Chlark Fanfic: The Fallen Sky, Chapter 19
Finally an update on The Fallen Sky! And yes, once again it's been a while. If you're still reading and commenting, I applaud you and offer you a cookie. :-)
Again, my apologies on the sporadic updating of this story. It was very difficult to get through this chapter and the next, but I'm hoping that it'll be smoother sailing after that now that most of the heavy stuff has been dealt with. Many thanks for your patience! Please heed the warnings and do not read if it may be triggering for you.
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. :-)
Amazing banner by ellashy
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 19
None to Give
Clark squeezed his eyes shut against the grim picture Lana was describing.
“You’re saying…” he swallowed hard, his throat painfully dry. “You’re saying she had to pull the plug on her own son?”
Lana wiped her eyes and nodded. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
***
Chloe stared numbly ahead, frozen in shock.
The doctor was speaking, patiently explaining everything that had transpired since her sedation, but his gentle tone was completely at odds with the cruel words coming out of his mouth. He droned on, each word opening a door to a new level of hell that too tragic to comprehend. Lana sat with her, holding her clammy hand in a pathetically inadequate attempt at comfort.
Chloe’s heart grew heavier with every second. She was trapped in a horrible nightmare; any second now, she would wake up at home in her own bed, her son still safely nestled within her womb.
“Do you understand what I’m telling you, Ms Sullivan?” he asked gently.
She lifted her gaze and stared at him with vacant eyes. It’s just a nightmare, she told herself stubbornly.
Lana swallowed. “Can’t he just stay on the ventilator indefinitely?” she asked in a hoarse whisper. “If it’s a question of money, we’ll pay every penny, I swear.”
“It’s not that simple, Ms Lang,” he replied solemnly. “Even on the ventilator, he’s deteriorating quickly and won’t be around much longer. All we’re doing is giving his mother the opportunity to hold him and say a proper goodbye.”
Chloe suddenly sat up straight and met the doctor’s gaze. “I’ll do it.”
The doctor got to his feet and nodded. “I’ll notify the NICU, and let you know when we’re ready for you.”
As soon he left the room, Chloe grabbed Lana’s hands and held them tight.
“Can make it to the Fortress?” she asked desperately. “With your speed, you can get to the arctic in time, I know you can. You’re my baby’s last hope, Lana…please, I can’t lose him…”
But Lana slowly shook her head, tears falling down her face. “I can’t,” she sobbed. “My abilities are gone, Chloe; permanently. I’m so sorry.”
Chloe felt her last sliver of hope disappear. She dropped Lana’s hands.
“Then it’s over,” she whispered numbly. “My little boy’s going to die.”
“No! No, Chloe, you can’t think like that,” Lana begged.
“You heard him, Lana,” she said, her voice deceptively calm. “There’s nothing more we can do.”
“Yes, there is! The key to the portal!” Lana exclaimed, and grabbed her car keys. “If you tell me where it is, I’ll head to the farm as fast as I can and-”
“He took it.”
Lana stilled. “He what?”
“Clark took it with him,” Chloe whispered stoically. “I checked all the hiding places months ago, searched the farm from top to bottom…nothing.”
She looked up at her shocked friend. “I was going to surprise him at the Fortress, Lana. I wanted to tell Clark he was going to be a father; maybe that might bring him back.” She thinned her lips. “I tore the place apart looking for that key.”
“No,” Lana whispered. “There has to be something, some other Kryptonian device somewhere; heck, there’s always a way to the Fortress…”
“Not this time.” Chloe’s eyes narrowed into barely discernible lines. “He meant business this time. He told me to consider him dead, and then he left; took every stone, key and crystal that could take us to him. Even if you somehow managed to get to the Fortress, Clark may not even be there. He’s gone.” She drew in a ragged breath and closed her eyes. “And now, my baby’s going to die, too.”
Tears streamed down Lana’s face. “This can’t be happening. This isn’t real. It can’t be…”
Chloe uttered a short, mirthless laugh. “I’ve been saying the same thing in my head since they brought me round. How I wish that were true.”
There was a soft knock at the door, and it slowly opened to reveal a solemn-faced young nurse on the other side.
“We’re ready,” she simply said.
Lana covered her mouth and stifled a wail. Chloe gave her a vacant stare, surprised at her own stoic acceptance of her son’s fate. It was all so weird; she felt like an observer, watching a horrible tragedy unfold in someone else’s life.
Then the nurse helped her into a wheelchair, and the movement caused a sharp twinge of pain from the site of her surgery stiches, cruelly reminding her that yes, the unfolding tragedy was actually hers; and yes, it was very real indeed.
