By Karen Ward <ward8120@mach1.wlu.ca>
Rated PG
Submitted August 1998
Summary: A story that continues where the series finale, "The Family Hour," leaves off. A baby left in Lois and Clark's house turns out to have family connections. But to keep the child — and themselves — safe, Lois and Clark must find a way to cure their Tempus problems for all time. (An updated version of the author's original submission "Another Family Hour.")
FOREWORD:
This story is essentially the same as my previous story entitled, "Another Family Hour." However, it has been severely overhauled since it was first posted and, hopefully, is somewhat better than the original.
I'd like to thank Kathy Brown for taking the time to make suggestions for improvement (most of which I have taken) and Carolyn Schnall for pointing out a *huge* error in my cast list. Especially, I'd like to thank Debby Stark, who, a while back got an e-mail from a complete stranger asking her to edit a story. Even though this story had already been submitted to the archive, Debby graciously donated her time to look it over and make some helpful suggestions. Thanks a bunch, Debby, I *really* appreciate it! I'd also like to thank all those members of the Lois & Clark Fanfic Discussion List that provided me with some generous words of encouragement. Thanks, you guys!
Most of all, I'd like to thank my mother for not saying "no" every time I asked her to look over this story … again! And she's not even a fan of Lois & Clark!
This story is dedicated to Melanie Urbshott, my Lois & Clark buddy. Whenever I needed to vent my frustration (or elation) about an episode (or lack thereof), I could count on her to listen. Thanks, Mel! You're the best!
***
PREVIOUSLY ON LOIS & CLARK:
Lois pulled back the covers and snuggled into bed next to Clark. Resting her head on Clark's welcome shoulder, she absently reached for the warm skin covering her husband's ample pectorals and began to rub gently.
"Well … my parents are back to normal … clueless that their son-in-law moonlights in tights."
"It seems knowing that I'm Superman brought them nothing but unpleasantness, so now that memory is gone."
"I don't think Mom remembers being mad at Dad either."
"Apparently not, because I caught them kissing on the terrace."
The couple giggled and snuggled closer. However, Lois' smile began to fade as her mind wandered to darker issues.
"Clark, I'm sorry."
Clark tilted his head to gaze at Lois in inquiry. "For what?"
"I'm sorry that Daddy can't find anything wrong with Star Labs' data. He doesn't think we'll be able to have kids."
As Clark began to speak, Lois shifted to face him fully.
"Honey, I have not, for one second, doubted in us. We live the impossible." Clark nudged a stray lock of hair from Lois' eyes and began stroking her cheek. "A child is something brought about by love, isn't it?"
Lois searched his eyes and nodded.
"Well then that, above all else, has got to be possible for us."
Lois smiled at her loving husband. Suddenly needing the feel of his arms encircling her, the feel of his bare skin against hers, she began to pull her body onto his, only to see Clark's heated gaze falter and change into 'the look'.
"What? What are you hearing?"
"I'm not sure."
"Well, what does it sound like?"
"I can't actually believe what it sounds like."
Downstairs, Lois followed Clark into the den where they were both rendered speechless at sight before them. In Clark's childhood bassinet, the one Clark's parents had arranged to be shipped from Smallville the week before, a baby was tucked under a royal blue blanket embroidered with the unmistakable red and yellow emblem of the House of El.
They approached the bassinet where Clark spotted and reached for a piece of paper that rested next to the child. Lois brought her hand to her heart as Clark unfolded the paper and read.
"Lois and Clark, this child belongs to you."
Lois let out a gasp at the paper's message and turned to peer at the bassinet's precious cargo. Lois was awed by the baby's tiny features and dumbfounded by the vulnerability of such a helpless creature. How could anyone abandon a child like this? Unconsciously, Lois pulled back the blanket and lifted the baby into her arms. If this child's parents weren't going to love it like they should, then she would.
"Son? Everything all right"
"Everyone okay?"
"We saw the lights."
"Lois?"
The concerned inquiries of Lois' and Clark's parents interrupted the new parents' reverie.
Clark left the den to meet their parents who were descending the stairs into the living room. "Ah … ah … yeah, yeah, everyone. Everything's is absolutely fine. Um … Mom and Dad … and ah …Mom and Dad, we have something to tell you.
Lois emerged from the den cradling the young baby bundled in a receiving blanket.
And now for…
TOMORROW'S PAST
Starring:
Clark Kent/Superman / Dean Cain
Lois Lane / Teri Hatcher
Martha Kent / K Callan
Jonathan Kent / Eddie Jones
Jeff Kent / Tom Cruise
Melanie Kent / Nicole Kidman
Ellen Lane / Beverly Garland
Sam Lane / Harve Presnell
Joseph 'Joey' Kent / Ryan Henderson (my cute, little nephew)
H. G. Wells / Terry Kiser
Tempus / Lane Davies
Jake / Richard Moll
Benny / Danny Devito
Nick / Robert De Niro
Carl / Nicolas Cage
By Karen Ward <ward8120@mach1.wlu.ca>
***
Clark turned to Lois with raised eyebrows, drew in his breath and continued speaking.
"We found this little guy in the study just now. I'm not sure where he came from … but I don't think we should be telling anyone about him … or her …"
"Him." Lois stated matter of factly.
"Okay, him," Clark continued. "Anyway, I just have this feeling that we should keep this to ourselves … for now."
Protests rang through the group of parents while Lois and Clark exchanged knowing glances and continued to coo at the baby cuddled in Lois' arms. Finally Jonathan stepped forward, gaining everyone's attention.
"Now wait a minute, Son. You don't know whose baby this is. I think it'd be best if you turned the baby over to the proper authorities. His parents are probably worried sick."
"Actually, Dad," Clark countered while looking his father directly in the eye. "Sometimes, under certain circumstances, turning the child over to the authorities is not necessarily the best idea. I think, if you were in my position, you might do the same thing." Clark continued to eye his dad, trying to convey an unspoken message.
"Clark, Honey," Martha piped. "I think you should listen to your father. He's got a point." Martha stepped closer to tickle the baby. "Somebody's probably missing this cute little guy."
