Chapter 1: The Balance Swayed
Clark Kent always knew he was not normal. He stood at six foot three and was only seventeen years old, spoke several different languages and he just so happened to be friends with the local billionaire. Now the last one was a new addition to Clark's life, after almost being hit by Lex Luthor's car, and then in turn saving said man from drowning. Lex Luthor had tried thanking the young Kent with a gift of a new truck, which was of course returned. Lex Luthor had said that their friendship was the stuff of legends. Clark tended to believe that when Lex allowed Clark over to the castle that was Lex's new home. Clark was comfortable with the current situation, well as comfortable as one could be with being the freak geek at school and local bald billionaire's friend.
The new Biology teacher, Desiree Atkins moved into town and took over all things scientific at the school. She had also taken over it seemed Lex's social schedule, and it seemed that Clark was not involved in it. Clark had nothing against the woman or the time she spent with Lex. Clark felt that Lex would get out more, which in Clark's eyes was always a good thing, she was also what the people of Smallville expected to see hanging off of Lex Luthor's arm, not geeky Clark Kent. Not that Clark was hanging off Lex's arm mind you. Clark had thought about not visiting the castle or Lex as much, and it seemed that Clark's decision to make him self scarce was made for him one day while delivering the produce for the week to the castle, Clark had been greeted by Maria and Enrique, Lex's live-in servants at the castle in the kitchen; they had looks of worry on their faces. Clark in turn got worried that Lex was either in trouble or that Lionel Luthor was visiting, neither were a good thing but it would seem that this was not the case. “Ms. Atkins, please I am not married, yet” was in the study talking with Lex. It seemed to Clark that Lex was having a good time, so he figured that saying hello could not hurt before he left to finish his chores and do his homework for the night. As Clark knocked on the door both Lex and Ms. Atkins turned and waited to see who was at the door. As Lex saw Clark's face, his demeanor changed just the slightest. Clark had always assumed that Lex was as comfortable with Clark's presence as he was with Lex's, it would seem that was about to change. Lex's face closed off and Ms. Atkins face was filled with glee with the look that Lex was giving Clark, Clark could tell.
A stiff, short conversation was then carried where Lex and Clark stared each other down afterwards, and where Ms. Atkins looked on in utter happiness. Clark left with a feeling that he had just been in a fight with his now ex-best friend that ended their friendship, and he could not tell you what the fight was about. It was almost as bad as dealing with Chloe when she got into one of her “you did this and now you have to fix it” moods. Clark was still trying to figure out how to deal with those and now he had a friend who pretty much had a one sided fight and ended their friendship in the process. Clark hated it. He hated it even more, when he thought of the cell phone that sat in his pocket that Lex had given him a month ago, “just in case something was to happen and he had no way to contact any one” Lex had said. Clark thought that returning it would be best if there was no friendship between him and Lex, he didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage of Lex. He thought that the order of phone numbers was a pretty clear indication of Lex's importance in Clark's life, what with Lex being number 1 and his parents were 2 on the speed dial. He guessed not. Clark decided that if he thought it than the best course of action was to follow through, his dad had said he needed to be firm on all decisions he made. This was going to be Clark's starting point.
Clark made it to the kitchen with the cell phone in hand and the words on his lips on what Enrique and Maria could do with the phone. He of course did not say those things, but only a polite “will you please return this to Mr. Luthor. I don't think I need it any longer. Thank you.” With those words and a few others about the friendship between Clark and Lex, Clark walked out before he would change his mind and walk back into the kitchen. Soon a series of tears began to fall, but Clark paid no mind to them as he drove. If he would have turned around he would have seen the stunned faces of the staff of Luthor Castle looking at the phone and the back of a young man that had made living in Smallville just a little easier.
Clark made it home and worked on his chores until his mother called for him to clean up for dinner. Clark was walking into the house when he had a sudden bout of dizziness over come him. This had been going on for a while now, but when he went to the doctor they could find nothing wrong. Both of his parents were relived, confused and worried. It could be something worse, but no one dared to ask. Clark was getting worried because it seemed that what ever was effecting him was taking away all of this energy and he seemed to never be hungry any more. His mother of course made him eat, but that did not stop him from losing weight. Clark had told him self that if it did not stop with in the next couple of weeks he would tell his parents that a visit to a Metropolis doctor was in order. It would not due for Clark to be sick, when the farm depended on him so much.
