Author's Note: This story takes place right after the episode of Smallville called, Exodus. It was the last episode of the second season. For anyone who doesn't know, Smallville is a TV show about Superman as a teenager living in a small town with his adoptive parents. I think Clark is supposed to be 16 or 17. Written - May 29, 2003 Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, and I am not making any money from these stories. Warning: Non consensual disciplinary spanking of a teen by a parent.
Consequences for Your Actions
During the past three weeks, Clark had been going from town to town looking for people to follow him. He usually went to the bars first, and challenged the biggest guy to an arm wrestling match. Then Clark would say something like, 'If you win, I'll give you fifty bucks, but if I win you have to ride to the next town with me.' In most towns this ended with a large bar fight, which often destroyed the bar, but it also ended with more than one person following Clark to the next town. After a person had ridden with him for a day, Clark would tell that person about his plan to rule the world, and that the people he picked up first along the way would be helping him to rule. Generally because of the people he chose, and because of his strength, the people believed him and were soon true followers. By the end of three weeks he had gathered over 300 followers.
It had taken three weeks for Jonathan and Pete to find Clark. It wasn't hard to follow the news reports from each town, but it was hard to get to the town before Clark left. But in the last town he was in, Clark had told everyone in the bar where he would be going next, and the ones that didn't go with him had told Jonathan where he was headed.
Once Jonathan and Pete got to the town that Clark was supposed to be in, they drove around until the spotted a bar with a bunch of motorcycles in front of it, and one of them was Jonathan's. Jonathan said, "I guess it's a safe bet to say Clark is in there."
Pete nodded and said, "I can't believe so many people are following him."
Jonathan pulled into a motel that was across the street from the bar and said, "Lets get a room and wait until we see him. We can order some pizza, and call home."
Once they were checked in Jonathan called Martha for his daily update. Martha had wanted to go with them, but she wasn't in good shape mentally or physically after loosing the baby. And someone needed to say home and take care of the farm.
Jonathan said, "We found him."
Martha said, "Oh Jonathan, how is he?"
"Well we've only seen him from across the street, but he looks fine."
"Do you think you can get to him tonight?"
"We're going to try our best. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. Don't you worry about me. Just get Clark back. Everything will be okay again as soon as he's home with us where he belongs."
"I'll call again tonight if we get him, or tomorrow if we don't."
"Good luck. I love you."
"I love you too."
Jonathan hung up the phone and stared out the window. He said, "Okay Pete, your turn."
Pete called his parents and talked for a while. Pete's parents thought Pete was helping Jonathan and Clark buy some new cows and farm equipment. Jonathan listened with half an ear as Pete talked to his folks.
Jonathan shook his head and thought, 'I hate that I'm making Pete to lie to his parents.' He thought again that things could have been different if he had been calmer at the hospital with Clark. He had been angry, and he had said some things that regretted.
He thought, 'I shouldn't have shut the door on Clark. I should have made him come in with me. I should have made Clark visit Martha every day, and given him a direction for his guilt. I should have helped him to forgive himself.'
Jonathan had gone over these same thoughts daily since Clark had left, and he had a hard time forgiving himself. But he also knew Clark had made the choice to leave, and to put on the red ring. Clark was old enough to take responsibilities for his actions, and as soon as they got the ring off Clark, Jonathan was going to make sure Clark knew what those responsibilities were.
The pizza came and brought Jonathan out of his musing. He and Pete ate and played cards while keeping an eye out the window for people going into and out of the bar. About four hours later Pete said, "There he is."
Jonathan looked out the window and saw his son coming out of the bar. He said, "Get down Pete. I don't want him to notice us."
Jonathan got behind the curtain and watched through a small hole he had made. He couldn't believe it when Clark came towards them. He said, "He's coming this way. He might have already seen us. Try to get the box from off the bed without standing up."
Pete crawled on the floor towards the bed, but then Jonathan said, "It looks like he went into the office. Maybe he hasn't seen us. Maybe he's getting a room for the night."
Jonathan watched for a few more minutes, and then said, "I can't believe it. He's in a room four doors down from us."
. Pete said, "We've been looking for him for three weeks, and now he's in the same hotel with us. Is this really good luck, or fate?"
Jonathan said, "I don't know, Pete."
"So, how long should we wait?"
"At least three hours. Maybe four. If our plan is going to work, we have to make sure he's asleep."
"Are you sure he'll stay asleep when we break in?"
