"Clark, pick up the pace, somewhere between brisk walk and super-speed," Chloe said as she led Clark and Emmeline down the sidewalks of Metropolis. "The star witness testifies in fifteen minutes."

"Not that I mind being your 'Boy Friday', but I don't understand why you need an escort," Clark told her.

"I don't. I just thought a nice little courthouse field trip might reignite the journalism spark."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but my ace reporter days ended when I left the Torch."

"Aw, that's not true," Emmeline put in. "Maybe you haven't done any actual writing, but you certainly know how to dig up information on someone. I don't think your 'journalism spark' ever truly went out."

Chloe smirked. "If you don't want to call it that, consider it a much needed 'get-off-the-farm' pass. Look, Clark, I know this has been the year from hell, and that was before you broke up with Lana, but there are only so many days you can hole yourself up in that loft before we pull an intervention."

"Wait, I am not holed up."

Chloe stopped her brisk walk to look at him doubtfully.

"It's just…ever since I found out that Lionel knows my secret, I've been waiting for a bomb to go off."

After seeing Clark struggling to put on his press badge, she took it from him and pinned it on his jacket. "Yeah, well, don't duck and cover yet. I mean, for all we know, he may never even light the fuse."

"This is Lionel Luthor we're talking about."

Their heads turned when they saw a large red van revving down the road…right at a man in the street.

The two young women barely had time to blink before Clark was in the road pushing the man out of harm's way.

Chloe and Emmeline ran over to him as the man hurried off.

"Hey!" Chloe smiled. "Now, you couldn't do that on the farm. Thanks to you, that guy's got a new lease on life. Nice work."

They all went to the courthouse only to find out that the proceedings had been cancelled for reasons that no one would say which meant it probably wasn't good. It appeared they had come all the way out for nothing.


When Clark and Emmeline headed into the Planet the next morning, Chloe quickly bounded up to them. "Guys, do you remember that trial that was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances?" She held up the daily newspaper with the large headlines revealing the reason why. "The star witness was murdered in the basement of the courthouse."

"The basement? Are there any leads?"

"Nothing. And now the prosecution has no case. Looks like this story has gone from legal to lethal."

"I guess this is a bad time to ask for a favor."

"You kidding me? The amount of times you've saved my butt, you can pull a coin from the favor bank any time you need. What's up?"

"Someone sent me a 50-inch plasma with all the bells and whistles but forgot to sign the gift card."

"Clark, that's not a problem. That's winning the trifecta. When's movie night?"

"Never. I sent it all back."

"You did what now?" Emmeline asked in disbelief. "You're telling me that you got a free plasma-screen TV with no strings attached and you sent it back?"

"Yes, I did. I'm not gonna accept a gift like that, especially when I don't know who it's from."

"Sometimes I think you're too nice for your own good."

"I called Metro Plasma. They won't give me any information. Can you call them, get in their sales records?"

"Sure," Chloe answered. "It sounds like a move straight from the Lionel Luthor playbook if you ask me."

"That's the first thing that I thought, but my mom called and he claims he had nothing to do with it."

Chloe pulled up the Metro Plasma database on her computer and put in the information Clark had given her. "Well, it looks like your Secret Santa remains anonymous. He paid in cash. You know, if not Lionel, what about Luthor Jr.?"

"You mean Lex? Why would he send me a home theater system?"

"Maybe he's feeling guilty."

"Guilty about what?"

There was a very noticeable pause before she replied, "I don't know. I mean he hasn't exactly been the best friend lately. So…he also has been known to try and win you over with expensive toys."

"He did say he wanted to try to find some common ground. I'm gonna go talk to him."

After he left, Emmeline crossed her arms. "All right, what are you hiding?"

"What?" Chloe asked innocently.

"I know you pretty well by now. Which means I know when you're hiding something. Why would Lex be feeling guilty?"

Chloe opened and closed her mouth several times to try to formulate a response.

"Okay, if you don't want to tell me, I won't pry."

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Why aren't you ever bothered when someone is so obviously keeping something from you?"

"I wouldn't say it doesn't bother me. It's just…when it comes to you and Clark, I trust the both of you with my life. And that means that if you're ever not telling me something, there must be a pretty good reason for it. If I try to force it out of you, no one will be happy. Sure, I want to know what that thing is, but I'll accept it if you don't want to tell me."

