Okay! So i've been suffering MAJOR writer's block AND i've been sick for 3 months so this was a miracle epiphany for all those wondering where the heck i've gone and why i've left my other stories hanging where they are.
I literally paused this in the middle of Legion (the episode) because it POPPED into my head with resounding force and demanded to be written RIGHT NOW. SO maybe slight spoilerss if you've not seen the ep or the trailer i guess. You're warned, so there.]
enjoy and review plz and thx!!
Time Will Tell
It took him a month.
The Legion went back to the 31st century, his mother flew back to Smallville, Pete cried on the phone.
It took him 2 weeks.
He called General Lane, tracked down Lucy, cleaned up the reminders of the night a piece of him began to end.
It took him 5 days.
He flew to Star City with a sombre Oliver, rode to the hospital in a cab, stared up at the innocent beige building.
It took him 8 hours.
He went inside, asked for Jimmy's room, felt physically ill when she woke slowly to look at him questioningly.
It took him 2 minutes.
He walked inside, looked over Jimmy, looked over her.
It took her 10 seconds.
She looked past him out the door, looked at him, took a breath.
"Where is she?"
Clark held back the last of his tears and saved them for her.
"She's gone."
That was the first time he felt he'd actually heard a heart break. Lois stared, eyes glassing over, breathing slowing, body slumping.
"I tried to save her-,"
"You can't save everyone," She interruped. Her voice was hollow, empty, airy.
He felt his stomach constrict.
Her eyes, those eyes he thought were gorgeous and expressive that eternity ago, rolled up into her head and her lids slid shut. Her body went limp and she slid off the plastic chair to the white tiled floor.
He caught her, holding her head to his chest, tears finally falling for them all.
Jimmy stirred. Clark lifted Lois and set her on the small, mussed cot in the corner, smoothed her already calm face, brushed a strand of hair.
It took the nurse 45 seconds.
She came in, checked Jimmy's lightening coma, looked over the sad form on the cot.
It took her 1 minute.
She took in Clark's defeated posture, tired eyes, pale skin.
It took her 2 hours.
Lois woke up, cried until her eyes were swollen and her cheeks red, fell asleep clutching Clark's jacket as if he would disappear too.
It took him 3 days.
Jimmy came around, accepted Lois' news, felt his heart shatter into pieces.
It took him 2 weeks.
He sat her down, told her everything about him and what had happened, left when she screamed at him.
It took her 2 months.
She called him, breathed deep, said three broken words.
"I need you,"
He ran to her, blurring through the world until he found her in the barn of his farm; he'd dared not go there since it happened.
She stood there in middle of the barn, looking lost and broken and tired. He walked to her slowly, she watched him.
She crumbled into his arms. He held her, rocked her slowly, rubbed her back.
"I didn't get to say goodbye."
There were no tears, just broken sobs.
"She's still here with us,"
"I guess it's a good thing I remember her happy and healthy on her wedding day, in the arms of the man she loves." She sniffled, laughed humourlessly, "Loved. She would have loved it, she would have loved to know she saved the world,"
Clark pulled back and they looked at each other. "She would have."
"Not helped you save the world, but saved the world herself. And the future. She would have loved it,"
Tentative smiles, light brushing of skin, feelings of security.
The sun set.
It took them 10 months.
They buried Chloe, saved Jimmy, fell in love.
It took them 3 weeks.
He bought a ring, and proposed, she said yes.
It took them 6 days.
They planned a small ceremony, bought a dress, ironed a tux.
It took them 3 hours.
She did her hair, he tied his tie, they said their vows.
It took them 2 minutes.
They celebrated their love, threw cake, danced close.
It took them 37 seconds.
They fell into bed, into each other, then off the bed.
It took her 8 months.
They built a home, started their life, peed on a stick.
It took her 1 week.
They read lots of books, asked for advice, ate tons of weird food.
It took her 1 day.
They rushed to the hospital, she bullied some nurses, he fainted early on.
It took her 4 hours.
She screamed for medication, he was moved to a corner, and blamed for his part in all this.
It took her 1 minute.
They named her, she quieted, they kissed.
It took them 2 seconds.
They fell in love, their family burst in, uncle Jimmy melted.
Lois was resting; Lara snuggled in a bassinet a few inches from the bed. Clark stretched his long legs and smiled contentedly from the oversized armchair on the other side of the bassinet.
A familiar brunette head and Martha Kent appeared in the doorway.
"She's beautiful," Lana breathed, quietly entering the room so as not to wake Lois.
