Communication

By Angee Khan

Lois yawned, stretched and felt wonderful... positively lit up.
Before she could open her eyes, a tender kiss was planted on her
lips, soft and warm.

"Oooh, now that's what I like to wake up to." She opened her eyes
to see Clark gazing lovingly at her, Lois returned the gaze. She
could stay like this forever.

First Lois became a wife and now she was a mother- to-be, all in
the space of two months. She wasn't sure about being pregnant at
first, but now she was totally comfortable with it. She never
thought she could be. She remembered the time when she and Clark
were abandoned on Spencer Spencer's desert island and she
remembered confessing her fears about being a mother to Clark. He
was so reassuring then, and it was that reassurance that got her
through this, and Martha's.

Martha had been a tower of strength, she had been the mother that
Lois could only have dreamt of. It was then that Lois began to
feel bad for her own mother. Lois had called Martha for help
before she had even thought of her own mother, Lois felt guilty
for that but she also felt justified. "How could I do that to
mom? My own mother." But the bottom line was, Martha understood
Lois, Ellen didn't.

Clark could see that Lois was upset about something by the
gradual frown that had appeared on her face.

"What is it, Lois?"

Lois, who was deep in thought suddenly snapped out of it and
answered, "What? Oh, nothing. It's O.K."

"Come on, Lois, you can't keep doing this to me. You always say
nothing and it always ends up being something big. Just look what
happened the last time you said it was nothing." He grinned and
laid his hand gently on Lois' stomach. Lois smiled too, she could
understand Clark's frustration and concern, she was leaving him
out of her thoughts and her feelings. If she wasn't careful she
would end up shutting him out so much that she might actually
lose him.

At that point Lois remembered something that Clark had told her,
"Mom always said, communication is key." At that, Lois exclaimed
out loud, "See, there I go again!"

Clark was taken aback by this sudden outburst; Lois was difficult
to understand sometimes but now she was acting stranger than
usual. Maybe it was the pregnancy. He'd have to keep an eye on
her. "Lois, what's going on? You're kinda freakin' me out,
honey."

Now that was the last thing Lois wanted to do. "Oh, Clark. I'm
sorry." She pulled him close, she needed him so close to her
right now. It seemed that her pregnancy had heightened all her
worst fears, she was becoming neurotic about everything, more
than usual. "It's just that I was thinking."

Clark was amused by the understatement of Lois' words. "Yeah, I
could see by the frown on your face, the tension in your lips,
especially when I kiss you. You do go tense from time to time."

"Clark! Be serious."

Clark *was* being serious, but he knew what a fragile state Lois
was in and decided not to push it. "O.K. But all jokes aside.
What *is* the matter?"

There was a long pause, Lois was in one of her
psyching-herself-up moods that Clark thought it best to give her
those extra few seconds to decide how best to say what was really
bothering her. It was exciting living with Lois, his little
tornado, never a dull moment. God, he loved her.

"I was thinking about what happened when I found out I was
pregnant."

"Yeah."

"Well, I told you how confused, bewildered I was, didn't I?"

"You did."

"Totally lost, not knowing where I was going or what I was
doing."

"Lois, I hate to push but could you get to the point. I'm gonna
be late for work."

"Oh yeah, sorry. Well, the first thing I thought to do was call
*your* mother."

Clark stared at Lois for a split second, not quite sure what to
make of that. He knew Lois well enough to understand what that
statement meant, he knew how much Lois loved and respected his
mother, then he realized what Lois was talking about." You mean,
you felt guilty for not immediately thinking of your own mother
first?"

Lois released a huge sigh of relief. She felt happy that Clark
understood, but that happiness was short lived. "Clark, why did I
do that? If my mom knew then she'd be heartbroken."

"So don't tell her."

"O.K. but what about me?"

Clark laughed, "Well Lois, I think it's going to be a little
harder not to tell *you* ."

As frustrated with the situation as Lois was, she had to admit -
that was funny. But what did it say about her when she didn't
even give her own mother a thought? Was she insensitive? "Clark,
I'm serious."

"O.K. Lois, I'm sure that you love your mom very much. Just
because you didn't go to her when you found out the baby was
coming doesn't mean that you don't love or care about her. I'm
sure that you would go to your mom about certain things, and you
would go to my mom about others. It doesn't say anything about
you or your feelings toward Ellen. O.K.?" Clark always knew the
right thing to say, just like his mother. Even though Clark
wasn't the Kent's flesh and blood, he was their son, in every
way.

Lois and Clark exchanged a passionate kiss; they gazed into each
other's eyes and they could feel the passion rise in them both
but Clark broke off. "Lois, I've really got to get ready for
work." He jumped out of bed but before he rushed off to the
shower he kissed Lois on the cheek. "Love you."

