Desperate Gambit
Part 3 Chapter 13
[Lourdes—Next morning]
Clark and Lex disembarked off of the train and looked around at the picturesque backdrop. For that time of the year, it was a warm day and the sun shone brightly. On the way down, Lex spoke to JM on their old secure line, double checking everyone's location.
"I wish that I could run over there," Clark expressed.
"There are a lot of things I wish you could do too but we can't endanger the girls," Lex disagreed. "The Maison is right across the square. The others are in the crowd behind us. Let's get the information and move on to our next destination."
The teenager shrugged, wanting to do something more direct.
Shortly after, they walked through the front door of the hotel and over to its front desk.
"Yes?" the clerk asked.
"Yes, is there a message for Luthor or Kent?" Lex requested.
The clerk fished through his messages and nodded. "Here."
"Thank you," Lex accepted, taking the envelope. "Come on, Clark."
They headed over to a nearby bench where they opened the message. It read:
Clark and Lex,
It's nice to see that you followed instructions to this point. At noon today, there will be a truck waiting out back of this hotel with two men. They will drive you to our hideout. And just in case, Clark decides to get industrious, they will be armed if you get my meaning. Also we have cameras onboard. Any trouble and the girls take the plunge.
Be seeing you around dinner time.
The Kidnappers.
"See you around dinner time?" Clark asked. "Of all the stupid things!"
"Cool it, Clark. Remember, they're playing head games. We can too," Lex replied. "Come on."
[11:30 Alley a block from the hotel]
Byron, Emily and JM crouched just out of sight of the kidnappers. After meeting up with Lex and Clark at a little bistro on the city's outskirts, they went into position.
The truck was in position with the two men.
A half block nearer to them, a car with two women and a man watched the truck.
JM took a quick glance at her two companions and grinned. "Oui. This could work!"
"What?" Byron asked.
"We—how do you Americans say it?—beat them up and take their places," JM explained.
"We pretend we're them," Emily realized. "I like this."
Byron's eyes went dark. "Ready?"
Emily nodded. "If it gets me closer to Tina, then yeah!" She took off in a blur.
He sprinted after her, reaching the spot not long after she did.
Between them, the kidnapping trio went down in two seconds flat.
JM rushed over. "We have twenty minutes. Get their uniforms and put them on."
The others did so, leaving their victims bound in the alley.
After she changed, JM called the police. Then she told the two Americans, "In the car. I'll drive."
[Noon]
Clark and Lex walked around the corner of the hotel toward the back parking lot. After a morning of some self-reflection and getting a few things, they were ready to face the music. Even if they died, they decided that if the girls got out then it was worth it.
As they approached the car, one of the men approached, "You can stop right there, guys."
"And you're supposed to be?" Clark asked.
The man frowned. "None of yer business, Kid. Come on, Garner and Hawk have been waitin' to see both of ya."
The other man looked firmly at them as he lifted the curtain of the army surplus truck. "Get in!"
"After you, Clark," Lex offered.
"Gee thanks, Lex," Clark retorted.
Lex shrugged, getting in the back himself.
The first man checked everything and then yelled, "All right, Jason! Let's move!"
The two prisoners looked at each other and then at the driver, wondering if that was indeed the jerk that had set Lana up. They would find out soon enough.
As the truck turned the corner, its tail car followed.
Little did Garner and the others suspected that the odds had shifted a bit against them.
Chapter 12 [Lodge—Pyrennes]
"So?" Hawk asked. "Is our little convoy on its way?"
"Yes, sir," the skinny henchman affirmed.
"Excellent," the shadow boss said, savoring his apparent victory. "Do give them the news, my Dear."
Tina shrugged. "Sure." She headed down the passageway and into the cells. "How's lunch?"
"I think I'd prefer the mystery meat at school," Chloe retorted.
"The company was all right until ten seconds ago," Lana added sourly.
Tina smirked. "You'll be getting some more company tonight. Clark and Lex are on their way up here. Jason let us know they were coming. Oh and Lana, he says hello."
The former cheerleader smiled sweetly. "If he wants to know about real men, he can look in the back seat."
"I suppose," the meteor mutant retorted, shifting her appearance so that she resembled Clark. "After tomorrow, you can have it like this anyhow."
Lana shuddered. "You'll have to kill me before I'd go with you!"
"Your loss," Tina replied, returning to her regular shape and leaving them. As she did, she saw two men coming downstairs. "Guard them. Maybe the others think this is sewn up but I don't!" She headed up the stairs, leaving them to the prisoners.
Meantime, Lana and Chloe watched their guards carefully. Over the past three days, they had discussed several options. Now they waited for their opportunity.
Chapter 13 [Lodge—Pyrennes, sunset]
The convoy steamed up the last part of the mountain and cleared the check gate without a problem. Everyone was eager to get the prisoners offloaded and into the lodge.
In the car, JM sat by herself, her ski mask concealing her features. Fortunately, the truck had stalled once just a mile down the road, giving Byron and Emily a chance to slip into the woods. Within thirty minutes, they would be inside the compound's perimeter. Bon chance, my friends. We need for you to make it!
"Hey, where are the others, Roget?" one of the truck's goons asked in French.
"They got out when we cleared the gate," she responded, shouldering her rifle. "Let's get these clowns out and to the boss." She pulled back the cover. "All right! OUT! Both of you!"
Clark and Lex climbed down with several rifles and lead canisters aimed at them.
"What do you think, Clark?" Lex asked, looking around at the lodge and the view.
"Great place, lousy hosts," the teen replied.
"That's really funny, Kent. Get in there. She's waiting for you!" Jason commanded.
"You better hope we don't meet after this, Pal," Clark warned angrily.
"When they're done with you, there won't be an after," Jason retorted.
"You too!" JM commanded, giving Lex a kick in the rear end. "Move it!" She winked at him.
Lex had to fight to conceal the smirk on his face. She's playing it up to look real. Go along with it, Lex.
Surrounded by guards, the two men marched into the lodge and into the main living area. There Garner and Tina waited for them. In the shadows, Hawk sat, observing the whole process.
"Roget, send the others up here and watch the prisoners," Hawk ordered.
"I knew you couldn't resist the invitation, Clark," Garner announced, stepping forward to greet the two prisoners. "And Lex, you had to come too."
"We want to see them, Garner," Clark asserted.
"Oh you'll see them soon enough. I promise you," Tina vowed. "It's been too long since you killed me, Clark. This time, it's my turn to kill you."
"In your dreams," the teen replied.
"No actually, I am going to kill you and then, I'm going to take Lana for myself," the meteor mutant declared. "What Garner does with your corpse, I don't care about."
"And what about me?" Lex asked.
"You'll rot up here for eternity just as you would have had me do," Hawk noted, stepping into the light and revealing his features. As he did, the rouge hair and beard in addition to his intense eyes revealed his identity.
"Dad? But how? You're in jail!" Lex demanded.
Lionel grinned. "Now how can I be in Metropolis and here at the same time?" He rubbed his chin. "That is a good question, isn't it? Dr. Garner, care to answer that?"
Garner smirked. "We cloned him, Lex. The clone's in jail. He's here."
"You have to admit that you caught me too easily," Lionel replied. "I let it happen so that I could vanish. It left me free to plot all of this. I took Miss Sullivan right under your noses. Then I rigged Miss Lang's entrance into the art school. It was all too easy. Once she was there, I planted Jason in her social circle. This past weekend, he got her down here and you know the rest of the story."
"You're such a class act, Dad," Lex countered.
"And you are?" Lionel wondered. "Lex, you're going to suffer. You know that? And Clark, you're going to end up as Garner's lab rat."
"You've got to get me there first," Clark disagreed.
"You don't have a lot of help here, Clark," Tina retorted. "Get them downstairs."
At that moment, the lodge shook from some unknown impact.
"What the?" Garner demanded, running to the console. He flipped between cameras, looking for the disturbance. He couldn't find anything. "What have you done? Who is it?"
"Maybe some of your men partying?" Lex asked flippantly.
"Not likely. Put them in with the girls and watch them!" Lionel ordered.
[Prison Area]
As with the others upstairs, Lana and Chloe felt the impact, rocking the lodge.
"What's that?" Lana asked.
"Your way out," JM answered, taking the keys off of her belt.
"JM?" Lana asked, as the door was unlocked.
"You thought I was going to leave you in here?" her roommate wondered, opening Chloe's door as well. "It's good to finally meet you, Mme. Sullivan. Stand back!"
The wall collapsed, as two fists crashed through it.
"Lana?" Byron asked, as he stepped into the room.
"Byron! You're a sight for sore eyes!" Lana cheered.
"I'll say," Chloe agreed. "Who's your friend?"
"I'm Emily," She stepped through the "door." "Hi, Lana!"
"Oh no. Not again," Lana worried, panicking at the sight of the oversized kid.
"She's with us, Lana. Don't worry," JM assured her.
"I knew you'd think I was bad," Emily sulked.
"You don't want to take me away?" Lana asked.
"I just want to be your friend!" Emily pointed out. "Byron's been helping me understand big people ways."
"Really?" Lana asked.
The poet flushed with embarrassment. "Maybe a little. I just gave her some of the tips that you and Clark gave me." Letting his eyes go dark again, he roared, "They're coming!"
"Get out the back!" JM urged, aiming her rifle at the door. As the door opened, she aimed and fired quickly, hitting the first guard in the shoulder. "Alex! Clark! I've got them!"
"What the Hell?" Tina asked. "You've gotta be kidding!" She looked at Emily. "And who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm Emily, Lana's best friend! You stole her from me!" Emily bellowed, streaking toward Tina and tackling her into the far wall.
"What? I don't!" the meteor mutant asked, pushing her away. Then she looked at her assailant again. "It's you! But you drowned! She's mine!"
"She's my friend!" Emily countered, smacking Tina over and over again. "You aren't hurting her or Clark anymore!"
Tina backed away, trying to get away but she backed right into Clark. "You?"
"Me." He grabbed onto her. "Emily, she's yours."
"Thanks, Clark," Emily expressed, knocking Tina out and finishing the job. "She won't hurt you anymore, Lana."
"Thanks, Emily," Lana managed to tell the other girl.
"We need to take care of things upstairs," Chloe realized.
"Just as long as you're safe, Sullivan," Lex told her. "You and Lana, go with JM. Clark, Byron, Emily and I can deal with it."
"Not a chance. Especially not with all of those meteor rocks those guys have up there," Chloe stated. Seeing Clark look at her, she added, "I remember watching your parents beating on you with one when that weird phone mess was going on."
"Is that right, Clark?" Lana asked.
He nodded. "The meteors make me sick. And there are other things you need to know when we're out of here."
Lana stared at him. "Clark, you're going to tell me after all of this?"
"I should have told you sooner. But if you'll talk to me after this is over, I promise you'll know the whole thing," he vowed.
She could see the earnestness in his eyes and hear his voice breaking. "JM, do you know anything about this?"
"Oui. He's come halfway around the world with Alex to save you. I think that you can listen for five minutes, Lana," her roommate pointed out.
"Give the farm boy a chance," Chloe added.
"Okay, Clark, but you better tell me this time," Lana directed firmly.
"I have a deal with JM and I mean to keep it," Clark agreed. "Meantime, let's wrap up Garner and Lionel."
"Lionel?" Lana and Chloe asked incredulously.
"The guy they've been calling 'Hawk'," JM indicated. "He's Alex's father. I recognized his voice when we came in."
