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Listen Before I Go: Billie Eilish
"You wanna stay for breakfast?" Clark asks as I pull up at the farm.
"No." I keep my gaze forward. "I need to sleep before work. I'm sure your parents are wondering where you've been the past twenty four hours."
"I already called them before I went over to your house last night."
"Okay. Go." I nod my head to the side.
"I can cover your shifts."
"I'm good. I like to work."
"If you wanna talk about-"
"I know, Kent." I turn to him. "I know. Now go be with your parents. I'll see you at work later."
Clark places a kiss on my forehead before pulling his head down. We start to stare at each other before I see Jonathan and Martha walking towards the car.
"Go." I murmur and he heads out of the car before I drive off.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Good to know that I don't just buy these books for me." I hand Clark the book as I enter the diner.
"Thanks." Clark takes the book. "Did I wake you?"
"No. My alarm went off as soon as you called." I put on my apron before Clark hands a woman her food.
"Brianna, Clark, you're on break." Arielle steps out from the kitchen.
"I didn't even do anything."
"That's the biggest lie I ever heard. This place wouldn't be standing if not for you. Half hour." She heads back inside the kitchen and I step behind the counter.
"Suddenly the universe likes me?" I start making my tea. "Fuck me." I scoff before I enter the kitchen and I grab the bacon and eggs from the fridge. "You want?" I call out.
"Yeah." Clark replies and I place the pan on the stove.
"Is Lana okay?"
"Yeah. She's doing alright. Because of you." He inquires and I bite the inside of my cheek before cracking two eggs in the pan, making sure to separate them.
I now turn on the stove and the eggs start to sizzle. I grab the cheese from the fridge and then the salt and pepper. I sprinkle some cheese and watch it melt before adding the salt and pepper. Once the eggs are done, I place them onto both plates.
I now open the pack of bacon and place four pieces in the pan. I walk past Jackie and Zayn before grabbing an avocado from the fridge. I then pick up a knife and I start cutting it. I throw out the pit before peeling off the skin. I start swiftly slicing the avocado into thin layers.
I glance at the bacon still cooking on the pan before placing a slice of avocado on top of both eggs. I put the rest of the avocado into a plastic bag. I put it and the cheese back into the fridge. I place the knife in the sink before grabbing the ketchup from the fridge.
I open the top and I do a fancy zig zag line across both eggs with the avocado on top. I put the ketchup back into the fridge and I grab a tong. I turn the bacon over before getting Clark's coffee ready, which is easy since he takes it black.
I set Clark's coffee aside before heading back over to the stove. I now turn it off and use the tongs to place two pieces of bacon on both plates. I set the tongs down before picking up the plates and Clark's coffee.
I head over to the booth he's sitting at and I set everything down. I sit across from him before rolling my hoodie sleeves up more. I sip my tea before picking up my fork.
"Thank you." Clark tells me and I nod before I start eating.
"That looks a little heavy for Psych 101." I comment.
"I'm just trying to get a handle on what my dad's going through. You know, the surgery and everything." He starts eating. "This is great."
"Thanks." I reply. "When I was in the hospital, the doctors told me that depression's pretty common after a major surgery. But you can't get something you already have." I sip my tea again.
"He's just not the same dad I know. He keeps talking about all these opportunities he missed in his life."
"It's gonna be okay. There isn't anything that you can't recover from."
"What if you screw up something so badly you can never get it back?"
"Well, I guess that depends on how determined you are, Kent."
"Like you?" Clark questions and I look up, now locking eyes with him.
"Eat your food. Fry your brain later." I continue eating before sipping my tea once again.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Hi, mom. You must be out looking for dad too. I think I have an idea where he is. I'll see you soon." Clark hangs up. "Thanks for the phone." He hands me my phone before turning away.
"What's going on?" I now turn him back to face me.
"My dad kind of went AWOL. He was halfway through unloading the feed run, and he just jumped in his truck and took off."
"He what?" I raise my eyebrows.
"I'm sorry, Brianna, it's just...he's never done anything like this before. I didn't mean to unload on you like that."
"I care about your father very much, don't you dare apologize."
"My dad cares a lot about you too." Clark nods and we start to stare at one another. "Brianna?"
"Yeah?" I softly say.
"I—" His eyes dart around my face.
"Yes. I'll help you find your dad. Let's go." I turn and exit my room.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Dad? You okay? We've been worried sick about you. You can't just take off like that." Clark says as we enter the cemetery.
"How'd you know to find me out here?" Jonathan turns to us.
