Life and Love By Lisa Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the
pretext to this fic, and it's been written for non-profit purposes :)
Please R/R -Note: This is M/J centered :) I dunno how long it'll go for,
I'll just keep going I guess :P hehe Enjoy!
"Do you have to go?" Jonathan grinned, leaning against Martha's car. She nodded.
"If I don't get this car back in one piece mum will not be impressed!"
"You mean before your father comes home." She nodded.
"Something like that." They kissed briefly, before Martha pulled back. "I'll ring to let you know I've arrived. That is, if I'm not in too much trouble." She smirked and Jonathan laughed, waving her off.
*
Jonathan walked into the shops in town later that day and was confronted by several questions. Nell had confessed that the woman was here to see Jonathan, that she was from the city, and everyone was surprised to say the least.
"How's it going?" Nell asked as he approached his car. She was leaning against it. He smiled.
"Good. You?"
"I was talking about your friend-"
"Martha."
"That's right. Sorry. She like it?"
"Loved it."
"Everyone's really curious." He nodded.
"Understandable."
"I mean, but Jonathan, why has this woman suddenly taken an interest in country life? Why is she so eager to come and stay here."
"She's not. She's gone back to finish her degree." There was a pause.
"This is really serious, isn't it?" Jonathan nodded.
"Yeah."
"How?" He shrugged.
"I dunno. I never thought I'd be so happy seeing her go."
"I don't understand-"
"Means I get to relive her coming back."
"What if she doesn't?"
"She will."
*
Martha got home to see her father's car in the driveway. Cursing, she pulled up alongside and braced herself as she got out for some thunderously angry greeting. When no one came bursting out the front door, she became even more agitated. If he was sitting in there waiting for her, he was more than angry. She shrugged. This was his problem. She'd had her mother's permission and she didn't have to answer to anyone any more. She stood tall, cleared her throat, and opened the door, going up to her room and throwing her bag on her bed, glancing around her room.
"Where've you been?" the quiet voice said from her doorway. She turned to see her father standing in the doorway. She was so centred on winning this argument that she neglected to observe his unusually sullen expression.
"I was in Smallville for the weekend. With Jonathan."
"They boy from school-"
"Yes, the boy from school."
"You were there the whole time? Is there a phone number?"
"Yeah, stuck to the fridge."
"I didn't know what that was."
"Well mum knew and you weren't meant to be home. If you needed to find me why didn't you ask mum?" Martha realised her mother wasn't anywhere to be found. "Where is she?"
"I couldn't find any of your friends phone numbers in here, and the people I spoke to didn't know where you were-"
"Only Rebecca and Peter knew where I was, besides mum. Dad, is something wrong?"
*
Jonathan was in the shower when he heard the phone ring. Figures, he thought to himself. Have an early night, a relaxing shower, and it's interrupted by someone who undoubtedly wants him to do something. He had even planned to cook a decent meal for himself. Wrapping a towel around his waist to at least try to catch some of the water, he jogged into the bedroom and grabbed the phone, and was greeted immediately by static on the phone line and also over the phone line.
"Jonathan-" Jonathan realised the static over the phone line was crying. He recognised the voice instantly.
"Martha, what's happened? Are you okay?" He heard her take a deep breath and the next time she spoke she seemed much more composed. "It's okay-"
"Mum died, Jonathan. On Saturday night. She had a stroke or...or something and-"
"Who are you talking to?" Jonathan heard a male voice in the background.
"Peter," Martha replied quickly, waiting a few seconds, before holding the phone back to her ear. "Sorry," she told Jonathan. "He's um- upset. I don't want to-"
"It's okay. You want me to come out?"
"I do," she started crying. "I do but, I don't think you should. Dad would go rank. I don't know, yet, what's going on with him and-"
"It's okay, I'll stay here then, if that's what you want."
"I think so. Can I call you?"
"Of course you can," Jonathan replied. "Whenever." He felt her nodding through the phone.
