Title: Alternate Abyss
Fandom: Smallville
Pairings: Chloe/Clark (implied), Chloe/Jimmy (one-sided), Chloe/Davis (one-sided), Garth/Imra
Rating: PG
Warnings/Spoilers: AU. Spoilers for S8 EP9 Abyss plus some EP10 Bride/EP 11 Legion in the latter parts.
Summary: Silently, Jor-El disagrees with his son and didn't do exactly what Clark had wanted.
Notes: Written for
sv100 prompt memory and written for
100_tales prompt writer's choice. I know a lot of people was disappointed about what happened to Chloe at the end of the episode Abyss - I was too, which was what actually inspired this drabble of series. There will hopefully be more, but I just don't know when or how long it will take to write it. If anyone could think of a better name, that would be helpful - mine isn't too creative. New A/N: Finally got around to finishing this WIP fic. Even though the prompt is WAY over at SV100… I still feel like working with the 100 words limit per section (sorry!).
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...Table... ]
1
“Chloe Sullivan,” the voice surrounded her. The voice sounded so familiar, but not. Chloe turned around in the black emptiness, she found a man standing there. He was dressed oddly, in strange garments not of Earth - that was definite. He looked so much like Clark, that she knew instantly who he was.
“Jor-El,” Chloe stated. The man nodded.
“I have given back your memories that were written over from Brainiac, as my son requested.” Chloe grinned at that, but his frown paused her joy. “However he chose to have you not remember his powers.”
Shocked, Chloe stared in disbelief, “Why?”
2
“Kal-El wanted to protect you so that something like this wouldn’t happen again, but I know from seeing your memories that it should be your choice and your choice alone.” Jor-El stated, firmly.
Chloe could barely believe this was the man Clark described to her. Then again, she wasn’t that important to him as Clark.
Jor-El interrupted her thoughts, “Not true.”
“What?”
“In the words of my son, you have saved him more times then he has you. If it hadn’t been for you, Kal-El would not have finally embraced his destiny. Because of this, I’m giving you a choice.”
3
Chloe stared at the manifested figure of her best friend’s real father that was in her mind. He was giving her a choice to forget his son or remember him. It wasn’t that difficult choice, surprisingly, but something held her back from saying her choice.
“What do you want in return?” Chloe asked, finally.
Jor-El smiled, “I wish for you to promise to keep my son safe and keep him on the right track towards his destiny chosen for him.”
Cautious, Chloe asked, “That’s it?”
“No. If you chose my son and the memories, you must leave the Jimmy Olsen.”
4
Chloe steadily thought over her choices.
She loved Jimmy, she knew, and she knew that she would get a second chance at having a relative normal life with him. Maybe she would even become a reporter again… she didn’t know though. But her heart and mind were screaming for her to chose Clark. She knew of course if she’d chose Jimmy, that she and Clark would always be friends so she wasn’t afraid of losing him.
Not exactly anyway.
Clark was one of the most important people to her, and knowing about his secrets?
She wouldn’t trade that for anything.
5
“You’ve chosen,” Jor-El stated.
“Yes… please let me keep my memories,” Chloe stated and a small smile lit up Jor-El’s face as he moved closer to her. Closing her eyes, she felt Jor-El press his hand against her forehead and all she could see was bright light.
Information she didn’t know, memories that had been hidden from her before thanks to the side-affects of the meteor-rocks were lifted. And information about Krypton that no one on earth knew but Clark and Kara. Her power was back, she could feel it, but she also felt more power then her healing ability.
6
Chloe opened her eyes and found that she was still in her mind, Jor-El facing her. The intense glow faded away from their bodies as his hand pulled away.
“You remember everything, now.” Jor-El stated. “And everything that can and will help Kal-El with his destiny.”
“I can feel my healing ability… but I feel something else too,” Chloe stated softly, barely believing she could feel her power - something she was never able to do.
“You now carry Kryptonian blood through your veins, and with that the same abilities as my son.”
“I have Clark’s abilities?” Chloe asked, dazed.
“Yes.”
