Nullification

[treker]

Originally posted by elhector2
I usually never say much on these boards but I have to side with Treker here in many respects...is what Lana did unforgivable? No, at least I don't think so. Should she still be held accountable for her actions before she's just given forgiveness? Yes. The same way when we make mistakes, no matter how huge, very few things are UNFORGIVEABLE. But there should always be ACCOUNTABILITY or we'll never learn how our actions affect and harm others.

That said, by the time of this story, I firmly believe that Lana is trying to be noble and protect Clark. The problem is, no one ever called her on her treatment of Clark back at the beginning of Season Six. At least not to the point where she truly realized the impact of what she had done. So as a result, you have this mass confusion of Lana trying to do something noble but facing past resentments for her actions that had never been called into question and dealt with in a proper manner. Only after others release their anger by dealing with their frustrations will they be able to truly see Lana's noble purpose.

That's what makes this story so painfully frustrating yet I believe very rewarding and brilliant in the end. When everyone ends up on the same wavelength and each realizes what the other is doing for them, having survived these deep and painful issues will result in an extremely emotional, soul cleansing ending...and a little Clana love wouldn't hurt. =)

Ok, sorry for the long reply...

Don't be sorry...it was very well worded and I agree 100%. don't get my rants wrong...I love Lana and the chemistry between Tom and Kristin in the role of Clark and Lana is what keeps me coming back to Smallville and the hope that they will be a romantic couple again (I know...very slim hope...but people play the lottery with less hope so why not).

[elhector2]

Thanks Treker! I'm one of those people that tend to say stuff thinking it comes off as incredibly verbose so I'm always apologizing for "long replies." Take that last sentence as an example!

I totally agree about the Chemistry with Tom and Kristin and also loving Lana and her overall character. She is a good-hearted person who like any of us makes bad decisions. She may be on a TV show and thus maybe we expect a little more out of her since TV is after all fantasy, but the best characters make us fall in love with them because we can relate...they react like we might see ourselves react in a similar situation. They make mistakes, they show their dark sides...their not perfect. Which is why although its painful for her to have to go through the things she's been through, it's really great to see Lana grow as a character. All that said, because I'm willing to allow that she will have flaws, I alternatly expect that she will be treated accordingly and get called on those mistakes just like any of us would. And that's why I too hold out hope for Clark and Lana. If Lana realizes how much she hurt Clark and all he's done for her, and if he alternately realizes the sacrifice she was willing to make for him, there's hope of a Clana romance yet, despite what Clana haters think...

[Cardinal]

Originally posted by elhector2
Ok, sorry for the long reply...

Dude, never apologize for a well-thought-out, long response. I, and every writer here, will take one of those over two dozen 'Great chapter, PPMS' replies any day of the week.

[kewl]

i can say that ur new fic is excellent card! i hope that clark will give lana a chance to explain the reason why she married lex before he shut her out of his life.... can't wait for ur next update so ppms!

[Cardinal]

Nullification

Part 2 of 2

“Just help me get out of here without Lex’s lapdogs following me,” Lana pled.

Chloe remained firm, and said, “Not if you’re going after Clark.”

Lana was desperate now, she had to see Clark before he left, even if it meant Lex would know about it, but she tried one more time with Chloe. “Please, Chloe, if you’ve ever been my friend, if you’re ever going to be my friend, be my friend now and help me.”

Chloe could see the distress on Lana’s face, and her resolve began to crumble. How I ever let myself get caught between these two, time after time, is beyond me, Chloe thought as she grabbed Lana by the arm and led her into the tea room. Chloe and Lana each ordered a blueberry scone and a cup of chamomile tea and then headed for the bathroom. Instead of going in, they kept on walking toward the back of the tea room.

When they saw their waitress, Lana gave her a fifty-dollar bill. Twenty for their food and a tip, and the rest for her silence about which direction they had gone. The waitress gave a surprised nod of acquiescence and readily pocketed the fifty bucks as Lana and Chloe snuck out the back door. Several minutes later, the waitress dutifully took the scones and tea out to the now-vacant table to help the girls keep up the ruse a few minutes longer.

