Rite of Passage

by The Satyricon

Chloe Sullivan gets her license, and so much more from Clark Kent, one sunny day...SEVENTH in the ICON Chlark AU series...Be kind, review kindly!

"Rite of Passage"
By
The Satyr Icon

All characters, references, and other things pertaining to 'Smallville' are property of the WB, DC Comics, Tollin-Robins, Al Gough & Miles Millar, and J. Siegal & J. Shuster; I am just writing for fun, and I owned them, all would be good and clean in the World.

I.

Chloe Sullivan parked the car and looked at the driving test proctor. Mr. Parsons was an old man, maybe 60, she figured, and was silent on the test except for when he gave her instructions. She was sure she hadn't screwed up. But there was a four-way stop at the outskirts of town and, of course, no one took the initiative to go first. Damn small town people, she thought. Or did she say it? She suddenly got worried.

"You passed, Miss Sullivan. Congratulations."

"Thank you!" Chloe was ecstatic! She got her driver's license! She looked at the driving instructor, gave the old man a huge toothy smile, and thanked him again. They got out the car. She pocketed the keys and ran to her father, Gabe. He gave her a big bear hug, and she hugged back tightly.

"Well, now that you're among the licensed masses," he asked as she looked at her test paper, "...what are you going to do?"

"Call Clark," Chloe said without a moment's hesitation. Her father laughed as he watched his daughter grab her cell phone and click on the first number on her speed dial list. She grinned; he really liked Clark. He was a smart handsome farm boy. But, he was more than that. Clark had saved Chloe life several times this year alone. And he didn't make a big deal about it. And he started to date Chloe. Really, he thought, his daughter couldn't do any better.

"Hello? Can I speak to Clark? Yes, its me, Mrs. Kent...great...and you? That's good...ok...thank you" She smiled and rolled her eyes at her dad. Suddenly she came to attention. "Hey, you! Get ready in about 15-20 minutes. Chores? You always have chores. Can you skip out for an afternoon? Because...I got my license! Thank you ...thank you. Yes...driving on the back roads helped." She smiled smugly at her dad, who had suggested that their long driving sessions were more than that, and Gabe's opinion of Clark somehow rose several notches. "OK...I have to get my picture taken. Then I'll pick you up. Bring CDs. Ok...bye!"

"The afternoon?" Gabe asked as he walked Chloe into the DMV office.

"I just wanna drive around with Clark, listen to some CDs, be 16 years old with a license!" She laughed and her dad gave her a side hug.

"I know, honey...its just you're growing up so fast." Gabe looked wistfully at his daughter. She smiled and hugged him.

"I'm not going to leave you in the dust, dad," Chloe said, walked in front of the camera, smiled again, and got her picture for the license taken.

II.

Chloe was surprised that she drove calmly to the Kent's after dropping off her dad their home; She was very eager to see Clark. She only honked at two cars and a truck hauling horses on the five minute drive to Clark's. She saw the Kent's yellow two story on her left hand side and smiled. She looked in the rear-view mirror and pulled the car off to the shoulder. Opening her knapsack, she grabbed her lip gloss and laid the knapsack on the empty passenger seat. Chloe dabbed on some flavored lip gloss, melon, because Clark liked the scent and more importantly, the taste. Smiling at herself in the mirror, she thought how he tasted; his lips tended to taste like the sugary icing on the cinnamon rolls his mom would bake. Smacking her lips, Chloe put the lip gloss away. Glancing back at the mirror, she decided she looked pretty. She smiled. Chloe was always a little self-conscious about her looks, but now that she and Clark were in a relationship deeper than best friends, she no longer worried about not being the most beautiful girl in school. She didn't worry about much around Clark. Chloe could be herself: smart, quirky, snarky, a fun whirlwind of energy. Still, she wore an outfit that Clark commented greatly on, a red silk tank top with a black-beaded Chinese dragon on it, her beige cargo pants that fit like a glove, and her Doc Marten boots. Chloe winked at herself in the mirror and checked for traffic, put the car into gear and drove to Clark's house.

Sitting on the porch steps, Clark smiled as he saw the car coming up the dirt path to the house. He could make out Chloe's huge grin as she got closer. The car came to smooth stop and Chloe leaned out the window. "Hey handsome, need a ride anywhere?"

"If you're the driver," Clark laughed and he got off the steps as Chloe got out of the car. He took her hand and started to pull her into an embrace when she leaned sideways.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Kent!" Chloe exclaimed and they both took a step back; they were still a bit wary of their parents viewing their displays of affection. So far, Gabe, and Clark's parents, Jonathan and Martha, saw long lingering stares, hand-holding and lots of quick separations whenever they walked in on them.

"I hear you passed with flying colors," Jonathan said as Martha opened her arms and gave Chloe a hug. Chloe nodded to him. Martha's hug had caught Chloe off guard, but she needed a mother's touch. Her mother was no longer with Gabe, gone somewhere other than Smallville, and Chloe missed her. But Martha was like a surrogate mother at times, giving Chloe bits of advice and just being a mom to her. Martha broke off the hug and Jonathan laughed and patted Chloe's shoulder like she just made a big catch in a football game, she thought, and that made her think that was his way of hugging her.

