"Mom!" Jerome called, trundling down the stairs.

"Jerome, how many times have I told you not to run in the house?" Lois demanded.

"Probably about as many times as you have told Dad not to super-speed around the house?" Came the 10-year old's cheeky reply.

Lois couldn't help but chuckle at her son, who was the spitting image of her husband at the same age. She couldn't stay mad at him either, between the warm chocolate eyes and gentle smirk, it was like trying to stay angry at the boy's father which was damn near impossible. She just rolled her eyes and sighed, "In any event, stop, one of these days you're going to lose control and put a hole in the wall." She gently reprimanded him, "Now what were you 'Mom'-ing me about?"

"Laurel won't come out of the bathroom, she's been in there for hours!" He whined.

"Fine, go use the one in your father's and my room, I'll go get your sister." Lois instructed, following her son up the stairs only to part ways when she reached the room in question and gently knocked. "Laurel, are you in there sweetie?"

"Yeah," The teenager grunted, struggling with something behind the door.

"Can I come in?" Lois asked. A moment later she heard the lock disengage and the door swung open. "What're you do..."

"I found your old costume and thought I'd try it on, but it doesn't fit right." Laurel sighed trying to adjust the magenta and purple unitard her mother had worn nearly 17 years before.

"And just why did you feel the sudden urge to go digging through that specific closet?" Lois quirked an amused eye brow at her daughter, knowing that accessing the secret closet in the living room wasn't something you just happened to do.

"I dunno," the girl sighed, sitting on the edge of the tub, fidgeting with the outfit which was too short and tight in the legs and baggy on the top.

"I think you do," Lois smiled at her, lowering the cover of the toilet and taking a seat.

"How old was Dad when he started doing what he does?" Laurel gave her mother an unsure look as if questioning if she should even be asking such things.

"I don't know, exactly," Lois mused, knowing the girl didn't just mean journalism, "I think he did little things here and there when he was about your age, but really didn't throw himself into it until he moved to metropolis when he was about 25 or 26. Your Grammy made his first uniform, she made that one too." She nodded toward the bright tights her daughter now wore.

Laurel nodded, sitting quietly for a moment before murmuring something. "Laurel, I don't have the hearing you and your father have, so you're going to have to speak up."

"I asked how you would feel about me getting into the family business." Laurel looked up at her mother a mix of uncertainty and hope waring on her young face.

"I think so long as you can keep up with your homework, I'm okay with it," The women looked up, surprised at the warm voice that had answered. Both smiling as they saw Clark leaning casually against the doorframe of the bathroom in his pressed slacks and dress shirt, his tie loose enough to show a glimpse of blue at his neck. "But you have to stick close by me. You can be my apprentice of sorts, but you must do exactly as I say when I say it. Understood?"

"Really?" Laurel beamed, "You really mean it?" Clark nodded, "Wow, did you hear that Mom?"

"Yes I heard it," Lois nodded before turning to her husband, "You keep her safe, and away from the green and red stuff."

"Aw, Mom, you know that Grandpa and Dr. Klein have the last of that stuff locked tightly up in the vault at Starr Labs," Laurel sighed.

"I promise that, aside from extremely controlled situations, that our daughter will not get near Kryptonite of any color." Clark assured his wife before turning to his daughter, "Go get changed, we're gonna go visit Grammy and her sewing machine."

Laurel nodded excitedly as she sped down the hallway and into her room, only to appear dressed in jeans and a purple t-shirt looking very much like the almost 16-year-old girl she was. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a messy topknot and, much to her father's dismay, wore a light dusting of make-up that was barely concealed by the thick black glasses she wore. "Okay, let's go!"

"We'll probably be back after dinner," Clark kissed his wife who simply nodded as she followed them toward the back door. With a small wave, she watched as her husband and then daughter took to the sky before a streak of blue and purple streaked across the late afternoon sky.

A few days later, Lois was sitting at her desk, putting the finishing touches on an article that Perry had her editing. Everyone knew he was getting ready to retire, for real this time, and was grooming her and Clark to take over his position as co-editors in chief of the paper. "Lois, Honey, you gotta come look at this," Perry called her over to the bay of flat screens that lined the eastern wall of the news room where everyone was gathered.

