From The Beginning
Melisma <melisma@uniserve.com>
Rated G

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Feedback: Constructive feedback is always welcomed at
melisma@uniserve.com - Flames, on the other hand, will
be consigned to the furnace room, where they belong smile

Comments: This little story was written as a response to the thirty-minute
challenge issued by Wendy Richards on Zoomway's boards many years ago. Therefore, thanks
go to Wendy (as it usually does) for inspiring me to write this.

This is a slightly alternate version of one of the scenes in Tempus Fugitive...

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FROM THE BEGINNING

"I've always wanted to do this in front of you," Clark confessed a little
shyly. He took a few steps away from Lois and baby Clark, tucked his
glasses into a pocket, and began to spin faster and faster until her amazed
eyes perceived him as only a blur. Gradually his form turned a familiar red
and blue, and when he stopped twirling, Superman was standing before her.

"Wow!" Lois breathed, then giggled.

Returning to her side, Clark took his younger self from her arms, but kept
looking at her. "Well, I guess I should get him back to Schuster's Field;
it's nearly night," he remarked finally, moving off again as if to leave
her there.

Lois, suddenly feeling bereft of both Clarks, stopped him. "Um, isn't there
some way I could come too?" she asked a little plaintively. After all, she
*had* flown with Superman before, even if she hadn't known at the time that
he was also Clark Kent, her partner, best friend and... something more
these days.

Clark couldn't refuse when she asked like that. Handing baby Clark back, he
scooped her up in his arms. "Hang onto me, er... him," he corrected
himself. "I'll hang onto you..." He took off as soon as he sensed that she
and the baby were comfortable, flying carefully so as not to harm his
precious load.

As angry as Lois had felt earlier when Tempus had mocked her for not
knowing Clark's secret, she found that she was enjoying this moment.
Finally they had no more secrets between them. She nestled herself closer
against his chest, holding the baby like the precious cargo he was.

When they got to Schuster's Field, Lois helped Clark tuck little Clark back
into his spaceship cradle, then impulsively kissed the little guy on the
forehead. "Bye-bye, sweetie," she whispered. "I guess I'll see you in
about... well, thirty years."

Clark looked down at his younger self, and a strange lump rose in his
throat. "We're all set, little one," he said. "Now I just have to make sure
that Mom and Dad find us... you." He closed the lid carefully, then looked
over at Lois. "Mom and Dad said they saw what looked like a shooting star.
They followed it, and that's how they found me..."

"But since the ship landed so much earlier, that would have to be..." Lois
reasoned.

"Me," he finished for her. "I can't fly fast enough to look like one if I
carry you."

"So I'll just wait for you here," she replied.

Clark took off again with a whoosh, his suit and velocity combining to make
a shooting star seem to streak across the sky. Within a few minutes, he
landed softly behind Lois. "You think it worked?" she asked.

Just then they heard a pair of voices coming across the field, and they
quickly hid in the shrubbery. Two people approached the spaceship. "Mom and
Dad," Clark murmured in Lois's ear, a note of awe in his voice. After all,
this was one of the pivotal moments of his existence. Lois gently took both
his hands in hers, trying to reassure him that she was there for him.

In front of them, a young Jonathan Kent was opening the lid. "Oh my Lord,"
he whispered. Young Martha said nothing, but tears were in her eyes as she
picked up baby Clark and cuddled him close. After exchanging glances, and
apparently coming to a silent agreement, the couple walked back to the
truck together.

In the trees, an older Clark pulled Lois into his arms. "They loved me
right from the start," he whispered, emotion making his voice husky.

"Yeah, and so did I," Lois answered, turning to face him.

"You did?!" He laughed incredulously. "I've loved you from the minute you
walked in on my interview with Perry..." His voice trailed off as she
leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth. He drew her tighter against him
and was moving to deepen the kiss when a rasping sound interrupted.

"Ahem, er, um, so sorry." It was HG Wells. "Tempus is safely incarcerated
in a time period where he can do no more harm, and we really need to be
getting you back to your own time period..."

Clark made a face and Lois sighed disappointedly. "Hey, partner, we can
finish this later," she told him softly as they disentangled themselves and
followed Wells off.

THE END
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