Okay, no one is biting my Fanfiction challenge to help me finish this story, so I am posting a part and hoping I'll get some ideas from feedback. OR you could check the fanfic challenge post for more details.
Creation
This is a “futures” story and everything happened as it did in the series.
Tears pricked Lois Lane-Kent’s eyes as her babies walked across the stage to receive their high school diplomas. Her babies. JC and Mariel, the children that she and Clark had been told that they would never have, that it would be impossible for them to conceive. But Clark had been right. When they made love, they made love and it had resulted in creation. Oh, the joy, the amazement. She had hid her symptoms from Clark, not really believing that she could be pregnant, and not wanting to give him false hopes. Once her physician confirmed by blood tests that she was indeed pregnant, she had feared that she would lose the pregnancy and she had still hesitated to tell Clark knowing how distraught he would be if because of his “differences” she lost the pregnancy. But when her next visit revealed that she was carrying twins, well, she could no longer keep it from Clark whatever the outcome. No father could possibly been happier than her husband had been the day he opened the envelope containing her ultrasound pictures.
And here they were. Jonathan Clark, JC, was planning to attend the University of Kansas in the fall, working towards a degree in political science. He had all of his father’s powers and hoped to advance his father’s work with the warring foreign powers and bring peace to the world. JC was spending the summer with the senior Kents helping them around the farm. Jonathan and Martha still loved their Smallville life, but most of the farm work was done by hired hands these days.
Her little girl, Mariel, named for Martha and Ellen, her little girl wanted such different things than Lois had wanted at her age. Mariel was planning to marry her high school sweetheart who was a sophomore at Metropolis University in the pre-med program. She was like Lois, however, in that she wanted her own way. She desired her parents’ blessing, but she was going to marry Brian anyway. Clark and Lois had given their approval on the understanding that Mariel would at least earn her associates degree at Metropolis Junior College. With Brian’s encouragement, Mariel had agreed, though she rolled her eyes, insisting that her time would be better spent working and saving the money for when she and Brian had babies, which she wanted as soon as possible. Even Brian sided with her parents that babies should wait until at least his graduation from Met U.and hers from Met Jr. Mariel might be a little stronger, smarter, immune to pain than her peers, but she had not inherited the majority of her father’s abilities. Mariel was perfectly content with that. “I don’t want the constant distractions. ‘The hand that rocks the cradle rocks the world.’ My kids will be Superman’s grandchildren. They will be the founders of Utopia and I want to be a part of that.” Lois and Clark had shared with their children their adventures with H.G.Wells. Neither JC or Mariel had been the baby that Herb had brought to them to them when they had been in the depths of despair over their inability to conceive. So it made sense the baby was probably Mariel’s or JC’s.
Lois glanced over at Clark. He had the biggest smile on his face. He was so proud of his children. He hadn’t been the perfect father. Superman had kept him away more often than he liked. But he had done his best to be at every school play, music recital, ball game, though he had probably missed more than he had made. Amazingly, the twins seemed okay with that. No, it had been Lois who had attended every event to support her children, had taken them to ballet and soccer as children and then supported them in basketball and football in junior high and into high school. And she didn’t regret it. She didn’t.
Her gaze moved to her father clearing his throat and pretending that his eyes weren’t watering. After naming JC and Mariel after their grandparents, Lois and Clark had intended to name their next child after Sam, but it had never happened. The third child they had wanted had never been created.
Her mother was making no attempt to hide her tears. Her parents had remarried when the twins were two. Mariel and JC did not even remember a time when the Lanes weren’t married. Farther down the row sat Jonathan and Martha. Lois tears threatened to fall again. The couple had come to mean so much to her. They had always accepted her unconditionally, loving her for her own sake. She and Clark had leaned on them so much as they had tried to guide JC through his “super” puberty.
Lois’ eyes returned to her children. Their big smiles that mirrored their fathers shone back at her. They were good kids. They had minds of their own- where had they gotten that from?- but they were good kids. She and Clark had done a good job despite all the obstacles. She looked over at Brian seated at her side. That boy had better appreciate what he was getting. In a month Mariel would be Mrs. Brian Dawson.
Clark would be busy being Superman and reporting for the Daily Planet. And her? Her heart cramped. She would be doing what she had done for the last sixteen years. Editing the Daily Planet. For two years after the twins were born she had tried to keep up her career as a reporter. But when the twins started going through the terrible twos she had accepted a job as assistant editor working thirty hours learning from Perry White. Much of her work would be done from home.
When the twins had entered school, she had thought about going back to reporting, but Perry was beginning to hint at retiring and she knew that she was up for the job. And maybe that would be the best thing. She couldn’t be off chasing stories when she couldn’t rely on Clark to pick up the kids when she was interviewing a source. Which was why today she was the editor of the Daily Planet and only wrote the rare article.
