Before Sunset (Part Thirty-One)

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Kind of an alternate for Mortal started here with some shades of the dialog there. Also mentions of Arrival, Redux and precursors to Thirst. 

Part 31 

"... and then, and I don't wanna brag, but I pretty much hauled a china cabinet off Mrs. K," Lois was saying. "I think I owe it all to strength training. As much as the General's gonna ream me, getting booted out of Met U has given me way more time to work out. So I've decided it's a good thing. I mean, I practically saved a life. Right?" She smiled as they turned down Main, then dropped it. "And if you're going to start sighing about how we could have been roomies, don't. What's done is done. And don't start on that reapplication crap because I have tasted freedom and I pity all you fools jumping straight from high school to college while I can backpack across South America if I want. And no. I don't mean Europe because he'll find me there and probably force me into a Swiss convent. And I don't care how good the chocolate is. It would not make up for the... Okay. I'm lost. Where was I?" 

"I think you were saving lives through upper body strength," Chloe chuckled. "You know, before your fascinating argument with yourself." 

"I was actually arguing with imaginary you. And totally winning until I got tossed in a convent. Anyway..." 

They'd just come from the high school, where Chloe had been scanning records that hadn't been damaged. Principal Reynolds didn't want anything not backed up now. He'd even insisted on Chloe archiving The Torch and the wall of weird for future school newshounds. 

She'd felt strange about it, had felt strange about her paper and her Wall of Weird ever since she found out Clark was specially-abled, though not the meteor mutant she'd originally assumed her was. But, in the end, it was part of high school and town history and should be preserved. Really, she was okay with Reynolds. He, unlike most Smallville High faculty, saw the value in what she did, in her wild theories. "Many a Pulitzer has sprung from the seeds of wild theories," he'd said sophomore year. "Just make sure you can back them up, and that'll be the difference between writing trash for Inquisitor, and reporting for the Daily Planet." 

Just thinking of those words had firmed up her resolve. The things she'd reported, the girl she'd been, she couldn't regret that. She was only reporting what she'd seen as she'd seen it at the time. As much as knowing Clark gave her more tact and a different view of those specially-abled people, she would still report what happened, be a voice for her time and her situation. And maybe, just maybe, the Daily Planet would listen. Sometimes she thought that, once enrolled at Met U, she might try again for an internship, try to earn her way the right way this time, as her deal with Lionel was definitely the wrong way. She didn't even get how wrong at the time. 

"... then I go to the hospital and she's kind of okay, so I'm thinking I can finally go to Geneva," Lois was saying. "Then out of nowhere, the windows just bam! Shattered! And these two freaky-eyed types just bust in all 'Where's Kal-El?' I think they had to be some of your Wall-Of-Weird types because they totally choked Mr. K and threw him all the way down a hallway. And, you know, if I wasn't already thinking you had a point about this town, when some crazy-eyed chick lifts you up one handed by the throat, it'll make a believer out of you. Anyway, they're still all 'Where's Kal-El' and I'm all 'stop choking people.' Then she's choking me and then Lana comes along and says she knows where Kal-El is and I'm still pretty much 'Who the frick is Kal-El?' I kind of don't think she knew, either. I mean, I tried to ask her later, but you know how she's all crazy-cakes now and... Hey! Free sandwiches!" Lois stopped in front of Tiny's. "Is that just for the people using power tools? Because I was totally helping in other ways." 

Chloe let out a laugh and pushed her to the door. She'd at least kept her entertained while she worked on scanning. "You go on. Tell them you were on the scan squad. I'm not hungry yet." 

"I'll see if I can save you some, anyway." 

Chloe moved past, dropping her smile. She really wasn't hungry yet. Her stomach felt like it must be the size of a walnut after all this time with barely enough food to keep going. Of course, coffee would be a different story, she thought as she spied The Talon ahead. Maybe it was just as well it was closed up until further notice. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk to Lana. Yet as much as she didn't even want to add Lana into the mix with her feelings for Clark and the unfinished business between them, Lana had been pretty heavily dragged into this mess, by all accounts. She hated to think of her, holed up and paranoid, only Lex to talk to these weeks -- and, considering Lex seemed to be trying to convince her she was half-crazy, that would do no good. 

