Royal'el Culinary School

by Mindige0

“Please, please, pretty please will you come with me?”

“Clark I will not go with you, end of story” a girl with blonde hair said who happened to be standing next to a girl with long black hair shaking her head in the same manner as the other girl was.

“But…”

“No! I refuse to go with you, why don't you ask one of your *new* friends that you seem to spend all your time with these days and leave me and Lana out of this.” Clark felt like he had been punched in the face and gut at the words that had just left what he thought was his very best female friend. Clark just nodded his head and had to wonder on when Chloe had decided that being friends with him was something that she could no longer do.

“Sorry to have bothered you.” Clark mumbled as he walked away from where the pair of women stood with anger on their faces.

“How dare he!” The blonde of the pair said once they were certain that Clark was out of hearing range.

“Chloe, he is our friend…”

“Was our friend Lana, you just don't *do* what Clark did to us and act as if everything is okay afterwards.” Chloe said huffing and putting her hands on her hips as she tended to do when she didn't get her way or was super angry at some one.

“ Clark didn't do anything besides turn down your suggestion of him joining the paper here at Met U with you.” Lana said before swinging her hair over her shoulder and giving Chloe a look that told her that she really didn't care what was going on, which was her look most of the time any way.

“Lana!” Chloe yelled before stomping off to find someone who would listen to her rant on about how Clark had betrayed her by not joining the paper at Met U. Lana just watched Chloe go before turning around and making her way over to where a small group of girls dressed in pink sat talking about the passing guys in the quad.

“Lana, who was that?” A girl with short blonde hair said looking at Lana as if she had lost her mind.

“A friend from high school”

“Both of them” the girl said remembering Clark and the godly body that had walked past her when he left.

“Yeah, why?” Lana said eyeing the girls with speculation in her eyes. She knew that look, it was the same look Chloe got on her face when she decided that she was going to get Clark and use any method necessary.

“Just wondering is all, the guy….” The girl started out only to stop when Lana gave her the evil eye.

“Is off limits” Lana said in a clipped tone but with a nasty smile on her face that told them that should they cross her there would be hell to pay.

“He's one of yours?” The blonde asked surprised that Lana could pull a guy like that so easily.

“Of course, he's been in love with me since we were little. He's off limits you got that?” Lana said with a smirk on her face that made the others sitting there wonder what she would do to them if they tried anything.

“ Crystal ” the girls said before Lana sat down and began to gossip about the latest happenings on campus. They of course had only been back to campus for a few days but Lana and her crew of pink princesses had already been invited to the best parties on campus and already had pledges wanting to speak to them about joining their sorority for the coming school year.

“What was I thinking asking Chloe and Lana?” Clark mumbled to himself as he walked to his new living quarters.

“I should have known that Chloe would go off about me not joining the newspaper, but jeez I thought we were better friends than that. Guess not.” Clark said before opening up his door to his apartment and looking at the semi-furnished room and shaking his head and why he even thought that Chloe or Lana would want to go to an information meeting on one of the most sought after cooking schools in the US . Clark would have asked Pete at one time but once Pete found out that Lana had joined a sorority, Pete had disappeared into the world of frat life and had yet to surface. Clark looked around the rooms again and decided that maybe calling his mother now would be a good idea; he still had enough time to back out of the lease and come back to Smallville and help his parents with the farm if need be.

“Kent Farms, Martha speaking”

“Hi Mom” Clark said into the cell phone that his parents had gotten him as a graduation gift one year ago.

“ Clark so glad to hear from you, how is college living going?”

“It's not, Chloe and Lana don't want to talk to me because they felt I was spending too much time with my *new* friends.” Clark said with a sigh.

“ Clark , didn't you tell them that you were studying or with Lex most of those times?”

“I tried but Chloe didn't want to listen to me and you know how Lana gets if a conversation lasts too long and it isn't focused on her.” Clark said a small chuckle at the accurate description he had just given of Lana. He had loved the girl since he was little but the more time he spent with Lex the more he realized that he loved the idea that Lana projected, one of innocence and needing to be protected. It got old fast always having to come to the girl's rescue due to her laziness or lack of thinking things through.

“Well have you asked Lex to go with you?” Martha said wondering why her son had yet to ask the bald man, since she knew that if given the choice he would have picked Lex first for anything that Clark would need help in.

“Mom, Lex is busy with LexCorp and fighting with his father he doesn't have time for me and going to an informational meeting about the cooking school I told you about.” Clark said sad at the words he spoke, since they were exactly what Lex had said to Clark one day when he had gone for a visit to the penthouse where Lex now lived. Clark had liked to think that Lex had moved to Metropolis due to him starting college, but the few times that he had seen his best friend they had huge fights over small things and since the last fight was still fresh in Clark's mind, he wasn't looking forward to speaking with the older man any time soon if at all ever again.

“ Clark ” Martha said with a sigh, she knew something was going on with her son and Lex Luthor but she just didn't know how to broach the subject.

“Look Mom, Lex said he was too busy to *hang* out with a college student and that I needed to find people that are willing to put up with me and my self-centeredness.” Clark said his heart breaking yet again at the words that Lex had said to him just a few days ago.

“Oh Clark ” Martha said now understanding why her son was so distant from the older man and why he was having such problems with the few close friends from Smallville.

“Can't I just come home and help you and dad out? I know you need the help and I can take some classes at the junior college.” Clark said homesick and ready to leave Metropolis as soon as possible, for there was nothing for him here any longer. His friends seem to have left him for better things and the one person that Clark had counted on the most had left him out in the cold which made Clark wonder if the years of friendship with the older man were only for his amusement since there wasn't much else the Luthor heir and billionaire could do in the small town of Smallville.

“No Clark , you need to stick this out. I know it may seem like things are really bad right now, but always know that things happen for a reason and maybe this is a way for you to do something that you like to do instead of what people expect you to do.” Martha said hoping she was getting through to her son, for if she wasn't she didn't know if she would be able to keep Clark in Metropolis or keep her cool around the young Luthor heir the next time she saw him. The phone conversation stopped for a few minutes and Martha began to wonder on if her son was even on the other line until she heard him speak.

“You're right Mom, I'm not going to be a coward and run away from this, from here on in I am going to do what I want to do and to heck with what everyone else thinks about me and what I should do.” Clark said with a passion in his voice that Martha only heard when Clark was talking about Lex or his passion for cooking and baking.

“So what are you going to do dear?” Martha said interested in what sort of plan Clark had come up with in such a short period of time.

“Go to the meeting about the cooking school and hope that I can maybe be a student before classes start.” Clark said excited at the idea of living out of his dream of being a chef at a four star restaurant or even owning his own restaurant.

“You think they will let you in so late?” Martha said excited that her son had finally decided to do something that he loved to do.

“I hope so, I got that letter over the summer remember about me going there this fall. I hadn't really given it much thought until I got a reminder email from them earlier today.” Clark said already grabbing a notepad and pen so that he could take notes at the meeting, should he need to.

“Well then I should let you go and get ready, I have just one question for you Clark .”

“Yeah”

“Are you even a student at Met U any longer?” Martha said knowing her son well enough to know that he was not in fact a student at Met U any longer.

“I withdrew this summer when I got the acceptance letter from the cooking school, is that okay?” Clark asked worried that maybe he shouldn't have done that or told his mother so soon.

“Its fine dear, now go make me proud” Martha said before giving her son another pep talk about things being fine before they hung up the phone. Once Clark was off the phone he noticed the time and gave a shout due to the time, he had only ten minutes to make it to the “meet and greet” that he was to attend tonight. With the thought of running all the way to the building where the meeting was to be held, Clark started out the door and then out the building running at full tilt. Clark pulled up short when he saw that four doors down from his building was the building in question with a huge sign over the door that said ‘Royal'el School of Culinary Arts'.

“You have to be kidding me?” Clark mumbled to himself, since he hadn't known that his apartment was in a prime location for him if he was to attend classes here.

“Name?” A voice said breaking Clark out of his thought about his close living quarters to the school.

“Kent, Clark Kent ” Clark said before he blushed at the look the girl gave him from behind the table that she stood at. Her black hair along with her black dress, tights and white Mary Jane shoes made Clark pull up short.

“Here you go” she said with a kind smile on her face, she could tell that Clark was new and needed all the kindness he could get at the moment and since he wasn't too hard on the eyes she figured she could be nice to him. She only hoped that no one came up and saw her being nice, since she was known at the school for her less that pleasant manners and moods.

“Thanks” Clark said taking a huge packet from the girl and then turning to go to where a line of people stood to get into the large auditorium.

“My name's Emilie, Emilie Soo” the girl said before giving Clark a wave and moving on to the next person in line that needed help and looking bored while doing it. Clark nodded his head and made a mental note to remember the girl since she seemed very nice and he may be needing help in the near future if he was to be attending classes here. Once Clark made it inside of the auditorium he found a seat off to the side and near the middle, where it seemed that an interesting group of people had decided to sit. Most were dressed very similar, with all black on and some sort of graphic tee that said something about a girl named Emily Strange. Clark figured he would look it up as soon as he got back to his apartment, but if the looks on a couple of their faces where anything to go by he would be finding out shortly directly from a source.

“ Clark right?” A girl with bright red hair asked Clark . She wore a shirt that said ‘get lost' with the Emily Strange character showing her fists on a black background.

“Yes” Clark said wondering how the girl knew who he was.

“Emilie told us to come and welcome you” the girl said before she noticed the blank stare on Clark 's face.

“Emilie the girl that just helped you, so follow me” the girl explained to Clark before he nodded his head and smiled at the girl.

“Thanks” Clark said before standing up and following the girl back to the group that sat a few seats down from where he had been sitting.

“This here is Luke, Mary Alice, Uma and of course me; Narcissa.” The girl said pointing out each person as she said there name.

“Hi” Clark said at a loss as to what to say to the group of people that were sitting in front of him.

“Luke stop drooling and move over” another voice said that Clark knew as Emilie Soo.

“I was not drooling” Luke said his face red due to Emilie catching him staring at Clark and his amazing body.

“Sure, and I am the Queen of the England” Emilie said before she took a seat next to Clark, and just in time due to the lights being dialed down while music and a large white screen became full of images of the school from years past rotated on the screen with some 1940's Harlem jazz inspired music playing in the background.

"So Clark what brings you here?” Emilie asked Clark in a whisper so as to not disturb the people around them.

“Uh” Clark said at a loss at to how to answer the question. When his mother had asked the same question the answer was that he loved to cook and bake was always his answer and she always seemed to understand that.

“You're new right?” Emilie asked wondering what had someone that looked like Clark here at this school.

“Yeah”

“So what bull did you feed the admissions department for acceptance? I personally fed them the line about wanting to succeed in the world of food by owning my own coffee shop, you?”

“Oh” Clark said with a laugh knowing that the girl was lieing but still telling the truth in some weird twisted fashion.

“I plan to own my own bakery in the town that I am from once I graduate” Clark said in answer to Emilie's words which had him laughing.

“He's a keeper” Emilie told Narcissa who had decided to sit on the other side of Clark, just to make sure that Luke wouldn't make a fool of him self in front of Clark.

“Good, I'll put in his Emily order” Narcissa said before paying attention as the music died down and the lights dialed back up to their original brightness.

“Welcome new and old students to Royal'el School of Culinary Arts” a man wearing glasses and a chef uniform with black pinstripe pants and a crisp white chef coat said.

“My name is Chef David Jones” once he said that a group of students in the front of the room stood up and starting clapping and whistling loudly.

“Those are the normals” Emilie said pointing to the group which were making a fool of themselves over the man on stage speaking.

“You mean like the normal preppy crowd in high school?” Clark asked wanting to know if he needed to avoid them or not. He had horrible run-ins with the preppy crowd in Smallville and he didn't think that his chances here were going to be any better.

“One in the same, they thought that high school was the best time of their life and have decided to continue living the dream here” Narcissa said since it looked like Emilie wanted to murder one of the people in said group.

“I take it you don't hold hands and sing Kumbaya together?”

“Far from it” Emilie answered with a laugh afterwards, she could get used to Clark if he acted like he was now.

“See that one there” Narcissa said pointing out a girl that in Clark 's opinion could have been a double for Lana Lang because of the pink outfit she had on.

“Yeah, looks like a girl I know, knew whatever. What's her deal?”

“Emilie is on probation because of her, she lied and told our professor of cake decorating that Emilie had not only stolen her design but also destroyed her cake so that she would fail”

“You have to be kidding me”

“Nope, the girl got away with it too hence why Emilie was up there greeting you newbies and not the P3 over there as it should have been”

“Sorry to hear about that” Clark said to Emilie who had an evil look on her face.

“She's going to fall…” Emilie sang and soon there after the girl dressed in pink went down from all of the dancing she had been doing.

“Awwwww, too bad so sad” Emilie cackled before waiting for the chef on stage to continue speaking.

“As I was saying” the man said eyeing the group with a stare that said ‘there better not be any more of this or else'. The group seemed to take the hint and sat back down before the chef continued with his introduction speech.

“Some of you already know me and to them I say welcome back to another year, to those that don't know me I say welcome to the beginning of the rest of your lives.” Soon there after the chef began speaking about new classes being offered and staff changes that had occurred over the summer break.

“I would like you to give your attention now to Tia Chang, who is our new freshman program director” Chef David Jones said before stepping away from the mic and sitting down next to a woman that looked to be older than dirt.

“Hello, as Chef Jones said I am the new freshman program director” the woman on stage said and it seemed that she had most of the auditorium's attention but that could have been do to her beauty and not what she was saying in an oddly banal tone of voice.

“I would first like to welcome the entire group of new freshman”

“Oh boy we are going to be here all night” Emilie griped, she so hated sitting around listening to the muckity mucks that ran the school talk about togetherness and building networking that would last your whole life.

“Do they do this every year?” Clark asked afraid to know the answer.

“Oh yeah, and every year there is a new freshman program director.”

“Do I dare ask why?”

“You can but do you want to know the answer” Narcissa answered for Emilie.

“Not sure”

“Well….we usually get one of the freshman under our wing and by the time they are done with them, they tend to quit” Luke said now pitching his voice to carry over to Clark's ears even though he was two seats away from Clark.

“That's just too bad for them” Clark said eyeing the woman on stage and wondering if she would be quitting early, she didn't seem to be made up of tough stuff and looked as if she would fall over at any moment.

“We don't think so; if our counselors can put up with us surely a silly program director can too” Emilie said before pointing to a guy that was sitting in the back of the room wearing all black and looking as bored as they did.

“On it” Mary Alice and Uma both said before sneaking off towards the guy.

“New recruit” Clark asked a bit worried that the guy was going to be their newest member.

“We'll see” Narcissa said before whispering into Clark 's ear so Emilie couldn't hear her.

“I think Emilie's found some candy she is sweet on” at those words Clark laughed before nodding his head that he understood. Mary Alice and Uma were soon making their way back to their seats with the boy dressed in black in tow.

“I would also like for all freshman to be a cohesive group….” Tia Chang continued on with few people listening to her as she spoke, but she took no notice.

“All strangers welcome Beckett” Uma said since Mary Alice was being a look out should there be any trouble. Emilie, Narcissa and Luke nodded their heads to him while Clark just sort of shrugged his shoulders in greeting.

“Sup?” Beckett said before taking a seat next to Luke who was three seats in from the end of the row.

“So welcome freshman!” Tia Chang finished her speech which had the man from before jumping up and clapping.

“Thank you Tia, thank you. Now why don't I introduce the rest of the professors for this year and then we can move on to what you all have been waiting for…..meeting and greeting!” The man said before rattling down a list of names and what the professor specialty was.

