Another thank you for those who reviewed and read this the second time around. You've been great!

Here we are. I hope the end satisfies…

FUTURE FORWARD

Metro Park, minutes later

Lois Lane-Kent was frustrated. She had to get closer to the action and one of the team was trying to hold her back. She didn't have time for this.

"Look, Oliver," she said, shouting over the sounds of fighting in the distance. "I think I've got something that could get rid of that thing forever."

"I hear you, Legs, but you're not getting anywhere near the fighting," he told her firmly. "That… thing could kill you with a look. The blows that have been going back and forth…" There was the sound of awe in his voice before his gaze returned to his friend. "You have to stay back."

With a frustrated growl, she studied the man before she opened the bag and let him look inside.

His eyes turned from the fight to glance inside before snapping back to the action. "Is that what I think it is?"

Lois nodded.

Oliver snorted. "I know Clark Luthor is an ass but I'm not sure he deserves Dooms-"

Lois shook her head. "It's broken, see?"

The man in green pushed Lois back as another crash caused the ground to shake. "So what?" He asked. Before she could answer he held up one finger and turned to talk to someone on the com. That's when Lois saw her opportunity. Moving quietly, she took off into the night and into the cover of the trees.

"Damnit, Lois," she heard Oliver following behind just seconds later. "Get back here before Clark kills me."

The bride stopped on the other side of a large elm tree and changed directions. Eventually she found a cluster of bushes and took cover. When she didn't hear the sound of anyone following, she took a moment to catch her breath and think.

She needed to get the mirror box to the Blur… or whoever it was that was fighting Doomsday. On her way out of Tess's office she'd thought about the footage Jimmy had shown her. The guy in the photo was wearing black. He looked like Clark but the uniform was nothing like her Clark's. Then of course he was flying. As she ran into her office to grab a bag for the device, she remembered her visit earlier in the day from future Lois… a doppelganger from the future. Could Clark have one, too? It would make a lot of sense. Well, as much sense as having doubles from the future could make.

When the ground trembled again, Lois forced her mind back to why she was there. It didn't matter who was fighting the beast. She needed to get to him. At the sounds of combat just off to her left, she crawled out of the bushes and moved closer.

Watchtower, five minutes later

The groom was pacing nervously, stopping only occasionally to look at one of the monitors round him. He'd changed into his Blur red and blue just in case but, so far, no one wanted his help. It was maddening.

Watching the fighting was just as frustrating. It had been over an hour since future Lois had dropped him off and she was no closer to helping her Clark defeat Doomsday. The two of them were keeping the destructive creature contained but, beyond slowing it down, not much had been accomplished.

A frustrated growl escaped him as he watched Lois wrestle with the beast. He wasn't used to standing on the sideline while someone else used his powers.

It was galling.

Chloe seemed to read his thoughts. "Ugh," she commented to no one in particular. "That is just so weird… 'Blur' Lois." She shook her head. "Never thought I'd see the day…"

He stopped and moved behind her. "Maybe I should head over to the park. She has less than twenty minutes-"

His friend turned around with a sympathetic smile. "Look, I know you're itching to get into the fight but, as you explained it, two Clark's together from different times is bad." She grabbed his arm and leaned forward as if to make her point. "You may just have to sit this one out." Her eyes moved back to the screens. "Besides, my cousin… from the future… or whatever," she waved her hand in the air and smiled proudly. "She's holding her own."

Clark glanced at the monitors and winced. Every time Doomsday landed a punch, he expected Lois to fall to the ground in a bloody heap. The fact that other members of the team were on perimeter just in case things went wrong was not comforting.

With an irritated jerk, he pulled out his phone and dialed his wife's number. Maybe if he talked to her, it would ease his mind. Watching this woman from the future use his abilities plagued him with memories of his own wife struggling with them just a few days ago. Jor-El's little experiment hadn't ended well. Not only had Lois tried to kill him but she'd broken off their engagement.

He had a bad feeling that this was going to turn into the same type of disaster. With a huff, he went back to pacing while he waited for an answer.

It was a gasp from Chloe that made him stop. "Arrow, zoom in on that…" she was ordering. "Is that who I think it is?"

Without his super hearing, Clark was forced to move closer to catch the answer. "Who?" He asked trying to identify the figure he could only vaguely see on the monitors moving through the darkness.

