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In The End: Linkin Park
"There you go." I hand her a box.
"Thank you very much." Chloe heads inside with the box while I grab another.
"Here." I hand it to Gabe.
"Phew." Gabe staggers a bit. "You're a strong girl."
"Thanks again for letting me live with you guys, Mister Sullivan. It really, really means a lot." Lana says as I grab another box from Clark's truck.
"You're welcome. And in honor of the day, I'm gonna make dinner."
"Oh, hey, don't put yourself out."
"Mi casa, su casserole." He jokes and Lana laughs as he carries the box in the house.
"So, how are you feeling?" I hold out the box to her.
"Uh, excited and terrified at the same time, if that makes any sense." Lana takes the box.
"Well, it is a big change."
"Huge. And not just for me. Even though she agreed to it, Nell was kind of upset that I decided to stay in Smallville."
"It's not easy when someone you care about moves away."
"AP Biology's been very boring for the past week. You coming back to school?"
"Yeah. With Mateo back in Missouri with his grandmother for a while, I've just been too busy to worry about an animal cell project." I place another box down. "So this Henry guy. He may be your biological father?"
"Yeah, maybe." Lana nods.
"Do you wanna find out?"
"I do." She nods again. "You okay?"
"I'm good." I nod back.
"So, that looks like it's, uh, everything, if you need to get your truck back." Chloe walks over.
"You know, I lucked out. My mom called and said she was gonna take off early. Help finish up the chores. So you wanna celebrate?" Clark questions.
"I wish I could, but I've gotta get changed and take a shift at the Talon." Lana tells him.
"Yeah, and I only have like a second to grab a bite before I need to run over to the Torch. Sorry." Chloe adds.
"Oh. When you two are scheduled to take a breath, give me a call." Clark grabs a bag from the truck.
"Will do." She takes it.
"Thanks, Clark. Thanks, Brianna." Lana grins.
"Yeah. I merely nod.
"Bye." Chloe picks up a basket.
"You wanna come in?" Lana offers.
"I got work. I'll see you guys." I turn and walk off.
I shove my hands in my sweatpants pockets as I keep walking down the road. I hear an engine behind me before a car pops out from the corner of my eye.
"Get in, I'll take you to work." Clark tells me.
"My legs work just fine." I keep my gaze forward before crossing the street. I plug in my headphones to my iPod and place them on my ears. I shove my iPod in my hoodie pocket and In The End by Linkin Park comes on.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Is he going to be alright, Doctor?" Clark asks as Doctor Bryce wraps Jonathan's leg.
"I don't see him square dancing in the near term, but if he stays off the leg, it should heal fine." Doctor Bryce replies.
"Oh, my God, Jonathan." Martha enters and tries to hug and kiss Jonathan, but he flinches away.
"Martha, I-I'm going to be fine." Jonathan assures.
"His doctor agrees. As soon as I can find you a pair of crutches, you're good to go." Doctor Bryce nods.
"Thank you." He nods back and she exits the room. "Thank you for coming, Brianna. You didn't have to."
"No, I do. Course, Jon." I merely nod.
"Mom, where have you been? I left you a message an hour ago." Clark informs.
"I was in a closed door teleconference between Lionel and the LuthorCorp board. I wish you had waited for me." Martha says.
"I did wait for you. I waited over an hour for you." Jonathan tells her.
"Well, I'm sorry. I tried to call, but the machine was on."
"Well, what's done is done. I would just really like to get out of here, now. Please?"
"I'll pack up your stuff." I move aside to gather his things before Clark joins me.
"I'm really sorry." Martha inquires.
"I know." Jonathan replies.
"I'll be right back." I exit the room and I enter another hallway.
I head over to the room that used to be Ryan's and I look at the empty bed. I slowly enter the room and I sit down on the bed. I look around before turning to the pillow. An image of Ryan laying there enters my head and my eyes start to water. I turn back and lean my arms over my knees before letting my head fall into my hands. Tears now fill my eyes and I squeeze them shut.
"Dad! Oh, God, oh, God! Dad! Call an ambulance! Someone call an ambulance! No! Dad! Stay with me! Stay with me! Don't leave me! Dad!"
I get up and throw the small lamp beside me against the floor. It shatters and I choke on my breathe. My chest begins to heave up and down. I go to scream, but I'm stuck in my lungs. An ache passes through my chest and I place my hand on the wall before forcing myself out of the room.
