Clana - How "This Time" Will be Different (PG-13) [Archive] - Page 3

ajfinn

07-20-2005, 08:34 PM

Part 37:

With Clark beside her, fading out of consciousness just as quickly, Lana was back in France, entering Isobel’s kitchen and coming face to face with Kal-el—now dressed and looking almost as good in a white button-down shirt and black trousers. Isobel wanted to undo just one more button to see a bit more of that awesome chest again. She wondered what ever possessed her to offer him clothing, then shook off the thought.

“I’m sorry that I don’t have a lot to offer you, but if you’d like to sit, I’ll do what I can,” she said, motioning to a chair at the table. “My two cooks are away, along with the rest of my staff. So, I’m afraid you’re stuck with my feeble attempts at cooking.” Her manor was large for the countryside, but only a third the size that she’d had in Paris. She needed the staff to help her care for the place, but they were much more like family than hired help. It was so strange when they went away like this, but Isobel always felt it important that they take holidays when she could manage without them. She was always lonely though. Her staff members were all much older than she, and quite parental at times—leaving her with no one of her own age or circumstances to consider a friend. But it was far better than her life in Paris, where her neighbors talked of her far too often.

“Any food at all would be great,” Kal-el said, sitting and noticing that Marguerite was looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes. He offered a gentle smile. “Hello, what are you called? I mean, what is your name?”

Marguerite shrieked and ran around the length of the table as fast as her little legs could carry her—and clutched onto her mother’s skirts. “Mama! Big man, Mama!”

Isobel laughed, scooping Marguerite into her arms and placing her on a hip. “It’s all right,” she said. “The big man is nice.” She glanced over her shoulder to see Kal-el with an apologetic grin.

“I didn’t mean to frighten her,” he said. “Perhaps I should go outside—or back to the barn.”

“Heavens, no,” Isobel said, lightheartedly. “And how long, may I ask, have you been staying in my barn?”

“Since last night. I’ve been traveling through the country, and had no other place to rest,” he said. This time, his honest answer was a little more shrewd—leaving out the small detail that he’d been led to her by a penetrating ringing in his head that would not go away. Not until he found the black stone that was hidden in the dense forest bordering her property. “I’d planned to be gone by early morning, but I suppose I missed the crowing of your rooster—then when I finally woke, I saw you in the flowers . . . and the fire started . . . somehow.” He looked to the table, unable to face her as he hid so much. He was beginning to understand why his eyes were burning—why he’d started the fire, but that wasn’t something you just told a woman—not on Krypton, and not on Earth. That much he was certain of.

Isobel was slicing some bread and cheese, hoping it would be enough for him. “Our rooster is buried next to the lake—so it’s doubtful you’d have heard him crowing,” she said, giving a sideways glance over to Kal-el that made him uncomfortably hot again.

“Feathers,” Marguerite said sadly, her bottom lip protruding so far that it made Kal-el smile at her sweetness. “Feathers,” she repeated again.

“That was our rooster’s name,” Isobel whispered, trying not to upset her daughter any further. “He and Marguerite were quite close.”

“I can see that,” Kal-el answered, suddenly wishing he had something to offer Marguerite to distract her. He felt bad for even bringing up the rooster, but he thought they were sure to have one of those strange earth animals—as most people with barns did. He’d grown to dislike them quite a bit over the past few weeks.

On Krypton, when he wanted to wake, he did it. He did not have to rely on a feathered beast to alert him to the dawn of day. And Earth had only ONE sun—he still couldn’t get used to how peculiar that was. Everything was different on this planet, however. Though his father had told him he would have powers much greater than he could imagine, he was still trying to get used to how to use them, and new abilities seemed to be coming each day. As much as he was enjoying such things, he’d wanted to return home since the day he arrived—until now, that was. Now, he hoped his father’s ridiculous lesson in obedience would last quite a while longer. But there was no way of knowing—his father was not one to divulge details—though, he was as expert at giving strict orders. Too many for Kal-el to keep up with at times.

Isobel placed a generous plate of bread and cheese, along with a mug of something Kal-el didn’t recognize in front of him on the table. At least their food was strangely similar to that of Krypton’s. He thanked her and she went back to the cutting board, slicing an apple for him, and one for Marguerite as well.

In their silence, Kal-el could not stop himself from glancing at her slim figure. What was it about this woman that made her look so differently than any other? He’d been around enough Earth women since he’d been there to not feel much attraction to them—though they were abnormally drawn to him—for some unexplainable reason, he thought. But Isobel was different. She seemed to have a grasp on his soul that he could not shake—nor did he want to.

Isobel turned to see Kal-el staring at her and was ashamed of herself for enjoying his attention. One did not flirt with stragglers—it was dangerous to say the least. “I hope you like apples,” she said, adding the wedges to his plate.

Kal-el just nodded, unable to think of any sort of response—not even in Kryptonian.

Thinking it would be wise to break the manner in which their eyes were locked again, Isobel turned to give some apple wedges to Marguerite. “Sweetheart,” she said, glancing around the kitchen, then looking under the table where she often played. “Marguerite,” she called again, moving through the surrounding rooms. After a panicked search, she ran out the door and screamed—seeing Marguerite teetering toward the lake—already much too close for Isobel to reach her in time.

She began to run—shouting for Marguerite to stop, her heart racing as fast as it could without bursting. In her pursuit, she saw a blur of white to the side of her—then stopped dead in her tracks—falling to her knees in shock as she witnessed Kal-el scoop Marguerite into his arms, just as she reached the water. Kal-el had appeared out of thin air. How was that possible?

“Lana, Clark,” Chloe said, shaking them—as one conglomerate heap—out of their slumber. “Seriously, you guys. He’s going to be here any minute. Get off the freakin’ couch.”

Lana laid there, her heart pounding with the rate that Isobel’s had. She swallowed down a lump of emotion, looking to Clark who seemed to be ignoring Chloe entirely until he forced his heavy lids open and he remembered where he was.

They sat up, still tangled together. “Sorry, Chloe,” Lana said. “We must have drifted off.”

Chloe took hold of both of them, attempting to hoist them from the couch. “Drifting off is napping for thirty minutes, you two have been sawing logs for hours,” she said. “Now, get in the bedroom and don’t make a noise—and don’t wait up for me either.”

“Well, check in when you get back, will you?” Clark said, having his first intelligible thought.

Chloe kept pushing them toward the bedroom. “Clark, I haven’t had a parental figure in my life for almost a year now, I think I can handle myself.”

“I know you can, but I’m kinda paranoid right now,” Clark said, still allowing her to push him, but wanting to put his steel foot down, like his own father would. “I’m serious, just let us know when you get home—or call if you need someone to come get you—”

Chloe had shoved the two of them behind the door and pulled it shut. “Stay out of sight!” she said, trying to sound facetious about it, but meaning it just the same. Jimmy wasn’t exactly the type of guy you impressed your friends with.

Inside the bedroom, Lana explained her latest dream to Clark—as Chloe paced in front of the door, waiting for Jimmy’s knock.

“Isobel saw him super-speed?” Clark asked. “The first day they met?”

“More like the first hour, I think,” Lana said. “Funny huh? It took me over a decade to discover your secret.”

Clark couldn’t argue with that. “Well, even if she saw him do that, it doesn’t mean he’ll stick around to explain,” he said, still uncertain of what to think of Lana’s visions. “And even if he does, then Isobel discovered his abilities on accident—right? I told you because I love you—there’s a difference.”

Lana tipped her head, wondering where Clark’s sudden defensiveness was coming from. “Clark, the man who stayed with Isobel wasn’t you.”

Clark released his breath, finally relieved that he no longer felt the need to explain his actions with another woman—of which he had no recollection. “How do you know?”

“Because I paid closer attention to his face this time—well, he finally got dressed, so it was a bit easier,” she said, smiling. “Anyway, I noticed that he didn’t have the same mole you do under your eye, right here.” She touched the faint marking she’d always adored, high on his right cheekbone.

Clark nodded, hoping she was right. But if it wasn’t him, who was it?

“What’s really strange, though, is that I’m starting to discern his feelings as well—like I can read his mind,” she said. “It’s not really words I’m hearing, just emotions. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I don’t know how to explain ANYTHING that’s happening to us lately,” Clark said, embracing her.

A cheery knock on the front door made them part, and smile with curiosity. “Should we peek?” Clark whispered.

“No!” Lana said. “She’d kill us.”

“Well, I’m pretty tough to kill, and you know Lana-fu,” Clark said. “So—”

“Lana-fu?! Whatever!” she said, smacking him on the head.

“Owww,” Clark said, putting a hand to his head and pouting.

“Don’t even try it,” she said. “You’ll probably come to regret that I know your secret.”

Chloe had been patiently waiting in front of the door, trying not to appear overanxious. “Oh, hi . . . ” she said when she opened it at last, then had to inhale another breath of air before she continued. “Wow. You, uhh, you’ve changed since I last saw you.”

Jimmy smiled, and Chloe noticed that his teeth were now perfectly straight. “And so have you—I mean, you’ve always been beautiful, but man,” he said, shaking his head and trying really hard to keep his eyes up.

“Thanks!” Chloe said, feeling like a puddle of melted butter. Someone could’ve scooped her up and lathered her on a slice of toast. “Well, let’s go.”

She made a motion to step through the door, but Jimmy walked into the apartment at the same time. “This is a great place!” he said, looking around. “Did you say you were thinking of moving in permanently?”

“Maybe,” Chloe said, trying to back him out again, but catching a whiff of his cologne—the brand that always made her toes curl. But what was she afraid of? Jimmy looked nothing like a guy you tried to shield from society—man, he was freakin’ hot now! Still, she didn’t want to deal with Clark and Lana’s curious smirks—so she had to get him out of there.

But it was too late. Just as Clark pried the door open enough to peek out, Jimmy saw him, and turned to Chloe with a look of startle. “Uhh—”

“Oh, you probably want to know why there’s a guy in my bedroom, don’t you?” Chloe asked with an innocent shrug. “Come on out, guys. I know you’re listening.”

Clark came out with a huge grin, tugging Lana by the hand.

“I tried to stop him,” Lana said, her tone pleading for forgiveness.

Jimmy was thrilled to meet them, and after introductions were made, he couldn’t wait to get more friendly. “Hey, why don’t you two come along? I have such a great night planned, and it would be twice as nice with friends.”

“Nah, you don’t want these guys tagging along—they’d hardly be conversationalists, if you know what I mean,” Chloe said, winking at Jimmy. “They rarely come up for air.”

Both Clark and Lana gave looks that said, “Oh, common!” but it was due to her comment, not because they wanted to go.

“They can’t be THAT bad,” Jimmy said, putting his arm around Chloe and giving her a squeeze. “What do ya say, guys? I’ll be terribly offended if you don’t join us.”

“Yes, please come,” Chloe said, hoping that Clark and Lana would recognize that she was giving her fake expression of desperate expectation.

Clark smiled, putting his arm around Lana in the same playful manner that Jimmy had done. “We’d love to!”

(Hope there's not too many errors in here - it's too long to edit on the boards)

Ketchup

07-20-2005, 08:45 PM

Ooooh cool, so what makes Isobel turn evil after all of this?

peaches4cream

07-20-2005, 08:50 PM

like a puddle of melted butter. Someone could’ve scooped her up and lathered her on a slice of toast.
***********************************

wow......:eek: i've nevfer heard that one before but its great so keep going

SVClana

07-20-2005, 08:51 PM

Awesome chapter! Haha, Lana-fu :P Can't wait to read about what happens on the Chloe/Jimmy Clark/Lana double date, and about Lana's next dream with Isobel and Kal-el!

Ketchup

07-20-2005, 09:01 PM

Apparently you... added something to that entry? Cool, I can so see Jimmy being one of Lex's agents BWAHAHAA =D

ajfinn

07-20-2005, 09:40 PM

OKAY FOR PART 37: I CAN'T EDIT WHAT I WROTE BECAUSE THE WORD COUNT IS TOO LONG FOR THAT UPDATE, BUT IT SHOULD SAY "ONE MOON" INSTEAD OF "ONE SUN" KRYPTON DOES HAVE ONLY ONE SUN, BUT AT LEAST FOUR MOONS. I'D MEANT THAT BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO CHANGE WHEN I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. SORRY ;)

Originally posted by Ketchup
Apparently you... added something to that entry? Cool, I can so see Jimmy being one of Lex's agents BWAHAHAA =D

Man, you are eeeeevvvviiillll ---- Jimmy one of Lex's agents. Umm, okay, maybe I'll do that now. Kidding, everyone. Like I'd give THAT away. And yes, Ketchup, I have to wait 30 freaking seconds between posting two parts of the update, and you happened to click on my story right during those 30 seconds? I KNEW you were stalking this story! I'm so flattered ;) Pretend that smiley is blushing.

NYC300Z

07-20-2005, 10:23 PM

Why did Clark have to open the door to take a peak? The whole time I was thinking that he was just gonna use his x-ray vision. That would have made sense so that way he wouldn't be noticed. Oh well at least that set them up to go on a double date right? And the Kalabelle is getting very interesting! PPMS!!

binkys711

07-20-2005, 10:32 PM

awesome update!!!PPMS!!!:D

ajfinn

07-20-2005, 10:54 PM

Originally posted by NYC300Z
Why did Clark have to open the door to take a peak? The whole time I was thinking that he was just gonna use his x-ray vision. That would have made sense so that way he wouldn't be noticed. Oh well at least that set them up to go on a double date right? And the Kalabelle is getting very interesting! PPMS!!

Then Lana couldn't have seen, and who would he have to talk to about "chloe's mysterious hunk"? Also, it seemed weird to have him just look through the door, I always see Clark's x-ray vision as x-ray, not fully dimentional as they've done so few times. So it seemed to me that he could've only evaluated his bone structure. ha ha. But good point. *Dang, I knew someone like NYC300Z would catch that. Freak, these guys don't let me get away with anything!* oh, wait, did I type that out loud? :lol:

binkys711

07-20-2005, 10:58 PM

i thought about that 2...but i thought that he purposely wanted to be noticed by Jimmy, that's why he opened the door:rolleyes: oh well....PPMS!:D;)

Mythos

07-21-2005, 01:18 AM

I keep repeating myself, but: Amazing update! :D

I love that there are SO many directions this story could head to. There's no telling what will happen next! :D

NYC300Z

07-21-2005, 01:40 AM

awww it's ok ajfinn! This way it continues the story and we get to see Clark and Lana go out on their first date since getting back together! PPMS!!

4EverSmallville

07-21-2005, 01:54 AM

Okay - Kalabelle is the ship in Lana's dream? :lol: - I should have gotten that on my own lol. Fantastic update, love Chloe's jokes on Clark and Lana like 'sawing logs' and 'never come up for air'. You've got Chloe down :D.

