Actions and Consequences

Disclaimer:
As always, I don't own the characters...Just the ideas expressed in this fic...I am in no way affiliated with Smallville nor was any profit made from this fic (unless you count all the fun I'm having writing it...)

Rating:
T (just to be safe) for themes/content

Genre:
Drama/Romance

Pairing:
Clex

The Discovery

Once again, Lex had made a mad dash the bathroom this morning as he'd been doing every morning for the past couple of weeks. Returning from the bathroom, Lex made his way into Clark's study, slowly approaching the desk, gently messaging his weak stomach. Looking up into Clark's eyes, he asked "Clark, what the hell's wrong with me? Am I losing it? I mean, why am I always sick in the mornings but fine by the afternoon? Not to mention all the cravings I've been having for foods that I would never normally eat?"

Lex's onslaught of questions drew Clark's attention away from the book he'd been reading. Standing behind his desk, Clark sighed slightly and replied "I've been wondering about that very thing...Lex...I'm not sure how to tell you this...I've been reading up on my...'heritage'...and apparently, on Krypton, males who cannot reproduce on their own can get other men pregnant..." Clark just stood there and waited for Lex's reaction which he knew would not be pleasant.

At first, Lex just stood there and remained silent; almost as if he was still processing what Clark had told him. Finally, he spoke up. "So...Let me get this straight...Do you mean to tell me that I'm pregnant!...That you got me pregnant!..." The anxiety in Lex's voice was slowly increasing. Nodding slowly, Clark replied hesitantly "...Yes..." Lex couldn't believe what he was hearing. Uncomfortable with Lex's silence, Clark quickly covered "Lex, I'm sorry...I didn't-" He was soon cut off by Lex's angry hiss. "Sorry!...You knocked me up and all you can say is you're sorry!..." Understanding Lex's reaction, Clark replied "Lex, I didn't know...I just now found this out..."

By now, Lex was seeing red. He couldn't believe what Clark was saying. Before he totally lost it on Clark, the anger seemed to just suddenly drain out of Lex as he sighed heavily. "Go...Just go, Clark...I need some time alone...I need time to think..." Nodding understandingly as he knew nothing good could possibly come from his staying, Clark just silently made his way out of the room. Sighing, Lex just silently made his way into his own study; the place he always went to think. Entering his study, Lex locked the door to ensure that he wouldn't be disturbed.

Hearing Lex walk into his own study with his super sensitive hearing, Clark returned to his study and resumed his reading. He understood Lex's concerns about all of this. Clark knew it couldn't be easy for him to hear that he was pregnant. Especially considering the baby was half human, half alien. All things considered, Clark couldn't honestly say that he blamed Lex for reacting the way he did.

Meanwhile, back in Lex's study, Lex just sat at his desk with his head in his hands. I can't believe this is happening!...I can't believe Clark actually got me pregnant!...How could this be happening!...I'm not an alien...I'm not supposed to be able to get pregnant!...God, what am I gonna do...I don't have the slightest clue about being a father...What if I turn out just like my own father...Lex thought to himself. After about another half hour, Lex came to a conclusion. Well, I don't care how wierd this may be...I'll be damned if any child of mine will go through what I went through with my father...Besides...I love Clark...If I'm gonna have a baby, I'm glad it's with him...Thats it...I'm having this baby...Content with his decision, Lex looked down to his still flat stomach as he stroked it gently. Rising from his chair, Lex then left his study and made his way back into Clark's study.

Hearing a knock coming from the door, Clark turned to see Lex walking in. Standing from his chair, Clark watched as Lex approached his desk. "Clark..." Lex began flatly. Uncertain of how calm Lex was, Clark replied "Lex..." Remaining silent for a few moments, Lex just hung his head, apparently finding something rather interesting on the floor. Not looking up, Lex quietly added "I'm scared, Clark."

Those three little words were enough to make Clark all but leap out from behind his desk and within the blink of an eye, Clark was right by Lex's side; taking him in his arms. Scared out of his mind, Lex just stood there and let Clark hold him. By now he could feel the sting of tears in his eyes as could Clark. "I'm so sorry, Lex...If I'd only known..." Clark spoke gently into Lex's neck. Now, wrapping his arms around his lover, Lex replied "I know, Clark...It's okay..." When they seperated, Clark noticed Lex turning away from him to stare at the ground once more. Gently taking hold of Lex's chin, Clark pulled it up to force Lex to look him in the eye.

