By JJ (rja055@airmail.net)
Summary: What if Lois were going into labor while stuck on an elevator with Clark — and Jimmy and Perry?
***
Clark sat down on the couch and flipped on the TV. He had been doing his best to avoid Lois because she was bugging him to tell her where he was taking them for their one year anniversary tonight. He told her that it was a secret and she would have to wait until tonight to find out. Lois also had a secret that he didn't know about. He didn't even have a clue about it.
Lois came strolling out into the living room, flicked the TV off, and sat in Clark's lap. "Hi, honey," Lois said, smiling sweetly and wrapping her arms around Clark's neck.
"Hi, Lois," Clark said, wrapping his arms around Lois' body. "I'm not telling you where we're going, though."
"I know. I had to tell you something, though. Do you remember how I left work a few hours early to meet my informer?" she asked.
"Yeah, why?" Clark asked.
"Well, I lied. I actually went to the doctor. I was just curious why I hadn't fully recovered from my stomach flu last week. So, at the doctor, I found out that I never had the stomach flu. I was sick because I'm pregnant," Lois said smiling.
"Y-y-you're pre-pregnant?" Clark stuttered. "Wow."
"You're not happy?" Lois said pouting slightly. "I thought having children would be your dream!" She ran out of the room crying.
Clark sat there. Of course he was happy about it. He needed to tell her that. Clark followed her into their room, and sat on the bed where she was lying. "Honey," he started. "Of course I'm happy about the fact that you're pregnant, I'm thrilled! I was just really shocked by the news. I love you, and now I will love our child just as much."
Lois rolled over on her back so that she was looking at Clark's face. "Do you promise?" she asked.
"I promise. And if I'm lying, may Lex Luthor kill me with Kryptonite," Clark crossed his heart to her.
"No. Even if you're lying, I don't want Lex to kill my husband," Lois told Clark, holding his hand.
"OK, but I'm not lying," Clark said.
Two hours later, Clark and Lois got dressed, to get ready for their night on the town. Lois put on her prettiest dress. A short green silk spaghetti strap dress and Clark had on a gray suit on top of a dressy black shirt.
"Now, Lois, if you feel sick or anything tonight, tell me and we'll come right back home and finish our night another night. I will not let my wife and child get sick and still go on just to make me happy, ok?"
"I promise," Lois said, holding up her right hand as if she was under oath. "If I feel sick or anything of the sort, I will tell you immediately."
"Good," Clark said. "Now let's go."
Lois and Clark headed out. They went out to eat and then dancing.
"My, Mr. Kent, you sure know how to treat a girl and her baby-on-the-way," Lois told Clark as he spun her, and then brought her close to him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Kent. I just want my wife and baby-on-the-way to be happy." Clark's expression changed to a worry. "You are ok, aren't you?"
"I'm fine, honey, don't worry."
"OK. I won't worry at all about you until you give me a reason too," Clark told her. They staggered home, tired and beat around 2:30 A.M.
"Boy," Lois said flopping down on the couch, "I don't think I can even make it to the bed, I'm so tired."
"You bet you're going to bed with me," Clark said.
"Carry me," Lois said, reaching out her arms. Clark lifted Lois up, and carried her to bed. They slept in each other's arms. Clark enjoyed the feeling that he had his whole family in his arms so he knew where they were and that they were both doing fine. *Lois in her seventh month of pregnancy*
"Clark," Lois whined waddling out to Clark's desk at the Daily Planet, "rub my back, please."
"Hold on, honey," Clark said as he finished typing his story.
Within a few seconds, he had finished typing it, had hit the save button, and stood up. "OK, sit down, Lois." He realized that Lois couldn't sit down very well over her bulging stomach.
Clark helped her sit down and started rubbing her back and her shoulders. He had been rubbing Lois' back and shoulders a lot now. He could only imagine what it was like for Lois. She had to carry a baby, had a humongous stomach and still had two months until she got rid of it. Clark knew that with that big belly, Lois could only sit comfortably in one position and got bad cramps in her lower back up to her shoulders. Clark enjoyed getting to take care of Lois, though. Lois had taken off several sick days too.
