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.

Authors Note: So sorry about the wait, got distracted as usual. ADHD is killer guys, my muse works on its own time. Will try to get another chapter out soon though.

Chapter Eight

School on Tuesday was interesting.

Chloe, Justin and Cyrus were all very excited. They also all had their comm's in. The comm's didn't look like electronics or regular microphone/speaker combo's. They honestly looked like decorative metal ear cuffs. They were thin and shaped to each ear to fit perfectly. A single touch in the right spot turned them on and tapped you into the open channel or with another touch into a private channel with watchtower and the AI. They could have the AI connect them privately to someone other than Watchtower if they needed to speak with them and each comm had a tracker just in case.

They were cool looking and through out the day he kept being contacted by the others during their free periods but the most important moment was Chloe contacting him that Tina Greer was in the Torch office. Clark left his study period easily because there wasn't a teacher and made his way to the Torch where both girls were speaking.

"Blue can help with that. The symptoms will clear within a couple hours. Cyrus was having the same problem and Justin was as well. Here have a bottle." he walked in to see Chloe passing a chilled bottle of Blue to the shapeshifter.

"Hey Chlo', whats up?"

"Hey Clark. Tina is taking some Blue. She caught the add in the paper and came for help. It seems she has noticed increasing irrationality."

"Well its good she came for help. Have you found Alicia yet?"

"Yes actually. She is homeschooling according to her parents. It started after an incident last year with her boyfriend being stabbed. Its a cold case, the police can't figure out how anyone got to him in his locked bedroom. Her parents removed her from school after his death."

"Well it seems like this weekend we have more to do. Go ahead and deliver a gift basket with a few bottles of Blue and some other things in it for her. A note informing her parents of what Blue will do should be enough for them to give it to her."

"What are you talking about?"

"The imbalance caused by the kryptonite has already driven a few others to commit crimes. Alicia committed murder and has all but lost her mind. She is a teleporter but she can be locked in by lead. Her parents have her locked in a lead room in their house to prevent her from hurting anyone else."

"You are serious. Wow. So what can you do Clark?"

"A lot more than you." he answered plainly. He smiled at Chloe and handed her twenty dollars so she could put the gift basket together and after making sure she would be at his place after school and that Tina drank her water he nodded to them both and headed back to class.

After school he and Cyrus headed back to the farm and Clark told his new brother and parents about the plans for the evening.

It was four before everyone arrived, with Bruce having informed him the night before he would just meet them there. Clark led the others to the loft of the barn and then brought out the tech his AI had given him. They were wrist cuffs made of white gold for each of them and with the uniforms stored in them.

"If you trace this design" he pointed out a curly tribal type design "then the outfit you are wearing will be replaced instantly with your uniform. Do not use it in front of people." he warned and traced his design to show them.

He hadn't used the tech in his first life because he had not wanted to wear jewelry until he was older. His determination to hide his sexual preference had filled every corner of his life and he had allowed it to prevent things which would have actually made his life easier. Now he knew logically that the cuffs were not in any way girly, they were actually really neat looking so instead of making himself uncomfortable with multiple layers of clothing he could simply switch with the cuff.

At his speed his clothes were replaced with his new uniform and the others couldn't even see the change it was so fast. He stood there fully changed with the new hood up covering his features and his body framed in the tight fabric.

"That is so cool." Chloe squealed and activated hers. The hooded tunic and leggings framed her well. Tightly fitting and showing her curves attractively. The others followed suite and soon all four were dressed in their new uniforms. Clark smiled and with only his lips visible it was perhaps a bit scary before with a warning he grabbed Cyrus and Justin and took off at full flying speed to Metropolis, dropping them at a park just down the road from where they needed to be and heading back for Chloe. She whooped during the flight and sighed dramatically when he set her down by the others.

"Oh man Kal El, that was awesome. You will have to take me again sometime." she smiled brightly as they all activated their comm's and the voice changer to help hide their identities. Clark led the way down a nearby alley and a block over before leading them the back way into the museum. They moved silently behind him and he was actually proud of them with how good at this they were. He knew Chloe could sneak because of her reporter training but he wasn't sure why Justin and Cy were so good.

He felt before he saw the body moving toward him swiftly in attack mode and he caught them, them being Canary, before she could do any damage to herself. He twisted her quickly and forced her head down towards the floor just in case she decided to scream and watched as Justin sent the Star Spangled kid flying back with a wave of his hand and Chloe and Cyrus were caught by Hawkman.

"Well this wasn't exactly the greeting we had in mind Hawkman, mind letting my healers go."

