Part 5

And there they stood three people each connected whether they like it or not. Lana stood there at a loss for words. Mack just stood there arms crossed staring down the father she hadn't scene in 8

All Henry could get out was a breathy, "Mackenzie."

Mack chuckled and stood her ground, "You know after 6 years I was hoping I would get a 'Hello Mack' or maybe a 'How are you' but I suppose I should just be content with you remembering my name."

Henry stood there taking her in, god how she had changed. grown up, "My god look at you your gorgeous."

"Yeah I grew up. To bad you didn't care enough to be around for that…"

"Listen Mackenzie.."

"No I want to know what the hell you and Lana are talking about?" glancing to Lana who was both extremely uncomfortable and scared.

"what did you hear?"

"Oh plenty I assure you, but the part I like best is 'Mack is your half-sister.' Which I find quite interesting being that we're," making sure to put emphasis on this last part, "THE SAME AGE! So tell me daddy dearest how exactly did that work out?"

"There's more to it then that.." Henry walking towards her.

"Just answer the question because I can't wait…." backing up.

Not wanting to argue knowing he owed her an explanation, "When I was involved with Lana's mother before her marriage. In the same year I met your mother when she became pregnant we married."

"How long have known about Lana?" looking around him to see with Lana was still paying attention.

"It's been about a year now."

"Good because you would be even more of a bastard if you knew and pretend she didn't exist. Oh wait isn't that what you did with me? So never mind you are a bastard."

Henry just shook his head and looked down to the ground.

"Well who figured it out?" leaning her arm on her forearm in order to bring her hand to her face.

Lana decided to step in here, "I did. I found a picture of Henry and my mother dated during the time of my parents marriage. I looked into it and it turned out my parents lied about the date of the marriage to make it look like I was conceived during there marriage. I'm sorry…" She had to add that whether it was needed or not.

"So you knew this entire time..you know that's why Chloe freaked when I said my name..So she knew, who else?" its was overwhelming so she took a seat in the nearest aisle and resting her chin in her hand.

Lana stumbled, "umm.."

"Here I'll coach you through it..Well Chloe knows. Does Clark?"

"Yes."

"Pete?"

"Yeah," it killed her to tell her.

"The rest of Smallville High?" getting more and more frustrated as the list goes on.

"Pretty much it's a…."

Cutting her off, "a small town. Right…. And father I'm going to assume mom knows?"

Henry had zoned out a bit but he snapped back, rubbing his neck and looking at her, "yes she does."

Mack stands up for the first time in awhile she had nothing to say. Here she stood with the father that choose to forget her and a friend that hid something so monumental from her.

Lana was the first to break the silence, "Mack I would have said something I just didn't know how and then we became really fast friends and I was stuck between a rock in a hard place. You have to understand…"

"Yeah I have to but that doesn't mean I want to," turning toward Henry, "looks like you have a second chance here dad. Don't screw this up, Lana here is your last chance at redemption you better take it…"

Henry just looked at her suddenly realizing just how wrong he did by her, "Mackenzie was can still.."

Mack became even more angry, "Still what? Still what??!?!? Come on I want to know! Be a father and daughter again. Not quite! Not even close! I gave up on you the day you sent me away. I will never forgive you for abandoning me, sending me away to Metropolis. I will never forgive you because I can't forget all the Christmas mornings I spent in my dorm room waiting for you or mom to pick me up. I can't forget you leaving me there during the other holidays and god the summers! While my friends left to be with their families I sat at my window and cried!!" as she yelled Henry couldn't look her in the eye and Lana looked at her with concern and sadness knowing how lonely it must have been.

Even more angered at Henry's lack of eye contact, she walks closer to him, "Look at me! Look at me! I grew up without you! I grew up, I taught myself how to survive. And be rest assured YOU had nothing to do with it! Nothing! I'm done with this.. I'm so done with this.."

