Editor's note: Read the whole chapter please
Faith walked out of the hospital in a glowing smile seeing Clark pushing Martha out. Faith has to admit it's a great way to start a morning finding out one of the people you care about is going to be OK. Well after what she and Clark got up to first thing in the morning. Clark went to UC Sunnydale to take care of something and they met here.
Jonathon smiled seeing his family back in one piece. Things were so chaotic for a while it's good to see that when something happens everyone can level off and take hold of what's important. "So Clark why aren't you at school?"
Clark shrugged well the bright side is since they're right outside a hospital he won't have to go far if they kill him. "Yeah about college I… kind of dropped out."
Martha looked at him. "Clark"
"Mom it's done." Clark quietly replied.
Jonathon quietly looked at his son. He had to throw away a life at Met U because of someone else he doesn't want Clark to make the same mistake. "I hope this is not because of Lex. This is an important decision Clark one that will have an impact on you for the rest of your life."
"It has nothing to do with Lex. This is all about me." Clark answered. "Mom, Dad I spend six hours in class pondering the depths of my fingers because I learn nothing there all it does is waste thousands of dollars and hours of my life that could be put to much better use."
Jonathon wishes he could form words but he has nothing to say at the end of the day Clark isn't the little boy running around putting holes in his farm anymore he's a grown man capable of making his own decisions. He turned and looked to Faith. "I take it he's already told you this."
Faith nodded. "Oh he's been a ticking time bomb since October. I'm just glad he was able to cut himself off before he blew."
Clark, Faith, Xander, and Buffy all walked into Clark's room at UC Sunnydale and quietly packed up his stuff. He can honestly say he's not going to miss this place he made no friends and the one that did stuck a knife in his back. Clark rolled his eyes and heard another person. "What are you doing here?"
Victor looked at him. "Heading home for Spring Break?"
"Heading home in general." Clark replied other wards he would have just left everything here.
Victor looked at him and leaned against the wall. "You shouldn't leave because of Lex."
"I'm not although it's very uncomfortable to know that he would get my roommate to spy on me." Clark replied.
Faith came up with Buffy to get the last of the stuff. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Buffy ignored the two and turned to Clark. "Is that the last of your stuff?"
Clark nodded.
Buffy looked at the couple happy they're back together and not naked in front of her anymore. "Could you go outside and let us know if we get loud enough to call the cops."
Faith nodded and Clark walked her out.
Buffy looked at Victor and Victor looked at her right back. He wanted to say something or anything trouble was he didn't have anything to say except I'm sorry. Buffy looked at Lex's spy and waited. "One of us should talk before we graduate."
"I never wanted to hurt you Buffy or Clark." Victor insisted which was the truth.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Then why did you? You used me to spy on Clark."
"No… never, Buffy you were the one thing that made me forget I was little more then Luthor's puppet."
Buffy glared at him. "Then why didn't you just tell me. Then why did I have to find out from Clark that you were spying on him and likely used me to do it."
"I never… I just I wanted out and I had no idea how." Victor replied.
"You could have asked for help." Buffy replied.
"Not with the chip in my head." Victor replied.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Right that convenient chip in your head that you try to excuse yourself with."
"It's real." Victor insisted.
"Well I don't have X-ray vision do I." Buffy countered. "You could have wrote a note you could have IMed me but you didn't do any of that. Youplayed me as a fool for months."
Victor just frowned and sat down and just calmly talked to her. "I'm sorry but there wasn't exactly all that much I could now was there. You ever notice how I cut off from you guys or at least tried to. I don't know if you guys have something to hide or not but Lex is definitely on to you guys about something."
Buffy rolled her eyes and was set to leave. "Yeah nice knowing you"
Victor looked up at her with a pained face. "I really do care about you ya know. You never looked at me any different knowing half of me is metal and Katherine she gave it her best but even she couldn't do that."
