Okay, I've read a lot of the fanfic on the boards and have wanted to write it myself. It's taken a while to get up the guts, but here goes... Tell me what you think.
< > around a word denotes telepathy. The adolescent heat vision idea came from Smallville. The usual disclaimers apply.
Zared is the working title. I plan on changing it.
Part 1
Zared, the oldest child of Clark Kent and Lois Lane Kent, was mentally kicking himself. Stupid! He was stupid. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid. Barely eighteen years old and now there was a baby on the way - his baby. Both his mom and his dad had stressed the importance of using protection if he chose to have sex. As his relationship with Jenni had grown, and his dad had seen how they acted around each other, he told Zared he *preferred* he wait til he was older and preferably until he was married. He had told his dad that he thought she was "the one". Clark had told him that may be, but they were both young and should take their relationship slowly. So now he was thinking, "Why didn't I listen to my dad?" He and Jenni had been dating off and on since they were both freshmen. For the past year they had only been dating each other. She often looked at him like he had hung the moon or some such. And he loved her. Oh, how he loved her. He loved her so very much.
Dad had told him to always remember how his special powers would affect any relationship. And he had nodded telling his dad he loved Jenni. Dad had said, "Yes, I know you love her, but are you ready to tell her about yourself?" He was still coming to terms with it all himself and was still learning to properly control all his powers. It had only been eight months since he had set the kitchen on fire. Fortunately his dad had been there to quickly put it out, because he had panicked.
The morning after the fire, he was talking to his dad about his feelings for Jenni. Clark had noticed the desire in his eyes. Zared was warming his tea and when it started to turn to steam, Clark had just chuckled and shook his head. He'd remembered when he was a teenager and had been watching a pretty girl walk down the street. *He* had been sitting in the car and melted the window of the door. He'd had a hard time explaining *that* one to his mom and dad. He winked at Zared and said, "I can see why you set the kitchen on fire last night." Zared had just blushed. He had gotten his dad's meaning.
Jenni and he had had a magical Valentine's Day. They had looked at each other with such love... and desire. Later things had gotten out of hand. They had done what they had promised each other not to do until at *least* after graduation. And after that, well, things were just easier. They'd still felt a little guilty, but they had been together five times now. He couldn't help but smile.
And now Jenni was pregnant. He hadn't listened to his oh-so-wise father. At the end of their date last night, they were sitting in the car. She was nervous and fidgety and finally said, "Zared, I'm pregnant." That's all she had said. He had held her for a few minutes, mentally berating himself the entire time. They walked up to her house and sat down on the front porch. They needed to talk. It was then that her dad opened the door, and said, "Oh, Jenni, I'm so glad you are home early. I've been waiting for you. The hospital wants me to come to work, and I need the overtime. Your brother and sister are both in bed. You know where I'll be if anything happens." It was a weeknight and her curfew was 11:00 pm. Her dad was a stickler about this and it was now 10:50 pm. Zared was not allowed inside the house after 11:00 pm unless her dad was home. Considering what she had just told him that felt pretty ironic now. There was no school tomorrow, but that didn't matter, it was still a weeknight. Danny had said, "Come on in, so I can leave." She nodded, and then just looked at Zared. They both knew there would be no argument. He suspected that her dad did not yet know. She knew Jenni wouldn't talk to him on the phone or the computer about such a subject because of her "bratty little brother". Jenni's mother had left long ago, so she sometimes had to watch her brother and sister. She sighed heavily, "I'll see you tomorrow, Zared." All he could do was turn and leave.
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It was now 4:00 am and he had been pacing. He couldn't sleep. His eyes were red from crying. They were too young to be parents. No matter, they were going to be parents. Criminy, they weren't even out of high school yet. Graduation was in two weeks; it would not be the graduation he had imagined. He wished his mom was here, and he desperately wanted to speak to his dad, but some idiot had shot him. How anyone had gotten any kryptonite, he didn't know. His dad had thought all of it had been found and safely tucked away at S.T.A.R. Labs. He was wrong. On top of that, they still hadn't caught the guy that did it so there was still kryptonite out there somewhere. He had been looking for it but so far hadn't found it. The emergency surgery had gone fine but then later there had been complications of some sort and he had to have more surgery. His dad had been moved from the hospital to S.T.A.R. Labs, so he thought maybe Bernie could get him in without any one knowing who he was, but dad was still in a lot of pain and still really weak, so that was not an option. He *had* discreetly checked on his dad several times, but it wasn't like Superman's family could go in for a real visit. He'd probably get to come home in a few days, but he'd really like to talk to his dad now. Jenni and he were going to have a baby. He sat down on the couch and just sat there. He was exhausted and by 4:30 am had fallen asleep.
It was 7:00 am when his little sister woke him up. "Why are you on the couch, Zared?" She looked him over and said, "You look like crap. What's wrong?" She didn't know the secret yet, so of course she didn't ask about their dad. She thought Clark Kent was in Europe on assignment. Zared thought that after his dad was shot, all the kids should be told, but his dad had firmly disagreed, saying they weren't ready. Darn telepathy anyway. If it hadn't been for that, he wouldn't have known of his dad's wishes. Even with kryptonite poisoning, not to mention the gun shot wounds, his dad had used telepathy from the ER. Evidently the telepathy wasn't affected by kryptonite. He had to abide by his dad's decision. He'd almost told anyway, but he hadn't wanted to risk it. He'd seen his dad really angry exactly one time, and he *didn't* want to see it again.
Zared just grumbled at his sister, "I don't wanna talk about it. Why are you up so early anyway?" He didn't bother to listen for the answer. He went upstairs and got in the shower. He took a long, very hot shower.
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More to come....
