01x19 - Crush

[bunniefuu]

--------------------------------------------------------------

For Entertainment Purpose Only. No Infringements Intended.

Original Airdate: 07-May-02 l Written by P. Levens & M. Millar l Directed by James Marshall

© Courtesy of The Smallville Transcripts Center - Transcribed by Tavia

--------------------------------------------------------------

SCENE 1 (TEASER)

Dark and stormy night. Camera pans down, then towards stone building, the Metropolis Children's Hospital, enter through window as lightning flashes. JUSTIN GAINES, a teenager with dark slightly curly hair, is standing at an easel in a dark room, wearing blue-and-black check jacket/dressing gown over grey tee-shirt. A sign on the door reads ‘Radiology'.

DR WELLS enters, dressed in evening wear. He stands by the door.

Doctor: Justin. (Pause. He walks into the room.) I just thought I'd stop by and say goodbye. I heard you were going back to Smallville tomorrow.

Justin glances at the doctor, then turns back to his easel.

Justin: Yeah. Smallville. (He's drawing crude face with a marker pen.)

Doctor: How's it going?

Justin: (Slowly turns easel towards doctor, revealing white bandaged hands.) You tell me.

Doctor: (Walks up to Justin.) You've been here five months. You've come a long way. Your body has done a lot of healing.

Justin: Except for my hands. (Holds up bandaged hands.) They're never gonna get better and that means I'll never draw again and that's the only thing that I was ever good at.

Doctor: (Puts hand on Justin's shoulder.) You suffered severe nerve damage. It's lucky that you have any movement in your hands at all. I did everything I could, you know that.

Justin: (Shrugging him off abruptly.) Really? Is that what you told the five patients who filed malpractice suits against you?

Lightning flashes.

Doctor: No, I can understand you're still being angry. But blaming me isn't going to change your condition. You were in an accident, and you have to accept that.

Justin: I was in a hit-and-run.

Doctor: You know when I was your age, I wanted to be a violinist. So I applied to the conservatory but I failed the audition. Instructor told me that I had the hands of a surgeon. (Holds up hands.) And that's why I moved into medicine. As one door closes, another one opens. (Lightning flashes. The doctor looks at his watch.) You're young, you'll find something new. Goodbye Justin.

Doctor walks away leaving Justin standing by easel. Background music starts, and gradually crescendos through the rest of scene.

Justin: (After a pause, to himself.) Have a nice life Dr Wells.

Cut to hospital corridor, a white-coated man and woman walk past. Lightning flashes. RENÉ (in black evening gown) is waiting, fiddling with ear-ring, and the doctor joins her. They walk along corridor together.

Doctor: René, honey, I'm sorry. Sheesh... (Shakes his head.)

René: Another ungrateful patient?

Doctor: Aren't they all?

A blue-garbed man exits the lift and they enter.

René: So you think he'll sue?

Doctor: He doesn't have any proof. (Hits lift button.) He's alive, he should be thanking me.

The lift door closes on them.

Cut to Justin, who removes clumsy sketch from easel, revealing crayon portrait beneath depicting the doctor.

Cut back to lift, indicator on 14. The lift starts shaking.

René: What's going on?

Lift shakes, throwing René and the doctor around. Cut to lift shaft, with lift falling. Cut back to lift interior, level indicator decreases down to 5. Screams can be heard. Both René and doctor are thrown to ground.

Doctor: You ok?

René nods. The doctor helps her up.

René: (Doctor is fiddling with lift panel.) Get us out of here! Hurry up! Come on!

The doctor is pushing open the lift door, grunting.

René: Come on!

The lift is stuck between floors.

Doctor: (Out through the gap.) Help!

René: Help us! (Pause while lift again shakes.) That's it. Give me a hand up.

Doctor: All right.

She climbs out through gap, with help from the doctor.

Cut to Justin, who picks up red marker pen and slowly scribbles over the hand in the portrait.

Cut back to lift.

Doctor: Ok, grab my hands.

René obeys.

Cut to view down lift shaft as a woman screams, machinery squeals and the lift plummets.

Cut back to Justin, still scribbling over the hand. He smiles slowly.

Cut to OPENING CREDITS.

SCENE 2

Daytime, sunny. Pan up past flowerbeds and weeping cherry tree in flower to exterior sh*t of Smallville High School. Red banner announces ‘Welcome to Smallville High Career Day'. A stream of students is mainly entering the building.

Cut to interior sh*t of CLARK KENT in sky-blue tee-shirt under black jacket.

Danny Kwan (an oriental teenager): I see you in a uniform flying. (Clark narrows his eyes.) You ever considered a career in the air force?

Clark: Um, I'll think about it.

Clark turns and walks off. The crowded hall is full of stalls and decorated with balloons.

Cut to PETE ROSS (wearing tan jacket over red-brown tee-shirt) who takes yellow sheet of paper from woman wearing glasses seated at desk with lots of union flags. Pete is smiling broadly. Clark walks up to him.

Woman at desk (As Clark and Pete walk off together): ... To see you this summer...

As they walk off, the banner behind reads ‘Re-elect Siegel for Mayor'.

Clark: What are you smiling about?

Pete: I just landed a summer job at Mayor Siegel's office working on his re-election campaign.

Clark: I thought you were gonna help your mom out down at the courthouse?

They walk past sign reading Metropolis Police.

Pete: Judge Ross can get some KSU student to schlep her files. Besides who wants to hang out with their parents all summer long?

Clark: Yeah. (Sighing.)

Pete: (Punches Clark's arm.) Sorry Clark.

