Thank You
Notes: Originally posted to my LJ as a present to whomever gifted me with two months of LJ time.
Clark walked into the penthouse and dropped his briefcase by the door. He sighed
and rubbed a hand over his face, wishing the gesture could wipe away the stains
of the day. Superman always dealt with partial success better than Clark did.
While his alter ego believed that there was only so much one man could do,
acceptance didn't come so easy where news stories were concerned. While he and
Lois had managed to expose the smuggling ring, they'd been unable to link the
bribery trail back any guilty party of significance, having to settle for
uncovering enough evidence that the police had arrested the harbormaster.
He kicked off his shoes, suddenly noticing the faint echo of voices coming down
the hall. Clark hadn't expected Lex to be home already, given that the clock had
yet to chime six. Lex along with guests? Maybe Clark had forgotten some dinner
engagement, or worse yet, a party. That would be the cherry on the sundae of
this day.
Reluctantly slipping his feet back into his loafers, Clark made his way down the
hall to the dining room. The last thing he wanted to do tonight was schmooze
with Lex's political cronies, but maybe he could escape quickly. When he opened
the doors to the dining room, Clark's pained but polite smile dropped into an
expression of shock, then bloomed into a puzzled grin. "Mom? Dad? What are
you doing here?"
Jonathan placed his drink on a coaster and walked over to where Clark stood
frozen in the doorway. He clasped a hand over Clark's shoulder and gave him a
slight shake. "Do we need a reason to visit our son in the big city?"
Clark shook his head and laughed bemusedly. "No, of course not. I just...
I'm surprised, that's all."
Martha joined the two of them, stretching up to kiss Clark's cheek. "Good
surprise, I hope."
Clark felt all the frustrations of the day seep out of his bones. "The
best." He enveloped both his parents in a hug and glanced over their
shoulders to where Lex stood, holding his drink and watching them with a warm
smile on his face. It amazed Clark how Lex always seemed to know what he needed
without Clark having to say a word.
He mouthed a silent "Thank you," and Lex toasted him silently in
return.
-- End --