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Wild West Show: Big & Rich
"Lois." I walk over to her, Chloe and Clark.
"Hi." Chloe gasps before hugging me. "How are you?"
"I'm okay." I nod as we pull away.
"Brianna-"
"Chloe, I'm fine, really."
"I'm a free woman for the time being because of you, Agent Brady." Lois pulls me into her. "Thank you." She whispers.
"You're welcome." I whisper back and we pull away before I take my hood off my head.
"Hey." Clark greets.
"Hey, Kent." I faintly grin.
"Turns out the Wayne killer is still out there." A boy says as he walks past us with his two friends and I crane my neck, watching them continue to talk.
"Yeah, um, ever since the Waynes were killed, it's skyrocketed worldwide." Chloe tells me. "But don't worry, after Oswald showed himself, I pulled a few strings with Montoya, Allen and the press. You're out of it. No one knows you're working the case."
"Thank you." I nod. "Lois, I need you tell me what happened. From top of bottom."
"I was partying with some friends and some guys and one of them came onto me. I said no because he had a girlfriend, obviously, and he didn't like that. So I knocked the wind out of him." Lois tells me.
"I would've paralyzed him." Miles walks over. "Hey."
"Hey." I exhale and we hug.
"Brianna, I swear to God, all I did was knock the wind out of him. I couldn't have paralyzed him." Lois inquires.
"I believe you." I nod. "But you were drinking, right?"
"Those days are over. No more alcohol. And that includes cough syrup and rum cakes." She tells me before the bell rings. "Aspirin, anyone?" She touches her head.
"Torch, desk drawer on the left-hand side." Chloe smiles.
"Miles, take her. I'll check out the scene." I nod.
"You're the agent." Lois grips my shoulder before she walks away with Miles.
"It's Met U, right?"
"Here's the directions." Chloe starts writing and then hands me a piece of paper.
"Thanks." I take it from her.
"How's Bruce?"
"He's determined. On edge." I slowly nod.
"I thanked him for the necklace." Chloe nudges me with a grin. "He's a sweet kid."
"Yeah. They always are, aren't they?" I rasp out.
"Any word form Jim or Harvey?"
"They're laying low for now. Listen, uh, I'd do it myself, but I got an errand to run for my mom at the store, so I was wondering if you could research something for me while I'm gone."
"Yeah, of course. Name it." Chloe hands me her pen and paper.
"Her name is Selina Kyle." I start writing.
"She's in Gotham?" She mumbles.
"She's the one who gave me the anonymous tip a few weeks ago." I pause. "Some guys were drugging homeless kids and using them for a trafficking ring."
"Oh, my God. Brianna, are you alright? Are you-"
"Yeah, uh, just find anything you can because I haven't seen her since the Viper drug."
"Yeah, of course." Chloe hugs me. "Be careful."
"Yeah. I'll be back by lunch." I turn.
"Brianna." She turns me back around. "I get it if you don't wanna talk about it right now. I do. But when you're ready, I'm here. We all are. You don't always have to be Darth Vader. It's okay to be Anakin once in a while." She rubs my shoulder before walking away and I watch her while biting the inside of my cheek.
"I'm going to Met U today with some people from there." Clark tells me.
"People from the football team there?" I turn to him.
"Yeah."
"Have fun. Don't worry, I won't be driving right behind you." I start to walk.
"Brianna." He stops me. "We can go together."
"I have my own car, Kent. Besides, you have people to impress. I'll see you." I nod before walking off and I pull my hood back over my head.
"Brianna, hey." Devin walks over to me.
"Devin. Hey."
"How have you been?"
"I'm okay." I nod. "Listen, um, I just wanted to say-"
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Football is in your past, I get it. Besides, we both know you're built for bigger and better things."
"But you'll always be there. Lurking over me?" I joke before raising my eyebrows.
"I can't help it. You don't know the effect you have on people." Devin shrugs. "Listen, um, I was wondering if you wanted to get together sometime. Are you free this week? You haven't been in school much."
"Yeah, uh, I've had enough credits to graduate since sophomore year. Whenever I'm absent, they don't even count it. But I'm not free right now, I gotta go take care of something for my mom. But call me later?"
