By David Mycock Time Wave 25

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of smallville or superman they belong to the people who created them at the time the other characters belong to their respective creators.

Pairing: Clark/Lana/Raya/Diana

Summary: Set during season Four, Clark is hit by a mysterious wave of energy which gives him knowledge of the future and how to prevent a dark future from befalling him and those around him. He decides to act on the knowledge especially concerning Lana.

(Kent Farm)

Clark woke feeling more refreshed than he had for a day or two, he had returned to the farm to rest before they planned and assaulted Zod's main base as the fortress was somewhat crowded. Raya and Kara had chosen to stay with Diana and Donna on the Island Themyscira and he could understand they wanted to be focused for the attack.

He had managed to avoid seeing his parents, Chloe and Lois who were all in the house but he knew he would not be able to avoid them before he left. He would have to face his mother and try and assure her he would try and bring Lana back but a part of him wondered if it was possible after he had heard what Dax-Ur had said about messing with people's memories and he shivered at how his mother would respond to been told that Lana was lost forever.

He sighed before going for a shower and then finally making his way down stairs to find his parents waiting for him alongside Chloe and Lois who looked nervous

"I think we need to talk Clark" Martha said as soon as she saw her son come down the stairs

"I know what you're going to say mom but no matter how much you wish I would just go and rescue Lana like I have before I can't do that now and I have explained the reasons why" Clark shot back eager to stop this argument before it started "I have not given up on her mom I will do everything I can to save her and bring her back except throw my life away or the lives of my friends and allies" he continued "As I said before there is so much more going on here with the results been more important than one persons life no matter who that is" he stated feeling a pain in his heart at saying that as a part of him fought against that

"How can you stand there and say that to me?" Martha shouted upset "How can you talk like that after everything you have done for her and what you told us happens between you in the future?" she demanded to know

"Because I know the truth now a truth I tried so hard to refuse to except before that in the end there are things bigger than me bigger than Lana or even our love" Clark answered "I told you before how long it took me before I was ready to face what I was what I could be and what I could do for the world and because I held on so much to Lana, to my past life I watched the world burn" he pressed wanting all of them to understand this "The world burned and millions of lives came to an end and maybe just maybe if I had woken up sooner I may have been able to stop it before it started, maybe if I had not made so many mistakes in my desire to be normal and have a life with Lana those lives could have been spared their pain" he told them the anger in his voice clear to them all

"Clark that maybe true but that does not give you the right to condem Lana to this fate" Martha argued ignoring the warning look Jonathan tried to send her to back off

"I am not condemming her mother but I will not put her before the world not anymore I can't I was sent here to save this world, you brought me up with all the things needed for me to do the right thing and whilst it seems the wrong choice it is for the right reasons" Clark shouted back "Sacrafices have to be made and Lana would agree with me if she was here I know it in my heart" he added

Martha just stared at him in horror before she stormed up the stairs and into her room the door slamming behind her and Clark sighed knowing if he did not save Lana or her orginal personaility could not be brought back he may never be able to reconcile with his mother.

"Clark are you sure this is the right choice?" Chloe asked split between two warring sides on what needed to be done as a part of her agreed with Martha and the other agreed with Clark

"I am sure Chloe and it kills me to admit it but I have to face it and accept it because if I don't I may make another mistake and that could cost more people their lives" Clark answered as he sat down and rubbed the bridge of his nose

"I understand where you are coming from Smallville" Lois spoke up "Remember I was brought up by a general who has war in his blood I know what you are saying is most likley spot on and you have to look at the bigger picture but you have to see Mrs Kent's point as well before all this happened you would have gone no matter what it cost you right?" she added

"That is just the point Lois I would have gone and maybe died thus leaveing the world to Zod and his allies, how can mom ignore this very important fact?" Clark responded

"Because Lana has always been important to her son" Jonathan finally entered the conversation "I can't fault either of you and I also understand what you've been saying but Martha will never see it from your point of view she just is not wired that way and she always looks for the best possible outcome in everything" he contineud

"Sadly dad there may not be a happy ending to this, we were discussing possible ways of helping the brainwashed meteor freaks before and according to Dax-Ur there may not be a way of reverseing what they have done to them and Lana and even trying could wipe out their entire life" Clark informed them noting how Chloe winced at this and Jonathan sighed and rubbed his eyes as he took this in