"You made it easy, you saved me from Parker you were nice sweet and funny. But you lied to me, you didn't leave notes or anything that could have led us to what you were up to and right now I can't look past that." Buffy answered leaving the room.
Victor sat down on the bed watching them leave. He didn't want this and now he'll be surprised if any of them ever trusts him again. Victor feels a burning sensation in his head and figures this is it Lex is turning on the chip and leaving it on. To his surprise there is a burn on his forehead. The chip must have shorted itself out he smiles and looks up at the wound it's too big to fix but as long as he can keep it hidden he can take out the homing beacon and stay off of Lex's trail to form his own plan.
Faith let Clark walk ahead so she and B can talk slayer to slayer about everything that's going on. Dead douche dumped her without saying goodbye and now this. She doesn't mind B being angry because it makes her more focused and stronger so much that the gods themselves tremble. But with everything that happened the entire scooby gang could use a few days to unwind. "So how did that go?"
"How do you think it went?" Buffy asked almost set to hit her.
Faith put her hands up. "Easy B I just meant do you think you might…"
Buffy shakes her head no. "I don't know I mean he's supposed to be reliable. Am I an idiot?"
"B no man is reliable."
Buffy smirked at that. "Yeah but you figure he could at least not be potentially spying on me through the whole thing. I just wish we could get a break from the constant hell our lives are in."
"B that sounds like the best idea you've had in a while." Faith answered.
Buffy looked at her. "What was?"
"The vacation" Faith said like it was obvious.
Buffy looked at her. "Faith we just can't pack up and leave the hellmouth for a few days?"
"Why the hell not?" Faith asked with genuine curiosity. "We dominated the hell mouth for a year and a half we need a damn vacation. Giles can IM us if the world's ending".
Buffy smiled having an idea of where to go. She could use one or more nights as a normal girl and have Clark run her back to take care of Spike "Miami"
Faith shakes her head no. "Not a chance little Ms. Lady in the Water."
Buffy glared at her. "Oh ha, ha."
"It's not funny when you've actually drowned three times that I know of." Faith pointed out.
Buffy pointed at her. "Hey I pulled myself out when Tubby's flunky tried to drown me."
"The point is no one is going to let you anywhere near water." Faith pointed out. "Although I think I have an idea. Let me make a few phone calls."
Buffy nodded she didn't see any harm in it. And it will be nice to get away from the hellmouth for at least a little while.
After Buffy left Faith went home with Clark and tried her hand explaining it. Clark looked at her and he was actually kind of touched but he had other concerns. "Faith do you really think a vacation is a good idea right now."
Faith nodded. "Yeah I mean we just got back mom's on the mend after everything we just endured we could all use a little R&R."
Clark looked at her. "I want to see if I can find Lex's human lab and get them out."
"I know you do Clark. But right now we don't really know what to look for outside of Lex and right now you agreed to keep your distance from him. So take a break recharge your batteries and on Monday come with us to LA and find the fun." Faith ordered.
Clark looked to Martha for a way out. "What do you think?"
"I think you should go Clark. You put everything above your self so for once in a while put your self first you're not going to do anyone any good if you run yourself into the ground again and I'm sure." Martha replied giving her honest opinion.
Clark thought on it he honestly doesn't even know where to look since Victor really did have a chip in his head he doesn't want to risk knowing if big brother Luthor s receiving. "Fine, I'll take a couple days and then I'll find the lab and put Lex in jail."
Faith nodded. "See you're going to love it I know you are."
"So what are we doing in LA anyway?" Clark asked.
Faith smiled and walked away from him. "It's a surprise. I'll set everything up with the others while you're up North."
Clark watched her walk away. Faith and surprise so this will either be really good or really bad. Thankfully he'll have a day in the fortress to prepare himself.
Clark gathered a weeks worth of clothes Monday morning and joined the small convoy and saw who was going. Faith, Claire, and he were going in his truck. Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Cordy were going in Cordelia's car. And Chloe and Lois were going in hers.
