Lori and Clark – The New, New Adventures of Superman – MMC V 6 26/32
By Ken Janney
Warning: This story is rated PG-13.
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
Previously:
Golosselei asked, “You didn’t expect me to accept your word that you would be capable of defending yourselves, did you? Seeing an individual, even one such as yourself, displaying powers far above that of normal people, how could we trust that your race would be able to defeat us?”
“You took a big chance.”
“Not as big a chance as you would suppose. That was a robot craft with life synthesizing dummies. In this way we were able to determine the level of injury that would have been inflicted. If you had simply destroyed that craft, with little or no concern for the life on board, we would have known you to be an aggressive species in need of watching. The fact that you do indeed value life has now been amply displayed. We now believe you. Your actions have spoken and shown the truth behind your words. I will now return to my fleet. We will be returning to our space and begin preparing for the negotiations to establish a trading relationship with your people. I, as a representative of ‘The People’,” a second before the translator said ‘the people’ they heard Hangaresi and they realized that this was their name for themselves. “I bid you adieu.” With that Golosselei turned and re-entered his ship. Goroth followed him and closed the hatch. A few minutes later they lifted off.
Kal-El’s com link chirped and he heard Ching’s voice, “Kal, as soon as the ship that was on the surface with you lifted off, one of their other ships broke formation and moved over to take that ship we attacked in tow. Once the docking was completed and the disabled ship was secure the combined vessels returned to their formation. Now the entire fleet is starting to move away.”
Kal touched his com link and in a weary tone said, “That was expected. You can come and pick us up. Tell the other ships that they can stand down. This entire encounter was an elaborate series of tests to determine whether or not we were a hostile race. I’m happy to say, we passed the test. The decision to respect their lives and avoid killing was the key. If we had given in to our baser instincts and simply destroyed that ship we would have initiated a very costly war. It would have been costly in both lives and resources. As it is we now have the foundation laid to establish a trading relationship with them.” Wearily he said, “Come get us, we’re ready to go home.”
Clark and Lori could hear cheering behind him as Ching replied, “We’ll be there shortly.”
Lori turned to Clark and said, “Wow, this really didn’t take all that long. I wonder why Herb told us that we would be gone for eight months. By the time we get home it will have only been about two months.”
Clark thought for a few seconds before answering, “Maybe we will have to stay until the negotiations are complete.”
Lori’s reply was immediate, “I don’t see why, unless we might need another show of force.” Before she continued a look of deep concentration took over her features, “You know, this has gotten me to thinking. Why don’t we propose to the kids that they take turns taking vacations here on New Krypton? It would give them the opportunity to learn about the culture and each spouse could be the local superhero while they are here.”
Clark started to smile as he replied, “You know, that’s not a bad idea. Let’s bring it up to Ching and Zara when we get back to NK.”
Lori brought it back to the original topic, “If we don’t have to stay here for the negotiations then why did we stay? We might need to stay for a little while to prepare some things, but that still doesn’t explain how we were gone for eight months. Herb did say eight months. He should know since he has to bring CJ back to us. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this, like something’s going to happen.”
And now:
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Chapter 25 – Memories
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Lori’s bad feeling persisted for some time. While they waited to be picked up she said to Clark, “What could have happened to keep us here for the full eight months? It sure looks like we are finished and I want to get back to CJ. Maybe Herb made a mistake. Maybe he picked him up from us after eight months but he brought him to us only a month or two from when we left because he was held up or something. Oh, what am I saying? Herb is a time traveler for heaven’s sake. There’s no such thing as him being late or making that kind of mistake.”
“I don’t know, but there had to be something or we wouldn’t have stayed.”
Lori said, “You know as time has progressed on this trip it’s like a movie has been playing in my mind. Memories of the time we had CJ with us back in the past have little by little come to mind. It’s like I’m living that time in my memory as the time goes by. At least they were some very pleasant memories.”
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Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 local designation – Prime
1997
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Lois had just finished feeding CJ and he was down for his nap. They had been compiling their diary and preparing it for when CJ was to be picked up. Sitting in her rocking chair in his bedroom she was looking at the pictures and reading the text entries written in Clark’s precise script. Some of the pages were filled with computer printouts which gave details of incidents or activities, records of milestones and just general comments not related to the pictures.
