Title: Letting Go
Feedback: Yes please.
Summary: (a Smallville/Gilmore Girls crossover) When Clark runs away from Smallville, where does he go? In a weird twist of fate, he finds himself in Stars Hollow, where Lorelai and Rory have just returned from Europe. What starts out as a coincidence slowly becomes a summer that they will never forget.
Rating: PG-13/R
Pairings: Clark/Rory with Lex/Lana and Lorelai/Dean.
Spoilers: Everything up to end of season 2 of Smallville and end of season 3 of Gilmore Girls. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either show, here's the breakdown: Clark runs away from Smallville after his alien father calls out to him and everything in his life had turned to a disaster. Despite his love for Lana, he still leaves without any explanation (along with his red kryptonite ring which turns him into bad Clark), breaking her heart. Lex, on the other hand, just got married but his wife supposedly tries to kill him and the season ends as his plane is crashing into the ocean. In Stars Hollow, Rory has just graduated and is about to go on the trip to Europe with Lorelai but she isn't as happy as she should be because Jess inexplicably left her to go to LA, while Dean, her other ex-boyfriend has just announced his engagement to Lindsay.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Gilmore Girls or Smallville.
Note: I have had ideas about writing a Clark and Rory story for awhile now but I hadn't fully conceptualized the premise until now. I think the inspiration for this story came after I had made my Clark/Rory video and saw the potential for them. And the way both shows had written their season finales and left the summer so open ended, they just fit perfectly together.
****
"Clark?" Lex asked again, unable to believe his own ears. He had so many questions, so much to say but at this moment, there was nothing coming out of his mouth.
"Lex! Thank God you answered the phone. For a while there, I thought you might not even pick up." Clark replied, with a sigh of relief.
"Clark, where have you been?" Lex asked, still shocked by the voice on the other line.
"I don't know exactly where I've been in the last two months Lex." Clark replied truthfully as he leaned against the phone booth. "I can't remember a thing. All I know is that I wake up and I'm in a town in Connecticut. Wallingford I think it's called."
"Connecticut?" Lex asked, wondering why of all places he'd end up there. "So you don't have any memories of what you've been doing the last two months? I mean I could understand if you'd be drinking so much that you just can't remember but I can't imagine you drinking yourself in such a stupor that you wouldn't be sober long enough to remember. I mean are you drinking?"
"No Lex." Clark replied defiantly. " I mean, I did wake up with a hangover, but don't you think it's weird that I can't remember anything? I remember leaving Smallville and then I woke up and I'm here."
"It's okay Clark." Lex answered. "I mean, weirder things have happened in Smallville so I believe that you can't remember. Are you coming home?"
Clark took a long pause. "I can't Lex. Not now. I know that we haven't talk in awhile but a lot has ha…"
"Lana told me about it." Lex explained. "I'm sorry about the baby Clark. I know you wanted a baby brother or sister, but I've visited your parents a lot since you've been gone and they are just worried about you. They really want you to come home."
"I know, but I just can't come home yet. I mean I left Smallville so I could figure things out. Kinda escape from my head you know." Clark replied as he thought painfully about his poor mother, with only his father to lean onto. "I know two months has gone by but I still haven't fixed anything. I haven't gotten things straight yet and I need to do that before I can come home…if ever."
Another long pause passed between them.
"How is Lana?" Clark asked hesistantly. He knew he had no right to ask about her but he couldn't help himself. She was still in his heart.
"She is doing alright considering." Lex answered. "I know she tries to pretend that it doesn't hurt her that you're not there but she thinks about you all the time. I can see it in her eyes. It's like she is so far away you can't seem to reach her. I mean I understand what you're going through. Everyone needs to escape, to look outside of themselves but you really broke her heart this time. Wasn't she what you wanted? What you always wanted?"
"You know how much I wanted to be with her." Clark said sadly. "It was all that I could think about. But once I got everything that I wanted, the rest of the world seemed to fall around us. I mean I was so happy with her, you can't believe how happy…and then everything else went wrong. I just think that by leaving, I don't have to hurt her. She won't be another victim."
