15253/Family Shift

Family Shift
Date of Scene:	24 June 2023
Location:	Kent Farm, Smallville
Synopsis:	The family get together and Kara learns about the engagement.
Cast of Characters:	Superman, Lois Lane, Supergirl

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Superman has posed:
Clark is in the big red barn. The fire engine fade holds a lot of fade, but the building's foundation is sturdy. Clark and Lois already told Ma about the news. "Excuse me ladies, I'm going to go outside. Talk to Dad," he says the voice breaks a little bit.

A Heart attack took Pa a few years back. There are two big reasons Clark comes out to Smallville and works in the barn. First, it's one of the few places he can be himself. Not the reporter, not the Man of Steel, just Clark. Second, it brings him closer to his father. His Dad believed in the land, the farm and everything associated with farm life. Being in the barn sometimes feels like Jonathan Kent is still there. Like anyone can feel him roam the ground.

Inside the barn there's an old pickup truck with the hood open. On a workbench there's a pair of thick rimmed glasses and an opened glass bottle of beer. And near those is Clark's cell phone. Sitting on the opposite side is a second bottle, unopened.

Music plays from a small radio resting between the two drinks. Acoustic guitars strum the opening chorus to "Going California" by Led Zeppelin. A song Pa liked.

Clarks approaching the truck, rolling up the sleeves to his simple green and black flannel shirt. It's tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans.

"Do you think I can be half the husband you were, Dad? I'm nervous. We know what I need to do for the world, but you made it look so easy. Husband, father, parent, farmer and handyman for the neighbors. You did so much and made it look so easy," Clark starts to peer into the engine. "I wish I knew your secret, because I could use it right now," Clark's not nervous about his choice. He just knows that this is a new hat for him to wear. Superman can be demanding, he feels like that's three to five hats in one.

"And if I become a Dad. How would I be half as good as you?" Clark asks. Right now, is one of the few times he -really- feels the absence of his father. Clark knew he would hate having this moment without his Dad. It's another thing to be living it. Jon would have some fatherly wisdom, Clark knows that. He just doesn't know what his Dad would say. That's the part that stings.

He'll start working on some of the bolts that hold in the serpentine belt. Even this is a pain for the Man of Steel. Easy to do, hard to get to and if he rushes, Clark may do more damage to the truck.

After more cursing and turning, he'll left out of the truck and go to the beer. "And you liked Lois. She makes me happy. Very happy. It's not that I wouldn't be good, but will my effort be enough?" he asks again. Taking a swig of it, he sets it done. By now, he's losing track of time and anyone can walk in because Clark's getting too lost in the moment.

Setting down the bar, he trades it for the phone. Smallville gets spotty reception and he looks to see his message to Kara. It simply reads, "Important. At family home. If you get this, come. Please." Kara knows where he means about Family Home. Clark doesn't even know if the message sent.

Sighing a bit, he lightly tosses the phone with annoyance and takes the beer. It does nothing for him, but it was still part of a ritual Pa did when Clark was older. Clark is just keeping it alive, even if one person is just there in spirit.

"I will admit, I can see why you bought this place. I love the city, but there's something nice about living out here," he sets down the bottle and goes back to the truck. Thankfully the hands aren't too dirty just yet, so the beer and phone are unscathed.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois and Clark hadn't had the most pristine track record, as relationships go. They'd been on-again-off-again for years for reasons that most normal couples couldn't even comprehend. There wasn't a relationship counselor alive that could adeptly handle the question, 'What am I supposed to do when my superhuman boyfriend turns actually evil, then goes on a walkabout and doesn't return my calls?' There was just no precent for it in most people's existences.

But if there was one other person on /this/ planet that understood the difficulties of loving Superman, it was Martha Kent, and no matter what else was going on, Lois had picked up the phone when she'd called, worried about her son. It wasn't always easy. It wasn't always a long or deep conversation. But it was always compassionate and sympathetic. If Martha was worried, so was Lois, whether or not she and Clark were actually on speaking terms at the time.

"This is so unexpected! I am so happy for the two of you," Martha had said, hugging them both tightly. They'd exchanged a few details about how Clark had proposed, Lois had shown off the ring, and then Clark had gone outside, leaving them alone so that the two of them could catch up in their own way. They'd known each other for years, and while it was one thing for Lois to relate to Martha as Clark's friend or girlfriend, it was a little different, now.

