Summary: Clark watches the last person who truly knew him, Lex Luthor, finally die. Alone and adrift immortality looms ahead of him and he wonders why he must go it alone. Jor-el says it is because he turned against his soul holder or soul mate as humans would say. Turns out Lex wasn't meant to be his enemy but his lover. Clark is given the chance to go back and try again from the very beginning. Can he change the way things happened, can he truly give himself to the one man who could easily break him or will old insecurities hold him locked into a future he doesn't truly want.

Warnings: Male/male slash, strong language, less restrained Clark, murder, and spoilers.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, though I am sure someone has done something similar at least once before.

Chapter Three

His blue grey eyes looked up at Clark in shock and confusion before the damning words left his lips.

"I could have sworn I hit you with my car..."

Clark knew this was the deciding moment, the moment that would change the course of his fate but thinking back to the frail pain wracked body of Lex dying from kryptonite and he couldn't bring himself to lie so he answered Lex truthfully sealing his fate of being bound forever to this man.

"You did"

Clark had begged the bald billionaire to keep his secret and he had done so telling the version that Clark had the first time around to the paramedics and Jonathan Kent which Clark had been very thankful for, all the while those blue grey eyes had watched him, cataloging everything. He knew Lex was trying to decide how to manipulate everything he had learned today, which honestly wasn't much. He had no doubt that at some point in the coming few days Lex would approach him for more information but first he would have a plan.

Clark did his best to put it out of his mind and after dinner and writing up the base for his article on the homecoming game he finished off his chores and headed up to his loft to wait until his adoptive parents settled down for the night. Once the main house lights had been turned off he changed into some of his work clothes and sped off into the night.

It took him almost five minutes of running at his top speed before he reached the wilds of Montana and the land where the gold was and he got to work quickly, having brought a shovel. He x-rayed the ground before finding just what he was looking for and then used his super speed to dig down almost twenty feet and begin extracting the gold into the duffel bag he had brought. It took about four hours to clear the whole field of gold and he would easily make a few million from the raw gold just as soon as he could sell it.

He worked to set the field back to rights before flying back to Smallville and making a stop at the quawatchi caves while he was at it. Last time the knife, the only thing capable of truly killing NAMAN or doomsday as he had called him, had been destroyed by the touch of human blood while Lex and Lionel fought over it. Like the crystals of knowledge, the blade wasn't meant to fall into human hands so he quickly x-rayed every bit of the caves to find the blade. He would get Lex to help him find Davis Bloom. Even though he wasn't doomsday yet he would be eventually so it would be best to deal with him before he could cause any suffering.

He wouldn't allow his human morals to hold him back like he had last time. Jimmy Olsen hadn't been good enough for Chloe but that didn't mean he had deserved to die. No Clark would just point out how bad he was for Chloe before she ever met him and stop that in its tracks. After all he couldn't really picture Chloe with anyone but Ollie anymore.

That reminded him about Oliver who at this moment was deserted on an island and had been for a year. Clark knew that Oliver would be rescuing himself in about a year along with Tess Mercer. He could easily fly out and find Oliver and save him before Tess even landed on that stupid island but that would likely end in Tess's death and it might ensure Ollie never followed the path of Green Arrow. As much as he would like to have his old friend back right then Oliver's life had a path and while Clark was sure he could still set him on the correct path it was easier to let it happen in its own time even if that meant it would be two more years before Oliver was back in his life.

But just because he had to do without the Arrow as his spandex buddy it didn't mean he had to do it all alone. After all he may not be a billionaire but he knew how to get money to finance the JLA and if he hooked up with Lex and Bruce Wayne then it wouldn't take long to bring together a team. After all A.C. And Bart were out there somewhere along with Chloe who would jump at the chance to be Watchtower especially once he had access to his ship and was able to amp up her kryptonite power and enhance her mind without having her suffer Brainiac to do it in the first place.

