Chapter V
She groggily opened her eyes, blinking at the white ceiling, trying to figure out what had woken her up. Oh….screaming. Screaming?! Lana's eyes snapped open as she shot out of bed. Lana literally flew into her daughter's room, heart pounding in her chest.
"Kyla? Kyla!" She gently shook her daughter, who was crying, shaking violently. In the back of her mind, the young woman was perplexed. Kyla hadn't had a nightmare in at least five months, at least none this bad.
Her thoughts quickly focused back to her daughter when the small girl opened her wide, fearful hazel eyes. The moment she seemed to register who it was, she started crying again, wrapping her tiny arms around Lana's waist.
"Shh, its okay sweetie, mommy's here." Lana murmured softly, tracing soothing circles on her daughter's back. It took a couple of minutes for the girl to stop crying, but she still sniffled occasionally.
"Baby, what were you dreaming about?" Lana asked her young daughter gently, still rubbing her back. What a coincidence that the first time she had a nightmare in months, was the first day Mike had taken her. Kyla looked up at her mother at her question and shook her head vigorously, still looking scared. Lana didn't push the subject, not willing to upset her child even more.
hr
"That bastard did something to my daughter!" Lana felt like screaming as she paced back and forth in front of Chloe. The blonde journalist was biting down on one of her knuckles, a worried expression on her face as she thought. Clark had taken a rather uncharacteristically nervous Kyla out to get a treat, leaving Chloe and Lana to go over theories about what had happened.
"When you woke her up, you said she seemed…scared?" Chloe asked slowly, her thoughts trailing back to the way she had acted when they did certain things the first time she looked after her. Lana ceased pacing in front of Chloe, nodding slowly, curiously watching her friend.
"Do you know if that man-Mike-has ever…hit her? Or if he…" The journalist felt a pang in her heart at the thought, trailing off before she could finish her sentence. Lana's eyes widened in realization, drawing in breathe silently.
"You think he beat her? Or that he-" Lana broke off, not willing to go on, feeling even worse than Chloe. She had been going to ask "Or that he molested her?" But of course, as a mother, she couldn't bear to think about it. Lana's green eyes darkened with fury at the thought. Before she could voice all of the extremely violent and brutal threats that were swimming around her mind, the door opened silently, Clark walking in with Kyla sleeping in his arms.
"Lana, you should see this." He said quietly, setting the napping girl on the couch beside her mother. Lana shot over, Chloe following. The reporter gently pushed the sleeves of Kyla's dark violet shirt up and Lana choked back a cry.
There were bruises so close together that they seemed to make up one large purplish blue bruise. Shuddering, the mother gently pushed up the sleeve even more, feeling tears prickle at the corners of her green eyes. More bruises greeted them as they pushed up the other sleeve too. How could she have missed those? Lana sat back, staring down at her daughter, her sweet young daughter.
"I'm a terrible mother." She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. Clark sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Chloe was busy looking for even more bruises, which she discovered on Kyla's ribs after lifting up her shirt. Chloe and Clark traded glances.
"You are a great mother." Clark assured her, rubbing Lana's back soothingly. Lana had her eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill out. "It's not your fault that Mike is a bastard."
"I should have done something. Why didn't I see this before? Why didn't I notice?" Lana murmured, watching Chloe hold her daughter in her arms securely. Chloe was rocking the raven-haired little girl back and forth, brushing her hair out of her face occasionally. Kyla seemed to be utterly relaxed, curling up like a cat in Chloe's arms.
"Lana, it is not your fault. Now we know what's going on, if she still has to go with him on Friday, I'll follow them; maybe even Chloe will come with me." Clark glanced up at his colleague, who nodded determinedly. Lana didn't seem very reassured, but she nodded anyway, watching her little daughter with a downcast expression.
hr
Chloe tucked little Kyla into her bed, looking down at the girl, her mind racing. She was wondering about her own daughter, Maria, and grimaced, thinking about what Lana was going through. Chloe knew that she would feel ten times worse than she did know if her precious daughter was in that situation.
The former 'Torch' editor stood to leave the room, but Kyla started shivering, whimpering softly. Chloe turned around again, and her heart melted at the sight of the little girl. She couldn't possibly leave her now. Lightly, the mother traced comforting circles on Kyla's back.
hr
Lana had fallen asleep against Clark's chest, with Clark rubbing her arms gently, soothing her lightly. Chloe quietly closed the door to Kyla's room, and smiled at the sight of Clark and Lana. They looked so perfect together. She silently sat down beside them, looking down at her friend.
"We'll help her with this, right?" Clark said, glancing up questioningly at Chloe, his green eyes glittering slightly. Chloe smiled softly and nodded.
"Of course." She examined Lana's sleeping form. "They'll both need it. Lana with reassurance about her parenting capability; and Kyla will need help with…everything." Chloe finished, glancing towards Kyla's bedroom door with a sigh. "Anyway, I'd better go. Can you manage here?" Chloe said, standing up, looking into Clark's eyes.
