Once Clark was up in
his room, he started rummaging threw 'his' things, trying to get
some hints from his past, come clues as how to act, what to
do.
Clark
couldn't stand the flannel that seemed to be everywhere. He found a
lot of pictures with him and 'his parents.' He seemed happy; they
seemed like a real family. Clark started in on his desk. He couldn't
help but laugh when he found an essay 'he' had written; saying he
planned to be pursuing a career in Journalism in 5 years. 'That
would never happen' He laughed, throwing it away. He found at the
bottom of his desk drawer, a picture of Lana. She was smiling, but
she seemed so sad. 'Wait... if the Kents adopted me, then what
happened to Lana?' Clark wondered. Clark opened a notebook, finding
homework assignments in it, he tossed it aside. Clark laughed though,
he never did homework.
After
a while he found a picture of him and Chloe, Pete, Lana, and Lex.
Clark sighed with relief when he saw the photo of him and Lex. It
showed Lex knew him. But they weren't brothers, so how did they
know each other? Clark really didn't care, he was just glad he had
a link to his former life. Clark winced when he thought of his
confrontation with Lana earlier; was that how he was with Lex? How
could his relationship with Lana be so strained? Clark knew he was
high maintenance, and had a history of blowing up over small things,
but Lana had never strayed from him; she helped him work through it.
Has she changed just as much as I have in this world?
Clark
was frustrated and gave up. Everything in this room, it told him
close to nothing. He had to get actual answers. Clark didn't want
to talk to Lana again until he knew a little bit about how he was
supposed to act, what happened between them in the past. He
definitely didn't want to ask Jonathan, and Martha would probably
think he was crazy. He had no idea what to expect in the Lex
department, so that was out. Todd was just as clueless as he was, so
he was scratched off the list. 'There is no one else.' Clark
thought.
After
a few minutes of just sitting there, Clark super sped to the
storm
cellar, he
had to see if the spaceship was there. Clark was surprised
to
see it was in
the exact spot he had first seen it, with a sheet over
it.
When he
touched it and he had a memory... That was as close as Clark
could
describe it,
because that's what it felt like.
&&&&&&&&&&&&=memory=&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Cut
to Pete and Clark talking down in the storm cellar sometime
after.
Pete: So you're some sort of... what? You're not a
human?
Clark: I don't know what I am. I don't know where
that ship brought me from. I just know that I grew up in Smallville,
and everything that I care about and everyone that I care about is
here.
Pete: If you care about me so much, how come you never
told me sooner?
Clark: Pete, believe me, there wasn't a day
that went by where I didn't want to tell you, but my parents
thought it was too dangerous. Not just for me, but for anyone else
who knew the truth.
Pete: You didn't think I could handle
it?
Clark: Can you?
Pete starts to walk around Clark
slowly.
Clark: Pete, another reason why I didn't say
anything is because I knew people would look at me the exact same way
that you're looking at me right now.
Pete: And how's
that?
Clark: Like a freak. Pete, I've tried my whole life
just to blend in, to try and be more normal than anyone else. Would
you just say something? Call me... call me an alien, call me a
monster. I don't care, just say something.
Pete: It's like
I don't even know you.
Clark: Yes, you do know me. I'm the
same kid that used to camp in your backyard. We used to ride our
bikes in the woods; we used to play basketball with your brothers.
Nothing has changed.
Pete: Yeah, right.
&&&&&&&&&&&&=end
memory=&&&&&&&&&&&&
Clark
felt all the emotion that went along with the vivid memory. "Whoa"
Clark thought. Clark now knew who he had to talk to; to find out the
missing information in his life. He didn't even have time to think
about why he had the 'memory'.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Pete."
Clark said seeing his apparent 'best friend' walk out onto
Smallville's main street.
"Hey,
Clark." Pete cocked his eyebrow, "I guess your feeling better,
since you actually know who I am."
"That
is what I need to talk to you about." Clark said.
"Um... alright."
Pete said, sensing Clark was desperate.
"I'll
meet you in the loft in an hour; I have to pick up something for my
mom." Pete said, getting into his car.
"The
loft?" Clark didn't know what that was.
