Clark opened his front door. He had been up in his loft for the last half hour thinking about what his dad had just said. He finally decided the truth was—well, he didn't know what the truth was. He had misgivings even when he told Lana he was going to tell her, but he figured that was normal. He stopped when he saw his parents in the kitchen. They've been talking about something, Clark thought. "Dad?"

Jonathon looked up from his coffee.

Clark looked down at him questioningly. "It's my decision." Well, he was sort of asking.

Jonathon thought about it for a second, gathering up strength. "Yeah, son. It is."

"And you won't be angry if I decide to tell them?"

"Well, to be honest..."

Martha hit him gently on the back of his head. "Jonathon!" she warned. She tried to whisper it, but oh well.

Jonathon answered with more determination. "Clark... it's your decision."

"I've decided I don't like secrets." Jonathon started to protest. " Even if they are kept for a good reason, you still have to give something up." Clark looked down. "And maybe it's not worth what it costs."

Martha entered in on their conversation. "Honey, have you decided what to do?"

Clark looked up at her. "I've decided I'm tired of them carrying the load in this friendship. I want to be as good of a friend to them as they are to me." Clark paused. "It's caused them more pain not knowing than knowing ever could. That's the only decision that's important."

Jonathon sighed. "Are you sure, Clark?" He searched for something to say. "You're so young. I'd just hate for you to do something you're always going to regret."

Clark felt he had to defend his friends. "But Dad..."

"Clark, what you wanted when you were 7 isn't what you want when you're 17. And what you want when you're 17 isn't going to be what you'll want when you're 27. Things change. It's not bad, it's just..." He tried to explain. "It's just life. It's part of growing up."

Martha walked up behind Jonathon and touched his shoulder. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get what you want at 17. " Jonathon looked at her. "Especially when it's the right thing to do."

"But that's just it, Martha, we don't know if it's the right thing to do. We don't know..." Jonathon had to stop. Clark was a little shocked to see his dad show so much emotion. "We don't have any idea what will happen. What it could cost."

"Dad, anything is better than where I am right now." Jonathon looked back towards his son. "Maybe it's right, or maybe it's wrong." Clark walked up to him. "But it's the thing a friend would do." Well, Clark wasn't sure if he really believed that. He looked right in his dad's face. "I've never regretted you and Mom telling me the truth." He paused and he suddenly sounded like a little boy. "I just regretted doing it alone."

That was enough for Jonathon. The Dad in him finally surrendered. He could either protect him from the world or let him have friends. Like Clark said, either choice gave up something big—something good. If he kept every person a safe distance from Clark, Clark wouldn't have much of a life. He didn't want that for his son, either.

Clark was a little nervous. He wasn't sure how to tell this part to his parents without his dad switching sides again. "I just have to go over to Lex's first. I'll be quick."

That brought his dad's curiosity back. "Lex's?"

His mom was also a little puzzled. "You two are friends again?"

"You're not going to tell him your secret, are you?"

That thought hadn't even crossed Clarks mind. "No. No... I just... have something I have to ask him first."

His parents were still confused. He had to get out of there before he had the chance to explain more. "I should be home by six, but if Lana comes, can you ask her to wait?"

Jonathon was still trying to come to grips with what could happen that night. "Sure, Clark." Clark smiled and started to run out the door. "But if you're not back by 6:30, I'm sending the police to the mansion. Don't think I won't, either, because..." Clark was out of earshot. Well, human earshot anyway. And Clark did have to concentrate to hear farther.

Martha tried to calm him. "Honey, he heard you."

Jonathon was a little more surprised by his wife's callous attitude. After all, she raised Clark for as long as he had. "How can you be so calm?"

"Well, we don't really have a choice." Jonathon nodded his head. He didn't like it, but he knew he couldn't stop Clark. Martha finished. "And some things just take a leap of faith."

"What if it's a risk we loose?" Jonathon asked.

Martha sighed. "Then it's a lesson learned."

"But we still loose..."

"Jonathon," she interrupted, "maybe that's why it's called faith."