"Brianna?" Lex rushes over with Clark. "We heard a crash. Hey, what's going on?" He places his hand on my arm and I quickly pull away.
"Nothing." I splutter out. "I have—I have to get back to work." I struggle to speak and walk off.
"Brianna!" Clark calls out and I keep walking before stopping at the feeling of dizziness.
"Brianna, hey, hey." Doctor Bryce catches me. "Hey, you're okay. You're alright. Let's go in here, okay? Let's sit down." She leads me into a room. She closes the door and then sits us down. "Just breathe. Focus on my voice and breathe." She places her hand on my back and I exhale and inhale with her. "That's it. Just keep doing that. It's okay."
"I'm sorry. I'll—I'll pay—I'll pay for the lamp." I still struggle to speak.
"Don't you worry about that. Just keep breathing." She rubs my back.
"I can't—I can't feel my hand." I look at my tingling hand. "I can't-"
"I know. It's okay. That's normal. It's the body's response to severe stress. The feeling will come back, I promise you." She keeps rubbing back.
"Doctor Bryce, can—can you do something for me?" I calm down a little bit.
"What do you need?"
"My—My last name's Brady. My father's...first name was Dominic. When I moved here last year, they...they transferred everything over. But—But I never got to see the autopsy report. Can you—in the most legal way possible—do you think you can get me a copy? And...And show it to me, maybe? Can you—I just wanna see it for myself."
"Yes, I can do that, Brianna." She nods and I hug her.
"Thank you." I sniffle. "Thank you." I shakily whisper and close my eyes.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Hey, Brianna." Lana greets as I enter the Talon.
"Hi, uh, can I get a drink to go? Water." I lean my hands against the counter.
"You sure you don't wanna stay? I was hoping we could talk."
"Can't. I gotta get to work."
"Then I can pick you up after your shift at the diner."
"I have to help at the Inn afterwards. Rain check?"
"Sure." Lana nods.
"Brianna, right?" A boy questions and I turn to face a dark haired boy.
"Yeah." I reply.
"I'm Ian. We have math together." He holds out his hand.
"Right." I shake his hand. "The kid who can solve problems at the speed of light."
"So can you. You have the highest GPA in the entire school."
"I doubt that."
"The Honor Roll list out in the hallway says so other wise." Ian nudges me.
"Did you study for the math test?"
"Yeah, you?"
"Yeah." Ian nods. "I suffered through algebra last term. You know, if you want, I can give you a few extra tips."
"I'm good." I tell him and then look down at my trembling hands.
"Brianna?" Lana says.
"Uh, I'm gonna be late. I gotta go." I turn and exit the Talon with a pounding heart.
"Brianna!" She calls out. "Brianna." She stops me with a hand on my shoulder. "On the house." She hands me water and a napkin with three cookies on them.
"Thanks." I rub her shoulder and quickly walk off before taking a bite of a cookie.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Hey." Mateo walks over to me as I open my locker.
"Hey, you're back." I grin.
"Yeah. Short trip this time. I got my grandmother a home aid."
"That's good."
"Yeah, Sheryl's great." He nods.
"And your grandfather?"
"I took him out of the nursing home and moved him back to Missouri to be with my grandmother."
"That was the right move. Now they're together." I grab a book from my locker.
"Yeah." Mateo grins. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good." I nod before the bell rings. "I'll see you later?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, bye." I close my locker and send him a faint grin before walking off. I continue further down the hallway before I see a jock slamming a smaller kid against the lockers. "Hey!" I drop my bag and books before running over to the scene. "Get the fuck off him!" I grab the jock and shove him against the lockers before punching him across the face. I now slam him onto the floor and sit on top of his stomach. I fist his shirt and start punching him in the face.
"Brianna!" Miles's voice goes right through me as I now picture the jock as Doctor Garner.
My punches get harder and all I see his face. He killed Ryan. And I should've killed him when I had the chance.
"You touch him again, I'll kill you!" I bellow.
"Brianna!" Miles yells.
"Hey, hey! Stop it!" Clark pulls me off the jock and I try to get out of his hold.
"Let me go! Let me go!" I holler.
"Not until you calm down! Stop it!" He drags me away from the scene.
