PART SIX

One week later.

The sounds of metal striking metal rang through the Kent barn.

"Watch your feet," Duncan commanded as he lunged forward.

"I am," Chloe gasped, as she stumbled back a step. The clang of Duncan's katana striking her sword sent a shockwave up her sore arms.

"Keep your balance," Duncan continued.

"I am!" Chloe exclaimed, just resisting the urge to take another step back. Her thoughts on planting her feet, she almost didn't block the next strike.

Today's exercise was all about defense. It was Chloe's job to try to block all of MacCleod's blows without getting pushed back. Getting pushed back was bad, because it meant you were at a disadvantage. Well, unless you wanted to get pushed back, which was another lesson.

Chloe groaned as she deflected another rapid-fire series of strikes and thrusts. She felt like her arms were about to fall off. And her legs weren't doing much better.

The exercise reminded her of those video games she always hated. The ones where you had to stop a bunch of balls from hitting a wall or something. And, every second, the balls came faster and faster until stopping them was just impossible, and you wanted to scream in frustration.

Duncan's sword was like those balls, so fast she could barely keep track of it, let alone block it. Not only that, but she had to keep track of her feet at the same time. And the scary part was she was pretty sure he was taking it easy on her.

Chloe raised her sword in time to deflect an overhead blow. The force of it quaked down her arms, causing her to stagger back.

"Hold your ground," MacCleod ordered.

Chloe couldn't answer this time. She was too busy trying not to…

Suddenly, Chloe's feet got tangled up. That, plus another clashing of their swords, sent her crashing to the ground.

"Umph," she grunted as she landed on her butt. The shockwave traveled up her tailbone, her spine, her neck, and didn't stop until her teeth got a good rattle. Her sword flew out of her hands, and clattered on the ground a few feet away.

"Chloe!" Clark, who'd been standing by the wall, where he could observe without getting in the way, hurried to her side. He knelt down next to her. "Are you okay?"

After a moment of stunned silence, she wheezed, "Uh, yeah. I'm good." She wrapped her arm around her ribs, which had also gotten rattled. "I just…need to sit for a minute."

"That's was much better," Duncan said, coming to stand over them. "That's the longest you've lasted so far."

"Whoopee," Chloe muttered sarcastically, even though a part of her did feel some pride. The skills that had dulled from disuse since Merrick's death were coming back. Plus, she was learning some new stuff.

"You up for another round?" he asked, his Scottish brogue thickening for just a second.

"No," Clark answered before she could. "You guys have been through this four times, already. Don't you think it's time to call it a day?"

"Clark," Chloe began. While calling it a day sounded good to her aches and pains, she wished he'd ease up just a little. True, she was glad he was there for her training sessions. While she was starting to trust Duncan, she hadn't quite forgotten enough about her experience with Merrick—whom she'd also trusted—to be completely at ease with him. Not alone. And especially not when the swords started flying. Still, this overprotective thing Clark had going on was getting out of hand. "If Mac wants…"

"No, it's okay," MacCleod interrupted. "I almost forgot I'm meeting Joe for dinner in Metropolis."

"You ready to stand up now?" Clark asked her.

"I think so," Chloe said uncertainly. "But take it slow."

Taking her arm, Clark carefully helped her to her feet. Chloe had to lean on him for a minute, until she was able to find her balance.

"How is Joe?" Chloe asked, wincing as she messaged her left arm. "Since we haven't seen him all week, I guess he's not finished taking care of that business you mentioned."

"Hmmmm," Duncan answered, walking over to a stack of hay bales where his sword case rested. "But he seems to be enjoying himself."

Chloe's eyes narrowed. So far, she didn't know any more about Joe than she'd found out the day she met him. She knew he'd been a friend of Ramirez's, and also knew about Immortals. Apparently, Ramirez told Joe about this newbie Immortal in Smallville whose mentor tried to take her head. Joe told Mac, who decided it was kind of his duty to come to her rescue, to take up her training where Merrick left off. In fact, he'd intended to drive to Smallville right after the funeral.

After assuring Chloe he was there to help her, and she'd be perfectly safe off of holy ground with him, Duncan took her, Clark and Joe to a nearby eatery.

When the older Immortal went off to make a phone call, Joe took it upon himself to ease some of Chloe's doubts.

"You have to understand Mac," he said, leaning his cane against the wall. Lowering his voice a little, he continued. "He's over four hundred years old, and…"

"Wait!" Chloe exclaimed, eyes twice their normal size. As some of the other customers turned to stare at her outburst, she leaned across the table and whispered, "Four hundred?"

"Years?" Clark tacked on, looking as shocked as she felt.

"Yeah," Joe continued, as if it was no big deal. But there was definitely laughter in his eyes. "He lived through the age of chivalry, and has a strict code of honor. He definitely takes all of that 'protecting the weak and innocent' stuff to heart."

Chloe frowned. She didn't think she liked being called 'weak' or 'innocent'. Although, to a four hundred year old man, she probably seemed as innocent as a new born babe.

"You have no idea how many young Immortals Mac's helped over the years," Joe continued. "Believe me, if there's one man in this world I know I can trust, mortal or Immortal, it's Duncan MacCleod."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Chloe started to believe him. And she wished she'd gotten to know him better this past week. But, while Duncan came to Smallville and moved into the Smallville Inn, Joe stayed in Metropolis to "take care of business."

Trying not to limp, Chloe walked across the room to retrieve her sword.

"I've got it!" Clark said. In an instant, he was by her side, snatching up the sword before she could even start to bend down.

"Thanks," she said. As she took the sword, she glanced over at her new teacher. Mac was watching them out of the corner of his eye, a hint of a smile curling his lips. He seemed to find some humor in Clark's protectiveness.

Gritting her teeth, Chloe walked over to her own sword case. She was trying to see Clark's actions as 'cute' and 'sweet'. And, most of the time, she did. But, the rest of the time, it got on her nerves.

She didn't get it. She was Immortal now. Okay, she wasn't invulnerable like Clark. But her injuries healed in 24 hours or less. She'd probably never get a cold or the 'flu again. (Or maybe she would, but they'd go away in hours instead of days. She'd ask Duncan about it later.) Pretty much the only thing that could do permanent damage to her was losing her head.

So why was Clark suddenly treating her like an invalid?

(TO BE CONTINUED)