Outside Luthor Mansion
The wind cut cold as Clark descended the mansion's steps. The sky was clear, the moon shining brightly over Smallville. The meeting with Lex had been satisfactory, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like everything was under control.
VRRRRR!
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out calmly, his mother's name glowing on the screen.
He answered before even opening the truck door.
"Hi, Mom."
Martha's voice came through softly, but there was something in her tone.
"Clark, honey. Do you have a minute?"
Clark leaned against the truck, feeling the chill of the metal against his back.
"I do. Did something happen?"
Martha took a deep breath on the other end of the line.
"A girl showed up at the house this morning looking for you."
Clark's eyes narrowed slightly.
'Alicia.'
"Her name's Alicia Baker."
The wind blew hard, rustling the tree branches. Clark adjusted his coat collar, his mind racing.
"Did she say what she wanted?"
Martha paused for a moment.
"She just said she wanted to see you. She seemed… polite. But something about her didn't sit right with me, Clark."
He stared at the empty road ahead, his expression calm.
'Of course it didn't sit right. You've got impeccable instincts, Mom.'
"Did she seem… normal?"
Martha hesitated.
"I can't explain it. She smiled the whole time, was polite, but… there was something in her eyes. Like she was analyzing every detail of the house, of us."
Clark tilted his head slightly.
'That confirms it. Alicia's in her marking phase. Picking targets. Setting the stage.'
"Did she do anything else?"
"No. But I didn't like the feeling I was left with after she left."
Clark opened the truck door, tossing Lex's manuscript onto the passenger seat.
"If she comes back, you don't need to answer. I'll handle it."
Martha let out a deep breath.
"I trust you, son."
Clark gave a faint smile.
"Thanks."
A brief silence settled in until he decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"How's my little brother doing?"
The softness returned to Martha's voice.
"Strong. He's already moving a lot."
Clark felt a gentle warmth in his chest.
"That means he's already giving me trouble before he's even born."
Martha's laugh was a relief amidst the tension.
The wind blew cold. Clark climbed into the truck, starting the engine.
"How are things at the farm?"
Martha took a moment to answer.
"Quiet. Ever since Jonathan hired help for the farm."
Clark chuckled softly.
"It took a while, but he finally gave in. I bet you're making him rest more now."
Martha let out a sigh tinged with lightness.
"He still resists, but he's better. Spends more time at home with me. With the baby."
Clark looked out at the road ahead.
"That's good. You need the company. And fewer worries."
Her voice softened.
"And you, son? How are things there?"
Clark rested his arm on the truck door, watching Smallville's lights in the distance.
"Better than ever."
Martha smiled through the phone.
"I'm glad to hear that."
The silence returned, comfortable.
Clark closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
Alicia needed to be dealt with.
But his mom didn't need to know that.
"If you need anything, call me."
"I know, honey."
The engine purred softly as he pressed the accelerator.
Clark opened his eyes.
The night was just beginning.
And he had something to settle.
---
Clark's House – Kyla's Room
The bathroom door closed softly, muffling the distant sounds of the house. Steam began to spread as hot water hit the tiles, creating a faint mist around Kyla.
She rested her hands on the sink, her eyes fixed on the fogged-up mirror.
'Destiny brought me here.'
Her fingers slid along the mirror's cold frame. Tiny droplets streaked down the surface, distorting her reflection.
'Grandfather always said I'd find Naman. That he'd be my mission, my path.'
Her chest rose and fell with a deep breath.
'But now that I'm here…'
Her mind drifted back to the cave. To the symbol-covered walls. To the ancient stories that had shaped her childhood.
'I should be focused on that. On what I need to do. On what I inherited.'
She closed her eyes for a moment.
'But when I look at him…'
Her skin prickled before the hot water even touched her.
'Clark Kent isn't just a warrior. He's not just a legend.'
Her fingers slowly undid the buttons of her shirt. The fabric slid off her shoulders, falling silently to the floor.
'He's a man.'
The thought made something twist inside her.
'He already has someone.'
The shirt lay forgotten as she turned to the shower, feeling the heat brush her skin.
'But she doesn't care.'
Water streamed through her hair, sliding over her skin like a warm cloak.
'Diana is beautiful. Strong. Confident. But the way she acts…'
Her hands rubbed her arms gently, trying to push the thoughts away.
'Like none of it matters. Like she knows no one can take him from her.'
Her eyes closed as the water massaged her shoulders.
'Or maybe she's just waiting to see what I'll do.'
Her breathing slowed.
'Does that mean I can try?'
Her chest tightened—not with guilt, but with anticipation.
'I never would've dared before. When Grandfather was here, I knew my place. My mission. My duty.'
