Chapter 9

"Thank you so much for taking us," Lois said gratefully, feeling the gooey solution on her stomach again.

"Oh, of course," her doctor replied. "We're two weeks early for the ultrasound so the picture might not be quite as accurate but we'll see if we can tell what the genders are."

Clark was squeezing Lois's hand hard but she said nothing.

"It'll still be pretty accurate though, right?"

"Pretty accurate, yes. I was so glad I could squeeze you in today. I only have about fifteen minutes, but Lois was so sure that you wouldn't be back for the rest of her pregnancy."

"Yes, that's true," Clark replied. "I have to go away unfortunately.

"Work must be very important," she said understandingly, running the transducer over Lois's stomach. "Ahh, okay here we go. Okay, there are your babies."

Waiting patiently, the doctor looked carefully.

"K, we're in luck. One baby is facing us, the other is facing to the side. You ready to know what you're having?"

"Yes!" they both said passionately.

"You are blessed to be having a little boy and a little girl."

Clark's eyes filled with tears, his heart pounding with love as he leaned in kissing Lois's forehead. He showered her face with kisses as she remained in a slightly shocked state. Calming down she laughed softly, kissing him back.

"They okay?" she giggled through his kisses.

"Yes, they're fine," the doctor laughed as she looked at them entwined in each other.

"Clark, wait, move," Lois said, trying to look at the doctor. "Hold on," she said, pushing him off of her momentarily. "Everything looks okay? They're fine?"

"They look great, Lois. You have nothing to worry about. You should enjoy your pregnancy."

Lois laid her head back against the pillow and she let Clark kiss her again. They laughed and felt the weight lifted off their chests.

"A boy and a girl," he whispered to her.

"Us, the over-achievers."

"I think you're the over-achiever."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Let me give you the image and then let me just check you over," the doctor said.

"Sure. Clark, just wait outside but don't tell anyone anything."

"That'll be easy," he replied sarcastically.

"Promise me."

"I promise."

"I'll hurry," the doctor promised Clark.

Clark reluctantly left and walked out to the waiting room where Chloe and his mother sat flipping through magazines. Upon seeing him they stood up.

"How is she?" Martha asked.

"What are they?"

"She wants me to wait until she comes out with the pictures."

"Does she want us to guess from the images?" Chloe asked in distress.

"Chloe," Martha scolded gently.

"I'm just anxious."

"Are you happy?" Martha smiled.

"I am…over the moon, literally."

"That doesn't help me. That could be any combination of genders."

"Chloe," Martha said again, this time more firmly.

"She's coming. Give her a minute," Clark said, trying to soothe his best friend.

Clark had never seen Chloe so restless before. Once in a great while the genetics between Lois and her was very visible.

"The babies looked okay on the monitor, though?"

"They looked perfect."

Seven long minutes later Lois opened the door to the waiting room only to have three people crowd around her in an instant.

"Whoa! Personal space!" she cried out.

"Where's the picture?" Chloe asked.

"I put it in my purse in a protective envelope. That alright with you, Chlo?"

"Can we see it?"

"Can we eat?"

"Lois, you're driving them crazy," Clark informed her.

"Alright, well let's at least go outside."

The four of them walked out into the beautiful spring day embracing the sunshine. Lois was all smiles.

"Okay," she grinned. "You wanna see the photo?" she said as she began digging it out of her purse.

"Tell us what the babies are!"

Lois looked at Clark so they would say it together and then in unison they said, "A boy and a girl."

"Oh honey," Martha exclaimed happily. "Oh both of you, that's wonderful."

Embraces went around and Chloe's hands went to Lois's stomach.

"Let's all go out to lunch and pass the photo around until we've memorized it," Clark suggested.

"Okay but we can't stay long because we have a photo shoot at the house to get ready for," Chloe reminded them.

"Oh great, eat first, then show my stomach to the camera. Good plan."

Going to a nearby Italian restaurant, they passed the sonogram photo around imaging what the babies would look like. Lois tried to eat like a bird but she was starving.

