Family Portrait

As Clark and Lana remained embraced, Laura approached them quietly and looked at them with sad eyes. Lana saw her and got worried. "What is it sweetie?"

Laura opened her arms. "Me too…" she said as she tried to put each of her little hands around Clark and Lana.

Clark smiled and embraced both Laura and Lana warmly. As the three of them were embraced there, Lana felt tearing up. This felt so right to her. And the fact that Laura was so accepting of Clark made her even happier. Clark seeing Laura have a big smile on her face, relished this moment and he felt like they were already a family. He knew it wasn't true, but it felt like that to him nonetheless.

Breaking the embrace they remained in silence the three of them. No words needed to be said. Then Clark turned to Lana and Laura with a smile. "So… do you want to do something today? The three of us?"

Lana couldn't help but smile and Laura jumped up and down. "Big wheel! Big wheel!" she said excitedly.

Clark looked at Lana perplexed. "Does she mean at the fair ground?"

Lana chuckled. "Yeah… We've been up there once and she just loved the view from up there. It was weird… She wasn't scared at all."

"Ok… Laura wants the big wheel… and it's the big wheel she'll have."

"Yay!" Laura started clapping her hands with a big wide smile on her face.

As they got up, and Laura started skipping ahead, Lana took hold of Clark's hand and leaning close to him she whispered: "Thank you." and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Believe me Lana… It's me who should be thanking you…"

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Lex was sitting calmly on his office, when the phone rang. "Hello… Yes… We go ahead as planned… Look… the best scientists have looked at the stats and confirmed to me that it can be contained and it will be alright… I can't pull the plug on this just because one nut says that it will be a disaster… Have you any idea what this will mean for our weapons branch? We're talking deals you can't even begin to imagine… What? … who is he working for? … What does it mean you don't know? I pay you to know! He must be working for someone… People don't just out of the blue get involved in top secret projects, if it's none of their business… Someone put him to it for information… I want to know who… Don't call me back unless you found out who it is!" and with that he hang up the phone.

He had spent too much money and energy on this project to leave anything to chance. If someone else was involved he had to know who and why. Nothing should slip past Lex Luthor.

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They reached the fair ground and walked hand in hand towards the ferris wheel. Laura was in the middle and every few steps they'd swing her back and forth as she laughed excitedly.

When they got in the wagon, they put Laura in the middle, as she seemed hardly able to contain her excitement, for the "big wheel". As the wheel started to slowly turn and lift them up, Laura started laughing happily. Clark had one hand protectively around Laura, and with the other brushed Lana's hair softly. This was the happiest he had felt in a long while. All worries seemed so far away at that moment. It was just the three of them as it should have been for a long while, thought Clark. Few words were spoken as they savored just being together and enjoying each other's company; as a family.

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Lionel waited patiently by his phone. He was waiting for a confirmation that was taking way too long for his liking. He wanted to be sure when and where the test was taking place, as there was no margin for mistake in this specific gamble he was taking. Clark might be Superman, but even someone like him can mess up, thought Lionel. I have to be absolutely positive about what I tell him.

As the phone rang, Lionel snapped back to reality. "Yes… Are you sure? … I don't have the luxury of almost. I want you to be certain of what you're telling me. Ok, then… It's where we thought it would take place… that's good… what? … they caught him? … did he say anything? … Damn it…. I told you to be extra careful… if you thought he lacked the experience you should never have brought him with you. … Ok… ok… let's hope he doesn't talk… at least until tomorrow… after that I really don't care…"

With that Lionel hang up the phone and a smile played on his face.

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Clark walked Lana and Laura to their house. They had spent the whole day together and now all three of them had a big smile on their faces. As they reached Lana's home they lingered for a while in the entrance.

"So…" said Clark sheepishly. "I had a great time today."

"Yeah… us too. Didn't we Laura?" Lana tried to look at her baby girl, who had fallen asleep in her arms.

"Well I guess that's a yes. She's exhausted the poor thing." Said Clark with a smile. "Anyway… I… better go… I'm a bit hungry so I think I'll go home and grab something to eat." Said Clark hesitantly.

Lana looked at her watch. "Look it's 10 o clock, so if you don't mind waiting a bit until I put Laura to sleep, I can prepare something for us to eat."

Clark smiled. "I'd really like that." Then he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Ok… then…" said Lana smiling sweetly to him. "I got to warn you though… My fridge is a bit on the empty side, if you exclude all the baby stuff for Laura…"

Clark smiled as Lana unlocked the door and entered the apartment. "Right now… I'm just grateful for being around you Lana…"

To be Continued…