Ch. 14

Aliens, Friends or Foes

Clark carried Chloe in the living room of her dad and hers small apartment. He gently laid her on the couch. Gabe tried to assist but something seemed to hold him back. Clark took a chair and sat next to Chloe. He put Chloe's pale hand in between both of his.

Although he told Gabe that she would come out of this like before he was engulfed with this huge worry. He did not know if it all would be ok. He only could hope that soon this will just be another memory and he and Chloe can be laughing about it over coffee soon. She was only unconscious for a little while but Clark already missed her. No he can't be thinking like that, she will be ok. She has been through so much already before. She was tough she could handle what ever life threw at her. But he still was concerned. He did not know what was happening to her and he still had this sneaking suspicion that Jor-el had something to do with this.

Clark noticed that Gabe was sitting on the chair on the other side of the room, staring out in space. His eye's were wide he seemed to be completing something. Clark felt like maybe he should tell him all what was going on. He hesitated because unfortunately Chloe was not as close to her father as Clark was to his. He knew she did not tell him about knowing about her mother and she obviously did not tell Gabe about Clark's secret. There wasn't much Clark could say to him. He still had this irksome feeling that Gabe knew something about what was going on. Maybe if he just asked they could get somewhere.

"Gabe, do you know anything about what's happening to her?" Clark asked.

Gabe said nothing and simply sat there.

Clark continued to plea,

"Look, if you know anything you have to tell me. So we can help her."

Gabe merely shook his head examining his unconscious daughter. Pain reflected through out his entire face.

Clark went back paying attention to Chloe still holding her hand he squeezed it. Then he let it go. He did not know what to do. He hated just waiting here seeing if she would just wake up from another dream. These dreams… It disturbed him that she was seeing Krypton. And it's people. And his biological mother. What weird and deluded ideas was Chloe seeing? Was Jor-el trying to brainwash her to help him rule the world? He did not know. This was happening to her because of his people. Once again his people's past was hurting those that he loves.

His attention was reverted to the necklace. That's were this all started. Clark took the necklace and held it into his hand. Then it started to glow this bright golden light. Clark forgot about that. He quickly let go. Immediately, Gabe stood up. Clark saw something completely foreign in Gabe's face. He looked disgusted.

Gabe yelled, "Get away from her!"

Confused Clark stood up and said, "What?"

Gabe seemed to be overwhelmed with this potent emotion.

"Your one of them aren't you?"

Clark couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Gabe repeated it louder,

"Your one of them aren't you!"

Clark tried to play dumb but he knew exactly what Gabe meant.

"One of who?"

"You did this to her didn't you?"

Clark was stunned at the accusation. He had to fix this.

"Do this to her? Are you… I'm not doing this to her. I would never hurt her. I love her!"

"You…" Gabe distraught stuttered.

"Your one of them. She touched the necklace and it glowed. I saw her. She…she…it's that necklace that did this to her. I know it was. It was part of her…I won't let the same thing happen to my daughter that happened to my wife."

"Gabe, then if it's the necklace, really, if it's hurting her, maybe we should take it off."

"I can't it carries quite a bite." Gabe said caressing a burn scar on his hand reminiscing in grim memory.

"Well, it didn't hurt me, I touched it." Clark said as he reached for it.

As Clark was doing this, Gabe quickly went in the first door of his desk. He grabbed a silver lead box. Opening it he took out a green meteor rock. He pointed it at Clark.

Clark vein's grew green and he became faint and weak falling to the ground.

Gabe stood above him in a fury.

"Stay away from my daughter!" he did not yell but said it loudly and firmly.

Clark struggled on the floor, weakly.

"How…how…please…" He stammered crawling on the floor.

Gabe opened the door.

"Now you're going to leave here and you're never coming back. And you're never going to see my daughter again. I won't let you hurt my daughter. Not the way she hurt my wife. This will not happen. Your kind will not hurt my family again!" Gabe said.

