Lois awoke in a hospital bed. Her arm was sore, and it took her a moment to remember what had happened.
As soon as she recalled the arrow slicing through her, she also remembered falling to the ground, and her hand flew to her belly as she worried whether the baby was all right.
Just then, a doctor appeared in the doorway. “Don’t worry, the baby is fine. But we are going to keep you here a few extra days to be sure though. How far along are you?”
Lois immediately became wary, fearing the doctor may have noticed something abnormal about her pregnancy. But Clark and her had worked out a timeline one night that would compensate for the extra three months of a normal human child’s development. They just wouldn’t be able to stick with the same obstetrician for the whole pregnancy so no one could question it.
“Four and a half months,” Lois said confidently.
“Well, we’ll run some blood tests later this afternoon to be sure everything is all right. You just get some rest for now.”
Lois felt herself panic at the thought of a blood test, worrying whether it would reveal anything about Clark’s secret. But she smiled at the doctor, while wondering where Clark was.
“Doc, who brought me in?” Lois asked, noticing her purse was next to her as well as her laptop.
“A Good Samaritan. I don’t know her name. Now, just get some rest.”
“Has the hospital contacted my cousin? She’s my next of kin…”
Before she could finish, Clark appeared in the doorway. “Who are you, sir?” the doctor asked.
“It’s okay,” Lois interjected. “He’s my boyfriend… and the father of the baby.”
Clark nodded. “Chloe called and I, uh – happened to be nearby.”
The doctor left, saying he would be back in a few hours.
Clark came to her side, reaching for her good hand. “I’m so sorry. I never should have left you last night. This never would’ve happened.”
She tried to brush it off, not showing how shaken up she was by the whole ordeal. “It's not your fault that I had a bad alternator, Smallville. Look, some psycho obviously wanted to get himself on the front page, and so he decided to shoot the ace reporter.“
“What did he look like? Did you see him?”
“Yeah…” she began warily. “He was dressed up like Green Arrow.”
“Oliver wouldn’t have—“ Clark started in dismay.
“I know. The more I think about it, even if he may not be thrilled that you and I are together, I highly doubt he’d shoot a missile into my shoulder.”
Clark started to leave, but Lois tugged his arm to stay. “I know you want to investigate this, Clark, but we have another slight problem,” she said in a low voice.
“What’s wrong? Is it something with the baby?”
She sighed, “Sort of. The doctor wants to run blood tests on me this afternoon. I know they didn’t see anything unusual when I was here last time, but that was before-- you know—‘super’ things started happening.” She held up the blue kryptonite bracelet. “And I still have this on… if I take it off—“
Clark nodded. “You may heal quicker than normal, they could notice. But … you may not. So far you’ve only floated … no other powers have been confirmed, Lois. Don’t risk it. You still need to keep yourself safe from the pregnancy. Leave it on for now, Lois. Until I can get you out of here.”
“And if they want to take a blood test?”
“You’re right to worry,” Clark said, interrupting her. “Dr. Hamilton told me he intercepted your blood test before, so no one would notice anything unusual.”
Lois nodded, “So I guess he’s in on your Secret Super Hero Club, too huh?”
Clark shrugged. “He’s been helpful on more than one occasion.”
“Okay, well, so I guess I was right to worry about them taking a blood sample?”
“Yes, but we have some time. I’m going to talk to Oliver and I’ll be back here before lunch. If they come in here earlier, ring my cellphone. I’ll see your number and speed over here.”
Lois nodded, almost like accepting a mission, knowing they were in this together. “Okay. Got it.”
Her brave determination stopped Clark from sweeping too quickly out the door. He leaned over and gave her a swift kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”
And with a whoosh of wind, he was gone.
~L&C~
If Lois couldn’t investigate the old-fashioned way with Clark, at least there was the internet. She opened her laptop and started searching about archers and arrows, wondering if Oliver was involved in any way with what had happened to her. Though she had thought for a moment it was Ollie, she wasn’t ready to accept that he actually would shoot her with an arrow. Lois thought she knew Oliver, and he was better than that. However, Oliver did have a somewhat mysterious past, and she wouldn’t rule out the possibility that that past may have come back to haunt him.
She spent a few hours getting lost in the deep underbelly of the internet, when her door finally opened.
She shut her laptop without looking up, relieved that Clark was back, hopefully to get her out of here. “Clark, thank goodness. A girl cannot live by online Black Jack alone,” she said, lying as to what she was really doing. She didn’t want Clark worrying about her getting too much involved.
