Metamorphosis Part 2

AN: Every time I watch Smallivlle now I wonder "What would Clara do?" It's actually quite distracting… not to mention now I have to figure out how to kill- I mean get rid of Helen while still incorporating her into the story.

Any ideas? Btw, still don't know if it'll be Clex yet, but I'm strongly leaning towards affirmative.

Clara POV

That night I went to go help my dad in the barn like usual. "Need a hand, dad?"

He grinned. "Best idea I've heard all night." I started towards my dad when I heard something suspicious. I went to investigate it. Probably some animal found its way in the barn. Suddenly a figure jumped out of the shadows and attacked me. I pushed him off. The commotion drew the attention of my dad.

"Clara?" I frowned. "There's somebody in the rafters." We both got our flashlights and tried to find whoever it was. I heard a noise behind me and turned just in time to see-somebody (Greg?) push my dad over the railing. He was heading for the blades below. Again, the world moved in slow motion as I leapt to save my dad.

After making sure the intruder, who I now think was Greg, was gone, we went inside. Dad was shaking his head in disbelief. "I just think this whole situation is a bit out there." My mom smirked. "This coming from the man who's been hiding a spaceship in his cellar for 12 years." I looked at my dad. "Do you ever wonder why all of this strange stuff happens in Smallville?"

"Luthor corp. With the toxins they pump out of their factory I'm surprised we all haven't been poisoned." I frowned. "Dad, that's stupid. Chloe showed me this collection of articles listing all the strange things that have happened since the meteor shower."

"What are you saying?"

"These meteor rocks, whatever they are, come from wherever I'm from. Whenever I get near them I get sick, so what's to say they don't affect normal people differently?"

"This isn't your fault, Clara." Mom sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder. I frowned. "I still feel responsible. If it weren't for me…"

"You can't change something you have no control over." I sighed. "How do I make the feeling go away?"

"You don't." My dad said. "That's what makes you human." I bid them goodnight and plopped back onto my bed. Was I even human? I'm not so sure I know anymore.

~Smallville~

Clara POV

I asked Chloe about Greg. "Why the sudden interest?" She smirked. "Coming out of the etymology closet?"

I shook my head. "It's probably nothing. Don't worry about it-"

"I hate it when you shut me out like that. You're not outgrowing me are you?" I turned. "Sorry, Chloe. I didn't even mean to. Besides the only way I could outgrow you is vertically."

She smiled. "So, what's with the interest in Greg?" I nodded. She might be the only one to actually believe me. "So it's like this…"

After I explained what happened Chloe led me to the Journalism lab. She started pulling up all of these articles. "Look. Bug men!" I scanned the articles, nodding. But... "How is this possible? It's not like we haven't all been bitten by bugs before."

She frowned. "It'd have to be a lot of bugs. Swarms." I thought back to what I remembered about Greg. "Greg kept those tanks of bugs in his rooms. Maybe there was an accident…"

Chloe frowned. "Well, if he has gone Kafka, let's hope he isn't at the mating stage yet…" I thought back to earlier this week. Greg had been hanging all over Whitney…crap. "Chloe. I think we need to pay Greg a visit."

She grinned. "I thought you'd never ask." We called Pete to meet us on the way over. When we got to Greg's house I immediately knew something was up. The entire house looked abandoned and creepy. Pete frowned. "This is messed up. Greg's mom was a total neat freak."

I nodded. "She even made us take off our shoes before coming into the house."

Chloe frowned. "Is that what broke the friendship?" Sometimes I forgot she hadn't lived in Smallville her whole life. I shook my head. "Nah. His parents got divorced and he just kinda stopped calling."

Pete grinned. "Which sucked cause he had this great tree fort in the backyard." I shrugged. "It was okay…"

Pete laughed. "Clara never liked it. Used to get dizzy walking on it." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Why?" Pete smirked. "Miss-Superwoman over here is afraid of heights."

I scowled at Pete. "I didn't think it was structurally sound." Although now that I think about it…there might have been some green rocks at the base of the tree… Chloe opened a window for us to climb through. Pete started taking pictures. We made our way to Greg's room. It was a total mess, covered in spider webs and ick.

"Dude! Look at this." I turned and followed Pete's voice. He was in Greg's bathroom. I nearly gagged. "Ugh. It must be skin." Chloe called from the bedroom. "Guys? You need to see this."

We looked at the totally creepy wall. There were photos of Whitney everywhere. There was even a video of Whitney playing on the screen. I shuddered. "Looks like Greg found his mate."

A thick clump of spider webs caught my eye. Chloe stepped behind me. "What do you see, Clara?" I frowned, reaching for the webs. "I don't know…" Pete swallowed nervously. "Be careful, Clara."