As she looked at the pages, frequently her fingers would brush over the picture’s surface as the scene depicted brought the memory of the occasion back to her.
She thought to herself, <We’re going to need to make another copy and keep this for ourselves. I just can’t send this one.> The reason that she was thinking this was that on virtually every page the paper was crinkled from getting wet. It was still in the process of getting wet every time she pulled it out to look at it. She knew that it wouldn’t be too long before Herb would show up. When he did, she knew that he would be taking CJ, her baby, away from her. Yeah, she knew the reason. He would be returning him to his rightful parents, but, that didn’t make it any easier.
There were a lot of pictures, sometimes several on a page since they had started making notes and taking pictures, virtually from the beginning. She decided to turn back to the front and start over.
Most of the entries were at least a paragraph in length, many were much longer.
It was a regular journal. The first entry dealt with how CJ had arrived, surprising them in the middle of the night.
She couldn’t help but laugh as she read through the next entry. It dealt with Herb’s visit the next morning and what a surprise he had dealt them with the prescription. She still wasn’t sure if she should thank Herb for that or hate him. In one way she had hated the fact that she had been forced into breastfeeding CJ. Ruefully she had to admit that once she had gotten into it she had decided that there was no way she would ever consider *not* breastfeeding any children she and Clark might conceive in the future, if that ever did happen. It really made her feel fulfilled as a woman in that role. She was amazed about that. Until she had married Clark she had never really considered having children. All she had thought of was her career and being the award winning journalist that she had become.
This time with CJ had shown her that motherhood and her job were not mutually exclusive. She could really be a mother and still do her job.
The turning of the page revealed some pictures that were taken on their island get away and also in Hawaii during the getting to know you phase of their relationship with CJ.
The text told all about the efforts to bring her milk on, skipping the details about her and Clark’s activity and centering on her and CJ.
Looking at a picture of CJ as she held him in her arms with her in a bikini, she giggled to herself because she had put the bikini on just for the picture and as soon as it had been taken she had returned to her regular mode of dress which was complete undress.
Next there was a picture of Perry White playing peek-a-boo with CJ in his car seat on the corner of Perry’s desk. She couldn’t help but chuckle over this one. She hadn’t followed through on her threat to post it on the bulletin board but she had really worried Perry when she had threatened to do just that.
There were a couple of pictures of other bullpen staff holding CJ and of course of CJ in the DP day care center, mostly with Brenda. Brenda had become almost as attached to CJ as Lois had.
As Lois flipped through the pages the tears flowed freely.
She came to a page where it had been four months since CJ had joined the family. In that time he had been growing by leaps and bounds. He was developing a personality and was really attached to both Lois and Clark, especially Lois, just as she was to him. He was the love of Lois’ life, second only to her husband, and she relished every minute that she spent with him.
Flipping more pages she came to an entry that she had forgotten that Clark had put in. As CJ had grown, everyone that saw him for the first time and hadn’t been told the story, complimented Lois and Clark on their beautiful little boy and commented on how much he combined their features. Everyone especially remarked that he had Clark’s eyes and Lois’ smile. Looking at the pictures it was very evident that these people we sincere in their comments. As he had grown it had become even more evident. CJ was a very happy baby and he smiled almost all of the time and the smile he possessed was definitely a copy of Lois’. It was unmistakable and undeniable. The eyes were just as easy to identify as to the parentage. Their slightly almond shape was distinctive.
Turning some more pages she came to a picture of CJ in his playpen. She guessed that he would have been about six months old in this picture. He had been sitting up and grabbing items that were scattered around him. He would pull the item to him and examine it thoroughly, feeling it, rubbing it on his face feeling the soft fleece or fake fur and gurgling happily. His favorite was a stuffed bunny rabbit, a rather large milk chocolate colored bunny with big floppy ears and white markings. He would hold that bunny when he lay down and if his pacifier wasn’t in his mouth the ear of the bunny was.
