A/N: I'm happy to say that this chapter puts the final nail in the coffin of Clana-related angst. :) And there's a Chlark loft scene too!
Chapter Seven
The trip back from the caves was silent, but, thanks to Clark's speed, it was over in less than a second. Once inside the Kent farm's kitchen, Chloe gratefully shed her heavy coat and boots, pulled off her sweater, and tugged to straighten her tight-fitting red blouse.
"From one continent to another and back again in one night. I feel as though I've got whiplash," she commented with forced cheerfulness, noting the worried wrinkle on Clark's brow as he stowed away her winter gear in the hall closet. "Did all Kryptonians use these little octagonal keys for instant travel, or is this something Jor-El came up with?"
Clark, returning to the kitchen, responded with a shrug. "I'd be a lot happier right now if I'd never heard of those keys, Krypton, or Jor-El," he remarked glumly. "All it's brought me is trouble, and now I've gotten you involved."
She was already shaking her head before he finished. "Don't regret learning about your heritage, and don't apologize for something you didn't do." She eyed him severely. "That's a bad habit I thought you'd gotten over. Anyway, I'm not sorry that my destiny's bound with yours, even if there's a, um, slight catch to it." Chloe looked up at Clark's troubled face, and added, anxiously, "Are you?"
At once his expression cleared. Taking her hand in both of his, he answered firmly, "No. But it didn't take Jor-El to bind our destinies together." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, one hand trailing up her arm and under the fluttery short sleeve of her blouse. "They've been linked for a long time now. Even if it took a trip to another dimension for me to realize it."
Even the warmth of Clark's touch, which sent fresh tingles down her spine, couldn't stop Chloe from noticing that this was the first time Clark had mentioned his otherworldly imprisonment. "What do you mean?" Her voice was a cautious whisper. "What happened to you in there?"
The silence dragged on for so long that Chloe began to give up any hope of hearing an answer. Risking a glance upward, she saw that Clark was staring into the distance, his eyes shadowy. Despite the torrid summer evening, Chloe felt a chill.
"I'm not sure there are words to describe it," he said bleakly, gazing past her at a blank kitchen wall. Whatever he was looking at, Chloe was profoundly grateful that she couldn't see it.
"I felt as if I were—outside—existence. I knew I was alive, but I felt as if I had no body. I don't remember touching the ground, or moving, although I tried once to go towards some misty shapes I saw nearby." He gulped. "It was like being stuck in the middle of a thick fog; everything around me was gray and out of focus. The only thing I could really see clearly, was Earth."
Chloe's brows shot up at that. Clark, still caught up in his memories, didn't notice. "That was the worst part," he admitted sadly. "I could watch the riots, see everything that monster was doing to the planet, and there was nothing I could do to help." His voice cracked; the anguish in it wrung Chloe's heart.
"And I felt completely alone."
Clark's gaze re-focused on her with sudden intensity. "I know you said I wasn't in there long, but it seemed like ages to me," he told her. "I had plenty of time to think of all the people I might never see again—Mom, you, Lana, Pete—but after a while, as much as I missed them, they all faded away. All but one."
He gathered her closer to him. "All but you."
"I thought about how much you mean to me. No matter how focused I was on Lana, you were always the one I relied on for support. When I told you my secret, Chlo', it wasn't because I had to; it was because I wanted to. I realized that I'd never felt that way about Lana. And the amazing thing is, now that you know everything about me, you're OK with it. You trust me, almost as much as I trust you."
"That's when it finally dawned on me," he explained, a smile creeping into his voice, "that of everyone I loved, you were the only person I couldn't live without."
His strong arms wrapped around her tightly, and, pressed against his chest, Chloe felt the last remnants of the spectral image of Lana Lang flicker and dissolve away. Too happy to speak, she buried her head in his shirt.
But, before she could take things further, a low, loud sound interrupted her.
Clark's stomach was rumbling.
The wide-eyed embarrassment on Clark's face was so comical that Chloe giggled. "I forgot that super-aliens have super-appetites," she murmured, looking up coyly. "Of all kinds."
It wasn't until his blush deepened from rosy to beet-red that she finally relented and gave him an affectionate peck on the cheek.
"Come to think of it, I'm starving too. It's nearly nine o'clock, and we skipped dinner in favor of an unscheduled trip to the Arctic. What's in the 'fridge?"
Clark stuck his head inside the refrigerator door and rummaged. "Mom left plenty before she took off for that state educational summit. Hmmm. How about this?"
