Author's note: Hey all! Thank you, thank you for all the support you continue to give as I try to wrap up these Smallville stories. This one's been waiting in the wings awhile. I'm purposely keeping some things vague in this chapter, but all will be revealed in the next which should be out very soon. Thanks again for sticking with me on these. I can't thank you enough!

Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear what you think! Hopefully PYL or BML will be out next!

Hugs,

M

Chapter 16

Sharp nails of malice haphazardly tripped through her mind. Searching. Probing. Trying to grasp one of the timeless memories rapidly flickering by like a strobe light. Suddenly they stopped on an image as if called to attention.

As if given permission.

Searing pain shot through Lois followed by a flood of warmth. Of protection. Of healing.

Then the screaming began.

It took Lois a moment to realize the screams were not her own. It took another full of scuffles and grunts, and finally, wimping cries of defeat to understand that Liam Luthor's plans had failed.

And it felt like an eternity before she felt gentle hands on her face.

"Lois. Lois, it's over." His hands worked quickly to unleash the blindfold that had blocked the world from her sight. "You're safe now. You're safe..."

Her lashes fluttered. Grimacing, her eyes reluctantly opened, then focused on the face hovering so close above hers. A familiar face. With unfamiliar lines. "Cl-ark?"

Grim lips twisted into an ironic smile. "The one and only."

Lois blinked her confusion. "But…"

"I'm not him." The clearly older version of Clark explained, his voice husky with emotion. His gaze held hers, willing her to understand. "I'm the future of him." A troubled look was obscured by long, dark lashes when his gaze lowered, his actions suddenly, intently focused on releasing her from her restraints.

"But…but you were just in my head. We were…"

"…talking. Yes, Lois, we were talking." The future version of her Clark confirmed. "And now we're getting you out of here. Just hang on, ok?"

"We?"

"Dad?" A distant voice rose in question then filled with relief when it entered the room. "Dad!"

Clark's head snapped up and he spun toward the door of the now-empty Chamber. "What is it?"

"It's Chief Regent Niak. He wants to see you. He said they want..." The voice faltered, skidded to a halt, then began again picking up where he left off. "...they want her to stay. To be a witness at the trial."

"What? No. No, she can't." Clark paused contemplating the situation Lois as yet did not understand. "She's already stayed too long..."

"Clark?"

Clark turned back to her at the sound of his name. His expression was concerned, grim. One look in her eyes and a decision was made. "Chris, come here."

"But..."

"It's ok. Come here."

A sandy-haired 11-year old head appeared from behind Clark. Warm brown eyes widened. "Wow. She's...you're..." The younger man's lips tilted in an open grin. "Hi, mom."

"Chris." Clark's tone was sharp, causing Chris to glance away guiltily.

"Mom?" Lois blinked from the young man to the Clark. "Dad?"

Realizing the damage had been done, and not all that sure he minded, Clark sighed and placed a comforting hand on Chris' shoulder. After all, this was the first time his entire family had been into a time travel dilemma and he simply didn't know where the lines were drawn and what ones he needed to cross to make things right again.

"Lois, I'll explain everything later, but for now, this is Chris. He's our son...well, mine and my Lois'. He's going to get you out of here."

Lois unconsciously clung to Clark's hand. "No, no, Clark. Please. Don't leave me."

His expression registered shock at her touch. Then relief. Hope. He gaze fixed on their combined hands, he swallowed hard. Resignation. He forced himself to look into her eyes. To keep his voice level, comforting as he covered her hand with his own. "It's ok. I'll be right behind you."

"But…"

"Lois, I have you back. I'm not losing you now. Too much depends on us being together. Trust me, ok?" Clark waited long enough to see Lois' nod of affirmation before turning to the boy. "Son, listen. Get food, a change of clothes, blankets. Take her to the Fortress. Show her where everything is. I'll be there as soon as I can. And remember what I said about not saying too much."

Chris nodded, his eyes full of doubt. "But, Dad, what if something else happens? What if I can't..."

"It won't and you can." Confident pride spilled through the words meeting his son's unspoken needs. "Chris, there's no one I trust her with more."

One warm smile of encouragement, one last squeeze of her hand and the Clark Kent of the future was gone.

"So. This must be pretty weird for you."

A half an hour after arriving at Superman's famous Fortress, Lois was attempting another conversation with the tight-lipped Christopher Jonathan Kent.

At least she'd gotten that much from him.

That, and that he was Lois and Clark's adopted son from the year 2017.

Chris shrugged as he jumped from one icy ledge to another. "Kinda. I mean, you're her, but..."

"Not?" Lois finished for him.

Chris' frank gaze met hers. "Yeah."

"I know your dad said you couldn't say much..."

"We could mess up the future." Chris hastened to explain as he resumed his restless calisthenics. "If I, you know, say the wrong thing I could maybe make it so you and dad don't get together or you don't...you know..." His gaze faltered as he kicked at a slab of ice. It cracked upon impact. "...become my mom or something."