The sign behind them reads ‘Daily Planet'.

Clark: Did you notice Kwan's son down at the air force booth?

Pete: Growing up with Kwan the air force must seem like Club Med. (Laughs.)

Clark and Pete stop. CHLOE SULLIVAN, wearing maroon-red trouser suit, trousers striped, with yellow shirt and brown bead necklace, approaches from the Daily Planet stall, carrying a green sheet of paper and smiling.

Clark: Wow, you look nice.

Chloe: Thanks, I was uh kind of going for professional. Did you know that the Daily Planet only takes four high school interns from the whole state?

Pete: Ah, you're a sure one, Chloe.

Behind them as they talk is the Metropolis Inquisitor stall.

Chloe: Tell him that. He said they received over five hundred applicants last year. I doubt I'll even get an interview.

Clark: Well there's always the Inquisitor, didn't Lex offer to hook you up?

They walk off together, Chloe between the two boys.

Chloe: No. I'm interning at the Planet, I don't care if it's delivering coffee to the classified department.

Clark laughs.

Pete: Why don't you just try again next Saturday when you're in Metropolis.

Clark: Why are you going to Metropolis?

Chloe: (Stops walking. The other two turn round to face her.) We're going to Metropolis, Clark. The student journalism conference? (Pause. Clark looks guilty.) You were supposed to sign us up and I know you didn't forget because now it's too late to get in.

Clark: I'm really sorry. I've been at the Talon all week with Lana working on a history project.

Chloe: (Shakes head.) So naturally everything else becomes less important.

She walks off, shaking her head.

Clark: Whoa, that's not true.

Chloe: (Turns back to face the others.) Clark, how much time have we spent together in the last three weeks?

Clark: We see each other every day.

Chloe: It was forty-five minutes when my car happened to break down outside the Talon and you gave me a ride home. I practically had to tear you away from Lana.

Clark: Don't you think you're being just a little unfair?

Chloe: No! Whenever Lex and Lana are around it's like the rest of us don't exist.

She walks off.

Clark (going after her): Wait, Chloe! Why are you being so hypersensitive?

Chloe (pausing, turning back to Clark): You know, most men are from Mars, Clark, but you're from some distant galaxy that I've never even heard of.

She walks off rapidly and Clark lets her go.

Clark (shaking his head, talking to Pete behind him): Look, I know I screwed up, but why is Chloe having a breakdown?

Pete (walking away): You're not the most observant person in the world are you.

Clark (following): What are you talking about?

Pete: She wanted to spend a day with you uninterrupted, no Lana, and no Lex. She was planning on asking you to the Spring Formal.

Clark: Yes, but that would be like...

Pete (stopping and turning back to Clark): Date. Clark, maybe if you took off your Lana blinders, you'd realise that Chloe likes you.

Clark looks uncertain.

Cut to Chloe slamming and locking her locker. A hand with a blue elastic bandage rests on her shoulder from behind.

Chloe (turning): Clark, I'm not interested in an apology.

JUSTIN is standing behind her, wearing black-and-grey sweatshirt.

Justin: Well, not the welcome I was expecting, but hi.

Chloe: Hey! (She smiles broadly and hugs Justin.) How are you? It's so good to see you! When did you get back?

Justin: Yesterday. Listen, I just wanted to thank you by the way for sending all those e-mails. (Slightly hesitantly.) They really got me through a tough time.

Chloe: Well, I'm sure that lots of people kept in touch.

Justin: Hey, you'd be surprised. For most of my friends it was out of sight out of mind.

Chloe: (Nods) I know the feeling. So, when can you start drawing your cartoon again, everybody's been waiting for the further adventures of the flaming crows feet.

Justin: (Pause. Looks down. Holds up his left hand with blue elastic bandage.) Unfortunately my drawing hand's kinda sh*t.

Chloe: Oh, I'm sorry.

Justin: It's ok. I'm in the process of re-evaluating my life. (Chloe smiles. Justin continues more cheerfully.) So listen, is there any chance that maybe I could buy you a cup of coffee, or one of those non-fat no foam lattes (?) that you like?

Clark walks up, stands a way off behind Justin.

Chloe: Yeah. (Shakes her head.) Why not. Um... I'm in the process of re-evaluating my life too. (She looks up at Clark, then ignores him.) So...

Chloe gestures to Justin and giggles. Justin and Chloe walk off together, leaving Clark behind.

SCENE 3

Sunny day. Memorial garden with grass, trees and fountains among Metropolis skyscrapers. Traffic noise is audible throughout the scene.

LEX LUTHOR (seen in the distance from behind) walks up to large memorial, climbs steps. The memorial is in black granite, covered by large glass and metal canopy, on top is a statue of an angel in grey stone, carrying two bowls, one with flame, one with small water fountain.

Close-up, Lex, wearing black coat and lilac shirt, puts bunch of white orchids into vase by memorial, crouches down. The memorial inscription reads ‘Lillian Luthor. Loving Wife and Mother. 1951–1993.'

PAMELA JENKINS, an older woman with red hair, wearing black skirt suit, white shirt, pearl necklace, long patterned scarf, is seen in reflection against the black granite of the inscription.

Lex: What are you doing here?

Pamela: (Walking up to Lex.) I'm here for the same reason you are. (Pause. Lex stands up and turns round to face Pamela.) The anniversary of her death.

Lex: It's been nine years. Why the sudden burst of sentimentality?

Pamela: I deserved that, just disappearing from your life, I--

Lex: I'm sure all that LuthorCorp stock my mother left you helped ease the pain.

