[Fiction] Getting Away

[Tempest]

Conner Presley Stepped onto the roof of the squat, plain looking, 6 story building which housed the Toronto Rashoud facility. Training was done for the day. The teenager walked to the edge of the building looked briefly out at the twinkling lights of the city before rocketing into the sky.

The city fell away as Conner sped over Lake Ontario, making a sharp arc over the Toronto Islands towards Hamilton, before kicking in his full speed. By car, the trip from Toronto to Hamilton takes about 45 minutes, but over water at close to 2,000 kilometers per hour Conner arrived in less than 5 minutes. He shot under the Skyway Bridge and across the bay slowing once he was over the city so as not to cause a sonic boom.

Jackson Square was built as a single level mall and the roof was designed to be a “green space” with a food court area and plenty of open grassy areas that were look over by the surrounding office buildings and public library. Conner landed on the snow covered grass close to an open air Gazebo and moved to take a set in the wooden structure. Thankfully there were few people on the roof at this time of day.

As he sat and waited, he wondered just what was going to happen. Exchanging private messages and op-mail with Clark was one thing but having her come here, to his home turf was somewhat unsettling. Still, it was a chance to connect with a Nova close to his own age and he wasn’t going to let a little nervousness of the unknown deter him. He looked down at his watch. She should be here any minute.

[z-Clark]

Clark had never really thought it would come to this. She had been sure that she could balance it all without becoming frazzled. But she had been wrong: the lab, the baby, and Adam's increasing distance all combined to swamp her in duties, obiligations, and worries. So she was taking Alchemist up on his advice to her: get out for a day and take a mini-vacation before she burned herself out.

"Will you be ok?" Vali asked, his familiar, handsome face so concerned. "I could come with you-"

"Please stay here and watch Gray," Clark said softly, pulling her shirt on and smiling at her husband. "I will be fine. With my new talent, I will have no problems." She wouldn't say it, but she needed a break from Vali, not because she didn't love him or want to be with him, but because she had spent every day of almost a year with him. She just needed to get away and be someone besides Wife, Mother, Scientist. She just needed to be Clark.

Seeing that she had not alievated his concern, Clark crawled onto the bed and leaned carefully over Gray to give Vali a kiss. Next, the infant tucked into Vali's elbow got a kiss; she recieved a smile from her son, and his hand lightly brushed her face. "I will be back in a few hours," she promised as she stood up and grabbed her purse and coat.

Closing her eyes, Clark bowed her head, reaching outward with her impressive mind. The sensation of her teleport was a bit unsettling; her body folded into the earth's gravity, and for a moment, she was one with the planet. She understood how and why gravity worked for at brief moment, because she was gravity. But it never lasted and all too soon, she was blinking in bright sunlight on a roof. I seem to have hit my mark, she mused as she glanced around.

There were a few baselines wandering around; most of them were staring at her. Those that weren't staring at her like dim cattle were staring at a young man on a gazebo. Given his attractiveness and physical health, it was a logical conclusion to assume that he was Tempest. He was also unsurprised to see her appear.

Turning, Clark walked over, pulling her coat shut tighter. Even after a winter in Chicago, she still wasn't used to the cold. "Tempest, I assume," she stated when she was close enough to speak in a normal tone. "Or do you wish to be called Conner?"

[Tempest]

Conner stood immediately when she walked up to him. He appraised the redhead before him and smiled a smile that could warm even the coldest of hearts. He had always been a likeable guy but since his eruption that natural charm had been magnified. Just one more of the blessings the lightning had brought him.

Conner held out his hand for the girl. “Hi, just call me Conner. Do you want to get some coffee or something? There is a nice little café not far from here.”

[z-Clark]

Clark could tell that his personality had been enhanced by his quantum signature, but that didn't stop her smile from becoming warmer in response. Dealing with people had become so much easier for her in the past year, thanks to Vali, Adam, and Sam Gray's help. But she still caught people looking strangely at her, as if they had just realized she wasn't the normal child she appeared to be.

