Part 3

Clark stopped by the Talon around 9:45 that evening. Despite Lana's assurances that the strange figure she'd heard the night before was just in her imagination, he wanted to be sure she would be all right.

The talon was unusually quiet that evening and though it didn't close until 11, when Clark arrived, it was virtually deserted.

He walked into find Lana bending over a table, scrubbing away at a spilled coffee stain clean. He crept silently up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"Hey there, you wanna see my barn?" He attempted to make his voice sultry and suggestive, but the reaction wasn't what he'd been hoping for.

Lana's eyebrows rose, and she began giggling suddenly. She turned her head to look at Clark, and her laughter increased.

"W-would I like to see your barn?" She gasped between giggles. "That's the weirdest pick up line I've ever heard!"

His face fell. "Does that mean no?"

She continued giggling, and he pulled away, his ego bruised. Walking across the room, he sat down at a table, and pouted, making sure he was in plain sight of her.

She came over and sat down next to him. "Oh, c'mon, Clark." She leaned over, putting her head on his chest. "Don't be like that…" she ran her hand along his arm, before sitting up and kissing his lips. Her touch sent shivers down his spine, and she was instantly forgiven.

"Wanna help me clean up?" She asked, her tone innocent, yet her eyes glinting devilishly.

"Sure," Clark said, grinning widely at the look in her eyes.

30 minutes later they were back at the table, with Lana leaning back against Clark's chest.

The night was unusually hot, and sweat was forming on Lana's face.

Clark looked at her, and an unexpected sheen of sweat suddenly formed on his forehead.

"M-Maybe you should move," he said, nearly pushing her away.

"What?" Lana asked, confused. She got up and walked across the room, watching him curiously.

Fire shot from his eyes as they glowed dull amber, and Lana clamped a hand over her mouth, beginning to giggle again.

Clark quickly focused his vision on the trashcan, concentrating hard. He remembered the time a few months ago, when under the influence of red kryptonite, he'd kissed Chloe with Lana watching.

Afterwards, he'd come to apologize to Lana, armed with a pizza box and a rose. She'd refused to forgive him, and from across the street he'd watched through the wall as she threw away the rose along with a peace of his heart.

Though he had explained this whole incident to her and they had both apologized profusely, it still hurt to think about.

"I take it you've calmed down now?" Lana's voice brought him back to the presents. She crossed the room and sat back down, slipping her hand into his. Just her touch was a comfort.

"It is really hot," she commented a moment later, and he shrugged. "You know what sounds good? Ice cream!"

He rose, grinning. "Ice cream you shall have then," he told her, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

He halted at her question, perplexed. "I…I was going to get your ice cream."

"As much as I enjoy having my own personal slave," she said with a small smile, "you deserve a break. Let me get the ice cream."

"Lana… it's kind of late and you could…"

"I'll be fine," she reassured him, rising and walking over to where he stood. She kissed him quickly and headed out the door, calling a chased "I love you" over her shoulder as she did so.

"I love you too!" He called as the door closed behind her.

Still slightly worried, he returned to the table.

"She'll be fine," he said aloud sighing quietly. "She'll be back before I even realize it."

He sat, staring off into space for a time, before the by now familiar feeling of nausea began to creep over him.

---

It was time.

He was more than positive of this, knew it with all his being.

The wind seemed to scream it, cars motors bellowed it, and he smiled a mirthless smile.

He'd seen the girl come out of the Talon a few moments before, but chose to remain silent. He could play with her later, rest assured.

He stepped closer, until he was sure Clark was feeling him. His excitement was almost overpowering, and his cruel grin widened, showing all of his green, needle sharp teeth.

The air shimmered and suddenly he was visible. He hadn't meant to do this quite yet, but there was no time to stop now. Becoming invisible took a lot of concentrating and he didn't have time for that right now.

He ran at the door throwing it open and causing it too bang against the far wall sharply.

Clark spoke, raising his head from where he was slumped over a table. "Lana? Look, I'm sorry to do this but I'm not feeling so well. Would you mind giving me a ride--"

As he was speaking, he turned slowly, eyes widening in surprise, filling with terror and stopping his request abruptly.

"What… what are you?" Clark asked, eyes going wide. He gasped in pain, but did not look away. "Well?" He managed to gasp out, attempting to sound brave.

The figure was saved from answering him as the full effects of the creature's body hit Clark and he collapsed, falling backwards off his chair.

"Do not forget me, kryptonian. I will return…"

Green stones landed on the ground, before the figure was gone, satisfied for the time being. Oh, this was going to be fun…

---

As Lana walked back to the Talon, she was getting slightly worried. Something didn't seem right to her, and she quickened her pace.

"Clark?" She opened the door, shifting the bag with their ice cream to her other hand. "I hope you like chocolate chip, because-"

She gasped in surprise and dropped the ice cream on an empty table and sprinted across the room.

