After realizing the farm is in financial trouble, Martha (Annette O'Toole) goes to her estranged father (guest star George Coe) for help. Clark (Tom Welling) is thrilled at the prospect of meeting his grandfather but Jonathan's (John Schneider) refusal to see the man prompts Clark to force a reunion that doesn't go exactly as planned. Meanwhile, Lana (Kristin Kreuk) discovers an old photograph that suggests her father may still be alive.

Michael Rosenbaum, Sam Jones III and Allison Mack also star. Chris Long directed the episode written by Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner.

Freak of the Week: Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and Pete Ross (Sam Jones III) are trying out for the swim team, and Clark beats Pete and qualifies for the final round along with Troy Turner. Meanwhile, Lana Chrissy Parker (Maggie Lawson), a cheerleader, are preparing banners for Spirit Week and checking out the guys. Chrissy asks Lana what she thinks about Clark, but Lana says that they are just friends. Troy shows up and asks for a kiss from his girlfriend Chrissy, and the two go off while Lana finishes off the banners.
Clark and Try get ready to compete in the final round. Half-way through their swim, Try suddenly starts shocking and drowning. Chrissy, from the stands, notices the problem first and screams for someone to help Troy. Clark superspeeds under water and pulls Troy up and out of the water... Everyone watches in shock as Troy lies dead on the ground: he has become an old man.
Chrissy is looking at her face in the mirror of her locker, in particular at the lines around her eye. Principal Reynolds (Richard Grant) come up to her and introduces himself, and thanks her for all the effort she has put into Spirit Week. He also tells her he was going through student files and noticed that she has not sent in her transcripts from her previous school. She promises to tell her parents to do so, but looks very upset once he leaves.
Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack), Pete and Clark are discussing Troy's mysterious death. Chloe adds the article to her Wall of Weird. The official reports say that he died of a diseases that quickens the aging process, but Clark objects that this disease usually happens over 10 years, not 10 seconds. They then start discussing the new principal, and Clark shows that he clearly doesn't like him. Chloe thinks he is good for the school, and shows Clark his impressive resume, and says that his name was mentioned as the Head of the Metropolis Board of Education. But then, he mysteriously resigned from Excelsior Prep and then didn't work again until he came to Smallville. Clark doesn't understand why such a man would wanna come and work in Smallville.
Chloe tells Clark he should leave the Torch office if he doesn't want to run into Principal Reynolds, whom she is interviewing in a few minutes. She also shows Clark Troy's death certificate that states "death unknown", rather than the disease officials had first reported it may be. Chloe also finds out that Troy's pituitary gland - which produces the hormone that controls the aging process - was completely drained, like someone just sucked the youth right out of him. At that moment, Principal Reynolds shows up and overhears her comments. He is impressed with her thinking outside the box and her past articles, but he warns her to start getting proof of her speculations and wild theories, or she will end up writing trash for the Inquisitor rather than reporting for the Daily Planet. He tells Chloe he needs another 1/2 hr before the interview and says that Clark is the one he was looking for, he wants to see him in his office. Reynolds tells Clark that he thinks he is a slacker, that he left the football team on the first game, that he has no extra-curricular activities and that he is constantly late. Clark tries to defend himself by saying that he does get good grades and write for the Torch occasionally, but Reynolds is not impressed and says that he sees a lot of untapped potential in Clark. Clark wonders how the principal can judge him so quickly, and Reynolds quickly gets to the point of Clark's friendship with Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). He says, "We are judged by the company we keep". Reynolds feels that Lex doesn't have friends, but rather uses people as a means to an end. Clark disagrees. Finally, Reynolds asks him about his aspirations, his goals in five years. Clark says he wants to help people, but remains vague. Reynolds tells him he wants a five page essay on his desk by Friday about Clark's five-year plan. Clark sees it as punishment, Reynolds tell his it is a challenge.
Clark is sitting at The Talon trying to write his essay, when Chrissy shows up wanting him to volunteer for the Decorations Committee. He declines and tells her about his essay. She seems to think that the future can only be bad, getting a job, responsibilities and getting old. She looks at her hand that suddenly ages dramatically for a spilt second. She hides her hand away. Clark notices her acting weird, and asks her if everything is alright.
Russell, a friends of Troy's, is helping Chrissy with the lighting. They are alone. Russell tells her how much he misses Troy. She explains that it is why she came to him, for Troy and for the others, the ones that will live inside her forever. He doesn't understand what she means by the others. She starts getting close to him, and then kisses him. As she kisses him, the effect is immediate, and Russell turns into an old man.