He kept Canary still with a single large hand and motioned to Justin who had floated the Kid's staff to himself.

"I wouldn't fuck with that Mental, its tied to him and messing with it without training is a bad idea."

"Got it Kal." he nodded slowly lowering the staff to the floor.

"Who are you?" Canary bit out from where she couldn't move as Sylvester Pemberton stood slowly from where he had been thrown.

"I am Kal El. The one capable of moving things with his mind is known as Mental. The two Hawkman is holding are Doc and Watchtower. We will not be giving you our real names or even voices until the Checkmate is handled. They still watch you."

"And I am Batman." a voice growled as the dark knight moved into the room silently.

"I thought you were a legend and based in Gotham." Hawkman growled.

"I am based in Gotham, but I am also a member of the Justice League. Let the two healers go." he growled out again. Moving to stand by Clark.

Clark watched as Hawkman looked them over, judging them before releasing the two teens and when he did Clark released Canary.

"So you two" he gestured to the two he had just let go "are the ones who can help Fate?" he questioned.

"Yes. Is he here?" Chloe answered.

Hawkman nodded and led the way to the main meeting room where Kent Nelson was rocking in his chair and holding the helmet, whispering to it.

"Can you really help him?" he growled out the question. Both Chloe and Cyrus moved towards the disturbed man while Justin, Clark and Batman stood next to each other. The JSA stood together nearer to Nelson.

"If he can be helped they are the ones that can do so." Justin informed them.

"Kal." Chloe called from near the mad man. "Can you come hold him down, I don't think he is going to react favorably to us healing him."

Clark moved swiftly and had Nelson wrapping his arms around himself and had his legs holding the humans down tightly without hurting him. It was called a basket hold and it worked very well especially with his strength as the slighter man began to fight. Chloe and Cyrus moved quickly, lighting up their hands and holding them to Nelson's head for a few minutes before moving them along his body. Nelson had stopped fighting after a minute and so their work was easier. It took five minutes all together before they relaxed back and Clark let the slighter human man go and moved back to his friends.

Kent nelson stood slowly and looked around the room and then back down at his hands before once more looking at them. He turned his eyes from his team to Clark's and focused on the two healers before speaking.

"I don't know what you did but I feel more myself than I have in years. Thank you."

Cyrus spoke then. "You are not completely sane Mr Nelson. You have seen things no human mind is capable of processing. You are always going to have insomnia, confusion and dejavu. I think with an anti-psychotic and a mild sedative to help you sleep you should be able to at least function. I doubt you will ever hold a job without help but at least you can feed and bathe yourself. If you get a helper you should be fine as long as you don't use the helmet again."

"I can handle that. Thank you again." he nodded before moving towards his friends.

Hawkman looked him over and looked into his eyes before smiling and clapping Nelson on the back. He turned to them.

"So you want training?" he questioned. Clark grinned.

…..

The next few days passed quickly. Clark got the paperwork from Mr Clark and had an awkward dinner with his mothers parents. He payed off the farm and his parents debt and met up with Kyle Tippet, the man who could convince others with a touch of his hand, and spoke with him about the plant and what he wanted to do. He didn't go into explicit detail but as the man was an environmentalist he agreed by the next afternoon to handle the negotiations with Lionel Luthor. Clark and Lex got him a new suit and helped him clean up and Lex spoke to him privately as well.

"What was that about?" he questioned as they left.

"I wanted to ensure father couldn't kick me out of the mansion. I am going to trade him part of my Luthor Corp shares for the castle to be put in my name only. That way I can stay in Smallville and he can't come into our place just anytime he wants. I got Kyle to agree to 'convince' him to the trade. It is fair so I am not cheating him out of anything." Lex assured.

"You said our." Clark pointed out calmly. Lex glanced at him sideways.

"I did. You already said what is yours is mine. I thought I should return the favor. This way you have a safe place and your friends can come over if they need to. There is a huge space in the basement which has been used for storage that I am having converted into an open gym. You all can practice down there and there will be no chance of anyone walking in."

Clark smiled brightly. Thursday Lex contacted them all through their communicators about having bought the theater from Nell. Clark grinned at that and after school and homework they all headed to the castle to brush up on what all would be happening over the next couple of weeks.

Batman was already gone as was his alter ego Bruce Wayne but there was a video conference set up in the office with him on the screen. They spoke about Rao and about Blue. Four others had come for a bottle since the first day and Clark was very pleased with that.

