Chapter four! Please keep the feedback coming!

I'd like to bring to attention a few things. First, I am changing that age of Clark, he'll be a few years younger in this story. Please don't kill me.

The town of Grandville, used in the show Smallville, will be used in this chapter.

Just because I said seven years in this chapter doesn't mean he's gone for seven years. There's still three more that he'll be travelling for.

I think that's it...anyways, enjoy!

Five letters, three phone calls, one by accident and one that she didn't answer, and one visit. That's all she got from him in seven years. Seven long, dragging, and excruciating years that never seemed to end.

Four months after graduating, Sam's mother had gotten sick. Soon after, her father finally moved out, not that she was complaining, which left her as her mother's primary care-taker. So, she packed up her things from a small community college in Metropolis and moved back home. It wasn't too bad, but the waitressing job she had landed at Mike's Bar only paid so much. Living pay check to pay check was now how she lived.

The doctor's had said that her mother had breast cancer, but their words went completely over her head. Not only did she hardly understand what they were saying, but she didn't exactly want to hear what the men in white coats were saying to her. Ever since she was little, doctors had made her feel uncomfortable and nervous. The minute they were done explaining her mother's condition, she bolted out the doors and sped home, letting the wind drown out her thoughts.

That was when his first letter arrived. There was an old envelope with her name and address written on it, but nothing as to point to who had sent it. Hastily opening it, ripping the envelope as usual, she pulled out a small index card with Clark's scribble written over it.

Sam,

I'm sorry, again. I have to do this, and maybe one day you'll understand. I'm fine, but there's not too much to tell. There's still so much I have to learn. I'll be here for the next few months, if you want to write back. Stay safe in Metropolis.

Clark

Dang. She really did forget that Clark was gone, for a little bit during the ride home, but this just brought it all back. Also, that he didn't know anything of what was going on in her life. Dropping out of college, her mother and father, and her new admirer Nick, her boss's son.

Not that she would have told him, there was no chance of that happening. But it would feel nice to talk to some one about how persistent the guy is. Nick, who was a few years older, was one of the many bartenders that worked at Mike's. He was handsome, with blonde hair, brown eyes, and tan skin, and in some alternate world, she would have accepted his offers in a heartbeat.

But this was the real world, and because of that she had to deny him. Way in the back of her mind, she always remember the man who began to steal her heart, but left before taking all of it or giving it back.

Shaking her head, refusing to dwell on the fact that he was gone, she stuffed the card back into its ruined envelope, then head back into the small house. Mrs. Kent had stayed at the hospital with her mother, meaning that they'd be home late, giving her the day to herself. Plopping herself down on the couch, she turned the TV on to a random channel and leaned her head back. The soft background noise coming from the machine was enough to calm her to a much needed nap. The letter was thrown on the kitchen table with the bills that needed to be paid, forgotten along with the rest of the world.

The first call she got, that she answered, wasn't even on her own phone, it was Mrs. Kent's. She was 22 now, but was anything but the wild stereotype of her age. Still living at home with her mother, who was still in the midst of her battle with cancer, she now worked the bar at Mike's, so she was the one serving that stereotype the alcohol which gave them their name.

The only thing that had really changed in her life was that she had finally given in to Nick's offers. When she was about to turn 19, they had started their relationship. It was fun. It was nice. It was distracting. But even though she was young at the time, she could tell that they'd never last. He was destined to live in the big city, while as long as her mother was still here, she was rooted to Smallville. All the same, she really did fall in love with him. He was her first everything when it came to a true relationship, but in the end it still wasn't enough. They mutually ended things three days before he left for Metropolis.

Mrs. Kent had known about her relationship with Nick, really every one in Smallville knew, but she never had really spoken to the older woman about it. She hadn't really spoken to her about anything, alone, at least, for years. And so, feeling spontaneous, Sam left for the Kent's on a Tuesday afternoon.

It was now late into the evening, and she had really forgotten how much Mrs. Kent liked to talk, which was so different than Clark. They'd eaten, laughed, frowned, and evened teared up, but the topic of Clark's absence was left unattended to.

As Mrs. Kent was talking about the gardening class she was taking in Grandville, Luke, the woman's black and white Sheppard dog, began to bark and howl at something unknown outside.

Letting it slide for a while Mrs. Kent went on with her story. After many minutes of continuous, loud barking, she got up from her chair. "I swear, that dog never shuts up. I'll be right back," she said while walking towards the front door. "Feel free to have some more cake," she called over her shoulder.

When she was gone, Sam stood up to slice herself another piece, never being one to pass up on dessert. As she was cutting through the cake, however, the phone next to her began to ring. She hesitated for a moment, not knowing if she should answer it or not. In the background, though, she could still hear Luke barking, meaning that Mrs. Kent was still looking for him.

Swallowing her doubt for picking up some one else's phone, she answered, "Hello?"

There was a pause on the other line. "Sam?"

