I should be asleep write now, but my Muse insisted I post this first. I don't know if I can sleep anyway; sleeping is hard when you hate slobber and you have a dog who's tall enough to stick his face in your bed while you're in it. Still, I'll take German Shepherds over Chihuahuas any day! I mean, those things are kinda cute, but...
*ahem* sorry.
Enjoy the part!
(Ps. no offense to chihuahua fans!)
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From Part 8: Lex leaned back in his chair. If what he suspected was true, then perhaps he could use Lois’ condition to his advantage. Once her pregnancy had progressed to the point where her emotions were solidly in control of her thinking, he’d eliminate her other suitor and she would come sobbing back into his arms. It was so much more efficient than going to all the trouble of eliminating every last element of stability in her life…
**********
And Now, Part 9: Lois leaned over the toilet, certain that there was absolutely *nothing* left in her stomach. Unfortunately, she was wrong. Why hadn’t anyone warned her that morning sickness was so miserable? She was so weak that she didn’t even jump when she felt a hand on her back.
“Lois? Are you all right?”
Her only reply was a groan.
“Do you need anything?”
Lois took in a shaky breath. “N-no,” she managed. Suddenly, she felt ill again. The hand rubbed her back until she was finished being sick; then a washcloth came and cleaned up her face.
“Come on, let’s get you back to bed.”
He scooped her up with no apparent effort and carried her slowly and carefully into her room. She looked up at his face and let out a slight moan. Superman. It wasn’t fair; he shouldn’t see her like this! He should only get to see her when she was hot on the trail of an award-winning story or when she was all dressed up and looking absolutely radiant, *not* when she was crumpled in a heap on her bathroom floor with her face and hair caked with vomit! If he didn’t take back his declaration of love after this, then he *deserved* the name Superman!
He lowered her gently onto the bed and tucked her in. Love. Did he *really* love her? He’d said it by accident; maybe he didn’t really mean it? Maybe he was just so caught up in the moment that he just said what seemed like an appropriate thing to say…
No. He meant it. The moment hadn’t gotten fully underway when he’d said it, and the look on his face after was that of someone who’d let an important secret slip. There was no denying it; Superman loved her.
“I’ll get you some water.” He was gone in a flash, and just as quickly returned with a cup of water. “Here, sip it slowly.” He gave her the cup and helped her sit up and drink it. After a few sips, she lay back down and he put the cup on the nightstand and sat by her. “Feeling better?”
“A little. I bought a book by Dr. Dina Shepherd…”
His eyebrows shot up. “Dina Shepherd? Isn’t she the one who wrote those controversial children’s books, ‘Baby’s First Funeral’ and ‘Curious George Drops Acid?’ Lois, do you really want our baby reading that stuff?”
“No!” Lois smiled. “I didn’t buy one of her children’s books; I bought the pregnancy book. It talks all about what to expect during the different stages of pregnancy. It’s really good, and it’s easy to understand. It kinda makes the whole thing less scary.”
“Really?”
“Well, not the *whole* thing, I still have no idea what I’m going to do after the baby’s born…”
Superman grinned. “Probably win a World’s Greatest Mom award; you can hang it in the living room next to your Pulitzer.”
Lois laughed.
“Say, do you mind if I look at that book?”
“Go right ahead! It’s in the drawer of the nightstand---yeah, that’s it. Like I said, it’s really good. I’ve been reading it for a couple days now, and I’m already on chapter---” Lois’ jaw went slack as she watched Superman zip through the book at superspeed, closing it only two seconds after he opened it. “---four.”
He gave her a small smile. “I’m a speed-reader.”
She blinked. “I’ll say!”
Superman placed the book back in the nightstand drawer. “So Lois, when are you going to announce that you’re pregnant?”
She sighed. “Not for a long time yet. I don’t really want anyone to know. Maybe when I’m eight months along, I’ll tell my mother…” She looked at him. “Did you want to tell someone?”
“Lois, if you want to keep it a secret, that’s fine with me. Though, I guess I should tell you; there are two people besides us who already know.”
Lois’ eyes widened. “Who?”
“Just two people who are very close to me. You don’t have to worry about them, Lois. They’re very good at keeping secrets.”
