From last time:
Lois felt herself get swept up in the nervousness and excitement that made all other pregnant lady mood swings pale in comparison. The entire apartment seemed to spin with the constant activity all around her. She felt an odd sensation of disconnectedness, the lack of pain, which should have been paramount in her mind, made it seem like everything was happening to someone else and she was just a confused, startled bystander. But her protruding abdomen bore evident testament to the fact that this was really happening to her. “Looks like you’re on your way, whether we’re ready or not, huh, kiddo?” she whispered quietly.
New stuff:
********
“Can I get you anything?” Jonathan asked Lois as she paced slowly in Clark’s bedroom.
“No, but thanks,” Lois replied.
“Do you want to sit down?” he asked helpfully.
“I’m fine, but I think I’m making you nervous,” she said with a lopsided grin.
“Well this is a lot more exciting than when the calves are born on the farm every spring,” he joked. His smile slowly faded. “I want you to know how proud Martha and I are of you. You’ve showed such incredible courage and we’re so thankful to have you with us.”
She replied with a wobbly smile. “Thank you,” she whispered. A knock at the front door caused her to turn around. “It’s Bernie,” she said upon X raying the door.
“I’ll go give him a hand,” Jonathan said as he stood from his seat. He walked across the apartment and opened the front door to find Bernie standing in the snow, struggling with some oversized contraption.
“Bernie!” he exclaimed. “What’s all this?”
“Tesla coil,” Bernie managed, grunting under the weight of the equipment.
“Let me help,” Jonathan said as he grabbed on to the heavy item carefully. Whatever it was, it looked delicate. The two men gingerly brought the equipment into the apartment and set it down in the living room.
“What’s it for?” Jonathan asked as he eyed the device curiously.
“Emergencies,” Bernie replied enigmatically as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief and dusted the snow off of his shoulders. “I’m hoping we don’t need it.”
“What sort of emergencies?” Jonathan asked, his tone grim.
“I’ve never delivered an invulnerable woman’s baby before. Heck, I haven’t delivered a baby since I was an intern,” Bernie began with a nervous laugh, but he soon grew serious. “There are several possible reasons why Lois’s invulnerability might make delivery difficult. If that’s the case, we’ll have to transfer her powers to someone else temporarily until the baby is delivered.”
Jonathan eyed the Tesla coil uneasily. “Transferring her powers, it won’t be dangerous, will it?”
“No, not at all,” Bernie assured him. “I should probably take a look at the patient.”
“Of course,” Jonathan replied. “Lois is in the bedroom.” He stayed in the living room while Bernie Klein made his way to visit his patient. Jonathan wasn’t certain, but he figured that at this point, he’d be more in the way than anything else. For now, it was time to play the waiting game and let the doctor do what doctors did.
*******
Clark walked down the corridors toward a part of the military compound he had never before visited. Safely within a secure compound, he moved about freely without an escort. He approached a heavily reinforced door protected by two guards. The guards snapped to attention as he approached. He nodded slightly to them and one of the guards opened the door and held it for him as he approached. He walked through without slowing or breaking stride. On the other side, he was met by a grizzled veteran guard. The guard came to attention as sharply and crisply as a man half his age.
“Good evening, sir,” he boomed.
“I want to speak with Commander Ching,” Clark said.
“Of course sir,” the guard replied with a nod and led Clark down a dark, gloomy looking hallway, past innumerable, identical doors. The guard stopped in front of one of the doors and unlocked it. He stepped aside to allow Clark to enter.
Clark walked into the cell and closed the door behind him. Ching looked up from where he was sitting on the edge of the cot in the otherwise bare room. He stood up to salute, but Clark waved him off.
“It’s all right, Ching,” he said quietly.
Ching nodded glumly, his eyes dull, and dark circles underneath them made apparent what Clark already knew – Ching had not had a moment’s rest in almost a week. Ching rubbed his tired eyes, his face otherwise expressionless. “How is Zara?” he asked.
