Spoilers (when applicable:
Short summary: An alternate ending to Spirit. There are many versions out there, I just had to get one more out. This is a one-shot story with a few sections.
Clark Kent was excited to see that Lana Lang had made it to the dance. He moved towards her, and he was happy it seemed as if she had desired this dance just as well. She was there waiting, looking at him. Willing him to be closer to her.
But as he got closer to her, he noticed a certain hesitation from Lana that he picked up on. Not wanting to let it affect this moment though, Clark chose to relinquish it. Soon, they were in each other's arms, dancing to the music, and he decided it might have been just his own nervousness.
Clark had been waiting for this moment at least this whole year, maybe longer. When she had returned from Paris, he had been very excited that it might be a good possibility. But when he had found out that Lana had a boyfriend who followed her from Europe, he thought that there would be no way he would be dancing with Lana right now. A part of him also couldn't believe that she already had another boyfriend after just being separated from him for a few months, when they had left their relationship in limbo (things seemed to be in limbo way too often, Clark thought). As the dance approached, she had even said she wouldn't be going, since her boyfriend was a controversial figure at the high school. Her appearance right now was a surprise, though Clark was glad for it.
As he held her in his arms and moved about slowly, Clark couldn't help but think how this didn't seem to be as wonderful as he had imagined it. Sure, Lana was beautiful and any guy would be grateful to get to dance with her, but Clark felt a small twinge in his soul that the actualization of his fantasy dance with Lana wasn't as wonderful as he had always imagined. It felt like just another dance, not the melding of bodies and love that he kept fantasizing about.
He had a guess as to why. The year had been a strange one as Clark had changed his small circle of friends. Pete was gone, and Clark actually started to be around with a few of the jock friends that Pete had always been able to group with. They didn't become great friends but Clark was invited to a lot more parties. Most of all, a lot more girls started talking to him and showing interest. He never would let them into his world because of his secret, but being quarterback of a winning football team had definitely thrust him into some new light with many people around Smallville, and some of the girls paid more attention to him now. Even college-aged girls were making passes at him.
He shot a glance over towards the area where Chloe Sullivan was sitting. She seemed preoccupied with a small group of people who had come to her table.
With Lana being unavailable, he had decided his own love life shouldn't be put on hold either. But it wasn't as easy to get going on it because of his secret. He had contemplated dating a few girls, even casually, until Alicia Baker showed up again. With Alicia, he had none of the hesitation that he would have with other girls, and she made him forget about Lana, as the object of his desire, for a short time, but her untimely death left a particularly poignant hole in his heart. His thoughts would float back to Lana to the point that he did fantasize about being with her still.
But now that he was here sharing this dance with Lana, it seemed like maybe he was getting over her, and being this close to her on this special night that he had played over and over in his own mind, was part of the proof he needed to really understand that.
They had danced through two songs, and the change in rhythm finally brought them out of their reverie. It wasn't a slow song anymore, back to the faster beat to get the students pumped up again.
"Clark, can we talk outside for a bit?" They had said few words during their dance but somehow they both knew this was a defining moment in their relationship.
Clark nodded and led Lana outside the decorated gym into the hallway.
Chloe watched from the dance floor as Clark and Lana left the room. She had sat out on the first song when Lana appeared, but a classmate asked her to dance on the next one. She was the current prom queen and it didn't seem right for her not to be out there dancing with the people who had voted for her. She figured that would help her get her mind off just watching Clark and having her personal pity-party, but even in the arms of this other person, she only could wish that Clark were there with her instead. She allowed herself to feel more secret pain at witnessing their departure from the room, probably to renew their relationship with each other.
Clark and Lana found themselves in the cafeteria courtyard. There must have been a few doors opened because the music still could be heard fairly well but it was low enough to where they could talk in a normal tone also.
"That was a nice dance, Clark," Lana praised.
"I had a nice partner."
"I know it's a special night for you, Clark. And you didn't come here expecting to hear this, but something about tonight makes me feel like it's the right time to tell you I'm moving to Metropolis."
