Chapter Eighteen
Chloe the Bride
As the sun shined outside of the Kent family barn (the official clubhouse for Chloe and Clark when they were kids), Lois was ordering around workers in the barn. "Listen up, everyone," she determinedly announced into her headset. "Chloe and Jimmy are getting married in a few short hours and everything has to be perfect… I need to turn this barnyard into the perfect wedding destination; so, please move quickly… okay?" She frowned as the caterer tried to walk by her. "Hold it for a minute, Bobby Flay," she angrily said. "You do not serve food until the reception, which happens after the wedding and the wedding has not happened yet… got it," she angrily asked.
"Yes, ma'am," the caterer rolled his eyes as he walked away from her.
"Cinderella," Lois smiled as she used her headset to speak to Chloe. "This is your fairy god mother checking in…" Lois smiled again as Chloe told her that she was making good progress. "Thank you for working ahead, Chloe, but do not stay in the salon forever… I've heard horror stories of women that arrived early in the morning at the salon and did not get out until midnight… nothing crazy, okay," Lois smiled and asked. Suddenly, she saw the camera operator walking in the opposite direction. "I'll talk to you later, Cinderella," Lois frowned as she walked towards the camera operator. "According to Jimmy, you are the person that is filming Chloe and Jimmy's wedding," Lois determinedly said as she quickly took the camera off her back and shoved it into his hands. "I want everything… and I mean… everything… behind-the-scenes, family outtakes, lovey-dovey moments… got that," she angrily asked.
"You bet I do," the camera operator smiled. "You're in good hands, Mrs. Queen." He raised his hand. "High-five," he smiled and asked.
"I hope I am and no high-five," Lois frowned as she walked away from him. The camera operator awkwardly frowned as he quickly turned on the camera.
"Prince Charming, this is the fairy godmother," Lois said in annoyance as she walked past several table centerpieces full of autumn flowers. "Prince Charming… where are you Prince Charming…"
"Early for the ball," he smiled as he walked towards her. "When Chloe and I get married, will you promote me to King Charming?" Lois rolled her eyes and walked towards a ladder in response. "Don't do that," he said in a panic as he hurriedly stopped her. Lois looked at him in confusion. "I don't want anything to go wrong today," he said in a panic.
"You're worried, aren't you," Lois smiled and asked. "Do you have sweaty palms yet?"
"No sweaty palms," Jimmy smiled as he showed her his hands.
"You're probably nervous about committing the rest of your life to someone," Lois apprehensively said as she looked through the flower arrangements. "That would definitely make me nervous…"
"With Chloe, I have nothing to be nervous about," Jimmy earnestly said. "I love her and I know that she is the right person and I know that I am not making a mistake… and I'm not feeling any wedding jitters…" Lois smiled earnestly at him.
"Nice answer to get you off the hot seat," Lois said as she grabbed a box and carried it over to a table.
"You know, I happened to notice that you don't have a wedding date," Jimmy smiled as he walked with Lois. Lois rolled her eyes in response.
"Don't rub it in, Jimmy," Lois frowned.
"I'm not rubbing it in," Jimmy smiled. "I'm getting you a wedding date… does the name Clark Kent ring a bell?"
"You're a horrible matchmaker," Lois rolled her eyes as she frowned at him. "Clark and I are not dating," she angrily said.
"You can always do something about that," Jimmy determinedly said. "Like kiss him or something…" Lois looked at him in annoyance. "I know that both of you love each other…"
"We don't," Lois frowned as she looked at the flower arrangements. "We strongly dislike each other," she frowned as she looked through the flower arrangements.
"And your strong dislike has been a way of flirting… all of this time," Jimmy determinedly said.
"Do you think so," Lois hopefully asked.
"Lois," Jimmy earnestly said. "You and Clark are great together… I know it in my heart…"
"I'd suggest taking a Bayer aspirin to relieve that pain," Lois said in annoyance.
"I need to go and review my wedding vows," Jimmy laughed. "However, if you happen to see your Prince Charming, could you please give him his tuxedo?" He gave her Clark's tuxedo.
"Fine," Lois smiled.
"I appreciate it," Jimmy smiled as he walked away. Lois smiled as she touched Clark's suit; however, she suddenly got the feeling that someone was watching her. She turned around and saw the camera operator.
