Angel of the Morning

By Jennifer Bullock (jsjr@ix.netcom.com) (LucyLane on IRC)

Summary: A few hours after their anniversary dinner, Lois goes into labor and faces complications.

AUTHORS NOTE: I wrote this story on my vacation to Seattle and Oregon (I sure missed California!). It helped with my L&CWS, especially because of <sniff> LAFF. Send comments good or bad, I can handle it. :) All characters belong to DC comics, Warner Bros, ABC, etc... I just found a different way to use them... *I'm using the remake by the Pretenders for this fanfic (it's on the "Friends" soundtrack)

***

Clark Kent helped his wife of a year sit in the restaurant chair. She looked just like she did on their wedding day, although now her stomach looked as though it was going to burst... due to the fact that she was seven months pregnant. They had been very concerned at the rapid growth of the baby. The doctors didn't have any concerns over it, they figured they had the date wrong, nothing bad. But both Clark and Lois knew that it was possible that the baby was different, since it had Kryptonian blood. Neither of them knew what to expect. However, tonight was their anniversary and nothing could spoil the happiness they felt that evening.

Clark planned the night for them. He took her to "their" restaurant, the one they went to on their official date. He ordered honey glazed chicken and steamed vegetables for the dinner. Nothing that would upset Lois' stomach, and just enough to save room for desert. For memories' sake, Clark ordered the same chocolate cake that he did on their date. Although, this time Lois ate most of it. Her excuse, "I'm eating for two." One thing that was different in the restaurant was a dance floor in the center of the restaurant. Clark stood up, excused himself and went to the front desk. Naturally when he returned Lois was full of questions, but Clark jokingly shrugged them off.

They sat for awhile at the table, talking about work, the baby, and the memories (good ones) from the past. The only thing that had Clark concerned the whole evening was the fact that Lois was feeling the baby kick (it upsets her stomach) and she was feeling lightheaded, but refused to leave.

Clark looked at his watch, and then motioned to the man at the front desk. The man nodded and a few moments later, the dance floor became illuminated with light and the music began. Clark watched Lois' face as "their" song began to play. Clark walked around to Lois' chair and as the gentleman that he is, helped her up to dance.

"Their" song was *"Angel of the Morning." This had been a song that was playing when Clark had left for New Krypton. Sure, that wasn't a very happy moment in Lois' life, but ironically, it was playing on the radio at the time Clark arrived back on Earth. The song was such a romantic song, they had held each other in their arms and swayed to the music both times. So they had decided that they would have this song for their wedding. It was their song, only for them.

There'll be no strings to bind your hands, not if my love can't bind your heart. And there's no need to take a stand, for it was I who chose to start.

Lois and Clark danced to the slow song, swaying back and forth, staring into each others eyes. Clark noticed the sparkle in Lois' eyes. He always saw the sparkle, during her happy times. There had been times in which he hadn't seen the sparkle. The last time he saw it fade away was the night he left for New Krypton. He could tell that she had felt that part of her heart was gone, ripped out of her and lost, not ever knowing if it would return. When Clark had returned and saw Lois' eyes, the sparkle was there, shining away as though it had never left. Her heart was whole once again.

Clark sighed a sigh of contentment. He was dancing to a beautiful song with the most beautiful woman in his eyes, and he was going to have the family that he had always wanted. "Life couldn't get better than this," Clark had thought to himself. *****

Lois and Clark got home around 11 o'clock that night. Sure, it wasn't very late, but Lois was starting to get pains again, and Clark had detected that Lois was a bit feverish. So a good night's rest was the best thing.

Clark tucked Lois into bed and kissed her good-night. Once her head hit the pillow she was asleep. Clark on the other hand was up reading parenting books late into the night.

Late, around 2:30 a.m., Clark heard Lois mumbling to herself. He figured she was having a dream, and a quick check via x-ray vision showed Lois slightly tossing and turning. So Clark, thinking everything was okay, went back to reading. Within a few minutes Lois had begun to scream in agony.

Of course Clark was by her side in less than a second. When he turned the light on, he was shocked at what he saw. Lois had tossed all the covers off her, she was sweating heavily. She was bending over, holding her stomach, her eyes tightly shut and screaming. All of what Clark saw happened in only a few seconds.

Clark didn't know what to do, he felt extremely helpless. So he scooped her up and drove her to the hospital (unfortunately flying was bad for her condition, so it took longer). Clark admitted Lois at 3:08 a.m. His nerves were shot and he had just enough sanity to call his parents and tell them what was happening. He talked with his parents on his cellular phone. They were desperately trying to calm him. But Clark kept blaming himself, he knew that it was because of the baby that Lois was in pain, he felt it was his fault... because he is different.

Clark tried and tried to get information out of the nurses, doctors, and any staff member that passed in the hallway. But nobody knew of anything, and if they did, they said the doctors were still working on her.

