"Clark?" Emmeline called as she knocked on the door to his house.

"Em, is that you?"

"Uh, yeah. Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Emmeline came inside to find Clark on the couch staring into space. Well…not exactly staring…

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"It's an adjustment. It's going to be pretty difficult getting used to not seeing anything. I just have to hang on to the hope that it's only temporary. Uh…how are you doing? You know…with Hannah and everything?"

"Uh, you know what, that's not important right now."

"Em, just because this happened to me doesn't mean I don't want to hear about what's going on with you."

Emmeline sighed heavily. "Hannah just won't listen to me. I told her a hundred times that I want to stay here in Smallville. That I have a really hard time meeting people and how hard it would be for me to adjust to life somewhere else. But she's convinced that my life will be better if I move to New York with her. She won't let me have any say in this whole custody thing."

"Well, did you ever consider that maybe she has a point?"

"What do you mean?"

"There have been a lot of meteor freak problems in the past few years that you've been caught in the middle of."

"I think we both know New York isn't much safer. Besides, I'd have to say good-bye to everyone here, and I don't think I could do it." Emmeline stood up from the couch. "Uh, Pete and I will stop by tomorrow to help you get to school."

"Alright. And Em? Don't worry about Hannah. Everything will work out."

"I hope so."


As Pete and Emmeline guided Clark through the school hallways, almost everyone turned their heads to look at the injured boy.

"Everyone's staring, aren't they?" Clark asked.

"Uh, they're just digging your shades," Pete answered.

Clark smiled as they arrived at his locker.

Pete started entering in the combination on his lock. "Hey, man, let me give you a hand. I've been up on this combination since the third grade. Here you go." He opened the locker and guided Clark's hand to the top shelf so he could get his books. "If it helps, the guy who did this landed on my mom's court calendar. Somehow, I don't think Judge Ross is gonna be giving this Masterson guy any breaks."

"Clark." Pete and Emmeline turned to find Lana walking up to them. "You're already back?"

"Nothing quite that heroic," Clark answered a little nervously. "It's just a pit stop."

"Well, um, if you need anything, I'm here for you. Class notes, help writing your papers."

Clark turned back to his locker and accidently dropped all the textbooks he was holding. All of them knelt down to help him retrieve them.

"One thing I learned from my accident is that you can't go through something like this alone."

"Lana, just because I'm blind doesn't mean the issues between us have disappeared," Clark told her bluntly. "This doesn't change anything."

"I was just offering a helping hand, Clark. But I won't make that mistake again."

Lana walked off, clearly offended.

"Whoever said 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' obviously hasn't met the two of you," Pete remarked.

As Pete closed the locker door, Clark suddenly cried out in pain and put his hand to his ear.

"Clark, are you okay?" Emmeline asked quickly as she put her hands on him. "What is it?"

"Guys, did you hear that?" Clark said.

"Hear what?" Pete asked.

"Chloe?"

"She's not here, Clark."

Clark's brow furrowed in confusion as he appeared to be listening to something. Suddenly, the bell rang and he bent over as he cried out in pain again.

"Clark!" Emmeline cried. "What's the matter?"

"What happened?" Pete asked.

"Pete, there's something wrong," Clark grimaced. "You have to get me home right away."

"Okay. Em, get to class. I'll take Clark home."

"Uh, okay. Let me know if everything's alright!"


After school, Chloe and Emmeline drove over to Clark's to make sure he was all right after the whole episode in the hallway.

"Clark?" Chloe called.

"Chloe," Clark addressed.

"Hi, Clark," Emmeline put in so that he would know she was there as well.

"Hey, Em."

Chloe went over to him and put her hand on his arm. "Hi. Look, as much as I try and avoid unbearable cliches, if there's anything I can do, just…"

"I-I'll manage," Clark said with a thin smile. He slowly walked away from her. "You both didn't come all the way out here to check out the blind guy."

"Actually, I'm on something of a mission. Have you seen Pete?" Chloe grimaced when she realized she had just said 'seen'. "Sorry. It's, um…we were supposed to meet this morning and double-team on my Daily Planet column—"

"The column Lionel Luthor helped you land?"

Chloe paused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Clark turned to her. "I may have lost my sight, but things are becoming much clearer now. Exactly how long have you and Lionel been looking into my life?"

