September 2007

"Lana, you can't just leave. What about home, what about Smallville, what about Clark?" Chloe pleaded with her best friend. She needed to knock some sense into the girl. She just couldn't up and leave because her heart was broken.

"What about Clark? He was the one that left remember, he left first and now it's my turn." Lana threw an old shirt into her suitcase. She was tired of arguing with Chloe about this, it had been going on for two days, ever since Lana told her she planned on moving will Nell and Dean to California.

"Lana, you know he had to. You could have gone with him," Chloe sat at the edge of the bed. Begging wasn't exactly her forte, but she was grasping at straws here. She couldn't lose both of her best friends.

"No, no I couldn't have. Chlo, he di…" Lana's voice caught in her throat, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, "he didn't even say goodbye."

Chloe knew Lana was hurt, but Lana also knew that Clark had obligations. He was needed to be the savior of this god forsaken planet. Lana supported Clark and wanted him to do what was right, she was proud of him. But she new the day would come when he would leave Smallville behind, leave her behind. And it did come. It came too soon. She had been ignorant to believe they would be able to live a quiet life together, similar to his parents, in their own little world. No one to worry about, just raising their children in the same town they grew up. The perfect life. But nothing was perfect and things never turn out the way they're planned.

"Lana, he didn't say goodbye because if he did, he wouldn't have been able to leave," Chloe stood up and wrapped her arms around Lana, comforting her as the tears finally were freed.

Pulling away from Chloe and wiping some of the fresh tears away from her face, Lana's voice wavered and her lips trembled while letting her emotions out, "I know, its just that, it hurts Chloe. It hurts so much. I love him, I really do. When he left, he took a piece of my heart with him and I was at least expecting a goodbye. But I didn't even get that. He just took that piece of me and left. No note, no nothing. I had to hear it from his mom."

"I understand that, I really do. But don't you think you are being irrational. Clark will be back to visit. It would only take him a second and you know it. If you leave, you may never see him again, and that would be your fault," Chloe's eyebrows were raised, and her voice was serious.

"Chloe, it's been two weeks and I haven't heard a single word from him," sounding almost as if her voice was drowning in tears, Lana would not give in. It was time for her to leave, throwing one last thing into her suitcase, she zipped it up and grabbed the handle. "Oh, can you do me one last favor?"

Chloe had her arms crossed, a sad expression on her face, "Yeah, anything."

Lana reached behind her and grabbed a small envelope out of her back pocket, "When you see him again, whenever that is, will you give this to him? Tell him it's okay to move on, I mean I do understand why he left and I couldn't be apart of it, and let him know I love him. Always will. But please, Chloe, don't tell him where I'm at. I don't need him looking for me. You are the only one that will know."

"Lana, you are 21. Are you sure this is what you really want?" Chloe had to try one last time.

"I'm sure. Bye Chloe. I'll never forget you," Lana gave her a quick squeeze and headed for the door. She was going to make a new life for herself, never to look back at Smallville again.

"Bye Lana."

September 2013

6 years, 6 years was a long time to be away from home, a long time before facing the past. Yet here Lana stood 6 years to the date returning to Smallville, Kansas. Meteor Rock capital of the world. Sighing aloud, Lana stepped off of the bus and set her bags down. No one knew she was coming, she wanted it that way. Looking around the newly redone bus stop, Lana wondered more to herself what had brought her back here. She promised herself the day she left Smallville, she wouldn't return. Too many memories, the good and the bad…

But she came back. She always did. This time it just took a little longer. Standing in silence, Lana wondered what she was waiting for. Obviously she wasn't waiting for anyone to come and find her, she wasn't waiting on anyone to recognize her and scream her name out of familiarity. So what was she waiting for? Probably the same thing she had been waiting for all these years…him. But she was tired of waiting for what she knew could never be and was ready to face her past. Avoiding it for years, Lana had come to the conclusion only last night that it was time to move on and begin anew. Not that she hadn't tried it already, but something always seemed to hold her back. It wasn't until the previous night that she realized this and knew that in order to move on, she needed let go of what had haunted her through the years. Lana needed to let go of him. She needed to face him, he was her past.

Knowing there was never really any closure to their relationship, Lana felt as if she needed it. To her, that was the only way she could move on. She walked along the familiar streets of the small town and a feeling Lana hadn't felt in years came rushing back to her. The feeling of home. She had forgotten what it felt like, and although she dreaded coming back, Lana still loved and relished it.

After about ten minutes of walking, Lana found herself at the motel she had been looking for. She only planned to stay for a little bit and figured the little motel would be fine. Lana wasn't even for sure Clark or anyone she knew would be around here anymore, but thought she'd give it a shot. Hopefully Lana would finally receive the closure she needed after all these years.