Chloe gripped my arm. "I don't like this." I pulled the web slightly. An ear piercing scream sounded out as the shriveled form of Mrs. Atkins fell out. Me and Chloe looked at Pete questioningly. He looked embarrassed, and with good reason too. He frowned. "Uh, sorry. Thought it was a zombie…yeah…we should probably call the cops. Yeah? Okay…I'm gonna go…" He turned and ran out of the room full speed. Chloe glanced at me. I shrugged. "I'm not staying here." She nodded and we both booked it out of the house.

Whitney POV

I found Luke at the stables. I frowned. Why he insisted on spending time with these smelly animals, I'd never understand. I smiled sweetly at him. "Your aunt said you'd be here."

He grinned at me. "How are you, babe?"

"Good. But I came to tell you I'm sorry for the other night. I saw Clara and you and I just freaked. I'll never act that way again." I put on my pout and allowed tears to well up in my eyes. We'd gone through this routine so many times I could write it down.

"What in the world were you thinking?" He frowned.

"I got scared, baby." I smiled. "I didn't want anything to come between us."

"Maybe we can start over." I grinned inwardly. I stepped forward for the kill, so to speak. I was interrupted. "It's too late, Luke. She's mine now."

I spun around. "Greg?" Luke stepped protectively in front of me. "Stay away from her." Luke tried to attack him. Greg grabbed Luke viciously and threw him across the barn like a piece of Styrofoam. I gasped. "Greg, what the heck is going on?"

He grinned. "It's time." I gulped, stepping backwards. "Time for what?"

He stepped towards me. I backed into the wall, feeling my heart pound in my throat. "Time for us."

Clara POV

I didn't make it to the barn in time. Luke was just becoming conscious, and was stumbling out of a stall. "Luke! Where's Whitney?" Not that I really cared, but I'd already saved her once. Why not go for two?

Luke coughed. "Greg got her. He's gone crazy. I've never seen somebody that strong before."

"Where did he go?" I said. I knew where he was going. My heart sank. "Okay. You know the Creekside Foundry?"

"The one that got hit with the meteor rocks?" He asked I nodded. "Follow the dirt track about a hundred yards back. There's a tree fort in the woods." Luke nodded, jumping up to get in his car. I super sped towards the foundry. I knew I had to face Greg. I just hope I'd be able to stop him before the green rocks got to me…I rushed up to the top of the tree fort.

I found Whitney asleep, covered in spider webs. "Stay away from her!" I turned to see Greg glaring at me. "I know what happened to you Greg."

He grinned. "Then you know I've been freed." I shook my head. "No! You're slave to your instincts."

"I have no rules! I do what I want…"He looked at Whitney. "I take what I want." Ok, serious ew. "You're not taking her!" he scoffed. "Try and stop me."

I grinned. I kicked him in the gut, sending him flying. "You're not the only one who's changed, Greg." I jumped down out of the fort, but Greg was already gone. I entered the warehouse cautiously. Immediately I felt the effects of the meteor rocks.

Greg came flying (bugs. Flying, get it?) at me from the rafters. He sent me skidding and jumped away. I climbed up to the rafters, feeling more queasy the higher I got. By the time Greg confronted me I was about ready to keel over. He hit me with a pipe and sent me flying.

You haven't changed at all, Clara. You still get sick around this place, just like when we were kids. Hey, Clara. Did you know the Buffalo ant can lift 30 times its own body weight?" He picked me up and threw me across the warehouse. "Clara? Clara where are you? Come on out! I just want to play. Clara? Come out!" I crawled painfully into a container to hide temporarily. Suddenly I felt better. I realized it was lined in lead, like the box that held Whitney's necklace.

I braced myself for one last stand. I leapt out and shoved Greg against a concrete slab. He fell on a lever as he fell. I lurched forward. "Look out!"

It was too late. The machine was released and fell directly on top of Greg. I leaned forward to check it out. Call it morid fascination…ew. Thousands of bugs were crawling out from under the accident sight…weird. "Whitney?"

Crap. I forgot about Luke. I darted away before he caught me at the site. I was sure he'd find Whitney easily and didn't need my help anymore. Better that he didn't know I was here. Speaking of Luke…

What was I supposed to do with the glowy green necklace? I definitely didn't want to give it back to Whitney. Keeping it was definitely a bad idea…or was it? If I had it I could make sure nobody else could use it against me, right? Besides, Luke wouldn't care about a necklace, right? But… it wasn't mine. Ugh. Stupid conscience.

I was torn from giving it back and keeping it for my own safety. Why did I always have to do the right thing? That night I delivered the necklace to Luke's house. I made sure he got it before going home. Hopefully, he'd think twice before giving it to Whitney and it'd collect dust in the bottom of his drawer… but since when was I ever that lucky?