Jonathan smiled and said; "I know one thing for sure about Clark Kent. He has the ability to sleep though any amount of noise."
Four hours later Jonathan and Pete were standing outside the door they had seen Clark go in. Pete was carrying a small lead lined box that had a medium sized piece of meteor rock in it. He was also carrying a hammer. Jonathan was carrying a couple of small tools that he hoped he could pick the lock with. Jonathan was about to put the thin piece of metal into the lock when a thought occurred to him. He looked at Pete, and tried to open the door. As he suspected it wasn't even locked.
They went in, and saw Clark sleeping on the bed. His hand was on top of the covers, and the red ring was reflecting the street lamp out the window. Jonathan closed the door and locked it. Then he made sure Pete was in the right position, and closed the drapes. As soon as the drapes were closed, Pete opened the box. The Kryptonite had a soft green glow, and Clark immediately started groaning in his sleep. Jonathan turned on the light and took the hammer. Clark opened his eyes to see his father bringing down the hammer on his hand. He tried to move fast, but felt the green Kryptonite's effects, and he couldn't make himself move at all, let alone move fast.
As the ring shattered Pete stepped back from the bed a couple of steps. He watched as Clark moaned on the bed, and took another step back. Soon Clark just looked winded and weak instead of looking like he was on his deathbed with a green tint and dark veins. Jonathan picked up as many of the red Kryptonite fragments as he could find, and flushed them down the toilet. He took the ring off Clark's hand and nodded to Pete. Pete closed the box and Clark looked immediate better.
Clark was confused and said, "Dad? Pete?"
Jonathan looked down at his son and said, "We came to find you, and bring you home Clark. Your mother is very worried about you."
Clark looked away and said, "I can't go back Dad. I'll end up hurting you if I do."
Jonathan sat down on the bed and put a hand on Clark's shoulder. He said, "Now you listen to me Clark Kent. I know you have been blaming yourself for your mom losing the baby, but you're wrong. It was an accident. You thought we were going to be at the wedding. Now I'm not condoning what you did, and we will be talking about that when we get home, but your mother loosing the baby was an accident."
"How can you say that? It was my fault. If I hadn't destroyed the ship, Mom would still be pregnant. She must hate me."
"Your mother could never hate you Clark, she loves you. She is very sad about the baby, and I am too, but we don't blame you, and you shouldn't either."
Clark said, "I do blame myself. I hate myself for not keeping you both safe."
Jonathan said, "You won't be able to keep us safe all the time Clark, and as your parents we're supposed to keep you safe, not the other way around. You can't burden yourself with our safety. Just because you're stronger than everyone else doesn't mean that you are omnipotent."
Clark looked his dad in the eye and said, "I miss you and Mom. I miss Lana, Pete, Chloe, and Lex too, but I can't take the chance that I will hurt any of you."
Jonathan looked sternly at his son and said, "You owe it to your mother to go home and at least talk to her about what happened. You also owe it to us to help us fix up the farm. Then when that's done, we'll see about you staying or leaving."
Clark looked down and slowly nodded. He said, "Okay, I guess you're right."
Jonathan said, "Let's get out of here before any of your followers find out you have company."
At the mention of his follower's Clark got very red. Jonathan said, "Come on and get your stuff together. We have a rented truck out side of door two. Pete go pack up our stuff and put it in the truck while I help Clark pack okay?"
Pete nodded and looked at Clark and said, "It's good to have you back man."
Clark gave him a weak smile and said, "Thanks for helping Pete. You're a good friend."
After Pete left Clark muttered to himself, "Not that I deserve one."
Jonathan sighed and said, "You pack while I call your mother."
Clark got up and started to gather his few belongings, and over heard his father talking.
Jonathan said, "We got him, and we're on our way home. Martha, are you there? Don't cry honey, we'll be home soon. I love you too. Bye."
He turned to Clark and said, "Your mother is very happy you're coming home."
They loaded stuff into the truck, and Clark put the motorcycle in the back of the truck. They rode to the airport, and turned in the rental car. While they were there, Jonathan paid to have someone drive the motorcycle back to Smallville. Once that was taken care of, they got the first available flight to Metropolis, which was leaving in two hours. The three of them got a late night/ early morning snack at the deli in the airport while they waited for their flight. Jonathan and Pete slept on the plane ride home, while Clark looked out the window and worried.
Jonathan's truck was still parked in the long term parking area, so they made it to Pete's house by mid morning. Jonathan got out and talked to Pete's parents for a few minutes. He told them Pete had been a great help to him, and that things had gone well.
