Extinction Part 6

At the Smallville Medical Center…

"Hey, Pete," Clark said, standing in the doorway of Pete's hospital room. Pete was awake, flipping through the channels. His right arm was in a sling but showed no other signs of injury.

"Hey, man." Pete smiled as he turned the TV off.

"I heard you got shot. How ya doing?"

"Yeah." Pete chuckled as he motioned toward his sling. "Doc's say I was lucky. The shot went straight through; missed all the vital organs. Van knows how to shoot; I'll give him that."

Clark, unclear if Pete wanted his company, stayed in the doorway. To his relief, Pete began to talk again.

"Did Van do anything to you?"

"What do you mean?" Clark took this as a sign to enter and close the door.

"When I bumped into Van it looked like he was melting down meteor rocks. For bullets. I was going to call but…"

"No, it's fine. I know Van took your phone." Clark pulled up a chair to the bed. "He got me; Alicia saved me. Well, Alicia and my parents. And then she helped me get everyone out." Clark went into detail of Alicia's heroics for the evening.

"What's going to happen with Van?"

"They're bringing him here to get checked out and then they're sending him to Belle Reeve." Clark sighed. Van knew more about him than he was comfortable with. It was possible that no one would believe him after the bulletproof vest stunt. And the fact he was being put away in the looney bin.

But if Lionel talked with Van, that could cause more problems that Clark did not want to deal with.

"Well, I better go."

"Hey, Clark," Pete called. "Thanks for stopping by."

At the New York Planetarium…

"I was surprised to hear Lionel Luthor was at my door."

Dr. Virgil Swann rarely entertained guests. There were the science fanatics who tried to get in or repeatedly requested interviews and for him to read their papers, but the list of visitors Swann saw was a small one. Because of that, his hospitality area consisted of an old armchair and a small table covered with a tea set and a few refreshments. It must have been a paltry display for what Lionel was used to, but the man made no objection.

"I had business in the area. I thought I'd pay a visit to an old friend."

"We were never friends, Lionel."

The CEO looked over the teacup and feigned a look of hurt. "Well, we were united in a common goal. I'm curious if you've made any further progress."

"Why the sudden interest in old projects?"

"I never stopped believing we were pursuing something worthwhile. I merely investigated different avenues. And there is one avenue in particular where our interests meet."

"Oh?"

"The Kawatche caves." Dr. Swann continued to let Lionel talk. "They are a system of underground tunnels that contain paintings regarding a certain legend. Some of the paintings are of the symbols we came across before. Have you gotten any further in deciphering them?"

"No. The language, if that's what it is, is still a mystery to me."

"That's unfortunate, but perhaps a mutual acquaintance of ours can help with that."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Clark Kent."

"You've been reading my emails."

"You don't seem too upset."

"I find curiosity to be an admirable trait. But what is it you want from me?"

"I believe Clark knows more than he lets on. He trusts you. I'm afraid the friendship he has with my son has turned the boy against me. I would consider handing the conservation of those caves over to you if you'd be willing to talk with him. Perhaps you could persuade him of my intentions. It's such a small price to pay to get closer to the answers you've been searching for."

"You are correct, Lionel, I was interested in the symbols. My interest in Clark is strictly due to him being the one to rediscover them. He was unable to give me the information I desired. In all this, I know what I'm after, but what are you?"

Lionel Luthor looked away as he poured himself another cup of tea.

"You're dying."

Lionel made no attempt to dispute the claim. "Dr. Swann, I know what can save my life is connected to everything we searched for. I'm not begging for your help; I'm asking for an arrangement."

"Even if you find what you're looking for, you have no idea what would happen next."

"I'm willing to take that risk."

"Then perhaps we can make an arrangement, Lionel."

At the Kent farm…

Despite the events of the previous night, school had been held and Clark and Alicia had to attend, along with anyone who was well enough. Lana and Megan had been among the ones who missed the day. Later that evening there was a news special that summarized the events that occurred at the mansion. Clark and Alicia cuddled on the couch as they watched Perry White report instead of the local newscaster. Clark was impressed by his reporting; the guy had talent.

Perry showed footage of the fiberglass pool cover being broken, along with footage of the bomb exploding high in the air. From interviews, including Alicia who had been the last person inside, no one could account for how this occurred. Lana stated she never saw who pulled her and Megan from the pool. Perry concluded his story with a theory that there existed a mysterious meta person who committed these acts of heroism who preferred to remain in the shadows.

"Why don't you come forward and take the credit you deserve?" Alicia looked up at him. "I mean, Adam's safe from Lionel. So, I'm safe. What's the harm in letting the world know how amazing you are?"

"I don't want to give Lionel any reason to talk to Van." Clark sighed. "I'm not sure how Van found out about the meteor rocks, but…" Clark became distracted as a "Breaking News" headline came onto the screen.

"This just in. The shooter Van McNulty has been confirmed dead."