Daniel.Hauser

07-21-2005, 04:08 AM

Nice :) I wonder what will become of the plot around Lana's dreams/visions around Isobel and then there's always Lex if the story is in danger of being slow on action.

btw: I hate double dates! Really, they can only end in a disaster.

kewl

07-21-2005, 09:27 AM

great update ajfinn!!! stupid clark, why didn't he just used his x-ray vision instead of peeking at the door?:D PPMS!!

EyeluvTom

07-21-2005, 10:51 AM

Only one way to describe your update! This way is called, WOW! We need Lana to have more dreams!

SVsleuth

07-21-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote: "Isobel wanted to undo just one more button to see a bit more of that awesome chest again. She wondered what ever possessed her to offer him clothing, then shook off the thought."" :rotfl:

Another great update ajfinn. Still lovin your story! I'll keep watching for more. :)

peaches4cream

07-21-2005, 11:25 AM

update

MOOman0618

07-21-2005, 01:41 PM

I am so into this story!! I check for updates way too often!

ajfinn

07-21-2005, 02:03 PM

Originally posted by MOOman0618
I am so into this story!! I check for updates way too often!

Thank you! I appreciate everyone's continuing interest and compliments :D

Another update is on its way - TODAY!

Meanwhile, from my REAL life -- my husband came to me last night and said (laughing) "What are you teaching our daughter?" He went on to explain how our five year old went for a ride with him and said, "Dad, put on that one song about how Superman just wishes he could be normal." She was talking about "Superman" by Five for Fighting (from the Talon Mix). She wants to listen to it every time we get into the car--it's very powerful and deep to her, and she can feel Clark's pain. Okay, yes, I'm training them a little young to love the Man of Steel, what can I say. My girls aren't old enough to watch Smallville yet, but that's okay because I wouldn't want them crushing on Clark like I do. Competition between mothers and daughters just isn't cool.

WHAT a great song though!! I've never heard another one describe Smallville's Clark better. It's SO perfect. I wish it was the theme. "Save me" is cool, but this one is better.

The UPDATE is one its way :D

EyeluvTom

07-21-2005, 02:09 PM

Yah! Another update, today! Thank you ajfinn!

SVClana

07-21-2005, 02:17 PM

Yay! Can't wait for the update!

4EverSmallville

07-21-2005, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by ajfinn
Thank you! I appreciate everyone's continuing interest and compliments :D

Another update is on its way - TODAY!

Meanwhile, from my REAL life -- my husband came to me last night and said (laughing) "What are you teaching our daughter?" He went on to explain how our five year old went for a ride with him and said, "Dad, put on that one song about how Superman just wishes he could be normal." She was talking about "Fly" by the Dave Matthews Band (from the Talon Mix). She wants to listen to it every time we get into the car--it's very powerful and deep to her, and she can feel Clark's pain. Okay, yes, I'm training them a little young to love the Man of Steel, what can I say. My girls aren't old enough to watch Smallville yet, but that's okay because I wouldn't want them crushing on Clark like I do. Competition between mothers and daughters just isn't cool.

WHAT a great song though!! I've never heard another one describe Smallville's Clark better. It's SO perfect. I wish it was the theme. "Save me" is cool, but this one is better.

The UPDATE is one its way :D

Aaw, that's so cute. :lol:. Can't wait for the update.

Mythos

07-21-2005, 02:29 PM

Oooo I LOVE that song! They played it at the end of "Stray" when Ryan had to leave. That song is indeed a great song for SV! " I can't stand to fly "

LOL!

Oh and, ofcourse, YAY! Update! :D

;)

NYC300Z

07-21-2005, 02:55 PM

Yay can't wait for later today! I'm off from work so i'll be sure to come back to keep checking!!

ajfinn

07-21-2005, 03:07 PM

Originally posted by Mythos
Oooo do you mean Five for Fighting with Superman?

;)

Uhh, yeah!! Whoops! Going back to edit - wrote the wrong song down. :lol:

Mythos

07-21-2005, 03:11 PM

Originally posted by ajfinn
Uhh, yeah!! Whoops! Going back to edit - wrote the wrong song down. :lol:

LOL :p

Got me editing as well... :rotfl:

There... nothing happend... no mistakes were made anywhere :D

SVsleuth

07-21-2005, 08:31 PM

Waiting for the promised update tonight!!!
Yay!!!

ajfinn

07-21-2005, 08:39 PM

Part 38:

“But I have to shower first, can we hook up with you somewhere?” Clark asked Jimmy. They agreed on where to meet in an hour, and after Chloe and Jimmy left, Clark looked down at Lana with somewhat of a concerned expression. “Well, with the prices of the restaurant we’re going to—we may be sharing an appetizer. Hope you’re not too hungry.”

“Like you’ve always said—I eat like a bird, so I’m fine,” Lana answered. “But how do you know how expensive Fathoms is—have you been there?” Just as she said it, she had a sinking feeling.

“Just once,” he said. “A very long time ago, in another life I try every day to forget.”

“Then why go?” she asked. “It’s obvious that Chloe would prefer we stay here.”

Clark thought for a moment, trying to determine the best way to say this. “Lana, when Jimmy sent those flowers today, it made me realize the many different levels in which I’ve failed you.” Lana started to protest, but Clark went on. “I mean, we’ve hardly even ‘dated’ at all. We’ve had enough serious talks to last a lifetime, and we’ve made it through countless life-threatening situations—but we could probably count the number of official dates we’ve had on one hand.”

Lana tipped her head and held up four fingers.

“Exactly! So I want to change all that,” Clark said, putting his hands on her tiny waist and stepping closer. “You mean everything to me, Lana, and I want to do all I can to prove that to you—the way a normal boyfriend would—not a guy who has to worry about spaceships and crazy-billionaires chasing after him. I want us to have fun together and do the things normal couples do.”

Lana’s eyes were tearing up. “Clark, you have the weight of the world on your shoulders—literally,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist as well. “You already give me more than I could ever hope for in a relationship.”

“Well, Chloe inspired me today—so I’m going to ‘kick it up a notch,’” he said, leaning in to kiss her tenderly. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I don’t want the stress of all this destiny garbage interfering with us living a normal life together.”

“And that means going out with friends?” she asked, her insides toasty enough to roast marshmallows.

“And going to movies, and baseball games . . . and suburban block parties,” Clark said. “No matter what crazy situations we find ourselves in, we’re going to live as casually as we can.”

“Suburban block parties?” Lana asked. The single phrase was stuck in her head, playing over and over again. “You’re thinking a bit far in the future, aren’t you?”

Clark could tell she was happy about that, so he said what he really wanted to. “Far, far into the future, as far as you can go—that’s how long I want you by my side. Who knows where we’ll end up? Knowing Jor-el, it could be on another planet.”

“Anything’s possible,” Lana said with a laugh, but she knew the idea wasn’t as far-fetched as Clark made it sound. “As long as it has a shopping mall, I’ll be just fine.”

Things were getting very serious, and they both knew it. The proof was in the honest way in which they talked, the way they kissed—with passion, but bridled when it needed to be, and especially the way they felt about one another. The ever increasing moments they spent together etched their determination and love deeper into their hearts. Clana was there to stay—and it felt good . . . so good.

“Okay, give me thirty seconds, and I’ll be ready,” Clark said.

Before Lana could tell him she needed longer than that herself, he blurred past her—the only proof of his presence being the banging of the bathroom door and the sound of water turning on. Lana rubbed her arms, smoothing down the hair that was sticking straight up from chills. Wow—what that boy did to her!

The thought of him ‘kicking it up a notch’ made her shudder with excitement as she walked into the bedroom, closing the door and changing into snug black slacks and a short-sleeved brown top that rested on the edge of her shoulders. She didn’t want to just look great tonight—she wanted to look like an irresistible chocolate lava cake.

Clark would’ve been out sooner, but he had a bit of an issue. “Uhh, Lana,” he said, peeking only his head out of the bathroom door. “Can you bring me my backpack?”

She knew what the problem was the moment he called out to her. She debated, as Isobel did, whether she really wanted to help him out or not. She slung the pack over her shoulder and headed for the fun.

Before she could start her banter however, Clark spoke first—opening the door more than intended when he saw her. “Why do you feel the need to torture me like this?” he asked, looking her over.

Lana could’ve said the same line herself. “You’re the one standing there in a towel,” she said, scoping him out with just as little shame as he was showing. Yep, he and the Kal-el in Isobel’s memory were definitely not the same person—Clark’s chest and abs out-buffed Kal-el by a landslide. “You’ve been working out since I last saw you half-naked—and wet.”

Clark’s face split with a huge smile—glad that she’d noticed. “Benching tractors tends to have that effect on a body,” he said.

Lana reluctantly handed over the backpack. “That’s not the effect it’s having on MY body,” she said, fanning herself as she stepped away from the door.

He swallowed, almost losing the grip on his towel. “You know when I said I can’t tell you EVERYTHING that’s on my mind—well, this is one of those times.”

“My mind’s definitely in the gutter right now as well,” she said. “So you’d better shut that door or we’ll never make it to dinner—or for that matter, out of this apartment—ever again.”

Clark did as she said, his heart pounding so fast he didn’t have the energy to use his super speed to get dressed. Timing was a delicate thing he had to remind himself. He put on his clothes in what seemed to be very slow motion—taking just as slow of breaths to calm down.

All the clothing Clark packed were dark—just in case he had to do some night flying. When they’d finally made it outside, Clark looked up to see only a sliver of a moon and knew the conditions were perfect for a little fun—for Lana, at least. “So much for normal,” Lana said with a thrilling shriek, as they blasted into the wild blue yonder.

They reached Fathoms in only a few minutes, touching down in a dimmed parking lot a couple of buildings away, then strolling along the sidewalks—holding hands like a scene from the ending of a Meg Ryan movie.

When they approached the hostess desk, the young blonde—who obviously had a little artificial help with her bust line—was finishing up with a phone reservation, then hung up, still writing the name of the customer in her book. Without glancing up she said, “Name, please.”

“Shawn,” Clark answered, winking at Lana. Metropolis was a place well familiar to Lex and his friends, so Lana had suggested they stay under the radar as much as they could. It was one thing to try to be normal—it was another to be plain stupid. “But our friends should already—” Clark started to say.

The hostess raised her glittering eyes. “That’s funny—last time we met, your name was Kal.”

4EverSmallville

07-21-2005, 08:54 PM

:D - I'm on the edge of my seat, all warm and toasty inside, and then bam - Kal :lol:. I loved the honesty between Clark and Lana and the tension. :D.

Kal though, I wonder who this young woman is. Clark said he went to Fathoms once before...

binkys711

07-21-2005, 09:11 PM

AWESOME UPDATE!!!(as usual;)) PPMS!!!

SVsleuth

07-21-2005, 09:15 PM

Super job, ajfinn! Loved it. Here are some of my favorite parts: :lol: :lol:

QUOTE:
“Uhh, Lana,” he said, peeking only his head out of the bathroom door. “Can you bring me my backpack?”

She knew what the problem was the moment he called out to her. She debated, as Isobel did, whether she really wanted to help him out or not. She slung the pack over her shoulder and headed for the fun.

Before she could start her banter however, Clark spoke first—opening the door more than intended when he saw her. “Why do you feel the need to torture me like this?” he asked, looking her over.

Lana could’ve said the same line herself. “You’re the one standing there in a towel,” she said, scoping him out with just as little shame as he was showing. Yep, he and the Kal-el in Isobel’s memory were definitely not the same person—Clark’s chest and abs out-buffed Kal-el by a landslide. “You’ve been working out since I last saw you half-naked.”

QUOTE:
He swallowed, almost losing the grip on his towel. “You know when I said I can’t tell you EVERYTHING that’s on my mind—well, this is one of those times.”

Priceless!

peaches4cream

07-21-2005, 09:27 PM

busted

ajfinn

07-21-2005, 10:36 PM

“You’ve been working out since I last saw you half-naked.”

I had to edit in something important to the previous line . . . which made him look quite different than he'd looked in the Talon the day before :lol: And jeans have a little bit different cut than a towel does, maybe I should've said that too. We'll, I'll just let you imagine what you will ;)

Check out 4everSmallville's avi if you need some inspiration.

kewl

07-22-2005, 12:14 AM

i love this story!!!!! :D PPMS!!!

MOOman0618

07-22-2005, 12:25 AM

Uh oh! Kal is getting Clark in trouble! I think this story is awesome! I want to see more magic. Can I have more magic?

ajfinn

07-22-2005, 12:34 AM

Originally posted by MOOman0618
I think this story is awesome! I want to see more magic. Can I have more magic?

What? More magic?? Don't Clark and Lana create enough magic on their own? :D

Don't worry, Lana will channel her inner witch again. She might even whip up a love potion. Well, I guess she doesn't need to, does she? Clark's pretty whooped as it is ;) She could always turn him into a toad though - that might be interesting! But if I was her, I'd turn him into a blanket. *refusing to explain that one--husband is sitting next to me* :D

MOOman0618

07-22-2005, 12:37 AM

Originally posted by ajfinn
But if I was her, I'd turn him into a blanket. *refusing to explain that one--husband is sitting next to me* :D

LOL...I can only imagine

I think a toad that can bench press a tractor would be awesome!

Ketchup

07-22-2005, 12:39 AM

Loving all of the food metaphors! And yea, Clark definitely got busted. Or maybe its just Punk'd from MTV... I guess we'll find out in the next update! =D

4EverSmallville

07-22-2005, 01:37 AM

Originally posted by ajfinn
Check out 4everSmallville's avi if you need some inspiration.

:lol: :o - Well I know I got inspiration from it lol. I just changed it so, for those of you who read this and get confused I had an avi of assorted pictures of a shirtless TW. :D :p.

NYC300Z

07-22-2005, 02:22 AM

Great Update!! So who is this hostess! I hope she doesn't get Clark in trouble with Lana!! PPMS!!

Mythos

07-22-2005, 02:24 AM

uh-oh! Clark's in trouble now!

Cool update! You capture Clana really like I would want to see it done on SV. There are even times in this fic when I'm slightly jealous of Clark... <heh, heh>

EyeluvTom

07-22-2005, 08:52 AM

Yah, another awesome update! Don't let this blonde girl disturb the Clana though!

SVClana

07-22-2005, 10:43 AM

Ooo...can't wait to see what happens next! Awesome update! Post the next chapter soon!!

ajfinn

07-22-2005, 02:07 PM

Another update coming tonight :)

binkys711

07-22-2005, 02:29 PM

yay!!! can't wait!!!*tears* i just read the HP book! it's soo sad!!!:(WHY?!WHY HIM!!!such a cool dude, so sweet!!!:( *sobs*

EyeluvTom

07-22-2005, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by ajfinn
Another update coming tonight :)

Can't wait for your update!

Kal-El & Me

07-22-2005, 06:18 PM

cool can't wait.

