Title: All I Want for Christmas
Author: The Fallen Sky
Rating: T
Pairing: Chlark
Summary: Christmas is a time for friends, family and love.
Warning: Sexual references/situations
A/N: This is a Christmas-y Chlark one-shot. It takes place in an AU and is set sometime around season 6/7-ish. Lois and Oliver are a couple, and Martha is a US Senator, though all three are only mentioned and not actually in the story. The portion in italics is a flashback, in case anyone is confused.
Feedback is welcome. As always, enjoy!
She's curled up on the couch in her Hello Kitty pajamas, a cup of cocoa in hand, watching It's a Wonderful Life, all alone on Christmas Eve.
It's not that she couldn't have found some place to be, because she could have.
She turned down an offer from Lois and Oliver to spend Christmas with them, and she also turned down an offer from Martha Kent to come to Washington for the holidays.
She's grateful that she has people who care about her, but there's only one person she wants to spend Christmas with, and he's currently off in the arctic, training to fulfill his destiny.
A year. He's been gone an entire year, or will be the day after Christmas.
They had been dating for two short months before he told her he had to leave for his training.
To say she was devastated would be a huge understatement, but she also knew that his duty to the world was more important than her finally living her teenage fantasy of dating Clark Kent. So, she managed to keep her emotions in check and played the role of supportive and understanding girlfriend.
They spent Christmas Day together, both of them trying not to think about him leaving the next day and both failing miserably.
To say it was the worst Christmas ever would be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.
Everything was stilted and awkward. They couldn't think of anything to say to each other, so they settled for remaining as physically close as possible, holding hands and touching as much as decency and decorum would allow.
As evening turned to night, their anxiety levels ratcheted up. Their time together was quickly running out, and it made an already bad situation infinitely worse.
That's until Clark gave her the most amazing gift she'd ever received.
He led her to his loft and instructed her to close her eyes. Not sure what he had planned but curious and excited by the possibilities, she eagerly complied.
After a few moments, he told her to open her eyes.
In his hands, he held something wrapped in an old cloth.
Her curiosity piqued, she asked, "What is it?"
He smiled that nervous smile of his and replied, "Open it and see."
Taking the object from him, she carefully removed the cloth to reveal an antique looking bracelet with strange-yet-familiar symbols carved into it and a turquoise stone inset.
She ran her fingers over the cool metal, mesmerized by the carvings. She may not have known what they meant, but she had a gut feeling that it was something deeply important and profound.
Her reverie was broken by the sound of his voice, nervous and unsure. "Do you like it?"
Looking up at him with earnest eyes and wonder in her voice, she answered, "I love it."
Relief shown in his eyes, and his posture relaxed at her words. A small smile graced his lips as he spoke. "I'm glad. I was actually a little worried about giving this to you."
Her brow furrowed at his statement. "Why would you be worried about giving me a bracelet?"
Stepping closer to her and taking the bracelet, he pointed at the symbols and said, "These symbols are Kryptonian."
"Do you know what they mean?"
Shaking his head, he continued. "Not exactly. But the gist is that this bracelet is meant to be given as part of a betrothal or marriage ceremony."
Her eyes grew as wide as saucers at the implications of his giving her the bracelet. Stammering, she asked in a shaky voice, "Does that mean...are you asking...I mean, you and I...?"
Placing a finger over her lips to silence her, he couldn't help but smile at how cute she was when she got flustered.
"No, I'm not asking you to marry me...at least not yet."
His admission that he may one day ask her to marry him made her heart skip a beat and her spirit soar, but before she could get too carried away, he continued.
"This bracelet was given to me by Joseph Willowbrook. He told me it was for the True One in my life. At the time, I wasn't sure who that was, but now I know." He paused and looked pointedly into her eyes. "It's you, Chloe. Your friendship and support has meant so much more to me than you'll ever know. And now that things have changed between us, I feel as if there's nothing I can't accomplish, not as long as you're by my side."
Removing his finger from her lips, he cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb back and forth over her silky soft skin.
His voice deepened with emotion as he said, "Every time I look into your eyes, I see the love you have for me, and I'm awed by the sheer beauty and raw power of it. I actually feel ashamed that it took me so long to see it, because, looking back, it was always there. You make me believe in myself, in the person I could be. I want to be worthy of the faith you have in me and the love you have for me in your heart. That's why I'm going to the Fortress for my training, to become the hero you know I can be."