J'onn spoke over the com. "Victor, I think you can get closer." All three watched as the camera angle narrowed, zooming in the on the person that Clark could now identify as a woman. Before her face came into focus, he felt his stomach drop. He would know that woman anywhere.

"Why are there two Lois' at the park?" Chloe seemed to ask of no one in particular. "Oliver," she called into the com. "Report."

Without his special hearing Clark could still hear his shout. "She said she had something that would take care of Doomsday permanently."

His friend swallowed. "What is it?"

Clark didn't wait for the answer. He couldn't take his eyes off the monitor, feeling his heart threaten to beat out of his chest. "I have to go," he muttered and, without waiting, he ran out the door and down to the street.

The city had been evacuated and so the streets were empty as he ran in the direction of the park at a frustratingly human pace. When he was closer, he could hear the sounds of fighting and he picked up speed.

With or without powers, he would protect his wife.

Metro Park, minutes later

Stealthily making her way through the trees, Lois Lane-Kent considered her position. She was in a good location. A few minutes ago she'd been forced to cross open grass and, for a time, she thought she'd been spotted but then things quieted down when she got back into the tress.

Now, from the other side of a large oak, she could see the large grassy area in the center of the park where the fight was happening. So far, she could see the movement of the combatants and hear the booming sound of blows, but she wasn't close enough to identify anyone.

She stopped, trying to figure out how to get closer when the ground shook with a particularly powerful blow. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of Doomsday as he turned to face his attackers. The red eyes looked eerie in the light of the moon and her stomach dropped.

Could she do this?

It was like facing her worst nightmare over again. She could still remember the night that her now husband had wrestled with the beast all the way to the power plant. She'd been terrified.

Taking a few deep breaths, she kept still behind the cover of trees, her fingers playing with the box holding the device. Before she could engage in any more self-doubt, she threw her body down on the ground and began to move forward on her elbows. The military crawl was one that she was familiar with and she moved quickly into the grass. When she reached a small dip in the ground, she glanced up to get her bearings and watched as the man in black wrestled with the monster, trying to get it in a head lock. Before he could manage, the beast broke free.

Before she could blink, someone else was there pushing at Doomsday. The slender figure of the other person looked familiar and, when the moonlight picked up her features, Lois was forced to stifle a gasp. She watched, in amazement, as her double got the monster in a chokehold and held it from behind. Fascinated now, she could only stare as her doppelganger directed beams of heat vision at the back of the monster's skull.

Did her double have powers? How?

Lois mentally shook her head and tried to block the howling of the beast. Stupid question… Jor-El.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the cry from Clark's double. "What are you doing?"

Her double seemed to have some difficulty responding. Her answer was given through clenched teeth, but it carried in the night. "Getting rid of this thing!"

"Lois, no," the man in black cried out and reached his hand toward her shoulder before pulling it back at the last minute.

The creature's cries escalated as the heat continued and, for a moment, as Lois watched from the grass she felt relieved that it might work without any interference from her. Then, without any warning, the beams from her double's eyes faded and stopped. Her head seemed to drop and her grip loosened.

With a roar, Doomsday blasted away and the dark-haired woman went flying. With a weak cry, she landed hard on the ground. In an instant the man in black was by her side, completely ignoring the monster that seemed to have disappeared.

From her position on the ground, Lois Lane-Kent felt torn between helping the other couple and searching for the monster. Eventually, with her heart pounding, she moved to her knees and froze. There, just a few feet away, stood the creature, breathing rapidly like a beast in pain. When its red eyes met her own, she jumped to her feet and did the only thing she could think of. She ran.

Metro Park, same time

Clark was at the edge of the trees when his powers returned. The rush was always the same, like taking a deep drink of water or a breath of fresh air. Always, he felt revitalized and renewed and usually, he felt stronger. He was happy to feel that this was one of the times he felt even more powerful.

Trying to control his panic, he focused his x-ray vision at the same time he put on a burst of speed. Ahead of him, in the center of the park, he could see the figure of a man holding a woman. Given the return of his powers, he could only assume that it was his double and Lois from the future. He hoped that she was okay but he didn't stop to check. It was his turn to finish this.