But what good would she do? Right now, her feelings about Lana were more mixed up than ever. All these years, she wasn't sure if she loved or hated the girl. The only thing she knew for sure was she didn't wish her ill, whatever the situation. She supposed things would always be complicated as long as Clark hung between them, gravitating to either at whim. Maybe it would be easier after this month. Once she knew for sure how things stood with Lana and Clark she could either go for him and all his crazy ideas about finally, finally giving them a try or she could... move on. 

Her mind supplied the words in a staticky haze as she stopped, arrested in front of the unboarded door of The Talon. She hadn't even meant to go that far, meant to possibly be seen. And she definitely didn't want to see this. 

They were kissing and she was suddenly that girl again, that silly sophomore spying them in his barn, rushing off angry and broken-hearted. She drew back, her breath coming in choppy pants as Clark pulled away and met her eyes over Lana's head. And she tried. She tried so hard not to be that girl. Hadn't she told herself that, this time, she wouldn't be angry? Wouldn't be bitter? God help her, but she was. She moved away quickly, not sure where to go, just anywhere fast. Then she could wrap her head around it. Then she'd be fine with it. She was a full-on adult now. She could damned well make herself be fine with it! 

"Oh, my God, Chloe! This is amazing!" 

She stilled, it registering that someone was grabbing her arm. Lois. How could she think it was amazing? But maybe everyone would, everyone but her. Maybe it made sense. "I'm fine with it," she said dully. "I can be." 

"Fine with what?" 

She shook herself. Lois didn't know. Of course. In her haze, she thought the entire town must have seen Clark and Lana kissing as if on a jumbotron at a Shark's game, cheering wildly while casting mildly pitying glances at her. "I... I need to get to the..." She couldn't figure out where just now. 

"No. You need to try this turkey, bacon, club. They're trying to use up the avocado on them and you know they usually charge and arm and a leg for this California type..." 

"Chloe!" 

She turned panicked eyes down the street. It was Clark. "Lois, I need to go now!" 

Lois tightened her grip. "Oh, come on! It's just Smallville. I personally think you two talking is way better than me listening to you make every excuse not to talk about him for hours on..." 

"Chloe!" 

God, he was coming. "I can't right now," she said, pulling harder and rushing off, taking one nervous glance behind her as a car blocked his path. 

That was good. That was another thing she was fine with. She just need some time. 

*********************** 

"I really don't have time to talk right now," Clark said before Lex could open his mouth. He started around the car, but Lex stepped in his path. 

"That's funny because I thought most of the crews were on break right now." Lex smiled. "You know, I've been very concerned about you, Clark." 

"Yes. So I hear," he said absently, seeing her disappear down the street. He turned to Lex, anger building in him now. "I hear you'd been asking everyone in town about me while I was gone." 

"Of course I did. We've been friends for years. And I was the last one to see you before you just disappeared. Why wouldn't I be worried?" 

He felt his anger deflate just slightly because now... Well, there were no secrets now. "Well, I'm okay. Chloe and I got side-tracked getting home." That much was true. "But we're okay now." Maybe more than he and Chloe could be okay, if she just let him talk to her, that is. Maybe there were other people to start over with. 

Lex nodded. "I'm glad to see it. I've been trying to track you down all morning. I just feel so... terrible about this year. I don't know how we got here, Clark. But I think that maybe... maybe more than this town can be rebuilt." 

Clark glanced down. "I think... That would be good." He sighed. "I'm glad you got through the shower okay, too. I think it's great, the way you're helping the town." He tried a small smile. 

Lex matched it. "Well, you are, too. And I'm glad Chloe's alright. I've already seen her this morning. She told me you two were... Where was it again?" 

And, just like that, all the reasons starting over might be impossible came back to him. His differences with Lex didn't begin and end at his secrets, after all. No matter what, he'd keep digging, even now that there was nothing to find. And at more than Clark. 

He was sure Lex hadn't forgotten Chloe's side of the story. He just wanted to see how they matched up, wanted a reason to keep going down this path, not to start over. "Kansas City," Clark said, easily, if a little angrily, "It wasn't easy, getting out." He moved closer to Lex, worried his teeth just a bit at his split lip. His mother had picked at it on purpose, just for this. It had started to open again when Lana kissed him. He smiled just a little as he tasted the blood. "I think Chloe and I got off easy, with just a few bumps and bruises." 

