Chapter 17: Away From it All
Lois silently groaned as she opened her eyes to glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table to her left. It was well past midnight and again she was unable to sleep. Pressed up against her belly and chest, Jason slept without a care in the world and next to him Lucky was also asleep. The reason for her restlessness was something she kept telling herself didn't really matter. However, she knew deep down in her heart it really did. She kept thinking about Richard and how much he had given up, and then her thoughts would hover over to Superman, and how he had been willing to sacrifice so much to allow Richard to stay so that Jason wouldn't have to endure what he was going through now. What it all boiled down to was that it was all her fault and she remembered a long time ago vowing never to get into this sort of relationship. The truth hurt, and Lois let the tears fall silently down her cheeks, not making a sound. Finally, unable to remain in bed, Lois carefully got up. She stood at the bedside watching Jason for a moment before she walked out of the room. When she arrived at the kitchen she found Clark ready with a cup of coffee, and took the cup from him as he offered it. Without a word she walked over to the kitchen table, past the entry to the living room, and sat down staring at her cup.
Watching the person he loved struggle with such tragedies was difficult for Clark. Before Lois had come down to the kitchen, he had a talk with Bruce Wayne regarding a topic on which they both agreed upon, which was that as long as they were in their line of work, family was not an option. One night had changed all of that for him, and Clark would never regret it, and hoped that Lois didn't either. He watched as she sat down at the table and could tell she was hurting. "Is my bed okay for you?" he asked, as he walked over to the table and took a seat just to her right.
Lois looked up as he sat down and offered him a smile. "Oh, it's comfortable, well as comfortable as I can be with Jason snuggled up by my side," she said. She sipped on the coffee and sighed shutting her eyes. Almost immediately she felt his hand take hers and had to fight back the tears that seemed always to be threatening to fall. "I don't know why I can't get a handle on this," she admitted, still keeping her eyes shut.
All he wanted to do was hold her and take away her pain. He finally voiced something he had been ruminating about. "Lois, I have been thinking…why don't we go somewhere, just the three of us? May be some beach, where Jason could play in the sun, where we could relax," he said, hoping that would appeal to her.
As good as that offer sounded, she knew that eventually they would have to head back to work. Even though Perry told her to take off as much time as she wanted, and she certainly had enough savings to do that, she thought getting back into life would be a good dose of reality. "I was just thinking about heading back to work in a few days after the weekend," she said as she opened her eyes to look at him.
Even though Lois said those words, Clark was certain she wasn't ready for it, but he also knew that he had to let her figure that out on her own. "When do you think we should send Jason back to school?" he asked, keeping on track with what she wanted.
"Monday should be alright. I think getting back into life is what we both need," she said, and oddly enough she began to feel better. She finished her coffee, and stood up giving Clark a confident smile even though she didn't really feel it.
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Monday arrived and while Lois seemed to be ready to go back to work, Jason was not happy with her decision to make him return to school. As she stood in the bathroom putting her makeup on, Jason was sitting on the toilet seat not far from her, still in his pajamas. "I still miss daddy," he said, sadly.
Lois put her makeup brush down and turning to her left kneeled down in front of her baby. "I know you do munchkin. I miss him too, but he wouldn't want us to stop what we always do, and it's important for us to keep working and learning," she said, trying to convince herself more than him that it was the right course of action. "Now go ahead and get dressed, okay?" she asked. She watched as his frown deepened and sighed as he shuffled out of the bathroom.
In the kitchen, Clark had fresh squeezed orange juice ready for Lois and Jason's rice cereal already at the table. He had just put on a pot of coffee when his little boy walked into the kitchen still in his pajamas, wearing a very sad expression on his face. When Clark knelt down, Jason came willingly into his arms.
"Mommy says it's time to go back to school but I hurt still," he said, as he felt his father's strong arms hold him closer.
"I know buddy, but I think she is right," he said, willing to go with her choice. Lois had been a parent far longer than he had been and he was sure she would know when Jason was ready to face the world again. "Come on, I'll help you get dressed," he said, as he stood up and headed back to his old room.
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Since they were late, Lois walked Jason into the school, leaving Clark waiting outside in the car. She felt his hand tighten around her own and winced at the pain his hold was causing her. When they arrived at his class room, his teacher greeted them, and Jason did something he had never done - he clung to her skirt and began to cry. Realizing that they needed a moment to themselves his teacher shut the door to the classroom, and once she was gone, Lois knelt down and gathered her baby in her arms. "Jason, you will be all right," she said feeling her own hands tremble.
