Alternate Ending - Smallville "Earth-8"

Previously

Oliver sucked in a harsh breath. "And what about what he did to Chloe and our son? His curse changed our whole time-line!"

"And with the crystal, all will be set right again." Superman looked to Zyx for confirmation.

"Work back to the beginning. The key that started it all, and it will be undone."

Young!Clark glanced back at the stasis chamber that Green Arrow was standing in front of watching over Chloe. "She'll be okay?"

"If this works. Everything will be as it should be."

In the future

Young!Clark had gone back to the past, in readiness for future!Chloe's return. Oliver and Clark took Chloe's body from Watchtower and returned to the Mansion in Star City. Not only would it feel more familiar to her to wake up there, but it would mean they wouldn't have to answer questions about their advances in technology or their underground status.

Oliver set Chloe down on the dewy, moth ball smelling mattress and touched the crystal to the swollen bloodless skin surrounding the ugly pierce marks on her hand. He didn't know that he hadn't taken a breath until color started to return to her face and she finally blinked and opened her eyes.

"Ollie?" she said holding her head in pain. Glancing at him through narrowed eyes, she frowned. "What's with the hair and the costume change? And where am I exactly?"

Oliver blinked. Did he look that different? She saw him earlier and hadn't mentioned anything. "Chloe," he asked tentatively, "What do you remember?"

Clark glanced at them both in concern. Was this a side effect of the reversal of magic? Did Mordru's counter spell take away everything she'd learned from the moment she'd arrived in their time? From the look on Oliver's face he could tell how devastating this might be for him. Having past Chloe learn about their life together and have her accepting it all had been a huge relief for him.

"I don't know what happened. I was just working in Watchtower going over some surveillance and... crap, did someone hit me with a shovel? My throat feels like I gargled sand and my head weighs a ton. By the way, when did you get back? I thought you'd be in Star City for at least another week?"

Oliver raked his fingers through his hair. "I finished up early," he lied easily. "I'll go get you some aspirin and glass of water."

She'd closed her eyes again, her face etched with discomfort. That must be one killer headache she had. Chloe always masked pain well. It had taken him years of spending time with her, watching her, to see the signs of things she tried to keep hidden. With her head back and eyes clamped shut, she failed to see the room changing, shimmering back to how he remembered it from before. While she might not remember what happened these past two days, at least he knew that his future was returning. It was the best he could hope for. For the moment at least. There was no real guarantee once they sent her back.

Chloe lay back against the bed and found it didn't smell old or moldy anymore and there were soft covers under her hands. She peered through one eyelid at Clark. Maybe she'd hit her head harder than she thought. He looked like a Saturday morning cartoon character.

"I'm dreaming right? You're not actually wearing golden underpants over tights, are you?" she snorted trying to hold in a belly laugh before it just burst out of her body.

Clark narrowed his eyes at her and pulled a face. "And you told me you liked it," he muttered under his breath.

Chloe wiped away tears and saw the look on his face. She tried to sober up but couldn't keep the grin from pulling up the corners of her mouth. "If anyone can pull it off it's you Clark. You've certainly got the build for it," she said with a wink, before his deepening pout sent her into a fit of giggles again.

Clark stalked out of the room and shut the door behind him. He passed Oliver in the hallway, who'd changed into everyday clothes. "She's a woman possessed. I'll be glad when we get our Chloe back. Let me know when the harpie's gone."

Oliver frowned at his friend's stiff posture and retreating figure. Turning the nob, he pushed open the door. He deduced what had gone down by the fact that Chloe was holding her sides trying to stop the hiccups. At least she seemed in high spirits.

"At least you look normal," she teased. Until she frowned, holding her head again. "Oww," she said with a small moan. "Smiling and laughing is making it hurt worse." She gave him a warning look. "So no jokes, funny man."

Ordinarily, they bantered till one or both of them were grinning. It brightened her day, and lifted her spirits. Reminded her of when she and Clark used to joke and tease each other. Those days seemed like a lifetime ago. But today, her head wouldn't appreciate any of Ollie's charming brand of humor or sarcastic wit. Sitting up, she scooted across the bed, and took the glass of water, downing the pills.