"Of course, go home. You have your own family to think about." Clark told her, a reassuring grin crossing his face. Chloe nodded and, quietly as she could, slipped out of the apartment.
hr
hr
Chapter VI
Lana found herself lying on the couch, covered with a dark violet blanket. A very, very nice smell reached her and she blearily looked around, curious.
"Clark?"
"How'd you sleep, Lana?" Clark smiled gently, an amused expression crossing his face at the sight of his sleepy friend. Lana nodded, watching Clark cooking breakfast with a curious glint in her eyes.
"The best I've slept in a while. I didn't know you could cook." She raised an eyebrow at him, smiling slightly as he moved some bacon onto a plate. "Isn't Clark Kent just full of surprises?"
"I'm full of surprises, aren't I Lana Lang?" Clark said in a teasing manner as he shifted her arms after dropping two pancakes onto the plate with bacon. The smile flickered slightly on his face, the look of worry fading after an instant.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
The voice of her daughter caused Lana to automatically turn around, smiling gently at her little girl. Kyla sleepily rubbed her eyes, looking up at her mother and Clark. Lana made a gesture for her to come over to the couch. The young raven-haired girl, who looked so much like her mother, clambered onto the couch. Her mother immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulder, hugging her daughter close, as if afraid to let go.
Clark noticed that Kyla winced slightly when her mother touched her arm and cast a look at Lana, shaking his head slightly. Taking the hint, Lana loosened her grip, as to not cause her daughter any more pain. "Where's Aunt Chloe?" Lana glanced up at Clark. Aunt Chloe? Clark grinned at her, stifling laughter.
"She had to go home, sweetie." Lana told her daughter, an amused smiled playing across her lips. Kyla simply snuggled more against her mother in response to this. Lana and Clark exchanged slightly apprehensive looks, before Lana lightly pulled back, her daughter looking up at her, an expression of worry in her hazel-green eyes.
"Kyla," Lana pulled back the girl's sleeves, revealing the dark, brutal looking bruises that covered her arms. Kyla's hazel eyes widened in fear as she worriedly looked up at her mother. "Where did you get these? Did Mike hurt you?" Lana had to use every ounce of strength she possessed when her daughter gave a tiny, reluctant nod, eyes downcast.
"Why?" Clark asked, breaking the silence that had followed Lana's question. Kyla shook her head, eyes fixed on the floor. Lana and Clark traded glances, silently communicating with each other. The lights flickered and then, extinguished completely. The two adults glanced up at the ceiling, confused. And then, Lana looked down at Kyla, and her mouth fell open in pure shock. Kyla's eyes were glowing with a dark violent aura. One thing came to mind.
Countess Margaret Isobel Theroux.
However, just as suddenly as it started, the glow faded in Kyla's eyes, and the lights flickered back to life.
"But-" Lana stuttered, gazing down at her little daughter in shock. She attempted to speak again, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the only thing that came out was a little squeak. Kyla blinked, and then looked up at her mother, brow furrowed in confusion.
"How long have you been able to do that?" Clark finally asked, voicing the question that was on Lana's mind, but she couldn't exactly find her voice. Kyla wrinkled her nose cutely, thinking. Then, as if coming to a conclusion she shrugged.
"I don't know. Is it bad?" Kyla seemed worried at this new prospect. Lana quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter.
"Of course it's not bad, sweetie. It was just unexpected, Kyla." She assured the young girl. Kyla turned back to gaze curiously at Clark. Lana and Clark traded another perplexed glance. Oh, these-these powers made it clear that Lana would never have a dull moment while raising her daughter.
hr
Chloe opened the front door, which was just outside of Metropolis so she didn't have to live in an apartment. Clark and Lana stood there, with Kyla in her arms.
"I hope were not interrupting anything." Lana said, looking sheepish. As she spoke, Chloe's daughter, Maria, came running out to stand by her mother. She had light blonde hair, clear blue eyes and light, fair skin. The girl, who seemed to be right at Kyla's age, wore jeans, a grey t-shirt and a backwards, blue baseball cap.
"Hi! My name's Maria! What's yours?" She piped up cheerfully, gazing up at Kyla with curiosity. Lana put Kyla down, glancing up at Chloe curiously.
"I'm Kyla." The little girl looked at this stranger's attire, smiling in an almost confused fashion.
"Maria, why don't you and Kyla go do… something." Chloe suggested, smiling. Maria and Kyla scurried off into the house, chattering to each other.
"Fast friends there." Chloe mused, shutting the door behind Clark and Lana, leading them into the living room. "Pete, look who's here."
Chloe's husband looked up, stared at the pair for a moment and then leapt to his feet, hugging Clark and laughing.
"Clark! Good to see you man!" He let go of his best friend and turned to Lana, hugging her briefly. "It's been too long, Lana. What, six years?"
"Just about." Lana said, sitting down on the couch beside Clark. Pete sat in an armchair, and Chloe took a seat beside Lana. "I need to talk to you about Kyla."
"That cute little girl who came through here with Maria?" Pete questioned, glancing sideways at his wife. Chloe nodded, turning back to listen to the pair.
"Anyway, Chloe, you remember Isobel, right? This morning, somehow, she made the lights flicker out and her eyes were glowing. Like my eyes did when I was possessed by Isobel."