The house was quiet when Clark entered, leaving no trace of what he had done minutes earlier. The cold Smallville wind stayed outside along with the town's chatter, now reduced to a distant echo.
His steps carried him down the hallway with the precision of someone who already had a clear destination. The information obtained at the Talon wasn't just a point on the map, but a direct path to Bruce Wayne and to the crystal.
In the bedroom, Diana awaited him, sitting at the edge of the bed, her body relaxed but her gaze alert. Clark stopped before her without haste. The air between them carried a silent weight, a mixture of urgency and calculation.
[Beginning – Diana PoV]
He was there, standing in front of me, and he didn't need to say a word for me to understand.
That look… I had seen it before. It was the same one he wore when he carried a weight he couldn't share. The same one that came before decisions he knew would change everything.
It wasn't hesitation. It was calculation. A secret trapped on his lips, ready to be spoken, but held back because he thought he could protect me by keeping it to himself.
Clark always believed protecting meant sparing. That keeping distance was the way to save.
But I am not someone who needs saving.
I am an Amazon. Forged to walk where war is inevitable. Fear is a word I do not recognize, and danger… is only another form of trial.
I saw the tension in his posture. The weight on his shoulders. The rigidity in his hands that couldn't find a place to rest. He was about to leave, and the look in his eyes told me he had already decided to go alone.
If he thought I would stay behind, he was mistaken.
[End – Diana PoV]
Clark took the final steps to the bed and leaned in slightly. His touch was soft but steady when his lips met Diana's in a brief kiss, charged more with complicity than urgency. As he pulled back, his gaze remained locked on hers before he sat beside her, adjusting himself at the edge of the mattress as if seeking the exact distance to speak without barriers.
The silence lasted for a few seconds, but there was clarity in his eyes. The calm of his posture contrasted with the seriousness of what he held inside. Then, with a firm, controlled tone that needed no effort to sound true, he spoke.
"I discovered a secret… and my plan was to handle it alone."
His shoulders eased, as if finally shedding part of the weight he carried. A half-smile appeared, lighter, almost mocking his own stubbornness.
"But I changed my mind."
The smile that formed on Diana's lips wasn't just satisfaction, but silent approval. She observed him for a moment, as if confirming to herself that he wasn't going to leave her out.
Clark then began to explain. His voice steady but unhurried, guiding through every detail of the discovery made at the Talon. He spoke about the trail he had followed, the exact point on the map, and the final destination: the Himalayas. No embellishment, just the raw truth, outlining what he knew and what remained unknown.
Diana kept her eyes on him through the entire account, absorbing every word. The pieces clicked together, forming a larger picture that revealed the mission's weight.
When he finished, she didn't hesitate. A confident smile lit her face, and her response came without the need to think.
"Then you already know I'll be with you in this."
Clark let out a short laugh, laced with recognition of how predictable that response was. His expression softened, and he tilted his head slightly, watching her with the familiarity of someone who already knew the outcome before asking.
"Thank you, Diana."
She rose from the bed in a firm, decisive motion. The sheet slid down the side, revealing her upright posture and the energy already vibrating in her gestures. She crossed to the far corner of the room, where the wall seemed harmless, and pulled open a hidden panel with precise touch.
From it, she withdrew a polished shield, its metallic reflection catching the soft glow of the lamp. Beside it, resting in a discreet stand, was the sword — clean blade, ready, perfectly balanced for combat.
Diana placed them carefully on the bed, with the intimacy of someone who knew every detail. Then she crossed to a high shelf, shifting a stack of books aside to retrieve the Lasso of Truth, coiled in perfect spirals, its golden shine pulsing faintly under the light.
Her smile remained, intense and satisfied. It was the happiness of someone who didn't just accept the call, but embraced it as part of herself.
Clark watched her with a trace of amusement in his eyes, one brow arched as if entertained by how ready and resolute she was. The air between them carried silent complicity, reinforced by the mutual certainty that the decision had been made before the conversation even began.
Without warning, Clark moved. His hands gripped Diana's waist firmly and, with a quick turn, lifted her from the ground. The motion was fluid, powerful, and before she could react, her body was already hitting the mattress.
THUMP
Diana pressed her hands to the sheets, eyes narrowing in surprise.
"Clark! Why did you do that?"
His smile stayed, tilted slightly, as if he had expected the question. One step brought his body closer to hers, and he climbed onto the bed with controlled weight, positioning himself above her without haste.
His hands found their place beside her face, holding himself steady while their gazes locked.
"Relax… we're not leaving today."
The words came low, but heavy with intent. Before she could respond, he leaned in, and their lips met in an intense kiss, long enough to warm the room's air and dissolve the last tension between them.
Diana's body, rigid from surprise at first, gradually gave way beneath his touch. The shared heat and the calm rhythm of the kiss shifted the moment's energy, trading the expectation of departure for a pause that belonged only to them.
______
Talon
Meanwhile, at the Talon, the door opened quietly. Jason entered, still wearing an expression marked by worry. His eyes searched for Lana with the urgency of someone needing to confirm everything was fine.
She greeted him with a brief smile, trying to brush away any trace of tension.
"Don't worry, it was just a mistake."
Jason frowned slightly, but before he could press further, she had already changed the subject.
"So… how was your first day at school?"
He took a deep breath and began to recount. His voice carried a mix of exhaustion and excitement, the typical energy of facing something new and wanting to share every detail.
Lana nodded from time to time, keeping her eyes on him but not truly focusing on the words. Her face held a gentle smile, enough to show interest, though her attention drifted elsewhere. Something silent lingered at the back of her mind, like a muffled noise she couldn't identify.
______
Alicia's House
[Beginning – Alicia PoV]
Today ended differently. Sitting on my bed, still wearing the jacket from earlier, I run my fingers along the edge of the notebook where I wrote down every detail Chloe explained. Working with her is more than I imagined. It's not just an opportunity, it's an open door.
She talks fast, thinks even faster, and I keep up. But what really electrifies me is knowing that by staying close to her, I'll inevitably be closer to Clark. It's inevitable. Every piece of information that passes through Chloe, sooner or later, ends up reaching him too.
It's strange how, until recently, I only watched from afar. Now, suddenly, I'm at the center of something that can take me to places I hadn't even planned. Or maybe I had always planned, but never admitted.
As I tidy my desk, I think about how subtle yet certain this approach is. Chloe trusts me — or is starting to. That's gold. And if I play this right, if I prove my value and loyalty, it won't just be Clark who notices me.
I close my eyes for a moment, imagining what it would be like to stand within their circle. Not as a visitor or spectator, but as a real part of it. Working with Chloe is the first step. And I don't take steps lightly.
[End – Alicia PoV]
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