 

“All right that's all I have to say, so eat, drink and be merry” the chef said before people began clapping and making their way towards the open foyer that they had come in from earlier. Emilie and the others made no move to leave while the rest of the people in the auditorium did so making them look like a pack of wild animals in the process.

“Right, now lets go” Emilie said before standing up and making her way with Clark, Beckett and the others following her.

“Ooooh” greeted them as they made their way out into the foyer.

“You have to be kidding me” Emilie said in an imitation of Clark .

“Emilie, who's the newbie? No, no…newbie what's your name?” The girl dressed in pink that had fallen earlier asked to Clark .

“Don't worry about it Davis ” Emilie snapped not in the mood to deal with Phoebe Davis, Royal'el's princess.

“Stay out of it Soo” Phoebe said before asking Clark again what his name was, Clark not wanting to be rude answered.

“ Clark ”

“You got a last name?” Phoebe asked already wondering what a piece of meat like Clark was doing hanging out with a crew like the ‘Stranges'. It was then at Luke jumped in.

“Don't worry about it princess”

“That's not for you to decide” Phoebe said ready for a show down if need be.

“No its not but don't worry about it” Emilie said before walking away seeing that Chef Jones had gotten wind to the altercation and was making his way over to where the two groups of students stood.

“Problem?” Chef Jones asked looking between Emilie and Phoebe for an answer.

“Just fine sir” Phoebe said putting on her cute innocent routine that had most people fooled.

“See that it stays that way” he said before walking away and greeting some students that had stopped him.

“Clark why don't you come with us and we will show you around” Phoebe said sure that Clark would go since he looked to fit the mold that they had going on much better than the dark, broody and just plain weird that the group he was currently with projected.

“I think I'm good” Clark said not really wanting to go with the girl and get into the same thing he did when he was in high school.

“Well if you change your mind, we'll be over there” Phoebe before pointing out an area that had a large group of freshman hovering around it.

“Uh, okay” Clark said wondering why so many people were over there.

“That's the normal club they are trying to get into” Emilie answered Clark 's unasked question.

“They have a club”

“Oh yeah, just think in terms of a fraternity or sorority, only we call them clubs here since they are co-ed” Narcissa said before they made their way into the crowd of people to greet some of the freshman that decided that being a normal wasn't as much fun as it was said to be.

“See you bright and early” Mary Alice yelled to Clark and Beckett both as they made their way back home.

“Mental” Beckett said in a rich British accent that was just driving Clark wild. He did always have a thing for a British accent and boy did Beckett have one.

“Pretty much but much better than the ‘normals'” Clark said thinking of the other run in that he had with Phoebe while at the meet and greet.

“Indeed”

“Dude we need to work on your vocabulary skills” Clark joked before pushing Beckett a bit which had the other boy laughing.

“To what? Fo' shizzle…?” Beckett said before turning to Clark and posing as a rapper would do.

“Classic” Clark said since Beckett had said the whole thing with a British accent and it made the whole scene that much more funny.

“Whatever” Beckett said before acting like Phoebe had at the meet and greet.

“Like for sure” Clark said before laughing again at the way he was acting. He had never been able to act like this with his old friends and even with Lex where was always a sort of decorum code that Clark felt he needed to use when in the older man's presence.

“This here's my spot” Beckett said stopping at the same apartment building that Clark was living in as well.

“Well luck is on our side, I live here as well” Clark said going inside with Beckett and then laughing at joke that was told in poor form.

“I'm on the third floor and the lady next to me has lots of cats” Beckett said already eyeing the elevator as if it was evil.

“What's so bad about that?” Clark asked knowing that there was more to the story than the lady had cats.

“I'm allergic to cats, and I asked to be moved but that was a no go” Beckett said before pushing the up button with a sigh.

“Well, it must be our lucky night or something since they rented me a two bedroom and I live on the top floor next to no one since it seems that mostly non-college students rented here” Clark said remembering when the super of the building ranted and raved about how he couldn't rent a two bedroom if you paid him and that Clark was just going to have to be happy with a two bedroom for the price of a one bedroom. At the time Clark thought it was a sweet deal, that way his friends could stay the night and not have to worry about sleeping on the couch, but when it seemed that his old friends had other ideas the lonely two bedrooms was looking not so great.

“Oh bless you my child” Beckett said happy to move in with Clark and get away from the cat lady and her cats.

“As if I'm a child” Clark said to Beckett as they rode the elevator up to the third floor so that Beckett could get some things to take with him for the night.

“Oh boy” Clark said smelling the cats as soon as they got off the elevator.

“Who are you telling? I…” here Beckett sneezed and then sneezed again.

“Hate it” Clark finished for him while waiting outside of the apartment since it seemed that there were more boxes than standing room.

“Yes” Beckett said now stuffed up and sounding even sexier in Clark 's mind.

“Come with me” Clark said to Beckett, who had a small bag of things from his apartment. Once back on the elevator Beckett began to wheeze a bit and it made Clark think of Lex and the time that they had been in the main ballroom at the castle when Lex began sneezing and wheezing because of all the dust that had risen from the taking off of the tarps in the room, Enrique had not been happy when Lex stormed into the hallway yelling for Enrique to clean up the room and it had better be done by the end of the day. Clark had to talk Lex down from the threat of firing the man since it wasn't his fault that dust had settled on the tarps to begin with.

“Here we are” Clark said a sad smile on his face at the thought of Lex and the ended friendship.

“Whoa” Beckett said looking around the sort of empty apartment and yet there were a platter of cookies and what looked to be a cake sitting on the kitchen counter.

“Hope this is okay” Clark said worried that Beckett would find the limited furnishings a problem.

“This is perfect and I see you are a fan of baking” Beckett said eyeing the cake and wondering if he could have a piece.

“Love all things sweet” Clark said before going into the kitchen and grabbing two plates and two forks.

“I hope you don't mind” Beckett said cutting a huge piece of cake and eating it before he finished his sentence. “But I am in love with you” Beckett said going for another piece of cake.

“Sure, sure you say that to all the boys who make cake” Clark said with a laugh, he just knew that he and Beckett would be great friends and that thought made his heart just a bit lighter.

“Maybe” Beckett said with his mouth full of cake. Clark just shook his head and ate the rest of his piece of cake in silence while Beckett moaned about how wonderful it was.

“You have got to give me the recipe for this”

“No can do that is a family secret right there” Clark said remembering when his mother had told him that if he even thought about giving out the recipe that she would hunt him down and kill him son or no son.

“Punishment of death?” Beckett asked knowing the feeling since his Nan had given him one his most favorite dishes recipe with the threat of death.

“Oh yeah and even my children's children” Clark said laughing when Beckett thought about the comment and laughed.

“Are you sure….I could make it worthy your while” Beckett said looking all sexy and making Clark want to cave just to get a kiss from Beckett but knowing that he wouldn't in the end.

“Positive” Clark said before grabbing the plate that Beckett had licked clean and placed it in the sink.

“Bloody hell that's just too damn unfair” Beckett said before he followed Clark into the hallway where all of the doors were open.

“I just picked one, do you have a preference?”

“No” Beckett said taking the second bedroom which was closest to the living room.

“Night” Clark said before yawning and making his way into his semi-unpacked room.

“You are going to sleep?” Beckett asked stunned he had been certain that Clark would want to party all night but here the other boy was going to bed and it was only ten in the evening.

“Yeah, I'm from a farm and the time change hasn't taken effect yet” Clark said and then yawned again.

“Wow, just plain wow” Beckett said amazed that he wouldn't have to worry about being tired himself.

“Hope that is all right, if you want to go out though just let me know when you come back” Clark said taking off his shirt and making Beckett drool in the process. He had noticed that Emilie had taken an interest in him but when he had spent more time with Clark than Emilie she got the hint and said that she would work on their flannel wearing friend.

“No, no it is quite all right” Beckett said before making his way back into his room to get ready for bed. Clark watched him for a moment and then made his way into his room for his first night as a student at Royal'el Culinary School.

~Six Months Later~

“I still say that the exam was rigged” Beckett said to Clark as he stood in front of a large gold colored machine dressed in all black.

“You're just mad that I did better than you” Clark said before handing over a cream paper cup filled with some sort of latte mix to a customer before smiling and nodding his head in thanks for the tip they had given him.

“No, it's not that it's just how can I have done so badly?” Beckett said before sighing again at getting a C on his mid-term exam for his Latin Cuisines course that both he and Clark were taking that semester.

“You have poor theory in Latin foods” Clark said before slamming some items from the espresso machine down into the grate of the machine.

“How can I have poor theory? You're a baker for all things that are holy” Beckett said waving his arms around like he was Italian.

“Dunno, might have been because I *studied* instead of going out with the crew” Clark before flicking on the machine and drowning out Beckett's rant about him going out having nothing to do with doing so badly on the mid-term.

“What'd ya say?” Clark said before seeing that Beckett was pouting and there for not speaking to him.

“Did you want it with whip cream on top?” Clark asked the guy standing on the other side of the counter giving Beckett an evil eye.

“You on top would be better” the guy said in response which had Clark shaking his head that it wouldn't be possible for that to occur.

“Well here's my number” the guy said before taking the cup and tipping Clark with double the amount it cost for the hot beverage itself.

“How do you do it?” Beckett said mouth hanging open and the huge tip the man just left Clark .

“Dunno, but that is so pizza money” Clark said already thinking of what he would be putting on said pizza since tonight was his last night studying before Spring Break would start.

“You're going to spend that on pizza?”

“Yeah, I got one more mid-term to take and I am *not* going out with you and the crew if I value my menu management grade.”

“Dude, we are going to Club Therin, Emilie knows the bouncer there” Beckett said trying to get Clark to come with him to the club since the rest of the crew had no issues with staying out all night before an exam.

“Nope, I'm on the border of getting an A and I plan to get that A” Clark said before going back to making yet another coffee blend that a customer had ordered.

“You prat” Beckett said before eyeing a trio of people that had just come into the coffee shop making a ton of noise.

“Thank you” Clark said before laughing at a joke the customer had told about British people that Beckett didn't hear. When the customer left Clark looked to where it seemed Beckett's attention was placed and there now in line were Chloe, Pete and Lana.

“Oh no” Clark groaned before tapping a fellow barista on the shoulder and asking them to take over for a bit since Clark had to get ‘some air'. When the other person nodded Clark made a bee line to the back of the shop but not before Chloe caught sight of Clark 's back.

“Pete, Lana; is that Clark ?” Chloe said pointing out the retreating back covered in black which was the uniform for Sri Latte Coffee and Confectionery Shop.

“Nah, Clark wouldn't work in a place like this” Pete said before stepping up the counter and ordering a hot cocoa for himself and a latte with lots of whip topping for Lana.

“Chlo'” Pete said pulling Chloe out of her thoughts on if she had just seen Clark or not.

“Can I get a double espresso with a dash of mint flavor in it?” Chloe rattled out to the cashier who then directed them to the barista that was in the process of making both Pete's and Lana's orders.

“The double espresso?” The barista asked waiting for the person to step up.

“Yeah, that's me” Chloe said before taking notice of a guy dressed in all black and sporting a small Mohawk.

“I'm going to have to have the other barista do it, I'm new so I'm not really sure…” they said not having a clue what Chloe had just ordered.

“Fine, fine; I'll just wait over there with my friends” Chloe said before making her way over to where Pete and Lana sat all cozy in a booth on the other side of the room.

“No coffee” Pete said once Chloe said sitting down at the booth with her back turned away from the counter.

“Guy's new and doesn't know how to make it” Chloe said before the three began to talk about their midterms and what their plans for Spring Break were.

“ Clark , glad you are back…” the barista said in a panic over not being able to make Chloe's order.

“What's up?”

“I need help with a double espresso with a shot of mint”

“Is it to go?”

“No, she's sitting over there” the guy said before pointing to Chloe's back which made Clark panic.

“Alright calm down, calm down” Clark said saying it for the both of them, for he didn't know what he would do if Chloe, Pete and Lana found him working at the coffee shop. It wasn't as if the three had actively tried to find him during his first semester at Royal'el but he knew that if they saw him here that they would want to know why he was here and where he had been for the first semester at Met U. Soon Clark was showing the guy how to make the ordered drink while looking at the three every few seconds to make sure that they had not checked to see how Chloe's drink was going.

“Sup?” Beckett said once the other barista left to take Chloe her drink.

“I *knew* them” Clark said putting emphasis on the ‘knew' instead of know.

“Those be them then?” Beckett said knowing the whole story and why Clark seemed to be itching to get away from the counter again.

“Oh yeah, those be them” Clark said running a hand through his shorten hair in a nervous gesture that he was never able to shake.

“I'll order something to get you out of their sights” Beckett said before stepping in line and ordering a pastry from the pastry counter on the far back wall of the shop.

“ Clark you got that?” The cashier said looking at Clark and waiting for his nod.

“You bet” Clark said before speed walking over to the pastry counter where he met up with Beckett.

“The pink one” Beckett said knowing that Clark really didn't want to talk about the three but knowing that he had to.

“Sort of like Phoebe only more…..fluffy” Clark said thinking of the best way to say that Lana didn't have a brain between her ears.

“And the blonde?”

“The bitch reporter” Clark said quickly before ducking down and grabbing a scone from the bottom self of the chilled counter, because Chloe had turned around scanning the room as if knowing someone was talking about her.

“The guy?”

“Used to be best friend until he decided that he had other more important things in his life” Clark said remembering when Pete had given him a speech about how loser Clark was being for not going to a fraternity party that they had been invited to or more like Clark had but Pete happen to be there at the time.

“Such pleasant company they are” Beckett said before remembering that Clark said there were four people he was friends with and this was only three.

“Where's the fourth?”

“On the cover of this month's GQ” Clark mumbled so Beckett didn't hear him.

“Huh?”

“Don't know maybe at work” Clark said before ducking back down since it seemed that Chloe had told Pete of her suspicions and now he was looking around the shop for something.

“Hmmm” Beckett said before biting into his scone and moaning about how good it was and that Clark needed to make more scones at home.

“Shut it Beckett or the customers will think badly of me” Clark said a smile on his face to show that he was only kidding. Most of the customers knew Clark and if given the chance to bed the young man they would in a heart beat.

“They already do” Beckett said before leaning on the chilled counter and looking like he was flirting with the person behind the counter.

“He can't be serious” Chloe said watching Beckett flirt with an employee of the shop.

“I think he is” Pete said eyeing the other guy and wondering who he was flirting with because if the cashier was the standard for the shop than the person the guy was flirting with was model material.

“Do we *have* to watch that?” Lana said angry that Pete wasn't paying attention to her, she had thought at the time when Pete asked her out that he was doing it because of a bet but now it seemed that Pete genuinely cared for her and she just didn't know how to break it to him that she was only seeing him because of Clark, the yet to surface farm boy of her dreams.

“Well I'm ready to go” Chloe said before watching as the employee stood up with their back towards them.

“Are you sure that isn't Clark ?” Chloe said having a feeling that she should know the back that was being presented to her.

“ Clark would never work here and look the guys got a Mohawk just like the other guy” Pete pointed out before standing and then helping Lana put her coat on.

“I guess your right” Chloe said slowly before putting on her coat and making her way to the door of the shop. She just knew that the employee was someone she knew but since she couldn't see their face she didn't know who.

“Come on!” Lana said feeling the chill that still hung in the air even though it was March. Pete and Chloe soon caught up with Lana and began to plan out their Spring Break which included plenty of parties at Lana's house since Nell had taken up residents in Metropolis with Lionel Luthor for the time being.

