By Michele Savage <bizarra@infinet.com>
Rating: G Submitted September 22, 1997
Summary: Lois and Clark find that the circle of life repeats itself when they discover the truth behind the mysterious appearance of the baby in "The Family Hour."
After seeing Family Hour and having my own idea as to where the baby came from, then hearing Tim Minear's explanation of where the baby would have come from, I decided to write this. I think Family Hour gave me the closure I needed. It made the show seem cyclical. Clark found his baby just as his parents did. I find that appropriate. There is no A plot here. No major story here. (Something of a task for me.;-) ) Just a supposed extra few scenes added to the end of Family Hour. This SHORT story is for Keina who refused to believe I could write a short story. ;-P And this story is for myself, who would rather believe that the baby truly was given to Lois & Clark and not theirs on loan, as the story next year would have seemed to take it. Superman and all related characters are copyright DC Comics. (With the exception of the baby. He's mine.) HG Wells, I suppose is copyright himself.
***
The morning's light found the Kents and the Lanes sitting in the living room still surprised by the mysterious appearance of the baby.
Lois sat on the couch holding the baby. She was afraid to let the child out of her sight; afraid he would disappear as suddenly as he had appeared. "Clark, he's beautiful."
Clark sat next to his wife, and let the baby clench his finger. "Honey, maybe we shouldn't get attached. I mean … he has parents somewhere."
"I know Clark. A little of me is saying, 'Be reasonable Lois, babies just don't appear out of the blue,' then I look at you." She leaned against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. "Martha, what did you do when you found Clark?" Lois asked her mother-in-law, who sat in the chair across the room.
Martha smiled, "I laughed and I cried. I wouldn't let Jonathon near the baby, afraid he would take him away from me."
"I didn't know where you'd come from, son," Jonathan added. "All I knew was that we'd found a baby in a rocket ship."
"Not exactly an everyday occurrence," Clark chimed in.
"Apparently it's a Kent family tradition," Lois cooed at the baby.
"I'm missing something here," Ellen Lane spoke up. "You found Clark in a rocket ship?"
Lois rolled her eyes, "Mother …"
"No Lois …" Clark stopped her in mid-sentence, "it's time they knew."
"Knew what?" Ellen said, her curiosity piqued.
"That our son-in-law is from another planet," Sam answered.
"Planet?! What planet?" Ellen asked, more confused.
"Krypton," Clark supplied.
Ellen's mouth formed an 'o' as realization dawned.
"Daddy," Lois said, surprised, "when did you …"
"Pumpkin, the look on your face when you asked me to save Superman's life told me everything."
"I was that obvious?"
"You were that in love."
Lois smiled up at Clark who kissed her forehead.
"You won't …" Lois started.
"Tell anyone my son-in-law is Superman?" Ellen said. "Who'd believe me?"
"You don't have to worry kids; your secret is safe with us," Sam answered.
The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the front door.
"Excuse me," Clark said as he got up to answer the door. Clark opened the door and was surprised at who he found on the other side.
"Mr. Wells?" he said, surprised.
"Clark, my boy, how are you?" The older gentleman walked in and put his hat on the rack at the entrance.
Lois stood, and held the baby a little more protectively. "Mr. Wells, this … this is a surprise."
H.G.Wells walked up to Lois and planted a fatherly kiss on her cheek, "I see you found the gift I left you."
"Gift?" Lois asked, then realized, "The baby? He's from you? How? where?" She began asking all her questions at once.
"Slow down, Lois. I'll explain everything," Wells patted her arm comfortingly. He turned and noticed the other people in the room. "Ahh, Jonathan and Martha Kent and Sam and Ellen Lane. It's good to finally meet you."
"You know our names?" Ellen asked, taken aback.
"I've known Lois and Clark for years. They've told me all about you."
Jonathan stood up, recognizing the distinguished looking gentleman from books he'd read, "You're … you're H.G. Wells!"
"Aye sir, I am. I've been traveling, exploring different aspects of time and space. Lois and Clark are quite special to me."
