Ok, sorry for the long wait, I have been very busy with schoolwork so I didn't have time to work on it much. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.
Their kiss was interrupted by the ringing of Lois’ telephone. Clark broke apart from her and went to answer the phone in the kitchen.
“Hello,” Clark said.
“Who is this? Where is Lois?” A shrill voice answered him.
“I’m Clark Kent, Lois’ partner at work. Who may I tell Lois is calling?” Clark asked trying desperately to be polite.
“What are you doing at my daughter’s apartment at nine o’clock at night? Let me talk to Lois,” Ellen Lane demanded instead of giving Clark an answer.
“Of course, Mrs. Lane, here she is,” Clark said as he walked back into the bedroom and handed Lois the portable phone to Lois. ‘Your mother,’ Clark mouthed to her as he sat down on the bed next to her.
Lois made a face but took the phone, “Hello, Mother, how are you?”
“Lois, who in the world is that man? Why is he answering your phone at nine o’clock?”
“That’s Clark, Mother,” Lois said rolling her eyes. “We’ve been dating for past couple of months. Actually, I’m glad you called, I have a couple of things to tell you,” Lois said as she leaned back into Clark’s chest.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Ellen demanded.
“Nothing’s wrong Mother, its good news. Clark proposed to me the other day and I said yes. I’m getting married!” Lois exclaimed gleefully.
“You’re getting married? To this Clark person? Are you sure? You know what your father did to me, how do you know Clark won’t do the same thing. He is a man you know.”
“Mother, Clark is not like Daddy. He won’t ever leave me and he loves me very much.” Lois said exasperated.
“He may love you now, but what about five year down the road when someone younger and prettier comes along? His eyes will start wandering, Lois.” Ellen declared.
“They won’t mother, Clark is different. His parents have been married for over 30 years and I know Clark will want to be just like them in 30 years and we will be.” Lois said.
“I guess I will have to believe you for now but I want to meet him so I can see how much in love with you he is. Wait, you said you had two things to tell me, what was the other thing?”
“I’m pregnant,” Lois said, holding her breath.
“So that’s why he proposed, he felt obligated because he got you in trouble!” Ellen exclaimed.
“No Mother,” Lois groaned, “he already had the ring and it's not his fault I got pregnant. I was on the pill but it failed. Clark is really excited about the baby.”
“Well, you don’t have to get married just because you are pregnant. It is the nineties, you know. All those women in Hollywood are always having babies out of wedlock. I’m sure it would be fine if you tell him he doesn’t have to marry you just because of the baby.”
“Mother, Clark doesn’t feel obligated. He’s excited about being a father and he is looking forward to it.”
“I see,” Ellen said skeptically.
“Why don’t we meet for lunch in a few days and you can see for yourself how great of a guy he is?” Lois suggested.
“Alright, that would be okay.” The topic of Clark seemed to be closed for now and Ellen went onto more important topics. “How far along are you? Are you feeling okay? Is that man taking care of you?”
“Yes, Clark is taking very good care of me. He is being very good. He even carried me to bed tonight after I got sick. And to answer your other questions, I am seven weeks along and I’ve been feeling sick almost every night.” Lois said with a smile.
“Your father never did that for me and I was sick almost every night,” Ellen huffed.
“I told you mother, Clark is not daddy, he loves me and he will take of us.”
“Alright, would tomorrow be okay for lunch. I’d really like to meet this man you have only known for two months and yet you seem to know him well enough to marry him.”
“Mother, I said we’ve been dating for two months, I didn’t say we’ve only known each other for two months. Clark and I have been best friends and partners at work for over a year and a half, we know each other very well. Clark knows me almost better than I know myself.”
“Well, I’ll just have to meet him and decide for myself. Can we meet tomorrow for lunch?”
Lois looked at Clark knowing that he had been listening to her conversation and Clark nodded in response to her unasked question. “Tomorrow’s fine, Mother. How about you meet us at one o’clock at Mattie’s Deli.”
