Second Chance

by RedGigant

Disclaimer: None of the characters or places are mine.

Summary: Futurefic. Chloe/Clark romance. In a not-too-distant future Clark has an opportunity to bring Chloe back to life two years after her death, but is the price too high? Would Superman do anything to save his best friend, the woman he loves?

Warning: Superman fans might not like this story. My apologies in advance.

Feedback: Welcomed and appreciated. Let me know what you think about the story.

Part One – The Dream

Chapter 1

December 24, 2012

As Clark Kent entered the Daily Planet building and saw the Christmas tree in the lobby nostalgic thoughts filled his head. He thought of Chloe Sullivan, his long time best friend, the day he lost her, and how he'd discovered only after losing her forever, the one thing he had always blocked from his heart: that he was in love with her.

Now he had Lois in his life and was happy with her. But if Chloe were at his side, he never would have left her for Lois. And suddenly he was filled with longing. He wanted Chloe, wanted her near to him, to take her in his arms and to kiss her. He wanted her as anyone wants what they can never have again, even if only for a second.

He remembered how years ago, Chloe engaged him as the Daily Planet's Santa Claus. A tear formed in the eye of the man of steel.

Lex Luthor was standing close to Dr. Franklin, watching him work on a device in his secret laboratory in Metropolis. Lex's mind, however, was far away in the memory of a strange dream he'd had some years ago as he lay unconscious after being shot on a Christmas night. A dream that had led him to the ultimate decision to pursue the dark side of his nature. In that moment all had become clear; only a powerful man can have anything that he wants and keep it. But the years since have taught him that all the power in the world couldn't give him what he wanted most: the love of Lana and the love and respect of his father.

He remembered the days he was married to Lana and how his manipulations ruined their relationship. And yet, deep in his soul he desired a second chance; he would give all his power for another minute with Lana. He knew it was impossible, so he focused all his energy and power on his new plan to destroy Superman. It probably would not give him the same happiness he longed for with Lana, but it would help.

"The device is completed for the first test, Mr. Luthor" said Doctor Franklin.

"It would be best for you for the test to be successful. I want a test tonight."

"How do you know Superman will show up tonight?"

"Superman is so predictable, Dr. Franklin, he can never let someone be in danger. This is his weakness."

*****

Some hours later in Metropolis on Christmas Eve.

Lex was standing on the roof of a Metropolis high-rise building with Dr. Franklin working on the device readying it for the test. They were facing another skyscraper.

"How can you be certain Superman will be here tonight?"

"I told you before, he is so predictable," Lex replied, a little irritated that Dr. Franklin would dare to doubt him. Lex then took a transmitter from a pocket of his dark coat and very calmly and deliberately pressed a key on it. To Dr. Franklin's shock an explosion was set off in the building they were facing, fire was appearing through several windows.

"I hope you are ready, Dr. Franklin." Lex demanded. "He will be here quite soon."

"The device is fully operational!" Dr. Franklin answered. Within seconds in the distant dark sky over Metropolis, a red and blue spot was seen headed towards the burning building. Superman flew close to the building and as he almost disappeared inside it, Dr. Franklin activated the device which produced a pulse of energy. To Lex's surprise, the pulse did not just affect Superman, but him also.

*****

Clark awoke in his bed on a beautiful sunny day at the Kent farm in Smallville. He knew it was the day before Christmas, but didn't know how that was possible. Next to him he felt the warmth of a woman's body and when he cautiously turned, he saw Chloe sleeping peacefully at his side. Her blonde hair was very long and she was visibly older than when he had seen her the last time. His first inclination was to surround her with his arms in his protective way and pull her closer to him.

"Clark?" she questioned as she slowly awoke.

"Where are we?" Clark asked carefully.

"Where we have been for the last seven years, in our home, Clark… since the day you renounced your powers for me."

"I don't remember anything," a confused Clark mumbled.

Chloe put a hand to his forehead. "Are you okay?" she asked, in the tone of a wife worried about her husband's health.

"Fine…only I don't remember anything after trying to help people escape a fire from an explosion in a Metropolis skyscraper."

"That happened seven years ago on Christmas Eve. After that you decided to renounce your powers so you could spend your life at my side."

"But how? You are…"

"Dead? Yes, Clark, but that was in another reality. In this one we are together and we've been happy since we were teenagers."

"Am I dreaming?"

"No, Clark… I am here with you."

"I am very happy to see you…but it isn't real."

"Clark! It is real. I am real. You married me seven years ago."

"It was Lex, he did something to me. I saw him near the building."

"Clark, Lex is your best friend, he is married to Lana, and they will be coming to the Christmas Eve party tonight. What did you think he did to you? Lex is a good person."

