"Chloe, you need to get some rest," Oliver said.

"Not till Clark wakes up," Chloe replied replied stubbornly. She held Clark's hand in hers, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"He just needs time to heal," Oliver said, grabbing a chair and pulling it next to Chloe. "The kryptonite in the bomb should've killed him, but Clark's strong. He'll be okay."

Chloe nodded, trying to believe what Oliver was saying. But seeing AC pull Clark out of the ocean, shards of kryptonite embedded in his back, was making it hard.

"Any news on Bart?" she asked, looking at Oliver.

"AC and Victor tracked him to Star City then they lost him. He still has his GPS but who knows how long that'll last," Oliver replied, sighing.

"He'll come back to us," Chloe said, turning back to Clark. "They both will."


Bart felt the burning in his legs, his body telling him to stop and rest, but he ignored everything except the one desire to escape. Escape Metropolis, escape America, escape from the nightmare playing over and over in his head of the bomb exploding and Clark shielding him from the blast.

Suddenly he stopped, looking around. He was somewhere in South America, on an empty beach. The pull of unconsciousness was growing stronger as he made his way towards a clump of small trees. He knew he was a wreck; his left arm was broken and there was a gash on his forehead that wouldn't stop bleeding, and he wasn't healing like usual. But that wouldn't stop him. Nothing would. He had to find Lex, had to make him pay for hurting Clark.

Using the trees as shelter, he laid down in the warm sand, feeling his body slowly relax. He held his arm against his chest, trying to keep it steady. His ribs screamed at the movement but he ignored the pain, pushing it away from himself. As long as he kept going nothing would stop him from finding Lex and killing him. Then he could return to the team, and maybe they'd forgive him.

As he fell asleep, the movie in his head started playing, picking up where it always did. The bomb was about to go off, and then Clark was there, shielding him as an explosion threw them back towards the shore. They sank below the waves as the shrapnel rained down around them, the large fireball fading away to nothing. Bart tried to swim to the surface, but Clark wasn't moving and that's when he realized something was wrong.

Grabbing Clark with his good arm, Bart was hardly able to drag his head above the surface. They floated there for what felt like hours, Bart slipping in and out of unconsciousness. Then he heard shouts, and a boat was coming, and the team was suddenly there. AC jumped in the water, grabbing Bart.

"Take Clark!" Bart said, and AC quickly pulled Clark over to the boat where Oliver and Victor hoisted Clark in. Bart was barely able to stay awake as AC swam back to him.

"It's okay, I got you," AC said as he looped an arm around Bart and soon Oliver was pulling him up into the boat and they were racing back to the shore.

"The bomb was laced with kryptonite!" Victor yelled over the noise of the engine, having scanned Clark for injuries.

"Chloe, we're almost there!" Oliver yelled into his com link. Bart felt himself slide sideways till he was lying on his side, watching the world through a haze. Clark was injured because of him.

"Bart, are you hurt?" AC asked, kneeling beside him.

"All my fault," Bart whispered, the edges of his vision going black. "All my fault."

The rest of the ride was a blur, then there was a flurry of activity when they reached the dock as doctors rushed forward. They loaded Clark on a backboard and strapped him down then rushed him to a waiting helicopter. Oliver followed, shouting orders. AC and Victor helped Bart to his feet and he cried out as they jostled his left arm.

"We have to get you to the helicopter," AC said, knowing Bart hated being carried but also that he was injured and needed their help.

"Tell Clark I'm sorry," Bart said, climbing out of the boat. As soon as he was on the dock he was running, ignoring the shouts from AC and Victor. He knew it was his fault Clark was hurt, and the rest of the team knew it just as well as he did. The only option left was to find Lex and hurt him as bad as he hurt Clark. Then Bart could rest.


Bart's eyes snapped open, ending the dream. He laid there for a while, listening to the sound of the waves and the seagulls. Everything was so peaceful. Then he coughed, feeling his ribs shift. He curled up in agony, trying to suppress the cough so the burning in his chest would stop. After a few moments when he was able to breathe again he slowly got to his hands and knees and using a tree he was able to stand up. The world spun around him and he closed his eyes, waiting for everything to stop. He had to get moving, he had a lot of ground to cover.

He pulled out his phone, surprised to see a missed call from Oliver and a voice mail.

"Bart, come back to Metropolis. We can talk. You aren't in any shape to be running around the world. I know you, I know you blame yourself for what happened to Clark, but it wasn't your fault. So just come back. We're all worried about you," Oliver said.

Bart sighed, closing his phone. He slipped it into his backpack, tightening the straps. He took a few shallow breaths then he was off, racing towards the next destination.

"He's going to all known locations Lex has ever been to," Victor said. Oliver paced the room, deep in thought.

"It's like Bart's hunting Lex," AC added.

"That's exactly what he's doing," Oliver said, stopping to look at them. "Lex knew the kryptonite in that bomb could kill Clark, that's why he used it. The lab was a diversion. Clark was the real target."

"And Bart thinks if he finds Lex he can what, make him apologize?" Victor asked.

"He's going to kill him," Chloe said. The three of them turned to see her standing in the door.

"Bart's not a killer," AC said.

"Lex just tried to kill one of Bart's closest friends. And Bart's injured and not thinking straight. If he finds Lex, who knows what he might do," Oliver said.

"We have to find Lex before Bart does," Victor said.

"I'm all for killing Lex, but it won't help Clark," Chloe said. "And it'll ruin Bart's life. Lex has caused enough damage, but he isn't worth it."

"Let's find Lex then," Oliver said.