Fragments (1/12)

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Chapter 1

Title: Fragments
Author: 13ReporterGirl13
Email: CLombardi13@gmail.com
Rating: R
Feedback/Comments: Most definitely welcome. Good or Bad I can take constructive criticism. I crave it actually; it makes me a better writer. LoL
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the CW and the Creators of Smallville. But Boy what I wouldn’t do if I owned Lex and Clark. ;-)
Edited By: dh1031 (You Rock)
Spoilers: Everything up to and including Season 8… Okay…so the season 8 finale…I don’t even know what to say about it. I’m glad Chloe is alive and she didn’t betray Clark (not that I thought she did) but…he just walked away from her…so since I’ve been utterly unhappy with this season thus far I am taking the season finale and leaving it as is and writing my own version I what I think should happen in season 9.
Couples: Chloe/Oliver Chloe/Clark Lois/Oliver…
Summary: Chloe is falling apart. She’s lost everyone she cares about…Jimmy….Lois…and now Clark…Will she be able to survive what the next few months throws at her? Or is she destined to join the ranks of fallen superheroes? Will Oliver and the Justice League be able to help her before it’s too late? Or is there only one hero with the power to save Chloe from breaking? Friendships will be tested, relationships broken, secrets revealed, and enemies made. How do you save the world when you can’t even save yourself? How do you choose between the friend you abandoned and the world? Everyone needs a little help sometimes, even superheroes…



frag·ments : A part broken off or detached; an isolated, unfinished or incomplete part; a broken piece, remnant; to break or separate.


Prologue

The End in the Beginning

(Clark POV)

I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath and let it out to rein in my emotions. Just go in there and do it. You know it needs to be done. No matter what Chloe says or does you need to be strong and hold your ground. This is the only way for the people I care about and the world to be safe…something’s gotta give…you need to do this…

I turned the knob and pushed open the door lightly. I stood in the doorway for a few seconds and took in the dark room. It might not seem like much, but Jimmy knew Chloe would love this place…and I knew he would be right.

A part of me wishes I had been the one to give it to her, but that thought alone held more complications than it should have. I walked into the quiet apartment, the only real light coming from the open door, and winced when I glanced at the ground.

Blood. A dark, round stain…evidence of the horror that had taken place here less than four days ago…how could I have let this happen…Chloe could have been killed…Jimmy was killed…the world was at stake and I couldn’t save it because I was too worried about taking one life…a life that turned out not to be worth saving after all…

I heard light footsteps making their way closer and a grimace appeared on my face. It’s my fault Jimmy is dead…I have to cut my ties with Chloe before she ends up with the same fate…Chloe’s voice filled the air as she said my name in a happy tone.

“Clark…”

I turned to face her. She stood at the top of the stairs leaning over the railing. She gave me one of her beaming smiles for a brief second before quickly making her way down the stairs.

“You’re alive…”

She practically flew off the stairs, ran the few feet between us and landed in my arms.

“Hey…”

I could feel her grip tighten and I could tell she was relived to see me. I held onto her loosely. I closed my eyes and my jaw tightened. I’d enjoy it…just for a few seconds…her body molding to mine…her hands clutching my back, head leaning on my chest…warm body against mine…This was the last time I’d hold her in my arms…the last time I’d let us be this close.

She was still in my arms as she spoke again.

“How did you survive the geothermal explosion?”

I gently pushed her away from me as I spoke for the first time since entering the apartment.

“Just before Dinah pushed the button I…”

I hesitated. She was waiting for me to continue…you can do it…stop stalling…I glanced down and then looked back up at her.

“I don’t know….I got out before the blast…but not fast enough to save anyone else…”

I look away from her, knowing she can read exactly what I’m feeling. Guilt…I watched her nod and took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to like what I said next…it was going to be hard and then, even worse news would follow, but I know Chloe. She’s strong…she’ll be able to handle this…I have to believe that she can…

Her checks are wet and I lower my voice as I say her name.

