Epilogue
Lana quietly sat on the chair by the window. She resembled a melancholic angel staring out into the night. It was currently two in the morning and Lana was all alone. Things had changed, and yet they were still the same. Lana smiled wistfully as she played with the corner of her blanket. She had become accustomed to these late nights...all alone. This is the way things were and they had been this way for a long time. This night she was particularly nervous...how could she tell him?
After a few more minutes of anxiously studying the Metropolis skyline, Lana lazily stood up and yawned deeply. "Looks like it's time to go to bed," she said to herself. Yes, she spoke to herself. It was a habit that she had developed due to loneliness. Lana swallowed hard and realized that she could still taste her dinner on her tongue. With a light shrug, she sauntered into the bathroom and pulled out her tooth brush.
After everything was in order, she paused briefly to admire the picture sitting on the bathroom counter. It had been taken on their second anniversary, three years ago. Lana reached out with her small fingers to lightly graze the photograph. Leisurely drawing her hand back, she walked out and collapsed onto her bed.
Lana was soundly asleep when a cold hand lightly grazed her forearm. She cringed as her blankets were lifted from her momentarily and then smiled in sweet relief when a warm body was added to the mix.
"What time is it?" she asked in her sleep induced stupor. Lana rolled over and snuggled her face into his chest as he brought his hand up to stroke her back, sending undulating waves of chills up her back.
"Just past four," he whispered softly. "My flight was delayed and my cell's dead," he said almost as if he was being interrogated. Lana held him tightly to her and nodded softly. She had become accustomed to him returning at all hours of the night, it didn't bother her because he had returned to her. Over these short years, Lana had also adapted to their life. After all, she was living her dream. She had a husband that loved her, she loved him, and they were relatively normal.
"How did the hearing go?" Lana asked sleepily as she added a yawn for good measure.
"It was good and the judge has allowed Pete to live outside of Belle Reve so long as he is given the proper care and supervision."
"That's good, that's good." Lana paused awkwardly as she tried to keep her eyes open. "So, everything turned out best case scenario?" Lana continued to keep the topic of Pete in conversation, she wasn't exactly ready to tell him what was on her mind.
"Yes, it was perfect," he agreed, then changing positions and bringing Lana with him so that she was now laying on top of him. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Lana said as she snuggled into him. "When do you have to leave again?" Lana asked, hoping that it wouldn't be too soon, although she was sure that once she broke the news he wouldn't be going anywhere.
"Not for a few weeks," he said as he stroked her hair. "At least that's what my schedule says." He smiled into the darkness and although Lana couldn't see it, she knew it was there.
There was ten minutes of silence until Lana finally spoke up, hoping that he would be asleep by now."Kal?" she called him by his name of choice to see if he was awake.
"Hmm?" he said in a drowsy tone. Just what Lana had secretly hoped for.
"There's something I need to tell you," Lana whispered, hoping that he would just say 'Mmm Hmm' like he normally did and then fall asleep. That is, if she was lucky.
"What?" he asked in the same lazy tone. He sounded almost as if he was asleep and this is precisely what Lana was hoping for.
"I'm late," Lana said as if it was no big deal and waited for a reaction. When he didn't say anything for a minute, she figured that he had fallen asleep and hadn't heard her last confession because he was incoherent.
A moment later, Kal finally responded. "How late?" he asked as he brought both of his hands down to hold her by the small of her back. Lana hesitated for a moment as she gathered her thoughts.
"A little more than a month," she said almost inaudibly. Surprisingly, Kal immediately sat up and turned on the small bed side lamp.
"A month?" he asked with a shocked look upon his face. "We need to get you to the doctor," Kal said as he lightly lifted Lana off of him and stood up. "You could be sick, or worse..." Kal swiftly began to search around the room for some pants and a shirt as Lana stared at him.
"No, Kal wait..." Lana stood up and walked over to him, taking his hands in hers. "Listen to me, I've already been to the doctor." Lana took a deep breath. A million questions were eating away at her. What was he going to say? Would he be happy? We he even believe it?
"And?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "What is it? Are you alright?" he asked quickly as his grey eyes pleaded with her for an answer.
