Chapter 5: All Work, No Play
~~~
"I'm sorry Lex, I totally forgot that I was helping Chloe today out at Lynn Canyon."
"Clark, it took me months to convince your Dad that I'm an okay guy. Now I've got two tickets to see the Sharks play in the conference final at the fifty-yard line and you're bailing on me? And at the last possible moment?"
Lex stood in front of his Porsche his arms crossed, giving Clark a disappointed look.
"Lex, I promised her. My word is my bond," he replied.
"C'mon Clark, I'm sure she would understand, do you know how often the Sharks make it to the play-offs, let alone the conference final?" he asked as he reached into the back seat and pulled out a jersey. "Number eleven, Kent," he exclaimed, tossing the custom jersey to him.
"Rain check?"
"Ugh, forget it. You're impossible. I'd have a better chance convincing your Dad to come with me."
"Um, he is in the barn fixing the tractor."
Lex actually considered it for a moment before shaking the notion out of his head and speeding off into the distance. Clark felt bad for ditching him, but he'd make it up to him. He stepped into the truck and made his way to the canyon.
~~~
Chloe stood at the edge of the canyon, one hand holding the safety railing, the other positioning her camera, the sights pointed toward the valley. Having been afraid of heights since she was a child, she took deep breaths, trying to calm her shaky hands. A hand on her shoulder surprised her with fright. She screamed and twisted around, her back slamming against the railing, her hands desperately reaching back for the supports.
"Jesus Clark! You scared the hell out of me!" she exclaimed, whacking his head with a loose slap.
"Chloe, calm down! I came here to keep you company."
"How did you know I'd be out here?" She asked, surprised Clark would ever come to spend time with her.
"Um, Lana mentioned it to me. She said you were doing a story?"
"Yeah, the city council is considering putting a landfill across that valley. I was getting some pictures to show everyone the beautiful scenery that would be destroyed."
"That's a very noble cause Ms. Sullivan."
"Why thank you, Mr. Kent. Keeping a young maiden company out here in the middle of nowhere is pretty noble in itself," she said, smiling, taking the rare alone time with Clark to flirt.
The mood was broken as a jeep going around the bend lost control on the road and proceeded to flip over. The vehicle rolled end on end toward them as Chloe screamed, too panicked to move. Clark grabbed her by the waist and pulled them both out of the path of the jeep, which slammed into the guardrail inches away from their feet. Chloe looked at the wreck incredulously and then stared at Clark beneath her. Clark's eyes were pinned on the destroyed vehicle, oblivious to Chloe's stare. They were breathing heavily as Chloe lowered her lips catching Clark's as he moved his head to look at her.
Chloe pulled away, looking guilty as the side door of the upside down vehicle fell of its hinges and the driver fell out in a heap, a bottle of vodka falling from his hand. She got up off of Clark and went to check the driver, who unfortunately, had no pulse. She pulled out her cell phone to call the police.
"Chloe, you just kissed me."
"It was nothing Clark. Just the heat of the moment," she replied while pacing nervously before an operator took her call.
Clark sighed, hoping it didn't mean anything.
~~~
Clark wasted no time travelling back to the present. He was anxious to see the results of his work, but for some reason, he slowed his pace walking home. There was some trepidation on his part, after all, he had altered the past, but it wasn't until he returned to his time that he bothered to truly think of the consequences of his actions. He had gone back in time and altered events, and besides saving Ryan and Chloe, he did so without really knowing how they would affect the rest of the future. As he approached the farmhouse, he realized he was about to find out. He idly fingered the small purple shard, the last remnants of the meteorite that had made it all possible. It would only last for one more trip, Clark thought, but if all went well, he wouldn't need it. He stuffed it in his pocket, hopefully for the last time.
He walked up the stairs and opened the door. He peered in, wary of what he would find. Everything seemed the same. The red blinking light of the answering machine beckoned from the living room table. He casually walked over to it and pressed the button.
"Clark, we were visiting the Ross's when the storm hit. We're going to spend the night here. Hopefully it'll be over come morning. Just wanted to let you know we're safe. Bye honey."
