Chapter 4: Surprise Relations

Clark stood rigid and more than a little apprehensive to what awaited him. He was glad he stood behind Howard, the last thing he needed right now were people becoming suspicious of his strange behavior.

As he waited to reach the right floor, it shocked him to learn that he lived at the top, in a penthouse apartment no less. It didn't matter what year it was, he hasn't forgotten his fear of heights. What could've changed his mind, he wondered.

As the elevator opened, his eyes saw the door unlocked and quickly made a pass to the opening before turning to face the guard.

"I must've left it open," he says, continuing to remain as discreet as he could. "Thanks for the hand"

"Anytime, Mr. Kent," he smiled and left, but before he hit the elevator, he turned around. Clark stood nervously.

"By the way, you should be careful out there without your glasses, Mr. Kent, it could get pretty dangerous in the dark." He leaves leaving Clark confused.

He wore glasses? Thinking back. Of course! The pair he saw earlier by the night stand.

Breathing deeply, he needed to find answers and he needed to find them now, and the only person he hopes can give that to him is sleeping in the other room.

Crossing the living room, he reached to turn the knob when a reflection of an image, from a mirror near him caught his attention.

His image.

It hadn't occurred to him to stop and look at himself. And now that he is, he couldn't have been more convinced. He definitely wasn't the 2005 him. His hair was shorter and clean-cut, he marveled at the subtle but very evident differences of this future and past self.

Then there was another image in the mirror that caught his attention.

Turning around, he moved towards the other wall where, lined above the mantle of the fireplace, a row of framed pictures stood. He was thunderstruck by the photos he saw.

One after another, stills of friends and family smiled at him. His parents, his friends - friends - some he knew all too well, and others he didn't. One frame had a photo of Lois, Lana and Chloe radiantly smiling, they looked like they've been friends forever.

Another photo with - to his surprise - Perry White, some kid with a camera dangling around his neck, himself, and of course, Lois.

And then there was one he wasn't quite familiar with. He was standing opposite a guy with Lois standing between them. He was dark haired and refined, he wore clothes that is reminiscent to what he usually saw Lex wearing. Before wondering any further, he was a little bewildered as to why Lois and himself were in most of these photos.

Then, his question was answered.

The next frame knocked him off in an almost dizzying daze. He flashed his wedding band in front of him, his eyes darting back and forth from the ring to the picture.

A wedding picture.

He stopped and took a deep breath, sinking down on a nearby chair, couch, whatever. Burying his face with his hands, desperately trying to comprehend everything he's discovered in the last hour. But there was nothing more shocking than the woman he shared his life with.

Lois Lane.

She wasn't just a colleague.

She wasn't just a friend.

Lois Lane is his wife.

Slowly, he stood up and walked towards the bedroom. He needed to know for sure.

Turning the knob, the door opened almost in slow motion. He froze in awe at the sight before him.

He guessed, in a way, there was always something there, something about the two of them that were different than the rest - but never - even in his wildest dreams, would he have known this would happen.

Lois Lane and I are married, he repeated in his mind again and again.

Clark quickly realized that the voices that boomed loudly in his head had turned into a quite whisper the moment he was in her presence. How could a woman he had barely anything in common with hold so much power over him?

He wished he remembered. Wished he knew when it all changed.

Kneeling beside her, he tried to suppress the urge to touch her but he just couldn't resist. Suddenly, his hand caressed her face, and he noticed her hair looked darker than he remembered, but she was still Lois, and she looked beautiful. He's always known that; they may have an aggressive friendship but he wasn't blind.

Watching her like this, it felt strangely familiar, like he'd done it a million times before.

As soon as she began to stir, Clark almost pulled back but her hand gently came up and covered his own. Her eyes opened, and with a soft voice he could almost mistake for an angel, she spoke.

"Hey, Smallville." She eyed the clock by her and sighed. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't see the time."

He couldn't contain the smile that released itself from his face the moment she said her first words. Smallville. It's a name he's become accustomed to because she was the only person who ever called him that. He noticed himself staring, so he suddenly darted his face away, in fear that she'll notice something was wrong - different - that the man before her isn't exactly the same man she married - but he couldn't tell her that, not yet, not until he figured out what was going on.

She spoke again. "Everything okay?" She looked at him with loving eyes, and it overwhelmed him. This couldn't be the same woman he had argued with earlier this - that day.

He forced a smiled, not knowing how to respond without sounding like a complete stranger.

After he thought for a moment, "I was just thinking about Smallville, and how we first met," he finally answered. Since discovering that she was his wife, he had spent the last few minutes going over all the moments he's spent with her. Moments of frustration, annoyance, challenges, and even arguments.

Lois showed a hint of amusement across her just awakened face. "Yeah, that was interesting," she yawned.

He chuckled at her response.

And then he'd remember those rare moments of understanding and respect, where her defenses was down and she would allow herself to show him a different side of her, and the woman he's looking intently at right now is without a doubt, that different side.

Still holding his hand, she tugged it a little. "You look exhausted," she observed. She gestured to the space next to her.

It dawned on him that she wanted him to get in bed with her, so he tries discreetly to get it together - but there was an internal struggle in his mind that was taking place. Technically, they were married. Morally, Clark could not take advantage of playing the part of 'husband' when he himself is so lost. And considering the fact that she was still undressed with nothing but soft bed sheets separating them, he felt very nervous.

Clark had never done this before, at least in his time, and he hadn't forgotten the current situation definitely alluded that more happened between them hours before his unprecedented time travel to the future took place. To his frustration, he wished he remembered at least that. He knew that sounded pretty selfish, but it's becoming more and more clear that she's the hope and life in his never-ending void of uncertainty.

He longed for that kind of comfort, but he just hadn't realized that he would find it with her.

Seconds before having to make the decision, Lois had fallen back to sleep.

Deeply relieved, he simply sat by her, staring. His ears attuned to the rhythmic beating of her heart. He couldn't sleep and he was content doing just that.

Clark didn't know what the morning will bring, and to be honest, he was worried.

To be continued...