Clark turned to Faith with Claire sleeping in the back excited to get out of Sunnydale. "So should I be worried about how you got us three rooms in a fancy hotel for nothing?"
Faith looked at him and smiled. "Oh come on Farmboy you think you're the only one with special abilities. I can't go telling you all my secrets."
Clark smiled and kissed her while keeping an eye on the road while Faith thought of new and inventive ways to harass the driver.
Clark woke up the next morning trying to get his eyes open and smiles at the first sight he sees which is Faith straddling him. "I like waking up like this."
"Well if you had slept for another five minutes I would have started without you." Faith replied with a smile.
Clark looked at her. "Faith we still have to shower and meet Buffy and the others outside."
"You're a spoil sport you know." Faith groaned not that she wants to miss the fun she has planned she just wants some alone time.
Clark looked around he still has to wonder how Faith managed to pull three two bedroom apartments for them. And they're nice places he's going to have to ask Faith about this. But for now he's got another idea. "Co ed shower."
Faith smiled and pulled him up with her running for the bathroom.
Clark came out and fully changed and saw Faith dressed in black leather jeans and top and kissed her down her neck while she dried her hair. "You know you might be onto something with this whole blowing the others off."
Faith's eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head but she got Clark off of her. "No, no I set this up we should at least go for a while. You get the others for breakfast and I'll be along in a few minutes."
Faith smiled watching him run off in a blur as she put on the finishing touches. Well this will be a fun day assuming Clark doesn't knock him out again. Faith went for the door and saw someone right outside the parking lot coming up to her in baggy clothes.
"Excuse me Ms. Can you spare a dollar?"
"Not today pal." Faith said turning around and walking away until she heard a clicking sound. She turned back around and saw a gun pointed at her.
"How about all of it then." The man asked.
Faith looked at him this was all she and Clark had for their trip she wasn't giving it up.
Clark moved in a blur and caught up to everyone around the block. "So you guys are just leaving us huh."
Lois smiled. "We figured you and Faith might have been busy is all."
Cordy looked at him. "So what you two weren't catching up for missing time."
Clark looked down as all the other scoobies had a quick laugh until he heard something snap. He looks up and sees a big wooden crate fall off a pulley and catches it centimeters from Cordelia's face while hearing another noise in the racket.
Cordy looked at him. "Did you have to make it so close?"
"What fun would that be?" Clark asked. "Now I'm going to get Faith so we can get out of here.
Xander nodded in agreement. "Hurry up I want to see what this surprise is."
Clark smiled as he walked back to the hotel and saw a guy rummaging through leather pants on the floor. Clark moved in a blur and threw the man off Faith and into the room through glass. Clark knelt down and cradled Faith in his arms and X-rayed her to see the bullet went straight through her heart flat out obliterating it and killed her instantly.
"No, please…" Clark pleaded she spent her life fighting evil not something as petty as this. "No" Clark looked to the sky and screamed in pain far worse then any piece of kryptonite or magic could hurt him. "No!"
Buffy ran over followed by Claire and both slayers stared at the scene between shock and numb.
"Oh my god." Buffy muttered she grabbed Clark' shoulders. "Clark come on I don't think you're supposed to move her."
Clark easily shakes her hand off. Buffy looks to Claire as each slayer grabs an arm trying to pull Clark off Faith until Clark waves his arm left and right as each slayer bounces off a car.
"Ow" Claire groaned getting up holding her back. "That hurt."
Buffy nodded in agreement. "You get used to it."
Buffy saw everyone come over and whispered to Willow. "I need you to put Clark down."
"Is she…?" Willow tried to ask distraught.
Buffy nods and Willow does what she can to pull herself together. "What has awakened from its sleep must once again slumber deep. What has awakened from its sleep must once again slumber deep."
Clark falls over groggy as Buffy catches him and falls down herself.