"My heart hurts mommy. I want to stay with you and daddy, please don't make me go today," he said through his soft cries.
Lois was starting to lose the little bit of confidence she had gained this morning and was grateful when Mrs. Grace arrived. The young teacher managed to calm Jason down and asked him if he wanted to go to the teachers lounge and have a cup of ice-cream before he went to class. That worked like a charm and after they were gone, Lois walked out to the car and she and Clark headed on their way to the planet.
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The moment she stepped into the bullpen of The Planet, Lois felt her knees go weak. All of her confidence drained out of her and as she turned rapidly around to leave, she nearly bumped into Clark who had stopped off to talk to Jimmy.
Clark saw the frightful look in her eyes and took her hand. They made it to the elevator and when the doors shut, she crumbled against him. "Shhh, we'll figure this out," he said, as he held her in his arms.
"I made Jason go to school, and he wasn't ready for it," she said, trying to stop crying.
"We'll go get him too and then we are getting away for a while," Clark said in a very matter of fact manner.
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In a dimly lit basement among all sorts of bottles and vials, Max sat on a chair deep in thought. He now knew why Lex Luthor had hired him, and he was having issues with what his boss wanted him to do. It was one thing dealing with a grown man who flew around in a cape and tights; it was another to harm an innocent child who had yet to do anything really wrong. He knew as a geneticist what the strain would do to the boy's system, and he knew that no one would ever know what had happened. Even though there was Kryptonite mixed into the formula, even superman wouldn't know what had hit the boy. There was no known cure for this, well, Max thought, there was one way but by the time they figured it out, the boy would be dead.
"You have a problem with what you are doing?" he heard Lex say. Max sat up straight.
"No, I agree that this kid can't grow into a man. What good would it do to have two of them flying around?" he said, in his most confident tone and was relieved when his boss left him with a smile on his face. Already the inhalers were being switched out at Metropolis Pediatric Clinic, and he knew it was a matter of days or weeks before it would all begin.
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While Lois and Jason slept in his bed, Clark made a call to someone he had not expected to. Bruce Wayne answered the phone and Clark told him about Lois and Jason, and asked him if he knew any place private enough for them to get away, and which would also allow for him to keep Superman's secret, should that be needed. Bruce was a man of unlimited resources, and after a moment of silence, he told Clark he had one place in mind. Clark was informed to leave the travel arrangements and everything else up to him. Before Clark even had the time to thank him, Bruce hung up.
While Clark waited for Bruce to call him back, he heard a cry for help. Shutting his eyes, Clark tuned his hearing in. The situation was something that the local law enforcement in a city in Ohio called Columbus could handle without his help, and as he opened his eyes, he knew that this would be the way of things from here on out. Clark had an obligation to the world, and he remembered his father's warnings about interfering with human history, but now Jason was here, and both he and Lois needed him more.
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The distant ring of a telephone woke Lois from her nap, and as she opened her eyes she looked into the face of her sleeping son. Jason was her miracle, and even though his beginning had been one trial after another, she would not trade in her time with him for anything in the world. Lois leaned in and kissed Jason's soft cheeks without waking him.
When they had arrived at the school he had been in the throws of an asthma attack, but it had been a minor one, and he only had to use his inhaler once before his breathing returned to normal. By the time they arrived back at the house, Jason had fallen asleep in the back seat, and hadn't even stirred when Clark brought him inside.
His sleeping so much concerned Lois, but the last call she made to the Pediatrician a few days ago had assured her that due to the emotional stress he had been under in combination with his health was the cause of his sleepy nature. Silently Lois slipped out of the bed and as she started out of the room, Lucky jumped off the bed and went with her.
In the family room, Lois found Clark seated in his easy chair with the phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear as he wrote something down on a pad of paper. She had on one of his shirts, and a pair of sweatpants and was curious about what he was doing. As she was about to ask Lucky whimpered at the back door, so Lois headed into the kitchen to let her outside. One thing she liked most about the house was the fenced in backyard, allowing the dog to have free run without her getting into any trouble. As soon as Lucky was away from the door Lois pulled it shut and brought her arms around her front shuddering. It was still really cold out there, and while wearing a t-shirt inside was comfortable, standing in front of an open door with the cold wind blowing in was not. Lois watched out the window as Lucky sniffed around, and then she found herself wrapped in his arms with her back pressed up against his chest. "So are you trying to get one up on me at work?" she asked, teasing him.
