TITLE: Interim
AUTHOR: William Rayne
EMAIL: knytmareyahoo.com
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: Clark/Lana
SUMMARY: Willow sends Buffy (and by extension, Dawn) to Kansas to find 3 newly chosen slayers. Who knew that a place called Smallville would become more than a routine search and train. AU, cross-over with Smallville.
SPOILERS: BtVS: Chosen, SV: Exile, Phoenix, Skinwalker
DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, email me
DISCLAIMER someone else owns 'em, I'm just taking them out to play. Don't sue me, I have no money
FEEDBACK: Desired like none other.
NOTES AND NEWS: This ends the first part of the story. The second part will take place about weeks after these events.
As always: bold italics for stressed, italics for thoughts or voice-over, and underlines for sarcasm or disgust.
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Interim
Chapter 5
Saturday Night, Under LuthorCorp Building
A bolt of vibrant white energy shot menacingly towards Buffy. She reflexively threw up her right arm, turned her head with eyes shut, knowing that she didn't have time to dive away. Hoping that she'd survive the strike, she braced herself for some sort of impact. Seconds became hours and suddenly she heard an unexpected yet familiar voice say, "What the hell is going on?" Turning back around, the Slayer saw an invisible barrier protecting her from the blast of light. The light streamed around the shield that was inches before her outstretched arm.
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Ten seconds before, Sullivan Household Bathroom
After the events at the crackhouse, Dawn felt she could use a bath. Stepping from relaxing waters of the bath, Dawn covered herself and her hair with the guest towels Chloe had given her. She was about to brush her teeth in front of the sink mirror when a white beam of light appeared inches before her, slamming her backwards into the wall with an incredible amount of force.
Opening her eyes, Dawn saw before her a barrage of images instead of the surroundings she expected to see. Within her mind she heard a language she knew wasn't English yet she could translate all the same. The images she saw included the spires of a city that seemed to be out of a movie or comic book, an exploding planet and a ship carrying a baby from the destruction. Dawn opened her mouth to say, "What the hell is going on?" and did not know that statement was heard hundreds of miles away by her sister.
Within Dawn's mind, she heard a voice say coldly, "Interesting. This was not foreseen."
Outside the door of the bathroom, Chloe stood and heard the same cold voice Dawn heard. Chloe had come to investigate the noise and was worried when there was no response from Dawn. The strange voice had sealed her decision and with her newly found Slayer strength, Chloe burst through the door to discover a nearly catatonic Dawn slumped against the wall still wrapped in her towel. Chloe barely noticed the beam of light inches away from her friend.
Back in Metropolis, the shield surrounding Buffy held strong against the barrage of menacing light. Straining to peer into the bright entity, she once again heard Dawn's voice from its center, "Oh and like I was expecting this. What are you? What do you want?"
Chloe saw Dawn open her mouth but the voice that issued forth was the cold masculine voice she heard earlier, "I could ask the same of you. I would've never suspected that this planet was capable of producing a being of such power."
The images Dawn saw shifted into the form of a man. The man was broad and tall. Clad in a regal white suit that bore the symbol of the House of El in blue, he paced on the air, awaiting a response. Looking down she soon found that she too had gained form in this place of mists and illusion. Ignoring the man's statement, she half-asked, half-stated, "Astral plane, I'm guessing. What I can't figure is what's up with you wearing the symbol for the House of El."
Jor-El stopped pacing and failing to mask his surprise, he queried, "How is it possible that you know of the glory of what was once Krypton?"
Dawn shrugged, "Lucky guess? You still haven't answered why we are here and why you brought me here."
Jor-El remained silent and stoically crossed his arms before him. Suddenly, all was made clear to Dawn, "You don't know, do you? You're just as lost as me as to how and why we're here. I was brushing my teeth, what's the last thing you remember?"
Again, silence greeted the teen. Frustrated, Dawn shrieked, "I've had a long day and you're not helping. Now you can either help me figure a way out or we can both be trapped here."
Seconds ticked by, finally Jor-El sighed, "I was exacting retribution on the one who sought to interfere with my plan for my son."
"Your son?" Dawn interrupted.
