DISCLAIMER: Smallville and Company does not (and never will) belong to me.
Author's Note: The character of Sarah Hawkins is mine, and so is everyone else you don't recognize from the TV series (i.e. Sarah, her sisters, her brothers... you get the idea.) A/N=This means thought=! SUMMARY: A mysterious new gal moves to Smallville to try and escape her past. She's Martha's cousin and the Sullivans' best friend. But why does she need forgiveness? Will she be the one to finally crack the ice surrounding Lex Luthor's heart? Will she discover Clark's secret... or does she already know? And who are the mysterious people that keep showing up, asking for her, and then suddenly disappearing? Is she sick, or is she dying? And for that matter, why do some people completely freak out when they see her?
It was a cold day outside. Sarah pulled her jean jacket closer to her ever-thinning body, and heaved a sigh of disgust and anguish. She forged on against the battering rain, forcing her frozen and bruised limbs to keep working. Her body screamed at her for rest, but she couldn't let herself do that-Chloe would never forgive her if she gave up now. Now, when she needed Chloe the most... now, when Chloe needed her to be strong... now, when she was finally coming home to Chloe. When everything would finally be put right between Gabe and herself.
When she could find forgiveness for what she had done.
When she could demand forgiveness for what had been done to her.
When she and Chloe could start all over again, with Gabe along for the ride, making a new family for themselves in a small town called Smallville. =Just hold onto those thoughts= she thought grimly.
Rain had her person soaked through; rain made chilling paths down her back. Rain made her body lose feeling on the outside; rain made it possible for her to believe that it could actually work this time. =Rain makes you beautiful=.
The countryside was very pretty in the rain. The storm had lasted for weeks-it had followed Sarah from her start-out to her destination: Smallville. The quintessential small town, nestled deep in the boondocks, riddled with infamous meteor rocks and rumors... and Lex Luthor, the exiled son of a millionaire =soon to be billionaire, I imagine= she thought acidly. She shrugged deeper into the jean jacket, trying futilely to rub some warmth into her frozen arms. Her legs felt like lead, her stomach reminded her just how long it had been since she'd eaten (= about five days ago=), and her head ached constantly.
The countryside of Smallville was lovely in the rain; all greens and teals and refreshment. Too bad the rain was so cold; she would've liked to have enjoyed being able to gawk like a tourist at her surroundings. Right now, all she cared about was finding Chloe, getting her car towed, finding her new house, and getting out of the rain. =And in that order, too, I think=, she surmised distractedly amused. =Wow... it's been a long time since I had a permanent place to crash at. Chloe will be amused-Gabe will probably frown and say "It's about damned time!" Huh, I'll bet that Chloe's probably glued to the window, trying to conjure me in her driveway. And damn if she won't have something cooking or baking or whatever=. She smirked privately to herself, only slightly shocked when she realized she couldn't _feel_ her face contorting. =I know that girl too damn well. Gabe isn't usually a challenge; I can usually figure him out too. And damn if Martha won't jump on me the moment anyone lets on that I'm home. Jeez... 'home'... been a loooooong time since I let myself say _that_ word=.
Her hands were balled into fists, clenching themselves involuntarily onto her jacket and soaking woolen scarf. Her jeans didn't afford much protection, and she'd lost her umbrella somewhere between here and the rest of her journeys. Her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, but she kept going. She looked down at her feet to see if they were still moving. They were, and she decided not to feel grateful or worried about that.
Cars started passing her by, not taking any notice of the red-head trudging mechanically on the side of the road. Sarah stared straight ahead most of the time, deciding that even if someone did offer her a ride that she'd have to refuse since she'd crash just as soon as she sat down. The weather continued to whip through her normally warm clothing, sending fresh chills through her spine. No matter that most of her was numb from the cold, she could still feel it down her back.
There was a red truck that splashed her horribly when it raced through a slightly flood section of highway. A semi honked a horn at her... a green car passed by, tossing litter in her direction. Sarah smiled grimly. =They'd better be careful, or they'll end up like I did: upside-down and in the creek with a tree splitting your front end in two and water coming in like Noah's flood. Damn yocals... wish they'd all go to hell sometimes. Ooh, careful there girl; you just might find yourself _teaching_ some of these yahoos=.
Another truck sped by, and this time she got showered in mud as well. =I can't believe this= she thought disgustedly, =I just can't fucking win, can I? Jeez, gal, calm down... don't get excited; anger clouds the mind. Yeah, so does cold, wet, friggin' weather=! As if adding insult to injury (=which damn if I don't have any=!), her nose began to bleed again. =DAMN=!!! There was a guard rail up ahead; she stumbled hurriedly towards it, hoping to make there in time... She did. Just as she began to cough she reached the railing, and folded herself over it. She didn't know how she managed to keep herself from falling over it, but she didn't. She coughed up a lot of blood, gagging once and a while when she tried experimentally to breathe and found that her body wasn't quite finished purging itself just yet.
Vehicles passed her by, not taking any notice of her. And just then, she decided to be grateful for that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just where the bloody hell is she?" Chloe muttered to herself for the millionth time that hour. Sarah was long overdue to appear, Chloe decided, burning holes into the clock in her living room, and the weather certainly left things to be desired. Chloe felt like screaming, but didn't dare since everyone from Clark to Lex Luthor was here to celebrate her coming home-Sarah's, that is.
Not that any of them besides Mrs. Kent, her father, and herself really knew her; all that the others had seen of Sarah was an old photograph of Sarah and Chloe together in Sarah's first apartment. It was the only picture that anyone had of Sarah, who liked to keep her profile low. Chloe smiled as she remembered the boys' reactions-Pete, predictably, had immediately decided that she was a babe; Clark had dropped his jaw in a very un-Clark like sort of way; and Lex, the Mister cool-and-totally-unflappable Lex Luthor, had let out an appreciative "Damn!" =Men=, she thought amusedly, =are sooo basic. All you need is a set of boobs, two legs, and bam! They're goo-goo eyed=!
