Clark rushed around school, his thoughts revolving around Alexandra. He didn't see Pete, Lana or Chloe anywhere. Kent ate a quick lunch with Alex, but that was only a few minutes long. She had to race home, get her history paper, and race back before the lunch period was over.

After school and after Clark had arrived home, he saw his mom in the kitchen preparing dinner. "Hi Clark." she greeted, smiling warmly. Johnathan sat at the table, reading his newspaper. "Are you ready for tonight?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, about that." started Clark, "There's something you need to know about her."

"Like what?" asked Johnathan.

"She has... abilities."

In syncronization Martha stopped, and Johnathan put down his paper. "Excuse me?" they asked, again, at once.

Clark bit his tongue. "I said she has abilities. Powers. She told me about it last night, after the dance. After she saved all of those kids. Dad, if she wasn't there, I wouldn't have been able to stop that thing. A lot of people could been hurt. She's a hero."

"Just exactly what can she do?" asked Johnathan, his voice saturated with concern.

Clark cleared his throat. This was the part where they go ballistic. "Telepathy, telekenesis, teleprojection, pyrokenesis. But that's all."

"But that's all?!" exlcaimed Johnathan, laughing slightly. "Son, I know you feel attraction for this Alex, but with just one of those abilities he could seriously hurt someone."

"It's not just attraction." explained Clark. "She's like me, dad."

"She's human, Clark. How is she any different from other freaks you've met?"

Clark felt a pang of hurt. His father didn't understand what Clark had just said at all. "Freaks?" asked Clark, "is that what I am to you then, just a freak?"

"Now hold on just a minute..."

"No!" yelled Clark. "If anything I'm more of a freak than they are, they are at least human. I'm not. These are people, dad. You can't just write them off because they're different."

"They are dangerous. You know that."

"She isn't dangerous. If you spent five minutes with her you would know that for yourself." said Kent. "She's ilike me/i. Alex spent her entire life growing up behind a cloak, hiding who she was and what she could do. Sound like anyone you know?"

Johnathan stood up. "Clark, it's not that simple. You've spent all of two days with her, you can't possibly know enough about her to trust her. What if she finds out who you really are? How would she react?"

Clark paused. "She reacted just fine."

Martha stepped in front of John, both of their eyes widening. "You told her?" she asked.

Kent backed up slightly, putting his hand on the stair's guardrail. "Yes. After she trusted me enough with her secret."

"Just great..." muttered Johnathan, trying to contain his anger. "Son, do you have any idea of how dangerous this is? She could hurt you. Son, she could try and kill you."

"Sh'es not going to do that." said Clark, defensivly. "You can never understand us..." he muttered.

"Excuse me?" asked Johnathan.

"I said you can't understand us... me. You don't know what it's like to have to hide a part of you from everyone else, no matter how much you want to show it." he said. "But then again you don't give a damn about how us ifreaks/i have to live, do you?"

"That is not true!" yelled Johnathan.

Clark didn't respond. He turned his back to them, starting up the stairs.

"Clark, come back." said Martha, trying to be the calming force.

Again, Clark ignored her. He slammed the door shut to his room, lying flat on his back in his bed. He picked up the opened book on his nightstand, and began to read.

He was interupted by a knocking on the door a few minutes later. Clark put down his book. "Come in." Clark said, hoarsly. Kent turned his to see both Johnathan and Martha coming into the less-than-tidy room. Clark saw Johnathan's face was still red from anger, and Martha looked concerned. It was like a mirror for their entire lives.

Johnathan sat on the bed beside Clark while Martha leaned against a wall. "You are not a freak, son. I'm sorry for calling Alex one. But son, you have to realize that there are consequences to what you do and say. This Alex, no matterhow much you deny it, could be very dangerous."

Clark nodded. "I just wish that you guys would trust me. Alex is not dangerous, I swear."

"You can't possibly know that." said Martha. "We just want you to be careful."

Clark looked downward. "Okay... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come out that quickly. But please, iplease/i, try to be accepting of Alex. She may have powers, but she's still human and I'm in love with her."

Johnathan paused. He knew Clark wouldn't be using the term 'in love' lightly. His son would be the last person on Earth to make that assumption. "Allright. We'll keep an open mind if you promise to keep your eyes open."

"I don't need to." said Clark, "But I will."

Johnathan smiled. "Now, when is she coming over?"

Clark looked at the clock on the wall. "In about an hour."

Johnathan stood up. "Allright. Just remember Clark, people aren't always who they appear to be. You of all people should realize that. Alex may look nice and act nice, but that could be a mask."

Clark nodded. "I know. But she isn't hiding anything. I know it."