"And it's a shame that you had to do that, Miss Thibodeau," Lionel added, coming into the area flanked by several more goons.
"Not this time, Mr. Luthor," Clark replied, taking off in a blur and dealing punishment to the underlings. He dealt with almost all of the goons when he saw someone in the shadows take aim at Lana. "Lana, GET DOWN!" He jumped into the line of fire.
Then a shot rang out, hitting him in the side.
He felt pain and knew it was a kryptonite bullet like the ones Van had used against him the previous fall. He collapsed to the ground, the radiation making him sick.
"CLARK!" Lana yelled.
"Guess I finally took him out of your life," Jason remarked, aiming the gun again at Clark's head. "One more shot should finish him."
"No!" she protested, rushing at him. "You won't hurt him!" She fought with him for the gun before knocking it away from him.
"You still care for him, don't you? I'm not surprised!" Jason taunted.
Lana delivered a series of kicks, knocking him out cold. "He's a thousand times the man you'll ever be, Jason." She heard another safety click off and saw a barrel pointing at her head.
Lionel smirked at her. "Very heroic, Miss Lang. I should kill you right now and let you join Clark on the other side."
"You'll have to kill me to get another shot at him," she vowed.
"So be it," Lionel replied, aiming the two pistols at the teens' heads.
"Stop it, Bad Man!" Emily protested, streaking into him and knocking him against the wall.
Lex rushed over and checked his friends out. "Are you okay, Lana?"
She nodded but looked at Clark. "He's going to die, isn't he?"
"Y…you have to get it out…of me," Clark told them weakly.
Lex rubbed Lana's shoulder. "We can do this. Just take his hand. Chloe, can you help me?"
The reporter nodded. "What can we do, Lex?"
"I need a blade of some kind. Anything," Lex requested.
JM gave him her pocket knife and a pair of tweezers. "How are these?"
"Perfect!" the billionaire complimented. "Hang in there, Clark. Okay?" He dug into the wound with the knife. "Can you see it, Chloe?"
Chloe nodded. "There it is! Hang on, Clark."
Clark ground his teeth as the pain cut through him.
Lana rubbed his face gently, trying to give him her best smile even if his pain tore her heart in two. "We'll get you through this, Clark. By the way, thanks."
"F…for what?" he asked.
"For taking that for me," she explained. "You meant it huh?"
"I…love you," he revealed weakly. "ARGH!"
"Hang in there!" Lana told him. "How's it coming?"
"Almost there!" Lex advised. "Hang in there, Clark! How you doing, Chloe?"
Chloe grabbed the glowing green bullet with the tweezers. "I've got it!" She ran toward the hole and threw it away.
With the bullet gone, Clark's wound healed rapidly and he quickly regained consciousness. "Whoa." He looked to see his friends smiling at him. "You saw, huh?"
"We sure did," Lana indicated, stooping down next to him. "And I know you care. Now you made me a promise, remember?"
"I'm going to tell you everything, Lana. And Lex, remember what you promised?" Clark agreed.
Lex smirked. "Hey, I'm keeping my part of the deal. Put me on your dance card, Sullivan. You and I have some things to discuss."
"Really? Such as?" the reporter asked.
"This," the billionaire revealed, kissing her.
"Wow!" Chloe exclaimed. "You're serious, Lex?"
"When it comes to you, Sullivan, I'm deadly serious," Lex declared. Seeing Clark get up, he asked, "You doing better?"
"Much," Clark agreed. "Let's get this guys rounded up and down to the police in Lourdes."
"But what about Garner, Tina and your father, Lex?" Chloe wondered.
"Those are good questions. We could let the French special services know about Tina, I suppose. As for Dad, well…he has a few things on his international rap sheet," Lex pointed out. "By the way, where is Garner?"
"Right here," Byron indicated, walking in with Emily and dragging the unconscious scientist behind them. "We did it together!"
Emily smiled. "Just like two big people."
"You are a big person now, Emily," Byron told her, giving her a kiss. "And I really care about you, you know."
"Byron, come on," she protested although she knew the others were happy for them both
"Let's get out of here. Then we can talk, all of us," JM urged as they began rounding up unconscious goons and throwing them into the truck. With Emily and Clark's super speed support, they finished the job in minutes, making sure they were all bound properly. Then Lana, Lex and Chloe made sure all of the kryptonite was collected and buried so that it wouldn't hurt Clark again. When that was finished, they could roll back down the mountain, heading for the pretty town once more.
Chapter 14 [Marsailles—JM's parents' home]
After wrapping things up in Lourdes, the three couples and JM headed for her parents' home close to the French Mediterranean coast. The time allowed everyone (particularly Clark) to call home and let his parents know where he was. Even though they were going to have a stern talk with him when the group returned, they knew why he felt the way he did and were glad that he had made sure that everything was taken care of on all fronts.
At least things were back to normal. Well, not quite the way they had been.
[That night—first terrace]
Chloe stood out on the terrace amidst the flower boxes and ornate deck furniture. She had to admit that Lana's roommate definitely had taste or her family did at least. Looking out over the beachfront beneath her, she took in the moonwashed beach and the water. "This is perfect."
"It is, isn't it?" Lex concurred, walking onto the terrace with two cups of coffee. "Nights like this should be treasured, Chloe." He set the cups on a glass lawn table and joined her. "The sea and the sky go on forever, no beginnings or ends—just two giant looping curves, meeting at the horizon."
"What is it that you wanted to talk with me about, Lex?" she wondered, taking her coffee.
He took a deep breath and looked in her eyes. "You ever watch something develop and never understand how you feel about it until it's too late?"
"Sort of," she replied, trying to get his meaning. "Go on."
"You're not a kid anymore, Chloe. I've watched you grow and mature these past four years into a remarkable woman. I admire your spunk and fire. When you helped to take my father down, I was so proud of you. Then when I heard about the safe house blowing up, it almost killed me. You're more than just a friend to me. I've really come to care about you," he explained.
She looked at him quizzically, surveying the feelings she saw in his features. Then she laughed, putting her hand over her mouth. "Excuse me. I can't believe this."
"What's so funny?" he demanded, feeling angry.
She shook her head. "Lex, it isn't funny. In fact, I'm touched and relieved." She put her hands on his shoulders. "I've watched you grow too from the rich spoiled brat to a real friend and then to someone I admire. Someone I want to be with."
"Really?" he asked.
"Really," she affirmed, kissing him on the cheek. "You're becoming the real deal, Luthor. Of course…." She smirked. "…Of course, you are a work in progress. We'll need to work on you a bit."
He snickered, letting his eyes sparkle at her. "Who's going to work on whom, Sullivan?"
"You want a tug of war, do you?" she teased.
He smirked. "Bring it on. I think I can handle it. Meantime, can you come here?"
"Sure. Why? I think we…." She started to speak but his kiss stopped the words right there. Giving into the moment, she put her arms around his neck, deepening that connection between them.
When they finally came up for air, he asked, "How was that?"
She grinned. "Lex, this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership."
[Second terrace]
[A/N: Roswell is owned by its copyright owners.]
As Chloe had on the other terrace, Clark surveyed the beach and the sparkling waters beneath them. Before he went to tell Lana his feelings and the Secret, he wanted to put his thoughts in order, leaving nothing to chance. "This is our chance at happiness. I don't want to screw it up," he told the stars and the sea.
"Don't try so hard, Clark," Lana advised, joining him out there. The sea breeze rustled through her hair. The moonlight lit up her eyes and skin.
"I was going to come by your room in a bit," he told her.
"I know. When Clark Kent makes a promise, he keeps it," she agreed. "Even if it is on your own schedule." She chuckled softly at him. "A girl could get old waiting for you."
"Then why do you?" he asked.
She thought on that question for a minute before answering. "You know, I never understood that myself. There have been other guys, other chances. But it seems when I see one of those guys, I end up with a nutcase. And voila! There you are, saving me again."
"Actually you saved me this time," he corrected her.
"We, Mr. Kent, saved each other," she declared. "Someone keeps bringing us together. Do you think they're trying to tell us something?"
"Maybe that we need to trust each other?" he proposed. "That I need to trust that you can take my secret and not run away into the night?"
She nodded. "Exactly. Clark, I may need some time to deal with it but I would never betray you. I hope you realize that."
"I know. I just wanted to keep you safe. One thing this mess, the Adam situation and the last year have taught me is that you're just in danger not knowing it as you are knowing it," he admitted.
"What does Adam have to do with your secret, Clark?" she queried, getting confused.
"Adam was complicated. Before he died, he admitted that Lionel Luthor sent him to watch me," Clark recounted. "I imagine he was supposed to watch me through you."
"So that's why he kept the journal," she realized.
He nodded. "That's it."
"And your secret. You told Alicia. Why did you tell her?" she inquired.
He looked at her earnestly. "It wasn't exactly by choice, Lana. We were in an elevator car together and she saw me doing my stuff. She teleported us out of the car."
"So you were keeping each other's secrets then. I can accept that," she told him. "You know Alicia asked me what hold I have over you. I'd like to know too."
"I really don't know," he admitted, pointing to the sky. "There's so much of my life I don't understand. But I realize now that I've been thinking too much about destiny instead of just living life."
"Meaning?" she inquired, starting to see where he was going.
"I think we've been looking too hard for the answers when they're right in front of us."
She smiled. "You think?"
"I do," he indicated. "Lana, if I stop trying to be perfect and just be a good boyfriend, would you be willing to try again?"
"That's all I've ever wanted, Clark," she told him. "Just be honest with me. All right? Speaking of which, you have something else to tell me, don't you?"
"Yeah that," he replied. He sighed, looking up at the sky. "Remember when we were doing those family tree projects last year?"
"Right," she replied, recalling the last few months of their sophomore year. "And?"
"I discovered where I'm from. If you want, I can show you when we get back to Smallville. The answers are in the caves," he told her.
"The Cowache Caves? What do those pictures have to do with you?" she asked.
"They're a language of their own. They tell a story of the last person of a dead planet. This person comes to Earth and lives here. Eventually, he's destined to have some sort of influence over the people," he recounted.
"You can read those symbols?" she asked.
"My natural father taught me last year just before I went to see that expert in New York," he told her.
"Clark, your parents are dead," she told him.
"Sorry—my father's ghost. He showed up right after our night in the Loft. And he threatened you, Mom and Dad if I didn't do what he wanted," he continued.
She stared at him for a minute. "That was the voice you were talking about in the storm cellar. Clark, why didn't you tell me? I would have stood by you."
"I didn't want you getting hurt, Lana. My parents had already lost the baby. I couldn't take losing you or them too," he revealed.
"Is there any way we can talk with this guy when we go back?" she asked. Seeing him gulp anxiously, she continued, "I need to get some things straight and to let him know that I value what's important to you. Getting back to the story, you're the last one, aren't you?"
He looked anxiously at her. "Promise me, you won't freak out on me."
"Clark. I'll be fine. Just say it," she insisted, folding her arms across her chest.
He pointed to the sky. "I came from one of those stars out there. My real parents named me Kal-El and my planet was called Krypton. Apparently, it exploded when I was two years old. That's where all of the meteor fragments come from."
"Including the ones that killed my parents," she supposed; the insight angering her slightly.
