The Lane-Kent Bunch (The Brady Bunch - Clois style)

[gem65]

I couldn't sleep (again) so here is a brief snippet of the next chapter. Enjoy.

Clark is in the kitchen preparing dinner when his oldest son comes into the house. "You're late," not looking up as he stirs the spaghetti sauce.

"Sorry about that," tossing his backpack on one of the kitchen chairs.

"I hope you have a good excuse," looking up at last.

"I do," he replies.

[gem65]

Here is the amazing banner by Carol aka ctbn60. Thanks, Carol!



A/N: It's my birthday today, so happy birthday to me. *sighs*

CHAPTER 16

PREVIOUSLY:

He picks up her hand and stares into her eyes. "We're just friends, Lois. That's all," softly kissing her hand. "Okay?"

I can't feel my fingers; staring down at her hand. "Okay," reluctantly pulling her hand away.

"Good," taking another sip of his iced tea.

His lips felt just like Superman's lips; staring at him for a moment, then back at her hand. Nah. That's crazy; giving herself a mental shake as she picks up her sandwich...

Later that evening...

Clark is in the kitchen preparing dinner when his oldest son comes into the house. "You're late," not looking up as he stirs the spaghetti sauce.

"Sorry about that," tossing his backpack on one of the kitchen chairs.

"I hope you have a good excuse," looking up at last.

"I do," he replies. "I went over to see Gabrielle."

"Oh?" shutting off the burner. "How is she feeling?" picking up the pan of spaghetti and pouring it into the colander he had placed in the sink.

"She's feeling better," getting up and walking over to the stove.

"Was it appendicitis?" Clark asks as he dumps the spaghetti into the sauce and begins to stir it.

"Yep," sticking his finger in the sauce. "That's good," licking his finger.

"How how many times have I told you not to do that?" a frown on his face. "If your mother ever saw you do that..." shaking his head.

"I guess she wouldn't like it, huh?" Greg remarks; his eyes watering a little.

Clark puts down the spoon when he sees the look in Greg's eyes. "I used to do it to her and she hated it," he admits. "I told her it was a compliment to her cooking, but she never bought it, so I had to stop doing it," picking up a dish towel and handing it to Greg.

He takes it from him. "That sounds like Mom," dabbing his eyes with it, then hands it back to him and turns on the faucet to wash his hands.

"Your mother used to be pretty easy going when we were dating - but once we got married, that all changed," heaving a sigh as he picks up the spoon again to finish stirring the sauce into the spaghetti.

Greg watches his dad for a moment. "There's something I've known about for a long time now, and I just can't keep it to myself anymore."

"There is, huh?" Clark replies with a smile as he picks up the pan of spaghetti. "What is it?"

Greg takes a deep breath, then exhales. "I was up in the loft playing with Shelby the night Mom left for Paris and..."

Clark looks at him curiously. "...and what?" he asks.

Greg hesitates for a moment. "That was the night I discovered my super-hearing and I heard everything."

Clark drops the pan and stares at him with shock; the spaghetti splattering all over the floor. "Are you telling me that---"

Greg nods his head. "I heard the whole fight," he admits.

Clark is too stunned by Greg's admission to notice the mess. "So you heard the reason why she left?" his hands clenching by his sides. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

He just sighs a little. "I guess at the time, I didn't understand what it all meant," shrugging his shoulders. "You just seemed so angry whenever the subject of that last night was brought up, so..." his words trailing off.

"I see," Clark remarks; finally notices the mess. "Help me clean it up?" tossing him the paper towel roll.

They both kneel down and silently clean up the mess. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up," Greg says at last. "I'm sorry."

Clark looks up at him. "There's no need to apologize," standing up.

Greg also stands up. "You're not angry at me?"

Clark rests his hands on Greg's shoulders and gives them a little squeeze. "Of course not," he says. "You know you can tell me anything," smiling a little. "I'm sorry you had to hear it at all," sighing a little.

"I know," also sighing.

They stand there for a moment, then Clark says, "So are there any more secrets I should know about?" his eyebrow arched.

"Not that I know of."

"Good, because I don't think I could take any more surprises today," he replies.

Greg smiles at him, then says, "So I heard what happened today," he says with a twinkle in his eyes. "Superman huh? I like the sound of that. Who came up with that name anyway?" he asks.

"Well..." blushing a little.