“It's safe” Beckett said once the three were outside and making their way towards Met U's campus.

“Out of all the coffee shops…” Clark started only to have Beckett end it for him.

“You had to walk into mine”

“Prat” Clark said a smile on his face at Beckett's quote.

“Indeed” Beckett said before looking at his watch and moaning about the fact that he had to go to the cooking lab to try and get extra credit.

“I told you, if you would have stayed home” Clark started out only to have Beckett wave his middle finger at him.

“That is not an option *now* now is it?” Beckett said before making his way back to the main counter area.

“Nope but Emilie did warn you that Professor Oliver was hard”

“I didn't expect him to be that hard” Beckett said before shaking his head and making his way towards the door.

“Honey dinner better be ready when I get home” Beckett said before blowing a kiss to Clark and then leaving.

“Are you sure you two aren't, like together” the girl working the cash register said looking between Clark and Beckett's back.

“Pretty sure I would have known if I got a piece of that” Clark said before going back to making lattes and other drinks for the steady stream of customers that were visiting the shop on that chilly afternoon.

“Too bad” the girl said before taking the next order and shouting it out to an available barista to fill it.

~Three and a Half Years Later~

  “This is a chance of a lifetime” Chef Majandra De Laurentiis told her class which held both Beckett and Clark.

“Are there any questions?” Chef De Laurentiis said looking over the shocked faces of her students. It wasn't every day that you got the opportunity to serve to the high society of Metropolis at a Halloween party put on by Metropolis' reigning family, the Luthors.

“Where will it be held” a girl with long brown hair said looking out over the room as if she was the queen on the class.

“ Luthor Castle in Smallville”

“Smallville, where's that” someone called out which had Beckett turning to Clark and seeing a white faced Clark .

“You're from there?”

“Yeah and I know *all* about Luthor Castle ” Clark mumbled to Beckett to make sure that no one else heard them.

“Well Smallville…” Chef De Laurentiis started only to stop because she really didn't know much about the town or where it was located.

“Aren't you going to speak up?”

“Hello and give Sarah room to question me?” Clark said eyeing the girl in question and shivering in fear.

“But…but you fancy blokes” Beckett said as if that answered the problem.

“And she thinks that a *real* woman will make me fancy birds” Clark said before curling into himself since Sarah had her Clark radar on.

“Isn't Clark from Smallville” Sarah questioned the professor before turning and grinning at Clark like she was deranged.

“Clark” Chef De Laurentiis said looking to Clark and the red tinge his cheeks were.

“Yeah, I'm from there” Clark finally spoke up since it seemed that class would not be proceeding if he didn't answer the question.

“So tell us more about it? Have you ever met Lex Luthor? I heard he was exiled there a few years ago…” Sarah asked in rapid succession which had Clark wanting to run for all he was worth. He had tried to forget his friendship with Lex and the years of pinning that he had done over Lana and then Lex and now it seemed as if his past was coming to bite him in the butt.

“Uh….okay; Smallville is about three hours southwest of Metropolis” Clark started out before Beckett took Clark 's hand under the table and held it. He knew how hard it was for Clark to talk about his past in Smallville and now here he was about to graduate from Culinary School with honors, talking about a place that Clark only visited on breaks from school trying to avoid the people in the town at all costs.

“Three hours!” Sarah said surprised that Smallville was not so far away. The way the paper had spun Lex's exile all those years ago they made it seem like Smallville was ten hours away and so remote that anyone going there best want to spend plenty of time there.

“Yeah three hours, and ummm well….” Clark said not wanting to answer the question on if he had met Lex Luthor or not because in all actuality he had not only met Lex Luthor but he had also befriended the bald billionaire.

“So did you ever meet Lex Luthor?” Sarah said a dreamy smile on her face at the thought of being able to meet what many magazines had called ‘The sexiest and most beautiful Man in Business'.

“I've seen him” Clark said hoping that would be enough.

“What does he look like up close?” Sarah asked at which time the professor decided that the line of questioning was going no where.

“Thank you Clark for giving us a bit of information on your home town”

“Yeah, sure” Clark said still holding Beckett's hand as if he let go the other man would disappear.

“So as I was saying the Halloween Party will be at Luthor Castle in Smallville and for all of you that would like to participate, please sign up on the paper that is going around the room.” Chef De Laurentiis said pointing to the paper that was going around the room which seemed to have every one signing up.

“Only fifteen spots are open so if more than that sign up I will have to narrow the list down by how you are doing in this class and over all” most nodded their heads at the words before placing their name on the sheet.

“You going to sign up” Beckett whispered to Clark who had it seemed gone into a panic attack.

“No” Clark said quickly which made Beckett want to know what had Clark in such a state.

“What aren't you telling me?” Beckett said before grabbing the piece of paper and putting his and Clark 's name down.

“No, no don't do that” Clark said panicking over the thought of having to not only see Lex but also deal with the other man while in Smallville.

“Clark” Beckett said passing the paper over to the next person and watching Clark watch in horror as the paper made its way put to the professor.

“Well what a turn out” she said before taking the paper and putting it in a stack of papers she had sitting on the table behind her.

“Okay, now that I have that taken care of I, want you to break into pairs and work on the exercise we were working on last class.” Once everyone had broken into pairs Beckett questioned Clark again.

“ Clark what is going on?”

“Not here” Clark said eyeing Sarah as she made her way over to where Beckett and Clark stood working on developing a menu for a banquet.

“You will tell me, yes?”

“Yeah Beck you know I will just not here” Clark said before pointing to Sarah who had now arrived to their table.

“So you never answered my question about meeting Lex Luthor, I mean in a town called Smallville I would think you at least met the man”

“Ms. Parkison please return to your seat” Chef De Laurentiis said clapping her hands at the girl.

“Sorry Chef De Laurentiis” Sarah said before swaying back to her seat, making both Beckett and Clark shake their heads at Sarah's moves.

“A fat cow” Beckett said before he pointed out a flaw in the menu that they were working on. The rest of the class passed with little trouble and when class was released Beckett made sure that they were the first people out of the classroom and making their way towards the men restroom where Sarah couldn't get to them.

“So spill, what's got you in much a panic?”

“You know that fourth person of my ex-friends that I said I never wanted to talk about?”

“Yeah” Beckett said not seeing where the issue was but knowing that it was what had Clark in such a state.

“That fourth person is…was Lex Luthor” Clark said before he heard Beckett yell.

“Bloody hell you don't do things by half do you?”

“Ya' know” Clark said with a shrug, it was that response that Beckett had just given as to why he never told any one he was friends with Lex Luthor.

“I see why didn't you say anything” Beckett said before pulling his large friend into a hug, he understood now why Clark never, ever wanted to talk about the fourth person who was one of Clark's only friends while living in the small town. A few moments later Beckett pulled back and asked if Clark was okay and received a nod in response.

“Well do you want to talk to Chef De Laurentiis about taking our names off the list?” Beckett said not wanting to go to Smallville if Clark wasn't going to go, he didn't know what he would do alone and in the radar of Lex Luthor.

“No, you know what? I'm going to go and have fun; I'm not going to be scared about seeing him or any of them for that matter” Clark said standing up straighter taking his father's words of ‘fight for what you want' to heart.

“Sweet, cuz you know your mum still owes me for that dinner I made” Beckett said a smile on his face at the resolve he saw in his friends eyes.

“Beck, mom isn't going to give you the recipe to the special cake. It's just not going to happen” Clark said with a laugh before opening up the restroom door and then making his way down the hall to their next class.

“A bloke can hope right?” Beckett said before following Clark into their next class and taking a seat.

Two weeks later had Beckett and Clark back in Chef De Laurentiis' class waiting to find out along with the rest of the class who had been chosen to go to Smallville for the Luthor Halloween Party to serve at.

“After careful consideration and an overview of every ones academic standing, here are the fifteen people I have chosen to serve at the Luthor Halloween Party. They are….. Clark Kent, Beckett Neely, Sarah Parkinson….” And the list went on for another twelve names were said.

“We rock!” Beckett said loudly after all the names were said, which had most of the room laughing at him.

“Now that we have that out of the way I want you all to begin working on your projects” Chef De Laurentiis said before going around the room and setting packets of paper on the tables of the people who were to go to the castle for the party in just a few weeks.

“Clark, I would like to speak to you for a moment after class” the professor said before continuing down the row and handing Sarah her packet and then returning to the front of the room.

“All right, see you next class where we are going to be in the cooking lab working on those menus you have been working on” Chef De Laurentiis said before watching as her class filed out with Beckett hanging back waiting for Clark.

“Mr. Nelly, I'll have Clark right out” the professor said before Beckett nodded his head and closed the door behind him to give the professor and Clark some privacy.

“I wanted to congratulate you on this”

“Thanks…but” Clark said nervous about what the professor was going to say.

“But I have to ask…..will you make sure that the others don't get into too much trouble? I will be there of course but I won't be able to keep an eye on them and I know Ms. Parkison will make every attempt to meet with Mr. Luthor and I can't have that unless he chooses for that to happen.”

“Oh, sure not a problem but you might want to work on where they're going to stay”

“Don't you mean we?”

“No, I'm going to crash at my parent's house if that is alright?”

 

“Oh that is fine, I totally forgot that your parents still live there” the professor said before asking Clark a few questions about where they would be able to house fourteen college students on such short notice.

“I'll give these people a call” Chef De Laurentiis said before Clark opened the door and met up with Beckett, who had a worried look on his face.

“Everything good?”

“Fine, she just wanted to make sure I watch the rest and make sure that Sarah doesn't get arrested for stalking Mr. Luthor” Clark said with a laugh since he knew that if Lex had his way and he found the girl irritating enough he would have the girl arrested and then he would slap a restraining order on her.

“Oh I would pay money to see that” Beckett said before walking with Clark to their next class.

“You might not have to…..”

“ Clark !” Sarah yelled from down the hallway making Clark want to run into his next class but knowing he couldn't.

“Hi, Sarah”

“So about me meeting Mr. Luthor…..”

“Can't help you there”

“Come on, you live in some small hick town and you can't hook me up with meeting the man?”

“Sorry”

“I did the research and found out that Smallville is small and boring and what am I going to do while I am there?” Sarah moaned to Clark as if he had the answers for her.

“Dunno, go to The Talon and drink coffee like the rest of the town” Clark said before turning and making his way back to his next class.

“But I don't drink coffee!”

“That could be a problem” Clark mumbled to Beckett before Beckett laughed and asked why.

“Luthor drinks the stuff as if it is crack”

“You know that?”

“Sure, I *was* his best friend I would hope I knew things like that, just like I know that you have a fetish for my mom's cake recipe.” Clark said before shaking his head at Beckett to tell him that he didn't want to talk any more about it.

“You ponce” Beckett said before slapping Clark 's arm and making his way to an open seat in class.

“I try ya' know” Clark said before the professor called for the class to begin.

~Smallville, Two Weeks Later~

  “This, this is Smallville” Sarah said as she pulled down her large sunglasses that made her eyes look like that of an insect.

“Yeah” Clark said before making a bee line over to where his parents stood waiting for him.

“Mom, dad” Clark said making Sarah turn her lips up at how happy Clark was to be home and with his parents. ‘Who would live in a town like this voluntarily?' she thought to her self and had several of her friends thinking the same thing.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kent such an honor to meet you” Chef De Laurentiis said to Clark 's parent, finally able to meet the parents of one of the most sought after students at Royal'el.

“Chef De Laurentiis” Martha said sticking out a hand and shaking the offered hand along with her husband.

“So like, where are we staying?” Sarah cut in making Chef De Laurentiis grit her teeth, first Sarah had moaned about the three hour drive to Smallville on a bus, then she moaned about the fact that they would *not* be staying at the castle where she thought that they were and now here she is moaning about their lodging for their short stay in the town. Martha and Jonathan shared a look before going over and greeting Beckett who had it seemed gotten behind Sarah and her crew while getting off the bus that had brought them here.

“Beckett” Martha said before hugging the young man in question while Jonathan laughed at Beckett talking a mile a minute with his thick British accent.

“He's still on the ‘must have recipe kick' so watch out” Clark said to his dad while laughing as Beckett started his routine begging for the cake recipe that Clark had been given that first time they met.

“ Kent family secret so if you don't plan on become a Kent , I can't tell” Martha said having both Clark and Beckett blush at her words. It had been around school that the pair of them were in a serious relationship but both knew that not to be true since Clark was still firmly in love with Lex, even if he wouldn't admit it and Beckett was still firmly in love with himself and his cooking.

“All right, all right” Chef De Laurentiis said making the rest of the students turn and listen to her.

“We are staying at the Smallville Retirement Center ” Chef De Laurentiis said waiting for the groans from the students on their living quarters for the next few days.

“You have to be absolutely kidding me?” Sarah screamed while many nodded their heads in agreement, they had not signed up to be shacked with a bunch of old people.

“Ms. Parkison it was your choice to sign up now if you feel that these lodging arrangements aren't to your liking then maybe you should return back to Metropolis” Chef De Laurentiis said her voice telling all there that she would not be listening to them moan about where they were staying.

“But…but there are old people there” Sarah said as if that was something that the professor and chef didn't know.

“Actually” Martha said wanting nothing more than to leave the area but seeing that it might be awhile if she didn't calm the princess down.

“What?” Sarah sniped back making Beckett, Clark and Jonathan go into caveman mode.

“The Retirement Center is a hotel now, there aren't many elderly living here to keep the center open for our aging community so it is currently operating as a hotel.” Martha said a hand on Clark and Jonathan, and Clark holding into Beckett to keep them from ripping into the girl.

“Well then” Sarah said as if that solved everything.

“Ms. Parkison it would do you well to apologize to Mrs. Kent , she was the one after all to set up all of this for us.” the professor said already getting a migraine and they hadn't even started to prepare for the Halloween party.

“Sorry” Sarah said not sounding all that sorry but at that point no one really cared.

“It's all right I would have thought the same thing” Martha said trying to lighten the mood before she took her boys home and away from the evil princess.

“Glad that is settled here are the room assignments” Chef De Laurentiis said before calling out names and hanging them room keys.

“Why didn't you say Clark's or Beckett's name?” Sarah said with her nose in the air.

“Because Clark is staying with his parents and Beckett has opted to stay there as well” Chef De Laurentiis said before shutting Sarah up with a look and pushing all of the students back on the bus for the ride to the retirement center.

“My stars….” Martha said once the bus pulled back out from the bus station and moved towards the retirement center.

“Yeah pretty much” Clark said before laughing at the looks on both his mother's and father's face.

“Does she ever stop?”

“Not that we know of” Beckett answered for them before taking the few bags they had brought with them to the car that sat in the parking lot of the bus station. The ride from the bus station to the farm was made with Clark updating his parents on his studies while Beckett tried and failed to get the famous cake recipe out of Martha.

“Home sweet home” Clark said with a smile as they pulled up to the yellow farm house that had the farm truck sitting in the drive looking like it hadn't run in a few weeks.

“Dad” Clark said once out of the car and walking towards the truck.

“Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you about that” Jonathan said putting his hand on his neck and looking a bit embarrassed.

“I'll take a look at it in a bit, but first I hear there is some pie waiting for me” Clark said a smile on his face at the thought of one of his mother's pies.

“Pie?” Beckett said happy to hear that there was food to be had for he was quite hungry.

“Of course and there is some leftover chicken in the frig” Martha said making her way towards the front door of the house.

“So what happened” Clark asked his father wanting to know how badly broken the truck was.

