Thanks again to everyone who has commented!
Here's the next part.
CM
Edit: Just read the 'Evil' thread in OT... I categorically deny being evil!!! It was just a good place to stop - right number of pages, already had ***** - gimme a break!!!!
CM[who thinks she felt the baby move today!]
From Part 4:
They were nearing the porch when Jonathan stopped. "Lois, before we go in... I want you to know that we love you. Martha and I think of you as our daughter and no matter what happens, we're always here for you."
Lois nodded and stepped in to give him a hug. "I know, Jonathan. Thank you. You've been more of a father to me the last couple years than my own dad, and I love you for it."
He kept one arm around her as they headed up the walk. "Dang wind on a cold night." He cleared his throat gruffly and swiped at his face with the back of his hand. "Wreaks havoc on your eyes."
Lois chuckled softly and then her feet suddenly went out from underneath her.
Her last conscious thought before she struck her head was that it was happening again.
*****
Part 5
*****
It was warm.
She was cozy.
There was a weight, not unpleasant, spread uniformly over her body.
There was also the scent of something wonderful entering her nostrils.
It was a familiar smell.
It drew her out of the blackness that enveloped her and into the dimly lit room with muffled sounds outside.
She blinked slowly several times.
Something shifted off to her right.
With great effort, she turned to see what it was.
The shape began to be recognizable.
"Clark..."
Her voice was a hoarse whisper but it was enough.
Instantly, he was at her side.
"Lois? Are you okay?"
"Thirsty."
He reached for a glass of water and helped her sit up enough to sip from it.
"Better?"
She nodded and pushed herself into a sitting position against the headboard. "What happened, Clark?"
"You and Dad were walking and you slipped on a patch of ice and hit your head. Do you remember?"
She thought hard. It was fuzzy but she remembered walking with Jonathan. "Yeah, I think so."
"What else do you remember?"
She thought for another minute and then a smile crossed her face. "I remember you taking me to the hayloft, flyboy."
"You do?"
"Yep. I remember you trying to get frisky with me, too."
Clark blushed and looked at her hand that he held gently in his own.
"Nothing to say to that?"
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" She was genuinely puzzled.
"I know it's not what you really wanted." His face was heavy. "You want to be with... another man."
"Oh, Clark." She reached out and lifted his face to look him in the eyes. "There's never been anyone but you for me."
"What?"
"I remember everything, Clark, including Deter trying to hypnotize me and tell me that I loved him, but mostly I remember you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you, silly. I remember meeting you for the first time in Perry's office. I remember you flying me through the window at the Daily Planet. I remember you proposing. I remember proposing to you. I remember signing the marriage license. I remember Lex, the clone, everything."
"Everything?" She could see him struggling not to get his hopes up.
"Yes, you lunkhead. Everything." She grinned at him. "And if you don't kiss me soon, you'll wish I didn't."
He didn't need another invitation. He leaned over and his lips met hers in a sweet caress and a promise of something more to come later.
He pulled back. "I have something for you." He reached into the drawer beside the bed and pulled out a box. "Here."
She opened it and tears began to well up in her eyes. "Oh, Clark." Inside were three rings. "Put them on for me?"
She held out her hand and Clark slipped the engagement ring over her finger. He kissed her fingers and then, as he slid the wedding band on, he spoke reverently. "With this ring, I thee wed."
"Oh, Clark." The tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached in and pulled his wedding ring out. She took his hand and placed his ring on his left hand. "With this ring, I *thee* wed."
He pulled her face back to his own and kissed her gently. "I love you, Lois Lane."
"I love you, Clark Kent. Now if we don't get some of that coffee..."
"How 'bout I take you home instead?"
Lois giggled. "Whatever you want."
*****
"...and so that last hit on the head must have brought everything back. I mean I was starting to remember anyway, but it was like last night jarred it all back into place."
"Oh, honey, that's wonderful!" Martha opened her arms to Lois for a warm hug.
