Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Add Poll Send Topic
Normal Topic Family Reunion - 8/? (Read 2152 times)
Mr. Beeto
Cub Reporter
*
Offline


Long Live the Movieverse

Posts: 198
Location: Warren, Michigan, USA
Joined: Aug 10th, 2008
Family Reunion - 8/?
Aug 15th, 2008 at 1:06am
 
Title: Family Reunion
Author: Mr. Beeto
Rating: PG-13
Beta: htbthomas and Shado Librarian
Summary: AU Twist on Donner/Singer Movieverse: Tie the three films together into a cohesive whole, and provide a more credible and interesting reason for Superman to have returned to Krypton.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]

Author's Notes:

We've still got a little bit of Kryptonian in this chapter, and as before, I'm making Kryptonian italic, and enclosed in double chevrons (« and »). Also note that we'll be spending the next few chapters with the Kents in Smallville before heading back to Metropolis.

Thanks to htbthomas and Shado Librarian for the beta.

Chapter 8 - Adoption

Friday, September 15, 2006 6:30AM CDT

As usual, Martha Kent was out of bed and dressed before dawn. She walked quietly down the hall to check on her young guest, carefully avoiding the squeaky boards in the floor. When she reached the guest room, the open door revealed it to again be empty and Martha walked in to inspect the room. Kara had another bad dream during the night, but this time the room hadn't fared so well against her thrashing. Her flailing arms had smashed the headboard to splinters and put a hole through the wall before Clark had gotten in there to chase the nightmares away. She's probably sleeping in his lap again, Martha guessed. She scrutinized the damage, noting that the debris was still scattered on the floor. Well, this can wait until after breakfast, she decided, and she busied herself setting out clothes for Kara to wear that day.

To Martha's surprise, Kara was awake to greet her when she got downstairs, though the girl was still in the protective circle of Clark's arms, cuddled against him as he stretched out in the recliner. "Good Morning," she greeted them. "You two are up early."

Clark shrugged. "It's close enough to sunrise anyway, and you know we won't be able to sleep once the sun's up."

"Well, I guess I'd better get started on breakfast," Martha resolved. "All right, you two. On your feet." The pair obliged, and Martha led Kara into the kitchen while Clark headed up the stairs.

-o-o-o-


Kara listened to the conversation between Kal-El and his human mother from her room as she dressed. She couldn't understand what they were saying, though she could pick up a few words, thanks to the English lessons from the previous day. Kal-El had explained what the sounds each of the symbols in their written language represented, how to sound out the words, and how to look up the words she didn't know in Martha's dictionary - she was going to have a lot of words to look up. After she dressed, Kara quietly came back downstairs and grabbed the dictionary from the end table. She settled herself into the recliner, opened the book to the beginning and began studying its pages while Clark and Martha continued their conversation.

"The poor dear," Martha said sympathetically. "I was so excited about having her in the family that I never stopped to think how difficult this would be for her. I guess I thought it would be like it was with you."

"I was considerably younger, Ma," Clark pointed out.

"Too young to realize what was lost," Martha acknowledged. "Not like Kara... Clark, what she really needs right now is stability, and I think that changing her orphaned status would be very helpful in that regard. I really don't mean to pressure you on it, but..."

"I know," Clark assured her. "And, you're right. And it needs to be me - last night made that rather clear. And we'll need to make that bio you came up with official."

Martha nodded, smiling at her son. After a moment of silence, she asked curiously, "How's she coming along with her lessons?"

"We're going to have to spend more time on English," Clark answered thoughtfully. "As for powers, I think she's got a handle on the strength and speed..."

"Well, that should be good enough for now," Martha concluded. "We didn't see the other stuff with you until puberty."

"That's another thing, Ma," Clark told her quietly. "She can already do all of that other stuff."

"Even fly?" Martha asked in astonishment.

Clark chuckled, "Well, I'd hardly call it flying. She has the skill, though. I don't quite understand how she's able to do all of that already."

"Well, we never knew what to expect with you, so you never had anyone to show you what was possible," Martha pointed out. "Maybe that's the difference, or maybe it's simply different with girls." Clark shrugged at the suggestions, and the two were quiet for a moment before Martha broke the silence. "What's your plan for today?"

"Well, I need to patch that hole in the wall, and fix Kara's bed," he informed her. "If you could watch her for a little while, I'll run into town for supplies."

"I go with you," Kara declared from the living room doorway, carrying the dictionary under one arm. "I help fix."

"You can understand us now?" Martha asked in amazement, her lips turning up into a smile.

"I look up words," Kara explained, holding up the dictionary.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Martha exclaimed, and she pulled Kara into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "I'm so happy that we can understand each other now! How many words did you look up?"

"All of them," Kara answered simply. Martha eyes grew wide at the revelation, and she tightened her hug on her special guest.