"Right," he told her. "My parents saved me but died in the process as did my entire world. But they sent me here, knowing that I can make a difference. The environment makes me special, Lana. I have abilities that nobody else has. Until now, I've hidden those gifts from everyone except those who stumble across them such as Tina, Emily, Byron and Pete."
"Pete knows?" she asked.
"He found out by accident. He…well…discovered my spaceship. I had to tell him," he noted.
"You actually have a spaceship? Of course you do. How else would a two year old travel millions of miles across space?" she realized before shaking her head. "This is so much like Roswell. And there aren't any more like you?"
"There's Kara, the blonde woman you saw me with. She was supposed to bring me home or something. Other than her, nope, I'm it," he remarked.
"And? You didn't go? Why?" she asked.
"There's a lot more I need to do here. And people I care about," he pointed out, looking right at her.
"You stayed behind for your parents and me?" she supposed.
"That's right. I couldn't leave you behind," he told her. "Even if it means losing all of my gifts, I don't care. I love you, Lana."
She wiped her eyes, not wanting him to see the tears building there. He stayed behind for me. Wow. "I don't know what to say, Clark."
"You don't have to say anything, Lana. Just be with me," he told her.
"I stand by what I said earlier. Now about these gifts of yours. What is it that you do?" she asked. "Well, other than fly into trucks to save damsels in distress? Don't deny it again, Clark."
"I won't. Dad told me to at the time. I wanted to tell you," he admitted. "I'm still finding out who I am, Lana. But I know that I'm really strong and fast. I have heat vision and x-ray vision. And my hearing's really sensitive. I'm bulletproof for the most part."
"Except when the bullet's made of the green meteor rocks," she deduced. "Okay, the speed and hard skin explain how you reached me the night Adam tried to kill me. But be honest with me, you started those fires in the classroom and at the Talon, didn't you?"
He flushed with embarrassment. "They were accidental. I was discovering my heat vision when it happened."
"So what caused it to happen?" she asked.
He smiled. "You did."
"Me? What did I…?" she started to ask before remembering all of the stuff about pheromones. She snickered. "You mean I got you so worked up that it came out your eyes?"
"Yeah. But I could have hurt you too. That's why I never told you," he added.
"Clark, we could have dealt with it together. Promise me that," she insisted.
"I promise that I won't," he agreed. "So you're okay with this?"
She shrugged. "I need to think on it, Clark. I appreciate your honesty but do I know who you are?"
"I'm still Clark. I've never been able to lie about my feelings for you, Lana," he insisted.
"I know. Just give me some time, all right?" she asked.
"Take as much time as you need," he agreed. "I want you but on both of our terms."
"Thanks, Clark. And don't worry, your secret's safe with me," she assured him, heading into the house.
Great. That's shot, he mused, taking a stone and tossing it far out to sea.
Chapter 15
[Jeanne-Marie's room]
JM sat in her bedroom, reviewing some notes for school. With her friends working on their separate relationship issues, she wanted to offer the scenic backdrop to let the ball start rolling. Hearing a knock at the door, she asked, "Oui?"
"JM, it's Lana. Can I come in?"
"Certainly," JM agreed. As her college roommate entered the room, she noticed the uncertain look on the other's face. "What is it? You talked to Clark, didn't you?"
Lana nodded. "I did." She took a deep breath. "Wow. I promised I'd keep what he said a secret but it's so overwhelming."
"But he did tell you?" JM insisted. "I don't want to know what it is. All I care about is that he came clean with you."
Lana replied, "He did that, all right. It was a little more than I figured. A lot more than I figured actually."
"He's a special person, Lana. If you don't mind me saying, anyone with hearing like a bat and can take a bomb blast without a scratch deserves a little special consideration," JM noted.
"You know?" Lana gasped.
"The sniper stunt left me confused. But I saw him when the hotel bomb went off. That's between us. I wouldn't betray Clark and I trust you won't either," JM explained.
"And Lex knows?" Lana asked.
"I don't know. Alex refuses to speak with me about Clark and I will not push the issue. Lana, does it really matter if Clark can do all those things? He's still the same guy. You love him. What's the issue here?" JM asked.
"He's a…well…an alien. I mean he's human but he's from another planet," Lana pointed out hesitantly.
"Should that matter really? He was raised in Smallville, wasn't he?" JM inquired.
"Yes. I've known him since we were five," Lana answered.
"Then it doesn't matter. Lana, I talked with him, all right? Clark loves you. You can either stay in your room and cry because you miss him or go outside right now and tell him that you love him no matter what. You can work through whatever differences there are. As long as you're honest with each other, I think you two can survive anything," JM insisted.
Lana took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Clark said the same thing just now and I hesitated."
"That's normal, Lana. What you do now is important. Go to him and be the one for him. I know he'll reciprocate," JM advised.
"You think so?" Lana wondered desperately.
"Just go to him and let things take their course, Cherie," JM directed with a gentle smile. "Love will triumph even over thick headed men."
"And skittish women?" Lana asked half-seriously.
"Oui. Get going. Your knight awaits you, Lana," JM urged.
"Thanks, JM," she concurred, walking out the door and back to the terrace. There she saw Lex and Chloe comforting Clark. Was she too late?
Chapter 16 [Second terrace—Five minutes earlier]
Lex and Chloe strolled down the hall toward the kitchen, thinking of continuing their conversation over the mandatory cup of coffee. Moonlight, sparkling waters, Mediterranean breezes and fairy dust only could do so much. For these two, some other items remained to be discussed.
Still Lex felt better about himself then he had in a long time. He had a good woman at his side. One with principles and discipline. Mom, you should be happy. I know I will be.
Likewise, Chloe's happiness balanced her anxiousness. While she needed clarification on a few things, she started to sense something different and special about the bald billionaire at her side. It wasn't about money to her. Rather, he cared. He genuinely cared about her. And only her. "We'll need to get some things out, Lex, over the coffee cup."
"Coffee never lies, does it?" he teased.
"Not with me, it doesn't," she retorted.
"Are you sure that's not the caffeine junkie's rush?" he volleyed back.
She smirked. "You're already pushing your luck, Luthor."
"I learned from an expert, Sullivan," he replied.
He arched her brow at him and shook her head. "This is going to be interesting. Hey, let's see how the others are doing."
"Chloe, come on," he urged. "Leave Clark and Lana in peace."
She looked out onto the terrace to find Clark sulking by himself on a stone bench with tears in his eyes. "Oh no," she gasped. "Lex, look."
Lex saw his friend's state and winced. Oh no! "On second thought, Chloe, let's go." He took her hand as they rushed to their friend's side.
"Clark, are you okay?" she asked.
"I guess," the Kryptonian commented, looking up at them.
"You told her?" Lex inquired.
"Everything. The You-Know-What and that I love her."
"And?" the billionaire queried.
"And she said she needed to think about it. Then she rushed away. That was fifteen minutes ago," Clark continued, collecting his emotions.
"Hey, it took me a week to wrap my head around it, Clark," Lex declared, rubbing the younger man's shoulder.
She listened carefully before realizing what they were talking about. "You mean you told Lex about yourself?"
"Not exactly. He found out by accident," Clark informed her.
"And you told Lana?" she asked.
"Yeah that I did. She promised to keep it a secret. It's not something I really want to go into right now, Chloe," Clark continued, feeling even more depressed by the minute. "You think she'll come back, Lex?"
"Keep your chin up, Clark, and think positive thoughts, all right?" Lex advised.
"I'll try," Clark told them.
At that moment, Chloe looked over her shoulder and saw Lana standing in the doorway and watching them. Judging from the teary eyes and the hopeful expression on her face, the reporter knew her friend needed space with Clark. "Lex, I think we should get that coffee now."
He looked up and saw his business partner standing there waiting to talk with Clark. "Uh yeah. Clark, on that note, we need to get some coffee. To answer your question, look to your left. Good luck." With that, they left.
Clark raised his head and saw her standing there. "Lana?"
Lana took a deep breath and retraced her steps from before. "Yes, Clark, it's me. Mind if I take a seat?"
"Of course not," he agreed, sliding over and allowing her to sit beside him. "I'm surprised that you came back."
"And you didn't think I would?" she asked.
"I figured you'd either be scared of me because I'm different or angry because of the meteors killing your parents," he remarked.
"I have to admit that those thoughts went through my head, Clark. But then, you know me, don't you? And even so, you still think the best of me?" she noted.
"Why wouldn't I? You're a special person, Lana," he told her. "Want to hear something else?"
"Sure," she agreed.
"You always bring out the best in me too," he revealed. "That sounded so corny."
"No! No, Clark, that's great. In fact, I'm glad I do that for you. You do that for me too," she assured him. "I wonder why we do that for each other?"
"Maybe because we're each other's best friends?" he guessed.
"Sounds good to me. But I want to be more if that's all right with you," she told him.
"I'd like that more than anything," he declared nervously. "Is it okay…if I kiss you?"
She smiled at the sweet sincerity of his request. "I'd like that, Clark."
They embraced and kissed, feeling their passion sweep between them. In that instant, they knew that everything would be all right. As long as they had faith in each other, it would stay that way.
Chapter 17 [Smallville—Two days later]
Clark got out of Lex's Porsche hesitantly and looked at the farmhouse. While he looked forward to seeing his parents again, he dreaded their lecture/punishment. "Here I go," he told them.
"Clark, I'm coming in too," Lana told him, taking his hand.
"And so are we," Chloe added, seeing Lex nod at her as they all got out of the car.
"Thanks. I appreciate the show of support," Clark told them as the door opened and his parents rushed out to embrace him.
"Oh, Clark!" his mother declared. "We were worried!"
"I know, Mom. I left a note and tried to make sure everything was taken care of," Clark replied.
"You know how I feel about strangers being around here, Clark," Jonathan reminded him.
"That was my idea, Mr. Kent. Clark planned everything so well that I wanted to give you all a hand. Besides, we didn't have much of a choice," Lex stated.
"We got them into that, Mr. and Mrs. Kent," Chloe added, pointing to herself and Lana.
The two parents were so focused on their son and Lex that they hadn't yet seen the two girls. "Chloe, you're alive! And Lana, you're back?"
The reporter shrugged. "The bad guys grabbed me after the explosion and held me in that cage for four months."
"They kidnapped me last weekend," the former cheerleader added sheepishly. "If the guys had gotten anyone else involved, those jerks would have hurt us."
"You still should have let us know though, Clark," his father insisted. "What would have happened if you'd been shot or exposed to kryptonite?"
"Or both?" Chloe supposed.
"Chloe!" Clark winced, seeing the looks on his parents' faces.
"Okay. What happened?" Martha insisted.
"They had special bullets like Van's. One shot at Lana. I jumped in the line of fire and took the hit," Clark explained, looking at his girlfriend.
"We got it right out," Lex assured them. "No doctors or hospitals."
"And who were these guys anyhow?" Jonathan wondered.
"Garner, Tina Greer and Lionel Luthor," Chloe informed them.
"Wait a minute! Tina's dead. Lionel's in jail in Metropolis. Garner's at Sommerholt," Jonathan supposed.
"Garner's in France with the others. As for my father, that's a clone sitting in the prison here. The real one's in a French prison eating stale croissants. Tina's in a special cell too," Lex noted, adding a triumphant smirk for emphasis.
"And there was this guy, Jason, who pretended to be my friend. He was working with them too. What a creep! And to think I liked him," Lana added, shivering. She drew close to Clark. "At least, I don't have to worry anymore."
"That's right," Clark concurred, kissing her forehead. "And neither do I."
