Miss Lonely Hearts

[Nemu]

lol oh man... I can't wait to see Lana's reaction....

and the letter...

Can we hope for the next update tonight or tomorrow???

PPMS :D

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

probably tommoro cuz its like 2:30 in the morning!

[kewl]

finallly they kissed!!! :D awesome updates card!

[that girl]

I have a feeling this is about to get intense. Update soon, I'm loving it! :D :D :D

[superman_lives_on]

Oh wow... They kissed...after a dance to arguably the top Clana song, "Everything". :D :D :D Fantastic...

And Clark comes right out and tells Lana that he's Miss Lonely Hearts. Man, this is going to be awkward...

[NYC300Z]

LOL Lana couldn't even think of the possibility that Clark was Miss Lonely Hearts! There kiss was sweet I wonder if Chloe and Whitney noticed? So I guess Clark will give Lana the letter now?

PPMS!

[superman's my hero]

Aw that update was the sweetest. Too bad the real Smallville wasn't like that. I needed that after watching Sh**ville [as Brianna referred to it] this week.

[SVsleuth]

Originally posted by Nemu
lol oh man... I can't wait to see Lana's reaction....

and the letter...

Can we hope for the next update tonight or tomorrow???

PPMS :D
Card is almost finished the next update. I expect it will be posted sometime later tonight, after he gets back home and finishes tweaking it. So stay tuned. ;)

[Nemu]

thanks for the heads up SV!!!

[Clana227]

I just got all caught up! It's amazing keep up the good work Card.

[Cardinal]

Chapter 12 - Tempest

Clark quickly sketched out the story of how he had been snookered into taking the job in the first place. As intended, that part of the story got Lana giggling as she imagined Kwan playing off of Clark’s need to help people.

“He must have been desperate,” Lana said.

Clark smiled slightly, “He did say he’d already asked, and been turned down by, seven different people. He claimed I was his last hope.”

“Sucker!”

“Yeah, I came to that conclusion myself.” Becoming more nervous as he approached the part of this that dealt with Lana, Clark began shifting in his seat, and said, “But I think I’ve done a pretty good job as Miss Lonely Hearts for a freshman guy that’s never had a girlfriend before.”

“Not until now, anyway,” Lana said warmly as she took his hand. “And yes, you did a great job. You managed to get us together.”

“Umm…but that wasn’t my goal, Lana, at least not with my column. This is what I really wanted to tell you. I didn’t know you were Lonesome Lori until I got the letter that thanked me for advising you. Once I knew, I was able to go back to your other letters and see obvious clues that I had missed. I guess I never expected you to be writing in to me.”

“I was confused. I needed help, and as always, you came through for me.”

“Well, I always tried my best, girls were writing in to me with their deepest hopes and fears. That pink folder can be a heavy weight sometimes.”

“Pink folder?” Lana asked. “As in, the pink folder that was on your loft couch that one time? And those crinkled pen pal letters were actually letters to Miss Lonely Hearts?”

“Uhh…yeah,” Clark admitted, “but I didn’t lie to you about that. I even told you that they were letters. You’re the one that thought up the pen pal story, I just let you run with it.”

Lana thought that the only thing that bothered her about this situation, even a little bit, was that she had told Miss Lonely Hearts virtually everything. Thus, she had told Clark virtually everything. She felt emotionally exposed every time he looked at her, but before she could say anything about it, Clark pulled a creamy white envelope out of his jacket.

“You’ve told me all about how you feel about me,” Clark said, “and it gives me a wonderful feeling of warmth and security to know that you like me that much. So I thought it was only fair that you know exactly how I feel about you.” He handed the envelope to her and said, “That’s it. My love letter to you. Everything that I feel for and about you is in there. By the time you’re done reading it, you’ll either run away screaming, or you’ll have the same warm and secure feeling that I have.”

She turned the envelope over in her hands, wondering if Clark knew just how much courage he had just shown. She had exposed her thoughts to him unknowingly and had just been regretting it, but he was choosing to do so. As for the letter itself, Lana desperately wanted to read it, but she wouldn’t do so here. This was something she wanted to read curled up in bed, where she’d have the time to reread favorite passages and luxuriate in her feelings. She had a feeling this would be a red-letter day in her diary.

When the DJ returned from his break, he winked at Clark and started the next song. Lana and Clark reluctantly returned to their dates for the evening, parting with one last peck on the lips. Lana immediately found the table where she had set down her clutch purse and placed the envelope inside along with her makeup, a traveler’s pack of Kleenex, and her driver’s license.

Clark dutifully spent most of his time with Chloe, but soon noticed she was emotionally distant and that her laughter seemed to be forced. Lana stayed for a while also, but hanging out with Whitney and his friends while she watched Clark dance with Chloe soon became too much for her to handle.

She pulled Whitney aside and asked, “Would you please take me home?”

“Why? Are you feeling sick?”

“No, I just don’t want to be here anymore.”

Whitney thought he’d been a good guy tonight, not once mentioning what he’d seen between Lana and Clark, but Lana wanting to cut his last big school event short was more than he was able to handle.

“Then I can’t help you, Lana,” Whitney said. “This is my last big thing before graduation and the Marines. You know the school rules. If I leave to take you home, the administrators won’t let me back into the building.” A little bitterness began to seep out of Whitney. “But if you’re so set on leaving, why don‘t you ask Clark? I’m sure he’d fall all over himself to help you.”

Lana’s eyes popped wide open when she knew she had been caught.

“I’m not mad, Lana. Not really. But I wish you would have told me about you and Clark instead of me finding out here in front of everybody. That was kind of humiliating.”

“I’m sorry, Whitney. You deserved better than that. I just didn’t know how you’d react and I got scared. Will you forgive me?”

Not wanting to part on bad terms, Whitney said, “Of course, Lana, refusing you is hard for me to do.”

Lana thought of another way for her to leave. “Since you won’t take me home, can I borrow your truck and drive myself?”

Whitney thought about it for a bit and then handed her his keys. “Here you go. I’ll bum a ride tonight and come by tomorrow to pick it up.”

Lana made one stop on her way out of the gym. She found Clark and pulled him aside long enough to tell him she was leaving. When he expressed concern, she said, “I’m fine, Clark, in fact, I’ll come over to your house tomorrow morning and we can go do something.”

Clark’s frown turned into a smile as he said, “Good b…I mean, I’ll see you tomorrow, Lana.”

“See ya, Clark.” Lana chuckled at what she knew had been an intentional slip by Clark. As she turned and left the gym, heading out into the menacing storm, she could feel a set of eyes on her all the way to the door. She didn’t need to look around this time to know it was Clark.

Minutes later, Lana began to feel she had made a grave mistake in leaving the dance. The wind, which had been strong when she left the school grounds, had kept increasing in strength, and then three small tornados had formed close together. She was heading down Kansas Highway 90, trying to make it to her home and the safety of her storm cellar, but she was so busy watching the approaching tornados that she didn’t see the flying mailbox before it smacked into the windshield of the truck. Lana was startled, and in her attempt at shaking the mailbox loose, she drove into a deep drainage ditch. Unable to restart the truck, Lana got out and watched as the three small tornados combined into one monstrosity. It seemed to be heading straight for her and she had nowhere to hide.

Back at the dance, an administrator had just quieted the music and informed the hushed crowd about the tornados on the south side of town. Clark was panic stricken. He knew Lana had just driven in that direction, and hadn’t had enough time to get home. Chloe didn’t want him to worry, so she was going to call Lana and make sure she was safe, but Clark disappeared the second she turned around.

Lana climbed back into the truck and locked the door with the wind howling around her. Great, she thought, the one time I need Clark the most, and he’s on the other side of town. Lana thought she was going to die, so she grabbed Clark’s letter and ripped it open, determined to spend her last moments reading about his feelings for her. She couldn’t think of a better way to go. The letter was handwritten on two sheets of thick, expensive paper. Despite her dangerous situation, Lana couldn’t help but be impressed with his style.


Dearest Lana,

I love you.

I know it’s too early in our relationship for me to say that, but it’s the truth, and I promised to tell you everything I feel about you.

I love you.

Saying it once just isn’t enough for me. I’ve been in love with you since I was five years old, since before I was old enough to know what love was. I’ve been waiting ten years to tell you how I feel about you and now that I’ve started, I can’t stop.

I love you.

The gentle sound of your voice, the radiant warmth of your smile, the glossy sheen of your strawberry-scented hair, all of these small perfections are endearing, but what I love is you.

I love the girl that introduced me to her parents in a fog-shrouded graveyard and calmed my fears.

I love the girl that loves to curl up with a Russian classic to while away the hours.

I love the girl that saved the place her parents met at from the wrecking ball and turned it into the most popular hangout in town.

I love the girl that cares so much about her fellow man that she chaired the blood drive this year.

But most of all, I love the girl that has trusted me this year by opening up and showing to me a side of herself that few are ever privileged enough to know.

She’s the girl I want to be with.

She’s you, and I love you.

Love Always,

Clark.


Lana read that letter as fast as she could, and well before she reached the end, the tears were flowing down her face as she thought, What a guy! And now I’ll never get to know him.

As Lana read the last few words, and waited bravely for the tornado to strike, she saw Clark at the front of the truck and then felt like she had stepped into the Twilight Zone as Clark dipped down, grabbed onto the mangled front bumper, and lifted the entire truck into the air. Before she was able to scream his name in fear, surprise, or love, Lana found herself on the other side of town with the truck being carefully lowered into another ditch.

Lana was stunned, to put it mildly, as Clark helped her from the damaged truck. Seeing no point in trying to hide his abilities after that performance, Clark waited for Lana to carefully place her love letter back in her clutch purse before picking her up in his arms.

“Are you ready to go?” Clark asked.

“I think so.”

“Then hold on tight, it’s about to get windy.”

With that, they disappeared in a blur, as Clark took her home. Seconds later, she was on her front porch. The tornado had come close to her aunt’s farmhouse, but hadn’t done anything more than break a few tree branches.

As Lana caught her breath, her brain raced to make some sense out of what had just happened. Questions piled up in her mind. Questions only Clark could answer. How did he do that? Did he get his ability from meteor rocks?

Before Lana could sort out her questions and begin asking them, Clark said, “I know you want to ask me about what just happened, Lana, and I don’t blame you. I didn’t mean for you to find out like this. I just told you everything in my heart, and now...I’m afraid you’ll reject me.”

Lana quit thinking about what she wanted to know when she heard the quaver in his voice. Instead, she took a long look at Clark and realized, My God, he’s terrified! He’s just given me the most amazing letter, saved my life at great risk to his own, and selflessly exposed his biggest secret to me in the process. Yet he’s scared I won’t want him. Lana shook her head slightly in disbelief. When in reality, I’m afraid I want him too much. If it wasn’t for the disaster, I might not be able to keep my hands off him…I’ve got to say something!

Lana took his hands in hers, as much to keep him from running off as to comfort him, and said, “Clark, there’s something I need you to know.” Seeing he was afraid to answer, Lana went on. “From the first moment that I saw you, I knew that no one could make me happier than you.”

Lana then used her hold on Clark’s hands to pull him into a kiss. This one was harder, stronger, longer, and more desperate as each thought about what they had almost lost. Breaths came in short gasps until Clark finally broke the passionate kiss with a shuddering moan.

“So, I take it you don’t hate me?” Clark asked.

“No. Whatever you have to tell me, you’re still Clark, the same handsome guy I’ve always known. But the telling can wait, you have a family out there to find. Now go!”

[SVsleuth]

:) You brought tears to my eyes in that last scene, with Lana's thoughts! Awesome! I loved how she saw how terrified he was, and put aside her questions to reassure him. Wonderful Clananess!! :) Can't wait for Clark to get the chance to explain ALL of his secret to her - and can'twait to see Lana curled up on her bed, savoring that letter much more slwly, reading and re-reading it, and falling even more deeply in love with Clark.

That was a spectacular chapter, Card. Thanks for the 2x!

[superman_lives_on]

Oh...my...holy...that's...I mean... :eek:

Oh, this speechlessness won't do...

How's this?

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Nemu]

that was good!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm... just one thing... what was written in the letter must have been written in big letters to require 2 sheet of papers ;) unless the sheet were small...

anyway... Great chapter!!!

Can't wait for the next update...

PPMS Card!!!

[superman's my hero]

Oh my gosh!! That update was so perfect! If Clark wrote a letter like that to me, the only thought going through my head would be "Marry me." Honestly, you and aj should team up and write the episodes for smallville or sh**ville as I fondly refer to it as now. PPMS!

[Cardinal]

Originally posted by superman's my hero
Oh my gosh!! That update was so perfect! Honestly, you and aj should team up and write the episodes for smallville or sh**ville as I fondly refer to it as now. PPMS!

Thanks! :)

As far as the show's new name goes, I prefer to call it Smellvile, myself. ;)

[superman's my hero]

Originally posted by Cardinal
Thanks! :)

As far as the show's new name goes, I prefer to call it Smellvile, myself. ;)

Your welcome. My dad always calls it that. He never watches it, but he just likes to tease me about it.

[NYC300Z]

wow such an intense update! So much happened so fast! It was great!

PPMS!

[happycamper]

I'm not quite sure how I managed to miss an update, but all I can say is that I loved them both.

I also love the song (as evidenced by its place in my own fics) and the setting. Everything really was perfect at the dance, considering the circumstances.

Whitney really was a man here, and I'm glad for him (and even for Lana). Poor Chloe - I guess she is destined for disappointment.

Clark was full of honesty in both updates. This is probably how he should have always acted with the woman he professes to love. The results are certainly better.

May I have some more, please?


:D :D

[Dr. Jeckyll]

I haven't replied on a story in ages, but with an update like that, I just had to!

This story is just becoming better and better. You're writing Smallville S1 Clana-style very well. I liked Whitney and how he handled everything. That was very mature and a decision which proved he's a good guy in the end. I don't know if I could have done the same.

I can't wait for Clark to reveal his powers and tell Lana about Krypton.

PPMS!

PS. I just wanted you to know that I read BR with just as much enthusiasm as before. That story is my all-time favorite along with ‘This time..’ by aj! So PPMS there as well! :)

[that girl]

:eek: :eek: Okay. I did not expect this to go in that direction! I think I'm in shock.

Anyway, great update Cardinal. I'm glad Clark finally told Lana how he felt about her and I'm glad that she seems so happy about it.

Now, I can't wait to see how Lana reacts to what Clark's gonna tell her now. PPMS!

[Dr. Jeckyll]

Hahah!!! I'm probably not the first to comment on your avatar, that girl, but it's the BEST I've ever seen!! :lol: :lol: Priceless!

[clark&lanafan06]

Great Update ! PPMS !!!!!!!!!!!!

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

Originally posted by Dr. Jeckyll
I haven't replied on a story in ages, but with an update like that, I just had to!

This story is just becoming better and better. You're writing Smallville S1 Clana-style very well. I liked Whitney and how he handled everything. That was very mature and a decision which proved he's a good guy in the end. I don't know if I could have done the same.

I can't wait for Clark to reveal his powers and tell Lana about Krypton.

PPMS!

PS. I just wanted you to know that I read BR with just as much enthusiasm as before. That story is my all-time favorite along with ‘This time..’ by aj! So PPMS there as well! :)



he doesnt know about krypton yet does?

[Dr. Jeckyll]

No, you're right. He only knows that he's an alien. I forgot :)

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

jejejeje

[ginnyfan]

Wow! I didn't expect Whitney to take the breakup so well. I like that both Whitney and Chloe showed such strength of character and that their loved for Clark and Lana goes beyond their own pride and egos... It was still hard to read... but great writing.

Do boys keep love letters? I love it! :)

OMG love letters are so sexy. It's sad that the art of writing has in many ways gone the way of the dodo... Love email? Not the same.

