Well, this is the second chapter. I'm posting it soon because I feel like things can be read the wrong way and I don't want that. So, in this chapter there will be some flashbacks to paint the whole picture. I don't like this chapter very much, and it would be nice to receive some reviews, maybe I can get a few ideas to make this thing better.
Chapter 2: Departure.
It was a cold morning, and by the time dawn came, Clark was already up. Some thin rays of light entered through the kitchen window, showing what already seemed like an empty home. He was nothing but a mixture of emotions, but as the minutes kept passing he found the strength to do what he had to do.
Breakfast was just a cup of coffee, and mostly out of habit. He wasn't feeling very hungry, not at all.
Clark let himself in the shower a little longer than usual. Water was hot, and made his muscles feel like in heaven. It was ridiculous that Metropolis' resident super-hero, the invincible Red & Blue Blur, the man who could stop bullets with nothing but his own skin, impenetrable just like the steel, could feel that crappy after a night full of bad dreams.
It started only a few days ago. No. It started when he was a child. He learned he couldn't play like the other kids, it was dangerous. There was a huge secret to keep, and it would be really hard to keep after breaking some other kid's bones while playing. That way, Clark started to feel isolated. Because there wasn't any other way. Any activity that implied use of strenght was a potential problem, of course no parent wants his child to be taken into a lab to be examined like a freak. Yes, cause in the end that was exactly what he was in this world, a freak. No one would see him as any other thing.
While growing, Clark learned that for people close to him, knowing what he was or what he could do was a danger for them, a life threatening danger. That way he had to give up his best friend.
Then Lana Lang came and he realized he was able to love, just like a human being. To suffer. But inside, he knew love could make him find 'everlasting happiness' in the end, if there was such a thing. He learned to lie to the woman he loved, right to her face. Anything to keep her away from his other side.
She was right not to trust him, but "I'm the alien who caused the meteor shower that ended killing your parents" was not an easy thing to say to the woman you love. Then she found out about him, and her life was turned upside down. She deserved so much better than that.
But there was that feeling again, the one called 'love', and they were together again, against all odds. Only to end up in another disaster. Lana was infected by Brainiac, and was about to die making him feel absolutely helpless. How good can all that power be, if you can't save the woman you love? How much hope can you embrace, when your dreams are full of fears and death?
Then Lana left, and honestly, he couldn't blame her. Being around the visitor from another planet was indeed dangerous, and apparently love was not enough to make her stay.
With time, Clark found out the funny thing about love. Is supposed to last forever, and memory chooses only the good memories to endure. In less than a year, he was sitting every morning in front of an amazing woman. Then, Clark seemed to forget everything about what he had experienced, about the danger he brought to people by only being around. He should have turned away, that was a fact. He should have used that handy super-speed to run thousands of miles away in the opposite direction. But he couldn't help it. It felt so... right being there, and when he went back home to sleep, his dreams were not about death anymore, but life, family and all sorts of fluffy and soft colored things.
After having dinner and a cup of coffee, they were sharing a nice time walking around the farm. The last sliver of sunlight was slowly disappearing and the moon and stars could be seen shining up in the sky. Of course silence couldn't last for long, considering Lois' presence.
"I can't believe that we actually had a REAL first date. I guess it was a good idea having it here on the farm. It was definitely more likely for you to show up if we were in your own house". She smiled trying to frown, in a mock angry expression.
Clark assumed defensive position, letting his puppy dog eyes do the work. "Well, I assume your presence here means you forgive me, right?". But apparently, Lois had developed some kind of resistance to 'Kent charm'.
"I think we'll have to see about that, but for now I must say I'm quite impressed. You sure know your way around a kitchen. It was delicious".
"It was the least I could do, you know. I figured impressing you could be a way to earn your forgiveness". Clark grinned. Things were going better than he had hoped, he felt like for the first time, he was doing the right thing.
"If you want to impress me, you'll have to do a little more than that". Lois asked with a flirty voice, and Clark closed the distance between them, putting his arms around her waist.
"Maybe if I try something I've wanted to do for some time, I can change your mind".
"And what could be that?". Lois knew what was coming when his eyes were fixed on her lips, and braced herself, closing her eyes.
"This". Clark kissed her lips softly. It was a kiss full of tenderness, and hope. All his dreams were on the way to become real. It was the first step.
