Three Months Later
"Cookies, cookies cookies," Pete and Clark continuously chanted together as they watched Alex, Bruce, and Kayla in the kitchen.
"How did this happen?" Alex asked as Kayla handed him the bag of flour.
"I was coming home for a weekend to baby-sit. Martha and Jonathan had to go into Metropolis. You two decided to come out thinking this would be easy."
"I still would be easy, if you hadn't managed to lose that game of Candy Land," Bruce teased easily catching the bag of brown sugar Kayla tossed him.
"What did you want me to do?" Alex asked, "I never played the game before."
"Told you I should have been the challenger."
Kayla said finding the bag of chocolate chips that were hidden in the counter.
"Clark, how about you and Pete play another game
while we make the cookies." Kayla suggested ushering them out of the room.
"Can we invite Lana over," Clark asked already giving
his puppy dog eyes.
"I will call Nell and ask." She promised her head
already hurting at the thought of talking to Nell. Before she dialed
her mind drifted back to Christmas.
"Are you sure you will be fine here alone, Master
Alex?" Alfred asked for the millionth time.
"John will be here soon," Alex said growing
pale at the sight of a limo pulling into the drive.
"Whatever he asks…."
"We know Alex we just came and now we are leaving."
Bruce assured him linking his hand with Kayla's to calm her down.
They watched as Lionel got out of the car. Turning
back he helped Nell out of the car and into the house barely sparing the
group a glance.
A few minutes later Lana got out of the car and
headed up to the house. Seeing Kayla she stopped and running over gave
her a hug.
"Hi, Lana," Kayla said trying to keep the anger
out of her voce. "Did you have a merry Christmas?"
Lana nodded her head. "Santa found me in Bahamas
just like Nell said." Lana told the group oblivious to the looks that passes
between the friends.
"Well, Lana, lets see about making you some hot chocolate." Alex said taking her hand. Before he could go back into the house Kayla was once again giving him a hug. "We'll always love you," she whispered into his ear before going back to the car.
Thankfully Nell was in a rush to go somewhere
and was more then willing to drop Lana off for the day. When they pulled
up Kayla made sure that Alex was distracted by the efforts of two rowdy
cookie hungry boys.
Once they were back in the kitchen, Alex gave her
a hug, "Thanks,"
An hour and a half later they were all sitting down
and eating warm cookies washed down with milk. Deciding to take a break
they watched the kids play on the floor.
"I'm the king of the castle…" Clark chanted climbing
up the first two rungs of the stairs.
"I don't wanna be a dirt rascal," Lana pouted.
Clark instantly contrite pulled Lana and Pete up to his step.
"We're the kings of the castle…" he changed the
song leaving the three rascals on the couch.
Getting bored with the game they sat down and began
whispering to each other.
"I don't think that's a good thing," Bruce
said gesturing to the group as another peal of laughter came from the stairs.
"Nothing good will come of it," Kayla agreed arching
her back slightly to see what they were doing. Deciding that they weren't
getting into any trouble she turned her attention back to Alex and Bruce.
An hour later Bruce, Kayla, and Alex found themselves in the longest game of hide and seek they had ever been in. Trailing behind them were Lana and Pete both ready for a nap.
"Are you sure you don't know where he is hiding?"
Kayla asked hoping for a different answer this time.
Both kids shook their heads no. Then they held up
their arms refusing to go any farther.
"Why don't you take them back in the house and put
them in my room. I'll find Clark." Kayla told the boys.
Shooting her a grateful look they picked up the
kids and went back into the house.
Kayla went into the barn and looked around. She knew Clark was in there somewhere. "Clark Benjamin Kent, if you don't come out I am going to take Rhinokey back with me."
From behind her she could hear a giggle. Turning
around all she could see was the baler. She noticed that it was being moved
back from its place next to the wall. All she could do was stand in shock
as he peeked out from behind it.
"You wouldn't take Rhinokey, I heard you say so."
He told her laughing. Running over he jumped into her arms and gave her
a hug. "I'm ready for my nap now."
She hugged him back and carried him into the house.
By the time she got him up to her room and placed him on the bed he was
asleep.
"They look so cute like that." Alex whispered.
"Wait till they wake up. Then they will have a second wind." Bruce snickered.
Kayla quietly went over got her camera. She
took several photos of them all asleep before motioning for the boys to
follow her. "We should start dinner," she told them already heading for
the kitchen.
"So where was Nasty heading so fast anyway?" Bruce
asked Kayla taught him how to peel potatoes.
"No idea. I'm just glad she didn't decide to stay
and help. Especially considering how nosy she is about anything that has
to do with my brother."
"Why did he and Martha go to Metropolis anyway?"
Alex asked as he chopped up the potatoes.
Kayla glanced up the stairs to make sure no little
ears were listening. "Martha, is pregnant again."
"That's great!" Bruce exclaimed. Seeing the look
on Kayla's face he asked, "isn't it?"
"Martha lost a baby a month before the accident.
She almost died. Afterwards I heard Jon telling my Mom that Martha would
never be able to conceive again."
"Maybe they were wrong, I mean it happens." Alex
told her.
"Not when the doctors remove your ovaries."
"What do you think happened then?" Bruce asked.
"I have no idea." She told them as she went back
to making the sloppy Joes. "I will say this though. I haven't seen Clark
this active since New Years."
Lionel studied the two folders in front of him. Inside was all the information he could find on Alex's two friends. He had found I nauseating watching the three of them on the surveillance tapes of the Christmas holiday. It was all Lillian's fault he knew, Alex friendship with these people.
He barely spared a thought for his wife who was upstairs resting. If it had been up to him, she would still be in the hospital. She had too much influence on Alex. He berated himself for not going through with his plan sooner, he knew he would never have control of Alex like he wanted she had lived to long.
He threw away the top file marked Bruce Wayne. He knew that if he anything happened to him he was through. Bruce's father had seen to that. He opened the second file deciding Kayla was going to be his pawn.
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his wife's prescription. Walking over to the fire he opened the bottle and poured the pills into it. "Tonight, its my turn."
Four Days Later
"I hate black!" Clark yelled as Kayla once again tried to put his suit on.
"I don't like it either, but I am wearing it." Kayla said trying not to cry. "I'll make you a deal. You wear this and later I will take you to see the dolphins tomorrow."
"Ice cream to?"
"Yes," she sighed. "Now lets hurry or we will be late. "Do you remember what we talked about?"
"No talking out loud and behave," he recited. "Kayla, when is Mommy coming back."
Kayla stopped braiding her hair and knelt down on the floor. "She will be home again soon. The doctors just want to make sure that she is going to be ok."
"Did I make the baby sick?" Cark asked tears filling his eyes."
"No!" She shouted, calming down she asked, "Why do you think that?"
"Well the baby made me feel all funny, like you did when you had the flu." He explained fidgeting with the buttons on his shirt.
"I know you didn't make the baby sick Clark." She told him making sure that he was looking at her as she said it.
Satisfied he gave her a hug before leaving
the room. Standing up she finished braiding her hair. Soon she heard Bruce's
footsteps coming towards her room.
"Are you ready?"
"Just about," she told him. "I can't believe this
is all happening."
"I know what you mean. Are you sure Clark should
be coming with us?"
"I talked to Jon about it and he explained it all
to him. Besides it was either that or not go and I would never not be there
for Alex, or for you."
"Well then lets go. Oh and by the way we are swimming
with the dolphins tomorrow."
Kayla studied him for a moment, what kind of bet
did you manage to lose in three minutes?"
"Who could stay quiet the longest, I sneezed."
Kayla laughed as they left the room and headed for
Mrs. Luthor's funeral.