We're Having a Baby, My Baby and Me

By IRC Roundrobin

Rated PG

Submitted July 1998

Summary: A WAFFy tale that recounts Lois's attempts to break the news of her pregnancy to Clark.

An IRC Roundrobin by AMCiotola (AMCiotola@aol.com); ChrisM^ (mulders@mindspring.com); Eraygun (Eraygun@aol.com); Lansbury (Lansbury1@aol.com); Mackteach (Mackteach@aol.com); snork (cndcherry@mindspring.com)

***

[AMCiotola]

Oh, God, she thought, Clark, where are you? Lois sat back against the wall in the bathroom. When she had woken up, Clark's side of the bed was cold and empty. She figured that he had gotten called during the early hours for a rescue.

She had gone about her normal morning ritual and planned on meeting him at the office. She even managed to make herself an edible breakfast, more than her usual coffee and bagel. This morning she'd made herself 'Eggs a la Katie Banks'. But after arriving at work she'd begun to regret eating all that she had, and made a bee-line for the ladies room.

She felt a little weak. Even after calling Clark's name softly a few times, there was no knock on the door from him. He must not be in yet, she thought, since she'd expected he would have heard her. She decided she would just lean against the cool wall for few minutes. Boy, she scolded herself, this is what you get for eating those oysters with Clark despite the fact that you don't like them very much.

She thought back to last night's dinner. It had been the first night in over a week they had finally had time together.

[ChrisM^]

In fact, the past few weeks had been extremely busy for both of them. It's a good thing they'd been able to get in some "quality time" when they were together. Thinking of a few of those times could make her smile now ... in spite of how she was feeling.

Well, she decided, she couldn't stay in the ladies room all day. There was a paper to get out, after all. She made her way back to her desk, making a silent vow to never mix eggs and oysters together in the same 12-hour period ever again.

By the time Clark returned from the latest rescue she was feeling a bit better and so decided not to share her unpleasant experience with him. He'd only worry and, since she knew what the problem was and how to fix it, there wasn't any need to worry him.

However, once he'd left again ... this time on legitimate Daily Planet business ... she found herself feeling unwell once more. What could be going on?

She went to make herself a cup of coffee, but as soon as she smelled it, she just couldn't bring herself to drink it. She wasn't sure where the idea for an alternate solution to her situation came from, but all of a sudden she was pretty darn sure that what was happening to her had absolutely nothing with either eggs or oysters coming back to haunt her.

Oh ... my ... God, she thought. I can't be!

She did some calculations. On second thought, maybe I can be.

Well, of course, I can be ... I mean it's possible ... lots of women do it ... and it's not like Clark and I haven't been, you know ... Good grief! Now I'm babbling in my head!

She looked around for her husband, but he hadn't yet returned.

She was resisting the urge to break into a face-splitting grin. Clark was going to be a daddy, and she would get to tell him. She couldn't wait to see his face. Forcing her own face to behave itself, she tried to look professional, competent and business-like as she attempted to get back to work. All she succeeded in doing, though, was to sit in front of her blank computer screen until Perry happened to stroll by.

[Eraygun]

"You know, darlin', that screen would be a whole lot more interesting if it had copy on it."

Lois looked up. "What, Perry?"

Perry sighed. "Lois, I think we need to have a little talk. Why don't you join me in my office."

Lois nodded and dutifully followed Perry into his office, mentally preparing herself for one of his famous lectures.

So she was more than a little surprised when instead of lecturing her Perry said,"So how far along are you, and does Clark know yet?"

"What?! You know that I'm ... or that I could be ..."

Perry nodded.

"But how? I only just put the pieces together myself," Lois said incredulously.

[Lansbury]

Perry came around the desk and put his arm around Lois' shoulder. "Honey, don't you know by now I can read you like a book? I saw your face as you made a mad dash to the ladies room. I haven't seen that look since my poor Alice was expecting our first. She would get as green as you looked."

"Perry, I just put two and two together about five minutes ago. I don't know how it happened."

