Almost Clark (Chapter Thirty-One)

Chapter Thirty-One

Clark heard her footsteps on the creaky steps of the loft. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk. He didn't know what else he could say to convince her to stop playing games with her life. He didn't look up when she stopped at the top.

"Clark... I have something to tell you."

He finally looked up. "Really? Is it sorry?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it abruptly. "What? No."

He shrugged. "Then I don't want to hear it. Unless you want to say you won't do anything stupid. I could hear that."

He could nearly see the anger coming off her in waves. "Well, fine. I won't do anything stupid."

"Good to know."

"Because I've already done it."

He shot up from the couch. "What?"

She sighed and slumped into the rickety chair. "I gave him the ring."

"He... you..." Clark couldn't seem to form words. He wasn't sure if he was angry or surprised or afraid.

"I tricked him into thinking it was a present. Clark, it was the only way. He... likes me." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "He looked so conflicted. Like he wasn't sure where he was. Then he just flew off. Poor guy."

"Poor guy?" He found his voice again rapidly. "Chloe, that poor guy is running around with twice my power and now he's confused. God only knows what he'll do... He could burn the city down or punch holes in every dam in Kansas. He could..."

"Clark, I had to. You would have done the same thing. In fact, you were trying to."

"That's different. I can sort of handle him. If he overpowers you, Chloe... He could break you like a stick."

"But he didn't," she yelled. "You've seen King Kong. I'm like the thing that can tame the beast. Why can't you admit you need me?"

"Oh, I need you?" He threw up his hands. "Yes. You're right. I need you to stay out of this." He sped across until he was right in front of her. "Before you do any more damage."

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She wiped her eyes as he disappeared into the distance, sobbing openly when she reached the couch. She clutched a pillow and let loose. He didn't trust her. He wouldn't depend on her. As long as she had that, she could accept that she'd never have his love. She could be content with his lukewarm affection and that secret affair. But she needed him to trust her. Respect her.

Why did he keep pushing her away? She cried softly, feeling as if her cries echoed in the loft. They came back to her deeper, quieter, but... She raised her head and listened hard. Someone else was crying. Someone else was in the loft. She followed the sounds to a bale of hay and peeked over.

It was him, bent over his knees. "Hi," she said tentatively, stopping her tears.

He jumped and looked warily up at her. He was so much like a child now, she almost felt sorry for him.

"Go away."

Strangely, she didn't feel threatened by him. "Wpn't you come out?"

"No. You were talking about me. You and him." His face crumpled. "You lied to me. You hate me."

"No, I don't." She was surprised to realize it was true. How could she hate such a sad creature?

"You do," he insisted. "It's okay. I do... bad things." He breathed shakily and looked down again.

"But you don't mean to," she said softly. "It's just hard to know what's okay."

He shrugged, but didn't look up.

"Could you come out? Maybe talk to me for a little?"

He looked up finally, brows furrowed. He bit his lip and nodded.

She took his hand and led him to the couch. He sat heavily and she heard a tiny crack. She sat carefully at his side and stared at him in silence before putting her hand on his. "I know why you do bad things."

He looked down at her hand. "Yeah? Why?"

"There's something inside you. It wants you to do bad things. It's called a wraith."

He took a deep breath and looked sideways at her. "What's a wraith?"

"It's... I guess it's a ghost who's mad. It got mad at Clark, so it took a piece of him and made it into you."

"So I... I'm not really real?" He looked so scared, she wanted to hold him.

"No. You're real. You're just... you're not really Clark."

He sat quietly for a moment. "I think I know what the wraith wants."

She sat and waited for him to continue. She might not get this chance again.

"It wants people dead, especially him." He pointd out the large open window. "I don't... I don't think I do, so I do other stuff for it."

"Like the pigeons?"

He nodded. "Yeah. And the houses and trees and... It's not enough. It wants more."

She shivered and gripped his hand tighter. "You don't have to do it."

"Yeah, I do. It hurts me. Here." He put a hand to his head and rocked back and forth. "And today, I couldn't do anything. I could hardly even fly."

"It's okay," she crooned, finally putting an arm around him.

"I don't... I wish..."

"Shhh!" She pulled him closer and he laid his head in her lap, shoulders shaking. She did feel sorry now. Sorry for this thing that had been forced into existence, yet shouldn't have been. She stroked his head. "Are you tired?" she asked softly.

He nodded against her lap.

"Do you want to go to sleep?"

"I don't sleep," he murmured. "If I do, it makes me do more things. I thought I liked it before. But I don't."

"I could help you sleep," she said, still stroking his hair. "I'm special, too."

He turned over slightly and looked up at her. "How?"

"I could send you to sleep, to a place where nobody can make you do those things."

He furrowed his brow and stared at her. "What's your name?" he finally asked.

She smiled sadly. "Chloe."

"Chloe," he repeated. "I like it. I wish I had a name."

"You can. You can have any name you want."

He seemed to think hard. "I like Jonathon. I don't know why."

She nearly cried then. Cried at what she'd have to do to someone who was a piece of Clark. She sniffed her tears back. "Hi, Jonathon."

"Hi, Chloe." He finally closed his eyes. And she waited. She'd loved Old Yeller as a child. In fact, she bet no one could keep a dry eye when Travis made his choice. But her choice had been made for a long time. She'd been preparing for just this. She looked at him just a little longer. And when the sun's light no longer crept into the barn, she was ready. All the tears she'd held back in this hour finally spilled from her. And she let as many fall as she could. She wanted him out of his misery.

"Soon enough," she said softly. She knew now.

It was funny, though. She didn't feel weak. She felt strangely... strong.

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Clark sped home, wondering if he'd ever speak to Chloe again. He'd not found him today. God only knew what state he was in. It was no guarantee that the red K would improve him. It might make things worse as with the green K. That was why he wanted to do it. He could at least contain some of the aftermath if...

He saw a green glow coming from the barn. It shone out the door and out the back window and through the cracks. He didn't know what it was, but it couldn't be good. He sped up and jumped, landing through the window on the floor of the loft. What he saw chilled him.

Chloe was on the couch, staring at the floor where he trashed, the green glow emitting from his pores. Suddenly, Chloe began shaking as well, lifting from the couch, hovering above it, her arms stretching outward as if she were crucified in mid-air.

"Chloe!"

Her eyes opened and turned on him, then to the figure below her. It was glowing brighter. It's hands seemed to crumble.

"Do it, Clark!" she yelled.

He stared at her helplessly. Frozen.

"Do it now!"

His hands shook as they reached into his back pocket. The medallion was there. Bizarro was weak. Now was the time. He turned back to her, conflicted. "Chloe..."

"Clark, please!"

He hardened his stance and faced the dark thing that was already rising from the crumbling body. He held out the medallion. The wraith made a hissing noise and came towards him. But he stayed on his feet, holding the medallion before him, willing it to enter.

With a flash, the medallion glowed in his palm before dimming. There was no sound. It was as if the world had stopped. He panted as he looked at the ashes on the floor. All that was left of Bizarro. His eyes suddenly flew to Chloe. She was still suspended in the air.

"Chloe!"

Her head now hung over as she continued to twitch in the green glow that surrounded her. He looked around him. There was no green kryptonite near. He... He glanced at the medallion in his hand. He held it up suddenly, coming towards her. She shook harder and the green glow faded.

He was almost relieved when she dropped to the couch, still glowing faintly. "Chloe?"

He approached her, taking her hand. She wasn't moving. And the glow was fading.

"What do I do?" He looked up at the ceiling. "Please don't..."

Her purpose is served, My son.

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