Lana was finally glad to be back in her house, with her baby; Away from the hospitals, away from the press, in the comfort of her own home.
She looked down at the magazine on the kitchen counter. Front page was a picture of her, Clark and Alex coming out of the hospital with a headline big as life 'Luther baby born.' Lana smirked, suddenly she didn't mind so much. Her mother must have bought it, because she knew Clark never would.
In the picture, you could barely see Alex in the carrier, he was wrapped in a blue blanket, his little head, covered in brown hair, was the only thing visible. Lana couldn't help but grimace at how worn out she looked, completely stressed and run down. 'Well I did just have a baby!' Lana thought, defending herself to no one and everyone. But she didn't mind, not this time, nothing could bring her down from this high in her life, which had been brought on by Alex.
Lana was snapped out of her thoughts as her father and Clark entered the house, laughing, returning from farm work.
"Hey." Clark kissed her forehead, as he sat down next to her"How's the baby"
"He's fine, he's just sleeping." Lana was thankful for that too, Alex was a lot of work, but worth it. She had her mother to help her though, who was so willing.

6 months later

Clark un-strapped the car seat/ baby carrier from the back of his car. He couldn't help but smile, seeing he had traded his beloved Ferrari for a Toyota, but he needed the backseat space for the baby.
Clark took the baby carrier, which held his sleeping child, out of the car, and into the Kent house, but not before grabbing the diaper bag first.
"Hey, Clark." Lana kissed him as he entered the house.
"Hey, I'm just going to put him down, and I'll be right back." Clark carefully lifted Alex out of the carrier, making sure he didn't wake him up, as he carried him up the stars to his room and laid him down in the crib, flipping the baby monitor on.
"So how is it going" Clark hugged Lana from behind as he kissed her cheek.
"Um... it's hard." Lana laughed"But I'm almost ready for finals." Lana said referring to her schoolwork.
Clark had arranged it so that Lana could take all her classes from home. It was like home school but it had the plus of not having to turn in every assignment, an arrangement only a Luthor could pull off.
Lana knew Clark could have just as easily made it so she passed every class anyways, but she really wanted to finish high school, doing it the right way. Attending her Senior year with Clark at Smallville high just wasn't an option.
Clark had assured her that if she wanted to, he could make it work. He had offered a nanny thousands of times, but she didn't want her baby to be raised by a babysitter, she wanted to raise Alex, and for that she needed to be home with him.
Clark barely went to school, twice a week if he was lucky, but he knew he would pass, he passed his junior year with 73 absences, and about zero work done. Clark was 18 now and so he started working more with LuthorCorp and figuring out the business, taking an active part. The rest of the time he spent with both his babies, Lana and Alex.
He had been taking Alex a lot more lately to give Lana some peace and quiet so she could study. He admired her for going threw with high school, she was working harder than ever, but the baby had just started sleeping threw the night, which maid life a lot easier.
Things had changed so much since Alex's birth, both externally and internally. Cark thought about his car again, and then about how his frig held baby bottles instead of beer bottles, how his room was filled with just as many items for the baby as for him, how not even a year ago Clark always he to be out, doing something, but now just a day hanging around the house with Lana and Alex made him happy.
Clark had never even begun to realize how much a baby changes things, changes you. Before his only worries were for his brother and Lana, and they could take care of themselves, but now he had this little baby that was constantly on his mind.
Clark found himself doing things with his baby that he would have been completely embarrassed about before, but now it didn't matter if anyone saw him show that kind of affection to his baby, because he wanted them to know.
Clark's life had never been busier either, juggling a baby, a girlfriend, and now LutherCorp. Clark never really thought about what he wanted to do in life, he always assumed that he would end up in professional sports or take over the company, but nothing he imagined really appealed to him. But now that he was actually working at LuthorCorp and contracting business deals, he realized her really did love it. He truly was born to run a business, and now that Lionel was out of the picture, and he had no pressure to do it, he found he really did want to. Plus he got to work with his brother, who had taught him everything he knew about business, which he loved.
He really felt happy, everything in his life was all coming together and he loved what he saw in the future too.
"Hey Clark." Jonathan greeted Clark.
"Hey." Clark returned the smile.
Clark was also content with the relationship he had with Jonathan, although it had taken over 3 ½ years and more fights than you could count or even remember, they finally had a strong bond, as close to father and son Clark had ever experienced, and Jonathan never thought it was possible but he could now look at the Luthor name as something to be proud of, because he really respected Clark and Lex as people now.
Jonathan could clearly see, along with anyone else who knew Clark and Lana well, that they were two completely different people than 2 years before. They had gone threw so much and all those experiences changed them.
The baby had changed Clark more than anyone, of course he still has ruminates of his old life, the life that Lionel had guided, and they were always going to be there, but Clark had overcome the big things, and had drastically changed from the spoiled, ill-behaved, selfish boy he had once been. He was now a man in every sense, and it showed. He actually knew the meaning of taking responsibility for his actions.
Jonathan had his doubts at first, about how much Clark was going to acknowledge his child, but he had destroyed those doubts by his daily visits to his son and Lana. Alex spent almost as much time with Clark at the mansion and Kent house, as he did with Lana.
Jonathan's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a baby crying over the monitor.
"I'll get him." Clark offered.
"No, I haven't spent any time with him the past few days." She felt guilty, but she had to study. She made her way upstairs to fetch her crying baby boy.
Martha entered the room"Did you bring my grandson back yet" She teased, but truthfully she did miss Alex, he had been gone almost 5 days.
"Yep." Clark smiled, and as if on cue Lana came back down the stairs with Alex in her arms, whose eyes were red from crying, and was still crying a little bit.
"You're okay baby." Lana bounced him on her hip, as she popped a bottle in the microwave for 10 seconds.
"Clark, are you going to stay for dinner" Martha asked.
"Sure." Clark smiled.
Lana came next to Clark, taking a seat, with Alex still in her arms, who was now being pacified by his bottle.