“She’s fine,” Clark replied. “I wanted to see how you’re doing.”
“I am fine, sir,” Ching replied. “But you must know…”
“I know you had nothing to do with it,” Clark interrupted.
Ching merely nodded, tight lipped. “My troops, sir. They are innocent. I was in contact with all of my field commanders, my troops had no part in that attack.”
“I know. I will see to it that they are cleared, along with you.”
“Sir, you cannot let your personal loyalty compromise your integrity. Do not let me drag you down.”
“Ching, if my integrity is not based on my loyalty to my friends and advisors, what is it based on? Would you not do the same if I were in your position?” Clark folded his arms across his chest.
“I would, sir,” Ching agreed. “But the difference is, for both of us, the fate of New Krypton depends upon the perceived integrity of your rule. If I had to sacrifice to protect it, I would. You cannot do the same for me. Too much is at stake.”
“I will not let this destroy you or your career. You will be cleared.”
“There are far more important things to worry about than me, sir,” Ching replied.
“I can’t win this war without you,” Clark said.
“You can, and you must. Whatever I could have taught you, I have. You are more than capable of leading. Distance yourself from this, sir. Allow an impartial investigation and abide by the judicial findings.”
“There won’t be an impartial investigation,” Clark countered. “Whoever set out to get rid of you will see to it.”
“Then so be it. But if you tie your fate to mine, it will destroy not only the two of us, but this entire world.”
“I won’t stand aside and let an innocent man be ruined.”
“I know that it goes against everything you stand for,” Ching said. “But you must remember, we do not need a hero, Kal El. This world has no use for super men, but it is in desperate need of a good man.”
********
Martha walked back into the bedroom carrying a bowl of ice cubes. Her husband stood just inside the doorway to the room. “How is she?” she asked quietly as she came to stand next to Jonathan.
“She seems to be doing well,” he replied. He nodded toward the window. “The snow is really coming down now.”
“Good,” Martha replied. “Then we can blame the snowstorm for why the baby was born here instead of at a hospital.”
“Good thinking,” Jonathan replied.
She took the bowl of ice cubes to the nightstand, unnoticed by Lois and Bernie. She set the bowl down, and smiled at her daughter-in-law, who was sitting up on the bed, leaning against a pile of pillows.
“Remember, nice deep breaths,” Bernie reminded Lois. Lois nodded, a look of intense concentration on her face. She glanced up at Martha and gave her a quick, lopsided smile.
“How are you feeling?” Martha asked.
“A little anxious, but okay,” Lois replied, looking far better than any woman in labor had any right to.
Bernie examined one of the monitors. “Another look, Lois? Umbilical cord okay? No detachment of the placental wall?”
“Everything looks okay to me. And this is way cool,” Lois said. “Hi little guy.”
Bernie laughed softly. “Now you’re dilated to five centimeters, you still have a way to go, so resist any urge to push when you feel those contractions.”
Lois smirked at her doctor. “You sure you know what you’re doing Bernie, or are you just repeating things you’ve heard on TV shows?”
“Of course I know what I’m doing. Do you know how many chimpanzees I’ve delivered?” Martha watched the light banter between woman in labor and lab geek in this rather improbable setting. Of course, she knew that Lois was never one to do things the ordinary way.
She started to laugh, but her expression changed to one of concentration. “Another contraction,” she said.
“They’re getting closer together,” Bernie said, a note of concern creeping into his voice.
“Is everything okay?” Martha asked.
Bernie set his jaw. “Normally, I’d administer something to help speed up the dilation,” he mused.
“But that won’t work on me, will it?” Lois asked, her tone making clear that she already knew the answer.
“No, it won’t,” Bernie admitted.
“So what do we do now?” Lois asked. Martha felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Jonathan standing beside her.
“Well, for now, we wait,” Bernie began. “You might start dilating further and everything will be fine. If not, you might have to do this the old fashioned way.”
