Not the Time (Part 11/12)
Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten A |
Ten B | Ten C | Eleven | Conclusion
Not the Time (Part Eleven)
A few weeks later
“Ha! I win. Again.” Chloe grinned victoriously and watched as her opponents all started counting up their leftover UNO cards.
“I think this game is rigged,” Lois said, looking at her suspiciously.
She smiled sweetly. “I’m no cheater.”
“Yeah, except at monopoly,” Clark said with a smirk.
“I wasn’t cheating. I’m just very lucky,” she informed him, smirking right back.
“Good thing we’re not playing for money. I think we’d all be broke by now,” Lana said with raised eyebrows. “A hundred and fifteen.” She handed the cards over as Chloe jotted down the number on the pad of paper by her leg.
“Two hundred ten,” Lois said, scowling. “I’m out.”
“Sore loser,” Chloe teased her and Lois smiled, shaking her head. “Clark, how much did I rob you of?”
Grinning, he held up his one card. It was a zero. “Not a thing.”
She sighed and added up her score. “Hey look at that. I won the game.”
“Gee, there’s a surprise,” he said lightly. “You only won four hands in a row.”
“I can’t help it that I’ve had nothing to do but practice my card game for six weeks.” She shrugged.
Lana smiled and glanced at the clock. Sighing softly, she looked at Chloe apologetically. “I should be heading back to Metropolis. I have a bio exam first thing in the morning and I haven’t even started studying.”
Chloe made a face. “Biology test. Yuck. I think I prefer being stuck in bed.”
She chuckled. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised, hugging her friend.
“Have a safe trip back, Lana,” she said, hugging Lana in return.
She nodded, stood up and headed for the door.
“I need to be going to,” Lois said regretfully. “I’m closing the Talon tonight and I need a shower before my shift.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Clark said with a smirk and she shot him a look.
Chloe giggled, perpetually amused with their banter. She hugged Lois. “I don’t know how you put up with him.”
Clark glowered at her and it was Lois’s turn to smirk.
“Later, Lois.”
She smiled at Chloe, and smacked Clark lightly in the head on her way out of the room, causing him to glare at her.
“Are you sure I have to be nice to her?” he asked Chloe, his voice lowered.
“I heard that!” Lois shouted as she retreated down the stairs of the Kent house.
Clark rolled his eyes and Chloe laughed again. “I can’t believe you’re related to her.”
She grinned. “So what do you say? Scrabble?”
“Actually…” He picked up the cards and set them on the bedside table. “You need to get some rest.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and groaned. “Clark, I’m pregnant, I’m not an invalid.”
“The doctor said you still need to rest,” he said gently and she sighed, not only because she didn’t feel like resting, but because she knew he was right.
She shifted so that she was lying down on her side. “You think after the baby’s born my life will ever get back to semi-normal?” Her voice was very soft.
Clark gazed at her a moment, then slipped off his boots and laid down beside her, hesitating only a second before sliding an arm around her waist.
She tensed involuntarily, but then relaxed, closing her eyes, and settling back in his arms.
True to his word, in the past six weeks, Clark had gone above and beyond the call of duty as far as she was concerned. He’d made sure she followed the doctor’s orders to a tee--she had literally only gotten out of bed to go to the bathroom and to shower. He’d brought her all her food in bed, complete with at least one fresh lily per meal, and he wouldn’t tell her where he’d gone to get them. He’d held her hair back every time she got sick, and when she had the periodic bouts of insomnia, he stayed awake with her and watched movies or just talked.
The food cravings had started only a week ago and already he’d gone out to fetch her actual Mexican food, fresh Florida oranges, and fresh warm pretzels they only sold at sporting events, among other things. He never complained, and in fact, he never even hesitated to go out and get her whatever her stomach was desiring at the moment. There were definitely some major upsides to being pregnant and being best friends with a guy with superhero powers.