By the time the security men realized Lana had given them the slip, the girls had been picked up two streets over by Lois, who knew Chloe’s story about both of them having car breakdowns was bogus, since all Lana would have to do is call the mansion and a mechanic would be instantly dispatched to fix her car while another car was dropped off for her convenience. But when Lois learned that Lana wanted to be dropped off at the Kent farm, her car screeched to a stop on the edge of town.

“Are you out of your mind?” Lois asked. “I’m not taking you out there. You’ve already done enough to poor Clark. Let him go in peace, or I’ll make sure you end up in pieces.”

If it wasn’t for the seriousness of the situation, Chloe would have smiled at Lois’ spirited defense of Clark. She knew Clark would never believe it even if he saw it himself. Lana didn’t waste any words, she just unbuckled her seatbelt and started to open the door. She’d walk the rest of the way if she had to, no one was going to stop her from getting to Clark.

Chloe reached out and put a hand on Lana’s shoulder to stop her while she turned to Lois and said, “Lois, put the car in gear and drive.”

“But…”

“Just shut up and drive, Lois,” Chloe said with strained patience. “There are things going on here that you don’t understand.” Things that I don’t even understand. “But the one thing I do know is that the last place on Earth you want to be is between Clark and Lana when one of them is trying to get to the other. Trust me, I could write a twenty-six volume encyclopedia on the subject.”

Lana had strapped herself back in during Chloe’s speech and Lois just sat there for a second, staring at Lana who boldly stared back at her. “If you hurt him again,” Lois said, “you’d better spend the rest of your life hiding in that mansion of yours, or so help me they’ll never find your body.”

Lana was a bit surprised by the vehemence of Lois’ defense of Clark, but was secretly pleased he had picked up another close friend. He doesn’t have enough people close to him that he can rely on and if Lois is anything besides loud, it’s loyal.

Apparently seeing in Lana’s face what she needed to see, Lois continued the drive out to the Kent farm. When she pulled to a stop next to the barn, they could see Clark’s truck as Lois said, “Here you go, Princess. Don’t make me regret this.”

After Lana unbuckled, she and Chloe shared a hug and Chloe whispered, “Good luck, Lana. I don’t know what you plan, but I hope things turn out the way you want.”

“Thanks, Chloe,” Lana said tearfully. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’ve always been the best friend a girl could ask for.”

“Welllllll, not always,” Chloe admitted. “I do remember getting in the way of you and Clark a few times.”

“All of that is forgiven and long forgotten.” Lana grabbed her clutch purse off of the bench seat. “Wish me luck, Chloe.”

“I already did, Silly.”

“Oh…yeah. Bye.”

Lana stepped out of the car and watched as Lois and Chloe receded into the distance. Once Lana couldn’t see them anymore, she took her cell phone and called her security detail, telling them not to worry and not to try and find her because she would be back at her car no later than 6 p.m. for them to follow her back to the mansion. When the men complained, Lana threatened to let Lex know they had lost track of her in broad daylight in the middle of Smallville. Realizing their jobs, and possibly more, might be on the line, they grudgingly acquiesced.

With that detail taken care of, Lana turned to the barn and took the familiar steps up to the loft. She got as far as the first landing before she saw that Clark wasn’t in the loft. As she climbed the steps to the kitchen door, she hoped Martha wasn’t at home. Meeting Clark was going to be hard enough, but seeing the woman she had once hoped would be her mother-in-law would be almost as difficult.

After knocking and waiting for several minutes, Lana concluded that no one was home, so she returned to the loft to wait. Once there, Lana looked around carefully, sure that this would be her last time up here. She was shocked when she saw how many familiar things were missing. The old, nearly worn-out couch was still there, but Clark’s desk and all of its contents were not. The familiar strings of Christmas lights still shone brightly, but all of the little knickknacks she associated with Clark were gone. It was the first proof she had that Clark was truly leaving, and it broke her heart.