"Hey, Chloe! Your friend is running a tad bit late, isn't she?" Clark asked her in a voice that conveyed concern, amusement, and sarcasm all in one very handsome package. Chloe twisted the silver ring on her right index finger.
"Yeah, she is," she sighed, and looked up at her dad imploringly, "I can't understand where she is! What could be keeping her?" Gabe Sullivan smirked fondly and disapprovingly.
"Knowing our Miss Hawkins," he said frowning, "She's probably yelling at traffic that isn't going fast enough for her. In that respect, Mr. Luthor, I believe she is more like you than I am comfortable with!" Lex Luthor chuckled at his plant manager. Lex decided he really liked Gabe, even if he seemed a bit creepy at times.
"Really?" he asked, lounging in an easy chair, swirling a shot glass of whiskey in his right hand. His left arm was draped lazily across the back of the chair, wrinkling his expensive black suite. =He looks just about as out of place here as the Energizer Bunny at a strip joint=, thought Chloe. She smiled at her own crazy comparison, and continued to stare out the window as though she could summon Sarah in her driveway by eye-force alone. Conversations drifted around her: how the Kent's farm was doing, how Lex had once again saved the plant from closing, Gabe's retake on the time he and Sarah had decided that Martha was in need of a surprise birthday party and had accidentally walked in on her and Jonathan's "personal time".
Where _was_ Sarah? =It's not like she doesn't have a cell phone! She could at least call since she _knows_ that none of us has her cell number! Oh, of all times to be proud=!
And suddenly, Chloe saw a lone figure turn off the main road and start down her driveway. The rain came down in sheets, making it difficult for her to tell anything other than it was human. But... there was no mistaking that sensuous-if a bit stiff-gait. It was Sarah, and she was out there walking in this kind of weather--!
Chloe jumped up from her seat, startling everybody. She ran to the door, opening it just as Sarah reached the bottom step of the front porch. They stood there for a second like that; Sarah hunched over with her arms wrapped around herself getting dripped on from the roof's run-off, Chloe holding the screen door ajar. Chloe looked at Sarah; Sarah in turn stared at the step like she didn't know what to do with her feet now that she was here.
=She looks like hell=, Chloe decided. A split second later, she crossed the porch and Sarah had somehow forced her legs to trudge up the stairs. The two met and clung to each other as if only they could keep the sky from tumbling down on everyone. Sarah sighed, shaking without feeling it and.... absolutely soaking wet.
Chloe ushered her inside, yelling at her dad to grab blankets, towels, and some dry cloths. Gabe came into the foray holding a blanket, and immediately wrapped Sarah in it. He ran up the stairs while Chloe guided Sarah into the living room and sat her firmly on the couch, which Clark hurriedly vacated. Martha and Chloe cuddled up to Sarah, trying to get her warm.
"Ooh," Sarah said breathily, her eyes drooping, "This is nice." She smiled; Martha and Chloe giggled. "Remember when we did this the night I took off for Paris?" Sarah asked them laughing. That got a joyful reaction out of the women who held her in their arms.
"Yeah," Chloe sniffed, "I'll never forget the look on Dad's face when he went to wake us up in the morning, and found all three of us in my bed with our arms around each other! I thought I was going to *die* of laughter!"
"Oh, goodness," said Martha between laughs, "I thought he was going to cough up a frog or something!" Gabe came pounding down the steps then, towels and a new blanket on one arm, dry cloths on the other.
"What did you do!" he asked, "_Walk_ the whole way here?"
"Pretty much," Sarah replied, not quite nonchalant, not quite wearily. She leaned back a moment into the couch before hauling herself unsteadily to her feet. "I'm fine," she reassured both Martha and Chloe before they could move, "I'm going to change my cloths, dry off, and be right back out for some of Chloe's infamous baking. I won't be but a moment." And she headed off for the bathroom, successfully avoiding a collision with the doorframe at the last minute.
Chloe, Martha, and Gabe let out simultaneous sighs of exasperation. The rest, however, were close to shock.
"_That_ was your cousin, Mom?" Clark was the first one to come out of the stupor. Pete and Lex watched the women carefully.
"Yep!" she said cheerfully with a hint of resignation. She turned to Chloe, "Let's go have some of your goodies," she said.
"Sounds like a capital idea," Chloe said gratefully and wearily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
She was a mess, she decided. While her body had been easy to clean (for the most part, anyway-she still had mud under her nails and stuck in her hair), her hair was just too long to be dry anytime soon... even with the help of a hair-dryer. Bruises and small cuts criss-crossed her face. Sighing, she dressed.
Gabe's old pants and long-sleeved shirt were supplemented by one of Chloe's oversized sweatshirts and a pair of her thick winter socks. Sarah stared dully at her ghastly pale reflection, remembering a time when she had glowed with health and contentment.
That was a long time ago. That was before Joe; before Gabe; before the sickness had settled in. Before Martha had found out that she was sterile, and Sarah had started her "missions". Before a lot of things.
She sighed then, and decided that she'd better shove some food down her sore throat. Then her stomach could stop complaining and maybe her head as well. Shoving her wet cloths into the hamper (=Chloe will know who's they are=), she wrapped herself in another blanket and made for the kitchen.
The Sullivan's kitchen was a nice size, but not large. It was warm and well-lit, and packed with people at the moment. Sarah felt everyone's eyes on her as soon as she entered, and she dredged up the hidden energy and will to smile.
"I'm _fine_, everyone," she reassured them, "Really!" Gabe sighed, shaking his head with a rueful grin.
"Yeah, whatever," he said good-naturedly. He gave her a gruff embrace, before leaning against the counter. Sarah turned to the table, where she could identify every single one of Chloe's friends: Clark was the tall-dark- and-handsome shy guy, Pete was the dark Denzel Washington with the killer grin, and Lex Luthor was the sexy bald man about her age. She gave them all the once-over, not bothering to hide the fact that she approved of what she saw. She grinned at them then, making sure that she showed a lot of teeth; she didn't want them _too_ comfortable! Clark, surprisingly, was the first to speak:
"Hi," he said half-cheerful, half-timid. Sarah looked him straight in the eye. "I'm Clark Kent." Sarah shook her head, rolled her eyes. She walked around the table, and gave him a big hug.
