A/N: Has anyone noticed that I don't seem to be able to write a story in less than 20 chapters? I'm on Chapter 9 and just got to Chapter 5 of the old fic. Somebody… stop me! (Not seriously. Think "The Mask" here, guys! ;D)
Chapter 9
"You told them?" he hissed, looking at me through narrowed eyes. Those self-same eyes that had told me he had been having a great time and had barely started to give me hope again.
"Clark, no! I…" I didn't know what to say or how to say it. And I was quailing under that glare. Clark and I have had our differences and arguments before, but this was… different. Now he thought that I'd betrayed his secret to girls I'd only met the day before.
Willow cut in before I could stammer out anything. "Clark, be serious. You're not half as careful about hiding your power as you'd like people to believe. I saw you speeding along two months ago. I haven't told anyone and neither has Chloe… even though our sisters tried to pressure her."
I could have kissed her… I was that thankful that she'd said something. I watched as Clark's righteous indignation melted away and he looked at me with apologies in his eyes. I cocked an eyebrow at him, and then smiled and shook my head. I probably would have had the same reaction.
"I'd love to explain more, you two," Willow interrupted our non-verbal conversation, "but we have to go… now."
"What's so urgent, Willow?" I asked the question we were both dying to know the answer to.
"I would explain, but that's not my job this time. Clark, please…" She started to cry again and Clark has never had any sort of defense against that.
He bounced up. "Where?" he asked, his face determined.
Willow's face crumpled. "I… I'm not sure. It's this old windmill…" She had always seemed to have the answers, so this distressed me more than I thought possible. "Trinity had the dream. She said we had to be there at precisely midnight…"
That shook me up and I looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was 11:53. "And you don't have any information?"
"Oh… oh, dear…" Willow trailed off and started wringing her hands.
I looked at Clark. She wasn't going to be a big help in her state right at that moment. I concentrated, hoping I could pull the location at least out of her mind, but instead I got this insistent pull toward… somewhere… My eyes widened as my instincts told me that was where we had to go. "Clark, I know. I'll point in the direction."
We both looked at Willow who had seemed to collapse in on herself. This just seemed so wrong somehow. He shrugged and flung her over his shoulder like a bag of grain. Then he pulled me to his side and I pointed east. Suddenly, everything else seemed to be in slow motion. I felt as if I was being put through one of those gravity spinners they have for astronauts. I cushioned my head against Clark's chest. This was not something either of us had anticipated. I really hadn't wanted our first run to be to an emergency. Ever conscious of the timeframe, I concentrated and when I found I couldn't point my hand because of the forces pressing against me, I whispered them. Clark caught them without any problem and the next thing we knew, he was skidding to a halt in front of one of the many derelict windmills in Smallville. The two cars were sitting in the field and my sisters were huddled around each other.
Fran and Destiny helped us with Willow and guided her to where everyone else was waiting. Clark had to help me. I really hadn't expected to be so disoriented. Maybe it was just easier if he carried a person… I had no idea. But my equilibrium was slowly returning and I was able to focus.
"Thank goodness," Trinity breathed. "You guys were really cutting it close."
"I couldn't find her at first," Willow sobbed. She looked at Trinity, who held her hand tightly.
"Willow said you could tell us what the heck is going on," I said impatiently. I was starting to freak out and that was making me extremely crabby.
"The higher powers contacted me an hour or two ago." She looked around at us and I saw sorrow in her eyes. Everyone else seemed to reflect that sadness.
"What did they say?" I demanded. "If we're supposed to meet this frivolous deadline, I need to know now what's going on." I tried to freeze time, but something was wrong. The windmill continued to turn. This wasn't going to be that easy.
Trinity noticed and smiled sadly. "At this moment, in this place, our powers aren't really working." She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes deeply. "Chloe, we hadn't intended this…"
"We want to stay… truly…" Willow sobbed.
I stared at both of them with consternation in my eyes. "What are you talking about? What did the PTB say?"
Trinity looked grim. "They have decided that six goddesses on Earth are redundant. They want to consolidate any different powers into one and five of us are being called home."
I gasped and backed into Clark, who was my protection against all bad things in the world and my rescuer. He put his hands on my shoulders and it felt like his strength was pouring into me. "And what happens to those five?"
Trinity closed her eyes. "I guess you could say that we're going to die."
A/N: I know it's short, but one and a half pages was all it took to describe exactly what I wanted it to do. And since I've done some seriously big chapters lately… ;DA/N: I know it's short, but one and a half pages was all it took to describe exactly what I wanted it to do. And since I've done some seriously big chapters lately… ;D
iluvsmallville1: Your wish is my command. But be aware… It's going to get a little weepy soon. I was writing and almost had to stop 'cause the tears were right there.
coldblueblood: Well, can you tell that I did stick with the original line? Kentcharm had said that he/she (wow, I still don't know the answer to that…) was thinking about rewriting and putting them back in, but I thought it added a little somethin' somethin'. I would love to have Lex in this, but I have yet to figure out how to plug him in. Perhaps in a future incarnation? And I can't decide which role to cast him in. I would love to cast him in a positive role, but he said a couple things to Chloe in last night's episode "Fragile" that I have yet to forgive him…
spaceboi's pixie: Boy, you guys are so great. I love that you love my work. Because of that, I'll tell you that I have another fic "What's Up in Smallville" that I put a ballot (well, not really, but it's close enough) in for my next fic. You don't have to read it if it's not your thing, but if you go to Chapter 22, you'll see what I mean.
Cherri202: -Crazy Danae joins Cherri in the can-can.- I'm so glad you liked it. But the warning to all stays in effect. The next couple chapters nearly made me cry, so beware! ;D
BabyC2003: Thank you so much for the praise. I've really been enjoying it.
