Before Sunset (Part Twenty-Eight)

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Martha knew. Chloe had suspected as much when she handed her the bag her father had packed with a strange look from her to Clark. But now, trapped in the ladies' room at Tim Horton's, Chloe was positive she knew.

Maybe that was why she was torturing her. Chloe hissed and squeezed her eyes shut. 

"Almost done," Martha said softly.

She swore Martha had said that at least five times now. But here she was, still attacking her with damp cotton balls and what felt like battery acid. "Mrs. Kent, you don't have to do this. I've washed up and there was some stuff at this cabin and we used it and..."

"And somehow I still don't want you to get an infection. Don't want you and Clark coming home with any... surprises."

Martha definitely knew. Hell, maybe Jonathon knew. He and Clark might be having this same conversation in the men's room right now.

She and Clark had been careful. Chloe decided to check out of their room rather than try to explain why Clark was waiting with her in her room if he had his own. They stuck to Tim Horton's after that, silently nursing coffee and cocoa and staring out the window at the motel across the street with tired eyes. Chloe wasn't sure their eyes or any bit of them had a right to be tired. They'd slept at least fourteen hours last night. Sure, they woke up, got breakfast sandwiches and devoured them, maybe did some things other than sleeping in that bed, but they mostly slept.

Awake in that bright afternoon, with the help of her good friend Coffee, Chloe kind of lamented the non-sleeping parts. Not the sandwiches, obviously. She seriously doubted she'd ever take a hot meal for granted ever again. But the sex... Strictly speaking, it was hard to actively lament something you thoroughly enjoyed. And, really, that last time was the last time. Really. 

At least that was how she was treating it. 

Clark had been fairly buzzing with energy across from her. He'd decided to accept some help from her good friend Coffee, too, much as he hated it, just to help him get through the first shift driving. The sun was nearly behind the Hide-away Motor Lodge when Clark glued himself to the window. "That's Ben Hubbard's station wagon!"

Chloe turned to the window. "That was quick. I thought..."

"That's my mom!" He shot out of the booth. "That's my dad! That's my mom and my dad!" Then he'd raced out so fast that Chloe thought he might have spontaneously regained powers.

It was all a blur of hugs, rapid fire information (most of that from Clark as he and coffee were still at odds), and plans -- the first of which seemed to be clothes that hadn't been through the snowy apocalypse.

Martha had gone in with her to change, brandishing a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a bag of cotton balls. "Nothing too deep, thank goodness," she said softly now, leaning in close to dab at some of the cuts on Chloe's face. "I don't think you two will have any lasting... consequences. Am I right?"

Chloe knew what Martha was getting at and she tried to figure out how best to tell her she was on the birth control shot without letting it sound like she was a loose woman. Objectively, she knew someone could be on birth control without being so. And she didn't think Martha was so backward as to think that. But somehow she feared she could say nothing without outright admitting she was a wanton seducer of virgin farmboys. Really, that's what she was. She was the experienced one in comparison -- at least at the time, having done it once. The fact that Clark was an extremely quick study was neither here nor there and definitely not something his mother needed to know.

Of course, the fact that Chloe was not carrying her grandbaby was something Mrs. Kent seemed to desperately need to know.

"I'm not..." She took a deep breath. "I think the both of us will be... completely unchanged," Chloe said carefully, not wanting to confirm or deny. "I mean, Clark lost his powers and all, But, besides that... there's just no change -- and especially not in me," she added with a wince.

"Oh... Well..." Martha moved to the trashcan, tossing the cotton balls in. "It's really no business of... I mean, the two of you are legally adults and, if you think of it, this whole thing has been one long, drawn out extenuating circumstance, but... if you're sure you aren't... I mean that the two of you aren't... altered in some way..."

"Very sure. Positive. As of this morning," she ended on a rather mortified mumble. "In fact, we might need to take a quick stop at the drugstore for... something," she said, hammering it in. 

"Oh!" Martha nearly laughed. "Then we will. In fact, I might have something in my purse. I doubt your father would think to put anything in here." She handed Chloe the bag and picked up her purse from the floor.

"Doubt it," she muttered. She did genuinely need something. She'd woke up this morning to her monthly surprise and quickly showered, rebuffing Clark's attempts to join her with "What are you? Crazy? Get out!" before she explained the situation as he was getting all... hurt puppy on her. 