“Chloe…I’ve searched everywhere…there’s no sign of Lois…”

I watched her nod get more pronounced and I could tell she was biting her lip slightly as she pressed her mouth shut. A few lone tears leaked down her cheeks and I had to keep myself from brushing them away. Her voice startled me out of my thoughts.

“I saw someone tacking her photo on a missing person’s board…”

She gave a half hearted laugh before continuing, but I could see the pain in her eyes.

“…and I keep thinking that maybe…you know maybe I haven’t…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence so my face softened and I finished it for her.

“Lost everyone…”

I started to say something, but thought better of it. Don’t…I won’t give her false promises. I will make sure Chloe is okay and leave…god…I shouldn’t have come here. I don’t think I can leave her like this…she’s in so much pain and in a few minutes all I’m going to do is add to it…

My jaw tensed, I swallowed hard and walked around her to the other side of the room. My back was facing her and her next words made me stop in my tracks.

“You were there today Clark…weren’t you?”

I didn’t turn to face her and I didn’t answer her question. I could hear the tears in her voice. She ignored the fact that I hadn’t answered and kept on talking.

“I really needed you…why didn’t you come to me?”

My back was still facing her and the pain mixed with confusion I heard in her voice was close to driving me to my breaking point. If it was one thing in the world I hated to do, it was hurt Chloe. She is one of the only people who has always been there for me no matter what.

She’s always trusted me…looked out for me…protected my secret and she has sacrificed so much without ever asking for anything in return…and here I was about to do this…I opened and closed my mouth a few times before words finally made there way out.

“I’m the reason Jimmy’s dead…”

At this point I turned to face her and she looked almost horrified by the words that had just come out of my mouth. Before she could say anything I straightened my frame and spoke again.

“Oliver was right. I put humanity on a pedestal.”

I saw a crease form between her eyes and a frown cross her face. I still didn’t let her speak.

“It wasn’t a Kryptonian beast that killed Jimmy. It was a human.”

I watched her take a deep breath and I saw her face harden slightly as she turned, walked over to the blood stain and glanced down. Her voice was calm when she spoke, but I could hear the underlined tension.

“I was standing right here Clark…”

She looked into my eyes and I could see the tears building. Her voice was still calm, but had a slight edge to it.

“I know full well who killed Jimmy.”

I turned away from her again because the emotion in her voice and on her face was getting to me. I wasn’t sure if I could do this while I looked into her haunted eyes. I glanced around the area and changed the subject.

“This place Chloe…just get rid of it…just walk away and don’t look back.”

I heard her walking toward me as she spoke in a wounded voice.

“You don’t get it…Clark Jimmy is here…”

She walked in front of me and looked at the same spot I was looking at before she continued.

“He’s watching over me. He knew me so well…he knew this place would be perfect.”

I moved slightly and our eyes finally made contact again.

“Jimmy wanted to know that no matter where I was in this city I could look up here and see this beacon.”

She paused and gave me a sad smile.

“The Watchtower.”

Her eyes were still watery as she walked away from the stain glass window and toward me. It was getting increasingly painful to appear untouched by the things she was saying. It’s Chloe…she’s always been the voice of reason, but I wouldn’t let myself fall into this trap again…I know what I need to do to become the hero the world needs.

“Now look…Dinah, Oliver and Bart all disappeared. Maybe it’s up to us to bring them back home.”

I could hear the desperation in her voice and I steeled myself to it. I think the next words that came out of my mouth hurt me to say as much as it hurt her to hear. My voice was hard as I spoke.

“Home…I don’t have a home.”

Her eyebrows pulled together, eyes glistening with unshed tears and disbelief on her face.

“I don’t like the way that sounds.”

I gathered my thoughts and tried to give her one last thing before I walked out of her life…an explanation…or at least as close to one as I could get…Chloe deserved at least that.

“I’ve always tried to forget I was an alien. Or a creature.”

I turned away from her and walked a few feet away so there would be some distance between us.