Chloe tells Clark and Pete about Russell's body being found at the back of The Talon. Lana wanted to cancel the Spirit Week party, but Principal Reynolds told her not to, to keep things as normal as possible. Clark notices Chrissy looking at herself in the mirror, and realizes that he saw her with Russell at The Talon, and she was also with Troy before he died. Chloe says she will look into it.
Reynolds reminds Chrissy about the transcripts, and also says that he has been trying to get to know the students and their parents personally. He wants to come by Chrissy's house when her parents are there. She suggests, that, instead, he meet them when they come for the Spirit Week party. He agrees. As she waives him off, she realizes her hand is old again, which is a sign that she needs new life.
Chloe shows Clark pictures of Piper High School where there were three mysterious deaths, similar to Troy's and Russell's. Chrissy was a student there under a different name. As she keeps searching, she finds many other schools with the same deaths and which Chrissy attended. All of them had three deaths in 48 hours. She traces them all the way to high school classes in 1921!! "It takes the Peter Pan complex to a whole new level", she says, Chrissy has been staying young for . Clark realizes that it's been nearly a day since her last victim and that she is gonna need a fresh victim. Chloe goes to call the police and as she looks up, Clark has disappeared... again!!
Principal Reynolds is looking for Chrissy and her parents. He finds her at the back of The Talon. He can't see her face as it is hidden in the shadows of backstage. She finds a stage light that she carries as she walks slowly towards the principal. He asks her where her parents are, and she explains to him that they died over a hundred years ago. Finally, her face is revealed and it is one of an old lady. She tells him she realizes that high school are the best years of your life, and knocks him out with the stage light.
Pete and Clark come in looking for Chrissy, and Clark x-rays backstage and sees Chrissy leaning over a lying body. He tells Pete to go lock the door, and runs to Chrissy, telling her he knows what is happening and she needs help. She tells him that she is saving these people from lives that will never be as happy as they are right now in high school. He tries to explain to her that there is more to life than Spirit Week and cheerleading. As she tries to kiss him, he pushes her away, and though the stage set. She lands on her back and sees a reflections of herself on a mirror. As she stares at it, her body begins decomposing, and, finally, turns to ash.

Character Development: At the Kent Farm, Jonathan Kent (John Schneider) is trying to figure out the farm's financial situation while Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole) is baking huge quantities of muffins and tells Jonathan and Clark about the two convenience stores and the cafeteria that she has added to her client list. The guys joke with her about becoming Mrs. Kent, the next Mrs. Fields. Jonathan gets upset though when he realizes they're not gonna be able to pay the feed bill. Martha suggests to go by the store and ask for an extension on their credit, but Jonathan already tried and  was refused. they are already 3 months behind. Martha suggests one call that could help them: if they called her father, William Clark (George Coe). Suddenly, Jonathan becomes upset and quiet, and Clark demands to know why everyone is so uncomfortable talking about his grandfather, and why he hasn't even met him. Jonathan apologizes for Clark's lack of a relationship with his grandfather, but says that things are just very uncomfortable.
Clark goes to deliver muffins to The Talon. Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) tells him that she's found so much junk in the old projection booth, she jokes that Aunt Nell (Sarah-Jane Redmond) was using it as her own personal storage since the 70s. She starts looking through the stuff, and finds pictures of her mother and another man. They seem very cozy and in love. Lana is shocked and shows Clark. Clark tries to explain it. He thinks maybe it's an old boyfriend, but Lana looks at the back of the picture and sees the date, 7/85, which was when her parents where already married. Clark then suggests it's just a friend, and Lana says that she's sure he's right, but they both feel that there's something more to this. Lex shows up and asks what they are talking about. He sees the pictures and tells Lana that the two people on it make an attractive couple, which brings an awkward silence to the trio. When Lex realizes he must have said something wrong, he follows it up with "But I'm sure they're a million explanations for it", and Lana tries to look brave and says that she's sure Nell as a reasonable explanation for it. Lex tries to lighten to mood by saying, "Then, mystery solved. I will they were all that easy". Clark says they have to go to school, but Lana has the first 2 periods off. Lex offers Clark a ride since he's going that way and Clark tries to be polite and says "Oh, it's ok, I was just gonna..." and while the other two wait for his explanation, he can only find the word "run" to finish the sentence. Lex and Lana laugh and Lex says "Oh, I don't think you can outrun my Porsche".
As they drive up to school, they met the new principal, Principal Reynolds, who gives Clark a hard time for being late. He explains that the school gates will be closed as soon as classes start. Lex tries to take the blame for Clark's tardiness, but the principal recognizes Lex, since he used to be principal at Excelsior Prep when Lex was there. He feels that Clark should be taking responsibility for his own actions. As Clark excuses himself to go to class, Lex asks the principal why he's still so tough on Lex after all these years. The principal shows a complete distrust for the Luthors.
