Settling In At Smallville
By Lanie (lindalee)
Based on the Smallville series on WB. Characters created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Based on the Superman Characters originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Thanks to Greg Walker and Michael Green and Mark Verheidan writers of Obscura from Smallville Season One, which inspired this story. I am sure there are probably several takes on this. I have continued the storyline.
Meeting Chloe
Outside Smallville Junior High, Clark and Pete see the new girl. They look at each other and nearly run over Eric Summers, on their way to introduce themselves.
"Hi, I'm Chloe." beating both boys to the punch. "Do you know where I can get a copy of the Daily Planet?"
"You want a newspaper, I have a copy of the Ledger," Clark hands it to her.
"Oh, no I mean the Daily Planet, you know that big building in Metropolis with the World spinning on top, paper. A real news paper." Chloe looking like she was going to pass out.
Pete answers, "You can probably get one at the Courthouse, there's a vender inside." Pete thinking this one is for the weird files.
"Where is the courthouse?" Chloe asks.
Pete and Clark both point to the largest building in Smallville, right up the street from the school.
"Thanks." Chloe shouts back and runs towards the Courthouse.
"Guess she really needs that paper." Pete said He was now thinking how pretty she really was to him.
"Let's go, don't want to be late for Mr. Jackson's class." Clark said snapping Pete back from his daydream.They both turn to go end, finally seeing Eric Summers still-hunting for his glasses. They then realize what they had done and go to help. "Sorry." Clark and Pete say in unison to Eric.
In the lunchroom, Chloe spots the two guys from this morning. She heads over to Clark and Pete. "I didn't get your names earlier, I am running on plain coffee and it makes me crazy." I hope that and the smile will get me an invite to sit down.
"I'm Pete, and this is Clark." Pete answers and slaps his best friend's shoulder. Clark nearly choked on his last bite. And now Clark has a cough fit trying to clear his throat.
"Thanks, man." Clark shoots an evil eye right at Pete. He just smiles, and thinking to himself, man I hope she sits down with us.
"Why don't you have a seat?" Clark points to the chair across the table from him.
"Thanks, I don't have to tell you I am new to Smallville. You already know that." Chloe says.
"No, really?" Pete tries his best-mocked shock look and smiling.
"Oh you mean you didn't know." Chloe mocking him back.
"Truthfully, I am supposed to be showing you around, but you don't seem to need a guide." Clark tells her.
Then all of the sudden Clark is lost in another world. Lana Lang just walked into the cafeteria with all the other junior varsity cheerleaders. Pete thinks I hope Clark doesn't make a 'spaz' of himself again. "Who is that?" Chloe asks.
"Lana Lang" Pete answers as if everyone knows who she is, and Chloe recognizes the name. She owns a copy of Time with the little girl in a pink fairy princess costume.
"She looks different." Chloe says quietly.
"What did you say?" Clark comes back to earth just in time to hear Chloe whispering to herself.
"Nothing" she turns back to the guys. "What do you guys do for fun here in Smallville?"
"Play basketball, after chores." Clark answers. "And go swimming at Crater Lake, when it's hot."
"Anything else?" Chloe quizzes and looking almost afraid she had fallen of the face of the civilized world.
"Well Old Johnson has that Meteor Museum, if you want to look at the green rocks." Pete says finishing his drink.
"Really?" Chloe ears seemed to perk up at the chance to investigate the phenomenon.
"Yea, he lives east of town near the Kent's farm. Clark could show you it on his way home after the bus ride. Well, if he doesn't miss the bus that is." Pete had to add a little jab to his best friend.
"You live on a real farm? Are you Amish or what?" Chloe says smiling.
Clark gives her, this look like 'are you kidding'. "Yes, we're Amish." Clark says teasing. "It's been in my dad's family for 3 generations." Clark and Pete are both laughing.
"You might just have to invite me over." Chloe says playing coy and the while thinking to herself 'man is this Kansas farm boy ever hot'.
Friday morning rolls around, Chloe's getting ready for school. "How did I talk the both of them into going to that museum and then getting Clark to actually invite me over for dinner, my dad and I, over for dinner." She says to herself staring at her mirrored reflection. She wears her favorite black khakis and plum floral top. She picks the low-heeled mules to finish the outfit. "Clark really seems to like 'Lana Lang'." She shakes her head and flips her blonde hair up for volume.
