Disclaimer: WB owns Smallville, and DC and all the characters depicted here - except Connie. I claim no rights to the characters, just a love for them. If you have never seen or heard Connie Talbot (check YouTube), you really should. She has an angelic voice which I believe could change the world someday. Here's how I imagine it could happen.
Season note: This starts somewhere in the middle of Season 5 of Smallville, and continues from there in the lives of Clark and others
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The snow started to fall. There were people gathered, but Clark didn't notice them. All he could see was the box above the hole in the ground that held his father. What was the point in going on now? He had powers, but couldn't save his dad. He even traded that life for the life of a woman he loved. What kind of choice was that? How was his mother going to make it without her husband? How was he going to make it without his dad...his light in this dark world?
Clark looked to his right and saw Chloe and Lois standing there. The tears were falling, but Clark had no more tears. He felt empty now. He had no guidance. It was all over for him. Whatever his destiny was supposed to be, it was going to be lowered into the ground and covered up.
Clark grabbed a handful of dirt and dropped it on the coffin as he turned away. No more. He couldn't let people get hurt anymore because of who he is.
What was that? Clark turned and looked around? No, he couldn't see anyone, but there was a voice. A singing voice. And it sounded like a little girl. But there was no one here. His super-hearing had been developing slowly, but whatever this was, it was coming from out of this town...maybe further than that.
"Rise up this mornin,
Smiled with the risin sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin, this is my message to you-ou-ou
Singin: dont worry bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin: dont worry bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right!"
Yeah...easy for her to say - or sing. She didn't just lose her father. But as Clark tuned into the enchanting song, he did start to feel better. Maybe he would go on, for his father. He would change the world, and everything was going to be all right.
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One week later
"Chloe, I swear I heard a voice at my dad's funeral," Clark explained to his best friend. "It was like it was right there, but it wasn't."
"I don't know, Clark. You can hear a whisper in a room full of noisy people. Maybe this is just the next step. Hearing on a global scale." Chloe replied as she busied herself around her desk in the basement of the Daily Planet. "What song was it?"
"An old Bob Marley tune. Only it was sung by a little girl. And it was, I don't know, beautiful and sweet. And it gave me hope."
"Something you have been lacking lately, even before Jonathan died." Chloe looked down, hoping she hadn't gone too far.
"I know, Chloe, and you are the only one, besides my parents who has stood by me and really understands. You will never what that really means to me." Clark drew his friend into a hug. "I just wish I knew where the voice was coming from."
"Hey Chloe, hey CK." Jimmy Olson swept into the room. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"It's nothing Jimmy. Just talking with Chloe about my dad."
"Yeah, sorry about that Clark. You doing OK." Jimmy said as he sat at his desk and fired up his computer.
"Now I am, Jimmy. Thanks." Clark turned and headed out the door. He made it to the street when he heard the voice again. This time from inside the Planet.
Clark bolted back into the building and ran down the stairs two at a time. "Chloe, that's it! That's the voice."
Clark found Chloe at Jimmy's desk watching his computer. There was a little girl singing "Over the Rainbow" in front of an auditorium full of people.
"Jimmy, what is this?" Clark asked as he bent to look at the screen.
"Oh, this is Connie Talbot. She is a bit of a YouTube sensation since she was on this reality talent show over in England." Jimmy looked up at Clark. "Why do you ask?"
Clark grabbed Chloe and dragged her over to her desk. "Chloe, that's the little girl that was singing at my dad's funeral. But she wasn't even there. She can't be more than 7."
"Six, actually." Chloe replied. "Clark, are you sure that's her?"
"Definietely"
"Well, in an interview she did say that she sometimes sings in her sleep. And at the time of your dad's funeral, it would have been night time over there. Maybe she was just singing."
"Chloe, it wasn't 'just singing'. It was like the song was just what I needed at just the right time. It was like she got into my heart and helped me to go on."
"Well, she's lived in England all her life, so we can rule out a meteor power. If you don't think this is a coincidence, what are you going to do about it?"
"Chloe, I don't know."