"He's heavy… heavier then humans." Buffy lifted him off her feet and saw Claire staring at Faith's body. "Claire…" Claire looked to Buffy.
"Grab his legs" Buffy ordered to keep her busy.
Xander finished talking to the police officer as Faith's body was loaded into the ambulance. He came in despondently and sat down on the couch with the other scoobies.
"Are they done?" Buffy asked.
Xander just nodded weakly apparently its them that puts the special in special occasion not the hellmouth. "They'll be back tomorrow with more of their fancy yellow tape."
Buffy walked to the bedroom and saw Clark sitting on the bed staring blankly at the wall. "I'd ask how you're holding up but seems like a stupid question."
"Why didn't she just call out for help?" Clark asked. "She didn't have to do that."
Buffy touched his shoulder for support. "Because she wouldn't have been Faith if she did."
"You know what the worst part is?" Clark asked with a wry smile. "I miss her too much to be mad at her. I just wish I could do the day over."
"Try to get some sleep Clark. Speaking from experience it will help." Buffy replied walking out of the room.
Clark laid down and rested his eyes he's still not sure how to cope. How he's even going to learn how to live his life without her but he has to learn now. He knew one day he'd have to say goodbye he just didn't think it would come so soon. Clark doses off to get maybe a couple minutes sleep.
Clark struggled with his eyes groggy and felt sunlight not only did he sleep he slept through the night. His eyes regain focus and they see a very familiar set of brown eyes as his eyes open up and see a familiar face. "Oh my god…"
Faith looked at him confused she just wanted morning sex there was no reason to be an ass about it. "What? Is there something on my teeth?"
Clark moved in a blur and hugged her.
Faith didn't respond at first but even for an enhanced slayer a kryptonian hug becomes a death grip. "Clark… I can't breath." Clark let her go and she caught her breath until she was herself again and was set to shout at him. "What the fu…"
Faith was cutoff by Clark giving her one of the deepest kisses she's ever had as she comes up breathless. "Wow… you haven't kissed me like that since I… are you OK?"
Clark nodded. "Let's just say I caught a break."
They showered together and Clark made sure not to leave her alone saying they'll meet the others together. They go out the door and Faith sees the man in baggy clothes and so does Clark. Clark approaches him and he puts a gun up.
"Don't move"
Clark grabs the gun and throws the man into a wall knocking him out.
Faith looked at him confused grateful since she had all their money on her but confused none the less. "Clark how did you know that guy was a mugger."
Clark heard the crate the drop and blew it off. "X-ray I saw his hands on the gun." Clark said as he heard Xander shout for him. Clark and Faith ran around the corner and Faith had to look away as she turned into Clark.
Clark looked at Xander whom was being hugged by Willow and what he called about… Cordelia was absolutely crushed by the crate. "Why did you guys stay here? You weren't… I… What happened?"
Chloe saw he was too distraught to talk so she filled in. "Cordy wanted to wait for you guys. We didn't even hear anything until it hit her. Is she…"
Clark silently nodded. "She's dead."
Xander collapsed into Willow as the others moved away. Except for Faith and Clark as the slayer looked into her boyfriend's eyes and saw guilt. "Oh god damn it we just talked about this."
"I actually did this. Jor El warned me about this he said there'd be a balance to playing god. But I didn't listen."
"You saved me didn't you?" Faith asked.
Clark nodded.
Faith just grabbed him by the shoulder. "Right now Xander needs our support."
Clark nodded and waited for the ambulance. "Are you OK?"
Faith shakes her head no. "She was my friend. She was a smartass but she never played me. Zero subtlety just flat out told me as it was no matter what. I'm going to miss her."
Clark hugged Faith as she let out tears for someone whom sounds like is Faith's best friend. Well he got his wish… but at a horrible price.
Clark woke up and saw it was morning again and naked Faith was straddling him again. "Is today Tuesday?"
