"Action" Part 2

[dovelike]

With Clark bouncing between the Luthor estate and Metropolis, Eirene volunteers to take Rachel for safekeeping over to Queen Towers. Oliver Queen isn't someone she's met before, but Clark has assured her that two ladies making themselves comfortable in his penthouse isn't something the billionaire will mind. One of these days, she'd like to actually meet him.

Rachel is pacing back and forth across the room. "Eirene, I'm sorry for what you saw in Clark's loft." She actually looks embarrassed about it, which endears her a little further to the goddess. But still, "Rehearsing lines?" Eirene shakes her head and smiles, accepting the apology and the young woman in the same breath. Everyone wants to be loved.

"It's in his eyes. You're the center of Clark's universe. I've only seen love like that once in my life." The wistful tone has Eirene glances up again. "What happened?" Rachel makes a face, "The director yelled 'cut.'"

That's possibly the saddest thing she's heard all day, and is about to expound on that, thinking maybe she can give the actress an ego boost about her own self worth when the doorbell rings. Knowing that only key personnel have been told where they are, Eirene lets the production assistant in once he's verified he's got call sheets for the next day.

Which is when things go a little awry. Ben, the guy, tasers Rachel right in front of her, but instead of running, which would be the human reaction, Eirene kneels down to make sure she's alright, obviously confusing their assailant.

"Sorry, Eirene. But there's a hero living among us, and there's only one way he'll accept his calling. You need to die." He tugs her away from the prone figure, electricity dancing along the wires of his device, and begins tying her hands together.

Comments

[hero_farmboy]

It's been a long night. Lex was, in fact, helpful in not only pinpointing the quote, but the scene it was used in, one the film crew was preparing to shoot. The villain shoots the heroine, who dies in the comics but not the movie. Clark made sure the movie kept it's own ending by catching the real bullet planted in the supposedly prop gun.

But Rachel wasn't safe yet. Clark and Chloe discovered it was a production assistant, Ben Meyers, behind the attacks, and he'd seen Clark use his abilities. He now wanted Clark to fulfill his "destiny" as a true hero for the real world, but Clark didn't know what that meant.

"Just like Devilicus made Warrior Angel stand up and save the world. You need help. You just don't know it yet."

It was Chloe who put the last piece in place, allowing Clark to realize what Ben had planned: He was going to force Clark to become a hero by taking away what meant the most to him.

"Eirene."

[eirenikos]

Eirene has to admit that Ben is a pretty good kidnapper, at least in the tying-up of prisoners who aren't struggling. Of course, she's resisting in her own way, by making her body weight a tiny bit heavier than usual, hoping that might get him to give up this murder idea, but when he drags her into the balcony, that hope dies out.

She's not really worried about herself, being immortal, but what Ben plans to do with Rachel once she's out of the picture -- that's terribly worrying. So she tries again. "This is a bad idea. Let me go, please."

"I can't. Don't you see? Clark was made for a greater glory, but until he gives up his own desires and focuses on the rest of the world, thousands of lives are at stake." He finally gets her up onto the ledge, though Eirene is trying to focus both on him and the well-being of the unconscious girl inside.

"And mine doesn't matter?"

He's really going to do this, and her heart breaks a little for him. "I know it's not easy being a superhero's girlfriend, Eirene, but Clark has to face his destiny alone. And you're standing in the way."

A few moments later, she's over the edge and falling.

[hero_farmboy]

It takes Clark barely any time to speed to Oliver's condo. Rachel's lying on the floor when he arrives, but in checking her pulse, he can tell she's till alive. That's when he hears the voices out on the balcony and look sup just in time to see Ben push Eirene over the edge.

He doesn't even think, he just moves and before Clark knows it, he's falling. Except... not really, because he's in control. Sort of. He's gaining on Eirene, at least, and within a matter of milliseconds is able to pluck her out of the air into his arms, holding her tight against him.

The landing is pretty much perfect, feet first, taking the full force of the blow on his own. He doesn't even stumble. And he'll tell himself it was probably better to land on a car than the street, even if it is totalled. At least this way, the road is still usable.

"You okay?"

[eirenikos]

Falling is an interesting sensation, one that tends to contain a bit of pain when it's over, especially if you're doing so from a very high place. Eirene knows that Ben feels he's doing the right thing, and she can't really hate anyone anyway, so she forgives him almost immediately.

Clark soars down shortly afterwards, like a knight in comfortable flannel, and she isn't above clinging to him until they land on someone's truck. She can fix that! In a few minutes, when she's not still pressed against him.

"Yes, I'm okay. You didn't have to --- it's dangerous for you to ---" Eirene's bottom lip trembles after a moment. "Thank you for rescuing me." Can we go home now is left unspoken.

[hero_farmboy]

"Rescuing you is never dangerous for me, Eirene." He isn't about to let her go anytime soon, but they really should get off the truck. It's just a small hop down for him to the ground.

"We need to call the police, and an ambulance. Rachel is alive, but she could use some medical attention." Ben, well, he'll likely get carted off to Belle Reve. Unfortunately, there isn't anything Clark can do about that.

[eirenikos]

Eirene doesn't want him to let her go, not until her heart stops slamming against her ribcage.

A minute and a half after Clark does step away from the truck, it's as right as rain, completely unharmed and sitting pretty in its space. Even the glass particles are gone.

"Alright. Lets get back up there so I can do my thing, and you can do yours." She's already decided to have a little talk with Ben about his ... obsession.

[hero_farmboy]

Clark is not entirely certain he likes that plan, but he can't leave Rachel up there alone with Ben, even if he did sort of get knocked out when Clark zipped by. Totally by accident, of course.

"All right," he agrees after a moment, finally setting her down on her own feet. "But the story is I managed to knock him out when he tried to throw you off the balcony."

[eirenikos]

He gets a kiss before she agrees. "Then we'd better get up there and make sure they're both alright."

[hero_farmboy]

He nods, still reluctant to let her go completely.

"You're sure you're okay?"

[eirenikos]

She doesn't mind. It's nice to held after a near-death experience. Even when you can't die.

"I think I could go home and stand some cuddling tonight."

[hero_farmboy]

"That can be arranged." And was, in fact, already planned.

"Come on. We'll take the elevator this time."