Just a note, for all intents and purposes, I'm making a slight change. Clark's Dad, Jonathon Kent, is alive and well in this story. It's not particularly important, but I'm more basing them off the Martha and Jonathon in the TV show Lois and Clark than the widowed Martha shown in the movies. Hope you all don't mind! Onward…
Martha and Jonathon Kent walked up to their farmhouse, laughing together at Bill Jackson's new hairpiece.
"A midlife crisis at it's finest," Jonathon said, before Martha slapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"He's our friend, Jonathon we need to support him!"
"If he asks me one more time about going together on that motorcycle, I'm going to--" Jonathon stopped sharply. "Wait… someone's inside."
Marthafroze and then regained her composure.
"Jonathon it's probably our boy! You worry too much," she said, dismissing him with a wave.
Jonathon followed closely behind, muttering something about the crazies in the world. He opened the door they had left unlocked and placed himself before Martha.
Having Superman for a son was no joke, he thought, sighing. Martha always had the tendency to not fully appreciate that life could be dangerous. Or maybe he just worried too much. Even so, he proceeded with caution. Who knew what could have happened? Some maniac could have discovered Clark's identity… or worse.
There was laughter coming from Clark's bedroom and he sighed in relief as he recognized Clark's even tenor.
"Clark?" He said, dropping his keys on the table.
Clark bounded out from his bedroom before the keys hit the wood. For the life of him he looked like he was 16 years old again and about to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance. He hadn't seen his son look so boyish and young in years.
"Dad!" Clark hugged him and then turned to his mom and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled him into her arms, holding him closely to her. "Clark I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too mom," he grinned at her. "Come on, I have someone I want you to meet."
He grabbed her arm and gently steered her from the room he had just vacated.
Lois Lane was sitting on Clark's bed cross-legged, playing a hand game with a small boy. When she saw Martha and Jonathon, she immediately untangled herself and stood.
"Lois!" Martha said, wondering why on earth she was here. Unless… Had Clark told her? And who was this little boy?
"Hi Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent," she said a little shyly. The little boy stood before her and she nervously smoothed his hair with her hands.
"Oh Lois you know I told you to call us Martha and Jonathon!" Martha moved closer and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in so long; it's good to see you!"
Clark moved between them now, clearing his throat.
"Mom, Dad…" For a moment his heart sped up as he looked around the room. These were the people he loved most in the world. This one room contained all those he held dear to him. He was suddenly overwhelmed with a crazy desire to peer under every cushion and nook and cranny to make sure they were protected. He chalked it up to nervousness and shook his head. "This is Jason."
Jason smiled up at the two new adults. They were very nice looking. And Mr. Clark had called them Mom and Dad. They also obviously knew his mommy. If Mr. Clark and his mommy liked them, than that was good enough for him. He put on his best manners. "Hi," he said simply.
Martha knelt down gave him a hug and Jonathon shook his hand. Jason smiled. They were treating him like the almost six-year-old he was! He puffed out his chest and nodded. "It's very nice to meet you."
"Well it's nice to meet you too, young man!" Jonathon said. He looked at Clark who seemed to be close to bursting.
"Jason is my son," Clark said simply, unable to keep the broad smile from spreading across his face.
Martha stifled a gasp while Jonathon simply stood slack jawed. Lois moved closer to Clark, linking her fingers lightly in his own. She shot him a reassuring smile.
Jonathon recovered first, giving Jason a big smile.
"Well then!"
Jason didn't seem to notice the glances going around over his head. He smiled at the older man, immediately taking a liking to him.
"Have you ever been on a real farm before Jason?" Jonathon said.
Jason shook his head and Jonathongrinned, his eyes sparkling. "Well then, would you like me to show you around?"
Jason beamed. "Yes please!" He remember his mommy a moment later and then looked anxiously at her. "Go ahead sweetie," Lois said softly.
Jonathon and Jason were off, Jonathon quickly becoming enamored with the boy. When they were gone, Lois and Clark faced Martha Kent.
The woman's gaze was indeterminable, but she finally hugged Lois tightly.
"Oh honey, welcome to the family," she said. Lois smiled slightly at this and turned to Clark, who also opened his arms for a hug.
Martha ignored this and looked at Lois. "Lois will you give me a few minutes with Clark? There's some tea out in the kitchen if you want some."
Lois nodded, unlacing her fingers from Clark's. She walked out, glancing over her shoulder briefly to witness a terrified looking Clark. He met her gaze with wide eyes and she wondered what he was worried about. His mother probably just wanted a few moments to privately express her congratulations!
Clark Kent could be so weird.
