Title: Back to the Present
Author: westwingwolf
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The property of Smallville and its characters belong to other people.
Spoilers: Everything until the end of Season 7, but forget that "Apocalypse" ever happened. If you haven't seen Season 7 and still want to read, I'll be recapping the important moments to help, but I don't think a knowledge of it is absolutely necessary.
Summary: Clark and Lex each wish away their involvement in each other's lives which lead to consequences neither expected.
AN: I thought about doing this fic long before I ever knew about "Apocalypse" which is why this is not a rewrite of that episode. Please enjoy and review.
Chapter 1
Lex entered the icy fortress stunned by what he had discovered. After seven years of asking questions, searching for answers, being told lies, and having secrets kept from him; he had finally discovered Clark’s origin. Knew why Clark hadn’t died in that wreck on Loeb Bridge. Why he hadn’t either.
But beyond those years was a lifetime of being treated with less respect in the eyes of his father. He wasn’t worthy enough to the man who gave him life. All he ever wanted was easily given to a child that did nothing more than fall from the sky.
Then came a hollow feeling. Nothing had been worth it.
Suddenly, anger filled him. Not even the relief of finally getting the knowledge he wanted for so long could ease the hurt. Knowledge couldn’t replace his father’s love. It didn’t bring back his mother or brother. It didn’t make up for the fact that no one had loved him enough to chose him over the perfect Clark Kent.
He tried to do what his father asked of him and got nothing in return. Then he did the opposite in order to prove himself to the man, but that didn’t work either. He loved his mother with all his heart and still he lost her. He tried to build a relationship with a woman he thought could love anyone and she bailed on him long before he did anything to ruin their bond.
He always knew his friendship with Clark would be difficult. Clark just wasn’t the type of person who could understand that some times when it came down choosing right from wrong, sometimes an immediate wrong could later lead to a greater right. And still he continued to repair it even when the damage had been done.
His need to know why his father was so distant to him and in turn why so special led to one of his most regrettable losses. A friendship built on an equal partnership. It was never about being indebted. Simply, help me and I’ll help you. And he had thrown it away to continue a stupid quest. To prove to his father that he was capable of love, respect, and honor. If he had just taken another path, he could have earned those qualities so much easier.
Now more than ever he wanted to destroy something. Wanted to obliterate Clark. Break everything in this stupid ice bunker. And after that, he wanted to erase himself from the world.
But first he would finish what he came here to do.
Taking the sphere that he had recovered from the fireplace, he searched for a place that the object appeared to fit. Soon, he discovered the proper setting and when the sphere was dropped inside, glowing lights filled the cavern.
He was mesmerized by the light show that he didn’t notice when Clark approached behind him. But then his nemesis stood in his line of vision. Calmly he told him, “You’re too late.”
Clark was worried that Lex was correct, but still he hoped that he could change Lex’s mind. He didn’t want to take the last option left. “Lex, please. If you were ever my friend, you’ll stop this now.”
Lex released a harsh laugh. There were still some times when he couldn’t believe the nerve of the man before him. “Where was that line of thinking when it was me begging you to see reason? Why did I always have to work for your friendship when I gave you mine freely? I’m done. You want my help, work for it.”
“You don’t know what’s at stake here! You need to think of all the people who will suffer.” Clark hoped there was some shred of humanity left in the man.
Lex had a sobering thought. Nothing could change between them. Clark would always see himself as the savior and Lex was always the one who needed to be saved. Except now Clark believed he needed to be saved from himself. “So that’s it. Power in a human can only bring destruction while the same power in an alien will bring a better life. So much for wanting to give me a chance.”
Clark was done with listening to Lex’s opinions. He had done everything he could over the years to help his friend. And when their relationship changed, he had suffered without taking the easy solution of eliminating the competition. If he could, he would wish away this life with Lex in it. Perhaps that would save everyone from this rivalry. “Fine, if that’s the way you want it to be, then here it is: I wish your family had never been involved in my life.”
Lex realized that this could be the one thing in their entire friendship that the two completely agreed upon. “So do I.” With that statement, a bright light filled the fortress and then everything went dark.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When everything was clear, Clark realized that the scenery was different. He wasn’t in the fortress, wasn’t even in the artic. Instead he was in a grassy field. One that he recognized as Miller’s field back in Smallville. Confused and worried about what Lex might have done to them, he hoped he was still in control of his own actions. He knew that he needed to check on everyone. First, he would get in contact with Kara. If she wasn’t in Brainiac’s control, then she would be his best assent if Lex did have control over him. She was the only one who could stop him.
