Writer’s note: I originally started writing this a few years ago but writing doesn’t come to me as easy as it used to. In fact, I haven’t written anything past part of Act III. Given that it’s May 7 today, it somehow felt right to start posting (you will see why).
The events take place during May 2013, around 9 months following the events of the Smallville Season 11 comic finale “Continuity”. Almost 2 years since the events of “Finale”. Inspired by the Season 8 fanfic “Surprise” by Reeve_290 right here on the Kryptonsite Forums years ago. No need to read the Season 8 fanfic (I was the head writer) but it is used after the fact as part of the multiverse that Clark came into contact in the final issues of the Season 11 comic. Knowledge of the Season 11 comic, especially “Haunted”, “Olympus”, “Chaos” and “Continuity” storylines would be helpful. Several references to past episodes throughout the series. The restoration of the universe after the Monitors’ attack may have caused some unforeseen side effects causing the world to diverge from the future flashes in “Salvation” and “Finale”. Senator Delaney is inspired by Dana Delany & her portrayal of Lois on Superman: The Animated Series.
Clark walked briskly to keep up with his interviewee, Senator Laura Delaney across the Met U campus. It had been quite a while since he had been on campus. Although, he imagined it had been considerably longer for his counterpart.
“So what brings Senator Delaney back to Metropolis?” He wondered.
“I guess you could say it's a goodwill tour of sorts,” she replied.
“Certainly it isn't just to take in the sites,” he pondered. “I would say ummm….that um it would was about your bid for re-election but your campaign has been non…almost non-existent until now.” Clark fidgeted and adjusted glasses, trying to keep up appearances.
Senator Delaney peered at him, almost in disbelief. “I wanted to re-situate myself, remind me of where I came from.”
“I read that you studied here at Met U,” he noted, “that you did a double major in Political Science and Law.”
“What my bios sometimes gloss over is that I spent a year at your old stomping grounds, Smallville High.”
Clark was surprised as it didn't come up on his search on the Senator.
“Believe it or not, I even wrote for The Torch,” she added. “No Wall of Weird in those days. Though we heard rumors of skinwalkers and superhumans roaming around Smallville and Metropolis but I never put much stock in it.”
Clark smiled knowingly. “I suppose Smallville has always been a lightning rod for the weird and unexplained, even before the first meteor shower.”
“So what drew you to politics?” he asked.
A smile curled on Delaney’s lips. “This might be dating me a little bit, but Watergate.”
“It got me engaged in politics in a way my parents prodding never could. I realized that I just didn't want to report about the news, I wanted to be part of the solution.”
The Senator looked around at the campus before her, glancing at all the young students around them.
“I was fresh faced and optimistic like so many of these students. I thought I could repair my party from the inside but I fooled myself,” Laura admitted.
Clark adjusted his glasses. “If I did….didn't know better, I would say you are about to announce you are leaving politics.”
“You know Kent, you may fool others with the slouching and the nervousness, but you can't fool me,” Delaney proclaimed. “You’re keeping a secret that you don't want others to know about.”
Clark was taken aback. “What…what are you talking about?”
“Behind those glasses is a pretty perceptive guy and a great reporter in the making,” she explained. “Though you might want to tone down the bumbling reporter act a little. You're calling attention to yourself more than you realize.”
Clark pondered his companion’s observation for a moment. “Let me give you a piece of advice too, don't give up on politics. We need more people like you on Capitol Hill.”
“We do, your mother. She is doing more good than I have lately,” the Senator admitted. “The whole system is damaged and I'm...tired of fighting.”
“You don't give yourself enough credit,” Clark insisted.
Laura looked around again at all the students on campus. “I have had my day. I think it's time to give a new generation their time. Who knows, maybe one of these kids will be your next Senator.”
Clark adjusted his glasses. “What would you even do?”
“Write a book, become a pundit, maybe even go back to journalism,” the Senator answered.
“That would make life…interesting,” he mused.
“Well I gotta run Kent.”
“Right…the ribbon cutting for the World’s Fair,” Clark remembered.
“Give Lane my best. Hopefully next time we meet, she won't be delayed by a plane mishap.”
Clark smiled. “Will do. She appreciated your vote of confidence in her Chief of Staff days.”
“Who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other in the press gallery,” Laura began.
“See you around... Smallville,” she added with a wink.
Clark opened his mouth to say something but promptly closed it when surprise turned to realization. Lois, either as chief of staff or as a reporter had let her pet name for him slip.
He shook his head, laughing. “So long, Senator.”
****************
It was an unusually brisk May night, but instead of being in the warm comfort of a family home, a young boy, 12 years old, was making his way through a foreboding graveyard. He had the distinct feeling he was being watched, but every time he turned around, there was no one there.
He tried to shake off that feeling...the anxiety as he finally stopped. In the pale moonlight, he could barely see the name carved into the tombstone that lay before him-TASHA MARCUS.
Taking a deep breath, Christopher lifted his right arm. Bright yellow and white energy swirled around his arm as he pointed it towards Tasha's grave.
"Isn't it a little cold to be skulking around a cemetery, Christopher?" a man's voice suddenly called out, startling the pre-teen. The shock caused the energy coming from Chris' arm to veer off course from its target, disappearing into the distance.
Spinning around on the balls of his feet, the youngster came face to face with a man dressed in a charcoal grey overcoat. He had two very distinct features, a shiny bald head and a black glove on his left hand. The child knew he had seen him somewhere but didn't yet realize the man was in fact Lex Luthor. He was accompanied by a young woman with raven hair and a big smile.