"Hmm maybe," he said, as she shook her head. "That was Bruce Wayne, he has arranged for us to go someplace nice for a couple of weeks," he said. As he finished he felt her tense up and when she turned around he could tell she didn't like the idea of being away for that long.
"Clark we have jobs, and not to mention a son who needs to get back to school," she said in protest, but could see the resolute look in his eyes, something she was not used to seeing from him.
"Perry agreed that you need more time away, and being here isn't helping either you or Jason. Both of you need time to heal from this, and this needs to happen," he said, feeling strongly about this. It wasn't in his nature to make demands, and if she argued long enough he would be willing to cut back on the time, but not all of it.
Under any other circumstance, his planning something without her knowledge would have put her off, but as he said that last part her heart grew heavy again, and she realized that he was right. Metropolis was where she and Richard had spent five years together, where Jason had been born, and it was a city filled with too many memories, all too painful to deal with just now. "I guess you win this one," she said, and as he gathered her into his arms she let the tears fall.
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Very early the next morning even before the sun was even hinting at making an appearance, Clark, Lois, Jason, and Lucky got into a very fancy stretch Limo. Jason had been worried about leaving until he realized what was happening, and now as they made their way to the airport, he was enjoying his time by eating a pop-tart, while watching his favorite Cartoons on TV.
Across from Jason, Lois sat next to Clark wearing a long coat over the khaki slacks and warm sweater she had on underneath. "So I thought you and Mr. Wayne weren't fans of one another," she said, finally too curious to let this go.
Next to Lois, Clark had been watching Jason, enjoying himself already. When he heard Lois's question he turned to face her. "We don't dislike one another, and as much as I want to tell you why we have our differences, I can't. I called him to ask him where we could go that would be private enough for me to get away in case I was needed and he said to leave it to him. All I can guess is that he remembers what it was like to lose his parents, and maybe in some way he is doing this for Jason," he said, still amazed by Bruce's very generous gesture.
The Limo pulled past the main part of the airport and went around to a private terminal, and even Clark was surprised when he realized that they were going to use Bruce's Private Jet. Bruce told him where they were going, but he hadn't thought about how they would get there, and Clark realized he had underestimated his partner in the crime fighting business. As dark and as stubborn as Bruce sometimes was, it appeared that he had a soft spot for kids, or maybe for something he himself was not ready to allow.
"Wow, daddy, mommy look is that what we are going to fly on?" Jason asked, as the car pulled up close to the jet.
"I think so, put Lucky in her crate," Lois said, stunned by what she was witnessing. When the driver opened the door, Lois apologized for having Lucky in the limo, because she had slobbered on the seats but the older gentleman told her not to worry. Stepping outside was like stepping into an ice box, and as Jason got out she picked him up and held him close. Clark was helping the pilots with their things, so she took Jason up to the plane and began to climb the steps.
Inside the plane was warm, and very elegant. On the far wall near the back were a set of four seats, two facing the front of the plane and two facing the back with an oak coffee table between them. Another set of seats was on the wall opposite the first set of chairs, and then closer to the front was a set of two chairs facing a monitor. Another oak coffee table was in front of that set, and as Lois put Jason down, her little boy just stood there amazed by what he was seeing.
"Mommy is this our plane?" he asked, as he finally turned around to face her.
Lois knelt down and started to unzip his winter coat. Underneath he had on a pair of warm fuzzy pajamas, and looking into his blue eyes Lois could tell he was still tired. "No baby, this belongs to a very nice man that your daddy knows, Mr. Wayne," she said. As Jason went to explore Lois stood up and removed her coat looking for a place to hang both coats when a beautiful Asian woman stepped onto the plane wearing a sort of uniform.
"Let me take those for you, Miss. Lane," she said.
Lois was surprised she knew her name and at the same time worried. She thought about Lex Luthor still being on the loose and looked back at Jason who was trying out each of the seats. As she was about to go and find Clark, she felt his strong hand on her shoulder. "Clark, she knows who I am, can she be trusted?" Lois said, suddenly feeling very unsure of being here.
"Lois, Bruce himself has assured me that everyone flying with us is in his service and he has as much to protect as we do," he said.