"Let me go!" I rip out of Clark's hold. "Let me go!" I let out a strangled sob as tears now pour down my cheeks.
"Brianna." Lana cries and I wipe my jaw with the inside of my hand bloody and bruised hand before walking off.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"What did the wall ever do to you?" Pete questions as Doctor Bryce stitches my knuckles.
"Not break." I reply. "Thanks for coming."
"Of course. You the fam, Bri." He grips my shoulder.
"Brianna, honey?" Mom enters with Chloe and Clark's parents.
"I don't need an audience, I'm fine. I was riding my bike and there was a crack in the road." I merely nod and I watch as Doctor Bryce put another thread through my open skin.
"How bad?" Jonathan asks.
"Cuts are pretty deep, but we took an x-ray. Nothing's broken." Doctor Bryce informs as mom rubs my back in comfort. "After these stitches, I'm gonna wrap her hand. She's gonna be just fine."
"Sweetie, are you okay?" Mom now cups my face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to work, mom." I tell her.
"Maya." Martha leads my mother out of the room and my hands start to shake.
"She hasn't eaten in a while. We've all been studying for exams." Pete hands me a candy bar.
"Thanks." I unwrap it with my teeth and take a bite.
"I'll go get you a drink with that." He leaves.
"Am I hurting you?" Doctor Bryce starts wrapping my hand.
"No." I shake my head. "I'm sorry again about yesterday."
"It's alright, Brianna."
"I don't wanna get you fired. So forget about the report."
"Brianna, I promise that you are not gonna get me fired. An autopsy report is totally legal if you're a family member. I just got off the phone with the officer who was there with you and your dad. He signed the form." She finishes wrapping my hand and cuts the excess tape off. "Here you go." She pulls out a folder from her inside coat pocket. "I'll give you some privacy. Take your time."
"Um, actually, would you mind staying?" I thickly swallow.
"Of course." She nods.
"Thanks." I shakily exhale before opening the folder. I start reading the report and every sentence hurts more and more. I then turn a page and look at the autopsy photos of my dad. My hands shake against the folder and my throat runs cold. My stomach then churns and I close the folder. "Excuse me." I get up and exit the room.
"Bri? Honey." Mom turns away from the others and I keep walking.
"Brianna!" Jonathan calls out and I make my way into the bathroom before projectile vomiting in the sink.
I grip the edges, ignoring the sharp pain in my hand. I continue to cough and gag and tears now fill my eyes. I then see them hit the sink and I let out a strangled sob. I turn on the faucet and let the water run as I continue to throw up. I feel Doctor Bryce's hand on my back and I close my eyes, letting out another sob.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Honey, can I come in?" Mom knocks on the door as I stare at Ryan's letter on my desk with teary eyes. "Bri, can I come in?"
"Yeah." I place the letter in my book before quickly rubbing my eyes.
"You in any pain?" She enters.
"No. The Tylenol is helping." I nod.
"Good." Mom nods back. "I brought you something to eat." She places a plate down on the desk.
"Thanks." I look at the sandwich and chips before sniffling.
"Honey." She starts.
"I asked Doctor Bryce to get me dad's autopsy report. I just wanted to see it for myself."
"Okay. I understand, sweetie. I'm not mad. I just wish you could've told me beforehand."
"Too late now. So, what else do you wanna talk about, mom?"
"At the hospital, Martha told me that Clark said you had been in a fight at school. Is that true?" She asks and I don't answer. "I won't get mad, I promise. Just tell me what happened."
"Nothing happened, mom. This older kid was beating on a younger one. No one else was helping him, everyone was just standing there and I didn't understand why, you know? How could they just...stand there and just let it happen? How could they just sit back and not do anything, you know? How could just let him endure that pain? How could they not save him?" I raise my voice. "How could they just let him die!" I slam the desk with my good hand before getting up.
"Baby." Mom touches my shoulder and I shrug it off as I keep my back turned to her.
"I couldn't save him, mom." I cry. "I did everything right. I got him out of Edge City, I protected him, I brought Doctor Burton to him and he's gone. He's dead. I did everything right! I don't understand. I must've missed something. Maybe if I had found him faster, maybe if I had-"
"Baby, no, no, no! This is not your fault." Mom turns me around and grips my arms. "You and Clark did everything you could. You did everything right. You didn't kill Ryan, honey. You saved him. Doctor Garner killed Ryan. It was him. You understand me?"
