Thanks for the reviews, everybody. I'm still trying to get this all up as fast as I can :)

The next day I met up with the peppy, news-junky, blonde Planet intern that is my friend – Chloe Sullivan.

Chloe was probably the one of the only exceptions in my life, mostly because 1) she was my first real friend and 2) the first person outside of my family to find out my secret.

It had happened by accident when I was a sophomore in high school. Chloe had followed me home one time to see if she could borrow my notes for class, and caught me doing a little more than humanly possible. The undercover pretty much scared the crap out of her and she was silent about it for a while, before finally admitting to me what she saw.

My parents had flipped out. I'd never seen them more scared or upset. Luckily, though, Chloe turned out to be a wonderful surprise – very different to the many people who would've taken advantage of my secret. We set her straight on what I was exactly, and although she accepted it, her parents somehow picked up on the "weird vibes" I was giving her and moved to Metropolis within the following weeks.

Having one of my only friends left town because of me really hurt (not to mention put a damper on my reputation at school), but I knew it wasn't her fault. We reunited on the Met U campus and met once every few months just to update each other on our lives. Like that day I'd requested we met at the local coffeehouse.

She arrived at my table, naturally bouncy and peeked. "Well, if it isn't Clark Kent, International Man of Mystery."

I threw her an unamused expression. "I thought we could be serious for minute, Chloe?"

She slowly sat down in front of me, as though I might jump out and bite her any second. "O – kay. Sure. The Happy Fun Chloe is off for the next few minutes. What's up?"

I filled her in about everything that had happened over the past few weeks. From my birthday (which she apologized about missing and promised to get me something as soon as she had money) to yesterday. I was surprised at how silent she was throughout the whole story. Not one random, interruptive question until she was sure I was finished.

"Wow…Clark that's…amazing." She gazed at me admiringly. "I don't remember you ever feeling this strongly about any girl before."

"Because I haven't." I sighed and looked down at my coffee mug in realization. "She's just…I really think she's my soulmate. We connect so easily. I mean we've only known each other for about a month…but I feel like we've known each other forever."

"Well, we gotta get you lovebirds back together ASAP, so what can I do?" she wondered with interest, rubbing her hands together like a mad scientist.

"Well, no offense, but you're kind of just the bridge I need to get in touch with someone else."

She narrowed her eyes, trying to follow my stream of conscienceness. "Lex Luthor."

"You know me too well, Chlo."

She smiled modestly, but then frowned. "Wait, isn't Lex a friend of yours? Why do you need me?"

"Well, he was sort of a friend. But ever since Lionel basically disowned him, I have no idea where he is. I figured I'd just wait until he got back in touch with me, but it seems I'm gonna need him a bit sooner than he needs me."

"Well, I'll see what I can do. But this is a Luthor you want me to get into contact with, remember? They're slippier than snakes and twice as dangerous."

I closed my eyes and shook my head knowingly. "Lex is different. He'll help me, I just know it. Especially when it involves his father and Whitney. He always told me he hated his little brother."

Chloe smirked devilishly. "So you're fighting fire with fire? Or, in this case, Luthor with Luthor?"

I raise my eyebrows hopefully. "I'm gonna try."

To my surprise, Chloe reached out and rested a hand on mine, getting my eyes to look back up at her. "I promise I will do whatever I can to help, Clark. Normally, I would be mildly pissed that I'm just the search engine at this particular moment, but frankly…I'm honored to be involved in this romantic love chase."

I laughed. "So, in other words, you're just intrigued by the great story it's going to make."

"That, and it happens to involve my good, old friend." Her smile fell a little as she continued. "Seriously, Clark…I really want you to be happy. To be honest, there always seemed to be something missing in you, even when we were kids. You just never seemed like you were completely happy. I'm glad to help make that change."

I nodded with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Chloe."

"Well," Chloe began, standing up and slipping her purse over her shoulder, "I guess I better get back to the Planet, turn in my article, and possibly get started on this Luthor hunt."

