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Chapter 8
Queen Mansion, Star City, 2019
After Oliver had dragged Clark out of the kitchen, Chloe was left pondering Clark's words. Oliver had said something similar last night. They'd both seemed a little distraught over something and had looked at her with that same pitying expression. It was beginning to make her feel really uncomfortable. At least Oliver seemed to have gotten over it and was treating her fairly normally. Except for hiding things. Like his mystery wife for one.
Chloe didn't feel like she could still be asleep, and it didn't seem like a nightmare. Oliver, even with all these differences, could still put her at ease. And if this was some shape shifter, or a mental projection, then she was absolutely screwed, because they knew all her weaknesses and they were expertly manipulating them right now.
She'd noticed the Daily Planet newspaper before but Oliver had put out already. If she was in the future, then at least there was one familiar constant. The world's leading news print was still in business and if it was still publishing, and from what Clark had mentioned before Oliver hauled him off, he and Lois still worked for the Planet. She had no idea if Lois' number had changed, or how to contact her but one thing was guaranteed - the Planet building was unlikely to have changed it's number. She picked up the wall phone in the kitchen and dialed.
"The Daily Planet, how may I direct your call?"
"Lois Lane, please. It's Chloe Sullivan."
There was a short waiting tone and her cousin's cheery voice filled her ear.
"So he's in the dog house again. What'd he do this time?" she laughed. "You know if you want to escape the sunshine state for a while, our door is always open. Clark is still an unholy chipper morning person, but I can use the block out shutters and we can confuse his body clock a bit."
"Lo, I just... go with me on this for a sec okay...what's the date?"
Lois snorted. "I know hormones can screw with your memory, but unless you're trying to loosen me up before you out headline me again Chlo, what's up?"
"Really Lo, just answer the question," Chloe sighed.
"It's the July 3rd, 2019, and saying it out loud reminds me of just how long we haven't had face time. I know it's because you don't want to risk the travel, so I understand but I miss my favorite cuz," Lois sulked. "And Perry has me desk logged because of that expose I wrote on Luthor's shady dealings before he took office. He's worried I'll end up in the river along with all my contacts. But we both know that I'm not easy to bury. Oh and if you see tall, dark and handsome, tell him he's on morning tea pick up. That's two tall lattes, one with extra whipped cream and cocoa - Jimmy doesn't need the extra calories but no one can tell him that, my favorite, and one short black, no sugar for the Chief. Oh and a dozen maple donuts."
Even though her head was reeling with the overload of new information, Chloe found herself smiling a little at her cousin's rambling. At least somethings never changed. "Still with the maple donuts, Lo?" she teased.
Lois snorted. "I may not have your excuse yet, but it's not due to Clark's lack of trying. I don't know how you survived it all these years Chloe. Honestly, I don't think it's gonna happen for us. Doesn't matter, I probably couldn't handle juggling my career and a kid anyway. Besides, between Lucy and... "
"Lane! Where's Kent?" Chloe heard a voice bellow in the background.
"Chlo, I gotta go. Chief's about to blow a gasket. We gotta talk more often. Thanks for calling cuz. I miss you."
"Miss you too, Lo."
Chloe's throat closed over and she felt tears burn in her eyes for her cousin. Despite her bravado, she could sense the pain in her voice. So Lois and Clark were trying to have kids. She knew Clark had always wondered about that when he'd discovered he wasn't any regular guy. He'd always had a fear that he'd end up alone. It's why she understood his desperate need to make nice with the Kandorians. This future couldn't get any stranger. Lex was President, Jimmy was back, and Lois and Clark were married, she assumed.
At least everyone she knew seemed happy for the most part. Even if this did seem like an unbelievably surreal existence. She was still no closer to discovering her place in this future though. No closer to finding the answer to the question that nagged at her the most. Which was crazy, considering she had no claim over Oliver to begin with. They were just friends. But who was he married to?