"When I'm searching for answers, I turn to my dad. I guess it runs in the family."
"Your grandfather was the stubbornest man I ever knew." He stands up. "And believe me, Clark, I wasn't nearly the son you are. My mother used to say that he and I were like watching two sides of the same coin, duking it out. And I see the way you and...your real dad fight and I wonder if maybe fathers and sons were the same back home."
"Except he's not my father. You are."
"Yeah. I am your father who turns his back on you when you need him the most. I am your father who forces you to run away. My father never would've done that." Jonathan looks at the dates on the headstone. "I wish I had his strength and his wisdom."
"Jon, you do." I walk towards him.
"Clark, I don't know how to protect you anymore."
"It's not your job. Your job is to teach me how to protect myself. But that doesn't mean I don't need you. Mom needs you too. Let's go home." Clark inquires.
"C'mon, Jon." I whisper. "It's not over. Not yet." I shake my head. "Let's get you home, okay? Your wife is waiting for you." I start to lead him with me and Clark before he places his hands on my shoulders.
"I want you know how important you are to us, Brianna. To me." Jonathan nods. "And if I were to ever have a daughter or daughter in law, it'd be you. Only
you."
"Same here, Jon." I hug him and he tightly hugs me back.
"You're one of the greatest people I've ever met, Brianna. You're so young, with a beautiful heart. And you're good, through and through. Please know that." He pulls away. "Brianna, tell me you know that." He cups my face and I merely nod. "And if your father were here right now, I'd beat him until he couldn't see straight."
"Jon-"
"No, no. How could he just—How could he not realize what a gift he brought to the world? How could he just...shut you out? How could he not see your pain? What father does that?"
"Someone who never meant to be a father in the first place." My voice strains before I sniffle. "So, c'mon, Jon. Let's go home, alright?" I whisper and we continue to walk.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Mom?" Clark says as we enter the barn.
"Oh, thank God you're back." Martha says.
"What happened?" I take out my gun as I look around.
"The FBI came. They tore through everything."
"What did they want?" Clark asks.
"I don't know, but they had a search warrant, and the only thing that's missing is the key." Martha informs and Clark goes to the tackle box on the floor before opening it.
"I have to get that back. If they find out what that key's really for..."
"It doesn't matter, Clark." Jonathan speaks up.
"How can you say that?" Clark pushes the box away.
"Because they didn't get what they came for." He holds up the key.
"Okay, whatever that key is for, keep it someplace safe." I play dumb. "I'm going to Lex's."
"I'm coming with you." Clark follows me out.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Lex!" I shout as me and Clark storm in.
"Brianna, Clark, I'm in the middle of something. Can this wait?" Lex requests.
"The FBI just raided our farm." Clark informs.
"Meine Herren, es ist spät, wir sprechen morgen weiter." He says to the businessmen and they leave the room. "Any idea why?"
"They didn't say, but for some reason, we think your dad's involved."
"Clark, I can't imagine my father's on the FBI's Most Trusted list, but I'm curious why you think he'd be interested in the farm." Lex pokes at the fire with a poker.
"I talked to him today. He was saying all sorts of crazy things. He thinks I can give him answers about the caves."
"Can you? My father's methods are often questionable, but usually there's a germ of truth in his madness."
"Your father's so obsessed about those caves, that he's imagining things that don't exist."
"Clark, I'm glad you told me about this. It means a lot that you trust me enough to let me help."
"Is there something you're not telling me?" Clark questions.
"And what would that be, Clark?" Lex wonders and I study him. "I'll check into it." He nods and I turn and exit the room before biting the inside of my cheek.
"What did you see?" Clark now catches up with me.
"Nothing. We just have to wait until he leaves and then follow him." I mumble. "You have your ear piece?"
"Yeah."
"Good, cause we're gonna need them."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"What the hell were you doing barging into the Kent farm?" Lex questions as I hide behind the bushes, watching the scene unfold.
"You okay?" Clark asks through my earpiece.
"I'm fine, Kent." I whisper.
"Be quiet. You're bound and determined to blow our cover, aren't you? Get in here." The agent orders and
Lex enters the trailer before the door closes
"Agent Asshole closed the door. Hold on." I mutter before I step out of the bushes, now leaning against the door of the trailer.
"If I wanna take a serious look at Clark Kent, you won't have much to say about it." The agent continues from outside.
"Those weren't your men?" Lex inquires.
"We don't make it a habit of storming farmhouses. What is it about this kid you're trying to protect? Look, Luthor, this is my show. Do I need to remind you you came to us?"
