Chapter 4

The next week proved to be tough for Kayla. Her classes were speeding up and she always seemed to be studying. So one day after all her tests were done Clark surprised her outside of her class and told her they were going into town and that she was not allowed to study until they got home.

While they were walking down the street an alarm went off at the bank and they saw Lex Luthor running at them. Clark caught him midstride.

"Lex, what's going on?" Clark asked.

"Get out of the way!" Lex yelled and pushed Clark through the window of the store they were standing next to. Kayla rushed through ignoring the threat of broken glass and crouched down next to him.

"Clark, are you ok?" She asked him but his look was weird like he was seeing something that wasn't normal. "What is that look for?"

"That wasn't Lex!" Clark said.

"Clark," Kayla said. "I saw him myself. That was Lex."

"I saw through them." Clark said.

"Excuse me?" Kayla said surprised.

"It's like X-ray vision. I saw their skeleton and it was green like the meteors." Clark elaborated.

"Let's get you home then we can talk about this with your parents." Kayla said helping him up.

The next day it was all over the newspapers.

"This is strange." Martha said. "Why would Lex Luthor need to rob a bank?"

"I've seen some pretty strange things in my day," Jonathan said, "but this definitely takes the cake. Well, almost."

"He got away with $100,000." Martha said.

"I know Lex, it wasn't him." Clark said.

"Clark I know that he is a friend of yours but come on you saw him with your own eyes." Jonathan said.

"I don't know what I saw." Clark said.

"Kayla was with you." Martha said.

"Well, I'm not sure it was Lex either." Kayla said. "He is worth billions. Why would he need pocket change like $100,000?"

"I hope there is some kind of reasonable explanation for this." Martha said.

"Me too," A voice said from the door. They all turned around to see Lex Luthor. "I'd hate to think I have an evil twin."

"Lex, we didn't hear you pull up." Martha said.

"May I come in?" He asked letting himself in. "I promise I'm not packing heat."

"Lex, how come you're not in jail?" Clark asked.

"Because I was hosting a reception for 200 fertilizer distributors in Metropolis at the time of the robbery." Lex replied.

"Do the police have any leads?" Jonathan asked.

"None," Lex said turning to Clark, "That's why I wanted to talk to you Clark. Your name was on the witness list. Did you actually see this person?"

"Yeah he looked just like you!" Clark said.

"He did." Kayla said. "I was there too."

"Except his fingerprints and signature didn't match mine." Lex said.

"How is that possible?" Kayla asked.

"I have no clue. You sure your eyes weren't playing tricks on you?" Lex said.

"Do you know how small the odds are of two peoples' eyes messing up at the exact same time looking at the exact same person?" Kayla asked.

"What's going to happen now?" Clark asked.

"Hopefully the money will turn up." Lex said. "In the meantime the Metropolis tabloids will have a field day and I'm sure certain people's opinions of me will be set in stone." He said looking towards Jonathan.

"I gotta get to work." Jonathan said.

"I actually have to get to class. See everyone later." Kayla said picking up her back pack. "I'll pick you up at school, Clark."

She got done with classes early on account one of her professors came down with a stomach flu so she headed over to keep Clark company at school. When she got there, he was in the gym climbing ropes attached to the ceiling.

All of a sudden he fell to the floor. Kayla immediately rushed over to him. He looked at her smiling then through the wall and his grin widened.

"What the hell, Clark? Are you ok?" Kayla asked him.

"I'm fine." Clark said.

"Sir," Kayla said turning to the gym teacher. "I think I'm going to take him home and get him checked out by a doctor." The teacher nodded and they left.

"What the hell was that?" Kayla asked once they were in the car.

"The x-ray thing happened again." Clark said. "Except, this time I saw through clothes and through the wall of the girls' locker room."

"No way, I totally don't believe that!" Kayla said.

"Then how do I know you are wearing red silk boy shorts with a matching bra?" Clark said bracing himself in case she hit him.

She did. She punched him on the shoulder. "You pervert!" She yelled laughing.

"So I'm right?" He teased.

"You aren't getting another free show, farm boy." Kayla shot back and Clark's eye brows rose.

When they got back to the house, Kayla was still teasing him about seeing into the girl's locker room.

