Velocity Part 7

At the Kent farm…

The Kents sat around the dinner table laughing at a story their guest was telling. Alicia was sharing how, during a science fair, the bee exhibit got loose and started to swarm around a display of cotton candy, explaining tooth decay.

"And Alicia got first place. Third year in a row," Clark bragged.

"Well, it's easy when your toughest competition is a potato clock."

"I don't even know what a cloud chamber is," Johnathan said. "When I was in school, it was solar systems and volcanoes."

"Your parents must be so proud," Martha said, starting to pick up the dinner plates.

"Oh, actually, it's just my mom. And she is. Why don't I get those?"

"Oh, no. You're our guest." Mr. Kent said, snatching the plates. "Why don't you and Clark go to the barn?"

"Are you sure?" Clark asked, bringing his plate to the sink.

"Absolutely." Mr. Kent wrapped his arms around his wife. "We got cleanup."

"Nice family." Alicia said on the outside porch.

Clark watched Alicia peer through the kitchen window. It offered a view of his parents standing side by side at the kitchen sink. If they turned their heads the right way, it was possible to see them smiling at each other. Alicia's face was somber. Clark remembered that her father was dead, and her mom was on the road a lot.

"Miss your mom?" Clark asked.

"Yeah."

"Hey, look, I would never tell my parents about your ability without your permission, but we got to at least tell them that you know about mine."

"Do we have to?" Alicia asked as they walked towards the barn.

"Some time. What are you scared of?"

"Well, what if they don't think I'm…worthy of you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"It's just…what if, what if I tell them and they call me a freak and tell me to never come back and, and…"

In the fading light, Alicia's face was clouded in shadow. Clark could still make out her outline and saw her shoulders had begun to tremble.

"Hey," Clark pulled her close. "Remember who they have for a son, okay? They'll never call anyone with powers a 'freak'. You're not a freak. Not to me, and definitely not to them. Okay?"

"Okay." Alicia hiccupped.

"Is that what happened with…" Clark didn't know how to finish that sentence.

"Basically. I kept my powers hidden from my parents for years. It wasn't until I understood a little bit better about what happened I shared it with my dad. I thought he'd be proud. Or amazed. But…" Alicia stopped talking. Her eyes welled up with tears and she clung to Clark for comfort.

Clark felt the familiar sensation of Alicia's gift. When he looked around, he saw she had taken them to the couch in his loft.

"Clark, promise you won't leave me? You won't leave me, will you?"

"Course not. In fact," Clark gently pulled away. Alicia whimpered but waited patiently when Clark held up a finger before zooming off. He appeared in front of Alicia within a second holding a box of Raisinets and a single, blooming red rose. Alicia gasped at her gifts, and she wiped away her tears.

"I want you to join me tomorrow for a date night. The Discovery Channel is going to have a special on solar flares. According to NASA, one is on its way. Woah, is everything all right?"

Alicia's first reaction to her presents was amazement. But now, the tears had returned.

"You're so wonderful." Alicia hugged the gifts close to her.

"It's just a flower." Clark said gently, sitting again beside her.

"No." Alicia kissed Clark's cheek. "It's more than that. Much, much more."

The two snuggled together on the couch, gazing out at the stars framed in the barns large window.

"Clark…if you know who the killer is…why haven't you thrown them into outer space or something?"

"I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. Do you want more people to die?" Alicia insisted.

"Of course not." Clark shuddered at the implications.

"I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But…I don't understand what's stopping you. I mean, who even is it?"

"It's…Van. Van McNulty. Promise you'll keep your distance."

"Listen, why don't the two of us, just go to his house and, when we leave, make sure Van won't harm another soul?"

"We can't do that."

"Why?" Alicia huffed. "If anything, let's at least tell Jordan and Megan and everyone else on Chloe's list."

"We need proof. If we go about telling everyone about Van, that gives him time to cover his tracks and it causes a panic, which could hurt more people. Once we find proof, Van can get arrested and face justice."

"Stupid rules again," Alicia growled. "Clark, when will you learn we're above them?"

"Not the law," Clark insisted. "It has to be done the right way. Please, promise me, you'll stay away from him."

