SVsleuth
09-30-2008, 11:10 AM
This is a one shot - my attempt to write a final Clana scene to give us closure. Clark and Lana are in the loft, talking.
Afterglow
“You’ll always be the same Clark Kent, to me,” Lana told him as she gazed lovingly up into Clark’s eyes.
Clark nodded thoughtfully, seeming to acknowledge that he knew that. But he looked troubled. Lana saw a sadness in his eyes, until he lowered them and walked slowly over to the window and stared out toward the horizon, where the late afternoon sun still shone brightly.
Lana walked silently over to the window and stood there beside him, gazing out at the sky too.
At length, Clark spoke, as if the long silence had not even happened. “That’s exactly it, Lana,” he said, his eyes still gazing into the distance. “The boy you see me as… that’s not who I am anymore. In fact, I never really was him. Oh, I desperately wanted to be him - wanted to be as normal as normal could be…wanted to be the average farm boy, who marries the girl next door and lives happily ever after. I tried for so long to deny the truth. But I can’t deny it any longer. The truth is, I am Kal-El of Krypton. And there are threats to this planet that come from beyond it - threats that only I am capable of stopping. If I care at all about the people of his planet - and I do, that much of the Clark Kent you knew does live on - then I have to step up and be who I really am.”
Lana reached out and placed her hand on top of Clark’s as it rested on the window ledge. She answered, without looking at him. “I know that, Clark. It’s why I left the way I did. When Brainiac controlled me, I was able to know his thoughts. I understood more than ever who you were meant to be, and I knew that you were resisting becoming that person, because of me. I couldn’t allow it, Clark. You are meant to be so much more than the boy next door who uses his abilities primarily to protect me. I understood that it’s about protecting the entire planet, Clark, not just me. I needed to give you space, so that you could realize that for yourself - because, for some reason, as long as I was here, you wouldn’t take the blinders off, and accept your true destiny.”
Lana turned toward him, grasping both of his hands in her own as she turned him toward her. She looked up at him, and their eyes finally met.
“Clark, I think that I have always, in your mind, represented your dream of living a normal life. You wanted to be someone you are not, and that desire has been tied to me. I will always love you, Clark Kent. I will forever love the boy who wanted to be normal so that he could be the man of my dreams. I believe with all my heart that that boy still exists inside of you somewhere, and always will. But we both know, and have come to accept that you are meant to be so much more than that…Kal-El.”
Lana fought back tears and bit her lip as she uttered the foreign-sounding name. Clark seemed taken aback to hear her call him that as well. Lana continued, “Kal-El, I want you to know that I will always protect your secret. And I will always be here for you, if you need to talk to someone who knows. I will forever be your friend and supporter.”
Tears spilled down both of their faces as Clark pulled Lana into his arms, and she buried her face in his chest. He held her for what seemed to be an endless moment, before he spoke quietly into her hair.
“I will always love you, Lana. But I’ve come to realize that the life I wanted with you is not a life I am meant to live. I am Kal-El, not just Clark Kent. Thank you for helping me to see clearly, and to accept that. I have to be what this world needs me to be - you helped me to see that, Lana.”
Clark moved his hand to caress Lana’s face and get her to look up at him again. “I wish it was possible for me to be what the world needs me to be, and still have you too. But I just can’t. When you’re here in my arms, all I can wish is to just be human and have a normal life with you. I have to leave that dream behind - that dream of us growing old together. It’s not possible for me. I hope it’s enough for you to know that …that if I had been human, I would have chosen you.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly, lingering as long as he dared. Lana kissed him willingly, aware that this would likely be the last time her lips would ever touch his.
When they finally broke the kiss, Lana attempted to smile at him through her tears. “You are so much more human than you realize, Clark. Don’t ever think that your entire past has been a lie. Much of who you are was formed by your parents, on this farm. Your compassionate heart, your desire to help those in need, your desire to stand up for what is right and just. So much of what made you the Clark Kent I love is still there, inside of you. True, you will never be only human, and you’ll outlive us all. But those values instilled in you as a boy will always be there, guiding you as you set out to protect the world. I’m so proud of you, Clark.”
Lana turned her gaze to the horizon, where the sun had already slid halfway out of sight. Clark turned his head as well, and they watched in silence as the sun gradually disappeared completely, leaving only an afterglow which would linger on in their hearts for all eternity.
