NOTE: I got this chapter up sooner than I thought because the power went out at school today so we got out early. Yes! I love power outages...Anyway, through the 5 hour SAT test, homecoming, and senior pics all this weekend I have gotten this chapter written! There's some more sweet family stuff and not much moving of the plotline, but I hope you all like it. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling :). Enjoy!

Thanks also to everyone who's reviewed!

When he returned he had showered and changed. His hair was still damp, and he wore a plain white shirt. He floated down to Lois's balcony and stepped inside.

Lois had one lamp on and it cast long shadows over the room. She sat nearest the light chewing on her thumbnail in deep thought.

"Any other bad habits you want to tell me about," he grinned.

Her head came up with a jerk. "Speaking of bad habits…You really need to make some sound when you come out of nowhere like that." She smiled and tilted her head at him. "You look comfortable."

He drew closer and stood by her, his face cast half in dark half in light. "So do you."

She rose from the chair. "Do you want anything to drink? To eat?" She padded over to the kitchen.

He followed. "Uh, I am a little hungry. But I don't want to totally invade like this…"

She waved his apologies away and opened the fridge. It cast a blue-tinted glow on her face and spilled onto the linoleum. He bent beside her as they discussed what was edible.

Soon they were sitting together on the couch, Clark with a box of leftover Chinese takeout and Lois crunching on a handful of carrots. With their backs against either end of the couch their legs intertwined as they faced each other. They kept their voices low to keep from waking Jason. They talked of simple, trivial things for a while, spreading light on the corners and crevices of each other's lives they still did not know.

"So…your spaceship is buried somewhere in the fields we stood in?" asked Lois.

He nodded.

"That would be great to see. And it's still useable?"

"Yes, well, for me."

"You could travel anywhere you wanted in space."

"If I wanted, but my place is here. I realized that after the first time I tried that. It doesn't interest me anymore." He stared down into the slippery noodles.

She shrugged. "It's just the thought that you could."

Clark suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Lois…what was Jason like as a baby?"

She felt his deep azure gaze on her but did not look up. She wondered when these questions would come. So she began to tell him about how quiet, sweet, and curious their son had been, and he laughed at stories of his early toddler years. Even in the dim light she could see the melancholy mingled in his mirth.

When she stopped, he lowered his head. "I wish I could have been there," he murmured.

Lois set the carrots aside and pulled herself forward to his end of the sofa. She looked him in the eye and did not let him turn away. "Clark Kent, I know that too well; but you shouldn't torture yourself every time you think of it. You can't change the past."

"I know," he said. "But I still regret it."

She touched his cheek and sighed. "That's all right." She settled beside him in the crook of his arm. "Richard left a message."

Clark came out of his trance. "What did he say?"

"He wants to have Jason for a day or two this weekend."

"And…"

"And I'm letting him."

His mind began to turn and work on overdrive. There had been an idea tumbling around in his head since being in Smallville and it came rushing to him again knowing Jason would be with Richard for a couple days.

"You're kind of spacing out there Clark." Her lips quirked as she bent her head to the side to look at him.

"Oh…sorry. That's good. I'm sure they'll both enjoy it."

"Yeah." Lois rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "Well, goodnight Mr. Kent."

He realized she did not plan on moving so he smiled and got comfortable.

"Ah, come on mom and dad. Wake up!"

Lois moaned when she felt knobby knees crawl over her. Clark opened his eyes and ran a hand through his shadowed hair. Jason had clambered up onto the couch where they lay with his hands and knees prodding into their limbs as he moved to sit on Clark's stomach. He was in his light blue pajamas.

"Why can't you sleep in a bed?" asked Jason. "You'd fit better."

Lois laughed softly. "You're right, but we tend to fall asleep on couches. It's a good thing you don't have school today, kiddo." She ruffled his hair.

"I like Sundays," he said, "but Saturdays are still the best."

He slid off of them. He hurried back to his room and went to open the door. There was a loud crack as it pulled almost off all its hinges. Lois and Clark were immediately off the couch and at the door hanging haphazardly to the side. All three stared at it.

"Um…well…" Clark was at a loss for words.

"Sorry," said Jason. "I didn't feel different."

"You probably won't," said Clark. "It's all right. I'll fix it."

As soon as the words left his mouth, there came a knock on the front door. They froze.

"Maybe you should go," said Lois to Clark. "Just in case. It could be Richard and you don't have your glasses."

"Are you sure?" He looked reluctant to leave.

"Yes, I'll see you later."

And he was gone in an instant. Lois hurried to the door and opened it. "Oh, hi Richard."