"I-I have to go. I'll call you, I promise."
*
Martha took a week off from her course, and was able to get exemption from two minor assignments citing bereavement as the conditions of the exemption. However, after the funeral she had a hard time sitting about. Her father was back at work, pouring over material, making sure though that he was home every night on time so that he could sit around and spend time with his daughter. That, in his books, meant watching the news together, before Martha went up to her room to call Jonathan or to do some study, while her father remained downstairs watching the television; something he hadn't done for many years. When he realised that she didn't want to hang around and watch television with him, he seemed to give up.
"Martha-" he called from her bedroom doorway one night about two weeks after the funeral. Martha was sitting at her desk writing a report. She turned.
"Yeah dad?" she asked, managing a smile.
"I'm going to start working late again."
"Sure."
"You're okay with that? It'll mean that I can't always be contacted-" Martha sighed. Her father blamed himself that he hadn't been there. At least he wasn't blaming her, she thought, but she wished he'd take it a bit easier. There was nothing he could've done...
"Sure dad, really I'm fine." She turned back to her report but realised he was still standing there. She looked back at him. "Dad?"
"Uh... If this has taught you anything, Martha, it's that sometimes life is short, and, you have to make the most of it."
"I intend to, dad."
"That means finishing your degree, and getting a good job." Uh-oh, Martha thought to herself. She wasn't prepared for this now.
"Yes. If I can find a job I enjoy then I'll take it. Anything else dad?" It was as though he'd been trying to tread carefully but the lawyer in him just couldn't handle being fatherly any more.
"I don't want you seeing that boy again."
"Boy?" Martha asked.
"Don't play dumb Martha. You weren't there that weekend either-"
"Dad, don't put this on me, please-"
"I couldn't call you because you went behind my back and were off cavorting in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger!" Martha turned back to her books.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with it for yourself for a day-"
"Don't you understand? I was worried about you."
"Well I was in safe hands-"
"I don't want his hands anywhere near you."
"Why not dad? Life is short. You want me to stay away from him, why, because you think I'll be happier in some stuffy firm somewhere typing up reports?"
"You're better than that. You could do so much with your life. Please don't waste it."
"Okay dad," she replied, pretending to be more interested in her work. He went to leave when a thought caught in her mind. "You think mum wasted her life, don't you dad?"
"What?" he asked.
"You think mum wasted her life by not getting a "good" job, don't you?"
"Of course not."
"Then why do you think I'm wasting my life? I'm getting a degree. Mum never did."
"He's a bad influence on you Martha."
"Because he's proud and works hard or because he actually cares about me?" Her father sighed.
"He lives on a farm. There's no good jobs around there."
'"He runs it. And maybe there aren't any jobs-"
"I thought you wanted a law degree-" Martha didn't reply. "You see? Will you stop seeing him?" She returned to her work silently, and, satisfied that she was at least thinking seriously about it, her father left.
*
Jonathan smiled to himself. Martha had sounded so dismayed when he'd said that he couldn't get there for her graduation. It had taken all his strength for him not to cave, but he couldn't wait to see her face. She was standing on the lawn outside the university hall, talking to a couple of her friends. He recognised one as her friend Peter. The other could only be the woman Martha sometimes referred to as another friend, Rebecca. Jonathan had called Peter and asked for the details of the affair, and so hopefully he'd kept it from Martha. Jonathan had spoken to her the previous night, without letting on that he was actually already in Metropolis, and she hadn't seemed suspicious at all. Peter glanced up and saw Jonathan, smiling at him. Martha was talking more to Rebecca than her male friend, but she caught Pete grinning out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at him.
"What's so funny?" she asked, before looking to her other side, following his gaze. She broke into a grin as well as Jonathan walked closer.
"Shouldn't you be inside getting ready already?" he called to her. She shrugged, realising that it had been Peter who insisted they remain outside just a moment longer. For air, he'd said. She turned back to Peter.
"Air, hey?" She raised an eyebrow and Pete shrugged.
