Title: In Loco Parentis

Author: Teaphile

Author Email: teaphile@hotmail.com

Author Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/teaphile

Category: First Time, Humor

Spoilers For: None

Rating: PG

Pairing: Clark/Lex

Summary: Don't touch the funny-looking rocks. For the Clexfest Third Wave.

In Loco Parentis
by Teaphile

Friday July 18, 2003
10:00 am

"Huh. That's weird." Clark bent over to pick up the smooth stone out of the river. He dried it off on his t-shirt and tossed it in his hand a few times.

"What's that?" Pete asked from his seat on the ground, craning his neck to see Clark's hand.

Clark tossed the stone to Pete, who caught it smoothly. He examined the silvery-black surface, then shrugged. "It looks like hematite."

"But remember that project I did about local rocks a few years ago? Hematite shouldn't exist here naturally." Clark sat beside Pete and slipped his shoes back on over his wet feet.

Pete frowned. "What, you're thinking someone just left it here?"

"Maybe. We're not far from Lex's. I'm sure he'd know what it is." He reached out to take the stone back from Pete, who didn't let him have it.

"Wait." Pete pointed to the surface of the stone. "When you get near it, it shimmers."

Clark looked at the stone again, then down at his red tee. "It must just be a reflection from my shirt."

Pete raised his eyebrows dramatically. "Or, it's a new form of meteorite." He waved it in front of Clark's face, and studied his reaction.

"Yeah, one that makes my eyes cross. Come on, Pete. There are already two kinds. What are the chances there's a third?"

"Even so, I'm holding it until we can find out for sure." Pete pocketed the stone as they set off through the woods towards the mansion.


10:45 am

They reached the front gate of the mansion at the same time as Chloe's little red car pulled up. She rolled down her window. "Hey guys. Get in."

"What are you doing here, Chloe?" Clark asked as he shut his door.

"I'm playing gofer for my dad." She pulled the car though the open gate and carefully up the drive. "He's going away for the weekend and Lex needs these," she held up a folder, "so I'm delivering them."

Pete snorted. "He still mad about the article?"

"Yeah. Honestly, you'd think he worked for Lionel, not for Lex. I tried to cast Lex in a good light, but I guess he didn't think so." Chloe parked beside a dusty pick-up. "Looks like your Dad's here, Clark."

"He was coming to talk to Lex about something. I guess he hasn't left yet." The three got out of the car and ambled up to the door, letting themselves in when no one answered the bell.

The foyer was quiet, but as they neared Lex's office they could hear arguing. Clark was able to distinguish his parents' voices and Lionel's, but not Lex's. They entered the office to find the three older adults in the middle of the room shouting at each other, with Lex looking mildly on from his position against the pool table. Chloe and Pete drifted over to listen, and Clark joined Lex.

"Clark," Lex greeted him, not taking his eyes off the argument. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Pete," Clark called over to the other boy. "Toss Lex the rock." Pete complied, then turned back.

"What's this?" Lex asked, turning the rock over in his hands.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Clark watched as Chloe got involved in both sides of the fight, alternately accusing and defending.

"Looks like hematite. Or some kind of carbon. Maybe graphite."

"Those minerals shouldn't be in this area. I found this out in your woods."

Lex shrugged the issue off, much the way Pete had. "Probably somebody dropped it there a while ago." He handed the stone back to Clark, who slipped it in his jeans' pocket.

Clark turned his attention to the centre of the room in time to hear Pete shout, "You can't talk to Mrs. Kent like that," at Lionel. Lionel just smiled and averred that he could, because he employed her. Everyone started shouting again. Clark shared a glance with Lex, then decided he'd had enough.

He stepped up to the group and raised his voice so they could hear him. "Listen to yourselves! You're all a bunch of four-year-olds!"

Lex blinked in shock. There, where previously had stood three adults and two teenagers, stood five children, looking around in confusion.

"Clark?" Clark didn't respond to Lex. He seemed to be stunned stupid.

Little Pete ran up to Clark and kicked him sharply in the shin, startling him. "I *told* you it was meteorite, you big, dumb alien!" He then ran back to the others, where Chloe was collapsed on the floor in giggles repeating the phrase 'big, dumb alien'.

Without looking at it, Clark pulled the stone out of his pocket and shouted again, "You're all back to normal!" Nothing happened, except that the rest of the 'children' now started giggling. "You're all a bunch of adults!"

"Clark?" Lex tried again. His four-year-old father was sidling up to four-year-old Martha and preparing to pull her hair.

