(note. Sorry this took so long. Got caught up in RL then had a death in the
family so I promise to be back at this with more frequency!)
"Clark?"
At his mother's voice, the young man looked up with an absent smile. "Hey,
Mom."
Martha Kent's concerned expression deepened and she sat down across from him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He dismissed, sitting up. "I'm fine."
She raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Yeah, sure. Right." Her mind quickly
raced over the events of the previous few days, then settling onto the most
obvious option. "Something to do with Chloe?" His face confirmed it and she
smiled. "Want to tell me about it?"
Relieved, Clark nodded. "She's different somehow."
"Different?"
"Yeah. She...I don't know." He exhaled heavily. "She's quieter...more...
intense." His shoulders lifted briefly in a shrug. "I can't figure it out.
We talked tonight at the Beanery and it was *great* having her back but she
had this look in her eyes. I don't..." He gestured in defeat. "I don't know
what it is."
"Do you think something happened in Westchester? Something that she isn't
telling you about?" Martha prompted gently, feeling her son's confusion.
He frowned, leaning forward. "I don't know, exactly. It does seem like it's
the most obvious option but..."
"You can't imagine *what* it would be?"
The teen shook his head.
She reached out to touch his arm. "You two are very close, Clark. If something
has happened...I'm sure she'll tell you about it. It just may be too soon for
her to talk about."
"Yeah." He nodded. "Maybe." Hugging her quickly, he stood. "I think I'm going
to head up to bed. 'Night Mom."
"Night honey."
After Clark's footsteps had faded up the stairs, Martha sat back on the couch
and tucked her legs up beside her..Moments after doing so, she smiled at
Jonathan, walking into the room with two mugs of coffee in hand.
"He gone up to bed?"
"Yes." She took the mug with a murmured thanks and lifted it to her lips.
"He thinks Chloe's changed somehow."
"Well, it was a big experience in her life, it was bound to have some effect
on her."
She nodded, tracing one finger around the rim of the mug. "True but I think
there's more to this." She replied after a moment's thought. "Do you remember
when we heard about this? As I recall, it came up fairly suddenly.."
Jonathan's blond head moved in a small nod. "It did. What was it Clark said?
Something about her having told him she'd signed up for the semester away
but never expected to get it?"
"Mmhmm...Which was why she never mentioned it to anyone." Martha agreed,
snuggling close to her husband when he sat next to her. "It just bothers me
a little. I'm really not sure why, but it feels strange to me; like there's
more going on here than just a chance to attend a private school. Chloe just
doesn't strike me as the 'private school' type. It surprised me that she had
any interest in this to begin with."
Resting his chin on the top of her head, he stared into the air. "It does
seem a little unusual...What do we know about that school anyway?"
His wife pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to remember what she'd heard
of it. "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters." She murmured. "You know, I've
never heard of it until Clark came home that day and told us Chloe was going."
"Think we should ask her father? See what he knows about it?"
"Not yet." Martha shook her head slightly. "Let's see what we can't find out
on our own first."
-----
She had a nightmare that night. A bad one. In her dreams, she saw the Mutant
Registration act pass; men coming into her house to get her. To take her
away to some camp. She saw everyone turning away from her, disgusted by what
she was.
Everyone but Clark.
He actually tried to fight the uniformed men. Struggling to get by them and
reach her only to be knocked aside, watching her being dragged into the van
and taken away.
She woke up before she reached the camp, her body drenched with sweat and
her breathing erratic.
Staring at the ceiling, Chloe shivered and rolled onto her side, curling
into a ball, as she cried.
Cried as she'd never cried before.
It was her biggest fear. Even bigger than Clark finding out about her powers
and being angry that she'd lied to him.
She remembered the first time she'd studied the Holocaust in school. The
pictures and the stories had broken her young heart and she remembered being
grateful that such a thing would never happen again. But the possibility
again hung in the air and even worse...
She would be a part of it.
The very thought of it terrified her.
She didn't want to face that. She couldn't.
But she knew...some day in the future...she might have to.
And her heart broke...
------
Dawn was a pretty sight.
Sitting on her bed, Chloe looked out the window and watched the sunrise.
It was beautiful.
With her eyes on the sight before her, it was easy to forget the nightmare
she'd had only a few hours before, to pretend it had never happened, made it
easier to smile.