Greg looks curiously at his father. "Are you blushing?" arching his own eyebrow.

"Blushing? Me? That's absurd," scoffing at the notion. "I don't blush," he declares.

"If you say so," chuckling a little as he picks up his backpack. "It must be love," winking at his father as he super-speeds up the staircase to his bedroom.

Clark stares at the disappearing form of his son. Love? sitting down at the kitchen table. How can I be in love with someone I've barely known a week? It took me longer to fall in love with Lana. His eyes cloud over at the thought of her name; remembering the last time he ever saw her...

"We need to talk."

Lana looks up at him, then turns away from him and picks up her purse without a word. "We need to talk," she mutters.

"The marriage counseling isn't working," he continues on.

"It's not, huh?" opening her purse, then turning back around.

"No," he replies; hesitating a moment before speaking again. "I've been thinking about this for a while and...well..."

"Well what?" getting a little impatient with him. "Just spit it out, Clark."

"I want a divorce," he says at last.

There's a hint of a smile as she pulls an envelope out of her purse. "That's not a problem," extending it towards him.

"What's this?" taking it from her and opening it; his eyes widening at the contents. "You already filed for divorce?" his jaw dropping.

"That's right," her arms folded across her chest.

"If anybody should have filed for divorce first, it should have been me. After all, I have valid reasons for it and you know it," snapping at her.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she says in a cool tone of voice as she closes her purse.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," throwing the envelope and its contents on the table. "Were you really so naive to think that I wouldn't find out that you had an affair with one of my best friends?"

She stares at him with surprise. "How did you know?"

"Don't you think I recognize Lex's fancy cologne when I smell it?" his eyes flashing with anger.

"Well, well," walking over to the coat rack. "I must say you're smarter than I give you credit for," putting on her coat.

"Apparently I wasn't smart enough because I did marry you after all."

She can't help flinching at his statement. "I can't believe you just said that," staring at him in shock. "I thought you married me because you loved me?"

"I married you because you were pregnant," he replies coolly.

"You're just saying that because you're angry at me," she says after a moment. "You've been in love with me since I first moved next door with my Aunt Nell," a smug expression on her face.

"I was an idiot," folding his arms across his chest. "I was too young to realize just how selfish and self-absorbed you really are."

"Well not only are you a bad husband, you're also not that good in bed," she spits out angrily.

"Hah," a snort coming out of his mouth. "You're the one who just lies there and expects me to do all the work," he counters. "It takes two to tango after all," he adds with a smirk on his face. "How we ever got three kids I'll never know."

Her hand reaches out to slap him. "You'll break your hand," catching her arm in mid-slap.

She wrenches her arm away from him. "I'm out of here," abruptly turning on her heels and pulling the kitchen door open.

"We're not finished," walking after her.

"We are as far as I'm concerned," picking up a suitcase she had placed on the porch.

"Where are you going?" noticing the suitcase in her hand.

"I'm going to Paris to be with Lex," walking towards her car and throwing it in the trunk.

"What about our kids?" staring at her in shock.

"Take another look at the papers, Clark, and you'll find that I'm suing for full custody," a smirk on her face.

"I will not let you take my kids away from me," yelling at her.

"You'll get custody over my dead body," getting behind the wheel and putting on her seatbelt.

"We'll just see about that," he yells again as her car tears out of the driveway...

Clark shakes himself out of his reverie when Greg comes back down the stairs. "I was just thinking that maybe we could order a pizza?" he asks.

Clark looks up at him. "Sounds good to me," he says.

"Are you okay?" noting the look in his face.

"I will be," a small smile on his face as he pulls out his phone. "Everything on it?" arching an eyebrow.

"Everything," Greg replies with a smile.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Here's the link to Chapter 17

[SQ.]

Well, A Very Very Very Happy Birthday to you Ms Mary-Ellen! Hope you have a great day

But isn't this a bit backwards? Aren't we meant to be the ones giving you the present, and not the other way round with you suppling us with the much-anticipated present of the next update?

Oh well. I am most definitely not complaining..


Great update, keep up the good work. And hope you have a fantasmagoricalorious day!

[MariVe]

Oh!!! so Lana wasn't a saint, that is well obvious....
Is Clark planning to invite Lois to have dinner with him and his kids?? That will be totally unexpected and I can't wait to see the faces of the kids
Great update, we need an update ASAP!!