Clark reached over to Lex and patted him on the shoulder. "I have to destroy this," he said blankly. "They should go back to normal. I hope." He headed to the door, Pete at his heels.

Martha screeched as Lionel reached his goal, then started chasing him around the room. Jonathan set off after them, wanting to join the fun, and Chloe still lay on the floor clutching her stomach.

"Hurry up, Clark!" Lex called as he watched the kids tear up his office.

Clark only walked far enough to be out of sight, then crumbled the rock in his hand, praying that it worked like the red meteorite. The rock popped, and dust showered down to the floor.

"Cool," remarked Pete from somewhere around Clark's elbow.

Clark sighed, then brushed off his hands and led Pete back to the office. The situation there hadn't changed much, except that his parents and Lionel were tussling on the carpet, and Chloe was trying to climb Lex's pantleg.

"Up, Lexy," she said with a cute little lisp. Lex stared down at her for a moment longer then gave in, picking her up easily and settling her on his hip.

"Wow, Lex," Clark said, joining them. "I didn't know you knew how to do that."

Lex looked at the girl in his arms, surprise clear on his face. "Frankly, neither did I."

"So, what now?"

"We could start an adoption agency," Lex replied in all seriousness.

"No," Chloe whined, grabbing his shirt collar and tugging sharply. "I wanna stay here with you."

Clark stopped Pete from climbing on to the pool table. "Then who would take care of me?"

Lex smiled slyly. "You could live here. You're old enough not to need actual parenting."

Laughing, Clark laid a hand on Lex's shoulder. "Face it, Lex, we're going to have to take care of these kids until we find a way to reverse this."

"No," Lex whined in the same tone Chloe had used. His face hardened, and he set Chloe down. "We're going to need some help," he said as he extricated Martha from the bottom of a pile of boys.

Chloe pounded her fist into Clark's leg. "Call Lana," she said seriously. "I love Lana."

"I'm sure you do." Clark took her hand and led her to the desk. "Let's see if she's home." He dialed the Sullivans' number and Lana answered. Clark handed the phone to Chloe, and listened.

"Hi, Lana!" she said cheerfully.

"Hello. Who is this?"

"Chloe," Clark suppressed a chuckle at the thought of Lana's expression.

"I'm sorry?"

Lana sounded so perplexed that Clark took over the conversation. "That was Chloe."

"Clark?"

"Yup. Lana, something weird has happened. Can you come to Lex's right away?"

"Sure," she replied cautiously.

"Oh, and bring extra clothes. You may have to stay the night."

12:00 pm

"Hi, Lana!"

"Oh my god," Lana exclaimed as Clark met her at the door. She reached up to tousle the curls of the little girl he carried on his shoulder. "She's adorable! Who's is she?"

"That's an interesting story, Lana." Clark led her deeper into the house.

"She's wearing the same outfit Chloe had on this...oh god." Lana stopped dead at the sight of the other children. She looked up at Chloe, then back at the others. "That's...Pete, and...and tell me that's not Mr. Luthor."

Clark handed Chloe over to her, watching curiously as she snuggled into Lana's arms and kissed her on the cheek. "That's Lionel all right. And the other two are my parents."

"What happened?" She shook her head. "Never mind, that was a stupid question. Did Lex shrink, too? That would be--"

"No, so you can stop that train of thought right there," Lex interrupted from behind her. He carried a large tray filled with various kiddy-sized drinks. Setting it down on the coffee table he joined Clark and Lana, who was fighting not to drop Chloe in the toddler's excitement to get down.

"So I guess I'm here to take care of them, right?" Lana didn't quite roll her eyes, but Clark saw that she came close.

"Just the girls. I think we can handle the boys," he replied, just as Jonathan dumped a glass of juice over Lionel's head. "I think." He looked at Lex. "It's your house."

Lex just looked back steadily. "It's your father." He watched the increasing fight. "Who is now being beaten about the head by my father."

After separating the two boys, they decided that television would be the way to go, so marched all the kids into the den to kill the day watching movies.


5:00 pm

"I'm hungry."

"Yeah, me too."

"Me three!"

"Okay, what do you want?" Lex stood as he spoke and glanced back at Clark, who looked scared, and Lana who mouthed, 'bad idea' at him. "What?" he asked them, just as the kids started yelling again.

"Pizza!"

"Hamburgers!"

"I hate hamburgers! Chicken!"

"Macaroni and cheese!"

"Yuck! Caviar!"

