TITLE: Crossroads
AUTHOR: William Rayne
EMAIL: knytmare@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Chloe takes a trip to the 'real world', our world and now has to deal with the information she has learned. Also has the theme of free will versus predetermination.
SPOILERS: Set after a modified "Delete", pseudo-spoilers for "Velocity"
PAIRING: Clark/Chloe…sorta
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. I want any kind of feedback, but detailed critiques would be an enormous help.
NOTES AND NEWS: Thanks to Deia for being a great beta reader and having better editing skills than I. Still having trouble with formatting this to work with fanfiction.net but hopefully this go around I won't hit any snags with the presentation for the story. If you like this story, please read and review my other stories. I'm looking for beta readers/editors, please message me. I like to know the people I'm trusting with 'my work' (refer to disclaimer). Oh yeah, I assume that the reader has a familiarity with the series, so hence the lack of detail in character descriptions and places. Trying to get better with my tenses, please bear with. I'm flattered by the reviews I've gotten, I'm trying to get the acts done as quickly as possible, but I'm wanting to get the best work possible with all my stories. Thank you for being patient with the time between posts.
As always, Italics denote thoughts or voice-over depending contextually. Underlines denote disgust or sarcasm depending contextually. Bolds are stressed.
267
Crossroads
"If you desire to know the truth, you also must possess the courage to accept it."
Act 3 - Diversion
Chapter 1
Clark ran to the bank with a near-mindless determination to ensure that the fissure that brought Chloe to another world and imparted her with the knowledge and evidence of his secret was truly closed. Has it really been a couple of days? Clark thought as he kept out of the security camera's sight and fried them with a couple bursts of heat vision. It seems a lot longer than that, but either way, Chloe knows. There's no changing that. He scanned the building with his x-ray vision, found the alarm and redundant alarm systems and disabled those as well. And that DVD set, that's just…He rubbed his temple as his mind worked in overdrive in an attempt to process what he saw in the last couple of hours. Concentrate on the fissure and deal with that later. Breaking into the bank with his super-strength, Clark stepped in and looked around.
After a few seconds of looking around, Clark scratched his head. What am I doing? I have no clue what I'm looking for, Clark thought as he sped back to Chloe's.
Chloe opened the door and seeing Clark, grinned and said, "Five seconds."
Clark looked at her quizzically, "Huh?"
"Five seconds," Chloe repeated, "That's how long it took you to get back here. Funny thing is that I thought it'd be longer…even with your superspeed."
Clark, becoming unnerved by Chloe throwing her knowledge of his secret about so carelessly, hissed, "Chloe."
Chloe rolled her eyes and stated as Clark began looking around past her, "Don't worry, Dad and Lana are asleep. I'm sure you've already confirmed that with that vision thing you do. You have nothing to worry about. I on the other hand am going to be getting some dirty looks and possibly some questions from Lana tomorrow for having you in my room for two hours with the door locked."
Slack-jawed, Clark stuttered, "Huh? How did you know I…and Lana, you really think she thought...you and I, I mean…"
Chloe sighed exasperatedly, "Men. You storm off all hero-of-the-day-like…which I guess being a hero and all kinda makes sense, but not the point…" she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts, "So you storm off and think you'll just solve the problem by brute force. Thing is, Clark, that this particular problem requires a bit more thought than you gave it when you left here. And seeing you back here just confirms that."
Pushing a confused Clark out of the doorway, locking up behind her and nearly dragging Clark towards the bank by the arm, Chloe elaborated, "Just how did you think you'd find the fissure without me? Or better yet, how do you expect to close it?"
"I don't know Chloe!" Clark almost screamed as he wrenched his arm from Chloe's pull. Not noticing her look of hurt and confusion he continued, "All I know is that I can't risk it being open if it still is and…"
The silence and Chloe's expression reached him, "I'm sorry. That didn't come out the way I wanted…it's just that…this is a lot for me to take in."
"Welcome to the club, Clark," Chloe sardonically replied, "Of which, I'm fairly sure I'm somehow the founder…"
"Chloe…" Clark awkwardly answered.
"No, Clark, just forget it. I'm beginning to wish I were able to. Since you're so dead-set on closing it, why don't you go do that? Oh yeah, that's right…you needed my help…so you go try to see if you can find something that looks like a heat mirage and blast it with your heat-ray vision thingy and see if that does anything. I'm gonna go home and rest, this has been too long of a day."
"Chloe…" Clark said softly as he laid his hand on her shoulder.