The next day was the meeting with Lionel and Kyle had already gone over the paperwork and familiarized himself with it. He knew he could offer up to a quarter million more before using his gift because Lionel would try everything he could to screw them over and if he didn't succeed then someone would get suspicious. Kyle also took the time to warn them all about Bob Rickman.

Clark took over from there and pulled up a list of the dangerous meteor mutants who were using their power for bad and hurting people with it. One of which was Desiree.

"The AI has come up with a serum which will cancel out their powers. The only issue is that in using it the green K in their system will turn to poison. They will go from gifted to cancerous. They could beat the cancer or we could heal them so they can answer for their crimes but I am not sure you two would be willing to heal them once you learn what all they have done." he offered to Chloe and Cy.

"I may not approve of what they have done but K cancer can't be cured by chemo. If we don't cure them they will die. But they will likely get the death penalty for their actions anyways. I don't have a problem curing them but only if I know we have proof to make them pay for their crimes." Cy offered. Clark was pleased the boy was becoming more confident.

"I agree. As Watchtower I can find proof but if I can't then I say we don't cure them." Chloe said calmly. Everyone agreed with that assessment and they moved on. Lex showed them the plans for the remodel.

The lobby would again be the coffee shop but the apartment up above would be Watchtowers base and the actual theater room would be refurbished and would show a new movie a week. The basement which had never been used before would be cleaned out and used for storage and a storm shelter for main street.

"That should give you a tax break." Clark smiled.

"I don't need it but it will give me good will from the town council and that I do need." Lex agreed.

"Is everything ready for the meeting with my father tomorrow?" Lex questioned.

"I have all of the papers and Kyle has agreed to handle the negotiations. With having given the board of LuthorCorp the information through a leak your father won't be able to refuse the offer especially since the Smallville plant is a drain on finances. We are as ready as can be."

"Alright he will be here at five tomorrow evening for the meeting. He already called and told me he might be relocating me. He has no idea I am in on it." Lex smirked.

They stopped not long after with agreements to meet Saturday at the farmers market to discuss the shift in plant operation. The next day after school Clark got ready for the meeting and headed to the castle. The meeting was taking place there instead of at the plant so that Lionel could impress upon Clark his power. He honestly didn't know exactly who was making the offer yet but he would soon. The butler met Clark at the door and led him to Lex's office where Kyle, Lex and Lionel were all waiting.

Lionel was obviously surprised but he hid it well.

"Welcome, lets get down to business. Though aren't you a bit young to be handling this amount of money and wanting to own a company."

"I am old enough for my parents will to allow me what I want. I want your plant because its close enough to home to not require a move for me. I could build and steal all of your workers but its easier to just buy the plant already made."

"Well I think your offer is weak. One million five is simply not enough." The elder Luthor said confidently.

"Mr Luthor, we know for a fact that the Smallville plant is costing Luthor Corp money. It is so far in the red that your board of investors will lock you out of your own company if you reject our offer. We already have that on very good authority." Kyle smirked causing Lionel to falter. He hadn't expected them to have any knowledge of his company.

"Be that as it may, I am sure you can understand the need to recoup our losses. I won't sell for less than two million."

Kyle looked over at him to make sure and Clark nodded before Kyle brought out the modified papers. They had already been prepared for it which again caused Lionel to falter.

"Sign the documents and the money transfer will be completed immediately to the account of your choice." Kyle stated calmly. Obviously Lionel didn't want to give up his plant but he had been out maneuvered. He signed the papers and when they shook on it Kyle had him sign the papers on the castle as well for Lex.

The wire transfer went through immediately and after realizing he had given the castle to Lex, meaning Lex was leaving him he stormed out after snarling at his son. It hadn't even taken an hour before they set down to celebrate.

The next week went by quickly with the plant closing and the equipment being taken by Luthorcorp. Lionel had his men take everything that wasn't bolted down in a fit of childishness but Clark only laughed because he made cleanup easier. The new equipment was fabricated in pieces by the fortress and they had it trucked in, hiring back the plant workers one at a time to put it together and train on it. The plant had previously had two hundred workers but they hired an extra hundred to operate the machines and run the new employee daycare. The county tried to fine them for the modified solar panels because they would be loosing the huge payment from the factory for their power bills but they couldn't legally do anything.

During the time to set up the factory Clark had to stop the bug kid from eating Lana while not getting noticed by Lana. That was fun. Not.

He and the others spent the month to the re-opening and the public launching of the new atmosphere cleaners, training religiously. Chloe and Cyrus both trained with Batman while Justin spent time with Hawkman and Alecia, after being made sane, trained with Black Canary. She had started back to school and joined their group quickly.