He emerged carrying a Tupperware bowl, peeling off the top to reveal chunks of chicken and vegetables suspended in a thick, golden sauce. "Chicken and dumplings," he announced, viewing the bowl hungrily. "My favorite."
"Sounds good," Chloe grinned back, as Clark ladled out two generous portions onto plates and squinted thoughtfully at one of them. Fragrant aromas of chicken stock and onion began to rise as the dish heated up. "Nothing like discussing the fate of the world over a heaping dish of dumplings. Not to mention my fate at the Daily Planet, now that I have no story to write for Kahn. From what Jor-El told us, it's pretty clear the crystal's off-limits as a news item."
Clark rolled his eyes before warming up the second plate. "I'd say the world is a little more important than the Planet," he intoned a bit stuffily, and winced when Chloe choked back a laugh. "Well," he added defensively, "you know what I mean."
"Yeah. But the Planet is my world, Clark." She watched in surprise as Clark carried both plates toward the door. "Hey, where are you going with dinner?"
He called back, already halfway to the barn. "Come with me to the loft. I've got a surprise for you."
Pausing just long enough to grab two cans of soda, she hurried through the darkness until she caught up with him at the barn door. Inside, moonlight cast long shadows across the straw-covered floor.
Instead of hitting the nearby lightswitch, Clark whispered, "Wait here," and blurred up the steps to his old hideaway. A second later, the loft was bathed in golden, flickering light. "OK, you can come up now."
Curiously, she mounted the stairs. A faint, sweet smell drifted toward her, which Chloe mistook at first for the scent of freshly baled hay. As she reached the top, though, the soft light of candles revealed bright bunches of color adorning the low table which faced the huge open loft doors. Outside, the full moon was rising.
"Daisies! And poppies, and—are those cornflowers?" Chloe stared in wonder at the cheerful blooms winking at her in the candlelight. "You've been busy."
"I hoped we could have dinner here after you finished your interview with Bo," Clark said, setting the platters of stew on the table. "Better late than never, I guess." His smile twisted apologetically. "Although this isn't quite the romantic evening I'd planned."
"It's the thought that counts. Anyway, all this makes it easier to talk about impending doom."
Chloe knelt in front of the table and speared a chunk of chicken with her fork. "So the crystal is set to self-destruct, and me with it," she remarked almost conversationally. "I wish Jor-El had been a little more specific. How long do we have? Who stole the crystal from Lex last night, and why? And, most important of all, where is it now?"
Clark sank down next to her, crossing his long legs and picking up his plate. "Jor-El said that 'Zod's servant' might be involved. That means Professor Fine, or whatever form he's wearing now."
"Fine's definitely Suspect Number One," Chloe agreed. "On a very short list. I can think of lots of people who might want this thing, from crazy rock collectors on up to the military. But not many of them could've broken through Lex's security, except maybe the CIA. And somehow," she added, forehead wrinkling, "I don't think it's the CIA."
Clark put down his dinner and leaned closer, studying her in the moonlight. "You're remembering something, aren't you?"
"The LuthorCorp building," she said. "It keeps popping up in my head, like a jack in the box. First, I see a room—it looks like a lab, with microscopes and stuff—and then that skyscraper, with the LuthorCorp logo on it. After that, I get just a glimpse of a vault—I think it's the one at Cadmus—and then there's the farmer's pasture, and your ship exploding, and…."
Chloe froze, gripping Clark's arm so hard that he jumped. "The vault at Cadmus. I never saw it clearly before. And it comes after the LuthorCorp building," she whispered excitedly. "Clark, I think I might know where the stone is hidden."
With a sense of triumph, she turned to meet Clark's puzzled gaze. "Don't you see? The visions are in reverse order!"
The confusion in those green eyes only deepened. Sighing, Chloe backed up. "Jor-El told us I could see where the crystal was now, and where it had been. It's pretty clear that the lab is where it is now. And the rest of the visions always come in reverse order, timewise—they start with the later stuff and end with the beginning, if that makes any sense."
By the wrinkle creasing Clark's brow, she could tell that she needed to try another explanation. "In my visions, one of the last things I always see is a Kryptonian city. Before that, I see a ship landing in a cornfield. Before that, your ship blowing up into a million green pieces. Before that, I see the farmer's field." She looked over at Clark. "Are you picking up a pattern here?"
