Tunguska

By Pouncer

DISCLAIMER: Nothing Smallville related belongs to me, being the property of various corporate identities including the WB, DC Comics, etc. I'm just playing.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Livia posted her X-Files title challenge and my muse was unleashed. Feedback would be truly lovely. My thanks to nerodi for her beta efforts.

"Wanna race?"

Laura Lang took off like a startled gazelle across the school parking lot without waiting for her husband's answer.

"Hey!"

She grinned as she heard Lewis' indignant outburst, sprinting towards their car. He always hated to lose. She reveled in the feel of her feet skimming the ground, the smoothness of her steps. Thank God the knee surgery had worked out so well a year and a half ago, she could beat him easily. Laura heard pounding footsteps getting closer and put on a final burst of speed, barely touching the hood of their old grey sedan before he careened into her.

"Think you'll take advantage of me? Hah! I'll get my revenge . . ." His hands settled warmly around her waist as he turned her body and leaned in for a kiss. His lips lingered warmly, and his hands ran up her back to her shoulders.

"If this is revenge, I'll have to get on your bad side more often," Laura teased. "All the competitiveness of Homecoming made me want to run." She smiled happily at her husband, loving the feel of his chest against her hands. "It was a good game this year, wasn't it?"

"Very good that the Crows won. Coach Walt certainly knows how to get the best out of the team."

"He's a Smallville institution. I don't know what the town would do if the team lost Homecoming after all these years of his victories."

"Too bad Lana's a girl, or we could look forward to watching her playing for the team in a few years." Lewis looked down at her sideways with a gleam in his eyes.

"Well, there's nothing to say that our most recent efforts won't result in a boy for you to initiate in the finer points of contact sports." Laura was happy they had decided to try for more children, but also wanted to put in a word for gender equality. "Lana will have her own gifts - a sport or a hobby. You'll have a lot of time to play proud papa with her."

Lewis smiled down at her, eyes sparkling at the thought of more children. "I was considering how much more Lana will have to grow before I introduce her to a soccer ball or a t-ball bat."

"Our little girl who loves fairy princesses and snuggling? It might be a long wait!"

"Speaking of waiting, we should get going to the flower shop to pick her up." The two got into their car and slowly started out into the mass of traffic exiting the school. "I wonder how Nell is dealing with Lana?"

Laura sighed as she thought of her sister, "You know Nell is too impatient to deal well with children. I wish Holly hadn't started going out with that Robertson boy. She wouldn't have minded babysitting during Homecoming back when she wasn't dating one of the team. I hope Nell hasn't upset Lana."

"Well, it was nice of Nell to offer to take care of her so we could still attend the game."

"Yes, but I know she's too strict with Lana. She doesn't like any rambunctiousness or noise. She thinks she's good with children, but she won't let them be children."

"Oh well, we'll have our munchkin back in our custody soon enough and we can take her home to run around the back yard."

"I always love the sight of her shrieking while you chase her," Laura smiled.

"She's a lot of fun. Almost as much fun as her mother."

"Flatterer. She's been so excited about Halloween this year. I can't believe how stubborn she was about wearing her costume today!"

"I would imagine every day until Trick or Treating seems like an eternity. She just wanted to dress up and look extra special pretty in anticipation of her first night as a candy bandit."

Lewis accelerated gently once they were finally out of the high school parking lot, turning onto the main road towards the flower shop.

Laura looked around at the traffic, "I think everybody at the game is going through town! Can you believe this line of cars?"

"Everyone's happy that the Crows won again. Of course they want to spread the news."

"Mmmm," Laura hummed, looking out the window at the scenery as they got closer to the center of town.

"The streets are really crowded," Lewis peered through the windshield, finding a place to park in front of the bakery.

"Oh look, Nell's bringing Lana out already. Are you prepared for her greeting?" Laura asked her husband.

"She won't knock me down this time," he promised as they both stepped out of the car.

Laura started around the rear window covered with a yellow "Lets Go Smallville" banner. "Hi Lana!" she called across the street.

"Mommy, Daddy!" Lana was waving excitedly.

Laura heard an odd rumbling sound, like a plane was too close to the ground. She glanced over at her husband and found him staring into the sky while walking closer to the rear of the car. She looked up herself and was shocked to see a fireball plummeting towards the ground, trailing a smoky plume. Her smile faded from her face as she turned to Lewis again. His face was slightly curious as he watched the sky. Her husband was the last thing she saw before the world ended in an explosion of fire and heat.

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An asteroid collided with the Earth in 1908 at the Tunguska region of Siberia. "The force of the blast flattened more than ... 500,000 acres of pine forest and killed thousands of reindeer. The number of human casualties, if any, is unknown." -- encarta.com