Luckily his ship was in the storm cellar and after dealing with the fortress for years he knew how to reprogram it to do anything he wanted.

But none of that matted at the moment because it was almost three in the morning and he had school the next day. He took the knife and all of his gold and headed back to the farm and while he was still awake he did the majority of his chores and made sure his homework was finished before raiding the fridge. He was starving and using so much power in his younger body all day had burned through a lot of energy. He needed more than twice the calories of a human normally but with being so young again and the awakening of all of his powers at once plus the use of them had burned more than three times the normal human amount.

By the time he had finished eating and finished his chores and his dads his parents were waking up and he hurried to shower and start making breakfast for his parents. Feeding them would make the coming talk easier to handle. After all to himself he was almost a hundred but to them he was just fifteen and he wasn't supposed to be out all night. But he figured they would forgive him for it once he handed them the equivalent of five million in raw gold.

He mixed up the batter for waffles and pulled out the old waffle maker while he put some sausage on the stove and got out some fruit and all of the syrup and butter to finish off the table. As expected his dad was the first one down and he gaped at him in shock. After all normally he was the last to wake up and he had certainly not known how to cook at this stage in life the first time around.

"Who are you and what have you done with my son?" the man joked as he started the coffee pot.

"Very funny dad. I couldn't sleep so I stayed busy last night and decided it wouldn't hurt me to do some extra work this morning. I finished all of my morning chores and most of this afternoons along with some of yours so you can just sit down and enjoy breakfast. Besides I need to talk to you an mom."

"Clark, son is everything alright. You have been off since yesterday. I know that being a teenage comes with some odd stuff but... Son if you need to talk you know your mom and I are here right?"

His dad sat down his coffee cup and laid his hands on either of Clark's shoulders in a show of support. He thought of saying something about his powers but decided to wait until both his parents were there.

"I am alright dad, just some new developments in the weird factor. Nothing to worry about." he grinned sheepishly.

He had already decided that as much as he loved his parents it was too dangerous to give them the full story. Like everyone but Lex and Chloe they would be given the watered down clean version. It would be up to Chloe to decided what to tell Oliver if things worked like they had last time and she married the man.

After all his parents, no matter how much he loved them might not understand him coming back in time to save what they would only see as his greatest enemy but Chloe and Lex, well they would see the truth of it. After all even though Lex couldn't stand most people even he had those whom he cared for and Chloe, well Chloe would only have to think of loosing him and Pete and she would get it.

Soon enough Martha joined them in the kitchen and both of his parents turned to him giving him their full attention.

"First off I want you both to know that I know. I know where I am from and who my parents and my people were and I even know what brought me to earth."

They both looked shocked for a moment before Martha spoke.

"But Clark how, we don't even know any of that. When did you find out?"

"I guess it is some sort of genetic memory but that isn't quite right. It is something my birth father created for me when he realized he was going to have to send me away. It was downloaded into my brain for lack of a better term and only activated yesterday once I was old enough to understand it all. My birth name is Kal-El and my parents were Lara and Jor-El of the house of El from the planet Krypton. My world was at war due to a man named Zod who was driven mad with grief and turned on his own people. He destroyed so many in his quest to destroy the ruling cabinet so that he could order the scientists to clone his dead son that our civilization was on the brink of collapse before he was finally captured and sent to prison just days after I was born. What no one knew was that he had already set Kryptons destruction in motion when he realized he couldn't win. He set an explosion that destabilized the planets core and no one realized it until it was to late. My birth parents only had long enough to build my ship and it was activated sending me away right as the planet exploded killing everyone on it. So far as I know I am the last of my race alive."

Jonathan and Martha were both shocked at this information before Martha realized the true grief in his voice and moved to comfort him.

"Oh Clark, sweetheart I am so sorry. Do you know anything else about them or where you are from?"

