http://haveatit-reportergirl.blogspot.com/2008/12/three-minutes-chapter-9.html
Chapter 8 Part A
(Clark POV)
I was in the barn fixing the wheel on the tractor. I was waiting on Chloe. She went out a few hours ago with Lois to try and get her mind off of Oliver. I glanced at my watch. She should be getting home soon. I think she’s bringing Lois with her. We’re planning on telling her tonight that Jimmy is the baby’s father and not me. Chloe has been telling me for weeks that we needed to tell everyone. But I’ve been putting it off, making excuses because…well…would it be so bad if they thought he was mine? But since he’s Chloe and she thinks this is the right thing to do we are going to tell Lois tonight and everyone else tomorrow. I saw Shelby walk over by me just as I finished fixing the wheel. I spun it to make sure it worked.
“There we go. Well, Shelby, what do you say we call it a night, huh?”
I started rubbing his ears and knelt down next to him.
“Shelby? Your friend Chloe's gonna be here any minute. Any minute. Thanks for your help, buddy.”
I smiled and got up. I began walking away when Shelby started to growl…he ran up to the loft and looked at me. What was going on with that dog? I followed him up to the loft and looked around but no one was there.
“Shelby?”
I looked at him confused and he kept on barking and snarling. I bent down by him.
“Shelby, what is it? Shelby?”
He just wouldn’t stop growling and I x-rayed the loft but just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. But nothing was there
“What's wrong, boy? You see something I don't?”
All of a sudden I felt something attack me from behind it threw me over the loft railing and I yelled out not from being afraid but from the shock. No one ever really catches me off guard like that. I landed hard on the barn floor and when I opened my eyes I was extremely confused with the sight I saw. The walls around me were white and I was sitting in a chair with a group of people around me. Oh my god…what happened? Where am I? Who the hell are all these people…I heard someone calling my name and I tried to focus on it and stop the cascade of thought flowing through my head. The voice was shrill and sing songy.
“Clark.”
When I didn’t answer he changed his voice back to normal and called out.
“Earth to super freak.”
Everyone laughed and my head snapped up. Super freak…they couldn’t possibly know about my abilities…this has to be a trick….something Lex set up…but how?
I heard an older gentleman speak. He looked like he was in charge so I faced him. His voice was calm like he was talking to children.
“Everyone, please, sit down. Are you still with us, Clark?”
How does everyone know who I am? When I spoke was voice was semi frantic and a little loud.
“What's going on?”
The man sighed.
“Well, you said that you and your dog were in the barn when you heard something. And then you left us for a bit.”
What the hell was he talking about? I don’t even know who these people are I would never tell them about what goes on in my life especially if it involves my alien side. I took a deep breath. Ok I need to figure this out I was just in the barn…maybe if I ask someone here they’ll tell me what’s going on. I tried to calm my voice down but that wasn’t going so well.
“What are you talking about? How'd I get here?”
The people around me chuckled again. A guy who looked a little older then me with the nametag Arthur spoke to me in a sarcastic voice.
“So, what attacked you? Was it a Kryptofreak again?”
He laughed and I almost died. How does he know about the Kryptonians…This can’t be real…
Then another guy whose name was Victor interrupted the laughter.
“No, no, no, I know. It was a spirit from the Phantom Zone, right, Kal-El?”
No…it…it can’t be…these people were all laughing at me…at my heritage. They were looking at me like I was some kind of freak…This is why I never told people about who I was…this is what I was afraid of…why would I tell these people…why am I here. I tried to speak as firmly as I could.
“How do you know that name?”
He snickered.
“'Cause you never shut up about it, oh, great son of Jor-El.”
I looked at him with shock on my face. I would never tell random people about that…Never.
The older gentlemen clapped his hands and tried to get everyone’s attention.
“Settle down, gentlemen.”
To men dressed in white started to come over to me and put their hands on my upper arms. I jumped up and away from them. What’s going on….this really isn’t good I need to get out of here and find Chloe…she’ll be able to help me.
“Wait, back off!”
The older guy stood up and tried to use a calming voice with me.
“Take it easy, Clark. Take those deep breaths we talked about.”
Deep breaths we talked about? Who the hell was this guy? I’ve never seen him before a day in my life…These people are crazy!
“Who are you?”
He sighs.
“It's me... Dr. Hudson.”
He spoke it slowly as if I was hard of hearing or slow on the uptake. The two guys cam back and grabbed me from behind I jerked my body around gently and tried to warn them.
“Hold on. I don't want to have to hurt anyone.”
Arthur giggled and spoke in a crude tone.
“Why don't you just use your super speed and run away?”
I tried to overpower the guards…but I couldn’t…oh god…my powers…there gone…they must have done something to me…how am I going to get out of here without my powers…I started moving my body frantically. I was terrified of what these people were going to do to me. I started screaming for help because I didn’t know what else to do.
“What? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want? What's happening?! Let me go! Let me go! Please, someone! Why am I here?!”
I kept on screaming as they dragged me away down a long barely lit hallway. When we reached the end they threw me into a room that looked more like a cell and locked me in it. I ran to the door and put my hands on the small bars screaming at the orderlies.
“Please…please don’t leave me here….help me please….I’m a good person I don’t hurt people….there gonna hurt me here….”
My voice faded out as they walked away ignoring me…I fell to the floor on my knees…what was I going to do…I don’t have my mom…I don’t have Chloe…I don’t have my powers…all I have is me and somehow I just always seem to fall short of everyone’s expectations…even my own. I put my head in my hands and for once I prayed…
Back in The Real World…
(Chloe POV)
Lois and I were sitting in the Talon. We had just gotten back from a movie and Lois was looking into her cup of coffee as if it held all the answers to the world. I needed something to distract her. I know that Clark and I said we were going to tell Lois together about the baby but technically since the baby wasn’t his I didn’t really need him here to tell her. Telling Lana and everyone else…that was a different story. But Lois was my blood…she’d understand. I nudged her foot under the table and she smiled wistfully at me.
“What’s up cuz?”
I took a deep breath. It was now o never.
“I have to tell you something.”
She leaned closer and I could see her over protective nature kick in…Ah ha go Chloe step number one complete her immediate thoughts are no longer on Oliver…there on me!
“Whatever it is Chloe you know you can tell me…is it Smallville did he do something to hurt you? I’ll kill him.”
Her voice was fierce and I laughed.
“Actually is does have to do with Clark but not in the way you think…you remember when I was in the hospital?”
Lois gave me an are you kidding look.”
“It’s not a site that I’ll soon forget.”
I nodded.
“Well I was told the only people who were aloud to stay with me for the first day or so was family.”
She mad an affirmative motion again.
“Get to the point Chlo…my patients has been running thin lately.”
She tried to say it sternly but I could see her smile slipping through.
“Ok …Long story short? Clark lied…He said the baby was his so that he could stay at the hospital with me…but he not…Clarks I mean.”
Lois’s mouth was wide open and I grinned. I didn’t think in all the time I’ve know Lois I have ever made her speechless…Score two for me! Her mouth was floundering like a fish before she composed herself and sat back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest and a glare in my direction.
“You mean to tell me…you and Smallville have been lying to me all this time? Just wait till I get my hands on that farmboy…he’s a dead man.”
I chuckled.
“I thought you’d be happy to know the baby isn’t Clarks.”
She nodded.
“Oh trust me I am. I couldn’t imagine what his genes combined with yours would be like. Your kid would come out awkwardly inquisitive and having a clumsy reporter never works out well. He’d be trying to get the latest stories while fumbling all over himself…”
I made a face.
“Clark’s not that bad Lois…really.”
She winced and then gave me a hard look.
“I know…and now I have to be nice to him for a little while because here he is doing all this stuff for you…taking care of you and the baby…and it’s not even his. I’d be damned if Clark Kent wasn’t the most honest, loyal and naïve farmboy alive.”
She shook her head but had a smirk planted firmly on her lips. I smiled. She’s right…Clark is amazing and I love him so much…I rubbed my stomach. I wondered how it was going at the farm with fixing the tractors wheel. Clark was always trying to fix everything and anything. I wanted to spend the night at home curled up with him but Lois had called and he told me to go. He said she needed someone and he be waiting for me when I got home. Hopefully he fixed it already so that when I get home we could have some alone time…nice just me and Clark. I grinned as Lois continued mocking Clark…Hey I’m loyal to my man but if Lois was making fun of Clark and not moping over Oliver I’m sure Clark wouldn’t mind so much…after all my goal is to be helping Lois tonight…
(Clark POV)
I’ve been pacing around this room for what felt like hours…There are bars on the doors bars on the windows…it’s like I’m some kind of animal in captivity! I’m going out of my mind. I saw some guards passing my cell and ran up to the door trying to reason with them. My voice came out desperate.
“I don't belong in here! I'm not crazy. I don't belong here.”
My voice elevated at the end of the sentence. Oh yeah…there really gonna believe that Clark with the way your acting it’s no wonder they think your nuts…calm down. The guard slapped the window with a stick.
“Back away from the door.”
I tried to grab him and try my luck at over powering him but it didn’t work.
“Back away from the door!”
He yelled and in walked that Dr. Hudson guy. I was frantically searching for answers and what better way then asking this guy who apparently new everything.
“How'd I get here?”
He moved in closer and shook his head. He didn’t break eye contact with me when he spoke.
“Think back, Clark. You know how that happened.”
I shook my head and paced the length of the room. Yeah Lex managed to somehow get me into 33.1 and take away my powers…how good freakin question. There was frustration in my voice when I spoke.
“Someone or something attacked me in my barn. This is 33.1... It's Lex. He's always wanted to get me under his microscope.”
He sighed and sat on the small bed in the corner.
“I'm afraid your obsession with Lex Luthor is part of the fantasy world that you created after you experienced your psychotic break.”
Haha…psychotic break…good one! He’s insane…this is all part of his plans he wants me to think I’m nuts….he wants me to..to admit things and….just not question him. No way. I know I’m not crazy…and if I could just find Chloe maybe I’d be able to prove it…I hope she’s ok…Oh man this is…it’s crazy everyone here is crazy. I nodded my head and spoke to him with venom in my voice.
“Oh, I get it. You want me to think I'm crazy.”
Again he shook his head and spoke calmly. I really wish he wouldn’t do that it’s pissing me off and making me even angrier.
“I would prefer not to use pejoratives. You suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. You have for a number of years... after the death of your birth parents in the Smallville meteor shower.”
I shook my head I’ve had it with them. These people though I was crazy…that my whole life was a hallucination…but it’s not. I faced him and my voice was unwavering.
“See, it's not true. My birth parents were out of town for the meteor shower.”
“You were placed in the wonderful adoptive home of the Kents. But like many children, you invented a make-believe world to help you deal with the trauma you endured. You convinced yourself that you came from another planet, that you possessed special powers and you used them to save humanity.”
I shook my head and started pacing again. I wouldn’t let him get to me. I couldn’t I won’t give anything about myself away. That’s what he wants…that’s what Lex wants.
“Whatever you're trying to do, it's not gonna work.”
He stood up and walked over to me. He tried to place his hand on my shoulder but I jerked away from him and he moved towards the door.
“An active imagination wasn't a problem when you were a boy. But when you entered your freshman year at high school, you slipped permanently into your fantasy world.
This isn't a game, Clark. You're sick. And your condition is getting worse. But the good news is, I have developed a new treatment that will cure you.”
And what…he thought I’d let him give me this magical cure? Over my dead body…I’d have to six feet under before I cooperated with anything that Lex was involved in…Screw you man I don’t but this act and I’ll find a way to prove to myself that my life isn’t a lie.
“Tell Lex that I don't buy it.”
His constant sighed was making me want to strangle him. He had a sad look on his face as he shook his head.
“Lex isn't your nemesis. And 33.1 doesn't exist. For the last 5 1/2 years, you've been a resident of the Fairview Psychiatric Hospital. Everything else -- your superpowers, your alien lineage, your secret identity... it's all a delusion.”
