That morning was spent the same as any other morning on a busy farm. After a hearty breakfast there were plenty of chores to be done and everyone did their fair share of the work. After the chickens were fed, eggs collected, stalls cleaned, cows milked the three men gathered their equipment and went fishing. Lois and Martha spent their time thinking up baby names and picking out cute outfits out of catalogues. Lois assured the older woman that she was going to tell Clark about the baby. Martha could barely hold in her excitement.
It would be late in the afternoon before Lois would get her chance. As Jor, Jonathan and Clark appeared at the forests edge Lois came running out to meet them.
"Hey boys, any luck?" She asked not really caring about the answer. Her interest built however when Clark and Jonathan's cheeks pinked at the question.
"I caught a couple of sticks and Clark hooked an old boot." Jonathan replied.
"And I caught THIS!" Jor bragged as he picked up a huge Trout. "I showed these earth boys a thing or two." Lois giggled and soon Jonathan and Clark joined her.
"Would love to stay and chat but I really need to barrow my husband for a while if that's okay." A round of nods and murmurs met her question and soon Clark was handing his equipment to the other two men and Lois was dragging him in the opposite direction.
They were deep into the apple orchard before Clark broke the rushed silence.
"Lois, honey, what's wrong? You seem nervous." Lois' laugh was more of a croaked titter. She stopped and sat underneath one of the many trees in the orchard and beckoned Clark to sit down next to her. He did as he was told.
"I am Clark. I'm very nervous."
"But why? Baby, listen, I know that this was supposed to be our vacation and that we haven't had that much time alone, but baby whatever it is we can fix it." Lois' laugh was stronger this time and Clark felt himself relax at the sound.
"I don't want to fix this, Clark."
"What are you talking about?" Lois smiled as bright as the sun. Her eyes twinkled as she took one of her husband's hands and rested it gently against her abdomen. "Lois..." Clark began, but was quickly interrupted.
"Clark... I've been waiting for two weeks to tell you this and we finally have a quiet moment to relax and be together. All three of us. We're having a baby Clark." Clark felt himself melt. First came tears, and then laughter and then a breathless make out session that quickly escalated into a beautiful lovemaking.
"My god..." Clark murmured when his senses finally cleared.
"What is it, papa?" Lois cooed. A proud smile slid across Clark's face before disappearing behind a grimace of confusion.
"Lois, promise you won't be mad at me."
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I'm absolutely terrified." Clark stated.
"Oh thank god!" Lois let out a long stagnant breath of air and buried her faced in Clark's chest.
"I thought you'd be mad!"
"Are you kidding I'm thrilled!" She lifted her head so that she could gaze into her husband's eyes. "Clark I was so worried that you'd be Mr. Rational-everything's-fine and I'd be the proud mama biting her nails off and crying for no reason. I mean think about it, rapists, murders, bank robbers, crooked politicians, and evil geniuses those people I can handle! That's my comfort zone! This is a baby! A baby, Clark! Our child! Innocent, delicate and sweet! I am WAY out of my league here!" Clark's chest shook violently with erupting laughter and Lois was swept away by the break in tension.
"I'm glad we're on the same page, Princess." Clark sighed. Just as Lois was preparing to initiate another round of lovemaking she heard her cell phone ring from deep within the recesses of the couples piled up clothing. With a groan Lois rolled off of her husband and went searching through the unmentionables strewn about the orchard floor.
Finally she found her phone and put an end to the insistent ringing. She rolled her eyes and groaned loudly and Clark knew instantly who it was. Just as he suspected Ellen Lane's voice soon flooded the air and so the game began.
"Yes mother... I realized that mother... I know but... mother... moth... JESUS CHRIST WOULD YOU LET ME TALK!" She flashed her husband a look that said "Sorry" plain and clear and he shook his hand in dismissal. Slowly Clark got dressed and when he was finished he waited patiently for a moment to cut into the repetitive conversation. "Mother hold on a minute," Lois instructed and then put her hand over the mouthpiece. "Clark I'm sorry, I guess I have to take this call."
"It's okay, honey, I think I'm gonna take a walk and track down my dad and tell him the wonderful news."
"Okay sweetheart, I love you."
"And I love you." As he walked away he could hear his wife continue to argue with her mother. Truth be told he had a lot of thinking to do and could use the time alone.
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Clark found his father at the end of a long wheat field on the right side of the house. Spread wide in front of the older man was a beautiful Kansas sunset, which he seemed to be studying intently. Clark approached slowly, trying not to make any noise as not to disturb the serene picture. He should have known it was a lost cause. For once there was someone else with hearing as crisp as his.
"Beautiful." Jor stated without turning his head. His voice was no louder then a whisper. Clark stood beside him for a moment and allowed himself to gaze at the marvelous canvas of color before him.
"Yes. Beautiful." He echoed after a moment.
"I particularly find the splashes of purple to be quite enchanting. You know, that's the only problem with a red sun, the colors of sunset are quite limited." Clark, lost in his own thoughts could think of no response to the observation so he remained silent. After all, he had no way of knowing what sunset was like on Krypton, or anything else about his home planet for that matter. He shifted his attention to his father and was amazed to feel a single tear slide down his cheek and cling to the outskirts of his lips. He licked the salty droplet away quickly and wondered where it had come from.