Last week, Lois woke up feeling bad. She could barely get out of bed so Clark had called Perry and told him they wouldn't be coming in. Clark enjoyed that day. He laid around the house with her, holding her in his big, broad arms, making her feel totally loved.
"Ow!" Lois suddenly yelled breaking Clark's concentration.
"Did it kick?" Clark asked, kneeling down beside her.
"Yeah," Lois smiled. "Feel it." Lois guided Clark's hand to the part of her abdomen where she first felt the pain.
"Wow, this is the first time it's ever kicked, isn't it?" Clark asked, patting Lois' stomach lovingly.
"Yeah, this is so exciting!" Lois said.
"What's so exciting?" Jimmy asked striding over to Lois and Clark.
"This is the first time we ever felt the baby kick," Clark explained standing up.
"Is it that exciting?" Jimmy asked, looking confused.
"It is when it's your first child," Lois said struggling to stand, and finally giving up.
"Clark, help me up please?"
Clark helped his struggling wife up.
"I guess I'll understand when I get married and my wife is pregnant," Jimmy said.
"I know you'll understand then," Clark told him. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Perry wanted to see us."
They walked into Perry's office. "You wanted to see us, Chief?"
"Yeah," Perry said. "Sit down.
Lois sat down with some help from Clark.
"Now, I have a thought for you two and don't answer it immediately, but think about it for a while. What do you think of this? When Lois enters her eighth month of pregnancy, I can move her to the Editing Department and she can just sit there and rest and Clark, you can have Ralph for a partner. What do you think?"
Lois spoke up."Perry, I know that this is for my own good, but I'll get bored out of my mind," Lois started. "And Clark won't let anything happen to me or my baby."
"That's right," Clark said. "I don't think she should have to sit in the Editing Department, and do nothing. That's not Lois. But I do think that she should slow down a little bit."
"Both of you are agreeing on me not doing anything!" Lois shrieked. "I can't believe it! I would never do anything to jeopardize the health of my baby! I think I can judge what I can do and not do without the help of you two. You've never been pregnant and you never will!" Lois used her anger to pick her body up out of the chair. She stormed out of Perry's office and sat down at her desk crying.
Clark came running out after her. "Lois, Perry and I didn't mean to upset you," Clark started.
Lois turned her back on him.
Clark continued. "You just mean a lot to all of us, and the last thing we would want is for your life to be put in danger, pregnant or not. But now that you are pregnant, you're not as flexible. You can't run as fast to get away, and more bad people might try and hold you hostage because they know you can't hurt them. It's all for your own good."
Lois turned and looked at him. "I know. It's just that I'm Lois Lane/Kent, the independent reporter who never lets anything get in her way."
"Well, maybe it's about time you let one important baby get in your way," Clark told her. "Just for a couple of months."
"Maybe I should slow it down, a little," Lois agreed.
"That's a good idea," Clark told her.
"Maybe we should leave a little early today," Lois suggested.
"OK, I'll tell Perry, you get your coat," Clark said.
They went home and Lois flopped down on the couch. "Oh, I'm beat," Lois said. "I think I need another famous backrub of yours," Lois said, looking up at him hopefully.
"If I have to," Clark teased, rubbing her back.
"Thanks," Lois said. "That feels so good." *Two Months Later* Lois is 1 1/2 weeks overdue
"Honey, are you sure you want to go back to work today? I thought you were going to stay home until you went into labor." Clark asked. "The baby was due last Monday."
"I'm tired of staying home. Besides, if I do happen to go into labor, you'll be there with me."
They drove to the Daily Planet. As soon as they walked in, Lois had a slight pain. "Ooh!"
"What's wrong?" Clark asked.
"Nothing," Lois answered. "The baby just kicked. I'm fine."
"OK," Clark said, walking off to get them some coffee. Lois made it to her desk.
