The day had begun innocently enough, if you could call nightmares innocent, when he had awakened that morning after another bad one. Clark had been through enough traumatic events in his relatively short life that he had ample fodder for lots of them. Many things came back to haunt him in his dreams; foes fought over again, strategies rehashed, decisions regretted and consequences relived. Not infrequently, Clark dreamed of the summer spent in Metropolis when he ran away from home. Staying hidden from family and friends and skirting the law when he thought it was the only way to protect those he loved had been a bad time, too and it haunted him still, even in his waking hours.

But for some reason, the events of that disastrous spring in his freshman year at Smallville High returned to him over and over as he slept. His mind simply refused to let go of that time, as though the raging winds of that spring still whirled through his alien mind, creating havoc and bringing a new wave of remorse each time they resurfaced. Clark’s dreams were often extremely vivid, seeming so very real, he felt as though he was actually there, living through it all again.

It began, as it so often did, with his race to Chandler’s Field that night after Lana’s vision had revealed Chloe’s deadly peril; when he’d arrived he’d climbed the tall windmill for a better vantage point and seen Chloe buried alive in her glass coffin. Instantly, Clark was across the field, plunging his hand into the earth, grabbing the coffin’s handle and pulling it up with one great heave. His heart had pounded as he ripped off the lid and he was shaking and terrified as he called her name and pulled her up into his arms, . She cried as he hugged her, saying, "I knew it was you; it’s always you," and relief washed over him like a welcome breeze. Watts must have truly hated Chloe for having the gall to ruin his plans by trying to escape; burying her alive was a thoroughly gruesome revenge. He’d only wanted to shoot Lana outright, apparently not feeling the need to torture her, as well. Thank God he’d managed to save them both.

Next he had dreamed of being in the barn when Chloe had come to tell him she’d been picked for the internship at the Daily Planet; she’d been so thrilled and he could still feel her small form in his arms when they’d hugged, practically vibrating with excitement before she’d pulled away and hesitantly asked if he’d visit her in Metropolis, both of them suddenly feeling awkward and shy. All that morning, he’d been trying to pluck up his courage and ask her to the dance. As he fed the animals and repaired a section of fence near the tool shed, he’d debated on whether he should take a chance and ask her to be his date for the Spring Formal, risking their friendship in the process. He’d had few enough close friends and the risk seemed enormous; he’d felt as though he were jumping off a cliff when he opened his mouth that day and it took every ounce of courage he could muster to finally stammer out his question.

All those feelings had come back in his dream; his abject terror that she’d refuse or that she’d laugh because Chloe was one of his best buddies and you didn’t ask your best buddy to a dance… In that heartbeat after he’d asked her if she had plans, his terror had overwhelmed him; Ryan had misread her, Pete had been yanking his chain, someone else had already asked her because he’d been such a wuss… When she came a step closer and said, "Not at the moment." he started to breathe again, managing to forge ahead and actually ask her to come with him, nearly faltering once more when he got to the "as my date…" part. When she said, "I’d love to, Clark," he’d gotten positively light headed. At least, he’d managed to mutter an apology for not asking her sooner and Chloe had graciously told him it was worth the wait. After she left he’d been absolutely giddy with relief; his grin had been plastered to his face for the rest of the day.

Sometimes, the dream stopped there but this time it had continued on through the entire Spring Formal debacle, allowing all those feelings to boil to the surface once more. He experienced everything again, in minute detail; his indecision over what to wear; which suit, what color cummerbund then the ensuing difficulties in locating a dress shirt to fit his broad shoulders and long arms and where to find new dress shoes on such short notice for his huge feet. And there was still the search for the perfect corsage, finding out belatedly that Chloe had chosen a strapless gown and having to come up with that wrist thingy at the last minute. He’d felt like a naïve idiot through it all and had profoundly thanked God, once again, for his mom when he’d finally broken down, in desperation and asked for her help.

So many decisions; how did girls do it every day? And it was so expensive; he’d never really given any thought to such things and when he’d complained to Lana and she’d basically told him his problems were minor compared to the tribulation and expense of finding the right formal gown for such an occasion, he’d been floored. His dream had allowed him to relive even that moment, as well. Flannel and denim had never seemed so appealing.

