-1Chapter 13-Clark and Lana….and Impulse?
Clark sat on the couch and just watched Lana, who sat across from him. Since the other's left she'd just watched his every move. He had a feeling why. Lana wasn't the type of girl who would take things at face value. She knew he was keeping something and he was guilty as charged.
"So how did you sneak into Lex's so fast and get here?" Lana asked.
Clark shrugged, "He was gone when I got there. Pure luck." He remained calm on the outside but his heart was beating a mile a minute.
Her eyes got smaller and she crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't buy his lame excuse. How could she, not even he would buy it.
"I've got a question for you." Clark said.
"Well, I'll answer truthfully if I feel like it." Lana said. Her words cut and he didn't blame her for saying it.
"Why Lex?" Clark asked.
Lana's shoulders tensed and she sat back into the couch. She didn't answer for the longest time and when Clark was ready to withdraw his question she answered, "I was alone and still mourning you. He made me feel like I was needed again. I just got lost in the presents and special attention. I forgot about my pain so I stayed with him." Lana said.
Clark looked away. He hated that he was the source of that pain. If only he hadn't gotten shot, and Chloe hadn't dated that loser with a temper. None of this would have happened and his world would be in one piece.
"I'm sorry." He managed to get out of his closed throat.
"Don't. I understood why. Chloe is close to both of us. You thought you could help her and I'm glad you did." She leaned forward hoping to reach the words through him, "Someone would have died that day. Either you or Chloe." Lana said.
Clark nodded and stood, "I know. Hungry?" He asked hoping to move past the painful memories and onto something else. She shook her head and he went on to the kitchen. He'd cook anyway, at least to get his mind off of all the troubling thoughts he was getting to.
Lana ate anyway when he cooked a delicious meal of roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. She couldn't remember a time when she saw him in the kitchen.
"That was really good." She said afterwards while they sat on the couch. Clark was putting in a movie to help pass the time. Bart wouldn't be back till tomorrow and he really didn't want to talk about the past.
He joined her on the couch as the movie started up. It was the one they always watched together at his house when they just wanted to stay in for the night. The title started up and Lana snuggled into his side, like old times.
Clark didn't watch the movie at all. He kept looking down at Lana and smiling. She was so beautiful that he didn't want to ever let her go. He didn't know if this would last, if he would be able to stay after their mission was complete. He couldn't risk growing close to her again and then having to leave her. Who knew if he'd actually get hurt in the line of duty? He couldn't let her go through that pain again.
It wasn't long after that they both drifted off. Lana was snuggled into his chest, his head resting against hers. The credits rolled on the big screen TV that hung from the ceiling but neither noticed nor woke.
The next morning Clark woke to the sun in his eyes. Somehow during the night he had shifted to his back with a force against his chest. He'd remembered that they'd fallen asleep through the movie. Clark looked down his chest to see Lana lying their peacefully, draped across his body in quiet slumber.
He watched her for almost an hour before he heard the lift doors open. "Aw, how adorable. If only I had a camera for big brother Kal and his hottie." Bart said which caused Lana to open her eyes.
"Excuse me Impulse, but I was enjoying the moment alone with Clark." Lana said shifting to give Bart the evil eye.
Clark smiled softly hoping that Bart noticed the 'leave me alone with my boyfriend' look that Lana had mastered during their relationship.
Bart backed up with his arms raised in surrender. "Sorry, Lana. It's not everyday that I see Kal in the ever so sweet and non-manly position."
Clark moved to look at him the best way he could. "You're a dead man." Clark said.
"That's if you can catch me." Bart said.
Clark just glared knowing he couldn't respond the way he wanted to. "Food's in the fridge." Clark said hoping to get him to go away. Of course Clark knew Bart to well. At the mention of food he was over in the fridge eating everything he could find.
Lana smiled up at him and finally pulled herself off his chest, "Probably squishing you anyway." She said.
Clark immediately missed the warmth of her body against his. "No, you weren't." He said. Her smile grew then she turned to the kitchen to see Bart speeding around eating everything in site.
"Whoa, slow down and leave some for us." Lana said going to the kitchen counter.
"He's just refueling. With being super fast he has a super metabolism. He eats a lot." Clark said standing beside her as close as he could without being suspicious that he just wanted to wrap her in his arms and kiss her senseless.