Really, her period was a godsend. Not only because it meant her birth control was working. But because it would give her a full week of that month in which nothing could happen. She wanted to tell herself nothing would have happened, anyway. But now she could be positive. With a week, she could surely wean herself off Clark. Of course, she could worry about Clark later. Now she was stuck in a rather small ladies room with a woman who now positively knew she'd had sex with her son.

Martha handed her a wrapped pad wordlessly.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly, holding it in one hand while rifling through her bag with the other. She found her purse, her wallet, two changes of clothes and a hundred dollar bill that somehow found its way under a too-large pile of bras and underwear. She smiled, wondering of her father just upended the whole drawer in, not wanting to look through. 


She pulled out the bill, knowing he couldn't afford that, but also knowing the Kents could afford it even less, not even having a full house right now. She held it out to Martha. "I'd like you to consider this my contribution to the gas getting here."

"I don't think..."

"And the gas coming back. And the tolls. And the food you're probably going to insist on buying for me without asking for anything back."

"But you paid for the rooms, Chloe. We can't..."

"No. I didn't." She held out the bill firmly. "Clark will never say it, especially to Mr. Kent. But a certain William Clark might have sent him a graduation card this month."

"My father... Well, that's certainly a surprise." Her face grew sort of pinched. "I suppose he sent it with some sort of condition attached or..."

"As far as I know, it was just a gift. Clark thought it might upset you, so he didn't want to say. He'd probably be upset with me for saying it, but... I don't know. It's your father, so I thought you might want to know. And that Mr. Kent wouldn't want to know." Chloe pressed the bill into her hand. 

"It's fine. It's a bit unexpected, but fine." Martha sighed. "I suppose I can only be grateful since it kept you two safe until we got here." She pocketed the bill and glanced at Chloe. "Speaking of grateful, I suppose you know about Clark. He said you've known for some time. Looking back, certain things about these last months make more sense. I just want to thank you for not..."

"Please don't. Anyone would do the same, knowing what I know about Clark."

She smiled. "I suppose you know him pretty well after all these years. I've thought about you two from time to time. I have to confess, I wasn't always thrilled he was hanging around with a budding reporter." She touched Chloe's arm. "It's not that I really thought you'd expose him. I was just always so afraid of anyone figuring him out. And you always seemed the most likely to." She moved away, shrugging. "I suppose there's nothing to hide now. Still, I really think you've always been good for him and if the two of you..."

"There really isn't a two of us," Chloe said quickly. "I mean, things were just a little life-and-death-ish and we got confused and I promise that things will be completely back to normal, Mrs. Kent. I promise I won't get in his way. He can be with L... he can do what he wants. Clark will do what's right for him and... and so will I."

She stared at her for what seemed like a year. "You can call me Martha, Chloe," she said with a strange sort of smile. "And... Okay. If you say so. You'd better get changed. We can get you something else for your... monthly visitor at the next stop."

Chloe thought she detected a note of disappointment, as if Mrs. Kent... or Martha thought she just slept with any guy she happened to be around when she was sure she'd die. She'd explain that this was CLARK and she's been mad about him since her preteen years, but this was another thing Martha Kent didn't need to know. So Chloe moved into a stall and changed into jeans and a warm sweater and one of many, many pairs of underwear, then followed Martha out.

When they emerged, Clark and Jonathon were standing in front of the counter and Martha hugged him again. It didn't seem as bonecrushing as her first hug, except Clark did let out a sharp noise as Martha pulled away.

"Had to," she said with a smile. "Your hair's getting so long."

"Seems to be growing faster," he said, his eyes meeting the floor. From the mildly squeamish look about him, Chloe was fairly sure he and Jonathon had a similar conversation. He refused to even look at her.

Neither could Jonathon. "Everything okay?" he asked, looking even worse off than Clark, giving Martha a sort of desperate look. Then again, it was Clark he'd talked to. Clark on coffee. He'd probably gone off on every tangent he could and told Jonathon things he never, ever, ever needed to know. Oh, God!

Martha just inclined her head in what was barely a nod and he seemed to relax. She supposed the question involved potential grandkids and, as embarrassing as the question was, she couldn't help but smile at their shorthand. It must be nice to be together so long, so attuned that only a nod was needed. 

