Not the Time (Part 10B/??)
Apr. 1st, 2006 10:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xtremeroswelliaPrologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten A |
Ten B | Ten C | Eleven | Conclusion
Lois stood beside her cousin’s bed, gazing at her silently as she slept. Chloe’s face was paler than usual, and one hand was resting on her stomach. A wave of protectiveness washed over Lois as she thought about everything that she and Chloe had been through together over the years. There wasn’t a person in their family who understood her as well as her younger cousin, the girl she considered to be her real sister.
“Don’t start crying on me,” Chloe murmured and Lois looked at her in surprise.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“Like anyone could actually sleep in a hospital?” Her words were faint, but light.
Lois pulled a chair up right beside her bed and sat down, touching her hand. “How you feeling?”
Chloe slowly opened her eyes, managing a faint smile. “Well, I’m ready to get the hell out of here.”
She smiled wryly. “Well, unfortunately I’m pretty sure you’re gonna be here at least overnight.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes once more. “Is Lana here?”
Lois’s eyes darkened. “She’s in the waiting room, unless she left.”
“She didn’t leave.” Chloe bit her lip. “Is she okay?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“We had a fight,” she admitted, shifting uncomfortably in the bed.
“She told us.”
“Us?”
“Me and Clark.”
“Clark’s here?”
“That surprises you?”
Chloe let out a breath, opening her eyes again. “We sort of…had an argument.”
“Two fights in one day?” Lois said, raising an eyebrow. “What’d you fight with Smallville about?”
Chloe was silent for a long moment. “He wants to help me raise the baby.”
There was a moment of silence.
“He said that?”
“He said he wanted us to be a family.” Her smile was slightly bitter.
Lois sighed, leaning her elbows on the bed. “And you said no.”
“Of course I said no. What was I supposed to say?” Chloe tried to sit up and Lois quickly rearranged the pillows behind her cousin to support her. “Clark’s not in love with me. I’m not gonna…be in a relationship with someone who’s only there out of pity.”
“I’m not sure it’s just out of pity.”
She looked at Lois in surprise, but remained silent.
“Look, you know I’ve never been Clark Kent’s biggest fan, but…I think he does care about you.”
“I know he cares about me, Lois. But caring about someone doesn’t equal loving them.”
She sat back in the chair, looking perplexed. “I don’t know why he’d do this after I threatened to kick his ass if he ever hurt you again.”
Chloe couldn’t help but chuckle. “You threatened to kick his ass?”
Lois smirked. “He knows I would.”
She bit down hard on her lip to keep herself from laughing at the thought of her older cousin trying to whoop up on Clark. “Clark’s a good guy, Lois,” she said softly. “He always tries to do the right thing. And right now he thinks that’s taking care of me and this child. But it’s not his baby and it’s not his responsibility and I’m not gonna be the one to tie him down and hold him back from whatever his real destiny is.”
“You make it sound like he’s destined to stop world hunger.”
A faint, sad smile touched her lips. “Maybe he is.”
“You’ve wanted this for years, Chloe. Ever since you met the guy. I know what you’re saying, but…this could finally be your chance. Can you live with the what if’s if you say no?” Lois asked softly.
“I’ve already said no,” Chloe told her just as softly. Tears were sparkling in her eyes but she didn’t allow them to fall.
She gave her hand a gentle squeeze, swallowing hard and trying not to cry herself. Lois Lane had never been a big crier but the sight of her cousin in any kind of pain had always been her one true weakness. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Actually, there is.” She squeezed Lois’s hand in return. “Send Lana in?”
* * *
Lana hesitated in the doorway of Chloe’s hospital room, swallowing hard. Her face was almost as pale as Chloe’s and she remained completely still and silent, but her roommate noticed her anyway.
“Come in, Lana.”
Biting her lower lip, she slowly stepped into the room, approaching the bed, but not getting as close as Lois had.
The stricken look on the brunette’s face didn’t go unnoticed and Chloe reached her hand out.
After a second, Lana took it, tears flooding her eyes. “Chloe, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I never meant for this to happen.”
“I know,” Chloe said quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. “It’s not your fault.”
“How can you say that? We were fighting and--”
“Sit down.”
Lana slowly sat down in the chair by Chloe’s bed, a tear sliding down her cheek.
“I’m fine, okay? The baby’s fine.”
“This would have never happened if I hadn’t yelled at you.”
“Oh, please. People yell at me all the time. I don’t want you to blame yourself.”
Lana swallowed hard, looking down at the floor. “The things I said to you…I didn’t mean them.”
“Yes, you did.”
She looked up, startled at Chloe’s words.