Lois lay there stunned. They'd always stayed in bed canoodling or
just being with each other, loving the closeness of each other's
bodies, that when Clark got up Lois felt a bit lost, "why did
Clark just up and run like that?" she thought, "Doesn't he find
me attractive any more? This isn't fair, when I feel at my most
vulnerable he runs off!"

She lay there, until Clark went to work before she got out of
bed. "That's great; now what am I suppose to do? I can't cook;
there's nothing to tidy up, and Clark has forbidden me to go to
work. Why I'm listening to him I don't know, but I guess he's
right. I guess it's for my own good. Ah, this isn't fair!"

Lois went to the fridge and casually took a look inside to see
what she might have for breakfast. She saw some things that took
her fancy and took them out and sat down to eat. Before she dove
in she looked at the food and grimaced, "Why am I about to eat
this?" As she looked down she realized that she'd taken out some
pickles and a bowl of cream. "I guess this is what it's going to
be like being pregnant!" Then she looked down and stroked her
stomach, then the rest of her body. "Ah well, good-bye fitness,
hello fatness!"

***

Clark whistled as he entered the Daily Planet's Main Newsroom.
Life was perfect. He was married to the woman of his dreams. They
were deeply in love and she was having *their* baby. Life
couldn't have been any better than it was at that moment. Clark
sat at his desk, not really in the mood to get down to work. He
just wanted to sit there and think about his beautiful wife and
the life that was growing inside her.

"What will the baby be?" he thought, "If it's a boy it'll
probably look a bit like me, I bet Lois would say the dimples are
a must. If it's a girl it would have Lois' stunning looks. It'll
probably be as difficult as she but.... it'll also be as precious
as anything I've ever known."

And then it hit him. It was going to be *his* baby, *his* own
flesh and blood. He didn't want to be taken the wrong way, he
loved his parents; he really did, but they weren't his flesh and
blood. This baby would be. And the most wonderful thing would be
that he was having this baby... with Lois. God, how he loved
her.

As Clark sat there day-dreaming about Lois and the baby and the
wonderful life they would all have together, and the things that
had happened to them over the past three and a half years that
almost prevented their happiness, he was oblivious to Perry and
Jimmy standing in the doorway of Perry's office, observing
Clark.

"See that Chief? He's been sitting there for nearly thirty
minutes and hasn't even started working on his story. Lois is
sick. CK thought going to Smallville for the weekend would cure
Lois but obviously she's gotten worse."

"Lois needs the rest, Jimmy. She did look off-color last week. I
think it's best that she takes a few days off. But Clark... he
seems a little, well, out of it."

"Yeah, it's like he's in another world, another dimension."

"He's not sick, is he?" They both looked at each other with the
exact same thought coming into their minds, and simultaneously
they both said, "Or they've had a really big fight!" Perry was
sure that was it. Why else would Lois not come into work? Why
else would Clark be in cuckoo land?

"Ah, great shades of Elvis. Those two are never gonna be happy
together, are they?!" At that Perry waltzed over to Clark, "Kent,
what the *hell* has gotten into you? You've been sittin' here for
damn near half an hour and you haven't even started on your
story. Now I wanna know what's going on between you and Lois and
I wanna know, now!"

"There is something that I think I should tell you and Jimmy,
Chief." Clark was all geared up to tell the good news and opened
his mouth to tell them when the elevator door opened and Lois
walked into the Newsroom. Clark let out a sigh of despair, "She
never listens." He thought.

"Lois!" Clark ran to her, although he had to admit that it was
good to see her, he didn't know how he was going to cope without
seeing her at least every two minutes, but he told her to stay at
home and put her feet up. But Lois was stubborn and was one of
those people who couldn't keep still for longer than a second,
and no baby was going to take that habit out of her. "You gotta
love her!" He thought.

Perry and Jimmy's face lit up, they were so glad to see her. Lois
was like a daughter to Perry, and the sister Jimmy never had.
They sure had missed her. Even though she and Clark had only been
gone for the weekend, Lois would always be in the Newsroom on a
Saturday and sometimes on a Sunday, and for that matter, so would
Clark. Boy, they had missed them. "We're family," thought Perry,
"talkin' about family..."

"Lois, Clark, I wanna know and I wanna know now. What the hell is
going on between you two. Lois? Why are you late? Clark? You are
just sitting there, at your desk, doing absolutely *squat*! Have
you two had a fight?"

Clark opened his mouth again to tell Perry and Jimmy the news
when Lois interrupted him, "Everything's fine, Chief! Really.
It's just that, well, Clark worries about me and I haven't been
feeling too well lately. I was suppose to stay at home, like
Clark said to, but I feel much better now. So here I am. I'm
really sorry, Chief."

Perry, who was expecting something a little more complicated and
something that would involve him giving Lois and Clark a pep
talk, was flabbergasted at the simplicity of the problem. It
didn't even require him to open his mouth. "Well alright then.
Well, you two had better get on with the story then, hadn't
you."

