Twelve
I sat down in front of my computer staring at it, I had loads to do but I just couldn't focus. I heard a knock on my door, "come in," I yelled. Hannah walked in and smiled, "yes Hannah?"
"Are you free to go over this weeks schedule?" She asked. I nodded and pointed for her to sit down and got a pen and my diary ready, I needed to get into work focus or I was just going to be going around in circles and I did need to get my column done. "Right is there anything you need to add to calendar for this week?" I shook my head. "Right you have a meeting at 1pm with James, then there is nothing else for today, tomorrow you have an interview with Jennifer Lane she is another advice columnist."
"I remember," I said with a nod. The next hour we went through my appointments and it turned out I had a very busy week and I needed to get written when I could. I had to be able to put all the drama with Clark behind me and try to focus on work. "Thanks Hannah. I'm going down to Darren." I locked my mac and grabbed my phone I walked out my office and towards the lift, I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for the lift. It dinged open and I stepped in hitting the floor, the doors closed and I waited a few moments and it opened up. I walked through the office and knocked on his door.
"Come in." I entered and shut the door behind me, "hey Liberty. What's up?" I sat down and sighed, "you look awfully defeated."
"I am," I sighed. He came over and sat next to me and I looked at him, "I just I feel awfully blocked and I just can't seem to concentrate."
"Anything to do with a certain ex-boyfriend?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "How come you never mentioned him to me?" I could tell how hurt Darren was. "You told me about the other thing but not him. I assume that's why you wasn't in on Friday, dealing with a magical problem?"
"A massive one," I sighed. "I didn't tell you about Clark because I didn't know." He looked at me confused, "he has a secret, I can't tell you what but it caused my memories to be altered for my protection. I can't really explain it but my memories of him have only just been returned."
"Do you love him?" Darren asked.
"I did, I don't know anymore," I admitted. "Every time we are together it is in argument. Kelly said to me today if this was a letter what would I say? Nothing came to mind." I sat and thought about Clark.
"You do love him," Darren said. I looked at him, "how do I know? You have this little twinkle in your eyes, just like when we first got together, before my ex-wife decided to ruin that." I chuckled, "whatever is going on between the two of you surely you should be able to sit and talk?"
"Maybe," I said. "Sometimes I forget I told you about my magic, you know considering you don't really say it much." He shrugged, "good job you can keep a secret. Anyway how did Samantha like her little week of internship."
"She really enjoyed it," he said. His grin widened, "what made it even better is that she went home to my ex-wife and the only thing she could talk about is you and how amazing the job we do is." I couldn't help but grin bet that pissed her off. I still hadn't forgiven her for how she split Darren and I apart. Yes there was a bit of an age difference but it didn't matter we just ended up melding very well together and who knows if it would have last. "Just imagining my ex-wife's face brings all the joys I need."
"So you are accepting about the fact she wants to come into journalism now?"
"Oh no I hate the idea but I think I can deal with it if it pisses her off," he chuckled. I shook my head amused, "So how does your day look today?"
"I got to get some more of column done," I said. "I have a meeting with James later today and then I may have to hide from Kelly." He looked at me confused. "I was hinting at magic today with her fiancee in the room, to get her to tell him, like it's going to affect him sooner or later, either when her powers are unbound or when they have children."
"LIBERTY!" I sat up. That was Kelly and she sounded panicked.
"I have to go, she's calling me," I said. I orbed out and landed in my apartment I felt something hit me and went flying, I turned around to see a demon stood there. "Fuck. Kelly!"
"I'm hit," she called. "How can you not have fucking potions laying around the house?" I lifted my hands up and froze the demon, I stood up and walked over behind my couch Kelly was crouched down with Liam, "do they have the worst timing or what?" I raised an eyebrow. "I fucking just told him I'm a witch."
"Well at least he has proof," I said. "Demons have been attacking me at work I figured they may give my apartment a miss." She glared at me "potion" it materialised in my hand and I stood up. I threw it at the demon and they burst into flames and blew into pieces. I walked over to my rug and let out a sigh. "I just re-brought this rug!"
"You're mad about your rug?" Kelly asked speechless. Liam helped her up and placed her on the sofa and he sat next to her, I was glad he had accepted it. "I nearly died and you care about your rug."
"I mean I'm glad you're okay too," I smiled. "But my rug."
"You're unbelievable."
"If you had your powers this wouldn't be a problem," I snapped angrily. "You would have been able to call for a potion actually forget that you would have been able to defend yourself."
"I just left a war zone, I don't want to come back home to one," she shouted.
"It's what you are!" I screamed. "You are a witch, you are part of the fucking ultimate power you need to accept or you will die. You will kill us both."
"It's unfair I didn't ask for this stupid magic," she snapped. "I want to be normal."
"You aren't normal!" I snapped. "You're a witch millions would love to have the power that you have."
"Would they want the fucking burden?" She asked. "Do you like being attacked every minute of every day knowing somebody you love a human could die because of a demon? I just literally explained to Liam our situation and poof it's like they knew I had admitted to magic. I don't want this. I don't want our magic. I don't want this stupid heritage we have it's not worth the heartache."
