Part 8 – Visitations
Lana adjusted her position in her chair, careful not to wake Clark. The apartment was relatively quiet, and it appeared that Lana's continued presence had helped him to sleep more soundly. She had engrossed herself in reading Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, the book seeming somehow appropriate given Clark's situation.
A soft rapping coming from the front door downstairs caused Lana's head to jerk up. Almost in reaction to her movements, Clark bolted awake, looking around wildly. Lana quickly moved to calm him down. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "It's just somebody at the front door."
Clark nodded and wiped the new sheen of sweat off his brow. "Do you want me to go down with you?" he asked.
"Sure," Lana answered, helping him to his feet. Glancing at Clark's torso as he put his shirt on, she noticed that his wounds had healed slightly, and that the few meals he had consumed over the past few hours were appeared to already be having some effect on his emaciated frame.
The pair walked downstairs to the door. A shocked look came over Lana's face as she saw who was standing there. "Jason..." she said as she opened the door.
Jason stepped inside and smiled. "Hey, babe," he greeted as he leaned over and gave her a kiss. Lana responded awkwardly.
Clark watched through his telescope as Lana and Whitney kissed. He leaned back from it with jealousy rising up inside of him. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed to him that she'd always be unattainable. Yet, he couldn't help but hope that one day he'd have his chance with her.
"Clark?" Lana questioned as she saw him put his hands to his temples. She immediately moved to support him.
Clark shook his head as the buzzing faded. "I'm okay," he assured her.
Lana looked uncomfortably between Clark and Jason for a moment. "Um, Clark, this is Jason Teague...my boyfriend," Lana said nervously. "Jason, this is Clark Kent, my...one of my best friends." Lana swallowed as Clark and Jason shook hands. She had barely stopped herself from saying 'ex-boyfriend.' Jason had shown himself to have a temper when he was jealous, and she didn't need anything else to happen right now. "What are you doing here?" she asked Jason.
"I went by your aunt's, and she told me you were here," Jason explained, giving Clark a curious glance. "I was hoping that maybe we could spend some time together today."
"I don't know..." Lana began uncertainly, glancing over at Clark.
"Lana, it's okay," Clark reassured her. "I'll be fine by myself. Go and have fun." He gave her an encouraging smile.
Lana smiled back at him, although a bit sadly. Clark apparently still didn't realize that they'd been a couple in the past, or he might have seemed a bit more miffed at her departure. "Okay, if you're sure...I'll see you later, Clark," she said as Jason led her out the door.
Clark's smile dropped as he whispered, "Bye, Lana." The memory flash he'd had uncorked some unexpected feelings inside him. Before then, he thought that Lana had just been a good friend. Now, though, along with the jealousy he felt at seeing Lana with Jason, he felt...love.
Clark had remembered that Lana Lang was the girl he'd loved since he was five.
A new thought permeated his mind.
'What am I going to do...can I tell her?'
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"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the board," Lex said as he began his presentation. "Today I'd like to outline my plan to increase Luthorcorp profits to levels that would have been unimaginable three months ago."
"I'm very curious to hear this new plan for myself," a new voice said.
Lex's blood froze as he heard the all-too-familiar voice; Lex was certain that it was the same voice of the Devil himself. Outwardly, Lex kept his composure and smirked. "Hello, Dad," he said coldly.
"Son," Lionel greeted in kind. The businessman was now dressed in his usual suit and overcoat. "Nice to see all of you again," Lionel remarked to the board members.
"Is the Department of Corrections giving out day passes?" Lex inquired sarcastically.
"I'm surprised you didn't hear earlier, Lex," Lionel said disdainfully. "It appears as though your intelligence is a bit lax. As of two hours ago, I was granted a full release from jail."
"Is that a fact?" Lex said while inwardly fuming. "And how did you manage to swing this one, Dad?"
Lionel sneered at Lex. "My attorney can be when he wants to be. But that's enough about that. I'm here to tell you that I'm back, son."
"What are you talking about, Dad?" Lex growled.
"I'm talking about the fact that while the board voted to give you majority control over Luthorcorp, I still own fifty-one percent of the voting stock," Lionel explained. "Therefore, I am exercising my fifty-one percent and voting myself back into the position of CEO." Lionel chuckled. "You're out, son. Go back to Lexcorp where you belong."