Lana collapsed on the couch and wept profusely. Damn that man! she thought angrily. I gave up everything for him and he goes and nullifies my sacrifice by moving away. I didn’t expect much, but even the meager rewards I had to look forward to are gone now; all that is left is a lifetime of Lex.

In the time she spent waiting for Clark, Lana thought over what she could possibly say to explain her overnight change from promising him to break it off with Lex to promising to love, honor, and cherish Lex…without revealing Lionel’s deadly threat. Which is less likely to happen? Lana wondered bitterly. That I love Lex, that I honor him, or that I cherish him?

Clark didn’t make it home until early afternoon and since his mother was off somewhere at one fundraiser or another, he knew that meant one last night of subjecting himself to his own cooking. Maybe I can order some Domino’s tonight, Clark thought sourly. I have a few dollars left and God knows I won’t need them where I’m going.

Having decided on his dinner plans, Clark turned away from the house and headed for the loft. Passing by his truck, he wondered how long his mom would hold onto it before giving in to reality and selling it.

He trudged his way up the steps. It was a trip he’d made thousands of times, but was unlikely to make again before he left in the morning. He was looking around carefully at everything, trying to sear each and every detail into his memory since he was sure his mom would have to sell the place long before he was able to come back. He had spent the day saying goodbye to Smallville; now it was time to say goodbye to the farm.

As he had been looking from side to side to absorb the smallest details, Clark hadn’t noticed Lana’s small form huddled in sleep on his couch until he was almost standing next to her. He recoiled upon sight of her and hissed as he sucked in a deep breath. Lana was sleeping, but sleeping so lightly that she was woken up by Clark’s hiss and quickly levered herself to an upright position.

Clark couldn’t believe the absolute gall it took for Lana to show up here, and while he was trying to find the right words to tell her to go to hell, she spoke. Lana had thought long and hard about what she’d say to Clark, but all of those ideas fled at the sight of Clark’s unbridled anger. The first thing that came to her mind was that which was in her heart: “I love you, Clark.”

The tenderness with which she spoke stopped Clark’s retreat in its tracks. Feeling that remaining seated while he loomed over her was a position of weakness, Lana stood and walked close enough to Clark to touch him, but not so close that she’d have to crane her neck up to look at him.

Clark finally recovered his wits enough to say, disbelievingly, “Love me? You lost that right when you promised to love Lex, or have you forgotten that promise already? I guess I do understand though, since I know your promises are no longer worth the breath required to speak them. I seem to remember you promising me that you were going to break it off with Lex on the day of the wedding.”

His voice now dripping with sarcasm, Clark added, “But, wonder of wonders, I got to the church just in time to see you put on Lex’s ring, Mrs. Luthor.” Clark nearly spat those last two words, and Lana flinched as if she had been physically struck by them. “When I learned about your engagement, I told Chloe that if you married Lex, there would be no turning back.” Then, as calmly and coldly as Lana had one year before, Clark said, “It’s over. Forever.”

Clark turned and headed for the stairs, anxious to put as much space as possible between himself and Lana before she had a chance to say anything more. Lana had been staggered by Clark’s words, but not knocked out, so she rushed after him, catching him on the last stairway landing before the floor. Her arm snaked out and grabbed his just above the elbow, turning him around.

“No…it…ISN’T!” Lana declared. “It’s not over until both of us give up, and I’m not letting go.”

“So?” Clark replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, “I am. I’m leaving town. Tomorrow.”

Chloe had already told her, and she had seen the evidence for herself, but hearing those words from Clark was like reading her own death notice in the paper, knowing the time and date of death, but being unable to do anything about it.

“But I love you, Clark.”

“You loved me once,” Clark admitted, “and even if you do still love me, which I take the liberty to doubt, you chose to marry Lex instead of me. You’ve made your bed, now be a good girl and lie in it.” Clark shook his arm loose from Lana’s grasp as she shivered at the implication of more sex with Lex. “As for me, my decision is to move on with my life.”