She clapped along with their parents and Clark and Brian wolf-whistled as the twins stepped down from the platform. Yes, her children were miracles, the future of Utopia and she didn’t regret a minute that she had spent with them. Not a minute. It was just. . . her mind wandered to that empty spot on her wall where she had always imagined her Pulitzer plaque hanging. Hah, she hadn’t even seen a Kerth nomination in the last five years, and that was for her editorial work not her journalism.
*****
“You have backup for this statement, Clark?” Lois questioned.
“Of course I do, Lois. Who’s the journalist here?” he teased her.
It hurt.
“I was a journalist.”
Clark seemed to realize that he had hurt her feelings. “You were the best, Sweetie.”
“ I was, wasn’t I? Clark. . .”
“Yes?”
“What would you think about me becoming-”
He got that look on his face. “Got to go, Lois,” he said pulling at his tie, bussing her cheek with a kiss as he sped form the room.
“Yeah, thanks for listening, Clark,” she muttered.
*****
Her super husband had dinner waiting for her when she got home. “Sorry for running out on you today, honey.”
“Did you get a story out of it?”
“Yeah. I’ll type it up and get it e-mailed to you tomorrow morning.”
“What’s wrong with tonight?”
“Well, I kindof had other plans. At least I hope I do.”
“And those would be?”
“Look around, Lois, Frank Sinatra on the stereo, candlelight. . . *pasta*.”
“I know what pasta does to you.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Clark growled slipping his arms around her.
*****
It was the next morning when she realized that she had never got to put the idea that had been flitting around in her head to Clark. She wasn’t sure when it had started. Maybe it had always been in the back of her mind.
*****
An earthquake kept Clark busy the rest of the week and Lois stayed busy being mother of the bride. She couldn’t believe her little girl was getting married tomorrow. She hoped Clark wouldn’t miss the rehearsal dinner.
*****
Clark made the rehearsal, slipping in with some excuse about a news breaking story that just couldn’t wait. No one seemed to question his explanation, just greeted him with open arms.
*****
For the second time in less than a month, Lois sat looking with teary eyes as she proudly watched her children. Mariel in the beautiful white gown they had shopped for together and JC standing at Brian’s side taking seriously his role as best man. They were so young. She hoped that she and Clark hadn’t made a mistake letting Mariel marry so young. Mariel thought this was what she wanted now, but what if she resented it, wished she had waited, had established a career before jumping into marriage? But today her daughter was beaming happily at the man at her side, certain that he was what she wanted.
*****
Lois sighed wearily, rubbing her temples as she looked critically over the layout for tomorrow’s front page. “I hate this job,” she complained to no one.
“You shouldn’t say that where the boss might hear you.”
Lois head jerked up. “Perry!”
When Perry had retired as editor he had taken a seat on the board knowing that he could never completely let go of the Daily Planet. He liked to come in every once in a while and talk of old times and he would fill in for her when they went on vacation. But that had been a while. Lois frowned trying to remember when that was.
“Lois?”
“I’m sorry, Perry. It’s just been a really stressful day and I just can’t seem to make this look right.”
“Let me take a look.” Perry took the layout board from her.
Within minutes, her front page was completed and ready to go to the printers. “Anything else wrong, Lois?”
“Of course not, Perry.”
“You missing the kids?”
Lois smiled. “They are certainly not missing me. JC is loving spending time with his grandparents in Smallville and Mariel is on her honeymoon.’
“Hard to believe they’re all grown up now.”
“Yeah.”
“So. . . empty nest syndrome?”
“Something like that.”
“But it gives you and Clark more time together. Why I remember when you and Clark couldn’t keep your hands off each other. Trying to turn my newsroom into the honeymoon suite. You know Elvis and Priscilla. . .” and Perry was off on one of his old stories that Lois had heard a hundred times.
*****
“Clark, I’ve been thinking. Now that the kids are settled, I’d like to start reporting again.”
“Really? I thought you liked your job. You do such a good job.” Clark brushed her hand with his thumb.
“I do like my job-”
“In fact, I think you do a great job.”
“Well, I wouldn’t-”
“But there is something that you do even better.”
“Yes! I’m so glad you understand-”
Clark’s hand slipped beneath her blouse and fondled her breast. “Much better.”
*****
Lois sat soaking in the whirlpool tub. She had done it. She was a reporter again. It felt. . . great.
“Lois!” Uh oh. Clark did not sound happy. He burst into the bathroom, splintering the door since he did not bother to turn the knob.
“Exactly what is going on? Since when do I find out from office gossip that my wife quit her job?”
“I didn’t exactly quit my job.”
