By Valerie (75032.2765@CompuServe.COM) and Amanda (klane@digital.net)
Summary: Dr. Klein concludes that it is possible for Superman to impregnate an Earth woman, but it would kill her. Lois decides to take the risk.
Authors' note: Hi, everyone! This is Valerie and Amanda's first attempt at writing fanfic together, so please, be kind. Send comments to: klane@digital.net (Amanda) or 75032.2765@compuserve.com (Valerie)
***
Lois Lane Kent sat at the table in the kitchen of the house she and her husband lived in on Hyperion Ave. Clark set a plate of steaming pasta in front of Lois and sat down across from her, pouring them each a glass of red wine.
"Lois, I've been wondering, have you ever thought about us having kids?"
"Of course. Why?"
"Well, we've been married for almost two years now. I think we're ready to start trying to have children." Lois almost choked on the bite of pasta she had in her mouth. Wiping her mouth, she sputtered, "Really? I thought you 'didn't want me harmed by the effects an "alien" baby might have' on me." {How about this tiny change?}
"Well, I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I've changed my mind. I want to have kids. Do you think we're ready?"
"Well, yeah, I think it's the right time, but Clark, you can't just decide one night, 'Gee, I think I'll get my wife pregnant'. You have to plan these things."
"So we'll plan it. Does this mean, though, that you're *not* sleeping with me tonight?" Lois hit Clark playfully and planted a kiss on his lips.
Over the next couple of weeks, Lois began figuring out when her fertility would be at its highest, while also quitting her birth control pills, and Clark stopped using protection every time they made love. They planned carefully, but it soon became apparent that nothing was happening.
For months, Lois couldn't get pregnant. Fearing the worst, that Lois was infertile or that Clark couldn't make Lois pregnant, they went to Dr. Klein and to Lois' doctor.
Superman had Dr. Klein run some tests to see if that, being a Kryptonian, he could impregnate an Earth woman. Meanwhile, Lois went to her doctor and had tests run to make sure she wasn't infertile.
When Lois and Clark met up back home at the end of the day, they were both tired and felt poked and prodded like lab animals.
"What'd you find out?" Clark asked, pulling Lois onto his lap.
"Well, I'm okay. Supposedly, I should be able to get pregnant. What did Dr. Klein say?"
"He won't have anything conclusive yet, he still has some tests to run. He should have the results tomorrow."
"Who would've thought that this could be this hard? It's not fair!"
"Maybe we should call my parents. They probably went through this same thing."
"You're right. Your parents always make me feel better." Lois stood up and grabbed the cordless phone. She speed-dialed the Smallville number and waited as the phone rang and Martha picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Martha."
"Lois? What's wrong?"
"I can't get pregnant. We've been trying for the longest time and today we both went to the doctor and it's not me but … I want a baby!"
"Oh honey, believe me, I know how you feel! Jonathan and I went through the same thing."
Clark picked up the extension in the kitchen.
"Hi, mom,"
"Hi, Clark, how are you holding up?"
"Oh Martha, we're so frightened! What if — what if we never —" Lois interrupted.
"Lois, it's okay. Adoption is always an option, too. We did that and look what we got." The rest of the conversation went the same way, with Martha telling Lois and Clark stories and experiences and encouraging words. When they hung up the phone, Clark turned to Lois.
"You know, she's right. We could adopt."
"Well, we still might be able to have a baby, so let's not think about it yet, okay?"
"All right."
***
The next day Lois waited at the Planet for Clark, pacing back and forth in front of her desk.
By the time Clark returned, she had practically worn a trench in the floor.
"What'd he say?"
"Well, there's good news and there's bad news. Which do you want first?"
"The good."
"He said it was possible for me to impregnate an Earth woman."
"That's great!" Lois exclaimed, throwing her arms around Clark's neck. "What's the bad news?"
"If you do get pregnant, you won't be able to carry the baby to term because you'll contract a disease from the Kryptonian blood in the baby's body or something. I didn't really understand what he was talking about. You know Dr. Klein and his medical tangents."
"So, you're saying I can't ever have your baby?" Lois stared at Clark, shocked.
"Well, not unless you're willing to sacrifice your life for the child. And, whether or not you are willing, I'm not and I won't get you pregnant if you're going to die."
"But Clark —"
"No buts. Lois, it's dangerous." Lois stared at Clark, and then turned stubbornly away.
"How can you tell a woman you won't let her have children?"
"Lois, honey, we can adopt…"
"I don't want to adopt, I want *my* baby. Something you and I made together. I want to go through that whole miracle of birth!"
"Well, we could go to a sperm bank and have a fertilized egg put in your womb … "
"No! Clark, I want *your* baby! I'm not going to just give up!"
She turned back towards him and Clark was shocked to see her eyes glistening as though there were tears there.
"Honey, let's go home." Lois allowed Clark to lead her home. When they got there, Lois lay down on the bed to take a nap. Clark decided to join her.
Grief stricken, emotional, and not thinking, they made love. Lois rolled over the next morning, surprisingly content.
"Morning," she whispered to Clark.
"You sound happier today."
"I feel better."
"Do you want to look at adoption agencies?"
"Nope."
***
About three months later, Lois went to the doctor for her annual physical. The doctor called her the next day and told her that she and Clark should get down there as quickly as they could; he'd found something in his tests. Lois and Clark rushed into the office, fifteen minutes later.