“But where will you go, Clark? What will you do?” Then saying what was really on her mind, Lana asked in a small, scared voice, “How will you stay safe?”

Clark was incredulous. Lana had learned most of what he could do before her wedding. She knew how strong, fast, and invincible he was and yet she seemed to be genuinely worried for his safety.

“Lana, you know almost everything about me now. Had you shown up here on your wedding day, instead of getting married, I would have told you the rest.” Since he was leaving early the next morning, Clark decided to tell her anyway to ease her mind. “I’ll be safe, Lana, because I’m not from around here. I was born on the planet Krypton. I get my powers from our sun, and nothing on this Earth can hurt me…but even if it could, I’d still be safe, because of where I’m going.”

Lana wanted to believe Clark was going someplace safe, but she knew that the Luthors possessed a very long reach. Only her overriding concern for Clark’s safety had kept her from an immediate reaction to Clark’s admission that he was an alien, and that was about to be corrected now.

“Uhh…did you just say you’re an alien?”

“Yeah. Even though we’re not together, and you’re married to my worst enemy, I’ve just trusted you with my life.” Clark took Lana by the hand and led her back up the stairs where they both sat on the couch. “You said once that you wondered if someone from outer space came to Earth during the first meteor shower and was living among us.” Clark stretched his arms out sideways with his palms turned up as if to say look at me. “I’m that someone.”

All of the pieces suddenly fell into place in Lana’s mind like the tumblers in a lock that had just been picked. She could almost hear an audible click in her mind when it happened, and there was no denying the truth of what he had said. Surprisingly, it didn’t faze her like she might have expected it to. Maybe it was because she had known for sometime that Clark wasn’t a meteor freak. Maybe, in the far reaches of her mind, she had already suspected the truth. However it had happened, Lana now knew that she knew his core secret, the one upon which all the others were based. It was time to tell him her secret.

“I wasn’t going to tell you this, Clark, but now I think you need to know. I know you can’t be hurt by anything from Earth, but you can be hurt by something on Earth.”

Clark thought he knew what she meant, but he wanted to make sure. “What do you mean, Lana?”

“I know about your allergic reaction to green meteor rocks. I know you could be killed by them.”

“Who told you?”

“Lionel.” Lana looked down at her toes. “He told me the day of the wedding, and suddenly it all made sense. I remember how you acted when you got close to me when we were kids. I always thought you were just clumsy and super shy, but it was my necklace that caused it. That also explains why you didn’t want me to wear my necklace anymore.

“Anyway, on the morning of the wedding, Lionel threatened to kill you if I didn’t go through with marrying Lex.” Lana’s eyes returned to Clark’s. “As much as I want you, as much as I want us, I couldn’t possibly be selfish enough to keep you near me and risk your death. I need you, but the world needs you more.”

Clark’s world was rocked by the news that Lana had given up everything to protect him. He felt like a total heel for everything he had just said to her and wondered if she currently felt the way he had the year before when he had done the very same thing for her. Back then, he had driven Lana away to protect her from Lex, and had then felt unremitting anger and anguish when she had nullified his sacrifice by falling for Lex. Clark was angry with Lionel, but for right now, he needed to be focused on Lana.

For the first time since he came up the steps, Clark’s tone was gentle and his eyes were once again kind and understanding. “So…you finally understand.”

Cautiously, Lana asked, “Understand what?”

“What I went through when I drove you away,” Clark said simply. “I gave up our life together to save you from Lex.”

“Lex is a bad guy now, I readily admit that, but he was never any danger to me.”

“Oh yes he was, on the day we got engaged, he helped cause your death.”

Clark went on to explain about the day that happened twice and how he had vowed to do anything to save her from death, only to see her fall into a relationship with the man he had saved her from.

“If you had chosen any other man to be with, I could have found it in my heart to be happy for you, but seeing you with Lex was more than I could bear. That’s kind of the way you must be feeling right about now…to know that you sacrificed us and married Lex to keep me safe, only to learn I’m going somewhere Lionel can’t possibly reach me.”

