Okay, because Ann begged, I've done an alternate scene when Lois makes a time traveling visit to Clark. And she likes it!! I actually think I like it better, too. Let me know what you think. (I've also posted the original version of this scene after the alternate.) Ann, I made the change you suggested.
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Caitlyn left and Clark looked over to his still sleeping son. He bit back another sob. It would happen soon. Why did it have to be this way? Yes, yes, he'd been given some long explanation, but he didn't like it, no, not at all. It just didn't seem fair. He took a deep breath and collected himself. He absolutely could not break down.
It was then that she slipped behind the curtain. Ah, she was so beautiful. He dropped his head and pretended to take great interest in the sheet that was pulled to his waist.
"You know this is crazy. It just seems suspiciously stupid to me. This just seems the long circuitous way of doing th..."
"Shhh... Don't wake him up." Clark motioned to Jon.
She put one hand on her hip. "Oh. Let me guess. I told you to tell me that, huh? Ouch. Nasty bruise." She smiled. "How did you..."
He couldn't help but smile, too as he interrupted and said in a joking, chastising way, "You know the rules. I can't tell you. You can't tell me. Otherwise, I would have known about the bruise. And, dang, if I wouldn't have liked to know. It hurts." He dropped his head again and bit his lip. "But you can't tell me."
"Umm... Yeah, I know." She said brightly, "Okay. I hate these things. You know what I've told you, and I haven't told you yet." She looked over at the young man that was asleep and leaning against the wall. "Is that..." She took a deep breath and said a silent, "Oh." She leaned down to get a better look at Jon's face. "Jon." She whispered, "That's Jon. Oh, he's so handsome. Just like his father." She giggled a little then raised an eyebrow, sighed, and said, "Who was that lady in here? She seemed a little too friendly for a doctor. I saw how she was acting. Not very professional."
"And just where were you hiding to have seen that?" He was trying to keep this conversation light. So far he thought he was doing a good - no a fantastic - job of it.
"I was hiding by the next bed. There's no patient there. I used a mirror to see what was going on." She shrugged her shoulders as if to say that he should know she would do something like that. "I had to make sure you were alone. Except for Jon, of course... umm... since he's asleep. So, who is she?"
"Umm..." He swallowed hard, and he felt uneasy. "Friend. Works at S.T.A.R. Labs."
She questioned, "Oh. Something happen to Bernie?" He sighed exasperatingly. "Oh, right. I can't ask that. It's just hard not to be nosy. That's just part of my nature."
"Yes, I know. That's one of the things I love about you." He bit his lip and changed the subject. "Umm... Don't you have something for me?"
"Oh, yes. The thingy. Here's it is. You aren't going to lose it, are you? It's too important for that." She decided to tease him a little. "Hmmm.... You appear to be naked. Ooohhh... Maybe I can take a peek under there."
His look was pained. No! He just couldn't take any teasing. His answer was close to a snap. "Stop that! This is hard enough..."
"My point exactly, Clark." She grinned wickedly. She ran her hand over his abdomen and dipped it just below the edge of the sheet. Then the look on her face became serious, and she bent closer to him. "Clark! You... you have scars. They are nearly faded and difficult to see, but I know the feeling of you well enough to feel them. My god! What happened to you?"
"Well, I... umm..." He swallowed hard.
She said flatly, "Oh, right. You aren't allowed to tell me." Then she blew her breath out in frustration and crossed her arms. "Probably wouldn't matter even if I told you about it. You could still end up hurt. Looks like you've been through hell and back."
Clark looked down and tugged at the edges of the sheet that was covering him. Miserably, he softly said, "Yeah. You could say that."
He sighed and shook his head as he looked back into that beautiful face. "I'm not going to misplace the 'thingy' as you call it. I'll put in hyperspace. See." His hand, along with the 'thingy' disappeared into hyperspace. When his hand re-appeared, it was empty. "There."
"Hyperspace. I guess I'll never understand how that works." She frowned. "Why are you so upset? You knew I was coming."
"Pain, I guess." He was definitely in pain and in more ways than she could possibly realize.