"Stop while you're ahead, Clark. Go. Do your Warrior Angel thing. Take some time to deal with this…Lord knows we both could use some time to ourselves right now," Chloe said, not looking back at him, as she shrugged his hand off his shoulder. A tear streamed down her cheek. Chloe resisted the urge to sniffle and added, "You need time to process."
Clark watched her fade off into the horizon of streetlights and cursed his superhearing as he heard her let loose her tears from about a block and a half away. He wrestled with his impulse to try to comfort her and his desire to make sure the fissure was closed, finally deciding that Chloe was right and he needed more time to process. My destiny, he thought of what Chloe had said when he rushed out the first time, I already know that Chloe…it's to cause pain and suffering to those who get close to me and my secret. What more do I need to know?
Perhaps it was the urgency of the matter or perhaps it was a deep seeded need to not hear Chloe cry anymore, but he sped back towards the bank with new determination. It took him almost a minute to spot what Chloe described, a sort of 'warble' in the visual space within the bank. He only caught it out of the corner of his eye. It was a few feet off the ground and barely the size of his head. It's funny how such a little thing can cause so much trouble for me. Focusing his heat-vision, he hit the fissure. It closed slowly and he opened up his power to its fullest. The fissure closed faster and when it becomes the size of his eyes, his heat vision reflected back to him and hit him squarely in the chest with enough force to drive him through the wall into the alleyway.
Stunned by this turn of events, Clark shook his head and barely has time to notice that the fissure was no longer there before a flashlight beam came down the alleyway towards him.
"Who's there?" said a woman's voice and as the flashlight came up on the broken wall, she unholstered her pistol and brought her radio up to her mouth. As Clark sped away, he heard with his superhearing, "This is Officer Dorey requesting back-up for a possible break-in at the Smallville Savings and Loan…"
********************************************************
Lana heard the front door slam and went to investigate. Am I the only light sleeper in this house? She barely had her door open when she noticed an oblivious, tear stained Chloe come up the stairs and go into her room. What has Clark done now? Should I ask? No, if there is something going on, one of them will tell me. Besides, it's probably something to do with a new meteor mutant, she reassured herself as she ignored the ominous feeling that it was something more than that.
Chapter 2
Chloe was flying. Actually, truly, unbelievably flying…and not in a plane. As she turned to see whose arms were wrapped around her waist, she saw Superman. She knew that being held by Clark would make her soar to new heights, she just never ever thought it would be in the literal sense. As she took in the aroma of the boy she loved since she first met him, she knew she would love him until the end of time. Chloe was surprised that she felt warm. Flying without the aid of a plane was a lot colder than she had expected. No wonder he's wearing a spandex suit, it's cold up in the clouds, she thought to herself as she glanced down at her hand as it absentmindedly stroked the arms that held her from a tumbling death. He took hold of her shoulder, and that single touch increased the magic of flying by tenfold.
"Chloe?"
"Hmm, yes?" she purred back blissfully.
"Chloe?"
"Shhh, don't ruin it by speaking…it's so perfect," she murmured while taking in the landscape.
"Chloe Renee Sullivan…you wake up this instance. You're gonna be late for school…"
"Huh," she said groggily as Gabe Sullivan took away the pillow that she was clinging on to.
"Lana's already went ahead without you," Gabe told her once he was sure that she was among the living. He kissed her on her forehead, "Coffee's already in your mug, sweetie, I've got to go…can't be late for this new job. Don't forget I'll be gone for the training seminar tomorrow, you girls don't get too wild, ok?"
As her father closed the door of her room behind him, Chloe began her morning ritual of waking up. Thoughts drifting back to her dream, she moaned, got out of bed and proceeded to get changed for school. The coffee was where Gabe said it would be, not an almond mocha latte with extra whip but it got the job done. As she thought of the events of the past few days and compared them to how regular this morning seemed, she thought herself, There are some things that will never change and there are some things that do.
**************************************************************
"Clark!" Lana called out.
Clark stopped in front of the school and turned to face her, "Oh, hi Lana. What can I do for you?"
Taking a good, long look at Clark, Lana asked, "Something wrong, Clark? You seem preoccupied."
"Um, no," Clark responded as he scratched the back of his head, "Everything's good."
Lana shot him a look that Clark would swear was an innate ability of women.
"Ok, I just got a lot on my mind with midterms coming up," Clark said wanting to avoid anything that had to do with dealing with what was really on his mind.
