Here you go Chlarkers. This one's for you. And thanks again for all of the happy reviews. And special thanks to our beta reader whose input and ideas have greatly improved this chapter.

Chapter 3:

Clark super-sped as fast as he could to the Torch. Chloe always helped him when he needed it. Surely she could figure out who this guy was. As he stepped through the doorway, he stopped dead in his tracks. The wall of weird was gone. Clark was shocked. Chloe would never take that down, would she? His eyes landed on a nearby copy of the Torch. He picked it up. As he glanced at the front page, his heart stopped.

"New Book Club Starting Tuesday" by Lindsay Harrison, Editor in Chief

Clark couldn't believe this was happening. Who the heck was Lindsay Harrison? The torch meant everything to Chloe. There was no way she would let it go. He started looking around the office, feeling worse and worse every second. His resolution to not believe any of this was weakening. If this wasn't real, how did you explain the rearranged Torch? The stranger was taking his little game way too far.

Clark left the torch in frustration only to meet the stranger in the hallway.

"She doesn't work here because she doesn't live here Clark. Your dad didn't convince the Ross brothers to sell, and Lionel never built the fertilizer plant. Chloe's dad never got a job here. She lives in Metropolis."

"Where is she?" Clark practically yelled, "What did you do with her?"

"She's in the newspaper office at Metropolis High, but wait, I'm not sure you want to see-"

It was too late. Clark had already super-sped away.

Clark stopped just outside a closed office door. A sign above it said Metropolis High School Times. Inside, behind a desk sat Chloe. Even from this distance Clark could see that she looked different. She wasn't quite the same Chloe. There was something wrong, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. He was just relieved to see that Chloe was still doing what she was born to do. It looked as though she would have been just fine without him.

Just then, a girl came into the office from another door and yelled at Chloe, startling both her and Clark. The girl's angry words traveled through the closed door to Clark's ears.

"Hey Sullivan! What do you think you are doing in my office! Haven't you finished cleaning in here by now! I suppose you think you can be some kind of reporter. I guess you are taking after your crazy mother."

Clark was trying to make sense of it as Chloe came bursting through the door right into him. She was crying and dragging a large garbage can.

"Chloe, what's wrong?' Clark asked, reaching out and touching her arm.

"Get away from me! I don't need your pity." Chloe replied, jerking away from him.

"Chloe what are you saying? It's me, Clark."

"I don't know who you are and I'm really not in the mood."

"The mood for what?"

"I've heard it all okay. It's not funny or original. I don't need any jokes about my crazy mother, or the fact that I clean up after you. It's all just really old."

Clark suddenly realized what was different about Chloe. It was her eyes. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed, but when you spend almost every waking hour with a person, you notice these things about them. Her eyes lacked the twinkle they had whenever she talked to him, or whenever she was hard at work investigating a story. It was always there. Even when she was upset, the twinkle was hiding, threatening to emerge. It was such a little thing, but was so much a part of her that it caught Clark off guard when he saw that it was gone. He couldn't believe it. One of his best friends was standing in front of him and she didn't even know him. He longed for the twinkle to reappear, along with a 'you really believed that I didn't know you' smile. But it never came. Something Chloe had said surfaced in his mind. What was this about her mother? He spoke his last thought. "What do you mean your crazy mother? You don't even know your mother."

"As if you didn't know. Just leave me alone." Chloe was almost pleading. Clark couldn't stand to see her like this.

"Chloe don't you recognize me? I'm your best friend. I thought you would at least remember me. I don't know what this guy has done, but please say you remember me. I need your help."

"I think you need some psychiatric help because I have no idea who you are."

"Yes you do. You've lived in Smallville since eighth grade. You're the editor of the Torch. We went to the spring formal together."

"You are really messed up you know that? I'd like to know what kind of fantasy world you live in 'cause it sounds great. Maybe they'll let you stay in that little world when you check into Belle Reve." She turned and started down the hallway. Clark made one last effort to call after her.

"Chloe please remember. You and I and Pete do everything together!"

And then it hit him. What about Pete? Pete was the only one who knew Clark's secret. Could this stranger have gotten to him too?