So here in a few hours I'm going to be getting a new TV. I am so excited about that!!! Of course, our local cable company doesn't offer HD so I'm not sure what we're doing there. [Our cable company is in a converted house - seriously.] We may end up with DirectTV later this week but until then I have DVDs
. Lois' favorite show - NCIS - is mine as well [Cat and Deathstroke were on it last night!] and those will be starting as soon as it's hooked up.
Very special thanks go out to Queenie for helping me break writer's block the last two nights.
Special thanks also go out to Nancy, Beth and Alisha for their help
.
Last time:
Clark
Last night could be written off to the relief that Sam was okay; the stress of having Lois' dad in the hospital after a heart attack, that kind of thing. But after all day to think about it or whatever... I didn't think the same could apply to what had just happened.
<But why should it matter?> one part of me asked. <She's your *wife*. You're *supposed* to make love to her – even if it is fast and furious sometimes. What do you think Mom and Dad have been hounding you about for two years now?>
<That's not the point,> my inner teenager – the part of me that had been in love with Lana for as long as I could remember – snapped back. <Do you really think she'll be able to accept this?>
I stifled a scream.
Why was this so hard? Why was it *my* life that ended up like this?
I *wanted* to be married to the woman I loved. To make love to her regularly – something I had discovered over the last twenty-four hours could be pretty amazing. To be free from evil dictators. To know my son was *my* son.
To have a *normal* life.
Or as normal as alien living as a human being could have.
I stifled another scream and was out the door to the veranda in a flash, taking off for parts unknown.
~*~90~*~
~~~~~
Lois
~~~~~
He was gone when I came out of the bathroom.
That didn’t really surprise me. He was probably off melting icebergs or something.
I walked to the closet and pulled out the warmest, least revealing flannel pajamas I could find, dressing in them before I went to bed. I pulled two of the throw pillows off the couch and put them in the middle of the bed – along with the pillow that had been there more often than not since Pop Pop's funeral. I wanted to make sure that there was no doubt that he was supposed to stay on his side of the bed overnight.
I doubted he'd be all over me or anything even if they weren’t there, but I wasn't taking any chances. If I could have locked him out and made him sleep on the couch, I would.
I sat up at that. I took his pillow and an extra blanket and set it on the couch. I couldn’t lock him out, but I could send him to the couch.
Was it fair?
I was the one who had initiated the first time and without the first time, none of the other times would have happened, so was it fair for me to send him to the couch rather than taking it myself?
Probably, but I didn't really care.
He was the one who left; he could sleep on the couch.
And there was no reason to believe that he would actually take the couch when he got back.
I sighed and willed myself to sleep as I huddled under my blankets.
I woke up to find Clark's side of the bed unslept in and the blanket and pillow sitting neatly on the couch. Was it the same side of the couch I'd left it on? I couldn’t remember.
There was a note stuck to the mirror in the bathroom. He'd gone to school early and was going to have to work late.
Part of me was relieved.
Part of me wanted to have it out with him and at least try to get back to the friendship we'd had before our names had been revealed – maybe with another baby thrown in.
I sighed.
It was Monday. If Clark really was Christopher's father, then it seemed likely that I'd be starving by Tuesday.
Tomorrow I'd know if I was pregnant with Clark's baby.
That spot inside that was completely and totally in love with him wanted to jump up and down for joy that I could be having Clark's baby.
Part of me wanted to break down and cry at the thought of having another baby with a man who didn't love me – even if I was married to him this time.
I took a deep, calming breath. It would be another day before I'd suspect anything – at the earliest.
Maybe I wouldn't be pregnant.
That was possible.
What were the odds I'd get pregnant both of the first two times I had sex?
With my luck, probably pretty good.
I hurried through my morning routine, kissed Christopher good-bye and headed for school where I knew Clark would be. We managed to maintain appearances, walking together from class to class and a quick kiss good-bye when we had separate classes. It was a good thing, too, because I saw Navance's nephew as we headed our different ways.
I left my English class and headed towards the parking lot.
I ran a hand through my hair and wasn't watching where I was going as I rounded the corner. I screeched to a halt to avoid someone heading the other direction. "I'm sor..."
Lana.
"I'm sorry," I repeated. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
She shrugged. "Whatever." She started to walk away.
"Lana?"
She stopped and looked at me, her arms crossed in front of her. "What?"
"I heard what happened last year. I can't tell you how sorry I am. How bad we both felt for you and Tim." I wasn't sure why I'd brought Clark up, but it was true. We'd both felt horrible.
"I'm sure you did," she said as she turned to walk away.
"I know you don't believe me," I told her, "but it's true. I can't imagine..."