"Lois, could Clark not convince you to stay home today?" Perry asked.
"No, Chief," Lois said.
"But I sure tried," Clark said, walking to Lois' desk with the coffee. "Lois does not let anything get in her way from coming to work."
"So, I love my job, is that so horrible?" Lois asked, afraid she would burst out crying.
"No. honey. That's what we want you to do," Clark said, setting down the coffee.
"Good," Lois said. They sat down and started to work on their story about the jewelry store scandal.
"Lois, I just heard a cry for help. Will you be OK if I leave you here. It shouldn't be more than an hour at the most?" he asked Lois.
"I'll be fine. Perry and Jimmy are here," Lois told him.
"If you need anything, just yell for help," Clark ordered her.
"I will, now you better hurry," Lois told him, kissing Clark goodbye as he dashed off. "Baby, will I ever get used to your daddy always darting off to save people?" As if in response, Lois felt the baby kick, hard. "Ooh! Watch it, ok? Don't kick so hard." Lois set back to work. She was working so hard on her story that she didn't even notice anything going on around her, until she felt the baby kick. "Oooowwww!!" she screamed.
People around her just stopped and stared.
Jimmy was the only one to do anything. He ran to her. "Lois, what's wrong?" he asked her.
"Jimmy! I'm in labor!" she screamed.
"Where's Clark?" Jimmy asked her.
"He went out, somewhere, I don't know! He should be back any minute though," she panted. She couldn't take the pain and started crying. "It hurts so bad!" The elevator doors opened and Lois looked up. It was Clark. Obviously, he hadn't heard her screaming. "CLARK!!" Lois screamed.
Clark ran to her. "Honey, what's wrong?" Clark asked, pretty sure he knew the answer.
"My water broke! And I'm in so much pain!" Lois said, leaning on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around Clark.
"OK, it's OK,' Clark said soothingly, putting his arms around Lois. "Let's get you to a hospital, ok? Then you can have this baby."
"Just get it out!" Lois screamed. Clark helped her stand up, and very slowly and carefully they made it to the elevator with Jimmy and Perry right behind them. They had discussed ahead of time that if Lois went into labor at the Daily Planet, Jimmy and Perry would ride with them to the hospital.
They were in between the second and third floor when the elevator stopped. "What's happening?" Lois said, bring Clark close.
"The elevator stopped," Perry said.
"Well, how do we get out!" Lois screamed. "Ooowww!!"
Clark wrapped his arms around Lois and held her tight.
"I don't think we can unless we get someone up here to fix it. There's a phone in here. I'll call for help," Perry said.
Clark helped Lois lay down. "You'll be ok, honey, I promise," Clark told her.
"AAUUUGGGHHHH!! What if I have to deliver the baby here?" Lois asked squeezing Clark's hand.
"Then you'll just have you're baby in the elevator," Clark said. "Either way, you'll have this baby."
"I can't take this!" Lois screamed. "It's agony!"
"I know," Clark said. "Shhh, you'll be ok, I promise." Clark rubbed Lois' stomach. "Whoa. Someone wants to come into this world."
"Clark! I can't do it! This labor is coming fast! I think I might deliver in just a few hours! I can't! I don't want to!" Lois screamed.
"Lois, you have to do this. You're doing it right now. You can't give up, it's a little to late, honey. We are all here for you and we all love you. Now once you deliver our baby, you'll be happy. Just don't quit on me."
"OK," Lois agreed. "I'm sorry, Clark. OOOHHHHHHH!!! IT HURTS!!!"
"Shhhh," Clark soothed. "I'm here for you. It'll be ok."
"C.K., I know that you know how to deliver babies, and you probably didn't know this but I know how to deliver babies too. So, if you want to stay and hold Lois' hand, I'd be happy do deliver your baby," Jimmy said.
"Lois what do you think?" Clark asked.
"Yes! Please Jimmy! I want Clark to stay with me," Lois said gratefully. Jimmy sat down where Lois had her legs propped up.
