Stan Reloaded: Epilogue
Clark and Pete were busy in the Torch's office after school, typing up one of their pieces on the football team. Clark was the reporter, Pete the eyewitness providing play-by-play accounts, and generally trying to make it seem like he had had a central role in the game, rather than keeping the bench nice and warm, when the door swung open. Clark looked up from Chloe's Imac as she bounded through the door, pausing only slightly when she saw that Clark was there. As she set a couple of files down on the desk next to him, she said casually, "So, does this mean you're back on the team?"
Clark shrugged, trying to appear non-chalant. "I guess. I mean, it's either me or Stan, right? I'm sure you'd agree I'm a lot less depressing."
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Sure, Clark. I'll let you believe that." He opened his mouth to reply but Chloe cut him off. "Relax, I'm kidding. I'd rather have you, the weirdness that you are than Stan anyday. What happened to him anyway?"
"Erm, I don't know. We left him out by his house when we heard the sirens coming. As far as we know, the police have dealt with him. Maybe he finally depressed himself to death."
Chloe sighed. "Another schoolmate, dead and gone. I swear, guidance counselors are having a hay day here."
"Hey, it keeps the parking lot free," Pete said, throwing a football at Chloe. "And that in the end is all that matters."
"So, what did you guys actually do to him? I really wish you had let me come...it would have been an awesome scoop."
Clark and Pete looked at each other. "We," Clark answered, "just proved to him that there are other ways to deal with life than be depressed about it."
Chloe looked at both of them, not able to shake the feeling that there was something going on here she didn't know about.
Stan shivered and sat up in the back of the pick up, holding a ratty blanket around him as he watched Smallville disappear from sight, the wind picking up on the interstate and blowing his hair into what, on anyone else, would be handsomely tuseled. On him it merely resembled a poorly thought out rat's nest. He didn't care about that though. Nor did he care about the fact that he had been jumped upon, left out in the dirt for the police while Clark and Pete ran away. Sure, he was bitter about it. Who wouldn't be? But that was that. Stan had gotten away as soon as he could and hitched a ride out of town. He was leaving this rat hole. If he had learned anything in that town, it was that he needed to be around more people to have more of an effect on them. 'Stan,' he thought grimly, 'is heading for the big times.'
Author's Note: Well, that's it. I think this epilogue was originally going to have a bit more in it. Definitely tie things up a bit more, maybe in the shape of a ribbon. But nah. Too lazy. However, I'm thinking about doing a third part, called the Stan Revolutions (If you did not see that coming, I'm very disappointed in you.) It would involve Stan being inserted into certain 'memorable' scenes in the place of other actors, revolving, so to speak. Anyway, if you want it, lemme know. If not, maybe I'll tackle this Jonathan and Martha fic that's been running around in my head, refusing to go away.
Clark and Pete were busy in the Torch's office after school, typing up one of their pieces on the football team. Clark was the reporter, Pete the eyewitness providing play-by-play accounts, and generally trying to make it seem like he had had a central role in the game, rather than keeping the bench nice and warm, when the door swung open. Clark looked up from Chloe's Imac as she bounded through the door, pausing only slightly when she saw that Clark was there. As she set a couple of files down on the desk next to him, she said casually, "So, does this mean you're back on the team?"
Clark shrugged, trying to appear non-chalant. "I guess. I mean, it's either me or Stan, right? I'm sure you'd agree I'm a lot less depressing."
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Sure, Clark. I'll let you believe that." He opened his mouth to reply but Chloe cut him off. "Relax, I'm kidding. I'd rather have you, the weirdness that you are than Stan anyday. What happened to him anyway?"
"Erm, I don't know. We left him out by his house when we heard the sirens coming. As far as we know, the police have dealt with him. Maybe he finally depressed himself to death."
Chloe sighed. "Another schoolmate, dead and gone. I swear, guidance counselors are having a hay day here."
"Hey, it keeps the parking lot free," Pete said, throwing a football at Chloe. "And that in the end is all that matters."
"So, what did you guys actually do to him? I really wish you had let me come...it would have been an awesome scoop."
Clark and Pete looked at each other. "We," Clark answered, "just proved to him that there are other ways to deal with life than be depressed about it."
Chloe looked at both of them, not able to shake the feeling that there was something going on here she didn't know about.
Stan shivered and sat up in the back of the pick up, holding a ratty blanket around him as he watched Smallville disappear from sight, the wind picking up on the interstate and blowing his hair into what, on anyone else, would be handsomely tuseled. On him it merely resembled a poorly thought out rat's nest. He didn't care about that though. Nor did he care about the fact that he had been jumped upon, left out in the dirt for the police while Clark and Pete ran away. Sure, he was bitter about it. Who wouldn't be? But that was that. Stan had gotten away as soon as he could and hitched a ride out of town. He was leaving this rat hole. If he had learned anything in that town, it was that he needed to be around more people to have more of an effect on them. 'Stan,' he thought grimly, 'is heading for the big times.'
Author's Note: Well, that's it. I think this epilogue was originally going to have a bit more in it. Definitely tie things up a bit more, maybe in the shape of a ribbon. But nah. Too lazy. However, I'm thinking about doing a third part, called the Stan Revolutions (If you did not see that coming, I'm very disappointed in you.) It would involve Stan being inserted into certain 'memorable' scenes in the place of other actors, revolving, so to speak. Anyway, if you want it, lemme know. If not, maybe I'll tackle this Jonathan and Martha fic that's been running around in my head, refusing to go away.