Come to think of it I'll be Cardinal writes a killer love letter. Some girl out there is mighty lucky! LOL ;)

Do you dislike Remy Zero Cardinal? LOL!

Everything by Lifehouse.

You delivered on the Clana. In spades. :) Is far as I'm concerned the fic could've ended with the dance.

I loved Clark telling Lana about the Miss Lonely Hearts column and Lana reading the letter. This is much better than the way it happened on the show. I guess if this was the show Season 1 would have ended with Lana about to be killed after reading the letter...

And now we are in season 2... Clark has run off to find his family and...

I feel like the fic is over... but I'm still interested in what happens in the denouement. I have a feeling Lana has no problem with dating aliens. :)

[Clana227]

Wow is all I can say, I would love if he would have been this honest in s1. keep writing

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

yea, right?

MAN IF HE WAS THIS HONEST HE WOULD HAVE LANA AT HIS FEET IN SMELLVILLE NOW!

[Cardinal]

Chapter 13 - Next Day

Sleep was hard to come by that night for both Clark and Lana, but for different reasons. Lying on top of his bed, wearing nothing but drawstring pajama bottoms, Clark had a lot on his mind. Even after spending most of the night searching at super-speed, his dad was still missing, along with that slime from the Inquisitor, Roger Nixon. Clark’s worry about his dad’s safety grew by the minute, and when his thoughts managed to escape that terror, they latched onto the idea that his secrets might be about to go nationwide.

In an attempt to soothe his mind, Clark forced himself to focus on the one part of his day that had gone right…the dance and Lana. He wasn’t aware of it, but just thinking of her managed to bring a smile to his face and slow his heart rate a bit. Lana was the one person he wanted to know all about him, and if everything went right, by tomorrow night, she would. Clark finally drifted off to a fitful sleep somewhere around 3 a.m. and was back up early to zip through his chores so he could go out again and search for his father as soon as there was decent light.

Lana, on the other hand, assumed both of the Kents were all right. After all, Clark was the one out there looking for them and he hadn’t called to say they were hurt or missing, so after calling the Talon to make sure the coffee house had survived the storm, Lana gave Nell a quick run-through of the dance and headed up to her bedroom a little bit early. There’s no way I can explain the accident right now, Lana thought.

Lana got ready for bed so she could do some much-anticipated reading. She undressed and pulled on a white cotton nightie, thoroughly brushed her hair, fluffed her pillows, and propped them against the bed’s headboard. She had already turned down the sheet and coverlet, had her love letter from Clark in hand and was about to climb in when she remembered one more thing, her diary. So she pulled the diary out of its hiding place and grabbed a red pen from her desk before making herself a nest in the mound of pillows she had stacked up.

All of Lana’s preparations had been for this: to reread that amazing love letter, to bask in the way it had made her feel. But now that the moment was upon her, she hesitated. I’m half afraid the words have changed, or that…that somehow I read them wrong earlier today. Maybe my fevered imagination got away from me and put things in that letter that weren't there.

Lana stared at the neatly folded letter in her hand, and said softly, “Well, Girl, there’s only one way to find out. Open it.” With one eye firmly shut and the other open the tiniest of cracks, Lana carefully unfolded the letter. A moment’s review was all she needed. And then…bliss, joy, rapture, ecstasy, euphoria. What she felt was all of that and more. It's true, she thought, it's true, oh God, it's true. Clark does love me.

Finding out she hadn’t imagined Clark’s words was almost as good as reading them the first time. After that, Lana settled in for a lengthy, word-by-word reread of the letter, fully intending to savor her emotions this time. She didn’t stop at reading that letter once, or even twice. Lana read that letter three times before setting it aside long enough to grab her pen and diary and write a long entry all in red ink. A red-letter day indeed, she thought. Everything from our dance to that impossible rescue is getting the red letter treatment today.

Just before turning out her room light and going to sleep, Lana returned her diary to its hiding place and then safely tucked her precious letter inside the lead box that Clark had given her to use for storing her meteor rock necklace. After all, Lana thought, Clark did give it to me to protect my memories.

The next morning, Clark dressed himself in a blue, white and black plaid shirt and jeans and went out with the search and rescue team as they combed the farm for any sign of Jonathan. When they didn’t find anything, Clark became frantic. He wanted to rush back out to spend some more time searching his way, but Martha knew he’d already covered most of Lowell County the night before with no luck, so she dragged him with her when she drove into town. The Talon, which had become the impromptu command center for the search and rescue teams as soon as Lex and Lana had offered it, was her destination. She needed to post a picture of Jonathan on the board of those who were still missing and they both wanted to be able to get any information as soon as it came in.

Once there, one of the first people Clark met was Lana. She was decked out in a long-sleeved light blue blouse and white jeans. Her hair was pinned up on the sides to keep it out of her face while she worked. Seeing her very own Cyrano de Bergerac walk in made her face light up like the noonday sun. She set a tray of muffins down on the counter and rushed over to greet him. Lana already knew the searchers had headed out to the Kent farm early in the morning, so she knew Jonathan had been missing, but she didn’t know if he had been found. That uncertainty was the only thing keeping her from locking him in a warm embrace and then kissing him for all the world to see. She wanted everyone to know about the new guy in her life, but right now, other things were more important. Clark’s dad was missing, and he needed her support.

“Clark, any luck finding your Dad?” Lana asked. What is it about my boyfriends’ fathers anyway? Dating me ought to come with a warning label: If you date Lana Lang, it could be hazardous to your father’s health.

“We looked all night,” Clark replied. In his current agitated state, Clark started talking faster and faster. “The search and rescue team combed the farm this morning, but they didn‘t find anything either. I…I don’t know what to do. He‘s been missing for over twelve hours…”

Lana reached out a slender hand and placed it on Clark’s shoulder to get him to stop rambling and look at her. She had a lot of practice at being reassuring these days and she put it to good use here. “They’ll find him, Clark. I know it.”

“Thanks.”

Using some sixth sense that only mothers have, Martha had just looked up at her son from across the room and had seen how uptight he was. But then, all it took was a touch on the arm and some soft words from Lana, and he calmed down instantly. What’s going on there? Martha wondered. Clark hasn’t said anything to me, but it sure looks like they’re more than friends.

“Umm, Lana?” Clark asked. “Shouldn’t you be home resting right now?”

Gesturing at the activity going on around them, Lana said, “I wanted to help. A lot of people helped me out after the meteor shower. It meant a lot.”

“I’m just glad I was able to get to you in time. You were seconds away from becoming the second girl in Kansas history to go somewhere over the rainbow.”

“I know what I saw, and what I felt, but what I want to know is…how did it happen?”

The earnest look in Lana’s hazel eyes would have been impossible for him to resist, except he didn’t plan on resisting. He wanted her to know all about him, and since she was looking at him the same way today as she had been last night, he felt he could try.

Clark had made the decision to tell Lana about his extra-terrestrial origin last night while searching for his dad. He had begun by wondering what it would be like for him if Lana had been sucked up by that tornado. The thought of her near-death made him realize that there are no guarantees in life, so if he wanted her, he had better man up and let her decide for herself if she would like to pursue a relationship with the guy next door who just happens to be a super-powered alien.

“Do you really want to know?” Clark asked.

“Yes, Clark. I want to know all about you.”

Feeling he needed to give her one chance to change her mind and back out, Clark said, “Be sure about this, because the things you learn may be difficult to accept.”

Lana stepped in close, taking his hands in hers, and said, “Please, Clark. I’ve always known you were different, just not how different. Let me know you.”

“Okay, I will. Once the tornado crisis is over, come by the house some night when you’re free and I’ll tell you everything.”

Lana’s face shone with the brilliance of her smile, but as she started to say something in reply, Martha made her way over to them, saying, “Clark, there's no new word.”

Clark and Lana shared the same thought, You had to interrupt us for that? Lana then noticed she had been talking with Clark longer than she had intended, so she regretfully made her excuses and got back to work.

As Lana turned to walk away, Clark said, “Lana? Do you still have that lead box I gave you?”

Puzzled, she asked, “Yeah, I do, and my meteor rock necklace is still inside of it.” Along with something else that is precious to me.

“Good. When you come over for your explanation, bring the box and the necklace. This story requires both of them.”

[SVsleuth]

:) Yay! Clark decided to tell all to Lana. Question is, will he chicken out? I hope not. Things could have gone so differently if Clark had opened up to Lana early on. PPMS!

[Nemu]

He wont chicken out on himself... but I fear the parental censure coming if he even mention it to them...

This was good...

Why did Martha had to interrupt for such a silly reason!!!! lol I agree with them...

PPMS :D

[NYC300Z]

oh I wonder if Martha heard that last part? I guess he has to find Jonathon before we get to the part we all want to read lol

PPMS!

[ginnyfan]

I like that he asked Lana to bring the necklace and the lead box. I dunno... seems that perhaps he'd try to avoid the connection with her parents deaths or at least lead into VERY gently. But I like that he's facing it head on in this way.

:)

[superman_lives_on]

Brave of Clark to face the hardest part of his story head-on like that... Oh, I just hope that Lana will be able to accept him--though I suspect she will. :)

[clark&lanafan06]

Great Update !!!!!!! PPMS !!!!!!!!!!!!

[superman's my hero]

AHH!! Amaz-za-zing update! I can't beleive you just left it there! PPMS!

[happycamper]

Yay! Clark's going to share his secrets! :)


Originally posted by SVsleuth
:) Things could have gone so differently if Clark had opened up to Lana early on. PPMS!
Yeah, like there wouldn't have a been a show. ;) Sorry SVsleuth, but I think most of the audience would have been quickly bored by endless Clana (although not necessarily everyone from this forum... :lol: ).

Come to think of it, I think I began to care for the characters because of all they had both been forced to endure...

I just hope they can find Jonathan quickly - his disappearance is really affecting the progress of the Clana! ;)


:D :D

[kewl]

cool! need more update card! ;)

[SVsleuth]

time for an update? ;)

[Cardinal]

Chapter 14 - Setting the Stage

Hearing what Clark had just said to Lana, Martha turned back to face her son with a shocked look on her face. “You don’t actually mean to tell Lana everything do you?”

“Yes, Mom. In case you haven’t noticed, Lana and I are dating now. She has the right to know exactly who she’s getting involved with.” Clark paused and looked away from Martha briefly before returning his gaze to her. “Besides, if Lana and I are going to get involved, I need to know now, before we get too deep, if Lana can handle who and what I am. I don't think I could handle it if we got super-close, she learned everything and then rejected me.”

Rubbing one hand on Clark’s back to relax him, Martha said, “Okay, I see your point. Just do one thing for me.”

“What?”

“Be sure she’s someone you can trust with your life before you tell her, because that’s exactly what you’re doing when you tell her this secret.”

“I do trust her, Mom. After all, I’m already trusting her with my heart and that’s much more fragile than my life.”

After that, their thoughts turned to Jonathan. Martha stayed at the Talon to work the phone bank while Clark returned to the farm to begin searching all over again. At the farm, he met Lex, who apologized for not informing him about Roger Nixon and who also had something to help narrow the search: a map of cell phone towers around Smallville and the areas they serve. Since only one tower survived the storm, that drastically cut down the area that needed to be searched.

Clark thanked Lex for his help and called in some reinforcements in the form of Pete and Chloe. With such a small area to cover, he wanted to go slowly and bring his other abilities into play. Having Chloe and Pete along gave him two extra sets of eyes and brains. Clark figured he’d need all the help he could get. During the search, Clark apologized to Chloe for running out on her at the dance the night before.

“Uh, Chloe?” Once he had her attention, Clark added, “I’ve been wanting to apologize for leaving you at the formal.”

“Oh! Didn’t I tell you that leaving in the middle of a tornado to save a friend totally gets you off the hook? Besides, I know you’d do the same thing for me. I mean, you’ve done that once for me already.”

“Huh?”

“Sean Kelvin?”

“Oh yeah.”

Clark remembered that night clearly. Now that he thought about it, the parallels to his situation from last night were kind of eerie. In both cases, he had been on a first date of sorts and had left the girl he was with to save the life of the other. The next part of the conversation wasn’t something he was looking forward to, but Chloe deserved to hear it from him.

“There’s one difference in the two cases, Chloe,” Clark said nervously as they walked side by side.

“What’s that?”

“When I saved you from Sean, I was saving one of my closest friends. When I went after Lana last night…I was going after my girlfriend.”

Chloe had seen the evidence the night before at the dance, so this wasn’t too much of a shock, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. The guy that she had loved from afar would remain out of her reach. It didn’t seem fair to her, but life wasn’t about being fair, so Chloe decided to repay his honesty with her own.

“I know, Clark. Anyone that saw you two dancing together last night knows. You two just…fit. I’m not going to pretend I’m not hurt, but I’m a big girl and I’ll get over it. Individually, you and Lana are two of my closest friends and I wouldn’t want to lose either of you over this.”

While Clark was dealing with Chloe, Whitney walked across the street from his family’s store to talk to Lana. She was taking a short break for lunch when he came in, so she pointed him to the seat across from her while she dug into her ham and swiss croissant sandwich.

After they exchanged pleasantries, Whitney said, “I know you don’t have much time for yourself today, Lana, but I had Mom drive me to your house this morning to get my truck and it wasn’t there. I figured you had driven it to work, but it’s not here either. Umm, Lana…where is it?”

“I…I had a wreck.”

“Are you okay?” Whitney was surprised, but quickly gathered his wits. “Sorry, stupid question. If you’re here, you’re obviously okay. So…what happened?”

Lana wasn’t sure just how much she could tell and still protect Clark, so she was picking her way carefully through what happened. “I was driving home, when I saw the tornadoes, so I tried to avoid them. I was paying so much attention to the tornadoes, that I didn’t notice the flying mailbox until it hit the windshield.” Whitney scrunched his shoulders in sympathy as he imagined the impact. “When I swerved to try and shake the mailbox loose, I drove into a ditch.”

“What road is the truck on?” Whitney asked.

“Oh…I managed to get someone to move it last night. I’ll have it taken to any body shop you want, just call me and I’ll get it taken care of.”

“Okay, Lana. Thanks. I’ll call you later after Mom talks to the insurance agent.”

In reality, Lana had no idea where the truck was. It had been in a ditch outside the north end of town when she had last seen it, but Clark might have moved it again later since it would be hard for her to explain what she was doing on the wrong end of town. All she knew was, she had to talk to Clark as soon as possible.

Late that afternoon, after Clark had rescued Jonathan and Nixon only to need to be rescued in turn by Lex and his gun, the two Kent men were making some hasty repairs to the farm. Martha had told Jonathan about Clark’s intention to tell Lana everything and Jonathan had been waiting for a good time to bring it up. Sure that nightfall would bring a visit from Lana, Jonathan decided now was the time.

“Clark,” Jonathan called out as he pounded his claw hammer into a fencepost. “Your Mom told me about what happened with you and Lana in the tornado.”

“I saved her, but she saw everything.” Knowing how well this next part would go over, Clark took a deep breath and prepared himself for his father’s onslaught. “I’ve decided to share the rest of my secrets with her as soon as she’s ready.”

The two Kent men argued back and forth for quite some time, until Clark ended the argument by saying, “In the end, Dad, those secrets are mine. Mine to keep and mine to share.”

Jonathan had no answer for that. Defeated, all he could say was, “I hope you’re right about Lana, Son. Because it’s your life if you’re not.”

That went well, Clark thought sarcastically. The entire conversation left Clark in a bad mood and he went to the loft after dinner to stew for a while. And that is where Lana found him late that night after she closed the Talon, sitting on the last set of steps leading to the top of the loft. In her hands was the lead box. She had wondered on the way over here what the box or the necklace could possibly have to do with Clark’s secrets.

“What’re you doing, Clark?” Lana asked. She had stopped at home to freshen up and change into something clean. She was wearing a pink blouse, blue jeans, tan boots, and her hair was held in place with a simple hair band.

