"I thought I told you there was no hurry."

Martha Kent smiled at her husband. She knew he was trying to make this easier on her, but nothing could. Martha loved her father—he was, after all, her father. But when she adopted Clark she was forced to choose between her relationship with her parents and her son's safety. Obviously she chose the latter. It was hard. She didn't know it could be so hard. But the choice was made—how could she go back on that now? "I got home as soon as I could." She took her coat off. "Where is he?"

Jonathon walked up to her. "He's in the barn with Clark."

"Clark? Jonathon, this is a very sensitive issue with him. If Clark starts talking, he might not stop."

"I know that Martha, but I can't just pick him up and throw him in the house."

Under controlled circumstances, Martha would be glad to see her father— but she knew him. He wasn't invited this time, and Martha's dad never came anywhere without an invitation. Not unless he had something to say that no one wanted to hear.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know, Martha—he wouldn't tell me. All he said was that he wanted to see you and Clark."

Martha was thinking. "I don't like the sound of this."

Jonathon agreed. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

By this time Clark had shown William his entire loft—I mean, his "Fortress of Solitude".

"Fortress of Solitude? Describes your father in three words."

"He's not as bad as you think, Granddad."

"Yes, that's why he has this farm house in the middle of corn fields—lots of opportunities for conversation."

"Well, the corn is all ears." Clark laughed a little at his joke, but his grandfather just looked at him like that was the worst joke he had ever heard. Clark's smile faded. "Ears… that's what the corn's…" Clark looked away. "Never mind."

"I see we can add farm whit to the list your father's responsible for." Now Clark was getting a little tired of this. He tried his best not to sound angry. "Why are you always ragging on him so hard? He really does his best to provide for me and Mom."

"Clark, when you're at a certain point in your life, you look back at it all and try to see what you're life is worth… but all you can see is the mistakes you made—the mistakes you let people make for you." William looked lost in thought. "When you see that, you get very angry at the people who are responsible for that."

Clark straightened. "Or maybe you just look for someone to blame."

William looked at Clark. "You're speaking your mind, Clark—I guess more of Martha has gotten into you than I had thought."

Clark would have said something, but they both turned around when they heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

William stopped at the sight of his daughter. This was one of the handful of times he had seen her in 20 years. Before she was just a kid, barely older than Clark. Now she was a woman, with life experience. He might have missed out on the opportunity to know her before, but he wouldn't allow himself to make that mistake again.

Martha, however, was not smiling. This had to do with protecting her son—she had to treat it that way, no matter how much she didn't want to. "Dad."

William smiled. "Martha." He stepped up to her and hugged her for the first time in 20 years. "It's so good to see you."

But Martha didn't hug him back. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

William stepped back, disappointed in the cold welcome. "I just came to see my daughter and my grandson."

"You should have called, Will," Jonathon spoke. Clark gave him a warning glare. He was the only one who wanted William to stay.

"I would have called, but I knew what you'd say."

"And that would have stopped you?"

"Dad!"

"No, it's okay, Clark." He turned to Martha. "I needed to tell you something—something I couldn't tell you over the phone."

Martha was suddenly alarmed. "Is it Mom?"

"No, no—your mother's fine."

Martha shook her head in confusion. "Then what is it?"

There was a long silence. Clark finally decided he didn't like silence. "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad Granddad's here now." He smiled, hoping others would smile, too, but they didn't. Clark's smile faded.

"Dad, I really wish you could have talked to me before you cornered my son."

"I wanted to see him before I saw you."

Clark looked confused. "Why?"

William looked up at his grandson. He's tall for his age… "Because you wanted to see me, Clark. That's why."

Martha looked away. She knew she was getting the medal for the world's worst daughter about now, but she couldn't think of that. She had to think of Clark. "You've seen him, now you can leave."

"Martha…"

"She said you can leave." In reality, Jonathon felt guilty about Martha and Clark not being able to see William, but Clark was also Jonathon's son. And William was a respected lawyer. If he ever found anything out… Jonathon didn't want to think of that part. "You might own part of Metropolis, Will, but I own this farm. I want you off of it right now." Martha turned around to leave.

"Martha, I have cancer."

Everyone in the room froze, then turned back towards William at the same time. "What?" Martha asked.

"It's lymphoma. The doctor says I have 6 months, 6 weeks… 6 days."

Martha shook her head again. "But you look fine."

"I decided to quit the chemo. I figured I could die in a hospital surrounded by nurses or I could come to Smallville and make amends with my daughter, and her son…" He turned to Jonathon. "And her husband."

Jonathon wasn't sure what to say, but this sure changed things.