Faith didn't know how to feel in the car. She doesn't know if she's hurt confused, angry, sad, bitter, or what to call it two months ago everything was five by five now she's wondering what the opposite of those words are. She doesn't know how to begin to even word how she feels so she just goes with uncomfortable silence with Chloe as they drive there.

Jonathon came into the hospital with a full head of steam and he saw Clark sitting in the waiting room just giving his red jacket a thousand yard stare as he looks at the blood that currently soaking it. "Is that hers?"

Clark weakly nodded while running his fingers through the jacket. "All my powers… with everything I can do… how come I didn't know she was in trouble until it was too late?"

Jonathon pulled Clark up and hugged him. "Don't do this to yourself Clark there was nothing you could have done, nothing." Jonathon can't believe this he knew Martha was in danger in Smallville but it never got this bad. "So how is your mother?"

Clark shrugged not sure what to say. "The doctors aren't telling me anything but she was alive when I found her. She wasn't stabbed in any vital area but for some reason they can't wake her up."

"How do you know all this if they aren't saying anything?" Jonathon asked.

Clark put his finger up to his ear and Jonathon instantly knew how. Jonathon was nervous never wanting something like this to happen. "So what attacked her?"

"I don't know." Clark answered honestly trying to figure out how to feel. "Someone else is looking for him"

"Who?" Jonathon asked.

"Milton Fine" Clark answered as he took his seat again.

Jonathon had to think for a moment that name sounds familiar. "Wait a minute your history teacher how does he come into this."

Clark looked up at him. "Because he's a lot more than that he's." Clark just pointed at himself.

Jonathon looked at him and sat down next to his son trying to take this in. "Are you sure?"

Clark nodded and started to whisper. "He was the one who got the silver kryptonite out of me he saved Faith's life."

"Does anyone else know?" Jonathon asked.

"Just Faith" Clark answered. "I've been keeping him at arm's length."

Jonathon had to breathe a sigh of relief between Jor El and the meteor shower Clark's heritage usually has a tendency to bite them in the ass. "Why exactly you've always been curious about where you came from."

"I just don't trust him." Clark answered. "I mean he saved Faith and I'm grateful but from the sounds of it he came to Earth during the meteor shower which would put him in with the other two."

"Did you talk to Jor El about this?" Jonathon asked.

Clark shook his head no. "I ran a scan to see who he is but that's it. I have no idea how he would even begin to react so I left him out of it. I don't want to risk him killing someone who was just trying to help me."

Their conversation ends when the elevator opens with Chloe and Faith coming out. Chloe ran up and hugged Clark and Faith hugged Jonathon not sure what to say still. She was hoping she figured it out in the car but she still has nothing. She doesn't know what's going through Clark's head right now but if it's anything like hers he needs support. Faith walked up to him and hugged him.

"Did they tell you anything yet?"

Clark just hugged her he doesn't care what's going between them now he's just thankful she's here. "No" Clark looked up and saw Ben. "But I think we are about to get our answers."

Ben looked at the group he wishes he had better news but this is what he signed up for when he decided he wanted to become a doctor. "Well Clark the good news is Mrs. Kent is breathing on her own and we patched up the stab wounds but we can't wake her up."

Jonathon looked at them. "Is there anything we can do?"

Ben shakes his head no. "But she's breathing on her own there's no clots she has brain activity these are all very good things right now just hope she wakes up. I wish we had better news but that's all we could say."

Clark listened to every word and he just feels numb. He walks towards the window and just looks out the window lost. Faith went for the stairs not being able to deal with this she has never seen Martha be cruel to a man woman or child despite how much they deserved it. She doesn't deserve to be laid out in a hospital bed. Jonathon just sat down not sure how to deal with this and Chloe sat right next to him.

Faith ran down the stairs finally stopping at the bottom floor. She just needed space she needed to get away from there she can't see Martha as she is right now. Martha was always strong, supportive, and kind. To see her hooked up to the machines essentially trapped wherever they put her it's not her.

Claire ran in with Giles and saw Faith in the corner. She walked up to her and hugged her. Faith rolled her eyes and pushed her off. "Hothead I'm fine."

Claire rolled her eyes she knows Faith is stubborn but this is ridiculous. "Faith if you need anything."

"It's not my mother why would I need anything?" Faith asked defensively trying to push her way.

Claire looked at her. "You know you are one of the most confrontational people I've ever met."

Faith looked at her with an emotionless face. "Do you want to do something about it... Volcana?"