Clark did get noticed by Lana and was surprised when She started seeking him out. Apparently all he had even needed to do to get her was to not want her. Whitney had tried to intimidate him, confronting him in the middle of the lunch room.

"Kent, I hear you have been talking to Lana." the blond sneered.

Clark looked up from his conversation with Cyrus to see the jock and his group of friends.

"She asked me about Chemistry. Apparently She needs a tutor and the teacher suggested me. Why?" he replied calmly.

"I just want you to stay away from my girl. I have noticed how its been lately." the boy sneered, towering over Clark who was sitting. Clark, tired from it already stood, smirking at being an inch taller. He usually slouched so standing to his full height caused the others to take second glances.

"Look Whitney, I don't care about your high school drama. If I wanted Lana I would have asked her out already. I don't want your girlfriend, in point of fact I don't want a girl friend at all. I am gay. Now, if there is nothing else I was having a conversation with a friend, do you mind." he arched an eyebrow before turning back to his seat while Whitney and his group stuttered for a minute before hurrying off and the school cafeteria had burst into whispers of shock and glee.

That had led to Chloe doing an expose on gay teenagers in the bible belt and the failings of the system to prevent discrimination about it. The article had gotten picked up by the Daily Planet which had put his blond friend in a tizzy. Her coffee addiction had soared but with the Talon opening She had gladly switched coffee houses and even posted the article about the failed health board ratings from the Beanery.

When the announcement about a new company introducing breakthrough new technology was broken to the news they had no idea only that Bruce Wayne would be meeting with the companies owners and the Gotham City Council in a private meeting to discuss purchasing two piece of life changing tech for their city, the news media went wild. No one knew what it was about except for Clark, Lex, and Bruce but the meeting was schedualed and a press conference was scheduled for afterward.

Wednesday, a month and a half after waking up in the past Clark and Lex took a Wayne Corp helicopter from Smallville to Gotham with the two air purifiers and one water treatment machine. They had already been paid for, were already going to be used, but now it was time for the city and the world to know about them. Smallville already had two of each, though they didn't know it. Lex and Clark were both in hand tailored suits that cost more than Clark cared to remember and his Mom was in a very smart business suit as well as their PA. Lex would be claiming major design of the machine while Clark was suposedly the one who had come up with the basics. RAO was their company and thi was the day the world would see it.

The helicopter landed on Wayne Tower and they met Bruce and then took a limo seven blocks away to the City Council chambers in City Hall. The reporters were different, less tabloid and more business section but still there were cameras and microphones and recorders shoved in their faces as they made their way through the throng and inside. The City Council had already been gathered and they were waiting.

"What is this about Wayne?" the Mayor questioned once they were all sitting.

"Mr Mayor, may I introduce Lex Luthor and Clark Kent, the minds behind the inventions and frankly the future. They have just recently started a company called RAO industries and I will let them take over from here and explain just how what they have made can help Gotham." he sat. Lex looked at Clark before standing.

"As you were just informed I am Lex Luthor. I know for a fact it has been all over the news about my split with my father and Luthor Corp and what I am about to show you is why. A little over a month ago I met Clark. Clark had several brilliant ideas but two of the best were the purification systems. They both needed work, which is where I came in but seeing the validty of them I gladly put in the work and Clark and I created RAO. RAO's main purpose is green energy and practices on a global scale. We want to revolutionize the world and completely break away from damaging and wasteful fossil fuel usage and we want to repair the damage already done to Earth and the atmosphere. The purification systems are two ways to do this. May I introduce to you the A.F.S. Atmosphere filtration system and the W.F.S. The water filtration system."

Martha moved to them each, handing out basic schematics that only told what they did not how, along with pictures.

"Gotham is well known as the city of clouds, not because of elevation or beauty but because the smog cloud that resides over your city poisoning the air and ground. Your people are sick and can not even see the sun most days. You have acid rain and your water itself has so many polutants your sickness and cancer rates are at an all time high. With the new systems, which have already been graciously purchased by Mr Wayne for Gotham, your smog cloud will be gone in a month. In six months your air will be clean and purified as though there isn't a city here. The water system in your main processing plant will cycle about seventy percent of the water in the city and removing all contaminants within that water in four months. To completely clean your city you will of course need two more systems but what Mr Wayne has already bought will have Gotham clean and inviting within six months. This is the future gentlemen and Gotham, baring Smallville where RAO is currently located, you will be the first to use the devices. They best part is each system is solar powered and have a two month store all ready to use. Before that is out you will already have sunny days and the systems recharge ten times as fast as any other solar system on the market."

