I'm back! Sorry for such a long time since my last update, but my RL is very crazy and I have been dealing with several crisis both at home and work. Things are finally getting to a somewhat normal routine and I'm hoping to get back into writing.

Lois gasped for breath as Clark whisked her out of Richard's office. Good thing Perry kept to the original style windows that opened, she thought. So many modern buildings would not have accommodated Clark's style of departure. She gazed upon the face of the man who was so fiercely protective of her; the intensity of his countenance took what little breath she had left away.

Clark slowed as entered a large cloudbank. She expected to see the burst of sunshine, but was surprised as he stayed inside the fog.

"Sorry for that, Lois. It seems that we aren't safe anywhere, anymore." Clark turned his gaze off into the distance, the forlorn look, the loneliness she saw the day he confessed his identity to her had returned. She placed a tentative hand on his cheek, his muscles twitched beneath her touch, as she turned his face back to her.

"What is it, Kal El?"

"We have to do whatever has to be done to keep him safe, to keep him away from anyone who would use him…."

"You're not talking about Zod, are you? What is worrying you?"

"Zod would use my son against me, but there are others who would not only use him to get to me, but also as a weapon. They want power, and would go to great measures to gain what they desire. Humans have been doing it for centuries, grabbing the children of their enemies, brainwashing them into believing that they were unloved, unwanted, turning them against their own people and making them killing machines." Superman grimaced. She remembered that before he left Clark had been writing about "armies" in Africa that were committing such atrocities. His anger was evident in the way he attacked his keyboard. She remembered her fear that he would give himself away if he wasn't careful. But that was before she tricked him into revealing himself the first time, and one of the driving factors behind her ploy.

"We have to keep him safe. We cannot give them any hint that their assumptions are correct. We have to keep the world from ever knowing that Jason is my son."

Lois gave her husband a flirtatious look, hoping to keep his brooding nature at bay, "Kinda hard to hide the fact that Clark Kent is Jason's father when he looks so much like him. Not to mention that his mother is head over heals in love with said man."

Superman gave Lois a quick peck for that comment. Lois answered in turn, deepening the kiss, hoping that he could feel the love pouring out of her into him. As Clark released her from their kiss, she became aware of the feel of solid ground beneath her feet. Looking around she knew that they had landed in their backyard.

Clark gave her a crocked smile, "Sometimes the best way to hide is in plain sight. And sometimes it is best to just let things be."

"And sometimes it's best not to give nosy neighbors a peek-show."

"Lois, most of the houses around here are empty, or haven't you noticed. Most of our neighbors are either at work, or out of town. Many of them took off after the earthquake. You still don't quite get it, do you? I won't do anything to put my family in jeopardy."

Lois turned on her heel and headed for the house, thoroughly chastising herself for once again doubting him. Clark really was trying to make it all work. It wasn't his fault the whole world was crazy and wanted to take their son away from them. As Lois entered the house, all was still. She had expected Jason to come charging into her arms. It had been days since she held him tightly and she missed him.

"Where's Jason?"

"He's someplace safe – someplace that no one can find him." The way Clark paused made Lois nervous, he wasn't telling her everything.

"Kal El," she tried hard to hold back the fear that was swelling in her chest, "where is my son."

Clark looked down at the floor taking a deep breath of resignation, "I had to put him someplace they couldn't find him. I was worried that they placed a tracking chip in him."

Lois grimmaced, "You'd don't really believe…."

"I don't know who we can trust, Lois. This is my son we are talking about, and they want to get control of him, even if they have no proof that he is who they think he is." Clark paused as he flopped himself on the sofa in their livingroom.

"We can try to hide the truth, use subterfuge and diversion to keep the truth from the majority of the world. But there are those who…"

Lois finished Clark's thought, "No matter what we say or do to convince them otherwise, they will always believe that Jason is Superman's son."

"Exactly."

"So, I'll ask you again. Kal El, where is my son?"

"My ship."

Lois expected anything but that answer. "Your ship? But isn't it buried? You buried…."

"I launched it back into space and performed some repairs and upgrades. Jason is fine. Jor El and Lara are tutoring him as they did me while I traveled to Earth as an infant. They were programmed to raise a child in those conditions after all."

"So. He's alone. In space. With the AI of your dead parents to take care of all his needs. Clark, what the hell were you thinking?"

"When you put it like that, it sounds pretty bad. But, honestly, Lois, I had to get him to safety. The AI sends me regular updates, and we can talk to him anytime we want. And he's not alone. He has a… puppy with him."

Clark winced as he said the last part. Lois couldn't hold back as he stammered through, so very Clark.

"So," she started, desperately trying to hold back her laughter, "So," she tried again. "You think a lone five-year-old can take care of a puppy? In a spaceship?"

"Well, the pup is really catching on to only using the puppy mats for his duty. And Jason is really good about disposing of it." Clark's eyes flicked past her and through the window.

Lois's eyebrow went up with that comment, "Where does he dispose of it?"

"The waste containment unit. The ship will recycle it, use it for energy."

That brought another thought to her mind, "What is he eating up there? I mean, I didn't see a galley, and he isn't really old enough to cook."

"Lois, you forget, that ship is a Kryptonian vessel that flew me across the galaxy. It can create sustenance that is suitable for our son, even more nutrious that anything you can find here on Earth."

Lois ran her hands through her hair.

"It is only for a short time Lois." Clark said reassuringly. "But, if you are still worried about him…" He took her hand and led her to the study. On his desk there was a small crystal console. He took a crystal from a drawer and placed it in the console. The crystal started glowing and then Jason appeared to hover over the desk a black ball of fluff hopping around him, Lois couldn't tell which was moving faster the: dog's tongue or tail. The little boy's giggles were infectious, and the medicine Lois needed.

"Con El," Clark addressed his son, "Are you enjoying your puppy?"

Jason looked up to a screen that projected the image of his parents. "Mommy!" he shouted as he jumped up. "Daddy let me have a puppy. Cousin Kara and I found him, and we saved him." His face suddenly turned sad, "the others died before we found them, though."

"Others?" Lois asked, suddenly curious at his unmentioned rescue, and the way he was already responding to his Kryptonian name.

Clark spoke up, "When Kara took Jason from the shelter they found a box of puppies in an alley. Someone had just tossed them out like garbage. There were six puppies in the box; Lucky was the only one who was still alive. Barely."

"Grandpa Jor El is helping me make him better, Mommy. He says it helps him understand Earth's inhab, inhap, the creatures that live on earth. He says it is important for even him to keep learning."

Lois smiled thinking about an AI rendering aid to a dying puppy while teaching the values of life and learning to her son.

"Grandfather also says that taking care of the puppy will make me a better person."

Lois looked over at Clark, "A shameless plug there, Smallville?"

"There is a lot that can be learned by taking care of a pet, Lois. Patience, understanding, responsibilty, unconditional love…."

"All the traits that I love about you." She smiled as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

Watching her son through a holographic image made her heart ache for him even more that it had. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at his cheerful face, and listened to him tell of all the fantastic things he had learned about and seen. True, he was going to learn more than he could ever dream of learning in a terrestrial school, but somehow she felt that the longer he was kept away the less human he would be. After she told him a bedtime story, and wished him goodnight, she had to remind herself that this was only temporary, and that soon he would be back on Earth with his family — and then she could tuck him in properly.

Behind her the curtains fluttered against the open windows, Clark tensed as someone knocked at the front door.

Okay, guys, you know the routine – reviews help us to be better writers, so please I need all the help I can get.