One

"I love you Libby."

I shot up out of bed and placed my hand on the chest I squeezed my eyes shut, I hated hearing it. I hated hearing those words especially because I had no idea who said them or why I heard them every night. I could never put a face to the voice either, it was like a form of torture. I flipped my quilt off me and made my way into the bathroom, I switched on the shower and stripped off the clothes I was wearing, I stepped into the shower and the water fell down my body, I sighed in relief as the hot water hit my body. I stayed in the shower for half an hour before getting out, I blow dried my hair and stood in front of my wardrobe, I slipped on my bra and panties and grabbed a black skirt and slipped it on and grabbed a white strappy top. I grabbed my black cardigan slipping it on, I grabbed my bag and left the apartment I locked my apartment door and started the 15 minute walk to work.

I hit the elevator button and waited for it to come up, I entered and we stopped on my floor I stepped off the elevator, I saw Hannah waiting by my office with a cup of tea in her hand, I grabbed it off her. "Thank you Hannah," I smiled. "Follow me." I threw my bag onto the sofa and started up my computer, I turned and sat on the desk staring at her. "So Hannah what is on the agenda today?"

"Well, you have a free day today for the most part," Hannah said. I looked at her confused, "deadline today."

"Ah of course," I nodded. "I've almost finished it so I can send it down to editorial in about an hour and then I would like us to go through the letters and trash the ones I have used or will never use."

"Of course, are you accepting visitors today?" Hannah asked.

I nodded, "yes just if that's annoying guy," I trailed off. "What was his name?"

"The guy you went on a date with yesterday?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah what his name?" I asked clicking my fingers. "Erm." I tapped my fingers against my forehead, "Blaine." She nodded. "Don't let Blaine in, the guy just can't take a hint that I don't want to date him again."

"How many first dates is that?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Your point?" I asked.

"Have you ever had a stable relationship Libby?" Hannah asked.

"Do not call me Libby," I snapped angrily. She looked at me stunned and I sighed, "I'm sorry. I just I really don't like people calling me Libby."

"Sorry Liberty is sometimes a mouthful," she admitted sheepishly. "I'll remember not to call you Libby. If that's all I need to get back to work."

"Yeah of course, thanks Hannah," I said. I turned away from her and stared at the wall, I rubbed my face. I hated it when people called me Libby it just reminded me of the dreams and they never left not since I was 18. I sighed and shook my head I needed to focus on my work. I proof checked my column twice and printed it off, I grabbed it and walked out my office, "hey I'm heading down to the printers."

"I can do it if you like?" Hannah offered.

I shook my head, "no," I shrugged. "I feel like a walk and I will go and maybe pop into Kara's office give her an update on that terrible date." Hannah laughed and smiled. I hit the down button on the lift a moment later it opened I stepped on and went down to the lower floors, I went to the office and handed Darren the pages, "is that enough space covered?"

He placed it against the layout of the spread sheets and looked at me, "perfect as always Liberty," he grinned. "Actually I have a favour to ask."

My face dropped, "please don't be asking me on a date again," I groaned.

He laughed, "never again," he laughed. "Terrible idea. Actually it's about my daughter," I sat down in front of his desk and looked at him. "She wants to go into journalism."

"I'm not a journalist Darren," I said. "I give advice."

"I know which is why I kind of want you to take care of her so to speak," he said.

"Isn't she still in school?" I asked confused.

"Well they are giving them a week of work experience and as always she begged me so I was going to put her with Snapper," I winced as he said. "She refused and she wanted you, actually she asked for you. Plus I know your schedule Liberty some days you aren't even here so I figured you would be the perfect person to show her around CatCo and plus everyone loves you around here."

I groaned, "fine," I agreed shaking my head. "I'll mentor her for the week." He grinned. "You so owe me Darren."

"Anything you want," he grinned. "Say it."

"I'll save it for a rainy day," I told him. "I got to go see Kara, I'll see you later." I left the office and went to Kara's I walked into her office. I stopped in my tracks as I saw a random person stood there. "Oh I'm sorry I'm looking for Kara."

"So am I," he said flashing a grin.