Perry gave a loud laugh as he pushed her into the brown leather wing-back chair. "Oh, honey. Maybe your Momma failed you by not giving you that talk before the honeymoon."

"Perry! You know what I mean."

"I do, honey, but I love seeing you like this."

"What do you mean, like this?"

"Now, don't take this wrong, 'cause you know I love you like a daughter, but now someone else is going to be calling all the shots for...I don't know, maybe the next eighteen years. If you're lucky that is."

The full consequences of what was happening hit her like a brick wall falling on her. "I don't think I'm ready. What if I screw up and I'm the kind of mother like the one I had?" She looked at Perry, her expression full of worry and doubt.

"Now get those crazy thoughts out of your head right now. You'll be wonderful, and Clark ... my God! Clark will be flyin' higher than a kite on a windy March day."

A smile lightened her face once again as she thought about Clark. Oh, Clark I can't thank you enough for being the father of my child, she thought to herself. But to Perry she said, "Clark will be an excellent father. But not a word to him about any of this until I take a pregnancy test. Remember, mum's the word."

"You have my word I won't tell anyone about what we've just discussed."

Just then there was a light knock on the door. Clark came in and said, "What are you promising not to talk about, Chief?"

[Mackteach]

Lois threw a glance at Perry, not exactly sure how much of their conversation Clark had overheard. Perry cleared his throat, his hand coming up to cover the grin that was threatening to break out on his face.

"Ah ... Perry wanted to ... uh ... that is ..."

Clark waited, his gaze shifting between Lois and Perry. Something was up, of that he was sure. Lois usually wasn't this tongue-tied, and Perry looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary.

Inspiration finally hit Perry. "It's just that I wanted you and Lois here to come over for dinner."

"And ... that's the big secret?"

Lois picked up on what Perry had said. "It is... because ..." She looked at Perry.

Clark prompted her. "Because ...?"

Perry cleared his throat once more. "Because Alice is going to be there."

"Right!" Lois turned to Clark. "Alice is going to be there."

"Uh huh." Clark still wasn't convinced ... of anything.

Perry elaborated further. "Alice and I have been spending some time together .. and well, this is the first time I'm gonna be cooking and ..."

Clark finished Perry's thought. "... and you want Lois and me there ... to help out."

Lois beamed at Clark before looking at Perry. "See? I told you he'd figure it out." With her head turned away from Clark, she threw a look of relief at Perry.

"So ... when and what time, Perry?"

"Uh ... I don't have all the details worked out yet, Clark. But I'll let Lois know."

Clark nodded. "Okay." He looked at Lois. "I'm gonna go write up Superman's latest rescue."

Lois nodded. As she watched Clark leave the office and go toward his desk, she breathed a loud sigh of relief. "This isn't going to be easy," she muttered.

She felt Perry pat her shoulder sympathetically.

[zoomway]

Lois squared her shoulders and left Perry's office. She was stopped a moment by the sight of Clark's back as he sat at his desk. He was going to be a father. That man she had called a 'hack' from 'nowheresville'. Mr. Greenjeans would be changing diapers. It was so odd all of a sudden to think of that. She had always reassured Clark that he would be a good father, and she knew he would be ... but he looked so ... young suddenly.

She laughed to herself as she lost his momentary profile when he turned back to the screen. No, he didn't look too young. He was all grown up. But what about me? she thought. No, she chided herself. Banish those thoughts until months after reading books, going to natural childbirth classes ... She winced. I'll put that thought on hold, too. The important thing is *how* to tell Clark... and when ... oh, and to make sure it's true first.

She sighed with relief now that she had procrastinated every major terror for later. Until she had proof, it was a suspicion and nothing more.

She put her hand on Clark's shoulder. "I've got to make a quick trip to the drugstore."

"Okay, honey," Clark said, without looking up. "What do you need at the drugstore?"

"Uh ... well, we're out of vitamins. I mean, you don't need them, but -- "

"Picked some up this morning," Clark said cheerfully.

"That's so ... thoughtful."