Henry just looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"Good-bye Dad at least this time its my choice to leave," turning to leave she remembers Lana, "Lana, I don't blame you I just don't .. I don't know…."

Lana understood, "I understand."

With that Mack ran to the apartment and stood in the middle of the room fists clenched feeling like she had to punch something. So much anger and no where to place it. She saw the snow globe her father had given her with she was 5 for her birthday. Till this day she didn't know why she kept it. She grabbed it and threw it against the wall as it shattered she collapsed onto the floor crying her eyes out. She had never let herself cry over her father, it was as if everything she had buried deep inside had mutated and multiplied. And so here she sat; her defense mechanisms had malfunctioned, she had nothing left to defend she just sat and cried in silence.

::Back in the Theater::

Henry looked at Lana who was obviously stressed about what just happened. "Lana, I'm sorry you had to be subjected to that."

Lana hated him right now, "Your sorry to me? God you really are a bastard." With that she grabbed her car keys turned off the lights in the theater and sped off to Clark's house.

There Henry Small stood in the dark theater wishing he could back track 8 years and do everything differently. Small was more then his last name it was the type of man he was.

Clark stood in the loft getting dressed he had yet to put on his shirt when Lana came running up.

"Clark?" teary eyed and stressed. When she reached the loft she was taken aback by Clark standing their with his shirt off. (I don't care how much shit has hit the fan when Clark Kent as his shirt off your train of thought stops and you owe to yourself to stare.) 'God his body is… no there are bigger things happening.. But OMG that's your boyfriend' Lana thought then shook her head as a way of stopping it.

"Lana? What's going on?" grabbing a shirt and putting it on.

'Damnit' Lana thought at the sight of the shirt. Walking toward him, "Mack knows."

Grabbing her hand and helping her sit down, "Just breathe what happened?"

She put her hands uncomfortably on her lap and leaned forward looking at the floor boards, "Henry he came by to tell me she was in town and that if I saw her not to tell her I was her sister.. Then Mack came in."

Clark's eyebrows shot up at the thought of it.

"She heard everything," wiping away her tears but stops when Clark starts doing it for her and moves her hair out of her face gently. She whispers, "thanks."

"Your welcome. How did she take it?"

"Well naturally she confused. Then the confusion went to humiliation when she found out everyone knew and didn't tell her and from there she just got really angry…"

Concerned, "At you?"

"No at Henry," moving her legs to face him and looking him in the eye, "Clark he left her there during the summers during Christmas. I mean I would be angry to. 8 years Clark."

"Yeah I'd be angry to, what did she say to you?" tucking her hair back again.

"She just said she didn't blame me and then she just said she didn't know.." getting up.

Clark remained sitting, "Didn't know what?"

With her back towards him looking at her hands, "I think she meant she didn't know what to do about me.. I think she wanted to say she didn't want to be around me right now but she didn't want to seem harsh."

Clark rose to his feet and wrapped her in his arms, "Things will be ok Lana. Mack will come around this is a lot for her right now give her time."

Tightening her grip on Clark, "How do you know its going to be ok?"

Kissing her hair then smoothing it over with his hand, "because It has to be."

Lana smiled and closed her eye whispering , "I love you."

"I love you too. Now we better get you home so you can get dressed for the party. We have o be there early to wait for him."

"We can't stay here," looking up at him with big puppy dogs eyes.

"Your killing me…" He kisses her, "I wish we could but Pete…"

Lana pulls him closer and continues the kiss. Clark stops it and presses his forehead against hers , "how much as I would love it we can't hide here forever."

"Fine..fine," pulling away, "I'll see you there?"

"Count on it," kissing her one last time and watching her leave.

As Lana reached the top of the steps she couldn't help it turning her head to him, "By the way thanks for the show when I came up.. I wouldn't mind seeing that more often." With a wink she went to the car.

Clark just stood there surprised that just came out of her mouth. Shaking his head he continues to get ready.

::Later that night::

"Pete come on!!" Chloe said as she pulls on his hand, "I need my coffee fix for the night then the movie I promise."