"Okay." He grins. "Now, I'll be slowly following behind, lurking over you."
"As long as you don't announce it over the loud speaker." I grin and he smirks before I leave.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
I enter the cafeteria with my hood over my head and my headphones on with the Gotham police scanner playing through so I can stay on top of everything. I get on the lunch line and place a sandwich, a plum, a water, and a granola bar on my tray. I pay the lunch lady some money before heading off the line. I reach an empty table and I sit down.
I take out my laptop and open it. I pull up a new document to type a report I have due for history class. I start eating my sandwich and then open my water bottle. I sip some and take a bite out of my plum. I then open my granola and bite it before beginning to type my heading for the paper. I pull my hood off my head and I push some hair out of my face. I then look up as Devin walks over with his tray.
"This seat taken?" He asks.
"Just don't start talking to your milk." I tell him before looking at my computer and he sits across from me.
"How did your errand go?"
"Fine. My brother's got more Caprisun to last him a decade. Doing my history report now." I sip my water and continue typing. "Shocked you have time for us small folk, Mister Second Quarterback." I take out my ginger shot since I missed it this morning.
"I moved some things around in my schedule."
"Well, I'm honored." I down the shot before putting the cap on the now empty container.
"As you should." He nods. "And there's only one quarterback sitting here. It's not me."
"You terribly flirting with me?" I jokingly kick his leg from under the table and I turn the volume up on my headphones as the scanner on my holster goes off.
"Only because we're not alone."
"Yeah? What would say if we were?"
"I would ask if you'd like to drive down to Met U together. I know you're on the case about Geoff's roommate. I wanna help too. So, what do you say?"
"Yeah, sure." I nod. "Don't go announcing it, though."
"Still milking that?"
"Habitually." I eat my plum.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Oh, fuck me." I exhale as we enter the sorority house with loud music filling my ears. "I'm gonna see if I can find anything. I'll meet you back in here five."
"Okay." Devin nods.
I sigh before quietly sneaking past through crowds of drunk people. I spot the staircase and I make my way upstairs. I fix my hood over my head before I enter the room Lois mentioned over the phone and I see two girls on top of Clark. The girls then turn to face me.
"Don't stop on my account, girls." I open the closet.
"Uh, Brianna." Clark thickly says.
"Just act like I'm not even here, Kent." I look through the clothes before picking up a diary.
"Who are you?" A girl asks and I show her my pass as I keep my back turned to them.
"A cop?" The second girl questions.
"Look at that, you have a brain. Who knew?" I shove my pass back into my hoodie pocket.
"Excuse you."
"What do you know about a guy named Dave Cooper?"
I turn to face them. "And if you lie, that's a very big girl term called obstruction of justice. That's up to twenty years in federal prison. Horrible food, no more manicures or trips to the mall. It's gonna be a sad, sad world for you." I mock while nodding and Clark laughs before putting his head down, then clearing his throat to cover up his amusement. "Talk, Power Puff Girls."
"My roommate's on her way to visit Coop at the hospital. He's her boyfriend." The first girl tells me.
"And Dave. Was he drinking the night he was paralyzed?"
"I assume so. We weren't there."
"Are you even a real cop?" The second girl questions and I lift up my leather jacket and hoodie, showing her my gun in the front of my jeans.
"Um, could I—could I get something to drink while I talk to, uh, Detective Brady about this case?" Clark requests.
"Uh, yeah sure." The first girl buttons her shirt and leaves the room.
"And maybe something to eat?" He adds and the second girl sighs before leaving the room.
"I know, five whole minutes without a guy inside of you. Tragic." I pat my chest as I watch the second girl walk off further.
"You finished?" Clark tilts his head with a grin.
"I'm just getting started, Kent." I smile before I turn back to the closet and pick up the diary. "This has to be Dave's girlfriend's." I open the diary. "Real page-turner. I gained two pounds. From now on, it's no carbs. Ha!" I snicker. "Man, I love this job." I shake my head with a grin.
"So, you rode here with Devin? I, uh, I saw you guys in the parking lot after school."
"Yeah, he offered me a ride, not a trip to pound town if that's what you're thinking."
