A.C made a hasty journey back to Atlantis, traveling immediately to his home, to the private rooms below ground. Security was tighter then Fort Knox, needed palm and eye recognition. He entered the private quarters and made his way down a long hall to a room he hadn't seen in nearly 50 years, he opened the door to see Clark lying in bed, a weak sun lamp over his bed, he was asleep. A.C shook his head, now what was he supposed to do? Clark had forced him into a weird sort of Faustian bargain. Let him live the remainder of his years in peace while he waited, hoping Chloe would be found. His sacrifice would be the loss of the sun, with out its brilliant light he would only grow weaker until one day he would die.

A.C had been angry at him for faking his death in the first place, that the world could have 2 Supermen. That his family would still love him no matter what. Clark had stated that he knew he had the love of his family, it was regret over the love of one woman that he would prolong his life for if only to say good bye. To know that he wasn't wrong, that she had lived somewhere out of his reach and to love her just one more time before he went on to his next big adventure, to where he knew he would see old friends again. A.C sat in the chair in the room, staring, how would he break the news to his friend; after all Clark had wanted to be left alone.

"Arthur?" he spoke his voice was weaker than A.C remembered. Clark had only ever grayed at the temples and still didn't really wrinkle; if aging gracefully could have been bottled Clark would have been a trillionaire a million times over.

"Yeah, Clark its me." He spoke softly.

"You agreed that the only reason you would ever visit was if…" Clark came to full alert and sat up. "You found her?" A.C had long been schooled in the art of the poker face. He kept his dealings always close to the vest to protect his interests. "Is she….does she….did she…."

"Easy Clark and yes she was found, by Jason no less." A.C quirked a smile.

"Good boy," Clark whispered trying to get out of bed. "How is she?" he spoke his thoughts going a million miles a minute on the idea that he was right, and Chloe lived.

"She's a little shell shocked at the moment,"

"What aren't you telling me?" Clark asked.

"Who ever took her, and how ever they kept her, she hasn't aged a day, in a hundred years." A.C spoke.

Clark froze in his attempt to get up. "Not a day?" A.C shook his head.

"But, that would mean?"

"Very well preserved, she just found out about the guys yesterday,"

"And it is her?"

"Yes, not a clone, she met Gerald this morning. Right now Jason is keeping her company. She was heart broken over you."

"I need to see her."

"A little complicated don't you think?" A.C grumbled bitter still over hiding his friend from his family. A.C had grown up really with only his dad and watched him die an old man while he still lived. If he had had the chance to have more time with Tom he would have realigned the planets to make it happen.

"A.C," Clark spoke. "Look I know I tricked you into this, but come on honestly I was even getting on my nerves; cranky, mopy, and for the simple reason that I was sure she was out there somewhere. I know that they all thought I was senile." He smiled.

"Yeah I did," A.C smiled. "But I lived with regrets to Clark, I chose this life for my heritage, you chose this life to hide from the world and your own pain. Didn't you learn anything from your younger days? If I could have had 50 years more with my dad, I would have taken it. Now, you're sort of back when you started, the UV wasn't nearly enough to keep you healthy. You've been out of the sun for a long time. I've read the reports. So now you live long enough to tell her you live and then leave her?" he spoke venting his frustration.

"But its time we didn't have back then, time to talk, to say good bye, I know my time is almost done, I can feel myself aging more every day. Let me see her and let me have what ever time I have left, showing her that I did love her…."

"And what of the ring?" A.C spoke. His mind had toiled over everything on his return swim. He knew of the ring that could have sent Clark back in time.

"Believe me if I had had it, I would have used it to not let her be taken. It disappeared not long after she did."

"The death of you will kill her." He spoke.

"Always her protector, eh fish stick?"

"She always looked out for me," he smiled. "And I will be the last surviving member of her past."

"Then make sure that she's happy." He spoke. "I had tried to do that, but it seemed to little to late, let her find love again, help her to grieve,"

"Well this is a pointless conversation, because I'm not going to do your dirty work for you. This is a dangerous game Clark," he spoke.

"Danger? I'm invulnerable, old man,"

"Who is calling who old? You were invulnerable, check a mirror. Your heart never was and neither was hers." A.C teased with a not so well hidden warning in his tone.

"Let me see her, please." Clark spoke.

A.C sighed heavily, "I will have one of my guards take you to the Lost Isle." He spoke. "The intense UV may actually be more harmful to you so be careful. I will bring her to you in a couple of hours." He spoke and turned and left the room. Clark sat there stunned; he was going to see Chloe again, after a hundred years. He needed to prepare, he got up and began puttering around the room.

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Jason and Chloe were in the kitchen making lunch. Chloe found his company very pleasant. Sure he looked like Clark, but he had a sharp mind and a quick tongue. There was light in his eyes that she didn't remember in Clark's. He told her of storied of his younger days and of the discovery of his powers. The one's he shared of when he hit puberty had her nearly in tears from laughter. They were drinking coffee and eating when A.C entered the room. To Chloe he looked like he had aged another decade.

