Chapter 25

The door at the end of the hall was slightly ajar. Clark walked softly up to it and pushed it open. He looked around the room. Boxes were set around the room, mostly filled with clothes or shoes and some with files, probably from her office. Chloe was kneeling by the bed, her back to Clark. Clark squinted his eyes and without using his x-ray vision, could see Chloe unwrapping a pretty crystal cut box. She took off the lid carefully and set the bracelet within before closing it and wrapping the box up again and placed it down in the bottom of a box marked 'FRAGILE'. She stood to her feet and turned, jumping slightly at finding Clark standing in the doorway.

She was dressed in stone-washed jeans and a candy-cane striped sweater that sat right on her hips. Her feet were only clad in socks with little snowmen on them wearing top hats. Her hair was pulled back in green barrette with a small Christmas bow on the end upon her ear. She looked every inch the mom she was but she also looked like the wide-eyed girl he'd once told all his secrets to. Tucking a non-existent hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture, Chloe looked at him with guarded eyes before she crossed her arms in a defensive stance. Clark stood in the doorway, waiting to be invited in. When Chloe didn't say anything, Clark walked in and shut the door behind him.

Chloe swallowed. This was the first time they'd been alone for months. Clark examined his boots as he leaned against the closed door. She waited patiently for him to speak. He cleared his throat and raised his head, a black curl falling between his two eyes.

"You're moving."

Chloe took a shuttered breath. "We're moving."

"To Baltimore," Clark said

"To Baltimore," Chloe confirmed.

"I can't let you do that, Chlo," he said softly.

"Why?" Chloe asked, searching his own shielded eyes, praying he'd tell her what she'd longed to hear for years.

"I won't let you take those boys away from me," Clark answered. Chloe's shoulders fell slightly before she picked them up and smiled tightly at him.

"You can come and see them any time you want. They would love that. And I can send them down here to you. Or I could keep one and you keep the other like The Parent Trap," Chloe joked with mock cheeriness. "We'll make it work."

Clark pushed away from the door. He closed the distance between them with a couple of steps. Looking down at her, he asked," Why didn't you tell me, Chloe?"

The anger in his words belied his loose frame. Chloe swallowed again and turned around and began folding the heap of laundry on her bed to disguise the shaking of her hands. She could also avoid his eyes at the same time, though Clark didn't make it that easy. He sat down on her bed, close to the laundry and watched her.

"I was going to Clark, I really was. But then time began to pass and you never-"

"Why didn't tell me when I came back, Chloe? I don't care about when I was gone. Why didn't you tell me that night in the barn? Why did you ever let me believe that Connor and Kaid were Oliver's?" Clark's voice was tight and Chloe could tell he was controlling his volume, trying hard not to yell at her. Part of her wished he would. She deserved it. She was also mad herself, but she found with him sitting in the house a few inches from her, it was hard to stay angry at him for how he'd cut her and their children off.

Chloe chanced a look to her left and found his eyes were still trained on her. She looked back to what her hands were doing. "I didn't know if you could handle it," she admitted in a hush.

Clark felt stunned. Deep inside, he knew that wasn't the real reason, but he'd go with right now. "So you made the decision for me, for us, because you thought I couldn't handle it? You didn't think to even give me a chance?"

Chloe opened her mouth and shut it. She tried again. "You've always had so much responsibility, felt like it was your responsibility to save the world. I didn't want to add to it."

"That's a lie."

Chloe jerked her head up to look at Clark. His face was no longer passive, but furious. He stood and gripped her hands, stilling them from their task. "Why are you still lying to me, Chloe?" He thundered.

"I'm not lying to you, Clark!" Chloe answered, her voice raising as she yanked her wrists from his hands. "You always blame yourself, think things are your fault! I didn't want you to look at Connor and Kaid as two little mistakes that came from the one night you let yourself go! I didn't want you to think you had to take responsibility for them!"

"But they are my responsibility! They're my children! Why wouldn't I want to care for my own sons? Why did you lie to me?"

"Because I didn't want to be a burden!" Chloe shouted, tears falling from her eyes as she collapsed onto the bed.

Clark looked down at her, waiting for her to continue.

