"Chief, can we have a word with you?"

"Clark! Lois! What in God's name are you two doing here? You're supposed to be on vacation."

"Yes, Chief, we're aware of this." Lois and Clark walked into Perry's office in the middle of the afternoon. As soon as he saw the look on their faces Perry knew something was up.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Perry asked as Clark sat down in the armchair across from his desk. Lois stood behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Well that depends, Chief. How do you feel about giving us some more time off?" Perry studied Clark and then Lois carefully. He didn't like what he saw. Clark appeared to be uncharacteristically tired. His usual sturdy posture was abandoned for a more laid back slump. Perry had hoped against hope that Lois and Clark would get the chance to relax and spend some good quality time together, but apparently they were cursed in the respect. So what was it? Was the government chasing Superman again? Death treats? A kidnapping? As much as he wanted to know he was sure he'd never find out. Too risky.

"Might I ask why?" He replied simply.

"Umm.." Clark began uneasily. Superman, it defiantly had something to do with Superman. And then as if Clark could read his thoughts (did he have that Super power?) he answered Perry's question, "It actually is rather on the personal side of the spectrum. You know that I'm adopted, right? I've told you that before haven't I?"

"I remember you mentioning it a while back."

"Well, Chief.. The thing is.. I, I just found out my birth father is alive and I was kinda hoping.." Lois could sense her husbands fumbling and picked up where he left off.

"He's very sick, Perry. He's in the hospital and nobody knows how much longer he has left. So Clark and I were hoping to spend some time with him before.. I mean if.. Well you know. That's not to say he's going to die. I mean I don't think he's going to die. He seems strong enough to fight it, and the doctors did say that people with family around recover better.." The soft sound of chuckling drifted up to Lois' ears and her checks immediately reddened. "I'm babbling, aren't I?"

Clark just laughed in response. He was glad for the release. His body had been tense all day and it felt good to vent some of that pressure. "Chief," He started addressing Perry again, "If he dies, it would kill me to know that I wasn't there. And if he lives then well, I want to able to get to know him. Start a relationship with him." Surprisingly, the words were a lot easier to voice then Clark had anticipated. The conviction in his voice was striking; even to Perry who released a soft sigh and let an understanding smile spread across his face.

"Clark, you and Lois are the best damn reporters I've ever had the privilege of working with. When I think of all the scandals you've exposed, the enemies you've faced, the puzzles you've unraveled, and I'm awestruck. Now Jimmy had the frame of mind the other day to remind me that that last time you kids have had a vacation was the whole Spencer Spencer mess. So, having said that, I command you two to take the next month off and spend it with your family." Lois and Clark brightened instantly.

"Thank you so much, Chief, you have no idea how much this means to us." Lois said, her eyes growing glossy.

"Hell it's my pleasure. Now go on now! Get the hell out of my office!" Perry commanded in his best I'm-in=charge voice. The gruffness was countered however by his wide grin and merry eyes.

He watched Lane and Kent exit his office and couldn't help but mull over the hidden secrets of their brief exchange. Superman's father was alive and if he was half as strong and stubborn as his son then he no doubt would on his feet in no time. For a brief moment Perry saw the headlines on the front page of the Daily Planet at a distant date: SUPERDAD MEANS BUSINESS! But he immediately scolded himself for thinking such things. This wasn't about headlines, or vacation pay. It was about a kid who's been through more crap then anyone could wave a stick at who was just handed the chance of a lifetime. The chance to put the pieces to the puzzle together. A chance to connect and communicate with a person who was like him.

'However,' Perry thought with a sly grin, 'if he does decide to put on a pair of tights, I'd be grateful to get the exclusive.'

…………………………………………………………………………….....................

Lois and Clark stepped off the elevator at the ground floor of the Daily Planet and just avoided running head first into Jimmy Olsen. His arms were full of various bags from restaurants in the vicinity.

"CK! Lois! What are you guys doin here? Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?" He asked the pair making no attempt to cover up his surprise.

"Why does everyone feel the need to remind us of that? Why doesn't the city just erect a billboard: LANE AND KENT, YOU'RE ON VACATION! And get it over with already!" Lois snapped a bit more forcefully then she'd intended. Jimmy winced, to her dismay and she made her best effort to calm down.

"It's been a rough couple of days, Jim." Clark said while releasing a soft sigh.

"Oh man, I'm sorry. Listen, I'd love to chat but you know how the chief gets when his food is cold. I gotta run! Later!" The last few words were shouted as Jimmy boarded the elevator and the doors shut.

"You okay?" Clark asked his wife, concern spilling from his voice. Lois rubbed at her neck and winced slightly.