There was a lot of prep work to be done for dinner, and while Lois may not have been a chef, she could handle a knife and avoid burning an omelette, so as they chatted, she helped Martha in the kitchen, trading questions about the farm and the Daily Planet once all of the details about the engagement had been shared.

After a while, though, Lois looked up through the kitchen window and caught a shadow moving through the barn in the distance. It wasn't as if she really needed a reminder that Clark was out there, but something tugged at her.. some little instinct she'd honed over years as an investigative journalist. And so, once she'd moved the chopped onion from the cutting board to a small bowl, she set the knife aside and washed her hands, excusing herself to go check on her fiance.

It wasn't that Clark couldn't hear her coming, if he was paying attention. It was rare for Lois to be able to sneak up or surprise the Man of Steel, but she's not making a lot of noise on her approach to the barn. She's casual, today. A leather jacket, a blue tank top, dark wash jeans, and low heeled boots that she can move around the farm easily in.

"You know that's not fair," comes Lois's voice, warm and gentle, carrying a hint of muted playfulness to it. Her shoulder's propped against the barn door, watching Clark set the beer down and go back to work on the truck. The small smile that lingers on her lips is full of /so/ much. Love. Compassion. Understanding. She knew how much Clark loved his father. "You're not allowed to solicit help to convince me to move to Kansas. It's hard enough to say no to one of you, Kent."

Supergirl has posed:
Just as easily as Clark could hear the footsteps of Lois lane, he would hear the sonic boom far up in the atmosphere. It was actually above Metropolis, where Kara had been spending some time with friends over a cup of coffee. They were others who worked at the Planet. Multimedia reporters, as they were titled. A.K.A. the lowest of the minions that were sent out in the hopes of finding something that might go viral online and bring in the clicks. They did other reporting, were fledgling reporters, but they were as far from the level of Clark and Lois as humanly possible. Though Kara had gone as high as she coold before going super sonic on her way to the Kent Farm.



There was no boom as she came to land out in the driveway, near the vehicles parked there. A glance around, and she spotted Lois over by the barn door.

Kara was dressed as Kara. Comfortable jeans, a simple blue button-up blouse that matched her eyes, a light jacket since sometimes it still got a little chilly in the evenings in the city and she'd expected to be there until after dark. Not having a jacket when everyone else did was as surefire way to stand out. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck.

Total elapsed time since message was sent: Two minutes.

"Hey, Lois," she called out as she approached the door, not wanting to interrupt any sort of private conversations so making sure she gave advance notice before she would be in earshot. Well, normal person earshot. She gave one of her brightest smiles as she approached. "Clark in there? He sent me a message asking to meet him." She was offered as an explanation of her arrival. Though then that hint of amusement. "Or if I heard you correctly as I was landing, you might've already known he texted me?"

And with that she reached the barn door so she could spy her cousin.

Superman has posed:
Clark pauses at the voice. Lois speaking warmly, gently, but that playfulness rolling forward. "What's not fair, Lois," he says and now his hands are starting to get grubby.

Going to grab some of the thick blue disposal towels, he tears off a piece and begins to wipe off the hand. Then there's a pause for a moment, "Oh. Right," clarity hits him before Lois has to explain it. "I think she's just excited and wants family close," Clark explains about his mother's pitch.

His eyes full of love, even if the expression on his face is a little apologetic. He didn't coun't on his Mom making a moving pitch. Or laying on some location based guilt. "She's just happy she has a daughter," he admits.

Then he pauses a sound in the sky catches his attention. A familiar voice is there and Clark walks to the door way. "Kara!" Clark rushes and stop shimself -before- the matching blouse becomes tained. "Where have you been? Are you okay? Have you eaten?" the questions come to her a mile a minute. They're cousins, but there's clearly a deeper dynamic between them. She's the only blood family he ahd to start with. So, Clark is protective of his baby cousin. Unintentionally becoming like a big brother.

Lois Lane has posed:
"I /know/ she does," Lois replies about Martha wanting family close. "I know we both get busy, especially when I'm stuck flying commercial, but we should make a point to visit more." A beat, a little smile. "She missed you a lot."

It was about that time that Kara had announced her presence in a way that mere mortals could acknowledge -- by speaking up -- and Lois leaned away from the barn door frame so she could turn and face the girl more directly, a warm, surprised smile touching the corners of her lips.

