Chapter 10
(Amandil quietly makes his way to the back of the bus by the dim lights above. Outside, the brisk night air intermingles with patches of snow in the parking lot. The sky is wholly devoid of any clouds. Carefully prodding and awakening sleeping bodies as he goes, Amandil makes his way to the back of the bus. He finds Chloe and Pete as they were before. Lois has her head tilted back, mouth slightly agape, and arms crossed, shivering slightly. Clark is back in his original seat with his chin resting on the top of Lana's who's head is resting on Clark's chest with his arms around her. Amandil reaches out and taps Clark on the shoulder.)
Amandil (Whispering): "Clark?"
(He taps again.)
Amandil: "Clark?"
(Clark shifts slightly in his sleep, causing Lana to furrow her closed eyes indignantly. Amandil cocks an eyebrow as he now pokes Clark in the side of the head.)
Amandil: "Clark, wake up."
(Clark shakes his head slightly before opening his eyes.)
Amandil: "Good morning, Clark."
Clark (Groggily): "We there?"
Amandil: "Yes. Care to wake up Lana for me?"
(They both look down at her. She snuggles closer to Clark, letting out a deep breath.)
Amandil: "Or you could carry her in, that'd work as well."
(Amandil moves past them to Lois, whom he lightly prods.)
Amandil: "Ms. Lane?"
(She stirs and opens her eyes. Amandil smiles at how easy she was to awaken.)
Amandil: "We're here. If you need any assistance carrying your items, please just ask. Excuse me."
(Amandil moves on and wakes Pete, who accidentally wakes Chloe. Before long, people begin filing off of the bus with their luggage as they sleepily make their way to the Super 8 motel. Clark has his and Lana's duffel bags slung over one shoulder and hanging behind him, while Lana is gently cradled in both his arms. Clark feels her stir slightly and her heart rate increases as she partially wakes up. Her eyes part slightly and she looks up at him before closing them again. Inside the hotel, Mr. Audley is handing out room keys. As Pete holds the door open for Chloe, then Clark, the camera peels off of them and goes up several floors of the twelve story hotel. It passes through a window and closed shades as Clark enters the room with Lana still in his arms. Chloe and Lois enter behind him and Pete waits at the door. Carefully, Clark sets her down on one of the two queen size beds in the room.)
Chloe (Sleepily): "I'll get her tucked in, Clark. You get to bed."
Clark (As he approaches Pete at the door): "Thanks."
Lois (Setting her bag down): "Night, Clark. It was nice meeting you."
Clark (Calling back over his shoulder): "You too."
Lana (Half mumbling, still mostly asleep): "Night..."
(Clark turns back and smiles as he walks out of the room. Pete shuts the door behind them and they walk down the hallway until they reach room 317. Pete fumbles around in his pocket looking for the key.)
Mr. Audley (Calling from down the hall): "Good night, Mr. Kent, Mr. Ross."
Clark: "Night, Mr. Audley."
(Mr. Audley enters his room. Pete finally finds the key and opens the door. They enter the room and turn on a light.)
Pete: "Where's Aman?"
Clark: "He'll be up in a few minutes. He's still helping Amy get her baggage to her room."
(Pete drops his bag in a corner, followed by Clark's.)
Clark: "I call dibs on the floor."
Pete: "You sure?"
Clark: "Yeah."
Pete: "Suit yourself."
(Pete enters the bathroom as Clark peels his shirt off and gets a blanket out of the closet. Snagging a pillow from one of the beds, Clark settles down in a corner leaning against the wall with the pillow behind his head. Looking to his left, Clark focuses his vision and sees through the wall. Far in the distance, at a lower elevation, he can see the bright lights and tall buildings of Denver. Clark's eyes lose their focus and the wall comes back into view. Smiling, Clark's eyes droop as his breathing becomes methodical and deep. Pete comes back into the room and sees him already asleep. Shrugging, he turns off the lights and climbs into bed. Clark breathes in deeply, and then exhales. He inhales again, and then lets his breath out once more. Beneath his eyelids, his eyes begin furtively moving about...)
(In his sleep, he feels himself being rocked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Like a boat at sea, he feels the calming presence of water. Opening his eyes, he looks up to see Lara has him in her arms. She smiles down at him, her azure eyes sparkling in the dim room's light. He rocks back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Clark sleepily raises a tiny hand towards her. She smiles broadly and meets his hand with her own. Clark squeezes it in his stubby little fingers then falls asleep. She rocks him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth before setting him back in his crib. Beside it is an oblong triangular speaker which emits the sound of water tumbling down a stream. Lara stands and brushes a stray stand of hair back into the metal clasp fixed in her hair. She exhales as she looks down at her infant child. Feeling two strong arms wrap around her, she closes her eyes.)
Jor-El (Speaking softly): "You should be in bed, my love."
Lara (Her voice tender): "He's so beautiful..."
(Jor-El hugs her tighter to himself. Quietly, they leave the room. The lights fade off leaving only a crack of light from the door shining across the baby's sleeping form. In his sleep, Clark groans slightly and snuggles deeper into his blanket...)
