A/N: I don't own Smallville. This is my 2nd Smallville fic so if you want to read my other one it's called "Future Clark". You don't have to read it to understand this one but if you like this one you'll probably like my other one. Enough with the rambling… on with the story.
Sophomore Year Again?!?!
Clark Kent and Lois Lane Kent were working late at The Daily Planet again on a major story on a scientist who is killing people for sport and to see the extremities they can handle under different "experiments". Lois and Clark had been married for about six months now. Clark is 24 years old and Lois is about 25 years old. Naturally Lois knows Clark's secret and Clark is also Superman, defender of Metropolis and the World.
"Lois… where did you learn to spell?," Clark asked after looking over Lois' shoulder on the computer screen.
"None of your business, Smallville," Lois replied and continued typing as Clark pointed to another spelling mistake and Lois rolled her eyes at him and fixed it after she realized it herself.
"I just don't think that you should have to have Superman's help to spell," Clark joked which caused him to get a slight jab in the ribs from his wife.
"You're a riot, Clark. The quality of my writing is magnificent… my spelling is the only thing that needs improvement," Lois answered.
"Speaking of magnificent writers, is Chloe still here?," Clark asked sitting down next to Lois as she hit 'send' to go to the office of their boss Perry White.
"Yes," Chloe said behind Clark which caused him to jump a little in surprise. "Do you really think I'm a magnificent writer, Clark?".
"Well Chlo, since you got Lois and I into journalism and worked here before both of us as well as manage The Torch at Smallville High… I would say you're a magnificent writer," Clark complimented and Chloe just replied with a smile.
"Congratulations you two on getting that psycho scientist story," Chloe said sitting at her desk which happened to be next to her two favorite people in the world except for perhaps her husband Jimmy Olsen. "I'll be back guys, I'm gonna go get a refill on my coffee." Chloe got up and went to refresh her caffeinated drink.
"Yeah! Now at least Dr. Diane Carson can't hurt anybody anymore!," Lois yelled to her cousin who was now some distance away.
"I beg to differ," a female voice said from behind Lois and Clark.
"Dr. Carson… nice to see you," Lois said hesitantly unsure of what this insane woman was going to do. Chloe spotted her but stood her ground. If she was lucky Carson wouldn't notice her and she could phone for help even though Superman was standing there, although there was little he could do at that moment dressed as Clark Kent.
"I thought I could have one last fling of fun before the cops get me 'cause there's no way I'm going to jail, and who better to take my rage out on then the two people who were going to condemn me to such a hideous place," Dr. Carson said holding up a long ray gun that had the initials TT engraved on the side. What those initials stood for the husband-and-wife reporting team didn't know.
"Hey, no need for that doctor… can't we just talk this out?," Clark asked taking a protected stance in front of his wife.
"Not on your life, sport," she replied and fired the ray engulfing Lois and Clark in a bluish light and after 5 seconds where Lois and Clark stood now stood smoke. Dr. Carson then took out a Colt 45 automatic and committed suicide all in front of Chloe Sullivan Olsen.
"Oh my god," Chloe said in disbelief as she stared at the new bloodied corpse and where her best friends and family once stood.
"Lo, you okay?," Clark said getting up from a crouched position where he was protecting Lois from whatever the now late Dr. Carson was going to do to her.
"Yeah, thanks, Smallville," Lois replied also getting up. "Where are we?". Clark looked around noticing for the first time their different surroundings.
"I don't know… shhhh someone's coming in," Clark said and led Lois to a corner of the room next to a table, went under the table, and kept quiet.
"Thanks for coming in this early guys, it means a lot," a very familiar voice said directing her speech to two boys in the doorway. Lois and Clark furrowed their eyebrows because that very familiar voice was their cousin Chloe Sullivan Olsen.
"No problem," the boys said in unison. Clark looked even more confused after hearing one of the boys' voices because it was his own and the other one sounded like… Pete?
"You're the only one who gets to school this early you know," Young Clark said to Chloe setting his backpack down on the nearest table. It happened to be the table where his future self and wife were sitting under but thank goodness when he was talking to Chloe he was looking in her direction.
"Well now you can join me in that, Clark," Chloe replied.
"This better be a good story," Pete said with a yawn.
"I second that motion… I don't think I'll become a reporter if these are the hours I have to work with," Clark commented.
"Clark it's only seven in the morning… not two," Chloe said walking over to her computer to start it up. "Clark?"
"Yeah, Chloe?," Clark asked turning around to acknowledge her. Pete looked on in interest in the conversation and half yawned from exhaustion.
"Did you leave a shoe in here?," Chloe asked looking at a shoe by her desk which happened to be attached to the Future Clark. It was one of Clark's brown boots. Clark had come to The Daily Planet dressed casually because it was late at night and he didn't feel like dressing up if he was just going to fly himself and Lois home. Lois and Clark looked at each other knowing that they were caught and their hearts started to race. "It's gotta be yours Clark, it looks like your shoe size."
"It's not mine," Clark said and kicked it and he realized there was a foot attached. "Chloe, somebody's attached," Clark said pointing to the shoe. Chloe grabbed a stapler just in case it was somebody crazy or a meteor freak. If it was just some random guy she'd kick him out pronto.
"Hey you! Get outta there!," Chloe yelled at the shoe which pulled back and Lois and Clark stood up getting up from under the table which got three gasps out of the room.
"Uh… hi?," Future Clark said uneasily. Instead of a response they just got three open mouths and three pairs of wide eyes. Chloe was the first to come out of the stare and it was then that she realized that her cousin was standing next to this other Clark.
"Lois?!?! Oh my god I haven't seen you in forever!," Chloe said and hugged her cousin. Lois hugged her back and gave an apologetic look at her husband. "They all must think that he's a clone of Clark or something," Lois thought.
"Hi Chloe," Lois said and pulled out of the hug. Chloe then looked at the Clark to the left of Lois through narrowed eyes, "Who are you?".
