The Memoirs

"Ellie, baby? You want to help Mama clear the table?" Lindy smiled gratefully at her eldest brother. Between the two of them, they'd managed to, in the weeks they'd been home, to not only pack up Graham's house, but Lindy's as well. She stacked the plates from dinner, one on top of the other, and carried them to the counter beside the sink. Ever since Roddy had threatened her, Graham had been wonderful to her, making sure that she felt safe and didn't worry for Ellie's safety either.

Graham smiled back at his sister as he lifted Shane up to his shoulder. "Tha'was a'good dinner, Lindy. Ye've not lost th'touch."

Lindy just smiled wider. "Thank you... I gotta earn m'keep somehow!"

Graham laughed at that, and looked down at Ellie. "How about I take ye upstairs n'read ye both a goodnight story instead'a yer mama workin' ya in the kitchen?"

Shane gave a loud, hardy burp. Cause, okay, wow. He was totally getting to get to eat THE BIG PEOPLE FOOD! And wow. Okay? wow. A stick thing that… yeah. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Another burp and a snuggle. Daddy was way cozy these days, cause of all the fuzzy, cozy shirts, and it was almost okay that the Bestest Friend wasn't around. Almost. He still sniffled, chin quivering as he grabbed handfuls of daddy's beard and snuggled in. Beeesttesstt friiieennnd. He'd been abandoned. Oh, and Shane let out a little sob.

Ellie rolled her eyeballs about in her head, heaving a hefty sigh as she set her hands on hefty hips and glared at her cousin. "Is herm gonna cry 'gain, Unca Grahamy? Stupid baby. Always CRYIN'."

"He's not a stupid baby, Ellie." Graham gently rubbed his son's back. "He just misses his uncle Lionel." The bastard that he is, Graham added silently. "He won't cry so much when we get settled back in and he can see Lionel again in Smallville. What about you? Don't you miss your uncle Weirdy Lion?"

Lindy muffled the giggle from the kitchen as Graham juggled a crying baby. She really shouldn't encourage Ellie to call Lionel "Uncle Weirdy Lion" but it was so cute that she couldn't resist. "Go on upstairs with your uncle Graham, baby."

Okay. Yeah. Ellie brightened, considerable, smiling in happiness as she hugged herself in her overalled, pink t-shirted glory, giggling, bouncing, and nodding as she raced up the steps, squealing. "GONNA GO SEE MR UNCA WEIRDY LION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shane stuck his thumb in his mouth, watching the tiny person run like she was insane, and he set his cheek on Graham's shoulder, heaving a sigh around his thumb... hiccing two more breaths, and letting them out too. He missed his BB. Crap.

"What is it, Lindy? Huh? What is it with that man that seems to hold such fascination and adoration for every single member of this family except for me?" Graham just patted Shane's back as his son hiccupped. "Jus'tell me that."

"I don't think Mama's too fond of him either," Lindy said, laughing in the kitchen. "He's just a nice man."

"He's a bloody bas--"

"GRAHAM!!!"

"Sorry!" He gripped Ellie's hand in his and tugged. "C'mon--up the stairs with you, little lassie. Into the tub while I give Shane his bath."

"BASTAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ellie filled in, doing a dance at the top of the steps. She shook her tushie every which way, pony tails flying as she bopped, doing a little moon walk as she twirled.

"Astad?" Shane blinked, raising his head to peer at his dad admidst chubby cheeks, all his little rolls comfortably adorned in sweat pants. What was this, talk of his bestest friend and astads? Huh? He blinked at his papa, reaching up to poke one finger at his nostril... then pulled him close, to peer up inside.

"GRAHAM!!! I don't need your help teaching my daughter dirty words!!!" She flicked on the radio over the sink, humming along to whatever song was playing on the radio as she washed the dishes.

Graham just sighed. "Yes ma'am!" He swept Ellie up in his other arm, hugging her tightly. "You canna repeat everything you hear your uncle Graham, say, lassie. You'll get in trouble when you do." He peeled Shane's finger out of his nose. "And you, my boy, don't you start repeatin' it either." He scolded both children lightly as he pulled them into the bathroom. "Inta the tub, Miss Ellie."