"Get that camera out of my face," Lois angrily said as she pushed him to the side. The camera operator hurriedly left her and followed Jimmy.
"I'm just going to review my vows," Jimmy smiled to the camera operator as both of them walked into a room. As Jimmy walked into the room, he saw Chloe, who was wearing a sleeveless purple nightgown with a pink long-sleeve cover-up. Her hair had been curled with pearl pins and silver star pins to hold the curls in shape. "Wow," Jimmy smiled. "You look beautiful…"
"You don't look that bad yourself," Chloe smiled as she walked towards him with a silver bracelet. "Would you horribly mind helping your bride-to-be?"
"Oh, no," Jimmy said in a panic as he covered up his eyes. "Oh, no…" Chloe looked at him in confusion. "Stop filming," he desperately said to the camera operator.
"But this is exactly what Lois wanted... lovey dovey moments, Jimmy," the camera operator smiled.
"Please go," Jimmy worriedly said. The camera operator frowned as he left the room and Chloe looked at Jimmy in confusion. "I thought that you were still in the salon," he said in a panic to Chloe.
"I got out earlier than I anticipated," Chloe smiled.
"I never would have come here if I even thought that there was a remote chance of you being here," Jimmy said in a panic.
"Jimmy, breathe… relax," Chloe laughed. "It's fine… chill…"
"Chloe," Jimmy sadly said. "This… this is horrible…"
"It's fine, Jimmy," Chloe smiled as she held up the bracelet. "I'm having difficulty with the bracelet latches… I'm thrilled that you came here…"
"The groom cannot see the bride before the wedding," Jimmy said in a panic. "We may as well have had our wedding on the Titanic… now all we need is cats, mirrors, ladders, sidewalk cracks and several sixes…"
"Jimmy, breathe," Chloe laughed and smiled reassuringly as she grasped him by the arms. "Our love has survived through my Neosporin-like powers, dark family secrets, copycat murdering and my random case of amnesia," she laughed. "I know that our love is going to survive a wedding superstition." She smiled and took a deep breath, making Jimmy take a deep breath. As he smiled at her in relief, Chloe giddily smiled and held up the bracelet, which Jimmy took from her.
"I think that our happenstance meeting was more than a coincidence," Jimmy smiled as Chloe sat down. "I think that our happenstance meeting was to prove that our love can survive anything…"
"As long as we're together," Chloe smiled. "And we will always be together…"
"Forever," Jimmy smiled as he put the bracelet on Chloe's arm, making her smile and laugh. "I'm going to put on my tuxedo," Jimmy smiled as he started to get up to leave.
"Good idea," Chloe smiled. They kissed.
"I'll see you later," Jimmy smiled.
"Bye," Chloe smiled as she stood up and pushed the chair into the table. Suddenly, her phone rang. As Chloe picked up her phone, she sadly frowned as she saw that Davis had left her a message. She hurriedly called voicemail to listen to Davis's message.
"Hi, Chloe, this is Davis," Davis sadly said. "I understand why you don't want to talk to me after what happened between us… especially today… but I would really appreciate it if you could call me back. I need to talk to you… bye…" Chloe frowned as she deleted the message.
"Who was that," Jimmy asked in confusion as he walked back into the room. The camera operator followed Jimmy.
"Fairy Godmother Lois… she wanted me to tell you that the ball is readily approaching and that she does not want us to miss it… so," Chloe smiled. "I would say that we need to avoid wicked stepsisters… and I would also say that both of us need to switch into our wedding/ball clothes…" They kissed before Jimmy hurriedly left. Chloe turned around and sadly thought about Davis as she sadly sighed.
One hour later…
Chloe sadly looked at herself as she looked in the mirror. She was wearing a sleeveless white wedding dress, complete with interwoven bow-like straps. As she sadly clutched her bouquet, Lois started to walk up the steps and towards Chloe. "Wow, Chloe," Lois sadly said. "My schedule is too busy to include crying, but you look absolutely beautiful and stunning…"
"Without your help, Lois, I would have looked like a zombie bride instead of a Disney Princess," Chloe smiled. "You've turned this dilapidated barn into an absolutely amazing and perfect wedding venture… none of this would have been possible without you, Lois," she smiled as they hugged. Suddenly, Chloe's cell phone rang and Chloe awkwardly stopped hugging Lois as she raced over to her phone to turn it off.
