Friends 'Till The End
Clark walked through the doors of the hospital. He took a deep breath before he proceeded to the elevator. He took each step slowly. So many times he had come into this hospital. Memories of the times he had run in here with flowers and balloons, two times blue, one time pink. Imagining this day would have been impossible then. Life was so new and hopeful then. But now his future was clear, in one aspect at least. There was no way of avoiding it now. He was going to have to go on with out her now. They had been best friends for over seventy five years. She had been with him through it all.
When he lost his father, she was there to wipe away the tears. When his mom and love moved away and he was left alone, she was the only one there to comfort him. When he had become Superman she was there to encourage him. She had spent long hours with him at night when he had to sort out his feelings for the love of his life. She had protected his secret for decades.
He had walked her down the aisle, made a bed for her on his couch when she and Jimmy had had there first big fight. He had been the one she had called when she found out she was pregnant for the first time. He was there when each of her kids was born. He had been "Uncle Clark" longer than he hadn't been.
Somewhere in their many years of friendship, her wrinkles became deep and when the fact that he wasn't aging became clear to the human eye, he had had to move away. But that didn't stop their relationship. They still emailed each other and met in the dark of the night when no one was around. In the past ten years since Jimmy had passed, Clark came around more often, filling in where her kids couldn't. He had seen the revolutions of the earth around the sun take their toil on her body in ways that they didn't to his. But even the many pills that filled her bathroom cabinet and the thickening glasses that she wore couldn't have prepared him for that call.
When he had seen her name on his caller I.D., his heart had sunk. He knew what she wanted. It was long after visiting hours, just the way she had wanted. He took the elevator to her room and snuck by the nurses. He held back tears when he got to her room. Her frail body was tucked in white sheets. He had expected her to be asleep but she was just staring at the ceiling. Clark could see a small smile on her face. "Hi," he whispered. She took her gaze off the ceiling and looked at her best friend. "I was starting to think you weren't going to come," she said in a weak and shaky voice. "I would do anything for you Chloe. Just because this is hard doesn't mean I would leave you," Clark said. Clark walked to her bedside. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked. Chloe put her wrinkled hand on Clark's cheek. "This is the only way that seems right," she said. Clark let his tears fall. "Did you…did you say goodbye?" he whispered. Chloe nodded. "They all came today. They even brought all the grandkids. You know they are the only reason I've held on for so long," she said. Clark nodded. "You will still watch over them won't you?" she asked, her hand still on his cheek. Clark took her hand and kissed it. "Of course," he said.
Chloe smiled softly. They stayed silent staring in each others eyes. Chloe sighed. "We should go," she said. Clark nodded slowly. He took her hand and pulled out an I.V. He unplugged the machines that kept track of Chloe's heart. He took off the different probes that were stuck on her. Then he quickly but softly lifted her into his arms. When the nurses rushed in a second later, the room was empty.
Cark sat down on the top of the windmill, with Chloe still in his arms. She smiled. "I love this view," she said. Clark stayed silent, tears rolling down his face, uncontrollably. She lifted a frail hand up to his face. "Don't cry Clark," she said. "Don't leave me," he said, crying. "I wish I didn't have to, but you are going to be ok," Chloe said. "I don't have anyone left," Clark said through tears. "I will always be with you," Chloe said, her voice no more than a whisper as her body became weaker. With out the machines and medicine running through her body, she was quickly dying. This is what she had asked of Clark; to take her to a place where there were no machines and doctors and pills. There was just quiet. Clark had agreed but now that her heart was growing softer with each beat, it was almost more than he could take.
"Thank you for everything," Chloe said. Clark looked down at her. "No thank you. I wouldn't have been able to become who I am with out you," he said. Chloe smiled and rested her head against her chest and closed her eyes. "You will always be my best friend, but I need you to something for me," she said. "Anything," he said. "When ever you remember me, remember me as the spunky reporter who always put her nose where it didn't belong," she said. "I'm gonna remember you as the spunky blonde who was always there for me and who I will always love," Clark said. "I love you Clark Kent," Chloe whispered. Clark's heart sank. He buried his face in her white hair and listened to each of her breaths. Then when she took her last one, he hugged her close and kissed her head. "I love you too Chloe. I love you too."