"You can't think that you caused all those things?" Lex asked. "They were all accidents. There is nothing to forgive. Everyone just misses you and want you to come home. Your parents, Lana, Pete, Chloe and me." He sighed. "I understand that you need work through some things. Hey, nobody understands that more than me, but in the end, just come back. Your parents need you…Lana needs you."
Clark sighed heavily on the other end, wondering if it was ever possible to come home.
"Does anyone else know where you are?" Lex asked suddenly.
"No. I tried to call Pete on his cell phone and at home but I guess he's out somewhere and his cell is dead or off." Clark replied. "I wanted to tell him so that he could talk to my parents…just to tell them I'm okay…that they don't have to worry. I just can't talk to them yet…not yet…"
"I'll tell them if you want." Lex answered. "What should I tell Lana?"
"I really don't know Lex." Clark admitted. "A part of me wishes that I don't have to say anything, another wishes I could just call her on the phone and say the things that I wanted to say. Lex, just tell her that I'm safe."
"Okay." Lex replied. "What are you going to do with yourself now?"
"To tell you the truth, I have no idea." Clark replied. "I mean, I've never been away from home without my parents ever. I think the farthest I've ever been away from Smallville is Metropolis and now I'm here in some town I have never even heard of before? But I'll manage." He clutched the knapsack on his shoulder tighter. Although he may not know what he was doing, at least he had enough cash to last him for a long time.
"Here. I have a plan." Lex replied as he walked towards his car. "My mother, when she was alive, used to own a house in Hartford, Connecticut. Whenever my mother got into a fight with my father, that was one of the places where she would go to get some peace. Although my father had sold almost all the property that my mother owned when she died, I kept this house because she loved it so. I don't really go up there much but I have gardeners keep up the plants that grew there and a maid to clean up on a rare occasion. Lucas was even living there for awhile until he wanted to live in California. It might be the place for you to find yourself. My mom found peace there, maybe you can too."
"Do you really think so?" Clark asked, feeling uneasy about the prospect of it.
"Clark, no one uses it anymore and you don't know where you're going. At least now you have a place to crash and I know where you are. Your parents and Lana could be less worried and if you want, I'll come down to see you." Lex explained as he settled into the driver's seat of his car.
"I guess so…as long as my parents and Lana don't come here…I can't face them. Thanks Lex." Clark said genuinely.
"Hey, it's no problem. I mean, you've saved my life more times than I could remember. It's only fair that I return the favour." Lex said as he smiled. How could he not help his best friend? "I'll just give you the address. It would take you a couple of hours to get there but you'll be there by nightfall. I'll send somebody to put a key in the mailbox for you so that you won't have anyone to hassle you, okay? And I'll call you tomorrow to see that you're settled in."
"Thanks." Clark said once more.
"You're welcome. Just try to figure things out soon. Lana needs you." Lex said as he turned on the ignition. "I'll talk to you soon Clark."
"Bye." Clark replied as he hung up the phone.
****
"Oh my God! I've missed you!" Lorelai exclaimed as she fell onto Rory's bed. "Feels so good!"
"Hey mom!" Rory exclaimed as she tried to push her mom off the bed. "it's my bed!"
"Don't push mommy!" Lorelai replied as she moved over so that Rory could lie on the small bed as well. "God, it felt like we were walking forever around town. My back is killing me."
"I know." Rory agreed as she turned her head towards Lorelai. "I can't believe we bought that many presents."
"Well we didn't want to miss anyone." Lorelai replied. "Although I think the next time we go on a trip, let take the luggage with the pulley thingy and wheels. Easier on the back and we won't become hunchbacks before we're both forty."
"Amen to that." Rory said with a laugh. "But remember, we still have to give Luke, Lane, grandma and grandpa their presents."
"I know." Lorelai said with a sigh. "But we don't have to think about that now do we?" She rolled over as she perched and leaned on her arm to look at Rory. "Wasn't it weird that Jackson didn't want to know the sex of the baby?"