“How do you know you’ll be safe from Lionel? The Luthors have people everywhere.”

“Not where I’m going. Trust me, Lana. There are some places even money can’t get you into. This happens to be one of them.”

Clark was right about one thing, now that her sacrifice had been rendered useless by him leaving, she was in anguish over losing him for the second time in barely more than two weeks, and she was angry, though mostly with herself for not talking to Clark again before the wedding, when all this might have been averted.

“It’s kind of late in the game for us to discover the kind of sacrificial love we have for each other.” Lana said sadly. “Isn’t it?”

“Roughly two weeks too late,” Clark said in agreement.

The whole time they had been sitting on the couch, the two of them had been unconsciously sliding closer and closer together until their legs touched, which brought their sudden closeness to the forefront. They each leaned in and their hands rose up of their own accord. Both of them desperately wanted to kiss the other, but the specter of Lex Luthor hung between them as they seemed, to Clark anyway, to be playing the ‘close game,’ where they got their hands and lips as close to the other person as they could without touching. The loser in such a game is the one who touches first.

Lana wanted Clark’s touch, needed it in fact, but she knew how he was about things like propriety. She didn’t know if he’d cross the line of a marriage vow even if it was made under duress like hers was, so to her mind, he had to make the first move. Clark was wondering the same thing. It was: Lana’s married, don’t go there, versus, she was forced into it and you’re just about to leave, maybe forever, so go for it.

It didn’t take long for ‘go for it’ to push ‘don’t go there’ into the background where it couldn’t be heard. And as soon as that happened, Clark closed the last few millimeters between them. His last coherent thought was: I lose…yay!

First, fireworks exploded, then bombs went off, and finally stars went supernova as two more heavenly bodies began to grind against each other. The explosions were all in their heads, but the fact that their nerve endings were on fire wherever they touched was very real.

This was like manna from heaven, providing life-saving sustenance to their dying hearts. It had been so long since they had been together in this way, that they had to learn each other’s body all over again. Clark couldn’t have stopped even if he’d wanted to, and Lana would have clubbed him to death with a meteor rock if he’d tried.

Only after the fact, when they were picking up the clothes that were strewn all over the loft, and Clark was not so secretly admiring Lana’s body, did it occur to him to wonder about her pregnancy.

Shouldn’t a woman as slender as she is be showing a baby bump by now? Her abs are as tight as they ever were. Suddenly worried, Clark risked breaking the mood by asking about her child. Lana was surprised and touched that the man who had said her Luthor baby changed everything now wanted to know how things were going.

“I’m fine, and so is my baby,” Lana assured Clark as she patted her abs. “Thanks for asking.”

When he hesitantly asked why she wasn’t showing, Lana shrugged and said her doctor said first babies can be like that sometimes. Clark wanted to take a look, but wasn’t sure if his x-ray vision would harm the baby, so he didn’t ask.

Once dressed, Clark and Lana cuddled, but did so on the top step. It was starting to get late and Lana knew she had to get back to her car before a little bit of private worry on the part of two guards became out-and-out panic by the entire security staff.

When she told this to Clark, the feeling of warmth and contentment they shared morphed into an emotional farewell. Lana was sitting across Clark’s lap with her arms looped around his neck as she drenched his cheeks and lips with kisses and tears. Clark had one arm around her lower back and another under her knees as he returned her kisses and tears one for one.

The closer they came to the time for him to take her back to Smallville, the less sure Clark was he’d be able to leave in the morning. Finally, he decided to stay and fight, no matter the cost to himself, to help free Lana from the Luthors.

But Lana was adamant. “NO!!” she yelled. “You have to go now. If you stay, I can’t fight them, especially Lionel, but if you leave, his hold over me is broken and I can find a way out of this marriage. When I’m finally free, I can contact you and we can be together, at long last.”

