TheWarriorPoet
03-12-2008, 01:55 PM
Here is the link to the first episode - http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86068
The basketball bounced off of the hard dirt of the driveway in front of the Kent Farm, Clark's hand moving in rythm with his footwork as he dribbled for better position on Pete.
Pete took a swat at the ball, stealing it away from Clark and running towards the goal. He leapt, the ball rolling perfectly off of his fingertips and falling through the goal. Pete landed with a grin.
"So man, I heard you and Lana got a big date this friday," he said.
Clark did his best not to blush, but could not keep a boyish grin from spreading across his face. "Yeah, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. We're going to dinner and a movie."
Pete arched an eyebrow, passing Clark the ball. "Nothing out of the ordinary for Clark Kent? That doesn't sound possible," he said with a chuckle.
Clark sighed as he caught the pass and started to dribble. He took a jump shot, watching with satisfaction as it passes through the hoop. "That's what I'm going to need your help with, Pete. I can't afford to mess this chance with Lana up. I need you to keep me focused."
Pete collected the rebound, dribbling back over to where Clark was standing. "So, in other words, you want me to make sure you don't go off saving the world and stand Lana up again?"
Clark nodded. "This is really important to me, Pete," he said.
Pete grinned, patting Clark on the shoulder. "Sure thing, man. I'll keep you on the straight and narrow. Things have been kinda normal around here lately anyways. How hard could it be?"
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Kala Darvis sat in front of the school guidance counselor, Jennifer Morgan. Kala was a pretty girl with amber hair and a soft, innocent smile. Her eyes were a deep brown, and her skin fair and soft. Kala had attended Smallville High from her freshman year, and was now a senior. She had always been one of the downtrodden students until recently. Her grandfather's death had put a large sum of money into her hands, and she had used it to become one of the most popular girls in school. She now had the right clothes, car, looks, and the confidence to go with it. Why the guidance counselor had asked to see her was something she had yet to figure out.
"Kala, I'm worried about you, Ms. Morgan began. The middle-aged woman looked at Kala over her glasses. Age had not done her well, but she was still a handsome woman, even if the lines around her eyes bespoke many long years of hardship. "You used to be one of the top students in the school, but lately your grades have been slacking. I've noticed that you've also given up Mu Alpha Theta and several other extra-curricular activities."
Kala waved her hand dismissively at Ms. Morgan. "I don't have time for any of that stuff anymore. I've got more important things to do."
Jennifer arched an eyebrow. "More important things? You mean like spying on fellow students?" she asked as she tossed a video tape onto the desk.
Kala's eyes widened when she saw the tape, and she immediately got to her feet. "Where did you get this!?"
Ms. Morgan's eyes narrowed at the student before her and she picked up the tape. "I found this inside a camera, actually," she replied. The counselor bent down behind her desk, emerging with a red Prada backpack. She held it up for Kala to see. "The camera was in this bag, which you left sitting outside your locker yesterday afternoon. Needless to say I was rather disturbed when I watched the tape."
"You have no proof that it's mine!" Kala countered vehemently.
"It has your name on the inside tag, Kala," Ms. Morgan replied. "Which begs the question. Why are you stalking Clark Kent?"
"What are you going to do?" Kala asked, avoiding the question.
"First, I'm going to go to the principal," Jennifer said. "Then we're going to contact your parents and get you some help, sweetie."
"You can't do that!" she shouted. "You have no idea how hard I've worked to get where I am! You're going to ruin everything!"
Jennifer raised her hands, attempting to calm her down. "Kala, please. I'm just trying to help you."
"You're trying to ruin me!" Kala roared. She clenched her fists at her sides, her eyes burning with anger and fear gripping her tight. She couldn't let this get out. She had to do something. She suddenly felt something burst from within her, and though she couldn't quite tell what it was, Ms. Morgan's reaction frightened her.
Jennifer's eyes widened in horror as she saw Kala's eyes burst into flame. She looked around, trying for a route to escape but the windows and door suddenly became sealed over in brick. Her gaze shifted back to Kala, who grinned wickedly. The tape on her desk burst into flame, which then ignited the desk itself. Jennifer screamed, pulling off her jacket and trying to smother fire. This plan failed, however, when her jacket also caught on fire. More flames burst forth from different areas in the room, and within moments the entire room was ablaze. Jennifer screamed, her worst nightmare coming to life before her very eyes.
"Kala help me!" she screamed. Tears streamed down her face, her heart racing as she frantically tried to fight the fire. She ran over to the wall, reaching for the extinguisher, but a wall of flame erupted between them, halting her progress. Jennifer knew that her end was near, and that there was nothing she could do to stop it. As she looked back at Kala, the girl's visage filtered through the flames appeared to be the countenance of a demon. Ms. Morgan's eyes widened, feeling her heart sieze in her chest.
Kala watched in horror as her school guidance counselor clutched her chest, falling to the floor in a dead heap behind her desk. The senior walked over, seeing the woman lying facedown on the floor. She knelt down next to the body, rolling Ms. Morgan over onto her back. The sight was enough to make her scream. She backed away as rapidly as she could, grabbing her backpack and the tape before running out of the room as fast as she could.
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Based on the hit television series "Smallville"
Forged of the Yellow Sun
Episode 2 - First Date
BACKGROUND MUSIC - BLINK 182: FIRST DATE
Clark's alarm went off, waking him out of the first restful sleep he'd had since finding out about where he came from. He stretched before climbing out of bed and grabbing his clothes for the day. Before leaving his bedroom, Clark checked his calendar. It was Wednesday, two days before his first date with Lana. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. He only had to avoid trouble for two more days, which in Smallville was a more daunting task than it seemed.
He made his way to the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the laundry room along the way. Clark entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and locking it. He went through his regular morning routine: brushing, shaving, and a shower. Halfway through his shower is when things went wrong. The water suddenly went from piping hot to arctic cold. Normally the cold wouldn't have affected Clark, but the sudden change caused him to yelp. Using his superhuman speed, he finishes taking his shower and shuts off the water.
A few minutes later, Clark walks into the kitchen, still drying his hair with a towel. John and Martha were seated at the table, and both looked up at him curiously as he entered. He was fully dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt beneath a blue striped button-up collared shirt, but his hair was still sopping wet. His towel hung around his neck as he continued to dry his hair, and he arched an eyebrow at his parents.
"Did you guys know that the water heater just went out?" he asked.
John's brow furrowed as he shook his head. "Are you sure you just weren't in the shower too long, son?"
Clark's brow raised and he let out a chuckle. "Dad, I usually take fifteen seconds in the shower. I took ten minutes today. There's no way the hot water could have run out."
Martha rubbed her temples, sighing heavily. "Just something else that's going bad on this farm. It's like it picked the moment when we're in the worst financial trouble to fall apart."
Clark placed a reassuring hand on his mother's shoulder. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm sure we'll find a way to fix everything. Even if I need to take some time off from school."
John shook his head. "No, son. You're not going to do that. School is too important. We'll figure something out, and if there's a way you can help, I promise we'll let you know."
Clark opened a package of pop tarts, taking them out of the wrapping and setting them in the toaster. "Maybe it's something small," he said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Let's hope so, Clark," Martha replied. "You'd better get going before you're late."
"Alright," Clark said. "Just let me know if anything comes up." In a blur, he zips out of the house, moving with the speed of a bullet. The pop tarts jump out of the toaster a moment later, and before they even reach the peak of their flight, Clark zips back into the house and snatches them out of the air. He offers his parents a grin. "Two hundred eleven times in a row," he said with a wink. For the second time, Clark left the house in a blur of speed.
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Lex Luthor leaned over his pool table, carefully lining up his shot before striking the cue ball. The small white sphere rolled at high velocity towards its target, hitting with the force of a hammer striking an anvil. The result was a beautiful break, in which six and four balls both entered pockets. He straightened up, walking around the table to set up his next shot.
"You've improved your game, son," Lionel's voice said from behind him. "Now if you could just improve your business game you and I might one day play on the same field."
Lex turned around to see his father standing before him, and immediately his mood darkened. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Pops?"
Lionel withdrew a piece of paper from his briefcase, handing it to Lex, who took it. "I think that explains the nature of my presence here, Son."
Lex read over the paper for a moment, his brow furrowing. He handed it back to Lionel. "This is a buyout offer worth two point five million dollars for the caves. Why the sudden generosity, dad?"
Lionel gave him the same smug grin he always did when he had something up his sleeve.
"This is a one-time offer, Lex. Take it or leave it, but I can assure you that it would be in your best interest to accept and just move on."
Lex forced a chuckle, shaking his head. "Dad, I've never known you to have a sense of humor. Are you feeling alright?"
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that," Lionel said. He withdrew another sheet of paper. "I thought, in light of the circumstances, I would deliver this to you personally." He held out the paper to Lex, who takes it and begins to read.
"This is a notice of investigation," Lex said, his gaze lifting to meet Lionel's. He managed to keep his emotions in check, but with the anger and frustration boiling up within him it was becoming increasingly difficult. "What's the meaning of this?"