Clark had gone through turmoil before. Having found out he married a clone, Lois getting amnesia and going off with Lex Luthor. Finally, when he had her back, she had no recollection of him. He had felt like his whole world was falling apart before his very own eyes. Life played too many tricks on him, and he was fed up.

Clark had been in the waiting room for ten hours, not sleeping at all, he was way too worried for that. They wouldn't even let him see Lois the whole time. Finally, a doctor approached him. The doctor explained that Lois had some problems that had induced premature labor. The team of doctors had tried to stop her from delivering but they were unsuccessful. So, because of Lois' condition, she was too weak to push. They decided to perform an emergency c-section. Then more complications arose. For an unexplained reason, Lois suffered from a seizure. The doctors couldn't stop it in time. Lois had began to bleed internally and the doctors had to get the baby out, or it would have died. They tried to stop the bleeding, but there was just no way.

By now Clark was in tears and trembling. He couldn't help it. Here he is, the Man of Steel, but all he felt like doing was running to Lois. Clark was mumbling Lois' name over and over while the doctor explained.

Clark inquired about his child. The doctor smiled a faint smile. He told Clark that the baby, a girl, was doing fine and that she will survive. Clark was happy, but sad at the same time because he knew what was coming, and didn't like it.

The doctor escorted Clark to Lois' room. He held the door open for Clark, then left the three of them alone. Clark walked into the room, it was quiet except for the low hum of the radio, left on some station the cleaners must have listened to. The doctors had put Lois in a bed with their child in the crib within arms reach of Lois. He saw his child, sleeping silently not knowing of what is happening in the first moments of her life. He stood next to the bed and looked down to Lois.

"They told you?" Lois looked at Clark with pain and sadness echoing from her voice.

All Clark could do was nod. He couldn't stand, his knees buckled beneath him. He found himself kneeling besides Lois' bed, looking directly into her eyes.

"Our child... she's strong just like you." Lois struggled at her words, pausing to take deep breaths.

Clark looked to the side of him at their child. She was beautiful, and still sleeping like an angel.

"She's beautiful, like her mother." Clark forced a smile, of hope and love.

There was a long pause between them. They stayed staring into each others eyes. Clark noticed, for the second time in his life, that Lois' eyes no longer held the sparkle or shine. This caused Clark to develop a lump in his throat, he wanted to cry, but he felt he shouldn't, for Lois.

"You'll tell her... I loved her," Lois whispered with pain in her voice.

"Lois..." Clark was crying now, he couldn't hold them back after hearing Lois' request. All he managed was a nod. He hung his head. This moment reminded him of the time Lois was willing to risk her life for Clark and his parents. That time she had a chance to live, this time there was no way for Clark to help.

Clark and Lois stared at each other, not speaking to each other, they knew that they loved each other more than words could say, they knew in their hearts. Although there was silence between them, the room wasn't totally quiet. In the background they heard the radio. It was playing "their" song. Both of them realized this and it tore them apart inside. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were supposed to be happy and together. Life wasn't fair for them.

Lois reached up to Clark's face. She held his cheek in her hand. Their touch.

I see no reason to take me home, I'm old enough to face the dark. Just call me angel of the morning, angel Just touch my cheek before you leave me, oh baby Just call me angel of the morning, angel Then slowly turn away...from me

"Clark, it's time," Lois said so quietly, it was barely audible even with his super-hearing

"No... no, please, no..." Clark was softly urging Lois to stay with him. He held Lois' hand tightly.

"You'll make it, Lois, you're a fighter... you and I can get through this... I love you, Lois." Clark's sentence faded away.

"Clark, tell her about me... I love you both."

Those were the last words Lois had said. Clark watched as Lois laid still, sparkle and shine disappeared. Clark slowly stood up, leaned over and kissed Lois on the forehead as he had done so many times before.

Clark was deep in thought, staring at Lois, his angel of the morning. It was over, all over. His thoughts were shattered at the sound of his daughter's cry. Clark turned around and picked up his child. His senses picked up the music playing in the background, Lois and his song was still playing. Clark held his daughter close to him and began to sway to the music.

--THE END--

"Angel of the Morning" - Pretenders

There'll be no strings to bind your hands, not if my love can't bind your heart. And there's no need to take a stand, for it was I who chose to start.

I see no reason to take me home, I'm old enough to face the dark. Just call me angel of the morning, angel Just touch my cheek before you leave me, oh baby Just call me angel of the morning, angel Then slowly turn away... from me

Maybe the sun's light will be dimmest oh it won't matter anyhow. If morning's echo says we've sinned, well, it was what I wanted now. And if we're victims of the night, I won't be blinded by the light.

Just call me angel of the morning, angel Just touch my cheek before you leave me, oh baby Just call me angel of the morning, angel Then slowly turn away, I won't beg you to stay, with me.. through the tears, of the pain, of the years, oh baby, baby, baby, baby

Just call me angel of the morning, angel Just touch my cheek before you leave me, oh baby Just call me angel of the morning, angel Just touch my cheek before you leave me, oh baby, baby, oh, baby

THE END

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