By super-angel <superman4ever@boltblue.com>
Rated PG
Submitted, June 2001
Summary: When Lois feels neglected by her Super husband, she gets some advice from her mother-in-law on just how to whip Clark into shape.
Author's Notes: This is the first fanfic I've ever written. I know it isn't very good, but I'd like to receive your comments at: superman4ever@boltblue.com. I want to thank my last year's English teacher for helping me understand how English really works so I could read all the fanfic which are in the archive. I want to thank my friend (you know who you are!!) for being so patient with my Lois & Clark obsession. And last but not least, I want to thank all the writers of L&C fanfic!!
***
It was 7 A.M. on Friday morning when Lois woke up and ran to the bathroom. She was sick again. After she had stretched herself, she turned around to see if Clark was there. The only thing she saw was an empty bed. Again.
'Is he only home after I go to bed or before I wake up? I haven't see him for the past three days,' she thought. 'Is he ever even home at all?' She got out of her bed and took a shower. After breakfast, she went to the Planet.
When she got there Jimmy asked her, "Hey, where's CK?"
'Come on, Lois, think of another excuse.' Then she said, "He's got a cold. He's still in bed." She went to her desk and started writing an article about the investigation she had done the past few days. Then the phone rang. "Daily Planet, Lois Lane," she said.
"Hi, honey, how are you?" It was Martha.
Now it became all too much for Lois and she had to hold her tears back. Lois said, "I'm O.K. Martha, thanks."
Martha heard the tears in her voice and said, "Lois, why don't you go home. We …"
She couldn't finish her sentence because Lois interrupted her. "I can't. I have to finish my article and Clark isn't here so I have to do it myself."
Martha motioned to Jonathan and gave him her cell phone. She laid her hand on the receiver and said to him, "Call Perry and tell him Lois needs to get home now." Jonathan took the cell phone and did what Martha asked him to. Then Martha took her hand from the receiver and said to Lois, "Honey, I think we need to talk about something. You're coming home now. We're waiting for you to open the door to your apartment. We can't stay out here all day."
Lois said in shock, "You two are at my, uh, our apartment?"
Then Perry screamed through the whole newsroom, "Lane, in my office, now!"
Lois said to Martha on the phone, "I have to go but I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." Then she hung up and walked into Perry's office.
Perry sat down on his chair and motioned to Lois to do the same. She sat down and said, "What's up Chief?"
In a very serious tone, Perry said, "Lois, I want you to go home now and take a long rest. I don't want to see you until Monday."
Lois tried to protest but gave up when Perry shot her a threatening look. She got up, packed her stuff and went home. When she came home, she saw her mom- and dad-in-law already waiting at her door. She walked up to them and opened the door.
The three of them got in and Martha said to Jonathan, "Don't you have to do that shopping you planned?"
Jonathan got the hint. "Yeah, I have to go now. See you for dinner."
Martha watched Lois as she started to make Martha and herself a cup of coffee. When she came out of the kitchen and they both sat on the couch, Martha said, "So Lois, what's on your mind?"
At first, Lois didn't want to talk about it and said with a huge, fake, smile, "Oh, it's nothing. I've just been feeling sick the past few weeks. It's no big deal."
But Martha didn't fall for that and said firmly, "Lois, something's going on, I can see the tears and hurt in your eyes. Tell me, honey."
Lois didn't have the courage to defend herself and started to talk. "It's just that I can't get a hold of Clark. I didn't see him for three whole days, and I don't even know if he has been home in those past three days." Then it became too much for Lois and she burst into tears.
Martha slipped her arm around Lois's shoulders and asked, "Have you tried to talk to him about it, sweetheart?"
Lois sobbed while she said, "I've tried to talk to him for over a month now but he always hears a cry for help."
Martha saw the hurt on Lois face and said, "Well, you know, I had something like this with Jonathan when we'd only been married for a few years. I also tried to talk to him but he was always busy on the farm, so I tried the hard way to get his attention."
Lois asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Martha looked deep into Lois's eyes. She needed to know if Lois could handle it. Finally, she said, "I think you just have to leave him here and take something like a vacation for a month or something."
