Borrowed Time –
The Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 2
By Ken Janney
This version is rated PG-13
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
Authors note:
This is the second part of a multi part saga. If you haven’t done so as yet, please read “Matchmaker Chronicles Vol. 1 – Lois Lane – Mother of Utopia” and Volume 1A - the Early Years (A Christmas Story). The questions that are generated by reading Vol. 1 will be answered within the set. Also by reading Volume 1 you will have a greater understanding of what is happening in this one and also future volumes. My thanks to Bob Bartholomew for allowing me to write a revelation sequence very similar to his in his “Luck and Consequences” set. I wish to express my thanks to my Beta readers Ray Reynolds and Artemis for their invaluable help. This was a VERY rough draft when it first landed in their hands.
By trade I have been a scientist for 30 years and now have been involved in Computer network admin for 10 years. I try not to use ‘techno-babble’. I will attempt to substantiate the science I cite although there may be some cases where I need to extrapolate for future discoveries. I promise that I will not simply try to ‘snow’ you with a bunch of hand waving and gibberish. My ‘hard science’ as much as is possible is just that - science fact.
One critical point: In this entire series I will be dealing with time travel and multi-universe travel. It is therefore critical that you have the concept of alternate universes and be aware of which one the story is currently in at all times. I try to make sure you know where you are by using the “Universal Locator Designation”. Some of the differences in ULDs will be very slight, changing only at the Tau value. Admittedly this is simply a theory of mine that I am discussing with some physicists so please bear with me on this. If you don’t keep this in mind you will easily become confused as to what is happening and think I am simply changing the story already presented in an earlier volume when it is actually another universe. As far as times, I will attempt to insure that time markers are always present.
For the most part I am dealing with the period after the show ended. In some cases I will, of necessity, be going ‘between’ the episodes. In this Volume, I am using a goodly number of flashbacks. In most cases the flashbacks are actual transcriptions of the dialog from the show. There have been some continuity errors within the show that have been identified by the fans. In some cases I will be bridging some of these gaps and correcting the errors. Other items I believe were added as hooks for future resolution of identified problems, however the series ended prematurely and I am using these cues as springboards for my stories. One case in point occurs in this story. I believe that I have explained Sam’s comment “These figures can’t be right!” from “The Family Hour”
The events in this story take place starting approximately two years after “The Family Hour”.
These are all going to be volumes of a single story loop. I expect to be publishing a goodly number of volumes so hang on, it’s gonna be a fun ride.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
(#) footnotes
/ denotes telepathic communication/
For reference purposes the following will hold true throughout.
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 - Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Canon Alt Clark universe also called – Alt 1
Also, please read the end notes.
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Okay, so you’ve already read a book and you haven’t even started the story yet. Thanks for your patience. Now, without further ado I present for your enjoyment:
Borrowed Time - The Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 2
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What is past is …
Prologue”
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%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120
Local designation – Prime
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
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Flashback
Dr. Klein’s lab during “Brutal Youth”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Klein was looking through a microscope at a tissue sample “This is incredible. This tissue sample … it’s … aging, it’s breaking down.”
Lois, who was standing on the other side of the lab bench, gave a startled exclamation, “What?”
Dr. Klein looked up from the microscope and said, “Whatever it was that sped up this boy’s aging process … it, it … it’s still working.”
As he looked back through the eyepieces Lois asked, “Do you have any idea what that could be?”
Looking up at Lois Dr. Klein had a look of mystification on his face as he shook his finger at her to make his point and said, “This is what is strange. There doesn’t seem to have been any foreign agent introduced.” He started shaking his head and used his hands to gesture as if grabbing something and pulling it. “It’s as if his youth has been sucked out by some powerful force.”
Lois asked, “What could do that?”
A look of dawning comprehension came over his face. He stuck a finger up again to make a point as he got up and said, “Something noxious maybe. Intense radiation, cell disruptor.” He turned away and headed for another bench which held a Liquid Chromatograph. He picked up a flask which had been sitting on the bench. He carried it over to the microscope and syringed out an aliquot of the liquid which he added to the slide as he continued to speak. “Whatever it was caused a chain reaction at the molecular level which brought about accelerated decrepitude.” Satisfied with what he had observed he looked up at Lois again and started using hand gestures to emphasize his points. “Think of your victim’s aging process as … oh … the opposite of Superman’s for instance.” Again he rose from his stool and moved to another bench.
