Disclaimer: I don't own any characters.

Thanks to JK for betaing.

Clark looked out over the farm and watched as the oncoming dawn bathed the land in an orange glow. He normally wasn't up at this time, but his mind was restless and prevented him from getting much sleep. He was now sitting in his loft thinking about everything that had happened in the recent past. A lot had happened, and it had all started with him running away from his problems. He had learned since then that wasn't the way to deal with your problems.

But he thought at the time he couldn't face all of those problems, so he had voluntarily exposed himself to red kryptonite and run off to New York. He had ended up meeting a new friend that helped him out in more than one way. But everything about his trip didn't have a happy ending.

He had also lost a friend because of it. He thought about Lex, and how he had reacted to finding out about him. He shivered slightly despite the warm sun that was now streaming in through the window.

Clark was broken out of his reverie when he felt a hand out of his shoulder. "I didn't see you inside, and I wanted to come and check on you. I saw you shiver, Clark. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, mom. I'm fine." He looked down and saw the look of concern on his mother's face. "I was just thinking about Lex."

"Come over here Clark and sit down." Martha instructed as she led Clark to the nearby couch.
"I'm sorry you lost a friend, Clark" Martha said lovingly. "But you saw how Lex reacted when he found out, and that is why we were afraid for you to tell anyone."

"I know," Clark sighed. "It's just he was upset that I didn't tell him and that I lied to him, not that I'm different."

"I know, sweetie." Martha replied softly. "I know you want to tell everyone and not have to lie. But in your case, it is just necessary sometimes."

Clark turned so that he was now facing his mother and instead of sitting directly beside her. Martha noticed he seemed a little nervous and wondered what was coming. "Speaking of people finding out…." Clark paused for a moment and saw his mother's eyebrow was raised.

"I don't think that it is a good idea that you tell Lana."

Clark instantly replied. "No, that's not it." He paused a took a breath before replying "It's Chloe."

Martha was surprised by his reaction and the speed with which he gave it. "You want to tell Chloe?"

Clark became nervous again as he answered. "No, she already knows." He cringed slightly as he waited for her reaction.

"How does she know? Did you tell her? When did she find out?"

"She figured it out herself, well part of it, and just recently." Clark said, answering all of his mother's questions.

"How did she figure it out and what part did you tell her?" Martha asked concerned.

"Actually, several things lead her to figure it out. She overheard part of a conversation I had with Peter, and she kinda saw me do something."

Martha eyed Clark "What do you mean by she kinda saw you do something?"

"I left indents in a metal chair, where I had pushed down on the arms as I was getting out of it. I didn't know I had done it at the time, because that was the beginning of the flares."

"So, what did Chloe say when she told you what she had seen and heard?"

"She thought that I had been affected by the meteors just like a lot of other people in town. Then she told me that I didn't need to be embarrassed because I was still human." Clark sighed before continuing. "So I just told her the whole truth."

Martha knew how hearing something like that, even meant in a nice way, would affect her son. She knew that Chloe wouldn't use the knowledge about her son against him like Lex would, but having someone else know the secret was always worrisome to his parents because of the burden that knowledge brought with it. Martha was also concerned about what her reaction had been and if that was also part of the reason Clark had been sitting out here by himself.

"How did she take the news?"

Clark smiled as he looked at his mother. "Amazingly well, she didn't freak out or get mad or anything that you would expect. She just said it must have been hard to grow up like that and not be able to tell anyone. I told her that I always had you and dad to talk to."

Martha was impressed. She knew just by the way the girl acted that she had feelings for her son, but she never imagined that the girl would be able to handle a revelation like this so calmly. "How are you handling this?"

"The last thing I want to do is to put Chloe in any danger, like Pete was at one time." Clark said seriously, then smiled. "But it feels good that he knows and I don't have to come up with weird excuses for my behavior."

"I'm glad it worked out so well for both of you." Martha answered.

Clark looked at her uncertain. "Really? You're not upset?"

Martha smiled. "No, I just want you to be happy."

"So, are you going to help me with telling dad?" Clark asked and tried to give her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, no. That's not going to work on me." Martha teased.

"Oh, come on, Mom," Clark pleaded. "You can't make me tell him by myself."

"Alright, alright." Martha said throwing up her hands, smiling at her son.

"Thanks mom, you're the best."

"So, are you coming in now?" Martha asked as she got up from the couch.

"Yeah, I'm coming."
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"You did what?" Jonathan exclaimed.

"I told Chloe everything." Clark said trying to remain calm. "She had already figured out most of it already before I even said a word to her."

Peter then piped up. "In his defense Mr. Kent, she figured out about me also and I've only been here a very short time."

Jonathan turned to Peter, equally concerned about him. "She found out about you? How? You're not worried about that?"

Peter scratched his head, not sure if his explanation would help the current situation. "She kinda saw me use my webbing, did some research and found out it was me." Peter said before continuing. "But I'm not worried about her knowing. I trust her."

Martha decided it was it was time for her to join in the discussion. "I don't think there is any reason to worry about Chloe."

"How are you so calm about this?" Jonathan asked baffled.

Martha reached out and placed her hand on Jonathan's arm reassuringly. "Clark and I talked earlier in the loft."

Jonathan was hurt in a way that his son hadn't come to him and confided in him first, and that he was the last to find out about this. But he tried not to show his feelings on his face.

Clark saw the wounded look that flashed across his father's face. "Mom just came out to the barn and asked me first." He then added with a bit of a wry smile. "Besides, I thought I maybe could get her to help me tell you."

"Conned into helping is more like it." Martha said turning to Clark before turning back to Jonathan. "You should have seen the look he was giving me. Did you give him lessons on how to charm a lady?"

Jonathan smiled despite the situation. "I didn't have to give him lessons, dear. Charm is just a Kent trait."

"Oh, really?" Martha replied playfully. "Do you think you are charming enough to help me with the dishes?"

"Certainly, my lady." Jonathan picked up Martha's hand, kissing it gingerly.

Clark and Peter looked at each other, not sure what to make of this scene. "Um… we are going to go outside now."