This chapteris a bit segmented and spread over a couple of different episodes. I've tried to keep in what's relevent to this story without having too much filler. I honestly hate writing filler chapters.

Thanks for your reviews :)

"It's good to be home," Martha remarked as she plated up dinner. "Not that the few days in Metropolis with your Grandfather weren't nice," she added quickly.

Clark dropped heavily into his seat at the table. "I'm sorry you had to leave Mom, I just thought it would be safer, there were so many of them and just one of me and then after the barn incident..."

"I understood," she assured him, "I didn't want you to be distracted, and as I said it was nice to catch up after so many years." She glanced over her shoulder at her son, asking, "What did you two talk about whilst I was packing?"

"This and that." He looked thoughtful for a second before deciding to use this opportunity to satisfy his own curiousity and added, "So...Dad punched Grandad." as his Mom placed his dinner down in front of him.

Martha paused for a second, surprised that this had slipped out so soon, but she recovered quickly. "He did," she confirmed. "It wasn't a proud moment for either of them."

"He said that."

Sitting down at the table, she looked at her son, asking, "Did he tell you the whole story?"

Clark speared a piece of chicken with his fork, nodding, "I think so. He said that he didn't like Dad and he never thought it would be a serious relationship between you, so when Dad asked to marry you he said he laughed." Clark bit into his dinner, continuing, "I can see why Dad wouldn't take that well."

"Don't talk with you mouth full. And no he certainly didn't."

Tilting his head, Clark looked at his Mom curiously, "I'm glad he was honest with me, but I still don't quite understand it all. I mean surely when he saw that you were both serious and that you were happy together he would have come round? That's the bit that I don't get."

Martha sighed. "He did try," she admitted, "but your Dad and I chose not to restart contact."

"Why?" When Clark saw her slight wince realisation dawned on him, he placed down his fork. "Because of me," he guessed. "I should have known."

"When you were young you couldn't control your powers, that wasn't your fault. Like any child you were getting used to the world around you, finding out what you could do and pushing your boundaries." She gave a warm smile as she reached out and squeezed his hand. "You just had different abilities to most toddlers." Martha met his gaze head on. "When you become a parent your priorities shift, you were my priority and I didn't want to risk losing you. I chose not to take the risk in confiding in your Grandad and that was my choice. I don't regret it and I never will." Her hand squeezed his tighter. "Clark, is everything ok? You've seemed distant the last week or so, ever since you found out more about your heritage from Dr Swann."

Clark pulled his gaze away from his Mom's, he hadn't been able to tell her about Kal El's prophecy, about what his destiny was to be, to be a conqueror. He didn't want to see her face when he told her that, but he wasn't sure he could keep hiding it from her. "At first it was nice to know more about my world, to think that there were other people like me and it was tough to hear that I am the only one left. But at first I then thought that I hadn't really lost anything, because I'd always believed I was the only one."

"I understand that you've had a lot to get your head around the last two weeks but despite you telling me that you're fine with this, you don't look it."

"That's not all I found out," he admitted. "I wasn't just sent here to be kept safe, I was sent here...my birth father sent me here to be a conqueror, to rule Earth."

Martha sat back, exhaling at the confession. "Well I understand why you would struggle with that, but that doesn't mean that you have to follow that path."

"But what if I can't escape it?"

"Of course you can. Clark, nobody's future is set in stone and it certainly isn't set by their parents." It pained her to acknowledge anyone other than herself and Jonathan as being a parent to him, but she felt it needed said. She managed to smile as she told him, "Your Grandfather had a very set idea for my future, I was to go to Law school, take an internship at his firm and marry either a lawyer, businessman or doctor and live the life that he envisioned for me. I didn't do any of that, because it wasn't what I wanted, he wasn't happy about it but he couldn't stop me."

"He's not an all powerful ailien though," Clark remarked dryly.

"No, although he may not thank you if he hears that you don't deem him to be all powerful." Martha rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Clark, I'm going to sound like a terrible person saying this, but your birth parents have been dead for years, they can't control you."

Clark gave the briefest of nods, forcing himself to smile, somehow he felt it wouldn't be as simple as that, it never was but he didn't want to worry her with that. "Yeah, you're right. It's just when you come from a planet of all powerful aliens..." He shrugged. "Suppose I was just worried, that's all."

Martha got to her feet, ruffling Clark's hair and dropping a kiss onto his bent head. "You're not meant to worry, that's my job," she told him.

