This story is a sequel to 'It Happened One (Super) Night', which was posted
on the Archive in January; many thanks to everyone who asked me to write
the sequel. This is the PG-ish version of the story; if you're over 18 and
promise not to redistribute the story, write to me and I can send you the
nfic version if you can't get access to it elsewhere.

The story picks up about a week after 'Super Night' ends, and if you
haven't read the earlier story you might need to take a quick look at it;
some of the events referred to might not make sense without having read it.

Thanks to a number of people, including KathyB, Pam J., Irene, Genevieve
and many others who very helpfully responded to my queries about maternity
leave arrangements among US employers; apologies to those I've forgotten to
mention - I do assure you that I'm grateful for the help. Anytime any of
you decide to set a fanfic in the UK or Ireland, don't hesitate to ask me
anything you need to know <g>

As usual, I acknowledge the borrowing of characters from DC Comics and
Warner Bros; no infringement of anyone's rights is intended.

Wendy Richards
w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk

Lois stood in the middle of Clark's living-room and looked around
helplessly at the crates and boxes which littered the floor.

"Clark, it'll take forever to get all this stuff unpacked and sorted. I
knew we should have asked Jimmy if he'd be willing to help!"

Clark glanced up from his task of installing Lois's fish-tank. "You sure
about that, Lois?"

"Well... I mean, just look at it all!" she replied, waving her hands about
vaguely. "And I'm not much help - I can barely bend down at the moment!"

He grinned as he turned to face her. "Aren't you forgetting something, my
beautiful, pregnant fiancee?"

"Like what?" Lois couldn't understand how Clark could be so blase; it
seemed to her that they had a long and very tiring job in front of them.
She was already exhausted: being nearly seven months pregnant wasn't
exactly the best state to be in when moving apartments! It had taken Lois
and her sister Lucy several days to pack all of her possessions into crates
and boxes; Clark had offered to help, but he'd had to go away on assignment
for the Planet and anyway, Lois had wanted to sort as she packed and get
rid of some of her accumulated 'stuff', and so she didn't think that
Clark's help would have been particularly useful.

But here she was; they had loaded up a rented van that morning with her
furniture and possessions and taken them over to Clark's place at 344
Clinton. His Super-strength had of course come in very handy: he had
unloaded the van - taking great care not to be seen - swiftly and easily,
and now her belongings were piled up in the middle of the living-room.

"Like the fact that I'm Superman?" Clark crossed his arms in front of his
chest in the distinctive stance which still, to Lois, seemed incongruous
when he was dressed as Clark. "That's why I didn't want Jimmy or anyone
else here." He crossed the room to stand in front of her, and held her
lightly by her shoulders. "Why don't you put your feet up on the couch for
a while and let me get on with it?"

Lois reached up, unable to resist the temptation his lips presented by
their proximity to hers; he returned her kiss with an intensity which spoke
clearly of his need for her. He, rather than she, deepened the kiss,
thrusting his tongue forward to invade her mouth, although she responded
with an energy born of her need and love for him. It was ironic, Lois
reflected: although she was pregnant with his child, they had not been
intimate with each other since the night of conception, and they were both
becoming more and more frustrated with their need for each other. Oh well,
she thought, perhaps tonight... if we're not too worn out from all this...

She became aware of a floating sensation, and opened her eyes to realise
that it wasn't simply the effect of Clark's kiss. They were actually
levitating towards the sofa... She clung more tightly to Clark; although
she was getting used to his demonstrations of Super-ability and she trusted
him not to drop her, being suspended in mid-air was still quite
disconcerting.

He lowered her onto the sofa cushions and for a moment it seemed as if he
was about to join her. The full length of his body hovered over hers, and
he allowed his lips to trail along the line of her jaw as his hands
caressed the curve of her neck and the swell of her breasts. Lois moaned in
enjoyment, reaching up to pull his mouth firmly back onto hers. Until just
over a week ago she had had no idea that Clark Kent had it in him to be so
passionate - or that she found him quite so irresistibly attractive. Yet
now she found it impossible to understand how she could ever *not* have
found him attractive. Why had she not hauled him off to her bed on the
first day they met? Why had they wasted so much time? It wasn't even as if
she hadn't *known* that under the ill-fitting suits he'd worn then that he
had a
body to die for!

"Mmmm, Clark, I love the way you do that," Lois murmured as his tongue
feathered lightly along the inside of her ear-lobe. "You've no *idea* what
you do to me!"

"Oh yeah, Lois, I think I have," he murmured softly, his husky voice
sending shivers down her spine. "If it's anything like what you do to me
every time you touch me, I think I know exactly!"

Clark continued to trail his fingers lightly along the open neckline of
Lois's maternity blouse, taking care to maintain his position floating
above her body. He was very conscious that he was much bigger than Lois,
and that his Kryptonian body-mass meant that he was also heavier than a
human male of equivalent height and build. He therefore was anxious not to
hurt her in any way, and particularly not to hurt their unborn child. He
was aware that his relative inexperience with intimacy probably made him
more careful and hesitant than he need be, but his Lois - oh, it felt so
good to think about her in those terms! - was being patient with him,
allowing him to explore the many ways in which they could demonstrate their
love for each other, and teaching him what felt good for her. He had always
been a quick learner, and he hoped that in this area he was demonstrating
aptitude for the subject. He was certainly learning to recognise and
understand the little betraying indications of Lois's arousal, such as the
faint moan deep in her throat when he kissed her passionately or allowed
his fingers to explore her favourite erogenous zones, or the little jerky
movements which suggested that she was becoming even more excited.

As yet, of course, they had not made love since discovering their feelings
for each other and the secrets which each had been hiding from the other.
Clark considered, in fact, that they had yet to make love properly; the
first time, he hadn't come to her as Clark, and although Lois had explained
to him, very convincingly, that she had come to love him as Clark rather
than as Superman, there was still something inside him which felt the need
to be accepted as the man he truly was rather than the costumed Super-hero
as whom he sometimes had to masquerade. As well as that, of course, his
memory of the one and only time he had made love with Lois was still very
hazy. He had been ill and feverish, and hadn't been in full possession of
his senses when it had happened. This fact had given him some cause for
concern, and it was part of the reason they hadn't made love since realising
that they were in love. He couldn't help wondering whether he had really
satisfied Lois on that occasion; he had been a virgin - with a lot of
theoretical knowledge, it was true, but the practice was very different! -
while she had been experienced. Had he simply taken what he'd wanted
without giving her pleasure? Was he going to be able to pleasure her
properly when they did make love? Was it even safe for them to make love?
He didn't want to risk harming the baby, and as yet he had felt too shy to
ask her whether her gynaecologist had said anything about lovemaking in the
third trimester.

Unaware of these fears and insecurities running through Clark's brain, Lois
was enjoying the blissful sensations created by his caresses. She reached
for him, attempting to pull him closer to her, craving the feel of his body
against hers. He was wearing a pale grey T-shirt, and she reached for the
hem, sliding her hand beneath to stroke his muscular chest. "Clark - let me
take this off," she murmured throatily. "It's getting in the way."

At the pleasurable shock of her hand on his bare flesh, Clark nearly lost
his concentration and felt himself beginning to fall. Exercising what
little control he had left over his reflexes, he managed to recover his
position suspended in mid-air a few inches above Lois's body. "I'm sorry,"
he muttered anxiously. "I don't want to hurt you - I'm way too heavy for
you."