“Thinkin’,” Clark replied. He had also changed clothes before dinner, only he was wearing a gray t-shirt and blue jeans.

“About what?” Lana asked as she moved closer and sat beside him.

“Lots of things. About how drastically our relationship has changed the last few days, about how close I came to becoming a national curiosity, about how much my dad wants me to keep my secrets from you, but mostly, about the fact that I’m going to tell you all of my secrets anyway.”

Clark’s hands were folded together in front of him and Lana put her left hand on top of his hands after shifting the lead box to her lap. She rubbed her fingers over the top of his and said, “I want to know you, Clark, but if this is causing you problems, I can wait.”

“No, Lana, I’ve waited long enough to be with you. I’m not waiting any longer.”

[SVsleuth]

:) Yep, now the stage is set for a wonderful reveal scene, earlier than most other fics have done it. It will be neat to see how it goes at this point in time. Poor Jonathan is so worried. As a parent, I can totally sympathize with how he feels; nevertheless, I'm glad Clark is sticking to his guns, and planning to tell Lana anyway. He realizes he can never have a deep relationship with anyone if he hides the most important parts of who he is.

So here we'll get a "Lana in pink" reveal - cool. PPMS!

[superman_lives_on]

And here it comes... Let's hope the telling of his secret goes well. :)

[NYC300Z]

So it's the moment of truth! What will Lana think? Will Jonathon be right in warning him? is it still too soon for Clana?...

PPMS!

[happycamper]

Cardinal
Posting Pro
Guess which one's me, aj! So I was right all along...you are a woman! :lol: So who's the toddler? :lol: :lol:


Great resolve on Clark's part - I'm impressed...and surprised. :p

It's really good that both Chloe and Whitney seem to accept the inevitable.

But is Lana, still in pink and a hs freshman, ready or mature enough for that secret?


:D :D

[Cardinal]

Hey, if Pete Ross, the epitome of immaturity, could handle it only two episodes later, then I think Lana's ready.

[Nemu]

well that was good! and glad to see Clark stand by his choice...

The Withney part was kinda funny...

PPMS :D

[ginnyfan]

Lana protects Clark's secret from Whitney...

Things went well between Clark and Lex...

Chloe's a good sport.

Felt like Jonathan would have had A LOT more to say. LOL!

I like Clark standing up for himself and putting up good arguments with Chloe and his mom and dad...

We all know what's coming... A fateful Clana loft scene. LOL!

[kewl]

and now the revelation begins! ppms!

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

yes hopefully.......great update

[clana-lives-on]

yeah, clark's gonna tell her!!!! great update!

[Cardinal]

Chapter 15 - Revelation

Lana didn’t know what was coming, but she knew it was big for Clark, so she waited patiently for him to find the right words, still stroking his folded hands.

Hesitantly, softly, Clark began to speak. “You saw most of what I can do last night, Lana.” Clark opened up his hands to take her left hand in his right one. The physical connection with Lana was important to Clark. For him, it served to reinforce the emotional bond they had been developing all year long and he drew on that as a source of strength. “Unlike anyone else you’ve ever seen with special abilities, my abilities weren’t created by meteor rock exposure…I was born this way.”

“Born that way, Clark?” Lana asked. “How is that possible?”

“I’m not sure…not exactly anyway.” Sneaking a peek at the lead box, Clark said, “But I do know it has something to do with where I was born.”

“You know where you’re from? Did you find you’re parents?”

“I don’t know exactly where I’m from, Lana. I just know where I’m not from.”

Sensing this was important, Lana prompted, “And that is…?”

He looked straight into her eyes for the first time since she sat next to him on the steps. He hoped she could read the sincerity in his eyes as he said, “Where I’m not from…is Earth.”

Lana looked at Clark like he’d just fallen out of the stupid tree and hit every single branch on the way down. She wanted to be tactful, but she was sure he was pulling her leg and she wasn’t especially happy about it.

Clark could see her irritation as plain as day and moved to end it before it blossomed into something uncontrollable. “I can see you don’t believe me, which is why I had you bring the box and your meteor rock necklace. Clark released Lana’s hand, stood up, and walked to the other side of the stairway landing they were on. When she began to follow, Clark waved her back down. Once on the other side of the landing, Clark turned back to her and said, “Okay. Open the box and pull out the meteor rock necklace.”

Curious, Lana readily complied, smiling briefly when she saw the other occupant of the box, Clark’s love letter. She allowed the stone to dangle down a few inches from the palm of her hand where the rest of the chain was located.

Okay, Clark thought, now for the not so fun part. “Stand up now and start walking slowly toward me. While you do, watch me carefully.”

Lana couldn’t help but be curious as she slowly shuffled across the room, inching closer to Clark. As she edged closer, Lana could see Clark’s face becoming strained and he looked unsteady on his feet. A quick look at the stone itself let Lana see that it was glowing as if lit from within. By the time she was standing in front of him, he was slightly hunched forward and looked like he was having stomach cramps.

Clark wasn’t done yet though. He weakly held out one arm and gasped, “Now, one last demonstration. Touch the stone to the back of my hand.”

Seeing his reaction to just being near the stone, Lana was unsure how smart that idea was, but when he repeated his request, she leaned forward and touched the stone to his skin. Clark sank to the floor immediately and Lana watched in horror as a web of dark green lines spread out instantly from the point of contact, seeming to follow Clark’s network of veins and arteries. When she saw both his hand cramping uncontrollably and the agony on his face, she flung the necklace up onto the top level of the loft, where it skidded to a stop against the closed Dutch doors.

Lana sank to her knees to try and help Clark though she had no idea what might work. “You…how…you…I don’t…” As Clark recovered his strength, he sat up and Lana sat down to be next to him. “Oh, Clark, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that would happen to you or I never would have…”

“Yes, Lana. I know you didn’t know, but I did. I had to prove to you that I’m different from any meteor freak you’ve ever seen. Not only do I have more than one ability, but meteor rocks make me sick. A big enough rock held against me for a long enough period of time might actually kill me. The meteor freaks don’t have that kind of problem with the green rocks.”

Lana was unsure about Clark being an alien. Maybe he just has a weird allergic reaction to the meteor rocks, she thought. On the other hand, how many people have multiple abilities like he does? She went back and forth inside her mind, going over what she knew and suspected as she searched for the truth.

Clark broke Lana out of her thoughts by saying, “There’s one more thing I can show you that ought to prove my alien heritage to you like it did to me earlier this year.”

“Huh?”

“My spaceship.”

“Your what?”

“Spaceship.” When Lana just stared at him with a glazed look on her face, Clark elaborated, “You know, a vehicle capable of interstellar travel.”

Lana shook her head quickly and said, “This, I have to see!”

They trooped downstairs and out to the storm cellar. Clark opened the shiny new lock he and Jonathan had just installed on the door and held the door open for Lana. He told her there were some flashlights inside a workbench just inside the door. She grabbed two of them and handed one to him. After switching them on, Clark led Lana to the back of the cellar.

“Sorry about the mess down here, Lana. The door was opened during the storm when Dad chased after that bum from the Inquisitor, Roger Nixon. Mom wasn’t able to close the door after that and the wind caused a serious mess down here. Dad and I just haven’t gotten around to cleaning it up yet.”

Lana ignored the mess as her attention was riveted to a large, metallic object along the back wall of the cellar. Until this moment, this had all seemed like a game to her, after all, this was Clark. She’d already seen his strength and speed, so what kind of secrets could he really have left to hide?

But now she knew differently. Clark was deadly serious about this. It was no longer a matter of fun and games. Despite the late evening chill in the air, Lana began to sweat and her heart started to pound like a jackhammer. She closely inspected the ship from several angles, drinking in the aesthetics as only a serious artist would. She had been around farms all of her life and knew this wasn’t any kind of farm equipment.

Lana had to face the facts, Clark was telling the truth. He was an alien. Breathing was difficult for Lana all of a sudden. Slackjawed, she turned to him and said, “I…uh…I believe you. You’re an alien.” Saying it out loud for the first time seemed to make it more real to her, more concrete.

Lana thought maybe she should be afraid or something, but when she studied Clark’s face, it was obvious he was scared of her, and that was something she couldn’t stand. She realized then and there that she had the power to crush him with a word, that this was his true fear. How she reacted to him now could have far-reaching effects. Unconsciously, one of Lana’s hands reached up to Clark’s cheek and began to stroke it. “The ship looks alien, Clark…but not you.” Lana thought a bit more and then asked, “Is being alien what you were upset about that night in the graveyard?”

“Yeah, I’d just been told I was from another planet. I was angry, hurt, stunned…you name it. I was just trying to sort out my thoughts when you found me out there, and you did a wonderful job of settling me down. Thanks.”

Lana smiled when she remembered that night. “You’re welcome. That night, we had our first real conversation, Clark…” then, a light went on inside Lana’s head, “…and because I’d loaned my necklace to Whitney, I wasn’t wearing it that night. No wonder. All those years I thought I scared you and it was just my necklace.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Lana. You definitely scared me, that necklace just made things a lot worse than they would’ve been otherwise.”

Looking back at the ship, Lana asked, “What’s the inside of the ship look like?”

Clark shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. If you look on the side there right by that corner, you should see a shallow octagonal depression. Dad thinks that’s where any key would have to fit since there are no other openings that we can find.”

“I don’t see any depression over here,” Lana said.

Clark moved to her side to look and saw she was right, then he noticed something he should have seen right away. The ship was resting on the ground, but was perfectly upright instead of tilted on one side. When he put his hand down on the ship near where the depression used to be, the key popped up out of the depression and the ship toppled back toward the wall. Clark gingerly picked up the octagonal key and said, “Mom told me Nixon had the key with him, but I didn’t know he’d left it behind. This could be huge.”

As Lana ran her fingertips along the surface of the ship, she looked back at Clark and asked, “Why, Clark? Why’d you share all of this with me? I’m honored, and I’ll never tell anyone…but why? You could’ve told me all about your abilities, and I would’ve been happy. I never would’ve had to find out about your origin.”

Clark shrugged his shoulders and said, “I wanted you to know me, to know all of me. You deserve the chance to decide if you want to date an alien or not.”

“Thanks, Clark. Thanks for trusting me.” Lana left thoughts of the spaceship behind and focused fully on Clark. “As for making that decision, I’m going to need some time to think it over.”

Now it was Clark’s turn to be patient. He had thought Lana would need some time to sort things out, and he was prepared to give her all the time she needed. “Lana, I’ve given you something to think about that I bet you’ve never even dreamed about before. Maybe…maybe you should go home tonight and think it over. If you aren’t scared of me, if you still want to see me, come back tomorrow and I’ll answer any questions you have.”

Lana agreed, but before she could leave the storm cellar, Clark said, “One more thing.”

“Yes, Clark?”

Clark‘s eyes were brimming with warmth and sincerity, “Whatever happens, Lana, whatever choice you make, know that I love you.”

Lana felt her face flush. Clark’s simple statement of love and support made her want to cry. Before that could happen, Lana scurried out of the cellar, collected the box and necklace from the loft, and headed home.

[SVsleuth]

:) Wow! That was such a cool reveal, from the demonstration with the necklace, to the showing of the ship, to Clark's final declaration of love for Lana. I wouldn't be surprised if Lana doesn't sleep a wink that night, and ends up re-reading Clark's love letter over and over again. I'm certain she'll decide that she still wants to date him - even if he is an alien.

Still lovin' this fic. PPMS!

[NYC300Z]

2nd! Clark never mentioned the meteor shower will that come up in Lana's questions the next day? What will they both do over the long night? Yeah that was a good reveal, Lana neither freaked out or disgarded his origin too easily.

PPMS!

[Nemu]

man thats the way it should have been all along...


that was good!!! and a nice thing to read when you wake up ;)

PPMS :D!!!

[ginnyfan]

I loved Lana's excitement to see the spaceship. LOL!

And isn't it always this way? The thing you're dreading the most about a situation doesn't even come close to happening. Clark's worst fear is that Lana would blame him for her parents' deaths and try to get revenge. And Lana flings the NECKLACE as far from them as she can... LOL!

But I guess... maybe when she thinks it through more, she'll make the connection. He didn't tell her that he came during the meteor shower...

[superman_lives_on]

I doubt that Lana will blame Clark for her parents' deaths--as much as it hurt her, she's not spiteful by nature (not this early on in the show, anyway). I was a little surprised to see that the spaceship was still in the storm cellar--but then, since Clark never ran into the tornado, I suppose the ship never had a reason to go after him. Nice change. :)

I wonder how Lana will come to the decision to date Clark after all... I bet the love letter will be involved. :)

[SVsleuth]

Hey, Supes - that ^^ was your 1100th post on K-Site! Congrats!

[superman_lives_on]

Wow, I didn't notice! :eek: Thanks, SV! :D

[Cardinal]

Chapter 16 - Decision

For the second night in a row, sleep was hard to come by for both Clark and Lana. Clark was, understandably, one giant, raw nerve. He had just gotten together with the girl of his dreams and then turned right around and risked everything. Now, he was lying in bed and praying for the oblivion that comes with sleep to help ease his mind.

Lana’s possible reactions scared Clark. It wasn’t like he was just starting a relationship with some random girl; in this case, he’d been in love with Lana for a very long time. She’d already developed a strong connection to his heart without even knowing it. If she chose to cut that connection now, he knew it would hurt him like nothing he’d ever experienced before. He was totally at her mercy, something he wasn’t used to, and he found he didn’t like it. I’m used to being in control of my life, Clark thought. This sitting and waiting is driving me insane!

He tried thinking about other things, like which fence lines he needed to check for damage after yesterday’s storms, but his thoughts were always drawn back to Lana. After hours of this torture, his absolute emotional exhaustion allowed him to gain a couple hours of fitful sleep. With school tomorrow, and finals at the end of the week just before graduation, he’d need all of the sleep he could get.

Lana’s trouble with sleep was the other side of Clark’s coin. Once home, she had raced inside and up to her bedroom without a single word to Nell. Nell had seen Lana long enough to tell she was upset, but Nell figured Lana would come talk to her if she wanted to share what was going on.

Lana dressed for bed, but then spent the next half hour pacing back and forth in her nightie and pink bunny slippers. The lead box was sitting in the middle of her bed, and every time she turned, her eyes, and her thoughts, were drawn to it like iron filings to a lodestone.

My conflict is all tied up in that box, Lana thought. Clark’s an alien…but he loves me. I love him…but he’s not even human. That thought led Lana to think about what it takes for someone to be human. Clark’s the kindest, most considerate person I know. He’s smart, hard-working, unfailingly polite, and incredibly handsome. He has these amazing abilities, but doesn’t use them for personal gain. Most guys I know would be flaunting what they could do, but Clark just wants to be one of the guys. It seems he wants to be more ‘human’ than anyone else.

If that’s not human, Lana thought finally, then we need more aliens. She was close to making her decision, but she needed some reinforcement so she opened the box and pulled out its contents.

The necklace reminded her that Clark was an alien, but now she thought of him as more like an immigrant from another country. Only, his native country was a lot farther away than anyone else’s. Next, she indulged herself with a reread of that amazing love letter.


Dearest Lana,

Just reading that greeting made her heart beat faster.

I love you.

I know it’s too early in our relationship for me to say that, but it’s the truth, and I promised to tell you everything I feel about you.

No, Clark, Lana thought, it’s not too early in our relationship to say that. You’ll never have to apologize to me for sharing your thoughts and feelings.

I love you.

Saying it once just isn’t enough for me. I’ve been in love with you since I was five years old, since before I was old enough to know what love was. I’ve been waiting ten years to tell you how I feel about you and now that I’ve started, I can’t stop.

Reading it just once isn’t enough for me either, Clark, Lana thought, so write it to me some more. I promise I’ll never get tired of reading it, or hearing it.

I love you.

The gentle sound of your voice, the radiant warmth of your smile, the glossy sheen of your strawberry-scented hair, all of these small perfections are endearing, but what I love is you.

