CHAPTER 5

The loft was quiet. The whole house was quiet. Right now, Clark wouldn't have liked it any other way. He stood at the window of the loft, watching as Bart jogged around the farm. Clark sighed. He turned around to the messy loft. Instead of the peaceful, normal haven he had inhabited up to a couple of days ago, this one was strewn with comics, empty candy wrappers, game containers.

This time, mused Clark, Bart had actually bought the games. What a turn of events. Clark walked slowly around the loft, picking up stuff. He rearranged everything, setting it carefully around him. He sighed heavily, Lana hadn't been at the Talon when he had gone. Only Jason. He had hastily left the brownies and just left.

FIGURES, He thought to himself. How could he have been a fool? It wasn't the first time he had wished he hadn't pushed Lana away. So many chances had been shoved away with one stupid decision of his.

He stood up. There were things to be done. Clark headed down to the barn. He would be shoveling the hay. He looked around. Bart was gone. Clark wasn't worried. Bart periodically disappeared and Clark was using his keen eyesight and hearing to make sure that guy hadn't come anywhere near the barn. If the guy did come back, Clark would be ready.

Suddenly, Clark's cell phone rang. He picked it out of his jeans pocket and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Hey, Clark. Are you doing anything?" Chloe asked on the other end.

"Mmmm, just about to finish my chores. What did you have in mind?"
"Well, I came by earlier. That kid, Bernie, Brat, whatever-''

"Bart."

"Like I said, whatever. What's wrong with him."
Clark swallowed. "Ummm, nothing, he's ahhh, just a little sick, that's all."

"A little too ummm, ahhh, for my taste, but hey, it's Clark Kent I'm dealing with, right?"

Clark laughed nervously. "So what did you have in mind Chloe."

"I've got a little story you two might be interested in."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, why don't you just run by the torch."

"You're still at the torch? Most normal kids would be out of school before the bell rang. "

"You should be talking about normal, right Clark?" Chloe whispered under her breath. Clark heard her easily. He swallowed and ignored it. Chloe now spoke audibly, "Why don't you and the Bart kid run by?"

For some reason, the expression made Clark squirm a little. Run bye? He swallowed again. You could be sure he was taking the truck today! "Yeah, sure, why not? See you later?"

"Affirmative."

Clark ended the call and slipped the phone back in to his pocket. He swallowed again. He was going to the torch. He jogged out in to the open field. "Bart!" He called out. "Bart!" He heard nothing. He focused more and he heard the sound of breathing. He jogged towards the sound.

"Bart?" Bart was sitting on the grass doing crunches.

"What do you want?" He asked snidely.

"I was going out. Wondering if you want to come?"

"Why would I? What are you gonna accuse me of now, huh, Clark? I don't even know why I even trusted you. You were never my friend."

"Bart, please. Just listen." Clark sat on the grass as his friend breathed heavily. Clark smiled admirably. In the past day or so, Bart had been relentlessly exercising. He had already gone running with Jonathon this day. In one day, Bart was getting his body back in shape!

"Whatever." Bart dropped in to a sitting position, insolently crossing his arms and scowling. He turned to Clark expectantly.

Clark sucked in a deep breath. "Listen, I didn't mean to accuse you o.k. We can discuss that later, but there's something else I need to talk to you about."

"Yeah?"

"Have you been….. involved with Luthor Corp financially?"

"And you mean….."
"Robbing."

Clark was expecting outrage and he got it.

"What tha hell is your problem?" Bart yelled, springing to his full height, still more than a foot shorter than Clark.

Clark stood up, pursing his lips and looking down at Bart. "Listen Bart," he started, "Right now, I could care less how you feel. You're on Kent land. My mother could have been murdered, do you know that? She loves you like a son. That man could have killed her and been across the world by the time I arrived at home. So don't you dare ask me what tha hell my problem is!" He swung around and headed for the truck. Clark thought for a second then called back, "I'm going out!" He went inside the house and got the keys.

Not to his surprise, Bart was already at the passenger side door. He opened the truck and entered. Bart got in beside him.

"Didn't expect you here." Clark lied, starting the ignition.

Bart nodded. "Neither did I."

Clark pulled out of the compound as they made their way silently toward SMALLVILLE High. Bart wound down his side of the truck so the wind blew his hair down over his face. He turned to look at Clark. Clark was staring stonily ahead, easily ignoring him.

"I know we're not on the best of terms right now, Clark."

"I never said that."
"You don't need to say it. I see it in your face every goddamn time I use my powers. Like you're condemning me. Just like my father. Every time that bastard looked at me I felt like shit. The reason I ran away is that I never wanted to feel like that. Here, I come to Smallville, and meet the only guy who's even remotely like me and he hates my guts."

Clark had to concentrate on not crushing the steering wheel. He swallowed frustrated. "I never said I hated you, Bart. You assume people hate you. You assume a lot of things. You don't take responsibility for what you do. You think that you can just go in and out of people's lives in a flash and it'll all be o.k., don't you. Do you know how long my mom waited at the fun when you said you'd call her? She almost broke down. You have no idea how much they love you, Bart. Why, I don't know. You sure as hell don't deserve it."
"I'm tired of this holier than thou shit. If that's all you want to say, I guess I shouldn't even think of you as a friend. You would never understand, Clark. Your parents love you. They would die for you. Jesus Christ, they took you home out of a freaking spaceship. I get in to a freak accident and my parents can't even look me in the eye. You'll never understand it, will you?"

"What is there to understand?" Clark yelled loudly, "What do you want us to understand. All you do is keep your feelings to yourself, keeping yourself alive with all that strong man. Open up, Bart! Take responsibility for your actions!"

Bart was silent. He knew Clark was right. Clark had always been right. For the first time in his life, Bart truly felt ashamed for all of his actions. Clark misunderstood it. He turned to Bart guiltily.

"Listen Bart, I'm sorry. I shouldn't-''

"No, Clark. You're right." He admitted.

Clark nodded. He looked around. They were almost at the Talon.

PHILLIP watched. She was indeed beautiful. There was little wonder why the Kent boy loved her. Lana turned away from the piercing gaze of her last customer at the Talon. She sighed weirdly and put the coffee machine away. Then she glanced at her watch.

"Talon close in an hour, sir." She said.

Phillip nodded. "I'll be going soon," He said, looking outside at his rental van.

Lana forced a smile and headed in to the private quarters.

Phillip got up and super sped. In a split second, he had the key out of her pocket and was sitting again. He watched her go. Then he went and locked the Talon door. He smiled as he crushed the keys in his hands. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. And thus, Phillip headed towards the one and only….Lana Lang.