Martha Kent was in the kitchen mixing cookie dough as Cecily walked into the house. She had come downstairs to clean up to find that the clean up had already been taking care of and the house empty. She figured Lex and possibly Clark had gone looking for Cecily as both cars were still in the driveway. If Clark wasn't looking for Cecily he was probably in the loft.

Martha had gotten nowhere with her husband. He was resigned to the fact that Cecily had made her choice. A choice that he did not agree with. But he was determined that he wasn't going to the wedding or his daughters graduation and that Martha and Clark could make their own choices on that.

"Your acting just like my father did," Martha had told him and then left the bedroom and came back downstairs.

With the cleaning done she needed something else to occupy herself with. That was when she had decided bake cookies.

"Sorry about dinner," Cecily said to her step-mom as she walked into the kitchen. Martha jumped surprised by Cecily's voice. She had been so preoccupied that she hadn't notice her come in.

"It's not your fault," Martha told her looking up at her step daughter whom she loved as much as if Cecily had been her own. She had been married to Jonathan for two years before they had found out about Cecily.

Martha had known that Jonathan had seen other women before they had met. That she hadn't been the first, just as Jonathan hadn't been the first guy she had been with. Still the fact that Jonathan had a child with another woman when they couldn't have a kid themselves had bothered her at first.

Cecily was already three years old by the time Morgan had come back to Smallville looking for Jonathan and telling him that he had a daughter. Even then, she hadn't wanted to tell him. The only reason she had was because Morgan was about to undergo a heart transplant and if she didn't make it she wanted Jonathan to know about his daughter. Wanted her daughter to have a father if she were to lose her mother.

Morgan had arranged for Cecily to stay with a friend while she was in the hospital but when Jonathan had suggested the little girl come stay with him Morgan had went for it. She knew if something went wrong, it would be easier on Cecily if she already knew her father.

The transplant had gone smoothly. In a couple of months Morgan was back at home and ready to take Cecily back. Martha and Jonathan had grown attached to the little girl and giving her back had been hard. Still, now that Jonathan knew about his daughter he had wanted to be a part of her life. It wasn't long before a visitation arrangement had been made and every summer after that Cecily had spent on the farm with the Kent's along with weekends here and there.

"Where's Lex?" Martha asked.

"He went home," Cecily told her.

"And you?" Martha asked. "Are you going back to Metropolis?"

"Not until Monday like I originally planned," Cecily told her sitting down on a stool at the counter across from Martha. "I'm going to stay at Lex's though. I think things would be too awkward if I were to stay here."

"I was hoping to spend some time with you this weekend."

"I'll be around," Cecily told her. "Martha I didn't set out to cause problems when I started dating Lex. It just happened. I guess I always knew Dad wasn't going to like the idea that's why I kept it quiet. I wasn't trying to hide anything I just didn't see the point in causing problems if things didn't work out between Lex and me."

"Believe me honey, I know exactly how you feel. I just hope things don't turn out for you the way they did between my own father and me."

"Are you and Clark still coming to my graduation and wedding."

"I am and I'm sure Clark will although you'll have to talk to him about that. I'll work on your father too. I know you want him there."

"Thanks," Cecily said with a smile. She had been hoping Martha would say that although she wasn't going to ask. "Do you know where Clark got to?" Cecily asked.

"He was gone when I came down. He's probably out in the loft."

"I'm going to go talk to him and then head over to Lex's. I'll come by tomorrow."

"Okay, honey," Martha said putting down her bowl and spoon and giving Cecily a hug as she stood up. As Cecily left the house again she went back to her cookies.

As soon as Cecily stepped onto the front porch she saw the light up in the loft. She started across the yard to the barn.

"Clark," Cecily called out as she started up the steps in the barn that led to the loft. She stepped up into the loft to find Clark sitting on the old couch that was up there.

"I heard Lex leave," Clark ventured as Cecily walked over to the couch and set down next to him.

"Yeah, he wanted to get home. I'm going to be leaving here shortly too. I'm going to spend the weekend over at Lex's place. I think that would be for the best for right now," Cecily told him.

"I'm sorry today didn't work out like you wanted it too."

"Thanks Clark, although in all honesty, tonight is kind of what I expected. I know how Dad feels about the Luthors, about Lex. I knew I had to tell him though."

"What if Dad's right?"

"What's that suppose to mean, Clark?" Cecily said her voice raising a little. She thought of all her family members Clark would be the most likely to understand. " I thought Lex was your friend."

"He is," Clark said standing up. "It's just something about him that concerns me at times. It's like I don't know him at times. Like he's hiding something, like the whole Club Zero thing. There are times that I still wonder what really happened. What other secrets he's hiding."

"Amanda shot Jude," Cecily told him. "Lex told Valen that it was him to keep Amanda out of trouble. That's the truth Clark," she said as Clark looked back at her. "You have to remember Clark, I knew Lex back in Metropolis. I knew about Club Zero the day after it happened along with other things. Look Clark, Lex is no boy scout. I know that but I love him. I always have even though I tried to block that out for awhile. As for the secrets, he's not the only one that guilty of that."

