Chapter 9

October 31st, the fourth day of Chloe's semi-voluntary vacation and she was going stir crazy. She'd allowed herself a week off from work but that amount of time wasn't good enough for either Oliver or Clark. The two men marked off one whole month and Chloe thought seriously of kicking both of them in the shins. One would go down with a grimace but the other would just stand there and smirk. Stupid Kryptonian. Instead, she took it like a grown-up and gathered up some work to keep her occupied at the house. Every day she worked a little and cleaned a lot. By yesterday, the house was so clean the military could conduct highly classified experiments on her kitchen counters. Every night, she, Clark and Oliver were combing through issues of the Planet, looking for any and all clues. Nothing had surfaced yet. Dinah, Victor and AC hadn't found anything worthwhile either in the labs of Queen Industries or in the old log books and files kept around the time Dr. Mickler had been employed. As for Dr. Mickler himself, Bart reported nothing suspicious on his part. Just sat alone in the park eating lunch or late nights spent in some of the seedier bars in the lower quarter of the city. To top it all off, Det. Hudson called the other day, informing Chloe of Dr. Mickler's airtight alibi for the time of Jillian's death. Vincent Mickler was booked for public intoxication and indecency at 4:37 am. No one had any leads. So now, all Chloe could do was sit. Sit and stew.

Currently, she was stewing on a bar stool, gazing inattentively at the obscure Robert Downey Jr. movie being played on TCM with muted sound. He was running around in a white cocktail jacket looking very young and baby faced. It was a Saturday morning and the house was eerily quiet compared to ten minutes ago before Chloe had sent the boys outside to play while she attempted to concentrate on some paperwork Gladys sent her. More contracts and billing agreements should Isis win the grant money. So much had happened since the last time she thought of the grant, she was slightly confused when Oliver handed the brown work folder to her last night. With a sigh, Chloe pushed herself off the stool and made the short trip to the dining table where presently, her work was all spread out. With a glance to her right, the clock on the wall read 9:45. Seven hours and forty-five minutes. Chloe was counting down the hours before she would leave and meet Oliver for the annual Halloween Costume Ball given by Queen Industries. It was the only event thrown by Oliver where there was not a benefiting party, just a social excuse for the elite class of Metropolis to gather and rub elbows with each other. Chloe hated it. But this year, it would be a welcome distraction and an excuse to leave a house she hadn't been out of in four days. Taking a seat facing the window, Chloe glanced out through the glass pane to catch a glimpse of her boys. She saw them quickly disappear into the barn in separate green and blue blurs and then back out again, in a game of tag. A soft grin spread across her face and Chloe felt lighter for the next couple of hours as she buried herself in her work. Making many little bullet points on a yellow writing pad, Chloe saw she needed to go retrieve the company handbook she'd stashed in the back of her closet a couple of years ago. The clock told her she would need to call the boys in for lunch in about half an hour. But before she forgot, Chloe ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

Opening the closet door, Chloe began to go through some container boxes on the floor. She couldn't remember where she'd left it. Not finding the purple booklet there, she stood to her tip toes and began sifting through the loose stuff on the top shelf. She saw it, finally, the purple corner peeking out from under a medium sized shoe box. Chloe grasped the visible corner of the plastic notebook and yanked, bringing it down and the shoe box along with it. The box landed with a thud and a shatter. Throwing aside the handbook, Chloe knelt and lifted the lid of the box. The Blue Kryptonite bracelet sat within. Chloe picked it up gingerly, revealing the picture beneath the shattered glass. She hadn't seen either one since she'd banished them both to that shelf a few years ago. She stood to her feet, the bracelet in one hand and the picture, a favorite of hers, in the other. Her and Clark stood inches apart in a field, Crater Lake looming behind them. He was looking down at her and she was looking up at him. The affection the two had for each other was easily readable on their faces. She wondered who had taken the picture and at what point in their lives was this. She could tell they were not very much younger than when Clark left.

