Chapter Thirty-Three

Jonathan Kent took another gulp from his thermos of his whiskey spiked coffee. He knew he shouldn't be drinking. But did anything matter?

He swung the ax down, angry at himself. There was no reason he should have been so rude to the boy. Circumstances might be different between the Kents and the Luthors, but in the end he was just a kid who had gotten into a fight with his brother. Family fights were hard.

Would it have killed you to talk to him? Jonathan brought the ax down again.

He drank his coffee and continued to chop wood until the pile was gone. The farmer sharpened the blade and slowly put it back in its proper place. He gazed around the barn, the last remaining tie to the farm he had run. He remembered days he would work from sunup to sundown. The entire farm buzzing with farmhands going about daily tasks.

It was expensive to run a farm. And to pay off the mortgage. To cover costs just to get by Jonathan had to sell some cattle. Then some land. Then lay off a few farmhands, which caused there to be a small drop in the produce he could produce. Slowly over the years, the Kent farm shrank but still the bank pounded at his door to pay off the house, the feed, and the equipment he had needed to buy. Lex closing the plant had been the fatal blow. Families had moved away to find work, chipping away at the customers that paid.

All that was left to do know was sell the house and farm he had fought to keep for so long.

It wasn't the kid's fault, his mind barked at him. Still, that boy would never know hardship like he did.

He, Jonathan Kent was a failure.

As he approached the house, Jonathan could smell Martha was baking pies again. Martha. His wife, his love, he had failed her too. She had never expected wealth and riches from him. Just a home of happiness and love.

And a child.

Finances being what they were, they never spent the money to find out what the problem was. But Jonathan took the blame for that too on himself.

Martha deserved so much better. Martha, who had stood by him all this time, never once complaining or losing hope. She just rolled up her sleeves and made pies the entire town craved.

"Hello, sweetheart," Martha greeted him warmly, then noticed the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"I was rude to Julian. I didn't mean to be." He ran his hand down the doorframe. Would another place ever feel like home?

Martha came over and hugged him, her head resting against his shoulder. "You listen to me, Jonathan Kent. We are going to get through this."

"How, Martha? How?"

"Together."

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Lex placed a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the table in the conservatory. He didn't know when Clark would be back or if he'd still need time to be alone, so Lex wanted to put his peace offering in a place Clark was sure to go. Lex stood up and saw a forlorn Clark standing in the doorway.

"I don't like fighting," the boy said.

"Me neither." Lex held out a cookie. "It's got chocolate chips this time."

"Decided against the licorice, huh?" The two shared a chuckle.

Clark took the cookie and the two sat on the sofa. "I'm sorry I yelled," Lex began. "I only want what's best for you. The thing is, Excelsior is going to open doors for you that Smallville High never could. There you'll meet people who will go on to run the world's largest corporations. You'll have connections and that will help you in whichever way you want your destiny to go. But in an effort to maintain cool brother status, I think I thought of a compromise. I can sponsor Jeff so he can attend with you."

"Really?"

"Jeff's mother would have to agree, of course. He'd have to agree. And he'd have to take some tests to qualify. Not to mention maintain a certain grade point average among other things. But, that way, you at least know someone."

Clark hugged him, and Lex found himself running his fingers through Clark's hair. "I drove to the Kent farm."

"What happened?"

"I'm a Luthor to them. That's all I'll be."

"And…you're ashamed of it?" Lex said gently.

"Yeah." Clark pulled away from the embrace and looked at Lex. "When Mr. Kent looked at me, I realized all he saw was a spoiled, rich brat whose family cheats, lies, and double crosses. I am ashamed, Lex, that that's the Luthor legacy."

"Did Jonathan do something?" Lex asked concerned.

Clark shrugged in response. "Not important."

"I know exactly how you feel," Lex shared. "For years I tried to ignore that I was the son of Lionel Luthor. A cruel, heartless monster who cared about himself above his own family. But by focusing on it, I still let it define me. I had to realize I had to go out and pave my own destiny. To be the person I wanted."

"Do you know who I want to be? Clark Kent." Lex felt his stomach drop. His throat closed and his hands began to shake. But Clark just smiled and continued, "Want to know why? Clark had friends who liked him even though he was poor. People accepted him as a part of the community. And he had a family who loved him. Lex, there's no reason I can't have those things as Julian."

"What are you saying?"

"I was investigating my weird memory. I hadn't really accepted any of this was real. But I can't deny facts anymore. My fingerprints match. My blood matches. I remember the accident. Lex, I am Julian. I know that now. You're my brother and you stood by me that whole year I was sick. And then I woke up, claiming I was someone else and you were so patient. And understanding. Thank you."

"I'm confused. You admit you're Julian, but you want to be Clark Kent?"

"As Julian, I have an amazing girlfriend. Jeff and Lois don't care how rich I am. And I have you. A brother who has shown he loves me. What more could I want?"

"Flannel sheets, apparently." They laughed.

"Now all we have to do is show the world who the Luthors really are," Clark explained. "Together. And I know just where to start."