Lois moved around the bench to get closer to Dr. Klein as he moved around the lab and walked over to a bench with a Spectrophotometer. Stunned by what he had been saying all she could formulate to ask was, ”What?”
Dr. Klein turned to look at Lois “You know how Superman’s molecular structure is such that his aging process actually stabilizes and slows…..”
Interrupting him and starting to get a little frantic Lois said, “n n n n Hold on, hold on.” She continued to move closer to him until she was right in his face as she finished, “What do you mean stabilizes and slows?”
He brought his hands up and made a downward motion as he said, “What I mean is it stabilizes . . . and” He then made a slow sideways motion with his hands as he said, “ . . . . slooowwwsss.”
Dr. Klein moved back around Lois to return to the microscope. It took Lois a second to come out of her shock and turn to look where he now was before she said, “So, are you saying that Superman won’t age?”
As he was settling himself back on his stool he turned to answer her, “No. No , no, of course he will. He’s not immortal.”
“So, he will age, just not like you and me?”
Dr. Klein turned back to his microscope “Well, it’s all speculation you understand. But, I think it’s safe to say that long after you and I are dead and gone, Superman will still be in his prime. Fighting for Truth, Justice and …”
Lois with a look of stunned disbelief on her face said, “The American way.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Flashback
Newsroom – Daily Planet during “Family Hour”
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With a dejected look on his face Clark walked up to Lois and asked, “Can we … talk … privately?” They moved to the conference room. Lois knew that Clark didn’t usually act this way and was somewhat apprehensive and it showed on her face and in her demeanor as they moved into the conference room. As Clark closed the door behind them she turned to face him. Clark had a hard time even looking in her direction as he started, “I ... just … uh … came back from STAR Labs.”
“Really. Well … You coulda just called me.” This had the possibility of being good news and she started to lose some of her apprehension and her voice became somewhat more animated as she said, “What did Dr. Klein say?”
Clark was silent.
His silence hit her and she knew that this wouldn’t be good. The realization that this could be really bad news settled in and she turned away and sat on the edge of the conference room table as she said, “Oh, you … you couldn’t just call me. Because … the news … the news isn’t … good”
Clark walked slowly over until he was standing right in front of her and reached out with his right hand and rested it on her left arm to comfort her as he said, “Dr Klein ran every possible test that he could. Poor guy could barely even face me.” As he was speaking Lois’ head went forward and her right hand came up covering her eyes and face as she started breaking down.
Clark had placed his hand on her arm and started stroking it in an attempt to comfort her before continuing. “But he told me that Superman’s biology and an Earth woman’s are incompatible for reproduction.”
Lois began to weep.
Seeing her reaction he felt the need to comfort her even more strongly. He moved in closer and moved his right hand around to her back and his left hand on her right arm, he pulled her in closer and she leaned her head into his chest and he said, “I told myself, I’d never make you cry. I’m sorry.”
Lois was sniffling as she pulled back looked up at him and said, “I feel so confused.” She started shaking her head from side to side as if to physically display what she was saying, “I feel like I … I feel like I’ve lost something I never really had.”
Clark leaned down so that he could look her in the eye as he said, “We haven’t lost anything, honey.”
You could hear the raw emotion and the tears in her voice as she continued, “You can’t try to make me feel better. I mean, that’s what you always do with everything and it’s sweet, but I know how much you want to have kids.”
Clark leaned in further to get her attention as he said, “Lois, I want you to hear me. Okay? Really … hear me. Every time, *every time* we make love … we make *love*.” Lois let out a sigh. “That’s the strongest life force there is. Whether or not that results in another little person,” Lois shook her head and whimpered. Clark continued, “For me, it *is* creation.” Clark moved in so that her forehead was in his chest again and he put his chin on the top of her head and then kissed the top of her head.
Lois crying as she said, “Oh, Clark.”
Clark’s hand was on the back of her head gently pulling her into his chest as he said, “You fill me with life.” He kissed the top of her head again and her arms came up and circled his neck as he pulled her into a firm embrace.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That night - 348 Hyperion Ave
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Lois came down the stairs in a robe. Clark was in his robe sitting in a chair near the bassinet with a glass of milk. Lois leaned back against the table across from him.