Pamela: Is that what your father told you?

Lex: (Pause.) All those years I thought you loved me. (Pause. Lex walks away.) But you were just in it for the money.

Pamela: (To Lex's back as he walks away.) I know you're angry with me and you have every right to be, but we need to talk.

Lex: (Stops. Slowly turns back to face her.) I can't believe there's anything you'd say that would interest me. (Pause) Goodbye Pamela.

Lex walks away, leaving Pamela standing alone in front of the memorial.

SCENE 4

CHLOE and JUSTIN are in the Torch office, holding copy of Torch showing colour cartoon strip, ‘Flaming Crows Feet'. (They are wearing the same clothes as in previous scene.)

Chloe: This one's definitely my favourite strip.

Justin: Really?

Chloe: Yes.

Justin: Do you...

There's a knock at the door. CLARK enters (outfit as earlier). The clock by the door reads about 1.50.

Clark (walking in): Hey guys!

Justin (turning towards door): Hey!

Chloe: You know Justin?

Clark: Yeah. Of course. Welcome back. How're you feeling?

Justin: Oh, um... Just kind of taking it one day at a time.

Clark: Did they ever find the driver who hit you?

Justin: No. No, I couldn't really give the police that much, I didn't remember anything for a long time.

Chloe: Well, what do you remember?

Justin: Um, a little bit of the license plate. DDI.

Chloe: Well, we should look into it!

Clark: You should call the police.

Chloe: If we find something we'll pass it on.

There's a pause. They both look at Justin.

Justin: Ok.

Justin turns to the desk and Chloe does likewise.

Clark: Anyway, I talked to Lex, he scored us two tickets to the conference.

Chloe (turning to Clark): Oh, don't worry about it Clark. Justin's already signed up so I'm going as his guest.

Justin: Yeah, or we could all go together.

Chloe: No. Um... Clark's not that interested in journalism anyway.

There's a pause. Clark and Chloe stare at each other.

Justin: Right, ok. Uh... I should probably get going. Listen.

Justin turns to leave but drops the folder he's carrying, spilling its contents.

Chloe: Oh!

All three stoop to pick the stuff up. Justin's bandaged hands are clumsy. Clark picks up a page from the Metropolis Inquisitor. The headline reads: ‘Going down! Doctor loses hands in freak accident.' Justin snatches the page from him.

Justin: Thank you.

Clark stares back at Justin.

SCENE 5

Exterior sh*t of the Kent farm, sunflowers in the foreground. Sunny sky. Pan towards house.

Interior sh*t, kitchen. LANA LANG seen through glass door, wearing cream jacket and white shirt. CLARK is seated in the kitchen, wearing a long-sleeved sky-blue jersey. Lana knocks and enters.

Clark: Hi!

Lana: Hey Clark! Is your mom around? I wanted to order some more of her pies.

Clark (getting up and carrying dishes to the sink): She's at class. I can help you.

Lana: Didn't expect to see you here. I thought you'd be helping Chloe proof the latest edition.

Clark: She had enough help.

Lana (walking to the kitchen counter): Are you two still fighting?

Clark (getting something out of a drawer): Who said we were fighting?

Lana: Kind of caught it yesterday at the career fair. (Pause.) What's going on with you two?

Clark: Chloe likes me.

Lana: So how do you feel about her?

Clark: Like maybe we could be more than friends. (Pause.) When I saw her with Justin today I got kinda...

Lana: Jealous?

Clark: (Nods.) It's like you find out this secret and it colours everything. (Pause.) Just can't believe I never saw it before.

Lana: Sometimes the right person can be right in front of your eyes and you never even know it.

There's a long pause, and they look at each other.

Clark (choking back emotion and slurring words slightly): Uh, so how many pies did you want?

Lana (also emotional): Dozen.

Clark (cheerfully): How's Whitney, I hear his dad's feeling better?

Lana: (Nods and smiles.) He's great. (Exhales.)

Clark: Everything ok?

Lana: Never better. (Clark gives a small smile. Pause.) Good luck. I hope things work out with Chloe.

Clark: (Smiles.) Me too.

Lana (quietly): Bye.

She turns and leaves, and Clark stares after her.

SCENE 6

Justin's room, daylight coming in through the blinds. A pencil sketch of Chloe's smiling face is on the easel. JUSTIN, wearing black-and-grey zip top, sits down at the easel, carefully picks up a propelling pencil and tries to draw with his left hand, but he just spoils the picture. He drops the pencil, then rips the sheet from the easel.

Justin: Dammit.

A pencil traces a line across paper, then a second. Pan back and reveal pencils, crayons and rubber are drawing a half-length picture of Chloe in a pink top, apparently by telekinesis, as Justin watches.

SCENE 7

Busy corridor at school. CLARK, wearing red-and-blue check shirt over white tee-shirt, hurries downstairs after PETE, wearing a yellow sweatshirt. Both are carrying books as they walk through the corridor.

Clark: Pete!

Pete (abstractedly, looking at open book): Hey.

Clark: Hey, y'seen Chloe?

Pete: Not since English. She's probably hanging out with Justin.

Clark: What d'you think about that guy?

Pete: Er... He seems pretty cool. (Closes book.) Never got to know him that well before, he was always buried in the sketchpad.

Clark: Chloe seems to like him.

Pete: Careful Clark, you almost sound a little jealous.

Clark: I'm not jealous, I'm a bit concerned.

Pete: Why, because Chloe's fallen for a nice guy? (He holds his hands up.) It's got me worried too.

