It was time for Chloe to depart for her interview in Metropolis, and it was only fitting that Emmeline was there to see her off.

That is until they got the call that Lana was in the hospital after she had been near a pipe explosion.

Something always went wrong in this city.

The two girls went to the hospital and saw Clark standing in the doorway with Lana unconscious in the bed and Whitney watching over her.

"Hey!" he said when Chloe touched his arm. He took her outside the room. "I thought you'd be halfway to Metropolis by now."

"Ah, it's just a summer internship," Chloe sighed. "I can always reschedule."

"You've been waiting for that interview at the Planet for weeks."

"I know. I just feel weird taking off right now."

"Lana's gonna be okay. It's just a mild concussion."

"Clark's right," Emmeline added. "It's sad, but we both know Lana's been through worse."

"Okay," Chloe admitted. "I'm crashing at my cousin's dorm. Call me on my cell if anything goes wrong at the Torch."

"We can survive one day without you," Clark told her.

"Are you gonna wish me luck?"

Clark smiled at her. "You don't need it."

"All right. Bye."

"Bye."

She hugged Emmeline. "Bye, Em."

"Bye, Chloe."

Emmeline and Clark went back into Lana's room. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Clark asked Whitney.

"Yeah," Whitney answered sadly. He gently kissed Lana's head. Emmeline didn't miss the wishful look that crossed Clark's features.

They left the room and went to the lobby where they all grabbed a quick cup of coffee.

What Emmeline couldn't get out of her mind was that something felt…kind of off. She wasn't sure what it was, but…something was wrong.


The next day, Emmeline and Clark were in the Torch office trying to get things moving, but it felt like everything was going wrong.

The sound of quiet footsteps alerted them to Lana walking into the room.

"Hey. How you feeling?" Clark asked.

"Better," she smiled. "Now it only hurts when I walk, sit, or breathe."

Emmeline and Clark chuckled lightly. "I'm surprised to see you. Usually a hospital visit comes with a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card."

"Actually, I was looking for Chloe."

"She's not here. She's in Metropolis until tonight."

"You both covering?"

"Well, if you could call it that. The printer's jammed, the scanner's broken, and the Spring Formal event schedule is late. Chloe leaves for a day and the Torch goes down in flames."

"It's safe to say we won't lose you to the entrancing world of journalism. So, have either of you talked to Chloe?"

"We left messages on her cell phone. I think she's busy convincing the Planet they were insane ever to publish without her." He noticed Lana had a worried expression on her face. "What's up?"

"I had this intense dream about Chloe I just can't shake. It was totally surreal, but I dreamed that she was attacked outside of the hospital. I know, sounds crazy."

Emmeline looked up from the computer she was working on. Maybe what she had felt last night wasn't as totally out of the park as she thought.

"But it's got you freaked," Clark said standing up.

"It's just it felt like I was right there. She was walking to her car and she was getting her keys out of that red bag with the butterflies on it." She looked up and saw Clark frown a little at that statement. "What is it?"

"She…she was carrying that red bag when she left the hospital. Do you want me to call her dad to see if she's all right?"

"You know, I'm sure it's just the concussion. I don't want to scare him just because I spent the night on pain killers."

"Yeah, it was probably just a nightmare."

"Um, I'll see you both later."

Lana left the room and Emmeline thought about what she had told them.

"Em? What's wrong?" Clark asked her.

"It's just…last night at the hospital…I felt like something was wrong. Call it best friend intuition, but I'm starting to get a little worried about her."

"Why don't I call her again?"

"That'd be good."

Clark dialed Chloe's number on his cell phone. It rang a few times, then he said quietly to Emmeline, "Answering machine." He waited a few more seconds, then said, "Hey, Chloe. Hope everything's going good. Just give me or Em a call as soon as you possibly can. Bye!"

Emmeline nervously bit her lip. She didn't feel any better.


"Hey, Em!"

Emmeline turned to find Pete catching up with her as she walked to the Talon. "Hey, Pete!" she smiled.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Alright."

"So you know the Spring Formal is coming up."

"Yes…"

"And I was wondering if maybe you'd go with me."

Emmeline smiled broadly at him. "I would love to go to Spring Formal with you, Pete."

"Oh, really?" he laughed. "Great! Don't worry about a thing! I'll make it one of the best nights of your life."