"Man, I wish I was like that. Maybe then Clark and I wouldn't have fought so much."

"Yeah, but if you were like me, then you wouldn't be working here living out your dream."

"Good point."


Later that day, Clark stormed back into the Daily Planet.

Chloe turned around from the printer. "Hey. Riddle me this: how does an assassin get in a completely sealed room unseen?"

"You knew, didn't you?" Clark demanded.

"No, that's why it's a riddle."

"All those times that I asked you how Lana was doing, you avoided the subject like the plague. You knew about her and Lex."

Chloe quickly deflated. "I'm sorry, Clark. But I didn't think it was my place to get involved."

"You're supposed to be my friend."

"I am your friend."

"You are? Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I'm Lana's friend too, and she asked me to keep it a secret. I thought you of all people would respect that."

"Wait a minute, what's going on?" Emmeline interjected.

Keeping his glare on Chloe, Clark bit out, "When I went to go talk to him, I stumbled on Lex and Lana kissing."

Emmeline grimaced. Well, money-wise Lex was better off, but personality-wise? What a major step down. Wasn't it a bit too soon for Lana to be dating someone else? She and Clark hadn't broken up that long ago.

"You know how dangerous Lex is," Clark continued. "Any friend of Lana's would never let her get involved with him!"

"Look, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy either, but Lana's a big girl."

Clark angrily started heading for the elevator.

"Where are you going? Clark, where are you going?"

"Lana has no idea what she's getting herself into."

"Clark, let me remind you that you broke up with her. That means Lana can date whoever she wants with or without your written permission."

"I know. But I still care about her, and I don't wanna just stand by and watch her get hurt."

"Look, I hate to be the one to say this, but you don't have a choice."

The words clearly sunk into him and it was obvious they hurt.

Emmeline felt sorry for him. Regardless of her own personal feelings, she knew it couldn't be easy to accept the fact that someone he was direly in love with was in love with someone else.


For what seemed like the hundredth time, someone appeared in Lex's mansion and attempted to kill him, this time by strangulation.

When you were a billionaire, apparently everyone wanted you dead. Granted, Lex had never been the most merciful person when it came to dealing with others, especially recently.

Another reason Emmeline could not begin to understand Lana's decision.

The problem was that when Clark went to confront the guy, who was apparently the same guy he had saved at the courthouse and the same guy who had sent him the TV, it was revealed that he had the power of invisibility.

"Clark, if your meteor-challenged friend tried to kill Lex to repay a favor, it's probably not the first time he's murdered someone," Chloe explained. "In fact, with his powers, he might even be the Chameleon."

"Who's the Chameleon?" Clark asked.

"Hitman for hire. Number eight on the FBI's Top 40 and climbing the charts. He also happens to be the prime suspect for the courthouse murder."

"Which happened right after I saved Graham's life."

"His trademark is getting to his victims in highly secure locations. He leaves no prints, no images on surveillance cameras, and no clues."

"Meteor power would explain a lot. He said he'd been in Smallville before."

Chloe pulled up her digitized WoW. "Well, unfortunately, there's no record of camouflage power on the digital Wall of Weird, and the name Graham Garrett didn't get any hits. This guy's totally off the grid."

"If I hadn't pulled him out of traffic, that witness would be alive and Lex wouldn't be in the hospital."

"You cannot blame yourself for this," Emmeline said firmly. "There is no way you could've known that he is a professional hitman. It's not up to you to decide who to save and who to not."

"It doesn't matter. I gotta stop him."

"Well, it's easier said than done," Chloe told him. "When you're a wanted man, invisibility really comes in handy. Every law enforcement agency, from the FBI to Interpol, has been after him for the last year."

"I'm not your typical law enforcement agency."

Emmeline smiled a little bit at that statement.

"Clark, don't get too cocky. Not only does this guy know your power, he could very well know about your weakness."

"How would he know about the meteor rocks?"

"Clark, he's the ultimate fly on the wall. And…he's buzzing over to the Talon later on tonight for a date with Lois. I gotta call and warn her."


Clark and Emmeline headed over to the Talon to try and catch Lois before she went on a date with a professional assassin.

Unfortunately, she wasn't answering either of their calls.

They both hurried up to the apartment above the coffee shop and frantically knocked on the door.

After a couple minutes, Lois flung open the door with a brush held over her head like a weapon.

And she was completely naked.