Clark: Look. (They stop walking. Clark hands Pete a folded piece of paper.) Justin had it in his portfolio yesterday.

Pete unfolds the sheet, it's the Inquisitor headline. Below are a photo of Doctor Wells and picture of a lift covered with cross of tape.

Pete (reading out): Going down. Doctor loses hands in freak accident. (Shrugs.) So?

Clark: That was Justin's doctor. (Pete laughs.) Don't you think it's a little weird he was carrying it around with him?

JUSTIN, wearing black coat and grey sweater, is leaning against wall behind Clark. Behind him is a poster about drink driving.

Justin: I liked the tragic irony. (He walks slowly towards Clark and Pete) Always talk about people behind their backs, Clark?

Clark: Look Justin, I didn't mean...

Justin: Yes you did. So what, so I start spending a little time with Chloe, suddenly you realise she exists and want me out of the picture?

Clark: Chloe and I are just friends.

Justin (quietly and with emotion): You had your chance with her. (Pause.) Now you let me have mine.

Clark and Justin stare at one another. Justin walks away, and Clark and Pete stare after him.

SCENE 8

Luthor Mansion, exterior. Sunny day, clear sky.

Cut to interior of mansion, library. Female hands are holding red book with gold embossed lettering; they open it. Pan back to reveal PAMELA, wearing pale-blue overshirt over a matching top. LEX enters, wearing light-grey shirt.

Lex: What the hell are you doing here?

Pamela carefully replaces the book on the shelf.

Pamela (still holding onto book; a clock is ticking in the background): I wanted to see what kind of young man you'd grown into.

Lex: A very busy one. (Pause. He walks away.) So if there's nothing else...

Pamela: We were close once, Alexander, you were like a son to me.

Lex: (Picks up snooker cue, and chalks the end.) You were an employee, Mrs Jenkins. You were paid to watch me while my mother's health failed and my father criss-crossed the globe on business.

Pamela rapidly walks up to lean against the snooker table, while Lex leans to take aim.

Pamela (earnestly): I loved you like my own. After the meteor shower I was the one person who never looked at you differently.

Lex: (Makes sh*t, stands holding cue.) Just because you knew me at a vulnerable point in my life doesn't give you the right to waltz back in here a decade later. Things have changed. (Walks round table.) I've changed. What do you want from me?

Pamela: I want you to know what really happened.

Lex: (Makes another sh*t.) You lied to my mother on her deathbed.

Pamela: No I didn't. I had every intention of staying but your father sent me away. After the funeral, he called me into his office and he told me if I ever had contact with you again that he would disinherit you.

Lex: Why would he do that?

Pamela: Because he wanted you to be his son, not hers.

Lex (walking round table): So why show up now, hmm? Has the statute of limitations on my father's thr*at expired?

Pamela: (Walks closer to Lex.) I needed to see if you'd found a way to be true to yourself in spite of Lionel's efforts. (Pause.) And to be honest, I... I wanted your forgiveness.

Lex (Leans forward; softly): I'm afraid you'll have to find a way to grant it to yourself.

Pamela: (Looks down, then looks up with tears in her eyes.) Goodbye Alexander.

She walks away. Lex doesn't move.

SCENE 9

Talon interior. Clark (same shirt as earlier) places pie onto wire shelf, and walks towards Lana (in light-blue short-sleeved tee-shirt and jeans), who is counting notes.

Lana: I wish everything sold as well as your mother's organic apple pies.

She hands Clark the pile of notes with a flourish.

Clark: Every little bit helps.

WHITNEY FORDMAN walks up to them, wearing dark jacket over light shirt.

Whitney: Hey Clark!

Clark: Hey Whitney! How's your Dad?

Whitney: On the mend, happy to be home. (Clark walks away, Whitney leans on counter and addresses Lana.) Hey, keep Saturday night free. I've got two tickets to ‘Our Town' at the Metropolis Playhouse.

Lana: Wow, what inspired you to do that?

Whitney: Saw you reading it at school, thought we might start making up for some lost time. (Kisses Lana's cheek.) See you.

Lana: Bye.

Clark rejoins Lana.

Lana: Whitney has paid more attention to me in the last two weeks than he has all year.

Clark: Have you talked to him about it?

Lana: (Shakes her head.) Whitney seemed so happy ever since his Dad got better, he wants to pick up things where we left off.

Clark: How do you feel about that?

Lana: After Mr Fordman got sick, Whitney needed me. It kind of defined our relationship. Now we need to redefine it.

Clark: There's a lot of that going on.

Lana: How are things with Chloe?

Clark: Unresolved.

Lana (lightly): What are you gonna do?

Clark: I don't know. Just don't want to lose a friend in the process.

Lana: Once you've crossed that line you can't go back.

Clark: Chloe gave me that same advice about (pause) someone else.

Lana: What happened?

Clark: I decided to stay friends.

Lana: Do you regret that decision?

Clark: Yeah. I let that moment slip away and I don't think I'll ever get it back. (Pause.) I don't want to make that same mistake twice.

Lana smiles, and nods.

SCENE 10

JUSTIN enters the Torch office, carrying rolled up piece of paper (same outfit as earlier). There's the sound of typing in background. The door closes behind him. Pan across to reveal CHLOE, sitting at computer, wearing blue, green and red patterned long-sleeved tee-shirt.

Chloe (looking up and grinning): Hey! I er just e-mailed the partial license plate details of your hit and run to my contact over at the DMV. I told him to start with all the cars in the county. He said that he would fax me whatever information he found.

Justin: (Nods and smiles.) Wow. Now here, it took me all night.