I love the girl that introduced me to her parents in a fog-shrouded graveyard and calmed my fears.

I love the girl that loves to curl up with a Russian classic to while away the hours.

I love the girl that saved the place her parents met at from the wrecking ball and turned it into the most popular hangout in town.

I love the girl that cares so much about her fellow man that she chaired the blood drive this year.

But most of all, I love the girl that has trusted me this year by opening up and showing to me a side of herself that few are ever privileged enough to know.

Inside, Lana was gushing all over again. Oh, Clark, just by writing this letter, you opened yourself up to me in a way I never thought possible. Guys always seem to hide what they think and feel, but not you, not now.

She’s the girl I want to be with.

She’s you, and I love you.

Now Lana was sure, she knew what she wanted. I want to be with you, too, Clark. I’ve made my decision. I choose you. I choose us.

Love Always,

Clark.


Lana decided that one letter deserved another. She sat herself down at her desk, and started to write on plain, ruled notebook paper in pencil. After several drafts, she finally was happy with what she had written. She then pulled out a sheet of her fancy stationery along with her best pen and began to write.


Dearest Clark,

I love you!

I’ve thought it over and what I decided was that where you're from doesn't really matter to me, it's what you’ve done while you’re here that counts.

I can only imagine what you’ve done with your skills, but I’ll bet anything that saving me from the tornado wasn’t the first heroic thing you’ve done.

There’s so much more I want to say to you right now, but I want to say it in person. I’ll come by and see you later today after work. I hope this letter will tide you over until then.

Here’s to tonight!

Love,
Lana


The last thing Lana did before folding the letter and placing it in an envelope that matched her paper was to squirt a shot of her best perfume into the air and then swipe the letter through the perfume cloud to give her letter a special scent. She wanted this letter to scream ‘important’ and ‘romantic’ from the time Clark picked it up. Lana then folded the letter and carefully placed it into the envelope. After writing ‘Miss Lonely Hearts’ in the address location as a private joke, her last act was to lick the envelope flap, press it shut, and seal it with a kiss.

Lana thought about sneaking back over to the Kent farm and leaving her short letter where Clark could find it in the morning before school, but instead decided to tuck it inside his locker where he would be sure to find it before first hour.

[deanyouk]

Great update Cardinal... I'm glad Lana decided she couldnt be without Clark..

[Nemu]

That was good!!!

Well it was understandable that it would take time... Glad Lana accepted him...

PPMS :D

[SVsleuth]

:) Wonderful chapter, Card. Poor Clark is so nervous, so afraid he'll lose Lana after finally having her close. Clark should thank the Principal for talking him into being Miss Lonely Hearts - because that's what got him to end up writing that beautiful letter to Lana in the first place, and little does he know that it is that letter which convinces her she still wants to be with him.

I'm glad Lana decided that it doesn't matter where he's from, that she loves him for the person he is and wants to stay with him. :) Can't wait to see Clark's reaction to the perfumed letter in his school locker, addressed to Miss Lonely Hearts. Also eager to find out what else Lana has to say to Clark in person. Can't wait till "tonight" for Lana and Clark. PPMS!

[ginnyfan]

AWWWWW! This really IS a high school romance! *giggles* I love Lana's reasoning... Clark's just an immigrant to this country... only his home country is REALLY far away! That's love. LOL!

[NYC300Z]

Great update Card! Cool to see how they both were reacting! Can't wait to see when Clark finds the letter! oh what does it mean before first hour?

PPMS!

[Cardinal]

Originally posted by NYC300Z
Great update Card! Cool to see how they both were reacting! Can't wait to see when Clark finds the letter! oh what does it mean before first hour?

PPMS!

'Before first hour' refers to the fact that she expects him to find the letter before his first hour CLASS at Smallville High.

[NYC300Z]

oh lol I get it now I've never heard that term before we would just say before first bell got it thanks!;)

[superman_lives_on]

Yes, Clark is indeed an immigrant to this country...this planet, actually, but hey.

And Lana loves him, even this early on. God, is that wonderful to know or WHAT? :D :D :D

Clark is in for a beautiful surprise... :)

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

that was good

[clark&lanafan06]

Awsome Update ! PPMS !!!!!!!!!!!

[happycamper]

How did I get here so late...and actually miss an update completely? I guess the only good thing about it was that I didn't have to wait to read about Lana's decision. :\

Lana is already so happy, as Clark will be the next morning (as long as nothing happens to mess it up!!).

Great job, Card!


:D :D

[Cardinal]

Chapter 17 - Magic

The next morning, Clark met Pete in the parking lot at school. “How’s your dad doing, Clark?”

“He’s fine. There don’t appear to be any lingering effects from his time underground with Nixon.” Looking over at his best friend, Clark asked, “I never did get to ask you, how’d the dance go with you and Erica?”

“We had a nice time, Clark,” Pete replied. “I might even ask her out for next weekend.” As they hustled into the building, Pete asked, “What happened between you and Chloe? I thought this was your big chance, but the next day, when we were searching for your dad, Chloe told me there was nothing going on between you two. So spill it.”

Clark felt uncomfortable talking about Chloe, but he wanted everyone to know about him and Lana, so he said, “I would’ve pursued something with Chloe, Pete, except for the fact that I’m finally taking my shot with Lana. Things have been happening and I didn‘t want to jinx myself by talking about them prematurely, but Lana and I had one dance at the Spring Formal and it was magic.”

“‘Magic,’ huh? Let me get my books and then you can define ‘magic’ for me.”

Clark stopped in front of his locker, while Pete headed down to his. Clark quickly dialed in the combination, and while opening the door, snuck a quick look around to see if he could locate Lana. Because he was looking elsewhere when the door opened, he didn’t see the creamy white envelope which had been leaning precariously against the inside of the door.

As he turned to grab his school books, the envelope toppled out onto the hallway floor where it nearly got stepped on by two passing students. Before anyone else got a shot at it, Pete returned from his locker, saw the envelope laying on the ground unmarred and picked it up.

“This yours, Clark?” Pete asked as he held the envelope aloft.

“I don’t know,” Clark replied, “who’s it addressed to?”

Turning the envelope so he could make out the elegant handwriting, Pete said, “Well I’ll be damned. It’s a letter for Miss Lonely Hearts…whoever that bleeding heart happens to be.”

Clark involuntarily reached out for the letter as he now suspected who had written it, but Pete turned him away, saying, “This is my letter now, Clark. You want to read some girl’s helpless bleating, find your own letter.”

With Pete’s back turned, Clark struck like a viper as he reached out and snatched the letter from Pete’s hand.

“Hey,” Pete complained, “give that back! I told you to get your own letter.”

Clark used his size to keep Pete away from the letter, and said quietly, “Follow me. If you’ll shut up for a second, I’ll let you in on something.”

There were still twenty minutes to go before classes started for the day, so Clark and Pete entered an empty classroom and shut the door for some privacy.

“Okay, Clark,” Pete said, “tell me why I shouldn’t go Kung-Fu on your behind. That letter is mine, what with finders-keepers and all.”

“Sorry, Pete,” Clark said as he held the letter where Pete could see the address once more. “The letter is clearly made out to ‘Miss Lonely Hearts.’”

“Yeah, so? You gonna turn it in to the office?”

“Well, what I’m letting you in on is this, and you can’t tell anybody about this Pete, not even Chloe or Lana. I am Miss Lonely Hearts.”

Pete paused for a second while he waited for the punch line that had to be coming. When no joke materialized, Pete started to laugh, saying, “Oh, right! You’re the advice columnist for those with love problems and you can’t even get your own love life straightened out. You have two of the hottest girls in our class both dying to go out with you and yet you can’t manage to handle that. So how do you expect me to believe that you’re helping anyone else?”

Clark brought Pete’s merriment to a screeching halt, and all he had to do was say, “Stu Pidaso.”

Pete sobered up quickly and asked, “Where’d you hear that name, Clark?”

“You wrote me a gag letter, which I thought was hilarious at the time, and signed it, ‘Stu Pidaso.’ I’m kind of slow sometimes, so I just realized you were making fun of my romantic problems, which is something that has always been off limits for us.” Truly annoyed now, Clark narrowed his eyes and stared down at Pete, taking full advantage of his height to make Pete feel as small as possible. “Why’d you do it, Pete?”

Holy crap, Pete thought. Clark really is Miss Lonely Hearts, and he’s also really pissed at me. Damn! Clark’s just told me a secret, I guess I can tell him one to get out of this mess.

“Simple, Clark,” Pete said, “I’m jealous.”

Caught completely off guard, Clark asked, “Jealous? Of what? I haven’t had a love life to be jealous of.” Until now anyway, he thought smugly.

“I know you’ve been too caught up in your own ‘problems’ to notice it, but…I can’t believe I’m going to tell him this…I like Chloe just as much as you like Lana. The problem is, the girl of my dreams, dreams about you! So I wrote that letter out of frustration. I just needed to vent, and not at you, because it’s not your fault that Chloe likes you instead of me.”

The letter in Clark’s hand was temporarily forgotten. “Why didn’t you tell me before, Pete? You know all about my crush on Lana and have known for years.”

Pete was becoming uncomfortable and he knew it was about time for other students to start entering classrooms, so he said quickly, “Chloe is the first girl to ever catch my interest like that. I’ve tried to hide it, heck, I’ve even tried to fight it, but it’s done me no good. I think I love her. Erica and all of the other girls I’ve chased this year have just been something to take my mind off of what I can’t have.”

A student opened the door, so Clark and Pete headed to their own classroom. Just as Clark was about to advise Pete about going after Chloe, who should walk up between them but Chloe herself. She was feeling chipper this morning as evidenced by her sunny, “Hello, Guys!”

“Hi, Chloe,” Clark and Pete chorused.

“Jeez,” Chloe replied, “if you guys would work on it a bit, I bet you could do that in two-part harmony.” Being Chloe, she managed to pick up on the one thing Clark didn’t want her to see, the letter. “Whatcha got there, Clark?”

“Umm…nothing, just a letter.”

“Just a letter?” Chloe wondered. “That’s awfully good paper for ‘just a letter.’ And if I’m not mistaken, I smell a trace of fancy perfume. So that ‘just a letter’ must be from a girl, and one who really likes you at that.” Clark became more and more uncomfortable the longer Chloe’s analysis went on, while Pete was eating this up. “So…what did Lana have to say? Or is it too private for tender ears like mine?”

Showing her the still-sealed back flap, but carefully making sure she never saw the address, Clark said, “As you can see, I haven’t read it yet.”

Clark was saved from any further interrogation by their arrival at their first hour class. The three friends split up and headed to their respective seats. Clark watched Pete watch Chloe as she headed to her seat and smiled. Maybe Miss Lonely Hearts can give Pete some advice, Clark thought. I’ll have to put some effort into that idea.

As he slid his backpack to the floor beside his desk, Clark looked at the letter still held in his left hand and decided he had enough time to read it before class began. He slid a finger under the edge of the envelope’s flap and tore it down its length. Both Pete and Chloe heard the thick paper tear and turned in their seats to watch Clark read. As Clark pulled the letter from the envelope, he savored the sweet and slightly spicy scent of Lana’s perfume. It made him think back to the dance they shared two nights earlier, causing an involuntary smile. He unfolded the letter and began to read.


Dearest Clark,

I love you!

Clark pumped his free hand in the air and nearly launched himself out of his seat in excitement while voicing a slightly muffled, “Yes!” Pete and Chloe grinned at his reaction and then looked at each other to share the moment. Both were happy for their close friend.

He deserves to be happy, Chloe thought, even if it’s not with me, while Pete thought, Clark has wanted this for as long as I’ve known him, I’m glad for him. Pete ventured another glance at Chloe. Now, if I can only get what I want.

I’ve thought it over and what I decided was that where you're from doesn't really matter to me, it's what you’ve done while you’re here that counts.

I can only imagine what you’ve done with your skills, but I’ll bet anything that saving me from the tornado wasn’t the first heroic thing you’ve done.

You won’t have to imagine much longer, Lana, Clark thought. Now that you know about me, I want to explain why I left you at The Beanery instead of going to the Radiohead concert and why I missed your birthday party. There are many other things to explain, but now that you accept me, I want you to know them all.

There’s so much more I want to say to you right now, but I want to say it in person. I’ll come by and see you later today after work. I hope this letter will tide you over until then.

Here’s to tonight!

Tonight! Clark thought. Gaaah! I don’t know if I can last until tonight. I need to talk to her right now, but I can’t mention anything here in school…well, I can tell her I love her.

Love,
Lana

Clark finished his reading by softly kissing the letter right on Lana’s closing. I love you, too. The bell for the start of class rang as Clark refolded his letter and slid in back into the protective covering of the envelope. He didn’t hear one word in ten said by his teacher and was out the door like a shot when the bell rang to end class.

Pete and Chloe tried to catch up, but quickly gave up. They knew Clark was headed to meet Lana, since those two always met in the halls and walked together to their second hour class. Even though catching up was out of the question, Pete hurried along anyway, not wanting to miss seeing this meeting. Chloe was trying to be happy for her friends, but she wasn’t quite up to being that excited for them and lagged behind.

Pete had barely made it to the top of the main stairwell when Clark stepped off of the bottom step. He had just enough time to run a hand through his always unruly hair before Lana appeared around the next corner. From his vantage point, Pete could see Clark in profile and thus saw his face light up like a Christmas tree as Lana came into view. She saw him a second later and returned his incandescent smile with one of her own. Clark’s smile was all Lana needed to see, she knew he had read her letter. They quickly made their way to each other and then stood just a foot apart, each not quite willing to close that last gap.

Clark managed to say, “I love you, too, Lana,” but after that, he was lost. He felt like he was in a dream that he’d wake up from if he tried to touch Lana, and she wanted him to make the first move. At last, someone in the crowd helped out by bumping into Clark from behind which shoved him into Lana. Then, they hugged fiercely and even shared a quick kiss despite the school rules against public displays of affection. Hand-in-hand, they disappeared down the hall as Pete silently cheered them from the top of the stairs. He thought to himself, So that’s what ‘magic’ looks like.

Everyone that saw them together that day knew the rumors were true, not only had Lana Lang dumped Whitney Fordman, but she was now with Clark Kent. For Clark and Lana, the rumors didn’t matter, only the reality. They were together, and they’d never been happier.

[SVsleuth]

:) Reminds me of an old song: "Oh, oh, oh, it's Magic! You know..."

Yes! Clana magic, at last! So now Clark and Pete have exchanged secrets, and Clark and Lana are on cloud 9. Can't wait for their "tonight" where they can discuss more of the important alien stuff.

PPMS! Wonderful chapter, Card. :)

[akuma]

Well isnt that just adorable lol? Great update Card, finally they manage to get together, bout time lol. PPMS

[superman_lives_on]

"Magic" is entirely too appropriate for this... :) :D And that's really all I can say. :)

[C.A.chick]

Great update! I never really thought of magic as a way to describe Clana, but it works so well, especially in this story. I hope things between Chloe and Pete work out. PPMSASAP

[ginnyfan]

The end?

[Cardinal]

Originally posted by ginnyfan
The end?

Close, but not quite. ;)

[ginnyfan]

OK! :D

[Nemu]

that was good!!! I can't wait for their Tonight... and also I'm curious at what Clark... erm sorry... Miss Lonely Heart will come up to help Pete with his Chloe problem...

PPMS Card!!!!

[happycamper]

Magic indeed!

Now if only Pete...


:D :D

[kewl]

aahhh...... the power of L-O-V-E!!!
keep em comin' card ;)

[Cardinal]

Chapter 18 - Prelude

Clark and Lana had been floating on a cloud all day long. They had three out of six classes together, but those gave them little time for anything but shooting each other little looks during class. In science class, the one class they had with both Chloe and Pete, Mr. Summers caught them getting all googly-eyed at each other and called for them to return their attention to the lecture, which brought a ripple of laughter from the other students.

