Chapter 12

PT.1

Clark and I hadn't been out for long, leaving Chloe to finish up her work for school back inside the house. We made our way into town and picked up some groceries. Entertaining this many guests all at once for the first time in months meant it was restock time for the Kents. We bought all the necessities: chips, soda, and ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

I could remember when we would always do junk food runs back in high school. Well Clark was the one who used to do the running but, whatever. Anyway, we would always plan a movie night at least every two weeks we'd go to one of our houses and watch the host's selection of movie. Because of Chloe I've seen almost every journalism-related movie to be made. All the King's Men has been on the play bill at least 4 times. Before then we'd always get food to accompany the experience.

I snatched a bag of "Three Musketeers" off the counter and threw it to Clark who was in the process of checking our stuff at the counter. He smiled and placed it on the table without a second question. It was funny, none of us really liked them, but it was a requisite part of every hang out night. At least, that's what Chloe had always said. It held some sort of symbolic value for her. As usual, Clark and I acquiesced.

When we made our way back to the house, I was the first to come up the front steps and I saw something that almost took my breath away. Through the window on the porch that peered through the living room, I saw the couch suspended along with several other things. Papers swirled around the room like a storm was brewing inside.

I called Clark over whose eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight.

"Chloe." He ran to the door and hurriedly went in. I followed and ran directly into him, surprised that he'd stopped so suddenly.

Everything was shaking, holding on dearly to remain idle. Her powers were showing itself in full force now. But it was too early, we hadn't prepared enough yet. The freight train had hit her anyway, even when we knew it might.

The floor shook defiantly, stressing against both her energy and the concrete bedding, refusing to come lose. Every other piece of furniture, glass, and implement stood suspended in the air. It was a grand spectacle, a subconscious display of ability that I had not even my wildest dreams believed to be possible.

So much chaos around her and yet she sat peacefully, head bowed at its epicenter, the eye of the storm.

Without thinking I sprinted for her, in hopes that I could wake her and some how break the spell. Calling her name did little to stir her and my approach compromised my previous safety. As easily as everything else I rose from my place upwards.

Clark, who had been diligently watching and calculating his plan of action during my foolhardy act, sped toward me, grabbing my pant leg and pulling me back down. Though I felt nearly no pressure exerted on me, I recognized the contortions in his face. His unparalleled strength was being tested by this task and that frightened me more than any experience these past weeks. I could not imagine where we'd be if she was ever brought to her full potential.

"Grab hold of me." He commanded, in that booming voice of his. Now standing side by side, I did as I was told, gripping onto his blue jacket with all my might. He placed an arm braced on my shoulder to keep me from floating again.

After he brought me to the hallway again slowly—because of the pull she had on us— and told me to leave, he returned to the field again. I leaned against the wall, watching the scene from a distance.

With each step he progressed I noticed it took him longer and longer until he was barely moving at all, digging his feet into the floor to stay erect. The wood beneath him creaked and then caved inwards, causing a trail of slight footstep impressions leading to Chloe.

At the very center, he came to a complete stop, scrutinizing the situation. His right arm came up cautiously and reached to touch some invisible substance before him. A shimmer erupted from that place and followed the path of a round protective covering around her. A shield.

His hand extended towards it again this time palm out to caress the suspicious object's surface. After giving the whole thing yet another cursory look through, his stance tensed as he prepared himself for something. What exactly, I couldn't tell.

The wind whipped around him more forcefully now as his knees bent. Pushing onward, his body shook and his teeth ground together, but he had advanced marginally. While it appeared as if she were doing nothing, I noticed everything amplify, with Chloe reacting for the first time throughout the entire exchange. He fought to maintain his standing, grunting and swearing in frustration.