Clark was about to open his mouth again, to tell the truth so
that they knew Lois' condition and could force her to go home.
But Lois anticipated this and got in there before Clark had a
chance to even open his mouth. "Right, Chief, we're on it."

"O.K. then, you two. Get!"

Once alone, Lois knew she was in trouble and Clark was going to
give her an earful. She was going to need a good excuse.

"O.K. Lois. I thought we'd agreed that you would stay at home."

"Look, Clark. I know that I'm... P.G....."

"P.G.?"

"Pregnant. Honestly, Clark, use your head!"

"Oh, sorry."

"Anyway, just because I'm.... you know..... doesn't mean that I
have to sit at home like this little housewife waiting for her
husband to get home from work. That's just not me, Clark."

"You know that's not how it is. It's just that I want you to take
it easy. You know, stay off your feet, make sure you look after
yourself and the baby."

"I know sweetheart, and I appreciate the concern, but I talked to
my doctor and he said to carry on as usual. Babies are more
resilient than you think. And I know that because this baby is
going to be slightly different, because it's.." then she came
closer to Clark so that no-one would hear, "half Kryptonian. It
doesn't mean that it's any different than a human baby. It's not
going to be *that* different. It'll still have arms, and legs,
and a heart."

Whilst Lois and Clark were talking, they didn't realize Jimmy
walking towards them, "What will?"

Lois didn't expect to hear Jimmy behind her, but when she did she
jumped, nearly falling over. Clark caught her and Jimmy watched
with a suspicious glare.

"Ah Jimmy, you scared me."

"What were you two talkin' about? What will have arms and legs
and a heart?" Clark was grinning and was about to say a baby when
Lois, again, interjected, "A monkey!"

Jimmy looked bewildered, but Lois simply grinned back at him,
refusing to elaborate on why they would be talking about a
monkey.

Lois changed the subject as quickly as she could, "so what have
you got?"

Jimmy had almost forgotten why he had approached them, "Oh yeah.
Here's the information from Dr Klein. It's the list of things
that were stolen from S.T.A.R. Labs. The only things taken were
two test tubes of DNA samples. One from a Male and one from a
Female. Dr Klein wouldn't say what they were for over the phone;
he wanted to speak to you two in person."

Lois felt better already, like things were getting back to
normal. It's not that she wasn't looking forward to the baby,
it's just she couldn't sit around for nine months doing nothing.
"Actually," she thought when she realized how bloated she'd be at
nine months, "maybe I'll take time off for the last few weeks, or
so. But at least I won't be idle for the whole term." She thanked
Jimmy and as soon as he was clear she sat down, ready to get to
work.

"Well, I think we should go interview Dr Klein. Don't you think,
Clark?"

But Clark wasn't listening to her, he was thinking how stubborn
Lois was; how she could easily get hurt. Did she know how much he
loved this baby? He hoped that she would do nothing to harm it.
She had to look after herself... and the baby.

"Clark? Earth calling Clark!"

You are so stubborn!"

"Excuse me? Clark, what's on your mind, or need I ask?"

Clark took a deep breath and kneeled down next to Lois. "Lois,
sweetheart, listen to me. I know that no matter what I say you
will not go home but will you promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"Please don't put yourself in danger and do anything to
jeopardize your safety or that of the baby."

Lois looked deep into Clark's eyes. She saw the concern and the
fright that was in his eyes if he ever lost her or the baby. She
took his face in her hands, "Clark, you know that I love this
baby as much as you do. And I know what this baby means to you.
It'll be your flesh and blood, part of you. You've never known
that and you don't want to lose it. I know that and I understand
and I wouldn't do anything to hurt that, ever."

Clark always knew, deep down that Lois understood and that she
felt the same way. He felt so ashamed that he had underestimated
her, "Lois, I'm sorry. I feel so ashamed that I thought that
maybe you wouldn't know. But I wasn't just saying that because of
the baby. I meant that about you too."

Lois smiled, and then Clark did.

"I know". They gave each other a tender kiss but still with the
same amount of passion as the kiss of that morning. They gazed
into each other's eyes, wanting each other, but knowing they
couldn't have each other. Not in the newsroom in front of all
their colleagues. "But there's something I want to ask you."

"What?"

"Why did you break off this morning?"

Clark gave Lois a look of bewilderment. He had no idea what she
was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"When we were kissing in bed this morning. You *know* you wanted
to stay there longer, as much as I did, but you broke off. Why?"

Clark felt like sinking into the ground. He'd sworn to himself
that he would never do this, but he did. He did that and then
he'd not explained to Lois why. He knew how sensitive she was and
what a vulnerable state she was in. His heart hurt. "Oh Lois," he
looked down too ashamed to say anything.

Lois became alarmed, not knowing what to expect. Her heart began
to thump and she felt herself begin to hyperventilate, "Oh God, I
knew it. You don't love me anymore. I knew it." Lois was in
over-drive and she wasn't listening to Clark protesting, "Oh god,
but why? We're so happy. You've lost interest, haven't you..."

