Chlark Fanfic: Agenda, Chapter 32

[babydee1]

Runner by go_clo. 

Title:              Agenda
Author:          babydee1
Pairing:          Chlark
Rating:           NC-17 (mostly PG-13)
Warnings:     None 
Timeline:      Futurefic; follows Season 8’s Injustice & Failsday Doomsday 
Disclaimer:   All known characters belong to the CW & DC comics. 
Summary:     More than a decade after the Doomsday Rampage, Clark makes a shocking discovery that changes his life forever. 
Feedback:      …makes me squee. :-) 
 
Written for the 2011 smallvillebbang  long Fanfic challenge.  Many thanks to twinsarein  for all her tireless organisation and support!
 
Beta’ed by legendarytobes  & The Fallen Sky at KSite.
Art by sylvanelfmistre  & go_clo.
 
 
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
 
Chapter 32
 
 
Chloe’s mind and body whirled with the realisation that Clark’s first flight had been with her name on his lips…and coincided with the exact moment his child had drawn her first breath.
 
Gabriella had been born at dawn, on January 1st, 2010.
 
Tears streamed down her face as she literally soared with Clark out of the earth’s atmosphere and into outer space, and then she saw it: a gnarled wreck of a planet, hurtling towards earth and coming very close to obliterating the newly risen sun from the world’s surface.  Clark shot forward in a burst of superspeed and burrowed through the planet’s surface crust and deep into the heart of Apokolips.  With every shred of strength he could muster he steered the colossal land mass away from earth and didn’t stop moving until he’d directed it clean away from the Milky Way. 
 
Once it was sucked into the gravitational pull of an unpopulated galaxy, he emerged from its depths and returned to earth, landing softly on the same spot he’d taken off from.  There was a distinct change in the weather from that which had greeted him an hour ago when he’d emerged from the Fortress.  Gone was the ominous, unseasonable lightning and darkness.  The sun had risen and was shining brightly, oblivious to the extinction it had come so close to facing. 
 
Jor-El waved a hand over the console the hologram slowly dissipated, until she was once more standing in the crystalline Fortress of Solitude.  She slowly turned and stared at Jor-El, realising for the first time that the reprogrammed AI appeared to be capable of emotion.  The expression of fatherly pride on his face, so like his son’s, was unmistakable.  And when he spoke, his voice was full of feeling. 
 
“You may always feel regret that you didn’t have Kal-El by your side when your daughter was born, and for several years thereafter,” he said, his eyes glistening.  “But you can take comfort in the knowledge that your heartfelt sacrifice enabled him to make the world safe for you and your child.  You are the one who lives in Kal-El’s heart, Chloe.  You are the one who was destined to be his mate, and despite the interference of false suitors on both sides, you always found your way back to each other.” 
 
Chloe couldn’t hold back anymore.  Her shoulders heaved and she burst out crying, overcome with emotion. 
 
She’d always known.  From the moment she’d met Clark, her heart had gone out to him and there remained, never to belong to another.  Every single time he’d bypassed her and headed straight for Lana or some other beauty with flowing locks, she’d always believed deep down in her soul that he would find his way back to her, no matter how long it took.  Lana, Jimmy, Alicia, Davis…everyone who had come close to messing with hers and Clark’s destiny had been definitively removed from the picture by the hand of fate, until the two of them had remained.  And even though circumstance had kept them apart for years, they had finally united and come together as one. 
 
She wasn’t crazy for hoping and waiting years for Clark to fall in love with her.  She wasn’t foolish for believing that they had a future together.  She’d been on the right path all along.
 
She covered her face with her hands and wept, her whole tiny frame trembling from head to toe.  The AI stepped towards her and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders, and she was surprised to discover that he had something closely resembling a corporeal body. 
 
He took her hands and smiled.  “Even time itself could not keep you apart,” he said with affection.  “It separated you for a season, but when two halves of a whole are meant to come together as one, it’s an inevitable process.”  He lifted her hand and smiled at the bracelet glinting on her wrist.  “You are truly a wife of the House of El.  My son has chosen wisely; I could not have wished for a better mate for him.” 
 
Chloe smiled through her tears, thinking with amusement that she had just gotten the approval of the in-laws.  Jor-El gently wiped the last of her tears away and placed his hands on her shoulders. 
 
“Several years ago, you came to me with an impassioned plea to save Kal-El’s life,” he said.  “You said you loved him.  And I see that every decision you have made, no matter how painful, has been because of this.  Love will never lead you wrong, child.  It may take a difficult path, but the end result is always worth the pain of the journey.” 
 
Chloe chuckled and lifted her gaze to his.  “Gabby was right,” she sniffed.  “You are pretty cool.” 
 
