Lex had been so close.

Mrs. Kent obviously knew what his plans had been. It was written all over her face. Now that he was supposed to sleep in Clark's room, he'd never be able to slip away.

He took a deep breath. Those guys were only supposed to be staying for one night. Lex could make a run for it tomorrow—or at least, he could try. Now that Mrs. Kent knew he'd been trying to run, she would probably go out of her way to make it more complicated for him.

He wasn't sure what to make of that. He'd been trying to run so that the Kents would decide he was too much trouble and send him back home, but Mrs. Kent's reaction when she caught him hadn't been anything like he was expecting. For one thing, she was a lot smarter than he thought she was—she caught onto his plans in an instant and backed him into a corner. For another, she seemed to be trying to get him to stay. Like she wanted him there. But that wasn't possible—even his own dad didn't want him.

Lex adjusted his cap on his head and dragged his suitcase out of the guest room. A boy was just reaching the top of the stairs—he looked maybe twelve years old, with brown hair and a round face.

He almost ran headlong into Lex. "Oh. Hi. Are you Clark or Lex?"

A wave of annoyance washed over him—not for the question, not even for the kid almost running into him, but for the whole situation he was in. "Lex."

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"I'm Sam. Thanks for giving us your room."

"Wasn't my choice." Lex realized too late how rude that sounded, but he was too tired to care. He turned again toward Clark's room.

Sam followed awkwardly behind. "Well, Dean and I really appreciate it. Especially with, um, your condition."

Lex whirled to face him. "Condition?"

Sam's cheeks turned a bit pink. "Well, uh . . . don't you have cancer?"

In the wake of such recent humiliation, the assumption grated more than usual. "Who told you that?"

"No one, just, um—"

"Then why don't you mind your own damn business?"

Sam flinched, and Lex breathed in to apologize and explain that he was having a rough night, but another boy reached the top of the stairs just then. That must be Dean. He was probably around Lex's age, maybe a little older, a few inches taller and much more muscular.

"Hey, what's the problem up here?" Dean said.

Lex winced. "Ah, no problem, I—"

Dean lunged forward and grabbed the front of Lex's shirt. "I heard what you said. No one talks to my brother that way, you hear me?"

Lex clenched his teeth, but he didn't cower; he glared. "Loud and clear."

A voice from downstairs: "Boys, is everything alright up there?"

Lex cleared his throat. "We're fine, Mrs. Kent." He never took his eyes off Dean.

"Alright. I'll be up in just a minute."

Dean tightened his grip for a moment before he let him go and stalked into the room Lex had just vacated.

Sam grimaced and said, "He can be kind of protective. Sorry for prying. Thanks for the room."

Lex swallowed hard, but he couldn't think of a response before Sam disappeared into the guest room as well.