Clark was lying sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

That wasn't the most terrifying part, however.

There were several meteor rocks surrounding him.

Grabbing them, she ran back over to the door and threw them outside. Making sure there were no more in the place, she ran back to Clark.

---

He was falling through darkness, and he couldn't break out of it.

Then a figure, made up almost entirely of green kryptonite appeared in front of him. It was enormous, and though it looked humanoid, it was at least 8 feet tall, with literal rock hard arms. It looked into Clark's eyes, and the pain was unbearable.

"Clark? Clark!" A voice could suddenly be heard from far away, and he struggled to get to it.

Salvation!

A lifeline from near disaster, a light in the darkness, a call to safety.

"Clark, wake up!" The voice seemed slightly louder, and he was almost positive it was Lana.

Her voice represented everything good. It broke through the darkness and the pain diminished slightly.

"Come on, Clark. Wake up…" Her voice was quiet, but it held a hidden strength behind it. At the sound of it, the figure backed away, now the one seemingly in pain.

---

Lana was getting desperate.

She'd been trying to wake Clark up for the last 5 minutes, but she was so far unsuccessful.

She bent down close to his pale face, kissing his lips in one last attempt to bring him back to her.

Her kiss was soft, yet demanding, and just when she had lost all hope, she felt his lips respond slowly to hers.

His eyes opened as she drew back, her hand resting on his shoulder as she knelt over him.

"Clark?" It was not even a whisper, coming out as a near sob of terrified relief.

"L-Lana?" Clark's voice was barely louder than hers, and with her help he managed to struggle into a sitting position.

They looked at each other, confused eyes meeting relief-filled ones. They grabbed each other in a loving embrace, neither speaking. Words could not even begin to describe the emotions they felt, and Lana leaned her head against Clark's chest, sobbing softly.

---

A half an hour later, they were sitting down once again, eating the slightly melted ice cream as Clark tried to explain what had happened.

"I felt really sick," he explained, putting another spoonful of chocolate chip ice cream into his mouth. And I was just thinking about writing you a note and trying to get home when the door opened. I thought it was you, so I started to apologize and ask if you would mind giving me a ride home, when I actually turned to look at who I was talking to."

He broke off, his throat tight. The ice cream had suddenly lost all it's taste as the memory of the figure came into his mind's eye, and he shivered.

Lana watched him, and something told her he wasn't shivering from the cold of the ice cream. She didn't speak, simply looked into his eyes, waiting and giving him silent support.

"It was… I'm not really sure what it was. He looked like a human I guess, but he was really tall, and completely made up of green kryptonite - meteor rocks. He had this aura around him - even if he'd looked completely normal, I think I would have been afraid of him."

He shivered again, and then finished his story. "It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out. I could barely breathe, and then I guess I passed out. The next thing I knew, you were kissing me." For some reason, he didn't mention the strange dream or sorts he'd had while unconscious, and remained silent.

"When I came in, there were a bunch of meteor rocks around you," Lana told him, nibbling half-heartedly at the ice cream.

Clark nodded, feeling even more confused than ever. "Be careful," he told her. "Whatever you do, try not to go anywhere alone."

"You, too," Lana told him. "Especially if you can't defend yourself from this guy."

"I hadn't thought of that," Clark admitted, his fear mounting. How could he protect Lana if he couldn't even protect himself?

He dropped his spoon, suddenly having lost his appetite.

"It's getting kind of late," Lana commented, not very hungry either. "Let's put this in the freezer and finish it some other time, okay?"

Clark nodded, rising slowly. He suddenly had to sit back down. The room spun around him, and Lana's concerned cry of his name sounded far away.

She dropped the ice cream and rushed around the table to stand next to Clark, whose skin had gone ashen. Slowly, the color returned to his cheeks, and he seemed all right once again.

"Sorry about that," he told her. "I just got dizzy all of the sudden… I'm sure I'll be fine."

Lana nodded, and picked up the ice cream along with Clark's spoon. "Sit there, I'll clean this up."

Clark was too weak to protest, and leaned back in the booth, watching Lana disappear into the back. He suddenly had an urge to get up and follow her. He didn't want her to go alone anywhere, and he was almost afraid without her here with him.

She returned a few moments later, bringing a paper cup of water with her.

"Drink this," she ordered. "It'll hopefully help some."

He obeyed, and did feel slightly better. He rose with out any trouble this time, and taking Lana's hand they walked out to her car.

Author's Notes:

I have so much work for school and what am I doing? Writing this! Well, the next part might be a while in coming, because I have writers block and have a lot of end of the year studying to do.

I'd like to dedicate this part to FlyingFle, for her great feedback, fic and of course, for making the C/L clips! Good luck on your exams, chica! Exams? Since when do I say exams? Oh, I'm becoming British! I knew going to an international school would rub off sometime…

Anyway, as always, please give some feedback! Oh, and Calling rules!!