A/N: Had a bit of writer's block but I'm back! Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing and hope you like! Don't forget to review!
Chapter 8
The two froze as a dark shadow crept from behind. "Herb! It's been awhile. How's my not-so-favorite writer?"
"Tempus!" Wells gasped.
"Tempus?" Lois repeated, confusion etched on her face.
Quickly, the older man stood in front of her as to protect her. This move caused the future time traveler to laugh loudly. "Please don't tell me you're a Knight in Shining Armor now."
"I should have known it was you Tempus!" Wells said. "Of all the despicable crimes you've committed. Switching persons in time!"
"Well, duh, of course it was me! Who else would it be? Michael J. Fox?" Tempus jeered. "As for the switching… ingenious wasn't it? The past Clark is heartbroken that his precious Lois is with child with another man, and the past Lois hurt and betrayed by the one man who was her friend. Makes a pretty good soap opera doesn't it?"
"B-but why?"
"God, Herb. If I didn't know better, I would think you were a simpleton."
"Then why don't you enlighten me?" Lois stepped around the writer. "Who the Hell are you?"
Tempus's brow rose. "You didn't tell her? Now I'm crushed Herb. After all we went through and you never told her about me? Well, since you are being so rude, I suppose I have to make the introductions. I'm Tempus, a time-traveler from the future that you and Superman created. Actually, that future won't exist for much longer once I'm done."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I don't want to give away too much spoilers, but I came up with the perfect way to destroy that muscle-bound hubby of yours. The two of you would be doing the undoing. Although it's really the future you and the past Clark. Brilliant I know."
Lois gaped at him. "You're insane."
"I've heard worst. Well, as much as I would love to stay and chat and catch up on the good times, I have to go and destroy your lives. Oh! And I almost forgot, silly me." Tempus looked at Wells. "You can't stop me this time. I've disabled your machine and there's no way you'll get it fix in time. Ta ta!" His figure shimmered and was gone instantly.
"I feel like I'm in The Twilight Zone," Lois said as Wells rushed to his machine.
"Oh no!" The older man wailed.
"What's wrong?"
Wells reappeared with two contraptions in his hands. "This is only a small piece of his 'disabling.'"
Lois went over and her eyes grew wide. The machine was pulverized. It looked like Tempus took a sledgehammer to it. Wells fell to his knees, the two pieces falling at his side.
"My work! I'll never get it repair in time!"
"Don't say that. Clark said this wasn't the first time so it'll work out."
"My dear," Wells started wearily. "It took me years to get this machine built and to work properly."
"But don't you have a blueprint or something?"
His eyes lit up. "I do! Thank the Gods!" He got up and went to the back of the machine where a secret compartment lied. "I put this in, in case of emergencies." Wells opened it and the glow immediately died.
Lois felt her chest tightened. "What is it?"
He didn't answer. He didn't need to when the ashes blowing from his hands spoke loud and clear.
xxXXxx
"What's the game plan?" Lois asked the men as they sat in the family room.
Clark and Wells looked at each other. "We're going to have to rebuild. There's no other choice," the older man replied. "I'm going to have do it by memory, but I don't know if I can guarantee the same success."
"What about you Clark?"
"What about me?"
"Could you… you know fly back?"
"Fly back? You mean go back in time?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
"I don't know if I can."
"Could you try?"
"I believe that'll be pushing it," Wells interrupted. "And that's five years he would have to go back."
"Well, do you think it's possible?" she questioned.
Wells shrugged. "Superman has never done that."
She threw her hands up. "Okay, I'm out of ideas. Guess fixing the time machine is our only hope."
"I'm so sorry this happened. I knew I should have installed a locking system on it."
Clark clapped the writer's back. "You didn't know."
"Yes but this is Tempus we're speaking of." He sighed. "What's done is done."
"I'll do what I can to help," Clark promised.
Wells smiled. "I know you will my boy. Since our trip has been delayed, I propose we get some shut eye."
"Sleep does sound good," Lois said. "I'm bushed."
"Quite." Wells laid his head on the pillow on the couch and was out. Clark and Lois looked at each other, shaking their heads while laughing to themselves.
"You can stay in the guest room if you like. I'll show you—"
"I think I can find it." Lois looked away from him.
Clark nodded, forcing out, "Okay." He paused. "Night Lois."
She opened her mouth, but decided to close it. She turned on her heel and went up the stairs.
Clark sighed. This was going to be a long night.
xxXXxx
"Clark?"