"Hey! I think it's nice." Rory exclaimed. "It'd be a really cool surprise when the baby comes and it's definitely not as weird as all the other stuff he's done to the house. I mean look how baby proofed their house is? I mean, everything is locked and got some kind of foam around it. I mean, I don't remember you doing anything to childproof the shed.", remarking the little house quasi shed on the Independence Inn's grounds where she had spent her childhood.
"Hey you didn't need it." Lorelai protested. "You were a special kid. The smartest kid ever! And even if you bumped into a couple of things, you always got up and walked again. No real bumps or bruises."
"You were just lucky." Rory replied with a smile. "Besides, despite Jackson being really overprotective, he seems like he's going to be a really great dad."
"Yeah, Sookie and Jackson are really lucky to have each other." Lorelai said in agreement. "Babies are the best. I should know." As she winked at Rory.
"Kinda makes me think about Georgia." Rory replied, thinking of her half sister. "I haven't seen her in a long time."
"Do you want to call your dad?" Lorelai asked. "I'm sure that you can visit him, Sherry and the baby before the summer is over."
"Yeah, I'll call him later." Rory replied. "I just rather right now lie here. Man, I never want to move."
"I hear ya." Lorelai said as she laid on her back once more. "So what do you want to do tonight?"
"Maybe we can relax and watch some movies?" Rory suggested. "You know, just pig out, watch something slightly mindless, and rest."
"Well that's alright by me." Lorelai replied. "Hey! We can watch the Back to the Future trilogy back to back to back. It's been awhile since we've watched those."
"Cool…Retro 80s night it is." Rory replied with a chuckle. "Michael J. Fox is so cool."
"Well that was the height of his coolness, Back to the Future and Family Ties. After that, it was total downhill." Lorelai said with a shiver as she remembered some of his other movies. Frighteners, Jimmy Hollywood, For love or money? Yeesh.
"Remember those suspenders?" Rory said with a laugh.
"The acid wash inward jeans." Lorelai added.
"Didn't you wear those?" Rory asked with a chuckle.
"Let us not speak of that." Lorelai replied as she got up from the bed. "Come on." Putting her hand out, she helped Rory up. "Now let's see. I'll go to Luke's and give him his present, as well as get the burgers, fries, whatever, go to Doose's for some junk food, and then stop by the video store for the videos. In the meantime, you can hang out with Lane and see how she's doing, before coming home. Sounds good?"
"Sounds perfect." Rory said with a smile.
****
GURGLE. His stomach was grumbling. Clark had been driving on the road for hours now but he hadn't stopped yet. Although he was doing good time on the motorcycle, he now knew the full advantage of having super speed. Without the motorcycle, he would have gotten to Hartford in no time, but because he couldn't bear to leave it behind, he decided to ride the conventional way, doing it the way everyone else does. However, this left him with an empty stomach. Although he had been hungry before, he had never felt this kind of hunger. It was gnawing at his stomach, his mouth was dry and he felt tired. Maybe it was because he was always so fortunate to have a mother who always cooked for him, 2 or 3 meals a day that he never felt hunger. But without her, the feeling of starvation grew.
Driving down the rural highway, he watched as the signs went by. Watching desperately for the next exit, any exit to fill the hunger, He spied a sign up ahead.
"Stars Hollow – 1 Mile" he read. "I guess that is as good a place as any." He thought to himself as he changed lanes and rode towards the exit. As he looked through his mirrors, he still couldn't believe that while his dark self took over, he had gotten himself a haircut. He'd have to get used to the short hairstyle.
The road in towards the town seemed long. For a moment Clark began to have doubts that he should have even picked this exit in the first place but as he rode in, his mind quickly changed as he went through the town. It was unlike any of the place he had been through. Yes, he did past by other towns for gas but all of them seemed either very big and populace or faded and forgotten. This town could fit in neither category. Although it was definitely small, for some reason in which he couldn't put a finger on it, the town seemed quite alive with life. Riding slowly past, admiring the buildings around him, they all had a quaint feel to it but not ancient. As looked towards the middle of what seemed like a town square, He could see that they were beginning to build some sort of carnival.