"Your barn, Clark." Pete said shaking his head, as he drove off.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Clark
had been waiting up in the 'loft' for about an hour. This was
never here when Lana lived here, in real life. Clark noted that the
loft would provide more answers than his bedroom ever could. He must
have spent hours there every day.
"Okay,
Clark. What's up?" Pete said jogging up the flight of stairs.
"Pete, you are my best friend?" Clark said.
"Yeah..." Pete
didn't like how he said it as more a question than a
fact.
"And I've
told you my... secret." Clark had to be sure first. "Yeah, I know
about your abilities." Pete said laughing uncomfortably.
"Okay." Clark let
out a sigh, "This is going to sound totally crazy, but ... I'm
not Clark Kent."
"Huh?"
Pete had no idea what Clark was talking about.
"I was in an
accident... and I was forced into this world. I'm not really a
Kent, I'm a Luthor." Clark said trying to explain, what he barely
understood.
"Sure
Clark." Pete said thinking it had something to do with how close
Lex and him where.
"I'm
serious. I was struck by lighting and I woke up in this reality where
the Kents adopted me, instead of Lionel. I'm telling you this
because I have no memory of this life, and I want you to help me."
Clark said in an irritated tone.
"Clark...
what are you trying to pull?" Pete thought it was some kind of
practical joke, Clark wasn't the prank type, but there is a first
for everything.
"Listen
to me damnit! I'm not making this up! Do I even seem like the
stupid farm boy you know?" Clark had labeled this version of
himself as a farm boy.
Pete
had to admit, that Clark seemed different. It was more than a mood
swing, it was everything about him. He seemed so confident, and even
the way he talked, worded things, it was all different, "So maybe
you seem different."
"I
am! And I don't know how to get out of this... glimpse of the
past...future... the future I would have had if the past was changed.
My friend said that if I just lived it out, that it would
stop...maybe." Clark had to hope.
"Well
what do you want me to do?" Pete believed him more with every word
he said, every gesture that was out of character for the Clark he had
known his whole life.
"Tell
me what I'm supposed to do." Clark said, as if it was obvious.
"What are you talking
about?" Pete said.
"Tell
me how I live... what I do in the morning, what classes I have, why
Lana hates me... you know!" Clark said frustrated.
"Oh."
Pete said shyly. This Clark made him seem so inferior and well...
stupid. "I'll try. What do you want to know?"
Clark
didn't even have to think about his first question, "Why is Lana
mad at me? Why does she think I broke up with her?"
"Clark...
you and Lana... it's complicated." Pete sighed, Clark had to pick
the hardest thing to explain.
It
took Pete a full 45 minutes to just explain Clark and Lana's
relationship to this new Clark. He told him about how they had first
started their friendship, and all the times Clark attempted to make
it more than that, but screwed it up. Then he told him about how they
had finally connected before Lex's wedding. Clark wanted to say
something about his brother getting married, but didn't interrupt.
Pete explained how, under the influence of Red Kryptonite, Clark had
terrorized Metropolis and left Lana. He went on to explain how when
he got back, Clark broke up with Lana because he couldn't stand to
hurt her again. Then it go worse, because Clark was convinced that
him just being around Lana was too dangerous, because of what
happened with Lex causing Lana to break her leg. When Clark finally
thought he really could date Lana, Adam came into the picture. Pete
even went above and beyond, telling Clark about a meteor infected
Seth, who used his abilities to make Lana fall in love with him. Pete
thought that as long as he was telling Clark about his own love life,
which he found very uncomfortable at times, he might as well tell
Clark all about Chloe's feelings for her, and how he had taken her
to the Spring Formal. Clark almost laughed at the thought of Chloe
having romantic feelings for him.
"Clark,
I have to go. But here is your class schedule." Pete really just
didn't like being around this Clark anymore. He was sick of
being put down whenever he said something negative against Lionel.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
A jock came down the hall, knocking Clark's books to the floor, purposely, and saying, "Get the hell out of my way, freak." He turned around as the rest of his friends laughed. Clark had, had enough.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Clark said, grabbing a shoulder, forcing him to turn around.
The Jock looked at Clark and pushed him square in the chest, "Who do you think you are, Kent?"