Then his sleeping mind began to sift through the events surrounding the Luthorcorp plant closing, the shock and anger that rippled through Smallville at the news and Chloe’s revelation that she might move away. Especially clear had been his words to her in the Torch office that the night of the dance would be one she’d never forget; oh, he’d kept that promise, alright. Next, he got to relive building the new fence near the windmill, hurrying through his work using his formidable strength to pound fence posts into the ground with his bare hands while he wondered at Whitney’s sudden decision to join the Marines and worried that Chloe might leave forever. In his dream, time slowed as he walked over to the old blue truck, getting in and turning the key, instantly being engulfed in flame, struck by debris, assaulted by the sound and smell of the explosion before he stepped back out into the field, disgusted by this new disaster as he flung off his burning jacket and shirt. His first thought was, there goes the prom transportation, selfish, though it may have been, followed immediately by gratitude that neither of his parents had been in the truck when it exploded.

Then he’d been in the Talon where he’d first encountered Nixon and realized he was in big trouble. His revelation to his parents of Nixon’s knowledge and Lex’s possession of the spaceship’s key had actually gone better than he’d expected; he’d thought his father would go ballistic but his response had been tempered with sympathy and concern. When he had to tell Chloe he couldn’t pick her up, she’d taken it in stride, delighted, it seemed, he was still taking her. He wondered if she really thought he’d try to back out and moments later was surprised when she revealed her fear that he’d desert her for Lana when Whitney left town. Clark had leaned over and tenderly kissed her cheek, reassuring her that he was not going with her by default.

At last, the moment came when Chloe arrived to pick him up. His hand rested on the old picket fence out front, the weathered wood rough under his palm as he watched the aging Falcon approach, its engine puttering loudly. He stood, transfixed, as she got out of the car, the wind fluttering her hair and dress. She came close, asking if her dress was too pink. "No…you…you look beautiful…" he’d offered, feeling lame because he’d thought, in that moment, that she was more than beautiful. Clark stared, a huge grin on his face until she had to ask if the corsage he held was for her. He breathed a sigh of relief when she seemed to like it; it had, after all, been one of the last minute acquisitions and he’d run, literally, to Metropolis to get just the right shade to match her gown after peeking into her closet with his x-ray vision. Then she’d pulled out his boutonniere, a white rose and he could feel the scrape of the pin on his skin as she attached it and hear her gasp in alarm when she thought she’d hurt him. He only mumbled, "Nuh uh," as he gazed into her eyes, realizing he was falling for his best friend.

From that moment, things sped up, running into the gym as the wind kicked up, having the talk with Whitney, guy code for watch over Lana and don’t steal her away, telling Chloe again how beautiful she looked but always just shy of saying everything he really felt. Then the band and Chloe’s favorite song and Pete’s surprise that he’d actually cared enough to request it for her. And then Chloe telling him he’d surprised even her and his words, "I’m still here." Holding her gently and wanting to kiss her, looking down into her eyes and leaning in and just as his lips brushed hers, the loudspeaker feedback that heralded the ruin of everything.

If only he’d at least said something before he’d left though he knew Chloe would have tried to keep him from going. He should have gone back to the dance after taking Lana to the hospital; Pete had told him Chloe had gone out looking for him, searching for three hours before giving up. His concern for his parents had overwhelmed him but he should have returned to make sure Chloe was okay; she’d been his date and he’d ignored her, not even a phone call until the next day. Yet she’d come to help in the search for his dad without a word of rebuke.

Now came his apology for leaving her and her quick response about remaining friends because, "anything else is just too complicated." His brow furrowed and he stared at her in mild confusion, his fears for their friendship still just below the surface and he’d agreed, saying, in all earnestness, that nothing was more important than that. She’d seemed okay with that and he’d gone on, thinking that’s really what she wanted. Then the dream ended and he woke abruptly, as he always did. He’d crushed her hopes that day and never even realized it at the time, eventually allowing himself to indulge in his fantasies about Lana, once again, to the total exclusion of everything else. Had he always been such an idiot? Yes. Yes, apparently, he had.

Clark threw back the tangle of his sheets and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face, trying to chase away the remnants of his dreams. Today, the dream clung to him, refusing to dissipate, smothering him with regret. Perhaps it was because he was meeting Chloe at the Talon later that his mind was dredging up all those old memories, not wanting him to forget how badly he’d screwed up so many things in his life, from that one point forward. If there were pivotal points in your life, moments in which the path of your existence branched off in new directions, for good or for ill, that had surely been one of them and many other things had come to pass as a result. Chloe’s emotional distance and her entanglement in the Luthor family’s bizarre web could certainly be traced, in part, to that moment when he’d acquiesced to her declaration that they remain good friends and nothing more.