"Mmm," she said, "It's good to meet you, cuz." She held him out for better inspection, lifting his chin up with index finger and thumb. "You're a handsome lad, m'boy," she said firmly, which won her most... beautiful... grin she had ever seen, "And I'll wager that all the ladies secretly yearn for you!" There was laughter as those sensational green eyes sparkled mischievously up at her.
"You must be Pete," she said, turning to him with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am," he said grinning back at her. She giggled, fighting off the tickle in her throat and enfolded _him_ in a hug as well. Martha and Jonathan interrupted her progress around the table, the latter sweeping her up in an arc around the room like she was only ten instead of *much* older. Everyone laughed when she shrieked in surprise, and she smacked him up- side the head playfully for it. She landed on her feet, right next to Lex's seat. She turned to face him, her pale face lit with happiness. Her violet eyes danced with gold as she stared smilingly into his icy blue ones. Lex felt his breath catch. =She may be as pale as death and bedraggled as all hell=, he decided, =but she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen=!
"You must be Lex Luthor," she said, her arms still wrapping her thin body in the blanket. He placed a smirk on his face reflexively, not sure he could breathe.
"I am," he said, and held out his hand. Sarah looked at the proffered hand, and then back into his eyes. Hers seemed to mock him silently, as she took his hand.
Her grip was firm and vigorous, but her hands were colder than death. =Colder than a Luthor's...= He never got to finish the thought.
Sarah decided to shake up the millionaire a little-he was entirely too sure of himself, and his air was just a tad bit tragic. So she decided to throw him off balance... completely.
Before anyone could say something, Sarah wrapped Lex Luthor, son of Lionel Luthor, in the first real hug he'd received since his mother had died. Shocked, he found his arms instinctively going around her emaciated body, not even registering how thin she was. All he could think about-if, indeed, it could be called a thought-was that it felt so RIGHT to hold her like this.
They fell apart, and Sarah was very satisfied with herself when she saw Lex's confused and shocked expression. So; the unflappable and untouchable Lex Luthor _was_ human after all.
Her energy gave way then, and she was grateful as a proud and equally surprised Gabe Sullivan put his hands on her shoulders and forced her to sit down. Food was brought out then, and the moment passed away, leaving animated conversation in its wake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was midnight before everyone cleared out. The conversations had been fantastic, the food wonderful, and the company completely awesome. =Especially a certain Lex Luthor=! Sarah sighed as Chloe and Gabe had insisted-and won-on her staying the night with them. Chloe was adding more blankets to bed right now.
"You'll sleep with me," she'd stated with finality, daring either Gabe or Sarah to challenge her. Sarah had smiled, and acquiesced with shrug. Gabe had chuckled, gave them both a hug, and they'd walked upstairs with their arms slung around each other.
Sarah was still smiling to herself as she took a very hot shower. The water was almost scalding-her skin was an angry red-but, she mused wryly, she had good reason to want it that way. Sighing regretfully, she turned off the water and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. =Thank God the mud is all gone=, she thought fervently. Sniffing slightly, she fought another coughing attack with all the energy she had.
It took most of what she had left, but as she crawled listlessly into bed beside Chloe, she decided wearily that it had been worth it. Chloe looked so peaceful; curled up beside her with an arm draped over Sarah's waist and the other clutching a raggedy old teddy bear. It didn't seem right to disturb her right then, and Gabe would just panic and take her to the ER. Nobody needed that right now.
Chloe was so warm, and Sarah was still so cold. =Oh, I'm plenty warmer than I had been before=, she thought darkly, =but it ain't enough=. Chloe seemed to sense this, and murmuring in her sleep about ice, she snuggled closer to Sarah. Sarah smirked, feeling the days of her journeys catching up to her in one fell swoop. Wrinkling her face at exhaustion-which she hated-she promptly fell asleep. The last thing she remembered was Gabe checking in on them and wondering when the hell he was going to trust them.
Sarah awoke the next morning to find Chloe's hair tickling her nose. Gingerly, feeling the aches of a thousand yesterdays, she raised an arm experimentally. Raising an eyebrow, she gently pushed the offending hair out of her face. Slowly, she disentangled herself from the sleeping girl, and then padded softly to her dresser. =Good thing we're practically the same size. Er, that is, at least in jeans=! she thought gratefully. =I'll wash 'em and return 'em later on=, she promised herself. Then she grinned, coming across a couple of things that were hers, but had somehow or another wound up in Chloe's chest of drawers and closet. Black jeans and an old black bodysuit were the order of the day. The jeans were Chloe's, but the bodysuit was hers. Glancing at Chloe sleeping form, she felt her face soften.
Shaking her head, Sarah stepped into the hallway. With sudden impulse, she tip-toed to Gabe's room. After careful inspection, she found that he was already up. =I had assumed as much= she thought dryly= I could always predict that man like friggin' clockwork=! Grinning mischievously, she crept over to Gabe's bureau. =Top drawer, just like always=. She opened the top drawer, and took out an old, beat-up flannel shirt. It had once been a navy- and pale-blue plaid, but it had been washed too many times. She put it on. =Part of me, part of Chloe, part of Gabe... now everybody will see that I'm family=. Filled with a peace she hadn't felt in years, Sarah proceeded down to the kitchen.
Chloe still hadn't gotten up when the Kent family and Pete showed up at eleven. After rounds of hugs and heartily bestowed kisses for the boys (they blushed the most brilliant shade of red), everyone settled down to cups of coffee in various styles and one of Gabe's famous breakfasts.
Pete and Clark proved to be veritable human vacuums as they devoured whatever was put in front of them. Jonathan and Gabriel were a little better-they ate slower-but they ate just as much as the boys. Martha ate well, and she kept encouraging Sarah to eat more.