"Lois! Get a grip. Honey, that's not it at all."

"It's not?"

"No! The very notion is laughable."

But that didn't ease Lois, she was still frightened that
something had happened. "So.. then... what?"

"I didn't think it was a good idea to do it whilst you were
pregnant. You know, I didn't want to risk harming the baby."

Lois relaxed. She didn't realize how tense she was until she
relaxed. She had to compose herself. Clark was too considerate
for his own good. It would get him into serious trouble one day.

"Clark, sweetheart. Why didn't you tell me? I thought that..."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Clark, we've done it before. Whilst I was pregnant."

"I know Lois, but the baby's getting bigger. It could get even
more risky."

"Look, I talked to the doctor about this; actually I talked to
her about everything and she said that sex wouldn't harm the
baby. We just have to be a little less... passionate." With that
they both laughed and they felt like they were back on track.
"And, Clark, next time can we promise to talk about things before
they get out of hand? You remember what your mom said..." And
they both chimed in, "Communication is key!" They knew that
minute that they would be alright; they would get through this.
Lois didn't know how Clark put up with her stubbornness and
neurosis, but she knew that she wouldn't lose him over it. Clark
didn't know how Lois put up with him trying to make decisions for
her without telling her why, even though they were well
intentioned and for her own good. But he knew that he wouldn't
lose her over it. Because they loved each other. Forever and
always.

Perry stepped in on the pair just as they said the last words,
"Your damn right 'communication is key' but how the hell are you
two gonna write some 'communication' if you're here sitting on
your behinds doin' nothin'. Aren't you suppose to be out there
interviewin' Dr Klein?"

Lois and Clark got up, a little embarrassed but more ashamed of
themselves. "Sorry Chief." Clark said, "we're on our way."

"It won't happen again, Chief."

"It better not." Perry knew what trouble, "but Judas Priest," he
thought aloud after they had left the office, "if they weren't
the best reporting team in this town then I.... aw well....
Jimmy!"

"Yeah, Chief?"

"Get me that article on the escape of Bob Fences."

"Who?"

"Ah, Jimmy, pay attention. You know Bob Fences, the computer's
expert, mind manipulator guy."

"Oh right, sorry. I'll get it, Chief."

As Jimmy rushed off, Perry stood firmly on the spot thinking
about Lois and Clark. What they had been through and how much he
felt happy that their lives had finally turned for the better.
"God let them stay happy." He looked up to the sky," give 'em
good things, please."

***

As Lois and Clark walked out of the Daily Planet, Lois could see
that Clark was thinking.

"You're obsessing again, aren't you, Clark."

Once Clark realized what she was talking about he began to laugh.
"No... well, O.K. Yes."

"Come on, out with it!"

"Why wouldn't you let me tell Perry and Jimmy that you were
pregnant?"

Lois knew this was coming, and the expression on her face showed
it. She knew Clark like the back of her hand, he was so
predictable, "Clark, think about it. Compared to those two you
are nothing when it comes to the concerns over my health. Just
look at the way you were about the baby. You were great about it,
sort of." She laughed, "O.K. so you told me to stay at home but
once I walked into the newsroom, I knew that you would let me
stay. You'd miss me too much."

"You know me well." And he couldn't help stopping them both and
giving her a quick but tender kiss.

"How right you are." Then she thought of Perry and Jimmy, and how
they would react, "But Perry, he's my boss, and he's like a
father, but most of all he's my *boss* and he would probably fire
me over this, working-while-your- pregnant thing. And I don't
think I could take that. As for Jimmy, well, he's like a brother.
I've known Jimmy for years, and he would be constantly looking at
me and making sure that I was alright. I mean as sweet as Jimmy
is, and as much as I love him, I wouldn't be able to handle it!"

Clark couldn't argue with her on that. Lois definitely had a
point. They began walking again, pondering over the different
actions that they could take and the consequences of them. It was
getting difficult.

"O.K. You *are* right about that. But what about the fact that we
*kept* it from them. How do you think they're going to feel about
that?"

Lois lost the satisfaction of being right about how Perry and
Jimmy would react. Clark was right; they'd be heartbroken. She
didn't know which would be worse, the constant scrutinizing and
the watching of her every move making sure that she was alright
or them not finding out till it became obvious. "I don't know.
But let's put that aside for now O.K. Look, here we are. Let's
just get to work and interview Dr Klein."

***

Dr Klein gave new meaning to 'The Nutty Professor'. As soon as
Lois and Clark entered S.T.A.R. Labs he was rushing around like
Superman saving lives at Super-speed. He would be looking out the
window to check that no-one was spying on him, then he'd check on
the four remaining test tubes, making sure they were still there
and that none had been tampered with, then he'd rush back to the
window again.