Now that he was older, he could look back to that day and see the hurt hiding behind her words but he’d been too wrapped up in the search for his dad and his fear of Roger Nixon, not to mention the disappearance of the spaceship, to see it then. Of all the times for Chloe to decide not to speak her mind… She hadn’t followed through on her threat to never speak to him again if he deserted her for Lana and left her stranded at the dance. Maybe it would have been better, if she had. So many other things might not have happened if she’d only confessed her true feelings- but there was really no need to follow the endless logic loop around again; he knew where he’d failed, even if it hadn’t been entirely his fault.

Clark had been thinking a lot about Chloe, lately; maybe that’s why he wanted to pay special attention to her. It had taken him some time to come to grips with the fact that her curiosity and pressure from Lionel had led her to delve into his past again and even longer to fully move past it. She was insanely curious about mysteries and he had apparently been one she couldn’t ignore, even when they’d been on the outs, all those years ago. A little truth and misdirection would have gone a long way toward short circuiting the whole mess in the first place when Chloe had initially looked into his adoption but at the time, Clark hadn’t yet mastered that particular art. Her anger and ambition had drawn her into the alliance with Lionel, his offer of a Daily Planet column in return for information about Clark, had been one she’d found impossible to refuse. In the end, however, Chloe had never given Lionel any information beyond that which he already possessed. She’d played a dangerous game and her subsequent refusal to continue the investigation beyond that had helped to keep Lionel at bay but at great personal sacrifice for both Chloe and her father. Apparently, Lionel had initially thought Clark either suffered from some type of split personality, as a result of exposure to the meteor rocks or just from an uncontrollable temper, as a result of being raised by Jonathan Kent and any additional conclusions Chloe may have drawn, she’d kept to herself and for that, Clark would always be eternally grateful.

Clark stood and lumbered into the bathroom to wash his face. He thought better of it and decided on a shower, instead. His parents were already gone, off to Topeka until the following week and he had the house to himself. Though he also had the farm chores, that was no problem and he was actually looking forward to the relative peace and quiet. As is so typical of a Kansas summer, the day was already warming up and the heat and oppressive humidity hinted at the possibility of foul weather later on. As he wandered back into his bedroom, he glanced at the clock on his nightstand and saw he’d taken longer than intended in the shower. Clark dressed hurriedly and ran downstairs, grateful that his speed would allow him to finish his chores in no time. Moments later, he was racing into town, flying low through the woods and cornfields where he could, a recent incident having made him afraid to chance anything higher up at this hour. When Clark reached Smallville, he sped through the back streets and alleys of the small town and came up behind the Talon, threading his way up the small side alley between it and the building next door. He was just slowing to normal speed as he approached Main Street when Chloe stepped out in front of him at the corner of the old theater. He came to an abrupt halt and nearly took a header right in front of her.

"Where’s the fire, Clark?"

"Chloe! I’m sorry if I’m late; I…overslept. Didn’t mean to keep you waiting."

"Actually, I’m running late, myself. Don’t…worry about it. Let’s get some breakfast."

Clark opened the door and bowed, waving her inside. Business was still brisk early in the day although by midmorning it would slow considerably, the demand for hot drinks in the heat of the summer slacking off as the day wore on. Even now, it would be easy to get a secluded table in the back, if you wished, something Lex still liked to do so he could watch others without being seen. If you preferred, the Talon now boasted an outdoor patio where you might sit and watch the comings and goings of the people of Smallville. Clark enjoyed sitting outside and watching the town’s inhabitants as they went about their daily routines; it comforted him to think that there were normal people with normal lives, unlike himself. People he someday hoped to help.

Chloe pointed to a pie on the top shelf of the display case. "Look! Cherry pie! And lemon poppyseed muffins. Decisions, decisions!"

Clark smiled, "We’ll have two of each of those, a tall low fat almond mocha latte with an extra shot and extra whip and a large cup of Kona, please." He turned to her and asked, "Did I get that right?"

"Why, yes you did, Mr. Kent. Although the double pastry order was totally excessive but very much appreciated." She smiled back.

"Wanna eat out front?"

"Okay; I guess it’s not too hot yet."

Clark casually surveyed the back while they waited, the sounds of the espresso machine punctuating his thoughts. Soon he was lost in them, only returning to reality when Chloe’s voice penetrated the woolgathering in his mind.

"Clark? We’re ready." Chloe picked up their drinks as Clark shook his head.

"Sorry. Still not awake." He grabbed the pastries and some napkins and held the door for Chloe as she went out. They picked the table near the far corner of the building. Clark moved the table, angling it so he could have a good view of the street.