"Carnival?" he thought to himself. He hadn't seen a carnival in a while. Farmer markets a plenty up in Smallville but no one, not even the school, had done a carnival in a very long time. He quickly scanned the streets to look for a place to eat, but instead he found people. Staring at him.
"Haven't they seen a motorcycle before?" he wondered. Maybe that was the reason why this town felt different. It is as though it had remained untouched, untarnished by the world. Even scanning quickly at the town, there was only one stoplight in the town and he was riding straight for it. As he stopped at the light, he looked towards the right and saw what he was looking for. A diner.
"Thank goodness." Clark thought to himself as he look over. He carefully put the motorcycle in reverse and found a place he could park.
As he walked towards the diner, he spied up towards the sign on the diner and wondered why it still said Hardware. He shrugged it off as he entered the diner. Feeling a little awkward, he looked for an empty table and sat down. As Clark settled into his seat, he took off his jacket and shoved it into his backpack. August in a leather jacket is just madness, he thought to himself. As he looked around the diner, at times he could see people sneaking a look, glancing at him slightly. "I guess they don't get many strangers around here." He thought to himself as he sat nervously. "Especially ones on motorcycles." Although he could understand the fascination of a stranger in town, in Smallville, not that many people took notice of him unless he was saving someone's life or intervening to solve a mystery. He could feel his cheeks starting to redden.
He let out a sigh of relief when a man wearing a blue plaid shirt and backwards baseball cap came towards him with a menu.
"Hi." He said casually. "Here's the menu."
"Thanks." Clark answered timidly as he opened up the menu. He scanned quickly through it and found what he wanted. "Can I just have a cheeseburger with fries and coke please?"
"Alright." The man replied as he took away the menu. He could see the tension in Clark's expression. "Don't worry. There aren't too many people who pass by this town but they'll get over it."
"Thanks." Clark nodded as he gave a small smile. He appreciated the gesture and wished that people would just find something else to focus on.
Sure enough, before Clark knew it, the door flew open and a new distraction came through.
"Hey Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed with glee as she strolled in with plastic shopping bags in hands. "Did you miss me?"
"Well not when you're disturbing my customers." Luke replied as he walked past her. "People are trying to eat."
"Come on." Lorelai said with a pout. "Didn't you miss me a little bit?"
"Okay a little bit." Luke replied with a gruff, trying to hide his smile. "But I'll get over it."
"Well I'll take what I cans gets." Lorelai replied as she plopped down on a stool. "Did you see the motorcycle out there? Man, I love it! I've always wanted one. I wonder who owns it. Let me guess? Over the summer Taylor joined a biker gang right?"
"Taylor…biker gang…"Luke said with a laugh. "Maybe when hell freezes over. No, it belongs to the kid over there." He then pointed towards Clark, who turned away, somewhat embarrassed.
As Lorelai turned to where Luke was pointing, she was taken aback at the sight of Clark. When he had said kid, she had expected a small skinny teenager, not a well built, muscular, gorgeous young man. "Wow." Lorelai thought to herself. "how big is he?"
"Hey." Lorelai exclaimed with a wave, trying not to scare the guy already, knowing fully well how embarrassed he was when Luke just pointed at him without thinking. Even though he looked like a man, Lorelai could tell he was still a high school kid by his reddened cheeks and the way he was sheepishly looking away. "Don't mind him." As she pointed towards Luke. "I really do love your bike."
"Thanks." Clark answered with a small smile, still trying to wait for his food.
Lorelai then turned back to Luke and focused her attention on him. "So did you go on the cruise with Nicole?" She asked, trying to pry.
"Do we have to talk about that?" Luke asked with a sigh as he walked into the kitchen. "Can't we talk about your trip? You went to Europe!"
"Don't avoid the question Luke." Lorelai replied as she pressed on. "Did you or didn't you?"