"With everything that's gone on in those caves since your company took them over, Lex, it was only a matter of time before the report landed on the wrong person's desk. Between the rave, the parasites, and the bad choices made by your archeologist, I'd say it's only a matter of time before the government seizes control of the property and sells it to a more 'qualified' research team."
Lex glared at his father, ripping the buyout offer in half. "No deal."
"Lex, I'm suprised at the rashness of your decision," Lionel said. "It's not like you to be irrational about business."
"This isn't over, Dad," Lex said, his voice low and with the slight hint of a threat. He pointed a finger directly in his father's face. "Remember what Winston Churchill said after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dad. You're bringing this upon yourself."
"Don't lecture me with my own teachings, Lex," Lionel replied. "Lest you forget Pearl Harbor was the greatest loss the American Military ever suffered."
"Get out," Lex said. Had he possessed Clark's heat vision, Lionel would have been melted to slag before he ever made it out the door. As it was, Lionel left without and incident, leaving Lex standing by himself. With an angry roar, Lex slammed his pool cue down against the edge of the table, snapping it in half. He wouldn't let his father win. He couldn't.
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The bell rang, and as students poured into the hallway on their way home, Chloe ran up to meet Clark. He was standing at his locker, collecting books to take home for his homework. She pulled her hair back behind her ear, giving him one of her signature "you forgot me, again" looks.
Clark looked over at her, and noting the expression on her face, his brain suddenly went into overdrive, trying to remember if he had forgotten to do something for her. "Hey, Chloe," he said. "What's up?"
"Did you forget to do something last night? Like turn in your interview with Lex about Dr. Walden?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. Clark didn't have to answer; the expression on his face told her everything she needed to know. She sighed, shaking her head. "Let me guess, you forgot."
"Chloe, I'm sorry, but I had to help Lana over at the Talon and-" he began.
"And it slipped your mind," she finished for him. "I understand Clark. It's just like always. Whenever something comes up with Lana, I get thrown to the curb."
"Chloe, it's not like that," he tried to explain.
"Just forget it, Clark," she interrupted. "If I can't count on you, and if you don't care about the Torch, then why are you even working for it?"
Clark let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. How could she jump on him like this? Sure he'd been late more often than not, but it wasn't always Lana. If only she knew about his secret, things might be different. If that were the case, however, she would eventually learn about his destiny, and then what would she think of him? No, she would just have to be mad at him for now. He only hoped that their years of friendship would be able to overcome this. He would fix it, though, if only for now.
"You're right, Chloe," he said. "Maybe I shouldn't be working for the Torch anymore." Without another word, he closed his locker and turned his back on Chloe, starting the longest walk out of Smallville High he'd ever taken. Chloe watched him leave, tears stinging her eyes. What had she just done?
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Kala watched as Clark turned away from Chloe, ducking back into the classroom she had just left. She quickly stored her camera away in her backpack and picked up her books. She waited for the right moment, then stepped out into the hallway, walking right into Clark. There was a loud crash as her books hit the floor, sending papers scattering everywhere.
"Oh jeeze, I'm sorry, Clark," she said as she bent down to pick her books up. To her delight, Clark also bent down and began helping her collect her things. "I'm such a klutz," she added.
"It's alright," Clark assured her as they stood up. He offered her an encouraging smile.
"You're Kala, right?"
A wide smile spread over her face. "Yeah, we've only ran into each other a couple of times," she said. "So... did you hear what happened to Ms. Morgan?"
Clark nodded, his expression saddening. "Yeah, I still don't understand it. The autopsy said she died of sudden massive heart failure, but she was only in her early thirties."
"I know," Kala agreed. "It was so sad. Do they have any leads?"
Clark shook his head. "Unfortunately no. They're convinced that she died of natural, albiet uncommon, causes."
There was a long pause, and Kala and Clark shared a slightly uncomfortable silence. Kala was the first to speak. "So what are you doing tonight?" she asked.
Clark blushed, slipping an embarassed smile. "I'm flattered Kala, but I've just gotten into a relationship with someone."
Kala's brow furrowed slightly. She knew who he was talking about. She couldn't stand Lana Lang. She was only a sophomore, but she was treated like a goddess by the student body and teachers. It wasn't a hidden fact that Clark had always had his eye on her, but Kala knew that if she was to win the man she loved over, she would have to get rid of Lana. She decided to cover her tracks.
"I was just talking about going out as friends, Clark," she lied. "Everyone knows about you and Lana."
Clark arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Really?"
"Yeah," she said. "It's not like you two have been hiding it very well."
Clark blushed again, chuckling softly. "I didn't realize it was that obvious. I'm sorry if I seemed arrogant."
Kala smiled softly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it, Clark. So what do you say we hang out at the Talon tonight?"
Clark thought for a moment, and realized that with the farm in its current state he couldn't afford to take any extra time away. "I'm sorry, Kala, but I'm going to have to take a rain check. Got some problems at the farm. We'll do it another time though, okay?"
Kala nodded, holding back her disappointment. "Sure, Clark. See ya around." She watched as he left the school, setting her jaw in anger. If Lana Lang was the only thing standing in her way to get Clark, then she would just have to remove that obstacle.
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As the last of the patrons left the Talon, Lana locked the front doors and walked back behind the counter to close down the register and get ready to go home. Her head perked up when she heard a noise, but after scanning the room for a few moments she shrugged, deciding it was nothing and going back to her work. She finished counting down the register without further incident, sealing up the deposit and collecting her purse.
When she looked up, the sight that greeted her truly terrified her. She was no longer in the Talon, instead, she was standing in the middle of a massive medical ward. All around her lay her friends and family. They were motionless, pale, devoid of life. Sheer terror gripped her, and she felt her heart start to race out of control. To her immediate left lay Nell, and in the bed beside her was Henry Small, her birthfather. To her right lay her parents, their bodies scorched beyond all recognition.
Tears stung her eyes, her body convulsing from the shock and utter horror before her eyes. She screams, running down the seemingly infinite corridor of sterilized death and decay. Another face catches the corner of her eye and she nearly falls over trying to stop. It was a sight she had never hoped to see again. Lying in the bed was Clark Kent.
Lana fell to her knees, crawling over to him and taking his hand.
"Clark! Oh please Clark! What's happening to me!? What happened here?" she begged.
Her heart leapt a little when Clark's eyes fluttered open, and his head turned. His gaze met hers, and the amount of hurt that poured from his eyes made her very soul weep.
"Lana... I'm sorry, but we were never meant to be. None of us were ever meant to be part of your life."
Lana shook her head, speaking though her body was wracked with sobs. "No... this isn't real! This can't be real!"
"It is real, Lana," a familiar voice said from behind her. Lana turned, and screamed when she saw her own corpse sitting up in its bed. Her own lifeless eyes stared at her as though boring a hole into her very soul. "They're all going to die. They're all going to leave you forever."
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Clark was walking by the Talon on his way to meet Lana after she got off work, and when he reached the front door, he immediately noticed something was horribly wrong. Lying in the middle of the floor was the dark-haired beauty that he had loved for as long as he could remember. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, her eyes squeezed shut as her body convulsed violently. He felt his heart turn to ice, his blood running cold as he realized that she was in trouble.
With a surge of strength, Clark crashed through the front door, feeling razor sharp shards of glass bounce off of him as though they were rubber bands. He rushed over to Lana, not using his super speed in case whoever had done this to her was still around, and knelt down beside her. With a gentle but hurried touch, he took her into his arms, trying to calm her down.
"Lana! Lana what's wrong!? It's me, Clark! What's wrong!?"
Lana's eyes snapped open when she heard Clark's voice, and suddenly she was no longer in the endless ward of apocalypse. She was safe, back in the Talon, and in Clark's arms. She realized her face was wet with tears, and she held Clark in a vice grip, as though he was the only thing keeping her from losing sanity. Her body shook with sobs, but Clark's soothing touch started to calm her before long. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, running his fingers through her hair and over her back, whispering softly in her ear.
"Shh," he said comfortingly. "It's all right now. I'm here. Nothing's going to hurt you Lana."
The worry was evident in his voice, which shook when he spoke. His touch soothed her, and she melted into his arms. With every word he spoke, she felt her fear ebb away, his voice calming the raging storm within her heart and soul. His body felt warm against hers, and for a time she just lay there listening to the sound of his heartbeat and the rythm of his breathing. Feeling the strength of the arms around her gave her comfort that she had never felt with Whitney or anyone else. She felt secure, safe, and loved.
Lana slowly withdrew from Clark, her gaze meeting his. It was the most distressed he had ever seen her. Her cheeks were still wet with tears, which he gently wiped away with a soft brush of his thumb. He kissed her forehead tenderly, his hands moving to rest on her shoulders. He offered her a brave smile, wishing there was more he could do.
"What happened?" he asked, managing to keep his voice steady. It still unnerved him greatly to see her like this.
Lana shook her head, a shudder running through her to her very core. "I'm... not sure. One minute I was closing down the register, the next I was standing inside my own worst nightmare. I was so scared, Clark. It seemed so real."
Clark took her into his arms, bringing her head once again to rest on his chest. "Nothing is going to hurt you, Lana. I'm right here. I'll help you find out what happened, and why it happened. We'll get through this, okay?"
