Chapter 28:

Lois's Apartment, 6:05 pm:

"You're late Kent." I say as I whip the door open, making sure that Clark hears the humor in my voice.

"Sorry, there was a pile up on the freeway."

"It's alright; I saw you on the news before I lost the TV to Kim Possible." Clark laughs and I can't help but smile.

"Daddy!" Lara screams as she bounces over the couch and launches at Clark.

"Hi sweetie." Martha calls from the lounge room.

"Hey Mom, how are you?"

"Good, Lois gave me the night off."

"That doesn't mean you're cooking does it?"

So that's how he's playing, well two can play at that. "Yes Smallville time to suffer."

"Mommy's a good cook Daddy, she just doesn't cook often."

That's my girl, always looking out for me. "Thanks honey."

Lara grins proudly. "Since when did you cook Lo?"

"Since your Mom held me hostage in the kitchen and wouldn't let me leave till I wouldn't poison our kids." I stick my tongue out at Martha; she pokes hers out in return.

"It was for the greater good of humanity." Martha replies with a straight face.

"Mom, you're my hero." Clark bows his head slightly.

"I'm not talking to either of you anymore… and Lara, why aren't you sticking up for me?"

She shrugs, looking content to be in her Daddy's arms. "Well I'm not talking to you either." I playfully add as I tickle her.

"Jack!" I call out. "I think he's playing his PS3, he's addicted to the thing."

Lara nods her head in agreement. "He won't ever let me play." She pouts.

"It's not like you don't push him around in everything else." I add. Lara looks at me sheepishly.

"Does my little angel give her little brother a hard time?" Clark asks Lara, she smiles, her smile exactly the same as Clark's.

"Yes Mommy." Jack walks out, rubbing his eyes.

"Daddy's here."

Jack smiles, he looks at Clark and the smile falters a bit. "Oh…hi..."

I want to hang my head in shame, Clark's smile dims. "Hi Jack, how's my little boy?"

"Good." He replies and wanders off to sit on Martha's lap. I can tell that Martha's as unhappy with the unraveling of events as Clark and I are. Lara squirms out of Clark's grip, she runs up to Jack and grabs his arm.

"I wanna talk to you!" She drags Jack into the bedroom. I walk back into the kitchen and add the finishing touches to dinner.

"Are you feeling alright now Lo?"

"Yeah Smallville, had a nap and now I'm ready to fight the world if it comes to that."

He laughs… "I'm sure you'd win fifty times over."

"Is that all?" Martha teases as she comes to join us… "What can I do to help?"

"Shoo you, it's your night off; I got this." I shoo Martha away playfully.

"You have my Mom slaving away all day and night; you should be ashamed of yourself." Clark teases playfully.

"Really Clarkie? I think your Mom gets it pretty good." I play along.

"And how do you figure that?" Martha joins in.

"She gets to experience the greatness that is Lois Lane." The three of us laugh. I feel great, I can't remember the last time I was this relaxed and in the kitchen no less.

Jack and Lara walk out, Lara looks like she's the cat that just ate the canary and Jack looks like he ate some mighty awful humble pie. Jack walks up to Clark and tugs on his jacket…

"I'm sorry… daddy." He looks pained as he says daddy. But Clark doesn't seem to notice, pleased that the word left Jack's lips.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about little man." Clark says as he lifts Jack up into his arms.

Jack nods his head. "Ok." He hugs Clark gingerly and then wriggles out of Clark's arms. Jack places himself on the couch and watches what's left of Kim Possible. Lara hugs Clark's leg and then joins her brother on the couch.

"You should never underestimate the power of big sisters." I say in wonder, I don't know what I would do without my little girl sometimes.

"Have you managed to locate Lucy yet?" Clark asks.

I furrow my brows, the nagging feeling returning… "Not yet Smallville, I guess she doesn't want to be found yet."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault … anyway let's not go there, its dinner time."


"That was delicious Lois, thank you very much."

"You're welcome Smallville, just don't get used to it." I ball up a napkin and throw it at him. It hits him in the face, Jack and Lara laugh while Martha shakes her head.

"You'll pay for that later Lo." Clark smirks.

"Promises Smallville…Promises."

"What's for dessert mommy?" Jack asks.

"Grandma's famous apple pie sweetie."

"Yay!" the twins exclaim and clap in unison. I start clearing the table, Clark starts helping.

"I've got it thanks Clark. You sit down and talk with your Mom and the kids."