"Fine! I did! End of story." Luke hollered he walked out of the kitchen.
"Hey no end of story for you buddy." Lorelai as she got up from the stool and walked behind him. "Give me details, details!"
"What else is there to say?" Luke said as he walked towards Clark's table to give him his order. "Nicole and I were stuck on a boat for two weeks. What else is there to say?"
"Was it romantic? Was it horrible?" Lorelai asked as she walked around, following his every steps. "Just say this good trip or bad trip?"
"Nicole and I broke up." Luke exclaimed suddenly.
"What?" Lorelai said in shock, making her stop dead in her tracks, her
tone of voice changing drastically. "I'm so sorry Luke. I was just kidding
about the whole thing. But what happened?"
"What do you think happens when two people are stuck together for two weeks on the ocean?" Luke replied, as he busied himself at the counter. "You drive each other nuts. We just figured that if we couldn't spend two weeks together, maybe we should just break up."
"I'm sorry Luke." Lorelai said apologetically. "I thought you guys were happy."
"It's nothing." Luke replied simply. "At least we didn't get married,
that's what I say. Anyways, it happened two months ago. Tell me about Europe.
How was that?"
"It was great." Lorelai said with a smile. "We went everywhere on a whim and even ended stalking some cute British boy bands. By the way, I brought you a gift!"
"Really?" Luke asked as he peered over the counter, wondering what it could be and then he became suspicious. "What is it?"
"This!" Lorelai said with a smile, pulling out a fish on a plaque.
"You had time to fish?" Luke asked.
"No silly!" Lorelai answered. "It's a talking fish. See? When you press the button, it starts singing. Sometimes it sings Barry Manilow songs or sometimes it sings some crazy French tune. Isn't it hilarious?"
"Thanks." Luke replied as he took the fish, not knowing what to make of it. "So what are you up to tonight?"
"Well me and Rory are planning a pig out movie night." Lorelai explained. "The Back to the Future trilogy, all three parts."
"Very mind stimulating." Luke said with a sigh.
"Yes, very. I mean with the time travel machine and everything. Highly intelligent and scientifically accurate." Lorelai grinned.
"Yes, traveling through time is very historically accurate." Luke said in a mocking tone.
"Hey don't mock it." Lorelai said, staring at Luke. "Just get me some burgers, fries, pie and whatever you have back there and quick!"
"Fine." Luke said in defeat. "anyways, thanks again for the gift. It was nice of you."
"See?" Lorelai said as she pulled on the back of his baseball cap. "You did miss me!"
****
"Are you settled?" Lex asked as he walked in the door. "Are you decent?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Lana replied as she walked out of the bathroom. She had changed into a white tank top and pajama pants with cherries on them. "Thanks again for helping me with my stuff."
"Hey it's fine by me. It really wasn't' so hard. You didn't have a lot of belongings." Lex replied with a smile as he looked on. "Cute." Admiring her sleeping attire. "So how did Chloe take it?"
"Well after I told her father about it, I called Chloe and although she's disappointed that I'm staying, I think she gets it." Lana replied.
"Are you tired Lana?" Lex asked as he walked through her room. It was one of the rooms close by his own bedroom in his wing. He had asked her where she'd like to sleep. He had suggesting the south wing, but Lana decided against it since she felt weird having her own wing to herself and thought it might be better to be close to him.
"Not really." Lana replied as she put on the matching robe and tied up her hair. "I just wanted to make myself comfortable. That's alright, isn't it?"
"Hey, you can do whatever you want okay?" Lex insisted. "This is where you live now. So what do you want to do tonight?"
"I don't know." Lana said honestly. "Seems kinda weird saying that since you live…"
"We live." Lex corrected her.
"We live in a mansion and you have everything here." Lana finished her sentence. "I mean I haven't even seen most of this place before."
"Do you want to take a walk around?" Lex offered. "I could give you a proper tour and tell you mindless details and you can pretend to listen as you drone out my voice."
"Okay." Lana said with a giggle. "But I'm sure that the mansion will speak for itself."