Yawning, she stretched languidly, and unfolded her legs, sliding her bare
feet into her bunny slippers. After reaching for her robe she stood up.
"Breakfast. Then practice."
One thing she had promised the Professor and her teachers was that she would
spend some time each week practicing. Solidifying her control over her
abilities and - hopefully - expanding what she could do, pushing her
boundaries. Growing.
Pushing her hand through her tousled hair, she headed for the kitchen. The
coffee was already perked so she poured herself a cup and went to get the
mail while she waited for her bagel to toast. To her pleasant surprise,
there was a thick bundle waiting in the box.
Sitting on the counter, munching her breakfast and sorting the mail, it was
almost as if she'd never left. In performing that Saturday morning routine,
she could almost forget the fantastical turn her life had taken.
Almost.
The illusion vanished the instant she found an advertisement amongst the
mail. One that chilled her to the core.
A flyer put out by an anti-mutant group, calling for the Registration Act to
be resurrected.
Chloe didn't even bother to read it.
With an almost malicious grin, she wadded the paper into a ball and tossed
it into the air.
Before it fell very far, she flicked one finger at it and with a very
satisfying *whump*, the paper exploded into little shards of flame that
consumed themselves very quickly.
"Take that!" She proclaimed defiantly, hopping down off the counter and
leaving the rest of the mail for her father to read.
She left the remnants of her breakfast sitting next to the mail. She'd lost
her appetite anyway.
----
Setting up the cans on the fence, Chloe grinned when she remembered seeing
this so many times on tv shows and in movies. The only difference being,
instead of shooting a gun....she planned on blowing these guys apart. Which,
when you thought about it, was *much* more fun and way more satisfying.
Before she dared do anything with her powers, the teenage mutant checked to
make sure there wasn't anyone around. She'd chosen a pretty secluded spot,
she didn't know of *anybody* who frequented it, and it was early in the
morning so she felt pretty safe. But still..finding a better place to
practice was the first order of business.
"Wonder if Mr. Kent'd be interesting in building *me* a fortress of solitude."
She muttered with a faint smile as she eyed the first can and then pointed a
finger at it.
As expected, it exploded, sending little flaming shards flying in every
direction.
"God that is *so* satisfying." She announced to no one in particular.
Being a mutant definitely had it's drawbacks - and a lot of them - but she
couldn't deny there weren't some good points too and having a totally
kickass ability was one of them. It was a lot of power to manage and she had
to be careful but it could be so much *fun* and as she focused on the next
can, she grinned. At least this was practice she would actually enjoy.
----
"Clark!" Greeting her friend with surprise, Chloe hurried up the walk.
He smiled as he stood up from where he'd been waiting on the front steps.
"Hey, Chlo'."
"What're you doing out this early?" She fished out her key from her pocket
and unlocked the door. "I thought you guys are usually getting ready for the
Farmer's Market about now."
"We are." He agreed, standing behind her. "But I thought I'd swing by and
see if you were going today or not. I wasn't sure you'd be up. Jet lag."
She grinned at him. "Well, the time difference isn't *that* big from here to
Westchester, Clark. Sides, I slept it off yesterday." Looking up, she gave
him the 'intrepid reporter' look. "What *really* brings you here this fine
Saturday morning?"
His cheeks colored slightly at being caught. "I...I was worried about you."
"Worried?" She did her best to sound as if she had no idea why he would be
worried but she knew. Somehow Clark had picked up on her guilt. The pain of
hiding what she was from him. She had to work at covering it better. She
couldn't tell him the truth and she couldn't lie to him. Talk about a rock
and a hard place. This was a conundrum of *mythic* proportions. "Why would
you be worried?"
The color of his cheeks seemed to deepen and he looked away as she led him
into the living room. "Um...well..." He really didn't know what had possessed
him to just show up like this. He definitely hadn't thought it through enough.
He didn't know why he was there, how could he explain it to her if he didn't
know? "You just seemed...you were acting a little strange yesterday so I
thought I'd stop by and see what was wrong."
And there it was. She had to out and out lie. There was no way to tell him
why she was upset without revealing to him what she was. Unless....
God, she hated this.
"It's just...strange, being back here." Chloe sighed and pushed a hand through
her hair. "It's hard to describe." She looked up at him and the expression on
his face, the genuine worry and concern, tugged at her resolve. It would be
just *so* easy to blurt it out, the urge was so strong that she shook her
head and threw up her hands...
