Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. I'm Just messing with them. I'll give them back eventually, promise.

Fates Gifts

Chapter 2: Fallen Pride

Ten minutes later, the passing of the trees had calmed me enough to stop running. My breath was ragged and I sat myself down on one of the fallen oaks around me. I couldn't believe I'd said what I had; Clark would never forgive me.

The ground was wet because it had rained earlier that day and I watched as one of my tears fell down to Earth and dissolve into the soggy dirt. In that moment my heart broke, my shoulders shook and my sobs echoed around the clearing.

The rain began to fall around me and I was soaked within minutes. Behind me a snapping sound started and before I could turn to check it out, I was falling. I flung my arms out to grab hold of something and all I could touch was air. The fatigue hit me before the ground did. It was almost a peaceful decent into slumber.

My entire body ached as I woke. I stretched out on the soft surface before I remembered what had caused my previous bout of unconsciousness. I bolted upright expecting to be lying in a hospital or in Dèore Gorge. The bed I was in, disqualified my 'gorge' theory but the colors didn't match any hospital near here.

I looked down at my hands; they stung and were as dirty as hell, covered in both mud and blood. My limbs weren't broken as I expected. I started checking all over, looking for fractures or twisted tendons. I stopped when someone spoke from the corner of the room.

"I caught you before you landed." As my eyes adjusted to the light, I began to recognize more and more of the room. It hit me like a tonne of bricks, the disembodied voice belonged to Clark and I was in the Kent's' house… I was in Clark's bedroom! I bowed my head; cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

"Thank you…" I sat there in the uncomfortable silence, the gravity of what I had said earlier shocking me into a quiet, contemplative state.

"Chloe, I…" The bell rang downstairs and I saw Clark give a quick glance before starting to the door. I stare blankly at the wall opposite me as I heard him leave. The silence of the room was deafening.

From downstairs I could hear Martha's kind and motherly voice. I heard footsteps up the stairs and across the landing but I continued with my staring contest with the wall. Mrs. Kent strode into the room while Clark just leaned against the doorframe.

"Chloe, are you ok? Clark told me you almost had quite a fall." I smiled up at Mrs. Kent, a mother hen to the very end.

I'm ok Mrs. Kent, really. I'll leave now to go work on my deadline." Clark knew I'd finished but I just wanted to be anywhere but here right now. I sat up straighter, turning the wince into a small smile for Martha's sake and twisted so that my feet hit the floor. Yanking myself up, I stood for a moment and then collapsed onto the bed, the pain in my ankle infinite agony.

"Well it seems like that deadline will just have to wait. I must insist you stay for dinner and see how your ankle goes." It wasn't a tone used very often by Martha Kent, but it was immediately recognizable as the 'don't argue with me' tone. I tried to smile but it came out as a weak grimace.

"Thanks Mrs. Kent. That's really kind of you." Martha seemed to remember something important.

"I'm so sorry Chloe but I have an important senate meeting tonight. I'm sure Clark will be able to make something edible." Martha's pointed look at Clark meant that she would find out if he didn't obey. She stood to leave.

"I'm really sorry but Lois'll be here in 10 minutes and I have to be ready. I hope you feel better soon. If you don't your welcome to stay the night." Martha then turned to Clark.

"I'm sorry honey. I wont be back until tomorrow afternoon. I'll be staying at Metropolis Hotel if you need me."

Mrs. Kent left the room and I pulled my ankle up to check the tendons. Clark stared at me for a few seconds. The gaze was intense and I wished the intensity were due to lust not his x-ray vision.

"It's not broken, the tendons are intact and I can't see any fractures. I think you might've pulled something with all that running you did." Clark walked closer and kneeled down next to the bed so that we were eye-level.

"Although it would probably be best not to walk on it for a few hours." Clark smiled at me and I would've melted had I not been so shocked at the sight.

"Did you mean what you said before Chloe? Before you left?" I look out the window, still way too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

"Chloe? Please don't hate me for doubting our friendship, but I do need to know whether you meant it." Clark's voice sounded sincere, so hopeful and I was so sick of lying to him. Especially after all the things we'd been through together.

"I meant it Clark. I meant all of it." I sighed and tried not to cry. I could almost hear him thinking.

"Chloe… I uh… need to think, I'm gonna go make dinner, so make yourself at home.

I watched his retreating back as he left the room. I got up and painfully slid into his desk chair. If I couldn't walk, I wasn't going to just sit in bed.

I pushed myself over to the work desk and had a quick look around but only one thing caught me attention.

Half an hour later Clark zoomed back up to the room I was in.

"Clark, how am I going to get down the stairs?" Clark just smirked at me.

"Same way you got here of course…"

To be continued…

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Jez