"Screening your calls," Lois suspiciously asked.
"No," Chloe sadly said as she looked at the phone.
"What's going on,' Lois suspiciously asked.
"Everything's fine," Chloe sadly said. Lois looked at her in disbelief. "Oh, it's Davis…"
"Davis," Lois repeated. "That explains a lot…"
"Davis keeps calling me," Chloe sadly said. "I know, somewhere inside of me, that Davis is a wonderful friend… I just think that he needs some more help beyond ridding him of Randy," Chloe sadly said. Lois looked at her suspiciously. "First, he said that he could not come to my wedding due to work… now, he's saying that he cannot come because he kissed me and told me that marrying Jimmy was a mistake," Chloe sadly and worriedly said.
"Please tell me that I am not in for a literal reimagining of Beauty and the Beast," Lois worriedly said.
"Lois," Chloe smiled. "The only man that I love is Jimmy… I only want to marry him… that's all I want," Chloe determinedly smiled.
"How do you know that he's the right one for you," Lois sadly asked. "How do you know?"
"You'll know when you meet your Superman, Lois," Chloe smiled.
"Wait… We're not talking about me," Lois determinedly said. "I mean, maybe we were but now we're not… we're not talking about me," she said in annoyance. "I need a Prince Charming as much as I need to eat a poisoned apple." Chloe smiled and raised her eyebrows at her. "So, Cinderella, are you all set," Lois smiled and asked.
"I have everything that you wanted me to get to complete the wedding stereotype except for something borrowed," Chloe shrugged in confusion. Suddenly, she smiled as she thought about something. "Clark Kent has always rescued me when I've needed him the most," Chloe smiled as she took a black box full of Kryptonite out of one of Clark's drawers. Lois frowned in a panic as she looked at the Kryptonite.
"Uh, Chloe," she awkwardly said.
"Are both of you ready," Clark asked as he hurriedly walked up the steps.
"Uh, Clark, Chloe is still looking for something borrowed," Lois determinedly said.
"And I was thinking that you can carry this city's greatest technological invention," Chloe smiled as she opened and showed him the Kryptonite, making him grimace in pain.
"Chloe, you have to put that away," Clark said in a panic. Chloe shut the box and looked at him in confusion. "Because I have a better idea…" He hurriedly grabbed a dried-out flower out of a book. As he gave Chloe the flower, Chloe looked at him in confusion. "You gave this to me when my appendix burst," Clark smiled.
"And you still have it," Chloe asked in shock. Lois earnestly smiled.
"I always keep mementos from our friendship," Clark smiled. Chloe earnestly smiled at him in response.
"Thank you, Clark," Lois smiled in awe. Clark looked at her in confusion. "I mean, at least you finally proved to be good at something," Lois said in annoyance. Clark and Chloe smiled at each other. "Well, you are all ready, but I am not," Lois smiled as she looked at Chloe. "And neither are you, Clark… so, let's go and get this show on the road…" Lois awkwardly adjusted her sleeveless brown vest over her long-sleeve red shirt and blue jeans before she walked down the stairs with Clark. Chloe put the flower in her wedding bouquet and smiled at it.
One hour later…
"Smallville," Lois, shouted her nickname for Clark from the top of the stairs. "Hurry up… we need to go… otherwise, Chloe will not have someone to give her away…" As she walked down the stairs, she saw Clark, in a black suit, white dress shirt and gray tie. Clark looked at her in her sleeveless orange dress with a red sash and her half up and half down hair. "You look good," Lois said in awe. Clark looked at her in confusion. "I don't mean good… I meant handsome… I do not mean handsome… I mean, uh," she awkwardly smiled as she walked down the stairs. "Are you ready?"
"Everything but the tie is ready," Clark awkwardly said. "I hurriedly put it on and it is choking me…"
"That is how a tie is supposed to feel," Lois smiled.
