"So Spring Formal is coming up," Emmeline said to Chloe as they worked on the latest issue of the Torch.

"Your point being?" Chloe asked, even though she was fully aware of what she was getting at.

"Think Clark will ask one of us?"

"If he can't ask Lana, maybe."

"Oh, great, so we're just his second choice?"

"I've kind of gotten used to it."

At that moment, Clark walked in, forcing the girls to abandon their current conversation. He was followed by a young boy who was probably around thirteen if not a couple years older.

"Hey, who's this?" Chloe smiled.

"Ryan, these are my good friends, Chloe and Emmeline."

Clark motioned the two girls over to him while Ryan pulled out a comic to read.

"His name's Ryan," Clark told them. "My mom accidently hit him on the road a couple nights ago, and he's staying at my house for right now. He has amnesia and can't remember anything except who he is."

"Wow," Chloe said, walking over to Ryan. "You're like a modern-day Kaspar Hauser."

"Who's that?" Ryan asked.

"Don't worry. Chloe's the queen of obscure and irrelevant references," Clark smiled.

"He's a kid from the 19th century with amnesia," Chloe explained. "He showed up in a German town one day without a memory of who he was. All he could remember was his name. How's that for irrelevant?" she finished looking pointedly at Clark.

"What happened to him?" Ryan said as he hopped up onto her desk.

"Well, his story spread throughout Europe and people came from all over to see if he was their missing child. Some people even thought he was the lost son of the Grand Duke."

"Did he ever find his parents?"

"You know…" Chloe stopped and her face changed as she remembered the rest of the story. "Yeah, he did," she finally said. "Um, he found his parents and they lived happily ever after."

Ryan looked at her. "Why didn't you just say he was murdered?"

Chloe's brow furrowed. "How'd you…know that?"

"You know, why don't we take that picture?" Clark said, trying to get off the awkward subject.

"What picture?" Ryan asked. "You're not putting me on that freak wall, are you?"

Emmeline smiled as Chloe took out her camera and snapped Ryan's picture. "It's called the Wall of Weird, and no. This picture's just to check against missing persons." She checked at the picture then looked up at Clark. "Okay, I'm gonna go download this. I'll be there in a sec."

She went over to her computer as Clark took a seat next to Ryan.

"She likes you," Ryan said quietly to Clark.

Emmeline's eyes widened. How did Ryan know that Chloe liked Clark when Clark himself couldn't see it? Did Ryan know that she liked him too?

"Yeah, we're friends," Clark answered blindly.

"She wants to be more than just friends. I think she wants you to ask her to the prom."

Okay, he was getting too far now. She just couldn't understand how he was picking up on all this. She wanted to say something, but her shyness still wasn't completely gone. She was only okay around mainly Clark, Pete, and Chloe. She wasn't even completely comfortable around Lana yet.

"Chloe? Yeah, right."

"No, really. She already picked out a dress. It's pink."

"Ryan, you just met Chloe and she hates dresses and she's not exactly the prom type."

"Well, maybe she has a romantic side you never knew about."

"Or maybe my mom hit you harder than I thought."

Chloe walked back over to them. "Let's get a picture of my boys." She snapped a couple more pictures of Ryan and Clark.

"Alright," Clark said when she finished. "We're gonna head over to the Talon."

"Oh, I'll come too," Emmeline said. "I have to ask Lana a homework question. I'll grab us a couple coffees while I'm at it."

"Sounds good!" Chloe smiled.

The three of them headed over to the Talon while Chloe hung back to keep working.

"Hey, Lana!" Clark called. Lana came over to them with a tray in her hand. "I wanted you to meet Ryan. Ryan, this is Lana."

"Nice to meet you," Lana smiled, shaking his hand with her free one.

"Why don't you take a seat, and figure out what you want?"

Ryan nodded and took out a comic book before sitting in one of the chairs.

"So, how does it feel having a little brother type figure in your life?" Lana asked Clark.

"It's pretty cool."

"I always dreamed of having a brother or sister. You know, someone to talk to, help fill the silence."

"Someone you could totally trust and would always be there for you?"

"It's just how I see you, Clark."

Emmeline smiled, as Clark just got completely friend-zoned by Lana.

"Thanks," Clark said, obviously struggling with that answer. That was not what he wanted to hear.

Clark walked back over to Ryan, who was talking to Lex.

