roxy: (Default)
roxy ([personal profile] roxy) wrote2006-09-02 12:19 am

The Talented Miss Ripley part 20

The Talented Miss Ripley
A post-mpreg fiction
Fandom: SV
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Rating:2

What went before


This is another tiny bit, but I have to be happy to make it work and right now, not so much!
On the other hand, this is probably the right frame of mind for Deal…*smile*



Art by [livejournal.com profile] laurab1



The sun was just beginning to dip a bit, and Clark brought two mugs of coffee out to the porch. He sat and handed one to his dad. Took a sip from his own. The air had a bit of a chill to it, and Jonathan was glad of the steaming coffee. He held it between his hands, and relaxed, warmed by the coffee and the welcome presence of his son.

“Dad…I’ve been thinking…”

Clark stopped, sighed so deeply that Jonathan glanced over at him. What he saw made him put his cup down. His son looked—tired, so much so that it made him sit up, reach out to him. Clark never looked tired, hardly ever looked older than the teen that’d left home all those years ago. Today, though, he looked every single one of his years.

Jonathan put his hand over Clark’s and squeezed. “Son, if there’s anything you want to tell me, I’m here to listen, help if I can.”

Clark nodded. “I’m a little nervous. I’m about to ask Lex to help me do something, something that’s more important than anything I’ve ever done before.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, and twisted to look Clark in the eyes. “Clark, it’s a sure bet Lex will do anything for you. He’d follow you to the ends of the earth, if you wanted him to. If you ask him to help you, whatever it is, you’ll make him happier than you can imagine.”

There was a creak on the porch behind them and his grand daughter was there, standing behind her dad—she winked at him. She was smiling wide, her eyes were dancing and he could see Clark in her, the green eyes, the completely irresistible smile. It made him… happy. She was beautiful, she made the family happy, hell, she brought the family back.

And by the look on her face, she’d been eavesdropping. Again. He was pretty sure where *that* trait came from.

She leaned against Clark’s broad back and rested her chin on his head. “Dad…Poppa’s been waiting forever to hear you say you need him.”

“Ripley—you know too much. Are all thirteen year olds this nosy—and this smart?”

“Nope. I’m special. Just like my dads.” She scratched his head hard, before plopping down to squeeze between the two of them and wrap her arm through Clark’s. She asked, “What’s the deal…what are you going to do?” Jonathan waited for the answer with great interest. Clark was obviously dying to tell him—something. “Yeah, son, what is on your mind?”

Clark took a deep breath. He stood and motioned Jonathan over to him.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow at Ripley, handed her his mug and rose off the steps, groaned a little. “This better be good, Clark.” He put his hands in the small of his back, and ignored the little snickers behind him. “It takes me longer and longer to get up from that darn step and I usually head right on upstairs to my very warm and very comfortable bed…” and very warm wife, but that’s nobody’s business but my own.

“Dad—I have something I want to show you.”

Jon had a flash of memory—Clark at five, just having discovered the barn cat had had kittens, and wanting him to come see, so excited—he grinned, it was funny, and a little sad, to see the same look, shining out of his grown son’s eyes….

Jonathan walked over to Clark, and he grabbed his arms, hugged him close and Jon hugged back, surprised and pleased. He heard a little gasp, and turned his head to Rip, who was gazing up at him in awe. Up. Her head was tilted back…really…far…back…and he was…

“Fuck, Clark!”

“Dad!” They dipped and wobbled and Clark’s cheeks burned. “Language, Dad!”

Jonathan grabbed Clark’s collar and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Holy—crap, Clark—since when—you can--FLY?”

Clark laughed a little. “Since a few days ago. I was running across the field, looking up at he sky and–and I was in the air. I wanted to be up there, and suddenly—I was. It ws like—the most natural thing in the world.”

They swooped up into the air, and gently floated upward, until the road was below them, and Jon could see the roofs of their distant neighbors. “Clark…what happened to a fear of heights?”

Clark laughed, “It just—just went. The moment I was in the sky, I was fine. Better than fine, I was great.” He smiled at Jonathan’s skeptical look. “Really.”

Clark turned a bit so that Jonathan could see all of Smallville below them. “See those lights, Dad? They’re all people, people who are alone, and scared, and looking over their shoulders, and I think…I think I’m supposed to help. Dad, more than that—I need to help. If I can make the darkness a little less frightening for them, than that’s what I have to do.” He looked at Jonathan, and Jonathan felt his heart swell. “That’s what I was taught to do,” he said softly.

Jonathan nodded. “You have to do what you have to do, son. I trust you.” He looked down and saw a flash of red hair streaking under them. Ripley was taking huge excited jumps up toward them—still just jumps, he mused.

“Clark, your instincts have been right before. And you have someone to help you do it.”

Clark smiled and nodded, his eyes soft the way they always went when they talked about Lex.

Clark brought them gently back to earth, and they both laughed at their reception. Ripley was running under them, yelling and waving her arms, shouting “me too me too.”

Jon stumbled a bit when Clark set him lightly on the porch, and in a second, swooped up Ripley, and tore off into the sky with her, faster than he’d done with him, higher, straight up like a rocket and Ripley’s excited laughter trailed down to him….

There was no way his son could keep his feet on the ground. He was meant to be flying—he was meant to be the amazing being he was. He might not be a religious kind of guy, but his son—well, it was obvious God had a plan for Clark, he had to admit. He grabbed the still warm cup of coffee and took a long thoughtful sip.