Lana nodded slowly, sniffing as Clark helped her to her feet. She collected her purse and the deposit, finally managing to compose herself. She was still fearful, but thankful that Clark came to her rescue. She looks up at him, her eyes almost begging him as she asked her next question.
"Would you mind walking me to the bank and then home?" she asked.
Clark smiled, slipping an arm around her shoulders and nodding. "No problem. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate, okay?"
As they walked out of the Talon, Lana looked up at Clark and nodded, smiling. "I won't. Thank you, Clark. You really are my knight in shining armor."
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Lana gave Clark a kiss on the cheek goodbye before walking into Chloe's house. She had never been more frightened in her life than an hour before, but Clark's timing had been perfect as always. She had begun to feel a little annoyed that he was always there to save her, but that evening had put things in perspective for her. If Clark hadn't been there... She shook her head, not wanting to think about it.
"Late night?" Chloe asked as Lana entered their room. The sudden sound of her voice made Lana nearly jump out of her skin.
"Chloe! You scared me," she said breathlessly. She placed a hand over her chest, taking a moment to catch her breath. After a moment of awkward silence, she realized that she still hadn't answered Chloe's question. "Yeah, actually. It was a really bad night for me."
Chloe nodded, but said nothing in response. Every time she looked at Lana nowadays, she couldn't help but be reminded of the time Clark was deathly ill. She had told him everything when she visited, but the only person Clark could think of in his feverish state was Lana. That day had hurt her deeply, and being reminded of it only kept the wound from healing. Lana must have noticed the shift in her demeanor, because she moved over to the bed and sat down next to her.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
Chloe shook her head, getting to her feet. "Lana, please don't take this the wrong way, but I just need a little time to sort some things out. She pulls out a small pink piece of paper out of her pocket. "This was the letter I wrote to Clark when he was sick," she said softly.
Lana reeled from this, not knowing what to say. She knew that Chloe had feelings for
Clark, but she never realized just how strong they were. "Chloe, I..."
"No, Lana. I don't blame you. It's not your fault," Chloe said. She tossed the note onto the bed, letting out a long sigh. "As if that wasn't bad enough, Clark and I had a fight today." She hung her head, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. "He quit the Torch."
Lana didn't know what to say. Even though Chloe said that it wasn't her fault, she still couldn't help but feel responsible for some of her pain. As Chloe left, she picked the note up off of the table and opened it.
Dear Clark,
I wanna let you in on a secret. I’m not who you think I am. In fact, my disguise is so thin, I’m surprised you haven’t seen right through me.
I’m the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend.
Sometimes I want to rip off this facade like I did at the Spring formal, but I can’t. Because you’ll get scared and you’ll run away again. So I decided it’s better to live with a lie than expose my true feelings.
My dad told me there are two types of girls—the ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I’m the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I’ll let you go for now, hoping one day you’ll fly back to me, because I think you’re worth the wait.
Chloe
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The next day at school, Pete walked into the Torch, but stopped when he saw a red-faced Chloe sitting in front of her computer. Her head was resting in her hand, and a look of utter depression was on her face. Pete slowly closed the door behind him before approaching her.
Upon hearing the door close, Chloe looked up. Seeing Pete, she quickly closed the windows on her computer and dried her eyes. "Hey, Pete," she said, trying to keep the shakiness from her voice. "What's up."
Pete frowned, setting his backpack down and taking a seat. "I found out that Kala was the last person to see Ms. Morgan before she died. As it turns out, she had an appointment about half an hour before her body was found."
Chloe's eyes widened, and as her journalistic tenacity kicked in, she forgot all about Clark and Lana. "Have you managed to interview her yet?"
Pete shook his head. "Not yet, but I was thinking of getting an interview with her over dinner," he said with a grin.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I swear, Pete. If you spent as much time focusing on this paper as you do on the female population of this school, you'd be working at the Planet by now."
Pete chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "What can I say? There's a lot of fish in the sea, and I've got a really big net." They laughed, quieting down a few moments later. Pete still wondered what was going on in Chloe's life to make her look as upset as when he first came in, but she seemed to be feeling better now. He decided not to press the issue further.
"Well I've got to get going," Pete said. "I have to set up a date for tonight."
Chloe shook her head at him, giving him a dismissive wave. "Go on, get out of here," she said with a soft smile. After Pete had left, she brought up the window she had been viewing again. It was the pictures of her and Clark and the Spring Formal, and the one night she had been truly happy.
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Kala watched from her locker as Clark and Lana walked back to class from lunch, hand in hand. She felt anger boiling inside of her, anger that Clark had gotten to the Talon before she could finish Lana off the previous night. A deep ache tore at her heart each time she saw them together, and it was all she could do not to use her strange ability on Lana right then and there. But she would get her chance. She would find some way to tear Clark and Lana apart, even if she had to hurt Clark the same way he is her to do it.
"Hey, Kala," said a voice from behind her. She turned and looked up to see Pete standing there.
"Hi," she said slowly. "Is there a reason you're talking to me?" she asked.
Pete was a little suprised by her antagonistic attitude, but decided to forge ahead regardless. "Well I was wondering if you were busy tonight?" he asked.
Kala looked over at Clark and Lana, who had just separated and were heading to their separate classes. She shifted her gaze back to Pete a moment later, an idea forming in her head. She smiled at him, but there was little warmth in her false facade. "I'm busy tonight, but how about dinner and a movie tomorrow?"
Pete's eyes widened a little in suprise, amazed at how easy it was. "Uh, sure. Tomorrow would be great. I'll pick you up at eight?"
"Sounds good to me," Kala replied. She smiled malevolently as Pete walked away. A multitude of options had now opened before her, and she relished the thought of using any number of them.
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Lex flipped through papers on his desk, trying to find some sort of loophole that can help him keep control of the cave systems from his father. There had to be something he could do, but he couldn't think of exactly what. How his father had found out about the various problems was inconsequential, the fact of the matter was, Lex had to stop him. If he didn't he would never find the answers he was looking for.
The door opened to his office and Helen walked in. She was still wearing her scrubs and lab coat from the hospital, having just gotten off work. She smiled when her eyes fell on her fiance', moving over to his side. Lex looked up when he felt her hand slide over his shoulder and onto his back, offering her as much of a smile as he could muster in his current mood.
"What's the matter, Lex?" she asked.
"My father is trying to seize control of the caves, and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do to stop him. He's using a dummy corporation to file an injunction against me because of all the incidents we've had since I took control of them."
"I'm sure you'll think of something, Lex," she assured him. "Do we have any plans this evening?"
Lex shook his head. "No, but I need to talk to Clark. He's not going to be happy about this, but I need to let him know just in case I can't stop it from happening."
Helen nodded. "I think I'll stay here and relax. I'm sure Clark will understand, though," she said, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Don't be too late, Lex."
After she left, Lex stood and grabbed his jacket and keys, heading out to his car. He hated being the bearer of bad news, and lately that's all he seemed to be bringing Clark.
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The smell of hay filled the air, along with the steady thump of bales hitting the ground. Each time one of them made impact, a cloud of dust swirled up into the air. Clark grabbed another bale by its ropes and tossed it from the back of the truck into the cow pasture, enjoying being out in the late afternoon sun. He heard the scraping of tires over a dirt road, looking up in time to see Chloe and Lana pull to a halt at the end of the Kent Farm Driveway. Lana climbed out of the passenger seat, dressed in blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a black t-shirt.
She walked up to Clark as Chloe left, offering him a smile. Something in her expression, however, told Clark that all was not well. He decided not to press the issue, climbing out of the truck bed after tossing the last bale into the pasture.
"You want me to saddle up, Tyson?" he asked.
Lana nodded. "Yeah, it's been a few days since I rode. He needs a good run."
Clark was about to reply when he heard the roar of an engine. He looked up and was greeted with the sight of Lex's Porsche rolling down the driveway. He couldn't help but grin as Lex climbed out, but his smile quickly faded when he saw the expression on Lex's face. Before he could even think to say anything to Lana, she spoke.
"I'll meet you in the stables," she said.
Clark nodded, letting her go and walking over to Lex. "It's about time you came around, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten where I live," he said.
Lex removed his sunglasses, placing them in the breast pocket of his jacket. "Unfortunately, I didn't come to hang out, Clark. Something's come up, and you might not be able to enter the caves for a while."
Clark's mood immediately darkened, his brow creasing with worry. "What happened?"
"My dad has filed an injunction against my company," Lex replied, offering Clark an apologetic look. "He's going to take control and set up his own research team. Apparently he believes that there's something down there I'm hiding from him."
"Well can't you stop him?" Clark asked.
"I'm trying," he said, "but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do anything right now. We're going to have to wait for the results of the investigation."
"Lex, you can't let your father take those caves. He'll destroy them like he tried to destroy this town!" Clark said. He was adamant now, and his eyes burned with anger.
"Clark, I'm sorry," Lex replied. "But I promise you I'm going to do everything I can to fix this. I know how important they are to you. Please just stay away from them for a little while until we get this sorted out."
