"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?!" Clark shouted, shocked.
"Because I knew you would react this way!" She shouted back.
He stammered, pacing back and forth, his hulking figure taking big strides in her small apartment.
"You should have told me." He proclaimed.
"I'm sorry, Clark but I wanted to make sure I was sure." She wrapped herself up in the blanket as a small chill shook down her spine. Her head tingled as if suddenly weighed down by a strong force. She winced as a bright light shot across her eyes, arcing then exploding in a surge of a harsh red, a forceful anger gripping her very being. Her eyes snapped open, the usual pale green suddenly a bright crimson as she glared at Clark.
"I don't always have to run things by you, Clark!" She hissed, her voice nothing but a cold whisper. "Why even tell you?! You just end up making it all about you! Poor Clark! The worlds woes are your woes! Get over it! There are more people on this damn planet that have issues!" The last part came out in forceful yell.
Clark stared at Chloe in horror. Her words biting deep within him. He started to her but pulled back at the last second. That wasn't Chloe. Her words dripped with unfamiliarity but the fact that they came from her mouth made the small sting just a bit more painful. She shook her head in confusion, glancing up at him in pure panic.
"Clark..." She whispered softly. "I'm sorry...I don't where that came from." She heaved a bit as a sob overcame her. Tears prickled her eyes, falling down her cheeks and dropping softly on the blanket.
He stared at her sadly. A moment passed before he walked over to her, grabbing her small body in his arms and holding her as she sobbed into his chest.
"It's Ok." He whispered softly into her hair.
She shook her head roughly against his chest.
"No. It's not. Clark, having my emotions were bad enough but now this...I don't think I can handle it."
She pulled her head away from him, looking up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair falling in short strands over her face.
"Look what it's doing to me." She said forlornly.
"Hey." Clark shushed her, grabbing her hands, "If anybody can handle this, it's you. I may be able to lift cars with my bare hands but when it comes to strength, Chloe, you beat me by a long shot."
She smiled, nodding her head. She wanted to believe that. She did but deep down she felt herself slipping. Too many emotions were pressing up against her and it was getting harder and harder to decipher which were hers.
"This goes way beyond my healing abilities."
"Not really when you think about it." Clark shrugged his shoulders pensively. Chloe titled her head to the side, her eyes questioning.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, your healing ability made you, for a moment, take that persons pain as yours...I mean that's what it seemed like so it doesn't seem so far fetch that this new ability might just be an expansion of your former one."
Chloe stared at Clark in amazement.
"Wow. I never would have guessed."
"I do have my moments."
"I can see."
His smile slipped and his face returned to its former seriousness.
"This doesn't mean I'm not worried as to why this happened. Or how this will harm you, Chloe."
She nodded in agreement.
"I know...but Clark I really need you as a friend right now. Just help me figure out this new meteor power. I may have had one before and handled it...badly," She added as an afterthought, "But I need to get a grip on this new one or I may-" She stopped suddenly as a noise from the doorway could be heard. She stiffened as a cold emotion hit her straight in the heart like a hard punch, winding her for a moment.
A cocktail of anger, disappointment and love mingled with a hint of distrust. It blinded her vision for a moment and when it left, she finally saw who it came from. Clark turned to the noise and immediately stood up. She stared at Chloe, her face crestfallen at what she just heard.
"Lois..." Chloe called out but Lois shook her head, walking back out into the hallway.