Chapter 8

"What do you mean you don't think he's dangerous?" Chloe couldn't believe what her cousin just said about Kal-El.

"Exactly what I said," said Lois.

"Lois this guy is dangerous," said Oliver "He's after Chloe, he brainwashed Tess, he was going to use you as bait, he burned down a building!" he yelled "What more proof do you need?"

Lois huffed. They didn't see it, the hollow look in his eyes. "Oliver, I saw Kal-El, talked to him, and Commander or not, that man didn't look like he could hurt a fly."

Oliver scoffed. "Yeah that's because you lost in his big old-," He stopped when he saw her husband walk in.

"Clark where were you?" said Lois.

He said nothing. Clark just sat down at Chloe's coffee table and locked fingers together. He face set in a deep scowl. "Where's Kal-El?"

"He went off the grid after he called Lana," said Tess "But we'll know if he makes another call."

"Find him," Clark ordered. "We need to stop him before he does any more damage."

"Good to know not everyone's lost their minds," said Oliver "By the way you're wife's defending him."

Clark glared at her. "What?"

Lois calmed herself. Stress wasn't good her right now. "All I'm saying Smallville is that this guy hasn't done anything, and you guys are already to send a super powered mob after him."

"Lois, Kal-El burned down a building," Clark was trying his level best not to yell at her. After what he'd just seen, Clark was ready to beat Kal-El to a pulp.

"Yeah, a building that had no people in it," she said "And guess what Clark, it was scheduled for demolition, just like Kal-El said. I checked on Chloe's computer after you left." Lois glanced at everyone in the room. "Guys, he picked that building on purpose. So that no innocent people would get up hurt."

"He drugged Tess. He's out there planning God knows what so he get his hands on Chloe, your cousin," He was yelling now. Clark couldn't help it. This was just too much to hear his wife defending a monster. "And he was going to use you to do it!"

"So why didn't he?" Lois yelled back. "Why didn't he just scoop me up and take me away when we were alone on the roof, instead of telling me he couldn't live without me and he didn't know who he was without me?" Her voice became leveled. "Why did he call me an angel? You didn't see that look in his eyes Clark," said Lois. "He didn't look a villain with a secret plan. It was a look I've seen only on your face. At your father's funeral and when Alicia Backer died."

Clark felt a wince in his heart when Lois said her name.

"Who's Alicia Baker?" asked Tess.

"Alicia was one of Clark's girlfriends from high school," said Chloe. "She was murdered by a guy named Tim Westcott."

"I'm sorry," Tess told him.

"He made her out to be obsessive killer," he said painfully. "Then he hanged her and killed her." Clark slumped back down into his seat. "No one believed Alicia was innocent," his voice was a whisper. "Not even me." Clark looked up from the coffee table. "He left flowers for her."

"Who?" Lois asked.

"Kal-El. He left Alicia flowers when he visited the cemetery." Clark ground his teeth. "He even had the nerve to leave ones on my dad's too."

"Smallville, what are you talking about?"

"He took it Lois."

Clark wasn't making any sense. "Who took what?" she snapped.

"He stole my father's watch." Clark rubbed his hands "I buried it with my dad a couple years ago, and Kal-El dug it out and left bunch roses. So maybe you're right Lois and he isn't as dangerous as we think. But Kal-El had no right to take that watch," he told her "And I am going to get it back."

Lois shook her head, remembering what Kal-El said the last time she saw him. "He's not a monster Clark. Monsters don't hope for Christmas miracles."

Clark sighed. "Any sign of Kal-El yet Chloe?"

"Not yet, wait I got him."

"Finally," Oliver groaned "Some action."

"Where is he?" Clark asked.

"Promise not to get angry?" Chloe asked nervously. "Clark, Kal-El is in DC. With Connor," she paused "and your mom."

Clark rushed over to his mother's apartment. He didn't even bother with the cape. He just burst through the front door. "Mom! Connor!" He scanned the rooms, with no evidence or response from his mother and little brother. "Mom! Connor!"

"We're in the kitchen," Martha called.

Clark used his super speed and wrapped his mother into a tight hug. "Mom," he sighed. "Are you guys okay?"

Connor laughed softly. "Yeah we're fine."

"Clark what's wrong?" Martha asked. "What are you doing back so soon?"

Clark said nothing. He scanned the rest of the apartment with x-ray. He listened closely with his super hearing. Nothing. Kal-El was gone.

"I'm a terrible mother." Martha sat at her kitchen table, crying into her gingerbread men cookie dough.

Clark pulled his arm tighter around her. "No you're not mom, you're a terrific mother."

"No I'm not," said Martha "What kind of mother doesn't recognize her own son?"

"He was raised by you and dad on his world," said Clark "It isn't your fault."

"He's right," It was the first Connor had said since Clark had told them about Kal-El. "I'm the one with x-ray vision. I should've known he was a fraud."

"Our biology is the same," said Clark. "It isn't your fault, either of yours."

Connor crossed his arms against his chest. "So this Kal-El, is he dangerous?"

Clark was about to say yes, but he remembered what Lois had said before he left.

He's not a monster Clark. Monsters don't hope for Christmas miracles.

Clark took a deep breath. "We're not sure. So far he's only talked to Lois and Tess and they have different opinions."

Connor straightened up. "Tess? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Clark reassured. "He just asked her some questions." He couldn't bring himself to tell Conner that she'd been drugged with kryptonite. "So far all we know is that he's after Chloe."

"Clark," Martha wiped away her tears on her apron. "You said he talked Lois?"

"Yeah."

Clark watched as Connor and Martha exchanged glances.

"Mom, did Kal-El say something to you and Connor?"

"Clark, I don't think Kal-El's here to hurt anybody," said Martha.

Clark stifled a groan. First his wife, now his own mother was defending the Commander.

"I think he's in denial."

"Denial?" Clark's eye narrowed as he remembered the flowers at the cemetery and the phone call to Lana. "Denial of what?"

"Of the fact that his wife is dying."