SmallvilleMan

07-22-2005, 06:55 PM

YEAHHHHHH!;)

booze_is_me09

07-22-2005, 08:15 PM

sweet can't wait!

dreammaster

07-22-2005, 09:01 PM

awesome chapter

ajfinn

07-22-2005, 09:04 PM

Part 39:

Lana shifted her weight, trying not to react to the girl recognizing Clark.

Clark gave her hand a squeeze. “Uhh, Kal was my twin brother—and he’s been away for years now. He’s gone a bit . . . ” Clark gave a look that expressed regret, then made the sign for being ‘crazy’.

“Really?” the girl asked with a gasp. “But he seemed so—”

“Young?” Lana was compelled to say.

The hostess gave a devilish smile. “Among other things.”

“Yeah,” Clark said sadly. “I just hope the cross-dressing he’s now so fond of doesn’t run in the genes, you know.”

“Right, well, if you see him, umm . . . ” she started to write her phone number down on a scrap of paper.

Lana put her hand on the hostess’ arm, patting it like a child’s. “Yeah, I’m sure you’d love to hook up with Kal now that he’s ‘legal’ and all—but like Shawn said—he’s changed a bit since he was living in Metropolis at sixteen.”

“Shut up!” shrieked Goldilocks, her face in a fit of terror. “Oh my . . . well, it’s a good thing he—”

“Never called you?” Clark asked, raising a brow.

The girl tossed her woven tresses of fake hair—refusing to admit she’d been dissed by Kal, then asked the name of their party and rushed them to their table.

Jimmy immediately stood and greeted the two of them—grabbing Lana’s chair before Clark even had a chance to think about it. Clark sat and Chloe leaned across the table to him, whispering in a hurry, “You could’ve checked him out without opening the door—you idiot!”

Clark couldn’t believe she was still upset about it—it happened over an hour ago. Sheesh, girls held grudges. “But Lana wanted to see too—even though she denies it.”

When Jimmy returned to his seat, they both sat straight again—pretending like they’d only issued a pleasant greeting. Lana was certain she knew what they said, however, and gave Chloe another one of her very apologetic smiles.

“Glad to see you two made it!” Jimmy said with enthusiasm. “Chloe here had her doubts—thought you’d get a little distracted along the way.” He laughed, bumping Chloe, which she didn’t seem to mind.

“Thanks for inviting us,” Lana said graciously. “This place is amazing.” She was in awe by her surroundings—the word hip couldn’t begin to describe it. The tones of copper, saddle-colored leather and black granite, were just part of the modern flair. And the room they were in—which fit only five private tables, was surrounded by an aquarium of remarkable sea life. “I’m guessing they didn’t find these barracuda in Metropolis Lake.”

“I surely hope not,” Jimmy said with a fake shiver. “And I wouldn’t think we have black-tipped reef sharks either—but who knows? They’ve pulled plenty of interesting things out of that murky lake water.”

They all laughed, musing over the different news stories they’d heard over the years involving the lake that sat in the middle of Metropolis Central Park. The waiter came, speaking with a French accent to boot (Lana thought it was at least exaggerated—if not altogether false) and offered them drinks and menus. The hostess continued to make ‘casual’ appearances to check-out Clark, pretending to be looking for extra silverware—she said, but Lana knew better, and it was starting to really bug her.

Jimmy ordered himself a sparkling water, and the others followed suit—only they went with the tap water variety. Jimmy noticed, and feeling uncomfortable about it said, “Hey, you guys should know that this outing is my treat, okay? Order whatever you want.”

“Nah, you don’t have to do that,” Clark said, feeling like a major cheapskate.

“I insist,” he said. “I’m the one who talked you into coming—I just wanted to get to know the two people Chloe talks about most.” A short time later, they’d all ordered—starting out with simple requests that were added upon by Jimmy.

The hostess made her way back over, having the nerve to interrupt this time. “So, I’m not sure if I told you . . . ” she said, nearly panting like a dog in heat, “ . . . my name is Tara, Tara Bradley—I’m in the book, so be sure to let Kal know, okay?”

It was obvious that Tara was no longer interested in Kal at all—but his ‘sane’ twin brother, Shawn. Clark nodded, “I don’t think they allow him to communicate with the outside world—they uhh, tend to shelter cases like him,” he said, again putting on his act of pity and getting very curious looks from across the table. “After his episode at Victoria’s Secret with the thongs and push-up bras . . . well, that’s when we knew society just wasn’t his thing.”

“Oh,” Tara said, noticeably flustered that Clark hadn’t taken her hint. She backed away, then whirled around, swinging her booty like she thought she was Jennifer Lopez.

That was a serious mistake. Lana slipped her hand under the table so no one could see what she was doing, then gave one directed swipe. One of Tara’s three inch spiked heels mysteriously snapped off—sending her to the floor on her perfectly rounded butt she seemed to be so very proud of.

Tara pouted, then waved over a waiter to help her up. She took off her shoes, then left the room in an embarrassed huff.

Everyone in the room had turned when she fell, trying not to laugh, because that would be rude, of course. But there were certainly a few snickers at Lana’s table—mostly from Clark, who was quick to explain to Jimmy that the hostess thought he was someone else, but he’d decided to have a bit of fun with it.

Lana tipped her head to Chloe, with a small frown as she shook her head. “Don’t you hate it when that happens, Chlo?” she asked. “The shoes look like they might’ve been Prada.”

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Chloe said, giving a sarcastic smirk. “I’d die if that happened to a pair of MY Prada heels.”

Jimmy did nothing to hide his adoring smile as he looked at Chloe—she’d infected him like a virus the day they met. “Man, I’m glad you’re finally, well—graduated,” he said, looking a pale shade of pink for the first time.

Clark knew what Jimmy was thinking, and like any big brother would—stuck his nose where it didn’t belong. “Yeah, so Chloe’s finally eighteen—and you’re—”

“I’ll be twenty-one in September,” Jimmy said, clearing his throat. “So, it was sort of bad timing when Chloe and I met a few summers ago.”

Chloe acted as though she'd just been handed a bouquet of circus balloons—her face lit up, and for the first time, she clued into why Jimmy had done nothing more than email her since their summer fling—when they were BOTH underage—which changed at the end of that summer for him. Duh! Now she didn’t have any reason at all to doubt how he felt about her. Maybe this would be an icebreaker to tell him what she wanted to.

After Chloe’s euphoria faded a bit, she kicked Clark’s shin under the table and pointed casually to her ear. Clark took that as a strong hint that he should turn on his super-hearing. He made eye contact to give her the go ahead. “Back off,” she whispered under her breath.

Clark gave her an almost invisible nod, feeling stupid for being so over-protective. But he couldn’t help it—he’d been the neighborhood watchdog since the day they became friends.

The four of them chatted up a storm as they ate, getting along like Jimmy had always been a part of their circle. The hostess, Tara, came in a couple more times—having tugged her already low neckline down an inch or two. Everyone immediately glanced to her feet, discovering that she’d knocked the other heel off as well. “Did your waiter tell you about our desserts?” she asked, not waiting for an answer as her eyes slowly floated over to Clark. “May I recommend our Napoleon—it’s stacked with irresistible layers of chocolate and strawberries, then lathered in whipped cream.” She placed a napkin casually to the side of Clark’s plate, which did little to hide the scrap of paper with her information on it—name, home phone, cell phone, and email address—bootyliscious@hotlips.com.

Clark didn’t hesitate. “It sounds like someone’s trying too hard—the chef, I mean.”

Then right on cue, the waiter brought out the dessert tray to offer them a variety of temptations. This was quite unfortunate for the dear little hostess, because Lana was a bit ticked off. As Tara turned, she kept her attention on Clark—glancing over her shoulder and winking.

At just the right moment, Lana gave a simple spin of her finger and the dessert tray tipped out of the waiter’s hands—landing precisely on target.

Tara screamed, scooping gobs of whipped cream topped Napoleon, chocolate mouse, crème brulee, and bananas foster off her face and chest. She then slapped the waiter silly for his clumsiness, dragging him off like a naughty child.

“Lana Lang!” Both Clark and Chloe said, finally putting the two incidents together.

Jimmy was completely oblivious, darting his eyes between the three of them for answers.

Lana feigned shock at their accusations, then finally conceded. “At least she got a little action tonight.”

SmallvilleMan

07-22-2005, 09:13 PM

hahahhahaa, that was cool.

SVsleuth

07-22-2005, 09:40 PM

bootyliscious@hotlips.com. :lol:
Another super update ajfinn. Keep it going....

peaches4cream

07-22-2005, 09:58 PM

what kind of e-mail address is that that deals with two different parts but very creative so

great update and update some more

ajfinn

07-22-2005, 11:00 PM

MOOman0618 - Hope you got your magic fix.

clana4ev3r

07-23-2005, 01:15 AM

that is hilarious :rotfl: the tripping and that dessert and how clark and chloe found out whose been doing it!!!!:lol: :rotfl: can't wait to see what happens next!!! PPMS!

Ketchup

07-23-2005, 01:41 AM

Hahahahahaha I love this story!!! Lana is one jealous gf haha. Almost a witch =P Well technically she IS a witch. Amazing update, Tara just couldnt take a hint lol. PPMS!

Mythos

07-23-2005, 02:42 AM

:lol: :lol: :rotfl: :rotfl:

That was great! Evil annoying waitress! If I'd have had a penny every time that has happened to me..... I'd have 2,5 pennies!

<heh, heh>

Jimmy seems really nice! Need to adjust my view of him a bit though now that he's older than Clark, but it stil works :D

kewl

07-23-2005, 03:09 AM

:rotfl: :rotfl: :lol: :lol: :lol: :rotfl: :rotfl:
that was so hilarious!!!!!! the waitress deserves it though. she is just so super annoying!!!! nice one oh, nice two lana :D :D hotlips.com eh??? well, i'd check this out then ;) another great update ajfinn!!!! please keep em coming!!!!

NYC300Z

07-23-2005, 03:43 AM

Great Update! So Lana conceeded? Does that mean she's gonna tell jimmy or is still and inside thing?? PPMS!!

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 09:18 AM

Originally posted by Mythos
:lol: :lol: :rotfl: :rotfl:

That was great! Evil annoying waitress! If I'd have had a penny every time that has happened to me..... I'd have 2,5 pennies!

<heh, heh>

Jimmy seems really nice! Need to adjust my view of him a bit though now that he's older than Clark, but it stil works :D

Mythos, you crack me up!! :lol: If you had a penny . . . yeah, if ANY guy in the world was as hot as Clark, they'd have LOADS of pennies. And I'm glad you're back, I wondered if you'd dropped off the edge of the earth, but I guess you just went to France. Thanks for doing research for me!!

And yes, I'm using a very different Jimmy than we're used to. I think Smallville's used a different one as well - I mean, Chloe can't be THAT desperate, even if she was rebounding from Clark the summer she hooked up with Jimmy. More will be revealed here shortly though. And someone's age becomes an interesting issue soon. That's the only hint I'll drop for now.

Another update coming today :D You'll get to know Jimmy better.

peaches4cream

07-23-2005, 09:30 AM

what are they going to do to lana for being meanto the waitress

EyeluvTom

07-23-2005, 09:36 AM

Loved the hilarious update! The Lana jealousy was priceless! ;)

Mythos

07-23-2005, 09:55 AM

ooooo could it be the indeterminable age of our extraterrestrial hero? <heh, heh>

Yeah, to quote Mayor Quimby of Springfield:"I have, ehrem, gone on a factfinding mission to France to, ehrem, find the, ehrem, facts that had to be found in order to, ehrem, come up with the right, ehrem, facts! (Vote Quimby!)

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by Mythos
ooooo could it be the indeterminable age of our extraterrestrial hero? <heh, heh>

Uhh, maybe! :lol:

I have to add -- I'm jumping up and down with glee from all the Smallville news from the past two days! This season is going to be AWESOME!!!! Of course, what would make it best for me is if there was lots of GOOD Clana, so I'm hoping, and wishing on stars and praying to heaven . . . and making underground payoff deals to the writers :D I hope it works.

SVClana

07-23-2005, 10:56 AM

Haha that chapter was hilarious!! “After his episode at Victoria’s Secret with the thongs and push-up bras . . . well, that’s when we knew society just wasn’t his thing.” :rotfl: Haha that was so funny!!

Mythos

07-23-2005, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by ajfinn
Uhh, maybe! :lol:

I have to add -- I'm jumping up and down with glee from all the Smallville news from the past two days! This season is going to be AWESOME!!!! Of course, what would make it best for me is if there was lots of GOOD Clana, so I'm hoping, and wishing on stars and praying to heaven . . . and making underground payoff deals to the writers :D I hope it works.

I hope you are bribing the right people.... Where can I put my donation? With the recent newsflash about the College Choices and the fact that they're going for at least 6 seasons I'm beginning to have doubts about the Clana in season 5... :\ :(

But still, there SHOULD be SOME Clana, because I can't imagine them dragging the whole thing on for yet ANOTHER season without anything good :D

On topic: Come on! Post already!!! :p ;) :D

MOOman0618

07-23-2005, 11:06 AM

Oh my gosh that update was great! I was laughing out loud more than once. Too bad I am at work and people probably what the heck I am doing. Yea for Lana magic!

SmallvilleMan

07-23-2005, 11:08 AM

Nah, there will definitly be clana, i promise that. I mean look the spoliers, what do you think lana is doing this whole time? Not to mention they've already used up every excuse and they can't go back on the whole "I love you" thing. It's a go, i know it.

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by Mythos
I hope you are bribing the right people.... Where can I put my donation? With the recent newsflash about the College Choices and the fact that they're going for at least 6 seasons I'm beginning to have doubts about the Clana in season 5... :\ :(

But still, there SHOULD be SOME Clana, because I can't imagine them dragging the whole thing on for yet ANOTHER season without anything good :D

On topic: Come on! Post already!!! :p ;) :D

CLANA is on topic - see, whatever happens with Clana in Smallville (oh, and you can contribute to the payoff cause by emailing Tara at bootyliscious@hotlips.com - ((this is only a joke, k-site admins :D)) ) we'll all just stay in our own little Clana utopia on these fan fic boards. BUT, I do think we'll still get some good Clana at least for a while in season 5. If they mess it up, grrrrrrr . . . well, again, we'll just fix it on the Clana fan fic board, won't we? :lol:

And they're planning for SIX seasons! Oh my, I'm fanning myself. *Happy little jig taking place* I think that's good news for Clana, actually. If there was only 5 seasons, I think they'd end Clana sooner. I want a whole happy season of those two. *raiding savings account and raising my credit limits to take care of this! What is tptb mailing address to sent payments to?*

Update still coming, despite my distractions with Smallville news.

We're done chatting now, sorry everyone :D Such a happy day!