“I’ve always tried to pretend I was human. I was raised to believe it was my Kryptonian part that was dangerous Chloe, but I was wrong.”

By this time I had made a full circle and I was a few feet in front of the door facing her.

“It’s my human side that…it’s the side that get’s attached. The side that makes decisions based on emotions, that’s my enemy, and Davis proved that to me.”

I could see her starting to shake her head. Her eyes shinned from tears unshed and I had to look away. I was adding to the pain she was feeling and I knew it. It took a minute for me to look back. She’s angry now I can see it mixed in with the pain as she starts moving toward me. Her voice is fierce when she speaks.

“So because of some psychopath you’re going to cut the rest of us out of your life…Clark.”

Her voice was passionate and the emotion on her face was hard to look at. When she spoke her voice was loud, full of pain…pleading with me to understand, to hear what she was saying…to not walk away when she needed me the most.

“Human emotion is what made you the hero that you are today.”

Oh god this is killing me…My voice hardened and I met her eyes.

“They’re what’s stopping me from being the hero I could be.”

I tried to reason with her…make my words something she’d understand.

“It’s what the world needs now.”

I watched a tear fall and my heart broke. Her voice was lower then before, strained, as she fought with her own emotions.

“What are you saying?”

I paused. This was it…no more waiting, no going back…

“Clark Kent is dead….”

I held her eyes, and hardened my voice.

“Goodbye Chloe.”

I turned around quickly so I wouldn’t have to see her face and because I wasn’t sure I could hide the pain on mine. I felt my body moving, I saw the light from outside getting brighter as I made my way out the door. Once I was outside and the light hit my face I felt like I was suffocating.

The pain in my heart was tangible and as I heard a sob break the silence I closed my eyes and super sped away. I couldn’t listen to Chloe cry…I could not stand there and listen to her sob…I couldn’t hear her brake…I needed to believe she would be okay or I wouldn’t be able to follow through with my decision.

From here on out I will be the hero that the world needs…I’ll fight for truth and justice…and I’ll do it alone…cut off from everyone…because that’s the only way the people I love will stay safe…and if I have to embrace my alien side and pretend not too care…then that’s what I’ll do…

As I ran I cleared my head and my body started to feel lighter…the wind was blowing around me and for once I let go of the emotions…the pain…the guilt…love…and I finally felt free…

(Chloe POV)

I watched as Clark walked out of the apartment door, not once looking back. My feet moved in his direction, but even without super speed, he was quick. I felt myself falter when I could no longer see him. Oh god…this can’t be happening…please…oh god Clark…I need you…

My heart beat sped up, I felt my body stumble back a couple of steps as my hands came up to my abdomen. I felt physically ill. I closed my eyes and tried to keep my emotions in check, but everything was hitting me at once.

Lana is gone…Jimmy is dead…Lois has disappeared…Oliver and co ran off after the funeral…and now Clark…I’m alone…everyone’s gone…there isn’t anyone I can go to…no one left…I couldn’t form coherent thoughts beyond that and I felt my body start to shake.

I heard a loud sob and wondered where it came from. My body hit the ground and I used my hands to break my fall as small drops of water hit the dirty floor. The sobs got louder and I realized they were coming from me. My chest felt tight and I was having trouble getting air into my lungs.

I could see every moment clearly. Meeting Clark…finding out his secret…everything we’ve been through. All the times I’ve helped him…the times he’s saved me…every word…every gesture…everything. I shut my eyes to keep the memories at bay.

Nothing worked. More came and I cried harder. Emotion after emotion came crashing down on me. How did we get to this point…how did I loose everyone I love…how was I going to find Lois without Clark…it’s my fault Jimmy died…not Clark…and now he’s gone and he’ll never know what he means to me…

Oh god…my eyes were still squeezed shut as I started coughing. My body started shaking harder from the crying and that was when I felt two strong hands wrap around my waist and pull me back. I felt myself getting light headed as I heard someone whisper something I couldn’t quite make out. That was my last clear memory before everything went black.