She is also nervous. She spoke with Mr. Holder about writing and working on the 'Torch', the high school newspaper. 'I can do this. I know I am a good writer.' She says to herself as she picks up her backpack and purse. Then she stops short at her bedroom door, "Can't forget this." Pulling her notebook from the bedside table. The one she started keeping when she was 8. It had all her articles, editorials, and some photos. "I really hope he has time to look at this. It may be a school paper but even Woodward started somewhere." She goes down the stairs and hollers "Hey Dad, we going to be late."
Gabe Sullivan just took a new position at the LuthorCorp Plant in Smallville. "I'm already here." He announces at the front door while tapping his foot. Chloe mocking a shocked look on face.
"Who are you? And what did you do with my dad?" she questions and looking down at his tapping foot and realizes something. "You might want to change one of your shoes." Gabe had on one brown shoe and one black shoe.
"Oh shoot!" he runs up the stairs.
"I'll be in the car." Chloe yells going out the door.
They arrive at the junior high just in time for Chloe to see Clark and Pete go inside.
"See you tonight." Gabe tells his daughter.
"Dad, please remember we have dinner at the Kent's. So don't be late and don't embarrass me." Chloe gently reminding her father who tends to forget things.
"I will be there with bells on." He smiles. He loves to tease his only daughter; she is the best thing in his life.
"Have a good day and Good Luck." He says pointing to the notebook that fell on the floorboard of his old Volvo.
"Oh shoot!" Chloe says and Gabe laughs. She grabs the notebook and runs inside to catch up with Clark and Pete. Clark had been a good tour guide for Smallville and he seems so down to earth.
Slowly Friday afternoon comes around and Chloe has just found Mr. Holder. "Mr. Holder, I'm Chloe Sullivan, I spoke to you about working and writing for the 'Torch'"
"Yes, come in Miss Sullivan." He motions to for her to sit in an empty chair. "Did you bring some examples of your work?"
"I've been keeping this notebook since I was 8. It has all my articles and photographs." She hands the notebook over to him and he flips through the pages. She gets nervous again, he isn't reading anything. Chloe is now trying not to twist her hands together, not wanting Mr. Holder to know she's worried.
"May I take this and look over it though the weekend?" Mr. Holder asks
Chloe has to think about letting her life's work leave her presence.
She answers after taking a breath. "Sure, I just pick it up on Monday afternoon."
She never lets that book out of her sight. 'What am I thinking?' she says to herself.
"Thank you, I will get with Principal Kwan and we will let you know on Monday afternoon." He now packs the notebook in his briefcase with his other papers. "Have a nice weekend, Miss Sullivan." Chloe now gets up, shakes his hand and walks out of the high school office.
Outside the high school Chloe takes a deep breath and thinks 'why did I let him take it. I don't even have a copy.' She continues back to the junior where she is supposed to meet Clark and Pete. She sees them both and gets a case of goose bumps, contemplating all the questions she is going to ask Clark tonight at dinner. He has been showing me the sights but he always seems to dodge answering my questions about his life. 'He likes me. I know he does.' She says to herself.
"Hi. What's wrong? You look like you just lost your best friend or your dog?" Clark asks.
"It's nothing." Chloe fakes a smile and Clark drops the subject even though he knows she's lying.
"I'm going to have to cancel. I have to be the good son and help my mom out at the courthouse." Pete interrupts.
"Courthouse?" Chloe's puzzled.
"Yep. Mom's running for County Judge."
"Your mom's a judge?" Chloe's even more confused.
"Not yet. She hasn't been elected." Pete smiles. "See later Clark man." He heads towards the courthouse up the street from the school.
"See ya." Clark and Chloe both say then laugh.
"Well it a good thing to be friends with a guy whose mom is about to be a judge." Chloe smiles and tries to be a little less worried about her notebook.
"We don't have to go to the museum. If you don't want." Clark lets Chloe know she can back out of it since Pete isn't going. He's hoping she does, he really doesn't like to go around old man Johnson place. Only Pete and his parents know what happens to him when he goes around old man Johnson's place. He becomes the worst 'spaz', feeling dizzy and nausea. It's almost like he'll hurl any second. It's even worse than the fear of heights. He becomes the same way around Lana; it wasn't always this way he thought.