[chanav]

Happy Birthday

I have read most of your stories, which btw are wonderful (I'm sorry didn't review all of them, sometimes I'm just lazy).

I love the update, and Lana got exactly what she wanted.

[gem65]

Happy Birthday

I have read most of your stories, which btw are wonderful (I'm sorry didn't review all of them, sometimes I'm just lazy).

I love the update, and Lana got exactly what she wanted.

You don't have to apologize. Thank you for the birthday greeting and the positive feedback on my stories. It means a lot.

Oh!!! so Lana wasn't a saint, that is well obvious....
Is Clark planning to invite Lois to have dinner with him and his kids?? That will be totally unexpected and I can't wait to see the faces of the kids
Great update, we need an update ASAP!!

He will have her over for dinner with the kids at some point, but not this particular night. Now THAT should be a VERY interesting evening.

Well, A Very Very Very Happy Birthday to you Ms Mary-Ellen! Hope you have a great day

But isn't this a bit backwards? Aren't we meant to be the ones giving you the present, and not the other way round with you suppling us with the much-anticipated present of the next update?

Oh well. I am most definitely not complaining..

Great update, keep up the good work. And hope you have a fantasmagoricalorious day!

I don't usually write Lana that way, but I just felt like it in this story. I will update soon, but I'm a bit behind on some of my stories like Misty, N.C.I.S (Smallville-style), etc. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

PS: So where is MY present???

PS2: We just had the funeral for my father yesterday and my boyfriend had to leave because he lives out of state - so all I can promise is that I'll try to have a good day.

[cathy14]

First of all happy brithday Mary Ellen!!
Secondly, poor Clark, he deserves to be happy. Lana was a b*&&%. And their eldest heard everything... poor boy

And now, to celebrate your day, a cheery Beatle's song
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy Birthday to you

Oh, and between each verse there's an awsome guitar riff

[CloisShipper]

Great update! wow, Lana wasn't very nice to Clark.

[phoenixnz]

Ugh, Lana, what a beeyatch. Clark so didn't deserve that. A sad but necessary chapter, I think. Clark will realise how lucky he is to have Lois.

[gem65]

First of all happy brithday Mary Ellen!!
Secondly, poor Clark, he deserves to be happy. Lana was a b*&&%. And their eldest heard everything... poor boy

And now, to celebrate your day, a cheery Beatle's song
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy Birthday to you

Oh, and between each verse there's an awsome guitar riff

He definitely deserves some happiness. I intend to give it to him. Glad you liked it and thank you for the song.

Great update! wow, Lana wasn't very nice to Clark.

I just felt like writing her like that. Glad you thought it was great.

Ugh, Lana, what a beeyatch. Clark so didn't deserve that. A sad but necessary chapter, I think. Clark will realise how lucky he is to have Lois.

He sure didn't deserve it. Like you said, it was a necessary chapter. He will realize how lucky he is to have Lois. She's a better match for him.

PS: In case I didn't mention it, I checked Yahoo! Thanks.

[AllSmallville]

AWESOME Chapter!! PPMS!!

And Happy Birthday by the way, Mary







llen!!

[gem65]

AWESOME Chapter!! PPMS!!

And Happy Birthday by the way, Mary







llen!!

Thanks. It was a necessary chapter and I'm glad it worked. There will also be a flashback chapter regarding Lois and Wes.

PS: Thanks for the birthday greeting.

[darlenejbv]

Happy Birthday Mary Ellen!!! I hope you have a great birthday and eat lots of cake (If you like cake lol).

I loved the update. Lana is a beeyoth!!! The kids are way better off without her. PPMS!! (Does this mean Please post message soon? Idk what it means but I wanted to say it.

[phoenixnz]

PPMS!! (Does this mean Please post message soon? Idk what it means but I wanted to say it.

You're three quarters right. It's please post more soon but yours works too

[gem65]

You're three quarters right. It's please post more soon but yours works too

I agree with you.

Happy Birthday Mary Ellen!!! I hope you have a great birthday and eat lots of cake (If you like cake lol).

I loved the update. Lana is a beeyoth!!! The kids are way better off without her. PPMS!! (Does this mean Please post message soon? Idk what it means but I wanted to say it.

I don't usually write her as one, but I just felt like it with this story because I wanted to show that while it was angst with her, it won't be with Lois. I just love the contrast between the two. Besides, it's just so much fun. Glad you enjoyed it.