"It would probably do her some good to get off the farm and interact with people," Clark suggested. "We'll have to work on the grammar first, though."

"You'll also need to explain that bio to her," Martha pointed out. "You'll get questions when people see her."

Clark nodded, and answered confidently, "We can handle it." He turned to Kara, and told her seriously, "Kara, please come here and sit down. We need to talk to you about something important."

Kara climbed into the empty seat at the kitchen table, and Shelby sauntered over to sit on the floor beside her. The young girl looked up at her cousin apprehensively and began to absently scratch Shelby behind the ears.

"Kara, do you remember what we talked about yesterday morning, when you asked if I was going to adopt you?" Clark began. At Kara's nod, he continued, "Well, I'd like to do that - to adopt you, if it's okay with you."

"Because my parents dead," Kara stated sadly, her lip beginning to tremble. "It my fault."

Clark pulled her onto his lap, and Shelby whimpered a complaint at the sudden loss of attention. "You mustn't think that," Clark insisted compassionately. "Nobody else blames you, and you shouldn't either. It's just... well, sometimes bad things happen to good people. But even when bad things like that happen, we can't dwell on them. We have to keep moving forward, towards the future. In your case, that means that you'll need someone to love and support and guide you, just like I had when my parents - my human parents - adopted me. I'd like to be that someone for you."

"You be my human father?" Kara sniffled into his shirt.

"I'd be your adoptive father," Clark clarified. "It gets a bit complicated because we can't tell anyone that we're from Krypton, or about your real parents. We're going to have to use a made-up biography for you."

Kara looked up at him in confusion. "Why not tell truth?"

Clark kindly explained, "I wish we could, but it's not that simple. While most of the human beings you'll meet will be kind, wonderful people, there are also people in this world who are not so kind, not so wonderful. If some of those people found out that we were from another world, it could become dangerous for the people we care about, like my mother here. The best way to keep them safe is by keeping our heritage a secret."

"That why you change name?" Kara asked sadly. "Now 'Clark', not 'Kal-El'?"

Martha touched Kara's shoulder to get her attention, "Kara, dear, we didn't know his birth name when we found him," she revealed. "He was just a toddler, and he couldn't tell us. Even if we had known, 'Kal-El' wasn't a name that people on Earth used. We had to give him a name, and we named him 'Clark,' after my family. But, in your case, Kara is a common girl's name that means 'beloved,' so you can keep that name."

"You'll have a different last name, though" Clark explained. "Your full name will be Kara Annika Kent." Kara looked up at her cousin, and he quickly added, "If that's okay with you."

"What about «mother» and «father»?" Kara asked unhappily, looking down into her lap.

"I didn't catch all of that," Martha muttered.

"It was Kryptonian for 'mother' and 'father'," Clark explained. He turned to his cousin and continued, "Kara, honey, it's just that your name needs to follow human traditions. I'm not trying to forget about your parents, or replace them. I could never do that. But, I will be a father to you."

"It was the same when my late husband and I adopted Clark," Martha explained. "We loved him just as much as if he had been born to us, and tried our best to help him with his gifts and bring him up right. I think that he turned out all right, and now he can do the same for you - by becoming your dad... And I'll be your grandma."

"But you take my parents' names away," Kara complained sullenly. "We no honor them."

"I don't understand," Martha stated quietly.

"It was Kryptonian custom to include the parents' names in their daughters' full names," Clark informed his mother. "Her Kryptonian name is Kara Allura Zor-El because Allura and Zor-El were her parents." He gently brought his hand up under Kara's chin, and lifted her head so that she was looking at him. "Kara, listen to me. We honor our parents and loved ones by what's in our hearts, not just by what in our names. We have to try to fit in, and that will mean using human names. It's not our intention to dishonor your parents."

"Actually, your parents names do exist in the human population," Martha told Kara helpfully. "The name Allura is a rare French girl's name, and Zorel is a very rare Scandinavian surname. It's pronounced a bit differently - the accent is on the first syllable - but comes pretty close. We can use that name on your birth certificate, if it's that important to you. However, we really wanted to make you a Kent and let everyone know that you were part of this family now."

Clark looked over at his mother with an astonished look on his face. "Mom?"

"I've had six years to look up things like this, dear," she told him simply.

Kara looked sadly over at Martha and quietly declared, "I use real name."

"How about if we made it 'Kara Allura Zorel on your birth certificate, but make your legal name here 'Kara Allura Kent'?" Clark suggested. "Would that be okay with you?"

"Okay," Kara agreed quietly.

"Good," Clark breathed in relief. "Just remember that you'll also have to stick to that new biography..."

"It silly to pretend," Kara declared. "Better to tell truth."

"I wish we didn't have to pretend, but you're just going to have to trust me on that, okay?" Clark insisted seriously. "Someday, you'll understand."