Chloe and Emmeline shared a nervous glance. How had he found out about this?

"Since last spring," Chloe answered shamefully. "The day after Lex's wedding."

"When you saw me and Lana together. Is that why you did this?"

Chloe didn't answer.

"Your silence is deafening. Emmeline, did you know about this?"

Emmeline's throat tightened as he used her full name. "Uh…"

"You did. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I…I knew you'd react this way."

"What did you give him?" he demanded of Chloe.

"Nothing," Chloe answered quickly. "Nothing he didn't already know."

"Well, then what is he sharing with you?"

"Nothing. Believe it or not, Clark, I-I was just—I was trying to help you."

"Oh, by spying on me."

"No, by just trying to understand why he's so intrigued with you."

"And if the Torch got a few new computers and you made a name for yourself at the Daily Planet, that was okay too. For all the times you accused me of keeping secrets, how could you do this to me?!"

"I was…he just, he caught me at an especially bad time. And I caved. I've been trying to get out of it ever since, but when people like Lionel Luthor have you, they don't want to let go. You know, I thought that you out of all people would understand making a stupid decision in a moment of weakness. But I guess I was wrong."

Chloe stormed back to her car, but Emmeline remained behind. She couldn't seem to be able to make her feet move. Clark wasn't supposed to find out this way. Even better, not at all.

"Clark…" she started. "Please understand. This whole situation hasn't been easy for anyone. Chloe didn't even tell me about this until a few months ago when things started getting really bad."

Clark couldn't see her, but he could hear the tears in her voice. "I think it would be best if you left."

Emmeline bit her lip as she tearfully followed Chloe to her car.


Emmeline and Abby Ross stepped inside the door to the Kent farm where Martha, Jonathon, and Sheriff Adams had gathered. Emmeline had been at Pete's house all afternoon since she had gotten the news that he had been kidnapped.

"Abby?" Jonathon said.

"Judge Ross," Sheriff Adams addressed. "You should be home in case there's a ransom demand."

"They just called," Abby responded shakily. "I asked your deputy to bring me and Emmeline straight here."

"Is Pete all right?" Martha asked.

"So far."

Jonathon guided Abby to a chair at the dining room table. "What do they want?"

"Masterson's pretrial hearing is tomorrow. Apparently, his attorney is going to make a motion to dismiss all charges. If I don't grant it, they're going to kill my son."

Emmeline gasped as tears came to her eyes. She put her hands to her mouth and fell against the cabinet behind her. Martha quickly came over to her and put her arms around her as Jonathon put his hand on Abby's.

"It'll be okay, Emmeline," Martha said quietly to the girl as she rubbed her hand against her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

Emmeline turned and hugged Martha, crying onto her shoulder.

If she lost the first boyfriend she ever had like this, she didn't know what she would do.


That night, Emmeline was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears leaked down her cheeks and fell on her pink pajama pants.

"Emmeline?" her mother said softly. "How are you holding up?"

Emmeline didn't answer her. Her mother walked into the room and sat on her bed next to her.

"I know that there's really nothing I can say to make you feel better right now. So I'm going to do what mothers do best."

Her mother put her arms around her and hugged her tightly. Emmeline began sobbing as she turned and hugged her mother back.

"I'm so scared, Mom!" she cried. "I don't want to lose him!"

"I know, honey. I know."

She rubbed comforting circles on her daughter's back, her heart breaking at the sound of her sobs.


Emmeline followed Abby and Sheriff Adams down the hallway on the way to the courtroom.

"Judge, I've got people fanning out from that garage trying to find your son, but we are running out of time," Sheriff Adams said.

Abby turned to her. "I know. Releasing Masterson goes against everything that I believe in. But if I don't, it could mean Pete's life." She looked down the hallway to see Masterson speaking with his lawyer. He had a smug smile on his face. "Look at him. He knows he has us over a barrel."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Until the hearing starts, pray."

Abby started walking away, but Emmeline stopped her. "Mrs. Ross, I really hope Pete gets back okay."

Abby looked at her son's girlfriend, taking note of how red her eyes were. "You know, Emmeline, Pete's never had someone like you in his life. I'm really glad you're the one he's dating."

Emmeline smiled sadly. As Abby walked off, she looked towards the doorway and saw Clark standing there. His eyes became hard as she walked over to him.

