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Chlark Fanfic: Crisis, Chapter 19a
Yet another Crisis update, yay! Two half-chapters actually, because it was all too large to fit in one post. And then I really need to show some of my other WIPs some lurve; they've all been horribly neglected. :-(
Enjoy! I still love feedback - the more, the merrier! :-)
Title: Crisis
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlark/Kaloe
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13)
Warnings: None
Timeline: Season 2-3 (Exodus – Exile;
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: A violent encounter between Chloe and Clark threatens to destroy their friendship forever.
Feedback: …is love. J
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 19
Lana stared at him, shock and disbelief written all over her face. “Chloe?” she exclaimed hotly. “You’re passing me over for Chloe?”
“Chloe?” she screeched, ignoring him. He shrugged and folded his arms, waiting for her to say something over than Chloe’s name.
“How could you?” she cried. “Have you two been together all this time?”
“No,” he replied, starting to get annoyed. “I told you before, it’s not like-”
“What the hell does she have that I don’t?” she raged on. “I mean, she’s certainly not prettier than me!”
“She stole you from me!” she cried.
“I was never yours,” he shot back. “And for the record, she has no idea how I feel about her, so if you dare to give her any grief over this-”
“Are you threatening me?” she whispered menacingly, taking a step forward. “Over Chloe?”
“I’m telling you that if you do anything to hurt her, you’ll have me to answer to,” he replied stiffly. “She’s got enough going on in her life right now as it is.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Do you love her?” she whispered.
He paused. “All I know is that I care more about her happiness than I do about anyone’s,” he finally said.
“More than mine?”
He sighed deeply. “I didn’t want us to argue, Lana, and I’m sorry that I’ve upset you,” he said, his voice soft. “But I stand by what I said. I don’t want to be with you, and I don’t want you doing anything to upset Chloe.”
Lana glared at him for long moments. “So that’s it?” she said hollowly. “We’re over, just like that?”
Actually they’d barely begun, but he felt it would be a tad pedantic to point that out when she was in this mood.
“Yes,” was the simple reply.
She nodded stiffly. “Fine. And thank you, Clark. You’ve just made things so much easier for me.”
He frowned. “Easier?”
She didn’t answer. Instead she crossed the room in long strides and hurriedly gathered her notebooks before sweeping past him.
She was halfway down the stairs before she suddenly stopped and turned back. Quickly she climbed back up to the loft and snatched up her forgotten basket of muffins. Then she gave him a frosty glare before heading back down the stairs.
Just as well, he thought with a wry smile as her retreating pink form stomped out of the barn. He didn’t like any of those muffins, anyway.
***
“I love you, Chloe.”
Oh God, no. Chloe shut her eyes and held out a pleading hand.
“Pete, please don’t say anymore, I beg you-”
“If I don’t say something now, I never will,” he said bluntly. “I love you.”
“No,” she pleaded, but he went on.
“I can’t help how I feel about you any more than you can help how you feel about
Despondently, she shook her head. “I’m damaged goods, Pete,” she replied glumly. “I'm a mess, I'm...I'm broken. You really don’t want to take a chance on me, and…well, honestly I wouldn't wish myself on anyone right now.”
“Chloe, don't you get it?” he said earnestly. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted. And I’m not naïve, I know you don’t love me back, not yet-”
“And I never will!” she said, feeling terrible for hurting him. “Oh Pete, please try to understand…”
But he was undeterred. “Things change, Chloe; people change,” he said hopefully. “I can wait for you to get over this…”
“No.”
“Just a hint of a chance, that’s all I need,” he begged. “Not even a whole chance. It would mean the world to me. Please, Chloe…”
Chloe shook her head and took his hand. “I’m sorry, Pete,” she sobbed. “I don’t love you. I wish I could, but I can’t.”
He exhaled deeply. “Are you sure?” he said quietly. “There's absolutely no hope for me, for us?"
She shook her head, completely downcast. "No. I can't give you what you want, but I will always be your friend, Pete. Always.”
Pete stared at her hands holding his, and then lifted them to his lips for a brief kiss. Then he raised his gaze to her, and gave her a sad smile.
