By Julie Stars <stars_Julie@hotmail.com>
Rated: PG
Submitted October 2003
Summary: This short vignette is a continuation of the episode "Whine, Whine, Whine" that takes place a few days after. Lois is shocked to find out that something she hoped wouldn't happen… has happened.
***
To everyone else in Metropolis, that day had been one of the sunniest, most beautiful days of the year. Everybody seemed to be outside rather than in their homes, offices, and classrooms, bathing in the sunlight and enjoying the warmth that was so unusual for a November day. Not to say that anyone was complaining; children may have been waiting anxiously for the snow to arrive to build snowmen and have snowball fights, but the grown up population was only too familiar with the traffic, the cold, and the wetness the snow would bring to be looking forward for its arrival.
The silver Jeep Cherokee parking near the river contained one of the only people who were immune to the beauty of the day. Even though Lois did ask to have the day off, no one suspected the reason to be depression on a day like this. But sitting in her car, not wanting to be alone in her apartment but longing for solitude still, Lois was anything but enjoying the day. Re-reading the document held in her hands time and again, she was desperately trying to find a mistake in it. But no matter how many times she read it, she could not find any evidence of a mistake. Being the investigative reporter that she was, it probably meant there was none, and she knew it.
"Oh, my God, please let there be a mistake! Please don't let this be true…" she was muttering to herself. "How could I let this happen?" She hated being so helpless, but at that moment she couldn't think of anything she could do except jump into Hobbs Bay. Being the reasonable person that she was, she wasn't going to do that, but she was certainly tempted. Finally she through aside the paper with despair, perhaps combined with rage, and snatched her cell phone out of her bag.
"Hi, you've reached Clark Kent. Please leave a message and I'll get back—" Lois hung up before the machine even finished. <Damn it, Clark, where are you?> She crying now. <Please, God…>
She pulled back onto the road and drove back to the Planet. There was no point in wasting time. Distress or no distress, she was still Lois.
***
Clark was sitting in the practically empty newsroom and interviewing a source for his new story. He was not the type to take a day off just because it's sunny outside, mostly because he felt responsible for his job. It surprised him that Lois was also taking the day off. It wasn't like her.
That's why watching her burst into the newsroom and storming right past him into Perry's office didn't only not surprise him, but also completed the picture in the Planet for him.
"Give me a story. Any story. I need it," she said as soon as she closed the door behind her.
"Honey, I'm sorry but all I have is a dog show, and Ralph is supposed to come in and do that one later this afternoon," he answered, knowing this answer would not satisfy her. To his surprise, She didn't argue.
"Oh. Well, if something comes up you'll know where to reach me," she said quietly and turned to leave his office.
Recognizing for the first time that something is wrong, he looked up at her from his desk. "Honey, you want to talk about something?" he asked, almost hesitantly.
"No, Chief, it's okay. Really. I just don't like doing nothing all day." She tried to smile a little.
"Didn't you ask to have the day off?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I changed my mind. But that doesn't matter now." She turned to leave. "I'm going to the deli to get a sandwich or something."
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong? Is everything alright with Clark there?" Perry knew when there was something bothering Lois. He knew her only too well.
"Well, I went to see Clark a few days ago after work and we worked things out. Really. I even finished the deal with Scardino. We've cleared a few things- well, he's lucky he didn't have his spleen torn out after he said all that he had to say, but we're fine." She was struggling to hold back tears that were threatening to burst. "It's fine." <for now.>
She left his office and was heading towards the elevator when she noticed Clark, who was already finished with that source and was typing something. She paused for a moment, but then continued. She couldn't face him right now. Clark, however, did not have that in mind.
"Lois! Lois, stop!" he called after her and walked over to her. "Don't I even get a kiss today? Is there anything wrong?" he said when he finally noticed the expression on her face.
"No. I'm fine, really. I'm just not in a really good mood, that's all." The tears started flowing in spite of her struggle. She looked down. With his thumb, Clark lifted her face to him, and wiped her tears with his other hand. She pressed herself against him in a hug. The tears were flowing freely now.