Lois laughed softly, deep in her throat.. "I'm sure you're not, sweetheart
- trust me." She reached again for his T-shirt. "Let me?"

But Clark stilled her hand with his own, his voice unsteady as he
protested. "Not right now, Lois - I should get busy with all this stuff..."
He gestured towards the clutter on the floor, then got to his feet. "We'll
have plenty of time for... this... later."

Disappointed, Lois's mouth turned down at the corners and she pulled a face
at him. "Spoilsport! You get me all worked up and then put on the brakes -
what sort of a way is that to treat the woman you love?"

Clark hesitated, torn between the urgent demands of his body which was
insisting that he immediately return to Lois's embrace, and his mind, which
was arguing that he needed time to think, to prepare himself for that final
act of intimacy which, he knew, they both badly wanted to experience
together. Surely, if he thought about how he wanted it to happen, planned
his strategy, created the perfect romantic environment for making love, it
would be much better than a rushed and out-of-control few minutes on his
sofa?

Or was he just being a coward?

Whichever, he thought as he backed away with an apologetic smile, it'll be
better when we're not surrounded by this mess. And Lois needs to rest for a
while - it's been a busy day so far.

He noticed that she still looked disappointed, and he instantly felt
guilty. "It's not that I don't want to, Lois... oh, you have no idea how
much I do - I just think that it'd be better to wait until later, when we
have more time. Is that okay..." he hesitated, then ventured, "honey?"

Lois's beautiful lips curved into a full smile as she murmured assent to
his suggestion. It was the first time Clark had used an endearment for her;
although she had been calling him 'honey' and 'sweetheart' since they had
announced their engagement to his parents, he had been more reticent. She
had wondered why; after all, his parents, Jonathan and Martha, had always
been openly affectionate, in words and deeds, both with each other and with
Clark. It was a little strange that he should have been so unsure of
himself with her.

Still, possibly it wasn't so surprising really, she reflected - not when
she took into account the history of their relationship, and Clark's own
lack of experience with relationships. He had had girlfriends before, but
no serious relationships since he'd been at college; he had told her that
after his powers had become fully developed he had been afraid to get too
close to anyone in case he gave away his secret. Lois was the first person
to whom he had been tempted to tell all; but then she had fallen for his
*alter ego* instead, which had made him reluctant to confide in her. She
understood, although he hadn't voiced his inner fears, that a small part of
him still doubted that she loved him for himself and not for his powers. It
would have been surprising if he hadn't felt that way, she knew; although
she had told Superman - not knowing that he was really Clark - that she had
recovered from her infatuation with him and was in love with Clark, he had
a lot of memories of her foolish behaviour around Superman. And, of course,
it had been Superman with whom she had made love, not Clark.

Still, we have all the time in the world to make up for that, Lois thought
dreamily. She had been surprised, and disappointed, that Clark hadn't
seemed particularly impatient to renew their sexual relationship. She had
even wondered, with some trepidation, whether he was put off by her
pregnant body; her breasts were now very swollen and full, and her belly
obviously rounded and large. But his behaviour hadn't suggested that at
all; although they had yet to make love, Clark had been extremely loving
and affectionate in his attentions. He seemed to love touching her stomach
through her clothes - and on one occasion, they had lain together on her
bed, with Lois in her underclothes and Clark wearing just a pair of shorts.
He had pillowed his head on her breasts and simply gazed at her belly,
allowing his hands to touch it, stroke it, caressing the mound and feeling
with wonder the movements of their baby inside her womb. No, Clark
evidently loved her body, and found the evidence of her pregnancy endlessly
fascinating and attractive.

He *was* hugely attracted to her, she knew that beyond any doubt. Although
she had yet to see him naked since the occasion on which he - as Superman - had taken a shower in her apartment, she knew he had a magnificent body. And he was frequently turned on by her, and that fact was often wholly apparent to her.

Clark wanted her, all right. So why hadn't he taken things further? It
hadn't been for lack of opportunity, or invitation. She raised her head and
studied him; he had taken the tops off the various boxes and was examining
the contents, apparently deep in thought. His brow was furrowed slightly in
concentration; his gorgeous brown eyes were unobscured by glasses - it was
a sign of their new relationship that he rarely wore them when they were
alone together and unlikely to be interrupted - and his T-shirt moulded his
upper body like a second skin. And his jeans, tightly moulded to his legs,
covering his narrow hips ... Lois forced herself to look away; any more and
she would have been tearing at his zipper with her teeth! How had she ever
managed to be in this man's company and *not* wanted to kiss him and never
stop?

She lay back on the sofa and allowed her mind to drift back to their first
- and only - time. It often seemed like a dream to her now; it had been
several months ago, of course, and it had been in the middle of the night,
after long hours first trying to warm Superman up and then to reduce his
fever, calm his delirious ramblings. It was hardly surprising that their lovemaking wasn't a clear picture in her mind. It had consisted of slow but,
contradictorily, impatient fumbling, touching, stroking, kissing, all
beneath the bedclothes; the final act had been a truly natural consequence
of their closeness. She had never even wondered, at the time, whether
Superman was in any way experienced; his actions had appeared purely guided
by instinct. At least, so she thought, looking back at her blurred memories.

But... Struck by a thought, Lois forced herself to consider. If she had no
clear picture of their one time together, what must it be like for Clark?
He had been ill that night; he hadn't even remembered that they had been
together until he'd found his Super-suit in her apartment. When he'd told
her that he finally remembered having been at her apartment, he'd said that
his memories of what had occurred were extremely hazy. So... it was very
possible that Clark hardly remembered making love at all.

And if that was the case... Lois reflected on what Clark had told her of
his past. He had been a virgin, and up until just over a week ago he had
believed that he still was. In many ways, he was a true innocent in the
ways of men and women together - although he certainly needed no guidance
in the art of kissing, she thought with a secret smile of enjoyment. It
would probably not be surprising at all if Clark was nervous about being
intimate with her again, she thought. She knew that he was aware that she
was experienced, had been even before their child had been conceived, and -
knowing her Kansas farm-boy as she now did - he could easily be afraid that
he would not be experienced or competent enough for her.

How could she let him know - without embarrassing him - that it wasn't
technique she was looking for, but closeness and loving with the man she
loved more than anything else in the world? That she felt privileged and
honoured that this very wonderful and special man had waited, that she was
his first lover, that she would have the right to teach him how to pleasure
a woman, to guide him in the ways of loving?

Her lips curled in another secret smile. She would find a way - and Clark
Kent had better make sure that he didn't wear himself out in his insistence
on putting away her belongings this afternoon. She had plans for him later!

Lois's reflections were interrupted suddenly by the amused voice of her
fiance. "Earth to Lois! Hey, you were nearly asleep there!"

No, I wasn't, Lois thought, but you're not going to know about that yet...
"You wanted something, Clark?"

He smiled at her; a breathtaking flash of white teeth and that mobile
mouth. "Yeah - just wanted to warn you that I'm going to be moving around
pretty fast, so hang onto anything you don't want to blow away, okay?"

Lois leaned up on one elbow and raised an eyebrow at him. "Showing off
again, are you, Flyboy?"

"Flyboy?" It was Clark's turn to raise an ironic eyebrow.

"Yeah... fits, doesn't it?"

He grinned. "Is this an alternative to Farmboy?"

"Could be - you like it?"