I wanted to scream…how do you prove something that no one else thinks is real…something there isn’t any proof of where you are but something that YOU KNOW is true…
It was a few hours later and I was in a main room looking around. Everyone was doing their own things. Some were painting, others watching TV and some were screaming and getting carried out of the room. I heard a woman’s voice come over an intercom.
“Time for medication.”
Then a man in a white outfit came over and started rounding everyone up.
“All right, let's go. Keep on moving. Keep on moving. That means you, too. Let's go.”
The nurse spoke to one of the patients and reprimanded him.
“Don't hide that pill under your tongue. Swallow it.”
As I stood in line a man started to speak over my shoulder. His voice was soft and conspirital.
“You're not crazy, Kal-El. We don't have much time, so listen to me closely. I believe you're from another planet.”
I hesitated even though his voice sounded so sincere. I wanted to spill everything to him just because he was the first person who finally believed me…but I didn’t I had to play this cool.
“What makes you say that?”
He spoke again quietly.
“Because like you, I'm not from here. I come from mars. You can't trust anyone.”
Great…Mars huh? I swear Chloe was right about the weirdos that I attract. but something in me wanted to believe him. I saw two men walk over to him and inject him with something that brought him to his knees. I turned and yelled out.
“Hey!”
He glared at me.
“Don't even think about it.”
I watched them drag him away when I saw a hallway that was joined to where they were taking him. When they weren’t looking I saw a janitor and knocked him unconscious. I pulled him into the janitors closet and switched our clothes. I came out of the closet with a baseball cap on my head and continued to walk toward the exit. When I got out of the building I ditched the cap and ran as fast as I could with out my powers. Don’t let it be said that I’m not resourceful. I made it out of there but it’s not nearly the end…I have to find my mom and Chloe make sure there ok and then I need to find a way to get back home…where I’m needed.
Chapter 8 Part B
(Clark POV)
I ran all the way back to the farm. By the time I got there I was sweating and having trouble breathing. I walked into the kitchen and tried to catch my breath. I glanced around and everything looked the same but the house felt….different…cold. I searched frantically for my mother and Chloe. They have to be here. Where else would they be? I went upstairs and ripped apart all the rooms. Nothing. I shook my head…The barn! My mom might not be there but I know Chloe would be. I walked into the loft and slowly went up the stairs. I called out my voice slightly wavering.
“Mom? Chloe!”
The person I saw was the last person I expected to be in my loft alone…It was Lana…what was she doing here? Oh my god…was she helping Lex? I felt a stab of pain in my chest. Her face brightened when she saw me. I squinted at her. She looked different…innocent.
“Clark, you're home! I can't believe it!”
She threw her arms around me and hugged my body tightly. I moved away from her and she seemed startled. I held her at arms length and looked into her eyes. They were glowing with happiness. I was so confused. I looked around the loft and noticed all her stuff was in it. It was like she had taken over my domain and made it a Lana shrine.
“What are you doing here? What are all your things doing in the loft?”
She stepped back and the smile left her face. She tilted her head and her eyes went from happy to concerned. She placed a gentle hand on my arm and I looked down at it. I got an itch to pull my arm away but I didn’t…everything here felt off. Something was wrong and I was desperately trying to figure out what it was. Her voice was soft when she spoke…trying to make me understand.
“Clark, this is my home now. After your dad passed away, Nell and I bought the farm from your mom.”
She moved over and pointed to my telescope. I took that down months ago. What was it doing back up there?
She grinned.
“Not everything has changed. I kept this. You once said that looking through it brought me closer to you. And having it here makes me feel like you're always with me.”
What the hell was she talking about? I haven’t felt close to Lana in over a year and I certainly didn’t want her standing in MY loft with all of her crap lying around. Chloe was supposed to be here…she’s always here…I shook my head.
“I don't understand.”
She nodded and looked at me sympathetically. She walked over slowly and gave me a sad smile as she rubbed my arm. At this point this…Pod Lana touching me made me want to rip off my skin. I wish she’d stop it.
“I know. This must be really hard for you. You've been gone a long time and a lot has changed. But none of that matters anymore. Freshman year, you promised me that we would never be apart. You were right.”
Ok…it’s official I am not the one who should have been institutionalized…apparently that should have been Lana. We weren’t together freshmen year. She was with Whitney…yea I was in love with her then but she didn’t see me that way…at least not at first. I looked around the loft again trying to see where all my stuff was. As I glanced around I caught sight of things that I haven’t had around in years. After a couple of sentences I spoke slowly to Lana so she could hear every word.
“We weren't dating then. You... you were with Whitney.”
She made a face and laughed. She raised an eyebrow at me.
“The football jock? Clark... there's only one person I've ever been in love with... you. It's okay. The doctor said that you'd suffer mild amnesia after the treatment.”
I closed my eyes. I really don’t know what I did to deserve this but whatever it was….I take it back. I promise never to do it again if you just let me find my mom and Chloe…This…this can’t be my home…it just can’t be…I’m not…crazy. I tried to speak as calmly as I could to Lana.
“What treatment? I didn't have any treatment.”
She shook her head.
“But you were released from the hospital.”
I looked at her warily and spoke in a hard voice.
“I wasn't released. I escaped. Lex Luthor put me in that hellhole.”
Lana shook her head and moved away from me. Her eyes were a bit wide and very sad.
“Lex didn't put you in there.”
I yelled at her then because I couldn’t take it anymore. Look at me everyone thinks I’m going crazy all because of Lex and she still defends him! I bet he could be ending the world and she’d stand there next to him saying…he has a good reason to destroy the world Clark…
“No! That's not right! I don't care if you two are engaged -- stop protecting him!”
She took another step back and her expression went from startled to frightened. She took a deep breath and her speech was slightly trembling.
“I hardly know Lex Luthor. I'm gonna call the hospital.”
I grabbed her and shook her body. She made a noise and I grabbed tighter.
“No, stop. You're lying. You're in on this, aren't you? He sent you here! That's why you're here -- to distract me until he shows up. Where is Chloe Lana!!!”
I jerked her body hard a few times.
“Where is she?”
Lana looked like she was about to cry and her voice came out shaky.
“Please stop.”
I suddenly felt extremely guilty. I needed to try and keep myself together and this was helping me any. My voice was softer this time and I let her go.
“What did Lex do with my mother? Where is she?!”
Lana rubbed her arms and sniffled slightly. She shook her head and her voice was soft.
“She's probably at the mansion -- the Luthor mansion. Clark...”
I didn’t listen to what else she was saying I just left. The Luthor mansion…I don’t know what she was doing there but I didn’t care. if that’s where I could find her I’d go. She’ll know what’s going on and she’ll be able to find Chloe and together we can all figure this out…yea…it’ll all be ok soon…
Back in the Real World…
(Lex POV)
I slammed down the receiver of my phone and then swiped my arm across the desk and threw everything violently off of it. The green arrow and his merry men hit another 33.1 facility.
When I found this guy not only was he going to pay but I was going to keep him conscious during every part of his dismemberment. This isn’t just some random Meteor Freak either…it’s someone who knows me. Someone who is out for revenge. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was Clark…but there is no way he can manage being in all these different places at once. So it wasn’t him. But who then? It’s not like there aren’t hundreds of people waiting in line to get back at me...but the difference is very few people would actually manage to get through all the layers that I have set out. Only someone with vast resources and an inner knowledge of me would be able to infiltrate my labs. I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts. There was a commotion outside my office door and I shook my head. People and there incompetence. I was about to get up and start yelling at people when I heard a familiar voice. I sat back down and raised an eyebrow as I listened from inside my office.
“Excuse me miss…Mr. Luthor has asked not to be bothered.”
“I’ll just be a minute.”
I heard my new secretary call security and I smirked. This should be interesting. I folded my hands together and waited.
“Get your hand’s off of me now. Do you know who I am?”
I could hear my assistant come from down the hall and start explaining to the men that they were manhandling my pregnant fiancé. Lana sounded absolutely livid. She was screaming.
“The two of you call yourself security? If I was such a threat to Mr. Luthor then you should have intercepted me downstairs. No wonder Lex is always getting hurt…the people he has working for him are incompetent.”
I chuckled. I had been thinking the same thing.
“And you…if you were doing your job right you wouldn’t have had to call security. As Lex’s assistant you are the face people see before they see him and therefore you should be well versed with the people he associates with on a day to day basis meaning you should know who I AM!”
I’m not sure if I mentioned this recently but I love Lana Lang. I got up and opened my office door. Everyone turned to face me and Lana gave me a half smile.
“Hey Lex…”
I walked over and gave her a kiss. I put my hand on the small of her back and looked around.
“Is everything ok Lana?”
She nodded. I looked at my new assistant who would most likely be let go later that afternoon and spoke directly to her.
“Please get my fiancé a glass of sparkling water. We’ll be in my office.”
I moved her with me and closed the door behind us. She looked around the office and raised an eyebrow. I chuckled and waved her expression off.
“It’s been a bad morning.”
“I can see that.”
I leaned against the desk and she looked down then back at me.
“I’m sorry about that Lex…she just made me so mad and then they grabbed me…I didn’t mean to cause a scene. This is a place of business…your business and I shouldn’t have over stepped my bounds.”
I grinned in her direction and pulled her to me. I gave her a kiss and then laughed.
“Lana…in a few weeks you’ll be my wife and what’s mine is yours. You had every right to say something. They should know who you are and no one should be putting there hands on you…ever I won’t allow that. So it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
She nodded and sat down. Lana doesn’t usually show up unannounced I wonder why she was here…not that I minded.
“So what brings you to my domain?”
She grinned and rested her hand on her slightly protruding stomach.
“I came by because this Friday night I need to make sure your schedule is clear.”
I smiled and stroked her hand gently.
“My schedule is always clear for you Lana…do we have dinner plans I didn’t know about?”
She gave me a hesitant smile.
“Kind of…you and I are going out to dinner with friends on Friday.”
I raised an eyebrow and chuckled. I wasn’t aware Lana and I had mutual friends. She could hear the amusement in my voice and she pouted.
“I see and who are these friends we’re dinning with.”
“Chloe and Clark…and before you say anything and interrupt me I worked very hard to get Chloe to agree. I know the two of you aren’t getting along and I respect that. But you are both extremely important to me and I need the two of you to at least tolerate each other…just for one night. Please.”
I sighed. personally I didn’t mind. I enjoyed getting on Clarks nerves and Chloe was a good sparring partner until she got annoying.
“And Clark how long did it take to convince him?”
Lana actually looked away from me when I asked that.
“Well…Chloe hasn’t exactly told him yet…but she’s going to.”
I laughed. This is definitely a dinner I wouldn’t miss. I spoke to Lana for a few more minutes then she left saying she had an appointment for some kind of fitting. My cell phone rang not long after the door closed behind her.
“Hello.”
“Mr. Luthor…it’s Dr. Rhinhouse.”
I sat down.
“What can I do for you doctor?”
I heard some clanking in the background and shook my head.
“I wanted to let you know that the last of the supplement has been given to the patient and she should be ready for the first test in a weeks time.”
I smiled. Perfect. Just in time.
“Thank you doctor.”
I disconnected then call and leaned back in my chair. I smiled. Things were finally falling into place. The green arrow and his men might be invading my labs…but the real project was walking around town without a care in the world. I can’t wait to burst her perfect little bubble. After I find out the extent of her powers and I retrieve the source of said powers she won’t be of any use to me and I will then accomplish what many before me have tried and failed to do. I will kill Chloe Sullivan…
(Clark POV)
I walked into the mansion and glanced around for my mom. I never realized how much energy it took for people to run around all over the place. After searching half the mansion I spotted my mom in the study putting the phone back in its cradle. Oh god I’ve never been so happy to see anyone before.
“Mom? Thank god, you're okay.”
I ran over to her and hugged her. When she spoke she seemed both cautious and relieved.
“Oh, Clark! Oh, I've been a wreck all day. Everyone at the hospital is so worried about you.”
I stepped out of her arms like I’d been slapped. No…there’s no way my mom would know I was in a place like that and let me stay there…
“You knew I was in that place?”