"Do you want me to drive you home?" Clark offered. He was getting concerned, especially because he knew that it was not easy to bring Lois to tears like this.
"Just get me out of here…" she whispered, not letting go of him just yet.
"Okay. Lois, Lois, listen to me. I'll take you to my place and everything will be all right." He gently slipped out of her grip and put his arm around her to lead her to the elevator.
***
"Do you want some tea?" Clark offered, thinking maybe some of it can calm her down.
"No, thanks. Clark…" she started. "I, I have to tell you something."
Looking at her expression he tried to guess what was bothering her. "What is it?"
Lois swallowed nervously. "Well, remember about a week ago, that night when we finally worked everything out?" When he nodded she continued. "Um, well, we didn't really use any precautions…" She turned to the other side as tears started welling up in her eyes.
"Are you…?" Clark was starting to understand.
"Clark, I'm pregnant." Lois broke down to full gear tears and Clark took her in his arms.
"Oh my God…" he muttered taking her even closer in his arms and tightening his hold on her. "Lois, stop crying. Please, I can't stand to see you cry."
She made a weak effort, but one that was at least enough to stop the sobbing. God, what was going on? Was he going to leave like every other man she knew would, or would he stay? What was this hug saying? Was it an I-love-you kind of hug or was it an I'm-sorry- but-I-can't-help-you kind of hug? Yesterday this relationship was perfect, now it was falling apart. What if he resented her? Maybe it was her responsibility to get precautions. Maybe her boldness made him think she had already made sure there would be? God, how can this nightmare be happening? She was an adult, couldn't she think of all the possible outcomes?
"Look, Clark, this doesn't have to bother you. If you don't want this on your head, I'll understand." She reluctantly slipped out of his hold and looked at him, searching for something reassuring in his eyes.
"What?" For a minute, Clark didn't understand what she was saying to him. "Lois, have you lost your mind? Of course I'll be here for you and for the baby." He paused. "Our baby." That sounded nice. She smiled slightly. That was the reassurance she searched for.
She leaned back into his arms and touched his lips with hers, in a soft caress. "Clark, you have no idea how scared I am," she said quietly.
"Of what?" Clark asked, returning her soft kiss and tightening his hold on her.
"Well, you know, I'm not very good with little kids. Not anyone older than two years, anyway," she chuckled, foreseeing Clark's attempt to argue that she had gotten along very well with Danielle, whom they met when they did the Space Rat piece. "In high school, I was one of the most popular babysitters in my neighbourhood but that was long ago, and plus that was because I was very responsible- I was class president, I was on the newspaper, I was on the yearbook committee, I was everywhere. I wasn't mean to the kids, so they didn't complain, but none of the kids really took a special liking to me except one."
"Really? And who was that wise child?" Clark teased.
"Her name was Vanessa; she was two years old, and I babysat her every week for about a year until her parents decided to move to Los Angeles. And she was so adorable and so incredibly smart!"
"Well, I could've told you that after you said she liked you…" With that Clark planted a small kiss on her neck. "And now we're going to have a little girl of our own." He kissed her again. "Or boy," he added as an afterthought.
"Clark, I'm serious. I'm scared. I know lots of women my age already have kids by now but I'm so…" she looked as if she was searching for the right word, "Unprepared." She finished with a sigh.
"Lois, look at me. Look at me. Please." She complied. "I promise you, you'll be a great mom. Nobody is ever really prepared for anything. I fell in love with you, because I saw that under your thick exterior there is a very devoted, passionate, warm, kind, and loving woman. And you don't need anything else to be a terrific mom." He bent down to kiss her lips, tenderly, gently. Returning his kiss, she pressed herself against him and put her arms around his neck. Her unshed tears were now running down her face, anguish combined with relief.
Breaking the kiss for a moment, she whispered, "I love you, Clark, I love you so much." She looked into his eyes.
"And I love you more than I could ever show you, Lois." He went back to her lips, claiming her as his own, from then and until forever.
THE END