Not that he was the only one being attentive. Martha Kent had also gone out of her way to make sure Chloe was taken care of completely. Since her father was still out of town (and according to his schedule would be for another month or so), she’d taken Chloe to all the doctor appointments she’d had thus far, and helped calm many of the young mother-to-be’s fears. Lois and Lana, too, were constantly calling and stopping by to check in on her.
Since her talk with Lana in the hospital, the two of them had actually become closer than they were to start with. There was now a level of honesty and understanding between them that hadn’t been there before. Things were going well between Lana and Lex and if Lana felt any jealousy over the time and energy Clark was spending with Chloe, she certainly didn’t show it.
Unbeknownst to Chloe, though, Clark, with a little prodding from Chloe’s over-protective, annoying older cousin, had talked with Lana and told her that while he would always care about her, he was falling in love with Chloe and wanted to be with her. She’d taken in surprisingly well. Of course, after the near-miss with Chloe and the baby, Lana had felt so guilty she couldn’t bring herself to hold anything against Clark or Chloe. Besides, she was happy with Lex and she wanted her friends to have that same happiness.
“I don’t think things will ever be the way they were,” Clark said carefully, his voice soft as he held her, resting his chin on the top of her head.
“I know. It’s kinda scary,” she murmured.
“Change doesn’t have to be bad, Chlo,” he murmured back.
Drawing in a breath, she nodded slightly. “But it usually is.”
“Not if you stop being afraid.”
She knew they were no longer talking about just her life, but about the thing he kept bringing up no matter how much she tried to tell him to leave it alone. “Clark…”
“I know. You don’t wanna talk about it.”
Chloe bit her lower lip. It wasn’t like she could avoid the subject forever. As much as she didn’t want to admit it to herself, he was wearing her down. Some tiny part of her was growing more and more convinced that he meant what he said--that he loved her and wanted to be with her. And that scared the hell out of her. “No, but…I guess we can’t keep putting it off, can we?”
Clark kissed her temple gently. “I know you’re scared, Chloe, and I don’t blame you. I’m scared too,” he admitted.
She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Clark Kent gets scared?” she teased.
He rolled his eyes. “Everyone gets scared. But I don’t wanna let that fear run my life anymore. I wanna be with you, Chloe. I love you,” he whispered.
She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes shut as the words she’d been playing in her head day after day were repeated aloud once more. “What happens if…it doesn’t work out?”
“Why wouldn’t it work out?” he asked gently.
“It didn’t with Lana,” she pointed out.
“Lana and I weren’t meant to be. I could never tell her about who I really am. And besides that, she’s in love with Lex.”
“So you wanna be with me because I know your secret and Lana’s in love with someone else?” She hated herself for testing him, for pushing him, but she had to say it.
“No, Chloe,” Clark said without a bit of annoyance. He knew exactly what she was doing and he was prepared for it. “I wanna be with you because I’m in love with you. It’s always been you. I was just too stupid to realize it.” His voice was soft.
Chloe slowly turned over in his arms so she was facing him. Her eyes were hopeful but still filled with doubt. “What if you realize later that you were wrong again?”
He gazed at her. It wasn’t like he could blame her for being apprehensive about getting into a more than friendly relationship with him. “What if I don’t?” He paused. “Chloe, do you love me?” He held his breath, afraid she might say no.
She swallowed hard, gazing back at him. She was silent for a moment. “You know I do.” She dropped her gaze to his shirt and he touched her cheek gently. “Ever since the first day I met you and you were wearing flannel and told me you lived on a farm.”
A smile touched his lips. He remembered that day well. It was one of his favorite memories. “That was a good day. That was the first time you kissed me.”
She smiled faintly, remembering. “You’ve always been the nicest guy I’ve ever known.” She smirked. “Except when you were on Red-K.”
Clark chuckled a little.
She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “So what happens now?” she asked softly, uncertain.
He kissed her forehead. “We just take things slowly,” he said just as softly.
“Slowly.” Chloe nodded a little. “How slowly?”
A grin tugged at his lips and he leaned closer, kissing her gently, slowly. “How’s that?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Mmm,” she murmured back. “Seems about the right speed to me.”
