Title: AC#2: Through the Ruins
Author: CharmedDestiny
Rating: PG
Warning: Possible Season 7 Spoilers included
Disclaimer: Does Not Own Smallville, DC, its characters, etc.
Summary: LaneKent Challenge #2! My take on the Season Premier
I chose to write a scene that I would love to have happen in the opening. I hope you all like.
I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to read this story and I appreciate all of the warm feedback that I have received on my other work
As my work is a bit abstract I hope you all enjoy! Thanks again, Charmed***
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Through The Ruins
By: CharmedDestiny
"I never wanted that you know… I never would have let her make that decision if I would have had the choice." Desperation clung to her every word.
Her body hunched, crawling in on itself. He reached out his hand to offer comfort, to ease the pain and consume it for himself but he was frozen, stuck in the moment, and lost in the pain that threatened to consume them both.
"I don't know what to do? Please… Please tell me what to do." She begged her eyes crying out for some form of comfort, some sort of release.
He sat there silent, holding her small hand in his. He had never seen her so broken, witnessed her so fragile and it shook him down to his very core. His heart bled for her, and for the first time he honestly didn't know what to do.
She felt trapped and the room stunk of claustrophobia. Each angle was sharp, cold, and hard. Every surface of the room screamed out at her, shoving memories down her throat, chocking her with their hold.
He tried to speak, tried to form some sort of coherency but his words failed him, just as everything else had.
Starring up at him, her eyes rimmed with red, her cheeks flushed her lips swollen. He did the only thing he could he reached down and cupped her check wiping away her tears with his fingers.
"They could have helped her, they could have done something. If she just would have waited a few seconds, held on for a few more minutes…" Her voice trailed off as she laid her head against his chest.
He felt her body tremble against his, her hot breath mark his skin and at the sudden contact the unfamiliar warmth spread throughout his chest and he clung to it willing it to ease the pain. Tightening his grip he held her body closer to his own, losing himself in the moment, losing himself in her.
Slowly rocking back and forth, he gathered her into his arms. He could feel her erratic heartbeat pound in sync with his own. His eyes flittered around the room, slowly taking in everything around them but the white walls that surrounded them, screamed out reminding him of his failures, and repeated his loss.
No matter how fast he was he hadn't been quick enough. The moment he had heard Lois's cries he had rushed to her side, but once again he had been too late. Once again he had failed to protect the ones he loved.
Pushing down his doubts and self-pity he focused on the young woman he held in his arms.
As he whispered into her ear, he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "She did what she thought was right, the only thing she knew to do at the time." Trying to supply the comfort she desperately craved but his words fell on deaf ears.
"It's my fault, this is all my fault! If I hadn't been so reckless this wouldn't have happened. I wasn't trying to steal anything from her. I was just trying to make it right, to understand why he died. She wasn't supposed to get involved…"
He could feel her heartbeat accelerate against his chest as she spoke. He could feel her hands as they gripped his arms, her nails digging into his skin. She would have drawn blood if he had been human.
"No! Don't say that, this isn't your fault. She never would have blamed you. Trust me she knows you loved her, everyone knew you loved her." Cradling her in his lap he continued to speak, feeling her body relax as he rubbed her small circles on her back.
"You were trying to help a friend, if anyone let her down it was me." The resentment in his voice dripped from his every word.
"Clark, stop. The hero complex is really getting old. I… I know I went about this the wrong way. I was reckless and stupid and I let myself get hurt. I called her, I asked her for help because I was weak. She never would have been put into that situation if it weren't for me. It doesn't matter what my intentions were, or why I was at the dam. I am the reason she is lying on that metal slab. I am… No one else but me…" Chocking back tears she angrily pawed at her cheeks to erase the stain they had left.
"I will never be able to get her blood off of my hands." With that statement she forced herself out of his arms and walked towards the window.
The sudden loss of contact surprised him and her words struck him down to his very core. The amount of self-hatred that radiated off of her being sent shivers down his spine.
His entire body was on overdrive; everything was happening so quickly and the feelings that were taking over confused and overpowered him.
Staring at her retreating back a number of emotions cascaded throughout his mind and body. Everything had changed and nothing would ever be the same again and he shuddered at the thought.
He watched her body shrink into itself as she stared out the large window. The dark night and harsh glare of the lights creating a soft reflection in glass. He could see the angst written all over her face. And the realization struck him like a ton of bricks; the woman he had come to know was not the same person in the room with him.
He was watching the young girl that had lost her mother, forced to protect her sister and gave up everything to find her cousin. Now after burying her first lover, she was about to do the same with her best friend… the one person she'd lay her own life down for without hesitation had done the same… and now it was destroying her.
Leaning on the steel frame she glanced down and whispered, "I never should have come to this town."
Her words had been so soft, if he hadn't had his abilities he would have missed them and he knew she was talking to herself now, almost as if he was no longer in the room.