"Him… and don't ask me to explain. Out of all the weird stuff that's happened here the idea of two Clarks isn't really all that weird," Older Clark said and pointed to his younger counterpart.
Finally Young Clark came out of his stupor and asked, "How can you be me?". To that he just got a shrug from his older self and Older Clark thought that was sufficient enough for now, he didn't even know how they got there but it definitely had to do with whatever Dr. Carson fired at them.
"So Lois how did you get here? And with a duplicate of one of my best friends?," Chloe asked still confused.
"We really don't know… but I'm not the Lois of this time and he isn't the Clark of this time. We somehow were transported to the past," Lois explained.
"So you're from the future?," Pete asked finding his voice. "Cool… this was definitely worth getting up early for!". Lois just replied with a nod.
"Hey Chloe, I'm gonna head to my locker so I'll be right back," Young Clark said, grabbed his backpack, and went out The Torch door.
"I'll be back too. I wanna see the school again, it's been awhile," Older Clark said following his younger self out.
"So how do you know Chloe? Lois, right?," Pete asked attempting to make conversation and avoid any uncomfortable silences.
"Yes, and we're cousins," Lois replied and Pete smiled and said, "Cool" in response. "So what grade are you guys in?".
"Tenth," Chloe and Pete answered in unison. They weren't sure who their visitor from the future was directing their question towards.
"Sophomores," Lois said to herself trying to figure out where her other self was and then realized that she must be with the General so she doesn't have to worry about seeing herself.
"So you know Clark?," Chloe asked in another lame attempt to make conversation.
"Yeah," Lois said and didn't reveal anything further. If they had to find out that they were married they'd find out and they wouldn't find out if it wasn't necessary.
"So what do you think is taking Smallville so long?," Lois said looking out the door. From that comment Lois received two confused faces.
"Smallville is the town, Lois," Chloe said a little confused.
"Oh," Lois started with an embarrassed laugh. "No! I meant Clark. I meant what's taking him so long around the school and your Clark for his locker."
"Then why'd you say "Smallville"?," Pete asked.
"That's just my nickname for him," Lois replied. "Sometimes I call him Smallville, Clarkie to really annoy him, Farmboy, anything really. He doesn't care."
"Oh," Chloe and Pete said in unison as the two Clarks came through the door. If you didn't know one was from another time you would think that Clark Kent was a twin.
"What took you guys so long?," Pete asked.
"I was reminiscing and he just took his time," Older Clark said and walked further in the office to stand next to his wife.
"Geez for a guy that can run faster than a speeding bullet you'd think he could get to his locker and back quicker than that in an empty hallway," Lois whispered to her husband. He just responded with a smile.
"So when does school start?," Lois asked.
"Eight o' clock," Young Clark answered. "Don't you remember?," he asked looking at his future self.
"Kinda, to be honest I haven't really thought about high school for awhile," Older Clark answered.
"Exactly how old are you two?," Chloe asked.
"Chloe, you know a woman never reveals her age," Lois said sarcastically and at her cousin's folded arm stance and glare she just replied with, "Just about 25 and Smallville is 24."
"Smallville?," Young Clark asked just as confused as Pete and Chloe were moments earlier. Instead of saying anything Older Clark just raised his hand indicating she was talking about him.
"Soooo, this is an awkward morning," Lois said breaking the uncomfortable silence she hates. "And just for the record please don't let it get silent, I'm really uncomfortable with uncomfortable silences."
"What story was it that you guys were here so early for anyway?," Older Clark asked breaking the silence once again.
"Oh we were just going to put the final touches on the Youth-Sucking Cheerleader story," Chloe replied getting back into work mode.
"Oh yeah I remember that," Older Clark said. Younger Clark and Pete were just sitting around letting Chloe do all the work which is what she expected. They had other stories to work on and she just really needed the company, which is why she asked them to come with her in the first place.
"You sure had an interesting high school life, Clark," Lois observed. "I don't remember you telling me about that one."
"Lo, if I told you everything that happened to me in high school I'd still be telling you about it," Older Clark replied.
"Lo?," Chloe asked at the use of that nickname. "You guys must know each other awhile for anybody to use that nickname on my cousin."
"Is about six or seven years long enough?," Clark asked sarcastically and Chloe just grinned at him in return getting the point.
"I get it you've known each other awhile," Chloe said. "Sorry I said anything."
"So are you guys gonna stay here in The Torch while school is in session?," Pete asked.
"I don't think we have a choice, Pete. We're kinda limited to where we can go. One I already got a me walking around and two nobody knows Lois yet," Clark answered.
"Since I'm done with the touch-up and school starts pretty soon, we have a few minutes to just talk," Chloe said printing out her story.
"I guess," Lois and Clark replied in unison with a shrug of the shoulder.
"Can you give away any future stock exchange secrets?," Pete asked in all seriousness. Younger Clark elbowed Pete in the arm softly careful not to break it and Older Clark just glared at him. "Never mind."
"I'm going to head to class so I'll see you guys later," Clark said and walked out of The Torch office.
"Me too," Pete said and followed his best friend out the door.
"Well my first hour is in here so if you want to research time travel or something my computer is open for a little bit," Chloe said.
"Thanks Chloe," Clark said and made himself at home sitting in the chair and starting to Google 'time travel theories'.
"I'll be right back guys, I forgot to use the little girls room before time traveling, silly me," Lois said sarcastically and jogged a little to the nearest rest room.
"So… Smallville huh?," Chloe teased leaning on the table.
"Heh, yeah. Don't ask… its something Lois came up with to annoy me. I gotta say though over the years it's grown on me," Clark answered. "I like it a lot better than Clarkie."
"Gonna give away any future stories for me?," Chloe asked and Clark just looked up from the computer screen and shook his head. The school bell rang indicating that the students should be in their first hour. "So do you guys have any idea how you got here?".
"A little… a ray gun of some sort was fired at us and I remember seeing blue and then getting up here with Lois," Clark replied eyes still glued to the computer screen scrolling through different links about time travel.
