Title- Discovery

Author- J.A.K

Rating- R: for real life feelings and real life situations that aren't always PG-13

Summary: Chloe has been raped and left for dead by an unknown, when Clark, who hears her cries for help comes to her aid. AN: I have a friend who was raped nine months ago so I won't be insensitive to a very sensitive issue.

AN 2: I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, so for all the Chlark lovers…don't be disturbed by Lana's presence. For all the Clana lovers…I don't know where this story is going to go. Enjoy!

Chapter One: Clark's POV

"Clark, we need to talk." Lana's voice traveled over the heavy breeze that was blowing outside of the barn. Her hair swayed violently against the force of the wind, but her face was as sweet as always. Though she was donning a semi-serious expression, her hands found comfort in the back pocket of her dark blue jeans. Her posture was relaxed.

I looked back at Chloe who was trying to…well…I didn't exactly know what she was trying to do, but she seemed to be enjoying her task. Turning back to Lana, I ushered her further out of the barn and more into the open space. The wind, I noticed, was valiantly trying to uproot her stance.

It had been nearly two weeks since I'd found Chloe on that dirt path. She hadn't told anyone—even her dad—what had happened to her that night, but she kept her faith in me. She said that she knew that it was a lot of responsibility to put on my shoulders, but that she couldn't bear to tell the people she loved, and have them look at her differently. So I helped her to keep her secret, but every time my parents looked at me inquisitively at the abrupt increase of Chloe's presence, I wanted to blurt out all that I knew.

"I know I said that I wanted us to not be together," her words were slow and deliberate, and brought me crashing back to reality "but I've been wandering these past two weeks if that was such good idea." She stopped then, staring at me as she tried to read my levels of interest in her proposition. I remembered, suddenly, my time as Kal-El and how he had a way of masking his facial expressions. So I instilled the same technique just then, not wanting her to know from my face that I did want to be with her.

"I'm not saying that we need to be serious or anything right now," she continued in a rush when I didn't respond "But I don't want to look back at this time in my life when I'm older and have regret in my heart." Her gaze dropped to her feet, as if she were studying them, and then back to my face. "And I know I would regret never having taken the opportunity to be with you."

I took a deep breath as she took a step closer to me. There were no words for the way her eyes were affecting me right now. They were so sincere and full of hope for a future that was filled with possibilities.

A loud crash came from the barn, and I looked up just in time to see Chloe spring up from the ground yelling to us that she was alright. A smile formed on my lips and I couldn't help but feel a deep set affection for her that had nothing to do with the closeness we'd been sharing recently.

My eyes settled on Lana again, and I saw uncertainty flicker in her hazel irises.

Putting my own hands in my pockets, I shrugged my shoulders, walking a slight distance away from her.

"I don't know Lana," I couldn't help but feel a slight wave of satisfaction reel through me at the roll reversal. For once I wasn't the one begging to be with her. "I've wanted us to be together all this time, but you always turned me down." The satisfaction melted away into guilt as I took in the hobble that almost imperceptibly affected her once even strides. She was standing in front of me, regret shining from her eyes.

"I never meant to hurt you when I did that." It was funny she said those words, because I was the one who promised I would never hurt her, or put her in a situation where she could be hurt; and I had done just the opposite.

"You know, you might've been right when you said it was better to keep your distance." Her hands flailed up in protest, but I caught them and stopped her before she could argue my point. "I don't want you to get hurt any more…especially if it's because of me."

"That's in the past Clark." She looked down at our hands as she intertwined them. "I just want to think about what could be in the future."

I felt my defenses breaking from our skin to skin contact, as her thumb rolled over my skin. The fact that I could finally be with the girl I'd been chasing after for years didn't surpass me either. She stood on her toes as she leaned in to kiss me soundly on my lips.

As she pulled back, a smile broke out on my face. There was an answering grin that graced her features.

"Should I take that as a yes?"

I leaned in to kiss her again, enjoying the sensation of our mouths caressing each other, and let my lips do the talking.

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The Next Day: Chloe's POV

So they were back together again. I shrugged my shoulders to myself as I walked over to my locker. I told Clark that I didn't want him to feel obligated to my unfolding drama and neglect his social life, and he listened. Then again, when I told him that, I didn't think he had much of a social life…but that was beside the point. His life shouldn't have to stop because mine did.

I was turning the last dial of my combination when a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. It took all there was inside of me not to shriek in fright and run away from the invasive presence.

"Chloe, I'm glad to see you're on your feet again."

I turned around with a sharp twist. Seeing the face that matched the voice caused even more panic to flare in me. Could Sean, one of the biggest flirts in school, know something about—

"Well you told me like a month ago that you were sick when I asked you out." I was too slow in stopping the wave of relief from washing over my face. "And now that my calendar's empty and you seem to be all better, I think maybe you're ready for us to have a little one on one time." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Familiar indignation overcast my features as I leaned against my locker and took in the appearance of the pathetic creature that was standing before me. He was a good looking guy and a good dresser…judging only by guy standards though. His flashy teeth, expensive tastes, and wild personality were enough to make him a girl magnet, able to get whatever female the wind blew at him.

I put my hands on my hips, exasperated by the amount of wasted energy it would take to tactfully turn him down.

"I can't do anything with you right now because I've got a lot of studying to do." I put on an overly cheery smile "See," I said, pointing at the massive amounts of books that were piled behind me. "So thanks, but no thanks."

I was turning away when his hand swung me around.

"Ah come on Chlo', I know when a girl's been missing some male attention, and you've definitely—"

Enraged, I shrugged his hand off and slammed the door of my locker, effectively cutting off whatever he was planning on finishing with.

"I don't understand where you could find the nerve to say that," I grounded out through stiff lips.

Seeing that we had attracted a small crowd, I added for good measure, "And besides, only the easy girl would want to go out on a patented Sean Rosedski date. Why don't you set your sights a little bit lower next time."

I had begun walking away when Sean pulled me roughly into him, apparently affronted and embarrassed by my words.

"Listen you little bitch, you're lucky I even—" his sentence was drowned out by the images of a man with a similar tone, yelling the same words into my ears as he forced himself on me.

My body began to tremble.

"Rosedski what're you doing?"

I glanced up to see Pete wearing a hard expression on his face. He had joined the groups of students who had paused in their tracks to see what was happening.

The words abruptly stopped ringing in my ears, and his breath no longer danced across my neck.

"Nothing," he said, walking away.

I felt my chest collapse from an exhaled breath of relief. Thank G-d, for best friends who were on the football team. I walked over to Pete, putting an arm around his back as I guided him through the hallway.

"Thanks," I said, in what I hoped was a normal sounding voice.

"No probs," he replied, squeezing my arm. "Just call me the jerk repellant."

I smiled at that.

Thank G-d for Pete.