Confrontation [Facebook verse]

[have_no_mercy]

Tess has barely been back in Kansas when her attention gets pulled in a hundred directions at once. It isn't a while until she realizes she's forgotten one very important thing: Lena's lost barette, probably somewhere at the Kent Farm.

After a call to Clark to make certain the coast is clear, she drives over intent on making a quick search of the property and then heading back to the mansion. Naturally, it would be rude not to say hello so her first stop on arrival is the farmhouse itself, letting herself in the kitchen door.

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

"Whatever." She looks back at the counter. "If they're gone I should go, too."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

"No, Tess, wait." He reaches over and puts a hand on top of one of hers. "Are you okay?"

[have_no_mercy]

"I'm tired and now I'm sore to go along with it." She hesitates for a moment and then pulls her hand away. "I have work to do."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

"The work can wait," he says quietly. "Go take a nap."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess picks up her coat, dropped long ago now. "No, it can't. I shouldn't have taken so much time off."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

"You have to take care of yourself, first." He picks up the cookbook from the floor and puts it back in its place. "And you look terrible."

[have_no_mercy]

"I don't really care how I look, Clark," she replies quietly, slowly pulling on her coat. "There's too much to be done."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

"You look sick, Tess." He walks around the counter to stand next to her. "I'm worried about you."

[have_no_mercy]

She sighs, crossing her arms. "I was at the doctor just before I went to New York. I'm fine."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

He turns his head sharply to look at her, concerned. "Did you hurt yourself?"

[have_no_mercy]

"No." It's a little more irritated than usual, but at this point it might be hard to tell. "Some of us do need to have check ups now and then, you know."

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

"You're right. I'm sorry." Sometimes he forgets about little details like that.

"Just... take care of yourself."

[have_no_mercy]

"I always do," she tells him and then heads for the door. Once outside, however, she sits on the porch steps, hard.

[smallvillekent.livejournal.com]

Clark stays in the kitchen, but he can see and hear that Tess hasn't left yet. He's not going to push her, so he just watches her from afar.

[have_no_mercy]

It's all hit her at once - the fight, the anger, the lack of sleep and not eating as well as she should have been. Tess sags against the handrail and just sits, resting her head on her knees.