The AI smiled.  “As is she,” was the warm reply.  “And you should return to your child and your mate, and be the family you so richly deserve.  Your days of pain are behind you now. ” 
 
Chloe nodded.  “I will.  And…thank you, Jor-El.  For everything.” 
 
He continued to smile, that eternally contented grin that seemed to know everything.  There is great joy and happiness in your future, Chloe Kal-El.  You will all have many more reasons to smile.”
 
Yep, she thought with a bemused smile as she pulled the octagonal disk out of her pocket and walked towards the Fortress’s portal.   Still as obtuse as ever. 
 
“Thank you for…enlightening me,” she said as she prepared to leave. 
 
“It was my pleasure, Chloe Kal-El.” 
 
Just before she inserted the key, she turned to face the solemn robed figure still standing by the console.   
 
“One last thing,” she said hesitantly.  “My name is…it’s Aerhys; Aerhys Kal-El.” 
 
A huge beam split the AI’s face, and he looked startlingly like Clark in that moment. 
 
“Indeed you are,” he simply said.  And with that, he shimmered and disappeared from sight.
 
***
 
Chloe quietly let herself into her home and quietly removed all her winter clothing.  She followed the sound of the TV into the living room, where she saw Gabby curled up on her father’s left side, both of them watching a re-run of an old gameshow. 
 
Her heart swelled with emotion and she had to fight hard to stop the tears from welling up again.  It had been so long since she was truly happy, and in the space of four short months, all of her dreams had come true. 
 
Clark turned and grinned as he saw her standing in the doorway.  “Hey, you,” he greeted warmly.  “Where you been?”
 
“I…went for a walk,” she finally replied. 
 
“Finally getting to know the neighbours?” Gabby chirped. 
 
Well, at least one of them, Chloe thought with a wry smile.  The New and Improved Jor-El had been a revelation, and she could see why Gabby was so taken with him. 
 
Clark beckoned her over with his right hand.  “C’mere.  There’s a shoulder here with your name on it.” 
 
She didn’t need a second invitation.  He held out his hand and she walked over and took it, clasping it tight as she settled down beside him and rested her head on his broad shoulder. 
 
Clark’s arm went around her shoulder and she relaxed, breathing deeply as peace finally settled within her hitherto troubled soul. 
 
“Chloe?” 
 
“Hmm?” 
 
She heard him swallow.   “Are you happy?” 
 
She tilted her face up to his and gave him a bright, joyous smile.  “Without a shadow of a doubt.” 
 
Her man’s face lit up in his trademark grin, and he brushed his lips over hers in a soft kiss.  “Ditto.” 
 
Gabby leaned forward and gave her a quick wink before settling back down on her father’s other side.  Chloe grinned as she turned to the TV and idly tried to concentrate on the trivia questions being fired at the contestants, but it was a harder task than she’d thought.  There was a feeling in her heart that the smile on her face was going to be there for a very, very long time. 
 
She finally had her Happy Ending.
 
***
 
Epilogue…

Comments

[mrs_roy.livejournal.com]

There will always be regret, when it comes to the life of a child, nobody can deny that. But he did it for her, for them, just as Chloe had lived for the sake of the man that she loved.

I feel their pain, it's profound, and I want to scream at Chloe, but I just can't bring myself to do it, not when Clark had everything he'd ever wanted all along.

Ugh. Sobbing now.

Perfection.

[jacques21.livejournal.com]

Awww so perfect. New and improved Jor-El definitely has a way with words.

I love Kent family time.

[mari2anne.livejournal.com]

At long last, a happy Kent/-El family!

Amazing story, Dee!

[bkwurm1.livejournal.com]

Got such a warm feeling imagining Chloe curled up next to Clark, head on his shoulder. Such a casually intimate moment. Not big and showy, but somehow more lasting. Lovely.

[laurelnola.livejournal.com]

"“Even time itself could not keep you apart,” he said with affection. “It separated you for a season, but when two halves of a whole are meant to come together as one, it’s an inevitable process.” He lifted her hand and smiled at the bracelet glinting on her wrist. "

*bawls* So true!!


"“Chloe?”

“Hmm?”

She heard him swallow. “Are you happy?”

She tilted her face up to his and gave him a bright, joyous smile. “Without a shadow of a doubt.”

Her man’s face lit up in his trademark grin, and he brushed his lips over hers in a soft kiss. “Ditto.”


Gah! I just want to hug them all!!!



"Gabby leaned forward and gave her a quick wink before settling back down on her father’s other side. Chloe grinned as she turned to the TV and idly tried to concentrate on the trivia questions being fired at the contestants, but it was a harder task than she’d thought. There was a feeling in her heart that the smile on her face was going to be there for a very, very long time.

She finally had her Happy Ending."


WHEEEE! And if anyone deserves it, they do! So beautiful, Dee!!