She nodded like it was the most normal thing I the world. Now that I was listening closely her voice seemed different.
“Dr. Hudson called Lionel the moment you disappeared. They've both been looking for you.”
Lionel…what did he have to do with this? Why did my mom let them keep me in that place? What id Lionel was pretending to help us…he probably told Lex all about me and they have been working together all this time to…to…my thoughts faded and I spoke to my mom.
“Lionel? He must be in on it. He must have told Lex the truth about me.”
She shook her head and took a step away from me.
“Clark, please, try to calm down.”
I was shaking my head again. I was frantic…how could I calm down. I can’t find one sane person in this whole freakin town! I paced and got a crazy look in my eyes.
“Calm down? Mom, you don't understand. They put me in that asylum. They took away my powers.”
She shook her head back and forth and tried to put a hand on my arm but I pulled my body away from her. Her touch was just like Lana’s empty.
“No, sweetheart... it'll be all right.”
I turned around all of a sudden and grabbed her arm trying to move her by the door.
“Mom, we have to get you out of here. We have to get you away from Lionel.”
She pulled her arm away from me and gave me a hard look. Her stance was firm and her voice left no room for interruption.
“No, Clark. Lionel and I are married now. I-I meant to tell you, but I-I was afraid of how you'd react.”
I stumbled back and gave her a stricken look. How could she marry Lionel behind my back? How could she do that to dad? My voice was barley a whisper and it came out edged with shock and horror.
“How could you?”
her voice was gentle.
“He's a good, decent man. Lionel's made sure you've gotten better care than I could ever afford.”
I snapped. I can’t listen to her talk about this…not anymore. I screamed din her face to try and get my point across.
“He's been lying to you!”
She shook her head and her voice was now stern.
“No, Clark. Dr. Hudson's treatment will make you well again. Please, I just want my son back.”
She wants her son back? We;; guess what I want my mother back…I don’t know how much more I could take of this…they all seem so sincere and there all saying the same things…maybe I have been making all of this up…I shook my head. No this wasn’t my life….I just know it.
“No, you're coming with me right now.”
I pulled her along while she protested.
“No, no, I –“
She dropped her purse and I saw a bottle of prescription pills hit the floor. I frowned and bent down to pick them up. I read the bottle and it said Mrs. Martha Luthor on it. I snorted and then realized what was happening.
“They're drugging you, too.”
She looked at me sadly.
“Clark, those are my allergy pills.”
I saw her lean over and hit a button on the phone causing a loud alarm to sound throughout the mansion. I looked at her with hurt on my face.
“What are you doing?”
She glanced around the room and then at me and shook her head sadly.
“You need help, Clark.”
I wanted to cry. I was a grown man who just wanted to break down.
“Mom, you don't understand what's going on. You're coming with me.”
She frowned.
“No.”
I moved toward her and yelled.
“Right now!”
“No!”
The doors busted opened and two guards came into the room I’m assuming to stop me. I was trying to fight them off while talking to my mom.
“Come on! Mom! You have to –“
I was cut off by her yelling when one of the guards knocked me down.
“Please, don't hurt him!”
I was able to get away from both of them and I ran outside as fast as my feet would carry me. I heard a gunshot and pushed myself further. I could hear the guards screaming behind me.
“Stop! “
I didn’t listen just kept going.
“There's nowhere to run, Mr. Kent. Just relax and put your hands behind you.”
As they caught up to me with a gun pulled out I saw a car stop nearby. The passenger door popped open I pushed passed the guard and dove into the car. We took off and I looked behind us as several shots were fired. I didn’t know who was in this car and I didn’t care…Whoever it was had to be better then them. I finally glanced at the person next to me and I was shocked…
About twenty-five minutes later I was standing outside the Talon with Chloe. The moment I laid eyes on her relief flooded me. Chloe’s here and she’ll help me…I know it. God I had missed her. I watched her unloading the car.
“Chloe, how'd you find me?”
She grinned.
“Are you kidding me? I've been in GPS mode ever since my contact I.M.'d me about the breakout this morning.”
I nodded and smiled. That’s my Chloe. My smile turned to a frown.
“Look, I can't stay here. I don't want to get you involved.”
She shook her head and we went inside. Her voice was forceful but not mean.
“Clark, I already am involved. You think you're the only one whose life's been turned upside down by the Luthors? Why do you think I've been under the radar?”
What is she talking about. I haven’t heard anyone so much as mention her name since I’ve been out here.
“Chloe, they're after me, not you.”
We got upstairs to the Talon apartment and she put her stuff down.
“They're after both of us. Now, don't ditch your sidekick till you get your powers back. You might need me to cover you.”
I smiled. I walked over, grabbed her in my arms and kissed her. She seemed taken aback at first but then leaned into the embrace and the kiss. We broke a part a minute later and I rested my forehead against hers.
“I really missed you Chlo…I'm glad to see you. I was beginning to think I was actually losing it.”
She gave me a soft smile and gently flicked my chin.
“Chin up, Clark - once we get this thing on the front page, father and son Luthor are gonna be wearing matching orange jumpsuits.”
I nodded and gave her another soft kiss. When I pulled away I spoke seriously to her.
“Lex... I gotta go see him.
She looked worried.
“Wait a minute. You just got out, Clark. You're gonna go back into the devil's lair? Lex is more dangerous than ever right now.”
My face-hardened.
“Even more reason to stop him.”
But she shook her head. Her voice was intense and her eyes bore into mine.
“No, Clark, you don't have your powers back. You could get hurt like everyone else.”
I had to stop Lex and get everything back to normal.
“Powers or no powers, I won't let him do this to me.”
She sighed but finally stopped trying to convince me not to go. She dug her keys out of her pocket and handed them to me..
“All right, fine. Since your super speeds out of gas, take my Yaris. And be careful.”
I nodded, leaned my head against her for another minute kissed her and then went to leave. I heard her voice call out to me before I left. I turned and she hesitated.
“I just….I want you to know…if anything happens…just know that…I love you Clark.”
I froze and in that moment I knew. It was almost as if everything flashed before my eyes at once. I saw myself meeting Chloe for the first time, I saw her giving me my first kiss in the loft, I saw every time she was there for me all of my secrets she kept. Her devotion, her suffering. Every time she put her needs aside for mine and didn’t expect anything in return. Every kind word she threw my way even though I didn’t deserve half of them. She has been the one constant thing in my world for as long as I can remember. Throughout all the changes in my life Chloe has always been there and she always will be. Everything finally clicked and I could now define what I’ve been feeling all this time…it was love. I was in love with Chloe Sullivan…
Chapter 8 Part C
(Clark POV)
I pushed open the door’s to Lex’s office and barged in. He looked up at me and I saw hatred on his face.
“Surprised to see me?”
He was sitting behind his desk and his voice was cold as ice. His brows drew together and his expression turned hard.
“My father said you were out. I just never thought you'd have the nerve to show your face.”
Never thought I’d have the nerve? Is he kidding me…he locks me in some mental institution…takes my powers away and turns everything upside down and yet some how im to blame? My voice was loud but I wasn’t yelling.
“You may have taken my powers, Lex, but I'm not afraid of you. And I won't let you ruin my life.”
He gave me a bitter chuckle. And his eyes were fierce at they bore into me. His voice was seething.
“Your... your life. I think you have that a little backwards. Did you forget our little run-in on the Loeb Bridge five years ago?”
How could I forget…it was the day Lex Luthor cam into my life…I should have listened to my dad then…instead I made the mistake of giving him a chance…look where that got us. I snorted.
“When you save someone's life, you tend to remember.”
If looks could kill I think I might have been a couple hundred feet below my grave with the glare Lex sent my way. He was shaking his head in furry.
“You really think you saved me. Well, then, let me refresh your memory.”
He moved back from his desk and now I could see why he was sitting there. He was in a wheel chair. He rolled out and came around and I saw that both of his legs below the knees were gone. No…no that’s not right…Lex….Lex isn’t in a wheel chair I would have known something like that…he can’t be…I saved him…it’s a…it’s a trick…
“I have to spend the rest of my life in this chair because of you.”
I shook my head frantically. I didn’t want to believe him.
“This isn't possible. I was there –“
He cut me off screaming as loud as he could now.
“And you caused the accident! Oh, you claimed you saw my car swerving out of control, so you jumped in front of it to save me with your superpowers. But when I jerked the wheel, my Porsche flipped end over end and wrapped around the guard rail.”
What….again I shook my head and vehemently denied his accusations.
“That's not what happened.”
His voice was lower now but just as hard as before.
“If it was up to me, you'd be rotting in jail. But my father insisted you go to that mental hospital instead. Anything to impress Martha Kent with his kindness.”
I screamed at him. I couldn’t take this anymore I was losing my mind.
“This is a trick. It's a trick!”
He looked at me disgusted.
“Really? Open your eyes, you crazy son of a bitch! Does this look like a trick to you?! If there's one thing I regret in my life... it's that I didn't just run you over.”
And that was it…he rolled his chair back over behind the desk facing away from me. He was done talking which was just fine with me. I left I walked out and had no clue where to go…I feel like I’m losing my mind and there’s nothing to hold on to…Chloe…I needed to get back to Chloe. She’s want to know that I’m ok and we’ll be able to figure this out together we always do…
This time when I got to the Talon I walked in through the front instead of from the ally. I glanced around and the place was in shambles. Where is the coffee house? I heard someone behind me…thank god Chloe…I turned around and it was Lana. I sighed.
“Clark. I knew you'd come here to see Chloe.”
I ignored her statement and looked around again. My voice was a bit horse when I spoke.
“What happened to the coffee house?”
She looked confused.
“Clark, this has been an abandoned movie theater for as long as I can remember.”
I shook my head. No it’s been a coffee house for like the last five or six years…
“No, this doesn't make sense. This can't be real. Lana, Lex said that I... caused his accident. Is that true?”
She didn’t answer my question but I could see the look of guilt in her eyes. When she spoke her voice came out hopeful...no…was the accident really my fault…did I cause Lex to lose his legs…am I sick?
“It's all in the past now. Clark, come back to the farm with me. We can get through this. We can get through anything.”
I just kept shaking my head I didn’t know what to do…all this talk about us being able to get through anything…her loving me…it stirred things inside of me…feelings I thought were 100% gone…apparently there not…NO…I would absolutely NOT betray Chloe…She would never betray me…and I love her…so much…she’s the one I can get through anything with…oh god…I need to get out of here this has to be fake…my own thought are starting to turn against me. I Don’t Want Lana Anymore! I tried to speak calmly when I finally addressed her.
“None of this makes sense, Lana. And you and I -- we're not together anymore.”
She smiled and gave me a wistful look.
“Ever since kindergarten, we've been together, Clark.”
I saw her pull out a plastic ring and show I to me. Ok a plastic ring…wow…I didn’t get it. She obviously understood that because she explained further to me.
“Thought that this would help you to remember. It's from the gumball machine at Quinn's Market. You gave it to me when we were 10 years old. You said that it was my wedding ring. And when you put it on my finger and kissed me for the first time, that's when you stole my heart.”
She looked so sincere when she spoke…the same Lana I fell in love with…my voice came out as a whisper.
“I don't remember.”
She frowned and moved closer to me.
“You suffered so much in that hospital. Every weekend when I'd come to visit, I could see it in your eyes. I never gave up hope that you'd get better.”
No…I couldn’t…I wouldn’t let myself fall into this trap…not again.
“I don't know what's going on. But Chloe does. She knows who I am.
Lana shook her head quickly and tried to grab at my arm.
“Clark, you shouldn't see her right now.”
Why was she trying to keep me away from Chloe? Oh god….something must be wrong…I need to stop listening to everyone else and I need to get to Chloe…she’s the only person who believes I’m not crazy…I ran up the stairs and into the talon apartment. I didn’t see Chloe at first so I frantically screamed her name.
“Chloe!”
She came around the corner and smiled. I hugged her tightly.
“Thank god you’re ok.”