Jonathan and Martha looked at each other and then told the group. "We are glad to see that you're all right, Kids. And Clark, we appreciate you leaving a note and making sure that everything was taken care of—especially leaving the proviso that nothing be examined closely. Still, for skipping school, Principal Reynolds is going to suspend you."
"Figures!" Clark protested. "I might as well take it like a man."
"We'll talk to him, Clark," Lana assured him. "Maybe Chloe and I can get the sentence knocked down to some Saturday detentions?"
"And I was doing so well with that too," Clark sighed. "Too bad the Torch didn't get out."
Martha smiled warmly at him. "Yes it did. Here's a copy. And your "crack staff" took over after you disappeared. They just called before you came. The proofs are waiting for you at the office."
The group looked over Clark's shoulder as he flipped through the older paper.
"Crack staff, huh?" Chloe asked, as she saw the pages go in front of her. "Who's working with you, Clark?"
"I threw together a great group, Chloe, and we kept your dream going. You did see what's on the front page?" Clark replied. He returned to Page 1 and pointed at the dedication. "This paper is dedicated to Chloe Sullivan, Stalwart Steward of the Truth and No-Nonsense Defender of Our Right to Know. Thanks for your inspiration. You'll be missed by us all."
"Geez, Clark, you printed that? It must have cost a mint," Chloe sassed even as her eyes teared up.
"Reynolds paid for it. I wasn't going to let the Torch go down without a fight. The same goes for the Talon. Write up on page 3," Clark noted.
"We saw. Clark, this is really great. So what do you do now?" Lana wondered.
"Well, I really want to be an assistant editor-in-chief. I had two other people in mind for the staff. One blonde and one brunette if you get my drift?" he proposed. "How about it, Chloe? I can do this issue and then you reassume editor-in-chief duties with the next one?"
"As long as I get to look at the proofs with you, it's a deal. I think though I'd like both of you as my assistant editors though. Hey, two heads are better than one, right?" Chloe supposed. "Seriously, Clark, I can't believe how you pulled this together by yourself. It really does mean a lot." She kissed him on the cheek.
"That's true for all of us," Lex agreed. "Without you, Clark, we wouldn't be standing here right now."
"Lex, you got us over there," Clark pointed out.
"But I was improvising off of your plan, Clark. Emily and Byron made the difference in there. You're growing. Great job," the billionaire complimented.
"I remember something you said to me a while back, Lex," Clark replied. "A man's judged by the quality of his friends. Is that it?"
Lex smirked at him, recalling the reference to Whitney Fordman's situation three years earlier. "Something like that, Clark."
"Then I must be very lucky," the farm boy supposed, giving his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek, looking at the other couple and then glancing at his parents. He did feel lucky. Very lucky indeed.
Chapter 18 [A week later—Talon]
Lana rushed about the café, serving customers and making sure everyone was satisfied. With Lex's help, they had the place back and running within two days. When word got out, their old regulars came back in droves, wanting to welcome her back. Despite the furious pace, she felt content to be there. She had enjoyed her time in Paris and seeing the world but this was her home. Here, she had her friends, her life and best of all, her boyfriend. She smoothed her white blouse and dark skirt. Clark would be by shortly for the next test. I meet his father at last. She gulped anxiously. I just want this to go right. Just as she set down the last cup and headed for the counter, she saw Byron and Emily walk in. "Hi!"
"Hi, Lana," Byron greeted. "I hope you don't mind if I brought Emily."
Lana shook her head and smiled. On the flight back from Paris, she had talked with her former best friend for a couple of hours, reestablishing the links for their friendship. "Why would I mind that? Once again, thank you both and…." She saw something glitter at her from her friend's finger and her jaw dropped. "Why, Emily! Is that?"
Emily nodded. "Byron wants to be with me. I really want to be with him."
"Don't worry, Lana. Mother really loves her too. I proposed to her last night. In two years, we're getting married. By then, we'll be ready," Byron informed her.
"Sounds good but hey, what do I know about love?" Lana shrugged.
Seeing Clark walk up, Byron broke into a stanza, "What matters to the heart/To our minds comes slow/Until strikes the dart/From Love's all-seeing bow."
"You're amazing," Clark complimented. "How's it going, guys?"
"See my new ring?" Emily bragged.
Clark looked at the couple incredulously. "Wow! Hey, congratulations, you two."
"I wanted a friend like you are to Lana, Clark," Emily announced. Then she looked at Byron. "That's my poet here." She kissed him shyly, trying to adjust to the adult rituals.
"We try." Lana hugged her friend. "I was wondering. If you want to make some money, Emily, would you like to try working here for me?"
"Okay. If it'll help Momma and Byron," she agreed. "And you, Lana."
"It will," Lana concurred, nodding vigorously while taking off her apron. Looking at Clark's suit, she complimented, "You, Mr. Kent, look very dashing tonight."
"Hey, I can't be seen escorting such a lady in just anything. Right, Byron?" he supposed.
"No argument here, Clark. What's the occasion?" the poet asked.
"I'm meeting a family member tonight," Lana told him. "Well, we do need to get there, Clark."
"Right. Let's go," he indicated. "Once again, best wishes, you two."
"Thanks, Clark, good luck to you both as well," Byron indicated.
Emily waved at them; her eyes shining at them.
Once they left the café, they entered the alley. After sweeping her up into his arms, they sped away into the night.
[Cowache Caves]
Clark and Lana entered the caves and walked quickly to the caverns' center. There they discovered the ghost floating there.
"Is that Jor-El?" she queried anxiously yet made herself stand straight and tall.
"It's him all right," Clark confirmed. Jor-El.
Greetings, Kal-El, Jor-El announced. Is this the One?
It is. This is Lana, the woman I love, Clark stated. Can we make it so she can understand us?
Indeed. The spirit shone an intense light on her for a second and then let it fade. Lana Lang, can you understand me?
"Clark, I can hear him in my mind," she indicated.
"It's called telepathy. Follow my lead," he assured her. Sorry, she's not used to this.
Her mind is strong, Kal-El. Tell me, Lana Lang, do you truly care for my son?
Yes, she indicated. I would be willing to die for him if needed.
So I saw. That, my Dear, is the ultimate sacrifice that one can make for another. I am proud of you as well, Kal-El for giving of yourself for her.
Thank you, the two teens accepted.
Your love is strong. I could try to drive you apart again but that would be a waste of time and effort. Besides, Kal-El, you are stronger when she is at your side. I wish it to be so.
Meaning? She asked.
Meaning, Lana, that he's about to prompt Clark on something, her mother informed her while appearing.
Mom? she wondered.
Yes, Sweetheart. I wouldn't miss this! You two belong together if that is what you wish.
Actually, Lana, I have a confession to make, Clark admitted. Byron and I talked last night and then I spoke with Jor-El. He took her hands in his and said, Lana, I've thought about the last few years and what we meant to each other. There have been some good times and bad times. I've made a lot of mistakes. I've been fortunate in that you've forgiven me for them. You're the best part of my life. You complete my heart and soul. I need you so much. He got down on one knee. Lana Lang, will you marry me?
Lana gasped in surprise. "Are you serious, Clark?"
Telepathy, remember? He reminded her, wincing in Jor-El's direction. And yes, I really mean it.
No waffling out on me at the last minute?
Lex and he would kill me if I did.
And you, Jor-El, you would approve of us? Lana asked him.
Now that you've proven yourself. You are truly a worthy companion for my son, Lana Lang, Jor-El indicated.
Lana thought for a second about it before agreeing, Yes, Clark, I'll marry you!
Clark grinned and kissed her passionately. Thank you, Lana! Thank you!
Give it to her, Kal-El, Jor-El instructed.
Clark opened a slender box, revealing an elaborate pink bracelet encrusted with jewels and a diamond engagement ring. The best of both worlds, right?
That's the only way I'll ever want it, my long traveler from the stars. Put them on me, she informed him, holding out her left hand.
He snapped the bracelet around her wrist and slid the ring on her finger. There!
And now, Lana Lang, take Kal-El's hands, please, Jor-El instructed before bathing the couple in a bright glow.
Lana felt like she was burning up. What is this?
I am making you Kryptonian. You will be able to do whatever my son can.
Wow. I don't really feel any different, Lana noted.
You will, Clark advised. Thank you, Jor-El and Mrs. Lang, for your blessing.
You have both earned it. Be well. With that, the ghosts faded away.
"That was amazing, Clark," she assessed.
"It's overwhelming at first," he agreed. "Come on; let's take it slow and super jog back to the farm. Mom and Dad are waiting for an update."
"You're on, Clark, but I think I can handle the sprint," she agreed, taking off in a blur.
You want it that way, fine! He retorted telepathically with a grin before following right behind her.
Now it would truly be a match made in Heaven for those two……
Conclusion [Marsailles—JM's parents' house. Two years later]
Decorations adorned the mansion by the Mediterranean on that first weekend of October 2005. With preparations finalized fifteen months earlier, the security kept the paparazzi away from both the elaborate waterside ceremony and the reception to follow. But then, even when one covered weddings everyday, this one was still special.
After all, how often did triple weddings occur?
Right at sunrise, Clark, Byron and Lex stood waiting at the altar. Flanking them, Pete stood tall in his role as best man while JM insisted on being the best maid of honor for Lana, Emily and especially, Chloe.
A few minutes later, Jonathan presented the three brides to their intendeds and stepped back proudly looking at them all.
One by one, the priest read the vows, asking each couple recite them in turn which they did before exchanging their tokens of fidelity to each other. Then clapping the Bible closed, he declared, "I pronounce you husband and wife, husband and wife and husband and wife. Clark, Byron and Alexander, you may kiss your brides."
The three grooms looked at each other and nodded, making sure they were in tune with each other. As one, they lifted the veils and kissed their beloveds, sealing their pacts much to the well-wishers' approval around them.
It was quite a day indeed.
[That night—second terrace]
As the moon washed over them, the three couples sat together on the terrace, resting up before the big finale later that night.
"Today was amazing," Chloe remarked, stroking Lex's hand. "What a party. I never thought it could go so long."
"Hey, you don't do this every day. Enjoy it. Besides it'll be the last time you ever do it," her husband asserted.
"You've done it now three times, Lex," Clark pointed out.
"This is for real, Clark," Lex countered, kissing Chloe for emphasis.
"I'll say," Byron agreed, kissing Emily. "You don't mind that?"
"I'm getting to like it especially in front of our friends," his wife agreed. "Thanks, Lana, for letting me be a princess too."
Lana looked at Clark and smiled before replying, "It's our pleasure, Emily. Here's hoping we're all happy forever." She raised a glass of champagne. "To best friends now and forever."
"To best friends now and forever!" they all cheered.
"A businesswoman and a diplomat? What side are you going to show us next?" Clark wondered mischievously.
"That, Mr. Kent, you'll have to wait a little while for. We know how slow you can be. Deal with it for once," she teased, giving him a kiss and letting her eyes sparkle at him.
He shrugged while snuggling close to Lana and looking at his friends. It was hard to believe that just two years before, they had all been separated by circumstance. Now the future seemed so bright and limitless. They would recall their vows, each couple growing old together, raising families and eventually passing to the next life as soulmates.
But above all else, they supported each other too, remembering the bonds that got them there in the first place. They were best friends and that would be the way they'd stay, forming a foundation and an example for the future.
And that's what it's all about in the end.