There were a few photos scattered around here and there, but what caught her attention was the lack of photos featuring Oliver's family. She wanted to question Oliver about it but considering how expertly he'd avoided the conversation over breakfast when she'd made no disguise of staring at his hand, she knew she'd be lucky to get anything out of him. And even after she'd watched him spirit Clark from the room, and followed, sneaking a peek from behind a pillar, she knew he wasn't about to leave Clark alone with her again. It's why she decided to call Lois.
Chloe heard the doorbell and slipped down the hall to the main foyer, where she'd watched Oliver's exchange with the woman in black until it seemed like she was leaving, before turning to make her away back to the bedroom to take a shower.
As Chloe gazed down the hallway, she realized that she'd forgotten which door was the one to her temporary room. Was it the second one on the left or the third one? Or maybe it was on the right? It was too confusing. This place was enormous. She thought navigating the Luthor mansion had been tricky back in the day but at least all of those doors were lead colored glass and easy to sneak glances through.
Opening the second door, she immediately realized that she had the wrong room. Judging by the toys strewn in the corner and Transformers print bedsheets, it was obviously a child's room.
Most likely that of the young boy she had seen in the photo before on the dresser. Unless Oliver had several children. She abruptly stopped that thought before it went any further. One child which cemented the ties he had to this absent wife was more than enough to process.
Her curiosity overtook her and she stepped further in. Even without the occupant the room seemed so full of life, from the dinosaur mural on the walls to the large bookcase lined with children's books. Some more heavy reading and obviously used for telling-bedtime stories, and others merely picture books. There was a desk with a computer and a lamp at on end of the room. Her eyes immediately locked onto the book bag on the floor by the chair.
She couldn't help herself, her fingers itched to find out more about Oliver's family and she scooped up the bag against the will of the cautioning voice in her head and unzipped it.
There was a couple of notebooks inside. It was the one marked English that had her dropping the bag and flipping open the cover. There were spelling tests, composition exercises, word puzzles, dictionary homework but it was the tenth page that had her heart beating faster as she read.
What I'm doing this summer by Connor Queen. Class 2F
I am going to get a new brother or sistar. Mom is going to the hospital and the baby in her tummy will come out. I have waited a long long time for this baby. All my friends have someone to play with, some of them even have two. Mom and Dad went to Doctor Hamltan a lot. He uses big words I can't rite. Mom and Dad were very happy when he said the baby has a heart beat. That big burry picture didn't look like a baby, but I feel the baby kick all the time. Mom let's me touch her tummy. It moves and feels funny. I am going to teach them what Dad showed me. How to ride the mini bike and playing the lost boys in the tree house. Mom says the baby will be to small to play first, and that I will have to be real careful and gentle, but I can do that. I can't wait for baby to grow up like me.
He sounded like such an adorable kid. Now wonder Oliver seemed so contented despite all those scars she'd seen. He had everything she's always wanted growing up but resigned to believe she'd never have. He had a family, this really great life and she was here, to screw it all up. At least that's the impression she had from all this Mordru, Dark Lord stuff she'd over heard Oliver discussing with their mystery guest.
As she was putting the notebooks back into the bag, a piece of paper slipped out from one of the notebooks. Picking it up, she saw that it was a field trip permission form. Connor's class was scheduled for a trip to the San Francisco Zoo in two weeks.
Almost unconsciously her gaze dropped to the bottom of the form and her eyes widened at the familiar signature. However, this time, there was an extra word at the end of her name.
Chloe Sullivan-Queen.
Chloe blinked a few times, certain that she was imagining things, but the handwriting and the name remained unchanged.
She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding before leaning back against the bed frame. After she tilted her head back, she could see the glow in the dark space scene on the ceiling. All the little things her brain had started cataloging since she'd arrived started to tick over in her mind; Oliver's original reaction, the maternity wear in the closet, Clark's initial preoccupation with her flat stomach (had he been x-raying her?), the missing family photos...
