One Breath
Title: One Breath
Author: M. Edison
E-Mail: medison@thezone.net
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Johnny. Bruce.
Part 1/1
Category: Drama, Crossover.
Spoilers: Vague ones for Destiny.
Archiving: DZ Fever only, all others please ask.
Warning: Notta one! *G*
Disclaimer: Johnny's not mine, neither is Clark or Rebecca (even though I
reworked her name and background a little)
Summary: In one breath, Johnny Smith can see a world of possibilities. In
Greg Stillson, he saw the world's doom. In the future of a young woman, he
sees the world's hope.
Author's Note: After I watched Destiny, my Smallville muses wanted to help,
this is what they came up with.
Rebecca also appears in a Smallville story called 'Family Secrets' which can
be found on Triple Threat in my section.

One Breath
by Medie
--------
Another chance meeting, two bodies brushing lightly against each other in
the press of a crowd. For most, such things went by unnoticed, but for
Johnny Smith, each contact was a possible vision. He'd almost grown
accustomed to the sudden intrusion of someone else's life. Image and sound
washing over him in a cacophony of light, color, and noises.

But this time..this one was different.

Someone jostled him, accidentally kicking his cane out from under him, and -
surprised - he began to pitch forward until hands grasped his arms and
stopped his forward momentum. Johnny caught a brief glimpse of a young
woman's concerned face, framed by titian curls, before the vision swept into
him like the crash of a wave.

The images that presented themselves were impossible. Images of two people,
possessing abilities of unimaginable power and offering unspeakable
generosity and kindness.

Protectors...

The word swam up out of his subconscious and Johnny knew it had never more
applied to anyone than it did to the people in his vision.

All in the space of one breath, he watched them perform feats that quite
literally defied the laws of nature and he watched, in shock, when he saw
them challenge a familiar face. Stillson. Undaunted, they seemed to show no
fear of the man and a surge of hope shot through him at the realization of
what this meant.

More images followed, more lives saved, more Stillsonesque people finding
themselves up against adversaries that wouldn't be stopped, wouldn't be
defeated, wouldn't be deceived...then, as quickly as it had begun, the
vision was over and he was staring into those concerned eyes again.

The girl, for she couldn't have been more than 17, smiled at him. "Are you
all right?"

He nodded, finding his equilibrium and standing up straight, "Yes, thank
you."

Her smile widened. "No problem."

"Becky!" A voice called what must have been her name as she turned in that
direction.

Automatically, Johnny did the same and saw two young men waiting for her.
One, tall with dark hair and a friendly face, the other, a
distinguished-looking bald man - both had figured prominently in his vision.

"Be right there, Clark!" She replied with a wave of acknowledgment. "You're
sure you're ok?" She questioned solicitously, looking up at him again. "That
guy was moving like a bat out of..." She trailed off, noticing the odd way
he was glancing between her and Clark. "Is something wrong?"

Realizing how he must have looked, he flashed a smile and shook his head.
"No, thank you..I'm fine." He nodded toward her friends. "You'd better get
moving, looks like they're headed somewhere important."

She grinned. "Not likely but with those two, everything's life and death."
Stepping away, she lifted a hand. "Nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you." He answered, nodding.

She turned then, melting into the crowd, and moments later he saw her join
her friends.

"Johnny?" He turned to see Bruce waiting. "Who was that?"

"Her?" Johnny glanced back over his shoulder and smiled. "A true
humanitarian."

Finis