"So what does your boyfriend think of you going to prom with me?" he smirked as he inched his desk closer to hers.

"Shut up and pay attention." She said as she nodded towards the teacher.

He decided to listen to her command, but only for a few seconds before his eyes strayed back to her. Without thinking his hand reached out and stroked her golden hair. His actions caused a death glare from Lois so he retracted his hand slowly before leaning over to whisper.

"For prom you should wear your hair up."

Lois was wiping down the counter when her sister walked into the coffee shop.

"Hey Luce." she said without looking up from her task.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Lois asked finally looking up from her task.

Lucy put her bag down on the chair and sat down then looked at her older sister, giving her the "you know what I'm talking about look".

"Lucy there's nothing to tell, why don't you go sit in the car while I finish up here. I'm almost done."

With one look from her baby sister Lois caved. "Fine, ok I'm going to prom with Clark Luthor a.k.a SMITH. Are you happy now?"

"Hm…well although I wanted him for myself I guess I'm happy for you, Lois of course I'm happy. You've been through so much and it's nice to see you have found your knight in shining ar-"

"He is not my knight in shining armor; I'm just going with him as a favor." Lois said. Putting away the last of the cleaning supplies, hastily pulling of her apron and grabbing her bag, "And that is all. Come on visiting hours are almost over."

"Psh, a favor yeah right, you know you like him. SMITH is the greatest thing that has happened to you in the past two years Lois." Flipping her hair and trailing behind her sister out the door of the Talon, "I just don't understand why you won't give the guy a chance."

The last comment made Lois pause while reaching for her keys. Turning to Lucy before locking up the glass doors she replied, "So your saying I should give a guy that only wants to get in my pants a chance to get in my pants? Lucy really, haven't I taught you anything." Shaking her head she began to make her way to her car.

"I don't think a guy who just wants to "get in your pants" would still be in pursuit of you after what's it been? Five months? And I also don't think a guy who just wanted to "rock the trailer bus" with you would pay off like nine months of car notes. Lois I think he really likes you."

"Well, it doesn't matter."

"And why is that?" Lucy asked opening the passenger door and getting in the car.

"Because I sure as hell can't stand him."

"Hm…sure Lois." was the only reply Lucy said aloud.

"Yes, of course I'm doing well in school." Clark said into the phone. Lying on his bed Clark looks up to the ceiling and smiles. Thinking back over his day and how good it had been. When Lois came to mind he sat up quickly as he remembered why he had called his sister in the first place. "Hey Tess, will you be able to make it home this weekend?"

In response to his sisters questioning of why she should come home next weekend, Clark's smile got bigger as he replied, "I'm going to prom so I need to get a tux and I was hoping you'd come with me."

The laughter he heard coming from his phone confused him. "You're going to prom? With who? Oh my is it that girl Louise you always talk about?"

Clark felt angered that she was laughing at him. "Her name is Lois and yes I'm going to prom with her." He said curtly and it ceased the laughing on the other line.

"Clark, I'm sorry it's just…wow you must really like this girl. Aw my baby brother is in love, he's finally put his player days behind him. I'm so proud of you." Tess said truthfully.

Clark shifted uncomfortably as his sister spoke and it got him thinking. "I'm not in love. It's just that she's not as easy as the other girls. So are you coming tomorrow or not?" he asked slightly annoyed at the feelings of confusion that were running around his mind.

"Hm…sure Clark, well I think I can make it, father is going out of town for the weekend right?"

"Yes. That reminds me I got to go. See you tomorrow." he said hurriedly before he left his room.

Walking through the mansion to his father's office, Clark's mind wondered what would make Tess think he was in love with Lois. To him it was plan ludicrous. He was not in love with Lois. If he wasn't in love with Lois then what was it? He couldn't be in love for Lois. His father always taught him love was for the poor and the hopeless. He didn't need it, it wasn't worth his time.

After knocking on the door twice Clark entered the dark office.

"Father, are you in here?" Clark question hangs in the air. As he goes to walk away a voice stops him dead in his tracks.

"Clark. Father has appears to have already left, but we can have a little talk. You know brother to brother." Lex said with an evil glint in his eye as he turned Lionel's black desk chair around to face Clark.

"No, it's fine. I'll just call him later." Clark said before turning to leave once again.

"What's the rush Clark, why don't you just stick around for a bit? Just like old times."

Clark thought a moment before he moved cautiously through the elegant room that still smelled of aftershave, old books and as he got closer to his brother a horrendous musk.

"Like old times huh?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, for instance when you were in kindergarten and we wanted father to build us the tree house out back. Do you remember? It was our fortress of solitude; there were no worries, no cares. The perfect getaway a definite home away from home. "

"How could I forget, remember we used to pretend that tree house was everything from a pirate ship to Warrior Angel's headquarters." Clark said lost in the memories. He zoned out on what Lex was saying as another memory raced to the forefront of his mind. A memory that wasn't as pleasant to think about like taking over pirate ships and finding "treasure". The memory he hadn't thought of in a while that involved his brother and kryptonite. It wasn't the big brother he was proud of when he was in kindergarten. Or the big brother he looked up too when he had to write on who he wanted to be like in the fourth grade. The brother in his memory was the brother that sat in front of him now.

Clark looked at his brother who seemed to be smiling in his memories of the times when they were just boys. That's when it hit Clark that something was definitely up. Lex was saying more than two words to him, smiling, reminiscing. Nothing good would come of this if he stayed any longer. So he decided to excuse himself.

"Well brother, it has been fun, but I must be going now."

"Your right. I should be heading out too." Lex said to Clark as he rose out of the seat and came to pull him into a hug. "Be safe little brother."

As Lex walked out Clark stood in the same spot dumbfounded. Why was Lex being that nice all of a sudden? Something was definitely up.