"You guys are back early." Martha said.

"Clark had a little accident at school." Kayla said.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

After Clark told her the story he had to repeat it for his father.

"So when you have these flashes you can see through anything? People, objects…" Martha asked.

"Sometimes I can see through things. Other times it's like an X-ray." Clark said.

"And there's no warning?" Jonathan asked. "This just happens?"

"Well I get a headache," Clark said, "and then it hits me. The first time I thought I was hallucinating and then it happened again."

"Clark," Martha said. "I'm sure there is some way to control this."

"And I vote that I NOT be the test dummy." Kayla said. "It was embarrassing enough this one time."

"You guys, I can see through things. How can I control that?" Clark snapped.

"Clark," Kayla said way too sweet as she walked up to him. "You snap like that at me again, I'll show you exactly how my wings can take your head off your shoulders."

"I'm sorry," Clark said. "This is just so frustrating."

"You have to practice." Martha said. "Your eyes have muscles just like your legs."

"Your mom is right, son," Jonathan said. "All you have to do is find a way to condition them so you don't have these random flashes."

"Well that sounds great," Clark said with the same attitude. "How am I going to do that?" He said before storming out.

"I give up on that kid!" Kayla shouted. "I'm done trying to help him. If he wants it he is on his own. I have homework to do." She said before going upstairs.

A couple hours later Martha was calling up the stairs.

"Clark and I are going into town; do you want to come with us?" She called up the stairs.

Kayla opened her door and stuck her toweled head out. "No thanks. I'm a little preoccupied at the moment."

"Do you need anything?" Martha asked.

"No but thanks for asking! Have fun with the Mr. I Hate the World." Kayla called back down.

"Very funny!" Martha said with a small smile. "We'll be back later!"

A few hours later, both Clark and Martha came busting through the door. Kayla was at the kitchen table with her homework spread around her.

"Where's the fire?" She asked.

"Where's dad?" Clark asked.

After everyone was together, the story was told.

"Police found the truck. It was abandoned out by the Stewart farm." Jonathan said.

"So Clark's doppelganger tried to mow you down, Mrs. Kent?" Kayla asked. "I thought I moved here for a normal life."

"Did anybody else see the driver?" Clark asked.

"No," Jonathan said.

"I could have sworn it was you, Clark." Martha said.

"I guess I'm not the only one with the vision problem." Clark said.

"Look, I don't understand. Whoever it was, how did they get your keys?" Jonathan asked.

"I have no idea." Martha said. "I only went into the antique…"

"Wait." Kayla said. "Clark you said you saw Tina go in, but her mom said she wasn't there. Then all of a sudden you have an evil twin trying to kill your mother. I sense a pattern."

"Rose Greer was acting very strange today." Martha said. "Then I found $5,000 in cash under a dresser. It had a Smallville Savings and Loans band on it. She said a customer paid with it but…"

"You think it was from the robbery?" Clark asked.

"It crossed my mind." Martha said.

"Rose took your keys, turned into Clark, and tried to run you down?" Jonathan asked.

"It makes sense now!" Kayla exclaimed and everyone just stared at her. "Clark, do you remember telling me that the person impersonating Lex had green stuff all over their skeleton? What if it was meteor based like you thought? If it is on the skeleton who knows what could happen?"

"Yes I do! I saw it again today on Tina Greer's skeleton." Clark said. "It didn't look human. You know, like the ones you see in anatomy books?"

"What like this?" Kayla held up her biology book that showed a creature with a disease that morphed the skeleton.

"Gross, but yes." Clark said.

"That's probably because Tina was born with a soft bone disease." Martha said. "They had this poor girl on all these experimental drugs. Doctors didn't believe that she would live to see first grade."

"She did get better." Jonathan said. "Right around her third birthday…"

"That was right after the meteor shower wasn't it?" Clark asked.

"Yeah," Jonathan said.

"Clark," Martha started, "What do you think Tina is doing?"

"I don't know." Clark said. "I saw the same weird flash after the robbery just like Kayla said. I just wish I could control this."

"Fine," Kayla said. "I'll be the test dummy. If it means you'll be nicer."

Clark just gave her a look.

"Okay I'm shutting up now." She said going back to her homework.

