Memory Lane Chapter 5. Yen and Yang.
A.N. Ok so this is the first longer chapter. I decided to abandon the whole half hour thing from here on. So I hope you like it. Sorry it has been so long getting the update. Oh and this is still unbeta'ed any body want to beta this story for me?
KaylaShay at let me post a pic she made that goes well with this story. You should check it out by looking up this story at Tthfanfic (dot) com I post there as FireDragon and it has the same title. It is a great pic.
Clark listened with growing horror as his father told him all about finding him, raising him and loving him. Jonathan told him about Kal-El, Jor-El and how he had become a mortal human for a while. Clark blinked in surprise when told that he had died and been brought back to life by the spirit of his dead alien father.
"But, what about the balance?" Clark asked not noticing how his father's eyes widened in surprise. "How could Jor-El bring me back to life with all these powers?" Clark asked thinking about Buffy's return and what happened after with the First Evil. "He couldn't have, not without horrible consequences." Clark continued. He couldn't help thinking that if the balance was thrown off so badly with Buffy's return wouldn't it be a lot worse with his own return? After all he had even more powers than Buffy did.
"Son, what do you know about this balance thing? None of us, even you, understood it when you first told us about it, now you come back without any memories and somehow you know that there was a catch even before I could say anything about it?"
Clark winced, he didn't mean to bring up something that would lead to questions about Buffy. He had promised to keep her secret.
"I can't explain without breaking a trust with someone I've met before coming here." He stated firmly yet looking warily at his father.
"Clark keeping a promise is important but this is something that could mean the difference between life and death. You have always trusted your mother and I. I want you to tell me about this. Our relationship is built on faith and trust, even if you don't remember it right now."
"How can we have a relationship that is built on faith and trust if you expect me to break my word to someone else? This is a life and death matter and I won't break my word. If our relationship is based on faith or trust you will trust me when I tell you that how I know about the balance has nothing to do with me being some freak alien that came to Earth during a deadly meteor shower!"
"You are not a freak." Jonathan's voice rung with authority and power. "You are my son in every way that matters. I don't want to hear you talk about yourself that way."
There was a long moment of silence as Clark took in what his father said. Eventually he nodded in response but he couldn't help wondering and worrying about how Buffy was going to take this news.
"So what is this catch you were talking about?" Clark asked at length.
"Jor-El said that your mortal life was over and your immortal life was ready to begin. Then he apparently told you that because he had to bring you back from the dead that someone else close to you would have to die." Jonathan saw the guilt in his son's eyes.
"It isn't your fault son. You didn't ask for any of this. The last time we saw you, was the night of the election, I had a heart attack after a fight with Lionel Luther. I was dying and there was nothing the doctors could do for me. You left to go see Jor-El and I was suddenly healed. Not only that but the doctors say I now have the heart of a twenty year old athlete. That was the last night we saw you, until today. Clark I want you to know that when you died I would have given anything to get you back. No parent should out life their own child. If giving up my life is what it takes then that is something I'm willing to let happen. When I was dying I knew it would right the balance and you would be ok. Then I got better right after you disappeared. I'm worried about what deal you may have made to JorEl for me. Don't let that man manipulate you into doing something you don't want to do."
Clark was overwhelmed lost in thought there was so much to assimilate. "I think I need some time to myself." He stated.
Jonathan looked at his son with worry in his eyes but nodded. "You usually like to take time alone in the loft in the barn. I'm sure dinner is almost ready if you think you can manage it."
Clark nodded but went into the barn and sat on the couch he found in the loft, lost in thought.
Buffy finished dressing for dinner with a final touch of mauve lipstick and smiled into the mirror. She felt good after getting the dirt from the roads washed off. She hoped that she had given Clark and his parents enough time to talk and that it would be ok for her to come back downstairs.
She hoped his parents already knew about him or that if they didn't know that they took surprises well. She figured she would know soon if they were the incredibly caring and understanding parents they seemed to be. Somehow she believed that they were. She almost felt like she could trust them with her own secret...Almost. After all these were good people. They deserved to have a good innocent life with their white picket fence, farm, cows, dog and yes even one wickedly strong, fast and unbelievably handsome son.
Clark, even though he had great powers and abilities was also the essence of goodness and innocence. Something she would never be again. Yes, she fought for goodness and light but her powers were rooted in darkness. It was a side of her nature she had embraced. Her powers were dark, primal even sexual in nature. While Clark's power seemed to stem from the light. There was goodness to Clark that she feared she would taint if she stayed close to him for too long. Yet it was also something she longed to feel once again. Clarks light was bright and shiny and she couldn't help but be drawn to him.