At lunch they had been in their own little world at an otherwise empty corner table and after school, they had talked as long as they could before Lana had to rush off to take her shift at the Talon. Clark knew he’d have trouble waiting for the end of Lana’s shift, so he went home and forced himself to perform his afternoon chores at human speed to take up time.

At supper, over a Martha Kent meal of fried chicken, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes with gravy, Clark got the great pleasure of telling his parents how everything had turned out.

“I thought I’d update you two on how my ‘talk’ with Lana went,” Clark said cautiously.

Jonathan froze in the middle of asking for the dish of coleslaw and asked, “Is this good news or bad news?”

Martha had perked up, too, and she said, “Look at him, Jonathan. Our son can barely hide his smile. He hasn’t been our normally moody boy at all since he came home.”

“Mom’s right, Dad. Things with Lana are wonderful right now,” Clark said smugly. “I finally collected the dance she owed me at the Spring Formal and it was perfect. I opened up to her by giving her a love letter at the dance and she loved it. She learned about my strength and speed during the tornado and wasn’t bothered a bit. Finally, I told her last night that I’m an alien, and after having the night to think about it, she let me know this morning that it didn’t matter to her. I’m just… I’ve never been…I’m so happy right now.”

Clark’s parents shared a meaningful look. They had always wondered if he’d be able to find someone who could learn his secrets and still care about him the way he deserved. Privately, they both thought Clark had chosen the nicest, sweetest girl imaginable. Lana might not be THE one, but it appeared she’d do for now.

“We’ll want to talk to Lana about this,” Jonathan said, “just to let her know what our expectations are.”

“And,” Martha added hurriedly, “to welcome her to the family…well, not to the family, but you know what I mean.

Once the meal was over, Clark got edgy again. Counting down the minutes until the Talon closed felt more like counting hours. Whichever genius said that time is relative, Clark thought, had to have been waiting on his girlfriend. Television couldn’t hold Clark’s attention and neither could his homework.

Lana had just as much difficulty waiting as Clark did, except the nature of her job, pouring blazingly hot coffee all night long, required her to concentrate on what she was doing. That and a steady stream of customers helped her pass the time relatively easily until it was finally time to start her pre-close activities.

The Talon was nearly empty when Lana announced she’d be closing in 10 minutes. As the last customers put down their cups and headed for the door, Lana followed them to lock the two sets of doors behind them, before cleaning off the last few tables. By the time she came back from locking the doors, all of the tables were spotless.

What the heck? Lana wondered. There were at least two tables that needed to be cleaned, I’m sure of it.

Lana went to the back to grab a roll of plastic trashcan liners from the supply cabinet so she could change out the Talon’s cans. It didn’t take her long, but when she came back out to the public area of the Talon, a row of tightly-tied trash bags was sitting in front of the counter.

Once again, Lana thought, What the…wait a minute! Mentally slapping herself on the forehead for not figuring this out sooner, she stopped in her tracks with her hands on her hips and called out, “Clark! Where are you?”

To Lana, Clark’s body seemed to appear out of nowhere when he popped up right in front of her and said, “Hi, Lana.” Clark still wasn’t to the point where he felt comfortable stealing a kiss from her, so he resisted the urge and waited.

“Hi, Clark.” Lana gestured to the bags and the tables, and said, “Thanks for the help, but you were beginning to scare me there for a bit.”

Clark snatched the roll of bags out of her hands and said, “Thanks. I didn’t know where you kept these.” In a blurry second, Clark relined every can and handed the roll of bags back to Lana, before adding, “Sorry about scaring you, Lana. I just couldn’t wait a second longer to talk to you tonight, so I figured if I made the physical part of cleaning up go away, you could finish your paperwork and prepare your bank deposit and we could be on our way. Now, if you’d be so good as to let me know what else needs to be done, I can get started.”

“I’ve been on pins and needles all day long, too. Being next to you in school, but not able to say what I wanted to say was excruciating. I’m glad you’re here.” Lana ran down a mental checklist of things she needed to do to close the Talon. “The remaining dishes need to be washed and the entire floor needs to be swept. Think you can handle that?”

Clark leaned forward ever so slightly and said, “Yes…but a little incentive wouldn’t hurt.”

Lana gladly took the hint as she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him quickly on the lips. Before she lowered her heels back to the floor, Clark was already in action. She could hear the water running to fill the sink in the back, but before the sink filled completely, Clark had already finished sweeping the entire Talon. By the time she had her paperwork spread out on a table so she could get to work on it, Clark had washed and dried the dishes and taken the trash bags out to the dumpster in the alley.

When he sat down in a chair across from her, Lana smiled and said, “Would you like a job? I could use a worker who can move like that.”

“Hmm…spending more time with you? Sounds tempting, but I’m not sure how your customers would respond to their coffee and pastry appearing out of thin air.”

“Yeah, they might freak if they thought this place was haunted.” Lana looked Clark over, still amazed that a guy like him wanted to be with her, and said, “Seriously, Clark, I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to use your abilities around me.”

Clark carefully reached across the table and Lana’s paperwork to take her hands in his. “This is what I’ve wanted since I was old enough to know I was different. I wanted someone to know me, know all of me, and accept me. I feel free around you now, Lana.” He gently squeezed her hands and then added, “It’s wonderful to be able to share this part of me with someone other than my parents.”

Lana squeezed Clark’s hands in reply. “Speaking of your parents…do they know you told me?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d they react?”

“About how I’d expect them to: Mom was concerned, but when I convinced her I was sure about you, she relented; Dad, on the other hand, went off the deep end. He didn’t stop arguing until I told him point blank that these secrets are mine and that I get to choose who learns them.”

Lana hunched her shoulders and dipped her head as if ducking a blow. “I’m really not looking forward to meeting your folks now.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Lana. Dad was mad at me. He’ll be fine with you once he assures himself that you’re okay with my secrets and the responsibility that comes with them.”

“You sure?”

“Trust me.”

“I already do.” They shared beatific smiles and then Lana said, “Now, if I can have my hands back for a few minutes, I’ll get this stuff done and we can be on our way.”

True to her word, Lana plowed through the paperwork in no time and then Clark escorted her to the bank as she dropped off the day’s receipts. After dropping off Lana’s car at her home, Clark took her to his place. They still had a lot to talk about, and he knew his parents would want to talk to Lana also. Even though he had told Lana not to worry about his parents’ reactions, that didn’t mean he was looking forward to the meeting. As he held the kitchen door open for Lana, Clark thought, I’ve gone this far, there’s no use in backing out now.

[C.A.chick]

1
Lovely. I just love it Card. I wish things could've turned out this well on the show. But this story sure makes up for it. Well, take a deep breathe and hope that all goes well with Jonathon. Eeeeck, scary. Anyhow, great update.

[ginnyfan]

*whines* Cardinal! You are such a tease! You know the update could have been twice as long as that. *huffs*

[maitriniazngurl]

Great update!! I love the sweetness and happiness with them.

PPMS!!

[happycamper]

Somehow, I don't think Jonathan's going to react too badly (Martha wouldn't let him, even if he wanted to).


:D :D

[ginnyfan]

^Yeah, when Martha sees how happy Clark is she'll take care of Jonathan. :)

[SVsleuth]

:) Another wonderful chapter, Card. Especially liked how Clark helped Lana clean up and was so comfortable using his abilities in front of her. Now for the parents' meeting with Lana, and more Clana talk - with some kisses thrown in for good measure, I hope. ;) PPMS! I KNOW you're already busy writing more.

[Nemu]

I'm sure it wont be too bad... even though it might not be all kisses and hugs...

Good work Card... this is good...

PPMS :D

[superman_lives_on]

Loved it. :D I think Jonathan needs to stop being so paranoid, though...at least he knows that things are going incredibly well with Clark and Lana. :)

I wonder how this will go?

[Cardinal]

Chapter 19 - Tonight

Jonathan and Martha were sitting on the couch when the young couple came through the kitchen door. The television program was immediately turned off and the four of them met in the kitchen.

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kent,” Lana said brightly.

“Hello, Lana,” Jonathan replied. “How are you doing?”

That was a loaded question, and everyone in the room knew it. It could refer to her condition after the accident, but it could also refer to how well she was coping with Clark’s secrets.

Lana confidently placed her hand in Clark’s and said simply, “I’m fine, Clark’s fine, and right now, we’re extra-fine together.”

All the Kents had really needed was to see how easily Lana touched, and allowed herself to be touched by, Clark. Words were just that…words, but backing up those words with deeds was something else entirely. Jonathan offered to shake hands with Lana, and once their hands were clasped, he pulled Lana into a hug.

Clark and Martha were both surprised, and shared a look of shock, before Clark said, “I think that’s Dad’s way of welcoming you to the family.”

Once he released Lana from the impromptu hug, Jonathan asked, “Lana, are you okay with keeping a big secret like this? I know you accept my son, but keeping this set of secrets is an awesome responsibility. His life could be in danger if you let this information slip out.”

“Honest, Mr. Kent,” Lana said as she made the ‘cross my heart’ motion, “no one will ever find out Clark’s secrets from me…not even if we eventually break up.”

“That’s all I need to hear, Dear,” Martha said, and before Jonathan could say anything else, she added pointedly, “and that’s all Jonathan needs to hear, too.”

“…at least if he knows what’s good for him,” Clark murmured.

That caused all four of them to break up laughing, after which Martha had a hug of her own with Lana. Martha knew her son, and she also knew Lana had been working and likely hadn’t had a decent meal yet, so she went to the refrigerator and brought out the leftovers from dinner. There was still plenty of everything, all she had to do was lightly heat the gravy on the stove while she microwaved a plate of the mashed potatoes and fried chicken for each of the two youngsters.

Flabbergasted, Lana made a crack about the only thing missing being a piece of pie. When Martha dished out one piece of pie each, Lana looked up in awe before digging in. Clark had never seen Lana eat like that before, on the other hand, she’d never eaten at his house either. Maybe it’s not me, he mused, maybe it’s Mom’s cooking.

Clark ate his leftovers and waited patiently for Lana to down hers before moving on to business. There was one more difficult thing he had to tell Lana, and for this, he thought he’d need his parents for backup.

As the last forkful of apple pie slid down Lana’s throat, washed down by the cold smoothness of a glass of milk, Clark cleared his throat. His parents thought that was their signal to leave, but Clark motioned for them to stay.

Lana praised the cook, saying, “Thanks so much for dinner, Mrs. Kent, and to think that was a meal of leftovers. If I lived here, I’d weigh 150 pounds.”

“Yeah, thanks, Mom,” Clark seconded.

The Kents were looking at Clark, curious about what he wanted them to stay for, and Lana was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak. Seeing the ball was in his court, Clark looked at Lana and began.

“Lana, there’s one more thing I have to tell you that will be hard for you to hear. I thought about telling you last night, but I decided one life-altering revelation a night was more than enough.”

Lana’s curiosity was piqued. She wondered what he could possibly have left to tell her that could be as earth-shattering as ‘Hey, I’m an alien!’

Clark didn’t keep her in suspense for very long, he took one deep breath, let it out halfway, and said, “Lana, you know that I was born in outer space. You’ve even seen the ship I came to Earth in as a three-year-old child. What you don’t know is when I came to Earth.”

Lana thought, Clark is looking strangely scared for someone about to tell such a little piece of information such as when he came here…and how is something like that going to be hard for me to hear? Clark’s parents could see where he was going with this, they just didn’t quite see where they were going to fit into the conversation.

“There’s no easy way to say this, Lana. My spaceship crash-landed in the middle of a field during the meteor shower. I don’t know if the meteors just happened to follow the same trajectory as my ship did, or if they were somehow brought along intentionally. All I know is, the event that brought me to Earth, is the same event that killed your parents. I’m so sorry.”

Lana stared at the table in front of her for a few seconds and then looked up at the three people looking back at her. Mr. and Mrs. Kent were giving her a shared look of sympathy. That was something Lana was used to, in fact, she was beginning to feel like ‘the fairy princess’ all over again, and that irritated her.

Clark, on the other hand, looked extremely guilty. Try as she might, Lana couldn’t figure out why. After all, Clark was just a kid when her parents died, he couldn’t possibly blame himself for their deaths…or could he? Lana looked more closely at Clark, and his eyes jerked away from her.

Oh jeez, Lana thought, here I thought I had some hang-ups related to the meteor shower. Clark’s been blaming himself all year for my parents’ deaths. I’ve gotta redirect his thoughts right now.

“Clark?” Lana asked without response from Clark. “Clark? Look at me.”

Reluctantly, Clark turned his eyes to her with his shoulders hunched and his head bowed, prepared for what might come.

Lana’s voice was as smooth and warm as she could make it. “Clark, you’re the one person I know that doesn’t see me as ‘the fairy princess’ from the cover of Time. You see me. Don’t ruin that by blaming yourself for what happened to my folks. We were both three years old at the time. I couldn’t even tie my own shoes at that age, so I don’t know how you could think you’re to blame for an entire meteor shower.”

Clark smiled just a bit and said, “If you don’t blame me, then I can’t blame me. Is that how it goes?”

“You got it.”

The Kents were amazed to see the way Lana was able to point out the holes in Clark’s thoughts in a way that got her point across but didn’t tear him down.

Clark turned to his parents and said, “I just wanted you two here in case I needed some backup on my story of when I came here.” Clark turned back to Lana. “You see, Lana, they found me butt-naked in the middle of a field somewhere between here and town.”

Martha nudged her way into the conversation to say, “He found us, Lana. We were upside down in the trench dug by the passing of Clark’s ship and he came walking over to our truck and found us. That’s the other half of the story I told you yesterday at the Talon.”

Alarmed as any child is when his parents start telling baby stories, Clark asked, “What story?”

“Ask Lana, Dear. That story belongs to her.”

A few minutes of chit-chat later, and Clark had excused himself and Lana so they could go out to the loft for some time together before Lana had to go home.

Heading across the hard-packed driveway hand-in-hand, Lana and Clark started out walking but they began to move faster the closer they got to their destination. Clark fumbled around at the bottom of the steps until he found the light switch for the loft and flipped it on. Lana took advantage of his distraction to race up the stairs ahead of him. Clark caught up to her at the first landing, and with both hands on her slender waist, lifted her up into the air.

Clark’s hands had grabbed Lana just under the edge of her blouse, and being very ticklish, she started squealing and flailing her arms and legs. Clark took a few heel kicks to the gut, but those were as painless as being punched by a baby. Clark didn’t set her back down until he reached the top of the loft.

Lana was breathless from her exertions, and seeing her gently glowing beauty in the soft light of the loft quickly took Clark’s breath from him. He then took her hands and pulled her close, so close in fact, that all he could see was hazel and all she could see was jade. With their eyes locked, Clark wanted desperately to just dive in and kiss her, but his inherent shyness and the fact that he’d always tried to be a gentleman combined to stop him.

“Lana…”

She anticipated his question and cut him off, “If you don’t, Clark…I will.”

That was all the encouragement he needed as his lips leapt forward to capture hers. The two of them stood there for an uncounted length of time as, for the very first time, they made use of their mutual passion.

Deep inside, Clark knew he no longer had anything to fear from Lana and she knew the same about him. When they were together, it seemed that they were more than the sum of their parts, like some strange alchemical reaction where 1+1=3.

When they finally broke their kiss, Clark said, “Your letter said…”

“Did you keep it?”

“Of course! It’s right there in the top drawer of my desk along with all of the letters you sent to Miss Lonely Hearts. I have it on good authority that ‘she’ felt those letters were pretty special, too.” Clark snuck in a quick kiss. “Now, as I was saying, your letter said you had a lot more you wanted to say to me, but you wanted to say it to me in person…what did you have in mind?”