"How do you know that?" she asked still worried. She watched as he stood back taking his own long coat off and after the Stewardess was away she let him lead her to the seats in the back of the plane. When he sat down she sat next to him, waiting.
"I know because he has a secret like I do. What do you know about Gotham's savior?" he asked, knowing that she would figure it out. He had talked to Bruce before boarding the plane and voiced his concerns about Lois's worries and he had agreed that Lois could know his secret. Clark watched as she thought about it and saw her eyes grow big, nodding his head as she realized what he was getting at. "He wouldn't hire anyone who would hurt him or his secret and the same goes for us," he said.
Before she could say anymore, Jason ran to them and told them that the pilot had let him sit in the cockpit. "They have all sorts of instruments, lots more than daddy's sea plane." As soon as his words were spoken Jason realized what he had said and all the excitement he had been feeling this morning drained away, replaced by the sadness which had wrapped around his little heart.
Lois gathered him into her arms and held him as he began to cry. "It's okay to talk about daddy," she said, as he clung to her.
While she comforted Jason, the pilot came to the back, but stopped short. Clark got up and went to him, and was informed that they were ready for take off. He gave the go ahead and sat back down next to Lois as he pulled his seatbelt over his lap. Lois had her own seatbelt on, and he knew they should get Jason buckled in but right now he was too upset.
The engines on the plane revved up and Jason lifted his head away from his mother's shoulder, again feeling excited. "I want to see out the window," he said, in a soft sad voice. In a moment he was on his father's lap and his tears were wiped away. They rolled several yards onto the private runway and then the engines roared to life, though inside the sound was not very loud. The plane moved forward and soon it lifted off the ground. Jason once again wore a smile on his face, seeming to have forgotten his sadness as they made their way toward the clouds.
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Nearly the whole trip, Lois kept asking Clark where they were going but he refused to tell her. They were an hour away from landing, but they were too high in the sky for her to see anything. After their hour warning, Clark brought her a duffle and when she pulled out a pair of shorts and a soft cotton shirt she tried again to get him to tell her. "I can still be surprised when we land," she said, feeling as kiddy as she had as a kid when it was Christmas. Despite how hard the General had been on her and her sister, he had never denied them anything during Christmas.
"I suggest you get dressed, it's going to be a little warm for that outfit," he said, before he left for one of the small bathrooms. He was enjoying keeping the secret from her, for once having that at his hands and hoped the surprises would keep coming.
Once he had gone, Lois dug into the bag and found Jason's outfit. Her little boy had fallen asleep an hour after take off and was still asleep in his pajamas. Silently Lois knelt down next to him wondering why it was still dark outside. She knew she should use her knowledge on Geography and time zones to figure out where they were headed but her brain had turned to mush lately. "Jason, wake up munchkin," Lois said, as she kissed his cheeks.
His mom's kisses woke him up and for a moment Jason was disoriented, and then the little boy remembered that they were going someplace and he sat up. "Are we there?"
His excitement was tangible, and Lois smiled at him. "No, but we will be soon, we need to get dressed," she said, as she took his hand and led him into the other bathroom. Inside Lois was amazed at how large it really was. She got Jason dressed first pulling a colorful yellow shirt over his head and then helped him put on a pair of tan shorts. The last thing he put on by himself was his sandals, and when he was finished Lois let him go back out into the cabin, so she could get dressed.
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The plane landed at a small airstrip on an island just off the coast of Italy. The Island's name was La Costa Verde, Sardinia Island, and when the family of three including Lucky stepped off the plane the bright rays of the sun greeted them.
Jason looked around at the buildings all around them and frowned. "This doesn't look like much fun," he said, looking up at his daddy.
Clark knew they were pretty much in the middle of the Island, and had faith in Bruce's plans. "Well this is just the airport," he said, as he reached out to take Jason's small hand.
They got into another limo, one that was a little smaller than the one they had used in Metropolis, but not by much. This time Lois made Jason keep his puppy in her crate, and he pouted until they went on their way. They drove through several villages and then they found themselves on a road going down the coast.
"Mommy, look at the ocean," Jason said, wanting to jump out of the car and play.
Lois couldn't keep her eyes from the window, the view of the sea was breath taking, and nearly an hour later they arrived at a private Villa. "Oh, Clark," she said, as she looked out the window. She didn't have much time to look because Jason had already gotten out of his booster seat and was trying to get the door open.
