Sunset

   Chloe and Diana barely had enough time to pull Clark out of the greenhouse, wake him up, and get their story straight before the police showed up. They simply told Sheriff Ethan Miller the truth—or part of it, at least. They had, on a hunch, decided to visit Gina to see if she had anything to do with Ms. Desmond's freakout. Given that Chloe was the EIC of the Smallville Torch, that seemed reasonable. When they got there and found the poisonous plant, Gina attacked them. Clark passed out because he's "allergic" to the meteor rocks, but Diana showed up and helped stop Gina from killing Chloe. No one even tried to explain the octopus vine plant, which was now partially burnt up.

   Eventually, Ethan just sighed and let it go. He'd known the Kents all his life and had no reason to doubt Clark, and Gina certainly wasn't helping her case.

   "LET ME GO! I'LL STRANGLE YOU ALL!!" Gina screamed as the police shoved her into the back of a patrol car. Gina stretched out her arms and focused as hard as she could, but nothing happened. None of her plants moved.

   Ethan turned to the kids. "You three really should have come to the police first, not tried to confront her."

   "It was just a hunch," Chloe said. "If we'd known she'd go all psycho on us, we would've done things differently."

   "Alright, you kids get home now."

   The kids nodded and left. As soon as they were out of earshot, Chloe spun and stared Clark in the eyes. 

   "We need to talk. NOW."

   "What was that?!?" Chloe said as they entered the Torch office.

   "I guess you were right about the meteors; they really do affect people," Clark said.

   "Not that! I meant about you! And the whole fainting thing! And what was happening with your skin?"

   "...I don't know. I've only felt like that a few times before, and never that badly. Felt like I was... dying."

   Diana and Chloe both looked at each other worriedly.

   "...But you're okay now?" Diana asked.

   "Yeah. I feel fine."

   Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Clark, when did you feel like that before?"

   "Just a little bit, a few times when Pete, Greg and I went playing in the forest. There were a few spots that just made me feel... sick."

   A lightbulb went off in Chloe's head. "Clark! The meteor shower sprayed meteors all over Smallville! They cleaned up all the ones in the city and along the main roads, but the countryside still has meteors all over it. You must have stumbled across them in the woods."

   "But why would the meteors affect me?"

   Chloe thought it over. "Wait. When did your spaceship land here?"

   "October 26, 1997."

   "The day of the meteor shower?!"

   "Yeah."

   "Y'know, you might have mentioned that little coincidence before."

   Clark shrugged. "Sorry?"

   "Didn't you once say that your planet was destroyed?" Diana said.

   "That's what the recording I was given said."

   Diana turned to Chloe. "And didn't you say before that the meteors contain an element not found on Earth?"

   Clark caught on. "Wait... are you saying that you think the meteors are from my home planet? Krypton?"

   Chloe almost jumped. "That makes total sense! That's why their radiation affects you and only you!"

   "Their radiation?" Clark said quizzically.

   "Yeah; scientific scans found an unusual, unique low-level radiation emanating from the meteors, but it was deemed too insignificant to be harmful."

   "...Except to me."

   "Yeah... are you sure you're okay?"

   Clark glanced at his previously-bleeding knuckles. They were perfectly healed. "Yeah... I'm great. As soon as I got away from the meteors and back in the sunlight I felt better."

   "So... if they're from Krypton, are they... kryptonium?" Diana asked.

   "Actually," Clark corrected, "since they're meteorites it'd be called kryptonite."

   Diana and Chloe both rolled their eyes.

   "You're such a science nerd," Chloe teased.

   Clark stared out at the sunset from the loft of the Kent barn.

   "Do you want to be alone?" Diana asked as she walked up behind him.

   Clark turned and smiled. "Nah, you're fine."

   Diana sometimes forgot how dazzling Clark's smile sometimes was. She nearly blushed.

   "Are you okay?" Diana asked.

   Clark frowned. "Yeah. Just a little rattled I guess."

   "I can imagine."

   "It used to be that no matter where you were in Smallville, you were home. I always felt safe here."

   Diana smirked. "I wouldn't have thought that you'd worry about being safe."

   "I just mean that... that things used to be more... comforting. But now, with all that stuff with Gina, I just... I can barely believe it."

   "Why do you think her powers didn't work when she was arrested?"

   "I don't know. Maybe she hadn't eaten any of those plants recently enough. Maybe she could only control the ones in the greenhouse. Maybe Chloe hit her harder than she thought."

   Diana laughed. "I have to admit, I totally did not see that coming from her."

   "Heh. Chloe can surprise you."

   Diana paused. "...She's really special to you, isn't she?"

   "...Yeah, she is."

   Clark suddenly realized what Diana meant.

   "No. Wait! No, not like that!"

   Diana raised a teasing eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

   "I..." Clark sighed. "I don't think I want to be dating anyone. Not for a while."

   Diana saw Clark's sudden sadness. His optimistic attitude didn't let it show much, but he was still hurting from losing Lois.

   Diana hugged his arm and gave him a "cheer up" smile. Clark appreciated the sentiment.

   "So... you tried out for cheerleading?"

   Diana winced. "Let's just not talk about that, okay?"

   Clark almost chuckled. "Okay. What do you wanna talk about?"

   "I dunno. Hey, there's a sunset."

   "Hey, there is. Sunsets are cool."

   "Yup."

   "...Hey, Clark, where do you think Bruce is right now?"