"W-What? No, no. Brianna, I didn't mean-"
"Oh, here it is." I turn a few more pages. "Coop is meeting with a newspaper reporter and being super secretive. It has something to do with the football team, but I don't know what it is."
"Clark?" I hear a male voice say.
"Hey, Geoff." Clark greets and I stuff the diary into my hoodie pocket before turning around.
"Hey, there." Geoff grins at me. "I'm Geoff Johns. And you are?" He holds out his hand.
"Too much for you to handle." I put on a British accent.
"Feisty. I like it." He pulls his hand down. "If you wanted to bring your girlfriend along, you could've just asked, man."
"I'm not his girlfriend. I'm on a tour here. My friend, Lois Lane, suggested this school. She goes here."
"Yeah, I know her." He nods. "She's never mentioned..."
"Val. Val Cameron."
"Are you dating anyone, Val?"
"Yes, she is." Devin walks in. "I was wondering where you were." He wraps his arm around me.
"The line for the bathroom was long. Then I ran into one of Lois's friends." I glance at Clark before my hand lands on Devin's chest.
"Sorry, man, I didn't know." Geoff says.
"All good, man." Devin nods. "We'll meet you down there?"
"Yeah. Nice meeting you, Val." He grins before leaving.
"Not bad." I look up at Devin.
"Nice accent." Devin looks down at me.
"You're really taking this whole lurking thing serious, huh?"
"Maybe." He scoffs. "I'm here for a tour too. Got a partial scholarship. Hey, Clark." He holds out his hand.
"Hey." Clark shakes it.
"I heard about Coop. I don't believe Lois did it. She was in my history class, she's helped me catch up a bit when I was behind."
"As much as I appreciate that, but you have now involved yourself in this mess and that means you have to act like my boyfriend for the rest of the day." I inquire.
"I know. Why do you think I did what I did? Now, what's our next move, Val?" He tightens his arm around me.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Appreciate the moral support, Devin." Lois says as we walk down the hallway.
"I figured I owe you won after you helped me out with the Revolutionary War. And I never believed you did it anyway. Not on purpose." Devin tells her.
"Thanks." She chuckles.
"I thought I told you to wait outside." I whisper.
"I don't do well with waiting, especially when I'm awaiting trial. I wanna hear what Geoff knows. Speaking of Geoff."
"Hello, Geoff." I put on the British accent.
"Hey. Coach just called. Coop's dead, guys." Geoff says.
"Oh, my God." Lois gapes.
"When?" Clark speaks up.
"An hour ago. His vitals were getting better, and then the doctor said he just stopped breathing." Geoff informs.
"Look, Geoff, we know Coop was going to the newspaper about something involving the football team." Lois tells him and I see him glare at her, making me clench my fists.
"Lois, I don't think this is the best time." I keep the British accent.
"And when would be the best time, Val, when I'm on the chain gang?"
"I'm so sorry. She's under a lot of stress lately."
"No. Stress is when you're stuck in traffic or you have a midterm for a class you've never been to. I'm out on bail and looking to be locked up for manslaughter."
"Val, can I talk to you for a second?" Geoff asks.
"Look, I'm sorry about Coop. I really am. But if you have something to say about me, say it to my face, cause I have this little pet peeve about people talking about me behind my back." Lois inquires.
"Lois, please. I'll catch up with you later." I tell her and we share a quick knowing grin before she walks off.
"I can't tell you how to pick your friends, Val, but that chick seems like trouble." Geoff tells me.
"I'm starting to figure that out." I force out.
"Yeah, it's probably best if you tell her not to come around here. She's done enough damage already." He walks off.
"You wanna see damage?" I bite the inside of my cheek before following him.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Coop was more than just a great football player. He was a great guy. He cared a lot about what was right and what was wrong. Well, to Coop." Geoff raises his glass as I watch with crossed arms.
"Coop." I say with everyone else before they drink.
"Well, he would've wanted a party so...let's give him a party." He walks over to me. "You're not drinking, Val?"
"Not a beer girl. More like vodka." I put on the British accent and I hold Devin's wrist as he wraps his arm around my neck.