"Hello. I am Clark, as you have discerned by now," Clark said, taking his offered hand. "Coffee would be fine. I grew up in South America, near the Equator, and I am afraid that I do not respond well to the cold." You need to be interested in him, too. It is polite and normal. "Were you born in this area?"

[Tempest]

Conner led Clark away from the gazebo and across a stone tiled courtyard to the street level stairs. "South America eh? That sounds cool. I was born and raised here in Hamilton. I've never even travelled really. Well except for Darrien Lake in the states but that really doesn't count."

The two Novas forund street level to much busier that the rooftop walkways. Conner quickened his pace a bit as pedestrians stopped and stared at Conner. They made their way across King Street and into the a small strip of a park about half a block wide yet several blocks long. "This is Gore Park," Conner explained to Clark. It was redone in the 90's as part of a downtown regentrification program. That fountain is actually from the the victorian era. They fixed up the war memorial on the other side of the park as well." He stopped in front of the fountain to admire it for a moment before continuing on to the other side of the park.

Across the road from the park a block of old buildings stood, most had been refinished to house new and trendy shops and boutiques. In the middle sat a quaint little cafe, the name Infusions in cold colorful letters above the door. "Come on," he said. "It'll be warmer inside."

[z-Clark]

Teeth chattering, Clark merely nodded and followed him. She would enjoy the tour later, perhaps tonight while she nursed Gray. She had seen all of it, so she could examine it detail later.

It was warmer inside, and with one last shudder, Clark regains control of her body. She glanced around the room, noting it's atmosphere and approving of what she saw. Conner indicated the counter, and Clark approached, ordering hot chocolate. She did try to avoid caffiene, because of Gray. She waited until Conner had his order before selecting a seat. His body language had not protested when she had moved to this spot, so she surmised it was a good spot.

"You have been here all your life," Clark mused, bringing the conversation back to the previous subject. "Is it strange to have had so much of your life change, and yet you are still here? Or has too much changed for you?"

[Angelboy]

Oops

[Tempest]

Conner hugged is coffee mug with both hands for warmth as he followed Clark back to the lounge area of the café. She took a seat in a large, overstuffed chair close to a roaring fireplace.

“Huh, I always thought that fireplace was a fake,” he mused allowed as he settled himself into his own overstuffed chair. He let the warmth of the fireplace wash over him as he considered Clark’s question.

“There has been a lot of change for me. Eruption, all the attention I’m getting,” He pauses and a pained look crosses his face. “And, of course there is Grant’s death.”

Conner sighed and his struggle to control his emotions was obvious. “Sorry.” He said finally.

”You seem surprised that I’d want to stay at home. Why is that?”

[z-Clark]

"Perhaps I am casting my own experiences and expectations for a fellow nova onto you," Clark said calmly between sips of her drink. "Not fair of me, perhaps, but we view the world through our own experiences and viewpoints. If you are remaining with your parents, there is likely a very good reason for you to do so."

She glanced once around the room, her eyes looking for danger. It had become second nature for her; nearly a year spent on the run had made such things a part of her life. "I was raised by friends of the family until my eruption, at which point I joined my mother in her lab. So you can see that my perspectives would be distorted from your own."

She crossed her legs, making the gesture look elegant even in jeans. "I was just curious about your well-being more than anything else," Clark admitted, brushing her long side bangs away from her cheek. "Eruption is hard, and some of people don't adjust well. I hope you are one such who thrives in their new life. If you are not, I will help where I can."

[Tempest]

Wow, she's so....clinical He thought as he listened to her. Connor sipped his coffee while he tried to digest the young woman's words. He noticed her eyeing the shop. She seems so nervous too.

"Yeah I guess I can see why you'd ask then. I mean it's been a struggle to adjust, going back to school, the 'rents and everything else," He pauses, sips his coffee and thinks a moment before continuing on. He realized he'd need to consider his words carefully around Clark. "I guess the question is 'Why bother leaving?' I mean, where would be better then home with the family that loves you?"