"Well, Son," Jonathan looked at the written test paper Chloe offered "Give her a hug. She scored a hundred percent."

"On both tests," Chloe added with a smiling wiggle of her head as Clark blushed and hugged her.

Life in Smallville had taken a weird turn for Chloe and Clark as they started their freshmen year at Smallville High School. Odd things begain to occur in Smallville. Chloe kept track of every single strange occurrence in town by putting newspaper clippings on what she called "The Wall of Weird." But suddenly, people, usually teens, began acting very strange. Most were affected by green meteor rock fragments that were scattered all over Lowell County after the Great Meteor Strike twelve years before.
"Meteor freaks" was the term commonly used by Chloe to label these affected people. These 'freaks' had...powers that they tended to use those powers for evil purposes, and they seemed to come out of the woodwork every other week. Clark and Chloe, and at times, their friend Pete Ross would somehow track down a freak, and defeat them. Usually, Chloe was noticing, she and Clark would investigate and he was the one stopping them somehow. But it worked and their life now was homework and hostiles, tests and terror, uneatable cafeteria food and unbelievably powered freaks.

So when Clark and Chloe held each other, eyes closed, her head nestled on his chest, his cheek on the crown of her head, arms tightly wrapped around each body, Smallville was gone. Pain and sadness and trouble vanished as they breathed in the same time. 'Serenity finds you,' Chloe thought, 'when you need it most.' She had to thank Martha for telling her that. Serenity was being with Clark, and since he was holding her as tight as she was holding him, 'Maybe,' Chloe thought, 'I am the same for him.'
Jonathan cleared his throat with loud "Ahem" after several obviously fake coughs didn't get the teens attention. He looked wide-eyed and shook his head at Martha, and they both smiled.

"A...HEM, kids," Martha said leaning to the teens, touching each on the shoulder, smiling at how they looked so...in love, and suddenly she was sentimental as she realized Clark was no longer "her little boy", but rather a young adult seriously in love with the right girl.

"Oh," Clark and Chloe said at the same time and she smiled up at him. Lately, they had been saying the same things at the same time often. It drove Pete nuts. Clark thought it was cool. Chloe thought they were soul mates.

"Son, maybe you two should go on your drive now," Jonathan said, grinning as Clark started to say something, blushed and just nodded.

"Clark said you two were going to just drive around and maybe get a bite to eat, and I suggested you two find time to stop and maybe picnic," Martha said, picking up a wicker basket. "Clark hates fast food, you know."

"Oh wow," Chloe said softly as she took the basket, impressed with its weight. "You know I can't refuse anything you make, Mrs. Kent."

"Make sure you actually get some sandwiches, Chloe" Martha reminded. "You've witnessed Clark at the table."

"Oh jeeze, Mom," Clark whined and Chloe laughed.

"Clark...carry the basket," Martha said. Clark reached out and took the basket and his CD case.

"Yes, Clark, you carry the basket," Chloe chided and she made a haughty face and tilted her nose up as she spun on her heels and strode to the car.

"Great, Mom bosses me around and now you," Clark complained with a smile.

"Get used to it," Jonathan, Martha, and Chloe said in unison. They laughed. Clark stopped in his tracks and his head dropped.

"C'mon, Clark," Chloe said as she got in the car "For a person with such long legs, you have such a small slow stride. What a slow-poke." He nodded at her with a grin and he finally made his way around to the passenger's side.

"You two have fun," Martha said.

"No funny stuff," Jonathan added and Martha whipped her head around and Chloe and Clark froze. Jonathan looked at Martha and he stooped his shoulders. "I mean...umm...don't make donuts in a field or funny stuff like that," he explained lamely, but honestly. Martha simply smacked his shoulder and laughed.

Chloe had rested her forehead on the steering wheel, hiding her red face and said, "Sure thing Mr. Kent. My dad said no funny stuff, too, like peel-outs."

Clark felt like dying. He looked up and Jonathan gave him a sly grin, a wink and mouthed "Have fun." Clark straightened up, smiled back, and got in and looked at Chloe. She just smiled. "Parents must act this way because of how we act during the "terrible twos," she told Clark as she put the car in reverse and negotiated her car away from the big yellow house. He simply nodded. "You're mom does not mess around when she makes a picnic basket," Chloe mentioned as she pulled on the main road. She then looked at Clark with the corner of her eye. "How did she make all those sandwiches and stuff so quickly?"

"I helped," Clark said nonchalantly.

The corner of Chloe's mouth arched and she shook her head. "So? I mean, that basket is heavy, Clark. You and your mom couldn't have whipped all that stuff so fast."

Clark shifted uneasily, in his seat and opened the CD case. It annoyed Chloe that her observations could make him distant. She backed off, though. "Maybe you two are used to making up sandwiches quick to feed that scary appetite of yours," She said and smiled and Clark grinned. Good, back on safe, banal ground, Chloe thought.

