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xtremeroswelliaTwo Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala: Fic 13: Home Is not Always Where the Heart Is...
Rated: R
The door shut silently behind her, the night air cool against her heated face. She leaned against the railing, fighting back tears of excitement and fear. She hung her head and sightless eyes looked at her hands gripping the wood, her hair hiding her face from the rest of the world. Or from Sam, who had turned to see who had just come outside.
"You okay?" His voice was quiet, but he made no step toward her.
She jumped a little, not realizing her husband was on the porch. "Yeah," she whispered hoarsely, forcing herself to look at him. "Fine."
Right, he thought tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face as he leaned against the railing.
Sarah winced at the defeat she heard in her mind. She glanced up at Sam, a single tear trickling down her cheek. "I'm pregnant, Sam," she said simply, holding her thoughts firmly behind the mental wall she had built while in the Kent's bathroom.
He was silent for a moment, shutting his eyes though he wasn't surprised in the least. Nodding a little, he swallowed hard, keeping his own thoughts back.
Her face fell and she looked away, going back to her original position, gazing at her hands resting on the wood railing. She didn't know what to do. Sam didn't seem to be happy, either. Had he been thinking the same thing? she wondered, the tears streaming down her face. The Demon's words that had been ringing in her mind constantly, giving her little peace and no sleep over the last few days?
"What do you wanna do?" he whispered, his quiet question breaking the dead silence of the night.
She rubbed her flat belly unconsciously. "I don't know," she replied. "What do you want to do?"
Sam swallowed hard. What did he want to do? He wanted to quit this lifestyle, settle down with his wife and raise their children together. But that wasn't his destiny. Rubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head. "I don't know either."
"I'm... scared, Sam. So... scared." Sarah didn't know how good it would be to always be on the road, being pregnant and trying to raise a child. On the road. Sam's position in the coming battle seemed much more important than her and their child. But something inside her wanted to keep the baby. No matter the cost.
He hesitated a moment, looked over at her, and slowly moved to her side, gathering her in his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Her arms wrapped around Sam's lean waist, leaning into his muscled chest. She sighed and closed her eyes. I'm so tired, she thought, letting him into her mind a little.
He shut his eyes, pulling her closer and stroking her dark hair with one hand. I know, he thought.
"The Demon... it said our baby was his," she said, the words falling out of her mouth unheeded. "It's his... it's..." She squeezed her eyes, trying to hold back the torrent of tears. "It knew I was pregnant."
"Sarah, it's not his," he whispered, lifting his hands to her cheek. "There's no way it could be."
She let him move her face up to gaze into his concerned, grave eyes. "But it knew, Sam. Before I even had an inkling... How are we going to keep our baby from something we can't even hurt?" Her voice broke and the tears of despair fell unheeded down her cheeks.
Pain flashed over his eyes and he pulled her against him once more, the breath hitching in his throat. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his own voice strained. "But I promise you I won't let the bastard hurt either of you."
"So... you want to keep the baby?" she replied out loud, feeling a glimmer of hope in her being, despite the intense fear making her heart pound out of her chest.
Sam swallowed hard, slowly pulling away to look at her. "You don't?" he whispered, his stomach tightening in a knot.
"Of course I do," Sarah replied, blinking back the shock she felt. How could you think I don't want our child?
He felt a wave of relief wash over him. "It's just...you've been pushing me away."
She nodded and looked down, the guilt of her silence slowly creeping into her heart. "I know," she whispered, her voice low and frightened.
"So much has been going on," he murmured, leaning back against the railing. "We haven't had any time to just...relax and process anything."
Sarah sighed and pulled away from him. "Yeah, watching your husband toss doors and people around like they're made of rubber... just a little much to take in." She wrapped her arms around her waist and looked away towards the Impala.
He winced at her words, feeling vaguely ill. "I know," he whispered, his shoulders slumping.
As much as she wanted to reach out for him, something inside her prevented her hand from touching his arm. "I just... you make me feel so... useless, Sam," Sarah replied, unable to glance at him because of the look on his face. "And our baby... is it going to have your... abilities?"
His heart sinking even more, he slowly moved to sit down on the steps. "I don't know." He let out a breath, staring blankly into the distance, a numb sensation settling on him.
"Sam." His name on her lips was like a small cry, a desperate plea. She wished she knew how to reach across the abyss. The yawning chasm she had created.
"I wish I had answers," he whispered. "I wish I wasn't..." He cut himself off before he could say the words 'a freak.' Swallowing hard, he shut his eyes.
His thoughts made her move towards him, closing the distance between them. "You are not a freak, Sam Winchester," she announced, an edge to her voice. "Don't you dare say that."
"No?" He craned his neck to look at her. "Sarah, you said it yourself. I can rip doors off hinges and throw people around like they're made of rubber. That's not even close to normal."
"And demon hunting is?" she countered, sitting down next to him. "Sam, what you and Dean do for a living isn't normal. Apparently, Chloe's got some kind of power, or else Lex Luthor wouldn't have come after her. If anyone's a freak, it's me." She looked down and played with her fingernail.
"You're not a freak." He gazed at her.
"Sure I am," she argued softly. "I'm the only one who doesn't seem to be good for anything."
"Are you kidding me?" Sam reached out and touched her arm. "You keep the rest of us from falling apart."
She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I'm doing such a great job of that," she replied, closing her eyes against the fresh batch of tears threatening just beneath the surface. "Chloe's a basket case, Dean is inconsolable, and you're such a sight to behold that I wonder why you ever married me."
Sighing softly, he pulled her against him, pressing a kiss against her hair. "I married you because I love you," he whispered, rubbing her back. "And Chloe and Dean...they just need some time, Sarah. After what Lex..." His voice tensed a little.
Her body stiffened at the sound in his voice. "I know," she whispered, putting a hand on his chest and bunching his shirt tightly. "I'm afraid we don't have much time to deal with this."
He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "What are you thinking?"
She shook her head, looking intently into his eyes. "I don't know, Sam. I have this... feeling... that Lex will be sniffing around for Chloe. And the... Demon..." She couldn't fight back the shudder of revulsion that ran down her back.
Sam tensed a little, nodding slightly. "Yeah. I have the same feeling," he admitted, slowly rising to his feet and beginning to pace the porch.
Turning to watch him move, Sarah frowned. "So what do we do? Shouldn't we get out of here, where Lex has a house, for crying out loud?"
"He'll find us again. It's only a matter of time." There was only one thing to do to keep Chloe safe, he thought, his heart heavy.
Sarah stilled in fear, reaching out with her mind to touch Sam's. What do you have in mind? she asked him silently, looking around at the shadows that crept over the porch quickly, making her shiver with fear.
Lex Luthor has to die.
Her eyes went wide for a moment, blind panic overtaking her system when she realized Sam had every intention of doing this. It was written on his face, in his eyes. What if he comes after you, instead? she wondered, paling at the thought of what could happen if Sam went after Luthor. And failed.
I won't fail, he thought grimly, gazing at her intently. No matter how much money he has...I'm stronger than he is.
I know that, she mused, standing up and moving towards him. But Sam, his resources seem limitless. Even Oliver and his gang have mentioned the 33.1 facilities keep cropping up everywhere. You can't do this alone. She slid her hands along his chest, her eyes wide and pleading.
He glanced toward the house. I don't think Dean or Clark would let me do this alone anyway. He reached up and touched her face.
"Good," Sarah replied out loud, mustering a sad smile. "Because your wife and your baby won't make it without you." She leaned up, caressing his cheek, the worry temporarily clouded by her love for him.
Sam ducked his head a little and kissed her very softly. He didn't know how, but somehow he was going to make sure everything turned out all right for his family. All of it.
&&&&&
Chloe slowly drifted toward consciousness, feeling warm and safe beneath the blankets of Mrs. Kent's bed and Dean's arms wrapped around her protectively, his body spooned against her own. Drawing in a breath she slowly opened her eyes, watching the faint light from sunrise filter into the bedroom. She felt Dean press a kiss to her neck and she smiled a little, shivering involuntarily.
"Good morning," he growled softly, tightening his arms around her, snuggling his face into her hair gently. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." His eyes were tired but happy, glad to feel her body still relaxed against his. She had slept through the night. Definitely a good sign, he thought.
She leaned back against him, closing her eyes once more. She took a moment to take stock of her body. She was still sore, but not as bad as the day before. Still tired, but not feeling like she'd drop from exhaustion. Maybe whatever Lex's scientists had injected her with had finally worn off. "Morning," she whispered back.
"Yeah, let's hope so," Dean answered her thoughts automatically, so used to hearing them that he couldn't imagine what would happen when the effects of their group spell wore off. "I'm not about to let you out of my sight again."
She was silent for a moment. "What if it doesn't wear off?"
He smiled and nipped at her earlobe gently. "Then I guess I get to torture you with my thoughts from now on," he teased gently, rubbing her arms gently.
She wasn't entirely sure if the naughty little thought that popped into her mind after his words was his or her own and she couldn't help but chuckle, shivering involuntarily as he kissed her ear.
"That totally came from you," Dean whispered in her ear, grinning wickedly as he felt her body warm. He held his body in check, ignoring the desires holding her created inside. He sighed, running his mouth against the back of her neck.
She brushed her cheek against his, nuzzling him lightly as she turned her head. I love you, she thought, a different kind of warmth running through her. Thank you for being with me.
He felt her love, felt something touch his heart, shaking him to his soul. Holding her close to him, wrapped in his arms, their bodies offering each other warmth beneath the bed's comforter, Dean Winchester could only wonder at the fact that she loved him. How could I not be with you? he replied, closing his eyes, letting her scent envelope his senses. You're the air I breathe, okay?
She slowly turned in his arms so she was facing him, reaching up to touch his face and curling against him. Ditto. She searched his eyes, her heart beating steadily against her chest.