He crossed to her and deposited a swift kiss on her surprised lips. "Maybe.
I could get used to it, I guess."

Lois ruffled his hair before he withdrew. He looked so different like this;
no glasses, unruly hair, casual clothing... and a new, more relaxed, air.
This, she thought, is the real Clark Kent, whom only his parents had
known... up until now. She smiled at the thought, then emitted a gasp of
amazement as he suddenly shifted into high-speed mode. He became a blur of
grey and blue denim as he sped around the apartment, removing items from
the packing cases and putting them away in cupboards, shelves, wardrobes
and anywhere he could find space, leaving a mini-whirlwind in his wake as
he moved.

My God... and I bet Martha and Jonathan just take this for granted, Lois
thought incredulously. She lay back on the sofa again as her mind drifted
to Clark's parents and the kind, generous way in which they had welcomed
her into the family. The day she and Clark had finally confided in each
other, and discovered their mutual love, he had taken her to see his
parents in Smallville. By Superman Express, of course; that had been quite
a journey. It had been the longest flight she had ever taken with Superman,
not that either of them had objected.

Clark had landed in the back yard of the Kent farmhouse, setting Lois
carefully on her feet as he had done so. At the same moment, the back door
of the house had shot open, and Martha and Jonathan had exited. They must
have heard the whoosh of Clark arriving, Lois had surmised; at any rate,
Martha had looked excited and had begun to say something which sounded like
"Hi Cla - " Then she had stopped abruptly, glanced at Jonathan in
bemusement, and begun again, this time more formally.

"Hello, Superman, Lois - what brings you two here?"

Clark had laughed aloud, a sound of pure joy. He had led Lois across the
yard to where his parents stood, calling, "Hi, Mom, Dad - we thought we'd
come to lunch."

Jonathan had stared, slack-jawed, at his son, while Martha had urged them
all into the kitchen. Once inside, she had turned to Clark and said, "Lois
knows?"

Before replying, Clark had spun back into his civilian clothes and glasses,
a gesture which had answered her question more eloquently than any words
could have. "Sure, Mom - it was time."

Lois, feeling that Clark was expecting his parents to assimilate rather too
much information at once, had interjected. "It's okay, Mr and Mrs Kent, you
don't have to worry. I'll never reveal Clark's secret - your secret."

Martha had smiled warmly. "Oh, we know that, honey - don't we, Jonathan?
It's just that Clark never mentioned that he was thinking of telling you."

Jonathan, recovering his composure, had added, "Sure we know, Lois. And I'm
sure Clark had a good reason for telling you," he had finished, with a
sidelong glance at his adopted son.

Sitting around the kitchen table a few minutes later, Clark had explained
the reason for the visit. "We have some news for you both, and we wanted to
tell you in person. Lois and I are going to be getting married."

Seeing the Kents glance at each other, Lois had interrupted before either
had a chance to reply. "I love Clark, and just today I discovered that he
loves me too - well, I guess I suspected, or hoped, for a long time that he
did, but I was never really sure..."

"Oh, honey, of course he did!" Martha had interjected in laughing
reassurance. "That boy has loved you since the day he met you!"

"Sure he has, Lois," Jonathan had added. "Never talked about anyone the way
he talked about you. Half the time he couldn't think straight, after he
went to Metropolis and met you."

Lois had glanced at Clark on hearing these testimonials from his parents, and
had been thrilled to see him looking embarrassed, but pleased. He had
reached for her hand, and added, "So we'll be getting married as soon as
possible."

"That's great news!" Martha had exclaimed. She had immediately got to her
feet and hugged Lois, while Jonathan gripped his son's hand firmly. "Lois,
welcome to the family," Clark's father had added.

"There's something else we need to tell you." Clark spoke again once the
celebrations had died down.

"Yeah," Lois added awkwardly, looking at Martha. "I know I'm going to
sound like an awful person - and I know that you and Mr Kent haven't - "

"Martha and Jonathan, please, Lois," Martha had interrupted. "You're family
now - you can't stand on ceremony."

"Martha," Lois had agreed, a little nervously. "Well, you see..." She had
broken off as Clark had taken her hand comfortingly in his.

"Let me, Lois." He turned to his parents. "The baby Lois is carrying. It's
mine."

Jonathan frowned slightly. "You mean you'll be adopting it? I should hope
so, if you two are getting married."

"No, Dad, I mean I'm the baby's father - the biological father."

The Kents senior had stared at each other, then at Lois and Clark, in
disbelief and puzzlement.

"But, Clark, surely you'd have known?" Martha had objected, confused.

Clark shook his head. "Remember the night I stopped the asteroid, and I
woke up not knowing how I'd got home"? His parents had nodded, listening
attentively. "Well, I actually went to Lois's apartment - as Superman - and
I was in a bad way, really cold, feverish, exhausted. She looked after me,
got me warmed up, put me to bed, and looked after me when I got delirious.
And... well, we made love. But when I woke up a few hours later I didn't
remember what we'd done, and I went home - then I woke up in the morning at
my place and didn't remember even being at Lois's at all. And she got
pregnant... and because Superman didn't remember having been with her, she
felt she couldn't tell him - me - what had happened."

Jonathan had shaken his head slowly, censoriously. "You slept with the
girl, then crept out of her apartment without a word to her? I'd thought
better of you, Clark."

"It wasn't his fault!" Lois had protested. "He wasn't well - he didn't
remember."

"But Lois, honey, why didn't you tell him?" Martha asked, still frowning,
trying to understand. "I know it must have been awkward, knowing he didn't
remember, but he was going to become a father!"

"I know, and believe me, I spent months agonising over it," Lois had
answered. "It was just - so difficult. I didn't know Superman was Clark,
and I just thought, at first, that maybe he did remember and was trying to
tell me he regretted it, and then I wasn't sure - but as time went past it
was just so much harder to imagine telling him that he'd made me pregnant."

"You see, Mom, at the same time I was trying to distance Superman from
Lois," Clark had interjected. "I really wanted Lois to get to know me for
myself, without the Suit getting in the way, and it seemed more important
once I knew she was pregnant and alone. So I kept away from her as
Superman, and didn't really encourage conversation if I met her when I was
wearing the Suit."

"I see," Martha had replied, smiling wryly. "Both of you, walking on
eggshells around each other, afraid to tell each other what you both needed
to know... it's no wonder it's taken you this long to discover you love
each other!"

Lois had given Martha a curious look; Martha had laughed and replied,
"Lois, honey, I could see you were half-way in love with Clark the very
first time we met you. I was just so disappointed to find out that you
seemed to be having a relationship with someone else."

Lois had reached for her future mother-in-law's hand. "And even with that,
you were so kind and thoughtful - you've been far more understanding than
my own mother, you know."

Later, Jonathan had enquired, with an amused expression, "And just how do
you two plan on breaking the news to everyone else - especially people
you've assured that Clark isn't the father?"

Lois and Clark's eyes had met, the same rueful grimace in each's
expression. "We'll think of something, Dad," Clark had answered. "I thought
I might leave it to Lois - she's pretty good at creative thinking."

Lois had stuck her tongue out at Clark. "Better than you, anyway, buster -
some of those excuses you've used to go and be Superman have been pretty
pathetic!"

"Well, in future I'll have you to help me, won't I?" he had answered airily.

