Chapter Five: Good Lies or Bad Lies

April 13th, 1999

"Clark, come on son, time to get up," called Jonathan Kent as he knocked on his son's door, the then moved to the next door and knocked on Kara's door, giving her a similar wake up call. When he reached the twin's door they were already awake to answer him.

The morning was a blur for Kara Kent as she hurried through the morning ritual, too tired to really care. She and Clark headed out for their busses. Clark's was late, and Kara's was early.

"Hi Kara!" greeted Billy Henderson, one of her closest friends. She smiled and sat down beside him.

"Hi Billy," they spoke all the way to school. Kara had met Billy in the first grade, they had been best friends almost instantly. They often traded lunches, stories and many other tales.

Kara and Billy sat beside one another in their fourth grade class room as well, when lunch finally rolled around, Kara and Billy sat on the playground talking.

"So wanna come over and hang out at my house after school?" Kara asked. She had only been to Billy's house once, and it wasn't a pleasant memory. Billy's father was mean, very mean, and he didn't like Kara, he didn't very much like Billy either.

"I have to get home, dad's really mad for me failing that spelling test yesterday," explained Billy.

"Billy, maybe you should tell someone about your dad," Kara spoke softly.

"I can't, besides it's not like I don't deserve it sometimes," stated Billy. But Kara didn't respond, she didn't think Billy deserved his father's beatings. Kara had failed the same spelling test yesterday, and while she got a long lecture from her father, she hadn't been hit. She had been told she was to tell them two days before hand she had a spelling test and they would help her. She didn't have a single memory of ever getting hit by her dad. She couldn't remember Clark ever getting spanked either. There were the periodic empty threats that Kara and Clark didn't mess around with.

"Billy, most parents don't hit their children when they fail a spelling test," stated Kara.

"Kara, you don't understand, my father just wants what's best for me," stated Billy calmly.

"Okay, well, I guess we should head back inside, recess is almost over," she whispered. They nodded and headed inside.

"Kara, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone about dad hitting me," Billy whispered. Kara looked at him, she didn't want to, she wanted to tell him no, to tell him she'd protect him. But instead she simply nodded weakly.

"Hey there kiddo," called Jonathan Kent as Kara entered the yard the same afternoon, she attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Hi dad," she called back. He chuckled, and reached out, grabbing her arm gently.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked.

"Nothing dad, I'm just tired," she said gently. He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. She smiled weakly and headed inside the house, Martha was arguing with the twins about something.

"I don't wanna nap!" Screamed Kyle.

"Kara, would you please take Chris up for a nap, while I try to deal with this one," stated Martha. Kara nodded and reached down. She was easily two feet taller than the twins, already 4'9, she was going to be tall for a girl. She reached out and pulled her little brother into her arms.

"Kyle is mad," whispered Chris as he leaned his head against his sister's shoulder.

"I noticed, how long have they been going at it?"

"Dunno, couple hours," whispered the three year old. They had been right when they said Chris was a genius afraid to tell the world. At age four he would start Kindergarten, a year before Kyle.

"Great," she murmured.

"I don't want a nap neither, but mama wants us ta take one," he explained. She chuckled, three year old or mind of a seven year old, he still acted like a three year old at times.

"Yeah, well, mom told me to put you to sleep, so I'm going to," he nodded and sighed as she placed him in the big boy beds their parents had recently bought for them.

Suddenly Kyle came slamming into the room, "I hate mommy and Daddy!" he screamed. That made Kara mad, Kyle didn't know how good he had it.

"You should be grateful! Mom and dad love you! Just because you don't always get what you want doesn't give you the right to yell something like that! At least we have loving parents!" bit Kara. Kyle was surprised by this and cowered a little bit.

"Kara, take a chill pill, in my room please," came Clark's voice. Kara looked up and felt tears well in his eyes. She sighed and headed out the door into Clark's room, "Kyle get in bed now, and take a nap, you obviously need one, and don't ever let me or anyone in this house hear you say those words again," stated Clark glaring at the young child.

"Mommy doesn't love me," murmured Kyle as Clark lifted him into the bed and under the covers.

"Kyle, mom has been forcing her children to take naps since I was your age, she does it because she knows you guys need more sleep than most people, and because she's tired to, so humor her all right," Clark stated. He pulled the covers up around Kyle's chin and looked at him.

"I sorry," Kyle whispered closing his eyes. Clark chuckled and ruffled the younger boy's hair, he smiled and kissed Chris on the forehead then headed out the door. With a sigh he headed into his own room, slowly opening the door.