"Well," Lois interjected, "it's late. It'd be easier to contact the authorities in the morning so we might as well go back to bed and try to get some sleep. Clark and I'll keep the baby in our room to keep an eye on him. Mom, Dad, you guys have had a big day. You should get some rest."
Sam and Ellen looked at Lois' pleading expression and began to protest.
"Lois, there's a baby in your den and you expect your father and I to go back to bed."
"Mom, please. It's just …"
"I'm sorry, Princess, but I have to agree with you mother on this."
Clark, noticing Lois struggle to get her parents from the room, attempted to come to the rescue.
"I know this seems strange — having a baby show up in our house late at night, but there's no reason that you should lose any sleep over it. I assure you that Lois and I can handle the child for the night. And then, first thing in the morning, we'll figure out what to do about it. Until then, I think it'd be best if we didn't lose any sleep over this so that we can be more alert tomorrow when we're … working this thing out."
"If you're sure …"
"Yes, Daddy, we're sure." Lois was feeling exasperated by now.
"I should know by now not to be surprised when these ridiculous things happen to Lois and Clark …" Ellen mumbled while Sam towed her up the stairs.
Clark's parents remained behind, sensing that something else was brewing.
As soon as her parents were out of earshot, Lois began to explain. "Ah … Martha, Jonathan. There's something else you should know."
"Um, Honey," Clark interrupted. "Why don't we show them?"
Clark slid the door to the den open and gestured for his parents to enter. Inside the den he led them over to the bassinet. "We found him in this." Clark indicated a blanket emblazoned with the Superman shield which remained in the bassinet. Lois gently lowered the sleeping infant to his resting place and picked up a piece of paper from the hood of the cradle.
"We also found this," Lois said, handing the note to Martha.
Martha opened the note while shooting a quizzical look at her daughter-in-law. Tentatively, she turned her attention to the message and began to read. Her eyes widened as she reviewed the letter. Promptly, she shoved the letter at Jonathan.
"Look at this!"
Jonathan retrieved the letter and began to read aloud. "'Lois and Clark, this child belongs to you.' What do you suppose that means? Who would do this? I mean, who else knows about … you know …" Jonathan hesitated.
"That I'm Superman and that Lois and I can't have children. Dad, no one else knows. I don't know who could have done this." Clark smiled at the sleeping child and added, "I don't know who would *want* to do this."
Martha approached the bassinet and reached down to touch the blanket. She traced her fingers around the 'S' and looked up at her son.
"Obviously, whoever it is, they know something they shouldn't."
"I know." Lois began to pace while wringing her hands. "Which is why we have to get to the bottom of this. We've got to find this person. Someone with this knowledge could put a lot of people in danger. Namely, us. And I'm not too comfortable with that."
Clark rested his hand on his wife's back in an effort to contain her pacing.
"You're right, Lois. And we will. But I think you were right before when you said that the best thing we can do right now is get some rest."
"You're right, son. Now are you sure you'll be all right with the baby in your room. You know your mother and I could —"
"No, Dad. It's okay. We'll just —" Clark raised his head as his super hearing tuned into the sound of gunshots. "Uh …"
The other occupants of the room immediately recognized 'the look.'
"What is it, Son? What do you hear?"
"It sounds like a shootout down at Clinton and Main. I'd better check it out." Clark began backing towards the window. "You guys just go to bed. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Clark's departure was accompanied by a blur of red and blue and a familiar sonic boom. Lois gazed at the open window and sighed.
"Look, dear," Martha said, catching Lois' attention. "If you like, Jonathan and I can go out and get some baby supplies. We'll need some diapers, baby wipes, some Pablum … oh! And we can't forget toys! He'll need some toys to play with …"
"Oh Martha, could you? I don't really have much experience with babies and I don't know what he needs, or what he likes, or how to feed him… I don't even know how to change him!"
"Don't worry, Lois. Jonathan and I can help you. Lord knows Clark gave us loads of practice when he was a baby! You just stay here and watch him while Jonathan and I go and round up some supplies. There must be an all night pharmacy around here somewhere …"
"Yeah, down the street. Are you sure you don't mind, Martha? I could wait for Clark and …"
"No, no, dear! That's all right" Martha grabbed her husband's arm and began pulling him to the front door. "Jonathan and I will be just fine."
"Okay, then … if you're sure."
"We'll see you in a little bit, Honey."
Martha and Jonathan, amused by his wife's enthusiasm, disappeared out the door.
Lois picked up the bassinet and began to head toward the stairs. It'd be much more peaceful for the baby in her and Clark's room. But before she reached the bottom stair, she could hear the pitter patter of footsteps coming down the upstairs hallway, and soon her parents appeared in the stairwell.
"Lois, what's —"
"Shh!" Lois broke off her Dad's inquiry and used her eyes to gesture to the bassinet in her arms before continuing in a hushed voice. "Mom, Dad, I thought you guys had gone to bed."
"We had," Ellen spoke in a harsh whisper, "but we thought you guys were going to bed too! What's going on? Where'd everyone go?"
"Oh … just out to get some baby supplies. After you two went upstairs we realized we didn't have any so they just went …"
"They went baby shopping?! Without us?! I don't believe this!s Sam," Mrs. Lane turned to her husband and began nudging him to the door, "we're going too. Where were they headed, Lois?"
"Uh …" being too tired to argue with her parents, Lois decided to cooperate. "Just down the street, to an all-night pharmacy."
"All right, your father and I will be right back."
Lois' mouth threatened to form a grin as she watched her father's face form a tell-tale "We will?" expression as he was ushered out the door.
After her parents' departure, the baby continued to sleep soundly, however, Lois had a feeling she wouldn't be getting any rest tonight. As if reading her mind, the sound of the doorbell interrupted her thought. As she scanned the room, searching for a spot to set the bassinet, the visitor began knocking frantically.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Lois hollered back.
The baby stirred and began to cry in response to the sudden loud noise.
"Oh! Shh. It's okay," she crooned, lifting the child >from the basket.
The impatient knocking persisted. Lois stalked toward the door with the squawking child in one arm and yanked the door open with the other.
"Do you know what time it …" But Lois was lost for words.
H.G. Wells stood on her doormat, tipping his hat in salutation.
