Postcards and Coffee In the Land Of Snow & Ice [Smallville, PG]
Title: Postcards and Coffee In the Land Of Snow & Ice
Author: all_you_wanted
Pairing: Clark/Everyone
Fandom: Smallville
Rating: PG
Challenge: melodicmuse
Prompt: November Challenge; Freestyle
Inspired by: 3x5 by John Mayer
"You held this letter, probably got excited, but there's nothing else inside it"
Disclaimer: I own nothing, please don’t sue.
A/N: This is short. It came to me on random. I'm never gonna get this ad done. sigh. damn quick bunnies.
Spoilers: None
Summary: The world doesn't stop just because you have learning to do.
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Once a week, he leaves his castle in the land of snow and ice to travel into a settlement.
A place where the post reaches.
It's from here that he sends her a post card.
* * *
Every 7 days like clock work it arrives.
It never says much. It can't, it's a post card. Anyone could read it.
He always closes it with "Wish you were here."
* * *
"I saw a sunrise today. It made me think of you. Next time, I'll bring you to see it...Wish you were here."
* * *
Open ended notes that never tell her anything about where he is or what he is doing. They never ask about her or her life.
It's always about him. It always has been.
* * *
One month, when he gets to the settlement, the post man is there already. He hands him a bundle.
It's every postcard he's written her for the past 8 months.
They all say 'Moved. No Forwarding Address."
* * *
He called his mother to get her new address.
"She didn't leave me her new address."
She's lying. Clark can tell now when someone lies to him. Can hear it in their heartbeat. In their voice.
He doesn't call her on it.
"Where is she, Mom? Is she ok?"
"She's fine. When will you be back?"
He sighs, it's always the same question and he's always got the same answer.
"I don't know. I'm still learning. I still have so much to learn."
Martha sighs too. She wants her son home. She's trying to be supporting of his destiny and his training, but she's selfish sometimes and just wants her baby home.
She hasn't seen his face in almost 3 years now.
"I miss you. We all miss you."
* * *
The next week he travels farther away from the land of ice and snow.
He travels to a city.
A place where he knows he can get a decent cup of coffee to enjoy and a copy of the Daily Planet.
He reads it from cover to cover in a matter of minutes. His coffee hasn't even cooled yet and it was the Sunday edition.
As the first scalding drops fall down into his mouth, he realizes he didn't see her name appear once.
* * *
The next week he travels farther away. This time in the other direction.
Same goal in mind. A cup of coffee, a copy of the Daily Planet.
A few minutes of rest and relaxation. And always the same outcome.
No name.
* * *
What was once his weekly trek to the post office is now his weekly coffee break.
He's traveling further and further every week.
Did you know there was a Border's in Nova Scotia?
And it's no longer just the Daily Planet.
New York Times, Gotham Gazette, Edge City Tribunal. Until finally one day, in the Star City Standard, he finds her name.
Only its not a by-line. It's a wedding announcement.
* * *
6 weeks later, he travels the farthest he's been from the Fortress in 4 years.
He travels to Star City and stands outside the stained glass windows of the St. Paul's Catholic Church.
Well, actually he didn't stand so much as float.
He watched as friends and family stood before man and God and spoke prayers and passages of wisdom and blessings to the couple bathed in white light before the alter.
In four years a lot had changed.
New couples were formed.
Was that a wedding band on Pete's hand? And Lana's too?
Friendships had been forged.
He could hear the snickering and high fives being given between Bart and A.C. sitting all the way in the back row of the church, much to the chagrin of their dates.
And people had changed.
When did Mom let her hair go gray?
Outward as well as in.
She's not the same. She's not. She's different. Older. Harder. Tougher. Did he do that to her. Change her.
Or was that me?
They were pronounced husband and wife by the Holy Roman Church and kissed before friends, family and God.
He moved away from the window. Not wanting to look and see them.
See her. His 'girl', his Chloe, in the arms of the man he had once felt a kindred spirit to.
He wanted to fly. Fly far away from there. Go back to his Fortress. His 'new' home.
Filled with his 'new' people, or at least the memory of them.
They would be his 'new' family. His 'new' friends.
They would never change.
They would never leave him.
But apparently he hadn't moved fast enough, or perhaps it was her watchful 'mother's eyes' that saw all. As he moved away from the church, floating through the clouds and heavens, he heard his mother's voice, softly yet sternly say...
"Clark, please come home. You've learned enough."
* * *
3 weeks later, he traveled away from the land of snow and ice, of cold and comfort, one last time.
3 weeks later, he went home.
• • •