She smirked as she watched her husband in that blue suit that never ceased to hug him in all the right places appeared on screen followed closely by a young woman in a Blue, long-sleeved, leotard, yellow belt, and a deep red skirt that fell just a few inches above her knees, and tall red boots. She wore a red cape that flowed from her shoulders down to the back of her knees. Across her chest was the crest of the House of El.

"Who do you think she is?" Jim Olsen, as he was now known, asked from beside her.

"I don't know Jim," Lois sighed, "But I think we're about to find out."

There was a commotion on the screen as several reporters vied for the attention of the two superheroes. Superman simply smiled and wave a hand to silence them, "I will answer all your questions, but please let me speak and I'm sure what I have to say will satisfy your curiosity." He smiled and placed a gentle hand on the young woman's shoulder, "I would like to introduce you to Supergirl. I have taken her under my wing as my apprentice of sorts until she is able to get on her feet."

"Superman, is she related to you?" A woman who had long blonde hair in a French twist asked, "I couldn't help but notice the similar uniforms."

"Yes, I am very proud to say that Supergirl is my daughter." Superman gave the younger woman a fatherly grin.

"In light of this recent development, is it accurate to say that there was more than crime fighting going on between you and Ultra-Woman 17 years ago?" A man spoke up.

"I try to keep my personal life private. However, if you must know, yes, Ultra-Woman is Supergirl's mother." Superman confirmed, "She and I continued to see each other after she left Metropolis and later were blessed with Supergirl."

"Supergirl, how does it feel to grow up in the shadow of your parents?" Lois recognized the voice of their newest intern, Henry.

"I don't think 'growing up in their shadow' is exactly the way I would put it," Supergirl chuckled, "Having them as parents has inspired me to be the best person I can be. It is because of their influence on my life that I want to follow in their footsteps to protect this fair city and any other that needs my help. I am proud to be their daughter; I just hope that I can be half the person that either one of them are."

Lois did her best not to cry at the sentiments expressed by the young woman but was quickly losing the battle. Of course the battle was short lived, replaced by a chuckle when she once again heard Henry's voice over the television.

"Supergirl, do you have a boyfriend?"

Supergirl looked a little surprised by the question. As Laurel Kent, she did have a crush on the newest Planet intern, not that she would ever admit it to anyone but herself. However, as Supergirl, she couldn't admit to such feelings, or maybe she could. A soft smile spread across her lips as she spoke, "No, I don't have a boyfriend, but if I do find one, you'll be the first to know."

Lois didn't miss the look that crossed Superman's face at the girl's statement, and couldn't help but laugh. They knew the day was coming that she would turn her eye toward someone, but she knew her husband was far from being ready.

"Would you ever consider going out with a newsman?" Henry persisted, much to the amusement of the other reporters around him.

Superman whispered something to Supergirl before she turned back to the crowd and offered a small smile to the young intern, remembering what her mother had told her she'd once said to another young intern, "You're cute." Was all she said before she followed her father skyward for destinations unknown to the public.

Moments later, the elevator bell rang as Clark and Laurel stepped out. "Did we miss anything?" He asked, straightening his tie as Laurel followed him into the bullpen.

"Superman apparently has an apprentice now," Lois smirked, "And apparently crime fighting runs in the family, she's his daughter."

"Fancy that," Clark gave her a knowing look before kissing her cheek, "Well, I'd better get back to work. Laurel, why don't you go ask Perry if he needs anything."

"Okay," Laurel nodded setting off in search of the old editor. She wasn't watching where she was going and suddenly fell to the ground in a flurry of papers as her glasses came loose from her face. "Sorry," She blushed, picking up her glasses and sliding them back on.

"Not a problem Laur," Came a gentle voice that sent thrills down her spine every time she heard it, "I wasn't watching where I was going." The young man before her collected his papers and stood, offering her a hand up.

Laurel brushed off her denim skirt and allowed her to assist her to her feet. When she finally met the deep green eyes of the new intern, she faltered. "Th-Thanks," she stammered.

"You're welcome," Henry gave her a small smile, "You know, you kind of look like… what am I thinking? Never mind."

"Henry, stop bugging Laurel and get back to work," Jim playfully scolded him, "Just because you're my cousin doesn't mean that Perry won't fire you in a heartbeat if he finds out you're slacking off."

"Fine, I'm gone." Henry grinned. "You know Laurel, you should consider contacts. I bet you'd look cute without the glasses." He called over his shoulder.

"He's right you know," Jim gave her a knowing look, "I bet you would look just super."