“You caught me. I came down for a glass of milk and I just sort of noticed this,” he indicated the bassinet, “sitting here.”
Lois nodded, “I know. Clark … You know how I get when I want to fix something?”
Clark looked up at her and said, “Well … First you eat a lot of chocolate while you figure out your next move.”
Lois reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a candy bar wrapper. She held it up and said, “Check.”
Clark chuckled and said, “Then you get that real determined look on your face, sort of like you’ve got right now and then the seas … part.”
Lois moved over and sat on Clark’s knee and began explaining her thoughts, “Listen, we have come through almost every conceivable disaster, usually by inconceivable means and if conceiving is what we want, I think we are going to have to be fearless once again. There’s a man … a medical doctor,.. who’s practiced his craft over the years on the cutting edge of science. He’s explored some fairly esoteric areas. In *fact*, he treated you once.”
You could hear the confusion in Clark’s voice as he said, “He did?”
In a matter of fact manner, Lois replied, “Saved your life.”
Mystified he said, “Saved my …”, Then with dawning comprehension he continued, “Wait a minute …wait … Your father?”
Nodding her head Lois replied, “I know. A scam artist, a dreamer.”
Clark had a worried expression on his face as he said, “There are things that he would have to know.”
Nodding her agreement, but resigning herself to the inevitable, Lois said, “You’re right. We’d have to tell him. We’d have to tell him everything”
“Wheush”
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The next morning 348 Hyperion Ave.
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As Lois was going to answer the door she said over her shoulder to the Kents “I think Clark’s secret is safe, my dad will be the only other person who knows.”
She opened the door and was startled to see just who was standing there. She was expecting her father. He was there, but so was, “Mother!” Sam was standing behind her with a somewhat chagrined expression on his face.
Ellen replied to this unexpected greeting with, “I wish you wouldn’t sound so shocked when you say that. I’m such a slug in the morning but today I woke up just glad to be alive. Maybe it’s because I had such a good time last night.”
Lois said, “Daddy, how nice.”
Clark tried to salvage the situation by adlibbing, “Well, ah, Sam, do you want to maybe go into the kitchen so that we can ask you about , uh, that, that uh stuff for the story.”
Sam replied, “Yeah, uh.”
Ellen tried to follow Lois, Clark and Sam when they were leaving the room saying, “I would love to hear about it.”
Jonathan and Martha were both speaking to her saying that they wanted to spend the time with her and interposed themselves between her and the others.
Jonathan then put an arm around Ellen’s waist and diverted her into the living room as he said, “It’s just a lot of dry technical stuff. It really isn’t very interesting at all.”
In the kitchen now, Lois was obviously very nervous. She sloshed milk into Sam’s coffee cup and onto the floor and then literally threw several sugar cubes in.
“Sorry about your mother honey, but she nabbed me just as I was leaving and since I *am* trying to rebuild our relationship, ditchin’ her seemed to be a bad idea. . . .” Sam had noticed Lois’ nervous behavior and asked, “Are you alright?”
Clark saw that Lois wasn’t handling this very well and spoke up. “Sam, you’ve done medical research in a lot of different fields, right?
“Yeah.”
Lois said, “How about the field of infertility?”
“Infertility!. Wuah” He smiled “You two are tryin’ to … really, why that’s wonderful.”
Lois said, “Well, ah, Yeah, uh, but see the thing is.”
Sam broke in, “If you guys are having trouble getting pregnant there are a lot of experts more qualified than me.”
Clark replied with a nervous chuckle, “Not necessarily. You see, we’ve got a, an added challenge.”
Lois marshaled her nerve and continued, “Daddy, telling you this next thing, is well, it’s one of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to make.
“This is something that has to be kept secret Sam.” Clark warned.
Lois added, “Unfortunately, even from mother. It’s a dangerous secret and only those that *have* to know have to know”
Sam replied with an air of confidence, “Ah, secret from mother, that’s easy.”
Lois looked out the living room door to check where her mother was and then turned to Clark and said, ‘Uh, honey.”
Clark nervously touched his tie, “uh”
Clark stepped out of the room through a swinging door and immediately returned in the Superman suit.
