SunnyDale Or Smallville-Nor So Different After All

S or S ch 5


Xander slammed out of the house and into the small indoor garage. Badly mimicking Spike's accent he said, " I'm sure you can take the bus, pet." He reverted to his regular voice, "Yeah, like I ever took the bus before. Did SunnyDale look like the type of town to use school buses...everything was just a block from each other! Idiot!" Switching back to his mangled version of Spike's accent Xander continued, "I had a long night looking for the demon element in this burg, Whelp! Besides it's unnatural for a vampire to be out during the day." Xander snorted and again reverted to his own accent, "Like that ever stopped him. This from the vamp that spent two hours staring in awe at the sun after the Oracles gave him the ability to walk in sunshine."

Xander silently fumed as he recalled the last thing the vampire said,

"Well, you can always walk, luv."

Xander shook his head; he really shouldn't let Spike get to him. He leaned against the door jam sighing as his gaze came to rest on two pairs of keys hanging on some hooks on the wall next to him. He turned slowly to look at the two cars in the garage. Spike would probably kill him...No make that will kill him. Then he turned to look back at he keys hanging on the wall. Xander reached out and plucked the set of he wanted off the hooks, he whirled the keys around a finger,

"Oh, the temptation!" he said with a wicked grin.


*********


Spike turned over sleepily in bed at the sound of a car engine starting up. Slowly he opened his eyes when he heard a car roar down the driveway. He blinked and rubbed his eyes with a hand, "That bloody brat," he murmured. Spike then leaned over and grabbed his cigarettes off the small bedside table. He lit one then began to smirk, 'Xander will pay for that,' he thought.


************


As the rain poured down Xander stood safely dry under the eaves watching the early morning football practice. He shook his head as Coach Walt screamed at the Quarterback for making a perfectly reasonable play due to the rain. Xander watched for a few more moments before leaving.


************

"Football or abuse?" said Clark as he read the headline off of the school paper. Chloe sipped something in a paper cup as they walked up the stairs followed by Pete carrying a camera.

"I think you should decrease your Cappuccino dependency," said Xander as he walked down the stairs to meet them.

Chloe looked up and smiled, "So, have you read my article? Maybe now I'll have an unbiased opinion. Pete thinks I'm being to hard on Coach Walt."

"He coached my dad, all my brothers. The man used to come over to watch the Super Bowl." Said Pete.

"Wow! A real Hallmark moment, I'm sure." Said Xander unconvinced.

"Oh, that's right. Coach Walt's been stalking you, are you going to join the team?" Chloe asked.

"That! Would be a great big, No!" Xander said making a face.

"Huh, well it's not like you get subtlety marks for journalism," Chloe said aiming the remark at Pete, "I'm already starting to get hate mail." She said brightly.

"You seem very happy about that. Why?" Clark asked.

"It means I'm hitting a nerve. Besides, between the abysmal sentence structure and the over use of obscenities, I've got a good idea who it's from." Chloe told them.

"Chloe, if you think my team-mates can actually read the Torch, you're overestimating them." Said Pete.

"Lot of team loyalty you have there, Pete. Why are you on the team again?" Xander asked with a grin at the affronted. "Hey," from Pete. Chloe giggled and Clark tried to hide his smile from Pete.

In front of them is a group of football players and cheerleaders. Among them Xander notices Whitney talking to a pretty brunette girl, who seems to be upset.

Clark notices his gaze and follows it to the girl, "That's Lana," he tells Xander.

"Really? Pretty, I don't think she's my type, don't see what's so special about her." Xander said.

Clark frowned then nodded, "Good, keep it that way."

Xander grinned again at the show of jealously. Lana then stalks off leaving Whitney behind looking confused; she stormed past Chloe, Pete, Xander and Clark.

"Oh, now there's something you don't see every day-a pompom meltdown!" Chloe said laughingly then noticed a group of football players gathering as Coach Walt joins them, " Oh, oh, I need a picture of the cheating jockstraps! Pete, give me the camera!"

Pete sighs but does as asked.

Coach Walt begins to address the crowd of football players, "I don't want any rumors or false accusations going around..."

"Any idea how they got the midterm paper?" Clark asked Chloe.

"Not sure," Chloe said distractedly, "but I'm working on it."

One of the football players noticed Chloe taking pictures of Coach Walt and them, "Hey what's she doing," the player asked. The football player then threw the football he was holding right at Chloe. Before it could hit her in the face though, two hands reached out and stopped it. Xander and Clark both look at each other. Xander raised an eyebrow and lets Clark have the ball, Clark just smiles sheepishly. Chloe looks at both of them in amazement.

Pete grinned, "Nice catch, you two!" He patted Clark on the back. Clark looks over at the jock angrily.