"Yeah… and Chloe?" I almost kicked myself for not just saying, "Goodbye," but I had to know something.

"Hm?"

"Um…" I stood as well, looking around to make sure no one could hear my stupid question, "…do you…do you think she loves me?"

Her eyebrows raised slightly in confusion.

"I mean…" I leaned in closer, feeling more stupid every second that I'd even brought the subject up, "…in my heart I feel it, but…she never actually told me. When I told her, she just kissed me, and…in…in retrospect she could've done that just to shut me up from saying anything else. Maybe she doesn't feel the same way. What if she really doesn't want to be with me? How - ?"

"Oh my gosh, Clark," She grabbed my shoulder and looked directly into my eyes, "She loves you, Clark. Take it from a woman. We don't always proclaim how we feel, but that doesn't mean we don't feel that way. Just look at the facts – you're her only confidant, you kissed, and she was on the verge of crying when she thought she'd never see you again."

I considered her words for a moment and smiled in satisfaction. "You're right. I just…I guess I'm just second-guessing everything cause I'm nervous. I've never been in this situation before. I don't know what to do…how to act…"

"It's pretty simple, Clark," she explained patting the center of my chest. "Follow your heart."

As she walked away in her usual Chloe-like bounce, I couldn't help but let her words water my smile until it grew into a full-on cheesy grin.

I was following my heart instead of my head…for once in my life. I never thought it would feel this free or invigorating. In the heart's mindset, feelings aren't told, they are felt. Actions are done on impulses instead of through clearly thought-out plans or tactics.

Maybe the heart had a lot more risks involved, but I knew the outcome would be worth it – the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

All I had to do was win.

………..

That night, I hid in an alley way on the route between the club and Lana's apartment. As soon as I saw the first glimpse of her figure walk past, I jumped from the alleyway and pulled her backwards, letting the shadows swallow us into the night.

She attempted to shriek, but I covered her mouth with my hand, until she could see my face fully.

"Shhh…calm down…it's just me."

A look of both shock and anger covered her face. "Clark! Wha - ! What the hell?!" She pushed me away from her, dove straight into my arms, and then pushed me away again, adding a swift punch to my shoulder. "You scared me to death! Why did you do that?!"

"I'm sorry! Sorry!" I said, adding more sincerity the second time I said it. "I didn't think anyone should see us together."

She looked into my eyes and my heart truthfully felt like it was breaking for her. Her eyes were still a swirling hazel, but they were also a little faded somehow. Small, almost unnoticeable bags appeared under her eyes – unnoticeable to everyone but me.

She was suffering as much as, if not more than, I was during that week of separation. It felt like our feelings were forcibly locked away in a museum – only able to be observed, but never touched or acted upon.

Her body then reflexively fell back into mine, this time not daring to pull away again. In fact, with each passing second, her grip around my waist grew tighter. She muttered in a faint whisper, "I've missed you."

"I definitely know the feeling," I retorted, rubbing her petite back with comfort, smiling at the grasp she had on me. "How are things with Whitney?"

She loosened her grip enough to look back up at me. "He's stopped all requests for me from anyone else at the club. He waits for me to come home sometimes. He wants us to get married sometime next week."

I clenched my jaws, clamping my hands on her shoulders firmly, but not harmfully. "It's not going to happen, Lana. I have a plan."

"No," she protested, throwing my hands off her quickly as she backed away. "I told you to let it go, Clark."

"Let the only women I've ever loved go?!" I asked appallingly. Snatching up her hands and holding them as though I'd never get to touch her again, I added, "Lana, my heart belongs to you. And I don't want it back. I can't do it. I can't leave you behind. I will never do that to you. Never."

Everything I'd said came immediately from my heart and out my mouth, without any stops in between. By the time I was finished, both of us were watery-eyed and filled with so many conflicting emotions – regret, pain, happiness, insanity - I was on the verge of shaking because of it.

