Chapter Thirty-Nine - Looking At Things With Fresh Eyes

There was lots of activity in the Clamp Center - Daniel Clamp yelling "Buy plaid!" down a phone line, a girl called Kate Beringer telling her many, many tales of holiday woe to Chloe Sullivan, a plaid-clad Lex Luthor looking wistfully at the black garments in one of the fashion stores, unaware that Jimmy Olsen was watching him, and, oblivious to all this other activity, running down a variety of corridors, were The Doctor and Rose pursued by a quartet of cosmic ray enhanced Mogwai.

"Why do we always end up running down corridors?" asked Rose.

"It's good for you," replied The Doctor. "Keeps you young. You should have seen what I used to look like."

Suddenly a small bespectacled gremlin stepped out in front of them. At first The Doctor and Rose thought they were going to run right into the familiar figure, but instead they smashed straight into an invisible barrier.

"Ah, Doctor," said the gremlin, looking down at The Doctor and Rose lying dazed before him on the ground. "I see you've encountered my latest creations - Mogwai bombarded with cosmic rays. The greatest examples of Mogwai-kind the world has ever seen."

The Doctor and Rose looked towards the bespectacled gremlin and then back at the gremlins approaching them from behind: one a tall stretchy gremlin, one with a skin made of orange rocks and a final gremlin that just looked normal - normal, that is, for a gremlin.

"So, these three Mogwai are the greatest ever?" asked The Doctor with a certain degree of disdain.

"Actually there's four of them," explained the gremlin. "The final one's invisible. Actually I think they're all rather fantastic."

Rose looked at the gremlin in disbelief. "The fantastic four? The world's greatest cosmic Mogwai seen? That's so lame."

The bespectacled gremlin looked at Rose angrily. "I doubt whether you'll say they're lame when they've finished with you. In fact I doubt whether you'll say anything ever again."

And with that, the top-half of the stretchy gremlin's body suddenly zoomed towards Rose and wrapped itself around her, while the rocky gremlin started stomping towards her and The Doctor.

"So what does that other gremlin do?" The Doctor asked the gremlin mastermind, as the rocky gremlin got nearer and nearer.

"He bursts into flames," replied the gremlin.

Suddenly the other gremlins stopped in their tracks and the stretchy gremlin went slack around Rose.

As Rose took the opportunity to throw the stretchy gremlin off her, the bespectacled mastermind addressed the other Mogwai. "Don't worry about the bright light of the flames - they won't affect you if you're invisible - the light will pass right through you."

Suddenly the gremlins realized the wisdom of their leader's words and started sniggering as the invisible gremlin used its powers to make all of them, apart from the soon-to-be-flaming gremlin, invisible.

As soon as the others were invisible, the final gremlin burst into flames and it soared through the air towards The Doctor. It barely paid any attention to the voice that suddenly echoed through the corridor.

You are on fire. Please do not panic. The Clamp Center comes equipped with all the latest-

Suddenly the announcement was drowned out by the sound of the sprinkler system spreading copious amounts of water throughout the corridor. Just at the end of that corridor, just out of reach of the water, the bespectacled gremlin stood, looking on in horror as the invisible gremlin, distracted by all the new-born visible gremlins suddenly attempting to escape from its body, lost the concentration necessary to keep the other gremlins invisible.

At that moment the orange rock gremlin reappeared, writhing in agony as hatching gremlins, caused by the water seeping into the gaps in its rocky skin, tried in vain to fight their way out of its rocky hide. Similarly the stretchy gremlin reappeared, bouncing across the room as the new gremlins inside him, failing to break out of his bouncy skin, ricocheted back inside him.

And then there was the fiery gremlin, now enveloped in steam, with newly-born newly-dead charred gremlins sprouting all over its body. Finally, unable to take the unbearable pain any longer, it went supernova with its bright light destroying itself and all of the other gremlins.

Fortunately, by that time, The Doctor, Rose and the bespectacled gremlin had had the sense to rush around the corner, away from the danger of the heat and the light. Unfortunately the dying screams of the gremlins could still be heard.

"Didn't really think that through, did you?" observed The Doctor.

The gremlin looked at The Doctor and smiled. "Plenty more where they came from."

Rose looked at the gremlin with exasperation. "Surely you're not going to attack us again?"

"Quite frankly, my dear, I'd love to," replied the gremlin, "but I'm afraid time's getting on. It'll be getting dark outside soon and it will be time for us to invade the streets. No, I've got much more important things to prepare."

"The musical number?" asked Rose, remembering the film's finale.

The gremlin stroked his chin with his index claw. "Now's there an idea," he said, and then dashed off.

"A musical number?" said The Doctor. "That should be fun to watch."

"Already seen it," replied Rose. "Now let's collect the others and get out of here."

"But-" began The Doctor, and then stopped talking due to Rose's hand over his mouth.

"Start spreading the news," she ordered. "We're leaving today."


Meanwhile, in a different time and reality, Ursa and Zod were talking in a Smallville cave when Clark suddenly ran in.

"I can't do it," he announced.

"Do what?" asked Ursa.

"Let Louise die," replied Clark.

"But I explained to you why she has to die, Kal," said a slightly irritated Ursa. "If Louise lives then the impact on the time stream could be immeasurable."

"I know what you said," replied Clark. "I realize that if Louise lives then she'll affect all of those around her and Lana might not even end up being born but I still can't do it. I've got the chance to save Louise and I have to take it."

Zod turned his head towards Clark. "Listen to your mother, Kal."

"Mother?" said a stunned Clark.

"That's right," replied Zod. "I've searched through the Kryptonian archives and we are indeed your parents."

"Father?" added a stunned Clark.

"That's right," replied Zod. "And you cannot shame the House of El by interfering with destiny."