"Hi Chloe, my teacher said I could stay in here during first hour because I took the test we're taking earlier this week when I was absent… so I'm here," Lana said walking in without noticing Clark at the computer who didn't even hear her. He was too enthralled in his research. Luckily he can hear for cries of help when he dons his suit but since he's back in time there really is no need to keep his ears tuned in on the world around him.
"Hi Lana," Chloe greeted. "And you're welcome to stay in here. I don't have that much going on. In fact I'm ahead of schedule."
"I'm back," Lois said walking back in the office.
"Hi," Lana said noticing Lois walk in.
"Hi," Lois repeated and stood next to Clark. As Lana's eyes followed this woman she never met before she noticed Clark at the computer.
"Clark? Why aren't you in first hour? You finish your work too?," Lana asked walking closer to who she thought was the same Clark she's known.
"Lana?," Clark asked looking up for the first time. Boy for a guy who has super-hearing he sure can tune people out if he wants to.
"Uh… he is Lana, this isn't our Clark Kent. This is Clark from the future," Chloe explained. At first Lana looked confused but realized that since they were in Smallville anything was possible.
"Well when in Smallville," Lana said grasping the fact of a time traveler rather lightly. "So are you a new student or a time traveler too?," Lana continued directing her question to Lois.
"Uh, time traveler with Clark," Lois replied and Lana just nodded understanding. "Before you ask we're about ten years from the future or so." Lana just nodded again. There isn't really that much you can say to a time traveler.
"So Clark was telling me that you guys were shot with a ray gun in a bluish light and ended up here?," Chloe asked Lois trying to make sure Clark didn't mess anything up in his explanation.
"I really don't remember seeing blue but that might be because my eyes were closed and in Clark's chest. The being 'blasted by a ray gun and ending up here' part is right though," Lois answered.
"So what are you doing on the computer? Researching time travel or something?," Lana asked trying to be active in this conversation.
"Yeah but I can't stand this slow system. I don't know how you got all your work done, Chloe," Clark said staring at a blank loading screen.
"With patience, my friend, with patience… they must have faster computers in the future huh?," Chloe asked.
"Not really. It's just that the computers at The Planet are a lot faster," Lois answered for Clark. Then she realized that she just gave away some future information about themselves. "So much for not revealing any info on the future," Clark thought looking at his wife as she gave him an apologetic look.
"The Planet?," Chloe asked and had a smug look on her face. "I knew that you'd become a reporter, Clark. I guess you did too, Lois."
"Thanks to you," Clark said. Chloe gave a victorious smile.
"So is there anything on how you can get back?," Lana asked interested in the subject.
"Not really… all the things on here just have Einstein's theories and how 'it is impossible to time travel'. I also got a link that was talking about that 1985 movie Back to the Future but nothing that can help us. We might be stuck here awhile in other words," Clark replied. The bell rang interrupting the conversation indicating it was time to go to the next class.
"I'll meet up with you guys in here later… I've gotta get to class," Lana said and gave a smile to Clark and Lois and walked out the door.
"Me too," Chloe said. "I know I can trust you guys in here until later. We'll figure something out later. Bye guys." Lois and Clark gave a small wave to Chloe as she headed out closing the door behind her.
"You know you're really smooth in revealing some future information," Clark said turning to his wife a few seconds after Chloe left.
"I couldn't help it. Be thankful I didn't introduce myself to Lana as 'Lois Lane Kent' now that would be awkward," Lois apologized.
"Sorry," Clark apologized for being rude. "I just hope our time can handle itself on its own without Superman for awhile. I don't think we'll be here a really long time but I hope they can manage for at least a little bit."
"Well the world seemed to manage before you came along… I'm sure that they can manage while we're "visiting" the past," Lois answered putting air quotes around the word 'visiting'. "Hey I just thought of something. When we're staying here… where are we actually going to be staying?".
"I don't know but knowing me… younger me will probably offer to let us stay at the farm… and my dad's alive," Clark said and then realized the last part. "It'll be great to see him, but I think I should be careful to not kill him in a bear hug."
"Good idea… let's try not to get too misty when we see him okay?," Lois agreed and Clark nodded. "Boy the school day goes by slow."
"I think it goes slower when we're not doing anything," Clark answered. "Since you revealed that we work at The Daily Planet do you think we should reveal the fact that we're married?".
"I don't know… how about if the question comes up we'll tell them but if it doesn't we'll remain silent about it," Lois reasoned.
"Okay… I doubt the question will come up because I'm too young right now in this time period to be thinking of marriage," Clark agreed.
Meanwhile in The Daily Planet from Clark Kent and Lois Lane Kent's time period there was one nervous reporter staring at where her friends and family were once standing. Chloe stepped over the fresh corpse and started to dial 9-11 to report Dr. Diane Carson's death. After calling the police who said they were going to be there in a few minutes, Chloe took out her cell phone and started to take snapshots of the ray gun with her phone to try to analyze it later.
"Hello? Jimmy? Can you get the computer up at home? Something's happened here at The Planet I'll tell you about it when I get home. I'm gonna need you're help on analyzing something. I'll come home in about an hour… love you," Chloe said in her phone leaving a message on her and Jimmy Olsen's home phone. "God I hope wherever you guys are you're okay," Chloe thought to herself praying Lois and Clark were fine.
Back to Clark's sophomore year, time had passed and the end of the school day came as Clark of that time, Chloe, Pete, and Lana came back to the Torch to join their time traveler friends.
"Hey guys I hope you weren't too bored," Chloe said walking in The Torch with her friends right behind her. They all entered the room to find Lois asleep on Clark with Clark asleep as well. Clark was leaning back in the swivel chair with Lois curled up in his lap asleep. "Oh this is too good," Chloe said taking out her cell phone and snapping a picture of it.
"I don't think you're cousin will like that Chloe… and if future me is anything like the way I am right now… he won't like it either," Clark warned. Chloe just waved her hand in a dismissive manner.