Giles got between the two slayers with Claire's bad temper from her lab name and Faith's already damaged a fight between these two was imminent. "Claire why don't you go upstairs and see what you can do for Clark and Jonathon."

"Sure" Claire responded leaving the two to talk as she goes upstairs.

Giles saw Faith wasn't going to say anything so it was on him to take the initiative. "I'm not going to say it's going to be OK because since you're down here it's obvious that they don't even know yet. Nor am I going to tell you if there's anything I can do because you were always blunt and you'll ask if you need anything."

"So why are you still here?" Faith asked while turning away from him.

Giles frowned not sure what to say. "I honestly don't know. I suppose I'm doing my best to avoid going up there. Feeling utterly helpless because someone I care about got hurt right under my nose and I couldn't have done anything to stop it. I remember going through this last time and I hated it. Maybe I'm just staying down here to try to avoid feeling helpless."

Faith looked at him with a tear in her eyes. "Why her? She never did anything wrong to anyone and even with demons there's enough assholes in this city as is. Why is it that good people's lives get screwed over more then anyone else?"

Giles hugged her while Faith regained her composure once she was her self again she pushed him off.

"God this is pathetic." Faith said wiping a tear off her face. "My own mother died I didn't even shed a tear."

Giles frowned knowing Faith kept her past buried and focused on the present. Considering what she just said odds are there plenty of reasons for that. "Hate to sound like a bloody greeting card but I believe your mom is in that hospital bed upstairs and that's why you're so upset."

Giles was taken back when Faith hugged him of her own accord. If he didn't know any better he'd say she was still under a spell Giles hugged her back and Faith broke it up.

"That's enough." Faith said.

"Yes quite" Giles replied in agreement

Lois came upstairs and saw the scene. "Well what's going on here something bad? Is the world ending?"

Faith and Giles looked at each other apparently there was someone Clark hadn't called yet. "I don't take it Clark called you?"

"It wouldn't matter if Smallville had I was in a lead lined room." Lois answered.

Faith looked at her confused. "Why were you in a lead lined room?"

Lois decided to change the subject there's enough water under the bridge with Faith and Alicia to drown AC. "Nothing important what's going on."

Clark sat there idly the one time he needs them to demons actually take the night off out there. He hears Buffy just made it in while Cordy and Xander come up and offer their condolences not that it means anything to him. He hears Fine on the roof. "Kal El we need to talk right now."

"I need a few minutes alone." Clark got up and went for the roof.

Clark ran up to the roof and looked at Fine who just had the same blank expression. "So did you find anything about this demon?"

Fine nodded. "I found some things out and what I found out I didn't like."

"Just tell me." Clark rushed him.

Fine nodded and started to explain. "From what I gathered it's not a demon at all it's a science project."

"What?" Clark asked in utter confusion. "Why would anyone make a demon?"

Fine shrugged. "Considering it was wearing combat pants I'd say military."

Clark shakes his head no. "I have friends in the military they'd call me about something like this especially in Sunnydale."

Fine nodded if he only knew. "Fine but you should go get changed and we'll look for this thing together."

Clark looked at his clothes. "What's wrong with the way I'm dressed."

Fine looked at Kale el and simply stated. "Being raised by these primitives has really made you soft Kal El. Your clothes were exposed to kryptonite it might not be the full on mind numbing, blood boiling pain it usually gets to be when we're around it but it is enough to slow you down."

"Fine I'm going." Clark cut him off in a blur.

Clark ran as fast as he could to his place but came to an almost grinding halt when he saw two people in his room one was Victor and the other was Lex.

Lex glared at Victor. "You have a very easy setup in exchange for your second chance at life all you have to do is find out the mystery of Clark Kent."

"It was a job I didn't even want. You should have just left me bleeding last year." Victor replied bitterly.

"Semantics" Lex replied. "Earlier you wasted another golden opportunity with Ms. Summers."

Victor glared at him. "Yeah well forgive me for putting the safety of the whole town before finding out Clark is nothing more then a home grown farm boy that you can't overlook in your mad obsession. He bleeds he cuts himself shaving he is one hundred percent normal Lex."

Lex shakes his head. "Clark Kent is a living lightning rod for trouble. Everywhere he goes trouble always seems to follow right behind him. Meteor freaks demons and meteor showers I believe he is the source of it all."

"Only in your damaged head chrome dome." Victor replied.

Lex looked at him. "Find out from Buffy or I'll turn on the chip again."