***************

Telling Ellen and Sam Lane hadn't been quite as simple, Lois reflected now
as she continued to watch Clark - or what she could see of him - dashing
about the apartment. They had decided to do it the day after their visit to
Smallville, since they were still on their days off. Lois, trying to work
out the least stressful way of doing it, had suggested visiting Ellen at
her home, and telephoning her father afterwards. Clark, however, had
assumed a thoughtful expression before replying. He had then given Lois a
quirky smile as he spoke.

"I think it might be better if you ask them both to meet us together -
maybe at your place."

She had stared at him. "You can't be serious, Clark - my mom and dad,
*together*? You know what they're like!"

Nodding, he had smiled reassuringly at her. "Yep - that's why it's a good
idea. Your mom'll be too busy blaming your father to pick on you, and your
father will want to beat up on me. Which is fine by me - I can take it!"

Lois had stared at him in wonder; if she hadn't already realised just how
special Clark Kent was, it was being brought home to her now. He was
willing to face the wrath of her parents - particularly Sam Lane, not known
for the calmness of his temper - and was even suggesting that he would
allow himself to be used in order to deflect her parents' criticism away
>from her.

"Clark, I can't let you do that!" she had protested. "My mother is going to
be mad enough as it is, considering the number of times I told her you
weren't the father - Daddy's likely to want to hit you!"

He had raised an eyebrow at her as he'd lounged against the worktop in his
kitchen. "Think that's gonna worry me, Lois?"

She had blushed, remembering again that this man was far more that he
appeared to be. "Well, just be careful - I guess I don't want him winding
up in the emergency room with a broken hand!"

Clark had laughed in genuine amusement. "No problem - remember, I've had a
lot of practice at hiding my strength."

And Clark's suggestion had worked, even better than Lois had imagined it
could. Her parents had arrived, separately, at her apartment a couple of
hours later. Clark had unobtrusively taken control of the situation - how
could I ever have imagined him to be ineffectual, Lois had wondered - had
encouraged her parents to sit together on one of the sofas and had served
them with coffee before joining Lois on the other. He had then very
obviously placed his arm around Lois's shoulder as he had explained that
they had some news for the elder Lanes.

"We wanted to tell you that I'm the father of Lois's baby," he had
announced calmly. Sam and Ellen had simply stared at the younger couple in
shock for a long moment, before Ellen had raised her hand in protest.

"Now Lois, how many times did I ask you whether Clark here was responsible?
And just how many times did you *lie* to me and tell me he wasn't? There
may be a lot of things I'm disappointed about where you're concerned, Lois,
but I never thought you'd deliberately lie to me!" Ellen's voice had grown
increasingly shrill as she had reached the climax of her speech.

Before Lois could reply, her father had turned to his ex-wife. "Ellen,
can't you see our Princess is upset? If anyone's to blame here, it's this
young man who is clearly incapable of facing up to his responsibilities."

Clark had got to his feet at this point, still keeping a hand on Lois's
shoulder. "The other thing we wanted to tell you is that Lois and I will be
getting married, as soon as I can arrange a ceremony and my parents can get
to Metropolis."

Only slightly mollified, Sam Lane had replied gruffly, "Better late than
never, I suppose, Kent." He had paused briefly before adding, "And what
took you so long, may I ask?"

Lois, annoyed that Clark's behaviour seemed to be the only issue in this
discussion, had interrupted before Clark could respond. "It's not Clark's
fault, Dad. He only found out it was his baby yesterday."

"Oh really?" Ellen had replied sarcastically. "You mean no-one had told him
how babies were made? What did he expect might happen after he had... you
know... with you?"

Flushing, Lois had glared at her mother. "He was *ill* - I stayed with him
to look after him, that's when it happened. He had a fever, and he just
didn't remember anything the next day."

Raising his eyebrows, Sam had glanced at Clark before speaking. "What was
wrong with you?"

Clark had shrugged. "I got caught out in a storm - when Lois found me, I
was freezing cold, wet, delirious and feverish. She tried to warm me up,
but I was still shivering, and so she lay next to me to keep me warm."

Sam nodded. "The symptoms add up. It's quite plausible that he mightn't
have remembered anything the next day, Ellen."

However, Ellen Lane was not to be denied her anger so easily. "And why
didn't you say anything, Lois? You just let that man off scot-free!"

"Oh, Mother!" Lois had protested wearily. "It just wasn't like that. Clark
and I were friends at the time, and I wasn't sure I wanted anything more.
So when I realised he didn't remember, I decided not to tell him what had
happened. As far as I was concerned, it was just a one night stand, nothing
more -
but then I realised I was pregnant."

Clark had then returned to sit by Lois. "And she didn't say anything then
because she didn't want me to feel obligated to become involved with her
just because I'd made her pregnant. But I wanted to help her with the baby
anyway, which I guess told her that I wouldn't exactly mind becoming a
father - and we gradually realised that we were falling in love, baby or no
baby." Meeting his future parents-in-law's eyes, Clark had continued. "For
me, the only barrier to asking Lois to marry me months ago was not knowing
who the baby's father was..." he had allowed his hand to rest on her
stomach before continuing, "... it really didn't bother me that she was
having another man's child. I was just afraid that one day she was going to
go back to him, whoever he was."

Lois had turned to give Clark a reassuring smile; the sincerity in his
voice had told her that he had been speaking the truth about his feelings.
She knew that he would have married her regardless of whose child she was
carrying; but she had never realised that he had been so anxious about her
own intentions. Squeezing his hand then, she had faced her parents again.
"It took me a few months to realise that I wanted to be with Clark, and for
us to be a family - but then I had to work out exactly how to tell him that
I'd been carrying his baby for six months and never said a word. That
wasn't easy - but then, Clark is a pretty special guy, and he understood."

"Why did you lie to me about it?" Ellen had protested yet again, only to be
interrupted by Sam.

"Think about it, Ellen - if Lois hadn't told Clark he was the father, how
could she have told anyone else? Of course she had to lie about it!" Sam
had stood then, and had crossed towards Lois and Clark. Clark had also
risen, and had been surprised to be offered the hand of his future
father-in-law.

"Clark, I've liked you since the day we met, and I'm delighted that you're
marrying my daughter. I know you'll look after her and my grandchild." Lois
had been amazed to discover tears springing to her eyes as she had watched
Sam and Clark embrace. She had been further shocked to find herself hugged
by a weeping Ellen.

So the Lanes senior had taken the news pretty well, all told, Lois thought
now. Clark had been correct in his suggestion of how to handle Lois's
parents, and since then Ellen had been effusive in her praise for 'that
wonderful future son-in-law of mine'. Lois made a mental note to ensure
that Clark accompanied her on all future visits to her mother's home...

*******************

Clark returned to the living-room some time later, having unpacked the last
of Lois's clothes and arranged her toiletries in his bathroom. He wondered
what it would be like sharing his apartment with her; while on the one hand
he was extremely excited at the prospect, there was some trepidation as
well. Quite apart from the sexual part of their relationship, he had never
shared his bed with anyone before; that would certainly be strange, as
would having another person sharing his personal living space. And it
wouldn't be just the two of them for very long, of course; in only two
months there would be a baby as well... Maybe we ought to start looking for
a house, he thought, his brow furrowed as he considered the financial
implications.

And there was his other job... was he going to find it as easy to fly off
and be Superman, now that he had a live-in fiancee - soon to be wife? Oh,
he was aware that Lois would never try to prevent him doing what he needed
to do, but would he want to leave her? What if... he closed his eyes
briefly as he felt his body tighten once more - what if he heard a cry for
help when they were in the throes of making love? Could he bear to leave
Lois? Could he ever ignore someone in need of Superman?