Time of course past and Clark's problems didn't see to go away, if anything he seemed to be getting sicker and it also seemed that Lex had no urge to speak to his one time best friend, as Lex had told him on a few occasions. Clark had called on occasion to see if everything was fine, but the response he got was Enrique saying Lex was entertaining a guest and that he would leave a message. Clark knew Lex got the messages, and that was what hurt. Lex did not call; he did not even look at Clark any more. It was like he didn't even exist, and Clark seemed to be slowly fading away any way, and to add icing to the cake that was falling apart, Clark found out that Chloe and Pete were going out a couple of days after the one sided fight with Lex, and it was with great shock. It was even a bigger shock to hear that they had been going out for some time and felt that Clark need not know. Clark was deeply hurt by this, but smiled and congratulated them. Clark told his parents and they too seemed greatly shocked at the lack of caring by all of Clark's friends.
Clark had been out doing his chores in the barn, when he began to feel dizzy again, but that did not last long because soon he began to feel nauseous as well. Clark had never been this sick a day in his life and this was beginning to scare him even more than before. Clark had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that what was going on was about to change him for life. Whether or not it was a good thing would remain to be seen as he made his way back to the house. Clark had to stop three times to vomit before he was able to make into the house where his mother was working in the kitchen.
“Clark!? Are you okay?”
“Mom something is wrong. I don't feel so great.” Clark said as he ran to the bathroom near the kitchen.
“Clark, Clark!” Martha was running out of the house and into the barn where her husband was working on the tractor that had broken only this morning.
“Martha? What's going on?”
“It's Clark? He's sick, come quick.” Martha was already running back to the house where her son was still sitting on the floor of the bathroom with his head resting on the porcelain bowl.
“Clark, honey….are you okay? What's wrong?” Martha asked with concern. Clark looked at her with tears in his eyes.
“I….I think I'm sicker than we thought. I just don't know, mom!”
“Just calm down and your father will be in to help figure this out.”
“Martha, Clark?” Jonathan asked from the kitchen.
“In the bathroom, Jon.”
“So what's wro…..?” He never got to finish the sentence as he saw Clark sitting on the floor of the small bathroom.
“Son, why are you sitting on the floor in the bathroom?” Jonathan asked, his question was answered by Clark throwing up yet again.
“Clark?” Jon looked at his son to see that Clark would not be stopping anytime soon, so he looked at his wife. She had tears in her eyes and looked like her whole world had just crashed around her.
“We will figure this out. We will.” Jon said to Clark and his wife. He only hoped that they would figure out what was wrong soon.
Clark continued on in that vain for almost an hour. When he stopped his face was red and tears where running down his face. As Clark wiped the tears away, he was suddenly struck with the urge to take a nap. Clark tried to get off the floor but the pain in his body told him that sitting on the floor for the moment was the best option. He looked over to see his mom and dad standing in the doorway with concerned looks on their faces. Clark knew it was time to tell them that he needed to go to Children's Mercy Hospital of Metropolis to see a doctor, but he had no way to say it with out upsetting both his mother and his father. He knew the moment that he opened his mouth and said C.M.H.M, his mother would get all teary eyed like she was now and say that she would make the appointment and then give him those, “I'm worried mother looks.” His dad would do one of two things. He would either take what Clark said, and follow Martha lead or he would all but throw a tantrum about the price of doctors and say that there was really nothing wrong with Clark in the first place. Clark hoped it was the first because he did not feel like fighting with anyone any time so soon after the “Lex incident” as Clark called it in his head. Clark opened his mouth, but his mother beat him to the punch.
“Clark, Jon. I am going to call Children's Mercy Hospital of Metropolis to get an appointment. Obviously Dr. Peters has no idea what he is talking about, if he said that Clark is not sick. I call this sick and he is going to a real doctor. End of story.” Martha Kent was in full mother mode and both of the Kent men knew to not fight her on this.
“Jon, help get Clark off the floor. He will not be spending the night in the downstairs bathroom.” Martha said with all the will power she had.
Clark's dad helped him off the floor and Clark cleaned him self up as best he could in the downstairs bathroom, Clark knew when his mother got like this it was better to do what she said than to fight about it. He would fight later over who would come to the doctor.
“Son? Are you up to eating or should I try to make her understand that throwing up for the last hour and half, you don't feel like eating?” Jon asked with a small smile and humor in his voice. He was worried of course but that does not mean that a small amount of humor was not necessary.
“I think the latter, dad. I know mom will want me to eat, but right now I just want to go upstairs take a shower and go to bed.”
“Is your homework finished? Do you think you will feel up to going to school tomorrow? If I am going into this war, I want to get the most out of the bargaining that I will have to be doing to get what you need son.” Jon laughed a little at this. He still could not get Martha to back down on a good day and he had been married to the woman since they were teenagers.
