Broken Like a Promise

32 years old

8 o' clock in the morning. The phone is ringing incisively as Clark slowly gets out of bed to answer it. His mother obviously had an early start.

"Hello? …Perry? … Calm down… calm down Perry, I can't understand a word you're saying… What? … Lex did what? … Perry stop yelling… Hello? … Oh… Hey Lois… Yes… thanks, I couldn't understand what he was saying. Lex bought the Daily Planet? When did that happen?... And how was he able to do that? … Isn't there anything we could do? … Ok… Ok… I'll be right over…"

Clark hang up the phone and started getting ready. Lex buying the Daily Planet? Damn him! But… now that I think about it… with the way we've been waging war against his every move, it's strange he didn't do it before… Lois… Oh God… She'll be there… I don't know if I'm ready to see her… I feel so exhausted… No wonder… I only slept for like… a couple of hours… I hope this doesn't mean I will have to get back to the DP right away… I really need this leave… Argh! Snap out of it Clark… Lex is trying to shut down the only voice that's left to oppose him and all I can think about is my leave and Lois! What's wrong with me?

20 years old

Clark is sitting in his room deep in thought. His mind is all winded up. His father has died, his mother is here alone, Lana has moved to Milan and she is still waiting for any news from him, and all the while he knows what he must do next, which is not something very easily accepted.

I have to continue my journey. My father told me I have to travel the world and help people, but also help myself by gathering experiences. I must do this! Which means I have to leave my mother alone again and I must not contact Lana only to tell her that I must leave again… But I want to see her so badly… I miss her… But it wouldn't be fair to her… I mean… there is no way that I could include Lana in my life now as it is… I love her too much to even consider asking her… She deserves so much more… Why am I doomed to leave behind every one I love? … I didn't even get to say goodbye to my father…

"Penny for your thoughts…" said his mother as she quietly entered his room.

"I have to leave again mom." Said Clark with sad determination in his voice.

"Leave? Now?" asked his mother in disbelief.

"I'm sorry mom, I hate to leave you like this, but I must do it!" said Clark as his voice was starting to break.

His mother held back her tears and looked at him with a very serious face. "Look at me. I may not like the idea of you leaving, and I'm certainly gonna miss you. But don't you go worrying about me. Ok. Clark?" she gently lift his head to look her in the eyes, as she smiled sweetly to him. "You go do whatever you have to do. Go find your way in life and make a difference Clark. I know you are going to make a difference in this world. And you are going to make your father and me very proud."

Clark looked at his mother lovingly with tears in his eyes. He hugged her tightly as he whispered to her. "I love you mom! And if I do make a difference in this world, it's going to be because of you and dad."

They remained like this for a while. As they broke off the hug, his mother looked at him smiling warmly, the way only a mother could. "Clark, honey… what about Lana?"

Clark's face darkened at the mention of her name. "I… I can't see her mom… It's going to be too painful for both of us. I don't want to put her through something like that again. Besides she's better off without me in her life." Said Clark with resignation.

"Why do you say that Clark?"

"Because mom… Wherever I am danger is bound to follow, plus I'm going to have to dedicate myself to helping the rest of the world, and Lana deserves someone who she would not have to share. And besides… for the next year or so I'm going to have to travel the world mom, and help people when they need me. I can't be with her even if I wanted to."

Martha touched Clark's cheek and spoke to him lovingly. "Clark you still have a lot to learn. You will have to find a balance in your life, to accept who you truly are. You haven't done that already and maybe you are not ready to do it. But the fact is that someday you will have to do it, otherwise you will not be able to live. As for Lana I would advise you to speak to her, to at least let her know you are still alive. She deserves as much Clark."

"I can't do this to her mom. Don't you see? I will tell her I'm back only to say that I'm leaving again. I can't do it." Said Clark with melancholy as he exited his room.

32 years old

Martha was drinking coffee at the Talon as it had been pretty quiet that morning. Lana walked in with Laura in her arms and smiled when she saw Martha sitting there. After everything that's happened, Lana had come to regard Martha as her mother and Martha always treated Lana as a daughter.

"Where's my favorite person in the whole wide world?" said Martha with a singing voice.

Lana smiled and waved at Martha. "Hello Martha."

Martha approached Lana and gave her a mock angry stare. "Who said I was talking at you." Then she almost grabs Laura from the arms of Lana. "Here she is!" Lana chuckled lightly. Martha hadn't seen Laura that many times, but it was obvious that she loved her as if she was her own child, and she had to admit that the feelings were mutual. Martha was one of the few people that Laura didn't cry at all when she first saw her and she loved getting all that attention from Martha.

"Ma-ta" mumbled Laura, which put a huge smile on Martha's face.

"That's right. It's your favorite aunt Martha!" then turning to Lana, with amazement in her voice. "When did she start saying that?"

Lana smiled. "The last time you talked to her over the phone, and she kept on mumbling, afterwards I told her your name a couple of times and she started saying it."

"Oh my God! You are such a smart little angel, aren't you? Yes you are…" said Martha as she showered Laura with kisses, to which Laura reacted by squinting her little nose and trying to push Martha's face away from her mumbling "blah".

Martha and Lana were caught by surprise by Laura's reaction and they both burst out laughing, which led to Laura also joining in all the laughing and clapping her hands.

After they had finished playing with Laura, Lana and Martha sat at a table to talk.

"So… Lana… Do you want to talk about what's happened?" asked Martha looking at Lana intently.

"Well… you know most of what happened. I mean it was just not working out with Clive. It was obvious that he didn't think having Laura was a good idea, and ever since she was born things have gotten from bad to worse. Not to mention the cheating during my pregnancy. He just found the perfect opportunity to ditch this marriage when they offered him the position in Japan."

"And what about you?" asked Martha

Lana sat thoughtful for a moment. "Well… if I'm going to be honest, I can't say I'll miss him… but I believe Laura deserved to have a family, which is the reason why I tried to make the marriage work, even though I didn't love him. But on the other hand she deserved so much better than him, that I'm almost glad we divorced."

"So now back for good?"

"Well… yeah… after the divorce I started feeling a bit weird there, and I wanted to raise Laura here. I don't know, it just felt right to be back in Smallville." Said Lana with a smile.

"And I'm sure Smallville's happy to have you honey. …Lana can I talk to you about Clark?" asked Martha, as Lana frowned upon hearing his name. She knew that she wouldn't be able to avoid a conversation about Clark with Martha, and she wasn't sure she wanted to get into this now.

Clark Kent was a chapter she'd rather it remained closed.

To be Continued…

ElleLang12: Thnx for your comment andyes i would say that it is a Clana fic :-)