His gaze locked with hers; staring intently at her, he whispered, "I mean it, Chloe. It's more than just love. I've... never... Damn, I'm not any good at these chick flick moments." His words teased, though he opened his mind to her, hoping she could feel what he felt. Needing her to understand how much he needed to protect her. Hoping she knew he'd die without her.
She swallowed hard, the emotions she felt flowing from him intense. Wordlessly she kissed his lips, closing her eyes.
Dean sank beneath the weight of her kiss, groaning inwardly at the riotous emotions he felt flowing between them. The air felt alive with electricity. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer, their mouths moving together slowly, leisurely.
So the soft knock on the door didn't register with him until it got a lot louder.
She smiled faintly against his lips. I think we have company. She placed another soft kiss against his mouth before looking over her shoulder. "Come in."
Dean sat up and pulled Chloe with him, just in time to see Sarah and Sam walk through the door, looking a little uncertain. "Hey guys," he said, nodding for them to come in. "You two look like... hell."
Sarah smirked a little. "Thanks, Dean. Nice to see you, too."
Sam smirked at his brother as well, then shifted his gaze to Chloe. "You look more rested." His voice was soft and he reached out and took Sarah's hand.
"I am," she said just as softly, a small smile on her face.
Sarah nodded and mustered a smile. "Good, I'm glad to hear that, Chlo. We've been worried about you." Her gaze shifted to Dean. "Both of you."
Dean simply nodded and glanced at his brother. You two finally talk? he thought.
Yeah, we did. Sam squeezed Sarah's hand gently and settled on the edge of the large bed, pulling her down gently to sit, as well.
Chloe sat up a little more, studying Sarah for a moment and cocking her head to one side curiously.
She flushed under the blonde's scrutiny and nodded gently. "Yeah, I told him," she whispered, glancing at Chloe even as she threaded her fingers through Sam's hand.
Dean looked from Sarah to Chloe to Sam, confusion written all over her face. "Okay, you two talked, and you told him... what?"
Chloe couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face, her green eyes lighting up as she suppressed the urge she had to squeal with excitement.
Sam almost laughed at her reaction. "Sarah's pregnant," he said softly, looking at his brother.
Sarah bit her lip, trying to suppress the laughter threatening to bubble over from Chloe's response. She looked at Dean, her shy eyes shining. "Can you deal with that... Uncle Dean?" she teased.
Dean didn't know what to say for a moment: he never thought this would happen in his little family. When it sank in, however, a wide, cheesy grin spread across his lips. "Way to go, little brother," he pronounced with a knowing smile, holding Chloe close against his chest as he spoke.
Sam's cheeks flushed and he shook his head in amusement. "Thanks, Dean."
Chloe's grin widened a little more. "Wow. This is...we should celebrate!"
"Celebrate?" Sarah asked out loud, wondering at the word. "What is that, exactly? Chocolate, partying, drinking?" Her eyes glistening as she looked at Sam, wide-eyed and filled with hope for them all.
"Well, maybe for the rest of us." She smirked. "I think that last one's out for you for awhile." She winked playfully.
Sam smiled, pressing a kiss to Sarah's cheek.
"Oh God, you're not going to turn Clark Kent's house into a frilly, girly party place, are you?" Dean asked, teasing and yet a little horrified at the same time. Drinking sounded like a great idea, but not if he'd have to be subjected to wading through baby clothes and stuff.
Sarah rolled her eyes at Dean's thoughts. "Dean, those things don't come for several months," she said, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Maybe Chloe's thinking dinner or something. I can watch you three get sloppy drunk and take blackmail pictures, just in case." She turned to Chloe and winked at her.
Chloe laughed, then winced a little, pressing a hand to her ribs and shutting her eyes for a moment until the pain subsided.
Sam's face grew serious once more at the reality of their situation sank in again. He shifted his gaze to meet Dean's. We need to talk, he thought.
Rubbing his face quickly, Dean pressed a gentle hand to Chloe's head, pulling her back into his embrace. "Where do you want to start, Sammy?" he asked, knowing full well the danger Sarah was in. Another something to add to their growing list of issues.
He was silent for a moment. "Lex Luthor."
Dean felt Chloe wince and her body tense. He planted a kiss on her head. "He's not going to get you," he whispered in her ear. He then looked up at Sam, saw the intention in his eyes, and felt a mixture of relief and anxiety. Two things he rarely felt. "That... guy...." he bit out, "is going down. In the horrible, painful kind of way."
Sarah looked at Chloe and put a hand over hers. She agreed with Dean, however, and nodded. "Yeah, we agree."
Sam nodded slightly, holding his brother's gaze. "I'm willing to bet Clark and Oliver Queen will be more than happy to help us out."
"No." Chloe's voice was very soft, almost inaudible.
"Chloe," Dean protested, "there's no argument here. He's got to be taken down. Only then can we deal with the Demon." He glanced over at Sarah, who had turned pale at the mention of their greatest enemy.
She pulled away from him, turning to look at him. "We don't just go around killing people, Dean," she said, her eyes filled with worry. "We're not murderers. And yes, Lex and Lionel...deserve every bad thing that happens to them but...it can't be us."
"Lex Luthor isn't a human being," Dean shot back, trying to keep a lid on the sudden rush of anger. "He's making an army of freaks for the thing that killed my family... and Jessica..." He nodded towards Sam. "Who's going to take him out if not us?" He looked at Sam. "Dude, you can jump in at any time with this."
"Chloe, he's right." Sam's voice was quiet and he gazed at her intently. "If we just let Lex keep on doing what he's doing--who knows who he'll go after next." He looked at his wife, then back at Chloe. "He's already had both you and Clark in that damn place, and you almost didn't make it."
She flinched a little, feeling uneasy. "And if we go after him in cold blood...we're no better than he is.”
Sarah frowned and blew out a breath. She knew where Chloe was coming from, though she wanted more than anything else to make sure Lex paid for his crimes against her loved ones and friends. "Chloe's right, guys," she said quietly. "I want him dead, especially since I'm afraid he's going to come after Sam, but tracking him down is just asking for trouble."
Dean stiffened in irritation. "How the hell can we take care of you two with that monster walking around? Christ, look at that he did to Clark... and that dude's nearly indestructible!"
Sam frowned. "Sarah, I thought we were on the same page on this."
"Guys, believe me, I understand where you're coming from. We both do." She glanced at Sarah, then at Sam and Dean. "But this isn't the way to handle things."
"I am on the same page with you, Sam," she replied firmly, looking earnestly into her husband's eyes. "Lex has to die. I totally agree with you. And I know you and Dean could do it. The problem is, I can't help but wonder if the Demon wants you to do just that." She looked down at her hands. "You two aren't killers. Not like that."
Dean shook his head and looked at the wall. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Chloe reached out and touched his shoulder. It's because we love you that we don't want you to do this.
And it's because we love you that we need to do this, Dean protested mentally, looking over at Chloe and then at Sarah.
An uneasy silence crept over the room.
"Clearly we're not going to agree on this," Sam said quietly.
"So... what are we going to do?" Sarah asked, her voice echoing her husband's uncertainty.
Chloe drew in a breath and let it out slowly, resting her head on one hand for a long moment. The thought of Lex getting a hold of Sam, or Sarah or their baby, or anyone else for that matter, was almost too much to bear. Putting up her mental walls for the time being, she shut her eyes, trying to think.
Dean stared intently at Chloe, running his fingers through her hair lightly. He bit back his frustration, his need to take out Luthor himself: as much as he wanted revenge for what that monster had done to Chloe, something told him that going in half-cocked and angry would only get someone killed. Someone close to him. Dean couldn't afford for that to happen.
Sarah's sudden words disrupted the heavy silence. "Maybe... Lex isn't ours to take down."
"Someone has to do it, Sarah." Sam looked at her, his voice quiet.
"Then maybe Oliver and Clark should do it," she replied steadily, looking at Sam directly, "because I'm not going to risk losing you to him."
Dean glanced over at Sarah and frowned. "What? That's not their fight. Not totally."
"Clark's been battling with Lex for the past six years," Chloe said softly, not looking at him. "And Oliver's been at it longer. Sarah's right."
Sam stared at her. "Lex Luthor is working for the demon that killed our mother. I think that gives us priority over whatever vendetta Clark and Oliver have against Luthor."
"Damn straight it does," Dean growled lowly, his hands falling away from Chloe's neck. "We kill Luthor, we might have a way to get to the demon."
Glancing down at her hands, Sarah said nothing. "Nice to see you two can think outside the box for a millisecond."
Sam rose off the bed and began to slowly pace the length of the floor.
"Yeah, and what happens the next time we run into a bad guy? A rapist or a murderer?" Chloe's voice was quiet. "We just gonna off every criminal that wanders into our path?"
Dean snorted. "If they're possessed by a demon... otherwise, that's what the freaking cops are for!"
"Not every bad guy is a demon, Dean," Sarah replied quietly, "and you know it. I, for one, would rather spend the rest of my life running from Lex Luthor than to have you two take him on." She looked pointedly at Sam for a moment.
"Lex isn't possessed." Chloe gazed at Dean intently.
Sam raked a hand through his hair. "How can you say that?" He looked at his wife. "You wanna spend the rest of your life on the road, running from Lex? What kind of life is that for this baby?" His voice wasn't harsh, but he shook his head.
"The dude's soulless, Chloe," Dean replied, staring intently at her. "In my book, that makes him a demon."
Sarah stood up, hurt by Sam's words. She glanced at Chloe and Dean, who seemed locked in their own debate. "It'd be a better life than going through one without you," she whispered, almost inaudibly.
Sam shut his eyes. "That's not gonna happen," he whispered back.
"You don't know that." Chloe's voice was sharp as she turned her gaze to Sam, then looked back at Dean once more.
Dean pointed at Sam. "He's the one with the abilities to get us through this," he said, his voice hard and emotionless. "I saw what Sam did to rescue you, dammit. I've never seen anything like it ever in my life. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let my brother sink into the demon's need of him just because there might be a doubt about our survival."
