Chapter 34 Awakenings

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.
David Viscott How to Live with Another Person 1974

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Slowly Clark opened his eyes and waited momentarily for the cobwebs of sleep to clear. He cringed at the memory of the nightmare from the night before and feeling Kala still in his arms he tightened his hold on her as he kissed the hair on the top of her head remembering what she must have experienced. Kala's arms were still loosely wrapped around his neck even in her sleep, her head rested on his bare shoulder. Someone had covered them with a blanket from the bed. He moved ever so slightly as he looked around the room careful not to start the chair rocking. Lois was asleep with her back pressed up against the pillow-like cushions of the loveseat, her head on the armrest and her arms wrapped around Jason who was just slightly curled up with his head resting on her shoulder. They too were covered with a blanket from the bed.

Clark remained still for several minutes, content to just watch and listen to his most cherished loved ones sleeping safely within easy reach. He could hear his mother and Ben just starting to rise. He opened his senses farther to listen for sounds that would indicate he was needed elsewhere. Thankfully he heard nothing of concern.

Using his x-ray vision he peered out into the yard and saw the snow still falling but now in a graceful light sprinkling only adding slightly to the already deep snowdrifts. The world almost seemed to be on pause except for the silent falling snow. It was beautiful, even breathtaking. He remembered loving days like this when he was a kid, plenty of snow and no school.

He gazed again at Jason, the flush of sleep evident on his face then his gaze moved up to Lois' face, Gad! How could anyone be so beautiful, he thought his chest rising as he took a deep breath and held it almost spellbound. Kala stirred slightly drawing his gaze back to her sweet face and he once again kissed her hair having gone full circle. He spoke softly, "You three, soon to be four are the very breath of life for me now. If I ever lost any of you ……" He took another deep breath, cleared his throat and quickly looked up trying to contain his emotions, tears of gratitude threatened to overflow his eyes.

Lois stirred, "Oh, you're awake" she whispered moving slightly trying to not disturb Jason from his precarious position. If she moved too much he would likely lose his perch and fall off the loveseat to the floor.

"I woke up a few minutes ago. I've just been enjoying the quiet and the breathtaking view." He whispered back.

"The breathtaking view?" She arched her eyebrows in question. "What view would that be Mr. X-ray vision?"

"The one I'm looking at right now, you, Jason and Kala all sleeping like angels. Oh, the snowy wonderland outside that I needed x-ray vision for was nice I grant you that but the view that took my breath away is the one right before my eyes no special vision required." Lois noticed his eyes were shinny and his smile soft and sincere while his voice though still low in whisper had sexy and sweet overtones at the same time.

Lois smiled back just as softly, "I must be a mess after sleeping on this undersize couch with Jason no less!?"

"That's funny… I was just thinking how beautiful you look. Are you uncomfortable? Maybe I should take the kids back to their own beds." Clark carefully got up without disturbing Kala. "You just stay put. I'll be right back for Jason."

Clark gently placed Kala back in her bed and tucked her in giving her one final kiss this time on her baby soft cheek before heading back to Lois and Jason. Lois raised the blanket and allowed him to take Jason in his arms. After putting Jason to bed and tucking him in and kissing him he returned to Lois who was sitting up on the loveseat rubbing her neck. Clark sat down next to her. "Here, let me do that," he rubbed his hands together making them even warmer than normal then began massaging her neck.

"Ahhhhhhhh, that feels wonderful….don't stop."

"You're not planning on going into work today are you? The snowplows haven't been able to keep the roads clear. The snow is letting up but it's still very dangerous out there. Mom and Ben have the news reports on downstairs and the mayor is asking everyone who can to just stay put today."

"I'll call Richard and Chloe and see what they plan on doing. I know Chloe has been mostly reporting on you lately what with everything that has been going on, the meeting at the UN last week and then in Washington on Monday. If you stay here maybe she can too." Lois laughed while Clark rolled his eyes continuing to massage her neck and back.

"I've been working on a follow-up exposé digging up evidence of corporate greed and lack of government oversight for the 'crystal quake' repairs from last year. Do you know how many of the building are still not repaired?" Lois turned around to face him so she could see his face as Clark shook his head yes and frowned in answer. His arms now wrapped around her gently.

"Hmmm, I guess I could work from here…you could even help me like old times. What do you say? Hmmmm? I'm sure if I tell Perry you're helping us he would be happy for all of us to work from here today." She chuckled as she posed that to him then rose up to give him a brief peck on the lips.

"If that is all it takes to keep you here and out of that traffic nightmare out there then go for it. I'd be honored to help you and that goes for Chloe and Richard as well. Although," he arched his eyebrows, "I might have to leave from time to time to… you know…"

He stared off towards Kala's room suddenly quiet. "First though, I need to talk with Kala about the dreams we had last night. If I'm right hers' was different from mine most likely from her point of view. I'm not convinced it was just a set of nightmares."