"Would you quit picking at the food?" Clark complained.

"Would you…" Lois stopped herself before she said something rude in front of his mother.

"I think you ordered one of his favorite things," Martha explained. "And you not eating it is driving him crazy."

"Well, you try being hungry and nauseous at the same time. And on top of that of that thinking about someone taking photos of your body."

"Yes, Lois, we should all be so ugly," Chloe commented sarcastically.

"So," Martha intervened and Clark had to smile.

"Yes, thank you," Lois said, appreciating the help. "Mrs. Kent, can you offer me any stories or anything that might help me know my children better?"

"Stories about Clark?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean your children?" Clark asked.

Lois rolled her eyes.

"Fine, ours. Smallville—" she began to say in an irritated voice before being interrupted by Chloe's laughter.

"You two, you bicker so much you better watch out for those babies. They're going to be children that you have to attend to that are going to be hopefully more important than you two and your egos."

"Us?" Clark asked innocently. "Egos?"

"I think…I think we're still making the transition from where we used to be not that long ago to where are now. Sometimes the way we were still slips in."

"You believe I'm coming back, right?" Clark said to Lois beside her.

She dropped her fork immediately and turned to him.

"Of course I do. Don't…don't pay any attention to the stuff that comes out of my mouth. Clark, I know you'll be back. I would never send you some place if I didn't believe in you. I believe in us. Even without the babies."

She cupped his face and brought it to hers so their foreheads were touching.

"Everything's gonna be okay."

Martha, never really having seen how much Lois loved him felt her heart drop in happiness and relief. She felt sympathy for Chloe but genuine joy for her son. For so many years she'd wondered if Clark's love with Lana was strong enough and here in front of him was a woman who was strong enough to put up with everything that came along with Clark.

Clark's hands swept up Lois's face, guiding her face to his chest. Lois felt his heartbeat and his hand go to her stomach. She wished they were bigger, that he would have more time. Tears sprang from her eyes but she tried to swallow them, hold them back. For a few seconds she forgot they weren't alone and felt the man she loved against her.

"Did you make me a tape last night for the babies?" she asked, pulling back and looking up at him.

"I did. It's in the drawer in the nightstand."

"Great. I'll play it as often as I can…unless you sing."

"I didn't sing," he jokingly snapped.

She took another bite of food.

"Good," she swallowed. "Now, back to the original topic, any Clark stories I should know about?"

Martha noticed Lois placed her hand over Clark's, giving him comfort. Maybe she was giving comfort to herself, taking every opportunity to have him in these last precious hours.

"Oh my, I have to think. Just…watch out for your furniture. The children won't really understand their strength and they will break things."

"So…if I make them mad, what? They could harm me?"

"I'm sure they would never want to harm their mother. Clark never hurt us. He never raised a hand to harm us."

"And again, I'll be there," Clark added. "Chasing them around the rooms and repairing whatever they break."

"I'm good with that," Lois agreed.

"I'm trusting you both to help her while I'm gone," Clark told them seriously. "Help her move in, help her get everything ready, help her eat and sleep enough."

"I'll come home every other weekend," Martha promised.

"Clark, don't ask her to do that," Lois sighed.

"No, you need some people to help you."

"And you know I'm with her at work and I'll be helping her move in also," Chloe said. "I'll watch over her."

"Thank you both," Lois said. "This guy here doesn't ask much, does he?"

"It's no problem at all," Martha replied. "I want to be there."

Lois caught Martha's eyes on Clark and after several long glares chose to make herself scarce.

"Chloe, want to join me for the fabulous tradition of girl-talk in the ladies room?"

Chloe smiled.

"It's not enough that we lived together?"

"Course not," Lois laughed.

As they walked off together Chloe latched onto Lois's arm.

"Okay, what are we really doing?"

"Giving them a moment alone."

Wow, thought Chloe. Lois never tuned into other people's needs to that degree before. She was impressed.

"If you'd been on my side of the table you would've seen her burning a hole into Clark. Besides, he's her son. The least I can do is give them a moment alone."