***
A dark-haired man dressed in a silver jump suit bolted across Clinton Street and dove behind a cluster of trash cans. Sparks marked the places where pursuing bullets ricocheted off trash cans. Pressing his athletic figure close to the ground, he began replacing the clip in his semi-automatic. His attempt was aborted when a red boot thumped on his gun, effectively smashing it into pieces. The young man on the ground stared at the foot for a second before slowly raising his head to see a figure dressed in blue tights with a red cape billowing in the wind. He instantly recognized the stylized 'S' brandishing his captor's chest and began yelling.
"Superman, get down! You'll be shot!"
As if on cue, a bullet grazed Superman's left shoulder and sent him sprawling to the pavement behind the stranger's temporary cover. Clark touched the blood now oozing from his shoulder and blinked at the wildly dressed stranger.
"Wha..I'm bleeding!"
"I tried to warn you," the man said, reaching for his mangled gun. "Those are Kryptonite bullets."
Gunfire continued to pierce the relative tranquillity of night in Metropolis.
"Kryptonite! What are they doing with Kryptonite bullets?!"
"They're Anti-Kent Revolutionaries." The man stated, as if it should mean something to Clark. Hopelessly he tossed away his smashed weapon, groaned, and scowled at Superman.
To keep under the cover of the trash cans, Clark, favouring his left shoulder, supported himself with his right forearm and crawled toward the stranger to continue questioning him.
"What do you mean Anti … whoa! Did you say Anti-*Kent*?" Clark regarded the man in disbelief, momentarily forgetting his wound.
"Yeah. They're radicals bent on destroying the Lane-Kent bloodline. They think Superman committed the ultimate crime against nature by contaminating the human race."
The man peered around the cans to check the enemy's position. He immediately ducked back as bullets whizzed through the spot his head had just occupied.
Clark was bewildered, but the increasing sound of gunfire forced all but one of his questions to the back of his mind. "What can I do to help?"
"Try not to get killed while we concentrate on getting out of here. If you hadn't destroyed my gun …"
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't realize —"
"It's okay. I know you were just trying to help."
Unsure of what to do, and perhaps overwhelmed by the stranger's confessions, Clark watched him fumble with his utility belt until he produced a small black grenade, pulled the pin and tossed the grenade at the opposition. Tear gas filled the street, briefly slowing the advance of the revolutionaries.
"Come on, Superman." The stranger pulled Clark to his feet and the two fled into an alley which led them over a block to another empty street. The pair stopped momentarily to choose a direction as the sound of wild gunfire roared after them in the alley behind, getting louder by the second.
A silver Jeep Grand Cherokee screeched to a halt in front of Clark and the stranger. Lois stretched across and opened the passenger-side door.
"Come on! Get in! Hurry up!"
Clark scrambled into the passenger side while the stranger loaded into the back seat. The tires squealed as Lois raced from the curb, leaving a trail of rubber on the pavement.
***
Several men, sporting black turtlenecks and camouflage army pants, jolted to a stop as they emerged from the alley leading from Clinton Street. Their black shirts revealed the royal blue outline of the patented 'S' with the international 'no' symbol slashed in blood-red overtop. The leader, tall and lanky with rich brown hair, bore an eerie smile as he emerged from the group. A short, stout man, with a disappearing hairline, approached his superior from the right.
"Hey, boss, should we snatch a car and follow them."
Tempus continued to stare down the street after the disappearing Jeep Grand Cherokee.
"Patience, Benny, they'll come to us. They'll most definitely come to us."
Tempus turned to two of his henchmen and began to address them in a calm, confident manner.
"Well, men, it appears the Kents have temporarily escaped their impending doom. Not for long, though."
"What do we do now, boss?" a hefty, bald man asked from the back of the group.
"Now, Jake, we retreat to our fortress to twiddle our thumbs and play ping-pong until they come. And they will come."
Jake scurried to the front, next to his commander.
"You mean it, boss? We get to play ping-pong? I love ping-pong!"
Tempus shook his head and rolled his eyes before answering.
"No, Jake, you imbecile, I was speaking metaphorically."
"Well, how's I supposed to know you's speakin' metamorphically."
"Argh." Tempus dug into his pocket for a small communication device and pressed a button to page his other troops while mumbling arrogantly to himself.
"One must wonder why the universe's most ingenious criminal would surround himself with such feeble-minded Neanderthals"
"Yeah, boss?" a voice buzzed from the speaker of Tempus' miniature walkie-talkie.
"Nick, we need transportation over on …"
Tempus squinted at the nearest street sign.
" … Bush and Main."
***
In the Jeep, Clark and the stranger, still in shock from the encounter, struggled to catch their breath. Lois finally broke the silence when she noticed the crimson stain on her husband's uniform.
"Oh my god! Clark, you're bleeding! Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. The bullet just grazed me. It's just a scratch."
Realizing that Lois had just addressed him by his human name in front of the stranger, Clark's previously suppressed questions bubbled to the surface. He twisted in his seat to interrogate the stranger. "Who are you? And who were those … people chasing us? What are you doing here? What do you mean the 'Lane-Kent' bloodline? …"
"Whoa! Slow down, Superman. My name is Jeff. I'm from the future, the year 2024."
Upon hearing this, Clark sank back into seat and moaned.
"Oh no. Not more time-travellers. This is getting ridiculous."
"Ah … Clark. I think you should let him finish explaining."
Lois jerked the wheel left and the Jeep lurched around another corner.
Clark turned his attention back to Jeff.
"Okay … Jeff. What brings you to 1997?"
"Well, it all started back in 2019 … er ahead in 2019. Anyway, after more Superheroes started to pop up around Metropolis people started to get suspicious, wondering where they were all coming from."
"More Superheroes? Were they from New Krypton?"
"That's what everyone thought at first, until Tempus came along. He disguised himself at first, knowing you and Lois would recognize him if he didn't. He began leaking information to the tabloids about your secret identity and how all the new Superheroes weren't from New Krypton, but were actually your children."