But to her surprise, it wasn’t Clark or even an orderly coming to check on her.
A man with a warily charming smile appeared in her doorway with flowers. “I'm so sorry to disappoint, but I was hoping to make it up with flowers,” he said, offering her a bouquet of the gift shop’s finest assortments.
“Not that I'm against taking flowers from men I've never met -- 'cause lord knows I have –“ Lois began cautiously. “But I think you have the wrong room.”
Instead of leaving, the man entered the room, closing the door behind him. “Forgive my lack of manners. America must be wearing off on me,” he said affably, in a lilting accent. “I'm an old friend of Clark's. I was down here donating blood, and I thought I'd stop by and see how you were recovering.”
“Oh,” Lois answered, trying to figure out how he knew Clark.
“Clark must have mentioned me. I'm Zod.”
Lois schooled her face, hoping not to reveal that she knew who he was. She pulled her blanket around her, in an effort to keep Zod from seeing her baby bump. She tried to play off her wariness, not wanting Zod to suspect that she knew anything about him. “Can't say that he has, and being a championship wrestling fan, I'd definitely remember a name like that.”
He came to sit by her, too close for Lois’ comfort. “Well, you may have never heard of me, but I've heard all about Lois Lane.”
Lois laughed nervously, wondering just how much he knew about her. “Is that supposed to impress me?”
He laughed in return, though his chuckle did nothing to put her at ease. “Oh, that Clark Kent, huh? Can't stop talking about you.”
“Really?” she asked, wondering where he was going with this.
“Yeah, after meeting you, I can see that he's not exaggerating,” Zod went on, obviously trying to flatter her.
Lois decided to push him, to see how much he would reveal. “How do you know Clark again?”
“We've got a lot of history together. And one night when uh, you get better, we'll go out and I'll tell you all about the real Clark Kent. Hmm?”
“Tequilas on me,” Lois offered, though she knew that would never happen. There was something odd about Zod, even without Clark’s warning that put her on edge.
“Well, that would have to wait until after the baby arrives, wouldn’t it?”
“The baby?” she echoed, blood rushing to her head as she realized he knew she was pregnant.
“Hard to keep that a secret much longer, now isn’t it?” he said, gently patting the bed as he stood up to leave. Zod dug into his pocket, and handed her a little golden charm. “Oh, uh, here's to a speedy recovery. The kids on the 2nd floor were selling them and, it's a good luck charm.”
Warily Lois took it, thinking she recognized the symbol from something out of Clark’s Kryptonian journal. She was sure Zod was trying to send Clark a message, though she wasn’t sure what it was. “Interesting shape. Thanks.”
“And you tell that Clark Kent, that he's a very lucky man,” he said, then slithered out into the hallway.
Lois stared at the door for what felt like half an hour, trying to bring her panic under control. What would Zod do now that he knew she was pregnant? And how had he discovered she was in the hospital in the first place?
Clark came in a few minutes later. “What happened? Are you all right?” he asked, seeing her wary expression.
“Well, I don’t know…” she said, sitting up straighter in the bed so Clark could sit down next to her. “How freaked out should I be that Zod just paid me a visit?”
“Zod? Why would he come here?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know… To be honest, he gave me the creeps. Oh, and he left this as a gift for me… though I think it was meant to be a message to you,” she said, handing him the charm. “It’s Kryptonian, isn’t it? What does it mean?”
Clark took it from her, trying to stem his anger at Zod. “I’m not sure… But I told you, he is after my powers… what else did he say to you, Lois?”
She could see his growing anger, and growing concern. But she didn’t want to alarm him further about the baby. “Nothing. That was pretty much it.”
Clark shook his head, “Lois, I can read you like a book. I know you’re lying. What else did he say?”
She sighed, relenting. “I just don’t want you worried… or running off and doing something stupid.”
“Just, tell me,” he said, trying to remain calm.
“He figured out I was pregnant,” she admitted. As she watched Clark run his fingers through his hair in frustration, she reached out to touch his arm. “Hey, he doesn’t know about the powers though, Clark. And he only assumed it was yours. Maybe it will be okay.”
Clark suddenly looked up, hearing something from a distance. “It’s the nurses. They are coming to take a blood sample.”
“Well then, let’s go.”