He hands Chloe the rolled paper.

Chloe: (Stands, turns away from him and unrolls the paper. It's the finished crayon portrait of Chloe.) Oh wow. (She turns back towards Justin and grins.) It's beautiful.

Justin: Well, so are you. (Chloe laughs.) Did you know that after that car hit me and I was lying in the road, I kept picturing your face.

Chloe: (Turns back to face him, looking embarrassed but pleased.) Me, why me?

Justin: (During this speech, music starts in the background.) Because I always had the biggest crush on you, and I was too afraid to do anything about it. And I thought here I am about to die, and I'm never going to get the chance to tell her how I feel. (He walks towards her.) But when you started e-mailing me when I was in the hospital, I knew that this was my chance and I wasn't going to let you get away twice. (Pause.) I fought my way back for you.

Chloe smiles up at him and they kiss. While they are kissing, the camera pans round them, the song crescendos, and various small objects in the room (pens, doll, scissors, disk, mug &c) rise into the air and float. After a while, Chloe notices. They break apart. The objects crash back down.

Chloe (startled): What just happened?

Justin: Can you keep an open mind?

Chloe: Sure.

Justin: Something happened to me after the accident. Then when I was in the hospital I found that I could move things (pause) with my mind.

Chloe: Like telekinesis?

Justin: (Nods.) Am I freaking you out?

Chloe: (Smiles.) Believe it or not, I've seen stranger things.

Justin: ‘Cause I don't want to end up on your wall.

Chloe: Don't worry, you won't. Now, let's make everything float again.

They kiss again. CLARK (in red check shirt) opens the door and walks in.

Clark: Hey Chloe, can I-- (Chloe and Justin break apart. Justin smiles at Clark somewhat smugly.) Can I talk to you outside for a second.

Chloe (running hand through her hair): Yeah, sure, Clark. (To Justin.) I'll be right back.

Justin (To Chloe): Ok.

Clark goes out into the corridor, and Chloe runs after him, with a glance back at Justin.

In the office, the phone rings. A fax comes through. The printed sheet has a scrawled, ‘Got a match' in capitals. The printed sheet says: ‘Registered owner Mr. H. Kwan. Address: 1635 West Street Smallville 66645'. Justin stares at it aghast.

Cut to corridor, where Clark and Chloe are alone.

Clark: Don't you think this Justin thing is moving a little too fast?

Chloe: We've been e-mailing back and forth for six months, I know him better than I know you.

Clark: Did he tell you what happened to his doctor?

Chloe: No. (Pause.) But he did tell me that you were talking abut him behind his back.

Clark: Just looking out for you Chloe. (He walks away. Chloe follows.)

Chloe (furiously): What's with you, Clark? Do you have some sort of a saviour complex? (Extremely rapidly.) If I'm in trouble you'll rescue me but other than that you'll remain emotionally unavailable.

Clark: (Stops and turns back to Chloe) I just don't want you getting involved with Justin because you're mad at me!

Chloe: Believe it or not Clark, my world does not revolve around you. Why can't you just accept the fact that I've found someone special and, unlike you, I'm willing to take a chance.

The school bell rings. Chloe walks away and the corridor fills up with people as Clark stares after her.

SCENE 11

Night, quiet residential district. It's raining. A metal dustbin lies overturned in the drive, which is lined by small spherical lanterns.

A black Ford estate pulls into driveway. The license plate reads ‘Kansas DDI 035'. The engine and headlights cut. PRINCIPAL KWAN gets out, wearing blazer and red patterned tie, and picks up the overturned bin.

JUSTIN appears, standing at the end of the driveway. He is soaked, in dark clothes.

Justin: Tell me one thing: was it easy to lie to everybody?

Kwan: Justin? What are you doing here?

Justin: Reliving old memories.

Kwan: Think you should go home.

Kwan turns and walks towards the house, carrying the bin.

Justin (walking up drive slowly): You know I was only half-way across the crosswalk when your car came barrelling round the corner. (Kwan turns back towards Justin.) It hit me so hard it felt like I'd been broken in half.

Kwan: I don't know what you're talking about.

Justin: As I remember lying in the street, blood dripping into my eyes watching your tail-lights disappear. (He walks towards Kwan.) You didn't even bother to stop.

Kwan (shaking his head): It wasn't me.

Kwan is propelled, screaming, through the air towards the white garage door behind him. He falls, slowly looks up at Justin.

Justin (still coming closer): It started in the hospital. Maybe it's a way to compensate for the motor skills that I'd lost in my hands. (Kwan gets to his feet, without taking his eyes off Justin.) I was immobilised in a total body cast. Then I found that I can move things just by thinking.

One of the lanterns is pulled out of the lawn. It hurtles point first through the air and pins Kwan to the garage door by the shoulder of his jacket.

Justin: But that didn't replace what I'd lost. Because nothing could ever do that.

The car headlights go on, illuminating the terrified Kwan. The car engine starts and revs.

Kwan: Justin! Stop it!

Justin (standing to side of the car): You know what it feels like to be hit by a two thousand pound car.

The gearbox moves from park into first gear, and the car drives forward towards Kwan, smashing through the garage door and into the back wall of the garage.

Justin looks back, then walks away rapidly.

SCENE 12

CLARK (in red-and-blue check shirt) is reading ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus', sitting on the couch in the Fortress of Solitude. Heavy footsteps are heard. Clark puts down the book and turns towards LEX, who walks up behind him, wearing grey shirt and black coat.

Clark: Hey Lex! What are you doing here so late?

