Superman Movieverse Forum

A Christmas Revelation
Title: A Christmas Revelation
Author: Bellarata
Prompt: 06 Cheer
Category: Superman Returns
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3500
Summary: While Superman lay in the hospital after his experience with New Krypton, his mother waited in the crowd. This time she doesn't stay anonymous and has a few words with Lois Lane.
Spoilers: SR
Author's Notes:
A/N- I set this fic during the christmas season, so took liberties with the SR time line. Happy New Year!! Written for 12 Days of Clois and hasn't been beta'd so all mistakes are mine.


Christmas Revalations

This had been a holiday season like none other – one that Martha Kent vowed she never wanted to repeat. Ever. Helplessness was not an emotion that was at all familiar, but she found herself standing stoically in the midst of a sea of strangers feeling the most intense sense of helplessness she could ever recall. She alone had more reason to be party to this vigil than most, yet she couldn't acknowledge her relationship to the world's savior. Feeling as if the weight of the world was pressing down upon her frail shoulders, Martha was smothered with uncertainty and worry. The moments insisted on passing by in slow motion, and all Martha could do was wait – hoping for just the smallest bit of news on the condition of her son. The man the world knew as Superman.

Hope.

It was a truly tangible beast and Martha could do little else but pray and hope that her son would live to save another day. Would live to celebrate another Christmas in Smallville, after being absent for the last five. She had just gotten her son back and now she stood to lose him all over again.

Never before had she had such regrets about her encouraging role in her son's destiny as the world's savior. It was a mantel that she'd been so very proud of Clark for donning - yet that title came with its own brand of sacrifice. And this was the epitome of that sacrifice – being forced to remain just another face in the crowd.

Anonymous.

No one else could know that it was her son that had fallen so dramatically from the sky in the aftermath of possibly his last heroic feat.


What she wouldn't give to march up those hospital steps and demand to see her son, as was her right as a mother. But appearances must be kept and secrets remained buried – sacrifices made.

Martha knew that more than anybody.

She took a moment to study those standing around her, knowing intuitively that these strangers had their own reasons for being there, for standing vigil as the world's savior lay unconscious behind the hospital walls. She didn't need words or explanations to know that her son had managed to touch the lives of everyone around her, in one way or another. Even in the wake of their city's catastrophes, thousands of people had still gathered on the streets outside the hospital, their concern for the Man of Steel palpable. They had all united with a similar intent – to reverently show their devout support for their fallen hero. It was a humbling thought that her son was so well-regarded and Martha cursed the tears that threatened to make tracks down her cheeks.

And yet, for all these people gathered together, her son remained alone with only the medical personnel at his side. It was maddening to be so close to him, yet still so far away.

A flurry of movement and loud whispers shook her out of her reverie and Martha took a sharp breath as she recognized the woman who was being escorted through the dense mob of people lined up in front of the hospital entrance.

Lois Lane.

The tears that she had tried so valiantly to keep in check finally broke free and tumbled down her weathered face. She watched as the love of her son's life was escorted through the masses, the heavily guarded hospital doors granting her and the little boy at her side passage.

At least Clark wouldn't be alone.

With the realization that the woman her son loved was being allowed inside and would be updated on Clark's status, Martha knew she had a decision to make. And she just hoped she made the right one.



**

Exiting the hospital was proving to be even more of a challenge than entering it, Lois couldn't help but lament. Swinging Jason into her arms, she kept her head down as questions and inquiries were flung at her from all directions. The press were out in full force and the barrage of flash bulbs greeting her was not a surprise. As a journalist, she couldn't quite blame them for their ruthless attack as she walked down the front steps of the hospital. Not much information was being released on Superman's condition and she felt fortunate to being one of the few people allowed to see him.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” she asked her son, noting his wide eyes and the rigid way he held himself in her arms. He'd gone through more than any child his age should ever have to and Lois could only hope there was no lingering psychological trauma.

Jason nodded slowly and offered her a hesitant smile. “It's loud, Mommy,” he complained and Lois had to agree.