A weight settled over Clark’s heart as he realized this really was the end. He couldn’t stay and fight for her, and she couldn’t join him in the Fortress. Crying once more, Clark went into an explanation of exactly where he was going and what he was doing. Lana was stunned to learn about the Phantom Zone and the zoners that Clark had dedicated himself to defeating. She was supremely proud, however, to learn about the larger role he was taking on.

“Defending the entire Earth, you sure sound like a super man to me,” Lana said.

“Maybe,” Clark allowed. “The point is, I have no idea how long my training will last, but I do know that I will be trained in a place that is inhospitable for human life. You can’t come with me, there’s no way for you to contact me, and I’m not selfish enough to ask you to wait for me through what might be years when you have a life of your own.

“Do as you planned, Lana. Free yourself from their deadly grasp and live your life, don’t wait for mine. Give yourself a chance, and you’ll eventually find a man who will give you all the love you deserve.

“As I read once somewhere, I will love him because he loves you, I'll be happy that you’ve found someone to love, and I'll be jealous that he is not me.”

Lana was crying buckets now and Clark wasn’t far behind her. When no tears were left to be shed, Lana sniffled and asked, “Will I ever see you again?”

“You will. Watch for my return, read the papers, scan the internet, someday you’ll see something and know.”

“No, Silly,” Lana said as she burrowed deeper into Clark’s chest, “will I ever see you again. This superman of yours sounds wonderful, but I’m more interested in the man.”

“I…I don’t know,” Clark said haltingly. “I’ll try.”

Lana used her best Yoda voice, and said, “Do or do not. There is no ‘try.’”

Both of them broke into a much needed laugh and when it subsided, Clark said solemnly, “Then, you will see me. I’ll be the Hawkeye to your Cora when he said, ‘I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you.’”

Wanting to avoid an argument after having extracted that promise from him, Lana wisely kept her reply to herself. And I will be waiting for you. No matter how long it takes, I will be waiting.

[C.A.chick]

1st OMG Card. Beautifully depressing. Poor Clark and Lana. Both have them sacfrificed everything only to end with nothing at all. I don't know how Lana can live knowing that it may be years until she can see Clark again. And Clark. Dear Clark. He's suffered so much for Lana, and finally, Lana knows what he did for her, but of course he is leaving. Oh the irony. *Sigh* The pain. And, being the great writer you are, you make it that much more hard to bear. *Sniffle* I loved it!

[SVsleuth]

Wonderful Clana scene, Card. I love the way you write. It's so powerful & emotional. I'm glad you left us hope for Clana in the future. More? Epilogue? After all, we need to know what happens when Clark comes back.

PPMS!

[Nemu]

as much as i agree with SV...

I would kinda prefer some kind of sequel once you are done with your three other fics...

You know the return of CK after his training and how Lana, Chloe and Lois have lived their life in his absence...

And how far the Luthors have gone...

Good work...

[kewl]

that was beautiful card! i'm so overwhelmed that they were able to fix things up before clark leaves for his training... but that's not the end yet, right card?

[Max001]

Yet another brilliant, althought slightly shorter fic

You're a freaking machine!

[clana1fan4ever]

I love the Clana scene this story is really goood.

Do we get to have more??

[smallvilleobsessor17]

That was a brilliant fic...so sad, but it really captured the Clana. Cardinal, please post at least an epilogue!

[Hahaveryfunny]

Great story! Question- what happens to Lana's baby that I HOPE isns't real just fake? PPMS ASAP CARD!

[Cardinal]

Nullification


Epilogue - Part 1 of 2

“It is time, Kal-El,” a dry voice intoned.

“Time?”

“At long last, my son, you are ready.”

Slowly coming out of the mental fog he had been in, Clark looked around at the familiar crystalline structure of the Fortress of Solitude. It had been his home and training ground for a very long time. Without any external references to go by, he actually had no real idea how long he’d been here. All he knew was that he was bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, and more perfectly in control of his abilities than he had been when he had entered training.

Clark’s old clothes no longer fit him, as his overall musculature had grown enough to completely shred the flannel shirt and blue jeans he had worn. Only his work boots still fit, and they were in bad shape. He knew he couldn’t return to civilization wearing nothing but his boots, otherwise he’d be the superhero known as Pervertedman.