Lois and Clark watched him do this three times before they could
no longer take it. Lois had to stop him, she tried the soft
spoken subtle approach, "Dr Klein?" That failed and she resorted
to the scream, "DR KLEIN!!"

Dr. Klein froze, and then suddenly realized what he was doing. He
was panicking. He was the only one in charge of the test tubes
and now that two had been stolen, his position at S.T.A.R. Labs
was at risk, at *serious* risk. "Oh, gosh. I'm sorry. It's just
that I've become so jumpy since the robbery. It's so baffling how
anyone could have gotten in here without the alarm going off.
Simply impossible to understand."

"What were you doing the night the tubes were taken?" Lois
asked.

"I don't know." Dr Klein began, "I left here, after I had done
the usual lock up procedure..."

"That would be what, Dr Klein?" Clark quickly asked, "It might
give us a clue to what happened that night."

Lois was impressed. That was good thinking by Clark. She had
never thought of that angle.

"Well," began Dr Klein, "the locking up procedure would consist
of me locking *all* the triple glazing, shatter- proof windows,
then the triple glazing shatter-proof door, the only door, to
this lab. Then I would check *every*, *single* triple glazing
shatter-proof window and door in the labs. And then I would lock
the main doors, there are four, one on the west side of the labs,
one on the east, one on the south and the main door at the front
which are all triple-triple glazing, double shatter-proof,
with..."

"Ah, Dr Klein," Clark interrupted, "we get the idea."

"Oh, yeah right. Well all those four doors are locked with ten
locks and are then security locked with an inside alarm and an
outside one. And that's about it."

Lois and Clark were numb. They had never been through an
explanation like that which was so incredibly... boring - tedious
and boring. Lois needed to sit down. Maybe it wasn't such a good
idea for Clark ask to Dr Klein how he locked up. They should have
known by now what to expect and what to avoid.

"Are you alright, honey?"

"Yeah, Clark. Don't worry."

Dr Klein saw the frustration in Lois' face when she was listening
to him but mistakenly took it for being an illness. It had not
even crossed Dr Klein's mind that his explanations could be
anything but enlightening. "Are you alright, Mrs Kent?"

"Ah, that's Miss Lane, Dr Klein." Lois saw that he didn't
understand why Lois hadn't taken up Clark's name. "Oh no, Dr
Klein, it's just that I've worked so hard to get a name for
myself that it was easier to just keep it." Dr Klein understood.

"So, Dr Klein," asked Clark. He was getting tired and wanted to
press on so that he could get Lois back home as quickly as
possible so that she could rest. She was looking tired, but deep
down he knew that it wasn't the pregnancy... "What did you do
*after* you did *all* the locking up?"

"You know that's kinda funny, because my car is usually parked
just on the kerb outside the north doors, and after I locked up
everything is a blur, because the next thing I remember is me
sitting in the car. I was probably *very* tired that night."

Clark wanted to know *exactly* what happened that night. He was
sure that it was the key to what really happened, "Dr Klein. You
have a security camera, don't you?"

Dr Klein had forgotten all about those, "Of course, the most
recent tape. It's still in the recorder. Over here."

Dr Klein, Lois and Clark all went over to the TV and recorder
that was kept in a small corner. As he played it, there on the
screen was Dr Klein locking the north door but then all of a
sudden, the picture scrambled and when the picture came back Dr
Klein was sitting in his car that was parked right where he said
it was.

Clark knew it. "My guess is, whatever happened concerning the
robbery, happened when the picture messed up. I'm sure that was
no accident."

Lois agreed. That was too weird but Lois had one more question to
ask, "Dr Klein, what were those two test tubes of DNA samples
going to be used for?"

It was then that Dr Klein began rushing about again, like he had
when Lois and Clark first entered the lab.

"Dr Klein? DR KLEIN!"

And just like before, he stopped. "You have to understand, Miss
Lane, Mr Kent, that I was the only person here. I pleaded
insanity to my peers, because I couldn't recall what had happened
that night."

"Well that's not too hard to understand." muttered Clark, quiet
enough so that Dr Klein couldn't hear him, but Lois did and she
nudged him, "Clark."

"What was that, Miss Lane?"

"Oh nothing, Dr Klein, carry on."

"Yes well if I tell you then you'll write it in your paper and
then my peers will know what happened and then they'll fire me!"

"Dr Klein, we appreciate your concern, but I promise you that we
will find some other source that'll tell us the information
before we divulge anything that you told us." Clark was now
desperate to get out of there, so now wooing Dr Klein into
spilling the information seemed the easiest way to get them
*out*.

Fortunately, Dr Klein bought it, "O.K. These test tubes were
going to be the first genetic, but indestructible, security
guards. They would be able to camouflage themselves so that
unsuspecting thieves, would be totally unaware that they were
being watched. Then as soon as the *bad* people try too break in
*boom*, our *good* people, our *unique* good people come out of
their camouflage and get 'em."