Her thumb smoothed over the stone, thoughts and images Chloe locked long ago deep inside her mind came swimming to the surface. Chloe actually hadn't thought of that night in a while, even with Clark's return. Her mind had been filled with the best interest for the boys or murderous activities of psychotic lap-dogs. But now, Chloe stood in her bedroom, holding things that tied her to a life she had given up all hope of ever having.

The door bell rang downstairs.

Shaking her head, Chloe replaced the broken picture frame and the Kryptonite back into the box and put it back on the shelf. She scooped the handbook up off the floor and made her way to the front door. Looking out through the faceted glass, she saw Martha Kent. Chloe opened the door.

"Martha!" Chloe exclaimed happily. "Come in!"

Chloe stood aside and allowed the older woman to enter before shutting the door. She walked quickly ahead of Martha into the kitchen, searching the outside for any signs of her sons. "Sorry about the mess," Chloe began, motioning to the papers and things scattered across the dining table. "I was just about to make some lunch. I wish you'd told me you were coming. I would have had something special ready!"

Martha watched Chloe flutter around the kitchen. Her eyes were too bright again. "That's okay, Chloe. It was a spur of the moment trip. I heard about you assistant," Martha told her, laying a hand on Chloe's slim shoulder, stilling her hurried ministrations of cleaning. "I am so sorry."

Chloe allowed herself to be halted. Jillian had been in the back of her mind all week. A ball of guilt still sat heavy in her stomach, making her feel there was still something she could have done to prevent what had happened. Her funeral had been three days ago. Chloe had gone, flanked by both Oliver and Clark. The service had been small, the crowd even smaller. Chloe cried with shame while she stood at the graveside. Oliver had disappeared, not surprisingly, leaving her to Clark, who pulled her against his strong body.

"Thank you," Chloe replied softly, breaking out of the memory to continue cleaning up her work related mess. "I appreciate you coming out but you didn't need to make a special trip. I know how busy you are."

"Oh, I needed the break," Martha said, leaning against the counter, peering curiously around for any sightings of Connor or Kaid. It was now or never. "So, where are my grand-kids?"

"Probably in the barn. They love jumping down from the loft into those loose hay ba-" Chloe cut herself off. Swallowing, she turned slowly. Martha stood a few feet from her, her back resting against the worn wooden beam. Her face held almost unspeakable fury. Chloe felt her insides begin to shrivel. "Mrs. Kent-"

"You can still call me Martha, Chloe. You are the mother of my grandsons, for goodness sake," Martha interrupted harshly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Chloe abandoned her busy-ness of gathering papers together. She ducked her head and toed the floor with her bare foot. She answered Martha's question with one of her own. "How did you find out?"

Martha fought hard to keep her anger from leaving her. She wasn't done being mad yet. "The night Clark came to see me." Chloe's head shot up. "He told me what happened between the two of you before he left. Oh, Chloe. I was furious with you the next day."

"I'm so sorry, Martha," Chloe apologized in a rush. "I never to meant to lie to you. Anyone, in fact, but especially not you. I just thought-"

"You thought it would be easier? Easier until Clark came back?"

Chloe nodded mutely.

"But it wasn't, was it?" Martha admonished.

"No," Chloe answered simply.

"Secrets carried alone never are. Come on, honey. Let's sit down," Martha suggested, unable to keep her maternal instincts stamped down any longer. She closed the space between her and Chloe, leading the pale girl to a kitchen chair. Martha quickly put on a pot of tea to soothe their frazzled nerves. Like it or not, even if Chloe had been lying to her for the past eight years, she was the closest thing Martha had to a daughter. And it wasn't like Martha was a stranger to secrets, either. She took the seat beside Chloe and reached out for her hands. "A couple of days ago I would have been so sure you knew that. It takes almost a whole squadron to protect Clark and now you have two more little ones zipping around who are going to need an army. I'm pretty sure they have at least some of Clark's abilities?"

"They have the speed and strength. Clark told me his others didn't sprout up until he was older. And for all we know, they may never have those," Chloe hastened to add.

