Memories and Time Capsules

Title: Memories of Time capsules
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Chloe/Clark (Friendship maybe more)
Edited By: dh1031
Category: One-Shot
Requested By: The Gryfter



Metropolis- 2009
Isis Foundation

Clark sat, elbows resting on his knees in the darkened office looking at the blank computer screens. His cell phone vibrated in his hands and he answered it slowly. His voice was tired. He’d spent last night scouring Metropolis and its surrounding towns for Chloe.

“Hello.”

“Hey Clark, I tried everything I could…she’s off the grid.”

His chest constricted and he held in a sigh of frustration.

“Thanks Oliver.”

He shut the phone, held his hand up to his chin, and shook his head. How could she do this? How could she just take off with him, thought Clark. It’s been two weeks since Chloe disappeared with Davis. No one knew where she was, if she was okay, or if she was ever coming back.

Clark stood and paced back and forth before stopping in front of the filing cabinets. He swept his arm across it knocking everything to the floor, and punching straight through one drawer into the wall. The clattering of objects hitting the floor and metal crunching broke the silence permeating the office.

Fury surged through Clark and he wasn’t sure how to make it stop. Things have finally gone too far…I thought she’d always be here for me…that she’d always be on my side…and now…she’s with some dangerous genetically altered kryptonian…and I feel like I’ve lost her for good, thought Clark.

He took a few deep breaths to pull himself together. His jaw clenched as he glanced around the office one more time, looking for the tiniest hint of a clue that she might have left behind, but found nothing. He walked through the office and out the door.

He reached out, pushed open the double doors, and the cool night air greeted him. Clark was lost in a daze of thoughts as he marched down the street. He ignored the vibration in his pocket until he reached the next corner. It’s probably just Oliver or Bart checking in, thought Clark.

He took out his phone, flipped it open, and froze. It wasn’t a phone call he missed, it was a text message…a text message from Chloe. Clark’s hand shook slightly as he clicked on read message. It opened and he frowned at the words on the screen.

Clark-

Meet me in Chandler’s field by the old oak tree; you know the one, at 8.

Chlo

Chandler’s Field…why does she want me to meet her there, thought Clark. He flipped the phone shut, put it back into his pocket, and glanced down at his watch. 7:20…I still have forty minutes…who cares…if I go right now maybe I’ll be able to see where she is coming from, thought Clark.

Clark discretely looked around the street before speeding off into the night. It only took him a few seconds to get to Chandler’s field. He stopped, looked around and started walking at normal speed through the field. As he walked over a small hill he saw a shadow in the distance.

Clark sped up to a jog and noticed the shadow taking form. It was a person and Clark had a pretty good idea of who it was. His heart sank. She planned this…she knew I’d come early and she planned this so I couldn’t see how she got here, thought Clark.

He stopped about five feet away from her and watched her closely. She looked healthy…nothing seemed off about her appearance. She was okay and Clark let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. After coming to the conclusion she was fine, anger replaced his concern.

Chloe took a few steps towards him and he glared at her. She took in his expression and hesitated before closing the distance between them. A breeze blew her hair around her and she gave Clark a small smile. Her voice was quiet, but it still broke the silence around them.

“Hey Clark…”

He swallowed hard before nodding in her direction.

“Chloe.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“What’s the matter with you?”

Clark gave her an incredulous look as he raised an eyebrow. He was angry and he was tired of always controlling his temper. Does she not realize what I’ve been through these past two weeks looking for her? Worrying that Davis might have hurt her, or worse, thought Clark.

“What’s the matter with me? You’ve got to be joking. Chloe…I’ve spent the last two weeks looking everywhere I can think of for you. Then out of nowhere, you randomly send me a message asking me to meet you here…acting as if everything’s okay…You don’t see a problem with that?”

She sighed and the smile left her face. It wasn’t until then that Clark took a good look at her. Her clothes were plain, jeans and a sweater that were too big for her...my sweater, thought Clark. Her eyes seemed tired and it looked as if she hadn’t gotten any sleep in days.

“Clark…I told you…I told you that night when I called you that this is the right thing to do. That taking Davis away is the only way I can keep you safe. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe and isn’t that what we do? We protect people…”

Clark nodded and then met her eyes.

“Who’s protecting you?”

She straightened her stance and her voice was strong when she spoke.

“I’m not a child. I can protect myself.”

“Then why come back? After two weeks of searching for you and finding nothing, why are you back now?”

The smile returned to Chloe’s face and as she moved closer to him he finally noticed the shovel she held in her hand. Confusion settled on his face as Chloe’s eyes brightened.

“Don’t you know what today is Clark?”

“I haven’t really had time to keep track of the dates lately Chloe. I’ve been a little too busy trying to find my best friend before she’s killed by a homicidal kryptonian.”