“I'm not really sure it just sort of quit working on the way back from a delivery” Jonathan said trying to think of if there had been anything out of the ordinary that he could tell his son so that he could fix the truck.

“Hmmm” Clark said thinking about what could be wrong with the truck and whether or not they would have to take to the shop to have it fixed.

“Nice hair cut” Jonathan said laughing that his son still sported the Mohawk he had gotten as a freshman at Royal'el.

“I like it” Clark said running his hand over his hair with a smile on his face.

“Good to know but you know the town is still trying to figure out you” Jonathan said laughing at his son and the day that one of the older men of the community had asked Clark what on Earth was on his head and where had that ‘nice Kent boy' gone.

“Ah well” Clark said before making it to the kitchen to see Beckett dancing around the room with fried chicken in between his teeth.

“And you said me being friends with a Luthor was bad” Clark said before making his way over to the plate of chicken and grabbing a piece before Beckett ate it all. Jonathan could only laugh at Clark 's words because at the time he had thought that the younger Luthor was going to be a bad influence on his son but it seemed that he found a much worse influence and his name was Beckett Neely, British wanna-be chef. After Clark and Beckett had a snack Martha started shooting questions to both of them about their short stay in town.

“So what are the plans?”

“Well besides the serving thing? I think we have to meet with the rest of the group tonight and go over proper etiquette at the Talon, which means no dancing around Beck.” Clark said already knowing that Beckett was going to get him into more trouble than he was in currently with going to the castle with the group.

“Come on! It's not a party till the Beckman is dancing” Beckett said dancing around and then running smack into a chair.

“Yeah, the Beckman, right” Clark said trying to sound serious.

“Prat”

“Thanks” Clark said before standing up and deciding to take a look at the truck so that they could use it for tonight if possible.

“I'm off to take a look at the truck, you want to come Beck?” Clark said knowing that Beckett would refuse.

“Bloody hell and do manual labor? I think not” Beckett said before sliding over to Martha and putting an arm around her.

“I got a recipe I need to work on”

“Beckett” Jonathan said laughing at the British young man.

“I told you, so unless you plan to marry my Clark you are not getting the recipe”

I can try”

“Please don't!” Martha said before laughing while moving towards the oven that held some pies and cakes that needed to go to the Talon for an order.

“And Clark be a dear and drop these off at the Talon when you get the truck up and running”

“Such faith in me” Clark said before nodding his head and heading outside to fix the truck. A few hours later had Clark, Beckett and a lap full of warm and cooling bake goods making their way to the Talon.

“What can't you do?” Beckett said still amazed that Clark could be a pastry chef in training and then turn the other way and work as hard as a horse on a farm and fix cars.

“Uh, sing” Clark said before laughing at the look on Beckett's face.

“You sing just fine, so I ask again what can't you do?”

“I make horrible beef stew” Clark said hoping that would make Beckett happy.

“That you do!” Beckett crowed like he had found the secret to changing silver into gold.

“Here we are” Clark said pulling into a parking spot a few doors down from the Talon's sign and the line of people trying to make their way into the building. Once Clark shut off the truck and grabbed the pies from Beckett, he made this way into the Talon with Beckett hot on his heels asking if he could sneak just a piece of pie before they handed them over.

“Beck, I swear you are a pastry whore”

“Guilty as charged man, guilty as charged; why do you think I keep you around? For your good looks, great conversation and amazing dancing skills?” Beckett said laughing when Clark gave him the ‘are you mad?' look that Beckett knew all too well.

“Ah and here I thought it was because you were madly in love with me and my witty comments …..And it seems we are early for the meeting” Clark said before setting the pies and cakes down to wait for the latest manager of the Talon to come and take the bake goods off his hands.

“ Clark ?” Kris, the manager of the Talon, said looking a bit shocked over how amazing Clark looked.

“Hey Kris, mom sent your order with me” Clark said with a dazzling smile on his face, this of course made the woman at the counter blush and had Beckett in the back laughing before getting he evil eye from Clark.

“High school boys” Kris said before shaking her head and taking the bake goods in back and get a hold of herself and her hormones that wanted to scream ‘fuck me' to Clark.

“Beck, I swear you are worse than Luke is” Clark said a smirk on his face since he knew that Beckett hated being compared to their old friend Luke.

“I am not” Beckett said his loud voice making a few of the people in the Talon turn and look to see who was speaking.

“Sure about that” Clark said before laughing at the pout he got in return before Kris made her way back out with two pies cut up and ready to be put in the pie holder on the counter.

“Clark, you look different” Kris said making Clark turn around and smile at her.

“Yeah, city life has done me good” Clark said before laughing at the look on Kris' face, before a comment like that he would have blushed and stuttered about having to go do chores but not any more.

“I guess so” Kris said surprised that Clark was acting the way he was.

“There hereeeeee” Beckett said before standing next to Clark and giving Kris a sunny smile.

“Mental, don't worry he doesn't bite….much” Clark said to Kris before Chef De Laurentiis and the rest of the students came into the Talon.

“Oh, you did make it” Chef De Laurentiis said ready to be done with this trip and be back at home in Metropolis.

“Yeah, it was touch and go there for a bit though” Clark said before putting some tables together after asking if it was okay. Kris of course nodded her head still in shock over Clark 's changes.

“Is she like off?”

“No, why”

“Well she just…never mind” Beckett said taking a seat next to Clark while the rest of the group found chairs to sit in at the table.

“Good now let me make this quick and clear….” Chef De Laurentiis said before Sarah could start talking.

“I don't want any one bothering Mr. Luthor and I certainly don't any of you bothering his in house chef, is that clear?” When she got nods in response she continued on.

“Next and most important, you will not embarrass the school in any way if that means you spend the whole time either at the castle at the appointed time or in your room, then do so” Chef De Laurentiis said eyeing Sarah letting her know she was on a short leash here.

“Great, here is the schedule” Chef De Laurentiis said before passing out a sheet of paper with times that they were to be at the castle for serving etiquette and other things that they would need to know while serving two day from now.

“Finally, if you have any questions about the town ask them now because you will not be bothering the Kents for questions that you failed to ask now” when no one said anything the professor dismissed them with the curfew of ten PM.

“Kent” Sarah said once everyone had broken up into groups and moved either about the Talon or outside.

“Sarah” Clark said eyeing the girl and the glint she had in her eyes.

“So where would I most likely meet Lex Luthor is this hick town of yours?”

“Here as far as I know this is the town's coffee shop and he is part-owner…” Clark said before walking away with a smirk on his face.

“Why the smirk” Beckett asked Clark who had taken a seat at the counter seats while watching Sarah.

“That” Clark said nodding his head over there Sarah now stood looking around the place and finding a spot that was in perfect view of the door.

“Please tell me you told her that Saint Nicholas was coming…” Beckett said laughing at the look on the girls face; it had a few of the guys staring at her as if she had a twitch or something.

“No Santa, but I hear Lex Luthor is the next best thing for her”

“ Clark , why oh why did you do that?”

“To enjoy her making a complete and utter fool out of herself”

“ Clark ” Kris cut in looking at how close Beckett was sitting next to him.

“Hey, sup?” Clark 's words threw Kris for a minute before stating the problem.

“I know you don't know much about espresso machines…” at this Beckett gave her a look like she was crazy.

“What's the problem?”

“The frothier isn't working properly and Mr. Luthor is due to arrive in a bit”

“Have no fear, I'll take a look at it for we wouldn't want Mr. Luthor to not be able to have his latte now would we?” Clark said with a bit of snark in his voice that Kris missed.

“You are the best” Kris said before making her way over to the espresso machine that stood proud on the other side of the counter.

“I'll be back but I want details of her foolishness” Clark said before making his way to where Kris stood looking at the machine hoping that it would just start working again.

“Let me see what I can do” Clark said before he took over the machine and was soon banging around like he knew what he was doing, and he did since he did work at Sri Latte Coffee & Confectionery Shop and was the top barista there. Ten minutes later had Clark walking to the back of the Talon looking for a tool, when he arrived back to the front he found Beckett dancing by himself to a tune on the stereo system that made Clark want to groan at how silly Beckett looked, while Kris was promising Lex that she would have his latte ready in just a bit.

“Found it” Clark said before turning around and going back to work on the machine while Lex found a seat to wait for his latte.

“Excuse me” Clark heard in Sarah's voice which had him watching the scene from the corner of his eye. Soon after she spoke in a low tone, Clark saw the famous Luthor mask slam into place before he saw Sarah running from the building.

“Dude, come on!” Beckett said to Clark making Lex turn and noticed that a guy standing at the espresso machine with a Mohawk that looked familiar or at least his back did.

“Beck ain't helping” Clark said before he flicked a switch and soon the frothier was working again.

“There ya' go Kris” Clark said before noticing that Lex was making his way over towards them.

“Gotta run” Clark said grabbing Beckett's arm and dashing out of the Talon with most of the people watching the two leave.

“Kris” Lex said with a raised eyebrow.

“Here you go, the frothier was down but its back up” Kris said before she started making all of the back-up orders for lattes not able to answer Lex's silent question of who that was at the machine before her.

“That was close” Clark said before jumping into the truck and speeding away as fast as he could before Lex came out of the Talon and noticed the truck in a parking spot.

“ Clark , man breathe”

“Sorry, sorry” Clark said now getting his breathing under control.

“Sup with that?” Beckett said wanting to know why Clark panicked any time they mentioned the name Lex Luthor.

“Just believe me when I say you will figure it out all tomorrow” Clark said remembering that they were going to meet with the chef in the morning before their tour in the afternoon of the ballroom where the party was going to be held. Beckett knew not to push for whatever it was that Clark and Lex had in the past was something big and that worried Beckett, Clark never held anything back once Beckett knew about the friendship that Lex and Clark had. That night Clark had nightmares of Lex finding him and saying the same horrible things he had said to him all those years ago over and over, while Beckett had nightmares of losing his best friend to Lex Luthor.

“Beck, get up!” Clark yelled for the third time that morning, he of course had been up for hours helping out with the farm but Beckett had slept in as usual and now they were going to be late if Beckett didn't get his ass up and ready.

“The Beckman need's his beauty sleep”

“Well the Beckman can tell Chef De Laurentiis that when she asks where you are” Clark called up the stairs knowing that those words would have Beckett up and moving.

“Dude, why didn't you say anything” Beckett said glaring at a smiling Clark as he came down the stairs.

“I did for the past ten minutes” Clark said before making his way to the front door of the house and to the waiting truck that had produce in the back.

“Please tell me we are *not* making a produce delivery” Beckett said remembering the few times that he had gone with Clark to deliver some produce orders.

“Sorry, but on the bright side it is to Luthor Castle” Clark said before starting up the truck and backing out of the drive way wondering if he should have stayed in Met as he thought he should have.

~ Luthor Castle ~

“Name and business” was spoken through the intercom at the end of the long driveway that took you to Luthor Castle proper.

“ Clark …”

“Just a moment Master Clark” the same voice said only much, much warmer.

“Do I want to know?”

“No, don't think so” Clark said before sighing as the gate opened and Clark pulled the truck to the entrance at the side of the castle where the kitchen was located.

“Knock, knock” Clark said before opening the door and coming face–to-face with the live-in chef.

“Master Clark where have you been?” the chef said in a British accent making Beckett raise his eyebrows again in question to Clark, which Clark could only shake his head since the chef now had him in a hug that didn't allow for him to speak since getting air was a bit tough.

“Air, air” Clark said to the black haired woman that was currently holding him in a bear hug that would put most men to shame.

“Right, right” the chef said before backing up and noticing that Clark had brought someone with him, which was a surprise since Clark usually came to the castle to spend time with Lex and to see him here with someone else and looking much different than he had the last time she saw him was a bit of a shock to her.

“Master Clark it been quite a while since I last saw you, where have you been?” The chef said hands on her hips making Clark shift from foot-to-foot, there were only two people that could make Clark do that and one of them was standing in front of him giving him a look that said ‘he had better have a good reason or else' and the other was sitting on the Kent family farm.

“School” Clark said hoping that he would get out of telling the chef what had happened since his last visit to the castle, four years ago.

“School, school….don't give me some pat answer of school young man” the chef started to rant making Clark very uncomfortable, Beckett on the other hand was cracking up over his friends problem but saw no need to help.

“And just you wait, Master Lex will be so excited to see you….a right mood he has been in” the chef ranted while Beckett stared at Clark in shock over the woman's words.

“Ah, no need to notify Lex that I'm here…really no need at all” Clark said getting nervous, Lex was the last person he wanted to see right now along with Pete, Lana and Chloe but he couldn't tell the woman in front of him that.

“Always so worried about Master Lex” the woman said not noticing Clark was waving to Beckett to save him.

“Ah….Chef” Beckett finally spoke breaking the woman off her rant of Clark and his lack of visiting the castle.

“Ah, hullo…Chef Nigella Brown and you are?” The woman said looking at the boy with a critical eye wondering if Lex knew about this *other* man in Clark 's life.

“Beckett Neely” Beckett said before shifting his eyes to Clark to see if he was supposed to say anything else.

“Ah, friend of Clark 's I assume?”

“Yeah, been friends since our freshman year” Beckett said before he noticed that all of the blood had drained out of Clark 's face at his words.

“ Metropolis University ?” Nigella said her eyes getting colder as she continued to stare at the boy. Beckett looked to Clark for an answer and only got a shrug in response, he didn't know what he should tell the chef that wouldn't reach Lex's ears and at this point in his life he could care less what Lex knew about him.

“Sorry but no, Royal'el Culinary School” Beckett said watching as the woman's feature changed for slightly angry to that of totally confused.

“Culinary school? Culinary school!” Nigella said shocked that something like this had passed Lex's and hers notice.

“Yes” Beckett said looking at the older woman and wondering if he should have maybe agreed with her.

“You go to culinary school?” Nigella said looking at Clark and making Clark suddenly very, very uncomfortable.

“Yeah, it was sort of a last minute decision but not one I would ever take back” Clark said now ready to fight for the choice he had made. All his life he had been dictated to by his friends, and sometimes well most times his father and he wasn't going to allow Nigella make him feel bad for the choice he had made in the end.

“And Master Lex knows of this?” Nigella said clearly surprised that Lex hadn't said anything about Clark 's change in course study in college.

“Ummm” Clark said not sure what to say, he had tried to make sure he was out of Lex's radar while in Metropolis but here in Smallville that was a whole other matter.

“Clark we should get going” Beckett said saving Clark from having to answer the question that he knew the answer would no doubt send Nigella into another rant.

“Where?” Nigella asked clearly shocked that Clark wasn't there for a social call after he dropped off the produce delivery.

“I'm one of the students that volunteered to serve at Halloween party” Clark said before moving towards the door so that he could park the truck in the front. He would hate to have someone notice the truck near the side entrance and then question him as to why the truck was there.

“That's right they did get a group of culinary college students to do the serving this year” Nigella said to her self before she noticed that she was in the kitchen by herself.

“Master Clark” Nigella asked wanting to make sure that she really was alone in the kitchen and not that Clark was hiding from her. When she received no response she readied her self for the meeting she was going to have with the servers for the party.

“Bloody hell that was close” Beckett said as he got into the passenger side of the truck and rode with Clark to the front entrance where he was met by an older man with olive skin and black hair.

“Master Clark” the man said making Beckett look at Clark again, it was saying something to have the staff of one of the richest men in the world calling you Master.

“Enrique” Clark said a warm smile on his face before he was hugged by the older man.

“You okay?” Clark said once they broke apart, Enrique was not one who was touchy, feely so things must be bad if he was hugging Clark .