Lex…Lex was going to go into fits. He grinned over the rim of the mug, and listened, straining to hear Lex’s daughter shriek with laughter. Poor guy. Whatever plan *he’d* had for Clark was about to be turned on it’s ear.

tbc

[identity profile] ladydey.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
Heeee, Awwwww, Heeeeee!

I love that Clark took Jonathan flying first - so cute. Although, Lex might be alittle miffed that he wasn't first.


...Ripley was running under them, yelling and waving her arms, shouting "me too me too."

Jon stumbled a bit when Clark set him lightly on the porch, and in a second, swooped up Ripley, and tore off into the sky with her, faster than he'd done with him, higher, straight up like a rocket and Ripley's excited laughter trailed down to him....


- Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! Such joy.


Lex...Lex was going to go into fits. He grinned over the rim of the mug, and listened, straining to hear Lex's daughter shriek with laughter. Poor guy. Whatever plan *he'd* had for Clark was about to be turned on it's ear.

- SOOOO, true. Lex thinks he knows, Lex thinks that he has some control, Lex forgot he is dealing with Clark - when have things ever worked out the way Lex planned. HAHA!

- Also since the flying is a new thing, Lex didn't have the chance to figure that in to his master PLAN. Heee, tooo bad.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
I like it, thematically-speaking, that Clark only learns to fly when he's pretty much decided to be Superman. And it's sweet that Jonathan is the first one he takes flying.

[identity profile] rosy5000.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
I love that Clark went to talk to Jonathan about his plan first, and especially since Jon is so supportive of Clark and has faith that Lex will help. It's so nice to see a Jonathan Kent who is not out to shoot Lex.

Loved Rip jumping at Clark and Jon when they went flying and her reaction to flying to... can't wait to see Lex's. :)
ext_21868: (stalkerkitty)

[identity profile] capnzebbie.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
Lex is going to freak out! *g* I love that Clark still goes to Jonathan for advice and comfort.

[identity profile] althea-astrea.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
SQUEEE!!!!!

Clark flies!! And I just remembered how *much* I love your version of Jonathan.

These made me so happy, Roxy! Thank you for writing!

:D

[identity profile] aurora-bee.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 10:53 am (UTC)(link)
Way cool :)

[identity profile] kitkat3979.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 11:15 am (UTC)(link)
Wheeee! I want a flying dad too! Rip has all the luck in the world with her amazing parents (except for the one that they don't talk about, and at least she was pretty).

Still loving this fic, and I'm glad that we got to see Lex coming to terms with sharing Clark before Clark confronts him with it.

[identity profile] dm-wyatt.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 01:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah... Nice update. So cute...

Superman is coming, which is Way Cool.

*thumbsup*

*grin*
tabaqui: (Default)

[personal profile] tabaqui 2006-09-02 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh, sweet, sweet, sweet. I love it. Yay!!
*melts*

[identity profile] arianstarr.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Love it! Totally adore it. A wonderfully captured moment between Clark and Jonathan.

[identity profile] carolandtom.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Wonderful update!

Clark made a decision without needing anyone to push him to do the right thing. That's a true Clark/Superman behavior! And the setting of the scene was beautiful. Clark sharing that special moment in his life with his dad was very considerate and sweet of him (I must say that I didn't really like this Jonathan much before, I prefer him here)

The flying scene was marvellous: the revelation, the reactions... It was touching and funny and exciting...; I wish the show could give us more moments similar to that!

Awesome job!

[identity profile] nerowill.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
It's odd to think of Clark not learning about flying until he's so old, but it fits with his experienecs in this AU... Can he take me flyig too?

[identity profile] miche-connor.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
I know I've mentioned Jonathan's plan for Clark, but I meant the OTHER Jonathan. Not this one. The one that's annoying and mean and (I was secretly really glad that he was) dead. This Jonathan - he's admirable. Yay!

And that made me glad that he took his dad into the air first. And LOVED that he took Ripley. (I am jealous of her!)

And yay for plans turned sideways.

(And I hope you feel better, too.)

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
YAY! I wanted Jonathan to be happy, and proud of Clark, and thrilled with him too.
and you know he didn't really have a choice not to take Rip flying! *grin*

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
Ripley's excited laughter trailed down to him....
I know--it was entirely Mary-Sue of me!

Ithink Lex is going to surpise everyone! *G*

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I kind of always liked that flying was the last thing that Clark develops according to SV.

Maybe when he decides he needs to use his gifts instead of hiding them, he's open enough to let go, and fly.

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
It's so self-indulgent of me, really, but I always wished Jonathan would have been way less of a dick to Lex. The few eps he treated him good, made my heart sing.

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
Clark's a big ole Daddy's boy! *g*

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
Yay! You make *me* happy!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
MMMMMMM!! Kisskisskiss!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
thank you! *twirls you from joy*
OMG!!! LOVE your icon like a crazy woman!!!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
*beams*
*preens*

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
Heeeee!
See? Some of us are not being all scary and frightening....

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
*BEAMS*
Thank you!!!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you, thank you!
see? I *love* Clark! I like making him happy much more than I like making him sad. He's just so much fun when he's happy and he's just so sweet!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah--everything is pushed back by years in this. I think once he accepted his gifts, and his need to be of service, he could let go and finish becoming what he should be--not just good in bed. *GRIN*

[identity profile] ex-lexsbabym701.livejournal.com 2006-09-03 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! Warm and fuzzy feeling, I am.
*skips about and tries not to think about Deal*

[identity profile] lastscorpion.livejournal.com 2006-09-04 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
This is just terrific! I love your version of Bo here, and I loved Ripley running around shouting "me too me too."