"Does this happen often?" Ellen deadpanned.
"It does when you're married to Superman, Mother." Lois said. Turning to Wells she asked, "What about the baby? This has nothing to do with Tempus does it?"
Wells gestured for Lois to sit on the couch and for Clark to join her.
"No Lois, … this is the beginning of Utopia."
"I don't understand. You said Utopia was a result of our offspring? We can't …" Clark asked.
"No, you can't," Wells answered, "but he can." He pointed to the baby, now in Clark's arms.
"Mr. Wells, what about the baby's parents?" Clark asked.
"Oh, I knew I'd forgotten something." Wells pulled a small box out of his pocket, turned a knob and disappeared in a sparkle of light. Before the next breath was taken in the room, he'd returned holding a box.
He smiled and handed the box to Clark. "Here my boy, this should explain who the baby is."
Clark opened the box and found a very familiar looking globe. "This is my …"
"No, not yours," Wells interrupted, "his."
"His?" Clark asked Wells, confused. He looked down at the baby held in the crook of his arm and the globe in the box on his knee. "You mean he's …me?"
Wells shook his head no. "He's from a different universe, much like this one. But there are differences. Some major, some subtle." Wells urged Clark to pick up the globe.
Clark picked it up out of the box still on his lap, and it began to glow. Suddenly a familiar holo-projection appeared and began speaking:
"Hello Lar-El, my son. I am your father, Kal-El. If you are seeing this, it must mean that you survived the trip to Earth."
"Kal-El? Clark …" Lois turned to Clark, surprised.
Clark was staring at the holo-image, unable to take his eyes away. He felt like he was looking into a ghostly mirror. The image was himself, wearing the robes his father wore in the message from his globe:
"As you grow up, you will want to know who you are; where you came from. Krypton, as your mother Zara and I know it, will die, according to my calculations, in a few days. My father, Jor-El discovered the planetary instability many years ago. He was not believed; as I was not believed when I took over his work. He had prepared a small ship to send me offworld should Krypton die. Fortunately it didn't in Jor-El's lifespan. Now, it comes to me, to save my son's life. Your mother and I have prepared that ship, and it will take you to Earth.
"I chose Earth for you Lar-El, because of the similarities between the humans and ourselves. Your physical and genetic similarities will ensure your acclimation to Earth and that a part of Krypton will live on in you and your descendants. One more thing Lar-El, You will be more powerful under the Earth's yellow sun. Use this advantage wisely and cautiously."
The image faded back into the globe, as the surprised audience sat in stunned silence. The baby broke the silence with jovial gurgling.
Clark looked down at the wriggling child in his arms as if he were seeing him for the first time. "My son …" he whispered softly.
Lois wept joyfully as saw the awed look on her husband's face.
Martha stood and walked to the couch and for the first time, really looked at the baby. "My god, Clark. He looks so much like you did at that age."
Jonathan stood, pulling his wallet from his back pocket. He flipped the pictures. Finding the baby picture of Clark he kept, he showed it to Lois. "Here Lois, look at this."
She took it and smiled through the tears of happiness. She compared the baby in the picture with the baby in Clark's arms. "He does have your eyes, Clark. Those big brown pools of honesty," she pulled his face toward hers, "and love."
The four Kents shared a family hug, of laughter and tears. Lois noticed her parents sitting awkwardly alone. She gestured for them to join them. Sam and Ellen moved to the couch and Jonathon and Martha moved, letting them sit. Lois took the baby from Clark and handed the tiny bundle to her mother.
"God, I haven't held a baby in years," Ellen said, grinning ear to ear. She lay the baby on her lap, his feet against her stomach.
Mr. Wells cleared his throat, hiding the emotion he felt. He clicked open his pocket watch, glancing at the time. "Well, I need to be going."
Lois stood and walked to Mr Wells. She hugged him tightly, "Thank you. You've been so good to us."
"You are very welcome, my child. Just be happy; that's all anyone can ask," Wells told her, hugging back.
