1Part 1: Chaos

The flapping of a single butterfly's wing today produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. So, in a month's time, a tornado that would have devastated the Indonesian coast doesn't happen. Or maybe one that wasn't going to happen, does. (Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos, pg. 141)

Married.

If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she never would have believed it.

She'd stuck around the loft just long enough to get the gist. Even to her - Purveyor of the Wall of Weird - it had sounded ludicrous. A Lois from the future had come back to their present to stop a madman. She'd used some magical piece of paper and jumped into oblivion. Because she was brave. Because she needed to save Clark.

Because that's what a good wife would do.

Chloe couldn't help the resentment that was creeping in, and taking over. Knowing that her future would never include a life with Clark hurt, but the idea that Lois would betray her cut deeper.

Much deeper.

The rain spattered against the windshield, and Chloe watched as the wipers once again sloshed it away.

A quick glance revealed Lois, both hands firmly gripping the steering wheel as she hummed tunelessly to the radio. Her black sunglasses were propped up on her forehead, her expression light. Chloe wondered how much her cousin knew - If she had been let in on the future, and had invited her out to lunch to break the news. Turkey sandwiches and iced lattes and hollow apologies.

She was suddenly reminded of an old saying. A true friend stabs you in the front.

She idly wondered where a family member stabbed.

Chloe hadn't realized that her initially quick glance had stuck, and turned into a full fledged stare, until Lois turned and smiled.

"You're quiet today," she observed, giving Chloe's shoulder a quick nudge.

Chloe sunk deeper into the passenger's seat of the convertible. "I'm just not feeling very well."

Lois' look of sympathy only succeeded in irritating her more. She couldn't control it - everything her cousin did rubbed her like sandpaper. She nursed a bottle of Poland Springs, her face a deep scowl. Soon Lois' hand was on her forehead.

"Well, you don't feel warm. But, admittedly, I never was very good at the whole taking a temperature thing. I never took the time to check out what a fever didn't feel like."

She felt another irrational wave of anger. Part of her knew it was stupid. Lois hadn't done anything to her. She hadn't expressed so much as a mild interest in Clark.

The Lois sitting beside her wasn't a Judas.

Not yet, anyway.

"What are you doing here?"

Lois' smile faltered. "Heh. Missed you too, little cous."

Chloe felt a quick pang of guilt as hurt registered on her confused cousin's face. She back peddled. "I just didn't expect you back in Smallville so soon."

Lois let out a breath of relief, and shook her head as if embarrassed by whatever she had just been feeling. "Wasn't planning on it, actually," she admitted with a shrug. "But I couldn't exactly ignore two late night phone calls, now could I?"

"Two?"

"Yeah, you and Clark."

Chloe sat up. "Clark called you ?" She flipped off the radio. "What did he say?"

"He didn't really say anything. Substantial, that is. He asked me a lot of random questions. We talked about school and stuff." Lois was silent for a while before she shook her head. "It was weird."

Chloe took a chance. "A bad weird?"

A ghost of a smile graced Lois' lips. "No. Not a bad weird."

Chloe felt resentment nipping at the edges. "So you came to see Clark?"

"No. I came to check up on you," Lois corrected. "Truth be told I probably wouldn't have come at all if it had just been Clark. You kinda freaked me out, Chlo."

Chloe sighed. "Sorry I scared you. It was nothing." She took another sip of her water. This was all so stupid.

"Well, I'm glad it was a false alarm. Wish I could say the same for Smallville."

She cringed at Lois' use of the playful nickname. Was that what she called him in the future? On their wedding night? In the throws of passion? A hint of teasing as she claimed him as her own.

"So after I tried calling you I drove over to the farm to check things out. Mrs. Kent said that he was down at those caves - hanging with the sleestaks or whatever it is he does down there. So I get there and –" Lois shook her head. "You're gonna think I'm nuts."

"What?"

"Chloe, there was this big, swirly thing - a hole. And this lady was attacking Clark."

"Lady?"

"Yeah. Brown hair. White blazer. Kinda slutty skirt."

Chloe's eyes went wide. The future her. Lois had met herself and had no idea.

"What did you do?"

Lois snorted, like she was insulted Chloe even had to ask. "I kicked her ass."

"You what?" In spite of it all, Chloe forced herself to laugh. Because it really was funny.

Lois misunderstood and jumped on the defensive. "She had it coming," she argued. "Anyway, I wish I could have gotten a better look at her - made a positive ID. Clark was zero help in that department."

"What do you mean?"

"He can't remember."

Chloe's heart stopped. "He doesn't remember anything? You're sure?"

"The boy is a walking void."

Chloe saw the faint glimmer at the end of what had been a very dark tunnel. If neither knew about the future, who said that it had to end up that way?

"Anyway," Lois continued, "I walked him back to the farm, gave him a caffeine jolt, and caught him up as much as I could. I think he was pretty shaken."

Chloe took it all in.

She rested her head against the seat, and gazed out the window. Outside the rain came down in sheets. She was beginning to wonder if the storm would ever pass.

"Would you ever...pursue Clark?"

Chloe hadn't meant to ask that, and it took her by surprise when she did. She had meant to ask something less direct. Something that would help restore her fraying faith in Lois. But she let the question stand - too tired to be subtle, too desperate for her to prove the future wrong.

Lois scrunched her nose. "What? You mean if he, like, stole my purse or something?"

Chloe frowned. "No. Romantically."

"Oh."

It hadn't been the reaction she expected. The 'hell no!' or 'In his dreams' that would have made some of the anger lift. Her answer had been 'oh' and now it hung between them.

"Because you know how I feel about him," she prodded.

Lois smiled sadly. "Yeah, Chlo. I know."

Her tone was soft. Familial. Chloe refused to let it sway her.

"So promise me."

"Promise you?"

Lois' review mirror was off kilter. Chloe caught her own reflection. She looked into her eyes and wondered what she had become.

What they had become.

"Promise me that nothing will ever happen between you and Clark."

She watched the way Lois' gaze never shifted from the road ahead. "Okay, Chloe." The way her hands tightened around the steering wheel. "I promise."

Chloe turned back to the window. She closed her eyes and told herself what she had done would be for the best.

It was, after all, just another direction.

He is falling.

Or something close to it.

Below him the world spins; the ground is a blur of colors. He clutches at the air, and the wind whips furiously at his clothes. A dark blue t-shirt. A blood red coat.

"Remember," a voice calls from somewhere close.

And then he begins to slow. Soon his feet touch the ground, as if placed with the utmost care. Like he is precious. Like he is porcelain.

He turns, surrounded by darkness. Suddenly firelight flickers and he's looking at the cave wall.

A familiar symbol begins to glow and he tries to walk to it. He looks down to find himself knee-deep in dirt, and struggles against it.

The walls weep, and the symbol's light is soon doused out by the coming blood.

"Remember."

Clark opened his eyes, only to find himself in his bed. As the dream slipped away, the voice still echoed in his mind.

"Lois."