1The usual disclaimers apply. We wished we owned Smallville and/or It's a Wonderful Life because not only would we be significantly more wealthy, but brilliant as well. Alas, however, all brilliant characters, quotes, and/or ideas that resemble anything from Smallville or It's a Wonderful Life belong to others. We are also unfamiliar with the various ways in which we could be sued, but we have no money and are not making any from this story. Don't sue us please.

This is inspired by the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," so those who have seen it may recognize some aspects of the story. It doesn't follow the movie too closely, just the general idea. This is in Season 3 time, before dear Pete is gone.

Chapter 1:

Clark couldn't believe what he was seeing. Just on the other side of this window his father was lying in a hospital bed. If only he had gotten there sooner, he could have helped. It was his fault. It was always his fault. With all his powers and abilities, all he ever managed to do was let those he loved most get hurt.

His father was lifting hay bales with a tractor. Clark was supposed to be there to help him, but he had stopped to hang out with his friends at the Talon. By the time he reached the farm, his father was lying unconscious in the field with a hay bale on top of him. Clark had run him to the hospital and the doctor said the odds were in his favor, but Clark knew all of this could have been avoided if he had gone home to help his dad.

He couldn't just stand there helpless. He had to get away. Clark left the hospital and soon found himself in the graveyard. It was cold, but it was a wonderful place to think. If he went home, he would risk having to face his mother. She was at the hospital now, but she would notice Clark wasn't there sooner or later, and probably look for him at home. He thought about his dad. If he caught him blaming himself again, Clark knew exactly what would happen. He could almost hear his dad saying "Son . . . " Clark smiled for a minute, but it quickly faded. Despite his parents' reassurances that the accidents that occurred in their lives could not be prevented, no matter how many powers he had, he had hurt them so many times.

His thoughts turned to his friends. No matter how hard he tried, he always let them get hurt as well. It had started from the moment he came to Smallville. Their lives had all been made worse by the meteor shower. Especially Lana and Lex. Lana's parents had died and Lex's whole life had changed that day . . . he had almost died himself.

Clark reflected on all the terrible things that he had caused in the lives of his friends and family. Because of him, his mom had lost the baby, and both his parents had been hurt numerous times because of meteor rocks and those infected by them. Pete had been hurt while trying to protect Clark's secret, and Chloe and Lex had been attacked as well. Lana, the girl of his dreams, had been hurt so many times because of him. It seemed like he couldn't stop hurting her. He suddenly remembered something Lana had said a while ago.

"Life would just be so much better for everyone if the meteor shower never happened."

She wasn't talking about him, but Clark couldn't help thinking that she had been right. If he'd never come, life would be so much better for everyone.

"They'd all be better off if I just left Smallville," Clark thought aloud.

"Surely you don't mean that."

Clark turned to see a stranger standing next to a headstone. That's weird, Clark thought, I didn't hear anyone coming over.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm a friend. You didn't really mean what you said, did you?"

"Mean what?"

"That everyone would be better off if you left. You know what happened last summer. They were all worse off."

"Okay . . . I don't know how you know that, but maybe you're right. It'd be better if I had never come to Smallville at all." Clark was confused and more than a little annoyed by this guy. Who did he think he was?

"Well, if you're sure that's what you want . . . fine, you've never come to Smallville."

"What are you talking about?"

"The meteor shower never happened and you do not exist."

"Buddy, how much did you have to drink at the Wild Coyote?" Clark asked. This guy was clearly out of it. Clark was so sure this man was nuts, that he hadn't even noticed the man's reference to the meteor shower.

"You've been given a gift Clark. You have the chance to see what the world would be like without you in it."

Clark turned away from the stranger, getting very irritated. When he turned back the man was gone.

He did, however, see two other people in the graveyard. Though it was a cold day, they seemed to be holding each other more for comfort than warmth. They were crying as they walked away from one of the graves.

That woman looked extremely familiar. "Lana?" Clark called, and the woman turned, a pained expression on her face, but it wasn't Lana after all.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I thought maybe I knew you." As the couple turned to leave, Clark called out to them again. "Wait . . . I'm sorry, I don't want to bother you, but you look so familiar. Who are you?"

The man answered. "I'm Lewis Lang and this is my wife Laura."

The couple turned and walked away.