Chlark Fanfic: Crisis, Chapter 32
Title: Crisis
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlark/Kaloe
Rating: NC-17 for disturbing themes
Warnings: ***Angst***
Timeline: Season 2-3 (Exodus - Exile; Clark’s RedK Summer & beyond)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics
Summary: A violent encounter between Chloe and Clark threatens to destroy their friendship forever.
Feedback: …would be appreciated. :)
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Previously: “If you tell them you raped me,” Chloe said quietly as she waited at the bottom of the steps, “then I’ll tell them I tried to kill you.”
***
Chapter 32
Clark’s jaw dropped. “Chloe, no.”
“I will.”
“You can’t do that!” he cried.
She folded her arms. “Try me.”
“But you’ll go to prison!”
“It’s what I deserve, isn’t it?”
“Of course not!”
“If I don’t deserve it, then neither do you.”
“But…” He swallowed and stared at the door handle still within his grasp, then back at the stubborn girl at the bottom of the steps.
“Chloe, please,” he begged. “I can’t let you turn yourself in.”
“You can’t stop me.”
“I’m trying to do the best thing for all of us.”
“You rotting in prison is not the best thing,” she said quietly.
“Chloe,” he said, slowly and deliberately. “I raped you, don’t you understand? I need to do this.”
“I tried to kill you, Clark,” she said just as clearly. “I wanted you dead. And if you deserve to go to prison for what you did, then I deserve to do time for trying to end your life.”
“But you would never have hurt me if I hadn’t hurt you first!” he argued. “They’ll understand your reasons for hurting me.”
“I had a responsibility and an opportunity to do the right thing, and I didn’t,” she said. “Two wrongs don’t make a right; that’s the way a jury would see it.”
“I can’t let you go to prison, Chloe,” he insisted bleakly. “I can’t.”
“We’re going in circles here, Clark. You know my stand on this.”
“But I need you to get better, and you can’t do that if I’m in your face all the time!”
“And if you’re locked up, people could die,” she insisted stubbornly. “Yes, you did a bad thing, but I won’t let it lead to something worse. I can’t put other lives at risk.”
He sighed and let go of the door handle, then slowly sat down on the steps.
“So what do I do?” he said despondently. “Just go home and pretend like none of this ever happened?”
“We both know that’s impossible,” she replied softly. “But I meant what I said earlier, Clark; you need to get help.”
He dropped his head. “For my anger problem.”
She nodded. “That’s right.”
“But I…” he paused. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“I’m sure the hospital can recommend a good psychologist,” she replied. “But you can’t make all those decisions tonight, it’s…just been a really, really crazy day. Go home, talk it over with your parents and I’m sure they’ll guide you to the right decision.”
“And what about you?” he asked. “You haven’t spoken to anyone, either, not even your Dad.”
She lowered her gaze. “I’ll get help; I will,” she whispered. “And I guess I should tell my Dad what happened, but I just…don’t know how. He’s going through enough grief as it is. Speaking of which…” she glanced at her wristwatch. “I need to get going. It’s really late, he’ll be wondering where I am.”
He nodded. “Want me to take you home?” he offered as he got to his feet.
She gave him a guarded look. “No, I’ll be okay. It’s not too far from here.”
Obviously she still didn’t want him touching her, which was understandable.
“Can I at least walk you home?”
She nodded. “Alright.”
Clark walked silently beside her until they got to her home, and waited outside as she let herself in and locked the door behind her.
He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. From the look of things, the day had ended on a significantly better note than the one on which it had started. He still didn’t know what the future held for either of them, but at the very least Gabe Sullivan had some good news for his daughter.
And Chloe seemed to have taken the first steps towards healing, although he still wasn’t convinced that he didn’t need to go to jail. He stood on the road pondering his next steps. He’d just said a tearful goodbye to his parents; if he showed up at home only to leave again, he wasn’t sure they’d be able to take the strain.
He sighed. There were no more answers to be had tonight. Slowly he turned around and began the long walk home.
***
“Dumpster-diving again, Chloe?” her father remarked as soon as she let herself in. “You’re in even more of a mess than the last time!”
Chloe sighed and hung her head. “Sorry, Dad…”
“Sorry’s not good enough, young lady, you could have called to let me know where you were, or that you’d be late!” he said sternly.
She took a deep breath. “Dad, there’s…there’s something I need to tell you-”
“It’ll have to wait for a few minutes, because I have something I need to tell you, too,” he said with a grin. “And it’s good news, excellent news even.”
“Good news?” she whispered. Good news could only mean one thing, but she didn’t dare to hope. “You…you got a new job?”