Lex stared at him, eyes going wide as he focused on the blood Clark knew was beading on his lip. "I'm so sorry you're hurt." 

And Clark could tell he was, but not for the right reasons. "You know, I've got a few questions for you, Lex." How would that be for a change? Clark Kent, normal human being, questioning Lex Luthor, dabbler in the extra-terrestrial arts. "Did you see anything odd? Anything... different?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, you already told me you thought you saw me in some bright light. What else did you see? Because I'm hearing strange stuff all over town. Like people with superhuman strength and spaceships..." 

"I assume you've been talking to Lana. She didn't see what she thought she..." 

"Really? Because with the things you thought you saw, I'd think a spaceship would be pretty much reasonable." Clark shrugged. 

Lex's eyes narrowed. 

"You can't have it both ways, Lex. You can't tell me you're seeing strange, otherworldly things then accuse Lana of going off the deep end for saying the same things. Which is it?" 

Lex smiled. "I suppose everyone's mind plays tricks on them in traumatic situations. I guess I'm not immune, myself." 

And Clark was sure of it then. Lex had something. Something big enough to make him back off the idea of seeing Clark in the caves. Maybe something as big as a spaceship. 

"Whatever you think you saw or Lana didn't," Clark began, not hiding his anger now. "I think you should back off her. I don't know what you did to make her think she owes you, but..." 

"Whatever you think, I am helping Lana. And if you want to know why she might owe me, you'll have to ask her. I promised I wouldn't tell. You're not the only one with secrets." 

Clark had asked her. She'd been especially cagey about that. And he'd like to think that none of this was his concern, that he could now let Lex do what he would and Lana... Well, he himself owed Lana there. He owed her a clear end to things and maybe he could also set her on a path away from Lex. He had to figure this out... 

Clark stared Lex down. "I never was." 

"How many ways do I have to prove myself to you, Clark? When is it enough?" 

"Maybe when you actually stop. Why don't you ask yourself that same question? You have all the power and money and control a person could want," Clark said tiredly. "It's a damned shame that's never enough." 

He moved around the car, just done. He'd have to figure out what to do about Lex, about Lana, about this spaceship that he was damned sure hadn't just disappeared. And he was not figuring it out alone, damn Chloe! 

He stopped before Lois, leaning against a potted tree he supposed was going to replace some of the many destroyed ones that had been cleared off Main. 

She gestured down the street and muttered something around a mouthful. 

"What?" 

Lois rolled her eyes and swallowed. "Your girlfriend went that way." 

He straightened up, nodding. "Where?" He started after her. That's right. Girlfriend! Even Lois knew! He suddenly had a new appreciation for Lois. 

Lois stepped in front of him. "Not saying." 

He sighed. He'd had a feeling that new appreciation would be short-lived. 

"That girl is five kinds of mixed up and don't you think I don't know why." 

"What did she tell you? Because my side is actually..." 

"Calm down. She didn't tell me anything. That girl's like Fort Knox with the weird little half-sentences and the rushing off. But I saw where the both of you came from and I think you should give her a sec." 

"You don't understand," Clark said frantically. "If she gets a second, she'll..." 

"She'll fume and brood and pace, later on, she'll be calm enough to actually listen. Jeez, I might know my cousin! You go after her now and I smell a fight." 

He stared down the street, knowing she was either home or at the school where a lot of the brainier helpers had converged today. He could find her easily. But maybe Lois was right. Maybe he should give her time to cool off. 

"Anyway, I'm sure you two can wait for the Barbecue." 

"What barbecue?" 

***************************** 

Clark had been to the odd Sullivan barbecue, but never had he seen Chloe as such a dedicated hostess. Every time he tried to talk to her, she needed to get chips or mustard or Mr. Kent looked like he needed a beer and did Mrs. Kent need anything? Wasn't she just so hospitable? It did make him angry, but not too angry as... Well, it had been a long time since he'd seen her dressed up and actually looked. Now she was wearing a yellow sundress and little hoop earrings and her hair was all clean and slightly curled and it made him wonder why the hell he'd never looked enough. 

