Chapter 42

Ok, so now he's been shot down he guesses he'll stick around and listen to her. 'Way to go Romeo,' he mutters silently in his head. He should never have listened to Lois when she put this idea in his head. He observes Andrea sitting up straight, striking an authoritative pose.

"Three weeks," she begins. "That's how long it has been just in case you hadn't caught up. Do you remember the last question I asked before you left for Egypt?"

Clark's mind reaches back. "You wanted to know why I hadn't told you the truth over why Mia travelled back in time," he recalls.

"Still want that answer," she informs him seriously.

"She's your daughter."

Andrea's brow furrows slightly. "Which means?" she seeks clarification.

"I didn't want you to have any negative image of her. Her…rage, her grief, it is part of her but I don't believe it is the main part of her. I've seen the part of her that wants to help people, do good. There is a kind, selfless person under all that pain and that is the version of her I wished you to see."

"Ok. I see," is the bland reply.

Clark is not liking that tone. He's suddenly fearing for his dental health.

"I think you know some of what happened when the VRA arrested me and I had to stop Mia killing that little psycho one-eyed bitch."

Clark nods. He knows part of the story from Oliver and Tess.

"I reached her by using my experience with Snake. That killing would not bring her any peace. Quite the opposite. It leaves you carrying this terrible burden of regret and shame."

"You've never said that before," Clark comments, as he gains a new insight on the woman he cares for. In the past, with him, she has always defended her choice. He hadn't know how it had been eating away inside of her.

"Didn't want to give you the satisfaction of being right."

"I thought I had earned a little more trust by now."

"You're not exactly on the moral high ground here, Clark. The point I was getting to is that turns out you never told Mia the truth about that either, did you," she accuses him.

"Well….no," he concedes. He did not. "But I didn't know how to do it. That was literally the day…or day after she first appeared and there she is asking me about…uh…um…" he stammers to a stop.

Andrea looks at him carefully. "Asking you about what?"

Clark rubs the back of his neck. "Well…you see…um…"

"What, Clark?" she asks more sternly.

"Basically, um, how she was conceived."

Andrea's eyes widen and her cheeks flush. She is a very reserved person and that is a personal story she would prefer to keep private.

"So I told her the whole story of how we met but I found I couldn't say the entire truth so I avoided the part with Snake. I didn't want to ruin any image she had of her mother," he gives the best defence he can.

Andrea takes a moment to chew over his words. "I get it. I do," she says in some understanding. "But here's the problem. You just spent an age complaining about Chloe making decision behind your back and yet here you are making decisions behind mine and Mia's."

Clark stares at her as her point hits home. "Wow. I'm a hypocritical ass."

"You said it. Not me," she replies with a hint of amusement at his lambasting of himself.

Clark rubs his face. "You're right," he admits. "I was complaining. Just not to you. But to my mom back at Thanksgiving about this very thing. About people making decision about me but not involving me and I have done the same thing. Though I hope you understand it was a tough spot I was in when Mia was asking. I mean was it really my story to tell?" he asks.

Andrea frowns. "I guess not," she concedes that last point. It was her story to tell. "However, you are not off the hook about Mia," she warns him. She thinks that is different because it directly involved her. It was, after all, all about her life…well death.

"I can't say anything more than I have. I just didn't know how to tell you. Maybe I thought I would never have to tell you because I could prevent it happening." Maybe he doesn't want to mention how much it pained him the thought of her death or just how much future him failed so miserably in doing his job. He's pondered that quite a bit actually. What was his future self doing when Andrea was being murdered? How could he just let it happen?

"Mamá was right. You are too overprotective. I'm not that fragile, Clark," she mildly chastises him.

"I know you're not…wait. What do you mean 'Mamá was right'?" he asks, looking understandably confused.

Andrea looks flustered at her slip. She's not mentioned her near-death experience with anyone.

"Andi?" Clark presses gently.

"You'll think I'm crazy," she mutters.

"Never," he assures her.

Taking several moments whether she truly wants to share this she eventually relents against her own hesitations and tells the story of 'dying' and seeing her mother. She finishes with, "Loca, eh?"