"Oh...when did you decide that?" Clark had thought they would start with small talk, but Lana's agenda was apparently different.
"A few days ago. Jason and I have been having some trouble but we wanted to work it out. I think getting away from Smallville will help."
Clark couldn't say he felt despondent upon hearing the news. He had faced a similar situation almost one year ago, when the girl next door wasn't going to be next door anymore. He wasn't exactly the same person as one year ago, either. And as for Jason, he knew Lana wouldn't wait around for him forever. If he could be with Lana and tell his secret in his own time, he would never have let her go to Paris. But it was the way she insisted that he had to be honest with her all the time...
"I know you two don't get along well. I'm sure I'm right in the middle of it. But he made me happy at one time, he wants to keep making me happy. And I want to be with him. For that, I want to really give this relationship a try."
"Lana...you know I can't stand in your way. Your happiness makes me happy. Maybe we had that for a time, but I'll admit I make things worse than they have to be. And...it means a lot that you still want to tell me your plans."
"Thanks, Clark. We'll always share a special kind of friendship. And you know, we don't know what will happen in the future. Just that right now, this is how things are."
Clark didn't say anything right away, so Lana continued. "I'll always remember what we had, but I'm moving on, and you should too. In some ways, I think you already have. It took so much time before you and I got together, I just want to remind you this is senior year and you may not have the luxury of time together with certain people if you don't hurry to let them know."
"What do you mean? There's nobody -- "
Lana cut him off. "You and Chloe share something I was always jealous of. Don't let her run off to college without telling her."
She unzipped her purse and took out a letter-sized envelope. "This letter is from Chloe to you. Don't ask how I got it. I've had it for about two years now, but I know it's still true today."
She handed the envelope to Clark. "If you want to know more, you'll have to ask her."
As Lana left and headed back into the school halls, Clark opened the envelope. Inside was a typed letter on pink stationery.
Chloe was conversing with other students about her unexpected win of the prom queen crown. She tried to forget certain things she had seen that night, but it seemed like she was a glutton for punishment because from the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but notice when Lana re-entered the gym. Lana wasn't smiling with happiness as she had expected. Chloe thought Clark would follow in soon after but there was no Clark even after Lana went to the drinks tables to get herself something.
Lana was sipping her punch when she spotted Chloe. She finished her drink quickly and trashed the cup, then made her way over to the prom queen.
Lana opened with a hug, which Chloe didn't expect, but gave one in return. "Congratulations, Chloe. You deserve it!"
"Yea this was my high school dream and it's finally come true," Chloe replied sarcastically.
Lana laughed. "You may not care much but some of these kids live for school functions. This is what will keep them going until the 5 or 10 year reunion."
"God, I hope not. I hope I have more interesting things to do and talk about 10 years from now."
"Speaking of the future, I'm moving to Metropolis after graduation."
"Wow, I'm speechless. I never thought things would change that soon after high school."
"It's not as far as Paris but I think I'm ready to continue my life away from Smallville again."
"What about Jason?"
"Yes, actually we decided together, and we'll be living together too."
"So I guess you just told Clark. How is he taking it?"
"Nothing gets by you, huh?" Lana could tell this was friendly banter to pass the time but Chloe was interested in other topics. She decided to get to the point of her own reason for coming over to Chloe.
"I told him, I'll always love him but right now, we are on different paths. I didn't want him to wait around in case he misses something right under his nose."
"Yea, cause at his height, everyone is under his nose!" Chloe said defensively. She then giggled at her own joke.
Lana smiled. She knew Chloe well enough to know when she was dodging the conversation. "I'm talking about you, Chloe."
Chloe was caught off guard a little. She and Lana hadn't talked openly about Chloe's feelings for Clark in a long time. Especially not after Chloe had insisted she would be fine if Clark chose Lana over her, and then Chloe practically kept everyone in the dark about Clark's whereabouts that one summer.
But she decided to be honest rather than tell another white lie. "I don't see him looking at me the way he looks at you. I seriously doubt I could have any effect on him."
