Two teens go up the steps to the barn for the first of many, many visits to come as a young Clark Kent shows a young Chloe Sullivan his fortress of Solitude.

Chloe looked at the telescope. "Wow. Sweet setup, Clark. Spend your nights spying on any unsuspecting neighbors?"

Clark swiftly moves it away from Lana's house. "No, I like... looking at the stars."

"I guess you truly are a gentleman farmer. Emerson and Thoreau have nothing on you. I spend way too much of my time reading." Chloe filled in lamely she's been spending all day with him and it's been a bizarre first impression undoubtedly.

Clark shakes his head. "Actually... I love reading. I don't have that much time to make a lot of friends. My dad keeps me pretty busy with chores."

Chloe looked down she sucks at this. "My mom left me when I was really young. After that...I was afraid to make friends because...I just thought they'd all end up leaving too. So I buried my nose in books. Although, I think I lost one of my favorites when we moved - Tales of the Weird & Unexplained. Something tells me I won't find much of the weird or unexplained here, in Norman Rockwell's neighborhood."

Clark smiled as he got an idea since she isn't looking he came back with the book. "Smallville's more than just dairy cows. We have a pretty good public library." To his surprise Chloe kissed him well that's gratitude! "What was that for?"

"I know you've been thinking about it all day. So I figured we'd just get it out of the way and be friends."

"Anything else?"

Clark looked up at the old female shop keep whom was holding a copy of Tales of the Weird and Unexplained. "Ah no, thank you."

Clark took the book and went out and to his surprise Letty was still where he left her mouth still open. "You still alive in there?"

Letty nodded her head. "Still trying to figure out how we got to Kansas from California in three minutes."

"I'm not exactly normal." Clark pointed out he would have ran faster but he could have hurt her.

Letty glared at him. "Yeah, I kind of figured that one out for myself when the bullets bounced off you. So did you get what you came for?"

Clark nodded holding up his book. "Yeah, I got it. Is your stomach up for another run?"

Letty shrugged she won't deny it. It was incredible seeing the whole world stop and her still moving not even at her fastest behind the wheel could she make that feeling. Letty felt Clark pick her up and here we go again.

Clark smiled seeing the welcome to Smallville sign as he made the turn to his farm. He stopped far short of it when he sees nothing but burnt remains. With the sudden stop he almost dropped Letty.

The Latina woman instantly rebounded but still in his arms. "Hey man what's your..."

"It's all gone." Clark spoke weakly as he approached what used to be his home and all Letty could see was scorched earth.

Letty looked around as she jumped down from Clark's arms. Whatever was here was huge. "What happened?"

"Lex" Clark answered without a moment of hesitation. "He must have burned it in an attempt to lure me back. And Chloe kept her mouth shut because she knew it would work." Clark fell to his knees his dad, his mom, Chloe, his home how did everything get so bad so fast.

Letty looked at him she imagines this would be Dom's house burning down to her. "I'm sorry man. Whoever this Lex I'll gladly help you kick his ass."

Clark shakes his head defeated and listens in sound like Lois found just in time. "Not today… it's my best friend's funeral."

Clark walked up to the cemetery seeing it's time but comes to a quick stop.

Letty looked at him. "I know it hurts, but it will probably help if you say goodbye."

Clark looks around and sees snipers with lead magazines in their rifles. Three guesses as to what they're packing. "I can't go."

"Why not?" Letty asked she went to Jesse's and that was one of the hardest things she ever did.

Clark pointed up. "I'm expected and I won't let a fight break out, not today, not at Chloe's funeral! Chloe upended her life for me, the least I can do is bury her in peace it's not too much to ask."

Letty watched him turn to leave but grabbed the book off him. "I'll put it on top of the coffin, the people who know you will know you're here in spirit and so will she."

Letty watched the funeral procession and a tinge of guilt hits her as she listens to the priest's words. Odds are Mia is probably getting the news of her unexpected demise as she sits here. But as long as Mia thinks she's dead the younger Toretto is safe from Braga's goons. As for Dom… she woke up in Mexico alone looking for her underwear, he can suffer a while.