"Chloe, these are Clark's children. Odds are they will possess everything he does," Martha replied. "It must have been hard all these years. Protecting Connor and Kaid from the outside world, lying to the people who love the three of you."

"Not everyone," Chloe replied with hesitation.

"So Oliver knows," Martha said in relief.

"Yes!" Chloe responded vehemently. How could Martha think she would lie about the father of her children? She may not own up to it, but Clark was Daddy. She would never allow another man to hold that title. "He's always known they were Clark's. Martha, there is something you need to know about Oliver-"

"You mean, that he's the Green Arrow?"

Chloe gazed at Martha Kent. Did the woman really just know everything?

"Clark let me in on the little group Mr. Queen put together," Martha continued. "I met AC and Bart and Victor when each of them blew through Smallville at one time or another. And I still see them whenever they come through D.C. on occasion."

"Is Oliver aware you know?" Chloe asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. If he does, it's only because Clark mentioned it to him."

"So, you also know that I'm. . ."

"What they call Watchtower? Yes, I know that, too. Just because I left Kansas doesn't mean I went to Oz, Chloe. I've kept close watch on my home and my kids," she told Chloe with an extra squeeze of her hand. "Which is why I was so shocked about Connor and Kaid. Who else knows they belong to Clark?"

"Me, of course. You, now. Oliver, Bart and Lois," Chloe ticked off on her fingers.

"Lois? Does she know what the boys can do?" Martha voiced warily. Chloe, through many obstacles, gained the Kents' trust, something not earned easily. Lois, well, Martha loved Lois, but the woman's mouth was sometimes more trouble than it was worth.

"No," Chloe answered quickly. "Only Bart and Oliver. Knowing what the boys can do would open up too many questions about Clark and that is not my secret to tell."

It reminded Martha strongly about the reason her and Jonathon had kept all their own family at arm's length for most of Clark's childhood. At that thought, all anger finally seeped from Martha. "Chloe, I don't think I've ever really appreciated just how much you've given up for Clark. I was his mother, it comes with the territory. But you. . . It's not fair to expect you to lie and cover up so many things when you've gotten so little in return."

"No, Martha. You're wrong. I've gotten so many gifts. Namely those two little boys outside. Clark's my best friend. His secret has given me the opportunity to help the world as much as is humanly possible. The night I saw Clark catch that car was the second best thing to ever happen to me," Chloe said, repeating almost verbatim what she'd said to Clark right before she got married. Silence enveloped them until Chloe remembered why Martha had made her trek to Smallville. "Not to sound ungrateful, but what is with the benevolent mother act? I thought you said you were furious with me?"

Martha met Chloe's eyes. She'd come to Smallville today looking for a fight. Chloe had always been a take-charge-now-and-ask-questions-later kind of girl and it worked for her. Her judgment was usually dead on, it was hard to argue with her. Martha was used to seeing a Chloe who stood by her decisions, firing reason after reason, backing it up. What she never expected was to find a girl who was remorseful and looked, well, lost. Chloe hid it well over the years, but sitting across the table from Martha, the older woman could read it in her eyes. Chloe was looking for guidance and Martha wanted to help her find the right path. The path leading to her son. The kettle on the stove whistled, as if signaling the end of a boxing round. Martha stood, leaving Chloe sitting at the table, watching her with apprehension as Martha turned the burner off under the kettle. She got two teacups out of the cabinet and brought the delicate china back to the table with her. Patiently, she poured hot liquid into each cup. "Sugar?" she asked before dropping one spoonful into each dark pool.

After a few more moments of silence, when Martha was done stirring the sugar into her tea, she began to speak again, feeling a calmness settle over her. "I was furious with you. For eight years you allowed me to believe that Connor and Kaid were Oliver's sons. Looking back and going over things, you never once said he was in fact the father, but letting me assume was almost as bad as lying right to my face. I was so angry that I had every intention of marching straight down here and giving you a tongue lashing like you would never believe."

"Why don't you? I deserve it," Chloe said softly.