“I know and I'm sorry. Daddy's car will be quiet though, I promise. And then we can go home and eat burritos.” Lois pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head and gathered him more securely in her arms. The police escort was more than helpful and Lois was appreciative. The sheer number of people lining the street was a little daunting and Lois had never felt so exhausted in her life. The emotional and physical roller coaster she'd recently suffered was rearing its ugly head and she just wanted a few minutes of quiet to process what had happened in the previous twenty-four hours.

And what some of those events meant for her future. It wasn't everyday that one learned that the father of their child was actually a super hero from the planet Krypton. Lois was still having issues wrapping her head around that little revelation and could easily have passed it off as wishful thinking if not for the irrefutable evidence of Jason shoving a piano across a room. With that kind of damning evidence, there was only one explanation - and it was an explanation she had no memory of.

She really needed Superman to wake up.


At least she had been able to see him and had whispered her secret into his ear. She could only hope he was conscious on some level and had heard her admission. She didn't want to have to tell him twice.

One thing she knew - if he did wake up, they had a lot to talk about.

With the crowds thinning the further from the hospital they got, Metropolis' finest were more than doing their job, as they kept the masses from following them down the street and a block over to where Richard had been forced to park the car. Jimmy had been right - it was a madhouse. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw her fiance' leaning against the passenger door of his Audi and Lois turned to the police officers who had acted as her impromptu bodyguards.

“Thank you for your help,” she commented gratefully. For once, she had found the police helpful and not their usual hindrance, like they typically were when she was embroiled in an investigation and stretching the law for a story.

“Anytime, Miss. Lane. Anything for the big guy,” the officer she knew only as 'Beef' replied. His nickname was accurate, Lois thought, noting his thick middle. “Will you be ok now?”

Lois nodded, gesturing down the street to where Richard was waiting. “I'm parked just over there.”

Beef tipped his head in acknowledgment. “Take care of yourself, Miss Lane.”

Lois smiled in response and shifted Jason to her other side. He was becoming dead weight and she could only imagine his own fatigue. He'd been through more than any five year old should ever have to experience. One thing she knew – she needed to sit him down soon and make him talk about what happened on the Gertrude. Not that she was looking forward to that, since it was bound to prompt a whole slew of 'why' questions she just didn't have the answers to.

Closing the distance to where Richard was parked, Lois couldn't help but wonder what these new revelations meant for her relationship with Richard. She sighed heavily, not anticipating the conversation she needed to have with her fiance'.

“Excuse me, Miss. Lane?” a soft spoken voice interrupted her mental lament.

'Almost made it,' Lois thought to herself as she turned to face the elderly lady who had addressed her. “If you want an update on Superman, you'll have to read about it in the Daily Planet,” she said unapologetically, too tired to care if she was being rude.

The lady shook her head and Lois was struck with a slight feeling of recognition. “My name is Martha Kent,' she said by way of introduction.

“Kent?” Lois repeated, the pieces falling into place. Clark had a picture of his mother on his desk, which explained the familiarity. “Clark's mother?”

Martha looked relieved at the recognition, as she nodded. “Yes, I'm Clark's mother.”

Lois gave her an odd look, not quite sure why Mrs. Kent was here and not with her son. “Uh, ok... If you're looking for Clark, I haven't seen him. He wasn't at the Planet before I left to come here.”

Martha nodded sadly. “I know, dear.” She looked around, there was a small measure of privacy but that could change at any moment. This was too big to risk behind overheard. Taking a deep breath, she plundered ahead, knowing this was going to change things in a profound way. “I have something I need to discuss with you, Miss Lane. Can we take a short walk?”

Lois hesitated, her fatigue demanding that she say no. But one look at the intensity and pain in Clark's mother's eyes had her agreeing with the woman's request. “Sure. Let me just give Jason to his dad. I can't talk long though, I really need to get Jason home. He's been through a lot.”

**

Martha sighed in relief, finally allowing her attention to wander to the boy Lois Lane held protectively in her arms.

Her breath hitched as her hand flew up to cover her mouth. The resemblance was too clear to deny. Oh yes, she and Miss Lane had more than one thing to talk about.