Meanwhile, Clark Kent was watching sadly as his last bit of salvation walked out the door and into the kitchen. He had recognized that tone in his mother's voice. The last time she had used it she had caught him kissing Lana Lang in the back of the truck. Oh he was in trouble.
As soon as the door shut behind Lois, Martha Kent reached up and grabbed her 6'4 son by the ear. She yanked him down her height and pulled harder when he protested in pain.
"Clark Jonathon Kent! I thought we taught you better morals than that!"
Clark squirmed under her unrelenting grasp on his ear.
"What mom? What?"
"I do not see a marriage band on your finger Clark! You slept with a woman and got her pregnant!" Another tug on his ear. "And I know this is the 21st century and that it was quite possible that you weren't a v--"
Clark groaned and his face flushed a deep red. "Mom… please,"
"You're embarrassed now are you? About me talking about your sex life?"
Heat radiated off his face in waves. "Mom…"
"You left her when she was pregnant, Clark?" Martha asked. For the first time she didn't sound angry, only disappointed. She released his ear.
Clark was aghast.
"No mom, of course not! I didn't know… I would have never left had I known. I've beaten myself up over it a countless amount of times. Please, punish me again," Clark said, his voice wracked with guilt.
Martha immediately gathered her boy in her arms. "Oh Clark." She had to smile over his shoulder. That was her boy. "I understand. I just needed to know you didn't leave her."
Clark almost violently pulled away. "Of course not, mom! I love her more than my own life. I never would have left… had I not thought it was for the best… and never if I had known she was pregnant."
Martha pulled him in her arms again. "He's beautiful, Clark."
At this, Clark beamed again.
"Oh he is, mom! He's so smart and clever and wonderful! Did you know he beat his entire class in math and science? And don't get me started on how good he is at drawing!" He was about to say more before Martha stopped him by gently placing her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes sparkled with a light he hadn't seen in years.
"Oh he sounds wonderful! But I think we should be discussing the favorable qualities of your boy with his mother as well. I believe Lois has probably discovered the tea already," Martha said.
Clark's broad smile at the mention to Jason softened to one of complete and utter surrender and love at Lois' name.
Martha observed this with a smile of her own. Now that she had this straightened up, she could go find her grandson! They pushed open the door and found Lois and Jason sitting at the kitchen table with Jonathon setting down a pot of tea in front of them.
"—And then we saw Kelly the cow, mommy! And Justin the pig and then you know what Mr. Jonathon said to me?"
Lois shook her head.
"He said I could name one of the horses! Sally the horse just had a baby and Mr. Jonathon said he could be mine!"
Clark sighed at this, completely entranced with the scene before him.
"What will you name him, sweetie?" Lois said as she tucked a napkin in his lap.
"Richard."
Lois nearly spit out her tea at the name. Clark gasped slightly and was at the table in a second. Martha and Jonathon looked on at the scene in utter confusion as both Clark and Lois rounded on Jason.
"Y-you want to name him Richard?" Lois said softly.
Jason nodded.
"L-like the name of your Daddy?"
"But his Dad's name is Cla--" Jonathon managed to get out before Martha elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Jonathon fell silent, though nobody at the table even noticed the interruption.
Jason nodded again, his eyes shining brightly with unshed tears.
"Mr. Jonathon told me that I could have him. And I want to call him Richard," Jason said firmly, squaring his small shoulders.
"Of course, sweetie," Lois said, pulling him into a hug. She rested her chin on Jason's small shoulder and her gaze met Clark's.
Clark recognized the faint glimmer in Lois' eyes immediately. She was close to tears. When she let go of Jason, Clark moved in and gave her a hug.
Lois buried her face in his shoulder, calming slightly at Clark's soothing murmurs in her ear.
A moment later she pulled back and gave Clark a watery smile. When she turned back to Jason, all traces of tears were gone, except for a slight red rim around her eyes. Only Clark felt the slight wetness on his shirt where her tears had been stifled.
Martha and Jonathon watched the proceedings in a sort of quiet awe, not quite sure what had transpired.
"Come on, mommy, Mr. Clark, I want you to see Richard," Jason jumped down from his chair and headed toward the door.
Clark and Lois followed wordlessly out, Clark sending a pointed glance to his parents, a silent promise that he'd explain it all later.
When they were gone, Martha laid her head on her husband's shoulder.
"Nothing is ever quite normal around here, is it Jonathon?"
He shook her head soundlessly. It definitely was not.
So there was this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed. I think I'm going to bring the story around to a close very soon. I've already gone far past what I expected too when I mapped out the plot for the first time. This whole chapter was some fast improvising! There's still another chapter to come, though I think it might be the last. You all are amazing reviewers. I've never had such feedback before. You guys are seriously the best I could ever ask or dream for. Thanks for that, I won't forget it.