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Four years later
Clark Kent adjusted his tie and made sure his glasses were on when he walked into the Daily Planet building. It was a good night last night. He had stopped two bank robberies, countless muggings and helped an old lady get her cat out of a tree. This new persona of his was going to work out just fine.
"Hey Jimmy," Clark greeted the young photographer. "Where's Chloe?"
"Hey CK. She's breaking in the new intern here." Jimmy couldn't stifle his laugh. "And are you going to be surprised when you find out who it is."
OK. Clark liked surprises. His work had been going well. And he'd been following the explosive career of the young Connie Talbot ever since that day almost four years ago. She had cut an album and had gone on tour over a lot of the world, starting in Asia and making her way to America. Everywhere she went, people were touched. There is no way this was a normal phenomenon. And, she was supposed to be in America again to promote her second album. And her first stop was Metropolis. And with the clout he had as a reporter with the Daily Planet, he was going to get to meet her finally and see if he could get to the bottom of this mystery. He checked his watch and saw that he should have landed by now and be making her way downtown to her hotel.
Clark often thought of why he never rushed to England that very day four years ago. He had a lot going on in his life, but the most important reason was that she was just too young. Clark wanted her life to remain carefree as long as possible. And bothering her with some questoins about some sort of power didn't seem right. Clark figured then, when the time came he would get his answers.
Clark stepped off the elevator and made his way down to Chloe's office. As he opened the door, he realized that some surprises are better left undiscovered.
"Hi Smallville." Oh, no! Clark thought. Not her.
"Lois? You are the new intern?"
"Yep. And soon I'll be as big a reporter as you. You can't deny it." Lois replied with that all too familiar challenge in her voice.
"No, I ca--" Clark's hearing picked up something. "Uh..I just remembered I have to pick up something at the cleaners. I have to go." Clark ran out of Chloe's office just as an explosion rocked the street.
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"That's enough Lex." Clark had run at super-speed, changing as he went, to the sound of the explosion. He came to a halt in front of his nemesis, and one-time friend, Lex Luthor.
"Good to see you, Superman." Lex sneered at his foe. "I was hoping you'd be here."
Clark looked around as a crowd started to gather, and at the front of it, his friend Chloe speaking rapidly into a tape recorder. "Lex, what could you possibly hope to accomplish by setting off a bomb in the street? Especially alone. It's over for you now, you know that...right?"
"Superman, why would I come alone?" Lex smiled. "I want you to meet my friend, John Corben. But you can call him Metallo."
Clark looked past Lex and saw some sort of cyborg coming towards him.
"A robot, Lex?" Clark rolled his eyes. "And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. What makes you think I won't have it in pieces in the next five seconds?"
"Two things, actually. 1. He's part human, so you won't hurt him, and 2. Well, you'll find out. Nice knowing you, Superman... well, not really." Lex turned to leave and Clark suddenly felt weak in the knees.
Was that a limo coming down the street? Clark checked his surroundings and saw that he was at the Luxor Hotel in downtown Metropolis. Right where Connie was staying. But why would he feel so weak? He could protect the girl and take care of this Metallo.
"Feeling a little funny, Superman?" The human voice had no electronic qualities. It sounded like a normal man.
Clark scanned him with his X-ray vision and saw that he was about 40% titanium alloy - still mostly human. And then he saw it - right where his heart should be. Kryptonite.
"Mr. Luthor thought we might have a little fun," Metallo sneered as he slowly approached the weakening Superman.
Clark looked up and saw the Limo come to a stop and the back door open. Out of it stepped a little girl of about 10 years old. Beautiful long hair...he couldn't tell if it was the light or what, but it looked red, and dark and blonde. Like it was shifting.
"Connie....no....." Clark reached for her, but didn't have the strength to stand up.
Metallo turned. "You know this little one? Then before I kill you, you can watch her die."
Metallo walked towards the girl, but she was unafraid. "I know your heart hurts John. I know about the petty crimes. About your wife leaving you. And I know what they did to you after your accident."
"Connie!" Clark yelled. "Run, he's dangerous."