Sarah blanched visibly and turned to look out the window, her arms wrapped around herself.
Chloe's face paled a little at his words, tears stinging her eyes. Wordlessly she moved off the bed and left the room, raking a hand through her tangled hair as she slowly descended the Kents' staircase, needing to clear her head.
Sam sighed softly and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "Well that went well."
Sarcasm duly noted, Sarah thought before turning her thoughts completely off. Turning, she left the room after Chloe. She couldn't handle looking at either of the Winchester brothers.
Dean sighed as he watched Sarah leave quickly in Chloe's steps. "Dude, why is it every time I speak my mind, I get... stomped on?" He frowned and glanced at his brother.
"They're just freaked out, Dean," he said wearily, rubbing his forehead. "Don't take it personally."
"When aren't they freaked out, Sammy?" he replied, running a hand over his face. "Don't you think this might be... too much for them to handle?"
"I don't know," he murmured, sitting down on the floor and staring at the wall.
"I say, let Chloe visit Lois and then we get the hell outta Dodge." Dean stood up and crossed the room, grabbing clean clothes from his bag. "We can argue about how to kill Lex Luthor while we track his sorry ass down."
"Yeah. I agree with that." His voice was quiet. "Staying here much longer is a bad idea."
Sighing, Dean nodded. He wanted nothing more than to stop this life on the road. Kill Lex. Kill the demon. And stop this constant running. From the look on his brother's face, he figured Sam was thinking the same thing. "So... what are we going to do to change their minds?"
He shifted his gaze to Dean. "Somehow...I think that's going to be a harder task than we planned on."
"Well, you're the research geek. Can't you find out how?"
"And exactly how am I supposed to do that, Dean? It's not like their brains are downloadable onto my laptop."
The eldest Winchester rolled his eyes. "Fine. You can't hook them up to your computer, then why not show them how much better you'd be at kicking Luthor's butt? Because we both know you're going to be at the head of that action."
"What do you want me to do? Throw the Kent's furniture around with my mind?" He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet. "They already know."
"Clearly they don't, or they wouldn't be keeping us on the short leash, Sam." Dean headed for the bathroom off the bedroom to change, nearly punching a hole in the wall in irritation. Why did they have to be with women who were as stubborn as they were?
&&&&&
"Clark, I swear if you've done anything to hurt Chloe..." Lois started as she slammed the kitchen door shut at the Kent Farm, glaring as she saw the crest-fallen look on Chloe's face as she looked at her cousin.
"Hey, Lois." Her voice wobbled as she gazed at her favorite cousin, tears prickling at her eyes.
"Chloe." Lois forgot about anything else and ran towards her cousin, hugging her tightly. "God, it's good to see you. Are you okay?" She barely noticed the Winchesters or Sarah Blake sitting in various places around the room.
She hugged her back tightly, burying her face against Lois's shoulder, shaking her head a little.
For several minutes, Lois said nothing, holding Chloe while she wept silently. Her fear knew no bounds. Ever since she'd left Smallville with those guys, Lois had always wondered if her cousin was okay, if she was alive... if those guys were taking care of her. She glanced up at Dean and Sam warily. "Which of you did it?" she demanded softly.
"It's not what you think," Sam said quietly, shaking his head.
"Oh really?" Lois replied, cocking her eyebrow. "Then tell me what is actually *is*." Her gaze slid to Dean and held his for a moment.
He snorted softly. "No way, sister," he replied. "Don't look at me like I'm the evil party."
"Can we please...?” She slowly pulled away from Lois, taking her arm. "Go to the other room?"
"Sure," she replied, standing and letting Chloe lead the way to the Kent's dining room. Probably the one place in the house that would afford a little privacy, she thought with a grimace. Dean was going to get his ear chewed off when she was through with him, Lois thought angrily.
"It's not Dean," Chloe whispered, watching the surprise flicker over Lois's face. "And yeah...I just read your mind."
"Okay... wait a minute... how...?" Lois stammered, utterly shocked at this revelation. She sat down next to Chloe, a confused look on her face. "How the hell can you do that?" she finally managed to get out.
She drew in a breath, leaning back against the sofa, curling her feet beneath her. "I'm meteor infected, Lois."
"Meteor infected? Wait, as in... these green meteor rocks?"
"Yeah." She gazed at her cousin, reading the confusion, the worry, plain as day. "My mom's infected, too." Her voice was soft.
"What?" Lois wished she knew what to think, but the truth was, she didn't know where to begin. "When, Chlo? How? I thought she was in that institution in Topeka."
"She was. But...apparently she was driving through Smallville the day that the first meteor shower hit. I was in the car with her," she whispered. "She's not sick. She never was."
"Then why has she pretended to be?" she demanded, keeping her voice low so the others couldn't hear. "She all led us to believe she was sick. Even Dad thought..." She bit her lip and closed her eyes in pain.
"I know." Her voice was pained and she covered her face with her hands for a moment before speaking again. "She thought she was protecting me."
"From what?"
"People who'd...want to learn more about the meteor rocks. About...what effects it has on people." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor.
Lois frowned. "Okay, Coz, spill it. There's something I know you're keeping from me."
"How much do you know about Lex Luthor's...pet projects?"
"Which ones, Chloe? Lex seems to have lots of fingers in lots of pies." Her eyes reflected concern and fear.
"Level 33.1," she whispered. "Specifically."
Lois blinked in surprise. "33.1? Chlo, what do you know about that? My sources tell me that's the last place anyone wants to be."
"This source can tell you that for sure." She didn't look at her cousin.
"And how do you know --?" Lois's words died in her throat when she realized, suddenly, Chloe had been there. In one of Lex's facilities. "What did he do to you, Chloe?" she whispered, horrified. Bitter, angry tears pricked the back of her eyes.
Feeling ill, it took her a moment to respond. "I'm not exactly sure. I don't remember everything. I...he knows that I'm a meteor-freak." She shuddered involuntarily.
Lois paled considerably, pulling her cousin into a protective hug for a moment. "What?" she whispered. "How does he know you're infected with anything? How do you know? Is it because of this mind-reading thing?"
"I'm not sure how he found out about me. But he knows about Mom, too. I think...he may have just guessed and found out about me. And yeah, there's that." She leaned against her cousin, closing her eyes. "And also the fact that Mom confirmed it."
Never one to sit still, Lois pulled away from Chloe and stood up, walking little circles around the couch. "Okay, so Lex just assumed and took you, just in case?" she asked out loud. "That bastard. He's going to pay for this." She glanced at her cousin. "When did you start reading minds? Does Lex think this is going to help with that army he's trying to build? Did these guys you're still with have to do with any of this?"
"Easy, Lois. One question at a time." She let out a breath. "It started a few weeks ago. But...it wasn't...I mean, I couldn't read just anyone's mind til after Lex took me."
"So you could before he took you?" she asked, giving Chloe a look.
"I could only read Sam's mind before then," she whispered. "Whatever he did to me...seems to have kick started my ability into high gear."
Lois felt like she had been run over with a steam-roller. Lex Luthor had done the unthinkable: he had messed with a member of her family. Her fists curled into tight balls as he anger grew by the second. "It's a good thing Lex isn't in town right now, because if he was..." She glanced at her cousin.
Chloe tried to smile but didn't quite manage it. "Yeah, Dean and Sam are out for blood," she whispered, keeping her mental wall up.
"They should be," Lois replied in a flat, angry tone. "I would be, too." She saw Chloe's face pale in response and frowned. "Come on, Chlo, the guy messed with my closest family. Don't I have the right to want some vengeance?"
"You do, but...Lois, Lex is dangerous. More dangerous than any of you even realize." Her voice was tired.
"That's why I've got to expose Lex for what he is," she replied with a determined smile. "I'm going to kill him... with words."
"Just be careful. Please." Chloe gazed at her intently.
Lois smiled and looked over at Chloe. "Hey, I learned the newspaper biz from the best, ya know." She was about to open her mouth when Dean walked into the room.
She shifted her gaze to Dean silently, winding her arms around herself.
"They're here," he replied, his eyes averting Chloe's face.
"Who's here?" Lois asked carefully, looking neutrally towards Dean.
"Your... aunt," Dean said simply. "And Oliver Queen."
An embarrassed blush spread across Lois's face. "Oliver's... here?" she whispered, looking past Dean's shoulder, as if she possessed the ability to see through walls.
Chloe let out a breath, temporarily having forgotten what a disaster that might turn out to be. "God. I'm sorry. I should have warned you he was coming, Lois. I didn't even think about it."
"No, it's... okay," she replied, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so over him, really."
Dean cast a curious glance at Lois, a small smirk on his face.
Chloe was far from convinced. "Oliver's...he's the one who got my mom out of the institution before Lex got to her."
"He's... been taking care of her?" she asked quietly, taking an involuntary step towards the other room.
"Yeah." She nodded a little, casting a glance at Dean.
Holding out a hand towards her, he whispered, "Ready for round two?" When she hesitated, his hand fell to his side lamely. He should have known, he thought, feeling like he'd been kicked in the gut. Sam was right: they would have a fight ahead of them to convince Chloe and Sarah that doing Lex in would be the right thing.
Realizing he'd taken her hesitation the wrong way, she reached out and slid her arm through his, letting her walls drop for a moment. I'm just nervous about seeing her again, she thought, looking up at him.
He mustered a sad, somewhat defeated smile. Okay, he replied, nodding. He threaded his fingers through hers and looked at Lois, who wore a bemused grin.
"Boy, what I wouldn't give to read minds," Lois stated with a knowing grin.
Chloe's face flushed at the implication and she shot her cousin a look. "Funny."
Dean smirked. "I like your way of thinking," he replied, kissing Chloe's red cheek quickly. He then moved away from the breezeway, letting both women pass in front of him. He knew they would want to see Mrs. Sullivan.
Oliver froze when he spotted Lois across the room. He hadn't expected to see her.
Stopping dead in her tracks, she swallowed hard at seeing Oliver's dazzling handsome face. She coughed quietly, and gripped Chloe's hand behind her.