He nodded slowly. "A reverse timeline. Like watching a movie play backward. But how does that help us find out where this lab is?"
"Until now, it didn't," she remarked, standing up to stretch. She moved nearer to the opening in the loft and gazed thoughtfully at the field of stars above them. "I wondered why I kept seeing the LuthorCorp tower, but I figured that maybe the crystal had been kept there before it was sent to Cadmus."
"Well, that's possible, isn't it?" Clark asked.
She shook her head so forcefully that her dark hair flew across her face. "No! Because I see it first. So the stone was at LuthorCorp after it was at Cadmus. Which means, after it was stolen. And that means the lab in my vision must be at LuthorCorp, too."
"What are you saying, Chloe?" He joined her at the edge of the open door. "That Lex stole this thing from himself?"
"It sounds pretty silly, doesn't it?" she mused. "Especially considering how angry he was this morning. Lex has his Oscar-winning moments, but I don't think that was an act."
"None of this makes sense." Wrapping an arm around her, he continued to stare into the darkness, biting his lip thoughtfully. "Professor Fine is the only one who could possibly know how important this crystal is. Jor-El said it was the keystone of the fortress. Maybe Fine is hiding it at LuthorCorp, for some reason."
"Should we warn Lex about Fine?" Chloe darted an inquiring glance in Clark's direction.
He frowned, as if pondering the question. "He wouldn't believe us. And if he did, we don't know what he'd do. I don't think he'd join forces with Fine again, but how can we be sure? Too much is at stake." He sighed. "I hate putting Lex in danger, but it's too risky."
Something clattered onto the ground below them, followed by silence. Both of them froze at the sound.
"Who's out there?" Clark shouted, but there was no response. He peered into the gloom, then straightened in surprise.
"Lana?"
Slowly, hesitantly, a slender figure appeared in the patch of moonlight directly below the loft doors. Since she'd begun dating Lex, Lana Lang had traded little-girl pink for big-city black and, Chloe thought, the change suited her. It was also, Chloe noted, extremely useful for unannounced night-time visits. If it hadn't been for Clark's keen vision, Lana would have blended perfectly into the shadows.
"What are you doing here?" Clark asked.
Lana's eyes glinted in the moon's beams. "You never returned my horse's saddle," she answered coldly, gesturing towards the heap of leather that lay near her feet. "Lex and I are going riding tomorrow, and I want to use Tyson's own equipment."
"You came over here this late at night just to get a saddle? I would've driven it over to the mansion if you'd asked me."
She dismissed Clark's question with a shrug. "I don't need any favors from you. If it were up to you, Lex would be dead."
"Lana, I…." Clark sighed. "I guess it's useless trying to change your mind."
While he spoke, Lana was glancing from Clark to Chloe. Her lips curved upwards knowingly.
"Hi, Chloe," she greeted her former roommate softly. "Or is it Lois now? Lex told me about your interview today." Her dark eyes darted between the two of them again. "I see you didn't waste any time after I broke up with Clark."
Clark, muttering something under his breath that sounded dangerously like swearing, started for the stairs. Luckily, he slowed to normal speed just before emerging from the barn. Chloe followed, her mouth set in a grim line.
Yesterday, Lana had the power to hurt her. No longer.
"Nice to see you too, Lana." She returned calmly as she joined Clark. "Speaking of not wasting time, how are you and Lex doing?"
Lana's small mouth twisted in anger, but, before she could answer, Clark broke in, his voice quiet. "The truth is, Lana, I broke up with you. And I think that was best for both of us."
Moving almost (but not quite) too fast, Clark picked up Tyson's saddle and stirrups, and loaded them into the back of Lana's red Jeep.
"Tell Lex that, um, Lois, and I say 'hi.'"
Lana stared at Clark in disbelief. "Is that all you have to say to me?" she demanded, fixing him with an injured look.
Clark returned it impassively. "Yes," he said shortly. "Good night, Lana."
Wordlessly, she turned and climbed into her Jeep. They watched as it churned dust on its way to the main road.
Chloe raised an eyebrow and turned to Clark. "Doesn't Lex have, like, 20 horses in that stable of his? And about 200 saddles?"
Clark smiled wryly. "At least. I wonder why she really came here?"
"We don't know how much she heard. You could follow her."
He shook his head. "The most she'll do is warn Lex. And Lex deserves to be warned." His voice saddened. "He deserves a chance."