Clark shoved him back, "Don't touch me, asshole!"
"Do you want me to
smash your face in, Kent?" The jock threatened.
"I'd
like to see you try." Clark challenged. By now there was a small
crowd, watching the scene.
The
Jock swung at Clark, and Clark dodged the punch, laughing; right
before he punched the guy in the face, judging his strength well,
knowing how hard a normal guy would punch.
The
jock grabbed his face, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand
to find blood. "Oh that's it Kent!" He yelled before charging
Clark. Clark was taken by surprise and the jock managed to send him
to the floor, him of top on Clark, getting ready to punch. Clark
grabbed his hand, inches before it would have hit his
face.
"Is that
all you got?" Clark egged him on.
"Hey!" A loud voice
bellowed, as the crowd parted. "What is going on here?" The voice
reeked with authority.
The
jock was still on top of Clark, when the principle came into view,
standing over them. "Get up." He commanded them both. The jock
immediately jumped off Clark. Clark took his time getting up; making
a comment about how the jock had bled all over his shirt; which made
the crowd laugh.
"You
two, my office, NOW!" He yelled, "And the rest of you, go to
class!" The jock just looked sacred, but Clark was smiling. He
pulled his shirt over his head; he wasn't going to wear a bloody
T-shirt around. Clark was pleased to find more than a few people
surprised at how well built he was. Lana however, was not among them.
She just stared at him, with pure shock to see that he was the one
who was fighting. Her eyes seemed to burn threw him; all he could see
was disappointment, and he turned away. Lana had never looked at him
like that before.
"Mr.
Kent, put your shirt back on." The principle said.
"No." Clark laughed, throwing his shirt back behind him a few feet on the hallway. The principle was trying to suppress his fury as he pushed Clark into his office and slammed the door.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Hey,
Chloe." Lana said, entering their room. "Did you hear about
Clark?" Chloe said instantly focusing her attention on
Lana.
"Yeah, I
was there, I saw it." Lana said.
"Oh, this is too
good! You have to tell me every detail of your eye witness account?"
Chloe made herself comfortable, "The most popular story is that
Clark Kent lost it, and beat up Mark Schmitt, the captain of the
football team." Chloe got that grin, which only a juicy story could
pull out of her.
"Well...
I'm not sure exactly what happened but, Mark said something to
Clark- made some joke about him, and I donno... they always do stuff
like that." Lana said sadly, "But I guess it was one too many
times, because Clark called him on it." Lana said remembering how
Clark had used the F word. She had never heard him say that before,
"Mark threw the first punch, but...Clark sure finished
it."
"Doesn't
sound like the charming Clark we all know and love." Chloe said,
intrigued.
"Yeah, and when the
principle came and broke up the fight, Clark was still taunting Mark.
He even managed to make Principle Reynolds more angry with him on the
50 foot walk to his office." Lana said, "When I looked at him...
I've seen that look on his face before."
"In
Metropolis." Chloe read her mind.
"Yeah." Lana
confirmed. "I don't know what's going on with
him."
"Yesterday...
he totally flipped out on me." Chloe confessed.
"Why?" Lana
asked.
"Um... it
was an old issue, which he said he forgave me for months ago. He was
so angry." Chloe said.
"I
know how you feel though." It was Lana's turn, "Yesterday he
came to the Talon. He said he was my boyfriend and when I just stated
the obvious that he broke up with me, he called me a bitch, right
before telling me he loved me."
"Whoa."
Chloe was positive that she had hurt Clark more than Lana was even
capable, and Clark had never used that word with her. "And then he
said he loved you?" Chloe said incredulously.
"I
know!" Lana said glad to share her confusion with someone, "It
was like he was living in his own little reality, saying he would
never break up with me." Lana couldn't help but remember how
Clark had shown some of the same symptoms the day before running off
to Metropolis. But this was different, he was so angry this
time.
"Do you
think he is..." Chloe didn't know if she should say it.
"What?" Lana asked. "Crazy? No."
"Lana, you know how
many issues he has! I swear it's like he has multiple personality
disorder or something." Chloe argued.
Lana
couldn't deny it, "Chloe..."