Clark helps Lana out at The Talon and tells her about his grandfather, who was a big corporate lawyer in Metropolis and then retired with his wife to Coast City. When Clark was in 6th grade, he tried calling his grandfather but he left a few messages, but his granddad never returned his call. Aunt Nell shows up and Clark tells Lana this may be her chance to deal with her family secrets. But when Nell sees the photos of Laura Lang with this other man, she just reassures Lana that Laura loved Lana and Lewis more than anything in the world, and that she would never have done anything to hurt either of them.
Martha's father, William Clark arrives at the farm. Martha is there to great him. They hug awkwardly. She tells him that Jonathan doesn't know that he's here. William tells her that he realizes what courage it must have taken for her to call. He looks around at the farm and tells her that this is not the life he would have wanted for her. But Martha assures him that she chose it and that she's happy. He reminds her that she was in the top 10 of her class in college and that she could have gone to any law school she wanted, but she reminds him she never wanted to be a lawyer. Clark shows up early. Martha wasn't expecting him. She introduces him to his grandfather. The conversation then stops, and William tells Martha that he will be staying at the motel and that he will have a cashier's check drawn up for her in the morning. Clark doesn't understand what is happening, and tell William that he can stay in the house. William states that it may not be such a good idea. Clark at least asks for them to all have dinner together as a family, but again, William sadly refuses. However, neither William or Martha seem happy about the way the situation is between all of them.
Jonathan is upset to hear that Martha called her father behind his back. Clark tries to be the mediator in their discussion, but Jonathan tells him he doesn't know all the facts. He explains that, twenty year ago, he had asked William for Martha's hand in marriage, and William had refused, saying that he didn't want his daughter living on a farm with someone who probably couldn't support her. He had tried to shut Jonathan out of his office, and Jonathan had hit him. Since then, they have never spoken.
Lana is holding the cheerleader rehearsals at The Talon. Lex shows up and she asks him for his help in identifying the mystery man on the pictures with her mother. Lex warns her that she may not like what she finds, and wonders if she can handle the truth. Lana assures him that she wants to whole truth, no matter what it is.
Clark gets his granddad to the farm to wait for Jonathan's return. Jonathan is upset to see him, and they argue. William feels that all his predictions have come true, and that it is obvious that Martha has made the biggest mistake of her life. On his side, Jonathan accuses William of having been away for twenty years and suddenly wanting to be part of the family. William says he doesn't want anything, he just brought a check because he doesn't want to see his daughter suffer. William leaves again, with nothing accomplished.
Lex comes to visit Reynolds in his office. He notices the "Count of Monte Cristo" on the desk and finds it an interesting choice, the story of a man whose past comes back to haunt him. Lex says he's here because the plant is updating their computer system, and he wants to donate the old computers to Smallville High. Reynolds is confused by the offer, since Lex is not an alumnus. Lex answers, "Call it a thank you". Reynolds wonders what Lex wants in return, knowing that it's the way things work with the Luthors.
Lana comes to see Clark, to show him an envelope that Lex sent her with information about the man on the photo. She hasn't opened it yet, she is worried she won't like what she finds. Meanwhile, Clark tells her that he realizes he can't do anything about his father's past with his granddad, but he has a plan for the future. Clark goes to visit his grandfather at the motel and finds him packing. Clark explains he wants to start a relationship with William. He brought along a small family album, to show William his family the way he sees it, more than just old arguments and overdue bills. William doesn't really answer, and just gives the check to Clark to give to Martha. Clark gets very upset and doesn't understand how William cannot be interested in his family.
Clark gives Martha the check from her father. He tells his parents he went to see his granddad, and was told that William tried to get involved in Clark's life after the adoption but Jonathan wouldn't let him. Jonathan explains to him that, as a little boy, Clark wasn't able to control his abilities as well, and if William had spent any time with them, he would have found out Clark's secret. Since William had disagreed with them on so many things, they weren't sure how he would react when finding out about Clark's abilities. Clark suddenly gets very sad and upset, realizing that William may not be in their lives because of Clark.
Lana visits Clark in his loft, and sees him working on his essay. She asks him jokingly where he's gonna be in five years, and he tells her he will be in college, studying journalism. He explains that he likes to find out the truth behind things and doesn't like secrets. In his personal life, he says, he will try and find a way to start a relationship with his grandfather. Lana tells him about what was in the file that Lex sent about her parents. Apparently, Laura and Lewis Lang filed for divorce, due to irreconcilable differences, in 1985. Although they did, eventually, work it out, they were legally separated for over a year. Lana realizes that the guy in the picture could actually be her mother's boyfriend. She also knows that she was born right after her parents got back together, which means that, technically, her father could still be alive.