Chloe gave her hand a gentle squeeze, moving so she was standing beside her instead of behind her. Her gaze shifted to her mother, who stood in front of the door between Clark and Oliver.
"Good morning, Chloe," Moira whispered, a small, gentle smile on her face. She moved into the room and glanced back at the two men flanking her. "Can I possibly have... a moment with my daughter and niece?"
Clark smiled and glanced at Oliver, who hadn't taken his eyes off Lois. "Sure, Mrs. Sullivan," he stated, smacking Oliver's chest lightly.
Oliver coughed. "Of course. We'll be outside." He turned and headed out the door, Clark following closely.
Sarah, who had been sitting in a chair in the corner, coughed slightly and stood up, glancing at Sam momentarily before heading upstairs. I'm going to give you time with your family, she sent out to Chloe, though she didn't look back. Their problems would come later.
Thanks, Sarah, she thought, glancing over her shoulder as Sarah left the room, followed by a somewhat reluctant Sam.
Moira cast a curious look at Dean, who obviously seemed awkward standing in the middle of the room with a bunch of women. "Why don't you go take a drive, Dean?" she offered suggestively, smiling brightly. "I think the Impala needs her morning drive."
As if in a trance, Dean replied, "You know, you're right. I always tell Sam that, but he never listens." With a wide smile on his face, he strode the door, slamming the kitchen door behind him.
Chloe stared after him for a moment, her face flushing as she realized what had just happened. She shifted her gaze to her mother, her eyes accusing. "You had no right," she whispered, anger barely contained in her voice.
"What happened?" Lois asked, clearly confused as she took a seat on the couch.
Moira shrugged and sat down opposite Lois. "I know you're mad at me, Chloe, and you'll probably never forgive me. Dean looked like he needed air, so I gave him a nudge in the right direction."
"If you want someone to leave the room, you ask them to leave the room." Her teeth were gritted. "You don't just mind warp them to make them do whatever you want!"
She crossed her arms. "Dean doesn't strike me as the type who would just go away if you asked him."
Lois gaped in shock. "Are you kidding me?" she whispered. "My aunt can tell people what do to with... her mind?"
Chloe didn't look at her cousin, her gaze set firmly on her mother. "You don't know anything about him. Or me."
"And I guess that won't change, not after everything that's happened," she replied with a frown.
"How can it?" This time her voice was pained.
This time, Moira looked away, her eyes cast to the floor in sorrow. "I don't know."
Lois looked between the two women, incredulous. "Oh come on, you two are killing me!"
Moira's head shot up. "Excuse me?"
Chloe let out a frustrated breath and slowly sank down into a chair between her mother and her cousin. "Lois, Mom's power is that she can make people do whatever she wants by her thoughts."
Sputtered, surprised laughter spilled from Lois's lips. "You're kidding, right?" She couldn't believe she was having this conversation.
Moira shook her head, not sure whether to be amused or disconcerted. "No, Lois, it's true. I could make you cluck like a chicken if I wanted you to."
The laughter died in her throat. "Don't you dare," she whispered suddenly, casting an uneasy glance in Chloe's direction.
Chloe gazed back at Lois, feeling every bit as uneasy as her older cousin. "Believe me, I know it's weird."
"Weird doesn't begin to describe it," Lois retorted hotly. "Here I thought my aunt was just crazy. Now I find she's just got some freaky power that she's kept from everyone for who knows how long?" She glared at Moira. "You know you could've gotten Chloe killed, right?"
The older woman simply looked down at her hands.
"She knows, Lois," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment. "So what happens now? What are you gonna do?" She turned her head to look at her mother.
Not glancing at her only daughter, Moira sighed heavily. "I think it'd be best if... Oliver put me someplace where no one can find me."
"No one?" Chloe repeated dully.
She nodded wordlessly. She knew, more than anyone else, that Lex Luthor didn't need to find her. It pained her to think, however, that she might not see Chloe again.
"Right. Of course." She forced herself to take a deep breath, emotions rolling through her like wildfire. She didn't dare look at her mother or at Lois, for that matter. Swallowing hard, she rose to her feet.
Lois had never been more confused, but that didn't stop her from standing up with Chloe. "Wait a second. Why do you need to leave where no one can find you?" she asked earnestly.
"Because of Lex," Moira replied quietly, her eyes straying to her daughter. "I can't run the risk of being taken again... or of knowing where Chloe might be so he can try to get her, either."
"Oh, no way is he going to lay a finger on Chlo," Lois answered, the glint of determination in her voice. "Not if I can help it."
She rested a hand on Lois's shoulder. "You won't know where I am, either," she told her mother, gazing at her intently.
"I hate to say this, but... I think that's the best thing. For now."
She dropped her gaze to the table, knowing that was true. "So I guess...this is goodbye. Again."
"I guess it is." Moira's voice was filled with defeat.
Lois shook her head, irritated. "God, you two are worse than the Kents with this non-verbal crap. I can't believe you're just going to... take off with Ollie? Like that?"
"Lois...there's not really a lot of options here. Lex knows I'm missing and it's only a matter of time before he finds me." Chloe looked at her cousin. "Or Mom. Or worse, both of us."
Blowing out a breath, Lois whispered, "Okay, you're right. You should go... both of you."
Her eyes were sad as she gazed at Lois for a moment, then turned to look at her mother. "Stay safe, Mom."
"You, too, Chloe. All of you. Take care." Her eyes filled with tears and she held open her arms, silently pleading for a hug.
Chloe hesitated only a moment before hugging her tightly, a tear trickling down her cheek.
Wrapping her daughter into her embrace, Moira fought back the torrent of emotions coursing through her veins. She felt Chloe shake with a sob and took a deep, cleansing breath. "We'll meet again," she whispered inaudibly. "I promise."
She nodded wordlessly, unable to speak. She reluctantly pulled away and watched as her mother headed out the door slowly. Holding her breath, she pressed a hand against her mouth, hot tears spilling down her face.
For a moment, Lois didn't know what to do. She had never seen Chloe so broken before. Not even Clark Kent had pushed her to this point before. "Chloe," she whispered, moving towards her cousin and putting her arms around her, feeling the shed tears spill onto her arms.
She wept against her cousin's shoulder, her body trembling with the force of her emotions.
Having felt Chloe's intense anguish, Sarah crept downstairs to check on her friend. She found her cousin, Lois, hugging her tightly, looking a little awkward. Everything okay? Sarah asked, letting her mental guard down for a moment.
No, she thought, letting her own mental walls slip. Nothing's okay.
She felt the despair rip through her mind; lower lip trembling violently, she could only nod while fighting back her own tears. "Has... Mrs. Sullivan... left?" she whispered out loud.
Looking over at the brunette, Lois nodded. "Just a minute ago."
She slowly pulled away from Lois, wiping at her eyes as she sank down into one of the chairs at the Kent's kitchen table. Shuddering, she rested her head in her hands for a moment. Dean, she thought, letting her mental walls drop a bit more. Come back. We need to get out of here soon.
Sarah felt Dean shake himself out of whatever funk he had found himself in and literally turn the car around. "Feels like he's coming back," she said out loud, looking at Chloe. "Want me to get your stuff together?"
Lois's eyes widened and she looked at Sarah. "What are you talking about?" she asked loudly.
"If you don't mind," she whispered. "I still need to talk to Lois."
Sarah nodded and headed back upstairs. Sam, she thought, we're leaving soon.
Lois turned to look at Chloe, still wide-eyed.
"Yeah, that's..." She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "When they rescued me from 33.1 I wasn't really...in very good shape." The last thing she wanted to do was tell her cousin the rest of the story, but by the look on Lois's face, she knew she wasn't going to get by without spilling the whole truth. "I was in a coma. They did a spell to bring me out of it. It sorta...linked our minds together."
Lois blinked. Hard. "So... all four of you are mentally linked?"
"Aren't you glad I came back?" Her voice was light, but her eyes were forlorn.
"Yes, I am," she immediately replied, deadly serious. "I've been really worried about you."
She managed a small smile. "I missed you too, Lois."
"Can you maybe... keep in touch this time?" she asked softly, trying to smile a little.
Her eyes watered and she hugged her cousin tightly once more. "It'll be short contacts. Too easy to trace phone calls. Email?"
Lois nodded silently, a couple tears slipping down her face. "Be careful, Chloe. I hope... these guys... they're taking care of you."
"They are." She kissed Lois's cheek and pulled away slowly, feeling Dean's presence as he pulled into the driveway.
Leaping out of the driver's seat, Dean made a bee-line for the Kent's house, yanking the door open angrily. "Okay, where is she?!" he demanded loudly. "Your mother full-on Obi-Wan'd me, dammit!"
She flinched at the anger in his tone. "She left already."
Fuming, he growled, "We're going. Now." He took for the stairs, racing up them to grab their things.
Lois smirked. "Does that guy ever calm down?"
"Rarely," she murmured, drained and offering her a pained smile.
She went to say something but didn't. The last thing her cousin needed was her two cents about Dean Winchester. Especially when said man had appeared in the room again, laden down with their bags, his brother and Sarah in tow.
Dean nodded to Lois but said, "Chloe, are you ready?"
She didn't speak, simply nodded as she raised her mental walls up again. The last thing she wanted was the three of them in her head right then. Not when she was feeling the way she was. She hugged Lois one last time. "Love you," she whispered.
"Love you too, Coz," Lois replied brokenly, wishing they could stay. Wishing she could go with them. Knowing neither was possible. "Email me as soon as you can."
"I will. I promise." She reluctantly pulled away. "Take care, Lois." She managed a tiny, watery smile before following her friends out the door at the Kent's house.
Watching her cousin leave, Lois walked to the screen door and witnessed her only true family get into the black Chevy Impala, her face tortured and nearly broken. "Take care of my family, Dean Winchester," she whispered, hearing the roar of the engine, seeing the car head down the driveway. Wondering if she would ever see Chloe again.