Chloe pressed a hand to her mouth, while the other lay clenched against her thigh. She wiped her eyes and then her nose before laying that hand on the bed. After a few tense minutes, Clark knelt in front of her, taking her hands in one of his. Fresh tears started at his tender gesture. With his other hand, he cupped Chloe's cheek and lifted her face a little so she could look at him. Clark fought his own tears, his heart twisting at the thought of Chloe telling herself she and their sons would have ever been a burden to him.

"I was scared, Clark," Chloe finally continued, her hazel eyes glistening in the light. "I was scared that you wouldn't want them. I was scared that you wouldn't accept them. And then I didn't know how to tell you. I tried, Clark. I tried to so many times. I wanted you to know. I wanted you to know you were a father, that you were no longer alone. I never meant to lie to you or to your mother or to the boys. I was planning on telling you and then all the stuff with Lex happened and time just started slipping away from me. I am so sorry, Clark. You have to believe me. I am sorry for all the lies I've told everyone. I am sorry for making you think you couldn't trust me. I am sorry for ever questioning your ability to handle the pressure. It's just that-" Chloe broke off and took a deep breath, her voice becoming more hoarse and clogged as she talked through her tears. She looked down at their clasped hands and then back at him. "You belong to the world, not just some single mother and her two kids."

Clark gazed at Chloe, her face red and blotchy from her tears. Her bottom lip quivered as she looked right back at him, her stare never wavering. Pulling her to her feet, Clark caressed her face with both hands before dipping his head and kissing her softly. Chloe let out a sob before wrapping her arms around Clark's waist as he gathered her closer. Clark lifted his head and let Chloe lay against him, holding her a she continued to cry into his sweater. Tucking his chin against her hair, Clark spoke quietly above him.

"I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I never gave you a chance to explain. I'm sorry that I've stayed away for so long. I'm sorry that I left you that way after I promised you I would never leave you again. But I will promise you this, Chloe. I will never leave again, ever. And you'll never be a burden. Never." Clark pulled back and forced Chloe to look up at him. "Superman may belong to the world, but Clark Kent, he belongs to his family."

Chloe smiled gratefully before stretching up on her tip toes and kissing him chastely. Clark furrowed his eyebrows. "You wanna go watch the tree lighting?"

"Sure," Clark said tentatively. Chloe took his hand and they descended the stairs together. Something wasn't right, though. Clark was wondering what it was until Chloe spoke again as she was getting her coat out of the closet.

"I'm sure going to miss this kind of small town holiday hoo-rah when we move," Chloe stated as she pulled on her coat.

Bingo, Clark thought. Chloe was still planning on moving. Clark grabbed Chloe's arm, swinging her back to face him before she got to the door. "You're still going to Baltimore?"

Chloe looked at Clark, a little perplexed. "Yes, Clark. I'm still leaving Smallville. Why wouldn't I?"

Clark stared down at her. "You really don't know the answer to that?"

Chloe shook his hold on her arm and stepped away from him. "I can't just stay here because you want me to, Clark. I have plans. I'm starting up another branch of Isis in Baltimore. I've bought a house. We'll work something out to where you have Connor and Kaid some of the time and I'll have them some of the time. People do it all the time. So can Superman."

Clark shook his head. "No, that's not what I want, Chloe. I want you and me to raise Connor and Kaid together. In this house. I want to come home at night to my wife and my kids and-"

"Clark," Chloe said interrupted, rolling her eyes. "We still can raise the boys together. We don't have to be married-"

"Oh, yes, we do have to be married."

"Come on, Clark! It's the 21st Century! Just because we're parents doesn't mean we have to get married!" Chloe replied.

"Yes, it does! There is a Mother and a Father and they live in the same house and preferably, they're married!" Clark told her sarcastically.

"I know how parenthood works, Clark," Chloe spat. "You know what, we can talk about the finer points later. I don't want to miss-"

"We'll talk about it now," Clark boomed, stopping the door with his hand as Chloe tried to open it. "Why don't you want to get married?"

"I just don't believe that having kids is the main reason for two people to get married," Chloe answered.

"That's not why I want to-" Clark stopped. "Oh, you think I only want to marry you because of Connor and Kaid?"

Chloe shifted from one foot to the other. She looked off to the right side of Clark's head. "Well, why else would you?"

Clark shook his head and smiled. In some ways, he and Chloe had come so far. They were adults and parents and heroes. They had careers and deadlines and bills. In other ways, they were still those same blind teenagers they used to be.

