Chapter 7 - Unraveling the Threads
Gabe woke up to a loud crash. Baffled by what could make such noise at the Kent's he stood up and went to investigate. Chloe had heard it too. She had no idea what it could be. Then, she too stood up, and raced out in her pajamas to investigate the problem.
Investigate indeed. Chloe was in positive shock at the dilemma that faced her. Clark was floating a meter above his bed and his alarm clock was in pieces. She immediately heard footsteps that she recognized as her fathers. "Crap!" she thought.
She raced over and shook and smacked and moved Clark but nothing woke him. As a last resort she called his name. The footsteps were getting closer. She pushed the door closed until it was ajar. "Clark!" she yelled. Immediately his eyes popped open and he realized what he was doing.
"Oh no! I'm going to break another bed!" thought Clark as he opened his eyes and began to fall. "Crap. Crap. Crap. No."
Then suddenly he was hanging in the air. He was . . . floating . . . by sheer will. Chloe looked on in amazement. A slight knock at the door broke the trance they both were in. Chloe snapped out of it and caught the door before it opened fully and Clark, with his concentration broken, fell to the bed. Finally Gabe managed to get into the room. Clark and Chloe put on a convincing smile and hoped it worked.
Gabe swore he had just seen Clark fall from floating in the air. Convinced it was the stress he deemed it impossible. Looking over he noticed the alarm clock in pieces on Clark's bureau. What did this boy eat? "All right, you two. No more horseplay."
"Yes Dad." Chloe said. Clark nodded. And with that Gabe left. Clark let out the breath he had been holding for so long. Chloe did the same. Then, without warning, Chloe tackled him to the bed.
They laid there for what seemed like ages, until Clark made a remark.
"That's pretty good Chlo," he said, impressed that she had surprised him.
Then they kissed. Chloe looked at Clark, then at his boxers, and smiled provocatively.
"Clark! Chloe! Lana! You're going to be late for school!" his mom yelled.
Clark silently cursed his mom and shooing Chloe out he dressed and met her and Lana in the kitchen for breakfast.
Today, Clark had deliberately missed the bus so he could run Chloe to school. Waiting until after Lana had left, he picked up Chloe and ran them through the back roads to school. Chloe happily enjoyed the breeze. Close to school, Clark began to slow down. Just as they were about to enter the normal chaos occurring in the school's parking lot, there was a blur and Whitney appeared.
"Hello Clark," he said. His mind had thought of a new plan since last night. He smirked at Clark and crossed his arms. "I wonder what people would do if they knew how you really got to school so fast?"
Clark let Chloe down, and on instinct went to throw a punch at Whitney. Whitney caught Clark's hand Clark's veins immediately started to bulge out. Clark winced from the horrid pain, and suddenly Whitney let go. "I'll be watching you, Kent." he said, and disappeared.
Clark's first class was geology. Unknown to him, there was a lab. He sat with Chloe, Pete and Lana on his side. He and Chloe were always lab partners. Along with the class he listened as the teacher explained the lab.
"You will be examining different types of rocks. You have three rocks, two sets on each lab bench. You and a partner must examine each rock, and from its properties, you must decide which rock it is. I would also like you to classify it as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic, and as a silicate, carbonate, etc. Once you have that finished, . . . "
Here came the dreaded words for Clark. "You will receive one of these." The teacher pointed to a large chunk of all too familiar green rock. "You will examine one of these and describe its properties. I remind you that properties include color, hardness, luster, magnetism, and density, but are not limited to that. Then I expect you to categorize it as close as you can to your text categories. I suggest you write down your observations first. Then you can finish the lab at home if you need to. I expect it to be passed in tomorrow, complete with all ten post-lab questions."
"Marvelous," Clark thought. It really wasn't his day. Now he had both this and Whitney to worry about. And he still hadn't figured out a way to tell Lana about Whitney yet. Sighing, he decided that he'd deal with it later. Right now this lab posed a problem. He figured maybe if he did the first part of the lab, maybe he could skip the next. Or Chloe could do it and he could get the results.