Next she came to a picture that she wished she had an audio recording to go with. This one had been taken only a week or so after the previous picture. Lois was doing most of her work, when at home, in the living room with CJ in his playpen nearby. One day Lois had him in the playpen in the living room as she went about doing some research on her laptop nearby. She was focused on what she was doing, but, she could still hear him cooing and gurgling happily as he played with some stuffies scattered around him. His bunny was in his lap. Suddenly she stopped what she was doing and gave him her undivided attention. She thought she had heard something and she wanted to make sure before she made a fuss about it. After about thirty seconds, during which time Lois had actually been holding her breath in anticipation she heard it again. CJ said, clear as daylight, “Momma … Momma … Momma.”
Lois looked at him. He actually had his back to her so she knew that he really wasn’t associating the words with the person as yet, but, he had said his first words. Lois was ecstatic! She called Clark who had been in the kitchen preparing dinner, “Clark, can you come here a second?”
His response was immediate, “I think I heard the same thing you did.” He came through the doors and leaned over the back of the couch to kiss her on the top of the head. Just as he did so, CJ gave a repeat performance, “Momma … Momma … Momma.”
Lois couldn’t contain herself any longer. She got up and stepped over to the playpen and picked CJ up. She said, “Momma’s right here Darling. Momma’s here.”
In reply CJ cooed and then said again, “Momma … Momma … Momma.”
Lois whirled him around in an impromptu dance. Clark came over and put his arms around both of them and joined in while CJ squealed in delight.
The next page held a picture which had been taken a week later. The angle was somewhat different from the previous one. In this one, CJ was in his playpen and Lois was kneeling in front of him.
It had been a week since CJ had spoken his first words. Again he was in his playpen while Lois was working on her laptop nearby. Occasionally, she would say something to herself, out loud and CJ would babble in reply. Frequently Lois would hear a word spoken but suddenly it occurred to her that there was a difference. She looked up at CJ and saw that he had spun himself around and was looking directly at her, his stuffies forgotten, and he was talking to her. He was saying, “Momma,” over and over. Lois was frozen in place. She couldn’t believe it, but, sure enough, there it was, he was looking at her and calling her Momma. Clark had heard and grabbed the camera. Just as Lois moved over closer to the playpen he had snapped the picture.
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She remembered that almost as one in a trance she had gotten up. When she did, CJ had tracked her with his eyes and repeated, “Momma.”
She hastened to him and picking him up hugged him and said, “Yes, CJ, Momma. I’m Momma. Momma loves CJ.”
On some level CJ must have known that he had done something right. He reached up and put his hands on her face as he continued to say, “Momma.”
Lois was showering him with kisses and interrupted only long enough to call Clark. She hadn’t realized that he was already there. Her attention had been centered on CJ. Lois was beside herself. She looked back and forth between CJ and Clark and said, “He called me Momma. He wasn’t just babbling! He was looking right at me and said, Momma. He’s associating me with that name!”
Suddenly CJ shifted his focus and looked at Clark. He very distinctly said, “Dadda?”
Lois was astonished. She looked at Clark who was also stunned. She held CJ out for Clark to take him. As soon as he was in Clark’s arms he started chanting, “Dadda … Dadda,” over and over.
Clark said, “Well, I guess we know who he takes after! He has to take after you. Here’s an overachiever if I ever saw one!”
Lois laughed and punched his bicep.
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Still smiling at that particular memory Lois turned over another page.
This page contained a picture of CJ sitting in his highchair. His face was an absolute mess. Lois started thinking about it.
CJ was about eight months old and his metabolism was causing him to be hungry with less and less time between feedings. In order to satisfy him and extend the time between feedings Lois had started him on some solid foods. She had gotten some rice cereal for him. She would express milk in the evenings and store it in the refrigerator so that in the morning she could use the breast milk in the cereal. She would use enough to make a loose paste and start feeding him with a spoon. Initially he had some little difficulty adapting to eating from a spoon and he wound up getting more on him than in him. This particular picture had been taken early on and he had cereal smeared all over his cheeks and chin.
