Late May, 2001. Martha still kept up her subscription to the Daily Planet despite her son's name being absent from the byline. She figured that even though her boy was gone (and for how long, she didn't know) she could pretend that he was still in Metropolis, perhaps going undercover with Lois for the sake of a story. She also knew that he'd want to catch up on all the goings-on in the world once he got back, which is why once she finished she kept each issue carefully tied up in a cord and stored safely under the barn. That way he wouldn't miss a thing.

In the months since he left Martha found herself particularly looking forward to Miss Lane's articles. Her son, Clark, had mentioned her several times, and she sensed that he had strong feelings for her. It appeared that the girl, however, had eyes only for Superman. It seemed to be enough for him.

Perhaps it was her longing for her own son, or perhaps it was because she had been carefully poring over Miss Lane's work week after week, but Martha began to notice a change in the subject matter and tone of Lois' writing. It seemed to her that the young investigative reporter spent less time exploring and exposing Metropolis' seedy underworld and more and more time on editorials and fluff pieces. Martha would be the first to admit that her review of the 45th Annual Metropolis Dog Show was very thorough, but it lacked the edge of Miss Lane's usual exposés.

Early November, 2001. Oh God, she's dead! Clark will never forgive himself…thought Martha as yet another week went by without a Lois Lane byline. Despite the fact that no official obituary had been printed she knew something had happened, as Miss Lane had yet to write a word for the last five weeks and three days. She feared that the girl had gone missing while on assignment and that the Daily Planet was waiting for official word before printing her death notice. She knew that when Clark returned and saw that that it would kill him faster than Kryptonite. It was only after five weeks and four days without a story that Martha concocted a plan.

"Daily Planet, Olsen here."

"Hello, Mr. Olsen? I'd like to speak with Lois Lane please, I…I have a story for her."

"I'm afraid that's not possible ma'am, but I'll see if Norm Palmer will talk to ya."

Martha inhaled sharply. So it was true!

"Ma'am, you still there?" the young man on the other end of the line asked.

"Yes, yes…sorry…it's just, well, I only want to speak with Miss Lane."

"I see, but the thing is, she won't be back from maternity leave for another two months or so…" the man kept on talking but she didn't hear a word. Had he really said what she thought he said?

"Maternity leave?" she asked in as casual a tone as she could muster.

"Yes ma'am, she had a baby boy just last month."

"I see…"

"She will be back in about ten weeks or so, but if you absolutely need to speak to her, I'm sure I can get a message…" Click. Jimmy Olsen shrugged his shoulders and hung up the receiver. "Just another day at the Planet…"

She knew it was rude, but the shock of the boy's announcement really floored her. A baby, born in October? Martha tried to do the math in her head…the boy would have been conceived in February…Lois was in love with Superman…Clark left in mid-March….she sat there at her worn kitchen table going over these facts again and again, wondering all the while. Was it possible that she had a grandson? Her boy, her beautiful baby boy, was a father? And Miss Lane, all these months carrying a child, all alone.

He couldn't have known before he went away or else he never would have left; she and Jonathan hadn't raised a son who would abandon someone like that. Lois herself probably didn't even know she was pregnant until he was already gone. And again, Martha reminded herself, this is all speculation. Why, based on Clark's accounts and the picture that accompanied her stories, Lois Lane looked and sounded like an attractive and intelligent young woman, so why wouldn't she have a special someone in her life? A special someone who was bound by the laws of physics, per say. It wasn't all that improbable.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder…

September, 2005. Ben had decided that they needed to get away, so he planned a special weekend for two in Metropolis. His dairy farm could be looked after for a few days by his sons and her hired hands could tend to the crops on her farm for a short while without her supervision. Besides, they needed a little holiday in the city.

He noticed that Martha was distant and easily distracted lately. She slipped into these fits of despondency every now and again when she thought of her globetrotting son, who had been gone for the last four years. Occasionally she'd show Ben postcards of where Clark had been and happily recount a tale or two of his travels, but the times when she slipped into these moods Ben felt like flying off to Asia or Africa or wherever the young man was that month and drag him back to the farm. He would move Heaven and Earth for Martha Kent if he could, but not everyone had strength like Superman.

For her part Martha pretended to be as happy as Ben wanted her to be. It wasn't that she didn't love Ben; she just really truly missed her boy. The anniversary of the events of September 11th always made her acutely aware of his absence. The world was spiraling out of control and the thugs and the terrorists were seizing the day; the people of Earth needed her son. She needed her son, and with each passing year it looked less and less likely that he would return home. Yet she still hoped.