"Dead?" Clark leaned forward, frowning. The reporter on site went on to explain it appeared Van had poisoned himself after being arrested. He was dead upon arrival at the hospital.

"Well, that resolved itself, didn't it?" Alicia said happily.

"But why would…" Clark was silenced as Alicia kissed him.

"Hey, it's over." Alicia whispered in his ear. "It's all over now and my big, sexy nerd saved the day."

"I did have a little help from my sexy girlfriend."

"We made a great team." Alicia nuzzled into his shoulder.

"We did." Clark smiled and kissed her forehead.

Alicia giggled. "Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"Take me to the caves."

Clark opened his mouth, ready to protest. But what was he waiting for? Alicia had more than proved she could be trusted. Clark scooped Alicia up into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, smiling up at him.

"Hang on." Clark entered speed mode and carried her to the caves. As they reentered normal time, Alicia spun around in the cavern, grinning from ear to ear.

"These paintings tell the story of Naman. It's a Kawatche legend." Alicia remained quiet, waiting for Clark to continue. "Naman is prophesied to protect the entire world. His greatest enemy will be Sageeth; he'll start out as a brother to Naman and then they will fight each other." Clark had been reminded of this part when he was in Lionel's office. The elder Luthor had threatened turning from friend to foe within an instant.

"Naman has the power of ten men. And can shoot fire from his eyes." Clark pointed to the paintings that showed these acts. "The reason Naman can do these things is because he came here in a rain of fire."

Clark watched as Alicia's brow furrowed. Clark's palms began to sweat as he waited to see how Alicia would act now that she knew the entire truth. She was smart and it was only a matter of time before she connected the dots.

"Wait…are you serious?" Alicia's eyes were wide. "You're saying your powers come from the sun because YOU'RE FROM ANOTHER PLANET!" Alicia squealed.

"Yeah?"

Clark was unable to get another word out as Alicia flung herself on him. Clark caught her in midair to lessen her force so they didn't fall. Alicia wrapped her body around Clark and began to bathe Clark in kisses. Clark sighed in relief. Never in his wildest dreams did he think this would go well. Even when he told Pete, his friend had been angry at first. When Clark daydreamed about telling Lana, he could only imagine her recoiling from him in disgust. That Lana would blame him, correctly, for causing all the misery in the town resulted from the meteor shower.

But not Alicia. Her hands roamed over his body, squeezing his shoulders and arms as she looked on him with wonder.

"I have so many questions! What's outer space like? Are there others? Do you have a spaceship? Can I see it?"

Clark laughed at Alicia's curiosity. He only had one question.

"Does this change how you feel about me?" Clark asked as Alicia kissed his neck. He closed his eyes, resting in the knowledge that all of this didn't matter at all to her…

"Oh, Clark, of course it does!"

Clark's eyes snapped open. "Huh?"

"Clark, this changes everything!" Alicia gushed. She squeezed his shoulders even harder. "You're not just another more evolved person like I am, you're…you're a higher being. From the stars."

Alicia grabbed fistfuls of Clark's hair and kissed his lips passionately.

Evolved? Higher being? Clark struggled to get Alicia off of him. If he tried to pull her hands from off his head, she held on with her legs. If he tried to pull her legs away, she held on with her hands. Finally, Clark managed to break Alicia's grip and backed up several feet.

"Why do things have to change?"

Alicia looked around the cavern in amazement, too distracted to notice Clark's distress. She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the cavern pointing to the different paintings and asking about each one. Clark obliged on autopilot, his mind still reeling from Alicia's reaction.

"That one?" Alicia pointed to a painting that showed a feminine face, with long hair and a sideways crescent moon over her head. The body was a square with two diamonds inside each other; the smallest one was blue in color.

"That's the woman Naman's destined to be with. That symbol's actually on a bracelet. It belonged to Kyla, Professor Willowbrook's granddaughter," Clark rambled off.

"Kyla." Alicia frowned. "She's dead, isn't she?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well, where's the bracelet now?"

"Huh?"

"The one that has that symbol. Where is it? Can I have it? I think I should wear it, don't you?" Alicia stepped forward, reaching for Clark.

"Alicia, actually, um…" Clark backed up, "I'm tired. I think I just want to go to bed."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's been a rough couple of days."

"Want me to tuck you in?"

"No." Clark backed up further. "I'm good. I'll, I'll see you at school." In a second, Clark raced off.

What's wrong with me? Clark shook his head in confusion as he sped back home. Alicia cared for him. She was a great partner; she protected his secret. She saved his life more than once. Clark didn't have to worry about Alicia getting hurt; she could handle herself. She was smart, pretty, a great listener. Alicia had just taken the news that he was an alien better than Clark had ever dreamed possible.

Why had Alicia's reaction unsettled him so much?

At the Baker household…

Clark loves me. He loves me. He LOVES me.

Alicia was on Cloud Nine when she popped inside her living room. Her smile disappeared when she saw her mother emerge from the kitchen.

