Chapter 15 [Riverside Inn—A Few Minutes Later]
Lana stood at the room's window. Her eyes swept across Manhattan's skyline. Boutiques and Department Stores lay only a scant two blocks away. Bookstores' siren call wafted to her ears. Attractions dotted the horizon. Any if not all of these places would've occupied her…
…not on that day…
She glanced toward the cell phone a few feet to her left. Martha and Jonathan wanted to know more about Clark. Chloe's texts blew up that phone to be honest. Mr. Sullivan thanked her for the note and conversation. And Nell? Yeah, that conversation went really well….
How do I tell them about Clark? I don't even understand what's going on. And I'm living it! She waited for her upcoming conversation with him. She understood Swann's need for a private conversation (more like coaching or scolding) with Clark. Worries stung her heart. Issues infuriated her. I can't deal with Clark shutting me out any more! Between Jor-El and me, we have more perspectives. If his ghost dad can play nice, so can Mr. Kent! Besides, I've now bailed Clark out twice. Twice! That deserves consideration from Mr. and Mrs. Kent! It's not like I went to anyone with my suspicions about Clark. She made a face at the hotel coffee. Even at a great hotel, the coffee's lousy! Really? She tapped the polished cherry wood desk.
Patience, Lana Lang. Kal-El's is on his way. The one called Swann told him what he needed to hear. I told him to listen, Jor-El assured her.
Let's hope Clark does that. She walked over to her bed. There, her packed overnight bag awaited the return trip. Too bad we can't take a day up here. There's so much I want to see and do here in New York. She sucked in a heavy breath.
Responsibility. There are other times for such things. This city will still be here. You have the foundation to establish. There is the future to consider, Jor-El reminded her.
She shrugged. Right now, I'd just like the present not to blow up in our faces. She rubbed her stomach. "Really wish he'd get here. I'm kind of hungry."
On cue, a knock came from the door.
She turned. Can't believe he snuck up on me! I must really be out of it. She smoothed her blouse and slacks. Her heart skipped a beat in spite of her head's brewing lecture. Just be glad he's all right. We can ram the point through that super thick head of his afterwards! She padded across the thick carpet and toward the door. His thoughts and insecurities practically screamed at her through the door. Wonder if he can do this too? Am I really like that around him? She winced. Then, she opened the door.
Clark rubbed the back of his neck. Worry and Contrition wore on him. Questions bubbled up in his mind. "Lana, I…" He bowed his head. "Are you all right? Dr. Swann wouldn't tell me…."
She grabbed onto his waist. Smile spread across her face. Joy's tears welled up in her eyes. His concern soothed her jangled nerves. She pulled him into the room. Her foot kicked the door shut behind him. Her hungry lips pushed down onto his. Amor wanted her due. Now.
Clark returned the gestures. For a long moment, he kept up his part of the kiss. His hands caressed the sides of her face. His eyes lost themselves in hers. He felt her arms around him and…
…he felt her embrace?...
Panic widened his eyes. He pushed away from her. "Mmm…Lana? Lana, how are you doing this?"
"How am I doing what?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I think we've had moments like this in your parents' Loft." She rolled her eyes. "I spend the last three days worrying about you. I kind of nearly died. I had to beat Kal in a fight. Least you can do is give me a proper greeting. Kind of underwhelming. You know?"
"Dr. Swann showed me how the Ship came back and cornered you. Lana, I thought I had destroyed it. The next I know I'm still hearing the Voice and…." He stopped his explanation mid-sentence. Her frustration frothed in her eyes. Even he knew better at that point.
"Yes, you and I can hear Jor-El, Clark. You blew up half of Smallville. No, you didn't destroy that spaceship. No, you didn't silence him. Kind of hard to kill a ghost!" She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, he tried to kill me."
"Wait." Confusion elicited a head shake from him. "Tried?"
"Mmm…HMMM! Yeah, he tried to incinerate me. Kind of burned my clothes to a crisp. My love and belief in you, Clark Kent, saved me! I had to grab your comforter to…cover up." She bit her lip. "I proved myself to him. That's when he made me like you." She threw her hands up in the air. "SURPRISE! I'm just like you!" Snicker escaped her mouth. "I get it. You pulled away because you felt my hug. Right?"
"Wait. So, Jor-El made you into a Kryptonian? Lana, how…?" Clark tried to wrap his head around that particular notion. Of course, Fantasy and Desire had dreamed about her being like him. Reality, however, was a totally different beast altogether. He felt her strength.
"He cast this really intense light on me. I was burning up and being shocked all over again. He told me to go with it. When it stopped, I felt like there's this intense energy supercharging me. I've been practicing a little." She sped to the bathroom. There she poured water into a plastic cup. Then she sped it back to him. "I've got the super speed. I've also got the heat vision. Care to ask me to try out my x-ray vision? I don't have to wait for Gym class, Clark." Snark spread a grin capable of making Lex jealous across her face. Mischief twinkled in her eyes.
Crimson streaked his face. He rolled his eyes. "Lana, I couldn't really control it." He squirmed. Embarrassment forced a wince.
"I know. Kal apparently did it to Chloe and me at the Talon last Fall. Just don't be like him. Okay, Mr. Kent?" Her face changed akin to Sky prior to Storm's coming. Her eyebrow raised. Her eyes narrowed. She meant business and wanted him to know it.