There was a sudden blast when her head snapped back, craning back on the chair. The same moment he took a step forward and was thrown off balance. To prevent falling behind anymore, he desperately slammed both of his feet in the floor, crashing straight through. His feet still dragged the further he got and two massive furrows appeared in the floor where he was. Now after stabilizing himself once more, he used both hands and thrust with a new determination and might. It was comforting to know that Clark still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

When it looked like he wasn't going anywhere, he let go and took a step back away from it. His gaze lowered to the very middle of the construction, his focus alerted me and I immediately knew what he was going to do.

"Stop!" I jumped out from behind my hiding place and waved my hands in warning. Clark acknowledged me for the first time.

"Pete, what're you doing? I thought I told you to get out of here." He motioned to the doorway.

"Don't use your heat vision. You might hit her." He shot me a quizzical look, surprised that I knew.

"I know what I'm doing. It's very accurate."

"Maybe, but it'll go through the force field and you don't what that might do. Even if you miss her—"

"Enough." His voice surprised me. He was almost a different person, assertive, demanding, heroic.

But this wasn't the time for rash heroics. "We're trying to not push her over the edge, Clark. Breaking the shield may do just that."

Suddenly, my meddling made him very angry. "Its too late! She's already gone."

Without any delay, he moved closer and instead of blasting the thing with his heat ray like he had planned, he cocked his arm up behind him.

He took a swing.

PT. 2

His fist had gone straight through the obstruction, which subsequently caved in on itself. The jolt that was sent shook the entire foundation and sent me flying backwards. I was stopped only by the impact of my body on the wall behind me. I fell unconscious.

When I awoke on the couch, Clark was seated on the coffee table across from me with his elbows rested on his thighs, hunched over resembling prayer. Without the slightest change in expression, he nodded at me in recognition. Then resumed his far away stare.

I wondered if something terrible had happened to her. If she'd gone crazy, ran away, went into a coma, or died. Unable to wait for the answer, I quickly sat up and surveyed the room in hopes of seeing her by the kitchen making a coffee, or at the table reading the Planet. She wasn't.

The wreckage was the second thing to come to my attention. The floor, the tables, the chairs all of it must've fallen once Clark broke the field. Nothing was broken but there was visible damage on everything.

"Where is she, Clark?"

"Upstairs." He rose his head and looked at the ceiling. His eyes squinted and I knew he was watching her.

"And how is she?" The throbbing in my head returned and I was reminded of how lucky I had been just to walk away with a headache.

"She's awake." He sighed and stood up. "She locked herself in my room and won't come out."

He helped me up. "You want a coffee or something? All the ice cream melted though."

"Uh…yeah, that'd be great." I try to smile, but it tenses my muscles and hurts my head. We walk over to the kitchen which looks like a war must've been started and then cleaned up in a hurry. I imagine Clark tidied up while he waited.

After I took a sip of some hot chocolate concoction, the one question I was too afraid to ask before began nagging at me. Was Chloe still Chloe? "Is she…is she—?"

"No. So far, she's fine." So far? It looks like we've all been shaken up tonight.

But like I said before, Chloe cannot doubt herself. That's where it starts. That's where the fight ends before it even begins. I finished off my drink and made it up the stairs. Maybe she was waiting for me to save her.

I paused right before I knocked. I've done this so many times in the past. I'd come over and Mr. Sullivan would wordlessly point to the staircase that led to her room. I'd trudge on up there, all the while preparing what it was I'd say. How I would somehow reconcile whatever it was that Clark had done this time to upset her so.

Then I'd bring her back down, out of her cocoon, and set her free again. This time though, I don't think its going to get better. It may get easier to ignore, but it'll never be gone. No matter what, the fear that's keeping her locked away now will never let go.

No matter what happens, she'll have to live with it everyday.

And no matter what, I'd open that door regardless of what might face me on the other side.

PT. 3

I sat on the bed beside her and neither of us spoke, each waiting for the other to start. The silence was comforting and helped me forget what I was here for.

"I wonder how long we'd have gone before we actually called it quits. The silence thing I mean." She was staring at the floor and picking absently at her jeans.

