~*~

…four…

~*~

October 31st, 1996

"Pete… I don't like this."

Chloe instinctively shrank back into the protective bulk of Clark, her steps slowing down as they wound their way through the dank, musty, and very dark tunnel. Pete, who was in the lead, swung round with that familiar smirk on his face. Clark, however, noticed the tell-tale gleam of fear in Pete's eyes.

"Aw, come on, Chlo… where's your sense of adventure?"

Pete's voice was just a tad over pitched, and Clark's suspicions were confirmed. Pete was scared. Clark couldn't blame him. He was a little scared himself. The tunnel seemed to go on forever.

"You had your Halloween fun, now let's get out of here!" Chloe seemed on the verge of all-out flight.

The only thing that kept her from charging back to the trap door was, ironically, fear. She didn't want to go alone. Pete, though, was nothing if not stubborn. They'd started this, and they would finish it.

"Just a little bit further," he urged, "This thing has to lead somewhere."

"It's not a sewer tunnel," said Clark, "And I don't see any water pipes. No electricity either."

"It's a dark scary tunnel, built to be a dark, scary tunnel!" Chloe stated with absolute certainty.

Peering into the gloom that the combined power of their three flashlights barely pierced, they inched their way along. Eventually, Pete stopped when they came to a T-junction, with the tunnel continuing left and right.

"Which way?" he asked, swinging his flashlight first this way, then that.

"Back," said Clark, "If we start taking random turns we could get lost down here."

"I don't wanna get lost down here!" said Chloe.

"Come on, just a little further."

"No, Pete!" Chloe marched forward to grab his arm, "We've had enough! This tunnel doesn't go anywhere, so there's no point in – Eeeeek!"

"Chloe!"

Clark reacted instinctively, as Chloe seemed to disappear downwards, like a puppet with it's strings cut. Though he was fully ten feet away, Clark crossed the distance in an instant. The feeling, the sensation, was beyond weird. Like the world put on pause. Just as Chloe's head fell below the lip of the hole that had suddenly sprouted in the floor, Clark dove, latching onto her wrist. Chloe's weight snapped at his shoulder joint as he stopped her fall. Unfortunately, Clark hadn't calculated the effect of his own weight. The portion of the floor that Chloe had fallen through wasn't stone, like the rest of the tunnel. It was metal. Rusted metal. And the force of Clark's body bearing down on it caused it to peel in on itself with a tearing noise. Clark lurched, falling further into the hole, and Chloe screamed again. Clark felt Pete move behind him.

"I got you, Clark!" Pete called, wedging his fingers around Clark's belt and leaning backward.

"Yeah, but who's got you?" Clark shot back.

There was no way that Pete, slight as he was, could possibly pull both Clark and Chloe out. Chloe was already blabbering as she swung in darkness. She still had her flashlight clutched in her hand, and it's dancing beam illuminated what looked to be a large, man-made cavern. It was just a massive stone room, with the ceiling – through which they were now dangling – forty feet above the concrete floor. If Chloe fell…

Clark didn't even want to think about it.

"Chloe! Chloe, look at me!" he called.

It seemed to take a tremendous amount of effort, but Chloe managed to tear her eyes away from the floor – so far down – and look up at him. Her cheeks were slick with terrified tears, her mouth pulled into a painful grimace.

"You're gonna be okay," he assured her, "I'm gonna pull you out. Pete? Have you got me?"

"I got you!" came the answer.

Clark took five deep, quick breaths, and heaved. He was hanging almost straight down, his entire torso beyond the lip of the hole, and the effort of levering his arm up, with Chloe's dead weight hanging from it, tore a scream from his lips. He managed to bring his arm up sideways, almost ninety degrees, before the pain became too much and he let it drop again.

This time, Chloe's scream echoed off the cavern walls as she felt herself fall back again. But Clark held his grip. He felt himself slide forward another few inches, and heard Pete's grunts as he tugged back on Clark's belt, trying to keep his friends from going over the edge.

"Lemme go, Clark…" Chloe blubbered, "You can't pull me out… you'll fall! Lemme go!"

Clark was too shocked to respond for a second. He stared at Chloe. In the darkness, he could just make out her features. She was beyond terrified, but her only thoughts were for Clark. He gritted his teeth.

"Never!" he swore.

Something like a roar tore from Clark's throat as he jerked his arm up again. This time, it was different. Chloe's weight seemed to disappear and he hauled her up level until she could grab hold of the edge and pull herself out. When he was sure she was back on solid ground, Clark used his sneakered feet to inch backwards and roll over onto the stone floor. He just lay there for a second, getting his breath back.

His thoughts were fuzzy, swirling inside his head. He couldn't believe what just happened. First, the speed he'd used when Chloe fell. Then, the strength he found to pull her up. They came from some unknown place inside him. A place that scared, and exhilirated him all at the same time. Strange things like that had been happening for as long as Clark could remember. But never in front of anyone but his parents. Clark didn't know what it meant, but for the first time… he was grateful for these confusing… abilities? They had saved Chloe's life.

Chloe was sobbing. Pete was on his knees, his arms around her shoulders as her tears leaked over his shirt.

"I'm sorry…" Pete was mumbling, "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Chloe nodded, indicating he didn't have to apologise anymore. She brought her arm up, and wiped at her face. She looked at Clark.

"You didn't let me go," she said.

It was almost an accusation.

"I never will," said Clark.

He locked on to Chloe's gaze, and held it – trying to convey the absolute truth in the statement. Chloe seemed to read it, and she nodded, offering him a small, trembling smile.

"I almost lost you guys," Pete seemed close to tears himself, "All because I wanted to explore some stupid tunnel! If Clark hadn't…"

"It's okay, Pete," said Chloe, burrowing further into his arms, "I'm fine. Thanks Clark."

Clark nodded, "Can we go now?"

"Not yet," said Pete.

Clark and Chloe looked at him. Their friend had a fierce, determined expression on his face. He almost glared at Chloe.

"You said we might not be friends when we get to high school," said Pete, "Well… for a second there, I knew what it would feel like to lose you, and I'm never gonna let that happen again!"

"Pete, it's okay," said Chloe, "We were just talking. It doesn't mean…"

"No, it's not okay!" Pete insisted, "It's not! I say we make a pact. Here and now. We'll be friends forever!"

"Aren't we a little old for best friend pacts?" asked Clark.

"Not if we mean it," said Pete.

He held out his fist, pinkie extended. Clark was suddenly overcome with an eerie, familiar feeling. Almost the same feeling he'd had when he'd made that dash to get to Chloe. Like the world slowed down. Somehow, he knew that this moment, as innocuous and impulsive as it was… was important.

He extended his own hand, pinkie out, curling it around Pete's. Chloe followed suit, her tiny finger barely making it halfway round.

"Best friends forever…" they murmured.

And they meant it.