With one strong hand, Clark reached out and gently tugged Jason toward him. "Hold on there kiddo, we have two weeks to spend here," he said, as Jason tried to squirm away.
Finally the driver opened the door and Jason was dismayed when his daddy held on to him. Their villa was on a small rise of land, and there was a path leading down to the beach which Jason tried to pull his dad toward but he soon found that he wasn't going to win.
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Much later than he would have liked, and after having to take another nap, Jason was finally leading the way down to their own private beach. A few other families who lived on the island shared the beach, but only about three families in all, and when they arrived they were the only people there.
"Jason, you wait for your daddy and me," Lois called out as he and Lucky ran for the water. It was just a little before lunch, and in her left hand was a picnic basket, which Lois nearly dropped when Jason ran right into the water. Clark let go of her hand and she wondered if he had used super speed because an instant later he had Jason tucked under one arm while Lucky followed them. When they reached her side, Jason was put down in front of her looking angry. "Jason, you have to be careful baby, the ocean is a big place," she said, knowing he was excited.
"I wasn't going to go far, mommy," he said, sticking his bottom lip out.
Lois knew the look in his eyes and knew she had herself to blame for it. "Be that as it may, I told you to wait for me and I know you heard me didn't you?" she asked, as Clark took the blanket from her.
Jason crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked down at his feet. He was ready to have fun and already his mommy was being mean. Jason loved his mommy but sometimes he wondered if she forgot what it was like to have fun and be a kid. "Yes," he finally said, knowing that she wanted his answer.
This was supposed to be a day of fun, and Lois sighed. "Okay, now let's get something to eat so we can go try out that water," she said, deciding not to punish him this time. When he looked up at her he had a smile going from one cheek to the other and Lois reached out and tousled his hair, and then the two of them joined Clark on the large blanket he had spread out and started in on the wonderful food Marie, the woman who took care of the Villa, had fixed for them.
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By the time the family of three headed for the villa, the sun was starting to set. Jason had made friends with all of the children who lived on the Island and did not want to go back. As Lois packed up their things she heard him scream and looked behind her as Clark tossed him in the air. When Clark put him down Jason tried to get away but failed as he was lifted back in the air and placed on his dad's shoulders. Lois had to pull her gaze away from the two, not because of Jason, but because of Clark. All he had on was a pair of yellow and blue swim trunks and looking at him brought out desires that Lois had worked hard to bury. When they two of them reached her side Jason was sniffing. "Oh sweetheart, we will be back tomorrow," she said, hating to see him sad.
"I just wanted to play with Benito and Dante a little longer," he said, as he scrubbed at his eyes. As his daddy lifted him over his head to put him down, Jason hung on. "I don't want to walk," he said, through a yawn.
Clark turned Jason around and smiled as his little boy rested his left cheek against his left shoulder. Once Jason was settled, and Lucky was on her leash, the family of three headed up to the Villa. On the way Lois reached out and took Clark's free hand, and he hoped that they would be able to go back to the beach once Jason was in bed.
Back at the Villa, they had another wonderful meal, and Marie had even made a special plate for Jason; instead of giving him pasta, she had cut up broiled chicken and broccoli, pouring her hearty meat sauce over that and topped it with Goat Cheese.
Now in the smallest of the bedrooms, Jason was nearly asleep on his feet as his mom got him dressed in his summer pajamas. He yawned as she pulled the light blue top over his head and let her help him get his arms into the sleeves. "Did daddy really have to go away?" he said referring to Superman who had left them just moments ago.
Lois helped Jason into his short pajama bottoms and when she was done she picked him up finding an old Victorian rocking chair, next to which stood a small table with children's books laid out. Lois held Jason against her left hip, and as she looked at the books, she picked out a worn copy of one titled "The Adventures of Pinocchio". As she sat down, Lois settled Jason on her lap and opened the book.
"That's a Disney movie," Jason said, wondering what this was doing in Italy.
Lois could tell that it was not. "I think perhaps Disney got the idea from this, but this book was written a long time before that movie came out," she said, as she turned to the first page. It had been a long time since Jason had let her hold him like this and rock him, because he was a big boy after all. The book was written in English, or translated into English, and as she read, Jason kept up with keeping the pages turned. They got to the sixth page in the thirty page book when Jason's hand slipped away, and Lois realized he was asleep. It was only 7pm, but they had all had a long day, and especially Jason. Carefully Lois shut the book and set it on the table and as she was trying to figure out the best way to get out of the chair, Clark walked into the small room and came to her aid.
