--------------FLASHBACK

Chloe had been up the whole night as it sunk in what the repercussions of her actions could be. Now she was back at the Daily Planet with a cup of coffee in her shaking hand. The story had hit the streets that morning and there was no telling what was going to happen next.

She sat down at her desk, but her nerves were too bad to actually get work done. She was shaking like a junkie and as she reached across the desk she knocked her coffee all over her papers. Swearing softly, she grabbed a towel with which to clean it up. Her desk was a sopping mess. "Like my life," she thought.

The door flew open and slammed into the wall. In the doorway was the person she'd been dreading seeing all morning.

Clark Kent was teary-eyed and looked as though he'd jumped out of bed, pulled on what he'd worn the day before, and made a dash for the Daily Planet. "How could you, Chloe?" he whispered. His voice changed abruptly as he began to yell in anger, "Dammit! Tell me you have some good reason for doing this!" he yelled.

"Clark-I-I, no I don't," she admitted sadly. "It was a rash move and as soon as it was done I regretted it!"

His face was shocked. "You really did this of your own free will? I never should have trusted you! Chloe, do you have any idea what has happened? People are storming my apartment! Lana has gone to hide out some where-that's why you did this isn't it?"

The realization on his face was ten times worse than the anger that had been there a second before. "You can't take that I'm marrying her!" He put his face in his hands. "I'm such an idiot. I thought that you'd be happy for me! I thought that you were over me! I thought you'd moved on. I mean, you're dating another man! I-even if you weren't how could you do this? What did you think would happen?"

Her voice had gone high and shrill now. "Clark, I don't know! It was a rash decision; I've already told you that! I wasn't thinking straight! I'm sorry!"

"You're sorry? That's the best you can do? Damn, Chloe, my side of normal life is completely torn asunder because of your 'rash decision' and 'sorry' is the best you can do?" he hollered. "It's not good enough!"

Chloe pressed back into her desk away from him. "I know," she whispered, "but it's all I've got to offer."

His eyes were flashing. "It's no where near good enough."

She had to hold on to her desk to keep from falling as she watched him walk out. She knew that this was not nearly as bad as it would get. She'd opened a can of worms.

------------------PRESENT

I wondered faintly if there was anything that I could do for Clark now. My brain instantly shot down that idea. Even if I could, Clark wouldn't accept my help. Besides, I didn't know where to find him anymore.

Sure he'd told me his name, but that was all that I knew about him. I'd never be able to find him on just that.

I took a deep breath and went over to the coat rack to collect my things. My work here was done for the day and it was time to go home. Staying any longer would simply allow me to stare at the spots were Clark had been on the day I exposed him and then his visit today as well. I had no desire to torture myself.

I pulled on my jacket and walked out of the office. Heading down the hall, I went out of the building and to my car. Putting the car in gear, I drove home.

Pulling into the garage, I parked my car and headed inside. As I walked through the front door, more memories hit me. It seemed that there was no where I could hide from memories of Clark Kent.

------------------------FLASHBACK

Chloe had left work at the Daily Plant at noon, feigning sickness. As she walked through her front door she felt the unmistakable wind behind her. "Clark?" she mumbled.

"She's dead." His voice sounded flat, lifeless.

"W-who?" Chloe stuttered.

"Lana."

Chills ran up and down her body as if she'd been electrocuted. "Lana?" she said, barely audibly.

"Killed by my enemies who, when they found out about those I loved in my private life, all stormed her hiding place at once. I couldn't stop them all. She was killed brutally."

"Clark, oh, Clark, I'm so sorry. You don't know how sorry I am."

Chloe preferred the hysterical, shouting Clark Kent of earlier in the day to the now cold, lifeless, Clark Kent of now, whose voice remained void of emotion, even as he spoke of his fiancé being murdered. It was a classic tactic: Shut off your emotions until you're able to deal with them.

"I don't care whether you're sorry, Chloe. Sorry won't bring her back. I hope you're happy," he told her simply.

"Oh no, happy-no! Clark, how can you say that? She was my friend! I could never be happy about her death!"

"I guess you're a lousy friend then, but then again the article proved that theory marvelously."

"Tell me what I can do," she begged.

For the first time since he'd entered her apartment she saw a hint of emotion on his face in the form of a sneer. "Do? Chloe, there's not a blessed thing that you can do. I think you've done quite enough already, in fact."

Tears began to trail down her face. "Clark..."

"You've got no right to cry. This is your doing," he informed her.

"I didn't kill her!" she protested.

"No," he agreed with a sigh, "no, you didn't. You just loaded the gun and pointed it in the right direction."

Chloe could feel herself falling apart rapidly. "Clark, could you please leave now?" she choked out.

He nodded. "I very much doubt that I'll be back."

TBC…