Martha chuckled. "You sound just like your father." She turned to Kara and revealed mirthfully. "Clark didn't like the secrets any more that you do when he was your age, but he's glad he listened to us now."

"So, will you let me adopt you?" Clark gently prodded.

"You can adopt," Kara answered softly. "We go to store now?"

"You're going to need a grammar lesson, first," Clark informed her. "And you need to learn your new biography."

-o-o-o-


Friday, September 15, 2006 9:20AM CDT

Clark parked in front of the Williams' General Merchandise store and helped Kara out of the truck. "Can we get some new balls for Shelby?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not," Clark answered happily. "I'm sure they have some here."

They entered the store and were immediately greeted by the owners, Harold and Gladys Williams, both in their early sixties. "Clark!" Harold hollered. "I heard you were back in town! How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure," Clark confessed as he shook the older man's hand. "I'm kind of playing it by ear right now, but I'll at least stick around long enough to fix up a few things at my mother's house."

"I assume you have a shopping list," Harold inquired helpfully. Clark pulled a folded paper from his shirt pocket and handed it over. "Hmmm," Harold muttered. "Well, I can get you the drywall and mud, now, and I should have a straight two-by-four around here somewhere. We've got the paint here, too. I'll going to have to place an order for the rest of the lumber on your list, though. Let me make a call. I've got a truck coming this afternoon, and if I catch them before they leave, I might be able to get your things on it. Be right back."

While Harold called his supplier, Gladys bent down in front of Kara. "Can this little one be yours? Oh, of course she is. She's definitely got your baby blues, Clark."

"Um, this is Kara," Clark replied cheerfully. "Kara, this is Mrs. Williams."

"Hi," Kara greeted shyly, partially hiding behind Clark.

Gladys chucked. "You were just as shy at that age. So when do we get to meet her mother?"

"She died," Kara answered sadly.

Clark's eyes grew wide in alarm, and he looked down at Kara in time to see the sheen of unshed tears, and he quickly squatted down beside her and pulled her close. "Are you going to be okay, honey?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry," she answered tearfully.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Clark told her sympathetically. "I know you're going through a rough time." Kara responded by clinging tightly to her new father.

"I'm so sorry," Gladys apologized. "I didn't mean to upset her."

"It's okay," Clark replied quietly. "You didn't know... She just found out the sad news a couple days ago, and it hasn't been easy on her."

Gladys nodded in acknowledgement, and excused herself to join her husband behind the counter, giving the pair some privacy. When Harold hung up the phone, Clark heard Gladys whisper the news about Kara's mother to her husband.

Clark brushed Kara's tears away and happily suggested, "Hey, didn't you want to pick up some more tennis balls for Shelby? I think they have some over there." Kara offered a small smile, nodding her head, and Clark led her over towards the store's small sporting goods section.

As they passed the front counter, Gladys gently interrupted them. "Clark, don't worry about the supplies. We have your list, and we'll have our son drop them off at your mother's place this afternoon, after the truck comes in with the rest of your order."

"You don't need to do that," Clark protested.

Gladys held up her hand to silence him. "You see to your little one. We have your list, Fred will deliver your supplies, and we'll settle up later. It's the least we can do after upsetting her like that."

"I appreciate that," Clark told her sincerely. "Though I'd still like to get what I can now, so we can at least get started on our home projects." He smiled over at Kara and said cheerfully, "Kara's insisting on helping me."

"Fair enough," Gladys conceded, smiling back at the pair. "But please let us know if there's anything we can do to help."

"I will," Clark assured her. "Thank you."

-o-o-o-


Clark knelt down on the tarp in front of the damaged wall in Kara's room, and gently lifted up on the top half of the severed stud. He looked over at Kara kneeling beside him, and explained, "I'm just putting enough tension on the stud so that it'll carry the load on top after we fix it... Hand me that two-by-four."

Kara grabbed one of the two eighteen-inch long pieces of lumber that they had cut earlier, and handed it to Clark. He tilted it through the hole in the wall, and slid the piece up against the broken stud, holding the two pieces together. "Now the nails..." he told her. Kara handed him the framing nails, one at a time, and he pushed six of them through the two studs above the break.

"Can I try?" Kara asked hopefully.

"Sure, just push the nails through the two pieces at the bottom, like I did on the top," Clark offered happily. Kara scooted closer, and effortlessly pushed the framing nails through the two boards below the break. "Just remember... Other people aren't strong enough to push nails into wood like this. If there are other people around, you'd have to use a hammer and tap it lightly. We'll practice that later."

"Okay."

"Good, now hand me the other two-by-four," Clark instructed her. Kara handed him the other eighteen-inch stud, which Clark aligned on the other side of the break, sandwiching the damaged original between the two splints, and repeating the process. "That should hold it... Please hand me that gyp-board..." Kara gave Clark the sixteen by twenty inch wallboard that they had cut earlier, and he precisely fit it into place. Kara already had the drywall screws ready for him when he turned his head to ask for them. He accepted the screws, and secured the patch in place.