The picture right next to it was of CJ, again in his highchair. This time Lois’ hand with the spoon near his mouth. Now he was more comfortable with eating from a spoon and he looked like a little bird with its mouth open for the momma bird to drop a worm in.
Lois was smiling even as the tears fell at the memory. These were very special memories, ones she would treasure for all of her life.
Turning the page again Lois saw a picture that represented the only time that they had any real problem.
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It had all started when CJ began crying for no apparent reason. Lois had been beside herself. Up to this point he had been such a happy baby and to have him start crying almost constantly she was worried that she was doing something wrong. She finally decided that she needed some outside help so after making a phone call Clark flew to Smallville and picked up his mom and brought her to Metropolis.
When she came in Lois was carrying CJ and bouncing him and talking to him and he was crying and crying. Martha calmly walked over and looked at CJ. Then she asked, “Has he been sticking things in his mouth?”
Lois replied, “He always has something in his mouth. Is that a problem?”
Martha then used her finger to explore CJ’s mouth. As soon as she had her finger in his mouth he started to try to chew on it and he quieted down. Martha said, “I know what the problem is. He’s teething. You need to get one of those things that are filled with gel that you put in the freezer. Once it’s cold you give it to him to chew on. The cold helps reduce the pain and the chewing helps the teeth to come through the gums.”
Lois let out a relieved sigh, “Thank you Martha. You don’t know what a relief it is to know what the problem is. I was getting frantic not knowing what the problem was or how to deal with it.”
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The next picture was of CJ lying in his playpen with his bunny on his tummy and his teething ring in his mouth.
Turning the page Lois came to another shot from around that time. CJ was up on his hands and knees crawling, the teething ring dangling from his mouth. He started crawling around in his playpen and eventually started getting bored doing that. After going around a few times he would stop, sit and looking at Lois start to wail. At first Lois had no idea as to why he was doing this. Then she made it a point to watch the process. Seeing what was happening, Lois tried to put herself in his place and decided that it was time to baby proof the home. Clark went out and purchased the necessary materials and installed everything in less than an hour.
Once this was done, Lois was able to take CJ out of the playpen and placing him on his tummy he could get up and explore. Crawling was still somewhat new to him so he didn’t move too fast. In fact, he would crawl a few paces and then spin around and sit on his butt. After looking around, apparently deciding which way he wanted to go next and what he wanted to see, he would flip over on hands and knees and crawl to this new and interesting location to check out what was different about it from where he had just been.
The next picture brought another smile to Lois’ face. CJ had crawled over to the sofa and using it for support had managed to pull himself up on his feet and was standing there looking over his shoulder staring right into the camera with the largest smile on his face. He knew that he had accomplished something and was very pleased with himself. As soon as he let go though, he landed on his butt. Undeterred he had repeated the process and was standing once more. Eventually, there wasn’t a piece of furniture that he didn’t use to pull himself up. It was like he was testing all of the furniture to see which piece was easiest to use and which gave him the best view once he was on his feet.
The next picture brought another smile to her lips. CJ in his highchair with a bunch of lifesaver shaped cereal pieces on the tray in front of him. He was picking them up, one at a time, and putting them into his mouth. He had some more teeth coming in and the hard cereal felt good to him as he crunched down on it, but, very quickly it softened from his saliva and he was able to swallow it without any problems. The caption read simply, “CJ feeding himself.”
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Not believing that there would be any possible problem in doing so, there were occasions when Clark would spin into the Suit in front of CJ when he had to respond to an emergency. Apparently CJ began to associate this act with Clark leaving for a period of time. One day, as Clark was leaving, he turned to CJ and waved. To his surprise, CJ waved back. Lois said, “He’s waving goodbye to you.”
Clark walked over and picked him up. He gave CJ and hug and a kiss and said, “Bye Sport, I’ll be back before you know it.” He placed him back down on his tummy.
Lois watched and decided that she had to act. She got up and chased after her son who was following his father as fast as he could crawl in his footsteps.
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That was the last page. She knew that there would be more entries because they had a few months yet before Herb was due to show up.
She was determined that she would build some more memories before that happened, because she knew that once he came, there would be no more memories to build, only the one which would tear her heart out. The memory of losing her baby.
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