He smiled up at her. "I know."

She patted his cheek. "Must have had a sale on 'smug' too."

Clark laughed. "I got that with green stamps."

"Well," Lois said, trying to vamp another good reason. "I also need -- "

"Honey, can you hold that thought?"

"What is it?"

"Multi-car pileup near the turnpike."

"Okay," she smiled. "Be careful."

"Always," he said, and kissed her goodbye.

Well, that solved the excuse-making for going to the drugstore. She picked up her purse. Be careful. She smiled to herself. What a strange admonition for Superman, but she always meant it. He was a target so often she'd begun to see the S shield as a bulls-eye.

She glanced over her shoulder as she exited the Planet lobby. She would go to the drugstore on Walnut instead of Kinsey. No one would know her there. She didn't want to invite the obvious questions and avoiding the usual shopping area was the logical choice.

[AMCiotola]

She parked the Jeep and headed inside the fairly small drugstore. So small, in fact, that you could almost see where everyone in the store was. She scoped the place out and didn't see any familiar faces. Good, she thought. She wanted to keep as low key as possible.

She headed over to the aisle with the feminine products and found several different types of home pregnancy tests.

She picked up one and then another, reading and comparing them. She was so involved in making sure she chose the best one that she didn't hear when someone else walked up behind her.

"Lois?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. Recovering from her scare, she turned and looked with relief at the smiling face of the woman behind her.

"Star!" Lois had not seen her former neighbor in quite a long time.

"I just knew it. Something in my head told me I would find you here."

[Eraygun]

"I was going to ask you how married life was treating you ..." Star eyed the packages in Lois' hand, "...but based on what you're doing, I'm pretty sure that's not necessary."

Lois blushed. "Well ... er ... I was just picking this up for a friend."

Star raised one eyebrow. "Lois, that little static problem of yours hasn't gotten any better over the last few years, but I can still read you like a book. That test is for you, admit it," Star said, giving Lois a huge grin.

Lois nodded and returned Star's grin with one of her own.

"Girlfriend, this is the best news I've had in a long while. But, tell me, what does Superman have to do with this?"

[Lansbury]

Lois looked as startled as a doe at night in caught in the headlights of an on coming semi. "What? What did you say?"

"I said what does Superman have to do with this little box?"

"Well, he's a good friend of Clark's and mine and I thought he might come along and see me in here and go and tell Clark what he saw and I don't want Clark to know until I'm sure and I want to be..."

"Whoaaaa! Slow down there, girl. I can see you still are the Queen of all Babblers."

Lois and Star both laughed. "I guess what it all boils down to is I want to be the one to tell Clark. I don't want him to hear it from a third person."

Star placed her hand on Lois' arm. "I understand completely." Star looked at the watch on Lois' wrist and gave a small cry. "I have to get back for my next appointment. Let's get together soon and have lunch. Once the news is out."

Star turned to leave the small store but stopped near the entrance and said in a stage whisper, "Lois, don't you know lying is bad for the baby? It's picking up on some bad vibes." She smiled and left the store before Lois could say a word.

Jeeez, just get me out of here before I meet anyone else I know, she thought. She looked at the directions on each box and stared in total confusion. Which would be the best to test for a half human/half Kryptonian baby? She finally decided to buy three, thinking that if two of three showed she was pregnant - then she was.

Lois headed for the checkout and was standing in line when out of the corner of her eye she saw Ralph. "Oh, my Lord. Please don't let him see me!" Lois pulled the boxes closer to her chest, trying to hide what she was carrying as she moved up next to the counter.

"Lady, did you just say something?" said the elderly cashier in a loud voice that caused some of the shoppers to turn and look in her direction.

"No, no, not a word," she said as she quickly pushed the boxes towards the man. "I'm in a hurry. Got to get my to my job. Could you please hurry?"

The cashier gave her a look that said 'hold your horses, missy.' He picked up the first box and turned it over and over looking for the price. "Now, where in tarnation did they put that price?"

