Chapter 10

2 days had passed since the earthquake. It was sunset and Felicity was sitting out on the porch steps talking on her cell phone. Clark was inside on the couch pretending to walk TV.

"What do you mean he's disappeared"

Clark tilted his head, to better hear the conversation.

"I mean he's gone" the man on the phone said. "He told Thea he was going to Europe, and I tracked him all the way to Amsterdam before he vanished."

"He can't just leave. His mom needs him, his sister needs him, we…the city needs him."

"You know Oliver. He blames himself for what happened to Tommy."

Felicity was silent

"Where are you exactly?" the man asked "I went by your place and you weren't there."

"I'm visiting a friend out of town. I needed some space, but I should be –"

"It's rude to listen to other people's phone conversations Clark." Jonathan Kent was leaning against the doorframe.

"How did you know I was listening?" Clark frowned

"I'm your father." Jonathan sat next to Clark on the couch. "How is she?"

Clark sighed "Ma's been smothering her and I think she needs it. We haven't gotten a chance to talk since…"

"Since you found out she works for the vigilante."

Clark frowned "he's dangerous. He's killed people and … I just don't understand why Felicity would be mixed up with someone like him."

"Then have her explain it to you. Felicity's a good person and she wouldn't help someone like the hood without a reason." He got up "go talk to her. Sulking on the couch won't solve anything."

Clark walked outside and sat next to Felicity on the porch.

"I really need to thank your parents. I feel like I keep crash landing in their yard every time I have a problem."

Clark smiled "They love having you here. I think Ma always wanted a daughter." He looked across the fields.

"Thank you for saving me and not pushing me for answers." She took a deep breath. "I think I owe you an explanation as to how I got myself there."

"I am trying to understand why you haven't turned Oliver Queen into the authorities for being the hood."

Felicity looked at him in shock

"How did you know?"

"Queen reappears after 5 years and the same week a vigilante starts roaming the streets. Also I found you underneath an old Queen Consolidated building with a secret entrance in a club owned by Oliver Queen. Add to that the arrows and other equipment that were down there." Clark grimaced "I may not be a super genius, but I can add two and two."

Felicity got off the porch. Running a hand through her hair, she took a steadying breath and said

"It started 8 months ago. Oliver Queen walked into my office with a bullet riddled laptop and told me he spilled a latte on it…"

Clark listened as Felicity recounted how she had begun working for the hood. Though some of the things she told him made him furious, he still managed to keep silent until the end.

"So there I was in the lair with everything crumbling around me. I grabbed the necklace you gave me. It's sort of an automatic reaction I have to touch it whenever I get scared. It calms me down because it's as if you are there. I pressed the button and called you."

Clark put his head in his hands. "In the past year you've had a bomb collar around placed around your neck, a wounded murderer in your backseat, you've gone into mob casinos and been held hostage at gun point by said mobsters, and yet you waited until the world literally falling apart to call me?"

"I…" Felicity had tears streaming down her face "Clark I can't depend on you everytime something goes wrong."

"There's different degrees of things going wrong Felicity. Guess what; bomb collars and mob casinos rate on the high level of the spectrum. Working with a wanted murderer also ranks pretty high. I can't believe Queen would put you in this type of danger."

"I saved people Clark. I helped those who needed it and if you think I didn't give Oliver hell for his methods, you're wrong.

"Why didn't you call me?" Clark said, pain clear in his eyes. "Did you not trust me?"

"Clark." Felicity walked forward and took his hands in hers. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be the damsel in distress. I wanted to handle things for myself. I was also worried that you'd look at me like you're looking at me now. Disappointed, like I'm some monster."

Clark looked up in shock.

"Felicity. I don't…I could never think you were a monster. Am I angry that you didn't tell me? Yes. Do I want to find Queen and force feed him his quiver? Absolutely. But I do NOT think you're a monster. And I've never seen you as a damsel in distress. You're an unbelievably strong women who bad things happen to. Asking for help isn't a bad thing."

They stayed that way; her standing, him sitting, holding each other's hands.

"You're planning on going back." He said

Felicity nodded

Clark sighed. "Well there's no way I could stop you even if I tried. Just promise me you won't wait until an earthquake destroys half the city before calling me."

"If you're so worried about me, why don't you visit me in Starling? It's not like flying is a problem for you."

Clark grinned. "Careful I might take you up on that."

Felicity sat next to him. "So want to hear about the time I was dragged into the Starling city police department for questioning?"

Clark looked at her in horror "You can't be serious."

"oh but I am. See what happened was…"

The two stayed outside talking late into the night. Inside the house Jonathan Kent smiled.

"Jonathan Kent, you know it's rude to listen in to people's conversations." He turned to find Martha looking at him with amusement. "Have the children worked it out?"

"I thought I was rude to listen in on people's conversations" He chuckled at his wife's irritated look. "They seem to be fine."

"Do you think he'll finally tell her how he feels?"

"I don't know" Jonathan said looking through the screen. Though Felicity was oblivious to their presence, Clark definitely knew they were there. "I hope he wises up soon. A girl like that doesn't wait around forever."