"You get mixed signals a lot though, right? Trust me, Chloe. Everyone at school wonders why you two aren't dating already."
Chloe felt the mixed signals, and she knew about these rumors too. But Clark's and her response were always the same. "We're just friends." It hurt to say it so often to everyone. It hurt even more when Clark would be right next to her and say it when someone brought it up. It didn't matter what kind of signals she imagined she got, when someone says the same thing day-in, day-out, she had to believe that was the extent of it.
"I know what you're thinking, Chloe. All I can say is, what I see with my own two eyes. Last year I wanted to be with Clark so much, everything he did or said, I wanted it to be because he wanted me. But now that I'm with Jason, I see the way Clark looks at you and I know that it's not always just about me."
"Why are you doing this, Lana? Is it one last attempt to ruin my senior year? To ruin the night that I should be happy to win this tiara because my fellow classmates see something that Clark doesn't?"
Lana wasn't upset -- she had to be the one to stay calm because she was trying to make her peace with Chloe, too. To let Chloe know that it would be OK if she opened her heart to Clark. She and Chloe hadn't been on the best of terms this year and Lana knew that this was a touchy subject with Chloe. The things they used to talk about had changed when Chloe had her cousin to talk to now about more personal things, rather than to Lana herself.
"Chloe. That tiara means nothing to you. You're not happy about winning, Miss Prom Queen. We both know why. Now you know that with Clark, sometimes you have to make the first move. Or even the second and third one.
"I just wanted you to know, I left a certain farm boy that we both love at the
court yard and he could probably use a friend right about now."
Lana could see Chloe still wasn't convinced of her good intentions. She would make one more attempt before she would give up, for tonight at least.
"Chloe, you're the prom queen. I'm the loner who came here without a date. I hope you notice how much the tables have turned, in more ways than one."
With that, Lana squeezed Chloe's arm and moved back out into the crowd. Lana fought back some tears even as she smiled at other people around the room that she knew from her classes. Her senior year was different than she had expected. Both Clark and Chloe had gained some new level of popularity whereas she had retreated into slight obscurity. Running the Talon and spending time with Jason, who didn't relish being seen at the high school events with a student, had slowly moved her out of the lime light, even at this small school.
At least now Clark and Chloe both knew she would not hold anything against them if something changed in their relationship. The rest would have to be up to those two friends who worked so hard to look like just friends.
Chloe watched Lana disappear into the crowd. She had picked up on Lana's message loud and clear. For that, she was thankful. But Chloe wasn't sure if she was ready to release a certain part of her that she had been trying to keep contained for so long. She did know, though, that she should at least try to find Clark.
Chloe didn't know what kind of scene she would find at the courtyard, assuming Clark was still even there. She moved closer silently, trying to hear before she could see, in case what she discovered might be better left alone. There was no audible cue that anyone was still even around, and she wondered if Clark had already returned to the gym, or even left for home.
She still exited out into the courtyard though, and finally saw some movement.
"Hey, Clark," Chloe said when she discovered Clark was still here. He was probably reading a note Lana had written to him.
"Hey, uh, Chloe."
Clark was surprised to see Chloe, but he smiled. He quickly folded the letter back into the envelope, then stuck it inside his jacket pocket. His quick mind had already memorized it but he just enjoyed reading it again and again as he mentally pursued countless memories of the two of them.
"We didn't see you come back to the gym so we sent out the Clark Kent Rescue Squad." She tried to lighten the atmosphere.
"Very funny. I guess you talked to Lana then."
"Yea, I did. How are things on your end?"
"Not as bad as I would have thought, actually. Some small part of me was already used to not being with Lana."
"Well, you know, if it's any consolation, it's ok to hurt. Give it time, and it'll hurt less." Unfortunately, she spoke from experience.
Clark was feeling guilty. Chloe shouldn't have to deal with his and Lana's troubles on a night like this. And really, he actually was OK with all of this. Maybe some pain would come later as he wondered about Lana and all the what ifs , but for now, this wasn't it.
