Note: Ok, so I KNOW a scene like this would NEVER play on SV, but can I say how much fun I had poking a bit of fun at these two?? Sigh. I usually don't name my chapters, but for this one, I'm making an exception.

Thank you all so very much for the wonderfantabulous feedback. Hope you continue to enjoy! :)

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Chapter 2 – The Delusional Duo

"Clark Kent is dead."

Horrified, Lana Lang sat across from Chloe Sullivan in her spacious new ivory tower. She'd received a frantic call from Chloe just that morning and now, after an hour of being caught up on the recent happenings in Small-tropolis, Lana felt numb.

And sick to her stomach.

"He said that. He said those words."

"Yes." Chloe nodded, anguish filing her eyes. "And then he just...walked away. Lana, I don't know what to do anymore. Where to look. I...I thought maybe he just needed some time to grieve, to think things through. That he'd come back to me, but..." Tears welled up in her large eyes. "...its been two months. And...and Oliver won't see me. I don't even have that resource to help find him. I can only do so much on my own."

Lana reached across the table and covered Chloe's hand reassuringly. "It's ok, Chloe. I'm here now. We'll find him together."

"Lana..." Chloe shook her head. "I can't help but think...that I'm the reason for this. That what I did..."

"No, no, Chloe." Lana soothed. "Not you. If anyone's to blame…" She paused, then pushed herself away from the table. A tear-filled sigh filled the room as she moved to the large stain glass window. A saint framed beneath her halo, Lana Lang stared out benevolently at the streets of Metropolis far, far below. "…it's me. I'm the reason."

Chloe sniffled. "You?"

"If I hadn't…left Clark the way I did. Again." She sighed heavily, tragically. Guilt layered her features. "If I'd stayed the way he asked me to…"

"But you had to make the sacrifice, Lana." Chloe reiterated the line that served both of them for so many years. "For Clark. To save him."

"Yes." Lana nodded in agreement. "I did." She turned back to Chloe, a small, companionable smile tilting her lips. Though she'd intended to soothe, she felt soothed in turn. Only another martyr could understand what it was like to sacrifice for the greater good. "And now, you've done the same."

This prompted a fresh flood of tears from the tiny blonde.

Lana slipped onto the seat next to Chloe and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "Oh, Chloe, it's ok." Lana cooed approvingly. "I understand what you're going through, I do. Sometimes to protect the ones we love the most, we have to lie and pretend. We have to...embrace darkness. We both know how much the world needs Clark. And you saved him. We both have. And in the end that's all that matters. We've done the right thing."

"Then why does everything seem so wrong?"

"Because you're grieving. Chloe, you've sacrificed so much." Lana reasoned. "You've lost your husband. You've lost Clark. Even the support of Oliver and the gang must be hard on you."

"And Lois." Chloe added, nodding. "I've lost Lois too."

"Of course." Lana paused considering her friend's cousin. She hadn't thought of Lois in…who knew how long. "I know she was important to you."

Chloe continued, not even realizing the irony of someone so 'important' being just an afterthought. To both of them. "It has been hard. At times, unbearable."

"Let's change that, ok?" Lana suggested with a small smile. "Let's find Clark."

"But Lana, what about..."

"I've found a way to work around our..." Lana paused, her lips curling slightly at the irony of the word. It simply wasn't big enough for the hell she and Clark had been through. "...situation. I still have my powers, but I can't harm Clark any more."

Ever curious, Chloe wiped her eyes. "What do you mean? How is that possible?"

Lana stood, her eyes brightening with hope. "When we find him, ok? But first..."

Nodding, Chloe stood. "Right. Let's find Clark."

"Where should we begin?"

There was only one place Chloe could think of. One place Clark could disappear to for months on end and be secluded from the rest of the world. "The Fortress."

Lana nodded her agreement. "Then the Fortress it is."

tbc...

p.s. I boycotted the Lana arch, but have read basic synopsis of what happened. So when it comes to her powers, etc, if I err in any details, please forgive. I simply refuse to give that girl more of my time than is absolutely necessary.

p.s.s. Lois is in the next chapter. :)

p.s.s. Lana won't be in this much. And when she is...well, you'll have to wait and see. :)