"Hey, Lana," Emmeline said. "I had a question. You know that assignment we have for History? I missed class the other day because I was doing stuff for the Torch, so could I borrow your notes? I tried to at least start the assignment, but I'm completely lost."

"Sure thing! I can give them to you in first period tomorrow morning."

"That's perfect. You're a lifesaver."

"No problem. What were you doing that made you miss class?"

"We were having computer problems and the issue was going to be late unless we worked through class."

"I've got to hand it to you that you and Chloe have some serious dedication." Someone motioned Lana over. "I'll be right back."

"It's okay, take your time."

Emmeline looked over at Ryan and noticed that he had a scared look on his face. He turned around and she noticed a strange man smirking at him. She immediately felt extremely uncomfortable just looking at him. He looked like the very definition of mean and cruel.

Ryan quickly turned back around then ran out the back door, the man pursuing him closely.

Emmeline frantically looked around for Clark. Finally, he came back to the bar. "Clark!" she exclaimed running up to him.

"Where's Ryan?" he asked.

"He just took out the back. He looked scared too. I think someone was after him."

Clark's eyes widened and he quickly took off out the back door.

It took a few minutes, but the two boys eventually came back into the shop. Ryan looked frazzled, but at the same time, he also looked like he had just found a new best friend. It was the same look Emmeline had on her face after she realized she had a friend in Chloe. She couldn't help but smile at the two boys and their innocent friendship.


The next day, Clark grabbed Emmeline and Chloe and they went out to the road to try to find something that would help figure out what was going on with Ryan.

"My mom hit him somewhere around here," Clark explained. "Thanks for helping with the clue hunt."

"And help solve the riddle of Ryan? It's my pleasure," Chloe said.

"It really is a riddle. I'm starting to think he may not have amnesia."

"Clark, the kid adores you. Why would he lie?"

"Because he's running from somebody."

"It makes sense," Emmeline threw in. "I'm pretty sure I saw someone go after him yesterday at the Talon. He looked so scary too. I wouldn't be surprised if little kids cried at the sight of him."

"I found something," Chloe said from the ditch. She came up and showed them a bookbag and they started going through it. "We got comic books and Twizzlers. Something every growing boy needs."

Clark looked at the bag for a second, then pulled a photo out of a secret compartment. When he saw Emmeline and Chloe looking at him, he said, "What? That's where I would hide something."

"If you were a CIA operative," Chloe answered sarcastically. She looked at the picture Clark had found. It looked fairly recent. A middle-aged woman was hugging Ryan. "Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know. Mom, aunt?"

"The mystery deepens. I still can't figure out how he knew that Kaspar Hauser was murdered."

"Well, for a reporter, you had one of the worst poker faces I've ever seen," Emmeline said.

"She's not lying," Clark smiled. "But you're right, Ryan does say weird things. I mean, he even said that you wanted me to ask you to prom and that you'd already bought a dress."

Emmeline looked at Chloe as they stopped walking. This was something she really wished hadn't been brought back up.

"It's not pink, is it?" Clark asked, noticing both of their expressions.

"Uh…" Chloe stuttered. "Okay, I-I, you know, I was just looking at it. It's not like I actually bought it."

"How would Ryan know that?"

"I don't know," Chloe groaned as they walked back to the car. "Maybe he's an alien or maybe he called Miss Cleo. You know, I don't know."

When Chloe and Emmeline were alone, Chloe quickly grabbed her. "Why didn't you tell me Ryan told Clark I wanted him to ask me to the dance?"

"Sorry!" Emmeline apologized. "I was hoping he would just forget about it."

"Well, he didn't and now I look like an idiot."

"Think of this as a good thing, Chloe. Maybe now Clark will finally ask you."

"Not now that he thinks I'm desperate!"

"Okay, calm down. You don't know that he won't ask you. I'm going to go see Ryan. He closes himself off from the world, and I understand that more than anyone. I just want to talk to him."

"Suit yourself. I'll see if I can do some more digging about him and find out what's going on."

Emmeline headed over to Clark's house, assuming that Ryan would be there.

"Hello?" she called through the screen door.

"Hi, Emmeline!" Martha called. "Come on in!" Emmeline smiled and walked in. "Clark isn't here. He's out doing some errands."

"I actually wanted to see Ryan. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's in the loft. You can go on out."