"Why?" Chloe's mind starts to race with questions and theories. "I wouldn't want to miss any Smallville attractions."
"I'll answer your question, if you tell me what you were doing at the high school and what upset you." Clark said pulling a typical switch in order to avoid answering her questions. Chloe had already picked up on that trick.
"On the way to the museum." Chloe answers.
"Deal. We have to make a stop though." Clark tells her walking to the blue pick-up.
"You can drive?" Chloe very shocked.
"Yeah, its only a farm license. And did it take forever to convince my dad." Clark said. "You know you can get one if you live on a farm and are between the ages of 14 and 16. It pretty nice, but I have more chores because of it."
"I have actually learned something new today. Thanks Clark Kent." Chloe smiles and gets in. "What the stop?"
"I have to pick up a load of feed, that's the only reason I got to bring the truck."
Clark tells her as he crawls into the cab. He is tall even for a 14 year old. "What are you looking for?" he asks Chloe who is turning around in seat and seems nervous.
"The seatbelt." She answers and Clark laughs.
"Afraid of my driving and I haven't even started the truck. It's a lap belt, if you reach back through the seat its there." Clarks tells her and continues to laugh while starting the pick-up. "Ready?"
"Ready." Chloe smiles and thinks at least if I die there's a good-looking guy with me.
Clark shifts the pick-up into gear and heads for the feed store. 'I wonder if she likes me' he asks himself. 'She's really cute, no even better. And she's nothing like Lana.' He pulls in to the back of the feed store and goes inside. Chloe takes a look around at all the farm equipment and supplies and then truck shakes from the bags of feed being put in. She looks back seeing Clark, and she guesses the owner of the store loading the bed. "Is that it?" Clarks asks taking the sales slip and putting into his jacket.
"That's what Jonathan ordered. Tell your parents 'hello' for me" the man answers.
"Can do." Clark heads towards the cab. The man thinks 'that boy doesn't break a sweat; man to be that young again.' "Thanks for you help." Clark yells out the pick-up's window and drives out. Turning to Chloe, "Do you mind if we drop this off for my dad. I'd bet his waiting on it."
"Sure, I'd love to met the 3rd generation farmer from Kansas." Chloe answers. She more comfortable because Clark actually seems like a good driver and possibly a good friend.
"Do you still think I'm Amish?" Clark asks with a smile.
"No. You use a truck and they don't do that. But this is so totally different from where I have been." Chloe answers as she watches the cornfields as they pass by.
Clark turns down a dirt road and they pass even more corn, at least 2 miles wide and across, Chloe guesses. 'I have fallen off the face of the civilized world'. A man working on a tractor comes into view. He very handsome Chloe thinks and she realizes that Clark is pulling up one of the turn rows and stops. 'That's his dad' Clark gets out of the truck and walks over to his dad to see what is wrong with the old girl this time.
"Which is it?" Clark asks "The starter or the fuel line?"
"Neither. She decided to do something new today." Jonathan Kent answers.
"Hi." Chloe says and walks around the cab.
"Well, Hello to you, too" Jonathan answers. "You must be Chloe." He walks over taken off his gloves. He shakes her hand and Chloe notices how calloused it is "Its nice to met you. I'm Jonathan Kent."
"My reputation precedes me." Chloe answers. "I'm Chloe Sullivan and it's nice to finally meet you."
"All Clark said was that she really smart and cute. Truth be told I think he needs glasses, now that I have seen you myself. I heard you created you own invite to dinner. Now is that really true?" Jonathan is using that Kent charm and embarrassing his son all to well. "Martha is really looking forward to this, she been fixing her masterpieces most of the morning."
"Dad." Clark says turning red enough to match his red t-shirt. "Where did you want the feed?"
"Put it on the flatbed." He says pointing to the trailer behind his tractor. They both start loading the trailer and Chloe looks around at the vastness of the cornfields.
"Ready to go?" Clark asks
"That didn't take long." Chloe thinking what did I miss. They unloaded the feed really quick. 'How do they do that so fast?'
"We will see you at dinner." Jonathan says as he gives his son the look 'son you need to be more careful' and Clark nods understanding the unwritten and unspoken rules of being Clark Kent.