"That was the real reason you didn't tell me about the boys," Clark said to himself more than Chloe. "It wasn't about responsibility or duty or burdens. It was because you thought that was the only reason I would want to be with you."

His hand left the door and found Chloe's again. Clark pulled her closer. She looked up at him, still only reaching past his shoulders in her farm boots.

"I don't want to marry you because you're the mother of my children. I don't want to marry you because it's the right thing to do. I want to marry you because I love you, Chloe. I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Clark told her.

Chloe opened her mouth but Clark stopped her.

"Don't," Clark said, putting a finger to her lips. "Don't say it's only of because Connor and Kaid. It's not. I love you. I've loved you for the past eight years, probably longer. I just didn't know it. I loved you before I left for training and it wasn't because we spent the night together. I was going to tell you when I came back, but all this craziness happened. The question is, do you still feel that way about me?"

Chloe swallowed again. She loved him. She'd never stopped loving him. But she was scared again. She could have all she'd ever wanted if she just reached out and took it. But could she trust it? "What do you mean still feel that way about you?"

"Before I left, you told me you loved me. Do you still love me?"

She had actually said it. "I thought that was a dream," Chloe whispered. "When I woke up alone. . ."

Clark tightened his hold on her. Clark and Chloe looked at each other, their eyes glowing as they stood on the edge of tomorrow. "I'll never forgive myself for leaving you like that. If I hadn't, maybe things would have been different. I told you I loved you, too. I didn't know how much until I spent that first night away from you. And I'll love you for the rest of your life and the rest of mine. So I need to know," Clark paused, trembling himself. He was opening himself up to a world of pain, giving her all the power once more. But Clark trusted Chloe with his heart. He always had. "Do you still love me?"

Chloe braced her hands on Clark's broad shoulders. "Clark Kent, I've loved you since I first laid my eyes on your ragged blue flannel shirt. And I'll love you until I take my last breath." Chloe pulled herself up and pressed her mouth to Clark's.

Clark caught her, lifting her the rest of the way, her feet dangling above the polished wood floor. He kissed frantically, almost afraid she would slip out of his grasp. Carefully, he carried her back upstairs. Nudging the door wider with his shoulder, Clark walked in and then kicked the door shut. Without breaking contact, Clark tumbled them onto the bed. Shuffling up, Chloe laid her head against the pillow, her hands snaking up and around Clark's back. He allowed her to pull the sweater and t-shirt over his head and threw it to the ground. Her own sweater followed, along with their jeans and everything else. Pulling reluctantly away from Chloe's bare skin, Clark rummaged around in the box by the bed and finally brushed the glass box. Clumsily, he opened it and put the bracelet on. Once it was cinched around his wrist, Clark turned back to Chloe, taking her hands in his and lowering his head to brush heated kisses along her exposed collarbone.

"That's why you gave Davis the ring," Chloe observed slyly.

"Yep," Clark said curtly.

"And here I thought you were being selfless," Chloe teased.

"Partly," Clark muttered, moving lower.

"Clark, wait," Chloe breathed harshly.

Clark lifted his head, glaring at her. "What is it, Chloe?" He asked as his chest heaved.

Chloe blushed. "I want you to know, Oliver and I-"

"Chloe, I really don't need to know," Clark growled as he rose up and looked down at her. Just the thought of Oliver getting this close to Chloe made him simmer with possessive anger. Clark grasped her hips in his large hands and squeezed. "You're mine now and no one will ever touch you again."

Chloe giggled, which caused Clark's brows to lower dangerously. She met his eyes and lifted a hand to tangle in his curls. "Oliver was the only one. He and I were only together a few times, too. And it was a month or two before you came back. It was never the way it was with you." Tears filled her eyes and Clark brought up a hand to wipe her tears away. "I tried to move on, but I couldn't stop thinking of you the whole time."

Clark wrapped his arms around Chloe as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. "That's okay," Clark crooned. He knew how much that admission had cost her. Chloe was loyal, it must have hurt her so much to tell him that. Clark pulled back and kissed her gently. "I don't want you to move on," Clark told her with a leer.

They made love desperately, as if only this could finally separate them from their past mistakes, shutting the door on the past and making their way into a future together.

With a sigh, Clark rolled over to his side, pulling Chloe with him. The house was silent as they lay together, looking into each other's eyes.