"You're right. You can't. Your son was born healthy and survived and thrived." She, unsurprisingly, looked angry and hurt and a myriad of any other emotions. She looked like she was going to say something else, but she didn't. She turned and walked away.
I wanted to call after her, to say something, anything, but I didn't know what to say.
I sighed and headed to work.
~~~~~
Clark
~~~~~
I saw Lois and Lana from a distance. I didn't listen in, though I could have. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I couldn't imagine a pleasant conversation for either one of them.
I wondered if Lois would mention it to me.
That would mean talking to me and I didn't know if she was.
The pillow and blanket on the couch had been a pretty obvious sign that we were fighting. Of course, being gone after we'd – I sighed as I thought it – made love again hadn't endeared me to her, I was sure. She'd been asleep long before I returned, I was sure.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow we'd have a pretty good idea if she was pregnant again. Of course, that was assuming that Christopher was my son and her extreme hunger at the cabin was due to a half-Kryptonian pregnancy rather than leftover from nearly dying.
I got in the truck and headed towards the Daily Planet. Lois' Jeep was only a couple cars ahead of me when we left, but I was sure she'd beat me by ten minutes or more given the way she always drove.
We'd pulled it off this morning – the happy couple thing, even though we said very little to each other. Being in close proximity was enough most of the time. I noted that she had carried her purse in her hand and a book in the other so we wouldn't be able to hold hands between classes.
I'd been caught off-guard when we did the half-kiss-on-the-cheek thing as we went our separate ways.
If I hadn't known better, I'd think there was a bit of a spark there.
I sighed as I pulled into the parking garage. Sure enough, Lois was nowhere to be seen, though the Jeep was several spots further in. A glance at the time tag they gave when you pulled in to the garage said I'd been right – ten minutes earlier. I still didn't really understand why they checked all the cars in and made us put the receipt in the windows but I thought it had something to do with a bomb threat made against the Planet by 'the Boss' several years earlier. No matter what they'd done, no one had gotten any farther than that in the investigation, but security had gotten a bit tighter afterwards.
I shrugged and headed in to deliver the mail. Maybe I'd catch dinner with Jimmy in a bit.
*~*~*
December 2004
*~*~*
I found my pillow and blanket on the couch again that night and the night after that and the night after that.
I had no idea if Lois had been eating a lot or what. I hadn't seen her much at all since Monday morning. It was now Thursday and we'd made plans to have lunch before our interviews with Perry White.
Of course, I had hardly talked to her at all since then.
"Are we going together today?"
I glanced up to see her coming out of the bathroom, fixing her second earring in her ear. She was dressed more professionally than usual, because of the interview, I was sure.
"What time do you get off?"
"Seven."
I shrugged. "That's fine. I get off at six-thirty, but... Are we still having lunch today?"
It was her turn to shrug. "If you want to." She headed into Christopher's room and gave him hugs and kisses before passing him off to me.
He giggled as I blew on his stomach and we headed down towards the kitchen. I was flying him through the library and into the dining room before zooming into the kitchen.
"You look nice, Princess," Sam said, as he poured himself some cereal. He'd come home the day before and wouldn't be going back to work for a while. He was supposed to be taking it easy.
"Thanks, Daddy. We both have our internship interviews today."
He nodded. "Good luck, both of you."
"Thanks, Sam," I told him as I put Christopher in his high chair. "Jessica's running a few minutes late – I think she hit her alarm on accident this morning."
He waved us off. "I got 'im."
I pulled a bottle out of the cabinet, filling it with milk before pouring some Cheerios on his tray. "Thanks."
"No problem. Aren't you two eating? And don't worry, I'll let Jessica or Vicki or someone get him out of his high chair."
Lois grabbed a Pop Tart package out of the pantry and the Thermos full of coffee she'd prepared. "I'm good."
If that was all she was eating, then maybe she wasn't pregnant after all.
After saying our good-byes, we headed for school.
Somehow, I wasn't surprised when she pulled through the Chick-fil-A drive through and ordered a bacon, egg and cheese bagel and a chicken biscuit for herself and an order of Chick-n-minis for me.
The large water for herself caught me off-guard, until I realized that if she thought she was pregnant, she was probably cutting back on her caffeine.
I didn't say anything but continued to wonder as we headed for campus.
~~~~~
Lois
~~~~~
I was surprised Clark didn't comment on my appetite.
I was pregnant.
I knew I was.
I didn't know how soon I'd be able to take a pregnancy test, but I'd eaten everything in sight for three days.
The morning flew by and it wasn't long before we met back at the Jeep to head to lunch before heading to work.
We ended up at Callard's, which was nice.
Clark even treated.
Usually we split the bill or took turns.