Both of them get back in the cab and Clark backs the truck onto the dirt road. He heads right back to the blacktop. "Okay, now you have to tell me what you were doing at the high school and what upset you?" Clark declares
"You can't laugh." Chloe says remembering that her life is in someone else hands and not meaning Clark's driving. "Promise."
"I can't promise. I don't like too, because sometimes you have to beak them. Why would I laugh, unless it's funny? And I don't think it will be, but if it is. I can't help but laugh." Clark was trying to lessen Chloe's fears and tension. Chloe smiles. 'It worked' he thought.
"Okay, I was talking to Mr. Holder about working on the 'Torch'. " Chloe answers
"Really, so that means you're planning to be a writer. Clark answers. "That's great."
"I have known I was going to be a journalist since I was 8. I had to give Mr. Holder sample of my work and that my life, so I am kind of nervous without my notebook." Chloe said feeling more confident since her new friend liked that she was a writer. "You're turn. Why don't you want to go to the Meteor museum?"
"You can keep a secret right. Pete's the only other person I told."
"Cross my heart." Chloe answers Clark by making an X over her heart.
"The place gives me the 'willies' and I turn into a worse 'spaz' than I am already. I sound like a 'wuss'. Don't I?" Clark is looking nervous and scared about telling her the secret.
"No, I just think there's more at work. I will find out what it is. You see I'm a reporter, and someday I will work at the Daily Planet." Chloe answers
"So that's why you wanted that paper so bad the first day we met. Pete and I thought you were just a little too obsessed with the Daily Planet paper." Clark laughs
"I am obsessed with knowing the truth." Chloe answers. "Where do you want to go instead of the museum?" Chloe decides to give Clark a chance since she will get to that museum one of these days.
"Crater Lake is just up the road, Mom really loves this spot. We go picnicking up there."
"Crater Lake it is." Chloe leans back and enjoys the rest of the ride.
They arrive at Crater Lake, Clark is very careful about where he walks. He gets weak and dizzy in certain places. Luckily the picnic spot that his parents go to isn't one of those areas and he helps Chloe up the incline. She wasn't wearing shoes for a hike. Clark always has his boots when he may have to help his dad. He sometimes wears sneakers, not today though; he usually wears them on the days he goes skateboarding. Although he hasn't really had time to practice any new moves. "What do you think?" once they get to the grove of trees and it just overlooks the make shift dock someone constructed.
"It's beautiful. This was one of the biggest meteor strikes?" Chloe asks already knowing the answer. She has a little book on the Day of the Meteor Shower.
"Yeah, my dad says none of this existed before that day. He likes the lake, but sometimes I think he gets a little said with all the people who died that he knew." Clark sounded actually older than 14.
"It's really hard to believe that some much bad happened. I am glad I was only 3 then." Chloe says softly. She had read so many articles and stories she sometimes thought she could know what it was like. "So, do you look like your mom?" Chloe changes the subject, "I noticed you don't look like your dad."
"I had hoped I could just pretend, but I guess since the whole town already knows and I have always known. I'm adopted. My parents brought me home the day of the meteor shower." Clark answers.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Chloe walks away. 'Boy did I do it this time. Open mouth insert foot.' She thought.
"My mom has said I was the best thing that happen to her." Clark smiles "I'm okay with being adopted, my parents are great. They wanted me. I could think of being anywhere else." Clark answers sitting down on the ground and lying back. "My dad takes me fishing here, like he said he wished his dad had been able to do."
"Have you ever thought about your biological parents?" Chloe asks sitting down next to Clark.
"Nope." Clark said and he knew it was a lie. He just hoped that Chloe didn't pick up on it. "What about you and your family?"
"I don't like to talk about it too much. My mom walked out on us when I was about 5. They had been fighting before then and I would hide out in our garage just so I didn't hear it." Chloe answers " Can we just leave it at that?"
"Sure." Clark saw pain and then nothing in Chloe's eyes.
"What time is it?" Chloe says looking at her watch. "It's 5. Is that what you have." And then she noticed that Clark was asleep and not wearing a watch. She laughs and watching the ducks coming in for a landing on the lake. 'I would love to fly' she thinks to herself. "Should I wake him up or not?' she asks. 'I'll give him until 5:30pm, but it sure is nice that he went to sleep on me.' Chloe is being sarcastic about the whole situation.
