Revisited (The Twilight Consciousness Remix) [Smallville, Clark Kent/Chloe Sullivan, G]
Title: Revisited (The Twilight Consciousness Remix)
Author: M. Scott Eiland
Summary: While recovering from massive kryptonite exposure, Clark thinks about someone who has always been there for him
Rating: G
Fandom: Smallville
Spoilers: Through “Traveler.” Set just after Kara's rescue of Clark.
Title, Author and URL of original story: Revisited, by Hils http://fandomcorner.livejournal.com/44866.html
Disclaimer: These characters all belong to their respective creators and owners-I'm just messing around with them.
My thanks to Hils for providing a lovely story for me to remix.
REVISITED
Clark gradually became aware of his surroundings as he slipped into the twilight between deep unconsciousness and full awareness. He could tell that he was lying on the living room couch at the farmhouse. He could no longer feel the pain from the taser wounds or the gash on his forehead-they had clearly healed. He could also feel the lingering weakness that had accompanied the worst Kryptonite exposures he had suffered in the past, and realized that Kara's warning about lingering effects from his imprisonment had been well-given-he had clearly collapsed at some point after Kara had rescued him. He considered simply letting himself slip back into deep sleep, but he heard nearby breathing and a heartbeat-and it took a trivial amount of concentration to identify the very familiar patterns: Chloe.
He felt a cool, wet cloth being wiped across his face and forehead and relaxed inwardly. Chloe was keeping vigil, waiting for him to recover. He could hear no other heartbeats nearby-Lana must be running some errands. He knew that between Lionel's misguided attempts to protect him and Lex's recent ruthless behavior, his secret could be exposed at any time and expose him and all he loved to mortal peril. In spite of that undeniable truth, he felt utterly safe in that moment; other than his parents, Chloe had been his most tireless guardian.
Clark experimentally tried to stir, but he was still too weak to move. He gave up the effort and relaxed again as Chloe continued to press the cooling cloth on his face. She could have left this to Lana and Kara-she's got a million other things to worry about.
When he had time to think about it, Clark was astonished at how Chloe had managed to survive and even thrive with all of the things that had been thrown at her: what seemed like constant attacks from Kryptonite mutants, learning his secret and becoming what she had somewhat snidely called a sidekick but what amounted to being an executive assistant to an entire group of super-powered beings, and-most traumatically-discovering that she herself had been changed by the Kryptonite that was almost ubiquitous in Smallville. Clark wondered if one of the flashier powers that he had seen manifested in Kryptonite mutants might have actually been safer for Chloe than what had actually happened-she theoretically could ignore her ability and go on with her life, but Clark knew that Chloe could no more stand by and let a friend die than she could tapdance on the head of a pin, and he was worried that the next time she used her power would be her last.
Clark's thoughts drifted in twilight, and he began thinking about another source of stress in Chloe's life-the recent changes in Lana's personality. He had seen hints of darkness in Lana before, but the aftermath of her marriage with Lex and her brief possession of his powers had brought them to the surface with a vengeance that had terrified him and strained their relationship to near the breaking point. He had noticed that Chloe and Lana had seemed ill at ease around each other recently, and wondered if Chloe had forced her own confrontation with her close friend. Chloe won't back down if she thinks that Lana is hurting me-and Lana's become almost as ruthless as Lex in her own way: I hope nothing happens that forces them to lock horns for real.
Clark tried again to struggle to consciousness, but his body still wasn't having any of it. He sighed, and thought about the future. He couldn't trust Lionel any more, and Lex would be furious that Kara had been removed from his influence-he would be looking for payback. He still loved Lana, but he was starting to doubt that they would be together in the long run-their relationship seemed to be part of the problem as far as her darkness issues were concerned. His young hero friends were a source of support, but they all had their own lives and problems and weren't going to be able to help him much with the growing situations around Smallville and Metropolis. His mother was busy in Washington.
Clark smiled inwardly. Chloe. It all came down to Chloe-what would he do if she wasn't there by his side? Advising him, watching his back, loving him--
Clark flinched inwardly, distracted by the last thought. Where did that come from? He knew that Chloe had had feelings for him for a very long time, and that his near-obsession with Lana had at times hurt her greatly. He had been genuinely happy for her when she had found Jimmy, and unhappy when it became clear that her continued closeness to him had interfered with their relationship. He had tried to reassure Jimmy about his intentions about Chloe-the last thing he wanted was to ruin her love life with misunderstandings: she deserved better than that. . .much better than that.
Clark found himself remembering the few times he had kissed her-they had varied from warm and friendly to passionate and desperate at the moment when she thought they would probably never see each other again, but they were all memorable. He pictured her standing and looking at him, and-not for the first time-was taken aback by just how beautiful she was. That doesn't mean anything, does it? A guy can realize his friend is beautiful without it meaning anything deeper. Frustrated by the disorder of his thoughts, Clark examined his feelings about Chloe, peeling back the layers of respect, admiration, and gratitude, and he was startled at what he found.
I love you, Chloe.
Clark tried to process this discovery, but the surge of adrenaline that accompanied his epiphany overstrained his weakened body, and he slipped back into unconsciousness.
While Kryptonians are remarkable beings in many ways, they are not omniscient. Clark could not know that he had whispered “Chloe” aloud as he drifted in twilight, or that he had reflexively grasped Chloe's hand and kissed it gently as she mopped his brow, or that as he drifted back into unconsciousness his sudden discovery had partially reached his smiling lips in another whisper: “. . .love you. . .” He didn't hear Chloe's heartbeat skip, or see the shocked expression on her face. He certainly didn't feel her lips press against his, or the gentle whisper that followed the kiss.