"Seriously?" Lois inquired trying not to show any emotion at this news

"At the moment yes but we'll keep looking dad maybe you can talk to mom for me and try and get here to calm down" Clark answered "Chloe, Lois you're with me" he added as he grabbed his locator and Chloe and Lois joined him

"Just be careful Clark take whatever risks you feel will help but don't get careless in what you are about to do" Jonathan told him "I'll do what I can to make Martha see things more clearly" he added with a grin trying to ease the tension "Good luck" he said as they vanished

Jonathan looked around the empty kitchen and sighed knowing explaing things to Martha and makng her see things from Clark's point of view would not be easy and there would be lots of shouting but it needed to be done and so he turned and heading to their bedroom to start and was not surprised to find Martha was in the process of walking up and down the room angrily and before closing the door he prayed she would not explode at what he said.

(Fortress of Solitude)

Clark, Lois and Chloe looked around and noted everybody had returned to the fortress and Bruce was also acompanied by Barbara Gorden a.k.a Batgirl and he guessed he had finally managed to locate his friend and aquire her help in their final battle. Chloe quickly moved off and went straight to Bart and began to talk with him and Clark knew she was looking for some comfort as he had none to give right now and Lois was too controlled to let her emotions out to help her, he watched the two interact and wondered how the future would unwind for Chloe and Bart now they seemed to be approching becoming a couple instead of just friends before shaiking his head and heading for the main table where Lionel, Dax-Ur and Oliver stood

Bruce noted his appearance and soon joined them alongside Arthur, Raya, Diana and Kara whilst the rest of the League began to quite down and take their seats to listen to whatever their plan was whilst Lois left his side and went and joined Chloe and Bart

"Are we all ready Dax-Ur?" Clark asked as he came to a stop

"I believe so Kal-El" Dax-Ur replied with a smile "We are all rested and ready to fight, my chip for Brainiac is complete and we have multiple cyborgs on line to help us in the fight" he informed them

"Okay lets get this done" Clark said as he turned and faced his friends and allies as the others took their seats took "Okay we are now ready to attack Zod's base and finish this but we will not be rushing this so listen well" he began "Chloe, Bart, Lois and Arthur will transport to the outside of their base and hack into their security systems and shut them down causing confusion and and also give us a small advantage when we first attack once that is done Chloe and Lois will return to the fortress and stay here whilst Bart and Arthur join us in the attack is that understood?" he inquired

"Yeah Smallville" Lois was the one who replied pleased to finally be of some real help "We got it, drop in drop their security and get out piece of cake" she added whilst Chloe nodded also pleased to be included

"Okay now once we get inside Kara, Raya, Dax-Ur and J'ohnn will track down Brainiac and bring him down so Dax-Ur can insert his chip which should reporgram him and bring him onto our side" Clark continued "Once this goal has been achieved Kara and Raya will face off against Nam-Ek and Aethyr and remove them from the fight whilst the major part of the league will take out the remaining meteor freaks and villians they have there" he explained "I will of course head for Zod and engage him along with Jor-El, make sure you destroy as much of the base as you can except for the decvice they used to brainwash the meteor freaks and Lana" he added

"What about Lana Clark how do we handle her?" Oliver asked

"I have discussed this with my father and Dax-Ur and we believe Isobel maybe our key to taking Lana out of the fight, as a split personility which can asume control when ever she wishes we believe Zod has placed some kind of control collor on her to keep Isobel locked up so break the collor and Isobel is free to take control and aid us" Clark answered "Whoever does this makes sure it is indeed Isobel before turning their back on her" he added as a warning

"How will be know it is Isobel?" Bart asked

"Ask her the reason why she was corrupted by the teague family" Clark responded "The answer should be because she knew about the stones of power and was trying to defend them for her lover Xan-El, Lana should not remember this in her altered brainwashed state plus when Isobel asumes control you should see her eyes flash purple" he contineud

"And if she replies wrong?" Bart asked again

"Take her down as quickly as you can and then bring her back to the fortress where she can be put in suspended animation like Nyssa until we can turn our attention to trying to help her" he answered