Clark shook his head, sighing angrily. "I know it's not your fault, Lex, and I'll trust that you can handle this."
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When Clark entered the stables a few minutes later, Lana could immediately tell that something was wrong. Tyson was already saddled and ready to go, but Lana hadn't mounted him yet. She tilted her head at Clark, slight worry appearing on her face.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Lex just told me that the caves aren't going to belong to his organization for much longer. His father's seizing control," he replied.
"Is there anything he can do?"
"He said he's working on it, but for the time being he's going to have to wait it out and see if the investigation brings anything out."
Lana nodded, not knowing what else to say. "I know those caves are important to you. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know, alright?"
Clark nodded, trying to press forward a brave smile. "We might be able to do something at the Talon if the need arises. I'm not content to play the waiting game, but Lex asked me not to get involved, and this time I'm going to trust his judgement."
Lana tilted her head at him, her expression one of pleasant suprise. "Clark Kent just sitting back and letting someone else handle the situation? I'm shocked."
Clark smiled, allowing himself a small laugh. "Well I've found there are some things that are more important, and more worthy of my time."
Lana's face split into a wide grin, stepping closer to him and standing on her tip-toes, placing a kiss on his cheek. "You're sweet, Clark."
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Kala sat at one of the tables within the Talon, sipping her latte' and uploading recordings from her video camera onto her laptop. She never saw Chloe walk in or come up behind her, and jumped when she heard her voice over her shoulder.
"I take it Clark is going to be a big part of the video yearbook this year," Chloe said.
Kala quickly closed her laptop, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Not really, but we needed as much footage of each student as we could get," she replied quickly.
Chloe laughed softly, noting her apparent unease and the strangeness of the situation, but her attitude didn't alarm her. Rather it inspired her journalistic curiosity. "Do you mind if I have a seat?" she asked.
Kala thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, help yourself."
"Great," Chloe said as she took the chair across from Kala. "So would you mind giving me an interview for the Torch?"
Kala suddenly felt quite anxious, not liking the way Chloe was putting her on the spot. Not wanting to seem suspicious, however, she reluctantly agreed. "Sure."
"Perfect," Chloe replied, pulling out a pencil and notepad. "So, I heard that you were the last person to see Ms. Morgan before she died. Did she seem like she was sick?"
Kala began to grow increasingly nervous, but kept her cool. "Not at all, actually. I'm suprised that she just passed like that. She seemed like she was in good shape."
"What were you two talking about? If it's something personal, don't feel pressured to give details," Chloe added quickly.
"Nothing personal. She just wanted to talk, ask me how my family was, how school was going, stuff like that," Kala replied.
"Do you think the cause of her death was natural, or do you suspect foul play was involved?" Chloe asked.
"I'm not a doctor," Kala snapped. "If the autopsy report declared it natural, then I support their decision."
Chloe's brow furrowed at the shift in Kala's attitude, sending up a red flag within her journalistic train of thought. "Fair enough," she said. "Some people have speculated that it looked like she died of fright. Do you know what could have frightened her so badly?"
Kala quickly stood up, too uncomfortable to continue. "Look, I know what you're getting at. I had nothing to do with Ms. Morgan's death. How could I have? She died of a heart-attack!"
"Kala, I wasn't trying to say-" Chloe began.
"This interview is over," Kala interrupted. She collected her things, throwing them into her backpack and walking out of the Talon, leaving a bewildered and now suspicious Chloe sitting by herself.
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A crescent moon hung high amongst a glittering backdrop of stars, casting very little light on the landscape below. Chloe's red Volkswagon Beetle pulled to a stop in front of her house. From the shadows, a dark figure watched as she climbed out and walked up to the front door, unlocking it and stepping inside. Kala kept an eye on Chloe through the windows as she made her way to her bedroom, watching as she started to get ready for bed.
She concentrated, smiling malevolently as she focused on Chloe's mind, drawing the sophmore's greatest fears into her own twisted reality. Chloe bent down to pick up her pajama pants, but when she looked up she was no longer in her bedroom. Instead she stood inside a dark chamber. It was empty and completely black, save for a thin light filtering down from a hole in the ceiling into the center of the room. Beneath the light was a chair occupied by someone in a straight jacket. From what Chloe could tell the person was female, but she could gather no more information as the woman's back was facing her.
Fear struck her very soul, causing her to shiver. Chloe had always hated asylums, they terrified her more than anything else ever could. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she slowly began making her way around the figure, keeping her distance as she walked in a wide circle. When she came around to stand in front of the woman, she still was unable to make out her face. Long brown hair hung over her face, matted and dirty. The woman slowly rocked back and forth, muttering what sounded like gibberish.
Every part of Chloe screamed not to get any closer, to just run the other way as fast as she could, but her journalistic and natural curiosity once again got the better of her. She approached the woman, and when she came to within about a foot of her, the patient slowly lifted her head. Chloe took a step back, screaming when she saw her face. It was her mother.
"It's been so long since I've seen you, Chloe," her mother said. "I've missed you."
"Mom?" Chloe said dumbfounded. "How... how did I get here? What's going on?"
"You were always meant to be here, Chloe," her mother said. She began to laugh, rocking back and forth a little faster. The laugh began as a small chuckle, but gradually grew more intense as she spoke. "You see, you're going to end up just like me, your nutcase mother. They're going to lock you away forever, just like they did me."
"No!" Chloe screamed, grabbing her head. "I'm not going crazy! I'm not like you!" She was extremely frightened by this point, but couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes off of the insane woman sitting before her.
"I hear them now, Chloe," she said. "They're coming to take you away! They'll lock you in a cell, just like they did me. Your friends will never come to see you; they'll forget you even exist, just like you have forgotten me."
There was a loud pounding at the door, and Chloe couldn't take it anymore. She screamed again, falling to the floor and crying out. "HELP ME! SOMEBODY PLEASE! HELP! NO!"
Hands were grabbing her, pulling her to her feet. She felt something being stuck into the side of her neck, which caused even more intense panic to spread through her body. She opened her eyes, seeing one of the nurses walking towards her with a straight jacked of her own. Her mother's maniacle laughter filled the background, her jeers and malkavian giggles echoing through Chloe's mind. She was in Hell.
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Lana was in her own bedroom, trying to pick out an outfit for tomorrow evening when she heard Chloe scream. Fear and adrenaline instantly began pumping through her entire body. She threw the dress she was holding onto the bed, racing to Chloe's room. What she saw instantly brought back memories of the Talon the night before. She rushed over to Chloe, wrapping her arms around her friend, trying to snap her out of it. "Chloe! Chloe its me, Lana!"
Chloe's eyes snapped open, and upon seeing Lana, she burst into tears, her entire body shaking uncontrollably from fear. Lana brought her close, knowing exactly what she was going through. She tried to soothe her friend, but unlike Clark she had little success. Chloe continued to weep, unable to regain control of her facilities, and worry twisted within Lana's gut.
As she held Chloe, doing what she could to comfort her, Lana's mind began to piece together the mystery that had been slowly unfolding over the past few days. First, Ms.
Morgan had died from fright, then Lana herself had been faced with her own worst fears, and now Chloe seemed to as well. This couldn't all be coincidence. Something was going on in Smallville, and she was going to find out what it was...
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Clark didn't see Chloe at school the next day, which worried him greatly. After his Trigonometry class, he met Lana in front of her locker. She seemed quite preoccupied, and nearly dropped all of her books when Clark placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Jeeze, Clark, you scared me!" she said breathlessly.
Clark grimaced apologetically. "Sorry, Lana. Everyone seems to be on edge, lately. Have you seen Chloe today?"
Lana sighed, running a hand through her hair as she stopped stuffing books in her locker for a moment. "She didn't come today, Clark."
"Is she sick?" he asked, his tone one of worry.
Lana shook her head, her dark gaze meeting Clark's. "Actually, no. I think the same thing
that happened to me at the Talon the other night happened to her."
Clark's eyes widened a little at this. "Is she okay? What happened?"
"I was in my room when I heard her start screaming," Lana began. "I ran as fast as I could, and found her in pretty much the same state you found me." She met his gaze with her own, her dark eyes drowning in his. "I was so scared, Clark. I've never seen her like that before. Chloe's always been the fearless one, I guess kinda like you."
Clark took her hands in his, giving them a soft squeeze. "I'm not fearless, Lana," he said. "I've been afraid a lot more than you might think."
Lana tilted her head at him. It didn't suprise her that he had been scared in his life, she knew everyone had. What did suprise her was his willingness to admit it. "What scared you, Clark?"
"The other night," he replied. "When I saw you lying on the floor of the Talon like that, I thought I might lose you. That frightened me more than any meteor-rock mutant ever could."
Lana gave him that private, tight-lipped smile that she only shared with him, placing a soft hand on his cheek. She shook her head slowly, having trouble finding the words to respond to that. When she finally did, she was suprised with how easily they came after finally admitting to her own feelings about him.
"What I ever did to deserve someone like you is beyond me," she said. "And despite all the mistakes you've made in the past, there's no one I'd rather trust with my life than you."
Clark couldn't help but blush, never having imagined hearing these words from Lana in his sweetest dreams. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and they parted ways, heading off to their next class.
