The sound of a gunshot fills Zatanna's ears as she watches Clark Kent, fall to the floor, the bullet ripping through the once invulnerable Kryptonian. After Lex kidnapped Clark and exposed him to kryptonite for three days, he was weak enough that the bullet killed him instantly, and he fell alongside the bodies of the other Leaguers who had tried to save Clark. Lex smiled as he looked down at the body of his former friend and enemy before walking over to Zatanna and putting the gun to her head.
"So Zatanna, all that's left of the so-called 'Justice League'. How did it feel to watch the man you loved die?" he asked, looking toward Green Arrow. However, as she looked over at the body of Oliver Queen, she realized the pain she felt in her heart was not for the emerald archer, but at the loss of Clark Kent. She had loved him since she had first met him in Metropolis and although they had become very good friends, she had ended up with Oliver and Clark had married Lois. She had thought she loved Oliver but knew if she could go back and do things differently she would.
"What, no last words?" Lex mocked and Zatanna knew this was her only chance.
"Return to the past now" she said and felt herself going back through time. When she woke up, she found herself outside Smallville. Zatanna got a paper and was shocked to find she had sent herself back to Clark's freshman year in high school. She realized she had a chance to fix the future and prevent what had happened from occurring. She needed to start by meeting Clark. Using her magic she made herself appear fourteen and got herself enrolled in Smallville High; people would just believe that she was a transfer student from Star City. She smiled and making a backpack appear on her shoulder, went to Smallville High.
Clark and Pete were with Chloe talking about football, when Pete tapped him on the shoulder.
"Check out the new girl"
Clark looked up and found him looking at the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She had brown eyes and dark black hair, and she was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. Zatanna saw him looking and smiled before walking over to him.
"Hi, I'm Clark Kent and this is Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross" he said, shaking her hand and she smiled, almost laughing as she met people she would work with later. Well, except for Pete since she hadn't met him since he had severed ties with Clark and Chloe by then. When Clark had told her all his adventures, he'd said that Pete couldn't handle the burden that came with his secret and left.
"I'm Zatanna Zatara; I'm a transfer student from Star City"
"Welcome to Smallville Zatanna" Clark said with a smile before the bell rang and they had to get to class. Zatanna had all of classes with Clark and Chloe, but only had gym with all three of her friends.
"Chloe, where's Clark?" she asked when school let out.
"He's probably by the bridge" she said and Zatanna remembered this was the day he saved Lex after he was hit by his car.
"Thanks Chloe" she said to the blonde before walking away and teleporting to the bridge once she was out of sight.
"Hey Clark" she said walking over to where he was standing, leaning against the bridge beside him.
"Oh, hey Zatanna" he said, barely seeming to register the magician's presence.
"Everything alright?" she asks, already knowing the answer ; years later on one of her visits to the farm he had told her today was the day his parents told him he was an alien.
"Do you ever feel like you just don't fit in anywhere? Like you're trying to be something you're not?"
Before Zatanna could answer, she saw Lex's car speeding towards them.
"Shield" Zatanna whispered just before Lex's car hit them. Clark took the brunt from Lex's car while Zatanna was clipped following him into the river, grateful that her shield protected her from being knocked unconscious. Clark looked back at her after he pulled Lex from the car, shocked that she wasn't unconscious. She began to swim to the surface, Clark following close behind.
Clark gave Lex CPR and after reassuring the bald billionaire that he hadn't hit them, Clark and Zatanna moved closer, wrapping the towels the E.M.T's had given them around themselves.
"How did you-" Clark began but Zatanna cut him off.
"I'll explain later" she said looking to where Johnathan was running to them.
"Who was the maniac driving that car?!"
"That would be me sir, Lex Luthor" he said extending his hand which Johnathan ignored.
"If there's anything I can do to repay you Mr.-"
" Kent and just drive slower" he said turning his attention to Clark and Zatanna.
"Clark, and…"
"Dad this is Zatanna"
"Zatanna, are you both alright?"
"We're fine Mr. Kent" she answered him, while Clark just nodded.
"Where are your parents Zatanna?" Johnathan asked and Zatanna's eyes teared up for a minute.
"My mother's dead and my father's away working on his magic act" she told him; seeing her distressed Clark put his arm around the young girl who leaned into his side.
"It's settled then, you'll come back to the farm and stay with us until your father gets back"
"Thank you Mr. Kent" Zatanna said and Johnathan nodded, deciding to go back and start up the truck while Lex went back to talk to the police; apparently Johnathan wasn't going to press charges.
"Do you need to get any of your things?" Clark asked and Zatanna shook her head, muttering a few spells that caused additional clothes to appear in her backpack without enlarging or breaking it.
"My bag's larger than it looks" she told him and the Kryptonian nodded.
After dinner, where Martha welcomed Zatanna just as warmly as she would years later, Clark took Zatanna to the guest room and after helping her get settled in turned to leave, but she stopped him, putting a hand on his arm.
"Thank you for not pressuring me about my secret Clark" she said, kissing his check. He blushed and smiled, before going to his own room, his dreams filled with the face of Zatanna Zatara.
The next morning Zatanna woke up and attempted to make her bed with magic as she usually would, only to find out it didn't work
'Shit'
A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter and this story so far! After watching the episode Warrior I wondered what it would be like If Zatanna and Clark were together but even more what would happen if they had met years earlier! The malfunction with Zatanna's powers will be explained in later chapters! Please read and review, next chapter will be up soon!