"Clark, I'm still in love with you. I know that you have your secrets and I have my questions about them, but, if that's the way it has to be, then ok, I'll back off. I just want to know if we still have a chance. If we could start over and see where it takes us."
He stares into her gorgeous green eyes and feels himself drowning. It was so very easy to lose himself in those pools of green, so very easy to fall back into them, like a moth to a flame. So very easy to forget the awkwardness that permeated the air when they were in the moment, so very easy to forget the pink dress and devil may care smile.
Lana was the only girl whom he ever loved.
The only one.
He nods, and he sees her smile. She hugs him and it was so easy to fall back into their little ivory tower.
However as he tightens his hold, he remembers brown eyes as gorgeous and hypnotizing as Lana's as they danced across the floor, strobe lights flashing and bodies so close to one another, if he moved into that little inch they would have touched... Yet, he closes his eyes and focuses on the girl in his arm.
"Come to Paris with me, Clark."
And it was so very easy to forget the plans of Las Vegas and camping in the wilderness. So easy to say "Yes."
. . . . . . "You know, staring at stars is not that bad a hobby, if it were anyone but you Clark. Knowing you though, it usually means Lana trouble. So since I'm here, spill the beans. Come on."
He didn't hear her come up the stairs, too engrossed in the dream he just had. The tangibility of it scared him. It was like waking up to a reality instead of falling into a dreamscape. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The minute details in the sequences and the absolute agony he felt, was just too familiar for his liking.
Turning away from the twilight hue of the night, he stares at the girl in front of him instead. "Do you ever wonder about the future? How our choices might affect them?"
She stares, shocked that the sentence hadn't a word of Lana. "Everyday I guess. Why?"
He shakes his head, too confused to put his thoughts into words. How do you tell someone your dreams were really scenes from the future without sounding like someone in need of being committed? He didn't even know if that was it. But the discrepancies eventually wound into that conclusion, every damn time.
"Do you regret your decisions? Have you ever wished you could go back in time and change it?" He looks at her, waiting for an answer.
"Every damn time." She whispers so silently, he was sure he couldn't have heard it if not for his super hearing.
Me too.
Every minute of every day.
He sees the obvious change in her as she reverts from somber back to the brash empowered ass-kicker, and he takes note to muse on how efficient her defense mechanism was, in erecting the walls around herself from bad memories and heart ache. How it shielded her from feeling and ultimately expressing it.
"Ok, let's cut the philosophical babble. I hear a certain cousin of mine needs help planning our route through Kansas and Vegas!"
And just like that, they manage to clear the slightly odd air caused by reminiscing and dreams that were tad bit too real.
If she only knew the cause for his questions…
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' "Lana came by and we talked."
She nods, knowing what he was going to say next. She wouldn't interrupt.
"She asked me to go to Paris with her."
"I know. Have a good trip." She turns to go.
"That's it? I tell you about her and Paris and all you do is wish me bon voyage?"
She stares at him, surprised at the amount of emotion, at the amount of frustration he's showing her. Gone was the mellow farm boy, and in his place was a man in anguish. But it came a little too late.
"Do you want a goodbye kiss?" She will not make it easy. She's already sacrificing her soul for him and his fucking future with Lana. She won't let him have it that easy.
"What about last night? We kissed Lois! As much as you want to deny that something happened, it did! And I know you feel the same way about me as I do you."
"What do you know about how I feel Clark? Do you even know what you feel? You don't get to eat the pie if you also have the cake!" and quietly, "I saw you with her just now."
And he crumbles at her admission, "Lois it doesn't mean that I…"
"I heard you! I was in the barn when the both of you were playing snuggle bunny outside. I will not be your back up plan if she realizes she doesn't want you Clark. I had my feel of second fiddle last night, so forgive me if I say no thanks.
So save yourself the trouble. Go to Paris. It's the capital of romance, maybe you should marry her on the Eiffel tower while little girls with french braids can be your flower girls."
She sees his anger at her dismissal of what he thought were his "feelings".
"I will. And maybe when we are, you'll be able to see just what exactly you've lost. And when that day comes and you want to have a similar talk as what we have now, I'll save you the trouble. You're right, it was always about her."
He leaves and all she can do is smile and taste the salty tang of tears on her lips.
' ' ' ' ' ' ' (Countdown to Recollection, Day Four)
"Alright, tell me again why we're at the indoor pool after hours?" Clark Kent asked, a little bit annoyed that he got roped into yet another temerarious plan of Lois's.
He watches as she rolled her eyes, for the sixth time. Once for every time he asked. "Because this is Smallville," he arches an eyebrow, emulating her past action, "and there's nothing else to do at oh, ten o'clock!"
"Normal people stay home, and I think believe it or not, there is this newfangled invention called a television, that people turn on with a remote control and watch when they 'get bored'."
"Ok, you and I both know we're bored with the five channels that are on air-"
"We have cable, LOIS! With fifty six channels."
"That is not the point. We need to get out there and do something! Sitting at home all day would only make us sick; did you not watch Cabin Fever?"
