Hiding in Your Eyes

The sound of small footsteps drew Lana’s and Clark’s attention to a little girl walking down the hall towards them. “Mommy, I had another bad dream.”

Lana walked over to kneel in front of her little girl. “What was it about?” she asked, running a hand through her daughter’s dark brown hair.

“The faceless man,” she said, sounding sad and scared.

Lana nodded and watched her daughter look past her, distracted by Clark’s presence.

“Who’s that?” she asked, curious.

Clark smiled and walked over to kneel before the little girl. “I’m Clark Kent. I’m an old friend of your moms.”

Laura tilted her head and examined the man before her. “Did you date?” she asked.

When Lana blushed, Clark’s smiled widened a little. “Yes, we dated a little.”

Laura smiled widely at him. “Are you my daddy then?” she asked, hopefully.

Clark’s smile fell away, and he looked at Lana. “Um...as far as I know, I’m not,” he said, still watching Lana.

Lana shook her head. “No, he’s not your dad,” she said, looking at her daughter.

“Well then who is?” she asked, sounding irritated.

Lana stared at her. “We’re not having this conversation tonight. Go to sleep.”

“Yes Ma‘am,” Laura said, before walking towards her room and stopping at the door. “Oh...I’m Laura,” she said, remembering that she hadn’t told Clark her name. “Can you check my room to make sure the faceless man isn’t in there?”

Clark smiled at her. “I’d be happy to,” he said, walking into the little girl’s room and looking in every space possible.

While Clark searched around, Lana tried to recover from her daughter’s unexpected questions about her father. She felt guilty for keeping the information from her daughter, but there was a reason for it, and she wasn’t going to explain herself to a three year old.

“She’s safe. No faceless man to be found anywhere in her room,” Clark said, walking into the living room.

Lana looked up at him and forced a smile to her lips. “Thank you. Those nightmares have really been scaring her lately.”

Clark nodded and looked at Lana. “Anytime.” He watched her for a few seconds in silence before asking the question Lana knew was coming. “Is she my daughter, Lana?”

Lana watched Clark as she spoke, shaking her head. “No, she’s not.”

Clark didn’t know whether to believe her or not and frowned. “Are you lying to me? If you are, it isn’t right. I have a right to know if I’m that little girl’s father.”

Lana could see the anger in Clark’s eyes and glared. “I’m not lying to you. You’re not her father, Clark. Do you think I disappeared from Smallville just to hide your child from you? Why would I have even bothered to come back in the first place?” she asked, her temper flaring.

Clark frowned at her. “I’m sorry. I just...part of me....I wanted her to be my daughter,” Clark said, sounding a little embarrassed.

“She’s not though. She’s the daughter of a guy I met when I left. He was sweet and charming, and, like you, a hero. He had a darker personality though.” Lana smiled a little at the memory of the father of her young daughter. “He’s fear, while your sunshine.”

Clark’s frown deepened in confusion. “That’s good, how?”

Lana shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess he was just mysterious. I seem to have a talent for falling for a guy with a mysterious nature,” she said, looking directly at Clark as she said the last sentence.

Clark knew what she meant by that. She had considered him a mystery because of the secret he had kept hidden from her for years. Maybe he was the reason why she had turned to Lex and other’s like him. Guys that seemed to continually hurt her.

Lana watched his eyes darken with some strange emotion and tried to decipher it. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” she asked, watching him.

Clark’s eyes cleared and he looked at her. “Nothing. Nothing.” He tried to find a safe subject. One that wouldn’t make things uncomfortable.

Lana looked at him. “Do you remember back in high school you had missed my birthday and your present to me was the drive in movie on the side of your barn?” she asked, smiling.

Clark smiled at the memory. “You were so happy that when I told you happy birthday, you hushed me. I don’t think I ever saw you that relaxed and happy since then.”

Lana smiled and looked at him. “I think that was probably the best birthday present I’ve received,” she said.

Clark smiled. “Do you remember our first kiss?”

Lana looked at him. “The one in your barn?”

Clark shook his head. “No, you were under the influence of that Nicodemus flower. You kissed me after giving me a nice little strip tease,” he said, smiling at her.

Lana put a hand over her face. “I did?” she asked, surprised.

Clark smiled. “Yes. You did.”

“I thought you said that I didn’t do anything stupid or embarrassing with you?” Lana asked, remember their conversation when she had gotten back to normal.

Clark shrugged. “It wasn’t stupid, nor embarrassing. I classified it as hot.”

Lana rolled her eyes at his words. “Of course you would. You were in love with me then.”

Clark looked at her. “I’ve always been in love with you,” he said, causing Lana too look into his eyes.