Lois felt her pulse race with excitement as they practically ran up the stairs. They paused only once in the hallway for a quick kiss, eager to get back to the room and to each other.
As soon as the door lock slid home, Clark picked Lois up and carried her to the bed.
“You don’t think this will be awkward, will it? With my baby belly?” she asked shyly.
“Lois, you’re perfect. Don’t worry. Just tell me if I do anything that makes you uncomfortable,” he said, kissing her neck as he laid her on the bed.
“So far, so good,” she said, beginning to feel a bit breathless.
Clark was gentle with her the whole time, careful not to exert too much pressure around her tummy, while driving her crazy elsewhere. Now that he was finally touching her, she could feel how much of her hormones she had been suppressing. Her breasts were overly sensitive, and every touch felt electric on her skin.
But nothing touched her more than seeing the look in Clark’s eyes as they came together. His eyes seemed a clearer blue than she had ever remembered seeing them; his gaze met hers, filled with love. “Lois…” was all he could say, but it was enough. She understood. He was telling her he loved her, that he hoped he wasn’t hurting the baby.
Their hands interlocked together as their eyes met, and their bodies danced in a movement old as time. Lois gave herself up to it, to him. She knew this was where she belonged, and that somehow her destiny was tied up in his, as strange and marvelous as it might be.
Tears of joy escaped her eyes, and Clark kissed them, one by one. “Tell me…” he said, but passion was taking over. She nodded, “Fine… it’s -- wonderful,” she whispered, pulling him closer to her heart as they crested the wave of passion together.
~L&C~
They lay facing each other, legs intertwined under the covers. It was only midafternoon, but both imagined they might stay there all day.
Neither of them spoke for the longest time, simply gazing at each other, both in awe of what they had just experienced.
Clark pulled her closer to him, so that her belly lay against his. “Are you all right?” he asked eventually, seeing a pageantry of emotions play on her face. She smiled, while her eyes shone bright with tears.
“Yeah, I’m – just a little emotional, I guess. I – I’ve never um… that was…” she fumbled, looking for the right words.
“I know… same here,” he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.
She nestled under his chin, letting him hold her. “Clark… I’m yours now, body and soul. I can’t
hide behind my fears any longer…” she whispered.
“And I’m yours, Lois… always have been,” he answered, kissing her hair, tucked under his chin. “I think we’ve both just been scared, about what this all means. What we mean to each other…But maybe it is just time to trust it.”
She pulled back in his embrace just enough so she could see his face. “I do trust it. I trust us.”
Lois’ phone suddenly buzzed to life. She automatically glanced over her shoulder to look at it on the nightstand. “Sorry… kind of ruins the moment,” she said, reaching to turn it off. But when she saw the message, she froze.
“Lois, what is it?” Clark asked, concerned about the look of near terror suddenly on Lois’ features.
She showed him the screen, so he could see the text message. “It’s Zod. He wants me to meet the Blur.”
~L&C~
Lois cast a last longing look at the bed before heading out the door with Clark.
“Maybe we should stay here for the night and I’ll just ignore Zod’s text pretending to be you,” she suggested, worried about how doggedly determined Clark now seemed to deal with Zod face to face.
“He said he wants to meet you tonight. I’d leave you here and deal with him myself if I thought you’d actually stay put…” he said with a slightly recriminating glance. “But this way I can face him head on.”
“You mean we can face him head on. Neither of us are alone in this, you know.”
He leaned in to kiss her cheek. Their eyes met, both remembering the afternoon they had spent together. “I know… But you are more at risk than ever. Zod… he doesn’t understand people here—humans, I mean. I don’t know what he is planning, especially since you are pregnant with a Kryptonian baby. And with him pretending to be me? I just don’t trust him…”
As Clark grabbed her suitcase, Lois slung her purse over her shoulder, then suddenly paused as she caught a glimpse of the golden afternoon sky.
“What is it? You have that look you get when you have a plan,” Clark said, beginning to sound worried.