Rated: R
The door shut silently behind her, the night air cool against her heated face. She leaned against the railing, fighting back tears of excitement and fear. She hung her head and sightless eyes looked at her hands gripping the wood, her hair hiding her face from the rest of the world. Or from Sam, who had turned to see who had just come outside.
"You okay?" His voice was quiet, but he made no step toward her.
She jumped a little, not realizing her husband was on the porch. "Yeah," she whispered hoarsely, forcing herself to look at him. "Fine."
Right, he thought tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face as he leaned against the railing.
Sarah winced at the defeat she heard in her mind. She glanced up at Sam, a single tear trickling down her cheek. "I'm pregnant, Sam," she said simply, holding her thoughts firmly behind the mental wall she had built while in the Kent's bathroom.
He was silent for a moment, shutting his eyes though he wasn't surprised in the least. Nodding a little, he swallowed hard, keeping his own thoughts back.
Her face fell and she looked away, going back to her original position, gazing at her hands resting on the wood railing. She didn't know what to do. Sam didn't seem to be happy, either. Had he been thinking the same thing? she wondered, the tears streaming down her face. The Demon's words that had been ringing in her mind constantly, giving her little peace and no sleep over the last few days?
"What do you wanna do?" he whispered, his quiet question breaking the dead silence of the night.
She rubbed her flat belly unconsciously. "I don't know," she replied. "What do you want to do?"
Sam swallowed hard. What did he want to do? He wanted to quit this lifestyle, settle down with his wife and raise their children together. But that wasn't his destiny. Rubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head. "I don't know either."
"I'm... scared, Sam. So... scared." Sarah didn't know how good it would be to always be on the road, being pregnant and trying to raise a child. On the road. Sam's position in the coming battle seemed much more important than her and their child. But something inside her wanted to keep the baby. No matter the cost.
He hesitated a moment, looked over at her, and slowly moved to her side, gathering her in his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Her arms wrapped around Sam's lean waist, leaning into his muscled chest. She sighed and closed her eyes. I'm so tired, she thought, letting him into her mind a little.
He shut his eyes, pulling her closer and stroking her dark hair with one hand. I know, he thought.
"The Demon... it said our baby was his," she said, the words falling out of her mouth unheeded. "It's his... it's..." She squeezed her eyes, trying to hold back the torrent of tears. "It knew I was pregnant."
"Sarah, it's not his," he whispered, lifting his hands to her cheek. "There's no way it could be."
She let him move her face up to gaze into his concerned, grave eyes. "But it knew, Sam. Before I even had an inkling... How are we going to keep our baby from something we can't even hurt?" Her voice broke and the tears of despair fell unheeded down her cheeks.
Pain flashed over his eyes and he pulled her against him once more, the breath hitching in his throat. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his own voice strained. "But I promise you I won't let the bastard hurt either of you."
"So... you want to keep the baby?" she replied out loud, feeling a glimmer of hope in her being, despite the intense fear making her heart pound out of her chest.
Sam swallowed hard, slowly pulling away to look at her. "You don't?" he whispered, his stomach tightening in a knot.
"Of course I do," Sarah replied, blinking back the shock she felt. How could you think I don't want our child?
He felt a wave of relief wash over him. "It's just...you've been pushing me away."
She nodded and looked down, the guilt of her silence slowly creeping into her heart. "I know," she whispered, her voice low and frightened.
"So much has been going on," he murmured, leaning back against the railing. "We haven't had any time to just...relax and process anything."
Sarah sighed and pulled away from him. "Yeah, watching your husband toss doors and people around like they're made of rubber... just a little much to take in." She wrapped her arms around her waist and looked away towards the Impala.
He winced at her words, feeling vaguely ill. "I know," he whispered, his shoulders slumping.
As much as she wanted to reach out for him, something inside her prevented her hand from touching his arm. "I just... you make me feel so... useless, Sam," Sarah replied, unable to glance at him because of the look on his face. "And our baby... is it going to have your... abilities?"
His heart sinking even more, he slowly moved to sit down on the steps. "I don't know." He let out a breath, staring blankly into the distance, a numb sensation settling on him.
"Sam." His name on her lips was like a small cry, a desperate plea. She wished she knew how to reach across the abyss. The yawning chasm she had created.
"I wish I had answers," he whispered. "I wish I wasn't..." He cut himself off before he could say the words 'a freak.' Swallowing hard, he shut his eyes.
His thoughts made her move towards him, closing the distance between them. "You are not a freak, Sam Winchester," she announced, an edge to her voice. "Don't you dare say that."
"No?" He craned his neck to look at her. "Sarah, you said it yourself. I can rip doors off hinges and throw people around like they're made of rubber. That's not even close to normal."
"And demon hunting is?" she countered, sitting down next to him. "Sam, what you and Dean do for a living isn't normal. Apparently, Chloe's got some kind of power, or else Lex Luthor wouldn't have come after her. If anyone's a freak, it's me." She looked down and played with her fingernail.
"You're not a freak." He gazed at her.
"Sure I am," she argued softly. "I'm the only one who doesn't seem to be good for anything."
"Are you kidding me?" Sam reached out and touched her arm. "You keep the rest of us from falling apart."
She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I'm doing such a great job of that," she replied, closing her eyes against the fresh batch of tears threatening just beneath the surface. "Chloe's a basket case, Dean is inconsolable, and you're such a sight to behold that I wonder why you ever married me."
Sighing softly, he pulled her against him, pressing a kiss against her hair. "I married you because I love you," he whispered, rubbing her back. "And Chloe and Dean...they just need some time, Sarah. After what Lex..." His voice tensed a little.
Her body stiffened at the sound in his voice. "I know," she whispered, putting a hand on his chest and bunching his shirt tightly. "I'm afraid we don't have much time to deal with this."
He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "What are you thinking?"
She shook her head, looking intently into his eyes. "I don't know, Sam. I have this... feeling... that Lex will be sniffing around for Chloe. And the... Demon..." She couldn't fight back the shudder of revulsion that ran down her back.
Sam tensed a little, nodding slightly. "Yeah. I have the same feeling," he admitted, slowly rising to his feet and beginning to pace the porch.
Turning to watch him move, Sarah frowned. "So what do we do? Shouldn't we get out of here, where Lex has a house, for crying out loud?"
"He'll find us again. It's only a matter of time." There was only one thing to do to keep Chloe safe, he thought, his heart heavy.
Sarah stilled in fear, reaching out with her mind to touch Sam's. What do you have in mind? she asked him silently, looking around at the shadows that crept over the porch quickly, making her shiver with fear.
Lex Luthor has to die.
Her eyes went wide for a moment, blind panic overtaking her system when she realized Sam had every intention of doing this. It was written on his face, in his eyes. What if he comes after you, instead? she wondered, paling at the thought of what could happen if Sam went after Luthor. And failed.
I won't fail, he thought grimly, gazing at her intently. No matter how much money he has...I'm stronger than he is.
I know that, she mused, standing up and moving towards him. But Sam, his resources seem limitless. Even Oliver and his gang have mentioned the 33.1 facilities keep cropping up everywhere. You can't do this alone. She slid her hands along his chest, her eyes wide and pleading.
He glanced toward the house. I don't think Dean or Clark would let me do this alone anyway. He reached up and touched her face.
"Good," Sarah replied out loud, mustering a sad smile. "Because your wife and your baby won't make it without you." She leaned up, caressing his cheek, the worry temporarily clouded by her love for him.
Sam ducked his head a little and kissed her very softly. He didn't know how, but somehow he was going to make sure everything turned out all right for his family. All of it.
&&&&&
Chloe slowly drifted toward consciousness, feeling warm and safe beneath the blankets of Mrs. Kent's bed and Dean's arms wrapped around her protectively, his body spooned against her own. Drawing in a breath she slowly opened her eyes, watching the faint light from sunrise filter into the bedroom. She felt Dean press a kiss to her neck and she smiled a little, shivering involuntarily.
"Good morning," he growled softly, tightening his arms around her, snuggling his face into her hair gently. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." His eyes were tired but happy, glad to feel her body still relaxed against his. She had slept through the night. Definitely a good sign, he thought.
She leaned back against him, closing her eyes once more. She took a moment to take stock of her body. She was still sore, but not as bad as the day before. Still tired, but not feeling like she'd drop from exhaustion. Maybe whatever Lex's scientists had injected her with had finally worn off. "Morning," she whispered back.
"Yeah, let's hope so," Dean answered her thoughts automatically, so used to hearing them that he couldn't imagine what would happen when the effects of their group spell wore off. "I'm not about to let you out of my sight again."
She was silent for a moment. "What if it doesn't wear off?"
He smiled and nipped at her earlobe gently. "Then I guess I get to torture you with my thoughts from now on," he teased gently, rubbing her arms gently.
She wasn't entirely sure if the naughty little thought that popped into her mind after his words was his or her own and she couldn't help but chuckle, shivering involuntarily as he kissed her ear.
"That totally came from you," Dean whispered in her ear, grinning wickedly as he felt her body warm. He held his body in check, ignoring the desires holding her created inside. He sighed, running his mouth against the back of her neck.
She brushed her cheek against his, nuzzling him lightly as she turned her head. I love you, she thought, a different kind of warmth running through her. Thank you for being with me.
He felt her love, felt something touch his heart, shaking him to his soul. Holding her close to him, wrapped in his arms, their bodies offering each other warmth beneath the bed's comforter, Dean Winchester could only wonder at the fact that she loved him. How could I not be with you? he replied, closing his eyes, letting her scent envelope his senses. You're the air I breathe, okay?
She slowly turned in his arms so she was facing him, reaching up to touch his face and curling against him. Ditto. She searched his eyes, her heart beating steadily against her chest.
His gaze locked with hers; staring intently at her, he whispered, "I mean it, Chloe. It's more than just love. I've... never... Damn, I'm not any good at these chick flick moments." His words teased, though he opened his mind to her, hoping she could feel what he felt. Needing her to understand how much he needed to protect her. Hoping she knew he'd die without her.
