A/N: This is part two of Chapter One. Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers thus far!

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Chapter 1 – The Name of the Game

Part 2:

"Chloe," Clark breathed in disbelief, unable to hide his surprise even if he tried. Because it had been so long ago since they last saw each other. And in a way, he didn't even think he would see her again. Especially after all that happened between them before she left for good. Considering all the hurt and pain they caused each other, some of which he has yet really truly forgiven, Clark had to admire her fortitude. Or perhaps her foolishness.

Needless to say, whatever brought her back to Smallville must be quite important.

Honestly, however, just seeing her again, Clark couldn't tell how he felt. He thought of this often, what it would be like to see her far into his life. Maybe long enough in the future to give him some time to cool off. And even then, he wondered what he would say and what he would do if confronted by all of it once again, after so long.

If he could even look into her eyes again.

Chloe kept her smile strong, unwilling to let anything that Clark might say break her determination to be here. That, above all, was most important. "Yeah, it's me," she said quietly, simply, tugging her small purse over her right shoulder just a little tighter. Already she could see Clark's confusion, perhaps a hint of frustration that Chloe even dared to show her face again. But that was something she needed to ignore.

Before the pain, the hurt … their friendship meant everything. And Chloe needed to remind him of that.

Clark gazed down a bit as he walked to the foot of the porch steps. He stopped there, a bit hesitant to start this conversation. What he had with Chloe was always special, especially the last week or so before everything went chaotic. Often he found himself falling back to that small week, seemingly so insignificant in the span of a lifetime. Yet it always kept his anger from getting out of control. Kept the good aspects of his friendship with Chloe at the edge of his heart.

He placed a hand on the wood railing of the steps and traced his palm softly along its rough texture. With a sigh, he finally gazed up at her, squinting against the strong, yet dying ray of sun as it began its slow descent behind the far off horizon. And he asked the only question that seemed appropriate, willing to humor her. Anger wouldn't solve anything right now. "What are you doing here?"

Chloe shrugged lightly, looked past him and across the Kent Farm, before she responded, "Came to see how you were holding up." Which was true. After the information she heard from Lana this past week, Clark would need every friend he could get. Even if that meant resurrecting a dying friendship for a good cause. A few causes, actually, Chloe reminded herself. As if she could forget.

Clark nodded and ascended the porch steps to stand in front of her. "I'm doing all right," he insisted quietly, placing his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans.

Immediately Chloe felt her heart race a little, his presence so close, so overwhelming. He always did look good in worn jeans and a white T-shirt, even if they were stained with a day's work. That just gave him character. Something that always attracted her to him, and always would. Clark worked hard, strove to do his best, saved people's lives all the time, always in action during a problem.

"Do you mind if we go inside and talk?" Chloe asked, gesturing towards the closed door. What she needed to say was probably best said inside and sitting down.

Clark nodded absently as he gazed up at the now darkening sky, and not just by the turn of day to night, but also by clouds. The large, gray masses that only bring rain and storms. "I think that's a good idea," he conceded, looking to her with a smile he didn't think he could give. Maybe he wouldn't admit it, but Chloe still was one of the cutest girls he ever knew. Her eyes always twinkled, despite her mood. And her smile could make him smile when he didn't want to. She just often affected people in that way.

But despite all the good feelings that returned when he thought of Chloe, the pain was never too far behind. A plague on their friendship, one that seemed certain to bring death to whatever life in their friendship still existed. Chloe's appearance here, however, seemed not only odd and unexpected, but perhaps even the cure to what seemed lost and forgotten. Maybe there was hope.

Clark opened the door to his house, and immediately stepped into the very messy kitchen. To no surprise, he walked straight to the refrigerator. "Would you like something to drink? Lemonade?"

It took Chloe a second to realize he was talking to her. Almost instantly her thoughts started to flash back through all the memories she and Clark shared here together. The late night study sessions, the all night movie marathons, the endless summer nights near the lake. The latter of which eventually led them back here, soaked by either the lake or the thunderstorms that have always been a frequent characteristic of the summer season in Smallville.

Shaking such memories from the forefront of her mind, Chloe turned to him with a light smile. "I would love some." Maybe the drink would take away the dryness in her throat.

Clark nodded and took the pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge and set it on the small island in the middle of the kitchen. Immediately Chloe sat on a stool to that island, awaiting the lemonade, as well as gaining the strength needed for this. Of course, what brought her here was important. Chloe knew that once she disclosed her reasons for coming here, Clark would understand. But anything could be said and discussed between now and then.

Chloe took the glass of lemonade Clark handed to her, unwilling to go on with this conversation without saying what needed to be said right now. For her support to be out there, no matter what conditions still lay between them. "Clark," she began quietly as she set her drink down and looked up to him, "I just want to say that I'm sorry …about your father."

Clark set the pitcher of lemonade down next to him, his eyes gazing down a bit before he let them drift to Chloe. And with a hint of bitterness, he asked, "Who told you? Lex?"

"No, Lana," Chloe responded, her own bitterness returning full front, "Remember, we're roommates?" She chose to continue, and chose to ignore Clark's mood, "Anyway, I'm sorry I couldn't be at the funeral."

"I know," Clark insisted angrily. "You had work to do. You always had work to do. By the way, how is The Daily Planet? It was your dream, wasn't it?"