“Don’t try to take them back. We both said things that have been building for awhile.” Chloe met her gaze. “Maybe not all of it was true, but it’s enough that we thought they were.”
“I’m not sure what you…”
“This baby isn’t Clark’s.”
Her eyes widened a little.
“I would never have done that to you,” she said quietly, sincere. She was silent for a moment. “The truth is…I do think of you like a sister. I have for a long time. But if I’m honest with myself…I guess some part of me has always been bitter that you were so quick to go out with Clark even though you knew how I felt about him.”
Lana swallowed hard, feeling guilty. “I guess I always wanted to believe that you were okay with it because I didn’t want to think I was capable of betraying my best friend over a guy,” she admitted in a whisper.
Chloe let out a breath. “Well, in all fairness to you…you didn’t exactly betray me. I told you it was okay. Over and over again.”
“Don’t let me off the hook so easily, Chloe. I’m not stupid. I knew you loved Clark.”
“But I still gave you the okay to go ahead with it. So I can’t really blame you for that.”
The girls looked at each other for a long moment, both smiling sadly.
“What I know is…I don’t wanna lose you as a friend,” Lana whispered. “Even if I don’t deserve to have you as one.”
“That works both ways, Lana. And I don’t wanna lose you either.” She paused. “But I’m not sure things can be the same as they were before.”
Lana swallowed hard, nodding slightly in agreement. “Maybe we should just…make sure we’re always honest with each other about everything.”
“I think that’s a really good start.” Chloe squeezed her hand, smiling faintly. “We can sort everything else out later.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, nodding again. “I should go so you can rest.” She stood up, giving Chloe’s hand one last squeeze before letting go.
“Bye, Lana,” she said softly.
Lana made it to the door before pausing to turn back around. “Chloe, I’m really sorry I didn’t trust you. After everything…I should have given you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Yeah, well…if I was in your position, I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
“That’s the thing,” Lana said quietly, looking at her. “I don’t think you would have.”
Chloe didn’t have time to respond before her friend left the room. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes. One down, one to go, she thought. She wasn’t convinced things with Clark would go nearly that easy.
Ten B | Ten C | Eleven | Conclusion
Lois stood beside her cousin’s bed, gazing at her silently as she slept. Chloe’s face was paler than usual, and one hand was resting on her stomach. A wave of protectiveness washed over Lois as she thought about everything that she and Chloe had been through together over the years. There wasn’t a person in their family who understood her as well as her younger cousin, the girl she considered to be her real sister.
“Don’t start crying on me,” Chloe murmured and Lois looked at her in surprise.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“Like anyone could actually sleep in a hospital?” Her words were faint, but light.
Lois pulled a chair up right beside her bed and sat down, touching her hand. “How you feeling?”
Chloe slowly opened her eyes, managing a faint smile. “Well, I’m ready to get the hell out of here.”
She smiled wryly. “Well, unfortunately I’m pretty sure you’re gonna be here at least overnight.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes once more. “Is Lana here?”
Lois’s eyes darkened. “She’s in the waiting room, unless she left.”
“She didn’t leave.” Chloe bit her lip. “Is she okay?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“We had a fight,” she admitted, shifting uncomfortably in the bed.
“She told us.”
“Us?”
“Me and Clark.”
“Clark’s here?”
“That surprises you?”
Chloe let out a breath, opening her eyes again. “We sort of…had an argument.”
“Two fights in one day?” Lois said, raising an eyebrow. “What’d you fight with Smallville about?”
Chloe was silent for a long moment. “He wants to help me raise the baby.”
There was a moment of silence.
“He said that?”
“He said he wanted us to be a family.” Her smile was slightly bitter.
Lois sighed, leaning her elbows on the bed. “And you said no.”
“Of course I said no. What was I supposed to say?” Chloe tried to sit up and Lois quickly rearranged the pillows behind her cousin to support her. “Clark’s not in love with me. I’m not gonna…be in a relationship with someone who’s only there out of pity.”
“I’m not sure it’s just out of pity.”
She looked at Lois in surprise, but remained silent.
“Look, you know I’ve never been Clark Kent’s biggest fan, but…I think he does care about you.”
“I know he cares about me, Lois. But caring about someone doesn’t equal loving them.”
She sat back in the chair, looking perplexed. “I don’t know why he’d do this after I threatened to kick his ass if he ever hurt you again.”
Chloe couldn’t help but chuckle. “You threatened to kick his ass?”
Lois smirked. “He knows I would.”