Lex: Came to talk to your parents about the settlement. What are you reading?

Lex smiles, comes and sits beside Clark on the couch and picks up the book. He is clearly amused.

Lex: Men are from Mars, women are from Venus?

Clark: I'm trying to get an insight into the female psyche.

Lex (holding up the book): I seriously doubt you'll find it in here. (Clark gets up.) What's the problem?

Clark (standing by the couch, gesticulating as he speaks): I've got these two amazing friends who both happen to be girls.

Lex (leaning forward and turning towards Clark; seriously): For argument's sake, let's call them Lana and Chloe.

Clark: I've always liked Lana, but I could never get near her. I just found out that Chloe likes me and I think I may have feelings for her too.

Lex: So which one do you want to pursue?

Clark: That's the thing, I want to protect my friendship with both.

Lex: Then you'll never get either one.

Clark: (Pause.) Thanks. (Sits back on couch and takes book.) I think I'll stick with the book.

Lex: Clark, love isn't about playing it safe, it's about risks. Unless you're willing to put yourself out for it you'll never know. (Clark is turning the book over in his hands.)

Clark: Have you ever been in love before?

Lex: I've only loved two women in my life. One d*ed and the other betrayed me.

Clark: I'm sorry.

Lex: Some people are meant to be alone.

Lex and Clark look at each other for a long moment, then footsteps are heard. Both look towards MARTHA KENT, who enters the loft wearing tan shirt over red tee-shirt.

Clark: Mum? What is it?

Martha: It's Principal Kwan. He was k*lled in an accident.

SCENE 13

Open to lightbox, two photos of Principal Kwan. Pan out to show the Torch office, with PETE putting down photographs, wearing a tan-and-white checked shirt. CHLOE is there, with her back to the camera, wearing a blue denim jacket, red-and-yellow patterned top, red trousers. CLARK enters in white-and-red check shirt. The clock shows 1.50.

Clark: Hey guys. (He leans against a bookcase by the door.) How are you holding up?

Chloe (walking to desk, clearly distraught): I still can't believe this happened. (Rapidly.) Putting together a memorial issue, but of course when you're looking for pictures of someone you can never find them. Um, Pete, can you check the library files again, one more time?

Pete: Sure. (He turns to leave.)

Chloe (walking towards camera): Thank you.

Pete: No problem. (He leaves.)

Chloe (sorting through stuff, facing camera): Harry (?) Kwan's police report. Apparently his car was still on, must have slipped into gear.

Clark (standing by desk): Chloe, are you ok?

Chloe: Yeah, I'm fine. (She sounds close to tears. She sits down at computer.) I just can't find anything in his office.

Clark: Let me help.

Chloe (getting up again): No thank you. (She sighs.)

Clark (looking at computer screen): Chloe, look at this. (The monitor shows a dark car. Clark enlarges the picture to show the licence plate is DDI 035.) The first three numbers of Kwan's licence plate match Justin's hit-and-run driver.

Clark picks up small piece of notepaper.

Chloe: What are you hinting at Clark?

Clark: Well I'm saying there's a lot of weird accidents that happen round this guy.

Chloe: Clark, you are seriously barking up the wrong tree here.

Clark (getting up): Did you get a response from the DMV yesterday?

Chloe: No, it never came through. (Sound of typing.)

Clark: Yes, you did. Four forty-three yesterday afternoon. That's right around the time you were here with Justin.

Chloe: He couldn't have done it.

Clark: Why, because you like him?

Chloe: No, because I know him and I know he wouldn't hurt anyone.

They stare at each other, then Chloe turns away, sorts through stuff ignoring Clark.

Clark: (Pause, while Clark plays with note.) Hope you're right.

Clark turns away, leaves slowly, putting the note back on the desk. Chloe ignores him.

SCENE 14

Luthor Mansion. Library/office. LEX enters through wood-panelled doors, wearing grey shirt, black pants. He walks towards the desk by the window. LIONEL LUTHOR is seated in the desk chair, wearing a dark suit with blue-grey tie, and spectacles. Lionel turns the chair slowly to face Lex. There is a red book on his knee.

Lionel: I celebrate myself, and what I assume you shall assume.

Lex: For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

Lionel: (Chuckles.) Sounds like a description of family, doesn't it?

Lex (smiling): Not ours. (Lionel chuckles.) Since when do you read poetry?

Lionel (taking his spectacles off, holding them to his face): We're uh selling Cadmus Labs, Lex.

Lex: Our deal memo gives me fifty percent ownership with veto rights. I don't recall you asking my opinion.

Lionel (still holding spectacles, as he does for the rest of the scene): We only bought Cadmus to bankrupt Sir Harry. After we pumped and dumped the stock, the company's worthless. Served its purpose.

Lex (walking past the desk): You didn't come all this way to talk about Cadmus.

Lionel: (Puts down the book on the desk.) I understand uh Pamela's back in the States and that she paid you a visit.

Lex: (Pours himself a drink of something that looks like whisky from a decanter.) Did you come to disinherit me?

Lionel: Is that what she told you?

Lex: Is it true? (Drinks.)

Lionel: Your mother was uh, she was an extraordinary woman. (He touches the book on the desk.) But her taste in help left a lot to be desired. (Lex walks back past the desk carrying drink.) Pamela was a, a hanger-on. She convinced your mother to leave her all that stock and then she disappeared before the body was even cold.

Lex (coldly): You took time out of your busy schedule to tell me that?

Lionel (leaning forward, earnestly): I know how much she meant to you and I don't want her using emotional tyranny to hit you up for money.