Clark was gasping for breath crawling on the floor. Gabe kept the door open wide.

Clark turned back to Chloe, but he was no good to her dead. So he crawled out of there.

Gabe shut the door. Still holding the kryptonite in his hand he went to Chloe. She was lying there motionless.

"Oh, Chloe, don't worry I'll protect you from them."

Chloe started to cough. The veins in her neck became swollen slowly appearing green. Gabe quickly put the rock back into the steel, lead box.

"How could I forget?" Gabe said mournfully.

Chloes eyes fluttered.

"What are you dreaming about? Why is this happening again? Why did she let it happen at all? She promised…"

Lara gazed back at Gabe and then waved. Taking a nice and slow deep breath she walked in. Clara was in the kitchen putting away the groceries. Clara knocked on the door to Gabe's and Clara room. No one answered Lara had her eyes focused stiff on the door then she said, "Gabe I know you are in there. I need to talk to you."

Gabe opened the door causing it to creak.

"What is it?" He asked trying to fake nonchalance but not doing that good of a job.

"Are you alright?" Lara asked trying to fake concern but not pulling it off.

"I'm fine."

"Gabe we need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." He said as he started to shut the door but Lara put her hand in between the door and the door way. So he budged and opened it again. She then said, "I see that you are angry but who exactly are you angry at?"

Gabe rolled his eyes.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Really? So you didn't see me speed out of the way in front of the car?"

"Hey, you just got out of the way. You were lucky. You really should be more careful."

"I saw you, Gabe. I know you know. You saw me just like you did before. You should probably tell your wife. I never did because I figured that was between you and her. But I don't want to be the cause of marital grief. Especially, in a marriage full of love like yours." Lara said.

"Who are you to lecture me on love and marriage? You don't even know what love is."

"I've seen it." Lara said bitterly.

"Even so, I've seen what you've done and what you are capable of. I suppose it doesn't really matter because you'll be gone soon. You will be gone soon, won't you? Or is that a lie too?"

"Oh don't you worry. I'll be gone for good. And I'm never coming back. But this trip wasn't just a friendly visit. I've came with a mission."

"You don't say." Gabe said sarcastically.

"I need to tie loose ends. Where I come from we're not a loud to love freely, like you are. But we are seen as a partnership. I've envied your love that you and Clara share. I thought that maybe I could find it here and stay here forever but I can't. There are something's I see happening in the government that are very unsettling. Some people don't see it as a problem but I do. You see I told you I was destined to be queen by marrying the future king. But those titles aren't absolute. It's kind of like how it is in that country called Britian. Clara was telling me one day about the governments. I know it bored her but not me. Our government is also like the government here with the three forms of government. We have the royalty, the military, and the grand council. Except now, there was a vote to temporarily combine the military and the grand council. And it doesn't look good. It's really not good because the military and the grand council will be led by one person. And he's a real jerk. General Zod. So Jor-el needs me by his side. My responsibility to my people is more important. I see that now it's my destiny. You know ever since I came here and I saw all of this freedom. I did not want to accept that. I hated that word, destiny. But now I'm starting to think that maybe it's true. There was this prophesy that's been passed down in my family. My father said that I would make it true. It says that I will bring forth this great gift to my world and to earth, linking the two."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gabe asked still engrossed by what she was saying.

"Because you need to know?"

"Why?"

"Because you and Clara are like a family to me and if something should happen…

"Like what?"

"You need to be ready."

"What? What will happen?" Gabe asked.

"My father…he told me to go to Earth to find a pathway on my destiny. It was all very cryptic, but that's my father. He told me that I would meet someone that would help me with the gift. I still have my doubts. But sometimes I think I found that pathway. I've found that help."

"Help with what?" Gabe asked aggravated.

"I don't know yet."

Gabe scratched his head.

"I don't know what you want us to do?"

"I want you to be ready when the time comes."

"For what?" Gabe asked loudly not quite yelling but getting close.

