Elevators
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story.
Pairing: Chlark (Chloe/Clark)
Spoilers: Obsession
Rating: PG-13
Summary: What if Chloe had been in the elevator with Clark instead of Alicia in Obsession?
"How about I quarantine this jaded little fan club from the rest of the group? Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Kent, take the next car." Mrs. Allen said just before the elevator doors shut.
"I guess the sycophants will wait." Chloe said humorously.
Clark laughed as he looked around the cold building. LuthorCorp had always made him feel paranoid, like something terrible could happen any moment. He could hear Chloe babbling on about something in between his thoughts and it comforted him. Chloe could always comfort him no matter what the situation was. He turned and smiled to his best friend right as the elevator doors swung back open.
"After you," Clark said chivalrously while gently guiding Chloe through the doors.
"Thank you, kind sir." She replied in a mock-English accent.
"I hate elevators." Clark confessed openly before an awkward silence set in. He and Chloe had been having several awkward silences lately when they were alone. He knew he was attracted to her, who wouldn't be? He knew that she use to be attracted to him, but decided it was better to just "be friends." Thinking back on that day after the tornado, he wishes he had never agreed with her.
"Why? I love elevators." Chloe replied. And as if on cue, as soon as she said that, they plummeted.
The counter that told which floor they were on was dropping quickly; the lights were flashing wildly; the sound of metal screeching was unbearable. Chloe couldn't think of anything else to do but scream. She was quickly thrown to the floor by the pressure being pushed down on her.
"Clark!" She screamed for help and looked up at him.
"It's alright, Chloe!" He shouted back through the noise. He was panicking. If he didn't use his powers Chloe could die, but if he did use them she would know the secrets he tried so hard to conceal. When he heard the fear in Chloe's voice he threw caution to the wind and used his heat vision to destroy the security camera. He couldn't have a video of him using his alien-powers circling around LuthorCorp.
After the beams of heat subsided he looked at Chloe and saw on her face an expression of fear, slight confusion, and a slight dawning of understanding all mixed together.
He swallowed hard. Turning his attention back to the problem at hand, he searched for ways to stop the train from falling. Finally, as the last floor got nearer, he just gathered up some strength and punched his hand through the wall of the car and grabbed the rod that the elevator was sliding down with all of his might. Slowly the falling stopped and after it tapered down he loosened his grip on the pole.
"C-Clark?"
He turned around to face Chloe and he could feel the red rise on his cheeks. He would have to tell her the truth now. His only hope was that she wouldn't put him on the Wall of Weird.
"Chloe, I can explain." He stated nervously.
"I'm waiting." She said after a few moments. Her voice had no trace of anger though, and that was a good sign.
"Well, see, the thing is that I have been hiding a huge secret from you, Chloe. I just didn't want to put you in danger and I, I didn't want to end up on the Wall of Weird or on the front page of the Torch." He said all in one breath.
"Clark, n-no matter what kind of secret you're hiding, I would never put you on the Wall of Weird. I would never betray you. I don't care if you're a freaking alien." She stated and saw Clark's cheeks get even redder. "Wait, are you saying that you're a…..an alien?"
"Please don't tell anyone!" It was the only thing his mind could come up with and he kicked himself mentally for saying something so childish. But it was true nonetheless.
"Clark, calm down! I would never tell anyone. J-just explain it all to me, please." He could tell she meant it, and she deserved to know the truth after all of these years and lies.
"It all started with the meteor shower-"
Clark's explanation was cut short by the sound of a security team trying to pry the doors open.
"Don't worry kids, we'll get you out!" One of them shouted reassuringly.
Clark suddenly grew extremely nervous. How was he going to explain the situation to them? Chloe saw the fear in his eyes and placed a comforting hand on his arm to settle him down.
"Don't worry, Clark." She whispered and Clark smiled.
Maybe I should've told her a long time ago, he thought.
After a few moments the doors were suddenly pushed apart and three men in tan security uniforms rushed in to examine the situation.
"Are you two alright?" The first man asked. Chloe quickly stood up in front of the hole where Clark's arm had gone through.
"Yeah, yeah we're fine. The elevator just stopped all of a sudden, thankfully. I just really want to get out of here." She said with her best dramatic and flushed voice.
Clark nodded in agreement as they stepped out of the elevator followed by the security team members. Luckily, the doors closed back before any of them had a chance to see the hole.
Mrs. Allen and the rest of the students quickly rushed up to them and bombarded them with questions about their well-being.
"We're fine, we're fine." Chloe said repeatedly before they all finally calmed down.
"Well, I think this field trip is over. Everyone back to the bus!" She shouted and gestured to the large front doors of the building.
The class made their way outside and slowly on to the bus with Chloe and Clark trailing behind them all. She could tell Clark was still nervous about the whole situation so she entwined her hand with his and squeezed; a simple friendly gesture.
He looked down and gave her a warm smile as he squeezed back. They dropped each others hands when they walked on the bus and made their way to the main back seat together. A simultaneous sigh escaped both of them once they were in the seat and settled.