1 year later

Clark was woken by the sound of little feet running around. He propped himself up in his bed, and began to think, and no, Alex hadn't spent the night at his house. Strange, Clark used to be able to sleep threw anything and basically still could, but certain sounds were sure to wake up him. Mainly the sounds of his son.
Even though Clark knew that Alex had not been here in the night, he also knew that he was here now, because he could here his little laugh ring through the mansion, and before Clark could get up, his almost 2 year old son ran into his room.
"Daddy" He shouted, clearly excited"Up" He grabbed Clark's hand, trying to get Clark out of bed.
"Hey, Buddy." Clark picked Alex up"Did mommy bring you here"
Alex nodded his head as he wrapped an arm around his father's neck"Gramma, Grampa, too."
Clark laughed at his son's excitement, but he couldn't remember if he had something planned today with Lana and her parents, he must have, or why would they all be here?
Clark walked out in his boxers into the main room to find Lana watching TV.
"Hey, Lana." Clark kissed Lana's cheek, and she jumped, because she hadn't heard Clark come into the room.
"Alexander, I told you not to wake Daddy up." Lana raised an eyebrow at her son.
"I didn't, Mom." He said, looking up at her with innocent eyes, as Clark set him down on the couch next to her.
Alex laughed and kissed his Mommy on the cheek, mimicking his Dad.
"No, I was up..." Clark gave her a puzzled look"Alex said your parents are here too."
"Yeah..." Lana didn't get what he was missing.
"Did we have something planned" Clark asked.
Lana couldn't help but laugh"Yeah, it's Thanksgiving, remember"
"Oh, right." Clark felt stupid, but now he remembered. He didn't know they were coming over so early, it was just past 8am, but he didn't mind.
Alex started jumping on the couch and laughed as he almost fell off.
"Alex, stop. You know the rules." Lana scolded him.
"Nu uh" Alex said"Those are at our house! Not daddy's house! He lets me."
Clark tried to hide a smirk, but Lana saw it. He always spoiled Alex, it was his weakness, he couldn't say no to him.
"Listen to your mom." Clark re-enforced Lana.
Alex stopped, but made sure to let them know he was mad about it.
"Clark, you're up." Martha and Jonathan walked into the room.
"Yeah." Clark found himself embarrassed, as he was in only his boxers"I'm going to go get dressed and take a shower. I'll be back in a little while." Clark said getting up to leave.
Alex ran after Clark and grabbed at his shirt, wanting him to pick him up.
"Buddy, you got to stay with Mommy while Daddy takes a shower." Clark squatted down, making him eye level with his son.
"No..." Alex whined.
"Why don't you go play with your toys." Clark distracted him. Jonathan had always said he had never known a kid who had more toys, and it was true, Clark did buy him too many toys.
Alex raced to his toy room and ran back out minutes later, carrying his toys.
"Gramma" He said excitedly, as he dragged his new toy helicopter over, so he could show her.