She saw the shock in Lois eyes. Lois said, "Well, maybe that's the best thing I can think up right now, but what if he doesn't *want* me back after a month? Maybe he likes it more on his own than with me around."
Martha said, "Don't worry, honey, I know my boy. He could never live without you. And besides, I can help you with getting in contact with Clark, and I can inform you about how much he's missing you and how depressed he is…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lois interrupted her with: "…or not."
Martha said, "Lois, I know my boy. Everything is going to be all right. Don't worry about that. If you really want to do it, you need to book a flight to somewhere out of town."
Lois said, "First I need to call Perry."
When Lois hung up the phone about an hour later, she told Martha, who was still beside her, "Everything is arranged. My plane to the Netherlands leaves in about five hours. I'm going to pack my stuff." When she walked up the stairs, she said to Martha, " Could you please call me a cab in about two and a half hours?"
Martha said, "Yes, honey."
Two hours later, Lois walked down the stairs with two suitcases in hand. She and Martha drank a cup of coffee while Lois wrote a note for Clark, in case he got worried. It said,
'Dear Clark,
We can't go further with this; I haven't seen you for the past three days. I've tried to talk to you but you always have to be Superman. I can't take it any longer. That's why I've left. Maybe I'll see you again. Good luck with all your rescues.
Love,
Lois.'
She finished her coffee just when the cab arrived. They got the suitcases in the cab and Lois told Martha goodbye. She asked her, "Please, give Jonathan my love and keep an eye on Clark. I really don't want to hurt him, but there's no other way." She gave Martha a hug and stepped into the cab.
***
About ten hours later, the plane landed at the Amsterdam Airport. Lois got her luggage, rented a car and headed for her hotel in Amsterdam. When she had unpacked all her stuff, she went down to have breakfast. (It was about 9 A.M. local time when she arrived.) After that, she went to bed and cried herself to sleep.
***
Clark came home at midnight and found Lois's note. He cried and went upstairs. Then he heard voices coming from the spare bedroom. He x-rayed it and saw his mom and dad. He knocked on the door and went in.
They saw the hurt in Clark's eyes and said, "I think we need to talk, honey."
He said, "What do you know about Lois?"
Martha said, "Clark, sit down." He did what his mother asked him to and looked with his scared eyes into his mother's. She continued, "When did you last see her?"
Clark said, "Last night. She was already asleep when I came home."
His mother asked, "When was the last time *she* saw *you*?"
Now Clark's look became even more scared when he said, "I think it was yesterday."
His mother glared at him and said, "No, Clark, it was three days ago. That's not normal."
Jonathan said, "Clark, you need to know that a marriage works two ways. Lois can't give everything she has while you don't give her anything in return. She needs some attention."
Clark said with a very sad voice, "Is that why she left? Didn't I pay her enough attention?"
Martha said, "Yes, that's why she left."
Clark asked his mother, "Mom, do you know where she went?"
Martha said, "Yes, I know, but I won't tell you until you've realize what you've done to her. Now, go to sleep and think about it."
Clark gave his parent a goodnight kiss and went to bed.
The next morning when he woke up, he longed for Lois and began to realize what he had done to her, and he knew there was only one thing he wanted now: he wanted his wife back. He wanted to hold her in his arms, to kiss her and tell her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him.
He decided to stop being Superman for a while and got to work.
***
Lois woke up, with tears in her eyes. She had dreamt about Clark. She also longed for him. The thought that everything was going to be all right cheered her up, if only just a little. She went into town and explored the city.
After a week of waiting for a call from Martha and Jonathan and still feeling sick every morning, she became crazy. Just when she wanted to break the phone, it rang. She picked it up and said, "Lois Lane." She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Martha's voice.
"Hi, honey, it's me. I talked to Clark and he's realizing what he has done to you. He asked me to mail you a letter he's written, so I sent it Priority yesterday. You should receive it tomorrow."
Lois said, "Martha, have I hurt him much?"
Martha said, "Yes, honey, he's very hurt; not only by what you've done but mostly by what he has done to you."
Lois began to sob and said, "Martha, do you think it will be a long time before I can come home? I miss him so much."