[z-Clark]

"The question is not, if I may be contradict you, 'Why bother leaving,' but 'Should I leave?'" Clark said, tilting her head to one side. "There is a difference between realizing that you should stay where you are, and just not having the personal drive to leave or even assess what is better for you.

"Do you want to finish high school?" she flat-out asked him. It occurred to her that he might not like her questioning him, and she backed off, though with great relunctance.

"Please, let me know if I have stepped over a line," Clark said. "My tongue gets away with me at times. We can discuss something else, if you wish."

[Tempest]

"I'm sorry but I don't see how being a Nova automatically makes it better for me to leave home. At home I have to follow rules, yes, but I also have the love and support of my parents and friends. If I were to leave the next question becomes 'where do I go?' Where is better than here?"

Conner could feel the girl's intensity but was not threatened or offended by it. He leaned forward in his chair, silently giving his assent to continue. He felt this was leading somewhere, that Clark, for all her frankness, was leading up to something. "Do I really want to finish school? I don't know. Yes and no. I mean school isn't my thing, it never has been. That doesn't mean I don't get that I need to finish it."

[z-Clark]

"Where is better than here, indeed," Clark said softly, nodding a little. "I am not saying to leave your home; only, do not stay there because you 'must.'

"How are your parents adapting? This is as much a change for them as for you, particularly..." Clark noticeably paused, checked herself and restarted. "Given the circumstances of your eruption, they have had much to deal with as well. I believe I've heard you mention that they are 'supportive.' Do they give you the room to explore your new self?

"I think that this is what concerns me the most whenever an adolescent erupts," Clark added, shifting into a more comfortable spot. "Teenagers are already dealing with identity issues; eruption is like a second adolescence, in that you have just as many, if not more, changes to your identity and your sense of self. When the two combine..." She let her voice trail off as she smiled gently. "I just worry."

[Tempest]

"It's nice to know that someone out there worries about me," He smiles. "Yes the 'rents are supportive. At first they were afraid of my powers but can you blame them? I throw lighning basically. Heck if one of them erupted and could do what I do I'm not ashamed to admit I'd be a bit scared too."

"But they've adapted pretty fast. When Don, the guy who trains me, made his offer they consented. Blowing up the toaster really opened their eyes. Now that they know just how fast and easy I can fly they are loosening up about just where I can go. I mean Don and I did a NOE flying excercise that took up to the Vancouver Rashoud clinic. and I regularly fly to Toronto."

"Trust does go both ways though. I mean, they know about the forum site, although they aren't aware of some of the people I interact with there, and I told them I was meeting with you today."

Conner chuckled quietly. "They've had to get used to supporting me anyways. I mean, when your jock son comes out of the closet when he's fourteen you have to learn to adapt pretty quickly. You know what I mean?"

[z-Clark]

"Then your current situation sounds good," Clark said. "If you are happy, what more do you need?" She took a sip of her cocoa and check her OpNet device unobtrusively; Gray's health monitor was all green. Relaxing again, she turned back to Conner.

"I was going to ask you another question, but I do not wish to be rude," she stated firmly. She wasn't sure the best way to say this, so she plowed ahead blindly. "I do not wish to be nosy or pry, but I have another question for you. However, it is only fair to allow you to ask questions as well, so you may do so at any time." She tilted her head, fey and methodical at the same time, clearly waiting for a question or remark.

[Tempest]

Conner waived his hand and smiled. "Don't worry about it. We are getting to know each other. Just because I'm not asking questions doesn't mean I'm not learning about you."

"I am curious about your son though. Gray, right? But now you have me curious about your next question. Ask away."

[z-Clark]

Clark nodded. "Yes, my son." Her voice softened considerably, and her green eyes shine with pride. "I certainly am willing to talk about him, for hours and hours. He is wonderful.

"But to answer your question," Clark continued, "I will ask my next question. What are your long-term goals? Beyond where are you going. I should clarify - what kind of nova do you wish to become now?"