She rested a hand on the nurse’s arm. “Will he…will he be in any pain?” she asked quietly.
The nurse shook her head. “No. He’s been given meds, so it’ll just be like falling asleep for him.”
Chloe fixed her with a hard stare. She couldn’t be sure the girl was telling the truth, but she chose to believe it anyway. Because the thought of her son dying in agony was just…
A wave of sorrow washed over her, and she squeezed her eyes shut against it. No. She couldn’t meet her baby with tears in her eyes. If he was only going to have one memory imprinted on his brain, it would be his mother’s smiling face, holding him and telling him how much she loved him.
She turned to Lana. “Will you come with me?”
Lana’s chest rose and fell as she stifled her sobs, and managed a smile. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you.” She took a deep breath, and turned to the nurse.
“I’m ready now.”
***
“He looked just like you,” Lana said quietly.
Clark stared at her. “He did?”
“Oh, yeah. Big green eyes, this tiny mop of soft, curly black hair…” she paused and wiped tears from her eyes, and Clark did the same.
“Chloe just stroked his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair. She told him who she was, and said that she would love him forever.” She took a deep breath. “When his heart rate started to slow, she told them she was ready. They disconnected all the machines and the IVs, and then placed him in her arms.”
“Christ.” He didn’t bother wiping his tears anymore; they were falling to fast and too freely to contain or control. Although he’d known what was going to happen, hearing an actual first-hand account of the ordeal was painful beyond anything he’d ever experienced.
“She held him to her heart, his skin against hers, and sang sweetly to him until he faded away,” Lana said with a sniff. “That was the last time I saw her cry.”
Clark drew in a shaky breath and rested his head in his hands. It all made sense now. Taking the access devices to the portal had been a last-minute decision, one he’d hoped would ensure that Chloe forgot about him and moved on with her life, which he knew she wouldn’t do if she had a way to contact him. Being around him had cost her so much already; her relationship with Jimmy, her job at the Daily Planet; and somewhere along the line, she’d picked up a meteor infection which, while apparently no longer active, had been terrifying and life-threatening to her. She’d suffered enough. He’d had to protect her from the greatest of all dangers: himself.
But he’d been wrong. His stupid decision to cut himself out of her life had backfired horribly and caused the death of their only child. No wonder she wanting nothing to do with him.
She was completely justified in hating him.
***
Chapter 20…
Again, my apologies on the sporadic updating of this story. It was very difficult to get through this chapter and the next, but I'm hoping that it'll be smoother sailing after that now that most of the heavy stuff has been dealt with. Many thanks for your patience! Please heed the warnings and do not read if it may be triggering for you.
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. :-)
Amazing banner by ellashy
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 19
None to Give
Clark squeezed his eyes shut against the grim picture Lana was describing.
“You’re saying…” he swallowed hard, his throat painfully dry. “You’re saying she had to pull the plug on her own son?”
Lana wiped her eyes and nodded. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
***
Chloe stared numbly ahead, frozen in shock.
The doctor was speaking, patiently explaining everything that had transpired since her sedation, but his gentle tone was completely at odds with the cruel words coming out of his mouth. He droned on, each word opening a door to a new level of hell that too tragic to comprehend. Lana sat with her, holding her clammy hand in a pathetically inadequate attempt at comfort.
Chloe’s heart grew heavier with every second. She was trapped in a horrible nightmare; any second now, she would wake up at home in her own bed, her son still safely nestled within her womb.
“Do you understand what I’m telling you, Ms Sullivan?” he asked gently.
She lifted her gaze and stared at him with vacant eyes. It’s just a nightmare, she told herself stubbornly.
Lana swallowed. “Can’t he just stay on the ventilator indefinitely?” she asked in a hoarse whisper. “If it’s a question of money, we’ll pay every penny, I swear.”
“It’s not that simple, Ms Lang,” he replied solemnly. “Even on the ventilator, he’s deteriorating quickly and won’t be around much longer. All we’re doing is giving his mother the opportunity to hold him and say a proper goodbye.”
Chloe suddenly sat up straight and met the doctor’s gaze. “I’ll do it.”
The doctor got to his feet and nodded. “I’ll notify the NICU, and let you know when we’re ready for you.”
As soon he left the room, Chloe grabbed Lana’s hands and held them tight.
“Can make it to the Fortress?” she asked desperately. “With your speed, you can get to the arctic in time, I know you can. You’re my baby’s last hope, Lana…please, I can’t lose him…”
But Lana slowly shook her head, tears falling down her face. “I can’t,” she sobbed. “My abilities are gone, Chloe; permanently. I’m so sorry.”