"Yes, but I also know about several other races and species as well. Kryptonians were knowledge keepers for the universes. They were inventors and historians and were generally peaceful only fighting to protect their own until Zod's war. My memories or knowledge what ever you wish to call it include everything about my race and my planets history and science. Honestly some of it is amazing. But the most relevant parts for now are my powers."

"When you say powers how many and what are we talking about exactly?" Jonathan questioned warily.

"Well the thing is that on Krypton I would be just like you. No powers and only mild other things like a soul holder or what you would term as a soul mate. But Krypton was under a red sun and my powers come from the radiation of the yellow sun. Everything about me is amplified here. I cam not only run faster than a speeding bullet but I can fly and shoot intense heat out of my eyes. I can blow so cold that I can freeze things and I am all but invulnerable. There are very few things that can cause me any harm and one of them is green Kryptonite which is actually radioactive pieces of my home planet whose properties are changed under the sun. The other thing is my soul mate."

"Soul mate like love and babies?" Martha questioned happily.

"It would not have necessarily been so on Krypton but like everything else on earth it is amplified. On Krypton soul holders are just what they sound. They each hold a piece of the other like one soul in two bodies. The two compliment each other and about half of the time the relationships turned romantic the other half of the time they ended up as just friends. I do not have that option. I realized yesterday when I came across mine that the bond must become romantic. I no longer harbor even fantasies about any others. Luckily my species is capable of bearing young whether they are male of female because my soul holder is male."

He could see recognition and then resolve come over Jonathan's features.

"Who is is Clark?" his tone was resigned.

"Lex Luthor. It is what started the mental download. I have no choice in it, Lex is it for me. I am going to tell him, I have no choice but I wanted to warn you first. I know you probably want me to keep it a secret but I can not lie to him. I have to because I can't take the chance of loosing him so I will tell him everything."

"This is dangerous Clark. The Luthor's aren't like us son. If he told the wrong person it could become very bad for you. We can't protect you from the government. If you feel you have to do this then at least make sure you are safe about it and make sure he understands what could happen if he tells anyone." Jonathan said.

Clark was shocked. Jonathan had never been this reasonable in his first life but learning that your son had a determined mate had obviously made a difference. He had known his adoptive parents loved him but here was the proof of just how much. For Jonathan Kent to put aside his deep seated hatred because Clark needed Lex was a testament to his love.

"I will be careful. Besides if he accepts the bond then it will begin to affect him as well until he will feel it as strongly as I do. He will be just as loyal to me as I am to him." Clark said with certainty.

"Well alright Clark. If you are sure then we will stand with you. Now is there anything else before you have to go to school?" Martha questioned.

"Actually yes. One of my new powers is x-ray vision and I can see through everything but lead. I decided that while I use the rest of my powers to protect others and make their lives better I could use my powers to make life better for us just this once. I went for a flight last night and while I was doing so I spotted a large deposit of gold in the mountains. Since it is national forest no one would have discovered it for a very long time so I dug it up and then put the land back to rights. Its all in this duffel bag." he bit his lip sheepishly as he picked the bag up and set it on the counter.

Martha and Jonathan both looked at it in shock.

"I know I probably shouldn't have but it honestly can't hurt. There is enough there to pay off all of the farms debts and set up a very large cushion along with setting up a side project I have in mind to make even more money. Thanks to my fathers science I know about quite a lot of alien technology that was created centuries ago to stop Kryptonian from using fossil fuels and damaging the planet. Most races without magic now use the tech for all of their energy and fuel needs. I intend to release the knowledge along with some other things that will have a positive effect on the world and make billions."

Martha looked startled at that and Jonathan looked mildly impressed but also worried.

"But Clark, how will you have just discovered it. You are just fifteen. I don't think people will believe a freshman in high-school came up with major technology that will reshape the world." she stood twisting her hands worriedly looking at him with pleading eyes.