"Uh…okay." A shudder passed through him. "Lana, I'm…"
She raised her hand. "Clark, you can apologize to the Moon and back. That didn't stop you from going after that class ring! What the Hell?" She slapped his arm. "What were you thinking? It's like you told me after the Nicodemus flower thing. I was Alpha Lana. I spoke my mind. I did what I wanted." She sucked in a sharp breath. "Newsflash, Clark! I may have felt free. I also hurt a lot of people! I caused a GREAT BIG MESS! Even when things get really bad, I would NEVER go back to that! NEVER! By the way, Chloe told me that you took a Saturday detention because of the swimming pool? Why didn't you tell me that? Clark, I wanted you to be honest with me!"
"And I didn't want to pile on top of everything else you were dealing with! I took that for you because I love you!" He ground his teeth. "I knew you were sorry! I didn't need to hear you say it to me! Okay? It's just like everything else! I'd take everything for you if I could!"
She bristled. His earnestness and honesty came through loud and clear to her. His caring and love weren't in question. Still, his need to take on everything and shut everyone out drove her crazy. "And you don't think I can do that for you? You don't think I can do some of that heavy lifting, Mr. Kent?" She poked him in the chest. "Well, here's another newsflash for you! Remember when I got you and your parents out of that mess with those college bullies? What do you think I've been doing for the last two days? Do you know how worried sick I've been? Do you understand how worried your Mom is? How about your Dad who's beating himself up? Do you realize I just dropped the Talon for the last two days? Chloe and her Dad have no idea where we are! I had to leave Miri in the dark! I survived Jor-El's attack, Clark, because I am strong, I am capable and I am damn well able to hold my own against anything that comes after you!" She folded her arms across her chest. "Who do you think beat Kal, took that ring from him and destroyed it before it infected her? Huh? Who?" She pointed at her own chest. "I did that, Clark! ME! I protected you! AGAIN!" She put her hands up. "And no, I am not keeping score or anything. I'd run short of how many times you've saved me." She exhaled a sharp breath. "Jor-El showed me those times too."
"Great! Now you're going to blame me for your parents!" Exasperation and Fear played their twin dirge in his mind. He paced about the room.
"I would…what?" She stared at him. "Clark, you've made some pretty big and frankly dumb leaps in the last three days. That tops them all!" She shook her head. She put her hand on her hip. "I really need to hear this one." Incredulity arched her right eyebrow higher. "Go on. Tell me. How did you drop the meteor right on their heads?"
His mouth went dry. Words struggled to form. "Lana, my planet…the meteors came from my world. I landed in the midst of that storm! If I didn't come…"
She rolled her eyes. A snort came from her. "So, you think that because you were in that spaceship. Your father happened to get you out of there in time so you're responsible? Clark, we were toddlers. Some disaster happened to your world. Dr. Swann showed me how it vanished from his space charts. The meteors flew into space. Some of them fell in Smallville! Believe me. I wish they didn't. I wish our birth parents were alive. I'd have liked that. But guess what, Clark? They aren't. They all died in that disaster! And even, let's say, you had landed someplace else, that meteor still would've crushed my parents. So no, Clark, you're not to blame. Not in the slightest for that."
"I'm…not?" He struggled with that point.
"No, Clark, you're not. If anything, we're both victims. Fortunately, the Kents adopted you. They're right next door and great friends even if Nell is still jealous and mad. We have that! Okay? By the way, Jor-El told me something else." She coughed. "When you compared Kyla to me, you were closer than you knew." She rubbed her chin. "We're both descended from Kryptonian ancestors."
He raised an eyebrow. Kyla came out with that to him. Her tribe's contact with Kryptonians happened centuries earlier. That comingling led to the Skinwalkers. "Lana, I didn't mean…"
"I know that, Clark. Thanks for the consideration." She took a deep breath. "I think that's why I can hear and speak to my parents. It's also why I have those flashes of insight around people." She winced. "It never really went away. I pulled a 'Kent' and kept it to myself. Our feelings must've made a bond between us. Sometimes I could pick up on your feelings. Of course, I never said anything. I also respected your privacy. I didn't want your folks or you to freak out. It's also because *again* I love you as well."
He looked at her again. Her admission reversed the roles. Usually, he used his abilities and kept it from her. Now, she had done it around him. "Lana, I…"
"Not so great is it when it's the other way around?" She took a draught from her lukewarm coffee. "This is why we communicate. This is why when people who love us want to help, we let them in. This is why when people love us and want to stand by us, we trust them." She shook her head. "I think it's great that your parents love you and want to protect you. It's kind of hard to keep friends if they're driving everyone away." She took another deep breath. "This isn't just your secret or my secret now. This is our secret."
"Our secret…" He rubbed the back of his head. Questions, Potential Parental Backlash and Mount Jonathan's next seismic eruption sent his mind spinning. Mom and Dad are going to love this! How do we tell them that Lana is now like me?
Your Mom knows, Clark. It's okay. Lana coughed into her hand. "Sorry, Clark. I just wanted to demonstrate Kryptonian telepathy to you. Not looking to butt into your private thoughts. I'd be more concerned with your Dad."
"You're right about that." He nodded at her observation. "We're going to need Mom to help him deal with it. Maybe I can learn to do it some day?"
"Whenever you want, Clark." She took his hands in hers. "I'm going to need help with my abilities. Maybe we can work together? I want to be there with you, Clark."
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that, Lana." He grinned at her. "You're really like me now! I'm not the only one anymore!"
"You may have been the Last Son of Krypton, Clark. You were never alone." Lana touched foreheads with him. "Now our secrets are on the table. I promise no more secrets from you. Promise me that?"
"No more secrets." His lips stamped Agreement's concord on hers. "One day, we'll make another agreement."
"Are you trying to say something, Clark?" Impetuousness raised an eyebrow at him. Her smile reassured him. "Come on. I think we have a plane to catch." She hefted her overnight bag once more over her shoulder. She took his hand in the other one.
In such ways, Understandings were forged and paths defined….