THE END
Part 3 Chapter 13
[Lourdes—Next morning]
Clark and Lex disembarked off of the train and looked around at the picturesque backdrop. For that time of the year, it was a warm day and the sun shone brightly. On the way down, Lex spoke to JM on their old secure line, double checking everyone's location.
"I wish that I could run over there," Clark expressed.
"There are a lot of things I wish you could do too but we can't endanger the girls," Lex disagreed. "The Maison is right across the square. The others are in the crowd behind us. Let's get the information and move on to our next destination."
The teenager shrugged, wanting to do something more direct.
Shortly after, they walked through the front door of the hotel and over to its front desk.
"Yes?" the clerk asked.
"Yes, is there a message for Luthor or Kent?" Lex requested.
The clerk fished through his messages and nodded. "Here."
"Thank you," Lex accepted, taking the envelope. "Come on, Clark."
They headed over to a nearby bench where they opened the message. It read:
Clark and Lex,
It's nice to see that you followed instructions to this point. At noon today, there will be a truck waiting out back of this hotel with two men. They will drive you to our hideout. And just in case, Clark decides to get industrious, they will be armed if you get my meaning. Also we have cameras onboard. Any trouble and the girls take the plunge.
Be seeing you around dinner time.
The Kidnappers.
"See you around dinner time?" Clark asked. "Of all the stupid things!"
"Cool it, Clark. Remember, they're playing head games. We can too," Lex replied. "Come on."
[11:30 Alley a block from the hotel]
Byron, Emily and JM crouched just out of sight of the kidnappers. After meeting up with Lex and Clark at a little bistro on the city's outskirts, they went into position.
The truck was in position with the two men.
A half block nearer to them, a car with two women and a man watched the truck.
JM took a quick glance at her two companions and grinned. "Oui. This could work!"
"What?" Byron asked.
"We—how do you Americans say it?—beat them up and take their places," JM explained.
"We pretend we're them," Emily realized. "I like this."
Byron's eyes went dark. "Ready?"
Emily nodded. "If it gets me closer to Tina, then yeah!" She took off in a blur.
He sprinted after her, reaching the spot not long after she did.
Between them, the kidnapping trio went down in two seconds flat.
JM rushed over. "We have twenty minutes. Get their uniforms and put them on."
The others did so, leaving their victims bound in the alley.
After she changed, JM called the police. Then she told the two Americans, "In the car. I'll drive."
[Noon]
Clark and Lex walked around the corner of the hotel toward the back parking lot. After a morning of some self-reflection and getting a few things, they were ready to face the music. Even if they died, they decided that if the girls got out then it was worth it.
As they approached the car, one of the men approached, "You can stop right there, guys."
"And you're supposed to be?" Clark asked.
The man frowned. "None of yer business, Kid. Come on, Garner and Hawk have been waitin' to see both of ya."
The other man looked firmly at them as he lifted the curtain of the army surplus truck. "Get in!"
"After you, Clark," Lex offered.
"Gee thanks, Lex," Clark retorted.
Lex shrugged, getting in the back himself.
The first man checked everything and then yelled, "All right, Jason! Let's move!"
The two prisoners looked at each other and then at the driver, wondering if that was indeed the jerk that had set Lana up. They would find out soon enough.
As the truck turned the corner, its tail car followed.
Little did Garner and the others suspected that the odds had shifted a bit against them.
Chapter 12 [Lodge—Pyrennes]
"So?" Hawk asked. "Is our little convoy on its way?"
"Yes, sir," the skinny henchman affirmed.
"Excellent," the shadow boss said, savoring his apparent victory. "Do give them the news, my Dear."
Tina shrugged. "Sure." She headed down the passageway and into the cells. "How's lunch?"
"I think I'd prefer the mystery meat at school," Chloe retorted.
"The company was all right until ten seconds ago," Lana added sourly.
Tina smirked. "You'll be getting some more company tonight. Clark and Lex are on their way up here. Jason let us know they were coming. Oh and Lana, he says hello."
The former cheerleader smiled sweetly. "If he wants to know about real men, he can look in the back seat."
"I suppose," the meteor mutant retorted, shifting her appearance so that she resembled Clark. "After tomorrow, you can have it like this anyhow."
Lana shuddered. "You'll have to kill me before I'd go with you!"
"Your loss," Tina replied, returning to her regular shape and leaving them. As she did, she saw two men coming downstairs. "Guard them. Maybe the others think this is sewn up but I don't!" She headed up the stairs, leaving them to the prisoners.
Meantime, Lana and Chloe watched their guards carefully. Over the past three days, they had discussed several options. Now they waited for their opportunity.
Chapter 13 [Lodge—Pyrennes, sunset]
The convoy steamed up the last part of the mountain and cleared the check gate without a problem. Everyone was eager to get the prisoners offloaded and into the lodge.
In the car, JM sat by herself, her ski mask concealing her features. Fortunately, the truck had stalled once just a mile down the road, giving Byron and Emily a chance to slip into the woods. Within thirty minutes, they would be inside the compound's perimeter. Bon chance, my friends. We need for you to make it!
"Hey, where are the others, Roget?" one of the truck's goons asked in French.
"They got out when we cleared the gate," she responded, shouldering her rifle. "Let's get these clowns out and to the boss." She pulled back the cover. "All right! OUT! Both of you!"
Clark and Lex climbed down with several rifles and lead canisters aimed at them.
"What do you think, Clark?" Lex asked, looking around at the lodge and the view.
"Great place, lousy hosts," the teen replied.
"That's really funny, Kent. Get in there. She's waiting for you!" Jason commanded.
"You better hope we don't meet after this, Pal," Clark warned angrily.
"When they're done with you, there won't be an after," Jason retorted.
"You too!" JM commanded, giving Lex a kick in the rear end. "Move it!" She winked at him.
Lex had to fight to conceal the smirk on his face. She's playing it up to look real. Go along with it, Lex.
Surrounded by guards, the two men marched into the lodge and into the main living area. There Garner and Tina waited for them. In the shadows, Hawk sat, observing the whole process.
"Roget, send the others up here and watch the prisoners," Hawk ordered.
"I knew you couldn't resist the invitation, Clark," Garner announced, stepping forward to greet the two prisoners. "And Lex, you had to come too."
"We want to see them, Garner," Clark asserted.
"Oh you'll see them soon enough. I promise you," Tina vowed. "It's been too long since you killed me, Clark. This time, it's my turn to kill you."
"In your dreams," the teen replied.
"No actually, I am going to kill you and then, I'm going to take Lana for myself," the meteor mutant declared. "What Garner does with your corpse, I don't care about."
"And what about me?" Lex asked.
"You'll rot up here for eternity just as you would have had me do," Hawk noted, stepping into the light and revealing his features. As he did, the rouge hair and beard in addition to his intense eyes revealed his identity.
"Dad? But how? You're in jail!" Lex demanded.
Lionel grinned. "Now how can I be in Metropolis and here at the same time?" He rubbed his chin. "That is a good question, isn't it? Dr. Garner, care to answer that?"
Garner smirked. "We cloned him, Lex. The clone's in jail. He's here."
"You have to admit that you caught me too easily," Lionel replied. "I let it happen so that I could vanish. It left me free to plot all of this. I took Miss Sullivan right under your noses. Then I rigged Miss Lang's entrance into the art school. It was all too easy. Once she was there, I planted Jason in her social circle. This past weekend, he got her down here and you know the rest of the story."
"You're such a class act, Dad," Lex countered.
"And you are?" Lionel wondered. "Lex, you're going to suffer. You know that? And Clark, you're going to end up as Garner's lab rat."
"You've got to get me there first," Clark disagreed.
"You don't have a lot of help here, Clark," Tina retorted. "Get them downstairs."
At that moment, the lodge shook from some unknown impact.
"What the?" Garner demanded, running to the console. He flipped between cameras, looking for the disturbance. He couldn't find anything. "What have you done? Who is it?"
"Maybe some of your men partying?" Lex asked flippantly.
"Not likely. Put them in with the girls and watch them!" Lionel ordered.
[Prison Area]
As with the others upstairs, Lana and Chloe felt the impact, rocking the lodge.
"What's that?" Lana asked.
"Your way out," JM answered, taking the keys off of her belt.
"JM?" Lana asked, as the door was unlocked.
"You thought I was going to leave you in here?" her roommate wondered, opening Chloe's door as well. "It's good to finally meet you, Mme. Sullivan. Stand back!"
The wall collapsed, as two fists crashed through it.
"Lana?" Byron asked, as he stepped into the room.
"Byron! You're a sight for sore eyes!" Lana cheered.
"I'll say," Chloe agreed. "Who's your friend?"
"I'm Emily," She stepped through the "door." "Hi, Lana!"
"Oh no. Not again," Lana worried, panicking at the sight of the oversized kid.
"She's with us, Lana. Don't worry," JM assured her.
"I knew you'd think I was bad," Emily sulked.
"You don't want to take me away?" Lana asked.
"I just want to be your friend!" Emily pointed out. "Byron's been helping me understand big people ways."
"Really?" Lana asked.
The poet flushed with embarrassment. "Maybe a little. I just gave her some of the tips that you and Clark gave me." Letting his eyes go dark again, he roared, "They're coming!"
"Get out the back!" JM urged, aiming her rifle at the door. As the door opened, she aimed and fired quickly, hitting the first guard in the shoulder. "Alex! Clark! I've got them!"
"What the Hell?" Tina asked. "You've gotta be kidding!" She looked at Emily. "And who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm Emily, Lana's best friend! You stole her from me!" Emily bellowed, streaking toward Tina and tackling her into the far wall.
"What? I don't!" the meteor mutant asked, pushing her away. Then she looked at her assailant again. "It's you! But you drowned! She's mine!"
"She's my friend!" Emily countered, smacking Tina over and over again. "You aren't hurting her or Clark anymore!"
Tina backed away, trying to get away but she backed right into Clark. "You?"
"Me." He grabbed onto her. "Emily, she's yours."
"Thanks, Clark," Emily expressed, knocking Tina out and finishing the job. "She won't hurt you anymore, Lana."
"Thanks, Emily," Lana managed to tell the other girl.
"We need to take care of things upstairs," Chloe realized.
"Just as long as you're safe, Sullivan," Lex told her. "You and Lana, go with JM. Clark, Byron, Emily and I can deal with it."
"Not a chance. Especially not with all of those meteor rocks those guys have up there," Chloe stated. Seeing Clark look at her, she added, "I remember watching your parents beating on you with one when that weird phone mess was going on."
"Is that right, Clark?" Lana asked.
He nodded. "The meteors make me sick. And there are other things you need to know when we're out of here."
Lana stared at him. "Clark, you're going to tell me after all of this?"
"I should have told you sooner. But if you'll talk to me after this is over, I promise you'll know the whole thing," he vowed.
She could see the earnestness in his eyes and hear his voice breaking. "JM, do you know anything about this?"
"Oui. He's come halfway around the world with Alex to save you. I think that you can listen for five minutes, Lana," her roommate pointed out.
"Give the farm boy a chance," Chloe added.
"Okay, Clark, but you better tell me this time," Lana directed firmly.
"I have a deal with JM and I mean to keep it," Clark agreed. "Meantime, let's wrap up Garner and Lionel."
"Lionel?" Lana and Chloe asked incredulously.
"The guy they've been calling 'Hawk'," JM indicated. "He's Alex's father. I recognized his voice when we came in."