“Master Lex has been a bear to deal with these past few weeks…months…years actually” Enrique said before noticing that Clark was not alone.

“I'm sorry Master Clark I didn't know…” Enrique started only to have Clark cut him off.

“It's no problem, this is Beckett Neely” Clark introduced to Enrique, who had a look on his face that Clark had seen before but couldn't figure out where and when.

“Mr. Neely” Enrique said formally wanting nothing more for Clark to be alone at the present moment. It had seemed that when Lex had moved to Metropolis things were great between the friends, shortly there after though Lex arrived back to Smallville and had been unbearable since then and that was four years ago. Lex of course still spent most of his time in Metropolis but when he did come ‘home' the staff absolutely hated coming to work those days, and now was a clear example of that. Lex had been ‘home' a total of two days and the staff was ready to either quit or kill Lex and they hadn't even gotten to the party yet which was still a day away.

“You can call me Beckett”

“Mr. Neely I would much prefer” Enrique said before he made his way around the pair to open the door again to that of Chef De Laurentiis and the rest of the group that would be serving the next evening.

“How may I help you?” Enrique said looking at the group and hoping that they were the servers for the party. Lex had been a real jack ass about who he would and would not allow to serve at the party and this had been a last ditch effort on his assistant's behalf to get servers of the highest quality and also appeasing Lex at the same time.

“Chef Majandra De Laurentiis and my group that will be serving at Mr. Luthor's Halloween party” Chef De Laurentiis said before she was welcomed into the castle and the foyer where Clark and Beckett stood.

“Clark, Beckett” Chef De Laurentiis said shocked to see that the pair was early, she knew that Clark was here but to be early to their appointment just amazed her, Beckett was always late and she figured this time wouldn't be any different.

“Had to drop off something” Clark said by way of explaining how both he and Beckett were there and early by the looks of it.

“Good, good” Chef De Laurentiis said before Enrique showed them to the kitchen were Nigella was preparing for their arrival.

“Chef” Enrique said eyeing the woman who was busy at work looking over the crates of produce that Clark had left of her.

“Shoot” Clark whispered to Beckett, he had in his flight to get out of the kitchen, forgot to help Nigella put the produce in the large walk in refrigerator and freezer.

“What”

“I forgot to help Nigella put the produce away…” Clark said before he caught Nigella eyes and asked if she wanted his help.

“Ah, the servers have arrived” Nigella said before eyeing each one of them and deciding who would be where and what they would be serving at that very moment. She had Clark in a special location, but she didn't plan on telling him that until that night for she knew that Clark would run in the other direction if he knew what she had planned.

“My name is Chef Nigella Brown and I am the live-in chef here at Luthor Castle and yes it really is a castle” Nigella said seeing that some of the students already had questions about the building and the grounds.

“Chef Nigella Brown?” Sarah said stunned that Lex Luthor had gotten one of the top chefs in the world to work for him at his home.

“Yes” Nigella said eyeing the girl and wondering if she was going to be a problem to her plans to bring Lex and Clark together. Nigella turned her attention to the tall brunette that looked as if she was the professor of the group.

“I assume you are Chef De Laurentiis?”

“Correct”

“Excellent, excellent” Nigella said happy that there were at least servers for the party, since it looked as if the rest of the party was still in the air with the way that Lex's moods had been as of late.

“You need to know only four locations at the castle” Nigella said before she began to pace in front of the group. Clark wanted to laugh since he had seen on more than one occasion Nigella doing that same pacing before a big party that Lex decided to throw at the last minute, at the thought of Lex though Clark frowned and wondered where he had gone wrong in their friendship. He had tried to be the perfect friend to Lex, while holding his secret crush and then love for the other man out of view from him but it seemed that it didn't matter for Lex had some things that he never imagined the other would be able to say to him and for that he felt betrayed.

“Why four?” Sarah asked wondering if there was a reason for the locations and if maybe just maybe she would be able to get Lex alone somewhere in the large castle while the party was going on.

“Don't worry about it; just know that there are four locations you are to be located at. Those four are, first the Grand Ballroom, next is the East Garden, third is first level of the East Wing hallway and finally the most important location is right here the kitchen. Although you won't be spending much time in here but it is the central hub for the servers and workers of the event.”

“Dude” Beckett said to Clark amazed that the warm woman from before had turned into a drill sergeant.

“She gets worse trust me”

“I want you also to know where there are at least three, yes three restrooms for the guests of the party”

“Where are those?” Sarah threw out like Nigella wasn't going to tell them. Nigella gave the girl the evil eye and continued on as if she hadn't heard the girl speak just moments before.

“Enrique will show you all of the locations, now get the bloody hell out of my kitchen and come back tomorrow at 2 PM for your uniform and where you will be located for the evening's party.” Nigella said before waving them out of her kitchen but not before Enrique popped up and leading the group to the Grand Ballroom for lunch and to meet Lex.

“Master Clark” had every one stopping and turning around while Clark stopped and met eye-to-eye with Nigella.

“Nigella” Clark said in a friendly manner that he knew he would be getting the third degree from Sarah later on about but right now he had to figure out a way to get the group out of the kitchen and out of the way to finding out just how close Lex and Clark really were.

“What the….” Sarah said stepping out of the group and starting to make her way over to where Clark stood near Nigella.

“Ms. Parkison come here” Chef De Laurentiis said before grabbing the girl and dragging her away hoping that the girl wouldn't be a problem at the party.

“I'm sorry about leaving the produce like that, but I…well” Clark said putting a hand on the back of his neck just like his father.

“It's alright deary, now tell me what in the bloody hell is going on?”

“To make a long story short, Lex and I aren't friends any longer”

“What did you just say?”

“Well he said some pretty horrible things to me when I got back to Metropolis for school and I haven't spoken with him or my high school friends since then.”

“I think I am confused”

“Well it started when….” And here is where Clark explained the wanting to go to Royal'el to check it out and getting answers of no from his high school friends and when he asked Lex he had gotten the reply that he no longer wished to spend time with Clark and that he need to find friends or people who would put up with him. Nigella being angry was an understatement she was livid at the words and way that Lex acted, but she knew that there had to be a reason for his foul temper and harsh words. She of course would never say that Clark needed to let the words go but the words were said out of anger and possibly hurt and for the life of Nigella she couldn't figure out what it was that had put Lex in such a state that those words would come out of his mouth and to Clark no less.

“Oh my” Nigella said at a loss as to what to say to Clark that would make the younger man give Lex another chance should be apologize, it seemed it was too late for Lex and that thought made her want to cry.

“Don't worry about Nigella, guess it just wasn't the destiny that Lex claimed it to be” Clark said with a shrug of his shoulders before bringing another crate into the walk in cooler.

“Master Clark…” Nigella said stopping from making the sandwiches that Enrique had requested shortly after he had escorted the group to the Grand Ballroom to meet Lex in.

“It is what it is, Nigella I've figured that out now so don't worry about it”

“Chef” Enrique said breaking the pair up from talking.

“Oh, oh here take these” Nigella said before handing over a large platter of food to Enrique.

“Master Clark are you coming” Enrique said hoping that Clark would come so that Lex would see him and hopefully get out of the funk he was in.

“No, he's staying here and putting away that mess he brought with him” Nigella said pointing with a knife to the crate of produce that still sat on the kitchen floor. Enrique nodded his head with a frown on his face wondering if there was a way to get Lex to go to the kitchen and see Clark there, he was certain that Clark would fix all of the problems that Lex seemed to have but he for the life of him couldn't figure a way out to get Lex to the kitchen without their guests wondering what was going on.

“Here we are” Enrique said before placing the platter down on the table and backing away waiting for Lex to arrive to the room. If he was lucky he would be able to catch Lex before he entered and he could possibly guide his employer to the kitchen where Clark was located. Enrique could only be so lucky, though.

“Lex Luthor” Lex said walking out of a door on the other side of the room. Enrique at that time never wanted to kill his employer more.

“Chef Majandra De Laurentiis from Royal'el Culinary School and these are some of my students” Chef De Laurentiis said a bit flustered by Lex's arrival.

“Pleasure” Lex said eyeing the group before he did a double take at Beckett and the empty seat that was next to him.

“Mr. Luthor” Sarah drawing Lex's attention away from Beckett and to her instead, which in Beckett's mind was a good thing since he had seen Lex eyeing him and the chair. He had hoped that Lex hadn't notice when he and Clark left but it seemed that nothing got by the bald billionaire.

“Ms….” Lex said not remembering the girl's name since the man at the espresso machine had drawn his attention instead.

“Sarah Parkison” Sarah said sitting up a bit straighter hoping that Lex would notice that her top left little to the imagination on what she had on underneath.

“Yes, the girl from the Talon last night” Lex said before nodding his head and then looking around for Enrique since he knew the man was there somewhere.

“Master Lex” Enrique said coming up beside Lex making the man smirk in response.

“Change in plans”

“Sir”

“The theme for the party is now a masquerade party instead of just a regular Halloween party. Make sure all invited get the notice of change for the theme” Lex said before taking a seat next to Chef De Laurentiis which just happened to be next to Beckett. The younger man shifted in his seat and looked at Lex out the corner of his eyes. He knew the man was going to question him, he just wondered what would come out of his mouth for an answer.

“I will notify the guests at once” Enrique said before walking out of the room.

“Does that mean we have to wear masks” Sarah asked angry that people wouldn't be able to see her face. She had planned out how she was going to sleep with Lex and that included the man seeing her face, a masquerade party with masks just wasn't going to work into her plans.

“Yes, I will supply Chef Brown with your masks” Lex said his Luthor mask firmly in place because of the girl that seemed to continue to ask questions even when she should keep her mouth silent. At those words Beckett breathed a sigh of relief, Clark wouldn't be found out or at least not yet since they would all be wearing masks.

“You” Lex said before pointing to Beckett and then taking a sandwich from the platter letting all know it was okay for them to eat. Beckett about wanted to stand up and run but knew that would not be the best of ideas.

“Mr. Luthor” Beckett said his British accent taking over, so that maybe Lex would be surprised by the accent and forget what he was going to ask.

“You were at that Talon with another man, where is he?”

“Kent” Sarah said an angry glint in her eye. How could Clark Kent catch the eye of Lex Luthor when she was cut of much higher society upbringing.

“Is that his name” Lex said shocked that the name was so close to that of Clark 's. He had been trying to look for the younger man for years now and came up with little success. He had inquired to where Clark might be with his high school friends and when he got a reply of they didn't know and surely they didn't care he became worried over how the other man was doing. He had said some pretty horrible things because his father had decided to try and run his life by trying to take over Lex Corp. When that had failed Lionel had made sure to tell Lex that he had gotten all the information from Clark and that Clark was not as he seemed, at the time he had been so angry that he didn't even wonder if his father was telling the truth or not but now, now he knew the truth and he had lost his best friend in the process.

“Yeah” Beckett said going on the premise that Clark 's first name was Kent and not Clark, Sarah had really done him a favor there. Lex was about to ask another question but instead Enrique stopped him which had Beckett up and excusing himself to use the ‘loo'. When the short conversation between Enrique and Lex was done, Lex turned to where Beckett had been sitting and noticed that the younger man was gone.

“Where did he go?” Lex asked angry that he had missed his chance to get information on the man named Kent , because for some reason he had the feeling that Kent wasn't really the guy's first name but he couldn't get any more information out of the other boy if he wasn't there.

“Went to the ‘loo'” Sarah said with little quotation marks mocking Beckett. Lex made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat before finishing off the sandwich in front of him and then standing to leave. He had some research to do and his first stop would be the Talon where he had first seen the other man in town. Lex unfortunately was stopped by Enrique letting him know that Chloe Sullivan was there for an interview about the party that was to be held tomorrow night.

“Ms. Sullivan” Lex greeted the blonde girl sitting in his den formally.

“Lex” Chloe said in greeting back before waiting for Lex to ask her business with him.

“Is there a reason you are here today Ms. Sullivan?”

“I was hoping to get an interview from you about the party tomorrow”

“Why is that Ms. Sullivan” Lex asked, in the four years that Clark had been missing Chloe had taken a sort of obsessive-ness to Lex and the parties he went to and the people he saw and he had to wonder if it had anything to do with the lack of Clark in her life.

“Well the good people of Metropolis want to know why Lex Luthor is holding a party out in Smallville” Chloe said a smirk on her face that made Lex want to slap her. He knew that it had nothing to do with the people of Metropolis and everything to do with Chloe's wants and needs to know.

“Well the good people of Metropolis will have to speculate since I do not wish to speak on the matter” Lex said knowing that would piss Chloe off, she was never one to have no said to her and when it did occur she was a right bitch until she got what she wanted.

“Lex….off the record” Chloe said acting as if her saying that would make Lex speak to any more.

“Ms. Sullivan your time here is done, I have things to do before the party so why don't you follow Enrique out” Lex said making Chloe understand that it wasn't a request but a demand and if not listened to she didn't even want to think about what would happen.

“Sorry to have bothered you” Chloe said with a bit of a pout. Following Enrique she noticed a large group of people her age that peeked her interest.

“Who are they?” Chloe asked Enrique, as if he was going to answer her and at one time he would have but now with seeing Clark and how he seemed to be happy with the life he had and that didn't seem to include Chloe he didn't answer only continued guiding Chloe to the foyer and front door.

“ Kent Farms?” Chloe said confused on why the Kent family farm truck was parked out front instead of the side entrance where the kitchen to the castle lay.

“There is more going on here….” Chloe said before jumping in her VW beetle and made her way to the Talon for a cup of coffee and to figure out what was going on.

~Back inside Luthor Castle ~

“Nigella, I'll see you tomorrow at 2” Clark said before waving to the chef of the castle and making his way to the front door and to the truck that waited for him outside.

“Dude” Beckett said looking around like he was on some sort of spy mission.

“Beck” Clark responded back just the same way that Beckett had spoken to him.

“What is the saying? Houston we have a problem?” Beckett said before looking around again and walking with Clark as fast as he could towards the front door.

“What do you mean we have a problem?”

“Luthor asked about you, lucky thing Parkison has taken to calling you Kent in public or we, you would have been in a heap of trouble”

“Shazam!” Clark said before breaking into a full out run to the truck, once he hit the outdoors he noticed a VW Beetle making its way down the driveway.

“Absolutely no bloody way” Clark said not believing that he was seeing Chloe's orange-red black top convertible VW Beetle makes its way down the Luthor Castle driveway.

“ Clark ”

“I come home for one thing, one thing and the whole freaking parade of my past is here” Clark said pointing to the car and then waving his hands about.

“I lost you there mate” Beckett said before jumping in the now running truck since Clark had started the truck up and was making his way down the driveway, with or without Beckett.

“Chloe ‘I'm a reporter so you have to be too' Sullivan was in that car and if I know her, which I do, she is off to the Talon to figure out the mystery that is Clark Kent , yet a freaking gain!” Clark huffed out before making a sharp left turn before speeding his way down the road that would take him into town and then to his house, hopefully he wouldn't be stopped for speeding for that would just be the cherry on top if that occurred.

“Calm down and slow down!” Beckett screamed to the near crazed Clark . When Clark heard the words said in panic Clark took a deep breath and let go, slowly down the truck and getting his emotions under control.

“Now what is going on again” Beckett said once Clark was under control again. He knew that Chloe Sullivan was one of the ‘friends' that left Clark for some nonsense reason but the mood that Clark was in said that there was more to it.

“Chloe Sullivan is not your average reporter….oh no, not Chloe” Clark said banging his hand against the truck's steering wheel.