Lois smiled at the boy - her future son's - shy honesty. "Something tells me those are two things you don't have to worry about."

That arrested his immediate attention. "Really?"

"Really." Lois stated with a confident smile. "Chris, the only reason I'm not your mom right now is because I haven't met you in my time yet."

Intrigued by that thought, Chris' head tilted to the side in contemplation. And Lois was struck by the similarity of the gesture. She'd seen Clark do the same thing at least a million times.

"Do you think you'll like me when you meet me? I mean, like me enough to want me to be your son?"

"I'm sure of it." She grinned with a wink.

Brown eyes warmed at her confession. His expression opened to her as a grin split his face. "So are you and dad like happy, you know, in your time?"

"Hmm, that's a hard one to answer." Lois replied with a question. "How happy are we in your time?"

Chris rolled his eyes. "Happy. Like crazy happy. At least that's what Aunt Dinah says."

"Yeah?" Lois warmed at his words. She was tempted to ask him who this Aunt Dinah was, but didn't want to jinx his sudden willingness to share.

He continued to explore the Fortress, though it was clear he knew every inch of it. "Yeah, she's always saying stuff like that. Especially when Uncle Ollie's around. Dad says she does it to annoy him into a fight he'll have to make up for later and that even though he acts like it, Uncle Ollie doesn't mind one bit. Whatever that means." He paused before adding, "Dad says you've done the same thing to him lots of times."

Lois bit back a chuckle. Uncle Ollie, huh? With an Aunt Dinah that likes to tease him about Lois and Clark just to get make up sex later. And a Clark Kent that understands what that's like. Oh, this was one story she was going to hate not hearing...

"And what do you think about what Aunt Dinah says?" Lois called out, unable to pinpoint the boy's location.

"It's true." Chris popped up behind a crystalized boulder and pronounced his judgment without hesitation. "Dad's always different when you're around."

"How so?"

"I don't know." Chris shrugged. "Sometimes, when you're not looking, he just watches you like he can't stop. But since dad's strong enough to do anything, I guess that just means he doesn't wanna stop. He thinks you're super pretty and real funny. He says so all the time but in funny words that make you go all gooey-eyed."

On a roll, Chris continued. "And he smiles and laughs more when you're around and he's not all serious like he is with the team. And he's always touching you. Not the gross kind of touching, you know with the kissing and stuff. He does that too. A lot. But I mean like holding hands and giving you hugs. And he likes to sit really close to you and put his arm around you and make you giggle. I asked him once why he did it so much and he told me he doesn't feel complete unless he's touching you. Then he said someday, when I found my soulmate, I'd understand."

"And what about me?" Lois asked softly. "I mean your mom. What's she like around him?"

"The same."

Lois paused, letting this new information sink in. Not that it was entirely unexpected. But hearing about her interactions with Clark through the eyes of an 11 year old son made it seem even more real than the wedding picture still pressed against her heart.

"Except lately." Chris added unexpectedly.

"Lately?" Lois' gaze snapped to his face.

Realizing he'd said the wrong thing, Chris ignored her question by asking one she still hadn't answered. "So? Are you and dad happy where you come from?"

Lois blinked up at him, trying to squelch the curiosity racing through her mind. An unintended wistfulness made it to her voice. "Well, in my time we're not together quite yet. So, we're not happy the way you know us to be."

Chris did a back flip and landed in front of her with a bounce. "Do you love him yet?"

"Yes." Lois answered without hesitation.

"Does he love you?"

Lois shook her head as a small uncertain frown pulled her lips downward. "I don't know."

"I can answer that one." A voice behind her answered.

Lois turned to see not Clark, but Superman standing with his arms crossed, hiding part of the red and gold symbol blazoned on his massive chest. His steady gaze met hers, and though it was clear he was trying to keep emotions in check, it was equally clear that it was impossible for him to keep the amusement he was feeling from forming on his lips.

"Dad!" Chris flew to Clark's side and gazed up at him, his obvious hero, with pride. "I took care of her really good. And I didn't say much...only the good stuff...I promise."

Clark placed a hand on Chris' shoulder and gave him a warm smile. "I know, son. I'm really proud of you." He glanced back up at Lois, his blue-green eyes suddenly troubled. In the next moment, she understood why. "Chris, it's time to say good-bye."

"Is everything fixed? Are we going home now?"

"Not quite yet." Clark explained. "Rokk thought you might want to go exploring for a little while. There's a lot of really cool things to see here in this future."

Chris sighed his understanding. "You wanna talk to mom alone, don'tcha?"

"I kinda need to, pal."

"Ok." Chris shrugged his acceptance of the news then ran back to Lois. "Don't forget to like me when you meet me, ok?"

Lois smiled broadly. "Not a chance, sport."

Her answer prompted a peck on the cheek, an impromptu hug and a whispered confession. "You'll always be my mom. No matter what time we're in."

And with that, Chris Kent was gone.

Leaving Lois Lane to face her future...

...and Clark Kent to deal with his past.

tbc...