7
Clark waited patiently as Jor-El worked to correct Chloe’s memories. He couldn’t help but feel as if he was losing the best thing that happened to his life. Clark knew though, that he chosen the right choice. Chloe would always be endangered if she knew of his abilities. He knew he was selfish to even keep her as his friend but he couldn’t imagine a life without Chloe.
Clark was pulled out of his thoughts by Jor-El.
“She will awaken once you go back.” Jor-El stated. Clark smiled, and picked her up in his arms.
“Thank you.”
“Your welcome, Kal-El.”
8
“Chloe, I’m so glad you remember me!” Jimmy said, wrapping his arms around her. “I was so afraid we’d lost you.”
Chloe grimaced as Jimmy held her. She hated herself for breaking his heart after this whole thing, but if she learned anything about Jor-El - do not delay his orders. Pulling away as quickly as possible, Chloe started. “Jimmy, we need to talk.”
“Why?” Jimmy stared at her in confusion. Grimacing again, she knew this would be hard. He had no idea what she was about to do to him.
“This episode,” Chloe started, unsure how to start. “Changed me.”
9
“You’re breaking off the wedding and with being with me because of your memory problem? Chloe you’re fine now - the doctors billed you a clean health. You remember everything. I love you… you love me, why are you breaking up with me?” His face was contorted in pain and anguish.
Chloe shook her head, “No, it not because my memory episode yesterday. I do love you… I’ve just been denying the actual type of love I felt for you.” Chloe tried to explain, it was true though - she didn’t lie.
“You love Clark, right?”
Chloe nodded sadly. “I’m sorry, Jimmy.”
10
Chloe walked up the steps to Clark’s fortress, and found Clark looking out of the window. Clark turned around with a smile.
“Hey Chlo, how’re you doing?”
“Never better,” Chloe stated, studying him quietly. So far, Clark had no idea that Jor-El hadn’t stolen the memories that would have made her forget his abilities. “I need to speak with you.”
Clark’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I remember everything,” Chloe stated, causing his eyes to widen in confusion. “Jor-El allowed me to chose for myself if I was willing to risk my life. You can’t get rid of me that easy.”
11
“I wasn’t trying to get rid of you, Chloe,” Clark said, trying to explain. Chloe stopped him with her hand up.
“I know Clark, it’s just a figure of speech,” Chloe stated with a smirk. “I know you wanted to protect me, but Clark with or without knowing your abilities, my life would be anything but normal. Trust me, I’m a lot safer knowing your secret then not knowing it.”
Clark still looked guilty. “I’m sorry, Chloe.”
“I know, but don’t be Clark. Thanks to Jor-El, I can take care of myself now.”
Clark looked at her in confusion, “What?”
12
“He told you that you now have Kryptonian blood running through your blood?” Clark asked, disbelief still in his voice. They sat on the couch as Chloe explained everything that Jor-El had unlocked and gave her. Chloe nodded, knowing it wasn’t really a question. “Why hadn’t he done that with my dad when he gave him powers to take me home years ago?”
Chloe shrugged, “I don’t know… I don’t have the answer to that question, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, Chloe, I’m just a little confused right now.”
Chloe smiled, teasingly, “I can see that, Clark.”
Clark glared playfully back.
13
“Clark it was my decision, and it was a pretty damn easy one,” Chloe stated firmly as she watched his face contort in anguish when he found out Jor-El asked her to leave Jimmy. “I had been pretending the whole time that I loved him like I should have… but I knew the instant Jor-El asked me to choose what I had been doing. I feel bad for doing this to him. But I don’t regret it, Clark. You’re more important to me then anything, and I’m here for you. Always.”
Clark smiled, “I’ll be here for you too. Always.”
14
“How did Jimmy take it?” Clark asked, finally. Chloe glanced up at him and smiled sadly.
“Rather well, I think… I hadn’t even told him why I broke the wedding off before he realized it was--” Chloe cleared her throat, and tried to change the subject. She didn’t want Clark to blame himself or find out how much she still loved him. “Anyway, the hard part is calling everyone and telling them that the wedding is off. Lois will be thrilled of course.”
“Yeah,” Clark said, remembering Lois’s speech. He couldn’t help but feel relieved she wasn’t marrying Jimmy.