"I know," Clark awkwardly said. "But this tie feels tighter than usual…"
"I guess you're not a big tie wearer, are you, country boy," she said as she started to adjust his tie. "There," she smiled. "That should give you some breathing room…" She awkwardly looked at him as he awkwardly looked at her. "I'm going to give you Jimmy's vows," Lois determinedly said as she gave him Jimmy's vows. "Please give this to him if he forgets," Lois determinedly said. "I don't want him to forget his vows on his wedding day… that would be a disaster…"
"Right," Clark smiled. Lois walked away from him and sadly sighed to herself as she pretended to look over wedding stuff. "My strong suit was never verbal expression," Clark said. "At the moment we met, I knew that I would always love you…" Lois sadly smiled as she turned around to face him. "I love Jimmy's vows," Clark smiled as he held up the card. He awkwardly looked at Lois as she noticed her facial expression. Lois's expression turned from one of love to one of disappointment. "He knows how to write romantic vows," Clark, at a loss for words, awkwardly said as he held up the vow card.
"Yeah," Lois forced a sad smile. "Shakespeare had nothing on him." She sadly looked at Clark as Clark sadly looked back at her. Clark forced a smile.
"How would both of you like to say a video greeting to the bride and groom," the camera operator asked as he walked into the room.
"Why not," Clark forced a smile.
"Perfect," Lois forced a smile and shrugged.
"Great," the camera operator determinedly said as he focused the camera on them. "Just be normal and say what is in your heart…"
"Chloe," Clark smiled as he walked towards the camera. "Jimmy… I know that both of you are perfect for each other… I know that your love will grow and endure…" He awkwardly smiled. "And I'm going to make sure that your wedding day goes off without a hitch… except for the obvious hitch…"
"Don't I get a turn, Clark," Lois sarcastically asked as she stepped forward. "What kind of speech was that," she angrily asked Clark.
"A heartfelt and honest one," Clark unsurely said.
"Tell me about it," Lois groaned. She quickly smiled. "Hi, my favorite cousin… I wish you and Jimmy a lifetime of happiness together," a teary-eyed Lois smiled. "And I hope that both of you have a really good time on your honeymoon," she smiled; however, she quickly panicked as she realized the double meaning of what she had just said. "You can delete that, right? Please delete it…"
"Lois," Clark cautiously said.
"Clark," Lois said in annoyance. Both of them smiled as they looked at the camera.
One hour later…
After the camera operator had taped some of the wedding guests happily chatting, he panned the camera over to a sad Lois, who was standing at the front of the room and holding a bouquet and Jimmy, who was anxiously standing across from Lois. Suddenly, Chloe and Clark appeared at the top of the staircase. As the audience stood up and smiled, Lois smiled as she saw the smile on Jimmy's face. Clark and Chloe smiled at each other as they descended the stairs; however, Chloe's attention quickly turned to Jimmy. She smiled at him in awe as she and Clark walked towards Jimmy and Lois.
Fifteen minutes later…
"You may kiss the bride," the minister smiled as Jimmy and Chloe sweetly laughed and smiled. Jimmy and Chloe looked at each other lovingly as Jimmy lifted Chloe's veil and kissed her. As the audience cheered, Clark and Lois smiled.
Fifteen minutes later…
"Everyone," Lois announced into a microphone to start the reception. "Please give a warm welcome to the bride and groom." Chloe and Jimmy, walking arm-in-arm, smiled as they walked into the room. The bride and groom smiled and laughed as they hugged each other and looked around the room.
At Davis's office…
"Chloe," Davis said in a panic as he hurriedly tried to clean off the blood on the dumpster behind his office. "I understand why you do not want to talk to me, but you have to talk to me… I need someone that will understand me… It was not Randy," he said in a panic. "It was me… I've done several horrible things," he breathed heavily as he hung up the phone. As he fearfully opened the dumpster and saw the bloody bag, someone shone a bright light on him, making him jump and gasp.
"I didn't mean to scare you, doc," the police officer smiled. "I was just wondering if you could see me today… my arthritis has been acting up…"
"Sure," Davis frowned as he breathed heavily. "I can see you now…" In response, the police officer smiled; however, he frowned as the light from his flashlight made him see the blood on the ground. "Why is there blood on the ground," he fearfully asked.
"I am so sorry, but now is not a good time," Davis breathed heavily. "I have to leave and I have to stop something from happening…"
"Wait," the police officer unsurely said as he opened the dumpster. As he looked inside the dumpster, he inhaled sharply and he started to hyperventilate. "What did you do, Davis," the policer officer hyperventilated.