"The man wouldn't be able to find you if we were inside!" Martha rolled her eyes, turning back and closing the gap between herself and Jonathan. He laughed as she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Sorry I couldn't make it today an' all," he whispered into her ear as Martha pulled back, leaning in for a kiss. Jonathan felt tears on his cheeks and realised that they weren't his, and that this was the first time they'd seen each other since before her mother's death. He hugged her back tightly. "Don't cry baby," he continued, kissing her once more before they pulled apart.
"I wished you'd come," she replied, biting her bottom lip. They watched each other softly for a few moments before Rebecca cleared her throat.
"Well we're going inside, and Martha, you should definitely consider doing so too!"
"I'll be right there," she said, waving them off before she turned back to Jonathan. "How long are you here for?"
"As long as you like. I'm renting space to Potter for a while. He can reap it, pay out of the profits, keep most of em... All I left unattended was the house, and it'll survive. Come on, we can talk later. You'll miss your graduation-"
"Wouldn't dad enjoy that one."
"He's in there?" She nodded. "Then we should definitely get in there." She smiled, taking his hand as they walked side by side into the hall.
*
Jonathan found a seat close to the door while Martha hurried up front to her place. She glanced back at Jonathan and smiled. Her father watched all this carefully, and realised that this well-dressed young man must be the farm boy. Taking a closer look at the young man, Martha's father saw Martha's other two friends approach him and lead him to a seat closer to themselves, most probably, out of his view. Damn, he thought, realising he'd missed an opportunity to observe the boy's behaviour.
*
Martha found Jonathan before many people had even moved from their seats once it had finished, racing back up to her circle of friends as they all hugged tightly. Her father watched her grip onto the young man's hand. They kissed briefly but not passionately. She turned, looking for him, before spotting him in the crowd and saying something to her friends, before bringing Jonathan back down.
"Dad, this is Jonathan." She glanced back at Jonathan. "This is my dad."
"Sir, nice to meet you," Jonathan said, shaking her father's hand.
"Likewise," he replied curtly, before turning his attention to his daughter. "Congratulations, sweetheart."
*
"Do you have to go?" Jonathan grinned, leaning against Martha's car. She nodded.
"If I don't get this car back in one piece mum will not be impressed!"
"You mean before your father comes home." She nodded.
"Something like that." They kissed briefly, before Martha pulled back. "I'll ring to let you know I've arrived. That is, if I'm not in too much trouble." She smirked and Jonathan laughed, waving her off.
*
Jonathan walked into the shops in town later that day and was confronted by several questions. Nell had confessed that the woman was here to see Jonathan, that she was from the city, and everyone was surprised to say the least.
"How's it going?" Nell asked as he approached his car. She was leaning against it. He smiled.
"Good. You?"
"I was talking about your friend-"
"Martha."
"That's right. Sorry. She like it?"
"Loved it."
"Everyone's really curious." He nodded.
"Understandable."
"I mean, but Jonathan, why has this woman suddenly taken an interest in country life? Why is she so eager to come and stay here."
"She's not. She's gone back to finish her degree." There was a pause.
"This is really serious, isn't it?" Jonathan nodded.
"Yeah."
"How?" He shrugged.
"I dunno. I never thought I'd be so happy seeing her go."
"I don't understand-"
"Means I get to relive her coming back."
"What if she doesn't?"
"She will."
*
Martha got home to see her father's car in the driveway. Cursing, she pulled up alongside and braced herself as she got out for some thunderously angry greeting. When no one came bursting out the front door, she became even more agitated. If he was sitting in there waiting for her, he was more than angry. She shrugged. This was his problem. She'd had her mother's permission and she didn't have to answer to anyone any more. She stood tall, cleared her throat, and opened the door, going up to her room and throwing her bag on her bed, glancing around her room.
"Where've you been?" the quiet voice said from her doorway. She turned to see her father standing in the doorway. She was so centred on winning this argument that she neglected to observe his unusually sullen expression.