“I love you too, Clark.”
Author: M. Scott Eiland
Summary: While recovering from massive kryptonite exposure, Clark thinks about someone who has always been there for him
Rating: G
Fandom: Smallville
Spoilers: Through “Traveler.” Set just after Kara's rescue of Clark.
Title, Author and URL of original story: Revisited, by Hils http://fandomcorner.livejournal.com/44866.html
Disclaimer: These characters all belong to their respective creators and owners-I'm just messing around with them.
My thanks to Hils for providing a lovely story for me to remix.
REVISITED
Clark gradually became aware of his surroundings as he slipped into the twilight between deep unconsciousness and full awareness. He could tell that he was lying on the living room couch at the farmhouse. He could no longer feel the pain from the taser wounds or the gash on his forehead-they had clearly healed. He could also feel the lingering weakness that had accompanied the worst Kryptonite exposures he had suffered in the past, and realized that Kara's warning about lingering effects from his imprisonment had been well-given-he had clearly collapsed at some point after Kara had rescued him. He considered simply letting himself slip back into deep sleep, but he heard nearby breathing and a heartbeat-and it took a trivial amount of concentration to identify the very familiar patterns: Chloe.
He felt a cool, wet cloth being wiped across his face and forehead and relaxed inwardly. Chloe was keeping vigil, waiting for him to recover. He could hear no other heartbeats nearby-Lana must be running some errands. He knew that between Lionel's misguided attempts to protect him and Lex's recent ruthless behavior, his secret could be exposed at any time and expose him and all he loved to mortal peril. In spite of that undeniable truth, he felt utterly safe in that moment; other than his parents, Chloe had been his most tireless guardian.
Clark experimentally tried to stir, but he was still too weak to move. He gave up the effort and relaxed again as Chloe continued to press the cooling cloth on his face. She could have left this to Lana and Kara-she's got a million other things to worry about.
When he had time to think about it, Clark was astonished at how Chloe had managed to survive and even thrive with all of the things that had been thrown at her: what seemed like constant attacks from Kryptonite mutants, learning his secret and becoming what she had somewhat snidely called a sidekick but what amounted to being an executive assistant to an entire group of super-powered beings, and-most traumatically-discovering that she herself had been changed by the Kryptonite that was almost ubiquitous in Smallville. Clark wondered if one of the flashier powers that he had seen manifested in Kryptonite mutants might have actually been safer for Chloe than what had actually happened-she theoretically could ignore her ability and go on with her life, but Clark knew that Chloe could no more stand by and let a friend die than she could tapdance on the head of a pin, and he was worried that the next time she used her power would be her last.
Clark's thoughts drifted in twilight, and he began thinking about another source of stress in Chloe's life-the recent changes in Lana's personality. He had seen hints of darkness in Lana before, but the aftermath of her marriage with Lex and her brief possession of his powers had brought them to the surface with a vengeance that had terrified him and strained their relationship to near the breaking point. He had noticed that Chloe and Lana had seemed ill at ease around each other recently, and wondered if Chloe had forced her own confrontation with her close friend. Chloe won't back down if she thinks that Lana is hurting me-and Lana's become almost as ruthless as Lex in her own way: I hope nothing happens that forces them to lock horns for real.
Clark tried again to struggle to consciousness, but his body still wasn't having any of it. He sighed, and thought about the future. He couldn't trust Lionel any more, and Lex would be furious that Kara had been removed from his influence-he would be looking for payback. He still loved Lana, but he was starting to doubt that they would be together in the long run-their relationship seemed to be part of the problem as far as her darkness issues were concerned. His young hero friends were a source of support, but they all had their own lives and problems and weren't going to be able to help him much with the growing situations around Smallville and Metropolis. His mother was busy in Washington.
Clark smiled inwardly. Chloe. It all came down to Chloe-what would he do if she wasn't there by his side? Advising him, watching his back, loving him--
Clark flinched inwardly, distracted by the last thought. Where did that come from? He knew that Chloe had had feelings for him for a very long time, and that his near-obsession with Lana had at times hurt her greatly. He had been genuinely happy for her when she had found Jimmy, and unhappy when it became clear that her continued closeness to him had interfered with their relationship. He had tried to reassure Jimmy about his intentions about Chloe-the last thing he wanted was to ruin her love life with misunderstandings: she deserved better than that. . .much better than that.
Clark found himself remembering the few times he had kissed her-they had varied from warm and friendly to passionate and desperate at the moment when she thought they would probably never see each other again, but they were all memorable. He pictured her standing and looking at him, and-not for the first time-was taken aback by just how beautiful she was. That doesn't mean anything, does it? A guy can realize his friend is beautiful without it meaning anything deeper. Frustrated by the disorder of his thoughts, Clark examined his feelings about Chloe, peeling back the layers of respect, admiration, and gratitude, and he was startled at what he found.
I love you, Chloe.
Clark tried to process this discovery, but the surge of adrenaline that accompanied his epiphany overstrained his weakened body, and he slipped back into unconsciousness.
While Kryptonians are remarkable beings in many ways, they are not omniscient. Clark could not know that he had whispered “Chloe” aloud as he drifted in twilight, or that he had reflexively grasped Chloe's hand and kissed it gently as she mopped his brow, or that as he drifted back into unconsciousness his sudden discovery had partially reached his smiling lips in another whisper: “. . .love you. . .” He didn't hear Chloe's heartbeat skip, or see the shocked expression on her face. He certainly didn't feel her lips press against his, or the gentle whisper that followed the kiss.
“I love you too, Clark.”