Last update for 2007! I hope you have a Happy New Year! Kind of a fluffy chapter but, what can I say, I told you in my profile I'm sick of Clark being miserable…more adventures to come later. Thank you for the reviews!

Enjoy!

ColleenJoy

Stars and Water

Chapter 12

When breakfast was over Maria had to admit that not only could Clark cook but he could cook well. He also refused to let her help clean up and she watched in amazement as he blurred into super speed. "Oh, wow! I wish I could do that," she said, looking at the sparkling kitchen. "Is there anything you can't do?" She asked, only partly joking.

Clark thought a minute, "I'm really bad at playing the guitar, I keep breaking the strings, I can't sing to save my life...and I haven't learned to fly yet..."

"Excuse me," interrupted Maria, "Why do I get the feeling you aren't talking about flying a plane?"

Clark grinned, "Well I wasn't, and I can't fly."

Maria jumped in. "Yet! You said you hadn't learned…Yet."

"Well something tells me I'm supposed to learn. I have dreams about it and I've floated and, well, I did fly once but it wasn't really me." Clark became serious. "There's still a lot about me you don't know." He got that sad, haunted look again and Maria couldn't bear it.

"Well when you want to tell me I'll be right here to listen." Maria took his hand and held it, stroking the back of it with her thumb as she smiled lovingly into his eyes. "And when you do fly I hope you'll take me with you."

Clark gazed back with a yearning, passionate look that made her insides turn to liquid heat. Maria's smile faded and she moved closer to him, tilting her head back so she could continue to look into his eyes.

"I love you Maria." He said softly, his voice shaking with emotion.

Suddenly Clark grabbed her and pulled her close as he seized her mouth in a hungry kiss. Maria was startled at first but her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they wandered up under his shirt and stroked the tense muscles of his back. Clark wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as he trailed hot, tender kisses down her jaw to her neck.

Maria shivered as his lips found the ticklish spot where her neck joined her shoulder. Clark, noticing the shiver, nibbled slightly and smiled against her skin as she wiggled and gasped. Clark could feel the heat building inside him at her response. This time he managed to control it before he caused any damage. He felt Maria's eyes on him and looked up to see her smile. "I guess we won't need the hose after all." she said, her voice low.

"Guess not," murmured Clark, "but I still think we should practice, just in case." and he dove in for another kiss that left her breathless and trembling. There was nothing in her world right now but Clark. The feel of him, smell of him, taste of him, drove all coherent thought from her mind.

Clark reveled in the newfound feeling of freedom Maria gave him. He could relax with her, be himself with her. He felt light, like he was flying already and he showed her how he felt in the only way he could think of, putting it all into his kisses and the gentle way he held her.

All last night he had been so worried, he had tried to come up with some kind of plausible lie to tell her and it had made him feel sick to imagine lying to her. Now the need for that was gone and he could let his guard down. For the first time in his life he was free to love and be loved completely. He was happy, even though he still had major problems to deal with, the phantoms for instance and Lex… "Lex!" Clark pulled away from Maria a little.

"Maria are you and your Mom and Nick safe? You could all stay here if you need to." He looked at her, concerned. He should have asked sooner. He couldn't believe he had simply forgotten about Lex, so swept up in the joy of being accepted and loved by Maria he had lost track of the rest of the world.

Maria blinked up at Clark, it took her a moment to process what he was saying, then she had to form a response and make words come out in some kind of order. "Mom says we're safe, for the moment. She has a plan to keep us that way." Maria gave Clark a reassuring smile. "Thank you for offering your home to us. It means a lot, but I really think we'll be okay."

Clark nodded, he wasn't so sure, but he would let it go for now and talk to Oliver later. He wasn't going to let any harm come to Maria or her family.

"Clark, I should probably go." said Maria reluctantly, "My Mom is waiting and we have things we need to take care of today." Moving away from Clark felt like stepping out of a warm shelter into a cold wind. She had to brace herself to do it and she shivered as he loosened his grip and let her back away. She had to force herself not to leap right back into his arms when she saw the look on his face.

"Could you, maybe, come back this evening or, well, I'll come get you and we could go on that date." asked Clark. He didn't want her to leave but it helped to know when he could see her again.

"That would be great, Clark. I just have to make sure everything is okay with Mom and Nick and then I'm all yours." Maria smiled brightly and gave him a quick kiss before she headed to her car. Go quick, girl or you'll never leave, she thought. "See you tonight Clark."

Clark stood on the porch and watched her go, tonight couldn't come fast enough, he thought.

While Clark waited for the incredibly long hours of the day to pass he decided to call Oliver and see what they could come up with to keep the Desantis family safe. Clark knew with his time occupied by the Phantoms he couldn't protect them by himself. All Lex would need was one opening and Maria, along with her family, could be killed. Clark felt it would take a network of protection to keep them safe and he trusted Oliver to help arrange it. His trust was well placed.

Oliver took his call immediately and Clark was happy to find that Oliver already had Dr. Desantis' welfare in mind, as well as her future employment.

"Of course I offered her a job Clark. She's one of the front runners in her field and her latest research is very promising. Lex was crazy to pull her off it and put her on the Generation project, but then, that project was crazy anyway so go figure. Of course we will keep an eye on her. I'm sure Lex would love to get at her but I'll tell you what, I think Dr. Desantis has him by the short hairs. He seems to be leaving her alone anyway. Yep, the team is on it. Believe me, anyone who fights evil like she did will have our full support. Hey, I hear she has a beautiful daughter. Think she likes blond billionaires? Just kidding Clark, you can breathe now. I've heard rumors about you two, are you doing something about that? Really, you have a date tonight? It's about time. Okay, stay out of trouble Boyscout."

Clark hung up with a sigh of relief.

Maria came home to a very different mom than the quiet, worried woman she had left that morning. Kate was talking in happy bursts as she threw clothes into a suitcase. "He wants to meet me personally." She said, as she studied three blouses, trying to pick one and then shrugged and tossed all three in. "If I accept his offer, and I'd be crazy not to, I'll head my own team and I'll be able to continue my cancer research with even more funding."

Kate stopped and looked at Maria. "Will you be okay alone for a week? Nicky is having a blast with his cousins at Nora's and I told her he could stay. I'm going to be touring the research facilities, meeting the other scientists and getting to know Mr. Queen. It shouldn't take more than a week but if it does I'll call you." She looked searchingly at Maria. "What's up, kiddo. You look positively glowing and I don't think it's my job offer.

"Mom, I'm in Love with Clark…and…He loves me back!" Maria said the last part in a near shout, happy to share this with her mom.

Kate wrapped Maria in a hug. "Oh, sweetie that's wonderful. What a lovely feeling. Clark is a good man."

"It doesn't bother you that he's, um, different?" Maria asked. She wouldn't tell her mom Clark's secret but she knew her mom had seen at least some of what he could do.

"Maria, I saw Clark do amazing things to help others who couldn't help themselves. I saw him treat you with gentleness and concern. I saw how he was with the children. I found out he has friends who are equally compassionate and selfless. Yes, he is very different from a lot of young men." Kate sighed and stroked Maria's hair "The fact that you accept him is enough for me, and that he loves you just shows what an intelligent man he is."

"Thanks Mom." said Maria happily. "Now tell me more about your new job offer.

To be continued…