"So... they have breakfast sandwiches," Jonathon said, his voice brightening, "or we could just get a dozen donuts and be on our...

"No," Martha said, staring at the menu. "Definitely not." She moved toward the door and pulled it open.

Jonathon shrugged before following her out.

Chloe hung back a moment, grabbing Clark by the arm. "Does your father kn..."

"I don't wanna talk about it," he said, staring at the floor. "But my mom. At least she doesn't..."

"I don't want to talk about it," Chloe said, pushing him ahead of her.

***********************************

"Much better," Martha sighed, eyes on Clark as he pushed his salad plate away. She pushed another towards him, then nudged Chloe beside her. "Same goes for you."

"Nffft arrggguuung," Chloe mumbled with a full mouth, eyes on her plate. She was only halfway through the first. Slowpoke.

Martha had insisted Clark and Chloe eat their own salads as well as hers and his father's. Clark had to admit, salad tasted better than he remembered it tasting. He might never take salads for granted again. Of course, he was getting steak and eggs after this. And he was pretty sure he'd feel more strongly about that. His mom had chosen this Smitty's place, no matter how many times Clark had very casually suggested Harvey's. Burgers. Another thing he'd treasure from here on out. 

"Martha, they won't have room for dinner."

Clark looked up, wondering if that was true. He had this idea of his stomach as a bottomless pit, but to fill up on salad when there was steak coming...

"If they don't, they don't," his mom said with a shrug, seemingly immoveable on this. "I'm sure they've had no greens."

"We have had some vegetables," Clark said hopefully. "Maybe..."

"Not counting what you had on your burger, Clark."

"No. We did. This cabin we found had about a million cans of corn and... Oh, my God, Dad! They were from Smallville."

Jonathon sat back. "They were not."

"They were," Chloe piped up, swallowing. "They were Ross' Best."

"I should tell Bill." His father gave a stunted sort of chuckle. "Then again, I don't know how that would go over these days."

There was a long silence and Clark was pretty sure his dad was not only thinking about Bill selling to Lionel, but about his part in it when Lionel helped them fudge Clark's papers. They were still friends, but not as close. They hardly saw each other since Pete left with his mother.

"You know," Chloe cut the silence, "I heard the fields around the plant were hit heavy before I left. At least Mr. Ross doesn't have to deal with that mess."

"Yeah." Jonathon smiled sadly. "Lionel can have it... if he snaps out of his state, that is."

"I don't see any eating," Martha nudged. "And corn is not a green vegetable."

"Well, there were green beans, too," Clark mumbled.

"I had the green beans," Chloe piped up after swallowing. "Clark refused."

"Kiss up," Clark muttered.

"Ow!" Jonathon grunted.

Chloe paled and choked slightly, drawing back in the booth. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Kent. That was meant for Clark." 


Clark snorted, then turned his attention back to food, glorious food.

"It's fine. But now you're definitely taking the first shift back," his dad said, tossing her a small smile.

"Already there. Clark and I agreed you guys needed some sleep. We also... I mean we agreed not to make any plans on what to say until we saw you, found out what's going on."

"Meaning Lex," Martha sighed. 

"He has been around," Jonathon supplied, "asking after both of you. At the time, we had no idea where either of you were, which was lucky, I guess. We knew where Clark was going before everything happened. But we didn't know you were missing. And Lex taking such an interest was strange."

"He was there," Chloe said. "Clark came to get me out of the hospital in the Yukon. We barely got out before he found me."

"How did you end up in a hospital in the Yukon?"

Chloe glanced at Clark, then told them about her pulling Clark from Lex's safe, Lex taking her to the caves, and her ending up in the Arctic.

"...then Clark sped me out of the crystal palace..."

"Fortress," Clark cut in.

"Fine. Fortress. And took me to the hospital and..."

"That's when she told me she knew. But then I had to go back because of what was happening in town and then Lex said he was looking for Chloe and he was asking me about the caves. Then I had to, you know, stop the other Kryptonians..."

"No big deal, I guess," Chloe said, glancing at him with a smile.

He blushed slightly and went on, her words in the hospital coming back to him. "Sometimes, I thought of just going back after that, with everyone being safe. Or maybe even staying and taking whatever consequences Jor-El warned about. But then I heard Lex's men say where he was and..."