**      

Moments later, Lois found herself seated on a park bench not far from the hospital. Christmas decorations were tastefully decorating the park but Lois had no appreciation for the christmas spirit so boldly on display. Her christmas cheer had been sucked right out of her, thanks to Lex Luthor. It would take some true christmas magic to get her back in the festive mood, but she'd do a good job of faking it for the sake of her son. Impatiently, she waited for Mrs. Kent to say whatever it was she needed to speak about.

“May I ask how old your son is?” the other lady asked quietly.

Lois' eyes narrowed in suspicion, the newest revelations of Jason's paternity making her nervous. This was just the beginning, she realized, making sure she was careful enough to head off any suspicion. “He's five.”

She watched as Clark's mother smiled fondly. The silence rolled on and Lois began to think of an excuse that would let her take her leave, not wanting to be especially rude to Clark's mother. Before she could come up with an excuse, Mrs. Kent dropped her bombshell.

“He looks a lot like his father.”

Lois nodded stiffly. “Yes, he looks like a lot like Richard.” The lie rolled off her tongue so easily, she could almost believe it was the truth.

“That's not the father I mean, dear.”

A fearful chill gripped Lois and she tried to school her features, determined not to give anything away to this too observant elderly lady at her side.

“I don't know what you are talking about, Mrs. Kent,” she managed to say, wondering if this was the direction her life was going to take. One lie after another in a desperate attempt to cloak her son's paternity.

Martha patted her hand gently. “It's alright, my dear. I know more than you think about protecting secrets.”

Lois grabbed her hand away, not caring if she was being rude. “Look, Mrs. Kent, it's been a really long day. I need to get Jason home. If you'll excuse me...” She attempted to stand but her movement was halted by a surprisingly strong hand gripping her wrist.

“Please,” Martha Kent pleaded, “I just need you to listen to me for a moment longer.”

Lois sighed and sank back onto the bench she had just vacated. She gestured for Clark's mother to continue.

Martha settled back and allowed a brief nostalgic smile to grace her lips. “I suppose I should start at the beginning... With my son. Clark is adopted. Did he tell you that?”

Lois nodded. She had forgotten that little bit of info about her partner, but now that Martha mentioned it, she remembered Clark mentioning it during a story they had worked on. “I know, he talked about it years ago.”

“Well, what you may not have heard is the circumstances that brought Clark into our lives. It was not a typical adoption, you see.” Martha's smile was bittersweet. “We found him as a small child, on the side of a country road in Smallville. His father and I had witnessed what looked to be a fireball falling from the sky and we went to investigate, to make sure that it didn't set the field on fire. And there he was. Oh, he couldn't have been any more than three years old and he was walking along the country road naked as a jay bird.”

Lois gasped, her maternal instincts jumping to high alert and sparking an intense outrage over any parent who would abandon their own child in such a manner. “How did he get there, Mrs. Kent? Who would do such a thing to a child? Was he just abandoned on the side of the road?”

Lois watched as Martha briefly closed her eyes, an apparent internal war being waged. Taking a deep breath, Clark's mother turned to face Lois, her mouth grim with determination. “He wasn't abandoned, Lois. At least not in the way you are thinking. He... crashed.”

Shaking her head in confusion, Lois asked, “What do you mean he crashed? His parents crashed? Were they dead?”

“No, Lois. He crashed. He was traveling alone... in a space ship.”

“Space ship?” Lois echoed, looking at the other woman in confusion and then with something akin to concern. “Are you sure you're alright, Mrs. Kent? Maybe we should find Clark, perhaps he can help you?”

Martha shook her head sadly and looked sadly in the direction of the hospital. “I already know where Clark is, dear. He's not able to help at the moment.”

Lois was already on her feet. “Well, let's see if we can...” her voice trailed off as the implications of Martha's bold statements started making a bit too much sense and she quietly gasped. “Mrs. Kent, why did you say that Jason looked like his real father?” Lois asked, dreading the answer.

