Chapter 23

The next morning, Clark went over to Chloe's house, Chris had slept over, so he was anxious and happy at the same time to see his son again. "Clark. Good to see you." Chloe brought Clark into an embrace.

"Chloe you're getting bigger, how's the pregnancy?" Clark walked into her home.

Chloe chuckled, "See for yourself." Chloe brought out the ultrasound footage and showed it to Clark. He could tell the figure of the tiny infant inside her. Clark smiled at the picture as Chloe spoke, "So far I'm taking it easy, but with everything that's going on, it's hard to rest."

Clark looked confused, "I don't understand. What's there to stress about?"

Chloe looked serious, "Apparently Lex has been getting frequent visits from one suspicious felon. Toyman."

Clark's eyes widened, "What? What is Toyman doing walking out of jail free?"

"He was given clearance Clark. He's been visiting Lex and god knows what they're plotting."

Clark shook his head, "Last time Winslow and Lex worked together, they were planning to destroy Metropolis. That is until Lana absorbed the kryptonite from it."

Chloe nodded, she sighed, "I'm worried Clark. I haven't told Lois about this because I know she'd freak out but... what if he's working with Lex to target her. And maybe Chris?"

Clark stared back at Chloe, "We need to be more careful now than ever."

"The league is already on patrol and no one's keeping their eyes off Chris."

Clark looked around, "Where is he?"

"He's still sleeping."

"And Oliver?"

"He's in a conference with Bruce. They've formed an alliance in taking control of Luthorcorp together. He'll be back soon." Clark nodded and looked back at the bedroom where Chris was sleeping. Chloe smiled back at him, "I'm gonna go to Watchtower. I'll leave the keys here be sure to lock it when you leave." She takes her bag and starts to leave, "You know he asks about you a lot."

Clark raised his eyebrows, "Really?"

Chloe nodded, "He asked if you knew who Superman was."

Clark chuckled, the irony in that question, he looked up at Chloe, "I don't want you worrying about Lex or anything until the baby is born okay Chlo. Leave that to us."

Chloe smile, "Count on it." With that she closed the door behind her.

Clark walked into the bedroom and watched his son peacefully sleeping. He sat himself on the bed, and stroked Chris' hair. His eyes fluttered opened to see Clark's face. Chris grinned, eyes half open, " I just had a dream about you."

Clark grinned, "Oh yea? What was I doing in the dream?"

"You were flying, and I was flying with you."

Clark looked back at him, smiling, "Maybe that can happen one day in reality."

Chris stretched his arms in his bed, "I hope so! I would love to fly!" He sat up in his bed, "Where's Aunt Chloe?"

"She had to go to Watchtower."

"So it's just us boys!" Chris giggled of excitement and jumped out of bed, "I'm starving! Let's eat breaky!"

Clark chuckled as Chris pulled his hand towards the kitchen. Clark opened the cabinets, "So what are you in the mood for?"

"Chocolate covered crepes!"

Clark laughed, "I think I can cook that up. And I'll make it extra special since you're turning FIVE tomorrow!" Clark held out five fingers in Chris' face.

Chris looked shocked, "How did you know?"

Clark shrugged, "I know everything Chris. I'm psychic like that!"

Chris giggled, "No you're not. Aunt Chloe must've told you." Clark simply smiled back at him. Of course he knew when his own son was born. Every year on his birthday, no one knew, but he would arrive to Earth and come into his bedroom to wish him a happy birthday. Clark ended up making him a huge chocolate crepe with strawberry's and chocolate milk.

"This is the best breakfast ever! Thanks Clark!" Chris was stuffing his face with as much food as possible. He was pretty much inhaling his food. Boy this kid could eat!

Clark laughed at the sight while eating his own crepe, "Don't choke on that now. I'd love to see you turning five at least."

Chris laughed, "I'm having a birthday party at my house tomorrow. You should come."

Clark stared back at his son, Lois never told him about his party, "You sure you're mom won't mind?"

Chris shrugged, "It's my party I can invite whoever I want. And I want you to come." He grinned at Clark with chocolate in between his teeth.

Clark choked back, "I'd love to come Chris." He kissed his forehead and tasselled his hair with his hand.

Oliver had walked in the room. As soon as Chris saw his Uncle Ollie, he jumped out of his seat and ran to him. Oliver picked up Chris. Clark felt a tint of jealousy when he saw how much more affectionate Chris was towards Oliver. "Hey Clark! Glad you kept this little rascal some company!" he kept Chris in a headlock and noogied his head. He finally let go of him.

"Clark made the best birthday breakfast ever!"

Oliver chuckled, "You're birthday's not till tomorrow buddy."