"Too bad Chloe's missing all this food!" Clark said with sincerity. Pete nodded.
"She's still sleeping?" he asked incredulously, looking up at his best friend's father. His adorable face was screwed up in confusion, as though he couldn't for the world understand why anybody would sleep late when they had the chance. =He obviously doesn't know how little sleep Chloe affords herself during the week=, thought Sarah with dry amusement. A thought struck her, and she turned to look at Martha.
Martha caught her gaze, and grinned back, understanding her entirely. She nodded her head enthusiastically. "Do it," she urged, her face glowing with mischief. Clark and Pete only glanced at each other and back at the two women in confusion. Clark wondered what the heck had gotten into his mother all of a sudden. Gabe and Jonathan, however, had NO trouble understanding them.
"No," Gabe said fervently, "Oh, NO."
"No," Jonathan echoed, looking half horrified and half panicked, "NO. Please no!" He shook his head, eyes wide. His wife only grinned wider.
"Let's do it," she said eagerly. As one, she and Sarah jumped out of their chairs, and disappeared down the hallway.
"Oh, no; no, no, no, no, NO," Gabe said, stricken, shaking his head. He repeated his mantra as the cousins re-entered the kitchen, carrying a large bucket with them. Jonathan, at this point, followed Gabe's lead, and was repeating the word "no" over and over. Grinning ferally, Martha and Sarah filled the bucket with cold water, and made sure to add ice. When it dawned on the boys just what exactly Clark's mother and cousin were up to, their eyes lit up.
"Chloe's gonna KILL you," Clark said joyfully. Pete nodded.
"Yup," he said, as Sarah and Martha carried the bucket up the stairs, being careful to not spill anything. They disappeared from view just as there was a knock at the front door. Sharing baffled shrugs with Pete, Clark passed by his father and Mr. Sullivan-who were still stricken with fear of Chloe's reaction-and went to see who it was. He was surprised to see the one and only Lex Luthor waiting on the front porch. He was even more shocked when he saw that his rich friend was wearing.... *jeans* and a *t- shirt*. Lex Luthor *never* wore jeans and t-shirt-and especially not the old leather jacket he was also adorned in.
"Hi," Clark said suspiciously as he let the millionaire's son in. Lex smirked.
"Never thought to see me like this, did you?" he said as Clark looked him up and down. He shrugged at the question in his poorer friend's eyes. "Miss Hawk- er, Sarah, told me she was moving into her house today, and invited me to help. How can I refuse a beautiful lady's request?"
"So, you think she's beautiful?" Clark said playfully. Lex wouldn't be budged.
"You don't?"
Clark nodded, grinning, and lead Lex into the kitchen.
"So," Lex continued... but stopped when he saw the state the manager of his plants and the father of his best and only friend were in. Confused, he could only stare.
"Did I miss something?" he asked, amused. Pete grinned maniacally at him. Clark chuckled.
An indignant screech filled the house with a suddenness and profoundness that left the kitchen silent in its wake. It was followed by several shorter squeals, and loud thudding from over their heads. Loud, joyful, insane laughter bubbled down to them.
Sounding like a herd of elephants, Martha and Sarah pelted down the stairs with a dripping Chloe hot on their heels. Chloe was wielding a large hairbrush in the air, shrieking her indignation. Martha still held the bucket in her delicate hands, a wide smile lighting up her face, laughing so hard she was stumbling. Sarah had the most delectable grin on her pale face, and her eyes were lit with a mischievous light. Clark, Pete, and Lex erupted into laughter as a soaked Chloe with hair in every direction chased the offending cousins around the house. Jonathan and Gabriel shook their heads, and laid them with a soft thud on the counter.
"In deference to your earlier query, Lex," Pete managed to say as Chloe, water flying everywhere, bore down on Martha, who threw the bucket at her. Sarah came up behind Chloe, and distracted her by putting ice down her back. Startled by the sudden coldness, Chloe whipped around... but Sarah was too quick and took off running. Martha pounced on her own opportunity, and fled in the opposite direction. Chloe, still dripping wet, in soaking flannel pajamas, gave chase to Sarah.
"You didn't miss much," Clark finished for his friend, who had given in to fresh hysterical laughter. Then the teenager and the young man gave in to their own laughter as Chloe could be heard to scream loud enough to be heard in downtown Smallville:
"I'M AWAKE!!!!!!!!!"
It took the better part of a half an hour to calm Chloe down. By then, she was reasonably dry enough, and she sat sulkily down at the table with a plop. Martha, her once-neat hair now in wild tangles, leaned against her husband, out of breath. Sarah entered the kitchen from behind Lex, so he was surprised when he heard her voice.
"Hey, Lexy," she said cheerfully. She almost snorted when he jumped, then turned to face her with an incredulous look on his face.
"*Lexy*?" he repeated dumbly. Still grinning maniacally, she crossed to him and put a hand on one cheek.
"Morning!" she said, and gave him a firm, smacking kiss on the cheek. =I should have worn lipstick=! She thought wickedly as she walked to the sink, =that would have REALLY thrown him=! Clark coughed, a little embarrassed for Lex, who turned around slowly. He put a hand to his cheek, and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.
Sarah, fighting another coughing session, lounged against the sink with a smirk on her face. Arms crossed in front of her, she winked at him. =He needs me=, she thought, not feeling anything in particular. =He needs shook up once in a while; to prove that he's not unshakable. Well, this ought to be an interesting day=!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, R/R if you want more. It's what keeps me writing, folks! ( Ooookay... NEbody have an idea of where they want this to go? How should Sarah and Lex get together? When should things start to go REALLY wrong? One thing IS for sure, though: Sarah REALLY hates Lional Luthor.... *grins* R/R w/ any ideas, comments, or questions. Flamers who are unprofessional and unconstructive in their criticism will have their flames spoon-fed back to them. (I do respond to emails, but put SMALLVILLE FIC in the subject box so I know not to block you.)
