Chloe was in Lois' apartment helping her get ready for the baby shower. They were putting a baby themed tablecloth on the kitchen table.

"Lois, I still don't know why you insisted on throwing the shower yourself."

"Because if I'd left it up to you, there would have been a million people and some fancy party."

"So who all did you invite?"

"You, your husband, Jimmy, Perry, Richard, and if you count me and the baby, that's a total of 7 people."

"What a pitiful guest list and you invited mostly men. They don't know how to behave at a baby shower or what kind of presents to bring."

"I don't have any friends that are girls except for you."

"What about your sister?"

"I haven't told my dad or sister that I'm pregnant."

"You'll have to sooner or later. What about Martha?"

"Mrs. Kent is a wonderful lady, and I even think of her as an honorary mother, but I don't want her to know that I had a child out of wedlock. I couldn't bear to see her disappointed in me."

"Mrs. Kent would not be disappointed. She would treat the baby like a grandchild. Don't forget that Clark is away and she's alone on the farm except for the animals and workers she hired."

"Everybody in Smallville loves her. She won't be lonely. I just can't go to Smallville or see Mrs. Kent. It's a painful reminder of the past. Hand me the stool, so I can hang the banner."

"I'll do it. I don't want to risk you falling. Have you picked out a name yet?"

"I've been narrowing it down. At least, I found out the baby's gender or I'd have to be looking through girl's names too. I'll have to come to a decision soon. I don't want to have to figure it out at the hospital when I'm all doped up. So when are you and Bruce going to have a baby? My baby could use a cousin to play with."

"We're not ready for kids yet. We're happy just being a couple for a while. Besides, can you imagine poor Alfred changing diapers?" Chloe asked, coming down off the stool.

"That is an interesting image. Ready to help me make the punch?"

"Boy, do you need help with that. Maybe you should just watch with your culinary skills."

"Point taken."

As Chloe took the juice and ginger ale out of the fridge, she asked, "Was Richard White included on that guest list?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I thought you didn't like him?"

"I've developed a tolerance for him." Then she pulled an engagement ring out and put it on her finger.

"You're engaged to the man? Dull Richard?" Chloe asked in disbelief.

"Is that any way to talk about the father of my child?"

Chloe had stopped the punch preparations. "What?"

"I had to, Chloe. I haven't dated in years. The only man I've shown romantic interest in is Superman. I can tell people he's not the father, but they're going to have their suspicions. All it takes is any unusual activity on the baby's part and they could take him away and put him in a lab or at the very least he would grow up in the public eye. I'm afraid, Chloe. The pregnancy has been normal so far, but what about the baby? I have no idea what to expect. Maybe he's got his father's powers and maybe he doesn't. In any case, I need a decoy and Richard is it."

"You spent a night with Richard and then told him he was the baby's father? That's terrible."

"He knows he's not the baby's father."

"So he knows the father is Superman? Lois—"

"No, he doesn't know who the father is, but he's agreed to say it's his and the engagement was his idea."

"Do you love him? Didn't you say he was the most boring man in the world?"

"Yeah, well, boring men don't take long trips through the universe or go off to foreign countries to soul search. They stay and that's what I love about Richard."

"I can't say I agree with that reasoning, but at least I understand. Are you ever going to marry him?"

"We'll see. One step at a time. I might just live with him at first. I have a favor to ask. I never want to talk or hear about Superman or Clark Kent again."

"That'll be tough, since you were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize on that editorial about Superman."

"Chloe, I'm serious. Only 3 people will ever know the baby's real father. You, me, and I'm assuming you told your husband."

"I didn't know you didn't want me to tell him, but he'll keep your secret."

"I know and I didn't specify not to tell him but from now on only Richard is his father."

"What about when you-know-who comes back?"

"5 years down the road, he will have missed some of the baby's most important moments. He will only be his father genetically, but I don't plan on even telling him that much. The man that raised Jason will be his father in all the ways that count."

"Jason?"

"I know what I want to name him now. Jason means 'to heal'. I will heal Chloe whether I want to or not, and this baby will help me do that. Jason Jonathan White."

"Why Jonathan?"

"Mr. Kent was the first person to help me show that I could do more than sell coffee with my life. He was a father to me."

"I like the name."

"So do I. Now are you going to finish making the punch?" Lois asked, taking the ice cream out of the freezer.

sss

Lois sat in her chair, trying to decide which of the 4 presents to open first.

"Lois," Perry said, pulling at his tie, "please, hurry up. I want to go home and get out of this monkey suit. I thought you were supposed to dress up at a baby shower but then again I've never been to one before."

"I guess traditionally you dress up, Chief, but all my maternity clothes are in the laundry, so I had to settle for a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt. You're welcome to shed the tie and jacket."

Perry didn't need to be told twice. "Jimmy, are you going to take off that bowtie of yours?"

"I like my bowtie, Mr. White."

Lois picked up the one from Perry. There was a piece of wallpaper with a newspaper pattern inside.

"All you have to do is call Smiley Wallpaper and set up a time. They'll come and wallpaper the baby's nursery with that. I want my grandnephew in the newspaper business. He's got the genes for it. Never too early to start."

Lois smiled. "Of course, he'll have to learn to read first. Thank you, Perry. It's very nice."

She picked up the one from Jimmy. It was a very nice photo album. "Thank you, Jimmy."

"Open it up, Miss Lane."

There was a picture of the sonogram and one of her with a pregnant belly.

"That's sweet of you. Where did you get the sonogram?"

"He's got friends in high places," Chloe said with a wink, "now open ours."

It was a boy's newborn outfit. "It's adorable, Chloe," she said, looking at the tag. "Designer baby clothes. Who knew? And last but not least an envelope also from Chloe and Bruce." Lois' mouth dropped open. "I can't accept this," she said, putting it back down on the coffee table.

"You don't have a choice," Bruce said, placing it back in her hand.

"It's 500,000 dollars. This paper says you opened a half a million dollar account."

"It's for the baby," Bruce said. "He won't get the money until he turns 18. When you consider the price of an education, it's not that much. On top of that, it's mere pocket change for a billionaire. It's like giving somebody a dollar, if that."

Lois didn't answer but stared angrily at Bruce and Bruce stared right back, never breaking eye contact. At last, Lois sighed and said, "Fine." There weren't many people who could make Lois Lane cave.

"Who wants some punch, a Chloe Wayne specialty?" Chloe asked in a cheerful voice.

"Wait," Richard said, pulling a gift out of his coat pocket, "I have something too."

"The father isn't supposed to give a gift," Lois said.

"Who says? Here."

It was a beautiful silver rattle. "I don't know what to say," Lois said.

"It's a family heirloom. It was mine when I was a baby. My father's before that and his father before that."

Lois was threatening to tear up, especially with her hormones. "It's time for cake and punch, everybody"

sss

Chloe and Bruce were the last ones to leave other than Richard. Chloe looked back and watched as Richard helped pull Lois out of her chair. She hoped her cousin was going to be happy with him and that he was going to be a good father to Jason.