"Mom and I have a system," Clark said and the fact that he was actually expounding surprised Chloe. She swerved the car a bit, but got it back under control. "Continue," she said to the wary look on Clark's face.

"She lays all the stuff out and I make them. Maybe it's a little sloppy, but good. One day you have to see it done," he explained.

"It's that big of a deal to see, Clark?" Chloe snarked. "You're just making sandwiches, Mister Giving-Himself-Too-Much-Credit. I was making PB and J sandwiches for myself at age 4. I didn't make a big deal of it."

"I'm sure you made great sandwiches," Clark said and Chloe didn't know if he was placating her or complimenting her culinary skills. "But, it's the way I make them you'll find fascinating."

"That so?" Chloe said, chagrined that Clark could spark her curiosity, her need to know something, especially something about him, and worse, it was about sandwiches. "So, when do I get to see this skill of yours?"

"Soon. Hey, I'm at ease enough to say I have this skill," Clark said and patted her thigh. "You know I'm...what did Pete say you called me once? Oh yes...Mister Super Secrets."

"Yeah...well," Chloe said, and realized that he could be talking of other things, other secrets that he had and she wanted in on. "Really?" she said.

"Yes," Clark said and opened his CD case. Chloe knew that she was closer, and better yet, Clark was letting her in. That was enough for now. She pressed a button on her radio and the station played a song she hated. "Ugh. This song just reminds me bad times after mom left", she explained as she flicked off the radio. "Hurry, Clark. Find something for us to listen to."

Clark looked at his cds. "I have ...um...Spice Girls."

"Really?" Chloe asked and put out her hand. "Give it."

Clark took the CD from the protective sleeve and carefully handed it to her. Chloe casually flung the disc out her window. "Let me rephrase that demand. Hurry Clark. Find something for us that is worth listening to."

Clark looked out the window and saw his disc rolling away down the street.

"Hur. Ree. Clark."

"Ok," Clark said flipping the sleeves. "Just relax. Slow down. I don't want you pulled over for littering," Chloe pursed her lips and Clark knew she was beginning to really get mad. "Ok. Don't go into spice rage. I have Shania..."

"No."

"Coldplay," Clark said and Chloe made a face. "Remy Zero."

She hesitated but shook her head. "It's like I hear "Save Me" every week."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Clark said and ticked off nearly all his CDs. Chloe was surprised at his tastes, ranging from country to rap to pop to classical to alternative.

"You're really all over the place there, Clark," Chloe said, turning the steering wheel, taking the car farther out to the woods. "I didn't know your tastes were that eclectic. I wanna borrow the Liz Phair CD."

"Wanna hear it?" Clark asked as he started to pull the disc out.

"No. I wanna hear something fun, something sunny, something...us" Chloe said with a blush. She wanted something she could identify with Clark other than her "Wall of Weird" clippings.

Clark smiled and slipped in the last CD into the disc player. He skipped to the right track and pressed play. Chloe smiled as she heard the Foo Fighters's "Everlong" start to waft its way from the speakers.

"I think of you when I hear this," Clark revealed and Chloe felt her tummy flipflop. "Our song?"

"Of course," She said. "Picnic at our spot?"

"Of course," Clark echoed and they both sang "Breathe out so I can breathe you in" and they really meant it.

III.

Their spot was a small clearing overlooking the Shuster Lake. Clark and Chloe heard some of the people playing in the lake, but the clearing was secluded enough. Clark had carried the basket and opened the lid and laid out a bright red blanket and Chloe sat on it. Clark plunked down. "Your choice of ham, turkey, roast beef, or pastrami," he said. Chloe saw that there was a canister each of potato and macaroni salad, cole slaw, and a half of apple pie.

"Wow," Chloe said as she pointed at the turkey sandwich; they looked like they could put the local deli out of business. "I really do have to see you make these."

Clark grinned and handed her a bottle of Starbucks Frappachino. "Mmm, my hero," she said with a smile that made the corners of his mouth turn upwards and his cheeks blush. She drank from the bottle with a grin. Clark was ever the gentleman and dished out portions of the sides for Chloe.

"Clark," Chloe said as she took the paper plate with mounds of food "I'm sorry for tossing the CD out the window."

Clark smiled. "Apology accepted."

"Now, you apologize for having that dreadful thing," Chloe said as she took a yellow sporkful of cole slaw.

"Wha...what?" Clark sputtered, mid-chew.

Chloe swallowed her bite of the slaw and looked into his green eyes. "I could understand the country music, but really Clark...Spice Girls?"

"Ok...sorry!" Clark said sheepishly. Chloe blew him a kiss. They settled, giggling and whispering and talking about everything, about nothing, about friends, school and themselves, happy to be together.

In the time it took Chloe to eat most of her sandwich and nearly all her frappachino, Clark devoured the pastrami and the roast beef (he choked a bit when Chloe called it roast beast; he'd never heard that expression), sampled the salads and slaw, ate a majority of the pie and drank a whole bottle of milk. Chloe was astounded. "Jeeze, Clark, maybe you should take the time to taste what you are swallowing."