He wondered if she smelled nice. He just bet she did. And he could find out if she'd just stop running for two seconds. He sighed and heard a snort beside him. 

He turned to see Lois, staring at him and chewing loudly. "What?" 

She swallowed and shrugged. "Nothing. Just kind of nice is all." 

"Yeah. Ribs smell great," he said dully. Now she was cleaning up! The ribs weren't even finished! 

"That, too. But it's good to see those sad cow-eyes aimed in the right direction, too. Hope she makes you work for it. As you were," she said before sauntering off to his parents at the grill with Mr. Sullivan, who seemed very animated about braising. 

So Lois knew. That had been clear before, but she didn't know his side of it. He wondered if he should tell her, get her on his side, then she could do something to make Chloe stop this month of hers. It was just one day in and he was already positive it was ridiculous. They'd already wasted more than four years, for crying out loud. Of course, that would have to be plan B. Plan A would be to talk to Chloe. If she would just let him. He'd tried everything for hours now. Countless stops and starts that all ended in her hostessing like the devil was on her heels. 

Well, he had a shot now. Her dad was clearly asking her to get something from the table. The very one he was sitting at. He took his time getting up as she suddenly lost her speed, trudging toward him like he was a math test. He had to make this count. He had to say something she could not interrupt or brush off. 

"Hey," she said with a wide and horribly false smile. "Dad just needs some plates for..." 

"Lex has a spaceship." 

"What?" She stilled as she grabbed the plates. 

"At least, I think he does," Clark said, leaning in. "We need to figure out what to do." He felt a little bad about using a very real concern to force her to talk to him, but it seemed to do the trick. 

"Hold on," she said, rushing off to her dad. But she stared at him the whole time before hurrying back. 

Gotcha! 

"Okay. I had some thoughts about that myself. Aliens don't come from nowhere." She took a chair. 

"Exactly." He leaned in a little, also feeling kind of like a lech for using this moment to smell her hair. But it smelled like lemon and coconuts, so it was worth it. "I think that's why he's trying to make sure no one listens to Lana about it. So no one's looking." 

"Did he find you today? He showed up here at the crack of dawn, you know." 

"He found me around lunch. Before, I was off with Dad, working... with tools," he said, still feeling kind of proud of that. He'd even got to use a sabre saw... for a little bit. And nobody was hurt.

She didn't seem impressed. "He kept asking these leading questions and making little mentions of the Yukon and the Arctic." 

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. He has no proof." 

"Well, I kept my cool. I was calm and collected and I gave him nothing to go on." 

"I... almost did. It just... I mean, he just got to me. First, he's talking about being friends again and I'm thinking it can really happen now. I don't have a secret." 

"Clark, that's not the only thing stopping a friendship with Lex these days." 

"I know that now. I think I knew it by the way he pretended not to remember where we were, waiting for me to mess up." He smiled. "He looked really disappointed when I made sure the cut on my lip opened up." 

"Clark..." She grasped his chin. "Well, he saw it now. Maybe he'll let up. But don't get any more cuts. Did you put something on it?" 

"I will. My mom has some of that yellow tin crap." 

"You know, you're going to have to actually take care of cuts now." She brushed her fingers lightly over a scrape on his chin. It felt nice. 

"Well, maybe you can doctor me up like before." 

She drew away. 

Damn it. Too soon. 

"Anyway, I questioned Lex right back," he said quickly, not wanting her to run off again. "Asked him if he saw anything strange. And I know he was lying. Every damned person in town saw the other Kryptonians. He had to have seen them, too." 

"Yes, well you took care of them," she whispered, leaning in again. 

"But not the ship. We need to figure out what he did with it. There's nothing he can do to me now." 

"Except the usual Luthor ruination." 

"He's not like Lionel was... or used to be, I guess. I think if we can figure out where he has it, there's got to be some way to destroy it or just... make it so he can't do anything with it. I might not exactly be an alien anymore, but that doesn't mean I want Lex fooling around with dangerous technology." 

"God, we need a plan," she muttered. 

"You don't have to," he said diffidently, though he hoped she would. Hell, he knew she would. But maybe he shouldn't ask her. "This is my mess to clean up and..." 