And it was my turn.
But he treated anyway.
I tried to keep the order down, but I was still hungry when it was all gone. I'd have to grab something out of vending machines after my interview.
I glanced at my watch.
"Clark, we've got to hurry," I said, standing up and grabbing my purse as he put his debit card back in his wallet. "I'm going to be late."
I had ten minutes to get there. The drive was only about five minutes, but by the time we parked and everything...
"I'll drive and let you off at the door," he told me, pulling his keys out of his pocket.
We hurried to the parking lot and eight minutes later, I was sitting outside Perry White's office waiting for him to finish with whoever he was talking to.
Serena sat down beside me. "Nervous?"
I nodded.
"Don't be. You're good enough for this internship. Believe that and you'll be fine."
"Thanks." I wiped my hands on my skirt. "You about ready for the wedding?"
She rolled her eyes. "I'm ready for the *honeymoon*."
Given my recent experience, I wasn't sure I blamed her.
"If you ever know anyone looking for a wedding planner, tell them to steer clear of Beverly Lipman," she told me with a sigh. "She's still trying to insist on doves."
I winced on her behalf. "Sorry."
"At this point, I'd fly off to Vegas. Billy would agree in a second."
The door on the other side of me opened. "We'll let you know," Perry told the young man as he shook his hand.
I didn't think I was supposed to see him roll his eyes as he turned. "Lois Kent?"
I stood up. "Yes, sir."
"Good luck," Serena said in a stage whisper as she stood and headed for her desk.
"Judd!" Perry said sternly. "Just because you're getting married in a couple weeks doesn't mean you get to slack off!"
Serena rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Perry. It's in your inbox."
"Right," he mumbled gruffly. "Well, get me something new then."
"On it. Billy's on his way back with something on city council."
"See to it I get a story." He sighed and turned back to me. "Come on in. I've seen you around, haven't I?"
"Yes, sir," I said, sitting in the seat indicated. "I work in clerical services right now."
"Why are you in clerical services?"
I shrugged. "I needed a job and I'd rather work in clerical services at the Daily Planet than be an entry level reporter just about anywhere else."
He chuckled. "I started in the mail room myself."
I smiled. "That's where my husband's at right now. He's got an appointment later this afternoon."
"Clark Kent?"
I nodded.
His brow furrowed. "Clark and Lois Kent... Those names are familiar..."
I tried not to let the panic show on my face. "Well, sir, we've worked here for a while now. I work with Billy and Serena pretty regularly and Jimmy and I are practically related. You've probably heard of my father, too. Dr. Sam Lane."
Anything to distract him from the possibility of remembering the Latislan story.
His eyebrow went up. "Sam Lane is your father?"
I nodded again. "Yes, sir."
"I remember the Adoption Option fundraiser not too long ago. Jimmy's told me a lot about him and his sort-of-adopted sister, but I didn't make the connection."
We chatted for a while longer and he walked me to the door. "We'll be in touch, Mrs. Kent," he said with a smile – much different than the one he'd given the guy before me.
"You know where to find me," I told him, smiling back.
He chuckled as he turned to the young lady sitting in the chair near his office. "Linda King?"
I almost stopped in my tracks, but I managed to keep going, not stopping until I was standing by Billy's desk. I heard the door shut behind me before I turned to look.
"How many internships are there again?" I asked him, sitting in the chair by his desk.
Billy smiled. "Six, but don't worry. I'm sure you and Clark are shoo-ins."
"I'm not *too* worried about that," I told him. "I gave him an article Clark and I wrote on some football players who don't have to take their own finals. I made sure he knew we'd worked on it together, but I think we'll be fine. It's the other four spots I worry about." I inclined my head towards the office. "The girl in there? She was Lana's roommate our first semester in college. She and I go way back to high school and it's not pretty."
"I wouldn't worry about it."
"Easy for you to say," I muttered. "Are there any donuts left?"
Billy laughed as Serena joined us. "I'll grab you one."
"Two," I called after him.
I could hear his chuckle and noticed Clark get off the elevator. He was greeted first by Cat Grant – Cat's Corner. She was barely dressed as usual. My eyes narrowed slightly as they chatted amiably.
"He only has eyes for you, you know," Serena said quietly.
I sighed. "I know."
I thought I knew.
For now at least.
Billy set two donuts on the desk in front of me. Clark headed our way and I could see that he noticed them.
Before he reached us, I heard the door behind me open. "We'll be in touch," I heard and I closed my eyes, praying that by 'being in touch' it was to reject Linda. "Clark Kent?"
"That's me," Clark said, walking past us.
"Good luck," the three of us called after him as he shook hands with the Editor-in-Chief.
*****
TBC