"Lois, they had a deadly viral infection. They didn't die from staying in the cabin too long."
"Huh, is that what happened? Maybe I should have watched it."
Clark threw his hands up in the air. I give up.
"Well, too late. We're here now so what will it be Clark? Boredom or breaking and entering?"
"Like I have a choice."
"There's a good boy."
' ' ' ' ' ' ' "What happened to Chloe? I don't want to baby-sit alone."
"Oh, ha-ha Smallville. And to answer your question, I have no idea. She said she'd meet us here at ten thirty, something about an emergency at the torch. Afraid to be alone with me, Smallville?" She smiles, and this time, he doesn't see the snarkiness.
Just her lips.
Her very nice lips.
His heart beat starts to pick up and the rhythmic tattoo of thump-thump became all the louder. He was pretty sure she could hear it. And if not, she's doing a hell of a job pretending. He gulps, wondering when the scene shifted gears to fully-loaded tension. Not Lana tense, not any kind of tense, unless one was associating it with sexual tension. He eyes the white two-piece she was wearing, wishing he could have seen it when she was out of the water, but he got out of the showers slightly later than she did, and had to contend with the water in the pool getting in his way. It was a very nice suit though, as far as he could see, without getting caught.
"I think I can take whatever you throw at me, Lois." He remembers the day he started taking liberties with her, and how much fun he had teasing her and leaving her speechless.
Like now.
"Can you now? I'd like to see you try." He doesn't remember seeing her swim closer, but who was he to argue? He was pretty much occupied with other important subject matter.
Although he should have noticed since the subject of focus was on her, so to speak.
He doesn't discourage her from swimming all the more closer to him; in fact, he was probably the one inching closer to her, closing the remaining gap and instantaneously feeling the little electric shocks pulse through his veins as their eyes connected. He was so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. And doing what any red blooded boy would, he caught her in his arms, bringing their bodies flush against his.
He laughs as he hears her yelp. "Try me."
And suddenly, she grows silent. He takes it as a sign and leans in, lips drawing closer to hers. He has wanted to do this since she smiled at him from the edge of the lighted pool.
"HELLO? Is anyone there?"
And just like that, the moment ends and the lights are turned on. They break apart, caught in the headlights.
Oh shit, he thinks as he eyes the guard standing at the entrance, smiling smugly at them.
. . . . . . .
P.Ross4Politik has been added to the conversation.
P.Ross4Politik: You cheated, you cheater. You are not supposed to actively help them. What happened to our terms?
IwriteTru: I did not cheat! I had a bad stomach, and couldn't go with them. I was sooo the innocent bystander!
P.Ross4Politik has sent you a nudge.
IwriteTru: Stop that! What are you? Twelve!
P.Ross4Politik: … so am I or am I not your man servant when I come to visit during the hols?
IwriteTru: Not yet. Trust me, it's only a matter of time! I am so close to winning this.
P.Ross4Politik: What happened anyway? The scene was set! What do they need? A big neon sign saying get it on!
IwriteTru: The security guard is what happened. Lois won't talk about it. She just said they were swimming and got caught. I doubt it though. She was blushing when I asked her about last night.
P.Ross4Politik: And our boy Clark?
IwriteTru: The same. I'm sure something happened, but from the looks of it today, it seems they're happy pretending nothing did.
P.Ross4Politik: Gtg. I have a killer pol.science essay to write now. Keep me posted.
IwriteTru: Ok Pete. See ya soon, Alfred.
P.Ross4Politik?
IwriteTru: As in Alfred the name of the butler in almost every movie about a rich kid?
P.Ross4Politik has sent you a nudge.
P.Ross4Politik has left the conversation.
IwriteTru: Ass.
. . . . . .
He listens as best as he could, while Bruce explicated the finer details of the legendary jewel. The Pylean forces were gaining strength and even with the aid of the human army and navy, they were a force to be reckoned with. They needed to stop them.
"The Gem of Epochia has the capability to act as a gateway for the user, and only the user, to a specific thread in time where there is need for modification. In our case, that will be approximately three hundred days ago, about the time Pylean soldiers first landed and infiltrated our societal system. It is to our belief that they have been residing at the fringes of LV.
According to the myth, once shattered, the future and past self melds into one being until the gem of that timeline is found and broken again by the user. It is extremely important that the gem is found and broken, for if someone else shatters it, the previous user, that would be you Clark, would relive the years all over again. And the thread of time would suffer dire consequences of epic proportions. Stop the Pyleans, find the gem and return. Nothing else should be changed.
Nothing else can be, only what the gem indicates through its divine powers and signs. Now not much is known about how much of yourself now will be entirely conscious in the host's body, your past self, but that's a much better chance than the rest of us. No one really knows how the physical body will be able to sustain the travel and with your invulnerability, Clark, you are our only hope…"
"Oh god," Clark, old and new, whispers in the quiet.
He remembers.
. . . . . . .Smallville, Prom Night REDUX, 2005
If there was one thing Clark could have changed the night of the prom, it was his dance card.