"My children?! Wait a minute! But I thought Lois and I … well … we can't …"
"I know, I know. I've heard the stories, but Dr. Klein was wrong." He shrugged. "You can. Anyway, Tempus started this radical group who called themselves the Anti-Kent Revolutionaries. He convinced thousands of people that Superman was destroying the human bloodline and that he should be stopped. However, very few actually decided to follow him when they learned that he wanted them to help destroy Superman and his family. Some, mostly criminals you'd put away, were scared to go up against a group of >super-powered people, while others felt that execution was a little harsh seeing as neither Superman, nor any of his Super off-spring, had ever done any actual physical harm to anyone. After this conflict, the number of his followers shrank down to just a handful, including Tempus."
"Whoa! Wait a minute! You mean to say Lois and I *can* have children? Wow! But, that still doesn't explain what you're doing here, in the 20th century."
Jeff drew in his breath and ran his hands through his hair, reminiscent of one of Clark's compulsive habits. Lois spared a hand from the steering wheel to clasp her husband's hand as he awaited Jeff's explanation. Finally, Jeff returned his attention to Clark and began to recount his story.
"Tempus and his gang have already … eliminated the others. I'm the last one, at least as far as Tempus is concerned."
"Did you say that *you're* the last one!" Clark cut him off before Jeff could continue explaining. "Are you saying that you're my … that we're … related?"
"Yes, I was getting to that. Anyway, my wife and I recently had a child, but Tempus doesn't know about him. That's why we brought him here, to preserve Superman's … er … your bloodline. You see, H. G. Wells came to me and my family last week. At first I thought he was some sort of nutcase but then I remembered all those stories you and M — … er Lois told us about him and Tempus. He told me that while he was visiting the future he found that the Utopia established by your bloodline was gone. Tempus had become their ruler and had turned the Utopia into the violent distopia he'd always wanted. Mr. Wells figured that he must have somehow destroyed Superman and his descendants somewhere along the line. That's when he came to us. My wife and I planned to just drop Joey, our baby, off and return to pick him up once we'd defeated Tempus in 2024. Unfortunately … somehow … he tracked us here."
Clark sat still in shocked silence as he tried to absorb this fantastic story. Lois squeezed his hand in comfort, also attempting to stimulate some sort of response from her trauma-stricken husband.
"Honey," Lois prepared to explain while manoeuvring the jeep through another red light, narrowly swerving out of the path of a taxi as it crossed the intersection, "they brought us the baby in case they weren't able to … defeat Tempus."
Clark diverted his shocked gaze to the driver's seat.
"How … how do *you* know all this?"
"H. G. Wells came to our house shortly after you left tonight. He filled me in on the important details. Seeing as you had no way of knowing about the Kryptonite bullets, I figured you'd need my help."
Clark's next coherent words were about an octave too high.
"Oh. Okay, Honey."
He turned in his seat to once again face Jeff.
"So how, exactly, are we related? Are you my … well considering the year you mentioned, you must be my …"
"Son. Yes."
"You said that Tempus 'eliminated the others'. Does that mean that … he … he killed our other children?"
Jeff leaned forward and gently placed his hand on Clark's forearm.
"I'm afraid so."
Clark growled in frustration and dropped back into his seat.
"Ow!" He groaned again as the sudden impact caused a sharp pain to resonate through his shoulder.
"Tempus!" Lois spat the word as if it had no business being in her mouth.
Clark tilted his head back, closed his eyes and began rubbing his temples. "It figures he'd be behind such a devious plot. Why can't he just leave us alone? What did we ever do to him?"
Lois swerved to avoid an intoxicated pedestrian, prompting her to wave her fist at the drunkard.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Lois turned her attention back to Clark's comment while steering the Jeep onto Hyperion Avenue.
"You mean other than put him away three times? Which, by the way, is going to be four by the time we're done with him."
As Lois screeched the Jeep to a halt at the curb in front of their brownstone, a revelation provoked her eyebrows to crinkle in worry.
"Oh no, Clark! My parents! What are we going to tell them? Oh Clark, I'm sorry. I knew it was a bad idea to invite them to stay over tonight. I know they were still shaken about the whole ordeal with Fat Head and everything, but I should know by now to listen my gut instinct about these things. After all, I'm a seasoned investigative reporter. I, above all people, should …"
"Lois …"
"… know when to go with my gut and when not to. I've been doing it for years. I just didn't expect to have to deal with something of this magnitude tonight. If I had known I would have …"
"Lois."
"Uh … sorry. I didn't mean to do the manic thing again, but I can't help it. You know that's how I cope with things … it's not necessarily the best way, I know, but it wasn't …"
"Lois, rel- …"
"Don't tell me to relax, Clark! This is no time for relaxing! How are your superpowers holding up, by the way? You look like you're still bleeding." Lois leaned closer to examine her husband's wound. "Oh, you *are* still bleeding. That's not good. That must mean your powers aren't back yet … with all those Kryptonite bullets flying around, I'm not surprised. Oh Clark, I'm so glad you're alive. When Mr. Wells mentioned they had Kryptonite I was so worried. I thought for sure that they were going to … that you'd …"
With his good arm, Clark grabbed the back of his wife's neck and thrust his lips onto hers. Faster than a speeding bullet, the kiss escalated from awkward to passionate. After a few moments of indulging himself, Clark drew back and turned to Jeff, whose expression indicated that he was mildly amused, yet somewhat disgusted, by the incident.
"It's the only way I can get her to stop when she goes off on one of her tangents."
"I know. You and Mom always use that excuse."
Lois returned to the topic of her parents once she recovered from her brief state of shock.
"Clark, I'm serious about my parents. How are we going to explain this to them? Oh god! They probably already found Mr. Wells. This isn't good. My Mom is the worst at keeping secrets. They just got over learning it once already. I don't know if they can handle it again. What are we going to do?"
Clark and Jeff exchanged knowing glances and shook their heads.
"Lois, Honey. Don't worry about it. We already know we can trust your father. As for your mother … well … I'm sure that if she realized the importance of keeping this secret she'd be able to handle it. There was a time when I didn't think you'd be able to handle it, but, obviously, I was wrong about that."
"I don't know, Clark. Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Besides, they could be sound asleep anyway. We may still have time to come up with an excuse."
"And for you to change out of your Superman garb," Jeff added, gesturing to Clark's apparel.