The voice on the other end of the line was unmistakably, undoubtedly Clark Kent's. With the one word he spoke, she could tell he had changed, that something was different. He spoke with a feel of confidence, backed up by the deepness of his voice.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to drop the phone or press it as tightly as possible to her ear. Slowly and quietly, she answered, "Clark." It wasn't a question.

She could hear him let out a breath from the other end of the line. "How...how are you?"

Not realizing that she was copying him, she let out her own breath. "I'm," pause, "fine. Just visiting your mom." That's all she could think of to say? Come on, get it together.

"And how's your mother?" This was the first time they had physically spoken in four years, and they were making small talk? She really tried to think of something smart and reasonable to say, but she couldn't find the words. And she sensed she wasn't the only able to not do that.

"Fine. She's fine. Everything's fine." She waited for a moment, and when only his breathing answered her, she asked, "How are you?"

"Fine." They really needed a new word. "Listen, Sam –

Throughout all the years that Luke had annoyed her with his barking, this was the one time she wished that he'd continue, but of course that's not what happened. Mrs. Kent must have found him, because she could hear the woman scolding the dog. She only had a minute left with the missing man on the phone.

"Clark," she stopped him. And God did it feel good to say his name again. "Your mom's coming back. I – I don't want to...but...can you?" She struggled with finding words to say, only rattling off nonsense to the man.

"I'll call you." He stopped for a moment. "Will you pick up?"

She knew he was referring to the instance where she ignored his call. Her mother was throwing a fit, and in the end his call was not answered. When her mother had finally fallen asleep, she had listened to his message, telling her to call him back at this number in the next few days, which she never did.

"Yes. Yes, I promise. I'm sorry, Clark. That week was just so crazy and I couldn't even think, let alone –

"Sam, Sam, stop. Calm down, it's okay. I understand," he reassured her, even though her guilt didn't fade.

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon?" The thought of talking to him again made her anxious, and her stomach suddenly felt heavy.

"Yeah, of course," he answered her. "She coming up the steps, now. Bye, Sam."

It was after he had told her about the steps that she could hear them creak. Pressing the phone closer to her ear, she whispered, "Bye." Something told her that he could still hear her.

As fast as she could, still being quiet, though, she hooked the phone back on to the receiver. Spinning around, she grabbed the knife, almost cutting herself, and roughly forced it down into the spice cake, not even looking down at it.

The door opened and closed quickly, and soon Mrs. Kent's voice rang out behind her. "I might as well get rid of that dog, but he keeps me company."

"You must have strong ears, Mrs. Kent," she replied as she served herself the large slice of cake.

That didn't go unnoticed by the older woman. Winking at Sam, she told her, "I'll give you the recipe for it later." She didn't mention that is was John and Clark's favorite as well. "Now," she said while returning to her chair, "where was I?"

It was six in the morning when Sam finally pulled into her driveway. After a full, hot, busy night of serving countless drinks and foods and doing whatever else Mike wanted her to do, she was able to leave work, go home, and get some sleep before visiting her mother in the hospital.

Stumbling out of the very old Suburban, it was a miracle that it still ran, she slowly made her way along the stone path that led to her deck, eyes practically closed. It wasn't until she practically ran over something on her steps that her eyes opened and her senses became alert again. Her senses must suck, though, because it wasn't her that ran over something, it was the something that ran over her. Even though she ran into it, it still sent her falling into her yard.

"Sam? Sam, are you okay?"

It was Clark, he was here. He was standing right. In. Front. Of. Her. And. He. Was. Here. With wide, tired eyes, she looked at the man who seemed so foreign to her. There was so much more definition behind the blue, long sleeved shirt that he was wearing than there was seven years ago. He stood taller, with his head held high. His eyes seemed more focused and confident. But his hair was still the curly, dark mess that she remember.

Why was the only thing that she could recognize about him was his damn hair? There were so many more things that she should have seen that made her remember the Clark she had grown up with. But all she could see were the huge differences.

"Clark," she said quietly, looking up into his blue eyes, which held concern and the slightest amusement.

It was like something snapped inside her, making her realize how idiotic she must have looked at the moment. She pushed herself up from the ground as quickly as possible, not caring that her vision went lopsided as the world spun around her for a moment. Because she knew that he was right in front of her, and even though she was as tired as hell, it wasn't a dream. So as her vision went crazy, she stepped forward into his arms.

It was unexpected, definitely, but Sam didn't really care. All that mattered was that her best friend was home. The best friend that left years ago. The best friend that she only spoke with through letters and phone calls. The best friend that she missed so much. But now he was here. Finally.

So screw the awkwardness. She just needed to physically touch him so that her world could go back to turning the way it was supposed to. And by the way he had his arms around her, she could tell that he felt the same way.

She remembered this Clark, it was the one who stole some of her heart. And it felt like he was taking some more.

Eek! Okay, so next chapter they'll be talking. And probably three more years will pass. Then on to the movie plot! Please leave a review!

GD