They walked into the Talon and grabbed a seat. Pete bought her a coffee and it wasn't long before Clark came in.

"Hey, Clark," Pete said as they both stood up and walked with him to the counter.

"Have either of you talked to Chloe yet?" Clark asked.

"No, but the Planet better not have turned her down if they know what's good for them."

"I just thought she would have called by now to get an update on the Torch."

"Ah, she probably already got the internship and is out partying with her cousin. So, guess what? Em and I are going to Spring Formal together!"

"Really? That's great!" Clark smiled.

"The nicest girl in our class. Just wanted to make sure that was clear."

"It is."

Emmeline began blushing. So this was what it was like to have awesome guy friends.

"So do you want to know my secret? You do, don't you?" Pete joked. "I asked her. You ought to try it, Clark. Getting up off your butt is the wave of the future. I gotta go reserve my limo for the Spring Formal."

"A limo?" Emmeline asked, shocked.

"I said it was gonna be a great night! See you later!"

"Pete, huh?" Clark asked Emmeline.

"He asked, and I thought why not? I know we'll have a great time."

Lana walked up to them. "Any word on our intrepid reporter?"

"I called her dad," Clark answered. "He was stuck in a seminar. I'm sure she'll be okay."

"Yeah, me too." Her expression showed she didn't truly believe her words.

Clark looked over to see a sign that said, 'Spring Formal Tickets Now On Sale'. "Oh, you can buy tickets to the Spring Formal here. That's a cool idea."

Lana smiled. "You ask anyone yet?"

"I've got my eye on someone."

"Well, you better hurry up. No one likes to look for a dress last minute. Not even Chloe."

"What makes you think I'm asking Chloe?"

Lana and Emmeline laughed at his question, the fact that he liked Chloe being completely obvious.

Lana went to go behind the counter when she gasped and all the dishes and the tray she was holding crashed to the floor.

"Lana," Clark and Emmeline said at the same time, both of them going over to her.

"It happened again," she gasped.

"You saw something?"

"I saw Chloe. Somebody's got her. You have to believe me."

"I do," Emmeline said. "I believe you."

They called Chloe's father and got him to come over to the Talon. Clark got Lana a glass of water while they all anxiously awaited for the man's arrival.

He ended up coming in with two other police officers.

"Hey, guys," Chloe's father said. "I, uh, I called the sheriff's office because I wanted them to hear this too."

"Any luck reaching Chloe, Mr. Sullivan?" Clark asked.

"No, I haven't heard from her all day. I'm starting to get concerned. I called her cousin, but all I get is the machine."

Deputy Watts looked over at Lana. "You said you had some proof that Chloe might have been abducted?"

"Well, I sort of had a vision," Lana said warily.

"A vision?" Deputy Vertigo said skeptically.

"She saw Chloe being kidnapped," Clark defended her.

"Maybe you should have called the Psychic Friends Network instead, then."

Emmeline didn't appreciate his sarcastic tone, but she refused to say anything about it.

"What makes you think it was real?" Deputy Watts asked her.

"I saw Chloe bound and blindfolded in a dark room," she explained.

"Oh, wow," Vertigo said sarcastically. "It's too bad you didn't see something a little more useful like an address where we might find her."

Mr. Sullivan's phone rang and he quickly took it out of his pocket and stepped away to answer it.

"Miss Lang," Watts said. "You went through a pretty rough ordeal yesterday. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"You mean do I think I'm hallucinating?" Lana asked angrily. "It felt like I was right there, like I was seeing through the kidnapper's eyes."

"I promise, we'll take this seriously, and look into it."

Mr. Sullivan hung up the phone and turned back to the group with an ashen expression on his face.

"Mr. Sullivan? What is it?" Clark asked.

"They found Chloe's car. It's been abandoned in the woods."

Emmeline suddenly couldn't breathe. It was official. Her best friend had been kidnapped.

Tears formed in her eyes at the thought of what could be happening to her. She leaned against the counter for support, her legs going weak. Clark quickly put his arm around her to steady her.

"We'll find her," he said gently.

Emmeline went back home and sat on her bed, her arms hugging her knees to her chest. Tears kept finding their way to her face, immensely worried about the girl she called her best friend.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She went to the phone and called up Clark. "Hey, Clark. Are you home?"

"Yeah…I'm just in the loft."

"Can I come over? I can't…be alone right now."