Lindy rolled her eyes after the trio, dipping her hands into the sink to get it plugged. She dried her palms on a small dish rag sitting on the edge of the countertop, humming to the song playing on the radio. "Wonder if I'll ever change my waays. I put your picture awaay..sat down and criiied the daaaay." She had a voice like her brothers and sisters, break-my-heart and beautiful, with the thick lilt of home peppering her words as she sang to herself. Her Ellie hadn't touched a bit of it, and she sighed as she tossed the fish sticks into the garbage, corn following right after. Shaney's plate had been licked clean, literally, after her little champ had eaten four fish sticks by himself. Graham was like a big kid, with all his veggies still sitting on the plate, and she rolled her eyes heavenwards as she tossed it all into the garbage.

She wasn't one to talk... she'd picked at her food, and it was beginning to show. She was losing more weight than was probably good. Except for her caboose she was a slender boned woman, and she could see it, in the gauntness about her eyes and her cheekbones.

Couldn't be helped. When a psycho ex husband was stalking you, one couldn't exactly rest comfortably.

She turned back to the sink, setting the four plates inside, and dropped her hands into the warm water, beginning to scrub.

It was cold outside. Roddy could see his breath forming small white puffs in front of him as he breathed out. It was dark outside of Graham's house, and he was perched in the tree beside the kitchen.

Aaah, his Lindy was a beautiful woman. He'd been watching her through the window, watching her cook and serve dinner to her brother and his son, and to their beautiful little angel Eleanor. He waited until Graham was up the stairs, and then very quietly, dropped to the ground, and with a few flicks of his wrist, the door was jimmied open and he was inside the house.

"I put your picture awaaay.... sat down 'n cried todaay. I can't look at you, while I'm lying next to heerrr..." Lindy sang, putting more soap on the sponge as she scrubbed off Shaney's little sippy cup. It was blue, with big yellow ducks.

She'd gone with Missy to buy it for him.

Her heart flip flopped in her chest as she heaved a shaky little sigh, rinsing the cute little cup as she set it in the sink beside the running water to dry. Graham hadn't said anything to her, but Lindy knew as a woman always did that there was someone. A special someone, and Lindy could lay money on the short, sassy little African-American woman who made her brother stutter and blush every time she was close. It was good for him, she'd decided. Very good. And she gave herself a smile as she sang.

Roddy hated this house. Despised it, and despised the man who lived in it even more. But the layout of the house hadn't changed, and he moved unerringly though the house, pausing only once as he bumped into a lamp. It went crashing to the floor, and he cursed very softly. He ran then, and ducked into the small, dark breakfast nook beside the kitchen.

Lindy jerked, her entire body going on alert as she looked up. "Graham?" She took the water off, drying off her hands... and because she was paranoid these days, picked the largest butcher knife from the wooden rack of them, holding it tight in her hand as she stepped out of the kitchen. "Ellie, is that you?"

Grahams antique lamp lay in pieces on the floor, and Lindy frowned at it, stepped over to the pieces smashed on the ground.

Roddy waited until Lindy was out of the kitchen, then slipped in through the swinging door. He didn't turn off the light; instead he hid at the corner of the china hutch, waiting for her to come back into the room.

Lindy sighed. Heavily. One of the kids must have pushed it to tipping, and it had finally fallen on its own accord. Graham was going to kill her. She crouched down, lifting it up... not smashed, but cracked in three pieces, and she sighed, setting it on the couch. She turned, leaving her knife on the table, and walked back into the kitchen, heading towards the pantry.

As soon as she came back into the kitchen, Roddy padded across the room. The opened pantry door was in his way, and he slammed it shut. "Hey, baby. Long time no see." His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, dragging her in close.

She screamed. On top of her lungs, when she saw his face, heard his voice. His eyes were a manic, dark shade, his grip on her impossibly tight, as she thrashed, trying to yank herself free as the mop and broom handles toppled to the floor. "R... R..."