“The homework is done; I did that when I got home, feeling up to going to school? I will have to see on that one tomorrow morning. Just tell mom that I want to lie down and see how that goes. Maybe Ma Kent will cool it there. She is still on the phone so maybe that will cool her down.” Clark said while looking at his mother, even though she looked to be getting angrier as she waited.
“I don't think that will work, but I will try anything at this point. Go upstairs and take that shower and lay down. We will check on you later.”
Clark trudged up the stairs and into the bathroom near his room to take the shower that he wanted and needed desperately. Clark needed to cry in peace and it seemed that this was the only real place in the whole house that would grant him the privacy that he needed right now. As the water beat down on Clark, he thought about what could possibly be wrong with him. He did not think that it was something that would be classified as simple, like the stomach flu or a simple cold. Clark knew that this was something, it was big, ‘like cancer,' Clark's mind seemed to supply for him. Clark's body began to shake at the thought of having cancer. He had read an article about a young man that had leukemia and in the story it told of all the pain that he went through. Clark was not sure on if he did have cancer if he would be the same person that he was now. The boy, Michael, if Clark remembered correctly said that his attitude toward life had changed to where he had a hard time trusting people and hated going out in public. Granted Clark did not go out too much, but the not trusting people, Clark could never see happening. Clark quickly stopped that thought and finished his shower; he would not brood on something that he did not know. Clark made his way to bed after he had dressed in his pajamas only to see that his mother and father were waiting for him in his room.
“Clark we have an appointment at Children's Mercy Hospital of Metropolis on Tuesday. You will have to miss school of course, but we may need to stay over night there.” Martha said with a worried voice.
“So which one of you is staying back?” Clark knew that both of his parents would not be able to go, but he had hoped that they would both come regardless of the farm.
“Neither.” Martha looked at Jon for any protest and found none. Clark looked surprised and happy all in the same facial expression.
“You both are coming? I mean, I just thought…..” Clark stopped before he got into something that he really did not want to get into.
“Clark, this farm is our life but so are you. If there is a possibility of having you stay over in an unfamiliar city and having tests done I think we can manage to all be there. And besides we won't always be farmers.” Jon said to his son. He knew what Clark was thinking, that his own father would stay and tend to the failing farm because he had to. He did, but he would also gladly sell the land and move to Metropolis if it meant an easier life for them all.
“Okay, so that gives us five days of not knowing, right? And I sooooo get to get off of school.” Clark said trying to lighten the mood. It worked his mother laughed at the small joke she knew that it was a step in the right direction. When Clark was able to tell his small corny jokes, she knew that he would be okay. He may not be great, but he was dealing with the situation the best way he knew how.
“Five days, so you get into bed and rest. I will bring you up a sandwich and a glass of milk just so you have something in your stomach. Starving yourself is not going to stop you from throwing up.” Martha said to her son as she got up and went out the door.
“You didn't win, dad?” Clark asked as he got into bed.
“I didn't have a chance, son. Not a chance. Your mother got off the phone and told me in no uncertain terms that if I valued my life that I would agree with everything she said. I knew better than to say no.” Jon said with a smile on his face. Clark laughed and waited for his mother to return with his small dinner. She returned quickly and Clark ate about half of the sandwich before he was full. His mother did not look happy, but he could not eat another bite with his stomach rolling as much as it was now.
“Clark, we will leave you to rest. If you need anything just yell. Okay?” Clark's father said.
“Sure thing, night mom, dad see you in the morning.” Clark said as he rolled onto his side and fell asleep almost immediately after the door was closed.
They had fives days of not knowing what was wrong to wait out. It was not too hard being that the next day was Friday and the beginning of the weekend, but both Martha and Jonathan were worried about the deliveries that would need to be made on Wednesday. If they had to stay over, no one would be able to drop off the produce and that was the last thing they wanted right now. Nosey people wanting to know what was going on, sometimes Martha hated living in the small town for this reason. Jonathan had the idea to make the deliveries on Thursday and say that it would be a change in schedule due to homecoming coming up. He only hoped that people would not ask too many questions. They would, but with Homecoming only a few days away it was a valid excuse. The only person that both Martha and Jonathan worried about was Lex Luthor, and it seemed that Clark had not spoken to or about the man in weeks. His name was not uttered out of their son's mouth and Clark did not offer any information on the matter. Jonathan may have not liked the Luthors, but he thought that his one was different. Clark seemed to bring out the best in the young man that was trying so hard to not turn into his father and it was reciprocated the other way as well. Clark had always been shy and quiet, but around Lex he was more expressive and animated. It made the Kents happy that Clark had found at least one person that he could be utterly comfortable with, but that did not seem to be the case in the last couple of weeks.
