Chapter 19

"Well I wouldn't do what she says if you want a little boy to ever see his Essa again. See you on TV tomorrow morning."

Clark listened to the message, his face growing pale. "Oliver…."

"I know. I screwed up." Oliver put his head in his hands. "I didn't mean to call Tess a friend to Phillips. I was just so mad. It must have slipped out."

"Well learn how to control your temper!" Clark exploded, waving his arms around. Jonathan started to cry, scared by the outburst. "I'm sorry buddy." Clark picked him up and hugged. "I guess I need to control my temper too."

"It's fine Clark. If I was you, I'd be tearing down walls looking for her." Oliver said, understandingly. He didn't know how close Clark was to doing just that. "What are we going to do? I'll unmask myself again if I have to."

"No." Clark said forcefully, pacing up and down the kitchen, Jonathan held close. "That was a disaster the first time around. We don't know if Zatanna could reverse the effects again. I'll find her."

"Like you did last time?" The words were out before Oliver could stop them. "Sorry," he winced.

Clark let out a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I'll find her." He looked down to see Jonathan looking up at him pleadingly.

The boy didn't know what was going on but he knew it was bad. "Dada find Essa."

"Daddy's going to find Essa, I promise." Clark smiled tightly. "I have to," he added as a murmured afterthought.

Oliver sat silently through the exchange, going over the message in his head. "Clark…" He said slowly. "Who ever it was either knows you and Tess or has been watching you for a long time."

"Why do you say that?"

"He knew that Jonathan calls her Essa." Oliver explained, "Only people close know that."

"Well at least that narrows it down a bit." Clark sighed. It didn't really but every little detail helped. He held Jonathan out to Oliver. "Watch him. I'm going to go find her."

"Good luck." Oliver held Jonathan as Clark zoomed out the door.

"Dada!" Jonathan struggled against Oliver, trying to follow his father.

"You're dad's gone to get your Essa back." Oliver told him reassuringly. "They'll be back before you know it." Hopefully.

"My Essa." Jonathan pouted, calming down a bit. "Dada find Essa."

"Yes." Oliver nodded. "Daddy's going to find Tess." One way or another.

**SV**

Tess came to slowly, feeling groggy. She rolled over and nearly fell off the bed. "What the hell?" She didn't try to open her eyes; that would hurt too much. She sighed. Kidnapped twice in less than a year. You would think they would be sick of it by now. Her mind flashed to Clark. He would be worried sick when he found out. She didn't even say goodbye to him this morning. He'd just slipped out, trying to respect her wishes for nothing more than friend. I should have said goodbye. I should have said a lot of things, she realised.

She opened her eyes to see barred windows. She squinted with bleary eyes. They were familiar windows. Tess pushed herself to her feet, taking much longer than she should have. She used a hand on the bed to steady herself as she made her way to the window. She peered out. No, her eyes widened. Please no. The grounds outside were beautiful gardens that she'd designed in what felt like a lifetime ago.

"I thought you'd like the view." A familiar voice said from the doorway. "Something to stir your memory."

"Lex." She turned around unsteadily. "What are you doing?"

He ambled over. "Tess you really shouldn't be moving around. Come sit." Lex helped her onto the bed. "Chloroform messes with your equilibrium."

"You do realise that kidnapping is illegal, right Lex?" Tess asked, glaring up at him.

He stood over her and smiled. "I remember someone once said that if the President does it then it's no longer illegal."

"Well I guess world domination is now legal." Tess quipped, standing up. "Now you've made your point-"

"I haven't even started." Lex said and pushed her back down onto the bed. "Don't you remember the ransom call you helped me with?"

Tess searched her memory but came up with nothing. "What ransom call?"

"The one where I demanded that the Green Arrow unmasks himself publicly on Good Morning Metropolis." Lex smiled as what little colour she had left her face.

"What?"

"Well I know you're friends and if he cares about you like I think he does then he'll do it." Lex answered evenly.

"I told you – I don't know the Green Arrow!" Tess said angrily. This scheme may work. Oliver had unmasked himself once before to save someone he cared out. She prayed he wouldn't be that stupid again.

"Don't lie Tess. You're no good at it." Lex told her.

Tess looked up at him, a small smirk on her lips. "There a dozens of people that would disagree with you about that."

"Maybe. But they aren't as smart as I am." Lex leant down and looked her in the eyes. "I fooled you before."

"Maybe. But you're the one who's going to regret this."

"And why do you say that?" Lex eyed her curiously.

"Green Arrow isn't going to come for me." Someone else is, she added silently.

Lex smirked. "Is that right?"

"Yes." And he better hurry up.

"Well if he doesn't come for you or unmask himself by 9 am tomorrow morning, you'll be dead." Lex smiled cruelly at her.

Clark zoomed through the streets of Metropolis trying to hear her heartbeat. He couldn't hear it any where. Please be alright, he prayed. I'm sorry we haven't spoken. Just please be alright.

He left Metropolis, heading west towards Star City. His ear piece chirped in his ear. "Anything?" Oliver asked, concerned.

"Nothing. How's Jonathan?"

"Getting very agitated. I'm trying to distract him with games but even that's starting to wear off."

"Just don't let him get too worked up. You'll get injured if he has a temper tantrum." Clark warned him, remembering his mother describe Jonathan's previous tantrum.

"How does Tess get him to stop?" Oliver asked, desperately needing to know.

"I… don't know." Clark answered honestly. "I don't know. Try singing to him."

Clark could practically hear Oliver roll his eyes. "Have you heard me sing?"

"Just try Oliver." Clark snapped at him.