He nodded again. "I'll remember that," he replied, injecting some humour into his tone, when really he felt she had enough to worry about, he'd seen her at night sifting through their bills and he knew that although working had eased some of their money worries there were more lingering under the surface still. He couldn't add to that, he gave her enough stress as it was. As she moved to take the plates away, the sleeve of her jumper pulled up and he caught sight of the bruising to her wrist. Another reminder of what he'd put her through, he had been seen using his powers and Eric had used her to get to him. He had to be better than he was, he just had to be.

Lionel's expensive shoes were soundless as he stalked down the high school's corridor, making for their newspaper's base. He paused at the door, a moment of uncertainty and hesitation over-taking him, it wasn't a feeling he was used to. Once again he couldn't help but think about his promise to Martha, about her last words to him, reminding him of it. He shook his head, he wasn't breaking that promise, he'd promised to stop investigating Clark if Martha hadn't...he couldn't even complete the end of that sentance in his head, but she was alive and well. It was possibly flimsy thinking, and he knew that she wouldn't agree with the connection, would expect a promise to hold regardless of that caveat. It didn't matter now what she thought, he reminded himself, he had decided to pull away from her rather than to pursue her, so it didn't matter what she thought of his methods.

His hand reached out for the door handle and paused again. If she didn't matter, then why was he so intent on following up on his suspicions about Clark, about the other odd happenings in Smallville? Why wasn't he just going back to Metropolis and forgetting about this Godforsaken small town. Because he knew that if he could figure out the secrets this town held it would lead to untold riches and more control than he had ever dreamed of, that's why. He may have given up on Martha but he wouldn't be giving up on his lifelong goal, to build a lasting legacy.

He pushed down on the door handle, his mind made up. Chloe Sullivan was an intrepid young woman who had an insight into Clark and access to his daily life, not only that he was sure could be persuaded into assisiting him, after all her ambition was palpable. She was going to be useful to him, he just knew it.

"I didn't expect to see you back in Smallville so soon," Lex commented as the double doors to his study were thrown open and Lionel strolled in.

Lionel shot him his trademark, fake grin as he replied, "My son and heir has just gotten engaged, of course I'm going to visit to pass on my best wishes to the happy couple." He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering to a conspiratory tone as he added, "I also see you've found staff who are willing to pre-empt you with news of my arrival."

"Considering that this is to be my maritial home, I felt it would be beneficial to know just who is visiting." Lex leaned back in his chair, his hands folding together. "I actually wanted to speak to you about buying the mansion off you, after all there's nothing here for you in Smallville." A small, smug smile played across his features as he continued, "Not now your business ventures here have come to nothing at least. Whereas Lexcorp is thriving."

Chuckling, Lionel told him, "Pride cometh before a fall Lex, and yes there have been a couple of stumbling blocks along the way, but I'm confident that Luthorcorp will soon play an integral role in the future of Smallville."

"How ominious. I assume then that's no to allowing me to purchase this place." Lex waved his hand around the room as he spoke.

"You assume correctly for once. I shall of course continue to allow yourself and the future Mrs Lex Luthor to reside here for as long as you both wish to."

"How generous."

"And I'm not even finished yet. I came here today to deliver your wedding gift, as I assume that my invitation to the big day has been lost in the post."

Lex narrowed his eyes. "You tried to bribe Helen into leaving me, surely you didn't think after that that you'd be entitled to a front row seat."

"That was a test of loyalty, son. I was looking out for you."

"You were looking out for your money, trying to hold onto the vision you have for my future."

Lionel's jaw tensed. "You know Lex, it's not a bad thing to show caution in regards to relationships when you have as much to lose as we do."

"It's only money."

"Says the boy who's never gone without any," Lionel snapped tersely. He sucked in a deep breath, calming himself before continuing, "You never seem to have been able to get your head around the concept that our money makes us targets."

"Helen isn't like that, surely your little trick of yours has shown that."

Personally Lionel felt that it showed she was out for a much bigger prize, but he chose not to share that thought, instead telling his son, "Believe it or not Lex I didn't come here to argue with you. If you feel that Helen is the woman you want to marry then so be it."

"How supportive."

Lionel bit the inside of his cheek momentarily to stop himself from speaking his true thoughts and continued, "No doubt you can both take great delights in proving my suspicions wrong. In the meatime, I have brought you a wedding gift." He pulled the crisp white envelope out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket, placing it on the desk in front of Lex. "I've taken the liberty of arranging your honeymoon, private jet of course and your own Carribean Island for two weeks. All inclusive."