"It was not on purpose," Davis, breathed heavily. "I faint… I try to stop it, but…" Suddenly, Davis started to feel lightheaded and he fearfully looked at his shaking hand. "For your own good, you need to leave," Davis said to the police officer in concern.
"Neither of us is going anywhere," the police officer determinedly said as he held Davis at gunpoint. "At least not until my backup arrives…" Suddenly, Davis fell to the ground and grasped the dumpster. The police officer looked at him in concern and confusion.
"You have to leave," Davis sadly said as spikes started to form on his arms. As he transformed, the police officer started to shoot at him; however, Davis quickly pushed the dumpster to the side so that the bullets would hit the dumpster. As the transformed Davis killed the police officer, the officer screamed as his blood sloshed on the dumpster.
Chloe and Jimmy smiled as they kissed at their wedding. "It is now time for the bride to dance with the best man," the camera operator announced.
"Hey, Clark," Chloe smiled as she motioned him over. "It's dancing time…" Clark smiled as he walked down the steps.
"It's weird that I'm having a wedding in the barn, isn't it," Chloe smiled as they danced.
"It is," Clark laughed and smiled as he admitted it.
"Thank you for letting Jimmy and I get married here," Chloe smiled.
"I wish I could have done more for you," Clark smiled. "You have always been my best friend, Chloe," he sadly said.
"Clark," Chloe smiled. "Just because I'm getting married does not mean that I'm going to stop being your best friend…"
"I know," Clark smiled. "I just want you to be happy."
"You know something," Chloe smiled and nodded as she danced with him. "I am… I mean, I feel like I have just been carrying this huge and horrible burden around with me and for some odd reason, I finally decided to just let it go. I have never been happier than I am right now. I'm so glad that I was able to let go whatever was bothering me," Chloe smiled. Clark sadly looked at her in response.
"Okay, CK," Jimmy smiled as he walked towards them. "I would like to have my wife back…" He smiled as Chloe left with him. Clark smiled as he watched them dance; however, his attention turned to Lois, who was sadly looking at her surroundings in annoyance. Suddenly, Lois noticed that Clark was watching her and she awkwardly looked at him.
"My feet are screaming at me to sit down," Lois frowned as she tried to leave; however, Clark stopped her. As she angrily looked at him, he smiled and walked her over to the dance floor. Lois angrily frowned in annoyance as she started to dance with him. However, when she saw that he was smiling, she forced a smile. Suddenly, two wedding guests walked by them, bumping them into each other. As Lois sadly looked at Clark, Clark sadly looked at Lois as they started to move closer and closer to each other until they kissed.
"I don't believe it," Chloe laughed and cheered because she had witnessed Lois and Clark kissing. Jimmy smiled. In response, Lois and Clark sadly backed away from each other and Clark went upstairs while Lois went outside.
"Oliver," Lois sadly said to herself.
"Lana," Clark sadly said to himself. Suddenly, the audience started to cheer.
"Kiss," the audience commanded. "Kiss!" Clark and Lois hurriedly walked back into the wedding area to see what was going on. As Chloe and Jimmy embraced each other and kissed, the crowd cheered as Lois and Clark sadly looked at each other.
Chloe and Jimmy smiled as they started to cut their cake. The crowd cheered as Chloe and Jimmy happily looked at each other. As the room started to shake, making a ripple in the punch bowl, Clark looked at it in concern. Lois, noticing his concern, looked at him in concern. Suddenly, something jumped on the roof, making the power go out. "What in the world," Chloe said in concern as she fearfully looked up. Jimmy fearfully looked towards the roof. As another jump on the roof happened and the power went out again, Chloe's fear increased. "What's causing that," she asked in concern as the camera operator tried to find what was causing it. As another jump happened and the power permanently went out, Chloe and Jimmy looked at each other in concern. Lois fearfully looked up as another jump happened and Clark fearfully looked up as another jump happened. Suddenly, someone fell through the roof, making the crowd scream and a board from the roof fell, cutting Lois's leg on the way. As the spiked and scaled creature stood up, Clark raced over to Lois in concern.
"I'm fine," she sadly said. "Help the others…" Clark sadly looked at her before he left.