"Oh ok; only if you let me help with the dishes after dessert."

"Deal." I smile at Clark and he smiles back. I could really get used to this.

I clear the last of the dishes and set about getting the apple pie from the oven where it was warming.

Lara comes into the kitchen and starts grabbing the whipped cream, custard and ice-cream.

"Thanks sweetie." She places the accompaniments on the table and returns to me for a big hug. I'm warmed by my daughters touch; she's so much like her father. I rub her back lovingly. And she returns to her seat at the table.

"Here we go." I place servings of pie down in front of Clark and Martha and then return with Jack and Lara's. I finally sit down with my piece.

"I forgot how good your famous pies really are mom." Clark beams.

"You think this pie is good… you should have tried the apple and blueberry pie that I made the other day."

"Was it a big hit?"

"Ask Lois, she ate the whole thing." Clark turns to me, his eyebrow arched.

"Mommy! I wanted some of that pie." Lara whines.

"You ate the whole pie?" Clark asks surprised.

"Ah… well I was home alone after a stressful day, there was no one to say no." I shove almost half my piece of pie in my mouth and grin. Clark shakes his head and Lara pouts as she finishes hers off. We finish the rest of our dessert in silence. I etch the scene before me permanently into my memory… our first family dinner.

"Here let me help with that." Clark says as he grabs all the dirty dishes and super speeds them clean.

"Smallville!" I exclaim in frustration, although I am glad that I didn't have to do the dishes.

"What Lo?"

"Wow! Can you do that again?" Jack asks excitedly, it's the most excited I've seen him towards Clark.

"Ah…" Clark looks unsure of what to say or do.

"Jack, you didn't use your manners." I admonish him, hoping that he'll momentarily forget about the super speed.

"Could you please do that again daddy?" Whoa! Did he just say daddy without being forced?

"Did…ah…huh…" Clark's verbal vomit is exactly what I was thinking.

"How about another time sweetie." Martha saves us from having to think of anything to say. She proudly picks Jack up and wanders into the lounge room.

"I can run fast too." Lara pipes up.

"I bet you can sweetie." I reply, still in shock from Jack.

"Seriously, look." Lara speeds into the lounge room, pats Jack on the head and returns to stand in front of us in the blink of an eye.

Now when did that happen? Lara never said anything about the super speed. Clark looks at me questioningly. He then bends down to Lara's eye level…

"That's really great sweetheart, but you know you can never do that in front of anybody else?" He keeps his tone even and calm.

She nods. "Uh-huh, I know… it's just like with how strong I am, right mommy?" she turns to me.

"That's right sweetie. How long have you been able to do that?"

Lara looks to Jack and they appear to have a conversation with their eyes, "Well… you know a couple of weeks back when we went to Uncle Bruce's? Well Jack and I were playing outside and it just happened and so we thought it would be cool to have a secret of our own coz everybody else had big secrets and we wanted one too." She says in one breath.

"She's definitely your daughter Lois."

"Smallville now is not the time for that."

"Right Lara, I understand that you and Jack thought it would be cool to have a secret but you've got to tell mommy, grandma or me when something happens with your abilities. Ok?"

"Ok." She replies happily. "Can I have a bubble bath now? Please?"

"Sure baby, go on."

"I want the ducky!" Jack calls out as he races Lara to the bathroom; she slows down and lets Jack win this time. Clark comes to stand beside me; he laces his fingers around mine.

"Dinner was delicious thanks Lo and thank you for the wonderful apple pie mom."

Martha smiles at us, her look lingering on our intertwined hands. "Anytime sweetie, hopefully this will become an everyday occurrence."

"I'd love for you to have dinner with us every night Clark, what do you think?" he has that far off look again. "Earth to Clark… come in Clark? Clark?"

He shakes his head, "Ah… yeah… sorry to cut this short but there's been a shipping accident on the west coast, I got to go." He lets go of my hand, I instantly feel cold at the loss of contact.

"Be careful honey." Martha hugs him and kisses his cheek.

"Always mom." He replies.

I walk Clark to the balcony where he's shedding his outer layer of clothing. "Clark, do you think that you could swing by on your way home after yo-" I'm silenced as Clark's lips descend upon my own; the kiss is all too brief.

"I'll be back as soon as I'm done, I want to talk to you but most of all I want to spend time with you."

I smile. "Go get 'em Smallville." He smiles and launches into the air to do what he does best, save the world…


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