He super-sped to the farm, but when had stopped, he had an even bigger surprised. No farm house, no barn, no fields, no cows. All he could see was a large factory and several cars lining a parking lot. At first, he thought that perhaps he had over shot the distance. But peering around, he had seen some of the trees that he easily climbed as a small child. Much of the surrounding land was the same.
Exploring a little he found the sign declaring ‘Rickman Industries: Smallville Pesticide Plant Est. 2002’
What had Lex done? He must have knocked him out somehow. Probably for a long time until he could set this up. Where was he keeping Kara? Who else had he harmed? He needed answers and hopefully Chloe was around to fill him in on his missing time.
However, when he reached Main Street, the Talon wasn’t there. In its place was a parking lot. Lex had obviously taken this to the extreme. And Clark wasn’t in the mood to wait anymore. He’d have to go straight to the source.
But at Lex’s address, there wasn’t a mansion. Instead the entire area was a neighborhood made of modern nearly identical homes. Screwing with his and friends’ home, Clark could understand but it made no sense as to why Lex would remove his own mansion.
Before he would make the trip to Metropolis, Clark decided to check the LuthorCorp Fertilizer Plant first. However, that proved to have also changed. He had never seen the place for himself, only heard about it, but there in place of Lex’s factory was the Ross Creamed Corn Factory.
Now Clark was truly stunned. What purpose could this possibly serve Lex? Lex only cared about himself. Rebuilding a factory that his father had bought out years ago would do nothing.
Clark had been staring at the building for a while before he realized someone was calling his name. He turned to find his once best friend Pete. However, he looked slightly different. Not as young and carefree as he had seen him a few months ago. He could see the tiredness in Pete’s eyes. But still Pete was smiling from ear to ear.
Pete approached Clark and swallowed him in a bear hug. “I can’t believe it’s you Clark! I haven’t seen you in…man…years. It’s like you disappeared on us.”
Clark swallowed as all of the new details about the town finally caught up with him. “I know this is going to sound like a weird question but what’s the date?”
Pete eyed him wearily. “It’s great to see you too.”
Clark shook his head as if he was waking up from sleep. “Sorry, Pete, it’s just my brain is kinda jet-lagged and I’m not sure if I can tell day from night right now.”
Pete nodded and smiled. “Sorry to give you a hard time. Today is May fifteenth. It’s 2008 in case your brain is so fried you missed a year or two.”
Not only was it the same year, it was the same day as when he met Lex in the fortress. That couldn’t be possible. “Are you sure?”
“As sure as I am of the fact that I’ve spent the last three years working here. I swear lately I’ve been wishing that my dad would sell this place.” Pete eyed the area with distain.
Now Clark’s questions had increased exponentially. Had Lex found a way to turn back time? Certainly Jor-El wouldn’t have done it for him. What happened to everyone else? Where was his mother? Lana? Chloe? Kara?
According to this life, Clark had been gone for several years. He didn’t want to alarm Pete until he knew all of the repercussions. It would probably seem odd for him not to know about his own mother’s whereabouts, and Pete probably didn’t know Kara if he hadn’t saved her in this timeline. But asking about Lana and Chloe would make sense. It was reasonable that he fell out of touch with time.
Concerned, Pete asked, “Clark, are you okay? You look like you were in a different place.”
Clark snapped to attention. “Yeah…Look, I want to catch up with you, but I’ve got to make the rounds. I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find Lana and Chloe.”
Pete scratched the back of his neck and concentrated on Clark’s query. “Lana…you mean Lana Lang? I haven’t thought about her since she moved to Metropolis with her aunt several years ago. As for this Chloe…never heard of her.”
So there was a chance that Lana had not been harmed by Brainiac. But why didn’t Pete know about Chloe. “Chloe Sullivan…she went to school with us. Blonde hair. Green eyes. Was into reporting.”
Pete showed a bit of recognition. “Oh why didn’t you say her last name was Sullivan.”
Then shook his head as if the idea was completely absurd. “I don’t think so man. I’m sure I would have remembered going to school with a beautiful woman like her.”
Clark was eager that Pete at least knew her somehow. “So you’ve seen her?”
Pete laughed. “Yeah, well, I’d have to be from another world not to know about Lex Luthor’s fiancé.”
TBC
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