"Oh, honey. Three things are stopping me," Martha answered, rubbing Chloe's hand again.

"What are they?"

"Well, one," Martha held up a finger. "Being that you must have one heck of a guilty conscience already. The girl who always would seek truth and justice as a teenager grew up to be a woman who fights for it. I see so much of myself in you, Chloe. I know lying goes against our nature, but sometimes, to protect those we love, we are forced to. And you must be stressed and scared anyway having to deal with Connor and Kaid by yourself, I figure that is punishment enough without having me pointing fingers." Martha stopped and took a sip. Chloe waited for her to continue.

"The second reason is you've given me something I never thought I'd have. For years, Jonathon and I tried and tried until we found out I was unable to conceive. We looked into adopting but it wasn't practical with the finances of the farm. And then one horrific day, Clark came to us. Out of some horrible tragedy we were gifted a child. As Clark got older, it became clear to us he would never lead a normal life. He probably would never get married, build a life with someone or have children of his own. All I have ever wanted for Clark was happiness. If he had never saved a single life, I would have been just as proud of him as I am today. But that is not his nature. And I could tell Clark had the same questions about his future that Jonathon and I had. With his abilities, I always thought he would spend the rest of his days alone. Sure, he'd have me and you and the others, but none of that compares to having a family. I don't know how it happened, but somehow, you were able to bring two little miracles into this world. You've given Clark not only one, but two sons, something he or I never believed he could have. He won't be alone anymore."

"And the third?" Chloe was having a hard time seeing through the water gathering in her eyes. She'd wanted to tell Martha so many times but had never worked up the nerve. She didn't expect Martha to act like this. She'd expected her to be angry and to yell. Instead, Chloe was being lovingly reprimanded.

"The third reason," Martha started, setting her teacup down and making sure she had Chloe's full attention. The blonde woman looked back her, face open, listening to her every word. Martha had fought her instinct all the way down here. Should she reveal what Clark told her in confidence? She had to. It was the only way to see how Chloe truly felt about him. Martha didn't think Chloe would have held on so tightly to Clark's memory for the many years after he left had she not been in love with him. When she'd mentioned to Martha off-handedly about Clark's things, it had been two or three weeks before Oliver and Chloe were spotted together. Martha realized she'd let go of Clark to embrace a life with Oliver Queen. But now that Clark was back and obviously loved her very much, could that be changed?

"The third reason," Martha repeated. "Is that Clark loves you."

Chloe sat back. How many times would she be forced to hear this? Why was everyone so convinced that Clark loved her when it plainly wasn't true? But Martha Kent, being front row and center to the Chloe Loves Clark Who Loves Lana concert, knew better. Yes, Clark loved her. But not the way Chloe loved him. And not the way Chloe needed to be loved by him. Many times over the past month, Chloe thought she'd seen flashes of something in his eyes. The day Clark flew her home after Jillian had been killed, the emotions she'd seen on his face made Chloe think maybe he did love her the way she'd always wanted him to. But how could she be sure? The insecurities of her young teenage-self reared their heads, making her feel immature and angst-ridden once more. She was a thirty year old mother, for gosh sakes! How could she be embroiled in this high school drama of 'The Tale of Unrequited Love' again? Chloe looked to Martha, unspoken questions in her eyes.

"He told me, Chloe. The day he came to see me, he told me. He was very bothered by the thought of you and Oliver. Since he doesn't know about his children, he feels the time you two shared meant nothing to you," Martha said.

"It meant everything!" Chloe exclaimed. "Martha, I had to move on. I didn't know if he would ever come back. The only way I could have any hope of being happy was to finally let go of Clark Kent. For my whole life, I've been trying to let him go. I've been trying to move on from Clark." Chloe's chair scarped the floor as she pushed back from the table and gained her feet. She paced to the other side of the kitchen, facing away from Martha. She'd always longed to hear what Martha was telling her. But could she believe it? Her heart told her yes, but her mind and wounded pride were disagreeing.

"Do you love him?" Martha asked quietly from her seat.