“Well, okay.” Lois sat up and reached for the water.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah,” she replied after taking a sip. “I think I’m well enough to get up and go to work now; I just hope Perry doesn’t kill me for being late.”
“Maybe you should take a sick day.”
Lois looked at him as though he’d grown a second head.
“Well, you were feeling unwell…”
“Yes, but I’m fine now.”
“Okay, okay. Do you want me to get you something to eat?”
Lois put a hand on her stomach. “I don’t think I’m *that* fine just yet. Besides, you don’t have to worry about me eating; Clark’s probably got a banquet for me back at the Planet.”
“Beg pardon?”
“Nothing.” She slid the covers off and managed to stand up. “Clark’s just been acting strange all month, that’s all. He’s being extra nice to me for some reason. I’m starting to think he’s joined a cult that worships top reporters…”
Superman chuckled. “I don’t think so. Do you think maybe he’s just trying to get closer to you?”
Lois blinked. “Closer? He’s my best friend! How much closer could he want to get? Unless---” She blushed. “No, I’m certain that isn’t the case. Clark and I are friends; that’s it. Plain and simple. End of story. Case closed.” She took a breath and searched Superman’s face. She hoped he bought it. The last thing he needed was the idea that something could be going on between her and Clark Kent.
He’d said he loved her. He’d called the baby “our baby!” Well, *of course* it was their baby; they had conceived it together. But the way he said “our” as opposed to “mine” or “your” implied a sense of togetherness beyond the conception.
Lois had always dreamed of the day that Superman would return her feelings, but now that he did, she didn’t know what to do! She was being so terrible to him. A man so wonderful deserved someone who would love him whole-heartedly, without reservations. She should either do that or tell him that there was no hope for them. Right now, though, she couldn’t bring herself to do either.
She turned to her closet and pulled down a dress. “I have to go to work.”
“Okay, Lois. I’ll see you around.”
He sounded a little sad. Did he suspect the truth? He did, didn’t he! He knew that she really saw Clark as more than a friend and it was killing him! Oh, what had she done? She’d used him for her own purposes and then brushed him aside like he didn’t matter! She was no better than any of the men in her life! She had to do something, say something. This was Superman, for crying out loud! He of all people deserved better.
She turned around, unsure of what she was going to say, but found it wouldn’t matter anyway. He was gone.
**********
Tears were pouring down Lois’ cheeks as she went through the process of locking all the locks on her door. When she got to the fifth lock, her hand refused to turn the key. She leaned her head against the door and sobbed.
She didn’t know how long she was there before a familiar voice came from behind her.
“Lois? Are you okay?”
She turned, half expecting to see Superman again, and saw Clark standing there. “Clark!” She sniffed and brushed some of the tears away with the back of her hand. “W-w-what are you doing here?”
“Well---erm--- you’re about an hour late for work, so I came to see if everything was all right.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” She sobbed.
Clark pulled her into his arms and hugged her.
Lois buried her face in his shoulder. “I’m fine, really,” she said shakily. “I was just---watching a sad movie. That’s all. I’m fine.”
“Lo-is…”
“Really!”
“Okay, Lois. If you say so.”
“I say so.” She wiped at her eyes again and pulled out of his arms. “Come on, let’s go. We’ve got to get to the planet.”
“Do you want me to drive?”
Lois looked up at him. “Yeah.”
“Okay. Let’s go.” He put his hand on her back, as he’d done so many times before, and gently guided her down the hall and out to the car.
**********
Roger lowered the newspaper just enough to see who was coming out of the building. He saw Lois Lane and Clark Kent exit the apartment building and get into Lane’s car. Slowly, he reached for the knot in his tie and squeezed it. “Phil, you there?”
A tiny earpiece in his right ear responded. “Yeah, I’m here. Where is she?”
“She and Kent just got into her car. Now they’re moving.”
“Probably just going to work. You follow them; I’ll wait here at the Planet. Do we know who Mr. X is, yet?”
“Not sure. I’ll bet you twenty it’s that Kent guy…”
“You’re on! Over and out.”
**********
TBC
(Ps. no offense to "Curious George" fans)