"How's it going?" Martha asked from the doorway.

"We fixed it, Grandma!" Kara informed her excitedly.

"I can see that," Martha replied happily, smiling down on her.

"We should have it all patched in both rooms in another half hour," Clark elaborated. He noticed his mother's elevated heartbeat, and voiced his concern, "Is everything all right?"

"Well, the phone might not be ringing off the hook, but while you two have been up here, I got thirty emails from the ladies in town, all wanting to know about my granddaughter, and that's in addition to a half-dozen IMs I got as soon as I logged in. I had to set my Yahoo to invisible just to have some peace."

"IMs?" Clark asked disbelievingly.

"The Internet came to Smallville while you were away, son," Martha explained. "Pete pushed through the county-wide Wi-Max. They added an Internet lab to the library, and even offered adult-Ed classes to teach us old-timers how to use it all. And the Rodgers' boy has been helping folks find cheap, refurbished PCs to get on-line. I got mine from eBay, though."

"You've been shopping on eBay?" Clark asked incredulously.

Martha nodded, smiling at her son's reaction as she continued, "Point is, people are only just finding out about you two, and the town's already in a tizzy over it. They mean well, and want to help - some of them too much so. Now that they know you're a single dad, the old ladies are already trying to find you a bride. I wouldn't be surprised if they ambushed us after church Sunday."

"Uh, oh," Clark muttered quietly.

Martha waved off his concern, "Don't worry about it. We can handle them - we always have. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it... Anyway, that's not what I came up here for. Since we don't have a language barrier anymore, I was going to suggest that I go over Kara's school lessons with her after you're done here, while you take care of those other things we talked about."

"School?" Kara asked unhappily.

"Yes, school," Martha explained firmly. "You're going to have to catch up to the other kids your age before you start going to school with them. Don't worry. You'll still have plenty of time to play. We just can't neglect your education indefinitely."

"Your grandma's usually right about such things," Clark gently informed his little helper. "The lessons won't be that bad - you might even enjoy them - and I won't be gone long."

"I'll have everything ready downstairs once you're done here," Martha informed them quietly, leaving them to the repairs as she turned on her heel and exited the room.

-o-o-o-


Saturday, September 16, 2006 2:00AM UTC

Superman grew pensive during his second flight over the Atlantic in the last day. His first trip that morning had turned into a reconnaissance mission to identify what documents would need to be forged, and where those forgeries would need to be planted. Mom really did her homework, he had thought, These are perfect places for this - towns whose records aren't computerized yet, but still big enough that they would not remember a stranger passing through town, even if she gave birth while she was there. He had finished the surveillance in time for a casual visit with Doc Rivers back in Smallville to inquire about DNA tests, before rejoining his newly adopted daughter at the farm.

Kara was learning quickly. After a slow start trying it the traditional human way, Martha had instead decided to have Kara speed-read the school materials first, and then go over it with her to fill in the blanks. It looked like it wouldn't take more than a few more days before Kara caught up to the other second-graders. She was making progress with the powers, too, though the past afternoon's emphasis had been on learning how to keep her actions within the norm for a child her age. A couple more days, and she would have that down as well. Learning to use her powers with control would take more time, but she was certainly farther along than he had been at that age.

When Fred Williams dropped off the rest of lumber late that afternoon, Kara had insisted on joining Clark in the barn to help him, and he taught her how to turn the wood on the lathe, perfectly reproducing the parts from the destroyed headboard. They'd still have to get by with the old headboard that night, while the glue set on its replacement in the barn. They'd paint it in the morning, along with the drywall patches in the bedrooms, and all evidence of the previous night's damage would be erased.

Well, all things considered, the day went pretty well, Superman reflected. Kara's come a long way in a couple days, learning English, accepting the adoption and her cover story, albeit reluctantly. Though she's still having a hard time with her parents' deaths, blaming herself, and she's been a bit clingy. Kara hadn't been pleased that he was flying off to run some errands alone for a second time that day, just as they were sitting down to watch the Toy Story DVD that Martha had rented from Netflix. It had taken several minutes to settle her down before she let him leave, and in the end he had to promise a trip to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita that weekend. I hope I won't have to bribe her every time I have to go.

