this chapter isn't quite as long as i thought it would be...so i've decided that i'll make it up to you by posting chapter 6 within the next 24 hours
but i hope you enjoy anyway.
btw--a little writer's sidenote here...i listen to music on my ipod, usually instrumental, when i write...and i was listening to "Across the Stars" the love theme from Star Wars Ep. 2...and it is so PERFECT for this chapter and will be for chapter 6, too... of course, i was also listening to the Love Theme from Superman the Movie. it works, too. notice they're both LOVE themes? even though our main characters still have no idea... just an interesting observation... and now i'll continue with posting my update
again, feedback is ALWAYS loved. but i'm sure you all know that by now.
Author: Alison
Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC, WB, AlMiles, etc., etc., etc. I only own the story, so yet again, please don't take that away from me. Got another postcard from sunny southern California. My cat was invited to P. Diddy's post-Grammy bash and is now the talk of Tinseltown.
Chapter 5
"Great apple pie, Mom."
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek as he walked past her, carrying his plate and glass into the kitchen.
"Thanks."
He set his plate in the sink and his empty glass on the counter. This was his chance. She was still in the bathroom.
It's not that conversation between them was hard. It came pretty natural, actually.
But they hadn't said anything since before his mother served the secret family recipe apple pie. With vanilla ice cream. Hhmm…should he have another piece?
No. He had work to do. She'd interrupted him earlier while he was looking over Chloe's many emails of information. He needed to get back to that. It'd probably be a good idea to do some homework, too.
He turned around and looked in the dining room. His parents were still sitting at the table enjoying their dessert. His father was halfway reading his paper while he listened to his mother discuss the current state of political affairs.
Yep, now was his chance.
He just wanted to get away. Just for a little while. A few minutes alone to figure it all out. To understand what was happening. The past day had been a whirlwind. He just wanted it all to slow down for just a moment.
He slipped out the screen door and down the steps. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he glanced up at the stars littered across the night sky as he strolled towards the barn.
Small. That's how he felt. No matter what powers he had or where he came from, he still felt small. He'd never really known what to do with his "gifts" as some had called them. Sure, he did the everyday stuff…rescues, solving crimes. But some people recently had shown him that he could use them beyond his own little hometown.
But, he wasn't quite ready for that. Not yet.
He still had some things to take care of in his little town before he ventured out into the great beyond.
Climbing the stairs to the loft, he walked over to the couch and picked up his backpack. He unzipped it and pulled out the wad of papers he'd stuffed inside when she'd surprised him.
Yeah, and why had she surprised him? Was his super hearing on the fritz?
Whatever the reason he'd make sure it didn't happen again. He just needed to focus.
He sat on the couch and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he read the material.
Chloe had definitely done her homework. She'd sent nearly twenty pages of information. There was anything from the type of stone and what can be written on it to pricing and the best time of year to install a stone. He needed to email Chloe back to let her know what he wanted so she could go ahead and reserve it.
Ugh…it's not that he didn't care. In fact, he cared a great deal. He'd just rather not deal with the details sometimes.
And then he heard it. The screen door.
Was she leaving? Should he go say goodbye? Should he go say something?
What difference did it make? This was Lois. He was gonna have to beat himself over the head til he understood that.
He listened carefully. No car door. Gravel crunching. She was still walking. Her footsteps were getting closer.
Oh no. She was coming to see him. Okay, just act natural.
Wait! Hide the memorial stuff.
He shoved the papers back in his backpack, pulled out his history textbook and notes, threw them on his desk and sat. Studying. That was natural, right?
Turning his head to listen better, he heard her stop at the barn door. She was hesitating. Her heartbeat sped up. Was she nervous? Scared?
She was certainly a mystery.
She was inside. He listened quietly as she stopped at the base of the loft stairs and took a deep breath.
What was going on with her? He wasn't used to this side of Lois. It baffled him as much as the snarky, rude, bossy Lois he knew so well.
She was usually so confident…so sure of herself. But she was hesitating. Did the events of last night have that much of an effect on her?
Footsteps on the stairs. She was getting closer.
And then, without realizing it, his own heartbeat picked up speed.
"See, this is why you need a door. So people can knock. That way they can't sneak in when you least expect it."
There it was. He'd said it before, but there were times he loved hearing her voice. Sure, it was said sarcastically, but he'd never let on just how true it really was.
He also wasn't going to mention that he heard her when she left the house. No sneaking up on him.
"Lois. I thought you would've left by now."
He smiled as he turned in his chair to see her standing at the top of the stairs, her hands shoved deep in her coat pockets, her infamous smirk playing across her lips.
"Well, I might have, but I had to help your mother clean the dishes. She said something about you helping with that, but apparently dishwashing is an art that's lost on you. I figured if you knew how, you would've cleaned the dirty dishes you left at my place this morning."
He laughed and shook his head. She always had a way to turn every situation around on him. But he was learning.
Besides, he was only told to take the food to Lois. Not take it, feed her, spend the night, clean the bowls and bring them back home. Nope. He just did what he was told. Sort of.
"Well, I wanted to get away because I know the only time I can get rid of you is when you're asleep."
Which reminded him…seeing her…laying there. He could still see the sunlight dancing across her features.
He shook himself of that image. Why was he doing this?
"Yeah, about that. Thanks for waking me up this morning, Smallville. Or leaving a note or something to tell me you'd left." He watched as she crossed her arms and cocked her hips to one side. "Because, you know, that would've been the considerate thing to do."
A note? He was supposed to leave a note? He wasn't her boyfriend. He wasn't even supposed to stay the night. But he had to leave a note?
And he couldn't wake her up. He didn't want to. She was so peaceful.
He lost his smile and dropped his gaze as he spoke.
"Lois, I'm sorry. I had a class this morning. Plus, I had chores to do here. And I had to call Chloe about something." He looked up at her. "I tried to be quiet because I didn't want to wake you. I knew yesterday must've been rough for you. I thought you needed to sleep."
And that was the truth. She was such a mess last night when he walked in. As much as she tried to wipe away the tears and hide her face, he could still see it. That's why he chose to not wake her and instead walk out of the apartment that morning. When he saw her sleeping, all he could think about was how much she kept inside…hidden from the world.
She managed a weak smile as she looked away from him.
"Yeah, well. Yesterday was rough. As much as I never want to remember that day, it always shows up once a year."
Whoa. What do you say to that?
He looked at her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay. He wanted to say…I'm here.
Wait…he did?
She slowly walked closer to him, then suddenly turned and moved to the window.
"And last night, when you walked in, I was just…I guess I was just trying to remember."
Remember? Well, he did know a little something about that. If it hadn't been for that experiment gone awry at Summerholt, he would never have remembered the name of his own mother. His biological mother, that is.
Was she trying to remember her mother?
He stood and walked closer to where she was at the window.
"Your mom?"
"Everything. Anything. I haven't even seen her grave in ten years. I, uh…I thought I would go this summer when my dad and I were looking for my wayward sister in Germany, but…that didn't happen."
This meant more to her than he realized. Maybe more than anyone realized.
She took a deep breath and looked up at the stars.
He didn't know what made him do it. It must've been the same thing that made him brush her hair out of her face that morning. But whatever it was, he couldn't stop it. And part of him didn't mind.
Slowly, he raised his arm, put his hand on her shoulder and gently rubbed it.
He couldn't be sure why he did it. But while his hand was there, a vain attempt at comfort, the world seemed to stand still. He only saw her.
And, for that moment, that was all that mattered.