"I know mom. Don't worry I have a plan. Lex will actually play a big part in it if he is willing and if he isn't then I will do it all from behind the scenes using front companies. If no one knows who the CEO and head inventor is I can just play a recluse and I know enough about technology now that covering my tracks will be easy. Honestly human technology is really outdated but since humans are a young race that is only to be expected."

They both still looked worried but they couldn't say anything else as the horn from the bus sounded.

"I have to go. I will deal with the gold later. Just stick it somewhere and I will deal with it tomorrow since its Saturday. Love you gotta go." he yelled as he rushed to grab his bag and head out.

He caught the bus for once and smiled at Chloe and Pete while apologizing to them both for canceling the night before. He had used the excuse of Lex's accident and that ended up being the only thing either of them and most everyone else wanted to talk about most of the day at school.

Classes passed quickly and he actually ran into several kryptonite freaks that he knew from later in life. Several that he had been forced to deal with and a few of the good ones like Cyrus. He would need to geet the blue-K antidote quickly. It wouldn't cure them but it would cure the chemicle imbalance that drove most of them mad meaning they would no longer go nuts unless they were already nuts through no fault of the meteors.

The best way to deal with it was to get them all to drink some water infused with the blue-K like those crazy 'Believers' that had tried to sacrifice Lois had. He would speak with Lex and Chloe once he had spoken to them about everything. He couldn't just do it himself because the blue-k turned him human and if they attacked he wouldn't be able to do anything against them but getting a bunch of the water and several of the rocks to make more was necessary so it had to be done. It would only take about a glass each and it would only need one dose so maybe they could hand out some bottled water for free at some town events or something.

Either way they only had about a week before the first murder that could be prevented. That Jeremy Creek kid had already killed the mechanic the night before but he already knew how to stop him and he would do so tonight.

The school day was over much to quickly and he headed home to get ready for the game and then the dance. In all reality he wasn't going to the dance but the game was necessary as was the pregame activities. He knew Whitney would be part of the group that would be picking the scarecrow and that Whitney would be wearing Lana's necklace but if he moved quickly enough and had a lead box he could zip in quickly enough to not be seen and lock it in lead before rescuing their prey and handing them their asses all without them seeing who it was. He would be stripping them all and tying them to posts on the football field for the coach and their team to find before the game. It wouldn't take more than an hour before they were found while he had been in the corn field for the entire game and part of the dance.

It would make them sore without doing any real damage except to their pride. The note he would be leaving would make certain they all knew that it was the last time the scarecrow would every happen. As expected the truck was there when he got home but it was different. The first time it had been a nice truck but now it was the most expensive on the market and the tailgate was filled with things. He only shook his head and headed into the house where his mom was waiting in the kitchen.

"Let me guess... Lex?" he smiled.

"Yes. But Clark your father has the keys."

"I know. I wouldn't keep it anyways. I need to do my homework and take care of something really quickly but I will take it back to him after the game."

"Alright, let your father know."

"Sure thing. Love you I will be in my fortress." he kissed her cheek and after grabbing a few cookies and his backpack he headed out to the barn where Jonathan was working. After a quick conversation with his father informing him he would return the truck and stuff after the game.

He hurried through his homework and with his super speed he was done in under five minutes and then he asked if he could borrow some fencing supplies.

"Why do you need posts for Clark?"

"Because I am going to put a stop to something that should have been ended years ago. The scarecrow tradition is seen as a big joke but its not dad. It is nothing less than torture and the person picked as scarecrow can really get hurt. I don't know if you participated in it when you were in high school but I know that stringing someone up all but naked for hours was something that the Romans only used for the worst criminals and enemy's. To do that to a fifteen year old is disgusting. I am going to use my powers to stop it.

I already know from my gifts which include super hearing exactly who is going to be in on it and I am going to step in when they act and instead of them stringing someone up out in the field I am going to string all five of them up on the football field. They will be found before the game so it will only be about an hour but it will certainly send the message out. I need the posts to tie them to."