"Curious, are we, Clark? Or are you watching for someone in particular?"

"No, not really, I just like to see who’s passing by," he stopped and cocked his head at her, "and no, I’m not watching for Lana, if that’s what you’re implying. She doesn’t usually come in this early in the summer, anyway."

Chloe shrugged and added, "Hey, it wouldn’t be the first time."

"Lana and I are not involved like that, Chloe; we’re friends but that’s all we are…we’re best that way and I’m okay with that."

"Sorry. That just popped out. I didn’t mean to open up any old…wounds. I know you two have had a rocky time."

"Chloe, so have we. Look, I didn’t ask you here to discuss my relationship with Lana. I asked you here because I want to…to work on us. I know I’ve always had a bad habit of getting involved in things and ignoring my friends, at times. I feel like I’ve been doing that again lately and I want to apologize." Clark looked up, hopefully.

She sighed, looking him in the eye. "There have been times over the years when I really needed a friend to lean on and you just weren’t there. And other times when you came through with flying colors and I wouldn’t be here today if it hadn’t been for you so I guess I have to take the bad with the good. I always hoped we’d at least be friends no matter what; even when we dated other people-" Chloe frowned and looked away. "So, what was it this time? You’ve been away for awhile." She stared down at her plate for a moment and stabbed a piece of pie, her fork clinking on the china.

Clark reached out and placed his hand over hers. "Don’t take it out on the pie." Chloe looked up, a tiny smile beginning to quirk the corner of her mouth. "I’ve been traveling again. The Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East. But I’m home for the rest of the summer, helping out around the farm. I’m sorry; I should have kept in touch more since last year."

"Every time I don’t hear from you for a while, I think there’ll always be a part of you that doesn’t completely trust me and I don’t have any right to expect…" She turned away for a moment, feeling the sudden sting of tears.

"When I was younger, I was oblivious to a lot. But I’m older now and I like to think I’m not so oblivious anymore. Give me a chance, Chloe, please? Because I want that; I want that a lot."

Chloe stared into his eyes for a moment then looked away. "In spite of the information I gave Lionel Luthor? Not that there was really much of it and I never understood why he became so interested in you. It had all the earmarks of an obsession. And frankly, before you came to Smallville, there was nothing about you anywhere that I could find. It was like you just fell out of the sky. In the end I just couldn’t do it, no matter how much I wanted that column. Small consolation, I know but it’s something. I wanted to write for the Planet so badly and I was so sure I could handle Lionel-"

Clark covered her hand with his and said softly, "I know, Chloe; I know. You’ll…work for the Planet again, Chloe; wait and see."

Her lip quivered and a tear made its way down her cheek which she hastily wiped away. "Damnit! I’m sorry; I have to go-" she jumped up and reached for her bag.

Clark stood and grabbed her arm before she could bolt. "Wait. Chloe…" then he took a step and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her on the top of her head and holding her while she cried. He had forgotten how good it felt to hold her. After she was calm again, he lifted her chin and smiled down at her, brushing away her remaining tears with his fingers. "How ‘bout it, Chloe? Can we be good again? Because I’ve missed you."

She hugged him tightly and sniffled out, "I missed you, too."

"Then let’s start over." Clark walked behind her, making a show of pulling out her chair. "Have a seat and let’s finish breakfast." He sat back in his own chair and began toying with his coffee cup.

Chloe sat and looked around, checking to see who’d witnessed her display. "The whole town probably saw that. Some tough reporter I am."

Clark took her hand again. "Tough enough for me. Now…" he leaned over the table, looking suddenly serious, "would you like to do something later?"

"Like what?"

"Oh…maybe…we could go hiking in Burnham woods. What about it? Just the two of us. Catch up on old times. Whaddaya say?"

Chloe cocked her head, intrigued by this turn of events. "Okay. What time?

"How about around noon? We could picnic along the way. I’ll bring sandwiches and…mmm...some kind of salad." Clark leaned even closer and whispered, conspiratorially, "And I just happen to have the last of these fresh baked pies stashed at home. Mom made one with strawberries and I begged to keep it." He sat back, waggling his eyebrows. So. How ‘bout it?"

That brought a smile to Chloe’s face. "Okay; that’s an offer I can’t refuse. I love strawberry pie!"

I know. "I’ll pick you up around noon then." Chloe seemed genuinely excited and Clark suddenly had hopes that they might really get back on track, at last.

"I’d better get going then; I have some things to do before I can go." Chloe got up to go and Clark stood. "Can I bring anything?"