“I do have a plan… at least, a plan for protection.” She turned to Clark. “Zod doesn’t have powers here, right? You said that the future World War Three was caused by Zod and the Kandorians wanting to get your powers with a red sun… and we know that I have at least some of your powers when I am not wearing the blue k…”
“Lois, you are not going up against Zod. I won’t let you put yourself at risk like that,” Clark warned.
“And I’m not saying I’m going to do that. I’m just saying that this –“ she took the blue k bracelet and tucked it away in the special lead case Clark had given her. “—is going away until after our little meet and greet with Zod. Not that I plan to fight him. Just that I want to protect our baby, and what better way than with a little super help?” she smiled, looking pleased with herself.
“Lois, there’s at least four hours of daylight left… what if it is too much sun exposure, and you start feeling ill rather than stronger? Or not enough exposure and you don’t have enough protection? No, I’m not willing to take that risk…”
“I think I’ll be okay. At the very least, a bit of our little super guy’s strength might be just what I need… and four hours can’t be enough time for him to grow exponentially faster, right?
Clark, I think it is a solid plan. And it should keep me safer.”
“Okay… but take the blue K just in case.” Clark said. “I’d still prefer it if I met Zod alone.”
“I can maybe find out what he’s after, Clark.”
“I don’t like putting you in harm’s way,” Clark said warily.
“Which is exactly why I need to take advantage of the perks of being pregnant with your baby. It will be fine. I promise.”
“Let’s just go…” Clark sighed, knowing when he’d lost an argument.
They closed the room door and headed down to the reception desk to drop off the key a night early. Lois felt a little guilty for leaving, considering how hard they pushed to find a room in the first place, but they really couldn’t stay another night and deal with Zod.
“By the way, did anyone ever figure out what caused that scream the other night?”
“No, I don’t think so. Why?”
Lois shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe this place was haunted. Good thing we’re getting out of here.”
Clark laughed. “Let’s go, Lois. Before your over-active imagination gets the better of you.”
~L&C~
They argued all the way back to Smallville about how best to handle Zod. Lois insisted she should face him alone, just to find out what he wanted. But Clark wouldn’t hear it.
“Lois, Zod has been known to cut down enemies without a second thought. What makes you think he doesn’t want to hurt you?”
“Why would he, Clark? I’m the best bet he has at getting whatever he wants from you. I’m the bargaining chip, don’t you see?”
He sighed heavily. “I see all too clearly. That is exactly why I’m worried he’ll hurt you.”
Lois sat quietly, trying to think of a way to get Clark to see what she saw. “He met me in the hospital and gave me that charm… that had to be a message for you, right? What do you think it means?” she asked, trying another angle, like when they worked on stories together. Perhaps if she could get Clark thinking like an investigative reporter rather than a boyfriend, she might get somewhere.
“I don’t know. It was a Kryptonian symbol, that much I do know.”
“Exactly. And as far as Zod knows, I don’t know anything about you and your heritage or what that charm means. So that charm had to be a message for you, Clark.”
Clark mulled that over a moment, taking the turn onto the highway that would take them back home. “Maybe it’s in Virgil Swann’s diary…” He glanced at Lois and saw she didn’t know what he was talking about. “The Kryptonian book I showed you? It might have that symbol referenced in it somewhere.”
“Then we head there first,” Lois said, glad that Clark was starting to see her way of thinking.
“But it doesn’t mean I’ll let you see Zod alone, Lois. It is too dangerous,” Clark cautioned.
“Fine,” Lois said flatly.
“—and I don’t want you getting---Wait, did you say ‘fine’?”
“Yeah. I get it, Clark. I just want you to know I won’t be scared away easily. By Zod or any other threats out there. And that is why it is best if we are both informed about exactly what Zod’s little present to me means.”
~L&C~
When they got home, it was nearly sunset. Lois was supposed to meet Zod in two hours, which didn’t give them much time to hunt down whatever it was he was after.
Lois got the charm Zod had given her, and for expediency, Clark supersped to the barn to get the Kryptonian journal and supersped back to the house.