"I see." Lex looked around at the kids, and took a deep breath. "Shut up!"

Silence fell. "Thank you. I'll have to see what we have in the kitchen, but I'm pretty sure we don't have pizza or hamburgers." He held up a finger to forestall Lionel. "I know we don't have caviar." Lex turned back to Lana and Clark. "Lana, can you look after them while Clark and I forage for dinner?"

She nodded, and the two men left.

*

"This is damn weird, Clark." Lex sat on a stool in the kitchen and lay his head on his folded arms on the counter, not knowing whether to laugh or scream.

"Which part?" Clark was rummaging through the fridge for something a bunch of kids would eat.

"Have you noticed that they have a few memories of their adult lives, but not most of them? They certainly don't have the physical and emotional control they once did."

"Maybe you should ask them what they remember. If they recognize us as their children, for example. Do Mom and Dad know they're married? Does your dad have a crush on my mom as an adult, or just as a child?" Clark moved on to the pantry.

"You don't want to know the answer to that last question. Trust me, Clark. I certainly don't." Lex swiveled on the stool and watched Clark search the cupboards. "What are you looking for?"

"Peanut butter. Ah, there it is." His head and shoulders emerged from the pantry and he waved his prize in the air. "The one food all little kids can agree on."

"Why is there peanut butter in my kitchen? I hate the stuff. I always did, so there goes your theory." Deciding to help, Lex began the search for bread while Clark pulled various jars of jam from the fridge. Finding the bread, Lex frowned at the array of food. "Why don't we bring them all in here and let them make their own sandwiches? Then they can eat in here too, and won't get peanut butter all over my leather couch."

"Good idea. Go."

Lex sent a quick glare in Clark's direction and was met with an innocent smile. "Bastard," he threw over his shoulder as he left.

"But you love me anyway."

8:00 pm

"Lex, what are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?" Lana had approached Lex's desk quietly, and he was mildly startled to see her there. He'd retreated to his office around the time Clark and Lana started up a game of hide and seek, and hadn't heard from any of them in hours.

"I suppose we'll have to make do. Only four bedrooms have furniture, so we'll have to double up." He turned back to his computer, only to have Lana interrupt him again. He half-listened while he read a report.

"The...I guess I have to call them kids, don't I? Anyway, the kids are pretty worn out, so they should go to bed."

"Okay."

"Lex."

"Yes?"

"You'll have to show us which rooms to use." Lana looked amused, and Lex didn't like it, but he supposed he had to be civil or he'd end up dealing with the girls himself.

"Right." He shut down his computer and led the way to the den. Jonathan, Chloe, and Lionel were sacked out on the couch, and Clark was giving Pete airplane rides with Martha cheering him on.

When Clark saw Lex he carefully put Pete back on the floor, holding him upright as he wobbled. "Bedtime?"

"Let's go," Lana said, taking Martha's and Chloe's hands. "Do you two want to share with me? We'll pretend it's a slumber party." They nodded drowsily, and she led them upstairs.

Clark gathered up Pete and Jonathan, and nodded at Lionel. "Well?" he asked Lex.

Lex sighed quietly and took his father's hand. Lionel went without complaint, and they trouped up to where the girls waited. Lex directed Lana to the first room on the right, and they disappeared for the night. He turned to Clark. "We have three more rooms. Who gets a bed to himself?"

Clark smiled. "I do."

"Why not me? It's my house." Lex felt Lionel lean against his leg, and without thinking picked him up to cradle him gently.

Clark's smile grew wider as he took in the scene. "Because, I'm a really heavy sleeper and I could crush one of the kids without even waking up."

Lex nodded sharply. "Good. You can sleep with Dad." He made as if to hand over the half-asleep boy.

"Uh-uh, Lex. I'm serious. If I hurt one of them, even your father, I'd never forgive myself."

Giving in, Lex pointed out a room at the end of the hall. "That's my room, you can stay there. Put your dad and Pete in the room beside it." He pointed at a room at the other end. "I'll be in Dad's room with him, I guess."

"Meet you back downstairs?" Clark asked, gathering up his charges.

"I'll be there." Lex headed to his father's room to put the sleeping boy up for the night.

*

After checking that Lana was staying upstairs, Clark headed back down to the den, hoping that Lex wasn't working again. He wasn't; in fact, he was sprawled out on the couch, shoes off, drink in hand, looking very much like a man who owned a castle. Clark sat unceremoniously on top of Lex's shins, earning himself a glare and a kick once Lex had freed his legs. Reaching under the couch to grab the remote earned him another kick, this time in the ass. Clark just smiled at Lex and turned on the TV.