"Actually, Clark, they're definitely not sleeping." Lois cringed. "I know that for a fact."
"Oh …"
Lois suddenly straightened in her seat as something else occurred to her.
"Wait a minute! Won't Tempus and his thugs know where to find us?"
Clark's brow wrinkled as Jeff diverted his attention to his hands sitting in his lap. Jeff started to speak while keeping his attention focused on rubbing his palms together.
"He won't follow us," he mumbled.
Confusion passed between the occupants of the front seats.
Jeff turned his attention back to Lois and Clark.
"He won't come after us," Jeff continued in a stronger voice, "because he knows we'll come after him."
This comment only added to Lois and Clark's confusion so he continued to explain.
"He's got my wife, Melanie. I didn't realize that he'd followed us to the past. I took Joey to get … I only left her alone for a couple of minutes …" Jeff choked on his explanation, then took a moment to collect the emotions that he rarely displayed. "As long as I'm still alive, she's safe. I'm the one he wants. I don't think he knows about Joey. As far as he's concerned, I'm the only remaining member of the Lane-Kent bloodline, from 2024, that is. I haven't … I've been waiting to make my move to go after her. He knows I'll do anything to get her back and that without her he doesn't have any hold over me. I had to bring our baby to you before I went after her. I wanted to make sure that in case I couldn't … wasn't … successful in rescuing my wife, at least a part of us would live on and there'd still be a chance of restoring our bloodline. I think Tempus assumes that you'll help me."
"Well, he if does, then he's right," Lois announced. "But, first, we need a plan."
***
Lois stalked through the entrance to her townhouse, followed closely by Clark and Jeff.
"Lois! Where have you been? Your father and I've been worried sick! Hey! Who's that man with you? Why's Superman here? And who's the kook in the den claiming to be some dead writer? And why are Clark's parents in there taking care of the baby with him as if he's some old friend of theirs? Why are you giving me that look? You're not dying, are you?"
"Mom …"
Smoke seemed to emanate from Ellen Lane's ears as her brain furiously tried to organize her thoughts. "Oh my god! Maybe I'm dead! Maybe that's why I'm in the same house with a dead writer! Oh no! We're not *all* dead, are we? We must be. Why else would we all be here with a dead writer? How did this happen? I don't remember dying. It must have been when I …"
"Mom!! You're not dead. None of us are."
"Well then what's going on?"
"Yeah, Princess. What's this all about?" Dr. Lane added.
Lois looked at Clark, silently seeking permission to give her parents a straight answer. Ellen watched the scenario expectantly and soon became impatient.
"Lois, if you keep me in the dark any longer, I think my head will explode!"
Clark turned to Jeff sympathetically.
"Do you mind if we talk in private for a bit. I think it'd be easier that way."
"Yeah, sure," Jeff replied. "Can I see Joey … my son?"
"Oh, yeah. Go ahead." Clark pointed to the den. "I think he's in there."
Clark let the corners of his mouth drift upward as he watched his future son disappear into the den.
"Ah-hem."
Ellen interrupted him from his daze. Clark looked back at Lois, seeking encouragement. Lois gently rubbed his back, careful not to disturb his shoulder, and prepared to disclose the life-altering news.
"Mom, Dad, the reason Superman's here is because he lives here."
"What?!" Sam and Ellen sputtered simultaneously.
As usual, Ellen took control of the discussion while Sam's face wrinkled in confusion.
"Do you mean to tell me that you and Clark have been letting Superman live with you all this time and you haven't even told me about it? No wonder you always get those exclusives with him!"
"No, Mrs. Lane. That's not exactly it … or should I call you 'Mom'."
"What?!" Sam choked while Ellen's eyebrows rocketed toward the roof.
"What he means is … Superman … well … he's Clark. Or rather he's what Clark can do. Clark's who he is."
Sam and Ellen fixed their confused gazes on Superman, who nodded his confirmation.
***
Lois' parents sat on the living room couch in rapt attention as Lois and Clark tried to explain Clark's secret, and the presence of the other strangers. The easy part was explaining Clark's alter-ego, of which the Lanes seemed surprisingly understanding. It was the horrible fate of their future kin that Lois and Clark had difficulty with, however, after several pauses to collect emotions and gather facts, they managed to finally finish the explanation.
At the conclusion of the stunning tale, Sam was the first to break the tension-filled silence. Though he was shocked by all these revelations, especially those concerning his son-in-law and their time-travelling visitors, one thing was certain. This was his daughter's family and dammit, alien or not, he was going to help them the only way he knew how. By being a doctor.
"Super-… er … I mean Clark, that wound on your shoulder's not looking too good. Maybe I should take a look at it."
"Thanks, Dr. Lane. I'd really appreciate that."
"Hey, you're my son-in-law. You can call me Dad. Or at the very least call me by my first name."
Clark grinned and offered his hand to Sam.
"Sure thing, *Dad*."
Sam took Clark's hand and, heedful of his son-in-law's left shoulder, pulled him into a firm embrace. Witnessing the heart-warming scene, Lois and her mother felt urged to place an arm around each other and another around their husbands, making the hug a group effort.
***
The fish-scented aroma of Hob's Bay flowed through the shattered windows of a condemned warehouse down on Fifth and Truman. Melanie Kent sat in a corner with her legs crossed and her elbows resting on her knees. Dried blood disappeared from her temple into a thick collection of fiery red curls. Her face exuded an air of confidence and determination. Inside she was cowering. The thug named Carl, with long chestnut hair and a receding hairline, towered over her with his uzi tucked securely under his arm. Tempus paced the concrete floor with an arrogant grin glued to his face. Every so often he would stop and chuckle to himself, obviously pleased with his latest accomplishments.
"Listen up, men," he began to address his four disciples, "do you realize that you are a part of the single most outstanding event in human history? The demise of Superman."
His henchmen's gazes were unwavering as they listened to their leader's spiel.
"Who would have thought that it would have taken five mere mortals to eradicate the most powerful and influential family of all time? Beings who are able to crush boulders with their bare hands have been, and will be crushed by me," Tempus announced clenching his fist.
Tempus noticed that his followers' expressions suggested that they weren't satisfied by his latest commentary. "With your help, of course," he amended.