"When I die, I hope you re-think that," I whispered.
"You won't," she scoffed. "You have Superman and Supergirl, you'll never be hurt or die."
"I nearly did," I said shaking my head. "You're my older sister I'd thought you would be interested in getting rid of this evil so we can go back to normal lives whatever they are."
"No."
I shook my head and orbed out, I found myself back in Darren's office, "thanks for the chat," I said. I was feeling hurt, angry and I just wanted to get rid of the anger. I opened the door and left I made my way to my office shutting the door, I didn't want my anger to spill onto anyone else. I didn't have very good control of my powers when I was angry. It sucked. Our powers were linked to our emotions. I grabbed my headphones and shoved them in and concentrated on work.
I looked at the time and it was almost 1pm, wow that had gone fast and once I had put headphones in I could work. I pulled them out and walked out my office and made my way to James' office. He saw me coming and waved for me to come in, I smiled and sat down. "Afternoon," I said.
"Hey, did Cat contact you about a raise and expanding space?" He asked sitting down.
"Briefly," I said. "Said you would go into more detail in a meeting whenever that happened."
"Truth be told this should have happened last week but things happen," he said chuckling. I wondered if James knew what I was or if Kara had kept that a secret too. I knew he was the guardian and he knew what the others were. "So more space so it would be around 3-5 more letters than you do now per issue. Can you do it?"
"Yes," I chuckled. "James you seem very stressed."
"Don't know how Cat does it," he admitted shaking his head. "She's a god that woman, anyway I have a packet for you and it will have your updated details along with your new pay. Thank you Liberty for coming to this meeting, you may leave and go back to your job whilst I sat and cry under all this mess of paperwork."
"James you deserve a night out," I laughed. I left the office and picked the packet off his assistant and made my way to my office Hannah was stood by the door. "Hannah?"
"Erm someone wanted to speak with you but they both refused to wait outside," she said.
"Thank you," I said. I walked into the office and put the packet on the side of my desk, I looked to see Liam and Clark stood there, "Hi Liam, how did you know where I worked?"
"Kelly," he said. "We need to talk about what happened."
He looked over at Clark, "he knows the big secret," I said.
"She refuses to accept that she is a witch," Liam said. I nodded I already knew that, "but I'm hoping I might be able to convince her otherwise, you guys have saved innocents right?" I nodded. "You've lost some? What happened when she bound her powers?"
"She lost a little girl that day," I said remembering it like it was yesterday. "She was taken by a demon, we never found her. It really struck something in Kelly it was like she sworn off magic that moment onwards. Like it did more harm than good."
"How do you know she's not dead?" Clark asked.
"I don't," I admitted. "But I hope she is, I never stopped looking and we've never found a body. Something about this child struck a cord with Kelly she never explained it to me." I shook my head. "Why does it matter?"
"Maybe bringing her back to it will make her accept her magic," Liam said.
"You are taking this very well," I said. "Why?"
"Well, I always had this feeling about there was something Kelly was hiding, she always closed up around family and you all talk in code and I assumed that whatever it was she wanted nothing to do with it until you not so subtly told me at breakfast." I grinned. "But I know people who never accept who they are and it rips them apart I love Kelly."
"Do you want me to orb you home?" I asked.
"No I drove," he chuckled. "Thank you Liberty."
"You're welcome," I said. He left the office and I turned my attention to Clark, "don't you have a job at the daily planet to do?" I was being harsh but I was actually really curious as to why he wasn't there.
"I'm on loan," he said. "I won't go back until we deal with this." I sighed and rubbed my head I was going to get a headache. "Talk to me Libby."
"I can't," I admitted. "I am so confused and I think I know something and that it changes and I don't have a clue again." I shook my head. "I love you. I know that. I don't know how we do us right now." I walked over to him and sat on his lap wrapping my arms around his neck and rested my head on his chest. "It's not simple anymore. That's what we were, simple."
Clark didn't say a word, I knew he was enjoying having me in his arms, "we were," he agreed. "The only difference is you have magic and memories back. I feel like you resent me for taking your memories."
"I do," I admitted. "If you didn't maybe I would be more prepared for The Black Witch. I relive that night and I agreed to it which destroys me even more. If I knew what it would do to me, to us I would have never agreed."
"I thought she was after me, I didn't know you were a witch," he admitted. "If I had maybe things would be different but I can't go back and I can't stay away from you now. I love you and just being away from you is killing me."
"Hence why you stay by my window every night?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "You should just get into my bed Clark I never did mind that." He chuckled, "I want to try Clark but where do we even start, we have history and we already slept together many times."
"When you were a teenager, what was your favourite place I took you?"
I thought about it,"the highest building in Metropolises," I said. "I loved that little picnic we had up there."
"Then will you go on a date with me?" He asked.
"Yes," I laughed. "Get me at 7." He nodded, I stayed in his lap. "I really should get some work done." I pressed my lips to his and kissed him softly. "Seriously. I do have to get work done."
