Chapter 33- Hey, Lang! It's time!
Chloe took a deep breath and walked down the stairs. In the living room Lex, Lana, Pete, and Clark were discussing the Talon.
"I'm losing money. I don't know what else to do," Lana said.
"What have you done so far?" Lex asked.
"Uh, you guys?" Chloe asked quietly.
"Well, we have poetry nights on Thursdays," Lana said.
"Lana?" Chloe tried again.
"Only nobody comes," Pete replied.
"Pete?" Chloe asked.
"Have you tried giving away free stuff? Like if you come to poetry night you get one free drink," Clark suggested.
"Clark?" Chloe asked, her voice still soft.
"That always seems to work," Lex agreed.
"Lex?" Chloe asked a little louder.
"Wouldn't I be losing money by giving away free drinks?" Lana asked.
"Hey, Lang!" Chloe said loudly. Everyone's head snapped in Chloe's direction. "It's time."
"We need to- First- We have to-" Clark said quickly.
"Suitcase. Where did I put the suitcase?" Lana asked, frantically running around.
Everyone started rushing around the room. Only Chloe stayed calm.
"Everyone stop!" Chloe shouted. "Lex, you take me to the hospital. Your car can get me there the fastest."
Lex nodded and grabbed his keys.
"Lan, the suitcase is upstairs in my closet. You and Pete follow in your car," Chloe told Lana.
Lana nodded and raced upstairs.
"Clark. I need you to go home and get your mom. I want her there," Chloe told him. "She already knows that."
Clark nodded and left.
"Lex, let's go," Chloe said, taking his arm.
Lex gently helped Chloe to his Porsche. He shut her door softly and all but ran to his side of the car.
"Lex, we have plenty of time," Chloe assured him.
"Then why did you want to take my car?" Lex asked.
"I figured you'd be the most sane," Chloe said with a laugh. "I guess I was wrong."
Lex laughed nervously, started the car, and peeled out.
"Whoa," Chloe said. Leaning back against the seat she held onto Lex's arm.
"What? What's wrong?" Lex asked.
"Contraction," Chloe explained. "Ouch."
"What can I do?" Lex asked worriedly.
"Try not to scream as I squeeze your arm?" Chloe half-teased.
Lex laughed again. "I can handle that."
"Good," Chloe replied with a smile. "It's okay, Lex. I have hours before Adora is born."
Lex smiled gratefully. ""If you say so. NO blood on the carpeting, please!"
"You have such loving instincts," laughed Chloe.
"I do," Chloe said as they raced into the hospital.
Lex jumped out of the car before it had stopped and raced to Chloe's door. He helped her out and into the hospital. When they got inside Lex walked up to the front desk. "My friends' having a baby!"
Chloe laughed. "I'm Chloe Sullivan, and I'm sure you at least know of Lex Luthor," Chloe said as Lex put his arm around her waist. "I'm in labor, and I need a room, please."
The nurse smiled. "Of course. Pete Ross called in for you. If you'll sit in that wheel chair I'll take you to your room."
"Why does she need a wheel chair?" Lex asked.
Chloe laughed again. "Lex, you're more nervous than I am. It's just so that I don't have to walk."
"Oh," Lex said, obviously relieved.
Chloe took his hand reassuringly as the nurse pushed her down the hall.
Once in the room the nurse handed Chloe a gown. "Change and get in bed and the doctor will be in to see you soon."
"Thank you," Chloe said with a smile before turning to Lex. "Could you leave for just a second so I can change?"
Lex smiled. "I'll be right outside." When he walked out Pete, Martha, Clark, and Lana were rushing toward him.
"Where is she?" Clark asked.
"Changing," Lex explained. "Where's Mr. Kent?"
"He said that he had already been through this once and didn't need to do it again," Martha replied. "I told him he'd only get in the way."
Martha looked at Lana. "Come with me." Martha lightly knocked on the door and opened it only wide enough for her and Lana to slip through.
Chloe had just finished changing. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Martha smiled. "You'll be fine."
"I know. It's just that Lex was so nervous that it made me nervous," Chloe said climbing into bed.
"Can you believe how scared he looks? I've never seen the mighty Lex Luthor that afraid," Lana said and the women burst into laughter.
"Nope, can't say that I have. Although when I played with his head in Metropolis I elicited much the same reaction," Chloe remembered.
"What did you do?" Lana asked.
"Let's just say that when I found out that he knew who I was, I has a little fun," Chloe said cryptically.
"Chloe Sullivan!" Martha exclaimed. "I wish I had been there!"
"Mrs. Kent!" Chloe said in shock.
"You girls are too funny," Martha said. "I think Clark may have a break down if he doesn't see you soon, and that's saying a lot about Clark!"
Chloe laughed. "For someone so strong, he sure can be weak! Send him in."