"Look, Clark," she said pleadingly. "I know you're mad at me right now, but…I don't know how you do what you do, and right now, I don't really care. Just…please bring him back to me."

Clark's eyes softened a little. "I will."

Emmeline walked away from him and sat on one of the benches, anxiously awaiting to hear what was going to happen with Pete.

After several tense minutes which felt like an eternity, her cell phone rang. She quickly whipped it out of her pocket and answered it.

"Em?" Clark said on the other end. "I've got Pete! He's okay!"

Tears of relief filled her eyes. "Thank goodness. Tell him I'm glad he's safe!" She hung up and ran to go find Abby. "Mrs. Ross!" Abby turned to the girl. "I don't know how, but Clark found Pete! He's okay!"

Abby sighed happily. "Thank the Lord."

Emmeline smiled broadly. "Go give Masterson what's coming to him."

Abby smiled and hugged Emmeline. Then she left to give Masterson the sentence he deserved.

He was certainly in for one heck of a surprise.


Clark brought Pete straight to the courthouse so he could see his mother. She was still in the courtroom when they got there, but Emmeline was outside waiting for the hearing to be over. As soon as she saw Pete, she ran over to him as fast as she could and flung her arms around his neck.

"I'm so happy you're okay," she said, tears of joy filling her eyes once more.

Pete tightly hugged her back. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Emmeline looked up at Clark. His eyes were still hard and it was clear he was still extremely upset with her. She couldn't really blame him, but it still didn't feel good to have him mad at her.

She finally looked away from him and buried her face into Pete's neck as they continued to hug.


Inside the Talon, a group of girls had gathered around Pete near the counter. Emmeline was holding his hand and listening to him retell the story of how he so heroically saved himself from the car compacter at the junkyard. She still didn't know exactly how everything had really gone down, but she knew that Clark had been responsible for the majority of the rescue.

"And that's the way I pulled myself out of the compactor and got away," Pete smiled as he finished his story.

"That's the bravest thing I've ever heard," one of the girls fawned.

"Well, you know, if I didn't do something fast, I'd be Spam in a can, so…"

"You are so lucky to be dating him," another girl said to Emmeline.

Emmeline smiled. "I know." She gently kissed Pete on the lips.

Clark came up to the counter beside her and Pete and chuckled a little. "I have a feeling I'll be hearing this story for a long time."

Pete laughed as they turned around. "Busted. But, you know, what can I say? Chicks dig a hero."

"He's not wrong," Emmeline said.

"Hope you don't mind I'm bending the truth a little bit."

"Pete, look who you're talking to. The master truth-bender. Besides, after everything you've done for me, it's the least I can do." Clark took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"My eyes are just adjusting. I think I need a new prescription."

Chloe walked into the Talon and up to the three of them. It was clear she was pretty upset.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Hey, Chloe," Pete smiled. "Hey, I'm ready for my big Torch interview."

"Sorry, Pete, I'm gonna have to reschedule." She looked over at Clark. "I'm really glad you're feeling better."

She turned to go, but Pete quickly grabbed her arm. "Chloe, what's the matter?"

Chloe took a deep breath as she looked at them all. "I just lost my Daily Planet column."

"What? Why?"

"They didn't exactly spell it out on the pink slip. And in the 'when it rains, it pours' category, my dad just got laid off from his job at LuthorCorp this morning."

"That doesn't make any sense," Clark put in. "Your father's worked there for years."

"If you want answers, ask Lex. He's the one that dropped the ax."

Everyone looked at one another in shock. They couldn't even imagine how Chloe must've been feeling at the moment. Clark's anger really didn't help the heavy weight on her shoulders.

Emmeline pulled Pete over to sit at one of the tables. "I have something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Pete asked.

Emmeline took a nervous breath. "I was so scared when I heard about what happened to you. I can't even remember the last time I've been so scared. And it got me thinking. You've been my friend for about two and a half years and my boyfriend for several months. And sure, I would've been scared if this had happened during the time we were just friends, but this was different. And I realized that it's because…I…I love you."

Pete smiled broadly. "Really? You do?"

Emmeline nodded shyly.

"I love you too, Em."

The two of them stood up from the table and shared a long, lingering kiss.

Two years ago, Emmeline never would've seen this moment coming in a million years.