The water traced the curve of her back, following every line of her body.
'But now I'm free.'
Her fingers ran along her neck, feeling the heat rise to her skin.
'Free to choose.'
The shower turned off, leaving silence to take over. Only the sound of dripping water echoed in the bathroom.
Kyla grabbed the towel, wrapping it around herself slowly, her gaze fixed on the floor.
'I can choose Clark.'
The towel pressed against her chest, her lips parting slightly.
'If I'm brave enough.'
The mirror now showed her clear reflection, undistorted.
She met her own eyes.
And for the first time, she didn't look away.
---
Alicia's House – Night
The lamp flickered faintly, casting uneven shadows across the room. A worn leather sofa, a dining table with old scratches, the smell of cold coffee in the air. The house was quiet, but it wasn't peace.
It was tension.
Alicia stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on her parents seated in front of her.
John Baker held a coffee mug but Didn't drink. He just swirled the liquid inside, as if waiting for something worse to happen.
Mrs. Baker clasped her hands in her lap, her eyes shimmering with anxiety.
Alicia's voice sliced through the silence like a blade.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
John averted his gaze.
Mrs. Baker licked her lips, trying to choose her words carefully.
"We just want to know where you've been."
Alicia smiled, but there was no humor in it. Just something cold.
"Now you care?"
John's eyes narrowed.
"Of course we care."
Alicia tilted her head.
"Since when? When I was a kid and you locked me in that room? Or when you decided I wasn't safe enough to go outside?"
Mrs. Baker closed her eyes for a moment.
"Honey… we did what we thought was right."
The mug in John's hands trembled slightly.
"You don't understand. You were… dangerous."
Alicia took a step forward.
"WAS I?"
The air around her seemed to shimmer for an instant.
John stiffened but didn't look directly at her.
Mrs. Baker stood up.
"Please, Alicia. We just want to talk."
Alicia clenched her fists.
"Talk?"
She seemed to flicker for a second.
Her parents held their breath.
She reappeared on the other side of the room, near the table.
"Why now?"
John stood slowly, his muscles tense.
"Because we're worried."
Alicia laughed.
"No. You're scared."
Mrs. Baker blinked, tears starting to form.
"You've been going out… with boys."
Alicia's smile widened.
"So what?"
John exchanged a look with his wife before facing his daughter again.
"They've disappeared."
The silence dropped like a stone.
Alicia tilted her head to the side, feigning innocence.
"So what?"
Mrs. Baker swallowed hard.
"Alicia… are you hurting these people?"
Her expression shifted.
Her eyes gleamed dangerously.
"I'm protecting what's mine."
John clenched his fists.
"That's not normal."
Alicia vanished.
She reappeared behind him.
"What's normal, Dad?"
John spun around quickly, cold sweat on the back of his neck.
Mrs. Baker brought her hands to her face, trembling.
"This isn't right, Alicia. You need to stop!"
Alicia narrowed her eyes.
"I had to stop when you locked me in that room. When you left me alone, not understanding what I was!"
The air seemed to grow heavy.
John took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
"You didn't give us a choice."
Her eyes flashed.
"You never tried to understand me."
Mrs. Baker sobbed.
"I tried! I tried, Alicia! But you were so unstable… I was scared you'd hurt yourself!"
Alicia vanished again.
This time, she appeared beside her mother.
Mrs. Baker froze.
Alicia's hand brushed her shoulder gently.
"Are you still scared, Mom?"
Her voice was low. Almost sweet.
Mrs. Baker trembled.
John gripped the table hard.
"If you still love us, stop this."
Alicia laughed.
"Love? You think you know what that is?"
She turned slowly, her eyes cold.
"You don't love me. You never did. You just kept me locked up."
John closed his eyes for a second.
"That's not true."
Alicia stepped back.
"Then prove it."
Silence blanketed the room.
No one moved.
Mrs. Baker's breathing was uneven.
John kept his eyes on his daughter.
Alicia tilted her head again, as if waiting for something that would never come.
"What's wrong?"
Her smile faded.
"Can't say you love me?"
John opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Alicia laughed again, joyless.
"Exactly what I thought."
She vanished in the blink of an eye.
Mrs. Baker sank onto the sofa, her body shaking.
John sat down heavily, his hands trembling on his knees.
The room fell silent again.
But now, it was colder.
Emptier.
Alicia was gone.
But the feeling that something was about to happen lingered.
And deep down, they both knew.
She'd come back.
And next time…
It might not just be to talk.
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Also, check out my other fanfic:
DXD: The Awakening of Phenex
Reincarnation, power, and a burning legacy — don't miss it!