"I was in Smallville for the weekend. With Jonathan."
"They boy from school-"
"Yes, the boy from school."
"You were there the whole time? Is there a phone number?"
"Yeah, stuck to the fridge."
"I didn't know what that was."
"Well mum knew and you weren't meant to be home. If you needed to find me why didn't you ask mum?" Martha realised her mother wasn't anywhere to be found. "Where is she?"
"I couldn't find any of your friends phone numbers in here, and the people I spoke to didn't know where you were-"
"Only Rebecca and Peter knew where I was, besides mum. Dad, is something wrong?"
*
Jonathan was in the shower when he heard the phone ring. Figures, he thought to himself. Have an early night, a relaxing shower, and it's interrupted by someone who undoubtedly wants him to do something. He had even planned to cook a decent meal for himself. Wrapping a towel around his waist to at least try to catch some of the water, he jogged into the bedroom and grabbed the phone, and was greeted immediately by static on the phone line and also over the phone line.
"Jonathan-" Jonathan realised the static over the phone line was crying. He recognised the voice instantly.
"Martha, what's happened? Are you okay?" He heard her take a deep breath and the next time she spoke she seemed much more composed. "It's okay-"
"Mum died, Jonathan. On Saturday night. She had a stroke or...or something and-"
"Who are you talking to?" Jonathan heard a male voice in the background.
"Peter," Martha replied quickly, waiting a few seconds, before holding the phone back to her ear. "Sorry," she told Jonathan. "He's um- upset. I don't want to-"
"It's okay. You want me to come out?"
"I do," she started crying. "I do but, I don't think you should. Dad would go rank. I don't know, yet, what's going on with him and-"
"It's okay, I'll stay here then, if that's what you want."
"I think so. Can I call you?"
"Of course you can," Jonathan replied. "Whenever." He felt her nodding through the phone.
"I-I have to go. I'll call you, I promise."
*
Martha took a week off from her course, and was able to get exemption from two minor assignments citing bereavement as the conditions of the exemption. However, after the funeral she had a hard time sitting about. Her father was back at work, pouring over material, making sure though that he was home every night on time so that he could sit around and spend time with his daughter. That, in his books, meant watching the news together, before Martha went up to her room to call Jonathan or to do some study, while her father remained downstairs watching the television; something he hadn't done for many years. When he realised that she didn't want to hang around and watch television with him, he seemed to give up.
"Martha-" he called from her bedroom doorway one night about two weeks after the funeral. Martha was sitting at her desk writing a report. She turned.
"Yeah dad?" she asked, managing a smile.
"I'm going to start working late again."
"Sure."
"You're okay with that? It'll mean that I can't always be contacted-" Martha sighed. Her father blamed himself that he hadn't been there. At least he wasn't blaming her, she thought, but she wished he'd take it a bit easier. There was nothing he could've done...
"Sure dad, really I'm fine." She turned back to her report but realised he was still standing there. She looked back at him. "Dad?"
"Uh... If this has taught you anything, Martha, it's that sometimes life is short, and, you have to make the most of it."
"I intend to, dad."
"That means finishing your degree, and getting a good job." Uh-oh, Martha thought to herself. She wasn't prepared for this now.
"Yes. If I can find a job I enjoy then I'll take it. Anything else dad?" It was as though he'd been trying to tread carefully but the lawyer in him just couldn't handle being fatherly any more.
"I don't want you seeing that boy again."
"Boy?" Martha asked.
"Don't play dumb Martha. You weren't there that weekend either-"
"Dad, don't put this on me, please-"
"I couldn't call you because you went behind my back and were off cavorting in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger!" Martha turned back to her books.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with it for yourself for a day-"
"Don't you understand? I was worried about you."
"Well I was in safe hands-"
"I don't want his hands anywhere near you."
"Why not dad? Life is short. You want me to stay away from him, why, because you think I'll be happier in some stuffy firm somewhere typing up reports?"