"Well you see, I'm about a month along..." Lana said as she studied the black carpet that lay beneath her feet.
"A month along with what?" Kal asked with a puzzled look upon his face. "You're sick..." He came to his own conclusion. Kal wrapped his arms around Lana and placed his chin on top of her head.
"Morning sickness..." Lana finally admitted.
"What?" Kal held her at arms length as a look of pure astonishment crept up onto his features. "But Lana, you know that can't be possible..."
"I know, I know but I've been to the doctor a few times and had multiple tests run and they've all come out positive."
"How long have you known for?" Kal asked as he still held her out in front of him.
"Quite a while now... but I found out just after you left and I couldn't tell you over the phone." Lana hoped that he wouldn't be angry with her for not telling him sooner.
"So you mean that we're really..." Kal was clearly astounded and at a complete and utter loss for words.
"Yep, we're knocked up." Lana began to smile as she waited for more of a reaction from him. "The doctor confirmed it too."
"But how...the doctor before said that you couldn't..." Kal trailed off as he stared at the floor. Lana softly cupped his chin and brought his face down so that she could make eye contact with him.
"We've been given a second chance Kal," Lana said quietly as she stood in front of him, anticipating his next move. The move surprised her; he leaned forward and picked her up. Lana brought her hands up to touch the sides of his face as she leaned her cheek against his. "I love you, Clark..." she whispered softly into his cheek as he placed her in the bed and then climbed in after her.
-Two years later-
Lana smiled as she walked into the kitchen to get a towel. Clark was currently in his high chair, attempting to eat some chocolate ice cream. Lana could barely contain her laughter at the sight before her as she returned to the dining room. A small boy with dark, brown hair and light, green eyes was covered in chocolate ice cream. It seemed as though he'd gotten more on his face than in his mouth. Lana laughed as she approached him.
"You made a little mess honey," she said as she picked him up and then immediately set him down. That boy was solid as a rock. Lana turned around to wipe the high chair off and when she turned her attention back to Jacob she saw him bending the spoon. "No, no...what did I say about that?" Lana chided as she snatched the spoon away from him and threw it into the sink. Just like his father, Clark was the silent type. He was already quite large and hadn't even said his first word yet.
After putting Clark down for a nap, Lana grabbed the monitor and entered the living room to maybe watch some TV. Fifteen minutes into Oprah, the front door opened revealing Kal.
"You're home early," Lana said as she turned off the TV. "Shh," she warned. "Clark's sleeping." Kal smirked and approached Lana, grabbing her up into his arms. "I guess you had a good day," she said as she peered up at Kal from underneath of him. Kal braced his elbows into the couch cushions above Lana's head as he stared down at her.
"Very good..." Kal said as he began leaning down to kiss her. Suddenly, he stopped and froze as if he was listening to something. "He's not sleeping," Kal said as he sat up.
"Yeah he is I just..." Lana cut herself off as a noise came through on the monitor. "Listen..." Lana said to Kal, even though he didn't need the monitor to hear what was happening.
"Kal...Kal...Kal...Kal."
Lana's eyes widened in realization that her child had finally spoken his first word. Lana and Kal both jumped up and ran to his room where he was sitting in his bed, pretending to sleep. Kal reached down and picked him up in his arms. "What did you say?" he asked, coaxing him into saying it again.
"Kal, Kal, Kal!" Clark said as he began to clap and smile. Kal's face lit up with joy as he began to play with his son.
"Lana, did you hear that?" Kal asked excitedly. "I'm his first word!" A big smile spread across Lana's face as she watched her two boys play together.
"Wa-nah, Wa-nah, Wa-nah!" Clark cried. Lana's eyes widened and she joined her family. She observed as Kal continued to tickle and play with Clark. It was then that she had realized something.
Clark had saved them. He made Kal more like Clark Sr. everyday. Clark made everything ok again and Lana could feel herself getting sentimental as she pondered this. She continued to watch the two laugh, chuckle and play. There was only one word for what Lana felt and it was complete and utter happiness. It had been a long road, but she had endured and now she was inexplicably content. Her heart was finally in the right place and so was her mind.