Immediately Clark seemed to freeze into place and her eyes widened with shock.
"Oops."
----------
She'd frozen Clark.
She couldn't believe it.
"Oh man..." Stretching up on her toes, Chloe waved a hand in front of his
face to be sure. Yep, she'd really frozen him.
The slim blonde began to pace, her mind working through all the possibilities.
He was fine. Her freezing power had never hurt anyone, mutant or not. But
still...she'd *frozen* him.
Staring at him she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or just unfreeze him.
She settled for laughing, nervously, then calming herself before lifting her
hands once more...
As if he'd never stopped, Clark reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder.
"You know you can talk to me Chlo'," He encouraged earnestly. "Doesn't matter
what it's about, I'm always here if you need me."
'I wish I could, Clark,' His friend thought sadly. 'I wish I could.'
Aloud, however, she said something far different. "I know." Wrapping her arms
around his torso, she hugged him tightly, pretending just for a moment that
he knew, that everything was all right...that he felt about her the way she
did about him.
The way she hugged him confused Clark. She'd smiled when she'd spoken but
the fierceness of her embrace, the way she hid her face against him...something
was wrong. He didn't need superpowers to see it. Something was wrong with his
...friend and he couldn't fix it.
He could barely understand what was happening to him, how could he hope to
help her? Especially not when she wouldn't talk to him and he could hardly
think straight around her.
Restraining a sigh, he returned the hug, resting his chin on her forehead,
his gaze landing on a pile of photographs lying on the couch.
Hmm....
"Chloe?"
When his voice intruded into her carefully constructed fantasy, the teen
fought the urge to stamp a foot in disappointment; instead she tilted her
head to look up. "Yeah?"
"Wanna come with me to the market this morning?" He smiled. "You can have
the best apple."
She rolled her eyes then pulled a way to mime a posture of glee. "Oh how
will I ever contain my excitement at such a prospect!" She laughed - God,
it felt good to laugh - and nodded. "I would love to go to the market with
you, Clark. Just give me a few minutes to change."
At his nod, she hurried out of the room...and when he'd heard her bedroom
door close...Clark hurried toward the pictures.
Maybe...just maybe...
TBC
family so I promise to be back at this with more frequency!)
"Clark?"
At his mother's voice, the young man looked up with an absent smile. "Hey,
Mom."
Martha Kent's concerned expression deepened and she sat down across from him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He dismissed, sitting up. "I'm fine."
She raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Yeah, sure. Right." Her mind quickly
raced over the events of the previous few days, then settling onto the most
obvious option. "Something to do with Chloe?" His face confirmed it and she
smiled. "Want to tell me about it?"
Relieved, Clark nodded. "She's different somehow."
"Different?"
"Yeah. She...I don't know." He exhaled heavily. "She's quieter...more...
intense." His shoulders lifted briefly in a shrug. "I can't figure it out.
We talked tonight at the Beanery and it was *great* having her back but she
had this look in her eyes. I don't..." He gestured in defeat. "I don't know
what it is."
"Do you think something happened in Westchester? Something that she isn't
telling you about?" Martha prompted gently, feeling her son's confusion.
He frowned, leaning forward. "I don't know, exactly. It does seem like it's
the most obvious option but..."
"You can't imagine *what* it would be?"
The teen shook his head.
She reached out to touch his arm. "You two are very close, Clark. If something
has happened...I'm sure she'll tell you about it. It just may be too soon for
her to talk about."
"Yeah." He nodded. "Maybe." Hugging her quickly, he stood. "I think I'm going
to head up to bed. 'Night Mom."
"Night honey."
After Clark's footsteps had faded up the stairs, Martha sat back on the couch
and tucked her legs up beside her..Moments after doing so, she smiled at
Jonathan, walking into the room with two mugs of coffee in hand.
"He gone up to bed?"
"Yes." She took the mug with a murmured thanks and lifted it to her lips.
"He thinks Chloe's changed somehow."
"Well, it was a big experience in her life, it was bound to have some effect
on her."
She nodded, tracing one finger around the rim of the mug. "True but I think
there's more to this." She replied after a moment's thought. "Do you remember
when we heard about this? As I recall, it came up fairly suddenly.."
Jonathan's blond head moved in a small nod. "It did. What was it Clark said?
