Chapter 5: Secrets And Horrible Lies
~~~
Cousin Luke stayed the night and was not expected back to Metropolis for a week. He hoped to continue to try to find a way to help Clark, though his resources were limited. Pete and Lana went home before it got dark, so as not to arouse any suspicion from the Ross' or Nell. They were to go to school as usual and act as if nothing was wrong. They each prayed at night for a way to help him.
Meanwhile, in Clark's room, a distressed Jonathan Kent looked over his son's unresponsive form. Clark had always been so determined, so strong, and now he lay in his bed looking as fragile as a newborn baby. He honestly never thought anything like this would happen to his boy, but now it seemed like this situation was inevitable. In the past, Jonathan never entertained the thought that his son could become ill or sick, because he knew deep in his heart that if anything were to happen to him, there would be nothing anyone could do.
He wished he had confided in cousin Luke years ago, so that maybe now after all these years, they would know something more about Clark's physiology that would help him now. How long could he live? Could he have children? Would they have alien powers? So many questions, with so many answers that would be irrelevant if Clark didn't get out of whatever condition he was in. Jonathan slowly placed a gentle kiss over his forehead before exiting the room. "Sorry I let you down, son," he whispered as he left.
~~~
"Hey, Pete."
"Oh, hey Chloe, how are things?"
"Good... ah I was thinking about visiting Clark today, want to come with?"
"Um, the Kents say Clark's pretty contagious right now, so I wouldn't if I were you."
"Oh. He's got the flu right? You know whenever flu season hits Smallville, Clark is always a non-casualty. And I heard this year's flu virus is quite tame compared to other years. Makes you wonder why the immortal Clark Kent has finally succumbed to illness."
"Well you see... um... Clark he... he's also got... um Rubella."
"Rubella? German measles?"
"Yeah, well you know how he's afraid of needles, he skipped out on his immunizations last year. The flu must have snuck in while his immune system was down."
"So Clark has Rubella, and the flu? Shouldn't he be in a hospital?"
"Mr. Kent's cousin Luke is a doctor and he's visiting town for a while so he's in good hands. They say he's doing better already."
"Huh, I guess I'll just send him a card or give him a phone call then."
"Yeah, Chloe that's probably a good idea, look I've got to get to class. Catch you later."
As Pete rounded the corner of the hall, Chloe paused, a skeptical look crossed over her face. 'Rubella my ass. You're hiding something.'
Meanwhile, Pete dashed toward the Nurse station pay phone. Hastily he deposited a quarter and punched in the number.
"Mrs. Kent! It's Pete! Look if anyone asks, Clark's also got Rubella. No, I'm not joking!"
~~~
"So Clark's got Rubella too. All right, um, tell him that I wish him well and hope he gets better soon. Alright, bye, Mrs. Kent."
"Hey, Chloe, who you talking too?"
"Oh, hi Lana. Nobody important. Hey, I haven't seen you at the Talon the last couple of nights, where have you been running off to?"
"I... ah, Nell's making me clean out the basement. Yeah, a lot of stuff in there, mostly mine. It's taking forever."
"Oh." Chloe replied as she nodded her head unconvincingly.
"Oh shoot, look at the time, I really got to go. Bye, Chloe." said Lana, before hurrying off just as Pete had.
'This is getting annoying. Something's up...' Chloe thought before heading off to class and trying to remember if Nell had a basement.
~~~
A week had passed and Clark's condition remained the same. Luke had barely slept most days, and still his research yielded next to nothing, as everything about Clark's physiology was much too complex for him to grasp. Martha and Jonathan were fairing no better, constantly trying to distract themselves as an attempt to conquer the unending worry that grew with each day that passed. Pete and Lana, both wary of Chloe's recent inquiries into Clark's condition, tried to visit less and go back to their routine as not to fuel Chloe's investigative nature.
Today, the Talon, a little less busy than usual, allowed Lana to take a long break. Pete joined her at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee.
"Pete, I need to talk to you about something."
"Yeah, what is it."
"It's about Clark. His secret."
Pete looked over his right shoulder, then his left before responding.
"The place is pretty empty, I guess it's safe to talk, if we keep are voices down. What about his secret?"
"What exactly, can Clark do?"
"Wait, didn't he tell you everything?"
"Not, exactly..."
"What did he tell you?"
"He didn't."
"What do you mean he didn't, then how did you...aw shit!"
"Keep your voice down, Pete!"