Chloe and Clark started the lab, and they found that the rocks were granite, shale and marble. Now came the dreaded part. Lana went up to get the rock and brought back Chloe and Clark a rock too. As she neared, he felt more and more nauseated. Calming himself, he kept repeating, "It's okay, you'll get through it. Don't think about the pain."
"Clark, are you okay?" asked Lana.
"Yeah I'm…fine."
"Well if you're sure." Lana handed the rock to him. Immediately he felt his skin burn when he touched it. It felt like a hot coal.
"Chloe." He whispered, and began to hand it to her.
He was really sure things couldn't get worse but he should have known he was wrong. The sight of Chloe was enough to make him shiver. She was clutching her stomach in pain and her other hand was cradling her head. The thing that scared him the most was the fact that her veins were popped out and green, just like his. He dropped the rock from shock and it broke into a million pieces. He started to feel a bit of relief and so did Chloe, from the look on her face.
"Mr. Kent. Ms. Sullivan. What is the meaning of this?" asked their geology teacher.
"I don't feel very well," Clark stammered. "And neither does Chloe. We think our rock sample might be contaminated." He congratulated himself on such a good cover up.
"Can we get the results from Pete and Lana?" Chloe asked.
"No, you will obtain another sample and remain here until you finish this lab."
Clark nodded, and the teacher went away for a minute to help one of the lab groups.
"Okay, Chloe, I'm going to go get another rock. Just try to ignore the pain. Somehow we can do this." He whispered.
"Easy for you to say. I feel like I'm going to die." Chloe whispered back.
"I built up a tolerance, I know, but we have to do this."
"Why Clark? Why not just tell the teacher that you're allergic?"
"And that you are too? Gee, wait a minute now. 'Hey Mr. Grant, by the way I happen to be an alien and this stuff hurts me, so can I not do this lab? Oh and my friend Chloe, something happened to her and she's got this reaction to it too. That would go over really well."
"Reaction to what Mr. Kent?" Mr. Grant asked, suddenly appearing behind Clark the way teachers do.
Clark paled. "Nothing," he squeaked.
Chloe had a plan and she figured it was now or never. "Mr. Grant, Clark can't do this lab because he's got a reaction to those rocks. It's one of his allergies." Chloe said, loud enough for the teacher to hear but not the rest of the class.
Mr. Grant eyed them closely. "Then how come it's not listed on his school profile?"
"Um, because it's recent?"
Mr. Grant just looked at Chloe sternly, and told her and Clark to finish their lab and stop trying to weasel out of it.
After he left, Clark continuously gave Chloe the death glare.
"Clark, quit it. You could really fry me like that," she whispered.
"That would be bad how?" Clark said sarcastically.
Clark, annoyed, slowly walked up to get the offending piece of rock and bring it back to the lab station. He could barely bring himself to touch it, and when he finally did, it hurt like hell, but he would simply have to do the lab and get it over with. Bringing it over to the bench he laid it down on one side and then he walked to the other side. A wave of dizziness began to hit Chloe. She looked at Clark for his reaction. She had to give it to him, if he was hurting, he certainly didn't show it. To her, it seemed, the pain just got worse every second.
"Ms. Sullivan, are you going to do the lab too or just stand there?" Mr. Grant asked.
"I..." she gasped before fainting.
"Chloe!" Clark cried, caught her before she hit the floor.
Mr. Grant checked Chloe's pulse and her breathing. Both were irregular, so he asked Pete to help bring her to the infirmary.
"I will bring her to the infirmary. You stay here and finish that lab. And I warn you, I better not come back and find that you've done nothing."