The ride back to the Kent farm was uncomfortably quiet. Clark hadn't heard the voice yet today, and he was very worried about what the voice would say and do when it learned that Clark was back home.
Soon they were home, and Martha ran out to the truck to meet them. Clark got out of the truck and hugged his mom. He said, "I'm so sorry about the baby Mom."
Martha hugged him back and said, "I know honey, I'm sad about it too, but it was an accident."
"I'm sorry I left without saying good bye."
"I forgive you Clark."
Martha saw Jonathan's scowl when she said that, but Clark didn't. Martha just wanted to forgive and forget what Clark had done, but she knew Jonathan didn't think that was the best thing for Clark, so she said, "I forgive you, but you're going to have to make up for the things you have done."
Clark said, "I will. I promise I will."
Jonathan smiled and said, "Let's go in and talk."
They all went into the living room and sat down. Martha brought out cookies and lemonade for everyone, but no one had any.
After a few moments of silence Jonathan said, "While you were traveling, did you tell anyone the truth about yourself?"
"No, I told them that I was going to rule the earth, but not why or how. They all know I am freakishly strong, but I don't think any of them know how strong I really am."
"Are you still hearing your biological father in your head?"
"Yes, but only at night so far."
"What has he been saying to you?"
"He tells me where to go next, and what to do when I get there. He has told me the master plan. I am supposed to get about 500 followers, and then set up a base for a couple of months so I can build up money and followers. Then when he says the time is right I am to take over America, and eventually the rest of the world."
Jonathan was quiet for a few minutes. Then he said, "The space ship is destroyed, so how can he still talk to you?"
Clark said, "I don't know Dad, but it's scary. It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, he can still talk to me inside my head."
"Pete said the ship burned a symbol on you. Can we see it?"
Clark opened his shirt. His mother took a sharp breath in at the site of Clark's scar. Jonathan said, "Clark, have you ever x-rayed yourself?"
"No."
"Why don't you try to x-ray that scar, and see if the ship left you with anything besides a scar."
Clark looked down and soon saw the small piece of metal imbedded in his skin. He said, "Your right! There is a piece of metal stuck under my skin. Do you think that is how he's talking to me?"
Jonathan said, "I think that's a pretty good guess son."
Martha said, "Well, we'll have to get it out."
Clark said, "How? We don't have anything that's strong enough to cut me."
Jonathan said, "The only time I ever saw a needle go through you was when you were sick. I wonder if we had your mom hold a meteor rock close to you, if your skin would be weak enough for me to cut. Then I could get the metal piece out."
Clark nodded while Martha shook her head. Martha said, "But Jonathan, that is so risky. We don't know if extended exposure to the meteor rock builds up in his system."
Clark said, "If we can't get the metal out of me, I can't stay here. I'll end up hurting you both. We have to try to get it out. Please mom."
Martha looked at Jonathan who nodded. Martha said, "Okay then, lets do it before I loose my nerve."
Jonathan went to get the box with the Kryptonite, while Martha went to the kitchen and got a knife and a pair of tweezers. She cleaned them both with rubbing alcohol and brought them out. Clark had gotten a towel from the drawer, and taken off his shirt.
Jonathan said, "Okay Martha, I want you to stand behind the couch and open the box. It's probably better if you don't watch."
Clark lay down on the towel on the floor, and Jonathan kneeled beside him with the knife. Jonathan said, "Where is it exactly Clark?"
Clark pointed to a spot right over his heart, and Jonathan nodded. Martha opened the box, and Clark immediately felt sick. Jonathan put a hand on Clark's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry I don't have any thing to numb the pain, but it should go away as soon as I'm done. Keep your hands on the carpet."
Clark groaned, nodded, and grabbed the throw rug in a death grip.
Jonathan took the knife, and found it easy to cut Clark's skin. He tried not to let Clark's small scream distract him as he fished around for the metal piece. He got a hold of it with the tweezers and pulled it out. He said, "Close the box."
Martha closed it and turned around. They both watched as Clark's skin healed before their eyes. Not only did the knife wound clear up, but the scar from the ship also healed itself.
Jonathan held up the small metal piece and said, "The scar must have been an elaborate way to hide this."
Clark said, "We need to destroy that too."
Jonathan said, "I agree."
He took the box from Martha and said, "Come on Clark, let's go out to the cellar hole, and see what it takes to get rid of this."
Clark nodded and followed his father. Martha said, "Be careful."