"I just won't show them. What they don't know won't hurt 'em," Chloe replied and gently tapped Sleeping Clark on the shoulder to wake him up. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." All Chloe got in response was a groan from her future best friend. Lois however heard Chloe and lightly tapped Clark on the chest to wake him up. Slowly he woke up as Lois got off his lap and he stood up and stretched.
"The end of the school day already?," Older Clark asked sarcastically. "Sigh, I haven't had a good sleep like that in a long time."
"Me either," Lois agreed and stretched in the identical way as her husband.
"Hey guys I just thought of something… where are you guys gonna stay since you're obviously not going back to your time anytime soon," Pete observed.
"I guess you guys could stay on the farm with me," Younger Clark offered and Older Clark gave a knowing glance back to his wife who just smiled in return. Lois and Older Clark smiled at the other Clark showing that that was fine with them.
"I've gotta get home so I'll see you guys later," Lana said waving 'goodbye' and walking out the door.
"Unfortunately I have to go too," Pete said and waved bye to his friends and followed Lana out the door.
Time passed again and Chloe, Lois, and both Clarks arrived at the Kent farm and walked into the kitchen to see Jonathan and Martha Kent. Younger Clark entered first, followed by Chloe, then Lois and Older Clark.
"So how was school?," Jonathan asked when he heard his son come through the door.
"It was interesting," Clark answered. It was then Jonathan looked up and saw another Clark, Chloe, and a girl he's never seen before. Older Clark was just staring at his dad in shock of seeing him alive and back in his kitchen. Thankfully it was only noticed by his wife and she gave him a light elbow in the side to stop him from staring which he did.
"Uh hello," Martha said noticing the other Clark.
Chloe took the liberty of introducing their guests, "They're from the future. This is another Clark and this is my cousin Lois Lane." Lois had to fight the urge to correct her cousin and add the last name "Kent" to her name but remembered what time period they were in.
"Nice to meet you Lois," Jonathan said and shook her hand and Martha did the same. "So do you have a place to stay while you're in the past? How did you get here anyway?".
"We're not really sure how we got here… and your son offered us to stay here with you until we can figure out a way to get back to our time," Lois replied and as she said 'your son' she gestured to the tenth grader by Martha Kent's side.
"That's fine with me," Martha said. "Exactly how far from the future are you two?". The people of this town sure handle weirdness very well. Older Clark started to stare at his dad again but this time Jonathan noticed.
"You okay?," Jonathan asked the older version of his son.
"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine… I was just lost in thought there for a minute. And to answer your question Mom, we're not sure how many years from the future we are but let's just say that I'm 24, that should give you a good idea," Clark answered. Martha nodded in understanding.
"I think I'm gonna head home before my dad gets too worried about me. I think I can leave them in your capable hands. Bye guys," Chloe said and walked out the kitchen door.
"So do one of you wanna take my room or something?," Young Clark asked trying to be polite.
"No… uh I don't think I could do that to you," Lois started "again," Lois thought. "There's the couch in the living room and maybe the couch up in the loft."
"Would you be comfortable in the barn, though?," Jonathan asked looking out for the welfare of his future son and Chloe's cousin.
"I'm sure it would be fine. You don't have to worry about it, Mrs. Kent," Lois replied. "Geez I almost said Senator Kent," Lois thought.
"I'll go get blankets… who's going where?," Martha asked heading off to get the blankets out of the linen closet next to the kitchen.
"What do you mean?," Older Clark asked.
"I mean who's going to sleep on the couch in the living room and who is going to go in the loft?," Martha clarified.
"Oh," Older Clark said. "I'll take the loft I guess." Lois gave him a knowing glance. "After a couple of years of sleeping on that couch in the living room I'm not doing that again," Clark thought.
"Nice idea, Smallville. We couldn't have said 'we'll share' then that would have let the secret of us being married be revealed," Lois thought with a smile directed towards her husband.
"Clark?," Martha started.
"Yes?," both Clarks answered.
"Younger Clark," Martha clarified. "Why don't you help your older self with the blankets and pillows to the loft."
"Okay mom," Clark said and took some of the blankets and pillows from his mother and motioned for his older counterpart to follow him. Older Clark abided not that he didn't know where it was but because it was polite.
"I'll get your couch in the living room set up for later," Jonathan said and Lois followed him. It was also hard for Lois not to stare at her late father-in-law. Again Jonathan didn't notice the pair of eyes that didn't blink in his direction. "I'd imagine you two will be staying for dinner too?".
"I'd like that, Mr. Kent," Lois replied. "It sure is good to say "Mr. Kent" again without talking about my husband," Lois thought. After Jonathan set up the couch like a bed for Lois they headed back to the kitchen just as the Clarks came through the door.
"Everything is set up for older me in the loft," Younger Clark said pointing his thumb back to the barn.
"And everything is set up for Lois in the living room," Jonathan replied. The family stood in silence for a moment when two unexpected visitors opened the kitchen door and walked inside the kitchen.
"Pete? Chloe? What are you guys doing here?," Younger Clark asked as soon as he noticed who it was in the threshold of his kitchen door.
"My mom is working late and told me that if it was alright with your parents that I should have dinner over here because I'd have a healthier dinner here rather than me making myself a sandwich," Pete clarified.
"Same thing with me except my dad is working late," Chloe said. "Oh and Lana said she'd probably be coming over here too because she had a fight with Nell."
"Well looks like I'll be making a bigger dinner than I originally planned," Martha said with a sigh.
"Maybe you should just get Chinese Takeout or something," Lois suggested and Martha shrugged taking that idea into account.
"I wouldn't mind that," Pete and Chloe said in unison and then Chloe continued, "And I'm sure Lana wouldn't care either. It'll take a load off of you since I know that you definitely weren't expecting these many guests for dinner."
"Do you want me to get it for you, mom?," Older Clark offered. Martha just shrugged her shoulders and waved her arms in an 'I don't care' fashion. "Does anybody care what kind I get?" Everyone shook their heads indicating they really didn't care what Clark brought back.