"Ok. Don't say I didn't -" Oliver was cut off by an angered toddler's scream. "Oh boy. Clark you need to come home."

"On my way." Clark didn't waste anytime arguing. He couldn't afford to waste any time. Tess needed him.

"I'm sorry Clark. I shouldn't have pushed you away." He heard her voice in his head. He smiled at the thought. If only she would say that in reality. "I was scared but now I'm more scared of dying without telling you." Clark blinked. That voice wasn't in his head.

"Tess." His smile grew. He could hear her – she was alive and conscious. He flew towards her voice, only vaguely aware he was heading back to Smallville.

"I'm sorry I was so scared." He heard her continue. "I should have taken the chance."

He burst through the wall of the room she was in, red cape bellowing impressively in the dust cloud he'd created. "Yes you should have."

She looked up from the bed she was curled up on, her eyes wide with surprise. She mouthed his name, knowing better than to say it aloud.

"How about we get you out of here Miss Mercer?" Clark held back a smile. It wouldn't do for Superman to be so attached to a random citizen. That was how they ended up in this mess.

She held out a hand and Clark pulled her towards him, hugging her tightly and launched skyward. "Are you ok?" He asked as soon as they were out of range of any possible cameras or bugs.

"Yes." She nodded, looking up at him. "I am now."

"So…" Clark started uncertainly. The last time they'd had a conversation like this it didn't end well. "I heard your speech."

She blushed. "Oh."

"Did you mean it?" He could keep the hope from his voice. He'd almost lost her again today. He needed something good to happen today.

She paused, thinking it through. Tess knew that Clark was kind enough to give her an out if she needed it but she had to take the chance. The risk was there but with her record at the moment, there was more of a risk of dying before telling him how she felt. "Yes."

Clark zoomed upwards, loosing control of his powers for a second as happiness overwhelmed him. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

Tess laughed then looked down. "I think I do. But there's someone else we need to see." She glanced pointedly in the Kent farm direction. "I left Jonathan with Oliver."

"Yeah, that didn't go so well. Don't worry," He added at her worried expression. "I'll clean up." Then he smiled. "It's just like you to get rescued then worry about leaving Jonathan with Oliver."

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked as they landed outside the house.

They untangled themselves from each other. "No. It's one of the reasons I love you."

She froze, habitual panic setting in then she forced it down and smiled. "I know you do."

"Essa!" A blur ran down the stairs and launched itself at Tess. Tess caught it but the force of the blurs impact knocked her to the ground. "Essa!" Jonathan sat on her stomach.

She laughed and hugged him. "Hello to you to baby." She looked him over, noticing the food stuck to his clothes. "Did you have fun with Uncle Oliver?"

"Crap!" Jonathan crowed happily. He didn't know what the word meant but the way Tess' eyes narrowed made him laugh.

"Oliver!" Tess yelled, getting to her feet. She put Jonathan on her hip.

He walked over to her. "Tess I'm so happy you're ok."

Tess held out a hand, stopping him before he could hug her. "Why is Jonathan swearing at me?"

"Seriously?" Oliver asked. "You were kidnapped by a crazy person and you're asking me that? You're priorities are screwed up."

Tess raised an eyebrow and Clark snorted. "Just give up, man."

"You're helpful." Oliver told him sarcastically. "Who was it any way Tess? How did they know what I said to Phillips?"

"It was Lex." Tess told him and Clark came up behind her and put a comforting hand around her waist. "I don't know how he knew what you said. Maybe he was the other man I heard there."

"Maybe. I wish there was a way we could get him for this though."

"Oliver, you can't go after the President. They'll brand you a terrorist again." Tess looked up at Clark. "And that goes for you too."

"Tess, he abducted you!" Clark implored her to see reason. "It's not justice if he gets away with it."

"It's not worth it. I'm not going to loose you over Lex." Tess told him softly. "He'll get his comeuppance eventually."

"Well I never thought you'd say that." Oliver remarked casually. "I should be going. You too seem to have a lot to talk about." He looked pointedly at Clark's arm around Tess' waist. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Clark rolled his eyes good naturedly. "That doesn't leave much."

Oliver grinned as he got into his car. "That's the idea."

"Good bye Oliver!" Tess yelled, leaning into Clark. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Never!" He grinned at her.

"Well now I'm worried." Tess muttered.

Clark smiled down at her. "He won't do anything to Lex." He'll leave that to me.

Tess looked up. "And don't you go getting any ideas."

"How did you know?"

"I know everything." She smiled wickedly.

Clark chuckled, leading her inside. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Looks like someone wore himself out." Tess watched Jonathan's eyes flutter closed then looked up to see the mess in the kitchen. "And I can see how."

"I told you I'd clean it up." Clark reminded her gently. "I'll do that while you put Jonathan down."

"Okay." Tess agreed, walking up the stairs. She smiled as she walked. She'd missed the camaraderie she and Clark had developed. And the safe feeling she'd felt in his arms was almost stupid it was so nice. Maybe it was worth the risk after all. She laid Jonathan down in his bed almost laughing as he refused to let her finger go. It was adorable. "Come on baby. I gotta talk with Daddy." She said gently, trying to ease her finger out but his grip was too strong.

"Here, let me." Clark's hand covered hers as he gently pried Jonathan's hand off hers.

"Thanks." She turned to face him. They were mere inches apart. "So thank you for saving me again."

"What else was I going to do?" Clark asked with a sombre expression. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

She leant in and hugged him. "And now you won't."

She felt him relax. "I love you."

Tess smiled into his chest. "I love you too."