"But if I had found him faster, then maybe he would be-"
"No." She pulls me into her. "Shh, shh." She whispers.
"No!" I let out a strangled sob. "You're the consoling type now?" I pull away. "Give me a break." I scoff and leave.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Brianna, hey." Jonathan heads over to me with his crutches as I clean some tools in the barn at the table.
"Good morning, Jon." I reply.
"Your community service days ended long ago. You should take care of that hand."
"You should take your own advice." I look at his leg.
"Oh, I'm alright, I promise. Just a scratch."
"Same as me." I nod.
"Listen, um..." He walks closer. "I would never wanna push you into opening up, but whenever you're ready to talk about what happened yesterday, or to talk about, well, anything, I'm here. The three of us."
"I know. Thanks, Jon. I already fed and watered the cattle and cleaned the chicken coup. So you can rest. You need it." I set the screwdriver down.
"If you can push through the pain like a champ, so can I. I'll be at the tractor. Holler if you need me."
"Same here." I nod and he rubs my shoulder before heading out. I roll up my hoodie sleeves more and then pull my hood off my head. I pick up the rag and start cleaning the pair of pliers.
"Hey." Clark enters. "Good morning."
"Don't." I bounce my leg. "Just say what you wanna say. I don't like it when people walk eggshells on me."
"I'm—I'm not. When I got up, you were already here. How long have you been doing this?"
"Went to bed at ten, got up at five thirty. Got here at six. It's seven thirty—meaning an hour and a half. No need to be overdramatic." I set the pliers down and pick up a hammer.
"Well, I don't know if you ate, but I made this. Well, tried to." Clark sets down a mug and a plate of bacon, eggs and toast.
"An egg is an egg, it's not rocket science, Kent. But thanks. You're a modern day Donna Reed." I nod to the small tv as The Donna Reed show plays. "Oh, how have the roles revered." I clean my hand with the other rag and put the eggs on my toast, then eating it.
"Who's Donna Reed?"
"What?" I turn to him disbelief. "You don't know who Donna Reed is? The quintissential 50s mom with the perfect 50s family? Never without a smile and high heels? Hair, that if you hit it with a hammer, would crack?"
"So it's a show?" He looks back at the tv and sits next to me.
"It's a lifestyle. It's a religion." I raise my eyebrows and set the hammer down. "My favorite episode is when their son, Jeff, comes home from school and nothing happens." I grab a small axe. "Another one of my favorites is when Mary, the daughter, gets a part-time job and nothing happens."
"So what's this one about?"
"This one is actually quite filled with intrigue. The husband, Alex, comes home late for dinner and he didn't call. Might as well kick the dog too." I pour some bleach on the axe over the bucket. "Oh, look, she's making doughnuts." I nod to the screen.
"Behind in the sugar department." Donna turns to the cabinet.
"I guess I was thinking of something else, mom." Jeff tells her.
"Not that my sugary attitude wouldn't make anyone an instant diabetic." I deadpan "Mother-daughter window washing at its finest." I continue to clean the axe.
"I don't know—it all seems kind of sad to me." Clark says.
"What does?" I turn to him.
"Well, you know, families hanging together. I mean, a wife cooking dinner for her husband. Just...doesn't look right to me. And she looks like she's on something."
"Yeah, well, she's medicated." I nod. "And acting from a script. Written by a man."
"That was my theory." Clark nods back. "I don't get it. It's messed up. It's one thing if she chooses to do these things and is actually happy with it, but to just push her into it because that's her said job according to society, it's disgusting."
"It's misogyny to be exact, but, you nailed it, Kent. Good to know you have some common sense." I look back at the screen.
"You, know, dear, the first ten years we were married, I was upset when you came home late for dinner." Donna says.
"And you're not anymore?" Alex questions.
"Nope. You are no longer late for dinner. You're just extremely early for breakfast."
"And you won't remember that conversation or anything else that happened the following day." I set the axe back down. "Tools are done. I'm gonna chop some logs before school. So, you can go. I'll catch up." I place a piece of bacon in my mouth and get up with the axe.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Oh, hello." A man turns to me as I enter.
"Is this Anger Management?" I question.
