Chlark Fanfic: The Fallen Sky, Chapter 17
So sorry for the delay in this update, peeps! The chapter's a bit short...but at least, it's something. And I'm working hard on the next two chapters.
Enjoy. Amazing banner by ellashy.
Title: The Fallen Sky
Author: BabyDee1
Pairing: Chlark, Oneshot
Rating: NC17 (this chapter PG)
Warnings: Angst; ***character death/loss of a child***
Timeline: Season 8 (Hex - Doomsday) Season 9 (My version)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: Months after walking away from her in Doomsday, Clark returns to Chloe…but finds that she’s a changed woman from the one he left behind.
Feedback: …always welcome. :-)
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Previously: “ I never want to see you again, Clark. Don’t visit me, don’t call me… don’t come near me again, ever.”
Chapter 17
A Face from the Past
Chloe stared numbly at the door long after Clark had made his exit.
He was back. Just like that, he was back. No announcement, no warning…just back.
Her heart began to beat frantically until it threatened to burst through her chest, and she started to tremble violently.
Clark had walked into her life again. And even though she’d maintained a stony exterior whilst he’d been here, every torrid emotion she’d ever felt for him had bubbled right up to the surface, like a cold can of soda being popped on a hot day.
Chloe’s breath came in short, quick pants, and her knees threatened to give way beneath her. Quickly she sank into the nearest available chair and rested her head in her hands while she tried to get her hyperventilation under control. It took longer than she’d expected.
After the death of her little boy, she’d mothballed every emotion in her body, determined never to feel for anyone ever again. And yet, the one person to unlock her heart was the one person she hated more than anyone else on earth. It was a betrayal of the worst kind, and she hated him for having that effect on her after everything he’d done. But more than that, she hated herself for her weakness and her apparent utter inability to remain indifferent to Clark Kent.
With shaky fingers, she picked up her cell and dialled the only number on her speed dial. Somebody had some explaining to do.
***
“Chloe!” the other person greeted cheerfully after three rings. “Perfect timing. I was just about to call you-”
“Clark’s back,” Chloe interrupted curtly. “Did you know?”
There was a pregnant silence for several seconds. “Wow,” was the eventual reply. “No; no, I had no idea.”
“So you didn’t give him my address?”
“Clark’s never needed an address to find you, Chloe,” was the response. “Are you okay?”
“Do I sound okay?” she snapped, her voice rising hysterically. “Eight months, eight whole months: no word. Nothing. Then out of the blue he just shows up here, and expects me to run into his arms? Who does that? Who the hell does he think he is?”
It suddenly occurred to her that she was screaming. She paused for breath and breathed deeply, embarrassed by her mini-tirade.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I just…I don’t know where that came from.”
“It’s alright,” was the solemn reply. “It was bound to happen.”
“I guess; but you shouldn’t bear the brunt of my ill-feelings towards Clark,” she said tritely. “I really am sorry.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it. At least you’ve gotten it out of your system now,” her friend replied. “Feeling better?”
Chloe took deep breaths, and eventually nodded. “I’ll be alright.”
“What happened while he was there?” the voice on the other end asked. “Did you tell him? About…?”
Chloe swallowed. “Yes.”
“How much?”
“Just the basics.”
“Chloe, you shouldn’t be on your own; reliving something like that-”
“I’m fine.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” her friend asked. “Come to think of it, is he okay?”
“Him?” Chloe echoed in disbelief. “Why do you care about his feelings?”
“Because you’re both my friends, and that’s a pretty heavy bombshell you’ve just dropped on him,” the other person pointed out gently. “Maybe I should talk to him.”
Chloe shrugged. “You can do whatever you want.”
“He’s going to have all sorts of questions-”
“…and you have my permission to answer them,” she replied. “But I don’t want him knowing my son’s name, or where I buried him.”
“Chloe, he was Clark’s son, too-”
“Don’t tell him,” she said sternly, enunciating every word.
There was a heavy sigh. Then: “If that’s what you want-”
“That’s what I want.”