"And I know you, Clark," Connie smiled down at the man in the red cape. "I know that years ago, when you were hurting, I helped without even knowing. I can't explain it, but it I know the hearts of people around me, and the ones I've touched."
Connie continued to stand her ground as Metallo approached her menacingly. "All I wanted to do was make people happy. If there is more I am supposed to do, that is OK. As long as people are happy, my job is done." She pointed at Metallo. "And this is my job."
"Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining though, for you
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just Smile
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just Smile"
Metallo had stopped at the sound of the first note coming from Connie's lips. He faltered and found he couldn't move. And even though his heart was made of an alien meteorite, he still felt his pain disappear. All the disappointments in life, all his failures, all his regrets...just gone. And then he started to cry.
"It's OK, John. People will help you now." Connie patted him on the back.
Clark looked around and saw Maggie Sawyer and her Special Crimes Unit pull up in the van and take the weeping Metallo away. As his strength returned he stood and approached the girl with the rainbow hair.
"You saved me, Connie. You probably saved the city. But how?" Clark gently took her hand.
"Oh, Clark," Connie laughed. "The 'how' isn't important. I've read about you and the job you do. I just felt that this was my job, and it was only the beginning. I hope John will be happy now. That's all I really want."
Connie gave Clark a quick kiss on the cheek, turned and skipped into her hotel. Clark looked on in amazement, holding his hand over his cheek.
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Ten years later
Anyone looking up from the stadium would have noticed the familiar blue and swooshing red hovering above them. But all eyes were fixed on the stage - at the stunning young woman who had been a star for almost 15 years.
"Funny to see you above the crowd, Clark."
Clark turned and saw a man dressed in black with a cowl over his head sitting on a ledge 30 stories up. And though their methods differed, the man in black was one of his closest friends.
"Watching from the shadows isn't like you, it's more my thing."
"I just wanted to make sure that today was all about her, Bruce. Not me." Clark drifted over to his friend and sat down.
Batman looked down at the crowd, "You've checked for weapons, bombs, everything? Not everyone likes to hear about hope."
"Always the paranoid one, Bruce." Clark shook his head and chuckled. "No one who is here wants to hurt her." Clark looked guiltily away, "But yes, I did check."
"Good for you. As much as you like to believe in people, you know it only takes just one."
Clark studied his friend. He knew that Connie had visited Wayne Manor 5 years ago. From reading the papers, Clark knew that Gotham's Dark Knight had changed. He still fought crime in his city, but Clark had noticed that there was a little less brutality involved. Not long after that, his own job had been lessened quite a bit after Connie's visit to LexCorp. People were still people, and some of them were misguided and tried to hurt people, but at least Lex was out of the picture. Clark often wondered what song could possibly have reached Lex Luthor.
Clark's hearing picked up the voice on stage. "This song goes out to my friend, Clark. I hope you like being a reporter, because that's all you'll have left to do. This is my gift to you."
Then the song started. Clark smiled. An old song. One of the first she did, and one his dad used to sing to him all the time when he was young. Clark looked at Bruce and saw a smile also. He must be listening in with some high-tech device.
"It's starting, Clark. But I suppose you already knew that."
Clark didn't reply. He just listened. This was the first of Connie's concerts that, because of today's technology, was being broadcast all over the world. Not a soul who had access to a TV or radio wouldn't hear this.
He let the song permeate his being. He could feel the power. Certainly in the past 10 years, Connie had come into her own. She knew her power, but just laughed it off. She always told him that she just wanted to make people happy.
Clark and Bruce listened to the last few lines of the song that would forever change their lives.
"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I´m a dreamer
But I´m not the only one
I hope someday you´ll join us
And the world will live as one."
The song was over. There was a pause and then a thunderous applause. With his super-hearing, Superman could hear it all over the world. Everyone had heard this song and felt its power.
"Well, old friend," Superman turned to his friend only to find that the black cowl had been removed. "Looks like we are out of work. The world will be as one now. No war, no hunger, everyone helping one another."
Bruce wiped a tear from his eye. "I think I could stand it. Let's get some coffee. And we can talk about our place in this new world."
"First cup is on you," Clark smiled back.
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fin.