15
Chloe sat beside Clark on his couch, her legs curled up underneath her and her head resting against Clark’s shoulder. Chloe smiled at the feel of how perfect everything seemed to be at the moment - like this was supposed to be how it was, just the two of them. Despite how it happened, she couldn’t help but be a little grateful that Brainiac had done what he did with her memories. Because if he hadn’t, she doubted Jor-El would have given her a chance to choose to keep her memory of Clark catching that car. And she cherished that memory.
16
“Clark?” Chloe asked, a sudden thought coming to her. Clark faced her with a look of confusion at how her voice sounded worried. “Do you think Brainiac’s ‘awakening’ in my body had anything to do with the appearance of Zod’s wife? I mean, that was when I started losing my memories.”
Clark eyebrow furrowed in worry, “I don’t know, but that is rather reasonable.”
“If so,” Chloe started, frowning, “what did he have planned?”
“I don’t know, but Jor-El might know.”
Chloe’s lips quirked, “Then we’ll ask him.”
“We?” Clark asked surprised.
“Come on, I want to practice my superspeed!”
17
Clark let out a laugh, and complied with Chloe as she pulled him up with her. It was no longer took hard to pull him up, not with her super strength ability now. Clark grinned at this, it was nice to be pulled without worrying that the person would either hurt him or end up hurting themselves.
“Come on, it’s your turn to teach me how to work your powers,” Chloe said, the memory of Clark’s amnesia incident popping to her mind.
Clark grinned as he took Chloe’s hand in his before they both sped toward his Fortress of Solitude.
18
“When my memories were being deleted, I kept seeing the Kryptonian symbol of doom, what does that mean?” Chloe asked, with Clark standing beside her.
“The symbol for doom represents the ultimate destroyer. A Kryptonian creature bred for a single purpose... to kill. It adapts and evolves to any attack. It is virtually unstoppable, and it appears its made it's way to Earth.” Jor-El answered, gravely. Chloe glanced over to Clark, worried.
“I don’t care how powerful it is. I’ll take it on like everything else.”
“I’m here for you, my son.”
“So am I,” Chloe added, squeezing his hand.
19
“Thank you, Father,” Clark stated for the first time. He glanced down to Chloe and grinned down at her, despite the seriousness of the situation. He couldn’t help it. Chloe was by his side, memories intact. And with Jor-El and Chloe on his side he felt he could take on anything. Chloe grinned, squeezing his hand.
“Let’s go home?” Chloe suggested, Clark nodded. Smiling, she turned to face away from Clark, “Thank you Jor-El… for everything.”
“You are most welcome, Chloe Sullivan.” Jor-El’s voice stated. Chloe grinned before speeding out of the fortress towards the farm with Clark beside her.
20
“Kal-El!” Jor-El’s voice filled the air with utter pain. Brianiac laughed as he began to infect the whole Fortress of Solitude. The crystals turned black, and so did everything else. On the floor in the middle of the Fortress now had the Kryptonian symbol of Doom. The room now held no memory of what it once was for it was taken over by Brainiac.
“Your son is destined to fail. Soon a new age will dawn on Earth. An age of power and strength, and the fall of the House of El...” Brainiac continued to sinisterly laugh. “Doomsday is coming.”
21
“Chloe?”
“Hey Davis,” Chloe stated, “I wanted to let you know that you didn’t have to worry about canceling for my wedding.”
“Why?”
“I realized Jimmy and I aren’t right for each other,” Davis’s face filled with joy. “The wedding was called off.”
“Good,” Davis stated with a smile, “because I couldn’t watch you get married to wrong man.”
“Davis, I know there was some attraction when we first met, I felt it too, but you’re my friend, and always will be.”
“But when you lost your memories-”
“I don’t know why, but its not because of what you think.”
22
Davis stared in shock as Chloe walked away from him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Chloe grasped in surprise as he was able to pull her to him. In his angered state he didn’t notice it however - he just focused on what he wanted.
Her.
He loved her… he knew it… since the first moment he saw her. He had to prove to her that they had to be together. So he did the only thing he could think of.
He kissed her.
Chloe’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief before pushing him away from her.
23
“Davis! What was that?” Chloe voiced loudly, backing away from him.