Something that had amazed Lois since Clark had come into their lives was how natural and comfortable he was taking care of their son. She stayed where she was watching as he knelt by the bed laying Jason down on the soft mattress. Jason's little room was furnished with the chair she was sitting in, which was under a small window, and the table of books. Across from her was his bed, and a bedside table with a delicate small lamp on it. The floor was covered in white tile, but in the middle of the room there was a sea blue Oriental rug with designs that looked like stars and moons but she couldn't be sure.
Sure that Jason was safe and would stay sleep; Clark stood up and turned around going over to Lois. He held out his hand and when she took it, he helped her out of the chair. For a moment they stayed where they were, both of their eyes locked on one another. Before he could do something he knew she wasn't ready for, he led her out of Jason's room and left the door opened only a small amount.
When he helped her out of the chair, Lois had hoped he would kiss her and when he turned to lead them out of the room, she felt her heart thud painfully in her chest. They went down the small hall and came out in the large family room. The room had an arched ceiling with fans circling around to draw in the cool night air. As with the rest of the Villa, the floors were tiled, made with dark-hued marble, and as they walked through the room, Lois kept her hand in his. When they walked out on the balcony just off the huge room she found her breath taken away. They had a view of the Mediterranean Sea and of the setting sun. It was the most perfect view she had ever seen, and when Clark wrapped his arm around her, Lois leaned against him. "We owe Mr. Wayne something for this," she said, in all seriousness.
"I do, and I will see him when we return," he said, as he led her over to a wicker love seat. He sat down first and when she sat down to his right, he gently pulled her against him holding her left hand with his right.
For a long time they stayed where they were, watching the sun setting, and the different colors that were painted in the sky as a result.
"Would you like to go out on the beach before I leave for the evening?" Marie asked, as she came out onto the balcony. "Mr. Wayne told me about your little boy, I have two of my own, and I thought maybe you would want a bit of time for yourselves," she said.
This time Lois trusted him when he accepted Marie's offer, and a few minutes later they were on the beach. Lois had taken her sandals off and left them at the path, and she realized then that Clark had walked down the stony path barefooted. Now the two of them walked hand in hand at the edge of the ocean, their feet getting wet as the tide would come in. "I think the Planet needs to invest in a building here," Lois said, as she leaned her head against his side after they walked a ways from their path. They had stopped to look out at the night sky which was already dotted with thousands of stars.
Being here with Lois was nothing he could have imagined for himself and Clark was indebted to Bruce for what he had done. "Hmm, I somehow think that anyone trying to find work there would lose out over spending time on the beach," he said. He felt Lois turn in his arms and when he looked down at her eyes he could see the desire there. He reached out and put his hand on her cheek and then slowly he lowered his head until their lips met in a fiery kiss.
Lois stood on her tiptoes pulling his head down further to deepen the kiss and then she found her feet lifted off the ground. She ran her fingers through his hair, as she felt his hands working to pull her shirt out of her tan slacks. His tongue filled her mouth and Lois felt her head spin as at the same times his hands found the flesh on her stomach, and worked their way further up her chest.
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Lucky's wining had woken Jason from his sleep, and after remembering where he was, he put her leash on and the two of them walked out into the main room. He heard humming coming from the kitchen and all he could think about was going to see Benito and Dante again. It was very easy to get out of the villa, and Jason even made it down the path telling Lucky to be very quiet. He knew that his daddy had super hearing, and he hoped that maybe his parents were sleeping. When he got to the beach it was dark, but the light from the full moon let him see what he needed He turned right, the opposite direction of where his parents were having some adult time, and silently walked down the beach toward the other villas. What Jason didn't see in front of him was the bodies of two jelly fish that had washed up, but ahead of him Lucky stopped.
"What are you doing?" He asked, and then he noticed something shimmering on the ground. Jason knelt down and picked one up finding strings hanging off of it. Lucky sniffed one and yelped backing away as Jason held his up higher to look.
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His mouth worked its way down her jaw to her neck and Lois threw her head back as he began to suck at the hollow of her throat. Then suddenly his mouth left her and when she looked at him he was listening for something.