She nervously cleared her throat and slammed the door shut again.

Clark took a step back from the door, looking everywhere but at Emmeline.

Both of them figured silence was the best option here.

Lois angrily opened the door again, thankfully with a towel wrapped around her. "What are you doing here?"

"Lois, we've been calling, knocking on the door," Clark said quickly, ignoring what had just happened. "How long have you been in there?"

"About an hour and a half."

"What?"

"Hey, you guys weren't just in my bathroom, were you?"

"Lois, we just walked in the apartment."

"Well, that's weird because I could have sworn somebody was in there watching me."

Clark's eyes widened. "Graham."

"You're blaming Graham? That's pathetic."

"Lois, if you see him, you have to stay away."

"Why is it that you feel the need to lob a grenade at every guy that I date?"

"Quiet." He turned his head to listen to something. "He's here."

The curtains on the window lightly moved as if a small breeze had hit them.

But that was no breeze.

Clark listened in on Graham's heartbeat and followed the sound to the back alley of the Talon.

"You mind telling me what's going on here?" Lois asked.

"Clark's right, you have to stay away from him," Emmeline said.

"Oh, not you too."

Emmeline followed after Clark, worried that Graham might hurt him if he had indeed found out his weakness.

She approached the door that led to the alley behind the coffee shop but froze when she heard two voices.

"It's amazing what you can learn when you're a fly on the wall. Those meteors that fell from the sky the day I drove through town? They might hurt you, but they gave me the greatest life I could ever ask for."

Emmeline quietly came out the door and hid behind the dumpster to see Graham holding a meteor rock above a weakened Clark.

"You were in Smallville the day of the meteor shower?" he groaned in agony.

"Luckiest day of my life. Think using your power to be a hero's a rush? Nothing beats using them to kill."

"I saved your life."

"You should have taken the plasma. But now that my identity's in jeopardy, I have no choice. I have to get rid of you, Lex, and Lana."

"No…"

"They saw who I was, Clark. And not just them, but your pals Chloe and Emmeline know who I am too. In my line of work, you don't leave loose ends."

"You'll never get away with it."

"I always do."

Emmeline flinched when he punched Clark in the face and knocked him out. She watched as Graham dragged him to a patch of dirt and buried him beneath it to leave him to suffocate.

She waited for him to leave and then bolted over to the dirt, frantically clawing it away to get to her friend.

"I knew you were watching," a voice said behind her.

She whipped around but no one was there.

"You're not really that stealthy, you know."

The voice continually changed where it was, and Emmeline kept turning around, but Graham was nowhere to be seen.

"Thanks for saving me the trouble of finding you."

She picked up a large chunk of dirt and tossed it in several directions. In the place where it hit something, she kicked the air aiming for what she hoped was Graham's stomach or lower.

"Good try. But not good enough."

Suddenly, Emmeline felt blinding pain on the back of her head and her vision started to go fuzzy. She fell forward onto the patch of dirt right next to Clark.

Some help she was.


"Lois! Hey, where's Clark and Emmeline?" Chloe demanded as she burst inside the apartment.

"I have no clue," she answered, putting on her blue jacket. "They just busted in here, warned me about Graham, and took off."

"Do you have any idea where they went?"

"No, I wasn't exactly paying attention. And to be honest, I really am starting to get a little tired of him thinking I need his approval just to go on a simple date. And what's with Emmeline joining that party? She barely even knows me. Can you tell me why they're so obsessed with my love life?"

"Lois, Graham's a killer. A professional hitman."

Lois closed her eyes and sighed. "Of course he is."

"We need to find Clark and Emmeline."

The two of them rushed out the back entrance to the alley.

"Waitress said he ran out back," Lois said. "They can't be far."

"You'd be surprised," Chloe muttered under her breath. She pulled out her phone and dialed Clark's number.

"Hey, Smallville!" Lois called.

Chloe pulled her phone away from her ear when she distinctly heard another phone ringing.

They walked over to a patch of dirt at the end of the alley.

Clark's phone flashed with the incoming call…and right next to it was a barely discernible patch of red.

The two young women frantically got down on their knees and moved the dirt away from him. In doing so, they quickly saw that he wasn't alone.

Emmeline's white shirt revealed itself through the dirt once they had cleared some of it away. Chloe quickly pulled her best friend out while Lois did the same with Clark. She discovered the glowing green meteor rock and tossed it far away from them so Clark would no longer feel the pain from it.