The five days leading up to the doctor's visit in Metropolis were days of pure laziness on the Kent's farm. Martha made baked goods and Jonathan and Clark sat around and watched football. The only day that was hard was the Monday that was before the visit. It seemed that when Clark got to school that Chloe had a bee in her bonnet and wanted to take it out on him. Clark was in no mood to listen to Chloe talk about something strange and/or about what Pete had done to her this weekend. He did not want to be here, but his parents said that he at least needed to make the attempt at going to class, even if he left in the middle of the day. So Clark was here now, with the hope that he could just get to class and float through school. Of course Chloe had other ideas.
“Kent!”
“Chloe. Hi!” Clark said with as much cheer as he could. He could see now why people tended to stay away from her. She was just too damn chirpy in Clark's opinion.
“Kent! Where is my story for the Torch? I thought I told you that deadline, means deadline. Can't you even follow the easiest of instructions?” Chloe said, she was about to get started again with Clark always being late and that one-day that he was going to miss a good story because of it when Clark stopped her.
“Chloe, I gave you the story on Thursday, now if you lost it from there that is not my fault. I don't think I want to work at the Torch anymore. My family needs me at the farm more and the Torch is your dream, you have it. Now can I leave? I am going to be late for class.” Clark did not wait for a reaction he just walked off to his first class of the day, which was English. Clark heard Chloe loud and clear when she shouted down the hallway…”Kent! Your ass is sooooooo grass for that one.”
Clark could not bring him self to care. He was sick and both Chloe and Pete only seeming to talk to him when they were mad at each other. Clark had tired of that early on, but it seemed that with the prospect of something bad looming on the horizon, Clark had found the will to just walk away when it got to be too much with those two. He still had not spoken with Lex since the incident, but it seemed that Ms. Atkins was being especially cruel to Clark the weeks after. Clark hated going to class, but he had to go since she was the AP Biology teacher and he so happened to be taking AP Biology. Clark floated through most of his classes in a daze, and when asked where he was on Friday the “I wasn't feeling well” was given as the excuse. Every one of his teachers took the line except for Ms. Atkins, who gleefully told Clark that he would receive a zero for the day because of his lack of planning and fore sight into the matter. Clark thought it was a load of bull, but when he sat down and saw that Chloe was beaming he knew it was a load of bull. Clark waited until the final bell to ring, when it did he was packing up his backpack when Chloe all but bounced over to Clark table.
“So how does it feel to have a zero for a day?” Chloe asked with a wide smile.
“S'not bad. If I was not lacking planning and fore sight I would have known that I would receive a zero for the day.” Clark said not looking up from putting his things away.
“Yeah, well we all knew that one. So we have a meeting at the Torch in ten minutes, you want me to wait?”
“No, because I am not going. I have to be home and I told you earlier today that I can't work at the Torch anymore.”
“Clark, you were kidding. You would never quit the Torch.”
“I just did. Bye, Chloe. Tell Pete I said hi.” With that Clark walked out of the room and out of the school. He knew Chloe would be mad at him, but then Pete would forgive whatever Chloe had done or said and all would be right in the world. Clark was just on his way to start the walk home when the sound of the pickup truck sounded in his ears. It was heaven on earth to Clark. He did not really want to walk home and since he was always late to something he had missed the bus home.
“Clark Kent get in this truck now!” Martha said in her most angry voice.
“Okay, mom.” Clark got into the truck to see that both Pete and Chloe were outside watching the whole thing.
“So I assume the whole anger thing is fake?” Clark asked his mother.
“Of course, if those two cared so much for you they would have been over to the house to drop off any school work you may have missed. I thought that they would be good friends, I guess I was wrong.”
“I think you may be right. I quit the Torch today and Chloe told me that I was kidding. How would I be kidding with something like that?”
“You don't. I just don't know what to think any more, dear. Let's get you home. You need to rest, because it will be a long day tomorrow.”
The ride back home was a quiet and tense one. Neither mother nor son wanted to talk about the next day's visit. As they arrived home, they instantly noticed the black Aston Martin in the driveway. Both Clark and Martha looked at each other with worry in their eyes.
“You didn't call *him* did you?” Clark asked. He did not want to even think on why Lex was here, let alone deal with the reason as to *why* Lex was here and not at the plant or Luthor Castle.
“Clark, no one knows about the visit to the doctor. We know you haven't spoken to Lex in weeks, so we would not even think about calling him. What's wrong?”