"And it's a shame that you had to do that, Miss Thibodeau," Lionel added, coming into the area flanked by several more goons.
"Not this time, Mr. Luthor," Clark replied, taking off in a blur and dealing punishment to the underlings. He dealt with almost all of the goons when he saw someone in the shadows take aim at Lana. "Lana, GET DOWN!" He jumped into the line of fire.
Then a shot rang out, hitting him in the side.
He felt pain and knew it was a kryptonite bullet like the ones Van had used against him the previous fall. He collapsed to the ground, the radiation making him sick.
"CLARK!" Lana yelled.
"Guess I finally took him out of your life," Jason remarked, aiming the gun again at Clark's head. "One more shot should finish him."
"No!" she protested, rushing at him. "You won't hurt him!" She fought with him for the gun before knocking it away from him.
"You still care for him, don't you? I'm not surprised!" Jason taunted.
Lana delivered a series of kicks, knocking him out cold. "He's a thousand times the man you'll ever be, Jason." She heard another safety click off and saw a barrel pointing at her head.
Lionel smirked at her. "Very heroic, Miss Lang. I should kill you right now and let you join Clark on the other side."
"You'll have to kill me to get another shot at him," she vowed.
"So be it," Lionel replied, aiming the two pistols at the teens' heads.
"Stop it, Bad Man!" Emily protested, streaking into him and knocking him against the wall.
Lex rushed over and checked his friends out. "Are you okay, Lana?"
She nodded but looked at Clark. "He's going to die, isn't he?"
"Y…you have to get it out…of me," Clark told them weakly.
Lex rubbed Lana's shoulder. "We can do this. Just take his hand. Chloe, can you help me?"
The reporter nodded. "What can we do, Lex?"
"I need a blade of some kind. Anything," Lex requested.
JM gave him her pocket knife and a pair of tweezers. "How are these?"
"Perfect!" the billionaire complimented. "Hang in there, Clark. Okay?" He dug into the wound with the knife. "Can you see it, Chloe?"
Chloe nodded. "There it is! Hang on, Clark."
Clark ground his teeth as the pain cut through him.
Lana rubbed his face gently, trying to give him her best smile even if his pain tore her heart in two. "We'll get you through this, Clark. By the way, thanks."
"F…for what?" he asked.
"For taking that for me," she explained. "You meant it huh?"
"I…love you," he revealed weakly. "ARGH!"
"Hang in there!" Lana told him. "How's it coming?"
"Almost there!" Lex advised. "Hang in there, Clark! How you doing, Chloe?"
Chloe grabbed the glowing green bullet with the tweezers. "I've got it!" She ran toward the hole and threw it away.
With the bullet gone, Clark's wound healed rapidly and he quickly regained consciousness. "Whoa." He looked to see his friends smiling at him. "You saw, huh?"
"We sure did," Lana indicated, stooping down next to him. "And I know you care. Now you made me a promise, remember?"
"I'm going to tell you everything, Lana. And Lex, remember what you promised?" Clark agreed.
Lex smirked. "Hey, I'm keeping my part of the deal. Put me on your dance card, Sullivan. You and I have some things to discuss."
"Really? Such as?" the reporter asked.
"This," the billionaire revealed, kissing her.
"Wow!" Chloe exclaimed. "You're serious, Lex?"
"When it comes to you, Sullivan, I'm deadly serious," Lex declared. Seeing Clark get up, he asked, "You doing better?"
"Much," Clark agreed. "Let's get this guys rounded up and down to the police in Lourdes."
"But what about Garner, Tina and your father, Lex?" Chloe wondered.
"Those are good questions. We could let the French special services know about Tina, I suppose. As for Dad, well…he has a few things on his international rap sheet," Lex pointed out. "By the way, where is Garner?"
"Right here," Byron indicated, walking in with Emily and dragging the unconscious scientist behind them. "We did it together!"
Emily smiled. "Just like two big people."
"You are a big person now, Emily," Byron told her, giving her a kiss. "And I really care about you, you know."
"Byron, come on," she protested although she knew the others were happy for them both
"Let's get out of here. Then we can talk, all of us," JM urged as they began rounding up unconscious goons and throwing them into the truck. With Emily and Clark's super speed support, they finished the job in minutes, making sure they were all bound properly. Then Lana, Lex and Chloe made sure all of the kryptonite was collected and buried so that it wouldn't hurt Clark again. When that was finished, they could roll back down the mountain, heading for the pretty town once more.
Chapter 14 [Marsailles—JM's parents' home]
After wrapping things up in Lourdes, the three couples and JM headed for her parents' home close to the French Mediterranean coast. The time allowed everyone (particularly Clark) to call home and let his parents know where he was. Even though they were going to have a stern talk with him when the group returned, they knew why he felt the way he did and were glad that he had made sure that everything was taken care of on all fronts.
At least things were back to normal. Well, not quite the way they had been.
[That night—first terrace]
Chloe stood out on the terrace amidst the flower boxes and ornate deck furniture. She had to admit that Lana's roommate definitely had taste or her family did at least. Looking out over the beachfront beneath her, she took in the moonwashed beach and the water. "This is perfect."
"It is, isn't it?" Lex concurred, walking onto the terrace with two cups of coffee. "Nights like this should be treasured, Chloe." He set the cups on a glass lawn table and joined her. "The sea and the sky go on forever, no beginnings or ends—just two giant looping curves, meeting at the horizon."
"What is it that you wanted to talk with me about, Lex?" she wondered, taking her coffee.
He took a deep breath and looked in her eyes. "You ever watch something develop and never understand how you feel about it until it's too late?"
"Sort of," she replied, trying to get his meaning. "Go on."
"You're not a kid anymore, Chloe. I've watched you grow and mature these past four years into a remarkable woman. I admire your spunk and fire. When you helped to take my father down, I was so proud of you. Then when I heard about the safe house blowing up, it almost killed me. You're more than just a friend to me. I've really come to care about you," he explained.
She looked at him quizzically, surveying the feelings she saw in his features. Then she laughed, putting her hand over her mouth. "Excuse me. I can't believe this."
"What's so funny?" he demanded, feeling angry.
She shook her head. "Lex, it isn't funny. In fact, I'm touched and relieved." She put her hands on his shoulders. "I've watched you grow too from the rich spoiled brat to a real friend and then to someone I admire. Someone I want to be with."
"Really?" he asked.
"Really," she affirmed, kissing him on the cheek. "You're becoming the real deal, Luthor. Of course…." She smirked. "…Of course, you are a work in progress. We'll need to work on you a bit."
He snickered, letting his eyes sparkle at her. "Who's going to work on whom, Sullivan?"
"You want a tug of war, do you?" she teased.
He smirked. "Bring it on. I think I can handle it. Meantime, can you come here?"
"Sure. Why? I think we…." She started to speak but his kiss stopped the words right there. Giving into the moment, she put her arms around his neck, deepening that connection between them.
When they finally came up for air, he asked, "How was that?"
She grinned. "Lex, this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership."
[Second terrace]
[A/N: Roswell is owned by its copyright owners.]
As Chloe had on the other terrace, Clark surveyed the beach and the sparkling waters beneath them. Before he went to tell Lana his feelings and the Secret, he wanted to put his thoughts in order, leaving nothing to chance. "This is our chance at happiness. I don't want to screw it up," he told the stars and the sea.
"Don't try so hard, Clark," Lana advised, joining him out there. The sea breeze rustled through her hair. The moonlight lit up her eyes and skin.
"I was going to come by your room in a bit," he told her.
"I know. When Clark Kent makes a promise, he keeps it," she agreed. "Even if it is on your own schedule." She chuckled softly at him. "A girl could get old waiting for you."
"Then why do you?" he asked.
She thought on that question for a minute before answering. "You know, I never understood that myself. There have been other guys, other chances. But it seems when I see one of those guys, I end up with a nutcase. And voila! There you are, saving me again."
"Actually you saved me this time," he corrected her.
"We, Mr. Kent, saved each other," she declared. "Someone keeps bringing us together. Do you think they're trying to tell us something?"
"Maybe that we need to trust each other?" he proposed. "That I need to trust that you can take my secret and not run away into the night?"
She nodded. "Exactly. Clark, I may need some time to deal with it but I would never betray you. I hope you realize that."
"I know. I just wanted to keep you safe. One thing this mess, the Adam situation and the last year have taught me is that you're just in danger not knowing it as you are knowing it," he admitted.
"What does Adam have to do with your secret, Clark?" she queried, getting confused.
"Adam was complicated. Before he died, he admitted that Lionel Luthor sent him to watch me," Clark recounted. "I imagine he was supposed to watch me through you."
"So that's why he kept the journal," she realized.
He nodded. "That's it."
"And your secret. You told Alicia. Why did you tell her?" she inquired.
He looked at her earnestly. "It wasn't exactly by choice, Lana. We were in an elevator car together and she saw me doing my stuff. She teleported us out of the car."
"So you were keeping each other's secrets then. I can accept that," she told him. "You know Alicia asked me what hold I have over you. I'd like to know too."
"I really don't know," he admitted, pointing to the sky. "There's so much of my life I don't understand. But I realize now that I've been thinking too much about destiny instead of just living life."
"Meaning?" she inquired, starting to see where he was going.
"I think we've been looking too hard for the answers when they're right in front of us."
She smiled. "You think?"
"I do," he indicated. "Lana, if I stop trying to be perfect and just be a good boyfriend, would you be willing to try again?"
"That's all I've ever wanted, Clark," she told him. "Just be honest with me. All right? Speaking of which, you have something else to tell me, don't you?"
"Yeah that," he replied. He sighed, looking up at the sky. "Remember when we were doing those family tree projects last year?"
"Right," she replied, recalling the last few months of their sophomore year. "And?"
"I discovered where I'm from. If you want, I can show you when we get back to Smallville. The answers are in the caves," he told her.
"The Cowache Caves? What do those pictures have to do with you?" she asked.
"They're a language of their own. They tell a story of the last person of a dead planet. This person comes to Earth and lives here. Eventually, he's destined to have some sort of influence over the people," he recounted.
"You can read those symbols?" she asked.
"My natural father taught me last year just before I went to see that expert in New York," he told her.
"Clark, your parents are dead," she told him.
"Sorry—my father's ghost. He showed up right after our night in the Loft. And he threatened you, Mom and Dad if I didn't do what he wanted," he continued.
She stared at him for a minute. "That was the voice you were talking about in the storm cellar. Clark, why didn't you tell me? I would have stood by you."
"I didn't want you getting hurt, Lana. My parents had already lost the baby. I couldn't take losing you or them too," he revealed.
"Is there any way we can talk with this guy when we go back?" she asked. Seeing him gulp anxiously, she continued, "I need to get some things straight and to let him know that I value what's important to you. Getting back to the story, you're the last one, aren't you?"
He looked anxiously at her. "Promise me, you won't freak out on me."
"Clark. I'll be fine. Just say it," she insisted, folding her arms across her chest.
He pointed to the sky. "I came from one of those stars out there. My real parents named me Kal-El and my planet was called Krypton. Apparently, it exploded when I was two years old. That's where all of the meteor fragments come from."
"Including the ones that killed my parents," she supposed; the insight angering her slightly.
"Right," he told her. "My parents saved me but died in the process as did my entire world. But they sent me here, knowing that I can make a difference. The environment makes me special, Lana. I have abilities that nobody else has. Until now, I've hidden those gifts from everyone except those who stumble across them such as Tina, Emily, Byron and Pete."