"You're better than that. You could do so much with your life. Please don't waste it."
"Okay dad," she replied, pretending to be more interested in her work. He went to leave when a thought caught in her mind. "You think mum wasted her life, don't you dad?"
"What?" he asked.
"You think mum wasted her life by not getting a "good" job, don't you?"
"Of course not."
"Then why do you think I'm wasting my life? I'm getting a degree. Mum never did."
"He's a bad influence on you Martha."
"Because he's proud and works hard or because he actually cares about me?" Her father sighed.
"He lives on a farm. There's no good jobs around there."
'"He runs it. And maybe there aren't any jobs-"
"I thought you wanted a law degree-" Martha didn't reply. "You see? Will you stop seeing him?" She returned to her work silently, and, satisfied that she was at least thinking seriously about it, her father left.
*
Jonathan smiled to himself. Martha had sounded so dismayed when he'd said that he couldn't get there for her graduation. It had taken all his strength for him not to cave, but he couldn't wait to see her face. She was standing on the lawn outside the university hall, talking to a couple of her friends. He recognised one as her friend Peter. The other could only be the woman Martha sometimes referred to as another friend, Rebecca. Jonathan had called Peter and asked for the details of the affair, and so hopefully he'd kept it from Martha. Jonathan had spoken to her the previous night, without letting on that he was actually already in Metropolis, and she hadn't seemed suspicious at all. Peter glanced up and saw Jonathan, smiling at him. Martha was talking more to Rebecca than her male friend, but she caught Pete grinning out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at him.
"What's so funny?" she asked, before looking to her other side, following his gaze. She broke into a grin as well as Jonathan walked closer.
"Shouldn't you be inside getting ready already?" he called to her. She shrugged, realising that it had been Peter who insisted they remain outside just a moment longer. For air, he'd said. She turned back to Peter.
"Air, hey?" She raised an eyebrow and Pete shrugged.
"The man wouldn't be able to find you if we were inside!" Martha rolled her eyes, turning back and closing the gap between herself and Jonathan. He laughed as she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Sorry I couldn't make it today an' all," he whispered into her ear as Martha pulled back, leaning in for a kiss. Jonathan felt tears on his cheeks and realised that they weren't his, and that this was the first time they'd seen each other since before her mother's death. He hugged her back tightly. "Don't cry baby," he continued, kissing her once more before they pulled apart.
"I wished you'd come," she replied, biting her bottom lip. They watched each other softly for a few moments before Rebecca cleared her throat.
"Well we're going inside, and Martha, you should definitely consider doing so too!"
"I'll be right there," she said, waving them off before she turned back to Jonathan. "How long are you here for?"
"As long as you like. I'm renting space to Potter for a while. He can reap it, pay out of the profits, keep most of em... All I left unattended was the house, and it'll survive. Come on, we can talk later. You'll miss your graduation-"
"Wouldn't dad enjoy that one."
"He's in there?" She nodded. "Then we should definitely get in there." She smiled, taking his hand as they walked side by side into the hall.
*
Jonathan found a seat close to the door while Martha hurried up front to her place. She glanced back at Jonathan and smiled. Her father watched all this carefully, and realised that this well-dressed young man must be the farm boy. Taking a closer look at the young man, Martha's father saw Martha's other two friends approach him and lead him to a seat closer to themselves, most probably, out of his view. Damn, he thought, realising he'd missed an opportunity to observe the boy's behaviour.
*
Martha found Jonathan before many people had even moved from their seats once it had finished, racing back up to her circle of friends as they all hugged tightly. Her father watched her grip onto the young man's hand. They kissed briefly but not passionately. She turned, looking for him, before spotting him in the crowd and saying something to her friends, before bringing Jonathan back down.
"Dad, this is Jonathan." She glanced back at Jonathan. "This is my dad."
"Sir, nice to meet you," Jonathan said, shaking her father's hand.
"Likewise," he replied curtly, before turning his attention to his daughter. "Congratulations, sweetheart."
*