"I'm fine." Clark hiked his eyebrow in question. "Really Clark, I'm just, it's just, watching you go through this is taking a lot of me." Before Clark could speak the floodgates opened and in a matter of moments Lois was in full-blown babble mode. "I mean seriously, Clark, in the last day and a half EVERYTHING has changed, well maybe not everything but A LOT! Well really, only one thing has but it's a major thing! And I know it's a happy thing, and it's a good opportunity not only for you, but for us cause now we can learn so much about you and what makes you who you are. I mean we know who you are, but you know. But it's stressful Clark! You're parents and I are worried about you, we love you and we want to help but we're worried, and scared, and tired, and, and, we're all praying for your sake he doesn't die because that would just be cruel." Lois took a haggard breath and slouched her shoulders in exhaustion. When she raised her eyes to meet her husbands she was surprised by what she saw. Instead of his usual rosy cheeks and soft chuckles that immediately fallowed her babble sessions, his eyes were sad and glossy. Lois knew she'd struck a nerve somewhere. Pinpointed a fear that lay deep within him. She took a few steps over to him and wrapped her husband in a loving embrace.

Clark buried his nose deep in the conjunction of her neck and shoulder and Lois thought her heart would break when quiet sobs drifted to her ears. His sharp intakes of breath made his whole body shake as well as Lois'. "It's gonna be okay baby," she whispered reassuringly into his ears, "everything's going to be okay. You've got me and your mom and your dad, and we all love you. We'll get through this, I promise." After a few moments Clark seemed to have gathered his composure and stepped back far enough to look down at his wife. His cheeks were red and a few tears were still making their way from his eyes, but he was smiling.

"I'm getting really sick of doing that you know." Lois giggled and gave Clark a soft kiss on the lips.

"Feel better, Sweetheart?" Lois asked. Clark simply nodded and took Lois' hand. Together they walked out of the Daily Planet and headed home.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………................................

"Hey Chief, why were Lois and CK here?"

"Judas Priest! Does ANYONE EVER knock anymore?"

"I was just bringing you your lunch." Jimmy informed him while motioning to the greasy bag of fast food he held in his hand. "What's with everyone yelling at me today, anyway?"

"I'm sorry, son, I'm just -"

"Stressed. Right, that's exactly what CK said." Jimmy put down the bag of food on Perry's desk and sat in the armchair across from the chief. The same chair Clark had been sitting in only moments ago.

"Clark yelled at you?" Perry asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "That's not like him."

"Actually it was Lois. And that IS like her." Both the men chuckled softly.

"Where did you see them?"

"They were coming off the elevator as I was getting back from the lunch run. They seemed tense. I wonder what's up." It was a good thing Jimmy's attention was focused on his soggy hamburger because had his eyes been shifted upward even a few centimeters he would have seen Perry White in way few people had. Nervous. He shifted in his seat slightly and pretended to find his chicken nuggets fascinating. When it became obvious that the younger man wanted an answer Perry did the only thing he could think of.

"How the hell should I know?" He responded gruffly.

"Okay, this is seriously gonna piss me off. I just asked a damn question, you don't have to blow my head off!" Jimmy snapped and when it appeared that he was going to collect his food and leave the office Perry knew that this wasn't going to be as easy as he first thought.

"It's complicated, that's all Jimmy." He said and motioned Jimmy to sit back down. "It's not my place to say what's going on, because it's really none of my business."

"So you know what's going on?" Jimmy took a bite of his hamburger and sat back down in the chair. He knew he was pushing the Chief for information, and that it might not be a bright idea, but he had to do it. He wasn't stupid. Of all the years he'd spent being a gopher at the Planet he'd developed some keen observation skills. He knew his coworkers and knew them well. Especially the Chief, Lois and CK and he knew something was wrong and that it wasn't story related. If a hot scoop was the thing that had everyone on edge, Lois would have surly snagged him as a recruit in the investigation. But she didn't. She snapped at him instead, which by itself wasn't unusual. But that coupled with CK's disheveled appearance and the bags under Lois' eyes made him suspicious. Not to mention the fact that they should have been in Smallville by now. No, something was wrong, and the chief knew what it was, and as god as him witness he was going to find out.

"Of course I know Jimmy, I just can't tell you."

"Why?" Perry shot Jimmy a look that would have set him on fire had he had super powers. Jimmy swallowed and then cleared his throat. He decided that it was time to change tactics. "What I mean is that I'm worried about them. Lois is a great lady, and CK, well; he's my best bud. If there fighting or something-"

"No Jimmy! It's nothing like that!" Perry said before he realized he had fallen into a well-placed trap. "What I mean is, there's no reason to worry. They're fine."

"Good, cause from the way CK was looking downstairs, I was afraid they were heading for divorce court." Perry just waved his hand in dismissal. "Well Chief, I should head back to work now. You want me to put those reports on CK's desk for when he gets back next week."

"No Jimmy, he's not coming back till next month." Jimmy walked out of the Editor's office and let a huge grin spread across his smooth boyish face. He'd hung out with CK and Lois enough to have a little of their tactics rub off on him. Everything he had learned only reaffirmed his belief that something was seriously wrong. They weren't fighting, and they weren't sick. And yet they'd be out of work for a month. A MONTH?? Lois didn't even take a month off of work when she broke her ankle on the company ski trip! Something big was happening, and Jimmy was determined to uncover it.

Inside the office Perry was also smiling. Jimmy was good, no doubt about it. He went after the information he wanted, and he got it. Perry was sure that had Jimmy not been afraid of losing his job for overstepping his bounds he would have pursued the matter farther. He was glad to be out of the hot seat, however. Sometimes he seriously wondered how Lois managed to keep the secret, and remain at least halfway sane.