A long time ago, we had an Endometriosis challenge here on the boards wherein Lois had to get pregnant in a hurry. Lately, I got to thinking...

What if Clark learned he had a limited amount of time in which to get a woman pregnant?

S1 or S2, of course; otherwise, it's too easy.

So! Who will the prospective mother be? Will he try to rush to the altar, or get out the turkey-baster? And most importantly...Clark Kent or Superman?

Found in the Daily Planet classifieds:

"Single male searches for a woman to be mother of his future children. Must be a brunette reporter with a major Metropolitan newspaper with a heart of gold and a bad attitude. Must be willing to marry for life and keep a Super big secret. Cheaters need not apply."

Perfect--nice and specific...

Excellent!

Laura

StopQuitDont intended to write a story with this idea, but I believe she didn't get around to it yet.

I'm just wondering *why* Clark would face that. It seems more of a woman thing - every day, women face the question about having a child or not, and not to decide is to decide.

Clark presumably wouldn't have fertility issues (or would he? This could be an interesting plotbunny.)

Is this a case of "Have to get a woman pregnant before I become infertile", or "Have to get a woman pregnant because something bad will happen (to someone else, or perhaps the entire Earth) if I don't" or "Have to get a woman pregnant because I'll die otherwise"?

Tandrelmairon wrote a fic sort of based on this theme, in Shatterfall . It's not LnC, more generally Superman, but very good.

Iolan: For what it's worth, I was initially thinking that Clark's Kryptonian biology could be messing with his fertility levels, but then I figured that coming up with a reason why Clark needs to have kids in a hurry could be just as much a part of the plot as 'how'.

Maybe he lost a bet?

That doesn't really sound like something he would bet, Queen, even on a sure thing.

Bad lab results seem more likely.

There actually is A Gift for Life by SQD and Jenni Debbage where this happens!

It's been a long time since I've read it, but I believe it's S1, Clark is diagnosed with cancer and the only way to save him is with a bone marrow transplant. Since there aren't any other Kryptonians around he's got to have a baby to have someone compatible. And Lois certainly couldn't let her friend/hero die, could she?

SQD did post this question in the past (July 2010?). She and I had a few discussions about it and actually started working on a joint story with this premise. I think I dropped the ball first due to RL and then she disappeared.

My answer to the question had to do with Kryptonian biology. I don't foresee having time to start writing again until at least August of this year, but maybe if people are still interested in the premise later this year, I'll try to contact SQD and see if we can get it moving again.

B

Interesting idea.

Regarding the how: Clark is contacted by some people from NK, telling him that he will have to marry Zara within a year unless he can provide an heir to the rank of "High Lord" (or whatever it actually was) until then.

Oooh! Fun!

First Lord

And a related idea: Is the INS allowed to deport an alien who has fathered a child with a US citizen? Michael

IANL but yes. All that being related to a citizen gets you is a easier time getting a permanent visa. If you do something that would cause deportation you can and usually will be deported. If there isn't a close relative that the child can stay with they get deported but can come back when they come of age.

BUT, if there was a green-card marriage, and the government wanted to call foul and say it wasn't a real marriage, having a baby would be excellent proof otherwise.

No kidding.

I seem to remember a Green Card Marriage type story for L&C, though no babies involved. It was an early S1 fic, I think.

I'm now wondering how that sort of scenario would play out maybe around the time of the John Doe for President bit, when he was swamped with bureaucratic nonsense. After all, Superman can't marry Lois Lane because she's married to Clark Kent, but he can't marry anyone ELSE either because he's already married to Lois… oy, that'd be a headache!

I believe the story you're thinking of is the one Iolanthe brought up on the Superman/Ultra Woman Marriage thread:

Yep, that's it! I found that one to be very creative, especially in resolving it at the end. (Won't spoil for anyone else, but it's good!)

I'm always interested. And I'm sure a lot of people will want to read this story, too.

I am surprised no one mentioned Meredith Knight's excellent Rest and Reproduction and nFC version Rest and Reproduction (nFC)

It is actually Lois needing to get pregnant but Clark only having a limited time to accomplish it or find out why see needed it or she went to someone else.