"Thanks." She set the glass down on the table top. "So you didn't explain before. Where are we?"

Chloe looked over his shoulder and surveyed the room she was in. It was very tasteful and welcoming. Too homely to be a hotel suite, with the personal belongings scattered about and the furniture looked antique, probably very expensive considering they intricately detailed and carefully stained.

"Zatanna says a powerful wizard put a hex on you. We're reversing the damage. We're in the process of the last step," he said gruffly. Picking up the crystal from where he'd left it on the dresser. Maybe it was for the best that she didn't remember. It had taken a bit of time, but he'd won her heart in the end. It was probably safer not to mess with what had happened in the past. But considering he'd learned from the younger Clark that he'd seen future Chloe in the past, there was no telling what it might have changed already, if anything. Oliver hoped once he sent her back, that everything would return to exactly how he remembered it. He was praying for it.

Chloe tilted her head to the side. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there?" she said softly.

Oliver swallowed hard and avoided her eyes. He thought of his wife's comforting touch, with the way Chloe was gently covering his hand right now. It was so reassuring yet painful at the same time. Knowing it wasn't her. He looked down at this Chloe where she sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you trust me?"

"Always, Ollie."

With a nod, he touched the crystal to his forehead and closed his eyes as a single tear escaped his eye and trailed slowly down his cheek. With a burst of light she was gone.

In the past, Watchtower

They'd said their goodbyes and Oliver had run to the lounge area to retrieve his jacket, yelling for them to hold up one second. He knew if their time was up there really wasn't away for them to stay but he hoped he was fast enough. He wanted to give Connor the photos they had taken so he'd have a souvenir of their wild trip. But when he turned around to look at the kitchen were they'd been talking and enjoying hot chocolate together, Chloe and Connor were gone.

There was a low groan and a sharp clatter. Oliver turned in the direction of the noise and took the stairs two at a time to the bedroom upstairs.

"Chloe?"

He saw her blonde head pop up next to the bed, facing the wall. She was squeezing her eyes shut tightly and holdling her head. "Urgh, remind me to change before going to bed and never to stay up that late again. I had the weirdest dream."

Oliver frowned and crossed to where she sat, helping her to sit on the matteress. He pushed the hair from her eyes and stared at her in concern. "Chloe, do you know that day it is?"

She blinked against the bright afternoon sun streaming through the tower windows and tried to duck in his shadow to keep the glare from her eyes. "Is this pop quiz day? It's Tuesday. Unless I slept a whole day and it's actually Wednesday..." she trailed off turning her head to search out her alarm clock. "What time is it? I'm starving." Her eyes widened as she read the time and the date. "Okay- I'm right about Tuesday but it's 4 o'clock? I slept through breakfast and lunch! What's wrong with me?" She jumped to her feet and immediately lost her balance.

Oliver caught her arm and steered her back to bed. "I'll pick up an early dinner. You like Tony's, so I'll grab us a Pepperoni and Super Special. Just drink something and take it easy okay. You still look a bit under the weather."

As he made his way to the door, he frowned back at her as she studied the floor and absently picked at her quilt covers. He had a feeling that Chloe didn't remember anything that had happened since she'd disappeared and the further away from her he moved, the heaviness in his heart grew. Had she suppressed it, or was it because of the reversal of magic? She'd died in the future. Maybe that trauma had forced her to block out those memories. Could it be like what happened to Lois when she returned from the future. Would Chloe slowly remember over time? She did confess to having strange dreams. Maybe he could get her to open up to Lois. He'd have to warn Lois not to say anything about their own experiences with Chloe's future self first though.

Chloe met Lois for lunch the following day. They'd missed their regular breakfast. According to her Watchtower systems, she'd blacked out almost a whole day.

Lois was strangely reserved, almost sullen during their meal. Ordinarily, she would be regaling Chloe with her Daily Planet exploits or her latest romantic adventure with Clark.

"I've noticed Oliver's spending more time at the office," Lois only mentioned lightly accompanied by a telling wink.

Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the not so subtle hint, Lo. Ollie and I are friends, work collegues. There's nothing there, so don't go putting any ideas in his head. Besides, we both know he's not completely over you."

Lois snorted but hid her scowl at Chloe's offhanded comments behind the rim of her cup. Taking a long sip, she realized that keeping future Chloe's secret was going to be a lot harder than she first thought. At first she thought she could wait a week or two for her two favorite people- not including Clark, to get their act together. But between Ollie's moping (or dealing with reality, as he liked to put it) and Chloe's obvious firm denial there was anything worth pursuing between them, she had her work cut out for her. And it look to be an uphill task with pot holes all the way. Maybe she could take Chloe to see that shrink she'd gone to see when she tried to piece together her missing memories.

Two months later

Lois was beginning to drive him crazy with all her suggestions and Clark was even worse with his not so subtle words of wisdom and sympathetic looks. It was time to stage an intervention. He called several times a day, he texted her between business meetings and saves. Sometimes during both, if he was in danger of falling asleep or if he needed back up. It was bordering on pathetic really. She was on his mind constantly. If he wasn't dreaming about her, he was worrying about her. And if he was worrying about her, he was always checking up on her. He was surprised she hadn't mentioned anything about how frequently he turned up at Watchtower, for a briefing update, target practice or just with the excuse to feed her and share her company.

It all changed when he least expected it. He'd been hopeful. He'd come with the intention of getting closer to her, but when he'd found the tower dark, the machines on standby and the monitors all in hybernation, their misterss no where to be found, he'd lost confidence in his plan. Then Chloe had strolled into the tower and he forced himself not to cringe when she visibly startled as the arrow embedded itself deeply in the target board. Not the reaction he'd been hoping to get out of her. It looked like she'd had a really rough day.

After hearing what she'd been through, the exasperation and dispondence in her voice, he'd just wanted her to know that he understood how she felt. He remembered that future Chloe had said he was her best friend. Maybe if he was there for her, if they started out as friends, good friends, close friends, it could develop into something more without any planning at all.

He offered her a way to unwind. Let off a little steam. Have an outlet to release her frustrations, whatever they might be. She was so close, her scent pervaded his senses, her body as only a breath away from being completely in-line and fused to his own. Her delicate cool hand was under his as she gripped the bow tight. He gently, without crowding her, put his other hand over hers as she fingered the fletchling of the arrow and pulled back on the bowstring.

She was so close that he could feel her intake and exhale of breath. He could see the blood pulsing in the vein in her neck. This was his moment. She was feeling it. He could sense it. She wanted him.

It was a long way off what he felt for her, but it was a start. Whatever she would give him, he would take. He'd work within her boundries, he'd wait for her to be ready. Like that first moment, he'd plan his moves around her responses.

He'd given her a reflex smile and bore the disappointment without any outward expression when she promptly boxed them as friends with benefits.

He'd tried not to feel betrayed, when it felt like she'd ripped his heart right out of his chest, when Tess presented him with documents showing in bold black and white that Chloe had been taking money from him. And not from just before she disappeared, but that she was still draining money out of his account even after they started this secret bed buddy business.

It gutted him and the only thing that had kept him from exploding and throwing in the towel was the single photo of a boy with green eyes that he kept in his wallet.

She didn't make it easy for him. Days turned into weeks, weeks became months. It felt like he was running to brickwalls or catching her heart's defensive trip wires at every turn but the few hours he'd had with a radiant angel and a kid with a heart of gold from his future kept him from giving up hope. Often it felt like he was fighting a losing battle, but when he sat over a breakfast table at a quaint, Scottish bed and breakfast with Lois beaming from ear, proclaiming their meeting up to be 'fate'.

He remembered that he wasn't alone in his fight for the future. At Lois' chirpy, overly sweet grin and bright eyes, he couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips before he caught Chloe looking at him. He quickly pulled his best poker face and feigned awkwardness at being roped into a double date breakfast.

Chloe could deny it all she wanted but he knew he was slowly breaking through her elaborate, almost impenetrable defenses. Destiny had showed him what had been right under his nose for a long time, and he wasn't ever going to let her slip away.