Chapter 2

There was never going to be anyone like him. Clark Kent hurled the hay from the back of the truck into the barn with ease. No sweat trickled down his face, no strain appeared in his neck muscles, no smile present on his lips. He was Kryptonian, an alien destined to live alone in a human world as their protector, their savior. Clark's strength, speed, and other powers set him apart from all meta-humans. Despite his power and his knowledge of his origins, the last year had been a test that he had royally failed. His love for Lana Lang consumed his logic and when she died he begged Jor-El to fix it—no matter the consequences. In the replay of that day, Jonathan Kent died instead of Lana. His own father who had raised him to be the best man he could be, who selflessly took care of an abandoned alien in a field. Clark became the man he was today because of his dad and he had no idea who to be without him.

With his mom taking over Jonathan's Kansas senatorial seat, Clark was alone at the farm. Chloe was off at the Daily Planet, Lana was off at school; not that he could even look at her anyway with how guilty he felt over his dad's death. He was alone out here. He liked it. He could just be himself without anyone to answer to and no one to watch him crumble when he couldn't keep it together. No one to watch him come home with blood and dirt and ashes all over him from all the people he had saved or attempted to save that day. He needed this time to figure out all of the lessons his dad tried to teach him over the years so he wouldn't let his dad down again.

Clark finished unloading the hay and leaned against the truck in thought. He knew that he couldn't stay in Smallville forever, running off to save everyone around the world and coming here to work on the farm in his downtime. But this was what he needed right now. To be alone. Besides, no one could understand what it was like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders and to be destined to save the world. He would have to bear that cross alone.

It was still very early in the day and usually Clark made his way to Metropolis to save some people during lunch hour. He changed into another, non-hay speckled fitted shirt and jeans and ran off to Metropolis.

When he came back later that day, his shirt was in shreds and smoke and soot covered his face and arms. There had been a particularly bad fire that afternoon in Metropolis. Clark saved everyone in the building by blowing out the fire with his enhanced breath. There were two children crying and coughing upstairs, he brought them down to the street, to the EMTs then left before anyone could see him. He ripped the rest of his shirt off and threw it away. He took off his jeans and boots as he went up the stairs. In the past, he used to speed through everything normal: showering, cooking, taking out the trash, working on the farm. Now he took his time with these things. Upstairs he took a shower and washed the dirt and ashes from his body. Any blood that he washed off was never his. Luckily, today there was no blood at all.

The hot water streamed over his face, his dark hair, his muscles. Clark savored the normalcy of taking a shower without using his super speed. He thought of his life in solitude, his loss, wondering what would come next. He knew his responsibility was great. Jonathan and Jor-El had both urged him to fulfill his destiny, to take the journey towards that goal. Clark felt like he had taken a break on the road to his destiny. A break that he was still taking. Something was coming, something that would jumpstart his journey again. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that it was going to change everything.