"We need to get going, everyone is waiting on us," Chloe finally said, but making no attempt at disentangling herself from Clark.

"We've probably already missed the Tree Lighting," Clark speculated, not wanting to move either.

"Then they're all on their way home. Connor and Kaid, as well," Chloe replied, nuzzling closer to Clark.

"They probably shouldn't find us like this," Clark murmured into Chloe's hair, wanting so badly to fall asleep.

"Not until they understand who you are," Chloe said, her breaths becoming steady.

"When are we going to tell them?" Clark asked.

"Tomorrow. We'll tell them everything tomorrow," Chloe answered. Both lapsed into silence again and it wasn't until a door slammed that Clark and Chloe jerked upright after having fallen asleep.

"Chloe!"

"It's Lois! Clark, hurry!" Chloe whispered frantically. They both jumped up and began pulling on clothes. Chloe tugged on her jeans as Clark fought with his two shirts. "Just put the green one on!"

"Chloe?" Lois said right outside the door. "Clark?" She growled. "Are you two in there?"

"These are yours!" Clark hissed, throwing Chloe's jeans at her. Clark grimaced and said, "Yes, Lois. What do you want?"

"They are?" Chloe asked, catching the jeans as the ones she'd thought she'd fasten fell to her ankles. "Whoops!"

"I almost broke my neck trying to get back out here before Martha and the boys did. I'm supposed to give her the all clear when you're ready for your children," Lois snarled. "Are you two ready yet? I'm getting really grossed out here!"

Clark yanked open the door just as Chloe pulled her sweater over her head. "Ever hear of something called a phone?" Clark asked pointedly.

"Ever hear of something called a zipper?" Lois smiled, pointing below Clark's waist.

The gang arrived five minutes after Lois, all of them clamoring in through the front door. Sly glances and small smiles were thrown in Clark and Chloe's direction for the rest of the night. The change that had taken place between the two of them infused the night with an elevated level of cheer. Connor and Kaid bounced around the living room while Shelby chased them, the adults laughing at their antics. Close to midnight, Martha rose from her seat and returned a few minutes later. The room quieted upon her return. She had a square book held against her stomach.

Clark and Chloe sat on the couch, Connor and Kaid on the floor between their legs and Shelby at Clark's feet. Oliver sat in a wingback chair in the corner with Lois curled on the floor by his knees. AC and Dinah were in kitchen chairs, their interlinked hands hanging down between them with Bart and Victor cross-legged on the floor against the wall. Lana and Davis had pulled chairs in from the living room and were sitting at the table in front of the window. Everyones' attention was on Martha as she stood in the middle of them all.

"I brought this tonight hoping. . ." Martha trailed off. She held out the book to Clark who took it almost reverently. He held it in his hands, his eyes drinking in the sight of the antique looking book. Chloe leaned over. It was a copy of 'The Night Before Christmas'.

"Dad used to read this every Christmas Eve, just before midnight," Clark whispered, running a hand lovingly over the ragged looking cover.

Chloe felt tears sting the back of her eyes. She remembered the Christmas Eve parties when she was a teenager. Jonathon Kent would slide his reading glasses on his nose and stand by the fireplace, reading the familiar words in his strong, firm, comforting voice. The room was silent except for his voice, wrapping around everyone and making them all feel close like family. He would shut the book when he was finished and make eye contact with each person in the room, smiling at them with his merry blue eyes.

"Why don't you read it?" Martha suggested.

Clark looked around the room. The people who had known Jonathon Kent looked back at Clark with tear-filled eyes while all the others who'd only known the man through Clark's memory, nodded toward him. Clark felt Connor lay his chin on his knee cap, looking up at him. The memory of Clark doing the same thing to Jonathon as a young boy, caused a lump to form in Clark's throat. Clark looked over to Chloe, who smiled as tears of her own threatened to spill. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around one of his. Kaid crawled up onto Chloe's lap, laying his head just under her chin.

Tussling Connor's hair, Clark cleared his throat. Martha stood behind them, looking over Clark's shoulder. He opened the book and began to read.

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. . ."