I wonder how much his answer will change in the next year, Clark mused as she waited for Conner's answer. And in the next two years, and so on. In a century, I wonder where and who he will be. She could say the same for any nova; she had changed much herself in a year's time.

[Tempest]

Conner stared into the depths of his mug for what seemed like an eternity, occasionally swirling the dregs of his coffee around the bottom as if searching for some hidden answer. The question posed was not an easy one to answer and in truth, Conner wasn’t sure what Clark was looking for. What kind of Nova? How many different kinds were there?

Finally he looked up at her, the inquisitive expression on her face, her head tilted ever so slightly. “I’m not exactly sure what you mean. It almost sounds like your asking me what kind of man I want to become, but you specifically said Nova. I get the impression that you usually mean what you say,” He said quietly. “Can you clarify what you meant by that? What is the difference between me as a man, and me as a Nova?”

[z-Clark]

Here is where I will damage whatever friendship we are developing forever, if that is to be the outcome of today. "As an adherant to Teras, the difference between a nova and a man is very pronounced for me," Clark said softly. "A man is limited in what he may do and accomplish. A nova is limited only by their own boundaries. I believe that given time and determination, a nova may do anything.

"There are novas that heal mortal injuries and diseases. There are novas that stop time, bend light and reverse gravity," Clark continued, keeping her voice soft and nonaggressive. "The 'impossible' becomes a whim and new limitations are set.

"Interestingly, at the time of our eruption, we are capable of becoming anything," Clark added, smiling a little. "Quickly, our previous life and experiences 'set our mold' and provide limitations. Teras and other self-enlightment philosophies attempt to overcome those limitations and allow us to find the paths we lost access to due to our very natures."

She paused, trying to see if she had lost him. Judging that he was still at least grasping her intent, she finished with, "I was, in effect, asking what you wished to be when you are a 'grown-up' nova."

[Tempest]

The Teragen! Oh my god, she’s in the Teragen! Ok, chill dude. That doesn’t mean anything. Relax. Conner struggled first to keep calm as Clark spoke, then to grasp everything she was saying.

He sat quietly as she explained her point. See she’s not a stark raving mad, baby devouring, monster. When she finished he remained silent for a brief moment as he weighed his words carefully. He still wasn’t sure what type of answer she was looking for be he knew what his answer was.

“I’m not sure how I feel about the Teragen, but I sort of get what you are talking about regarding powers and stuff,” He started slowly giving her a shy smile. “When I erupted I could basically shoot lightning bolts and fly. Thanks to Don’s patience and training I’m capable of so much more now. More than once he’s shown me that what I thought was a limit was just a stumbling block.”

He paused to collect his thoughts again. “That said I don’t think I can separate what is and isn’t Nova within myself. Each aspect of me is as equally important as the rest and to deny or repress one aspect over the rest only hurts and damages me in the long run,” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I know what oppression feels like. I’ve lived with it all my life. At 14 I came out of the closet to everyone I knew, my friends, family, teachers, everyone. I put myself directly in the path of hate and intolerance and found out who my friends really were and who they weren’t. I could have given in to the hate but I rose above it. I made something positive out of it. But that meant accepting everything about me.”

Conner stops himself before he goes into full rant mode and watches Clark to see what her reaction is so far. “What I’m trying to say is that for me, being a man is more than just about genetics, whether I’m Baseline or Nova. It’s about my values and how I uphold them. So answering your question is difficult. None of my Nova abilities have anything to do with what interests me. I’d love it if I could make a living as a musician, and I think I will always be involved in the gay rights movement. I’ve already contacted the Toronto chapter of the QNA in fact. I don’t know what else to tell you?” He shrugs slightly. "Does that do anything to answer your question?"

[z-Clark]

"Yes and no," Clark said forthrightly, nodding at him. "You have answered my question insofar as you do not feel that being a nova impacts you very much. You may correct me on any of the following if I am wrong, but you are saying that your eruption has not changed anything fundamental about yourself. You are still gay. You still have the same beliefs. In many ways, your powers seem an accessory, rather than an intergration.