Mythos

07-23-2005, 12:00 PM

I got curious about where you're accepting the donations so I went to hotlips.com... now THAT's a whole different approach to Clana which would have to go into the Adult section of this fanfic board..... :\

anyway.... Yeah, they've GOTTA give us good Clana, even if it's only for a couple of episodes. Sorry for saying this and I hope I'm not making anyone angry (not that I expect that on this particular board) but I really really hope we won't have any love Chlark and not too mushy friendship Chlark in the coming season. It would just be wrong to throw that on us, wouldn't it...?

*praying and paying to any power that might be listening and/or has a wallet to please give us good Clana!*

SmallvilleMan

07-23-2005, 12:08 PM

I doubt there will be any chlark, that went by in season 2. Oh and good thing you said this in the clana section of the board, i'd hate to see what would happen if you said it any where else. Although i'd be very very interested to see the reaction:D

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by Mythos
I got curious about where you're accepting the donations so I went to hotlips.com... now THAT's a whole different approach to Clana which would have to go into the Adult section of this fanfic board..... :\

anyway.... Yeah, they've GOTTA give us good Clana, even if it's only for a couple of episodes. Sorry for saying this and I hope I'm not making anyone angry (not that I expect that on this particular board) but I really really hope we won't have any love Chlark and not too mushy friendship Chlark in the coming season. It would just be wrong to throw that on us, wouldn't it...?

*praying and paying to any power that might be listening and/or has a wallet to please give uw good Clana!*

Ditto... though I like Clark & Chloe's interesting relationship. I think they can really make it better and better now, if Chloe stops lusting him (though, who can blame her?)

And please, everyone, I MADE UP the email address, don't take it further than that, please :D

I better stop chatting - PM me with your real email address, Mythos, this is fun stuff! Anyone else want to chat about Clana spoiler stuff - PM me too!!

clana4ev3r

07-23-2005, 01:55 PM

PPMS!

itsallinthespelling

07-23-2005, 02:06 PM

loved the update, and look foward to more. ppms

clana4ev3r

07-23-2005, 02:26 PM

Originally posted by EyeluvTom
Loved the hilarious update! The Lana jealousy was priceless! ;)

yea your right priceless! goes to show that you shouldn't flirt with clark when lana's around or there will be evil magic for you! :lol:

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 07:52 PM

Sorry the update is taking longer than I thought! It's still coming tonight though!!

blahblah

07-23-2005, 10:16 PM

I have a confession to make. I check daily for updates on this story but I'm just not big about posting. Sorry. You deserve every praise.

The story is great. I really love it!

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 10:29 PM

Originally posted by blahblah
I have a confession to make. I check daily for updates on this story but I'm just not big about posting. Sorry. You deserve every praise.

The story is great. I really love it!

WOWZERS! Thanks! And thanks for coming foward! hee hee

Guys, I'm terribly sorry, but it will be another couple of hours. I'll stay up all night if I have to though. I'd tell you I was struggling with the details of this next important scene, but that would be admitting my weakness, wouldn't it?

So . . . those in earlier time zones than me, my deepest apologies. Not that I think you're waiting up for it, but just in case I'm THAT lucky to have such a fandom, I dedicate my next scene to you. And Tom Welling, of course. (All I do is dedicated to him :lol: )

binkys711

07-23-2005, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by ajfinn
“You could’ve checked him out without opening the door—you idiot!”

“At least she got a little action tonight.”

HAHAHA!!!I'M JUST CRACKING UP AT THOSE LINES!!!AWESOME UPDATE AJ!!!REALLY FUNNY!!!:rotfl::lol: and i'll try to wait up for your next update......(if my mother doesn't catch me surfin the net this late:\ your story is definately worth the wait!!!:D;))

NYC300Z

07-23-2005, 11:25 PM

Can't wait for the upadate!! I'm heading to Brooklyn right now for realz and I hope by the time I get back to Jersey there's an update! I'll be checking!! PPMS!!

SmallvilleMan

07-23-2005, 11:25 PM

Hey, i just noticed the line above your picture:lol: That's funny.

ajfinn

07-23-2005, 11:28 PM

Originally posted by NYC300Z
Can't wait for the upadate!! I'm heading to Brooklyn right now for realz and I hope by the time I get back to Jersey there's an update! I'll be checking!! PPMS!!

Well, when you get back, PM me because I'm going to NYC this next weekend with my husband and I need to ask you a question :)

clana4ev3r

07-23-2005, 11:55 PM

PPMS!

yojimbo

07-23-2005, 11:58 PM

Nice upDate

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 12:24 AM

Part 40:

Clark and Chloe could not stop laughing, and Lana just went ahead and finished off her dinner she’d had a hard time eating before. “Oh, I feel much better now,” she said with a satisfied smile. “Anyone care to split a Napoleon with me? It looked delicious!”

The couples each shared a Napoleon, in honor of Tara. They then rested back in their chairs, and did their best to answer Jimmy’s questions without giving anything away. He completely bought the excuse that Clark and Chloe scolded Lana only because she seemed all too happy with Tara’s unfortunate accident. By the end, he simply said, “No wonder you’ve always found these two so entertaining, Chloe.”

Lana’s reaction to Tara was one of the best moments of Clark’s life. If Lana had ever been jealous before, he’d never noticed it. And it wasn’t as if he thought jealousy was a step in the right direction for them—not at all. It was just that it felt ridiculously good to see her claws come out to defend him from predators. He slid his hand along her leg and rested it on her knee, leaning over to whisper, “I’m going to take you somewhere really cool tonight.”

She whispered back, her hand going down to meet his and interlocking their fingers. “I’ll go anywhere with you—as long as it’s hostess-free.”

They were both quite antsy to leave that very instant, but it would’ve been rude since Jimmy started asking them every question he could about Chloe—and neither one of them wanted to pass up the opportunity to put Chloe in the spotlight.

“Chloe is seriously the most intelligent person I’ve ever met,” Clark said. “And those big blue eyes don’t hurt her any.”

“That’s for sure—and I’d die to have her personality,” Lana said with sincere envy. “It’s like she always has the perfect words for any moment—her wit is incomparable. I’ve never met anyone who can fire a comeback like she can.”

“Except for right now,” Chloe said, warmed by their compliments. “I’m completely tongue-tied.”

Jimmy’s impression of Chloe had been right on target, and his beaming smile revealed his growing feelings for her. “That’s because you’re far too humble,” he said to Chloe. “You should hear the way people talk about you at work—the chatter hasn’t stopped in the three years you’ve been gone.”

Chloe was truly taken aback by that. “What do you mean?”

“Well, everyone knows you’re their up and coming competition. And you see . . . ” Jimmy leaned into the table and lowered his voice, making sure everyone was paying attention. “The Daily Planet reporters aren’t exactly the close-knit family they pretend to be—there’s cat fights like you wouldn’t believe—especially among the women. And Chloe has been talked about since the first hour she got there as an intern, but when everyone found out she was still in high school, they tried to blow her off. BUT, they couldn’t because she continued to get the big scoops—which she unfortunately had to hand over to the ‘real’ reporters at the time . . . but it’s different now, and she’s got a huge target on her.”

Jimmy sat back in his chair like he was done, and everyone just stared at him. Chloe closed one eye and tipped her head in confusion. “And HOW is that a good thing?” she asked.

Jimmy gave a small jolt, unsure of why they didn’t get it. “Because ‘targets’ get some serious attention from the powers that be—trust me on that,” he said. “The reporters haven’t really clued into that yet, but the ‘biggies’ know when someone has some major potential because everyone else gets real nervous about them. And everyone who counts knows you’ve been submitting stories under pseudonyms for quite a while now—my Dad’s especially a big fan of yours.”

“NO WAY!” Chloe shouted, not caring a whit that everyone in the room whipped their heads to her. “YOUR DAD! He’s my . . . whoa! I have a FAN! And he’s the president of the whole freakin’ company!”

“Well, he’s your SECOND biggest fan, so don’t get too carried away, all right. I’ll get jealous,” Jimmy said with a smile that even Lana thought was charming—and Clark took notes from his clever honesty. “That’s why he let me take his car tonight.”

“What is it?” Clark had to ask.

“A Mercedes McLaren,” Jimmy answered. “Man, it’s a sweet ride!”

“Yeah, I bet it is!” Clark said, sitting up straight. “Our friend Pete would do anything to take that thing for a spin.”

“Well then, we’ll definitely have to arrange that,” Jimmy said. “But back to my Dad’s other favorite investment—Chloe really caught his attention when she wrote an article under the false name of . . . let’s see, what was it that time . . . oh, yeah—Emily Greer, about Lex Luthor.”

“Emily Greer?” Clark asked under his breath, trying not to laugh—then speaking up. “What was the article about?”

“It was pretty much a good old-fashioned roast—and my dad LOVED it!” Jimmy said, turning red with excitement. “Said he’d never seen a reporter with such guts!”

“How did he know it was really me who wrote it?” Chloe asked, trying to avoid Lana’s smirk as she whispered, ‘Emily Greer?’ just as Clark did.

“He searched every Associated Press database he could trying to track down this Greer chick and offer her a job,” Jimmy said. “And since you never asked for payment, he didn’t have any contact information—but he had his talent-alarm on a constant look out for new articles from you. Anyway—I caved in one night and told him the truth—which made you all the more interesting to him, so he thought he’d bide his time and try not to draw too much attention to you, so when you graduated, he could snatch you up before anyone else knew who the real ‘Emily Greer’ was.”

Chloe was basking in the overhead light of the room like it was a long awaited sunrise. “Still, you didn’t say how YOU knew it was my article—I’ve been writing under that name for over a year now.”

This was when Jimmy did a nervous little dance, acting like it might not have been a good idea to invite along friends for such an intimate revelation. “Chloe, you have a really unique way of looking at the world—like it doesn’t matter how steep a cliff is, you’ll find a way to climb it,” he said, looking at her as though he was about to propose. “I can see that in your writing—you have an unprecedented passion for exposing the truth, no matter how difficult it is to find. So, it was easy to spot you behind the mask of Emily Greer. It couldn’t have been anyone else.”

“Wow,” Chloe said, breathlessly. “But I was always under the impression that your Dad was friends with the Luthors.”

Jimmy’s face went to a scowl, which seemed very out of place on him. “Not anymore. Lex has been trying to buy out my Dad’s companies for the past year, and it’s turned really nasty,” he said. “Even Lionel Luthor has warned Lex to back off, but he’s obsessed about it.”

“Yeah, Lex does have a problem with obsessing over lost causes,” Clark said, ice cold.

Jimmy caught his tone—suddenly thinking it was directed to him. He looked to Chloe in a sheer panic. “I just realized that Clark might be your friend who hangs out with Lex. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I don’t hang out with him anymore,” Clark said without hesitation, and with an obvious chip on his shoulder.

Jimmy breathed a sigh of relief. “About had a heart attack there—I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier,” he said. “But truth be known . . . my dad would do just about anything to take that guy down right now. It’s been a battle the whole time, but Lex has been particularly ruthless these past two months. It’s to the point that my Dad’s almost afraid for his life.”

“Tell me about it,” Clark said. Neither Chloe nor Lana knew why Clark was being so honest with Jimmy, but Clark knew exactly what he was doing. They’d earlier talked about how Jimmy was a technical mastermind—even Chloe admitted that his skills put her own to shame—which was really saying something. “What if I told you there might be a way to get Lex to back off your Dad—would you be interested?”

“Hell yeah!” Jimmy said, more than intrigued. “I’d do anything!”

“Good,” Clark said with confidence. “Because we’re going to need you.”

Ketchup

07-24-2005, 12:47 AM

Ahhhhhhhh! Great update =)

SVsleuth

07-24-2005, 12:49 AM

Hey, ajfinn, I'm still up, trying to get my CLANA story posted. I took a break to read yours. Awesome as always. Now, to what cool place is Clark going to take Lana? Can't wait to find out. I'll PM you tomorrow, to chat. :)

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 01:12 AM

Originally posted by SVsleuth
I'll PM you tomorrow, to chat. :)

Yeah! I can't wait! Another housewife who's borderline manic about fictional characters who take up most her day!! Anyone else out there want to admit they have that problem?

4EverSmallville

07-24-2005, 01:14 AM

*Raises hand timidly* My name is Ashley. And I have a problem. :rotfl: I'm not too bad really ;).

Great update ajfinn, always a pleasure :).

Mythos

07-24-2005, 02:41 AM

LOL Clark taking notes! Fantastic! :rotfl:

I love the feeling of this story having a certain direction, where you just know that they're heading somewhere! Again, great job!

NYC300Z

07-24-2005, 03:18 AM

Great Update! So Clark wants to team up with Jimmy to take out Lex? I wonder what his plan is?? can't wait to find out!! PPMS!

dreammaster

07-24-2005, 05:31 AM

awesome chapter

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by 4EverSmallville
*Raises hand timidly* My name is Ashley. And I have a problem. :rotfl: I'm not too bad really ;).

Great update ajfinn, always a pleasure :).

Then you should PM me too. :D Today's topic: You know you're hooked on Clana when . . .

My answer -- your child asks you in reverence . . . If Clark is ever going to be a "real boy" (in the Pinnochio sense). :lol: And I answered her -- don't even get your hopes up. They boy is mine!

Yes, I too, have a Clana problem.

Mythos

07-24-2005, 07:35 AM

Originally posted by ajfinn
You know you're hooked on Clana when . . .

every time a waitress asks you for your number you get the urge to yell "GET DOWN" and expect to see pastry flying across the room..

<heh, heh>

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by Mythos
every time a waitress asks you for your number you get the urge to yell "GET DOWN" and expect to see pastry flying across the room..

<heh, heh>

I'm so flattered . . . you've made my story part of Clana cannon? :D Anyone else have Clana confessions? PM them to me.

EyeluvTom

07-24-2005, 10:52 AM

Loved the update, ajfinn! :)

binkys711

07-24-2005, 01:07 PM

awesome update!!!PPMS!!!BRING DOWN LEX!!!AND BRING ON THE CLANA:D;)

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 07:23 PM

There's hardly anyone on the boards today for some reason. To give people time to catch up, I'll post either late tonight or tomorrow morning :D

Shadowknight

07-24-2005, 07:26 PM

im here! post post post

SmallvilleMan

07-24-2005, 07:46 PM

tomorrow? NOOOOOOOOOOO

itsallinthespelling

07-24-2005, 07:53 PM

cmon, please post like now, i have to go to bed and get up early tomorrow, so nothing like an update to send me to bed happy. please....

ajfinn

07-24-2005, 08:14 PM

Originally posted by itsallinthespelling
cmon, please post like now, i have to go to bed and get up early tomorrow, so nothing like an update to send me to bed happy. please....