"Don't lie to me and don't try to change the subject on me, Clark Kent," Lana said matter-of-factly as she looked him dead in the eye, "Do you think I'm a fool? I know about what happened with Chloe…"
Clark blanched. Chloe told Lana? Just when I thought I could trust her…how could she?
"Alright, I don't know the exact details." Lana said and as she saw him go from shocked and into confused, "But I can guess what happened when I wake up to the sound of her crying as she came in last night…"
Chloe. I'm sorry, I didn't… Clark thought, tuning out Lana's chastisement and feeling infinitely worse for the way he treated her last night.
"…Don't get me wrong, I think that the two of you giving things a second shot might be good for you. But so help me God, Clark Kent, if you send her home crying again, I will break your arm," Lana said threateningly as she waved her finger in front of his nose for emphasis. She stalked off into the school, leaving a bewildered Clark behind.
"Whoa, trouble in paradise, bro?" came Pete's voice from behind Clark.
"You don't know the half of it," Clark replied wryly.
As they walked into the school, Pete turned toward his friend, "Then tell me about it."
"No offense, Pete, but I'd rather not. I'd just like to try to forget the past 24 hours. Hell, I'm not greedy, I'll take forgetting the past 12 hours."
Pete let out a low whistle, "That bad, eh?"
*********************************************************
Pete cornered Chloe after her Calculus class, right before she headed off to lunch, "Chloe!"
"Uh, hi Pete, what's up?" she asked a bit nonplussed.
"I was hoping you could tell me, Clark's acting..." he searched for how to phrase it, still getting use to the fact that Chloe now knew Clark's secret, "…more secretive than usual."
"Um, well…" she stalled, not knowing what to say since Clark apparently had not revealed how she knew the secret to Pete. Settling on sidestepping the issue altogether, she said, "Let's just say that Clark needs to process what happened last night and leave it at that, please?"
"Uh, huh. Fair enough," Pete said smoothly even though it was clearly visible that he wasn't satisfied with the answer but not wanting to press.
"Thanks Pete," Chloe said apologetically as she tossed an award-winning smile.
Pete disappeared into the body of students and Chloe almost made it to lunch when she was stopped by Lana. And up until now today's been so normal, sans Clark avoiding me like the plague…wait, that tends to be normal too. Wonder if it's scripted.
"Chloe, got a minute?"
"Sure, what's up?" Please don't ask what I think you're going to ask.
"What's the deal with Clark?"
And sudden I'm the expert…no, wait, I am, sorta. She sighed, inwardly and externally.
Perhaps it was her low esteem or just pure misinterpretation, but Lana took Chloe's sigh in combination with Clark's reaction earlier this morning as an admission that there was something more between them than the usual meteor mutant mystery and stated bluntly and shockingly, "So, it's true…"
When Chloe saw Lana's reaction and words, she found herself staring at a pseudo-mirror image of her reaction to finding out Clark's secret. Oh my God, how does…she must've heard when Clark…that's gotta be it.
"Lana," she began.
"How could you not tell me? I thought we were like sisters," Lana said, nearly in tears.
"Lana, it's not like Clark…I…meant to…meant for this to…" Chloe searched for a way to explain things without revealing too much to the crowd that started to gather around the sight of a weeping Lana. Chloe, now more than ever, felt the weight of Clark's secret on her shoulders. This must be how Atlas feels, she thought wryly.
"Is this your way of getting back at me for my not telling about me and Clark?" Lana said angrily through a stream of tears, "Well, newsflash Chloe, it wasn't my place to tell you and now I can't get a word of truth from you or Clark. I thought you both were more mature than this."
"Lana, that's not it at all…" Chloe didn't get to finish as she was cut short by a slap to the face from Lana that resounded throughout the hall. As she held her bruised face, murmurs of what just occurred came through the crowd but all Chloe could hear was Lana's angry parting words echoing in her head, "that's so petty." Lana you've got this all wrong, but right now I don't think you want to hear the truth even if I could tell you.
Lana stalked out of the front of the school, not at all happy with how things were turning out today. She didn't notice Pete until she ran into him.
Pete grabbed her by the arm, "Whoa, what's the matter Lana? You seem really upset."
Laughing bitterly, she replied, "That the understatement of the century."
"Care to talk?"
Looking into Pete's eyes, Lana nodded and said, "Sure, if you're not gonna lie to my face."
Laughing, Pete wrapped his arm around her warmly and said, "Not a problem."