"You shoot lightening and fly, but none of these pursuits are really what you want," Clark added, pausing only to take another sip of her drink. "You sound as if you enjoy them, but that you would not lose a piece of yourself to lose them.

"For example, you say you want to live as a musician," Clark stated, her green eyes almost burning with intensity. "What is stopping you from doing so?"

[Tempest]

"In many ways they are an accessory but I would still miss them if they were gone," Conner admits easily, "I've gotten used to flying anywhere in minutes and my electrical powers have come so far. But I don't believe the powers have changed who I am fundamentally."

"As for the music. I am a musician. Just an unpaid one at the moment," His smile widens and he seems to light up the room all by himself. "I know it would be easy for me to get into the buisness now. I mean, I'm a nova. There are people who'd pay just to see me pass gas!"

"But the music is different. I want to make it based on the quality of my work and not because I've got a super powered tumor in my brain," He pauses briefly. "It's a matter of pride I guess."

[z-Clark]

"You should get into the business," Clark said, smiling and leaning forward for emphasis. "I think you would do well." She blushed and looked a touch abashed as she added, "Not that I have heard your music, nor am I a musician. But I hear the passion in your voice, and the light of love in your eyes, and I believe that you will make a wonderful artist. You have passion, and you need that before talent, in my opinion." She leaned back in her chair again. "When you release your album, I will buy it and I will play it for Gray. He likes music."

A flame of intent curiosity flickered in her eye before Clark chuckled softly and asked, "Why would your music improving because of your node devalue your art? It is your node, and your talent, regardless of where it comes from. Do you really separate your node and yourself so strongly?"

[Tempest]

"No wait. it's not about separating my node and the rest of me. It's not me at all really. It's about other people." Conner looked confused for a minute while he struggled to find the words for what he was thinking.

"People will hire me now regardless of talent. That's just a fact. If I tried to get a job as a nuclear physicist before my eruption I would have been laughed out of the building. Now there is a good chance they would actually hire me even though I don't know the first thing about nuclear physics, all because I have a node. How is that right? Should I get a record contract even if I suck as a musician? And if I do get a contract now, How do I know it's because of my talent?"

"Why does it seem that because I'm a nova now that is all that's supposed to matter? Like anything else I might be or have to offer doesn't matter?"

[z-Clark]

"You are looking at it from the wrong angle," Clark said, "or rather, I believe you are doing so. Yes, you will be given chances that you wouldn't normally have, and it is true that the baselines will expect so much more of you.

"But that is the key: expectations. You are a nova. That means something, to the baselines, and to other novas," Clark said, hoping that this was making sense. She found that she sometimes talked over people's heads, even other novas - and then she had to laugh at herself as she realized that she had just done it in her own mind. She expected other novas to keep up with her thoughts better than baselines, but that was not always the case.

"You will find that you cannot do less than nova-level," Clark said. "You are seeing this as a free ride; if anything, more will be expected of your in exchange for the breaks you'll get." She shifted on her chair and watched a man walk by the front windows. After he had passed, her green eyes turned back to the teen sitting across from her. "It will probably be harder in many ways - you will be expected to be perfect, better than a baseline could hope to be. Are you prepared to achieve more than you ever dreamed?"

[Tempest]

"Okay, so your saying that getting in the door may be easier but the workload is bigger? I think I can live with that." The tension flowed from Conner visibly "I just want my music to be taken seriously."

"So, can I ask you; What's it like to be a parent? Aren't you worried considering your age and all?"

[z-Clark]

"I worry about being a good parent, yes," Clark said, her voice soft. Everything about her softened, becoming gentle as she spoke. "But that is what happens when you are a parent, I understand. It is fear, worry and constant vigilance to make sure I am doing everything I can for him, to make sure he grows up healthy.” To make sure he grows up at all. “I worry that I will fail him.

“It’s an amazing thing, to become a parent,” Clark added, smiling. “But I have faith in my son, faith that he will grow up to be a good nova, and that he will be all he wishes to be.” The maternal pride and joy made her glow.