He though from the previous night still was in his mind but the longer he was with her the more he wanted to be with her.
"Fine, I'll leave the eggs and cheese. Clark can make a mean omelet. Though I'm sure you've had breakfast with him before." Bart said.
Lana blushed as did Clark. Of course their only morning after had been interrupted by his parents. Their shared a knowing look and Clark moved away to raid the fridge to make breakfast.
"Good grief Impulse. You've eaten everything." Clark said pulling out all that was left.
"Sorry, I need to be super fast tonight." Bart said.
"I know, but first you're going shopping." Clark said.
Bart threw his head back and made a noise Clark understood as "ugh"
"Hey, you wouldn't have too, if you didn't eat all the food." Clark said.
"Fine, be that way." Bart said.
Lana chuckled watching as the boy's argued back and forth that appeared to be a normal routine between them. They must have become close over the time they'd spent together. They acted more like brothers than soldiers on a mission.
Clark made a list while the eggs were cooking. "Here, this is everything we'll need over the next few days and for when the guys get back." Clark said.
The list was long but Bart just pocketed it without looking. "I know. Oliver will be upset if I just leave his fridge empty again."
"I'm sorry, Oliver?" Lana asked. She hadn't heard that name before and guessed she wasn't suppose to when Clark shot Bart a look.
"You know him as Green Arrow. His real name is Oliver and this is his place." Bart said.
"Okay and Clark is Kal. I get it but what is your name?" Lana asked.
"We have codenames for a reason. If Lex found out who we really are he could ruin our outside lives. So could anyone else with enough money. For safety purposes we weren't suppose to tell you." Bart said.
"You've ruined that already. They can connect you since she knows that Oliver is the Green Arrow." Clark said removing the omelet.
"Great." He said. They couldn't miss the sarcasm in his voice. "If I tell you, you must go out with me." Bart said.
Clark gave him a look and stepped close. He placed the plate in front of Lana who giggled at the exchange. Bart backed up from Clark who wouldn't stop glaring at him.
"Never mind the date part. I was just kidding, really Clark." Bart said.
Clark stepped back and looked down at his omelet, trying to cover his red cheeks. "My name is Bart." He said holding his hand out. Lana shook it and looked back over to Clark. She wondered why he was hiding his face in his omelet.
"Bart…It suits you." Lana said looking back at him. Bart smiled and stepped out of the kitchen corner.
"I'll just go do the shopping and leave you two alone." Bart said. With a flash he was in the lift and waving as the doors closed.
"Be careful." Clark tried to say before he was gone. Clark knew Lex was in the city, unless his staff had called and told him about the break in.
"So you two are close?" She asked picking at the cheese on her plate.
"As close as comrades could be. He likes to joke around and I seem to have the patience to put up with him and his jokes." Clark said.
He rapidly downed his breakfast and smiled at her while she looked on in shock. She'd never seen anyone eat so fast, well except for Bart.
"I was hungry." Clark said lifting his shoulder's helplessly. What else was he to say as she just sat there with her jaw dropped?
"I never have seen you eat so fast." She said.
"Sorry." He said. She smiled and shook her head. She finished her omelet just as fast.
"I was hungry too." She replied with a small smile.
Clark laughed at her attempt to humor him. Only she could make him feel this free and he was glad he was in charge of watching over her.
"So what shall we do today?" She asked.
Clark couldn't think of anything. Oliver wasn't the one to keep video games around for fun. He was all business all the time. They were lucky he had a vast collection of movies. Lana caught his look to the movie case and sighed helplessly. She hadn't been bored after Bart had dropped her off, but that was because Oliver had grilled her about Lex the entire four hours.
So without anything to do, Lana picked out another movie and put it in. Clark was in trouble for suggesting she pick out the next one. She was going to make him sit through "The notebook." The one movie he had refused to take her to see. Now there was no escaping it.
"The notebook?" Clark wined joining her on the couch. Once again she snuggled up to him as the movie began.
"Yep, no escape." Lana said smiling up at him. He could trace the evil in her smile. She was getting back at him for not taking her to see this. He should have known she'd make him watch it one way or another. The lift doors opened and Bart super speed in with dozen of bags. He even emptied them. Of course it only took him a few seconds.
He speed up behind the couch, "I love this movie." He said. Before Clark could ask him to give them some time alone, he was on the couch next to Lana sipping a coke.