The Phoenix & The Swan

trophy ..

It was two in the morning and Clark sat in his living room listening to the sound of the ashes dance across the fireplace.  He thought about touching it but was too afraid.  Clark knew he could touch but what he was going to with it after that terrified him.  He was a monster.

The sleepy and perplexed 18-year-old boy put out the fire and went to his room.

••

At the same time timid Clark was watching the fire in his fireplace Addison was playing with the water from her crystal cup.  She was most definitely not afraid to touch or manipulate water.  Addi was proud of her power and wanted to show to the world.

Knowing that was impossible she swirled the water with her smooth caramel finger and dropped it into her mouth.

••

The next morning Clark woke up to a wet kiss from his Golden Retriever, Rudy.  "Stop that" Clark responded to the kiss and rolled over.

30 minutes later the boy was jumping into his jeans and getting caught in the neck of his shirt.  He grabbed his sweatshirt for the cold month of December and slipped on his black and white vans to match his plain black shirt.

Before he left the house he stopped by his sleeping mother's room. He places a simple kiss on her cheek and runs out the door.

••

At school, Addison was greeted by her many friends whom she did not like. 

Addison played many sports and was good at just about all of them except cheerleading.  She tried it her freshman year and failed terribly, but her favorite was swimming. 

Everything about every form of water fascinated her.  I know your next question is "Does she use her powers to make her go faster in competition?" No.  She didn't need to, Addison was naturally gifted with or without her powers.

After being greeted Addison made her way to homeroom to begin her day of learning.

..

During lunch, Clark pushed through the halls to get the cafeteria.  He had his hood over his head and his head low.  He doesn't do well with confrontation and begged his mother to homeschool him, but she refused, arguing that he needed a "social life."

Clark was very much a loner and owned up to it.  He had no friends.  His social life was in his head.  He often talked to himself and that was enough to keep him somewhat sane. 

In the cafeteria, Clark sat in the back at his usual table by himself, but that day was different.

..

"Can I sit here?" Addison asked the strange boy.  Addison really wanted to get away from all the people complimenting her from the soccer game last Friday and for some reason, no one ever talked to the boy. 

He peeked at her from his hoodie and replied a simple "sure" and went back to his thoughts.  Addison sat down and began to have a "conversation" with him.  It more of she talked and he occasionally nodded his head.

When their lunch period was over Addison realized she never got his name.  "I've been talking to you this whole time and never got your name." 

"Clark," He said and walked towards the hall.

..

Clark was nervous the whole time he talked to Addison and quickly left the cafeteria when the period was over.

On his way to the bathroom, Ian Nelson approached him and looked very angry.  "You."  He stopped Clark with his hand.  "Why are you talking to Addison Micheals?" 

Clark began to get nervous, he was not good at expressing his feeling, especially anger. "I- I- she came up to me."  Clark managed to get out.  "Don't talk to my girl freak!"  Ian spat.  Clark could feel the anger in him boil so he tried to walk away, but he heard Addison screaming at Ian.

"I am not your girl Ian! Stop harassing every boy that I talk to!"  Ian looked embarrassed as the hall wanderers stared at the situation.  "You want this?"  Ian said trying to grab Clark by his shirt.  Clark was over the edge at that point.  He grabbed Ian's hand and twisted it.  Ian screamed in pain and when he was released he punched Clark in his stomach.  Addison begged Ian to stop, but it was too late Clark had blacked out and began to lose control.

..

After Clark was punched Addison watched as flames began to form in his eyes and then his hands.  Addison was dumbstruck as the once-quiet boy was trying to attack her ex with rapid flames.  He began throwing balls of fire Ian's way.

The first thing that caught on fire was the American flag hung on the wall.

Addison debated on putting out the fire because she knew creating water was dangerous and the first time she tried she passed out. 

The fire alarm began to ring and the fire from the flag had spread all the way to the wood trophy case in the middle of the hall.  Addisons first thought was to grab Clark. 

She created a tiny amount of water that wouldn't to any harm to her body and splashed it in his face and the tiny flame in eyes disappeared.  Clark collapsed and Addison was able to put the thin boy over her shoulder.  She ran as fast as she could to the exit trying clearing the path with the most water she could create without passing out.

..

Clark woke up on a bus to a drowsy Addison on the side of him.

He began to panic because he couldn't remember leaving the lunchroom.  Clark held his chest and the room began to spin.  Suddenly Addison put her hand on his cheek.

"You're okay."

Clark started to breathe normally just from Addison's touch.  "Where are we?"  Clark asked in a timid voice.  "On the way to my house,"  Addison said inspecting the confused boy.  She looked deep into his eyes and then touched his hand.  She quickly repelled.  "Ouch! Your hands are hot." 

Before he could ask questions Addison alerted the driver that this was their stop.  Clark hesitantly followed behind her.  "Pull your hood up."  She said quietly as she took the jacket from her waist and put in on her body. 

After a silent 5 minute walked Clark arrived at a small cottage-like house on the outer edge of San Francisco.  Addison's house was small and cozy.  He loved the decor with a hint of modern, but mostly cabin-like.   The walls were smooth brownish, red and most of the furniture were a dark auburn.

..

Addison showed Clark to her bedroom so she could pack.  She knew people were going to be looking for him, so she planned for them to run away.  Addi had no idea where they were going to go, but she knew they had to leave. 

If people found out that he could control fire they would lock them him up like a lab rat and it wouldn't take them long to find her.

..

After a while of making scenarios in his head, Clark finally mustered the courage to ask, "What did I do?"  He said, barely breathing.  He was looking at his feet and when he looked up Addison was still packing as if she didn't hear a word he said.  At that point Clark wanted to craw in a hole, he knew he did something terrible, he couldn't even remember most the day.  He also knew it had something to with the fire burning through his body.  Clark could feel it.

"Addison.. please,"  Clark begged.  He needed to know, he needed to know if he hurt someone. 

..

Addison stopped for a minute.  She didn't want him to freak out when she needed him to be calm- for both of them.  She was trying her best to stay calm and the more he asked the more she wanted to cry.  Addison finally found someone like her and she couldn't even enjoy it.

"I'm trying."  She said softly.  "Just... let me pack, go to the kitchen and pack any food you can find."  Addison threw him another book bag.  When Clark left the room Addison took a minute to look at her trophies.  She won't miss them.  Addison examined her whole room.  Was there anything she would miss?  Maybe that's why she chose to run with Clark. 

She had nothing to lose.