“We have a connection Chloe!” Davis told her, he knew somehow that was true… they had to be. Why would she not forget him, but forget everyone else? Her family and her ex-fiance and her best friend?
“We don’t have THAT kind of a connection, Davis.” Chloe stated, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we can see each other any more.”
“What? No!!” The anger and pain he felt at the second changed… into something more… something dangerous. Clutching his chest, Davis fell to the ground.
24
Chloe, concerned (despite the earlier kiss debacle), ran over to where Davis had collapsed to the ground. “Davis?!”
Davis looked up at her, but as she looked into his eyes she realized it wasn’t Davis any longer… or at least she hoped it wasn’t. Thorns began appearing on his face and his body - breaking his clothing - and his eyes… were blood red.
Just as suddenly as he collapsed, Davis wasn’t himself… but something bigger, dangerous and a whole lot of ugly. He wasn’t human.
Letting out a scream in shock, Chloe backed away completely forgetting about her new powers.
“Chloe…”
25
“Thank you,” Clark states hesitantly as he took the towel. Imra smiled at him reassuringly as her fellow Legionnaires take to looking around Clark’s barn. “So who are you guys… and how do you know that name?”
Garth grinned before the three time travelers told him why they had traveled back in time to save him. Clark listened carefully, shocked at how big of a presence he had made for the three young time travelers. After they explained, he thinks about Chloe and realizes that she was late for their training, she was still learning how to control her abilities.
26
“Chloe Sullivan?” Rokk questioned in confusion.
“Who is Chloe?” Imra asked and Clark stared at them in shock.
“What do you mean, who is Chloe? She’s my best friend… she’s--” Clark let out gasp as his name being screamed interrupted him. He could recognize that voice anywhere. Chloe. And she needed his help.
“Kal-El?” Garth asked in confusion at the look on Clark’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to go.” He stated before superspeeding towards Chloe’s voice. She shouldn’t need his help… not with her powers. Whatever it was, scared him - he needed to get to Chloe’s side. Now.
27
To his utter shock, the ground of the street where he just knew Chloe had been just seconds ago was crushed… and there was nothing but an ambulance around. Absolutely nothing. No Chloe.
He couldn’t find anything other than the crushed ground as an implication that Chloe had ever been on that street. Thoughts of what could have happened to her nearly drowned his thoughts… so much that he hadn’t noticed the Legion had arrived.
“Kal-El, what is wrong?”
Clark faced them, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. They said they knew everything about him… how could they not know Chloe?
28
“Chloe’s missing,” Imra stated softly, knowing that Clark couldn’t say anything to them. She felt Clark’s pain, knew that if either one of her friends had gone missing… especially if it was Garth. And if the thoughts coming from Clark now had any indication on how much Chloe Sullivan meant to him, then the history they all knew wasn’t correct… at least in assuming that Lois Lane would be the future Mrs. Kent.
Clark looked at her and from her voice knew she understood how he felt before glancing away. “I need to find her.”
Imra nodded, “We’ll help you.”
29
“Imra! We need to help Kal-El defeat Brainiac… with the Martian crystal destroyed, Kal-El won’t be able to defeat him without our help,” Garth stated firmly. Imra glanced over to her teammates, knowing that they didn’t understand what was going through Clark’s mind, they didn’t know how much Chloe meant to him.
“I don’t care… I need to find Chloe.” Clark stated firmly, Chloe was his first priority.
“We’ve never even heard of Chloe! She must have died during the process of defeating Brainiac,” Rokk stated angrily.
Clark could barely control his anger at him. “Chloe isn’t going to die.”
30
He didn’t wait to hear what else the others had to hear because at the moment, they didn’t matter. Chloe did.
So he went to the only place he could think to go…
The Fortress of Solitude.
However when he arrived nothing was what it had been like… it was dark and bitterly cold or at least that’s what he would assume due to the increase of wind pressure.
Clark’s hope at finding out where Chloe was decreased drastically as he studied the decaying Fortress. However as he turned around, he spotted the exact person he was looking for.
Chloe.
THE END.
I hope to write a sequel soon or more in this series that deals with the rest of S8 in this universe.