"Clark?" Emmeline called as she stepped into the loft.

"Hey, Em. What's up?"

"Nothing, I just needed to get out of the house for a while."

"Mom's not doing so good?"

"She's recovering at a very, very slow pace. But she's getting sick a lot because of the treatments. I can't…listen to that anymore. It's really hard to hear her like that."

"I understand."

"Are…are you alright?"

"You don't need to hear about it."

"Clark. I'm the best listener you know. You can tell me anything."

"I know, but you've got a lot on your plate as it is."

"Maybe so, but what kind of friend would I be if I only listened to your problems when it was convenient for me?"

"If you say so. It's my mom and dad's anniversary today. And Dad wanted to take her out on a picnic, but she got called into work in Metropolis. And working for a Luthor has kind of put her at odds with Dad as it is, so he's not taking the whole thing too well."

"I see. I know your dad doesn't exactly favor the Luthors. He's definitely not the only one. Pete rants to me about them all the time."

"You really have been hanging out with him a lot lately, haven't you?"

"Focus. We are talking about you here."

"Fair enough," Clark laughed.

"Well, I know it may be hard to see them fight, but I have no doubt that they will pull through. Every couple has arguments. Every good couple talks about it. Every great couple works through them."

"Em, have you ever considered a job in psychology?"

Emmeline laughed. "No, but I'll add it to the list of possible colleges degrees."

"I'm serious. You're great with people one-on-one."

"Well, thanks. I'm glad I can help. Now if you'll excuse me, Chloe and I are going to Pete's house to do some homework."

Clark gave her a knowing look.

"Don't say anything," Emmeline scoffed.

She headed over to Pete's house and knocked on the door. Both Chloe and Pete answered it.

"Em, you're here!" Chloe said quickly. "Come on, get in here quick! You've got to see this! It's all over the news!"

Emmeline went over to the TV where a female reporter was standing in front of chaos at the LuthorCorp building.

"We are live at the LuthorCorp tower," the anchor said, "where sometime earlier this afternoon, armed gunmen apparently entered the building and are now holding LuthorCorp chairman and CEO Lionel Luthor hostage, along with at least one unidentified female employee."

"Mrs. Kent," Emmeline whispered as her stomach flipped.

"What?" Pete asked. "How do you know it's her?"

"Clark told me that his mom got called in to work today in Metropolis. Lionel Luthor and a female employee? It makes sense."

"If anything happens to her…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone was terrified of what might happen to the woman they all loved.

The news report stayed playing on the TV for hours as they all watched the situation unfold. They attempted to do homework, but everyone was so worried about Martha that hardly any of it got done.

"Has anyone talked to Clark lately?" Chloe asked.

"I saw him before I came here, but not since then," Emmeline answered.

"I keep calling him, but he's unreachable," Pete added.

Finally, well into the night, the camera showed Martha running into Jonathon's arms. All three of them stood up and started cheering and hugging one another, beyond relieved that Martha was okay.

Then the camera showed Clark next to his parents, smiling as he watched their joyous reunion.

"Why didn't we think of that before?" Emmeline remarked. "We couldn't reach him because he was saving the day, of course!"

"Oh, of course!" Chloe joked. "Thank goodness everyone is all right."

Emmeline knocked on the screen door of the Kent farm the next morning before school.

"Hi, Emmeline!" Martha smiled. "Come on in!"

"Hi, Mrs. Kent," she said as she stepped inside. "I just wanted to stop by and tell you how happy I am that you're okay."

"Aw, that's sweet of you."

"Chloe, Pete, and I were all watching the news. We couldn't really do anything else until we knew you were safe. Smallville just wouldn't be the same without you."

Martha went over and hugged the girl. "You're such a sweet girl, Emmeline. I'm glad you came into our lives."

"Thanks."

Martha and Jonathon left the room leaving Clark and Emmeline alone.

"Clark, I know you did something to help yesterday. I don't know what or how that's possible, but if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you seem to be able to do the impossible."

"I wouldn't say 'impossible'…"

"I would, and so would everyone else. But this is Smallville which is the hometown to impossible. So I may not understand how you do what you do, but I don't think I want to. I like the mystery."

"So, Em, about Pete…"

"Clark," Emmeline interrupted. "You're not the first one to think I like him. But we're just friends."

"Maybe you think so, but I've seen the way you two are around each other."

"What?"

"Pete's an amazing friend. Believe me, we've been best friends since we were kids. But the way he acts around you is much different from how he acts around other people."

"Clark, look. It won't surprise you, but I've never been in a real relationship before. I'm just…not ready."

"So when will you be ready?"

"I don't know. It's just too soon. I like Pete as a friend, and I don't know what I would do without him, but for right now, I want to stay friends. I just don't want to wreck what we have."

"I respect that. Just be careful to not lead him on."

Emmeline smirked. "Now who should be going into psychology?"

Clark smiled. "I just don't want to see either of you get hurt."

"I know. Thanks, Clark. I'm glad I have you as a friend too."