"Men," Tempus continued, "when we're finished with that moronic alien and that hare-brained son of his, the future belongs to us!"
"You'll never get away with it, Tempus! They'll stop you!" Melanie spat from the corner.
"Why looky here, we've got ourselves a feisty one boys. If you think your musclehead of a husband and his overstuffed pair of tights of a father are going to stop me … well, you'd better think again."
"You'd better lose some of that cockiness, Tempus. They're coming for me and when they do, they're gonna kick your skinny butt!"
"No, my dear. You'd better watch out. You'd better hope they don't come for you because when they do … well, let's just say that you'll get to see a lot of the *blood* from the Lane-Kent bloodline."
***
At two o'clock in the morning, Martha and Jonathan were making funny noises and faces at their great-grandchild, now fully awake from all the commotion. H. G. Wells appeared deep in thought while Jeff was busy presenting a plot for Tempus' demise.
"We know Tempus has my wife and that as long as Clark and I are still alive, he won't harm her. That means we can take time to find his hideout and plan some sort of attack where we can get her back safely, hopefully without getting us killed."
"Yes … quite. But how do we do that without his harming poor Melanie? We'll have to sneak in somehow and …"
Silence flooded the den as the door to the living room slid open. Lois and Ellen entered the den giggling at an inside joke but abruptly stopped upon seeing the expectant faces of their audience.
"It's all right, guys," Lois encouraged, "we told them."
"Everything?" Jeff inquired.
"I hope so!" Ellen answered sarcastically, "What more could there be?!"
Ellen's demeanour changed from jovial to reverent. "Wow! I can't believe it. You're my grandson," she said focusing on Jeff. Turning to the bassinet that held Joey, she added, "And this cute little guy is my great-grandson. I'm barely old enough to be a grandmother, let alone a great-grandmother."
The group smiled at Ellen's attempt at humour. Martha was the one to notice the absence of Sam and her son. "Lois, dear, where are Clark and Sam?"
"Your Dad's not giving him the old third degree about an alien marrying his daughter, I hope," Jonathan added with a wink and a chuckle.
"Oh, no, Jonathan. He decided to get all doctor-like instead. He's patching Clark's wound."
"Clark's wound?"
Martha and Jonathan were equally surprised and worried to hear of her son's injury.
"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing major. He was just grazed by one of the Kryptonite bullets. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"I'm sure he will too," Sam announced as he breezed into the den.
Flushed with excitement, he proceeded to explain the nature of Clark's wound, "It's a deep gash, but not serious. It doesn't even need stitches. And it won't take long to heal, considering who he is."
Sporting his glasses, a pair of black boxers, and a large amount of gauze on his left shoulder, Clark appeared in the doorway. Unnoticed at first, he watched the smiling faces of his family members, both future and present, as they talked amicably among themselves. Though the tension of the situation could easily be sensed, they were all relishing the fact that they had this chance to meet. Clark realized that for the first time since meeting him, even Jeff attempted to look cheerful. He bore a distracted smile while relaying to Clark's parents and H. G. Wells several humorous tales depicting the trials and tribulations of his recent venture into fatherhood. "Leave it to Mom and Dad to bring smiles to peoples' faces, even in the worst of times," Clark thought.
Continuing to scan the room, Clark saw Lois' parents cuddled on the couch, enjoying the sight of their great-grandson, Joey, nestled in Lois' arms. The infant had fallen asleep again as Lois sat engrossed in Jeff's tales. The urge to protect overwhelmed Clark's senses as he broke into the joyful chatter of the room.
"Ah-hem," he cleared his throat to attract the group's attention. Gathering his resolve, he proceeded to speak in a solemn voice. "We have to find Tempus."
***
After hours of planning and debating in Lois and Clark's den, their only consensus was that they all needed rest. Early morning dawned before Lois' parents had decided it would be best for them to return to their homes, while Martha and Jonathan retreated to the guest room. H. G. Wells departed in his make-shift time machine, promising to return after everyone had rested up. Jeff lay restlessly on the living room couch with Joey sleeping peacefully in his bassinet on the coffee table.
After seeing everyone to bed, Lois returned to the master bedroom to find Clark slouched on the bed with his head in his right hand. Lois took a seat to his left, draped her arm across his back and began to massage his good shoulder.
"Clark, what's wrong? What's on your mind?"
"Oh … it's just that Tempus has really gotten to me. I've never felt so much hate for one man, except maybe Lex. I feel like I could actually kill him. And I think that if I confronted him … I think I probably would."
"If you ask me, you hardly need to feel guilty for that. The man killed us, and most of our family … or will do it in the future. It's perfectly understandable that you'd like to return the favour. I'd like to do it myself. But I'll be generous and let you do it first, if you like."
Clark chuckled at his wife's morbid humour, but the smile soon vanished from his face and the pained expression returned.
"There's something else, isn't there, Clark?"
Clark rose from the bed and began to pace the room.
"Honey? What is it?"
Clark stopped, looked at Lois, and sighed.
"It's just that … I kind of feel like I'm responsible for what's happened … like I should have been more careful before. You know, made sure that Tempus was taken care of … for good … so that he couldn't hurt anyone else. Then none of this would have happened."
Lois went to Clark and gripped his hands.
"Oh, Clark. You can't blame yourself for Tempus' evil. It's not your fault. Look, Honey, you did what you could before. You did what you thought was right. There is absolutely no way that you can be held responsible for this madman's actions."
A smile twitched across Clark's face as he reached to touch his wife's cheek.
"How did I ever get to marry a woman like you?"
"You got really really really lucky. That's how."
The couple chuckled and Clark hugged his wife to his chest. However, Lois' chuckle quickly faded into a deep, mournful sigh.
"Lois? What is it?"
Lois pulled back from Clark. "Oh, it's just that … well, I'm sick and tired of Tempus meddling in our lives. It's bad enough that he's tried to kill us several times, but now he's going after our descendants. So far, he's never beaten us … and he's not going to this time, either. I will *not* let him get away with what he's done to our future children!" Lois began pacing the room, waving her arms in wild gestures. "Can't he get the picture? Can't he see that what's meant to be is meant to be and there's nothing he can do about it, with or without a time machine? Who's to say that we, alone, are responsible for this utopia that Mr. Wells is always telling us about? All we can do is present other people with our ideas. It's up to the general population whether they're accepted or not. Killing one person … one family … isn't going to change the goals of an entire planet! Why can't he see that?"
