Chapter Seventeen

Jonathan and Martha got out of their truck, and walked towards the Talon. Martha had a pearl necklace in her hands. Tonight was the victory party; they would find out the results of the election. They entered to find the place packed with celebrators. It was decorated mostly with red, white and blue. Martha was trying to put her necklace on.

"Here, let me help you with that," Jonathan told her, taking it from her.

"One more district and you'll have a new commute to Topeka," Martha told him as he fastened the necklace.

"Martha, whatever the outcome, the only victory that changed my life was when I won your heart," Jonathan told her. They kissed, but were interrupted by flashing cameras.

"The man of the hour: Jonathan Kent!" someone shouted. Jonathan and Martha made their way through the crowd, greeting the party-goers. As they went on, they came to Clark and Lana, who had Lara in her arms.

"Mom…Dad…" Clark said with a smile.

"Clark's been offered a job as a football coach at Smallville High," Lana told them.

"It's the perfect opportunity," Clark explained. "I'll get to do what I love, but without the risk of exposure."

"This is an amazing opportunity, Clark," Martha told him.

"Congratulations, son," Jonathan said. He hugged Clark, and they all smiled over the news.

"And that's not the half of it," Lana beamed as she and Clark looked at each other. Lana looked at them. "I'm pregnant."

Martha and Jonathan stood there, shocked as they smiled.

"Really?" asked Martha, positively glowing.

"That's great!" exclaimed Jonathan.

"What's great?" asked Chloe as she and Pete walked up.

"We're having another baby," Clark told them as he hugged Lara.

"Are you serious?" exclaimed Chloe as she hugged Lana.

"Congratulations," Pete told them.

"Yeah, Lara is gonna be a big sister, aren't you?" Lana told Lara as Lois came to the balcony over the counter.

"Hey!" Lois whistled to get everyone's attention, and the room hushed. She walked down the stairs as she continued. "I just got the heads-up from the newsroom, and, ladies and gentlemen…you are looking at our new senator."

Everyone cheered as Clark hugged his dad. A news anchor came on the television, and everyone stopped to watch.

"The results are in," the anchor said. "Jonathan Kent has just been elected to Kansas State Senate—"

His report was drowned out as everyone started cheering again. Lois pushed her way through the people, and put her hands on Jonathan's shoulders.

"I need to wrestle you guys over here for a photo shoot," Lois told them. Martha followed with Jonathan right behind her, but his cell phone started ringing.

"It looks like the congratulations are already coming in," Jonathan muttered. He dug the phone out of his pocket, and looked up at Martha. "I'll be with you in just a second."

He walked off as Clark gave Lara to Lana.

"This could take a while," Clark told her. He looked at his wife and daughter, not really beliving his luck could be this good. "Is this really happening?"

Lana smiled. "Go do your photo op."

Clark walked off as Lana's cell phone rang. She took it out and read the Caller ID: Lex Luthor. She looked up in confusion.

Lex set two glasses on the bar counter, and poured a drink into them. He picked one up, and clinked it against the other, smirking to himself. Lana opened the study door, and came in with Lara.

"You okay?" she asked. "You sounded pretty upset in your message."

"Probably shouldn't have called," Lex said, obviously drunk. "I shouldn't do a lot of things, but I, uh…seem to do them anyway." He turned towards her and raised his glass. "I'm sure you two wanna get back to the party."

Lana sat Lara down on one of the chairs. "Stay, Lara." She walked towards Lex. "Lex, I know how hard you worked for this, but I don't think you should take it so personally."

"You know how many people are cheering right now that the spoiled rich kid lost to some salt-of-the-earth farmer?"

"Since when do you care what other people think?"

"Since I was branded at birth with the sins of my father. Just once, Lana, I wanted to get out from under his shadow…earn something on my own…Well, consider yourself lucky you never had a father to endure."

Lana's concerned expression turned into a hurt one. "I think it's best that we talk about this when you're not drunk."

Lana began to head for Lara, but stopped when Lex spoke.

"See…now I've hurt your feelings," Lex said as Lana turned back to him. "Perfect! Through this whole campaign, I've managed to alienate everyone I care about…I can't lose you, too."

He turned back to refill his glass, and leaned on the counter. Lana placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Lex, you're not going to lose me," Lana told him. He glanced down at her wedding ring.

"I already have," Lex told her. "So after all the lies he told you, you still chose him, hm?"

Lana hesitated. "You don't understand—"

"How many times have you come to me wondering what Clark's keeping from you? Why he disappeared to Metropolis for months…how he rose from the dead…"

"It's not like that now."

"Really? Come on, Lana. I know you. You'd never say 'I do' with all the doubts you have. Whatever it is he's been covering up all this time…you know, don't you?"

Lana paused, stone-faced. "Clark isn't hiding anything, Lex."

