A/N: A little filler chapter to let you know how everyone's been dealing with the loss of Kelly before I reveal what happened to her. As always, thank you so much for your reviews (looking at you mrsfizzle), and let me know what you think.

In the weeks/months since losing Kelly:

Lex left the cafe, latte in one hand and his cellphone in the other. He had it pressed against his ear and was yelling angrily at the person on the other end. His temper had been getting the better of him in recent weeks, Clark was convinced he was stuck on the anger portion of his grief.

As he approached his car, he noticed a meter maid writing him a ticket. He hung up the phone and walked cooly toward the man, hoping to talk him out of giving the ticket. The meter maid had a nasty attitude, giving Lex a headache and provoking his temper. Ultimately, Lex took one of the golf clubs he was supposed to be auctioning, smashing the meter maids window, before swinging it toward the man, cursing up a storm.

It wasn't the day nor the time to piss Lex off even more. But when all was said and done, and he was alone in his car, he couldn't help the tears that escaped, thinking how disappointed Kelly would be with him.

Clark and Lex were at the mansion playing a game of pool, discussing Helen Bryce.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Clark inquired.

"You're one of the few people I can count on to give it," answered Lex.

"I think that while you like Helen, you're trying to push her away," Clark said, taking a shot.

"Why would I be trying to push her away?"

"Because of Kelly."

Lex stiffened.

"Look, Lex, I've been trying to avoid saying anything and just let you work through it at your own pace. But you're still grieving Kelly. And I think that you like Helen in a similar way but she isn't her and you're afraid that she won't see you the way that Kelly did."

Clark was right. Lex never got through his grief over losing the love of his life. Kelly viewed him as a good man, his own man, instead of his father's clone. He wasn't sure if anyone else ever could.

"Maybe," he confessed in a whisper, "I miss Kelly every day. I think about her all the time. There's just… there's a part of me that feels- knows- that she's still out there somewhere and I have to find her."

"Lex,"

"It's ok, Clark. Some people never get to meet their true loves. I'm lucky to have had her for every second that I did."

Helen looked down the hall at Lex and sighed, "Lex, even if your father didn't try and pay me off, I don't know how long we would've lasted."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not over your ex. And I don't think I can spend my life trying to measure up to a dead girl."

"From the time I was born, I was raised in an environment of suspicion and distrust. My father taught me to regard everyone as an adversary no matter who they are. Kelly began to change that in me the moment I met her. She showed me that I wasn't my father and I didn't have to turn into him if I didn't want to. She let me know that I can be better."

"Lex-"

"I've never asked anyone for help before, but I'm asking you now. Help me, Helen. I don't want to be like my father."

"Ok," she whispered, holding her hand out to him. He grabbed onto it and walked side by side with her down the long hallway.

Lana walked passed Clark, deeper into the caves, her sobs echoing off of the walls.

"It seems like everyone I've ever cared about leaves me." she cried.

"That's not true, Lana," Clark told her.

She shook her head, "My parents, Nell, Kelly, and now Whitney. I'm just… I'm so scared that I'm going to lose everyone. Even you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"That's what everyone says. I wasn't a good sister and I haven't been a good friend."

"You've been a great friend."

"No, I have doubted you, accused you of things, and still you're here protecting me. I don't care if you have secrets, Clark. You are the one good, constant thing in my life and I don't want to lose you too."

"You won't, I promise."

"I, um, I finally read the last letter that Kelly sent me. After everything I said to her, she still forgave me. Just like you did."

Clark shrugged, "When you really care for someone, you can't exactly stay angry with them."

Lana looked away from him, "She promised we'd talk when she came home. She said that she hoped my 'temper tantrum' would be over by then. Do you know what the last thing I said to her was?"

"What?"

"That I hated her. I hated her and I didn't care if she ever came back. How could she forgive me after saying that?"

"Because she loved you, Lana. She knew that you didn't mean it. She knew you loved her."

Lana collapsed into his arms, crying against his shirt, while he held her tightly.

Lucas looked around Lex's study, taking notice of the framed photo on the desk, and lifted it.

"She's cute," he commented to Lex, "Girlfriend? I can't wait to meet her."

He had picked up the picture Lex had of he and Kelly on a date. They went all the way to Oklahoma for a music festival that she had mentioned. She wore a sundress and he wore a simple shirt and jeans, feeling like a normal couple. For once he wasn't Lex Luthor, he was just a regular guy on a date with his girlfriend. He asked a random woman to take the picture and when she asked, his name was Alexander and he was with Kelly, his wife.

"Her name's Kelly," Lex told his brother.

"She live here too?"

Lex shook his head, "Kelly was a medic in the army. She died in an accident a few months ago."

Lucas frowned, "I'm sorry."

He placed the photograph down and didn't comment on it again.

Later on, while at The Talon for the first time, Lucas noticed several other pictures of Kelly underneath a folded-up flag in a glass box.

"That kind of offsets the theme. Does Lex have pictures of her everywhere?" Lucas inquired.

"I put that there," Lana answered, "So everyone can honor and remember her."

"You knew Lex's girlfriend too?"

Clark looked uncomfortably between Lana and Lucas.

"Kelly was my sister."

"I'm sorry she died."

"Thank you."

Lucas quickly changed the subject to redecorating some of the cafe since he was in charge.

The first night he spent in the Kent's guest bedroom, Lex sat on the bed and toyed with the medallion Kelly had given him. He hardly took it off and often found himself touching it when there was a lot on his mind, or he was just missing her. Hoping to tire himself out, he dug in his bag for one of the few books he took with him, an envelope falling to the floor. He picked up the envelope and read to whom it was addressed.

It was from Kelly. To him.

Dated about two weeks before her death.

He had never seen it before and wondered how it had ended up inside of the book. Tearing the letter open, he began to scan every word on the page, imagining her voice speaking to him.

Lex,

It seems like things are getting crazier and crazier here. I'd tell you more if I could but I don't think ending up in prison is the best idea for anyone. I know I'm going to be moving again soon, so if you write me, I may not get it for a while.

I hope your father isn't driving you insane. I think it's brave going off on your own and starting your own company. And I know you, you're going to make it. You're smart and you care about your people, you'll succeed, I know you will.

At this point, I'm just counting the days until I can come back. This time for good. Back to my sister and back to you. Maybe then you can make me your real wife for everyone to know and not just strangers in OK. I know I'd love to be Mrs. Alexander Luthor and be by your side.

I hope that's what you still want. Just you and I living our own life together, being happy.

And of course, you're thinking how I'd be sacrificing things to be with you. But like I've said so many times before: you are worth it. You'll always be worth it to me. Baby, I love you so much and I'm just ready for us to be able to be together and start our life.

I'm counting the days. Ready to come home.

I love you always.

Your wife (In Oklahoma),

Kelly.

Lex chuckled lightly through his tears at the end of her letter. God, he missed her so much. He read the letter another twenty times before holding it close to his chest with her picture and falling asleep.