“It went something like this.” Lana leaned back in and kissed him full on the lips. “And then this.” Followed by another kiss. “And then this.” Which was followed by the hottest kiss yet.

“Thank you for saving my life, Clark. Thank you for being there for me this year. Most of all, thank you for just being you.” One last soft kiss followed and then Lana said, “I think that about covers what I needed to say. Now didn’t you tell me last night that you had more things to say?”

Trying to catch his breath and slow his racing heart, Clark said, “Umm…you may be right, but right now, after kisses like those, I’m doing good to remember my name.”

[SVsleuth]

:) Ha-ha! Clark is speechless after being kissed repeatedly by Lana.

Glad Jonathan welcomed Lana without a fuss, and Lana didn't blame Clark for the death of her parents. I wonder if Lana will tell Clark about his mom's wish, granted by fairy princess Lana.

PPMS!

[Nemu]

woah 2 updates back to back???

time to read ;)

Woah that was good... Jonathan sure was surprising there...

I like Lana's 'talk' to Clark...

And the end of it... about the name thing... was just funny..

PPMS :D

[happycamper]

Another update? Thanks, Card!

Everything seems just perfect, so I guess Smallville has to end right after the start of the second season. ;)

I would really have liked to see Clark's face when he hears the story of the wish-granting fairy princess...although I'm not sure who it would embarass the most!


:D :D

[ginnyfan]

Oh... that was good! OK... I do want to hear what Clark has to say... but Cardinal don't forget that Lana has to tell Clark the other half of the story!!! *giggles with excitement*

[superman_lives_on]

Glad things went so well. Loved Clark's quip about his mom's power over his dad. :lol: Too right!

Thank goodness that Lana pointed out the holes in Clark's irrational guilt--that's pretty much what I expected. :)

I do wonder what else Clark has to say? Oh, and the wish-granting story...yeah, I'd love for him to hear that! :D

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

those were cute...very cute

[NYC300Z]

I missed a few! It was great catching up to read so much at once! So much Clana bliss! It's great! Lana accepting everything so well! I can't wait to see Clark explain everything that's happened over the year!

PPMS!;)

[ginnyfan]

Loved Lana's comment on Martha's cooking. She's won Martha over hook, line and sinker! LOL! :D

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

LOL

[kewl]

oohh that was just so terrific! loved lana's comments and how she can just make clark super vulnerable with all those kisses!!!
great update card! ppms!

[maitriniazngurl]

Great updates! I love the mushy mushy with Clana... just love it!

[Cardinal]

Chapter 20 - Double Trouble

Clark spent a few moments recovering his mental balance while Lana waited patiently. Finally, he said, “Actually, I said you might have a number of additional questions to ask after all that I’ve laid on you recently…though I do have a couple more things to confess.”

Surprised, Lana asked, “More to confess? What else is there to say?”

“Umm, well…you already know about my strength and speed, but I have a pair of abilities that I haven’t told you about yet.”

“And they are…?”

“Except for when I’m around the meteor rocks, I’m pretty much invulnerable to physical damage of any kind.” Clark eased his way over to his old, red couch. After offering a seat to Lana, which she accepted, he sat down next to her before adding, “I’d give you a demonstration, but I think watching me try to stab myself might freak you out a bit, so I’ll just give you a couple of examples: First, back at the beginning of school, I was walking home from school one day when Lex ran into me with his Porsche at sixty miles an hour and knocked me off of the bridge into the river. Not only wasn’t I hurt, but I pulled Lex from the wreckage of his car.”

Lana smiled. “I remember that day. I was so surprised to hear that the always clumsy Clark Kent had saved Lex’s life. Now that I know what caused the clumsiness, I’m not so surprised, but I hadn’t heard anything about you actually getting hit by Lex’s car.”

“Mmm…that’s not all he did to accidentally prove my indestructibility. When he was under the influence of Bob Rickman’s handshake…”

“Handshake?” Lana asked, as she interrupted.

That necessitated Clark filling Lana in on Bob Rickman and Kyle Tippett. Once she learned the complete truth about that situation, she was embarrassed about the way she had treated Clark.

“So Whitney really did attack Kyle.”

“Yeah, and Kyle said he was just trying to see if you were all right after your horse threw you when I came up and scared him off.”

“I’m sorry, Clark. I thought you had lost your mind or something for supporting the guy who had attacked my boyf…uhh, Whitney.”

“It’s okay, Lana,” Clark grinned, “you can say boyfriend when referring to Whitney, as long as the reference is past-tense.”

“Anyway, back to the subject at hand. What did Lex do to prove your indestructibility?”

“He shot me. Several times.”

Lana was so surprised, that she unthinkingly said the first thing that came to mind, which was, “With a gun?”

Clark tucked his tongue in the corner of his mouth, and raised his eyebrows a bit as if to say, ‘I can’t believe she just asked that.’ What he did say was, “No, Lana, Lex shot me with a salad shooter.” To this day, Clark remembered the location of each and every impact. The bruises the bullets had left behind were the last physical pain he could remember that didn’t involve meteor rocks. “I was in a lot of pain that day, but none of the bullets even broke my skin.”

“You’re serious…about getting shot, I mean.” Even though Lana knew that Clark had been shot the previous semester, she had this sudden urge to check his injuries and make sure he was okay.

“Yeah, I am.”

When Clark stopped talking and spent a few seconds looking at his shoes, Lana gave him a nudge. “What else do you have to ‘confess,’ Clark? I know you said two things, and invulnerability is only one.” He looked uncomfortable to her eyes, and she wondered what he could possibly be worried about telling her after revealing he was an alien.

His eyes finally came back up to hers as he shifted his position on the couch. “This could really be embarrassing…”

“Come on, Clark, you can do it,” Lana said encouragingly.

“Embarrassing for both of us.”

Lana wasn’t stupid. The only thing she could think of where he might remember something that she couldn’t had to do with her time under the influence of the Nicodemus flower. She knew she had almost propositioned Whitney, and had flirted heavily with Lex, a guy who was kind of attractive but way too old for her, so she had been surprised to learn she hadn’t tried to molest the second guy in her life at the time, Clark Kent. Now, it was beginning to look like he had been protecting her and her feelings when he told her she hadn’t done anything to him. Clark is always looking out for me, Lana thought.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the Nicodemus flower, would it?” Lana asked apprehensively.

Startled, Clark jerked his head back and said, “Oh no…no, but that would be another embarrassing moment for sure.” Yanked out of his original train of thought by Lana’s question, he asked, “Umm…do you want to know about that, too?”

In for a penny, in for a pound, Lana thought. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and said, “I’ve come this far, I might as well hear it all. Let me have it.”

Clark began rubbing his now-sweaty palms on his thighs. Clark was once again trying to screw up the courage to tell her about his last secret ability and, more importantly, how he had misused that ability to compromise her honor. The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. What if she doesn’t accept my apology? Clark wondered. I just peeked the one time, but she might not forgive me that easily. Maybe I should start off with the Nicodemus incident in the pool and work my way up to begging for forgiveness.

“Okay, well, Whitney told you about you dumping him in the middle of the hallway, right?”

“Correct..”

“And then later, you showed up at the Talon, closed the place down, and then got a little ‘up front’ with Lex. Right?”

“Also correct.”

“Well…in between, you spent some, umm, quality time with me. First in the Torch office and then in the school pool.”

During Clark’s last line, Lana’s thoughts had been, The Torch? In the middle of the day? The pool?! What the…I didn’t have a swimsuit at school.

“I had been hiding out in the Torch because I didn’t feel like going to class right then. My dad was in the hospital with something serious and I’d never even seen him go to the doctor before. Anyway, I was moping around, feeling sorry for myself until you showed up looking like…like…like I don’t know what, but I do know I sure did like it.”

Lana blushed faintly to remember the ensemble she had been wearing that day. Knowing she had worn the black, floral-print tank, the wide leather belt, the tight black miniskirt, and the knee-high black leather boots had made her feel cheap when she had discovered them after coming home from the hospital the next day. But somehow, she hadn’t quite been able to make herself throw away the outfit. Maybe Clark’s reaction, even though she couldn’t remember it, had had something to do with that.

“You said I needed to trust you and let you distract me from my troubles. When I said I did trust you, you pulled me along behind you like a kid with a brand-new puppy. I had no idea where this strength and confidence of yours had come from, but I was really attracted to it.”

“And then…?”

“And then the pool. You pulled me all the way down to the deep end.” Lana began to blush again, even though she only suspected something embarrassing was about to be told. “Something began to bother me at that point, I guess I just noticed you were acting out of character like my dad had been just before he collapsed.”

Afraid to even look at Clark, Lana just sat there with her head in her hands and mumbled, “What happened next?”

“You let me go and continued on around to the diving board where you began to strip.”

Lana’s face went from bright red to ghostly pale in a matter of seconds. All she could think was that she had stripped naked in front of Clark. She was no longer embarrassed, she was horrified. Seeing how she was reacting, Clark stopped his recitation and asked her if he should quit.

“No, Clark, go on, I’ll be okay,” Lana said. At least I think I will.

Unsure if she really would be okay, Clark respected her wishes and returned to his story. “There wasn’t any dancing or anything overtly sexy about the way you stripped, Lana. It was more like a matter-of-fact, in-your-face act, kind of like you were saying, ‘I’m taking my clothes off right in front of you. Are you man enough to deal with that?’” Clark threw his hands in the air. “I just didn’t know what to do with my eyes. I’d look away and then I’d look back. My conscience wanted to respect you, but my hormones wanted to look. This was way better than…well, that’s for the last part of show-and-tell today.”

That comment cut through Lana’s mental shroud. “Huh?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you later, Lana,” Clark said quietly. “Anyway, to finish, you stopped stripping when you got down to your undies. That’s when you did go for sexy, prancing back and forth on the diving board before doing a backflip into the water. Once you climbed out, you told me you knew I wanted you and then you kissed me…and I definitely kissed you back. When I finally tried to break the kiss, you knocked me off balance and into the water where Kwan found me, but somehow you had managed to gather all of your clothes and sneak away.”

When Clark stopped speaking, Lana finally chanced a look up at Clark, wondering if he was truly done with that story. As it turned out, he just had to add in the part about their meeting at Chandler’s windmill just before she collapsed. His memories of that day brought a smile to his face, a smile which had been kept small by the knowledge that Lana looked like she was about to cry. Clark reached an arm around Lana's back and she allowed him to pull her close.

“Don’t worry, Lana. I have one more thing to tell you, and it’s a big one. You’ll be embarrassed again, but not nearly as much as I will be.”

“Is this, ‘the last part of show-and-tell today?’” Lana asked.

“Yeah, it is, but first let me apologize for what I’m about to tell you. I did something I’m not proud of. There’s no excuse possible for what I did, but I’m begging, and will beg again afterward, for your forgiveness.”

Lana began to worry somewhat. She straightened up in his arm and peered up into his face. When he wouldn’t look directly at her, she reached up with both hands and turned his face until he could look nowhere else.

“You’re scaring me, Clark. What happened?”

Clark’s cheeks puffed out as he exhaled heavily. “What happened, Lana, was that I gained the one ability you don’t know about yet...and I misused it, horribly.”

“What ability is that?”

“X-ray vision.”

[happycamper]

1 :)

Sorry, the K-Site sort of froze on me last night!

Don't be silly. I don't see why Clark has anything to worry about . . . he didn't do anything too bad, after all . . . just a quick, inadvertant glance . . . except . . . were his actions here when he found his new ability slightly different from that of the show?

Somehow Clark has to learn to apologize only for those things he needs to...:lol:

In any case, I don't believe Lana will be too unhappy with the BDA.


:D :D

[NYC300Z]

2nd! lol Clark's so scared, I doubt Lana will hold it to him too bad especially since he's apologised and the fact he had no real control over what happened I mean I guess he could have looked away, but he was too shocked yeah that works lol oh well nice lil cliffie!

PPMS!

[Nemu]

ooh man... A mean place to stop Card...

That was good!!!

PPMS :D

[superman_lives_on]

Oh, come ON, Clark, you had no control whatsoever over it at that point! How can he blame himself for something beyond...oh, wait a second...that's what he does all the time! Guh...I almost forgot about that.

Ahem... I doubt that Lana will really tear into him or anything, especially since she heard him apologize first. Clark really is a worrywart... :rolleyes: :)

[SVsleuth]

5th? :\

Only 5 replies in all this time? I can only guess that everyone else has been having sporadic internet service lately just like me. Maybe that's the problem. Or maybe the readers all ran out to Wally World to buy a Wii & are busy with that...


Anyway... nice continuation of the reveal, Card. Poor Clark is so worried about Lana's reaction to what he is about to confess. I guess he's afraid to show her there's a side of him he isn't proud of, and worried she won't be willing to overlook his very human faults. I think she'll be glad to see that on a lot of levels, Clark is just as human as anyone else.

PPMS!

[ginnyfan]

So Clark is telling Lana EVERYTHING! Literally!!!

I'm still waiting for Lana to tell Clark her half of Martha's day of the meteor shower story...

:)

[Cardinal]

Chapter 21 - Full Disclosure

“I’m telling you everything,” Clark said, “and I do mean everything, because I want us to start off the right way, with nothing to hide.”

“Okay, tell me about this…x-ray vision?” Not really sure she had heard him correctly, Lana asked, “That is what you called it, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, because that’s exactly what it is. I can see into, or through, anything I choose to.”

“Anything?”

“Anything, except for something covered by, or lined with, lead.”

Lana pulled her hands down from his face and reflexively used them to cover her chest. Clark just smiled and shook his head.

“Sorry, Lana, but that’s a complete waste of your time. Right now, if I chose to, I could see through your arms, and as many layers of clothing as I want to, to see whatever I want to see.” Lana slowly lowered her arms to her sides. “And what I have to confess, is that I’ve already seen a lot more of you than you might wish.”

“When?” was Lana’s first question, followed quickly by “What?” and “How much?”

“Let me explain. The x-ray vision started early this school year. I first started getting flashes of this ability the day Tina Greer robbed the bank while looking like Lex. She threw me through the plate glass window of a store and I hit my head. When I sat up, I could see into her body like a live-action x-ray. That’s how I knew something was wrong, because her skeleton didn’t look right.”

Clark paused to see how Lana was taking the news. “The other form of x-ray vision came a bit later. In gym class, the guys were gathered around the climbing ropes and the girls’ class had just headed in toward the locker room. Pete and I were the next ones selected to climb and when we got to the top, all of a sudden I could see through Pete’s skin. All of his muscles and blood vessels were as clear as a biology diagram. I freaked and let go of the rope, crashing to the ground.”

Lana shuddered in sympathy, even though she knew he had been in no danger of being hurt. “What then?”

“When I sat up, I was facing the girls’ locker room when my vision suddenly went haywire. The bricks and the wiring suddenly seemed to melt away and I was faced with every guy’s hormone-charged fantasy…to be able to see inside the girls’ locker room while it was being used.”

Not sure she wanted to know, Lana hesitantly asked, “Umm…exactly what did you see?”

“I saw a lot of cute girls in brightly colored underwear and then, this freshly-showered goddess started picking her way through the crowd wearing a white towel.”

Lana was torn. She loved the fact that Clark had just referred to her as a ‘freshly-showered goddess,’ but knowing she had just come from the shower, she knew there was nothing under that towel but bare skin.

“Exactly how much of me did you see, Clark?”

“You turned the other way when you got to your locker and then shimmied that towel down like it was a tight dress. So...I saw you from head to toe from behind before my eyesight snapped back to normal.”

Lana was extremely embarrassed, but so was Clark. She hadn’t done anything wrong that day, but he had. He knew he could have looked away the instant he realized what was going on, but somehow, he hadn’t been able to make himself do it.

“That’s what I’m begging forgiveness for, Lana. I saw you naked, at least half of you anyway, and I had plenty of time to look away before you pulled down that towel.” Clark turned away, unable to keep looking at her any longer, and added quietly, “I still can’t believe I violated you that way.”

