In his study, Lex opens a bottle of scotch and starts to pour a glass as Clark comes into the room.

Clark: Lex!

Lex picks up a gun and points it at Clark.

Lex: Stay where you are!

Clark: [Holding still.] Lex, it's me, Clark. I need to talk to you.

Lex: [Walking toward Clark.] After I drove my Porsche into the river and you fished me out, I asked your dad if there was any way I could repay him. What did he say that we always joke about?

Clark: Lex, what is this, a pop quiz?

Lex: Answer the question!

Clark: He told you to drive slower.

Lex lowers the gun.

Lex: Welcome back. [He goes to Clark and they hug.]

Clark: So you know what happened.

Lex: Well, it was a bit of a giveaway when you asked for 57 million dollars.

Clark: Lex, my mom told me what I did. I'm sorry.

Lex: Clark, if you didn't come between me and my father in that visiting room, it would've been me sitting behind bars. I should be thanking you.

Clark: I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done for me.

Lex smiles and pats Clark on the shoulder. Then he walks back to the bar and puts down the gun.

Lex: So how did my father do it?

Clark: I-I don't know.

Lex: And that strength you had. It was incredible. Where did it come from?

Clark: Um, it must've been a side effect of the transference.

Lex: Well, whatever happened, I'm just glad it wore off.

Clark: Lex, I have a favor to ask.

Lex: Name it.

Clark: Well, it has to do with your father's cellmate. He's actually the one that helped me through this whole ordeal. He saved my life. He swears he was framed.

Lex: Clark, a lot of convicts swear they've been framed.

Clark: But I believe him. And I promised him that if I got out, I'd do everything in my power to help him. And Lex, you're the only one I know with the resources that might be able to help.

Lex: Well, if I can manage to put a guilty man in prison, maybe I can get an innocent man out.

Clark nods and smiles thankfully. Lex smiles in return.

Still edgy after all that had happened, Clark breaks eye contact. He walks slowly toward the bar, but stops halfway. He really needs to get this off his chest. And, he knows no one but Lex would understand how he feels.

“Lex…” he starts, turning back toward the other man.

“Yes, Clark,” Lex responded with a curious tilt to his head.

“My mother told me something else that your father did when he was in my body,” he continues in a rush, then abruptly stops, too embarrassed to continue.

The corner of Lex’s mouth twitches with a barely suppressed smirk. “Besides extortion, assault, escaping from prison, and planning who knows what else, I can’t image he had much free time.”

With an exasperated sigh and a nod, Clark presses on. “Apparently, he … hugged … Mom,” he says much more slowly.

Lex is unable to control his smile any longer. “He ‘hugged’ your mother,” he repeats deliberately.

A flush starts creeping up Clark’s neck. He mutters something just below Lex’s hearing.

“Could you repeat that,” Lex asks, sounding far more innocent than he looks.

“I said, apparently he had a reaction to her!”

Lex stares at Clark for moment. Then he doubles over his middle, shaking with laughter.

“It’s not funny!” Clark exclaims.

“S-s-sure it’s not,” Lex manages to gasp out.

“It’s gross!” Clark gets louder as Lex’s chuckling picks back up. “It’s CREEPY!”

“Y-y-you’re right,” comes the giggled reply.

“I’m traumatized!” Clark says, even though he sounds more disgusted than actually traumatized. He stomps over to the couch and flops down.

Finally, Lex starts to get hold of himself. As the sniggers die off, he wipes his eyes and moves over to collapse on the opposite end of the sofa.

Clark turns wounded eyes toward Lex. “I am so happy you have found amusement in my emotional scarring,” he snarks.

“Hey,” Lex replies. “What are friends for?”

End