Chapter 1--------------------

Blinding light flashed and Jor-El spoke. "You have received a second chance at life along with the return of your powers, but it does not come without a cost. You must return when you have Kal-El , and then all will be as it should be."

A woman stepped forward from the light, she appeared naked, but her body was hidden in the darkness, then the light faded and Alicia's face was revealed, her face showed no emotion.

MEANWHILE--------------------

Clark was sitting in the loft doing his homework. He had just gotten back from Metropolis for the weekend. He stopped for a minute and looked at the pictures he had of his friends. He looked at the picture of Lana and Chloe and then at the one he had of Pete and him playing basketball. He opened his desk drawer to look for some stuff and found a picture of Alicia, and slowly took it out and looked at it for awhile, and a sad expression filled his face. He was about to put it up, but decided to set it up next to the pictures of his other friends.

"Dinner is ready."

Clark looked away from his pictures to see his mother standing several feet from him. Martha quickly noticed the picture and made a sad expression. "Oh honey, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know what was going to happen to her,"

Clark responded quickly and sadly. "If I had trusted her, and believed her she would of never died. She had changed. She was a good person. She took a bullet for me, and I still I didn't trust her. What kind of person does that make me?"

Martha reacted with haste frustration in her voice "You had your doubts, and why shouldn't you have had them! She had used kryptonite on you on two occasions, Clark. After all you told me about her I did believe she had change for the better. Her actions did make me mad Clark, but I did understand that you loved her very much and that she really loved you, but there is nothing you can do now. Clark you make life and death situations everyday. You save people everyday. You are a good person, and I would never think otherwise!"

"Then why couldn't I save her!"

"Dinner is ready. Please come and eat when your ready," said Martha almost in tears. Martha walked down the stairs.

Clark stood up and picked up Alicia's picture he looked at it and turned facing the stairs. "Hello Clark," said Alicia. He dropped the picture and it fell crashed to the floor. Splintered glass covered the floor. Clark backed away from Alicia, and as he did the crackling of glass came to his ears. He gazed down and noticed he had stepped on her picture.

"How are you here?" he gasped. "I was given a second chance Clark. One that no one else in this town ever gave me," said Alicia.

"But I found you dead in your barn! How can you be alive? I saw you hanging there," said Clark his face filled with fear. "Clark I don't know how I got my life back, but the point is that I'm here. I love you. Do you not feel the same way?"

"As much as I want this . . . it just doesn't make any sense Alicia," said Clark taking more control over the situation. "Clark I know I must be freaking you out. I don't even know how I am alive. All I remember is waking up in my old bedroom at my house. I must of some how teleported there. Clark don't you see this a my second chance," said Alicia sadly.

"Alicia I still don't understand. This isn't real, it can't be."

Alicia almost in tears took Clark's hand in hers and put it up to her face letting him feel the smooth skin of her face. "See I'm real," she said smiling as tears trickled down her cheeks. Clark shivered and backed away from Alicia as quickly as he could. He ran to the loft window and jumped out. "CLARK!" Alicia screamed sadly, as she watched Clark speed away.

Chloe sat at her computer researching some information at Met U in her new office for the college newspaper when Clark sped in. "Clark!" Chloe yelped surprisingly. Chloe paused and stared up at Clark who was paler then winter snow. "Okay, I'll bite. I'm guessing you just saw a ghost," said Chloe. Clark looked at with a "Your not helping" expression.

"What's wrong?" Chloe asked finally frustrated with Clark giving her the silent treatment. Clark who had been pacing back and forth finally stopped, and looked at Chloe. "I just saw Alicia," said Clark with a deep breath. Chloe with a weird expression responded slowly "Alicia?Alicia Baker?"

Chloe made an expression clearly showing she somewhat couldn't believe what Clark was saying. Clark nodded not being able to answer in words. "Clark I am truly sorry about Alicia, but you have to let it go. I know you loved her a lot," said Chloe trying to comfort Clark. "No Chloe I really did see her. I mean I was there in the loft talking to my mom. After she left Alicia was there. Chloe I touched her she was so real, but I just couldn't understand how she could be there when she died a year ago."