"Oh man, I didn't mean to crash." Clark embarrassed and turning red, for the second time today. "I guess we should head for the farm. If you're ready?"
"Sure. Can you give me a hand?" Clark could not resist the urge to clap, and so he did. Chloe gives him one of her 'best evil eyes'. Just then he gives her his hand and pulls her up and they both laugh. "Good one. I will have to watch what I say around you."
"I know it's such a cliché, but I thought it was really funny." Clark smiles. He seems to have that ability to break tension and make you feel at ease. His dad was like that earlier, so much for biology. Chloe dusts her pants off and wonders why did I wear black today. They both head back to the truck.
On the road to the farm, Clark sees a calf caught in some barbwire. " I need to help him out. He might be hurt."
"I can help." Chloe tells Clark getting out of the truck.
"No, I don't want you to tear up your clothes. I can get it." Clark walks over to the ditch and tries to cover the fact that he is popping the wire with his bare hands. He says to the calf. 'Now stay out of trouble, I don't want to hear it from your mom.' He makes sure the calf isn't seriously hurt and lets him go. The calf runs off towards the pasture, then stops and turns back as if to tell Clark 'Thanks'. Clark returns to the trunk and heads home.
"Will the cow be okay?" Chloe asks, "I mean it's not hurt bad?"
"The calf, he'll be fine. He has a few scratches, nothing big." Clark answers knowing that what just happened are pretty normal on the farm.
Clark and Chloe get to the Kent Farm at 6. Gabe Sullivan's car is already parked and he is enjoying some of Martha Kent famous lemonade. Martha looks up and smiles, she can't believe she is so lucky to have Clark in her life. She stands up and waves, "How was the museum?" she knows that Clark doesn't like to go around Carl Johnson's old place. Although she cannot figure out why he gets so sick, just like he did in grade school when he walk over to that old tree fort that Greg Arkin's dad built near the Creekside Foundry which was destroyed by the meteor shower nearly 12 years ago.
"I took Chloe up to Crater Lake instead, the place where we go on picnics." Clark answers and smiling at his visibly relieved mother.
"Yeah, we skipped that attraction this time. I can check it out later." Chloe adds as she sits next to her dad. "It's beautiful out there."
"I agree. I love that place." Martha smiles because that's the place where Jonathan proposed. "Can I get the both of you some lemonade?"
"I'll get it, Mom." Clark says going inside to the kitchen. He gets to glasses from the cabinet and pours lemonade and ice into them. 'It's been a really nice day, and I think I have a new friend, maybe more. I feel comfortable with her.' He thinks as he carries out the glasses. He hands one to Chloe and sits down next to his mom. "Dinner smells great. You went all out." Clark says smiling; he knows his mom always cooks meals that are delicious. If she didn't cook, she knows that he and his dad would eat cold pizza and drink milk right out of the jug. She wasn't going to have that happen on her watch.
"I hope you didn't go a lot of trouble for just us." Gabe comments.
"Of course she did, Martha always goes to a lot of trouble for us." Jonathan Kent comes up from the barn, and kisses his wife on the cheek. Chloe and Gabe both turn away, and Clark notices the look of pain in Chloe's eyes. He remembers what they talked about up at Crater Lake, and he decides to diffuse the tension.
"Man, I didn't need to see that." Clark jokes and puts his hand over his eyes. "You embarrassing me again, Dad."
"I'm Jonathan Kent, professional son embarrasser. It's nice to met you." He shakes Gabe Sullivan's hand. Chloe sees where Clark gets his sense of humor. Nurture over nature, Chloe thinks.
"It's nice to met you, Gabe Sullivan. My daughter Chloe." Gabe says as he turns to her.
"We've already met earlier this afternoon. How was the museum?" Jonathan continues.
"They went up to Crater Lake instead." Martha answers
"Hmm. I'll wash up and be ready for dinner in just a few." Jonathan goes inside.
"Help me set the table?" Martha turns to Clark.
"Sure." Clark answers
"Can we do anything to help?" Gabe asks
"Nope. Just enjoy the lemonade and the view." Martha answers going inside.
Jonathan talks about his first date with Martha. How he took her to their picnic spot. "We met when I was taken the same course as Martha and she asked to borrow my notes." Martha is smiling, but it seems more like she knows something her husband doesn't. "We became fast friends, even though she is a 'city girl':" Jonathan adds.