Lana’s embarrassment was quickly giving way to annoyance, if not outright anger. From the way Clark explained it, she thought, he had plenty of time to turn away, but instead, he chose to take advantage of me just like any other guy would’ve done. Maybe he’s not as special as I thought. But when Lana realized that Clark had done what any guy with a pulse would have done, it just served to show to her how human he truly was. And unlike every other guy she knew, he had been man enough to admit what he had done and sincerely apologize for it, when hiding the truth would’ve been so much easier.

Maybe he is special after all.

Lana cleared her throat and began to speak, causing Clark to return his gaze to her. “I can’t say I’m not hurt by what you did,” Lana said, “but I do like the fact that it shows you have normal human impulses. That’s kind of comforting for a girl that just learned her boyfriend is an alien. Also, you get major points for being so upfront about what happened. If you had done the usual thing and kept quiet, I never would’ve known what happened. Your honesty is refreshing and your apology was absolutely adorable. I want a guy in my life that feels comfortable telling me everything. I want you, Clark.”

“Does that mean you forgive me?” Clark asked hopefully.

“Yes, you dope. That’s what ‘I want you’ means.” Lana pressed her hands to her thighs and said, “Now, I have a story to tell you.”

“Is this the story Mom was referring to inside?”

“Yup.”

Clark shuddered involuntarily. “Mom’s stories are almost always embarrassing.”

Lana placed a hand on Clark’s forearm and said, “Don’t worry, Clark, this story is mostly about me. You’ll like it, I promise. It‘s about what happened in Nell’s flower shop just before the meteor shower.”

Lana now had Clark’s full attention. He knew she didn’t like talking about that most horrible of days, but he also knew that she was now aware that was the day he came to Earth, so he was very curious what she had to say and what his Mom had to do with it.

“You know all about the ‘fairy princess’ shot on the cover of Time magazine. Heck, everyone knows about that, but you let me forget about it for awhile. What you don’t know is what happened just before that shot was taken. My parents had come to Smallville to attend the Homecoming festivities, including the game. Since I was a three-year-old girl and not inclined toward football, Aunt Nell happily agreed to watch me while they went to the game. And that’s where your Mom’s story came in.

“She said I was sitting at the end of the counter in Nell’s with my wings and wand. When she came over to admire my costume, I asked her if she’d like to make a wish. She said she’d love to make a wish and so she did and I tapped her with my wand. A short time later, only a few minutes later as it turned out, you entered her life. Your mom wished for a child…and she got you.”

Clark had known for years that his parents couldn’t conceive, but he hadn’t really known how desperate his mom had been to have a child. He decided it was something he might want to talk to her about, but only after checking first with his dad.

“So you grant wishes, do you?”

“Mmm…on occasion, but only for the purest reasons.” She lifted one eyebrow and asked, archly, “Are your reasons pure, Clark?”

He nearly choked at the insinuation, and managed to stammer out, “I, umm, yes, mostly anyway. But being all alone with you does make that hard.”

“You just admitted something to me that no guy with less than the best, purest motives would have even considered telling me.” Lana slid over on the old couch until their thighs were pressed tightly together. Taking his hands in hers, she said, “Abracadabra. Wish granted.” Lana began to stretch her face upward. “I don’t have a magic wand this time, so I guess I’ll just have to touch your head with these.”

Clark had no doubt what ‘these’ were. Lana’s lips kept looming larger until they seemed to fill his view. Those very lips then started exerting their own gravitational pull which wrenched his lips down to meet hers. The kiss started soft and sweet but ended with heavy breathing and deeply flushed faces.

Holding each other close as they tried to gather their composure, Clark finally said, “So you really do grant wishes.”

“That’s all you wished for, Clark?” Lana asked, in mock disbelief.

“Almost,” Clark replied. “I think that was just the first installment, though. I wished for a lifetime supply.”

[SVsleuth]

:) Ah, a lifetime of Clana kisses... perfect. ;)

Well, this Clark is definitly different - NO secrets at all. He's coming clean about absolutely EVRYTHING. I'm glad she didn't get really mad at him but appreciated his honesty. PPMS!

[Nemu]

That sure was a good wake up reading ;)

Yeah like SV said... this is a different Clark... and the one that should have been if they weren't idiots... (I'm sure you all know who they are...)

And Lana's reaction.... very understandable...

The ending... cute... sweet...

PPMS :D

[superman_lives_on]

Heh...talk about cute. I'm glad Lana recognized Clark's honesty for what it was and forgave him for that incident. And the fairy princess story...well, what can I say? :)

A lifetime supply...good thinking, Clark. :D Like I said...cute...and sweet. :)

[ginnyfan]

Aw! I loved it! *goes to read Lana's half of "the story" again*

[happycamper]

Very sweet Card!

So Clark rid himself of a lot of guilt, and Lana confirmed to him that she can grant wishes...at least to those named Kent, that is...:lol: :lol:


:D :D

[NYC300Z]

lol very cute glad everythings open now! Looks like good times for Clana!:)

PPMS!

[kewl]

great update card! no more secrets now....
ppms!

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

wonderful

[clanalove101]

GREAT!!! PPMS

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

PPMS SOON, CARD!!!!

[Cardinal]

Chapter 22 - Bon Voyage

It was the day before the end of Clark’s freshman year, two days before Whitney would leave for the U. S. Marine Corps, and four days before Chloe was scheduled to go to Metropolis for her summer internship at the Daily Planet and ‘Miss Lonely Hearts’ was trying to give Pete some advice on dealing with Chloe.

“But, Clark, I can’t talk to Chloe like I do to other girls. She’s different…she’s special.”

“You’re right about that, Pete,” Clark replied. “The specifics of what worked for me as I chased after Lana probably won’t work for you as you, but if you manage to keep the idea that she’s special in the forefront of your thoughts as you go after Chloe, you just might succeed. Having said that, I’m going to give you my thoughts anyway.”

Clark moved around Pete and sat down on his comfy old stuffed chair. Pete took a seat on the couch, and when Pete’s butt hit the cushion, Clark continued.

“First off, you’re going to come with me to see Chloe off on her way to Metropolis. Sure it’s possible she might not be coming back, what with Lex’s attempted buyout of the plant and all, but you never know. You’ll start out as my wingman, but by the time Chloe leaves, you’ll be the one out front telling her how much you’ll miss her.

“After that, make sure you have her e-mail address and phone number in Metropolis. I’ll keep in contact occasionally, but you should be sending a steady stream of messages. The idea is to both let her know you care, and to keep you in the front of her thoughts. While that’s a good start, at some point you will have to begin letting her know how you feel. Don’t fall to pieces if she reacts badly. Being Chloe, she may jerk away at first, but be patient and be steady. Give her a chance to assess this new information you’ve dumped on her. Patience and persistence should be your watchwords. If things go well, by the time school starts in the fall, she’ll be burning to fall into your arms.”

Pete bowed his head and scratched an itch on the back of it just above the neck, and said, “Think that’ll work?”

Exasperated just a little bit, Clark said, “It’s not about it ‘working,’ Doofus. It’s about giving you a chance to get Chloe’s attention. What you do with her attention once you get it is all up to you.”

“Thanks, Clark. Thanks for your advice and thanks for not making fun of me about this. Lord knows you have the right to get back at me for all the times I’ve given you some crap about your Lana fixation.”

Clark waved away Pete’s thanks as he said, “That’s no problem, Pete. It’s what best friends are for these days.”

“Who knows? If Miss Lonely Hearts can help you get the girl of your dreams, maybe ‘her’ advice will help me, too."

Two days later, a large crowd had gathered at the bus station to give Whitney a big sendoff. Whitney had many friends in Smallville, some who were close and some he knew only superficially, but they all wanted to support him. Lana was somewhat nervous about this day because she had only recently dumped Whitney and she wondered what people would think when she showed up. Luckily for her, Clark was more than willing to come along to support her. Chloe came along because Clark asked, to keep this from being a couples thing, which most people would see as a slap in the face for Whitney. Pete came along because he knew Chloe was going to be there.

Whitney had always liked big crowds during his days as a quarterback, but this many people being here to see him on his way was beginning to make him uncomfortable. Whitney thought, All that’s missing is a friggin’ marching band and a key to the city from the mayor.

Whitney was chatting with some of his closest friends while waiting for the bus to arrive when Lana and her escort waded through the press of humanity to make it to his side. Lana had already decided to play it bold, so she moved to his side, gave him a one-armed hug, and said, “Hi, Whitney!” When Lana hugged him, Whitney’s friends melted away into the crowd to give them a little bit of privacy.

Whitney had seen Lana a couple of times as she edged her way through the crowd, and he was feeling mixed emotions upon seeing her. Part of him was glad she had decided to come out and support him as a friend, but the rest of him still remembered that he had been thinking long-term about her not too long ago and it still hurt to see her, especially when she was accompanied by him.

Whitney thought Clark was generally a good guy, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit of rage build up inside of him every time he saw him these days…especially when he saw him with Lana. But that was something he had to put aside today because he knew they were here for him and any show of lingering hard feelings would be rude.

“Hi, Lana,” Whitney replied as he returned her hug, “I didn’t actually expect to see you out here today.”

“Like I’d miss this. We are still friends you know and if you’ll let me, I intend to write to you while you’re gone.”

Shifting his eyes toward Clark who had hung back several feet away, Whitney asked, “Is Clark okay with that?” Secretly, Whitney hoped he wasn’t okay with it and that Lana would write to him anyway.

“Yeah, Clark’s just fine with the idea. He would never try to take me away from my friends.”

“Even ones that used to be your boyfriend?”

“Even those. I think Clark knows that true friends are rare enough that we can’t afford to kick them to the curb just for the sake of convenience.”

“In that case, Lana, write to me. I’ll be sure to write back whenever I can. Now, let me talk to Clark for a minute. Okay?”

“Mmm…okay.” Lana motioned for Clark to come forward and she squeezed his hand briefly before fading back to join Chloe and Pete.

“Clark,” Whitney said, “let’s take a walk.”

Clark hadn’t really talked to Whitney since the Spring Formal and at that time, Whitney hadn’t known about him and Lana, so he wasn’t looking forward to this, but he couldn’t think of a way to graciously back out, so he followed Whitney around to the back side of the small bus terminal.

When they got there, Whitney said, “You’ve got Lana now, Clark. Take care of her. Treat her like a princess, just the way she ought to be treated, and I won’t have to come back here and take her away from you.”

“I treat her as well as I know how, Whitney, but I treat her like a young woman, not a princess. She’s had enough of being a princess to last her a lifetime.”

Whitney nodded his head slowly. It made sense to him that Lana would be tired of being seen that way. Maybe that’s where he had gone wrong with her. In any case, he knew she was with someone who cared for her. He thought he could trust Clark to keep an eye on her, even if they eventually broke up. Whitney smothered the last bit of rage that he felt for Clark, held out his hand, and said, “Don’t mess this up, Clark. Lana’s special. Just be the guy she deserves.”

Clark took Whitney's hand and shook it. “You’ve got a deal, Whitney.”

It wasn’t long after they returned to the front of the building that the bus showed up and began loading up. Whitney was one of only two passengers getting on here, so the bus was ready quickly. Whitney stopped on the first step of the bus, turned to the assembled crowd and thanked them for coming out here to support him.

At the conclusion of his short speech, Whitney said, “I’ll make you all proud.”

His last act before climbing the steps was to hug and kiss his mom. The last things the crowd saw were Whitney’s denim-covered legs and white sneakers as they turned to the left and headed down the aisle.

Finally, it was Chloe’s turn to leave. Clark fully expected her, unlike Whitney, to return to Smallville soon because he had every confidence in Lex’s ability to make Lexcorp work. Chloe, Pete, and Clark had spent the previous night together hanging out and doing whatever came to mind. Lana thought it likely that Chloe wouldn’t appreciate her horning in on her last night with Clark, so she had insisted on sitting that one out.

But when it was time for Chloe to go, Lana was right there with the two guys and Mr. Sullivan, helping Chloe pack her car. Her red Ford Falcon was stuffed to the door handles by the time she was ready to go. She then started her goodbyes and, surprisingly, she started with Lana. But Chloe wasn’t satisfied with a quick ‘goodbye’ and a peck on the cheek. She had something she wanted to get off of her chest, so she pulled Lana over to the side of the house while leaving the guys by the curb.

Chloe pulled a stray lock of hair behind her ear and said, “We’ve come a long way this year, Lana. I started off thinking you were nothing more than another vapid cheerleader caught in the relentless pursuit of popularity. But I learned differently. There’s substance behind that beauty, which is something that Clark has known all along.” Lana showed a flash of surprise, and in response, Chloe held up her hands as if to ward off whatever Lana might be about to say. “I know we never talk about Clark. After all, what could we need to say? We’ve both been interested in him and we each knew the other one was too, but talking about it would have put our own budding friendship at risk.

“But now that Clark’s made his choice, There’s something I need to say about him…and you.”

Not sure if she was going to like this, Lana mentally braced herself and said, “Okay, Chloe, I’m ready.”

God, this isn’t going to be easy, Chloe thought, but she had come too far to back out now. Chloe gathered herself, looked Lana squarely in the eyes, and said, “I love Clark. I have since the day I met him. It was virtually love at first sight for me, but I learned quickly that he was stuck on you and that I would have to wait my turn. It seems I’m still waiting for my turn and likely will be for some time.”

Lana had no idea how to respond to that, so she kept quiet and waited for Chloe to continue. “I’m going to be gone, at least for the summer, which should give you and Clark plenty of time to either sink or swim in this new relationship of yours. If, when I come back, you still make him happy, I’ll stay out of your way. I’ll respect Clark’s choice, and you and I can still be friends.”

Chloe gritted her teeth as she came to the hard part of what she had to say. “I don’t mean to be a b!tch, but if I think he’s unhappy with you, if you treat him with anything less than the respect he deserves, I promise to do my very best to end your relationship and take him for myself.”

“I don’t know how to respond to that, Chloe.”

“You don’t have to, Lana. Just be the girl Clark deserves.”

Chloe launched herself at Lana then and the two girls hugged. “I am so gonna miss you this summer, Lana,” Chloe said.

Chloe’s sudden swing in demeanor threw Lana for a loop, but she managed to say, “I’ll miss you, too. It‘s been nice to have a friend whose friendship wasn‘t based on my popularity.”

When the girls returned to the street, the three guys were leaning against the side of Chloe’s car and shooting the breeze.

Chloe then took her leave of Clark. After a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Chloe whispered in his ear, “Be happy, Clark, just…be happy.”

Chloe then said her farewells to Pete, who seemed strangely emotional to her, and to her dad, before finally climbing behind the wheel for the long drive to Metropolis. As she pulled away from the curb, Pete stepped into the street and waved as he said to himself, “Bon voyage, Chloe. Please come back.”

[SVsleuth]

:) So, Clark & Lana find themselves alone (except for Pete) with Whitney & Chloe gone, and they'll have an amazing summer together....

I hope Pete writes to Chloe constantly, and her interest turns to him instead of Clark - because if she plans to wait for the Clana to die, she'll be waiting forever (as long as Card is writing the script, anyway. Now if it were Al/Miles... ;) )

PPMS! Need a wonderful Clanalicious chapter! Time for Clark to start collecting his lifetime supply of Clana kisses. I'm sure Lana intends to make his wish come true. ;)

[Nemu]

:D
That sure is a good wake up chapter...

Interesting... I hope Clark's advice work because like SV said... Chloe will be waiting forever...

PPMS :D

[NYC300Z]

two goodbye's....everybodys leaving Smallville will either of them come back? Chloe was a bit iono but let's see where that goes hopefully Pete will get her away from Clark!

PPMS!