Pulling the microphone to his lips, he announced. "Georgie ... Price check on..." Lois' hand shot to the microphone before he could say another word.

"Ahh ... Georgie, cancel that price check."

The cashier looked at Lois. "Lady, if you want it, I have to know what to charge you."

Lois looked frantically at the other two boxes. "I'll just take these two."

As she was making her getaway a voice stopped her dead in her tracks. "Hey, Lois, what you got in that bag?"

She looked over her shoulder and saw Ralph hot on her trail.

[Mackteach]

Ralph jogged up to Lois, huffing and puffing. "Y'know, for a girl, you have a pretty long stride." He hunched over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

Lois gritted her teeth. "So ... how's the dog show coverage going? I hear there's a cat show at the armory this weekend, too."

Ralph swallowed as he finally caught his breath. "Ha ha. Very funny, Lois. Just because *you* get all the scoops. What's in the bag?"

As Ralph tried to peek inside the bag, Lois made sure it was closed. "What? You're working for the Whisper on the side? None of your business."

"Come on, Lois. I know you don't usually cover this side of the city." Ralph sidled up to her and whispered conspiratorially, "Working on something?"

Lois smiled tightly. "You might say that."

Ralph started to whine. "Aw, come on, Lois! Throw me a bone here! You don't know how *boring* those dog shows are!"

Lois' smile widened just a little. "A bone, Ralph? Those assignments *are* getting to you."

Ralph sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Okay, okay. So don't share your information." He brightened as an idea came to him. "I'm a reporter. I can figure it out for myself."

Good luck, Lois thought. "Fine. Then do that." Lois turned away and started walking away from him, leaving Ralph standing at the corner, scratching his head.

She turned the corner and leaned against the building. She let out the breath she had been holding as she had walked away and willed her heartbeat to slow back down to normal.

"I have *got* to tell Clark." With that thought said out loud, she headed back to where she had parked the Jeep.

[zoomway]

Lois performed a screeching bootlegger turn into traffic. If metal could cringe, oncoming automobiles would have leaped out of the way. Lois sped towards the townhouse. She didn't want to risk being caught with the bag at the Planet. She was making good time, apparently *very* good time, because a siren started up behind her.

"God," she sighed. "I took the Hell off-ramp today!"

Lois shook her head and eased the Jeep to the curb. She looked into the side mirror. "The macho 'walk-up'. He probably wears sunglasses at midnight too."

"License and registration," a very 'un-macho' voice said. Lois handed the items to the officer who seemed too young to shave.

The officer started filling in blanks on the citation. "You were exceeding the speed limit by 31 miles per hour, ma'am."

"It actually sounds worse than it is. I mean it was a 35 mile zone, so I was mainly doing the legal speed limit everywhere but that stretch of Twilight Zone that hasn't had the limit changed since Prohibition!"

"It's in front of the historical Metropolis district, ma'am."

Lois leaned over and looked through the passenger window. "You call a red brick building with busted windows and rusted fire ladders 'historic'? Pre-historic maybe, and a standing monument to condemned buildings everywhere, but certainly not -- "

"Here's your copy, ma'am. Have a nice day."

Lois grabbed the paper and threw it into the glove compartment. She was glad the officer left before the other citations came tumbling out. She pulled back onto the street and managed to reach the townhouse without further incident.

She hurried up the steps and into the bathroom, and opened the first box, or rather 'tried' to open the box.

"If the safety seal has been broken, do not use this product," she read aloud. "I couldn't break the seal with a chain saw!" She reached into the drawer and pulled out the scissors. She began cutting ... and cutting .. and cutting. Finally the box lost the tense battle. Lois pulled out a tray of miniature objects and reams of instructions.

She unfolded the cumbersome sheet of instructions. "Ah," she sighed triumphantly. "Illustrations!" She grabbed an object that looked a bit like a plastic thermometer and then glanced back at the photo. "They've got to be kidding."

