When Clark came into the Torch office and told Chloe and Emmeline that Alicia Baker had been released from Belle Reve, Emmeline's stomach flipped a little. This was the girl who had tried to kill her and Lana in order for her to be the only girl in Clark's life.

But if she was released from Belle Reve, then maybe she really was changed.

She wouldn't find out if she didn't let Alicia show her.

Chloe smiled as she hacked into Belle Reve's files and pulled up the file on Alicia.

"Man, I'm good," she said with deserved self-praise. "All right, Alicia Baker. 'Suffering from a histrionic personality disorder causing emotional instability resulting in psychotic episodes.' Yeah, that's our girl."

She scrolled down the page and the picture of an older man came up.

"Who's that guy?" Clark asked.

"It's Alicia's psychiatrist, Dr. William McBride. Yeah, I've heard of him. He graduated from Harvard in two years with more degrees than a thermometer."

"Well, then at least we know he's credible," Emmeline said.

Clark nervously looked at the computer. "What's he say about Alicia?"

Chloe's eyes quickly scanned the diagnosis. "Wow. Well, according to Dr. McBride, Alicia really is cured."

"She was telling the truth."

Clark turned to face them with a broad smile on his face.

Chloe smirked at him. "And that, I take it, is exactly what our young Mr. Kent wanted to hear."

Emmeline smiled a little. She didn't know what it was about Alicia, but Clark genuinely liked her, and despite what had happened, she had to admit that they did have chemistry when she wasn't on a psychotic rampage.

Maybe, if Alicia truly wasn't homicidal anymore, she really was the right girl for him.


That night, Emmeline and Chloe were hard at work at the Torch.

Emmeline silently wondered how things were working out with Clark and Alicia and if she really was showing signs that she had changed.

She was so deep in those thoughts that she didn't even hear Lana walk in.

"Hey," the girl said to announce her presence to the two workers.

"Hey," Chloe smiled. "We missed you in A.P. Lit today. What happened? You decide you just couldn't face The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock?"

"No, um…I went to go see Jason."

"Sounds like it didn't go so well." Chloe smiled a little at her surprised expression. "I'm sorry, but, um, poker face isn't exactly your strong suit. What's up?"

Lana walked away a little so her back was towards the two girls. "I think I finally figured out why he's been so cryptic. He doesn't think that I'm ready for that kind of a relationship."

"What? What kind?"

Lana didn't answer her. She turned to face Chloe and opened her mouth several times attempting to find the right words.

"Oh, that kind," Chloe said catching on. "Oh, okay."

Emmeline's face reddened. She had witnessed a lot of awkward conversations since befriending Chloe. A lot of them.

But this was reaching a whole new level of awkward…

"Wow," Chloe said, still stunned at the confession. "That answers a question I've been dying to ask you all semester."

Lana's brow furrowed. "Does everybody think that we've—"

Chloe stood up from her seat. "Lana, you were alone with him for three months in Paris."

Lana smiled awkwardly. "Right. Um…well, we haven't. But I'm starting to think that I'm ready."

Emmeline released a breath of air.

Somehow…it got more awkward…

Lana and Chloe sat down on the couch while Emmeline leaned against the desk across from them.

"First off," Chloe started, "don't do this just because you're afraid to lose him if you don't."

"It's not that. It's just Jason's in college, and I think that he's used to relationships that are…that are a little more adult."

"Well, hold on," Emmeline put in. "That may be the case, but he should've known what kind of relationship he was getting into when he started dating you. And it's extremely unfair of him to put things on hold with you just because you don't want to do something like this."

Lana sighed heavily.

"Look, at the risk of going After School Special on you, two-thirds of all people under the age of 18 regret doing it too soon," Chloe told her. She took a deep breath. "And on behalf of that two-thirds, just be sure that you're really ready."

Emmeline looked at Chloe in disbelief. She didn't know if she was more shocked that Chloe had already…done it, or the fact that she hadn't yet told her about it.

Lana's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute. Are you saying that you've—"

"Yeah. During my internship at the Daily Planet. His name was Jimmy. He was very cute in a bow tie kind of way. You know, I mean, it was…it was a summer infatuation that I thought was the real thing."

