He smiled. Maybe he wouldn't need that name, after all.

She considered him as the romantic type of man who longed for a family to return to in the afternoon. What he wished for in life was probably nothing more than to have someone he could bend down to and kiss softly. He didn’t want to come into an empty flat after work, and he’d want to play with his children, read or tell them a story and kiss them good night. He’d pull their covers up tight. And he would leave a light on their nightstand to scare away the dark shadows that carried nightmares.

Lois was surprised and slightly frightened as she imagined herself waiting at the door of their children’s room, watching Clark in delight. He’d be a father like she had never had. But why on earth would she consider his children hers as well? She didn’t want children because she could never be a good mother. His declaration of love had just confused her.

Hours later a ringing phone interrupted her sleep violently. Lois was wide awake. Dawn was breaking, and she wondered who would be calling her so early. She picked up the receiver.

“Lois Lane,” she said gruffly. She wasn’t exactly a morning person.

“Lois, this is Perry. I’m worried about Clark. There were two guys here last night that he had to fight with. They beat him up, though he managed to overpower them in the end,” her editor-in-chief told her.

“Oh my god! Is Clark alright, Perry?” Lois asked anxiously.

“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure that he needs a doctor, but I can’t make him go. Lois, will you please come over to his apartment and talk to him? I could barely sleep last night, and I frequently checked on him while he was fast asleep. I didn’t have the heart to wake him up, but maybe he has some serious injuries, broken ribs or something,” Perry replied.

“I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, Perry.” Lois promised and hung up.

Someone had beaten up Clark? But why? Lois was afraid that Perry might be right, and Clark had really bad injuries. A broken rib could penetrate his lung. His spleen could be ruptured. Lois knew that he might lose a lot of blood this way. Heaven knew what could have happened to him. It was an awful idea that he might be gone forever some day. She didn’t want to lose Clark. Lois jumped out of her bed and got dressed quickly. Then she stormed out of her apartment to get to her car and drive over to Clark's.

She considered him as the romantic type of man who longed for a family to return to in the afternoon. What he wished for in life was probably nothing more than to have someone he could bend down to and kiss softly. He didn’t want to come into an empty flat after work, and he’d want to play with his children, read or tell them a story and kiss them good night. He’d pull their covers up tight. And he would leave a light on their nightstand to scare away the dark shadows that carried nightmares.

Lois was surprised and slightly frightened as she imagined herself waiting at the door of their children’s room, watching Clark in delight.