"Oh my God. Stupid, stupid, stupid. We're so great at keeping secrets."
"Hey, don't get down on yourself, I was really sneaky."
"Yeah. Real smooth. Mr. Kent's not going to be happy about this."
"Hey, the past doesn't matter right now."
"Okay, I guess you're right. So you want to know what Clark can do? He's faster than a speeding bullet, can shoot fire from his eyes, has X-ray vision, can dunk from half-court, and he's aside from meteor rocks, he's supposed to be invulnerable..."
They shared a look of concern as Pete's words trailed off.
Outside, the Talon, Chloe looked on in disbelief. Pete and Lana involved in some kind of secret conversation. They'd been acting strangely recently, and Chloe's curious nature made her angry to be left out of the loop, especially if it had something to do with Clark's health. Her concentration was broken by a voice behind her.
"Chloe! It's nice to see you, um, lurking?"
"Not lurking, just passing by... and staring intently into the window."
"What are we looking at, Pete and Lana? Did anything happen while I was away?"
"I'll say," she mumbled before hastily walking away.
Lex, a little puzzled by Chloe's behaviour shrugged his shoulders and walked in.
"Well, do my eyes deceive me or is business a little poor today?"
"Lex, um, yeah it's little empty today, every business has slow days now and then." Lana replied.
"Well for your sake, I certainly hope you don't have too many. Oh, hey Pete didn't see you there. You know I come back from my business trip in Malaysia and I find Clark Kent is sick for the first time in ages, and the two of you having a hushed up little conversation at the counter. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you've moved in on Lana, while Clark was at home, out of commission."
"That's ridiculous Lex. You know very well... Pete's much too short for me."
"Hey!" Pete shouted in protest.
"I guess I'll take your word for it. It seems like you're hiding something though."
Pete and Lana then shared another uncomfortable look.
~~~
Outside the Talon, in the same spot that Chloe had been a few minutes earlier, stood Martha Kent, looking intently into the shop at Lex Luthor. She didn't know how much longer she could wait and do nothing... if anyone could help Clark, it was Lex. But, could she trust him? 'It doesn't matter. He might just be our only hope.' she thought, as she reluctantly walked away, trying to stiffle the tears that threatened to come.
~~~
~~~
Cousin Luke stayed the night and was not expected back to Metropolis for a week. He hoped to continue to try to find a way to help Clark, though his resources were limited. Pete and Lana went home before it got dark, so as not to arouse any suspicion from the Ross' or Nell. They were to go to school as usual and act as if nothing was wrong. They each prayed at night for a way to help him.
Meanwhile, in Clark's room, a distressed Jonathan Kent looked over his son's unresponsive form. Clark had always been so determined, so strong, and now he lay in his bed looking as fragile as a newborn baby. He honestly never thought anything like this would happen to his boy, but now it seemed like this situation was inevitable. In the past, Jonathan never entertained the thought that his son could become ill or sick, because he knew deep in his heart that if anything were to happen to him, there would be nothing anyone could do.
He wished he had confided in cousin Luke years ago, so that maybe now after all these years, they would know something more about Clark's physiology that would help him now. How long could he live? Could he have children? Would they have alien powers? So many questions, with so many answers that would be irrelevant if Clark didn't get out of whatever condition he was in. Jonathan slowly placed a gentle kiss over his forehead before exiting the room. "Sorry I let you down, son," he whispered as he left.
~~~
"Hey, Pete."
"Oh, hey Chloe, how are things?"
"Good... ah I was thinking about visiting Clark today, want to come with?"
"Um, the Kents say Clark's pretty contagious right now, so I wouldn't if I were you."
"Oh. He's got the flu right? You know whenever flu season hits Smallville, Clark is always a non-casualty. And I heard this year's flu virus is quite tame compared to other years. Makes you wonder why the immortal Clark Kent has finally succumbed to illness."
"Well you see... um... Clark he... he's also got... um Rubella."
"Rubella? German measles?"
"Yeah, well you know how he's afraid of needles, he skipped out on his immunizations last year. The flu must have snuck in while his immune system was down."
"So Clark has Rubella, and the flu? Shouldn't he be in a hospital?"
"Mr. Kent's cousin Luke is a doctor and he's visiting town for a while so he's in good hands. They say he's doing better already."
"Huh, I guess I'll just send him a card or give him a phone call then."
"Yeah, Chloe that's probably a good idea, look I've got to get to class. Catch you later."
