Disclaimer: I think it should go without saying that Smallville and all related characters do not, and never will belong to me. So sad. Tear, tear, sniffle, sniffle.

A/N: So I was pondering the 5th season episode "Reckoning" and all the marvelous 'what ifs' that episode has... and this idea came to me. It takes place about midway thru the episode, Lana's death... Clark in the fortress pleading with Jor-El... you know the deal. But what if Clark had actually thought before acting. Novel idea, huh?

So... spoilers for 5th season, "Reckoning" (naturally) and some third season too.

Enjoy!

One Chance

"There is one trial you have not yet faced."

Jor-El's voice rang in Clark's head as he stared at the ominously floating crystal.

He had to save Lana, there was no question about that… couldn't let her die, but…

"How does it work?"

"You simply grasp it and think of the event you want to change, or in this case, the person you want to save. The crystal will take you to the right moment. Be careful, Kal-El. These events, once changed, cannot be undone again."

Think of the person he wanted to save.

Clark took a deep breath. Lana then. He had to save Lana. She wasn't supposed to die this way.

He reached for the crystal…

He'd only get one chance…

Only one chance…

He took the crystal.

Blackness. Rushing, zooming air all around him.

All at once he was following an Asian servant down a hallway in Lex's mansion.

"The crystal will take you to the right moment."

Clark wondered what that moment was.

He had been thinking of Lana. He had, but… only one chance… at the last moment he had wondered if he could save Lex too.

Would that be possible? To save Lex from himself?

He was outside his former friend's office now.

Clark swallowed nervously.

He hadn't really thought this through…

"The crystal will take you to the right moment…"

But what was the right moment?

How far back had he gone?

And what would he have to do differently to make things work out?

Only one way to find out.

He took a breath. Straightened his shoulders.

Lex's office door loomed in front of him, the butler looking at him questioningly.

Clark nodded and the door was pushed open.

He stepped inside.

Lex was sitting on his black leather sofa, dressed casually in a form fitting black shirt and dark gray slacks, staring into his crackling fireplace. Instantly Clark recognized the scene and his stomach plummeted with a queasy feeling of remembered guilt and remorse.

Oh, God.

"Lex," he greeted quietly, forcing his old friend's name out past a suddenly dry throat.

"Clark."

Clark swallowed past the lump in his throat.

He remembered this day and oh, God, why did the crystal have to take him here?

The right moment…

He remembered Lex's screams… Lionel's cold voice ordering the shock treatment…

"How you feeling?"

"Great actually," Lex told him, smiling and affectionately reaching for Clark's hands. "Never better. I heard you came to visit me and I wasn't a very cordial host. If that's true I'm—I'm sorry," Lex said sincerely. Apologetically.

Clark fought down another swell of guilt.

"Did your dad tell you why he had you committed?"

He knew the answer, of course. Remembered this conversation word for word. Had gone over it in his head a million times.

"He said I had a psychotic break," Lex told him. "They think my island trauma precipitated it. I'm—I'm just grateful my father recognized it in time."

Clark drew in a shaky breath.

"The crystal will take you to the right moment…"

Only one chance…

He knew what he had to do, but oh, God, was he terrified.

"Do you wanna tell me something, Clark?" Lex asked softly, studying him with shrewd eyes.

Now was the moment.

Only one chance.

Clark could feel himself trembling.

Could he really do this? Could he tell Lex everything?

Lex's eyes were clear and trusting.

Clark reflected on how rarely Lex allowed himself to be so open.

Lex, strapped down, body jerking uncontrollably against his restraints.

Resolve filled Clark.

He hadn't traveled back two years in time for nothing.

He would change things.

He would save Lex and along the way Lana too.

"You didn't have a psychotic break, Lex."

He knew now that keeping secrets from his best friend wouldn't end well. It would only drive Lex to a desperate obsession.

This time would be different.

This time he would tell him.

This time he would tell him everything.

End.

A/N: Thoughts? Comments?