Something about her having told him she'd signed up for the semester away
but never expected to get it?"
"Mmhmm...Which was why she never mentioned it to anyone." Martha agreed,
snuggling close to her husband when he sat next to her. "It just bothers me
a little. I'm really not sure why, but it feels strange to me; like there's
more going on here than just a chance to attend a private school. Chloe just
doesn't strike me as the 'private school' type. It surprised me that she had
any interest in this to begin with."
Resting his chin on the top of her head, he stared into the air. "It does
seem a little unusual...What do we know about that school anyway?"
His wife pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to remember what she'd heard
of it. "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters." She murmured. "You know, I've
never heard of it until Clark came home that day and told us Chloe was going."
"Think we should ask her father? See what he knows about it?"
"Not yet." Martha shook her head slightly. "Let's see what we can't find out
on our own first."
-----
She had a nightmare that night. A bad one. In her dreams, she saw the Mutant
Registration act pass; men coming into her house to get her. To take her
away to some camp. She saw everyone turning away from her, disgusted by what
she was.
Everyone but Clark.
He actually tried to fight the uniformed men. Struggling to get by them and
reach her only to be knocked aside, watching her being dragged into the van
and taken away.
She woke up before she reached the camp, her body drenched with sweat and
her breathing erratic.
Staring at the ceiling, Chloe shivered and rolled onto her side, curling
into a ball, as she cried.
Cried as she'd never cried before.
It was her biggest fear. Even bigger than Clark finding out about her powers
and being angry that she'd lied to him.
She remembered the first time she'd studied the Holocaust in school. The
pictures and the stories had broken her young heart and she remembered being
grateful that such a thing would never happen again. But the possibility
again hung in the air and even worse...
She would be a part of it.
The very thought of it terrified her.
She didn't want to face that. She couldn't.
But she knew...some day in the future...she might have to.
And her heart broke...
------
Dawn was a pretty sight.
Sitting on her bed, Chloe looked out the window and watched the sunrise.
It was beautiful.
With her eyes on the sight before her, it was easy to forget the nightmare
she'd had only a few hours before, to pretend it had never happened, made it
easier to smile.
Yawning, she stretched languidly, and unfolded her legs, sliding her bare
feet into her bunny slippers. After reaching for her robe she stood up.
"Breakfast. Then practice."
One thing she had promised the Professor and her teachers was that she would
spend some time each week practicing. Solidifying her control over her
abilities and - hopefully - expanding what she could do, pushing her
boundaries. Growing.
Pushing her hand through her tousled hair, she headed for the kitchen. The
coffee was already perked so she poured herself a cup and went to get the
mail while she waited for her bagel to toast. To her pleasant surprise,
there was a thick bundle waiting in the box.
Sitting on the counter, munching her breakfast and sorting the mail, it was
almost as if she'd never left. In performing that Saturday morning routine,
she could almost forget the fantastical turn her life had taken.
Almost.
The illusion vanished the instant she found an advertisement amongst the
mail. One that chilled her to the core.
A flyer put out by an anti-mutant group, calling for the Registration Act to
be resurrected.
Chloe didn't even bother to read it.
With an almost malicious grin, she wadded the paper into a ball and tossed
it into the air.
Before it fell very far, she flicked one finger at it and with a very
satisfying *whump*, the paper exploded into little shards of flame that
consumed themselves very quickly.
"Take that!" She proclaimed defiantly, hopping down off the counter and
leaving the rest of the mail for her father to read.
She left the remnants of her breakfast sitting next to the mail. She'd lost
her appetite anyway.
----
Setting up the cans on the fence, Chloe grinned when she remembered seeing
this so many times on tv shows and in movies. The only difference being,
instead of shooting a gun....she planned on blowing these guys apart. Which,
when you thought about it, was *much* more fun and way more satisfying.
Before she dared do anything with her powers, the teenage mutant checked to
make sure there wasn't anyone around. She'd chosen a pretty secluded spot,
she didn't know of *anybody* who frequented it, and it was early in the
morning so she felt pretty safe. But still..finding a better place to
practice was the first order of business.
"Wonder if Mr. Kent'd be interesting in building *me* a fortress of solitude."
She muttered with a faint smile as she eyed the first can and then pointed a
finger at it.
As expected, it exploded, sending little flaming shards flying in every
direction.
"God that is *so* satisfying." She announced to no one in particular.
