Spoilers: Based on spoiler scenes for S10.

bDisclaimer: I don't own Smallville. WB Entertainment does, dangit!

A/N: This next chapter will be very hard to read as you can imagine, but the family needs to deal with the ramifications of Sam's actions, as Lois and Lucy find out the shocking truth about 'the tape.' Please read and review. Thank you.

~o~o~

Chapter 2

Lois was almost asleep when she thought she heard a tapping noise at her window and then a breeze flowed over her face. "Clark?"

"I was worried about you," he whispered hoping she wouldn't think he was spying on her.

"But how long have you been here?"

He bowed his head. "Well …"

"Clark, how long?"

"I heard the tape Lois. I'm so sorry." Clark went to her then and took her into his arms. "Everything is going to be alright."

Lois closed her eyes for a moment and welcomed his comfort, but she was past that for now. "I'm done crying about it, Clark. I just want an explanation from him."

"There must be a reason why he did it, just wait for his explanation before you go off on him."

Lois left his arms and stared at him. "Tell me you aren't on his side."

"There are no sides in this Lois, because I can understand how he feels." He touched her cheek. "If I ever lost you, I can't even think about it."

Lois sighed and thought about his words. "Alright, I won't go off on him. I promise."

"That's all I ask."

"Can you stay for a little while, or is there some emergency you have to run off to?"

"Well …" Clark began but heard something as he tilted his head toward the window.

"Go on, I'll call you later," she said and smiled. "Thank you, Clark. I love you."

Clark kissed her goodbye. "I love you too." Then he was gone in a flash.

~o~o~

Sam Lane was in his office watching the late news of Superman's heroics and wondered what kind of world we lived in where a super-powered hero could save lives and not want anything in return. There's no one he knew like that. He glanced at his watch and it was almost midnight. He sighed. I know Lois is waiting for me. I have to face her. That sofa in the corner is not very comfortable.

Ten minutes later, he entered the house and Lois was downstairs in the living room waiting for him. He put his hands in his pockets, stiffened his back and prepared himself for a conversation he had been dreading for over fifteen years.

Lois decided to shake him up. "I saw the tape."

Sam stopped short, closed his eyes and wondered why he hadn't locked that thing up somewhere. "Lo, just let me explain."

It took everything in her not to light into him for what he had done, but Clark's words came into her mind. "Go on."

"I had every intention of showing you the tape, but I couldn't."

"But, why not Daddy? Mom wanted us to see it."

Sam frowned, not believing she could say that. "No, Lois, I couldn't do it. I couldn't put you girls through that. It was enough that I went through it."

Lois was losing her temper now. "Daddy, Mom said she wanted you to help us get over her death, but you shut yourself off from us, you left us alone to fend for ourselves. Don't you think the tape could have helped us?"

"No, it couldn't." Sam tried to explain.

"Why not, Daddy, you're not making any sense. It's what Mom wanted."

"No, honey, your Mother did not want you girls see her die. Lois, your Mother … she died on that tape."

"What did you just say?"

Sam frowned again. "You said you watched it."

"Oh, no, I stopped the tape before it ended because I couldn't watch the rest of it."

Sam went to her then and helped her to sit down. "Your mother collapsed before she could finish and I … I forgot the tape was running and … we both did, and then she died, Lo, in my arms minutes later," he managed to say.

"Oh, Daddy, and it's all on the tape?" Lois didn't want to think about their last moments together, the pain her father must have felt.

"Yes, and I couldn't bring myself to look at it but once, but I knew I couldn't show it to you girls, believe me, I wanted to, but I just couldn't." Sam couldn't hold it in anymore, and then he broke down in tears.

Lois had never seen her father like this, and her heart broke for him. "Oh, Daddy, I'm so sorry," Lois said as she held him close and stroked his back.

Sam welcomed his daughter's comfort hoping they could finally get past this. "Do you forgive me, Lo?" He sniffed.

"Yes, Daddy, I forgive you for not showing us the tape, but …"

"But what, what is it?"

"Well, that doesn't explain why you turned from your own daughters and disregarded Mom's wishes."

Sam opened his mouth to respond, to try and explain his actions, but then he saw Lucy come down the stairs.

"What is going on down here? Oh, Daddy, you're home." She looked between her father and sister and sensed that she had interrupted something. It didn't take much to realize what they were talking about. "It's about Mom, isn't it?"

Lois went to her sister, took her hand and brought her to the sofa. "Come here, honey, there are a few things you should know."

Lucy glanced at her father. "Daddy, were you crying?"

Sam tried to smile. "Only a little."

"Lucy, when you saw me earlier in Daddy's room, I had just watched a videotape, a tape that had our mother on it saying goodbye to her family for the last time."

Lucy gasped shocked that the video had never been revealed to them after all this time, and then she glared at her father. "Why Daddy, why would you keep this from us?"

Sam bowed his head. "I'm sorry, honey."

"Lucy, Lucy, look at me. There's a reason why he did it."

"I can't imagine what it could be, because it was Mom's wish that we see it. What lame excuse did he come up with?" Lucy couldn't believe it, as she watched her sister closely. "I can see it in your face. You believe him?"

"Yes, Lucy, I do. You see, Mom said goodbye to us, but something happened on the tape, something too painful to watch for Daddy and for us. That was the reason why he never showed it to us." At Lucy's look of confusion, Lois continued. "Honey, Mom … she died on that tape."

"Oh, no," Lucy gasped as her eyes filled with tears.

"Come here, sweetie," Lois said as they hugged each other. "It's alright."

Lucy pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "You watched the tape, but how could you bear it, Lo?"

"No, I only watched part of it. I didn't see the end of the tape."

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know if I can watch it Lo."

Lois squeezed her hand. "We'll do it together, sweetie." As the sisters stood up and held tightly to each other, they turned to face their father.

"Daddy, come with us, please?" Lois pleaded with her father.

Sam shook his head. "I'll wait here for you."

Lois sighed, but she believed that if they all watched the video together, they could move past it, and purge all the hurt feelings and resentment that had infected their family for years. She went to her father, kneeled down in front of him and took his hands in hers. "Daddy, it's time. We'll watch the tape together as a family, just like Mom wanted and we'll say goodbye to her so she can rest in peace." She lifted his chin so he would look at her. "Please, Daddy, do it for her, do this for our mother."

Lucy watched her father with tears in her eyes hoping he would say yes. It was way past time for them to do this, to say goodbye as Mom had wanted.

Sam closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at his daughters. They are so strong, so much stronger than me, but Lo was right, it was time and it was what Ella wanted. "Alright, I'll come," he murmured softly.

TBC!

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A/N: Ok, I'm going to end this chapter here and let everyone breathe a little. The next chapter will be even harder. I appreciate you hanging with me with this one. Reviews are love everyone. *hugs her readers tightly*