In a whoosh Clark swept Lois out of the hospital, stopping just in time to sign release sheets he had found a few hours earlier…
~L&C~
Clark sped Lois over to the Talon, setting her down gently when they arrived.
“Are you okay?” he asked, seeing that she looked a little jostled after their trip.
“I just need the blue K…. It’s in my purse… in the lead box,” she said, making her way over to the sofa.
She looked weak and vulnerable. And as much as Clark didn’t want her to feel rushed about anything, he didn’t want her staying here alone, especially now that Zod knew she was pregnant.
He got her a glass of water, then stood at the door, away from the blue K. Lois glanced up at him after taking a long sip. “If my face is a book, yours is a whole movie. Clark… you’re worried, I can see that.”
“I just don’t trust Zod,” he admitted.
Lois sighed, then nodded, suddenly resolved about something. “Okay, I guess you’re right. I think it’s time I moved to the farm.”
“You will?” he asked, sounding relieved. “I promise, Lois, everything will be fine. You can have as much space as you need.”
“That’s sweet, Smallville. But first, I gotta pack.”
“Well, I can do it a lot faster… will you let me help?”
Lois laughed, relenting. “Yeah, why not? I have one gimpy arm and I’m pregnant. Not much use as a packer, am I?”
Suddenly, Clark became a blur of red and blue, darting back and forth across her apartment as he gathered her things.
“Wow, Clark. You sure are handy to have around,” she commented when he finally stopped darting around like a red and blue Speedy Gonzales.
“I’ll take your stuff ahead and be right back.”
Clark was gone and back in a matter of seconds, even before Lois could take another sip of water. “But I think we should drive your car to the farm.”
Lois got up to put her glass away. “Good idea. As much as I enjoy traveling in those arms of yours, Smallville, I think I’d prefer regular ground transportation for the rest of the afternoon.”
Clark hid a smile as they headed out the door.
~L&C~
“So, did you find out anything about who shot me last night?” Lois asked on the way to the farm.
“It wasn’t Oliver,” Clark reassured her.
“Unfortunately, it’s Oliver’s past, coming back to haunt him. Chloe is doing some research, but I think you are safe from whoever it was.”
“Poor Ollie,” Lois murmured, watching the golden wheat pass them by.
Clark reached over to take her hand. “Just another reason that I’m glad you are coming back to the farm.”
Lois squeezed his hand, patting her belly with the other. “Clark, do you think we – I mean, I appreciate what you are doing for me and the baby. But would we still be dating if there was no baby? And, I can’t help but wonder—“ Lois chewed on her lip, as she debated whether to continue.
“Lois, what is it?” he asked, glancing over at her while trying to keep his focus on driving.
“I mean, you were eventually going to tell me your secret, right? I know you told me out of necessity, but looking back – you had ample occasions in the past to tell me and – well, would you have told me?”
Clark sighed heavily, just as they were pulling into the Kent driveway. He stopped the car and turned to look at her. “Lois, the main reason I kept my secret from you was because it is dangerous for you to know. I think deep down, I knew that eventually I’d tell you. Especially if things ever got –real between us.”
Lois laughed ruefully, looking down at her ever expanding belly. “Well, they certainly are real now, huh?”
Clark gently reached over, brushing Lois’ hair out of her face with his fingers so she’d look at him. “Lois, you are an amazing woman. It’s true that I wanted to protect you… but as even Chloe pointed out to me, perhaps I was also interested in protecting myself. The truth is, I should have trusted you sooner with my secret, Lois. But I was also judging you by Lana’s actions – which I admit was wrong. Lana – even though I know we loved each other, she never really understood me. But, Lois, you do. Almost without me having to say a word.”
She smiled, the afternoon sun setting off her hair to shine like a golden brown. “It’s okay, Smallville. You don’t have to explain… I guess I just wanted to know that you would have told me. I just wanted to know that you didn’t intend on keeping the secret from me forever, you know?”
“Lois, I would have told you. I can’t say when, but I knew that you deserved to know the truth…”
Clark got out of the car and walked around her side to open her door. “So, shall I help you unpack?” he grinned at her.
“Sure. Be my guest. I’ll just head to the couch while the Blur does my bidding.”
~L&C~
Clark reluctantly left Lois at the farm later that evening. Oliver needed help dealing with the Dark Archer, and although Clark worried about Zod coming after Lois, she reassured him that she didn’t think she was in any danger.