Roddy clapped his other hand over her mouth as he shoved her against the pantry door. "Now, now... is that any way to greet your husband?" He leaned forward and licked over her throat, scenting her perfume.

Graham heard the scream. His head shot up, and he took Shane out of the sink and sat him on the floor. "Ellie, out of the tub. Get dressed, get Shaney dressed, and lock the door behind me, okay, baby? Don't open it unless it's me. Can you do that?" He got on his knees in front of the little girl. "Can you be big for me, baby?"

Ellie blinked, pushing wet curls out of her eyes as she scrambled up. Unca Grammie only got that serious when something Bad Was Happening, and Ellie blinked, plopping out of the tub and scrambling herself into her clothes still wet. She got Shaney back into his shirt, pulling his fat butt up and waddling to set him in the small playpen in the bathroom just for him, for when Unca Grammie had to shower. She set him in, stuck the paci in his mouth, and looked up at her uncle. "Ima biggest girl ever. Ever ever. I'a be good. Where's mama?"

Lindy felt the vomit rise in her throat as Roddy licked over her, like an animal. She shoved, trying her best to get him away from her, but she was shaking with fear, feeling faint with it as she struggled. "Let me tha'fuck go, you're no' my husband any more!"

"She's downstairs, baby girl." Graham kissed her forehead carefully. "Good girl. Now lock the door behind me, okay? I'll be back in two shakes. And remember, don't open for nobody but me. Not even mommy, unless I'm with her." He closed the door behind him, waited for the click of the lock, and went down the hall.

His pistol was downstairs in the liquor cabinet, but there was no way he was going downstairs unarmed. His bedroom was closer, and Graham got on his knees beside the bed. He reached down and pulled out an oaken box, cursing the combination lock as he spun the numbers and opened the box.

A Winchester hunting rifle nestled in the box, and he quickly chambered two shells in the barrel and pumped the slide before filling his shirt pocket with another handful of shells and heading down the stairs. "Lindy?"

Roddy just licked his wife's cheek again. "Paper doesn't make it so, Lindy. You're always mine, until I say you're not any more." He breathed deeply. "You smell so good, baby."

Lindy heard Grahams voice, heard him calling for her, but she was so terrified, so horribly scared. He could kill her, this man. He was strong enough... he'd hunted all his life. He could kill her where she stood. Her Ellie, her Ellie would be alone, and she let out a sob, turning her face away from him as much as she could as she gave half hearted struggles, her fear so great she could barely breath.

"We's be alone." Ellie sighed at her cousin, who was staring at her like a stupid duck, and she rolled her eyes at him, pushing her sopping hair out of her eyes.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Mama's extra makeup.

Ellie made herself useful, by going under the counter and getting out the huge box of it. HEEEEEEEEEE.

Shane blinked at her… then at the door. His pops was gone...he was in the big place with water with THAT. And she was all WET. Dude, ew. He sucked on his paci, still blinking.

"Lindy, m'darlin, answer me." Graham put the stock of the shotgun against his shoulder as he sighted along the length of it. His mind automatically supplied the crosshairs over the sight at the end of the barrel, and he kept heading down the stairs. "Ye al'right?"

Roddy pulled his hand away from her mouth as she turned her face, and there was a quiet snikt as a silver blade leapt into his hand. The knife traced the light veinery at Lindy's throat. "Tell him you're fine."

"I'm f...f..." Lindy stuttered, terror clenching her throat as easy as the blade did. "I'm...." Her darling, beautiful brother. Her Morgan, who she remembered lying her ear on my mothers belly to listen to the two of them, Megan and he, do a dance in her belly. She, Graham, daddy and mama would go to the pubs, and listen to the music, only to have the babies enjoy it, as well. And what babies they were. After her papa had died she took care of them, feeding them, clothing them, cleaning them and house. She took care of her two brothers and two sisters until she married and left, and by then Shayla was in her teens.

Her brother, her darling prince, could face the worst of what the world had to offer, and could still smile and laugh everyday, and give his heart to someone he adored without fear. And if he could do it, her gentle spirited brother, than she could do it to.