She gave me a confused look and then shrugged it off.
“Clark, thank God.”
I frowned.
“What's going on?”
She started packing everything and talking a mile a minute.
“We have to get out of her right now. Lex and his men took everything. They're trying to wipe me off the face of the earth.”
I hesitated…I wonder if Chloe knew…
“You know, Lex is in a wheelchair.”
She looked over her shoulder at me and raised an eyebrow. Her voice was firm.
“Clark, when it comes to the Luthors, you can't trust anything, okay? We gotta go subterranean until you get your powers back.”
I knew I should listen to her…but something kept nagging at me…what if I was wrong…what if all this time I’ve been normal and everything has been in my head? I wanted to be normal…
“But, Chloe, I'm not so sure. Nothing's the way it's supposed to be. It all seems so crazy.”
She looked up at me with a frantic expression…Her voice was unsteady and she spoke quickly and a bit loud.
“We're not crazy. We're not crazy. We're just the only two that know the truth. That's why they put us in the mental institution.”
Just then Lana walked in and the look on her face was sad…and there was something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint. Her voice was soft and sugary sweet.
“I tried to tell you.”
I looked at Lana then back at Chloe. Chloe’s expression turned sour.
“What's she doing here?”
I didn’t answer but Lana kept talking.
“Chloe was in Fairview with you.”
I looked startled. I turned to Chloe and spoke low.
“You were in that place, too?”
She nodded but finished her task of gathering everything we needed.
“They put me in that snake pit to shut me up.”
Lana spoke again trying to convince me…
“You know that she has a family history of mental illness.”
How does Lana know about that? Chloe would never tell anyone that. She’s freakishly close with Lois and eve she doesn’t know. Chloe’s voice was upset now and a little uneven like she was trying to hold it together.
“Don't listen to her, Clark. She's just trying to confuse you.”
I looked at Lana…
“Clark, please, just come with me. And I'll get you the help that you need.”
This right here…was the story of my life. Lana and Chloe though there were friends they were always pulling me back and forth…and usually I would side with Lana because…well that’s just usually how it happened. This time though…I wasn’t going to make that mistake. I don’t care what I was thinking who was saying what…I was going to side with my heart…and my heart…that lies with Chloe. I must have taken to long in answering because Chloe picked up all her stuff in a huff and started to walk out the door. She spoke over her shoulder.
“I should have known you'd never be able to resist her. You never could. If she's here, it means they're not far behind.”
Couldn’t resist her…no…yes I can Chloe…I’m not gonna let you down I’m here. I ran after her down the stairs.
“Chloe, hold on! Just stay here! We'll figure this out!”
She shook her head and I grabbed her arm.
“I’m here Chloe…we’ll handle this together like we do everything else…I won’t leave you…”
She gave me a small smiled leaned up and kissed me hard. When she pulled away her face was solemn and her voice was soft but it held fear.
“There's nothing to figure out, Clark. I know who you really are, and they're gonna kill me for it. I have to go you can come with me or stay here! Your choice.”
We finished descending the stairs and ran right into the guards from the Luthor mansion…Oh no…I moved closer to Chloe….and they spoke to me.
“Mr. Kent, just take it easy.”
After that everything happened in slow motion…I saw Chloe reach into her bag…when her hand came back into view there was a gun in it. One of the guards looked over at her moved his gun towards her and fired. I heard screaming in the background and I think it might have been me. I ran and by the time I got the three feet to her she was already down on the ground. I lifted her in my arms and I could feel the warm liquid moving over my hands…I looked down at her body and tears pooled in my eyes. Oh god…oh Chloe…I failed again…she can’t die I need her I can’t do this without her…..
“Chloe? Chloe. Chloe!”
She gasped at me and her breath was coming in quick spirts.
“Clark, I'm not crazy.”
Please…please don’t leave me….everyone I love leaves me….not Chloe too…
She looked into my eyes and her voice was fading..
“I..lov…you…”
I felt wet drops pouring down my cheeks. I didn’t even realize I was crying…I screamed and rocked her in my arms..
“No. No! Chloe? Chloe?”
and then I felt her body go limp against mine…I put my head down…..this was my last chance and I blew it… I promised to protect Chloe and the baby….and again I couldn’t do it… I was loosing both of them….it was just then that I realized something…I glanced at Chloe’s stomach…she wasn’t pregnant…that’s…not right….this couldn’t be real…Chloe isn’t pregnant….a spark of hope ignited in me while my blood covered body was dragged away from Chloe’s lifeless one.
(Clark’s Thoughts)
They had me in a straight jacket…they had me sitting here and everything around me seemed like it was spinning out of control. Nothing made any sense…They keep telling me that Chloe is dead….that I was there when she was shot and killed…but that wasn’t Chloe…I know it wasn’t. I keep trying to tell them that Chloe was pregnant and the woman who was shot was not and therefore it couldn’t have been her…every time I say that they shoot me up with more drugs…so I obviously stopped voicing my opinion on the matter.
The doctor’s, Nurse’s, patients…they all had the names of the people I knew and loved…the people I said were part of my world. Milton Fine…Raya…A.C…Oliver Queen…Victor Stone…there all here and yet they weren’t. Nothing was what it should be and I was starting to think that everyone was right. I am lost…I am crazy and my heart hurts so bad I feel likes it’s been ripped out of my body and put into a blender…I miss Chloe…she was the only one who believed me…I didn’t even get to tell her I loved her…
An hour ago Dr. Hudson took Meteor rock out in front of me…I cowered away until I realized it wasn’t having any effect on me at all. Maybe they were all right…maybe I wasn’t who I thought I was. Maybe everything has all been in my mind…and maybe if they think that they could help me…I should let them…
(Clark POV)
I was in my room sitting against the wall when I heard someone speaking to me…calling my name. I walked over to the bars on my window and it was the same guy from earlier…the one who claimed to be from Mars. He spoke through the bars on my room.
“You can't give in, Kal-El. You must resist. None of this is real.”
I shook my head and moved away from him. I laid on my bed dejectedly.
“Leave me alone.”
His voice was quiet but firm.
“Listen to me. When you were attacked in the barn, you were infected by a being that you released from the Phantom Zone.”
I shook my head again…no…no…I’m sick…there is no Phantom Zone…
“The Phantom Zone doesn't exist.”
He sighed.
“Yes, it does. And if you were a human, that spirit would have taken you over with ease, like Zod did with Lex Luthor. But you're a lot stronger than that. You're Kryptonian.”
I gave him a bitter chuckle…
“You're a patient in a mental hospital. You're just as crazy as I am.”
He spoke louder now…his voice was determined but I didn’t care…I wanted Chloe back and I was tired of fighting…I was tired of being alone.
“If you give in to Hudson and undergo this treatment, the entity will gain control of your body with all its powers and unite the other fugitives from the Phantom Zone. Together, they'll enslave all of mankind.”
I sat up and looked at him. He seemed serious…but you never know…I gave him an appraising look…and spoke.
“If this is all in my head, then how are you here?”
He took a deep breath.
“I'm in your mind as well, trying to help. But there's only one way to purge this parasite and regain your consciousness. You have to kill Hudson.”
Is he kidding me? What is it with everyone wanting me to kill people. Every damn person on this planet and the next is always trying to turn me into a murdered…
“Kill Hudson? I can't kill a man.”
His voice was harsh.
“He's not a man. Hudson's a Phantom.”
If he was going to be so insistent I was going to through his own words back in his face.
“You told me not to trust anyone. Why should I trust you?”
His voice was soft…
“You know who you are, Kal-El. Trust yourself.”
Just them some guards cam over and started giving him a hard time. They were trying to over power him and he glanced back at me..
“Look within. Believe in yourself. The future of mankind depends on it.”
The guard started taunting him with fire saying something about Mars begin a red-hot planet and then knocked him out a couple seconds later. I watched two of them drag him away while the third cam and spoke to me.
“It's time, Mr. Kent.”
I nodded and he opened the door to my room and I followed him into a room where Lana and Dr. Hudson were waiting for me.
They strapped me down to a cold table in the room. Lana was standing off behind a glass window and I could see her smiling…I wanted that to be Chloe…they told me all the pain I was feeling would go away once this was done…it would all be better…I need it to be better I need to be normal….I saw Dr. Hudson getting a large drill ready. He turned it on and started moving it toward my head…As I was laying there something just didn’t feel right…something was off I was about to close my eyes and just let everything go when I heard a noise that sounded vaguely familiar…was that…yea it was. A dog barking…I looked up startled.
“Shelby?”
Oh my god that guy was right…I’m still in the barn…which means all of this is fake…Chloe’s not dead…My voice became stronger as I spoke.
“I'm still in the barn.”
I heard more barking and I started to fight back against my restraints. The doctor’s voice seemed cold all of a sudden as he spoke.
“Settle down, son.”
Shelby barked more and I pulled harder at my bonds.
“I know who I am!”
He barked louder and an orderly tried to stop me.
“Just relax, Mr. Kent, please.”
Then Dr. Hudson spoke frantically.
“Clark, Stop it! You're having another episode. Think about Lana. You could be together at last.”
Shelby just kept on barking I looked up at the window and Lana was fading…then I saw Chloe…I saw her laughing with her hand on her stomach…she was saying something but I couldn’t hear it. I ripped out and started throwing the orderlies out of my way…I needed to get to her right before she disappeared I saw her lips moving and I concentrated on them….she was saying…come home Clark…that did it. I grabbed the doctor around his throat and squeezed.
“Get out of my mind!”
As I held onto him tighter I saw his face change into the phantom and the scenery around me suddenly changed and I was back in the barn. The man in my mind…the one from Mars was standing above me with some kind of device that I saw the phantom fly into. When I could finally feel it out of my body I stood up slowly and faced the man in my barn.
“It's you.”
He nods and his eyes glowed red.
“Welcome home, Kal-El.”
He took off flying out of the barn in a streak of red just as I saw Chloe slowing jogging in.
I heard her voice and felt joy for what felt like the first time in days. I turned around and faced her. She looked confused.
“Clark? Clark, are you all right?”
I pulled her to me and kissed her…it lasted for a while and when we were done I just kissed her again. When she pulled away I grabbed her in my arms and hugged her tightly. She tried to move away but I wouldn’t let her go.
“Not yet…”
She patted my arm and I moved her back so I could look into her eyes. Her eyebrows were draw together and she looked like she had a million questions.
“Hey…”
I cut her off. I took a deep breath and looked her right in the eyes.
“I love you Chloe.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly open. I chuckled and shook my head.
“I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it…but I am so in love with you. I’m sorry I made you wait so long…I’m so we missed out on so much time because I was caught up with other things…just know I won’t miss out on anymore time now…I’m here not with anyone else just you.”
Her confusion only got larger but she smiled.
“I love you to Clark…”
I smiled and kissed her again. Oh man…I could kiss Chloe forever..
(Chloe POV)
We headed in the house and he started to tell me about what happened. Apparently the Phantom was messing with Clark. I shook my head things are definitely never boring here. His voice held disbelief when he spoke.
“You're sure I was only out for a second?”
I nodded.
“I was walking from my car when I heard you fall, and by the time I got to the barn, you were on your feet.”
He rubbed his neck.
“It felt like a lifetime.”
He didn’t exactly go into details about his little dream world but me being ever the reporter, I wanted to know. I moved into his arms on the couch and he smiled and wrapped his arm around me.
“So, who was I in your alternate universe? Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet? Or a Pulitzer Prize winner, maybe?”
He hesitated and then gave me a dodgy smile.
“Something like that, yeah. The important part is... you were the one person who believed in me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Chloe.”
I chuckled. There was something he wasn’t telling me…but I’d leave it…if he needed to talk about it I know he’d come to me. So I decided a joke would bode better.
“Oh, is this when I'm supposed to cue the Barry Manilow music?”
He grinned.
“No, seriously. I love you Chloe.”
My smile lit up the whole room…I don’t think I’d ever get used to him saying that…but you better believe I’ll make sure he says it’s enough so that I do!
“I love you too.”