"Kal-El," Jor-El elaborated, "the Last Son of Krypton. I had saved him from the destruction of our world by sending him to Earth. To the one family on this planet that ever showed me kindness and trust. The House of K---"
Dawn and Chloe never heard the rest of statement as light suddenly flared around them, drowning out both sound and sight. Miles away, the light in front of Buffy imploded and vanished. Although miles apart, all three women blinked twice, having the same reaction to the event
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Saturday Night, Clark's Apartment
Clark had sped back towards his apartment. Free of the effects of the Red Kryptonite, he was worried about Lana. Though glad at the way she had handled what he had told her, he had a feeling that something was amiss. For the first time in three months, he had to deal with the fact that he was at a loss as to what to do. Right now, he wanted to seek comfort, and that comfort would come in Lana's arms. When he arrived, he found only an envelope bearing his name. Opening it, he read:
Dear Clark,For the past three months, I've thought that you were just waiting for the right person to find you. To bring you home. Deep down, I hoped that person was me. After seeing you tonight, I realized how wrong I was. Not about the right person needing to find you but about who that person was. You weren't waiting for me to find you, you were waiting for yourself.As much as I love you and that I know you love me, I know now that isn't the issue. Nell once told me, when I was younger: 'Love is like a bunny. You can care for it all you want. Your natural inclination is to protect it fiercely but it won't survive like that. Sometimes you need to let it go so that it could thrive, so that it can find its place in the world.' I'm not saying good-bye. I'm not saying that I've given up on us. I don't know what I'm saying, really, but I do know that I love you. I also know that you are still searching for yourself and until you find your place in this world, you will never find where I fit into that picture. You have a destiny to fulfill, just like I do. Destiny isn't set in stone. It's made by the choices we make. The choice is up to you and you alone. I can only hope that choice in some way, involves me and Smallville.Love Forever and a Day,Lana
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The Next Day, Smallville
Lana's car pulled up to the front of the Kent household and Buffy got out of the car. Lana's cell rang. It seemed the LuthorCorp 'representatives' needed to see her. Saying bye to Buffy, Lana drove off to talk to the Wolfram and Hart lawyers.
Thanking Lana, Buffy walked up to the front door of the house as the teenager pulled away from the house. After getting a call from Dawn last night, she decided to call Lana and see if they could head home earlier than planned. Lana seemed more than happy to oblige. Now Buffy stood in front of the door, waiting for someone to answer.
Martha opened the door and Buffy grinned, "Hello Mrs. Kent. How are you today?"
"Oh, I've had better days, Buffy but thank you for the concern," Martha said, obviously lamenting over her missing son.
Smiling sympathetically, Buffy said sheepishly, "I was hoping that Mr. Kent might have the car fixed? Either way, I'm here to help out around the farm to help work off the expense."
Martha chuckled to herself, "Oh, Buffy. You don't really have to do that. We're more than happy to help."
Buffy bit her lower lip and said, "No, really. I insist. Lana told me about your, ah, troubles. It's the least I can do to help. Besides, it's not everyday you can get free labor from a super-powered being."
Mrs. Kent blinked in surprise and was about to answer when Jonathan came up behind her and said, "I suppose you're right, Buffy. You really don't need to help. Fixing your car was no hassle to us."
Opening the door and letting the girl in, he said non-chalantly, "Come on in. I'll get you the keys to your car."
Buffy walked in with a noticeable limp and the Kents look of concern prompted her to say, "Oh, it's not that bad really."
"What happened?" Martha asked.
"Oh, the last Big Bad was more 'mill' than 'run-of-the'. Nothing a few more hours of Slayer-healing won't take care of. I'll be fine, really," Buffy replied.
They gave her a look of confusion and insisted she sit down. Buffy smiled politely and obliged them. Jonathan went to get her keys just as her cell phone rang.
Looking at Martha apologetically, Buffy saw it was from Dawn. Answering she got up, started to pace and said, "Dawn, is everything alright…What do you mean it's not the melty kind? How about disappeary kind...Oh, I see. Well, there's nothing we can do about that. Have you found anything about that Jor-El guy you mentioned…Nothing? Well, keep searching."
As Buffy clicked off the phone, Martha was anxious to ask about what she overheard but wishing to remain careful, she focused on a less obscure fact in the conversation, "Melty kind?"
"Yeah, the demon I fought last night. It went poof on me. I thought it melted away 'cause some demons do that. But not Devracs apparently. So that means it's still on the loose. Chloe and Dawn are in full research mode trying to figure out where it could pop up next."