Chloe stood looking out the back door at the cool, sunny day. She could barely see the blurs that were her sons shooting out of the barn and then into a field and back again, Shelby hopelessly trying to keep up. What kind of question was that? Of course she loved him. Chloe had loved Clark from the day she set eyes on him. A tall, skinny, gangly kid all shrouded in flannel and awkwardness. She fell more madly in love with him the day he sat by her hospital bed and warily explained he was an alien from another planet that had saved her life countless upon countless times. And then, seven years and a couple of months ago, Chloe knew she would love Clark Kent until the day she died when she was handed their sons in matching blue blankets. She turned back to Martha. "I've never been able to stop."

Martha pushed out of her chair. She joined Chloe in front of the door and pulled the girl into her arms. Chloe didn't need to go into detail. Martha could see the all the love shining in Chloe's eyes, blinding anyone who would look at her. The two women hugged until a loud shout from the porch made them jump.

"Aunt Martha!" Kaid shouted before throwing open the door and wrapping his arms around her waist. Tears gathered again in Martha's eyes as she squeezed the little boy back. Connor followed, his own face brightening at the sight of Martha. He joined Kaid and Martha knelt down to better look at them It was Clark all over again. How had she not seen it before? She glanced over the boys' heads at Chloe, standing a few inches behind them.

"How long are you staying?"

"Will make us some cookies?"

"Come and see the garden! It looks really good!"

Connor and Kaid fired questions in rapid succession at Martha. All she could do was smile at them and stare since her throat was closed around the lump in it.

"Guys, why don't you let Martha settle in and I'll make some lunch in a minute. Hey, go check the garden for weeds and make sure it's up to Martha Kent Inspection Standards, okay?" With another hug each from Martha, the boys ran out, the kitchen door slamming after them.

"They don't know either, do they?" Martha asked as she and Chloe sat down in front of the cups again.

"No. I wanted to wait until they were older. The truth is I still don't know what to say. There was a time when I really didn't believe Clark would return," Chloe answered.

"When are you going to tell them?" Martha swallowed the rest of tea, watching Chloe sip hers slowly, avoiding her eyes. Martha spoke anxiously. "You are going to tell them? All of them?"

"I know I have to-"

"Yes, you have to! Chloe, how could even be questioning that?"

"I'm not, it's just. . ."

"Don't you dare tell me it's complicated, young lady. This is not complicated. Clark and you love each other and the two of you are parents. This is anything but complicated," Martha replied. "You're afraid of hurting Oliver, aren't you?"

"Actually, no," Chloe said with surprise. "Oliver and I were never serious. He cares about me and I care about him, but our relationship was formed out of loneliness. He wanted me to tell Clark the day Clark came back."

"Then why haven't you?"

"I can't say I haven't found the right moment, and I can't tell you I've really tried either. I want to tell him. I do, but something keeps stopping me."

"What?"

"Will he be able to handle it?" Chloe voiced the question she was always asking herself. "Can he do the work he needs to when he might as well be worrying about a family?"

"Isn't that his choice to make? Chloe, Clark does what he does for the people he loves. It's like being a cop or a firefighter or a soldier. You risk your life because you want to keep someone else safe. What Clark does is not any different, with the exception he has a marked advantage."

"He's going to be so mad, Martha."

"He will be," Martha said frankly. "But you've got to trust that the two of you love each other enough to get through it."

"But I don't want him to feel like he has to be with me because of the boys. I'm afraid that when he finds out he's going to want to-"

"What? Marry you? Make a family with you? Love you?" Martha snapped. "Chloe, I understand how much Clark has hurt you in the past. But you have take this chance. You two love each other. You've loved each other since you were kids. Clark may be a little to the party, but the point is, he's arrived. If you continue being scared, you're not only hurting yourself, you're hurting Clark and your sons. After all of the terrible things that have happened, don't you and Clark finally deserve to be happy?"