Lois would tell me I'm obsessing, he reflected wryly as he glanced over to
where she lay on the sofa. He smiled suddenly; she was asleep. Or at least
seemed to be; she wasn't moving and her eyes were closed. He stilled; he was
aware that he tended to fuss over her, but he did wish she would rest more.
Not wanting to disturb her, he drifted a few inches off the floor and
floated back into the bedroom.

****************

Lois opened her eyes a few minutes later to find herself alone, and the
packing cases and boxes gone. She glanced around, and noticed a number of
familiar ornaments, photographs, books and other objects arranged on
shelves and other places in the room. Trust Clark, she thought, making sure
that I feel at home...

Speaking of Clark, where was he? She slowly got to her feet and walked
towards the kitchen, then realised she could hear the sound of running
water. She veered off towards Clark's bedroom, just in time to see Clark
emerge from the bathroom which opened off it, wearing only a short towel
draped around his waist. She drew in a sharp breath at the sight of him,
water dripping from his hair and running down his chest and legs; she felt
an urgent need to stroke his hard, muscular chest and strong thighs. But
Clark had heard her... damn his super-hearing, she thought wryly. He
glanced across at her and smiled, the movement causing his beautiful eyes
to crinkle at the corners.

"You're awake then? I thought I'd leave you to rest."

"I wasn't asleep," she replied softly, a little shyly; it seemed strange to
be in Clark's bedroom with him in such a state of undress. It's crazy, she
told herself. We're engaged, we've just moved in together, and we're
expecting a baby together - and I'm still shy with him...

She hesitated; would he want his privacy? Should she leave? He solved the
dilemma for her by crossing the room and bending to capture her lips in a
warm, loving kiss. "I missed you," he whispered against her lips.

"I missed you, too, honey," she assured him sweetly, wrapping her arms
around his damp body to pull him closer to her. He resisted, protesting
that he was wet; unsure whether she should press the issue at this point,
Lois released him. After all, she admitted, perhaps he felt at a
disadvantage, as he was almost naked and she was fully dressed.

"Want me to wait outside?" she offered.

He grinned and shook his head. For a moment Lois was unsure how to take
this: was he inviting intimacy at last? But his words showed that this
wasn't the case. "No need - it'll take me less than a second to get ready."

He darted around the room at Super-speed, and as he'd promised, was almost
immediately standing in front of her fully dressed, with his hair neatly
combed.

"Wow! I can see you don't take long to get ready in the mornings!" Lois
exclaimed, laughing. "Wait until you see how long I need!"

Laughing with her, Clark steered her back to the kitchen. "No problem - I
can make breakfast while you shower and dress."

"Don't forget my make-up," she pointed out. "That's at least another
fifteen minutes."

"Doesn't bother me - it means I can lie in bed and admire you as you get
dressed," he suggested, seeming very pleased at the prospect.

"Not fair!" she protested, trying with difficulty to suppress a smile. "You
get ready so quickly I can't see anything!"

"Well, maybe I'll slow down occasionally..." he murmured, the warmth in his
eyes making his appreciation of the idea obvious. "Now, what would you like
to eat? Anything at all - you name it."

Lois considered. Chinese was out of the question for the time being, much
as she loved it; she didn't feel like pizza; and Indian food gave her
indigestion at the moment. "I know - pasta!" she decided.

"Fine - why don't you set the table, and I'll be right back?"

As Clark spun into his Superman costume, Lois stared at him in surprise.
"Where are you going?"

"Rome, of course." With that, he had stepped out onto the balcony and was
gone. Lois stared at the space which he had occupied only seconds earlier
and shook her head in disbelief. This was going to take some getting used
to - a fiance who could travel anywhere in the world in minutes, even just
for takeout.

But she had been left with a task, and she set her mind to creating the
most romantic setting of which she was capable. She intended that, like it
or not, her fiance was going to find himself seduced later that evening.

******************

Flying east over the Atlantic Ocean, Clark was very grateful for the cold
winds which played over his body. Lois's appearance in his bedroom as he'd
emerged from the bathroom had almost been his undoing; he had heard her low
gasp and noticed the desire in her eyes as she'd gazed at him. He'd had to
back away from her quickly before she'd got unmistakable evidence of his
own need; the towel had almost parted company with his lower body.

And yet... it would have been the perfect opportunity to make love, he
admitted. So why hadn't he taken advantage of the situation? It was clear
that Lois wanted him every bit as much as he did her, and he was aware that
she was growing more impatient, and was also puzzled - perhaps even hurt -
at his failure to re-consummate their relationship. Yet it was partly
Lois's eagerness which made Clark reluctant, he was aware. He still felt
unsure, afraid that she would find him disappointing.

Yet he loved Lois; loved every inch of her body. He was still revelling in
his new-found freedom to touch and caress her, and even just to sit and
stare at her for minutes on end. He still hadn't told her that the night
after they had settled everything between them, when he had supposedly gone
home, he had spent several hours floating above her apartment building,
simply listening to the sound of her heartbeat and, every so often, using
his Super-vision to watch her as she slept. He wouldn't have to do that any
more...

And she loved him touching her. That evening when they had lain together on
her bed... He had flown back from his assignment in Canada for a brief
visit, and they had been reclining on the sofa in her apartment, Lois's
legs across his knees, just touching and gently stroking each other. He had
rested his hand on her stomach, feeling the little movements as the baby
shifted in her womb, an expression of pure pleasure on his face. Lois had
caught his eye and asked what he was thinking; caught off guard, he had
simply told her the truth, that he had been wishing he could look at her,
at the evidence of her pregnancy, without the barrier of clothes. She had
caught her breath momentarily and given him a wide-eyed stare; recovering
swiftly, she had grinned, made a motion as if adjusting spectacles, and
observed dryly that he should have no difficulty in doing that if he wanted
to.

Clark had hastened to assure her that he would never dream of using his
abilities to take advantage of her; she had placed her index finger across
his lips and replied that she knew that. Standing, she had taken his hand;
as he had also got to his feet, she had led him silently towards her
bedroom.

Catching his breath, Clark had wondered briefly whether this was to be
*it*; was she expecting him to make love to her? He knew he wanted to, but
his fears and apprehensions remained. He had stood near the doorway as Lois
had opened the buttons, one by one, on her maternity dress, and allowed it
to fall in a pool at her feet. She had stood straight and proud in front of
him, dressed only in her bra and panties, with her rounded belly prominent.

Feeling immensely privileged, Clark had slowly moved towards her and had
reverently placed his hand upon her stomach. She had covered it with her
own briefly, before backing away to sit on the bed.

He had watched her lie down on the bed, and then had heard her voice, as if
>from a long distance away, asking whether he intended to join her. Gulping,
he had taken the necessary few steps forward, and made as if to sit on the
bed.

"Uh-uh," she had tutted at him. "Not fair - you still have all your clothes
on."

His jaw had almost dropped; slowly, wordlessly, he had reached for his
T-shirt to pull it over his head, then had undone the zipper on his jeans.
Stepping out of them, he had stood before her in his undershorts, nervous
but longing to be close to her.

He had realised then, as he'd joined her on the bed, that he simply wanted
to look and to touch; to rejoice in their freedom to be together; to grow
accustomed to each other's bodies. He had told her this, hesitantly, unsure
whether she would feel let down; but she had reached across to kiss him
very gently and lovingly.