"But, Father, I think I love Louise," started Clark.

"Love?" said Zod with fury. "A genetically pure Kryptonian mixing with a random-gened alien. I will not allow it."

"But -" started Clark.

"But nothing, Kal. You've got to understand that your actions have consequences. Have the last couple of days taught you nothing? First you changed the future by being dragged from your own time, which ended up with the deaths of everyone you held dear, and then, once you'd managed to correct that, you immediately set off a course of events that led to Lana's death."

"But I can't just let Louise die," pleaded Clark.

"I know it's hard, Kal," replied Zod, "but it has to be done. To prove you're truly worthy to return to Krypton with us you'll have to make that sacrifice."

Clark looked at Zod in stunned silence as Zod continued. "That medallion around your neck is recording your every action. Return with it once Louise has met her tragic fate and then we'll return to Krypton together … as a family."

Without saying anything, Clark turned away from Zod and Ursa and then ran away back to Smallville wishing that he could forget what had just taken place. Unfortunately, although the mem-O-random duly obliged by erasing the scene from its memory, the scene still remained indelibly etched within Clark's.


Chloe Sullivan had been listening to Kate Beringer's unhappy holiday stories for what seemed liked an eternity, and she was already beginning to miss Lana's tales of meteoric misfortune that seemed positively bright and breezy in comparison. As Kate came up with yet another unbelievably tragic tale about a Thanksgiving trip to Cincinnati and her uncle getting killed by a plummeting turkey, Chloe was suddenly relieved to hear a familiar voice.

"Chloe," said the familiar voice.

"Jimmy," she replied, looking up at Jimmy.

"And that's why I never give thanks for Thanksgiving," continued Kate, oblivious to Jimmy, totally engrossed in her totally gross stories.

"Wow, that's really sad," interrupted Chloe, "but my friend Jimmy's here now so I better be going."

"Oh, okay," said Kate. "I guess I better be going too. Nice talking to you."

"Wasn't it just," said Chloe, taking even her sarcasm to new levels.

As Kate disappeared up the stairs, Chloe looked at Jimmy. "Boy, I'm glad to see you."

"Makes a change," observed Jimmy. "Lately it seems you've been trying to avoid me."

"I'm sorry, Jimmy," admitted Chloe. "I didn't mean for it to be that obvious."

"Have I done something wrong?" asked a confused Jimmy.

"No, it's not your fault," replied Chloe. "Well, it kind of is, but not you. A different Jimmy Olsen."

"You're blaming me for something a different Jimmy Olsen did?" asked an incredulous Jimmy Olsen.

"No, it's not that," replied Chloe. "It's just that in my reality I met Jimmy Olsen - who didn't look like you, just like my Lois and Clark don't look like your Lois and Clark. Anyway, I met Jimmy at the planet and we were kind of close and … this is going to sound stupid."

"Trust me, Chloe," replied Jimmy. "I've been through so many different realities that nothing can sound stupid anymore."

"It's just that I've been feeling things about you, but it's confusing because those feelings aren't because of you. It's the other Jimmy Olsen I like, the one you remind me of in some ways. But you're not that Jimmy Olsen."

"Hey, that's okay," said Jimmy downheartedly. "I'm used to being the wrong Jimmy Olsen."

"And that's the other thing that I hate about you. You don't just remind me of Jimmy Olsen, but with your self-pity and the way you look at me and the way you try and hide it, you remind me of me and the way I look at Clark."

"So, you don't think things can work out between us?" asked Jimmy, knowing the answer in advance.

"No, I'm sorry, Jimmy. It's just too confusing. Besides, cross-dimensional relationships never work."

"So, you're sticking with Lex instead?" asked Jimmy.

Chloe nodded.

"Chloe, I've got something to tell you," said Jimmy. "This isn't just sour grapes. It's about Lex."

"What about him?" asked Chloe. "Are you going to tell me he's not really Clark."

"That's right," said Jimmy, somewhat taken aback by Chloe's guess. "I know that you're not going to believe me but I've just seen him admiring some black clothes and … well, I realize it's hardly concrete proof but -"

"That's alright, Jimmy," interrupted Chloe. "I know that Lex isn't Clark. I've known for a while."

"You have?" said a surprised Jimmy. "Well," he reasoned aloud, "I guess Lex could never be a convincing Clark."

"Actually Lex is a totally convincing Clark," admitted Chloe. "Unfortunately for him, when he first arrived, he was also a totally convincing Lex. Whereas I could believe Lex could be totally convincing as Clark, I knew that Clark, the same Clark who I reduced to tears during that honesty session, could never ever be a convincing Lex."

"So why do you go along with his charade?" asked a puzzled Jimmy.

"Well, firstly, it's fun. I got him to wear plaid and, if I get the chance, I'll get him to milk a cow. Secondly, this trip will be a lot easier if Lex is being Clark than if Lex is being himself. And finally, and most importantly, I tend to use it to my advantage. Nobody fools Chloe Sullivan and gets away with it."

"So if Lex isn't Clark," said Jimmy, "then why did he give him that medallion?"

"Lex probably wants to spy on Clark. Find out all about the caves. Who knows? That's the least of my worries anyway."

"What do you mean?" asked Jimmy.

Chloe took out the photograph that her older self had given her back in the future. "Look at that."

"So?" said Jimmy, looking at the photo. "Nothing's changed."

"It's started changing. Look at Lois's eyes. Look at Clark's eyes."

"They've changed," exclaimed Jimmy, looking closer.

"That's right," said Chloe. "Recognize either of them?"

"Lois' looks kind of familiar," replied Jimmy. "Clark's don't... I give up - whose eyes are they?"

"Dead people's," replied Chloe.

Hidden away on some stairs above them, eavesdropping on their conversation, the plaid-clad Lex couldn't help but smile.