"But what if-"

"I don't have the answers to your questions, Chloe. Clark does." Chloe and Martha held each other's eyes over their cups. "Chloe, I know how hard this is for you. But I refuse to stand by and watch the four people I love the most in this world suffer because of fear. If you haven't told Clark by Thanksgiving, I will."

Clark stood at the printer, quietly waiting for all his copies to come out. Him, Oliver and Chloe had finally finished the trial articles last night and still came up empty handed. Now Clark was going back even further. Anything that had the name Luthor in it or on it had been sent to the print box and was coming sliding into his palm.

"Busy killing trees?" Lois asked over his shoulder.

"Lois!" He exclaimed as he whirled to face her. He hadn't heard her walk up behind him. And he saw why as he looked down at her feet. Instead of her usual three or four inch stilettos, she was wearing running shoes. It was also a Saturday. Clark hadn't expected anyone to be here on a Saturday except for the small skeleton staff and the janitors.

"Whoa, what's with the Luthor news-fest?" Lois commented when she saw all the headlines the machine was spitting out.

"Nothing. Just research," Clark answered vaguely.

"For what?" Lois asked curiously, taking some of the papers that were piling up on the tray and casually flipping through them.

"For. . . Oliver. Business," Clark replied, snatching the articles from her. "Did you need something, Lois? Spell check malfunctioning?"

"And here I thought we could be water cooler buddies who could shoot the breeze about last night's scintillating Bachelor episode," Lois said cockily. "I need the printer. I came in specifically this early on a Saturday morning for that purpose."

"So did I. Wait you turn," Clark told her.

"I've been waiting my turn quite patiently for the past half hour, Clark! Doesn't Oliver have a printer up in the executive offices he could send you to use since this is his project?"

"Why don't you go use that one, Lois?"

"Listen, Smallville-"

"Kent! Lane! I was hoping both of you would be in today," Perry shouted, appearing in the doorway of the supply room where the main printer/copier/fax for the floor was located. He shuffled in with his bow-legged gait, his two sizes too big jacket to accommodate his spare tire flapping wildly. "Do either of you have plans tonight?"

Clark and Lois both opened their mouths to respond.

"Well, cancel them. The Planet gets two tickets every year to the most prestigious bash thrown by Queen Industries, namely the Halloween party. You two will be going as press to cover the event. Hope you can come up with some swinging costumes. You won't be admitted without those and your invitations which are up on my desk when the two of you need 'em."

"Chief," Lois sputtered before Perry could storm back out of the room.

"Lane-"

"I know, don't call you that. Whatever, but doesn't Starlene Stringer and Bob Bratt usually cover the socialite functions? Why are you sending me and Clark?" Lois asked with frustration. She actually had a very coveted date with the hunky host of Goodnight Metropolis. One she'd been chasing after for about a year now. An evening spent in Clark's company would be like shoving bamboo sticks up her nostrils.

"Because both of you have strong ties to the Blonde Billionaire and his matching arm candy. No offense," Perry amended quickly with a glare from Lois. "They'll be more comfortable talking to the two of you. Sources say there is trouble brewing with the Golden Couple of Metropolis-"

"Perry, if you think I am going to pump my family for information on her supposedly sinking Love Boat, you've got another think coming. Plus, I think Clark has a really important appointment he can't break tonight. Right, Clark?" Lois chirped.

Clark glazed at Lois. He'd already been invited, as had Lois but she declined on account of this date she had. Clark volunteered to stay with Connor and Kaid for the evening. He looked at Perry. "Nope. Free as a bird." Clark smiled sweetly at Lois who clenched her teeth. He'd pay, but Clark thought it might almost be worth the expression on Lois' face.

"Great! I'll give you a pass on the relationship story this time, Lane. Just see what every one else is up to. We haven't had a good scandal in some time. The Planet needs some fresh meat!" With a shake of his fist, Perry sped out, blustering some more at the small staff that had gathered to watch the Lane, Kent & White Circus.

"Kent," Lois growled as she turned on him. "I get to pick the costumes."

Clark's face fell. Maybe he shouldn't have baited her after all.