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The basketball bounced off of the hard dirt of the driveway in front of the Kent Farm, Clark's hand moving in rythm with his footwork as he dribbled for better position on Pete.
Pete took a swat at the ball, stealing it away from Clark and running towards the goal. He leapt, the ball rolling perfectly off of his fingertips and falling through the goal. Pete landed with a grin.
"So man, I heard you and Lana got a big date this friday," he said.
Clark did his best not to blush, but could not keep a boyish grin from spreading across his face. "Yeah, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. We're going to dinner and a movie."
Pete arched an eyebrow, passing Clark the ball. "Nothing out of the ordinary for Clark Kent? That doesn't sound possible," he said with a chuckle.
Clark sighed as he caught the pass and started to dribble. He took a jump shot, watching with satisfaction as it passes through the hoop. "That's what I'm going to need your help with, Pete. I can't afford to mess this chance with Lana up. I need you to keep me focused."
Pete collected the rebound, dribbling back over to where Clark was standing. "So, in other words, you want me to make sure you don't go off saving the world and stand Lana up again?"
Clark nodded. "This is really important to me, Pete," he said.
Pete grinned, patting Clark on the shoulder. "Sure thing, man. I'll keep you on the straight and narrow. Things have been kinda normal around here lately anyways. How hard could it be?"
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Kala Darvis sat in front of the school guidance counselor, Jennifer Morgan. Kala was a pretty girl with amber hair and a soft, innocent smile. Her eyes were a deep brown, and her skin fair and soft. Kala had attended Smallville High from her freshman year, and was now a senior. She had always been one of the downtrodden students until recently. Her grandfather's death had put a large sum of money into her hands, and she had used it to become one of the most popular girls in school. She now had the right clothes, car, looks, and the confidence to go with it. Why the guidance counselor had asked to see her was something she had yet to figure out.
"Kala, I'm worried about you, Ms. Morgan began. The middle-aged woman looked at Kala over her glasses. Age had not done her well, but she was still a handsome woman, even if the lines around her eyes bespoke many long years of hardship. "You used to be one of the top students in the school, but lately your grades have been slacking. I've noticed that you've also given up Mu Alpha Theta and several other extra-curricular activities."
Kala waved her hand dismissively at Ms. Morgan. "I don't have time for any of that stuff anymore. I've got more important things to do."
Jennifer arched an eyebrow. "More important things? You mean like spying on fellow students?" she asked as she tossed a video tape onto the desk.
Kala's eyes widened when she saw the tape, and she immediately got to her feet. "Where did you get this!?"
Ms. Morgan's eyes narrowed at the student before her and she picked up the tape. "I found this inside a camera, actually," she replied. The counselor bent down behind her desk, emerging with a red Prada backpack. She held it up for Kala to see. "The camera was in this bag, which you left sitting outside your locker yesterday afternoon. Needless to say I was rather disturbed when I watched the tape."
"You have no proof that it's mine!" Kala countered vehemently.
"It has your name on the inside tag, Kala," Ms. Morgan replied. "Which begs the question. Why are you stalking Clark Kent?"
"What are you going to do?" Kala asked, avoiding the question.
"First, I'm going to go to the principal," Jennifer said. "Then we're going to contact your parents and get you some help, sweetie."
"You can't do that!" she shouted. "You have no idea how hard I've worked to get where I am! You're going to ruin everything!"
Jennifer raised her hands, attempting to calm her down. "Kala, please. I'm just trying to help you."
"You're trying to ruin me!" Kala roared. She clenched her fists at her sides, her eyes burning with anger and fear gripping her tight. She couldn't let this get out. She had to do something. She suddenly felt something burst from within her, and though she couldn't quite tell what it was, Ms. Morgan's reaction frightened her.
Jennifer's eyes widened in horror as she saw Kala's eyes burst into flame. She looked around, trying for a route to escape but the windows and door suddenly became sealed over in brick. Her gaze shifted back to Kala, who grinned wickedly. The tape on her desk burst into flame, which then ignited the desk itself. Jennifer screamed, pulling off her jacket and trying to smother fire. This plan failed, however, when her jacket also caught on fire. More flames burst forth from different areas in the room, and within moments the entire room was ablaze. Jennifer screamed, her worst nightmare coming to life before her very eyes.
"Kala help me!" she screamed. Tears streamed down her face, her heart racing as she frantically tried to fight the fire. She ran over to the wall, reaching for the extinguisher, but a wall of flame erupted between them, halting her progress. Jennifer knew that her end was near, and that there was nothing she could do to stop it. As she looked back at Kala, the girl's visage filtered through the flames appeared to be the countenance of a demon. Ms. Morgan's eyes widened, feeling her heart sieze in her chest.
Kala watched in horror as her school guidance counselor clutched her chest, falling to the floor in a dead heap behind her desk. The senior walked over, seeing the woman lying facedown on the floor. She knelt down next to the body, rolling Ms. Morgan over onto her back. The sight was enough to make her scream. She backed away as rapidly as she could, grabbing her backpack and the tape before running out of the room as fast as she could.
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Based on the hit television series "Smallville"
Forged of the Yellow Sun
Episode 2 - First Date
BACKGROUND MUSIC - BLINK 182: FIRST DATE
Clark's alarm went off, waking him out of the first restful sleep he'd had since finding out about where he came from. He stretched before climbing out of bed and grabbing his clothes for the day. Before leaving his bedroom, Clark checked his calendar. It was Wednesday, two days before his first date with Lana. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. He only had to avoid trouble for two more days, which in Smallville was a more daunting task than it seemed.
He made his way to the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the laundry room along the way. Clark entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and locking it. He went through his regular morning routine: brushing, shaving, and a shower. Halfway through his shower is when things went wrong. The water suddenly went from piping hot to arctic cold. Normally the cold wouldn't have affected Clark, but the sudden change caused him to yelp. Using his superhuman speed, he finishes taking his shower and shuts off the water.
A few minutes later, Clark walks into the kitchen, still drying his hair with a towel. John and Martha were seated at the table, and both looked up at him curiously as he entered. He was fully dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt beneath a blue striped button-up collared shirt, but his hair was still sopping wet. His towel hung around his neck as he continued to dry his hair, and he arched an eyebrow at his parents.
"Did you guys know that the water heater just went out?" he asked.
John's brow furrowed as he shook his head. "Are you sure you just weren't in the shower too long, son?"
Clark's brow raised and he let out a chuckle. "Dad, I usually take fifteen seconds in the shower. I took ten minutes today. There's no way the hot water could have run out."
Martha rubbed her temples, sighing heavily. "Just something else that's going bad on this farm. It's like it picked the moment when we're in the worst financial trouble to fall apart."
Clark placed a reassuring hand on his mother's shoulder. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm sure we'll find a way to fix everything. Even if I need to take some time off from school."
John shook his head. "No, son. You're not going to do that. School is too important. We'll figure something out, and if there's a way you can help, I promise we'll let you know."
Clark opened a package of pop tarts, taking them out of the wrapping and setting them in the toaster. "Maybe it's something small," he said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Let's hope so, Clark," Martha replied. "You'd better get going before you're late."
"Alright," Clark said. "Just let me know if anything comes up." In a blur, he zips out of the house, moving with the speed of a bullet. The pop tarts jump out of the toaster a moment later, and before they even reach the peak of their flight, Clark zips back into the house and snatches them out of the air. He offers his parents a grin. "Two hundred eleven times in a row," he said with a wink. For the second time, Clark left the house in a blur of speed.
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Lex Luthor leaned over his pool table, carefully lining up his shot before striking the cue ball. The small white sphere rolled at high velocity towards its target, hitting with the force of a hammer striking an anvil. The result was a beautiful break, in which six and four balls both entered pockets. He straightened up, walking around the table to set up his next shot.
"You've improved your game, son," Lionel's voice said from behind him. "Now if you could just improve your business game you and I might one day play on the same field."
Lex turned around to see his father standing before him, and immediately his mood darkened. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Pops?"
Lionel withdrew a piece of paper from his briefcase, handing it to Lex, who took it. "I think that explains the nature of my presence here, Son."
Lex read over the paper for a moment, his brow furrowing. He handed it back to Lionel. "This is a buyout offer worth two point five million dollars for the caves. Why the sudden generosity, dad?"
Lionel gave him the same smug grin he always did when he had something up his sleeve.
"This is a one-time offer, Lex. Take it or leave it, but I can assure you that it would be in your best interest to accept and just move on."
Lex forced a chuckle, shaking his head. "Dad, I've never known you to have a sense of humor. Are you feeling alright?"
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that," Lionel said. He withdrew another sheet of paper. "I thought, in light of the circumstances, I would deliver this to you personally." He held out the paper to Lex, who takes it and begins to read.
"This is a notice of investigation," Lex said, his gaze lifting to meet Lionel's. He managed to keep his emotions in check, but with the anger and frustration boiling up within him it was becoming increasingly difficult. "What's the meaning of this?"