If this was how life was going to be from now on…it’s definitely something I could get used to.
Chapter 8 Part A
(Clark POV)
I was in the barn fixing the wheel on the tractor. I was waiting on Chloe. She went out a few hours ago with Lois to try and get her mind off of Oliver. I glanced at my watch. She should be getting home soon. I think she’s bringing Lois with her. We’re planning on telling her tonight that Jimmy is the baby’s father and not me. Chloe has been telling me for weeks that we needed to tell everyone. But I’ve been putting it off, making excuses because…well…would it be so bad if they thought he was mine? But since he’s Chloe and she thinks this is the right thing to do we are going to tell Lois tonight and everyone else tomorrow. I saw Shelby walk over by me just as I finished fixing the wheel. I spun it to make sure it worked.
“There we go. Well, Shelby, what do you say we call it a night, huh?”
I started rubbing his ears and knelt down next to him.
“Shelby? Your friend Chloe's gonna be here any minute. Any minute. Thanks for your help, buddy.”
I smiled and got up. I began walking away when Shelby started to growl…he ran up to the loft and looked at me. What was going on with that dog? I followed him up to the loft and looked around but no one was there.
“Shelby?”
I looked at him confused and he kept on barking and snarling. I bent down by him.
“Shelby, what is it? Shelby?”
He just wouldn’t stop growling and I x-rayed the loft but just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. But nothing was there
“What's wrong, boy? You see something I don't?”
All of a sudden I felt something attack me from behind it threw me over the loft railing and I yelled out not from being afraid but from the shock. No one ever really catches me off guard like that. I landed hard on the barn floor and when I opened my eyes I was extremely confused with the sight I saw. The walls around me were white and I was sitting in a chair with a group of people around me. Oh my god…what happened? Where am I? Who the hell are all these people…I heard someone calling my name and I tried to focus on it and stop the cascade of thought flowing through my head. The voice was shrill and sing songy.
“Clark.”
When I didn’t answer he changed his voice back to normal and called out.
“Earth to super freak.”
Everyone laughed and my head snapped up. Super freak…they couldn’t possibly know about my abilities…this has to be a trick….something Lex set up…but how?
I heard an older gentleman speak. He looked like he was in charge so I faced him. His voice was calm like he was talking to children.
“Everyone, please, sit down. Are you still with us, Clark?”
How does everyone know who I am? When I spoke was voice was semi frantic and a little loud.
“What's going on?”
The man sighed.
“Well, you said that you and your dog were in the barn when you heard something. And then you left us for a bit.”
What the hell was he talking about? I don’t even know who these people are I would never tell them about what goes on in my life especially if it involves my alien side. I took a deep breath. Ok I need to figure this out I was just in the barn…maybe if I ask someone here they’ll tell me what’s going on. I tried to calm my voice down but that wasn’t going so well.
“What are you talking about? How'd I get here?”
The people around me chuckled again. A guy who looked a little older then me with the nametag Arthur spoke to me in a sarcastic voice.
“So, what attacked you? Was it a Kryptofreak again?”
He laughed and I almost died. How does he know about the Kryptonians…This can’t be real…
Then another guy whose name was Victor interrupted the laughter.
“No, no, no, I know. It was a spirit from the Phantom Zone, right, Kal-El?”
No…it…it can’t be…these people were all laughing at me…at my heritage. They were looking at me like I was some kind of freak…This is why I never told people about who I was…this is what I was afraid of…why would I tell these people…why am I here. I tried to speak as firmly as I could.
“How do you know that name?”
He snickered.
“'Cause you never shut up about it, oh, great son of Jor-El.”
I looked at him with shock on my face. I would never tell random people about that…Never.
The older gentlemen clapped his hands and tried to get everyone’s attention.
“Settle down, gentlemen.”
To men dressed in white started to come over to me and put their hands on my upper arms. I jumped up and away from them. What’s going on….this really isn’t good I need to get out of here and find Chloe…she’ll be able to help me.
“Wait, back off!”
The older guy stood up and tried to use a calming voice with me.
“Take it easy, Clark. Take those deep breaths we talked about.”
Deep breaths we talked about? Who the hell was this guy? I’ve never seen him before a day in my life…These people are crazy!
“Who are you?”
He sighs.
“It's me... Dr. Hudson.”
He spoke it slowly as if I was hard of hearing or slow on the uptake. The two guys cam back and grabbed me from behind I jerked my body around gently and tried to warn them.
“Hold on. I don't want to have to hurt anyone.”
Arthur giggled and spoke in a crude tone.
“Why don't you just use your super speed and run away?”
I tried to overpower the guards…but I couldn’t…oh god…my powers…there gone…they must have done something to me…how am I going to get out of here without my powers…I started moving my body frantically. I was terrified of what these people were going to do to me. I started screaming for help because I didn’t know what else to do.
“What? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want? What's happening?! Let me go! Let me go! Please, someone! Why am I here?!”
I kept on screaming as they dragged me away down a long barely lit hallway. When we reached the end they threw me into a room that looked more like a cell and locked me in it. I ran to the door and put my hands on the small bars screaming at the orderlies.
“Please…please don’t leave me here….help me please….I’m a good person I don’t hurt people….there gonna hurt me here….”
My voice faded out as they walked away ignoring me…I fell to the floor on my knees…what was I going to do…I don’t have my mom…I don’t have Chloe…I don’t have my powers…all I have is me and somehow I just always seem to fall short of everyone’s expectations…even my own. I put my head in my hands and for once I prayed…
Back in The Real World…
(Chloe POV)
Lois and I were sitting in the Talon. We had just gotten back from a movie and Lois was looking into her cup of coffee as if it held all the answers to the world. I needed something to distract her. I know that Clark and I said we were going to tell Lois together about the baby but technically since the baby wasn’t his I didn’t really need him here to tell her. Telling Lana and everyone else…that was a different story. But Lois was my blood…she’d understand. I nudged her foot under the table and she smiled wistfully at me.
“What’s up cuz?”
I took a deep breath. It was now o never.
“I have to tell you something.”
She leaned closer and I could see her over protective nature kick in…Ah ha go Chloe step number one complete her immediate thoughts are no longer on Oliver…there on me!
“Whatever it is Chloe you know you can tell me…is it Smallville did he do something to hurt you? I’ll kill him.”
Her voice was fierce and I laughed.
“Actually is does have to do with Clark but not in the way you think…you remember when I was in the hospital?”
Lois gave me an are you kidding look.”
“It’s not a site that I’ll soon forget.”
I nodded.
“Well I was told the only people who were aloud to stay with me for the first day or so was family.”
She mad an affirmative motion again.
“Get to the point Chlo…my patients has been running thin lately.”
She tried to say it sternly but I could see her smile slipping through.
“Ok …Long story short? Clark lied…He said the baby was his so that he could stay at the hospital with me…but he not…Clarks I mean.”
Lois’s mouth was wide open and I grinned. I didn’t think in all the time I’ve know Lois I have ever made her speechless…Score two for me! Her mouth was floundering like a fish before she composed herself and sat back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest and a glare in my direction.
“You mean to tell me…you and Smallville have been lying to me all this time? Just wait till I get my hands on that farmboy…he’s a dead man.”
I chuckled.
“I thought you’d be happy to know the baby isn’t Clarks.”
She nodded.
“Oh trust me I am. I couldn’t imagine what his genes combined with yours would be like. Your kid would come out awkwardly inquisitive and having a clumsy reporter never works out well. He’d be trying to get the latest stories while fumbling all over himself…”
I made a face.
“Clark’s not that bad Lois…really.”
She winced and then gave me a hard look.
“I know…and now I have to be nice to him for a little while because here he is doing all this stuff for you…taking care of you and the baby…and it’s not even his. I’d be damned if Clark Kent wasn’t the most honest, loyal and naïve farmboy alive.”
She shook her head but had a smirk planted firmly on her lips. I smiled. She’s right…Clark is amazing and I love him so much…I rubbed my stomach. I wondered how it was going at the farm with fixing the tractors wheel. Clark was always trying to fix everything and anything. I wanted to spend the night at home curled up with him but Lois had called and he told me to go. He said she needed someone and he be waiting for me when I got home. Hopefully he fixed it already so that when I get home we could have some alone time…nice just me and Clark. I grinned as Lois continued mocking Clark…Hey I’m loyal to my man but if Lois was making fun of Clark and not moping over Oliver I’m sure Clark wouldn’t mind so much…after all my goal is to be helping Lois tonight…
(Clark POV)
I’ve been pacing around this room for what felt like hours…There are bars on the doors bars on the windows…it’s like I’m some kind of animal in captivity! I’m going out of my mind. I saw some guards passing my cell and ran up to the door trying to reason with them. My voice came out desperate.
“I don't belong in here! I'm not crazy. I don't belong here.”
My voice elevated at the end of the sentence. Oh yeah…there really gonna believe that Clark with the way your acting it’s no wonder they think your nuts…calm down. The guard slapped the window with a stick.
“Back away from the door.”
I tried to grab him and try my luck at over powering him but it didn’t work.
“Back away from the door!”
He yelled and in walked that Dr. Hudson guy. I was frantically searching for answers and what better way then asking this guy who apparently new everything.
“How'd I get here?”
He moved in closer and shook his head. He didn’t break eye contact with me when he spoke.
“Think back, Clark. You know how that happened.”
I shook my head and paced the length of the room. Yeah Lex managed to somehow get me into 33.1 and take away my powers…how good freakin question. There was frustration in my voice when I spoke.
“Someone or something attacked me in my barn. This is 33.1... It's Lex. He's always wanted to get me under his microscope.”
He sighed and sat on the small bed in the corner.
“I'm afraid your obsession with Lex Luthor is part of the fantasy world that you created after you experienced your psychotic break.”
Haha…psychotic break…good one! He’s insane…this is all part of his plans he wants me to think I’m nuts….he wants me to..to admit things and….just not question him. No way. I know I’m not crazy…and if I could just find Chloe maybe I’d be able to prove it…I hope she’s ok…Oh man this is…it’s crazy everyone here is crazy. I nodded my head and spoke to him with venom in my voice.
“Oh, I get it. You want me to think I'm crazy.”
Again he shook his head and spoke calmly. I really wish he wouldn’t do that it’s pissing me off and making me even angrier.
“I would prefer not to use pejoratives. You suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. You have for a number of years... after the death of your birth parents in the Smallville meteor shower.”
I shook my head I’ve had it with them. These people though I was crazy…that my whole life was a hallucination…but it’s not. I faced him and my voice was unwavering.
“See, it's not true. My birth parents were out of town for the meteor shower.”
“You were placed in the wonderful adoptive home of the Kents. But like many children, you invented a make-believe world to help you deal with the trauma you endured. You convinced yourself that you came from another planet, that you possessed special powers and you used them to save humanity.”
I shook my head and started pacing again. I wouldn’t let him get to me. I couldn’t I won’t give anything about myself away. That’s what he wants…that’s what Lex wants.
“Whatever you're trying to do, it's not gonna work.”
He stood up and walked over to me. He tried to place his hand on my shoulder but I jerked away from him and he moved towards the door.
“An active imagination wasn't a problem when you were a boy. But when you entered your freshman year at high school, you slipped permanently into your fantasy world.
This isn't a game, Clark. You're sick. And your condition is getting worse. But the good news is, I have developed a new treatment that will cure you.”
And what…he thought I’d let him give me this magical cure? Over my dead body…I’d have to six feet under before I cooperated with anything that Lex was involved in…Screw you man I don’t but this act and I’ll find a way to prove to myself that my life isn’t a lie.
“Tell Lex that I don't buy it.”
His constant sighed was making me want to strangle him. He had a sad look on his face as he shook his head.
“Lex isn't your nemesis. And 33.1 doesn't exist. For the last 5 1/2 years, you've been a resident of the Fairview Psychiatric Hospital. Everything else -- your superpowers, your alien lineage, your secret identity... it's all a delusion.”