“Chloe is the type of person that will do any and everything to get a story just like her freaking cousin, Lois Lane !” Clark said at a loss as to how to explain to Beckett the complicated life he had led before going to Royal'el.

“ Lois Lane is Chloe Sullivan's cousin” Beckett said surprised, Lois Lane was not a reporter you pissed off and if those two were related he could see where Clark may have a slight problem.

“Oh, that they are and to make things worse she probably saw the truck and wants to know what is going on. I haven't seen or heard from her in four years, four fucking years and now she wants to….to” Clark said at a loss as to what Chloe really wanted. Did she think that Lex and Clark were still buddy, buddy good friends or did she think something else? Clark didn't know and he was going to make sure that he didn't find out any time soon.

“This could be bad, right? I mean if she finds out that you are here and that Luthor doesn't know that you are here and she tells him and then he comes looking…” Beckett said not making much sense but Clark followed him quite well.

“Exactly” Clark said knowing that Beckett now understood why he never spoke about his ex-friends their names were just too dangerous of names to be saying around people like Sarah Parkison.

“It will be yet another round of the ‘we need to save Clark ' routine I got when I lived here full time and had to deal with them on a day to day basis.”

“ Clark just calm down maybe she won't figure it out”

“Beckett, that is the one thing that Chloe won't do” Clark said already knowing that Chloe would figure out he was in town and not in Metropolis as he should have been if he was going to Met U.

“So what do we do?”

“The same thing that we planned to do, serve at the party and then head back to Metropolis and back to Royal'el” Clark said worried about what he would do if either Chloe or Lex found out his visit to Smallville now.

“Clark you can't act like this” Beckett said knowing that Clark was working on the idea that no one would figure out he was here in the short time they were going to be there.

“I'm going to have to because if I don't, I would be on a bus back to Metropolis and hiding in our apartment.”

“Then maybe we should do that!” Beckett said not liking the idea of his friend being found by either of those two.

“I'm not going to run because they might find me. I have had four years to get over their….words” Clark said knowing that Beckett knew what he wasn't saying about Lex and the pain he had caused Clark .

“But…but Clark you have to do something” Beckett said already thinking about talking to the Kent's to get Clark to either leave town or hide out at the farm until it was time to return back to Metropolis.

“They aren't going to run my life!” Clark said once they pulled into the Smallville town proper. Clark made sure to take all of the short cuts that he could in avoiding the Talon and Chloe seeing the truck. Twenty minutes later had Clark and Beckett still fighting over what Clark should do about the party.

“I'm going to do it so quit your worrying” Clark said as they came in the door. Martha was standing in the living room with anxious look on her face at the words that Clark had spoken.

“What's going on?”

“Chloe Sullivan and Lex Luthor” Beckett said for Clark since he knew Clark wouldn't say anything.

“Excuse me, I think I heard wrong”

“No, seems that Chloe Sullivan must have visited Lex Luthor and we think or at least Clark thinks that Chloe saw the truck out front. I can tell you for sure though that Lex Luthor was giving me the third degree about Clark, even though he didn't know it was Clark ”

“Honey” Martha said looking at Clark and the look of determination on his face.

“I am not going to change my plans, I'm not” Clark said his eyes and body telling both Beckett and Martha that the subject was closed for Clark .

“Just be careful okay”

“I will mom, you know I will” Clark said before kissing his mom in greeting and then walking into the kitchen for a glass of something to drink.

“Beckett”

“Yes”

“Watch out for him at the party”

“I will on the plus side we are wearing masks, so it will be a bit tougher to pick out Clark . I don't think they think he has a Mohawk” Beckett said thinking of the first time he met Clark and what he looked like then to the Clark of now.

“Oh my no” Martha said laughing in agreement with Beckett. She remembered the day that Clark came home with a Mohawk it was a sight to be seen at the Kent household that day for Martha had ranted and raved about what had her son done to his hair and he had better not come back looking like one of those ‘Goth kids', when Clark told her he liked it she had stopped and really looked at her son and saw a happiness in his eyes that she hadn't seen in his eyes for a very long time.

“Just watch out for him, that staff there” Martha started only to have Beckett nod in understanding, he had noticed that the air in the castle seemed a bit easier to breathe when the staff knew Clark was there.

“I noticed so have no fear” Beckett said following Martha in the kitchen where she was yelling at Clark for drinking out of the container of juice that was in the refrigerator.

“ Clark ” Beckett said after looking at his watch and noticing the late hour that it was. Chef De Laurentiis had said that she wanted to meet up with the group one last time before tomorrow night's serving to go over a few things.

“Beck” Clark said skirting away from his mother's hands as she tried to hit him for drinking out of the juice jug.

“We gotta head into town for one more meeting”

“What?” Clark said surprised, he had figured that with the way that Chef De Laurentiis was running things another meeting wouldn't be needed, he guessed wrong.

“Meeting, in about thirty minutes”

“Beck!” Clark yelled before grabbing the keys to the truck and making a bee line to it with Beckett hot on his hells.

“Do be careful” Martha said to the tail lights of the truck.

~The Talon~

  “How could you forget to tell me that?” Clark ranted to Beckett as they made their way into the Talon for the short meeting that was about to take place.

“Well” Beckett said not wanting to say that he had thought about not telling Clark so that they wouldn't have to run into anyone that would make Clark uncomfortable but it seemed that common sense won out and he had told him about the meeting.

“No, no don't worry about it” Clark said before they found where most of the Royal'el students were sitting waiting for Chef De Laurentiis to show up. Both Clark and Beckett took a look around the place before deciding that Chloe had moved on and that Lex was not there at least not yet.

“Glad you all could make it” Chef De Laurentiis said before eyeing both Clark and Beckett. She had been shocked when Clark was not with the rest of the group for meeting Lex Luthor, the whole group had been excited to hear that they would be meeting the bald billionaire but when Clark didn't show up and then Lex raised some questions to Beckett about Clark she began to wonder what was going on.

“Sorry about that Chef De Laurentiis” Clark said knowing she was talking about him and his lack of appearance to meet the one and only Lex Luthor.

“We'll talk later” Chef De Laurentiis said before Sarah got a smirk on her face at Clark getting into trouble. She had been quick to point out to Chef De Laurentiis that there was really no reason for Clark to be absent from the meeting and that having Beckett cover for him was even worse since it seemed that Beckett was always covering for Clark. Clark nodded his head and thought about how he was going to tell his professor that he wasn't at the meeting because he had no desire to be in Lex's radar again and that he was helping the staff set up for the party that was planned.

“Mr. Luthor has been gracious enough to supply us with masks that we are to wear while serving tomorrow night.” Chef De Laurentiis said pulling out a large bag that held the masks that they were to wear.

“Chef De Laurentiis” Sarah said in a start to fight for not wearing masks, the way she figured things if Lex caught her in her serving outfit and no mask he would be much more willing to speak to her, or bed her if she got things right.

“No Sarah, we wear the masks or we don't server Mr. Luthor made that perfectly clear with me” The older woman said not wanting to put up with Sarah and her whining about not being able to tempt Lex with her beauty if it was covered up.

“Fine” Sarah said with a pout before she sat up a bit straighter when Chef De Laurentiis put the masks on the table and showed how beautiful the masks were.

“Wow” most of the group said, the only person who was not wowed by the masks was Clark for he knew that Lex didn't do anything by halves and this was just another example of why their friendship in the end, came to an end. A thank you to Lex was a major affair, not something that was easily forgotten when friendship was involved.

“Pick a mask and make sure that you do *not* destroy it”

“Yes Chef De Laurentiis” the group said before hands were out and snatching away masks that people liked when they had been placed down. Clark waited until everyone was finished and picked up the last mask on the table; it was done in the colors of purple, black and white while the other masks where done in bright primary colors making most people lean towards them and not the mask that Clark had gotten; Clark couldn't shake the feeling that the mask had been put into the group for a reason but what reason Clark didn't know and didn't want to find out if he didn't have to.

“Everyone have a mask?” Chef De Laurentiis said before she got nods in response.

“Now you heard what Chef Nigella Brown said, we need to be there by 2 PM, make sure you are there” Chef De Laurentiis said before going on about what they would be doing and how long the party planned to last.

“No shoo” Chef De Laurentiis said before holding back Clark to find out why he wasn't at the lunch with Lex.

“ Clark ”

“I know what you are going to ask and the answer is my family supplies the produce to the castle and usually I help Nigella put it away, well since the order was so large I didn't get a chance to help her and I felt horrible about that so I went and helped while you had lunch with Mr. Luthor” Clark jumped in before Chef De Laurentiis could even question him.

“Ah, well then never mind; I do find it odd that Mr. Luthor did ask about you and Beckett was firm to back up that your name is Kent”

“We have a history that I would best keep that way” Clark said finally breaking just a bit to tell his professor of the history we had with Lex and their so-called friendship.

“I understand, but that doesn't mean that others will”

“I know and I can only hope to get out of here before they find or figure it out” Clark said before smiling a bit at his professor and then laughing out right since Beckett had been behind their professor dancing like an idiot yet again.

“I swear”

“He's just not sane but he is my best friend” Clark said before going over to Beckett and dancing with him like an idiot. The twinkle of the bells had Beckett freezing in mid-dance for Lex Luthor had come to the Talon to look for answer on who the man with the Mohawk was.

“We better go” Beckett whispered into Clark's ear making Clark shiver at the fear in Beckett's voice. Clark nodded his head and slowly backed away from Beckett hoping that Lex was some where near the counter so that they could make a dash to the door without Lex seeing them.

“Go” Beckett said to Clark which made the larger man move as quickly and quietly as possible. Clark was lucky in that he got out of the Talon without Lex seeing him but Beckett on the other hand wasn't so lucky.

“Beckett Neely?” Lex said as he made his way over to where Beckett stood still as a statue hoping that Clark had made it out of the Talon and to the truck to wait for him.

“Yes, Mr. Luthor” Beckett answered back shifting his eyes to the door and seeing that Clark was no where to be seen. It was then that he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Please call me Lex” Lex said putting on the charm and hoping that it would have Beckett melt and in the palm of his hands.

“Uh, I would much rather stick to Mr. Luthor if it is all the same to you” Beckett said before backing a bit away from the forward moving Lex.

“Understandable, you are to be serving tomorrow night after all” Lex said as if Beckett had made a good excuse for using the formal title of Mr. Luthor.

“Yes, we just received our masks” Beckett said showing Lex his mask and then wanting to slap himself for bringing up the masks.

“Ah yes, I see that Chef De Laurentiis got the package and might I inquire as to where your friend, he is your friend is he not? Kent is it?” Lex said looking at Beckett and noticing that the man looked very worried and very nervous.

“Ummm” Beckett said a bit at a loss as to what to answer Lex's question with, he was saved by Chloe Sullivan coming up and cutting into their conversation.

“Lex”

“Ms. Sullivan” Lex said eyeing the girl and then Beckett.

“Did you know that the Kent truck was at the castle today?” Chloe said bouncing on the balls of her feet now. She had been searching for a reason on why the truck was at the front entrance and she couldn't come up with any besides that Clark was some where in town.

“I did have a delivery from them, although the last few deliveries have been made by the car instead of the truck” Lex said as if this answered the question that Chloe had posed.

“But at the front entrance? Not the side by the kitchen?” Chloe said throwing out what Lex said at the end about the truck and car switch as if she hadn't heard him.

“What did you just say?” Lex said a sharp edge to his voice, which is when Beckett took it as his cue to leave and quietly.

“I said that I found the Kent farm truck at the front entrance when I left this afternoon” Chloe said still bouncing on the heels of her feet.

“Very interesting” Lex said before he noticed that his prey had gotten away since Chloe was speaking with him.

“Damn it” Lex mumbled before walking away from Chloe with no answer as to why the Kent farm truck was at the main entrance to the castle and not the side.

“Lex…Lex!” Chloe called after him as he made his way outside to see if he could catch up with Beckett and ask or more like demand a few answers from the younger man. When Lex arrived on the main street of Smallville the only thing he saw were people milling about and trucks and cars driving up the down the street for a parking space. If he would have made it out just a few moments earlier he would have seen the Kent farm truck pulling out of a parking spot with Clark in the driver's seat and Beckett in the passenger side of the truck cab. Lex was just about to get into his car and drive to the farm when his cell phone went off and he noticed it was a call from the castle.

“Luthor” Lex barked into the phone.

“Master Lex” Enrique voice met Lex's ears.

“What”

“We have a slight issue with the uniforms that the servers are to wear for tomorrow's party”

“What do you mean there is an issue?”

“We only have ten uniforms and there are to be fifteen servers, per your request”

“Call Chef De Laurentiis and see if her students brought along any sort of uniform that can blend in to what we have” Lex said not at all happy with the news and also missing the opportunity to ask Beckett a few questions.

“I will take care of it sir” Enrique said before hanging up the phone and then calling Chef De Laurentiis.

~Kent Farm~

  “Bloody hell that was close” Beckett said to Clark who was just now pulling the truck into the drive way of the farm, neither had spoken about the close call with Lex but both knew something was going to have to give and neither one looked forward to the result of that.

“I don't know if we are going to be able to avoid Lex any longer” Clark said with a sigh, not wanting to deal with Lex but knowing he had to even if it was to try and move on in the relationship department. There had been plenty of guys and girls willing to go out with him, but he had yet to get over his feelings for Lex and for that it hurt any chances anyone else had with Clark .

“I say go in there and tell him were to stick it, no pun intended, and move on. He hasn't done you any favors in the last four years so there is nothing keeping you from moving on” Beckett said before walking into the house and then running right into Martha.

“There you two are” Martha said in a bit of a panic since Chef De Laurentiis had called looking for the pair.

“Hey mom, what's up?”

“Your professor called and said that you will need to wear your black chef jacket along with a pair of black pants”

“Is this some sort of joke” Beckett said before running upstairs to his bag to see if he had brought some chef jackets with him.

“Beck is so up the creek mom” Clark said before he went on to explain that they had another close call with Lex finding them.

“ Clark , honey”

“I know mom, but I just don't want…” Clark stopped his words there for he knew that the next words out of his mouth would confirm what his mother had thought for years and that was that Clark was in love with Lex.

“ Clark just understand one thing for me, dear. That words said in anger or hurt or pain are some times just that, words. If Lex does figure out that you are there and he finds you, at least talk to him. End things for real that way you can move on to bigger and better things”

“You're right mom, as always” Clark said before Beckett came knocking down the stairs carrying two different chef jackets, one was a deep blue while the other was a crisp white.

“I have a problem”

“So we see” Clark said wondering if Beckett was going to call their professor and ask for permission to wear one of his jackets that he brought or not.

“My fashion for this event will just have to be decided by Chef De Laurentiis” Beckett said before using the phone in the kitchen and calling Chef De Laurentiis, after a brief discussion with their professor Beckett had a smile on his face.

“Blue or White?”

“What?”

“Blue or White” Becket said again happy that his professor had cleared it with Lex that the students wear what they had in the line of chef clothing.

“Blue” Both Martha and Clark said.

“So how did you manage that?”

“I didn't, seems that there are others having the same issue and since this town is small, no chef clothing to be had here so instead we get to wear what we have but only if it matches our masks” Beckett said already know that Clark was still going to stick with the all black outfit as he tended to do anyway.

“Nice” Clark said before the phone rang.

“Wonder who is calling” Martha said having a feeling that the person on the other side of the phone was Lex.

“Kent Farms” Martha answered the phone with; while watching as Beckett danced around the kitchen happy that he got to wear something besides black to the party.

“Mrs. Kent ” came Lex's voice over the receiver.

“What can I do for you, Lex?” Martha said making Clark chase off the dancing Beckett.