"You just trying to find a way to shut me up." Lex accused.
"Hey, silences are good." Lana said with a laugh. "I mean, at least our silences are."
Lex had to nod in agreement with her there. Even when they couldn't or didn't have a word to say to each other, somehow they always managed to know how the other was feeling. He could still remember her coming to visit him in the hospital once they had found his weak body on the island and sent him back to Smallville. Lana had been the first one to visit and the first one to understand. Instead of talking incessantly on about nothing, she just sat there quietly with him, holding his hand at times, seeing the pain of the ordeal in his eyes. She too knew the pain of heartbreak, of betrayal, of abandonment all too well. Maybe a little too well. And she knew there was nothing to say. You just deal with it and move on.
"Well at least let me say tell you something before we enter our vow of silence." Lex suggested. He hadn't said anything to her before because he didn't know how to say it. He was just waiting for the right moment. A point where she was relaxed and happy enough to take it and this was a good a time as any. He looked pained, regretting to be the one to make her smile disappear.
"What's the matter Lex?" Lana asked, concerned as they walked through the corridor. "Is there something wrong?"
"No. Nothing is wrong." Lex assured her. "I just wanted to tell you something but I guess I don't know how to tell it to you."
"Just blurt it out Lex." Lana replied as she looked at him seriously. "You know we've always been able to give each other the truth, no matter how gruesome the truth can be."
"I know." Lex said with a sigh. "Clark called me today."
"Clark?" Lana said, completely shocked. "When?"
"Remember the phone call I got before I left you?" Lex asked as Lana nodded. "That was Clark."
"Wh…um…why didn't you tell me earlier?" Lana asked in bewilderment.
"I didn't know what to tell you." Lex replied as he kept walking on, avoid her eyes. "I was just in shock. I didn't think he was going to call."
"Well how is he? Where is he?" Lana asked as she turned towards him, trying to meet his eyes. "Is he okay, is alright?"
"He's fine." Lex replied. "From the way he was talking, he seemed okay. Right now, he's in Connecticut."
"Connecticut?" Lana shaking her head in confusion. "Why did he end up there?"
"I have no idea Lana." Lex admitted. "He just called to tell everyone that he was alright and that he was okay."
"Is he coming home?" Lana asked slowly as she started to slow her pace.
"Not yet Lana." Lex said regretfully. "He still needs to work some things out."
"Did he say anything about me?" Lana said quietly as she looked over to him and finally met his eyes.
"He did." Lex said, trying to be hopeful for her. "I know he's sorry about the way he left but he just felt that he had to leave."
"There is no good reason to leave." Lana said defiantly. "Especially when you're surrounded by people who love you and want to care for you…not when you say that you love someone…"
"This is bigger than anything he's ever felt before." Lex explained. "I don't know what it is but I know what it feels like to want to escape the world and your problems. He just needs time Lana. Time to think. Time to reflect. Time to work it out. He will be back Lana. I promise."
"Maybe I can't give him the time." Lana said suddenly. "He's the one that left and I have to give him time? I don't think I have it in me."
"Lana, look at me." Lex said as he held her arms, forcing her to look at him. "There are only a few things that I am sure of and one of those things is that Clark loves you. Maybe it won't work out in the long run. Maybe you'll hate each in the end, but you've got to work through it. You can't keep hiding the pain and hoping that it will go away. I know it hurts you that Clark left. I understand that. Just try to find out what you feel and follow your heart. Even if you decide not to be with him in the end, at least hear him out."
"I don't know if I can forgive him." Lana said truthfully, her tearstained face looking up towards him.
"I know." Lex said with a sigh as he slowly put his arms around her for comfort.