Superman pulled himself from his contemplation as he approached the Scandinavian town, and silently lowered himself to the roof of the city hall. He sneaked inside undetected, and slipped the forged birth certificate in their files, just where it would have been if Kara had really been born there. He remained unseen when he left the building, flying quickly above the clouds. One down, he thought. Just a few more stops, and we'll be all set.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]
« Last Edit: Sep 10th, 2008 at 1:27am by Mr. Beeto »  
Back to top
WWW YIM  
IP Logged
 
Mr. Beeto
Cub Reporter
*
Offline


Long Live the Movieverse

Posts: 198
Location: Warren, Michigan, USA
Joined: Aug 10th, 2008
Re: Family Reunion - 8/?
Reply #1 - Aug 15th, 2008 at 11:41pm
 
Title: Family Reunion
Author: Mr. Beeto
Rating: PG
Beta: htbthomas and Shado Librarian
Summary: AU Twist on Donner/Singer Movieverse: Tie the three films together into a cohesive whole, and provide a more credible and interesting reason for Superman to have returned to Krypton.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]

Author's Notes:

We've still got a little bit of Kryptonian in this chapter, and as before, I'm making Kryptonian italic, and enclosed in double chevrons (« and »). Also note that we'll be spending the next few chapters with the Kents in Smallville before heading back to Metropolis.

Thanks to htbthomas and Shado Librarian for the beta.

Chapter 8 - Adoption

Friday, September 15, 2006 6:30AM CDT

As usual, Martha Kent was out of bed and dressed before dawn. She walked quietly down the hall to check on her young guest, carefully avoiding the squeaky boards in the floor. When she reached the guest room, the open door revealed it to again be empty and Martha walked in to inspect the room. Kara had another bad dream during the night, but this time the room hadn't fared so well against her thrashing. Her flailing arms had smashed the headboard to splinters and put a hole through the wall before Clark had gotten in there to chase the nightmares away. She's probably sleeping in his lap again, Martha guessed. She scrutinized the damage, noting that the debris was still scattered on the floor. Well, this can wait until after breakfast, she decided, and she busied herself setting out clothes for Kara to wear that day.

To Martha's surprise, Kara was awake to greet her when she got downstairs, though the girl was still in the protective circle of Clark's arms, cuddled against him as he stretched out in the recliner. "Good Morning," she greeted them. "You two are up early."

Clark shrugged. "It's close enough to sunrise anyway, and you know we won't be able to sleep once the sun's up."

"Well, I guess I'd better get started on breakfast," Martha resolved. "All right, you two. On your feet." The pair obliged, and Martha led Kara into the kitchen while Clark headed up the stairs.

-o-o-o-


Kara listened to the conversation between Kal-El and his human mother from her room as she dressed. She couldn't understand what they were saying, though she could pick up a few words, thanks to the English lessons from the previous day. Kal-El had explained what the sounds each of the symbols in their written language represented, how to sound out the words, and how to look up the words she didn't know in Martha's dictionary - she was going to have a lot of words to look up. After she dressed, Kara quietly came back downstairs and grabbed the dictionary from the end table. She settled herself into the recliner, opened the book to the beginning and began studying its pages while Clark and Martha continued their conversation.

"The poor dear," Martha said sympathetically. "I was so excited about having her in the family that I never stopped to think how difficult this would be for her. I guess I thought it would be like it was with you."

"I was considerably younger, Ma," Clark pointed out.

"Too young to realize what was lost," Martha acknowledged. "Not like Kara... Clark, what she really needs right now is stability, and I think that changing her orphaned status would be very helpful in that regard. I really don't mean to pressure you on it, but..."

"I know," Clark assured her. "And, you're right. And it needs to be me - last night made that rather clear. And we'll need to make that bio you came up with official."

Martha nodded, smiling at her son. After a moment of silence, she asked curiously, "How's she coming along with her lessons?"

"We're going to have to spend more time on English," Clark answered thoughtfully. "As for powers, I think she's got a handle on the strength and speed..."

"Well, that should be good enough for now," Martha concluded. "We didn't see the other stuff with you until puberty."

"That's another thing, Ma," Clark told her quietly. "She can already do all of that other stuff."

"Even fly?" Martha asked in astonishment.

Clark chuckled, "Well, I'd hardly call it flying. She has the skill, though. I don't quite understand how she's able to do all of that already."

"Well, we never knew what to expect with you, so you never had anyone to show you what was possible," Martha pointed out. "Maybe that's the difference, or maybe it's simply different with girls." Clark shrugged at the suggestions, and the two were quiet for a moment before Martha broke the silence. "What's your plan for today?"

"Well, I need to patch that hole in the wall, and fix Kara's bed," he informed her. "If you could watch her for a little while, I'll run into town for supplies."

"I go with you," Kara declared from the living room doorway, carrying the dictionary under one arm. "I help fix."

"You can understand us now?" Martha asked in amazement, her lips turning up into a smile.

"I look up words," Kara explained, holding up the dictionary.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Martha exclaimed, and she pulled Kara into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "I'm so happy that we can understand each other now! How many words did you look up?"

"All of them," Kara answered simply. Martha eyes grew wide at the revelation, and she tightened her hug on her special guest.