"What's wrong, Lex?" He asked softly, concerned by the fear written in his lover's face. Sighing Lex replied "It's nothing...Just...Clark what if I turn out to be just like my father?...I don't want our child to have to go through what I went through..." Understanding Lex's concern, Clark replied gently "Lex...Don't worry...That's not gonna happen...You're nothing like your father...You'll make a great father...I know you will..." Smiling at Clark's confidence in him, Lex pulled Clark into another embrace before ensnaring his lips in a passionte kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, Clark joked "You know, that's what got us in this position in the first place..." Smirking, Lex couldn't help but laugh. Clark always had a way of making him laugh even when he was scared out of his mind. Then, the smile slowly faded from his face as he took Clark's hands in his as he looked straight into Clark's eyes and added "Clark...I never expected to find myself expecting...But now that I'm gonna have a baby...There's noone I'd rather have it with than you...I love you, Clark...Just like I know I'm gonna love this baby..." Clark couldn't help but smile as Lex added "Clark, we're gonna be parents..." Still smiling, Clark watched as a smile slowly tugged at the corners of Lex's lips as he replied "I know..."

Clark had spent the rest of the day reading everything he could about both human and alien pregnancies. From all the information he gathered, he still had no idea what to expect. Afterall, this wasn't just a human pregnancy nor was it just an alien pregnancy. It was half and half. Finally, Clark gave up as he and Lex decided to just take it one day at a time and deal with whatever happened as it happened.

Though, they had both become somewhat concerned when six months had passed and Lex was just barely showing. But, frequent x-ray scans from Clark laid all those concerns to rest as Clark saw that everything was fine and both baby and father were healthy. By the time Lex was eight months along, the baby had grown enough for Clark to tell the gender. But, Lex had asked that Clark not tell him as he wanted to be surprised. Respecting Lex's wishes, Clark kept his word and didn't say anything.

By the ninth month, Lex appeared to only be about five or six months along by human pregnancy standards and was beginning to get tired of being pregnant. It had been fine in the first couple of months when the morning sickness subsided. Also, by now, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Lex to hide his pregnancy. A couple of months ago, he could have easily hid it with a loose shirt but now it was becoming almost impossible. Deciding not to let the public find out about his being pregnant, Lex took leave of work on what he called "Discretionary time" which for him and Clark meant "Maternity Leave".

After the eleventh month, Lex began to appear about eight or nine months along according to all the pictures he'd seen of pregnant women. I just hope that doesn't mean I'll be pregnant for another eight or nine months...This pregnancy's killing me...He thought to himself as he subconsciously stroked his enlarged belly, messaging the places where the baby was kicking around inside of him. By now, he was more than ready for the birth.

A month later, they celebrated both Christmas and the twelve month mark of the pregnancy. It was Christmas Eve and Lex still had yet to give birth. Turning to Clark, he asked "How much longer 'till little one, here, makes their grand entrance, ya think?" Shrugging, Clark replied "It's hard to say...I have no idea what to expect in a half human half alien pregnancy..." Looking down at Lex's enlarged belly, Clark wrapped a comforting arm around his heavily pregnant lover as he gently stroked his belly where his child lay. Also looking down at his belly, Lex rested a hand atop it and stated "Ya know, little one, whenever you feel like gracing us with your presence is fine with me..."

Those seemed to be the magic words as right as they escaped Lex's lips, he doubled over, groaning in pain. "Oh, God!" He exclaimed. Catching his lover before he hit the floor, Clark asked "Lex! Lex, are you all right?" His breathing becoming labored, Lex replied between gasps "X-ray...me!" A quick scan revealed a new birth canal had formed within Lex and all the signs of labor were present. "Lex, you're in labor! You're giving birth!" Clark exclaimed. "No shit, sherlock!" Lex hissed. Carefully lifting Lex up in his arms, Clark was gone in a flash and reappeared in their bedroom.

Gently laying Lex down on the bed, Clark listened as Lex cried out in pain. "God!...This hurts!" He cried out as his contractions were strengthening and coming closer together; within seconds of each other. Grasping onto Clark's hand, Lex squeezed until Clark thought his hand would break. "Clark!...I...need to push!" Lex gasped out in pain. Forcing Lex to let go of his hand, Clark quickly removed Lex's dress pants as he replied "Your pants are soaked." Brushing it aside, Lex replied "My water broke...Back at the first...Contraction...God, Clark, I desperately need to push!"

Positioning himeself between Lex's legs, Clark shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lex. You can't push yet. You're not ready. The baby has no room to pass through." Clark replied, reaching out so Lex could grab his hand again. Looking up at his lover, Clark added "Just focus on your breathing..." Clark coached, referring to the lamaze breathing Lex had learned back when they were preparing for this time. His breathing worked for total of five seconds before another contraction took over his body.