Oliver hadn't been mad about finding her in his bed - he'd been shocked and angry thinking that Mordru had caused his Chloe to lose the baby. The baby that Connor had written about in his English assignment. All the little clues finally made sense now that she had the missing piece to the puzzle.
Oliver's words last night. "What did Emil say? ...Chloe, I'm so sorry."
Her conversation with Lois this morning. "Not that I have your excuse yet... I know it's because you don't want to risk the travel."
Clark's thousand yard stare at her stomach.
It all jelled together in her muddled, future universe hampered brain. This was her life. She was living her future life. Her future self was pregnant, she was married to Oliver and they had a son.
Chloe heard footsteps coming up the hallway and she scrambled to her feet. She was determined to put an end to this charade. They were all tiptoeing around her like she was going to bolt or flip out at any moment. She wasn't going to implode due to an information overload. So this was a strange future she was facing, but really, there was nothing she didn't like about it and she was desperate for the truth. She craved it like her next breath.
The feet paused outside the slightly open door and Chloe knew he'd found her.
Oliver had made his way to their room, thinking she'd be almost done with the shower by now. He was going to ask if she'd figured out her underwear problem when he noticed the door to Connor's room was open. With a sigh, he pushed the door wide and found her standing there, glaring at him of all things. He blinked and frowned.
"Okay, a wife, I can sort of understand. It's a stretch for me, considering how commitment phobic you are but I was starting to see the changes. But a son? You're hiding a son? Why would you think that would matter to me? Did you think I wouldn't be happy for you? Oliver, I think it's fantastic that you have a family."Chloe thought she could do this without tearing up but the apathetic expression on his face was killing her. "Are you ashamed of them? Is that it?"
Oliver's eyes went wide. "Connor's your son too," he blurted out before he could rein his emotion in. The thought that she would think of herself and their family as some dirty little secret he wanted to keep hidden was ludicrous and deeply offensive. He hadn't meant to give her that impression at all. It was the last thing he wanted her to think about him. About them.
Chloe's lips twitched, before she let herself really smile.
Oliver put his hand to hips and eyed her suspiciously. "You suckered me into that didn't you?"
Chloe shrugged innocently while blinking back tears that had pooled her eyes. "I found a permission slip I'd apparently signed."
"You're not freaking out," he asked quietly, looking everywhere but her face.
His heart was racing a mile a minute. This could change everything. She wasn't ready to picture this future yet, was she? When she went back, she'd treat him differently, she'd be strange around him. He knew himself back then, with how much they'd worked together it was inevitable that he'd stop circling and just proposition her. She was smart and beautiful, he couldn't help but be attracted to her. But if she jumped in too soon, or changed too dramatically for him to acclimatize to, who knows what could happen.
It was a strategically plotted game that had brought them here. She'd given him just enough to keep him coming back. She'd allowed him to do the pursuing. Something he hadn't really had to do in his life, women threw themselves in his path. Models, actresses, heiresses, all gorgeous woman, he could even pick up while talking himself out of a parking ticket. Woman made themselves readily available to him. Well with the exception of Lois. What was it with these Sullivan-Lane girls?
Chloe had been so carefully guarded, always keeping her inner-most thoughts and her heart out of his reach. Working his way through those defenses had been a challenge. He'd relished the challenge and the reward. Would they be this happy and content without that uncertainty that was before? Would he be satisfied without the chase? Clark was right, he was a pessimist when it came to his own happiness. It was easier to believe that things would be awful because until Chloe, everything in his life had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and black mark on his soul.
Chloe sat down on the bed and picked up a fluffy teddy bear. "So your Chloe's pregnant. That's what you were so upset about last night? I hope she's okay."
Oliver sighed. "She's you, Chloe. Just a few years older, that's all. That's why I've been trying so hard to..."
"Keep all this a secret?" she filled in.
