Memory Lane Chapter 7. Why Are You So Happy?

Sorry about the long wait. Please forgive me?

Martha and Jonathan watched in worry from the kitchen window. Clark had just found out about his unusual origins again and they hoped that he would handle it better than last time he found out about it. They were prepared for the moping and depressed Clark they just hoped that he wouldn't do anything drastic.

After talking with Clark Jonathan was even more worried that he would tell Buffy his secret even after voicing all of his warnings. If he did how would the girl take it? He could see how much Clark cared for Buffy, if possible it was even more than he had cared for Lana. It would be devastating to his son if the girl turned away from him because of what he was. Yet, he was fairly certain that his son was going to tell her anyway.

Together two shadowed figures moved from the barn toward the house. Clark held open the gate to the yard but still he couldn't see the look on his son's face, at least he seemed ready to come in and eat. He breathed a sigh of relief it looked like Clark had kept his secret from the girl.

Then they came into the light and he noticed the bright and happy smile on his sons face. It was an honest smile, a true one. When Clark went off to think in the barn he had looked like the world was coming to an end, and now he looked like it was a great new beginning.

Clark held the door for her like a gentleman and together they rushed off to wash for dinner, both were laughing at some secret joke they had shared on their way inside.

Together Clark's parents stood in wonder, just what had they talked about that made Clark seem to be ok with his otherworldly origins so soon after finding out that he was an alien?

Together they sat around the table and Buffy watched Clark and his father closely as they tasted the gravy that she had made with the help of Martha. Buffy worried her bottom lip in her teeth, surely Martha would have kept her from doing anything to ruin the gravy. She advised her on how much salt to add and to continuously stir it, yet she couldn't help being worried that she may have destroyed such a good smelling dinner.

"It's delicious as always dear." Jonathan Kent told his wife.

"It's wonderful." Clark stated having tasted the food himself. It tasted familiar and soothing to him, like a warm blanket on a cold night. This really was his home.

Buffy couldn't help her beaming smile that lit up her face. Watching Martha smiled and hoped Buffy would stick around for a while so she could teach her more. She realized while directing Buffy to make the gravy that the girl just needed a little help and direction to cook well.

Buffy happily lifted a bite of the pot roast to her mouth and blinked in shock. It was like the food of the Gods!

"I have never eaten anything so good in my entire life!" Buffy exclaimed, much to Martha's surprise and pleasure. She then got to work eating the food and getting seconds. Martha was delighted to see her eating well. Buffy was so tiny Martha was afraid that the girl didn't eat, but watching her now taking on her husband and son she had to wonder where the girl was putting it all.

Clark looked out of the barn to the light at the kitchen window. He could see Buffy smiling as she cleaned. She had a look about her like she had accomplished something and he couldn't help being curious about what she and his mother were talking about. Tuning other things out he focused on the kitchen.

"I can't believe it, I didn't ruin it. They didn't even realize that I made it." Buffy stated excitedly.

"I knew you could do it Buffy. You just need a little guidance and practice." Martha smiled at her with real joy.

"Do...do you think I could learn to make other things besides gravy?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course. I'd be glad to help you Buffy, how long do you plan on being in town?"

"I'm not sure. I promised Giles I would look into something for work, depending on how that turns out I might be her for a while. Plus I promised Clark I would stick around for a while so I will be here for a few weeks at least, possibly longer. Oh, but I'm not going to impose on you, I plan to get a place in town."

"Don't be silly, we love having you. You are welcome to stay with us."

"I don't want to be a bother and my job sometimes has me coming and going at odd hours." Buffy stated.

"It's no bother at all Buffy. If you stay you could help me with the dinners, I'll teach you to make all kinds of things."

"Ok you win." Buffy smiled brightly, "But you have to let me pay for the room, my work gives me an allowance for that kind of thing and I don't want to mooch."

A hand landed on Clarks back bringing him back to the moment.

"Son, did you get distracted?" Jonathan asked as he noticed his son smiling again.

