Disclaimer: I don't own Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman or any of these characters.

Author's Note: This story takes place right after the season 1 episode "All Shook Up" in which Superman defeats the asteroid. Clark is sick with some kind of Kryptonian virus, which gives Lex Luthor the break he deserves. He's going to take advantage of Superman's illness to finish him off. This story will encompass multiple chapters, and may take a while for me to finish.

Also, please note that this is my first fanfic for Lois & Clark.

Clark Kent couldn't remember feeling this miserable.

He was clad in his pajamas and bathrobe, lying in his bed at his parents' farmhouse in Smallville. He wasn't sure what his temperature was, because every time his adoptive mother stuck a thermometer under his tongue, it burst into a hundred pieces. Every bit of him ached, he was moaning in pain, coughing, and sniffling, and his stomach hurt.

"It's called nausea, honey, and I know it's no fun, but it doesn't last forever," Martha Kent said softly, wiping her son's brow with a cool washcloth in an attempt to lower his fever a few degrees. "There are some remedies for it. We can try peppermint tea, or ginger ale, and see if that helps."

"Here, son," Jonathan Kent, Clark's adoptive father, said tenderly, handing over the trash can he had fetched from the corner of his son's room. "If you need to start vomiting, just do it in here, or get to the bathroom, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

Clark just moaned in reply, clutching his stomach with both hands. "Can I have some water, Mom?" he croaked out.

"Of course, honey. Come on, Jonathan. Let's give Clark a few minutes of peace."

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Jonathan asked his wife worriedly as they headed down the stairs toward the kitchen. "He hasn't ever been sick, except for the time when he was exposed to the Kryptonite, and there isn't any more of that around…at least I don't think."

The entered the kitchen, and Martha began to fill a glass of water for Clark. "Well, I've been thinking," she sighed, "and I think it's possible he could have picked something up while flying through space and stopping that asteroid last week. Who knows, Jonathan. Maybe virus particles from Krypton are still floating through the atmosphere!"

"Do you think we should call a doctor?" Jonathan asked, taking a plate from the cupboard and reaching for plain saltine crackers.

"Why? What good would a doctor do?"

"Not a medical doctor, but a university specialist. Should we call someone from Kansas State, or a specialist from the World Health Organization, and tell them that Superman is sick and he needs help?"

"Well, we'd have to be careful," Martha replied nervously. "I want someone who will simply examine Clark and help him get better, not someone who wants to fly him somewhere and spend months dissecting him."

"If we just call the Metropolis General Hospital and tell them that Superman has fallen sick in Smallville, I think they'll help us out and get someone trustworthy. Metropolis loves Superman," Jonathan assured his wife. "I don't think they'd let any harm come to him."

Martha nodded. "Okay. Well, let's wait a few days and see if Clark gets better or not. Do you think we're in danger of catching it?"

"I don't think so. We aren't affected by Kryptonite, and Clark isn't affected by Earth germs. If it's a bug from Krypton, I think it'll only affect him."

Martha picked up the glass of water. "I just hope it doesn't kill him," she prayed aloud. "Come on, let's check and see how he's doing."

Meanwhile, in downtown Metropolis, Lois Lane was in a pretty good mood. Clark Kent had called in sick with the flu, so that meant that all of today's potential stories—maybe even the week's potential stories- were hers for the taking. No one to compete for the front page with. No one to annoy her with stories of his childhood on the farm.

No one to distract Cat.

"Where's Clark?" Cat Grant, the gossip columnist, pouted as she sauntered over to Lois and saw Clark's empty desk.

Lois shot her a nasty look. "For your information, he called in sick."

"He's running from me. I know he is," Cat giggled. "He doesn't want to admit it, but when he came over last weekend, we had such fun-"

Shut up, Lois wanted to say. She knew it wasn't true. Instead, she just glared at Cat. "Listen, he's very ill. He has a high temperature, and he might be out for the entire week. It's pretty serious."

Before Cat could reply, Jimmy Olsen ran up to Lois' desk. "'Morning, Lois. Where's C.K.?"

"Clark's out with the flu."

"Well, doesn't that make you happy?" Jimmy asked her. "Ladies and gentlemen, this week's featured front-page reporter is…Lois Lane!"

Lois was happy, but deep down, she was still suffering a pang of guilt. I hope he isn't suffering too much, she prayed

"Lane!" Perry White exclaimed, hurrying up to Lois' desk. "Lane, I want you down at City Hall right away. Lex Luthor is giving a press conference on his new solar energy plant. Very important stuff. He's going to use the sun to generate power…no more nuclear waste! This is going to be very big for Metropolis!"

"Can I go, Chief?" Jimmy asked hopefully.

"No, Olsen, I need you here. My desk chair is wobbly again, and I need you to tighten the screws for me. Plus, someone needs to fix my broken coffeepot."

"I'll leave right away," Lois promised.

As Cat sauntered back to her desk to begin working on the gossip column, and Jimmy followed White back to his office, Lois grabbed her purse. It was time to get a story-

-without the threat of competition from Kent.