"He proposed to me at that same spot." Martha adds letting everyone at the table know he was a romantic at heart. Chloe thinks Martha seems to belong here at this farm.
"Yea, everyone in this town thought I'd marry Nell Potter." Jonathan said before he thought. 'That wasn't a good thing to bring up' he reminds himself not to do it again.
"Some people were very vocal in their disappointment." Martha adds
"Not me, and to Martha's credit she's never let it sink in too deep." Jonathan says squeezing his wife's hand saying 'I'm sorry I brought it up' with his eyes. "My parents loved her, and that's what meant the most to me."
"At that time there wasn't a lake, correct." Chloe one seeing that the subject needed changing and two she was in reporter mode.
"That's true. It was just trees and grass back then. And there was this little creek I used to play in when I was little, but it dried up." Jonathan answers.
"What was it like growing up here in Smallville?" she wanted to ask before the meteor shower but she was able to bite back that part of the question.
"You are a 'city girl' too. It's really not that different from growing up anywhere, except I worked on the farm. I got to play football, go to classes and hang out with my buddies. Sound familiar." Jonathan says leaning towards Chloe. She laughs.
"So are you going to play football in high school." She turns to Clark, who then turns to his dad and there's that look.
"I don't know." Clark answers because he really wants to play but there's that unwritten rule. "Maybe." Martha decides that there needs to be a distraction before both father and son get into the discussion again.
"Are all of you ready for dessert and coffee?" She asks knowing that Clark has been waiting for a piece of cherry pie all day.
"Only if it's apple." Jonathan says teasing.
"Sorry, guess you don't want any then. I only made cherry." Martha teases back colleting the dishes.
"Please let me help." Chloe says wanting to stretch her legs and to move around the house a little. The detective in her is dying to look at everything.
"But you're a guest." Chloe gives the plea for freedom to Martha. "All right you can help." Martha is very pleased Chloe seems like a nice person and a good friend for Clark. He can be so shy sometimes around girls. They bring out the pie and plates. Martha gives everyone a piece, except Jonathan. Who proceeds to take the pie tin and eat what's left. "Jonathan!" Martha snaps and then laughs at her husband. "I thought you didn't want anything but apple pie."
"I changed my mind." Jonathan says and everyone laughs.
After dessert, while the parents visit over coffee, Clark gives Chloe a tour of the house and farm. He continues to prove to Chloe that he and his parents are not Amish. Even though sometimes he thinks they are not apart of the real world, he is still hoping to get the PC for his birthday. He will really need it for high school. He thinks he's convinced his mom, just waiting on dad. Clark is nervous and feels like he is running out of places to show Chloe. He knows she is going to start asking more questions, like she did at dinner. "And here is the barn, my dad is building me a place up there. He is calling it my Fortress of Solitude. Funny, huh."
"I think it's great, Can we go up there?" Chloe asks heading to the stairs.
"Yeah." Clark follows her up. "Just be careful, some of the boards aren't secured in place, yet. It's a work in progress."
"It's better than a tree house." Chloe says when she gets to the top. She notices that there's a telescope. "Are you into astronomy?"
'I'm officially a geek. The only 8th grader in the Astronomy Club' Clark thinks to himself and now she knows 'I'm lame' "I like to look at the stars." Clark moves the telescope so that Chloe cannot tell that it looking right at the neighbor's which just happens to be Nell's house where Lana Lang lives. Chloe notices he's moved the telescope, but she let's it slide this time.
"Don't laugh, but I would like to see the stars close up. I'd like to know if there are other life forms. I'd like to know what it's like to fly." Clark is laughing and Chloe stops and gets this look. 'Hey I said 'don't laugh' she smiles.
"Can't help it. I don't know about that stuff. But I do know that talk of aliens usually gets you sent to BellRev." Clark says through laughter
"Well it's just my opinion, but I think it's an awful waste of space." Chloe answers feeling a little stung as she walks over to Clark. She's thinking 'It's now or never' and she kisses him full lip on lip kiss. Clark is shocked and thinks 'That was out of the blue'. "I know you have been thinking about that all day. So I just thought we should get it out of the way and now we can be friends." Chloe smiles and turns towards the telescope again.