"What about Pete?" Lana asked.
"Just send in all the Scoobies," Chloe replied waving her hand.
Clark, Pete, and Lex rushed into the room.
"How do you feel?" Clark asked.
Chloe pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. "I feel a might weak," she said in a southern drawl.
Clark looked worried.
"Clark, I'm having a baby. Not dying," Chloe said, her voice returning to normal.
Clark sat on the edge of the bed and took Chloe's hand. Lex sat directly behind Clark and placed his hand on Chloe's knee. Pete moved to the opposite side of the bed and took Chloe's other hand.
"You guys ever heard the phrase 'mother bear?'" Chloe asked with a grin.
The guys looked confused.
Lana decided to explain. "You three look like mother bears protecting their cub!"
"That's what we're here for," Pete said with a smile.
The door opened and a woman walked in. "I'm Doctor Mack. I need to examine you to see how far along you are, so I need everyone to leave except for the father."
Chloe looked down.
"There is no father," Martha explained.
"Oh, excuse me," Doctor Mack apologized.
Chloe looked up. "Don't worry about it. These three are my stand- ins."
"They're very lucky," Doctor Mack said with a smile. "Do you want them in here?"
Chloe looked to Martha. Martha shook her head.
"No. Mrs. Kent and Lana can stay," Chloe said looking at each guy in turn. "Bye you three."
"You can come back in as soon as I am done," Doctor Mack assured them.
Pete leaned over and kissed Chloe's forehead before walking out the door. Clark did the same, followed by Lex.
"They seem to love you," Doctor Mack said.
"Yes, they do," Chloe said with a proud smile.
"What I'm going to do is see how far you're dilated. Then I'll hook up a fetal heart monitor to monitor the baby," Doctor Mack explained.
Chloe nodded as the doctor pulled on gloves.
"You seem to be dilating quite quickly. You're already at five centimeters," Doctor Mack said.
Chloe looked to Martha. "You have to get up to ten centimeters before you're ready to push," Martha explained.
Chloe nodded.
"Do you want medication, or have you decided on a natural birth?" Doctor Mack asked.
"You'll want an epidural, sweetheart. It's very painful without medication," Martha said.
"I want a natural childbirth," Chloe said.
"Are you sure?" the doctor asked.
Chloe nodded. "I've really thought about it."
"Alright," Doctor Mack said. "I'm done for now. I'll come back later to check you again."
"Thank you, Doctor," Chloe said as she left.
Chloe took a deep breath and walked down the stairs. In the living room Lex, Lana, Pete, and Clark were discussing the Talon.
"I'm losing money. I don't know what else to do," Lana said.
"What have you done so far?" Lex asked.
"Uh, you guys?" Chloe asked quietly.
"Well, we have poetry nights on Thursdays," Lana said.
"Lana?" Chloe tried again.
"Only nobody comes," Pete replied.
"Pete?" Chloe asked.
"Have you tried giving away free stuff? Like if you come to poetry night you get one free drink," Clark suggested.
"Clark?" Chloe asked, her voice still soft.
"That always seems to work," Lex agreed.
"Lex?" Chloe asked a little louder.
"Wouldn't I be losing money by giving away free drinks?" Lana asked.
"Hey, Lang!" Chloe said loudly. Everyone's head snapped in Chloe's direction. "It's time."
"We need to- First- We have to-" Clark said quickly.
"Suitcase. Where did I put the suitcase?" Lana asked, frantically running around.
Everyone started rushing around the room. Only Chloe stayed calm.
"Everyone stop!" Chloe shouted. "Lex, you take me to the hospital. Your car can get me there the fastest."
Lex nodded and grabbed his keys.
"Lan, the suitcase is upstairs in my closet. You and Pete follow in your car," Chloe told Lana.
Lana nodded and raced upstairs.
"Clark. I need you to go home and get your mom. I want her there," Chloe told him. "She already knows that."
Clark nodded and left.
"Lex, let's go," Chloe said, taking his arm.
Lex gently helped Chloe to his Porsche. He shut her door softly and all but ran to his side of the car.
"Lex, we have plenty of time," Chloe assured him.
"Then why did you want to take my car?" Lex asked.
"I figured you'd be the most sane," Chloe said with a laugh. "I guess I was wrong."
Lex laughed nervously, started the car, and peeled out.
"Whoa," Chloe said. Leaning back against the seat she held onto Lex's arm.
"What? What's wrong?" Lex asked.
"Contraction," Chloe explained. "Ouch."
"What can I do?" Lex asked worriedly.
"Try not to scream as I squeeze your arm?" Chloe half-teased.
Lex laughed again. "I can handle that."
"Good," Chloe replied with a smile. "It's okay, Lex. I have hours before Adora is born."
Lex smiled gratefully. ""If you say so. NO blood on the carpeting, please!"
