Melted Snowmen

By Stephani VanWert <VvVCordy@aol.com>

Rated G

Submitted November 1999

Summary: It's Christmas in July, and Lois has a special present for Clark.

***

Lois sighed and pushed a sweaty strand of hair off her forehead. Glancing over at Clark's empty desk she wondered where he had gone off to. Just then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and shifted uncomfortably. Clark quickly removed his hand and looked a little hurt as Lois turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry, honey. It's just so hot in here!"

Clark smiled down at his wife. "Oh come on, sweetie! Where's your holiday cheer?"

Lois rolled her eyes at him and turned to finish her story. "It's July! Whose idea was it to have city Christmas in July!?!?"

Clark laughed. "I believe it was two top reporters at the Daily Planet…the nerve of them!"

Lois clicked send to submit the story to Perry and turned back to Clark. "I think I was delirious at the time, Clark! I wasn't even serious!"

"You should've told that to Perry!"

Lois glared at him and stood up quickly, grabbing her bag as she did. Then promptly sat back down with a hand to her head.

Clark knelt down beside her. "Lois? Honey? Are you alright?"

Taking a deep, shaky breath Lois nodded. "Just stood up too fast…"

"You sure you're alright?" Clark ran a hand across her forehead, lightly.

"I'm fine…let's just get going…we have to be at your parent's house in an hour and I want to go home and change first!"

Clark gave her a worried look but stood up and walked to his desk to grab his things.

Lois slowly stood and took his hand as he walked up to her and they headed to the elevator.

<~~~An hour later~~~>

Martha walked out onto the porch, wiping her hands on a dish towel, as her son and daughter-in-law landed in the yard.

"Clark! Lois! It's so good to see you!" Martha gave them both hugs and led them inside to the kitchen where Jonathan was bringing the food to the table.

Lois deeply inhaled all of the smells of the kitchen. "Everything smells great, Martha!"

Martha smiled in response just as Clark got the all-too-familiar look on his face.

Lois put a hand on his arm and gave him a questioning look. "What is it, Clark?"

"A fire back in Metropolis. I've got to go. Sorry, Mom. Dad." He gave Lois a quick kiss and spun into his suit. "I'll be back to take you home as soon as I can ok?"

Lois smiled as Clark flew off. "Martha! Now we can get that little gift I talked to you about!"

Jonathan looked at Lois curiously. "What gift?"

Lois laughed. "Clark's Christmas in July gift!"

Jonathan smiled. "Oh! That one!"

<~~~Later~~~>

Clark glanced down at his wife in his arms as he flew toward Metropolis. Lois was holding tight to a gift wrapped box.

"Lois! Can't you give me a little hint to what's in there?"

Lois giggled and looked up at him. "No! You'll get it in the morning at work!"

Clark landed in the backyard of their house and set Lois down. "Ok…ok…I'll wait!"

<~~At work~~~>

All of the reporting staff sat around the table in the conference room waiting for Perry to come in. Lois was talking to Clark about the story on the fire the night before and stopped mid-sentence when Perry walked in. Clark glanced around.

"What?" Then he saw Perry, dressed as Santa, and burst out laughing along with the rest of the staff.

Perry scowled at them and stood in the doorway. "Ha Ha Ha. Very funny!"

Jimmy piped up from the corner of the room. "Don't you mean ho ho ho, Santa?"

That sent the staff into another burst of laughter.

"Ok enough! I had a request for someone to receive a special present first." Perry rummaged through the bag of presents and pulled out the Clark's present from Lois.

Everyone watched curiously as Perry handed it to Clark and he slowly opened it.

Everyone looked a bit confused as Clark pulled a small, dark blue blanket out of the box.

Clark looked at Lois, a bit confused. "How did you? When? Yesterday? Wait…my *baby* blanket?"

Lois grinned and nodded.

Clark got a surprised look on his face. "Does this mean?"

Lois nodded again and was then pulled into a huge embrace by Clark.

The staff glanced around at each other wondering what was going on when they got their answer from Perry.

Perry walked up to Clark and Lois and grinned. "Congratulations you two! You'll make great parents!"

Lois and Clark were then crowded by the entire staff giving their congratulations.

THE END

~~~Stephani (VvVCordy@aol.com)~~~