Superman heard something and now he listened again. He heard Lucky yelp, and knew she wasn't far from where they were. "Jason," he said, as he gently let Lois go. He had on his slacks and as he ran he buttoned them up.
The stringy things were really strange and without any thought Jason reached out and grabbed them. Suddenly his whole hand felt like it was on fire and as he dropped the shiny thing and began to scream as the strings slid down his leg.
Lois had gotten her shirt back on when she heard Jason's screams and ran as fast as she could until she arrived at Superman's side. Jason was cradled in his arms, still screaming, and her eyes fell on the two jelly fish. "Oh God, he's allergic to bee stings, and I would imagine this too," she said, not sure if that was the same or not. She picked Lucky up and followed Clark back up to the house holding his shirt as well as the puppy.
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Marie knew what to do for the stings and had made up a paste using some herbs and other remedies she knew about. Jason's hand was beet red and swollen and he was still crying as Lois held him while Marie put her paste on his leg. He was taking a nebulizer treatment as Marie tended to his legs and as she finished he was starting to calm down. They had left the nebulizer at home and Superman had flown all the way there and back in less than ten minutes.
"Now that should start to feel better Jason, but you must remember to watch for those animals from the sea, not all of them are nice," Marie said, as she gathered up her things. "I will leave this with you, if he still hurts in the morning, apply it as I have, it should be better by then," she said, and then she took her leave for the night.
Jason had stopped crying but didn't like how his hand felt with the paste on it and the wrapping Marie had put on it along with his leg. "This is icky," he said, as his daddy quit pacing and came over to them.
Clark was beside himself about Jason's foray and had managed to get rid of the anger he felt at his son's reckless behavior. "What you did was very dangerous," he said, in a stern voice.
Jason looked at his daddy and could tell he wasn't happy. "I just wanted to see Benito and Dante, and I won't ever touch that bad thing again, never," he said, trying to defend his actions.
Lois could tell Clark was feeling the same thing she was. "Well because of that there won't be any beach for you tomorrow, you will have to stay here," she said.
Jason's eyes filled with tears. "No, I said I was sorry." He began to cry again as his mommy took the oxygen mask off of his face.
When Clark reached for Jason, she let him take their son and stood up from the rocking chair. She hated making him cry but she also wasn't willing to let the rules go simply because they were on vacation.
As Clark sat down on the edge of the bed, he gently rocked his little boy. Jason clung to him, and was genuinely upset.
"I won't do it again," he said, as he continued to cry.
"I know you won't, but your mommy is right, you are going to have to stay here." Jason cried himself to sleep and Clark didn't put him down until he had settled down. After pulling the blue spread over his little boy, Clark walked down the hall and found the light on in the room Lois was using. "Do you want to talk?"
Lois was already in bed thinking about what could have happened to Jason. It wasn't Marie's fault that he had gotten away; the older woman just didn't realize how sneaky her son could be. "I think so," she said, thinking about what had happened between the two of them. When Clark entered the room he was still without his shirt and Lois shut her eyes. "Do you think I would be betraying Richard if you stayed in here with me tonight?" Lois didn't want to be alone, and had already felt the old pain coming back to haunt her while Clark took care of Jason.
It was obvious to anyone who loved her that Lois was hurting and Clark walked over to her side of the bed and knelt down much as he had done for Jason earlier. "I don't think Richard would want you to spend the rest of your life alone, and I'm not planning on going anywhere for the moment, I just need to get cleaned up," he said. Before he stood up, he leaned in and gave her gentle kiss on her lips and then he left for his room to get a shower and to change into something a bit more comfortable.
As he left Lois shuddered and pulled the sheets against her chest. The love she was feeling for him had returned in full force on the beach and she didn't know how she was going to survive when this trip was over. Lois knew she and Jason couldn't camp out at his house forever and she wondered if they should get married here, but she wasn't sure if that would be too soon, and then she felt the pain swallowing her again. As she shut her eyes to hold back the tears she felt the bed shift a moment before she was in his strong arms. "I'm so tired of this," she said, as she rested her cheek against his chest. Lois had on a silk nightgown and sighed as he gathered her closer to him.