"I'll remember that." He grins at me. "What about you, Clark? What's the matter, you never had a beer before?"
"Sure I have." Clark replies and I hold back a scoff.
"Yeah, right. I know where you're coming from, C.K." Geoff opens a beer and places it next to Clark. "But all that's gonna change." He chugs the rest of his own beer and opens another one.
"Don't you think you should slow down a little bit?"
"Yeah, man, you just drank a whole distillatory." Devin adds.
"Clark, Devin, you're from the same town as me, so...I'm gonna be straight with you. Being a Bulldog is a dream come true, but you're in the pressure cooker now. All they want is a winner. It takes a toll on you." Geoff touches Clark softly on the shoulder and smiles before it drops. "Um, sit tight, Val. I'll be right back." He sends me a flirty smile before walking away.
"I started to feel an urge to pop his head off his shoulders."
"So am I." I retort.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Geoff leads a guy out of the room.
"Don't move." I mumble to the pair and I quickly walk off the side. "Thank you." I force a smile as I take a beer from a guy and I keep walking until I get to the door.
I inhale before leaning against the wall. I open the beer, purposely lifting my arm up. My elbow opens the door in the slightest. I start fake drinking the beer in order to keep my elbow on the door.
"I told you before, Marcus, you and me, we meet in private." Geoff says.
"I thought I'd bring the urine sample by." Marcus replies.
"Oh, that's a great idea. Bring it to my buddy's wake."
"Well, you said you were gonna pay me today."
"I told you never come to me. I come to you. We'll meet tomorrow."
"You said you'd pay me today, man. I need my money."
I see Geoff touch Marcus on the shoulder from the corner of my eye. Marcus immediately falls to the ground. When he gets back up, Geoff starts pushing him back into the room, so I lean off the door and start walking with the beer can still attached to my lips.
"Just get out of here." Geoff sneers.
"What just happened to me?" Marcus asks.
"I don't know, man. You fell over or something. I don't know. Don't worry about it." He assures and Marcus leaves."Drink up, Kent. You too, McClain. To Coop."
I pull the beer can away from my lips and grimace from the scent of it. I quickly pull my hood over my head before I continue to walk.
"Where's Val?" Geoff wonders.
"My girlfriend, went to the bathroom. But she's been in there too long. We're gonna make sure she's not lost." Devin tells him and I keep walking until I head out the back.
"The smell alone is like bird vomit." I toss the full beer can to the side.
"You never drank it?" Clark walks beside me.
"What do you think?" I keep my gaze forward. "Little bastard." I refer to Geoff.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Agent Brady, thank God." Lois opens the door.
"Geoff Johns paralyzed Coop." I tell her.
"What?" Chloe gapes.
"He's passing his physicals by using another student's urine samples." I enter with Clark and Devin.
"Black market pee? What's he trying to cover up? Drugs?" Lois guesses.
"I don't think so. I think it's something else. I just saw him touch this kid and he put him straight to the ground like he hit him with a stun gun."
"And the linebackers, they always say when they get stiff-armed by Geoff Johns, they don't know what hit them. They go down to the turf every time. We think he has a meteor power." Devin adds.
"Using your powers on the field to cheat, it's pathetic, but it's not paralyzing someone." Lois tells him.
"What if he can control the intensity when he stuns someone?" Clark speaks up.
"Well, if that's true, you're gonna have to find a way to prove it because nobody outside the Smallville city limits is gonna believe the Bulldog superstar has superhuman powers."
"The pee peddler might know the truth about Geoff." Chloe suggests.
"Can you track him down?" I wonder.
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'm gonna go to the football dorm. I'm gonna try to find Geoff before he can hurt someone else." I nod.
"I'll go with you." Clark tells me.
"I don't need you to hold my hand, Kent." I quickly show him the gun in the front of my jeans.
"Oh, here." Chloe hands me a file. "Everything on Selina Kyle."
"Thanks, Chloe." I rasp out.
"And there's two pages full of remedies for anxiety." She gives me a knowing look.
"Appreciate the concern, but I'm fine."