Chloe looked over to Pete, "One of your team-mates tries to assassinate me, and all you can say is 'nice catch'," before she stomped away upset. Pete follows calling out, "But I thought you wanted to hit a nerve?" Chloe looked over her shoulder and glared at him but continued on her way.

Clark lagged behind; he then threw the football back to the jock, so hard that the kid doubled over when he caught it. Clark then noticed Xander watching him, he shrugged as Xander said, "Maybe you should be the one the coach wants on the team."
Clark shook his head at that and they follow after Chloe and Pete.

******

Coach Walt asked the kid who caught Kent's throw if he was alright while he watched speculatively as Kent and the Harris kid walked away. 'Hmmm, I might still get that new player after all...'

*******


"No way! I don't believe it." Said Pete with wide eyes as he walked down the hall with Xander and Clark.

Xander just grinned and nodded. "I swear it's the truth." Xander said holding up a hand.

"Sorry, Xander but I don't buy it either," Clark said as he stopped by a soda vending machine, "There is no way a female teacher had the hots for you."

Xander shrugged, "You say that now but just wait until it happens to you," then put some money in the machine as Coach Walt walked up to the three boys.

"Harris, I was looking for you," said the Coach as Xander pushed a button on the vending machine.

"The answer is still, no, Coach." Xander said as the drink rattled it's way down.

Coach Walt frowned at Xander but then looked over at Clark, "Kent, saw your arm out there. The technique was lousy but you got a lot of power."

"Thanks!" Clark said happily at the recognition.

"So why aren't you on the team?" asked the Coach.

Clark lost his smile, "My dad needs me on the farm," he told the Coach.

"Well, your school needs you on the field. We have a big game Friday night and we're short players. Look, look...I know your dad would understand."

"I don't know. He's kind of stubborn." Clark said hesitantly.

"Yeah, I remember," Coach Walt grimaced at the memory, "Jonathan Kent was one of the best athletes I ever coached. A lot of god-given talent there bet it runs in the genes."

"I'm adopted, actually." Clark told Coach Walt.

Coach Walt got a frustrated look on his face, "Look, I'm giving you a chance to be a part of something, a part of history. Now I've seen you stare at your father's picture in the trophy case. Don't tell you don't want to be a part of this. Why don't you suit up? I mean look at Ross there. He doesn't have a lick of talent but he's got a lot of heart."

"Thanks...I think?" asked Pete wondering if the coach had just insulted his playing or not.

Xander listening to this reached down and pick the soda out of the bottom of the vending machine.

"Let me think about it." Clark said.

Coach Walt frowned he knew he had to convince this kid, he looked around and saw, " Fordman, get over here."

Whitney walked over with Lana following him.

"Hi Clark!" said Lana not noticing the frown Whitney got when she greeted the other boy.

Xander leaned against the vending machine opening the soda he had bought and taking a drink. He watched as Lana Lang gave him a slow look then brought her attention back to Clark.

"Fordman, you're team captain. How do you think Kent would do in the field? I mean, considering our...current predicament?" Coach Walt asked Whitney. Whitney slowly looked Clark up and then down in a way that made Xander almost choke on his soda.

"He might do alright," Whitney grudgingly said.

"He seems afraid though." Said the coach.

"That's not the reason, is it Clark?" Lana asked Clark defensively.

"It's my dad." Clark muttered.

"Kent, there comes a time when you got to step out of your father's shadow and be your own man," said Coach Walt, " So, are you? Ready to be your own man?"

Clark frowns then looks at Lana. He smiles and says, "Count me in!"

"Great, practice is at three o'clock." Coach Walt said then he looked at Whitney, "Come on Fordman I want to talk to you about the next game."

Whitney nodded then looked at Lana who said to him, "I'll catch up with you later."
Whitney looked at her then at Clark for a moment then followed after the coach.

Lana looked at Clark, "Your not joining because of me are you?"

"What? No, I'm going to join cause I want to play." Clark told her.

Xander out right laughed at that, Clark glared at him for it.

Lana hearing the laughter looked at Xander, "You're the new kid, right. The one that got thrown out of a car?"

"Yeah," Xander said, " Xander Harris," he said introducing himself.

"Lana Lang."

"I know," Xander told her then at her look, hurriedly said, "Clark pointed you out to me earlier."

Lana looked as if she was about to say something when one of the cheerleaders out of the group called out her name. She looked over at them.

"I gotta go, I'll see you later Clark." Lana said before going to join the other cheerleaders.

Clark nodded smiling as she walked away.

"Clark, hey...mmm, remind me what did your dad say the last time you asked if you could play football," Pete said pointing to his ear jokingly.

"He said no," Clark said in a small voice.