Scanning a little to left, he put on a burst of speed when he spotted the creature on the other side of the field. It was moving toward a woman who was running. Quickly, he listened for the heartbeat and knew…

"Lois!" His strangled cry drew the creature's attention and, taking advantage of the opportunity, Clark increased his speed even more, hoping to reach Doomsday before it could get closer to his wife. Even with his speed, he knew it was going to be close.

Soon the wind was whipping so fast that he could barely see. Still, when the running figure tripped and fell, his heart constricted. Everything slowed as he put on another burst of speed. He watched it seemed in slow motion as Lois' body went down, and- inexplicably- she threw her bag to him just before Doomsday jumped toward her.

The sight of his wife in mortal danger sent Clark even faster, pushing himself until he could no longer feel the ground. Working on instinct, he grabbed for the bag and the beast, continuing his speed and, as if he'd been doing it his entire life, he let his body continue its upward trajectory. In the blink of an eye he was soaring toward the clouds.

Pushing himself even more, feeling every muscle clench with the effort, he kept his focus on the grip he had on the creature as his body climbed away from the earth and the people below. Through the wind screaming in his ears, he managed to catch his wife's voice. "He's got the mirror box, Oliver. If he can activate it, he can send the creature between dimensions. According to Tess it's a black emptiness…"

His relief at hearing his wife's voice was replaced with his admiration for her cleverness and frustration with her willingness to place herself in danger. Still, he would deal with all of that later. Now, he needed to take care of Doomsday once and for all. By concentrating on holding the beast with his arms, he managed to contain its struggles long enough to reach into the bag with one hand. From his position behind and to the left of the creature- staying away from the spines- he forced his arms around the beast and squeezed. The monster roared and increased its struggles. Even with his renewed powers, it wasn't long before Clark began to feel the strain and he realized that the combined effects of flight and fight were taking a toll on his body.

Forced to make a choice, he halted his upward momentum and let himself drop. Holding tightly to the box, he fought against the air currents to force the broken device against one of the creature's massive claws. Covering the other with his hand, he used Doomsday's strength against him and twisted the metal until a strange, gray light appeared.

He could feel the pull of the device and sensed the dark nothingness just beyond. The creature roared and struggled but with the device in its claw, it was truly caught. With what was left of his strength Clark thrust himself away- forcing himself to watch until the creature disappeared. Releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, he tried to regain some measure of control but all of his energy was drained. Utterly spent, he felt his eyes close as he dropped rapidly to the earth below.

Metro Park, same time

Lois Lane-Kent waited and watched, trying to spot her husband against the night sky. It was impossible. Surrounded now by the team, she was ignoring Oliver, finding her eyes drawn to the couple on the grass nearby.

"Watchtower, we're going to need an ambulance and Emil," Oliver spoke into the com. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Victor. "Eyes in the sky, man."

"I'm on it," Victor told him quietly, and Lois could hear the whir that signaled his use of his special vision. "He's too high right now."

Impatient, needing to take action, Lois found her feet moving to the couple just a few feet away. In the dim light she studied the man who looked so much like her husband. "Is she all right?" She asked the man in black.

He looked up then and she started in surprise. She knew the man looked like Clark but, still… seeing him was a shocker. After a minute though Lois could see that while they were physically identical there were significant differences.

This man had been through hell and the aftermath was expressed in the darkness of his eyes. Something in the blue depths reminded Lois of guys who'd returned from the fighting overseas. Suddenly, she found herself praying that her husband would never look like that.

"She'll be fine," he said sharply and Lois was again surprised by the difference- this Clark's voice was rougher, raspy and deep.

"We should get her to the hospital," she answered.

The man in black shook his head. "I need to get her home. The Legion… they'll know what to do." Just then the woman in his arms moaned and Lois watched as the man's attention immediately turned to her.

"Lois… Lois, are you with me?"

Another moan and she spoke. "Is that thing… gone?"

"Yes," the man responded without hesitation and Lois looked at him in surprise. Did he really know?

"Clark?" Somehow she knew her double was talking about her husband and not the man holding her.

"He'll be fine. I need to get you out of here-"

Her hand reached up and her eyes fluttered. "No… need to make sure," she breathed.