"Pete knows?" she asked.
"He found out by accident. He…well…discovered my spaceship. I had to tell him," he noted.
"You actually have a spaceship? Of course you do. How else would a two year old travel millions of miles across space?" she realized before shaking her head. "This is so much like Roswell. And there aren't any more like you?"
"There's Kara, the blonde woman you saw me with. She was supposed to bring me home or something. Other than her, nope, I'm it," he remarked.
"And? You didn't go? Why?" she asked.
"There's a lot more I need to do here. And people I care about," he pointed out, looking right at her.
"You stayed behind for your parents and me?" she supposed.
"That's right. I couldn't leave you behind," he told her. "Even if it means losing all of my gifts, I don't care. I love you, Lana."
She wiped her eyes, not wanting him to see the tears building there. He stayed behind for me. Wow. "I don't know what to say, Clark."
"You don't have to say anything, Lana. Just be with me," he told her.
"I stand by what I said earlier. Now about these gifts of yours. What is it that you do?" she asked. "Well, other than fly into trucks to save damsels in distress? Don't deny it again, Clark."
"I won't. Dad told me to at the time. I wanted to tell you," he admitted. "I'm still finding out who I am, Lana. But I know that I'm really strong and fast. I have heat vision and x-ray vision. And my hearing's really sensitive. I'm bulletproof for the most part."
"Except when the bullet's made of the green meteor rocks," she deduced. "Okay, the speed and hard skin explain how you reached me the night Adam tried to kill me. But be honest with me, you started those fires in the classroom and at the Talon, didn't you?"
He flushed with embarrassment. "They were accidental. I was discovering my heat vision when it happened."
"So what caused it to happen?" she asked.
He smiled. "You did."
"Me? What did I…?" she started to ask before remembering all of the stuff about pheromones. She snickered. "You mean I got you so worked up that it came out your eyes?"
"Yeah. But I could have hurt you too. That's why I never told you," he added.
"Clark, we could have dealt with it together. Promise me that," she insisted.
"I promise that I won't," he agreed. "So you're okay with this?"
She shrugged. "I need to think on it, Clark. I appreciate your honesty but do I know who you are?"
"I'm still Clark. I've never been able to lie about my feelings for you, Lana," he insisted.
"I know. Just give me some time, all right?" she asked.
"Take as much time as you need," he agreed. "I want you but on both of our terms."
"Thanks, Clark. And don't worry, your secret's safe with me," she assured him, heading into the house.
Great. That's shot, he mused, taking a stone and tossing it far out to sea.
Chapter 15
[Jeanne-Marie's room]
JM sat in her bedroom, reviewing some notes for school. With her friends working on their separate relationship issues, she wanted to offer the scenic backdrop to let the ball start rolling. Hearing a knock at the door, she asked, "Oui?"
"JM, it's Lana. Can I come in?"
"Certainly," JM agreed. As her college roommate entered the room, she noticed the uncertain look on the other's face. "What is it? You talked to Clark, didn't you?"
Lana nodded. "I did." She took a deep breath. "Wow. I promised I'd keep what he said a secret but it's so overwhelming."
"But he did tell you?" JM insisted. "I don't want to know what it is. All I care about is that he came clean with you."
Lana replied, "He did that, all right. It was a little more than I figured. A lot more than I figured actually."
"He's a special person, Lana. If you don't mind me saying, anyone with hearing like a bat and can take a bomb blast without a scratch deserves a little special consideration," JM noted.
"You know?" Lana gasped.
"The sniper stunt left me confused. But I saw him when the hotel bomb went off. That's between us. I wouldn't betray Clark and I trust you won't either," JM explained.
"And Lex knows?" Lana asked.
"I don't know. Alex refuses to speak with me about Clark and I will not push the issue. Lana, does it really matter if Clark can do all those things? He's still the same guy. You love him. What's the issue here?" JM asked.
"He's a…well…an alien. I mean he's human but he's from another planet," Lana pointed out hesitantly.
"Should that matter really? He was raised in Smallville, wasn't he?" JM inquired.
"Yes. I've known him since we were five," Lana answered.
"Then it doesn't matter. Lana, I talked with him, all right? Clark loves you. You can either stay in your room and cry because you miss him or go outside right now and tell him that you love him no matter what. You can work through whatever differences there are. As long as you're honest with each other, I think you two can survive anything," JM insisted.
Lana took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Clark said the same thing just now and I hesitated."
"That's normal, Lana. What you do now is important. Go to him and be the one for him. I know he'll reciprocate," JM advised.
"You think so?" Lana wondered desperately.
"Just go to him and let things take their course, Cherie," JM directed with a gentle smile. "Love will triumph even over thick headed men."
"And skittish women?" Lana asked half-seriously.
"Oui. Get going. Your knight awaits you, Lana," JM urged.
"Thanks, JM," she concurred, walking out the door and back to the terrace. There she saw Lex and Chloe comforting Clark. Was she too late?
Chapter 16 [Second terrace—Five minutes earlier]
Lex and Chloe strolled down the hall toward the kitchen, thinking of continuing their conversation over the mandatory cup of coffee. Moonlight, sparkling waters, Mediterranean breezes and fairy dust only could do so much. For these two, some other items remained to be discussed.
Still Lex felt better about himself then he had in a long time. He had a good woman at his side. One with principles and discipline. Mom, you should be happy. I know I will be.
Likewise, Chloe's happiness balanced her anxiousness. While she needed clarification on a few things, she started to sense something different and special about the bald billionaire at her side. It wasn't about money to her. Rather, he cared. He genuinely cared about her. And only her. "We'll need to get some things out, Lex, over the coffee cup."
"Coffee never lies, does it?" he teased.
"Not with me, it doesn't," she retorted.
"Are you sure that's not the caffeine junkie's rush?" he volleyed back.
She smirked. "You're already pushing your luck, Luthor."
"I learned from an expert, Sullivan," he replied.
He arched her brow at him and shook her head. "This is going to be interesting. Hey, let's see how the others are doing."
"Chloe, come on," he urged. "Leave Clark and Lana in peace."
She looked out onto the terrace to find Clark sulking by himself on a stone bench with tears in his eyes. "Oh no," she gasped. "Lex, look."
Lex saw his friend's state and winced. Oh no! "On second thought, Chloe, let's go." He took her hand as they rushed to their friend's side.
"Clark, are you okay?" she asked.
"I guess," the Kryptonian commented, looking up at them.
"You told her?" Lex inquired.
"Everything. The You-Know-What and that I love her."
"And?" the billionaire queried.
"And she said she needed to think about it. Then she rushed away. That was fifteen minutes ago," Clark continued, collecting his emotions.
"Hey, it took me a week to wrap my head around it, Clark," Lex declared, rubbing the younger man's shoulder.
She listened carefully before realizing what they were talking about. "You mean you told Lex about yourself?"
"Not exactly. He found out by accident," Clark informed her.
"And you told Lana?" she asked.
"Yeah that I did. She promised to keep it a secret. It's not something I really want to go into right now, Chloe," Clark continued, feeling even more depressed by the minute. "You think she'll come back, Lex?"
"Keep your chin up, Clark, and think positive thoughts, all right?" Lex advised.
"I'll try," Clark told them.
At that moment, Chloe looked over her shoulder and saw Lana standing in the doorway and watching them. Judging from the teary eyes and the hopeful expression on her face, the reporter knew her friend needed space with Clark. "Lex, I think we should get that coffee now."
He looked up and saw his business partner standing there waiting to talk with Clark. "Uh yeah. Clark, on that note, we need to get some coffee. To answer your question, look to your left. Good luck." With that, they left.
Clark raised his head and saw her standing there. "Lana?"
Lana took a deep breath and retraced her steps from before. "Yes, Clark, it's me. Mind if I take a seat?"
"Of course not," he agreed, sliding over and allowing her to sit beside him. "I'm surprised that you came back."
"And you didn't think I would?" she asked.
"I figured you'd either be scared of me because I'm different or angry because of the meteors killing your parents," he remarked.
"I have to admit that those thoughts went through my head, Clark. But then, you know me, don't you? And even so, you still think the best of me?" she noted.
"Why wouldn't I? You're a special person, Lana," he told her. "Want to hear something else?"
"Sure," she agreed.
"You always bring out the best in me too," he revealed. "That sounded so corny."
"No! No, Clark, that's great. In fact, I'm glad I do that for you. You do that for me too," she assured him. "I wonder why we do that for each other?"
"Maybe because we're each other's best friends?" he guessed.
"Sounds good to me. But I want to be more if that's all right with you," she told him.
"I'd like that more than anything," he declared nervously. "Is it okay…if I kiss you?"
She smiled at the sweet sincerity of his request. "I'd like that, Clark."
They embraced and kissed, feeling their passion sweep between them. In that instant, they knew that everything would be all right. As long as they had faith in each other, it would stay that way.
Chapter 17 [Smallville—Two days later]
Clark got out of Lex's Porsche hesitantly and looked at the farmhouse. While he looked forward to seeing his parents again, he dreaded their lecture/punishment. "Here I go," he told them.
"Clark, I'm coming in too," Lana told him, taking his hand.
"And so are we," Chloe added, seeing Lex nod at her as they all got out of the car.
"Thanks. I appreciate the show of support," Clark told them as the door opened and his parents rushed out to embrace him.
"Oh, Clark!" his mother declared. "We were worried!"
"I know, Mom. I left a note and tried to make sure everything was taken care of," Clark replied.
"You know how I feel about strangers being around here, Clark," Jonathan reminded him.
"That was my idea, Mr. Kent. Clark planned everything so well that I wanted to give you all a hand. Besides, we didn't have much of a choice," Lex stated.
"We got them into that, Mr. and Mrs. Kent," Chloe added, pointing to herself and Lana.
The two parents were so focused on their son and Lex that they hadn't yet seen the two girls. "Chloe, you're alive! And Lana, you're back?"
The reporter shrugged. "The bad guys grabbed me after the explosion and held me in that cage for four months."
"They kidnapped me last weekend," the former cheerleader added sheepishly. "If the guys had gotten anyone else involved, those jerks would have hurt us."
"You still should have let us know though, Clark," his father insisted. "What would have happened if you'd been shot or exposed to kryptonite?"
"Or both?" Chloe supposed.
"Chloe!" Clark winced, seeing the looks on his parents' faces.
"Okay. What happened?" Martha insisted.
"They had special bullets like Van's. One shot at Lana. I jumped in the line of fire and took the hit," Clark explained, looking at his girlfriend.
"We got it right out," Lex assured them. "No doctors or hospitals."
"And who were these guys anyhow?" Jonathan wondered.
"Garner, Tina Greer and Lionel Luthor," Chloe informed them.
"Wait a minute! Tina's dead. Lionel's in jail in Metropolis. Garner's at Sommerholt," Jonathan supposed.
"Garner's in France with the others. As for my father, that's a clone sitting in the prison here. The real one's in a French prison eating stale croissants. Tina's in a special cell too," Lex noted, adding a triumphant smirk for emphasis.
"And there was this guy, Jason, who pretended to be my friend. He was working with them too. What a creep! And to think I liked him," Lana added, shivering. She drew close to Clark. "At least, I don't have to worry anymore."
"That's right," Clark concurred, kissing her forehead. "And neither do I."
