2017
When the flash vanished around them, Lois and Joel were standing in the elevator at the Daily Planet. Lois felt a bubble of hope rise up inside of her, wondering if they’d finally made it home. She held Joel tightly to her, anxiously contemplating what they would do if they had once more been bounced around time.
In the few seconds before they had reappeared, she had focused all her energy on Clark, forgetting for a moment that when she had left him, he was still recovering from his exposure to the kryptonite and was without his powers. Instead, she had focused on the man she had fallen in love with, the man whose integrity she admired and whose persona as the Blur she thought could save the world…
The elevator dinged open at the bullpen, and Lois took a deep breath before walking out, wondering what awaited her. Her eyes impatiently scanned the room, looking for any sign that would tell her when they were.
The Planet was as bustling as ever, but Lois slowly realized that she didn’t recognize many of the faces, though some people did recognize her as she was greeted by several friendly colleagues. Lois made a beeline over to her desk – or where it was supposed to be. She was dismayed to see Cat Grant’s nameplate, and on Clark’s desk, there was another one that she didn’t recognize.
Lois tampered down the sudden urge to panic, accepting that they had once more jumped to a time other than their present. Either that, or she and Clark had been away from the Planet for far too long… But nothing convinced her of exactly when they were… and no one seemed to blink an eye that she had a baby with her, which she found odd, but that didn’t leave her with many clues.
Lois scanned her old desk, looking for a newspaper or a calendar so she could check the date, when she was abruptly shoved aside.
“It’s great that you feel like you have time to babysit, but some of us have work to do!” The whiney voice of Cat reached Lois’ ears, and as she turned to face her, Lois suppressed an annoyed sigh. “I don’t know why Chloe can’t get her own babysitter, but some of us actually have to work. Why don’t you go play in your corner office so the rest of us can get down to business, huh?”
Lois tried to process the implications in Cat’s diatribe, as she slowly turned around, seeking out her supposed corner office. She hid a smirk, secretly enjoying Cat’s bitterness that Lois had somehow usurped her position by scoring a corner office. But jealous tirades aside, it seemed they were definitely in the future.
And at least she had an excuse for Joel. Lois smiled at the thought that Chloe had a little one, and she wondered if she was still with Oliver. Lois hoped so. Seeing the old Oliver had been difficult, and had resurfaced complicated feelings Lois had long thought buried.
But if a future with Chloe was where he was headed, Lois couldn’t be happier.
At last Lois spotted a glass wall, up a short flight of stairs, which she thought might be the office Cat had referred to. She made her way up the stairs, while Joel craned his neck to take in the activity all around them. It seemed that the Planet was abuzz with more activity in this future, and Lois wondered why… It wasn’t a panic-to-cover-a-disaster kind of feeling, but just that everyone seemed on their A-game. Lois felt her journalistic instincts awaken at the possible stories that may have been covered between her present and this, as yet unknown, future…
Lois reached the office, noting that her and Clark’s names were engraved above the door. She smirked happily, pleased to see her name took top billing. Lois closed the door, impressed with the soundproofing of the glass walls; it was much quieter in here, and it gave her a chance to think.
“Well, we’re not home yet, kiddo. But I feel we’re getting closer,” Lois commented. She scanned the office, looking for clues as to when they were. Joel let out a happy laugh, and Lois wondered what had grabbed his attention. She turned around, taking in the impressive view the large glass windows afforded over Metropolis.
The sun was starting to set, and the goldenrod and magenta colors drew her closer to the window. She suddenly saw a streak of something move fast across the sky, making Joel giggle again. “What the---?” Lois said, puzzled. She couldn’t make out what it was, and the setting sun was starting to reflect off another building, making staring out the window difficult.
“Did you see that?” Lois asked Joel. “I wonder what it was… too small to be a plane, and way too fast to be a bird…”
Lois noticed a television in the office. She turned it on, hoping to get clued in as to where in time they might be…
“…President Luthor spoke with the Prime Minister of England yesterday...”
Lois froze on the news channel, her eyes fixed in fascinated horror on the man who she had believed was dead. And he had become the President of the United States.
She watched as Lex Luthor smiled blandly for cameras, shaking hands with England’s Prime Minister, wearing a solid white suit. The TV anchor covered the nonevent dutifully, noting topics discussed such as climate change and some meeting at the UN. Lois stared at the screen, transfixed, as she tried to work out how Lex was alive in the first place, and how, by all that is good and just in the world, that villain had become President.