Screaming out in pain, Lex cried out "Clark...I have to push!" Shaking his head again, Clark replied "Lex, you have to wait. The baby still doesn't have enough room to pass through." Resuming his breathing, Lex just tried make it through the pain until he could push. It was all of ten seconds before yet another contraction took over. Once again, Lex cried out in pain. "Oh, God!...Clark, please!...I need to push!...NOW!..." He cried, the pain of another contraction gripping his bod as he threw his head back, unable to take the excruciating pain. Looking down at the cervix which had grown considerably in size, Clark guessed Lex had to have dialated atleast eight or nine, maybe ten centimeters. Looking up at Lex, Clark replied "Okay, Lex. With the next contraction, push! Push as hard as you can!" He coached.

Nodding, Lex only had to wait mere seconds before the next contraction took over. Seeing the contraction, Clark coached "Ready?...And push, Lex! Push!" Gritting his teeth, Lex lifted his head up as he bore down on his midsection with everything he had. "Aaaggghhh!" He screamed, the pain only increasing as he tried to push the baby within him out of his body. His head falling back down on the bed, Lex listened as Clark called out "I can see the head crowning..." Before Lex could respond, he felt another contraction take over as Clark coached "Again, Lex. Push!" Raising his head once again, Lex bore down once more, still trying to force the baby out of his body.

As the contraction subsided, Lex lay his head back down as he waited for the next one. "God, Clark, why'd I ever let you do this to me!" Lex moaned, just wanting to get this over with. Ignoring Lex's comment, Clark knew it was just the pain of giving birth talking. With that, Lex cried out in pain as another contraction took over. However, this time, Clark wouldn't let him push. "Wait, Lex!..." He called out. "The cord's wrapped around the baby's neck!...Don't push!...Whatever you do, DON'T push!" Clark warned. Crying out in pain as the contraction only seemed to strengthen, Lex cried "Clark!...I need to push!...HURRY!..."

Clark did his best to quickly and carefully free the baby from the cord wrapped around its neck. "Okay. Push, Lex, push!" Clark coached. Raising his head, Lex bore down on his midesection yet again. His head falling back into its original position, Lex wasn't sure how much more he could take. Then he heard Clark call out "You're doing great, Lex! You're almost there! One more good push and you're done! It's over!" Sighing, Lex lifted his head to look at Clark as he replied breathlessly. "Clark...I don't think I can do it!...I don't have another push left in me!..."

Maneuvering around to Lex's side, Clark just gently stroked Lex's cheek as he took his hand in his and assured the older man. "Lex, I know you can do this!...Just one more push and you're done! It'll all be over!" Sighing, Lex nodded as Clark returned to his position between Lex's legs. Within a few seconds, Clark heard Lex cry out in pain once again. "Oh, God!..." Knowing it had to be the last contraction, Clark replied "All right, Lex. This is it. PUSH!" Clark coached. The pain of the last contraction was the strongest as Lex threw his head back as he forced the baby out of his body with the last of his strength.

All the pain and hard work had been worth it when Lex heard the high-pitched cry of the baby in Clark's hands. Smiling, Clark washed it off and wrapped it in a warm blanket to shelter it from the cold December weather. Walking over to Lex as he weakly sat up in the bed, Clark lay the baby in Lex's arms as he stated gently. "Congratulations...It's a beautiful baby girl..." Once Clark had given the baby to Lex, he walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down next to Lex, holding the new father in his arms.

Resting his head on Clark's shoulder-exhausted from the birth-Lex replied "She's beautiful..." Smiling down at the tiny infant in his lover's arms, Clark replied "Yeah...she is..." Looking up into Clark's eyes, Lex added "Sorry to ruin your Christmas Eve..." Smiling down into Lex's deep blue eyes, Clark just replied "Lex, you were far from ruining my Christmas Eve...In fact, you've given me the most beautiful gift of all..." Listening to Clark's sentimental statement, Lex replied "The way I see it, you're the one who's given me the beautiful gift. I never would have even become pregnant with this little angel without you..." Smiling, Clark fixed his focus back on the little baby girl in Lex's arms.

"What do you think of Carol Noel Luthor for the name?" He asked as he still sat there, taking in the sight of his beautiful daughter lying in his lover's arms. Also smiling, Lex replied "It's beautiful..." Looking back up into Clark's eyes, Lex added "Merry Christmas, Clark..." Turning to his lover's gaze, Clark replied "Merry Christmas, Lex..." Leaning down to meet his lover, Clark then kissed Lex's lips lightly. "I love you, Lex..." He whispered softly so that only Lex could hear it. Smiling, Lex whispered just as softly "I love you, Clark..."

El fin

Author's Note:

So, what do y'all think? Sequel or just let sleeping fathers lie? Lemme know what y'all think...And for those of you who didn't happen to catch the symbolism...I used Carol Noel as the name since "Noel" is often used in reference to Christmas and of course Christmas Carol...Oh, and before I forget...Merry Christmas from Kansas, y'all!