Author's Note: The character of Sarah Hawkins is mine, and so is everyone else you don't recognize from the TV series (i.e. Sarah, her sisters, her brothers... you get the idea.) A/N=This means thought=! SUMMARY: A mysterious new gal moves to Smallville to try and escape her past. She's Martha's cousin and the Sullivans' best friend. But why does she need forgiveness? Will she be the one to finally crack the ice surrounding Lex Luthor's heart? Will she discover Clark's secret... or does she already know? And who are the mysterious people that keep showing up, asking for her, and then suddenly disappearing? Is she sick, or is she dying? And for that matter, why do some people completely freak out when they see her?
It was a cold day outside. Sarah pulled her jean jacket closer to her ever-thinning body, and heaved a sigh of disgust and anguish. She forged on against the battering rain, forcing her frozen and bruised limbs to keep working. Her body screamed at her for rest, but she couldn't let herself do that-Chloe would never forgive her if she gave up now. Now, when she needed Chloe the most... now, when Chloe needed her to be strong... now, when she was finally coming home to Chloe. When everything would finally be put right between Gabe and herself.
When she could find forgiveness for what she had done.
When she could demand forgiveness for what had been done to her.
When she and Chloe could start all over again, with Gabe along for the ride, making a new family for themselves in a small town called Smallville. =Just hold onto those thoughts= she thought grimly.
Rain had her person soaked through; rain made chilling paths down her back. Rain made her body lose feeling on the outside; rain made it possible for her to believe that it could actually work this time. =Rain makes you beautiful=.
The countryside was very pretty in the rain. The storm had lasted for weeks-it had followed Sarah from her start-out to her destination: Smallville. The quintessential small town, nestled deep in the boondocks, riddled with infamous meteor rocks and rumors... and Lex Luthor, the exiled son of a millionaire =soon to be billionaire, I imagine= she thought acidly. She shrugged deeper into the jean jacket, trying futilely to rub some warmth into her frozen arms. Her legs felt like lead, her stomach reminded her just how long it had been since she'd eaten (= about five days ago=), and her head ached constantly.
The countryside of Smallville was lovely in the rain; all greens and teals and refreshment. Too bad the rain was so cold; she would've liked to have enjoyed being able to gawk like a tourist at her surroundings. Right now, all she cared about was finding Chloe, getting her car towed, finding her new house, and getting out of the rain. =And in that order, too, I think=, she surmised distractedly amused. =Wow... it's been a long time since I had a permanent place to crash at. Chloe will be amused-Gabe will probably frown and say "It's about damned time!" Huh, I'll bet that Chloe's probably glued to the window, trying to conjure me in her driveway. And damn if she won't have something cooking or baking or whatever=. She smirked privately to herself, only slightly shocked when she realized she couldn't _feel_ her face contorting. =I know that girl too damn well. Gabe isn't usually a challenge; I can usually figure him out too. And damn if Martha won't jump on me the moment anyone lets on that I'm home. Jeez... 'home'... been a loooooong time since I let myself say _that_ word=.
Her hands were balled into fists, clenching themselves involuntarily onto her jacket and soaking woolen scarf. Her jeans didn't afford much protection, and she'd lost her umbrella somewhere between here and the rest of her journeys. Her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, but she kept going. She looked down at her feet to see if they were still moving. They were, and she decided not to feel grateful or worried about that.
Cars started passing her by, not taking any notice of the red-head trudging mechanically on the side of the road. Sarah stared straight ahead most of the time, deciding that even if someone did offer her a ride that she'd have to refuse since she'd crash just as soon as she sat down. The weather continued to whip through her normally warm clothing, sending fresh chills through her spine. No matter that most of her was numb from the cold, she could still feel it down her back.
There was a red truck that splashed her horribly when it raced through a slightly flood section of highway. A semi honked a horn at her... a green car passed by, tossing litter in her direction. Sarah smiled grimly. =They'd better be careful, or they'll end up like I did: upside-down and in the creek with a tree splitting your front end in two and water coming in like Noah's flood. Damn yocals... wish they'd all go to hell sometimes. Ooh, careful there girl; you just might find yourself _teaching_ some of these yahoos=.
Another truck sped by, and this time she got showered in mud as well. =I can't believe this= she thought disgustedly, =I just can't fucking win, can I? Jeez, gal, calm down... don't get excited; anger clouds the mind. Yeah, so does cold, wet, friggin' weather=! As if adding insult to injury (=which damn if I don't have any=!), her nose began to bleed again. =DAMN=!!! There was a guard rail up ahead; she stumbled hurriedly towards it, hoping to make there in time... She did. Just as she began to cough she reached the railing, and folded herself over it. She didn't know how she managed to keep herself from falling over it, but she didn't. She coughed up a lot of blood, gagging once and a while when she tried experimentally to breathe and found that her body wasn't quite finished purging itself just yet.
Vehicles passed her by, not taking any notice of her. And just then, she decided to be grateful for that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just where the bloody hell is she?" Chloe muttered to herself for the millionth time that hour. Sarah was long overdue to appear, Chloe decided, burning holes into the clock in her living room, and the weather certainly left things to be desired. Chloe felt like screaming, but didn't dare since everyone from Clark to Lex Luthor was here to celebrate her coming home-Sarah's, that is.
Not that any of them besides Mrs. Kent, her father, and herself really knew her; all that the others had seen of Sarah was an old photograph of Sarah and Chloe together in Sarah's first apartment. It was the only picture that anyone had of Sarah, who liked to keep her profile low. Chloe smiled as she remembered the boys' reactions-Pete, predictably, had immediately decided that she was a babe; Clark had dropped his jaw in a very un-Clark like sort of way; and Lex, the Mister cool-and-totally-unflappable Lex Luthor, had let out an appreciative "Damn!" =Men=, she thought amusedly, =are sooo basic. All you need is a set of boobs, two legs, and bam! They're goo-goo eyed=!