Her eyes welled with tears at the beautiful words he spoke and the sincere emotion behind them. She never knew he felt that way about her, never dreamed he could love her the way she'd always loved him, but he did, and her world was forever changed for the better because of it.
Before she could say a word, he took the bracelet and carefully placed it on her wrist.
With the completion of that simple act, there was a change in the atmosphere, an electricity that charged the space between them.
Stepping closer, until their bodies were almost flush, he leaned down and captured her lips in a slow, tender kiss, which she returned in kind.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as they expressed their feelings through kisses and gentle caresses.
They spent the remainder of their time together in a tangle of lips and limbs, before saying a final goodbye in the caves.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held him tight, trying to will the moment to never end. But all things are eventual, and soon it was time for him to go.
In a rough voice, she managed to say, "I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes for you to come back to me, I'll wait."
His eyes shining with unshed tears, he said simply, "I love you."
He then leaned down and gave her one final passionate kiss before stepping back.
Just before he activated the portal that would take him away from her for an undetermined length of time, she confessed to him what had always been in her heart. "I love you, Clark Kent. I always have, and I always will."
After a long moment of gazing into each other's eyes, they exchanged watery smiles, and then he was gone, consumed by a brilliant flash of light.
She was alone.
The past year without the love of her life has been nothing short of hellish.
She's done her best to occupy her time with school and work, but there's always an emptiness in her chest, a longing for the other half of her soul.
She'd hoped he'd be back by now, but however long it takes, she'll continue to wait. She made a promise, and she intends to keep it.
It's nearly 11pm when she hears a knock at the door.
Wondering who it could possibly be at this time of night on Christmas Eve, she gets up from the couch and makes her way to the door.
Without checking to see who it is, she opens the door and is face to face with the one person she's been longing to see.
Standing there in his red jacket, flannel shirt and blue jeans, a hopeful expression on his face, and a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand, is none other than Clark Kent.
Too stunned and elated to make a move or say a word, she stands there dumbstruck.
Not sure what to make of her reaction to his return, he swallows before saying in a nervous voice, "Hi."
She doesn't respond, and he's about to say something else when she literally jumps him, her lips assaulting his with a passion neither has ever known.
He manages to keep them both upright but drops the flowers he brought for her as both his arms wrap around her, holding her aloft as her legs wrap around his waist.
Staggering into the apartment, he manages to close the door before he makes his way to the bedroom all while continuing their very heated make out session.
She awakens to an empty bed and immediately wonders if she dreamed the previous night. However, the fact that she's naked and delightfully sore quickly dispels such thoughts.
Burying her face in the pillow next to hers, she inhales deeply. A giddy smile blossoming on her lips as his familiar scent permeates her senses.
He's here, she thinks. After nearly a year apart, he's finally here.
She can't control the squeal that escapes her as her happiness is just too powerful to contain.
After basking in the afterglow of the previous night for a few minutes, she's curious as to her boyfriend's whereabouts.
Searching around for something to wear, she finds their clothes strewn all over the room, and her smile gets even wider.
She settles on his flannel shirt, and after putting it on and rolling up the sleeves, she heads out in search of her man.
She finds him in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
Leaning against the wall, she just watches him.
He's clad only in his boxers and has three pans going at once.
It takes a few minutes for him to notice her, but when he does, he immediately smiles.
"I was gonna bring you breakfast in bed."
She doesn't respond, just keeps looking at him.
Unfazed by her lack of response, he continues. "I suppose we can eat out here. Did you sleep well?"
Her voice is sultry as she says, "Best night's sleep I've had in a year."
He can't help but blush at her implication, and she smiles at his sudden meekness.
Slowly, she makes her way over to him, stopping mere inches away, her eyes boring into his.
Immediately, the same electricity from last night is back in full force.
She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him down as she leans up, their lips meeting in a sinfully sweet kiss.
Pulling back, her hands slide down his chest, and he shivers in response.
Grabbing his hand, she begins leading him toward the bedroom.
While he loves her intentions and boldness, he can't help but ask, "What about breakfast?"
Her voice thick with lust and a sexy smirk on her lips, she answers, "Breakfast can wait. Right now, all I want is you."
They spend the rest of the day in bed, celebrating their love, both of them having a very Merry Christmas.