"JJ, I hate to do this to you, but I need to borrow this young lady for awhile."

"And go where Uncle, I can take her." He offered.

"Not this time, it appears that one of my scientists may have heard of the device that kept Chloe young all this time, and wants to examine her himself."

"Is everything alright?" Chloe asked the obvious question.

"Yes, very much so, he was just concerned about any possible after effects of the stasis." A.C smiled.

"So when do we leave?" Chloe smiled.

"Now," A.C took her hand in his. "Now, JJ," he spoke. "I know for a fact that there is a brood of people upstairs that are desperate to hear of the legendary Watchtower, go on, entertain them." He smiled warmly.

"When will you be back?" he tried to sound casual.

"When she is released from my physician," he smiled.

"Hey, it'll be ok," Chloe smiled at him not sure why she needed to reassure him. "I've known A.C longer than you've been alive, he'll take good care of me." She winked at him and let A.C take her out of the room and toward an entrance that only he had clearance to use. It was a winding stair case that led down toward a submarine base.

They entered the small sub and A.C shut all the doors. "So now that we're out of ear shot of Jason, you want to tell me what's really going on?" she asked.

"Ummmmm, no," A.C smiled. "Now sit that cute butt of yours down and strap in. We're going on a trip that only a few humans have ever made."

"Where is that?"

"To Atlantis, sidekick." He winked at her as she sat next to him in the cockpit, as he fired up the very advanced submarine and undocked it.

"How long?"

"About an hour really, we catch the right current and bang there we are."

"Ahhhh." They headed out to sea and it was clear that A.C was avoiding having to talk to her.

"So did you ever marry?" She blurted out.

"Yes." He answered.

"Well?" she asked.

He smiled and turned to her, "I found Kara." He grinned.

"Did she not don the mantle of Superhero?"

"Knowing that Clark was never the same after you left, she was disenchanted and lost. She and I found each other just before I took my throne. I tried to give her an out," he smiled.

"And?"

"Well she's at home; she's not been to the surface in a very, very long time. She gave over to my heritage, and I have been blessed with a long and happy life."

"Kids?"

"Apparently Atlantean's and Kryptonian's aren't compatible to have children." He frowned.

"Oh A.C," Chloe frowned.

"Don't Chloe, she was heart broken too, afraid that I would leave her for a mermaid to give me an heir, which is nonsense, mermaids really don't exist." He teased. "But, I really do get what you felt when you fell for her cousin. Kara is more than I could have ever wished for,"

"Ohh you naughty, naughty boy. So that's why Jason calls you uncle?" she smiled. But the rest of the JL did as well which had her stumped.

"Yes, I am a great Uncle to Jason, and to the rest of the gang, really because I was brother to their grandparents."

"Very, very true." She sighed. "I will get to meet them right?"

"Yes, after this, if you want to." He spoke and the sentence sent a chill down her spine. Chloe just looked at him trying to find the meaning in his words.

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Clark hadn't been this nervous since well, ever. His Chloe was alive and unchanged by time. Would she find him attractive? Would she be put off by him being old? He had the ring he was going to give her the night he sort of proposed in the pocket of his jeans. He wanted so much to give her the life she wanted, and now fates cruel joke and his bargain to just see her again one more time would again cheat them of the life they could have.

He brought the journals that he had written, the ones to personal to put in the time capsule, with him. Every time he thought of her he would put the words to paper. There were 3 full boxes of journals for her. He paced, than he sat, then he paced some more. He wanted A.C to hurry, the sand in his hour glass was waning and he wanted to see Chloe before it ran out. It was nearly an hour later, he sprawled out on the bed in the tiny hut he was on and snoozed when he heard the chuff and chortle of the transport sub arrive. His palms were instantly sweaty and his heart was beating a mile a minute. He needed to wait, wanted her to come to him. Like he had dreamt of every night since she disappeared.

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"This is Atlantis?" Chloe asked. A.C opened the hatch to the sandy beach ahead of them.

"Yes," he spoke wearily. His heart ached for her, he would have to endure picking up the pieces of her broken heart. "I must return to Atlantis proper." He spoke as he helped her out of the sub and onto the sand.

"But what am I doing here?"

"If you follow your heart, you will find what you seek. If you need anything at all, pick up a shell and whisper my name." he smiled. He winked at her and the shell to the sub closed as it reversed and headed back into the ocean. Chloe was totally and utterly confused. Her friend just left her on an island in the middle of nowhere in a place that shouldn't really exist.

"Follow my heart?" she spoke turning on her heal to face the island directly.

"Yes, follow your heart, that's what I did." Suddenly her legs couldn't hold up her weight, and she dropped to her knees. What she was seeing was impossible. She shook her head in disbelief as the tears were blurring her vision. She covered her mouth in utter disbelief. In a minute she felt the warm strength of Clark surrounding her. It was too much and soon darkness over came her.