He woke up, a smile breaking out at the sight of his wife. HisLois. He scrambled out of bed to hug her. "Oh Lois!" he whispered. "You're home! I thought—how did you get back?"
She stiffened under his touch and gently pushed him back. "Clark. There's something I need to tell you."
"What? My God, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!"
"Tempus brought me back."
"He did?"
She nodded. "Clark, I realized something when I went back to the past. Something I never knew was missing. And I have Tempus to thank for."
"What…? Lois, what are you talking about?" His heart began to beat faster.
"I've been living a lie Clark. I kept telling myself this was what I wanted. You were what I wanted. But I can't keep fooling myself anymore. It's only fair you hear the truth."
"Lois?"
"I'm sorry Clark."
"Yes. So sorry Clark."
Clark whipped his head up as Lex Luthor came up from behind Lois, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Second chances do happen."
"NO!"
Clark woke up, sweat pouring all over his face. He looked over to his wife's side, checking to see if she was there, but her side was empty and he was above the bed.
"Oomph!" Clark fell back down. The dream had been too vivid, too real. Lois wouldn't pick Luthor. She couldn't. But his wife wasn't with him. She was stuck in the past.
Clark covered his face and breathed loud. Your mind is playing games on you. Lois would never go back to Luthor. She knows what kind of person he is. She would never leave you for him.
But the ghosts of his past crept up on him as he remembered that one time she did leave him for Luthor. She accepted Luthor's proposal after Superman turned her down.
"No!" Clark whispered. "It wouldn't happen again! It wouldn't!"
But it could, the nagging voice whispered.
Clark was thankful that a cry for help came. There was no way he was going to get anymore sleep.
xxXXxx
It wasn't until dawn when Clark returned. He kept himself busy with any cry that reached his super ears. It was the distraction he needed to keep from returning to those dark thoughts. And to his relief, Wells and Lois were awake so they could get right to work on the time machine.
He spun into his normal clothes, finishing it off by sliding on his glasses, when he looked to see Lois giving him a funny look.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied. A little too fast. "Breakfast's ready."
It was a bowl of cereal, nothing fancy, but it hit the spot for Clark. While the three ate, Lois ventured another look at him. Clark caught it but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to raise his hopes that she was going to forgive him.
"Is Jordan okay?" she questioned.
"Yeah. I filled my parents in on what has happened. They wanted to come out here, but I told them they should better stay in Smallville."
"Yeah. That's a good idea."
"So, Mr. Wells. You think you're ready to do this?"
"I think we're passed the formalities. You can call me Herb."
"Herb," Clark corrected with a grin. "Well?"
"How do you Yanks put it? Let's give it a whirl!"
Lois choked.
xxXXxx
Sneaking the time machine onto the back patio was easy. Clark counted his blessings they had a private backyard, but he was sure the neighbors would have their suspicions raised with the tinkering and the little shouts of, "Blast it all!" from the short British man. But that could be handled with no problem.
The big problem was the Planet. For all that Perry knew, he thought Lois was found. The editor was asking a lot of questions when Clark called in to say that he and Lois wouldn't be coming in. Clark said Lois caught something during her chase and he thought it would be for the best if he stayed to make sure that she and the twins were all right.
Of course, the lie made Perry worried for her and the babies. He kept insisting that Alice could come over to help if Clark wanted to come in to work. The reporter assured Perry that he could manage it and that he wouldn't want Alice to catch what Lois had. After fifteen minutes, Perry relented and hoped that Lois would get better soon.
Clark said, "Me too," and hung up. That had been too close.
"I don't know why you did that. I could have gone into work."
Clark turned around to face an irritated Lois. He sighed. "No offense Lois, but everyone will know you're not my Lois in a split second."
"So tell me what's different and I'll dress up."
He gaped at her and chuckled uneasily. "She has long hair and a pregnant belly."
Lois snapped her finger. "Piece of cake. Wig and a pillow. Voila I'm the future Lois."
"Believe me. It's better this way."
She huffed. "Fine."
He frowned. "I thought you were helping Herb."
"I was but I have no clue what he's talking about or how to put his broken machine back together again. I'm a reporter, not a scientist."
Clark perked up. "That's it!"
"What is? Clark? Clark!"
But it was too late. Clark was already out the door.
"Ms. Lane? I need your assistance to join the Flux Facilitator to the Bridge Connector."
Lois sighed. If only she paid a little more attention in her physics class. Or better yet… when she read The Time Machine.
TBC…
