right. I don't want you anymore Lana. You and everyone else make me weak." Clark said.
"So your just going to cut off everyone you love and care about?" Lana asked.
"Leave, Lana I don't want you here anymore!" Clark said.
"Then I'll you tomorrow at the funeral." Lana said then she walked out of the barn.
It was late when Clark came in from doing his chores when he walked into the house he thought that he had walked into a flower shop. He looked toward the kitchen and saw his mother setting the table.
"Nell went a bit overboard with the flowers." Clark said.
"There not from Nell." Martha said.
"Who are they from?" Clark asked.
"From Lex Luthor." Martha said.
"Then I think we should get rid of them." Clark said.
"Clark, he's just sending his regards." Martha said.
"We don't need his regards." Clark said.
"Now sit down and eat some dinner." Martha said. Clark and Martha sat down and ate dinner. This was the first time that they had ever sat down at the dinner table and ate dinner with out Jonathon. Somehow, Martha and Clark were able to get through it.. After Clark helped his mother wash the dishes. Then they went up to their rooms to prepare for the funeral.
Martha walked into Clark's room and found him sitting at on his bed. She walked in and sat down.
"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.
"I'm not going tomorrow." Clark said.
"What do you mean your not going tomorrow?" Martha asked.
"I'm not going." Clark repeated.
"You are going that's your father we're bury tomorrow." Martha said.
"He's not my father and you're not my mother." Clark said.
"What did you say?" Martha said.
"You heard me." Clark said. Martha slapped Clark right across the face.
"I know that your hurting I'm hurting. But Clark, that was your father, not matter what you think and he loved you. Do you know what he was afraid of when he was in the room dying?" Martha said. Clark said nothing. "He wasn't afraid to die, he was afraid that he failed as father. He was scared that he failed to raise you as his son. Clark, when I look at you I see him." Martha said. She then turned and stared to walk out of the room.
Martha came down stairs and was met by her father. He hugged his daughter.
"Where's Clark?' He asked.
"I don't know let me see if he's ready." She said then she walked back up stairs. She walked into Clark's room and found in front of the mirror. He was fixing his tie.
"Going somewhere?" Martha asked. Clark turned and looked at his mother.
"Yeah, I'm going to bury my father." Clark said.
TO be Continued…