Disclaimer: I own nothing. S.M and D.C does.

A.N. Here is the next chapter. It's a little bit longer than the others. The story is beginning to pick up, so hopefully it will write a little faster. Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites. I hope you enjoy!

All mistakes are mine. It's not beta'd.

A few minutes later found them parked outside a typical brick apartment building. Getting out of the car and following Bella through the run down lobby and up the stairs that have seen better days, he catalogued everything from the floor her apartment was located on to the various exits. Stopping on the fifth floor and walking to the end of the dimly lit hallway, Clark nearly ran into Bella's back as she stopped abruptly in front of a door that was splintered open. Hoping it wasn't her apartment, his mouth tightened in resignation when she gently pushed the door further, opening it enough so that they could get a glimpse into the small living room.

"Is this your place?" He had to make sure, following behind her as she inched her way inside the small loft style apartment. There wasn't much in the way of homey touches. There was the basic furniture: couch, book shelf filled with books, no t.v., full size bed pushed against the far wall. There was a door next to her dresser that he assumed was the bathroom and a small kitchenette.

He watched as she barely nodded while checking the bathroom for any unwanted guests. When she found none, she turned back to him and sighed. "I don't think it will be safe to stay here tonight. Or at all until the front door is fixed."

"Do you want to call the landlord and the police about the possible break in?"

"No. The landlord is an old man and I don't want to make him come out here to fix this. I know he has spare doors in the basement, I saw them the last time I was down there doing laundry, but he can't move around that well and his son, who helps with the repairs, is out of town for the week." She shrugged and looked around, checking to see if anything was missing.

"What about the police?"

"Absolutely not. There isn't anything they can do about it. You would be surprised how often this happens in this building. Hence the extra doors downstairs. As long as there isn't any extensive damage or anything major missing, most of us living here wouldn't call the police in. We like to be left alone. For various reasons."

"Alright. Well, I'll run downstairs and grab a door and fix yours. This way we don't have to leave and we can save your landlord the trip and extra expense tomorrow."

"You don't have-"

"Stop. I'm not taking no for an answer. I think both of us have questions and this is the best place for those conversations to take place. Why dont you do whatever it is you do when you're in for the night and I'll have to door done in no time."

"Thank you."

While Bella took care of her evening hygiene rituals, Clark fixed the front door, adding the extra lock set he found in the basement. He was just finishing up as she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in yoga pants and a tank top that stopped above her belly button. He let his gaze wander her body, taking in her soft curves and long legs before the clearing of a throat brought him back to his senses.

He felt the light blush cover his cheeks at being caught admiring her body. When he met her eyes, he returned the soft smile she gave hime. "I'm good," he cleared his throat, blushing more, "I mean the door is good. Fixed. The door is fixed."

Bella laughed at his stammering but secretly pleased that she affected him that way, especially if his blush was anything to go by. She took the steps that would bring them closer and laid a hand on his arm. The shock that ran through them at the simple touch, didn't surprise either of them anymore. Instead, they looked forward to it.

"Thank you, again" she whispered before leaning up and kissing him the cheek. Pulling back, sporting a blush of her own, she waved towards her bathroom. "You can clean up in there. I put out a fresh towel. We can talk after your done."

Nodding in thanks, he gave the key to the new lock to her before he forgot. Getting a confused look, he explained. "I put an extra lock on the door. That's the key that goes to it," he said, tapping the key in her palm. He left her standing there, looking between him and the door, while he went to the bathroom for a shower.

He made quick work of getting clean and dressed in basketball shorts he normally slept in, opting for no shirt, not because he was trying to impress her, but because he doesn't sleep in them and the only shirts he has are the button down flannels that he wears while working. He couldn't help but smirk at the gasp he heard coming from the girl on the couch. He might not be actively trying to impress her, but it doesn't hurt to know that he affects her the same way she does him.

He sat down next to her, turning so his back was against the arm rest with one leg bent so the knee rested on the couch, barely grazing her thigh. Throwing his arm along the back of the couch, he looked the picture of ease, but inside he was anything but. He felt and watched her shift slightly so that her leg was pressed harder against his knee. She turned her upper body so that her shoulder was pressed against the couch below where his arm rested so that she could look at him. If she moved her head, her hair would brush and tickle his arm.

Both waiting to see who would speak first. Clark decided to put her out of her misery and asked the first question.

