A Perfect Union

Rating: G

Lois LaneSeptember 11, 2001

Lois Lane didn't get sick. At least this had been a fact she claimed and pretty well executed for a number of years. From the common head cold to strep to a bladder infection, she was at work, reeling in stories.

So to wake up that morning and spend half an hour in front of a toilet was not something she was very happy about, nor was the fact that she couldn't even keep water down. Mexican the night before appeared to have been a very bad idea.

Her doctor, concerned with this sudden sickly behavior, had the front receptionist put her call directly through to him so he could tell her it was very important that she come in for blood work and an overall check-up. They would be open by seven.

Lois didn't have time for a shower. It was 6:50.

She left the doctor's office with no word beyond I'll have the blood work results before lunch. Ugh. He knew Lois wasn't the sit-and-wait kind of patient. And she arrived at the Daily Planet less than an hour late, which wasn't unheard of.

"Good morning, Lois. Sleep through your alarm?" asked Jimmy, smiling bright.

"No." She kept walking, ignoring his concerned reply. At least her stomach didn't seem to be waging war against her anymore. Perhaps one of those saltines in her desk with a nice decaffeinated ginger ale from the vending machine.

"CHIEF!"

Lois looked around the room for the source of the shout. So did everyone else. "CHIEF, the TV, you—you have to turn it on!" It was some kid from copy. His head poked around the doorframe from the break room.

"What are you on about, Hawkins?" Perry came out of his office.

"The—the Twin Towers—World Trade Center—a plane, it—uh—"

Lois's interest peaked. She walked over to the LCD TV that hung above the newsroom and grabbed the remote from its Velcroed home on a support beam. In her other hand she balanced her bland morning snack.

Perry joined her. "I must say, Lois, that's a very different morning drink choice for you. It's not black and full of caffeine."

She glared at him but said nothing the TV came on. "What channel, Hawkins?"

"Take your pick."

The TV warmed up. While the little green light in the corner flashed, the sound came in. A woman was saying, "…very little information at this point, but eye witnesses assure me the smoke billowing from the north tower was caused by an airplane collision. No one has any further details at this current time."

The picture sparked to life. The CNN reporter stood on a New York street, the chaos of rescue vehicles, people, and news teams scurrying behind her. Perry moved closer to Lois, steadying her. Funny, she didn't remember starting to sway. But she was grateful for Perry's grip.

"There are rumors of a terrorist attack, but that cannot be confirmed at this time. The plane is still unidentified—"

She cut off. The camera focused up at the burning North Tower. People screamed. A plane came out of nowhere, swung a turn, and flew directly into the South Tower. Had it have been a movie, it would've been some of the best special effects ever seen.

But those weren't special effects. The people screaming were not actors. And the news team was completely silent. What was there to say?

Four days ago, Lois had been sitting in a conference room in the south tower, waiting for an interview with some international trade officials. Four days ago—

"Lois? Lois!"

Her legs gave out. She couldn't remember falling to the floor, but she was there, collapsed in a heap, crying. Lois Lane didn't cry, but she didn't care. She cried, and she cried without caring what anyone thought of Lois Lane in a crumpled up heap on the floor.

"Lois…" Perry's voice was softer than usual.

"Where's Superman?"

He frowned. "You can usually answer that question better than the rest of us."

Lois tried to stand, but Perry kept her on the floor. "Lois, honey, you need to stay down for a bit, I think. You're not looking so good."

She shook her head. "Where is he? He needs to be in New York for this!"

"And I'm sure he will be as soon as he finds out. This is breaking news, obviously."

They watched, the newsroom gathering around them, Lois and Perry staying on the floor, watching the news unfold. "How do we even cover this Perry?" Lois asked about half an hour later, after reports arrived of a plane hitting the Pentagon. "Anything we write will sound like cardboard, and will be old news."

He finally allowed her up onto her feet. "I'll worry about that. For now, I want you to concentrate on finding Superman. Sure wish we had Kent here to help you."

She frowned and looked over at the vacant desk. Kent hadn't been seen in a week. Apparently he was in Smallville visiting his mother, but his desk looked awfully vacant. He'd even taken his pens with him. "Okay, chief. I'll—I'll see what I can do."

The only thing she could think of was to go up to the roof. She popped her ginger ale open and took it with her. The sky over Metropolis was a beautiful blue; she couldn't even imagine what it must have looked like over New York.

"Superman!"

She waited. He didn't come. He hadn't come for a week.

"Superman!"

Metropolis sounded strangely quiet below her. A squadron of fighter jets came in from the west, circling the city, their Mach I engines drowning out what little of the traffic she could hear below.

He still didn't come.

Her phone rang, its generic ring tone. The doctor's office. "Hello?"

"Lois, I have your test results. It is not a stomach bug, like I thought, and it is not a deficiency imbalance. It's much simpler than that. Your hormone levels indicate you are pregnant."

The last word rang in her ear, long after her phone had dropped out of her grip to the street below.