Clark found Kara in her room, the renovated Kent attic. She was sitting on her bed, the contents of the large bag she had arrived with strewn everywhere. It was as if she had been looking for something, but had not found it.

"Hey," Clark said softly, and Kara looked up, tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Dad put this in my things, before I left, in case I got dropped somewhere other than Smallville." She handed Clark a shield shaped piece of polished metal bearing Kryptonian inscriptions on it. He took it, and slowly read aloud in English the words his uncle had sent to Earth.

"Through space and time I have sent my daughter, Kara Zor-El, from the now dead planet Krypton. Treat her as you would your own child, for you will see, a treasure she will be for your world." Clark looked up, and saw that Kara had dropped her face into her hands, tears flowing fast and hard. "No, no.." He said softly, sitting down on the bed to pull her close. "They loved you…"

"Oh Clark!" Kara sobbed. "I miss them…and I want to be part of your world, your destiny, but what if I'm not?"

"I hate the whole destiny idea." Clark said, smiling. "I like to think we choose who we become. Destiny is nice, but you have no responsibility for yourself. It's your choices…that's what makes your future."

"Really?" Kara asked, wiping her face. "You really believe that, Clark?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "We are the result of all our choices. I mean, right now, you are kind of the result of your parents choices." Clark smoothed Kara's hair away from her wet cheeks. "But as you get older, you'll see."

"Knock, knock." Bruce's voice came from the bottom of the attic stairs. "Coming up!"

Kara looked up at Clark in alarm, and then wiped her face quickly. Snatching the plate from Clark, she shoved it under her pillow just as Bruce emerged at the top of the stairs. "Hi, Bruce."

"Hi, Boss." Bruce looked down at Kara's hastily wiped face. "Crying?"

"Well…" Kara hesitated, unable to lie. "I guess I'm feeling homesick."

"Understandable." Bruce nodded. "There is going to be an adjustment period, Boss. And losing your parents is never easy to get past."

"Lois told me about your parents." Kara said, looking back down at her hands. "I think it is odd that all of us have one parent, or no parents at all. Don't you?" She looked over at her cousin, who frowned pondering that. Bruce laughed, taking her by the hands and lifting her up.

"It's a beautiful day, Boss. Go get that puppy and have some fun. I want to talk to Clark." Kara nodded and left the room, not running, but gliding.

"It is odd." Clark said, finally, standing. "We are all orphans, you, Kara and I."

"Lots of orphans in the world, Clark." Bruce took an envelope out of his pocket. "Kara's identity. Birth certificate, social security card…"

"Wow, thanks, Bruce." Clark took the envelope. "I can't tell you how much this means."

"I wanted to talk to you about Kara, Clark. I've been thinking." They headed toward the attic steps, both out of place in the sanctuary Kara had created for herself. "I know her abilities haven't completely manifested themselves yet, but you need to think about her future."

"I am." Clark replied simply, and Bruce shook his head.

"Really? Because so far, it seems to me, it's been apple pie and togetherness. And that's fine. You came here as a baby, Clark, and if your mother's stories are not downplayed like she does, you were a challenge and a half for them. What are you going to do when she's as strong as you are? What are you going to do if someone like Luthor decides a teenage Kryptonian girl is what he needs for his freak collection?" Bruce paused and hearing Kara outside with the dog, he continued. "Just because he's been quiet doesn't mean he's forgotten his pet obsession with you."

"Lex wouldn't do that." Clark said. "Whatever his interests in me and my abilities are."

Bruce shook his head. "Take your head out of the sand, my friend. Seeing everyone for the best in them is usually deceptive. It leads to a world of hurt and disappointment."

Clark smiled. "Seeing the worst in everyone and every situation is a good way to stay safe, Bruce. You can't appreciate the light in the world if you only stare into the shadows."

"Yeah, yeah." Bruce laughed. "We'll argue about this when we're old, Clark. Just promise me you'll think about what I'm saying." They looked out the window in the upstairs hall, watching Kara play with Krypto, whose leaps lasted longer and longer, looking more and more like small bursts of flight. "You'd better plan on doing something productive with that dog, too."

Lex sat at his favorite table in the Talon, reading a report on the latest developments at Cadmus Labs. Ever since buying the company, he'd taken it further underground, even making it seem that it had closed. There, Lex had built for himself the perfect place to work on projects he'd wanted to keep off the radar. Keeping Lana in the dark about Cadmus was fairly easy, since he often didn't discuss business with her. He heard the bell over the door of the Talon tinkle pleasantly, followed by the familiar rumbles of Clark and Bruce Wayne's voices. Lex did not look up. Since their adventure a couple of months ago, Lex had avoided both of them. But a new voice made him look up after all. She danced between Bruce and Clark like a bright bird, her long white gold hair flowing around her shoulders. Lex watched her, transfixed. This girl, who was maybe all of fourteen, was probably the most beautiful child he'd ever seen. She reminded him of every perfect thing he'd ever seen, and then, horrified Lex thought of Clark when he'd first met him. Clark had been like an angel himself then, the day of the accident especially. Putting down his report, Lex rose, and walked over to where Bruce, Clark and the girl were ordering their drinks.

"Gentlemen." Lex greeted them, noting with pleasure Bruce's immediate guarded expression. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, we were just talking about that very thing." Clark said, his voice warm. "How are you, Lex?"

"Fine, fine. And who's this?" He looked at Kara with a charming smile.

"Kara." She looked up at Lex with eyes so blue they pierced Lex's soul. "Kara Kent."

"My cousin. From California." Clark interjected, and the girl nodded.

"California? Ah. They always say the girls out there are the most beautifu. I guess it's true." Kara smiled, and Lex looked at Clark. "You never mentioned family out on the Coast, Clark."

"Oh, Dad and his brother didn't speak much." Clark replied, taking his cousin's hand. "My uncle and his wife died recently and Kara came to live with us."

"I'm very sorry for your loss. Quite a blow for the Kent family, losing both brothers this year." Lex offered, feeling a little stung. "I should have seen the resemblance. Mr. Kent had blue eyes too."

"Here's your smoothie, Kara. " Bruce handed the girl her drink, just as she had opened her mouth to speak. "And take this upstairs to Lois." He gave her another cup. "They should be back from their visit with the General now."

Smooth bastard, Lex thought, as Kara carefully carried the full cups up the winding staircase. "So, you are dating the talented Ms. Lane, eh, Bruce?" Lex nodded at the waitress, who had brought the rest of Clark's order. "I'll take another double espresso, when you're done, Monica."

"Something like that." Bruce smiled pleasantly. "I told you Lana wasn't my type."

"Well, we should be going." Clark said, taking the tray of drinks. "See you later, Lex."

"Yeah, see you." Lex said, raising a hand in farewell as Bruce and Clark walked up the stairs to the Talon apartment, talking amongst themselves. When they were out of sight, he took out his cell phone. "Brian, this is Lex Luthor. Find me everything you can on the Kents of California."