Martha said, "I don't think it'll be long, honey. I think you just need a week to read his letter, then write him one back before coming home. He's missing you so much that he's looking for you. He finished Canada yesterday and starts looking for you today in Africa."
Lois felt a rush of love for him coming over her, and she said, "Martha, will you give him and Jonathan love from me, and tell Clark that I just did it because I love him?"
Martha said, "I will, honey. See you soon."
They said their goodbyes and finished the conversation. Lois flopped down on the bed and started reading in her romance novel. After a few minutes, someone knocked on the door. Lois opened the door and took the package the man gave her; it was the letter from Clark.
Lois opened the box and found a picture in the box. It was a picture of them, kissing on his parents' farm. It was in a frame with deep red hearts surrounding it. She opened the accompanying letter and read it. It said,
'My lovely Lois,
First, I want to apologize to you. I should've seen that I wasn't paying you enough attention. I should've known that you'd need me more than anyone else in the world. I should've known that I was doing everything wrong. I should've known that I was hurting you. Lois, I'm really sorry. I can't express how angry I am with myself. I can't think of how much I hurt you, because it just hurts me too much to imagine you being hurt. The worst of it is that I was the cause of that pain. Lois, I am so sorry. I can't tell you how much I am sorry because it's just too much to say in words.
Lois, I love you, more than I've ever loved someone in my entire life. Please, Lois. I'd love it if you gave me a second chance. Please, just think about it. You're worth more to me than anything in my life. You *are* my life. You're everything I've ever wanted. You're the most beautiful, loveliest, kindest and most honest woman I've ever met. I don't want to lose you, Lois. Please think about it.
I love you,
Your Clark'
Lois burst into tears after she read the letter. She loved Clark more than he loved her. She didn't want to lose him, either. She took a seat at the desk in her room and started writing a letter back. It was almost midnight when she finished her letter. She took an envelope and wrote his address on the front, then put the letter in the envelope and went to bed.
The next morning, she woke up, got dressed and ate breakfast. While she waited for her bagel with cheese, she thought of Clark, imagined him sitting on the kitchen table, on his own. She almost started to cry again. After she finished her breakfast, she walked out of the hotel and to the nearest post office.
She bought a stamp and asked the teller, "What's the fastest way to get this letter in Metropolis?"
The teller said, "It's with Priority Mail, I think."
Lois paid the bill and asked before she left, "How long is it going to take?"
The teller said, a bit insulted, "Is it that important? I've got only two hands, Miss, but I think it'll take about two days."
Lois said, "Thanks. And by the way, I'm married. That's 'Mrs.' to you." Then she turned around and walked away.
As a distraction, she decided to take a walk in the park. After that she did some shopping. She bought a tie with hearts for Clark. She wanted to show him that she didn't want to hurt him, but that there was just no other way of showing him that things had gone wrong. Then she went to the drugstore, tired of feeling so sick. Suddenly she began to realize something.
The next day, she was busy with getting her stuff together and packing, and at night, she took in a movie.
***
It was morning in Metropolis when Clark was waken up by a cry for help. He spun into his suit and flew out. There was a big fire at a warehouse. Superman got to save the life of most everyone, except that of a one month old baby girl. With heart-wrenching sadness, he brought her body out to the ambulance staff.
***
Meanwhile, Lois was watching television when she found LNN. She saw Clark carrying out the body of a tiny baby girl, and saw the look of sadness on his face. In that moment, Lois realized that it was the first time she'd really longed to have a child. She never thought she would feel that in her life; just the urge to be a mother. She didn't just long for a child, she longed for she and Clark to have that connection between them.
An explosion broke her thoughts. She looked at the TV and saw fire. There was a blur of red and blue colors between the fire, and then the TV connection was broken. She turned the TV off and took a nap.
***
After dousing a big fire, Clark went home. He wanted Lois back, wanted her to be there, to just hear her say that he couldn't blame himself for the death of that little girl.
He heard a tap on the door and went downstairs. When he opened the door, he saw the mailman and took the letter, asking himself what was so urgent that it had been sent Priority Mail.
