Chapter 3

Back at the Kent farm...

Lois was washing dishes when she heard Chris fuss in the crib she had in the living room. She went towards him when he started screaming as hard as he could, crying. She had never heard him cry like that before. She started getting worried, and picked him up rocking him, trying to calm him down but nothing would work. "What's wrong Chris?" She started to get really worried, when she heard a noise, it was a faint but noticeable descending whistling sound. Lois was an army brat, she knew that sound from anywhere. She kept hold of Chris tightly and started to run towards the door when a flash of light appeared in front of the house and an explosion appeared. Lois flew back against the floor, her head banged against the floor, but she shielded Chris and made sure he didn't get hurt. He was screaming louder than ever. Lois limped outside and saw a huge hole on the field with fire surrounding it. Lois looked in shock at all the green kryptonite surrounding the explosion. "Oh my god. That explains why you're screaming Chris. The meteor rock is affecting you!"

Lois started panicking, there was too much meteor rock and she had to get Chris away from it or he'll die. She started running to the back of the house to get out the door. As soon as she got outside she heard the familiar whistling noise again, she slowly turns her head up when she sees three bombs, coming towards the Kent farm. Lois gasps and starts running as fast as she can with Chris in her arms. One by one, the bombs start exploding around her. Lois falls to the ground screaming and covers Chris under her, shielding him from the kryptonite, but knowing full well it won't be enough. After hearing the three explosions, Lois gets up and notices Chris isn't crying nor moving for that matter. "NO!" she screams and starts running away from the site. As she's running, she's screaming out Clark's name over and over hoping he would hear. Losing her balance, Lois trips on a rock and starts falling forward. She's about to hit the ground when a pair of arms catches her.

She looks up to see a distraught and agonizing Clark look down at her in shock. "C-Clark! Clark take him!" she hands Chris to Clark and pushes him away. "Take him, he's not breathing! It's the kryptonite! You need to take him away from here! Go to Emil and then come back, just take him first!" Lois was pleading him to go as Clark did as told.

He flew to Met. Gen where Emil was waiting, "YOU HAVE TO HELP HIM!"

"Clark what happened?" Emil asked in shock at Clark's facial expression, he looked like he was going insane.

"He's been infected with Kryptonite... I'm sorry I can't talk I have to go!"Clark didn't have time to tell Emil the full story, he super sped back to Smallville where Lois was, who had walked most of the way from the wreckage. Clark ran to her and grabbed her into an embrace, "It's okay! You're okay now." Clark was soothing a distraught Lois as he was watching the Kent farm in flames. Clark uses his super breath to blow out the fire to see the remains of the farm. That didn't matter to him though. He almost just lost his family and it was because of him. Because of his reckless mistake for not realizing Lex had found out his identity just by taking a hunch. He was furious at Lex, ready to kill him, but he was more angry with himself for being so reckless after all these years of keeping his identity a secret, and his biggest enemy now knows. This is how far Lex will go.

"Clark how's Chris?" Lois asks, her face covered with dirt and her own blood, tears are filling her eyes which made it hard to see. It hurt Clark to see Lois like this.

He fell in front of her on his knees, cupping her face, he was so relieved she was okay, but it was too close. He was too close to losing her. Clark sighed, "I don't know, Emil is taking care of him. I-I think he'll be okay." He pressed his forehead against hers, Lois was in shock of what had happened, she had been to many base camps with the General, but nothing like this. This was directed at her and her son. She shuddered at the thought of Chris' screams of pain against the meteor rock. "C'mon, let's take you to the hospital."

"I'm fine." Lois said shaking her head.

Clark x-rayed her, "Honey you're in shock. You've cracked your ribs from the impact of the explosion. You need to get treated at the hospital. Come on, Chris is waiting for us." At the mention of her son, Lois agreed as Clark picked her up and sped to Met. Gen where she was treated.

Later that night, Clark was standing by Emil, pacing back and forth as his son was being examined and treated. Clark gave some of his own blood to enhance the treatment. "It seems to be working slowly but surely Clark. Chris will be in perfect health in no time."

Clark pinched the bridge of his nose, relieved, but stressed at reliving what he had witnessed when he flew back to Smallville to make sure his family was safe. Chloe and Oliver had entered the room, worried looks on their faces. Chloe ran to Clark and embraced him, "Clark what happened?"

Clark gulped, "Lex found out my identity. He launched Kryptonite bombs at Lois and Chris. They're fine but... it was too close."

"Oh my god" Chloe gasped.

"You were right Oliver. I should have been more careful. I was so reckless. I went to Luthorcorp and spoke to Lex. As usual he denied it all but he figured me out. I don't know. I guess he always had a hunch Superman and Clark Kent are the same but... I gave myself away. He called me Kent and I didn't even realize it. Didn't deny it because it was a reflex. Anyone calls you by your name and you answer to it right? Still... I've been doing this for years and I slipped up. I let my invincibility get the best of me and it almost cost the lives of my family!" Clark leaned against the wall, breathing hard.

Oliver grabbed his friends arm, "Clark, I know you. You aren't the kind of person who easily slips up. Luthor played a simple mind trick on you. You can't keep your guard up all the time. Now that he knows we need to stop him. All you need to do is be there for your wife and son. It's gonna be okay Clark. You have us too. A whole team that's willing to vouch for you. You can't beat yourself up about this man. These kinds of things happen."

Clark gave Oliver a small smile, "It just reminds me of how much a danger I truly am to Lois. If anyone should find out about me, it's her they'll go after! I've been blinded by that this whole time! Lex isn't gonna stop Oliver."

"Clark what's done is done. Go be with Lois right now. Don't worry about Lex, let us deal with him. You've been through enough." Chloe comforted her best friend, Clark nodded and headed to Lois' room.

Lois was resting when she felt a hand stroking her hair, she opened her eyes to see Clark's distressed look stare back at her. Lois stroked his face, worried the worst had happened, her heart started beating fast. Hearing her heart beat race, Clark grabbed Lois' hand and whispered, "He's fine, Emil's taking care of him. I gave him some of my blood and he's healing. He's gonna be alright Lois."

Lois sighed of relief, Clark kissed her hand, her eyebrows furrowed at him, "Why do you look so sad then?"

Clark shook his head, "You almost died cause of me. Because Lex knows my secret."

Lois was stunned, "Lex knows? He did this?" Clark just nodded, Lois breathed hard, "That bastard."

Clark stroked her hair, "I'm gonna try and fix it Lois. I'm gonna make sure this never happens to you again."

Lois sighed, "As long as I have you, we'll be okay Clark." Clark still looked sad Lois lifted his head with her finger, "Look at me Clark. I'm alive. We survived Lex's attack. We need to stop him before he does it again. We just need to stick together." She stroked his face, "All three of us."

Clark smiled and nodded, "You want some company?" he said point at her hospital bed. He didn't want to talk about Lex with Lois. He just wanted to be as close with her as he could.

Lois smiled, "I'm sure I have room for you in here." Clark grinned and crawled on the bed with Lois on top of him. He cuddled her gently and kissed her forehead, Lois wrapped her arms around him, "I love you Lois."

"I love you Clark."