"I'm sure it'll be fine. What about you though? How are you liking all the attention of prom queen?"
Chloe figured Clark was done with the conversation. He would talk again later when he felt like it, but for now, she would just be here for him. "Actually, I don't even know how I won this. It's not like tons of people have come talk to me. And I definitely haven't been asked by a lot of people to dance, as a new celebrity who came with no date."
"Ah, yes. Before Lana showed up, I actually was going to ask you for one." Clark grabbed Chloe's hand and pulled her in close. Chloe was surprised but she allowed herself to be taken in and they started dancing. They started out far enough apart, a little bit formal, but as they talked and twirled, their bodies drew in closer and closer till they were practically holding each other. Chloe's head was turned at Clark's chest; his head was resting above hers. They eventually fell into one of their comfortable silences as they just held each other and let the music move them. What both felt but neither expressed it, was that listening to each other's heart beats was better than any words could say right now.
Chloe allowed herself a respite from constantly keeping herself at a distance. She had won her crown somehow, probably because the previous shoo-in opponent Dawn Stiles wasn't around. And she was here dancing with Clark, because the previous girl of his dreams wasn't around. She decided it didn't matter how she ended up with these two prizes. It was enough that she had them for this moment. Clark liked how Chloe fit right into his body. He felt her softness and her warmth. He was reminded about her at the freshman spring formal. So much had happened between them since that time, good and bad, and they always had come back together stronger than before.
The song ended, and Clark reluctantly released Chloe. "Back to the real world now, I guess."
"Um, yea, I think we better head back, before somebody wonders what happened to the prom queen and the quarterback." Chloe turned back towards the door that would lead them back to the halls of reality.
Clark followed. When they stepped through the door, he felt for her hand. Chloe nervously reached for Clark's hand in response, but she wouldn't allow herself to think anything more of it. He needed a friend to keep him steady and strong after the news from Lana.
Clark was emboldened by Chloe's willingness to be so close while they were dancing, and now she easily placed her hand into his. It was an enchanting fit, interlocking between his fingers and hers. If the emotions she talked about in her letter and this past fall were still alive, then maybe he wasn't too late.
After a short while of deliberately walking slowly through the halls, Clark suddenly blurted, "I think with all we've been through, Lana and I will always have a special relationship."
Guess he's ready to talk again. "Sure you will. She won't forget someone who saved her life countless times, including during a tornado, a phone call from the future, various teenagers with meteorite-induced hormones."
His mind had already raced through countless scenarios -- he would take his chance now, before they reached the gym and the crowd would unnerve him. Ironically, Lana's words affected him the most. If Chloe left for Met U, he would see her even less often. He didn't want to see Chloe with a new boyfriend the way Lana had done on her first summer away from Smallville. The same way Chloe had met some guy during her first summer internship in Metropolis. Clark let her hand slip out of his and turned to Chloe, his hands on her shoulders.
"I think the ball was in my court. Chloe, if you can put up with me talking about Lana sometimes, and that I'm the way I am, without wanting more than I can give you right away, then I'm interested to try the next level of our relationship. You don't have to answer right away, in case you think I'm just trying to forget about Lana. But I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to show you that I really want to be more than friends. Take your time to figure things out, because I want your reply to be right for you. And if you're not ready, I'm ok with that, because I'll be here waiting for you also."
He didn't realize he would say it that fast, but there it was suddenly, his feelings all laid out.
Chloe tried to think of some witty response to hide behind. Her mouth opened but
nothing came out. She hadn't expected this at all, coming out of nowhere. She
looked up at his face...his beautiful face. Right then, she knew he was telling
her the truth, because the look he gave her now, just melted her heart.
This was going to be one of those nights she would remember 10 years from now,
after all.
She had wanted to be someone Clark could trust, and if he was offering this change in their relationship, it would be a step in the right direction. And of course, she wanted it, too.
"Let's get the kiss out of the way first, then we'll see about being more than friends."