I'd like to thank all of you who take the time to read my ramblings. I'd also like to thank my betas for the wonderful job they do making sure that my story works.

Oh, and I don't own Superman, Lois, Perry, DC Comics.

Chapter 27

Clark caught Lois before her head hit the floor. He didn't need to deal with another brain trauma today. Doctor Hamilton rushed to their side, offering assistance.

"Does she do that a lot?" Emil asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Since I've been back she's fainted a couple times. I don't remember her being prone to fainting, though. Come to think, she did faint shortly before I left."

"Was she pregnant?"

"I didn't know, but yes, I think she was."

"And now?"

There was a pronounced pause, as Clark looked at the petite woman in his arms, she was starting to stir. Pursing his lips, he closed his eyes and nodded. "It's Richard's."

"You're sure about that?"

Clark looked at Doctor Hamilton, his eyebrow raised. "I've only been back a few weeks; we've only been together once since I've been back, and that was a few days ago. She was pregnant before that."

Lois opened her eyes slowly, rolling on her side so that she could sit up. "Who's pregnant?"

The two men looked at her incredulously. Doctor Hamilton gave Clark a look that said, "You need to tell her." Instead, Martha, who had been wondering the same since they showed up on the farm, finally broke the silence.

"Lois, honey, you've been having morning sickness since Richard died. Why do you think I kept making you eat something before you went to bed?"

Lois looked down at her abdomen, and noticed for the first time that, yes, it was again starting to swell.

"I guess that explains why my clothes aren't fitting. I was starting to blame your cooking, Mrs. Kent."

The group burst into laughter as Ben walked into the room carrying two paper cups with blue lids on them. Lois's well trained nose honed into the smell of fresh coffee, which triggered a different response than she expected. Struggling to her feet she quickly made her way to the small bathroom, nausea overwhelming her desire for the liquid stimulant.

Clark followed her into the restroom. "I'll make sure she's okay."

"She'll be fine, honey."

Clark looked at his mom. "I know. I just want her to know that we'll be fine. I'm here for her; she's not going to be alone."

Clark walked into the bathroom. Lois sat on the slate blue tile floor, her back against the wall, knees up, her arms wrapped around them. She gave her husband a wary glance. Kneeling down beside her, he placed an arm around her small shoulders, pulling her against his strong chest. They sat silently for a few beats, Lois finally breaking the mood. "I need to go to the office."

Clark looked at her, the question dying on his lips.

"I need to go clear out Richard's office. The new managing editor needs it." She held her phone out to Clark so that he could read the email from HR.

Clark made his way to his feet, reaching down to give her a hand up. "I'll take you there."

Lois looked through the crack of the door. "You need to get your mother situated. This is something I need to do."

"You don't need to do it alone."

Lois put her hand on her slightly protruding belly. "I'm not alone."

"Are you sure about this?" Clark asked again as Lois grabbed her coat and purse.

Lois turned as she placed her hand on the door handle, pulling it open. "This is something I need to do. The last thing before we pack up the house. Richard's office was his quiet place, the place he'd escape to when he couldn't go flying. I'll be okay."

She turned and walked out, the door slowly closing behind her. Clark listened as her steps quickened, his heart broke as she sobbed while waiting for the elevator to arrive. Once again she was expecting, and the child's father wasn't going to be there.

"She needs this closure, Clark," he heard Martha say. "It's all part of grieving. She was with Richard a long time. She just found out she's expecting his child, that he'll never know his child, never have that chance."

Clark looked at his mother. "She shouldn't have to go through this again. I should have…."

"You should have what, Clark?" Ben asked.

"I should have stayed away," Clark answered. "I shouldn't have come back, to Metropolis I mean. Maybe if I had stayed away…." His voice faded.

"Mr. White would still be dead, and a madman would have taken your son," Doctor Hamilton interjected, "A tyrant who for whatever reason holds you responsible for his defeat, and thinks…."

Clark's eyes burned as he looked at Dr. Hamilton. "I know what he thinks." He looked to Ben, then back at Emil, calm taking control again.

"We need to get my mother, you, and Mr. Hubbard someplace else, someplace safe. Is she strong enough to travel?"

"That depends on the method."

Clark pulled a small clear crystal from his pocket. "Superman gave me this, it is an inter-dimensional key, it can take you all to safety."

"Do you really think I need to hide?" Dr Hamilton asked.

"Zod blames you for the death of his child, and of his wife. What do you think?"

Dr. Hamilton paled at the implication. "When do we leave?"

Perry's attention was pulled away from the document he was currently editing, the paper covered in red ink, the editor's marks making a roadmap for the intern's rewrite. The distraction was not unexpected, but unnecessary.

He watched as Lois looked around the newsroom, a haunted look on her face. He knew that it wasn't easy for her to be there right now, the memories of her former fiancé lingered in the room. The way he made her laugh, encouraged her through the tough times after Kent left, and then again after HE returned then fell….

So much has changed in such a short span, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. He watched as she gave a slight shake to her head, then moved towards Richard's office, her mind made up, and when Lois Lane made up her mind to do something, nothing would get in her way.

His observation was broken as the phone rang. Loueen knew not to put calls through during deadline, unless it was urgent.

"White here."

Perry's face turned stony as one of his most reliable sources filled him in on a breaking story, one that could potentially destroy the very lives of the best reporting team the "Planet" ever knew.

"Great Caesar's Ghost!" Perry exclaimed as he slammed the receiver down. "Damned politicians," he grumbled.

"Lois Lane wasn't the only pit bull in this bullpen." Perry said to himself as he rose from his seat and exited his office. "If they want to pour gasoline on the fire, I'll just toss on a little C4 for excitement."