Oliver nodded and walked over to sit next to her. "Mordru knew what he was doing. With you being here, it's possible that he's changed everything. Everything could be different when you go back. This might be different," he said waving his hand at Connor's drawings on the wall. It felt like his lungs where being crushed inside his chest.
Chloe could see his pain and put her hand over his. He glanced up at her and she could see the fear draining away from his eyes. He smiled gently at her and squeezed her fingers with his warm ones.
"Oliver, I don't know what I'm supposed to do?" Chloe said quietly, her voice betraying her anxiety.
Oliver smiled. "Just be you, Chloe. I gotta have faith that everything will work out in the end. It has to. I just won't accept anything else." He released her hand and stood up. "Well since you know, just go ahead and raid the drawers. Everything's yours anyway."
Chloe let out a laugh. "I saw the wardrobe last night, Ollie. Nothing in there is going to fit me."
Oliver ran a hand through his hair and he blushed, thinking about his wife's pregnancy rounded assets. "Ah, yeah well, she-Chloe moved all her pre-pregnancy clothes to the room on the right, at the end of the hall. You'll probably recognize a couple of the outfits in there."
Metropolis, 2010
Clark tilted down the edge of his fedora hat and adjusted his sunglasses. He assumed that in the city, people would take less notice of a man in a tailored suit and wool coat, than jeans and a hoodie. He passed a newspaper vending machine and checked the date on the paper. April 13th, 2010. It was the right date. He didn't know the exact time the switch had occurred in the past, so he thought it safer to appear today. The day after Chloe had said she'd gone to sleep in Watchtower. He entered the phone booth and picked up the handset, dialling her number. He hoped that his Chloe had kept that old orange cellphone on her person.
"Hello?" queried the familiar voice.
"Chloe, it's Clark. Oliver told me what happened. I've come back to get you."
"Okay, quick question. Just so I know I'm not going to inadvertently say something I'm not supposed to, to the wrong person. What year are you from?"
Clark chuckled. It was just like her to be cautious. She had good reason to be too. He wasn't exactly the most forth coming or non-judgmental person in this time. "2019. I kind of surprised the younger you with my visit this morning."
Chloe sighed. "Oh I bet I took that well," she said with a smile in her voice. "I hope I didn't hurt your feelings with the frost bite Clark. It would have been a bit of a 180 for her."
Clark let out a heavy breath, causing a small wind storm to rattle the booth. "I know we've both put that behind us now Chlo. I hope you know how much you mean to me, how important you are. You're my best friend..."
"I know Clark," Chloe said quickly. "It's okay. It's water under the bridge, from a long time ago. We're not perfect. We've both made mistakes and I think considering our friendship survived through it all proves that we can weather anything. Listen. I'm out in Grandville with Lois and Oliver. I'll have to see if I can sneak off and meet you somewhere. Where do you think it would be safe to meet?"
"I'll wait for you in the alley behind Duncan's Hardware."
"Okay, I'll find it and be there in a few. And Clark, you don't know how relieved I am to hear your voice."
Clark hung up the phone and exited the booth. His heart skipped a beat as he went over her words. She was with Oliver and Lois. Past Oliver and Lois. That meant that they both know about Connor, and that she was pregnant. He wondered what else they knew.
No wonder she was relieved that he was here. Knowing Lois, she was probably trying to grill Chloe six ways to Sunday about what happened in their future. He squared his shoulders and zipped off to Grandville in an blur, using alleys and back roads. He knew Clark was in the city scouring for Zod and his people. He couldn't afford to get noticed so that meant staying land-logged.
Zatanna had said that using the Legion ring to try to bring everyone back to their respective places in time was worth a try, however she also warned him to be very careful. She didn't know enough about the magic that was used, and there could be a protective spell in effect to prevent anyone from correcting the curse. She gave him a protective mark that would prevent him from being caught up in whatever magic had sent Chloe and Connor to the past.
To be continued.
