Kara was sitting curled up on his bed, arms wrapped around her knees which were pulled to her chest. Her head was against her knees.

"Okay half-pint, what's going on?" Clark asked closing the door. This was going to be one of those brother sister moments they rarely had time for anymore.

"Nothing I'm fine," Clark shook his head.

"Don't lie Kara, I know better than that and so do you. Seriously tell me what's wrong."

"Clark, you know how dad always tells us to keep promises?"

"Yeah, he tells us if we can we should always keep the promises we make."

"What if you make a promise you shouldn't have made?"

"Such as?" Clark asked.

"When is there a good time to keep a secret and a bad time?" Clark shrugged.

"Generally that's a judgment call babe. If your promise is about something that could hurt someone, you have to tell. If it's just a friendly little secret than that's okay to keep."

"What if it's a secret that could hurt many people involved?"

"Kara, why don't you stop beating around this bush and tell me what's going on?"

"Promise me you won't tell anyone?"

"Nope, but I promise I'll try to help you with your problem," she paused for a moment, as though weighing whether those two things were remotely equal. Finally she took a deep breath.

"You know Billy right?"

"Henderson, yeah he's that kid you like," she nodded.

"His dad hits him."

"You mean like spanks him?" Kara shook her head no, grimly.

"No I mean like all out beats him," Clark nodded slowly.

"Do you have evidence?"

"Other than him telling me, I've seen bruises on his arms and legs."

"Yikes, no wonder you're upset. So what's the big problem here?" He asked looking at her. He had adopted a similar position as hers. However she quickly uncurled and looked down at the bed spread. He scooted over and wrapped two strong arms around her slim body.

"I sorta promised Billy I wouldn't tell anyone, he said he deserves it. Clark, he doesn't! I failed the same spelling test he did and dad yelled at me, he lectured me! But Billy's dad beat him!" Clark sighed and pulled her closer, whispering calming words to her as she cried on his shoulder.

After a few moments Clark pulled her away and looked at her, "Kara, no child deserves to get hit, you know that. Deep down inside so does Billy, but he loves his dad so much that he's blind sighted by the fact his father doesn't love him."

"How can any parent not love their children?" Clark sighed, that was a question he had been wrestling with for years. Unlike Kara, Clark had no evidence of his biological parents, he didn't know if they were dead or just didn't want him.

"I don't know Kara, I doubt Billy's mom and dad started out that way, but you've heard about Billy's mom dying. That probably made Billy's dad a little meaner. Sometimes radical moments male people do horrendous things," he explained.

"Mom and dad wouldn't ever..."

"No," stated Clark, ridding her of such thoughts, "mom and dad would never hurt us, not even if they lost one another. I'd protect you before anyone ever tried to hurt you guys," he stated. She nodded.

"Clark, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know babe, that's a tough subject, we'll sleep on it tonight, then decide something tomorrow okay. I don't want to hurt Billy anymore than you do, but foster care would be best for him."

"Clark, you don't understand..." Clark laid a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll sleep on it, tomorrow talk to Billy, until then we'll keep this between you and me okay?" She nodded. Clark sighed.

"I love you," he whispered. She nodded and moved into his arms again, crying. He sighed as he held her tightly.