When her arm fell back down, Clark's double lost it. "Damn it, Lois! He'll be fine," he told her in a tightly controlled voice. "Now, I'm going to get you home. Garth… he'll know what to do."

Somehow, seeing this man's reaction was shocking. Lois could tell that his emotions were more visible than her Clark's and she shuddered at the fear and raw need she saw in his eyes. Did her Clark feel this way?

He needs you.

The words from her doppelganger reverberated in Lois' brain. Before the wedding, she thought she understood what her future self meant. But now, looking at this man's face, she realized she'd had no idea. Seeing it was too much…

"There he is!" At Victor's words, she turned to see a figure falling from the sky at an alarming speed.

"Someone help him!" The words were ripped from her and she started running before she really thought about what she was going to do. Before she could get far, she felt the members of the team pass her. Heart racing, she stumbled and fell, watching from hands and knees. Before she could get up, she realized something was wrong with her breathing.

She could hear Oliver's voice. "Look, he's come back. He's going for the Boy Scout…"

Lois tried to look up but found that her head wouldn't move where she wanted it to go. Instead, she felt like she was falling, her body hurting and her side in pain. Suddenly spent, she collapsed to the ground.

Metropolis, four weeks later

The sun was setting low in the sky when Clark walked out onto the roof of the Daily Planet and leaned against the low stone wall. He released a sigh and tried to clear his mind. Everything had changed since the night that Doomsday was sent between dimensions, and he felt like he was still trying to catch up.

The newspaper where he worked was now solely a Queen Industries publication. In a few short weeks Lex Luthor had separated Luthorcorp from Oliver's company and created Lexcorp. As CEO, this new Lex had already increased the price of stock and created a new up-and-coming Fortune five hundred corporation.

Clark wasn't sure how he'd done it in such a short time but Lex had become a rising star in Metropolis- eligible bachelor, wealthy businessman, and rising philanthropist. More outgoing than the Lex that Clark knew, the man from another dimension was confident, brilliant and charming.

Unfortunately, Clark's new wife was convinced that he was the devil incarnate. At first, he was almost amused by her suspicions but, when Tess disappeared two weeks ago, he'd become concerned about her developing obsession.

"No one gets away with messing with my boss," she told Clark one night as she paced the floor of her office.

The newly married man barely managed to keep his sigh to himself. "Unless it's you," he muttered under his breath, turning the pages of that day's edition.

"What?" his wife asked, clearly distracted. She waved a hand in the air toward the new editor's office. "Oh, right. Well, Perry doesn't seem to mind," she commented, resuming her pacing.

Calmly, Clark put the paper aside, stood up and put his body directly in his wife's path. "Lois," he said when she stopped with a start, looking up into his eyes. "What's this about?"

"What do you mean?" At his raised brows, her gaze slid away, something he noticed seemed to be happening a lot lately. "Fine," she responded after a few seconds of silence. "Tess was my friend, okay? One of the few…" When her hazel eyes returned to his they were filled with indignation. "She deserves to have someone find out what happened to her and I'm going to do it."

Clark pulled his wife close and felt her stiffen. When he released her he couldn't hold back a sigh any longer. "Lois-"

"It's all right," she told him. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. It's what I do."

At the memory of her distance, Clark felt his heart tighten. For some reason it seemed that his wife's new obsession was being used as an excuse to distance herself from him. She was pulling away and he couldn't understand why.

What had happened?

Unfortunately, every time he tried to talk about their marriage, she refused. She also flat-out rebuffed his efforts to talk about the night Doomsday attacked or Clark's new fame, even though the Blur was the hot topic of conversation lately. After Doomsday was defeated, Jimmy's photo had convinced people that he was responsible for the city's salvation. Since then, media attention had focused on the hero to the point that Clark couldn't patrol during the day, only at night.

Part of him wondered if the additional attention was the problem, but Lois wouldn't talk about that either. "It will settle down eventually, Clark," was all she would say. It wasn't dying down, though and suddenly he felt like he was living up to only part of his potential. Something needed to change, but he wasn't sure what and he desperately needed his wife's input.

He sighed again as he looked out at the beauty of the sun setting over the city.

Where was she?

Opening his hearing, Clark listened for her heartbeat, one of the few things that kept him calm lately. When he found it, hearing a fast and almost erratic beat, he straightened and listened more closely. Her heart only beat like that when she was afraid.