“I got a new job!” he said excitedly, picking her up and twirling her around like he did when she was little. “And it’s with an immediate start, so I begin on Monday. They’ve even offered me an advance part payment so that I can start making the necessary arrangements.”
“Arrangements?” she echoed.
“There are a few…adjustments that need to be made, but I need to speak with the Kents first,” he said, his tone more serious.
She froze. “Why?” she whispered. “I don’t understand…”
“You will,” he said, picking up his car keys. “But we need to get to the Kent Farm while it’s still socially acceptable visiting hours.” He took her hand and walked with her to the door. “Oh - you wanted to tell me something, Peanut?”
“Uh…no, it’s nothing important,” she said carefully. There was no way she was telling him what had happened to her, not now that things were finally beginning to look up.
But what was so important that he had to see Jonathan and Martha Kent for at this hour?
“What do you want to discuss with the Mr and Mrs Kent, Dad?” she asked hesitantly as she climbed into the car.
“Patience, hun. You’ll see when we get there,” he said soberly as he got in beside her. “Buckle up, kid.”
***
Clark was just walking up the driveway when the lights of Gabe Sullivan’s car illuminated the front yard.
“Clark,” Gabe called as he got out of the car. “Are your parents home?”
“Um…” Had Chloe told him about what had happened? “Yes, they’re inside.”
“Good. If you could take us in, please?” Gabe asked as Chloe got out of the car and stood beside him. “I need to speak with them, it’s a rather…delicate matter.”
Clark studied the older man’s face for any signs of grief or latent anger, but found none. He frowned and glanced at Chloe, who just shrugged and shook her head.
“Of course, sir. Right this way.” He led them inside, and his parents rose to their feet as all three of them entered.
“Clark! Gabe…is everything a right?” his mother asked as they walked in. Clark observed with a stab of guilt that his mother’s eyes were red-rimmed from crying.
“Martha, Jonathan - good evening,” Gabe said. “Sorry to call in on you so late like this.”
“Hello Gabe,” Martha said quietly. “It’s, um...it’s no problem, all things considered…”
“Please take a seat,” Jonathan offered. “I think I know what this is about-”
Chloe, who was behind her father, shook her head wildly and mouthed ‘No!’ and Jonathan quickly changed his tune.
“But I’ll let you tell me,” he corrected. “I hope everything’s alright?”
“Everything’s fine, for the first time in months,” he said with barely contained joy. “I’ve been offered a new job, with a great salary and an immediate start.”
For the first time that evening, Clark saw his mother break into a genuine smile. “Gabe, that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed,
“Congratulations,” Jonathan said, shaking his hand. “So glad to see that things are finally looking up for you.”
”It’s a huge relief for sure,” Gabe said. “But I’m sure you’re wondering why I’d drive all the way out here at this hour to share the glad tidings.”
“Well, to be honest…yes,” Jonathan admitted. “Please - do sit down. Can we get you both something to drink…?”
“Oh, I’m fine, but Chloe looks like she could use a cold one,” he said, smiling fondly at his daughter. “Please forgive her dishevelled appearance; she seems to have a fondness for dust and grime.”
Clark saw his parents look away guiltily, and quickly butted in.
“Diet Coke okay, Chloe?” Clark asked her softly.
She nodded. “Please. And some water, thank you.”
Quickly he went to the kitchen and returned with a cold can which he opened and passed to her, along with a bottle of water.
“So, tell us more about this new job, Gabe,” his mother said as soon as everyone was seated comfortably. “What’s your job role?”
“Same as before; Senior Plant Manager,” Gabe replied. “Only this particular plant is about five times the size of the one I managed with Luthorcorp. So it’s a lot more responsibility right off the bat.”
“And greater responsibility hopefully leads to a better salary package?” Chloe asked, and her father grinned.
“It certainly does in this case. Plus, there’s a whole range of benefits available to us that Luthorcorp never even considered offering.”
“I’m so thrilled,” his mother said with a smile.
“You said you had an immediate start,” his dad pointed out.
Gabe nodded. “That’s right, I take over on Monday. My predecessor has very little time to show me the ropes before he departs for pastures new, so it’s a very sudden but wonderful opportunity.”
“Since this plant is significantly larger than the Smallville one, you’ll be stationed over in Granville now, I’m guessing?” Jonathan asked, and Gabe’s smile dimmed a little.
“Ah…no. A bit further afield than that.”
“Oh? Edge City?” Chloe asked.
Her father made a wry face. “Well…outside of Lowell County, in fact.”
“Ouch. That’ll be quite a commute,” his own father remarked. “But any job’s worth taking in today’s economy, and this sounds like a good one. Which county is it, then: Tilbury, Wilmington…?”
“Wisconsin.”
***
Chapter 33…