“Alright, I’ll see you there. Be sure this Clark fellow comes with you.”
“I will mother, bye,” Lois said before pressing the end button and turning to bury her face in Clark’s chest with a moan. “Do I have to go tomorrow,” she whined.
“It would be nice of you to go but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I would like to meet your mother.” Clark said while rubbing her back soothingly.
“Really, why?” Lois said incredulously.
“Because she’s you mother and she raised you. I’d like to get to know her and it would be nice if the baby would know her,” Clark said.
“I guess,” Lois said hesitantly.
“What’s wrong, Lois?”
“I’m afraid if you meet her, you’ll see what I will be like in thirty years and not want to marry me.” Lois said quietly.
“Never,” Clark said emphatically, “Lois, I already know you aren’t your mother and I will never stop loving you or cheat on you.”
“Promise?”
“I promise. Why don’t you lay down and I’ll be in as soon as I lock up and do a patrol. Do you need help getting undressed?”
“No, I think I can manage it.”
“Okay,” Clark said before kissing her cheek and spinning into the suit. “I’ll be back soon.”
Clark returned several hours later to find Lois sleeping peacefully, clutching his pillow. After quietly changing, Clark slipped in beside her and smiled when Lois automatically rolled over and snuggled into his side. Clark was asleep in a matter of minutes and nothing woke up him up until morning.
Clark saw Lois look up at the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes and decided to get up and distract her.
“Lois did you finish reading the article about the mayor’s election campaign?” Clark asked.
“Huh?” Lois said looking up at him confused.
“I wrote the mayoral campaign article and sent it to you so you can look it over before I send it to Perry,” Clark responded.
“Oh, okay,” Lois said as she focused her attention on her computer screen. Clark smiled to himself and walked back to his desk hoping the article would keep her busy until it was time to leave for lunch with her mother.
An hour later, Clark walked back into the newsroom after going on a rescue and went to find Lois so they could go to lunch.
“Are you ready to go, honey?” Clark asked as he came up behind her at the copy machine.
“Do we have to go?” Lois whined again.
“Yes, we do. I was afraid I wouldn’t make it back in time and then you would never forgive me.” Clark said as he helped her put her coat on.
“About that Clark, mother is already not going to like you, could you try not to leave to any,” she made a motion with her hand to explain what she meant.
“I promise Lois, unless there is a major emergency that the police can't handle I will stay right next to you.”
“Alright, lets go,” Lois said as she walked over to the elevators. They arrived at the restaurant at exactly one o’clock and found that Ellen was already waiting for them.
“Lois, you could at least be on time for lunch with me.” Ellen berated Lois as soon as Clark and she had been shown to their table.
“Mother it is exactly one o’clock, we are on time.” Lois said frustrated.
“Hmph,” Ellen said, then turning to Clark she said, “You must be the young man who got my little girl in trouble.”
“Mother!” Lois practically yelled.
Before Lois could continue, Clark cut in and said, “Mrs. Lane, it's nice to meet you. I’m Clark, Lois’ fiancé.”
Ellen was quite obvious as she looked Clark up and down and then said, “Well, I guess if Lois thinks you are good enough to marry, I will have to accept you.” Ellen said, indicating the matter was now closed.
“So you are seven weeks along, have you been to your doctor yet?”
“Yes, Clark and I went on Monday,” Lois replied.
“He went with you,” Ellen asked, amazed.
“Of course,” Clark said, “it’s my baby too. I’m going to try to go to every appointment because I want to know how the baby is developing and how Lois is doing.”
Ellen stared at Clark for a few moments before turning to Lois and saying, “Lois hold on to this man, I can tell he loves you and the baby very much.”
Lois smiled triumphantly, knowing that her mother had approved of Clark and continued to tell Ellen about her pregnancy so far.
