The Day The World Could End.
Summary: Smallville, Season 8, my Chlark version of the Doomsday episode.
Warning: Chlavis and Chimmy fans might not like this version.
Disclaimer: None of the characters or places are mine.
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May 14, 2009. No-one knows it but this day would be remembered as the day the world could end.
The day started as many others in the city of Metropolis. Some clouds were in the sky on a dark morning of a dark day. The sun could only try to shine between the clouds in a metaphor of what the day could be for the human race.
Amongst the people on the concrete streets, Lois Lane was walking to her job at the Daily Planet. She was worried about her cousin, Chloe, who had disappeared two weeks earlier; and about her friend and partner at the Daily Planet, Clark, who had vanished two days after.
All Lois knew about them was that her cousin had left Metropolis with someone called Davis Bloome, and that Clark was very worried about her. He had said on more than one occasion that it was necessary to search for them, so she thought that's probably what he was doing. She couldn't help asking herself if he could finally be accepting his long-time hidden feelings for her cousin. His concern for her and his jealousy over her going away with the other man told Lois the answer was most likely yes. And Lois was glad that Chloe had a chance with the love that had filled her dreams for so long.
What Lois didn't know was that her cousin and her friend were involved in an epic battle between the good and the evil that could end with the world's total destruction on a beautiful spring morning in Metropolis.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Chloe was sitting next to Davis at the big terminal of the Los Angeles International Airport holding two tickets to China in her hand. Chloe didn't know how long she could stop Davis from confronting Clark. She knew it was his destiny but she wanted to fight it and avoid it at all costs; her friend was at risk. She was ready to die protecting him, just as she had told him the day when he finally knew she had found out his secret. But in Chloe's mind was only one sad thought; he finally said to her that he was in love with her as a desperate attempt to stop her from going away with Davis. Chloe, as ever, was ready to give all for Clark, even her own life because she loved him so much. But she didn't want him to remember her for the rest of his life as the friend who had betrayed him in the last hour. But even as she knew that she was doing the best for Clark, she knew too that this would be the only result of what she was doing.
Chloe tried, without success, of course, to put these thoughts away from her mind and focus on her plan. To keep separate as much as possible the two enemies had been her goal for the last two weeks as they were driving through all of the USA and catching a few hours of sleep here and there in the car. Sometimes one of them drove while the other slept. They avoided hotels because even the ones that didn't ask for ID and accepted cash were still too expensive for the vague idea of a budget she had planned. She had no idea how long they would have to stay on the run; so they stopped mostly at large truck stops where the food was good and reasonable and showers were either free or just a couple of dollars and travelling supplies were plentiful and also quite affordable.
Clark couldn't be tracking them. Her only plan was to keep running because as long as she kept them apart, the less was the possibility of Clark having to face Davis. She knew that if they met again, Davis would turn into the monster that had kidnapped her on her wedding day and would kill Clark.
She felt a little angry for poor Jimmy because she had not been good to him. She had agreed to marry him even though she was in love with another; and then left him after he was so seriously injured because of her. The fact that she had been possessed by an evil alien artificial intelligence was really the only explanation for what she had done, but she felt sorry in spite of it not really being her fault. But still she couldn't stay married to him. She'd had no control when she'd agreed to marry him, but now she'd had to be sincere with him and leave him. A marriage could not survive if it was only held together by grief or a sense of duty. She knew that she could never explain to Jimmy the reason for using him this way and she felt even worse for doing it. But even though she knew he could hate her for it, maybe it would make him forget her faster so he could move on. She wanted only the best for him, as she did for everyone, especially her family and friends.
This was the best for everyone she thought because she didn't know what would happen if her plan failed. What if it only delayed the inevitable? But Chloe didn't have any other option. To keep apart the enemies by the only option she thought she had, she would have to change her way of life for a while; to stay on the run with a murderer for as long as it was possible for her to keep him calm. Even if killing her eventually became the only thing he could do to remain calm for just a little while longer. She could accept that, even as her dark thoughts knew that taking only one life--hers--would only keep the monster seated next to her satisfied for only a short while.
He had a hunger for all human lives on the planet, and she cared most about one, not-really human life. But it was worth her sacrifices if this delay would give Clark enough time to take advantage. She was trying to think positively because all her negative thoughts certainly gave her no results. She could try it. She looked at her watch. In thirty minutes they would take the plane to China. And then she would worry about where to go next to keep more space between Clark and the Beast.