"Of course."

Emmeline drove over to Clark's house and slowly went up to the loft where Clark was. The first thing he noticed was her red eyes and puffy cheeks, and his heart went out to her.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Anything?"

"No…" he answered, avoiding her eyes. "Don't worry. Chloe's tough. She can handle anything."

"I know. You know she was my first true friend."

"You've never had a best friend?"

"Before I met you guys, I didn't even talk to anyone, much less make friends."

"And now here you are with a date to Spring Formal," Clark smiled. His smile quickly disappeared when he remembered he was supposed to ask Chloe.

"You know, Chloe really likes you Clark. And she's put up with a lot when it comes to how you feel about Lana. She's tried so many times to drop hints here and there, but you haven't seen any of them."

Clark looked away from her guiltily. Neither said it, but they were both thinking how he may never get the chance to do anything for her now.

The two of them stayed up in the loft for hours until the day turned into night. Soon, Lana came up and joined them.

"Any word on Chloe?" she asked both of them.

"Uh, my dad and I went out with Mr. Sullivan and the police," Clark answered. "We searched the woods but we didn't find anything. They've organized a search party first thing tomorrow morning. How are you doing?"

"Spent the afternoon at the sheriff's station telling them what I saw. They kept looking at me like I was crazy." She walked over and joined Emmeline on the couch.

"I don't think you're crazy."

"How are you holding up?"

Clark sat across from them on the chest by the couch. "I keep wishing Chloe would just walk up those steps. I never appreciated how much she meant to me until now. The thought of never seeing her again—"

"Clark. You can't think that way."

Clark stood up and started fiddling with his telescope. "You know, I remember the first time I met her. It was eighth grade. She'd just transferred from Metropolis and I was assigned to show her around. The first thing she wanted to know was where she could buy a copy of the Planet so she could keep in touch with civilization. When she found out I lived on a farm, she insisted I invite her over to experience it firsthand. I think she thought I was Amish." Lana and Emmeline both laughed at that. He came back over and sat down. "When I brought her up here, she just kissed me, right out of the blue."

"Why'd she do that?" Lana asked.

"She said, 'I know you've been thinking about that all day, so I figured we'd get it out of the way and be friends.'."

"That sounds like Chloe," Emmeline laughed.

Clark smiled. "That was my first kiss."

Chloe was his first kiss? That was so romantic! Why had Chloe never mentioned that to her?

"It's nice it was with someone you still care about," Lana smiled. "We're gonna see her again, guys."

She got up to leave. When she reached the stairs, she gasped heavily and staggered a little.

"Lana?" Clark said as he and Emmeline ran over to her.

She frantically turned around. "I just saw her again!" she gasped.

"Chloe? Where?"

"Buried. She's still alive."

"Did you see where she was?"

"I'm not sure, but there was a windmill, a big one."

"She must be on Chandler's field. I'll get help."

Lana and Emmeline watched as Clark ran off to go save their friend.

When Emmeline was told Chloe was safe in the hospital, she couldn't get there fast enough.

She ran to Chloe's room as quickly as she could and got there around the same time as Clark and Lana. When they walked in, they saw Chloe was on the phone.

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Chloe looked over. "Oh, I gotta go. Some real people just came in. Okay, bye."

The second Chloe hung up the phone, Emmeline raced over to her friend and hugged her as tightly as she could, tears forming in her eyes once more. Neither girl said anything to the other, and Clark and Lana politely let them have their moment.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Emmeline said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Who was on the phone?" Clark asked.

"The Daily Planet," Chloe answered.

Lana frowned. "I thought you missed your appointment for the internship."

"I did. They were calling about an interview."

"Are you gonna do it?" Clark asked.

Chloe shook her head. "I've always wanted my name in the Daily Planet, but not like this. Besides, I figure that the Torch could use an exclusive, which I will write as soon as I get out of here."

Clark slowly took a seat on the other side of the bed, as Emmeline was sitting on the side closest to him. "Chloe, do you remember anything?"

Her brow furrowed as she recalled what she had been through. "I remember tripping on some metal rails, and I remember hundreds of teddy bears hanging from the ceiling." Tears started appearing in her eyes as her voice cracked. "Anyway, that's where I was kept until I…" She faltered off, the memories becoming too much. "I'm sorry, you guys. Flashback. I can still hear the dirt falling on the coffin. Sorry." Emmeline reassuringly stroked her hand, pained her best friend had to go through such an ordeal. Chloe looked at Clark. "If you hadn't found me, I don't know where I'd be."