They sat companionably for a while, until Lex apparently disagreed with Clark's choice of programming and snatched the remote from Clark's hand. Clark pounced on him to get it back, but Lex had anticipated him and leapt off the couch. He snickered quietly as Clark hit the soft cushion and rolled off to land at Lex's feet.

"Why, Clark, I knew you worshipped me, but I didn't think it was literal." Lex blinked at Clark's answering smile, and gasped as his knees gave out and he landed sideways on the thick rug. He lost his grip on the remote and watched as Clark deftly caught it.

"Don't look so surprised, Lex. After all, who taught me to be so sneaky?" Clark sat with a thud on the couch and started flipping channels randomly, waiting for Lex's next move. He waited for quite a while; Lex remained on the floor, having pulled himself into a more comfortable position leaning against the couch. Clark finally settled on a channel showing an Adam Sandler movie just because he knew it would piss Lex off and he'd have to take action.

He was right. Not five minutes into the movie Lex was glaring at Clark as if he'd just announced that Lex was bald. Clark felt a warm heat creep up him, engulfing him with the desire to touch the man in front of him. The next thing Clark knew he was sliding down the seat and landing on the floor with Lex on top of him, grabbing for the remote Clark held above his head.

"Give it to me, damn it! You don't want to know what I'll do if you make me sit through any more of this!" Lex's voice was strained as he reached as far as he could to get the surprisingly undamaged controller.

Clark, half-buried under his friend and loving every second of it, noticed an advantage. His only question was, was Lex ticklish? Clark snaked his hand up to the ribcage resting on his arm and found out that Lex was, indeed, ticklish. Lex gasped and writhed under his ministrations, and finally collapsed in laughter, giving up his fight and resting his head lightly on Clark's. Clark could have sworn that just for a moment he felt Lex kiss him above his ear, but he couldn't be sure.

They both called a truce and settled back into opposite sides of the couch for the rest of the evening.

Saturday July 19, 2003
12:00 am

Clark was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a soft knock at his door. "Yeah?" he called quietly.

The door opened and Lex's head poked through. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Clark sat up and turned on the small bedside lamp, blinking at even its soft glow. "What's up?"

Lex, wearing simple black cotton pajamas, sat on the edge of the bed facing him. "Dad--and that still sounds weird--kicks in his sleep. Or maybe not in his sleep, considering where he's been kicking me."

Clark laughed softly, then lifted the sheet. "You want to sleep here?"

Lex's eyebrow quirked up as he peeked under the light cover. "You decent under there?"

"Yup. Mostly." He could see Lex mentally hesitating. "Come on. You need to sleep if you're going to deal with those little monsters again tomorrow."

Lex sighed, then climbed under the cover. "Thanks, Clark."

"G'night, Lex," Clark replied, shutting off the lamp.

*

An hour later Lex lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, able to feel Clark practically vibrating with tension. "Clark?"

"Three hundred and twelve."

"What?"

"There are three hundred and twelve little square thingies along each side of the ceiling. In other words, yes, I'm awake."

"How can you even see them?"

"Good night vision. There's just enough light coming in the window."

"Oh."

"Lex, what happens if they don't change back?"

Lex carefully slid his right hand over to cover Clark's left. He squeezed gently. "I don't know. I guess we muddle through. Chloe and Pete can go back to their parents--although I have no idea what to tell them--and we deal with the other three."

"Lex, I'm seventeen. I can't raise my four-year-old parents."

"I know." Lex laced his fingers through Clark's. "To be honest, I don't think I could raise Lionel, either. I almost feel like he's dead."

"Don't say that, Lex." He felt Clark roll over and the hand he wasn't holding landed on his chest, connecting Lex in a way that comforted yet aroused him. "Why can't you sleep?"

"Too busy thinking. You ever feel like you can't shut your brain off?"

"Yeah. What were you thinking about?"

Lex steadied his breathing as the hand on his chest started stroking lightly. "I like having you here. I like being with you."

Clark shifted closer. "Have I ever told you," he paused, "that I miss you when you go away?"

Lex rolled on to his right side. He could just barely make out Clark's features in the dimness, but he felt the need to look him in the eye. "What are we talking about, Clark?"

"I don't know. Just that...I really want to hold you right now."

Lex didn't answer, except to move a little closer. He slipped an arm between Clark's neck and the pillow and drew them chest-to-chest. "Like this?"