The two walked towards an obviously tricked out Camero. Lana stopped to remark, "Nice ride."
"Not mine, borrowing it from a friend," Pete replied, opening the door for Lana. He hoped into the driver's side and smiled broadly, "but it is really pimp, ain't it?"
As they sped out of the parking lot, Lana gasped and gripped onto her seat. Pete laughed and said, "Relax, Lana. I know how to handle this car. Trust me."
Lana, a look of panic still in here eyes, stared at Pete as he whipped around corners at a highly unsafe speed. "So, what's got you wound up, Pete?"
Pete threw her a quizzical look and stated, "Thought you wanted to talk."
Taking in the quickly fading roadside, Lana replied, "Yeah, I did and we are. So what's got you so wound up?"
One glance at the expression on Lana's face told Pete he wasn't going to win an argument over semantics. Sighing, Pete said plainly, "Clark and Chloe. Something's up between those two, something big and I can't seem to get a straight answer from either of them."
"Must be Wednesday," Lana remarked dryly.
"Huh?"
Taking her eyes off of the passing farmland, Lana looked at Pete intently, "I mean, welcome to my world." Seeing that he was still perplexed, she elaborated, "It seems to me, that in this town, the juiciest gossip tends to revolve around me and Clark or Clark and Chloe or something to that effect. It's like we're on a friggin' teeny bopper soap opera on the WB."
Laughing at Lana's animated explanation, Pete affected an announcer's voice and said, "This week on 'Clark's Creek', Clark sulks and Chloe gets pissed off at Clark and cries. Meanwhile, Lana gets attacked by yet another meteor mutant and everybody forgets about Pete. Catch it after 'Angel' on Wednesday's WB."
"Clark's Creek?"
"Yeah, like Dawson's Creek."
Lana gave a true laugh, the first she'd had all day. "Our lives are about that dramatic." Lana got a mock-dreamy look in her eye. "If only Pacey was here." Lana sobered for a moment. "Everyone doesn't forget about you though, Pete." She put her hand on his arm.
"Thanks Lana," Pete took one hand off the wheel and covered Lana's "but sometimes it feels that way. After all, you guys are so wrapped up in your little love triangle thing…no offense."
"None taken."
"I mean, why should any of you guys care to notice anything new in my life."
"That's not true, Pete," Lana consoled, "We're your friends, we care. Tell me what's new in your life. How about you start with how you met your new friend that lent you this incredibly expensive looking car?"
The bitterness gone from his eyes, he gently squeezed her hand. Pete shot Lana a smile that could melt any girl's defenses and said, "Tell you what, I'll tell you that story after you share what's bugging you."
Nodding, Lana said, "That's only fair, tit for tat…"
"I didn't say anything about flashing me…though I wouldn't mind," Pete teased.
Turning a bit red, Lana amended, "I mean that's fair enough. Besides the same thing was on my mind."
"What you flashing me?"
"NO," she said while turning a deeper shade of red. Lana took a deep breath in, and said in a rush, "I think Clark and Chloe had sex."
If he had been taking a drink, he would've sprayed it out of his mouth but he was driving a car at close to 100 miles per hour and the impact of Lana's statement almost had deadly consequences. As he regained control of the Camero, Pete pulled over to the side of the road and said, "What?!?"
"I think Clark and Chloe had sex."
"No, no, no. I definitely heard that part. I'm just wanting to know what makes you think that. 'Cause I'm damn sure I'd know if got himself some play…er, I mean made sweet love."
"It's ok, Pete, I was a freshman dating a senior. Just how naïve and virginal do you really think I am? You can speak plainly to me, I'm a big girl, I can take it. As for how I came to this conclusion, let's review the facts of the past few days. After Clark tried to kill Chloe, she goes off to talk to him and as near as I can figure, they have some discussion or something happened where Chloe ended up crying her eyes out. After that, they're nearly inseparable though they claim it's all in the name of investigation but any fool can tell you that the tension between them is as thick as mud, and has nothing to do with tracking down Chloe's assassin. Then last night, Clark and Chloe come home and didn't even notice that I was in early from the Talon. They go straight up to her room and I hear the door lock. A few hours later, I heard Chloe's bath running and look out the window and to see Clark's truck still there. I think Clark probably told her that it was a mistake because Chloe came back crying later that night. Then when I try to talk to the both of them, they both lie to my face. Not to mention completely avoiding the subject to me."
Pondering Lana's rant, Pete said hesitantly, "I can agree that something is up with those two, but sex? There's got to be a more sane explanation."