"What other abilities do you have?"

"Geesh, Clark. You always jump into the deep end without looking?"

He shrugged, but didn't apologize. "I'd rather get these questions out of the way. You're the first person I've come across that shows even the slightest potential to being like me."

She sighed, dragging her hand through her hair before pulling it up in a messy ponytail. Clark choked down the disappointment at the loss of feeling it brush against his skin and waited for her to answer.

"My hearing is really good. Annoyingly good. Um, I can see through things. I am also fast and stronger than the normal girl my age."

"What about flying?"

"You mean can I fly?" At his nod, she laughed. "I'm not a bird, Clark. Of course I can't fly."

"Yet."

"What do you mean 'yet'?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She turned fully and pulled herself to her knees, giving her enough height to be eye to eye with him, while he sat in his same position. "What do you know about it, Clark?" she demanded.

"Relax, Bella. I'll tell you. Do you think you could remove this little force field thing so I can move?"

She had the grace to look ashamed and removed the shield. "Sorry. It's a reflex."

"I understand, but I'm not running and I'm not going to hurt you. I'm beginning to think I can't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, scooting closer to him before sitting back on her haunches.

"Nothing that I can really explain right now."

"Clark-"

He held up a hand. "I will tell you what I think, but later after I explain what I know about myself." When she nodded, he told her his story. He told her about how his super abilities came to him throughout his life. How his parents found him and the pod he came to earth in. He even told her about Lana and how he feels guilt over the death of his father. When he was finished, he expected to see her make a break for it, instead she threw herself in his arms and sobbed quietly. When she calmed down, she leaned back to be able to look him in the eyes.

Taking his face between her small hands she spoke. "You need to stop blaming yourself for his death. Like your mom said, you did what he told you to do. He understood the risks and even as he risked his life to save another, he was still protecting you. Clark, there are people, things, even worse than the scientists that want to study you, that would be after you. The potential you carry would appeal greatly to them. Trust me, I know first hand."

He couldn't stop himself from kissing her after her speech. He knew there were more questions that needed to be asked and answered but he had to kiss her before they got into any more of the heavier topics.

Bella tensed at first, but relaxed into the kiss, even opening her mouth to him when he traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. She moaned when their tongues touched, spurring him on. Ripping the band from her hair so he could wrap one hand in her hair and the other around her waist, he made sure they stayed pressed as closely together as their bodies allowed. When the need to breath became a necessity, Clark pulled back.

"Wow," she gasped out, sucking in as much air as her lungs would take.

Clark wasn't faring any better, so he smiled at before kissing her forehead lightly and tucking some hair behind her ear. She smiled at the gesture before settling more comfortably onto his lap.

They looked at eachother and she spoke before him this time.

"It's time to get serious again isn't it?"

"Yes. Do you know if your parents found you?"

"No. As far as I knew, they were my birth parents. After hearing your story though and knowing that you went through the same things I did, I am beginning to question my own existence. It's going to break my dad's heart when I ask him though."

"If he knows what you have been going through all these years, what with your abilities coming into play, he should have told you the truth."

"He doesn't know about the abilities though. I never told him, or anyone for that matter." She looked away from him, biting her lip in thought.

He placed a finger under her chin and brought her eyes back to his. "You've been going through this alone?"

She nodded. "I was scared. I didn't know what was going on and I was afraid he would send me away. I already felt unwanted by one parent, I didn't want to lose the one I had left."

"I understand, Bella. But I think we need to talk to him. He might know more about this, about who we are."

"Alright. We can go see him tomorrow. It's his weekly fishing day, so if we get there early enough, we can catch him before he leaves." Clark watched as she yawned after agreeing to talk to her dad.

"That sounds like a plan. How about we get some sleep, since we have to be up early, I'm assuming."

"Yep. He lives in Forks, which is about and hour from here." She stood up off of his lap, pulling him with her. "Come on. You can share my bed."

"Bella, I'm ok with the couch." He tried to protest, but his body had other plans and followed along behind her.

They crawled into bed and Clark couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when she plastered herself across his chest, burrowing her face in the crook of neck, before falling immediately into sleep.

Clark laid awake wondering what the next would bring. Would he get more answers or would the visit with Bella's father just bring more questions. All he knew was that he was happy that he now had someone who has been going through the same things. It was with the thought of Bella possibly being his, that he fell into an easy sleep.