By Rachel Clark (KHPC68C@prodigy.com)
Summary: A vignette that picks up in the alternate universe of "Tempus, Anyone?" in which a lonely Clark meets up with that dimension's Mayson Drake.
Hi, all! Well, LCWS has *completely* set in so I was going through old rerun tapes this week, and I thought that second Tempus one was so sad, and after the cliffhanger which I was totally sobbing by the end of I thought it needed an ending. So, anyway, this takes place right after that episode (I don't remember the name) to other- dimension Clark Kent and other- dimension Mayson Drake. It's my first try at writing something not for school, and I wrote it in about ten minutes in between trying to work on an English essay why the book 'Great Expectations' is really a comedy… sure (If you've ever read it you know it's SO not), but I hope you like it! I did have fun writing it. Comments are of course welcome (Khpc68c@pro.com). Also, if anyone has a good name for it, I couldn't think of one…
You sorta have to have seen that second Tempus episode to get this, if you did, scroll down, if not, here's briefly what it's about (it's also sorta a spoiler if you haven't seen it yet): Tempus robs banks in L+C's world, then is rich in a parallel one (the same guy), and for revenge he takes Lois and H.G. Wells to the parallel one, and they need Superman to get back. But the Clark in this world isn't Superman, cause the Kents died when he was ten. Mr. Wells is kidnapped, and Lois tries to turn this shy, completely-controlled-by-his-girlfriend- Lana-Lang (Lois is dead in this world) version of her fiancee into Superman…Spoiler part… which is exactly what Tempus wants, because he's important in this crime controlled version of Metropolis and has been arming ten to ninety year olds with guns to 'prepare for the enemy'. He's running in an election for mayor against Perry White (the employee of a young computer genius named Jimmy Olsen) and connects the newly made Superman with him, says he's a bad alien planning a military take-over, and divulges his real identity as CK, but eventually all is OK and Lois goes home.
***
Clark Kent sighed. Even though he had spent only about two hours total alone in the last three months, mainly out of his own choice, he was feeling incredibly lonely. Floating above the clouds like he was doing now only gave him time to think, and all his thoughts led back to Her. Dropping his altitude, he quickly scanned the coast of Africa again where Lois Lane was last seen about four years ago, working on a story. If only he hadn't listened to Lana, and used his, well…'talents', to help people earlier, Lois might still be alive, she might even be with him right now, like she was undoubtedly with his counterpart. If only the Kents… his *parents* hadn't died, maybe he would've been brought up better and saved her. If only Krypton hadn't exploded, or the time machine had failed, he would be with other people like him, or be perfectly happy married to Lana… at least he'd think he was happy… Clark sighed again. There was no sign of Lois, of course there wasn't, and he knew there wouldn't be. Clark took a deep breath to prepare himself to meet the over-eager reporters and adoring scientists again, and started back to Metropolis.
***
Mayson Drake walked towards her car. She was tired of waiting for her last clients, who were late as usual. It had been a long, hard day and the last thing she wanted to do was to stick around in her office. But she didn't want to go home either, she couldn't bear to face that empty apartment. Mayson wasn't sure who to call, though, for she had more enemies than friends in Metropolis. In her short career, she had put many criminals behind bars. Besides, it was late… She searched for her car keys in her purse, and her hand hit a cool metal container. *God*, she thought,* I've got to find a good hiding place for that! If anyone knew I had it…* She shuttered. The small cylinder contained a single blue pill from her most recent case, 'Resurrection'. It was enough to put six criminal masterminds back behind bars, and she knew that what they'd do to stay free wasn't pretty. Oh, there were her keys. She put them in the car door lock, and had to fumble with them a second, they seemed harder to turn that usual, like there was some new mechanism there. Mayson sighed. *I've got to take this old heap in for repairs,* she thought, as the door finally opened. She didn't see the small red light go off, or the glowing numbers under her seat begin their slow count down as she sat. * * *
Clark was half way home when he knew… or rather sensed, that something was wrong. He didn't feel this way often, the first time had been when his parents had said goodbye to him right before the accident, before getting into their car, and then just three months ago when Lois had been on the ledge, then falling… He winced at the painful memories, he had lost all of those people. Clark sped up. He wasn't going to lose another.
Without knowing what he was doing, Clark flew right to Mayson's car. He slowed down just enough so he wouldn't hurt her, after all, he was more powerful than a speeding bullet, then shot skyward just as the car burst into flames. Mayson struggled till she looked at the ground far below, then gasped, terrified until she looked into Clark's eyes, and then, very slowly, they both shyly smiled…
THE END
(or The Beginning?)
(altend.txt)