Lois arched a brown at him. “Old fashioned way?”
“Without superpowers,” Bernie explained. “I brought the Tesla coil, so we can transfer your powers to someone else.”
“So much for pain free childbirth,” Lois replied. “Will that be safe for the baby?
“Absolutely. The baby will be fine. I can’t administer an epidural, but I can give you some medication to reduce the pain. In any event, it won’t be as easy as we’d hoped.”
********
Clark bit his lip and looked away. “I’m so sorry, Zara,” he said softly, his hands clasped in front of him.
She looked up at him from her bed in the sterile recovery room and merely nodded. So much for avoiding the stress of work. He could see the beginnings of tears form in her eyes, tears he knew she would never allow to fall.
“I…we are doing everything we can to clear him,” he said.
“I know,” she whispered.
Clark reached out hesitantly and placed a hand on hers. She curled her fingers around his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you,” she said so quietly he barely heard her.
“Your parents want to see you.”
“They already know, don’t they?” she asked.
He nodded. “I’ll get them.” He walked out to the hallway where Mieren and Tek Ra were waiting, wearing matching looks of concern. They stood up and hand in hand, walked toward their daughter’s room.
Clark walked away. He found himself heading toward the docking bays. Soldiers, technicians, and mechanics went about their jobs. They stopped and saluted as he approached, but he continued walking toward one of the empty bays. He stared out at the desolate landscape beyond the solid buildings of the compound. A transport landed and troops descended from it in neat, ordered rows. They walked toward the compound, haggard and weary.
He watched as they marched past him, turning to salute crisply. Talan followed at the rear of the lines. She lingered behind as the troops continued on their way.
“Good evening, sir,” she said. The smell of smoke clung to her mud spattered uniform.
“Where are you coming from, Commander?” he asked.
“The Belaar Valley, sir,” she replied.
“I take it that it’s pretty bad out there,” he said quietly.
She wiped the soot from her brow. “If you can spare me for a few moments, I can get prepared and give you a full briefing.”
Clark nodded. “I’d appreciate that.”
Talan disappeared down one of the corridors. Clark turned back toward the docking bay. He realized after a moment that he was holding Lois’s ring on its chain in his hand. Not for the first time, he wished that she was there with him at that moment. It wasn’t just that he missed her; not a moment went by that he didn’t miss her. He also really needed someone he could trust. The small circle of people he didn’t suspect here seemed to constantly grow tighter.
Talan returned a scant fifteen minutes later, having cleaned up and put on a fresh uniform. Clark hadn’t moved in that time; he stood watching the crews work. He looked up as she approached, quickly tucking the chain back under his shirt. Clark frowned slightly as he noticed the bruises on her face that had previously been covered by soot and dirt.
“Shall we adjourn to a conference room, sir?” she asked.
“Sure,” he replied absently.
The pair walked down the hallway and entered a vacant room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Talan began to speak.
“I was informed that Lieutenant Commander Ching was arrested for the attack on Breksin. As part of my mission there, I surveyed the area. This was clearly the work of Nor’s men. I recognized his commanders’ signature in the destruction.”
Clark motioned to the chairs around the conference table and both sat down. “So you think this attack was executed in order to frame Ching?” he asked.
She nodded curtly. “I am certain of it, sir.”
“I agree,” Clark replied. “How bad was the damage?”
“Near total,” she said simply, her face expressionless as usual.
Clark chewed his lip thoughtfully. “What do you think of the potential for the situation there?”
Talan frowned. “Politics is not my business, sir.”
“I know that,” he replied. “But what were your impressions?”
“I think that secession is a foregone conclusion. There seems to be a great deal of hostility breeding in the region, even though there seems to be no warm feelings for the rebels.” She placed her hands on the table in front of her and Clark could see the cuts and scrapes that covered them, her knuckles still raw and bleeding.
Clark’s eyes narrowed. “How much trouble did you encounter out there?”