He walked over to Richard's office, and entered without knocking.

"Lois, I just got off the phone with Kat, we need to talk."

Lois turned a tear-streaked face towards her boss. Perry stared at her a moment, not quite recognizing the woman who was standing before him. She looked more fragile that he had ever seen her before, and he wondered just how much more she could take before she broke.

He jumped as a warm hand touched him from behind.

"What's up, Chief?" Clark asked, as he brushed by to stand next to Lois, his manner protective.

"The UN just released a press statement, they declared Zod the leader of any Kryptonian refugees that might just happen to arrive on Earth. Ceded control of the Fortress to him and designated it and the surrounding territory as Kryptonian soil, under his direct control."

Lois slumped down to the floor. "They just gave him the keys to the kingdom, Chief."

"Has anyone from our government made an official statement?" Clark asked. Perry watched the muscle on Clark's jaw twitch. He was angry, but was he angry enough to do something about this travesty?

"Just Lopinsky. She's gloating over the whole thing. Thinks it is about time that someone corrected the wrongs committed against Zod. That Superman is about to be 'put in his place.'"

"Someone needs to put that woman in her place," Lois replied angrily. Clark placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"That isn't all," Perry interjected. "The UN also has called for Superman, and his collaborators to be brought before the world court for crimes against humanity."

"Crimes? What the –? Superman has done nothing against humanity. He has dedicated his life to helping mankind. What the **** is going on? Has everyone lost their minds?" Perry smiled as he saw the flames flicker in Lois's eyes again.

"You two had better get out of here. There is a warrant out for your arrests as well." The puzzled looks on the faces of his best reporters told him everything he needed to know. "They say you were behind the kidnapping of Jason. That you had him taken from the foster care facility."

"I'm not running from them, Perry. I'll show them just what General Sam Lane's daughter can do."

"Your dad is up for Court Marshal."

Lois looked over to her husband. "Clark?"

"It'll be okay, Sweetheart. Trust me, it will be alright."

Clark looked to Perry. "Superman gave us a crystal to give to you. If you need to get to safety, just hold it and think 'Safe.' It will take you to a safe-house. Lois and I are going there now. My mom is there already." Clark held the crystal out to Perry. As he took the crystal into his hand it started pulsing, and warmed to his touch.

"And Jason?" Perry asked as he put the crystal in his pocket.

Clark smirked. "Do you really want to know?"

Perry though for a moment. "I've been a journalist my entire life. I believe in the rights of a free press, but, frankly, I think those days are numbered. I've seen too many instances where 'contempt' was invoked. You're right. I want to know, but I don't need to know."

He pulled Lois and Clark into a hug. "You two take care." As he pulled away from his favorite reporting team, a ding announced the arrival of another distraction. Agents dressed in black suits exited the car, and swarmed around the office, the blonde woman who had taken Jason from Lois the day before swaggered up to Perry.

"Mr. White," she called out, "I have warrants for the arrests of Lois Lane and Clark Kent for kidnapping, obstruction, and contempt of court. They were seen entering the building earlier." She looked around the bustling bullpen, its maze of desks and cubicles. "Where are they?" she demanded.

Perry glanced to his side, realizing that the Kents had disappeared once again. Pawing at the crystal in his pocket, he wondered if he was going to have to use it. "They were just here. I guess you missed them."

Ms. Powell was getting annoyed with the games this group of reporters were playing. She had a job to do, a child to protect, and they kept stonewalling her.

"Where did they go?"

Perry gave her a look that would reduce most bureaucrats to fear as they realized that they were up against the EIC of the most prominent and respected news organ in Metropolis. She just glared back at the man, cold and emotionless.

"They didn't tell me, and I didn't ask," he responded equally as cold.

"You are aware that I can have you arrested as an accessory."

"And this paper–"

"This paper can do nothing. I have an order from a federal judge, another from congress, and a third from the justice department. You have nothing, Mr. White. Now I suggest that you tell me where Lane and Kent have taken the boy."

"That boy is their son. And they are as concerned for his wellbeing as you pretend to be. They had nothing to do with his disappearance. The Kents were at the hospital tending to Clark's mother, who just had a stroke. Why don't you ask General Zod where the boy is, from what I have heard, it was his assistant who took him. Isn't that what he claimed just a few hours ago?"

"Do you really think that CSD wants people to know that a child was taken from our care? People want to trust –"

"Yes, people want to trust the government, and their heroes. Yet you are working to destroy that trust. If you want answers, go talk to Zod. He seems to know more than he's letting on."

"General Zod is working with this administration to bring about the changes this country, no this world so desperately need. Hope that Superman was supposed to bring, but so far has failed."

Perry was dumbfounded. Never before had he even thought that someone other than a hopeless felon would feel such negative emotions towards Metropolis's hero. Something was happening to the people of Metropolis; they were beginning to believe the propaganda: that Zod was good, and Superman wasn't. Once again he fingered the crystal in his pocket, deciding once and for all he would stand for truth and justice, no matter what. Someone had to be the voice of reason.

"It's only a matter of time before you are implicated in this conspiracy." Jessica sauntered out of his presence; her goons following close behind. "Superman isn't the friend you think he is," she warned as the elevator doors closed between them.

Jimmy approached the chief cautiously. "What was that all about?"

"A whole mess that you don't even want to get involved in."

"If this is about Lois, Clark, and little Jason, this is one mess I want to get involved in. They're like family to me, Chief."

"Jimmy, I'm pretty sure that for that reason alone, Lois and Clark want you to stay out of it."

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