Title: Survival of the Species
Author: JediBant
Rating: Teen
Fandom: Superman
Summery: Not knowing about Jason, and still standing firm about Kal-el not forming any relationships with the humans, Jor-el and Lara take desperate measures to continue the species, whether their son likes it or not.
Warnings: Male and Forced Pregnancy (Not rape)
Authors Note: This chapter is alot longer then my normal length, hope you enjoy, and thanks to everyone who answered the vote. Also thank you to crockergirl whos reveiw inspired me to write this chapter, which i dedicate to her, thanks Crockergirl. :)

Chapter 7

Almost immediately after reading the article Superman had left, refusing to stop for Lois' attempted explanation, pausing only to say goodbye to Jason and refusing to speak to Lois or Richard, except to thank them again for their hospitality in a very formal, emotionless tone.

Lois fumed for the rest of the day; at Superman for his rudeness and at herself for giving into Perry and writing the story in the first place, it was obviously a sensitive subject and besides, it was a story worthy of a trashy tabloid not the Daily Planet's top reporter.

He had refused to make any comment on the subject to any member of the press or public, he simply ignored any questions about the article, and he was usually quick to vacate the scene soon that line of questioning started.

For Lois it had been a toss up as to whether or not to print his resent vulnerability, Richard had said that it was up to her whether or not they mentioned their resent houseguest. The reporter in her thought the world had a right to know, but the rest of her didn't want to piss off Superman anymore then she already had, besides he had come to her, trusted her, when he was hurt, she didn't want him to think that that trust in her was misplaced.

Despite her failure to print the story, Superman still avoided her like the plague. He always left a crime scene as soon as she arrived, with the excuse of a cry for help or without; and he wouldn't respond to her calls from the roof of the planet. She even tried pulling out a cigarette and pretending to light it in hope that he would stop by to blow out the flame, but there was no unexplained winds or any sign of the red cape or blue suit.


"…reports say that Superman went into a terrifying rage, attacking and injuring the thief after the man repeatedly shot at him with a hand gun. Somehow, it seems that three of the bullets wounded the Man of Steel, leaving deep grazes in an arm and leg, however it seems that a fourth bullet which hit him full force in the stomach, though not injuring him, is what drove him to attack the bank robber, now identified as small time criminal, Mark Herald. Herald has been left in a critical condition at Metropolis Hospital with a concussion, internal bleeding and numerous broken bones, including a neck injury. Witnesses' say that the only reason Herald is not dead is that Police shot at Superman when they arrived apparently drawing him out of his sudden fury. He was then quick to apologise and personally flew Herald to the hospital.

"This is the first time that Superman has attacked and injured a criminal, we can only hope that it will also be the last. Superman was unavailable to comment. In other news…"

The rest of the news report was drowned out by Perry's louder voice. "Lois I want you down at that bank now, interviews everyone and anyone who saw. Jimmy go with her I want pictures. Somebody call the hospital get a statement from the emergency staff, doctors, nurses, the bloody receptionist I don't care, just get one. The Major too, I want to know everyone's opinion on this, you hear me? Everyone's," then the office door slammed and the newsroom exploded into action once again.


The bull pit was still swarming when Lois and Jimmy got back from the bank; Perry was keeping everyone working right up until deadline it seemed in order to have this ready for the morning edition, Superman going wild was big news. Lois wouldn't have been surprise if he held the frontpage past the deadline to make sure everything was done to his choosing.

As predicted he bellowed for their presence in his office almost immediately after the elevator doors opened.

"What's the story?" he demanded once they were in his office.

Lois summed up the situation, "It just like they said on the TV, Herald shot at Superman, Superman went ape until the Police shot at him and he took Herald to the hospital. He hasn't been seen since."

But of course Perry wanted more, "So we have no idea why he attacked?"

"What other then being shot at?"