Lex's head tilted, his eyes narrowing in mild confusion. "And why would you do that?"

"As a peace offering, towards you and my future daughter in law." He stepped back, watching as Lex slid the envelope slowly towards himself. "I shall leave it to yourself and Helen to decide if you wish to take up the offer, in the meantime I have business to attend to."

Lex watched his Dad turn on his heel and silently stalk from the room. He picked the envelope up and mulled over it thoughtfully, unconvinced that it was simply a kind gesture. There had to be more to it than that, there always was with Lionel Luthor.

The door swung open again and Helen walked in, remarking, "I just saw your Father, what did we do to earn this visit?"

"Apparently he came to offer his congratualtions."

Helen raised one perfectly shaped dark eyebrow at that. "Why does that phrase somehow ring false?"

Managing a smile Lex replied, "I thought so too. He did give us this however." He passed her the envelope.

She opened it and looked through the booking paperwork. "It's certainly generous," she replied after a moment.

"Given his disapproval I would say too generous."

"As would I, but..." She looked up and grinned at him, "why look a gift horse in the mouth?"

His smile widened. "We never really spoke about the honeymoon, is this what you would want?"

Helen leaned over the desk, pressing a soft kiss to Lex's lips, murmuring, "Two weeks alone with my handsome new husband in paradise is surely the dream of every new wife."

"I can give you that, if you would rather not accept this."

Glancing briefly down at the envelope again, Helen gave a small shrug and her lips curled into a wry smile. "This is already paid for, so why waste our own money when we could save it."

"Believe me we have enough that it wouldn't be a waste," he assured her.

"To pay twice for such an extravagance would be wasteful to me," she told him. "And perhaps this is the start of your Father accepting out relationship." She looked at him hopefully, "Did you get the chance to ask about the house?"

Lex's cheek twitched. "I did."

"I take it from your tone that it didn't go the way we had hoped for."

"No, it didn't."

"Clearly, I was wrong about him accepting me," Helen remarked wryly.

"I wouldn't take it personally, I doubt Mother Theresa wouldn't have gained his approval as a future Mrs Luthor."

Helen continued as though he hadn't spoken, her irritation palpable, her voice rising in pitch, "You said yourself that there's nothing here for him."

"He implied that isn't the case." Lex leaned back thoughtfully in his chair. "The only subsidiary he has left in Smallville is a storage facility, and there are no other business prospects available in the town just now. So perhaps it isn't due to business."

Helen crossed her arms across herself, asking impatiently, "What do you mean?"

"I think it might be more personal than that. I think he might have developed an affection for Martha Kent, perhaps the hope of winning her over is what is really pulling him back here."

Her head jerking up sharply, Helen forced herself to pull her features into a neutral expression, sensing the opportunity to gain more information. "What do you mean?"

"You're aware she worked for him for a short while before she took the job at the Talon?" When she nodded, he continued, "well it was always clear that he appreciated her opinions and I assumed it was just professional, but then I saw them together after her illness, there was nothing sordid, I've just never seen him look at someone the way I saw him look at her, and then of course there was his reaction to her illness."

"It was unusual from a former employer."

Lex got to his feet, a small smile on his face as he gave a laugh. "Not that he'll get anywhere. Do you know he even took her out to the ballet whilst they were staying in Metropolis, played it off as though it was nothing of course, he was actually quite convincing."

Helen managed a mild laugh before asking, "Did they frequently stay in Metropolis?"

"No, they traveled through for business frequently but to the best of my recollection they only had to stay in the city that one time. He made her stay late quite frequently here as well, no doubt trying to figure out the best way to get what he wanted."

"No doubt," Helen echoed, her mind racing ahead as she connected the dots. Martha Kent had claimed her baby was a result of a one stand and yet she had been vague about her dates. She had given a time period of four weeks, when clearly she had only been to Metropolis once. However if she had been having an affair with Lionel Luthor -she doubted those late night had been innocent - then she wouldn't be clear about her dates. Her reticence about sharing her pregnancy news, about actively trying to conceal it would also make more sense. Martha Kent was having Lionel Luthor's baby and he knew nothing about it.

Her mouth twitched as she suppressed her smile, both Luthor men would talk about how knowledge was power and she now certainly held an ace, one that she was sure would be useful in the weeks ahead, should it be required. Her mood improved, she stepped into Lex's arms, telling him confidently, "Well whatever his reasons are for keeping the house, they certainly aren't going to put a dampener on our big day."

Lex's smile was wide as he replied, "Nothing possibly could."