"Not too long. I knew you'd crack under five minutes. That'll be the day we worry. When Chloe Sullivan stops speaking." I smile slightly to warm her up.

I quickly realized how cold she really was. It would take more than just some humor to bring her back this time.

She crashes into me, hugging me sideways. "Oh Pete." Rubbing her back to console her, I continue to not say a thing.

"Do you remember any of it?"

She let out a breath and whipped her face. "Yeah. It was sort of an out of body experience. I had zero control over what I was doing and no idea what I did to make all of that happen."

I wanted to ask what had happened before that but I didn't want to pry. If I push her she won't say a thing. That's what she always did anyway.

Somehow though, she read my mind and answered. "I was doing some research on a story for the Planet when I took a little break to check my emails. You know me, I hate to be cut off from civilization for long and I knew I must've missed a lot while I was gone. And there was one email that was post dated, which doesn't happen unless the postmaster resends it after its been misdirected."

"What did it say?"

She reached behind her and grabbed her laptop off the nightstand. "See for yourself."

The laptop was shoved into my hands as I read the screen to myself.

'From:
To: Mom sent you an email?"

"She knew she was dying. It doesn't surprise me."

I read on, marveling in each detail of how they'd gone to see her grandparents up in Granville, just she and Chloe when the meteors hit. After that, Moira had learned of her ability and immediately knew that Chloe too must've had something similar happen to her because she had been closer to the blast. In order to protect Chloe, Moira submitted herself voluntarily to a local psyche ward and worked to suppress Chloe's powers as soon as she got in distance of her.

I wanted to tell you, I wanted you to know that I never abandoned you. Not for the reasons you thought anyway. I know what I did hurt you, but I didn't know how else I could help you. I loved you so much; I couldn't bear to let you live with that burden. With all the pain you had to go through, I knew you deserved a normal life. After all the mistakes I made, that was the very least I could do for you.

I wish I could have lived longer, to see you grow up into the woman I always knew you'd be. You must think that you have no chance, that your powers will consume you, but I know you better. It won't break you.

While I was manipulating your gifts, I noticed the second power immerge once you and your father moved to Smallville. At first I wasn't able to get a hold of it, because it didn't exist in your mind. With every other enhanced human I have confronted they have always had an on-off switch somewhere in their subconscious. Then it occurred to me. This power was not showing itself because it wasn't separate. Somehow, your former ability governed the latter.

That means its only one power, Chloe. Knowing that should help you control it, which I'm sure you are already well on your way of doing. You'll probably never forgive me for attacking Lex Luthor and I know it scared you to see me so murderous and criminal. This must all be very hard to face but if I remember anything about you its this. You were far stronger than I ever was. You never gave up, not on yourself or on anyone else. You're a fighter Chloe. Fight for you dreams.

I have to go now, because you know how these things happen. I'll never stop being sorry for all of this and I hope one day that you can come to terms with it. If you ever find yourself feeling nothing but the anger, remember what I gave for you to have more.

I love you Chloe. You will always be the best thing I have ever done.

"Jesus, this right before—" I glanced at her and noticed the tears reformed there. She had been re-reading over my shoulder. "I'm so sorry we weren't around." I closed her laptop.

"I don't think it would have mattered." Chloe left my side and walked out of the room.

"Wait." I put the computer on the bed and went after her, in time to grab her hand before she went down stairs. "That's it? You're fine now?" In the past Chloe refused to leave her room until everything was resolved. We'd barely scratched the surface so far.

"No, but what's the point?" She ripped her arm away and descended down the steps. "My mother died. She was murdered just when I thought I could have her back again." I pursued her all the way as she grabbed her coat. "Now I have to wait around until the exact same thing happens to me."

Chloe turned on her heel and glared at me. "So no, Pete. I'm not fine. I'm never going to be fine."

She slammed the door and left without another word.