“Oh? So you are still editor of the Daily Planet?”
“I’m still working for the Daily Planet.”
“Don’t you think you owed it to me to discuss it with me?”
Suddenly Lois was incensed. “I tried, Clark. But you were always too busy. I took the editorial position because the kids needed one parent that could always be there for them. Well, the kids are grown now and I want to get back to my career.”
“So you’re saying that me and the kids kept you from being a world famous reporter! Well, sor-ry!”
“I never said that! I just said that I wanted to go back to reporting.”
“Lois, you’re forty-eight years old-”
“So are you!”
“But I’m Superman.”
“Are you seriously telling me I’m too old to be a good reporter!”
“Yes. No. I’m saying that you can’t go about this the way that you used to. Metropolis has changed. And you’ll have to re-establish your sources-”
“I’m not going to be reporting in Metropolis. I’m going to Irrat.”
“Irrat! Lois, that is a hotbed of terrorism. You can’t trust your best friend there. No. It’s too dangerous.”
“Excuse me! Did you just say ‘No’?”
“That’s right. No wife of mine is going into a situation like that! Reporters are killed in Irrat all the time.”
“I’m just going to be talking with the natives, not trying to infiltrate a terrorist organization!”
“It’s too dangerous. I can’t always be there to protect you!”
“Did I ask you to?”
“You’re my wife. I am not going to stand by and let you get yourself killed!”
“Then maybe I shouldn’t be your wife.”
Clark stared at her in shock. She was shocked as well. How could she say that? She loved Clark with all her heart. He was just being so unreasonable.
“I can’t believe you said that. I had no idea that you resented me and the kids all these years.”
“I didn’t say that, Clark. All I said was that-”
“That being married to me, having our children kept you from what you really wanted.”
“No! I love you. I love JC and Mariel. I just want to see if I still have it. To see if I can get that Pulitzer I always wanted. That’s all, Clark.”
“You’re not going.”
“I am going.”
“No, you’re not.”
Lois pulled herself from the tub and tied on her robe. “You’ve blown this all out of proportion, Clark.” If Clark was really worried about her safety, why didn’t he offer to go with her? She had originally launched this idea to the board as Lane and Kent together again. When had that gone horribly wrong?
*****
Lois struggled against her bonds as the sweat and the tears slid down her face. She had come to Irrat to spend two weeks getting a few quotes from the natives. To write a great story. To re-launch her career so that she could return to Metropolis and re-establish contacts and sources, to return to the job that she had loved. She sniffed. She wondered if it would make Clark Kent happy to know that he had been right that it was too dangerous.
After that first fight, they could hardly speak to each other without arguing. So before she had left Metropolis she filed the divorce papers in a stupid need to assert her independence. The tears began to flow down her face in earnest. She loved Clark. She had always loved Clark and her children. Her little boy and her baby girl. Her baby girl that would be a mother herself in about seven months.
Had it really been two years since Brian and Mariel had gotten married? They had planned to wait until graduation to have children but “the best laid plans of mice and men and all that,” Mariel had said. Lois wondered if it had truly been an accident. Graduating was just not that important to Mariel. She wanted to be a wife and mother.
Lois had never intended to be in Irrat this long, but that first story had been so well received that the Daily Planet encouraged her to stay another month and gather materials to write another. At the end of that month she had gotten to know several of the natives and earned their trust. Somehow she had ended up doing what she had told Clark she wasn’t going to do, get involved with the terrorism that was rampant in Irrat. First it was a story on their victims, then on the family of one of the terroists, then an interview with a former member, and it just went on from there. Two weeks ago she had been invited to speak with their top leader. She would be blindfolded and taken to interview him in one of his many hideouts. It would be a great story.
What the Daily Planet, and certainly those she interviewed, didn’t know was that she wasn’t just reporting in the Daily Planet. She had been approached and asked to serve her country by relaying information. She, Lois Lane, was a spy.
Unfortunately, it was suspicion of her activities that had caused the terrorist head to refuse to let her leave the camp once she had interviewed him. Another of his camps had been destroyed by the US Military and he determined (and rightly so) that she might be slipping information to the military through her stories.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” she muttered, pulling at her bonds again. She had no idea what she had intended when she left Metropolis. To prove that her own life wasn’t over now that her children no longer needed her. To prove that she had worth, that Clark wasn’t the only one in the family that could contribute to society. Normally she would have talked to Clark about it, but Clark had seemed suddenly very busy with his Superman duties. She twisted her hands again trying to free them. She should have never agreed to a meeting with the leader, but she had been greedy to get the story. She knew in her gut that this would be the one that would get her that Pulitzer.
“Need help with that?” a familiar voice asked from behind her.
“Clark!”