"I'm going to kill the mot'fucker." She called, cheerfully almost, as she rammed her knee up into his groin so hard she was sure she'd dislocated her hip. She gave him as hard a shove as she could, and screamed for her brother, tearing out of the pantry. She skidded around the table, slipping and falling on the linoleum, and screamed once more.

Roddy's knife went skittering across the kitchen floor as he howled in exquisite agony. He was paralyzed with the pain, hobbled as Lindy shoved him back and he fell on his ass. He curled around his throbbing balls, hands cupping himself as he panted, retching and dry-heaving in misery. "LINDY!!!!!!" He bellowed.

"Lindy!!" Graham pounded down the last few steps, hand on the trigger as he rounded the corner. The lamp in the living room was dark, and his feet crunched over the broken light bulb. "M'darlin!" The gun rounded the corner before he did, and he all but tripped over his screaming sister. "Come on. Come on, darlin' Lindy, I've got ye." He reached his hand down to her, pulling her to his feet. He kept the gun trained on the man who was writhing on the floor. "Pick up th'phone and call Lionel."

Lindy let out a hard sob, hiding behind her mountainous brother...and his gun. She held tight to him, fingers viced around his arms, and screamed at him. "What!? I'M TO BE CALLING THE POLICE!" She cried, paralyzed with fear...and pride. She had just saved her own life. Go. Her. She let out another cry, fingers lanced around his biceps.

And could think of nothing but her darling child.

"No." Graham's voice was coldly firm. "You're to call Lionel. Now."

Roddy was moaning on the floor, rolling back and forth and cradling his aching balls. "Motherfucker," he grunted out.

She didn't argue. She was too out of her mind to. She ran to the wall, lifting the receiver with the cord, and picked up the phone.

Shaking too hard to dial, she gritted her teeth, hunkering down close until she could hit the right buttons, and she brought the receiver to her ears as she sunk against the wall, staring at her ex husband as he moaned.

Lionel's cell phone trilled during dessert, and he excused himself from the table in the restaurant. He answered the phone as he walked. "Luthor."

"Lionel, Lionel," Lindy gritted her teeth, keeping herself from sobbing outright as she stared at the man who was a threat to her child, her family, and she sobbed out, phone away from her ear, "Make sure he dunna'o up tha'stairs." Lindy pressed the phone back to her ear, trembling as she spoke. "H's here, m'husb'nd, he's here, tried ta kill me, he did, Lionel, Chris'n'eaven, Graham told me to call yeh."

Dammit. Dominic watched Lionel excuse himself, and gave Ms. Bird another glass of champagne. "He'll be back, don't worry." He raised his glass to the older woman, and gave her a smile.

"Lindy. It's going to be all right. Tell Graham that help will be there in half an hour, and I'll have my jet waiting at the Vancouver airport first thing in the morning. Pack up what you need tonight, have it waiting by the door, and we'll see you in Smallville tomorrow afternoon." He kept his voice calm and steady as he heard the panic in her voice. "Did he hurt you or Eleanor?"

"No, tried to, but I be alrigh'." Lindy trembled, nodding as she swallowed, hard. She knew what was about to happen here... she knew it. Like Lionel had taken care of Dominic, he'd take care of her. She wasn't sure if she liked it, but this man had just tried to rape and kill her in her brothers kitchen.

She was terrified. And she was furious.

She swallowed, hard, nodding into the phone, and held it close. "Than'you, Lionel."

"You're welcome, Lindy." He paused, and silently gestured to the bartender in the lounge for scotch. "Where's your brother? Where's Graham? And where's Roderick?"

"We're standin' here in tha kitchen." She almost whispered, watching her ex husband like a hawk. "Graham has his rifle pointe' at him. I kneed him in tha groin...he's lyin' on the ground, moanin."

"Good girl, Lindy." He tossed back the drink as it was passed to him, and gestured for another. He looked at the screen on his telephone and jotted down the number of Graham's house on a cocktail napkin. "I'm going to make a phone call, and then I'll call you back, less than five minutes, to let you know help is on the way and how long it'll be."

"Pl'se hurry." Lindy whispered, and hung up on him, holding the phone to her slender chest as she walked over, as much as the cord would allow, and hid herself behind Grahams mountainous body, swallowing hard.

Back in the bar in Metropolis, Lionel closed his phone for a moment, sipped the second drink, and then made another phone call.

He found that the team had tracked Roddy to the city of Vancouver but had lost him there. They'd be at Graham's house within ten minutes. His next call was to his pilot, Consuela, and he outlined the flight plan she was to file and whom she was going to be picking up in the jet. The private airstrip kept the jet fueled for emergency trips just such as this, and as soon as the flight plan was filed, they'd move into action.

Lionel was pleased with himself as he redialed Graham's number, less than five minutes after he'd disconnected.

The phone rang against her breast and Lindy lifted it to her ear, pressing the on button. "Hullo?"

Roddy was trying to pull himself up to his knees, curling around his aching balls and aching belly. His chest ached from the retching and heaving, and he could barely breathe.

Graham raised the rifle sight just a little higher. "Gi'e me a reason."

Roddy just froze, wrapping back around his balls.

"Lindy? It's Lionel. Help is on the way; look for three men dressed in black SWAT gear. They should be there any moment. They'll take him off your hands." He drummed his fingers lightly. "Breathe deeply."

Lindy pressed her face close to the back of Grahams arm, holding on with much smaller fingers as she listened to Lionel, watching Roddy as he moved. Her leg ached from how hard she'd hit him but she ignored it, much too intent on the welfare of her child, herself, her brother and nephew. "I canna." She croaked, though she gulped air in trembling gasps and held onto the safety of her older brother.

"Yes, you can. Because very soon, he's going to be out of your life altogether, and you'll not have to deal with him ever again." He gave her a small smile. "I'll have Dominic call you as soon as I get back to the table."

Graham wrapped one arm around Lindy, hugging her tightly. "Aye, you're safe now." He kissed her forehead softly.

"Lionel, what--..." Don't ask. She didn't, and simply swallowed hard, nodding her head. "Than'you, Lionel. Thank you so much."

He almost told her not to ask, and then nodded to himself when she stopped in mid-sentence. "You're welcome, Lindy. It's what family is for. If the men aren't there in five minutes, call me again. They should be there by then. We're holding your room at the mansion open, and we'll meet you at the airstrip here in Metropolis and take you back to Smallville."

"Thank you." She whispered again. "Thank you, for openin' your arms to m'in Eleanor." She bit her lip, tightly, swallowing hard as she nodded. "I'll be callin' ya."

"As soon as dinner is done here, Dominic and I will call you and make sure that everything is all right there for the night before settling in. Lindy... you were a very brave woman tonight, and you did well."

She nodded but didn't speak anymore, hanging the phone up and setting it on the table. "You're filth, Roddy. For thinkin' you could come here, could come disrupt my family. You're filth, you're b'low me." She said tot he man on the ground, snarling at him. Her brogue came out when she was scared or furious, and as she was both right now, it was especially thick.

"Aye, that he is. Th'chil'ren are alrigh'. They're locked in th'bathroom, and Ellie won't open th'door to anybody bu'me. I didna know if he'd try to force ye to bring her down so I tol'her, not even to you. Jus' to me." Graham's aim didn't waver, and his finger didn't slip from the trigger.

It helped, as she stared at the man on the ground below her. "Filth. I pity you, Roddy, you and your soul."

Roddy's answer was a very loud moan, and then, it was drowned out by a pounding on the front door. "Mr. Senatori? Ms. Senatori? Lionel Luthor sent us."

"Aye, we're in here. Th'door's open, bastard jimmied it to get in! Lindy, show 'em the way in here."

Lindy's feet were lead underneath her, her eyes wide and her heart pounding her throat open as she slipped into the living room, carefully avoiding the broken glass as she opened the door to the house the rest of the way. Large, bulky men in FBI clothing were standing there, at her front door.

Two men and a woman, actually, though nobody could have told it until she removed the helmet and held out a badge and federal ID card. "I'm agent Denise Bryson, I work with the DEA on special loan to the FBI. We have the full cooperation of the RCMPs in this case."

The two men picked Roddy up from the floor, and handcuffed him, then one of them pulled out a roll of duct tape and slapped it over his mouth.

"Ma'am, I don't want you to worry. He won't be getting out of our custody any time soon. Were you aware that he's wanted on over fifty counts of statutory rape and child molestation?"

Lindy stared... at the... woman? Back at Graham...back to the FBI agents, still staring as her throat bobbed, working hard. "What?" She looked at Roddy, standing there helplessly between the two men, and she did something she'd wanted to do to him for a long time.

She spit on him, gave him a distasteful face, and turned her back, nodding at the woman as she hid behind Graham. "I understand. Just… please get him out of here. Please."

"You heard the lady, get him out of here. Van's waiting outside." She nodded sympathetically. "Mr. Luthor's been working with us for a while now, feeding us information on this man's whereabouts as he's come across it. If you'd like to add charges to what's already pending, I'd be glad to help you." She looked from Lindy to Graham. "Breaking and entering, stalking, assault with intent, attempted rape?"

"He had'a knife to my throat." Lindy said softly, trembling as she hugged herself. "I want to make charges, aye. When can I be doin them?" She asked the... the well, the lady in front of her, swallowing as she watched the two men drag Roddy out, still groaning in pain, to the van waiting outside.

"We can do it now, or I can bring the paperwork to you in a couple of days to sign so we can file," Denise explained.

"I'll be gone in a few days. But I'll come round the station, and do it." Lindy whispered, nodding as she hugged herself hard and looking up at her brother. "I want ta see my princess."

"Yeah, Mr. Luthor did tell us you were in the process of moving. If you'll tell me where you'll be staying, I can have it sent through the local police and faxed back to us."

Graham hugged his sister tightly. "We're goin' to be goin' back t'Smallville. Lindy's going in th'mornin, soon as I can arrange it. I'm followin' in a day or two." He kissed her forehead gently. "Aye, she's okay, my'darlin, but she's worried for her Mama."

Denise nodded as she scribbled the information down in her book. "If you need me before I get back in touch with you, here's my phone number in Seattle." She passed Lindy one of her cards, only it read Dennis Bryson instead of Denise.

Lindy looked at it, swallowing hard as she glanced up, before back down to the card, swallowing and nodding. "Thank you." She offered her hand, shook it hard, and walked up the steps, for her daughter.

"Mr. Senatori, you're the homeowner, correct? You'll have to be the one pressing the breaking and entering charges, is that all right with you?"

"Aye, doesna matter t'me, as long as he doesn't trouble my Lindy or little Ellie again."

"You can rest assured of that, Mr. Senatori." Denise handed Graham one of her cards as well. "I'll be in touch; Mr. Luthor's supplied your information, don't worry." She smiled. "Good evening, sir." And then, followed the other two men in black out the door, and disappeared into the van.

Graham just shook his head, sighed, and picked up the rifle. He un-racked the slide and de-chambered the shells, then carried the unloaded gun back up to his bedroom. He put the gun back in the box, emptied his pocket of gun shells, and spun the lock shut before placing the box back under his bed and heading for the bathroom.

"Laaaaaaaaaaaalalllaaaaa!" Ellie sang, loudly, as she caught Shaney's hand before he could touch. "No, no, Ms. Nibbits, we hafta keep'er head nice!" She said. She had Shaney in her lap, her legs locked around her waist, and was just applying finishing touches. He had on the mascarena, leepstick, and his hair was all pretty!!!!!!!!! He was a good Ms. Nibbits, too, and Eleanor beamed at him, fluffing the two hairs that actually sprouted from his head. "Purtyful!"

Lindy caught sight of her brother putting his gun back, and caught him in the hall before they went to the bathroom, her palm squeezing his, as tightly as she could. No words. There weren't any. He'd just saved her life tonight, and she just... she swallowed, chin trembling, and smiled at him.

Shane just...sort of...blinked.