Jonathan looked at him in shock for a minute and Clark could tell he was about to refuse when he spoke up.

"They were planning on making me the scarecrow because I had a crush on Lana. Whitney was going to get Lana's necklace which is made of the only thing that can hurt me and put it on me and string me up in the field."

With that he saw his dads face harden. The thought of anyone hurting him was enough for Jonathan to grit his teeth, nod and turn away without saying anything. It only took a few minutes to build the crosses and find the rope necessary and then he used some back roads and fields to run them all to the school and hide them under the bleachers before he sat back to listen for them.

It only took about thirty more minutes before they chose a target and started to move. Unsurprisingly they chose Cyrus, the kid with the healing power who thought he was an alien. Clark waited until they had him cornered in the back of the parking lot before he moved. It took all of a few seconds for him to drive the posts deep into the field and then run over to the group. He had bent some lead fram equipment parts into a small box and he ran past closing it over the meteor rock faster than they could even see. Once that was taken care of he got to work.

Whitney and his best friend were holding Cyrus and he grabbed them first by the backs of their jackets running them to the field before heading back for the others. He was moving so quickly that the other three hadn't even realized that the first two were missing yet when he got back and he took two others.

The last one went just as quickly and they were all just starting to realize something was wrong. He was moving so fast it was like the world had stopped around him and he quickly stripped them down to their underwear and using his strength had them lifted up and tied to their own posts before they could react. With that done he ran back to where Cyrus still stood looking around in shock and relief.

He stopped right in front of the boy causing him to jump.

"What just happened?" the boy asked.

"I made a point I think. Come on Cyrus, we need to talk." and he turned to lead the way into the deserted school to the Torch where unsurprisingly Chloe was working.

"Hey Chloe, if you want a really good front page I suggest you grab your camera and head out to the football field." He couldn't help the smirk on his face.

"Why Clark. What am I going to find? Who is your friend?" she asked the last once she had turned and seen Cyrus standing by him.

"Chloe this is Cyrus. Cyrus meet Chloe Sullivan the editor of the Torch and my very best friend. As to what you will find Chlo', you will find the star quarterback along with some of his minions strung up for their own tradition. Seems someone took exception to the scarecrow tradition. Do me the favor of keeping my name out of it will you." he grinned at her.

"How did you get the jump on Whitney and his minions? They are Seniors Clark." she questioned excitedly as she grabbed her camera and headed towards the door.

"I promise to tell you tonight if you are up for missing the dance. If not I will tell you tomorrow at the farmers market. Scouts honor." he did a little salute before she looked at him skeptically and turned to rush to the field.

He shut the doors once she was gone and turned to Cyrus who had been standing nervously waiting for him to get to him.

"Have a seat Cyrus. I promise I don't bite." he grinned his Superman grin and waved to a chair.

Once the small blond boy had sat down he finally spoke.

"How did you do that? I didn't know that anyone but me could do anything special. I mean there are rumors but I have never seen anyone actually do it." he twisted his hand tightly as he spoke.

"There are several Kryptonite altered humans in Smallville and the surrounding areas. I am not one of them. My powers come from what I am. What I am going to tell you is probably going to upset you quite a bit but I promise it is the truth. The day of the meteor shower a ship did come down but you weren't in it. You had a family and were from Smallville. The meteors hit yours house and vaporized it and your parents. You were out playing in your yard or something and you saw the ship before you were knocked unconscious. The hit to your head took your memories, all of them except for the ship which is why you think you are an alien."

Cyrus had started shaking his head no and had started to get up before Clark laid a calming hand on him.

"But no, that's not possible. I would remember if I had parents on earth and what about what I can do?" he spoke in a pleading tone, beseeching Clark to take it back.

