My Last Breath (Part Three/Five)

[xtremeroswellia]

Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Conclusion

Chapter Three

"It was all happening in a great, swooping free-fall, irreversible, free of decision, in the full pull of gravity toward whatever was to be..." -Laura Z. Hobson

Chloe stood at the entrance of the cave, her heart pounding wildly in her chest as she stared at the octagonal key embedded into what she sometimes referred to as a transport device which Clark used to get from here to the Artic. Swallowing hard she slowly reached out and picked it up.

With one hand she fingered the green meteor rock in her jacket pocket, hoping it would be enough to keep Fine at a safe distance away from her. Because otherwise…

Closing her eyes and offering a brief prayer, she slid the key back into place and a moment later she was surrounded by a brilliant white light.

Almost instantaneously she was transported to a world that was intensely cold, and in which she could see only white as far as the eyes could see. It occurred to her now that even if she did somehow manage by some miracle to stop Milton Fine from destroying the Fortress and killing Clark AND she somehow managed to actually live through that confrontation, she would freeze to death quickly.

Because Clark wasn’t there to take her home and she had no way to get back on her own.

Swallowing hard, she forced aside the thoughts. What mattered now was stopping Fine from whatever nefarious plan he had schemed that was quickly killing her best friend…killing the man she loved.

She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t.

Even if it meant she had to pay the price…whatever that might be.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she plowed her way through the blistering cold wind and sleet, determined to get to the Fortress before it was too late. By the time she made it there, she was shivering, her lips a pale shade of blue. Looking around the Fortress wildly, she spotted who she assumed was Milton Fine, staring up into a swirling blue and white portal.

From where she stood she could just make out a face in the portal and a chill ran down her spine--and not from the cold.

“It’s almost time,” Fine said aloud and she started, thinking he’d heard her, that he knew she was there.

But instead, he was speaking to the figure in the portal.

“Soon you’ll be free and you can begin altering this planet to create a new one for our people!”

Chloe’s heart was pounding so hard she was surprised he couldn’t hear it, even over the wind and his own monologue. She stood silently, completely unsure of what to do when she heard--no…felt--a whisper against her mind. Destroy the crystal. Her eyebrows furrowing, she quickly whipped her head around, but there was no one else there.

What the hell was that? She wasn’t sure but she suddenly felt certain that was how to save Clark. Her gaze focused on the crystal sticking out of the middle of the Fortress.

She shifted her eyes to look at Fine, who was still thoroughly distracted, going on about someone named General Zod. Clutching the green rock in her pocket, she slowly, silently, made her way toward the middle of the Fortress, toward the crystal.

Her breath coming in shallow, cold breaths, she reached out and wrapped her very cold fingers around the crystal, intending to yank it out of its position.

But suddenly Milton Fine was staring at her, his dark eyes angry, murderous. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Thank God you’re not me.” She started to pull.

“No!”

She flew backwards, crashing into a wall of ice, the crystal firmly in her hand. Wincing, she reached up with her other hand to see blood on her fingers.

He towered over her, furious. “You cannot stop what’s happening, human,” he snarled hatefully.

Chloe held her breath, tightening her hand around the crystal. “I think I already did.”

Fine laughed. “Not even close. You don’t have what it takes to destroy the crystal!”

She realized he was probably right. This was no doubt a futile suicide mission. She and Clark were both going to die because she couldn’t destroy a simple crystal. Because she was only human.

He smirked, seeing the flicker of doubt in her eyes. “Such a stupid species you are. You’re supposed to be an advanced race, but you lack intelligence and strength. Even Kal-El, who was supposed to be such a great warrior is an utter failure, tainted from your kind.” He shook his head in disgust and Chloe felt herself starting to get angry.

“You don’t know the first thing about him! And his name is Clark Kent.”

He laughed at her once more. “It’s you who doesn’t know him. He’s not like you. He’s above you.”

“Is that why you’re trying to kill him?”

“On the contrary, I’m saving him from wasting his life on the likes of your pathetic race.”

“By killing him?” she pressed.

“Better dead than weak,” he said darkly, glaring at her. “Now give me the crystal.”

“No,” she said flatly, rising to her feet. She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the meteor rock, holding it out toward him.

His eyes widened, but he didn’t move away like she’d assumed he would.

But the crystal in her opposite hand began to glow a bright red and her eyes widened as well, realizing it was being effected by the Kryptonite. She quickly made the connection and brought the two in contact, causing the crystal to explode instantly into millions of pieces. Her hand stung as if she’d been burned by fire and the portal vanished.

“You stupid, foolish human,” Fine whispered, approaching her. “You have no idea what you’ve just done.” Reaching back, he smacked her, breaking her nose and sending her flying back against the wall once more, moaning in pain as blood trickled down her face.

* * *

Martha’s eyes widened as the mark on Clark’s neck disappeared. “Jonathan!”

“It’s gone,” he said in amazement.

She reached out and touched his forehead. “His fever’s gone, too.”

“Clark?”

Their son’s body jerked violently as he remained unconscious and then he lay still once more.

* * *

Fine crossed the space between them and picked Chloe up by her throat, tightening his grip. “Kal-El could never love you,” he whispered into her ear. “It doesn’t matter what you do. His destiny lies elsewhere. All you’ve done is get yourself killed.”

She choked, trying to pry his hands off her neck to no avail. Her eyes watered, her tears freezing on her cheeks immediately. After a moment, she stopped struggling. He was going to kill her and there was nothing she could do stop him.

But she’d done what she came to do. She’d saved Clark’s life. She knew it without question. He would be all right now.

This time when Fine threw her, she hit her head hard on the frozen ground. And the world went from white to pitch black.