Sam exclaimed, “Oh, Gees.”
Superman exited and immediately returned as Clark holding his glasses in his hand.
Sam was shocked and you could hear it in his voice as he said, “What you just did there, that, that, that’s humanly impossible!”
Clark replied, “Exactly.”
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Later that night. – Sam’s lab
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Over the course of the day Clark had provided Dr. Klein’s Superman data to Sam for his review.
Sam was in front of a computer clicking away at the keys. His partner Misha was at a work bench behind him having hysterics because of ‘Fat Head’s’ threat.
“God. In a few hours he’s going to be here. Sam, Sam.”
“Not now Misha. I’m up to my knees in shinola here.”
“This morning I have to deliver a machine that will super enhance the brain’s energy.”
“Uh, I didn’t know such a thing existed.”
Misha gave a nervous laugh and said, “It doesn’t.”
Sam was squinting at the screen “Awh, these figures *can’t* be right!”
“You’ve got to help me Sam.” Pause “What the hell are you working on over there?”
Dismissively, Sam replied, “Ah, it’s just a little project of mine. Nothing important.”
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Chapter 1 – A Vacation?
Two years after The Family Hour
Tuesday, September 7, 1999 Sidereal
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Lois and Clark had been involved in an investigation into corruption in the office of their member of the U. S. House of Representatives Rep. Hotchkiss (D), Dist 23, New Troy. It had involved kick backs for pork barrel projects inserted into bills as earmarks coming through his office. After the story broke, the Representative resigned from office in disgrace. The story was being considered for a Kerth award. They just had to wait for the committee’s decision.
The morning after the story was printed when they exited the elevator they were greeted with a banner stretched across the room “Congratulations – Lois and Clark”, applause from all of the staff, party poppers going off and streamers flying. Each was handed a glass of champagne as Perry took the floor.
“Once again the team of Lane and Kent has scored *the* big story of the month, if not the year. So, what do the two of you have to say for yourselves?”
“Chief, it was really nothing.” said Lois “We just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get the story.”
“Aw, come on. You know that’s not true. That’s like Elvis claimin’ that ‘Heartbreak Hotel” was a fluke”
“All right, so we caught some lucky breaks.” Clark said
“I wish *all* of my reporters caught “lucky breaks” like that more often. Well done you two. What do you have in the pipeline for the future?”
“Right now we have some follow-up to do on the story. Then we would like to take a break. Can we talk to you in your office, Chief?”
“Sure, come on in.”
The three of them moved to Perry’s office. Lois and Clark sat down on the couch.
Clark started in a matter of fact tone, “Chief, we’ve been pulling some long hours on this investigation.”
Lois added in a spirit of one-upmanship, “Actually, we’ve been pulling some long hours for a while.”
Clark offered in a weary tone, “Once we finish with the follow-up on this story, we’d like to take an honest to goodness vacation.”
Lois finished almost beseechingly, “Could you do without us for a couple of weeks?”
“Well, now, I don’t know. I might have to start runnin’ Dog Show reviews on my front page if I don’t have my top reporting team working. Na, I’m just funnin’. You kids deserve some time to yourselves. As soon as you’re finished with the follow-ups you’re plannin’ I won’t expect to see your faces around here for two weeks. Go and have some fun.”
“Thanks, Chief. We’ll probably be able to complete the follow-ups within the next couple of days. What do you think Lois, by Friday?”
“Friday sounds about right.”
“Good, Friday it will be. If you are done a little bit earlier than that, fine. I still won’t expect to see you until two weeks from next Monday.”
They said in unison - “Thanks, Chief!”
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Thursday September 9, 1999 Sidereal 9:30 AM
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They actually completed the follow-up and LANed the article to Perry Thursday morning and left early. By 10:15 they were home.
Lois wearily dropped her briefcase and bag and thrust both her arms up in the air and spun around a couple of times while saying, “We now have two, *glorious* weeks, ahead of us. What shall we do first?”
Clark watched her cavort about and then looked at her with a wicked little gleam in his eyes and a smile on his lips and said, “I can think of one thing … right … off … the … bat.”
Lois looked back at him and said, “Realllllly?!? And what would that be, pray tell?” All the time having an equally wicked grin on her lips and an arched eyebrow.