"It really doesn't matter, Smallville. Just don't go to China to get it," Lois warned. Chloe thought that Lois was just making a joke so she laughed but Clark understood she wasn't kidding because she could tell he was about ready to fly out the door and head into the sky to go to China for their food.
"I'll settle for the Chinese food in town then," Older Clark said and walked out the door and once he was out of viewing range he super-sped downtown.
"That was a funny joke, Lois," Chloe said trying to start a conversation and avoid any uncomfortable silences that her cousin hates.
"What joke?," Lois asked because she knew she wasn't kidding with that "don't go to China" statement.
"The joke where you told Clark to not go to China for the food," Chloe clarified. Lois remembered that the Chloe of this time didn't know that Clark in fact could fly to China to get their food so she just smiled and pretended that it was a joke.
"I'm back," Older Clark said with a lot of Chinese takeout in his arms. "Little help here, Lois." Lois took a couple of cartons from Clark's arm and set it down on the table as Lana walked in.
"Before you explain your presence, Lana, Chloe already explained that you'll join us for dinner and why," Jonathan said as he placed his hand on Lana's shoulder and she just smiled in response as a silent thank you.
"Ooo Chinese Takeout," Lana said when she realized what they were going to be having for dinner. Everybody sat down to dinner. Lois was in between both Clarks her husband on her right, younger version on the left, Chloe was sitting next to younger Clark, Pete next to Chloe, Lana next to Pete and then Martha and Jonathan. Jonathan was next to his son's future counterpart. Clark had to be careful not to stare at his dad too much or else he'd get suspicious.
"Great dinner, Mrs. Kent. I know you didn't make it but it is kind of my way of saying thanks for letting me eat dinner with you guys," Chloe said and Lana and Pete nodded their heads hoping that Martha would get the message and they wouldn't have to repeat what Chloe already said.
"You're welcome, Chloe. You guys are welcome too," Martha replied. Everybody was smiling at the table. Clark started to stare at his late father and Jonathan started to become uncomfortable.
"What is it, Clark?," Jonathan asked noticing that he was now being stared at and it was a little unnerving.
"Nothing," Older Clark replied and averted his attention. "I just can't help myself from staring at you because I miss you," Clark thought.
"It has to be something… you were staring at me when you first came into the house after school ended," Jonathan said. He knew something was wrong but he just didn't know what it was that was bothering his son.
"Sigh… in the future," Clark started and then looked to his wife's eyes as if just looking into her eyes gave him strength and she nodded urging him to continue to just get it out into the open otherwise Jonathan would be uncomfortable with them staring at him all the time. "In the future… you're… gone."
"Gone as in…?," Jonathan asked dreading the answer.
"Dead," Clark simply finished flinching at the word. He looked down holding in tears. Jonathan put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder and stood up edging Clark to do the same and he gave him a big bear hug. "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, Clark," Jonathan said patting his future son on the back.
"Sorry, uh I didn't mean to bring everybody down," Clark said reluctantly pulling away from his father and looking at everyone's sullen faces.
"That's okay Clark, you needed to let that out, we understand," Martha replied and everyone else nodded, speechless at what Clark just revealed, especially Jonathan and younger Clark, they understood.
"So to lighten the mood a little bit, Lois, how are things in the future?," Pete asked desperately trying to change the subject as Jonathan and Older Clark sat back down.
"Uh… good. Clark and I work at The Daily Planet and life is good," Lois replied trying not to give too much info away.
"Where am I in the future?," Chloe asked. "I know you don't want to give away future information but I'm dying to know."
"I guess it won't hurt to tell you. You work with us," Older Clark answered which got a huge smile out of Chloe in return. Suddenly a Whitesnake song filled the air and Clark looked at his wife in confusion because that was his cell phone ringing.
"What's that?," Lana asked just as confused as everyone else.
"My cell. By the way thanks for changing my ring tone, Lois," Clark replied to Lana and replied sarcastically to Lois who put Whitesnake as his ring tone on purpose from the time they were both under the influence of red kryptonite when they were younger. "I don't understand who could be calling me especially since we're in the past." Everyone else realized the same thing and was just as confused as their visitor from the future.
"Answer it," Lois ordered causing Clark to come out of his confused stupor. He reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone opening it and hesitantly answering it, "Hello?".
"Clark? Thank God you're okay. Where are you? Is Lois with you? Is she okay?," Chloe Sullivan Olsen said on the other end.
"Chloe?," Clark asked his voice raising an octave as he said the second syllable of her name. "Yeah… I'm fine, Lois is fine… how are you calling us?".
"What do you mean 'how'… I called your cell. Where are you?," Chloe asked obviously impatient.
"We're in the past, that's what I mean by 'how'," Clark clarified which received an awestruck Chloe on the other side. "I'm gonna put you on speaker phone so Lois can hear you." Clark quickly put his cousin through marriage on speaker phone and put his phone on the table as present Chloe, present Clark, Jonathan, Martha, Lana, and Pete were in shock. Lois was also in shock but hey she and her husband went through a lot more weird stuff over the years than the people around them.
"The past? How is that possible?," Chloe asked still in shock. "That's impossible." Present Chloe was in shock hearing her own voice on the phone and she wasn't the one supplying the voice.
"Chloe… we've lived in Smallville, you are currently talking to…," Clark started and almost said "an alien" before he remembered once again that he is in the past and some people didn't know about him yet so he continued by saying, "…me. How is the fact we're in the past shocking?".
"Nothing never mind… I'll just tell you what I know," Chloe started. The whole room was listening intently and the only sound that could be heard was Chloe rustling papers on the other end of Older Clark's phone.
"Chlo? You still there?," Lois asked when there was a long silence.