"Hmmm.... I suppose. Ahh.. I would have really liked to see the other five kids, but that wasn't meant to be, I guess." When she said this, Clark briefly looked puzzled. The look quickly faded but not before being noticed. She cocked her head. "Am I missing something? You seemed puzzled. Oh, wait... don't tell me there's..." She shook her head. "Never mind. Don't tell me."
Clark smiled, "What *are* you babbling about? Babble, babble, babble, babble...."
She swatted his arm. "I *don't* babble!"
"Oh, yes, you do!" He reached up and touched her face. "Do you know how much I love you? How much I... I... I love you so much." He moved his hand to his bruised abdomen and bit his lip trying to cover his emotion. "Mmmm...."
She sighed and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You *are* in pain, aren't you?" He nodded lightly. "I love you, too, you know." She bent and lightly brushed her lips to his. "Well, as much fun as this is, I've probably already been here too long. I guess I have to go now. Hmmm... I see you seem to have stopped aging. Although I know you are older, you don't look any older than the last time I saw you."
He managed to give her a little smile. "You already knew about that."
"I know."
Caitlyn poked her head in. She was surprised to find a woman at Clark's beside. "Excuse me. How did you get in here?" She pointed at Clark. "You, Kal-El, are not supposed to have visitors."
This was totally unexpected. He looked from one to the other and was unutterably speechless. He finally muttered a soft, "Uhh.. uh.."
"I'll leave in a minute. He says you work at S.T.A.R. Labs. Well, you better take good care of him." She cocked her head and looked at Caitlyn then back at Clark. She hadn't failed to notice the look on Clark's face when Caitlyn entered the area. He was surprised but there was something else there - a tenderness... and love. She also was very aware of how Caitlyn was looking at him, and how she had been acting earlier. Oh, most people wouldn't have noticed a thing, but she was very perceptive. "Oh, I see. Oh. Oh. Oh. I know you wouldn't... You'd never... That means..." She took a deep breath and sighed. "Be happy, Clark. Be happy. Do you understand me? It's okay to be happy. I expect nothing less. Do you hear me?" Tears were threatening to spill when she turned to Caitlyn. "You don't seem surprised by what I called him, but.... I'm fairly sure I understand why. I called him that on purpose to gage your reaction. You better take care of him. And I don't mean professionally. I can see there is much more. Love him. He's a good man. The best. Please don't hurt him." She quickly turned and left. "I have to go now."
When she had left, Caitlyn bent down to him and whispered, "Kal, who was that? Why did she call you...?"
He didn't answer right away. As he watched her, pondering over whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that part of his special vision skills had returned, she entered a housekeeping closet and vanished.
Caitlyn touched him on the arm. "Superman?"
Clark took a deep breath. "That was Lois." He brought his arm up and laid it over his face. He said flatly, "Are all my tests back? I want to go home now."
Jon had awakened and sleepily heard Caitlyn's question. He also heard his dad's answer. Suddenly wide awake, he could only sit and stare.
Caitlyn leaned over to Clark, and said, "Yeah, you can go home." She looked over towards Jon. "Steel Lightning is awake. He heard what you said."
"I didn't know you were awake, Steel Lightning. I didn't intend for you to... hear that." He sat up on the side of the bed and grabbed his suit and starting dressing.
Jon couldn't quite think about what his father had said right now. He was frightened for his father's health and was surprised that Caitlyn was letting him leave. "Dr. Kira, are you sure? He's..."
Caitlyn and Clark both spoke and said, "It's okay."
Caitlyn assured him by nodding. "I'll stay right with him. One of you can get him here quickly if needed. I don't think it will be needed." She brushed her hand over his abdomen. "See, the bruise is already starting to fade." She raised her eyebrows and then said, "Now if this had happened a few days ago, I would have been a lot more upset. More and more of the 'superness' is returning."
"Okay." Then he frowned and spoke to his dad. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Sorry, I couldn't. I don't think you were even supposed to know about this - let alone see her."
Jon was incredulous. "You mean you knew about this?"
Quietly, he answered, "Yes, but I can't explain here. Besides it would have been harder for you than it was for me."
"I'm not so sure about that. I know how hard you took Mom's death. All of us do, in case you don't know. Well, except Lara, of course." Jon frowned deeply. "Do you think we don't know that you... you...."
Clark was puzzled. "What?"