"How....how do you know my name?" the bewildered child asked.
"I know all about you Christopher," Lex replied cryptically. "How your parents died in the second meteor shower. How every child at your hospital was miraculously saved after they saw a bright yellow glow coming from your bed.”
"I also know that four years ago, you brought back a young father. But he felt lost...and he re-enlisted in the army...only to die again half a world away."
The child lowered his head. "I only wanted to help."
"I know you did," Luthor began, "but sometimes the things we do have unintended consequences."
"Maybe this time it will be different," the boy offered, looking back longingly at Tasha's tombstone. "She's the only one that ever cared."
“There’s no telling how Miss Marcus would handle waking up without proper guidance."
"Before you can help her, let me help you, guide you,” Lex added.
"Why? How?"
"Because we share a common bond. Both our lives were changed forever when a meteor shower hit Smallville," Luthor replied.
"You may have also heard I have quite the way with people with powers," he continued with a mischievous grin on his face.
Chris' eyes lit up. "You mean you were the man on the news with Superman and the Justice League!?!?" He beamed. "Are you friends with them....Mr...Luthor.?"
"Well...we’re on speaking terms," Luthor replied coyly. "Mr. Luthor is what my employees call me but my friends call me Lex."
Kneeling down, he reached out to the boy with his good hand. "I would like you to consider me a friend."
"Really?"
"Really," Lex affirmed.
With that Chris grasped Lex's outstretched hand, believing he had made a friend close to the heroes he admired.
Lex motioned to his assistant, Kitty to wrap a blanket around Chris. He stood up. "Now let's get you into a warm bed for tonight. It's cold out here."
"Saving the world can wait for another night."
With that, the pair exited the cemetery with Lex's assistant Kitty.
Elsewhere in the cemetery, far from their intended target, the swirling strands of yellow energy finally hit a new mark in the ground.
************
Saving the world from reboot or annihilation was not enough to quell the danger in Metropolis. Home sweet home had not been so sweet or peaceful for Clark in recent weeks either...in the brief moments he could rest.
While Lois was more than good company, Clark had been having weird and confusing dreams as of late. Ones that had began sporadically after his Earth had been restored.
He was bombarded by a jumble of images and sounds, some he recognized and some he clearly did not. Dr. Fate's words from a few years ago ringed in his ears once again “Your fate is utterly binding.”
Images of his almost forgotten dream before the final Earthly showdown with Zod flashed in his head. His apparent super save of a plane holding a 2013 World's Fair banner...Lois looking up to the sky with pride.
Then he was back at the brink of being wiped out by the blue bleed during the Crisis. His life flashing before his eyes.
Then images of another world: Lois in awe as Clark super leaps off the Daily Planet rooftop disguised in a Green Arrow-esque red and blue costume. Oliver and Dinah Lance sharing a moment at Queen Tower. Tess and Lex trading blows with katanas before Lex stabs her in the heart. Superman fighting for his life against Doomsday. Lois and Clark kissing on the Daily Planet rooftop. Chloe crying over Jimmy as they are enveloped in her healing power. Chloe viewing the record of a 9 year old metahuman’s records at the Isis Foundation. Jimmy walking into Isis to see Chloe with the same child playing Xbox. She notes “We’ve...got a little visitor...”
Suddenly Clark awoke from his slumber. Lois groaned, roused out of sleep as well.
“What is it? Are you still having those dreams?” She barely managed, sleepy.
Clark nodded. “I…I don't what it all means.”
“Maybe some fresh air will clear the cobwebs,” she suggested
“Are you sure Lois? I don't want to leave…,” he began.
“Go Smallville,” she interjected. “We both know patrolling is the only thing that will help right now.”
He nodded in agreement. Clark cupped Lois’ cheek and kissed her lips softly. “I won't be long.”
Lois shook her head and slunk sleepily back into bed.
****************
A young man plodded slowly through the city. Although to the casual observer, he would barely be perceptible as a man. He was covered in dirt, bloody and bruised, and his clothes tattered. In a daze, he marched on, not quite sure where he was or even who he was. He felt like the walking dead, which was not far off.
It was the dead of night, maybe 4 am. Looking around, the man realized that the area was deserted. Things slowly started to look familiar when he spotted a phone booth at Fourth and Main.
Reaching the phone booth, he tried to search in desperation for loose change. Clicking the receiver button down a few times finally dispensed some unused change. Wincing he slowly managed to dial the first number that popped into his head
The receiver emitted a disappointing series of beeps. “We’re sorry the number you have dialed is no longer in service. This is a recording.”
He barely managed a sigh, before retrieving the spare change and dialing another number. The phone spit back the same refrain. “We’re sorry the number you have dialed is no longer in service. This is a recording.”
The man slammed down the receiver in frustration, but it didn't quite make the landing and the phone fell off the hook. His senses overwhelmed, he didn't even notice the dial tone whaling incessantly.
His throat sore, the man tried to call out. “Help...,” he barely managed, as he began to clutch his stomach in pain.
“Help!” He screamed, his voice hoarse.
Stumbling further out on the street, he felt dizzy and saw stars in eyes.
“Somebody save…,” he started, before falling unconscious and towards the ground…
Woosh! Superman arrived just in time to catch the man. The impact caused some dirt to fly off in every direction. Suddenly a stray strand of yellow energy healed the wounds on the man’s face, revealing more of his features.
In that moment, Superman’s eyes widened as he realized he recognized the young man. “Oh my god…”
It was a face he hadn't seen in years…not on this Earth anyways.
“Jimmy?!?!?!”
CUT TO CREDITS
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