Surprise Return
Kent Farm - same day…
"Mrs. K," Lois starts.
"Hmm?" Martha asks, looking up from the newspaper she's been reading. She pulls her reading glasses off. It's storming outside and Ella is upstairs taking a nap.
"When did Clark's….um, abilities start to show up?" she asks, leaning forward.
"Oh, almost right away we knew something was different. I think it's when he kept falling and wasn't hurting himself. Then he'd do something that should have cut his skin and it didn't, or if it did, it would heal quickly. So he was a toddler."
Lois bites the corner of her bottom lip and nods.
"Is Ella…." Martha starts.
Lois dramatically leans back into the couch. "Yeah, I think so. She fell this morning and she should have at least had a bad bruise from the fall, but there's nothing. She said nothing hurt even though she was crying."
"She was probably scared."
"Yeah….most likely. But Clark and I thought she was hurt. He x-rayed her, which I can't believe I just said that out loud," she chuckles, "but he said she was fine," she shrugs.
Watchtower….
"Thanks, Chloe. I am going to do one more fly over the city and then head back to the farm," Clark says, heading to the doors.
"So, where are you going to be living?" Chloe asks before he gets too far.
He turns around to face her. "I'm not sure, yet. I start back at the Planet on Monday. I have a whole new look to really differentiate myself from this," he says, gesturing to his current outfit. "I guess for now, I'll stay at the farm, until I figure out what I'm going to do."
Chloe bites back a smile. "That's a good idea. You know, I bet there's an apartment open in Lois' building. That way you could be near Ella…"
He cocks an eyebrow. "That's a thought. Thanks."
She watches as he takes off.
Back at the farm….
"Mommy!" Ella screams from upstairs. Lois runs up the stairs as quickly as she can.
"What is it, sweetie?" Lois asks, sitting next to the little girl, on the edge of the bed.
Ella throws herself into Lois' arms.
"I'm scaywrd." Ella shuts her eyes so tight.
"Scared of what? Did you have a bad dream?" Lois asks, playing with the back of Ella's hair.
Ella shakes her head no and when a clap of thunder happens, she jumps and squeezes Lois even tighter.
"Oh, the storm scared you. Yeah, we don't hear all these scary storm sounds in the townhouse, do we?"
Ella shakes her head.
Clark comes into the house through the kitchen door.
"Hey mom," he says when he sees his mother. He already changed back into jeans and a t-shirt in the barn.
"Hi Clark. How did everything go today?"
"Good," Clark nods. He looks around the living room. "Where are Lois and Ella?"
"Upstairs. Ella had a bad dream or something. She'll be fine," she says with a wave of her hand.
Clark looks concerned and runs upstairs. He stops outside the door when he hears Ella ask, "Is daddy coming back?"
"Yes, of course he is. He just had to go to work," Lois says.
Her voice sounds so soothing.
"Okay," Ella sniffs. "Can he have dinner wif us?"
He can hear the smile in Lois' voice when she answers. "I'm sure he will if he gets off work in time. What should we ask Grandma to make tonight?" Lois asks, swiping the bangs away from Ella's forehead.
"Personally, I've been dying for pizza," Clark says as he enters the room.
"Daddy!" Ella exclaims.
Lois has a huge smile on her face, but it doesn't rival Clark's right now.
"Hi pretty girl. Did you have a bad dream?" he asks, sitting on the other side of Ella.
Ella pouts and shakes her head. "No."
"The thunder was scaring her. Living in the city, the storms are a little more muffled than they are out here," Lois explains.
"Ah," he says with a nod of his head. "Well, maybe if we went downstairs we can get away from some of the noise, huh?"
Ella smiles and nods. Clark stands up and Ella holds her arms out for him to pick her up, so he does.
Lois follows them down the stairs.
"Gwandma, we want pizza," Ella demands….then she adds, "pwease."
Clark chuckles and tickles Ella's tummy.
"Pizza, huh?" Martha asks, amused. "Pizza Hut or Smallville Pizzeria?"
"Oh, I love Smallville Pizzeria," Clark nods, looking at Ella who just smiles.
"Does that sound okay, Lois?" Martha asks.
"Sure," Lois shrugs before going to the living room.
"Ella, come over here with me so you can help me pick out what pizza we want," Martha says, waiting for Clark to set Ella down. She takes the little girl's hand and leads her over to the kitchen counter.
Clark watches Lois. He sees her wipe her cheek before sitting down on the chair closest to the window.
He goes to her and sits down in the chair across from her.
"You okay?" he asks, leaning forward.
"Uh huh….why wouldn't I be?" she asks, looking out the window.
"I don't know….that's why I was asking. You don't seem okay and it looked like you were wiping a tear away. What's wrong?'"
"There's just been a lot to process in the last 24 hours, you know?"
He nods. "More than anyone," he smiles shyly at her.
She looks up and smiles back. "Yeah, I guess you do. I'm sorry. You have more to deal with than I do…"
"Lois, it's not a competition."
"I know."
They sit there silently for a couple of minutes.
"I guess we need to decide what to do?" she asks softly.
He's not sure exactly what she means so he stares at her and lets her finish.
"You can see Ella anytime you want, you know that?"
He slowly nods. "Thank you."
"Are you going to live here?" she asks, sitting up a little straighter.
"For now. Until I figure out what I'm going to do," he says, watching her closely.
She nods and looks down at her clasped hands.
"I start back to work at the Planet Monday."
"Oh?" she asks, looking up at him.
"Yeah. I know you're office is on the fourth floor now, right?"
She nods.
"I might have to start back down in the bullpen, I don't know yet," he shrugs.
She watches him closely. How many people get to see this side of the flying super hero?
"Speaking of the Planet…..do I get an exclusive interview with this new hero in town?" she smirks.
He looks down and smiles. "Maybe."
"Or are you going to write your own story, hot shot?"
"We are getting hyan pizza!" Ella screams as she runs over to Lois and Clark. She throws herself at her mother.
"Ugh," Lois says, catching her. "Hyan, huh?"
"It has pineappew," she nods.
Clark chuckles. "Hawaiian…." he figures out.