"Thanks, Mrs. Kent!" Emmeline went back out and headed to the barn where Clark spent all his time. "Ryan?" she called.

"Who is it?" a voice from above called back.

"It's just me, Emmeline," she said as she walked up the stairs.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"Well…I wanted to talk with someone who knows what it's like to close yourself off from everyone."

"From what I've seen, you're not closed off."

"You've only seen a part of me. You should've seen me before I met Clark and Chloe. I hardly ever talked or even looked at anyone."

"You too?"

She nodded. "I told you, I know what it's like. We both retreat into reading to escape from that world. You read Warrior Angel, I read fantasy novels."

"Why fantasy novels?"

"Why Warrior Angel?"

"Because he saves and protects people."

"Like Batman?"

Ryan laughed. "Kind of."

Emmeline smiled. "I got you to laugh. I wish you smiled more, Ryan. You have a nice smile."

"Thanks. So why do you read fantasy stuff?"

"Because it allows me to go to a world where everything's different. A world where there are made-up places, dashing heroes, and magic."

"You want a knight-in-shining-armor?"

"It's a dream, but one I don't think is going to happen any time soon."

"Anyone in particular?"

Emmeline paused a bit before answering. "I might have someone in mind."

"Is it Clark?"

"Excuse me?"

"I can see the way you look at him. You and Chloe both like him, right?"

Seeing no point in denying it, she said to him, "Have you seen Clark? He's basically the perfect guy. He's good-looking, he's smart, he's nice, he's always there for you, I'm surprised he doesn't have every girl in the school fawning over him."

"Aren't you and Chloe best friends? What's going to happen if he chooses one of you?"

"We already made a deal a while back. We will not let him come between us as friends, and if he chooses one of us, then the other has sworn to be happy for her."

"But you secretly want him to choose you?"

"Right now, Chloe has liked him for a lot longer than I have, and she wants to go to the formal with Clark so bad that I kind of want them to go together. She deserves it."

There was a pause before Ryan asked, "How come you're adopted?"

"How did you know I was adopted?"

"I know the face of someone who is."

"Okay, well, I don't know. I don't really know anything about my real parents."

"Me neither."

"Ryan? I know you're a few years younger than me, but I don't think I've ever felt so comfortable around someone I just met."

"Same for me. I mean, I'm comfortable with Clark and all, but…with you, I feel like I'm not alone."

Emmeline smiled and hugged him. "Me too."


Emmeline stayed at the Kents for dinner, not wanting to leave Ryan just yet. She felt like he understood her more than anyone she had ever met. She'd be sad to see him leave.

That time ended up being sooner than she expected. Ryan went to answer the door, and when she and the Kents went to go see who it was, they found a woman talking with him.

"Ah, so you must be Ryan," she said with a pleasant smile.

"Can I help you?" Jonathon asked.

"Mr. Kent. Child Services. I'm here to pick up Ryan."

"Well, you're a little early, aren't you? We weren't expecting you for an hour."

"We can't thank you enough for taking Ryan in."

"It's our pleasure," Martha said. "He's welcome to stay longer."

"Oh, I'm afraid that's impossible. I need to put him in foster care. That's the law."

"Well, let's get your stuff."

As Martha and Emmeline helped him get his things, she couldn't help but notice that something seemed…off. Ryan looked scared to death and she could see moisture slowly building up in his eyes. And this woman seemed too eager to whisk Ryan away, and she thought for sure that she looked kind of nervous.

"Ready to go?" the woman asked when the three of them came back.

"Oh, could he wait and say goodbye to our son Clark?" Martha asked. "He'll be home any minute."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mrs. Kent," Ryan said sadly. "Just tell him thanks."

"If you need anything just call us, okay?"

Martha hugged him tightly and he lingered in her embrace for as long as he could. Then he came over to Emmeline.

Her heart broke when she saw that tears were threatening to spill from his eyes at any second. She hugged him even tighter than Martha and didn't release from the hug for a while.

"Take care, Ryan. You're a good kid. I'm glad I met you."

"You too, Em."

Emmeline looked at him for a second. No one called her Em except Clark, Chloe, and Pete. Her own parents didn't even call her Em.

"Thanks for everything."

Ryan left with the woman as Emmeline wished she knew for sure what he seemed so scared about.

Clark came home not long after and saw his dad and Emmeline outside. "Dad? Em? What's wrong?"

"Child Services came and took Ryan away about 15 minutes ago," Jonathon answered sadly.

"What? Why didn't he wait for me? I wanted to say goodbye."

"I don't know, son. They said they were in a hurry. I'm sorry."

Jonathon left and Emmeline looked up at Clark's sad face. "Clark?" she said. "I may be wrong, but I think something was up with the whole Child Services thing."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, the woman seemed in too much of a hurry, and Ryan looked like he knew her. And he looked really scared of her."

"You think she knows him?"

"I'm not sure. I don't want to start something up when I don't know everything, but I'm telling you, it was strange."

They both turned at the sound of crunching gravel to find Lex's limo pulling in. He got out of the car and looked at Clark.

"On your way to Metropolis?" Clark asked.

"Yeah. The big dinner. I, uh, I wanted you to have something." He handed Clark some kind of weapon.

"A sword?"

"It's a foil, Clark. Every hero should have one."

"I guess this means you've decided you're leaving."

"I haven't made up my mind one way or the other."

"If you haven't made up your mind, why are you giving me a going-away present?"

"Keep that away from the kid."

"He's already gone."

"I'm sorry. I know how much you liked him."

"For what it's worth, I hope you stay."

Lex got back into his limo and his chauffeur turned around. Emmeline's heartbeat increased dramatically. She knew that face. There was no way she could forget it.

She watched the limo pull away, then Clark went into the loft.

"Clark!" she called. "I…I think I know Lex's driver. He was the guy I saw chasing Ryan at the Talon."

"Are you sure, Em?"

"I'm pretty sure. I can't forget that face. He just looks so…mean."

"How do you know he was chasing Ryan?"

"He just happened to follow him out the back door while Ryan looked totally freaked? It's more than a coincidence."

"Why would he be chasing him in the first place? And if he was chasing Ryan, why is he now Lex's limo driver?"

"I…I don't know, Clark. I told you, everything's just been really weird tonight."

At that moment, Chloe came up to the loft. "Hey, Zorro, what's with the sword?"

"It's a foil," Clark answered.

"I'm guessing it's a gift from out favorite millionaire playboy."

"He's thinking of moving back to Metropolis."

"Well, I'm still here, Clark. Em and I aren't going anywhere."

Emmeline looked at Chloe with raised eyebrows. She didn't need Ryan's help to be so obvious when it came to the fact that she liked him.

"Um, sources at the sheriff's office have given me a heads-up on Ryan's step-dad."

"You have sources?" Clark asked.

"Yeah. A cute officer in traffic. I talk my way out of a speeding ticket, he told me I was plucky. Maybe I'll ask him to prom."

Emmeline quietly laughed to herself. Chloe was trying a bit too hard.

"Um, so Ryan's step-dad is a real catch. He's a career criminal." She handed Clark a mugshot of him and Clark's eyes went wide.

"You were right, Em. This is Lex's limo driver."

"If that's the case, that woman has to be his wife. Go, Clark! Find him!"

Clark took off to go find the boy he loved like a little brother.


The phone rang at Emmeline's house really late at night.

"Hello?" she answered urgently into the phone.

"Em?" Clark's voice said. "Ryan's okay."

Emmeline breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Clark. I'm glad he's safe."

Early in the morning, the doorbell to Emmeline's house rang. She went over to answer it and there stood Ryan and Clark. Emmeline quickly pulled Ryan into a fierce hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said to him.

"Em, I can't breathe."

"Sorry! Sorry." She let go of him and smiled. "What's the plan now?"

"Chloe tracked down an aunt in Edge City," Clark answered.

"So, you're go to go live with her?"

"Yeah," Ryan smiled. It was nice to see that smile again. "I came to say good-bye."

"I'm so glad I got to meet you. If you ever want to talk about anything, please just give me a call."

"I will."

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Don't move! I've got something for you." Emmeline ran up to her room, and came back down carrying a book which she handed to him. "This is my favorite fantasy novel. For those times when you want to escape from this world…and be the knight-in-shining-armor."

Ryan looked at the book and then hugged her again. "Thanks so much, Em. I'll see you around."

"Bye, Ryan."

As Emmeline watched him leave her porch, she let out a deep breath. While she was sad to see him go, she would always treasure the few moments she got to spend with someone who knew just what her life was like.