“It was brought to my attention that the Kent farm truck was at the main entrance of the castle today. Is there a reason why?”

“None that I know of” Martha said trying to keep her voice as calm and normal as possible.

“Are you saying that the truck wasn't at the front entrance and that person that told me this is lying?”

“No, I don't know if the truck was at the front entrance and so I can't say either way” Martha said not liking the way Lex was acting towards her.

“Mrs. Kent ” Lex started only to be cut off by Martha.

“Lex, I don't know anything and further more if the truck was there I don't know why. Maybe there wasn't room on the side since you are having a party” Martha said trying to make up a reason as to why the truck was there without saying who it was that was driving, said truck.

“Put Clark on the phone” Lex demanded of Martha.

“Excuse me?”

“Put Clark on the phone” Lex stated again as if telling Martha to do something like she worked for him at the castle.

“Clark isn't here so, no I won't put Clark on the phone” Martha said noticing that Beckett and Clark had disappeared some where and so the words she spoke were in part truth.

“Isn't here as in not in town or as in not in the room” Lex said knowing that Martha could play word games just as well as he could. Martha was just about to answer when Jonathan walked into the house.

“Martha” Lex heard through the phone.

“In here honey, I'm on the phone” Martha said hoping that Jonathan wouldn't say anything about Clark while she was on the phone.

“Okay, I think I'm going to head up and take a shower” Jonathan said before Martha released a silent breath that she had been holding.

“I'm sorry Lex, but I need to go” Martha said before hanging up the phone and walking into the living room where Beckett had his mask on trying to get fashion tips from Clark.

“So how do I look?”

“Like a dork”

“I'll have you know that the Beckman is not a dork, you farm boy though are”

“Says one dork to another” Clark said before laughing at the pose that Beckett made.

“Oh hey mom” Clark said knowing his mother was going to say something to him about the phone conversation she just had with Lex.

“That was…”

“I know, Lex. So he figures that I am here and wants to “talk” or something that is a bit too late in my opinion”

“ Clark , I know you feel that way now but…” Martha said before seeing the look of pain cross Clark 's face at having to talk about Lex.

“Can we just leave it? Please?” Clark said before walking away and out to the barn where his ‘fortress of solitude' was located.

“Should I leave him…” Beckett said not sure what to do. He had never seen his friend act like this and it was beginning to worry him that there was something seriously wrong with Clark and the relationship with Lex.

“I think it might be best” Martha said just as Jonathan made his way downstairs with his hair still wet.

“Uh oh, I know that face” Jonathan said looking between Beckett and Martha and knowing that they were talking about Clark .

“So what is the problem with Clark ?”

“Lex called seems as if Chloe is in town and noticed the truck at the front entrance, and now Lex is determined to see Clark ”

“This isn't good, isn't good at all” Jonathan said looking out a window and seeing that Clark was moving around in the barn. A rumble of a car engine got all three in the house up and moving to the front door to see who had come for a visit; both Martha and Jonathan knew it was Lex but they could hope that it was someone else.

“Lex” Martha said as a sleek foreign sports car pulled up the drive and close to the house, just behind the truck and car that were stationed in the drive.

“I have to play this just right” Martha said pushing Beckett towards the kitchen while Jonathan made his way to answer the door.

“Mr. Kent ” Lex said formally as he usually did, which made Jonathan want to slam the door on the bald billionaire now since he knew the reason as to why the older man was there.

“Lex” Jonathan said moving a bit in the door so that Lex couldn't come in.

“Jonathan let him in” Martha said from the entrance where the living room and kitchen met.

“Come on in” Jonathan said snidely not wanting to let Lex in but knowing better than to not listen to his wife. Clark after all did get his mother's fiery temper from her, a true red head his wife was.

“Thank you” Lex said before stopping short in the kitchen by seeing Beckett sitting at the kitchen table sipping on a glass of something.

“Mr. Luthor” Beckett said before nodding his head in greeting and then continuing to sip his drink. Martha had explained to him what was going to happen and what he needed to do if they were going to pull off the semi-lie that Clark was unavailable for Lex to speak with.

“Beckett Neely?” Lex said posing the name as a question, while he wondered why the other man was located in the Kent 's kitchen and was acting as if this was a normal thing.

“Yes sir” Beckett said in his British accent.

“Is there a reason why you are here?” It was here that Martha decided to jump in and explain the reason for Beckett's visage.

“I helped set up bringing the servers for your party” Martha said looking at Beckett trying to figure out a reason for why he was here and not at the hotel as the rest of the servers were.

“And his reason for being here” Lex said his voice telling all in the room that he was not up to playing games.

“I'm a friend of Clarks and he said that it wouldn't be a problem with me staying here” Beckett said a small smirk on his face at the words he just spoke, they were true Lex just didn't know how true they were.

“And where is Clark by the way?” Lex asked as if he had only spoken with the younger man only a few hours ago and not the four years that it had been.

“Don't worry abut it Luthor” Jonathan said finally have reached the end of rope for dealing with a Luthor.

“Should I be concerned over the lack of Clark here?”

“Not that I know of?” Beckett answered for them, it seemed that Lex Luthor set the Kents on edge and that was not something he liked very much.

“Mr. Neely” Lex said wanting to say more but being stopped by Beckett speaking.

“Mr. Luthor, Clark is fine he is where he needs to be and that is all you need to know and by the looks of it your welcome had been worn out”

“Indeed” Lex said looking between the two Kents and then Beckett, knowing that there was more to the story than what was being said.

“I shall take my leave then” Lex said before turning and leaving the house and going to his car that was still warm. Only when Lex's car was out of view did the group in the house breathe a sigh of relief.

“That was close” Beckett said thinking that the whole ‘Luthor' situation was finished.

“This isn't over, not even close” Martha said sighing at how much Lex would work to get the answer he seeked and it seemed that the answer he seeked was that of seeing Clark, something that Clark and this family didn't want to happen.

“What do you mean?” Beckett asked confused, he figured that the answer they had given would be good enough but it seemed that he was incorrect.

“Lex….” Martha started out only to find her self at a loss for words on how to tell Beckett that Lex's world in some weird way revolved around Clark and had done so for many years and would continue to do so, even if they weren't on speaking terms.

“A Luthor always gets what he wants and right now Lex wants Clark ” Jonathan said before he noticed the blush on Beckett's cheeks at the words he spoke. He knew that they were very much true, even if he denied that the pair weren't involved ‘that way' quite yet.

“Jonathan!”

“Well it's true Martha and you know it, so don't even try to fight what had always been there between the two of them” Jonathan said before looking at his wife and showing her that he was fine with their son being gay, and possibly in love with Lex Luthor.

“I know, I know; it's just that…..well come on!” Martha said before she threw her hands in the air and made her way to the pantry to get something to busy her hands with.

“Bloody hell”

“Language” Martha said before laughing since she was acting as if Beckett was her son, and by all accounts she was since he wasn't able to visit his family as much as he would because of the distance between them.

“You mean to tell me that Lex Luthor is…was Clark 's what?” Beckett said not wanting to assume that the pair had been together but not wanting to belittle the fact if that were true.

“Best friend I would have said at one time, but beyond that you would have to ask Clark ”

“Ask Clark what” Clark said coming in the back door after sitting out in the barn and deciding what he was going to do should Lex find him and what to talk to him.

“You and Luthor?!” Beckett said amazed that Clark never told him about this facet to the relationship that the pair had.

“Were friends and only friends” Clark said as if it pained him to say the words.

“But…but the way your parents are talking” Beckett said his mouth hanging open while he looked at his large friend.

“They were saying something?”

“They” Beckett said before waving his hands together making Clark smile and laugh at Beckett. The guy was a huge flirt but when it came down to the getting together, he was a huge prude even though he was from the UK and it was said that people over there were of more liberal minds.

“Can't say that there was any of the…” Clark said waving his hands around like Beckett had and then laughing as Beckett's face became even redder as Clark continued to laugh at him.

“Bloody hell, I mean to tell you; simple life and small town living have nothing on you. Friends with a Luthor and the only Luthor that most of the world wants to bed”

“What can I say? Smallville is just that kind of town, small town isn't what it is for sure” Clark said before going over to the counter that had a pie missing a few slices sitting there.

“I have only one question to ask you and then I will drop the whole thing”

“Okay, ask away” Clark said knowing that Beckett was going to ask the question that he had been just thinking about before he came in from the barn.

“What do you plan to do at the party? Hide? I don't think that will stop him from finding you if he really does want to see you”

“I don't have a real answer because, well…I hope that I won't have to deal with him but if I know Lex and I do he will find me and from there I don't know. I can't say that I will talk to him, but I know better than to expect to be left alone after he does find me”

“So it is just a go with the flow?”

“Yeah, at this point that is the answer I can give.” Clark said before then turning the conversation to the uniforms that they were to wear.

“I am going to be one of the few wearing all black aren't I?”

“Yeah, seems that Sarah has this whole pink thing going on”

“Oh jeez, not another pink princess; Lana may have to take her down” Clark said while slapping his elbow and doing a wrestling move.

“There is a pink princess in this town?”

“Oh yeah, but she may be in Metropolis”

“Does every town have one here?”

“It's middle America , of course”

“Glad I am from the UK then”

“But you are here now, so don't get to cocky” Clark said before making his way over to the stairs to check and see if he did bring the black chef jacket and pants that he would need to wear for the party tomorrow.

~Next Day ~ 2PM, Luthor Castle ~

At 2PM the next day Beckett and Clark arrived to Luthor Castle with their uniforms and masks in hand.

  “Ah, Master Clark” Enrique said greeting Clark and also Beckett with a nod of his head.

“We're a bit early but we thought we could hang out with Nigella” Clark said wondering if the chef in question would need any help or if she would push him out of the kitchen leaving him for Lex to find.

“Fine, fine” Enrique said before walking away and to the Grand Ballroom.

“Have you always had the run of the castle, like this?”

“Pretty much, why?”

“Well most friends wouldn't allow for their staff to call them Master Clark, even if they allowed them to call them that”

“I didn't like the whole Master Kent”

“They usually don't use Master unless their employer tells them to use it, or unless you are the master of the property.”

“What do you mean?” Clark said confused, he had always thought that it was normal that the staff called him Master Clark instead of Master Kent now though it seemed that there was more to the story and that it might explain why Lionel Luthor was always so angry when he had stopped by and heard the live-in staff speak to him.

“I mean in British terms, you are only the master of something if you own it or if you're the significant other of the owner” Beckett said turning red, he hadn't wanted to tell Clark what he had but it seemed that Clark was clueless as to the significance to the name that the staff used when dealing with him.

“But you said…” Clark said trailing off while standing in the foyer shocked over what Beckett had just told him.

“There are those cases that if the master of the property wishes for someone else outside of the “family” to be called master than they must follow orders, but I have a feeling that Lex Luthor doesn't do things without a reason and the reason I just gave you doesn't seem right to me” Beckett said thinking over all the information he had found and saw dealing with Clark and Lex.

“Do you think….I mean it was always sort of there and the people in town always said that I was Lex's “boy toy” but I never thought they actually had reason to believe their words” Clark said clearly shocked and angry over the news he had just been given. He had always thought that his relationship with Lex was only friendship with a hint of flirting, but now; now though it seemed that all the flirting really meant something else entirely and for that it pained Clark even more. For now his thoughts of together for ever with Lex were now out of his reach since their friendship was nothing but a memory.

“ Clark I don't know what to tell you, the only thing I can say is serve at the party and if Mr. Luthor finds you then maybe you should hear him out” Beckett said before moving a bit out of the foyer and towards the kitchen he hoped.

“Right, you're right just like mom” Clark said before pushing Beckett and running after the other boy yelled at him.

~ Luthor Castle , Den~

“Enrique” Lex called out after hearing the yell from Beckett in the foyer.

“Master Lex” Enrique said popping out of a door that only Clark, Lex and the staff knew about, even Lionel Luthor knew nothing about the door that Enrique had just come from.

“Have the servers arrived?”

“A pair of them early with hopes of helping Chef Brown in the kitchen” Enrique said knowing that if he told Lex who was there that Lex would be up and out of the room before he finished his sentence and he didn't want that. Nigella had filled him in on the status of Lex knowing if Clark was here and that was a huge no go and Enrique didn't want the wrath of Chef Brown on him, so he kept his mouth shut on the matter.

“They actually think that they are going to help Nigella?” Lex said with a look on his face that said, ‘are they nuts?'

“If Nigella doesn't eat them alive, will you let me know when the rest of the servers arrive”

“Of course sir, but may I ask is there a reason for that” Enrique said wondering if Lex already thought that Clark was in town and could be possibly with the servers from Royal'el.

“Enrique” Lex said his voice a warning to the other man.

“I just wondered is all, sir” Enrique was quick to explain. Lex seemed to deflate at the words and began to speak.

“I just have to know, I have to know that he is okay” Lex said looking at Enrique hoping that the older man would have some sort of words to sooth his nerves.

“Know that who is okay?” Enrique said knowing that Lex spoke about Clark and no one else, for it hadn't been anyone else since Lex had met the younger man.

“ Clark ”

“Master Lex” Enrique said surprised at the pain he could see and hear in his employers voice.

“I should have never listened to my father when dealing with Clark , but…” Lex said ending his words with a shrug that you only usually saw on Clark .

“Master Lex if I may speak freely” Enrique said knowing now that Lex was hurting over the lack of Clark in his life almost as much as Clark was, even if he was doing a pretty good job hiding it.

“Please” Lex said waving Enrique to a chair on the other side of the desk that he was currently sitting behind.

“You are in love with young Master Clark” Enrique stated instead of asking it as a question, for he already knew the answer.

“I am”

“Than all is not lost, for love shall conquer all. Is that not the saying?” Enrique said not knowing too many scholar quotes but knowing that the one he spoke would ring true to his employer.

“How can you say that? I haven't seen or heard from Clark in four years” Lex said angry at the lack of contact that he had with Clark .

“Well whose fault is that? Young Master Clark's?”

“Enrique” Lex said not truly angry at the other man and the words that he spoke.

“No sir, you need to listen to these words for I think you have been comfortable with the thought that it was and probably still is Young Master Clark's fault for the loss of contact between the pair of you. It is not and I will not have you acting as if it is”

“Enrique”

“I'm not done for if I plan to get fired over this then I plan to say my piece before I leave. Young Master Clark has been nothing but good to you and for you and it seems that you doubted him for if you believed your father's words over asking and then believing the young master then maybe just maybe you didn't need his friendship for you obviously thought that young master was only here for your money or fame like so many others when he was in fact to be with you the you that likes to watch National Geographic and fights with the narrators of the show you are watching; the you that much prefers staying home and playing Risk or the you that enjoys reading about the Greek and Roman Empires” Enrique said before standing up and making his way over to the door for his parting shot for he knew he would probably be fired for the words he had spoken and the words he was going to speak.

“That one person you always spoke about that was meant to be your other half the person that would save you from your father's schemes, that person has to seen all the pieces of you and love them all and if that meant showing up week after week to listen to you complain about your father while playing pool, or sit with you while you berated the narrators on a show or even showed up looking for advise that you give in the form of Greek and Roman history; then that only leads to one person”

“Clark” Lex answered for Enrique, it was when it was all laid out on the table so-to-speak that Lex really saw that his friendship to Clark had only been a mask of his love for the younger man and he now knew how much he had royally screwed up what he had.

“Enrique” Lex said stopping the man from leaving the den where he sat.