[Eraygun]

The other box and its instructions were equally hair-raising but, undaunted, Lois charged ahead and thirty minutes later she was sitting on the floor of their bathroom with a huge smile on her face. Well, that settles that, she thought happily. Now comes the hard part -- how to tell Clark. It had to be something romantic and warm and above all *special*. As *special* as he made her life, as he made her feel every day since he'd told her that he loved her.

But what could she do?

***

Clark looked over at Lois' desk and then back at his watch. "Where is she?" he mumbled.

[Lansbury]

He had just finished the story he was working on, so he took the hard copy of it into Perry's office. "Here's the Superman 'rescue of the day' piece, Chief." A smile played at his lips as Perry's forehead puckered up at the rhyme he had just made.

"Kent, I don't like rhymes so keep them to a minimum."

Clark's smile widened as he was about to make another but he stopped himself. Instead he asked, "Do you know where Lois was going after the drugstore? She's been gone over a hour and a half."

Perry looked at Clark. "She mentioned to me she wanted to stop at the bakery. I told her I really needed a good donut."

Donuts, thought Clark. I wonder if she'll get me one or two, or better yet three, loaded with cream filling that oozes when you bite into them. Clark felt his heart quicken at the thought of Lois and donuts. He licked his lips in anticipation of what she was going to give him.

[zoomway]

"Clark?"

"Yes, Chief?" Clark asked, but his distant gaze remained in place.

"Your eyes are kind of glazed."

"Yeah, glazed are good too, but those cream-filled donuts ..."

Perry smiled and patted Clark's back. "I'll edit this piece, and get it on to copy."

Clark blinked and then blushed. "Right. I ... I think I'll try and find Lois."

Perry shook his head as one of his two best reporters left his office. Always trust a man who knows his donuts. At that heady moment, one of the lesser members of the staff entered.

"What's up, Ralph?"

Ralph leaned his palms on Perry's desk. "Why do Lois and Clark get all the good stories?"

"That's like asking why the high bidder wins at the auction, Ralph," Perry said gruffly.

"But what's this secret assignment Lois is on? Why a drugstore? We talking Special K? Rufies? Some shady dealing on Walnut Street?"

Perry, never a patient man, made no exception for Ralph, or perhaps less an exception for Ralph. "I do need someone to work that story with Lois," Perry shrugged. "She shouldn't try handling it alone, and Kent is busy right now, but -- "

"Me, Chief! Please!"

"Okay, Ralph, you're it."

"Yes!"

"Now, as you noticed, it does have to do with drugs -- "

"I *knew* it!"

"Uh ... right. Anyway, this is a consumer test. There've been rumors about laxatives ..."

***

Clark drifted up above the city. He was checking spots he felt Lois might be. He checked out Ginny's Holy Donut Palace, Hole in Yum, Those Were the Glaze, and even Donut Decadence, but Lois was nowhere to be found. He was disappointed, but tried bakeries that didn't specialize in donuts next. Lois was in none of them.

Clark headed on toward the townhouse. Maybe she'd already picked up the donuts and had taken them home. Even better. Sharing donuts with Lois had become ... an intoxicating ritual.

He entered the French windows, and closed them quietly. He didn't smell any donuts, but he had seen Lois via x-ray vision upstairs. Searching the refrigerator, pantry and oven, and still finding no donuts, he wondered if he should just fly back out and pick some up. Once Clark had a taste for donuts, even pasta was a poor rival.

[AMCiotola]

As quiet as Clark had tried to be, Lois had heard him come home. She was going to suggest a quiet dinner that evening before breaking the news to him and she didn't want Clark to find out before then, so she immediately began clearing away all evidence of the pregnancy tests. She tied the small garbage bag and threw it out the bathroom window. In her haste she failed to notice that the little stick telling her she was about to venture down the road to motherhood had fallen beside the waste basket onto the floor.

Exiting the bathroom, she saw him enter the bedroom.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you." He pulled her to him and captured her in a quick, but satisfying kiss. "I've been wanting to do that all morning."

She returned his kiss enthusiastically. "Mmmmm."