"With everything that's gone on in those caves since your company took them over, Lex, it was only a matter of time before the report landed on the wrong person's desk. Between the rave, the parasites, and the bad choices made by your archeologist, I'd say it's only a matter of time before the government seizes control of the property and sells it to a more 'qualified' research team."
Lex glared at his father, ripping the buyout offer in half. "No deal."
"Lex, I'm suprised at the rashness of your decision," Lionel said. "It's not like you to be irrational about business."
"This isn't over, Dad," Lex said, his voice low and with the slight hint of a threat. He pointed a finger directly in his father's face. "Remember what Winston Churchill said after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dad. You're bringing this upon yourself."
"Don't lecture me with my own teachings, Lex," Lionel replied. "Lest you forget Pearl Harbor was the greatest loss the American Military ever suffered."
"Get out," Lex said. Had he possessed Clark's heat vision, Lionel would have been melted to slag before he ever made it out the door. As it was, Lionel left without and incident, leaving Lex standing by himself. With an angry roar, Lex slammed his pool cue down against the edge of the table, snapping it in half. He wouldn't let his father win. He couldn't.
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The bell rang, and as students poured into the hallway on their way home, Chloe ran up to meet Clark. He was standing at his locker, collecting books to take home for his homework. She pulled her hair back behind her ear, giving him one of her signature "you forgot me, again" looks.
Clark looked over at her, and noting the expression on her face, his brain suddenly went into overdrive, trying to remember if he had forgotten to do something for her. "Hey, Chloe," he said. "What's up?"
"Did you forget to do something last night? Like turn in your interview with Lex about Dr. Walden?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. Clark didn't have to answer; the expression on his face told her everything she needed to know. She sighed, shaking her head. "Let me guess, you forgot."
"Chloe, I'm sorry, but I had to help Lana over at the Talon and-" he began.
"And it slipped your mind," she finished for him. "I understand Clark. It's just like always. Whenever something comes up with Lana, I get thrown to the curb."
"Chloe, it's not like that," he tried to explain.
"Just forget it, Clark," she interrupted. "If I can't count on you, and if you don't care about the Torch, then why are you even working for it?"
Clark let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. How could she jump on him like this? Sure he'd been late more often than not, but it wasn't always Lana. If only she knew about his secret, things might be different. If that were the case, however, she would eventually learn about his destiny, and then what would she think of him? No, she would just have to be mad at him for now. He only hoped that their years of friendship would be able to overcome this. He would fix it, though, if only for now.
"You're right, Chloe," he said. "Maybe I shouldn't be working for the Torch anymore." Without another word, he closed his locker and turned his back on Chloe, starting the longest walk out of Smallville High he'd ever taken. Chloe watched him leave, tears stinging her eyes. What had she just done?
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Kala watched as Clark turned away from Chloe, ducking back into the classroom she had just left. She quickly stored her camera away in her backpack and picked up her books. She waited for the right moment, then stepped out into the hallway, walking right into Clark. There was a loud crash as her books hit the floor, sending papers scattering everywhere.
"Oh jeeze, I'm sorry, Clark," she said as she bent down to pick her books up. To her delight, Clark also bent down and began helping her collect her things. "I'm such a klutz," she added.
"It's alright," Clark assured her as they stood up. He offered her an encouraging smile.
"You're Kala, right?"
A wide smile spread over her face. "Yeah, we've only ran into each other a couple of times," she said. "So... did you hear what happened to Ms. Morgan?"
Clark nodded, his expression saddening. "Yeah, I still don't understand it. The autopsy said she died of sudden massive heart failure, but she was only in her early thirties."
"I know," Kala agreed. "It was so sad. Do they have any leads?"
Clark shook his head. "Unfortunately no. They're convinced that she died of natural, albiet uncommon, causes."
There was a long pause, and Kala and Clark shared a slightly uncomfortable silence. Kala was the first to speak. "So what are you doing tonight?" she asked.
Clark blushed, slipping an embarassed smile. "I'm flattered Kala, but I've just gotten into a relationship with someone."
Kala's brow furrowed slightly. She knew who he was talking about. She couldn't stand Lana Lang. She was only a sophomore, but she was treated like a goddess by the student body and teachers. It wasn't a hidden fact that Clark had always had his eye on her, but Kala knew that if she was to win the man she loved over, she would have to get rid of Lana. She decided to cover her tracks.
"I was just talking about going out as friends, Clark," she lied. "Everyone knows about you and Lana."
Clark arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Really?"
"Yeah," she said. "It's not like you two have been hiding it very well."
Clark blushed again, chuckling softly. "I didn't realize it was that obvious. I'm sorry if I seemed arrogant."
Kala smiled softly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it, Clark. So what do you say we hang out at the Talon tonight?"
Clark thought for a moment, and realized that with the farm in its current state he couldn't afford to take any extra time away. "I'm sorry, Kala, but I'm going to have to take a rain check. Got some problems at the farm. We'll do it another time though, okay?"
Kala nodded, holding back her disappointment. "Sure, Clark. See ya around." She watched as he left the school, setting her jaw in anger. If Lana Lang was the only thing standing in her way to get Clark, then she would just have to remove that obstacle.
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As the last of the patrons left the Talon, Lana locked the front doors and walked back behind the counter to close down the register and get ready to go home. Her head perked up when she heard a noise, but after scanning the room for a few moments she shrugged, deciding it was nothing and going back to her work. She finished counting down the register without further incident, sealing up the deposit and collecting her purse.
When she looked up, the sight that greeted her truly terrified her. She was no longer in the Talon, instead, she was standing in the middle of a massive medical ward. All around her lay her friends and family. They were motionless, pale, devoid of life. Sheer terror gripped her, and she felt her heart start to race out of control. To her immediate left lay Nell, and in the bed beside her was Henry Small, her birthfather. To her right lay her parents, their bodies scorched beyond all recognition.
Tears stung her eyes, her body convulsing from the shock and utter horror before her eyes. She screams, running down the seemingly infinite corridor of sterilized death and decay. Another face catches the corner of her eye and she nearly falls over trying to stop. It was a sight she had never hoped to see again. Lying in the bed was Clark Kent.
Lana fell to her knees, crawling over to him and taking his hand.
"Clark! Oh please Clark! What's happening to me!? What happened here?" she begged.
Her heart leapt a little when Clark's eyes fluttered open, and his head turned. His gaze met hers, and the amount of hurt that poured from his eyes made her very soul weep.
"Lana... I'm sorry, but we were never meant to be. None of us were ever meant to be part of your life."
Lana shook her head, speaking though her body was wracked with sobs. "No... this isn't real! This can't be real!"
"It is real, Lana," a familiar voice said from behind her. Lana turned, and screamed when she saw her own corpse sitting up in its bed. Her own lifeless eyes stared at her as though boring a hole into her very soul. "They're all going to die. They're all going to leave you forever."
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Clark was walking by the Talon on his way to meet Lana after she got off work, and when he reached the front door, he immediately noticed something was horribly wrong. Lying in the middle of the floor was the dark-haired beauty that he had loved for as long as he could remember. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, her eyes squeezed shut as her body convulsed violently. He felt his heart turn to ice, his blood running cold as he realized that she was in trouble.
With a surge of strength, Clark crashed through the front door, feeling razor sharp shards of glass bounce off of him as though they were rubber bands. He rushed over to Lana, not using his super speed in case whoever had done this to her was still around, and knelt down beside her. With a gentle but hurried touch, he took her into his arms, trying to calm her down.
"Lana! Lana what's wrong!? It's me, Clark! What's wrong!?"
Lana's eyes snapped open when she heard Clark's voice, and suddenly she was no longer in the endless ward of apocalypse. She was safe, back in the Talon, and in Clark's arms. She realized her face was wet with tears, and she held Clark in a vice grip, as though he was the only thing keeping her from losing sanity. Her body shook with sobs, but Clark's soothing touch started to calm her before long. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, running his fingers through her hair and over her back, whispering softly in her ear.
"Shh," he said comfortingly. "It's all right now. I'm here. Nothing's going to hurt you Lana."
The worry was evident in his voice, which shook when he spoke. His touch soothed her, and she melted into his arms. With every word he spoke, she felt her fear ebb away, his voice calming the raging storm within her heart and soul. His body felt warm against hers, and for a time she just lay there listening to the sound of his heartbeat and the rythm of his breathing. Feeling the strength of the arms around her gave her comfort that she had never felt with Whitney or anyone else. She felt secure, safe, and loved.
Lana slowly withdrew from Clark, her gaze meeting his. It was the most distressed he had ever seen her. Her cheeks were still wet with tears, which he gently wiped away with a soft brush of his thumb. He kissed her forehead tenderly, his hands moving to rest on her shoulders. He offered her a brave smile, wishing there was more he could do.
"What happened?" he asked, managing to keep his voice steady. It still unnerved him greatly to see her like this.
Lana shook her head, a shudder running through her to her very core. "I'm... not sure. One minute I was closing down the register, the next I was standing inside my own worst nightmare. I was so scared, Clark. It seemed so real."
Clark took her into his arms, bringing her head once again to rest on his chest. "Nothing is going to hurt you, Lana. I'm right here. I'll help you find out what happened, and why it happened. We'll get through this, okay?"