"It would probably do her some good to get off the farm and interact with people," Clark suggested. "We'll have to work on the grammar first, though."

"You'll also need to explain that bio to her," Martha pointed out. "You'll get questions when people see her."

Clark nodded, and answered confidently, "We can handle it." He turned to Kara, and told her seriously, "Kara, please come here and sit down. We need to talk to you about something important."

Kara climbed into the empty seat at the kitchen table, and Shelby sauntered over to sit on the floor beside her. The young girl looked up at her cousin apprehensively and began to absently scratch Shelby behind the ears.

"Kara, do you remember what we talked about yesterday morning, when you asked if I was going to adopt you?" Clark began. At Kara's nod, he continued, "Well, I'd like to do that - to adopt you, if it's okay with you."

"Because my parents dead," Kara stated sadly, her lip beginning to tremble. "It my fault."

Clark pulled her onto his lap, and Shelby whimpered a complaint at the sudden loss of attention. "You mustn't think that," Clark insisted compassionately. "Nobody else blames you, and you shouldn't either. It's just... well, sometimes bad things happen to good people. But even when bad things like that happen, we can't dwell on them. We have to keep moving forward, towards the future. In your case, that means that you'll need someone to love and support and guide you, just like I had when my parents - my human parents - adopted me. I'd like to be that someone for you."

"You be my human father?" Kara sniffled into his shirt.

"I'd be your adoptive father," Clark clarified. "It gets a bit complicated because we can't tell anyone that we're from Krypton, or about your real parents. We're going to have to use a made-up biography for you."

Kara looked up at him in confusion. "Why not tell truth?"

Clark kindly explained, "I wish we could, but it's not that simple. While most of the human beings you'll meet will be kind, wonderful people, there are also people in this world who are not so kind, not so wonderful. If some of those people found out that we were from another world, it could become dangerous for the people we care about, like my mother here. The best way to keep them safe is by keeping our heritage a secret."

"That why you change name?" Kara asked sadly. "Now 'Clark', not 'Kal-El'?"

Martha touched Kara's shoulder to get her attention, "Kara, dear, we didn't know his birth name when we found him," she revealed. "He was just a toddler, and he couldn't tell us. Even if we had known, 'Kal-El' wasn't a name that people on Earth used. We had to give him a name, and we named him 'Clark,' after my family. But, in your case, Kara is a common girl's name that means 'beloved,' so you can keep that name."

"You'll have a different last name, though" Clark explained. "Your full name will be Kara Annika Kent." Kara looked up at her cousin, and he quickly added, "If that's okay with you."

"What about «mother» and «father»?" Kara asked unhappily, looking down into her lap.

"I didn't catch all of that," Martha muttered.

"It was Kryptonian for 'mother' and 'father'," Clark explained. He turned to his cousin and continued, "Kara, honey, it's just that your name needs to follow human traditions. I'm not trying to forget about your parents, or replace them. I could never do that. But, I will be a father to you."

"It was the same when my late husband and I adopted Clark," Martha explained. "We loved him just as much as if he had been born to us, and tried our best to help him with his gifts and bring him up right. I think that he turned out all right, and now he can do the same for you - by becoming your dad... And I'll be your grandma."

"But you take my parents' names away," Kara complained sullenly. "We no honor them."

"I don't understand," Martha stated quietly.

"It was Kryptonian custom to include the parents' names in their daughters' full names," Clark informed his mother. "Her Kryptonian name is Kara Allura Zor-El because Allura and Zor-El were her parents." He gently brought his hand up under Kara's chin, and lifted her head so that she was looking at him. "Kara, listen to me. We honor our parents and loved ones by what's in our hearts, not just by what in our names. We have to try to fit in, and that will mean using human names. It's not our intention to dishonor your parents."

"Actually, your parents names do exist in the human population," Martha told Kara helpfully. "The name Allura is a rare French girl's name, and Zorel is a very rare Scandinavian surname. It's pronounced a bit differently - the accent is on the first syllable - but comes pretty close. We can use that name on your birth certificate, if it's that important to you. However, we really wanted to make you a Kent and let everyone know that you were part of this family now."

Clark looked over at his mother with an astonished look on his face. "Mom?"

"I've had six years to look up things like this, dear," she told him simply.

Kara looked sadly over at Martha and quietly declared, "I use real name."

"How about if we made it 'Kara Allura Zorel on your birth certificate, but make your legal name here 'Kara Allura Kent'?" Clark suggested. "Would that be okay with you?"

"Okay," Kara agreed quietly.

"Good," Clark breathed in relief. "Just remember that you'll also have to stick to that new biography..."

"It silly to pretend," Kara declared. "Better to tell truth."

"I wish we didn't have to pretend, but you're just going to have to trust me on that, okay?" Clark insisted seriously. "Someday, you'll understand."