“Alright,” her friend conceded. “I’ll call you later, okay? Just take deep breaths; you’ll be fine. I’ll let you know how I get on.”
***
One minute, he was a father. The next, his child was dead.
Clark wandered around Metropolis in an aimless daze, finally sitting down at an empty bus stop. He still hadn’t fully processed everything Chloe had told him; it was like stepping into a bad dream, and discovering he’d never be able to wake up.
There was so much he wanted - no, needed to know about his baby. What was his name? Who did he look like, or rather, who had he looked like? What had been his birth weight? The seed of emptiness in his heart grew with every question that he didn’t have an answer to, and the only person who could tell him everything he wanted to know couldn’t stand the sight of him.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. He reached into his pocket for his cell, intending to leave Chloe a deeply apologetic message, when he saw that he already had a message waiting on his phone.
I have answers for you, it read. Woodberry Park, West Topeka. 15mins.
He stared at the message and frowned. Clearly it wasn’t from Chloe; yes, she was the only person who knew he was back, but it made no sense for her to schedule a meeting in a town that was two hours away. The only person in Topeka with his cell number was Pete Ross. If Pete knew what had happened and could give him the information he needed, maybe he’d be able to find some closure.
Clark got to his feet and cast a furtive glance around. He had no idea where Woodberry Park was, but he was about to find out.
***
He got to Topeka in three minutes, and found the park not long after that.
It was a lovely park, with well-kept grounds and a pleasant little lake in the centre that was probably teeming with ducks in the summer. Today, the icy water was bare, and he found himself the sole occupant of the sprawling gardens. Not surprising; most folks just didn’t hop out for a walk on New Year’s Day.
He leaned on a wrought iron fence and stared out over the still water, his mind fully occupied with thoughts of the child that was lost to him. So deep in thought was he that he missed the approaching footsteps, and was completely unaware he had company until he heard a familiar voice speak behind him.
“Long time no see.”
Startled, he spun around and stared into a face he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.
The face broke into a warm smile.
“Hello, Clark.”
Clark swallowed his surprise and finally managed to find his voice to reply.
“Hello, Lana.”
***
Chapter 18…
Enjoy. Amazing banner by ellashy.
Title: The Fallen Sky
Author: BabyDee1
Pairing: Chlark, Oneshot
Rating: NC17 (this chapter PG)
Warnings: Angst; ***character death/loss of a child***
Timeline: Season 8 (Hex - Doomsday) Season 9 (My version)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: Months after walking away from her in Doomsday, Clark returns to Chloe…but finds that she’s a changed woman from the one he left behind.
Feedback: …always welcome. :-)
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Previously: “ I never want to see you again, Clark. Don’t visit me, don’t call me… don’t come near me again, ever.”
Chapter 17
A Face from the Past
Chloe stared numbly at the door long after Clark had made his exit.
He was back. Just like that, he was back. No announcement, no warning…just back.
Her heart began to beat frantically until it threatened to burst through her chest, and she started to tremble violently.
Clark had walked into her life again. And even though she’d maintained a stony exterior whilst he’d been here, every torrid emotion she’d ever felt for him had bubbled right up to the surface, like a cold can of soda being popped on a hot day.
Chloe’s breath came in short, quick pants, and her knees threatened to give way beneath her. Quickly she sank into the nearest available chair and rested her head in her hands while she tried to get her hyperventilation under control. It took longer than she’d expected.
After the death of her little boy, she’d mothballed every emotion in her body, determined never to feel for anyone ever again. And yet, the one person to unlock her heart was the one person she hated more than anyone else on earth. It was a betrayal of the worst kind, and she hated him for having that effect on her after everything he’d done. But more than that, she hated herself for her weakness and her apparent utter inability to remain indifferent to Clark Kent.
With shaky fingers, she picked up her cell and dialled the only number on her speed dial. Somebody had some explaining to do.
***
“Chloe!” the other person greeted cheerfully after three rings. “Perfect timing. I was just about to call you-”
“Clark’s back,” Chloe interrupted curtly. “Did you know?”