Clark looked at his sister. He knew exactly what she was getting at and he knew she was right. How could he be upset with Lex with keeping secrets from him when he did the same thing.

"Believe me there are times that I want to tell Lex about me. Especially because I know it would answer his questions about the accident. I know how much it bothers him that he can't remember more about what happened that day but I just can't be sure."

"I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty Clark."

"I know that," Clark told her. He walked back toward the couch and sat back down beside his sister.

"Sometimes I think that Lionel sending Lex here was the best thing that ever happened to him. He's changed since he's been here Clark and a lot of that has to do with your friendship. I know being Lex's friend can be difficult at times but that is what he needs most. He doesn't have many people in his life that really care about him. Its easy to make bad decisions when that is the case."

"Was I the reason the two of you broke up?" Clark asked her. "I mean, I know how hard it is for me to be his friend and not tell him about my secret especially when he starts questioning what happened that day on the bridge because I know how much it bothers him. I can see it in his eyes every time he brings it up."

"Yes and no," Cecily told him. "Believe it or not, Lex never one asked me about you. I don't think he wanted to put me in that position because he knows I will keep others people's secrets. Still, I always felt bad about not being able to tell him. Especially when he was talking to me about the accident. So, in a way that did put stress on our relationship but the distance didn't help either. But the main reason I broke it off with him is that I was scared Clark. I knew that Dad wouldn't approve of the relationship and I didn't want to lose his support. However, the longer I was away from Lex the more I realized that I still loved him. I finally realized that I couldn't let Dad control my life like that, that if I was going to be happy than I was going to have to go against him because Lex is the one person who I can be happy with."

"Then I'm happy for you," Clark told her. "And I hope that Dad comes around but I won't be holding my breath."

"Thanks, Clark," Cecily said leaning over and giving her brother a hug. "I'm going to get going," she told her brother standing up. "You are still coming to the graduation on Friday right and the wedding."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Clark told her.

"Great, I'll see you tomorrow," Cecily said as she headed for the steps.

Clark watched his sister disappear down the steps. He really did hope his father would come around. He could see how much his sister and his best friend cared about each other. It was exactly what he had seen between his parents everyday growing up and he was happy for them.

Lex deserved someone like Cecily in his life. Clark knew what Lionel Luthor was like. He had seen the way that Lionel treated Lex. Heard Lex talk about his father. No matter how much he tried to deny it, Clark knew that Lex was searching for his father's approval. Or maybe it was more that Lex just needed someone's approval. Someone that believed in him.

Clark had seen the longing in Lex's eyes when he looked at Clark and his family. Saw the appreciation in his eyes whenever Martha happened to reach out to the young billionaire. If only his father could look past the Luthor name. See Lex for who he really was. Clark wasn't sure that would ever happen though.

Clark heard footsteps on the steps.

"Did you forget something?" Clark asked figuring it was his sister coming back up the steps. He glanced up to see Lana and no Cecily. "Lana hi. I wasn't expecting you."

"I just thought I'd stop by, I hope I'm not bothering you."

"No not at all," Clark told her quickly always happy to see his beautiful dark haired neighbor. "Have a seat," he told her indicating the spot next to him.

"Actually Clark, I have to admit I didn't just stop by for no reason," Lana told him as she sat down next to him. "Look, if you think this is none of my business then just go ahead and say so . . ." she said her voice trailing off not sure if she should continue or not.

"What is it?" Clark asked growing concerned. Fearing that something was wrong.

"Well, its just that I saw Lex leave today with your sister and well they were holding hands when they left. I was just wondering, is there something going on there."

Clark let out a small laugh of relief. He was glad it was that. Lana had the tendency to start asking questions that he couldn't truthfully answer. At least this was one he could.

"Cecily and Lex are engaged."

"You're kidding. When did this happen?"

"You know the mystery guy, Alexander, that Cecily met in college her sophomore year."

"Yeah," Lana said curious. Clark gave her a look, clearly challenging her to try and put it together herself. Lana thought about it for a second and then it came to her. She had heard her aunt use Lex's full name, Alexander, a few times. "Lex is the guy she met in college," Lana said out loud. "I guess I understand now why she kept it a secret. How's your Dad taking the engagement."

"Not well," Clark told her. "They're determined to go through with it though."

"It'll all work out, Clark."

"I hope you're right. I really do but my Dad doesn't even like the idea of Lex being my friend and now he's going to be his son-in-law."

"Which will make Lex you're brother-in-law," Lana said softly. She knew how close Clark was to Lex despite all of their differences. Everyone had thought the pairing strange at first, even herself, but the more time the two had spent together the more natural it seemed. Even when their totally different lives had caused problems between them the two had always seemed to manage to come through it with their friendship intact, possibly even stronger because of it. It had been Pete who had brought it up one time when they had been at the Talon one evening studying together. Chloe had brought up Clark's friendship with Lex and Pete had said it was like the two were brothers. She hadn't missed the jealousy in his voice when he had said those words.

"I hadn't even thought about that," Clark said slowly. He had to admit he liked the sound of that.