Clark looked embarrassed and Chloe felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry. I have to reset my snark meter to boyfriend."

"I like the sound of that," Clark said, lying by her. She liked that he was now so relaxed around her. "I like clouds, but I'd hate to be up there with the birds and the planes," he said. Chloe nodded, knowing his fear of heights; so ironic she thought for a person of his size. She finished her sandwich, sides of salad and drink and snuggled against him.

"Wanna know what I always thought about, Clark?"

His brow furrowed and Chloe felt his muscles tighten. "What's that?"

"I wondered about the back seat."

"Huh?"

Chloe shook her head and rolled atop Clark and stared at him. He looked blankly at her. She licked her lips. "Melon."

"Oh," He said. Then he blushed and Chloe nodded. "Oh," he said again.

"C'mon," She said and pulled him along.

Chloe was thankful that the back seat was roomy. Clark laid back and Chloe again laid atop him. She caressed his face and she thought he was pretty, not handsome. Sinking herself into his body, Chloe closed her eyes as Clark leaned forward and their lips met. She thought he might not be swift on the uptake sometimes, but he could certainly kiss. She wriggled on him as his hands slid into her back pockets. Her fingers ran through his hair, tugging as his kisses grew more urgent. The kissing grew more heated; the squirming they both did more excited.

Suddenly, together they broke off an amazingly long, continuous kiss. They were panting.

"We should stop," Chloe said and Clark slowly nodded. She laid her head on his chest and smiled at his fast heart rate.

"Yeah. We don't have to rush anything," Clark said and rubbed her back.

"We don't?" Chloe asked, happy with that thought.

"We don't," Clark explained, playing with Chloe's hair. "You gave me my first kiss. You're my first girlfriend. There is no rush because you're going to be the first all the time."

"The first," Chloe repeated. "Oh." She rose up and kissed his lips. "You're going to be the first all the time, too Clark."

"I love you," Clark said.

"I love you, too," Chloe said back. "Can we...umm...rush some things?"

"Yes," Clark laughed. "I'm only...human."

"Good. Great," Chloe said, not noticing his pause. "Perfect. Snugglebunnies nap now?"

"Snugglebunnies nap, yes," Clark smiled at her term she used for them whenever they snuggled. Only Clark saw this soft, girly side of Chloe. Everyone else saw a hard-edge reporter every day. He checked his watch and set the alarm to chime."Then we have to go," Clark reminded.

"Mmm. Me like making snugglebunnies," she said in an impossibly cute voice and snuggled into Clark, already dozing off. He quickly followed. An hour later, the chime sounded, and in ten minutes they gathered up all the items from outside and were back on the road.

IV.

Chloe smiled as she drove her car down the dirt trail. Clark had his hand on her thigh, his index finger idly rubbing her. The trail was a little bumpy, but she kinda liked that, noticing how Clark's discreet sideways glances were on her chest. She hit a rut on purpose for him, and a little smile appeared on her lips when his eyes widened. A song ended and Clark slipped in another disc into the CD player. Chloe was a little startled as the speakers pumped out some rap hit. She recognized it from a movie they seen, "Save The Last Dance". She looked over to Clark, her right eyebrow arched.

"I like this song," Clark said as he gave her thigh a gentle squeeze. "Pete says I am a 'brother of another color." Chloe giggled at that statement coming from the bright red shirted, faded blue jeaned, work-boot wearing peach-skinned boy next to her. But she loved learning little tidbits about Clark. Suddenly, Clark started rapping perfectly to Ice Cube's "You Can Do It." Chloe laughed, guffawed really, tilting her head back. Her laughter became more intense, causing her to shake a bit. Clark kept singing along to Ice Cube. She shook her head; 'My Clark...full of surprises.' He listened, waited for the chorus and rapped out to her, "You can do it, put your ass in to it," so earnestly and THAT caused another outburst of laughter from her.

"What?" Clark said, "You dissing my mad skills?" and he started laughing too. Chloe wiped the tears of laugher from her eyes, looked over and Clark was smiling that charming, melty smile of his at her and it occurred to Chloe that everything was so right in her world. Clark Kent was her boyfriend. Serious boyfriend. And best friend. She had her license, her car, and it was a perfect day.

"I love you," she said still looking at him. His smile was...she squinted a bit...was it fading?

"CHLOE! DEER!"

V.

It happened so fast.

She turned and looked where her eyes should have been, on the trail, on the deer that bounced in front of the red Lincoln. She jerked the steering wheel to the left and the right tire dug into a rut. The tire blew out, the hubcap went flying and Chloe started to scream as she felt the car's back end rise.

Clark started to react. To him, everything slowed down as he used his super speed, one of the secrets he kept from Chloe; seconds dragged. Clark looked at Chloe as her mouth opened to scream more; he undid the seat belt as the first sound of the scream began to escape her mouth. He saw in her eyes, the panic, the fear, the confusion now as he tossed the seatbelt aside. Her scream was a long low-pitched note in his ears.