She was delighted that he wanted her around for a while longer. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder if this was what Angel felt like when he told her that she was the light to his darkness. Did he leave her so she wouldn't be tainted by his darkness? If so that was ironic because it was when he left her that she truly felt the darkness closing in around her for the first time.
She looked out at the darkening night and couldn't help the sigh that passed her lips. Things had been so dark and cold for so long and then she had found Clark and come here to his home. This place that felt like a home, it was a feeling that she had truly missed.
Silently she flowed down the stairs, ready to turn around and go back up if it looked like the family needed more time to talk. All was silent however so she made he way into the kitchen to see Martha Kent looking out of the kitchen window with a worried look on her face. So it must be a father son talk going on. I'll bet she was left to run interference if I came back down. Buffy thought wryly to herself.
"Thank you for letting me take a shower. We stopped for lunch in a little town along the way and ended up in the middle of a dust storm. It was really icky having that dust all over me."
"Tell me about it. It's awful when that happens, the dust just gets everywhere. Sometimes those dust devils seem to come up from out of nowhere." Martha agreed with a lovely smile.
"I see you are finishing up dinner, can I help. I'm not very good at cooking, I made Thanksgiving dinner once and the turkey was dry, the potatoes were lumpy and the pie...well I guess I forgot to add the sugar. But, I can set a table like you wouldn't believe!"
"Oh, thank you Buffy. You are our guest but, if you want to, I wouldn't mind the help."
Martha looked at Buffy for a long moment as she happily went about setting the table. The sorrow in the young girls voice at having failed at making a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner touched her. She could practically feel her mothering instincts kicking in. She had always wanted a daughter, she loved having another girl around the house whether it was Lois or Chloe or now Buffy.
"So didn't your mother teach you how to cook?"
"No, Mom was a socialite before the divorce and an art gallery curator after. Oh she tried, it just wasn't her thing. I guess it isn't mine either." Buffy said the words with a bright smile but Martha could hear the soft longing in her voice and knew differently.
"So Buffy where do you live?" She asked curious about the young woman who had restored her son to her.
"Nowhere right now. I used to live in Sunnydale." Martha gasped recognizing the name of the town that had disappeared into a sink hole in California. "Since then I have been traveling a lot, for my job and to try and decide where I want to live. I was actually scheduled to come here even before I found Clark." Buffy realized that she was bringing up a subject that might be better left alone and quickly asked. "Where do you keep the butter?" to distract Martha from any questions she might ask.
Martha handed her the butter and Buffy set about finishing her task. She was really hungry and was starting to wonder when they would get to eat.
"I'm so sorry to hear about your home, I'm glad you got out safely. Did everyone else get out ok?"
Buffy froze surprised at how much it hurt to think about Spike, Anya and the others who hadn't made it out. "Most of us were really lucky, but my group were the last ones to make it out and we did loose some very special people."
Martha could hear her holding back her pain but her next words were spoken in such a cheery voice she was amazed. "But it also opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. I've worked for a company for a number of years and everything is changing with them too. So I'm taking some long overdue vacation time to see the world. I've visited a number of countries but lately I've come back to America to decide where I want to settle down." Buffy looked over the table and finding everything set up turned to look at Martha again. "Is there anything else I can do to help? I think I've got this table set."
"We are almost finished but will you help me make the gravy?" She asked planning on teaching Buffy a little about homemaking since she apparently felt bad that she wasn't better at it.
"Sure, where is the can and I'll open it." She stated happily.
Martha couldn't help smiling at the girl. "I make gravy from scratch Buffy, we start by getting the drippings from the meat."
Buffy's eyes grew wide. "Real gravy? I mean, you make it from scratch and you want me to help you? Trust me, you might want to reconsider. If I make the gravy it will turn out lumpy or runny or any number of things that aren't good. Have you seen the movie Better Off Dead? Well I cook only marginally better than Lane's mom, but that isn't saying much since the food literally crawls off the plate in that movie."
Martha laughed, "Don't worry Buffy. I'll walk you through it and I'm sure it will turn out fine."
"Ok, but you might want to keep a back up in reserve. It's always good to have a fall back when I'm in the kitchen." She stated eyeing the drippings with growing fright. Killing vampires was no sweat, making homemade gravy from scratch, that was horrifying.
Thank you for reviewing! Please continue.