Clark placed an arresting hand on Lois' arm. "I don't know, Honey. I could never really understand the man, myself."
"Tell me about it."
Clark smiled, kissed his wife's forehead and eased her back into his arms.
"Clark?"
"Hmm?"
"Make love to me."
"Now?"
"Of course, now. When else would we do it?"
"Well, it's just that … with all that's going on, I thought that … well … that you'd not want to …"
"Of course I want to, Clark. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow when we confront Tempus. If this should happen to be our last night together …" Lois' voice trembled with emotion. "I … I want to make it memorable."
"Lois …"
Hearing the husky tone in her husband's voice, Lois wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep, soul shattering kiss. Locked in their heated embrace, the couple stumbled to the bed, crashed onto the mattress, and began to reaffirm their love.
***
"I've got it!" Lois shouted as she awoke from her fitful slumber.
Rays from the mid-morning sun streamed through the window of the master bedroom in Lois and Clark's brownstone. Lois shook her husband's chest in an effort to wake him.
"Clark! Wake up! I've got an idea!"
"Wha …" Clark stretched and began rubbing his eyes with his fists.
The effort seemed to bring him closer to consciousness and he continued in a groggy voice, "What is it, Honey?"
"Clark, I know how to defeat Tempus! We have to see H. G. Wells!"
Lois was already out of bed and rushing around the room, grabbing clothes from here and there and throwing them on. She was shoving various pieces of survival gear in a knapsack when she noticed Clark watching her. She hurried over to the bed, clutched Clark's arm and began hauling her husband to his feet.
"Come on, Clark. We've gotta do this now before Tempus gets another shot at us."
Clark allowed himself to be dragged about by his wife, but not without questioning her.
"Well, what's your idea, Honey?"
"I'll tell you about it over breakfast … or lunch, I mean … when H. G. Wells gets here. Now hurry up and get ready … oh wait! How's that gash on your shoulder now?"
Clark peeled back the bandage to reveal healthy skin.
"What gash?" Clark replied innocently.
Lois scooted over and inspected his shoulder.
"Wow! You can never underestimate the healing power of love, huh?"
Clark gave his wife a playful smirk but was cut off when he appeared ready to retort.
"Well, what are you standing around for? We've got bad guys to catch!"
***
Rays from the late afternoon sun illuminated the dust roaming around the abandoned warehouse which was Tempus' hideout. In the middle of the room Nick, a middle-aged man of medium build, stared at five cards he held in his left hand. He brushed his right hand through his dark hair, revealing streaks of grey hidden under darker strands. His brow wrinkled before he slapped his cards face down on the decrepit picnic table and announced, "I fold!"
Dollar signs flashed in Benny's eyes as he reached across the table to gather up his opponent's money.
"That's too bad," he drawled sarcastically in his Yankee accent, "looks like I win."
"Where are they?" Tempus complained, interrupting their card game. "They should have come by now."
Tempus turned to Jake and Carl, guarding Melanie in the corner.
"All right, guys! They should have found our hideout by now. After all, there's two of them with x-ray vision. If they're not going to take the bait then I'm going to have to show them that I mean business. If those numskulls don't show up in the next five minutes I want you to take Mrs. Kent here and … aah!"
Tempus' instructions came to an abrupt end as a searing pain rocketed though his temples. He dropped to his knees and clutched his head. Jake rushed to his side, took his arm and attempted to help him to his feet.
"What's the matter, boss?"
Tempus shook off Jake's arm and continued to moan in pain. As the pain began to wane, Tempus rose to his feat, tentatively removing his hands from his face. He blinked furiously, trying to wash the fog from his head. A look of horror took over his expression when his focus returned. As realization hit him, he flopped back down to floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.
***
Lois's and Clark's parents were upstairs entertaining, or rather being entertained by, Joey. They had been there all afternoon since Lois and Clark refused to let them be involved with the plan.
"If it fails," Clark had explained, "we need you to look after Joey. Then there's still a chance that our bloodline can be restored and Utopia won't be destroyed."
The parents hadn't been let in on the plan for fear that they would do something foolish in an attempt to come to the rescue.
"I'd never do anything foolish!" Ellen had protested.
Now, at 4:13 p.m., a tapestry of bright lights began to fade as the sleigh-like time machine of Mr. Wells' invention came to rest in Lois and Clark's living room. Clark, Lois, Jeff, and H. G. Wells scrambled from machine to implement the final stage of their plan. Lois was beginning to instruct her cohorts on the next step when the doorbell interrupted her.
"I wonder who that could be?" Lois called over her shoulder as she approached the door.
Out of habit, and encouraged by Lois' words, Clark and Jeff both trained their vision on the door to get a preview of their caller. At the same time, Lois was on her tiptoes, peering through the peephole.
"Tempus?!" the three exclaimed in unison.
Unsure of what to expect, Lois opened the door tentatively while Clark and Jeff surrounded her in defense. Once the entrance was open, Melanie appeared from behind Tempus and rushed into her husband's embrace. Tempus fell to his knees and clasped his hands before his face.
"I'm so sorry!" he pleaded, "I've done a horrible thing! How can you ever forgive me? I'll do anything you want! Just say the word."
Tempus spotted H. G. Wells seated on the sofa next to the time machine and hustled over to his side.
"Herb, I'm an awful person. You have to take me back to the 22nd century … back to jail where I belong!"
"Fortunately for you, Tempus, that is quite possible."
"What's going on? We heard the doorbell."
Martha appeared in the stairwell holding Joey's bassinet, closely followed by Jonathan, Sam and Ellen.
"Why, Mrs. Kent, I was just about to escort Mr. Tempus here back to the future."
Looks of confusion bombarded the faces of Lois' and Clark's parents.
Lois spoke, attempting to ease their bewilderment.
"Don't worry, guys. We'll explain it just as soon as Tempus is gone. It's probably best if he doesn't know what happened to him."