Martha chuckled. "You sound just like your father." She turned to Kara and revealed mirthfully. "Clark didn't like the secrets any more that you do when he was your age, but he's glad he listened to us now."

"So, will you let me adopt you?" Clark gently prodded.

"You can adopt," Kara answered softly. "We go to store now?"

"You're going to need a grammar lesson, first," Clark informed her. "And you need to learn your new biography."

-o-o-o-


Friday, September 15, 2006 9:20AM CDT

Clark parked in front of the Williams' General Merchandise store and helped Kara out of the truck. "Can we get some new balls for Shelby?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not," Clark answered happily. "I'm sure they have some here."

They entered the store and were immediately greeted by the owners, Harold and Gladys Williams, both in their early sixties. "Clark!" Harold hollered. "I heard you were back in town! How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure," Clark confessed as he shook the older man's hand. "I'm kind of playing it by ear right now, but I'll at least stick around long enough to fix up a few things at my mother's house."

"I assume you have a shopping list," Harold inquired helpfully. Clark pulled a folded paper from his shirt pocket and handed it over. "Hmmm," Harold muttered. "Well, I can get you the drywall and mud, now, and I should have a straight two-by-four around here somewhere. We've got the paint here, too. I'll going to have to place an order for the rest of the lumber on your list, though. Let me make a call. I've got a truck coming this afternoon, and if I catch them before they leave, I might be able to get your things on it. Be right back."

While Harold called his supplier, Gladys bent down in front of Kara. "Can this little one be yours? Oh, of course she is. She's definitely got your baby blues, Clark."

"Um, this is Kara," Clark replied cheerfully. "Kara, this is Mrs. Williams."

"Hi," Kara greeted shyly, partially hiding behind Clark.

Gladys chucked. "You were just as shy at that age. So when do we get to meet her mother?"

"She died," Kara answered sadly.

Clark's eyes grew wide in alarm, and he looked down at Kara in time to see the sheen of unshed tears, and he quickly squatted down beside her and pulled her close. "Are you going to be okay, honey?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry," she answered tearfully.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Clark told her sympathetically. "I know you're going through a rough time." Kara responded by clinging tightly to her new father.

"I'm so sorry," Gladys apologized. "I didn't mean to upset her."

"It's okay," Clark replied quietly. "You didn't know... She just found out the sad news a couple days ago, and it hasn't been easy on her."

Gladys nodded in acknowledgement, and excused herself to join her husband behind the counter, giving the pair some privacy. When Harold hung up the phone, Clark heard Gladys whisper the news about Kara's mother to her husband.

Clark brushed Kara's tears away and happily suggested, "Hey, didn't you want to pick up some more tennis balls for Shelby? I think they have some over there." Kara offered a small smile, nodding her head, and Clark led her over towards the store's small sporting goods section.

As they passed the front counter, Gladys gently interrupted them. "Clark, don't worry about the supplies. We have your list, and we'll have our son drop them off at your mother's place this afternoon, after the truck comes in with the rest of your order."

"You don't need to do that," Clark protested.

Gladys held up her hand to silence him. "You see to your little one. We have your list, Fred will deliver your supplies, and we'll settle up later. It's the least we can do after upsetting her like that."

"I appreciate that," Clark told her sincerely. "Though I'd still like to get what I can now, so we can at least get started on our home projects." He smiled over at Kara and said cheerfully, "Kara's insisting on helping me."

"Fair enough," Gladys conceded, smiling back at the pair. "But please let us know if there's anything we can do to help."

"I will," Clark assured her. "Thank you."

-o-o-o-


Clark knelt down on the tarp in front of the damaged wall in Kara's room, and gently lifted up on the top half of the severed stud. He looked over at Kara kneeling beside him, and explained, "I'm just putting enough tension on the stud so that it'll carry the load on top after we fix it... Hand me that two-by-four."

Kara grabbed one of the two eighteen-inch long pieces of lumber that they had cut earlier, and handed it to Clark. He tilted it through the hole in the wall, and slid the piece up against the broken stud, holding the two pieces together. "Now the nails..." he told her. Kara handed him the framing nails, one at a time, and he pushed six of them through the two studs above the break.

"Can I try?" Kara asked hopefully.

"Sure, just push the nails through the two pieces at the bottom, like I did on the top," Clark offered happily. Kara scooted closer, and effortlessly pushed the framing nails through the two boards below the break. "Just remember... Other people aren't strong enough to push nails into wood like this. If there are other people around, you'd have to use a hammer and tap it lightly. We'll practice that later."

"Okay."

"Good, now hand me the other two-by-four," Clark instructed her. Kara handed him the other eighteen-inch stud, which Clark aligned on the other side of the break, sandwiching the damaged original between the two splints, and repeating the process. "That should hold it... Please hand me that gyp-board..." Kara gave Clark the sixteen by twenty inch wallboard that they had cut earlier, and he precisely fit it into place. Kara already had the drywall screws ready for him when he turned his head to ask for them. He accepted the screws, and secured the patch in place.