The priest finishes up and she watches a brownish blonde headed woman with who looks like Oliver Queen is the first one up to the coffin. The woman says some words before breaking down in the billionaire's arms as she quietly steps back. Letty watches and sees… another billionaire. When Clark said Lex she didn't think he meant Lex Luthor of all people. She's pretty certain of one thing from the look in Oliver's eyes though. If it wasn't a funeral it looks like Oliver would be bouncing Lex's head off a tombstone.

Letty walks up to petite blond and looked at her quietly, she's younger then Clark is. She's half tempted to kill Lex herself. But as Clark said this isn't the place for it. She quietly puts the book in and says a prayer before moving on bumping into a bald guy Clark's age as she excuses herself.

Pete Ross watched the Latina woman he doesn't have the slightest clue who she is. She hopefully works for the Planet. If Lex is up to something with Chloe's DNA he'll kill him himself. Pete looks down at Chloe in the coffin and to his surprise he sees Tales of the Weird & Unexplained. His eyes quickly shot up and saw the woman gone. He'll be damned Clark figured out a way to get one last present to Chloe. Pete said his quiet goodbye and promptly left. He only came here for Clark who apparently supersped it.

Pete left the cemetery and came out to the cars. The only person he knew there was Gabe so he had no reason to say since Clark didn't. He saw the woman from earlier poking around Lex's car as she smiled seeing what she wanted to see. Pete watched as she effortlessly picked the locks to the doors of Lex's Porsche. Truth is he wouldn't use a car alarm in Smallville either. Meteor freaks aside there's no crime here. He watches the girl hop in and in a minute hot-wires Lex's car. Pete quietly hopped in his car and went after her.

Letty smiled seeing the federal agent was good for something as she cut the GPS and Lojack as Brian had taught her. She drove off unaware she was being followed.

Clark stood at an uneasy sight it's the first time he's been here since he buried them. Clark looked at his parent's graves and laid flowers down for each of them. "I'd be here sooner if I could, you know that right? I thought loosing Dad like I did would be the worst thing that ever happened to me. But I was wrong. For years you tried to warn me about Lex, but I didn't listen. And now Chloe's paid the price for it." Clark turned to his father's grave. "Dad I remember what you said once about not crossing that line. But everyday since you died it's been getting harder and harder to avoid crossing it. I can't keep hiding from Lex and he knows I'll come if he keeps going through my friends." Clark looked to the graves not crying but confuison and turmoil was clear on his face. "I really need your advice right now."

"You can't kill him, Clark."

Clark instantly shot to his feet seeing the elderly man come out in long hair and beard. "Lionel, what are you doing here?"

"Lex had no doubt that you would show up at Miss Sullivan's funeral, I knew better. However if you weren't there and you aren't at the Talon there's very little places you would go."

"Spare your son while he does god knows what to anyone in his way or just because they're different. I thought you were a monster Lionel but Lex has quite impressively made you look like a puppy." Clark replied.

"Clark"

"My best friend is going in the ground today!" Clark shouted. "And your son is the one that put her there. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill him."

Lionel just patted Clark on the shoulder he wasn't there for Lex when Julian and Lillian died but he can be here for him now. "No Clark, you can't kill him now because you'll make him right about you. His view on you would spread to the world and your destiny will be lost forever."

"My destiny" Clark just let out an empty chuckle. "My destiny is gone, the fortress is gone, I'm never going to do Jor El's precious destiny."

Lionel looked away. "Well one path cut off doesn't mean the end of the journey. And I haven't given up on you son."

Lionel hugged him and Clark did nothing as he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun clicking. He turns around and sees a green shell shot out of what appears to be a grenade launcher. He quickly grabs Lionel and jumps out of the way as the shell impacts destroying his parents' graves.

Clark let out a whimper as he tightened the grip on his fist. He sees Five men come down with assault rifles he's guessing trying to claim him. He simply grabs the park bench and with more force then he should throws it at them knocking down three.

He moves as fast as he can and shoved his palms into the last two grunts chests launching them into the air and down hard knocking them out.

Lionel gets to his feet and sees Clark disappear in a blur.

Clark went to the Talon if just to decompose. He walked into Chloe's apartment and looked in disgusted awe, amazed someone's whole life can be summed up in three measly cardboard boxes. Clark stood next to one and saw old clothes she has nothing important he's betting this one is going to good will.