Chloe regarded him gravely, then surprised herself by yawning. "I hate to say this, but I need to get back to Metropolis tonight. I've got to be at the Planet early, to salvage my career as an obituary writer. Then we can brainstorm a way to get that crystal."
Her arms circled his neck, and she tilted her head to smile up at her boyfriend. No, Chloe corrected herself. At her life-mate.
"I'll trade you," she said cheerfully. "You get double portions of chicken and dumplings, and I get an express ride home."
Clark grinned.
……………………
A single lamp cast shadows across the chessboard as Lex moved his queen into position. He looked up from his seat in the mansion's den at the sound of approaching feet.
"Hello, Lana," he remarked mildly. "Your king's in danger of check-mate."
"You're the one in danger, Lex." She perched on his chair and draped an arm around his shoulders. "You were right to send me out to the Kent farm."
Lex patted her hand, but his glance was steel-sharp. "Well?"
Resentment showed clearly in Lana's dark eyes. "It sounds like they know a lot about your stolen crystal," she spat out. "They think Professor Fine is hiding it somewhere in the LuthorCorp tower. And I heard Clark say that the crystal's really important. He called it the 'keystone' to something….a fortress, I think."
The billionaire nodded, studying the chessboard. "And?"
"Clark said you could be in danger, but it would be too risky to warn you."
Lex responded tonelessly. "Of course."
Lana's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's wrong with you, Lex? You don't sound very surprised to hear any of this."
"On the contrary," her boyfriend answered briskly. "This is valuable information, and I'm very grateful to you for your help."
Rising, he kissed her cheek gently. "Now, please excuse me. I need some time to think about this." Ignoring her vague sounds of protest, he escorted her quickly to the door and shut it after her.
Behind him, a figure emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room. "Most interesting information indeed," said Fine, approvingly. "It was an excellent suggestion to use the girl, Vessel."
Lex turned to face the artificial being, his face expressionless. "I don't want her harmed." A flicker of regret showed in his eyes.
Fine studied him with clinical detachment. "Fascinating! You're actually fighting me, aren't you, human? I have to confess, you show much more spirit than I had expected."
The flicker in Lex's eyes grew brighter, as if he were exerting some intense effort. His lips began to move. "Free me….We can help each other….."
"Why?" Fine asked, with honest curiosity.
The halting words continued. Beads of sweat appeared on Lex's forehead. "I want revenge….on Clark. I want my powers back."
The alien construct peered at him thoughtfully, considering the request. "What you want doesn't concern me. However…." he sighed, "it is tiresome to struggle against you constantly. You may damage your body, rendering it useless for Zod."
He nodded pleasantly in Lex's direction. At once, the billionaire's face cleared, although it was still deathly pale.
Lex blinked his eyes and turned to face the artificial being. "As I told you," he remarked, his voice shaking only slightly, "it's mutually profitable for us to work together. I hope I can trust you not to try to control me again."
Fine watched him closely as he crossed over to the bar and poured two fingers of single-malt into a glass. "I could use this," he murmured. "Care to join me in a Scotch?" His lips quirked upward. "Come to think of it, I guess not."
Fine ignored the invitation. "If I can trust you to fulfill your destiny as the vessel of General Zod, you'll remain free. For now."
Lex downed the contents of the glass and poured another, taking a deep breath. Unseen by Fine, the knuckles on the hand clenching his glass were white. "Please," he scoffed, with an easy grin. "You're offering me a chance to join forces with a power that will rule the world. As unavoidable fates go, that's not so bad. I've come to terms with it."
Fine nodded and turned away, staring thoughtfully out the window. Lex's gaze darkened against Fine's back, but his smile slipped back into place quickly when the professor whirled around to face him.
"So Kal-El says this crystal is the Keystone of the Fortress," Fine mused.
Lex shot him a look. "'Kal-El'?" he asked sharply. "You mean Clark?"
The manlike construct returned his stare calmly. "Of course."
Lex's eyes held an unreadable expression. "Of course," he echoed, raising the Scotch to his lips.
"If the crystal is in fact the Keystone," Fine continued, "then it is also the key to Kal-El's destruction. We must act quickly. If we succeed, we may eliminate all our enemies in a single stroke."
Lex's glass stopped moving. "Destruction?" he whispered. Fine didn't answer. "I see."
There was a pause. "Here's to the destruction of our enemies," Lex murmured at last, taking another sip. When he lowered his hand, the glass was shaking.
TBC….