"This past year, we've drifted so far apart. We barely spoke; before the accident and I might have seen her maybe 2 times in the past couple months. I knew it was getting bad, but I forced that to the back of my mind. I figured if she wanted to talk she would, so I focused on something I could control, my work. I finally found something I was good at, something that I loved that I knew I could excel at. God, I have always put my dreams aside but not this time… This time I was going to do what I wanted."
Watching her body crumble he forced himself so stay away to give her the room she was silently asking for.
Taking a deep breath she continued. "I thought she'd be proud of me. I wasn't trying to take anything away from her. God I walked away from any feelings I had for you, because of her. I knew she wanted you, I wouldn't do that, no matter how much I…"
Her voice dropped and his eyes widened at the sudden revelation.
"But journalism, I couldn't walk away from that too. She was so territorial of everything, it was all consuming, and I didn't know what to do. So I ignored the alarms that were ringing in my mind and I jumped head first into every story that I could find. I tried to stay out of her way, go on assignments, travel, do anything but be in this town. But, when Wes died something awakened in me and I had to do whatever I could to bring him justice. I didn't mean for her to get hurt… I would've done anything to stop that from happening but I called her because I needed her. I needed my best friend."
Her body racked with sobs as she continued. "When I was at the dam I wasn't thinking rationally. I was focused on bringing Lex down I needed to do that. It wasn't about the story, an internship or about Chloe. I needed to do that for Wes. I didn't care about what could happen to me, I didn't even think that far. I just wanted… I needed to do something!"
Finally able to turn to him, she looked deep into his eyes searching for something, some form of understanding.
"I'm not trying to make excuses for myself or for my actions but, you have to understand I was trying to do what I thought was right. She hasn't spoken to me or called me. She barely acknowledged me and when I went to her in the past, you both ignored me. I thought I could handle this myself. I thought everything would turn out alright." Desperation clung to her every word, as she begged him to recognize the pain she was feeling.
He felt suffocated, trapped, and anxious to ease the pain that was consuming them. Slowly he reached out his hand offering it to her, silently willing her to take it and let him lead them away from the ache that was threatening to destroy them.
"Ever since I have come to this town, it has been an uphill battle. I have been in fight that I didn't even know that I was taking part in. I did everything I could to let her know that I wasn't a threat. All I have wanted is to go back to that time when we were kids, before we knew this town existed and be friends… I was closer to her then I ever was to my own sister. I would have died for her, but I would never have asked her to do that for me… I would never ask that of her."
"I know Lois, I…"
"Do you? Do you understand? Do you fathom at all what is going on? She took away my choice; she made the decision for me! I never would have let her save me… I was dead Clark! I was dead and she brought me back? Do you know what that is like for me?"
Her hands gestured widely, clawing at the air reaching out for something that he could not provide.
"Why did she do that??? Why did she leave me here alone!!!"
Her body slowly crumbled to the floor, as the scream escaped her lips her fists pounded the ground releasing all of her pent up frustrations, hurt and anger that had consumed her for so long.
Not caring if she saw him, he quickly moved to her side knocking items off the shelves in his wake. He gathered her in his arms, gently rocking her back and forth whispering words in her ears, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. Unconsciously he began to trial his lips across her cheeks, nose, and under her eyes tenderly kissing away her tears.
"You're not alone, you're not alone Lois." He whispered over and over again holding her body tight against his. Cupping her cheek with his palm he urged her eyes to meet his and as he lost himself in the deep hazel, he placed his lips on hers.
He could feel her heartbeat thundering against his own, as her body slowly responded to comfort he was offering. Felt as her arms wound around his neck to cup the back of his head forcing him closer. Loosing his fingers in her tangles he deepened the kiss opening her lips with this tongue and melted into her.
His body was on fire; she had ignited something inside of him awakened warmth that he never knew could exist. He felt at home in her arms, like he was where he was meant to be. He had never felt like this before, no other woman had ever made him feel this way. With one simple touch she made everything right, made him feel complete. She belonged in his arms and he would do whatever he had to, to make sure she would stay there.
Pulling his lips from hers he gazed into her eyes, searching for any sign that she would pull away, and hide from him. A smile graced his lips when he saw that a glimmer of light had returned to her eyes. Tenderly he leaned his forehead against hers and softly ran his hand across her cheek, down her neck and settled at the base of her spine.
A small sigh escaped her lips, at his touch and she gently placed a chaste kiss on the corner of his lips. "I'm not alone?"
"Never alone. We'll get through this I promise." He whispered. As he leaned in to kiss her, a strangled cry reached his ears.
"Cllllaarkk…"
His head snapped up, and his grip on her body tightened as he strained to listen.
"Clark help me…."
"Chloe?"
"What are you? Clark, what's going on?" He could hear the panic and confusion escalating in her voice as she desperately tried to remain calm.
"Lois… Chloe's not dead."
The end