Victor glared at him it's always do X or I turn on the chip. "Go ahead and do it. I'm sick of lying and I'm especially sick of lying to Buffy so you go ahead and turn on that chip watch how quickly they realize I'm not driving."

Lex glared at him. "I'll give you a day to think this through." Lex went for the exit and both men's eyes lit up in shock seeing Clark at the door. "Clark"

Clark threw a punch with the tiniest fraction of his strength but it was still strong enough to knock Lex to the floor. "Save it Lex I really don't care what lie you have to tell me."

"Clark it's not what it looks like." Lex insisted.

Clark went to his bureau and pulled out a couple clothes for his backpack as he packed up. He wasn't dumb enough to leave anything incriminating here it's all at his house. "Save it you're no different then when I saw that twisted shrine in Smallville. You'll never change Lex."

Lex looked at him coldly he's barely upset if at all which is surprising to him. He guesses Clark gave up on him. "Clark look me in the eyes and tell me you don't have any deep dark secrets."

Clark just pushed him off into the wall not in the mood to deal with him right now. "I should have listened to my father I don't have time to deal with you right now. Leave me and my friends alone Lex before I start asking my own questions."

Buffy came into the hospital waiting room and saw Giles sitting with a whole lot of people it looks like everyone except Willow is here. Buffy tapped Giles on the back of his shoulder and made a motion with her eyes telling him she needs to talk in private as the two go to the elevator.

"So how is she doing?" Buffy asked concerned she's like Martha she's like super mom only with much better hair.

Giles took off his glasses. "Right now she's in a persistent coma there really isn't all that much we can do for her now."

"Faith and Clark?" Buffy asked knowing they'll take it harder then anyone else.

Giles took off his glasses trying to get a handle on the situation. "Faith... she's not used to situations like this especially when it comes to people she cares about."

Buffy nodded remembering what Faith was like when Clark and Angel were poisoned the two almost came to blows during it. "And Clark"

Giles innocent shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest idea. As far as I can tell this is the equivalent of flipping off the eight hundred pound gorilla. No one knows how Clark is going to react."

Buffy leaned against the wall she really hates today. "Well not to cause more pain on this wonderful day but we have another problem. And I wanted to tell you this time before it blows up in my face again."

Giles rolled his eyes not exactly sure how much more he'll be able to take. But Buffy is coming to him so that is an improvement considering the fallout from Angel still being alive last year. "What is it?'

Buffy breathed to calm down and stated. "Spike is currently chained up in Angel's mansion."

"What, Why, What?" Giles asked.

"He has his soul." Buffy replied.

Giles looked at her sure she's not that dense and knows better. "Buffy surely you don't think just because Spike said he has his soul."

Buffy rolled her eyes in shock. "Can I please get a little support here I'm not a naïve idiot I'm the slayer."

Giles nodded. "But Buffy how do you know?"

"Because he's acting just like Angel when he came back from Acathla you can't fake that kind of crazy but I'm going to have Willow try the orb of Thessulah trick tomorrow just to be safe. For now I'm going to go see if I can find Clark."

Buffy went down and saw Clark in the parking lot as an old beat up car with blacked out windows pulls up. Buffy sees the ambulance inside and realizes tonight is when Sunnydale gets their fresh blood, unluckiest vampires ever.

Clark watched the four go it just never ends. He walks over and holds his ground as the four vampires stare at him. Buffy watches as to her surprise Clark knees one in the stomach and he falls over and Clark quickly hits him in the back of the head with a clothesline decapitating him. Two more rush him but Clark's eyes glow red and they combust into dust. The last one makes a break for it but Buffy just hears something snap and by the time she turns around she sees Clark punching above the vampire's neck taking his head off. Clark just walked to the beat up and car and just kept hitting the engine as the car bent more and more to the form of Clark's fists. Clark stopped when all four tires popped off and saw the ruined car.

Buffy looked at him. "Jesus Clark what if someone had seen that. I know it hurts Clark but you can't afford to go postal like that. Take it from someone who's been here before."

"I have been there before this is the second time my mom is in the hospital bed because of me." Clark shouted.

Buffy looked at him. "Clark how could you have done this. Come on amuse me."

"Because I wasted my time at college when I could have been doing a lot more good out there."

Buffy looked at him. "Clark you were going to school working for a better future for yourself."

Clark shakes his head. "I was wasting my time sitting in pointless classes where all I did was sit back and learned things I already knew everything about by the middle of June. I could have been out there helping people I could have been helping Claire find the lab to get answers she needed. Instead I wasted hours listening to everything I already know by an overpaid pompous blow bag. I should have seen it coming."