"Yes, it is. Join us, please. Grab a tag." He nods to the table and I peel the tag off the sheet and stick it to my shoulder without writing anything on it.
"Brianna." Lex walks over to me.
"If I don't do this now, I'll kill him." I look him in the eyes. "I'll kill him." I nod before taking a seat next to Doctor Bryce.
"What's your name?" The man looks at my blank name tag.
"I don't know. I've been asking myself that question ever since I developed the ability to think. Who am I? What's my name? Well, on paper, my name's Brianna Brady. I'm fourteen. I, um, I didn't commit any type of assault or abuse, well, I roughed up a kid at school, hurt my hand a little, but, the feeling—the temptation to just...to just take 'em out." I clench my jaw. "It's worse. It's enough. Is it enough?"
"It is." He nods.
"I'm—I don't know if you could call me an addict, cause it was only a few times. And not because I liked it, it was because I liked the feeling it gave. Even though I knew it wouldn't last. Because nothing ever does. Except anger. Love, sadness, fear, confusion, all those things. It goes away. But anger—your anger, and how you show it, and how you deal with it, is who you are. It shows you who you are and what you're capable of.
And this morning, I, um, sorry, uh, I forgot, um-"
"It's okay."
"Before I, uh...I had this friend, not too long ago. His name was Ryan. Ryan James. He was a little younger than me. And he had abilities from the meteor shower that happened several years ago. And the wrong people found out, and they killed him."
"Who?"
"Doesn't matter. I did everything right. I found another doctor, thanks to a good friend. I kept trying, and trying, and it didn't matter. Cause he was dead. Cause they—he killed him. And I have thought about choking the life out of him ever since. But there's a part of me that just...won't do it."
"Why do you think that is?"
"I don't how, or why, it just won't let me do it. The same part that crept up when I visited my father's killer last year for the first time since it happened. My father and I, we would train a lot together, uh, for football. You know, that's—that's when we were closest. That was always our common ground when he wasn't putting on a badge and strapping a gun to his chest. Don't get me wrong, I loved the game, but, I secretly wanted to be a scientist. Because I loved it, science. I liked learning why things are the way they are, and why they move the way they do, and how, and why, and when they were created, and how they help us. I just always wanted to know why. But, you know, like, when I was younger, if I was nervous, I was scared, I wouldn't wanna do something, he'd always tell me to just face it. You know, get it over with. He would always say, um, stupid, he would always say, um, breathe. He was quiet, but loud when he needed to be. And he was hilarious. And he had this amazing ability. He could just, he could walk into a room, and he could take the temperature of it instantly. You know, he could just, he could dial it. And, um, I'm not built like that. I, um I didn't have a lot of friends growing up, uh, until I moved here. And, uh, after my dad died, I got shitty grades cause I couldn't pay attention in school. Strike that—I didn't want to. Because nothing else mattered. Except the anger. It fueled me. Day and night. It was my three meals a day. And, um, I don't—I don't have any plans for college. I'm thinking about swearing off men for good. I don't think I'm funny. And, um, I didn't know my dad was working on one of the biggest cases of his entire life. I didn't know that was the reason. Made me feel weak, and not enough. I mean, what does that say? As I got older, I-I realized I didn't know anything about him really. Not anymore. Everything I ever thought I knew...gone. Dead. He just cut me off cold. And he did it long ago, I was just too young. And that, um, that hurt, you know? And I think that just, that flipped a switch in me where I was like..." I lean forward. "Okay, screw you, watch this. And because we had this connection through the game and he had made me feel so rejected, and shitty, and uncool, I-I made this plan where I was gonna go play for the New York Giants. You know, like, like, I'm gonna go train in real stadiums. Like, screw you, man, right? And it sounds ridiculous, you know, me saying that now, but that's-that's-that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to get shit kicked outta me." I chuckle. "And I wanted to return the favor. I wanted to hit back. To hit back harder. Harder than he ever did. And as time went on, I realized that I was only fooling myself, so I decided to return the favor another way. Cut him off cold. Just like he did me. And I was fast. I wasn't afraid. And it was clear, and I-I felt—I felt okay, you know? I was giving him the same exact energy he was giving me all these years. Like, you think you're tough? I'm tougher. You think you're hard? I'm harder. You wanna be a cold son of a bitch, I can be