I wanted to scream…how do you prove something that no one else thinks is real…something there isn’t any proof of where you are but something that YOU KNOW is true…
It was a few hours later and I was in a main room looking around. Everyone was doing their own things. Some were painting, others watching TV and some were screaming and getting carried out of the room. I heard a woman’s voice come over an intercom.
“Time for medication.”
Then a man in a white outfit came over and started rounding everyone up.
“All right, let's go. Keep on moving. Keep on moving. That means you, too. Let's go.”
The nurse spoke to one of the patients and reprimanded him.
“Don't hide that pill under your tongue. Swallow it.”
As I stood in line a man started to speak over my shoulder. His voice was soft and conspirital.
“You're not crazy, Kal-El. We don't have much time, so listen to me closely. I believe you're from another planet.”
I hesitated even though his voice sounded so sincere. I wanted to spill everything to him just because he was the first person who finally believed me…but I didn’t I had to play this cool.
“What makes you say that?”
He spoke again quietly.
“Because like you, I'm not from here. I come from mars. You can't trust anyone.”
Great…Mars huh? I swear Chloe was right about the weirdos that I attract. but something in me wanted to believe him. I saw two men walk over to him and inject him with something that brought him to his knees. I turned and yelled out.
“Hey!”
He glared at me.
“Don't even think about it.”
I watched them drag him away when I saw a hallway that was joined to where they were taking him. When they weren’t looking I saw a janitor and knocked him unconscious. I pulled him into the janitors closet and switched our clothes. I came out of the closet with a baseball cap on my head and continued to walk toward the exit. When I got out of the building I ditched the cap and ran as fast as I could with out my powers. Don’t let it be said that I’m not resourceful. I made it out of there but it’s not nearly the end…I have to find my mom and Chloe make sure there ok and then I need to find a way to get back home…where I’m needed.
Chapter 8 Part B
(Clark POV)
I ran all the way back to the farm. By the time I got there I was sweating and having trouble breathing. I walked into the kitchen and tried to catch my breath. I glanced around and everything looked the same but the house felt….different…cold. I searched frantically for my mother and Chloe. They have to be here. Where else would they be? I went upstairs and ripped apart all the rooms. Nothing. I shook my head…The barn! My mom might not be there but I know Chloe would be. I walked into the loft and slowly went up the stairs. I called out my voice slightly wavering.
“Mom? Chloe!”
The person I saw was the last person I expected to be in my loft alone…It was Lana…what was she doing here? Oh my god…was she helping Lex? I felt a stab of pain in my chest. Her face brightened when she saw me. I squinted at her. She looked different…innocent.
“Clark, you're home! I can't believe it!”
She threw her arms around me and hugged my body tightly. I moved away from her and she seemed startled. I held her at arms length and looked into her eyes. They were glowing with happiness. I was so confused. I looked around the loft and noticed all her stuff was in it. It was like she had taken over my domain and made it a Lana shrine.
“What are you doing here? What are all your things doing in the loft?”
She stepped back and the smile left her face. She tilted her head and her eyes went from happy to concerned. She placed a gentle hand on my arm and I looked down at it. I got an itch to pull my arm away but I didn’t…everything here felt off. Something was wrong and I was desperately trying to figure out what it was. Her voice was soft when she spoke…trying to make me understand.
“Clark, this is my home now. After your dad passed away, Nell and I bought the farm from your mom.”
She moved over and pointed to my telescope. I took that down months ago. What was it doing back up there?
She grinned.
“Not everything has changed. I kept this. You once said that looking through it brought me closer to you. And having it here makes me feel like you're always with me.”
What the hell was she talking about? I haven’t felt close to Lana in over a year and I certainly didn’t want her standing in MY loft with all of her crap lying around. Chloe was supposed to be here…she’s always here…I shook my head.
“I don't understand.”
She nodded and looked at me sympathetically. She walked over slowly and gave me a sad smile as she rubbed my arm. At this point this…Pod Lana touching me made me want to rip off my skin. I wish she’d stop it.
“I know. This must be really hard for you. You've been gone a long time and a lot has changed. But none of that matters anymore. Freshman year, you promised me that we would never be apart. You were right.”
Ok…it’s official I am not the one who should have been institutionalized…apparently that should have been Lana. We weren’t together freshmen year. She was with Whitney…yea I was in love with her then but she didn’t see me that way…at least not at first. I looked around the loft again trying to see where all my stuff was. As I glanced around I caught sight of things that I haven’t had around in years. After a couple of sentences I spoke slowly to Lana so she could hear every word.
“We weren't dating then. You... you were with Whitney.”
She made a face and laughed. She raised an eyebrow at me.
“The football jock? Clark... there's only one person I've ever been in love with... you. It's okay. The doctor said that you'd suffer mild amnesia after the treatment.”
I closed my eyes. I really don’t know what I did to deserve this but whatever it was….I take it back. I promise never to do it again if you just let me find my mom and Chloe…This…this can’t be my home…it just can’t be…I’m not…crazy. I tried to speak as calmly as I could to Lana.
“What treatment? I didn't have any treatment.”
She shook her head.
“But you were released from the hospital.”
I looked at her warily and spoke in a hard voice.
“I wasn't released. I escaped. Lex Luthor put me in that hellhole.”
Lana shook her head and moved away from me. Her eyes were a bit wide and very sad.
“Lex didn't put you in there.”
I yelled at her then because I couldn’t take it anymore. Look at me everyone thinks I’m going crazy all because of Lex and she still defends him! I bet he could be ending the world and she’d stand there next to him saying…he has a good reason to destroy the world Clark…
“No! That's not right! I don't care if you two are engaged -- stop protecting him!”
She took another step back and her expression went from startled to frightened. She took a deep breath and her speech was slightly trembling.
“I hardly know Lex Luthor. I'm gonna call the hospital.”
I grabbed her and shook her body. She made a noise and I grabbed tighter.
“No, stop. You're lying. You're in on this, aren't you? He sent you here! That's why you're here -- to distract me until he shows up. Where is Chloe Lana!!!”
I jerked her body hard a few times.
“Where is she?”
Lana looked like she was about to cry and her voice came out shaky.
“Please stop.”
I suddenly felt extremely guilty. I needed to try and keep myself together and this was helping me any. My voice was softer this time and I let her go.
“What did Lex do with my mother? Where is she?!”
Lana rubbed her arms and sniffled slightly. She shook her head and her voice was soft.
“She's probably at the mansion -- the Luthor mansion. Clark...”
I didn’t listen to what else she was saying I just left. The Luthor mansion…I don’t know what she was doing there but I didn’t care. if that’s where I could find her I’d go. She’ll know what’s going on and she’ll be able to find Chloe and together we can all figure this out…yea…it’ll all be ok soon…
Back in the Real World…
(Lex POV)
I slammed down the receiver of my phone and then swiped my arm across the desk and threw everything violently off of it. The green arrow and his merry men hit another 33.1 facility.
When I found this guy not only was he going to pay but I was going to keep him conscious during every part of his dismemberment. This isn’t just some random Meteor Freak either…it’s someone who knows me. Someone who is out for revenge. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was Clark…but there is no way he can manage being in all these different places at once. So it wasn’t him. But who then? It’s not like there aren’t hundreds of people waiting in line to get back at me...but the difference is very few people would actually manage to get through all the layers that I have set out. Only someone with vast resources and an inner knowledge of me would be able to infiltrate my labs. I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts. There was a commotion outside my office door and I shook my head. People and there incompetence. I was about to get up and start yelling at people when I heard a familiar voice. I sat back down and raised an eyebrow as I listened from inside my office.
“Excuse me miss…Mr. Luthor has asked not to be bothered.”
“I’ll just be a minute.”
I heard my new secretary call security and I smirked. This should be interesting. I folded my hands together and waited.
“Get your hand’s off of me now. Do you know who I am?”
I could hear my assistant come from down the hall and start explaining to the men that they were manhandling my pregnant fiancé. Lana sounded absolutely livid. She was screaming.
“The two of you call yourself security? If I was such a threat to Mr. Luthor then you should have intercepted me downstairs. No wonder Lex is always getting hurt…the people he has working for him are incompetent.”
I chuckled. I had been thinking the same thing.
“And you…if you were doing your job right you wouldn’t have had to call security. As Lex’s assistant you are the face people see before they see him and therefore you should be well versed with the people he associates with on a day to day basis meaning you should know who I AM!”
I’m not sure if I mentioned this recently but I love Lana Lang. I got up and opened my office door. Everyone turned to face me and Lana gave me a half smile.
“Hey Lex…”
I walked over and gave her a kiss. I put my hand on the small of her back and looked around.
“Is everything ok Lana?”
She nodded. I looked at my new assistant who would most likely be let go later that afternoon and spoke directly to her.
“Please get my fiancé a glass of sparkling water. We’ll be in my office.”
I moved her with me and closed the door behind us. She looked around the office and raised an eyebrow. I chuckled and waved her expression off.
“It’s been a bad morning.”
“I can see that.”
I leaned against the desk and she looked down then back at me.
“I’m sorry about that Lex…she just made me so mad and then they grabbed me…I didn’t mean to cause a scene. This is a place of business…your business and I shouldn’t have over stepped my bounds.”
I grinned in her direction and pulled her to me. I gave her a kiss and then laughed.
“Lana…in a few weeks you’ll be my wife and what’s mine is yours. You had every right to say something. They should know who you are and no one should be putting there hands on you…ever I won’t allow that. So it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
She nodded and sat down. Lana doesn’t usually show up unannounced I wonder why she was here…not that I minded.
“So what brings you to my domain?”
She grinned and rested her hand on her slightly protruding stomach.
“I came by because this Friday night I need to make sure your schedule is clear.”
I smiled and stroked her hand gently.
“My schedule is always clear for you Lana…do we have dinner plans I didn’t know about?”
She gave me a hesitant smile.
“Kind of…you and I are going out to dinner with friends on Friday.”
I raised an eyebrow and chuckled. I wasn’t aware Lana and I had mutual friends. She could hear the amusement in my voice and she pouted.
“I see and who are these friends we’re dinning with.”
“Chloe and Clark…and before you say anything and interrupt me I worked very hard to get Chloe to agree. I know the two of you aren’t getting along and I respect that. But you are both extremely important to me and I need the two of you to at least tolerate each other…just for one night. Please.”
I sighed. personally I didn’t mind. I enjoyed getting on Clarks nerves and Chloe was a good sparring partner until she got annoying.
“And Clark how long did it take to convince him?”
Lana actually looked away from me when I asked that.
“Well…Chloe hasn’t exactly told him yet…but she’s going to.”
I laughed. This is definitely a dinner I wouldn’t miss. I spoke to Lana for a few more minutes then she left saying she had an appointment for some kind of fitting. My cell phone rang not long after the door closed behind her.
“Hello.”
“Mr. Luthor…it’s Dr. Rhinhouse.”
I sat down.
“What can I do for you doctor?”
I heard some clanking in the background and shook my head.
“I wanted to let you know that the last of the supplement has been given to the patient and she should be ready for the first test in a weeks time.”
I smiled. Perfect. Just in time.
“Thank you doctor.”
I disconnected then call and leaned back in my chair. I smiled. Things were finally falling into place. The green arrow and his men might be invading my labs…but the real project was walking around town without a care in the world. I can’t wait to burst her perfect little bubble. After I find out the extent of her powers and I retrieve the source of said powers she won’t be of any use to me and I will then accomplish what many before me have tried and failed to do. I will kill Chloe Sullivan…
(Clark POV)
I walked into the mansion and glanced around for my mom. I never realized how much energy it took for people to run around all over the place. After searching half the mansion I spotted my mom in the study putting the phone back in its cradle. Oh god I’ve never been so happy to see anyone before.
“Mom? Thank god, you're okay.”
I ran over to her and hugged her. When she spoke she seemed both cautious and relieved.
“Oh, Clark! Oh, I've been a wreck all day. Everyone at the hospital is so worried about you.”
I stepped out of her arms like I’d been slapped. No…there’s no way my mom would know I was in a place like that and let me stay there…
“You knew I was in that place?”
