Of Sacrifices and Broken Promises

Title: Of Sacrifices and Broken Promises
Fandom: Smallville
Author: Reportergirl13
Season: Pre-pilot
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Moira, Chloe
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the CW and the Creators of Smallville.
Requested By: Julie



Moira Sullivan sat at her husband’s desk, papers scattered across the hard surface. Her hand trembled as she lifted the tattered hat in her hands. She hadn't wanted to do this. She swore to herself that she'd never use her gift, her ability to force people to do what they were unwilling to do on their own.

But, circumstances were different now. There was more at stake. Her biggest fear had finally come to life. Lionel Luthor knew her secret, and worse he knew about Chloe.

Moira let out a deep breath and closed her eyes thoughts drifting back to that night three months ago at the Luthor Mansion in Smallville.

Gabe handed the keys to the valet as Moira opened the door for Chloe. Her blonde curls reached her shoulders and bounced lightly as she hopped from the car with a pout on her face.

"Mommy...I don't wanna go though."

She sighed taking the six-year-olds hand in hers as they walked up the steps and into the large foyer.

"Chloe sweetheart you know we have to be here for Daddy's job."

She rolled her eyes and Gabe smiled at Moira, Chloe's small voice filled with boredom.

"There aren't even any other kids here. This is so boring!"

Gabe stopped, turned toward Chloe and bent down to her height.

"That's not true Mr. Luthor said you can hang out with Lex. He’s a couple of years older than you, but it should be fun okay princess?"

She let out a loud puff and nodded.

"Oh fine, but next time daddy can I just stay home with Ms. Conner’s from next door?"

He chuckled shaking her hand.

"Deal."

She grinned as he stood and they made their way down the hall Gab going toward the banquet and Moira to drop Chloe off in the study with Lex and his nanny. Moira parted with her daughter and joined her husband in the main room.

Dinner and drinks were pleasant enough for a Luthor event and close to three hours later everyone was getting ready to leave. She was about to grab her coat when Lionel made his way toward them, smile on his face.

"Gabe, Moira so nice of you to join us this evening."

Gab smiled and shook his hand.

"Thank you for the invitation and thank you for letting us leave Chloe here. It's greatly appreciated."

"Not a problem. Actually I was hoping you might be able to stick around a little longer there's something I wished to discuss with you."

Gab nodded and Moira frowned.

"Of course, that's not a problem at all."

Lionel turned his eyes to her and smiled.

"I hope that's not a problem."

She gave him a tight lipped smile and shook her head.

"Of course not. I'll just go check on the kids while the two of you talk shop."

She started walking when Lionel called out to her.

"We'll come with you; my office is in that direction."

She nodded as they followed her down the hall. Half-way there Gab stopped and swore.

"I left my jacket in the other room. I'm just gonna grab it and I'll meet you in your office Mr. Luthor."

"Sounds good."

She watched her husband disappear behind them before they made their way into the study. The sight the greeted her made her pale. Chloe was squatting next to a teary eyed Lex his bloody palm in her hand as she smiled down on him, hand raised above his.

She opened her mouth, but before she could shout to her daughter a sheer blue light poured from Chloe’s hand and the cut on Lex's healed. She stood frozen before slowly turning her head in Lionel's direction.

His face held shock and confusion, but the worst of all was the intrigue. He was looking at her Chloe like she was his next big project.

Chloe's soft voice broke the silence as it traveled through the room.

"See, it's all better!"

"Chloe Anne Sullivan."

Her head shot up at the use of her full name and she frowned. Moira motioned for her daughter to come to her and she did. She gripped her arm tightly, but not enough to hurt before turning around and heading toward the door.

"Tell my husband we'll be outside."

"Moira-"

But before he could get out another word she was gone. She hurried to the exit with a confused Chloe beside her...

The sound of a phone ringing snapped Moira out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat and answered it.

"Hello."

"Hey hun, I'm running a little late at work, just wanted to check in."

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, controlling her emotions as she spoke.

"Thanks sweetheart. I'll leave a plate for you on the stove. I'll see you later."

"Love you."

"You too."

She hung up the phone and glanced down at the hat again, fingering the worn material. Three months ago Lionel had found out about Chloe's abilities and ever since then he'd been harassing her. Telling her he could help figure out what it was, help her control it, but Moira was having none of it.

And that's when things had escalated to threats and then earlier today an almost kidnapping. She was sure the men who came after her and Chloe on the way out of her school were on Lionel's payroll.

Lucky for her one of them was meteor infected and she was able to get him to fend off the other guy while she and Chloe got away. Moira had known for a long time that she was different.

She'd been able to pull together a group of people with similar gifts hoping for a way to help them learn how to control those abilities. And now she was being forced to use the information she was privy to for her own purposes. She didn't like it, but it was the only way to keep her family safe.