"No, Chloe, you probably don't know but I believe Lex caused the explosion and the fire as a means to lure me into a trap."

"Clark, please… you are scaring me."

"Sorry, Chloe…I don't mean to scare you. I want to say something to you. I don't know if you are you… if you are even real or only an illusion of my mind. I need to tell you. Chloe, I am sorry I didn't realize that I loved you before…I've regretted it every day from the day I lost you…I never forgave myself for it. I love you so much, Chloe, you are the most important person in my life. I never recognized it until the moment I lost you!"

"Thank you Clark. You didn't lose me. Well, only for a short while, but when you renounced your powers we were together again."

"How is this possible?"

As Clark asked the question and before Chloe even had a chance to give him any answer, a small boy with blonde hair came rushing into the room.

"Daddy, daddy, can I go to the barn with you? Can I help with the farm chores this morning? Can I, daddy? Please? Please say yes?"

Chloe could see Clark was overwhelmed and startled with the child's natural over abundance of energy and lifted the boy into her arms.

"Jonathan, let your daddy be; he doesn't feel very well this morning."

She sat down on the bed and placed Jonathan at her side, and before he could start with more questions she tried to keep him quiet with, "Shh… You can come with me to see the cows, but only if you don't bother your daddy."

"But mom, I want to go with daddy!"

"Hush…"

Chloe got up from the bed with Jonathan in her arms and went to the room across from theirs. She lowered Jonathan onto the floor and took a small action figure from amongst his toys, sat down beside him and gave it to him.

"Make your Superman fly, Jonathan, I want to see it.

Clark saw them from the bed and a smile spread across his face. For a moment he forgot Lex Luthor, his life as Superman and the day he lost Chloe. For one moment he was completely happy watching the woman he loves and their son. For this one moment he knew he was capable of renouncing all of it, including his duty to humanity, for this new life.

Some minutes later after Clark got up from the bed and entered the bathroom, he was surprised to see his father standing up against the door, dressed as he had always been when he was alive and living in this house with his mother, and he didn't seem at all surprised to see Clark.

"Hello, Clark," he said with his familiar understanding smile.

"Dad?"

"No, Clark, I am only a product of your mind, like Chloe and your son."

"I know I was injured by Lex's weapon. Am I dead?" he asked with a calm acceptance.

"No, Clark, you are critically hurt, but you are alive and you can live."

"How can you know that?"

"I only know what you know, son. Remember I am only in your mind. But I am here to tell you that if you give up your powers you can have this life…if you want it."

"After all the years of always steering me onto the correct path and reminding me of my duty to humanity and of all the ways I can use my powers to help people, how can you now tell me something like this, Dad?"

"Because I also love a woman… and I, too, would give everything up for her if I had to decide."

"Is it a temptation? Or a trap? I experienced that once before many years ago in the barn when I was possessed by a Phantom."

"No, it is a second chance. You can switch to another reality, another version of your history where Chloe is alive; where you and Lex are best friends, but where you don't have powers. You won't be able to help anyone. It is your decision. If you want it, you can obtain it, but another person has to want it also."

After saying these ominous words, his father disappeared without a trace from the bathroom. Clark walked out of the bathroom and finding Chloe next to the door, pulled her into a tight hug.

"Chloe, I need to ask you a question."

"What is it, Clark?"

"It is a strange question."

"Clark, you can ask me anything you want…you know that there are no more secrets between us."

"You think I made a good decision when I renounced my powers?"

"It's not a strange question, Clark. I know you regret it every day; every time you hear about someone needing your help. For the first time in your life you made a selfish decision; I think you are more human than you believe. But I think it was a bad choice."

"But Chloe, this choice saved your life."

"I sacrificed my life for you in the past and I'd to it again without a second thought because I love you. Any other time I would be more than happy to be at your side; but I believe my life has no importance in comparison to all the things… all the good you can do. I have always wanted you to be the hero you were destined to be."

"I don't want to lose you again, Chloe."

"I know. I love you, Clark."

"I love you too, Chloe… I love you so much."

Clark and Chloe kissed standing up near the bathroom door while in the background they could hear the sound of their son playing. Clark knew it was just a fantasy, a product of his mind while he lay somewhere else unconscious. And yet kissing Chloe felt real and not like some fantasy. He had loved her for a long time as a friend, even when he knew there was something more between them; something that he had blocked from his mind and heart and yet had missed so much during the last two years since her death. Now she was finally in his arms in some other time or reality, a fantasy he could make real. And no matter how well he knew and understood that his duty was to let her go and return to the life he was destined for, he felt he couldn't do it.

--tbc--