Lois was in trouble.

Shifting his hearing, he listened for her voice.

"Boy, you thugs have no imagination," he heard her say against the background of wind and a steady thudding sound. "Tie a girl up, take her somewhere quiet, and try to get rid of her."

He heard her grunt lightly before she continued. "Well, at least you have a helicopter… impressive." Behind the sarcasm, her heart was racing. For all her bravado, Clark could tell she was scared.

His own heart started beating in time with the blades as he tried to pinpoint his wife's location. Silently he berated himself for not paying closer attention. Maybe she was drifting away because he was letting her.

The sound of the helicopter grew louder and Clark turned his head to look for it. As he watched, a helicopter rose from the building several blocks away. When it turned and headed west, he breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, it would fly past the roof of the Daily Planet.

Quickly, Clark removed his glasses and changed into his Blur uniform. He was still watching the helicopter, waiting for it to get closer, when his super hearing picked the sound of a sudden rush of wind.

"Hey… what do you think…?"

Before he could react, he heard Lois scream. The sound seemed to fill the air around him and all he could do was stand frozen. Then he saw a speck falling in the distance and knew that his wife had been thrown out somewhere above the two highest skyscrapers in Metropolis.

He could not let her fall.

Like the time Doomsday attacked her- more than a month ago- his emotions exploded in response to the fear. He didn't think; instead, he took off and let his body do the rest. As if he done it a million times, he willed his body to go faster and sped off the roof until time itself seemed to slow. Once he was in the air, the effect was exhilarating and overwhelming, but he didn't stop to think about it.

He was too scared.

Instead he pushed himself to reach the woman who was currently dropping at an alarming rate. Holding out his arms, he didn't slow but swooped down and literally scooped her out of the sky. Heading up the side of one building until he was level with the top, he willed his body to stop, a little surprised when it complied.

For a minute all he could do was hold her, while he tried to calm his racing heart. In his state, he could hear everything, including the honking of horns and the bystander's questions. Below him people were pointing excitedly.

"What is that?"

"I thought it was a falling body…"

"Is it the Blur again?"

"Is he flying?"

Clark ignored them. He was interested in only one woman's reaction. Blue eyes locked with hazel and he could see the relief, fear and the amazement in hers.

"Don't worry," he told her, his heart still hammering in his chest. "I've got you."

Her return smile was a little shaky. "Uhm… thanks." As was so common lately her eyes drifted away. She looked down at the crowd below. "Looks like you may have enlarged your following."

Clark refused to tear his gaze from her face. "I don't give a…" He took a deep breath and tried to calm his heart when her shocked gaze returned to his. "I don't care about the crowd, Lois. Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm fine, Clark." Her speculative gaze stayed on his face as he flew them to the roof of the Daily Planet, slowing his descent until his feet touched the roof. Quietly he breathed out a sigh of relief, keeping his arms around his wife.

When he spoke to her, his voice was barely controlled. "What were you doing?" His arms tightened instinctively. "Do you know what could have happened?" At the surprised look in her face, his voice got louder. "You could have died. I could have lost you. What would I…?"

Resisting the urge to shake her, his voice trailed off when she smiled her slow smile, the one that he had absolutely no defense against.

"Lois," he groaned right before he crushed her in his arms and covered her mouth with his own, letting her feet dangle as he crushed her body against his chest. His lips were almost as forceful and, by the time he pulled away, she was breathless.

Clark's own heart was pounding wildly by the time he lowered her to her feet. "What happened?"

Her eyes were still closed when she answered. "I was thrown out of a helicopter."

For a second, Clark seriously considered strangling her. "Right," he drawled. "I mean before that… who were those men?"

She opened her eyes but kept them fixed on his chest. "I'm not sure-"

Exasperated he repeated the question.

"You know," she remarked, rubbing her fingers along his chest while looking up with a dimpled grin. "The flying thing is pretty sexy."

Clark captured her hand and tried to ignore the chills going up his spine from his wife's touch. "Lois, I could have lost you today… do you know how that makes me feel-"

"I could have lost you weeks ago," Lois practically shouted, and Clark felt his head snap back. Her voice lowered. "I think I know…"

As Lois' anger left her, her voice trailed away. When her hand returned to his chest, rubbing small circles on his chest, he waited. Whatever was on her mind, he wanted to hear it. Anything was better than this distance.

