A/N: I just realized that aspects of this are similar to "A Sun Goddess?" but it was meant in an entirely different way… as I hope will become apparent. Thank you, returning readers, for your loyalty and encouragement. I've been finding this whole experience very fulfilling… but now I just have to remember to work on my original fiction as consistently as I try to do these! ;D
If you wonder where I come up with my ideas… Well, let's just say this one was a dream that really hung on the night after. But that's where I seem to find my best inspiration. My sub-conscious doesn't censor any of the fantastic images my imagination can come up with.
The title came because of the movie "Sophie's Choice". Does that have anything to do with this fic? Nope… not a bit. But I just needed to say it in case anyone was curious…
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Smallville or Superman universe. Can you imagine the royalties if I did?
Clarkie's Choice
Chapter 1
The hot, muggy day was punctuated by muttered cursing as hay bales were tossed to the ground at an astounding rate. Your average passersby might be shocked at the energy being displayed where most people of sound mind had retreated into their shady homes for any relief they could discover. No one had been prepared for such a heat wave that was abnormally early in the year. Clark Kent brushed off the heat like an annoying gnat, but it definitely didn't improve his mood. Only his early training by Jonathan Kent prevented him from dashing the hay bales to the ground with all of his enormous strength.
He was puzzled by his current attitude. Normally, he was pretty even keeled, so this nebulous grouchiness was beyond any previous experience. He thought he could blame it on his lack of sleep the night before. For some reason, he hadn't been able to settle due to disturbing images in his dreams. But that seemed too trite an answer due to the fact that he'd spent many late nights with Chloe in pursuit of her ever-hovering expose. All he really knew was that he'd woken up tired and exhausted with no relief in sight.
"Hiya, farm boy!" The voice grated through him as Lois practically skipped into the barn. He still couldn't understand why she was still hanging around Smallville. After all, her main reason for even coming there was to find Chloe two years ago. But instead of going back to her previous life, she had inexplicably hung around. Clark found that inconceivable… especially considering that her search for her cousin had been the only time she'd come to visit during the previous four years Chloe had been living in Smallville.
He desperately wanted to shout at her to leave him alone… to go back to her life where she could boss everyone around and they expected it… He was sure that General Lane would prefer her in college than working as his mother's Chief of Staff. Even as he opened his mouth to say all of these things, he stopped and sighed. It was like he could see the shade of Jonathan Kent hovering just behind Lois with an indulgent smile, but still shaking his head so Clark would mind his manners. "Hey, Lois," he said, almost despondently.
He realized that he should have put more effort into being indifferent when he saw the excited gleam enter her eyes. "What's wrong, Smallville?" she drawled, donning a look of mocking sympathy. "Lana got your panties in a twist again?"
He had to grit his teeth at that. He was still mourning his relationship with Lana, even though he was the one who had ended things. Chloe had tried to be sympathetic, but Lois… Well, Lois seemed to feel that any suffering he felt because of it was entirely due him. He just looked at Lois, not trusting himself to speak.
"Oh, come on, Clark!" She put her hands on her hips and lost all pretense of being sympathetic. "You deserve it after putting her through that. Apparently, that little fling with Simone totally opened your eyes and you wanted to play the field. But you couldn't do that with Lana hanging around casting sad eyes at you with every indiscretion, so you broke it off. It was a total guy thing to do, which isn't surprising. But your apparent need to still have her at your beck and call…"
Clark broke. He could not take this from a girl that didn't know anything about the true situation. "Lois, just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about and your pose of the sophisticated older woman just shows how inexperienced you really are. I don't know why you even bother trying to give me advice when your own love life is the type they make Harlequin Romances out of!"
Lois seemed shocked at his outburst. He wasn't really surprised. They'd had their fights before, but he'd never broken after only three volleys before. He sighed again and opened his mouth to say the apology he knew he shouldbut really didn't feel. She waved him silent angrily. "Save it, toddler. You have no idea what you're talking about… Besides, I have better things to do than chew the fat with a petulant adolescent." With that, she stalked out the door, her long hair swinging angrily behind her.
He watched her for a moment and watched her head up to the main house. He groaned. In two seconds, his mother was going to know what was going on and then the fat would truly be in the fire. Dejectedly, he climbed slowly to his loft, plopped on the sofa, and put his head in his hands. What he hated more than anything was that Lois was right. He was still upset about breaking up with Lana and he had no one but himself to blame. But he'd never felt that he could be honest with her about his birth and powers… and how could they have a relationship with that standing in the way?
Everything had come to a head after Jor-El had turned back time and he'd discovered that he'd exchanged Lana's life for his father's. Deep down, he'd expected Jor-El to take his life in exchange. After all, it was due to Gabriel shooting him that the whole situation had come about. He still wasn't exactly certain how Jor-El, a decades dead Kryptonian from half a galaxy away, could effect such changes, but his biological father had done things like that before.
He sighed and could feel his eyes closing in exhaustion. He considered giving in and taking a nap but knew there was a lot more work to be done. He trudged down the steps to start his chores again. But as he broke three pitchforks, a winch system that Jonathan had installed just weeks before his death, two stall gates, and bent two titanium screwdrivers Lex had gifted him, he wanted to scream in irritation but took a deep breath to try and gather some calm about him. But he felt like his energy was being sapped away and that left him feeling even more frustrated.
Finally, he decided that enough was enough. He threw the latest destroyed tool to the ground and stomped back up to his loft. He didn't want to face Lois or his mother yet… He wasn't awake enough for that. Instead, he decided to just lie down and rest for a moment or two. He hadn't really planned on actually falling asleep, but he was gone as soon as he hit the sofa.
A/N: I'm very excited for a new fan fic… especially considering that I'm currently blocked on "The Sun Goddess?" I know that the Superman comics have done quite a bit with the alternate universes and I think any "Smallville" fan would have to admit that "Smallville" has its own little universe. After all, he wasn't supposed to meet Lois until he got his job at the Daily Planet and was actively being Superman. I'm very excited for a new fan fic… especially considering that I'm currently blocked on "The Sun Goddess?" I know that the Superman comics have done quite a bit with the alternate universes and I think any "Smallville" fan would have to admit that "Smallville" has its own little universe. After all, he wasn't to meet Lois until he got his job at the Daily Planet and was actively being Superman.
So in this incarnation of Danae's off-kilter mind, I wanted to look at the different options and how I would think they would/could go. But this is my vision… not who the PTB at "Smallville" feel about their creation, so you can disagree with me on what you think. ;D