Lois almost felt relieved when Clark left. He had been so solicitous all afternoon, which was nice, but it was a bit stifling. Plus she was experiencing some odd cramps that she didn’t mention to Clark. She was afraid to pull out the blue K while he was there, fearing it would have some effect on him. But as soon as he left, she opened the small lead box and sat on the sofa with a heavy sigh.
“Your daddy is driving me nuts, kiddo,” Lois mumbled as she grabbed the remote to see what was on to occupy her evening. It was Sunday night, and she was planning on being at the Planet bright and early tomorrow. Her belly was starting to show, but she thought a few choice wardrobe options should keep the rumor mill quiet for at least another week or two.
Lois’ cell buzzed to life, indicating a call. No ID was visible, so her ‘Hello?’ sounded a bit reluctant.
“Lois, I need your help,” came the distorted voice of the Blur.
Lois sat up, her heartbeat immediately faster as she wondered who could possibly be calling her pretending to be the Blur.
But she couldn’t let on that she knew any different, fearing that her would-be Blur might realize that she knew the real Blur’s identity.
“What is it? You know you can count on me,” she said, hesitating only a moment.
“I need you to keep an eye on Tess Mercer.”
“Okay… no problem,” Lois responded, wondering why her pretend Blur would want to know something about Tess.
“I’ll call you in a few days, Lois…”
“I…uh, I’ll look forward to your call.”
The fake Blur hung up the phone, and Lois stared down at her cell a moment, a little shaken up. Just then, Clark blurred into the house.
“Lois, what is it?” he asked, seeing her worried expression.
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but I just got a call from the Blur.”
“But Lois, you know that is impossible—“
She nodded. “Two steps ahead of you, Smallville. Whoever it is, asked me to keep an eye on Tess. Who would know that the Blur calls me and who would want to spy on Tess?”
“Can I see your phone?”
She handed it to him. “Be my guest. It wasn’t exactly a listed number. Not sure how you can get anything from it…”
As Clark was looking at her phone, Lois surreptitiously closed the lid on the blue K box. She felt so awkward using it around him, wondering if she was weakening him whenever it was near…and yet feeling ill without its presence.
“I know someone who can figure out who called you… Chloe.”
“Isn’t it a little late at night to be asking Chloe to hack into phone systems?”
Clark nodded. “I’ll take it to her tomorrow morning… I’m sure she can trace it.”
Lois came closer to him, seeing the worry etched on his features. She reached up to squeeze his shoulder. “Hey, relax, Smallville. I’m safe here with you. Right? So, sit down and tell me what happened tonight.”
Clark’s shoulders seemed to visibly fall, as he let out a heavy sigh and let Lois lead him over to the sofa. “Oliver and I found who shot you… it was an old mentor of Oliver’s. I don’t want to get into the details… it’s just, Lois. This is the sort of stuff I worry about all the time. You getting hurt. And it seems that no matter what I do, there’s always something I miss.” He held up her cell phone. “Like whoever is calling you pretending to be me.”
“Well at least I know the truth, right? I mean, if you were still ducking in dark alleys, how would I ever know this creep wasn’t you?”
“I can’t believe I ever thought that you not knowing the truth would be safer than you knowing… Yet, Lois. Being with me… there’s just so much danger out there. And now with a child…”
“Who will likely have your powers, if my pregnancy is any indication,” she said reassuringly. But there was just a hint of doubt in her voice, and Clark eyed her questioningly.
“What is it, Lois? What are you worried about?”
Her eyes darted over to the lead box with the blue K. “Look, I know Jor-El probably knows what he’s talking about using the blue meteor rock to counteract the effects of a Kryptonian child growing in a human mommy, but – what if it is hurting him somehow, you know? I mean, what if it makes him less strong than he can be? All because I’m not strong enough to deal with a super baby…”
“Lois,” he chided softly, reaching to pull her closer to him. “I’m sure he… or she is fine. But… I suppose I could look, if you’re really worried.”
“Look?” she asked, puzzled for a moment. “Oh! You mean look,” she said, intrigued by the idea.
He turned to her, holding her hand to help put her at ease. “Just hold still a moment.”
Lois watched in fascination as Clark stared down at her belly. His expression softened as his mouth curved into a gentle smile, and then his eyes stopped squinting when he looked back up at her. He gently squeezed her hand. When he spoke, his voice had a catch to it. “Everything is fine.”
