A/N: Here's a roll-call of my wonderful reviewers whom I'd like to say a BIG "Thank you" to—
KLynneL, Kitana4, countryLexluv, D. Taina, CindyB, fightindog, Shannon K, mamaXunicorn, framework4, ClarkR, Lilbit4, mistressbabette51, Bluie Twilight Star, Wahoogal06, RngrThorne, JamesTKent, repmetsyrrah.
A BIG "Thank you" also goes out to those who have put "A Father, First" on their story alerts and faves—
Actinolite28, Aria Saralyn, Bluie Twilight Star, ClarkR, Ginny Clone, JamesTKent, Jump Highly, ReadingRed, RngrThorne, Shannon K, Smilyface2020, Stacee Phelps, Wahoogal06, countryLexluv, framework4, greensong, mamaXunicorn, mistressbabette51, napd567, raejan, repmetsyrrah, tweets, DragonFlame27.
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Chapter 7: The Boys' Night Out
"So we're good for tomorrow, right, Lois?" Richard asked for the umpteenth time.
"Yes, Richard," Lois replied off-handedly.
"You're sure?"
"Yes, Richard."
"You're not mad or anything?"
"No—God, Richard, stop asking! Yes, you and Jason can go to the baseball game. Yes, I'm sure. No, I'm not mad. Happy now?"
Richard was almost jumping on their bed. He'd been begging Lois to let Jason go with him to the baseball game tomorrow evening. He said he wanted some "daddy and son bonding time."
Lois looked at the ear-to-ear grin on Richard's face and shook her head. "You look as if you just got yourself a date with your high school crush."
"Sorry, Lois," Richard apologized, though he was still smiling. "It's just, my dad took me to my first baseball match when I was Jason's age, and I promised myself that when I have a son, I'd bring him to watch a baseball game as well."
-oOo-
"Hey, Clark," Lois greeted cheerfully as she passed by his desk.
"Oh, hi Lois," Clark greeted back. He felt his heart skip a beat. It seemed as if Lois had been noticing him more during the past few weeks. Since she said goodbye to Superman, he thought to himself. "You, uh, look like you're having a good afternoon."
"I am," Lois said as she proceeded to her desk. She had just sat down when she heard Perry's voice.
"Lane! Kent! In my office—NOW!"
Lois gracefully stood up from her chair when suddenly—
CCRRAAAASSSH!!
She turned to the source of the sound and found Clark and another reporter, Travis Jones, struggling to get up. There were papers scattered all over the floor, Clark's chair was upturned, a box with file folders was stained with coffee. Most of the Daily Planet journalists were stifling their laughter. A few couldn't help sniggering. Lois felt sorry for Clark, who had been the butt of almost every joke around the office. "If none of you are going to help, then shut your mouths and stop laughing!" Lois exclaimed. Then she strode to Clark's desk and helped pick up the papers and folders as the laughter died down.
Clark was mumbling, "Sorry" over and over to Travis as he picked up the papers and set his chair back up. He managed to get all the papers and sorted out which were Travis' and which were his. "Here," Lois said, handing him a pile of papers. His hand brushed hers for a second as he took the documents from her, making him blush. Hoping she didn't notice, Clark muttered, "Thanks" and continued sorting the papers. He managed to do so in three minutes' time, and gave Travis his articles, mumbling another, "Sorry." He looked up to see Lois still standing by his desk.
"I thought I'd wait for you," she said, smiling warmly.
Clark felt as if he would melt with her smile. He smiled back, but it was not like his usual goofy grin.
Lois noticed how Clark's smile today differed from the usual grin he gave her. It was different. It was...familiar, yet Lois couldn't pinpoint whose smile it belonged to.
"Shall we go to Perry now?" Clark asked, the high-pitched tone disrupting Lois' thoughts.
She nodded, and the two of them went off to the Chief's office.
-oOo-
"So, I guess that means we're back to the old days, huh?" Lois said as they left Perry's office.
"I guess so," Clark replied timidly, pushing his glasses up. Perry had assigned them to work together on the latest series of crimes in Metropolis. There seemed to be an increase in crime rate despite Superman's return. Lois had objected to making another article involving the Man of Steel, but Clark volunteered to do whatever was concerned with the hero and Lois could focus on the criminals.
As they made their way to their cubicles, Richard entered the bullpen with Jason in tow.
"Hey, munchkin!" Lois greeted her son.
Jason ran towards Lois and Clark, but instead of hugging Lois, the little boy jumped onto Clark, who managed to scoop him up with a grace that was very un-Clark-like. Jason greeted him, "Hi, Mr. Clark!"
"So my son runs into another man's arms and gets greeted first? So what am I now, a decor on the wall?" Lois joked.