Pete nodded then said blandly, "He said no. Call me when the hurting is done," he told Clark patting him on the arm before heading to his next class.

Clark looked at Xander, "Well, what do you think?"

Xander threw his now empty soda into a near by trash can, "You should do what makes you happy as long as you do it for the right reasons."

"The right reasons?"

"Yeah, you want to play football, play football, just don't do it because you think it will impress someone. And remember the parental units usually have a reason when they tell us we can't do something."

"But they're such stupid reasons." Clark bemoaned.

"Do you know what they are? Are they valid?"

Clark blinked then slowly nodded, "Yes."

"Then you know why. Which is more than most kids do."


"But what if I don't want to be protected. Shouldn't I be allowed to make and learn from my own mistakes?" Asked Clark.

Xander sighed, "They don't do it to make us miserable, trust me on this. You know the 'why' when you can't do something, so I'm guessing they talk to you and you to them.. Which again...is more than most parents and teenagers do."

"Yeah, well you can say that. You don't have any parents!" Clark said then looked ashamed that he said it.

"No, I don't." Xander said quietly, " I have Spike." His face took on a pained expression seen on many a siblings face, "And let me tell you, he loves to make me miserable. Just because he can. Be thankful, Clark that you don't have an...." Xander wasn't sure what name to give, " older someone...with delusions of parenthood, be very thankful."

"Sorry," Clark said looking it then he grinned, "Although if Lex is right Spike's feelings aren't exactly parental."

Xander got a pained look on his face and then shot a narrow look Clark's way but then seemed to perk up as he said with a grin and in a tone of obviously false concern, "But you might want to consider something."

"What?"

"You've just given Fordman the chance to ogle you in the locker room, doing naked locker room stuff, all football season to his heart's content."

Clark got wide eyed for a moment then lightly shove Xander on the shoulder, "Give that a rest will you!"

Xander grinned, "But you make the neatest faces when I bring it up."

Proving him right Clark made another face as the bell rings telling them they needed to get to their next class.


*********

Spike stood in the main hall of Luthor Castle. He had charmed his way past the guard, and then past the butler. He wanted to know more about Lex, the conversation at the Beanery having piquéd his curiosity. He watched as three men in expensive suits left looking unhappy. Then he knocked lightly on the door jam of the office's open door.

"What!" said an irrated young voice. Spike took that as an invitation and stepped into the office. He saw Lex leaning on the billiards table looking down at the floor.

"Passed the three wise blokes, they didn't look to happy." Spike said. At the sound of Spike's voice Lex looked up.

"My father's drones," Lex said in a bland voice, "what are you doing here? No, better still how did you get here?"

Spike raised an eyebrow, "Drove, mate."

Lex snorted, "That's not what I meant."

Spike smirked, "Wanted to talk you, want to make some investments."

"LuthorCorp has people for that."

"I don't want to deal with LuthorCorp. I'll deal with you or I won't. It's your call."

"What kind of investments?" Asked Lex.

"Substantial ones, " Spike said walking up to Lex, he stopping next to the billiards table and ran a hand lightly over the polished wood. Lex looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded and as he pushed away from the table. Spike picked up the pool cue and looked at the tip. He brushes a finger across it then idly spun it in his hand. "Fancy a game, mate?"

A slow smile came to Lex's lips at the challenge.

***********


"So, is Spike picking you up?" Clark asked as they walked down the stairs that lead to the parking lot.

Xander shook his head, "Nah, he had something else to do. But I was able to get a car. I can give you a lift home if you want."

"Really?" asked Clark as they crossed the parking lot.

"Yeah, wouldn't want the new star of the football team to pass out during practice cause he was exhausted from walking home."

"Cool," Clark said completely missing the sarcasm in Xander's voice as they stopped by a car. He looked around and frowned, "Ahh, Xander I don't see the Desoto."

A shocked look crossed Xander's face, "Do I look like I have a death wish!? Please! I had to take the clunker," he said patting the car next to them. Clark looked at he car. It was Dodge Viper, blood red in color with black leather seats, and the car was even a convertible to boot.

"Y-y-you call this a clunker?!" Clark exclaimed.

Xander looked confused, "Well, yeah. I mean it doesn't even have half of the cool stuff the Desoto does," he said walking around to the driver's side. "Get in." He told Clark opening the driver door and getting in. Once they were in the car Xander started it up. As it roared to life, Xander grinned at Clark who was frowning at him.

"I didn't know you had your license." Clark said.

"What, " Xander said blankly, "license," before he slammed the car into drive and screeched out of the Smallville High parking lot. Clark felt a choked scream escape him as he grabbed desperately at his seatbelt. Xander glancing over at his passenger laughed evilly to himself-youth today had no sense of adventure!