Faith nods. "That's not exactly the reaction I wanted."
"I'll explain later right now I want to focus on saving you and Cordy OK." Clark pleaded.
Faith's eyes shot up. "Yeah no prob. How do you even know we're in danger?"
"I'll explain it later right now… I want to take a shower and collect my head." Clark answered.
Faith nodded as an idea came to her head. "Co-ed shower."
"Honestly" Clark replied. Last time he didn't know what would happen and the time after that he was so happy Faith was alive again he didn't care. "I just want to focus on what I have to do."
Faith looked at him and understood. "Fine you'll make it up to me later tonight."
Clark came out ready and saw the mugger and ran up and pushed him into the wall knocking him out. He then ran to Cordy and caught the crate no problem.
Cordy's eyes shot out looking at the crate. "Clark did you just save me from something?"
"Yeah" Clark replied with a smile as he put the crate down. "Now let's go."
Xander smiled as he was crossing the street. "Here here all is right in the wo…" The rest is cut off as Xander is hit by an eighteen wheeler as his body practically explodes and blood splatters the scooby gang. Clark just glared at the sky while drenched in blood. What the hell is going on?
7 Tuesdays in
"Let me get this straight we're in LA California and you expect us to sit on our asses all day?" Cordy asked.
Clark nodded and started to explain. "I watched you all die horribly this past week for some reason the day keeps resetting itself and I'm stuck here as the only one with memory of it."
"Sounds like you're on drugs Smallville." Lois responded.
Chloe looked at him and wondered with her healing powers. "How did I die?"
"A line of Barbwire was pulled out by a truck and cut you into three separate pieces… It was gross." Clark answered.
Xander looked at him. "How did I go out? Like a badass hero."
Clark rolled his eyes. "You got hit by a truck and splattered all over the place… Also I think you might have pissed yourself."
"Well of course I peed a little I got hit by a truck." Xander countered.
Faith looked in thought. "Clark have you…"
"Raiden isn't answering. And the portal to the fortress and the fortress itself are dead." Clark replied. "So can we please just stay here today?"
Buffy shrugged seeing how upset Clark is she has no problem slumming it. "OK I'm going to go take a shower."
Clark sat down and they all agreed to watch Star Wars despite Cordy's objections for about ten minutes until Clark heard Buffy say whoa. And they all heard a crash. Clark got to his feet since he was the only one here that saw Buffy naked and went into the room. He saw the slayer naked in the shower looking at her own ass because she fell and broke her neck in a complete 180. Clark just bit his lip trying to stay calm.
15 Tuesdays in
Faith looked up at her wrists when Clark said handcuffs this wasn't what she had in mind as she looks down the line and sees everyone else chained up with heavy duty chains for her Buffy and Claire. "Clark you can't keep us like this."
"Well I let you outside someone dies I keep you all in and someone either gets electrocuted, break their necks in the shower, or the mirror falls on their heads." Clark pointed out it's not like he said hey I'm going to kidnap my friends today. He pulled out a piece of paper and looked at it. "So 15 Egg McMuffins 3 with sausage 12 with ham, 10 hash browns 7 Tater tots 5 coffees and two orange juices. Did I miss anything?"
The Scoobies are shocked wondering how Clark knew their order but easily nod their heads except one.
"Extra Ketchup" Claire replied seeing she can't burn out since Clark used his ice breath on her he's so getting his ass kicked for this.
"Extra Ketchup" Clark said leaving the room. Twenty minutes later he walks back to the motel food in hand on a big tray. He looks up to the room he left them in and sees it's on fire. Clark just threw the food away and walked up the steps taking a peak in as he opened the door and closed it just as quickly. "How the hell do Claire and Chloe die in a fire?"
35 Tuesdays in
Clark shot up awake and started checking his own chest no holes. Faith looked at him confused as he nearly knocked her off the bed.
"Is there a problem?" Faith asked.