Lex: Why would she do that? She's got plenty of stock.

Lionel: Probably she doesn't want to sell it to pay her medical bills.

Lex (sounding genuinely confused): What medical bills?

Lionel: She didn't tell you. (Pause, laughs.) How noble.

Lex (walking up to the desk, drink in hand): Tell me what?

Lionel: She's dying, Lex. Cancer. (Pause.) Probably all those years sitting in the sun in San Tropez. (Lex sits down at the desk opposite Lionel.) What does she want?

Lex: Forgiveness.

Lionel (looking intently at Lex): And what did you tell her?

Lex: (Pause, he looks directly at Lionel.) To get out.

Lionel: (Pause.) No. (He slides the book across the desk towards Lex.) She doesn't know you very well, does she.

Lionel gets up and walks out, while Lex sits in silence.

SCENE 15

Daylight. CLARK, wearing jeans, tan jacket over white-and-red check shirt, walks up the drive of the Kwan house. There is an ornamental conifer in the garden, and the number 539 is visible on the wall next to the garage, which is open, with a cross of yellow tape blocking entrance. Clark ducks under the tape, enters the garage and looks around.

DANNY KWAN, wearing a grey tee-shirt, ducks under tape and follows him in.

Danny: What are you doing in here?

Clark (turning round): Danny. Uh... I'm really sorry about what happened to your Dad.

Danny looks down.

Danny (walking past Clark towards back of garage; softly): I don't understand what happened. He, uh, he had the car keys with him, it's like (pause) as if something just smashed the car right into him.

Danny turns back to face Clark. There's a pause.

Clark: Danny, do you know a Justin Gaines? (Pause. Danny nods.) Do you know if he came by here last night?

Danny: No, why?

Clark: (Pause.) I think Justin believes your father was responsible for the accident.

Danny: That's crazy. (He walks back up to Clark.) You should leave.

Clark: He matched part of your Dad's licence plate to the hit-and-run driver's.

There's a pause. Danny looks down, then turns away, walks to the back of the garage.

Clark: Is there a chance Justin's right?

Danny (facing away from Clark, holding a piece of broken wood): My Dad didn't deserve this.

Danny throws down the piece of wood.

Clark: Your Dad wasn't the one driving the car, was he? (Danny slowly turns back to face Clark, who takes a pace towards him.) You're the one who hit Justin.

Danny: My Dad, he, he uh... He was just trying to protect me.

SCENE 16

Open to a scrapbook, with X-ray pictures labelled ‘Justin Gaines', ‘Dr. Wells'. Opposite is a colour cartoon strip headed ‘Justice', which depicts a lift crashing (captioned whoosh, arg!). Pan back to reveal pensive CHLOE, dressed as earlier, in Justin's bedroom. The walls are lined with pictures. Chloe turns the page to reveal another cartoon headed ‘Justice', depicting the car accident with Kwan. Chloe looks confused and disturbed.

Justin (from outside): Chloe!

Chloe hastily closes the scrapbook, puts it down and walks away from it. JUSTIN enters the room, smiling, wearing black jacket and black tee-shirt with yellow pattern and red collar. He stands by the door, in front of a poster depicting a sprawled female nude.

Justin: Hey. My Mum said you were here.

Chloe: (Her tone sounds a little false.) Oh, I wanted to surprise you, I didn't see you at school today. Did you hear about Principal Kwan?

Justin: (Nods.) I did, that's really weird, right.

Chloe: Yeah.

Justin (walking towards Chloe): I guess you never know when your time's up. (Pause. They are now face to face.) Which is why I think we should make the most of the time that we have. (Justin puts his hand, with blue elastic bandage, to Chloe's face. Chloe gasps.) What's the matter?

Chloe: Nothing. Um. I forgot, I just remembered. Um. I told Clark I'd meet him at his house. (She walks away.)

Justin (turning): You know, for someone that you said's out of the picture, you sure spend a lot of time with him.

Chloe (standing by door): Don't worry, today I plan on telling him exactly what's going on between us.

Chloe leaves the room, shutting the door behind her. Justin turns back and sees his orange scrapbook, which labelled Justin, resting horizontally. He turns it so that it lies vertically, and stares at it.

SCENE 17

The Talon, exterior. The sign reads ‘Poetry reading Thursday night'.

Cut to interior of crowded Talon, CLARK (dressed as earlier) and MARTHA (in red zip jacket over pink top) are walking towards the camera.

Martha: You did the right thing Clark. (She puts her hand on his arm.) Convincing Danny to turn himself in.

Clark: His father's dead, now he's probably going to jail.

Martha (her hand still on his arm): Some secrets destroy families.

LANA comes up to them, wearing green top, hair tied back in ponytail.

Lana: Clark, Chloe's on the phone, she sounds really freaked out.

Clark: (Picks up pastel-blue telephone on counter.) Chloe, what's up?

Cut to sunny barn, where CHLOE is speaking into her cell phone. She looks very nervous.

Chloe: Clark! I've been calling all over the place. I really screwed up. Justin is involved, you were right.

Cut back to Talon, Clark is on phone.

Clark: Well, uh, calm down, where are you?

Chloe: In your barn. (Cut back to barn.) I haven't been completely honest with you, Clark. I know how Justin caused those accidents.

The cell phone flies from her hand, hits some bottles which fall over.

Cut back to Talon, Clark is on phone.

Clark: Chloe, Chloe!

Clark puts the phone down, hurriedly jogs out of the Talon.

Cut back to barn. The camera pans around a scared-looking Chloe as threatening music plays.