But then destiny came to her.
Clark was in front of them.
Chloe didn't know how it was possible that he had tracked them. She had taken so many precautions: only using throw-away cell phones and no credit cards being the most important. She only knew her plan to delay the confrontation had failed after she had ruined two weeks of her life for it. She was facing the possibility of her worst fear, to see Clark dead.
Clark gripped Davis by his jacket and pulled his face near to his own and barely controlling his anger demanded, "Let her go! This is between you and me.!" Chloe was horrified; she knew that this situation couldn't produce any good result.
Chloe was right; in less than a few seconds, Davis vanished forever and Doomsday started to fight with Clark. Chloe was seeing the events unfold in front of her as a nightmare she couldn't wake up from and was helpless to do anything to stop it.
She felt no fear for herself, or even for Clark, she suddenly felt nothing at all, her mind was frozen in shock, momentarily incapable of any reaction. She had known this could eventually happen; but she had not been prepared for it; her careful planning had all been for nothing; the control she thought she had over the situation, was violently shattering before her disbelieving eyes.
The two superpowered aliens pushed against each other, sometimes flying through the air and landing against the walls and pillars in the international terminal waiting area. Everyone around was screaming in horror trying to scramble out of the way not understanding what they were seeing; the world's end was beginning.
After a short while the fight started to damage the building. With each crash of the powerful adversaries against its walls it became apparent that the structure was near collapse. Very few people were left in the terminal; only those who stayed because shock had left them slow to react. Most had run away to protect themselves from the great destruction that was happening around them. Chloe, using one of the terminal chairs to hide behind, knew she had to get out to protect herself from all the falling scraps--parts of the building, pieces of the terminal furniture, ticket counters, computers and deserted luggage--that were carelessly being tossed around to clear the way so the two fighters could get at each other.
But within minutes the building structure was so damaged that the ceiling seemed to be in imminent danger of collapsing on top of them. Chloe knew that Clark and Doomsday wouldn't feel any pain from it, but she would be done. So she ran towards the nearest door. But it was too late; they had both noted her action and turned in her direction. Doomsday gave Clark one last hard shove that sent him to the other end of the terminal, grabbed the fleeing Chloe by her arm without any care, like she was just some package, and using his other claw-like arm he made a hole in the ceiling as he flew away carrying Chloe.
Chloe had always dreamed to someday fly with Clark, but she hadn't wanted her first and possibly only experience of something she had dreamed as beautiful to be with this beast. So she closed her eyes negating that it was happening. Before long when she could feel them stopping she opened her eyes. She was dazzled by a white light around her and realized they were in the Fortress. She was lying on the ground and Doomsday had begun to destroy everything around them, starting with the crystals of the control console.
Clark appeared suddenly, covered in dirt, his clothes torn and small injuries apparent on his face, arms and chest. He gave Chloe such a sweet and worried look that Chloe understood instantly how much he cared about her, how much he loved her as a friend, or maybe something more. Something that had always been between them, delayed, blocked or denied by one or the other at one time or another, sometimes by both of them at the same time.
Chloe understood it and momentarily a small happy thought filled her mind amidst all their pain. If she needed to die this day, she would die with her heart at peace. This look Clark gave her told her he had understood her intentions; that he didn't believe she could love Davis and that her leaving the city with him was nothing other than her trying to protect Clark. And she also understood the reason he had tracked them; he would never let her sacrifice her life for his even if she wanted to.
Clark started to fight with Doomsday again, both crashing into the crystal structures in the Fortress. Chloe had a sensation of déjà vie that overwhelmed her. She knew the outcome here could be the same as at the Los Angeles International Airport; Doomsday had more power than Clark or he was better trained. The end of the world was near, she had tried to stop it, to save Clark, to save the world, even at the risk of her own life, but she had not been successful. With a calm acceptance she awaited the inevitable.
After some more violent, intense fighting, Clark fell to the ground near the crystal control console severely injured. Chloe could only think that Clark had lowered his guard and let Doomsday injure him just to get near the crystals. So she thought he must have a plan. Hope, though very small, filled her mind and heart. Clark reached into the crystals and then threw something towards Doomsday, something that appeared like a rotating ring. And within seconds Doomsday started to fall into what Chloe could only describe as a black hole. Something that just suctions in anything near it.