"Like I had a choice."
"You know the deal. The FBI is not interested in some farm boy. We're interested in your father. Now, get out of here so we can do our work."
I hear footsteps and I run around to the other side of the trailer. I hear the door open and I lock eyes with Clark from a few feet away. I send him a nod before leaning off the trailer.
It now drives away and Lex looks up from his car before turning to me. I send him a glare before tightening my jaw. My eyes then look at the small bump on his stomach.
"Brianna-"
"Unbutton your shirt." I cut him off.
"Brianna, I'm not—" I cut Lex off before I rip open his shirt and tear the wire off of him.
"Your father's not the one working with the FBI. It's you!" Clark slams him against the car.
"Brianna, Clark, you have to trust me." Lex tells us.
"We did. This was a bad mistake." He leads me with him and I look down at the microphone.
"Clark, you've got it all wrong! Look, it's not about you! We're going after my father!" He shouts and I stop before turning to him. "He tried to pin the murder at Metron Labs on me, so I went to the Feds, and I cut a deal." He walks over to us. "Look, over and over, I've given him the chance to show me who he really is, and I now realize he already has. He deserves what's coming to him."
"And you don't care whose privacy gets invaded in the process."
"Clark, it wasn't the FBI who raided the farm. My father could've had his own men impersonate the Feds. The question is why."
"Maybe he's onto you! Maybe he's warning you to back off!" Clark snaps.
"Look, if that's the case, I'm sorry he got you involved. But I think you already were." Lex tells him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"How well do you know a Doctor Virgil Swann?"
"What makes you think I know him at all?"
"Well, according to the FBI, my father's been talking to him. And he found Doctor Swann through you. Apparently you two have been e-mailing each other?"
"He's been studying the cave paintings."
"Look, Clark, I don't know how you stumbled into this. But somehow, you've got two billionaires keenly interested in you and those caves. They're your enemies. Not me."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"You betrayed me!" Clark yells and I lean against the wall, now listening in.
"Hello, Kal-El." Swann greets and my eyes widen.
"My name is Clark."
"You think I betrayed you because I met with Lionel Luthor?"
"You did more than meet with him. You agreed to help him."
"I didn't betray you, Kal-El. I promised you, your secret would never leave this building and it hasn't. My involvement with Lionel Luthor is in your best interest."
"That man has done nothing but cause my family pain."
"Was he the one who caused the explosion on the farm? Did he make you run wild in Metropolis? I opened the door to your heritage because I thought that you were ready. Your actions over the past year have proven me wrong."
"You don't understand. There was another message in the ship from my biological father, and it said I was sent here to conquer. Do you know if that's true?"
"I don't have all the answers. I'm still on the same journey as you are, Kal-El."
"Please, don't call me that. I don't even know who that is!"
"Fathers often want futures that their sons reject. That struggle is as old as the human race."
"Except I'm not...human."
"Humanity is not only about biology."
"Look, you don't know Jor-El. Everything that he said has come to pass. My father made a deal with him to save me, and now it's killing him."
"But the more you pursue this course, the greater the risk that you'll expose your secret not only to the Luthors, but to the world."
"I can't let my father die for my mistakes." Clark inquires.
"Well, if that's your decision, then there's something else I have to show you. Activate screen." Swann says and I slowly peek my head out.
A large screen rises behind Swann. There are several rows of Kryptonian symbols on the screen, each row scrolling across in alternating directions.
"It says, I am waiting. It must be from Jor-El." Clark informs.
"That message didn't come from the stars. It originated right here on Earth. But I believe that it wasn't meant for you, Kal-El." Swann tells him and I take off.
I have to find Jonathan.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Jon!" I enter the Kent house. "Martha, where's Jon?"
"He left again, Brianna." Martha tells me. "He can't do what he used to around here."
"Martha, I don't think it's that simple. Kent just went to see Doctor Swann. He thinks Jor-El is trying to contact someone. It's Clark. And I think the way Jonathan's been acting...I think he's been getting messages through the key."
"What would Jor-El want with Jonathan?"
"I don't know, but he said Jor-El was waiting for something. Do you know where Jon went?"
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Jonathan!" I rush in to see Lionel about to break Jonathan's neck. "Get off him!" I now put Lionel in a headlock, then dragging him off Jonathan. "Fucking bastard!" I throw Lionel against the wall. "What are you doing? You're not thinking!" I kneel down to Jonathan.