"You were about to be in a cell for life for a murder you didn't commit. You tested blood pressure medication on yourself that could've killed you, and on top of that, you made yourself a guinea pig to save all of us from dying. You're not fine, Brianna!"
"Chloe." Lois warns and I lock eyes with Devin.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I just...I'm scared, Brianna. I'm scared for you." Chloe tears up. "What you're doing in Gotham is way above anything we've ever done here, so I'm...I'm afraid that you're gonna-"
"No." I pull her into me. "Nothing's gonna happen to me."
"You can't say that, Brianna." She cries. "You can't promise that."
"Yes, I can." I pull away. "Cause you know me." I raise my eyebrows. "I'm not gonna leave you. So don't be afraid."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not." I shake my head and she lets out a cry before hugging me. "Don't worry, you're not going back to jail. Not if I have anything to say about it." I look at Lois and she pulls me into her before shakily exhaling. "I kinda owe you one anyway. For keeping my secret and all." I add and she chuckles.
"Nice British accent by the way, Val." Lois comments.
"My throat is fucking killing me." I inquire. "But for you, I would do it for an eternity." I put on the British accent.
"You make me wish I liked girls, did you know that?"
"Now I do." I raise my eyebrows. "Hold onto this for me until I get back." I hand Chloe the file. "See you then, loves." I turn.
"Brianna." Devin stops me.
"I appreciate all your help, I really do. But you don't wanna be with me, Devin. My job is very complicated, and it's-"
"It's tough. And badass. And incredibly sexy." He nods.
"I almost believe you." I raise my eyebrows. "But after the past few days I had, I don't wanna involve anyone else that I care about. Including you. You don't wanna be with someone like me, Devin. I'll just put you in the crossfire. And I'm not the kind of girl you take home to mom." I leave and I hear Clark follow me. "I don't need a bodyguard."
"Who said I was coming along for you?" Clark replies.
"Cause you care about me so much that you can't stand the thought of anyone hurting me. It keeps you up at night." I joke before scoffing. "Look, you're only coming along because of the football aspect, I get it, Kent. But this guy is dangerous."
"I know that." He says after a few seconds. "That's why I'm coming with you."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Brianna! Brianna, I think Geoff has Lois." Chloe runs up to me and Clark.
"Where?" I clench my jaw.
"I don't know. But we were in the parking lot and the next I thing I knew, Geoff Johns's car is flying by and Lois is gone. Devin and I tried to talk to the campus police but they weren't any help. He's still talking to them now. And, I mean, to them, Geoff is like a hero. They worship the ground he walks on. Lois could be anywhere by now, guys."
"No, if they're in his car, there might be a way to track them down." I lead her towards the street.
"I hate to break it to you, but this is a little bit bigger city than Smallville." Chloe tells me.
"Gotham is bigger."
"Okay, you win."
"He got his car from Booster Metropolis Motors. It's got a Trip Star system in it. If we can get the PIN number, we can use you cell phone and computer and maybe hack in and find out where they are." Clark looks at me and I nod.
"Okay, that's doable, but then how are we gonna get the PIN? I mean they keep those things under lock and key at the dealership. What are you gonna do, break in and rip open the safe?" Chloe questions.
"Of course not."
"Relax." I take out my pass. "They'll let me in." I nod.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Are we in yet?" I ask.
"Yeah. All we gotta do is dial up, use the code, and do our best impression of Geoff Johns." Chloe tells me and I dial Trip Star on the cell phone. "Hold on, you can imitate him?"
"That's what this is for." I hold up the voice changer.
"That's why you went into Party City." Clark realizes.
"Right as rain, Kent." I grin and he smiles.
"Hello, Mister Johns. How may I help you?" A female voice asks.
"Hello. Hi, um, I'm driving in Metropolis and I seem to have made a wrong turn. There's no street signs and my map screen is broken. Could you tell me where I am?" I say into the voice changer.
"No problem, sir. One moment." She replies and I grin down. "You're at 3rd and Grant. Have a nice day."
"Thank you." I hang up and hand the phone to Chloe.
"Great. Alright. Let's go. I'll drive." Chloe closes her laptop.