Some of his words were not lost on Lois. She looked into his eyes. "Mmm... and can you tell me exactly for how long you have wanted to kiss me?". Clark started remembering. They had kissed before, but this time was different, there was nothing else to blame. Of course there was a specific moment playing on his mind, at Chloe's wedding.
"I don't know, maybe since we met. I'm not sure". Clark wasn't lying. It was the more sincere answer he could find, he needed to work on the honesty if he wanted things to work between them.
Chloe's wedding was also in Lois' mind at the time, specially the almost-kiss. "But, if memory serves, we had a perfectly good chance last year and... Look, I don't feel very comfortable talking about this and I don't want to ruin the mood, but I want to know something".
"I'll do my best, tell me". Clark couldn't even imagine what she wanted to ask him, but he knew that it probably wasn't gonna be nice.
"Why didn't you show up when I asked you to meet me for coffee, when I returned from Star City?".
And that was it.
That question still echoed in his head. A lot of possible answers ran through his mind, but not a single one was something he could say to her. But in his heart the answer was clear. Memories exist for a reason, but sometimes learning from the past and being able to use that knowledge in the future was a lot more complicated than it sounds. Love is blindness.
Clark remembered well. After telling her the truth and revealing it to the whole world, Lois was chased by the government and her life was in jeopardy. Without foreseeing it, he put once again at risk the lives of the people he loved most. It was ironic though, after having the feeling that everything was going to be ok, his castle crumbled right in front of his face. After using the ring to turn back time, he had the time to ponder the chances of actually destroy the life of the woman he loved, the very person he wanted to make happy above all. No, he couldn't cross the street to have coffee with her, not after that.
Clark wanted Lois to be happy, and because of that he was going to do what he had to do. And by doing that, he was going to save her life and the life of all the people he loved.
It was time to go. Oliver was waiting to give him all the details of his trip. Clark was supposed to fly to Star City and then to London. The plan was simple. Clark was supposed to move to Europe for his new job as a Luthorcorp's junior executive. Oliver Queen came up with that plan. They needed to create a story plausible enough not to raise any kind of suspicions, especially from the people close to Clark.
Everything he was going to need was neatly placed inside a folder with his name, including the plane tickets and apartment (flat) papers.
After a whoosh of wind, Oliver found himself standing right in front of the one and only Red & Blue Blur, only without the red and blue this time. Clark was holding a black duffle bag and a carton box with the word 'Chloe' written on top of it.
"Hi Clark, I was waiting for you". The kryptonian nodded, looking right into Ollie's brown eyes.
"Thanks a lot, Oliver. It means a lot". He took one deep breath before continuing. "Look, I'm not very good at all this 'goodbye' thing, but I want you to know I have high hopes for you. You came back from a very bad place and that is admirable. And I wanted to ask two favors from you".
"Sure Clark, tell me".
"First of all, I packed some stuff I'm not gonna take on my trip, and I wanted Chloe to have them, most of the things are just memories I rather someone keeps than leaving them in the farm piling up dust". He handed Oliver the box. "Inside there is a piece of jewelery that is quite special to me. Tell her she can keep it. It was supposed to be in the arm of my tru one, but... I don't believe in legends too much". A hint of sadness on his voice.
"I'll make sure she gets your message, but why are you leaving witthout saying goodbye to her?".
"It is hard enough for me to leave without telling her, and I don't want anyone asking me to stay. She doesn't know all the extents of the story and I want her to be happy. She had lost a lot of her life dealing with the 'weird and unexplained', and I don't want to add more to that". He made a large pause before speaking again, only this time his voice felt a little trembling. "And I want Lois to be happy too".
Oliver looked kind of guilty. Clark was leaving behind the woman he loved, the same woman Oliver himself happened to love. It was just too convenient, helping his rival leaving her behind.
"I know you still love her, Oliver. And I'm sure she still has some feelings for you. I don't want to hear you broke her heart again. Take care of her, make her happy. She... she deserves that".
"I... I don't know what to say, Clark, I mean...".
Clark's eyes were slowly filling with tears. "It's ok, Ollie. It's just... You can be happy. You two have a whole life ahead. I'm gonna make sure of that, even if it is with my last breath".
With that he left in a blur. He dissapeared leaving Oliver thinking. "I´ll take care of her. I promise she will be happy.
Thanks for reading. Please review.