"Is everyone clear on what they are too do?" Bruce asked as he stood and joined Clark and watched as everyone nodded by Talia and Ra "Ra, Talia you will remain her and prepare to reciece our wounded and get them to the medical area where the medical cyborgs will deal with them. I will show you were we set it up in a minute and you will also guide us through the floor plans we have up on the screen here" he informed them pointing to the main screen where all the information they had on the base was put up

"We understand" Ra said glad they had some thing to do for this battle

"Okay everyone suit up and be ready to go in ten minutes" Clark ordered whilst he headed for the control station and Bruce led Ra and Talia to the medical area

(Secret Base)

Zod woke to to silence and he quickly looked around noting Lana was alseep on the floor where he had left her last night, he had not touched her sexualy just yet prefering to torture and break her even more than she already was in her brainwashed state. Another reason was because he wanted a true Kryptonian woman to be his partner, once he had dealt with Kal-El and his friends he would tare open the portal to the phantom zone and free those of his people there including his wife.

He finally stood and prepared for what he expected to be a straight assault on his base, Kal-El like his father before him was a fool and tended to act rashly so he was not expecting any real complex idea behind their plan to strike. Exiting the room he headed to the control complex where Brainiac, Aethyr, Nam-Ek, Joker, Toyman and Bane his last remaining commanders for now.

The rest of his troops were either normal villians or insane meteor freaks, what he needed was combat ready Kryptonian soldiers and he wished he had his army at his back right now. But no what he had were weak pathetic earthlings two Kryptonian soliders and a Kryptonian A.I, so he guessed he was evenly matched against Kal-El's forces to a point.

"Ok they will be coming and we must be ready to face them so have every meteor freak and villian we have left prepared for a war" he ordered once they had all given him their attention "We will kill every last one of them no matter who it is, no prisoners this time remove them from this planet is that understood?" he asked in a deadly tone.

He almost smiled as they all nodded their heads but he was annoyed to see no fear from any of them, granted he did not expect it from his followers but the humans should have felt some fear considering what he could do to them. Oh well he thought he would ensure once this was over with he would install the right kind of fear into these pawns, he quickly shook his head and turned back to the problem at hand.

"Once we have destroyed them all we will head to the fortress and take it by force as I am sure Jor-El will be able to retreat there and try and take it from us, we will remove his presence permently from the fortress and then open the portal to the zone and free the prisoners there" he started again "This planet will burn under our feet as we become the masters and ruler of a new empire, an empire that will reach out across the stars and this time nothing will stop me" he added with a truly demented smile on his face.

The others just smiled and nodded imagining the wealth and power they would again from aiding him in his plans, it was the true weakness of the greedy he though. Like back on Krypton he had used many including Zor-El the brother of his worst enemy, to aid his plans but knowing once he had what he wanted he would remove the man so he would never become an actual threat. It was something he knew he would have to do here as some of these earthlings were just too independent to leave alive, they wanted their own little part of his empire and did not understand there would be only one king and that was him.

"Go carry out your orders and remember they may strike at any time so be ready" he ordered clearing the room of everyone but him and Brainiac "This planet's population is so easy to manipulate" he stated turning to the A.I.

"They are indeed Lord Zod, in the last timeline I manipulated many of them Kal-El included as he had been way to trusting" Brainiac responded "To think they believe themselves so advanced is redicoulous" he added with a shake of his head whilst Zod laughed at the very notion.

(Outside the Secret Base)

Bart and Arthur appeared first to check the area out before calling the all clear so Chloe and Lois could be sent, once they arrived they moved straight for the section of the base where they could tap into the security system. Chloe quickly got to work once she was in and with suggestions from Lois quickly bypassed the firewalls and traps Zod and Brainiac had set up, finally she found what she was looking for and with a few commands brought the entire base security down.

"It's done Clark, security is down" Chloe said into her earpiece with a smile as they quickly moved back to the transport site "Be careful guys especially you Bart" she added before quickly moving forward and kissing him before she and Lois vanished.

Bart was a little surprised by the move as he knew they had gotten close but not that close, suddenly noticing the chuckling Arthur he groaned knowing he was going to be teased about this for a while. He shook his head and moved to meet the others.