Chapter 15

Chloe felt his strong arms cross over her chest as they knocked through the ice and fell, crashing onto the hard ground of Kansas. She huffed as he landed on her back. Rolling over, she pushed him off of her. Getting up quickly, they looked at each other. He looked as relieved as she'd ever seen him.

"We're home?"

"Looks like," she smiled.

He cupped her face and stared.

"Three years, do you know how long it's been since I've seen someone?"

"I can't imagine only being with a voice for that long."

She pulled him into an embrace.

"You didn't tell me it would take that long! We've been gone for hours! Lois could've already had the babies!"

She moved away from his embrace looking for her phone. Finding it stuck in the dirt, she picked it up and dialed Lois's number.

"Are they at the hospital?" Clark asked.

"They've been at the hospital."

"Don't hospitals forbid cell phones?"

"For our sake, I hope not."

XxX

Martha sat holding Lois's limp hand. Thinking of seeing her son again, she was distracted by a mild ringing on the other side of Lois's bed.

"Lucy," Lois said, waking up from her momentary slumber. "Didn't I tell you to turn off the cells?"

"That's yours, not mine."

Lois shot up, shocking Martha.

"What's wrong?"

"That's Chloe's ringtone. Give me my purse! I can't reach it from here!"

Lucy ran across the room to fetch Lois's purse and retrieve her phone for her.

"Chloe?" she shrieked.

"Did you have the babies?"

"No! Not yet. Did everything go okay? Did you get him?"

"Yes! He's here with me, we're fine. I couldn't believe it took so long. I'm so sorry. How far along are you?"

"I'm moving pretty quickly now," Lois said, looking at her monitor. "I'm about five and a half centimeters and moving rapidly. I'm feeling it. Could you hurry?"

"Don't worry, we'll get there."

"He's okay?"

"Yeah, he's…perfect."

"Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Lois could physically feel Chloe smiling on the other end. Chloe hung up.

"They're on their way," Lois said.

"Thank God," Martha smiled.

Lois felt a shock go through her and dropped the phone.

XxX

"What did she say?"

"We need to get there."

Both of them ran until they reached the car. Clark had barely shut his door before Chloe sped off making tire tracks.

"Tell me everything," Clark said, putting his hand over Chloe's on the steering wheel. "And please, physical contact is something I need right now."

Chloe grinned widely, squeezing his fingers in hers. Chloe brought his hand to her face, knowing she would always have lingering feelings, but she felt fulfilled by what she had in her own life now. She could adore what she did have with Clark, and be happy, finally, that he loved someone else.

"I am always glad when you're with me," she smiled. "I want to hear everything, someday, when everything's settled again."

"You have yourself a date for that. How far is it to the hospital from where we are?"

"Well, I'm going about twenty-five miles over the speed limit, so for us, thirty minutes."

"I can't wait that long. Mind pulling over and letting me go ahead?"

"Clark I-I want to be there for it too," she said before realizing how selfish that sounded. "Of course," she said, revising herself for the second time.

She slowed the car and found a place to pull over. Giving him the address she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Could you do me a favor and if she can wait until I'm there, please have her try? I've watched her entire pregnancy and I'd like to be a part of it."

Clark smiled and touched her cheek.

"I know she'll try. Thank you, Chloe."

Stepping out of the car, he disappeared in a second. Only this time, she didn't see him run and she wondered where he went.

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