Tears welled up in the tired blue eyes of the elderly woman before her. “Because he does, dear. He is almost the spitting image of his father at that age,” she replied quietly, not sure how she felt now that Lois was putting her investigative instincts to work. With the information she had provided, it wouldn't take the other woman any time to figure out the connection between a crashed space ship and the alien she had just visited in the hospital.

A million thoughts bombarded Lois at once, and her hand flew to cover her mouth. So many questions flooded her brain, demanding to be answered.

“Mrs. Kent... Where is Clark?” Lois finally asked, proud of how steady her voice sounded.

“In the hospital,” came the quiet answer. “You just saw him.”

Confirmation was a tangible thing, her entire world had just changed in a few sentences. “Oh my god,” she mumbled, her hand pressed to her forehead as the implications of what she had just learned took over her entire thought process. All this time, he had been lying to her. It all made sense now, his running away at the first hint of danger, his lame excuses... Of course he was always around, he was her partner! “Why are you telling me this? It's obviously something he has kept secret from me... for years. Why now?” She knew her voice reflected the pain and confusion she was experiencing.

Martha offered a brittle smile. “Because you've been in to see him. I had to know if he was alright. And that meant sharing the secret. My son trusts you, Ms. Lane. If he trusts you, I knew that I could.”


Lois regarded the lady at her side. Her son's grandmother, she realized humorlessly. As a parent, she could only imagine the worry and helplessness the other lady was feeling, not able to take her place at her son's bedside. “Is that why he lied to me all this time?” she couldn't help but comment bitterly. At the guilt she saw in the older lady's eyes, Lois apologized. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't take it out on you. It's just been... a very long day. A lot has happened.”

Martha patted her hand and offered her a sad smile. “I understand.” A brief moment of silence ensued. “How was he?””

“What?”

“Clark. How was he? Is he alright?”

It was going to take a while to reconcile her nerdy partner with the world's savior, Lois knew that for certain. But for now, she could offer this woman who had sacrificed so much a small measure of comfort. “He looked ok. He was sleeping. There were no marks on him, except for the stab wound on his side.” Martha looked confused and Lois realized she was one of the few people in possession of that bit of information. “Luthor stabbed him with Kryptonite. We had to pull Super- um, Clark, out of the water and I removed the kryptonite. Then he flew out of Richard's plane and... “ Lois gestured to the sky. The world had seen what had occurred after that, the land mass had been lifted slowly into space and the hero fell back to earth.

A single tear found its way down Martha's face and she gripped Lois' hand tightly. “Thank you,” she uttered simply.

Lois offered her a humorless smile. “After all the times your son has saved my life, it was the least I could do.” Whatever else she was going to say was put to a halt as Lois realized Richard was making his way in their direction. She couldn't entirely blame him for interrupting, this had been a day like no other and she was certain he was just as tired as she was.

Knowing that she couldn't leave Clark's mother alone with all that had just passed between them, Lois came to a quick decision. Richard knew he wasn't Jason's biological father, so it made the decision that much easier. “Mrs. Kent, would you like to come meet your grandson?”

A hopeful smile transformed Martha's face. “Yes, I would very much like to meet my grandson.”

They shared a knowing smile and both rose to meet Richard as he approached. Lois knew her life was never going to be the same after this and when Clark woke up, they were going to have a lot to discuss. Especially how Jason's conception occurred and why she had no memory of it.

“Am I interrupting?” Richard asked warily as he reached their side. He noted the evidence of tears on the face of his co-worker's mother and the pinched look on Lois' features. “Is everything alright?”

Lois sighed and shared a brief, knowing look with Martha. “It will be. Clark's mother is going to come home with us and we have some things we need to discuss with you.”

Richard sighed heavily, reading Lois like a book. “I'm not going to like this, am I?”

Lois shook her head. “No, probably not.” She took Martha's arm and they started in the direction of the car, both leaning heavily on the other.

Richard watched them walk away and wondered what could possibly have occurred in the few minutes they'd been together to prompt such a reaction and feeling of solidarity.

But he had a feeling he was about to find out.



The end