She swallowed hard, the emotions she felt flowing from him intense. Wordlessly she kissed his lips, closing her eyes.
Dean sank beneath the weight of her kiss, groaning inwardly at the riotous emotions he felt flowing between them. The air felt alive with electricity. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer, their mouths moving together slowly, leisurely.
So the soft knock on the door didn't register with him until it got a lot louder.
She smiled faintly against his lips. I think we have company. She placed another soft kiss against his mouth before looking over her shoulder. "Come in."
Dean sat up and pulled Chloe with him, just in time to see Sarah and Sam walk through the door, looking a little uncertain. "Hey guys," he said, nodding for them to come in. "You two look like... hell."
Sarah smirked a little. "Thanks, Dean. Nice to see you, too."
Sam smirked at his brother as well, then shifted his gaze to Chloe. "You look more rested." His voice was soft and he reached out and took Sarah's hand.
"I am," she said just as softly, a small smile on her face.
Sarah nodded and mustered a smile. "Good, I'm glad to hear that, Chlo. We've been worried about you." Her gaze shifted to Dean. "Both of you."
Dean simply nodded and glanced at his brother. You two finally talk? he thought.
Yeah, we did. Sam squeezed Sarah's hand gently and settled on the edge of the large bed, pulling her down gently to sit, as well.
Chloe sat up a little more, studying Sarah for a moment and cocking her head to one side curiously.
She flushed under the blonde's scrutiny and nodded gently. "Yeah, I told him," she whispered, glancing at Chloe even as she threaded her fingers through Sam's hand.
Dean looked from Sarah to Chloe to Sam, confusion written all over her face. "Okay, you two talked, and you told him... what?"
Chloe couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face, her green eyes lighting up as she suppressed the urge she had to squeal with excitement.
Sam almost laughed at her reaction. "Sarah's pregnant," he said softly, looking at his brother.
Sarah bit her lip, trying to suppress the laughter threatening to bubble over from Chloe's response. She looked at Dean, her shy eyes shining. "Can you deal with that... Uncle Dean?" she teased.
Dean didn't know what to say for a moment: he never thought this would happen in his little family. When it sank in, however, a wide, cheesy grin spread across his lips. "Way to go, little brother," he pronounced with a knowing smile, holding Chloe close against his chest as he spoke.
Sam's cheeks flushed and he shook his head in amusement. "Thanks, Dean."
Chloe's grin widened a little more. "Wow. This is...we should celebrate!"
"Celebrate?" Sarah asked out loud, wondering at the word. "What is that, exactly? Chocolate, partying, drinking?" Her eyes glistening as she looked at Sam, wide-eyed and filled with hope for them all.
"Well, maybe for the rest of us." She smirked. "I think that last one's out for you for awhile." She winked playfully.
Sam smiled, pressing a kiss to Sarah's cheek.
"Oh God, you're not going to turn Clark Kent's house into a frilly, girly party place, are you?" Dean asked, teasing and yet a little horrified at the same time. Drinking sounded like a great idea, but not if he'd have to be subjected to wading through baby clothes and stuff.
Sarah rolled her eyes at Dean's thoughts. "Dean, those things don't come for several months," she said, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Maybe Chloe's thinking dinner or something. I can watch you three get sloppy drunk and take blackmail pictures, just in case." She turned to Chloe and winked at her.
Chloe laughed, then winced a little, pressing a hand to her ribs and shutting her eyes for a moment until the pain subsided.
Sam's face grew serious once more at the reality of their situation sank in again. He shifted his gaze to meet Dean's. We need to talk, he thought.
Rubbing his face quickly, Dean pressed a gentle hand to Chloe's head, pulling her back into his embrace. "Where do you want to start, Sammy?" he asked, knowing full well the danger Sarah was in. Another something to add to their growing list of issues.
He was silent for a moment. "Lex Luthor."
Dean felt Chloe wince and her body tense. He planted a kiss on her head. "He's not going to get you," he whispered in her ear. He then looked up at Sam, saw the intention in his eyes, and felt a mixture of relief and anxiety. Two things he rarely felt. "That... guy...." he bit out, "is going down. In the horrible, painful kind of way."
Sarah looked at Chloe and put a hand over hers. She agreed with Dean, however, and nodded. "Yeah, we agree."
Sam nodded slightly, holding his brother's gaze. "I'm willing to bet Clark and Oliver Queen will be more than happy to help us out."
"No." Chloe's voice was very soft, almost inaudible.
"Chloe," Dean protested, "there's no argument here. He's got to be taken down. Only then can we deal with the Demon." He glanced over at Sarah, who had turned pale at the mention of their greatest enemy.
She pulled away from him, turning to look at him. "We don't just go around killing people, Dean," she said, her eyes filled with worry. "We're not murderers. And yes, Lex and Lionel...deserve every bad thing that happens to them but...it can't be us."
"Lex Luthor isn't a human being," Dean shot back, trying to keep a lid on the sudden rush of anger. "He's making an army of freaks for the thing that killed my family... and Jessica..." He nodded towards Sam. "Who's going to take him out if not us?" He looked at Sam. "Dude, you can jump in at any time with this."
"Chloe, he's right." Sam's voice was quiet and he gazed at her intently. "If we just let Lex keep on doing what he's doing--who knows who he'll go after next." He looked at his wife, then back at Chloe. "He's already had both you and Clark in that damn place, and you almost didn't make it."
She flinched a little, feeling uneasy. "And if we go after him in cold blood...we're no better than he is.”
Sarah frowned and blew out a breath. She knew where Chloe was coming from, though she wanted more than anything else to make sure Lex paid for his crimes against her loved ones and friends. "Chloe's right, guys," she said quietly. "I want him dead, especially since I'm afraid he's going to come after Sam, but tracking him down is just asking for trouble."
Dean stiffened in irritation. "How the hell can we take care of you two with that monster walking around? Christ, look at that he did to Clark... and that dude's nearly indestructible!"
Sam frowned. "Sarah, I thought we were on the same page on this."
"Guys, believe me, I understand where you're coming from. We both do." She glanced at Sarah, then at Sam and Dean. "But this isn't the way to handle things."
"I am on the same page with you, Sam," she replied firmly, looking earnestly into her husband's eyes. "Lex has to die. I totally agree with you. And I know you and Dean could do it. The problem is, I can't help but wonder if the Demon wants you to do just that." She looked down at her hands. "You two aren't killers. Not like that."
Dean shook his head and looked at the wall. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Chloe reached out and touched his shoulder. It's because we love you that we don't want you to do this.
And it's because we love you that we need to do this, Dean protested mentally, looking over at Chloe and then at Sarah.
An uneasy silence crept over the room.
"Clearly we're not going to agree on this," Sam said quietly.
"So... what are we going to do?" Sarah asked, her voice echoing her husband's uncertainty.
Chloe drew in a breath and let it out slowly, resting her head on one hand for a long moment. The thought of Lex getting a hold of Sam, or Sarah or their baby, or anyone else for that matter, was almost too much to bear. Putting up her mental walls for the time being, she shut her eyes, trying to think.
Dean stared intently at Chloe, running his fingers through her hair lightly. He bit back his frustration, his need to take out Luthor himself: as much as he wanted revenge for what that monster had done to Chloe, something told him that going in half-cocked and angry would only get someone killed. Someone close to him. Dean couldn't afford for that to happen.
Sarah's sudden words disrupted the heavy silence. "Maybe... Lex isn't ours to take down."
"Someone has to do it, Sarah." Sam looked at her, his voice quiet.
"Then maybe Oliver and Clark should do it," she replied steadily, looking at Sam directly, "because I'm not going to risk losing you to him."
Dean glanced over at Sarah and frowned. "What? That's not their fight. Not totally."
"Clark's been battling with Lex for the past six years," Chloe said softly, not looking at him. "And Oliver's been at it longer. Sarah's right."
Sam stared at her. "Lex Luthor is working for the demon that killed our mother. I think that gives us priority over whatever vendetta Clark and Oliver have against Luthor."
"Damn straight it does," Dean growled lowly, his hands falling away from Chloe's neck. "We kill Luthor, we might have a way to get to the demon."
Glancing down at her hands, Sarah said nothing. "Nice to see you two can think outside the box for a millisecond."
Sam rose off the bed and began to slowly pace the length of the floor.
"Yeah, and what happens the next time we run into a bad guy? A rapist or a murderer?" Chloe's voice was quiet. "We just gonna off every criminal that wanders into our path?"
Dean snorted. "If they're possessed by a demon... otherwise, that's what the freaking cops are for!"
"Not every bad guy is a demon, Dean," Sarah replied quietly, "and you know it. I, for one, would rather spend the rest of my life running from Lex Luthor than to have you two take him on." She looked pointedly at Sam for a moment.
"Lex isn't possessed." Chloe gazed at Dean intently.
Sam raked a hand through his hair. "How can you say that?" He looked at his wife. "You wanna spend the rest of your life on the road, running from Lex? What kind of life is that for this baby?" His voice wasn't harsh, but he shook his head.
"The dude's soulless, Chloe," Dean replied, staring intently at her. "In my book, that makes him a demon."
Sarah stood up, hurt by Sam's words. She glanced at Chloe and Dean, who seemed locked in their own debate. "It'd be a better life than going through one without you," she whispered, almost inaudibly.
Sam shut his eyes. "That's not gonna happen," he whispered back.
"You don't know that." Chloe's voice was sharp as she turned her gaze to Sam, then looked back at Dean once more.
Dean pointed at Sam. "He's the one with the abilities to get us through this," he said, his voice hard and emotionless. "I saw what Sam did to rescue you, dammit. I've never seen anything like it ever in my life. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let my brother sink into the demon's need of him just because there might be a doubt about our survival."
Sarah blanched visibly and turned to look out the window, her arms wrapped around herself.