Buffy frowned she knows Clark has this tendency to blame himself but this is getting ridiculous. "You didn't do anything wrong Clark. So where did you go anyway?"

Clark frowned and knew this was coming. "Buffy how much did you tell Victor about our lives?"

Buffy looked at Clark that was a weird question but at least it got Clark's focus away from his anger. "Not much of anything he doesn't even know I'm the slayer much less anything about you."

"Keep it that way." Clark warned.

Buffy was confused this is not his business at all. "What I do with Victor is none of your business."

"Victor has been using us this whole time." Clark responded. "He's been nothing but a mole for Lex in his latest sick obsession in trying to find out my secret."

Buffy shakes her head refusing to believe it. "No he couldn't have he wouldn't."

"He did." Clark shouted in anger. "I heard the whole wonderful conversation between him and Lex with my own normal hearing because I was less then five feet away."

Buffy was downtrodden she liked Victor he was always so understanding when she had to leave at random moments because of vampires and things like that. Not to mention what she really liked about him was how nice and brave he was. I mean how many people in Sunnydale can claim they saw her fighting Spike and the first instinct was to get in the middle of it. "I have to hear it for myself. I don't believe you."

Clark walked into the hospital and walked up the steps to Martha's floor. He owes his dad an apology one about five years overdue.

Faith came up with Giles and saw the whole scooby gang here. Clark was talking with Jonathon and she knew enough about how Jonathon reacts to know that whatever Clark is telling him he is not taking it well. Mr. Kent looks like he wants to kick someone's head in over what he's finding out.

Buffy walked over to Faith and tapped her on the shoulder. "Any change?"

Faith shakes her head. "No B she's still out of it they're going to throw us out soon. There's not much else they can do."

Buffy nodded and hated that she got pulled into this. Martha Kent is so kind to everyone even when they don't deserve it. She is the last person that should be in the hospital. Buffy ran her fingers through her hair trying to sort everything out wondering how everything got so bad. "Have you talked to Clark yet?"

Faith shakes her head no. "I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to say."

"How about is there anything I can do to help?" Buffy offered.

Faith got out of her seat and Buffy rolled her eyes. They love each other but they are undoubtedly two of the most stubborn self containing people she has ever met. Buffy fought the urge to rip her hair out and quickly ran after her.

Buffy caught up to her. "Are you ever going to let it go?"

"I already have." Faith shouted.

Buffy was taken back by surprise she knew Faith was on the road to taking Clark back but she didn't know Faith was ready. "Then why aren't you in there talking to him. He needs you right now."

"Because I'm no good at this" Faith shouted. "Martha she always knew exactly what to say no matter who she was talking to she was always right and it always made sensse. Knowing me if I talk to him I'd probably just make a bad situation ten times worse."

"You're wrong Faith, you can't possibly make it any worse he's falling apart." Buffy stated.

Faith rolled her eyes Buffy might have slept with him but Faith knows him. "He's blaming himself he'll talk to Mr. Kent get assured everything is going to be OK and then go back to brooding because he'll still think it's his fault."

Buffy was shocked Faith really does know him that well. "Well… technically you're right but this is different."

"Different how?" Faith asked.

Buffy frowned trying to figure out words. "Clark annihilated four vampires out side."

Faith shrugged her shoulders not seeing the point. "Any fight against vampires is going to be one sided against Clark it doesn't matter how many there are."

"Yeah, but he enjoyed it." Buffy countered.

Faith stopped right there that's not like him. Clark usually just burns them and calls it a day. The only time he was brutal was with Lana and those sparklepires but that was out of necessity because of how hard they were to kill rather then desire. Faith just looks overwhelmed and exhausted. "So what am I supposed to do B I very much doubt I can talk Clark down from what he's going to do."

"I don't know just be there for him. Don't walk away and give up on him." Buffy replied heading back for the waiting room.

Faith's eyes shot up. "What did you say?"

"Be there for him." Buffy stated.

Faith shakes her head no. "No, no the other thing."

"Don't give up on him. I've seen you two together both of you are at your best when you're together and you obviously miss each other so talk say you want to share a thing just make sure words come out of your mouth when you and him are alone." Buffy said as she headed for the room.

Faith shook it off and followed Buffy but when they got to the room they saw Clark was already gone. Faith bit her lip she has to find him to find out what's he's up to.

Author's notes

Thanks for the reviews

Up Next: The Slayers confront their boys and someone gets bugged.