One of the activities Ben had planned to try and lift her mood was a picnic in Schuster Park. Of course, it wasn't until they got there that he realized the Daily Planet's offices were right across the street. Not wanting to cause her further pain, he mumbled something about not liking the location and started to gather up the blanket before she waved off his efforts. They had been there for fifteen minutes, she idly picking at her food while he tried to suggest a movie for them to go see afterward. Martha was only half-listening when the sound of a child's laughter caught her full attention.

The boy was small for his age; at first glance she thought he was maybe three years old, but when she heard him calling to his mother she could tell he was older. His light brown hair was on the long side and still had something of a baby-ish curl to it, which she found rather adorable. The child was running circles around the park with an action figure in his tiny hand, calling to his mother to join in on the fun. The young woman was sitting nearby on a bench, deeply engrossed in her paperwork.

"Jason, please baby, just five more minutes. Mommy needs to finish her story and then she'll play with you."

Martha stopped picking at her food and blatantly stared at the young mother. It was her! Lois' hair was longer than in the picture that they published with her column in the Daily Planet, but there was no mistaking that it was Lois Lane, trying to juggle both a family and a career by stealing a few moments in the park with her son. The little boy pouted at her for a moment as she bent her head down to work, then he resumed his race with his action figure. Her eyes followed his every move. A few moments earlier, Ben realized that Martha was no longer listening to his litany of movies they could see in the cinema, and he sat watching her watching the child that she found so fascinating.

Jason was deep in play when he threw his figurine at an imaginary enemy; the toy fell with a thud right next to where Martha was sitting. The action jolted him out of his make-believe world. He bent his head and shyly picked his way over to the lady who held out his beloved Sky Captain.

"Oh!" cried Martha, raising her hand quickly to her mouth. Her eyes went wide, and all other thoughts fled from her mind.

She knew. She knew the moment the little boy tilted his head up to look at her and retrieve his toy. It was the way his hair curled and fell on his forehead. And it was in his eyes; his beautiful, innocent, sky-blue eyes. This was Clark's son, her grandson, Jason.

"Hello," he said quietly, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Hello," she managed to say. They each stared at each other for a moment before his eyes flitted back to his precious Sky Captain. "Would you like your toy back Jason?"

He perked up. "How did you know my name?"

"I heard your Mom call you a moment ago. My name's Martha," she put out her hand and he slipped his little one in hers. It was even warm like Clark's. It took all her self-control not to scoop him up and plaster his baby face in kisses.

"Jason! Haven't I told you never to talk to strangers?!" he backed off immediately as his mother came charging over. Martha looked up as Lois Lane came charging across the park for her son.

"I'm sorry Dear, it was my fault. Your son dropped his toy and I was just giving it back."

Lois softened a little as she stood behind Jason and put her hands firmly on his shoulders. The elderly woman kept looking from her to Jason and back again with a twinkle in her eye and an expression on her face that Lois thought bordered on giddiness. It made her a little suspicious. Maybe there's more in that thermos than just coffee…

"It's alright. I'm sorry for the trouble, I hope he hasn't interrupted your picnic," she paused as the woman continued to stare at her and her son "Well we have to be going, good-bye!"

"It was no trouble at all Miss. Good bye! And good-bye Jason, it was nice meeting you."

His Mom took his hand and led him away. He turned around and with a quick wave of his free hand, said "Good bye."

Martha thoughtfully watched them head back into the Daily Planet building before turning her full attention back to Ben. "I think I'd like to see that new movie, 'Just Like Heaven' this afternoon, if that's alright."

"Why Martha I think that'd be just fine."

After that weekend trip Ben noticed that Martha's fits of sadness had dissipated. He credited himself for having the bright idea to take her into the City. He wasn't sure if it was the horse drawn carriage ride, the trip to the deck of Siegel Towers, or the fancy dinner that did the trick, but something brought his Martha back to him and he was glad for it.

For her part Martha let him think that it was the weekend getaway that snapped her out of her mood. She decided that very afternoon not to tell another soul about her encounter in the park, not even her son Clark, who she knew in her heart would come back to her someday soon now. She knew that that piece of news--that her son was now a father--was best left to Lois to disclose.

And from that day on, whenever she felt a twinge of sadness over Clark's absence start to come over her, all Martha had to do was close her eyes and see the little boy playing in the park; Jason, the child with the bright blue eyes. Jason, her grandson.