As Pete rounded the corner of the hall, Chloe paused, a skeptical look crossed over her face. 'Rubella my ass. You're hiding something.'
Meanwhile, Pete dashed toward the Nurse station pay phone. Hastily he deposited a quarter and punched in the number.
"Mrs. Kent! It's Pete! Look if anyone asks, Clark's also got Rubella. No, I'm not joking!"
~~~
"So Clark's got Rubella too. All right, um, tell him that I wish him well and hope he gets better soon. Alright, bye, Mrs. Kent."
"Hey, Chloe, who you talking too?"
"Oh, hi Lana. Nobody important. Hey, I haven't seen you at the Talon the last couple of nights, where have you been running off to?"
"I... ah, Nell's making me clean out the basement. Yeah, a lot of stuff in there, mostly mine. It's taking forever."
"Oh." Chloe replied as she nodded her head unconvincingly.
"Oh shoot, look at the time, I really got to go. Bye, Chloe." said Lana, before hurrying off just as Pete had.
'This is getting annoying. Something's up...' Chloe thought before heading off to class and trying to remember if Nell had a basement.
~~~
A week had passed and Clark's condition remained the same. Luke had barely slept most days, and still his research yielded next to nothing, as everything about Clark's physiology was much too complex for him to grasp. Martha and Jonathan were fairing no better, constantly trying to distract themselves as an attempt to conquer the unending worry that grew with each day that passed. Pete and Lana, both wary of Chloe's recent inquiries into Clark's condition, tried to visit less and go back to their routine as not to fuel Chloe's investigative nature.
Today, the Talon, a little less busy than usual, allowed Lana to take a long break. Pete joined her at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee.
"Pete, I need to talk to you about something."
"Yeah, what is it."
"It's about Clark. His secret."
Pete looked over his right shoulder, then his left before responding.
"The place is pretty empty, I guess it's safe to talk, if we keep are voices down. What about his secret?"
"What exactly, can Clark do?"
"Wait, didn't he tell you everything?"
"Not, exactly..."
"What did he tell you?"
"He didn't."
"What do you mean he didn't, then how did you...aw shit!"
"Keep your voice down, Pete!"
"Oh my God. Stupid, stupid, stupid. We're so great at keeping secrets."
"Hey, don't get down on yourself, I was really sneaky."
"Yeah. Real smooth. Mr. Kent's not going to be happy about this."
"Hey, the past doesn't matter right now."
"Okay, I guess you're right. So you want to know what Clark can do? He's faster than a speeding bullet, can shoot fire from his eyes, has X-ray vision, can dunk from half-court, and he's aside from meteor rocks, he's supposed to be invulnerable..."
They shared a look of concern as Pete's words trailed off.
Outside, the Talon, Chloe looked on in disbelief. Pete and Lana involved in some kind of secret conversation. They'd been acting strangely recently, and Chloe's curious nature made her angry to be left out of the loop, especially if it had something to do with Clark's health. Her concentration was broken by a voice behind her.
"Chloe! It's nice to see you, um, lurking?"
"Not lurking, just passing by... and staring intently into the window."
"What are we looking at, Pete and Lana? Did anything happen while I was away?"
"I'll say," she mumbled before hastily walking away.
Lex, a little puzzled by Chloe's behaviour shrugged his shoulders and walked in.
"Well, do my eyes deceive me or is business a little poor today?"
"Lex, um, yeah it's little empty today, every business has slow days now and then." Lana replied.
"Well for your sake, I certainly hope you don't have too many. Oh, hey Pete didn't see you there. You know I come back from my business trip in Malaysia and I find Clark Kent is sick for the first time in ages, and the two of you having a hushed up little conversation at the counter. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you've moved in on Lana, while Clark was at home, out of commission."
"That's ridiculous Lex. You know very well... Pete's much too short for me."
"Hey!" Pete shouted in protest.
"I guess I'll take your word for it. It seems like you're hiding something though."
Pete and Lana then shared another uncomfortable look.
~~~
Outside the Talon, in the same spot that Chloe had been a few minutes earlier, stood Martha Kent, looking intently into the shop at Lex Luthor. She didn't know how much longer she could wait and do nothing... if anyone could help Clark, it was Lex. But, could she trust him? 'It doesn't matter. He might just be our only hope.' she thought, as she reluctantly walked away, trying to stiffle the tears that threatened to come.
~~~