The rest of lunch went by quickly as Ellen had seemed to accept Clark and they were able to discuss their plans for the baby. They told Ellen that Lois was moving in with Clark that weekend and they would start looking at houses soon, too.
“So you will get married before you are showing, right? That doesn’t give us much time, only about a month. But I’m sure with enough money we can pull it off.” Ellen said, while looking in her date book.
“Mother! We don’t want to rush into a wedding. We are planning on having the wedding in about two to three months,” Lois exclaimed.
“What?! Why then everyone will know the baby is a bastard. You’re better off not getting married at all, that way you’ll just be a single mom. I’ve already told you that that’s fashionable these days,” Ellen replied.
“Mother!” Lois started to say but was interrupted by Clark before she could finish.
“Mrs. Lane,” Clark said calmly through clenched teeth, “We don’t want to rush into anything and we don’t care what anyone else thinks. This may not have been planned but we are very happy about it and we won’t let what other people think about it influence us.”
“Well, if you are not going to change your minds, I won’t argue with you,” Ellen relented. “You will let me help with the wedding however?”
“Of course, Mother, as soon as we figure out what we want to do. I do know that we don’t want a big wedding, something small with just family and close friends.” Lois said.
“Alright, I guess I can work with that,” Ellen said, “I can start looking at venues if you want. I could see if the botanical gardens are free, if you might like that?”
“Oh really?” Lois said excitedly. “Would you really be able to get it on such short notice?”
“I could pull some strings, I am on the board of the DAR with the event coordinator of the botanical gardens. I’m sure she would be able to pull some strings for me and your father would of course pay for it.” Ellen said, clearly in the groove now that she was planning.
“Mother, Clark and I can pay for our wedding. We both have some money put away and we can afford it.” Lois said.
“Nonsense, the bride’s family pays for the wedding and your father can certainly afford it. Besides I think he will be thrilled that you are getting married and not to mention the fact that he is going to be a grandfather.” Ellen said with a smile.
“Alright if you can get him to agree, I am fine with that.” Lois relented.
“Great, I will call him later,” Ellen grinned.
Lunch was soon over and Lois and Clark got ready to return to the newsroom. They agreed to meet Ellen regularly for lunch and to keep her updated on Lois’ pregnancy.
As they walked away, Lois turned to Clark and said, “That actually went really well, after she was done insulting you. I think she actually approved of you.”
“Well why wouldn’t she? I’m super,” Clark said with a smirk.
The only response from Lois was a smack on his shoulder to which Clark responded to by drawing Lois into his arms and giving her a kiss. They walked quietly back to the newsroom arm in arm.
The days went by quickly and before they knew it, Friday had arrived and it was time to implement the plan that Lois, Clark and Jimmy had come up with. Lois would arrive by herself and because of Perry’s insistence she would be wearing a wire that Henderson and his men would be listening to from down the block. She would also be wearing a disguise so the suspect would not recognize her. Clark and Jimmy would walk in together a few minutes before Lois and acting like they were having a night on the town. Lois would appear to be on the prowl and would order a drink and purposely leave it unattended to go dancing. The hope, then, would be that when she came back and pretended to drink from her drink that someone would follow her to the bathroom.
The first hour they had no luck. Lois had been asked to dance many times and Clark had seen no one approach her drink while she was gone. The second hour, Clark noticed a man who seemed to be very interested in Lois and when she headed to the bathroom for the second time that night, the man followed.
“Jimmy, call Henderson,” Clark demanded before he took off running to the bathroom.
A woman who had been eyeing him all night stopped him, “Hi handsome, I’ve been watching you over at that bar all evening. How would you like to dance?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t,” Clark said trying to remove her hands from his chest.
“Aww, come on,” she said looping her arms around his neck. “I know you must be lonely, you haven’t danced all night. Did you get your heart broken?”