"What if you try focusing it," Martha asked. "Like a telescope?"

"You could start with something small." Jonathan said getting up and walking over to Clark. "What is in my hand right now?"

"Your pocket knife." Clark said immediately.

"You could see through my hand?" Jonathan asked.

"You always keep your pocket knife in that pocket." Kayla said without looking up from the notes she was taking. "I'm going to take this to the loft so you guys can figure this out because I have test tomorrow I really have to study for." She said picking up her books and going outside to the barn.

After getting back from her test the next day, she helped the Kents hang up dried flowers in the barn until Clark got home.

"You're home early farm boy," Kayla said. "I wasn't supposed to pick you up for another hour."

"I controlled it." Clark said. "Well, once, sort of, I concentrated and it worked."

"That's great," Martha said.

"What'd you concentrate on?" Jonathan asked.

"You didn't spy on the girl's locker room did you?" Kayla asked.

Clark just gave Kayla a look. "Tina Greer's locker." He said.

"What'd you see?" Martha asked.

"The money from the bank robbery." Clark said.

"Clark," Kayla said, "You need to call the police and tell them so we can get Lex off the hook!" Clark nodded and went into the house.

Later that night Clark was up in the loft for hours trying to focus his x-ray vision. Kayla had some snacks prepared and decided to take them up and share with him.

What she saw however was completely insane. There was Lana Lang making out with Clark. All of a sudden it was Tina he was kissing.

"I don't know how you found out about that money but you should have stayed out of my life, Clark." She said before throwing him through the wall and onto the car below. She turned to Kayla. "Are you in league with him?"

Kayla immediately let her wings out and changed her eyes. "Wanna stick around and find out, bitch?" She shot back. Tina's eyes widened and she ran past Kayla who jumped and glided down to the ground beside Clark.

"Clark, are you ok?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah go get my parents. We need to search the farm!" He said getting up.

They searched everywhere but Tina wasn't in sight.

"Are you positive she turned back into Tina?" Martha asked.

"I saw it, too." Kayla said looking down at the ground. Clark immediately shot her a confused look. "She was Lana, they were kissing, then boom, she was Tina and threw him through the wall."

"I think the meteor shower did something to her bones." Clark said.

"So she can change appearance at will?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah," Clark said, "and it gives her strength. That's how she threw me out of the loft."

"What should we tell the police?" Martha asked.

"Nothing," Clark said.

"You're kidding." Jonathan said.

"No, he's right." Kayla said. "She could be anybody and only Clark can tell the difference. He just has to find her." She added before walking out of the barn.

She walked up to her room and pulled out clothes for bed. She just wanted to curl up with a Stephen King book and forget about tonight. She quickly turned when there was a tapping on her door to find Clark standing there.

"I'm sorry about what you saw tonight." He said.

"Why should you be sorry?" Kayla asked turning back to her clothes. "It's what you've wanted isn't it?"

"No it isn't." He was right behind her breathing on her neck. Chills went down her spine and she turned around. "I want you." He said right before kissing her. She immediately responded but something was wrong. This didn't feel like Clark. When she pulled back, she saw Tina. "No one threatens me, bitch." She said before picking Kayla up by her throat.

Kayla immediately started crying for help and screaming right before Tina threw her through the window. The next thing she knew she was in a pair of arms. She looked up to see Clark and then looked at Tina running out the back door into the night.

"Are you alright?" Clark asked.

"I'm fine." Kayla said. "Tina threw me for a loop."

"How'd she get close to you without you flying out or something?" Clark pushed.

"She was you, Clark." Kayla said. "She disguised herself as you. I thought it was you until she…you…god I don't know but someone kissed me as you!" Clark's eyes widened. "I immediately knew it wasn't you once she kissed me but it was too late and she had me by the throat. The rest you already know."

Clark nodded before turning away.

"Clark!" Kayla called and he turned around. "Catch this bitch before I do." She let her wings out and took to the skies.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Martha said from behind Clark.

"I don't understand." Clark said.

"Son, that girl has loved you since she was 11 years old." Jonathan Kent said. "And first she saw you kissing what looked like Lana. Then she thought you kissed her and it turns out you didn't. Put two and two together."

