Chloe walked down the dark street by herself. That is the last time I go out with them. Take me out and then as soon as some cute guys come up I'm all alone. Chloe knew the city well so she wasn't worried about herself, but she also knew she needed to quit fuming and pay attention to her surroundings, so she wouldn't be caught off-guard. She looked around to check for any suspicious looking characters that might be lurking around when she saw something that made her think she was hallucinating. She stopped in her tracks and blinked several times to make sure what she was seeing was real.
It was Clark. He looked different; the plaid was gone and in its place was a very nice and expensive looking long sleeve shirt. There was something about him; his mere presence seemed to be different. He walked with a confidence. He had a fierceness in his eyes. The expression on his face might be described by some people as a smile, but to Chloe it wasn't any smile that she was used to seeing. No, this was more of a sneer, like that of a wild animal circling its prey.
Clark continued on his way, oblivious to the fact that he had been spotted. Chloe had to know where he was going. She had to know what he had been up to since he had skipped out in his life back in Smallville.
She quietly followed him for a short while until he was right outside the glass elevator of an apartment complex. Then she watched as Clark suddenly bent over, obviously in a great amount of pain. Chloe couldn't stand by any longer. She quickly rushed over to him, not caring what he would think when he saw her.
His eyes grew wide when he saw her. He tried to tell her to go away, but it came out more like a growl. Whatever was wrong with him was making it where he was having trouble breathing.
"Where are you staying?" she asked frantically and he pointed up. She quickly got the elevator going, silently praying the elevator would go faster.
She saw he was struggling, trying to get his class ring off. "That's odd," she thought to herself, but didn't pay too much attention to him as she was worried about what was causing his condition. She struggled as she helped him into his apartment, wiggling the doorknob and finding it not locked.
After they managed to get inside, Clark was finally able to get the ring off of his finger. Immediately, he went limp, causing his whole weight to fall toward Chloe who was unable to hold him, so she let him fall the rest of the way to the floor. Chloe looked down at her now unconscious friend and couldn't help but notice what looked like part of a strange scar of some kind on his chest. "Never mind that, Chloe. You can't just leave him there on the floor," she chided herself.
"Come on, Clark," she said as she tugged on his arms and dragged him towards the bed. She was breathing heavy by the time she reached the bed. "Man, you are heavy, Clark," she said. She stood there for a moment catching her breath and trying to figure out how to get him onto the bed. After some more struggling she finally managed to get him stretched out on the bed.
Chloe then collapsed into a nearby chair exhausted. She wanted to wait until he woke up, so she curled up, watching the rise and fall of her friend's chest.
After a while, she didn't know how long, Clark woke up. As soon as he became oriented again he looked over at her and harshly questioned, "What are you doing here?"
She saw the fierceness in his eyes was gone, but he still didn't seem like the Clark she knew. She couldn't believe the way he was acting. She couldn't believe that he had run out on his life, his family…and her. It made her mad and answered him testily, "You know, I've been asking myself the same question."
"Then why don't you leave?" Clark snapped back.
Chloe sighed before answering, "Because, I'm worried about you, Clark. You could barely stand earlier, you were clearly in pain and you passed out on the floor." Chloe almost felt like crying thinking about it.
"Why do you care?" Clark spat. "The last time we talked you said for me to have a nice life and stormed off. I didn't think you would ever want to see me again."
Chloe lowered her eyes for a moment truly embarrassed with how she had let her emotions get the best of her. "I was upset, Clark. I'm sorry." Chloe then raised her eyes and looked directly into Clark's. "I made a mistake, but at least I didn't run away from mine."
Clark just glared at her for a moment, but then looked away knowing she was right, not wanting to admit it.
A thought occurred to Clark, "Why didn't you try to take me to a hospital or something earlier?"
Chloe saw the look of uncertainty and what could almost be described as fear in Clark's eyes. "It didn't seem to be the right thing to do.
Clark stared at her trying to figure out what she meant by her answer. Does she suspect something?
He then began frantically looking around the apartment, not finding what he was seeking, bluntly asked Chloe, "Where is my ring?"
Chloe opened her hand. "It's here and it's staying here until I get through talking to you." She then closed her hand, her eyes not wavering from his. What is the deal with this ring? Why is it so important to him, if he was trying to take it off earlier?
"You know I could get that from you without even trying," Clark stated coldly.
"I know," Chloe responded evenly. "But, the Clark that I know wouldn't do that."
"What makes you so sure that I'm not still the same Clark?"
"I know he's still in there," Chloe said giving a small smile. "You just need someone to help you."
Clark snorted. "You can't help me. No one can help me."
Chloe looked at Clark and saw herself. His problems whatever they were had become too much for him and he had decided to just block everyone and everything out. He wasn't the only one who could be stubborn and she wanted to help him even if he didn't want to be helped. "Why don't you try me?"
"You wouldn't understand," Clark answered. "You wouldn't want to know. You might think you do, but you don't really."
Chloe eyes once again settled on the unusual marking on Clark's chest. In the process of moving him, another button had come undone and she could now see more of it. It was definitely too big to be a birthmark and it almost seemed like a symbol of some kind.
Clark saw the shift in Chloe's eyes and saw that his shirt was unbuttoned. "I'm not here for you to gawk at!" he yelled at her as he buttoned his shirt again. "You can just leave as far as I care."
Chloe's heart ached for him, but she finally saw that she wasn't going to be able to get him to talk to her much less try to get him to come home. He was going to have to decide that on his own. She slowly got up from her chair and quietly laid the ring on a nearby table. She walked to the door, but turned back to face him, "Just think about one thing for me, Clark."
"What's that?" he sneered.
"Where you going to go to escape from yourself?" She then turned and walked out the door leaving Clark sitting speechless.
Clark sat thinking about what she said for a moment, but then he saw the ring sitting on and the table and walked over to it sliding the narcotic stone on his finger again.
A month later
Chloe was in the Torch doing some much needed filing when she turned around and saw that she was no longer alone in the room. "Well, to what do I owe the privilege that you would grace me with your presence?"
Clark stood there for a moment just looking at Chloe with very sad eyes before answering. "I deserved that."
Chloe was taken aback by his answer and the look in his eyes. Once again her tongue got ahead of her brain and she regretted saying something.
"I'm sorry for how I treated you while I was in Metropolis." Clark began remorsefully. "You have every right to be angry with me. I was just going to come by to talk." He turned and began to head for the door.
Chloe sighed and headed toward him. "Clark wait." She gestured towards a couch and turned him its direction. "Please stay." She sat down beside him and calmly asked. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"
Clark looked up into her eyes, "I thought you deserved an explanation." He then gave the faintest of smiles and began by saying, "This may take a while so you need to get comfortable."