Martha smiled as well, entering her son and daughter's bedroom. "They both are,"
"They're both the most wonderful like this sometimes," Clark teased in a whisper. Lana and Martha smiled.
"What's her name?" Lana asked, stroking a finger down the baby's soft cheek.
Clark smiled.
"Her first name is Lara; sorry mom, Lois vetoed Martha, no offense to you of course, and we couldn't call her your maiden name,"
Martha grinned, "Clark," she told Lana. "My maiden name is Clark,"
Lana chuckled, still entranced by the little girl in front of her. "Understandable,"
Clark smiled again, a little sadder this time, "Her first middle name is Chloe, after her most heroic aunt,"
Martha and Lana both squeezed his hands now, his mother moving to his side and Lana turning to face him fully.
Martha took a careful seat on the edge of Lois' side of the bed. The woman stirred but remained asleep.
"Her first middle name?" Lana asked.
"Her second middle name will be Lane; we both decided. Lois wanted her to be a Kent, well and truly," Clark smirked.
Martha sighed happily, "Well then, there she is, little Lara Chloe Lane Kent. She's going to love you when she's learning to spell that,"
Clark laughed, "You sound like Lois after the birth certificate was printed,"
"Sounds more dramatic," Martha jumped a little as the sleepy voice of her daughter drifted up from behind her.
"What was that sweetie?" Lana moved from the bedside and Martha moved up so she sat at Lois' stomach height. Lois smiled drowsily at Martha and the older woman smiled back, holding her hand and smoothing the hair was Lois' face.
"More dramatic, you know like, 'Lara Chloe Lane Kent do not touch that'," Lois said with a grin.
"Sounds lovely," Lana teased from behind Clark.
Lois just grinned; if the past had taught her anything it was that love was unconditional, no matter how much Clark loved her (more than anything in this world or the next) Lana was his first. She and Lana were friends and Lois was secure in this.
"Or, you know, 'Uncle Jimmy is just wrapped around your finger isn't he little Lara Lane?'," Lois cooed in a baby voice as she hauled herself up and spoke to her daughter.
The baby gurgled happily and squealed in delight back as Lois lifted her out of the bassinet.
"What happened to Lara Kent, hm?" Clark drawled.
Lois shot him a look, "Yes, well, we'll raise her on both,"
"Lucky girl," Martha quipped, smiling as Lois mock-glared at her.
"I love her name," Lana said with a grin and placating tone. Lois stuck her tongue out.
"Alright, where's my goddaughter?" A male voice came into the room.
"Hey Ollie," Lois greeted with a smile.
"Hey Lois, Clark; there's my girl," Oliver turned his attention immediately to baby Lara.
"Uh, she's too gorgeous, honestly Clark you better watch out when this one grows up; she's already as beautiful as her mother,"
Lois smiled at Oliver as Clark felt that particular panic grip him. "Oh no, look what you did," Lois nudged Oliver playfully as he settled next to her on the bed.
"May I?" Martha asked, nodding to the baby.
Lois carefully passed Lara to Martha with a smile.
"She is definitely a Lane," Oliver commented as the baby automatically stared up at Martha in wonder and awe, almost respectfully reserving her various loud, screeching noises and sharp, spastic movements.
"So long as she doesn't grow up calling me Mrs. Kent," Martha teased.
Lois leaned forward and kissed Martha's cheek with a grin.
"So, tell us who you've settled on," Lana spoke up. "Who else are the godparents?"
"Well, we've picked Ollie, obviously." Lois started. "And Chloe," Lois looked at Clark and he reached over to squeeze her hand reassuringly.
"And Perry White and you, mom," Clark continued. Martha sniffled back tears.
"Lana, you and Jimmy are honorary godparents, you know, in case Ollie messes up." Lois winked.
"Did I hear my name?" Jimmy wandered in to the room with a wide Olsen grin, holding a huge stuffed bear with a top hat.
"Hey cuz," Lois greeted. The room fell silent. It was the first time she had greeted Jimmy this way and the first she'd referred to him as her 'cuz'.
"Come sit and see your niece," Lois recovered first with a smile.
From wherever she was, Chloe Sullivan smiled.
how was it? good? bad? let me know!
a few things to note though;
-when it reads the time, it goes together, like 'one month, 2 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, 2 minutes, 39 seconds later', that kind of thing, just to be clear.
-and i was torn between putting the middle name as Chloe or Sullivan, cuz really, i like both. which would you like better? obviously i decided Chloe but im curious what you think, review please and let me kno!
lots of love,
Juliet =]