Okay, did everyone stop reading or was there nothing nice to say? Hmmm….Well I'll post some more in hopes that someone will like it. Hint, hint ;) Begs

Stars and Water

Chapter 15

After the shower Maria was cold so Clark proceeded to make a fire the unique Clark Kent way. In seconds there was a crackling blaze radiating waves of comforting heat. Maria smiled as she sat on the couch brushing her hair in the fire's glow. Satisfied it would continue burning but stay inside the fireplace, Clark sat down beside her. Leaning back against the arm of the couch he eased her back to recline against him with her head on his chest. They stretched out together on the couch and soaked up the heat. Clark didn't feel cold as a problem, or heat as pain but the warmth felt good and Maria's body pressed to his in repose felt even better.

Sighing contentedly he stroked her hair gently out of her face. She was wearing one of his flannel shirts with her jeans and he liked the way it looked on her. There was something about the fact that she smelled like his shampoo and was in his shirt, it was intimate somehow. It makes her more mine, he thought as he smiled crookedly at his own possessiveness.

"Are you warm now?" He asked softly, brushing his lips across her forehead. Maria fluttered her eyes open, "Mmmmm yes," she answered, stretching like a contented cat and then snuggling deeper into his arms.

They lay together resting a moment and enjoyed simply being close to one another. Clark couldn't remember ever being this happy. The light in the room dimmed as the fire died down to a glow and Maria lost the struggle to stay awake. Clark heard her breathing deepen and saw the peace on her face and he smiled. He rested his cheek against her hair and drifted gently into a deep sleep with the smell and feel of her surrounding him.

Lex's head pounded in a ripping hangover and his eyes ached from glaring at his computer screen. All night he had waited for word on the Desantis girl and all night the only thing he had received had been hourly updates of her continued absence. Could she know about his plan?

He thought not. No, it would be impossible. His plan was perfectly laid out. There were no flaws. "Where are you Maria?" he muttered impatiently, "don't you know we have an appointment?" She'd been out all night. Apparently she wasn't as innocent as she looked. Who had she been with? Certainly not Clark, he'd have to know her for years before he got up the nerve to try anything like that.

The next morning Clark woke up with the sun as usual. The light streaming in filled him with energy and he smiled as he looked at Maria. Her hair was flowing across his chest like a wave of dark silk, sparkling in the sunlight. Her face was relaxed and her mouth was open a tiny bit which made her even more inviting. Clark kissed her lightly and then carefully got off the couch, easing her over without waking her.

She was still deep asleep so he decided to go do his chores and then make breakfast. Once he silently got dressed and left the room he bounced out into the sun, whipping through his chores and smiling happily to himself the whole time as he planned a breakfast for her.

When Maria woke up it was to the smell of coffee. She lay on the couch and stretched deliciously. Her body felt heavy and loose, as though she had jello instead of muscles. She lay there and tried to summon the energy to sit up. "Coffee "she thought, "Coffee and Clark." Well, that got her upright. She giggled at the way his shirt hung to her knees, tried to straighten her hair a bit, and then wandered into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

The smile Clark gave her as she entered the room lit his face like a little boy's grin, bright and open, with nothing held back. Maria grinned back at him and thought; now there is something wonderful to wake up to in the morning.

Matt was sick of this, "What are we doing here in this girl's house?" he asked Scott. "We're already guilty of breaking and entering and soon it's going to be kidnapping and I worry Lex will add murder."

"Well, My God Matt, obviously we wouldn't do that." Scott looked at him, disgusted. "If you hate this so much, you should quit."

"At this point Scott, I'm thinking Mr. Luthor has really slipped off the rails and I'm afraid for me and mine if I did try to leave. There was silence in the house and outside they could faintly hear a robin announce the rising sun.

"You have a point there Matt." said Scott quietly.

"Hey Scott?"

"Yeah Matt, what is it.?"

"Maybe it would be best if it was us that kidnapped her. I mean Lex has guys that would do this gig for no pay other than the benefits of having the girl tied up. Maybe we can protect her."

"You keep thinking that if it helps you sleep nights." Scott replied, "Right now I hear a car pulling into the driveway so we better shut up and get ready."

Maria felt much more energetic after a delicious breakfast of fresh Strawberries, Martha's famous homemade muffins and scrambled, just gathered eggs. "That was fantastic Clark," She said with a smile, "but I insist you let me cook you dinner." Clark agreed enthusiastically, anything to spend more time with Maria.

"Tonight, my house, 6:00." She looked up at him through her lashes and said huskily, "I'll give you anything you want." Then she laughed at his expression, it was so easy to make him blush. "Look, I'll just make Roast Beef and gravy with other good things, okay?"

"That sounds great Maria." Clark stood up to clear the table, he was so happy he could hardly sit still anyway. He still couldn't quite believe this was real.

"I know I can't do it as fast, but this time please let me help clean up?" said Maria as she joined him. She convinced him to let her help and they did the dishes together. When they were drying them and stacking them safely in the cupboard she caught Clark looking at the clock.

"Maria, I told Chloe I'd meet her at the Planet." Clark was worried; would she be jealous of Chloe? He really wanted to check on Chloe after last night, he was sure she was worried about Jimmy and blaming herself. "Chloe's my best friend and I made plans earlier."

Maria shrugged, "Its okay Clark, I think I can manage to occupy the rest of my day off without you." She grinned, "Unfortunately I need to do something really exciting, like laundry." She didn't want Clark to think she wanted to come between him and his friend. Chloe must be pretty important to him; he seemed to trust her with everything, and he had so few people he could trust. "Hey, maybe Chloe would like to come to dinner too? She's going to need company with Jimmy in the hospital for a few days." The look on Clark's face told her she had made the right choice.

Later, when he took her home she was even more certain of her choice to befriend Chloe. Clark was talking as they walked up the drive, and she had never heard him talk so much. All the way to her house he had been telling Maria stories about himself, Pete and Chloe and she was enjoying this insight into young Clark Kent.

Scott and Matt linked eyes across the room and crouched low. If someone came in with her they were prepared to take him down too.

Clark kissed Maria goodbye at her door and when she turned to unlock it the keys were hard to manage in her awkward fingers. The fact that he was standing close to her and breathing lightly against her neck didn't help any. Maria turned her head and kissed him, "Bye, sweetie." She said, then turned the key and slipped inside as Clark reluctantly stepped back.

"See you tonight," Clark said with a beaming smile.

Maria turned in the doorway and looked at him; his smile still struck her speechless. She was a lucky, lucky woman, she thought. "Yes, tonight Clark, I can't wait." And she closed the door when he turned and walked away.

Clark smiled to himself as he drove off. He felt like the world was a different place with Maria in it.

Maria closed the door and leaned against it. "Wow," she said, "just, wow." And she laughed and hugged herself, then spun across the room in a little happy dance.

Matt tried to aim but her erratic movements made it difficult. Every time he thought he had a clear shot she twisted in another direction.

Maria danced over to her CD player and started looking for a CD that matched her mood.

Scott was tracking her as she spun, he nearly fired twice but she moved out of his cross hairs both times at the last minute. Finally she was still and he took the shot.

"Ouch!" Maria jumped and slapped at the sting on her shoulder. Must be a bee, she thought. Then the world spun and she was filled with terror as huge shadowy figures moved towards her. She screamed for Clark but it came out as a faint whisper as she hit the rug and fell into darkness.

To be continued…

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