"I want to look at you, and touch you, too," she had whispered. "There's
all the time in the world for anything else we might want to do."

He had spent seemingly endless minutes leaning up on his elbow simply
looking at her, trailing a finger along her jawline, down her breastbone,
between her breasts, over her belly. Some time later, he wasn't sure how it
had happened, he had ended up lying with his head on her soft, warm
breasts, gazing at her stomach and watching the gentle ripples as the
restless baby shifted about. As he'd concentrated on her, and the baby, he
had become aware that he was able to hear two heartbeats; stunned and
delighted at this discovery, he had told Lois, who had marvelled at this
extension of his abilities.

The experience had been intensely erotic, Clark reflected as his
flight-path took him across southern France and towards the Mediterranean.
He was aware that he had been aroused, and he was sure that Lois had
noticed; her own need had also been apparent. Whether they would have taken
things further had remained an abstract question, however, as some time
later he had overheard a news bulletin on a TV in a neighbouring apartment,
and had reluctantly decided that he had to leave to be Superman.

So... now he and Lois were living together, and he had to face his fears
some time very soon. Would tonight be the right time, or should he allow
her to get some much-needed rest? Although his Super-powers had meant that
the task of moving Lois into his apartment had been very easy and she
hadn't had to do much of the work herself, he was aware that moving home
was a stressful experience. Should he wait? Or was he simply attempting to
postpone the inevitable again? Would he be able to lie in bed with Lois and
not attempt to make love with her?

He returned to his apartment to find the place in near-darkness; two
candles burned on the kitchen table, but Lois was nowhere to be seen.
Resisting the temptation to use his Super-vision to find her, Clark placed
their meal in the oven to keep warm, and spun back into his normal clothes.
Suddenly, soft romantic music filled the apartment: the haunting sounds of
Enya, a particular favourite of his. He spun around to see Lois emerging
from the living-room, dressed in a soft, clingy gown which accentuated the
curves of her lovely body. Again, he felt himself harden, and he gritted
his teeth; he was behaving like a teenager!

She crossed the room silently and stopped in front of him; he noticed that
she seemed less tall than usual, and glanced down to see that she was
barefoot. For some reason, that excited him even more, and he blinked and
swallowed in an attempt to get his responses under control. However, Lois
wasn't about to make it easy for him; she trailed the back of her hand
along his jawbone and down the strong column of his throat, while her body
pressed up against his. With a long, ragged sigh, he placed his hands on
her waist and lifted her so that her hips were cradled against him

"Oh God, Clark, that feels good!" she breathed against his throat. Her
tongue flicked out and trailed across his Adam's apple. He groaned, and
bent his head to kiss her, a deep, passionate kiss which left her in no
doubt that he wanted her. She had set this up, of course: the romantic
atmosphere, the sexy dress, the assault on his senses. A voice inside his
head ordered him to sweep her up in his arms and make for the bedroom; for
a moment he was tempted to obey.

But then he hesitated; she had arranged this, so perhaps he should let her
take the lead, rather than ruin whatever plans she may have prepared for
him. He ended the kiss and lowered her to the floor, then gestured at the
table. "This looks really special, Lois - thank you."

She smiled, a mysterious smile containing a depth of promise. "Well, it's
our first evening living together - I thought we should celebrate." She
gestured at the fridge. "I put a bottle of wine in there, but it probably
hasn't had enough time to chill."

"No problem." Relieved to have a practical task on which to concentrate,
Clark extracted the bottle and blew on it with his freezing breath; within
seconds it was almost ice-cold. "There you go - express service."

They ate; it was more of an erotic experience than a meal, Clark thought.
Lois had known what she was doing when she'd asked for penne pasta; she fed
him from her own fork, and encouraged him to do the same for her. They
shared the wine, although she of course only drank one glass. When their
plates were empty, she pulled herself to her feet and stood by his chair.
"Dance with me, Clark?"

The music was still playing; she must have put the CD on repeat, Clark
realised. He stood, took her in his arms and began to move around the
kitchen with her. Drawing her closer to him, on an impulse he drifted them
upwards and continued to waltz with her in the air.

Realising that her feet were no longer touching the floor, Lois gasped and
stared at Clark. It seemed that no matter what she had planned, how
carefully she had determined her strategy, he was still capable of
surprising her. He caught her eye and grinned. "This is real dancing,
honey," he murmured in gentle amusement.

"I'll have to remember that," she laughed in return, clinging to his
shoulders even though she was well aware that he would never drop her.

Some time later, he drifted them down to the floor again and asked whether
she wanted coffee. Lois shook her head. "There's only one thing I want,
Clark Kent."

"What's that?" he asked. She didn't reply; she simply took his hand and
walked towards the bedroom, blowing out the candles as they went past the
table.

*****************

Nervously, Clark stood facing Lois beside the double bed. "Are you sure
you're not too tired for this?"

"I'm not tired at all," she assured him. "Are you sure you're not too busy?
No rescues to dash to, no disasters to avert?"

He shook his head, determined about this at any rate. "Superman can have a
night off, if you're sure this is what you want."

"Clark, this is what I have wanted since we decided to get married - if I'm
honest, since long before that, even," she assured him. "I love you, I'm
going to marry you - I'm having your baby! And I want, more than anything
in the world, to make love with you."

"Me too," he replied, so quietly Lois could barely hear him. "But I can't
help... Lois, I know we've done this before, but I hardly remember... I'm
just - scared - I won't know how to please you." He looked away, reluctant
to meet her eyes; his gaze fell to the floor briefly before flickering back
to her, then away again.

But she had no intention of allowing him to retreat into his insecurities.
"Clark, I want *you*. And let me assure you, last time you - pleased - me
very much. This time, I want us to discover how we can please each other."

He nodded, accepting her assurances and came closer to her, claiming her
lips in a fierce kiss. His hands went to the straps of her dress. "May I?"
he whispered. She nodded, and he gently, reverently peeled the dress away
from her body. She wasn't wearing a bra; his body was quicker to respond to
that discovery than his brain.

"Follow your impulses, Clark," Lois whispered to him. He hesitated
momentarily, then lowered his head to kiss the swell of her breast. She
cradled his head with her hands, encouraging him to continue; thus
emboldened, he allowed his tongue to dart out and lick her skin. It
hardened under his touch, and he raised his head to gaze at her.

"Do you like that?" he asked in a husky whisper.

"What do you think?" she asked him. "You can tell by the way my body
responds to you, can't you?"

He nodded, swallowed, and stepped back. "Let me get undressed."

Fumbling awkwardly in a manner to which he was not accustomed, Clark
removed his clothes until he stood before her in his shorts. She began to
touch him, trailing her nails down his bare chest.

"Loissssss - oh, that is *so* good!" he moaned, the exquisite torture he
was feeling revealed in his expression.

She smiled up at him again. "Just wait - it gets better."

She caught his hands and indicated that she wanted him to help her to her
feet; willingly, he raised her. Standing before him, she took his hands and
placed them on the waistband of her underwear. Clark understood: it was his
turn. He carefully slid the garment down, kneeling to lift her feet one by
one to free them.

He had seen pictures of naked women - even pregnant naked women - so the
sight of Lois without any clothes should not have disturbed him too much.
But he had to catch his breath: to him, she was just so perfect. He said
so, softly; she gave a little embarrassed laugh.