Looking where he had been next to her, Chloe began to scream louder as she realized that he jumped out the window, her eyes following the vapor lines of his form to where he was now slapping the deer on the hindquarters as it was starting to bolt into the direction of the flipping car. The deer felt the impact on its rump and its hooves started to push the dirt, sending it the opposite way. Chloe's eyes saw Clark for a brief second in front of the car next to the deer. Her scream began to rise as the left side of the car now was off the ground and starting to flip. She looked at Clark and he locked eyes with her. The sound of her screaming was louder now. Clark spread his legs and reached out and gripped the front end with both hands. Chloe's brain fought to register, to comprehend what she saw took less than five seconds.

He gritted his teeth, looking at the hood of the car, and his arms twisted a bit but he held firm and righted the car, holding it straight in his hands. He took a breath and time returned to normal as he set the car on the road. The deer ran into the woods. He didn't hear a scream anymore, and Clark looked up at the shocked expression on Chloe's face. In a heartbeat, he realized that hearing her begin to scream was more pleasant to deal with than her shocked silence.

Chloe shook in her seat. She was scared and relieved and frightened and happy. She looked through the windshield at Clark. He looked like a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar.
"Clark," she said slowly, finally, after the just looked at each other for what seemed like minutes. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white. His hands gripped the front end of the Lincoln, his grip like a vise. "How?" She managed to say. She wanted to say so much, but the words collided in her thoughts and "how" was the only word that slipped past the pile up.

Clark let go of the car, saw that he did no damage except for his fingerprints were now etched in the paintjob. He slowly walked to the driver's side of the car and he opened her door. Chloe still sat in her seat but she looked at her Clark, differently now.

"I ...I am different, Chloe," he said as he knelt beside her. He quickly cast a smile on his face. "As you can see..." he waved his arm like a game show beauty showing off glamorous prizes.

"Don't play, Clark," Chloe said, trying to absorb what she saw, trying to look at Clark like she did just...seconds ago. "Tell me everything."

"I'm strong...really strong," Clark said as he reached out and covered her left hand on the wheel and for a second there was silence. They both seemed to take a breath when she put her right hand over his. Her thumb rubbed over the back of his hand.

"And you're really fast," Chloe said. Clark seemed lost in the touch.

"I'm incredibly fast," He nodded, back to her. And he fell silent. Chloe simply waited. She knew that waiting for Clark to open up was like watching paint dry, but this time, she thought when the paint dried, a masterpiece will be created. She stroked his hand more. "It's like I have superspeed...superstrength..."

Yeah," Chloe said. "Just a bit," she added and laughed a little. Clark blushed and smiled. Chloe thought he looked gorgeous blushing.

"There's more," he said and looked in her eyes. She swallowed hard. He looked so serious again.

"More?" Her little hand gripped his hand tightly. "Tell me."

VI.

"Well, I have heat vision, Chloe," Clark said and looked down. "I can shoot heat rays from my eyes."

Chloe tilted her head as this new information joined the other new information she had just learned about Clark. Her brain was processing all of it but there seemed to a glitch somewhere. The strength she began to guess at. The speed as well. But this was...almost unbelievable. "Heat vision?"

Clark nodded with a sheepish grin. "I can't believe it too." He blushed a deep red.

"What?" Chloe asked, smiling at her blushing boy. "What are you blushing about now?"

"The power was first triggered by...thoughts...about you...how you look...umm sexy thoughts," he explained with his head down.

"Oh," Chloe responded simply, and a tiny smile appeared on her lips. Being around Clark lately, she usually felt suffused with warmth, and now she knew why. "That explains my butt feeling way too warm when I wear these cargo pants around you," she grinned at him. Chloe smiled as she remembered the note he passed to her in health class: 'NICE pants! Very Hot!...CK'.

"Sorry. My heat vision is sorta new," Clark explained, still blushing red, and Chloe thought he looked adorable. "When I see your butt in those pants, well..."

She moved her hand from his and undid the seat belt. Clark moved back and Chloe swung out her legs. Remaining in the seat, she took his hands, so huge compared to hers, and she covered them with hers on her thighs. "What else can you do?"

"Umm. I have something like X-Ray vision," Clark admitted.

"No. Way." Chloe had to re-appraise Clark again.

"You're...," Clark began and his gaze went from her eyes down to her lap. "Wow...wearing...blue panties. I like the red and yellow seams. Nice."

"CLARK!" Chloe screamed and it was her turn to blush.

"And you have one really cute birth mark...," He said with a sly grin.

"You can't see...HEY!" Chloe yelled, knowing he meant the birth mark on her right butt cheek. She gave him a scowl and started to swat him playfully on the shoulder. Clark flinched and rubbed his shoulder.

"That didn't hurt you at all, huh?" she smiled and put her hand over his again as he rubbed.

"Honestly? No," Clark grinned.

Chloe grabbed her knapsack, found her favorite pen and suddenly, stabbed it down hard, as hard as she could. The pen shot from her grip upon impact on his chest. She ducked as it flew past her.

"Chloe!" He just looked at with puzzlement. She looked at him and felt his chest for blood, a welt, something other than hole in his shirt. All she felt was the muscles of his pectorals rising and falling with each breath.