Lana nodded slowly, sniffing as Clark helped her to her feet. She collected her purse and the deposit, finally managing to compose herself. She was still fearful, but thankful that Clark came to her rescue. She looks up at him, her eyes almost begging him as she asked her next question.
"Would you mind walking me to the bank and then home?" she asked.
Clark smiled, slipping an arm around her shoulders and nodding. "No problem. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate, okay?"
As they walked out of the Talon, Lana looked up at Clark and nodded, smiling. "I won't. Thank you, Clark. You really are my knight in shining armor."
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Lana gave Clark a kiss on the cheek goodbye before walking into Chloe's house. She had never been more frightened in her life than an hour before, but Clark's timing had been perfect as always. She had begun to feel a little annoyed that he was always there to save her, but that evening had put things in perspective for her. If Clark hadn't been there... She shook her head, not wanting to think about it.
"Late night?" Chloe asked as Lana entered their room. The sudden sound of her voice made Lana nearly jump out of her skin.
"Chloe! You scared me," she said breathlessly. She placed a hand over her chest, taking a moment to catch her breath. After a moment of awkward silence, she realized that she still hadn't answered Chloe's question. "Yeah, actually. It was a really bad night for me."
Chloe nodded, but said nothing in response. Every time she looked at Lana nowadays, she couldn't help but be reminded of the time Clark was deathly ill. She had told him everything when she visited, but the only person Clark could think of in his feverish state was Lana. That day had hurt her deeply, and being reminded of it only kept the wound from healing. Lana must have noticed the shift in her demeanor, because she moved over to the bed and sat down next to her.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
Chloe shook her head, getting to her feet. "Lana, please don't take this the wrong way, but I just need a little time to sort some things out. She pulls out a small pink piece of paper out of her pocket. "This was the letter I wrote to Clark when he was sick," she said softly.
Lana reeled from this, not knowing what to say. She knew that Chloe had feelings for
Clark, but she never realized just how strong they were. "Chloe, I..."
"No, Lana. I don't blame you. It's not your fault," Chloe said. She tossed the note onto the bed, letting out a long sigh. "As if that wasn't bad enough, Clark and I had a fight today." She hung her head, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. "He quit the Torch."
Lana didn't know what to say. Even though Chloe said that it wasn't her fault, she still couldn't help but feel responsible for some of her pain. As Chloe left, she picked the note up off of the table and opened it.
Dear Clark,
I wanna let you in on a secret. I’m not who you think I am. In fact, my disguise is so thin, I’m surprised you haven’t seen right through me.
I’m the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend.
Sometimes I want to rip off this facade like I did at the Spring formal, but I can’t. Because you’ll get scared and you’ll run away again. So I decided it’s better to live with a lie than expose my true feelings.
My dad told me there are two types of girls—the ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I’m the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I’ll let you go for now, hoping one day you’ll fly back to me, because I think you’re worth the wait.
Chloe
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The next day at school, Pete walked into the Torch, but stopped when he saw a red-faced Chloe sitting in front of her computer. Her head was resting in her hand, and a look of utter depression was on her face. Pete slowly closed the door behind him before approaching her.
Upon hearing the door close, Chloe looked up. Seeing Pete, she quickly closed the windows on her computer and dried her eyes. "Hey, Pete," she said, trying to keep the shakiness from her voice. "What's up."
Pete frowned, setting his backpack down and taking a seat. "I found out that Kala was the last person to see Ms. Morgan before she died. As it turns out, she had an appointment about half an hour before her body was found."
Chloe's eyes widened, and as her journalistic tenacity kicked in, she forgot all about Clark and Lana. "Have you managed to interview her yet?"
Pete shook his head. "Not yet, but I was thinking of getting an interview with her over dinner," he said with a grin.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "I swear, Pete. If you spent as much time focusing on this paper as you do on the female population of this school, you'd be working at the Planet by now."
Pete chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "What can I say? There's a lot of fish in the sea, and I've got a really big net." They laughed, quieting down a few moments later. Pete still wondered what was going on in Chloe's life to make her look as upset as when he first came in, but she seemed to be feeling better now. He decided not to press the issue further.
"Well I've got to get going," Pete said. "I have to set up a date for tonight."
Chloe shook her head at him, giving him a dismissive wave. "Go on, get out of here," she said with a soft smile. After Pete had left, she brought up the window she had been viewing again. It was the pictures of her and Clark and the Spring Formal, and the one night she had been truly happy.
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Kala watched from her locker as Clark and Lana walked back to class from lunch, hand in hand. She felt anger boiling inside of her, anger that Clark had gotten to the Talon before she could finish Lana off the previous night. A deep ache tore at her heart each time she saw them together, and it was all she could do not to use her strange ability on Lana right then and there. But she would get her chance. She would find some way to tear Clark and Lana apart, even if she had to hurt Clark the same way he is her to do it.
"Hey, Kala," said a voice from behind her. She turned and looked up to see Pete standing there.
"Hi," she said slowly. "Is there a reason you're talking to me?" she asked.
Pete was a little suprised by her antagonistic attitude, but decided to forge ahead regardless. "Well I was wondering if you were busy tonight?" he asked.
Kala looked over at Clark and Lana, who had just separated and were heading to their separate classes. She shifted her gaze back to Pete a moment later, an idea forming in her head. She smiled at him, but there was little warmth in her false facade. "I'm busy tonight, but how about dinner and a movie tomorrow?"
Pete's eyes widened a little in suprise, amazed at how easy it was. "Uh, sure. Tomorrow would be great. I'll pick you up at eight?"
"Sounds good to me," Kala replied. She smiled malevolently as Pete walked away. A multitude of options had now opened before her, and she relished the thought of using any number of them.
================================================
Lex flipped through papers on his desk, trying to find some sort of loophole that can help him keep control of the cave systems from his father. There had to be something he could do, but he couldn't think of exactly what. How his father had found out about the various problems was inconsequential, the fact of the matter was, Lex had to stop him. If he didn't he would never find the answers he was looking for.
The door opened to his office and Helen walked in. She was still wearing her scrubs and lab coat from the hospital, having just gotten off work. She smiled when her eyes fell on her fiance', moving over to his side. Lex looked up when he felt her hand slide over his shoulder and onto his back, offering her as much of a smile as he could muster in his current mood.
"What's the matter, Lex?" she asked.
"My father is trying to seize control of the caves, and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do to stop him. He's using a dummy corporation to file an injunction against me because of all the incidents we've had since I took control of them."
"I'm sure you'll think of something, Lex," she assured him. "Do we have any plans this evening?"
Lex shook his head. "No, but I need to talk to Clark. He's not going to be happy about this, but I need to let him know just in case I can't stop it from happening."
Helen nodded. "I think I'll stay here and relax. I'm sure Clark will understand, though," she said, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Don't be too late, Lex."
After she left, Lex stood and grabbed his jacket and keys, heading out to his car. He hated being the bearer of bad news, and lately that's all he seemed to be bringing Clark.
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The smell of hay filled the air, along with the steady thump of bales hitting the ground. Each time one of them made impact, a cloud of dust swirled up into the air. Clark grabbed another bale by its ropes and tossed it from the back of the truck into the cow pasture, enjoying being out in the late afternoon sun. He heard the scraping of tires over a dirt road, looking up in time to see Chloe and Lana pull to a halt at the end of the Kent Farm Driveway. Lana climbed out of the passenger seat, dressed in blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a black t-shirt.
She walked up to Clark as Chloe left, offering him a smile. Something in her expression, however, told Clark that all was not well. He decided not to press the issue, climbing out of the truck bed after tossing the last bale into the pasture.
"You want me to saddle up, Tyson?" he asked.
Lana nodded. "Yeah, it's been a few days since I rode. He needs a good run."
Clark was about to reply when he heard the roar of an engine. He looked up and was greeted with the sight of Lex's Porsche rolling down the driveway. He couldn't help but grin as Lex climbed out, but his smile quickly faded when he saw the expression on Lex's face. Before he could even think to say anything to Lana, she spoke.
"I'll meet you in the stables," she said.
Clark nodded, letting her go and walking over to Lex. "It's about time you came around, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten where I live," he said.
Lex removed his sunglasses, placing them in the breast pocket of his jacket. "Unfortunately, I didn't come to hang out, Clark. Something's come up, and you might not be able to enter the caves for a while."
Clark's mood immediately darkened, his brow creasing with worry. "What happened?"
"My dad has filed an injunction against my company," Lex replied, offering Clark an apologetic look. "He's going to take control and set up his own research team. Apparently he believes that there's something down there I'm hiding from him."
"Well can't you stop him?" Clark asked.
"I'm trying," he said, "but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do anything right now. We're going to have to wait for the results of the investigation."
"Lex, you can't let your father take those caves. He'll destroy them like he tried to destroy this town!" Clark said. He was adamant now, and his eyes burned with anger.
"Clark, I'm sorry," Lex replied. "But I promise you I'm going to do everything I can to fix this. I know how important they are to you. Please just stay away from them for a little while until we get this sorted out."
Clark shook his head, sighing angrily. "I know it's not your fault, Lex, and I'll trust that you can handle this."
