Disclaimer: I own nothing for the plot.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for your support.

Author's Note 2:I wanted to clarify something in response to CharmedNightSkye review: Oliver and Chloe are in fact married. I'll correct the earlier chapter accordingly. Thank you for pointing it out.

Explanation

"I'm here to take Chloe,"

What the hell was this man saying! Clark couldn't even process those words, "Excuse me,"

His elder self sighed tiredly, his younger self could be so obtuse at times, "I said –"

"I know exactly what you said!" the Kryptonian said exasperated and took Chloe by the arm with a little more force than he intended.

The older man glared at his younger self, "You hurt her," he practically hissed and was ready to take Chloe back when his twin placed himself protectively in front of her.

"You can't take her, Chloe belongs here,"

In actuality, Bernstein, aka future Clark, meant to say 'I'm here to save her' but for a strange reason he said he was here to take her instead. He'll figure that out later, right now he only needed to win Chloe back from his younger –stupid – self. "Chloe belongs with me." He said solemnly.

Before Clark responded, with the maturity of a two year old 'She's mine!' Chloe stepped in. "Enough you two!"

They both turned to look at her, "I've had enough of you both. First of all, I belong to no one, got that," they both nodded, "second of all, you," she pointed at Bernstein, "need to go."

"But –"

"No buts, you've caused enough trouble as is,"

"Yeah, that's right, you need to leave buddy," Clark thought with satisfaction, yet the smug grin he sported was short lived.

Bernstein closed his eyes and nodded, "Okay, I'll go," he took a step closer to the petite blonde and bent his head to level his mouth with her hear, "for now."

Before he took off, however, he took the opportunity to kiss her quickly. It was a chaste, sweet, and promising kiss. It was him, the wiser and much more mature Clark Kent, who at the end of their little banter left the scene with a smug grin of his own.

Clark stared incredulous at the scene, un-freakin-believable, who was that stupid, son of a gun, doppelganger of his? And how dare he kiss Chloe! "What just happened?"

Chloe shrugged, though her faint blush was quite evident, "beats me,"

"Actually, you're the one with the answers I'm looking for,"

"About that…"

"Watchtower," John's voice came from the distance, "Kal-El," he acknowledged the man, "there is nothing for us here, I've already searched the minds of the locals," he cleverly refrained from saying that the locals had in fact seen the Kryptonian of the future.

Clark looked at the Manhunter with a questioning look, "So you're saying that you have no knowledge of my doppelganger globetrotting and saving people around this area,"

Busted, "Kal-El, it is not my place to share this information with you. It was not a secret for me to tell," the Martian turned to Chloe, "Shall we leave Watchtower? We have a report to draft,"

Chloe nodded and started to walk towards the Martian.

Oh she wasn't getting off the hook that easily. Clark captured her hand and pulled her towards him quickly taking her into his arms bridal style, "I'm sure you can handle that report on your own," and with that he flew away.

{-}

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded angrily as she punched his chest with just enough force not to hurt herself.

He lowered her gently on the grass and looked at her intently, "You're not off the hook. And I'm still waiting for an explanation," he crossed his arms around his chest and held her gaze.

This is just great; her day couldn't get any worse. She grimaced, it was best she stopped tempting fate, "You know there is not much I can tell you. You more than anyone has warned me against time travel and the repercussions that come from knowing too much," she stood up on her own and dusted herself.

"I know that, but I'm sure there is something you can tell me,"

They had a stare down contest for a while. Both of them were relentless, yet Chloe knew she had to give Clark something at the end of the day. She walked towards the edge of the lake and Clark followed suit.

"He is you," she muttered under her breath, knowing that Clark would here her crystal clear, "he's not a doppelganger, Clark-wannabe or anything like that," she sighed and look ahead, "that man is you Clark,"

Clark stared at her profile, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

"How do you…"

She turned to him and smiled, "I just know," she continued, "he hasn't been here too long, in case you're wondering. By the way, he specifically asked to keep this from you, you (or him I guess) had your reasons."

Silence befell them for some time as the light waves crashed around them.

Clark found his voice once again, and asked her the one question that was hunting him since they're last encounter, "Is it true?" he began, "Did I -did he- come here to take you?" Chloe couldn't leave him, not even for himself. He just could not wrap his mind around that particular concept. Since he first met her, back in eighth grade, he knew with utmost certainty that one way or another Chloe would always be with him.

Always.

Chloe gave him a Mona Lisa smile, "What do you think?" She was sure to appease Clark with her words. I mean, come on, why would Clark ever come for her and take her away. If anything he would take Lois, his soul mate, not her, plain old Chloe Sullivan, who history doesn't even remember.

Clark thought he knew himself better than anyone, and if he knew himself the way he thought he did then… well, he couldn't let Chloe out of his sight, that's for sure. His future self would stop at nothing to take her, if that was indeed his purpose. Clark could tell by the possessive way his hand rested on her shoulder and the way he kissed her before he left, that his future self would stop at nothing to take Chloe with him. The question was: why?

