Suddenly beside me I feel something touch my hand. I jump and almost make a sound, but thankfully, I don't. Clark is standing there close to me.

I whisper, "Clark, what are you doing?"

"The right decisions."

"What? Oh, no, Clark, I meant, well, I – "

"I can help, Mommy. I want to help."

"But...but...oh, Clark."

I grasp Clark's hand. We look at each other for a moment. And then Clark pulls me inside, and I don't stop him. Why am I doing this? I have no idea, I'm not even sure if I'm thinking clearly. I can't be!

Softly we make our way to the hallway. Lana's crying is coming from the family room. I risk taking a quick peek. I almost gasp. At the far end of the room, Nell is tied to a chair with duct tape over her mouth. Tears are streaming down her cheeks.

Brian stands before her, his back to us. Lana sits with her back to us. She's far from them on the couch, so close, I could move in four feet and touch her. Brian's talking and to my horror, begins to wave around his gun.

"I told you Nelly, we were supposed to be together- forever! And I told you - I'd be very angry if we weren't! Now you and your little girl are going to pay."

Lana begins to cry even louder.

"Shut up!" He yells without looking at Lana. She stops crying. Brian continues talking to Nell, and I decide to take an even bigger risk.

Motioning for Clark to stay, I turn around and dart into the family room. I grab a hold of Lana, tightly covering her mouth. She struggles instantly, but then looks up and sees me. I put a finger to my mouth, and make sure she understands. Her glistening eyes seem to nod. I let go of her mouth, but grab her hand and rush her out of the room.

When she sees Clark she immediately leaves me and grabs him in a hug, almost crying out, but surprisingly Clark covers her mouth. The two look into each other's eyes and then Clark releases her. She almost seems to fall into his arms, wanting to be comforted by her best friend. Wanting him to take all her worries away.

I hate to do it, but I pull them apart and lead Lana to the kitchen and make her hide under a counter. I point at her and gesture for her to stay there. I can do nothing else but pray she understands. And then I take Clark's hand and head back to the family room.

I should be incredibly nervous. Normally I would be. But somehow, with my children there, I can't be nervous. I have to protect them, and somehow my head no longer aches. I have the need to think clearly. Even as a dangerous plan forms in my head.

I listen to Brian talk. He's yelling even louder now. He's crude, and he uses profanities that make me want to cover my own ears, let alone Clark's. And he threatens her. With abuse. And even rape. I can hear Nell scream beneath the tape. He's worse than those two thugs.

He's so loud, I don't fear whispering to Clark. "Clark, I want you to use your fastest speed to grab the man's gun, then give the gun to me. Do you understand?"

Clark nods at me. I don't see fear in his eyes, only the desire to protect the ones he loves. My brave, brave little boy. How can you be so brave?

I nod at Clark and immediately he's holding out the gun in his hands. Startled at Clark's speed it takes me a second to take it from him.

"WHAT THE?" Brian yells.
I stare at Clark and motion for him to stay there, being more stern than I ever have. This is no time to start disobeying me. You could die Clark. Stay there. Please let him understand.

I take a deep breath and enter the living room, gun pointed at Brian, who turns around, completely shocked to see me. He asks with incredulity,

"Mrs. Kent? How'd you?"

"Lie face down on the ground with your hands on your back."

He pauses for a second, surprised by my sudden aggressive appearance, but then almost chuckles. Lightning flashes and I can see a crazy gleam in his eyes. A chill runs down my spine.

"Or else what? You gonna shoot me Mrs. Kent?"
"Yes."

He looks perturbed for a second, and then sickeningly smiles. He starts walking toward me.

"Right. Just give me the gun and everything's goin--"

KAH-POW!

I pulled the trigger and fired it at him. I think it scrapes his left shoulder. He screams in pain and clutches his shoulder.

My hands immediately start shaking and I can't stop them. I feel like I can't breathe. I've never fired a gun before. The power and the carnage frighten me out of my mind. But I force myself to talk, albeit much less in control then before.

"L-l-lie down an-an-and p...ut your hands on-your-back."

He hesitates, and I scream, "Do It!!"

A look of disgust covers his face as he kneels down, and puts his hands, rather painfully on his back. Sarcastically he asks,

"Now what?"

In an answer to his question, and an answer to our prayers, we all hear police sirens pull up to the farm.

"You're going to jail."

The police knock on the door and I call for them to come in. Ethan and two others enter and stop when they see the scene in front of them. I see Brian's eyes light up and he begins to talk.

"Thank goodness you're here. She grabbed my gun after I discovered Ms. Potter here tied up in her living room."

My head jerks back in complete surprise and my face is appalled. I lower the gun, though. Somehow I can't seem to come up with words to combat Brian's outrageously false tale .In shock I look at Ethan. He looks at all three of us. My desperate pleading eyes, Brian's manipulative ones, and Nell's frightened ones. She shakes her head vividly. Ethan speaks,

"It's alright Martha, give me the gun, I can tell what happened." He turns, suddenly fiercely cold, and says, "Brian you're under arrest."

"NO!" Brian screams. He leaps forward and grabs my legs, forcing me to trip and fall. I can feel his constantly scratching fingers striving to claw at me. Immediately the other officers pull him off me and force him to the ground.

I struggle away from him, my breaths shaky and uneven. Ethan helps me up. I look around. Brian is being put into handcuffs and being led away. Everything's fine now, and yet, now is when I burst into tears. Ethan pats me on the back.

I go over to Nell and begin to free her.

"Oh, Martha! Thank goodness you got here! If you hadn't come- I - I - I don't know what would've happened." Even before she stops talking she starts crying, struggling to speak coherently. We hug each other as we cry on each other's shoulders.

"The kids!"

We rush over to the kitchen and find our little frightened children clinging on to each other underneath the counter. When they see us they too, even Clark burst into tears. We grab them into great big hugs. We all cry and cry until we have no tears left. We swap children back and forth and even bring Ethan into our little circle. His cheeks turn red, and we soon release him. We begin to laugh as the electricity turns back on with perfect timing and the house looks like a completely different place.

Exhausted, we sit on the kitchen floor with the children in our laps. Lana looks lovingly into her aunt's eyes. I see how much Nell cares for Lana, and I kick myself for ever doubting her. She really is the mother Lana's been missing. I smile and hold Clark closer.

"I'm so so very proud of you." He smiles up at me. I laugh again and he laughs. Oh, how I love his laugh, rarely heard, and yet so sweet, so pure, so good. A sound I will never tire of hearing for as long as I live.

Nell and I lean against the counter and each other. We share a passing glance. The two of us understand something only mothers could understand. The children are safe. And that's all that matters.