The smile wouldn’t leave his face, and Lois prodded him to tell her more. “What else do you see?” Her eyes narrowed at him in speculation.
“You know, don’t you?” she said, lightly fist punching him in the arm. “If it’s a boy or a girl?”
Clark nodded. “Do you want to know?” he asked softly, taking her hand in his, calming her.
She shook her head, tears in her eyes, and then just as suddenly blurted, “Tell me.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“It’s a boy… a perfect, beautiful baby boy,” he said, his voice filled with awe.
Lois bit her lip, feeling a bit shy. “You’re amazing, Clark, do you know that?” she said softly.
He rested his hand gently on her shoulder, rubbing his thumb softly back and forth. Somehow, they found themselves leaning towards each other, and before they knew it, they were kissing.
Lois scooted closer to him on the sofa, and Clark cradled her back as he pulled her closer to him.
“Lois, I know you don’t have the memory of us… but, I do…and it was perfect,” he said, his voice soft.
“Just…kiss me, Clark,” Lois responded, tired of trying to over analyze everything. She needed to feel him close. Her fingers wandered down the plane of his chest, and back up to thread through his silky hair. His hands caressed her as his kiss deepened.
He maneuvered them so they were somehow lying on the sofa, half side by side, half on top of each other. Clark’s hand found its way to her stomach, and he gently caressed the baby bump there as he kissed her. “I love you, Lois… and as much as I want this…” he smiled at her and she suddenly smiled back.
“This sofa isn’t exactly comfortable,” she said, nodding with a smile.
“Yeah…” Clark agreed, sitting up. “What if we went away for a weekend?”
She gave him a half-teasing, questioning glance. “So you get me to move in with you only so we can run away somewhere?”
“Hear me out,” he said, pulling Lois into his embrace once more as they settled into a sitting position. “We’ve both have had a lot to deal with lately… and maybe it would be good for us to have a change of scenery.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Zod’s little visit to the hospital, would it?”
“I admit that I don’t like the fact that he has been talking to you… but I think it might be good for us. To get away… and reconnect.”
“All right, Mr. Kent. You arrange all the details. And I’ll look forward to a weekend away.” Lois reached for the remote, and then snuggled up next to Clark. He tossed the throw blanket over them, pulling Lois closer to him.
“It doesn’t mean we can’t snuggle in the meantime,” Clark said.
Lois clicked through channels, eventually stopping on an old ‘90s romantic comedy. “You don’t mind, right?” she said, setting the remote on the table.
“Whatever you—“ he stopped midsentence, his hearing picking up something.
“What? What is it, Clark?”
Clark sighed reluctantly, and kissed Lois on her head before disentangling himself from the comfy sofa. “I’m sorry, Lois. I hear a five alarm fire…” he said, shrugging apologetically.
“Clark, it’s fine. I get it…. Now go save the day.”
With a sudden whoosh, Clark was gone.
Lois sighed, moving so that she was leaning on the pillow Clark had just abandoned. “Just… come back when you’re finished, Smallville.”
~L&C~
Later that evening, Clark took Lois’ phone to Watchtower for Chloe to trace the call from ‘The Blur.’
“Everything all right between you two?” Chloe asked, doing some fast typing after connecting Lois’ cell to her computer.
“Improving by the day… It’s just, Chloe – I’m worried about Zod. He approached Lois, and his tower is set to go live in a matter of days…”
“Well, I’ve been keeping an eye on him and Tess… and though I can’t tell you what they’re planning, I’ve seen them together more times than I’m comfortable with.”
Clark paced nervously around Chloe. “Clark, I can practically hear your thoughts. What is it now?”
“A few weeks ago… I saved Zod. He was bleeding to death, and I just took a chance and gave him some of my blood. Chloe, what if I gave him my powers?”
Chloe continued to type for a minute, and then slowly turned towards Clark. “Then that may be just the beginning of your problems, Clark… “ She pointed to her computer screen that showed the reroute of Lois’ call. “The phone call came from RAO Industries. Our rogue Blur is Zod.”
Clark sighed, pensively. “He’s getting more dangerous by the day, Chloe. And with Lois being pregnant—I have to at least slow him down…” Clark resumed his pacing as he went on, thinking aloud. “In the future, the thing that gave Zod power over Earth, it was the Tower…”
Chloe turned to Clark, stopping his pacing. “Then start there. Clark, you have to destroy Zod’s Tower before it goes online.”