“I’m afraid friendship is 'grossly disproportionate' to what I wish you could feel for me,” he said. “But that’s life, I guess. I love you, you love him.”
She shook her head fiercely. “I don’t love him.”
“Yes, you do,” he said gently, stroking her cheek. “In spite of everything, you still do, and that’s why you’re really torturing him, because you want to hate him, but you can’t.”
She didn’t want to acknowledge that his words might be true. “Pete, you’ll find somebody…”
“I wanted you, Baby Girl, not just anyone," he said with a sad smile. "And you're a really tough act to follow."
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, but he put a finger over her lips.
"Don't be," he hushed. "You’ve got nothing to apologise for."
He dropped his hand and walked towards the door of the torch, stopping when he got there.
"Goodbye, Chloe," he said, his hand on the doorjamb. "For what it's worth, I always loved you."
***
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Poor Pete. Ireally feel for the guy, but this has to have been the worst point in time to ask for a relationship. I'm sure if he really knew all of the details he may have held off. You have written him so sweetly.
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Out of everyone in this story I think Pete is the only one to come out unscathed; like everyone else he's dealing with serious issues, but he's managing his situation well, whilst the others are having a terrible time handling theirs!
Thanks so much for your lovely comments! :)
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And this line: She nodded stiffly. “Fine. And thank you, Clark. You’ve just made things so much easier for me.” Why do I feel like this has something to do with Lionel Luthor?
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Glad you like, hon!
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Ohh and I'm finally begining to get it, I mean the reason why Clark couldn't control Kal-El, could it be because he on some level secretly wanted it because he's in love with her. Not that it justify it in any way, but still it's makes somewhat sense. Or am I wrong??
Anywhooo loved the chapter, you always amaze me with your writing..;)))
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To answer your question, no. Clark wasn't actually saying he loved Chloe; he was trying to point out to Lana that Chloe was more important to him, but Lana took it personally and he couldn't be arsed to correct her.
Hope that makes sense! :)
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Poor Pete :(
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Trufax!
"Poor Pete :("
Ditto. :-(
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Poor Pete, he's such a good guy.Just doesn't have a lot taste in picking women who aren't in love with other guys.
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Absolutely! KK portrayed Lana perfectly as a pampered, slightly vacuous girl who people had probably treated with care because she’d lost her parents at an early age. As such, she developed an idealised view of love and relationships with no real depth. Pretty on the outside, not so much going on in the head. Kristin, however, is an intelligent young woman and is extremely nice in person, which goes well with her natural beauty. And she’s a better actress than I thought, I must admit. :-)
“Poor Pete, he's such a good guy. Just doesn't have a lot taste in picking women who aren't in love with other guys. ”
That’s often the way, isn’t it? Hence Al & Miles’s incurable hard-on for Love Triangles. Which they never handled properly. *bristles*
Glad you like, babes! :-)
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Especially not with what Pete just told her! How tough will that be to be around him as only a friend, knowing he wants so much more? The possible loss of yet another friend when she needs them more than ever!
And the same goes for Pete; his life filled with such uncertainty is also now alone!
You've captured their turmoil so well, Dee! Most excellent writing.
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That second paragraph above is about Chloe, although after reading after I posted it, it looks like I'm referring to Lana.
Sorry, it's late...
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Very bad marketing ploy, methinks! And it's good that Clark's seeing her true colours; makes it easier for him to give her the boot. :-P
"Especially not with what Pete just told her! How tough will that be to be around him as only a friend, knowing he wants so much more? The possible loss of yet another friend when she needs them more than ever!"
Chloe's entire life seems to be crumbling all around her, and she's pointing the finger of blame in one direction: Clark. :-/
"And the same goes for Pete; his life filled with such uncertainty is also now alone!"
My dear, sweet Pete! Such terrible timing, though it's not his fault as he doesn't know the full story behind Chlark's animosity.
"You've captured their turmoil so well, Dee! Most excellent writing."
Thanks, Mari! Always happy to entertain you. And I love late comments just as much as I do early ones. :-)
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You can only edit a cuddle if you have a paid account, I'm afraid. But the correction you posted immediately after has spelt everything out nicely, even though I already surmised you were talking about Chloe in the second paragraph. :-)
Thanks for the lovely comments, babes! :-D