the daughter you wish you never had. I'll make you hate me. I'll make you despise me. I'll make you not be able to even stand in the same room as me. I will make you wish I was never born. I will kill you the same way you killed me." I slightly raise my voice. "And the more he wouldn't respond, and the more our relationship strained, the deeper into this I went, and—and the better I got. And the more people I cut out, the quieter my life got. And the routine of my days was so consistent, and exacting, and disorientated, and hard, and I lost track of time, and shit hit the fan, and he died. And he left me his...his badge. His legacy. Meaning nothing. Because to me, he was nothing. He didn't do this job. He went to a game every Saturday, when he could, so fuckin' what? So what?" I pause. "And over the last couple months, I-I've been trying to—I've been trying to fix myself cause I was still doing bad, I still am now, and I think it's very clear that me trying to fix myself is me trying to fix whatever was happening with me and my dad. And I don't know, maybe fix the whole family because—because I don't know. That saying, you can't miss what you never had. Well, it's bogus. Cause I do. I miss it. I miss what I never had. And I know my mom does too. It means everything to her. And it means a lot to me. I just don't know if it ever meant anything to him. And I'll never know." A single tear drips off my eyelash and I get up, now leaving.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"I'm sorry to bother you, Bri. I know-"
"I'm happy you called, Pete." I nod at him as we sit on my bed. "I got Ian's scholarship information." I hand some papers to him. "It turns out he was taking classes at Smallville Community College at the exact same time that he was taking classes at Smallville High."
"Any idea how an only child can make like the Olsen twins?"
"How isn't important. I just wanna make sure we're right before we start throwing around charges."
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't look for much help in the Lana and Chloe department."
"Maybe I can. I think I saw Ian carrying a pager when I was at the Talon yesterday." I nod.
"Clark's really worried about you. We all are." Pete rubs my shoulder.
"I'm fine, Pete. Don't worry about me." I pat his shoulder with a faint grin.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Hey, Ian." Mister Sullivan greets as me and Clark watch him from inside his truck.
"Mister Sullivan, hi. Is, uh, Chloe here?" Ian asks.
"No, I'm afraid she's not home."
"Well, I don't understand. She paged me to meet her here at five thirty."
"Well, there must be some kind of mix-up. Last I heard, she was working late at the Torch."
"Okay. Thanks."
"Alright." Mister Sullivan closes the door and Ian heads back down the steps, checking his watch before my phone goes off.
"Yeah?" I answer it.
"Bri, Mister Punctual made his appearance at exactly five thirty. Which means we're definitely seeing double." Pete tells me.
"Thanks, Pete. I'll call Chloe." I hang up and dial Chloe.
"What's that?" Clark points to my blank name tag.
"Nothing." I peel it off and crumble it in my hand, then placing my phone to my ear.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Chloe! Lana!" I yell as we enter the Torch office to see that it's empty. "Dammit." I part ways with him and search the office.
"Chloe!" Pete shouts.
"Guys, check this out!" Miles urges and we rush over to Chloe's desk. "We've both been deceiving ourselves over Ian. Now the pain's too much. We've gone to the dam to end our suffering. Sounds like a suicide note."
"Ian wanted me to see that. He's going to kill them to get to me." Clark inquires.
"His SUV. What fifteen year old kid has a car that big?" I turn before running out of the office.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
I stop in my tracks to see Clark super speed up the road and leap over the edge of the bridge after Chloe. As Ian One looks over the bridge, Clark and Chloe both fall. Clark manages to reach the ground first, and catches Chloe right before she hits the ground. Clark looks up at Ian One before I see Ian Two holding Lana.
"C'mon." I see Lana claw desperately at the SUV as Ian Two attempts to drag her away from it and over to the bridge.
I now take out my gun and and start running towards the bridge. Ian Two drags her over to the edge of the bridge and tries to throw her over. Lana screams and grabs at the railing on the bridge. Ian Two leans over to shove her off the bridge and his forward momentum carries them both over. Lana screams again and clutches the ledge on the bridge, while Ian Two hangs on to her legs.
I pick up my pace and Lana manages to get one hand on the edge of the bars below the bridge's handrail. She pants in fear as she struggles to hang on. Her grip begins to slip and she screams. I take a leap before grabbing Lana's wrist. She screams for me as I stop her from falling. I now cock my gun with my free hand and point it at Ian Two.