"Don't thank me. Thank Lana," Clark said.

"Yeah, you know, I got to hand it to you, you sure picked a perfect time to take a walk on the weird side."

Lana smiled broadly at her.

"You should get some rest," Clark told her. He started to get up, but Chloe quickly grabbed his hand.

"Clark, um, would you mind sticking around for a little while? Whoever did this is still out there. "

"Of course not. I'll stay here as long as you need me to."

"Thanks."

"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow," Lana said.

"I'm gonna hang around for a little longer," Emmeline told her.

"Bye, Lana," Chloe said.


Emmeline skipped school and stayed with Chloe in the hospital all day. She told her about Pete asking her to Spring Formal, something that made Chloe extremely excited.

Once she was discharged, she immediately went to the Torch against Emmeline's wishes.

"Hey," Chloe said to Clark once they arrived.

"Chloe, why aren't you at home sleeping?" Clark asked.

"That's what I told her," Emmeline said.

"If I fall asleep, I'll have night mares, so I figure the best thing to do is keep busy. Goodness knows you left enough of a mess for me to clean up."

"Well, I'm glad you're here."

They looked up and saw Whitney enter the room.

"Whitney," Chloe said surprised. "You sure you're in the right place?"

"Clark called, said he needed my help," Whitney told her.

"I think I figured out how Lana got her visions," Clark said. "It was the explosion."

"You think the blast somehow caused them?" Chloe asked.

"It was more than that. It connected her with someone at the accident."

"Clark Kent leaps tall theories in a single bound. How did you arrive at this one?"

"Well, apparently there were meteor rocks at the explosion, and I found this article."

He handed the three of them some papers.

"The De Kretser Syndrome?" Chloe asked, reading the paper.

"It's kind of like a post-traumatic stress disorder. There were several cases reported during the London Blitz."

"'Some people who were huddled in shelters would find themselves psychically linked after a bomb hit nearby.' Okay, I'm sold."

"According to this, it's in times of stress, anger, or excitement that triggers the visions," Whitney read.

"Who was around Lana after the explosion?" Clark asked him.

"Myself and two deputies, Watts and Vertigo."

"They were with your dad when we told him about Lana's vision."

"He probably called them himself. They were in a bowling league together," Chloe explained.

"Whitney, which one got to her first?"

"It's tough to say. It all happened so fast. You think one of those cops kidnapped Chloe?"

"Who would suspect a cop? We have to warn Lana. If one of those guys is the kidnapper, he knows that Lana's seeing through his eyes."

"Great. I'll drive," Whitney said.

"Um, that's okay. We'll take my car," Chloe said with a small smile.

They all rushed to the Talon and found Vertigo knocked out on the ground. No Lana. Clark got Vertigo awake and helped him into a chair.

"Where's Lana?" Whitney asked Vertigo.

"I don't know, she was here," Vertigo answered, touching the large bump on his cheek. "The guy must have grabbed her."

"I'm gonna check the back."

"Deputy, where's your partner tonight?" Clark asked him.

"Gary? Uh, he's working a second job at the carnival grounds. He's a security guard."

Clark looked at Chloe. "You said you saw stuffed animals and train tracks."

"The carnival's closed this time of year. It's a perfect place to hide someone," Chloe said.

Clark took off to find Lana. Emmeline breathed deeply. Maybe this whole nightmare was finally going to be over.


"EM!" Chloe screamed when Emmeline opened her door. "HE DID IT!"

"What are you talking about?" Emmeline asked.

"Clark asked me! He asked me to Spring Formal!"

"What? That's great!" she exclaimed, hugging her. "I'm really happy for you."

"In other news, I got an internship at the Daily Planet!"

"That's amazing! You've just got all kinds of good things going on!"

"I know! I can't believe it! The only downside is that I'm going to be spending all summer in Metropolis. I know we wanted to do a lot this summer."

"Don't worry about it. I couldn't be happier that you get to spend your time at your dream job."

"Make sure you visit me."

"I'll practically live there."

The two girls hugged again, relishing their friendship, especially after the course of the last few days.

There never truer friends than Emmeline and Chloe.