'Lois,' he suddenly thought. 'No, that can't be. She couldn't have made the decision that fast. He opened the letter and his eyes started to tear up. He read,
'My dearest Clark,
I love you so much that I don't want to lose you, either. I think I've already hurt you too much. I need you to know that if there was another way to show you that I need you, that I love you, that I long for you, I wouldn't have resorted to this, but there just wasn't. Clark, I've only got one question. Please, would you come and get me? I'm staying at the Hilton hotel in Amsterdam. I'm waiting for you. Because I know you won't read the end of this letter, I'll tell you the rest of it when you're here.
Much love,
Your own Lois'
He, indeed, didn't finish the letter. He spun into the suit and was with her in a minute. He had never flown that fast, but he longed to see her. He x-rayed the hotel and saw Lois asleep on her bed. He landed in an alley and spun into his normal clothes.
Before he entered the hotel, he bought a long, deep red rose and then went inside and asked which room Lois was in.
The woman answered, "Lois Lane, room 353. Shall I call her or not?" Clark asked her not to and went upstairs. He knocked on the door.
A sleepy voice said, "I'm coming."
Clark watched Lois approach through the door, then she opened it. It took her a couple of seconds to realize who it was standing there. Then she pulled him inside, closed the door and said, "Is it really you?"
Clark said, "Yes, Lois, it's really me."
Then she couldn't hold back any longer and flew into his arms. She kissed him passionately and then just held him. As Clark held her, he ran his fingers through her silky hair.
When they finally broke apart, Clark noticed the packed suitcases and motioned to them. "I assume you want to come back to Metropolis?"
Lois said, "If you'll forgive me for hurting you so much and if you'll promise that you'll pay a little more attention to me."
He said, "I promise, Lois, with every cell in my body."
Lois finished, "There's something more, but I'll tell you when we get back to Metropolis."
Clark smiled and said, "Give me two minutes to bring your suitcases home. I'll be right back." With that, he flew away.
Lois sat down on the bed and started to watch the time. He was back in one minute and 59 seconds. Then he scooped his wife up and, after fifteen minutes, they were back in Metropolis.
Lois started to kiss Clark all over his face and neck. Then Clark said, "What was the last thing you wanted to tell me, the thing you said you would tell me when we got back?"
Lois said, "Clark, please sit down."
Clark sat down and pulled Lois onto his lap. He wanted to be as near as possible to her.
Finally, she continued, "You know, when I saw you looking at that lifeless baby girl from the fire that I saw on LNN this morning, I saw the longing in your eyes, Clark. I've got another question." She paused for a moment. "Clark, would you like having a baby, one of our own?"
Clark was stunned. That was the one thing he wanted most in his life, right after a loving wife. He said, "Well, I know you don't want any so…"
He couldn't finish because Lois interrupted him. "Clark, I just want to know what *you* want, and besides, I am the one who knows what I want. So would you like to be a daddy or not?"
Clark hesitated and finally said, "Yes, Lois, I want to have a baby."
Lois breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "Well, I think I'm lucky, then."
Clark, looking a bit stunned, asked, "Why?"
A huge smile crossed Lois's face. "Clark, I'm going to have a baby!"
The couple embraced for a long time. Then Clark floated them to the bedroom. They began kissing each other. Lois kissed his throat, and went down, opening the buttons on his shirt one by one.
***
The next morning they woke up in their embrace. Lois opened her eyes, hoping he was there. She looked up and saw him, looking down at her. He said, "I've already unpacked your suitcases."
Lois realized something. The tie was in there! She asked, "Find anything unusual?"
He said, "Actually, I did." He held up the tie in its wrapping paper.
Lois said, "To be honest, it's a present for you. I want you to know that I didn't leave because I wanted to leave, but because there was no other way to get your attention."
Her eyes began to tear up as he unwrapped the present. He saw the tie and kissed her gently on her lips. Then he said, "I've got something for you, too. It's because I want you to know that I'm sorry about everything I did to you." He gave her a package.
When she unwrapped it, she saw a beautiful gold necklace. She kissed him and asked, "Would you mind fastening it?" He did that and then they started kissing and caressing each other, and you know, from one thing comes another…
THE END