They walked to the restroom as Clark looked after them.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Martha told her son.

"I'm going to miss you more. And what I've gained, what I now have with her…she's changed my entire life."

"I know she has." Martha replied, pausing. "Clark, have you thought about taking the next step?"

"Mom," Clark began. "I am honorable. You know I will propose. But I don't want to do it now in a moment that she will take as desperation or duty. I want to do it when we're at peace, and take her by surprise. Plus, right now all the money I have is going into the new house and our children. And the only ring I have is the one I was going to give to Lana and Lois deserves better than a hand me down ring. When I come back I'll get another one."

"So you have thought about it," Martha said with relief.

"This is for real," he assured her. "This is the most real thing I have or will ever experience. I know you heard me say that I thousand times about Lana but it was…I mean, I loved her. I'll always love her. But Lois she knows me. She accepts me. She's so strong, Mom, so much stronger than I ever was or could be."

"Clark—"

"No, Lois can survive anything. She already has. How could I ever be lucky enough to be worthy of that?"

"You are, honey."

"No, she's the one that's going to go places and do things. If anything I'll be the one tagging along. And I don't mind one bit."

"Lois possesses great qualities that I think will help you be anything you want to be. She owns herself enough to be able to stand beside you without being afraid, without needing constant reassurance. I'm not even sure she's aware of that herself yet. She is what I would choose for you too."

"We still bicker," Clark grinned. "She still has to be right and have her way. I hardly had a choice to leave for four months with Jor-El."

"Well, I think Lois was right to force you, if indeed she did that. But Clark, there is a hard question I have to ask you."

"And that is?"

"Lana. You're going to feel like you're going for three years. Do you want to see her before you leave?"

Clark stared at his mother for a few seconds.

"Please do so if you want to," Lois said, coming up to the table with Chloe.

Clark looked up to see Lois standing there.

"Clark?" Lois asked. "You can. Don't hold back on seeing her because you think it'll hurt me. I'm a big girl. I can take it. It wouldn't be the biggest shock for you to want to say goodbye to a girl you loved for that long."

Clark thought about it for a minute then took hold of Lois's hand and pulled her into the booth. Squealing a little she laughed when he put his arm around her waist.

"I'm sure she's doing fine, but all we've done is argue every time we see each other and that's not the memory I want to take with me. These are the memories I want to take with me, all of you."

All three of them were silent until Chloe spoke.

"I think he got the right answer, what do you all think?"

"Yeah, let's go with that!" Lois said raising her milk to clang with everyone else's drink.

She put her hand on his thigh gently though and whispered to him, "But if you need to see her, please go."

Clark reached up and cupped her chin, kissing her lightly and holding her face still in front of him.

"I need you for as long as I've got you. I'll run into her when I get back. Right now, we're going to finish lunch and do the photo-shoot you're looking forward to so much."

Lois rolled her eyes as she put another bite of food in her mouth. It was only her fourth.

Chloe's cell went off.

"Hello? Yeah…yeah, we'll be there in twenty minutes."

She flipped her phone shut and looked at Lois.

"K, he's almost done setting everything up. We should head back."

"Setting everything up?" Lois asked. "What did you turn the living room into?"

"I don't know, he setup some backdrops and a few prop…set…stuff, I don't know. He's the photographer."

"I haven't had my lunch," Lois complained.

"You've been picking at it!" Chloe snapped.

"Hang on, I'll get a doggy bag." Clark soothed.

"No, no," she said, dropping the fork. "Let's just pay the bill and go."

"No, you need to eat," Clark told her.

"Not before photographs of my stomach are being taken."

"We'll make sure she eats a hearty dinner as soon as he sets the camera down, Clark. Let's go and do this."

Thirty minutes later Chloe was helping Lois pick out clothes that would show off her stomach in a flattering way while she reapplied all her makeup and combed her hair out.

"Thank God I took and shower and blow-dried my hair this morning," she muttered as she curled the mascara along her thick lashes.