"Yeah, I was just waiting for Jimmy to hand me something," Chloe answered. "Okay, so now we know what those initials on the side of that ray gun stood for. "TT"… "Time Travel", Jimmy just called Bruce and the rest of the Justice League to get together to possibly build a double of the ray gun so we can get to where you are… I don't know how we're going to get exactly to where you are but Victor will probably be able to figure it out. Lionel and Bruce are supplying the money and Kara is here too to help speed things along if you catch my drift."
"Chloe don't you want to know exactly where in the past we are before you try to ask Victor to do anything?," Lois pointed out and got a embarrassed laugh from her cousin on the other end so Lois continued, "We're in your and Clark's Sophomore year and apparently we came after the event of a Youth-Sucking Cheerleader Meteor-Freak story."
"Oh yeah, I remember that," Chloe replied. "Since you're in the past… and hopefully we'll be seeing you soon… if you see your dad Clark… could you say 'hi' for me?".
Before Clark could answer, Jonathan said, "Hi, Chloe."
"Hi, Mr. Kent," Chloe said with a lump in her throat. "Clark why didn't you tell me your dad was right there?".
"You didn't ask. You're also talking in front of my mom, Lana, Pete, and yourself," Clark said to see what kind of a reaction he could get out of her from that.
"Don't reveal too much about the future. I'll call again if I can… I don't even know how I'm able to talk to you right now. Bye Lois, bye everybody, bye Clark," Chloe said and hung up.
"Well that was enlightening," Present Chloe said filling the awkward silence. "I know I said not to reveal too much future info… but why did I say 'Jimmy' and what is "The Justice League" and who is Victor, Bruce, and Kara? And the Lionel she was talking about, did she mean Lionel Luthor?".
"I can't tell you unless I tell you about me… which you guys are definitely not ready for yet… and I can't disobey you, Chloe," Clark replied with a smirk which got a defeated sigh from the other end of the table.
"So are we going to be getting a visit from a Future Chloe sometime soon?," Pete asked trying to shift the conversation to him.
"I hope so… no offense to anybody… but the sooner we get home the better," Clark replied. "I'm not even sure if it is going to be her coming to get us."
"I agree," Lois said finally saying something after a long silence which is definitely a rarity for Lois Lane. Time passed and Chloe, Lana, and Pete left to their respected homes after conversing about something that nobody else in the room heard and it was already time for bed.
"Goodnight guys," Jonathan said and walked up the stairs with his wife. Younger Clark just said 'goodnight' and 'I hope you're comfortable' before following his parents upstairs.
"After all those years you made me sleep on the couch while you lived here and took over my room, you finally get to see what it was like," Clark said with a great big smile.
"Don't get too smart with me, Smallville. You didn't look too uncomfortable to me when I saw you on the couch seeing your rippling muscular backside," Lois replied.
"Don't start with that now, Lois. I'll see you tomorrow morning, hopefully with someone from the future to get us back home," Clark said and gave Lois a quick kiss on the lips before walking out the kitchen door and up to his new bedroom, the loft. Lois crawled into her new bed, the couch.
As Clark got comfortable on the couch in the loft he started to drift off to sleep, there were three shadows lurking below in the barn. Those shadows happened belonged to Lana, Pete, and Chloe. Pete was just there for fun and to try to find out what happens to him in the future and Lana and Chloe were there to see if they couldn't find out what big secret Clark is keeping and if his future counterpart would accidentally slip and say something.
"I don't know if this is a great idea guys. He probably won't tell us anything," Pete said starting to rethink their little plan.
"Aw come on, Pete. I learned in Psychology class the other day that if you talk to someone when they are asleep and they hear you they have to speak the truth," Chloe said knowing that it would be fun. The mystery of whom 'Jimmy' was tormenting her as well as what the 'Justice League' was and who 'Bruce, Victor, and Kara' are even if the 'Lionel' they were talking about was Lionel Luthor… it was all killing her inside after all she is an investigative reporter for The Torch.
"Don't you wanna know what happens to us in the future?," Lana asked trying to persuade Pete back on to the 'dark side'. Pete gave a defeated sigh and his two friends smiled in victory as they quietly headed up the steps. Clark had enough time to fall asleep and soon they would find out whatever they wanted.
"If they ask what his secret is I'm gonna have to cover for him," Pete thought to himself. After all he was going to protect his secret as best as he could after finding out the truth. The truth about Clark Kent was definitely too much for his two best friends to handle.
"He looks comfortable," Lana observed. Pete noticed that Clark was starting to float above the couch and quickly pushed him down before Chloe or Lana could notice.
"I guess he can do that in the future," Pete thought.
"Pete! Are you crazy we don't want to wake him up!," Chloe yelled in a whisper not noticing that he had just pushed Clark down a few inches back on to the couch.
"What do you want to ask first?," Lana asked.
"Who is Kara?," Chloe asked.
"My cousin," Clark replied in his sleep. "Supergirl."
"Supergirl?," Chloe asked. "Okay, that's a little weird."
"Where is Pete Ross?," Pete asked. The only reason he came was to find out about his future.
"In Wichita," Clark answered still asleep.
"Now for the grand finale," Lana said ready to ask her question. Pete knew she probably was going to ask what his secret was but before he could try to wake Clark up, Chloe knew what he was going to do from his stunt of touching Clark before and held Pete back so he couldn't do anything to stop Lana from asking her question.
"What is the one secret that you hide from everyone?," Lana asked ready to finally hear the answer.
"I am Superman," Clark answered. This was true for the Clark of the future, fortunately for him, nobody probably understood what he said except for maybe Pete.
"Who's Superman?," Lana asked nobody in particular disappointed with her answer.
"Well I guess that's his big secret, let's go," Pete said hurriedly and began to push Lana and Chloe forward to the stairs to leave the loft.
"Pete? Do you know something we don't know?," Chloe asked suspicious of her best friend.
"No," Pete replied nervous. Suddenly Clark started to toss and turn heavily which diverted everyone's attention from Pete to Clark. He even started to talk in his sleep very frightened.