"He was coming for me," Chloe cut in.

"I just couldn't let him find her there. He already suspected something."

"So Clark came back and pretty jumped out the window with me."

"I was going to take her to the fortress. I thought if I got there before sunset, then maybe he'd give me a chance just to get her home, but..." He trailed off.

Chloe sighed and reached for his hand. "Jor-El's consequence kind of hit him right about there and he lost his..."

"Pasta?"

Chloe jumped and let go of his hand, looking at both the waitress and his mother. "Uh..."

"Who had the pasta?" the waitress asked again, looking a little harried under the weight of a huge tray.

"I think that was you, Dear," his mother said, nodding at Chloe.

"Right. Yeah. Pasta." 

They all stayed relatively silent as she unloaded their meals, Clark looking back over the last few sentences, wondering if they revealed anything strange. He didn't think so. But what felt really strange was that this might be the last conversation he ever had that had anything strange about it. It was over now, after all. All the secrets and hiding. Maybe that was for the best.

He waited for the waitress to move away before he leaned in again. "Okay, so where were we?"

"Nowhere," Martha said, picking up her fork. "I think we should give the talking a rest and eat."

"Oh, yeah. Eating," Clark said, shaking himself. "Feels weird to do so much of it at once." He wondered if anyone would mind of he just picked up his steak.

"Don't," his mother said, as if psychic.

"I wasn't..."

"You're back to civilization now. Which means knives, forks, and not talking with your mouth full," she said, gesturing at them both with her fork.

"The two of you should relax," Jonathon said. "You don't need to tell us everything at once."

"And while eating," Martha added.

"Still feels weird." Chloe shook her head, staring sadly into her plate. "I mean that everything's okay. That we're going home. I know it's happening, but I feel like I can't relax enough to just... eat. I feel like everything will be different, like the life I knew is..."

"Your dad told me to tell you your laptop's fine."

"Oh, thank God," she breathed, smiling and picking up her fork. "You know, I'm still starving."

Clark chuckled and started cutting his steak.

"Oh, shut up," Chloe hissed.

***************************

"Mr. Kent, I have a very solid driver's record." 

"But not in another country."

"I've never been in an accident... that didn't involve a meteor freak, at least."

"Well, this is an unfamiliar car. Now show me your hazard lights again."

Chloe sighed and flashed them as Martha and Clark stood back, waiting for the "lesson" to be over. Clark knew what this was like, having learned to drive from his father. "You'll think he'll even let us take the first shift?"

"I'll make him. He needs his sleep." Martha rubbed his arm. "You know your father. He's touchy when he's not in the driver's seat. Anyway, we haven't had a chance to talk... alone."

Clark stiffened, afraid he knew what this was about. "Shouldn't we save all the planning for when we're all..."

"This isn't about the planning."

"Oh, God," he mumbled. He'd already got a scared-straight version of this from his father, which was pretty much demanding if he knew all the work it took to raise a child? Because let me tell you, I had plenty of classmates that found out and there was no college, no fun times. They had to grow up pretty damned...

"I'm not about to judge anything that did or did not happen between the two of you," she said.

"Oh, good."

"But I'm a little upset with you, in particular." 

He looked up. "Me?"

She moved in front of him. "When you left, you and Lana were... Well, I thought..."

"Oh, no. No. We weren't... I mean, we were getting to where we might be, but we didn't and... and I don't think we will now."

"You don't think?"

"Well, I mean we won't."

"I want you to be sure of that, Clark. I don't want to think I've raised a son that takes advantage of a girl who clearly has feelings for him while he has feelings for..."

"Mom, please don't," he cut in. "Listen, who I do or don't have feelings for is... Well, it's a little different now."

"You're sure about that? Look, I know you're not that kind of guy. But how someone feels when they think they're going to freeze to death might not be how they actually..."

"Jeez! Why does everybody have to say that?"

"Everybody?"

"Everybody female, at least," he muttered.

Martha glanced back toward the car. "I've seen how she looks at you for years now, Clark. If this is you stringing her along, whether you intend to or not..."

"Mom, trust me. No one is being stringed... or strung... whichever. Whatever did or didn't happen out there," he said carefully, "happened for the right reasons. I promise."