He looked up at Clark who replied, "I'm sure Lois wanted to make him a birthday breakfast tomorrow. I might as well make mine today." Oliver nodded in understanding.

"I'm gonna go watch TV!" Chris ran to the living room and sat himself on the couch, watching some cartoons.

Clark watched his son while talking to Oliver, "I'm glad he has you Oliver. He loves you like a father."

Oliver nodded, looking back at him, "I'm nothing like his father though. Not even close. His father loves him so much more to be able to sacrifice everything for him. He's lucky to have you Clark."

Clark looked up at his friend and smiled, Oliver patted his shoulder as they watched Chris. Oliver spoke up, "How long until you're gonna tell him Clark? It's been months since you've been back. Don't you think it's time?"

Clark shifted in his seat, "I'm leaving that up to Lois. He deserves to hear it from her. I can't really say anything until she does."

Oliver shook his head, "What's keeping her from telling him the truth?"

Clark let out a breath of air, "I don't know."

Lois was waiting for the elevator at the Daily Planet. She wasn't really in the mood to be at work, but Perry was on her case every day. Her breathing was slower than usual. Everything that had been happening to her since Clark had come back has been overwhelming. She was tired, and depressed. Her eyes were focused on the elevator doors, and she came back to reality when they had finally opened. She walked in with her hands full of files. She walked in the empty elevator when she heard someone yelling out, "Hold the door!" She couldn't exactly do anything since her hands were full. Right before the doors closed, a hand came in between the doors. Lois looked up to see Clark. She gave a quiet sigh. Clark looked happy to see her, but could tell she wasn't as happy as him. "Hey."

Lois blinked slowly and said in a quiet tone, "Hi."

They both stood in the elevator in silence, Clark awkwardly cleared his throat, "How are you?"

Lois looked down, "I'm fine. I'm just... tired."

Clark kept his eyes on her, "Why are you tired?" He started to get concerned.

Lois shook her head, and smiled to herself, "It's nothing."

Clark spoke up softly, "Lois-" The elevator came to an abrupt stop. Both Clark and Lois jumped.

"What the hell?" Lois huffed looking around. She started punching the keys on the elevator. She hit the buttons hard, "Dammit! We're stuck. Can you get us out of here?"

Clark x-rayed and assessed the situation, he furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "I can't. The elevator cart is halfway down another floor. There are people everywhere I can't do anything without being seen."

Lois' jaw dropped, she sighed of frustration, "Great! So we're stuck here for god knows how long."

Clark sighed, "I guess so." He continued to stare at Lois, who was pacing back and forth in the small space, "I'm sorry."

Lois' eyes met his, "For what?"

Clark shrugged, "You just seem like being stuck with me is the last thing you ever wanted."

Lois continued to stare back at Clark, "I think the fact that we're stuck in an elevator is bothering me more than you Clark."

Hello in there.

Lois and Clark both looked up at the intercom where a man's voice was communicating towards them.

"It seems we're having some technical difficulties with the elevator. If you could just hang tight we'll fix it as soon as possible. Just to warn you it might take a while."

Lois clenched her teeth out of frustration as Clark watched her. She slid down to the floor and leaned against the wall, placing her files beside her. Clark did the same on the wall next to her. They sat there in silence for a while. Clark watched as Lois was playing with her hands. "A penny for your thoughts."

Lois bit her lips, not meeting his eyes, "You might wanna get your money back."

Clark chuckled to himself, "C'mon Lois. It's me. It's us."

Lois sighed, "Yeah. I know that. And that's what sucks." She turned to look at him, "No matter what I try to do. No matter how badly I wanna run away from it, there's always gonna be an 'us'." She paused as Clark waited for her to continue, "You aren't the only one who walked away from us Clark... I walked away from us too. I gave up too. And I hated you for that. For making me give up."

"Lois... I'm sorry."

Lois laughed quietly, "I know you're sorry Clark. You think I don't get that? I do."

Clark sighed, "It doesn't seem like you forgive me. And I don't blame you for that. I hurt you. I made a lot of mistakes Lois. But if I had a second chance I would've done things differently. I wouldn't have thought that leaving you was my only option to keep you safe. I realize that now. Leaving was the worst decision I ever made. I left a hole in your heart because of that. That's something I never wanted."

Lois took a deep breath, "Yeah. You hurt me when you left. Last night, you told me there was never a day where your heart wasn't here with us. I want you to know that, there was never a day that went by when I didn't think that you were the best part of my life."

Clark looked down at his lap, "Is that why you signed those divorce papers?"

