Title: Haunted (Sequel to Charade)
Author: LiseDevi
Spoilers: up to 5.12 Reckoning
Summary: 7 years after the events of Charade, life seems to be running smoothely for our favourite family... but some things won't stay dead...
Authors note: Big thanks to Kelly for the beta job. Huge thanks to those of you who put me on your alerts and faves, you're too cool.
Just letting you know that this fic will only be updated once a week, designated day being either Thursday or Friday.
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just borrowing…hope I don't do too much damage
Chapter 1:
Kent Residence:
The annoying ringing of the phone echoed throughout the busy apartment. No one, bothering to do anything about it as I busily flutter from here to there literally trying to do eight different things at once. The three year old Lois wriggles out of my grasp and continues streaking, the pancakes in the pan begin to burn.
"Oh for crying out loud! Will someone get that please!" I yell out as I rush to save breakfast.
Clark gracefully lands on the balcony as he rushes to the phone and sweeps Lois up as he answers. I smile at him and then get back to the task at hand. Jack wanders into the kitchen, pen and notebook in hand.
"Hey Mom, is there one or two T's in outer?" he doesn't even look up at me as he sits at the island. He's almost an exact replica of his father.
"Two." I answer.
"One." Lara butts in as she sits down; eyes glued to her cell as she texts someone, probably her boyfriend that I really don't approve of.
"Thanks." Jack says absently as he continues to write. Hand flying across the page.
"Don't know why you bother asking me anything… That wouldn't happen to be due first period?" I ask as I put more batter into the frying pan.
"Yes Mom."
"You know the rules Jack." I admonish.
"Mom…" he whines, "It's an essay on what inspires us to do the right thing and the definition of doing the right thing. I really had to think about it. It's not like science or math, there's no right or wrong answer."
I smile at my special little boy, "Well, I'll let you off this time."
"Thanks Mom, you're the best." He replies with that famous Kent smile.
"And don't you forget it." I wink as I set the pancakes out on plates.
"You better hurry up runt; our ride will be here soon." Lara says as she pops a blueberry in her mouth.
"Ow!" Lara exclaims as Jack punches her.
"Play nice you two. Lara, don't call your brother that and Jack, keep your hands to yourself… Sam!"
"Coming Mommy!" Seven year old Sam belts out as he speeds to the table; as he whizzes by some of my paperwork scatters.
"Slow down." I huff out as I bend down to retrieve the loose pages.
"Sorry Mommy." Sam garbles out around his breakfast. I reorganize my scattered pages, Clark brushes by me, placing a quick kiss on my cheek and then puts a clothed Lois in her high chair.
"Who was that on the phone?"
"Just a contact…" he says with an unreadable expression
"I thought contacts weren't supposed to call home?" I ask my full attention on Clark.
"They're not Lo; he was just telling me that he's out." I go to argue, having a feeling that something's not right when Lara stands up and belts out…
"Rides here move it or lose it Jack."
"What happened to family breakfasts?" Clark asks.
"Sam, you ready? We're late already." I say as I hurriedly try to grab all of my paperwork, my keys, cell and laptop. "Bye honey." I quickly kiss Clark. "Be good for Grandma and Lionel." I say to Lois as I kiss her head softly.
"Bye Dad." Jack calls over his shoulder.
"Bye Jack, bye Lo and Sam and bye to you too Lara." Clark tries to get out in one breath.
"Oh yeah… bye Dad, Mom, squirts… hurry up Jack."
"I'm coming." He hisses and then slams the door behind himself.
"Teenagers!" Clark and I both grumble as Sam rushes to Clark to give him a hug.
"Ready Mom." Sam says and I brush some of his hair out of his eyes, time to get Martha to cut his hair again. "Bye baby sis." Sam says to Lois.
"Buh-bye." Lois says as she smooshes more pancake between her petite little hands.
"See you at work Smallville." I wave to Clark and hurriedly open the front door to have Lionel's fist almost collide with my face.
"Sorry Lois, Martha has a doctor's appointment this morning." He supplies to my questioning look.
"That's this morning?" I thought that was next week but oh well, minor detail.
"Yes."
"Ah, well Clark and the gremlin are in the dining room… Bye Lionel, running late." I call over my shoulder, trying to get Sam to hurry but he seems to be in a world of his own. Typical that the morning I have an appointment with Perry I'm running late.
"Morning Clark, Lois." Lionel greets as he closes the front door, a huge smile adorning his face.
"As much as I enjoy our idle chit chat Lionel, there's something I have to talk to you about." My brain still trying to comprehend the phone call I had received not long ago. Lionel's features immediately change and I'm taken aback at how old and tired he truly looks. He only nods and I set about cleaning Lois up so I can let her watch TV while Lionel and I talk. The creepy phone conversation replaying in my head:
-"Hello, Kent residence."
"Hello Superman… miss me?" a menacingly familiar voice hisses.
"Who is this? This isn't funny." I say, ready to hang up. My baby wriggles in my arms.
"What you don't recognize my voice?" laughter echoes down the line.
"Making prank calls using the voice of a dead man isn't funny." I admonish. Lois giggles.
"Watch your back Superman and keep a close eye on that precious family of yours." The voice warns.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and as I'm about to reply the line goes dead. So many emotions course through my body, images flashing before my mind's eye. The image of a broken Lois once all the excitement after the kidnappings had died down weighing heavily on me. She knew she did what she had to protect our family but she felt so guilty for killing Lex in front of our children, the guilt eating away at her and manifesting in a way that she felt she wasn't worthy enough to be loved. Right then and there I knew that I couldn't tell her about this, not knowing that it would cause her undue pain.-
With little fuss my baby girl is sitting in front of the TV, Barney or at least I think it's Barney torturing poor souls with a lame song. I turn from the precious sight before me to face Lionel.
"I take it you got a disturbing phone call this morning too." Lionel supplies.
"You could say that. Lionel, it sounded like Lex."
"I know." He whispers, pain filling his voice.
"But Lex is dead, I literally watched him take his last breath, saw his heart struggle to beat it's last beat."
"I'm sure it's just someone playing mind games with us." More confidence in Lionel's voice this time.
"How did they know I was Superman then?"
"Glasses and slicked back hair won't hide you forever." Lionel snaps.
I glare at him, "That doesn't help."
"I'm sorry. What does Lois have to say about all this?"
"Lois doesn't know and it's going to stay that way." I state firmly.
"She'll figure it out."
"Lionel, we'll get to the bottom of this and she'll be none the wiser. She's got so much going on right now that I don't want to worry her with all this. Killing Lex damaged Lois; this will just cause her unneeded pain." An overwhelming instinctual desire to protect my wife and children at all costs resurfaces.
Lionel doesn't look too convinced, "If you say so. I just hope you're right Clark… I just don't want to see anything happen to my family."
"They're my family too."
"You think I don't know that?"
I sigh, nothing is ever easy with this man, "Can we just agree to disagree, have you mentioned anything to my Mom?"
"Martha had already left before the call came."
"Can you promise me you won't tell her?"
"For now Clark, I just want you to know that there are no secrets between your mother and me."
Great, now he's laying a guilt trip on me, "I'll find out whom is doing this, make this sick little joke go away and then we can all live happily ever after, alright?"
"Fine, but you will have to let me know what's happening." He declares.
"You'll be in the loop." I ground out and head over to Lo-lo as she's called herself, "Bye sweetie, be good for Grandpa Lionel."
"Buh-bye Daddy." She replies as she hugs my leg.
"Bye Lionel." I say neutrally as I pick up my briefcase and head out the door, adjusting my jacket and tie. The day now looking to be one hell of a disaster…
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