Oh, don't hate me, it won't be ready that soon. I'm sorry. Have sweet dreams about Isobel and Kal-el though. Okay. I know Lana will :D

itsallinthespelling

07-24-2005, 08:21 PM

:( okay, i guess when i get up at 4:30 tomorrow i'll have to wake myself up with a nice long long long dose of clananess, or kalabelle, or whatever you all are calling it now a days. :p

NYC300Z

07-24-2005, 08:32 PM

Well I'm hoping for toingiht since i'll be up late! If it's tomorrow well i'll have to wait til after I wake up! PPMS!!

clana4ev3r

07-25-2005, 12:01 AM

TONIGHT PLEASE??????? :( :\

MOOman0618

07-25-2005, 12:22 AM

I really like how you are working Jimmy into the story. Where is Clark going to take Lana? I also like how you stick little Clana moments in there but are still developing the overall story. Post more soon!!

ajfinn

07-25-2005, 11:03 AM

Part 41:
The two couples agreed to go their separate ways for tonight, but meet up again at Chloe’s the next evening, where the girls offered to cook. “It won’t be banana pancakes,” Chloe said, to which both Lana and Clark gave looks of disappointment.

The last thing Clark wanted to do was ruin Chloe’s date with talks of how to outsmart Lex Luthor—that could wait until tomorrow. He needed some time to think over Jimmy’s role before then anyway. How could they involve him without compromising Clark’s secret?

And in addition, Clark didn’t want to think of anything else but Lana for the rest of the night. It had been a near-perfect day so far and he had plans to make it even better. “We’ve got to go by the apartment before we head to where I want to take you,” he said as they walked out the front door of Fathoms—the hostess being no where in sight. “Should we run or fly?”

Clark asked the question in a casual manner, as though he’d asked if she wanted to take the taxi or subway—which gave Lana a short burst of laughter. “Do you even have to ask?”

He decided he’d do both. Looking around to see that no one was watching, he swept Lana off her feet without warning, super-speeding to the dimmed parking lot they’d landed in earlier, then bolting straight into the sky like a rocket. When they reached the apartment, he left Lana on the landing for only a split second while he grabbed his backpack. “Hang on,” he said, taking her before she could even respond, then flying into the air again.

When they approached the center of Metropolis, Clark slowed and eased down on the altitude. The many skyscrapers were approaching quickly—right in front of them, and Lana squirmed a bit, wondering what he was doing. “What? You don’t trust me?” Clark laughed.

“Well, you’re the one who said you needed more practice at this,” Lana said, relieved that he wasn’t worried.

Then at once, he turned, taking them toward Luthor Corp. “I thought you said we were going somewhere cool?” Lana asked, disappointed but trying to act supportive of what they had to do. But she really didn’t want to get down to business tonight—well, not that kind of business.

“I only have one person on my mind right now, and it isn’t Lex Luthor,” Clark said, holding her more tightly and landing on the roof of the neighboring building to Luthor Corp—the Daily Planet.

“Ah, you’re a tricky one,” Lana said. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

Clark smiled as he nodded with enthusiasm—glad he was getting points for planning this. “Lana, I probably remember every word you’ve ever spoken in my presence.” He kissed her, thinking back to the time they took a field trip to Metropolis their freshman year, and as they stood next to the Daily Planet building, Lana looked up and told Clark—not Whitney—that it was a dream of hers to star gaze from the top of it—where nothing would block her view of every star in the galaxy—where it felt as though she were part of the sky itself.

And it was true, they were on the tallest building for hundreds of miles around, and all the city lights were below them. They walked to the edge and dared one another to look down. “I don’t know why it’s so much more frightening to do this, than to fly with you,” Lana said. “I guess I trust you more than I trust the building.”

Clark wrapped his arms around her from behind as they took a peek over the edge, looking down to the nearly empty streets that were usually packed with noisy vehicles. It was peaceful tonight—everything was peaceful.

“You know, one of the most frightening moments in my life was experienced right over here.” He took her hand and led her to another spot on the roof, where they were across from the Luthor Corp building.

“What were you doing up here?” Lana asked, surprised that he’d never told her of anything that adventurous.

Clark swallowed hard, remembering the moment. “I was, uhh . . . jumping from this ledge . . . to that one,” he pointed, and Lana’s knees literally gave out. “But I didn’t actually make it—I crashed through a window somewhere around there.” He pointed again, and Lana buried her face against his chest.

“No amount of super-powered skills you have could have convinced me to let you do that,” she said, clenching her hands to make the burning stop. Why was it that she even felt a desire to protect him from what happened in the past?

“Tell me about it!” Clark said. “But my mother was being held hostage in Lionel Luthor’s office, so I was pretty motivated—despite my fear.”

Lana looked up at him, putting both her hands on his face. “Clark Kent, you are by far the bravest person I’ve ever known,” she said. “And with or without your abilities, I believe you would’ve tried to make that jump to save your mother.”

“Thanks, Lana,” was all Clark could say, putting his lips to a better use than talking about himself. It didn’t take long after he started kissing her to remember that he’d brought a blanket along in his backpack. He suggested they walk back to where they’d landed, so they didn’t have Luthor Corp to think about. He unzipped his backpack and pulled out a blanket that he hoped Chloe’s roommate wouldn’t mind them borrowing.

He spread it out, and they laid down flat on their backs to look up at the stars—which didn’t last long, since they hadn’t had nearly as much alone time as they’d wanted that day. Finally, they took an unwanted, but necessary break, and studied the sky again.

“Do you ever wish you could remember what Krypton was like?” Lana asked.

Clark had hoped she’d ask. They’d been talking about him so much lately that he wasn’t sure if it was the right time to tell her what he now knew, but he was bursting to do so. “Actually, the thought of Krypton was attached to such resentment until just a few days ago, that I didn’t really care what it was like,” he said. “But learning what I did in the Fortress of Solitude has given me an entirely different feeling for it.”

Lana propped up on her elbow so she could look at his face. “What did you learn? Can you tell me about it?”

“Yeah, I’d love to!” Clark said, thrilled to see such interest in her eyes.

(I'll probably be posting again sometime today, or tonight to make up for missing yesterday. I've had to do a lot of research for the next part, which was going to be joined with this update, but it's frying my brain, so I thought I'd post what I already had :) )

binkys711

07-25-2005, 11:19 AM

YAY!!!I CAN'T WAIT!!!AWESOME!!!

BTW GREAT UPDATE!!!BRING ON THE CLANA!!!PPMS!!!

MOOman0618

07-25-2005, 11:30 AM

WOOHOO!! Lots of updates is good! LOVE IT!

kewl

07-25-2005, 11:55 AM

great update ajfinn, as always.. can't wait for the next chapter, it just keeps getting better & better!!!! :D

Ketchup

07-25-2005, 11:56 AM

Whoops I guess I havent commented yet... anywho here's my commnet. Great update! I wonder how Lana will react at the news of all of Clark's race being well blown to pieces. PPMS!

dreammaster

07-25-2005, 12:19 PM

another awesome chapter

SVsleuth

07-25-2005, 12:20 PM

Super update, as always, ajfinn! Wow! Doing research for your fanfic. Can't wait to see what you come up with. :):):):):)

Mythos

07-25-2005, 01:59 PM

Aww that's so cute! Clark finally gets the romance thing!
<heh, heh> great update! Wonder what was there to research ;) feeling some superman myth coming on... woohoo!

blahblah

07-25-2005, 02:48 PM

Clark is truly the bravest man and the most humane. Which is ironic since he's not even human. Ignore my ramblings.... It's a great update! Keep it up. I posted just for you, ajfinn. =)

ajfinn

07-25-2005, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by blahblah
Clark is truly the bravest man and the most humane. Which is ironic since he's not even human. Ignore my ramblings.... It's a great update! Keep it up. I posted just for you, ajfinn. =)

Thanks for posting "just for me" because, I post "just for you!" (and you, and you, and you . . .) :) If fact, if you guys didn't post, I wouldn't feel any motivation to keep writing, would I?

THANKS GUYS! REALLY!

Oh, and did everyone notice the new cast pics on the Kryptonsite home page (right above "click to enter") ??? I've been hyperventalating since they posted that pic of TW. HOW, tell me HOW do you make someone look that good? Does anyone know where that pic came from? They probably didn't even airbrush :D And he'd never pass for a farm boy on Smallville looking like that. Whoa.

Yes, I'm happily married, stop laughing at me, gosh! *storms off like Nepoleon Dynamite*

(If you have answers to any of these facinating TW questions Private Message me!)

SmallvilleMan

07-25-2005, 06:42 PM

yeah, it was alright;)

Kal-El & Me

07-25-2005, 08:02 PM

Research? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Sounds interesting. Well I'll be checking for your post.

MOOman0618

07-25-2005, 10:05 PM

You tricked me! I thought you posted!

ajfinn

07-25-2005, 10:11 PM

Originally posted by SmallvilleMan
yeah, it was alright;)

Brat :p

(This is a joke guys, :lol: Just clarifying. I'm still hoping to get an update out tonight.)

SmallvilleMan

07-25-2005, 10:12 PM

Maybe it would improve if you wrote another chapter right now:D :p

NYC300Z

07-26-2005, 12:11 AM

Great Update!! So we might get another update tonight?? I hope so even though I have to be up early for work tomorrow i think i'm gonna wait up a little longer to see if there's another update!! PPMS!!!

ajfinn

07-26-2005, 12:13 AM

NYC - don't wait up, it will be in the morning, I'm afraid. Had to look up some more mythos stuff for the update. Hope it will be worth the wait though :D

NYC300Z

07-26-2005, 01:04 AM

oh ok i'm going to bed now then! I'll be on first thing after work though at around 3 pm! Hope to see an update then!

itsallinthespelling

07-26-2005, 07:20 AM

great update ajfinn, please ppms.

booze_is_me09

07-26-2005, 08:55 AM

yes! please PMS

ajfinn

07-26-2005, 10:23 AM

Part 42:

Clark didn’t know where to begin. He’d learned so much in the Fortress, but there were definitely things that stuck out in his mind as intriguing. “To start with—you know how I’ve always been the baby of the bunch—younger than you, Chloe and Pete,” he said with a huge smile. “Well, I’m actually older than all of you. By quite a bit—I turned 20 this past February.”

“For some reason, that doesn’t surprise me in the least. I always thought you looked older,” Lana said. And so has everyone else, she thought. Clark had always towered above the other guys their age until high school when some of the others started to catch up. And he’s always been more mature than everyone else. “And you found out your real birthday?”

“Yeah, it corresponds with February 29th, which here on earth is Leap Day—so it looks like I won’t be having many normal birthday parties—but then, I never really have,” he said, laughing. It was bad enough that he never knew when his real birthday was, and now he only got to celebrate every four years. “How ironic is that?”

“Poor guy. But that means we’ll just have to celebrate it twice on the years that it skips the 29th—we’ll have a party on the 28th, and another on March 1st,” she said.

“Don’t forget about my other birthday in June,” Clark said, mocking a reprimand. “Aren’t you the one who said you wanted to celebrate the day I came into your life?”

Lana kissed him softly. “I celebrate that EVERY day, Clark,” she said. “But yes, we’ll have a party then too.”

Clark was quite satisfied with that, knowing that Lana would make up for every birthday party his parents were afraid to let him have. “You know, I was only about one year old when I was sent to earth in that ship—so it took me a while to get here. It must have been lonely—I wonder what I did all that time. I saw the inside of the ship—no Xbox or anything!”

“I wonder how you survived!” Lana said. “And I’m not talking about boredom, here. What did you eat and drink?”

“I’ve always wondered that too,” he said, “until I leaned how advanced the technology was on Krypton. I’m not even sure I needed food—somehow, I was just sustained. From what I learned about Krypton, it seems like food might have been more for enjoyment, than nourishment.”

“Very strange,” Lana said. “But I have to admit, half the time I eat, it’s because I like doing it, not because I’m starved or anything.”

Clark nodded. “Yeah me too—except for the starving part,” he said. “My stomach is the one thing that can’t possibly be Kryptonian. It’s definitely not made of steel.”

“Yeah, I’d have to agree with that—it’s more like a black hole,” Lana said. “But what about this technology? How much further advanced were they than us?”

“Light years—literally,” Clark said, running his fingers through her hair. “When I learned the knowledge in the Fortress, it was like watching a movie—but it was from the point of view of someone else’s memory that I saw everything. You see, the three stones I united turned out to act as what Kryptonians called ‘thought projection discs,’ which were what they used to record their life memories on.”

“Like journals?” Lana asked.

“Yeah, kind of,” he answered. “But much more detailed, like a movie of memories, only it included current thoughts as well. When the stones combined to form one crystal, the crystal created some sort of a projection system of past Kryptonian’s knowledge where I could see everything in my mind as though I had experienced and learned it myself”

“That’s amazing. So what did you learn from these ‘memories’?” Lana asked, finding it odd that this was something similar to what she was experiencing with Isobel.

He paused, trying to find the words to explain the images. “One of the coolest things I saw was that they could control most of the planet’s weather—when they wanted it to rain, it did so,” he said. “But it seemed they hadn’t yet grasped the unpredictable nature of wind—and it was ferocious at times on Krypton. But during a horrible wind storm was when I witnessed one of the most amazing sites—Kryptonians could lower their skyscrapers into the ground to protect them from wind. Isn’t that cool?”

“I’d say,” Lana said. “I can’t even imagine seeing a building like this one lowered into the ground.”

“There’s just no way to describe how awesome it looked,” Clark said, getting more excited with each revelation. “But the people were so intelligent that this wasn’t even the most complicated of things I saw. And every single individual was near perfect—both in intellect and physical features.”

“Now, THAT I can believe,” Lana said, looking Clark over. “You’ve finally convinced me that you’re from Krypton.”

Clark pulled Lana down to him again, kissing her. “Then you must have arrived in your own little spaceship as well,” he said, his lips still on hers. He’d never imagined that Lana would not only accept his origin, but embrace it as though it was entirely normal. “So, anyway,” he said after a good break from talking. “I belonged to the House of El, who were the keepers of Kryptonian knowledge.”

“Keepers? What do you mean?” Lana asked.

“My line of ancestors—now this isn’t saying that I inherited all their qualities—but they were even more superior in intelligence than most others,” Clark said, trying hard not to sound arrogant about it. “My father Jor-el was a scientist who invented some of the most advanced technology in Kryptonian history—including the spaceship I arrived in, which was a prototype that he could only hope would work and go where it was supposed to.”

“A prototype?” Lana asked. “Umm, if you were the first to come by spaceship, how did the Kal-el from Isobel’s memories get here?”

"I think some—and there were more than just him—actually flew, if you can believe it—" He shook his head, finding it hard to imagine himself ever being capable of flying through actual galaxies! “Then the caves in Smallville, and a few other select places around the world were developed as gateways between the two planets, making the trips much faster. The gateways were destroyed by a criminal named Klax-Ar, however, about the time I was born, who was also a scientist and jealous of my family’s place in society. He was banished to outer space for that crime, among others. So when my father discovered that Krypton’s inner core was so unstable, and the gateways would take decades to fix as they’d taken that long to make—he did his best to convince others that they had to plan for an evacuation of Krypton, but few believed him. To save as many as he could, he invented space pods to take to earth. But things happened faster than he anticipated, and when the time came, he only had a prototype to use—and . . . ”

“He used it to save his son,” Lana said, helping Clark finish. He’d teared up—his voice failing—and Lana was in shock from it. He had also called Jor-el ‘father’ in a personal way for the first time, and Lana realized Clark’s feelings for him were slowly changing. What else had Clark seen to change his opinion of both Jor-el and Krypton?