"What do you mean by 'camouflage', Dr Klein?" Lois asked.

"I mean, that... um... well have you both seen Terminator 2?"

Both Lois and Clark looked at each other, baffled. Of course
they'd seen it but what did that have to do with this?

"Well, the bad cop, the one that was made out of Mercury, you
know, he could change into anything - provided it was organic.
Well, that's what these things can do." He said, pointing to the
four remaining test tubes, "Only *these* ones can camouflage
themselves into inanimate as well as animate objects. They can do
anything!"

It was then that they understood Dr Klein's immense anxiety and
it was then that they comprehended the enormity of the disaster
that these *things* would have in the wrong hands.

"Oh my god!" thought Lois. Then Lois and Clark thanked Dr Klein,
again swearing that they would keep this information confidential
until they found another way of explaining it without exposing
him as the source, and they left.

***

The room was dark and musty. There was no light except through
the half-drawn blinds. Suddenly, the blinds were opened and a
flood of bright light filled the room and awoke the sleeping Bob
Fences.

"Shut the damn blinds!" He looked up to see no one there. He then
looked at the floor beneath the window and saw the blinds in a
heap on the floor. "Oh, the blinds broke." Fences took a long
look around his now empty office. This had once been where he
controlled the most thriving computer business in all Metropolis,
until Lois Lane and Clark Kent wrote their article on him. He
created a microwave transmitter that would literally kill a city,
then he was sent to prison. Now that he was out, he would get his
revenge.

With what was left of his money stored in a German bank and with
some loyal associates who had thankfully kept away from the
clutches of the thriving Intergang, he had managed to steal two
test tubes from S.T.A.R. Labs.

"Now I can make my millions with the genetic engineering already
taken care of by Dr Klein. All I need to do now is supply my
high-tech thieves with the *computer* engineering. They don't
call me the best mind manipulator for nothing. I was the one who
made Lois Lane look stupid - I made her think she was abducted by
*aliens*!" He then screamed out loud and in entered Pryce, one of
Fences' *henchmen*. "So, Pryce, nothing went wrong with the
robbery? My scrambler worked on the camera?"

"Yes, sir," replied Pryce, "it gave us enough time to get in and
out and still not be seen. But one question, sir..."

Fences glared at Pryce, he did not like questions but he'd allow
*one* just this once. "What is it, Pryce?"

"How did you manage to make Dr Klein open the security doors for
us? He was *very* compliant. Is he part of us?"

Fences smirked at Pryce's total ignorance. "No, you idiot! Did
you not read the infamous article that Lane and Kent wrote about
me in the paper about the methods I had used in attempting to use
my transmitter to bribe countries?"

Pryce simply shook his head.

"Well, my ignorant friend, I simply sent him a free gift through
the mail. A watch which when worn, will send shocks through the
body to the brain that will convey the message that I want. Like
in Klein's case I simply provided computer generated messages in
the watch that when I triggered it off with this device," Fences
held up what looked like a detonator switch, "would induce him
to, 'do as you say.' Neat huh?"

Pryce had to admit, it was good. He was glad that he had *sided*
with Fences rather than opposing him. God knows what could have
happened to him.

"Phase one complete!" Now that he had the test tubes, he knew
exactly what to do with them. But he was sure that Lane and Kent
would figure out how his men had gotten past Klein so easily.
They weren't the best for nothing, he knew that. So he had to act
quickly, "but rest assured," Fences thought, "Lane and Kent are
in for the *shock* of their lives!"

***

Back at the Planet, Lois and Clark were busy trying to piece
together the missing pieces to Dr Klein's story. They knew Dr
Klein too well to suspect him of lying so there had to be another
explanation.

"My theory is, that Dr Klein was in some kind of trance when the
robbers attacked." Clark wondered out loud, "Dr Klein gave me a
print out of what times the security lock was accessed, as you
see here." He pointed out one entry on the piece of paper.

"I see it," replied Lois but she didn't see the relevance, "but
when do I get happy?"

"Well, this is the exact same time that the camera scrambled, and
Dr Klein has no recollection of ever pressing the keys made as
no-one else knows the access codes means that ... "

"He *was* in some kind of trance but how..." at that point Lois
looked at Clark. His face to anyone else would seem to be normal,
but to Lois she could see that he was hiding something. "O.K. out
with it!"

"How did you know?"

"Communication between you and me is not solely verbal, Mr Kent.
I thought you of all people would know that by now."

Clark grinned, Lois was teasing him again. He had this sudden
urge to touch her and kiss her all over but he knew that this
wasn't the time. And Lois knew that too. She enjoyed teasing
him.

"Dr Klein said that he did remember looking at his watch before
going into the trance."

Lois knew what this meant and why Clark had kept it from her. He
had done the same to Lois a little while ago. He didn't want her
exerting herself.

"The only person that we know who could do this is Bob Fences,"
then she remembered the aliens, the trances. "It all fits only
.... " Fences was in prison, or was he? Then Lois and Clark
simultaneously called for Jimmy.