Clark looks through the second box and sees work material more clothes likely everything form the Daily Planet. Clark moved onto the last box and this was the one he was interested in. Clark saw her cell phone and pocketed it for himself might help him figure out when Lex attacked her. He rummaged through some pictures and found ones of her and Jimmy. Clark thinks that's what his name was. His life went to hell shortly after meeting him. He sees more pictures dating back to Smallville high of the two of them along with Pete and his date for the night. Clark smiled thinking back to happier times before pulling out an envelope with his name on it. Should he open this? Clark decides it might have to do with the phantoms or Lex and peels it open. "I want to let you in on a secret, Clark…"

Lois opened the door to her apartment coming in somberly but grabs a bat when she hears a low noise. She heads for the kitchen and sees its Clark on the edge of tears trying not to break. Lois looked at him and she doesn't know what he found but it really did a number on him. She didn't care what Clark found right now she just wanted to be with someone hurting as much as she is and hugged him knowing he's in the same hell she is. Clark stayed in the embrace not sure how to feel as tears flowed why didn't Chloe just tell him.

Lois looked at him. "I really missed you today."

"It would have been a three ring circus if I showed up." Clark replied. "Chloe deserved better. But I did leave something for her."

They looked at each other and broke apart.

Lois smiled as she realized. "Tales of the Weird and Unexplained."

Clark nodded and Lois poured the two cups of coffee. Clark took a drink and was surprised. "Much better then what they have in California."

Lois looked at him. "Smallville went Hollywood there's got to be a joke here right?"

Clark shakes his head. "No I've been working at a bar for… well, let's just say below minimum wage."

"Clark why aren't you in Smallville anymore?" Lois asked.

Clark looked at the cup and replied. "It's not safe for me or the people around me anymore."

Lois looked at him. "Still not opening up huh. OK so what are you doing back?"

"I'm going to find the people that did this to Chloe… and then I'm going to open up." Clark replied.

Lois frowned and handed him a folder. "Well, I hate to tell you but legally we already did. It was some loser from a halfway house. Police took him into custody. Then Green Arrow took him from Police custody. Guy came back screaming everything he said a voice on the phone paid him a million bucks to do it."

Clark looks away so much for that idea. He looks down and sees the number of a complete stranger. "Hello?"

"Clark it's Letty"

Clark's eyes opened wide. "Letty, how'd you get this number?"

"I messed with your phone." The girl answered. "Come to the junkyard there's something I want to show you."

"I'll be right there." Clark assured her hanging up the phone.

Lois looked at him with a smile. "So who's Letty?"

"A person I met in California." Clark replied.

Lois looked at him. "Girlfriend?"

Clark shakes his head. "I saved her life and now she said she owes me one."

Lois smiled and looked away. "And somehow, I am not surprised. You should go it sounds urgent."

Clark nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry I can't stay for long."

"I've known you for two years Smallville, I know enough of your hero complex to know that if you're staying away it's because you're trying to protect us." Lois assured him.

Clark calmly nodded and he went out the door as Lois watched sadly. She had so many happy memories of Smallville. Now between The Kents, Chloe, and Clark living in Exile she just wishes the town would burn.

Clark came to a stop and saw Lex's Porsche trapped in a car crusher. Well this is new. Clark looks up and sees Letty at the crusher controls.

"I didn't want you to miss this." Letty replied.

Clark looked over Lex's car. "Why is it so clean?"

"It makes the crushing look a whole lot better. I probably should have shined it." Letty replied.

Clark looked at her. "OK, how many cars have you crushed?"

Letty thought it over but answered. "I lost count. So how'd you spend your afternoon?"

Clark looked to the floor. "Chloe's apartment, I was going through some things trying to find out what happened to her."

"Did you find anything?" Letty asked. "Because from what I saw she was shot in the head."

Clark shakes his head no and looked down at her phone. "No, just one last thing to check."

Letty looks at him. He might be the biggest boyscout she has ever seen. "Find anything useful?"

Clark nodded as he looked through Chloe's recent calls.

"So what's the word?"

Clark and Letty turn around and see Pete Ross staring at the two. Clark simply turned to Letty. "Crush the car"

Pete looked at Clark coldly. "So did Uncle Fester do it?"

Clark shakes his head looking over Chloe's phone. "No, but I promise you I'm going to find who did." And he's not going to get away with what he did.

Pete looked at him; Clark can't be brushing him off. "Clark you're not the only one hurting about losing Chloe. I can help if you let me."