“Shh!” he hissed sharply. “You know better than to address me as Clark in public.”
“Sorry.” He was right. She could place their children in danger and she never wanted to do that.
“I told you this was too dangerous.”
Despite the fact that she had come to the same conclusion herself only minutes before, his comment struck her the wrong way. “Just go, Superman. I’ll be fine.”
“Fine!”
“Fine.”
He crossed his arms and looked at her with his Superman glare. “Want me to untie you first?”
“Don’t be such a smart-”
“Ah, ah, ah. Watch your language.” He pulled her bonds apart with a tug. She scowled as she rubbed the circulation back into her wrists. He could have been a little more gentle.
Clark squinted and she knew he was looking through the tent walls. “Your captors are on their way in. Want a ride out of here?”
She wanted to refuse his help, but that would be foolish. She was a mother, soon to be a grandmother. And she wanted to live.
“If you insist.”
*****
For a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or team, presented as a single article or series, in print or in print and online, the Pulitzer for Investigative Journalism goes to. . . Lois Lane!” The room erupted in cheers. Lois walked to the platform to accept the plaque. She looked down at her children beaming up at her. Brian’s hand was resting on Mariel’s bump. Mariel looked so beautiful. Six months pregnant and glowing with happiness. JC was seated beside them with his date. The ceremony was just a mellow luncheon in the rotunda of the Low Library on the Columbia University campus, but it meant everything to her.
She thanked the Daily Planet. She thanked Perry. She thanked her parents and her children. And she thanked Clark Kent for teaching her to find the story in those “human interest” pieces. How could she not? They had been married for twenty years.
He was there too. She had seen him standing at the back of the room.
After Clark had rescued her, she had returned to the States. She had been interrogated by military intelligence and was released from her duties once they were satisfied that they had all the information that she could give them.
She went back to the Planet only to find that in her two-year absence, her job as editor had been given to her ex-husband. While the board offered her a job, she had no desire to work for Clark Kent. She had always hated him editing her copy. And she had no desire to work for an inferior paper. So she had written a book about her experiences in Irrat. Stern Publishing had advanced her more than enough to live on and with the expectation of royalties from the book, she had taken early retirement from the Planet. She wasn’t sure what she would do next, but she felt like she had finally achieved the success she had needed. She had what she had always wanted. Everything except the man she still loved in spite of everything. Had it been worth it? He just made her so mad!
“Dance with me? For old times’ sake?” She knew the owner of the hand extended into her line of sight even before looking up into his gorgeous brown eyes. Mariel and JC had insisted on taking her to eat at the opulent New York hotel she was staying in. But where had Clark come from?
“For old times’ sake,” she agreed placing her hand in his.
*****
She discovered the touch of his hand on the small of her back still made her tingle. The brush of his hips against hers still sent a wave of desire flooding through her. And the sight of him in a tux still made her want to tear his clothes off him and make love to him until they were both exhausted.
It started with an invitation to dance, but it hadn’t stopped there. As they danced their bodies moved closer and closer together, remembering. She hadn’t been with anyone since their divorce. A piece of paper meant nothing. Clark was her husband, would always be her husband. The vows they had given each other usurped any they had spoken on their wedding day, “In my heart, I’m your husband,” “and I’m your wife.”
“What’d you have for dinner?’ she asked huskily.
“Hmmm?” he drew her even closer to him. Oh, yeah, no mistaking it. He was just as turned on as she was.
“I was wondering what you had for dinner.”
She could hear the confusion in his answer, “I had the alfredo.”
“Pasta, huh? I remember what pasta does to you.”
He pulled back from her just enough to look into her face. “Lois, don’t play with fire. You might get burnt.”
“I just spent almost two years in Irrat. I like it hot.”
*****
Clark kissed her temple as they cuddled in the early morning light streaming through the window. “I’m so glad you’re back. We’ll get remarried and everything will be back the way it should be.”
Lois stiffened. “Clark, this doesn’t change anything. We can’t be in the same room without arguing. . . or making love. . . and it still doesn’t change the fact that you think you can run my life. You can’t protect me from bad things, Clark. You can’t wrap me in cotton wool. I won’t live like that.”
“Well, forgive me for caring!”
“See, Clark, we can’t even make it twelve hours without arguing.” She slipped from the bed and began to pick up her scattered clothes. “It just won’t work, Clark, unless you can let me be who I am.”
“I am not going to stand by and do nothing while you get yourself killed!”
“You knew I was a reporter when we married. It didn’t bother you then!”
“Why can’t you see that you’re not twenty five anymore!”
Lois slammed the door to the bathroom in response.
*****
It was blue. The stupid line on the stick was blue. How had that happened? Okay, she knew how that had happened, but she and Clark had been married for twenty years and only conceived once.