Chloe and Jimmy fearfully looked at the creature as the wedding guests tried to leave. "Help," one of the wedding guests called out as the creature smashed something through a window. Chloe and Jimmy fearfully ran to a corner of the room and breathed heavily as the creature started to approach them. As Clark stopped the creature in its tracks, he tried to punch him; however, the creature threw Clark, causing Clark to crash through the stairway railing and through his desk, which caused the Kryptonite box to become open. Clark groaned in pain as the Kryptonite affected him, making Lois gasp in concern. Chloe worriedly grabbed onto Jimmy's arm as the creature walked towards the video operator. The creature hurriedly threw the video camera to the side and slayed the video operator, making him scream in pain. As the creature walked towards Jimmy and Chloe, Chloe gasped fearfully and Jimmy hurriedly grabbed a wooden plank. "No, Jimmy," a panicked Chloe hurriedly said as Jimmy tried to hit the creature with the plank. In response, the creature hurriedly ripped through Jimmy's chest, making Jimmy's tuxedo become bloody. "No," Chloe sadly screamed. Clark tried to get up, but the Kryptonite would not allow him. "Jimmy," Chloe sadly cried as she cradled the unconscious and bloody Jimmy in her arms. "It's going to be okay, Jimmy… just… please stay with me," she sadly begged. Lois weakly tried to climb up the broken stairway to help Clark. As Chloe realized that the creature was approaching her, she slowly turned. As the creature walked towards her, Chloe fearfully and sadly looked at him and started to breathe heavily. The creature smiled as it looked at Chloe and caressed her cheek.
"Chloe," the creature happily said, making Chloe scream in terror.
Lois hurriedly grabbed the Kryptonite and put it into its box. As she closed the box, Clark weakly and hurriedly stood up. "It's too late," Caleb, said in a panic as he climbed up the stairway. "The creature kidnapped Chloe…" Clark and Lois sadly looked at each other.
At the hospital…
One hour later…
As Clark sadly walked past a waiting room full of injured and bloody hospital guests, he noticed Lois, who was sadly and tearfully standing in a corner and grasping her hands together. "Did someone do something for your leg," Clark awkwardly and sadly asked.
"Yeah," Lois sadly said. "They put medicine on it and wrapped it… did you hear anything from Chloe?"
"No," Clark sadly said. "But Caleb is using the Queen technology to try to track her down…" Lois grimaced in pain. "How are you," he asked in concern.
"Clark, there's nothing else you can do for me," Lois sadly said. "I do not want you to stay…"
"You're right," he abruptly said. "We need to find Chloe…" Lois sadly nodded in response.
"Jimmy's not doing well," Lois sadly said.
"The nurse said that she thought that he was going to be okay," Clark said in confusion.
"He got worse," Lois sadly said. "He's losing a lot of blood and they're going to transport him to a major hospital with better resources and better doctors…" She sadly paused and nodded. "I'm going with him," she sadly said. "Call me immediately if you hear from Chloe and I promise that I will do the same for you…"
"I will," Clark sadly said.
"Clark," she sadly asked. Clark sadly nodded in response. "Why did she have to go through this? Why do we have to go through all of this tragedy and pain," she sadly cried. Clark sadly hugged her in response.
"I promise you," he sadly said. "We will find Chloe and we will bring her back home…"
"What if we cannot get her back," Lois sadly asked. Clark sadly looked at her as she sadly walked away from him. As Lois reached the end of the hallway, she sadly looked back at him and he sadly looked at her before she left the hall and disappeared. Clark sadly looked after her.
As nurses rolled an unconscious and on life support Jimmy to the hospital doors, Lois sadly walked out with them.
As the wind blew the snow around in the mysterious, rocky and Brainiac-infected Fortress of Solitude, the creature carried an unconscious Chloe into it. Blood had stained Chloe's wedding dress and her wedding dress straps looked worn out. As the creature and Chloe reached a rock bed, the creature looked at Chloe before he gently set her down on a rock bed. As the creature leaned down and smiled at her, Chloe's now-silver eyes opened and she looked at the creature in shock; however, her shock disintegrated into a warm smile.
Lex, tied up to many life-support tubes, watched video footage from Chloe and Jimmy's wedding on a TV screen.