"LEX!! GET AWAY FROM HER!! NOOOOOOO!!! LOOOOOOIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!," Clark yelled in his sleep and woke up with a jolt. The trio pretended like they hadn't been standing next to Clark the whole time and ran up to him.
"Clark what's the matter?," Chloe asked full in concern for him. "You just yelled Lex and Lois' name."
"Bad dream," Clark said not clarifying at all what Chloe wanted to know.
"What are you guys doing here anyway?," Clark asked wondering what they were doing in his old loft at this time of night.
"Okay we confess we were going to ask you some questions about the future and when we got up here you started yelling," Pete asked which got him two glares from Lana and Chloe. "Are you okay though man? You sounded really scared."
"Yeah, I'm okay," Clark replied but based on the sweat on his forehead and rubbing his hand over his face his friends weren't convinced.
"Honey? Are you okay? I could hear you yelling from the house," Lois said quickly with concern before she realized the three interlopers.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Lois. I was just having a nightmare from what happened a couple of months ago," Clark answered. As if it were enough Lois understood and gave Clark a hug who was now sitting on the couch to comfort him giving him his strength back through their love.
A couple of months ago Lex Luthor started one of his take over the world schemes and knew that Reporter Lois Lane had ties with the Man of Steel. Thank goodness he was naïve enough to not know that Superman was his ex-best friend. So he used Lois against Superman by causing an illusion that he had killed Lois Lane and that infuriated Clark to the extent that can not be described. If Lois hadn't busted out of the holding place Lex was keeping her in at the time she did, Lex would have made a murderer out of Clark Kent. Quickly Clark flew off with Lois leaving Lex Luthor smirking planning his next evil scheme behind.
Lois then sat down next to Clark with a confused Chloe and Lana looking in their direction. Clark had his arm around his wife as she was leaning on his shoulder, he also happened to be shirtless. Pete didn't catch what Lois called Clark when she came up the steps but Chloe and Lana sure did and they wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible.
"Lois? What did you just call Clark when you came up here?," Chloe asked because it was definitely very out of character for her cousin to call someone 'honey'.
"What?," Lois asked trying to play dumb after realizing her slip.
"You called Clark, 'honey'," Lana clarified.
"No I didn't," Lois answered trying to keep that secret a secret but it was useless as she noticed Lana and Chloe's stances. "Sigh…," Lois started looking at Clark for permission to continue he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head toward his friends telling her silently she could continue. "In the future, Clark and I are married… see?". Lois held up her left hand revealing her diamond wedding ring and she picked up Clark's hand for him to reveal his golden band.
"Why didn't you tell us?," Lana asked happy for Clark and yet supremely jealous at the same time.
"I didn't see why we would have had to," Clark replied for his wife. "It has no relevance to our current situation."
"Still it would have been nice to know. I can't believe I'm an investigative reporter and I didn't even notice the wedding rings on your fingers," Chloe said. "I know it doesn't have anything to do with the time travel but it would be one less secret to add on to the "Mystery that is Clark Kent"."
"Do you want to reveal any more future information?," Pete asked hinting about his powers after getting over the fact that his best friend found someone who didn't have the name Lana Lang and was happy.
"Nice hinting, Pete, but I don't think so," Clark replied.
"We heard yelling from the house, is everything alright?," Jonathan asked running up the stairs with his wife and current son trailing behind.
"Yeah, everything is fine although we just found out a secret about Future Clark," Chloe started. The three present time Kents all held their breath wondering if it was about Clark's powers or alien origins, "Lois and Clark are married."
"Married?," Young Clark asked wondering what could possibly happen in the future for him to avert his love from Lana.
"Yes," the husband and wife in question answered in unison.
"Anymore secrets you want to get out in the open?," Lana asked hoping that the "Mystery of Clark Kent" would finally be solved.
"I don't always wear plaid in the future," Clark answered in attempt to be humorous.
"Yeah he usually wears suits, one suit in particular that would catch anyone's attention," a voice from the staircase said. The whole group turned around to see who it was and only two occupants in the room knew who it was. "Hey Clark."
"Kara? How?," Older Clark asked as his younger cousin came up to give him a hug. A lot of people in the loft wore looks of confusion. "How'd you get here?".
"I'm not answering that because you should know the answer. I'm not the only one here. We couldn't decide who should get you guys so some of the Justice League came and everyone else. They're coming up now," Kara answered. Coming up the stairs were: Future Chloe, Jimmy Olsen, Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, Arthur 'AC' Curry, Victor Stone, Bart Allen, and the Future Lionel Luthor.
"Lionel Luthor? What are you doing here?," Jonathan asked starting to take a protective stance when Older Clark put a calming hand on his dad's shoulder silently telling him it was okay.
"Good to see you too, Jonathan," Lionel said with a smile. Clearly the Lionel Luthor of the future not only knew about Clark but was involved with anything the Justice League did.
"Amigo, if you're wondering who's got the time travel device, look to your cousin," Bart said nodding his head to Kara Kent. The occupants of the present time were all in shock and confused.
"Here," Kara said starting to hand the hand-held device Victor came up with after looking over the Time-Travel Ray Gun when she pulled back and turned her head in the way Clark does when he is "super-listening".
"What is it?," Older Clark asked as he too started to listen. "Ryan?". Without a second thought, Kara super-sped and flew off into the sky in pursuit of Ryan the mind-reading boy of Clark's past. Present Chloe, Present Clark, Lana, Pete, Jonathan, and Martha stared out the window in utter shock at what they had just witnessed.
"What just happened? How did she do that?," Lana asked the question that everyone from her time was thinking.
"Clark, we'll all explain go after her!," Lois ordered pointing out the window, with a reluctant looking Clark at her side. He took a couple steps back with an affirming nod and super-sped and launched into the sky after his mischievous cousin.
"I can do that in the future?!?!," Clark asked in wonder and excitement with a nodding Lois as a response.
"Okay, I really need to know the truth now!!," Lana yelled letting all of her anger come out in one sentence.