"Clark... I'm nearly seven months pregnant, I have stretch marks and my
breasts are huge!"

He shook his head. "You are beautiful. And I love looking at your belly -
stretch marks and all - because the life you and I made together is in
there, and that is beautiful." He gazed deeply into her eyes. "Lois, I
would not want to change one single inch of you."

Tears shimmered in her eyes at this; once again Clark Kent had managed to
catch her off-balance, Lois thought.

"Oh, God, Clark - I had this all planned, you know, I was going to seduce
you and show you just how much I want you... and then you go and say
something like that." She blinked away one escaping tear. "I wonder just
who's seducing who here?"

Still kneeling at her feet, Clark continued to hold her gaze, his voice
husky with desire. "We both are."

"Oh, Clark - you don't know how much I wish I'd waited for you!" she
exclaimed wistfully. "When I think of the - the disasters my previous
relationships were... I just wish the time we made our baby had been my
first time too."

Clark's expression was sincere and loving. "I'm not sorry. You are what
your life experiences have made you, and I've told you, I would not change
one thing about you. I love you for what you are today, and what you will
be tomorrow."

Deeply moved, Lois reached down and caught his hand, squeezing it tightly.
He returned the gesture gently, careful not to hurt her, then scooped her
up and carried her to the bed.

Lying beside her and worshipping her with his hands, he whispered, his tone
husky but concerned, "Lois - my love - I want to make love to you, but it
is safe for the baby?"

She reached for him, reassuring with her touch as well as her words. "Yes,
it's fine. Just don't put your weight on top of me."

He shook his head, his voice a whisper. "I don't need to do that - I can
float, if you want."

Feeling impatient regardless of her original determination to take this as
slowly as necessary for Clark's sake, she pulled his mouth down on hers
again and instigated a passionate kiss; Clark responded with all of the
love which he felt for her. Lying next to her on the bed, his body pressed
up against hers, he felt an urgency building inside him which was demanding
to be satisfied.

"Help me, Lois," he whispered.

It seemed to Clark later as if their lovemaking had taken on a dream-like
quality; soft-focus, slow movements of hands and bodies, low-voiced
murmurs, sighs of pleasure and ecstasy. In his mind, this lovemaking almost
became merged with their previous encounter; his vivid dreams of making
love to Lois came alive again and met with the reality of this occasion.

Afterwards, he recognised that there could be no question about whether he
had satisfied her; she lay exhausted on the bed, a blissful smile on her
face and love in her eyes for him. Clark too felt a lassitude he had never
before experienced; he reflected that it was just as well he wasn't needed
for an emergency, as he wasn't sure he would have been able to fly right at
that moment. Lying beside Lois, watching her rest, his hand trailing gently
over her body, he felt that he couldn't imagine a greater sense of joy -
unless it was when they held their child for the first time.

Later, idly stroking Lois's hair as she lay asleep, curled up against him,
Clark's mouth was still curved in a blissful smile as he considered that he
couldn't remember when he'd been happier than at this moment. Although, he
reflected, the moment when he'd realised that Lois loved *him*, not
Superman, came a close second. He didn't count his discovery that her baby
was his, because his emotions on discovering that fact had been so mixed...
His mind drifted back to that morning a little over a week ago.

He had awakened on that morning feeling full of hope. His visit to Lois's
apartment the previous evening had resulted in a romantic interlude he had
never expected to happen. He had started out simply by massaging her back
and calves because she was suffering from cramp, but he had glanced up
during the latter task to find her eyes fixed on him, an unmistakable
expression burning in the chocolate-brown gaze. It had been desire - even
Clark was not so inexperienced that he hadn't realised that. She had been
aroused, and he had suddenly become aware of the tension in the atmosphere.
He hadn't been able to prevent himself returning her gaze and letting her
know that he shared her need.

And what had happened next had seemed so natural, so straightforward. The
touch of Lois's fingers on his face had almost swept away the control he
had held onto so fiercely while he'd been stroking and massaging her aching
legs. As she'd leaned closer to him, it had seemed the obvious thing to do
to move closer to her and to slide his shaking fingers along her jaw and
into her hair. And to lower his head to hers and kiss her... That kiss had
seemed to embody the properties of an electrical charge; it had been the
most erotic experience of his life. And Lois had responded so openly, so
warmly, there had been no way Clark could not have realised how much she
wanted him to continue the embrace. And he had wanted to, so much... He had
raised her body and brought her to sit on his lap, so that he could hold
her closer to him; she had certainly not objected to the greater intimacy
this had afforded.

And the sheer sensation of Lois's body half-lying across his lap... Clark
had worried for a moment that his desire for her would be obvious to Lois
and that she would be put off by his reaction to her. But she had simply
burrowed closer to him, as close as her pregnant belly had allowed her, and
deepened the kiss still further.

If Clark hadn't realised that her fingers had begun to trace the buttons on
his shirt and been afraid that she would discover the Super-suit
underneath, who knew what might have happened. Well, okay, he conceded, if
she'd found the Suit he knew very well what would have happened: all
intimacy would have come to a shuddering halt while Lois demanded the truth
about his identity. If he *hadn't* been wearing the Suit... Reflecting on
the sequence of events the morning after, Clark had felt that it was a
strong possibility that they could have ended up in bed.

Lois hadn't wanted him to stop: the betraying hurt in her chocolate eyes
had told him so all too clearly. He had been so tempted to throw caution to
the wind and reach for her again; but his brain had over-ruled the impulse
of his body. He *needed* to tell her the truth about Superman, and tell her
that he loved her and wanted to be with her. Then, if she still wanted to...

So that had been his aim when he'd set off to her apartment that morning.
He'd been quite optimistic, as well. Their relationship had undergone a lot
of ups and downs over the past six months or so, but finally they were
making definite progress. Lois's pregnancy had certainly brought them
closer, but it seemed that each time they took a couple of steps forward,
fate had stepped in and forced them to take a large step back. There had
been that evening when Lois had allowed him to feel her baby's movements as
they'd sat alone in the Planet offices; there had been a real *connection*
between them at that moment, and when Lois had invited Clark to come back
to her place and talk, he had believed that he might at last have his
opportunity to tell her how he felt. But then Superman had been needed...

Superman, the phantom third party in their relationship, had managed to get
in the way on a number of occasions, Clark reflected now as he lay watching
Lois sleep. Although, of course, if it hadn't been for Superman, he
probably would not be engaged to Lois and eagerly awaiting the birth of
their first child. He allowed his eyes to close as memories from that
fateful morning again rushed into his mind.

He had arrived at her apartment to find her pleased to see him, but also
nervous, which had mirrored his own feelings. They had behaved a little
skittishly around each other, sharing a kiss but immediately breaking away
to change the subject; after a time, the conversation had returned to the
previous evening. Clark, knowing that he had secrets to share, had been
hesitant, nervous; but strangely, so had Lois. When she had suggested going
for a walk, therefore, he had been happy to agree; perhaps out in the open
they might be able to relax with each other again, away from the air of
tension in her apartment. Of course, he had realised that he wouldn't be
able to tell her the truth about Superman if they were in a public place,
but he had thought he might be able to find a way around that.