"Hi, honey." Mrs. Baker held up two steaming mugs. "I thought it would be a good idea for us to catch up. A lot's been going on. And you can tell me all about that new boyfriend of yours. He's cute, isn't he?"

Mrs. Baker settled on the couch as she talked. Alicia didn't join her; she was too focused on watching her mother hold the mug.

"You're not drinking it."

"It's too hot. Give it a moment."

Alicia didn't move. "What'd you put in it?"

"Just the mix. I can get marshmallows…"

"You poisoned it, didn't you?" Alicia backed away. "I bet you're disappointed I survived. You wanted me to get shot."

"Honey, no," Mrs. Baker held up her hands. "It's just too hot, I swear."

"Well, I don't care anymore that you hate me. Clark loves me. He really, really, truly loves me." Tears began to well up in the young girl's eyes.

"And that's good." Mrs. Baker got up from the couch, leaving the cocoa behind. "But maybe we should talk this through. We don't want what happened with Adam…"

Alicia grabbed one of the mugs and threw it at her mother's head. The woman ducked and the mug shattered on the wall, leaving behind a wet, brown stain.

"Don't you ever compare Clark to Adam again! I was wrong to ever think that jerk ever cared about me. Clark loves me. And we're gonna live happily ever after together. Now clean that up!"

Alicia poofed away to her bedroom where she flung herself onto her bed and cried. Resting by her pillows was the small stuffed teddy bear Clark gifted her while in the hospital. Alicia grabbed the toy and hugged it close, the fur absorbing her fallen tears. The bear was soft and comforting, but it was a poor substitute for the one she really wanted to hold and kiss.

Two chimes from her computer distracted her. Alicia walked over, wiping away her tears, and saw two more items she posted had sold. Alicia turned to survey her pile of luxury items: name brand purses, makeup, clothes, and jewelry. Everything had been purchased by the credit card Lionel Luthor supplied as payment for the other jobs he requested her to do.

The sight caused Alicia to grin. Lionel thought he was so smart as he manipulated people like pieces on a chess board. Meanwhile, he funded Alicia's scheme to protect Clark and he was ignorant of it. Alicia knew Lionel was keeping tabs on what she purchased, so she laid into his assumptions about what a young girl would want. Then, she listed the items for sale at a slight discount while gaining a hundred percent profit in cash she could spend however she wanted free from Lionel's gaze. She didn't even need to pay for shipping.

There were some things Alicia bought for herself to keep. One such item was a sheer, blue nightgown. Alicia changed into it and checked her appearance in the mirror. She frowned when she realized her eyes were red from crying. She splashed cold water on her face and took time to reapply her makeup, even adding darker shades of eyeshadow. She applied a thick layer of dark red lipstick. Alicia let her hair hang down her shoulders, brushing it until it shone. She spritzed herself with perfume and then willed herself to be in Clark's loft.

"Oh, Clark?" Alicia called out. She shivered slightly from the night air. When it was clear he wasn't there, she went to his bedroom. Clark wasn't there either, but he expressed being tired so he would be there soon. Alicia giggled as she positioned herself on his bed.

Footsteps that didn't belong to Clark approached the room. Quickly she put herself in his closet. Alicia peered through the crack in the door and watched Mrs. Kent enter to put away some of Clark's t-shirts into the dresser.

"Thanks, mom," Clark said coming in. Alicia frowned as she took notice Clark was wearing a white t-shirt and long flannel pajama bottoms. She preferred it when Clark slept with a bare chest.

"Clark, I want you to keep your door open tonight."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. Please, don't argue with me. Not tonight."

"Okay." Clark sighed as he got in bed.

Alicia tried to fight her disappointment at the open door. Clark had a cute habit of squealing when she surprised him. Cute, but with the door open his parents would be sure to hear and put an end to her fun. Alicia waited until she heard Clark's breathing slowed. There were no noises from the outside. Alicia teleported to Clark's bedside, and she watched him sleep.

Alicia sighed as she gazed upon her love; Clark was so beautiful. She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. She expected Clark to smile and sigh happily like he did the first time. Instead, he frowned and began to moan, moving away from her touch.

Clark really is tired. Alicia tsked as she realized her poor sexy nerd was no doubt exhausted from his heroic feats. And a hero needed his rest.

Alicia leaned down and kissed his cheek good night. Leaving her beloved to rest, she

teleported back to her bedroom. She wasn't sleepy yet, so she grabbed her teddy bear and went back to her computer. Alicia pulled out the top drawer from her desk, reached underneath, and pulled out her secret disc. Alicia hugged the bear close as she watched the scene over and over. The video was grainy; the images blurred. It had taken some time for Alicia to understand what she had just seen on her first viewing: the Luthor Corp security footage showed Clark Kent using unnatural speed to race outside the building to save Lex Luthor from Van.

Alicia had been in love with Clark Kent ever since.

And soon it would just be the two of them. Alicia and Clark. Clark and Alicia.

Together forever.