Once they were in the hole Jonathan said, "Kryptonite destroyed the ship, so it should destroy this piece too. I'll drop the metal piece in the box, and close the lid. Then you can get us out of here before it explodes"
"I should be the one to drop the metal piece in. What if it explodes before I can get you out?"
"How many seconds did it take the ship to explode?"
"About three."
"That's plenty of time for you to get us out, and you won't have to get as close to the Kryptonite."
"But Dad…"
Jonathan interrupted with; "I'm really tired of you second guessing me Clark. This is the way we're going to do it."
"I'm just worried you'll get hurt, and it'll be my fault."
"If I do get hurt, it won't be your fault. Let's do it."
Clark stood on the opposite side while Jonathan dropped the small metal piece into the box with the Kryptonite. As soon as the lid was closed Clark went and got his father. He carried him as fast as he could out of the hole. They were back to the house before Jonathan realized any time had passed. They waited for a few seconds until they heard a small popping sound. Jonathan turned to Clark and said, "That's it?"
Clark said, "I guess."
They cautiously went back over to the cellar hole and looked in. The box looked undisturbed. Clark said, "Let me go look."
Jonathan nodded, and Clark climbed down and opened the box. He didn't see the metal piece, but the Kryptonite was still there, so he closed the lid quickly. Jonathan said, "Let me see."
Clark handed the box to Jonathan, and climbed out of the cellar. Jonathan opened the box and took out the Kryptonite. The metal piece was gone. He put the Kryptonite back in the box and said, "Well that was easy. Let's go back in."
Jonathan put the box on the kitchen counter, and said, "It's gone Martha."
She smiled and said, "Good."
Jonathan said, "Okay Clark, now I think we need to talk about the things you did before you left."
Clark looked down and said, "Okay."
Jonathan said, "Feel free to interrupt me if I leave something out, or if you think I get something wrong."
Clark nodded.
"First of all, you lied to your mother and me about hearing the voice. You decide to destroy the space ship without consulting us, because you thought we wouldn't agree with you. Then you stole a key from Lionel Luther, and used Pete to help you. You and Pete are lucky that he didn't get into more trouble for that stunt by the way. Next you skipped your friends wedding where you were supposed to be the best man. How do you think it made Lex feel when you didn't even show up?"
Clark said, "I didn't think the wedding was going to happen."
"I would think that would be an even more important reason to show up, and support your friend when he needed you. Then you put the key in the space ship. I hope you realize that touching the Kriptonite key could have killed you, and that the explosion from the ship when you were already weak might have killed you too."
Clark said, "I couldn't risk any one else getting hurt."
"If you had talked to us son, we might have come up with a better way to do it together, a way that would not have been so dangerous. After you destroyed the ship, and got your mother and me to the hospital, you decided that you needed to leave town. But what I see as the biggest mistake of them all, was your decision to get a red Kriptonite ring to make yourself feel better. So you stole the ring from your good friend Chloe. I don't know why you have this idea that stealing is okay now, but that is going to change."
Clark interrupted with, "Chloe would understand."
Jonathan glared at Clark and said, "So that makes it okay?"
Clark slowly shook his head.
Jonathan said, "So you then steal the motorcycle from me, put on the red ring, and leave town."
Jonathan paused, but Clark didn't say anything. Jonathan continued with, "I don't blame you for the things you did while you had the red ring on, but I do expect you to acknowledge the fact that those things wouldn't have happened if you hadn't put the ring on in the first place."
Clark did feel very guilty about the things he had done in the past three weeks, and he nodded his head and said, "Yes sir."
Jonathan looked at Martha and said, "Okay, I think your mother and I need to talk alone for a few minutes about your punishment. I want you to go to your room. You can try to get some rest since you didn't sleep much last night. Then after we have lunch we'll talk about what you're going to be doing to make up for what you've done."
Clark nodded and went to his room. He didn't think he would be able to sleep, but he dosed off five minutes after lying down.
In the kitchen Jonathan and Martha were relaxing and drinking lemon aid for a few minutes before starting another stressful conversation. Soon Martha said, "What did you have in mind for Clark's punishment?"
"Well first of all I think he should be grounded for about a month."
Martha nodded. Jonathan said, "Now I don't think you are going to agree with this next part, but I want you to hear me out before you say no."
Martha said, "Alright."
Jonathan said, "I think I need to spank him."
Martha gave a nervous laugh and said, "What good will that do? You know he won't feel it, and he probably wouldn't cooperate anyway."