“Lois, I thought you were in Washington,” she heard over her shoulder.
Lois turned abruptly to face Clark, still trying to wrap her mind around what she had just seen on the television. Clark brought with him his own sort of surprise, wearing his hair plastered to his scalp with too much product and thick, geeky glasses perched on his nose. “I—where the hell am I?” she breathed out at last, shaking her head in utter puzzlement.
~L&C~
Clark stared at Lois a long moment, wondering why she looked so out of it. She was apparently babysitting for Chloe again, determined to make up for how much Chloe had helped with Joel. Clark smiled, thinking of his son. His little eight-year old was a handful, but Clark loved every minute of being a dad…
He came around the chair to say hi to his nephew, but he did a double take, realizing that he was staring down at his own son.
“Clark?” He heard his name, but suddenly memories came rushing back to him.
Lois and Joel, lost in time.
The Legion ring, vanished from his box of Kryptonian relics.
Not knowing where they were or when they’d return…
“Lois—“ he said, staring at her as he put the puzzle together. Suddenly, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least one of their adventures had taken them to him.
He sat down next to Lois, taking off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering what to say to her.
“Are you all right?” she asked, and he was tempted to laugh, knowing this little adventure was likely to be more shocking to Lois than to him.
He nodded. “I’m fine… Just not sure about you…” he said, his eyes glancing at her clenched fist. Looking just a little deeper, he saw the Legion ring there.
“Me?”
Unsure of how to explain, Clark gestured around them. “Welcome to the future, Lois.”
She let out a breath. “So you know?”
“Well, I hope you’d give me enough credit to recognize my own son.”
“Everyone else seemed to think he’s Chloe’s. But yeah, I might just have to smack you upside the head if you didn’t recognize this little guy.” She stared at Clark for a long moment, seeming to try to reconcile the man before her with the one she had left in the past.
“What is it?” he asked. “I know I look different.”
She nodded. “Definitely geekier. What’s the deal, Smallville? And when did you start wearing glasses?”
He wasn’t sure where to begin. Who he was as the Blur was a long way away from Superman, and explaining that journey certainly couldn’t be done here, where they were practically in a fishbowl.
He sighed. “It’s a long, crazy story…” he began.
“Well, I apparently have nothing but time,” Lois responded, sounding slightly resentful.
She opened her palm to show him the ring. “Any idea how this thing works?”
“How many different times have you been bouncing around in?”
“Enough… but tell me – we do eventually make it home, right? And not like months or years later, I hope,” Lois asked, her voice full of despondency.
“You make it home, Lois,” he answered her softly. “A few weeks pass, but we both get through.”
She turned to him, hearing the sadness in his voice. “Were you really worried?” she asked.
He nodded. “I just didn’t know how long you’d be gone… and I worried… I guess I haven’t been able to tell you yet,” he said in sudden realization. “I feared you had tried to go back in time to stop General Wilson… and I just worried what trouble you’d get into.”
Lois pulled Joel closer onto her lap. “It was this little guy’s fault, actually. I was merely looking for the Key to the Fortress, to talk to Jor-El.”
“Jor-El? Why?” he asked curiously, seeming to know the answer, but wanting to hear it from her now, in this time.
Lois’ eyes seemed to drink him in, and she sighed heavily, shaking her head. “Because you—I was – am—so worried about you, Clark. After Wilson, and you didn’t get your powers back… I thought you were drifting away from me—and from who you are. I know you are much more than the sum of your powers, but—I don’t know. Wilson stole something from you, and I wanted to get it back,” she said sadly.
“Lois,” he said her name, pouring in his feelings for her with those two small syllables. “I did get my powers back… and you were right to think of Jor-El. I just wish – you had come to me first.”
“Sorry,” she said, glancing at him guiltily. “So, I guess the question is, how do we get back?”
Suddenly a young man burst into the office. “There’s a fire down at City Hall. Perry wants you on it!”
Lois stared at the kid, seeing almost the splitting image of Jimmy Olsen before her.
“Who--?” she asked, barely able to form a sentence as the kid ran back out the door.
“It’s Jimmy’s younger brother,” Clark answered briskly. He stood up, tugging at his tie.
“Look, Perry thinks Lois is still in Washington. Just hang out here until I get back, okay?”