"Listen, Chloe, I know that you want to know everything, and you should. You will, I promise. But can it wait until we get back to Smallville?" He pleaded with her, not wanting to risk the other students hearing his explanations and not really wanting to talk that much at the moment.
"Of course, Clark, if I've waited this long I can wait three more hours." She said with a smile, which then received one from Clark in return.
Clark yawned and without another word he laid his head on the window and silently fell asleep with his hand unconsciously taking Chloe's again. And she smiled brightly looking at his snoring face squished up against the glass pane. She was finally going to know Clark, really know him in his entirety.
And she could hardly wait.
"Wake up," Chloe gently patted Clark's shoulder as the bus pulled up in front of Smallville High School.
"Hmm?" He mumbled a sleepy little sound before opening his eyes and looking over at Chloe.
"We're back in our favorite little Twilight Zone." She replied and smiled.
He smiled at her and then remembered the events of the day. But, to his surprise, the memories didn't stop his smile or make it any less vibrant. In the many fantasies Clark had dreamed up about Chloe finding out his secret, she had always been angry and resentful and seeking revenge. He had never expected her to be so open and gentle about it. Of course, he had come to expect surprises from Chloe. That's when he realized that no matter how much he tried, he could never fully repress his romantic feelings of Chloe or hide them behind the cloak of Lana infatuation. And he wasn't so sure he wanted to anymore.
"Come one, guys." The bus driver yelled and they realized they were the only ones left on the bus.
"Sorry," Clark apologized to the bus driver before he and Chloe stepped off the bus and into the cold Kansas snow. Chloe shivered and Clark put his arm around her shoulder which, suffice to say, warmed her up.
"Clark, if you don't want to tell me you know, about yourself, I won't hold it against you." She said caringly, leaning into him a little as they strolled into the school building.
"No, Chloe, I want to tell you. I want you to finally know." He reassured her.
"Good," Was Chloe's reply as the broke away to open their lockers and get any books they needed to take home.
"Just come by the loft later and I will explain everything to you, okay?" Clark proposed.
"Perfect, I'll be there around five. And Clark, don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She promised and she turned away to head back to her car just as the bell rung.
"I know." Clark whispered to himself as he too turned around to go home. And then he realized the daunting task ahead of him: telling his parents that Chloe knows, or will soon know. His smile swiftly went away.
"What?!" Jonathan Kent asked a little too loudly with a mix of disbelief and slight anger in his voice.
"I'm sorry dad but there was nothing else I could do! And I really want Chloe to know." He added the last part a little softer than the rest.
"Clark, sweetheart, I know how much you want to tell someone but what if Chloe isn't exactly the….right person to tell?" Martha Kent asked in a soft, motherly tone.
"Mom, Chloe's been my best friend for years! I know I can trust her, she promised I can trust her. And I'm sick of lying to the girl I lo-"
He couldn't believe he just said that. Did he love Chloe? He knew he had strong feelings for her, but did he love her? Then he began to think about all of the memories they shared together, all of the wonderful moments they had and he realized that yes, he did. He loved Chloe.
Martha smiled. "I always knew you would realize that someday, I was just hoping it would be sooner rather than later."
"Clark," Jonathan sighed. "If you truly believe it's time for Chloe to know, then I have to trust your judgement. Just be careful, son."
"I-I will dad. I know Chloe, she wouldn't betray me." He smiled and Martha beamed at him, ecstatic that her son finally realized that Chloe was perfect for him.
Clark glanced down at his wristwatch and the digital glow of electric green said 4:56 PM. "Oh, I have to go out to the loft. I told Chloe to come by at 5, and don't worry dad."
"Okay, son." Jonathan smiled to Martha after Clark went out the door.
"Finally!" They both shouted out in glee and burst out laughing together.
Clark had only been sitting on the dusty couch of the loft a few moments before Chloe walked in with a happy spring in her step. She immediately made her way over to sit down next to Clark and ready herself to find out his secret.
"Hey," Chloe said trying to strike up the conversation.
"Hey," Clark replied, not really knowing how to start things out.
They sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Chloe cleared her throat rather loudly and inspired Clark to begin.
"Okay, here goes nothing."
Clark was definitely not expecting the reaction Chloe had. As soon as he had finished his half-hour confession of everything from Krypton to the summer in Metropolis, Chloe had looked up at him with a brilliant smile and tears in her eyes and kissed him. It started out slow and lazy but soon grew to the most loving kiss either had ever experienced.
"Chloe?" Clark asked breathlessly after they pulled away.
"Thank you for finally telling me. Everything makes so much sense now; every time you rescued me; every time you disappeared without a notice; everything. I always knew your secret was big but I never imagined it was this…..epic. And no one else knows but me, your parents, and that Dr. Swann person?"
"No," He replied contently.
"I love you, Clark." She stated and reached up to kiss him again.
"I l-love you too, Chloe." He said, stunned and warmed by her words.
"You'll never regret telling me, I promise." She said as she snuggled up to his chest and he put his arms around her.
And she was right; he never did regret telling her.