"Uncle Lex." Alex said in the middle of playing"Eat."
"We're going to eat soon, twerp." Lex ruffled his nephew's thick brown hair.
"Dad" Alex said catching sight of Clark, and completely forgetting his previous conversation as he ran over to him.
"Having fun" Clark threw him up in the air, making him laugh.
"Yeah, Uncle Lex was playing with me." He beamed.
Clark laughed as he stared at Lex, who was turning away in embarrassment.
"Dad, put me on your shoulders" Alex begged, and Clark obliged, as Alex shrieked with delight, as both his hands grabbed handfuls of Clark's wet hair, steadying him, and Clark walked into the kitchen.
"You guys want any help" Clark asked, seeing the meal Lana and Martha were putting together, along with one of Clark's cooks.
"Nope, we are doing fine." Lana smiled.
"What is that" Alex asked from atop of Clark's shoulders.
"It's a turkey." Clark laughed.

Clark and Lex went into Clark's office in the mansion; they needed to have a serious talk about an important topic.
"Lex, he gets his hearing parole in a month and will undoubtedly get it if we don't do something." Clark said referring to his father, Lionel.
"I know, and I've been searching for months for dirt on him, but everything is either covered up way too good without evidence or the statue of limitations has expired." Lex said in a defeated tone.
"I got a restraining order against him for me, Lana and Alex. You're sure you don't want one" Clark asked again.
"Yeah, besides I have to work out the issues of the company with him, if and when he does get out." Lex said sensibly.
"Alright... but I don't know how to stop him from getting his parole request granted." Clark said, his voice edgy.
"We'll think of something." Lex knew he would try his hardest.
Before Clark could reply he heard his son screaming from the other room"Okay, we'll finish this later."

Clark made his way back out to the main room, to see Lana picking a crying Alex off the floor.
"What happened" Clark asked.
"He bumped his head." Lana kissed the injured spot.
"Dad..." Alex sobbed, and stretched his arms out, wanting Clark to take him.
"Aw, buddy you're okay." Clark picked up his son, and gently rubbed the spot were he had gotten hurt.
"It hurt..." He buried his face in his father's chest, and he began to hiccup as he slowly began to stop crying.
Clark rubbed his son's back and rocked him a little bit.
Lana and Clark had seen their son get hurt as many times as the average 2 year old, and they knew that he had not gained Clark's invincibility, at least not yet. And although their son was sturdy and strong, he was in the normal range for a toddler. So far none of Clark's abilities had shone up in their son, except his strong willed nature.
"Clark, we really should get going, it's almost midnight." Lana said"And Alex is cranky, he should get to b-e-d." Lana spelled the last word, knowing Alex would object.
"Alright." Clark nudged his half asleep son awake, in his arms"Hey, buddy, you and mommy are going to leave now." Clark kissed his son's forehead, goodbye.
Alex started to cry again"No... I want to stay with you." He pouted, obviously tired and irritable.
"He can if you don't mind." Clark said, knowing he had nothing to do tomorrow.
"Alright, that's fine." Lana kissed her son's cheek"Bye sweetie."
"Bye Mommy." He hugged her with one arm, still in his father's.
"Bye Lana." Clark gave Lana a quick but passionate kiss, and Alex was already asleep against Clark's chest.
"Are you ready to go" Martha asked, coming into the room.
"Yeah." Lana said grabbing her coat and looking for her purse.
"That was a great Thanksgiving, Clark, thanks." Martha said.
"You are the one who did it all, I should be thanking you." Clark smiled, as he hugged Martha with one arm, as the other one held his sleeping son.

Clark still had Alex in his arms as he opened the top drawer of the dresser, pulling out Alex's P.J.s.
He dressed his son, successful in not waking him. Clark smiled thinking of how Alex had inherited Clark's ability to sleep threw almost everything.
Clark set Alex on the bed as he himself changed into his boxers and a T-shirt, before he climbed into his rather large bed, and with his son lying on his chest, and one of his arms wrapped around the small child, he fell asleep listening to his son's chest rise and fall.

TBC...