"If you want to promise me something, just make it that you won't hurt her." 

"But..." 

She put a hand over his mouth. "Just nod. I really don't want to talk any more about this."

He did, but reluctantly.

She patted his cheek, then rubbed his arm. "Did you toss out that red jacket?"

"Oh... Uh, no. I saved it. I figure we can fix it or..."

"Of course not. Don't worry. This blue one's just as bad."

"But I like..." 

"It's hardly insulated. We'll have to see about getting you something warmer before winter. Maybe something more... in style."

"But..."

She moved to the car. "Jonathon, it's a station wagon, not an eighteen-wheeler. I think Chloe can handle it." She turned back to Clark. "Come on. We'd better get started."

Fine. If he wasn't allowed to talk anymore...

***************************

"...and Lex's questions about you were especially pointed," Martha was saying.

Chloe nodded as a large truck passed them. She was trying to keep it slow so Mr. Kent wouldn't freak out... some more. "That was probably after he came back."

"They were plenty pointed before, too," Clark said dully.

"Huh?" Chloe tried not to look at him, she was too afraid of glancing with her wheel. Mr. Kent really had her on edge about simple driving.

"I'm just saying him wanting to know was how I know he wanted to know, but you know that." He sounded... weird.

"Well... yeah. That's what tipped you off to finding me first."

"But Lex was the first we learned of you missing, Chloe," Jonathon said. "So we called your father right after."

"He was beside himself," Martha said sadly. "He'd thought you might be somewhere with Lois, but then she said she had no idea."

"He was a little concerned about her, too, with the alien talk."

"Nothing to Lana's," Martha added sadly.

Chloe glanced at Clark, who'd been mostly silent all this time. "What's Lana saying?" she asked when he didn't. She'd thought he, of all people. would.

"She was talking about ships and strange murders and then... Well, we don't know," Martha finished. "We've just had so much to deal with..."

"Understandable," Chloe cut in. "But she's safe."

"Well, she's holed herself in that apartment and only sees Lex, so..."

"And Lex is our main concern," Jonathon cut in. "So let's..."

"But it can't be healthy," Martha sighed. 

"But it's not what we need to worry about right now. We need to get their story straight."

Chloe glanced at Clark, waiting for him to add something, ask something. He'd been so quiet. "So what do you think our story should be?" she finally asked.

"A lot of evacuees were taken to Kansas City," Jonathon said. "Our story will be that you were among them, Chloe, and Clark found you there. The phone lines have only just been restored in our county, so it's not too far-fetched that Clark got stuck there with you with no way to get in touch. Anyway, we told your father and Lois that and, knowing her, most of the town will know it before we get back, including Lex."

Chloe considered that for a moment. "But won't Lex be suspicious of us taking so long to get back if it's just Kansas City?"

"Lex is going to be suspicious no matter what he's told," Jonathon sighed. 

"But it doesn't matter now. There's nothing to be suspicious about anymore." Clark sounded strangely petulant.

"So that helps, doesn't it?" Chloe tried.

"I don't know."

There was silence again.

"What about Lana?" Chloe asked, glancing in her rearview mirror at the Kents. "Does she know we're coming back?"

"I left her a message," Martha said. "Haven't heard back. I really think this second meteor shower has thrown her. She seems paranoid about aliens and... Well, I don't know. I suppose she has a right to be with what happened. But I don't think her hanging around Lex is helping at all. But... I don't know. I..." She yawned. "Oh, excuse me."

"Yawn if you need to," Chloe said with a chuckle. "You two must be beat."

"We tried sleeping on the way up," Jonathon said, also yawning. "Taking turns and all. Just couldn't do it till we saw you two."

"Well, you've seen enough of us now. We're fine to drive for a bit. Right, Clark?"

Clark jumped slightly. "Huh?" He looked back at his parents. "Yeah, Mom, Dad. You guys should sleep." He went back to staring out the window.

Chloe waited until she heard soft snores coming from the back seat before she reached over to nudge Clark. "What's the matter?"

"What? Nothing."

"You kind of dropped the ball back there. You didn't have any questions about anything?" She waited before she prodded. "Even Lana?" 

"Maybe my questions can wait until they slept. As for Lana, she's safe."

"Safe hanging around Lex. That's not exactly..."