"Umm...sorry," Chloe whispered. She kept her hands on his chest.

"Just one thing can hurt me so far," Clark said and he reached and cupped Chloe's jawline in his hands. "Promise me you won't tell anybody."

"Clark," She said firmly as she held onto his wrist. "I will never, ever tell anyone anything. I trust you with my life. You can trust me with yours."

VII.

Clark pondered the enormity of what she said. She smiled as he caressed her face. "Meteor rocks. The meteor rocks can hurt me," he said, shaking his head, remembering times when those green glowing rocks made him so vulnerable. "They make me feel pain."

"Are you a mete...," Chloe cut herself off as Clark looked up. She tried to smile. "I mean...did the rocks affect you like they affected other people in Smallville?" Clark looked so sad as she caressed his face. 'I'm such an ass,' she thought.

"No...I brought them with me," Clark explained and took a deep shuddering breath. He sank down and laid his head on Chloe's lap. Her fingers ran through his hair, as she tried to sooth him.

"Clark, what do you mean, "brought them with you"?" Chloe asked gently as she rubbed his neck now.

"I'm from...," Clark started and lifted his head and looked into Chloe's green eyes. Then he looked skyward. He looked back at Chloe and smiled sadly at the incredulous look on her face. "I'm not from this planet."

Chloe stared again at her boyfriend. She was ready for him to say that he was a meteor freak, to say that the rocks affected him somehow, to say unlike the others affected, he was sane. She was ready for that. She had planned for that. She had even dreamed of that. But Clark just said he was from another planet. Quickly Chloe's mind whirrled, and processed, and what he said somehow made sense; she had studied that day's events and a day after the shower, the Kent's revealed they had Clark. Her brow furrowed, her head tilted, her mouth open in wonderment. She looked down, and Clark was still Clark, her Clark, but he was so much more now as more pieces came together in her mind finally, fitting likes pieces of a jigsaw that she tried over the last two years to complete. Chloe was quiet and Clark wondered if she was scared of him, of him being a monster.

"Mom and Dad hid the rocket ship that carried me here from somewhere else in the storm cellar. That's why we would never let you or Pete go down in there." Clark rested his head back on her lap. He sighed; telling the truth was as tiring as keeping it secret.

"A rocket ship? No. Way," Chloe said again, breaking the silence around them.

"Way," Clark said nonchalantly.

"You're...not...from...Earth," She said and Clark lifted his head and looked at her. Clark fell deeper in love with her; she was smiling at him. "That's ... so cool."

"I wish I shared your view Chloe, but it isn't cool," Clark said sadly. "The rocks...the affects on people...it's all my fault."

"Oh my god, baby," Chloe said tenderly. Clark looked near tears. He rested his head back on her lap and she leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Please baby, don't ever think that." She rubbed his back as she whispered, "You were an child. You didn't know. It's not your fault. It's not."

Clark nodded. She kissed the nape of his neck and laid her cheek on his back. "Rest," she said to him, knowing he was done keeping his secrets, done with telling her the truth, knowing now he needed to be held, protected, and he nodded again.

VIII.

"So...why didn't you tell me sooner?" Chloe asked after a few minutes they shared silently.

"I was afraid... afraid how you'd react," Clark said truthfully. "Mom and Dad think I should keep it all a secret," he said and started to lift his head from her lap, and Chloe realized just how comfortable they were, curled up like that. They smiled at each other and he kissed her fingertips. "But I...I really love you," Clark said easily and Chloe felt her breath catch as he said that. "And being with you almost everyday, it was hard not to tell you," Clark said. "I thought I could do stuff so you could figure it out I had powers."

"Well, I always knew there was something special about you, Clark Kent" Chloe said with a mischievous grin and a gentle poke to his chest. "The strength for sure. I mean, you freed my foot from several inches of ice," Chloe reminded and Clark nodded. "But I really couldn't guess about that other cool stuff."

"You think it's cool?" Clark asked and, for the first time he felt that his powers and abilities were a gift rather than a burden.

"Yes, you silly ass," Chloe laughed. "I do..."

"If you do," Clark laughed, "I do, too." She quieted as Clark gave her a bemused grin. Chloe suddenly wished they could say that again in a few years in front of friends and family.

"One thing though," Clark said suddenly serious. "I'm not Wall of Weird material, Chloe."

That statement knocked her out of her bridal reverie. She looked a little hurt. But she knew that she almost misspoke and Clark caught it. "No, you not, Clark," Chloe said solemnly. "You're my boyfriend. My best friend. I love you. Very much." They smiled at each other and Chloe kissed her boyfriend from another planet.

"So your powers are always on, Clark?" Chloe asked, in holding him tightly, looking up into his eyes.

"I can't turn my powers off, babes," Clark whispered and snuggled back onto her legs. "I wish I could. Be normal."

"Why, Clark?" Chloe whispered and rubbed the small of his back. "Why be normal?"

"Normal," Clark said. He looked a little downcast. "Being normal means I wouldn't have to consciously keep my powers in check. All the time."