When Clark said as much to Jor-El, one last surprise was revealed to him. A previously unsuspected panel of crystal slid open to reveal a suit of clothing. It was a blue body suit with red briefs, red boots, and a red cape. Emblazoned on the chest of the body suit was a red and yellow irregular pentagon inscribed with a stylized S. The symbol was his family’s crest on Krypton, but the colors were strictly his own.

As he pulled on the suit, Clark found another, smaller crest on the back of his cape done strictly in yellow to contrast the red of the cape. And, finally, tucked in with his nearly knee-high boots was a slim golden belt. He had been dubious when Jor-El had insisted that the red shorts went on over the blue body suit, but he relented and found them to be a perfect fit.

The boots were last, and then Clark was ready. He wanted to check his appearance in the reflection of a large, flat sheet of crystal, because he was worried about how this outfit looked. He wanted an image that said: powerful, dependable, and comforting…and somehow, between the drape of his cape, the fit of his suit, and his rippling muscles, that seemed to be just the image he projected.

Of course, until I actually do something, this will probably look somewhat gay, Clark thought as he made his farewell to Jor-El.

Clark dipped his knees slightly, gathered his arms in close to his body, and launched himself into the air. He streaked upward out of the small opening in the top of the Fortress, quickly breaking through the sound barrier as he arrowed his way south.

First, he spent some time in a large public library in Toronto, which was the first major city he came to. While his costume drew a number of snickers and some outright laughs, he accepted that as the price for what he needed to do. The first thing he learned was the date. It was October 8th, 2019. He had been in training in the Fortress for almost twelve years. His heart ached as he scrapped his initial plan of locating Lana first. After all, Clark thought, even if Lana managed to free herself from Lex, any hope I might’ve had of her still being single is gone now.

All he wanted now was to locate any one of several people. A half hour with Google was all he needed to figure out that Chloe was married and working at the Daily Planet. He figured she could tell him where everyone else was, and more importantly, what Lana’s status was.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Lois Lane readied herself for another day of work at the Daily Planet. She was running late, as usual, and stuffed a blueberry bagel into her mouth as she grabbed her laptop’s backpack case and ran out of her condo, hoping to reach the subway in time to catch her usual train. Running in heels was hard, but she was an expert by now. Still, hearing the sharp click-clack of her heels as they clattered on the pavement always made her smile and think back to the time when she considered shoes with any kind of heels to be implements of torture.

Lois managed to just get onto the last car of the train before it pulled out of the station, and soon she was getting off of the train and pushing her way through the crowd in a desperate attempt at getting to work on time. She wasn’t in any danger of being fired if she was late, but she had a $100 bet going that she could be on time every day for a week, and she was not about to lose a bet to Chloe Olsen.

As she came up out of the subway and onto the sidewalk, she heard the increasingly loud blaring of police sirens and instantly went into reporter mode, looking to identify the location of the action. Forgetting all about the bet, Lois thought, If it’s close enough, I can get there first and make this story mine!

Luckily for Lois, the sirens were increasingly loud because they were headed to a building directly across the street from her. When she realized that fact, she scurried across the street to secure a prime location before the cops could block her off. One look at the building was all she needed to tell her what was likely going on; she was now standing in front of the First National Bank of Metropolis, and the only thing that ever happened at a bank that generated a massive police response was a robbery.

While the first police cars tried to setup a perimeter around the bank, Lois ducked down behind a curbside mailbox to hide from view as she whipped out her cell and called Chloe.

“Hey, Lois,” Chloe answered chirpily, “guess who just lost one-hundred bucks?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lois answered snidely, “guess who’s got a front row seat for a bank robbery and likely hostage situation?”

That shut Chloe’s mouth and instantly made the conversation completely professional. “Tell me what you’ve got, Lois.”

