Obsession Part 5

On Main Street…

Clark walked downtown with his arm around Alicia's shoulder. His grounding was officially over and decided to celebrate by spending time with his girlfriend. The small town bustled with activity Clark had only seen before Van started his vendetta.

"Megan. Jordan." Clark smiled, seeing his two other friends talking on the corner. He noticed Jordan flinched on hearing his name. "Everything all right?"

Jordan shrugged. "I just keep expecting to see people chasing me with pitchforks."

"It took me forever to convince him to get here," Megan explained. "Somehow with Van gone, all that hate has just disappeared. I think it really is over."

"Not in some places." Alicia titled her head in the direction of the Talon.

"Let's find out," Megan said bravely. "First round on me." She marched across the street, Jordan following behind her. Clark took a few steps but stopped when he noticed Alicia's absence. She stood frowning on the sidewalk with her arms crossed.

"Alicia?"

"Oh, we're never going there again."

"Come on," Clark said gently, holding out his hand. Alicia took it, but Clark's vision soon blurred with green mist, and he found himself standing in the loft.

"Seriously!" Clark shouted.

"Shhh," Alicia ran her fingers through his hair. "Everything is fine."

Clark stared at her in confusion. The Alicia he was familiar with stood before him; she smiled sweetly and gave him gentle caresses. Alicia leaned forward for a kiss. The kiss was gentle. Calm. Soothing.

"No, it's not!" Clark forced himself to back away. "You got to stop doing that."

"What?" Alicia seemed confused.

"You cannot just keep teleporting me away without asking first."

Alicia huffed. "Guess you'd prefer it if I had gills."

"Huh?"

"Well, what am I supposed to think when Megan says, 'let's go to the Talon' and you obey her? You know how much I hate that place."

"Do you think I'm cheating on you?"

"Clark, of course not," Alicia assured him. "I have the strongest faith in you. It's that tramp who can't control herself around you I got a problem with."

Tramp? Clark's mind churned as Alicia ran her hand up and down his chest. "I thought you two were friends."

"We don't need friends, Clark. We have each other. Why do you insist on hanging out with those who betrayed or hate you anyway?"

"If you're talking about Chloe, it turns out she backed out of the deal. She stopped spying on me and that's why she and her dad got fired. And, get this, Lana really was drugged that day in the Talon with truth serum."

"So? That just shows Lana really meant those things."

"But who gave it to her? And why? You were next to her right before it happened. Did you see anything?"

"What are you saying?" Alicia said angrily. "That I drugged Lana? Do I need to remind you that was what led to Van finding out about me. Almost killing me."

"No. I'm asking if you saw anything."

"I don't remember," Alicia huffed and turned around, signaling the conversation was over.

"I'm going to the Talon to hang out with our friends. You can join me if you want." Clark started to walk towards the stairs.

"And just how are you going to get there?"

The question made Clark stop. He turned to see Alicia sitting on the sofa and turn around to look at Alicia, sitting on the sofa.

"What? You don't think they'll ask how you got back so fast without me? And I won't cover for you this time. Not for this. So be smart and sit down." She patted the cushion beside her.

Clark was speechless; she was right. His only normal option was taking the truck, but his dad was already using it in the fields. Alicia smiled as Clark became convinced of what she said. Not knowing where else to go or what to do, Clark took the spot, but kept a small distance between them.

Alicia quickly filled the gap, draping herself over Clark's body. "What would you do without me? You were so close to making such a silly mistake, baby."

"Yeah," Clark found himself saying. He wrapped his arms around the girl. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as Clark held her.

"Clark, I want you to know I forgive you. For trying to make me go into that awful place."

Clark thought it over. Maybe he was wrong. They had been on an informal date. He shouldn't have tried ditching her after coming across Megan and Jordan. Clark had only meant to take a stand in uniting the normals and the metas of his hometown. The Talon had been a visual representative of whose side you were on. Now, with Van dead, Clark hoped that it would just go back to being a normal coffee shop.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insisted you do that. I only wanted to…" Clark was silenced with a kiss.

"It's all right. It's over now." Alicia snuggled back into Clark's embrace.

We have each other.

Clark looked at the beauty resting in his arms. Alicia seemed content being with him. With only him. Clark loved his time with Alicia, but he wondered why this wasn't enough.