Chloe: Justin?

The barn door slams behind her, and she wheels around. JUSTIN appears standing in the barn. Chloe screams and is suddenly thrown through the air, landing among some bits of wood. Chloe grunts in pain.

Justin: How could you betray me? How could you betray what we had together?

Chloe gets up, breathing heavily. She runs towards the door. She is picked up, held motionless in the air, her legs kicking, then is dropped heavily, screaming. She lands on some boxes, which smash. She groans, rubs her leg, gets up and runs to the door, with a heavy limp, grunting with effort. The door shuts and is barred in front of her. She turns to face Justin, her back to the door, breathing heavily.

Chloe (under her breath): Oh, no!

Justin: That's what I love about you, Chloe. (He nods.) You're a fighter.

Chloe runs past him. The camera shows a horseshoe on the wall, the nails loosen. It flies towards Chloe and hits her on the forehead. She is knocked out, lying against a pile of sacks.

Justin walks towards her. A saw flies up in the air, hovers and starts up.

CLARK enters the barn, running. He runs at superspeed to stand in front of the saw, which hits his chest and explodes.

Justin: (Sniffs.) How did you do that?

Clark: You k*lled the wrong man!

Justin: You're lying.

Clark: His son just turned himself in. He was the one who hit you.

Justin (yelling): That is not true!

Clark: You said you cared about Chloe. How many innocent people are you willing to k*ll, Justin?

Clark walks towards Justin.

Justin (quietly): Just one more.

Clark is thrown through the air, landing in a hayloft.

Justin: You've really gotta stick those landings, Clark!

Clark taps Justin on the shoulder from behind. Justin turns.

Clark: You can't win, Justin.

Clark grabs Justin's arm, and throws him. Justin screams. He hits a light fitting, which sparks, then lands in a corner, and lots of planks of wood fall on him. He's knocked out.

Chloe starts to come round.

Clark: Chloe. (Clark goes towards her.) Are you ok?

Clark touches her face. She has a cut on her forehead which is bleeding.

Chloe hugs him and cries against his shoulder.

SCENE 18

Silhouette of bald man, through wire-glass door. LEX opens the door, wearing black coat, grey shirt and carrying book. Inside is a darkened hospital room, PAMELA is lying in bed, her eyes closed, wearing blue smock. She opens her eyes. Lex walks up quietly, and puts the book down on the bedside cabinet, next to a card and a pot plant. He stands at the bedside.

Pamela: (Sounding tired.) Well, you're the last person I expected to see.

Lex (quietly): Why didn't you tell me?

Pamela: It's not your concern.

Lex: It's not my concern that you're dying? I could help you, I can get you treatment.

Pamela: Oh, I didn't come to you for help or pity, I came because I've nothing left to lose. (She tries to sit up, then sinks back.) The truth is I'm ashamed that it took metastasising to give me the courage. I was too scared to even tell just once (pause) how much you mean to me. (Pause.) How much I wanted to help you grow up.

Lex (breathily): I wish you had. I might be a better man.

Pamela: The fact that you're here speaks volumes about the man that you are. (Pause, Lex looks upwards, then down again.) Your mother would be proud.

Lex: (Pause. Almost a whisper.) I really miss her.

Pamela (whispering): So do I.

She tentatively holds out her hand. Lex grips it.

SCENE 19

Exterior sh*t of Talon. Sunny day. Sign reads ‘Sonnet Saturdays. Free pick up line with purchase.'

Cut to interior of crowded Talon. Lana comes downstairs carrying tray, wearing pink tee-shirt and black jeans. Pan to table with CHLOE (in maroon tee-shirt with white pattern; she has a plaster on her forehead) and CLARK (in blue-and-white check shirt) are seated, both with cups. As they talk, the camera moves closer.

Chloe: I just spoke to Justin's parents.

Clark: How's he doing?

Chloe: He's in the psychiatric ward. The police don't really know what to charge him with, but at least he won't hurt anybody. So, should we do the er ‘I told you so' part? Or is my perennial bad judgement implicit?

Clark: Chloe, I wish I were wrong.

Chloe: What is it with me? I can spot wall of weird material from a mile away, but put it right in front of me and I'm oblivious.

Clark: You're not oblivious, you're trusting. You're strong enough to take risks with your emotions. I wish I were as brave as you. (Chloe smiles.) I still have those two tickets to the journalism convention. It would be a good chance for us to spend some time together.

Chloe (smiling broadly): Ok, it's a date.

Clark smiles, reaches across the table and takes her hand.

The camera pans back to reveal Lana, behind the counter. She looks upset.

WHITNEY enters, wearing black jacket and grey tee-shirt. Lana walks round the counter and goes up to him.

Lana: Whitney, we need to talk. (At Whitney's distraught expression.) What is it, what happened?

Whitney: It's my Dad.

SCENE 20

Blue-tinted exterior sh*t, in the rain. Music plays (‘Time after Time').

A hand slowly puts down a bunch of white roses and dahlias. Pan back to show Mrs Fordman, wearing black hat and veil, then successively Whitney, Pete and Clark, Mr and Mrs Kent, and Chloe, then back to Whitney as he comforts his mother. All are dressed in mourning, huddled under umbrellas.

A priest in white robes shuts a book. Whitney turns to Lana, then turns to leave with his mother. Lana turns back to look at Clark, who is soaked, standing by a stone angel. Chloe gestures with her eyes at Clark to come.

Clark walks slowly away from them into the graveyard in the rain, head bowed, as the camera pans upwards into branches.

End of episode