"No," Clark says sincerely. "I saw my father once," he relays his own near-death experience.

Andrea just blinks several times. "You can't just let me have one can you?" she grumbles.

Clark laughs softly.

"You died?" she asks the pertinent question, shocked at how much the idea pains her. "How is that even possible?"

"I'm only virtually invulnerable. Not indestructible. It was a kryptonite solution injected into my heart. It…wasn't my finest hour," he tries to quip, playing down how close he came to dying.

"Ya think?"

"Wasn't even the first nor last time I've technically been dead."

"How many times have you died?" she asks in a tone indicating she can't believe that that is even a question.

"Not sure."

"You don't find that the last bit disturbing?"

"Possibly if I let myself dwell on it. I try not to. One of the things I have tried to lay down this last year is the guilt over my father not to mention the other chains that have been holding me back from being who I wish to be. It's only when I rid myself of self-doubt that I'll find the strength to defeat the Darkness."

"That's not a bad inspirational speech. You should be leader of that team of yours."

"Uh huh. So, can we talk about you dying now?" he asks in all seriousness. "Is this related to how you got your powers back?"

"They tried to use some sort of truth serum derived of the meteors to make me talk."

"I may have seen that before," he mentions, thinking it may be the stuff that was used on Kara when she got caught by the government.

"I resisted. It was hard. I wanted nothing more than to spill my guts. Eventually my silver-haired tormentor got bored. I think it was about the time Queen showed up. Anyway she just shoved this needle into my heart full of the serum. Next thing I know I'm talking to my mother in…I guess heaven. Then I'm sent back and when I wake up my powers are back."

"Permanently?"

Andrea shrugs. "Not sure. Emil did some tests. His best guess is that the serum sort of recharged my heart with kryptonite particles."

Clark feels an irresistible urge to give the woman a hug. So he does and she doesn't resist. In fact she seems to sink into his embrace.

"So did Chloe come back with you?" Andrea wonders since he never said.

"Yes. Oliver insisted. He loves her."

"Must be awkward for you considering," she thinks.

"I won't begrudge anyone happiness. If he can live with her choices then that's his…choice."

"With such a varied vocabulary I can see how you're a writer," she teases.

"You know just because you're the mother of my child doesn't mean I have to sit here and be mocked," he retorts.

"Would you rather be standing?"

Clark looks down at the way Andrea is snuggled into him and goes with, "No."

"Hmm, you're still comfy," she drawls.

Clark rested his head atop of hers. "Thanks," he drawls in return. "Andi."

"Yes?"

"I meant what I said. I have come to care a lot about you. Perhaps I did earlier then I realised but there were many mixed emotions I was dealing with with Lois. However, I can definitely say I am over Lois. I hope we can remain friends but romantic feelings…they've passed. So, I guess this is a long winded way of asking if you'll be my girlfriend?"

Andrea closes her eyes. Obviously, she feels something for him. She wouldn't have asked him for dinner 3 weeks ago otherwise but she's also had 3 weeks without him. Three weeks of speaking with her daughter. Three weeks to ruminate over his decisions which have affected her. She can't just think of her needs. She has to think of Mia's too. She pulls herself away from him and gets to her feet to get some much needed physical distance to help her think straight. "I won't lie and say I feel nothing, Clark but I'm similar to you. I don't like people making decisions that affect me behind my back and you did that. Can you promise me you won't do it again?"

"I can promise to try."

"I need time," she requests.

"Yeah. Ok. Sure," Clark babbles slightly as he tries to hide his disappointment. He gets to his feet. "Well, I should be, um, going," he says awkwardly.

"Yeah," Andrea says, her voice bland from not sure what to feel rather than trying to hide her emotions. Part of her is thinking she just might have made a mistake.

Clark walks to the door and pauses just as his hand reaches for the knob. "Uh, still ok to come see Mia this weekend?" he inquires.

"Of course. I would never hear the end of it if she couldn't see her Papá."

Clark nods as he pulls the door open and makes his departure.

Author's Note: A little short I know. It just worked out that way. While Clark's sins may not be on Chloe's level he has been making decisions about people, specifically Andrea and Mia, without consulting them. Thought he should be called out on it. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews.