The Parent Trap. By Jose Antonio Chamorro Rated: PG-13 Submitted: February 2002 I like the Disney's movie 'The Parent Trap'. Yes, that's with Halley Mills, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Kerth. The old one. I thought about adapting it to an L&C story. My problem was how to have teen daughters not quite long in the future. I decided to place the story at the equivalent period of the fourth/five season. What I want to say is that this story deals with an irresponsible act of a teenaged L&C. Lois was 15 and Clark 17. Plus 15 years, 30 and 32. Although that passage it's not in the story, the characters talk about it because it's part of the plot. That's the reason I rated the story PG-13. Moreover there's no villain (apart from a special guest star), and Superman doesn't exist... yet. I'd like to thank all the people in the MB who read and commented the story, especially because they suffered the non beta-read first part. Thanks also to Julie who suggested a change of names for the girls' original names. I'm really grateful to Copea, who beta-read this for me, trying to leave my own words. Finally, I want to acknowledge the fantastic work that Jeanne, my GE for this story, did. All disclaimers apply. <... > Means thoughts / telepathy. CAPS means emphasis. The Parent Trap. By Jose Antonio Chamorro PG-13 Submitted: February 2002 Lara got out of the taxi. She saw the camp main entrance. "Camp Lake Tahoe" she read. she thought. "You'll meet interesting people," her father had said. She missed him. But now he was miles away from here. She came through the entrance into the camp. ** Lara went with her cabin mates to the lake. There were plenty of people. Sally, Jenny and she were sitting on the dock of the lake when a boat came up next to them. She observed three girls that were on it. But she focused her look at only one of the girls. She had long red hair and she was wearing glasses. Lara thought she knew her. "Do I know you?" Lara asked. "Me?" the girl answered surprised. "Yeah." "I don't think so. What's your name?" the girl asked. "Lara." "From?" "Smallville, Kansas," Lara said. "Where? Now I'm sure we haven't met before. I'm from Metropolis," the girl replied. "Oh!" Lara exclaimed. "How on Earth do you think I would know a person from Nowheresville?" the girl told Lara. The three girls got out of the boat and left Lara and her companions. "These people from Metropolis always think they're on top of the world," Sally commented angrily. ** The dining room was crowded. "I don't see any seats open," Jenny commented. "I see some," Lara replied. They went towards the table. There were already three other girls sitting there . They were surprised when recognized them. "You again," the Metropolis girl said. "Yeah. We'd like to have lunch," Lara commented as she sat down. "These seats are taken," the other replied. "I don't see anybody," Lara said angrily. The girl seemed surprised. "OK," the girl commented, "you'll see." She took the piece of cake that was on the table and threw it on Lara's face. "Good point," Lara told her. "My turn," she replied with her cake, and the food war started. ** "Incredible," the camp counsellor said, "and two sisters." "What?" Lara and her companion screamed at the same time stunned. "She's not my sister," Lara replied. The camp counsellor looked at them carefully and told them. "You really look like each other. Let's see." The woman opened a file and read, "Ellen Lane and Lara Kent. True. You're not sisters. Pretty weird. Well, the punishment. You'll be together in the isolation cabin until camp is finished," the director added. ** Ellie and Lara were unpacking their clothes. Lara finished and sat on the bed, watching her new cabin mate finishing. Ellie took out her last thing. A frame with a photo of a young woman. Lara thought. She used her enhanced vision to examine the woman. She was surprised. She stood up, went towards the photograph and took it. It was she. "You recognized her," Ellie said, not surprised that somebody knew who the woman was. "She's ..." "... My mother," Lara completed in tears. Ellie didn't expect that answer. She was astounded and she didn't notice Lara had gone out. Ellie felt the anger growing. ** "Lara," Ellie called going out of the cabin. She looked for her. She found her new sister not far from the house. "Let's go into the cabin. We can talk better there," Ellie told Lara. "Yes," Lara answered. Ellie saw her eyes under her glasses. They were red from crying. Ellie studied her sister. Her hair was the same color as hers but she had it shorter, over the shoulders. And she observed that she also had pierced ears. They came into the cabin and they sat on Lara's bed. "So, we're sisters," Ellie started, "but I don't understand how you could have recognized her. I didn't ask Mom about Dad because she doesn't like it. One day I looked for at least one photo. Nothing. Do you have a photo?" she asked. "No, but Dad draws pretty well, and he has a photographic memory. He drew a portrait of her. She's younger in my picture," Lara replied. "Maybe he drew it when they met," Ellie added. "Yes. I also have some other evidence. Better." Lara sighed, starting to explain. "Before there's something..." "Hey, how did you do that? You haven't moved your mouth," Ellie exclaimed. "It makes my head tired. I think all the powers must be related to something," Ellie commented. "I suppose you are invulnerable, among other things," Lara added. "Yes. Why do you think I have this hair? Are there scissors that can cut it? And you how...?" Ellie asked. "Later," Lara said, telling her sister to wait with her hand and trying to make up her mind. "First of all, we're half kryptonian. This means that Mom is from Earth and Dad is from Krypton. Krypton exploded years ago and our grandparent's -biological grandparents Jor-El and Lara- sent their son Kal-El to Earth as a baby. The Kent's found the spaceship where he was and called him Clark. The Kents, grandma Martha and grandpa Jon, raised him. But Krypton had a red sun. Here, as you can see, the sun is yellow, so Dad and we have the powers from the sun," Lara explained. "How is this related to Mom?" Ellie inquired. "Well, we didn't know anything about that until a few years ago, when the globe activated," Lara explained. "The globe was the computer of the ship and that day Jor-El told us the entire story," Lara told her sister. "So, the globe is more or less a photo album," Ellie commented. "Yes... but a little bit enhanced," Lara added. "Oh." "I'll explain. Some time ago I was a little depressed. I was having my first period and I missed Mom. You know, a woman who you can talk with. Grandma is okay, and I love her, but she's not a mother, my mother," Lara said. "I saw the globe and touched it. Suddenly I saw her. Mom. She was very young. It was the day they met. Their first kiss. How they... you know," Lara added shyly. "You saw that!" Ellie exclaimed, embarrassed. "No. Somehow the globe felt my feelings. I didn't want to watch my parents making love, and it changed to the day she found out she was pregnant. My -our- birth. Her tears the day she gave me to the Social Services. And finally, one of the most important days of her life: Her first award," Lara explained. "I remember that," Ellie commented. "There I saw her name: Lois Lane," Lara said. She stared at her sister and told her. "Then I realized something important." "What?" "I didn't see you. The globe didn't show a scene with the two of us," Lara ended. ** "Do you know what I'd like? I'd like to meet Dad," Ellie said. They were walking in the forest alone. "I'd like to meet Mom. But how could we do that?" Lara asked. "Swap. We can swap," Ellie added. "It's a good idea. But there's a problem. I can cut your hair with heat vision, but I can't pierce my ears," Lara explained. "Why?" "Dad thought that in order to prevent further arguments and problems it would be better to make them while I was a baby and my skin was still vulnerable," Lara explained. "Oh." Ellie sighed. She wasn't feeling well. Suddenly she fell on the ground. "Ellie!" Lara yelled. "Could that damned stuff be near?" ** "Where?" Ellie said. "Shhh," Lara told her sister. "We're in the cabin. You fell on the ground." "Why? I haven't been sick since I can remember. But I felt tired and that hurt. It was horrible," Ellie explained. "Kryptonite. We think it's a part of Krypton. It's venom for us. I hope nobody finds it until we can take it," Lara said. "You aren't sick," Ellie remarked. "It wasn't near. I practically couldn't feel it. But it was your first exposure to it. Obviously it's the worst. It hits you hard. You'll be without your powers one or two days," Lara made clear. "You've been exposed to it, too!" Ellie exclaimed. "Yes. Dad and I are exposed to it regularly. As a vaccine. And it works. What happened before was a piece of evidence. Anyway, when do I pierce your ears?" Lara asked, less concerned for her sister and happy because they could go on with their plot. ** Lara stood in the Metropolis airport terminal. She was looking for her mother. She and Ellie had prepared a good excuse for the new look she had. She saw her. "Mom!" Lara yelled, running towards Lois. "Ellie?" Lois asked surprised. She didn't recognize her daughter. "Yes, Mom. I missed you," Lara hugged her mother. "How...?" Lois asked. "Later," Lara replied. She felt the love of her mother while they were hugging. "Let's get your luggage and go home," Lois said. ** "Well, how...?" Lois began. "One night I lay on the bed with long hair and when I woke up I had this hair. And that morning I nipped my skin and it hurt. So I took advantage and I pierced my ears. The earrings are from a friend. The one who cut my hair. Because of that she felt a little bit guilty and she gave me them," Lara explained. "Too well explained," Lois said grinning. "I knew you'd suspect. I've been making up my mind since we took off. Ah, I was only two days without the abilities. I don't know why they disappeared," Lara added. She thought. "Weird. It's the first time it happened to you. I think you have some interesting stories. You have to tell me about this friend of yours... what's her name?" Lois asked curiously. "Lara. She's from Kansas City. We didn't start too well. The prank of the hair was the first night. But when we knew each other better we had a lot of fun." Lara commented trying to avoid more questions. "I'm a little bit tired. I'd like to go to bed. But I'm starving too. What's for dinner?" "I could order a pizza. OK?" Lois asked. ** Ellie was looking at her father. He had taken her from Kansas' airport. Now they were driving to Smallville. She thought. "What are you thinking?" Clark asked. "Uh. Nothing important. Just remembering the camp," she said. "I think you finally had a good time there, didn't you?" Clark asked his daughter. "Yeah. You were right. I met some interesting people," Ellie answered. "Like..." "A girl from Metropolis. Ellie," Ellie explained. "From Metropolis..." Clark said. This could be helpful. "Lara, Honey. There's something I have to tell you." "Yes, Dad." Ellie expected something important. "I've been thinking about something and I'd like your opinion," Clark started. "Would you like to go to Metropolis next week with me? I would like to apply for a job at the Daily Planet. You could meet your friend in Metropolis." "Uh..." Ellie was speechless. "Well... I don't know," "Will I move with you?" Ellie asked. "Only if you want. You could stay here," Clark answered concerned. He'd prefer she moved on with him but he didn't want to push her. "Let me think. Okay?" "Okay," Clark replied. ** After dinner Ellie and her grandmother were alone. Clark and Jonathan had gone out. Ellie was a little bit worried. She must be careful. Otherwise her grandmother could suspect. Martha and Jonathan Kent were different from her other grandparents. And she felt it. She felt the special relationship between them and Clark. Completely different from the one that Sam and Ellen Lane had with her mother. She thought. "I suppose that he asked you about moving to Metropolis," Martha Kent started. She felt something different in her granddaughter. She seemed less confident. "Yes." "And..." the elder Kent said, waiting for an answer. "I don't know. It's complicated," Ellie was trying to avoid the conversation. It was a dangerous territory. She didn't know what Lara would do now. "You seem less confident than usual. And you've been acting strangely since you came. Like out of place," her grandmother said. "You are acting as if you were another person." "Oh!" Ellie gasped. "Eh..." "Your reaction confirms my suspicion. Who are you and where is my granddaughter?" Martha Kent asked angrily. "Okay. I'll explain but don't yell. First of all, your granddaughter is here. I am your granddaughter. But I think you're talking about the other one. She, Lara, is in Metropolis with Mom," Ellie replied. "And you're..." "Ellie." "Well, Ellie. So Lara is with Louise in Metropolis," Martha Kent commented. "Louise? No. Mom's name is Lois. Lois Lane," the girl corrected. "Lois Lane. The Daily Planet reporter?" the old woman asked. "Yes. Lara knew." "She knew? How...?" the Kent asked in disbelief. "The globe. She told me that she saw her on it," Ellie made clear. "Grandma, don't tell anything of this to Dad. If he finds out I will be in Metropolis faster than a speeding bullet. Lara and I will try to repair this mess." She went towards her grandmother and kissed her on the cheek. "Ok, Honey. We have time to talk before you travel to Metropolis. It's late and you're tired. It's better you go to bed." Ellie walked up the stairs and went towards her bedroom. Her grandma was right. She was pretty tired. ** Thursday The time in Smallville went by really fast. And now she was in Metropolis again. She and Dad found a double room in the Apollo Hotel. They thought it'd be better that she wasn't alone in one room. She didn't sleep well. She was thinking about what to do to avoid the people at the Planet. And she had to meet Lara. After having breakfast they went to the Planet. While her father talked with Perry she waited downstairs. She had to speak to Lara. Ellie dialed her home phone number. "Lara, get the phone," she said impatiently. "Yes, Lois Lane," the voice answered. Ellie was speechless. Her mother will recognize her voice. Bad luck. She was still at home. "Is anybody there?" Lois insisted. Ellie hung up the phone. Damn! At least she wasn't at the Planet. Her father was next to her. "Could you talk to your friend?" he asked. "No. Nobody got the phone," she lied. "What about the interview?" "Not well. Mr. White didn't like my resume," Clark explained, "but he was saying something about Lois Lane writing a piece. It seemed she wasn't yet in the newsroom. Maybe if I could write that story before her, I'd have a chance. Let's go," Clark told her daughter. Ellie thought. ** "Perry is gonna kill me," Lois said running in her apartment towards the door. Ring, ring. Lois heard the phone. "Somebody's calling. Blasted telephone... I don't have time." "Yes. Lois Lane." Nobody answered. "Is anybody there?" She heard the sound of the phone being hung up. "Wrong number. Ellie, I'm leaving." Lois opened the door. There was Billy. "Hi Billy, come in, Ellie is in." "Hi, Ms. Lane," the kid replied. He came into the apartment and closed the door. "Hi, Ellie, it's Billy." Lara came to the hall. She saw the boy that was there. He was approximately the same age as her. He had dark hair and brown eyes. He was as tall as her. Their gazes crossed. She felt a lightning. Her heartbeat increased and she heard his too. "Eh...Hi, Billy," Lara said shyly. She didn't feel comfortable. "Hi..." Billy tried to say her name. He couldn't. He had seen her plenty of times and he had never felt that for her. She was his best friend. He observed the girl in front of him. She looked different. She had cut her hair. Her beautiful red hair was shoulder-length. He could see her charming green eyes under the glasses she was wearing. He noticed the earrings hanging off her earlobes. "Who are you?" he asked, suddenly. "Uh..." Lara didn't expect the question. She hadn't been on the planet since she said hello to him. She had been dreaming. Love at first sight. That reminds me of something. Mom and Dad. She was scared. "You asked?" "Who are you?" Billy repeated. "I'm Lara," Lara said calmly, still a little bit distracted. She saw the surprised expression on his face. She realized. "Oh, no. This is not good. I'm going to be in Smallville before I can say goodbye." Billy was surprised by Lara's revelation. She had admitted she wasn't Ellie. He saw her getting nervous. Back to Smallville. Maybe she lives there. "Where Ms. Lane's daughter?" She looked at him, astonished. "I'm her daughter," Lara pointed out Angrily. "Don't dare tell her that I'm not her daughter." She was very angry. "You're her daughter?" Billy inquired. "That's not what she'll think," he added venomously. "Who're you to doubt that I'm her daughter?" Lara blurted out, "You don't know me, prince charming, so don't ever judge me before I have explained all this mess to you? Maybe Ellie and I are twins but I'm not her. Got it?" "Yeah, got it," Billy said. Now he was beginning to believe that she could be Lois' daughter. He had seen an argument between Lucy and Lois one day. Lara wasn't Ellie that's for sure. Lara's behavior reminded him of Lois that day. Ellie was different. They had had some fights and he knew perfectly well how Ellie handled him. "Come on, I'll explain everything to you, " Lara said, "but you must help us. Otherwise when Ellie returns the revenge will be dreadful," she said grinning. Billy stunned. He thought. "Ok, I'm all yours." She glanced at him and blushed furiously. He realized what he has said and blushed too. "I think we can talk about that, another day... maybe on a date," she told him. ** This time her Dad insisted she came into the newsroom. He didn't know she had been there plenty of times before. She was really worried. I can't phone again. She remembered something. Telepathy. She felt tired. It was difficult to maintain the telepathic connection. She was sitting on one free desk, trying to be unnoticed. She saw her Mom walking down the ramp. "Oh, oh. The H-hour has arrived," she told herself. Lara was at the Planet. She had come at superspeed and she was tired and breathless. Too much time at superspeed. It was also imprudence. She was in the newsroom. She saw Ellie. She also saw her mother reading a paper as she walked towards Perry's office. Clark went out of Perry's office distracted. "Son, welcome to the Daily Planet," Perry was telling him when he bumped into her. "Sorry," Clark said. He looked at her. She was... "Are you okay, Honey? Let me introduce you to Clark Kent. Clark Kent, Lois Lane. Lois Lane, Clark Kent," Perry said. "Lois Lane!" Clark stunned said. "Clark! What on Earth are you doing here?" Lois asked, stunned too. "You have been searching for me," Lois said, pointing at him. "How? I didn't know your real name. Fifteen years thinking of Louise Line," Clark yelled. The entire newsroom was looking at them. "Eh...Mr. White," A new voice said. Lois, Clark and Perry looked at the girl, "I think it'd be better if you gave these two the day off to solve the problem." "Yes. It's a great idea. But Ellie, Honey, you know you usually call me Uncle Perry," Perry told the girl. "Actually, she's Ellie," Lara said, pointing to her sister who was walking towards her, "and since we haven't been properly introduced, I think it wouldn't be right to call you Uncle Perry." "Lara," Clark said.