He didn’t see her answer, as he suddenly whooshed away.
~L&C~
Lois’ journalistic curiosity made her feel antsy, waiting around for the story rather than going out there and getting it herself.
Still, she was curious whether the Blur was still in action in Metropolis. She turned back to the television, searching for a local news station. She saw a newscaster, standing in front of City Hall, swirls of smoke coming out from the side of the building.
Suddenly, a larger than life figure appeared in red and blue, arms crossed over his chest, his cape swirling about him. In clipped and hurried tones, he filled the newswoman in on the situation, his head tilted towards her, leaving the camera to capture him in profile.
After a moment, he excused himself, facing the camera for just an instant.
Lois stared at the screen, taking in the showy costume, the stylized ‘S’ on his chest…
Her mouthed gaped open in a round ‘o’, shocked at what she had just seen.
It was Clark! And she was going to kill him…
~L&C~
Lois was livid.
How could Clark do this? After all they had gone through with Wilson, and Luthor – who was now President, for crying out loud! How could he put himself out there like that?
She turned to her son, who was playing happily on the rug, and she wondered how he was faring in this new life of Clark’s. Surely people recognized him, despite his showy costume. How could they not?
Lois turned towards the glass door leading to the bullpen, and saw Clark making his way towards their office. He was taller than most, sure, but he bumbled and tripped his way across the room. His boxy suit hid his perfect pecs and the glasses and the hair… suddenly, it all made sense.
By the time Clark reached the office, she was laughing. She was still angry, but she was laughing hysterically.
“What? What is it?” Clark asked with dread.
“You! You in your costume like some comic book hero – something you swore up and down the other that you would never do! And this!” she said, gesturing to his current getup. “The nerdy routine is a nice touch, Clark, I must say!”
Clark closed the door behind him and gestured her to calm down. “Lois, please! Just hear me out.”
She was still laughing uncontrollably, tears coming to her eyes. “I can’t believe everything you’ve gone through to protect your secret, and you’ve come to this! How is that working out for you, Clark? I mean, Lex Luthor is the President of the United States for crying out loud! And he knows your secret!”
“Knew,” Clark said quietly. “He knew my secret.”
She settled down a little, still looking at him in somewhat shock. “Do tell, Clark. Because the guy I knew would never flash around his abilities like some Hollywood celebrity.”
“It’s not like that,” he winced. “Look, it took me a long time to get here… “
She nodded. “I can see that… I’m just so—surprised that you would put yourself out there like this… I mean, how did you get from being the Blur, hiding from everyone in the shadows – including me, I might add. To this?”
“I downplayed Clark Kent,” he began, somewhat sheepishly. “I started acting a part, so I could do more.”
She absorbed that a moment. “So you were able to tone down the hometown hero, so you could become—“ she gestured towards the television screen, where Clark’s superpersona was shown on replay, putting out the fire and rescuing people trapped inside.
Clark nodded.
“And Luthor? What did you mean by he knew about your secret?” she asked. “Seems to me he is a bigger threat than ever.”
Clark sighed. “You don’t know the half of it. He doesn’t even remember Clark Kent… I’m not even sure he is the real Lex… Lois, there is so much you don’t know, and I don’t know how much I can tell you,” he warned.
“Yeah, I know… But still… Is there anything I can do in the past? I mean, how are you handling Lex these days?”
“Leave it alone, Lois… He sort of just---reappeared one day. But I don’t know if I could have done much about it,” Clark said sadly. “I guess, if you remember, then tell me… But Lex might just be a problem I’ll always have to deal with, in one form or another.”
Lois nodded, accepting what he was telling her. “I guess the question is then, are you happy in this new persona?” she asked, eyeing him carefully, taking in his full geekiness.
“I mean, the Clark Kent I know is pretty amazing… aren’t you stifled acting a part every day?”
Clark shook his head, a slow smile of wonder on his face. “No. Being out in the world, helping where I can openly – Lois, it’s an amazing feeling. And I don’t mind sacrificing some of Clark Kent’s appeal, as long as I have you by my side. You make it all worth it, Lois.”
She felt pleased at his admission, though she still wasn’t entirely satisfied. “And how does our family fit into this world of yours? I mean, is Joel going to be okay?”
“We do great, Lois,” he answered softly, reaching for her hand.