"Clark, I don't want you to ever hold back with me," she said sincerely. "Ever."

Clark smiled. He moved. Chloe let go and grabbed a large rock and cupped it. He looked at her. "Put your hands on mine." Chloe did as he asked and looked at him inquisitively. He nodded. "Now...just press my hands together." Chloe did so and her jaw started to drop as she began to crush the rock in Clark's vise-like palms. She looked up at Clark as the rock crumbled.
"When you hold my hand at school, and if I don't think about it, your hand can be like this rock, Chloe." She quickly let go and watched the dusty remains of the rock scatter. "I have to stay in control," Clark said. "I have to hold back." She offered him a sad little smile. "This is why I'm not on the football team...basketball team...anything I'd want to do, really. I've held back my grades in school. I am sure I can ace every class."

"So, you have these cool powers and abilities," Chloe thought aloud, wiping her hands, fidgeting with them, now conscious of Clark's hands absence. "And you have to be a mild-mannered reporter for the Torch, instead of getting all the accolades on the sports fields or scholastic achivement."

"I do like journalism," Clark admitted. "You really opened my eyes to that." He reached for her. "I like the way your hands feel...soft...don't be afraid to hold my hand. I won't crush you. I like you too much." Chloe smiled and placed her hand back in his again, and thought, 'My Clark, still feels the same'.

"Any upsides to not being normal?" Chloe asked with a grin, holding his hand tightly, like normal.

"Well, normal kids don't read every single book in the main library," Clark said, and kissed the top of her head. "In nine hours. All the subjects, non fiction and fiction." Chloe's eyebrows lifted. He nodded and continued. "And I remember it all. I can run to Metropolis in about..." Clark closed one eye and the tip of his tongue slipped past his teeth as he thought. "In about eight minutes now. Makes it easy to get the paper for you."

"So that's how you sometimes had the Daily Planet for me at the bus stop in morning. Aww," Chloe smiled and fell deeper in love.

"I never seem to tire out," Clark continued, and that information Chloe slipped away in a mental file with a sly grin.

"We'll see about that," She said saucily and Clark laughed. He leaned in and kissed her.

IX.

"OK, big boy," Chloe said as they moved away from their kiss. "So show me whatcha got...impress me again." Chloe wiggled her hands, shooing Clark away.

"OK, little girl," Clark laughed and Chloe squirmed a bit in her seat. "What do you want to see?"

Chloe bit her bottom lip. Clark stood, crossed his arms in front of himself, his weight on one boot, unknowingly posing like a model, and she thought he looked so hot like that. 'Think, Chloe,' she thought of what she wanted to see him do, not just gawk at him. Her eyes widened.

"I have first hand knowledge of super-strength and speed," She said, patting the car's hood and Clark nodded. "Gimme heat vision," Chloe demanded, and remembered about the arousal factor. "And you may have a big wet kiss."

Clark smiled and Chloe slightly gasped as she saw him stare at her, stare hungrily, like she never seen anyone look at her before. His eyeballs first took a pinkish hue. Then they turned red. Clark turned and he licked his lips. Chloe saw the air ripple and heat emanate from him. Clark looked at a tree branch and it burst into flames. Chloe laughed heartily as Clark ran over and stomped out the fire. He grinned and walked towards her. She stood when he made it to her, and she looked into his chest. She slowly looked up and he dipped his head and they kissed. As Chloe sucked on his bottom lip, Clark knew he had another weakness, and it was his girlfriend. Their lips made a popping sounds as they broke off the kiss.

"Clark," she said slowly and he shook his head, getting his bearings. "Earth-girlfriend to Clark," she said. "Come in Clark." He laughed. "Ok, now that I have your attention," she giggled, "Gimme some X-ray vision."

Clark cleared his throat. "Your bra matches your panties," He said smoothly. "Blue with red and yellow straps. I really LOVE those colors now."

"CLARK!" Chloe exclaimed, forgetting that she'd be his test subject again, and slapped his arm. "Ow!" she winced and rubbed her hand. "I forgot you're like a man of steel." Clark nodded smugly. "I liked you better when you faked pain, Clark." He laughed and rubbed her hand.

"So, unless a meteor rock is around, you can't feel pain?" Chloe inquired, amazed that his touch was so soft on her hands now, not steel-like anymore. "How about heat?"

"Once I used a blow torch to test how much heat I can withstand," Clark admitted.

"And?" Chloe asked, surprised.

"You don't see any burn marks on my arms or chest, huh?" Clark said and lifted his shirt.

Chloe shook her head, gazing at Clark's chest, his abs. 'I swear he has no clue what he does to me', she thought. She frowned Clark pulled down his shirt. "Umm...Cold?"

"No effect. I slept out in the snowstorm at Christmas break," Clark said and Chloe giggled, think how cute and bizarre he was in his tests.

"Hmm," Chloe wondered what else to ask.

"I can hold my breath underwater for an hour," Clark revealed and her eyes went wide. "I think I could have longer, but I sorta freaked out under there."

"Can you fly, Clark?" Chloe asked and looked into his eyes.