"Oh yeah, then tell me this. You and Clark are best friends, right?" At Pete's nod of agreement, she continued, "and I thought, and still think, Chloe and I are best friends. The both of them have bared a lot to us over these past few years, or so I'm assuming."
"Yeah," Pete nodded in agreement.
"So tell me what, other than sex, could've happened between those two that would leave their best friends sitting in the middle of nowhere, not knowing what the hell is going on," Lana concluded with a bit of triumph in her voice as she saw Pete's mind try to wrap itself around her challenge.
Looking at the matter from Lana's perspective, Pete could only say, "I guess you're right, sex would be as valid an explanation as any at this point. And for some reason, I'm less inclined to disagree. Especially with everything that's been going on lately."
Seeing that Lana was looking for him to find some hole in her theory and disprove it somehow, Pete added in an attempt to console her, "But what would I know. After all, knowing this town, it could just have something to do with yet another meteor freak."
Pete and Lana sat in mutual silence, both of them knowing that it was something more than the average, run of the mill meteor freak that was disrupting their lives.
Chapter 3
Lex glanced around The Talon and spotted a pre-occupied Clark Kent. "Sorry to interrupt your brooding Clark, but you haven't seen Lana recently, have you?" Lex asked as he approached the teenager. As he noticed the book that had occupied Clark's attention, he raised an eyebrow and stated with interest, "Universal Insights: Theories of Dreams, Reality, Consciousness, and the Universe?"
As he snapped the book shut, Clark remarked offhandedly, "School project and no, I haven't seen Lana since this morning."
Lex slid into the vacant seat in front of Clark and stated, "So Smallville High is teaching Quantum Physics now, huh?"
Clark looked sheepishly at his friend and said, "You got me, it's research for The Torch. Sorry, just becoming a standard reaction to embellish when it comes to researching the weird for the paper."
"Understandable. If I haven't personally witness most of the strange occurrences in this town, I would be hard pressed to believe the stories and probably rank Chloe and your stories along with the average supermarket tabloid. So what's the latest mystery, Shaggy?"
"Nothing really," Clark said with the barest hint of caution, "Just some rumors Chloe recently uncovered."
Lex appeared content with Clark's explanation. As Clark mentally breathed a sigh of relief, he changed the subject by prompting, "So what you need to see Lana for?"
"I wanted to go over some items about the Talon with her, nothing big really."
It was Clark's turn to express disbelief and Lex caved in, "Ok, you got me too. I really just wanted to get out of Metropolis and away from my father. However seeing that my excuse for coming down here isn't around, I should probably head back. Tell Lana I stopped by."
"Will do." As Lex slid out of the booth, Clark noticed something drop from his pocket. He picked it up and found that it was a pin that said, "Lex Luthor for President".
Puzzled, he got up, stopped his friend and said, "Lex you dropped this."
As Lex took the pin and flashed an embarrassed smile, Clark remarked, "Aren't you below the minimum age to run?"
"Yeah, I am. I just…nevermind, it's a strange story."
"Lex, you're talking to me. I live in a town that redefines strange on a weekly basis."
Lex chuckled, "I guess you're right. Not much of story, though."
Prompted by Clark's dubious looks, Lex continued, "I'm sitting at my desk this afternoon and out of nowhere, this pin clatters onto my desk. I look around to how it could've gotten there, but didn't see anything out of the usual. Very strange. I'm just keeping it around, hoping the answer to its origin will somehow manifest itself."
As Lex exits the Talon, Clark glanced towards his book, thought back to the events of the previous night and wondered.
**************************************************
Chloe knocked on the kitchen door of the Kent household and poked her head into the house.
"Hello?"
"Oh, Chloe, how nice to see you," Martha said as she put a pie in the oven, "I really didn't get to apologize for last night."
"No big, Mrs. Kent. Wasn't really you or your fault."
"I know, but still…I feel better if I apologize," Martha said with a half-smile.
Chloe smiled back at Mrs. Kent and thought, Wonder if the Kent charm comes from her or from the both of his folks. As she left her own private musings, she returned the smile and said to Martha, "In that case, apology accepted."
"Clark not in the barn?" Martha asked, puzzled as to why Chloe chose to stop at the house first.
"I haven't checked. I wanted to how you were doing after that hay bale hit you."
"I'm doing fine. Thanks for the concern though, sweetie," Martha replied warmly.