Having woken up that morning with a serious case of remembrance, in which there was no cure except to accept it, made him feel like he was going through the motions, only once more with feeling. Seeing Lois alive and without the tears and anger like the last he saw of her nine years ago, relatively speaking, made him feel beyond happy.
However he had to refrain from doing anything but trade verbal blows.
Wasn't any easier that he had the refreshing memory of her body snug against his and skin on skin, save for the white two piece she had on. But with the presence and watchful eyes of his suspicious parents that morning, the morning after getting dragged home by the pool guard, he had to be trained in an exercise on control.
With leash and chains and all.
One thing about having nine years worth of memories restored, it made taking out soul-exchanger Dawn easier.
No Dawn in Lois or Chloe.
Or him.
Although the pink gown did stay, much to the dismay of one Lois Lane who had reluctantly agreed to be his prom date after strenuous persuasion on his part (Bruce did say not to change the events of the past, even if it wasn't three hundred days before July 2014, and discounting the fact that he did change the Dawn events.)
It did come with a price though, as Lois was late in buying her dress that afternoon; she got stuck with the pink number.
He chuckled remembering her whinging.
You could have asked me a week before you know, Smallville. Then I won't have to look like the pink power ranger! I think you like seeing me in horrible embarrassing situations. Is this about the pool thing? I did not call that guard on us; you can't punish me for that, wait where are you going schmuck!
He had left her on her own, knowing it would be another hour till she got ready. Kudos to remembering future's past.
He remembered the dress, but seeing her wear it for the second time in his life made him appreciate it all the more, especially knowing which parts were to be appreciated with extra focus. He was a boy after all.
"You know this is us two going together in a platonic non-date fashion right?" She had said as they drove towards the school. He had agreed with a "well, that was what I said this afternoon, unless you want us to go as something besides two non-daters." She rolled her eyes, but otherwise chose to stare out the window, missing his crossed fingers on the steering wheel.
He would make things right.
Even if it meant blowing the future to smithereens.
Lois Lane was worth it.
' ' ' ' ' ' ' 'Smallville, Prom Night REDUX, 2005
And as he stood among his fellow classmen, he pondered a way to get her do dance with him, short of blackmail. Which judging by the way she was avoiding him once they stepped foot in the gym, might be the only way he could get her to.
He would have his dance. He would have her, at least for the night before what he remembers as the fallout.
Sighing he moved towards her.
' ' ' ' ' ' 'I went to far, yes I came to close
I drove away the one that I loved the most
now I ride the tide on a boat made of sand
I'm sailing for another to guide me to land
And as he came closer, she stops talking to her cousin, words seemingly unimportant in contrast to his determined face. And so she stood, silent for what seems to be the first time, instead plainly focusing on his journey toward her, like a train wreck that she couldn't stop her gaze from wondering to.
and lead me into the night
please drive away the light
'cause I've been blinded by glitter and gold
my eyes need to rest from the light
and sleep well at night
Only, this time, she welcomed it.
He stops, and she sees him for the first time, without the impending doom and disaster that seemed to bleed into their first meet like a carcinogen. She sees what she missed before, his soul emerging like an angel in victorious holy light from his beautiful green orbs, and suddenly like a pseudo slideshow, she remembers moments when the warmth behind them seemed to seep into her skin… the time they sparred, the day he was dunked and she was the cause of it, the nightly talks they seemed to reluctantly have but never stopped having or wanting, the swimming pool…
She doesn't argue as he wordlessly takes her hand, leading them away from a sputtering Chloe.
I traveled east and I traveled west
and I foud a boy with a heart on his chest
I ran aground, my ship left to rust
yes, I found a guide in the city of lust
He pulls her into him, and she relishes the chance to rub her face against his chest, to have him hold her, to let down her guard for that one miniscule moment, and just be Lois Lane, without pretense, without façade… without the walls. To have him guide her into an unknown territory for them both, one she's going to admit - just for tonight - to having considered and found wanting deep in the night, away from the light.
to lead me into the night
oh please drive away the light
although my mother will never understand
I walk with him away from the light
Tonight, she would forget herself.
Tonight, she was happy, in this blurry little daze where she could forget what she always deemed her motto: to keep 'them' away, a safe distance away from herself, to avoid the burns of the aftermath.
Tonight she was going to throw it into the wind for this dance, and just enjoy being there with him. Just for a dance. If nothing else, she would etch this into her memory that she had loved for a second. That she could without destroying it, like every other thing she's done so far.
oh you, you, you, it's gotta be you
you, oh you it's gotta be you
true, true, true, it's gotta be you
you, oh you it's gotta be you
"What are you doing to me?" She asks softly, looking up at him.
He smiles at her and holds her tightly, and she smiles back and accepts that maybe they didn't need words this time. She lays her head back against his chest, three words repeating in her mind, but she chose instead to listen to the words of a melody she feels she's heard before but cannot remember…
to lead me into the night...
And as they danced, unbeknownst to them the threads of time begin to separate and somewhere within the caves, a red gem glows…