Jon's brow was deeply creased. "Do you think we don't know that you considered killing yourself? You live in a telepathic household, remember? Some things just can't be hidden."
Clark didn't know that his children were aware that he had been suicidal. All he could do was stare at Jon in shock.
"You are upset but do seem very calm about this - calmer than I would have expected," Caitlyn said. "You are breathing hard, though."
"I've been expecting it - for a long time. I've had time to get used to the idea. And I don't think I'm as calm as you think." He closed his eyes tightly, fighting the tears that still slipped down his face. His breathing became more ragged. "Now, please let's get out of here before I... totally lose... my composure."
Jon whispered worriedly, "I'll take dad home and be back to get you shortly. Okay?"
She nodded. "I promised John, that I..." When she saw Jon's odd look at her mention of John, she added. "John Dawson. He and I share a surgical practice." Jon nodded. "Anyway, I promised him I wouldn't leave until I know about my xrays. You better wait a minute for the nurses to give you paper work, or they will have my head."
Clark sighed. He wasn't happy about that, but he just nodded, resigned. Fortunately since Caitlyn had already done her paper work, and his nurse knew he was leaving, the discharge papers were ready.
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Original version:
Caitlyn left and Clark looked over to his still sleeping son. He bit back another sob. It would happen soon. Why did it have to be this way? Yes, yes, he'd been given some long explanation, but he didn't like it, no, not at all. It just didn't seem fair. He took a deep breath and collected himself. He absolutely could not break down.
It was then that she slipped behind the curtain. Ah, she was so beautiful. He dropped his head and pretended to take great interest in the sheet that was pulled to his waist.
"You know this is crazy. It just seems suspiciously stupid to me. This just seems the long circuitous way of doing th..."
"Shhh... Don't wake him up." Clark motioned to Jon.
She put one hand on her hip. "Oh. Let me guess. I told you to tell me that, huh? Ouch. Nasty bruise." She smiled. "How did you..."
He couldn't help but smile, too as he interrupted and said in a joking, chastising way, "You know the rules. I can't tell you. You can't tell me. Otherwise, I would have known about the bruise. And, dang, if I wouldn't have liked to know. It hurts." He dropped his head again and bit his lip. "But you can't tell me."
"Umm... Yeah, I know." She said brightly, "Okay. I hate these things. You know what I've told you, and I haven't told you yet. Is that..." She took a deep breath and said a silent, "Oh." She leaned down to get a better look at Jon's face. "Jon." She whispered, "That's Jon. Oh, he's so handsome. Just like his father." She giggled a little then raised an eyebrow, sighed, and said, "Who was that lady in here? She seemed a little too friendly for a doctor. I saw how she was acting. Not very professional."
"And just where were you hiding to have seen that?" He was trying to keep this conversation light. So far he thought he was doing a good - no a fantastic - job of it.
"I was hiding two beds over. There's no patient there. I used a mirror to see what was going on." She shrugged her shoulders as if to say that he should know she would do something like that. "I had to make sure you were alone. Except for Jon, of course... umm... since he's asleep. So, who is she?"
"Umm..." He swallowed hard, and he felt uneasy. "Friend. Works at S.T.A.R. Labs."
She questioned, "Oh. Something happen to Bernie?" He sighed exasperatingly. "Oh, right. I can't ask that. It's just hard not to be nosy. That's just part of my nature."
"Yes, I know. That's one of the things I.. uh... Umm... Don't you have something for me?"
"Oh, yes. The thingy. Here's it is. You aren't going to lose it, are you? It's too important for that." She decided to tease him a little. "Hmmm.... You appear to be naked. Ooohhh... Maybe I can take a peek under there."
His look was pained. No! He just couldn't take any teasing. His answer was close to a snap. "Stop that! This is hard enough..."
"My point exactly, Clark." She grinned wickedly.
He sighed and shook his head. "I'm not going to misplace it. I'll put in hyperspace. See." His hand, along with the 'thingy' disappeared into hyperspace. When his hand re-appeared, it was empty. "There."
"Hyperspace. I guess I'll never understand how that works. Why are you so upset? You knew I was coming."
"Pain, I guess." He was definitely in pain and in more ways than she could possibly realize.