"Don't bother. I got her." I turn and run out of the room.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
I speed over to Geoff's car. I grab him by the jacket
yank him out of the car through the open window, then pushing him up against the car roughly. Geoff grabs my arm and trying to paralyze me.
"Brianna!" Clark bellows.
"Why isn't it working?" Geoff questions and I slam him against the car, making him groan.
"Tell me where she is!" I order.
"It was never supposed to be like this." He heaves and I take out my gun, now pointing it to his temple.
"Where is she?"
"I never even used my powers in high school, but when I came to college, I had to win so bad. I started. I couldn't stop!"
"Geoff, listen to me. You have to tell us where she is. You don't wanna murder another person." Clark speaks up.
"Coop was gonna tell the world the Teflon Tailback was some kind of freak cheating his way into the record books. I couldn't let him do that." Geoff goes on.
"Tell me where she is." I show him my pass.
"She's down there." He points to the sewer grate on the floor. "You're a cop?"
"Sorta." I hit him across the face with the back of my
gun, knocking him out. I now kneel and cuff him so he can't get away when he wakes up.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Lois!" I run down the hallway. "Lois!" I pick up my pace.
I get to the end of the hall and see the flooded room through the barred door. I then see Lois under the water. I stand back and I shoot my gun at the iron door multiple times. I then shoot the doorknob before heat comes off the door. The door then falls and I run into the room. I grab Lois and pull her head out of the water.
"Lois! Lois! Lois." I holding her close to me. "Lois, can you hear me? Lois?" I choke out.
"Brianna." Lois whispers.
"It's okay. You're gonna be okay."
"Thanks to you, Agent Brady."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Hey, hero." Chloe walks over to me.
"Waste with no spine." I grab my science textbook from my locker.
"Ouch."
"Good. What's up?"
"Just wanted to see how you're doing. And to apologize for my meltdown."
"I'm fine. And you have nothing to apologize for, Chloe. I know I scared you guys, and I'm sorry. But I was doing what I thought I was right. And I'd do it again."
"I know you would. And that's what I always admired and respected about you. You fight like hell for the people you care about." She hugs me. "Gotham has no idea how lucky they are."
"Thanks." I pull away.
"Now, go talk to him."
"Who?" I furrow my eyebrows and she turns me around before pushing towards Devin. "Hi."
"Hey." Devin replies.
"Look, about what I said yesterday, I meant it. I'm-"
"I get it, Brianna. I know your job is dangerous, and complicated, and intense. My so called father was all three put together. So I can handle it. I can handle it because I care about you. And I wanna be with you. And it's my decision to back out or not. And I'm not backing out. You protect not only your family, but you protect your friends, and your partner, and people you barely even know. Because it's who you are. You're a good person. And someone as good as you should be treated with nothing but respect."
"Devin-"
"Acting like your boyfriend was the best part of that trip." He walks closer to me. "I know you can take care of yourself, and you can definitely kick my ass and break my heart, and I'd still be the lucky one. And the truth is, you're all I thought about since freshman year. Since the day I saw you in the courtyard. But it doesn't matter what I want. It matter what you want. So if you're only pushing me away to protect me, it's not gonna work. So I need you tell me if you have feelings for me. And if you don't, I'll back off. For good."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Miss me, Jon?" I enter the Kent house.
"You have no idea." Jonathan walks over and hugs me, making me hug him back. "You okay?" He now pulls away.
"Yeah." I nod before Martha hugs me. "Lois is gonna be okay. Luckily, the paralysis wears off. She's already been released from the hospital. Devin took her home."
"Yeah, we heard." Martha nods. "How's Bruce?"
"Still trying to make sense of it all. Look, um, I'm sorry for keeping all of it from you guys. Legally, I was really not allowed to tell anyone, but, you're my family. It's not that I didn't trust you guys, it's just that I didn't wanna involve you."
"Brianna, when you're involved, so are we. Because we're family." Jonathan nods while gripping my shoulders. "You can tell us anything, you know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know, Jon." I nod.
"Good. Are you heading back?"
"Yeah." I slowly nod. "But I'll be back. I made a mental schedule. I'll try to be here every Monday, Thursday and Sunday. That way, there's more than enough of me to go around." I smile, making Martha and Jonathan laugh.