Chloe looked questionably at Clark.

"Well, Clark I don't think my computer is going to come in handy this time. How do you think she pulled the walking corpse act?"

Clark looked at Chloe darkly. Chloe quickly regretted what she had said, and face filled with stupidity. "I'm sorry Clark. I shouldn't of said that," said Chloe as she stood up and put some files into a cabinet, so that she could avoid making eye contact with Clark. "There is only one person who could have done this. Jor-El," said Clark with an expression as if a light bulb had just come on.

"Chloe the reason I came here is to see if you'd come with me to Alicia's grave" Clark said looking at Chloe sadly. Chloe looked up to Clark and closed the filing cabinet. "Of course I'll come," said Chloe with a concerned expression. Clark walked over to Chloe and lifted her up into his arms. Chloe felt deep desire for Clark, but didn't show it. She simply smiled and looked up to Clark. "Ready to go," said Chloe. "Yeah," said Clark seriously. Clark turned around and sped out the door.

In a matter of minutes they were at the Smallville cemetery. "I hope that ride comes with a return trip," said Chloe smiling up to Clark. Clark gave her a weak smile, and continued walking along the many graves. "You know I haven't visited her grave for about sixth months. I guess she sort of slipped out of my mind, and then she suddenly showed up, and it all came flooding back. All the memories," said Clark looking down at the moist, green, grass below his shoes.

"Well Clark I don't blame you. Knowing your secret I know how hard it is to be you sometimes. Worrying about someone finding out your secret, what your destiny holds for you, and protecting the people you love. It's a lot of pressure to take," said Chloe looking once again at Clark, hoping he would look back. "Here it is," said Clark sadly looking down at it. He noticed a dead rose laying next to her grave. He looked down at it and forced a smile. He was surprised it hadn't blown away.

"Clark?" asked Chloe. Clark looked down into Chloe's eyes. He then turned and looked back at Alicia's grave. He made a confident face and then squinted his eyes as he used his x-ray vision to glimpse into Alicia's grave. Confusion and little of what seemed to be fear filled Clark's face.

"Her bodies not there" he said his mind going crazy. "Then where could it be?" Chloe asked. Clark began to breath heavily. "Clark! Stop freaking out and think for a minute will you. Now if your correct we need to head to the caves,"

Chloe grabbed Clark by his arm and started pulling him from the cemetery, and soon they couldn't be seen from the cemetery and longer. There was a flash of green light, and Alicia stepped out from behind a tree, and made her way to her very own grave. She looked down and noticed the dead rose. She picked it up, and began to think of all the time that had paused. "Clark" she whispered.

"So What are we looking for Clark?" Chloe asked as she stepped into the caves. At these words Clark looked at a wall that had a crevice down the middle of it. "Clark I doubt you and your dad communicate in silence. Do something," Chloe said impatiently. "How are we supposed to get his attention Chloe, its not as easy as picking up the phone and dialing the number. I don't know how to get him," said Clark with a tinge of anger.

"Well Clark last time you and you Jor-El had a father to son talk what happened, how did the conversation start?"

Clark walked toward the wall and signaled toward it as he got closer. "Well I went in there and he just began to talk," said Clark. "Well" Chloe began, "Lets go in there and you can start a conversation with your kryptonian father."

"Maybe I should go alone," Clark said nervously. "Fine I'll be waiting out here all alone," said Chloe hoping Clark would change his mind.

"Chloe I'm sorry, but this is something I have to do alone."

Clark walked over to the wall with the big crevice down the middle. He stood there waiting. Soon the crevice began to grow bigger. Bright light shown through the crevice. When it was fully open Clark entered. In the room lay a kryptonian engraved table set in the middle of the room. The crevice then resealed. Clark turned to see it close behind him. Clark cleared his voice, but before he could speak Jor-El interrupted him.

"Kal-El I've been expecting you."