Chloe didn't know what to make of his silence and continued, "In actuality Clark, I'm not going anywhere. I'm sure you're way passed kidnapping anyone, least of all me," she tried to make light of the situation, but Clark was nowhere satisfied with her response.

"You can't see him again." Clark practically ordered, using his Superman voice: commanding and powerful.

Chloe stared at him wide eyed, "Excuse me?" Who did he think he was to boss her around? "Clark, you are my friend, and I'd do anything in my power to help you," she said with conviction and determination.

Any other day Clark's heart would swell up at her words, but not today.

"He is my friend as much as you are. It only stands to reason that I help him."

Clark was growing impatient at her resistance. Why couldn't she listen to him at least once? "You were asking him to leave earlier, why the change of heart Chloe?" he asked with a sudden darkness that surprised even him.

"What are you –" She glared at him, "were you spying on me?" she hissed, "You were spying on me!"

Clark wasn't impressed by her outrage, "I was worried about you,"

"Oh, cut the crap Clark," this time she folded her arms around her chest and glared some more, "you have no right to invade my privacy like that. How could you?"

"Don't change the subject Chloe," he glared at her too, "answer the question: why the sudden change of heart?"

"Unbelievable!" she exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air, "Since when do I answer to you?" She rummaged through her pockets and found the item she was looking for, "I'm done here." She was just about to dial Ollie when Clark in one quick move took the cell phone and crushed it in his hands, letting the remains be swept by the wind.

"We're not leaving until you answer my questions,"

Chloe stared wide eyed at the man in front of her, never had Clark been as demanding as he was being now. "You really want to know? Then I'll tell you!" She started poking him in the chest with anger, "I need your sorry future self to get his ass back to the future and leave me the hell alone!"

"Wh-"

"He needs to let me live my life! Whatever there is left of it anyway,"

"What are you –"

"You are not God! You can't save everyone!" Tears were streaming down her face. "Why can't you leave me alone? Why?" she was silently sobbing.

Clark had slowly brought his arms around her petite back. He couldn't stand seeing her so distressed, never could. It was interesting how Chloe's tears weakened him more than the green kryptonite itself. He slowly but surely started processing her words, though she didn't outright say it, he was more than capable to read between the lines: Chloe doesn't exist in the future.

She dies.

Well at least she did at some point, but he would never allow it.

Chloe Sullivan doesn't die.

{-}

Superman deposited the petite blonde gently on his bed, in his quarters at Watchtower, where no one would disturb them. He brushed some of her blonde tresses away from her face clearly marked by the tears she let flow freely a couple of minutes ago. It was strange how Chloe could be calm, utterly irritated, flat out outraged, and sobbing like there was no tomorrow in the span of mere minutes. What worried him even more was the fact that she knew more than she let on, he was sure of it. But what could possibly be worse than knowing she was going to… to… Well he couldn't think of that. Another thing that bothered him, a lot more than it should, was his other self's more-than-friends attitude towards her. He saw it as clear as day the moment he saw her in the dessert, the close proximity between them, despite their arguing, the possessive way in which he placed his arm around her –and she didn't do anything about it! How he kissed her, with little to no opposition on her part, and the way his eyes gleamed as he sped off.

His other self was definitely interested in Chloe.

He was no fool. That man wasn't just interested, he felt a whole lot more for her, he was sure. It was, technically, him after all.

For now, he would let her sleep. He had someone else who could give him answers, and that someone was in the 'Tower. With one sympathetic glance towards his blonde friend he left his quarters and headed to the conference room. Knowing he would find some answers there.

"Kal-El," John turned away from the monitor, "I believe you're not here for a social visit."

"No, I am not," he took a seat next to him, "and I am sure you know exactly why I am here."

The Martian nodded, "Indeed, I know. Although my information is limited,"

"Not more than mine," Superman said a little harsher than intended.

John Jones was not the least bit intimidated by his tone, he had all the right in the world to be upset after all. "Fair enough Kal-El, I'll tell you what I know,"

"Tell me: how did he get here? And what is his so-called purpose you and Chloe talked about?"

The Martian stared at him with intense red eyes, "I know not how did you get here from the future. Neither does your future self for that matter,"

"What?"

"As you heard. What your purpose is… I am not certain, but as you may have noticed it has plenty to do with our resident Watchtower."

Clark nodded, he had figured as much.

"I also know that he came here to prevent an event from happening,"

'Chloe's death' Clark thought grimly.

"However, you are not to interfere Kal-El. I've told your future self as much," The Martian advised.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked with a frown.

The Manhunter gave him a knowing look, "That man, is after all, the same man sitting in front of me. You are one and the same,"

'No we're not' he wanted to refute, but held his tongue. At an intellectual level he knew that they were both the same person, but at the same time there were remarkable differences.

"Thank you John," He didn't get much information, but it was more than what he knew before.

"Kal-El," John called from behind, "you know from firsthand experience of the effects that are caused by changing the stream of time."

"I know,"

.

.

.

'Do you?' Manhunter sent telepathically.