H. G. Wells turned to Jeff and Melanie, still lost in each other's arms.
"Ah-hem … I'm terribly sorry to disturb your … ah … reunion, but I'm afraid we should be on our way."
Lois mumbled aside to Clark, "I see some things never change."
Jeff and Melanie smiled and started toward the time machine only to be intercepted by Lois and Clark.
Clark offered his hand to Melanie. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Melanie."
"Oh, that's okay. I know it's just all part of being married to a superman … and believe me it's worth it!" Melanie flashed her husband a smile.
"I know exactly how you feel," Lois added, wrapping an arm around her husband's waist.
Jeff smiled warmly at the young version of his parents.
"Thank you so much for your help. You have no idea how much it means to me … to us," Jeff corrected while squeezing his wife's shoulder.
"We should be the ones thanking you for giving us a future to look forward to," Lois added sincerely.
Jeff and Melanie gathered up their bundle of joy from Martha. With a final wave, the young family joined Tempus and H. G. Wells waiting in the time machine.
A spectacular light overwhelmed the room as the time machine roared to life and soon disappeared from the living room. After a brief moment of speechlessness, Martha broke the silence.
"So, Lois, Clark, tell us what happened."
"Yeah, guys. Tell us what happened!" Ellen piped.
"Well," Lois started. "Do you remember how we told you about the time Tempus came back in time and tried to kill Clark as a baby? Well, we kind of turned the tables on him."
Clark took over the explanation.
"H. G. Wells took us ahead to when Tempus was a baby, hoping that, somehow, we could influence his future."
"We found out that he had been abandoned at a very young age and spent most of his youth bouncing around from orphanage to orphanage. Then Clark and I decided to go to the time just after he'd been abandoned… so we could find parents for him who would raise him with strong morals."
"And get this," Clark added, "the couple we found to raise him turned out to be our great great great grandchildren."
Their parents regarded Lois and Clark in astonishment before Ellen spoke up.
"You mean to tell me that he's now a *part* of the Lane-Kent bloodline … so to speak?"
"Yup," Lois nodded, "kind of ironic isn't it?"
"I'm pretty sure he won't be trying to destroy us anymore… now that he's one of us," Clark assured.
The ring of the phone interrupted the scattered giggles that echoed through the room. Lois answered.
"Hello … Oh, hi, Perry … Yes, I realize Clark and I didn't show up for work today … It's a long story … Let's just say that it was a family emergency." Lois winked at her witnesses. "Oh, no. Everything's all right now … I'm sorry we didn't call, it just wasn't a priority in light of the emergency … Yes, Perry. Clark and I will be in to work tomorrow … Yes, and we'll be sure to let you know if there's another emergency … Thanks, Perry … Bye."
The blinding light of the time machine filled the room once again as Lois replaced the receiver.
"Mr. Wells, you're back. Is everything okay? Tempus didn't escape, did he?"
"Oh, no, Ms. Lane. I assure you everything went as planned. Tempus is safely back in the 22nd century, where he belongs. Did you know that he ends up founding Helping Hand? It's an organization devoted to finding suitable parents for orphans. Quite remarkable, really."
"And Jeff and Melanie?" Clark inquired.
"Ah, yes. They're back in 2024 with Joey, and the rest of the Lane-Kent family."
"You mean … they're alive?" Lois was excited.
"Yes. It seems that once Tempus was returned to the time in which he belonged, everything he had disturbed, starting in 2019, returned to normal."
"So …" Lois was expectant, "what's normal?"
"Now, now, Ms. Lane. You know I can't tell you that. That's for me to know and you to find out. Now if you'll all file into the time machine…"
"Wait a minute," Clark interrupted, "are you taking us back to… before this all happened?"
"Why, yes, of course. We can't have you knowing your future now can we? That would spoil the surprise."
One by one, Lois, Clark, Martha and Jonathan stepped into the time machine.
"Wait!" Lois shouted as the machine began to hum.
"Will Clark and I remember that we're able to have children?"
The mystical bright light swallowed Lois' words as the machine, once again, disappeared from the living room.
***
Lois pulled back the covers to her bed and snuggled into her partner's arms. Resting her head on Clark's welcome shoulder, she absently reached for the warm skin covering her husband's ample pectorals and began to rub gently.
"Well … my parents are back to normal … clueless that their son-in-law moonlights in tights."
"It seems knowing that I'm Superman brought them nothing but unpleasantness, so now that memory is gone."
"I don't think Mom remembers being mad at Dad either."
"Apparently not, because I caught them kissing on the terrace."
The couple giggled and snuggled closer. However, Lois' smile faded as her mind wandered to darker issues. "Clark, I'm sorry."
Clark tilted his head to gaze at Lois in inquiry. "For what?"
"I'm sorry that Daddy can't find anything wrong with Star Labs' data. He doesn't think we'll be able to have kids."
Lois shifted to better face her husband as he began to speak.
"Honey, I have not, for one second, doubted in us. We live the impossible." Clark nudged a stray lock of hair from Lois' eyes and began stroking her cheek. "A child is something brought about by love, isn't it?"
Lois searched his eyes and nodded.
"Well then that, above all else, has got to be possible for us."
Lois smiled at her loving husband. Suddenly needing the feel of her husband's arms encircling her, the feel of his bare skin against hers, she began to pull her body onto his, only to see Clark's heated gaze falter and change into 'the look'. "What? What are you hearing?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm sorry, Honey. It's just that …"
"Uh-huh," Lois urged.
"I've just been having the strangest feeling of deja-vu."
"Really? You, too? I thought it was just me."
Clark's visage gradually returned to one of desire.
"You know, deja-vu's not the only thing I've been feeling."
Lois began drawing figure eights around the edges of her husband's pectorals. "Really?" she purred. "So, Mr. Kent, tell me about this other feeling you've been having."
"I think it'd be better if I showed you …"
THE END
AFTERWORD:
In the world of science fiction, one often finds it impossible to follow any laws of reason and logic. So, it's likely that there are many logical errors in this story, but I did my best to explain them away. Should anyone have any questions, comments, or criticisms about this story, I'll be happy to hear them!