"Hey, Chloe! Your friend is running a tad bit late, isn't she?" Clark asked her in a voice that conveyed concern, amusement, and sarcasm all in one very handsome package. Chloe twisted the silver ring on her right index finger.
"Yeah, she is," she sighed, and looked up at her dad imploringly, "I can't understand where she is! What could be keeping her?" Gabe Sullivan smirked fondly and disapprovingly.
"Knowing our Miss Hawkins," he said frowning, "She's probably yelling at traffic that isn't going fast enough for her. In that respect, Mr. Luthor, I believe she is more like you than I am comfortable with!" Lex Luthor chuckled at his plant manager. Lex decided he really liked Gabe, even if he seemed a bit creepy at times.
"Really?" he asked, lounging in an easy chair, swirling a shot glass of whiskey in his right hand. His left arm was draped lazily across the back of the chair, wrinkling his expensive black suite. =He looks just about as out of place here as the Energizer Bunny at a strip joint=, thought Chloe. She smiled at her own crazy comparison, and continued to stare out the window as though she could summon Sarah in her driveway by eye-force alone. Conversations drifted around her: how the Kent's farm was doing, how Lex had once again saved the plant from closing, Gabe's retake on the time he and Sarah had decided that Martha was in need of a surprise birthday party and had accidentally walked in on her and Jonathan's "personal time".
Where _was_ Sarah? =It's not like she doesn't have a cell phone! She could at least call since she _knows_ that none of us has her cell number! Oh, of all times to be proud=!
And suddenly, Chloe saw a lone figure turn off the main road and start down her driveway. The rain came down in sheets, making it difficult for her to tell anything other than it was human. But... there was no mistaking that sensuous-if a bit stiff-gait. It was Sarah, and she was out there walking in this kind of weather--!
Chloe jumped up from her seat, startling everybody. She ran to the door, opening it just as Sarah reached the bottom step of the front porch. They stood there for a second like that; Sarah hunched over with her arms wrapped around herself getting dripped on from the roof's run-off, Chloe holding the screen door ajar. Chloe looked at Sarah; Sarah in turn stared at the step like she didn't know what to do with her feet now that she was here.
=She looks like hell=, Chloe decided. A split second later, she crossed the porch and Sarah had somehow forced her legs to trudge up the stairs. The two met and clung to each other as if only they could keep the sky from tumbling down on everyone. Sarah sighed, shaking without feeling it and.... absolutely soaking wet.
Chloe ushered her inside, yelling at her dad to grab blankets, towels, and some dry cloths. Gabe came into the foray holding a blanket, and immediately wrapped Sarah in it. He ran up the stairs while Chloe guided Sarah into the living room and sat her firmly on the couch, which Clark hurriedly vacated. Martha and Chloe cuddled up to Sarah, trying to get her warm.
"Ooh," Sarah said breathily, her eyes drooping, "This is nice." She smiled; Martha and Chloe giggled. "Remember when we did this the night I took off for Paris?" Sarah asked them laughing. That got a joyful reaction out of the women who held her in their arms.
"Yeah," Chloe sniffed, "I'll never forget the look on Dad's face when he went to wake us up in the morning, and found all three of us in my bed with our arms around each other! I thought I was going to *die* of laughter!"
"Oh, goodness," said Martha between laughs, "I thought he was going to cough up a frog or something!" Gabe came pounding down the steps then, towels and a new blanket on one arm, dry cloths on the other.
"What did you do!" he asked, "_Walk_ the whole way here?"
"Pretty much," Sarah replied, not quite nonchalant, not quite wearily. She leaned back a moment into the couch before hauling herself unsteadily to her feet. "I'm fine," she reassured both Martha and Chloe before they could move, "I'm going to change my cloths, dry off, and be right back out for some of Chloe's infamous baking. I won't be but a moment." And she headed off for the bathroom, successfully avoiding a collision with the doorframe at the last minute.
Chloe, Martha, and Gabe let out simultaneous sighs of exasperation. The rest, however, were close to shock.
"_That_ was your cousin, Mom?" Clark was the first one to come out of the stupor. Pete and Lex watched the women carefully.
"Yep!" she said cheerfully with a hint of resignation. She turned to Chloe, "Let's go have some of your goodies," she said.
"Sounds like a capital idea," Chloe said gratefully and wearily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
She was a mess, she decided. While her body had been easy to clean (for the most part, anyway-she still had mud under her nails and stuck in her hair), her hair was just too long to be dry anytime soon... even with the help of a hair-dryer. Bruises and small cuts criss-crossed her face. Sighing, she dressed.
Gabe's old pants and long-sleeved shirt were supplemented by one of Chloe's oversized sweatshirts and a pair of her thick winter socks. Sarah stared dully at her ghastly pale reflection, remembering a time when she had glowed with health and contentment.
That was a long time ago. That was before Joe; before Gabe; before the sickness had settled in. Before Martha had found out that she was sterile, and Sarah had started her "missions". Before a lot of things.
She sighed then, and decided that she'd better shove some food down her sore throat. Then her stomach could stop complaining and maybe her head as well. Shoving her wet cloths into the hamper (=Chloe will know who's they are=), she wrapped herself in another blanket and made for the kitchen.
The Sullivan's kitchen was a nice size, but not large. It was warm and well-lit, and packed with people at the moment. Sarah felt everyone's eyes on her as soon as she entered, and she dredged up the hidden energy and will to smile.
"I'm _fine_, everyone," she reassured them, "Really!" Gabe sighed, shaking his head with a rueful grin.
"Yeah, whatever," he said good-naturedly. He gave her a gruff embrace, before leaning against the counter. Sarah turned to the table, where she could identify every single one of Chloe's friends: Clark was the tall-dark- and-handsome shy guy, Pete was the dark Denzel Washington with the killer grin, and Lex Luthor was the sexy bald man about her age. She gave them all the once-over, not bothering to hide the fact that she approved of what she saw. She grinned at them then, making sure that she showed a lot of teeth; she didn't want them _too_ comfortable! Clark, surprisingly, was the first to speak:
"Hi," he said half-cheerful, half-timid. Sarah looked him straight in the eye. "I'm Clark Kent." Sarah shook her head, rolled her eyes. She walked around the table, and gave him a big hug.
