Chapter Nine

"Blow the Candles Out"

A Smallville story by Xica

Characters: Clark, Chloe, Pete, Lana, Lex, and Mari

Disclaimer: C'mon lets be serious folks. All I own is Mari…and my unhealthy love for Lex Luthor.

Exposition, plot rocks, Baby! Clark, and a trip back in time, you have been warned .Just the ramblings of a talentless hack. Enjoy.

"Clark I am so sick of your excuses! I know it was you so just-" Mari stopped suddenly as Chloe came into the room.

Clark turned around, "Chloe! Are you alright!" he exclaimed rushing to her side.

"I'm fine Clark"

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Lana and I had…a little run-in" Chloe said, hesitating about exactly how much to tell.

"Well all I need is one guess to figure out what the fight was about" Mari said and in spite of her obvious anger she managed a small smile. " I take it our side came out victorious?"

"It was no contest", she said smiling as Clark wrapped his arms around her, "But it seems as if I walked in on another prize fight. What were you guys arguing about?"

"It was nothing really" Mari said before Clark had a chance to speak, "I found out about you and Clark's little field trip and I just got a little heated that's all"

"Yeah about that, Mari I'm really sorry we went back there I really didn't know it would bother you so much".

"No, Chloe you don't need to apologize, I mean how could you have known?" she said lightly. "I mean if I didn't want anybody going in there then I should have locked the door, right Clark?" she asked, her eyes locked dead on his.

Clark shifted uncomfortably and looked away from Mari's piercing glaze.

"Right well I'm glad that's all out of the way" Chloe stifled a yawn and looked down at her watch. "Wow do you guys realize it's almost 2 a.m.?"

"Yeah well, time flies when you're having fun" Clark said and Mari scoffed at his attempted cheer.

'Well most of the party has cleared out. There are really only a few stragglers left. Everyone else migrated down to Crater lake".

"Well do you need help cleaning up or anything?" Clark asked.

"Nah, I think I'm just gonna clean up the major stuff and then deal with the rest of it tomorrow. You guys go ahead and get out of here".

"You sure?" Chloe asked and Mari nodded, "Well thanks as usual Mari for an exciting evening" she said, giving her friend a hug.

"Anytime Chlo" Mari said, just loud enough for Chloe to hear, "So are you glad you decided to come after all?"

Chloe laughed, "Well there were a few bumps along the way, but in the end it was definitely worth it. Thanks Mari"

"Anytime babe".

Pulling away from Mari Chloe turned around to Clark. "I'm going to go freshen up, and I'll be ready to go in a sec alright?"

"Sure, I'll be right here but just don't be gone too long" he replied, kissing her lightly.

"I could so get used to that" Chloe murmured and then walked out of the room.

After Chloe's departure Mari and Clark stood in silence, neither daring to look at the other. Finally Mari sighed heavily and started cleaning up. Clark moved to help but Mari stopped him.

"Clark really, I can handle it. Why don't you go in the living room and wait for Chloe?"

"Is this how its going to be between us from now on Mari?

"Clark don't push this all on me, you're the one who made it this way. Ever since I moved here you've kept me at arms length. What did I ever do to you except try to be your friend?"

She just doesn't understand. "Mari its…its complicated".

"Well gee Clark that's the understatement of the year. With you it's always complicated. I just don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this. It was almost ten years ago Clark, just let it go".

"Mari do we have to talk about this now?"

"You know what Clark, we do. I'm sick of this crap! I understand why it freaked you out so much back then, but we were kids Clark! I never blamed you!".

Clark buried his head in his hands as it all came rushing back to him…

"Clark are you sure we should be out here?

"Don't be such a baby Mari, we're explorers, so we have to go exploring. If you don't want to come you can go back and sit in the kitchen all day with our mommies".

"No! I don't wanna do that Clark, I wanna go 'sploring with you"

"Good, now follow me"

The kids crept slowly through the woods for nearly an hour, with Clark stopping every once in a while to look around.

"Clark what are we looking for?"

"I dunno, anything"

"I don't like it out here, its scary and cold" Mari said, sitting down on a tree stump, her lower lip quivering. The wind had picked up and Mari pulled her thin jacket close around her.

Clark took a seat on the stump next to her, "Do you wanna go home?"

Mari looked at him, her brown eyes as round as saucers, "Uh huh", she nodded.