She sighed, but didn’t let his attitude affect her good mood. She leaned against the shovel and jerked her head in the direction of the old oak tree standing toward the side of the field.

“It’s been ten years today…”

Clark raised an eyebrow.

“Ten years?”

She nodded.

“I tried calling Pete, but he must have been busy.”

A look of recognition passed over his face and he glanced toward the tree.

“The time capsule.”

“Yup…we said in ten years we’d come back here and dig it up. So…what do you say Farmboy? Wanna help me dig up a time capsule?”

Clark stood there quietly and for a minute Chloe thought he was going to turn around and walk away, but then he did something unexpected. His face softened, he walked up to her, took the shovel, and headed toward the tree. She let out a sigh of relief.

I didn’t think he’d go for it…especially after everything, but I’m glad he did, thought Chloe. She followed him over to the tree and watched as he rolled up his sleeves. She rolled her eyes and laughed. Clark glanced up at her then and gave her a warm smile. It’s been a long time since he’s heard that laugh.

“What are you doing Farmboy? We aren’t teenagers anymore…everyone present knows about those super human abilities you have.”

Clark grinned.

“Oh no, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it the old fashioned way. Get over here and give me a hand.”

She scrunched up her nose as he started shoveling dirt into a pile.

“How about I hold the flashlight for you?”

He rolled his eyes as she sidled up closer to him and held the flashlight over where he was digging. Same old Chloe, thought Clark. As he dug into the ground his thoughts drifted back to the night the three of them buried the time capsule...

Smallville- 1999

Chandler's Field

Pete and Clark stood in a hole about five feet deep as the light from the flashlight Chloe was holding moved every couple of seconds. Pete grunted, stopped shoveling and leaned against his shovel. He glared up at Chloe.

“What are you doing? Why does the light keep moving back and forth? We’re trying to dig a hole here you know.”

A few crunches came from Chloe as she placed another potato chip in her mouth and chewed on it eagerly. She rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t have dinner okay, I’m hungry…and my hands are cold.”

It was Pete’s turn to roll his eyes as he nudged Clark before starting to dig again.

“We shouldn’t have brought her. She complains too much.”

Clark looked up in time to see Chloe’s pout. He gave her a small smile and shook his head.

“Give her a break Pete, it is kinda cold out.”

Pete shook his head as he tossed another shovel full of dirt towards the top of the hole.

“Yeah, especially for people who aren’t doing anything. You know Chloe, my mom taught me about this thing, where woman have rights…it’s called suffering…”

Clark chuckled and Chloe cut Pete’s sentence off. She looked heavenward and sighed.

“You mean suffrage.”

“Yeah, that! So why can’t you dig?”

“Because, I’m holding the flashlight…and because it’s dirty…and cold…and I don’t want to.”

Clark laughed and Pete turned his glare on him.

“Don’t encourage her man.”

Clark put his shovel down and climbed out of the hole. He glanced over at Chloe and she gave him a big Sullivan grin. Clark noticed a shiver run through her body so he took off his jacket, came up behind her, and draped it over her shoulders.

She gave him a weird look and he shrugged.

“You’re cold Chlo.”

“What about you?”

“It’s not too bad actually.”

She nodded and pushed her arms through the sleeves, which made the flashlight shift even more than before. Pete took that moment to climb out of the hole. He brushed himself off and walked toward Clark and Chloe.

“We ready?”

They nodded and Pete knelt down next to the time capsule. He opened it and motioned for them to come over and put their stuff inside. Clark and Chloe knelt by Pete as he tossed his stuff in the capsule. Clark was next. He placed something wrapped in a small blue cloth inside the metal box. Pete raised an eyebrow.

“Why’d you wrap it up?”

Clark shrugged.

“I don’t know…if felt like the right thing to do…in ten years we’ll take it out and you can see it.”

Pete laughed and Chloe shoved them lightly out of the way so she could lean over the capsule. She placed a folded piece of paper carefully inside and then slid the lid over the capsule. When she turned both Clark and Pete were staring at her. She glanced between them and frowned.

“What?”

Pete smirked before speaking.

“A piece of paper? That’s all you’re putting in there?”

“Yeah, you got a problem with that?”

Pete put his hands up in a ‘you win’ gesture. Clark laughed and he helped Pete seal the capsule and toss it down in the hole they had just dug. After making sure it was in the deepest end of the hole, Clark stood up, wiped his hands off, and nodded at Pete.

“Okay done! Close it up.”

Chloe clapped loudly and bounced slightly next to Clark. Pete snorted, picked up a shovel and tossed one to Clark. He caught it as Pete spoke.

“No way man! I dug the hole mostly by myself. You fill it up again!”