"Lana, this morning
his parents called, claming they didn't know where Clark was,
hadn't seen him in 3 days." Chloe said.
Lana
didn't know what to say.
"Lana, I don't know about you but, I do not want a repeat of last summer. If he does have a problem, I want to help him before it's too late." Chloe said.
"I do too, but Chloe
this doesn't mean he has a mental illness." Lana couldn't
believe that, even if she didn't have another explanation for what
Clark's strange behavior.
Chloe
just gave her an 'are-you-sure' look before walking out of the
bedroom.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Lana!" Lana could see Clark's eyes light up as he spotted her."Clark, I can't
talk to you right now, I'm working." Lana wished the Talon was
more crowded so her excuse seemed less flimsy.
"Lana,
please?" Clark said with soft, calm eyes. Lana looked down at her
tray, trying to decide.
"Just
10 minutes." Clark said, pushing her decision over.
"Alright." Lana
set the empty tray on the counter as Clark led her to an empty booth
in the back of the Talon.
"Lana."
Clark took her hands in his, across the table. Lana immediately
retracted her hands.
"What?"
Lana said coldly.
"Listen, I'm sorry
about yesterday, I shouldn't have gotten mad." Clark
apologized.
"Okay."
Lana said, keeping her gaze on the table.
"Lana, I meant it. I
love you, and we should be together." Clark said.
"Clark...
you can't just say that!" Lana said.
"Lana, I know our
past is was so screwed up, but it will be different this time, I
swear!" Clark pleaded.
"Different?
Different like how you've been acting... Clark, I'm worried about
you." Lana confessed, not sure how he would react.
"Why?"
Clark didn't like what he foresaw coming next.
"Because... you
aren't acting like yourself... yesterday... the fight with Mark
today..." Lana said.
"Lana,
I didn't start that fight." Clark said defensively.
"I know but, Clark,
that isn't you. Are you sure you are alright?" Lana
asked.
"Yes,
Lana, that is who I am. All I did was stand up for myself. I'm not
alright, because I need you Lana." Clark said putting his hand on
hers.
"Clark,
what's going on with you?" Lana asked.
"Nothing." Clark
said.
"How can
you even expect me to get back together with you when you can't
even be honestly with me about something like this?" Lana
countered.
"Lana,
I'll tell you anything you want to know. It's not supposed to be
like this. In the real world, you know my secrets." Clark said, not
fully realizing what he was saying.
"Real
world? Clark... I'm not the only one worried about you. Chloe has
noticed the way you are acting-"
"And
how is that?" Clark interrupted her.
"Like you were before you ran away." Lana laid it all out on the table.
"No, Lana, that
wasn't me who did that. I never ran away... it's hard to
explain." Clark said.
"Clark,
this is exactly what I'm talking about... your in your own little
world and..." Lana was beginning to side with Chloe's theory, and
had to test it, "Clark, when we were in the pit... where your storm
cellar blew up... do you remember what you said?"
Clark
gave Lana a look which showed he had no idea what she was talking
about.
"You were
really paranoid... you kept saying someone was going to hurt everyone
you love." Lana said, trying to make him see.
"Lana,
I don't remember that." Clark was finding it harder than he
imagined to convince Lana to be his girlfriend.
"Clark...
please just tell me what's going on." Lana was practically
begging him to reassure her that he wasn't going crazy. 'He can't
even remember things' Lana worried.
"Alright...
I'll tell you." Clark thought it was the only way, "I know it
sounds crazy but, I was in this car accident and I was hit by
lightning, and when I woke up... I was in this life... You see, in
real life, I'm not a Kent, I'm a Luther. We are together and
happy Lana. It's all different." Clark said.
Lana
felt like crying. He was totally losing it, living in some fantasy
world. What scared her most was when she looked into his eyes, she
saw that he truly believed it.
"Clark...
let me help you." Lana knew Chloe was right. She had to help him
before it was too late.
"Lana,
it's true. I swear." Clark said regretting saying anything. "I'm
not crazy." Clark couldn't believe the look he saw in Lana's
eyes. She was scared for him, because she truly thought he was losing
his mind.
"I'm
not!" Clark said before running out of the Talon.
TBC...