Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville – If I did, Aaron Ashmore would still be kicking around as the greatest Jimmy ever to exist. :-( Still not happy with that so-called 'finale'. Flipping heck.

Rating: K+

Summary: 'Clark Kent' is no more, and Lois has wound up in the 31st century. The world will never be the same, but that doesn't stop Chloe trying to pick up the pieces.

STARTING OVER

Chapter 1: Lost

Chloe tried to swallow, but her throat was too thick. No Jimmy. No Lois. What had happened to her?

Chloe's eyes scanned the list of names again, the victims of Doomsday. No Lois. That was a good thing, right? Once more, her eyes jumped to the little footnote. Seven unidentified bodies.

Seven. And no sign yet of Lois.

Chloe realised how much she had come to depend on Clark's help, now that he wasn't there to help her find her cousin. Clark had looked, but he hadn't been able to find her. And now he couldn't find himself.

Chloe cried out in frustration. If she didn't know she'd break her hand doing it, she would have slapped Clark silly yesterday. He said Clark Kent was dead, that his emotions were his weakness, so he was going to cut himself off from them. But she had seen the pain in his eyes, seen him choking back the tears.

He was human, and he couldn't just switch it off.

She also knew that there was more to Clark's sudden abandonment of his life than Davis. It was Jimmy. Then Lois. And being Clark, he blamed himself.

He was the one who had told Jimmy to guard Davis. And it was he who survived a massive explosion, against the odds, when no one was around to save Lois.

Not to save Lois, Chloe firmly told herself. To see where she went.

Chloe knew that he blamed his attachment to people for his friends' departures, and for the pain he felt. He was angrier than she had ever seen him. And more pained.

So much for his not being human. But no amount of talking or reasoning could bring him back this time, so Chloe would have to find Lois on her own. And she would be alive.

A beeping sound coming from the computer startled Chloe. An email from Tess Mercer. Finally.

Chloe,

Oliver forwarded your email to me. I am greatly sorry to hear about Lois' disappearance. In answer to your query, yes, I did see Lois just before she disappeared. It is unfortunate that we had a bit of a disagreement. A misunderstanding. The last time I remember seeing her is when a box was flying for my head, then I was unconscious. When I came to, she was already gone.

Her bag and belongings are still at her desk – wherever she went, she was in too much of a hurry to take them.

If you could collect her things at your earliest convenience, that would be greatly appreciated.

My sincerest apologies on your loss – Jimmy was a good man, and a good worker.

Regards,

Tess Mercer

Chloe sat back, too stunned to think straight. Lois, getting into a fight with her boss? Why was she not surprised?

A dark chuckle escaped Chloe's mouth before she remembered the point of the email.

Lois had disappeared. And she hadn't taken anything with her.

Dread filled Chloe as she gathered her things, ready to head off to the Daily Planet.

***

Chloe had seen the Daily Planet in all sorts of moods, but nothing compared to today. Everyone looked nervous, everyone looked fearful. It was loud, but it was silent. Stifled.

What was that beast, and where had it come from?

Chloe knew, only too well. She also knew that it was dead, along with countless others that day.

Like the many missing people, though, no one would believe it was dead until they found a body.

And they never would.

"Can I help you, miss?" Chloe turned to the voice, and recognised the eager young man who had given her Lois' dry-cleaning and coffee when she'd had a Freaky Friday moment. His face now was only a shadow of the optimistic young man she had seen.

"Jeff?"

He looked surprised, a little wary. "Do I know you?"

"No – no you don't know me. But you know my cousin. You are Lois' intern, right?" His face brightened ever so slightly. He nodded. "She's told me a lot about you," Chloe lied. She felt bad, but she knew she wouldn't take it back now that the life returned to his eyes. "She, ah – she said you were very diligent, and always picking up after her. Said she could trust you – which is pretty big praise, if you know Lois Lane."

The boy's smile was blinding, though he tried desperately to mask it. "Thank-you," he said. Chloe wasn't sure what she was being thanked for. "Have you heard any news about Miss Lane?"

"No, not yet," Chloe said quietly. "That's why I'm here. The last place she was seen was in this news room, so I'm trying to see if I can find any hints."

"Investigative skills must run in the family," Jeff grinned. "Come, I'll take you to her desk." Chloe was about to point out that she knew where it was, when he added: "Maybe we can piece the puzzle together, right?"

Two sets of eyes were always better than one, after all, and maybe he'd have more information for her.

"Sure," Chloe smiled. "Lead the way."

The first thing Chloe noticed when she got to the Lois and Clark's desks was the overwhelming sense of abandonment, emptiness. Clark still had research papers lying neatly next to his keyboard, while Lois had papers and photos thrown haphazardly all over her desk.

Chloe rubbed her eyes, desperately fighting back the tears.

