Heat – Twelfth Chapter
Kent Farm, Afternoon
Rory followed Clark into the house, not knowing that their expressions were identical: concerned.

"Hey guys," Martha said. "How was school?"

Clark turned and looked at her, getting her unspoken permission to be spokesperson. "It was different," he said dryly turning back to their parents.

Jonathan poured two glasses of lemonade as he asked, "Do we like different?"

"There was a fire during biology class," Clark told them. Martha looked up, concerned as Clark went on, "It's okay, only one person got hurt. We stopped it before it spread."

"Well, it sounds like we should be proud of you! Who got hurt?" Martha asked.

Leaving her question unanswered for the time being, Clark said, "I think I started it."

"Wait, you wanna explain that? Please?" Jonathan asked sternly.

"I started to feel hot," Clark explained, a little upset. "And my eyes started to burn. All of a sudden, the spot I was staring at burst into flames."

"Just by looking at it?" Martha asked, amazed.

"Hello? Hi, I'm Clark. I'm the kid that can lift up tractors and see through walls!" he said agitatedly. Rory put her hand on his arm to calm him down and he looked down at her.

"Well, the last time you got a new power Rory got one too," Martha said. "Did anything happen sweetheart? And you still haven't answered my question."

"Which one?" Rory finally spoke up.

"Who got hurt?"

Rory swallowed, trying to remain composed. "I did."

Jonathan, who had always been a little more protective of Rory than Clark because of her invulnerability - or lack of – said sharply, "Where? You didn't say anything did you?"

"No, because there was – is – no evidence that I got hurt," Rory said, upset.

"What?" It was Martha who asked.

Rory showed them her forearm. "I was standing beside Clark and bits of the projector screen started to fly off. One of them hit my forearm and it hurt like crazy. I told Clark to put the fire out, so he did, and while he was occupied I was looking at the burn and then little blue sparks came out of my fingers and the burn was gone!" she exclaimed, losing her cool.

Jonathan spoke up next. "I think we need to work out what triggers these new powers. In your case Rors I'm pretty sure it's just when you get hurt. But Clark-"

Martha caught on to what her husband was thinking and asked, "What were you doing when your eyes started acting up, Clark?"

"We had just met our new biology teacher," Clark recalled.

"And we were watching a film," interrupted Rory.

"An educational film?" asked their mother.

Clark blushed. "A sex educational film."

Martha and Jonathan stared at Clark, a look of comprehension crossing their faces. Clark however looked extremely embarrassed and he went to the table, grabbing a glass of lemonade. Rory was not really paying attention, instead wondering if she might be able to use her new power on others as well.

"This could get very complicated," Jonathan said to his wife.Martha said delicately to her only son, "Uhh... Clark, it's possible that whatever's happened has some sort of… hormonal connection."

"Yes," stated Jonathan quickly.

Clark drained the glass of lemonade and turned back to his family. "Great! So now I'm maturing into a firestarter?" he asked, frustrated.

"You just need practice. Like with your x-ray vision, remember?" Rory reminded him.

"How am I supposed to practice? And for that matter, how are you supposed to practice? You can hardly cut yourself just to experiment," Clark said without thinking. He watched as her face fell and she looked down, biting her lip. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know that it's hard, believe me." Rory didn't smile back at him and he continued, "Remember what I said, last time we got new powers?"

"Ummm… 'I can see through things. How do you control that?'" she replied.

"I never said that!" Clark exclaimed, outraged.

"Yes you did! We have photographic memories remember?" she retorted.

"Obviously selective ones," Clark muttered before saying, "Anyway, that wasn't what I meant. I said, we'll work it out. And we did. And we will again. I promise." Again, he thought.

"Thanks Clark," Rory smiled at him.

Martha leaned her head on Jonathan and he smiled down at her. It's times like these that I remember why we took them in; why we put ourselves through this, Jonathan thought happily.

Because we're family.


Kent Farm, after the wedding, after the fire at the talon
Clark drove the post into the ground, Jonathan standing just behind him. He looked up at the scarecrow, then at his father.

"Okay. Rule number one. Always practice away from the barn," Jonathan said to him. He clapped Clark on the shoulder and they turned, taking a few steps away from the scarecrow.

"Dad, I don't get it. I thought the whole point was to stop this from happening," Clark pointed out.

"Well, in order to find the off switch, first we need to find the on switch, okay? Okay..."

Jonathan turned Clark around until he was facing the scarecrow. Pointing at it, he said, "Now, I want you to remember exactly what you were thinking about the first time this happened."

Clark stared at the scarecrow, acutely aware of his dad standing behind him. His concentration broke when Jonathan clapped him on the shoulder and said encouragingly, "Come on."

Clark stared at the scarecrow... again, trying to concentrate. Then he realized what his problem was. "Um, Dad," he said uncomfortably, "This might be easier if I was..."

"Alone," interrupted Jonathan. "Yeah. Sorry."

"Thanks."

Jonathan turned and walked away, leaving Clark standing all alone. Clark concentrated on the scarecrow again, frustration rising as he still couldn't do it.

Suddenly, a photo was thrust under his nose – a photo of Lana. He turned to look at the person holding it as Rory said to him, "The first time this happened, we were in biology. You were staring at Desiree, remember? The second time, you were with Lana. Maybe, it's not just a hormonal thing. Maybe, you have to think about..."

"Sex?" he asked, uncomfortable.

She pulled the photo back and shrugged. "Clark, I know that this is really weird, talking to me about it, but stuff like this? I'm not sure how Mom and Dad would react." She hesitated, searching for the right thing to say. "They say that the only person who will be with you your whole life is you. But I'm gonna be there for you until the day I die."

Clark smiled at her. "I can't think of anything that compares to that so –" he hesitated, "I'll always be there for you too, Aurora Kent."

He only used her full name when he was really serious. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. "So," she said, looking up at him, "What do ya say, should we burn this scarecrow for its evil crimes against scarecrowkind?"

Clark laughed, then looked at the scarecrow. Rory let go of him and stepped away a few metres. He looked down at the photo she had pushed into his hand, then back up at the scarecrow.

His eyes started to feel hot again, and this time, he also felt the heat waves burst out. He could almost feel them hit the scarecrow as well.Rory clapped and cheered. He turned to look at her, a huge grin on his face, and whispered, "Thanks."


A/N Nice sweet moment between Rory and Clark at the end, but I'm not exactly sure about it so tell me if you think it sucks please.
You know what to do, all feedback welcome except flames!
Xx.maddy-sparx.xX