Standing Clark extended his hand to her, "Well come on then".

Mari just stared at him. "C'mon Mari, no tricks this time I wanna go home too its about to rain see?" he said, pointing a finger towards the darkening sky.

Mari's eyes followed to where Clark was pointing, but she still didn't look convinced. "Mari, I promise I won't leave you this time" he said, adding a smile for good measure.

She returned the smile and took Clark's hand. Clark pulled her up and they set off for Mari's house.

As they started the journey home the sky grew ever darker, the silence of the woods punctuated by ominous rolls of thunder.

Mari's hands were gripping Clarks arm especially tight as she was dogging his every step.

He would never tell her, but Clark was starting to get nervous too. He didn't know the area around Mari's house too well and he was scared that they had wandered out too far. Suddenly sitting around in the kitchen, drinking lemonade and eating cookies didn't sound so bad. He looked down at Mari's terrified face and his courage rose up. He wasn't a scaredy-cat (no matter what Pete said), and he'd find a way for them to get home.

They walked in silence for a few minutes more and then something caught Clarks eye up ahead. Near Mari's house there was a steep hill, a natural ravine that had been made deeper when the earth had been dug up to lay a foundation for new houses. The steep drop was the one thing their parents' had warned them about repeatedly. "Look we're getting close now!" Clark said happily and she relaxed.

Just then fat raindrops started to fall. Clark started to pick up speed, walking faster and faster, as Mari's short legs struggled to keep up with him.

Suddenly the thunder rumbled loudly and a crack of lightning shot from the sky. Clark heard a loud creak and turned around to see a large tree had been split, with one half hanging on slightly, threatening to hit the ground at any second. Clark was too busy looking at the tree to notice that Mari's hand had slipped out of his. Scared by the lighting she had started to run. Clark spotted her just in time to see her foot slip.

Clark started to run, hoping to grab her before she slid down too far. He got to her just in time using one hand to hold on to the ground, and one to hold on to Mari. The rain was turning the ground quickly into mud and they were both sliding, but Clark struggled hard to keep his grip. Suddenly a sharp pain ripped through Clark's body. His veins bulged out and started to turn green and the pain was unbearable. Clark struggled to hold on but he just couldn't. He went limp and Mari tumbled down the hill, bumping into tree branches and other ground debris on the way down. The last thing Clark remembered was a flash of light and his father's voice before he succumbed to the darkness.

"Clark stop beating yourself up about it, you did the best you could".

That was a phrase Clark could live without ever hearing again. Mari and her parents, the paramedics, the sheriff, everyone told him the same thing. But Clark knew better. He hadn't known exactly what was different about him then, but he knew that he was stronger than everyone else. He now knew that what had caused him to let her go was the meteor rocks, but it didn't make it any easier. Mari had suffered a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, and a sprained ankle from the fall and he had never really forgiven himself. Mari always treated him like he was her hero, but she also had questions. They both knew that there was no way a normal seven year old would have been able to get to and hold on to her as long as he did.

Mari only asked him about it a few times, but once was enough for Clark. After the incident he distanced himself from her. Mari parents started sending her to summer camp instead of coming to Smallville for the summers and the Kents in general stayed to themselves. They grew up in completely different worlds, reminded of each others existence through the occasional anecdote dropped from one of their mothers.

So it had been more than a shock to Clark's system for Mari to move to Smallville. He was scared that somehow she would make the connection between him and all the other weird things in Smallville, considering the fact that he was saving someone on a weekly basis these days.

"Clark! Earth to Clark! Come in Clark"

Clark snapped back to attention and saw that Chloe and Mari were both staring at him. "Sorry, I guess I just zoned out for a second. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure I guess" Chloe said, her eyes darting back and forth. "Are you guys okay?"

"We'll be fine" Mari said, "you guys get out of here".

"Alright then, shall we go?" Chloe asked. Clark nodded and started to follow her out of the kitchen. Mari watched him walk out of the door and then she slumped down onto a stool. She had definitely gotten more than she bargained for with this evening. Suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind.

"I'm sorry" Clark whispered.

"Its okay Clark" Mari replied, squeezing Clark back. "You better get out of here, I wouldn't want Chloe coming after me. I think she's got a healthy jealous streak".

Clark chuckled and kissed Mari on top of the head before disappearing again.