With an attempt at a straight face, which failed, Clark said “Well, we *could* play scrabble.”
“Reallllly? Actually, I had something else in mind.” She moved over to him and put her arms around his neck and her fingers in his hair.
“Well, now that you mention it,” ... kiss … “so” … kiss … “did” … kiss … “I.” Then he picked her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom at superspeed.
Before Lois knew what was happening she found herself naked and under the covers with her equally naked husband beside her. She let out a contented sigh as she turned to that side and laid her head on his chest and started drawing random patterns on his abdomen with her finger and delivered little butterfly kisses to his chest.
“Clark, I love you sooo much, I can hardly stand it.”
Clark kissed the top of her head and said, “I love you too, honey. I never knew that I could love someone as much as I love you. You complete me the way the final piece completes a puzzle. I don’t know what I would ever do without you.” He pulled her up and claimed her lips and after a time they separated and caught their breath.
“Personally, I don’t want you to ever have to find out. Clark . . . make love to me.”
“Your wish is my command.” He pulled her in for another kiss and things progressed naturally from there.
Their love making was slow and sweet and completely fulfilling to both of them. Afterward they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.
At noon, when they awakened from their nap, arms and legs still entwined, they discussed what they wanted to do on their vacation.
Clark asked, “Well, we’ve already done the first thing on our agenda for this vacation so what do you want to do second?”
Lois, with a wicked little grin said, “More of the first thing.”
Clark with a chuckle replied, “Later, we will have plenty of time for that first thing in fact it will probably be third, fifth, seventh, … unless we decide to do some other things in between.”
“I like the way you think. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve seen your folks. Maybe we should spend a few days with them.”
“Okay, that sounds good. I know how much you like Mom’s cooking and I can see if Dad needs any help with major repairs around the farm. Since we are headed west maybe we should plan on using our island get-away for our vacation.”
“Oooohhhh Yyyeeessss, lots of sun, balmy weather and little need of clothes. I love it. Yes, let’s do that.”
“Okay. That’s the final destination. How about we spend a day or so visiting Lucy in California. You haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I’d love to and I’m sure she would like to see us. Now, for packing, I won’t need much for the island, but, are we going to go anywhere else?”
“Well, we could go out to dinner a few times, maybe to Waikiki or Honolulu. While we are with Luce we could see some of the sights in San Diego. She is living in Torrey Pines now. I understand that there is a rather nice Golf Club there. You could brush up on your game.”
“Oh Clark, this is going to be a vacation for the books. We are already off to a good start with the first thing on the list. When do we get to number three?”
Laughing Clark replied, “I think we need to pack and fly to Smallville. After dinner, if you’re a good girl, it may be time for number three, but number two is getting to Smallville.”
Lois bounced out of bed and started rushing around the room getting out bags and clothes, not bothering to put anything on and Clark simply lay there watching his naked wife as she moved around the room noting the bounce of her breasts and the sway of her hips. He said, “Saucy wench, you know, if you keep that up, number three and number two may have to switch places.”
With an exaggerated sway to her hips putting the point to his comment, she sashayed over to the side of the bed and leaning in claimed his lips in a kiss. She giggled as he pulled her down and rolled them over so that he was on top and deepened the kiss. When they came up for air Lois asked, “What about Smallville?”
“It’ll still be there when we’re done here. We’ll just get there a little later.” With a squeal of delight she opened herself to him. When they finished they simply lay in each other’s arms for a while. Finally Clark said, “Okay, now for the new number three. I guess while you start to pack I’ll call the folks and let them know we’re coming.”
“The packing shouldn’t take much time since I won’t need much. A couple of dresses for when we go out, maybe a swim suit - which shouldn’t get much use at all - and some casual clothes for Smallville and San Diego. Shouldn’t take more than a half an hour or so.”
Clark had taken Lois to this deserted tropical island previously on another vacation. Between then and now, Clark had built a more substantial cabin with kitchen and bath facilities with the idea of having it as a getaway location for just such a time as this. It didn’t have power so there was no air conditioning but in that climate none was really needed. There also was no TV or radio to alert Clark to any emergencies. Clark had notified the authorities that he would be leaving soon on a mission, hinting that it could be related to New Krypton and that he would be unavailable for a couple of weeks.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 2 – Murphy’s Law