Lois held on to Martha for a long minute and then turned to Jonathan. "And thank you. You were exactly what I needed last night." She threw her arms around him. She held onto him and then whispered in his ear, "Thanks... Dad."
Jonathan swiped at his eyes. "Dang wind...," he mumbled.
Lois laughed and moved back to Clark. She stood in front of him, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close.
"Well, you two really should head home now." Martha had a gleam in her eye. "It is Clark's birthday, after all."
"Mom!" "Martha!"
"Oh, so Jonathan gets to be dad, but I'm still 'Martha'?" Her eyes twinkled merrily.
Lois giggled. "Okay, Mom."
"Now you two get out of here. We'll celebrate your birthday next week, son."
Clark leaned over to kiss Martha on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom. Now..." A broad smile crossed his face. "I'm taking my bride home."
Before Martha and Jonathan could say anything else, they were gone, a gust of wind stirring the curtains at the window.
The elder Kents laughed. Martha leaned against her husband as they stared at the fluttering fabric. "Oh, to be young and able to fly."
*****
Clark floated them through the window of her apartment. There had been more than a couple of side trips on the way... kissing caused Clark to lose track of where they were headed.
He groaned as the television next door blared out the news of a landslide in South America.
"Go, Clark."
"Are you sure?" He pulled her in for a passionate kiss.
She reluctantly pulled back a minute later. "You have to. You'll never forgive yourself if you don't. I'll be here when you get back."
He kissed her again, hard and fast. "I love you, Lois Lane." And then he was out the window.
Lois sighed. Somehow she felt eternally teased but she knew Clark would come back to her and they would be together like they were always meant to be.
She sighed and turned to the apartment, glad they had left Smallville early in the morning. The reports on television said that Superman was going to be tied up for several hours at least. That gave her time to plan a little surprise for Clark for his birthday.
She had the black teddy he'd given her, but that was for later. Maybe she'd make some dinner. He was always hungry after landslides. She punched the button on her answering machine. 8 messages. Good grief, who could have called so much since she'd checked them the morning before?
"Lois, it's Max. Call me. We'll figure out a way to get you away from Clark." There was a pause. "I love you."
She hit the delete button and waited for the second message. "Lois. It's Max again. Where are you?"
Lois punched the button on the machine angrily, not caring who the rest were from. What was she going to do about that slime? A call to the APA was in order, that was certain, and the police too. And if he decided to pester her... well, that restraining order was still in place.
A quick trip to the party store was called for, along with a stop by the Planet. She couldn't wait to see Perry and Jimmy and the whole place again, now that she actually remembered who she was. She grabbed a jacket and her purse and headed out the door.
*****
The smell of ink permeated the pit. It was good to be back!!!
"Lois, honey, is that you?" Perry bellowed across the newsroom. He made his way through the maze of desks. "I thought you and Clark were in Smallville for a couple days."
She threw her arms around him and laughed. "It's SO good to see you, Perry! Superman flew us back this morning. I slipped and fell last night and remembered everything!"
"Oh, Lois, honey, that's great. So where's Clark? And is it true? The two of you are really married?"
She made a face. "He had something he had to take care of." Then a huge smile lit up her face. "And yes, we are!"
The television in the middle of the room caught her eye. Superman was leaving the scene of the landslide. She was going to have to hurry. Her stops had taken longer than she'd originally thought, but everything was ready for his return. She groaned involuntarily as an announcement flashed on the screen. Volcano in Japan. There was no way Clark would ignore that.
She couldn't miss the understanding and sympathy that flitted through Perry's eyes. So he did know. Well, he hadn't become editor because he could yodel after all.
"Clark's going to be busy for a while, is he?"
She sighed and nodded.
"Well, hells bells, girl. This place can run without me for a while. How about a little lunch with an old news hound?"
Lois laughed. "That sounds perfect, Perry, but it's too cold to sit outside today." Lois shuddered a bit as they contemplated where to eat. "How about Maggie's Café?"
*****
TBC