"Let go of her!" I order and Ian Two loses his grip on Lana's legs before falling. I now pull Lana back over the edge of the bridge, and she falls to her knees on the side of the road. "You okay?" I kneel down to her and she nods, trying to catch her breath. "You're okay. You're alright." I nod and she lets out a cry before I pull her into me, making her cling onto me. "You're okay, Lana. You're alright. You're safe."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
I sit on my roof, looking at the black sky with folded hands over my crutched up knees. Ryan's letters rests in the pocket of my sweatpants as the cool wind blows through my hair.
My eyes start to water, the wind now making them burn. I don't blink, I keep my stare on the black sky before a single tear slips from the corner of my eye. I then hear a thud before Clark climbs up from the corner of my eye, then sitting down.
"I can always count on you to rat me out to my mom. Good to know for future reference." I nod as I keep my eyes on the sky.
"Your mom deserved to know what really happened. She loves you." Clark tells me.
"Why don't you spend less time worrying about my family and worry about your own, Kent? This isn't Doctor Phil."
"She called me Kent. She can't be that mad at me." He tilts his head at me from the corner of my eye and I bite the inside of my cheek. "You saved Lana's life." He moves closer to me.
"Don't ever say that to me again." I say through gritted teeth.
"What happened to Ryan wasn't your fault."
"Doesn't mean I get to feel better about it. I don't wanna feel better about it. Don't you dare make me feel better about it."
"I would never do that, Brianna. You know that, don't you? I stopped by here earlier and ran into Lex. We got to talking. That's when I realized the tag I saw on your shirt before was from the Anger Management class he's in. You don't have to tell me, and Lex certainly didn't, but he said you really moved a lot of people, especially him. I don't think I ever seen him cry before. And I also want you to know that, you going there, for whatever reason, I'm proud of you."
"Any amount of money if you leave." I keep my eyes on the sky.
"As much as I find your concentration pretty incredible, will you look at me, please?" Clark asks.
"What?" I crane my neck to face him.
"How's your hand?" He now holds my bandaged hand in his.
"It's fine. I get my stitches out in a week."
"You know, that kid you were helping."
"What about him?"
"His name was Ryan." He tells me. "I believe in coincidences, but this...this isn't one. It's a sign. And I think Ryan wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He loved you. He knows it's not your fault. He knows you did everything you could to help him. And you need to know that too." He nods and I take out Ryan's letter from my pocket.
I thickly swallow before opening the envelope. I take out a folded piece of paper and I start to read it.
Dear, Brianna
If you're reading this, then you know I'm gone. Body wise, but not in spirit. I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. You have a real gift and a good heart and you are the greatest person I've ever met. You protected me, you've helped me and I cannot thank you enough. I only made it this far because of you. You are going to change the world just by being you, by helping others. You and Clark both. I want you to know that what happened to me isn't your fault. You did everything right and I knew that you would come for me in Edge City.
Because it's who you are. You are selfless, brave, funny, smart, kind and an angel sent from God. You are beautiful. I want you to promise me that you will not blame yourself. That you will not search for Doctor Garner. I want you to live life to the fullest and appreciate those around you. Like I said in the hospital, I'll be with you. Watching over you. Always. You didn't kill me. You saved me more than you'll ever know.
Love,
Ryan.
I finish reading the letter and tears start to drip off my eyelashes. I fold up the paper while sniffling. My lips tremble before I see another piece of paper in the envelope.
I furrow my eyebrows before taking it out. I then open it to read the sentence: under the flower pot on your lawn. I get up and hop down from the roof. My high tops hits the ground and I run over to the flower pot. Clark follows me and I kneel down the flower pot.
I move it and I grab the shovel that we already placed there before I start digging. A pain passes through my bad hand, but I keep digging. I now set the shovel down and I pull out the football I gave him when we first met. I swipe the dirt off it to see the message: Brianna Brady #8.
Tears now fill my eyes and I run my thumb over his handwriting. I let out a single cry before Clark pulls me into him. My head hits his chest and I let out a strangled sob.
I promise, Ryan.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
🪐🌙✨🚀🌌☄️
no words. just tears. fuck you for this smallville, seriously.
this scene was a slay though
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