At the Talon…

Lana took a moment to appreciate the customers filling over half of the coffee shop. A smaller wait staff took orders and brought out drinks. The strike was officially over as most of the workers realized the small town offered limited jobs. The Spring Formal was approaching and the students of Smallville High needed the cash to buy dresses, rent tuxes, and buy their tickets. There were a few workers who refused to show up; Lex supported Lana's decision to cut them from the payroll.

Lana had finally read Clark's article on the Talon with a clear mind. Most of the Talon's unrest started to occur when Lana had been hospitalized. Jenny and a few of the other baristas had been playing favorites and started accusing unruly customers of being freaks when they gave them trouble. By the time Lana returned, most of the customers were gone and no one had stepped forward to complain about being called a freak in fear of getting shot.

"Hi. One peppermint mocha, please." Lana recognized Megan's voice.

"You'll have to wait. What can I get you?" The barista, Jenny, started to take the order of someone who just walked in.

Lana frowned. Megan and Jordan were pushed to the side as the newcomers took the first place in line. Lana marched over to the counter.

"Jenny, why didn't you take Megan's order?"

"She wasn't here first."

"Yes, she was. What's the problem?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Cause I don't serve freaks."

"That's fine." Lana said, taking her place in front of the register. "Guess that means you quit. Peppermint mocha, right? Jordan what can I make for you?"

"You can't fire me!"

"I can if you refuse to do your job. Which is to serve everyone who comes through that door."

"What's wrong with this town!" Jenny shouted. "We're still in danger with all these freaks roaming free. And there's probably more we don't know about."

"They haven't done anything wrong."

"Yet." Jenny looked pointedly at Lana. She understood Jenny's fear. A part of her was afraid and worried there were others like Seth still in Smallville. Ones who would use their powers for their own selfish ambitions.

But then, there was that one meta who had saved Megan and her from the pool. Probably the same meta who took time to clean up Main Street. And whoever it was stayed in the shadows and never even asked for so much as a "thank you".

"Jenny, serve everyone or leave," Lana said calmly.

Jenny tore off her apron and stormed off. Another worker took over the register as Lana finished making Megan and Jordan's order. Her two friends thanked her and found a table. Lana was kept busy until they both finished their drinks.

"Thanks for before." Megan said, leaning on the counter. Jordan had left, explaining he needed to get back to studying for a test.

"No problem. How are things between you and Jake?"

"Over. He apologized; he even put getting back together on the table. But I said 'no'."

"How come?"

"Jake's been nice. Now. But, when he first found out about this," Megan pointed to her gills, "he was so angry."

"Megan, why did you never tell Jake?"

Lana thought of Clark and the secret he carried. The secret that may or may not be him being a meta. If that was it, Lana needed to understand why he wouldn't let her in.

"I was scared. I knew Jake cared about me. The question was, did he care about me enough to accept something I couldn't change."

"Would you have told him? Or what would he have needed to do for you to trust him?"

Megan looked down. "I don't know. I know I'm supposed to say 'yes' to telling him, but there's a part of me that thinks I would have hid it. That I could have hidden it for as long as I knew him. As for trusting him…I don't know. I guess he would have needed to earn it."

The two girls chatted for a bit longer. Then Megan had to leave, and Lana had to return to work. Lana was determined to finally have that conversation with Clark.

At the Kent farm…

Clark had finally managed to convince Alicia she had to go home. He slowly walked from the barn to the house where he found his parents sitting at the kitchen table, cluttered with paperwork.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes, Johnathan. You'll be following the doctor's orders, all of the doctor's orders, after your surgery and that means you need to rest."

"What's going on?" Clark asked.

"We're hiring extra help while your father recovers from his surgery."

Triple bypass.

Clark gulped. He had wanted to come clean and explain Alicia knew about his origins. He had delayed it, knowing they would be upset and with the way Alicia had been acting, he didn't know how she'd react if his grounding got extended.

"Something on your mind, son?"

"Maybe this should wait until after your surgery." Clark tried to retreat to the stairs.

Johnathan got up and blocked his son's path. "Clark, listen to me. I might have what the medical field considers a 'bad heart' but that doesn't mean I stop being your father. Got it?"