She was so excited about how Clark would feel she almost blurted the news to him right then and there. She pulled away from him. "Well, you had a very busy morning, why don't you take a shower and lets go for some lunch before heading back to the Planet."

"Lunch? But Perry said you were going out for some donuts."

"Oh? Well I..." but Lois never had the chance to finish.

Clark cut her off. "Lois, I have to go, A donut shop has been bombed and I need to go...Love you." With a quick kiss, he was off once more to help out as he always did when such tragedies happen.

[Eraygun]

Lois waited about a half hour for Clark to return. Then realizing that there was almost nothing in their refrigerator after her culinary exploits earlier in the day she decided to head to the store and then back to the Planet.

She jotted a quick note to Clark and hurried out to the Jeep. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked, "Clark is going to be so happy when he finds out. I can't wait until tonight."

***

[Lansbury]

Clark made it back to the Daily Planet before Lois. He was on his way to get a cup of coffee and a leftover donut when he felt a hand touch him on the back. As he began to turn around he heard, "Hello, Clark. I see you haven't gotten enough of donuts yet? How long have you been married now? I thought maybe Lois would have taken the desire for them away from you."

Clark put the cup down as he took one arm and put it around Cat Grant. "This is a surprise! What are you doing back in town?"

"I'm on the way to the west coast for an interview with Nicholas Gage. It seems he just lost the role of a lifetime and I got him to commit to an interview. The poor soul is heartbroken."

"You always could ferret out a great interview, Cat."

"Now I have about an hour before I have to leave on my connecting flight, so, tell me ... how is married life treating you? Ready to take a plunge on the wild side of life?"

"I take care of all his plunging, thank you very much, Cat."

"Lois, long time no see."

Each woman gave the other a mock embrace.

"Cat was just telling me she is headed for the west coast and dropped by to say hello to her friends at the Daily Planet."

He began to walk the women to the reception area near Perry's office. Under her breath he could hear Lois say, "That's going to take all of three minutes tops."

Cat spent the next forty-five minutes meeting and greeting her former co-workers. As she was about to leave she pulled Lois to the side. "Lois, are you all right? You look a little pale and under the weather."

"Cat, believe me, I don't have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel."

"Lois, this is me you're talking to. I've seen you covered in mud from a garbage dump looking better than you do today."

"Thanks for the concern but I'm fine, really. Just a little tired."

Both women looked at each other. For the first time in all the years they had known each other they parted with a smile and the words that they would get together soon.

Clark looked at Lois, "What was that all about? An hour ago I thought I was going to have to hold you two apart. Just now you acted like lifelong friends."

Lois reached up and patted Clark on the cheek, "People change, my love," she said, and walked to her desk.

"Lois, something has you in one mellow mood. I like it!"

Lois looked at her computer screen and began to make a list of everything she needed for tonight. This is going to be the best surprise you have ever gotten, she thought.

***

[snork]

The rest of the afternoon passed slowly. Actually, that was an understatement. For Lois the hours passed at glacial speed. Despite her plans she still had great difficulty not rushing over to Clark and just blurting out the news. Luckily, though, Superman again came to her rescue.

Lois saw Clark lift his head with "that look", and Lois met his eyes and smiled. He gave her an answering, almost apologetic smile and made their little flying gesture. She nodded, and he quickly left.

Perry stepped out of his office. Noticing Lois, he stalked over to her desk.

"What in the Sam Hill are you still doing here, kiddo?"

"Nothing, I..." Lois began to answer, but he interjected, "Lois, now come on. Get out of here."

Even as he was speaking, Lois was putting papers in drawers and logging off of her computer. She'd been hoping to leave early anyway, and this just saved her making excuses, or God forbid, begging.

She stood, gave Perry a kiss on the cheek, and said, "Whatever you say. Clark's checking out a source. If he comes back..."

"I'll send him home, honey. Now scat."

Lois grinned and walked to the elevator, mentally planning her shopping and the preparation for the night ahead.