"Mmm," she said, "It's good to meet you, cuz." She held him out for better inspection, lifting his chin up with index finger and thumb. "You're a handsome lad, m'boy," she said firmly, which won her most... beautiful... grin she had ever seen, "And I'll wager that all the ladies secretly yearn for you!" There was laughter as those sensational green eyes sparkled mischievously up at her.
"You must be Pete," she said, turning to him with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am," he said grinning back at her. She giggled, fighting off the tickle in her throat and enfolded _him_ in a hug as well. Martha and Jonathan interrupted her progress around the table, the latter sweeping her up in an arc around the room like she was only ten instead of *much* older. Everyone laughed when she shrieked in surprise, and she smacked him up- side the head playfully for it. She landed on her feet, right next to Lex's seat. She turned to face him, her pale face lit with happiness. Her violet eyes danced with gold as she stared smilingly into his icy blue ones. Lex felt his breath catch. =She may be as pale as death and bedraggled as all hell=, he decided, =but she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen=!
"You must be Lex Luthor," she said, her arms still wrapping her thin body in the blanket. He placed a smirk on his face reflexively, not sure he could breathe.
"I am," he said, and held out his hand. Sarah looked at the proffered hand, and then back into his eyes. Hers seemed to mock him silently, as she took his hand.
Her grip was firm and vigorous, but her hands were colder than death. =Colder than a Luthor's...= He never got to finish the thought.
Sarah decided to shake up the millionaire a little-he was entirely too sure of himself, and his air was just a tad bit tragic. So she decided to throw him off balance... completely.
Before anyone could say something, Sarah wrapped Lex Luthor, son of Lionel Luthor, in the first real hug he'd received since his mother had died. Shocked, he found his arms instinctively going around her emaciated body, not even registering how thin she was. All he could think about-if, indeed, it could be called a thought-was that it felt so RIGHT to hold her like this.
They fell apart, and Sarah was very satisfied with herself when she saw Lex's confused and shocked expression. So; the unflappable and untouchable Lex Luthor _was_ human after all.
Her energy gave way then, and she was grateful as a proud and equally surprised Gabe Sullivan put his hands on her shoulders and forced her to sit down. Food was brought out then, and the moment passed away, leaving animated conversation in its wake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was midnight before everyone cleared out. The conversations had been fantastic, the food wonderful, and the company completely awesome. =Especially a certain Lex Luthor=! Sarah sighed as Chloe and Gabe had insisted-and won-on her staying the night with them. Chloe was adding more blankets to bed right now.
"You'll sleep with me," she'd stated with finality, daring either Gabe or Sarah to challenge her. Sarah had smiled, and acquiesced with shrug. Gabe had chuckled, gave them both a hug, and they'd walked upstairs with their arms slung around each other.
Sarah was still smiling to herself as she took a very hot shower. The water was almost scalding-her skin was an angry red-but, she mused wryly, she had good reason to want it that way. Sighing regretfully, she turned off the water and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. =Thank God the mud is all gone=, she thought fervently. Sniffing slightly, she fought another coughing attack with all the energy she had.
It took most of what she had left, but as she crawled listlessly into bed beside Chloe, she decided wearily that it had been worth it. Chloe looked so peaceful; curled up beside her with an arm draped over Sarah's waist and the other clutching a raggedy old teddy bear. It didn't seem right to disturb her right then, and Gabe would just panic and take her to the ER. Nobody needed that right now.
Chloe was so warm, and Sarah was still so cold. =Oh, I'm plenty warmer than I had been before=, she thought darkly, =but it ain't enough=. Chloe seemed to sense this, and murmuring in her sleep about ice, she snuggled closer to Sarah. Sarah smirked, feeling the days of her journeys catching up to her in one fell swoop. Wrinkling her face at exhaustion-which she hated-she promptly fell asleep. The last thing she remembered was Gabe checking in on them and wondering when the hell he was going to trust them.
Sarah awoke the next morning to find Chloe's hair tickling her nose. Gingerly, feeling the aches of a thousand yesterdays, she raised an arm experimentally. Raising an eyebrow, she gently pushed the offending hair out of her face. Slowly, she disentangled herself from the sleeping girl, and then padded softly to her dresser. =Good thing we're practically the same size. Er, that is, at least in jeans=! she thought gratefully. =I'll wash 'em and return 'em later on=, she promised herself. Then she grinned, coming across a couple of things that were hers, but had somehow or another wound up in Chloe's chest of drawers and closet. Black jeans and an old black bodysuit were the order of the day. The jeans were Chloe's, but the bodysuit was hers. Glancing at Chloe sleeping form, she felt her face soften.
Shaking her head, Sarah stepped into the hallway. With sudden impulse, she tip-toed to Gabe's room. After careful inspection, she found that he was already up. =I had assumed as much= she thought dryly= I could always predict that man like friggin' clockwork=! Grinning mischievously, she crept over to Gabe's bureau. =Top drawer, just like always=. She opened the top drawer, and took out an old, beat-up flannel shirt. It had once been a navy- and pale-blue plaid, but it had been washed too many times. She put it on. =Part of me, part of Chloe, part of Gabe... now everybody will see that I'm family=. Filled with a peace she hadn't felt in years, Sarah proceeded down to the kitchen.
Chloe still hadn't gotten up when the Kent family and Pete showed up at eleven. After rounds of hugs and heartily bestowed kisses for the boys (they blushed the most brilliant shade of red), everyone settled down to cups of coffee in various styles and one of Gabe's famous breakfasts.
Pete and Clark proved to be veritable human vacuums as they devoured whatever was put in front of them. Jonathan and Gabriel were a little better-they ate slower-but they ate just as much as the boys. Martha ate well, and she kept encouraging Sarah to eat more.