Doomsday finally disappeared in the hole that was a gate to the Phantom Zone. Chloe rushed to Clark's side and knelt down near him looking at his face. She was ready to save him, if her healing powers would function and work on him. She knew the last time she had tried to save him her power had failed; but she believed that had only been because of Brainiac's influence. Or maybe it didn't work on an alien. She hoped she was wrong about that. She was ready to try it, but wanted one last thing first; to look into Clark's eyes, kiss him one last time and say good-bye. She knew that healing him would cause her to die.
Chloe started to look into Clark's eyes and as if he could read her mind he started to speak in a quiet voice, pausing between sharp twinges of pain from his injuries. "No, Chloe, no-one will die right now. Please don't do what you are thinking about doing. Just let my body heal itself and you will make me the happiest man on earth to be able to have you with me all of my life."
"No, Clark, I can't risk losing you. I can die but not you; you need to be a hero, the hero that all of humanity needs."
Chloe kissed him and started to put her hands over his chest. Clark knew what it meant, so with the last bit of force he could pull from his failing strength, he gently took Chloe's arm and pushed himself away from her.
"No, Chloe, I can't lose you either. Just help me get out of here and into the sunlight and I'll be all right."
"Clark, let me do what I am destined to do."
"Never! Chloe, I love you. If you die, I will die, too. I will want to die, too."
Chloe returned to Clark's side, so he could see in her eyes that she was giving him a chance for both their happiness. He knew Chloe would do what he demanded. And he prayed he was right, that he hadn't let Doomsday mortally wound him, that the sun would successfully heal him. He knew he could die, he felt it with each breath he took, but he would never want Chloe to die in his arms trying to heal him. His plan had to work.
For Chloe it was a great effort carrying someone of Clark's weight and size the long distance between the console and the Fortress entrance to expose him to the sun. Clark helped her as best he could which wasn't much because he was very weak. The only other time she had carried him like this was when she'd pulled him out of Lex Luthor's vault because he was under the effects of Kryptonite and equally weak. But it had been a very short distance in comparison to this long walk Chloe tried not to be discouraged by the endless slow steps and when she finally accomplished the task, she was exhausted.
As he let himself slowly fall onto the frozen ground he whispered to Chloe, "You need to return to the Fortress; out here you will die from the cold."
"I won't leave you alone. I need to see results; make sure the sun does its job."
Clark didn't want her to see it. If his plan was not successful he knew that Chloe would try healing him again and he didn't want that. He preferred to die thinking that Chloe was alive and would have an opportunity to be happy; especially after being unhappy devoting all her life to him without too many rewards. But he knew, too, that Chloe would never let him die, so he compromised.
"Just lie down next to me," he begged her quietly. And when she did he pulled her close to himself hoping he was still generating enough body heat to keep the cold from her. Chloe put her arm around his shoulder hugging him and looked into his eyes with a small smile on her face.
"I want to remain here with you forever, Clark" she whispered to him.
They lost track of time as they stayed laying on the ice-covered ground, the arctic sun not as intense as Clark had hoped. But in the middle of May at this latitude, the day was much longer and Clark had a lot of healing time before sunset. Then they needed to get back inside the Fortress for the night.
"You see, Chloe, I can walk again," Clark told her as he stood up to show her his plan was working. He was very careful not to reveal that he was still in considerable pain. "But we need to remain here a few days until I recover enough to superspeed you back home." he added.
"Clark, I don't want to be any place else but wherever you are, ever. I don't need to go anywhere else, I just need to remain here with you... and Clark, I want to explain to you about my decision to leave the city with Davis..." But Clark put a hand over her mouth and looked into her eyes in a way that told her she had no need to say anything more about it.
"When I am recovered, I will try to repair the Fortress and I will complete my training. These experiences taught me I need to be trained. But I don't know how much time it can take; it could be days, years or even decades. I don't want you to wait for me. You need to continue on with your life. I know that now you want us to be together and I want it too. I know I am late, Chloe, very late in realizing that and you suffered a lot for me. But you can't continue to wait such a long time for me."
"Clark, I haven't anyone else to wait for. I've never loved another and I never can. I will wait for you, for the rest of my life if it's needed."
"But Chloe..."
And Chloe stopped his speech, kissing him. This time it was not a good-bye kiss. She knew neither one of them would die this day, and the world would not end. A promising future was ahead for them and Chloe couldn't wait to live it.
--the end---