Clark's hand tightened around Lex's back. "Perfect."

He lifted his chin to rest it atop Lex's head. Lex leaned his forehead against Clark's shoulder and inhaled deeply. The musky, slightly spicy scent of Clark washed over him and he suddenly felt relaxed.

"God, Lex, do you have any idea what you do to me?" Clark's voice was strained, despite the relaxation of his body.

Lex nuzzled in a little closer. "I'm beginning to get a clue."

"Go to sleep," Clark murmured against his scalp. Lex obeyed contentedly.


6:00 am

Clark woke again, this time to someone pounding on the door. He checked to make sure Lex, curled up on his side, was still sleeping and got up to answer the door. He opened it and slipped out before one or more children could get in. "What?" he asked harshly.

Pete beamed up at him. "Clark, it's an emergency!"

"What's wrong, Pete?" Clark knelt down to Pete's level. "Is someone hurt?"

"No, silly," Martha exclaimed. "We're hungry!"

Clark turned on her, reminding himself just in time that he shouldn't yell at her in case she remembered everything in the end. "You're hungry. Where are the others?"

"Jonny and Chloe are downstairs. Lionel wants his breakfast in bed," she answered.

Clark grinned at that. "You go tell Lionel that if he wants breakfast he'll have to get dressed and come down like everyone else." He looked around the hall. "Is Lana down there?"

Martha shook her head. "Nope. She said she was sleeping and we should wake you up instead."

"Aha." Clark put his arms around Martha and Pete conspiratorially. "Let me get dressed first, then you go make her wake up. Wait here for now, got it?" Two heads nodded and Clark zipped back into his room and dressed as quickly as he could without superpowers.

Back outside, he instructed the kids. "Okay, I'll go downstairs, and you two go jump on Lana and tell her...tell her I set the kitchen on fire." He was met with matching grins, and he saw Pete's eyes stray to the door behind him. "Leave Lex alone. He gets to sleep in because Lionel was very mean to him last night. Now go!"

The two kids ran back down the hall to the girls' room, screeching the whole way. Clark was halfway downstairs when he heard Lana's shocked exclamations.

A few minutes later in the kitchen, Clark had just poured milk on Chloe and Jonathan's cereal when Lana burst in. She looked around wildly. "The kids said there was a fire," she said, eyes narrowing.

Clark widened his in response. "Why would they say a thing like that?"

"Because you told us to, Clark," Pete said rationally, entering the kitchen and pulling himself up on a stool. "Can I have breakfast now?"

"Sure." Clark fixed Pete his food, then noticed someone missing. "Where's Martha?"

Pete dug his spoon into his bowl, not caring that cereal spilled over the sides. "She went to get Lionel, but he told her that breakfast in bed was best and that you'd give it to them so they didn't starve."

Clark trained his x-ray vision on that part of the house and saw that his mother had climbed under the covers with Lionel. Both sat against the headboard, arms crossed over their chests, faces stern, waiting for their food. Scanning a little farther over, Clark saw that Lex was awake and stripping off his pajamas. Not wanting to intrude, Clark quickly normalized his vision and busied himself with breakfast.


9:30 am

The morning progressed easily, with the kids watching cartoons and bickering good-naturedly. Lex had had to go into town for a while, so Clark and Lana amused themselves by snooping through the den, flipping through Lex's CD and DVD collections and examining the books and trinkets scattered around.

Eventually the kids grew bored with sitting down, so they demanded another game of hide-and-seek. Clark was in the front hall searching the closet when Lex returned from his errands. Clark explained about the game, and Lex winked at him.

"I have surprises," Lex called out, his voice ringing through the building.

Clark responded to the thump and the subsequent screech before he even realized he'd heard them. He got to the bottom of the stairs, Lex close on his heels, just in time to see Jonathan and Lionel tussling at the top, with Martha very close to the risers. Clark opened his mouth to warn them away at the very moment one of the boys bumped the redhead, sending her tumbling down the stairs.

Not stopping to think, Clark blurred up the stairs to save his mother from her potentially fatal fall. For good measure he also grabbed the two boys and returned all three of them to the bottom landing.

Lex tried to speak, but no words came out. Finally he managed a weak, "Clark?"

"Hang on, Lex. Let me give the kids to Lana, then we'll talk." Clark ushered the three into the den and briefed Lana on what had happened. He didn't wait to hear her admonish them, but went back to where Lex was still standing, scrutinizing the staircase.