Being a mutant definitely had it's drawbacks - and a lot of them - but she
couldn't deny there weren't some good points too and having a totally
kickass ability was one of them. It was a lot of power to manage and she had
to be careful but it could be so much *fun* and as she focused on the next
can, she grinned. At least this was practice she would actually enjoy.
----
"Clark!" Greeting her friend with surprise, Chloe hurried up the walk.
He smiled as he stood up from where he'd been waiting on the front steps.
"Hey, Chlo'."
"What're you doing out this early?" She fished out her key from her pocket
and unlocked the door. "I thought you guys are usually getting ready for the
Farmer's Market about now."
"We are." He agreed, standing behind her. "But I thought I'd swing by and
see if you were going today or not. I wasn't sure you'd be up. Jet lag."
She grinned at him. "Well, the time difference isn't *that* big from here to
Westchester, Clark. Sides, I slept it off yesterday." Looking up, she gave
him the 'intrepid reporter' look. "What *really* brings you here this fine
Saturday morning?"
His cheeks colored slightly at being caught. "I...I was worried about you."
"Worried?" She did her best to sound as if she had no idea why he would be
worried but she knew. Somehow Clark had picked up on her guilt. The pain of
hiding what she was from him. She had to work at covering it better. She
couldn't tell him the truth and she couldn't lie to him. Talk about a rock
and a hard place. This was a conundrum of *mythic* proportions. "Why would
you be worried?"
The color of his cheeks seemed to deepen and he looked away as she led him
into the living room. "Um...well..." He really didn't know what had possessed
him to just show up like this. He definitely hadn't thought it through enough.
He didn't know why he was there, how could he explain it to her if he didn't
know? "You just seemed...you were acting a little strange yesterday so I
thought I'd stop by and see what was wrong."
And there it was. She had to out and out lie. There was no way to tell him
why she was upset without revealing to him what she was. Unless....
God, she hated this.
"It's just...strange, being back here." Chloe sighed and pushed a hand through
her hair. "It's hard to describe." She looked up at him and the expression on
his face, the genuine worry and concern, tugged at her resolve. It would be
just *so* easy to blurt it out, the urge was so strong that she shook her
head and threw up her hands...
Immediately Clark seemed to freeze into place and her eyes widened with shock.
"Oops."
----------
She'd frozen Clark.
She couldn't believe it.
"Oh man..." Stretching up on her toes, Chloe waved a hand in front of his
face to be sure. Yep, she'd really frozen him.
The slim blonde began to pace, her mind working through all the possibilities.
He was fine. Her freezing power had never hurt anyone, mutant or not. But
still...she'd *frozen* him.
Staring at him she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or just unfreeze him.
She settled for laughing, nervously, then calming herself before lifting her
hands once more...
As if he'd never stopped, Clark reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder.
"You know you can talk to me Chlo'," He encouraged earnestly. "Doesn't matter
what it's about, I'm always here if you need me."
'I wish I could, Clark,' His friend thought sadly. 'I wish I could.'
Aloud, however, she said something far different. "I know." Wrapping her arms
around his torso, she hugged him tightly, pretending just for a moment that
he knew, that everything was all right...that he felt about her the way she
did about him.
The way she hugged him confused Clark. She'd smiled when she'd spoken but
the fierceness of her embrace, the way she hid her face against him...something
was wrong. He didn't need superpowers to see it. Something was wrong with his
...friend and he couldn't fix it.
He could barely understand what was happening to him, how could he hope to
help her? Especially not when she wouldn't talk to him and he could hardly
think straight around her.
Restraining a sigh, he returned the hug, resting his chin on her forehead,
his gaze landing on a pile of photographs lying on the couch.
Hmm....
"Chloe?"
When his voice intruded into her carefully constructed fantasy, the teen
fought the urge to stamp a foot in disappointment; instead she tilted her
head to look up. "Yeah?"
"Wanna come with me to the market this morning?" He smiled. "You can have
the best apple."
She rolled her eyes then pulled a way to mime a posture of glee. "Oh how
will I ever contain my excitement at such a prospect!" She laughed - God,
it felt good to laugh - and nodded. "I would love to go to the market with
you, Clark. Just give me a few minutes to change."
At his nod, she hurried out of the room...and when he'd heard her bedroom
door close...Clark hurried toward the pictures.
Maybe...just maybe...
TBC