“Um, no. Please, I really have to go.” Clark said as he removed her arms from his neck and practically sprinted to the bathrooms. He didn’t even bother to knock on the door or x-ray it, he just burst, afraid of what he would find.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Clark said when he caught site of Lois pinning the unconscious man to the floor.
“What took you so long, Farmboy” Lois asked incredulously, as she allowed Clark to help her up.
“I got asked to dance by a persistent blond,” Clark replied off handedly. “Is that him? Did he hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine. He seemed quite shocked when he discovered that I wasn’t actually passed out. He fell down like a cardboard cutout.” Lois said while casually dusting her hands off.
“Just then Henderson walked in with two officers, “Is that him? Are you two alright?” He asked, while the two officers cuffed the man who was just now starting to come around.
“We’re fine, Bill,” Clark said putting his arm around Lois.
Henderson nodded and then turned to his officers, “Do you have a name?”
“Yes, sir, his name is Drew Jenkins.”
Henderson quickly read Drew Jenkins his rights and then had his officers take him away.
“Are you going to be able to charge him with enough to put him away for a long time?” Clark asked.
“I hope so, I’m hoping once news gets out that we caught the Metropolis Regent rapist that more women will come forward so we can charge him with multiple counts. How did you hear about this anyway?”
Lois glanced at Clark for permission before turning to Henderson, “I don’t want this to go further than this room but I am one of his victims. I wanted to catch the guy and stop him from hurting any other women.”
“What!?” Henderson gasped in surprise. “It would be better if you testified about this. Why don’t you want to testify?”
“Because as far as the rest of the world is concerned, Clark is the father of my baby. I don’t want the whole world to know I am having a rape child.”
“I understand if that’s what you want, I won’t make you testify. We should have enough evidence without your testimony.”
“Thank you, Bill,” Clark said, “We’ve only told a few people and we’d really appreciate it if you could keep this to yourself. We’ll announce Lois’ pregnancy to everyone else in about a month.”
“You’re welcome,” Bill said with a smile.
Just then a woman walked into the bathroom and looked at Henderson and Clark oddly before saying, “Excuse me, I thought the sign on the door said this was the women’s bathroom?”
“Oh, of course. Clark, I don’t think we need anything else from you tonight, if I think of anything I’ll give you a call.”
“Okay, Bill,” Clark said as he opened the door for the three of them to exit.
After saying goodbye to Henderson and Jimmy, Clark and Lois walked to her apartment.
“Clark,” Lois said when they had arrived at the apartment. “Do you think we could pack tomorrow? I’m really tired.”
“Sure, actually why don’t you tell me what to pack and I will do it before I go on patrol.” Clark suggested.
“Alright, I guess you can pack up the kitchen and the living room.”
“Great, I’ll pack them up and go ahead and take them over to my place while it's dark.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Clark.”
“Goodnight, Lois,” Clark said coming over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep well, I’ll be in in a couple of hours.”
“Okay,” Lois said before turning to go to her bedroom.
Within thirty minutes Lois’ kitchen and living room were bare and all her stuff was sitting in the loft of Clark’s apartment. Clark had to stay out later than he planned due to a rather active night coupled with a hurricane in the Mexico. He finally climbed into bed beside Lois at four in the morning and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Saturday was spent getting Lois settled into the apartment and shopping to get any new things they needed now that they would be living together. Sunday Lois and Clark spent the day with their realtor looking at houses. They were beginning to believe that they would never find a house when their realtor took them to see a turn of the century brownstone that had just been put on the market the day before. The house had a private backyard, a large kitchen that Clark almost drooled over, a dining room and a living room, three good sized bedrooms upstairs including a large master suite with a Jacuzzi tub and two bathrooms.
The house was five minutes away from work by car and there were many restaurants and shops within walking distance. Lois immediately fell in with the house and after seeing the way her face light up, Clark agreed to put in an offer. Their realtor had told them several people had expressed interest in the house, so Lois and Clark put in an offer for full asking price hoping they would have the highest bid.
