Author's Note:
All-I know it's been, well, beyond forever on this story. I truly apologize and I really hope to be able to keep this going. To do that, I'm going to TRY to keep the chapters shorter so I can get them out more quickly. I can't even begin to thank those of you still holding on for your patience and support. You guys are beyond amazing! THANK YOU!
Hugs,
M
From Chapter 12...
A peace born of conviction sealed her determination.
Too late. He's back. He's brought reinforcements. And he's looking pretty pissed.
Imra began to plead. Lois, please don't. Just sit tight until help comes. Don't do anything to anger him. To push him into revealing his true self. It won't do any good. You have no idea what he's capable of. A pause. A softened voice. Good-bye, Imra.
Looks like I'm about to learn.
Lois! Lois, no! NO!
Another voice entered her mind. Breaking through her panic. Issuing a deep, resonating command.
Let her go, Imra. She's with me now. There's nothing more you can do.
Chapter 15
Silence cloaked Lois' mind like a wet blanket. Dark. Heavy. Cold.
Then a gentle warmth blew through her, setting her heart on fire. Her nerves, every cell in her body came alive.
A new voice her mind. A familiar voice. A beloved voice.
Lois? Lois, I'm so sorry. About all of this.
It's you.
Yes.
But...
Please. I know you're scared right now and I wish I had the time to explain, but I don't. I just need you to listen. I need you to be brave.
She nodded, her eyes darting from one cloaked figure to another as they slowly filed into the center of the Chamber and began to form a circle around her. Where was he? Was he behind a black mask? Or was he connecting with her-speaking to her-from a safe distance? Had he found his way back to her from the past?
Did it even matter? For the first time since the whole time-travel ordeal began, Lois Lane didn't feel alone.
She swallowed hard. Ok.
How far are you willing to go to save Clark?
She paused, confused by the question.
Lois?
Sensing the fear and anxiety saturating her name, she answered the only way she could. You already know.
A sigh of relief. A warm smile of acknowledgement. An invisible hand brushed through her hair. Yes. Yes, I do. A pause. Lois, for Liam to win he needs to alter the past. He'll start by destroying your memories. Another pause.A reluctant request. I need you to let him.
Panic rushed through her like a wildfire. No.
The invisible hand dropped to cling to hers. Lois, it's the only way. Listen to me. We can choose what he takes. We can pinpoint a moment in time-just one-and focus. Once it's gone, I'll have the proof I need to destroy him.
Tears slipped out of her closed eyes. But...but I don't have any I want to lose.
Something more than desperation entered his voice. Anguish. Despair. You must. There must be something you wish hadn't happened between you. Something you regret.
Lois frantically scoured her memories for something that would fit his description. She came up empty. No. Nothing. Every moment between us...
Good or bad. I know, Lois. I know. Silence slipped between them, connecting them. Solidifying them. Phantom fingers caressed her face, expressing what he could not say. He was the first to speak with a solution that neither pleased nor satisfied. But it was the only option they had. Then let me choose something.
But...
Lois, please. Trust me.
A moment of indecision. A moment of truth.
Always.
The door burst open with a crash.
"Clark! Clark, we found it! We found a way..."
Oliver Queen rushed through Lois' apartment checking each room to no avail. Bathroom, office, bedroom. No sign of him anywhere. He moved quickly to the kitchen hoping to find a note.
Nothing.
He glanced around the apartment once more as the lonely silence accosted him.
"Dammit, Clark, where are you?" The inquiry was blown out in a breath of frustration.
"Oliver." Hastily forgotten by the man on a mission, Zatanna softly called to him, her eyes fixed on something beyond the French doors leading to Lois' balcony.
Ollie reached her in a matter of seconds, his own gaze following hers. "Chloe?"
He paused long enough to issue a soft command to Zatanna. "Call Dinah. Tell her I need her here. Now."
The chill of the night hit him full in the face when he opened the door. Grief hung thick in the air. Foreboding twisted his gut like a vice. Something had happened. Something big. And that something, he suspected, was the reason for Clark's absence.
Despite all that had happened, not even his anger could withstand the sight Chloe painted.
Covered in shadows, sitting in a lone chair, she was clutching a stuffed tiger to her chest. Knees pulled up as tightly as possible, she gently rocked back and forth. Tears hung like droplets of dew on her lashes.
Oliver cautiously approached, knelt next to her chair and spoke softly. "Chloe? Chloe, are you ok?"
She didn't blink, but the droplets fell without further prompting. Ollie reached out to touch her hand. It was ice cold. Fear slithered down his spine. "Chloe, it's Oliver. Tell me what happened."
"I've lost…everyone." Chloe whispered as her hand caressed the stuffed animal she seemed to be addressing. "Everyone."
"Where's Clark?"
"Clark?" A hitch in her chest made her face crumble. "I've…I've lost him too."
An edge of desperation filtered through Ollie's tone. His fingers wrapped around her thin arm, trying to make a connection. Trying to reach her. "Chloe, listen to me. This is very important. You have to tell me what happened."
"He knows…" She stated simply, her gaze dazed and dream-like, pained and broken. "…everything. Sebastian. Davis. I didn't trust him, you see. I didn't tell him the truth. And now, now he blames me for it all…"
"Who does?"
"Clark."
"You've seen him then." The conclusion was not hard to reach. But given Chloe's obvious distress, it was best to clarify as much as possible. "Chloe, have you seen Clark?"
Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth as she nodded silently. Fresh tears formed.
"Chloe, listen to me. I don't know what happened between you, but he doesn't blame you."
"Yes. Yes, he does." Her head nodded vigorously dislodging more errant tears. "For Jimmy, for Lois…he said that I…that I…can't be trusted."
"He's hurting right now, Chloe. Losing Lois…well, it's taken a toll none of us expected. He's not…himself." Oliver explained, not sure he was even convinced by his own words. At least in one aspect, Clark Kent had never been himself more.
"But...he's right." Her gaze shifted to Ollie, beyond him. To someone who was no longer there. "Everything he said. Every accusation…he's right. This whole time I've been telling myself that everything I did was…for him. To save him. But deep down inside, I knew. I knew it was all a lie..."
tbc...