She stared at him a long moment, thinking. “I just can’t believe this future. I mean, it’s amazing, to be sure. But, I just want to get back to our present, and make the journey with you, you know? Cause I don’t fit in here… not yet, anyway,” she said, glancing around the office. “And I just don’t get all of this,” she said, gesturing towards Clark.
“You will, Lois. I promise.”
Lois fished the gold ring out of her pocket once more. “I’m tired of putting this thing on and being whisked away to somewhere other than home… How do I make it work?”
Clark suddenly looked inspired. “Come with me. You don’t need to try this ring again.”
~L&C~
Clark took Lois and Joel to the roof of the Daily Planet.
The sun had set by now, leaving a purple ripple of clouds above them, and the moon at half wax, hanging like a jewel in the sky.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been up here,” Lois commented. “I’ve missed the view.”
Clark smiled. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Lois. Will you fly with me?”
Clark suddenly spun around and appeared before her in the fantastical suit she had seen on television. She took in the fitted spandex, the broad width of his shoulders, and his face, without those hideous glasses.
“Wow,” she breathed. “The Blur was pretty awesome, but you look so much better in Technicolor.”
She stared up at him, appreciating how well she knew the man behind the glasses. Clark was a mix of the two extremes he had created in this future world – he was an average guy with a huge heart and amazing abilities. The bumbling nerd she had witnessed in the Planet and even this spandex covered god was an act. She didn’t understand all the rules he was playing by yet, but if he was happy, then she’d learn to play along.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
Lois secured Joel in her arms, and Clark easily lifted them into his embrace. Then suddenly, he seemed to let go of gravity, and they were floating on the wind.
“When did you learn to do this?” she wondered aloud, in awe of this ability.
“Some secrets I’ll let you discover on your own, Lois. But don’t worry, we’ll get here together.”
They glided across the Metropolis sky, enjoying the glittering city that was settling into the darkening night around them. After a few minutes, Clark looked down at her. “Now, are you ready for a real ride?”
“When do I ever say no to an offer like that?” Lois responded with a grin.
Suddenly, they took off in a red and blue blur across the sky.
~L&C~
Clark landed them in the barn on the Kent farm, secretly enjoying Lois’ startled look. Joel was full of smiles, his Kryptonian genes apparently getting a kick out of dad showing off his super speed.
“Wow, that is way more intense flying than it is on the ground,” Lois commented. “Can’t wait to go again!”
“Well, you won’t have to wait too much longer, but it will take a few years,” Clark said. “I hope you can be patient with me in the meantime.”
“Clark, I put up with all kinds of weirdness from you when I didn’t know who you really were. And now, that I know you are the love of my life and that this is what you’ll become?” she said, giving him a smirk. “Not a chance I’ll miss this.”
Clark seemed satisfied with that answer, and headed to his desk where he kept various Kryptonian relics.
“So why did we come to this dusty place anyway?” Lois asked.
Clark pulled out an identical ring to the one Lois had. “The Legion gave me a second ring a while back. This one will take you home, Lois.”
She eyed the ring cautiously. “Are you sure? I really can’t take much more of this time jumping business… and I doubt Joel can either.”
“It will be fine, Lois. Trust me.”
Lois smiled at him, still shaking her head at his incredible superhero persona. “No problem there, Smallville. You practically scream ‘I’m here to help,’ in that getup.”
He gave her a smile in return. “Are you ready to go?”
Lois nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Thanks for everything, Clark.”
He turned to her to cup her cheek. “You are what make my life worth living, Lois. You and Joel. I don’t know what I’d be without you two.”
She touched his hand on her cheek. “Which is exactly why I've got to get back to my Clark.”
He leaned down and kissed her. Seeing her slightly surprised expression he added, “Trust me. Old me doesn’t mind.”
Lois bit her lip, thinking. “In that case,” she said, leaning up and pulled him down towards her to give him a kiss in return. “Besides, I’m not sure how long I’ll have to wait before I can kiss you in this outfit again.”
Clark gave her another smile, then leaned down to kiss his son. “They grow up fast, Lois. Remember that.”
“I will. Okay, I’m ready,” she said with a sigh, taking the ring from him.
Just as she slipped it on, Clark remembered something. He saw them begin to disappear into the light, but called after them, “Lois! Don’t let him touch the gold ring!”
They disappeared, though Clark wasn’t sure if Lois heard his warning.