She nodded like it was the most normal thing I the world. Now that I was listening closely her voice seemed different.
“Dr. Hudson called Lionel the moment you disappeared. They've both been looking for you.”
Lionel…what did he have to do with this? Why did my mom let them keep me in that place? What id Lionel was pretending to help us…he probably told Lex all about me and they have been working together all this time to…to…my thoughts faded and I spoke to my mom.
“Lionel? He must be in on it. He must have told Lex the truth about me.”
She shook her head and took a step away from me.
“Clark, please, try to calm down.”
I was shaking my head again. I was frantic…how could I calm down. I can’t find one sane person in this whole freakin town! I paced and got a crazy look in my eyes.
“Calm down? Mom, you don't understand. They put me in that asylum. They took away my powers.”
She shook her head back and forth and tried to put a hand on my arm but I pulled my body away from her. Her touch was just like Lana’s empty.
“No, sweetheart... it'll be all right.”
I turned around all of a sudden and grabbed her arm trying to move her by the door.
“Mom, we have to get you out of here. We have to get you away from Lionel.”
She pulled her arm away from me and gave me a hard look. Her stance was firm and her voice left no room for interruption.
“No, Clark. Lionel and I are married now. I-I meant to tell you, but I-I was afraid of how you'd react.”
I stumbled back and gave her a stricken look. How could she marry Lionel behind my back? How could she do that to dad? My voice was barley a whisper and it came out edged with shock and horror.
“How could you?”
her voice was gentle.
“He's a good, decent man. Lionel's made sure you've gotten better care than I could ever afford.”
I snapped. I can’t listen to her talk about this…not anymore. I screamed din her face to try and get my point across.
“He's been lying to you!”
She shook her head and her voice was now stern.
“No, Clark. Dr. Hudson's treatment will make you well again. Please, I just want my son back.”
She wants her son back? We;; guess what I want my mother back…I don’t know how much more I could take of this…they all seem so sincere and there all saying the same things…maybe I have been making all of this up…I shook my head. No this wasn’t my life….I just know it.
“No, you're coming with me right now.”
I pulled her along while she protested.
“No, no, I –“
She dropped her purse and I saw a bottle of prescription pills hit the floor. I frowned and bent down to pick them up. I read the bottle and it said Mrs. Martha Luthor on it. I snorted and then realized what was happening.
“They're drugging you, too.”
She looked at me sadly.
“Clark, those are my allergy pills.”
I saw her lean over and hit a button on the phone causing a loud alarm to sound throughout the mansion. I looked at her with hurt on my face.
“What are you doing?”
She glanced around the room and then at me and shook her head sadly.
“You need help, Clark.”
I wanted to cry. I was a grown man who just wanted to break down.
“Mom, you don't understand what's going on. You're coming with me.”
She frowned.
“No.”
I moved toward her and yelled.
“Right now!”
“No!”
The doors busted opened and two guards came into the room I’m assuming to stop me. I was trying to fight them off while talking to my mom.
“Come on! Mom! You have to –“
I was cut off by her yelling when one of the guards knocked me down.
“Please, don't hurt him!”
I was able to get away from both of them and I ran outside as fast as my feet would carry me. I heard a gunshot and pushed myself further. I could hear the guards screaming behind me.
“Stop! “
I didn’t listen just kept going.
“There's nowhere to run, Mr. Kent. Just relax and put your hands behind you.”
As they caught up to me with a gun pulled out I saw a car stop nearby. The passenger door popped open I pushed passed the guard and dove into the car. We took off and I looked behind us as several shots were fired. I didn’t know who was in this car and I didn’t care…Whoever it was had to be better then them. I finally glanced at the person next to me and I was shocked…
About twenty-five minutes later I was standing outside the Talon with Chloe. The moment I laid eyes on her relief flooded me. Chloe’s here and she’ll help me…I know it. God I had missed her. I watched her unloading the car.
“Chloe, how'd you find me?”
She grinned.
“Are you kidding me? I've been in GPS mode ever since my contact I.M.'d me about the breakout this morning.”
I nodded and smiled. That’s my Chloe. My smile turned to a frown.
“Look, I can't stay here. I don't want to get you involved.”
She shook her head and we went inside. Her voice was forceful but not mean.
“Clark, I already am involved. You think you're the only one whose life's been turned upside down by the Luthors? Why do you think I've been under the radar?”
What is she talking about. I haven’t heard anyone so much as mention her name since I’ve been out here.
“Chloe, they're after me, not you.”
We got upstairs to the Talon apartment and she put her stuff down.
“They're after both of us. Now, don't ditch your sidekick till you get your powers back. You might need me to cover you.”
I smiled. I walked over, grabbed her in my arms and kissed her. She seemed taken aback at first but then leaned into the embrace and the kiss. We broke a part a minute later and I rested my forehead against hers.
“I really missed you Chlo…I'm glad to see you. I was beginning to think I was actually losing it.”
She gave me a soft smile and gently flicked my chin.
“Chin up, Clark - once we get this thing on the front page, father and son Luthor are gonna be wearing matching orange jumpsuits.”
I nodded and gave her another soft kiss. When I pulled away I spoke seriously to her.
“Lex... I gotta go see him.
She looked worried.
“Wait a minute. You just got out, Clark. You're gonna go back into the devil's lair? Lex is more dangerous than ever right now.”
My face-hardened.
“Even more reason to stop him.”
But she shook her head. Her voice was intense and her eyes bore into mine.
“No, Clark, you don't have your powers back. You could get hurt like everyone else.”
I had to stop Lex and get everything back to normal.
“Powers or no powers, I won't let him do this to me.”
She sighed but finally stopped trying to convince me not to go. She dug her keys out of her pocket and handed them to me..
“All right, fine. Since your super speeds out of gas, take my Yaris. And be careful.”
I nodded, leaned my head against her for another minute kissed her and then went to leave. I heard her voice call out to me before I left. I turned and she hesitated.
“I just….I want you to know…if anything happens…just know that…I love you Clark.”
I froze and in that moment I knew. It was almost as if everything flashed before my eyes at once. I saw myself meeting Chloe for the first time, I saw her giving me my first kiss in the loft, I saw every time she was there for me all of my secrets she kept. Her devotion, her suffering. Every time she put her needs aside for mine and didn’t expect anything in return. Every kind word she threw my way even though I didn’t deserve half of them. She has been the one constant thing in my world for as long as I can remember. Throughout all the changes in my life Chloe has always been there and she always will be. Everything finally clicked and I could now define what I’ve been feeling all this time…it was love. I was in love with Chloe Sullivan…
Chapter 8 Part C
(Clark POV)
I pushed open the door’s to Lex’s office and barged in. He looked up at me and I saw hatred on his face.
“Surprised to see me?”
He was sitting behind his desk and his voice was cold as ice. His brows drew together and his expression turned hard.
“My father said you were out. I just never thought you'd have the nerve to show your face.”
Never thought I’d have the nerve? Is he kidding me…he locks me in some mental institution…takes my powers away and turns everything upside down and yet some how im to blame? My voice was loud but I wasn’t yelling.
“You may have taken my powers, Lex, but I'm not afraid of you. And I won't let you ruin my life.”
He gave me a bitter chuckle. And his eyes were fierce at they bore into me. His voice was seething.
“Your... your life. I think you have that a little backwards. Did you forget our little run-in on the Loeb Bridge five years ago?”
How could I forget…it was the day Lex Luthor cam into my life…I should have listened to my dad then…instead I made the mistake of giving him a chance…look where that got us. I snorted.
“When you save someone's life, you tend to remember.”
If looks could kill I think I might have been a couple hundred feet below my grave with the glare Lex sent my way. He was shaking his head in furry.
“You really think you saved me. Well, then, let me refresh your memory.”
He moved back from his desk and now I could see why he was sitting there. He was in a wheel chair. He rolled out and came around and I saw that both of his legs below the knees were gone. No…no that’s not right…Lex….Lex isn’t in a wheel chair I would have known something like that…he can’t be…I saved him…it’s a…it’s a trick…
“I have to spend the rest of my life in this chair because of you.”
I shook my head frantically. I didn’t want to believe him.
“This isn't possible. I was there –“
He cut me off screaming as loud as he could now.
“And you caused the accident! Oh, you claimed you saw my car swerving out of control, so you jumped in front of it to save me with your superpowers. But when I jerked the wheel, my Porsche flipped end over end and wrapped around the guard rail.”
What….again I shook my head and vehemently denied his accusations.
“That's not what happened.”
His voice was lower now but just as hard as before.
“If it was up to me, you'd be rotting in jail. But my father insisted you go to that mental hospital instead. Anything to impress Martha Kent with his kindness.”
I screamed at him. I couldn’t take this anymore I was losing my mind.
“This is a trick. It's a trick!”
He looked at me disgusted.
“Really? Open your eyes, you crazy son of a bitch! Does this look like a trick to you?! If there's one thing I regret in my life... it's that I didn't just run you over.”
And that was it…he rolled his chair back over behind the desk facing away from me. He was done talking which was just fine with me. I left I walked out and had no clue where to go…I feel like I’m losing my mind and there’s nothing to hold on to…Chloe…I needed to get back to Chloe. She’s want to know that I’m ok and we’ll be able to figure this out together we always do…
This time when I got to the Talon I walked in through the front instead of from the ally. I glanced around and the place was in shambles. Where is the coffee house? I heard someone behind me…thank god Chloe…I turned around and it was Lana. I sighed.
“Clark. I knew you'd come here to see Chloe.”
I ignored her statement and looked around again. My voice was a bit horse when I spoke.
“What happened to the coffee house?”
She looked confused.
“Clark, this has been an abandoned movie theater for as long as I can remember.”
I shook my head. No it’s been a coffee house for like the last five or six years…
“No, this doesn't make sense. This can't be real. Lana, Lex said that I... caused his accident. Is that true?”
She didn’t answer my question but I could see the look of guilt in her eyes. When she spoke her voice came out hopeful...no…was the accident really my fault…did I cause Lex to lose his legs…am I sick?
“It's all in the past now. Clark, come back to the farm with me. We can get through this. We can get through anything.”
I just kept shaking my head I didn’t know what to do…all this talk about us being able to get through anything…her loving me…it stirred things inside of me…feelings I thought were 100% gone…apparently there not…NO…I would absolutely NOT betray Chloe…She would never betray me…and I love her…so much…she’s the one I can get through anything with…oh god…I need to get out of here this has to be fake…my own thought are starting to turn against me. I Don’t Want Lana Anymore! I tried to speak calmly when I finally addressed her.
“None of this makes sense, Lana. And you and I -- we're not together anymore.”
She smiled and gave me a wistful look.
“Ever since kindergarten, we've been together, Clark.”
I saw her pull out a plastic ring and show I to me. Ok a plastic ring…wow…I didn’t get it. She obviously understood that because she explained further to me.
“Thought that this would help you to remember. It's from the gumball machine at Quinn's Market. You gave it to me when we were 10 years old. You said that it was my wedding ring. And when you put it on my finger and kissed me for the first time, that's when you stole my heart.”
She looked so sincere when she spoke…the same Lana I fell in love with…my voice came out as a whisper.
“I don't remember.”
She frowned and moved closer to me.
“You suffered so much in that hospital. Every weekend when I'd come to visit, I could see it in your eyes. I never gave up hope that you'd get better.”
No…I couldn’t…I wouldn’t let myself fall into this trap…not again.
“I don't know what's going on. But Chloe does. She knows who I am.
Lana shook her head quickly and tried to grab at my arm.
“Clark, you shouldn't see her right now.”
Why was she trying to keep me away from Chloe? Oh god….something must be wrong…I need to stop listening to everyone else and I need to get to Chloe…she’s the only person who believes I’m not crazy…I ran up the stairs and into the talon apartment. I didn’t see Chloe at first so I frantically screamed her name.
“Chloe!”
She came around the corner and smiled. I hugged her tightly.
“Thank god you’re ok.”
She gave me a confused look and then shrugged it off.
“Clark, thank God.”