"You have such loving instincts," laughed Chloe.
"I do," Chloe said as they raced into the hospital.
Lex jumped out of the car before it had stopped and raced to Chloe's door. He helped her out and into the hospital. When they got inside Lex walked up to the front desk. "My friends' having a baby!"
Chloe laughed. "I'm Chloe Sullivan, and I'm sure you at least know of Lex Luthor," Chloe said as Lex put his arm around her waist. "I'm in labor, and I need a room, please."
The nurse smiled. "Of course. Pete Ross called in for you. If you'll sit in that wheel chair I'll take you to your room."
"Why does she need a wheel chair?" Lex asked.
Chloe laughed again. "Lex, you're more nervous than I am. It's just so that I don't have to walk."
"Oh," Lex said, obviously relieved.
Chloe took his hand reassuringly as the nurse pushed her down the hall.
Once in the room the nurse handed Chloe a gown. "Change and get in bed and the doctor will be in to see you soon."
"Thank you," Chloe said with a smile before turning to Lex. "Could you leave for just a second so I can change?"
Lex smiled. "I'll be right outside." When he walked out Pete, Martha, Clark, and Lana were rushing toward him.
"Where is she?" Clark asked.
"Changing," Lex explained. "Where's Mr. Kent?"
"He said that he had already been through this once and didn't need to do it again," Martha replied. "I told him he'd only get in the way."
Martha looked at Lana. "Come with me." Martha lightly knocked on the door and opened it only wide enough for her and Lana to slip through.
Chloe had just finished changing. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Martha smiled. "You'll be fine."
"I know. It's just that Lex was so nervous that it made me nervous," Chloe said climbing into bed.
"Can you believe how scared he looks? I've never seen the mighty Lex Luthor that afraid," Lana said and the women burst into laughter.
"Nope, can't say that I have. Although when I played with his head in Metropolis I elicited much the same reaction," Chloe remembered.
"What did you do?" Lana asked.
"Let's just say that when I found out that he knew who I was, I has a little fun," Chloe said cryptically.
"Chloe Sullivan!" Martha exclaimed. "I wish I had been there!"
"Mrs. Kent!" Chloe said in shock.
"You girls are too funny," Martha said. "I think Clark may have a break down if he doesn't see you soon, and that's saying a lot about Clark!"
Chloe laughed. "For someone so strong, he sure can be weak! Send him in."
"What about Pete?" Lana asked.
"Just send in all the Scoobies," Chloe replied waving her hand.
Clark, Pete, and Lex rushed into the room.
"How do you feel?" Clark asked.
Chloe pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. "I feel a might weak," she said in a southern drawl.
Clark looked worried.
"Clark, I'm having a baby. Not dying," Chloe said, her voice returning to normal.
Clark sat on the edge of the bed and took Chloe's hand. Lex sat directly behind Clark and placed his hand on Chloe's knee. Pete moved to the opposite side of the bed and took Chloe's other hand.
"You guys ever heard the phrase 'mother bear?'" Chloe asked with a grin.
The guys looked confused.
Lana decided to explain. "You three look like mother bears protecting their cub!"
"That's what we're here for," Pete said with a smile.
The door opened and a woman walked in. "I'm Doctor Mack. I need to examine you to see how far along you are, so I need everyone to leave except for the father."
Chloe looked down.
"There is no father," Martha explained.
"Oh, excuse me," Doctor Mack apologized.
Chloe looked up. "Don't worry about it. These three are my stand- ins."
"They're very lucky," Doctor Mack said with a smile. "Do you want them in here?"
Chloe looked to Martha. Martha shook her head.
"No. Mrs. Kent and Lana can stay," Chloe said looking at each guy in turn. "Bye you three."
"You can come back in as soon as I am done," Doctor Mack assured them.
Pete leaned over and kissed Chloe's forehead before walking out the door. Clark did the same, followed by Lex.
"They seem to love you," Doctor Mack said.
"Yes, they do," Chloe said with a proud smile.
"What I'm going to do is see how far you're dilated. Then I'll hook up a fetal heart monitor to monitor the baby," Doctor Mack explained.
Chloe nodded as the doctor pulled on gloves.
"You seem to be dilating quite quickly. You're already at five centimeters," Doctor Mack said.
Chloe looked to Martha. "You have to get up to ten centimeters before you're ready to push," Martha explained.
Chloe nodded.
"Do you want medication, or have you decided on a natural birth?" Doctor Mack asked.
"You'll want an epidural, sweetheart. It's very painful without medication," Martha said.
"I want a natural childbirth," Chloe said.
"Are you sure?" the doctor asked.
Chloe nodded. "I've really thought about it."
"Alright," Doctor Mack said. "I'm done for now. I'll come back later to check you again."
"Thank you, Doctor," Chloe said as she left.