Chloe felt her last sliver of hope disappear. She dropped Lana’s hands.
“Then it’s over,” she whispered numbly. “My little boy’s going to die.”
“No! No, Chloe, you can’t think like that,” Lana begged.
“You heard him, Lana,” she said, her voice deceptively calm. “There’s nothing more we can do.”
“Yes, there is! The key to the portal!” Lana exclaimed, and grabbed her car keys. “If you tell me where it is, I’ll head to the farm as fast as I can and-”
“He took it.”
Lana stilled. “He what?”
“Clark took it with him,” Chloe whispered stoically. “I checked all the hiding places months ago, searched the farm from top to bottom…nothing.”
She looked up at her shocked friend. “I was going to surprise him at the Fortress, Lana. I wanted to tell Clark he was going to be a father; maybe that might bring him back.” She thinned her lips. “I tore the place apart looking for that key.”
“No,” Lana whispered. “There has to be something, some other Kryptonian device somewhere; heck, there’s always a way to the Fortress…”
“Not this time.” Chloe’s eyes narrowed into barely discernible lines. “He meant business this time. He told me to consider him dead, and then he left; took every stone, key and crystal that could take us to him. Even if you somehow managed to get to the Fortress, Clark may not even be there. He’s gone.” She drew in a ragged breath and closed her eyes. “And now, my baby’s going to die, too.”
Tears streamed down Lana’s face. “This can’t be happening. This isn’t real. It can’t be…”
Chloe uttered a short, mirthless laugh. “I’ve been saying the same thing in my head since they brought me round. How I wish that were true.”
There was a soft knock at the door, and it slowly opened to reveal a solemn-faced young nurse on the other side.
“We’re ready,” she simply said.
Lana covered her mouth and stifled a wail. Chloe gave her a vacant stare, surprised at her own stoic acceptance of her son’s fate. It was all so weird; she felt like an observer, watching a horrible tragedy unfold in someone else’s life.
Then the nurse helped her into a wheelchair, and the movement caused a sharp twinge of pain from the site of her surgery stiches, cruelly reminding her that yes, the unfolding tragedy was actually hers; and yes, it was very real indeed.
She rested a hand on the nurse’s arm. “Will he…will he be in any pain?” she asked quietly.
The nurse shook her head. “No. He’s been given meds, so it’ll just be like falling asleep for him.”
Chloe fixed her with a hard stare. She couldn’t be sure the girl was telling the truth, but she chose to believe it anyway. Because the thought of her son dying in agony was just…
A wave of sorrow washed over her, and she squeezed her eyes shut against it. No. She couldn’t meet her baby with tears in her eyes. If he was only going to have one memory imprinted on his brain, it would be his mother’s smiling face, holding him and telling him how much she loved him.
She turned to Lana. “Will you come with me?”
Lana’s chest rose and fell as she stifled her sobs, and managed a smile. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you.” She took a deep breath, and turned to the nurse.
“I’m ready now.”
***
“He looked just like you,” Lana said quietly.
Clark stared at her. “He did?”
“Oh, yeah. Big green eyes, this tiny mop of soft, curly black hair…” she paused and wiped tears from her eyes, and Clark did the same.
“Chloe just stroked his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair. She told him who she was, and said that she would love him forever.” She took a deep breath. “When his heart rate started to slow, she told them she was ready. They disconnected all the machines and the IVs, and then placed him in her arms.”
“Christ.” He didn’t bother wiping his tears anymore; they were falling to fast and too freely to contain or control. Although he’d known what was going to happen, hearing an actual first-hand account of the ordeal was painful beyond anything he’d ever experienced.
“She held him to her heart, his skin against hers, and sang sweetly to him until he faded away,” Lana said with a sniff. “That was the last time I saw her cry.”
Clark drew in a shaky breath and rested his head in his hands. It all made sense now. Taking the access devices to the portal had been a last-minute decision, one he’d hoped would ensure that Chloe forgot about him and moved on with her life, which he knew she wouldn’t do if she had a way to contact him. Being around him had cost her so much already; her relationship with Jimmy, her job at the Daily Planet; and somewhere along the line, she’d picked up a meteor infection which, while apparently no longer active, had been terrifying and life-threatening to her. She’d suffered enough. He’d had to protect her from the greatest of all dangers: himself.
But he’d been wrong. His stupid decision to cut himself out of her life had backfired horribly and caused the death of their only child. No wonder she wanting nothing to do with him.
She was completely justified in hating him.
***
Chapter 20…