(There’s more of this to come, of course, but if you want to know what is from actual Superman mythology, and what is entirely made up by myself to try to figure out the stone plot from Smallville, private message me and I’ll give you my references to the Superman mythos and explain what I made up. Hope you’ll enjoy learning about our favorite little alien’s homeland during the next couple of updates.)

binkys711

07-26-2005, 10:42 AM

WOW!!!THAT WAS SOO COOL!!!PPMS!!!THIS IS GREAT!!!awesome update as usual ajfinn!!!can't wait 'till your next post:D:D:D

Shadowknight

07-26-2005, 10:59 AM

That was great! PPMS soon!!!!!

itsallinthespelling

07-26-2005, 11:19 AM

great update. ppms

Mythos

07-26-2005, 11:27 AM

wow! that's actually very very smart ;) Making the BDA seem more real by giving us his backgroud ;) :P <hehehe>

All jokes aside though, teriffic job on the update! I'd give it a grade, but I don't know the kryptonian symbol for A+ x 1000000

;)

kewl

07-26-2005, 12:22 PM

ajfinn, u r a genius!!! :D awesome update!!!! PPM the soooonnnessst!!!

ajfinn

07-26-2005, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by Mythos
wow! that's actually very very smart ;) Making the BDA seem more real by giving us his backgroud ;) :P <hehehe>

All jokes aside though, teriffic job on the update! I'd give it a grade, but I don't know the kryptonian symbol for A+ x 1000000

;)

Thanks Mythos! I know you're very knowledgeable of Superman mythology, so I'm very happy (with a sigh of relief) that you liked the update. I have lots more "mythos" coming up.

Shadowknight

07-26-2005, 01:35 PM

Yay! just get to it this is the best fanfic ive ever read!

NYC300Z

07-26-2005, 02:57 PM

Really Great update! wow how much more complex can this story get? We have everything in this story! No Idea where it's gonna go next! There's so many loose ends right now it's gonna take forever!! That's great because this means this story is just gonna keep going and going and going like the energizer bunny! lol PPMS!!

SVsleuth

07-26-2005, 04:18 PM

Totally awesome, ajfinn! I am lovin this! - And I, unlike Mythos, know pretty much nothing about the comics, movies, etc., so this is just all a surprise to me. I don't even care what parts were "canon" or not. I'm sure I'll like your version better, tying in all the Smallville stuff. Super research & writng. Thanks. Can't wait for more. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

MOOman0618

07-26-2005, 11:04 PM

I love seeing an update by ajfinn! It makes my night. Love how you are putting all of the cool mythos in there! Really adds to the depth.

EyeluvTom

07-27-2005, 08:08 AM

Loved reading both of the updates that I missed. Hope you update again tonight! ;)

dreammaster

07-27-2005, 10:24 AM

awesome chapter

ClarksGirl21

07-27-2005, 11:58 AM

Great job! I'm finally all caught up and I'm very impressed! I like how Clark remember how Lana wanted to see the stars for the top of the LutherCorp building.. very cute=) I thought it was really funny how Lana got jelious of the hostess and reacting that way..haha.. Clark also referred to Jor-El as his father, that's interesting that his feelings have changed. I'm also loving the Isobel+Kal-El angle! I just can't wait to hear what happens next!.. I'm glad to be back finally! Can't wait to hear more ajfinn!!

4EverSmallville

07-27-2005, 06:51 PM

You know you make me look bad, updating everyday like this :lol: ;).

I missed two updates so...the first one, on the twenty-fifth I believe. I love how you describe what they're doing, without actually saying it, or being explicit about it. Very vague yet descriptive, you don't come out and say it, but the reader knows what they're up to. I like that.

And I am astonished at how creative you're getting with this lol. I love that Clark's feelings toward Jor-el and Krypton are slowly changing, very nice. I can't wait to see what other revelations Clark has. :D.

ajfinn

07-27-2005, 06:54 PM

Hi everyone, sorry this isn't an update. A very sad thing happened today-- my best friend's baby passed away and she was due next week. So I've been with her all day, of course.

It's interesting that it happened now, when I'm writing an update that will now have a much more profound meaning to me -- you'll see why.

Anyway, the next update will be either very late tonight, or in the morning. Thanks for your patience and constant readership! On days like this, I love having so many friends. :)

LoisNClark

07-27-2005, 09:24 PM

That's soo sad. You don't have to rush to update. We all understand.

Cardinal

07-27-2005, 10:37 PM

Congratulations! Your fic is absolutely fantabulous! Only a completely made-up word can properly express my awe at how well you tell this story.

I usually read fanfic at another site, but somehow was referred to your fic here. Needless to say I will read here much more often if your fic is any indication of the quality to be found here.

I don't go out and flame the people who try, and unfortunately fail, to write interesting, literate fiction. I do, however, go out of my way to praise those who succeed! Heck, I signed up for K-Site just to thank you.

Your fic is wondermous!

:D Here's hoping for mucho Season 5 Clana! :D

ajfinn

07-27-2005, 10:55 PM

Originally posted by Cardinal
Congratulations! Your fic is absolutely fantabulous! Only a completely made-up word can properly express my awe at how well you tell this story.

I usually read fanfic at another site, but somehow was referred to your fic here. Needless to say I will read here much more often if your fic is any indication of the quality to be found here.

I don't go out and flame the people who try, and unfortunately fail, to write interesting, literate fiction. I do, however, go out of my way to praise those who succeed! Heck, I signed up for K-Site just to thank you.

Your fic is wondermous!

:D Here's hoping for mucho Season 5 Clana! :D

WOW!!! You just made my life worth living :D I'm absolutely flattered beyond words (even made up ones!) Please tell whoever referred you here, a big thank you from me!! And please keep posting, I love to hear from people like you who make me remember why I love to write so much!!

NYC300Z

07-27-2005, 11:09 PM

Sorry to hear what happned to ur friend. I know the feeling a few years ago my Aunt had a misscarriage. Don't update to u feel ready, but I hope it's soon!

ClarksGirl21

07-27-2005, 11:38 PM

i'm sorry about your friend .. thats hard to lose a child so close to the due date, or to lose a child in general. I am very sorry to hear about her loss.
And i can't wait to read more.. and btw.. I pm'd you back ajfinn ;).. check your user cap.

kewl

07-28-2005, 12:50 AM

sorry to hear about your best friend's loss. don't worry, we'll be here waiting for ur next update so just take ur time :)

MOOman0618

07-28-2005, 09:14 AM

I am very sorry to hear about your friend's baby. It is horrible when things like that happen. Hope your friend and everyone involved have happier times in the future.

binkys711

07-28-2005, 10:44 AM

sorry about your friend's baby...it's devastating when things like that happen:(I know the feeling my cousin died last year and she was pregnant 6 months......don't worry we'll be right here waiting for your next update take your time;):\

ajfinn

07-28-2005, 05:13 PM

Part 43:

“It’s true that one of the reasons he saved me was because I was his son,” Clark said. “But there’s more to it. As I said, the members of the House of El were the keepers of Kryptonian knowledge—which was embedded in the stones that were hidden in the far corners of the world. Apparently, the men of my ancestry had different roles in protecting this knowledge. Some projected their own knowledge and experiences upon them, some were sent to hide, or at times relocate them, and one was meant to unite them in the event that the knowledge of Krypton was in danger, or destroyed.”

“You,” Lana said, without a hint of question. “You were the one who was meant to unite them.”

“That’s what Jor-El says,” Clark answered. “So he sent me off to fulfill my destiny—several years ahead of schedule, but he didn’t really have a choice, did he?”

Lana shook her head with a forlorn expression. “But how did your father know that you were the one who was meant to unite the stones? You were only a baby.”

“I asked that question as well, and to my surprise, Jor-El gave a straight answer. He said I was genetically created to take that particular role in our family—which I’ll explain more about in a minute,” Clark said, knowing it would be best to reveal that part a little later into their discussion. His experience in the Fortress had been different than any other time he’d asked Jor-El for explanations. He’d received more answers in those three days than he ever imagined questions for. “But this was definitely the best experience I’ve had with Jor-El. And it only took three attempts at abduction to get me to that point.”

Lana knew that Clark was trying to be lighthearted about it, but it was difficult to smile back at him. “Clark, I’m still in shock that Jor-el actually abducted you! I could never find the words to say how sorry I am that I jumped to so many flawed conclusions—thinking that you left Smallville by your own choice—all three times you went missing,” she said, choking up a little. “I don’t know how I would’ve reacted to knowing about your secret before now, but I still wish that I could have been there for you.”

“You were, Lana,” Clark said, touching the soft skin of her face. “You’ve been here for me many more times than I’ve deserved. Each time you’ve chosen to trust me again—to allow me back into your life—you’ve proven how much you truly love me.”

She hoped he really felt that way, because it was true. No matter how difficult it had been to continue her faith in him, Lana’s pure love for Clark always brought her back around. “The strange thing about relationships is, that there’s really no way to explain why one person is attracted to another—whether in friendship or romance,” she said. “And there’s no scientific formula to measure how much a person is willing to endure to be with the one she loves.” Lana was about to go on by saying that when she realized last March that they still couldn’t be in the same room without her wanting to be in the safety of his arms, she knew she’d continue to run back to him as long as she lived—so what was the point in fighting it any longer?

But just as she was starting with that, Clark interjected with a very strange comment. “That’s my theory on why Krypton failed as a civilization.”

“What?” Lana asked, backtracking through what she’d said to bring about that random thought.

“I think they failed because they depended too much upon hard scientific proofs and not enough upon the mysteries of emotion,” Clark answered, with a strong sense of conviction. “You see, they thought they had answers to EVERYTHING. And just as they lowered their skyscrapers into the ground to protect them from being damaged, they also shielded their people from any possibility of harm.”

“Did everyone on Krypton have your same ability to withstand illness, or injury?” Lana asked.

“Illness, yes—because they’d altered genetics so much that a person’s blood and tissue could fight off just about anything,” Clark said. “But their bodies weren’t unbreakable like mine is—that’s somehow caused by the yellow sun we have here, just as my abilities are. However, it didn’t matter if someone was injured, because their surgeons had healing rays that could fix even the most fatal of wounds. And if someone developed an emotional or mental illness—they could instantly fix that too. They seemed to have complete control over every aspect of their lives.”

Lana tilted her head. “That sounds like a pretty ideal society to me. How could that be their downfall?”

Clark didn’t have to think about it, he’d done enough of that already. “Because what is your biggest fear, Lana?”

She didn’t have to hesitate either—the answer was second nature for her. “That everyone I love dies.”

He nodded. “And I’d guess that the death of someone we love is what most people fear most,” Clark said softly. “So, what if death only came when we wanted it too? What if all accidents and illnesses could be either prevented or fixed, without so much as a worry—would the fear of someone you loved dying still haunt you as it does?”

“No, of course not,” Lana said, still not seeing the downside of that.

“Well, I’m convinced that it must work in reverse as well,” he said. “If we had no fear of losing those we love, would we even develop love for them at all? Would we even know the emotions of love, or longing, or regret?”

“Probably not,” Lana agreed, starting to express a shimmer of understanding now.

“If you traveled through life, following a smooth straight path of perfect control, would you ever have the opportunity to learn from mistakes, or overcome doubt in yourself?” Clark asked. “Because the citizens of Krypton didn’t have to make many of their own decisions—they knew from downloading other’s experiences what decisions were best based on proven outcomes. ‘Thought projection discs’ became much more of a curse than they were a blessing. A generation or two after their invention—when people went to record their own life’s memories on these discs, they were often just recording copied thoughts of another’s experiences that they considered as their own.”

Lana’s mouth was half-open. “Wow. I can’t imagine not being able to distinguish between what you learned for yourself, and what someone else learned FOR you.”

“That’s pretty crazy, isn’t it?” Clark said, glad that Lana was now understanding where he was going. “In fact, you wouldn’t believe how school worked—a kid would go to class, and their teacher would telepathically transfer her own knowledge of a subject to the student. There really wasn’t a need for adult schooling, because by the time they reached that age, they knew just about everything they needed to—or so they thought.”

“Or so they THOUGHT,” Lana repeated. “So tell me what the reality was then.”

“I’m getting there, let me tell you just a few more startling facts,” Clark said, trying to get it all in without rushing. “Krypton was much larger than earth, but though the civilization had existed for tens of thousands of years, its population still numbered in the low millions. Do you want to guess why?”

PS Thanks for the kind messages guys. I always feel a need to explain my absense of daily posts :) I'm so grateful you guys are all so supportive of this little story of mine. Anyway, I'm looking out my hotel window on Times Square in NYC, and still thinking of Clana, so I'm obviously a bit too obsessed. :D I'm almost done with the next update, so that will come tomorrow for sure!

NYC300Z

07-28-2005, 07:25 PM

Really Great can't wait to find out the answer to Clark's last queston! Have fun in NYC :D !! PPMS!!

LoisNClark

07-28-2005, 07:55 PM

awesome update. Can't wait for more and have fun in NYC!!!
ppms!!!:D

SVsleuth

07-28-2005, 07:56 PM

Hey, ajfinn! Loved your post from NYC! Have fun. I'll keep watching for more. You know we all love your story! :)

Sorry about your friend. I'll say a prayer for her & her family.

binkys711

07-28-2005, 09:41 PM

NYC wow!!!have a blast!!!PPMS!!!your story is amazing!!!glad to see you posted, can't wait 'till the next one!!!;):D

Cardinal

07-28-2005, 09:44 PM

Heh! An update! Yay! (Throngs of fans doing the wave.) I'm deliriously happy to see that the Ketchup boycott has not yet commenced.

And on a personal note, I'm sorry to hear of the loss of one dear to you. I know it doesn't mean much, but our thoughts are with you and your friend. :(

ajfinn

07-28-2005, 10:00 PM

Originally posted by Cardinal
Heh! An update! Yay! (Throngs of fans doing the wave.) I'm deliriously happy to see that the Ketchup boycott has not yet commenced.

Yeah, well . . . I gave up my refusal to write more until Ketchup posted because I remembered he was on vacation. :D But, if he comes back and doesn't update straight away . . . well, then, I'll put my protest posters up again.

kewl

07-28-2005, 10:14 PM

once again another wonderful update from one of my favorite writers here in clana forum!!!! can't wait for ur next update!!!!
have fun in NYC!!!! :D

4EverSmallville

07-29-2005, 12:26 AM

“Well, I’m convinced that it must work in reverse as well,” he said. “If we had no fear of losing those we love, would we even develop love for them at all? Would we even know the emotions of love, or longing, or regret?”

