Principal Asskick's office. Lex walks in stealthily. Lex notices a book on the desk and starts talking about The Count of Monte Cristo, the story of a man whose past comes back to haunt him. "Why are you here, Lex?" Asskick asks. Lex says that the computers at the plant are being upgraded and he's offering to donate the old ones. How many computers could they have in a fertilizer plant? Asskick says that Lex isn't an alumnus. "Call it a thank-you," Lex says. Lex says he appreciates being pushed, back in his prep-school days. He says that, in some ways, Asskick is responsible for the man Lex is today. Wasn't that Pam from "Crush"? Asskick says he may not be able to take on that burden. Why you gotta be like that about a compliment? Asskick asks what Lex wants in return. Lex says there's always a price when dealing with the Luthors. Lex, who still hasn't sat down, says he wants Asskick to stop picking on Clark. "Lionel has taught you well," Asskick says. "My father?" Lex asks. Asskick says this reminds him of the incident that almost got Lex expelled. Lex says that Papa Luthor had nothing to do with that. "Only later," Asskick says. Asskick reveals that Papa Luthor offered the school a new library on two conditions: that Lex would not be expelled, and tha Asskick would be fired. Lex did not know that. "History has an interesting way of repeating itself, doesn't it?" Asskick asks.

Kent Farm. Clark is still daydreaming, trying to finish his essay. Lana's standing nearby. He didn't hear her clomp up the stairs? Oh, yeah, I forgot. She doesn't weigh enough to make sounds when she walks. Lana shows Clark something that arrived at her house. An envelope from Lex, with what's probably the identity of her mom's secret boyfriend. Lana isn't sure she wants to open it and ruin the perfect image she has of her parents that she talks about every 3.8 seconds to anyone who'll listen. Lana thinks that maybe by doubting her parents, she's already lost the magic. Lana asks about Clark's grandfather. Clark repeats the things about history repeating itself. Dialogue repeating itself is worse. Lana asks whether Clark is going to try again. He says that maybe there's something he can do about his future.