"That's sound good, Brianna." Martha smiles back.
"Be careful, okay? Call us anytime." Jonathan tells me.
"I will." I nod and hug them once more.
"Clark's in the loft. Talk to him. He's got something to tell you." Martha rubs my shoulder.
"Okay." I nod and turn the door. "Jon?" I turn back.
"Yeah?" Jonathan turns to me.
"I believe in you too. Always have. Just wanted you to know." I exit the house and make my way towards the loft. "I think my mask of sanity is about to slip." I walk up the stairs.
"With everything you've been working on, I would assume so, Mister Bateman." Clark replies and we share a grin. "You okay, Val?"
"I'm fine." I nod before we sit across from each other on the hammock. "Your mom said you had something to tell me. But we know how moms are. So we can just sit here in silence and look into each others eyes." I raise my eyebrows and he chuckles.
"I'd like to keep my vision, thank you."
"You mean the vision you already lost once?" I cross my arms.
"God, you make it so easy to hate you all over again."
"Mission accomplished, Kent." I cross my legs and my phone rings before I take it out.
"I saw you talking to Devin at school."
"Yeah. He just doesn't give up."
"Cause you're worth fighting for." He tells me and I turn to catch his stare on me.
"That one wasn't half bad, Kent." I grin.
"So, do you like him?"
"He's a very good guy. And I don't wanna lead him on. Especially since I'm not looking for a relationship right now. And I don't expect him to wait for me, you know?"
"Because of Hayden?"
"It's complicated." I slip my phone in my pocket.
"I quit football." He breaks the short silence.
"What?" I turn to him. "Why?"
"It just...didn't feel right anymore. It's not what I want. And after what happened with Geoff, I don't wanna be like that."
"You won't be. You're not." I immediately reply.
"It's just not the right crowd for me anymore."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." He nods.
"Okay." I nod back with a grin.
"What?"
"This is just the beginning."
"Of what?"
"Of figuring out what you actually want, Kent. Always happens during the end of high school. Some know early on, as you know." I shrug to myself. "And some do what their parents want them to do. And they don't ever have to courage to do what they've always wanted until it's too late. It's sad."
"I agree. They're just kids."
"I was talking about the parents."
"What?" Clark furrows his eyebrows.
"I can only imagine what they're parents put them through." I turn to him. "And when they have children later on in life, they do the same thing their parents did to them. It's self projection. It's one big cycle." I inquire. "And I know you all have this theory that the reason I wanna help Bruce so badly is because no one helped me. And that may be true. But Bruce is thirteen. He's no younger than I was. And no kid should walk through life without a parent or a guardian. So me identifying with Bruce makes me better at my job. I know what he's feeling and what he's thinking. Because I was him. And right now, he doesn't see the world. He sees red. And he'll be seeing red for a while, like I did."
"What do you see now?" He rasps out.
"You, dummy." I reply and he chuckles. "I'm looking at you, you're looking at me."
"Yeah, I know this may come as a shock to you, but I actually know how sight works."
"Could've fooled me." I tell him.
"Bruce is lucky to have you on the case. If I were him, I wouldn't want it to be anyone else either." Clark nods.
"You almost sounded like you meant that. Maybe say it again so I can make sure, you know?"
"If I were Bruce, I wouldn't want it to be anyone else either." He nods again and I hug him.
"Thanks, Kent." I whisper and he hugs me back before I take in his scent.
"You heading back?"
"Yeah." I now pull away. "But I'm..." I lift up his arm and check his watch. "Four hours early. Great."'
"You should rest." Clark moves next to me and I give him more room.
"You'll wake me up the last forty five minutes?"
"Yes."
"You'll drive me to the airport?" My head hits his chest.
"Yes."
"Then you'll realize I had fallen asleep in the car and you'll carry me inside the airport?" I gently fist his shirt.
"Yes." He chuckles.
"It's so nice having an errand boy." I close my eyes and I feel him pull the blanket over us.
I hope you find out what you want, Kent.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
🪐🌙✨🚀🌌☄️
nothing to say, just that geoff is also luke in the oc☺️
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