“Okay, let’s see what we can find,” Lois said, all business-like as she took the journal from Clark and settled herself on the sofa. Clark got a pillow and tucked it behind her back so she would be more comfortable. She smiled at him, “Thanks, Smallville.”
Lois began thumbing through pages, but Clark was already impatient. “Lois, I’ve combed those pages many more times than you… I can probably locate the symbol much faster, providing it’s even there.”
“I suppose you’re right,” she conceded, handing him the book. It didn’t stop her from looking over his shoulder though, even as he read the pages at superspeed.
“There,” he said eventually, pointing to the symbol.
“But what does it mean?”
“Well, there is some Kryptonian here that I don’t know. But Dr. Swann’s notes should give us some clues…”
“Read it out loud,” Lois demanded eagerly.
“’A Kryptonian relic called the Book of Rao may be a sort of bible, laden with prophecies and possible transformative powers.’” Clark shook his head. “What does that mean? ‘Transformative powers?’”
“I don’t know. But it sounds like there may be a key to power or control… perhaps that is what Zod is after.”
“Wait… it says here, ‘The Book of Rao may already be on Earth. Kryptonians may have thought it safer to leave it here than hide it on Krypton where it could be destroyed.’”
“Other Kryptonians? Clark, who else would know about it? Could Kara have had it?”
Clark got up and started scanning the room.
“Clark, what are you doing? What is it?”
“My father. He was here.”
“Ice Fortress Jor-El? I thought he was a computer,” Lois said, wondering what Clark was up to.
“He is… but he was also cloned.” Clark turned to Lois, realizing how much she still didn’t know about him. “Lois, my father came to Earth not long ago, trying to find me. He was also here, in this farmhouse… We should ask Chloe. She knows…”
“Chloe? Clark, do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
“It’s a bit complicated, Lois. And we don’t have a lot of time. Suffice it to say, I know that Chloe had surveillance on the farm starting from when Zod came into the picture, and that included the time Jor-El was here. She might have some footage of what he was doing here… and maybe, it has something to do with the Book of Rao.”
“Chloe is still with Oliver at the inn… are you just going to barge in on them?”
Clark turned to her and grinned. “No, I’ll call first.”
~L&C~
Thirty minutes later Chloe, Oliver, Lois, and Clark were in Watchtower.
“Wow, I’ve had no idea what you all were up to… this would make one hell of a story,” Lois said to herself as she took in Watchtower for the first time, with no small amount of awe. Then seeing the looks her friends gave her, she qualified herself. “Theoretically. Just… saying, hypothetically. Calm down, people.”
“I’m glad you rang, Clark,” Chloe said, logging onto Watchtower’s computer. “There were some serious Wall of Weird flashbacks starting to happen at that inn. I was just beginning to investigate it when you called.”
“What do you think Zod is up to, Clark?” Oliver asked, a little annoyed that his weekend rendezvous with Chloe had been interrupted to deal with Clark’s weird alien stuff.
“I don’t know… but I think he is looking for something called the Book of Rao. It is like a Kryptonian bible, and may hold some powers… though I don’t know what.”
After some swift typing, Chloe brought up the video feed from a few weeks ago. “I scanned it while Jor-El’s clone was here, but I don’t recall seeing anything strange…”
“There,” Chloe said, pausing the footage. “It looks like Jor-El placed something in that wall paneling… Clark?” Chloe called, looking over her shoulder for her friend.
Clark had whooshed away, and in mere seconds, returned again. “There’s nothing there. Whatever it was… it’s gone.”
“Well, maybe I have video of whoever took it,” Chloe said, speeding up the video feed.
Apologetically, she glanced at Clark. “This may take a few hours. I have thousands of hours of video to comb through.”
“We don’t have that kind of time… I am supposed to meet Zod in a little over an hour,” Lois said, beginning to sound a little anxious.
Chloe stopped her searching to dress down her cousin. “What? Why are you going to meet Zod? Clark, tell me you aren’t going to allow this.”
Lois stopped Clark with a simple palm held up in front of his face. “Chloe, I can think for myself, thank you very much.”