"You hollered?" Jimmy humorously replied.

Lois didn't catch on to the joke, she had more important things
to think about, "Yeah, Jimmy, tell us something. You know the
computer's expert ..."

Clark carried on,

"Bob Fences, is he ... "

And Lois finished off, "Out of Prison?"

Jimmy was no longer listening to the words they were saying. He
was amazed at the exact same way in which they spoke. They always
knew how the other one was thinking. They knew each other's next
move. Amazing.

"Jimmy?" Lois asked again, "is he?"

"Oh right! Sorry, you guys. It's just that stereo thing you two
do! It gets me every time."

Clark was getting impatient. There was no time to lose. He was
sure that Fences was going to come after him and Lois and he
didn't want Lois to get hurt. He *needed* to catch this guy
before he did anything to Lois .... and their baby. "Jimmy, come
on."

"Sorry, CK. As a matter of fact, yeah he did. Robertson wrote an
article about it today. Just after you left to see Dr Klein
actually. How did you two know?"

But Lois and Clark weren't paying attention to him anymore, they
had to find Bob Fences and they had to find him now. But where?

Just then they heard someone shout out, "Chief, there's been a
robbery at Computer City!"

"Bingo." Thought Clark, he looked at Lois and she knew what he
was going to do. She also knew that she had to stay put. No
matter what.

"O.K. But Clark .. "

"Yeah?"

"Can I, like, stand on the other side of the road, just so that I
can *see* what's happening? I promise I won't go anywhere *near*
danger."

Clark was all ready to say no, but Lois gave him *that* look and
he had to say yes. But he would drop her way out of harm's
reach.

***

Little did they know that it was a trap. Fences knew that Lane
and Kent would put his escape and Dr Klein's trance together so a
robbery using his new toys seemed only fitting to use as a trap.
A Lane and Kent trap. He planned to *shock* the life out of
them.

He stood on the roof of the Metropolis Bank looking down at the
scene that was unfolding. Police cars, crowds of by-standers,
reporters. But he was looking out for the very special two
reporters that put him away. He became worried when he couldn't
see them. They had to be here; he was sure of it. They couldn't
miss an opportunity like this, an opportunity to catch *the* Bob
Fences.

Fences saw Superman quickly enter the shop, but he knew that
Superman would not find the thieves, because they would be
hidden. They were agile enough to be away from the crime scene
that Superman would not even *know* where to start looking for
them. It was perfect. The only thing that would put the icing on
the cake would be Lois Lane and Clark Kent tied up ready for
torture.

He had abandoned his office. Fences knew that spending more than
an hour there would mean definite re- capture. But he was smart.
Then there! There was Lane, but no Kent, standing on the other
side of the road. A quiet observer, trying to keep away from big
bad Bob. If only she knew there was no escape, and Superman
wouldn't save her.

***

Superman finished scanning the store before giving up. He gave
the police all the information he could but he couldn't find the
culprits. But he knew who they were. The police thanked him and
he decided to go back to Lois. They still had work to do. He ran
across the street where he left her but she was gone. His heart
jumped into his throat, "Oh God, Lois!" He screamed but there was
no answer. Where could she be? He needed to find out where she
was but how would he find her. The only thing he could do was
scan the area. It was all he could do. He knew this would happen.
But he didn't blame Lois. He feared for her safety. He hoped he
would find her before he had to face the fact that he wouldn't
but he tried to push aside the terrible thought of life without
her.

***

As Lois came around, she found herself hanging, twenty feet above
the ground. She took a brief look at where she was and she knew
her captor was clever. He had put her in a prison type of room,
lined with lead. Then the doors opened.

"Hello Lois."

"Fences, it *was* you."

"Of course it was, Lois, I know it and you know it. I hope you
like your room. It's a replica of the one that *your* article put
me in, so I thought it only fitting that you should die in the
same surroundings. I planned this well enough, except the
capturing of your partner. I hear that you're married now;
congratulations. Anyway, he wasn't with you at the time but we'll
get him soon enough. And I wouldn't count on Superman coming
because, he won't see you."

"What are you going to do with me?" The fear in Lois' face was
evident and Fences was enjoying every ounce of it. But Fences
only knew the half of it. Lois had faced death many times before.
It wasn't her safety she was fearing for; it was the life of her
child. She never felt more than now, the total love for the life
inside her .. and the love she had for Clark.

Fences walked closer to her. He was followed by two of his men
dragging a large tub of water, too deep to see the bottom of.
"Ever heard of Shock Therapy?"

Lois didn't answer. She was reluctant to say anything anymore.
All she could think about was Clark.

"Well I guess you haven't. Need I explain?"

Again Lois said nothing.

"I think I will, just to make it clear. You see, this water is no
ordinary water. As you can see, it moves! Do you know why that
is, Lois?"