He left, and the class erupted into the usual chatter that happened when a teacher left class. Clark wrote down a few observations from looking at the kryptonite before his eyes hurt. To determine hardness, density, and some of the other properties he had to go closer, and he didn't want to. Not that Chloe could have either. She had very low tolerance to it. He sighed and tried to remember what the hardness was like when he brought it over, but all he could remember was the intense pain.
Without warning Mr. Grant came back, and everyone went silent. Then the bell rang, and everyone ran out of the lab to get to their next class. Pete looked at Clark, and after sharing a knowing glance, he left.
"Ms. Sullivan is with the nurse now. She seems to be okay. Is that all you have written so far? You're not going to get many marks for that. You have many properties left out."
Clark went to touch the rock. The pounding became stronger and stronger and louder and louder, and somehow he touched it and examined it, and noted it was H glass. When he pulled back, he noted the surprised look on the teacher's face. He looked at his hands, and immediately became horrified. His veins were worse than before. Suddenly Chloe's excuse had become a blessing. "I...am allergic to them Mr. Grant." Clark said.
The kindness of the teacher began to surface. "I'm sorry Clark. I didn't realize. I thought it was an excuse made up by Chloe. I have to say I've never seen anything like this before."
The nausea was starting to catch up to Clark. It's ok sir. You didn't know. But…I'd appreciate if you'd refrain from mentioning this to anyone else.
"It's an unusual request, but sure, I can do that." The teacher took the rock and put it back with the others. "Don't worry about the lab. You and Ms. Sullivan can get the results from someone if you are able."
Clark nodded his head, extremely grateful. "Thanks." He said.
"Not a problem."
Clark took his sheet and ran to the infirmary before he was caught out of class. Chloe was sitting up. She seemed ok. "I guess we had better get to class," he said, and Chloe reluctantly nodded, getting up and grabbing her book bag.
Lunchtime, Chloe, Clark, Lana and Pete were sitting together.
"Hey Clark, nice cover up in the lab." Lana said, with a tad of sarcasm. She received a glare from all. "What?" she said. Then she sighed. "You know what? I'm going to get a drink."
Immediately Clark turned to Chloe. "What the heck was that Chloe?"
"Why don't you tell me?"
"Yeah what the hell was going on there?" Pete asked.
"Well, I felt really sick, and my head was pounding."
"And your veins turned green."
"They what?"
"Chloe, you just experienced what happens to me every time I'm near that stuff."
"Oh great, I get the weakness, but I don't get any of your crazy powers! Not fair!"
"This isn't a joke Chloe."
"Tell me about it. I now belong on my Wall of Weird."
"I thought you gave that up after you found out about Clark." Pete stated.
"Um well, yeah I kind of . . . well . . . "
Clark looked at her piercingly.
"Hey it helps Clark save people right?"
The guys knew they were beat. Chloe was right.
"Let's talk about this later." Clark suggested.
"Later? Why not now?" Chloe fumed. "I'm the new addition to the wall, and preferably I would like to find out why."
"Who's the new addition to the wall?" Lana asked as she returned.
Lana waited for an answer, but no one wanted to give one. They all went back to eating dinner, and didn't discuss the topic any more at lunch.
At the farm . . .
Clark and Chloe had come home from school and immediately went to the loft to talk about what had happened. However, Lana had followed them, and therefore they couldn't talk about anything. Now it was nearing suppertime and Lana had announced that she had to go to the Talon. By then it was too late.
"Clark!" He heard his dad call out. "I need a hand over here."
He saw his dad kneeling alone next to the tractor, and immediately knew what his dad wanted. Earlier that morning, Clark had heard Gabe say that today he'd be going job-hunting, so Clark speeded over, lifting the tractor as soon as he reached it. "This ok, Dad?"
Jonathon looked at Clark with surprise, fear, and anger on his face. And then Clark realized why. Gabe had not, in fact, left to look for a job today. Jonathon was showing Gabe the work that needed to be done around the farm that he could help with. Clark mistakenly assumed that what he had heard earlier was true and ran to help his dad. Uh oh. He immediately let go of the tractor and tried to look innocent. It hit the ground with a thump.
