Title: Midnight Feedings and Other Catastrophes
Author: Cassandra Mulder
Rating: PG
Classification: Smallville; Chloe/Clark; future fic
Disclaimer: I don't own, so you don't sue.
Distribution: Ask and ye shall receive.
Written: November 17 - 20, 2005
Word Count: 1099
Summary: Chloe realizes you can never anticipate the trials of parenthood.
A/N: This is for the Parents prompt, and is the sequel to With Arms Wide Open. Future fic is getting way too much of a habit, but one more fic and this series is over. For now.

Chloe awoke to the sound of her alarm clock and the wailing of her baby. Clark, despite his super hearing, never even moved.

Bleary-eyed, she stumbled down the hall to feed Lara, who was only one month old, but possessed an internal clock that knew, down to the minute, when she was to be fed.

She was nursing her daughter, as all the baby books had recommended, and it was exhausting. Getting up every two hours was no picnic, and Clark couldn't be any help so she usually just let him sleep. Occasionally he would wake up and come down to the nursery to keep her company, but he was a man, and most men slept like logs.

After Lara was finished eating, she began to cry again. Chloe tried everything she knew to soothe her, but she had never cried very much, so all of this was new.

She sang, she walked her around, she bounced her gently, and an hour later none of it had helped. Something was irritating Lara, and not knowing what it was was irritating her mother, who was already exhausted beyond anything she ever thought she could feel.

"Come on, baby," Chloe cooed. "Mommy's tired, and I know you're tired, so how about we both get some more sleep?" she suggested in vain, rubbing her child's back.

When Lara continued to cry, Chloe got increasingly frustrated. "Shh, shh, sweetie. I wish you could tell me what's the matter."

She had checked her diaper, which was fine, she had checked everything she knew, and nothing would calm the screaming child. Chloe started to think it was her fault, and before long, she started to cry along with Lara.

That was the scene Clark found at one-fifteen in the morning, when he woke up and noticed that Chloe's side of the bed was cold. He didn't think he had ever seen a more pitiful sight in his life.

"Honey, what's the matter?" he asked, frowning.

"I don't know, Clark," Chloe sniffled. "She won't stop crying, and I'm really tired and I just lost it with her," she said, dissolving into tears again.

Clark walked into the room further and wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "It's okay, do you want me to take her?"

Chloe nodded and handed the baby over gratefully. She sat in the rocker and watched Clark try to settle their daughter down.

Within two minutes he had succeeded, and Lara was again sleeping peacefully in her crib.

Clark ushered Chloe out of the nursery and quietly cracked the door. No sooner had they made their way back to their bedroom than Chloe totally fell apart.

Clark held her as she sobbed, though he didn't understand what was going on. Unless it was hormones, and then he was definitely ill-equipped to handle the situation.

Finally he lifted her up and carried her to the bed, where he sat down and settled her in his lap.

"Chloe, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft and filled with concern.

She tried to get a hold of herself enough to answer, but the tears didn't want to stop coming. "I -" she sniffled. "I'm a terrible mother," she sobbed into his shoulder.

Clark sighed. "Baby, where did you ever get that idea?" he asked patiently.

She continued crying.

"Chloe, look at me," he said, shifting her so she had to face him. "Lara was just fussy. She probably had a stomachache or something. It's not uncommon, and it's not your fault."

"B-But you... calmed her down," she pointed out.

"It probably didn't have anything to do with me. She wore herself out. Is that what this is really about?"

"I don't know," Chloe said, slightly calmer now. She reached for a tissue on the nightstand and wiped her eyes. "I've never been so tired. I didn't know you could be this tired. And it seems like I'm always taking care of her, feeding her, washing her things... And I think I'm a hormonal basket-case."

Clark suppressed a laugh at the latter statement. "It's okay, Chloe. You're not the first new mother to be overwhelmed and you won't be the last. I'm the one that sucks because I'm not around enough. I know I need to try to help more. I'm sorry," he said, kissing her temple.

She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "You have things to report and people to save. You can't help that, Clark."

"But I have a family now. That should always come first, and I need to be better about that. Just don't doubt yourself, Chloe. I've seen how you love Lara, you'd do anything for her."

"I would," she agreed. "I guess I'm just more scared than I thought I would be. My mother left me, and I don't really have any advice on how to do this. I never learned from example. I'm afraid if she was able to leave, what if I do something awful that affects Lara?" She was starting to cry again.

Clark looked her right in the eye. "Don't ever think that, Chloe. You would never leave or do anything to hurt her, I know it. You can't let your mother's mistake into this. Sure, it'll always be with you, but it can't harm what you have with Lara. You're not her, do you understand me?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes again. "I'm sorry. I went into this thinking I'd know what to expect, and it's just something unexpected every time I turn around."

"That's what parenthood is, at least if you believe my mom," Clark smiled. "We're doing all right though. You're doing all right. But you have to let me know when you need more help. I'm just a dumb guy, I don't pick up on that easily."

"Okay."

"And you're officially taking the day off. When Lara needs feeding, I'll bring her to you, but otherwise she's mine for the day and you're going to get some rest."

"Clark, I ca -" she started to protest.

"Yes, you can. You're no good to her if you run yourself into the ground. The only way I'm leaving this apartment today is if the world should happen to need saving. Hopefully you'll be able to forgive me for that."

"Of course," Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Then it's settled. Now you need to get settled." He stood up and deposited her onto her side of the bed.

He slipped in beside her and she snuggled next to him, grateful that she never had to face anything alone.

Finis