Connor and Kaid fell asleep soon after Clark closed the book. Clark and Chloe stood, lifting Connor and Kaid into their arms and tiptoed quietly upstairs. Chloe directed Connor into the bottom bunk. Clark shook his head while Chloe tried to lift Kaid up to the top bunk. He laid Connor gently down before taking Kaid and placing him in the bunk before tucking the covers over the little boy's shoulder. Clark smoothed the blonde hair away from the his temple as he nuzzled more into his pillow. He fingered a lock of hair. Hesitantly, Clark leaned over and pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. When he stood, he felt Chloe's arm snake around his waist.

As a couple, they turned and exited the room. They went back downstairs to people gathered there. Soon after, they too, began to leave. Clark gave Davis the key to the Talon apartment.

"In case you want to sleep on a bed instead of a couch tonight," Clark said with a grin.
Davis, catching Clark's unspoken meaning, nodded and smiled. "Sure thing, Clark." He took the keys and clapped Clark on the arm.

"I'll take you. Merry Christmas, you two," Lana said, hugging Clark and Chloe before she and Davis left.

"What time do you want us to come over tomorrow?" Lois asked Chloe as the two of them stood in the kitchen. Oliver was in the family room with Clark and Martha had run up to look in on Connor and Kaid.

"Probably around one. We're going to tell the boys tomorrow morning," Chloe answered.

"Are you sure you want us to come over? Maybe tomorrow should just be the four of you. You know, a family thing," Lois suggested.

"Lois, you are family. Martha's going to be here and it wouldn't be Christmas without you and Ollie," Chloe replied.

"Actually, Martha is coming with us," Lois said.

"Why?" Chloe questioned.

Lois grinned. "Come on, cuz? Why do you think?" Lois watched as Chloe's face began to redden. "Oh, don't look so scandalized! You think Martha believes the stork dropped those little boys on your doorstep? I'm also pretty sure she knew you and Clark were having a celebration of your own tonight."

"Thanks, Lois," Chloe said dryly.

Clark and Oliver walked into the kitchen where Martha joined them.

"Why don't we take off?" Oliver said to Martha and Lois.

"Mom, you're not staying here?" Clark asked.

Chloe blushed even more profusely when Martha smiled and hugged her son. "I'll see you two tomorrow." She hugged Chloe. "Goodnight you two."

Oliver shook Clark's hand and then hugged Chloe. Lois followed suit, awkwardly hugging Clark and then enveloping her cousin before she and Ollie walked out into the night. Clark and Chloe followed them out on the porch, waving at the trio as they got into Lois' expensive sports car, Oliver at the helm. The car peeled in the gravel as it disappeared down the drive.

"Okay," Chloe breathed, rubbing her hands together as she turned back to Clark. "Time to get to work."

Clark followed Chloe inside. He watched her as she went to the closet under the stairs and opened the door, switching on the light.

"Chlo, what are you doing?"

"What I do every year, Clark!" She said in a stage whisper, peeking her head out with a finger to her lips, gesturing for him to speak quietly.

"And what would that be?" Clark asked in a whisper, walking over to the closet.

Chloe came out, her arms laden with wrapped presents. "Playing Santa," Chloe answered with a bright smile. She sidled over to Clark and looked up at him. "Wanna help?"

"Yeah, only this year, there's going to be a change in the program," Clark said, taking a few gifts from Chloe.

"And what would that be?"

"I'll be playing the part of Santa and you," Clark paused. In an uncharacteristically demonstrative motion, Clark leaned down and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. "Can be my elf."

"You better not be making a crack about my size," Chloe growled in mock annoyance.

Clark grinned, kissing Chloe quickly before he walked over and began arranging the gifts under the branches of the pine tree.

After placing all the gifts from 'Santa' around the tree skirt, Clark and Chloe sat on the couch as Chloe took Clark through everything that happened from the day he left to the day he came back into her life. They talked in hushed tones, their hands in each others laps, heads close together.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Clark whispered, brushing the hair away from Chloe's face as he laid his forehead against hers. "If I had known-"

"There would have been nothing that could have kept you. I know," Chloe cut him off.

"What did you name them?" Clark asked, just as Chloe began dozing off.

"Connor Joseph and Jonathon Kincaid," she answered, her eye lids trying to close.

Clark pulled Chloe closer, allowing her head to fall onto his shoulder. "Thank you. Dad would have loved that. I wish he were here to see them."

"I do, too," Chloe yawned.

"I don't have any presents for them," Clark sighed as he closed his eyes.

"Yes, you do," Chloe replied, burrowing deeper into Clark's arms. "You're their Christmas present."