Chloe picked out a pair of white shorts and matching maternity blouse with a split opening in the center for the baby. Or in Lois's case…babies.

"If you wear this you can be dressed but just pull the two sides of the shirt apart for when Jimmy wants to photograph your stomach."

"That is my favorite blouse. It's getting tight too."

"Around your breasts, I'm sure."

"Just shut up and help put this on, would you?" Lois laughed.

Chloe helped squeeze the slightly tight shirt over Lois's head and ribcage. Pulling it over her swelling belly, she looked exquisite. She had waves in her hair and full tan lips. Chloe admired how lovely her cousin looked.

"You look beautiful."

"He's going to leave right after this, isn't he?"

Chloe nodded. "I think so."

She looked down a minute and Chloe saw her lip tremble. But then, with all her strength she pulled it together and looked up with a brave smile.

"Okay, let's go do this. I hope Jimmy has a way with making me comfortable because these are going to be some awkward photos!"

James Olsen came through completely. Lois was uncomfortable at first, not wanting to participate and not having any idea how to make this fun. However, Jimmy got her into it and she enjoyed a small audience in front of her flashing photos of her and Clark. Some with Clark's hands on her stomach, some on her face, and a few where he embraced her from behind. They did several different standing and sitting positions and Lois pulled Martha in for a few, wanting three generations in the photos. Then she kicked Clark out and had Chloe come in having grandmother and cousin in the shot. Wanting to give Clark most of the attention she brought him back quickly, holding him close as she sat on a stool Jimmy had brought her.

"I made a copy of the first sonogram for you to take with you."

"Lois," Clark said, shaking his head.

"We have a couple minutes before get emotional, Smallville, just hold off," she grinned.

"Thank you for doing this," Clark replied. "When will you have the photos for her?"

"Next week, probably."

"Thank you, Jimmy," Lois told him. "I'll have the best photos ever taken in the babies' room by the time Clark gets back."

"You're welcome, Lois. I'm going to go, leave this party up to you all, but CK, you know I'm gonna miss you, man," he said, giving a big bear hug to the taller man.

After holding back as best he could on an emotional goodbye with Clark, Jimmy kissed Chloe goodbye and promised Lois his best work.

Martha looked at her son.

"Clark, I have loved you all of your life, even before you came to me."

Lois stood up with Chloe and chose to start leaving.

"No, Lois don't go," Martha said to her.

"Oh, I was just going to make myself scarce without you asking me this time, Mrs. Kent."

"Lois," Martha said, reaching out to Lois and she came to her. "You have become something so bright in his life. I have loved you for so long and I am glad you're the mother of his children. I promise to help take care of you when he's gone and even after that."

"I'm going to be fine," Lois assured them.

"You say that now but moving into a new house, a full time job and a pregnancy is hard work," Martha told her. "And worrying about Clark."

"I have Chloe," Lois replied, extending their three-person circle to handle a fourth.

Chloe walked in and the fourth of them felt their little family.

"I love you all so much," Clark sighed.

Martha ran her fingers through her son's hair.

"We love you too," she told him back. "Don't work too hard and make sure Jor-El takes care of you. But remember, your real father is Jonathan Kent."

"I'll never forget who my real father is."

Remaining in this close circle, Lois felt the need to bring up the babies.

"Speaking of your father, his name; the babies. I was thinking Jonathan and Ellen."

"Oh, I love that!" Chloe exclaimed.

"I think it's perfect," Clark agreed, releasing everyone else and concentrating his hold on Lois.

She kissed him gently.

"It'll all be different when you come back."

He nodded. "I know."

She pulled back and looked at him.

"You go. You go and learn."

He squeezed her hand and looked at her warmly.

"Come on Chloe, help me start dinner," Martha said.

Chloe looked at Lois and Clark and with the look between them felt herself already missing Jimmy. She turned and followed Martha out of the living room. It would be four months before she would see Clark again.

Lois stood looking at Clark who stood about three feet from her. She literally couldn't breathe. Finding the strength to suck in a deep breath she spoke.