Jonathan glared at her and said, "How could I cut his skin with a knife a few minutes ago, when knives don't cut his skin?"
Martha had a look of shock on her face and said, "Jonathan you can't be serious. We can't use the meteor rock to make him weak just so you can spank him!"
Jonathan said, "What happened to hearing me out?"
"Okay I'm listening."
"I know that if I had screwed up as badly as Clark did, my father would have spanked me. I also know that Clark left because he felt extremely guilty for what he had done. Now add on the three weeks of doing even worse things because of the red ring, and he has to be wallowing in guilt. It would help him to feel like he had paid for his mistakes. But even with that aside, I think he has been too cocky for his own good for the past few months. Lately he has been doing whatever he thinks is best whether we think it's a good idea or not. He doesn't consult us, or tell us where he's going, or what he's doing anymore; he just does what he wants. Now most of the time I agree with his actions, but not always. He needs to have a little more control, and sometimes he needs to think more before he acts. Like the time he threw that boy who was bugging Lana against the car. I know that he needed to protect Lana, but tossing the boy was not the right thing to do, and it got him into trouble with that policewoman. Maybe if he knew he could be spanked when he made really big mistakes, he would think things through a little more often."
Martha said, "I agree with you that he has been going off and doing his own thing too often, but I don't want to make Clark hate us, and I don't want to make him want to leave us."
Jonathan smiled and said, "You never got spanked, did you?"
Martha said, "Well no, but I can imagine it would make me pretty angry."
"Martha, you'll have to trust me here. It won't make Clark want to leave. In fact it will make him want to stay with us even more, and it will make him feel less guilty about the things he has done."
Martha nodded and said, "Okay Jonathan if you think it's for the best, then I'll go along with it."
They talked for another half an hour, and started to get lunch ready.
After the three of them had eaten lunch Jonathan said, "Okay Clark, we need to go over your punishments for the things you did before you left."
"Okay Dad."
"You are grounded for a month, and after that month, you will find a part time job to repay us for the damage you did to the cellar."
Clark nodded. Jonathan continued, "You will help me rebuild the cellar during the month you're grounded. You will carefully write a thousand times 'I will not lie to my parents.' You will apologize to Lex for missing his wedding, and ask him how you can make it up to him. You will tell Lex and Helen that you're volunteering at the hospital Helen works at during the month you're grounded. You will apologize to Chloe and you will buy her a new class ring. Then you will volunteer to help her with the torch for a month after your done volunteering at the hospital. Because you stole from Lionel, Chloe, and me, you will write 'I will not steal' one thousand times."
Clark was starting to feel nauseous. He knew that he had screwed up, and he knew that he deserved to be punished, but as the list of punishments got longer, he realized that three weeks ago he had made the biggest mistakes of his life. He also realized that his father was not going to let him just forget about them, or push them under the rug.
Jonathan continued, "You will help me give the bike you stole from me a tune up once it gets here, and you will pay for new tires for it. You will apologize to Pete for using him to get the Kryptonite key. I have already told him, that if he goes along with you when you come up with another plan like that, that I will be talking to his parents. He already knows that he will be helping us to rebuild the cellar, since he helped destroy it. You should ask him what you can do to make it up to him, but I doubt Pete will make you do anything. You're really lucky to have a friend like him."
Clark nodded and said, "I know."
Jonathan said, "I think that will make up for everything you did, except putting on the red ring and running away."
Clark looked horrified and said, "There's more?"
Jonathan said, "Yes son, I really think the worst thing you did was putting on the red ring to make yourself feel better. I think that is a serous mistake, and I need you to realize how wrong it was."
"What do I have to do?"
"You don't have to do anything. I am going to do something for you."
Jonathan nodded to Martha, and she went to pick up the box with the Kryptonite and opened it. Clark felt a little weak, but she wasn't close enough for him to feel really sick. Clark was scared and said, "What are you going to do?"
Jonathan put a hand on Clark's shoulder and said, "The same thing my dad would have done for me. I'm going to spank you."
Clark jumped up and said, "No way!"
Martha took a few steps closer, and Clark fell back down to the couch feeling quite ill. Jonathan waved her back to the door, and Clark felt just weak again. Jonathan said, "It is going to happen Clark. You need to accept that sometimes I know what is best for you whether you like it or not."
"But Dad, you CAN'T!"
Jonathan looked Clark in the eyes and said, "I can, and I'm going to. Take down your pants, or I will take them down for you."