Clark's eyes widened. "She's going after Tina. I have to get to her first!"

"That's the first novel thought I've heard all night." Jonathan said as Clark left.

Morning came and still no Kayla. She didn't come home and her books and car were still there.

"Where is she?" Clark asked.

"I don't know. She was pretty shaken up last night." Martha said. "She'll come back when she is ready."

Clark just sighed and went to catch the bus.

Kayla had been flying for hours and wasn't even tired yet. The search for Tina had been unsuccessful so far but she wasn't going to stop until she was found. It was getting dark and as she was flying over Lana's house, she heard Clarks voice and very carefully landed without a sound on the roof.

"You're lucky you've got at least that." She heard Clark say.

"Have you ever tried to find your parents?" Lana asked.

"Not really," Clark said. "But I figure they're a million years away from my life now."

"If you could ask them a question, what would you ask?" Lana asked Clark.

"What happened? Why'd they let me go?" Clark said. "How do I make sense of all the strangeness in my life?"

"I guess neither of us will ever get a straight answer." Lana said.

"I hope you find what you're looking for." Clark said.

Kayla stood there for a moment until Clark walked out into the driveway. He looked up and his eyes widened when he saw her but before he could say anything, she was gone.

The next day proved the same as the last except this time the shower had been used and clothes appeared to be missing from her room because the dirty ones were on the bed. She had shown up in the middle of the night, taken a few hours' worth of a nap, took a shower, changed, and went right back to looking for Tina. Now she was sitting on the old windmill waiting for school to get out and darkness to fall so she could fly without being seen.

Once night fell, she took off to the skies once again. She made a sweep over all of Smallville and her ears finally caught raised voices. When she looked down it was a cemetery near the farm. One appeared to be Clark and one appeared to be Whitney.

She saw Whitney hit Clark across the graveyard and she dove down.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" She asked.

Clark stood up. "Be careful, Tina's Whitney."

"What the hell are you?" Whitney asked her. "That's Tina. She's been trying to kill Lana. She has hidden her somewhere in this graveyard."

"Well, this is a predicament," Kayla said while Clark walked up to her. "I know how to solve it." She turned around and kissed Clark surprising him. She pulled away from him, walked over to Whitney, and kissed him. "Hello, Tina," She said to Whitney and backhanded her to the ground.

Tina got right back up and punched Kayla so hard she flew back and hit a tombstone.

"Where's Lana?" Clark asked after seeing Kayla stand up seemingly unharmed.

"She's dead." Tina/Whitney said.

At that, Clark grabbed Tina and threw her into a tree which knocked her out causing her to turn back into herself. He turned to Kayla.

"Kayla, we have to find Lana." He said.

"Ok," she said simply. "Can you focus your vision?"

Clark tried and it worked. He looked until he saw a skeleton struggling in a mausoleum.

"Over here!" He said as he saw the skeleton stop struggling. Both he and Kayla took the heavy stone top off of the casket and found an unconscious Lana.

"Take her to get some help, Clark." Kayla said. "I'm heading back to the farm." After that she took to the skies again to head home.

Later that night, she was up in the loft when Clark showed up.

"Hey, welcome back." Clark said.

"Thanks." Kayla said before going back to look at the stars.

"You know, you had us worried the last couple of days." He said coming to stand beside her.

"I know and I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I was just tired of things happening with meteor people and messing up my normal life that when I thought you kissed me and that was ripped from me, it was just the last straw." She turned to Clark. "I didn't mean to hurt you guys."

"I know you didn't. I'm just thankful you went after Tina and not me. Thank god you remembered how she kissed you." Clark said.

"Yeah thank the lord for small miracles. I'm going to bed. I'm finally exhausted after two days of adrenaline and anger pumping through me." She walked over to the landing, stopped, and turned around. "Clark," She called and he turned to look at her. "I knew who Tina was before I kissed you because Whitney was never told about Tina. Good night, farm boy." She said before leaving Clark to his thoughts.

She walked up to her room to find a note on her bed that said:

Missed you

-Farm Boy

She smiled as she got ready for bed. "I missed you too, Clark." She looked over to the loft to see Clark who waved at her. She waved back and couldn't help thinking that maybe there was hope after all before turning her lights out for the night.