Moira closed her eyes and focused on the owner of the hat. She pictured him, his mind and the instructions and thoughts she wanted to plant there. A faint glow emanated from her hands and lit up the hat as she concentrated on the task at hand.

Across town Mark Gilbert was popping a TV diner into the microwave when he froze, back going straight as he fell into a trance like state.

His body was running on autopilot as he unwillingly left his dinner and his apartment heading towards the Luthors Metroplis home. Twenty-five minutes later he was standing outside the large security filled building.

And then he was inside bypassing security guards and camera's. Inputting security codes he hadn't remembered ever knowing. As the elevator moved up to the penthouse his body stood tense and ready for a fight.

The doors pinged open and as he stepped onto the marble floor, classical music floated out from a doorway down the hall. Find Lionel Luthor was his mantra. He walked down the hall with purpose and right before he entered the room he heard a click as the cold steal pressed against his head.

His body paused before the command came. You know how to fight...fight. His arm snapping out and knocking the gun from Lionel’s hand startled him. They struggled for a few minutes as punches were thrown before Lionel hit the ground with Mark on top of him.

He grunted as he held off the intruder confusion on his face.

"What do you want? Please...I'll do anything...I have a son."

He figured taking on the role of helpless victim would help him until he could once again regain the upper hand. The young man who couldn't be more than twenty-five years old grasped Lionel’s head and started into his as he spoke it a voice that seemed too mechanical to be human.
"You must not remember."

Confusion crossed Lionel's face as his hand reached out to the side closing around the cold metal of the gun. As he lifted it up a wave of energy flew through his body shocking him. His eyes turned toward the man on top of him and when they locked onto his a searing pain ripped through his head.

Mark could feel the connection as the older man’s memories flew past his eyes bypassing the ones he was uninterested with and searching for the ones he came for. When a familiar face slid into view he heard the voice in his head tell him to focus on that memory.

And again he did. He focused on the smell of the air, the vibrant colors that surrounded them, their moods, facial expressions everything as he pulled the memories of those few minutes from Lionel.

The yelling stopped and Lionel's body sagged to the ground, breathing even. As Mark lifted his head a young child who couldn't be more than nine or ten stood frozen at the end of the hall, tears in his eyes. Go to Lex, do not frighten him.

Mark stood slowly hand outstretched as he spoke in a soft voice.

"Don't be afraid. You're father is fine."

Lex backed away, but Mark was quick. He grabbed hold of him and placed a hand over his moth to keep him from screaming. He bent down and met Lex's widened eyes. The connection was made instantaneously.

Memories flowing, flipping through each one until he came to the night of the banquet. He extracted them and when the process was over Lex's eyes fluttered before his body went limp in Marks arms.

He placed the boy on the ground and ran for the elevator. He took it down to the second floor, got off and took the stairs to the exit making sure not to pass the guards at the front of the building again. He walked three blocks to a telephone booth and dialed the unfamiliar number.

Two rings later and an anxious voice came over the line.

"Is it done?"

"It's done."

"Good, now go home Mark and forget this ever happened."

The phone dropped from his hand and he headed home. When she heard the line disconnect Moira let out a sigh and hung up. She swallowed hard before moving away from the desk hat in hand and tossing it into the fire, watching it burn.

No one would ever be able to link them together. She walked out of her husband’s office and into her daughters room. She could see Chloe staring at the ceiling as she leaned against the door.

"You okay baby?"

Chloe glanced at her mother and shrugged. Moira sauntered into her bedroom and sat on the bed next to her, taking her small hand in hers.

"You should really get so rest."

"I'm scared mommy."

Moira's heart broke. She never wanted Chloe to feel that way. Never wanted her to feel out of place or different or scared because of who she was. She nodded and placed her other hand over Chloe’s.

"Sweetheart listen to me. You don't have to be scared. I want you to forget tonight happened. No one's trying to hurt you. You're just a normal little girl. You can't heal people and mommy doesn't have any gifts either."

The light glow emanated from hers hands as she spoke calmly to her daughter.

"You don't even know that there are people with abilities out there. Everyone is normal, just like you."

The glow faded and Chloe's faraway look left her eyes as she blinked a few times and then smiled at her mother.

"Are you here to read me a book mommy?"

She smiled.

"I sure am princess! Which one will it be?"

"Hmmm the Princess Bride!"

Moira chuckled before grabbing it from Chloe's shelf and lying next to her daughter and starting to read. It hurt having to use her powers on her own daughter, but it was safer this way.

If Chloe didn't know what she could do then she wouldn't be in danger. She'd be free from this life, of secrets. Free to be her own person. As for Lionel and Lex, thanks to Marks gifts they wouldn't remember any of it. The memories had been wiped from their heads. She just hopped it was enough.

Moira Sullivan had promised herself she'd never use her gifts to force someone to do something they didn't want to do, but sometimes when the risk was too great, sacrifices needed to be made and promises broken for the greater good.