“None near Breksin, sir, but we took some fire when scouting the region,” she replied calmly as though giving him a weather report.
“Any casualties?”
“Nothing serious.”
Clark stood up. “Thank you, commander.”
Talan rose to her feet and saluted. “Of course, sir.”
“You aren’t scheduled to deploy again soon, are you?” he asked as he walked toward the door. She followed a pace behind him.
“No, sir. I must brief General Command on the situation in the Belaar, and my troops are on garrison duty here,” Talan explained.
“Good,” Clark replied. “Your troops have been away almost since I arrived here. I’m sure they could use some time with their families.”
“Indeed, sir.”
“Do you have any family, Commander?” Clark asked, trying in his own mind to imagine his top field commander as something other than just a soldier. They stepped out into the empty hallway.
“A brother,” Talan replied. “He and his wife have two children. And you, sir? If I might ask, did you leave behind any family when you came here?”
Clark looked away. It was a question he’d been able to completely avoid until now. Only Zara and Ching knew anything of the life he’d left behind. Most seemed to assume that he’d merely showed up out of the ether, born on the day he’d arrived on New Krypton with no life worth considering prior to his accession to the role of First Minister. “Yes,” he admitted after a long moment of silence. “There are my parents – the people on Earth who raised me and…” He stopped. The look in Talan’s eyes told him that she’d noticed the fact that he hadn’t finished the sentence, but he also knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t comment on it.
“Well, it is late,” Clark said. “And you have had a long journey. Have a good night, Commander.”
“You too, sir,” Talan replied before heading down the corridor in the opposite direction.
********
Lois looked up at Bernie as another contraction began. “That’s another one,” she said. She could see the frown lines set on the doctor’s face. It had been hours and the contractions had grown closer together, but she still wasn’t fully dilated. The plan for transferring her powers had ceased to be academic and was now looking like a certainty.
“There are no signs of fetal distress,” Bernie said. “Which is good. But I don’t think we should wait any longer. Jonathan, can you help me with the Tesla coil?” Jonathan nodded and the two men stepped out of the bedroom.
“Are you feeling okay?” her mother-in-law asked with a simple smile.
Lois nodded. “I’m all right,” she said. She knew, however, that this was about to get quite painful. The two men returned carrying the large, awkward piece of equipment. They set it down beside the bed and the myriad other pieces of machinery that were buzzing, humming, and beeping. Jonathan stepped aside to stand next to Martha.
“All right,” Bernie said, looking at her in-laws. “Which of you two is about to get super?”
Jonathan stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
“I need you to stand over here,” Bernie said, gesturing to the space next to the bed. “And hold Lois’s hand. This won’t hurt a bit.” He started toggling switches on the Tesla coil. It began to hum as it light up slowly. Jonathan moved to the side of the bed as Bernie instructed and took Lois’s hand in both of his larger ones. He smiled warmly at her as if to silently say that everything was going to be fine.
“Here we go,” Bernie said, as he flipped the last switch. The room filled with a bright, almost blinding light. A bolt of electricity shot out of the Tesla coil and struck the pair. Lois felt only a slight tingling warmth and then suddenly, everything was different. The light died, mercifully for Lois’s now vulnerable eyes. She felt an avalanche of long absent aches and pains and suddenly a wave of violent muscle spasms that could only have been a contraction.
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed through gritted teeth. She exhaled sharply as a stab of pain radiated through her entire being. She placed her free hand on her abdomen, the other one gripping Jonathan’s hand tightly.
Jonathan squeezed back slightly. “It’s a good thing I’m invulnerable,” he chuckled.
“Are you all right, honey?” Martha asked.
“I’ve been better,” she hissed.
“All right, okay, drugs…” Bernie said as he rummaged through his things. Eventually, he produced a vial and a syringe and measured out a dose. “Here’s the medicine to aid the dilation. I’ll follow it up with the pain killer…unless you prefer natural childbirth.”
