That's the Way It Is

By Laura Johnsen <super_girl3545@hotmail.com>

Rated: G

Submitted: May 2002

Summary: An idea for how on earth Lois and Clark had Danielle! A prequel to the author's previous stories, "An Expected Beginning" and "It's Not Easy Being Mean and Green."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone! I decided to take a small break from the life of Supergirl and take you back in time to when Clark and Lois found out they couldn't have kids. One change- in my world, they can!

***

Clark sat quietly downstairs, with his head in his hands and his heart in pieces. He and Lois couldn't have a child. Child services denied them the right to adopt. Clark cursed his biology mentally, and wondered how on earth Lois was able to sleep.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. *Who on earth could be calling at this hour?* he thought, and quickly shushed the phone by picking it up from the coffee table and answering it.

"Hello," Clark whispered, not wanting to wake up Lois and their parents.

"Clark, it's Doctor Klein," came the voice on the other end.

"Doctor Klein?! Why are you calling so late?!"

"I have been working for hours on this case with Superman. you [You] do know about that, right?"

"Yeah. yeah, I know." Remembering the news from a couple of months ago brought a stab in his heart.

"Clark, you have to give him some news. Something went wrong!"

"Something went wrong? What are you talking about?"

"There was a glitch in Superman's tests!"

Clark collapsed onto the couch, letting this sink in. "Tell me everything."

"Well, every month S.T.A.R. Labs has a repairman come into the labs to check the computers for accuracy. After all, some of these experiments make life-and-death decisions. Today, the man discovered something wrong with the computer I looked over Superman's tests with- something that would cause his results to come up wrong.

"I was blown away by this, and as soon as the man left, I grabbed Superman's files and double-checked. I haven't been able to reach you because your cell phone was off." Clark slapped his forehead- he knew he shouldn't have turned it off! "And you weren't home."

"Come on, Doctor Klein! What exactly is the news?!" Clark was frantic; he had to know!

"Superman's biology is mostly exactly the same as ours; there are only a few minor differences. He and his honey can… well, they are compatible!"

This was the best news Clark had heard in his life. He quickly thanked Dr. Klein, reassuring him this would be told to Superman and Superman only, and hung up. He had to tell Lois- she would be so thrilled!

***

Meanwhile, upstairs, Lois was having a small battle with herself. She knew Clark was downstairs, holding his head in his hands. She would leave him alone; besides, she was having some difficulty.

For a few months now, Lois had known she was ready to be a mom. And she and Clark had been trying since the honeymoon. In fact (and Lois hadn't told Clark), she had bought home pregnancy tests one day when she had gone to the market. But when she found out about Clark's biology differences…that package was now there just to collect dust.

But…the last couple of weeks Lois had felt strange, like she wasn't herself. In the morning, before Clark woke up, she felt sick, and had made trips to the downstairs bathroom.

Now she was alone. She had a chance to test her theory. Hesitantly, she walked to the master bath and shut and locked the door.

***

Clark heard a scream from the bedroom upstairs. His heart skipped a beat- Lois was in danger! Before their parents would see him, he Super-sped upstairs and found the bathroom door closed and light coming out from behind it.

"Lois!" He pounded his fist against the door, wondering what on earth was going on. The door remained closed. By this time the worried parents had run upstairs, prepared for the worst. They gathered at the bedroom door.

Clark banged his hand against the door. "Lois, what's wrong?!" This time the door opened, and Lois appeared, with a smile on her tear-stained face and her hand hidden behind her back.

Breathless, Clark whispered, "What's wrong?!"

Lois took her hand away from behind her back. She held a pregnancy test stick.

"Rather, what's RIGHT. I'm pregnant!" she gasped.

*~SEVERAL MONTHS LATER~*

"All right, Lois, one more push!" Dr. Delaney promised. Lois gave one more grueling push and crying could be heard. She eased back, letting a gigantic sigh escape her lips, and enjoying the kisses she received from her husband.

"Congratulations, Lois and Clark! You have…a girl." Dr. Delaney smiled as she passed on the child to the nurses to be cleaned. Lois took the minutes she had to relax and be loved by Clark.

The nurses handed the baby to Lois, and the two parents felt the best ecstasy they had felt in weeks. She was so beautiful, with tiny black hairs upon her head, and her chocolate brown eyes half-closed in sleepiness and exposure to the new environment.

"She's gorgeous, like her mother," Clark whispered, and Lois passed the girl to him.

"What's her name, Mr. and Mrs. Kent?" a nearby nurse asked.

After a short pause, they answered together, "Danielle Raye Kent."

THE END (or is it?)