"So I'll start moving this weekend. I'll have a ton of boxes once again to fill and half the stuff will be yours but I promise to be careful. I'll be working overtime to get the house ready and I'll do my best to get it all done by the time you get back and I'll have to use a lot of primary colors because I know you like them—"

Clark closed the distance between them and landed his lips over hers. Ending her talking he kissed her hard, hands running up her throat to her face. Nipping her lower lip and licking it clean he rested his forehead against hers.

"Uncomfortable silence," she whispered.

"I know," he said. "Don't decorate the house in primary colors. It'll look like a bad 1980s home."

She exhaled a laugh. "Alright. Maybe something a little more modern. I just want you to like it."

"Since when do you care what I like?" he teased.

She punched him in the arm.

"Since now!" she protested.

He chuckled, loving to drive her crazy.

"Lois," he said seriously. "What if…what if you're never pregnant again and I never feel the babies kick?"

She met his eyes with sympathy and took his hand, placing it on her stomach.

"I find you a dog and I give you twins and you're already thinking about me having more children?" she smiled.

His fear didn't waver with that comment though and she felt his pain fall over. She placed his hand on her belly.

"I wish you could feel them. They're there. And they will love you. You'll be the first one to hold them, and you will hand them to me. A mother carries them, Clark, but a father, a father does so much in their lives. You will be there. Let me carry them. Let me hold them and make sure they grow but let me also make sure their father will be there for the rest of their lives."

He curled his hand around her neck, kissing her forehead.

"If I don't leave now I never will," he told her.

Kissing her loudly on the lips he caressed her face.

"I have to go," he told her.

She nodded. "I know. Go."

He sighed angrily, not wanting to. Walking passed her he headed for the front door.

"You make me believe it won't hurt!" she called after him, her heart breaking.

He turned back to her and saw her eyes filled with salty tears.

"You do," she said to him. "You make me believe this won't hurt at all. The love. You make me believe in it."

Overwhelmed in a passion he never felt for any other woman he rushed to her and grabbed her up in arms. Kissing her again and again she let the tears fall, aching for him, trying to memorize a moment that would need to last throughout a pregnancy she would deal with on her own. Kicks she would feel without him, doctor visits and body parts she would see through her skin, all of that would be alone.

"Feel me for three years," she whispered through kisses, her fingers running through his hair.

He felt the slight swell of her stomach against his chest as her legs wrapped around his lower hips. She showered kisses over his face, nails clawing at his back lightly. Lois was and would always be the passionate one between them.

Within seconds though, she calmed herself and gently dropped her legs to the ground. Releasing her hands from him slowly she loosened her lips and fingers.

"I love you, Clark Kent."

He kissed the inside of her hand.

"Don't fall for anyone else while I'm away."

"You're the one that's going to be gone for three years. Don't fall for some beautiful woman while I'm home pregnant with your babies."

"I'll be working."

She shook her head, smiling.

"I want you to believe," he said.

"I do, with you."

He touched her stomach again.

"The minute you know you're having them, have Chloe come to me."

"I will," she said nodding her head. "I'll do it all."

Clark looked at his watch.

"Go!" Lois said. "Go, you should've left several minutes ago."

Once they reached the front door they stopped.

"Three years, Lois," he said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Just think of what you're coming back to. Just think of babies growing inside of me, waiting to see you. We'll be waiting for you, Clark. Think of us and know that everything's going to be fine."

He kissed her one last time.

"Tell everyone I love them."

"I will, now go!" she said, holding back her tears, but only barely.

"All right, I love you."

"I love you too, goodbye."

She barely shut the door before the tears shot down her face. She covered her mouth so Martha and Chloe wouldn't hear the sobs but they heard the door close and came out anyway. Rushing to her side as she slid down to the ground in tears they pulled her up.

"Honey?" Martha said with worry.

But in true Lois strength, by the time she was up off the ground, she had stopped crying.

"I'm fine," she replied, strong smiles and clear eyes. "Let's make dinner."

~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~