"Guess I'll head off to the barn and hope Clark's in."
"Good to see you under better circumstances, Chloe."
When Chloe left, Jonathan poked his head into the kitchen and said, "I thought I heard you talking to someone when I came in."
"It was just Chloe, dear. She came over looking for Clark"
*****************************************************
Chloe walked into the barn and up to the Fortress of Solitude to find Clark sitting on his couch with his back to her, absorbed in a book.
"Whatcha got there, Clark?" she asked as she tried to peer over his shoulder to see the pages.
Clark let out an 'eep' of surprise. When he saw Chloe, he compensated for it as he gave her a manly glare of annoyance.
Chloe thought, Death glare much? I'm so glad that isn't one of his powers. She walked over to his desk to examine the various other books he had out, all with the common theme of parallel or alternate universes. She remarked off-handedly, "For a boy with über senses, you're easily surprised, you know that right?" As she turned back to face Clark, she had a thought that made her shudder, Unless he hasn't developed that power yet. Is death glare supposed to be one of his powers? It would make sense with the whole vision thing...
Clark interrupted her line of thought, "No offense, but I thought we agreed to some time and space to process."
"Yeah, about that, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed a bad idea."
Prompted by Clark's compounded look of stupefaction, she rolled her eyes and stated, "Clark, I'm allowed to change my mind and rethink things."
As Clark rolled his eyes, she continued, "Besides, I had time after I confirmed that my going to another plane of existence was real and look how I dealt. I went into denial. Which, hey, sooo not me. I know what you're thinking…"
As Clark saw that he wasn't going to get a word in edgewise, he sighed, sat down and listened as Chloe ranted on.
"Why denial? You try being in an explosion," as Clark raised his finger to interject, Chloe cut him off, "which for you probably happens like every other day, but for us earthlings, not a normal occurrence. Let alone, being blasted into some bizarro universe where you're a fictional character. Plus given everything that happened in the past few weeks, I figure I deserve a little denial. Anyways, not the point. The point I was trying to make is that when I found all this out, I had no one to help deal and you do, you got me. So use me." With that said, she hopped up onto the desk and beamed a smile at Clark.
As a grin crept up on Clark's face, Chloe got a look of abject horror, got up, went over to him and proceeded to slap him even though she knew it wouldn't hurt a normal boy, let alone him. "Not what I meant. I swear, you might not be from this planet, but you're just as dirty minded as any other guy on this planet."
Clark laughed and for a moment, as they wrestled, they both forgot about the weight of the world that was on their shoulders and the tension from last night. Finally, Chloe managed to pin Clark down. As she straddled him, panting, she looked down at him with mock anger and said, "You let me win."
Clark, his eyes surrendered to her statement and replied, "Sorry, habit. Protecting my secret and all. Which reminds me…"
Chloe cut him off and asked pointedly, "Why didn't you tell your folks that I know? I thought you would've by now. And I'm guessing since you're not giving me the evil eye whenever I mention or hint about your secret or powers, that you're listening for company."
Clark looked at her and asked, "How did you…how is it that…will you please quit that?"
Chloe got off of Clark and retorted, "Oh come on Clark, I've always had questions like these before I knew of your secret. It's just then, I kept them to myself but now, I figure, no secrets." She stressed her last words by looking Clark dead in the eyes.
"Right. I don't know why I haven't told them. I mean I should, but I haven't. When I told Pete my secret, I told them right away but with you it's different. Plus, they'd want to know how you knew and I really don't want to go there with them right now. At least not when I'm still trying to figure that out myself." Clark said as he plopped back down on the couch.
"So what have you uncovered in your studies?" Chloe asked as she went back to the desk to peruse the contents of the books.
Clark sighed, "Nothing much at all, at least when it relates to our situation. Which isn't surprising given how unique of a situation we have. Closest I can find to that is this theory that our perception of reality is a contained universe in itself. So as an extension of that would suggest that our imagination can be a world of it's own as well."
Intrigued, Chloe queried, "So the world I went into is some sort crazy thought of the bomberman?"
"Or we're someone's deranged thought," Clark countered.
Chloe laughed, "If it's all the same, Clark, I'd prefer to take the reality in which we aren't fictional. Less of a headache that way."
Chuckling, Clark got up, went over to the desk to grab another book, leaned against the desk and as he thumbed through the book, stated, "I follow you. I'd like to also, but after what you knew about Molly, I wondered…"
Chloe interrupted him, "I don't…well, at least not anymore. I mean, really, this," she indicted everything around them, "all couldn't be in the mind of some writer, even a deranged one. We're too far away from whatever the show writers intended. No fate but what we make."