"No. I can't," he said. "And I think I would honestly hate it. I'd be really afraid to be that high up." He blushed and looked embarrassed.

Chloe laughed. "Don't worry, Clark. You'll always be my super man." She hugged him tighter for emphasis.

"Mmm," Clark whispered and held her tight. "I can't fly but I can jump high." Clark scooped Chloe up and took a step, crouched and he vaulted into the baby blue sky. Chloe screamed as she saw the ground fall away fast, and she looked at Clark and they smiled at each other as the reached the apex of the jump. She screamed again as they fell and she closed her eyes as the air whisked about her. Her tummy flipped. Clark landed with a THUNK but Chloe didn't feel any jarring. She opened her eyes

"You're like the best rollercoaster ride ever!" She screamed and hugged him.

"You're just saying that because I'm your boyfriend," Clark said.

"Damn right," Chloe said, pulling on his shirt, drawing his face to hers. "Mine. Don't you forget that."

"I won't," Clark said and his eyes furrowed as her expression changed. She could never hide her emotions and her face went from tough and cocky to sad and near tears. "Chloe...what is it?"

"You're pretty much this invulnerable..." She started and she started to get manic, waving her hands and Clark knew that it was something bad, "this big, god-like, super man that can't feel pain. What if you can't feel it when I kiss you? What if you are faking that?" She took a step to him, shook her head and stepped back. She looked around but didn't know where to go.

Clark reached and lifted Chloe's weight effortlessly. She gasped as he drew her in.

"Kiss me," Clark said. Chloe leaned in and kissed him tentatively. Clark kissed back with more feeling. Chloe matched his kiss with her own urgency. Clark broke off the kiss and Chloe whimpered a complaint.

"Ask me again if I can feel your kisses, if I am faking it," Clark whispered.

"Can you feel them?" Chloe whispered. "Are you faking it?"

Clark pressed her hips close to him, and she felt the desire she caused in him.

"Oh. You aren't faking it," she whispered meekly and blushed a deep crimson. "So...you're anatomically correct," Chloe said, "good for me." She regained the upper hand between her and Clark as he looked confused, tilting his head.

"Well, Clark," Chloe explained slowly, "that means you can put your tab A into my slot B, C, or even D..." She said and waved her hands over his and her body. "When we do..." she bobbed her head and flailed her arms.

"Wha...," Clark mumbled.

"You know...It." She dropped her hands and slumped, blushing again.

He caught on. "Ohhhhhhh...It."

"Yes, It." She wondered if she had to do all of the explaining to Clark. Then she smiled at that thought and straightened up. 'That'd be fun,' she decided."That's what I love about you," Chloe said and laid her cheek on his chest. "You're smart, probably more than I'll ever guess...but have no clue at the same time." She hugged him tighter.

"Thanks," Clark said, his big smile dropping. Chloe laughed at the tone of his voice and Clark kissed the top of her head.

X.

"Well, Clark," Chloe said snuggling as they stood. "I'm happy you have fulfilled all my inquisitive wish-fulfillment needs. You even sourced out a rumor for me."

"What do you mean?" Clark said.

"Well...girls talk, Clark," Chloe said, leaning away from him, so she could see his expression. "And talk had it that you were...well...bulit." Chloe nudged her hips with his for effect.

"You're embarrassing me," Clark grinned but his ears turned red.

"Oh hush, Mr Sneaky-Peeks-At-Me," Chloe chided. She looked serious again. "What if they come back for you, Clark?"

"Who?" Clark's eyebrows tensed.

Chloe pointed skyward.

Clark had never, ever thought of that.

"Would...would you go?" Chloe looked deep into his eyes, and saw that he was doing the same. She bit into the corner of her bottom lip.

Clark reached and held her shoulders. "Only if you want to go, too. I want to be with you."

Chloe Sullivan had experienced so much this day. She got her license, nearly flipped her car, and not only did her boyfriend revealed that he had special powers and abilities, he revealed that he was an alien being. And now, Clark Kent was telling her she was the difference in his life, staying on Earth or going to some planet somewhere else. He was planning ahead. Planning with her in mind. She opened her mouth, but her voice caught in her throat. Her eyes welled with tears but she nodded to him. She composed herself with a bright smile. "Do you think I can I get the Planet delivered there?"

Clark smiled. "Maybe we can work something out."

"Good," She wiped a tear with thumb.

"Good," Clark echoed and leaned on the car next to her. He put his arm around her and she snuggled into his side, safe and protected. He kissed her hair. "Everything changed," Clark said as he stared down the road, towards Smallville.

"No Clark," Chloe said in a definite voice, one that Clark let guide him, influence him. "You may be from...somewhere else...and I'm from this planet...but we're here now," she said, interlocking her fingers with his hand, looking down the road at their future, "together...and that hasn't changed."

"Good," Clark said, his world was better place now than in the morning.

"Clark?"

"Yes?"

"We've been gone for a while now."

"Yeah."

"I don't want to get you or me in trouble."

"Yeah."

"Can you change my tire?"

Clark laughed and Chloe watched him do just that.

THE END