“First things first, Chlo,” Lois said, “You know how that husband of yours is always looking for his big break?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, tell him to get his skinny ass down to the First National Bank of Metropolis at the corner of State and 3rd, ‘cause I need a photographer.” Before Chloe could use her desk phone to give Jimmy a heads-up, Lois added snarkily, “And, Chlo, make sure he brings his cameras and some blank memory cards this time.”

“Will do, Lois…and Lois?”

“Yeah, Chlo?”

“Thanks for giving Jimmy another chance.”

No problem,” Lois said, with a smile on her face she’d deny ever having had. “He’s family, that means he gets unlimited chances.”

By the time Chloe had sent an excited but determined Jimmy on his way and then reported the situation to Perry, Lois was ready for battle. Her laptop case was a backpack for a reason, so after grabbing her notepad and three pens out of the backpack, she slung it on her back to leave both arms free. The cops finally noticed her and gently pushed her outside their line, but she now had, as she had told Chloe, a front row seat.

Upon arrival on the scene, Jimmy was huffing and puffing, having run the entire three blocks to the bank while carrying two oversized camera bags. He stopped outside of the steadily growing semicircle of onlookers to try and determine the best vantage point for his work. He had several powerful lenses at his disposal, so a front row spot wasn’t necessary. All he needed was some elevation to shoot over the crowd, and a good line of sight.

He found what he was looking for on the opposite street corner in the form of a high-rise hotel. Jimmy rushed inside and plunked down his credit card to get a room on that corner, fairly low to the ground. It took him a couple of minutes, but once he had the electronic key card in his hand, he made a beeline for his room and began setting up on the balcony. Once his cameras were on their tripods and in focus, he called Lois with his cell phone to let her know where he was positioned. Lois turned to locate Jimmy’s balcony, and was pleasantly surprised at the initiative that he had shown in securing such a prime vantage point.

Most of the Daily Planet’s newsroom was going about their business, working their own stories with barely a glance at the bank robbery coverage on the overhead televisions, but Chloe was glued to the unfolding drama since both her husband and her cousin were out there. That changed when Perry stuck his head into the newsroom and bellowed, “Olsen! Get your butt in here!”

Chloe grabbed a notepad and pencil and reluctantly headed into Perry’s office. It wasn’t exactly like being sent to the principal’s office, it just always seemed to feel that way to her.

“Whatcha need, Chief?” Chloe asked.

“Sit down.” Perry paced in front of the wind behind his desk while Chloe did as she was told. “You think you’ve been pulling something over on me ever since you started here, but I know you have a special relationship with our Publisher. Some in the newsroom even think you have the super-secret number for her private cell phone.”

Perry wheeled in place and stared at Chloe, who had paled noticeably, which was an impressive feat for the fair-complected woman. “I just received a call from her secretary,” Perry said. “The boss went out a while ago. Among other things, she was headed to the bank…the First National Bank.” Perry let the implications sink in for a moment before adding, “If you do have the Publisher’s private cell phone number, I suggest you use it right now and find out where she is.”

Reluctantly, Chloe pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number from memory. It wasn’t on her speed dial list. That way, no one could steal it.

Son of a B!tch! Perry thought. She is in tight with the boss…yet, the boss has never once suggested any special treatment for Olsen, and Olsen has never flaunted the relationship, so things are okay, I can still yell at her.

The phone vibrated silently once, twice, and then three times before being picked up. The Publisher, and owner, of the Daily Planet checked the caller id and saw that it was her dear friend Chloe. Quickly making her way into a toilet stall, shutting the door, and pulling her feet up so anyone coming in wouldn’t be able to see where she was, the Publisher said in a whisper, “Hi, Chloe. I wondered when you guys would figure out where I was. Make this quick though, I’m hiding in the women’s restroom.”

“Crap!” Chloe said, as she ran a hand through her straight blonde hair. “How do you manage to get yourself into these things, Lana?”

[Nemu]

oh man she is the OWNER????

damn she did get something out of her marriage with Baldy...

Now Supes needs to save the day... and his lady love... soon!!!

PPMS!!!