There was a pregnant silence for several seconds. “Wow,” was the eventual reply. “No; no, I had no idea.”
“So you didn’t give him my address?”
“Clark’s never needed an address to find you, Chloe,” was the response. “Are you okay?”
“Do I sound okay?” she snapped, her voice rising hysterically. “Eight months, eight whole months: no word. Nothing. Then out of the blue he just shows up here, and expects me to run into his arms? Who does that? Who the hell does he think he is?”
It suddenly occurred to her that she was screaming. She paused for breath and breathed deeply, embarrassed by her mini-tirade.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I just…I don’t know where that came from.”
“It’s alright,” was the solemn reply. “It was bound to happen.”
“I guess; but you shouldn’t bear the brunt of my ill-feelings towards Clark,” she said tritely. “I really am sorry.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it. At least you’ve gotten it out of your system now,” her friend replied. “Feeling better?”
Chloe took deep breaths, and eventually nodded. “I’ll be alright.”
“What happened while he was there?” the voice on the other end asked. “Did you tell him? About…?”
Chloe swallowed. “Yes.”
“How much?”
“Just the basics.”
“Chloe, you shouldn’t be on your own; reliving something like that-”
“I’m fine.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” her friend asked. “Come to think of it, is he okay?”
“Him?” Chloe echoed in disbelief. “Why do you care about his feelings?”
“Because you’re both my friends, and that’s a pretty heavy bombshell you’ve just dropped on him,” the other person pointed out gently. “Maybe I should talk to him.”
Chloe shrugged. “You can do whatever you want.”
“He’s going to have all sorts of questions-”
“…and you have my permission to answer them,” she replied. “But I don’t want him knowing my son’s name, or where I buried him.”
“Chloe, he was Clark’s son, too-”
“Don’t tell him,” she said sternly, enunciating every word.
There was a heavy sigh. Then: “If that’s what you want-”
“That’s what I want.”
“Alright,” her friend conceded. “I’ll call you later, okay? Just take deep breaths; you’ll be fine. I’ll let you know how I get on.”
***
One minute, he was a father. The next, his child was dead.
Clark wandered around Metropolis in an aimless daze, finally sitting down at an empty bus stop. He still hadn’t fully processed everything Chloe had told him; it was like stepping into a bad dream, and discovering he’d never be able to wake up.
There was so much he wanted - no, needed to know about his baby. What was his name? Who did he look like, or rather, who had he looked like? What had been his birth weight? The seed of emptiness in his heart grew with every question that he didn’t have an answer to, and the only person who could tell him everything he wanted to know couldn’t stand the sight of him.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. He reached into his pocket for his cell, intending to leave Chloe a deeply apologetic message, when he saw that he already had a message waiting on his phone.
I have answers for you, it read. Woodberry Park, West Topeka. 15mins.
He stared at the message and frowned. Clearly it wasn’t from Chloe; yes, she was the only person who knew he was back, but it made no sense for her to schedule a meeting in a town that was two hours away. The only person in Topeka with his cell number was Pete Ross. If Pete knew what had happened and could give him the information he needed, maybe he’d be able to find some closure.
Clark got to his feet and cast a furtive glance around. He had no idea where Woodberry Park was, but he was about to find out.
***
He got to Topeka in three minutes, and found the park not long after that.
It was a lovely park, with well-kept grounds and a pleasant little lake in the centre that was probably teeming with ducks in the summer. Today, the icy water was bare, and he found himself the sole occupant of the sprawling gardens. Not surprising; most folks just didn’t hop out for a walk on New Year’s Day.
He leaned on a wrought iron fence and stared out over the still water, his mind fully occupied with thoughts of the child that was lost to him. So deep in thought was he that he missed the approaching footsteps, and was completely unaware he had company until he heard a familiar voice speak behind him.
“Long time no see.”
Startled, he spun around and stared into a face he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.
The face broke into a warm smile.
“Hello, Clark.”
Clark swallowed his surprise and finally managed to find his voice to reply.
“Hello, Lana.”
***
Chapter 18…