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When Clark entered the stables a few minutes later, Lana could immediately tell that something was wrong. Tyson was already saddled and ready to go, but Lana hadn't mounted him yet. She tilted her head at Clark, slight worry appearing on her face.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Lex just told me that the caves aren't going to belong to his organization for much longer. His father's seizing control," he replied.
"Is there anything he can do?"
"He said he's working on it, but for the time being he's going to have to wait it out and see if the investigation brings anything out."
Lana nodded, not knowing what else to say. "I know those caves are important to you. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know, alright?"
Clark nodded, trying to press forward a brave smile. "We might be able to do something at the Talon if the need arises. I'm not content to play the waiting game, but Lex asked me not to get involved, and this time I'm going to trust his judgement."
Lana tilted her head at him, her expression one of pleasant suprise. "Clark Kent just sitting back and letting someone else handle the situation? I'm shocked."
Clark smiled, allowing himself a small laugh. "Well I've found there are some things that are more important, and more worthy of my time."
Lana's face split into a wide grin, stepping closer to him and standing on her tip-toes, placing a kiss on his cheek. "You're sweet, Clark."
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Kala sat at one of the tables within the Talon, sipping her latte' and uploading recordings from her video camera onto her laptop. She never saw Chloe walk in or come up behind her, and jumped when she heard her voice over her shoulder.
"I take it Clark is going to be a big part of the video yearbook this year," Chloe said.
Kala quickly closed her laptop, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Not really, but we needed as much footage of each student as we could get," she replied quickly.
Chloe laughed softly, noting her apparent unease and the strangeness of the situation, but her attitude didn't alarm her. Rather it inspired her journalistic curiosity. "Do you mind if I have a seat?" she asked.
Kala thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, help yourself."
"Great," Chloe said as she took the chair across from Kala. "So would you mind giving me an interview for the Torch?"
Kala suddenly felt quite anxious, not liking the way Chloe was putting her on the spot. Not wanting to seem suspicious, however, she reluctantly agreed. "Sure."
"Perfect," Chloe replied, pulling out a pencil and notepad. "So, I heard that you were the last person to see Ms. Morgan before she died. Did she seem like she was sick?"
Kala began to grow increasingly nervous, but kept her cool. "Not at all, actually. I'm suprised that she just passed like that. She seemed like she was in good shape."
"What were you two talking about? If it's something personal, don't feel pressured to give details," Chloe added quickly.
"Nothing personal. She just wanted to talk, ask me how my family was, how school was going, stuff like that," Kala replied.
"Do you think the cause of her death was natural, or do you suspect foul play was involved?" Chloe asked.
"I'm not a doctor," Kala snapped. "If the autopsy report declared it natural, then I support their decision."
Chloe's brow furrowed at the shift in Kala's attitude, sending up a red flag within her journalistic train of thought. "Fair enough," she said. "Some people have speculated that it looked like she died of fright. Do you know what could have frightened her so badly?"
Kala quickly stood up, too uncomfortable to continue. "Look, I know what you're getting at. I had nothing to do with Ms. Morgan's death. How could I have? She died of a heart-attack!"
"Kala, I wasn't trying to say-" Chloe began.
"This interview is over," Kala interrupted. She collected her things, throwing them into her backpack and walking out of the Talon, leaving a bewildered and now suspicious Chloe sitting by herself.
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A crescent moon hung high amongst a glittering backdrop of stars, casting very little light on the landscape below. Chloe's red Volkswagon Beetle pulled to a stop in front of her house. From the shadows, a dark figure watched as she climbed out and walked up to the front door, unlocking it and stepping inside. Kala kept an eye on Chloe through the windows as she made her way to her bedroom, watching as she started to get ready for bed.
She concentrated, smiling malevolently as she focused on Chloe's mind, drawing the sophmore's greatest fears into her own twisted reality. Chloe bent down to pick up her pajama pants, but when she looked up she was no longer in her bedroom. Instead she stood inside a dark chamber. It was empty and completely black, save for a thin light filtering down from a hole in the ceiling into the center of the room. Beneath the light was a chair occupied by someone in a straight jacket. From what Chloe could tell the person was female, but she could gather no more information as the woman's back was facing her.
Fear struck her very soul, causing her to shiver. Chloe had always hated asylums, they terrified her more than anything else ever could. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she slowly began making her way around the figure, keeping her distance as she walked in a wide circle. When she came around to stand in front of the woman, she still was unable to make out her face. Long brown hair hung over her face, matted and dirty. The woman slowly rocked back and forth, muttering what sounded like gibberish.
Every part of Chloe screamed not to get any closer, to just run the other way as fast as she could, but her journalistic and natural curiosity once again got the better of her. She approached the woman, and when she came to within about a foot of her, the patient slowly lifted her head. Chloe took a step back, screaming when she saw her face. It was her mother.
"It's been so long since I've seen you, Chloe," her mother said. "I've missed you."
"Mom?" Chloe said dumbfounded. "How... how did I get here? What's going on?"
"You were always meant to be here, Chloe," her mother said. She began to laugh, rocking back and forth a little faster. The laugh began as a small chuckle, but gradually grew more intense as she spoke. "You see, you're going to end up just like me, your nutcase mother. They're going to lock you away forever, just like they did me."
"No!" Chloe screamed, grabbing her head. "I'm not going crazy! I'm not like you!" She was extremely frightened by this point, but couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes off of the insane woman sitting before her.
"I hear them now, Chloe," she said. "They're coming to take you away! They'll lock you in a cell, just like they did me. Your friends will never come to see you; they'll forget you even exist, just like you have forgotten me."
There was a loud pounding at the door, and Chloe couldn't take it anymore. She screamed again, falling to the floor and crying out. "HELP ME! SOMEBODY PLEASE! HELP! NO!"
Hands were grabbing her, pulling her to her feet. She felt something being stuck into the side of her neck, which caused even more intense panic to spread through her body. She opened her eyes, seeing one of the nurses walking towards her with a straight jacked of her own. Her mother's maniacle laughter filled the background, her jeers and malkavian giggles echoing through Chloe's mind. She was in Hell.
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Lana was in her own bedroom, trying to pick out an outfit for tomorrow evening when she heard Chloe scream. Fear and adrenaline instantly began pumping through her entire body. She threw the dress she was holding onto the bed, racing to Chloe's room. What she saw instantly brought back memories of the Talon the night before. She rushed over to Chloe, wrapping her arms around her friend, trying to snap her out of it. "Chloe! Chloe its me, Lana!"
Chloe's eyes snapped open, and upon seeing Lana, she burst into tears, her entire body shaking uncontrollably from fear. Lana brought her close, knowing exactly what she was going through. She tried to soothe her friend, but unlike Clark she had little success. Chloe continued to weep, unable to regain control of her facilities, and worry twisted within Lana's gut.
As she held Chloe, doing what she could to comfort her, Lana's mind began to piece together the mystery that had been slowly unfolding over the past few days. First, Ms.
Morgan had died from fright, then Lana herself had been faced with her own worst fears, and now Chloe seemed to as well. This couldn't all be coincidence. Something was going on in Smallville, and she was going to find out what it was...
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Clark didn't see Chloe at school the next day, which worried him greatly. After his Trigonometry class, he met Lana in front of her locker. She seemed quite preoccupied, and nearly dropped all of her books when Clark placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Jeeze, Clark, you scared me!" she said breathlessly.
Clark grimaced apologetically. "Sorry, Lana. Everyone seems to be on edge, lately. Have you seen Chloe today?"
Lana sighed, running a hand through her hair as she stopped stuffing books in her locker for a moment. "She didn't come today, Clark."
"Is she sick?" he asked, his tone one of worry.
Lana shook her head, her dark gaze meeting Clark's. "Actually, no. I think the same thing
that happened to me at the Talon the other night happened to her."
Clark's eyes widened a little at this. "Is she okay? What happened?"
"I was in my room when I heard her start screaming," Lana began. "I ran as fast as I could, and found her in pretty much the same state you found me." She met his gaze with her own, her dark eyes drowning in his. "I was so scared, Clark. I've never seen her like that before. Chloe's always been the fearless one, I guess kinda like you."
Clark took her hands in his, giving them a soft squeeze. "I'm not fearless, Lana," he said. "I've been afraid a lot more than you might think."
Lana tilted her head at him. It didn't suprise her that he had been scared in his life, she knew everyone had. What did suprise her was his willingness to admit it. "What scared you, Clark?"
"The other night," he replied. "When I saw you lying on the floor of the Talon like that, I thought I might lose you. That frightened me more than any meteor-rock mutant ever could."
Lana gave him that private, tight-lipped smile that she only shared with him, placing a soft hand on his cheek. She shook her head slowly, having trouble finding the words to respond to that. When she finally did, she was suprised with how easily they came after finally admitting to her own feelings about him.
"What I ever did to deserve someone like you is beyond me," she said. "And despite all the mistakes you've made in the past, there's no one I'd rather trust with my life than you."
Clark couldn't help but blush, never having imagined hearing these words from Lana in his sweetest dreams. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and they parted ways, heading off to their next class.
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