Clark groaned, but got to work filling up the hole as Pete tossed some dirt on top of the hole and Clark every so often…

Smallville- 2009

Chandler's Field

The thunk of the shovel hitting metal brought Clark out of his thoughts. The light from the flashlight Chloe was holding flickered back and forth and it made Clark smile. Some things never change, thought Clark. Her voice broke the silence yet again.

“Did you find it? Is it still there? Clark!”

The excitement in her voice made Clark chuckle as he grabbed the time capsule before appearing in front of Chloe. She stumbled slightly at his sudden appearance and he caught her arm to steady her.

“Sorry.”

She shrugged.

“It’s okay. I should be used to that by now. Well…can I open it?”

He glanced away from the metal box and looked up into Chloe’s eyes. Those eyes looked exactly like they had ten years ago. Excited, frustrated, sad, and curious. He stretched out the capsule to her, and she quickly grabbed the box from him.

Chloe unlocked the box, looked up at Clark, and gave him a large grin before lifting the lid up and off. He moved closer to her so he could look at the contents of the box. There were a few baseballs cards, comics and pictures that Pete had added.

Under all that was a folded piece of paper and a small roundish shape wrapped in blue cloth. They stood there quietly as memories washed over them. That was a great night, thought Chloe. It was one of the few times nothing stood between her friendship with Pete and Clark.

They were just normal kids that night, making a pack to come back to this spot in ten years and show each other their stuff they thought was valuable enough to hold on to and cherish for ten years. Clark’s voice knocked Chloe from her thoughts.

“On the count of three, you take mine and I’ll take yours.”

She nodded.

“1…2…3…”

They each lifted a hand, dove into the capsule and pulled out the other’s treasure. Chloe placed the box on the ground and looked at Clark. He raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Same time?”

He nodded.

So as Chloe unwrapped the cloth, Clark unfolded the paper. What they unveiled had them both standing there looking down at their hands in shock and astonishment. Chloe was the first to regain her wits. She twirled the small bracelet around in her hand.

“Wow Clark, this is beautiful. I don’t get it though…why’d you put it in the capsule?”

He glanced up from the paper and cleared his throat. It was still slightly hoarse when he spoke.

“I made it for someone, but I was too afraid to give it to her and I thought…maybe in ten years...I wouldn’t be as scared.”

His jaw tensed as she finished turning the beads and froze. Her eyes found his and her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke, but he heard her clearly.

“It has my name on it…”

He nodded and then held up the piece of paper. It wasn’t until then that Chloe realized Clark had read it. He saw her body tense. His voice held an unusual tone when he spoke.

“It looks like I wasn’t the only one scared.”

He looked down at the paper and read it out loud.

“I hope in ten years I was brave enough to tell Clark Kent that I love him.”

Clark looked at Chloe and saw that there were tears in her eyes. He closed the distance between them and when she looked down he placed a finger under her chin and lifted it up. Her eyes shined with unshed tears in the moonlight.

“What are we doing here Chloe?”

“I don’t know.”

Clark leaned in and when Chloe didn’t’ move away from him, he captured her lips with his molding their bodies together. When he finally pulled away, they stood there in the middle of the field staring at each other. Chloe worried her lip before Clark spoke.

“Where do we go from here Chlo?”

She shrugged.

“I don’t know…right now I need to stick to my original plan.”

His arms tightened around her and she sighed and continued.

“I know you don’t agree with my plan, but it’s honestly the only way I know how to protect you Clark. If there was any other way…”

He cut her off.

“I’ll find another way.”

She gave him a small smile.

“I don’t doubt that you will…but until then…”

Clark closed his eyes, let out a deep breath and leaned his head against hers. His voice was soft.

“Until then you’re sticking with your plan.”

She nodded in affirmation as they stood together quietly for a few more minutes. A short time later, Chloe pulled back slightly.

“I have to go.”

He didn’t want to let her go, but he knew she would do it anyway. He couldn’t stop her. Clark nodded.

“I’ll see you soon?”

She smiled.

“Yeah…”

She leaned in, gave him a kiss, and before she headed off the field, Clark caught her wrist in his hand and fastened the bracelet to it. She glanced down at it, grinned at him and headed toward the road.

Clark watched her go and he felt lighter than he had in the last two weeks. Earlier tonight I thought I lost Chloe for good…but now I know she’s okay…I know what she means to me…and I know she’s still on my side, thought Clark.

Clark smiled to himself, put Pete’s stuff back in the capsule and tossed it back in the hole. Hopefully the next time we come back, Pete will be with us. He used super speed to fill the hole back up, and put the folded piece of paper in his pocket. He walked towards the road at normal speed and when he reached it he took in a deep breath.

Things are far from okay, and it might have taken tonight to remind me, but now I know. As long as Chloe’s by my side we can get through anything, thought Clark.