Ten B | Ten C | Eleven | Conclusion
Not the Time (Part Eleven)
A few weeks later
“Ha! I win. Again.” Chloe grinned victoriously and watched as her opponents all started counting up their leftover UNO cards.
“I think this game is rigged,” Lois said, looking at her suspiciously.
She smiled sweetly. “I’m no cheater.”
“Yeah, except at monopoly,” Clark said with a smirk.
“I wasn’t cheating. I’m just very lucky,” she informed him, smirking right back.
“Good thing we’re not playing for money. I think we’d all be broke by now,” Lana said with raised eyebrows. “A hundred and fifteen.” She handed the cards over as Chloe jotted down the number on the pad of paper by her leg.
“Two hundred ten,” Lois said, scowling. “I’m out.”
“Sore loser,” Chloe teased her and Lois smiled, shaking her head. “Clark, how much did I rob you of?”
Grinning, he held up his one card. It was a zero. “Not a thing.”
She sighed and added up her score. “Hey look at that. I won the game.”
“Gee, there’s a surprise,” he said lightly. “You only won four hands in a row.”
“I can’t help it that I’ve had nothing to do but practice my card game for six weeks.” She shrugged.
Lana smiled and glanced at the clock. Sighing softly, she looked at Chloe apologetically. “I should be heading back to Metropolis. I have a bio exam first thing in the morning and I haven’t even started studying.”
Chloe made a face. “Biology test. Yuck. I think I prefer being stuck in bed.”
She chuckled. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised, hugging her friend.
“Have a safe trip back, Lana,” she said, hugging Lana in return.
She nodded, stood up and headed for the door.
“I need to be going to,” Lois said regretfully. “I’m closing the Talon tonight and I need a shower before my shift.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Clark said with a smirk and she shot him a look.
Chloe giggled, perpetually amused with their banter. She hugged Lois. “I don’t know how you put up with him.”
Clark glowered at her and it was Lois’s turn to smirk.
“Later, Lois.”
She smiled at Chloe, and smacked Clark lightly in the head on her way out of the room, causing him to glare at her.
“Are you sure I have to be nice to her?” he asked Chloe, his voice lowered.
“I heard that!” Lois shouted as she retreated down the stairs of the Kent house.
Clark rolled his eyes and Chloe laughed again. “I can’t believe you’re related to her.”
She grinned. “So what do you say? Scrabble?”
“Actually…” He picked up the cards and set them on the bedside table. “You need to get some rest.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and groaned. “Clark, I’m pregnant, I’m not an invalid.”
“The doctor said you still need to rest,” he said gently and she sighed, not only because she didn’t feel like resting, but because she knew he was right.
She shifted so that she was lying down on her side. “You think after the baby’s born my life will ever get back to semi-normal?” Her voice was very soft.
Clark gazed at her a moment, then slipped off his boots and laid down beside her, hesitating only a second before sliding an arm around her waist.
She tensed involuntarily, but then relaxed, closing her eyes, and settling back in his arms.
True to his word, in the past six weeks, Clark had gone above and beyond the call of duty as far as she was concerned. He’d made sure she followed the doctor’s orders to a tee--she had literally only gotten out of bed to go to the bathroom and to shower. He’d brought her all her food in bed, complete with at least one fresh lily per meal, and he wouldn’t tell her where he’d gone to get them. He’d held her hair back every time she got sick, and when she had the periodic bouts of insomnia, he stayed awake with her and watched movies or just talked.
The food cravings had started only a week ago and already he’d gone out to fetch her actual Mexican food, fresh Florida oranges, and fresh warm pretzels they only sold at sporting events, among other things. He never complained, and in fact, he never even hesitated to go out and get her whatever her stomach was desiring at the moment. There were definitely some major upsides to being pregnant and being best friends with a guy with superhero powers.