"Hmmm.... I suppose. I've probably already been here too long." She sighed, "Well, as much fun as this is, I guess I have to go now. I see you seem to have stopped aging. Although I know you are older, you don't look any older than the last time I saw you."
He managed to give her a little smile. "You already knew about that."
"I know."
Caitlyn poked her head in. "Excuse me. How did you get in here?" She pointed at Clark. "You, Kal-El, are not supposed to have visitors."
This was totally unexpected. He looked from one to the other and was unutterably speechless. He finally muttered a soft, "Uhh.. uh.."
"I'll leave in a minute. He says you work at S.T.A.R. Labs. Well, you better take good care of him." She cocked her head and looked at Caitlyn then back at Clark. She hadn't failed to notice the look on Clark's face when Caitlyn entered the area. He was surprised but there was something else there - a tenderness... and love. She also was very aware of how Caitlyn was looking at him, and how she had been acting earlier. Oh, most people wouldn't have noticed a thing, but she was very perceptive. "Oh, I see. Oh. Oh. Oh. I know you wouldn't... You'd never... That means..." She took a deep breath and sighed. "Be happy, Clark. Be happy. Do you understand me? It's okay to be happy. I expect nothing less. Do you hear me?" Tears were threatening to spill when she turned to Caitlyn. "You don't seem surprised by what I called him, but.... I'm fairly sure I understand why. I called him that on purpose to gage your reaction. You better take care of him. And I don't mean professionally. I can see there is much more. Love him. He's a good man. The best. Please don't hurt him." She quickly turned and left. "I have to go now."
When she had left, Caitlyn bent down to him and whispered, "Kal, who was that? Why did she call you...?"
He didn't answer right away. As he watched her, pondering over whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that part of his special vision skills had returned, she entered a housekeeping closet and vanished.
Caitlyn touched him on the arm. "Superman?"
Clark took a deep breath. "That was Lois." He brought his arm up and laid it over his face. He said flatly, "Are all my tests back? I want to go home now."
Jon had awakened and sleepily heard Caitlyn's question. He also heard his dad's answer. Suddenly wide awake, he could only sit and stare.
Caitlyn leaned over to Clark, and said, "Yeah, you can go home." She looked over towards Jon. "Steel Lightning is awake. He heard what you said."
"I didn't know you were awake, Steel Lightning. I didn't intend for you to... hear that." He sat up on the side of the bed and grabbed his suit and starting dressing.
Jon couldn't quite think about what his father had said, just now. He was frightened for his father's health and was surprised that Caitlyn was letting him leave. "Dr. Kira, are you sure? He's..."
Caitlyn and Clark both spoke and said, "It's okay."
Caitlyn assured him by nodding. "I'll stay right with him. One of you can get him here quickly if needed. I don't think it will be needed." She brushed her hand over his abdomen. "See, the bruise is already starting to fade." She raised her eyebrows and then said, "Now if this had happened a few days ago, I would have been a lot more upset. More and more of the 'superness' is returning."
"Okay." Then he frowned and spoke to his dad. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Sorry, I couldn't. I don't think you were even supposed to know about this - let alone see her."
Jon was incredulous. "You mean you knew about this?"
Quietly, he answered, "Yes, but I can't explain here. Besides it would have been harder for you than it was for me."
"I'm not so sure about that. I know how hard you took Mom's death. All of us do, in case you don't know. Well, except Lara of course."
"You are upset but do seem very calm about this," Caitlyn said. "You are breathing hard, though."
"I've been expecting it - for a long time. I've had time to get used to the idea." He closed his eyes tightly, fighting tears. "Now, please let's get out of here before I lose... my composure."
Jon whispered, "Okay. I'll take dad home and be back to get you shortly. Okay?"
She nodded. "I promised John, that I..." When she saw Jon's odd look at her mention of John, she added. "John Dawson. He and I share a surgical practice." Jon nodded. "Anyway, I promised him I wouldn't leave until I know about my xrays. You better wait a minute for the nurses to give you paper work, or they will have my head."
Clark sighed. He wasn't happy about that, but he just nodded, resigned. Fortunately since Caitlyn had already done her paper work, and his nurse knew he was leaving, the discharge papers were ready.