"I haven't seen this before," she heard Jeff murmur.

"Pardon?"

"This box – but it's probably just from jewellery of something. Weird jewellery, though – take a look at this thing. Lead."

"What's in it?" Chloe asked, becoming curious. She didn't know why Lois would have anything like that at her desk – maybe it was Clark's? But what could be in it – Kryptonite?

"Nothing, it's empty."

What used to be there?

"You're right, probably just some jewellery of something," Chloe said uncertainly. "I'll just put it with the rest of Lois' stuff."

***

When Chloe got back to the loft, she saw Oliver waiting for her.

"Hello, Chloe," he said quietly. "I got your message."

"Yes, I know," Chloe said, putting down the cardboard box full of Lois' things. She'd sneak back later to get Clark's stuff. "Tess emailed me – thanks for that."

"S'alright. So – any news on the Lois front?"

Chloe glanced back at the box. "Not really. I'm still trying to figure out what happened just before she disappeared."

"Clark seemed pretty beaten up about it."

"You've seen Clark?" Chloe asked eagerly, taken by surprise.

"Briefly – he paid the League a visit just after he left you. Didn't take him long to track us down," Oliver frowned at the ground, before meeting Chloe's eyes with a piercing gaze. "He gave me this."

He handed a letter to Chloe. She saw that it had already been opened.

"Sorry about that, he didn't tell us anything before he disappeared. I thought he might have told you in that letter."

"And so you thought you could just read through it without asking me first?" Chloe was furious, but she stopped when she saw Ollie's expression.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think – at all. It's just, it's all happened so fast." It was then that Chloe noticed the bags under his eyes. She wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping these days. "He just told us not to bother trying to find him, and asked me to pass that on to you."

"Oh."

"So she's really gone?" Chloe refused to say anything, but Oliver took enough meaning from her silence. "No wonder Clark was so cut up. First Jimmy, now Lois –"

"Lois is not dead!" Chloe shrieked. Throwing the letter to the ground. Her voice was shaky. "She's going to be fine, okay? We'll find her. She's bound to be somewhere. She. Is. Not. Gone."

Oliver looked at her, stunned.

"I think that's my queue to leave," he slowly got to his feet. "Canary and Impulse are still out of town, but I'll be back soon. I'll see you on Saturday, and if you haven't found Lois by then... I'll see what we can do."

Chloe could tell Oliver thought there was zero chance of them finding Lois, if even Clark couldn't, but she refused to think that way.

Chloe opened the letter after Oliver had left. The writing was neat, thick, heavy. Impersonal.

Chloe,

Make sure the others don't waste any time looking for me. I'm going to complete the training my Kryptonian father always asked me to undertake.

I will be gone for a couple of years.

When I get back, don't bother trying to contact me. I am not Clark Kent anymore, I am Kal-El of Krypton, and I cannot afford to having any ties or human emotion.

Kal-El.

That was it? Goodness knows how many years of friendship, and all he had to say was 'don't contact me'?

Chloe threw the letter down on the couch beside her. It was then that she noticed smaller, more uncertain writing on the back.

If there is any news on Lois – if you find her –

Chloe could almost picture Clark hesitating; there was a squiggle of pen where he trailed off.

Please find me and let me know.

Chloe felt her heart break a little more. Poor Clark.

But then the familiar anger she had felt since he left rose again. How dare he? She had already lost Jimmy, and possibly Lois – and Clark just ups and leaves?

Who was that meant to help?

But she found she could not stay angry. Especially not after what she read, cramped up in the bottom corner in tiny writing:

The last time I spoke to her as me – not the Red-Blue Blur – we were arguing. I never got to say goodbye. Or even part as friends.

"Clark," Chloe moaned, raising her eyes to the ceiling.

Fine, he wanted to be left alone? She could do that. And she would find Lois, alive and well.

***

Lois slowly opened her eyes. Her head was swimming, and she felt a distinct sense of nausea.

"What the hell?" she heard someone exclaim.

Cradling her pounding head, Lois looked around. She was surrounded by no fewer than twelve leather-clad, weapon-bearing strangers.

They all wore identical masks of shock, surprise.

"Who are you?" she asked, voice cracking.

"The more important question," a man with lanky brown hair stepped forward, frowning at her. "Is why did Kal-El sent us Lois Lane instead of Doomsday?"

This is just my take on a possible (though undeniably completely inaccurate) direction for Season 9.

Originally, the title 'Starting Over' just popped into my head because I thought it fit. It was not until afterwards that I realised that it very well suited the song 'Starting Over' by legendary Aussie alternative/punk/rock band Bodyjar.

I highly recommend Bodyjar for anyone who likes good music :-)

Anywho, you know the drill. Please send some love, hate or indifference my way via the pretty, flashy new review button :-)

Susie