Lex looked at the floor, downcast. "After everything I've done for you…how could you lie to me?" He took his glass and threw it into the fire, causing the flames to swell. He grabbed Lana by the shoulders. "Tell me!"

Lana grabbed at the other glass frantically, and threw it into Lex's face. He grabbed his eyes, and yelled in pain. Lana grabbed Lara and ran out of the mansion.

Lana tore down the road in her car. She picked up her cell phone and called Clark. After a few rings, the line connected and she could hear shouts and cheers in the background.

"Lana, where'd you go?" Clark's voice asked her.

"Clark, I'm so sorry. I went to see Lex. He was really drunk."

"What happened?"

Lana hesitated. "He knows. I don't know how he could tell, but he could tell I was hiding your secret. I didn't say anything to him, but he got really angry, and—"

"Lana, it doesn't matter. Where are you now?"

"Uh…I'm on Route 40 right before Loeb Bridge," said Lana. She heard an engine revving behind her and someone honked several times. She looked behind her and saw a silver Porsche on her tail. "Oh, gosh. He's coming after me."

"Lana?" Clark said in concern.

Lex pulled his Porsche out from behind her and pulled up alongside her.

"Lana!" he yelled. "Pull over so we can talk—Lana, watch out!"

Lex braked his car and swerved out of the way. Lana screamed as she looked over at the bus barreling right towards her. Before she had time to react, the bus plowed right into her. She dropped her cell phone as she clung to the steering wheel. Her car flipped over and over again as she bounced about in the driver's seat. The car finally landed upside down, glass shattered everywhere.

The line became static as Clark listened. He looked at the phone when Lana didn't say anything. The line was still active; something was wrong. He ran into the back alley of the Talon and took off at light speed for Route 40.

Lex jumped out of his Porsche. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Lana!"

He stood there, speechless, as he heard a rush of wind next to him and Clark appeared out of nowhere. He stared in shock as Clark slowly approached Lana's overturned vehicle. Clark broke into a run as students made their way off of the bus. Another truck had pulled over and the woman was on the phone, panicking. Jonathan slammed on his brakes as he climbed out. Clark knelt down at the car, hysterical. Lana was lying on the roof of the car in a pool of shattered glass. Clark helped Lana out.

"Are you alright?" he asked. There were cuts on her hands and face. Clark looked at the car wreck. There was no way their unborn child survived this.

"What about Lara?" she asked, stunned.

"Lara was in the car?" Clark asked.

Lana nodded, and Clark knelt down again. He found Lara lying on the roof in a pool of blood. He scooped his daughter's frail body up and climbed back out of the car. Lara was still in his arms; he felt for a pulse, but was disappointed.

But that doesn't make sense…she's my daughter…how did she—

Clark's thoughts were cut off when he noticed the meteor rock near the car. It had broken into the car, affecting his daughter as the accident happened. He stepped away from the rock, but Lara was not recovering. Tears welled up in his eyes and ran down his cheeks as he turned to Lana. She froze.

"She's gone," Clark told her. Lana burst into sobs as she took Lara into her arms. She held her daughter close and she cried. Clark wrapped his arms around her, crying. Jonathan placed his hands on Clark's shoulders.

"There was nothing you could've done," he told his son. "Nothing."

"How could you take them away from me?!" Clark cried out in anger. He was standing in the Fortress, talking with his father Jor-El.

"Human life is fragile, my son," Jor-El's voice rang out of the void. "You knew a life would be exchanged for yours."

"Don't make them pay for my mistakes!" shouted Clark. "If I hadn't disobeyed you, they'd still be alive! You have to help me fix it!"

"Your powers on Earth may seem extraordinary, Kal-El, but we are not gods."

Clark shook his head. "This was not…their…destiny! And you know that! There has to be a way. There has to be a way…to fix this. Please!"

"There is one trial you have yet to experience, but you must heed my warning. The tide of fate is impossible to stop. Even if you are able to alter one course of events, the universe will find a balance. There is only one crystal."

A crystal shot out of the console and floated in the air. Clark looked over at it.

"Once you make this choice, there is no second chance," said Jor-El. "Decide carefully."

"I have to save them," said Clark. He began to walk toward the crystal, but Jor-El interrupted him.

"Kal-El, listen carefully. In this other reality…no time has passed since the day you died. You will not stay dead for two months, you and Lana are not married, and Lara…doesn't exist."

"But…Lana and I…our children—"

"Never happened. This is the way it must be. I cannot spare your daughter…or son, but I can make it so they never existed…in order to spare the ones you love from pain."

"But—"

"You must understand the burden you are about to carry. I cannot shield you from this pain. You alone will carry the memory of the past five years."

"And this is the only way?" Clark asked as he walked over to the crystal.

"Yes."

Clark hesitated. "Then so be it."

He grabbed the crystal. Once his hand made contact with the water-like surface, the crystal exploded into a million pieces and Clark felt a jolt in his gut.