I frowned.
“What's going on?”
She started packing everything and talking a mile a minute.
“We have to get out of her right now. Lex and his men took everything. They're trying to wipe me off the face of the earth.”
I hesitated…I wonder if Chloe knew…
“You know, Lex is in a wheelchair.”
She looked over her shoulder at me and raised an eyebrow. Her voice was firm.
“Clark, when it comes to the Luthors, you can't trust anything, okay? We gotta go subterranean until you get your powers back.”
I knew I should listen to her…but something kept nagging at me…what if I was wrong…what if all this time I’ve been normal and everything has been in my head? I wanted to be normal…
“But, Chloe, I'm not so sure. Nothing's the way it's supposed to be. It all seems so crazy.”
She looked up at me with a frantic expression…Her voice was unsteady and she spoke quickly and a bit loud.
“We're not crazy. We're not crazy. We're just the only two that know the truth. That's why they put us in the mental institution.”
Just then Lana walked in and the look on her face was sad…and there was something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint. Her voice was soft and sugary sweet.
“I tried to tell you.”
I looked at Lana then back at Chloe. Chloe’s expression turned sour.
“What's she doing here?”
I didn’t answer but Lana kept talking.
“Chloe was in Fairview with you.”
I looked startled. I turned to Chloe and spoke low.
“You were in that place, too?”
She nodded but finished her task of gathering everything we needed.
“They put me in that snake pit to shut me up.”
Lana spoke again trying to convince me…
“You know that she has a family history of mental illness.”
How does Lana know about that? Chloe would never tell anyone that. She’s freakishly close with Lois and eve she doesn’t know. Chloe’s voice was upset now and a little uneven like she was trying to hold it together.
“Don't listen to her, Clark. She's just trying to confuse you.”
I looked at Lana…
“Clark, please, just come with me. And I'll get you the help that you need.”
This right here…was the story of my life. Lana and Chloe though there were friends they were always pulling me back and forth…and usually I would side with Lana because…well that’s just usually how it happened. This time though…I wasn’t going to make that mistake. I don’t care what I was thinking who was saying what…I was going to side with my heart…and my heart…that lies with Chloe. I must have taken to long in answering because Chloe picked up all her stuff in a huff and started to walk out the door. She spoke over her shoulder.
“I should have known you'd never be able to resist her. You never could. If she's here, it means they're not far behind.”
Couldn’t resist her…no…yes I can Chloe…I’m not gonna let you down I’m here. I ran after her down the stairs.
“Chloe, hold on! Just stay here! We'll figure this out!”
She shook her head and I grabbed her arm.
“I’m here Chloe…we’ll handle this together like we do everything else…I won’t leave you…”
She gave me a small smiled leaned up and kissed me hard. When she pulled away her face was solemn and her voice was soft but it held fear.
“There's nothing to figure out, Clark. I know who you really are, and they're gonna kill me for it. I have to go you can come with me or stay here! Your choice.”
We finished descending the stairs and ran right into the guards from the Luthor mansion…Oh no…I moved closer to Chloe….and they spoke to me.
“Mr. Kent, just take it easy.”
After that everything happened in slow motion…I saw Chloe reach into her bag…when her hand came back into view there was a gun in it. One of the guards looked over at her moved his gun towards her and fired. I heard screaming in the background and I think it might have been me. I ran and by the time I got the three feet to her she was already down on the ground. I lifted her in my arms and I could feel the warm liquid moving over my hands…I looked down at her body and tears pooled in my eyes. Oh god…oh Chloe…I failed again…she can’t die I need her I can’t do this without her…..
“Chloe? Chloe. Chloe!”
She gasped at me and her breath was coming in quick spirts.
“Clark, I'm not crazy.”
Please…please don’t leave me….everyone I love leaves me….not Chloe too…
She looked into my eyes and her voice was fading..
“I..lov…you…”
I felt wet drops pouring down my cheeks. I didn’t even realize I was crying…I screamed and rocked her in my arms..
“No. No! Chloe? Chloe?”
and then I felt her body go limp against mine…I put my head down…..this was my last chance and I blew it… I promised to protect Chloe and the baby….and again I couldn’t do it… I was loosing both of them….it was just then that I realized something…I glanced at Chloe’s stomach…she wasn’t pregnant…that’s…not right….this couldn’t be real…Chloe isn’t pregnant….a spark of hope ignited in me while my blood covered body was dragged away from Chloe’s lifeless one.
(Clark’s Thoughts)
They had me in a straight jacket…they had me sitting here and everything around me seemed like it was spinning out of control. Nothing made any sense…They keep telling me that Chloe is dead….that I was there when she was shot and killed…but that wasn’t Chloe…I know it wasn’t. I keep trying to tell them that Chloe was pregnant and the woman who was shot was not and therefore it couldn’t have been her…every time I say that they shoot me up with more drugs…so I obviously stopped voicing my opinion on the matter.
The doctor’s, Nurse’s, patients…they all had the names of the people I knew and loved…the people I said were part of my world. Milton Fine…Raya…A.C…Oliver Queen…Victor Stone…there all here and yet they weren’t. Nothing was what it should be and I was starting to think that everyone was right. I am lost…I am crazy and my heart hurts so bad I feel likes it’s been ripped out of my body and put into a blender…I miss Chloe…she was the only one who believed me…I didn’t even get to tell her I loved her…
An hour ago Dr. Hudson took Meteor rock out in front of me…I cowered away until I realized it wasn’t having any effect on me at all. Maybe they were all right…maybe I wasn’t who I thought I was. Maybe everything has all been in my mind…and maybe if they think that they could help me…I should let them…
(Clark POV)
I was in my room sitting against the wall when I heard someone speaking to me…calling my name. I walked over to the bars on my window and it was the same guy from earlier…the one who claimed to be from Mars. He spoke through the bars on my room.
“You can't give in, Kal-El. You must resist. None of this is real.”
I shook my head and moved away from him. I laid on my bed dejectedly.
“Leave me alone.”
His voice was quiet but firm.
“Listen to me. When you were attacked in the barn, you were infected by a being that you released from the Phantom Zone.”
I shook my head again…no…no…I’m sick…there is no Phantom Zone…
“The Phantom Zone doesn't exist.”
He sighed.
“Yes, it does. And if you were a human, that spirit would have taken you over with ease, like Zod did with Lex Luthor. But you're a lot stronger than that. You're Kryptonian.”
I gave him a bitter chuckle…
“You're a patient in a mental hospital. You're just as crazy as I am.”
He spoke louder now…his voice was determined but I didn’t care…I wanted Chloe back and I was tired of fighting…I was tired of being alone.
“If you give in to Hudson and undergo this treatment, the entity will gain control of your body with all its powers and unite the other fugitives from the Phantom Zone. Together, they'll enslave all of mankind.”
I sat up and looked at him. He seemed serious…but you never know…I gave him an appraising look…and spoke.
“If this is all in my head, then how are you here?”
He took a deep breath.
“I'm in your mind as well, trying to help. But there's only one way to purge this parasite and regain your consciousness. You have to kill Hudson.”
Is he kidding me? What is it with everyone wanting me to kill people. Every damn person on this planet and the next is always trying to turn me into a murdered…
“Kill Hudson? I can't kill a man.”
His voice was harsh.
“He's not a man. Hudson's a Phantom.”
If he was going to be so insistent I was going to through his own words back in his face.
“You told me not to trust anyone. Why should I trust you?”
His voice was soft…
“You know who you are, Kal-El. Trust yourself.”
Just them some guards cam over and started giving him a hard time. They were trying to over power him and he glanced back at me..
“Look within. Believe in yourself. The future of mankind depends on it.”
The guard started taunting him with fire saying something about Mars begin a red-hot planet and then knocked him out a couple seconds later. I watched two of them drag him away while the third cam and spoke to me.
“It's time, Mr. Kent.”
I nodded and he opened the door to my room and I followed him into a room where Lana and Dr. Hudson were waiting for me.
They strapped me down to a cold table in the room. Lana was standing off behind a glass window and I could see her smiling…I wanted that to be Chloe…they told me all the pain I was feeling would go away once this was done…it would all be better…I need it to be better I need to be normal….I saw Dr. Hudson getting a large drill ready. He turned it on and started moving it toward my head…As I was laying there something just didn’t feel right…something was off I was about to close my eyes and just let everything go when I heard a noise that sounded vaguely familiar…was that…yea it was. A dog barking…I looked up startled.
“Shelby?”
Oh my god that guy was right…I’m still in the barn…which means all of this is fake…Chloe’s not dead…My voice became stronger as I spoke.
“I'm still in the barn.”
I heard more barking and I started to fight back against my restraints. The doctor’s voice seemed cold all of a sudden as he spoke.
“Settle down, son.”
Shelby barked more and I pulled harder at my bonds.
“I know who I am!”
He barked louder and an orderly tried to stop me.
“Just relax, Mr. Kent, please.”
Then Dr. Hudson spoke frantically.
“Clark, Stop it! You're having another episode. Think about Lana. You could be together at last.”
Shelby just kept on barking I looked up at the window and Lana was fading…then I saw Chloe…I saw her laughing with her hand on her stomach…she was saying something but I couldn’t hear it. I ripped out and started throwing the orderlies out of my way…I needed to get to her right before she disappeared I saw her lips moving and I concentrated on them….she was saying…come home Clark…that did it. I grabbed the doctor around his throat and squeezed.
“Get out of my mind!”
As I held onto him tighter I saw his face change into the phantom and the scenery around me suddenly changed and I was back in the barn. The man in my mind…the one from Mars was standing above me with some kind of device that I saw the phantom fly into. When I could finally feel it out of my body I stood up slowly and faced the man in my barn.
“It's you.”
He nods and his eyes glowed red.
“Welcome home, Kal-El.”
He took off flying out of the barn in a streak of red just as I saw Chloe slowing jogging in.
I heard her voice and felt joy for what felt like the first time in days. I turned around and faced her. She looked confused.
“Clark? Clark, are you all right?”
I pulled her to me and kissed her…it lasted for a while and when we were done I just kissed her again. When she pulled away I grabbed her in my arms and hugged her tightly. She tried to move away but I wouldn’t let her go.
“Not yet…”
She patted my arm and I moved her back so I could look into her eyes. Her eyebrows were draw together and she looked like she had a million questions.
“Hey…”
I cut her off. I took a deep breath and looked her right in the eyes.
“I love you Chloe.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly open. I chuckled and shook my head.
“I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it…but I am so in love with you. I’m sorry I made you wait so long…I’m so we missed out on so much time because I was caught up with other things…just know I won’t miss out on anymore time now…I’m here not with anyone else just you.”
Her confusion only got larger but she smiled.
“I love you to Clark…”
I smiled and kissed her again. Oh man…I could kiss Chloe forever..
(Chloe POV)
We headed in the house and he started to tell me about what happened. Apparently the Phantom was messing with Clark. I shook my head things are definitely never boring here. His voice held disbelief when he spoke.
“You're sure I was only out for a second?”
I nodded.
“I was walking from my car when I heard you fall, and by the time I got to the barn, you were on your feet.”
He rubbed his neck.
“It felt like a lifetime.”
He didn’t exactly go into details about his little dream world but me being ever the reporter, I wanted to know. I moved into his arms on the couch and he smiled and wrapped his arm around me.
“So, who was I in your alternate universe? Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet? Or a Pulitzer Prize winner, maybe?”
He hesitated and then gave me a dodgy smile.
“Something like that, yeah. The important part is... you were the one person who believed in me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Chloe.”
I chuckled. There was something he wasn’t telling me…but I’d leave it…if he needed to talk about it I know he’d come to me. So I decided a joke would bode better.
“Oh, is this when I'm supposed to cue the Barry Manilow music?”
He grinned.
“No, seriously. I love you Chloe.”
My smile lit up the whole room…I don’t think I’d ever get used to him saying that…but you better believe I’ll make sure he says it’s enough so that I do!
“I love you too.”
If this was how life was going to be from now on…it’s definitely something I could get used to.
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