She sighed at the ground, then gained enough courage to look into my eyes, although they were obviously red and heavy with sadness. "Clark, I love you…and that's what scares me the most. I've let myself care this much about someone…and if Whitney ever finds out who you really are…he'll use you to get to me." She blinked away a few tears as she continued. "I…I don't know how I could go on if I ever learned that you were hurt or…worse…because of me."

I shook my head with a smile, happy for once about my Kryptonian origin. "He won't hurt me."

"How can you know that?" she disputed. "These are the Luthor's we're talking about. They know exactly how to get to people – how to play them. You won't win."

"I know Whitney's older brother Lex. My friend Chloe is tracking him down for me. And if I'm right, he'll be able to help us," I admitted, subconsciously tucking a stray piece of hair behind her hair. "Until then, we can keep this a secret. Whitney will never suspect a thing."

Although I could tell she was slowly falling under my spell, she closed her eyes, shaking her head again. "No, we shouldn't be around each other until we're sure Whitney's not in the picture..."

"No. No, I can't wait that long until I can see you again, Lana. Please," I begged honestly. Twenty one years of pent-up loneliness was more than enough for me to carry on my shoulders. I didn't want to be with her – I needed to be with her.

She bit her lip in thought, keeping her eye contact away from mine, obviously knowing that if she looked at me for too long, she would give in much easier. "I just…I don't want to risk losing you…"

"You won't." I never stopped holding onto her hands – I needed as much contact with her as I could get.

We both looked down and watched her hands enclosed in mine, her thumbs sliding over my knuckles softly. I moved my gaze from our hands to her downward facing expression, and couldn't help the grin on my lips as I noticed her face becoming just as happy.

"We have to be…so careful," she whispered.

My grin turned into a toothy smile. "Yeah."

Her head slowly rose, and I subconsciously felt a chill tingle up my spine. An unknown attraction brought us closer and closer until finally I felt that familiar jolt of passion and love as we connected in another kiss.

I was instantly addicted to her taste, her breath…everything. Although it sounds a bit stupid, I always felt our kisses were like putting on the Ring of Power. We both disappeared into a strange, different world where no one else could see us. It felt powerful. My whole body responded positively and pulled Lana closer both physically and emotionally.

Eventually though, Lana pulled her lips away, reluctantly ending the kiss we'd both wanted since that last time we saw each other.

I tried to act cool and casual after the kiss, but it wasn't working. I felt dazed and fuzzy…nothing like the sly guy I wanted to be. My cheeks reddened when I heard her laugh. My eyes opened, but felt tired and dreamy-like. It was as though my wish to talk to Lana again had been the only thing keeping me awake this whole time. I took a deep breath which automatically turned into a yawn, making her giggle more.

"My kisses make you tired?"

"You're like the Sandwoman."

She leaned forward, letting our foreheads touch and our gazes flow directly into each other. "I should go. We both need sleep."

Dreams of spending the night with her clouded my head, but I knew it would never happen. Not yet anyway. "You're probably right."

We sadly pulled away from each other, but still connected by one hand...not ready to let the other go completely.

I toyed with her fingers as she moved farther away every second. "When can we see each other again?"

She looked at with narrowing eyes as she thought about it. To my excitement, her expression transformed into a devilish, yet sexy grin. "How about Monday? Same time, same place."

My eyebrows furrowed at her grin as I responded, my voice riddled with confusion. "Ooookay…"

"Great."

"Why do I think you've got something up your sleeve?"

"…because I might." Our hand-holding dwindled down to just our index fingers until she finally moved too far out of my reach. "Goodnight, Clark."

"Goodnight, Lana." As she disappeared from view, I suddenly rushed out onto the sidewalk and added, "Dream about me!"

She whirled around, her eyes widening as she put a finger to her lips to quiet me down. She then continued walking away, but I could her that bubbly giggle…a sound that filled my soul with happiness.

And I knew she would dream about me that night.