"Is it dangerous in any way?"

"There are absolutely no emissions." Clark smiled at the woman who had asked. "The systems are to clean the atmosphere and the air, not just replace them with something worse."

"You said the systems Mr Wayne already bought will clean about 70% of the city. How much are they in case the city decides we wish to pay for more of them?"

"Well your A.F.S. Systems are enough for your city but you have three water plants and Mr Wayne only purchase a W.F.S for the largest plant. You would need two more W.F.S. To completely clean your city and they run higher because they are more complex. They are around two million each but there is no maintenance needed for twenty years and they come automatically with a warranty in case of natural disaster and the twenty year check-up will cover it again for another twenty years. The twenty year check up is just to change the solar panels really and has a hundred year coverage. After that the city of course will have to pay for the solar panels which won't be more than a hundred thousand."

"That is fairly high priced." one council member sneered.

"Not considering what it can and will do for your city and people, not to mention the world. This is for us today, yes, but more importantly it is for our future children and grandchildren. RAO wants to make the whole planet green tech and sustainable energy. Our goal is to heal the damage done and to prevent any further from occurring. Test your water and air over the next few months, I guarantee within a month from installation you will see a noticeable difference, within six you will be back to purchase the other two systems." Lex sat back comfortably while Clark nodded in agreement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the council, even if you choose not to buy more of the tech, I have already purchased these and one system is already waiting on top of Wayne Enterprises to be turned on. The other A.F.S. And the W.F.S. Simply need to be installed. I have personally gone over every bit of these machines and assure you they are safe and easy. Let me have them installed and if in six months there isn't a difference they can be removed." Bruce offered.

"But where would they be placed?"

"The W.F.S would be placed in the Gotham water treatment plant, on the exiting pipe and the other air system I would suggest be placed across the narrows where the smog is thickest, on top of Bedlam." Bruce offered.

It took another hour with Lex showing the tests of the Smallville water and air over the last month, taken daily and showing improvement every day in twenty different locations, before they agreed and Bruce had his men, led by Lucius Fox, take the machines to their new homes and turn them on. The good thing was once they were turned on they couldn't be turned off unless they were literally blown up.

Clark stood, smiling with Lex as they spoke with Bruce.

"Once the press conference airs about Gotham accepting the tech we have over a hundred people waiting by the phones at RAO anticipating questions. They all know what they can say and with the designs patented for every single piece and the full product no one can touch us. I give it a week before we have five more orders minimum."

"How many do you have stored back?" Bruce asked.

"Twenty each. They aren't easy to make but the sale of these three have covered the total cost off all the supplies we have used since opening plus our workers pay and a bit more. Selling five more will double every cent we have spent on this venture so far." Clark smiled as his mother approached them and straightened their suits and his and Bruce's hair.

"The group is ready to head out to face the press, remember, smile and speak clearly." She fussed at them.

Clark grinned and kissed her cheek, Lex doing the same while Bruce grinned at them and the three led the way outside. Bruce spoke first covering his purchase of the machines for Gotham, Lex covered RAO and the basic science, explaining that Clark, who smiled and waved at them all, had come up with the basic ideas that Lex had expounded on and then Clark spoke a few words about being raised by organic farmers and learning about helping the world from then.

"I had honestly not thought anyone would take my ideas seriously but when I showed Lex what I already had he took them and hit the ground running. RAO is about making the word impossible obsolete and welcoming the future gladly. This world isn't just ours, its our childrens. RAO also has several scientists working on medical miracles and other technology that is going to change life as we know it. We hope you, as people, will stand with us in finding better ways to do things. Thank you." he smiled as he stood straight.

He knew, standing with Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne, they were a sight. The picture was going to be magnificent. Bruce led them to his home for lunch after turning over the press conference which had included a huge projector screen which showed the activation of the system on top of the Wayne building. You couldn't see much, but a few lights to show it was working and there wasn't any noise but it got several oo's and ahh's.

Alfred was gracious and Lucius Fox joined them for dinner as well, speaking business with Lex because Clark was speaking with Bruce about joining him for patrol one night. The flight back to Smallville was quick and Lex was very happy once they got back to find that there was already an order for two separate A.F.S machines and one water system. They had made back every cent they had spent and then some. It was amazing. Clark gladly joined Lex for some pool while his mother headed home and some light making out once She was gone. Lex was a whole inch taller he noticed, only two to go before he matched Clark and only one to match Bruce.

The news had the press conference and they watched it and he was right, they made a striking picture together.