Nan, this is such a bittersweet story. There are so many emotions flying around here. And Clark is just so wonderful and sweet through it all for Lois.
I know that teen marriage is a big step and the odds are against them, but this is Lois and Clark we're talking about.
"I've been looking for you ever since school let out."
Surreptitiously, she dabbed at her eyes. "What for?"
"Because you've been avoiding me for days and I thought something was wrong, and I was right," he said. "Lois, what's the matter? I'll help you if I can. You know that."
Her shoulders slumped. "Nothing," she said. "There's nothing that you can do this time."
Clark already has a bond with Lois, that he can sense when something isn't right with her. Now if Lois would just open up to him.
She took it, wiped her eyes and blew her nose, seeming to regain a little control with the gesture, but she looked up at him with an expression of utter misery on her face and inhaled deeply. "I'm pregnant."
"Oh, honey." Clark put his arms around her again and pulled her against his shoulder. In the face of her self-recriminations and distress, the only thing he could think of was that she was in trouble and that he had to help her. "Lois, it's going to be okay."
"It won't," she whispered. "Clark, I'm so sorry. I know you're disappointed with me. *I'm* disappointed with me. I've ruined everything! I was so stupid!"
"You don't owe me any explanations," he said quietly. "And I could never be disappointed with you. The important thing is what we do now. What do you *want* to do?"
I don't have the words to say how wonderful Clark is being throughout all of this. He's just so sweet. But I do know that Clark will never leave Lois alone in all of this even though he knows it's not his baby.
Oh, Clark...why didn't you ask Lois out and why couldn't she have told you that it would be okay to be more than friends. Oh how I wish this was Clark's baby.
“No you haven’t,” Clark said firmly, making up his mind. Now that he was aware of it, he could hear the tiny flutter, as fast and light as a butterfly’s wings, of the baby’s beating heart. He took one arm from around her but only to take her hand. “It makes things a little more difficult, that’s all, but the two of us can handle anything if we work at it. Will you marry me, Lois?”
Just...wow! What will Ronnie say when he finds out that Clark Kent is raising his baby.
“I know you don’t love me,” he said quietly, “but I love you. Anyway, we can worry about what to do about that later. If you marry me, then I’ll be part of your family and I’ll have the right to help you handle things. Will you marry me?”
Oh, Clark. He is even willing to forfeit love just to protect Lois and make life less difficult for her. But I get the feeling that if Lois marries this wonderful man she will know what it's really like to be truly loved.
Clark has thought quickly through "their" options within the few minutes after he was made aware of what was going on and has only provided reassurance for Lois with every "what if" that she brings up.
Nan, I am very interested to see where you go with this. Again, job well done. Another part soon please!
~Sheila