"This is what you call being extremely careful?" Jonathon asked Clark, very sarcastically, while Gabe looked uncomfortable.
Gabe looked at Jonathon for answers. Jonathon knew he had to give them. He led Gabe inside the house and Clark followed. They were at the table, Gabe still in shock, when Chloe walked through the door.
"Clark, I brought your backpack in. Did you get the tractor fix . . . hey what's wrong with Dad? And why are you all sitting there and looking at me like . . . "
"Chloe, you may want to sit down." Clark said. "I messed up pretty bad."
"Actually Clark, I think it might be better if you went to your room." Jonathon said.
Clark looked surprised. "What?" he mouthed in disbelief.
Martha looked at Clark. "What your father means is that you and Chloe should go somewhere else in the house until we've had this discussion with Gabe." Martha said.
"Now I didn't say…" Jonathon began.
Martha glared at him. Jonathon sighed and gave in.
Chloe and Clark headed upstairs, both knowing that Clark had just gotten away easily, but he was in for it later.
Jonathon twiddled his thumbs nervously.
"Well, Gabe." Jonathon cleared his throat. "I'm going to tell you what just happened but before you do, understand that you cannot tell anyone. It would put both you and our son at risk."
Gabe acknowledged this with a nod.
"Well, see, Clark's not like other kids. He . . . well . . . he . . . we found him . . . on our way home in the cornfield . . . on the day of the meteor shower."
Jonathon cleared his throat again. This was harder than he thought. "Our truck flipped and we found him. We found…"
Martha put her hand on Jonathon's. She knew how hard this was for him.
"...a spaceship with him." Martha finished. "Gabe, Lionel helped us adopt Clark so we could keep him. He's…different."
Jonathon continued. "He's…not from around here."
Gabe looked shocked. Everyone waited in anticipation for his response. It was fear, to get out of there. He wondered what he had gotten himself into. He stood up quickly, the chair falling over behind him, and immediately headed toward the upstairs to the house, fully intending to get Chloe and get the hell away. The first thing that went through his mind was that Chloe loved Clark…she loved a…an alien. That thought really bothered him. He was ready to leave, but a voice kept niggling at him, telling him that he hadn't heard the entire story, and to at least listen to the rest of the explanation first before judging.
"But an alien…" Gabe thought, conflicted. "If this is true, it's big news. Big, big, news."
He stood, staring at the hallway for a few seconds. Neither Martha nor Jonathon made an attempt to stop him. Maybe somehow, they knew that whether out of curiosity or out of respect, Gabe would sit down again. They were right. He walked back, picked up the chair and sat down. He was still nervous, still afraid, but he braced himself for the rest of the story.
Jonathon sat with his hands laid on the table. Martha sat up straight and grasped her hands together.
"He was three years old when we found him." Martha continued. "We took his ship and stashed it in the storm cellar, but not before picking up Lionel and a young Lex who was exposed to radiation, and driving them to the hospital. Lionel offered to repay us and we used his offer to get adoption papers for Clark."
Gabe, still a little unnerved, continued to listen.
"I hate to tell you this, but…" Jonathon said, looking at Martha for her consent. She nodded. "…we can't have children. So Clark coming into our lives was like a…"
"Like a little gift from god." Martha said, tears forming in her eyes. "Soon after we learned that he could do things that normal children couldn't. At first it was simply walking in on him looking for a toy and lifting the couch to find it. After that we found out about his speed, when we used to find him in hiding places, he'd zip to another one and we'd have to go look for him again."
"As he grew up enough to go to school, Martha and I learned that we had to protect Clark, because he was special, and because of that many people would want to exploit him and hurt him. We had to teach him not to use his abilities in front of other children, that being especially hard when Clark was in kindergarten. I think too, that it made him feel lonelier, because he knew that he was different."