"Whoa. Lois, you were right about you delivering in a few hours. Only, you could be delivering in just about an hour, if that long. I've never seen a labor progress this quickly."
"Auugggghhhh!!!" Lois screamed again. "I never knew it was this painful!"
"Lois, you're doing fine," Clark cheered.
"Shut up! You never have known what pain feels like. You've never had pain!" Lois snapped at him, breathing deeply.
"Lois, he's not Superman. He knows what it's like to have pain," Perry told Lois.
Lois realized what she had said. "I meant pain like this," Lois said, correcting her mistake.
"C.K., the next time Lois has a contraction, time it ok?" Jimmy asked.
"Sure, Jimmy."
The next time Lois had a contraction Clark timed it. After he did, he whistled. "Talk about fast and furious! Three minutes apart!"
"No wonder it hurts! AUUUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Lois started crying again and Clark held her in his powerful arms. "This hurts so bad!"
"I know what you must be feeling honey, but it will be all over with in a few hours," Clark soothed.
*One hour later*
"Get it out!" Lois screamed.
"Lois, on your next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can," Jimmy told Lois.
Clark positioned himself to where Lois could lean on him and hold his hand.
Lois pushed on her next contraction. "OOOWWWWWW!!!!!!" Lois cried out.
"Come on! One more and that baby will be free!" Jimmy yelled.
"Push hard!" Clark yelled. Lois pushed.
"AAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! !" Lois yelled as loud as Clark had ever heard her yell. He could have heard her yell. He could have heard that from the moon, without superhearing. Lois' yell was loud and it made her push hard enough that the baby was out.
"It's a boy," Jimmy announced, handing the baby to Clark.
"We have a son, Clark!"
"I know. Aren't you glad you didn't give up?" Clark asked, handing the baby to Lois.
"He's so handsome," Lois cooed.
"What are you going to name him?" Jimmy asked. Lois and Clark whispered about it.
"We're going to name him Zachary James Kent," Clark said. "James is after the man who delivered him."
"Thanks guys, that means a lot to me."
Lois held the bundle of baby in her arms for a few more minutes before letting Clark hold him.
"Thanks for being so wonderful while I delivered him," Lois said, kissing Clark.
"Thanks for delivering him," Clark said kissing Lois back.
"I love you," Lois said.
"I love you too," Clark told her.
A workman had finally fixed the elevator and released them. Clark drove Lois to the hospital where they examined Lois and her baby. They learned that there was nothing wrong and they were released the same day. They drove home.
By the time Lois and Clark got home, little Zach was asleep.
"He was put through a lot today," Lois said, laying him down in his crib.
"Hey, you're forgetting that you were put through the same thing, and worse," Clark told her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"No, I don't think I'll ever forget how that felt," Lois said. "It's amazing. We walked in for a normal day of work and left with one extra person, and I have no more backaches. I still have a big stomach, though." She put a hand up to her swollen stomach.
"You know that the doctor said it will be a couple of days before the swelling in the womb goes down," Clark told her.
"I know, but I'll still be fatter than I used to be. I did eat a lot in my pregnancy. Thank goodness I didn't have to go through another month of that. Besides, we got our precious little angel," Lois said, tucking the covers closer to Zach's chin. Zach made a little sound and stirred.
"Maybe we should go to bed, too," Clark suggested. "You could probably use the rest." They headed to bed.
"I still can't get over it. Last night, I had a little baby inside of me. Now I have my little baby in another room," Lois said. She gasped. "Clark! We don't have a baby monitor! Oh no! That was the only thing that we forgot."
"Lois, you're forgetting. While I'm here, we don't need a baby monitor," Clark said. "Tomorrow, we'll go out and buy one though, so if I'm not here, you can hear him, wherever you go." They fell asleep.
Almost an hour after they were asleep, they were awakened by Zach. They fed and changed him, and went back to bed after they put the baby back to bed. They both knew that waking up all night was worth it. He was their little angel and they loved him very much.
THE END
(addition.txt)