How unbelievably thought provoking is this? I read it three times before continuing the chapter. I love all of this in-depth insight into Krypton and it's downfall. Very creative, definitely leaves me wondering :).

Mythos

07-29-2005, 01:15 AM

Woohoo! Another great update! It's really cool to see Clark be so informative about Krypton. Nice twist with the "emotional detachment" part of their way of life ;)

EyeluvTom

07-29-2005, 08:13 AM

Great update! You obviously put a lot of thought and research into your story! :)

ajfinn

07-29-2005, 09:18 AM

Part 44:

Lana looked completely perplexed. “I have no idea why Krypton’s population would be so low. It doesn’t make sense,” she said. “They were able to stay healthy for as long as they wanted to, so why wouldn’t the numbers rage out of control?”

“Good choice of words, Lana,” he answered. “Because it was all about CONTROL. If they wanted a child, they had one. They could control the day it would be born, gender, weight, height, hair color, eye color, EVERYTHING.” He laughed. “And apparently I was a very popular model in the House of El. I look just like Jor-El did when he was my age, and from what you’ve shared of Isobel’s memories—I’m pretty much a clone of that dude too.”

“Well, if I were to ever invent a model of mankind, I could definitely make millions selling guys with exactly your features,” Lana said, returning the sudden joviality. “So I can’t blame them for sticking with a damn good thing!”

Clark released a sigh. “Okay, that’s not where I was trying to go with this, but thank you,” he said, planting her with a firm kiss. “My point is that children weren’t brought into a family because the couple wanted to become parents. They were created to serve a purpose within, well, what we’d call a family business. Therefore, they controlled positions in their society simply by ordering themselves a new baby with the like-minded qualities of someone else in the extended family who would be ‘sent to rest’ or sent to die, at about the same time the child would come of age.”

“Shut up,” Lana said, flabbergasted. “What if the person of the older generation said, ‘Hey, I’m not done living yet. I’ll just retire.’?”

“That choice wasn’t up to them. When the time came, everyone said farewell . . . thanks for your contribution . . . and replaced them with the younger—even more genetically crafted, offspring of the family. Pretty strange way to control the population, right?” Clark could tell Lana was just as unimpressed with these ideas as he was, so he was quick to clarify something. “Now, just so you know, they weren’t cold-hearted monsters—they were generally very kind, honest and dependable people, because they knew that anything other than those qualities would make them an outcast. It became instinctive to give respect and be obedient to your superiors, and to the law. So crime was extremely rare—and when it happened, I’m sure you can guess the consequences.”

Lana had to think about that for a few moments. “They ‘fixed’ the criminal?”

“Exactly,” Clark said. “They didn’t believe in capital punishment—a person was too valuable until they were of an age where they were no longer ‘needed’. So they’d send a criminal off to outer space in a capsule for one hundred years to rehabilitate their mind.” Clark new about the Phantom Zone projector his father invented just before Krypton was destroyed, which took care of criminals in another fashion altogether, but it wasn’t relevant to what he was trying to explain to Lana.

Lana arched a brow. “That gives solitary confinement a whole new edge.”

“Yeah, it was probably pretty lonely for the six or so years I was on my own—wish I had a memory disc of that—it really would be funny to see what I did,” Clark said, musing at the possibilities. “But anyway, about Kryptonians being unfeeling . . . something interesting happened in the House of El two generations before I came into it. My grandfather discovered an archaic type of what he considered a memory disc—similar to sheets of old-style parchment, and was able to translate the writing.”

“And?” Lana asked when he paused, anxious to know what his grandfather discovered.

“Well, they were love letters from an ancestor of mine, to someone whose identity was never revealed,” Clark said. “But her name wasn’t important, what was important was that something in those letters implanted a seed of emotion in my grandfather and he secretly started altering the genetics of the House of El to allow for it. So his own son, Jor-el, had a bit of emotion in him—a bit—mind you. And then my grandfather shared his secret with a few other fellow Kryptonians he respected, and these man did the same to their families—my mother Lara coming from one of them.”

Lana smiled. “Your mother’s name was Lara? That’s beautiful,” she asked. “Did your parents fall in love?”

Clark shrugged. “I guess you could call it that—it was definitely closer than others had come to it in a while—since emotion started to waver even more as the society became more scientifically perfect,” he said. “But the coolest thing I discovered in all this, was that my mother actually told my father that she WANTED a baby of her own—as though she loved me before I was even born. Which, as I’ve expressed, wasn’t normal for their generation.”

Lana could tell that Clark was choked up again. “Have you ever spoken to your mother, Clark? Like you have to Jor-el?”

“No, but I’ve seen her,” he answered with a gentle smile. “I have only one personal memory of Krypton, which was revealed to me when I was . . . well, at Summerholt for some experiments . . . and I saw both my parents sending me off in the ship. And then as I’ve experienced what was imbedded in the stones—a lot of which is my father’s own memories, I saw her several times. It was awesome.”

He was freely crying now, and Lana had never seen that. She was so glad that he felt that comfortable around her. She touched his face, wiping away one tear at a time. “How is it that you can come from such an unattached race, yet you feel and care more than anyone else I’ve ever known?”

“I’m glad you think that way about me,” Clark said. “And I have my real parents—Jonathan and Martha—to thank for that. Jor-El has been more than a little frustrated by the emotional alterations I’ve taken on from living with the Kents, trust me. He expected me to obey his every request to fulfill my destiny—like any member of the House of El would. He didn’t anticipate that developing emotions from PERSONAL experience—as opposed to learning them from memory discs, or altering them into someone’s genes—make a person stronger than anything genetics could ever dictate.”

“The Kents are the most amazing people on earth, it was more than fortunate that they were the ones who found you,” Lana said, marveling at the luck of that.

It was more than just fortune, it was planned that way, as he learned from Jor-El’s experience in Smallville with Louise and Hyrum Kent. But that story was for later, Clark decided.

“Yeah, I couldn’t have asked for better people to care for me,” he said. “But let me wrap this up so we can get back to the fun stuff.” He kissed her. “As I told you earlier, I think that the reason Krypton failed as not only a society, but as a planet as well, is because their emotions were so sterile that they felt untouchable. They were much too complacent with the fact that they could fix ANYTHING. So when my father discovered that Krypton’s core was highly unstable just after I was born, he panicked—remember he had that alteration in his genes that allowed for more emotion than others—but very few people felt the instability of the core was a serious problem—in all the thousands of years of Kryptonian history, it hadn’t caused any problems, had it? So they basically told Jor-El with flippancy, ‘Well, then do your little science stuff, and fix it, don’t bother me about it!’ So he and some of my other family members, along with a few of Jor-El’s acquaintances who also had the emotional alteration in them, warned everyone they could—said that there wasn’t time to fix it, but that they might be able to escape the planet in time. But again—no emotional reaction whatsoever. People would just stare up at this big scientific clock they had, which told them exactly how old the planet was, and how long it would be around, and brush off my father’s warnings. Again, there was no sense of fear, because they’d never experienced any sort of threat against their mortality. Soon, my father realized he was wasting his time trying to convince them, and had to start building space pods all on his own—which there were better facilities and experts that could have managed the work load more quickly, but Jor-El couldn’t get them to help—and then, it was too late.”

“Or in other words, all the struggling, loss, and pain we experience as humans, gives us the emotional guts that we need to survive as not only a person, but as an entire race,” Lana said, taking Clark’s hand.

“Exactly,” he answered.

ILoveSmallville4ver

07-29-2005, 09:33 AM

Let's get to the fun stuff as Clark said.

LoisNClark

07-29-2005, 09:36 AM

awesome
ppms!!!

MOOman0618

07-29-2005, 09:46 AM

Wow...I just read your last two posts. They are really profound! I love the amount of detail and thought you put into these! And I am also jealous that you were in NYC...I love that place! :) Can't wait to read what 'fun stuff' comes next!

EyeluvTom

07-29-2005, 10:31 AM

Loved the update! Hope to read more soon!

ClanaAlways

07-29-2005, 10:41 AM

This is probably a dumb question and the answer is most likely yes,but has anyone ever realized Lana and Clark's mothers have the same name,it's just they are spelled differently?

binkys711

07-29-2005, 11:10 AM

yes! it's destiny:p it's meant to be!!!;)....

awesome update ajfinn!!!this is awesome stuff!!! can we expect some clana fun in the near future?;) PPMS!!!:D

Cardinal

07-29-2005, 12:54 PM

*Dehydrated man staked out in the desert.*

"Screw the water. Must...have...CLANA!" :D

Your story is ausgezeichnet!

binkys711

07-29-2005, 12:57 PM

^^^^haha:rotfl:lol!

and what the hell is ausgezeichnet?:confused::eek:

Cardinal

07-29-2005, 01:04 PM

Let's see if I can do this without hitting the wrong button this time! :p

If my high school German is not too far in the distant past, it means "excellent."

4EverSmallville

07-29-2005, 01:14 PM

I loved every word of it :D.

:rotfl:@ Mythos

SmallvilleMan

07-29-2005, 01:16 PM

YEAHHHHH, nice update, except it will make my description of kryton even harder to make, because i can't copy you.

Scotty

07-29-2005, 03:31 PM

I've been following this fanfic from the beginning. I just registered at Kryptonsite to tell you that you are an amazing writer and I wish I had your talent. You have an amazing talent and way with words.

SmallvilleMan

07-29-2005, 03:42 PM

Yeah, she's okay i guess.:D

SVsleuth

07-29-2005, 03:47 PM

Originally posted by SmallvilleMan
Yeah, she's okay i guess.:D

No. She's aewsome!

Super update ajfinn. Keep up the great updates. Love 'em.

ajfinn

07-29-2005, 04:32 PM

Originally posted by Scotty
I've been following this fanfic from the beginning. I just registered at Kryptonsite to tell you that you are an amazing writer and I wish I had your talent. You have an amazing talent and way with words.

Thanks Scotty!! Wow, three silent readers stepping forward to reveal themselves this week!! That's a record for me -- anyone else out there??? ;) Please keep posting!!

PS Scotty . . . BEAM ME UP!

*ajfinn laughs at her own joke. Sorry couldn't help it :D*

And Smallvilleman, as always :p :p :p

Shadowknight

07-29-2005, 04:37 PM

Aifjinn this story is fantastic! kudos to you!

ClarksGirl21

07-29-2005, 05:53 PM

Loved the update ! cant wait to heat more.. i hope you and your friend are doing better.

NYC300Z

07-29-2005, 06:20 PM

Great Update! So are we gonna hear about how Clark was meant to be found by the Kents now cause Clark said the story was for a little later? Or are we getting back to Clana fun? Either way can't wait to read it!! PPMS!!

dreammaster

07-29-2005, 09:37 PM

awesome chapters

booze_is_me09

07-29-2005, 10:03 PM

super update! can't wait to read more!

ajfinn

07-30-2005, 07:48 AM

Just to let you all know . . . I'm flying back from NYC today. I'll hopefully still be able to update, but it won't be until late tonight :D

EyeluvTom

07-30-2005, 08:37 AM

Well, can't wait until late tonight!! ;)

Cardinal

07-30-2005, 09:58 AM

*Cue Frank Sinatra*

Start spreading the news...
She's leaving today...

Yes! Even the possibility of an update has made my day! :D

SVsleuth

07-30-2005, 10:09 AM

Can't wait for more, ajfinn. I know you''ll have plenty of time to write on the plane trip. Just hope you can manage to get it posted tonight.
There was so much to love in your last few updates. Some of my favorite quotes:

"He was freely crying now, and Lana had never seen that. She was so glad that he felt that comfortable around her. She touched his face, wiping away one tear at a time. 'How is it that you can come from such an unattached race, yet you feel and care more than anyone else I’ve ever known?'"

“'Or in other words, all the struggling, loss, and pain we experience as humans, gives us the emotional guts that we need to survive as not only a person, but as an entire race,' Lana said, taking Clark’s hand."

ajfinn, how can this be your "shoddy writing" ? Your "good stuff" must really be spectacular!!! :):):):):)

ajfinn

07-30-2005, 10:00 PM

Part 45:

Clark and Lana’s eyes remained locked, both taking in the interesting aspects of the destruction of Krypton. “You’ve thought about this a lot, haven’t you?” Lana asked Clark.

Clark nodded. “More than I wish I had to,” he said. “But I think it’s, well . . . part of my job to figure it all out.”

“Do you mean, part of your destiny?” Lana whispered, not certain of what she wanted his answer to be.

“Yeah,” Clark answered with a hint of regret. This was stuff he wasn’t entirely ready to accept yet, so it was difficult to talk to Lana about it. “Since I’ve learned of the knowledge the stones contained, I’ve had to consider why it was so important that the stones were hidden for so long—for me, of all people, to unite.”

Lana swallowed. “And what conclusion have you come to?”

Clark could feel her hesitancy. “It’s not really a conclusion yet, but I’ll tell you the hunch I have—which I still haven’t had the guts to confirm with Jor-El,” he said, taking an unintended pause to draw in some air. “Over the many generations of the House of El, my ancestors came to Earth to encode more of their memories and knowledge into the stones—to both preserve and protect it. But as both my grandfather and then my father started to see that Krypton’s progress was possibly hurting their civilization more than it was helping, they knew the day might come when the stones would have to be reunited by someone who would use it in the right way, and not for their own personal benefit. But the stones couldn’t be destroyed, and they also couldn’t be combined by anyone who had encoded their own memories upon them.”

“Enter Clark Kent,” Lana tried to say matter-of-factly, when her insides were in truth burning with anxiety.

“Well, enter Kal-El, I guess,” he said. “The guy who was supposed to have a lot more training than he had before he set off on his earth-bound expedition.”

“But why earth?” Lana asked, knowing Clark had more to say, but she couldn’t help but wonder. “Wasn’t there any other . . . closer planets to hide the knowledge on?”

‘Yeah, there was,” he said. “But it was one of my ancestors who discovered the planet and he was overly fond of it since earth's yellow sun gave him unexpected powers. He thought that if the House of El was to have an advantage anywhere in the universe, it was here. So this is where the stones were sent—where we’d encounter very little struggle to protect them due to our physical dominion over its people.”

Lana nodded. “That definitely makes sense,” she said, finally finding the courage to ask what she wanted to. “But Clark, what are you meant to do with that knowledge now that you have it? How does this affect your destiny?”

Clark ran his hands down the length of her chilled arms. “Lana, I think I’m supposed to have this knowledge so I can protect the same awful fate from happening to earth,” he said. “One of the reasons I freaked out and ran away to Metropolis was because of a message from Jor-el that was stored in the ship I arrived in. He told me that the people of earth were a weak race, and that I had to rule them with strength.”

Lana’s eyes went wide in fear as she put her hand over her mouth.