She bit down hard on her lip to keep herself from laughing at the thought of her older cousin trying to whoop up on Clark. “Clark’s a good guy, Lois,” she said softly. “He always tries to do the right thing. And right now he thinks that’s taking care of me and this child. But it’s not his baby and it’s not his responsibility and I’m not gonna be the one to tie him down and hold him back from whatever his real destiny is.”
“You make it sound like he’s destined to stop world hunger.”
A faint, sad smile touched her lips. “Maybe he is.”
“You’ve wanted this for years, Chloe. Ever since you met the guy. I know what you’re saying, but…this could finally be your chance. Can you live with the what if’s if you say no?” Lois asked softly.
“I’ve already said no,” Chloe told her just as softly. Tears were sparkling in her eyes but she didn’t allow them to fall.
She gave her hand a gentle squeeze, swallowing hard and trying not to cry herself. Lois Lane had never been a big crier but the sight of her cousin in any kind of pain had always been her one true weakness. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Actually, there is.” She squeezed Lois’s hand in return. “Send Lana in?”
* * *
Lana hesitated in the doorway of Chloe’s hospital room, swallowing hard. Her face was almost as pale as Chloe’s and she remained completely still and silent, but her roommate noticed her anyway.
“Come in, Lana.”
Biting her lower lip, she slowly stepped into the room, approaching the bed, but not getting as close as Lois had.
The stricken look on the brunette’s face didn’t go unnoticed and Chloe reached her hand out.
After a second, Lana took it, tears flooding her eyes. “Chloe, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I never meant for this to happen.”
“I know,” Chloe said quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. “It’s not your fault.”
“How can you say that? We were fighting and--”
“Sit down.”
Lana slowly sat down in the chair by Chloe’s bed, a tear sliding down her cheek.
“I’m fine, okay? The baby’s fine.”
“This would have never happened if I hadn’t yelled at you.”
“Oh, please. People yell at me all the time. I don’t want you to blame yourself.”
Lana swallowed hard, looking down at the floor. “The things I said to you…I didn’t mean them.”
“Yes, you did.”
She looked up, startled at Chloe’s words.
“Don’t try to take them back. We both said things that have been building for awhile.” Chloe met her gaze. “Maybe not all of it was true, but it’s enough that we thought they were.”
“I’m not sure what you…”
“This baby isn’t Clark’s.”
Her eyes widened a little.
“I would never have done that to you,” she said quietly, sincere. She was silent for a moment. “The truth is…I do think of you like a sister. I have for a long time. But if I’m honest with myself…I guess some part of me has always been bitter that you were so quick to go out with Clark even though you knew how I felt about him.”
Lana swallowed hard, feeling guilty. “I guess I always wanted to believe that you were okay with it because I didn’t want to think I was capable of betraying my best friend over a guy,” she admitted in a whisper.
Chloe let out a breath. “Well, in all fairness to you…you didn’t exactly betray me. I told you it was okay. Over and over again.”
“Don’t let me off the hook so easily, Chloe. I’m not stupid. I knew you loved Clark.”
“But I still gave you the okay to go ahead with it. So I can’t really blame you for that.”
The girls looked at each other for a long moment, both smiling sadly.
“What I know is…I don’t wanna lose you as a friend,” Lana whispered. “Even if I don’t deserve to have you as one.”
“That works both ways, Lana. And I don’t wanna lose you either.” She paused. “But I’m not sure things can be the same as they were before.”
Lana swallowed hard, nodding slightly in agreement. “Maybe we should just…make sure we’re always honest with each other about everything.”
“I think that’s a really good start.” Chloe squeezed her hand, smiling faintly. “We can sort everything else out later.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, nodding again. “I should go so you can rest.” She stood up, giving Chloe’s hand one last squeeze before letting go.
“Bye, Lana,” she said softly.
Lana made it to the door before pausing to turn back around. “Chloe, I’m really sorry I didn’t trust you. After everything…I should have given you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Yeah, well…if I was in your position, I probably would’ve done the same thing.”
“That’s the thing,” Lana said quietly, looking at her. “I don’t think you would have.”
Chloe didn’t have time to respond before her friend left the room. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes. One down, one to go, she thought. She wasn’t convinced things with Clark would go nearly that easy.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2006-04-02 07:58 pm (UTC)Great update! Can't wait to see what she says to Clark!
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Date: 2006-05-22 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-22 03:15 pm (UTC)10A: http://xtremeroswellia.livejournal.com/294510.html#cutid1
There ya go :)
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Date: 2006-05-22 03:51 pm (UTC)You are not authorized to view this page
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Can you possibly send it to me thru email? I really want to finish the story!
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Date: 2006-05-22 07:53 pm (UTC)