"The thing is Cyrus, the Kryptonite is pieces of my home planet and they cause mutations in humans. But humans can only handle one mutation so they only get one gift. I know I am Kal-El of Krypton because I have a genetic memory from my people along with my ship as proof. The ship you saw. But is you think about it you can draw the outside of the ship as it was falling, you wouldn't be able to do that if you had been inside it. I know it is upsetting but it is the truth. You are gifted, very gifted and if you like I will go out of my way to get you a new family that will love you. But I have another offer if you are willing to listen to it."

The smaller boy looked at him with tears in his eyes before he thought it over.

"What is the offer?" he whispered out.

"You and I are not the only ones with powers. There are several others with amazing gifts. For some reason the meteors that give you and the others powers also cause an imbalance in some of their minds driving them crazy and turning several of them into murderers. I have found a way to counteract the imbalance without taking their powers. I plan to fix the imbalance and then if they have a useful power I intend to build a Justice League. Think of it like a superhero team. We will work to stop the mutated people who use their powers for ill and we will also work against regular criminals. I imagine a healer would come in very handy and be a very valuable member of the league. You will be paid but even more than that you will have a chosen family. It may not be like having parents but it will be a family who will fight for and protect you, welcome you without judgment. And you will get a super cool code name..." he trailed off the last part in a sing song voice getting a very small smile from the slightly younger man.

"A cool code name huh, well who could pass that up. You said you could get me a better family though. If you could it would be great. My foster parents don't really like me very much and if I had someplace else to stay it would be great."

"Sure. I understand completely. It may take me a day or two but I will see about getting you somewhere else to stay at least. If all else fails you can crash at my place until I can buy headquarters and then you will have your own room. Deal?"

"Deal. How do you want to go about this?"

"Well I am working on getting funds and actually did that last night and over the next couple of months I will be building up the team. I hope to have a base of operations both here and in metropolis by Christmas. For now how about I take you back to my place and leave you with my mom while I deal with another issue. You can call from my place and ask your foster parents if you can crash at my place. Might as well get everyone used to seeing us together." he grinned.

"Um alright. How are we getting to your place and what do you have to deal with?" he stood and Clark stood as well.

"Just hold still, this will be a bit odd for a minute." he said before lifting the small boy and running at top speed to the farm. He stopped in the kitchen and let him down causing Martha to jump.

"Clark, what on earth. You are going to give me a heart attack one day young man. Who is this?" she questioned once noticing the smaller blond boy.

"Mom I would like you to meet Cyrus. Cyrus can heal people with a touch. Do you know where my old water guns are?" he questioned absently, not noticing his mothers shock.

"They are in the barn Clark, but what were you saying about... Cyrus, was it?" she smiled directing the last part at Cyrus.

He just nodded while Clark spoke.

"Cyrus is human but affected by the Kryptonite. He is gifted with healing and his foster parents don't treat him well. I intend to see about getting him somewhere else to stay but right now I have to deal with a kid who is affected by the meteors and is electrocuting people. I need my water guns because they will short circuit his power and snap him back into reality. After that I have to go to the game which Cyrus, you are welcome to join me if you wish... and then I have to take Lex his truck back. Cyrus won't tell my secret because that would mean admitting to his own. Now I can hear Jeremy and he is about to attack someone else so I gotta go, I will be back in about fifteen minutes." he kissed her cheek and sped to the barn where he x-rayd boxes until he saw a super soaker. It didn't take long to fill it up before he ran off to deal with Jeremy.

It only took one good blast of the water to shock the kid out of his crazy place and like last time he had no memory of anything and just wanted to go home. Unlike last time the bank teller was still alive. He led Jeremy to a responsible adult and headed back to the farm to get everything he would need for the game and see if Cyrus would be going.

Shockingly enough Cyrus agreed to join him and Clark called Chloe to see if she could give them a lift because running every where was fine on his own or with someone who could match him but it was bound to be weird for Cyrus.

He knew it meant a grilling session but it would be worth it for his best friend. With a smile he knew that things were going to interesting and he couldn't wait.