"Got it."

"So, what do you need to tell us?" Mr. Kent asked as he brought Clark to the table.

"Alicia knows. Everything." As expected, his parents exchanged a look. "I took her to the caves and…she took it well. She took it really, really well."

"What were you thinking?" Martha asked in her quiet voice.

"We're a lot alike. I can actually have a relationship with Alicia. I've had a relationship with her and my time with her has been the best part of my life. I don't want to be alone. I can't be alone." Clark kept his eyes on the table. "Am I grounded again?"

"No, Clark," Johnathan sighed. "You will have to live the rest of your life with these consequences. And for your sake, I hope you never have to regret them."

At the Loft…

Lana climbed the familiar steps to Clark's loft. Like normal, Clark was standing in front of the window, gazing at the stars. But things were different. She looked around and noticed the vases of flowers and framed pictures of Alicia and Clark. Lana coughed to make her presence known.

"Lana." Clark seemed surprised to see her.

"You redecorated."

"Yeah. Alicia added some stuff."

"Where is she?"

"Not sure. I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?"

Lana took in a deep breath. This was it. "I came to say I'm sorry. I reread the article you did about the Talon. This time when my blood wasn't boiling. It was good. And completely professional and unbiased and eye opening. So, I'm sorry for yelling at you about it."

Clark shrugged. "I know that place means a lot to you."

"Yeah. Maybe too much." Lana inhaled and continued. "Alicia asked me if I hated it here so much, why I didn't just leave Smallville. And I had a hard time thinking of a reason."

"Your friends…"

"Clark, we're going to be seniors next year. Chloe's definitely going to be on the first bus to Met U; I'm sure you'll have plans of your own. And, as much as I love the Talon, I can't let it hold me back."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm leaving."

"Oh." Clark seemed shocked by her statement. "Where?"

"Not sure yet. There's a summer program fair in Granville next weekend I'll be going to and learning about all the places I could go. I could go anywhere." Lana laughed as she took a seat on the couch. "But I can't leave without fixing a few things first. Clark, I'm sorry for what you heard me say in the hospital. I don't even remember telling you those things. I don't know what I said."

"You just said the truth." Clark took a seat next to her.

"But what did I say?"

"That I was dangerous," Clark mumbled, his eyes on the ground. "You had to stay away from me. I get it; I'm not angry. I don't blame you."

"Well, you are." She saw Clark's shoulders sag and quickly went on the explain what she meant. "What I mean is, you run towards the disaster instead of away from it. You put yourself between the danger and other people, and…"

And I know your secret, Clark. I know you have powers. I don't know what they are, but I know you use them for good. You use them to save people, like you saved me.

Lana pictured herself saying the words. And then what? Would Clark finally confide in her and disclose the secret he held so dear? Would he declare his undying love for her, promise to leave Alicia and they could live happily ever after?

Is that what I want?

If Clark was the town's mysterious hero, he would continue to save the day. Clark's life would revolve around putting away criminals, both normal and meta, and helping with natural disasters. He would keep disappearing to help others.

Lana would always be left behind.

"And?" Clark asked, waiting for her to finish.

"And I don't want to live like that," Lana confessed. "I just want to go to school and work and hang out and not have to worry about someone trying to kill me or override my brain. I just want to live…"

"Normal," Clark finished.

"Yeah. Does that make me a bad person?"

"No. Just honest." Clark gave a small smile.

"You know, after all that's happened, I want to thank whoever it was that saved me and Megan."

"How? I mean, you don't know who it is. Do you?"

Lana watched Clark's face carefully. He seemed concerned about what Lana knew. Or it could just be curiosity.

"I was hoping you could help me with that. I'd like to write a 'thank you' letter and have it published in the Torch. It'll also be a way for me to apologize for everything I said."

"Sure. No problem." Clark got up to grab a notebook and pen. "Did Chloe turn you down?"

"Actually, I didn't ask her. I want you to write it."

"Why?"

"You care. When I read your stuff I get the sense that you care about what you're writing. Not just because it's news, but because you actually care about it. It's just missing from Chloe's. Please don't tell her I said that."

"Your secret's safe with me."

Clark grinned and Lana knew the great rift between them was mended.

There. The missing loft scene from the show. I feel so much better.