"But he's been shot at more times the anyone could count, almost of an everyday basis, he's never reacted like this before,"

"And he's never been hurt before either, maybe it was just self defence?" Jimmy put in.

"Self defence doesn't put a person in a coma on life support," Perry countered.

"You got through to the hospital?"

Perry turned away from a slightly cowering Jimmy, back to Lois, "Yes, Roger rang and got a statement from one of the staff, here," he passed her a piece of paper from his desk, "there's also a quote from the Police Commissioner, the Major, the Joint Chiefs and the President."

"Wow, you've been busy," she quickly scanned the list mentally going over which she would use and where.

"This is the biggest story since he threw New Krypton into space; we need to know what the big wigs think. Now what are you waiting for? I want that story on my desk by deadline. Jimmy I want those photos developed and on my desk 10 minutes ago."

"On it Chief"

"Sure thing Chief"

"DON'T CALL ME CHIEF!"


Two hours later the presses were rolling. Everyone could now relax and go home, with Perry's permission to come in an hour late the next morning, which would allow them an extra hour and a half sleep as the traffic would have died down by then. All were quick to leave the premises and get home to loved ones or to bed, except one.

Despite being almost asleep on her feet, the long, stressful day sent Lois to the roof for a smoke. Richard had long since taken Jason home to bed leaving her the option of sneaking off to the roof for a few minutes before going home without anyone the wiser.

She exited the elevator with her cigarette and lighter at the ready and was clicking away at the lighter almost immediately after she stepped out, but despite her hand shielding the flame, it went out almost immediately. Almost automatically she looked up in search of her personal anti-smoking advert, but found no trace of him and so returned to her previous activity. Only for the flame to go out again, and this time the cigarette also moved in her mouth, ending sideways against her lips.

She growled and it was so tempting to stomp her foot, but she managed to restrain herself, "where are you, you annoying man?" she snapped, once again looking to the sky.

She heard a quiet, half-hearted chuckle, "down here,"

Looking over in the other direction and down to floor level, she found her quarry, sitting in a corner of the building, wrapped up in his cape, hugging his knees tightly to his chest. Honestly she was surprised that such a large man could make himself look so small…and vulnerable.

"Superman?" she tone change to the point that it was almost the same as when she spoke to Jason when he was upset. "What are you doing up here?"

He gave her a crooked but sad smile, "I always loved it up here, it's almost quiet, I can think; it's where I met you."

"Well technically you met me on the side of the building," she reminded him, trying to lighten the mood.

"Technically we had already met," he countered, then seemed to hear his own words and looked away, as if he had just revealed some huge secret and though she longed to question him about it, she changed to subject, aware that their relationship had been rocky at best lately.

"You look awful," Ok so not the best subject change.

He started picking at a thread on his cape that apparently only he could see, "I expect that I do," apparently he wasn't in the mood for talking.

"You want to talk about it?" Talk about cliché.

"Not really," He wasn't making this easy.

"Sure? It can help, sometimes." Really convincing there Lois, real convincing.

"I almost killed a man today Lois, I don't think talking is going to help," Alright better, it's a whole sentence at least.

"But you didn't and I'm sure you had a good reason,"

"There is never a good reason to hurt someone like that Lois, and it is still in question as to whether he is going to live or not." What do you say to that? He continued, "I've always stood against violence, it's why I've never approved of Batman's way of getting things done, and now I've done this…"

"Why did you do it then," it had to be asked.


Clark hesitated, he couldn't lie to her, but telling her the reason would prove him to be ever more of a freak then he already was, but he knew he could trust her, she hadn't printed his injury the month before, and she was a mother herself, she might understand. He made his decision.
"You remember that article you wrote about me," he asked.

She snorted, "Which one?"

"Last month, about me being…about my gaining weight,"

"Oh, that one," she should have seen that one coming, he's changed the subject again.

"The reason for that is the same as for today's incident, and my sudden vulnerability, and ill health," maybe not.