"Do you wish you hadn't done it?"

"Sometimes. I mean, it wasn't awful by any means. But it just wasn't special, and as cliché as it sounds, it only happens once. So just make sure Jason's the guy that you want to remember forever."

Emmeline smiled a little. "As traditional as this is going to sound, I'm personally waiting until marriage."

"Why?" Lana asked.

"My parents waited. And they say it was one of the best decisions they ever made. Besides, after meeting my biological mom and hearing about everything she went through…I want to wait."

"You know, it may be really hard to find a guy who's willing to wait that long," Chloe put in.

"I know. But if a guy really loves me, then he'll be willing to wait too."

Lana shook her head lightly. "I feel like I'm even more torn than before."

"Well, no one can make this decision but you."

"Yeah…"

When Lana left the office, Emmeline took a seat next to her best friend. "I'm stunned."

Chloe sighed. "Yeah, I know. I was going to tell you, but…"

"It was personal. I get it."

"I mean, you remember that summer."

"Right, it was right after the Spring Formal. And you were upset about everything happening with Clark."

"I was hurt and angry, and Jimmy was there for me when I was weak. And in the moment, it felt like it was real. But, I regret it a lot more than I let on. I wanted my first time to mean something. And I lost that opportunity."

"Well, it will never be the first time again, but imagine how wonderful it will be when it's with someone you really love."


Emmeline slowly made her way up to Clark's loft.

She realized just how often she had been making trips up here lately, but it didn't feel unusual in any way.

And every time she was up here, she left feeling happier than when she had come. Something about her conversations with Clark were so fulfilling. Whether the subject was happy or sad.

From the look on Clark's face, this one was going to be the latter.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm not sure…" he answered sadly.

After a pause, she said, "I heard you ran off to Vegas and got married."

Clark put his head down in shame. Sometimes, he really hated living in a small town. "Yeah, I just got an earful from my parents about the whole thing. About how marriage is sacred and I should've had better judgment."

"How in the world did this even happen?"

"I…I wasn't totally myself."

"What, were you drunk or something?"

"Sort of."

"Wait, I'm confused. Were you drunk or not?"

Clark sighed and decided it was better to just give her a straight lie. "Yes."

"Did Alicia get you drunk?"

"Yeah…"

"I can understand your parents being upset about that considering you're not the legal age yet. But if you were drunk, you probably don't even remember what you did, right?"

"Not exactly. I was aware of what I was doing, but…being drunk kind of…dampened my inhibitions."

"Well, yeah, generally, that's what being drunk does."

"So, I guess I really wanted to be with Alicia and then when I got drunk, I decided to just go ahead and do it."

"Well, even still, I personally think your parents should cut you a little bit of slack. Yes, this decision was extremely stupid, but if your inhibitions were overridden by your desires because you got drunk, then they should be upset about that, not your judgement. In your shoes, anyone's judgment would've been screwed up. And besides, it wasn't even your fault that you got drunk in the first place."

"I wish they could see things your way."

Emmeline sighed a little and decided to switch topics. "So, about Alicia, do you think she's really changed?"

"She's definitely not the same person she was before. We don't have to worry about her going after anyone again. I know that she really messed things up by…getting me drunk, but…she was so remorseful about the whole thing. And she…she took a bullet for me."

"She did what?"

"Her psychiatrist, Dr. McBride, came after me so I wouldn't hurt Alicia again. He was about to shoot me, but Alicia teleported herself in front of me so the bullet hit her instead."

Emmeline was at a loss for words. She knew Alicia was in love with Clark, but she never knew that the girl would take a bullet for him.

"I don't want to completely cut her out of my life yet."

"And you shouldn't," Emmeline told him. "She may have gotten you drunk, but unlike before, from what you're telling me, she recognizes how big of a mistake it was. And, you know, I've seen you two together. You guys share something that I've never seen before. You just look so…free with her. It may take some more time before you are ready to be with her again, and that's okay. Take the time. When you're ready, it'll be worth it."