"What is it Dr. Spencer?"
"Well, Lois, Clark, you're pregnant!"
"What?!" Clark asked, almost angrily.
"What!?" Lois squealed with joy. Luckily, the doctor didn't notice the mixed response.
"That's right. The baby looks healthy and so does Lois. You kids don't have to worry about anything but names now."
As soon as they got to the car, Clark opened his mouth to lecture Lois.
"Wow. I can't believe I'm finally pregnant!" Lois gushed.
Seeing his wife's happiness, Clark couldn't even raise his voice. Maybe Dr. Klein had been wrong. After all, he had said it was speculation. Lois had beaten everything else, cloning, cryogenics, electrocution … she had to get through this.
***
The pregnancy went surprisingly well, with Lois showing no signs of contracting any disease. She was in the beginning of her ninth month, still looking as healthy as any pregnant woman. Everyone had pretty much forgotten Dr. Klein's prediction.
Lois and Clark were sitting around the dinner table, a table covered with peanut butter jars, ice cream containers, and pickles, when Lois' water broke. One minute she was just sitting there eating, the next minute she was screaming.
"Ah! Clark, my water broke!" Flustered, Clark forgot what she meant.
"Well, I'll get you a new one."
"No, I mean, I'm going to have the baby!"
"Oh!" Clark rushed around at super speed gathering Lois' things while Lois called her doctor. He told her he wanted her at the hospital. Clark drove Lois to the hospital as fast as he legally could.
***
Lois was in labor for 15 hours. Ten hours into it, complications arose. She began to bleed internally while the baby was stuck inside of her. After a few hours of being unable to help her, the doctor announced to Clark that Lois wasn't going to make it. The baby would eventually come out, most likely through an operation, but it would be dead when born, having died hours before, when Lois first went into labor. When asked about how Lois would be, the doctor said that there was absolutely no hope at all for her anymore, and that after the operation, she would most likely die within an hour. Clark heard that news as though he was in a tunnel, and the doctor was far away. Clark asked if he could see Lois, and the doctor nodded his approval.
"Hi, Lois. How are you doing?" Clark tried to keep his voice light for his wife's sake, but tears glimmered in his eyes.
Lois turned her own tear stained eyes towards his, and he noticed that drops of sweat had dried on her skin, leaving ugly streaks down her cheeks.
"Clark …"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry … I'm … just … so sorry," Lois could barely get the words out because she was so drained of energy.
"Oh, Lois … I love you so much, you know that, don't you?"
She nodded pitifully. "Is there any chance that I'm going to live?"
Clark hesitated, then slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lois. The doctor said … he said that they're going to do an operation on you to get our baby out, but that you won't live much longer than that."
She tried to smile bravely, but her tears increased. "But our baby will be okay, won't he? I mean … " Clark had to lean in close to Lois to hear her push her words out of her mouth. "You'll have our baby to keep, won't you?"
Clark closed his eyes briefly and then whispered, "No. Lois, I'm sorry, but our baby's already dead. He died when you first went into labor."
A strangled noise came out of Lois, and she closed her eyes, weeping softly.
"Mr. Kent?" An orderly poked his head into the room. "We need to take your wife to the operating room now. You can walk with her until we get there, and then you can wait in the waiting room."
Clark nodded. "Thank you."
Minutes later, Clark stood in front of the operating room doors where Lois had just been pushed through. He hung his head briefly and then turned and walked slowly towards the waiting room.
An hour later, Lois' surgeon came up to Clark and asked him to go into a conference room with him. Clark followed dumbly.
"Mr. Kent, I'm sorry to say, Lois didn't make it through the operation. We had thought that she would continue living for at least another hour, but … "
Clark stared dumbly at the doctor. "Can … can I see her?"
"Yes, of course. Follow me." Getting up, he walked out of the room and into the operating room where Lois still lay, a sheet pulled up to her neck. "I'll leave you here. When you're done, Patty," he indicated a nurse who stood quietly out of view, "will show you out. And, Mr. Kent? I'm very sorry."
Clark nodded. When the doctor left, his eyes, still filled with tears, began to overflow, until he could no longer see in front of him. "Oh, Lois."
***
The next day found Clark slumped in an easy chair in front of the fireplace, unshaved, unwashed, and almost unclothed. He held in his hands a picture of him and Lois together at some fair or carnival, where they had spent their first free day after they were married together. In the room behind him, a song was playing from a CD that Lois had bought. Clark had put it on when he had first arrived home from the hospital, and hadn't been able to bring himself to take it out of the player, so it just ran on continuously, emphasizing what Clark felt.
"The Choice was mine and mine completely. I could have any prize that I desired I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire Or else, or else I could choose time Remember, I was very young then, and a year was forever and a day So what use could 50, 60, 70, be? I saw the light and I was on my way. And how I lived How they shone But how soon the lights were gone
"The Choice was mine and mine completely. I could have any prize that I desired I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire Or else, or else I could choose time Remember, I was very young then, and a year was forever and a day So what use could 50, 60, 70, be? I saw the light and I was on my way. And how I lived How they shone But how soon the lights were gone
The choice was yours and no one else's You can cry for a body in despair Hang your head because she is no longer there To shine, to dazzle or betray How she lived, how she shone, but how soon the lights were gone
Eyes hair face image all must be preserved Still life displayed forever No less then she deserved."
THE END
Lament song from "Evita"
(choic.txt)