So he had agreed, but his concern for Lois had led him to offer to fetch
her a sweater, and he had followed her instructions as to where the one he
had lent her was kept. Clark's breathing stilled as he remembered the
moment when he had pulled open the drawer. Oh, the sweater had been there,
all right, but he had also seen a flash of red... a very distinctive shade
of red. He had pulled out the sweater and reached in, with a shaking hand,
to touch what lay underneath. It was one of his Suits, of course; he would
recognise the feel of the fabric anywhere even without examining the item.
However, he had pulled it out of the drawer just as Lois had silently
entered the bedroom behind her. He had recognised just *which* suit it was
instantly: there was a slight tear in the back of the cape which he'd meant
to ask his mother to repair. This was the suit he'd worn the night he'd
stopped the asteroid; the one he had thought was lost.

As he'd tried to figure out what on earth it was doing in Lois's bottom
drawer, he had become aware of her presence. The shock on her face had
nearly given him all the answers he had wanted, but he had needed to hear
it from her. So he had asked, and she had told him some of the truth:
Superman had come to her apartment, ill and frozen, and she had looked
after him; he had left some time during the night and subsequently seemed
to have no recollection of having been there.

But I do remember... or at least I did in my dreams, Clark had realised as
he'd listened to Lois's explanation. It had all been too much to take in;
there were so many possible implications following what he had just
discovered. He had *had* to leave, to give himself time to let it all sink
in. He hadn't even stopped to think about how Lois might feel if Clark
simply walked out after learning that Superman had spent the night with
her...

He had simply launched himself into the sky, barely aware of where he was
or of his surroundings. His dreams had forced themselves into his conscious
thoughts as he had flown: that recurring dream he had had over the past few
months, of he and Lois making passionate love. It seemed that it hadn't
been a dream after all, but a memory... and once he had accepted that, the
rest of the memories came flooding back. He remembered desperately trying
to reach Lois, flying weakly against a fierce wind and biting rain. He
remembered her concern, the blanket she'd wrapped around him, her insistent
urging that he should take a shower, her slight body supporting him on the
way into the bathroom, her tiny hands pulling at the fastenings of his suit
to help him undress. Her thinly-clad body sliding into the shower beside
him, to prop him upright and ensure that the warm water could have its
healing effect on him. Later, her sweet-smelling body slipping into the bed
beside him, and holding him to keep him warm when he'd been feverish... and
later still, the kisses, the caresses, and the soft shedding of clothing.
He had joined his body with hers as if he'd always known the steps of this
intricate dance of lovemaking.

*He* had been Lois's secret lover... and did that therefore mean that he
had fathered her child? Had she been carrying his child all this time, and
never said a word?

If he was... the realisation was almost a physical pain. Not that he
objected to being a father - after all, he had been hoping to suggest to
Lois that they live together, or marry, whichever she would agree to, and
that he could help her raise her baby. He would even have asked if he could
adopt it. But after all this time, being with Lois and supporting her
through her pregnancy, at the same time trying to hide his feelings of
jealousy over the man who had made her pregnant - only now to discover that
it had been *himself*! And even worse - that *he* had almost consigned Lois
to single parenthood. He - and probably no-one else, he realised - had
known how much the prospect of bringing up a baby alone had bothered Lois.
And he had been so angry with the mysterious ex-lover who had abandoned her
to that fate.

*He* had probably been that 'deadbeat dad' all along! It seemed that Ellen
Lane had been right...

Without stopping to think any further, Clark had changed course and flown
straight for Lois's window. She had obviously heard him, and moments later
she had walked into the living-room; to his surprise, she had seemed
reluctant to welcome him. He hadn't stopped to think about that, however,
simply demanding the answer to his question. *Was* he the father of her
child?

The expression on her face had answered him more eloquently than words, and
he had felt weakened, in agony, as if someone had stabbed him through the
heart with Kryptonite. He had made her pregnant, and then left her to bear
the responsibility alone...His anger and frustration with himself had made
him abrupt with her as he had asked why she hadn't told him. Had she
thought he wouldn't believe her? Surely she knew that he would *never* have
abandoned her if he'd known the truth!

He had almost lost control of his emotions as he'd alternately chided her
for not telling him and assured her that he would have taken care of her,
been there for her in every possible way, if only she had told him. He had
felt even more self-loathing as he had realised that it had been his own
behaviour, in distancing himself from her as Superman so that he could try
to get closer to her as Clark, which had made her more reluctant to confide
in him. But recriminations were fruitless, he had realised, and so he had
tried to move the conversation along, assuring her that now that he knew,
he would look after her and they would take care of their baby together.

When Lois's expression had altered so completely and she had then turned
away from him, it was as if she had slapped him hard in the face. She had
begun to explain that he was not what she wanted or needed as a partner and
the father of her child - oh, she would never deny him access rights, but
*she* didn't want him, didn't love him. It seemed that one minute he had
been trying to get used to the idea that he was going to be a *father* in a
couple of months' time, that he had actually made love with the woman he
loved so much; the next, she was slamming the door in his face.

The realisation that he would not after all be able to have what he had
wanted so much, what he had thought he was so close to achieving, had
blurred his vision and his comprehension. It had been a moment or two
before he had caught the drift of her next words.

She was talking about someone who *had* been there for her all along,
someone she felt comfortable with, someone who had done all the things for
her that *he,* the father, should have the right to do. But... Clark had
tried to clear his befuzzled brain: he *had* been there for her, all along;
he just hadn't known it was his baby. He had then been struck with shock on
hearing her next words.

Clark would make a great father... Clark loves me, I think...

She was talking about *him*... but surely she realised... Clark had tensed
again as he'd remembered that of course he was here as Superman, and Lois
still didn't know he was Clark. He'd been about to interrupt, but her next
words had taken the breath away from his body.

"Clark's a man in a billion. I am incredibly lucky to have him. I now know
I love him. And I want to ask him to marry me and to bring up my child as
his own."

She loves Clark... she loves Clark... *not* Superman! The realisation had
hit Clark like a shot of adrenaline, and he had wanted to rush to her, to
seize her in his arms and tell her, over and over, how much he loved her.
After all this time, the long months of thinking that, no matter how much
he loved Lois, she saw him only as a friend, a shoulder to lean on;
believing that she loved someone else, and that she was only ever likely to
want him in his guise as Superman... he could barely take in the impact of
her words. She loved *him.* But she was still speaking, explaining how they
could manage, how Superman could visit his child; the raw emotion in her
voice as she had struggled to choke back tears, had almost been Clark's
undoing.

He had needed to tell her, immediately; perhaps it would be easier if he
showed her, he had thought, silently spinning so that he stood dressed in
his normal clothes, though he had left his hair in its Superman style and -
an afterthought - he had placed his glasses in his shirt pocket. When he
had finally persuaded her to turn around, her shock had been visible.

But, knowing that Lois loved him and that she wanted them to be together,
Clark had no longer been afraid of her reaction to this discovery. They had
talked - for a moment, she had been angry, but that hadn't lasted; and she
had accepted him for all that he was. She had even, to his amazement, had
some amazing insights into the Kryptonian part of himself, things which had
never occurred to him, or which he had simply taken for granted without
questioning. Even if he hadn't already known that Lois Lane was an
incredibly special woman, that discussion would have shown it for a
certainty.

Feeling Lois shift against him in the bed as she moved in her sleep, Clark
caressed her with his eyes once again. She was beautiful, desirable, sexy,
and gorgeously pregnant with his baby. And she desired him, too... life
could not get much better, he felt, as drowsiness began to take over.