The message barely registered with Clark as his attention was focused on a picture frame by the frame. His parents, Ryan, and himself were in it, all smiling. He broke out into a broad grin as he ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He opened the door to his bedroom, only to find all of his possessions missing. Warrior Angel posters and comics laid strewn about the room and a racecar bed with nicely folded sheets on top was in the corner. This sure wasn't his room. Clark couldn't keep from laughing, the first time he had laughed in long time.
A few moments later he walked into the loft and was relieved to see all his stuff inside. He put the meteorite away in a safe place before speeding through the fields and roads until he came to the Sullivan household. There were trees and even power lines lying about but Clark just casually walked over them, oblivious to the destruction brought by the storm. Not wanting to wake anyone up, he crept up the back steps and peered through the window into Chloe's room. Inside, Chloe slept snugly in her bed with not a care in the world. She clutched a stuffed pink pig against her neck and was in the process of mumbling something, obviously immersed in a deep dream.
Clark, with his mouth in a wide smile for the last few minutes, suddenly realized his cheeks were quite sore. He began alternating stretching his mouth out to the limit and massaging his cheeks with his fingers. Behind him on the porch, Lana watched his strange actions, trying desperately not to giggle.
"Ah-hem," she finally coughed.
Clark quickly turned around, his cheeks turning even more red, this time from embarrassment.
"Peeping in the window of a teenage girl, Clark? The mystery that is Clark Kent is unravelling."
"I was just checking up on her. What are you doing out here?"
"Just getting some air. I like to come out and watch storms when they pass by, I don't really know why. And don't change the subject, what are you really doing here?"
She stood there with her arms crossed, trying to look menacing. The façade didn't work since she stood there in blue silk pyjamas, and though she didn't know it, a small smile crept up whenever Clark was in her presence. He stepped forward and took her into an embrace. Lana was confused but didn't seem to mind to much as her arms snaked around his shoulders.
"Clark, are you okay?" she asked as she pulled away.
"I'm great. I really am," replied, his arms still slightly around her waist.
He leaned down in for a kiss and closed his eyes, but he was stopped by Lana's hand pushing against his chest. He couldn't believe what he heard next.
"Clark, what the hell are you doing?"
~~~
~~~
"I'm sorry Lex, I totally forgot that I was helping Chloe today out at Lynn Canyon."
"Clark, it took me months to convince your Dad that I'm an okay guy. Now I've got two tickets to see the Sharks play in the conference final at the fifty-yard line and you're bailing on me? And at the last possible moment?"
Lex stood in front of his Porsche his arms crossed, giving Clark a disappointed look.
"Lex, I promised her. My word is my bond," he replied.
"C'mon Clark, I'm sure she would understand, do you know how often the Sharks make it to the play-offs, let alone the conference final?" he asked as he reached into the back seat and pulled out a jersey. "Number eleven, Kent," he exclaimed, tossing the custom jersey to him.
"Rain check?"
"Ugh, forget it. You're impossible. I'd have a better chance convincing your Dad to come with me."
"Um, he is in the barn fixing the tractor."
Lex actually considered it for a moment before shaking the notion out of his head and speeding off into the distance. Clark felt bad for ditching him, but he'd make it up to him. He stepped into the truck and made his way to the canyon.
~~~
Chloe stood at the edge of the canyon, one hand holding the safety railing, the other positioning her camera, the sights pointed toward the valley. Having been afraid of heights since she was a child, she took deep breaths, trying to calm her shaky hands. A hand on her shoulder surprised her with fright. She screamed and twisted around, her back slamming against the railing, her hands desperately reaching back for the supports.
"Jesus Clark! You scared the hell out of me!" she exclaimed, whacking his head with a loose slap.
"Chloe, calm down! I came here to keep you company."
"How did you know I'd be out here?" She asked, surprised Clark would ever come to spend time with her.
"Um, Lana mentioned it to me. She said you were doing a story?"
"Yeah, the city council is considering putting a landfill across that valley. I was getting some pictures to show everyone the beautiful scenery that would be destroyed."
"That's a very noble cause Ms. Sullivan."
"Why thank you, Mr. Kent. Keeping a young maiden company out here in the middle of nowhere is pretty noble in itself," she said, smiling, taking the rare alone time with Clark to flirt.
