President Kent

By Pam Jernigan (ChiefPam@nc.rr.com)

Summary: All rise for the President of the United States ...  President Kent. A whimsical (and highly improbable) look into  Lois and Clark's future. This is the story that started the  series.

<pointing finger at Chris Mulder> This was all *her* fault; she  planted the idea in my head (not, to be fair, that she knew she  was doing it). So blame her if you don't like it <g>

Actually, this is what you get when a FOLC reads political  magazines that mention Clark Kent (National Review, 1/29/96, page  44). Is this even more of a fantasy than these things usually  are? Well, sure... but it's fun!

***

By midnight, the election night party at the Metropolis Hilton's  main ballroom was working its way through lively and approaching  rowdy; the "Kent for President" campaign was expecting a win. The  stage and podium were draped with ribbons - red, blue, and yellow  - and news crews for all the major networks had staked out  corners of the room for their live broadcasts. Until the final  vote tallies were in, however, there was nothing to do but drink,  laugh, and shout to be heard over everyone else shouting to be  heard. All the Kents were gathered upstairs, glued to LNN's  election night coverage.

Jimmy was circulating the floor, collecting people's reactions to  spice up the front page news story he'd already written for  tomorrow, anticipating a win. Perry probably had one already  written to cover a defeat, but if so, he'd kept very quiet about  it. "It's been a remarkable campaign, Jerry," one of the anchors  declared, passing time until California's votes were in,  struggling to stand out among the other news personalities (and a  few real journalists) all reporting back to their viewers. "-came  out of nowhere, last year -" Jimmy followed a waiter, grabbing an  hors d'ouvre, and ended up near another live broadcast. "-picked  up lots of female votes pretty quickly, but that may not have  mattered without the enthusiastic support from the Daily Planet's  editorial pages-" Jimmy had to smile at that, and moved on  quickly, so as not to be noticed. The Planet hadn't committed so  strongly to a candidate in 30 years, Perry had said, but that  just made it about time they did. "That Kansas charm really won  the public's hearts-" reported another famous voice. It seemed he  couldn't get away from the TV people. Over and over they repeated  the same observations they'd been making all year.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The microphone squealed as the campaign  manager tried to attract attention. The news cameras, as if all  on a single control, swiveled towards the stage, but the partiers  in the middle of the floor were slower to catch on. "Ladies and  gentlemen!" He tried again, laughing. "We have the results from  the majority of states; California has now reported in!" That  started to grab their attention; the loud shouts of socializing  were replaced by the softer murmurs of speculation. "It is my  very great honor to introduce to you..." he paused, savoring the  moment, and drawing out the tension. "I'm delighted, in fact, to  present to you - President-Elect Kent!"

The crowd in front of the podium went wild, with the younger and  more enthusiastic members jumping up and down, and hugging  whoever happened to be nearby, making even more noise than  before. There was a stirring at the back of the stage, as the  Secret Service agents prepared for the entrance of the new First  Family. Jonathan came into view first, waving at the crowd and  the cameras, looking much more comfortable than he felt in a new  dark blue suit. Martha emerged next, with her hair very sleek and  stylish, wearing a sharply-tailored blue and red dress, and  seeming perfectly at ease, smiling broadly and shaking hands with  everyone who was reaching out to her, smiling at the news crews,  but ignoring the hopeful microphones. Lastly, Clark and Lois Kent  emerged from the back room, smiling and laughing, walking arm in  arm, whispering to one another as they pointed out things of  interest around the large ballroom. Clark even managed to locate  Jimmy and wave to him.

President-Elect Martha Kent stepped up to the microphone, and  stood beaming at the crowds for a moment, giving them a chance to  complete their cheering before she spoke. Jonathan took up his  regular place a few steps behind and a little to the right of his  wife, looking proud enough to burst. She'd made history, as the  first woman president, and she'd certainly earned it - she'd done  a marvelous job through all the speeches and debates. Why, he  would never have known how to argue for the things they both  believed in the way she had - who would have thought that one  course in political science (well, and maybe that semester of  public speaking) would have led to this?

Lois and Clark slipped off the stage to join their friends in the  press pit; Clark especially didn't need to be in the spotlight  any more than necessary - and this modesty hadn't earned them any  enemies. Lois had been writing human interest pieces along the  whole campaign - it wasn't exactly her favorite type of article,  but she couldn't very well live in the middle of a story and not  report it. It had been an exhausting year.

Martha looked around the room in pride and euphoria. All the hard  work of campaigning had paid off - and this was just the  beginning of her challenges. She had definite ideas of where she  wanted the country to go - but tonight called for a  gracious-in-victory speech, not a hammer-the-issues speech. She  held out her hands for quiet, and after a moment was awarded with  an abatement of noise. "Friends, my fellow Americans..." she  paused for effect, smiling wickedly, "and members of the  press..."

A laugh broke out at that, as she'd intended. Her relationship to  the husband & wife reporting team of Lane & Kent had been  publicized quite a lot in the past six months, as her opponent  had tried to manufacture some sort of scandal, with no luck. The  relationship had, overall, been a plus for her; she felt  comfortable with the reporters along the campaign trail, and they  treated her almost like one of their own.

Martha continued her acceptance speech, but Lois let her  attention wander (it wasn't like she hadn't heard it rehearsed a  few times already upstairs). She preferred to observe the crowd,  and float on the natural high of winning. And speaking of  floating... she angled her head downward a little to just make  sure Clark's shoes stayed on or near the floor. He caught her  inspection and laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders.  "Don't worry, hon," he shouted in her ear, barely loud enough to  be understood. "I'm too tired!"