“Sir”

“You're not fired; far from it you deserve a pay raise”

“Sir”

“There are only two other people alive that would have spoken the words you have to me and one of them is located in the kitchen probably killing two of the servers for tonight and the other is at Kent Farms.” Enrique could only laugh for he knew that Nigella wasn't killing Clark, Beckett maybe but not Clark and he also knew that Martha Kent was a sight to be seen when she got angry.

“Shall I go and check on the servers then” Enrique said ending the heavy conversation that they were having.

“Please do and if there is blood please make sure that it is cleaned before the guests arrive. This may be a Halloween party but its not *that* kind of Halloween party” Lex said a small smile on his face, now at least happy with the facts that he had been given and now all he needed to do was set things to rights with *his* large farm boy for Clark would never belong to someone else. “Consider it done sir and make sure to watch the time” Enrique said before walking out the door and towards the kitchen where he knew Nigella was probably running around yelling at Clark for help.

~ Luthor Castle , Kitchen~

  “What in bloody hell do you think you were doing?” Met Enrique's ears only to hear a mumbled response which he wasn't able to hear, which meant that there may be blood on the floor that he would need to clean up but he first had to take a peek.

“I don't bloody care if you are going to be a chef or not, this is *MY* kitchen not yours and you do best to remember that” Nigella said waving a knife at Beckett while the younger man was backed into a corner on the far side of the kitchen while Clark shook his head at the island trying to clean up the mess that Beckett had made while Nigella had gone to the pantry to get something. Clark looked up and saw Enrique standing at the door with a smile on his face, he knew then that he best stop Nigella before she either hurt of killed Beckett.

“Nigella its fine”

“Fine? fine! My pettifores are finished and I don't have enough time to bake something. What were you thinking?” Nigella said spinning around from Clark to Beckett again, getting her self all worked up yet again.

“I'll whip something up”

“You?”

“Yes, out of the pair of us I am the pastry chef in training, not that nimrod there” Clark said pointing to Beckett making Nigella laugh which seemed to calm her down.

“Now why don't you two sit and have some tea or something”

“Are you trying to say something farm boy?” Beckett said eyeing Clark knowing that Clark had said what he did because there was just something itching to come out that would make fun of him.

“You British seem to love having a cup of Earl Grey so it must be what relaxes you so much”

“You!” Beckett said before jumping towards Clark but being stopped by Enrique roaring with laughter.

“Enrique” Clark said happy to see the older man so soon, he had figured that Enrique had gone to see Lex but to see the man again so soon he thought that maybe that hadn't occurred.

“Young Master Clark you speak the truth, but Nigella has taken a shine to lattes as of late”

“Lattes?”

“Yes, she will go all the way into town for a cup but as soon as Master Lex found out he bought this” Enrique said now pointing out a large espresso maker that looked like it was restaurant quality.

“That's beautiful” Clark said drooling over the machine, which had both Enrique and Nigella looking at him funny.

“You brew?” Nigella said hopeful that Clark knew how to work the machine, she had tried many times to make the machine work but it seemed that her last try she had given up until someone could come in and show her how to work it. She didn't fancy telling Lex that she didn't know how to work the machine, so Clark looking as excited as he did was a good thing in her book.

“Oh yeah, he brews all right” Beckett answered for Clark since it seemed that Clark was in some sort of zone.

“Oh sweet mother” Nigella said before going over to Clark and tapping him on the shoulder.

“Can you make me a cuppa?”

“Of course” Clark said already reaching out to turn the machine on.

“I want a latte with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream and some cinnamon and nutmeg” Nigella said smiling as bright as a sunny day, happy to have someone there to make her a latte instead of having a cup of tea as most people assumed she drank since she was from the United Kingdom.

“Consider it done, now just point me to the coffee beans and the other ingredients and I will be on my way” Clark said before Nigella pointed him towards the pantry where she kept all of the non-refrigerated items that were kept at the castle. After Clark had gathered the ingredients he began to bang around the machine making sure that things were in order before he began making the ordered latte; the smell of the coffee made Beckett moan, begging Clark to make him a cup after he had made Nigella's.

“Jeez can a guy get a break?” Clark said making a quick cup so that he could start on the desserts that Beckett had ruined when he attempted to help Nigella.

“You're the barista, not me” Beckett said before taking a sip of his latte and then sitting out of the way so that Clark could work. At that response Clark could only shake his head while throwing out the ruined dessert and then racking his brain for something that could be made at such sort notice that didn't require baking.

“Chef” Enrique said popping into the kitchen and being stunned for a moment since both Beckett and Nigella sat near the island while Clark was whipping something in a bowl.

“Enrique have the servers arrived yet?”

“They have, I was uncertain on what you wanted me to do with them since they will be wearing their chef uniforms”

“Bring them to the Grand Ballroom; I am going to have a chat with them. They need to understand that this is not a chance to get into Master Lex's pants” at those words Clark's cheeks flamed red having no idea that Nigella would say something like that in front of both of him and Beckett.

“They will be taken there” Enrique said before walking away and to the group that now stood in the foyer of the castle.

“You go too, I don't want that…that *chit* to think that I am giving special treatment and with you here she won't know the difference” Nigella said knowing that Sarah, even if she didn't know the girl's name would be horrible to deal with if she noticed that both Beckett and Clark were missing yet again.

“Clark” Beckett said looking for confirmation that it would be safe for him to go to the Grand Ballroom and watch as Nigella cut the rest of the servers down yet again.

“Just go, you being here will probably get nothing done since you eat every thing I make as soon as I finish” Clark said knowing it would be safer if Beckett left the room with Nigella. Once both Nigella and Beckett left the kitchen Clark finished making the first set of cheesecake bites that were dipped in a chocolate sauce. It was thirty minutes later that Nigella walked back into the kitchen shaking her head at how many stupid questions she had to answer by Sarah.

“Does the chit ever shut up?”

“No, not that I know of” Clark said not looking up from his dunking of the cheesecake bites into the hot chocolate sauce.

“Some of the questions she asked just screamed that she wasn't planning on working tonight, and that is something that is not needed here”

“I know that, all she talks about is Lex Luthor this and Lex Luthor that while in between classes that we have together”, that was when she wasn't trying to hit on him.

“Well I stopped that” Nigella said proud that she had stopped Sarah from thinking that Lex would want to even speak to her in any thing more than employer and employee relationship.

“I don't think I want to know what you said to her” Clark said continuing to make desserts for the party.

“You should go and get ready with the rest of the servers” Nigella said thinking that her original plan of getting Clark close to Lex wasn't the best of ideas since he seemed to have a sort of control over the kitchen that only she had here at the castle.

“All right, where can I change?” Clark said coming from around the island to show off his jeans and black t-shirt that Nigella just took notice of.

“You work at Sri Latte Coffee & Confectionery Shop?”

“Yeah”

“So you know about those donuts that are cut in half…”

“And have a spread in the center and then are dipped in chocolate, caramel or glaze frosting”

“Those be the ones”

“I make them, something I made up at home” Clark said blushing at how Nigella sounded when talking about one of the hot bake goods that they sold at the Coffee Shop.

“Are you serious?” Nigella said before looking at Clark and wondering how she could secretly marry him so that he could cook for her every day.

“Very much so, they are one of the biggest sellers at the shop” Clark said before blushing again at the look that Nigella gave him.

“You just *have* to make some of those for me tomorrow” Nigella demanded of Clark knowing that if Lex got wind of the knowledge that Clark was here there wouldn't be much more cooking going on for the young man.

“You can drop by the farm and there will be some waiting. I planned to make some for the trip back to Metropolis for the group” Clark said happy with the thought that someone enjoyed his pastry creation as much as Nigella seemed to be expressing her love of them.

“Consider me there” Nigella said before she pointed to a small half bathroom that was located just off the kitchen, so that the chef and servers wouldn't take up one of the main bathrooms in the hallways of the castle. Clark nodded his head and then made his way into the bathroom and just as the door closed Lex walked into the room not taking notice of the now closed bathroom door.

“Nigella” Lex said before looking over all of the food that was laying out waiting for party goers and servers to touch them.

“Master Lex” Nigella said before coming close to him trying to make sure that he wouldn't notice that there was someone else in the kitchen besides her.

“I just got done speaking with Chef De Laurentiis and she said that she is missing a student” Lex said just knowing that the missing student was Clark, he didn't know how he knew but he knew and for that he was going to try and find this ‘lost' student and see if it really was Clark.

“I have decided to have them help me here in the kitchen” she knew her words would make Lex want to stay even longer but she could only hope that someone would come and save her and Clark from the inquisition that he was bound to give.

“You plan to have help, here, with you?” Lex said looking skeptical of Nigella's words.

“I can't do it all and since they have yet to anger me unlike most of the others out there I thought it would be a good idea.”

“Hmmm, well let me meet this ‘helper' of yours” Lex said before leaning on the door jam of the kitchen. Nigella and Clark were saved by Enrique letting Lex know that the first of the party goers had arrived a bit early. Lex looked at Enrique wondering if the man knew more than he was letting on about the mysterious student that went by the name Kent and that this was just a ploy to get him out of the kitchen and away from the student.

“I'll come and check how things are going later” Lex said wanting to see if his hunch was right that Kent was Clark and that the farm boy was here at Luthor castle.

“That will be fine Master Lex” Nigella said knowing she would have to talk to Clark and see if the younger man would be willing to see or even speak to Lex tonight instead of disappearing as he tended to do when he came to the castle at odd times to visit with Lex.

“Oh, and see to it that the missing student checks in with Chef De Laurentiis before too many more guests arrive” Lex said before making his way to the foyer so that he could greet the guests that had arrived.

“ Clark ” Nigella said once she was certain that Lex would outside of hearing range.

“I heard Lex, and I will go and talk to my professor” Clark said before slipping on his mask and making his way to the Grand Ballroom so that he could tell his professor where he would be located for most if not all of the night. Ten minutes later had Clark leading all of the students to the kitchen so that they could pick up their serving plate and began circling around the areas that Nigella had designated for them.

“This is going to be so much fun” Sarah said bouncing around the kitchen with a huge smile on her face.

“You are not here to have fun” Nigella said before glaring at Sarah and then handing out trays to the group before giving them the directive on where they would be located. It was two hours and many food trays later which had Lex in the kitchen with both Nigella and Clark there. Nigella had warned him every thirty minutes that Lex could stop by at any time, Clark had nodded his head and made note to try and be out of the kitchen before Lex arrived for his ‘visit'.

“Nigella” Lex said looking at his in-house chef and then to the man that stood next to her with a mask on his face, almost as if he was to be server for the night before Nigella took him for help in the kitchen.

“Master Lex” Nigella said shocked that Lex was there and so early into the party in her mind.

“Well aren't you going to introduce me to your helper?”

“Oh, yes, yes” Nigella said before looking to Clark for some sort of guidance on what she should do. It was at this point that Clark decided to show himself to Lex and let things go the way they were meant to be.

“Hello Lex” Clark said taking off his mask and showing Lex his face for the first time in almost four years.

“Well, well, well” Lex said angry that Nigella and Clark had been keeping this from him. Clark just stared at Lex waiting for the older man to speak; he didn't have anything to say to Lex so he certainly wasn't going to start rambling on about his life or something as inane as the weather.

“So you were here all along” Lex stated instead of questioning for he now understood why Beckett was staying with the Kents and why Nigella was more than happy to have Clark in her kitchen.

“Yeah” Clark said with a shoulder shrug he knew that once Lex put all the pieces together there was going to be a huge fight that he was not looking forward to. It was at this time that Beckett came bouncing into the room, before he came to a dead stop seeing Clark 's face and the look on Lex's face at the information he had just found out.

“Uh, I'll just…” Beckett said pointing to the hallway before slowing making his way out of the kitchen.

“Oh no you don't” Nigella said knowing that Beckett was out of things to serve and needed another tray. She may be lost as to what to do about the Clark and Lex situation but she was not going to have the people of the party comment on their lack of food available to them.

“ Clark you okay, man?” Beckett whispered to Clark as he was standing near the island where Clark currently stood not looking at Lex.

“Ya' know” Clark said with another shrug of his shoulders. He didn't want to get into it with Lex, but he knew the older man well enough to know that they would be getting into a fight just as soon as Beckett left. It was once both Beckett and Nigella left the kitchen that Lex decided to speak again.

“So why are you *here*?” Lex asked wondering why a Metropolis University student was helping out at Royal'el.

“Because my professor picked me along with fourteen other students to come and serve here” Clark stated wondering why Lex was still thinking he was a Met U student and not a Royal'el student.

“I must say that I am confused on why a Met U student is helping out at Royal'el”

“That is because I'm not a Met U student, haven't been for a long time and won't ever be one again” Clark said angry that for some reason he was explaining himself to Lex once again, or as he had always done with Lex when it came to the older man questioning him on things.

“You are not a Met U student?” Lex said stunned that something like that could pass through his knowledge without raising any flags.

“Nope, and what does it matter to you? I mean the last time I talked to you; you made it very clear that you wished to not even see or speak to me any longer”

“ Clark ...”

“No, you know what? Don't even start with some bull about your father or something equally stupid. I know now that I didn't mean much to you and for that I should have listened to my father” Clark said before turning his back to Lex so that he could get himself together before continuing with the words he had planned out for the day that Lex ever found him. It had hurt more than words could describe when Lex brushed him off, and now that he had Lex in his face he was uncertain if he could continue on with his words.

“ Clark ”

“What do you want Lex?” Clark said turning back around now that he got himself back under control. Clark looked into Lex's eyes and saw that the older man was sad, but about what Clark couldn't figure out since he was certain that it wasn't about their lack of friendship. That was made obvious by the lack of communication between the pair for the three and half years that Clark had been going to Royal'el. He knew that if Lex really wanted to find him that he would have, but that hadn't happened and now that Clark was in his house it seemed that things had changed.

“You've changed” Lex said shocked over the changes in Clark, starting with his Mohawk for a hair cut and then moving onto the attitude that he projected to Lex; one that definitely said that the shy farm boy was gone and in its place was someone with confidence.

“Yeah, I have” Clark said before looking at the wall besides Lex's shoulder wondering when the other man was going to leave so that he could continue on with what he was doing he didn't need the added stress of Lex picking a fight with him this night.

“I'm sorry” Lex said thinking that the changes in Clark were his fault and in some way they were but Clark wasn't going to accept an apology over what had happened four years ago if that was what Lex was apologizing for.

“It doesn't matter now Lex”

“It does to me”

“Well I guess that is where we disagree, what happened four years ago can't be changed and I'm not in the habit of forgiving for things that happen years ago”

“At least let me explain” Lex said needing for some reason to have Clark hear him out. He knew his reasons for stopping their friendship were dumb but at the time with the information that he had been given he couldn't help but listen to the words and evidence that was presented against Clark . Clark looked at Lex for a minute before deciding that he would at least listen to Lex, something that he had not had the privilege of having when Lex cut all ties with him.

“Fine, I'm listening” Clark said before grabbing a spoon and whipping something in a bowl that Lex didn't know what it was.

“Clark you have to understand” Lex started out only to be cut off by Clark .

“What? That it is okay for *the Lex Luthor* to do what he wants and not worry about the consequences?” Clark shot at Lex; he was not going to let the bald man run the whole conversation over his reasons for dropping Clark like a hot potato. Lex was shocked by Clark's words, he knew that the younger man would be angry but to lash out at him as he did made Lex think over the words that he was going to say to Clark again.

“ Clark ” Lex said wondering if he said something back what sort of response he would get.

“I'll keep my mouth shut but make it quick” Clark said leaning against the island and looking at Lex with his grass green eyes.

 

TBC.....

 

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