"I know Pete but I'm going to deal with it. Just walk away right now." Clark pleaded.

Pete looked at him and realized that whatever he was going to do is second string to what Clark can do with his abilities. "Can I at least see the car get crushed?"

Clark nodded in agreement as the two waited for the show.

The three watched as Letty flipped the switch as Lex's Porsche was quickly crushed in the machine. Such a shame a nice car belonged to such an asshole

Pete looked at Clark. "So if there's anything I can do let me know alright."

Clark simply nodded looking at the wreck. "Of course, now if you'll excuse I have to go see a billionaire."

"By the way I'm still not leaving your side. I still owe you one and you owe me a run back home."

Clark nodded in acceptance. Truthfully, Letty is the closest thing to a friend he has right now across the country. Letty stood next to Pete watching Clark disappear again. "Do you ever get used to that?"

"No"

Letty took a moment before adding. "So you're not really leaving are you?"

"If it was your friend that was murdered would you?" Pete asked.

Letty simply smiled as she got in his car with him.

Lex came home to his mansion after rechecking all the locks on 33.1 thanks to a meteor freak with the power to jump frequencies nearly killing him and Lana. And as it ends up the meteor freaks are just the beginning. With Clark, the real problem is still out there. But he was attacked today so he must be running out of options if he's coming back to Smallville which will give him a chance to field test project Cyanaeous. He goes to sit down at his computer and is stressed out seeing his computer has been accessed.

"You know I gotta say I'm disappointed. Who would have thought Lex Luthor follows clichés."

Lex's eyes shot up in horror seeing Clark at the top of his office. Lex immediately went into his drawer but his guns and lead boxes are gone.

Clark smiled coming down the stairs. "Don't you think Lana's birthday as a password was just a little too obvious?"

Lex nervously looked at him. "You might have disarmed me but my security team will stop you."

"I met your security they're ten miles up north unconscious sans lead boxes thanks to superbreath and quickly taking off rings." Clark replied as Lex's face dropped in disappointment. Clark honestly doesn't know why they have those guys they never seem to do anything.

Lex looked at him from his seat. "And what exactly do you hope to accomplish here?"

Clark looked at Chloe's cell phone and read some text messages out loud. " 'Chloe, criminals don't like to have tabs put on them.' 'Chloe, the walls are closing in we should talk about Clark.' 'Chloe, you're on an edge of a very narrow ledge. Don't make me do something Lana would regret. Just tell me where he is?' "

Lex listened to Clark read his text messages and quietly walked for the fireplace and grabbed a hot poker. He turned around and Clark immediately took it off his hands. "You're joking right." He pushed Lex into his pool table with one hand as it practically exploded on impact. "If I came for a fight. You could tell by being dead already."

"Then just skip to the finish already Clark," Lex dared him. "Because I'll never say a word to you and I won't stop until I have you dissected to ensure humanity is ready for the incoming war."

Clark looked at him if he was Zod this would actually be a very noble act. "Very brave, but everyman has his weakness." Clark grabbed Lex's right hand and closed his fist and patted it. He went to his liquor and grabbed a bottle of whisky for himself as he took a swig. "Your psychotic side taught me that."

Lex opened his hand and his mouth dropped in horror at the small piece of jewelry with a very big diamond Lana. Lex rushed him and Clark just shoved him into the wall not even dropping the bottle and took another drink. "That's a new habit for you."

"Spend six months on the run you pick up a thing or two. Shame I really can't drown my sorrows though." Clark replied. "So, who did you sell Chloe out to?"

"It slipped my mind." Lex said.

Clark nodded knowing he wouldn't give in that easy as he sat at the billionaire's chair. "That's fine." He pulled out some papers and put it on the desk. "Me and Lana can have a nice long talk about what's in this?"

Lex looked at that folder. It's Lana's medical folder. "I honestly doubt Lana would believe anything from the hands of a kryptonian."

"Probably not" Clark agreed. "But she'd believe her own doctor's handwriting on the prescriptions for synthetic hormones. You know it's what girls take to baby trap a billionaire. Or what pathetic guys slip to girls as prenatal vitamins to baby trap them. What was your plan Lex, switch them out with placebos and cry miscarriage?"