Clark found himself fumbling with the zipper of his jeans. Then stopped and looked at his mom. He gave her a pleading look, and she gave him a slight nod and turned around so she couldn't see them. Clark stood up to push his pants down, and watched as his father stood up and took his belt off and doubled it over in his hand. Clark looked like he was about to cry and shook his head no. Jonathan took Clark's upper arm, and pulled Clark down over his lap as he sat back down on the couch. Jonathan pulled Clark's briefs down to mid thigh, and brought the belt down on Clark's butt with a solid whack. Clark made no noise, and there was no red spot where the belt had connected, so Jonathan said, "Take a step towards us Martha."
She stepped backwards and Jonathan brought the belt down again. This time Clark's body jumped a little at the impact, and there was a faint red line on his butt where the belt had struck him. Jonathan said, "Half a step more Martha."
This time when the belt came down, Clark made a hissing noise from the pain, and the line on his but was a brighter pink. Jonathan nodded and said, "That's good Martha, keep it right there."
He began to spank Clark methodically. Laying the stripes one right above, and slightly overlapping the previous spot until he got to the top of Clark's butt. Then starting to head down until he got to Clark's upper thighs. By the time he got down to Clark's thighs, Clark was yelping with each whack. Jonathan started the belt back up Clark's butt and said, "You will never purposely put on a red ring again." Whack, Whack, Whack. "You will not run away from us." Whack, Whack, Whack. "You will not lie to us." Whack, Whack, Whack. "We love you, and we will not sit by and watch you hurt yourself." Whack, Whack, Whack.
Clark was now crying and said, "I'm sorry! Dad, I'm so sorry."
Jonathan had gotten to Clark's thighs for the second time, and gave Clark four harder whacks moving back up. Then he stopped, and set the belt down on the couch beside him. He rubbed Clark's back for a few seconds while Clark cried. He looked over to Martha and could tell she was crying too. He pulled up Clark's underwear, and said, "Okay son, it's all over. Your mother and I forgive you."
He helped Clark stand up and Clark pulled his pants up. Jonathan pulled Clark down onto the couch to sit next to him and put an arm around his shoulders. Clark winced as his sore butt hit the couch. He turned into his father's chest and hugged him while he cried. Jonathan said, "Okay Martha, you can close the box."
As soon as Martha closed the lid Clark's butt healed, and he no longer hurt, but he still cried into his father's chest. Martha put the box down and came over to sit on the other side of Clark on the couch. She still had some tears in her eyes, and she put her hand over her husband's hand on Clark's back. Clark felt her close to him, and turned to look at her. He saw that she had been crying, and said, "I'm sorry mom."
Martha hugged him and said, "It's okay honey, I know you are, and we forgive you."
That night the tree of them stayed up all night talking. Together they came up with a plan to deal with any of Clark's followers who might show up. They also stayed together to make sure Clark didn't hear the voice. To everyone's relief, Clark didn't hear the voice that night. Jonathan made it very clear that if Clark ever lied to them again, that he would be spanked again. By morning they were all tired, but happy too.
Three weeks later Clark and Pete were working on the cellar together. They had been working for about an hour, and Pete said, "Hey Clark, has Lana completely forgiven you yet?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Well then, what do you say to going to the Talon after this, and getting something cold to drink."
Clark said, "I can't. I'm grounded remember?"
Pete laughed and said, "I know, I just thought it would be fun to remind you since I'm here working on your cellar because I helped you."
Clark looked annoyed and said, "Ha, Ha. Real funny Pete."
"Hey you're just lucky you're you and not me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"My dad would have spanked me if I pulled a stunt like you did. I mean, he hasn't spanked me for years, but I know he still would if he thought I needed it. All your dad can do is ground you."
Clark got very red and said, "I wouldn't be too sure of that Pete."
Pete looked surprised and said, "No way! How?"
Clark said, "I don't really want to talk about it, but lets just say when my dad is determined, he will find a way to do what he thinks is right for me."
Pete was quiet for a few minutes and said, "Was that the first time?"
Clark nodded. Pete said, "Are you okay with it?"
Clark looked at him and said, "You know, after a few days, I actually was glad he did it. It made me feel better. Do you think that's crazy?"
Pete said, "No, I know what you mean."
Jonathan's shadow fell on them and he said, "Hey kids, less talking and more working. I want to get the roof put on today."
They both looked up and said in a slightly teasing way, "Yes sir."
Jonathan walked away muttering something about teenagers, and Clark and Pete laughed as they got back to work.