“Of course not!” Lois snapped.
“Right, painkillers it is,” Bernie replied, slightly frazzled. He gave her the first injection and then prepared and administered the second. “Remember, when the next contraction begins, fight the urge to push. It’ll still be a while before you’re fully dilated.” Lois leaned back against the pillows and exhaled heavily.
********
“Good Lois, breathe, breathe, just like you practiced,” Martha coached. She held one of Lois’s hands, Jonathan held the other.
“Here we go,” Bernie said. “Okay, Lois, you’re fully dilated, on the next contraction, I need you to push.”
Lois nodded. She felt the sticky film of perspiration on her face and her neck. Her damp hair was matted down. She felt the now familiar pain of a contraction begin and she pushed. Hard. Every muscle in her body tensed. She groaned, grimacing, her eyes shut tightly.
“Good, keep pushing,” Bernie encouraged.
“You can do it, Lois,” Jonathan said, squeezing her hand gently.
The contraction finally passed and she leaned back again, exhausted. She felt a damp cloth on her forehead as Martha gently wiped her brow. “Not again,” she groaned as another contraction began far too soon.
“Keep going, Lois, you need to push again,” Bernie said.
“Can’t,” she hissed.
“You need to push,” Bernie repeated.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and despite all the pain and exhaustion, pushed. She pushed as hard as she could, drawing up whatever strength she had left.
“Very good, Lois,” Bernie said. “The baby’s head is crowning!” he announced triumphantly.
The words managed to cut through the dim fog of Lois’s mind. She was almost there, she just needed to keep going for a little while longer.
“Come on, Lois,” Jonathan said. “Big push.”
She continued pushing, she had no idea for how long. The voices in the room faded away. The room too, seemed to disappear. The only things she was aware of were the muscles in her body screaming for relief and her own determination to keep on pushing.
Suddenly, above the hum of the machines and the sounds of encouraging voices came the clarion sound of a baby’s cries. The pain seemed to disappear as she focused on that wonderful sound. In the background she could hear Bernie encouraging her to keep pushing. He stood up, a tiny little squirming bundle in blankets in his arms. He handed the baby to Jonathan, whose eyes seemed unusually bright. Lois watched, tears slipping down her cheeks.
“Lois, I know you’ve got more important things on your mind, but we’re not done here.” Bernie’s voice interrupted. She continued to push as Bernie instructed. She tried to focus on what he was saying, but couldn’t take her eyes off her baby.
“Your son,” Jonathan whispered with a smile as he handed Lois her baby at long last. She felt Martha place a hand on her shoulder as she took her son into her arms. She rocked him gently and his cries quieted to a whimper. Lois looked at her son through tears, awestruck and amazed.
“My son,” she whispered.
“He’s beautiful,” Martha said softly.
Lois looked up at Jonathan and Martha as they gazed at their grandson. She turned back to the tiny child in her arms, giving him a tremulous smile. He was so perfect, so beautiful. Her little miracle. “I love you,” she whispered.
He looked up at her with his big brown eyes.
Clark’s eyes.
She felt fresh tears prick at her eyes. God, she missed him so much. She wanted so badly for him to be here. For him to meet his son as he entered the world. Lois bit her quivering lip. She looked at him, knowing that every day she would look into his eyes and see Clark’s eyes. She was certain she would hear Clark’s laugh in their baby’s laugh. Their baby was proof that she would always have a part of Clark with her, no matter what, but he was also so much more.
Her son needed a name. The temptation to name him after his father was so great, but she knew that she couldn’t look at this little boy every day, seeing so many reminders of his father, and call him Clark without it breaking her heart anew each and every time. And yet she knew that she wanted to give him a name that would give him ties to his family. She realized how she could do that and at the same time honor two of the most important men in her life.
“Meet your grandson,” she said to her in-laws, still standing beside her, beaming with pride. “Jonathan Clark Kent.”
