The quiet can be disconcerting ((tag Clark))

[slayers_desire]

It has been a few hours since Clark took April home. In that time, she fed. She bathed. And she tried to lie down for a little bit.

But she can not close her eyes for long. She can not go into a deep slumber. The quiet in her mind is like a blank canvas. Plus, it just gives her more time to go over and over again everything that she experienced.

Slowly, she is remembering the others using her fears against her. The claustrophobia. The flames and the heat of the fire. The fear of losing her children.

"Clark?" He was checking on the children for her, when she got cleaned up.
But April knows that she doesn't have to call out loudly to get his attention.

Comments

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I don't either." He has no problem confessing that. "I hate that Maloker's done this." She'd been accepting her voices as the gift they were, as part of her very self, and now... this.

[slayers_desire]

"He has to stay binded. The whole vampires don't die thing, is really true for him."

April reflects for a moment. Then looks up at him. "I would like to believe that there is a way to make the voices a part of my true self. No Maloker. Just me."

"And maybe, that is what the Fates has hinted at."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"That'd be the better solution," Clark agrees. "But... what if it isn't possible? What do we do then?"

[slayers_desire]

"Quite honestly..." April takes a deep breath. "I would rather adjust to living without my voices... than carry around that doll."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark can't quite hide the relief that she shares the same opinion he has, one he didn't want to voice. It's her powers at stake, her identity. And while he has some say in it, the final word is hers. "It'd be difficult, but I will help you in any way I can, if it comes to that."

[slayers_desire]

She can sense his relief. Neither of them wanted the doll in their life. And it is nice to be standing in the same boat.

It is also sweet that he was willing to let her make the final decision. That he respected her enough to have the final word.

"I know you will."

"I want to fight for my voices. To make them mine. But if it doesn't work... I am not going to settle for something that would upset our lives."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He hugs her again, having never really let go the first time. "I'll fight for them with you."

[slayers_desire]

"Tell you what... In the morning, we will connect with the Tree and see where it leads." April is now gently pulling him down on the bed with her.

"Tonight, I need distractions to actually get some rest."

((bed time for mun. But stick around, I plan more plot for these two as the scene continues))

[kalel_ofkrypton]

After a day like today, Clark is more than willing to give her whatever she needs, no matter what it is. And a part of him needs her too, to feel her safe in his arms and in his mind, to feel normal here at home with her.

[slayers_desire]

It is nice, just to feel safe and secure in his arms. And even though she doesn't truly sleep through the night, she does rest comfortably with him at her side. The lack of sleep for one night won't bother her too much -- one advantage to being a vampire and all.

Come morning, her eyes may be closed, and her breathing might be shallow and slow, but still it is not a true slumber.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark doesn't sleep well either, and as his Kryptonian body awakens with the rising of the sun, he can tell she isn't really asleep. He's reluctant to break the moment though, and lays at her side, eyes closed, pretending that nothing's wrong for this one moment.

[slayers_desire]

It is nice to just pretend that nothing is wrong. But after several long moments of enjoying the quiet, April knows that the pretense can't last.

The children will be waking soon. And she wants to have things go back to normal.

"Breakfast first?" She asks him, knowing that he always wakens with the rising of the sun.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He nods. "I'll get the kids around." Their two children are by far the most demanding task of the morning, by virtue of the boundless energy of youth.

[slayers_desire]

In a fashion, she can't wait to see her little bundles of energy. Jon always has a way of making her smile, no matter what. And Laura is finally out of teething stages, and is starting to explore more and more as a baby.

April takes the time to get dressed, and get a small breakfast ready. She and Clark don't need to eat a lot. So it is just an assortment of cereal, fruit, some toast, and babyfood for Laura.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark makes sure the dogs get fed this morning too, though Ree shoves her way under the table to sniff the floor for any dropped tidbits regardless.

He also calls in to work sick, providing an easy excuse for his absence today. He has a feeling that whatever they accomplish today, he's not going to have time for the Daily Planet.

[slayers_desire]

One nice thing about owning her own business is that April doesn't have to worry about calling in sick. She can go days without heading into the office, since she does most of her work at home.

"Ree... you pest."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Ree looks up at the sound of her name and wags her tail, happy for the attention. Clark ruffles the top of the dog's head. "Troublemaker."

[slayers_desire]

"We use that term so much, I wonder if she thinks it is her second name."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Ree Troublemaker Kent has a nice ring to it."

[slayers_desire]

It is very relaxing to sit around the breakfast table with her children, and just spend a nice morning with them. It will be after they clean up, and set the children down by some educational toys, that April will finally settle on the couch. "Should we have someone just to watch them, when we do this?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Might be a good idea. We should be able to concentrate on what we're doing." Clark loves their children, but they do demand a lot of attention.

[slayers_desire]

"We could call Chloe." April paused. Then remembers something. "There was a Tess in the Nexus, who told me that her Chloe and her Oliver had a child. They named him Jonathan."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"...popular name." Clark hadn't really expected it to be unique, but it does seem to be a name they run across often.

[slayers_desire]

"They named him after your father." April pulls out her PINpoint to make a call.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Really?" Although it's an alternate Chloe and Oliver, Clark's still a bit touched by that.