"Come on, wake up!" Lois demanded, lightly slapping his face. "Come on, Smallville!"

"Em, come on!" Chloe pleaded. "Wake up! Come on!"

Clark came to first, but Emmeline remained unresponsive.

"He's going after Lex and Lana," he told the two girls. He looked over next to him and saw his unconscious friend. "Em?! What happened?"

"I don't know!" Chloe said. "I found her next to you. She isn't waking up."

Clark put his hand to Emmeline's cheek. "Come on, Em! Emmeline, please wake up!"

With a light gasp, Emmeline's eyes opened and she sat up, groaning and putting a hand to her head.

Chloe sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

Emmeline coughed a little and looked over at Clark. "That didn't go the way I'd planned."

"Clark, go," Chloe said firmly. "Lex and Lana need you! Go!"

Clark quickly got up, brushed the dirt off him, and rushed off to the hospital to stop Graham from killing Lex and Lana, personal feelings aside.

Emmeline looked over at Lois. "Lois…can I use your shower?"

Lois gave her a small smile. "Sure."

She looked down at her ruined clothes. "This was my favorite shirt."


Graham nearly killed Lex and Lana at the hospital, but fortunately, Clark was able to grab the bullet before it hit its intended target.

Not that anyone knew that except him.

He entered the Daily Planet and smiled as he held up the latest issue to his blonde friend at the copier.

"Congratulations on your first front-page byline."

Chloe smiled back. "Yeah, and you deserve all the credit."

"Or the blame. If saving strangers ends up getting other people killed, I'm not sure that's the business I wanna be in."

"Do you have a choice? I mean, I'm nowhere near super, but if I see someone drowning, I'm gonna throw them a rope."

"And what if that person's a killer, Chloe? What if the world would actually be better off without them?"

"Still, that's not your choice to make. I mean, ask a doctor or a firefighter or anyone in the hero business. You save first and you ask questions later."

"Yeah. I guess you're right. It's just not always that easy."

"Especially when the person you're saving is Lex Luthor."

"I should never have questioned your friendship."

"You were angry. And I understand. I mean, it's not exactly a walk in the park to see the person you love in the arms of someone else."

"Of all the people in the world, why Lex?"

That's what I'm wondering, Emmeline thought.

"Just like you can't pick and choose the people you save, you can't control who your ex-girlfriend dates," Chloe told him sympathetically. "That's the way it is."

"You have no idea how hard it was to see them like that. It's like I couldn't breathe."

Emmeline knew that statement was false. No one knew better than Chloe what it was like to watch the person you loved with someone else. She'd been doing it for five years now, probably even longer. Maybe the pain had dulled by now, but it certainly wasn't gone.

Admittedly, Emmeline had similar feelings whenever Clark lamented about his relationship with Lana. She had lately been finding herself wishing that Clark would talk about her the way he talked about Lana.

It was rather frustrating keeping it all bottled inside.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way," Chloe said. "I know how much it must have hurt. But you know, Lana's moved on. Maybe it's time you started doing the same thing."


After an extremely painful conversation with Lana in the loft where she admitted to seeing Lex, Clark lay on the couch in the living room wallowing.

When someone knocked on the door, he considered not answering and letting whoever it was just figure he wasn't home.

He got up to answer it anyway.

Emmeline stood on his porch with a small smile. "So these last few days have sucked very hard. Everything with Graham sucked and everything with Lana sucked and it all just plain sucked. And I know that drowning sorrows in chocolate when life sucks is kind of a girl thing, but it's impossible to be sad while eating chocolate ice cream."

Clark smiled when she held up a gallon of the frozen treat.

"I brought a movie. To Kill a Mockingbird. I know it's your favorite. We can watch it on your boring, regular old tiny television."

He moved to allow her to step inside. After retrieving two spoons from the kitchen, they both crashed on to the couch and let the black-and-white film fill the screen while eating ice cream straight from the carton.

Clark looked over at his best friend. He was reminded of Graham's attempts to 'cheer him up', all of which did the complete opposite and made him severely uncomfortable.

But Emmeline…she knew exactly what to do to lift his spirits. It was simple and innocent, but she knew. She knew him better than pretty much everyone.

A very, very small part of him wondered.

Wondered…what might happen…if he took things one step further with her.