"You'll wake my parents," he hissed.

"Fine." She clenched her teeth. If he wanted to be snippy...

"And if Lana's got some kind of issue with aliens, it doesn't have anything to do with me. Not anymore."

"Well, I'd think you'd have some kind of reaction."

"Maybe my reaction is I'm relieved. If this is how she deals with aliens, then it's a good thing we ended. And yes, Chloe, we ended. Maybe we almost started again, but just almost."

"I didn't..."

"Whatever you and my mom think, I actually mean the things I say. Okay? I don't just say them because I think I'm going to... die or whatever."

"What?"

"I know how I feel and don't need you to tell me."

"I never said..."

"And I think I've been pretty straightforward, but if you don't believe me, then..."

"You'll wake your parents," she cut in.

He leaned in. "So now you're worried about that? Not because I actually want to talk about us?"

"Clark, we've talked this to death. I thought we decided that we needed some time before..."

"No. You decided. I just..."

"Agreed?"

"Fine. Maybe I did. But now my mom thinks I'm stringing you along when it's really the other way around."

"What? How am I stringing anyone along?"

"Giving me this month, like a test or..."

"It's not a test." 

"It feels like one. Like I have to prove something before I can even touch you again or..."

"For God's sake, keep your voice down," she hissed desperately at a sort of of shuffling snore from the back seat. "Haven't we just had conversations with your parents that we never, ever wanted to have? You have to do this now?"

"Maybe I do," he grumbled.

"Fine." She gripped his jacket and pulled him in slightly. "If this is about this morning, I told you. It's a certain time of the month and..."

"Oh, my God. This is not about... S-E-X," he finished on a panicked whisper.

She tried to keep her eyes on the road, they were rolling so damned hard. "Clark, your parents can spell."

"Fine, camping, then. Let's talk about all the camping." He leaned in. "I liked the camping, okay? I more than liked it. But that doesn't mean camping was all this was to me."

"Clark, I never..."

"You think I'd just camp with anyone that happened to be there."

"I never said that. Don't put words in my mouth."

"Well, my mother thinks that," he hissed. "And that's bad enough."

"Well, I never gave her that idea," she breathed. 

"Maybe she got it all on her own, but you helped. And do you want to know why I didn't ask about Lana? Because I'm afraid to say anything, like I'll fail your test. Like if I even speak to her, you're going to rush off and yell at me, then calm down and tell me we should be friends, then hardly talk to me for a month because that's what you do."

"I don't even know how to answer that. it's so... so..."

"Right? Proven by history?"

"Ridiculous," she hissed at him. "It's not a test. And it's not about Lana."

"I think it is a little bit."

"It's perfectly reasonable. We've got major upheaval waiting at home and a lot of other things to concentrate on and we don't need distractions and... and I thought you understood that."

He groaned and turned back to the window. "Fine. I'm a distraction."

"Would you stop putting words in my mouth? I'm not saying you're a distraction. If this is about anyone, this is about you. I'm saying you don't need any distractions. I start college in the fall, my house is still standing. Nothing about my plans or my life has really changed. But your entire life has just..."

"Got it. Major upheaval. I actually get it, Chloe." He was silent for a long time before he spoke again, still staring out the window. "But did you ever think that with all that, that maybe having... someone might help me get through it? I really wish you'd stop telling me what I need." 

And she really wished she could pull over, then smack him upside the head, then maybe kiss him and forget this month and just slide into whatever madness he had in mind. But she couldn't. She just couldn't. Everything in her clenched and fluttered and panicked at the thought.

"Okay. I will," she said softly after a moment. "This is what I need. I need to be home. I need to see what kind of life we're going back to. Because this isn't high school anymore, Clark. This is adult life. It starts now. There's no trying and failing and starting back at base again. Everything we..." She took a deep breath and started again. "Everything I decide now is going to impact the rest of my life. And I need time to make those decisions."

She risked one glance off the empty road and to him.

He met her eyes. "Okay."

PREVIOUS PART
PART TWENTY-NINE

Whew! The Arctic adventure is over.

So we'll be back in Smallville next and I'll be spoiling Mortal and Hidden next, kind of a rewrite as to what things might have changed or stayed the same if it was Chlark rather than Clana at the center of things before this gets tied up. But we're nearing the end.