As soon as they were gone Lex spoke. "What happened, Clark?"

Clark turned to face him. "Gosh, I feel so guilty!" He gestured towards the door that his family had gone out of. "I got Lana pregnant, she had a beautiful baby girl and I wasn't there for her through any of it! I abandoned my daughter for the first few years of her life. If I'd known, Lex, if I'd known…" His voice trailed off and he sank down on the couch, his head in his hands.

Lex sat down beside him. "You didn't know that you had a daughter."

"Hell, no! If I'd known that I'd have been home so fast no matter what I'd done previously."

"You can't blame yourself for your mom loosing the baby."

"But, Lex, it was my fault."

"It wasn't intentional."

"But I still did it."

Lex sighed and ran a hand over his head. "Is that why you ran away?"

"It was a big part of it, but it wasn't the only thing."

Lex cocked and eyebrow. "There's more?"

Clark looked up at him and Lex thought that he'd never seen his friend look so weary in his life. "My parents don't know either."

"What happened then?"

Clark's face twisted as if he was in pain at the memory. "I went down in the storm cellar and the ship-I assume you know about the ship?" He proceeded when Lex nodded. "It-It came alive with my father's spirit and it told me that I had to leave Smallville in a certain time limit or that I'd bring pain to those I loved. Then it sort of…branded me on the chest with a Kryptonian symbol. Of course I didn't listen and tried to destroy the ship. It exploded and killed the baby. I missed your wedding. I hurt Chloe by her seeing me making out with Lana. I had to leave; I was afraid I'd bring more pain if I didn't."

Lex looked at him with a kind of quiet understanding. "I never could believe that your motives were truly selfish." He was silent for a moment before asking, "What made you come back?"

"Two days ago the symbol on my chest disappeared. That's when I figured that I was finally allowed to come home without anything happening to those I loved."

Lex sighed. "Four years. How did you do it, Clark? How could you stand to be away from those you loved for that long?"

"I made sure that I didn't see or hear anything about them. That's why I didn't know that I had a daughter."

Lex nodded. "I'm glad you're home, Clark."

Clark gave him a small smile. "Me too." A look of contemplativeness came over his face. "How did you get my parents to tell you all this?"

Lex smiled and chuckled. "Lana found out first. Her pregnancy was, um…slightly unusual. I was of course there when Rose was born and have been around since. I didn't know a thing about any of it until Rose's first birthday party when she accidentally threw her rattle up through the ceiling of the first floor and into the second floor. You're parents explained things after that incident."

Clark's jaw dropped. "She's got my powers."

"She's got the strength. The rest hasn't developed yet."

"Oh my gosh! And I wasn't here to help! What would have happened if she'd gotten really angry? She could have hurt Lana or my parents, or you!" Clark stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe that I did this."

Lex grabbed his arm and pulled him back into a sitting position. "But she didn't, Clark. Besides, your parents raised you without any injuries. Rose is a good girl; she hardly ever has real tantrums and when she does Lana is very adept at handling them."

Clark was staring blankly at the wall. Finally he turned to look at Lex. "You have no idea how weird it is to be gone four years and come back to find that you have a daughter."

Lex smirked. "What?" Clark asked suspiciously.

"You've got no idea how strange it is to find out that your best friend who's the poster boy for good virtues slept with his high school girlfriend in his sophomore year and got her pregnant. It got even better when said girlfriend had a baby who tossed a rattle through the ceiling. It really hit a new high on my scale when my friend's parents informed me that my friend is actually an alien with superpowers."

Clark tried to keep a straight face but failed miserable. He put a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. "Yeah that might be a bit shocking."

The two laughed for a moment before Clark stopped and gave Lex a serious look. "Look, Lex, all kidding aside, I really am sorry."

Lex nodded. "I know, but I honestly think that it's Lana that you should be talking to. I may be your best friend, but she's the girl you love."

Clark nodded. "I know you're right, but I just don't know what to say."

Lex stood up, pulling Clark with him. "You'll figure it out," he assured him before pulling him towards the door, intent on taking him out to the garden to see Lana.