He paused for a moment, uncertain if he should continue.

She waited patiently for a moment then impatiently for a few more. Finally she prompted "and that reason is?"

"It's hard," he continued immediately, "I haven't told anyone this, not even my mother. I was scared of her reaction, your reaction. It's not normal it shouldn't have happened," he got loud as he went on, sounding desperate for her to understand. He had jumped to his feet and was pacing, but with his cape still wrapped around him as if he was cold.

"Whoa, calm down, its okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want too." She moved closer and put her hand where she thought his arm should be. She was surprise when a hand came out of the capes confines and pulled hers back inside just as quickly. Gently as ever his coaxed her hand open then flat against his extended belly.

"What?"

"Shh, just feel."

He held her hand there, waiting for something, occasionally moving it to a different spot.

"It might help if I knew what it was feeling…"

"There!" he almost shouted over the top of her.

"What?" Then she felt what he was talking about. A slight pressure under her hand, from inside his belly. She jumped and pulled away, easily pulling her hand away from his loose grip.

"That…That's a…that was a…you're…" the ability to form sentences had apparently abandoned her in her moment of need.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, I didn't even know it was possible, I just went to the Fortress to regrow the crystals and tell my parents about Jason but they started talking about continuing the species and how the line had to stay pure, they attacked me, my own parents, well the AI of my parents but they still attacked me." He was back to the high speed, desperate ranting, "I wouldn't talk to them for week but then I kept getting sick, and bruising for almost no reason, and my moods kept changing at the slightest thing, so I went back and they told me what they did and what to expect. I hate them, how could they do that to me, I hate them." He then ran out of steam and threw himself back into the corner, sobbing.

Lois watched him pacing and listened to his rant but only snapped out of her stupor when he fell back to the floor. She moved over and awkwardly wrapped her arms around him, which he fell into, practically pinning her to the wall but she allowed it, trying to give him the comfort he was apparently desperate for.

"Sorry," he said after he'd calmed down and pulled away.

She shifted once his weight was removed and sat back in a more comfortable position, "Hey I'll bet you've had enough people crying on you, it was your turn," she as grateful for the small grin it caused. But not so much for the silence that followed.

Finally, she broke it, turning towards him so that she could look straight at him, although he had yet to look up to her. "Ok let me get this straight. You're parents, attacked you, and im…impreg…nated you against your will?"

"Basically, yes," he confirmed, once again playing with the invisible thread.

"Your pregnant," she still wasn't sure if she was hearing right, it was too unreal.

He sighed, "Yes."

"And you haven't told anyone?"

"No I haven't told anyone, you're the first person I've told," he confirmed.

"Not even your mother,"

"No,"

"Wait but you said before that your mother did this to you," now she was really confused.

"Yes my birth parents did this to me, but my Earth mother who I think of as my real mother doesn't know, I've tried a few times to tell her but I can't find the right words, I end up finding an excuse to leave, last time I went to Australia to stop a small bush fire, it was under control but…" she didn't allow him to continue.

"Well that won't do, you have to tell her, she's your mother and I am sure that she is very worried about you, especially after today. You need to stop wallowing and go and tell her, right now." She jumped up and pulled him up after her, although he did most of the work.

"You're right," he sighed, "I should have told her from the start."

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right, now shoo," she made a shooing motion with her hands.

He smiled, "Right," he left the ground and floated over the edge of the building, "would you like a lift home?"

"No stalling, I can get home all by my self, I'm a big girl,"

His smile turned to a grin, almost worthy of Kent, "I know you are, and big girls should know that smoking is bad for them."

Her own smile quickly became a scowl, "fine I won't have my smoke, if you go now and tell your mother."

"Ok, thank you Lois." He then disappeared before she could blink.

She pulled her abandoned cigarette out of the pocket of her coat and stared at it for a moment before dropping it back into her purse and heading for the elevator, all the while grumbling about annoying, over health conscious aliens.