Author's Notes: I had a lovely time writing this chapter. I was left kind of grinning all the way through. I hope you like it.
Metamorphosis – Chapter 38
Lois and Clark decide to walk to her father's place the rest of the way after their heavy handed discussion. Lois figured it'd be best not to fly in such difficult circumstances. Clark thought she was just being stubborn.
"We're here," announced Lois.
Clark stood rigid behind her, more nervous than he could ever imagine. He was about to meet his son for the first time, but he didn't anticipate just how overwhelming it can be, and he hadn't even met the little guy yet.
"You sure it's not too late?"
"If he's in bed, he's a heavy sleeper." She grins. "I wonder where he gets that from"
Clark smirks appreciatively, the nervous knots in his stomach slowly unraveling.
"Glad to know"
"But if he's awake, he's quite animated"
"I wonder where he gets that from," Clark says with a smile.
Lois gave a low chuckle. Touché.
Lois unlocked the door and went inside; about half-way through, she turned to see Clark still standing outside the doorway. She gave him a reassuring smile and gestures for him to come in. Clark breathes in first before doing as he is told.
Clark took a moment to look around. The apartment is neat, clean and very organized. All the things Lois is not. It must come from her father. Surprisingly though, the furniture had a very homely feel.
A moment later, Clark could hear Lois chuckle and he wonders what was amusing her so he approaches her.
"Hey"
"Shh…" Lois lightly warns with a forefinger on her lips. She points into the bedroom where they can see Lois's father sleeping in a rocking chair, a book over his chest. Lois leans in and whispers by Clark's ears. "Daddy's always wanted a son, and since he's missed practically most of our upbringing, I get the feeling he's trying to make up for lost time"
Clark smiled, albeit weakly yet gratefully. General Sam Lane appears to be a decent man, even if his actions last year was questionable to Clark's eyes. He suddenly feels Lois's hands interlock with his own and he looks up at her surprised.
"Relax," she says. "Cameron's in the crib"
Clark takes a step back. "I don't want to disturb him." He let go of her hand, even when he didn't want to.
Lois understands his reluctance. "All right, why don't you stay here then and I'll see if it's okay, how about that?" she recommends in a soft tone.
Clark nods.
Lois stepped quietly across the room and to Cameron's crib. She looked down and smiled at her baby, his striking green eyes wide and open. He giggled as soon as his mommy came into his line of sight, his little arms rises, trying to reach out to her.
"Hey sweetie, what are you doing awake?" Lois says lovingly, reaching down into the crib and taking him into her arms like a football as Cameron sunk his face against her chest.
She exited Cameron's room and found that Clark stood exactly where she left her with his eyes transfixed on the little bundle of joy she held in her arms.
"Why don't we go to the living room?"
Clark agrees his eyes still on the little baby. He followed her out into the living room where she sat down in a big soft sofa. "Its okay, Clark, he's not afraid of you"
Clark gulped and sat besides her and notices just how small their son really is. He let out a big smile and a hint of astonishment.
"Wow. He's so small," Clark observed.
"I would certainly hope so," Lois says amused. "I don't know if I could handle a teenager right off the bat"
Clark chuckled, reaching out with his fingers as Cameron plays with them with his little own. With the exception of the mother that gave birth to him, he's the most amazing thing he has ever seen.
"See, he likes you already." Lois turns her body towards him. "Would you like to hold him?"
"Oh, I don't know," Clark says fastly, unsure if he knew how. He's had very little experience with children let alone babies.
Lois couldn't help herself; she was amused that Clark, practically the most powerful man in the world, is insecure about holding a baby. Yes, it's his baby but a baby nonetheless.
"You won't hurt him, I promise"
Clark didn't answer for a second until finally letting out a nod.
"Since you're the football stud, this won't be hard. Just hold him like you would a football"
"Okay"
Lois placed Cameron appropriately in Clark's arms and as soon as he did, baby Cameron squealed in delight, apparently, the little one likes having all the attention. He gets that from both his parents.
As Clark held Cameron with his head lay gently against his left forearm; Clark sat marveled at the life he held before him. Cameron has gotten a little attached to his free hand, tapping Clark's fingers with his tiny ones as if trying to decipher what it is.
"I can't believe he's ours"
"I say that every night since the first day I held him"
"He's beautiful, Lois"
"I know"
Clark's eyes begin to glisten, the last time he felt complete happiness were every moment he spent with Lois when they were together. And now, it all started to come back to him in full force, and Clark knew all too well that reality would soon slip in so he held onto that feeling for as long as he could.
Cameron on the other hand didn't seem to be the least bit perturbed at the strange but familiar man's actions, he simply continued to smile and let out tiny giggles. Clark could tell his son is happy too.
"Can I keep holding him till he falls asleep?" Clark pleaded with his baby blues and Lois smiled. He didn't even have to ask.
"You can hold him for as long as you want…" A beat. "At least until he needs changing, so unless you've got another superpower you haven't shared with me yet, we're gonna have to change him"
Clark laughs softly.
"Deal"
Lois picked up her legs off the floor, pulling her knees to her chest as she watched Clark get to know their son. She should never have stayed away from him this long. Three months. Despite how low a number that is, three months is a lot of time to miss out on. Lois knew that better than anybody. She was the product of single parent child homes, so she definitely empathizes.
"Hi Cameron," Clark greets his baby for the first time. "I'm Clark." Cameron let out another giggle and Clark looked at Lois waiting… he wanted to know if he could tell him that he's his father.
Lois nods. Of course he can.
Clark rocked Cameron in his arms. "I'm your dad," he says aloud for the first time. 'Whoa' he thought.
Cameron let out a tiny laugh, it's like he already knew that and he's just teasing the new dad.
"You weren't kidding. He's really animated"
"Told ya"
"My parent's are going to kill me," Clark suddenly realized. Lois rolled her eyes, but Clark elaborates. "First, they're going to accept our son with open arms, and then they're going to kill me"
Lois chuckles at his logic.
"It wasn't entirely all your fault"
"We could've been careful"
"Would you have taken it all back?" Lois asked casually.
Clark looked down on his son. The answer was all there.
"No"
The rest of the night was spent with Clark getting to know Cameron and Lois falling asleep right around midnight. The following morning, Clark still held Cameron softly in his arms awake as his son continued to sleep. He didn't want to let him go just yet when a large clutter of noises started coming from Cameron's bedroom.
"Lois! Call 911! My grandson's MISSING!" the General yelled erratically. He stepped out to the living room with a golf club in his hand when he caught the sight of a stranger holding Cameron. Sam lowers his voice as to not wake the little guy. "All right there, son. Be careful with him. I'm a three-star General with a lot of guns. Put my grandson down now"
"Uh…" Clark swallowed hard and eyes a sleeping Lois besides him. The rear of the couch was facing her father, so he didn't see her there.
"LOIS!" The General yelled quickly towards her room.
"Huh… what?" Lois groaned out of her sleep when she heard the familiar loud calling of her name. She popped her head above the couch and caught the sight of her father holding his 7-iron with a readying swing. "What are you doing?"
The General points next to her. "There's a man next to you and he's holding my grandson"
Lois sighs and spots a nervous looking Clark besides her.
"It's okay dad, this is Clark, Cameron's father"
General Sam Lane kept his club raised and gawked at his eldest daughter with wide-eyes.
"Cameron's father?"
To be continued…