"Too bad Chloe's missing all this food!" Clark said with sincerity. Pete nodded.
"She's still sleeping?" he asked incredulously, looking up at his best friend's father. His adorable face was screwed up in confusion, as though he couldn't for the world understand why anybody would sleep late when they had the chance. =He obviously doesn't know how little sleep Chloe affords herself during the week=, thought Sarah with dry amusement. A thought struck her, and she turned to look at Martha.
Martha caught her gaze, and grinned back, understanding her entirely. She nodded her head enthusiastically. "Do it," she urged, her face glowing with mischief. Clark and Pete only glanced at each other and back at the two women in confusion. Clark wondered what the heck had gotten into his mother all of a sudden. Gabe and Jonathan, however, had NO trouble understanding them.
"No," Gabe said fervently, "Oh, NO."
"No," Jonathan echoed, looking half horrified and half panicked, "NO. Please no!" He shook his head, eyes wide. His wife only grinned wider.
"Let's do it," she said eagerly. As one, she and Sarah jumped out of their chairs, and disappeared down the hallway.
"Oh, no; no, no, no, no, NO," Gabe said, stricken, shaking his head. He repeated his mantra as the cousins re-entered the kitchen, carrying a large bucket with them. Jonathan, at this point, followed Gabe's lead, and was repeating the word "no" over and over. Grinning ferally, Martha and Sarah filled the bucket with cold water, and made sure to add ice. When it dawned on the boys just what exactly Clark's mother and cousin were up to, their eyes lit up.
"Chloe's gonna KILL you," Clark said joyfully. Pete nodded.
"Yup," he said, as Sarah and Martha carried the bucket up the stairs, being careful to not spill anything. They disappeared from view just as there was a knock at the front door. Sharing baffled shrugs with Pete, Clark passed by his father and Mr. Sullivan-who were still stricken with fear of Chloe's reaction-and went to see who it was. He was surprised to see the one and only Lex Luthor waiting on the front porch. He was even more shocked when he saw that his rich friend was wearing.... *jeans* and a *t- shirt*. Lex Luthor *never* wore jeans and t-shirt-and especially not the old leather jacket he was also adorned in.
"Hi," Clark said suspiciously as he let the millionaire's son in. Lex smirked.
"Never thought to see me like this, did you?" he said as Clark looked him up and down. He shrugged at the question in his poorer friend's eyes. "Miss Hawk- er, Sarah, told me she was moving into her house today, and invited me to help. How can I refuse a beautiful lady's request?"
"So, you think she's beautiful?" Clark said playfully. Lex wouldn't be budged.
"You don't?"
Clark nodded, grinning, and lead Lex into the kitchen.
"So," Lex continued... but stopped when he saw the state the manager of his plants and the father of his best and only friend were in. Confused, he could only stare.
"Did I miss something?" he asked, amused. Pete grinned maniacally at him. Clark chuckled.
An indignant screech filled the house with a suddenness and profoundness that left the kitchen silent in its wake. It was followed by several shorter squeals, and loud thudding from over their heads. Loud, joyful, insane laughter bubbled down to them.
Sounding like a herd of elephants, Martha and Sarah pelted down the stairs with a dripping Chloe hot on their heels. Chloe was wielding a large hairbrush in the air, shrieking her indignation. Martha still held the bucket in her delicate hands, a wide smile lighting up her face, laughing so hard she was stumbling. Sarah had the most delectable grin on her pale face, and her eyes were lit with a mischievous light. Clark, Pete, and Lex erupted into laughter as a soaked Chloe with hair in every direction chased the offending cousins around the house. Jonathan and Gabriel shook their heads, and laid them with a soft thud on the counter.
"In deference to your earlier query, Lex," Pete managed to say as Chloe, water flying everywhere, bore down on Martha, who threw the bucket at her. Sarah came up behind Chloe, and distracted her by putting ice down her back. Startled by the sudden coldness, Chloe whipped around... but Sarah was too quick and took off running. Martha pounced on her own opportunity, and fled in the opposite direction. Chloe, still dripping wet, in soaking flannel pajamas, gave chase to Sarah.
"You didn't miss much," Clark finished for his friend, who had given in to fresh hysterical laughter. Then the teenager and the young man gave in to their own laughter as Chloe could be heard to scream loud enough to be heard in downtown Smallville:
"I'M AWAKE!!!!!!!!!"
It took the better part of a half an hour to calm Chloe down. By then, she was reasonably dry enough, and she sat sulkily down at the table with a plop. Martha, her once-neat hair now in wild tangles, leaned against her husband, out of breath. Sarah entered the kitchen from behind Lex, so he was surprised when he heard her voice.
"Hey, Lexy," she said cheerfully. She almost snorted when he jumped, then turned to face her with an incredulous look on his face.
"*Lexy*?" he repeated dumbly. Still grinning maniacally, she crossed to him and put a hand on one cheek.
"Morning!" she said, and gave him a firm, smacking kiss on the cheek. =I should have worn lipstick=! She thought wickedly as she walked to the sink, =that would have REALLY thrown him=! Clark coughed, a little embarrassed for Lex, who turned around slowly. He put a hand to his cheek, and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.
Sarah, fighting another coughing session, lounged against the sink with a smirk on her face. Arms crossed in front of her, she winked at him. =He needs me=, she thought, not feeling anything in particular. =He needs shook up once in a while; to prove that he's not unshakable. Well, this ought to be an interesting day=!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, R/R if you want more. It's what keeps me writing, folks! ( Ooookay... NEbody have an idea of where they want this to go? How should Sarah and Lex get together? When should things start to go REALLY wrong? One thing IS for sure, though: Sarah REALLY hates Lional Luthor.... *grins* R/R w/ any ideas, comments, or questions. Flamers who are unprofessional and unconstructive in their criticism will have their flames spoon-fed back to them. (I do respond to emails, but put SMALLVILLE FIC in the subject box so I know not to block you.)