Clark stood and walked to them, putting a hand on Lois' shoulder as they broke up the hug. "Mr. Wells," he said, shaking the older man's hand, "I can't possibly thank you enough. You will stop in occasionally and check on your godson, won't you."
"You know it," Wells said.
"Good-bye, folks, it was very nice meeting you," Wells said to the older Kents and Lanes.
They all said their good-byes as Wells left through the front door.
Lois turned to Clark and smiled broadly, "We have a baby!" She threw herself into his arms and they hugged joyfully.
They were interrupted by the clearing of a throat. They turned and faced their parents, Lois wiping at a stray tear.
"Why don't we grandparents leave you three alone to get aquainted," Martha smiled, handing the baby to Lois. She gathered Jonathan, Sam and Ellen and ushered them out the door. As they left, she turned to Lois and Clark and mouthed that she was happy for them.
The front door shut and Lois and Clark were alone with their son for the first time. Lois held the baby closely. "Oh Clark," she said quietly, "I can't believe this is happening."
"Me neither," he said guiding them to the couch. He sat and pulled Lois and the baby onto his lap.
She settled into the crook of his arm and lay her head against his shoulder. She cradled the baby against her body.
"You know, it seems strange, raising this little guy, knowing he's my son … but not -my- son. You know what I mean?" Clark said.
"Yes," Lois answered.
"What about his mother?" Clark asked hesitantly. "Are you okay with that?"
Lois smiled, "It makes me happy knowing that the Kal-El who was his father was loved." She planted a small kiss on Clark's cheek.
Clark traced the tiny hands of the baby with his finger, marveling at the difference in size. "He's so tiny."
"But he'll grow up big and strong and handsome, just like his daddy," Lois said nuzzling Clark's neck.
Clark captured Lois's face in his hand and kissed her deeply. "I hope when he grows up, he meets someone as beautiful, and smart and frustrating as you."
Lois laughed, "What do you mean, frustrating?"
"You make life interesting, honey. I want this little guy's life to be interesting too."
"Clark trust me, with us as parents, his life would never be boring."
Clark laughed, "True. You know, we need to name him. We can't just keep calling him 'little guy.'"
Lois suggested, "How about Jonathan Wells Kent."
Clark grinned, "Jonathan Samuel Wells Kent."
"Well kiddo, I think you have a name. It's longer than you are right now, but I'm sure you'll grow into it." Lois rubbed the baby's stomach, causing him to gurgle joyfully. The baby cooed and grabbed Clark's finger, pulling it to his mouth and trying to suck on it.
"I think Jonathan is hungry," Clark smiled.
"I do too," Lois agreed. "We need to stock up."
Clark moved Lois off his lap, stood and spun into Superman. "Hold that thought, I'll be back." He quickly left.
Lois sat on the couch, the baby in her lap. "I don't know if I'll be the perfect mother for you, little one, but you couldn't have asked for a more perfect daddy."
The baby looked at Lois and smiled a tiny toothless grin.
"I promise you, I'll be the best mother I can be."
Clark returned a few minutes later with everything they needed to get the baby fed, clothed and freshly diapered.
"Sorry that took …" he stopped and smiled as he noticed Lois laying on the couch, fast asleep. Her arm was draped protectively over the baby who was wide awake.
He moved quietly to the couch and knelt, putting his finger over his lips, "Shh … we don't want to wake up mommy," he whispered.
Clark carefully eased the baby out from Lois's arm and took him into the kitchen. Easily holding Jonathan in one arm, he prepared a bottle.
Once finished, he went out to the patio, sat and fed the baby.
Little Jonathan drained his bottle quickly.
"I see you are going to take after me," Clark chuckled. He set the bottle on the table and lightly tapped the boy's back, burping him. After, Clark propped Jonathan against his upraised legs.
"Do you know, Lar-El, that I was born on Krypton too?" Clark told his son. "You'll understand when you are older, but my name is Kal-El and I'm your father."
Till we find our place in the path unwinding In the circle The Circle of Life.
THE END
Circle of Life written by Elton John and Tim Rice (C) Walt Disney Company
(circle.txt)