"Chloe?" Martha said, betraying her curiosity.
Buffy, realizing her mistake in betraying the Chloe's identity as a Slayer, amended, "Well, Dawn's using Chloe's resources to research it."
Martha didn't have time to respond as Jonathan walked around towards the room saying, "Sorry, I must've misplaced the keys. I can't seem to find them anywhere." As he turned the corner into the room, both he and Martha said, "Oh my God, Clark."
Buffy turned to see a tall yet uncomfortable, young man standing in the doorway. The worried parents rushed towards their wayward son. Gripping him tightly, tears streamed down their faces as they welcomed him home, Buffy said aloud, doubting they were paying enough attention to notice, "I'll just come back later to pick up my car and arrange payment."
Jonathan came back into the reality and said, "Thank you." He glanced towards his son and added, "But where are my manners? Buffy, I'd like you to meet our son, Clark."
Clark looked the blonde girl over, realizing with shock that she was the one he fought with the previous night. Quickly recomposing himself, he smiled and said, "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise," Buffy responded.
Clark glanced about the room and said to his dad, "Have you tried looking behind the end table for her keys? Sometimes things fall back there."
Jonathan replied, "I'll try that, son," and promptly went off in search of Buffy's keys once more.
It was clear that the Kents should talk and Buffy turned towards Martha and Clark to say, "It's alright, I really should go. I'll be by later." Before they could respond, she turned towards the door and walked away. Neither tried to stop her and as she neared the barn, she saw a bald headed man walking up the road.
He looked at her, puzzled, and stated, "If you're here for the auction, you're too late."
Buffy blinked and said, "Huh?"
The man apologized, "Sorry, I just thought you might be looking over the grounds because of the auction. I'm Lex Luthor."
Recognition dawned on Buffy's face and she extended her hand, "Oh. I'm Buffy Summers."
"Not that it is my business, but what are you doing here, Miss Summers?"
"Oh, I had car trouble and Mr. Kent helped me out. I came to get my car but they couldn't find the keys so I decided to walk home since we're renting Lana's old house," Buffy responded, leaving the announcement of Clark's homecoming to the Kents.
Lex raised his eyebrow, "Lana's house, huh? I take it you're a friend of the family?"
"Not exactly," Buffy said, chuckling to herself at Lex's subtle ploys, "It's a long story but to make it short, I am friends with Lana now. My mentor found the house to rent."
Lex laughed, "Well, perhaps you'd like to tell me that tale at a later date?"
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After Buffy Closes the Door, Kent House
Jonathan arrived back in the room when the front door closed and said, "She left in a hurry."
"Dad," Clark said, "not to rain on the parade, but we may have a problem."
"You heard that too, Clark?" Martha asked.
"Heard what?" Jonathan said confused, "Slow down, you two."
"That girl," Clark started.
"Buffy," Martha amended.
"Buffy," Clark corrected and continued, "was talking to someone and it has something to do with Jor-El."
Before Jonathan could respond, Martha elaborated, "She was talking to Dawn."
Jonathan was interrupted once more, this time by Clark, "Don? Who's Don? Is he someone from LuthorCorp?"
Jonathan finally got a word in, "Dawn is a she and she is Buffy's sister. Why do you think she'd be involved with LuthorCorp?" The elder Kents looked at their son with a mix of curiosity, anticipation and dread.
"Long story short is that I had to fight her because she was protecting Lionel's vault," Clark said. It was clear, from the look he received, that Clark would have to tell them the full story eventually.
"I really can't see those girls being involved with the Lionel in any way," Martha replied hesitantly.
"Neither can I, dear," Jonathan said, "but we'll have to keep an eye on them just in case. Clark, how is it that you recognize her and she didn't recognize you?"
"I," Clark said, more to the ground than his folks, "was wearing a mask."
His parents avoided that subject for the moment and Jonathan changed the topic, "Clark, I think it would be easiest for you to keep an eye on Dawn. She seems to be a key in this somehow. I caught her in the caves and think she can read Kryptonian somehow."
Glancing out the window, Mr. Kent thought he saw Lex's outline along with Buffy's against the setting sun. That's impossible, Lex died in the plane crash.
A/N: Building on the Dawn magics angle and other stuff we saw in season 7. More to come later. May re-do this chapter, depends when I have time to write the next.
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