[rainfall]

what season are yall talking about

[SVsleuth]

Originally posted by rainfall
what season are yall talking about
We're talking about this Season 1 fanfiction, by Cardinal, called Miss Lonely Hearts. Back up to page 1 and read the whole thing. You'll be hooked.

Welcome to K-Site's clana fanfic boards, rainfall.

[ginnyfan]

Bye Chloe! :)

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

ppms!!!!!

[superman_lives_on]

Well now...I wonder how Pete's efforts with Chloe will turn out? Fingers crossed! :)

And how will Clark and Lana's relationship progress over the summer? I imagine it'll be nothing less than beautiful... :D

[happycamper]

Both Whitney and Chloe were quite good about their acceptance of our favorite couple. :) This certainly is in keeping ith their characters (I had actually come to like Whitney by the end of the first season).

But all alone for the summer, at least in terms of competitors. Whatever will they do...:lol:


:D :D

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

pete will write chloe but i dont know if chloe will right back.....

[Cardinal]

Chapter 23 - Famous Last Words

The best summer in the young lives of Clark and Lana was drawing to a close as they sat side by side in Clark’s loft window, aimlessly kicking their heels against the wall of the barn. The sun was just beginning to set, and from what they could see already, this promised to be one of the best sunsets of the year.

Pressed closely together in the comparatively narrow opening of the doorway, the young couple still held hands with a sense of excitement and wonder as if they were on their first date. The sky was already filled with a riot of color. Pinks, oranges, and lavenders were banded in uneven layers as the sun just began to hit the horizon. There were high, fluffy clouds which were lit from underneath by the setting sun at such a sharp angle that the young couple could see brightly lit patches of cloud which were hemmed in by dramatic shadows. Clark and Lana sat there in silence, completely absorbed with the majesty of nature’s display.

Dinner had been some two hours in the past. After eating, Clark and Lana had waited thirty minutes and then had gone for a long run together. When Lana had mentioned to Clark at the beginning of the summer that she wanted to find what she was good at, like Whitney was good at football, Clark had immediately taken her love of running and suggested to her that she might want to get serious about it and try out for the Smallville cross country team.

Lana had perked up at that idea and had been training daily since then. Clark had been her faithful companion on those runs and had been a never-ending source of encouragement and inspiration for her, pushing her to run farther and faster than she had ever thought possible. As next week’s start of school loomed ever larger on their mental horizons, Lana was feeling very confident about the team tryouts which would be held during the first week of school.

For his part, Clark had used this training to spend more alone time with Lana, far from the prying eyes of either of their families. He had gotten to witness her struggle up hills, across farm fields, and down country lanes. As the summer went on, he had watched her strength and confidence grow daily.

The fact that she did all of her running in a sports bra and tiny running shorts had just been a bonus as far as he was concerned. When Lana had teased him after catching him checking her out, Clark had turned brilliant red and then had zipped home, coming back seconds later wearing a skin-tight tank top and running shorts of his own, which had made Lana clap and cheer in appreciation. Ever since then, those kinds of outfits had become their unofficial uniforms for their training runs.

The hormonal surges caused by prolonged exposure to each other while wearing the skimpy running outfits could only be relieved by prolonged make-out sessions. They had talked early on and quickly established that neither one of them were ready for sex, but that didn’t impede their kissing at all. Lana thought Clark had the most luscious ‘kiss cushions’ she had ever seen, much less kissed, and Clark never could get enough of Lana’s delicately curved lips.

Clark and Lana’s summer wasn’t just comprised of running and kissing, their schedules had been crammed full. Lana had been busy running the Talon. Her aunt was officially the manager, but with Nell busy at the flower shop, Lana was actually the one in charge. Clark had spent a lot of time both on regular farm chores and on cleanup and repair in the aftermath of the tornado. Nevertheless, the two of them made plenty of time for each other. Rarely was one of them seen out and about without the other one in close attendance. They went for morning horse rides, afternoon swims at Crater Lake, and whiled away many hours taking turns reading to each other while lying side by side in Clark’s hammock.

Yes, it had been the best of summers, and as the last colors of the dying sunset faded to dark blue and then to black, the young couple continued to sit there and began to relive their summer vacation.

Eventually, the topic turned to distant friends. Lana relayed the most recent information from Whitney. His thirteen-week Marine boot camp was almost over and she could tell he was changing. He had had a hard time of it at first, but as he learned the Marine way of doing things, he had settled in nicely.

Lana mentioning Whitney caused Clark to mention Chloe and how she was doing. She appeared to be in her element as an intern at the Daily Planet. Just a week earlier, Clark had kept his promise and had visited Chloe to see what her world in the big city was like. He had also brought Pete along and had been gratified to learn this was Pete’s third trip to see her.

That visit was when Chloe had pulled Clark aside and told him that there was someone new in her life…Pete. Later, she had explained the evolution of their relationship. At first, she had just thought he was being nice and keeping in touch, but she had eventually detected a change in the tone of his messages. When she called Pete on it during his first visit to ‘her natural habitat,’ he came clean and confessed that he wanted to be more than just friends with her and always had.

At that point, a stunned Chloe had come to realize that she was in the same position with respect to Pete, that Clark had been with respect to her. Since she had always wanted Clark to give her a chance, she thought she owed it to Pete to give him a shot. So she did and, wonder of wonders, they had been together ever since.

“No way!” Lana said. “Pete and Chloe? Together? As a couple? Wow! Who saw that coming?”

“I didn’t know how Chloe’d respond,” Clark said, “but Pete told me before school let out last year that he had it bad for Chloe. So, as my last duty as Miss Lonely Hearts, I gave him some ideas on what he could do.” Lana stretched up to give Clark a kiss which he gladly accepted. “Funny thing is, this has been going on for a month and Pete never told me. When I finally asked him about it. He gave me a sheepish grin and told me that Chloe had insisted that she be the one to tell me.”

Lana shook her head in disbelief. “When is Chloe coming home? I want to meet her and I’m dying to see her and Pete together.”

“Chloe’s coming home tomorrow, I’ve already promised to help him unload her car, though Pete will probably insist on doing the lion’s share of work.”

Finally deciding it was time for Lana to go home, Clark jumped out of the loft, landing on the hard-packed earth below. Lana waited until he turned to face her and then she jumped, too. Clark caught her easily and lowered her lithe body to the ground.

As they headed off toward her car, Clark asked, “Hey, Lana, did you get a school class ring order form in the mail today?”

“I don't know. I don’t think I’m going to buy one anyway.” Wondering at Clark’s obvious excitement, she asked, “Why? Are you going to get one?”

“Yeah, I think I am,” Clark said, excitedly. “I’ve earned a bunch of extra money this summer helping other farmers clean up after the tornado, and the ring I want is only $350.”

Already sure of the answer, Lana asked, “What did your folks say?”

“Mom was noncommittal and Dad is determined that I’ll put the money into my college fund, but it’s my money. I earned it, so I’m getting a ring. Then, my girlfriend can wear my class ring.”

“Clark! A ring for your pinky wouldn’t even fit on my thumb, much less a ring made for your ring finger. What would I do with your ring?”

“Wear it on a chain around your neck. At least this time, you’ll have a necklace that won’t cause me problems…”

And so Clark and Lana headed toward their first full school year as a couple, fully committed to each other, ready to face whatever will come their way.

The End

[SVsleuth]

:)

Finally deciding it was time for Lana to go home, Clark jumped out of the loft, landing on the hard-packed earth below. Lana waited until he turned to face her and then she jumped, too. Clark caught her easily and lowered her lithe body to the ground.
Now THAT's trust! I don't think I'd trust even Clark enough to jump out a window into his arms. Wow!

“Clark! A ring for your pinky wouldn’t even fit on my thumb, much less a ring made for your ring finger. What would I do with your ring?”

“Wear it on a chain around your neck. At least this time, you’ll have a necklace that won’t cause me problems…”
Uh-oh! I feel a sequel coming on... ;)

This was a wonderful fic, Card, so refreshing and light, and humorous besides. A breath of fresh Clana air. So good to get back to the roots of the Clana. Great job. Thanks for sharing yout talent with us. :):):):):)

[Nemu]

:(
I'm sad this is the end...

But I had to laugh at the end of it though...

Irony of it all... another necklace of Lana's that will cause Clark problems...

I wish you would have continued... this should be a lot different following your story...

Pete won't find the ship... Lana knows his secret... (which would make red a lot funnier)

Oh well... nice work!!!

Now you can concentrate on Broken Road ;) And I will re-read Reunion...

[deanyouk]

Great ending..... or is it? :)

[*#~ ClAnAfAn99210~#*]

:( thats sad that uou ended this but it was really good

[superman_lives_on]

Hehehehe... "At least this time, you'll have a necklace that won't cause me problems..." Don't be so sure of that, Clark! :lol: :lol: Oh, man, I'd LOVE to see this version of "Red"...not to mention "Heat"...and whether or not Chloe and Pete will be let in on the secret.

Wonderful story, Card. Loved it from start to finish. :) :D

[ginnyfan]

*claps* Great story, Cardinal. I had a wonderful time.

I'm a little worried about Lana wearing Clark's class ring. That will make the makeout sessions a little more interesting... ;)

Hopefully it won't be he won't be a jerk to Lana... that would be bad.

Yay! That was good.

[happycamper]

Originally posted by SVsleuth
:) Uh-oh! I feel a sequel coming on... ;) What? Because of an innocent little class ring?

Great job, Card!

Loved the story and the way everything worked out. Basically, angst-free Smallville!

Everything is well and everybody is happy! Just the way it's supposed to be...:)


:D :D

[NYC300Z]

lol a necklace that won't cause Clark problems boy does he have something in store for him! lol wish you'd continue so I could see that! Anywasys great story! glad to see them together so soon!;)

[Cardinal]

I will admit to thinking about a short sequel. Originally, this was going to be it, but then I got to thinking about the trouble this new arrangement would cause during "Heat" and "Red."

Lana learning about the cause of his heat vision in "Heat"? LMAO

Lana wearing the red-K around her neck so it only affects Clark when he's within arms reach of her? Again, too funny.

So I may try to do this after all. But instead of a continuous story, it may be a series of self-contained stories.

Thank you one and all for reading, and most especially for posting feedback, which is the lifeblood of any fic writer.

[Nemu]

SWEET!!!! :D

Heat will be a read!

And the many possibilities of Red with your way... too funny...

Clark not able to get away from Lana because of his love but then when he gets close and turns into Kal...

[NYC300Z]

Sounds like a great Idea to me Card!;)

[superman's my hero]

Ooh great ending! I'm so glad I decided to get all caught up again. I really hope you that you write a sequel. This story was amazing. You have awesome writing talent!

[kewl]

wonderful ending card! waiting for the sequel....

[Trent083]

Bah if I could write half as well as Cardinal does id be a millionaire, good job

[Nemu]

hey Card? are you still planning the lil one shot follow up to this story?

[Cardinal]

Yeah, I was thinking about it when the previous poster posted...but I've been away from StL and BR waaaay too long already.

[Nemu]

lol i know that... but just the fact that you will eventually return here is ok with me :D

[Nemu]

well call me crazy but i decided to put asode sleep and read this ;)

so... yeah...

[Nemu]

well here we are and more than a year has past since the last comment...

I re-read this... and well... it is still as good as ever... especially right now...

sooo... the 100$ question... you still planning to write the short sequel episodes to this?

[Nemu]

well... another year has turned its leaves....

And as I am heading for another re-read I was wondering if in all the grand plans of future marriage from your current and last few work (Flying High, In the Name, etc) you still planned on writing the episodic sequels to this? I kinda miss the "good old days" of early seasons clana...

Anyway... off to sleep and read ;)

[CaptainObvious]

I agree with Nemu. A recap of this story would be great. Don't get me wrong, I love all your past and current stories, but a sequel to this would top it off!

[tygershot]

I vote for the long-awaited sequel to this fic as well!!!!!

[SVsleuth]

finished a re-read here. Love this just as much as ever. Such a refreshing Clana story. STILL hoping for those sequel chapters....;)

[Nemu]

STILL hoping for those sequel chapters....;)

You and me both Steph... you and me both...

But he does have a couple stories to finish first ;)

[Young Superman]

This STORY WAS FREAKIN AMAZING!!!!!

[SVsleuth]

the inside scoop is that there is an epilogue chapter in the process of being written....:)

[Nemu]

hmmm... an epilogue chapter? COOL!!!!

[#7superherofan]

“Sounds like a hush-hush kind of job,” Clark said. Intrigued, he agreed to do it. “Sign me up, Principal Kwan, this sounds like fun.”

Now that Clark had committed himself, Principal Kwan picked a bright pink folder decorated with red, heart-shaped stickers out of a pile on his desk. He handed it to his unsuspecting victim and said, “I’m glad you feel that way, Clark. Because, for the rest of the year, you’re writing the ‘Ask Miss Lonely Hearts’ column.”

When Clark heard that, he dropped the folder like it was a hot rock. While he was kneeling on the ground, sweeping the scattered papers back into the folder, Clark said, “No way, no chance. I can’t be ‘Miss Lonely Hearts. I’m not even a girl.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Principal Kwan replied as Clark stood up, placed the folder on the desk, and sat back down. “Your teachers consider you to be one of the most sensitive people they know, male or female. You’ll be perfect. Besides, you promised you’d do it already.”

“Only because you tricked me.”

“I had to trick you,” Principal Kwan said unapologetically. “The last seven candidates I asked all said no.”

“Well, how can I write a romance column when I can’t even get a date? I just finished reading Chapter One of this fine little fanfic, and I cannot wait to read more. I found the abouve quote absolutely fantastic. Kwan was so mysterious when he explained about the secret articles, I thought that the assignment might be metoer freak related. Then he pulls out a red hot folder and in a unexpected plot twist, poor Clark suddenly has to tend to the hearts of every female at Smallville. I could practically see him squirming. His whole conversation with Kwan was lol great!!:lol::D

[#7superherofan]

Chapter 17 - Magic


Dearest Clark,

I love you!



I’ve thought it over and what I decided was that where you're from doesn't really matter to me, it's what you’ve done while you’re here that counts.

I can only imagine what you’ve done with your skills, but I’ll bet anything that saving me from the tornado wasn’t the first heroic thing you’ve done.

You won’t have to imagine much longer, Lana, Clark thought. Now that you know about me, I want to explain why I left you at The Beanery instead of going to the Radiohead concert and why I missed your birthday party. There are many other things to explain, but now that you accept me, I want you to know them all.

There’s so much more I want to say to you right now, but I want to say it in person. I’ll come by and see you later today after work. I hope this letter will tide you over until then.

Here’s to tonight!

Tonight! Clark thought. Gaaah! I don’t know if I can last until tonight. I need to talk to her right now, but I can’t mention anything here in school…well, I can tell her I love her.

Love,
Lana

Clark managed to say, “I love you, too, Lana,” but after that, he was lost. He felt like he was in a dream that he’d wake up from if he tried to touch Lana, and she wanted him to make the first move. At last, someone in the crowd helped out by bumping into Clark from behind which shoved him into Lana. Then, they hugged fiercely and even shared a quick kiss despite the school rules against public displays of affection. Hand-in-hand, they disappeared down the hall as Pete silently cheered them from the top of the stairs. He thought to himself, So that’s what ‘magic’ looks like. ;) Right on, Pete. The Clark/Lana relationship does equal magic. And Cardinal, SO DOES THIS STORY!!! I've read to the Magic chapter and I can't wait for all of the magical moments in store for Clark and Lana. The dance scene was wonderful, and I loved the twist you gave to the tornado rescue scene. Most important, CLARK TOLD LANA THE TRUTH AND SHE ACCEPTED HIM!!!:D The letter Lana wrote to tell Clark that she loves him was beautiful and Clark's reactions while he read it were so sweet and cute. Together they have the sweetest, most tender, romantic, and magical relationship in the world. (The fictional one, at least.)Gonna go finish reading the rest of the story now. Thanks.