Again silence.

"You see there is a steady current going through this water and
*you* will be lowered into it. So," Fences looked at his men,
"let the ceremony begin!"

As soon a Fences proclaimed this, Lois screamed, but not out
loud, in her heart. She screamed for Clark; she cried out for her
baby. Her heart began to pound and her emotion ran high.
Immediately, her years with Clark flashed before her eyes and she
saw something else flash before her eyes, something she had never
seen before, her baby - their baby - their baby girl. Then there
was an almighty crash, and before Lois could comprehend what was
going on, she was being lifted down. She felt like she was
floating and when she turned her head, it was Clark.

Lois was astounded, "How did you...." but Clark stopped her. She
needed to save her strength.

"Sshh, later."

As she looked over Clark's shoulder she could see Fences and all
his men, tied up ready for delivery to the Police, but Fences got
free.

"This time you're not going to take me alive!" And he dove for
the water; he dove to his death.

Lois stared with horror. That could've been her. That could've
been her baby. A million thoughts went through her head. So many,
but words could not explain the pain and fear that she felt when
she was faced with losing her baby. Their baby. That instant her
life changed, her thoughts changed. Every thought now was of her
daughter.

***

Perry and Jimmy rushed to Lois and Clark's place as soon as they
had heard what had happened. Clark met them at the door.

"How is she son?"

"She's doin' O.K. Hi, Jimmy."

"Hey, CK. Here's some flowers for Lois."

"Thanks, come in."

Lois could hear the gang in the sitting room. Clark thought she
was asleep but the truth was she couldn't sleep. She wanted to
tell the world about her baby.

"Clark?" called Lois, "Is Perry and Jimmy here?"

Clark, Jimmy and Perry all filed into the bedroom.

"Hi you guys. How are you?" Good old Lois, always thinking of
them.

Perry knew though that Lois was really trying to take the focus
off herself but she couldn't.

"Perry, Jimmy. Clark and I have something that we want to tell
you."

There was an eager silence, Perry and Jimmy knew that something
important was coming but they also knew that what they were going
to hear would be good news. Perry was getting impatient. "What is
it Lois?"

"I'm pregnant!"

There was congratulations all around and curses, mostly from
Perry to Lois, at the irresponsibility of her still working
whilst she was pregnant, "You know, Lois, I should fire you! But,
I won't but that's only 'cause you are *one* of my best
reporters, but Lois, promise that you will take it easy, and no
running around. I limit you to desk work for the next eight
months. Comprende?"

"Got it, Chief, you don't have to tell me twice."

But he couldn't contain himself, and he rushed to Lois and gave
her the biggest hug he could muster. Deep down, Lois was his
little girl and he was damn proud of her.

***

When they were alone Clark cooked, Lois watched. She hugged him
close, never wanting to let go. "So, Mr Kent, can I ask you
something?"

"Anything, Mrs Kent."

Lois let go of Clark and he stopped cooking, turning to face her.
"How did you know where to find me?"

Clark studied her face; he loved the way it curved, the way her
mouth moved, the expressions in her eyes. And then he thought of
never seeing it again, "When you went missing, all those horrible
thoughts of never seeing you again went through my mind. My heart
started to beat faster than it had ever done before, and I felt
myself dying. Then I *felt* you and I let my heart do the flying
until I found myself over a lead lined room. It overwhelmed me,
like your beauty does every time I see and think about you. And I
don't just mean the beauty on the surface but I mean the beauty
that *is* you and that grows *inside* you."

Lois didn't know what to say, she was lost for words, lost in
Clark's words. She loved him more than life itself, and he loved
her more and more each day. It was that love that united them
together, even when he was in New Krypton and it was their love
that found her and the baby, that love would never let any of
them die. "Clark. I want to tell you something. I was going to
keep this to myself, but communication between us has become more
and more important." She took his face into her hands and looked
deep into his eyes, "I love you more than you'll ever know. It's
been your love that has seen me through a lot of things. And
whilst I was tied up, I felt myself with you. It was amazing. It
was like an out of body experience but it was strong. It wasn't
death. It was life that was calling me. I knew you would come.
And I saw something else."

"What?"

"Our baby."

"You .. *saw* ... our baby?"

"I have this strong feeling that I know what our baby is going to
be."

"What?"

"A girl."

Clark felt that too. He *knew* it. But in his heart it didn't
matter what it was going to be, as long as the baby was healthy,
but the fact that he felt it was going to be a girl as much as
Lois did made it all the more true, all the more incredible.

Their love for each other was truly incredible, more powerful
than Clark alone. Together they would make it. They took each
other into their arms and kissed long and hard. The passion
mounted until they were lost in one another. Clark picked Lois up
and carried her into their bedroom. Who cared if the cooking
would burn again. It couldn't get any hotter than Lois and Clark
were. Their love would carry on burning, hotter than the hottest
flame, for now and for always.

THE END