Not that he was the only one being attentive. Martha Kent had also gone out of her way to make sure Chloe was taken care of completely. Since her father was still out of town (and according to his schedule would be for another month or so), she’d taken Chloe to all the doctor appointments she’d had thus far, and helped calm many of the young mother-to-be’s fears. Lois and Lana, too, were constantly calling and stopping by to check in on her.
Since her talk with Lana in the hospital, the two of them had actually become closer than they were to start with. There was now a level of honesty and understanding between them that hadn’t been there before. Things were going well between Lana and Lex and if Lana felt any jealousy over the time and energy Clark was spending with Chloe, she certainly didn’t show it.
Unbeknownst to Chloe, though, Clark, with a little prodding from Chloe’s over-protective, annoying older cousin, had talked with Lana and told her that while he would always care about her, he was falling in love with Chloe and wanted to be with her. She’d taken in surprisingly well. Of course, after the near-miss with Chloe and the baby, Lana had felt so guilty she couldn’t bring herself to hold anything against Clark or Chloe. Besides, she was happy with Lex and she wanted her friends to have that same happiness.
“I don’t think things will ever be the way they were,” Clark said carefully, his voice soft as he held her, resting his chin on the top of her head.
“I know. It’s kinda scary,” she murmured.
“Change doesn’t have to be bad, Chlo,” he murmured back.
Drawing in a breath, she nodded slightly. “But it usually is.”
“Not if you stop being afraid.”
She knew they were no longer talking about just her life, but about the thing he kept bringing up no matter how much she tried to tell him to leave it alone. “Clark…”
“I know. You don’t wanna talk about it.”
Chloe bit her lower lip. It wasn’t like she could avoid the subject forever. As much as she didn’t want to admit it to herself, he was wearing her down. Some tiny part of her was growing more and more convinced that he meant what he said--that he loved her and wanted to be with her. And that scared the hell out of her. “No, but…I guess we can’t keep putting it off, can we?”
Clark kissed her temple gently. “I know you’re scared, Chloe, and I don’t blame you. I’m scared too,” he admitted.
She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Clark Kent gets scared?” she teased.
He rolled his eyes. “Everyone gets scared. But I don’t wanna let that fear run my life anymore. I wanna be with you, Chloe. I love you,” he whispered.
She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes shut as the words she’d been playing in her head day after day were repeated aloud once more. “What happens if…it doesn’t work out?”
“Why wouldn’t it work out?” he asked gently.
“It didn’t with Lana,” she pointed out.
“Lana and I weren’t meant to be. I could never tell her about who I really am. And besides that, she’s in love with Lex.”
“So you wanna be with me because I know your secret and Lana’s in love with someone else?” She hated herself for testing him, for pushing him, but she had to say it.
“No, Chloe,” Clark said without a bit of annoyance. He knew exactly what she was doing and he was prepared for it. “I wanna be with you because I’m in love with you. It’s always been you. I was just too stupid to realize it.” His voice was soft.
Chloe slowly turned over in his arms so she was facing him. Her eyes were hopeful but still filled with doubt. “What if you realize later that you were wrong again?”
He gazed at her. It wasn’t like he could blame her for being apprehensive about getting into a more than friendly relationship with him. “What if I don’t?” He paused. “Chloe, do you love me?” He held his breath, afraid she might say no.
She swallowed hard, gazing back at him. She was silent for a moment. “You know I do.” She dropped her gaze to his shirt and he touched her cheek gently. “Ever since the first day I met you and you were wearing flannel and told me you lived on a farm.”
A smile touched his lips. He remembered that day well. It was one of his favorite memories. “That was a good day. That was the first time you kissed me.”
She smiled faintly, remembering. “You’ve always been the nicest guy I’ve ever known.” She smirked. “Except when you were on Red-K.”
Clark chuckled a little.
She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “So what happens now?” she asked softly, uncertain.
He kissed her forehead. “We just take things slowly,” he said just as softly.
“Slowly.” Chloe nodded a little. “How slowly?”
A grin tugged at his lips and he leaned closer, kissing her gently, slowly. “How’s that?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Mmm,” she murmured back. “Seems about the right speed to me.”