Clark couldn’t help but smile. “Yep, that’s exactly the reaction I had!” he said. “But after learning the knowledge of Krypton, I’ve come to interpret the message in a different way. I think he was trying to say that those on earth—whose emotions were far more developed than Kryptonians, were therefore far more prone to greed and dominion. So in order to keep them from developing into the same failing civilization that Krypton was, he ordered me to both protect them from Krypton’s scientific knowledge, as well as protect them from themselves. And I have an eerie feeling that people aren’t always going to play nice.”

“But what can you do about it?” Lana asked. “Jor-El can’t expect you to strong-hold everyone into compliance.”

“No, he can’t,” Clark agreed. “But having the limited experience he has with free will, I think that theory might have crossed his mind.” Clark paused again, staring at the girl who he hoped would always consider him her hero. “Which means I’ll have to write my own unique version of my destiny, won’t I?”

Lana smiled warmly. “Can you write me into it?”

“I won’t have to,” he said, coming in closer. “You’ve always been the star of my story—it would be a very boring fairytale without a princess.”

“You do have a way of rescuing me from tall towers, and fire-breathing dragons,” Lana said, meeting Clark’s lips. They kissed, pausing only long enough for Lana to pull back a bit and say, “Oh darn, I thought that kiss would turn you back into a frog, my dear prince.”

“What? You don’t have a spell for that?” Clark asked, bringing her closer into his arms.

“I guess not,” Lana said, starting to kiss him again. “But I’m sure I could whip up a wicked love potion if I tried.”

They were back to the type of ‘fun’ Clark was looking forward to. “You can say that again!”

Two hours later, at three in the morning, Clark and Lana were finally back to Chloe’s apartment. As they approached the front door, Lana said, “I think we should knock first.”

“I don’t want to wake her,” Clark said. “You don’t think she’s in there with Jimmy do you? It’s their first date in years.”

Lana shrugged. “You never know.”

Clark tipped his head in thought, but got lost in another dimension altogether when he noticed how beautiful Lana looked with her hair all tangled from flying—among other things. “You know, I’ve never kissed you at the doorstep.”

She smiled, her heart leaping for a reason she couldn’t place. They’d kissed so many times now that she expected to be over the rush, but it never faded. And especially not when Clark said something so sweet. “Trust me, I’ve noticed,” she whispered.

Clark gave a warm, almost nervous smile. Though he’d moved far past the point of asking for permission, his pulse was racing fast enough to warrant it. For a moment, he felt like he was back on her Aunt Nell’s porch in Smallville, when they were only freshmen. “Can I kiss you, Lana?” he asked, in a croak that suggested Lana may have indeed cast a frog spell on him.

Lana put her hands on Clark’s broad shoulders, giving a breathless nod, and melting into him. It was a warm gentle kiss, much like their first.

When they leaned back in to finish what they’d started, the front door opened with a swift rush of air, and they were both reminded of Nell interrupting them the first time they'd tried to create this moment of passion.

“Give it a rest, will you?” Chloe asked with obvious contempt. “I’ve been worried sick!” She grabbed them both by the arms and pulled them in. “We’ve got a SERIOUS problem!”

“What is it?” they asked together.

“Lex and his thugs are searching Metropolis for us.”

LoisNClark

07-30-2005, 10:05 PM

whoah twist in the plot.
CLIFFY'S I HATE THEM!!! Awesome chapter. This is such a fantastic story.
ppms!!!

dreammaster

07-30-2005, 10:09 PM

awesome chapter

SVsleuth

07-30-2005, 10:26 PM

Another GREAT update, ajfinn! Thanks for giving them to us every day. I can't quite keep up that pace myself (but I did just post on my thread). The frog prince references were cute.

Also liked this: "Clark tipped his head in thought, but got lost in another dimension altogether when he noticed how beautiful Lana looked with her hair all tangled from flying—among other things."

Hmmmm, the "other things" they did for 2 hours?

Can't wait to see what happened with Lex. Thanks for the CLANA moments.

NYC300Z

07-30-2005, 10:41 PM

Oh no not Lex again...they have to do something about him he keeps causing problems and interrupting Clana moments. I'm still mad he cut off the journal and Love letter readings.

oh well I guess I'll just have to wait to find out!

PPMS!!

binkys711

07-30-2005, 10:52 PM

dam! a cliffy! why do you writers torture us with cliffys!!!:p stupid Lex keeps interrupting the clana fun!PPMS!!!:D

SmallvilleMan

07-30-2005, 10:58 PM

Yeah, what kind of writer would leave us with cliffy?:rotfl: :p

Scotty

07-30-2005, 10:59 PM

"...and they were both reminded of Nell interrupting them the first time they’d tried to create this moment of passion..."

I love the little flashbacks like this that you put into your story. I haven't seen that episode in a really long time, but I can still see a vivid image of it in my head.

NYC300Z

07-30-2005, 11:42 PM

Originally posted by Scotty
"...and they were both reminded of Nell interrupting them the first time they’d tried to create this moment of passion..."

I love the little flashbacks like this that you put into your story. I haven't seen that episode in a really long time, but I can still see a vivid image of it in my head.

Yeah same with me! That part was so cute!

4EverSmallville

07-31-2005, 12:03 AM

Am I always one of the last to read the new updates? :lol:

I thought the same thing about those "other things" SVSleuth.

Ah, ajfinn, you truly and thoroughly know how to kill a moment lol. Once again, I'm very wrapped up in what Clark and Lana are doing and then a gun is fired and I'm wondering "What just happened?" More often than not, Lex is the one who pulls that trigger, what's he up to now?

MOOman0618

07-31-2005, 12:38 AM

Yet another wonderful update by our favorite ajfinn. Love all the Clana intermingled with the overall story. I want to know how Chloe’s date went, and what transpired in those two hours! ;)

Cardinal

07-31-2005, 05:07 AM

Oh, isn't that sweet!

By the way, they only thing that's supposed to have a Cliffy is a rerun of a Cheers episode!

kewl

07-31-2005, 06:36 AM

awesome update!!!! thanks ajfinn!!! u r great!!!! PPMS!!! :D

Kal-El & Me

07-31-2005, 07:27 AM

I loooooooooooooooooovvvvve cliffys. It just makes me itch for more *Madison keeps scratching herself*

EyeluvTom

07-31-2005, 08:04 AM

Loved the update, can't wait for more!!

Mythos

07-31-2005, 08:40 AM

WOW!! I turn my electronical equivalent of a back for one moment and there are two updates I missed!

And what updates they are indeed! I'm very impressed by your interpretation of the kryptonian way of life and the way you've incorporated it into this story. This might actually be a way for Smallville to have some sync with the Superman myth! Couldn't you.... y'know... get on the writerstaff over there? ;)

<heh, heh>

ajfinn

07-31-2005, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by Mythos
I'm very impressed by your interpretation of the kryptonian way of life and the way you've incorporated it into this story. This might actually be a way for Smallville to have some sync with the Superman myth! Couldn't you.... y'know... get on the writerstaff over there? ;)

Couldn't I.... y'know... sprout wings and fly off to OZ? Hee hee.

Wouldn't that be nice if one of us could actually influence the real Clana story arc? Sigh. :\

Cardinal

07-31-2005, 08:52 AM

:mad: Dang it! Don't do that to me. Here I see an author post, thinking that maybe I'll get an early morning Clana fix...oh well.

I guess I just need to go back to my C.A. (Clana Anonymous) meetings.

Hi, my handle is Cardinal, and I'm a Clana addict.

Hee, imagine that, a 12-step program for Clana. :D

LoisNClark

07-31-2005, 09:03 AM

:lol:

SVsleuth

07-31-2005, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by Cardinal
:mad: Dang it! Don't do that to me. Here I see an author post, thinking that maybe I'll get an early morning Clana fix...oh well.

I guess I just need to go back to my C.A. (Clana Anonymous) meetings.

Hi, my handle is Cardinal, and I'm a Clana addict.

Hee, imagine that, a 12-step program for Clana. :D

ditto :rotfl:

NYC300Z

07-31-2005, 01:35 PM

lol :lol:

I'm not ready to admitt I have a problem yet~!

ajfinn

07-31-2005, 07:24 PM

Part 46:

“How do you know Lex is searching for us in Metropolis?” Clark asked, putting a protective arm around Lana.

Chloe picked up her cell phone from the coffee table, dialed to retrieve her saved messages, then shoved it in front of Clark and Lana. They both leaned in to listen as Lex’s cold voice said, “Chloe, you know who this is. And you know what I want. You’ve picked a bad time to go off the radar, dear friend, and I’m closing in on you. Metropolis tends to shrink when you’re hiding two fugitives. So unless you return this call, you can tell both Clark and Lana that their little secrets are going to find their way into the public eye.”

“I don’t know why the freak he’s pulled Lana into the secret stuff, but I don’t think we should stick around and find out,” Chloe said with an unintended shudder.

Clark looked down at Lana, trying to decipher her thoughts. “What do you think we should do?” he asked.

Lana’s eyes were full of fear, starting to water. “Go forward with our plan,” she said, trying to sound confident.

“Sorry, Lana, but our ‘plan’ isn’t something we can just whip up with a magic wand,” Chloe said, regretting her jab at once when she saw the hurt look on Lana’s face. “I’m sorry, okay. I’m just really tired, and I was totally freaked out after I heard that message. I was afraid he’d already found you guys.”

“It’s all right,” Lana said, putting her hand on Chloe’s arm. “Thanks for worrying about us.”

Clark stood there in stunned silence, confused about what to do next. “We need to get out of here—you too, Chloe,” he said. “And I’m really sorry about that.”

“But where do we go?” Lana asked, looking up at Clark with the eyes of a scared child.

He felt a stab in his gut for being the cause of so much fear and worry. He hoped that one day, his origin and abilities would be a blessing to his friends and parents, instead of causing so much trouble all the time.

When Clark didn’t answer, Chloe said. “Good, I’m glad you don’t have any immediate ideas, because I kind of already took care of it.”

They both looked to her with hesitant smiles. “Why do you suddenly sound like the Chloe I know who did something she doesn’t think I’ll agree with?” Clark asked.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Because, Clark,” she said, walking off toward the bedroom. “You’re not the only one with a destiny—I have a life to go on with, and I’d really like it if you two could enjoy it with me.” She turned back and motioned for them to follow. “Get a move on, we have less than ten minutes to pack.”

Clark swung his backpack off his shoulder, racing into the room to replace the borrowed blanket on the bed, scooping off his clothes from the floor where he’d earlier dumped them, and standing back in front of the girls before they even knew he was gone. “Done!” he said.

Chloe wasn’t in the mood for show-offs. “Good, then you can clean up the rest of this place while we pack the traditional way,” she said. “My friend’s a bit of a neat freak, so make it perfect, will ya?”

Clark finished cleaning and scrubbing , and was peeking out the window for suspicious activity by the time the girls walked out of the bedroom.

“Hey, I meant to ask you—where’d you get that bracelet?” Chloe said.

Lana smiled, looking across the room. “Clark gave it to me,” she said. “I didn’t expect you to even notice it at dinner. You had another very charming distraction. How was your date, anyway?”

Just as Chloe was about to answer, Clark squinted through the window. “I think we have company.”

Chloe asked, “Is it a Hummer?”

He whirled to face her. “Yeah.”

“Good, he’s right on time,” Chloe said, glancing at the wall clock. “And you’re right, Lana, he IS charming.”

Clark put his hands on his hips. “Are you sure you want to get Jimmy involved in this, Chlo?”

She matched his stance, just to bug him. “Uhh, duh,” she said. “Who was the one who set him up for it?”

He tilted his head with a frustrated sigh, wishing she wasn’t so dang intuitive. “Okay, I’ll admit it, but sometimes I do things before I really think about it, all right?”

“Sometimes?” Chloe asked sardonically, walking off to answer the door.

Lana stepped up to Clark, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You’re quite sexy when you sulk, have I ever told you that?”

“Yes, you have in fact,” he answered falsely. “That’s why I do it so much.”

“I thought so,” she said with a smile. When she realized his own smile was false, she placed her hand on his cheek. “Clark, we’re going to be all right.”

He stared down at her, feeling his chest concave. “Shouldn’t I be the one saying that to you? I’ve always been able to protect everyone else, and now I’m completely helpless.”

“Clark, the most pain I’ve ever felt was from the absence of you in my life,” she said. “That’s all I care to be protected from.”

Jimmy entered and just glanced at Clark and Lana before he scooped up Chloe’s luggage and headed down to the Hummer. She’d packed everything she brought to Metropolis—which was no small load.

“Thanks, Jimmy. We’ll be right out,” Chloe said. She then approached Clark and Lana, sure of what they were feeling right now. “Hey, guys. We’re all in this together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Clark looked at her sideways, and for the first time, Chloe realized how depressed he was over the whole situation. She gave them a tight group hug, then pulled back and suddenly punched Clark’s bicep. “You know what you need? A big bad meteor freak to beat the living crap out of! That would make you feel a whole lot better, wouldn’t it?”

Clark returned her punch—very softly. “Oh, you’re funny,” he said. “Maybe we should head over to Belle Reeve—let out some of my favorite friends—and see how long it takes me to round them all up.”

Lana shrugged. “It would definitely be entertaining,” she said with a smile, surprised that her arms weren’t burning from the thought of it. But meteor freaks were something she knew Clark could handle—aliens, or a crazed Lex Luthor who knows about Clark’s weakness—that was different. “I could even dig up my old cheerleading outfit.”

Clark was certainly smiling now. “Okay!”

Chloe snapped her fingers between their gazing faces. How could two people be so smitten that they suddenly seemed to have a never-ending sea of nothingness between their ears? “It's time to go,” she said.

With that, they made their way out to Jimmy’s black Hummer and climbed in. “Is this your dad’s too?” Clark asked.

“Technically, yes,” Jimmy answered, leaving the parking lot. “But it’s registered under another name—just like the place we’re going to.”

“And where exactly is that?” Clark asked. “I mean, I don’t mean to sound unappreciative—because I really am grateful, but—”

“You mean you’ve never been whisked away by someone without knowing where they’re taking you?” Jimmy asked with a laugh.

Clark couldn’t help but smile at that ironic statement. “Not in the past few days, at least,” he said.

“Well, it will take us about two hours to get there, but it’s a well hidden estate of my family’s near Granville,” Jimmy answered. “And like I said, it has no paper ties to my father whatsoever. Everything is done by cash, and the security system is absolutely crazy! If you’re going to be safe anywhere—it’s there.”

“Will you be staying with us?” Chloe asked, obviously attempting to hide her hope.

Jimmy moved his hand over to Chloe’s and gripped it. “If it’s all right.”

“Sure it is,” Clark said. “I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing.”

After they talked about the mysterious place for a few more minutes, Lana leaned against Clark, and faded out . . . to a mysterious world of her own.