"I'm never listening to Xander again damn magician with an Uzi." Clark replied as he put her down to the side and hopped out of bed and opened the door.
"Hey you're still naked." Faith pointed out as Clark left and wrapped a sheet around herself.
Clark knocked open Cordy and Xander's with glowing red eyes. "You... never again, not a word." Clark just as quickly slammed the door on them.
Xander just looked blankly at Cordelia. "Cordy"
"Yeah"
"Did Clark just go crazy and talk to us bare ass naked."
"I think so Xander." Cordy replied.
Faith rolled her eyes and wrapped up Clark in her sheet. "I don't like sharing the view." She kisses Clark who kisses her right back. The two are so distracted by the kiss they don't see Willow come out of her room she is so distracted by what she sees she misses the guardrail and is too shocked to scream on the way down.
75 Tuesdays in
Buffy was in shock this is a lot to take in even for her as Clark explained it to everyone again. "You can't be seriously you honestly expect us to believe we have repeated the day that many times."
"Yes" Clark answered hanging on to the little sanity he has left.
Faith had an idea. "What about…"
Clark immediately cut her off. "Yes, no, yes, yes, no, no, no, yes, no, yes both ways, no I don't know, no again." He turns and points to Xander. "In the name of heaven hell and the twenty eight galaxies dear god no… any questions?...good."
No one says a word as Buffy leads the group until Clark sees a flying pipe coming at her and that's how she died last time. Clark doesn't say a word and just grabs Buffy and puts himself between her and the pipe. The pipe breaks into two over Clark's head and he looks up to see on half go into Lois's heart and the other going into Claire's as both girls fall over dead.
Clark just lets out a scream that work as a human high pitched gibberish and could likely crush submarines.
100 Tuesdays in
Clark opened his eyes and let him guess Faith straddling him. Clark opens his eyes and sees the brunette.
Faith looked at him and could tell he was troubled. "Is something the matter?"
"I can't save you all. Whether it's buses, demons, bullets, or even old age I can't save you. But I'm guessing that was the lesson I needed to learn. Is that it…? Jor El!"
A bright flash takes Clark right to the fortress surrounded by purple light.
"You disappoint me Kal El."
"What the hell did I do now?" Clark asked. "That was sick and twisted even for you."
"The key you use to transport yourself here showed me your behavior when Martha Kent was injured. You allowed human emotion to rule you and the results were nearly disastrous."
"So you show me my friends dying again and again what was the point of that?" Clark asked.
"To show you that a day will come where you will not be able to save them Kal El your time on this earth will be measured in centuries whether tragedy or old age… you will outlive them all."
Clark frowned. "I know but what do I do with that?"
"Hang on to them in your memories. It is your time with Jonathon and Martha Kent in Smallville and the trials you face today that gives you your strength Kal El. Keep that strength they give you in your mind and heart to honor them when that day comes and just enjoy the time you have with them. So shall we begin?"
Clark's eyes shot up. "How long did that illusion last that was a hundred days?"
"About thirty of your earth seconds."
Clark rolled his eyes and did everything he could to not rip out the big crystal. "I hate my people."
Clark came home on the real Monday and saw Faith getting packed up.
Faith looked at him. "You think this trip is a bad idea don't you?"
Clark shakes his head no. "I think we can all use a few days off though I gotta run Buffy back twice a day to take care of Spike."
Clark smiled and lifted their bags up as he and Faith walked out to his truck LA bound. Clark will enjoy the time he has with his friends now because accidents can happen at any time like Martha.
Author's notes
I was considering taking Faith's name out of the tags to screw with you but I didn't want to risk people seeing that and stop reading.
Clark just did nothing in cannon even after Chloe herself was committed to 33.1 always bugged me that he just said yeah Ollie's got this and then the answer to finding the phantoms was... apparently farmwork.
Thanks for the reviews.
Up Next: Awakened.