"What do you mean?"

"It felt real, so real in fact that I was physically affected by it."

"I tried to wake you but it was useless, then when I heard Kala screaming I was sure you two were connected somehow. You seem alright now but last night… afterwards… when you started rocking with Kala you seemed totally 'out of it'. I didn't know how to help you other than cover both of you up."

Clark took Lois' hand and brought it up to his lips kissing it softly, "that was probably all you could have done I knew you were there and that was enough."

"What was the dream about? Maybe I can help you understand what it means?"

Clark looked away briefly then started, "I was in a maze of tunnels. I could hear Kala's screams but just as I got close they got softer and farther away. I kept calling out to her but got no real response just the screams. The next thing I remember is the walls were suddenly red hot like they were on fire. They even felt hot to my touch." Clark looked at Lois so he knew she understood. "Then I realized they weren't red but green. The walls were lined or maybe painted with Kryptonite. I stumbled and was barely able to stand but I knew I had to continue I had to get to Kala." He looked away again taking a deep breath. "Somehow I made it past the kryptonite and into some kind of chamber. I was still weakened from the kryptonite and Luthor was there… just waiting for me to enter."

He took another deep breath his eyes red with anger. "He was holding Kala by one arm I could tell it was hurting her the way he handled her so roughly as she tried to get away. Before I could do anything Luthor threw something at me, it must have been another Kryptonite shard. It pierced deeply into my stomach and I fell to the floor totally useless. Luthor shoved Kala and she fell on top of me still screaming while Luthor just laughed that sickening laugh of his."

"Then he almost howled, There's no getting away now for either of you. Soon I'll have your other super pawn and your queen. I already have your castle and your knight. I win the game Soups. You and yours are as good as dead. Checkmate!" Clark looked at Lois as if just the memory brought him pain.

"Oh my goodness, no wonder you both were so upset. Do you really think it was some kind of premonition? And if it is how do we prevent it from happening?"

Clark shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I have never been physically affected by a nightmare like that before. I felt like I had really been exposed to kryptonite last night. I have this overriding feeling that it's imperative we figure out exactly what it meant."

"I agree. I going to call Richard and Chloe to come over here, Catherine too she did say she almost had a PHD in psychology. Who better to help interpret a dream?"

Clark shook his head in agreement, "I'm going to go out and take a quick look around I don't plan to be gone long." Clark gave her a quick kiss and disappeared.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Clark got back home a couple hours later to find Lois, Richard, Chloe and Catherine huddled around the dining room table drinking coffee and talking about their various articles. The TV was on in the adjoining family room detailing the continuing weather crisis and Superman's latest rescues. The kids were both sitting at the kitchen table just starting their breakfast which consisted of warm oatmeal and cinnamon toast. He greeted the adults letting them know he was going to join the kids for breakfast. Ben and Martha greeted him as he entered the kitchen area.

"Daddy, are you sure you're alright, that dream last night scared me?" Kala stopped eating as he entered clearly still upset.

"Me too Daddy", Jason added.

Clark smiled and bent kissing each child's cheek. "I'm fine now. Kala we need to talk about what happened after we finish breakfast. Alright?"

Kala stopped eating again and dropped her spoon. "I don't want to think about it Daddy. Do we have to talk about it?"

"Honey, we need to try and figure out what it meant. Remember what happened to Jeffery. Maybe this is something that is supposed to happen in the future too. If so we need to do everything we can to prevent it." Clark grabbed a bowl and filled it from the pan of hot oatmeal before sitting down at the table between the two kids in the seat just vacated by Jason. Jason had quickly moved over one place to make room for him between them.

As he sat down he saw the big tears now running down Kala's cheeks he also noticed Jason had stopped eating. He placed his hand on Kala's "Kala, honey….it's like we read the ending to the story…we know what's going to happen so we can do something to prevent it. We just have to all work together that's all."

Kala became visibly more upset her chin now quivering. Clark turned to her trying to find a way to comfort her. "We're all going to be alright. I won't let anything happen to you."

She almost choked on her tears as she jumped up and climbed into Clarks lap. "But Daddy you don't understand. That man didn't really hurt me very much he just mostly scared me and made me scream for you so you would come to rescue me. I don't want you to try and save me. I saw what happened, that man killed you." She clung to Clark's neck her face buried in his shoulder.

Clark looked up hearing a gasp at the door and saw Lois standing at the entrance to the room with the empty coffee pot in her hand. Chloe was right behind her, her mouth agape.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

I am going to cut this here for dramatic reasons. ;) The next chapter will be posted in a day or two.