Chloe's face paled a little at his words, tears stinging her eyes. Wordlessly she moved off the bed and left the room, raking a hand through her tangled hair as she slowly descended the Kents' staircase, needing to clear her head.
Sam sighed softly and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "Well that went well."
Sarcasm duly noted, Sarah thought before turning her thoughts completely off. Turning, she left the room after Chloe. She couldn't handle looking at either of the Winchester brothers.
Dean sighed as he watched Sarah leave quickly in Chloe's steps. "Dude, why is it every time I speak my mind, I get... stomped on?" He frowned and glanced at his brother.
"They're just freaked out, Dean," he said wearily, rubbing his forehead. "Don't take it personally."
"When aren't they freaked out, Sammy?" he replied, running a hand over his face. "Don't you think this might be... too much for them to handle?"
"I don't know," he murmured, sitting down on the floor and staring at the wall.
"I say, let Chloe visit Lois and then we get the hell outta Dodge." Dean stood up and crossed the room, grabbing clean clothes from his bag. "We can argue about how to kill Lex Luthor while we track his sorry ass down."
"Yeah. I agree with that." His voice was quiet. "Staying here much longer is a bad idea."
Sighing, Dean nodded. He wanted nothing more than to stop this life on the road. Kill Lex. Kill the demon. And stop this constant running. From the look on his brother's face, he figured Sam was thinking the same thing. "So... what are we going to do to change their minds?"
He shifted his gaze to Dean. "Somehow...I think that's going to be a harder task than we planned on."
"Well, you're the research geek. Can't you find out how?"
"And exactly how am I supposed to do that, Dean? It's not like their brains are downloadable onto my laptop."
The eldest Winchester rolled his eyes. "Fine. You can't hook them up to your computer, then why not show them how much better you'd be at kicking Luthor's butt? Because we both know you're going to be at the head of that action."
"What do you want me to do? Throw the Kent's furniture around with my mind?" He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet. "They already know."
"Clearly they don't, or they wouldn't be keeping us on the short leash, Sam." Dean headed for the bathroom off the bedroom to change, nearly punching a hole in the wall in irritation. Why did they have to be with women who were as stubborn as they were?
&&&&&
"Clark, I swear if you've done anything to hurt Chloe..." Lois started as she slammed the kitchen door shut at the Kent Farm, glaring as she saw the crest-fallen look on Chloe's face as she looked at her cousin.
"Hey, Lois." Her voice wobbled as she gazed at her favorite cousin, tears prickling at her eyes.
"Chloe." Lois forgot about anything else and ran towards her cousin, hugging her tightly. "God, it's good to see you. Are you okay?" She barely noticed the Winchesters or Sarah Blake sitting in various places around the room.
She hugged her back tightly, burying her face against Lois's shoulder, shaking her head a little.
For several minutes, Lois said nothing, holding Chloe while she wept silently. Her fear knew no bounds. Ever since she'd left Smallville with those guys, Lois had always wondered if her cousin was okay, if she was alive... if those guys were taking care of her. She glanced up at Dean and Sam warily. "Which of you did it?" she demanded softly.
"It's not what you think," Sam said quietly, shaking his head.
"Oh really?" Lois replied, cocking her eyebrow. "Then tell me what is actually *is*." Her gaze slid to Dean and held his for a moment.
He snorted softly. "No way, sister," he replied. "Don't look at me like I'm the evil party."
"Can we please...?” She slowly pulled away from Lois, taking her arm. "Go to the other room?"
"Sure," she replied, standing and letting Chloe lead the way to the Kent's dining room. Probably the one place in the house that would afford a little privacy, she thought with a grimace. Dean was going to get his ear chewed off when she was through with him, Lois thought angrily.
"It's not Dean," Chloe whispered, watching the surprise flicker over Lois's face. "And yeah...I just read your mind."
"Okay... wait a minute... how...?" Lois stammered, utterly shocked at this revelation. She sat down next to Chloe, a confused look on her face. "How the hell can you do that?" she finally managed to get out.
She drew in a breath, leaning back against the sofa, curling her feet beneath her. "I'm meteor infected, Lois."
"Meteor infected? Wait, as in... these green meteor rocks?"
"Yeah." She gazed at her cousin, reading the confusion, the worry, plain as day. "My mom's infected, too." Her voice was soft.
"What?" Lois wished she knew what to think, but the truth was, she didn't know where to begin. "When, Chlo? How? I thought she was in that institution in Topeka."
"She was. But...apparently she was driving through Smallville the day that the first meteor shower hit. I was in the car with her," she whispered. "She's not sick. She never was."
"Then why has she pretended to be?" she demanded, keeping her voice low so the others couldn't hear. "She all led us to believe she was sick. Even Dad thought..." She bit her lip and closed her eyes in pain.
"I know." Her voice was pained and she covered her face with her hands for a moment before speaking again. "She thought she was protecting me."
"From what?"
"People who'd...want to learn more about the meteor rocks. About...what effects it has on people." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor.
Lois frowned. "Okay, Coz, spill it. There's something I know you're keeping from me."
"How much do you know about Lex Luthor's...pet projects?"
"Which ones, Chloe? Lex seems to have lots of fingers in lots of pies." Her eyes reflected concern and fear.
"Level 33.1," she whispered. "Specifically."
Lois blinked in surprise. "33.1? Chlo, what do you know about that? My sources tell me that's the last place anyone wants to be."
"This source can tell you that for sure." She didn't look at her cousin.
"And how do you know --?" Lois's words died in her throat when she realized, suddenly, Chloe had been there. In one of Lex's facilities. "What did he do to you, Chloe?" she whispered, horrified. Bitter, angry tears pricked the back of her eyes.
Feeling ill, it took her a moment to respond. "I'm not exactly sure. I don't remember everything. I...he knows that I'm a meteor-freak." She shuddered involuntarily.
Lois paled considerably, pulling her cousin into a protective hug for a moment. "What?" she whispered. "How does he know you're infected with anything? How do you know? Is it because of this mind-reading thing?"
"I'm not sure how he found out about me. But he knows about Mom, too. I think...he may have just guessed and found out about me. And yeah, there's that." She leaned against her cousin, closing her eyes. "And also the fact that Mom confirmed it."
Never one to sit still, Lois pulled away from Chloe and stood up, walking little circles around the couch. "Okay, so Lex just assumed and took you, just in case?" she asked out loud. "That bastard. He's going to pay for this." She glanced at her cousin. "When did you start reading minds? Does Lex think this is going to help with that army he's trying to build? Did these guys you're still with have to do with any of this?"
"Easy, Lois. One question at a time." She let out a breath. "It started a few weeks ago. But...it wasn't...I mean, I couldn't read just anyone's mind til after Lex took me."
"So you could before he took you?" she asked, giving Chloe a look.
"I could only read Sam's mind before then," she whispered. "Whatever he did to me...seems to have kick started my ability into high gear."
Lois felt like she had been run over with a steam-roller. Lex Luthor had done the unthinkable: he had messed with a member of her family. Her fists curled into tight balls as he anger grew by the second. "It's a good thing Lex isn't in town right now, because if he was..." She glanced at her cousin.
Chloe tried to smile but didn't quite manage it. "Yeah, Dean and Sam are out for blood," she whispered, keeping her mental wall up.
"They should be," Lois replied in a flat, angry tone. "I would be, too." She saw Chloe's face pale in response and frowned. "Come on, Chlo, the guy messed with my closest family. Don't I have the right to want some vengeance?"
"You do, but...Lois, Lex is dangerous. More dangerous than any of you even realize." Her voice was tired.
"That's why I've got to expose Lex for what he is," she replied with a determined smile. "I'm going to kill him... with words."
"Just be careful. Please." Chloe gazed at her intently.
Lois smiled and looked over at Chloe. "Hey, I learned the newspaper biz from the best, ya know." She was about to open her mouth when Dean walked into the room.
She shifted her gaze to Dean silently, winding her arms around herself.
"They're here," he replied, his eyes averting Chloe's face.
"Who's here?" Lois asked carefully, looking neutrally towards Dean.
"Your... aunt," Dean said simply. "And Oliver Queen."
An embarrassed blush spread across Lois's face. "Oliver's... here?" she whispered, looking past Dean's shoulder, as if she possessed the ability to see through walls.
Chloe let out a breath, temporarily having forgotten what a disaster that might turn out to be. "God. I'm sorry. I should have warned you he was coming, Lois. I didn't even think about it."
"No, it's... okay," she replied, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so over him, really."
Dean cast a curious glance at Lois, a small smirk on his face.
Chloe was far from convinced. "Oliver's...he's the one who got my mom out of the institution before Lex got to her."
"He's... been taking care of her?" she asked quietly, taking an involuntary step towards the other room.
"Yeah." She nodded a little, casting a glance at Dean.
Holding out a hand towards her, he whispered, "Ready for round two?" When she hesitated, his hand fell to his side lamely. He should have known, he thought, feeling like he'd been kicked in the gut. Sam was right: they would have a fight ahead of them to convince Chloe and Sarah that doing Lex in would be the right thing.
Realizing he'd taken her hesitation the wrong way, she reached out and slid her arm through his, letting her walls drop for a moment. I'm just nervous about seeing her again, she thought, looking up at him.
He mustered a sad, somewhat defeated smile. Okay, he replied, nodding. He threaded his fingers through hers and looked at Lois, who wore a bemused grin.
"Boy, what I wouldn't give to read minds," Lois stated with a knowing grin.
Chloe's face flushed at the implication and she shot her cousin a look. "Funny."
Dean smirked. "I like your way of thinking," he replied, kissing Chloe's red cheek quickly. He then moved away from the breezeway, letting both women pass in front of him. He knew they would want to see Mrs. Sullivan.
Oliver froze when he spotted Lois across the room. He hadn't expected to see her.
Stopping dead in her tracks, she swallowed hard at seeing Oliver's dazzling handsome face. She coughed quietly, and gripped Chloe's hand behind her.