"He used to be drawing in class," Martha reminisced, "and the teacher would call us and say, 'No matter how many times I try to tell Clark that the sun is yellow, he persists in drawing it red.' We had to explain so many times that he didn't have a learning disability, but it was difficult to do. You can't exactly tell his teacher that he's from another planet."
"As he got older he became stronger and faster with each year. After a while he wanted to help me with the farm chores, and I couldn't really say no since, well, I had more of a chance of getting hurt than he did." Jonathon said, remembering a young Clark eager to help with the fence posts.
"When he grew older though, we noticed Clark was becoming increasingly lonely. He spent hours at the library researching other people who could do the same things he could, but never found anyone else exactly the same. Eventually Jonathon and I decided that we had to tell him who he was, because we couldn't keep it from him forever." Martha explained.
"How did he take it?" Gabe asked, genuinely concerned, even though he was still a little frightened.
"Not well. At first he didn't believe me. Then I showed him the spaceship and he became really angry with me. He ran somewhere and didn't come back until late that night. Even then he wouldn't talk to us. Eventually though, it blew over, thank God." Jonathon said, with relief.
Martha smiled, realizing that Gabe was starting understand how they felt about Clark.
Jonathon began to speak again. "It got harder to help him as he grew up. He had all of the problems of a normal teenager along with…others. I remember the day he came home and told us that he had seen through Pete in gym class. As a parent, what do you say to that? I had to help him as best I could, and surprisingly, we've been able to figure out everything so far."
Gabe started to admire Jonathon as a father. He started to wonder if had it been him, whether he would've been so accepting and strong himself.
"And there've been times when terrible things have happened, and we've had to deal with those too, like the time Clark ran away. We had no idea whether he would come back." Jonathon continued. "Sometimes he was really depressed because he blamed the meteor shower on himself."
"Why on earth would he do that?" Gabe wondered aloud.
"Because those rocks were pieces of his planet that came with him when the planet was destroyed. He feels responsible for the destruction they caused."
"We love Clark a lot, Gabe. Please keep his secret. If you tell he'll be taken away from us, used and exploited by the greed of others. He's our child and we don't want to lose him."
Gabe looked ahead in disbelief, although this disbelief was new. It was no longer fear, no longer a need to get away. It was disbelief at how selfless Martha and Jonathon had been. Gabe realized that Martha and Jonathon were in fact, just normal parents like him, albeit with a few differences. He couldn't help but wonder what he would've done in the same situation. Would he have been so noble as to take in a child that was left over from the death throes of a planet? He didn't know. But if he did, would he protect the child with all of his being, help him deal with all the situations Jonathon had? Yes, of course. And most of all, would he want to keep that child sheltered from the cruelty of the money hunters, and free from the labs that would constantly prod and poke and experiment on him? Yes, most definitely. He did not want to be the one to get the Kent's child taken away from them, the same way that he would never want anyone to take Chloe away from him. She was his pride and joy, one of the only things that made every day worth waking up for: his wonderful, beautiful daughter. So no, he wasn't going to tell.
"I'll keep your confidence. You have no worries." He said.
"We'd understand if you didn't want to stay here anymore." Martha said.
"Don't worry about that. As a parent, I can understand where you're coming from, and I don't believe there is another more caring, understanding, and selfless family to be around. I would be honored to continue staying here.
"Thank you, Gabe." Martha said. "That means a lot to us."
Jonathon nodded and smiled, and the two grown men shook hands. Jonathon thought that maybe things would turn out okay after all.
Up in Clark's room Chloe was sitting next to Clark.
"So what did they say?" Chloe asked. "Do I have to leave?"
"Why don't you go down and ask!" Clark teased her.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Come on Mr.-I-Am-the-Ultimate-Eavesdropper, tell me what happened!"
Clark smirked at her, as if to mock her protesting.
Chloe glared at him. "Clark…"
"No, you don't have to move, Chloe" Clark said with a smile, "It all worked out for the best."