"My father died while I was still in high school. I had been left at the playing field to pick up the foot ball gear and the cheerleaders things as well. After everyone left it took me less than a minute to do, and then I ran home and arrived just as Brad and his crew pulled up beside me. My pop caught wind of my comments to their questions about how I had gotten there so fast and told me that I wasn't put here to win at their games. We raced back to the farm house and I pushed him to run. He collapsed just short of the house and that was the last time I saw him alive," he said, as he cleared his throat still finding it hard to discuss.
Lois realized that he knew the sort of pain she was feeling and could tell that it still hurt him. As he spoke she began to get a glimpse of the life he had led before he found out he was Superman, and something surfaced from the back of her mind as he finished with his journey to the fortress.
"Your Kryptonian parents named you Kal-El," she said, as a statement of fact rather than a question.
"You remembered," he said, as she lifted her head from his chest to look at him. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I remembered it all at once that time you kissed me but bits and peaces come to me in more detail at certain times. I think that's why I gave Jason Kyle for his middle name. I always liked Jason for a boys name but one night while he was still at the hospital, while I was rocking him, that name just came to me," she said, as they shared a brief kiss.
Clark was able to stay with her the full night and then a volcano eruption called him away right before the sun was starting to rise.
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Two weeks passed by way too fast for everyone, and on their last day on the beach, Jason built a sandcastle with Benito, Dante and a few other children, while Lois sat with Clark on a soft blanket. She didn't want to go home, but she knew it was time. As much fun as they had these past two weeks, it was time to rejoin the living, but her heart was aching all the same.
Beside her, Clark knew that she was worried, and he had been doing a lot of thinking these past two weeks. He wasn't ready to let either of them go back to living by themselves, but he also worried that Lois wasn't ready for any sort of commitment. Finally he decided to talk about it. "Lois, do you and Jason want to continue to live with me?"
His words drew her out of thought and she turned to face him. For the past two weeks they had shared a bed, not making love, not in the full sense, and that was part of what she was dreading, having to sleep alone again. With Clark she felt whole and as much guilt as she felt about thinking this way she felt more complete with him than she had with Richard. "I think maybe it would be best," and then she stopped and turned away not sure what she should say to that.
Clark reached out and gathered her into his arms. "I was just thinking how nice this has been, I've enjoyed being able to help take care of Jason, and I love being with you," he said, not afraid to admit his feelings. He had not shed his duties as the Savior of the world, but Lois no longer seemed to be upset when he did have to go. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would like it if you two stayed with me from now on," he said.
Lois thought about what her parents would think and then pushed it aside, since when had their thoughts ever controlled any decisions she made. "Well if you're sure you want us then I guess maybe we could stay," she said. There was no pressure from him to do any more than what they had and she loved that about him. With that settled they headed out toward Jason and all three of them took a swim in the ocean.
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Around 6pm that evening the limo arrived to take them to the airport. Jason was upset about having to leave and was hugging Marie goodbye as his parents got things in the car. "I'll miss Benito," he said, sadly.
"Oh I think he will miss you too, but I have your address in Metropolis so he will write to you," she said, loving this sweet little boy almost as much as his parents did. When they were ready, Marie walked with Jason to the Limo and waved goodbye as they left.
By the time they got on the plane it was evident that Jason was upset, and no amount of hugs and kisses seemed to help that. During the trip home Lois and Clark both tried to cheer him up, even telling him that he and Lois were going to stay at Clark's, but he didn't say much and fell asleep not long after they took off.
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As Lois opened the door to Clark's house, Lucky ran inside and instantly found her favorite rubber duck. Clark walked inside after Lucky and when he was in; Lois shut the door and went with him down the hall, to Jason's room. They were all wearing their warm cloths, getting used to being back in winter weather.
In Clark's room, or their room as it was now going to be, Lois felt the same sort of sadness she had when they left Italy. It was late, and she wished they could go back. As she finished dressing for bed, Clark walked in and told her that Jason wanted a good night kiss from her, and she willingly went to her baby's room.
With Lois occupied taking care of Jason, Clark walked in the kitchen and listened to his messages finding one from his mom and one for Lois from the reality company. He jotted down what the message said and then headed back to his room. As he was starting to dress for bed he heard a very distant explosion and as he spun into his suit, Lois entered the room.
There were not too many times during their vacation that he had to leave, but seeing him in uniform made her realize that they were back to reality. Lois shared a kiss with him before he left and after he was gone she felt the old pain creeping back. As she settled in his bed she wondered if this was really going to work, and as she shut her eyes she had hopes that they really could be a family true and whole.