The mood was broken as a jeep going around the bend lost control on the road and proceeded to flip over. The vehicle rolled end on end toward them as Chloe screamed, too panicked to move. Clark grabbed her by the waist and pulled them both out of the path of the jeep, which slammed into the guardrail inches away from their feet. Chloe looked at the wreck incredulously and then stared at Clark beneath her. Clark's eyes were pinned on the destroyed vehicle, oblivious to Chloe's stare. They were breathing heavily as Chloe lowered her lips catching Clark's as he moved his head to look at her.
Chloe pulled away, looking guilty as the side door of the upside down vehicle fell of its hinges and the driver fell out in a heap, a bottle of vodka falling from his hand. She got up off of Clark and went to check the driver, who unfortunately, had no pulse. She pulled out her cell phone to call the police.
"Chloe, you just kissed me."
"It was nothing Clark. Just the heat of the moment," she replied while pacing nervously before an operator took her call.
Clark sighed, hoping it didn't mean anything.
~~~
Clark wasted no time travelling back to the present. He was anxious to see the results of his work, but for some reason, he slowed his pace walking home. There was some trepidation on his part, after all, he had altered the past, but it wasn't until he returned to his time that he bothered to truly think of the consequences of his actions. He had gone back in time and altered events, and besides saving Ryan and Chloe, he did so without really knowing how they would affect the rest of the future. As he approached the farmhouse, he realized he was about to find out. He idly fingered the small purple shard, the last remnants of the meteorite that had made it all possible. It would only last for one more trip, Clark thought, but if all went well, he wouldn't need it. He stuffed it in his pocket, hopefully for the last time.
He walked up the stairs and opened the door. He peered in, wary of what he would find. Everything seemed the same. The red blinking light of the answering machine beckoned from the living room table. He casually walked over to it and pressed the button.
"Clark, we were visiting the Ross's when the storm hit. We're going to spend the night here. Hopefully it'll be over come morning. Just wanted to let you know we're safe. Bye honey."
The message barely registered with Clark as his attention was focused on a picture frame by the frame. His parents, Ryan, and himself were in it, all smiling. He broke out into a broad grin as he ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He opened the door to his bedroom, only to find all of his possessions missing. Warrior Angel posters and comics laid strewn about the room and a racecar bed with nicely folded sheets on top was in the corner. This sure wasn't his room. Clark couldn't keep from laughing, the first time he had laughed in long time.
A few moments later he walked into the loft and was relieved to see all his stuff inside. He put the meteorite away in a safe place before speeding through the fields and roads until he came to the Sullivan household. There were trees and even power lines lying about but Clark just casually walked over them, oblivious to the destruction brought by the storm. Not wanting to wake anyone up, he crept up the back steps and peered through the window into Chloe's room. Inside, Chloe slept snugly in her bed with not a care in the world. She clutched a stuffed pink pig against her neck and was in the process of mumbling something, obviously immersed in a deep dream.
Clark, with his mouth in a wide smile for the last few minutes, suddenly realized his cheeks were quite sore. He began alternating stretching his mouth out to the limit and massaging his cheeks with his fingers. Behind him on the porch, Lana watched his strange actions, trying desperately not to giggle.
"Ah-hem," she finally coughed.
Clark quickly turned around, his cheeks turning even more red, this time from embarrassment.
"Peeping in the window of a teenage girl, Clark? The mystery that is Clark Kent is unravelling."
"I was just checking up on her. What are you doing out here?"
"Just getting some air. I like to come out and watch storms when they pass by, I don't really know why. And don't change the subject, what are you really doing here?"
She stood there with her arms crossed, trying to look menacing. The façade didn't work since she stood there in blue silk pyjamas, and though she didn't know it, a small smile crept up whenever Clark was in her presence. He stepped forward and took her into an embrace. Lana was confused but didn't seem to mind to much as her arms snaked around his shoulders.
"Clark, are you okay?" she asked as she pulled away.
"I'm great. I really am," replied, his arms still slightly around her waist.
He leaned down in for a kiss and closed his eyes, but he was stopped by Lana's hand pushing against his chest. He couldn't believe what he heard next.
"Clark, what the hell are you doing?"
~~~