Richard White stood in the hall. He was leaning on his left foot with his arms hanging at his sides.

"Hi Lois. I wasn't sure if you got my message…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't call back." She pursed her lips and sighed knowing she would be rude not to invite him inside. "Come on in. I know there's someone who'll be happy to see you."

She waited for a comment as she shut the door behind him. Jason had moved far away from his room and ran to meet Richard.

"Jason! It's so good to see you again." He took the boy in his arms and held him tightly.

"I missed you, daddy."

"I missed you, kiddo." Richard's eyes wandered up and his hold on Jason loosened abruptly. "What happened here?"

Jason's eyes grew frightened and wide, and Lois fumbled for an excuse.

"Uh, the door's just broken. It's nothing."

But Richard was a reporter also and he pushed further. "But what exactly did you do? I've never seen a door just come off like that."

Jason was fidgeting and staring down at his bare feet. Richard looked at them, both still in their pjs and robe, and back at the door.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

Yet he began to put the pieces together little by little. His gaze fell on Jason who he had learned a few weeks ago was the son of Superman. The reminder surged through his thoughts, and he could not help but ask.

"Did someone do this? Is…?"

Lois stopped him before he said it aloud. Jason was wary about his abilities already; she did not want to press him further by discussing it with someone else.

"Another time maybe," she cut in.

He let it go and nodded.

"About your message, I was going to tell you it's fine with me. I was actually going to call you and ask."

Richard's face brightened and he laid a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Great. You okay with coming to stay with me this weekend?"

Jason nodded emphatically. "Sure!" He wrapped his arms around one of his legs and did not let go.

Richard smiled and stroked his hair. "Thanks Lois."

"You're welcome. I don't mean to rush you or kick you out or anything, but I need to take a shower and he needs to get dressed and all that."

"Oh, of course. It's fine." He was still smiling as he hugged Jason goodbye and left. There was an awkward pause when he said goodbye to Lois. She just laid a hand on his arm.

Once he was gone, she knelt in front of her son. "Jason, Richard knows you're the son of Superman so it's okay if you tell him about…these things." Her eyes darted from him to the dangling door. "He won't love you any less or think differently of you."

Clark suddenly showed up again. He was frowning slightly. "Lois, I don't want to hide like that. It doesn't feel right running like that either."

"Well you have to otherwise Richard will be suspicious. Why would Clark Kent be at my apartment in the morning when my son and I haven't even changed? And if so, didn't Lois Lane just choose to leave him for Superman? Hm, maybe they're the same person…"

"All right, I get the point." He looked at Jason who was rather quiet. "You all right?"

"Yeah. I didn't mean to break it."

"It's okay. It was an accident," said Lois. "This time I really am taking a shower." She smiled as she disappeared into her bedroom.

Clark sat on the floor by his son. "Are you sure you're okay? Stuff like this can be pretty shocking."

Jason toyed with the buttons on his pajamas. "It's okay 'cause you're here. I don't feel scared."

Clark smiled and slung an arm around him. Jason grinned in return and began to laugh as Clark pulled him into his lap and tickled him.

"No, no!" he giggled. "It tickles!"

When the laughter died down, Jason did not move from his lap. Clark looked down at the boy and waited to see if he would say what was bothering him.

After a while, Clark lifted him up. "You should probably get dressed. It's already 11:30."

"Okay." He timidly stepped past the aftermath of his powers and rummaged through his drawers.

Clark had already gotten ready for the day ahead while waiting till Richard left, so he stood at the window. He closed his eyes and listened. There were not so many sirens blaring through the city or raucous shouts from dangerous conflicts as he had heard when he first returned. There was actually peace in Metropolis that morning.

He quickly unfocused his hearing when Lois's hairdryer turned on.

Jason came out of his room and sidled up next to him. "What're you doing?"

"Listening."

"Oh, so you can hear if people need help?"

He nodded.

"How far can you hear stuff?"

"Well…pretty far. I haven't ever thought about it like that. I can listen to a lot of things down here from up in space though."

"Wow! Really? When can I do that?"

Clark laughed. Jason was always wanting to know when his powers would come, and yet he seemed somewhat afraid of them when they did.

"I don't know. You'll have to be patient."

Jason sighed. "Okay." Every time his parents told him to be patient, but he still asked. He was awfully curious.

Responses...

Mona: Sure you can abbreviate my name! I find myself wanting to sometimes...Thank you so much! I'm very pleased to hear how my plot twisting is coming :). I always like writing dream sequences for some reason, lol.

NOTE: I would love it if you all reviewed :). I didn't get as many last chap...