“What does Zod want with you? Whatever you do, you can’t face him blind not knowing what he wants.”
“Well, that’s what we are trying to find out,” Lois answered.
Lois started unpacking the Chinese food takeout she and Clark had picked up on the way. She handed Clark and Oliver their dinner, grabbing chopsticks as she moved to stand by Chloe. “And I’ll be fine. I’ve got super back-up… and… “ she glanced at Oliver, who was digging into his meal making small talk with Clark. “Did you tell him, Chloe?” Lois asked in a low voice.
“Huh? Oliver? No. I didn’t feel it was my place. And he didn’t seem to notice at breakfast, so why bother? Though I have to admit, you are getting pretty big. Even with clothes like that baby doll dress you have on, Oliver is bound to notice eventually.”
“It’s because the baby is growing faster than a normal human baby. But it’s okay,” Lois said, seeing her cousin’s concern. “I’ve been using blue kryptonite to balance the growing process. Jor-El recommended it. I’ll be all right.”
Chloe went back to watching the video feed, seeming a little less than convinced. “And you and Clark? Is everything okay between you two?”
“Better than okay, Chloe. We’ll be fine… I just have to find a way to delay this rendezvous with my faux Blur beau.”
Chloe smirked. “Try saying that three times fast.”
“What if I just send a text, saying I can’t get away?”
“Ask Clark. Whatever you do, you don’t want to make Zod angry.”
“Ask Clark what?” said the guy in question, coming over to check on Chloe’s progress.
Lois gestured to her phone. “T-minus an hour and half before I’m supposed to meet Zod. I have to delay. I was thinking of sending him a text.”
“Blame it on me. Tell him you can’t get away. But be eager to accept his alternative rendezvous time. He knows that you were anxious to learn the Blur’s identity. If you act like it isn’t a big deal, he may become suspicious as to why,” Clark suggested.
Lois bit her lip as she typed. “How’s this sound? ‘Can’t get away from Clark tonight. Meet soon another time?’”
“Hopefully that will work,” Clark said, watching the screen for any indication as to what had happened to the Book of Rao.
Lois hit ‘send’ and sighed. Clark glanced over at her. “Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine,” she smiled, though it seemed a little forced. “I just want this over with.”
Her phone buzzed with a text. She read it aloud: “’Meet me at sunrise on the roof.’” Lois glanced around at her friends. “Will that buy us enough time?”
Chloe nodded. “It should. It’ll be a long night, though.”
Clark stood behind Lois and began rubbing her shoulders. “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you should lie down? Or at least move to the sofa where it’s a bit more comfortable.”
Lois nodded and Clark helped her up just as Oliver was walking over from the coffee machine, two fresh cups in his hand. “Wait a minute… Lois, there’s something different about you, isn’t there?”
“Ollie… I was going to tell you. It’s just that things have been happening so fast, and we were so unsure of so many things.”
“That’s the secret, isn’t it? You’re pregnant,” he said, sounding almost in shock. “How did I miss this at the inn? Wow… how – I mean, when did it happen?” he asked, sounding puzzled as his gaze swung between Lois and back to Clark.
“The future,” Clark eventually answered, seeing Lois wasn’t quite sure how to answer.
Oliver shook his head. “That’s what I mean, Clark. How everything is so strange with you. Only you guys could manage to get pregnant in the future.” Then his bravado died down as he eyed his old girlfriend carefully. “But everything’s all right though, right? I mean, all things considered? Cause I’ll get you the best doctor money can buy, one who will keep his mouth shut if there’s anything that, you know—everything is all right, isn’t it?”
Lois was touched by Oliver’s concern, knowing he still had some feelings for her. “Everything’s fine, Ollie. Don’t worry.”
Lois walked with Clark over to the sofa where he set up pillows for her back and on the coffee table so she could put her feet up. He positioned her so they could watch as Chloe scanned the footage. He sat next to Lois, his arm draped around her as she snuggled closer into the crook of his arm.
They watched the film flicker across the screen until, eventually, Lois drifted off to sleep.