Chloe gave her hand a gentle squeeze, moving so she was standing beside her instead of behind her. Her gaze shifted to her mother, who stood in front of the door between Clark and Oliver.
"Good morning, Chloe," Moira whispered, a small, gentle smile on her face. She moved into the room and glanced back at the two men flanking her. "Can I possibly have... a moment with my daughter and niece?"
Clark smiled and glanced at Oliver, who hadn't taken his eyes off Lois. "Sure, Mrs. Sullivan," he stated, smacking Oliver's chest lightly.
Oliver coughed. "Of course. We'll be outside." He turned and headed out the door, Clark following closely.
Sarah, who had been sitting in a chair in the corner, coughed slightly and stood up, glancing at Sam momentarily before heading upstairs. I'm going to give you time with your family, she sent out to Chloe, though she didn't look back. Their problems would come later.
Thanks, Sarah, she thought, glancing over her shoulder as Sarah left the room, followed by a somewhat reluctant Sam.
Moira cast a curious look at Dean, who obviously seemed awkward standing in the middle of the room with a bunch of women. "Why don't you go take a drive, Dean?" she offered suggestively, smiling brightly. "I think the Impala needs her morning drive."
As if in a trance, Dean replied, "You know, you're right. I always tell Sam that, but he never listens." With a wide smile on his face, he strode the door, slamming the kitchen door behind him.
Chloe stared after him for a moment, her face flushing as she realized what had just happened. She shifted her gaze to her mother, her eyes accusing. "You had no right," she whispered, anger barely contained in her voice.
"What happened?" Lois asked, clearly confused as she took a seat on the couch.
Moira shrugged and sat down opposite Lois. "I know you're mad at me, Chloe, and you'll probably never forgive me. Dean looked like he needed air, so I gave him a nudge in the right direction."
"If you want someone to leave the room, you ask them to leave the room." Her teeth were gritted. "You don't just mind warp them to make them do whatever you want!"
She crossed her arms. "Dean doesn't strike me as the type who would just go away if you asked him."
Lois gaped in shock. "Are you kidding me?" she whispered. "My aunt can tell people what do to with... her mind?"
Chloe didn't look at her cousin, her gaze set firmly on her mother. "You don't know anything about him. Or me."
"And I guess that won't change, not after everything that's happened," she replied with a frown.
"How can it?" This time her voice was pained.
This time, Moira looked away, her eyes cast to the floor in sorrow. "I don't know."
Lois looked between the two women, incredulous. "Oh come on, you two are killing me!"
Moira's head shot up. "Excuse me?"
Chloe let out a frustrated breath and slowly sank down into a chair between her mother and her cousin. "Lois, Mom's power is that she can make people do whatever she wants by her thoughts."
Sputtered, surprised laughter spilled from Lois's lips. "You're kidding, right?" She couldn't believe she was having this conversation.
Moira shook her head, not sure whether to be amused or disconcerted. "No, Lois, it's true. I could make you cluck like a chicken if I wanted you to."
The laughter died in her throat. "Don't you dare," she whispered suddenly, casting an uneasy glance in Chloe's direction.
Chloe gazed back at Lois, feeling every bit as uneasy as her older cousin. "Believe me, I know it's weird."
"Weird doesn't begin to describe it," Lois retorted hotly. "Here I thought my aunt was just crazy. Now I find she's just got some freaky power that she's kept from everyone for who knows how long?" She glared at Moira. "You know you could've gotten Chloe killed, right?"
The older woman simply looked down at her hands.
"She knows, Lois," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment. "So what happens now? What are you gonna do?" She turned her head to look at her mother.
Not glancing at her only daughter, Moira sighed heavily. "I think it'd be best if... Oliver put me someplace where no one can find me."
"No one?" Chloe repeated dully.
She nodded wordlessly. She knew, more than anyone else, that Lex Luthor didn't need to find her. It pained her to think, however, that she might not see Chloe again.
"Right. Of course." She forced herself to take a deep breath, emotions rolling through her like wildfire. She didn't dare look at her mother or at Lois, for that matter. Swallowing hard, she rose to her feet.
Lois had never been more confused, but that didn't stop her from standing up with Chloe. "Wait a second. Why do you need to leave where no one can find you?" she asked earnestly.
"Because of Lex," Moira replied quietly, her eyes straying to her daughter. "I can't run the risk of being taken again... or of knowing where Chloe might be so he can try to get her, either."
"Oh, no way is he going to lay a finger on Chlo," Lois answered, the glint of determination in her voice. "Not if I can help it."
She rested a hand on Lois's shoulder. "You won't know where I am, either," she told her mother, gazing at her intently.
"I hate to say this, but... I think that's the best thing. For now."
She dropped her gaze to the table, knowing that was true. "So I guess...this is goodbye. Again."
"I guess it is." Moira's voice was filled with defeat.
Lois shook her head, irritated. "God, you two are worse than the Kents with this non-verbal crap. I can't believe you're just going to... take off with Ollie? Like that?"
"Lois...there's not really a lot of options here. Lex knows I'm missing and it's only a matter of time before he finds me." Chloe looked at her cousin. "Or Mom. Or worse, both of us."
Blowing out a breath, Lois whispered, "Okay, you're right. You should go... both of you."
Her eyes were sad as she gazed at Lois for a moment, then turned to look at her mother. "Stay safe, Mom."
"You, too, Chloe. All of you. Take care." Her eyes filled with tears and she held open her arms, silently pleading for a hug.
Chloe hesitated only a moment before hugging her tightly, a tear trickling down her cheek.
Wrapping her daughter into her embrace, Moira fought back the torrent of emotions coursing through her veins. She felt Chloe shake with a sob and took a deep, cleansing breath. "We'll meet again," she whispered inaudibly. "I promise."
She nodded wordlessly, unable to speak. She reluctantly pulled away and watched as her mother headed out the door slowly. Holding her breath, she pressed a hand against her mouth, hot tears spilling down her face.
For a moment, Lois didn't know what to do. She had never seen Chloe so broken before. Not even Clark Kent had pushed her to this point before. "Chloe," she whispered, moving towards her cousin and putting her arms around her, feeling the shed tears spill onto her arms.
She wept against her cousin's shoulder, her body trembling with the force of her emotions.
Having felt Chloe's intense anguish, Sarah crept downstairs to check on her friend. She found her cousin, Lois, hugging her tightly, looking a little awkward. Everything okay? Sarah asked, letting her mental guard down for a moment.
No, she thought, letting her own mental walls slip. Nothing's okay.
She felt the despair rip through her mind; lower lip trembling violently, she could only nod while fighting back her own tears. "Has... Mrs. Sullivan... left?" she whispered out loud.
Looking over at the brunette, Lois nodded. "Just a minute ago."
She slowly pulled away from Lois, wiping at her eyes as she sank down into one of the chairs at the Kent's kitchen table. Shuddering, she rested her head in her hands for a moment. Dean, she thought, letting her mental walls drop a bit more. Come back. We need to get out of here soon.
Sarah felt Dean shake himself out of whatever funk he had found himself in and literally turn the car around. "Feels like he's coming back," she said out loud, looking at Chloe. "Want me to get your stuff together?"
Lois's eyes widened and she looked at Sarah. "What are you talking about?" she asked loudly.
"If you don't mind," she whispered. "I still need to talk to Lois."
Sarah nodded and headed back upstairs. Sam, she thought, we're leaving soon.
Lois turned to look at Chloe, still wide-eyed.
"Yeah, that's..." She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "When they rescued me from 33.1 I wasn't really...in very good shape." The last thing she wanted to do was tell her cousin the rest of the story, but by the look on Lois's face, she knew she wasn't going to get by without spilling the whole truth. "I was in a coma. They did a spell to bring me out of it. It sorta...linked our minds together."
Lois blinked. Hard. "So... all four of you are mentally linked?"
"Aren't you glad I came back?" Her voice was light, but her eyes were forlorn.
"Yes, I am," she immediately replied, deadly serious. "I've been really worried about you."
She managed a small smile. "I missed you too, Lois."
"Can you maybe... keep in touch this time?" she asked softly, trying to smile a little.
Her eyes watered and she hugged her cousin tightly once more. "It'll be short contacts. Too easy to trace phone calls. Email?"
Lois nodded silently, a couple tears slipping down her face. "Be careful, Chloe. I hope... these guys... they're taking care of you."
"They are." She kissed Lois's cheek and pulled away slowly, feeling Dean's presence as he pulled into the driveway.
Leaping out of the driver's seat, Dean made a bee-line for the Kent's house, yanking the door open angrily. "Okay, where is she?!" he demanded loudly. "Your mother full-on Obi-Wan'd me, dammit!"
She flinched at the anger in his tone. "She left already."
Fuming, he growled, "We're going. Now." He took for the stairs, racing up them to grab their things.
Lois smirked. "Does that guy ever calm down?"
"Rarely," she murmured, drained and offering her a pained smile.
She went to say something but didn't. The last thing her cousin needed was her two cents about Dean Winchester. Especially when said man had appeared in the room again, laden down with their bags, his brother and Sarah in tow.
Dean nodded to Lois but said, "Chloe, are you ready?"
She didn't speak, simply nodded as she raised her mental walls up again. The last thing she wanted was the three of them in her head right then. Not when she was feeling the way she was. She hugged Lois one last time. "Love you," she whispered.
"Love you too, Coz," Lois replied brokenly, wishing they could stay. Wishing she could go with them. Knowing neither was possible. "Email me as soon as you can."
"I will. I promise." She reluctantly pulled away. "Take care, Lois." She managed a tiny, watery smile before following her friends out the door at the Kent's house.
Watching her cousin leave, Lois walked to the screen door and witnessed her only true family get into the black Chevy Impala, her face tortured and nearly broken. "Take care of my family, Dean Winchester," she whispered, hearing the roar of the engine, seeing the car head down the driveway. Wondering if she would ever see Chloe again.