The End
Afterglow
“You’ll always be the same Clark Kent, to me,” Lana told him as she gazed lovingly up into Clark’s eyes.
Clark nodded thoughtfully, seeming to acknowledge that he knew that. But he looked troubled. Lana saw a sadness in his eyes, until he lowered them and walked slowly over to the window and stared out toward the horizon, where the late afternoon sun still shone brightly.
Lana walked silently over to the window and stood there beside him, gazing out at the sky too.
At length, Clark spoke, as if the long silence had not even happened. “That’s exactly it, Lana,” he said, his eyes still gazing into the distance. “The boy you see me as… that’s not who I am anymore. In fact, I never really was him. Oh, I desperately wanted to be him - wanted to be as normal as normal could be…wanted to be the average farm boy, who marries the girl next door and lives happily ever after. I tried for so long to deny the truth. But I can’t deny it any longer. The truth is, I am Kal-El of Krypton. And there are threats to this planet that come from beyond it - threats that only I am capable of stopping. If I care at all about the people of his planet - and I do, that much of the Clark Kent you knew does live on - then I have to step up and be who I really am.”
Lana reached out and placed her hand on top of Clark’s as it rested on the window ledge. She answered, without looking at him. “I know that, Clark. It’s why I left the way I did. When Brainiac controlled me, I was able to know his thoughts. I understood more than ever who you were meant to be, and I knew that you were resisting becoming that person, because of me. I couldn’t allow it, Clark. You are meant to be so much more than the boy next door who uses his abilities primarily to protect me. I understood that it’s about protecting the entire planet, Clark, not just me. I needed to give you space, so that you could realize that for yourself - because, for some reason, as long as I was here, you wouldn’t take the blinders off, and accept your true destiny.”
Lana turned toward him, grasping both of his hands in her own as she turned him toward her. She looked up at him, and their eyes finally met.
“Clark, I think that I have always, in your mind, represented your dream of living a normal life. You wanted to be someone you are not, and that desire has been tied to me. I will always love you, Clark Kent. I will forever love the boy who wanted to be normal so that he could be the man of my dreams. I believe with all my heart that that boy still exists inside of you somewhere, and always will. But we both know, and have come to accept that you are meant to be so much more than that…Kal-El.”
Lana fought back tears and bit her lip as she uttered the foreign-sounding name. Clark seemed taken aback to hear her call him that as well. Lana continued, “Kal-El, I want you to know that I will always protect your secret. And I will always be here for you, if you need to talk to someone who knows. I will forever be your friend and supporter.”
Tears spilled down both of their faces as Clark pulled Lana into his arms, and she buried her face in his chest. He held her for what seemed to be an endless moment, before he spoke quietly into her hair.
“I will always love you, Lana. But I’ve come to realize that the life I wanted with you is not a life I am meant to live. I am Kal-El, not just Clark Kent. Thank you for helping me to see clearly, and to accept that. I have to be what this world needs me to be - you helped me to see that, Lana.”
Clark moved his hand to caress Lana’s face and get her to look up at him again. “I wish it was possible for me to be what the world needs me to be, and still have you too. But I just can’t. When you’re here in my arms, all I can wish is to just be human and have a normal life with you. I have to leave that dream behind - that dream of us growing old together. It’s not possible for me. I hope it’s enough for you to know that …that if I had been human, I would have chosen you.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly, lingering as long as he dared. Lana kissed him willingly, aware that this would likely be the last time her lips would ever touch his.
When they finally broke the kiss, Lana attempted to smile at him through her tears. “You are so much more human than you realize, Clark. Don’t ever think that your entire past has been a lie. Much of who you are was formed by your parents, on this farm. Your compassionate heart, your desire to help those in need, your desire to stand up for what is right and just. So much of what made you the Clark Kent I love is still there, inside of you. True, you will never be only human, and you’ll outlive us all. But those values instilled in you as a boy will always be there, guiding you as you set out to protect the world. I’m so proud of you, Clark.”
Lana turned her gaze to the horizon, where the sun had already slid halfway out of sight. Clark turned his head as well, and they watched in silence as the sun gradually disappeared completely, leaving only an afterglow which would linger on in their hearts for all eternity.
The End