"I told you I don't know."

"Why should I trust you? You've done nothing but lie to me and my wife."

"I never lied to Clara."

"You didn't tell her I knew about you."

Lara folded her arms.

"Fine don't trust me. I suppose it really is foolish superstitions."

She began to leave.

He touched her shoulder.

"Lara, if you promise Clara won't get hurt. Then I will help you. Clara trusts you and I trust Clara. So I'll trust you too."

Lara turned around.

"I promise. Clara's my best friend. I would never want anything bad to happen to her."

"Good." Gabe said. They both shook hands.

"I think it's time you and your wife have that talk." Lara said as she left.

Agitated, Clark sped all across the farm. Then he finally found himself in the living room. He sat there staring at the fire place. He found a picture of chloe he was grasping on to it. He remembered when Chloe and he were sitting together in front of the fire place. He was complimenting on how strong she was. He had given her hot chocolate helping her recover from the cold conditions of the fortress. He remembered how grateful he was to her…and now he's never aloud to see her again. This could not be happening his whole world seem to be caving in. Chloe had always been there. If he ever needed to talk to her or get any information or help him figure something other worldly out or help him help someone out, she was always there. And now when she needs him the most he can't be there for. And why because he's afraid to die? He was even more confused then ever. He wanted to help her but how could he do that without even getting near her.

"Hey, Smallville." Clark thoughts were interrupted by the annoying voice of Lois Lane.

"Hi." Clark said gloomily.

"Gish, Clark who…" Lois stopped her self before she finished the sentence then she continued, "Are you alright?"

Clark did not have the energy to lie so he shrugged and said nothing.

Lois then went to sit next to him on the couch. She saw his expression he looked utterly miserable.

"Clark, what is it? What's wrong?"

Then she noticed the picture of Chloe he was gaping at.

"Clark! Is Chloe alright?" she pleaded with intense firmness in her voice.

Clark still was speechless.

Then Lois interjected, "Clark, if there is something wrong with me cousin you have to tell me!"

Clark knew he couldn't get rid of her by simply ignoring her. So he muttered,

"She…she's…It's Gabe he…he told me he didn't want me to ever see Chloe again."

It took a while for that to sink in to Lois. Then she said exasperated, "Clark…it has to be some kind of mistake. You had to misunderstand him. Gabe knows how much you mean to Chloe."

"He was perfectly clear he said he didn't want me to ever see Chloe again."

"Clark. Why would my uncle say that?" Lois asked trying to figure it out herself.

"I…I…I'm not sure."

"Do you want me to talk to him for you I'm sure it's a big misunderstanding?"

"I…" Clark mumbled then an idea dawned on him.

"Can you just check on her? Make sure she's ok." Clark asked avidly.

Lois wanted to protest and tell him to go with her. So they could sort this all out. It just had to be some horrible mistake.

"Ok, Smallville. I'll check on her for you. But don't you think…don't you think this might have something to do with what had happened a couple of days ago."

"What?"

"Oh you know your whole "rescuing" Chloe thing from the mental hospital."

"Lois, we've been through this. You know she was possessed. You were there."

"I know that Clark. But Gabe might not…Clark Chloe's mom is in a mental hospital. Maybe if you knew…"

"What that I would keep her there because what Gabe did with his wife. Well I'm not Gabe now am I? So are you going to help me or not?"

"I'll help you Clark. But what is wrong with Chloe?"

"I don't know."

"Fine." Lois said grabbing her keys then Clark said,

"Wait."

"What?"

"Maybe I should go with you."

"There you go Smallville, I knew you weren't a complete coward."

"I'll stay in the car."

"Then I again I've been wrong before." Lois said a bit disappointed.

Clark thought about Gabe talking to Lois. There was the distinct possibility that he would tell Lois what actually happened and what Clark really is. So he would wait in the car and intervene at the first sign of trouble. Chloe was worth the risk.

14