"Em!"

Emmeline turned around to find Pete coming behind her. "Hey," she smiled.

"Did you hear about that guy getting murdered down at the LuthorCorp site?"

"Someone was murdered there? I swear, we can't go one day in Smallville without someone getting killed or nearly killed."

"What about those caves that were found beneath Smallville?"

"Yeah, I heard a little about those. It was uh…the Willowbrooks who were looking for them, right?"

"Yeah. How did you know that?"

"I heard about the latest object of Clark's affection. Kyla, isn't it?"

"He's been spending almost every waking moment with her down in the caves. He's completely obsessed with what's down there."

"I mean, she's really pretty, but I'm just surprised he actually has feelings for someone who isn't named Lana Lang."

"Aren't we all?" Pete joked. "I wanted to ask you if we could grab a coffee at the Talon and go over some of that World History homework. I know we have that test and for the life of me, I just cannot get all of those French kings straight."

Emmeline smiled. "Sure thing. I have a couple study tools you might find helpful."

"You're a lifesaver."

"I know! Say after school?"

"It's a date."

Emmeline turned a light shade of pink and walked off before Pete noticed.

After school, Emmeline walked over to the Talon and ended up running into Chloe on the way.

"Hey, Chloe!" she smiled.

"Hey, Em! I feel like it's been a while since we've actually gotten the chance to talk."

"I know. It's been so busy at the Torch, we've barely had time to breathe!"

"We'll need to schedule another date sometime soon."

"Agreed!"

Both girls walked into the Talon and saw Lana. "Hey, so it looks like Clark pulled you into his activist phase," Chloe said, noticing all the 'Save the Cave' posters and buttons.

"Between him and Henry, I didn't really have a choice," Lana told her. "But they are fighting for something really important." She handed Chloe and Emmeline a couple of buttons.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I've never seen Clark this passionate about a cause before."

"I don't think the cause is the only thing he's passionate about."

"Yeah, so what is it about Kyla that breaks through Clark's shining armor?"

"Especially when they haven't even known each other that long," Emmeline put in. "I mean, we've all been trying to get his attention for months, and look where we are."

"I don't know," Lana answered. "I always thought Clark had trouble letting people in. I guess he was just waiting for the right one."

"You know, Clark's sudden interest in Kyla wouldn't have anything—" Chloe stopped speaking when a couple of guys grabbed some buttons from Lana. Once they left, she continued, "—wouldn't have anything to do with the letter that you wrote Whitney, would it? Sorry, I saw it on the counter this morning. It's one of the pitfalls of having a roommate."

"Whitney and I have been writing to each other every week since he left. Actually, I've been writing him. He hasn't really responded much lately."

"Am I being really evil if I suggest that maybe he's trying to move on?"

"I don't know. Whitney's shared more with me since we broke up than when we were together. What is it with guys and their emotions? The closer you get to them, the more they keep everything in."

"Must be some sort of protective instincts. You know, maybe we should just stop falling for guys who are trying to save the world."

"But guys who save the world are just so darn hot," Emmeline joked.

All three of them laughed together, before Chloe asked, "So what are you doing down here, Em?"

"Pete and I are getting together to do some studying for World History." When she noticed Lana and Chloe make knowing eye contact, she couldn't help but ask, "What?"

"It's just that you two have been spending an awful lot of time together," Lana smiled.

"You and Chloe. No, I don't like him like that. He's just been a really great friend to me lately with everything going on."

"Okay," Chloe said in a tone that implied she didn't believe her.


A couple days later, Clark asked Chloe to look more into the case of Joseph Willowbrook, Kyla's grandfather. According to him, he had been framed by someone from LuthorCorp and arrested, but with the help of Martha, Joseph was bailed out.

"Anything new in Joseph's case?" Clark asked, walking to the Torch office.

"You know, Clark, a simple 'Hello, Chloe. Hello, Em' goes a long way," Chloe joked.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just a little…"

"Obsessed? We've noticed. I just got off the phone with the coroner's office. They finished the autopsy and there's a new development. I guess they found teeth marks in the foreman's bones."

"What kind of teeth marks?"

"Canis lupus. Wolf."

"Takes Joseph off the hook."

Chloe sighed and went over to her printer. "It's still a few notches this side of normal. I mean, wolves have been extinct in Smallville for 90 years."

"But that is one of the least weirdest things I've heard of happening in Smallville," Emmeline said. "May I bring up a good portion of last year?"

"Yeah, but the look on Chloe's face tells me she has a Wall of Weird explanation," Clark said.

"Don't kill the messenger, but I found out that Kyla's tribe name translates into 'skinwalkers'," Chloe told him, showing him an old picture she had just printed out.

"What is this, some sort of tribal ritual?" Clark asked, referring to the man in wolf's clothing.

Chloe and Emmeline grabbed their things and began walking out. "It's a Native American myth where the humans transform into animals."

"It's just a legend."

"Clark, sometimes legends are true. You know, this isn't the first time that Joseph's been arrested for his radical tactics."

"Chloe, Joseph's not a murderer."

Clark briskly walked off, leaving Chloe and Emmeline alone in the hallway.

"I love him, but sometimes he gets just a bit too protective of some people," Emmeline said.

"What can I say? He wouldn't be Clark if he wasn't protective."


The next few days were a whirlwind. Clark managed to save the caves because of a peaceful protest, but unfortunately, Kyla was killed in a way that no one really knew about. The events of her death were a complete mystery.

"Am I interrupting?" Emmeline said as she came up the stairs to the loft.

"No," Clark said with a pained smile.

"I'm sorry about Kyla. I know you really liked her."

"Maybe it's just better for me to be alone."

"I think we both know that's not true."

"Well, you can see how well it's gone with Lana and Chloe."

"Yeah, but whose fault is that?"

Clark looked at her sheepishly. "Fair point."

"Clark, I'm sure there's someone out there for you. I don't know who it is, and maybe you haven't even met her yet. But finding Mrs. Right is going to take time. A good number of people certainly don't find their future spouse in high school. I mean, my mom and dad didn't even meet until they were in their late 20s."

"You always say just the right thing, Em," Clark smiled.

"It's a gift," she laughed.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs alerted them to Lana's presence. "Sorry, I didn't realize you had company," she said awkwardly.

"It's okay," Clark said. "We were just talking."

"I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about Kyla."

"I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to know her better," Clark told her as they walked over to the window. "You had a lot in common."

"That means a lot, knowing how important she was to you."

Clark looked out at the stars. "Kyla told me there used to be a star right out there by the bright one. But it disappeared."

"It's amazing how quickly a light can go out."

Emmeline looked over and realized that tears were quickly pooling in Lana's eyes.

"Lana, you're shaking. Are you okay?" Clark said gently.

"No," she admitted. "No, I don't think so. I guess it hasn't sunk in yet."

"What is it?" Emmeline asked.

"Whitney's mom just called. He's missing in action."

Clark and Emmeline gasped lightly as Lana began to sob. Clark pulled her into his arms while Emmeline hugged her as well.

It was absolutely heart-wrenching to hear Lana's sobs sound out across the loft.