"And since when have you known me to sit back. I didn't do it when you weren't an alien... I mean, I guess you always were. But I won't do it now. This is my town, too, you know. And you will be absolutely lost without me running reconnaissance and you know it, so don't you even think..." 

"I won't," he said, finding himself grinning. "I swear." 

She took a deep breath. "I think we're going to have to figure out how to help Lana, too." 

Damn it. Clark wasn't ready for this. Well, he had been. But with prepared speeches. He was supposed to be the one to bring it up, not her. Okay. He could still get this right. Chloe, what you saw wasn't what you thought. He'd try that one. "Chloe, what you saw..." 

"I think this is a good thing. She's... she needs someone to ground her. She needs you right now."

No. no, no... "Yes, she needs us, as her friends, to help her through this," he said carefully. He had a responsibility there. He didn't think he could just be happy that he had nothing to hide and go about his life, but the meteor showers, both of them, had everything to do with him. And fixing the mess they left was his responsibility. And that mess included Lana. But not like that."I think, if the both of us, as her friends..." 

"Clark, I've been telling you all along. What happened between us was just... I don't know. It was a combination of survivor gratitude and unresolved tension, which I think we have successfully resolved." She stood up. "You know, I should get some marshmallows. I promised Lois we'd do s'mores and..." 

He stood as well, stepping close to her. "No. You're not doing this, Chloe. Not this time," he said firmly. "I was there to break up with her." 

"And you didn't," Chloe hissed. "And I don't blame you. I told you I wouldn't do that this time. I meant it, Clark. You still have feelings for Lana and she needs you and I am fine with..." 

"I'm not fine with it," he cut in angrily. "Yes. I have feelings for Lana. But they aren't the same feelings and I... I'm going to end things. I just... I need to be careful. She's in a bad place with the new shower and Lex and..." 

"And you need to be there for her." 

"But not in that way," he insisted. "Maybe I haven't figured out how to explain things to Lana yet, but I will." 

"You don't have to. I told you..." 

"Hey, Sweetie?" Her father called out. "Can you help me get this on the table?" 

"Sure, Daddy," she called out, eyes on Clark for a little too long before she turned away. "Oh, look at all this," she said with forced cheer. "We'll never finish." 

"Speak for yourself," Lois said. "I want ribs and chicken, Uncle Gabe." 

"All you kids," Martha said. "Your eyes are always too big for your stomachs." 

"My money's on Lois," Jonathon said on a laugh. "I've seen her pack it away." 

"Dad would know, too," Chloe giggled. "He used to do pancake-eating contests after our sleepovers." 

"I always won," Lois said proudly. 

Gabe chuckled. "Chloe was always too busy begging me for just a little sip of my coffee." He pulled Chloe in. "You're being so helpful today, Honey." 

Clark stood off to the side, feeling left-out of this happy gathering... not that anyone was excluding him. He just wasn't happy. But, damn it, he would be. She gave him a month and he'd use it. He'd stop Lex. He'd help Lana. And he'd get the girl! 

"Clark, what do you want?" His mom gestured him over. "I can make you a plate." 

"Mom, sit down. I'll make you one. Here, Chloe, let me help you." He smiled as hers dropped, grabbing the potato salad from her. "You know what?" he whispered. "Twenty-nine days to go." 

PREVIOUS PART
PART THIRTY-TWO

I'm thinking hard, as I plot what things change, as you know. The question of Lex was a bit easier. With Clark's vulnerability visible to him along with him not having confirmation Chloe was in the Arctic now, he has less to go on and rather than play with meteor mutants from Belle Reve and spy on Clark, I think he'd be more focused on the spaceship and the town's possible new crop of freaks. So I'll be using Mortal in the next chapter (as I've done in this one) as more of a character guide than a plot guide. You can see I had alternate versions of the conversations in Mortal above, though as far a timeline goes, this would be weeks before Mortal. 

But I contend that a Clark that was with Chloe would not be so happily unconcerned about being Mortal, considering how much they saved the town together even before she knew. I think that a Clark that was with Chloe would be more concerned about cleaning up the mess left over and even feel a bit responsible for it. In another words, he wouldn't be a dumb-ass.