[zoomway]

Lois stepped into the market and wondered who she'd meet now -- about the only people she hadn't run into were Claude, Dan and the ghost of Lex Luthor. She turned down the aisle with baby products, though she'd promised herself she wouldn't. There were things for cleaning, oiling, upholstering and feeding them. She began to think of her pregnancy test as the ignition key to a new car.

Every supermarket aisle had its own distinctive smell, and this one smelled of talcum powder. How strange. When she used to hang out on the waterfront waiting for a source, talc was the smell in dimly lit pool halls. She picked up a jar of baby food and looked at the beaming infant.

"Oh, God," she whispered. "Can I really do this?"

She put the jar back, and then hurried on to the other aisles, scarfing up the items she'd come for. Then she was struck with an idea. She grabbed a blank video tape.

"Kryptonian parents may have talking globes to speak to their kids years later, but a T-120 Panasonic is just as good," she said to herself, dropping the tape on the counter. "This way no matter how I screw up, the baby will know I tried my best."

After getting home, without a traffic stop this time, Lois unloaded the bags and started removing pots and pans from the cabinet. Each cooking implement she picked up, she stared at sternly and said, "No double-crosses today, ya got that?"

She let some onions saute and loaded the video camera. She turned it on. "Okay, this is just a test to see if I set this up right," she said, and then noticed the little red light wasn't glowing.

"Great," she sighed. "My entire day has been directed by Woody Allen. Okay, maybe I just need to put the battery in the charger. I have about 8 months to confess my crimes, so somewhere in between the camcorder should work."

She went back and stirred the onions. "I love that smell. It's somewhere right after that the dinner goes down the drain. Maybe Clark wouldn't mind just eating sauted onions ... I'm talking to myself again. That's where the baby will come in handy. I won't look completely insane. I can just say I'm talking to the baby."

[AMCiotola]

While Lois was cooking downstairs, Clark had finished up with his latest rescue. He came in through the upstairs window and landed in the bedroom. He could smell the dinner Lois was preparing and decided maybe another shower would be appropriate before he joined her.

He picked up on her singing softly to herself. He could swear it was a childhood lullaby. A quick x-ray showed him that she was taking special care about how the dining room looked. She had even changed into a simple burgundy dress, one of his favorites.

After spinning out of the suit, he headed toward the bath with the intention of making it a quick shower. Less than five minutes later he stood at the sink and pushed back his hair, leaning in to reflect his heat vision to shave. Something lying on the floor caught his eye.

He bent down to take a closer look. He stared at the small stick before it finally registered what he was holding.

He x-rayed the floor once more to look at Lois. She was positivley glowing. Oh my God, Clark thought, she's pregnant!

[Eraygun]

Spinning dry and into his clothes Clark =whooshed= downstairs.

As he reached the kitchen doorway he overheard Lois talking. Quietly he pushed open the door to see Lois standing with her back to the doorway looking into their video camera.

She cleared her throat experimentally. "Okay, I hope this works this time," she said nervously. "Hi there, this is your mom talking ... or at least I will be. Oh, God that sounds *so* dumb! I have got to be able to say something better than that. I'm a reporter -- I earn my living with words!"

"Maybe I can help?" Clark said from behind her.

[Lansbury]

Lois froze as she heard his voice behind her. She did not turn around but stood there as she sensed him moving towards her. She felt him slip his arms around her waist and pull her back to him. She moved her head instinctively to the side as he began to place soft butterfly kisses along her neck and up to her cheek.

She moved in his arms until she was facing him. "There's something I want to tell you, something we both thought wouldn't happen but it has." The more she spoke tears began to form in the corner of his eyes. "I haven't gone back to figure the exact day or time but a little over six weeks ago you and I not only made love, we made a new life." Lois very quietly continued to speak. "Clark, we're going to have a baby."

Lois gently brushed the tears from his eyes as she felt him pull her into a strong but gentle embrace.

Clark whispered in her ear, "We're having a baby, my baby and me!" He lifted her into his arms and moved toward the swinging door, neither one seeing the camera had caught everything that had just taken place.

THE END

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