"Kara!" She nods. "Yeah, he's--" Well, he needed no introduction, really. Clark was already on his way to greet her, and she offered a little chuckle at the exchange. "Actually, I didn't," she confesses.

Then she turns her gaze on Clerk, her expression patient if a bit reprimanding. "She's a grown woman, Clark. She knows how to feed herself." And then a look of sympathy, almost apology, over to Kara herself -- one professional woman to another. And Lois /clearly/ didn't need a man telling her when it was time to eat.

Supergirl has posed:
Clark stopped himself out of concern for her blouse. Kara had no such concerns. She steppedin and claimed that hug, even if she did get a few grease transfers to her blouse and jeans. It wasn't like it was designer. Or even expensive really. She was on a budget after all and thus, to not be a burden on her adoptive parents, she was all knowing when it came to where to find a thrift store bargain in the Tri-County area as well as Starling. Not as much out here in Kansas admittedly.

Though she does have to laugh at the rapid fire questions. "I'm good. Was in Metropolis for the night but someone wasn't home." She looked from one of them to the other then continued in that good-natured tone. "Though no, I have not eaten yet. Though yes, I do know how to feed myself and do it very regularly. Was going to go out for potstickers tonight cause been crazy craving them." Since potstickers and pizza were the food of the gods! Anyone that disagreed could fight her.

She winked over at Lois when she said all that though, knowing exactly what Lois meant. But Kara was used to it with her big little cousin. Because it really was complicated. He had been younger than her, a baby. Then she got here, after her delays in space, and found him a full grown adult. It had been jarring to say the least. So he was her baby cousin in her head. And her big cousin since--well, look at him!

"What're you two up to? Just missed home and wanted to come visit?"

Superman has posed:
"I know," Clark acknowledges, guilty. He does love his Mom and wants to visit often. Then he gives her a nod of agreement. "You keep reminding me, and I'll do my best to remember so you don't need to remind me," he says softly.

Lois chides hima nd he smiles, "She's family. And she gets lost in space sometimes. A guy can worry," he knows Kara doen't need to be told. He wondered if it was the kind of question his aunt would ask her. Despite beng a security head, Clark suspected the family bit softened up his hardass aunt. Even if it was brief." Clark could be wrong about Kara's mother. The computer only tells so much.

"Potstickers are always good," Clark can't fault his cousin's taste. Theyr eally are god-tier foods. He'd also argue for a good steak or burger.

"Ummm. Lois, do you want to tell her?" Clark figures Lois could put it into words better than him. Plus, Lois is gloating about this. She doesn't gloat often, but this time it makes him feel warm, fuzzy. A kind of warmth he never experienced, so maybe Clark's being a little greedy at the moment.

Lois Lane has posed:
Oh, Lois gloated, but she only gloated about things she'd actually worked hard for and earned through her own blood, sweat, and tears. How many times had she reminded Perry how many Pulitzer prizes she had? A lot, that's how many.

It just so happened that her engagement to Clark Kent was something she felt like she'd earned -- that both of them had earned -- through hard-won victories and a /lot/ of emotional trauma. To anyone that knew them, it was certainly gloat-worthy in her mind.

"Yeah. We've been a little.. all over the place, lately." Lois glances to Clark with a little smile as she slips up beside him, nudging the great wall of a man with her shoulders (she should really know better by now.. it wasn't like she could actually shove him). "Well, if you can hold off on the potstickers for one more night, we would love to have you stay for dinner." We. "Martha and I were just doing a little prep work."

She glances up at Clark's prompting, though, and purses her lips to try to control the smile that was practically bursting to come out. She had that kind of 'If you insist' look in her eye, and she was glowing, really, which said a lot for Lois. Lois didn't 'glow' very often. GLOWER, yes. GLOW, not so much.

Then she turned to face Kara fully, still standing by Clark's side, and seemed practically giddy just before the words spilled out. "Clark and I are getting married."

And then, as if to prove the point (though really it was just to show off what was the most gorgeous ring she'd ever seen), Lois lifts her left hand to show Kara, taking in a breath.

Yes, she was gloating. Yes, she was also glowing. But yes, she was also nervous. She was literally the only woman in the world that was marrying into this particular kind of family, and while she cared about all of them deeply, it's etched all over her face that Kara's reaction to this means a lot to her -- and she's not absolutely certain what it will be.