"It's the only way that I know Clark's safe." Jonathan tells me before several men enter with their machine guns pointed at the three of us, making him stand in front of me. "Unless you wanna explain to the police why you illegally raided my farm, you had better let me walk out of here." He warns and I stand up, now walking towards the barrel of a machine gun until it hits my chest.
"You get one shot. You best pray I'm dead." I raise my eyebrows.
"Back off." Lionel says and the men lower their guns before I kneel back down to Jonathan.
"Sir...you better take a look at this." A technician enters and Lionel walks over to the wall, followed by two of his men.
"The key's in the wall. It must be."
"Where is it?" Jonathan mumbles.
"I don't have it. Neither does Kent." I whisper before socking Lionel across the face, making him fall to the floor. "You touch him again, and I will destroy you as I have so many others."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Mister Luthor will be here in a few moments." Dale tells me as we enter the mansion.
"I'll wait for him. Thank you, Dale." I nod.
"Anytime, Brianna." He nods back before leaving.
I look around the room, then sitting at the piano. I scan the keys before thickly swallowing. I now reach both of my hands out and line up my fingers with the keys.
"All my life I read between the lines." I start to sing and thickly swallow again. "Held on too tight, you know I tried. But in the end it left me paralyzed." I close my eyes. "It's alright, goodbye, goodbye. Seems like yesterday I was a child. Just a ripple in the folds of time. I wish you well, I wanna see you smile. It's alright, goodbye, goodbye." I play the keys. "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't cry. Lord knows how hard we tried. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye." I bounce my foot. "So many things I wanna say to you. So many sleepless nights I prayed for you. My heart's an ashtray and I lost my mind." I tear up. "You bring the smokes. I've got the time. I wanna scream, I wanna laugh, I wanna close my eyes. I wanna hide somewhere that's hard to find. Stop wasting time trying to shape your life. It's alright, goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't cry. Lord knows how hard we tried. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye." I keep playing the keys. "My pretty bird, my favorite lullaby. How'd I become the thorn in your side? All your laughter turned into a cry. It's alright, goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't cry. Lord knows how hard we tried. It's alright, it's alright. It's alright. It's alright. It's alright, it's alright. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye." I finish and a single tear hits one of the keys. I clench my jaw and hit the piano before putting my head down. I shakily exhale and I feel my arms shake against the sides of the piano. I then hear footsteps and I crane my neck. "I wrote it...for my dad after he died. And for me."
"That was the most beautiful song I ever heard." Lex sits down next to me and I rub my jaw. "I can relate to it too a little bit."
"Sorry, that wasn't my intention." I wipe my cheek.
"No, don't be." He chuckles. "Just another gift of Brianna Brady."
"Hardly." I scoff. "So, why did you wanna see me?" I pull my hood off my head.
"You left these here last week when I was helping you study for your english test." He hands me a thin stack of papers. "I don't know if they're songs, or poems, but...but they were just there and I couldn't stop reading. Brianna, these are great. You're a really good writer. You don't write for anyone else, you write for you."
"Thank you, but, it's just a hobby." I fold the papers up.
"Then you would wanna hear some feedback?"
"Yeah, sure."
"They're all great. But my favorite would have to be King of The Damned."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Kent?" I enter the loft.
"Yeah?" Clark replies and we lock eyes before I walk up the steps. "Hey."
"Hey." I reply and he hugs me.
"My mom said you found my dad. You saved him. Again. Thank you." He whispers and I hug him back.
"He okay?" I now pull away.
"Not really."
"But he will be."
"I don't know." Clark sits on the couch and I join him.
"You do know. Because you're your father's son." I turn to him and we lock eyes before sharing a grin.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine." I softly say before nodding.
"You know what happened with Adam, it wasn't-"
"I know, Kent. I know." I slowly nod before looking forward.
"Can I ask what happened?"
"Got to the location, he was shooting at her with my gun. The gun I gave to Lana. I told her to duck and I shot at Adam. One of his bullets hit my chest and one of his hit mine. But I had my father's vest on. Then you guys came in." I glance at him while nodding. "Thanks for going to Denver with me."
"I'd do it again."
"I wouldn't." I cross my arms before leaning back and he scoffs. "Like I told your dad, it's not over." I turn back to him. "It's not over, Kent. Not yet." I shake my head and he nods with a faint grin.
I won't let anything happen to Jon.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
🪐🌙✨🚀🌌☄️
jonathan and brianna😫 ofc our girl helping her man and his family no matter what💅🏻
my laugh of the day😭
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