"How's it going?" Martha asked from the doorway.

"We fixed it, Grandma!" Kara informed her excitedly.

"I can see that," Martha replied happily, smiling down on her.

"We should have it all patched in both rooms in another half hour," Clark elaborated. He noticed his mother's elevated heartbeat, and voiced his concern, "Is everything all right?"

"Well, the phone might not be ringing off the hook, but while you two have been up here, I got thirty emails from the ladies in town, all wanting to know about my granddaughter, and that's in addition to a half-dozen IMs I got as soon as I logged in. I had to set my Yahoo to invisible just to have some peace."

"IMs?" Clark asked disbelievingly.

"The Internet came to Smallville while you were away, son," Martha explained. "Pete pushed through the county-wide Wi-Max. They added an Internet lab to the library, and even offered adult-Ed classes to teach us old-timers how to use it all. And the Rodgers' boy has been helping folks find cheap, refurbished PCs to get on-line. I got mine from eBay, though."

"You've been shopping on eBay?" Clark asked incredulously.

Martha nodded, smiling at her son's reaction as she continued, "Point is, people are only just finding out about you two, and the town's already in a tizzy over it. They mean well, and want to help - some of them too much so. Now that they know you're a single dad, the old ladies are already trying to find you a bride. I wouldn't be surprised if they ambushed us after church Sunday."

"Uh, oh," Clark muttered quietly.

Martha waved off his concern, "Don't worry about it. We can handle them - we always have. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it... Anyway, that's not what I came up here for. Since we don't have a language barrier anymore, I was going to suggest that I go over Kara's school lessons with her after you're done here, while you take care of those other things we talked about."

"School?" Kara asked unhappily.

"Yes, school," Martha explained firmly. "You're going to have to catch up to the other kids your age before you start going to school with them. Don't worry. You'll still have plenty of time to play. We just can't neglect your education indefinitely."

"Your grandma's usually right about such things," Clark gently informed his little helper. "The lessons won't be that bad - you might even enjoy them - and I won't be gone long."

"I'll have everything ready downstairs once you're done here," Martha informed them quietly, leaving them to the repairs as she turned on her heel and exited the room.

-o-o-o-


Saturday, September 16, 2006 2:00AM UTC

Superman grew pensive during his second flight over the Atlantic in the last day. His first trip that morning had turned into a reconnaissance mission to identify what documents would need to be forged, and where those forgeries would need to be planted. Mom really did her homework, he had thought, These are perfect places for this - towns whose records aren't computerized yet, but still big enough that they would not remember a stranger passing through town, even if she gave birth while she was there. He had finished the surveillance in time for a casual visit with Doc Rivers back in Smallville to inquire about DNA tests, before rejoining his newly adopted daughter at the farm.

Kara was learning quickly. After a slow start trying it the traditional human way, Martha had instead decided to have Kara speed-read the school materials first, and then go over it with her to fill in the blanks. It looked like it wouldn't take more than a few more days before Kara caught up to the other second-graders. She was making progress with the powers, too, though the past afternoon's emphasis had been on learning how to keep her actions within the norm for a child her age. A couple more days, and she would have that down as well. Learning to use her powers with control would take more time, but she was certainly farther along than he had been at that age.

When Fred Williams dropped off the rest of lumber late that afternoon, Kara had insisted on joining Clark in the barn to help him, and he taught her how to turn the wood on the lathe, perfectly reproducing the parts from the destroyed headboard. They'd still have to get by with the old headboard that night, while the glue set on its replacement in the barn. They'd paint it in the morning, along with the drywall patches in the bedrooms, and all evidence of the previous night's damage would be erased.

Well, all things considered, the day went pretty well, Superman reflected. Kara's come a long way in a couple days, learning English, accepting the adoption and her cover story, albeit reluctantly. Though she's still having a hard time with her parents' deaths, blaming herself, and she's been a bit clingy. Kara hadn't been pleased that he was flying off to run some errands alone for a second time that day, just as they were sitting down to watch the Toy Story DVD that Martha had rented from Netflix. It had taken several minutes to settle her down before she let him leave, and in the end he had to promise a trip to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita that weekend. I hope I won't have to bribe her every time I have to go.

Superman pulled himself from his contemplation as he approached the Scandinavian town, and silently lowered himself to the roof of the city hall. He sneaked inside undetected, and slipped the forged birth certificate in their files, just where it would have been if Kara had really been born there. He remained unseen when he left the building, flying quickly above the clouds. One down, he thought. Just a few more stops, and we'll be all set.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ]     [  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)  ] [/quote]
  
Back to top
WWW YIM  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Add Poll Send Topic