****
It was dark outside, as Rory walked down the street. She had spent the afternoon over at Lane's house and got caught up with the Stars Hollow news. Taylor was planning to have the grand opening of the soda shop soon and was planning a month long celebration in honour of it, with a carnival no less. Since Taylor pretty much had his way over the town and everyone loved a carnival, no one at the town meeting complained, except for Luke who complained as always. Lane also told her about Sookie having started renovations on the new inn as a surprise for Lorelai but she had already known about that after spending the morning with Sookie. Although Lane was going to a Seventh Aventist college for her mother's sake, she had managed to convince Dave to go to school close by to be near her. The thought of at least Dave and Lane being happy made her both happy and sad. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness on her part.
The whole summer she had avoided thinking about him because she didn't want to spoil the whole summer with her mom. They had waited all their lives for the trip to Europe after graduation and she couldn't spoil it. Anyways, the whole time she was in Europe, she didn't even think about it at all since they didn't stop for one moment to think. They just kept traveling, going wherever they wanted, doing the craziest things just to have the best trip ever. There was no time to think and Rory wouldn't let herself think about it either. However, being back in Stars Hollow is a different matter. Just walking around town just brought her back to earth, back to reality.
Despite having lived here all of her life and having so many memories before him, everywhere she went, a memory of Jess was linked to it. Where they first kissed, where they had fights, where they kissed and made up. It was like the whole town was made up of Jess memories and that was it. She hadn't tried calling him since graduation. She had heard his voice on the phone and said her peace. That was it and it was over. It seemed simple and clean cut at the time but now as she walked by Luke's, the whole thing felt difficult again.
"Why do I have to feel guilty about this?" Rory asked. He was the one that left, he was the one that treated you like dirt. Why do have to spend all of this time thinking about him when he obviously never thought about you. "or he wouldn't have left without a word." Rory thought.
Her cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Honey?"
"Mom I can't hear you very well. I think the battery's low or something." Rory said loudly.
"Where are you Rory?"
"Walking home."
"Are you coming home soon?"
"Yeah, but I just need to clear my head."
"Are you okay?" She didn't have to see her but she could hear the concern in her voice.
"I'm fine mom. I just need some time to think. I'll be home soon. I promise."
"Okay."
"Bye."
Time to think, she thought to herself. I need some time to think this through and get him out of my head once and for all. As she was about to walk towards the house, she decided to walk the other direction and knew exactly the place to clear her head.
****
"Hey is anybody home?" a faint voice asked as they knocked at the opened kitchen door.
"Rory? Is that you?" Lorelai asked as she walked from the living room towards the kitchen and was slightly startled by the person standing in the kitchen. "Dean."
"Hey Lorelai. Welcome back." Dean said with a smile. "Is Rory at home?"
"No, but she'll be back soon." Lorelai replied, smiling as well. "So are you? I haven't seen you in ages. I've missed you!" motioning down to sit.
"I've missed you too." Dean admitted as he sat down by the kitchen table. "I was going to talk to you sooner but we've must have missed paths. By the time I knew it, Taylor said you were gone on your trip to Europe. If I wasn't working at Doose's, I might not have found out that you were home."
"Well here we are." Lorelai said with a grin. "By the way, I'm sorry that I never had a chance to say this before but congratulations. I heard from Rory that you got engaged."
"Thanks." Dean said timidly. "About that…"
"Hey don't be weird about it. I told you before that even though you and Rory broke up, you should feel awkward about telling me about your engagement to Lindsay. That's sounds…great. I'm sure you two are going to be really happy."
"No that's not it." Dean said reassuringly. "That's what I wanted to tell Rory tonight…"
"What Dean?" Lorelai asked, puzzled.
"While you and Rory went off to Europe, me and Lindsay broke off our engagement." Dean admitted.
"Really?" Lorelai said, taken a bit aback. "I'm sorry Dean."
"We just figured that it was kinda crazy to get married so soon." Dean replied. "Actually I did. I just thought maybe we could take things slow again. Lindsay didn't think otherwise. She had this crazy idea that I was still not over Rory and called things off."
"Oh, that sounds brutal." Lorelai said, feeling his pain.