Chloe sighed, feeling the pressure of their continuous argument rising between them once again. It didn't take long, and already she had an urge to walk out right now, willing to take on her problem by herself. However, with the problem involving someone else, someone she couldn't bear to lose, Clark and everything that came with him was sorely needed. No matter how much she wished it wasn't true. "It's fine," she insisted, biting back her anger as she watched him turn away from her. "I didn't come here to do this again, Clark. Because we both know that no one wins, no matter how hard you try to play the innocent farm boy routine."

Clark turned at that, his eyes glazed with repressed anger. "Fine, so why did you come here?"

"I came here," Chloe began, lessening her anger little by little in the face of what was most important, "to recruit you."

Already Clark let his face turn to utter confusion, and asked, "Recruit me? For what?"

Chloe sighed again, already sensing this might have been a bad idea. Yet he was the best choice right now. And time was critical. Every second counted. "I know we haven't gotten along well at all in the past couple of years. Hardly the psychological example of a good relationship. But, um …" she admitted, hesitating slightly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass, "I thought we worked so well together in high school and college. And the case I'm working on right now could use our infamous teamwork." The last said with a slight smile, her eyes looking to him and seeing the anger soak away from his features.

Clark remembered that time; high school with The Torch and college in the journalism department and newspaper together. They did work well together, and often enough solved cases when others could not. Willing to admit supernatural happenings related to meteor rock exposure became a label they carried much through high school, and certainly college. And those explanations seemed at the forefront of most of the cases they solved together.

They always worked closely for The Torch, but in college they seemed extra close. Their time together only increased the unresolved sexual tension, which seemed minimal in high school due to his vision locked mainly on Lana Lang. When college came, and rarely seeing Lana, his attraction changed from the brunette, next door neighbor, to his best friend. And all throughout, both he and Chloe hinted at wanting more from each other. But never did they act on their desires.

Well, not until …

"What's the case?" Clark asked. If Chloe came all the way here for his assistance on some case, it must be either dangerous or very important. Perhaps he could look past his own problems with her for the greater good, assuming this case needed both of their intervention.

Chloe explained, "Well, first off, I know you still work for The Ledger, right?"

"Yeah," Clark reassured. "On and off since my father …". But he couldn't finish it, didn't want to. She knew what he meant, and it didn't require him to fall back into the abyss of despair and loss. Just the word itself did that to him.

Chloe nodded, quickly interrupting, "We can split the story, each take the byline."

Clark smiled in return, asking once again, "Okay, but what's the case?" He could feel her avoiding this question, and it must be for a reason. Perhaps the very reason that brought her here in the first place.

She put her hands together, looking to them first before she continued her explanation, "Do you know all of those random accidents in Metropolis lately?" Clark nodded, urging her to continue. "Well," Chloe began, slipping off of the stool to walk a little closer to him, "Lois discovered they weren't accidents."

"You mean they were staged?" Clark asked in a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

Chloe nodded affirmatively, and pressed further, "The subway accident, the huge fire, the massive 24 car pile up … all of it, staged."

"How do you know?"

"Lois has been investigating them since they began. Has quite a file, and quite a list of witnesses and evidence to support her unpopular theory," Chloe explained hesitantly.

Clark took a small sip from his lemonade, trying desperately to digest what Chloe was actually telling him. All of those people, so many that died, would actually be considered victims of murder. Murder on a very high scale. Just that thought alone sickened him. Not only that, but Clark knew agonizingly well what might have happened had he been there. So what if someone saw him use his powers? The hundreds killed could have been saved per his efforts. "So what do you want from me?"

Chloe kept her smile to a minimum, sensing she had successfully convinced him to aid her. Despite their problems, this case was most important. "Well, you know me, Kent. Not knowing where this will take me, it helps to have you watching my back," she insisted gently.

Clark huffed and replied in annoyance, "Ah, I see why you need me. All you want our my powers to cover your six." Which was just as true now as it was then. Only in college did Clark finally realize that Chloe knew of his special powers, and had known for some time. Which didn't surprise him considering she was a reporter. Honestly, he was happy that she kept it to herself not only from the press but also from him. In some respects, it did convince him that she was devoted to their friendship.

Yet, at the moment, he wished she didn't know. Because it made him wonder how often this would happen. How often would she come to him and need his 'help'?

"That's not all I need from you. And you should know me better than that, no matter how much you loathe me right now," Chloe insisted, her voice rising more than she wanted it to. Getting angry with him would not help her cause.

"But why not get someone else to help you? Like that partner you've been working with at the Planet?" Clark asked, his own anger rising. "I still don't understand why you need me, if not for what I can do. Your ability to put your nose where doesn't belong has always been a problem, one I don't care to support."

Chloe folded her arms casually, knowing he had every reason to believe her intentions were for nothing but herself. But he knows her better than that. Granted, her curiosity has gotten her into more trouble than she'd like to admit. But that's not what this is about, a fact she needed to prove to him. "My own partner is unavailable right now. Plus, I think you're going to want to help," she insisted further, arising curiosity in Clark's features.

And, rightly so, Clark asked, "Why?"

This was it. Why? Why did Chloe come here? Why did she need Clark's help and no one else?

Because she knew Clark would do everything he could to help her. Especially when she told him the truth. And, with a quick sigh, her eyes melting into his, looking for comfort, Chloe answered quietly, "Because Lois is missing."

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End of update

More to come …

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