Jonathan and Martha looked at each other and then told the group. "We are glad to see that you're all right, Kids. And Clark, we appreciate you leaving a note and making sure that everything was taken care of—especially leaving the proviso that nothing be examined closely. Still, for skipping school, Principal Reynolds is going to suspend you."
"Figures!" Clark protested. "I might as well take it like a man."
"We'll talk to him, Clark," Lana assured him. "Maybe Chloe and I can get the sentence knocked down to some Saturday detentions?"
"And I was doing so well with that too," Clark sighed. "Too bad the Torch didn't get out."
Martha smiled warmly at him. "Yes it did. Here's a copy. And your "crack staff" took over after you disappeared. They just called before you came. The proofs are waiting for you at the office."
The group looked over Clark's shoulder as he flipped through the older paper.
"Crack staff, huh?" Chloe asked, as she saw the pages go in front of her. "Who's working with you, Clark?"
"I threw together a great group, Chloe, and we kept your dream going. You did see what's on the front page?" Clark replied. He returned to Page 1 and pointed at the dedication. "This paper is dedicated to Chloe Sullivan, Stalwart Steward of the Truth and No-Nonsense Defender of Our Right to Know. Thanks for your inspiration. You'll be missed by us all."
"Geez, Clark, you printed that? It must have cost a mint," Chloe sassed even as her eyes teared up.
"Reynolds paid for it. I wasn't going to let the Torch go down without a fight. The same goes for the Talon. Write up on page 3," Clark noted.
"We saw. Clark, this is really great. So what do you do now?" Lana wondered.
"Well, I really want to be an assistant editor-in-chief. I had two other people in mind for the staff. One blonde and one brunette if you get my drift?" he proposed. "How about it, Chloe? I can do this issue and then you reassume editor-in-chief duties with the next one?"
"As long as I get to look at the proofs with you, it's a deal. I think though I'd like both of you as my assistant editors though. Hey, two heads are better than one, right?" Chloe supposed. "Seriously, Clark, I can't believe how you pulled this together by yourself. It really does mean a lot." She kissed him on the cheek.
"That's true for all of us," Lex agreed. "Without you, Clark, we wouldn't be standing here right now."
"Lex, you got us over there," Clark pointed out.
"But I was improvising off of your plan, Clark. Emily and Byron made the difference in there. You're growing. Great job," the billionaire complimented.
"I remember something you said to me a while back, Lex," Clark replied. "A man's judged by the quality of his friends. Is that it?"
Lex smirked at him, recalling the reference to Whitney Fordman's situation three years earlier. "Something like that, Clark."
"Then I must be very lucky," the farm boy supposed, giving his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek, looking at the other couple and then glancing at his parents. He did feel lucky. Very lucky indeed.
Chapter 18 [A week later—Talon]
Lana rushed about the café, serving customers and making sure everyone was satisfied. With Lex's help, they had the place back and running within two days. When word got out, their old regulars came back in droves, wanting to welcome her back. Despite the furious pace, she felt content to be there. She had enjoyed her time in Paris and seeing the world but this was her home. Here, she had her friends, her life and best of all, her boyfriend. She smoothed her white blouse and dark skirt. Clark would be by shortly for the next test. I meet his father at last. She gulped anxiously. I just want this to go right. Just as she set down the last cup and headed for the counter, she saw Byron and Emily walk in. "Hi!"
"Hi, Lana," Byron greeted. "I hope you don't mind if I brought Emily."
Lana shook her head and smiled. On the flight back from Paris, she had talked with her former best friend for a couple of hours, reestablishing the links for their friendship. "Why would I mind that? Once again, thank you both and…." She saw something glitter at her from her friend's finger and her jaw dropped. "Why, Emily! Is that?"
Emily nodded. "Byron wants to be with me. I really want to be with him."
"Don't worry, Lana. Mother really loves her too. I proposed to her last night. In two years, we're getting married. By then, we'll be ready," Byron informed her.
"Sounds good but hey, what do I know about love?" Lana shrugged.
Seeing Clark walk up, Byron broke into a stanza, "What matters to the heart/To our minds comes slow/Until strikes the dart/From Love's all-seeing bow."
"You're amazing," Clark complimented. "How's it going, guys?"
"See my new ring?" Emily bragged.
Clark looked at the couple incredulously. "Wow! Hey, congratulations, you two."
"I wanted a friend like you are to Lana, Clark," Emily announced. Then she looked at Byron. "That's my poet here." She kissed him shyly, trying to adjust to the adult rituals.
"We try." Lana hugged her friend. "I was wondering. If you want to make some money, Emily, would you like to try working here for me?"
"Okay. If it'll help Momma and Byron," she agreed. "And you, Lana."
"It will," Lana concurred, nodding vigorously while taking off her apron. Looking at Clark's suit, she complimented, "You, Mr. Kent, look very dashing tonight."
"Hey, I can't be seen escorting such a lady in just anything. Right, Byron?" he supposed.
"No argument here, Clark. What's the occasion?" the poet asked.
"I'm meeting a family member tonight," Lana told him. "Well, we do need to get there, Clark."
"Right. Let's go," he indicated. "Once again, best wishes, you two."
"Thanks, Clark, good luck to you both as well," Byron indicated.
Emily waved at them; her eyes shining at them.
Once they left the café, they entered the alley. After sweeping her up into his arms, they sped away into the night.
[Cowache Caves]
Clark and Lana entered the caves and walked quickly to the caverns' center. There they discovered the ghost floating there.
"Is that Jor-El?" she queried anxiously yet made herself stand straight and tall.
"It's him all right," Clark confirmed. Jor-El.
Greetings, Kal-El, Jor-El announced. Is this the One?
It is. This is Lana, the woman I love, Clark stated. Can we make it so she can understand us?
Indeed. The spirit shone an intense light on her for a second and then let it fade. Lana Lang, can you understand me?
"Clark, I can hear him in my mind," she indicated.
"It's called telepathy. Follow my lead," he assured her. Sorry, she's not used to this.
Her mind is strong, Kal-El. Tell me, Lana Lang, do you truly care for my son?
Yes, she indicated. I would be willing to die for him if needed.
So I saw. That, my Dear, is the ultimate sacrifice that one can make for another. I am proud of you as well, Kal-El for giving of yourself for her.
Thank you, the two teens accepted.
Your love is strong. I could try to drive you apart again but that would be a waste of time and effort. Besides, Kal-El, you are stronger when she is at your side. I wish it to be so.
Meaning? She asked.
Meaning, Lana, that he's about to prompt Clark on something, her mother informed her while appearing.
Mom? she wondered.
Yes, Sweetheart. I wouldn't miss this! You two belong together if that is what you wish.
Actually, Lana, I have a confession to make, Clark admitted. Byron and I talked last night and then I spoke with Jor-El. He took her hands in his and said, Lana, I've thought about the last few years and what we meant to each other. There have been some good times and bad times. I've made a lot of mistakes. I've been fortunate in that you've forgiven me for them. You're the best part of my life. You complete my heart and soul. I need you so much. He got down on one knee. Lana Lang, will you marry me?
Lana gasped in surprise. "Are you serious, Clark?"
Telepathy, remember? He reminded her, wincing in Jor-El's direction. And yes, I really mean it.
No waffling out on me at the last minute?
Lex and he would kill me if I did.
And you, Jor-El, you would approve of us? Lana asked him.
Now that you've proven yourself. You are truly a worthy companion for my son, Lana Lang, Jor-El indicated.
Lana thought for a second about it before agreeing, Yes, Clark, I'll marry you!
Clark grinned and kissed her passionately. Thank you, Lana! Thank you!
Give it to her, Kal-El, Jor-El instructed.
Clark opened a slender box, revealing an elaborate pink bracelet encrusted with jewels and a diamond engagement ring. The best of both worlds, right?
That's the only way I'll ever want it, my long traveler from the stars. Put them on me, she informed him, holding out her left hand.
He snapped the bracelet around her wrist and slid the ring on her finger. There!
And now, Lana Lang, take Kal-El's hands, please, Jor-El instructed before bathing the couple in a bright glow.
Lana felt like she was burning up. What is this?
I am making you Kryptonian. You will be able to do whatever my son can.
Wow. I don't really feel any different, Lana noted.
You will, Clark advised. Thank you, Jor-El and Mrs. Lang, for your blessing.
You have both earned it. Be well. With that, the ghosts faded away.
"That was amazing, Clark," she assessed.
"It's overwhelming at first," he agreed. "Come on; let's take it slow and super jog back to the farm. Mom and Dad are waiting for an update."
"You're on, Clark, but I think I can handle the sprint," she agreed, taking off in a blur.
You want it that way, fine! He retorted telepathically with a grin before following right behind her.
Now it would truly be a match made in Heaven for those two……
Conclusion [Marsailles—JM's parents' house. Two years later]
Decorations adorned the mansion by the Mediterranean on that first weekend of October 2005. With preparations finalized fifteen months earlier, the security kept the paparazzi away from both the elaborate waterside ceremony and the reception to follow. But then, even when one covered weddings everyday, this one was still special.
After all, how often did triple weddings occur?
Right at sunrise, Clark, Byron and Lex stood waiting at the altar. Flanking them, Pete stood tall in his role as best man while JM insisted on being the best maid of honor for Lana, Emily and especially, Chloe.
A few minutes later, Jonathan presented the three brides to their intendeds and stepped back proudly looking at them all.
One by one, the priest read the vows, asking each couple recite them in turn which they did before exchanging their tokens of fidelity to each other. Then clapping the Bible closed, he declared, "I pronounce you husband and wife, husband and wife and husband and wife. Clark, Byron and Alexander, you may kiss your brides."
The three grooms looked at each other and nodded, making sure they were in tune with each other. As one, they lifted the veils and kissed their beloveds, sealing their pacts much to the well-wishers' approval around them.
It was quite a day indeed.
[That night—second terrace]
As the moon washed over them, the three couples sat together on the terrace, resting up before the big finale later that night.
"Today was amazing," Chloe remarked, stroking Lex's hand. "What a party. I never thought it could go so long."
"Hey, you don't do this every day. Enjoy it. Besides it'll be the last time you ever do it," her husband asserted.
"You've done it now three times, Lex," Clark pointed out.
"This is for real, Clark," Lex countered, kissing Chloe for emphasis.
"I'll say," Byron agreed, kissing Emily. "You don't mind that?"
"I'm getting to like it especially in front of our friends," his wife agreed. "Thanks, Lana, for letting me be a princess too."
Lana looked at Clark and smiled before replying, "It's our pleasure, Emily. Here's hoping we're all happy forever." She raised a glass of champagne. "To best friends now and forever."
"To best friends now and forever!" they all cheered.
"A businesswoman and a diplomat? What side are you going to show us next?" Clark wondered mischievously.
"That, Mr. Kent, you'll have to wait a little while for. We know how slow you can be. Deal with it for once," she teased, giving him a kiss and letting her eyes sparkle at him.
He shrugged while snuggling close to Lana and looking at his friends. It was hard to believe that just two years before, they had all been separated by circumstance. Now the future seemed so bright and limitless. They would recall their vows, each couple growing old together, raising families and eventually passing to the next life as soulmates.
But above all else, they supported each other too, remembering the bonds that got them there in the first place. They were best friends and that would be the way they'd stay, forming a foundation and an example for the future.
And that's what it's all about in the end.
THE END