"It's for the best." Dean replied simply. "When I proposed to her, I didn't realize how much I didn't know about her. How little we knew about each other. I mean, we were only dating for a few months. I just got so wrapped up with the idea of being in love again that I just impulsively asked and she said yes. And then when I realized my mistake, I couldn't undo it. She was just so happy and so into the wedding, while I was wondering if I had made the right choice. How could two people who don't know anything important about the other get married for the rest of our lives? Forever? I mean, I even knew more about you than I knew about Lindsay. When I finally got the nerve to tell her the truth, she pretty much bit my head off and stormed out the door. Ever since then, I haven't talked to her since."
"Man, you had a brutal summer." Lorelai replied.
"Tell me about it." Dean exclaimed.
"Say, why don't you stay and join us for movie night." Lorelai suggested. "It might cheer you up for awhile. "
"Are you sure?" Dean asked. "I don't want to impose."
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai scoffed. "This is the Gilmore house, you could never impose unless you're my mother and since it's obvious you aren't, just plop yourself on the couch and relax. It'll be for old time's sake."
"You don't have enough food." Dean protested as Lorelai pushed him towards the living room.
"I'll just call a pizza." Lorelai replied.
"I stand corrected." Dean said simply.
After Lorelai had ordered from the pizza place, she plopped down on the couch beside him. "What do you want to watch?"
"I don't know." Dean said honestly. "What do you want to watch before Rory comes back?"
"Hmm…"Lorelai replied. "I guess following the trilogy theme, we can watch the Indiana Jones Trilogy to pass the time. It's one of the videos we have at home."
"Sounds good." Dean replied as he settled into the couch.
"Let me just get it upstairs okay?" Lorelai suggested as she bounced off the couch towards the stairs.
Dean just nodded as leaned back on the couch.
****
Clark couldn't explain it but he couldn't help come back. He had made it to Hartford after eating at the diner. It was only a half an hour away so it wasn't a big deal. Clark had found the key to the house in the mailbox, just like he said. Although he was concerned that the key was left somewhere someone could have obviously used it, what made him more scared was the house itself. When Lex had said house, he had naively thought it was a little cottage, not an estate. It was smaller than the mansion in Smallville but still. This was not a regular house. For a house where hardly anyone inhabited it, it was definitely well kept. The front and backyard were immaculately kept and the inside was beautiful despite it being a bit dusty.
He had dusted around the house for a while but once he was done, he couldn't think of much to do. He knew that he had asked for some peace, but once he was alone, in a strange house no less, it just felt odd. It felt too quiet, too still. He then just gave up and decided to go out. Leaving the motorcycle behind, he decided to have a run. Run towards the only thing that had caught his eye the whole trip.
Before he had left Stars Hollow, he had taken a little walk around the town, explore a little more this strange little town. As he walked through the town, he accidentally came across a little lake. Hidden amongst the trees, Clark had found the lake along with a bridge. For awhile he had sat down by the lake, just listening to the trees. He didn't know why but it was the only place that he felt at peace. Maybe because it reminded him of the bridge in Smallville. He had some nice memories by that lake. With Pete, with his parents, with Lana. And when he looked down at the water, he smiled when he realized that although the lakes were similar, at least this lake was filled with meteor rocks. "Maybe that is what comforting about this place." He thought to himself. Although Stars Hollow was a small town not unlike Smallville, it has one crucial difference. The meteor rocks didn't affect this place. People weren't infected and live in fear of them. It was just an ordinary place. A place where you could start over. To feel normal.
As Clark was about to reach the bridge, he could hear someone from the distance. He walked quietly as he got closer. Soft muffles was all that he could make out. As he got closer to the sound, he could make out the sound of crying. As he poked his head through the bushes, Clark could see the back of a dark haired girl, sitting not too far to where he had sat before, crying softly. He couldn't see her face but he knew that it would be better off if he just left her alone. As he was about to back away, he accidentally stepped on a twig and made a sound, startling the girl. She turned her head around.
"Is anyone there?" the girl called out.
Trying to make his escape, he found it was too late when she turned towards the corner of the tree where he was hiding and suddenly locked eyes with her.
To be continued.