“He is here for something. I just don't know what. He made it pretty clear to me the last time I talked to him that speaking to him was not in my best interest. I don't even know what I did to get him mad at me.” Clark said with a look of sadness and anger on his face. He had spent many a nights thinking over what had happened with Lex and could only come to one conclusion. That Ms. Atkins had said something about Clark that was a lie to get in Lex's good graces. She did a good job of it, if Lex was willing to end the friendship that they had.
“Well let's find out. He is not at his car, so your father must have brought him in the house.”
“Okay mom. Just so you know now, if I don't look so hot get rid of him for me please. I refuse to have to deal with him and feeling like crap all at the same time.” Clark said eyeing the black sports car.
“You know that I will, and if I don't then your father will.” Martha said as both she and Clark got out of the truck. As they made the short walk to the back door Clark could hear his father moving around the kitchen. Martha was the first one in the door and saw that Lex was calmly sitting at the kitchen table watching Jonathan with a smirk on his face. Clark entered quickly behind to watch as his father fumbled with a tea bag and kettle.
“Jon, what in the world *are* you doing? That kettle is not to be used, put it back and sit down. I will make everyone some tea.” Martha said all the while peeking at a look at her son's face.
“Martha! Good your home, tea sounds great.” Jon said while sitting down like a trained puppy. Clark watched in amusement until he saw that Lex was watching him.
“Mrs. Kent, so nice to see you, I did not expect to see you so soon.” Lex said while staring at Clark. Clark did not like the way that this conversation was going already.
“And what do we owe the pleasure of your company today, Lex?” Martha asked as she worked in the kitchen efficiently.
“I was notified by Maria just this morning that the Wednesday delivery will not be made until Thursday. Is there a reason for the push back of the delivery?” Lex asked in his business tone.
“Well…..” Both Martha and Jon said at the same time. They had talked about the lie that they would have to feed Lex, but the homecoming one would just not fly with a Luthor, they both knew that. They had thought of nothing to lie to him since then and they kept hoping that he would not notice until after the delivery and doctor's visit was made. Clark would save them on this one.
“There is an organic farm show going on in Metropolis on Tuesday, mom and dad thought it would be a good idea if we all went. That would mean that we would stay over and the Wednesday delivery would either be late at night or not at all. So we decided to push it back a day. No one really cares what day they get their deliveries just that they have it by the weekend. If you would like the delivery on Wednesday, then mom and dad could make sure to have someone stop by and pick up the produce for you.” Clark said while looking at Lex with no emotion in his eyes.
“Oh, no that is quite all right. I just thought that there might be something going on in the Kent house that might need my attention.” Lex said while staring at Clark. Clark was angry then.
“And why would anything in this house need your attention?”
“Call it a sixth sense.” Lex smirked as he said this. No one had anything to say to this. Everyone in the house knew it was true. Whenever Clark was in trouble it seemed that Lex just knew and came to help out.
“Well, I guess you have no need to worry. Nothing is wrong here.” Jon said trying to break the tension between the two young men. It did not work.
“No, I think my sixth sense is working just perfectly but I will drop it for now. I have to meet Desiree in a few minutes. Have a good trip.” With that being said Lex left with all the flare he usually did. Clark could not stop the thought that Lex reminded him of Professor Snape, from the Harry Potter books he had taken up reading, with his swirling black coat. Clark let out the breath he had been holding since Lex stepped out of the house. When he heard the engine start and the crunch of gravel under tires, Clark knew he was safe for the time being.
“Clark, where in the world did you get that lie? I mean it was pretty amazing, but still you had me believe I was going to an organic farming show.” Clark's dad asked.
“I read it on the internet on Friday. I figured we would need to have an alibi just in case *he* did want to know where we were.” Clark said.
“So is there really a show?” Martha asked her son.
“Yeah, and I just so happened to sign us up. It was free so don't worry about paying for anything. I know that he will check and see if the story I fed him was a lie so I made sure to cover our tracks, so to speak. I hope that is okay. I just don't want to deal with him or any one else right now.” Clark said looking at the table.
“Clark, honey you did what your father and I could not do. Lie to a Luthor, we spent the last few nights trying to find a lie that he would buy. It would seem that he bought this one well enough. I still think he knows something is wrong, but with your cover he might just drop it. Don't worry honey; we should know something tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest.” Martha said as she soothed her worried son.
That night was spent is a tense silence. Clark contemplating what Lex's real intentions where for the visit today, and what was wrong with him. Clark's parent sat in silence over the possibilities of what could be wrong with their son. They both knew that if it was something that needed treatment, they would need help. They only hoped that the hospital had some sort of financial aid to help out if need be. They decided that this was a family matter and only the people that Clark felt need know, would know. So only they knew, but they hoped that more would be added in time. If not, they would get through it, together.