CHAPTER 1
"Clark!" Lana called out, seeing her boyfriend crossing the street. He was hard to miss in his jeans and customary flannel shirt. It was the first time she had seen him in a couple of days. It was almost like he was avoiding her.
Clark looked back over his shoulder and saw Lana looking both ways, gauging the traffic. Her hair was caught up in a red scarf, the color matching her shirt. The shirt was one of those frilly things that she wore that made her look like a delicate flower. Clark's eyes continued down to her legs, which were covered in denim.
"God she's beautiful" he murmured to himself as she started across the street. His heart clenched in his chest as he thought of what he had to do. He had been putting it off for the past few days, but the time had come. He had to tell her.
"Hey" she said, putting her hands into her pockets as she stopped in front of him. She was close enough for him to smell her and it almost brought him to his knees. "Where have you been lately?" she asked him with that self-conscious smile of hers.
"Around" he answered distantly, shrugging his shoulders.
He wouldn't meet her eyes.
Lana's heart started to beat faster as different scenarios played through her mind. He couldn't be cheating on her. He was too good for that. He isn't sick; he just got out of the hospital and is fine. He could be tired of me though, she thought in panic. Or he is going to tell me his secrets.
She wasn't sure which one scared her more.
"Listen, Lana, we have to talk" Clark said determinedly.
"I kind of figured you would say something like that Clark" Lana said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "We could go to my place" she continued, waving her hand in the general direction of the Talon.
Clark followed the movement of her arm with his eyes. He tried to memorize the grace she used. His eyes lifted then lingered on her face. He saw the questions in her face and sighed.
"That would be fine Lana" he answered quietly. His hand went to her elbow to lead her back across the street. He couldn't stop himself from walking closer than he needed to.
Usually the crowd at the Talon filled Lana with pride. Now she just wanted to scream at them all to leave. Didn't they realize that her world was being flipped upside down?
"Lana?" Clark whispered into her ear. She jumped a little. She had been standing in the doorway glaring at the costumers. She laughed nervously and walked towards the stairs. Clark followed, his hand no longer touching her. She missed the contact.
When they reached her door she took out her keys to unlock it. She hadn't been aware that her hands were shaking until she couldn't manage to put the key into the lock.
Clark noticed her problem and, jaw clenched, took the keys from her hand. She stepped back and he unlocked the door.
She brushed up against him as he held the door open for her to go in. He gasped at the feeling of her, knowing that it was probably the last time he would experience that sensation.
He walked into the room and looked around, taking in the comfortable environment she had made for herself. His eyes went to where they had lost their virginities together. Lana followed his gaze and blushed. Her breathing quickened. Or had it been like that since she had approached him?
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Lana asked, forcing cheeriness into her voice. It came out sounding as forced as it was.
She could see the sadness in his eyes. It forced her heart to beat faster. Or had it slowed down from before? Her lungs felt constricted and she was having a hard time breathing.
"Oh God" Lana said, as she took deep gasping breaths. She put a hand to her chest and sat. Clark knelt down in front of her and looked into her face.
"What is it Lana?" he asked, concern coloring his voice.
"I… think…I'm…having…a panic…attack" she said in between gasps. Clark stared at her intently for a few seconds. His glare made her feel like he was trying to see through her clothes. "Cl…ark" she gasped, clutching her throat now.
That last thing she saw was Clark sweeping her into his arms and running. Running fast. Then everything went black.
Clark felt her body go limp in his arms and ran faster. He could feel the cement giving way under his feet, but he didn't care.
He was at the hospital in seconds and slowed to a jog. He entered the all too familiar emergency room and his eyes frantically searched for a nurse or doctor.
"Somebody, help" he yelled. A young nurse came out of a room and rushed forward when she saw Clark. She pressed an emergency call button in the nurse's station before directing Clark to a free gurney.
"Put her there" she said, checking her vitals as he laid her down. People started rushing out and surrounded Lana, pushing Clark back. He only caught snippets of their words as the wheeled her away quickly.
"She's not breathi….."
"Her pulse is weak, onl…"
"What happened to her?" Clark blinked. The last thing was said to him by a nurse. "Well?" she said impatiently.
"I don't know" Clark answered, shaking his head. "She had a hard time breathing and…She said something about a panic attack" Clark took a deep breath and covered his face with his hands. "Then she just…she just collapsed" he ended in a sob.
The nurse continued to ask him questions for, what seemed like, forever.
Does she have a history of panic attacks?
Is she allergic to anything?
Has she been hospitalized recently?
All of his answers were no. She had gotten scraped up during the meteor shower, but had recovered perfectly. Not even a limp.
Just then a doctor approached them, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. Clark knew then, what he would say.
"Mr. Kent?" he said quietly. "I am Dr. Bergman. I am very sorry to say that Miss Lang did not make it"
"Clark?"
The voice barely penetrated the fog of grief that surrounded Clark. He was sitting in the loft with his head in his hands. He had been there for hours, and had only stopped crying half an hour ago.
After he had gotten the news of Lana's death he had crashed. He vaguely remembered his parents coming and bringing him home. They had tried to comfort him, but he had gone directly into the loft.
"I would be sore now if I was human" he said, his voice gravelly from his tears. He didn't look up. He didn't have to. It was Chloe, he had known as soon as she had entered the barn. He had been expecting her.
"Clark, honey?" she inquired softly. Her tenderness nearly undid him. He felt a light touch on his shoulder and looked up. She was standing next to him, her eyes filled with compassion and her own grief.
"I didn't think you would be here for another hour or so. How fast were you going?" he said mundanely.
"Not any faster than 110, I swear" she answered, smiling softly and raising her left hand in the air.
Clark chuckled. Then his laughter turned into sobs. Chloe took him into her arms and held him as he wept.
Tears slid unnoticed down her own cheeks. Chloe couldn't believe that Lana was gone. She was like a sister to her. Had been.
Guilt crushed her insides. Her friend was dead, but she couldn't help but love the feeling of Clark in her arms. What kind of person was she?
She stroked her hand up his back and murmured soothing words to him as he cried. It dind't matter what she felt inside, she would be Clarks friend right now. She had almost gotten used to that role by now.
"It's my fault" Clark whispered brokenly. "This was Jor-El's price"
Chloe gasped in understanding, her arms tightening convulsively around Clark.
He buried his head into her shoulder, feeling as though he would never let go. Chloe understands. She had always understood.