Lex turned his gaze on Clark. "I knew...," he hesitated, rethinking his words. "I knew you were different--strong and fast--but I didn't...it's one thing to know it and another to see it."

"Are you okay, Lex?" Clark reached out, then stopped. "Are you completely freaked?"

"No," Lex responded quickly. He deliberately moved into Clark's outstretched hand. "A little stunned still, but not freaked."

Clark swallowed. "Well, you will be, when I've told you everything."

*

They had moved to Lex's office for more privacy; Lana still didn't know Clark's secret, and neither did Chloe or Lionel, and he wanted to keep it that way. The two men sat and talked, Clark explaining and Lex questioning, as if it were any other day or subject-matter.

"So you're an alien," Lex stated for the umpteenth time.

"Yes," Clark answered emphatically. "You know, you don't seem all that surprised. I mean, I expected you not to believe me."

Lex moved to look out the window. "All the puzzle pieces were there, Clark, I just didn't put them together in the right shape. I knew about you, and I knew that something not-of-this-Earth came down in the meteor shower, but I never connected the two mysteries." He turned smoothly and smiled down at Clark. "Do you have your ship?"

"Yeah. It's really cool, Lex." Clark joined his friend at the window. "It was kind of creepy at first, but now I just think it's fascinating." He put a hand on Lex's shoulder, drawing his attention again. "What we were talking about last night...does this change anything?"

Lex smiled warmly, eyes travelling up Clark's long frame. "I don't recall coming to any conclusions last night."

Clark pulled Lex closer, almost touching along the length of their bodies. "But you feel it, don't you? How everything seems sharper and brighter when we're together?" He wrapped one arm around Lex's waist, feeling the other man seem to melt into him.

Lex found himself mesmerized by Clark's lips. "How electric your skin becomes." Lex lifted one hand to cradle Clark's face, thumb stroking lightly over a prominent cheekbone. "I feel it. I've never felt anything like it." He raised up slightly and tasted Clark for the first time, hesitant and new. Clark's lips were soft and willing to be licked, sucked, chewed, anything Lex could think of to do to them, but the kiss remained relatively chaste, despite their pounding hearts and shortened breath. Lex pulled away slightly, not enough to worry Clark, but enough to allow thought again.

They simply held each other for a few minutes, not speaking, each lost in his own head, until Lex found words. "I've never done this before, Clark."

"What's that, Lex?" Clark whispered directly in his ear, sending a shiver over Lex's skin.

"Been with another man."

Clark chuckled, his chest bouncing against Lex's. "Neither have I. But you knew that." He paused in thought. "I'm not scared."

Lex shook his head, feeling Clark's stubble scrape his cheek. "I am." He craned his head back to look Clark in the eye. "I want to take this slowly. There's so much...."

His voice trailed off, but Clark understood. "I know," he said.

"Clark loves Lex, Lex loves Clark!" Chloe started the chant and it was quickly picked up by the rest of the group at the office door, escalating in volume at every repetition.

Clark dropped his head to Lex's shoulder, and received an answering pat on the back.

"Aww...isn't that cute," Martha cooed.

Clark glared down at her. "I'll remind you of that when you're grown up again." He pulled away from Lex, first dropping a quick kiss on those supple lips and eliciting a chorus of 'ew's.

"Be quiet, or you're all grounded until you're fifty," Lex snapped. The kids just giggled, and Jonathan stuck his tongue out. "Where's Lana?"

"She said we could go outside, but that you'd have to come too," Pete replied. He frowned, then grabbed his head. "I feel funny...."

It happened in an instant, the same way as before. Once there were five children at the door, now there were five very confused adults. All at once they started arguing again, as if they'd never stopped.

Clark nudged Lex gently. "They don't remember."

"Good. I think." He raised his voice. "Ladies and gentlemen! Shut up!"

The bickering stopped abruptly. Sotto voce, Lex said to Clark, "I guess they remember something."

Lionel stepped forward. "Don't take that tone with us, Lex. We're your elders. Most of us, that is."

Chloe edged past him to stand by Clark. "This is going to sound crazy, but weren't we standing over there, just now?" She pointed at the large area rug.

Clark smiled down at her. "There's a long explanation for that, Chloe. It's good to see you back, though."

She frowned up at him. "Did I go somewhere?"


Later

Clark collapsed on the couch beside Lex, mentally--if not physically--worn out from the past day. Lex glanced over at him, then closed his eyes again and rested his head against the back of the couch.

"They took that explanation better than I thought,"