Graham tugged his sister into his arms, and squeezed her tightly. He didn't say anything for a very long moment, just held her tight against his broad chest. Then he cleared his throat and knocked on the door. "Ellie darlin'? It's your uncle Graham. Unlock the door, sweetie, and let us in."

"YAY!" Ellie squealed, letting Shan-o go to bound to the door. She threw it open...and blinked as her mama let out a short scream. What?! SHE WAS BEEEEUTIFUL! She had on red lipstick, and and and her hair was cut all pretty like, and she had on mascerena!

Shane...blinked. Blinked again. Brought a hand to his face shaded like a clown...brought back little red tinted fingers. Blink.

Graham... blinked. At his son. With makeup all over his face. Lipstick streaked ear to ear. Powder and Christ only knew what else over top of it. Huge black raccoon streaks around his eyes, and he dropped his head into his hands. "Eleanor..."

Lindy wasn't quite so calm. But the sheer emotion of the night had overwhelmed her, and she just pulled Ellie into her arms and hugged her, as tightly and as firmly as she could. "Hello, my angel."

"I am BEEEEEutiful mama!" Eleanor beamed, brightly, smiling from ear to ear as she hugged her mom, pointing at her hair, which had been chopped half off. " I am de PRRINCEESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shane looked up at his dad, as if to tell him, 'how could you?'. He touched the top of his hair...a big plastic something, and he yanked until he got it out...sobbing when his hair got ripped up too, but at least it was out. His nails, and most of his fingers, were painted bright orange and he snuffled, shimmying up onto his feet, butt first and then straightening, and toddled a few steps to his dad, holding the bow up at him.

Only when Ellie pointed did Lindy notice what she'd done to her hair. Half the beautiful curls had been chopped off, and the other half... had God only knew what in it to make it stand up straight like that. "You... Eleanor, you cut your hair!!!!!!!!!!!" It wasn't quite a shriek.

Graham swept his sobbing little boy into his arms, and kissed his head where the hair had been ripped out. He took the bow and tossed it onto the back of the toilet seat. "Come on, little man. Let's go and get you cleaned up. Eleanor Senatori, if your Mama doesn't paddle your butt, then I'm going to."

"I KNOW!" Ellie twirled on one foot, her socks squeaking as she sighed in happiness... and did a little shimmy across the room, wriggling her hips to an internal little dance as she giggles.

Oh. Okay. See? Shane's chin quivered and big crocodile tears filled his eyes to brimming. A hard snuffle, trembling as he sniffled and held on to his daddy's ears, tugging them and snuffling some more as he rubbed the tears out of his eyes, laying a pink cheek on his daddy's shoulder.

"HE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!" Ellie shrieked, than sighed and looked at her mother with a blink. "Why did you make me hide in the bafroom, mama?"

"Because there was a bad man in the house," she explained quietly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay and didn't get hurt while your uncle Graham and I took care of things." Lindy struggled to keep her voice calm and not cracking. "We're going to be seeing your Uncle Weirdy Lion tomorrow. He called us tonight, and he says that he misses us so much, he's going to send his big airplane here to get our stuff, and bring us all back to Smallville with him and uncle Morgan."

Graham patted his son's back. "Come on, my baby, don't cry. I'm sendin' you with your aunt Lindy so you can see your uncle Lionel tomorrow. I'll be right behind you, and you'll never know I wasn't there."

"He canna say no to my prettiness." She flipped her hair, and had said uncle Morgan been there, he would have died laughing at the straight up imitation of him. She sighed, fanned her face, and walked in front of her mama, to her Barbie bedroom.

Didn't understand a word. But oh well, daddy was there hugging him, and he snuffled, snuggling close.

Bestest frriiiieeeeeeeeeennnnnndddd? Where ARE YOU?! Why didn't you SAVE ME FROM THE CRAZY PERSON?!

Graham just burst out laughing at the imitation of their younger brother. "Y've got t'admit, she has him down pat."

"Oh, shut up." But for the first time that whole night, Lindy cracked a grin.

~ * ~ * ~

-fin-

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