Clark looked at Chloe amazed and smiled, "From philosophy to pop culture, you never cease to astonish me. Especially, these past few days."
"Actually, I think pop culture has a profound impact on society and in many ways is a modern philosophy. Take…" she cut herself off at the 'not again' look Clark threw her, "and I won't get into my Buffy rant."
"Thank you. Besides, you're right. At some point you have to pick something to believe in," Clark took her hand in his, looked her dead in the eyes and finished, "and I prefer to believe in us. That this is real."
As Chloe gazed back into his eyes, her heart skipped a beat but she didn't dare ask how he meant that statement.
That night, as she slept, her head was filled with fancies of flight.
***********************************************
The next day at school wasn't as dramatic as the previous. At the end of school, Chloe was about to enter her office to finish up on the next edition of the Torch when Lana came up to her. Chloe stepped backed from her involuntarily and raised her hands in a gesture of peace.
"Guess I deserve that," Lana remarked and as she bit her lower lip, she asked, "Can we talk?"
Chloe saw the body signal and said, "Yeah, sure" as she opened up the office and gestured for Lana to come in.
Lana clearly saw that Chloe was waiting on her to say something first, "First off, I'm sorry about yesterday. I…can I just say I was having a bad day and leave it at that?"
Chloe leaned against her desk and reluctantly nodded. Silence ensued again as the two girls looked at one another once more, Lana with the scrutinizing appraisal of a huntress and Chloe with her ever present journalistic gaze. Chloe broke the silence this round, "So, if you didn't come here to talk about that, what did you come here for?"
"Promise not to tell Clark or involve him in it?" Lana blurted out.
Chloe looked at her incredulously. Careful with her next selection of words, she started out slowly. As she spoke, she stopped leaning on the desk to take a seat in the chair. "O……K……this just went from awkward conversation to a step below 'Wall of Weird'. Care to explain that one to me or do you just want to chalk that off to something as well?"
Lana bit her lower lip again as she pondered her next sentence. She slipped from standing in front of Chloe to pulling up a seat in front of her and sitting as well. Given Lana's behavior, Chloe's journalistic instinct screamed that something wasn't right but her patience told her to wait for the answer to present itself. Lana finally chose to say, "Because I'm sure it's really nothing and maybe it's just me for being guilty for being wrapped up in my own life and it's something I don't want to bother Clark with given the way he's been and you're a reporter so therefore would be good at checking things out…"
"Lana, slow down and start from the beginning, please," Chloe pleaded at the onslaught of information to process. As Lana unwove her tale of the events after their encounter in the hallway, Chloe saw the reason for her distress. Lana didn't tell everything, certainly not the conversation Pete and her had in the car but she did tell of what she learned after.
Lana couldn't believe her ears when Pete told her how he got the car and the events of his life she didn't notice due to her absorption of her own melodrama with Clark. Pete told her that if she found it so hard to believe, she was welcome to come with him after school to check it out. She did and was amazed. She stayed for the races and the thrill of the race was exhilarating. She did have some reservations about the man behind the racing. Dante did not seem like someone Pete should be involved with. Chloe agreed to check out the place and the man named Dante. Little did she know that Clark had chanced upon their conversation and was equally determined to check it out as well as make sure Chloe was safe.
Chloe found her way into Dante's barn later that afternoon and hid herself behind some oil drums. She felt a slight breeze and was only half-surprised to find Clark standing next to her with an apologetic half-smile that seemed to say, 'Sorry, I had to get involved.' What happened next was surreal. One of the mechanics went off to get what Dante referred to as 'green'. When the burly man passed by them with a glowing container and Clark staggered into the barrels, Chloe knew they were in more trouble than they had bargained for. The mechanic stopped and discovered them. Clark, ever the hero, tried to buy Chloe some time to run but was rewarded with a slam to the gut and to the back of the head. As Clark passed out and Dante came over to survey them, Chloe would later regret the words that tumbled from her mouth.
"You're gonna regret doing that, you have no idea who you're dealing with."
Dante raised his eyebrows and said menacingly, "Oh I don't Ms. Sullivan?" and as the shock of his words hit her, he continued, gesturing towards Clark, "If I'm not mistaken, that's Clark Kent, the local town hero. You don't get to be where I am without doing your homework. Local police can be on your payroll but reporters and the occasional vigilante like your boyfriend, those are wildcards that you have to keep tabs on."
