By JJ (rja055@airmail.net)
Summary: Protective of Lois in her delicate condition, Perry sends his best reporting team off on what he thinks is an innocuous assignment.
***
Lois Kent gently eased her eight and a half month pregnant belly into her chair at the Daily Planet. Usually she had Clark to help her, but there was a big disaster in Texas that needed Superman.
"I hate these chairs," she muttered to herself. "They're so uncomfortable, and of course Clark isn't here to rub my back."
"Oh, honey, don't complain. I came back as soon as possible," Clark said sneaking up behind Lois, gently rubbing her sore back.
"Thank you," Lois said gratefully. "Being so far along in my pregnancy, especially with three babies makes my back and everything else so sore."
"I know, honey," Clark said.
"Lois! Clark! I've got a job for you two!" Perry White said coming out of his office. "Only if Lois is up to it."
"I'm fine, Perry. What's up?"
"OK, I need you two to go down to the bank for me. I need you to cash my check, ok?" he asked.
"Perry, whatever happened to Lois and Clark: Famous Reporters, partners for life?" Lois whined.
"Come on, Lois, your due date's in two weeks. I can't have you running around in danger."
"Don't worry, Perry," Clark told him. "We'll go to the bank, and we'll do it with a happy face, won't we, Lois?"
"Yeah, whatever," Lois muttered.
"Good," Perry said handing his check to Clark.
Lois and Clark drove to the bank, and cashed Perry's check. They were about to leave when a man with a gun came in.
"Everybody sit down on the floor and lay out your money!" the man said. Clark stepped in front of Lois protectively. No one else moved.
"Do it! Or else she dies!" He was able to get Lois out of Clark's firm grasp.
"No!" Clark said stepping forward.
"Clark!" Lois cried out.
"Shut up!" the man cried, pointing the gun to Lois' head.
"Don't hurt Lois!" Clark said.
"Then give me your money," the gunman said.
"Here, here's my wallet," Clark said, giving the man his wallet.
"Let me go!" Lois cried. The man did nothing. Just then sirens appeared in front of the bank.
"Oh no," the man said. "Nobody move. My hostage and I are going to explain to the police what will happen if they come in."
"Don't take Lois," Clark begged. "Take me. Please. She's pregnant."
"She's my hostage and that's final," the gunman said, heading out the door. He stepped outside to talk to the police. "Listen here! If you dare try and arrest me, this woman will die." With that, the gunman went with Lois back inside the bank, and talked to the people inside the bank. "Right now, everyone is my hostage. Not just this lady, so you can go back to your husband." Lois started to walk back to Clark when she felt a pain in her stomach.
"Ow!" Lois cried as she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach, again.
"What's wrong?" Clark asked.
"I don't know. Ow!" Lois fell on the floor crying hard and clutching her stomach. Everyone's eyes turned to Lois, filled with concern.
Clark, of course was at her side in a second. "Lois, are you OK?" he asked as he gently held her in his strong arms.
"Clark! I'm-I'm in labor!" she cried.
Clark was panicking. Sure, he'd delivered tons of babies. But they were never his. And the person in pain and agony was never his wife, the woman he loved, the one that he had gotten pregnant.
"OK," he said calmly. "Can you make it over to the wall, honey?"
"Yeah, I think so."
With Clark's arms around her body, Lois slowly made it over to the wall, and sat down. "Clark! This hurts so bad!" Lois set her head on Clark's shoulder, sobbing.
"I know, honey," Clark soothed. "Just relax."
Lois inhaled deeply. "It's over. The contraction is over." Lois fell into Clark's arms still inhaling deeply.
Clark held her. "You're doing great, Lois," Clark told her.
"Sure. All you have to do is coach me. I get to experience the pain."
"I'm sorry, honey," Clark apologized.
"No, Clark, I'm sorry. I love you, and I'm glad you're here for me," Lois said.
She started huffing and puffing again as the next contraction started. "Ohhhhh!!!"
"OK, honey. Just breathe in and out. In. Out." Clark coached. A guy walked over to Lois and Clark.
"Hi. My name is Dr. Robert Callahuchie. I was just thinking that if you would like me to, I could deliver your baby so that your husband could stay close to you."
"That would be great," Lois said gratefully.
Clark went up and sat by Lois.
"Are you sure that you haven't been in labor longer than when you were in the bank, ma'am?" Dr. Callahuchie asked.
"I don't know. Why?" Lois asked.
"Because you look like a lady that's about to deliver," the doctor said.
An hour later like the doctor predicted, Lois was delivering her baby.
"CLARK! GET IT OUT!!"
"Lois, you're doing fine," Clark soothed. "A couple more pushes, and our baby will be born!"
Lois got a firm grip on Clark's hand. "IT'S YOUR BABY! You give birth to it!!" Lois screamed as she pushed.
"It's a boy! Congratulations Mrs. Kent!"
"You did it, Lois!" Clark kissed Lois as Lois took the baby.
——EPILOGUE——
Lois and Clark got out of the bank with their baby, Zackery Edward Kent. He grew up to have half of Clark's powers. He could fly and see through walls, and developed his powers at the age of five instead of eighteen like Clark.
THE END
(bank.txt)