"You're worried about me," Alicia gushed.

"Course I am. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Alicia kissed him. "I guess this way, you get to be the big hero. Reveal Van's alter ego in front of the entire town and everyone will know what a true hero you are."

"That would be different." Clark knew it mostly ended with him zooming off into the shadows without every getting credit for the lives he saved.

But for now, he would settle for Alicia's adoring gaze.

Later that night, in Clark's bedroom…

Clark slept deep that night. There were no dreams of Lana in pain or Alicia experimenting on him. It was nice. Clark felt peaceful. That feeling of peace led to a vision of Alicia, smiling at him, surrounded by the sun's morning rays.

"Good morning, gorgeous." Alicia's twirled the locks of hair by his ear.

Good morning.

"You awake?"

Yeah.

Alicia giggled. "Guess what? Alicia loves Clark."

Clark sighed contentedly.

"Does Clark love Alicia?"

Yeah.

"Clark hates Lana."

Clark groaned as images of Lana's broken body filled his mind. He didn't hate Lana. He never meant to hurt her. Or Lex. Or Pete. Clark twisted in bed, trying to shake those pictures from his mind. His body was stilled as a heavy weight descended on him.

"No, no, no. Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. Eyes on me."

Clark saw the vision of Alicia again, gazing down on him. It was as if she was inches away from his face. Clark felt her fingertips brush across his skin, the touch soothing. He just laid in bed, breathing.

"Clark, kiss me," Alicia commanded as her lips brushed against his.

If you insist.

In his dream, Clark reached out to pull Alicia closer to him. Clark had dreamt of kissing Lana plenty of times. But the dream had always ended right as their lips met. Clark had never been able to feel how soft and warm Lana's body was, like he felt from Alicia right now. He even could smell her lilac perfume.

Ring! Ring! Riiiiiiinnnggg!

Clark growled as the alarm clock tried to wake up him. In a fluid motion, Clark, still holding Alicia close to him, twisted around so he was now laying on top. With one hand he slammed his fist on the alarm clock, smashing it to pieces, their kiss unbroken.

Five more minutes. Just five more minutes.

Clark pulled away and began to leave a trail of kisses down her neck, pausing to suck on her collarbone. He could hear Alicia try to catch her breath, her hands pulling his head closer to her body.

Best dream ever, Clark thought as a familiar heat passed through Clark's body.

As the heat continued to build, Clark paused, breaking away from his apparitions embrace.

"Clark?"

The boy sat up in bed, fighting the intense pressure that was building behind his eyes.

I can control this. I can control this, Clark told himself. But it was a losing battle.

Not able to hold it back any longer, Clark pointed his eyesight towards the window. Once he opened his eyes, a blast of heat vision exited his eyes, causing the curtains to burst into flames. Clark thought he heard a scream of shock as he rushed forward to snuff out the flames with his hands.

Clark yelped in pain as he felt the heat bite his hand. Not wanting to waste time, he grabbed the closest blanket to put out the fire. Once the flames had been smothered, he looked down to see blistered flesh returning to a healthy pink.

Weird, Clark thought as he caught his breath.

In the silence that followed, Clark felt two arms wrap around his waist, a body pressing into his back. Clark jumped two feet in the air as he turned around in surprise.

To see Alicia before him.

Alicia before him in his bedroom.

Alicia before him in in his bedroom wearing a nightie.

And she had just witnessed him using his heat vision.

"You can't be here!" Clark protested as loud as he dared. But Alicia ignored his warnings. She advanced forward, sliding her hands up his bare chest. Clark became suddenly aware of how he was only wearing his boxers.

"Still holding out on me," Alicia purred.

"Alicia, my parents…" Clark was silenced as Alicia kissed him.

"What'd you do, fall out of…"

The bedroom door opened, the light from the hallway illuminating the dark bedroom. Alicia squealed at the sudden intrusion and tried to cover herself using Clark's body as a shield.

Clark could only imagine what his father was thinking as he took in the sight of his son holding a scantily clad Alicia in front of smoldering curtains.

Clark gulped.

"Morning, dad."