I smiled, "so I suppose you don't know where she is?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I'm serious Mon-El," I heard Kara say.

"Right there," he said flashing a grin.

She walked into the office and placed her bag on the side and ended the phone call, "wow busy day for my office." I laughed, "oh actually good you are here."

"Clark I would like you to meet my friend Liberty, Liberty this is Clark he's my, he's a family friend," she said.

"Nice to meet you Clark," I said.

"You too Libby." I froze, something about the way he said my name felt familiar. I couldn't say anything.

"Oh Clark she doesn't like being called Libby, I probably should have mentioned that," Kara said apologetically.

"Oh, sorry," Clark said.

I looked at him I shook my head and scratched my forehead, "So the date?" Kara asked raising an eyebrow

I bit my lip, "terrible," I said. "Honestly I am quitting the dating scene."

"What happened Blaine was nice?" Kara sighed. "He was totally into you."

"No he was into my boobs Kara," I said flatly. "All night he just kept trying to touch me and I hated it, when I didn't let him kiss me it went worse."

"Sounds like a jerk," Clark said.

"He was," I said. "So seriously stop setting me up with people from now on."

"I heard you were in Darren's office," Kara said. "Are you two back on?"

"No," I said. "We ended for good reason, he was asking me a favour for his daughter. I accepted he so owes me big time." I looked at Clark, "So why are you here Clark?"

"I'm visiting from Metropolis, the Daily Planet," he said. "I'm a reporter."

I nodded, "I better go I have letters to go through with Hannah," I said. "I'll see you later Kara and nice meeting you Clark."

I walked out the office and hid where they couldn't see me, I squeezed my eyes shut, "what the hell Clark that was so weird," I heard Kara say. "What's that all about?"

"Nothing," Clark said.

"Clark," Kara said."I know you that was weird, what the hell have you met Liberty before?"

I shook my head I couldn't listen anymore I left and made my way back up to my office, I shut my door and closed the blinds I sat on the sofa and rubbed my temples. I couldn't get the voice out of my head. "I love you Libby." I grabbed my headphones and shoved them in and put the music on full blast. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to meditate I needed to get that voice out of my head.

A few hours later I managed to clear my head, I pulled the headphones out and opened up my office door and opened the blinds, "right let's get to work Hannah," I said.

She came into my office and we began chucking letters out, "hey Liberty," I heard a voice say. I looked up to see Kara stood there, "I just wanted to apologise for earlier if Clark was a little weird."

"It's fine," I smiled.

"He's never acted like that it's weird," she said.

"Kara seriously if you should be apologising it should be for that terrible date," I laughed. "You want to go out for lunch after I'm done here?"

"Clark will have to come," she said.

"That's fine," I shrugged. "Give me 10 minutes I'll meet you out front." She nodded. I threw myself into going through the letters and eventually we was done.

"Hey Liberty, do you want this?" Hannah asked. "A drawing." I reached over and grabbed it and stared at it.

"Yeah," I nodded. I shoved it into my desk, "I'm trying to figure something out, just, never mind."

"You don't have to explain it to me Liberty," Hannah said. "But usually when you are dreaming about something usually it's your subconscious trying to tell you something, or you have to do is listen."

"How do I listen to my dreams? I mean they are just dreams," I said.

"Not all the time," Hannah said. "Anyway you better go I imagine Kara is waiting down the front."

I grabbed my coat and bag and left the building as Hannah said Kara and Clark was stood outside waiting for me, "normal place?" Kara asked.

"Yep," I nodded.

"I'm sorry if I was rude before," Clark said. "You just reminded me of someone I used to know."

"It's fine," I said. Kara shook her head at us both and we made our walk to the normal place.

We sat down and we ordered, "I'm just going to nip to the bathroom," Kara said.

She stood up and began to go to the bathroom, I looked at Clark and the more I looked at him the more he felt familiar I couldn't put my finger on why. "Why do you hate being called Libby?" He asked.

"I don't know," I lied. "I just I hate it."


Thank you to everyone who has read the prologue! I am so excited for this story and I hope you guys are too!