Lois pressed her lips together, "I was scared. I'm still scared that if I let you in again that, you were just gonna leave. I know I walked away from us when I gave you those papers... but it beats running away. I didn't know if I can trust you again. My heart can't take it again Clark. I can't face that again I almost died the first time. I can't be left alone one more time." Tears fell down her face as her emotions took over.

Clark had a broken face as he saw Lois crumble, he hated to see what he had done to her. He remembered she told him that she couldn't be left alone again when she broke up with Oliver for good. "I was being selfish Lois. When things got tough I fought back for all the wrong reasons. I can't take that back, I wish I could."

Lois nodded, "I know that now. I was too stubborn to see it before but... I know you meant well for me and Chris. I know you would've been there for us. And in your own way you were in those four years you were gone."

Clark wanted to hold her so badly, he wanted her in his arms again, "Lois I need to ask you something" he paused and waited to see her look at him, "I need to know what you want from me. Where are we?

Lois shook her head slowly, "I don't know."

"Where do you want us to be?"

"I don't know. I don't know Clark! I can't answer that right now!" She started to raise her voice. Clark fell silent.

After a while Clark spoke up, "I can. I want us to be together."

Lois closed her eyes, she whispered, "Why?" Clark furrowed his eyebrows, Lois continued, "I mean we're so far away from who we used to be. Why even fight for it?"

"Because I love you."

Lois fell silent this time, she ran her fingers through her hair, "I'm sorry." Clark looked up at her, "I know I haven't made it easy for you. Getting to know Chris and... with us."

Clark smirked, "If you're still the woman I love, I know you would make this anything but easy for me. You're a hard woman to get back, but that's not gonna stop me. It's gonna take a lot more than that to push me away." Lois bit her lower lip, Clark spoke softly, "What are you doing with Chris Lois?"

Lois stared back at him, "What?"

"I mean... Why haven't you told him about me. About his father. Why haven't you let him know about me all these years?"

Her lips parted, tears formed in her eyes again, "Honestly... I don't know how to deal with it. I don't know how to tell him about you." Her voice started to choke, it was getting hard to talk, "I had spent four years raising a super powered child by myself. I was nervous to tell him. I didn't even know how to start... How do you tell your child that his daddy left and he may never come back?" Lois buried her face in her hands, "I... I was trying to protect him. I was trying to keep him from feeling what I felt when you left." She started to cry harder as Clark just sat there, taking it all in, "You should've been there. You should've helped him get used to his powers... He was so scared when he started running faster than other kids, and was able to lift heavy objects. You should've been there. You were the one who was supposed to help him through that. You were gone, and that scared me. What if I was doing it wrong. What if it's too soon to tell him that he's from another planet. What if I fail as his mother?" Clark looked at her with sad eyes, "You should've been there Clark."

Tears started to merge in Clarks eyes, "I know. I was supposed to be his father. I walked away from that responsibility. But Lois, I made sure you weren't alone. I made sure Chris wouldn't grow up without some sort of guidance. He had Chloe and Oliver. You had them. You weren't alone. Even if you were, you were anything but a failure as a mother. I've seen it myself, you did an amazing job. He's lucky to have a mother like you."

Lois lifted her head up to face Clark. Her eyes were pink, tears kept streaming down her face, she grabbed Clark's hand and squeezed it, nodding in understanding. Clark squeezed her hand back and he stroked it with his thumb. Lois cooled off. She stopped crying, "I've avoided us enough. I've made you wait long enough. I don't know if I can trust that you'll stay but... I need to try for Chris' sake. I do believe that you won't hurt us again though."

Clark smiled back at her, holding her hand tightly. Lois spoke up again, "I forgive you Clark. And I never stopped loving you."

"Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for waiting patiently the elevators will be up and running in no time now."

Lois and Clark smiled at each other. Clark helped Lois get up, they stood there holding each other's hand. "Thank you Lo." Lois nodded up at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped her in a warm embrace. Lois rested her head on his chest as he buried his face in her hair. They stood in their embrace for a long time until they felt the elevators running again. Clark reluctantly let go of Lois and kissed her forehead.

The elevator doors started to open as they both walked off. Before walking away Lois turned to Clark, "Chris is having a birthday party tomorrow. Everyone's gonna be there. You're welcome to come. I'm sure he'll love that."

Clark gave her a warm smile, "I'd love to." Lois nodded and walked away while Clark continued to stare back at her.

Once Lois got home to a late night, Chris was sound asleep. His birthday was in one more hour, she had to start working on his present. She opened her closet to find a big red thin cloth. She pulled out a yellow cloth with the similar material. She sat in front of her sewing machine, "Come on Lois. Don't screw up on this one." She took a deep breath and nervously started cutting up the fabrics.