She looked up and laughed back, caught up in the joy of the  moment. She stood on tiptoes to get her mouth close to his ear  and enunciated clearly, "Not too tired, I hope - you still have  an appearance to make!"

"Oh yeah, so I have. I'd better get going, if I'm going to time  it right. See you later." He wiggled his eyebrows at her in comic  regret, and kissed her quickly before blending into the crowd.  Lois returned her attention to her fellow reporters, and soon  found several bent on interviewing her. She patiently assented to  a short TV spot, and waited as the anchor set up the shot.

"Next, we have Ms. Lois Lane Kent, half of the Lane and Kent  reporting team, and daughter-in-law to our new president. How do  you feel about the election results, Ms. Lane?"

Lois pasted on her best professional smile and spoke directly  into the microphone, keeping her eyes on the camera, and ignoring  the patent stupidity of the question. "Oh, I'm just thrilled, of  course. Mrs. Kent will be a great president."

The reporter continued on with the by-now familiar routine.  "There have been persistent rumors, Ms. Lane, that you and your  mother-in-law don't get along. Do you have anything to say to  that?"

Lois shrugged and smiled. "There will always be rumors, but these  aren't true at all. We have always gotten along really well, both  before and after Clark and I were married."

"Do you anticipate a post in the new government?"

A new question, for a change. "Well, no," Lois answered, slightly  startled. "I already have a job."

"But as a Presidential relative, surely you'll be given Secret  Service protection, and won't that make it difficult to function  as an investigative reporter?" The anchor looked faintly  sympathetic over that dilemma.

"Well, we'll just have to take that as it comes and see what  happens," she shrugged, keeping a bright smile on her face,  although she *was* concerned. Not only would Secret Service  agents complicate her job, but they'd also be all too likely to  discover Clark's secret. They'd decided that their best hope was  to have Superman designated as their official protector, with  Presidental (maternal) support and authorization. "Oh, look,  there's Superman." She pointed behind the cameraman's head,  toward the stage, and was mercifully forgotten.

Superman had flown in from who knew where (third floor cleaning  supply closet) and was now descending vertically to the stage,  near the podium, where President Kent had just finished her  speech. She smiled at his approach, and motioned him toward the  microphone. He landed, and shared the podium with her, leaning to  his side a little to reach the mike.

"Good evening. You know I haven't endorsed a candidate in this  election, just as I never endorse candidates in *any* election.  But now that the people have spoken, I have to say that I'm glad  you've made this choice. Madam President, if you need me, you  have only to call." He held out his hand gravely, and she shook  it with equal dignity - except for the twinkle in her eye -  before they both turned back to the microphone.

"Thank you, Superman - although I hope not to need you."

He smiled, relaxing a little from the formal pose. "We share that  hope. And I wanted to congratulate the mother of my friend,  Clark." He stepped back a little, turning to face his mother, who  was smiling and wiping her eyes. "Mrs. Kent, I couldn't be  prouder of you than if you were *my* mother." He leaned forward  to hug her then, and she returned the embrace, kissing him on the  cheek. After a moment, he pulled back, and turned to face the  crowd again, keeping one arm around her shoulders. She turned  outwards as well, and they posed and waved for the throng of  cameras for a few moments.

Lois watched her husband and his mother with tear-filled eyes,  determined to obtain a good copy of that pose. It would look  great in their living room. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and  turned to see Jonathan, down from the platform and mingling. He  was swallowing hard, and she hugged him. "Aren't they great?" She  shouted in his ear. He didn't attempt to shout back, but he  nodded, and she knew he was overcome by the same sense of pride  she was feeling.

A few moments later, Jimmy stumbled across her. "Lois! Hey,  congratulations!" He hugged her without warning, but let go  before she could do more than let out a surprised exclamation.

"Uh, thanks, Jimmy! Having fun?"

"Oh yeah, great party! And I'm getting lots of material to punch  up my article - in fact, I think I see Perry looking for me,  we're going to have to go insert that story pretty soon to get  the paper out this morning."

Lois glanced at her watch. "You'd better get going, then, it's  nearly 1am!"

Jimmy grinned. "We'll make it, don't you worry. So, hey, where's  Clark?"

"He's around, somewhere..." she gestured vaguely around the  still-crowded ballroom, noting that Superman did seem to have  left the stage already.

"Right here, in fact," Clark chimed in, coming up behind her and  snaking an arm around her waist. "Hi, Jimmy."

"Hi, Clark - how's your mother, the President?" Jimmy grinned  impudently.

"She's fine, but you know the rules - anything I say about Mom is  off the record."

Jimmy looked thoughtful. "Is that off the record as in an unnamed  source told me, or -"

Clark interrupted, suppressing a smile. "Off the record as in I  know where you live, and I'm bigger than you are."

"Okay, okay!" Jimmy put up his hands in surrender, laughing at  the threat. "Oops, I see Perry waving at me, I'd better be  gone... see you two!"

They waved him away, and Lois felt as if all her energy left with  him, as she started to crash down from her earlier high - they  *had* been doing last-minute campaigning all day. She leaned into  Clark's chest, and he raised the arm that had been around her  waist to encircle her upper arm. "Well, she did it."

"Yep. The next 8 years are going to be interesting... and we  don't even have to pretend we don't have a relationship with  her..."

Clark chuckled softly as he led his sleepy wife out of the  ballroom.

THE END

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