Lex clenched his fists. "Don't think that this is over, Dad," he said as he passed by his father. "This is only the first battle."
"To quote you, son, I believe the term is 'cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war'," Lionel countered. As Lex stormed out of the boardroom, Lionel thought, 'Alright, Jor-El, I've held up my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn.'
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"Thanks for the ride back," Lana said as Jason pulled in at the Talon.
"Of course," he said as they got out of the car. "Listen, Lana, I was thinking that we could spend the day tomorrow. Maybe you could come into Metro, spend the night. What do you say?"
"I'm not sure," Lana answered, squirming.
"What is going on with you, Lana?" Jason yelled suddenly, making her jump. "Back in Paris, you were all over me. Now that were back in Hicksville, you've barely had an hour for me. What gives?"
"I told you, Jason, Clark needs me right now," Lana countered firmly.
"Oh, of course he does," Jason said sarcastically. "Come on, Lana, just admit it. You're spending all this time with him because you're still not over him." At Lana's expression, he said, "I could tell from your reaction before; I know he's your ex."
"That's not..." Lana started.
"Don't you dare stand there and lie to me!" Jason growled. "Look me in the eye and tell me that you don't have feelings for him!"
Lana tried to speak. Part of her wanted to deny it, but her throat closed off her denial. Deep in her heart, she knew Jason was right: she did still have feelings for Clark.
"That's what I thought," Jason said snidely. "So tell me, did you enjoy screwing him more than you did me?"
"How dare you!" Lana screamed, slapping Jason across the face.
Jason staggered back a step, and then looked at Lana menacingly. "Why, you little bitch..." he growled as he balled up his fist. Before Lana could react, Jason's fist slammed into her jaw and sent her to the ground.
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Clark had heard the yelling only seconds after he'd started to go upstairs for the night. He'd quietly crept to the back door of the Talon and went into the alley to see Lana and Jason arguing. Initially, he'd thought it better not to get involved. However, the moment he saw Jason punch Lana, pure anger coursed through him.
"Stop, get away from her!" Clark yelled. The frat boys had cornered Lana, who was now cowering near the broken dishes that lay next to her on the floor.
"Isn't past your bedtime?" one of them said with a sneer.
"Look, the police are on their way...right now," he warned.
The frat boy glared at Clark for a moment before saying to the others, "Come on. Let's go."
As they left, Clark hurried over to Lana. As he made sure she was alright, furious anger swept through him. Lana was the most special person in the world to him, and he'd be damned if he was going to let a bunch of drunk frat boys hurt her again.
Clark shook off the buzz of the vision and took off to the back of the alley where Jason stood menacingly over Lana. A drop of blood making its way down Lana's chin only served to inflame Clark's fury. "You son of a bitch..." he growled.
Jason turned around and smirked. "Hello, Kent," he snarled. "You know, Lana wouldn't tell me how good screwing you was, so maybe you can tell me how good it was for you to do her. Personally, she's not as good as she looks."
If Jason had been going to continue, he never had the chance. Clark reached out and grabbed Jason with left hand, turning to face the front of the alley. He balled up his right fist, and connected solidly with Jason's jaw.
Clark had only been expecting Jason to be knocked to the ground. Instead, much to the shock of all three, Jason sailed through the air before falling to the ground thirty feet away.
Clark looked down at his fist in absolute shock. The speed at which his wounds had healed had been one thing, but this was something else altogether. His head buzzed as another vision overcame him.
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Clark screamed as the pain continued. He was holding out for now, but how much more could he take?
"Why do you torment yourself this way, Kal-El?" the Voice mused. "All you need to do is give in to your anger, to your true nature, and I will release you."
"No..." Clark groaned. "I...won't give in!"
The Voice seemed to chuckle. "Sooner or later, Kal-El, you will accept your destiny." Almost a moment later, the pain intensified.
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Clark gasped in terror. Before now, his nightmares had never come during the day. What had caused him to experience it now? Shaking those thoughts away, Clark hurried over to Lana and helped her to stand. "Are you alright?" he asked in concern.
"I think I will be," Lana said as she massaged her jaw. "Clark...how did you do that?"
"I'm not sure," he answered honestly. He paused for a moment in reflection. The vision of being hit by Lex's car and the show of strength he'd demonstrated just now added up to something, he was sure of that. "But I'm going to find out," he vowed quietly.
TO BE CONTINUED...