He had done a lot of thinking in the last few hours and he'd come to the conclusion that he was hopelessly overwhelmed. Even more startling then this conclusion was the reasons behind it. Lois was pregnant, and by all accounts it was a miracle. For a while, he didn't even think he could have children considering they'd forgotten to use protection on several occasions and nothing ever came of it. But now fatherhood was a close reality. He was ecstatic, honestly, but there was so much left to wonder about. He and Lois both knew that they could read every pregnancy and birth book ever written and still be clueless because this baby was not an average child. This baby was the first of it's kind. Half Human, half Kryptonian. Who knew what kinds of things could be expected from this gestation?
Clark was all too aware of who knew, and that's what was bothering him. Although truth be told, he wasn't sure why. If anybody knew anything about a Kryptonian birth then it was the man standing next to him. How could Clark, after just meeting this man, and just starting to form a bond with him, hand the care of his wife and child over to him? How could he just step back and admit that he really didn't know what he was doing and that this was a job for someone else. That someone else was more qualified? He's Superman for Christ sake!
A nagging little voice in the back of his head told him that he was being way too stubborn and way too harsh for his own good. The fact remained that Jor had done everything in his power to insure that his son had a happy, productive life. Why would he treat his grandchild any different? But that didn't change the way he felt. His mind drew up the memories of the last time he'd felt this way. It was back when his powers had been transferred to Lois and he'd been forced to watch Ultra Woman save the world while Superman hung up his boots and took an unwanted vacation.
So what was he going to do? No doubt Jor-El was a wealth a knowledge that could greatly benefit his entire family. But he was still ashamed. Ashamed to admit he needed help, even if it was from a man who he'd known such a short time but already loved so desperately.
"You know I was thinking," Clark snapped back into reality at the sudden break in silence. Jor's eyes remained fixed on the dying sun and his lips only moved enough to form the words. "As I was standing here, in this place, watching a strange sun set in the sky, I was thinking and I came to a conclusion"
"And what would that be?" Clark questioned.
"That I made the right decision." Clark was about the question his meaning when Jor answered it for him, "I asked myself a good million times a second whether or not I was doing the right thing. In those last final hours my chest was so tight and my mouth was so dry, I just, I couldn't stand it. And then, the worst part was when your mother lowered you into that ship. I though sure I was going to vomit right then and there, all over the launch controls. And now I know I did the right thing."
"What brought you to that conclusion, Beaio?" Clark watched the grin spread across his father's lips and his eyes, Clark thought, were a little glossy.
"I've been watching you. Studying you. Trying to memorize every little mannerism, every trait. You have so much of your mother in you." A few tears trickled for Jor's eyes and he made no effort to hide them. Clark swallowed hard against the lump in his throat but in the end he found himself crying softly. "As I watched you I started to imagine you growing up here, in this beautiful place with these wonderful people and I knew that I had done my duty. I'd made the right decision." He paused and swiped the tears from his eyes, "Clark, I'm ashamed to admit that I couldn't take care of you. That I needed somebody else to teach you all those things that I should have taught you. But I hope you understand that it needed to be done. That I never wanted to leave you, but I had too."
"I know." Clark thought for a moment. The sincerity of his father's words seemed to echo the grief in his earlier thoughts. They gave him the courage to vent his own fears about his own child. "Lois is pregnant, Dad." Clark heard his father's sharp intake of breath but was unprepared for the deep bear hug he was given.
"Congratulations!! That's wonderful ne-" he stopped when he caught wind of his son's confused expression, "it is wonderful news, isn't it, Clark?"
"The best."
"Then why do you look so uneasy?"
"I'm scared. Actually, I'm terrified." A knowing smile spread across Jor-El's face.
"Of course you are! Every father is terrified of his first-born! It's practically a law of nature."
"Yeah," Clark felt his mood lighten, "It's amazing, Lois and I can track down criminals, but an infant has use shakin' in our shoes. You should have seen us when she told me!" Both men dissolved into laughter.
"Do not worry, my boy. I will answer any questions you have regarding this gestation. Although, I must admit, this will be a first for me as well."
"How do you do that?" Clark asked softly.
"How do I do what?"
"How do you always manage to say the exact right thing, at the exact right time?"
"When you spend the better part of a year watching your wife gain weight and cry for no reason. Then when you lay down in bed you rest your head on her abdomen and feel your baby kick in response. Then one day you hold her hand and whisper kind words as she struggles to give birth you'll understand. When you have a child your life is no longer yours, everything is now centered on your baby. It becomes instinct. Do not worry, from what I've seen you're a natural at it. You seem to know actually what your wife needs, when she needs it. And I have no doubt it will be the same with your child." Silence fell upon the scene. Clark was silently kicking himself for his earlier thinking. His father wanted to help him, was offering it willingly. He had nothing to worry about. If they all worked together they would be fine.
"Beaio? Why have you been calling me Clark?" Clark didn't realize he was wondering until the question flowed from his lips. Jor smiled.
"As I told you, I do not wish to change your life, I only wish to be part of it. And besides, if that name is good enough for you, then it is good enough for me."
"Do you mind calling me Kal instead?" Jor was noticeably taken aback with the request. His brow tightened as if he was pondering a deep question.
"Of course not, but do you mind if I ask why?"
"If it's good enough for you and Baunga, then it's good enough for me." Jor smiled wide. He knew what Baunga meant, it was the Kryptonian word for mom, but he didn't know that Kal knew what it meant.
"You've been practicing." Clark nodded excitedly.
Father and son watched the last ambers of daylight die and then turned to head back to the farm. The trip was made in silence. After all, what was left to say?