"I was so afraid," she confessed, looking at him through her lashes. "That night with Doomsday… I realized what it would do to me if I lost you. I saw your doppelganger and his reaction to almost losing my double."

Clark waited while she paused for a breath. Her eyes finally lifted to search each of his. "It scares me, Clark, how much I love you."

"Lois," he began, trying to find the right words to comfort her, and sighing when he knew there weren't any. He pressed his forehead to hers instead and gave her the truth. "It scares me, too."

Her eyes closed. "So, what do we do?"

When he shrugged she shifted closer and moved her lips against his neck. "We learn to live with it, I guess," he breathed out when she started to nip at his skin. She was scattering his concentration.

"Hmmm," was her answer.

Clark felt the heat from her lips spread, warming him to his toes. "Lois-" he moaned.

"You know," she said between kisses. "Maybe it's time for a new identity."

Clark tried to follow her train of thought, but her kisses were turning him to mush. "What-"

She interrupted, kissing a path along his jaw. "How about… Flyboy?" Before he could form a respond, she kissed along the side of his mouth. "Skyman?"

Clark's legs were turning to jelly. "Lois-"

"No?"

"Lois?" Clark interrupted, pushing her away so he could search her eyes.

"Yes, Clark?"

There was no longer a distance there… just desire.

Clark smiled a slow smile. "Shut up," he said lowering his mouth to hers before she could say another word. The minute their lips touched he felt the fire and gloried in it, no longer afraid but reveling in their need for each other.

After all, as long as he had Lois by his side, he could do anything… even fly.

Same time

An almost identical couple stood on a rooftop two buildings away and watched, one with a sense of satisfaction, the other with a growing sense of irritation.

"Wife," the man growled out in a rougher voice than his counterpart. "We shouldn't be here," he complained. "You shouldn't be time-traveling at all after your injuries." His arms tightened possessively around her from behind as his voice softened. "Also, it might hurt the baby."

Completely unaffected by his gruff tone, Lois squeezed her husband's hand with a contented sigh and leaned back against his chest.

What a worry-wart.

"Imra said one little trip wouldn't do any harm… to either of us," she reminded him in low tones, watching as the couple two roofs over continued to enjoy themselves. After a minute she turned in her own husband's arms and leaned up to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

"Besides you shouldn't complain about time travel. It's probably what gave us our little bundle of joy in the first place," she said smugly.

His return smile was tinged with exasperation. "We don't know that. You only had Clark's powers for a short time. Imra doesn't know if that's what made us… uhm, more compatible or not."

Lois smiled at the blush on her husband's cheeks, as she marveled at his ability to be embarrassed given all he'd been through. "Well, since we've been told that humans and Kryptonians aren't normally compatible…"

Clark held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, so our last trip was… rewarding. That doesn't mean we have to keep coming back here," Clark paused for a minute, eyebrows rising at the look on her face. "Does it?"

Lois chuckled. "Maybe."

"Wife," he mumbled as he lightly nuzzled the skin of her neck. "Mission accomplished. He's flying and on his way to being Superman. Let's go home."

"You know," she told him, trying to clear her passion-filled brain with a slight shake of the head. "It's not just the baby. If it weren't for time travel you probably wouldn't be working with the Legion, you wouldn't be with me… you might not even be here right now."

Lois regretted the words when Clark raised his head and some of Night's grimness returned to his expression. "The Legion didn't save me Lois," he told her. "You did."

Cursing her hormones, she managed to blink back the tears that threatened. "It wasn't me," she told him, clearing her throat. "It was destiny." She tilted her head toward the couple on the roof two buildings away. "Lois and Clark are meant to be together."

The look in her husband's eyes stole her breath as his lips came down on hers. The kiss was needy and urgent and Lois surrendered to it without hesitation.

When he pulled away, her husband's eyes were dark and stormy and Lois felt her body respond to what she knew he wanted. "Are we done here?"

She turned slightly to look at the couple on the other roof with a sense of satisfaction and closure. They were well on their way … time for her to get on with her life. She nodded to her husband. "Let's go home."

As one odyssey was ending, another had just begun.