A/N : Thanx everyone who reviewed; Amidalasky Snape, Robyn, luthorlove33, Dontia, Queen Of Tact, Michelle - glad you're all enjoying the story. Here is two more chapters for you.

(Disclaimer : see chapter 1)

I cried more in those few moments than I had ever cried in my life. I stumbled back into the room, blinded by my tears and so full of pain, anger and sadness.

"Hey, what happened?" Clark jumped up immediately when I returned to the room in such a state.

I tried to tell him, but words escaped me and fresh bouts of tears choked every attempt of an explanation. Clark wrapped his arms around me and immediately I was safe. That one thing had not changed, despite the years we had been apart. When I was in Clark's arms, held tight against his body, then I was truly safe.

"Come on" he said, quietly, leading me over to the sofa and sitting me down with him. His grip did not let up and I did not want it to.

After a couple of minutes, my body stopped convulsing and I was able to breath properly again.

"I'm sorry" I managed to say, still not willing to leave my old best friends grasp.

"You have nothing to be sorry for" he assured me, stroking my hair and continuing to hold me close. As I calmed down, I was less comfortable about my current position and I pulled away a little from Clark.

"You want to tell me what happened now?" he asked me, gently.

"He got upset," I started to explain in a shaky voice, "he wants kids, we both do, we've been trying for months but it didn't happen and you've got two..." I didn't know what else to say.

The photograph on the floor caught my eye and I leant over from the sofa to pick it up. I knew Clark was watching me the whole time.

"They really are beautiful" I told him, and I wasn't lying. Both little Jonathan and Laura had dark hair and bright eyes just like their parents and all four people in the pictures were smiling widely.

"You all look so happy" I smiled, in spite of my own jealousy and pain.

"Yeah" Clark didn't sound convincing as he took the picture from me, looked at his briefly and returned it to his wallet.

"What's the matter?" I asked him, rubbing the back of my hand across my face, to remove the remnants of the tears that had fallen there.

"Nothing" he said, too quickly.

"Clark, I know when you're lying" I told him, quite seriously, "I always did and I always will"

He shifted uncomfortably next to me and looked every which way except at me. I took hold of his hand and spoke gently to him.

"Come on, I told you my problem, now you tell me yours" I attempted a smile and he turned to look at me.

"Just like old times" he managed a smile too, now, as he reminded me of days gone by when we were students at Smallville High School. We would always be in the Torch office or the Talon coffee shop, just me and Clark, and sometimes Pete, swapping stories and problems and advice. Clark was always there when I needed him and I'd like to think I was there when he needed me too.

"Things are okay" Clark looked away again, "it's just..." he trailed off, but I wasn't giving up that easily.

"It's just what?" I tried and he seemed to think about it a long time before he finally decided to finish his explanation.

"Well, Lana's changed"

"Changed? How?" I was increasingly curious as to what trouble there could possibly be in the paradise of the young Kent family.

"I don't know, after the kids were born she got....distant, sometimes,...I'm not even sure she loves me..."

I was kind of shocked by that. I always thought Clark and Lana were the perfect couple (after me and Lex, of course) but apparently their marriage was running as smoothly as, well, mine.

Lex loved me, most of the time I was pretty sure of that, but lately with the whole 'trying to have a baby' thing, I don't know, he has had a lot of stress. It's easier for him to take it on me. Not that he'd ever hurt me physically, he knows better than that, but there had been more arguments since we decided to get pregnant.

"I know how you feel" I admitted, "Life hasn't been a picnic here lately, either"

"You want to talk about it?" Clark asked me, and I suddenly realised how close we were again.

"Do you want to talk about your marital problems?" I asked him.

"I thought I did" he smiled, in spite of himself, "that's what I came here for, but now I'm not so sure"

There was silence for a while and I started to think about Lex. What he'd said and done that night, before he walked out on me, and before I knew where I was I was crying again.

"This is ridiculous" I said quietly, trying to stifle another sob, but it was all in vain and suddenly I was drowning in tears again.

"Hey, come on" Clark's voiced eased the pain, as did his strong arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him and for the second time that night he held me tight and kept me safe.

"Sometimes, I wish you hadn't gone away" I said, between sobs.

"Me too" he admitted, squeezing me tighter.

"Sometimes I wonder what it might have been like" I continued as my tears began to subside again, "if you'd stayed or if you hadn't married Lana and I hadn't married Lex"

To be honest, I didn't really know what I was saying, I didn't know what I was doing. I moved a little and looked up into his face. I found myself drowning in those pools he has for eyes. I was being drawn in by them, by him, in everyway.

There were no more words to be spoken, only action to be taken. I closed my eyes and moved in to kiss him. I'll admit I was worried about what reaction I might get, but I was pleasantly surprised when he responded.

I was lost in his arms, in his kiss, wrapped up in his body and alive, with this incredible feeling that I hadn't felt in so long. My mind was clear of Lex, of Lana, of babies, of everything and my senses were full of nothing but Clark.

A/N : On to chapter 4.....