Clark and Chloe were sitting on the couch in his living room.

"Are you sure she's Lois?"

"What other explanation is there, Chloe?"

"I don't know. Insane people like to take up other identities. Do you know how many people think they're Benjamin Franklin or Queen Victoria?"

"Those are famous people. Besides, she never flat out said, 'I'm Lois Lane.'"

"I'm calling Lois."

"Don't do that. She's sleeping."

"Not that Lois. Young Lois."

"Please, don't drag another Lois down here."

"Hush. Yes. I'd like Lois Lane's room, please. Room number 36…Hi, Lois."

"Chloe, is that you? Is everything okay?"

"It's fine. I just wanted to see if you were there."

"Don't trust me? Is everything really okay?"

"I'm fine. If I get into trouble, Clark's here."

"Like that's reassuring," Clark shook his head in annoyance at this point, "please, call me if you need something."

"Relax and have fun with your friend. You deserve a vacation, Cuz!"

"I have to go. Bye."

"Bye, Lois"

"Just because you got a hold of Lois, doesn't mean that's not an older Lois up there."

Chloe sighed and said, "I'm completely well aware that stranger things have happened. I just want to know who, what, where, why, when, and how."

"Don't you always?"

She took her laptop out.

"I see you're going to do some research. I guess I should heat up the food mom left."

Clark stuck the chicken and dumplings in the oven and returned to Chloe.

"Found anything yet?"

"There are so many theories out there. It could be a time machine, a theory popularized by H.G. Wells. Not to mention portals, warps, loops etc. or maybe it has nothing to do with time and it's clones, parallel universes-"

"I get the idea."

"We still don't even know if it is Lois."

"Wait until you meet her and then tell me we don't know if she's Lois."

As if on cue, Lois came down the steps.

She saw them staring at her and said, "What? Did I grow another eye in the middle of my forehead?"

She went into the kitchen and shouted, "Ha! I thought I smelled chicken and dumplings." Clark and Chloe followed her in. "Looks like we'll be eating good in five more minutes."

"How do you know?" Clark asked her.

"The timer says so."

"How do you know the food will be good?" he rephrased.

"It's an expression."

"I don't think so," said Clark triumphantly, "I think you've had Martha Kent's cooking before!"

Lois sighed in defeat and asked, "How did you two find out?"

"It wasn't easy. You don't exactly expect to see a young adult you know appear as a senior citizen and when I figured it out, I told Chloe."

The timer went off.

"Don't just stand there people, let's eat!" Lois exclaimed.

Clark dished out the food and Chloe got the drinks.

Chloe asked a very practical question, "Why are you here?"

"I can't tell you that," she replied.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Keeping my reason for being here and the future a secret, keeps time from drastically changing."

"So that means you're not going to give us one little hint about the future?" Clark asked.

"It's amazing how much smarter you are than what your appearance shows, Clark."

"Please give us a little hint," Chloe begged. "I'm your cousin and I have the right to know."

"No."

"Please," Chloe and Clark begged together.

"No."

"Please."

"No. You all are worse than my grandchildren."

"So you have grandchildren," said smiling Chloe.

"So you have grandchildren?" said Clark in disbelief.

"I'm going to bed before you two find out everything I know."

"Lois, let me help you up the stairs," said Clark, putting his arm out.

Old Lois looked like she was about to refuse but then a look at the stairs and she gave in.

"I have a question we all know the answer to," declared Chloe, "Is Clark going to marry a certain person with the initials L.L.?"

"Chloe, Lois is right. We shouldn't know too much."

They made it up the stairs and Lois nodded and winked at Chloe, when Clark wasn't looking.

Chloe pondered this. Of course, he would marry Lana. How many L.L.s were there? She liked Lana, but she wasn't sure Clark and Lana belonged together.

Clark came back down the stairs and said, "I think I'm going to sleep in the loft."

Chloe laughed to herself. She thought that maybe he was a little scared of older Lois. Elderly Lois. She knew that it had to be her cousin or did she? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to spy on the old lady. Her cousin was a night owl and that was something that shouldn't change with age. Maybe it wasn't Lois after all and in that case, she needed to know and if it was Lois, what's the harm in spying on your own cousin?

She creeped up the stairs and placed herself beside the door. It sounded like Lois was on the phone. She pressed her ear against the door.

"I tried to keep my identity a secret. You should know that I have a big mouth. It won't be so bad if just Chloe and Clark know and listen what do you think of Lola Kenders? That's close enough to my real name." Kenders, thought Chloe, what does that have to do with Lane? "And Clark and Chloe will be able to help me cover up now. Their future selves won't remember this, will they?" silence "Not until the change is complete? Good and yes, I'm sure I want to do this. It has to be done. Are you sure you know what you're talking about?" pause "I know how the machine works, you've told me a million times. Time is like an afghan. It is nicely woven together but it doesn't mean there aren't holes to cross through to other parts and it doesn't mean things can't become unwove. Your machine keeps track of where these 'holes' are and when things start to 'unravel'. I've got it. I'm taking care of the situation." quiet "No, my husband doesn't know, Dr. Jacobs. Are you crazy? Do you think he would've let me come? He thinks I'm visiting an old friend. Over 60 years of marriage and he falls for it every time. I love Clark, but sometimes he's too naïve for a 95 year old man." silence "Don't worry, if I have a question, I'll use the time phone." The static noise meant she had turned it off.

Chloe hurried outside and doubled over with contained laughter. Clark had no idea he was married to an old woman, who was none other than her cousin, Lois Lane. That made them in-laws. She wanted to laugh out loud so bad, but Clark might hear her. She would have to wait until she got home. This was the biggest news she ever had, how was she going to keep it quiet and figure out what Lois was up to?