"Sorry." Clark stated and followed his father into the barn to work on a tractor.

Jonathan Kent watched his son as they walked over to the tractor and decided that now was probably the best time to talk to his son about his concerns.

"Son, what did you and Buffy talk about before dinner that has you so happy?"

A blush filled his son's face and his concern only increased. "We talked about a lot of things. She really put this alien thing into perspective for me, and she even agreed to thinking about being my girlfriend."

"WHAT?" Jonathan cried out in shock. "You told her? Son it is dangerous for people to know."

"Buffy, will keep my secret. She is good at that and we don't keep secrets from each other. I told you that before."

"Son, you don't remember this but you told one of your friends your secret before and when it was discovered that he knew what your secret was he was tortured by someone who was trying to get the information from him. You saved him before it got too bad but he had to leave town because of it. It isn't safe for people to know."

"I'll protect Buffy." Clark nearly stated with an almost dark look in his eye he shook his head and blushed. "That is if she will let me, that girl can take care of herself."

"Clark is she meteor infected?" Jonathan asked, catching that Clark seemed to have such confidence in Buffy's ability to protect herself.

"What?" Clark asked.

Jonathan explained about the effect meteor rocks were having on people who were exposed to them. Clark couldn't help his lopsided grin as he explained that Buffy could take care of herself but that it didn't have anything to do with space rocks. He could tell his father was stewing and brewing and was still worried in general about things with Buffy, not wanting to have this conversation with this man who was his father he got to work on the tractor.

It was about an hour later as they were finishing their work when his father brought up the other thing that was bothering him about Buffy.

"Clark, Now don't take this the wrong way. I am sure she is a wonderful girl, but aren't you taking this kind of fast with her? I don't want to see you hurt like you were with Lana. You have always been rather...obsessed with that girl and now it looks like you have just transferred your feelings to a different girl."

"I was obsessed?" Clark asked feeling a little spooked about his old self. What if what Buffy said was right? What if he did get his memories back and his obsession with this Lana girl came back? His heart rejected the idea as ludicrous, he loved Buffy, nothing could change that. Right?

"The telescope in the loft wasn't just for looking at stars."

Clarks eyes grew wide. "You mean I was a peeping tom!?!" Now he was really freaked out about his old self.

"Not like that son, you liked to watch her when she would sit on the porch of her house and watch the sun set. Or when she went riding or...ok you just liked to watch her. It got better when you started talking to her, but you were still obsessed. It always crushed you when she went off with some other guy. I don't want to see you hurt like that again."

"Was I really that bad?"

"Son, you tried to give up your powers for her. You tried to become human."

"Is that even possible?" Clark asked in shock.

"Apparently it was a one time deal that lead to your death and the whole thing with Jor-El and the balance we were talking about earlier."

"Dad, could you do me a favor?"

"What is that son?"

"Don't tell Buffy about my past obsession with Lana. She is worried that when I get my memories back that I won't love her anymore. Buffy has...been through a lot. More than anybody should have to go through. So it is hard for her to trust her heart with me. She told me that she would try and the fact that she would say so means that she does have feelings for me. I have to take things slow with her, because she would end up running if I didn't. So you don't have to worry about that."

"I thought you said you didn't keep secrets from Buffy?"

"Not a secret, just don't bring it up around her." Clark said.

"Couldn't you have not brought up being from another planet around her?"

"Buffy knew something was wrong. She wasn't going to leave me alone until I spilled. I'm glad she didn't she made me realize that is isn't so bad to be an alien."

"How did she manage that?"

Clark smiled. There were a lot of things he couldn't tell his father about Buffy. "She was Buffy. She was ok with it and treated me exactly the same way she did before she knew. Well, that and she let me kiss her again. Buffy's kisses could make any man feel better about just about anything." He stated and left in search of the girl.

Jonathan stood with a dark look on his face as he continued to worry. Yet, he couldn't help the slight twinge of a smile that kept trying to break through. That was just how he felt about Martha's kisses. They could make anything better.

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