Fear lay naked in Chloe's eyes as Dante's next words chilled her to the bone, "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you or your boyfriend. Your families on the other hand…" Dante turned to his minions, "Bring them here, we'll show these two the stakes of the game their playing. No Miss Sullivan, you have no idea who you're dealing with."
*********************************************************
Martha went into the barn to find Jonathan working on the tractor. Putting her hands on her hips, she stated, "Jonathan Kent, you can work on that later, it's time for supper. I swear, you're going to work yourself to death at this rate. You're not Spiderman, you know?"
Jonathan said from underneath the tractor, "Just one second, dearest. I think I got this all wrapped up."
Martha rolled her eyes skyward and muttered, "Come in, your dinner is getting cold."
Jonathan slid out and looked at his wife. While wiping his hands clean, he asked, "Clark not coming in for dinner tonight? There an emergency I didn't hear about?"
"He said something about talking to Chloe after school."
Jonathan chuckled to himself as he turned around to put away the tools, "Glad to see he's getting over Lana. Remember when we were at that point, playing cat and mouse?"
If he wasn't so caught up in his own memories of young love, he might have noticed the lack of response from his wife. It wasn't until his next question that he sensed something was wrong and by then it was too late.
"Can you hand me the wrench behind me, dear?"
When Jonathan turned around to see why she hadn't answered, the only thing he saw was the wrench as it impacted the side of his head.
********************************************************
Chloe awoke to see Clark bathed in green light, writhing in obvious pain. Oh my god, there's Kryptonite in here. She surveyed the room and began to work on a plan to save Clark and win them their freedom. She and Clark were bound hand and foot with ropes. Clark was near two canisters which were emanating the eerie glow. Chloe deducted that they were in either a soundproof room or out in the country still since they hadn't bothered to gag either one of them.
Turning to Clark, she said, "How long have I been out?"
Clark painfully replied, "I was hoping you could tell me, I just woke up myself."
Biting her lower lip, thoughtfully, Chloe said, "You don't look so good. And I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say, 'I don't want to find out if this stuff can kill you.' So…"
Clark smiled and interrupted, "So you have a plan. How can I help?"
"Tip over towards me and I'll explain."
Clark obeyed and swayed himself towards Chloe's direction. He underestimated and hit the ground hard. Under normal circumstances, he would have been fine, but these weren't normal circumstances. He tasted the coppery bitterness of blood in his mouth and felt some drip out of the corner. Not wanting Chloe to see him this weak, he tried to wipe it off against his shoulder but the damage was already done.
"Oh my god, Clark. Are you all right?"
"I'll live…hopefully. Let's hurry just in case," he replied.
Chloe tipped herself towards him and as she lied on the ground beside him, she turned to face him. She smiled slightly, their faces close together and said, "No need to let them know we're awake by shouting out our escape plan."
Clark smiled back and said, "What you have in mind?"
Chloe stifled a giggle, "You're gonna chew threw my ropes."
Clark looked perplexed and said, "Huh? Last time I checked beaver teeth wasn't one of my powers…unless you're trying to tell me something and now is hardly the time."
Chloe sighed and explained, "You're super-strong, right?" Not waiting for his nod, she continued, "So I'm guessing that with the strength comes super stamina, constitution and the like. After all, I don't ever recall you going to the dentist. Plus the whole invulnerability thing so you should be able to chew threw the ropes."
Clark looked at her like a deer caught in headlights and stated simply, "You know it's really eerie when you do that."
"Do what?"
"Know more about me than I do or than I thought you did."
"Sometimes you just have step back and truly look, Clark."
In that moment when she said that, Clark did. He began to look at her, not as the girl who he saw as only a friend but as the woman who knew him and wasn't afraid, as the woman who has always been there for him and always be. Their eyes locked and when Chloe saw that something was different. Their lips drifted towards each other and just when they were a hairsbreadth from touching, a door slammed inward and they heard something land next to them.
Startled, the teens looked toward the source and were blinded by the light.
Dante's voice broke the silence, "Kids today. Their lives may be at stake, but stick them in a dark room together and all they can think about is making out. Well, sorry to interrupt the sexcapades but I brought you kids a couple of chaperones."
The harsh effects of the light in their eyes cleared, Clark saw the face of the figure beside Dante and croaked out, "Mom?"
Martha looked at the pained expression on her son's face and sobbed, "Clark?"
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