Lex looked at Clark for a moment before weakly muttering. "Bruno Mannheim"

Clark looked at him. "Keep telling yourself that. You give me the real name I'll give you this and Lana." Clark walked for the exit and Lex countered.

"In what world do I believe that Clark Kent would willingly hurt Lana Lang?"

"The world where Lana Lang betrayed him, the world where Lana Lang isn't much better then her fiancé." Clark replied. "Now I'm off to go pay the future Mrs. Luthor a visit so excuse me."

Clark made it to the door and Lex shouted. "Braga, Arturo Braga"

Clark looked at Lex out of curiosity. "And that is?"

"Drug dealer every week he brings in millions of dollars in heroin. I don't know why Chloe was looking into him. Just that she was" Lex answered.

"You just took advantage of the situation." Clark replied. "You got Chloe killed."

"So are you going to tell me where my fiancé is?" Lex asked he'll deal with Clark another day. "I have a feeling you would kill me long before you kill her."

Clark glanced at Lex. "I still can't believe you went as far as to fake a pregnancy to Lana. She's made you a desperate man Lex."

Lex glared at Clark the day will come when he catches Clark off guard. "No offense Clark, but the days of me listening to your sage advice have long since come to an end. Now where's Lana… we both know you wouldn't hurt her."

Clark smiled and grabbed a remote. "Good call" Clark pushes a button as Lex's bookcase opens revealing his secret bunker. Lex's eyes widen in fear seeing his fiancé bound and gagged but fully conscious in front of the monitors she saw every action Lex did, every word he and Clark said.

Clark walked over and effortlessly ripped the ropes as Lana used her hands to remove the gag. Clark took her kryptonite necklace while she was in the shower and then he let her get changed before tying her up in here.

Lana looked at Clark for a brief moment kryptonians freaked her out but as it ends up she literally went into bed with someone even worse. "I'm sor…"

"You apologize to me and... just go." Clark warned.

"Why don't you do something to me?" Lana asked realizing the last thing she ever did with Chloe was fight her at the Talon.

"Because you betrayed everyone who stood by you and aligned yourself with that, you slept with that." Clark said pointing to Lex. "The worst thing I can do to you is to let you live with the guilt. And do absolutely nothing to you."

Lana looked at him coldly. "Unlike the rest of Smallville, I saw the real you in Metropolis junior year, don't act like you're no more dangerous then the rest of them. If I had known who you really were, I would have never let you touch me."

"And if I had known who you were going to become I would have never stopped the bus." Clark replied as Lana left the room slapping Lex across the face before he had a chance to say anything.

Lex held the side of his face and looked to Clark. "You did this!"

Clark didn't say a word. He honestly thinks Lex has never taken responsibility for a thing in his life. He grabs another bottle of whiskey and takes a swig before splashing it all over his curtains and furniture.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lex asked seeing Clark splash his booze all over the room emptying the bottle.

Clark listened until he heard the sound of Lana leaving in a car. Clark looked at the empty bottle and simply dropped it for a full one. "You burned through my life cutting off everything that mattered to me."

"If your quarry goes to ground leave no ground to go to." Lex replied.

Clark nodded he knew Lex would quote that in his delusions. "Lionel gave me the Art of War for my nineteenth birthday." Clark looked at the bottle before picking up a full one and to the fireplace. "You took everyone I cared about and every place I called home." Clark throws the full bottle into the fire as it spreads through the room. "Consider us even."

Clark blurred out of the room and Lex had no choice but to flee the mansion as he suddenly just appeared outside in time to see the rapidly growing blaze consume his family's 'ancestral' home thanks to Clark pulling him out of the fire. Lex clenched his fists its Clark's fault he took Lana from him and he burned his house down it doesn't matter how long it takes he'll pay for this. He looks to his left and sees a crushed cube and seeing the LX LTHR plate it quickly becomes obvious who stole his car at Chloe's funeral.

Author's Notes

Thanks for the reviews

I used to like Lex but watching the show again, it's kind of sad that his whole life can probably be made into a Weird Al parody of it wasn't me.

It's Dom/Letty but it doesn't mean she can't be pissed at him for leaving her.

And yes Clark is drifting off the rails because the only support systems he has left are Lois who is oblivious at this point, Pete who wants to see Lex dead, Letty who could still be wanted for the trucks in the original and Oliver whom at this point of Smallville seems to want a Clark like the Regime version from Injustice.