"Me too," Present Chloe agreed.
"Okay, while Superman is busy getting his cousin, who wants to help me explain everything?," Lois asked looking at the group of people from the future.
"We'll help," Lionel said coming forward with Future Chloe at his side.
"You know about my son?," Jonathan asked fearing for his future son's safety.
"Yes, Jonathan, but you needn't worry. I'm not as bad as you think in the future," Lionel replied.
"So what's the truth?," Chloe asked her older self, Lionel and Lois. Lana stood next to her best friend with her arms folded identical to Chloe's also waiting for the explanation to commence.
"I don't know where to start," Lois said looking down.
"The beginning would be a good place," Chloe replied. Lois gave a weak smile at her younger cousin who was fishing for answers.
"First of all, Clark isn't a meteor-freak," Lois started.
"He isn't? Then how on Earth could he possibly do what he just did?," Lana asked pointing out the window to the starry sky.
"Clark wasn't born anywhere near Smallville," Future Chloe started explaining it to herself the way Clark told her in the future, "In fact, he wasn't born anywhere near this galaxy."
"But that would make him an…," Young Chloe started sharing a glance with her future counterpart. "… Alien."
"You hit the nail on the head, Chlo," Clark said and then continued, "Although I prefer the term 'Intergalactic Traveler' over 'Alien'.
"So that's your big secret?," Lana asked relieved to finally know the truth about Clark Kent. Clark gave a shy nod.
Lionel didn't let the two have a tender moment as he noticed Lois' uneasiness of past lovers having a moment and continued sharing the truth by saying, "His name is Kal-El from the planet Krypton. His parents were Jor-El and Lara Lorvan-El. The Clark of this time doesn't even know that part."
"What happened to Krypton?," Pete asked eager to learn anything else about his best friend. Even though he didn't know much he couldn't pass up a chance to learn anything else about his best friend.
"Krypton… was destroyed. It blew up," Lois said trying to put it delicately but realized that there really is no way to put the fact that a planet blew up delicately. As that little piece of information was settling in everyone's minds, Older Clark and Kara returned through the window. Clark was holding his cousin's arm like she was a little girl who had just got caught sticking her hand in the cookie jar.
"Miss us?," Older Clark said stepping down from the windowsill of his loft.
"Kara, don't ever do that again… it's dangerous to try to mess around with the past. Believe me… I know," Clark said looking at Lana and his father remembering the time he had a chance to turn back time and save Lana but couldn't save his father.
"What'd she do?," Oliver asked as she walked back in the group of the Justice League.
"She just tried to alter time to help me but that shouldn't be done. I know what it's like to alter timelines," Older Clark replied with tears starting to swell in his eyes as he looked to his father.
Oliver took the time machine from Kara's hand and walked up to his friends, "It's time to go back guys."
"Okay," Lois and Clark replied.
"Victor made a little altercation on it though so that when you guys go back you'll go back before that insane woman sent you here so you can stop this from happening and they won't remember you being here," Oliver explained.
Lois joined the group of the future as Clark went to hug his dad and he whispered in his ear, "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, son," Jonathan replied patting his back as they reluctantly released their hug. Before Clark joined his future friends and family he went to the nightstand and wrote something on a piece of paper and stuck it on his younger self's desk. Clark then joined everyone as Oliver pressed a button enveloping everyone from the future in a blue light and five seconds later they disappeared with smoke remaining.
As Chloe Sullivan Olsen was staring at the insane scientist pointing a ray gun at her family she noticed something in the corner of her eye that she couldn't believe. The next thing she knew she saw a primary color blur whip around and knock Dr. Diane Carson unconscious. Quickly she ran to who had to be Superman but she wasn't sure if it was him because Clark was still standing next to his wife in shock. Out of the corner of her eye she saw another Lois Lane walk over to the Superman.
"Who are you?," Chloe asked the Superman in front of her. "You can't really be him. He's right here," Chloe said and pointed to Clark next to her.
"I am him… Lois and I are from the future and we needed to stop what was going to happen before it happened," Clark replied cryptically. Lois came by his side and wrapped her arms around his waist as he put his arm around her and they both smiled and began to disappear becoming transparent and then nothing.
"Okay, that was really weird," Clark observed which got an agreeing nod from his wife at his side.
"I think we should call the police about her," Chloe said pointing to the ground where an unconscious psychopath was laying.
"Good idea," Lois agreed.
"I can't believe how much weird stuff we've seen over the years," Chloe said as she dialed 9-11 on her phone to report the woman at their feet.
"Well I'm married to Superman, what else can you expect but weird and supernatural things?," Lois said with a smile hugging Clark on her side. "No matter what we go through, I'll still love him."
"And I'll still love you," Clark said as the three reporters all shared smiles.
Back in Clark's sophomore year of high school, Clark Kent just came home after school when he noticed something on his desk. Everyone in Clark's life today were complaining about not being able to remember certain things from that day but blamed it on the weirdness of their town.
"What's this?," Clark asked himself picking up the piece of paper and began reading it. It read: "Dear Clark: Don't be scared about your future or your destiny because there is nothing to fear. You will never be alone, you will help many people, and be loved unconditionally by your friends and family. P.S. Get to know this symbol really well because it is your destiny." Next to the words was the symbol of the House of El otherwise known as the Superman symbol neatly drawn, and at the bottom of the note it was signed: CK "Superman".
"Nice cryptic message," Clark said sarcastically to himself, shook his head and folded the piece of paper up and put it in his jacket pocket. "I'll worry about it later." Then Clark Kent looked out of his loft's window up at the starry sky wondering what his destiny truly held for him and if there really was nothing to fear. As he looked up one star in particular started to twinkle and Clark silently smiled to himself somehow knowing that everything would be all right for his future.
THE END
A/N: I hope you enjoyed my second Smallville Fanfiction. This took me awhile because of school and life, not to mention some writer's block. Please Read and Review, it will be greatly appreciated. I thought this story was "Super" and I hope you all did too.