Clark just shrugged at her and chuckled. He ruffled Jason's hair. "Hey you, too, buddy."
Richard watched the stolen moment between father and son. A part of him was hurt to see Clark and Jason together, but he reasoned to himself that at least he got five years to be Jason's father. Clark had only five weeks or so. He approached the three of them.
"The school nurse talked to me about his asthma," Richard said as he gave Lois a kiss on the cheek. "She said Jason doesn't use his inhaler often anymore—" he took Jason from Clark's arms and swung him around, "—which is a grrreat thing since we are going to be screaming our lungs out at tomorrow's baseball game!"
"Yeah! Baseball! Baseball! Baseball!" Jason chanted.
Richard suddenly had an idea. "Hey Clark, I have an extra ticket to the game. You want to come along?"
Clark was taken aback by Richard's offer, but was grateful for it, too. "Oh, um...Thanks, Richard, but I, uh, I don't want to impose—"
"You're not imposing. I'm inviting you. C'mon, it's gonna be a boys' night out."
"Yeah, Mr. Clark," Jason agreed. "We're gonna have fun watching baseball!"
Clark caught Richard's eye and knew the other man wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. "Alright, I'll go."
Jason cheered and chanted, "Baseball!" all the way into Richard's office. Richard followed his son, carrying the boy's backpack and Superman lunchbox.
-oOo-
Knock, knock.
Clark hurriedly opened his apartment door. He had on a casual red shirt and jeans, ready for the baseball game.
"Mr. Clark!" Jason exclaimed, running into Clark's arms.
"Hey, slugger," he greeted back.
Richard entered Clark's apartment and looked around. "So Superman does have an address."
"And a cellphone number," quipped Clark.
"Daddy, it's s'pposed to be a secret!" Jason told Richard off. Richard had told Jason the night before that he also knew of Superman's other identity.
The three of them settled into Richard's new Honda CR-V. It may not be as stylish as the Porsche (which was completely wrecked, forcing Richard to sell it to a junk shop), but it had good safety features and was spacious enough for Jason.
They arrived at the stadium twenty minutes before the game began. Finding their seats, the three boys prepared themselves for the exciting game ahead.
-oOo-
When the game ended, Richard told Clark, "I'll be at the car. I'll let you and Jason wander around for a while." Clark gave him a grateful look and nodded.
"Mr. Clark, can we go buy a hotdog?" Jason asked, tugging on Clark's sleeve. Clark had to laugh. He was Lois' kid, alright.
The pair went to the hotdog stand. The sweet lady behind the stand handed Jason a hotdog on a stick. She turned to Clark and asked, "And what would Daddy like?"
Clark looked surprised. "Oh, um, I'm not...I'm just watching him—"
Jason, enjoying the evening too much to care what the lady had said, cut him short. "He wants a hotdog, too."
When they got their orders, they went for a walk around the stadium grounds. Jason pointed at several baseball caps. "Would you like one, Jason?" Clark asked. His son nodded. After picking one cap, Clark handed Jason the money. "Go pay the nice man," he said, leading his son to the cashier.
The two of them continued their stroll, with Clark telling Jason stories about how his father Jonathan used to play catch with him. "Mr. Clark, I'm tired of walking, but I don't want to go home yet," the little boy said. "Can you carry me?"
The pleading look on Jason's face was enough to make Clark melt. "Of course, Jason." He scooped the boy up and sat him on his shoulders.
"I'm so high up! I can see everyone!" Jason exclaimed, his smile reaching from ear to ear. Clark was pleased to see his son so happy.
A few passers-by looked at them. A woman was telling her husband, "Look at them, such a cute father-and-son pair!" Clark caught a few other pleasing comments, but his favorite was, "His boy looks just like him."
After an hour and a half of strolling, they walked to the parking lot and found Richard waiting for them in the car. Jason ran into his Daddy's arms. Richard hugged his son longer and tighter than he usually did. "You had fun with Mr. Clark, kiddo?"
"Uh huh!" came Jason's jovial reply. "Mr. Clark and I had lots of fun!"
A/N: By now, I believe I've established the personalities of the characters and the natures of their relationships with each other. Finally, we can get this thing rolling. As usual, here's a peek at the next chapter—
Chapter 8: And Then He Fell
"Richard," Lois said, trying to keep calm. "Where is my son?"
Richard gazed upon Lois' eyes with a look of defiance as he replied, "Your son...is in—"
"...in downtown Chicago, where Superman arrived just in time to save a young woman..." the voice of a female newscaster cut him short.
Richard stopped dead in his tracks as he watched the TV monitor, where the footage showed Superman handing a dark-haired man with tattered clothes over to the police. He was vaguely aware of Lois standing beside him, talking to someone on her cellphone but her keeping her eyes on the monitor.