"No way! Chloe your addicted. I think you can go one night without it," Pete stood his ground as Chloe tested his arm strength.

Obviously the pulling of his arms wasn't working so she look him and go. Sticking out her bottom lip ,"But I can't PLLLEEEEASSEE Peter."

"Fine," rolling his eyes, "but as long as you never call me Peter that was weird."

Happily, "it's a deal." She looped her arm with his and went into the Talon.

The main serving area was pitch black.

"Chloe what's going on?"

"I don't know I know Lana said something about an electricity problem but this is pretty bad," Chloe figured she should get an Emmy for her performance or at least TV guide award, "She must be around here somewhere.." As she said it she led him to the theater doors, "LANA?"

With that everyone knew to duck down, Chloe pushed open the doors Clark flicked on the lights.

"SURPRIZE!!"

Pete taken aback, "O MAN!! This is crazy."

Clark and Lana went up, "Happy Birthday Pete."

"Thank you, Thanks."

Chloe leaned over, "You surprised?"

Sincerely touched Pete kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "Yeah. Thank you Chloe."

Chloe blushed, "oh it was nothing."

With that Pete let go of her arm and mingled with the other attendees. Clark joined him, "Ill be right back" squeezing Lana's hand and disappearing.

Lana stood next to Chloe both were all smiles.

"So we pulled it off he was really surprised!" Lana tried to yell over the music.

"Yeah we did!" looking around, "Is Mackenzie here?"

"Umm No I think she's in her room." Lana says rather shortly not wanting to get in to it.

"In her room? You didn't invite her? You should of she got the cake."

"Yeah I know but she found out about me this afternoon it's a long story!" taking a sip of her drink and watching the crowd.

Leaning in to Lana's ear, "Yeah one I can not wait to hear!"

After about a minute, "Listen Lana I feel bad she got the cake and she's sitting alone up there! I'm going up there and dragging her down!"

As she turns to leave Lana grabs her arm, "No! I'll do it!"

"What?" Chloe yells back.

Lana puts her mouth closer to Chloe's ear, "I will do it!"

"Ok! Have fun with that one! I'm gonna go find Pete!"

Chloe disappeared into the crowd and Lana put down her drink took a deep breath and headed for Mack's apartment.

::Mack's Apartment::

Lana stood outside wondering what the best approach would be. 'Well knock first retard' she thought to herself.

::Knock::Knock::

Yelling from inside, "YEAH!!"

"Mack its Lana…" before she could finish the door swung open and Mack stood their leaning against it.

"Hi," Mack said meekly and walked into the room.

Lana took that has her cue to enter so she did.

Curling up in her butterfly chair, "Was Pete surprised?"

"Yeah he was.." looking around then directing her attention to Mack, "Listen I'm sorry about what happened this afternoon…"

Cutting her off again.. "Stop right there, don't apologize. You shouldn't apologize he should but we both know that won't happen so let me just explain why I flipped."

Stopping her, "You don't have to.."

"No I don't but I want to. If we're going to be sisters I want you to understand. Its just that the only thing I had left the only little hope that kept me going was the fact that I was his only daughter you know? He'd have to come around eventually, I was all he had. But today I found I wasn't and it not only freaked me out a little but made me finally close the book on him. Finally made me throw that last bit of hope I had somehow maintained over the years. You get it?"

"Yeah.."

"And I thought about how weird it is for both of us and that while I don't have hope in Henry Small anymore. I do have hope that we'll figure this all out as we go along. If your willing to I certainly am"

Lana smiled, "Sounds like a plan.

"Sweet.." She searched for something else to say, "So you came up here to invite me to the party right?"

"How did you know?"

"Jedi.."

Finishing her sentence, "Mind tricks right."

Mack got up walked towards the door so Lana turned towards it as well. Putting her arm around Lana's shoulder. In her best Humphrey Bogart voice, "Lana, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

The two girls left and went to the party.