"Nope. I’ll take care of everything. Where’re you parked? I’ll walk you to your car."

It was a little after noon when they actually entered the notorious haunted woods of Smallville. Many a strange thing had happened there even before the meteor shower of 1989 and many local denizens were afraid to enter them, especially after dark. The deadly Nicodemus flowers had grown there near the original settlement on the outskirts of the woods from which the town of Smallville eventually grew. The early Kawatche Indians had made their home deep in the heart of those same woods which had stretched almost to Grandville at one time and their legends described all manner of strange beasts and supernatural forces said to inhabit the area. But the forest had retreated as civilization slowly encroached until only the dense thickets and ancient trees around Smallville remained. The Indian village which had once flourished on the banks of the river had long since disappeared, leaving only an ancient burial ground to mark its passing.

Chloe Sullivan had been in the woods many times as she pursued a hot lead or some pet theory and she’d really never been that nervous about being in them. Once she’d walked all the way from the eastern edge of the woods at Schuster’s Gorge to Crater Lake in an attempt to track the exact path the infamous meteors had taken on that fateful October day. She’d thought, with the aid of topographic maps and news articles from that time, she could follow the trail of meteor rocks and more fully envision their trajectory as they had begun to rain down on the unsuspecting town. She’d managed to drag Pete along but Clark had refused to go. Her quest had been unsuccessful, anyway; either the rocks hadn’t fallen as she’d thought or they’d been buried so deep that no trace remained on the surface.

Now, as they made their way into the forest, Chloe kept her eyes open just in case she ran across any meteor fragments, unlikely as that might be. She had her digital camera along, too, in case she had the sudden need to document some earth shattering event such as the Monster of Crater Lake deciding to take an afternoon stroll in the nearby woods. Beside her, Clark walked in silence, wearing a heavily loaded backpack and carrying a jug of iced tea.

Chloe jumped as something rustled in the underbrush and tripped over an old boot that someone had abandoned in the middle of the path, nearly dropping the pie she carried. Clark caught her before she could fall.

"Hey, you okay? What’s the matter?"

"I just-there’s something in the bushes!" Warily eyeing the still moving bush, she edged closer to Clark. She watched him as he stared intently at the undergrowth for a moment.

"Aw, it’s probably just a squirrel or something." As soon as he spoke, a squirrel shot out of the bush right in front of them and scurried across the path into a thicket of wild blackberries. They seemed to grow everywhere throughout the part of the woods closest to the Kent farm and Clark often came here to pick and snack on them, their brambles never more than a slight annoyance even when he was young. When his skin had grown impervious to even minor scratching, he came even more frequently; it had bordered on an addiction and his parents never failed to tease him about it. A few yards ahead, Clark turned onto a smaller trail, following it for a few minutes until he came to a break in the bushes that lined it. He led Chloe through the break and after another, shorter hike, came to a wide but relatively shallow pond. It was somewhat overgrown and largely surrounded by the ubiquitous blackberry bushes except for the near side where a small sandy area sloped down to the water’s edge. It was the perfect spot for a picnic, quiet and remote.

Clark handed the pie to Chloe, placed the jug of tea on an old log and shrugged off his pack. He unloaded it, producing, in turn, an actual tablecloth which he placed on a broad flat rock that overlooked the beach, real plates, glasses and silverware, watermelon, fresh tossed salad complete with avocado and dressing on the side, a loaf of bread, real butter, a casserole dish and finally, a soft blanket which he spread out next to the rock.

"Ooh…what’s this? I thought we were just having sandwiches!"

"Eggplant Parmigiana. I…thought you’d enjoy something special."

Chloe sat the pie down on the makeshift table and pulled out her camera, taking a picture of Clark fussing over the table. "Have you been cozying up to the cook at the Luthor mansion?"

"I’ll have you know, I made this myself. I’ve been practicing and Mom says I’m getting good." She reached for the covered lid of the casserole but Clark shooed her away.

"Not yet. Uh…could you get the napkins? I forgot ‘em." Chloe put her camera back in her bag and went over, digging the napkins out from the very bottom of the pack.

"Real cloth. You went all out, didn’t you?" She returned and placed them on the table, eyeing the casserole again. This time, Clark lifted the lid and to her surprise, it was steaming hot; the wonderful aroma wafted out into the little clearing.

"How’d you keep it so hot?" Chloe leaned over, inhaling deeply, once more.

Clark smirked, saying only, "Trade secret." He placed the lid aside and gestured to the blanket. "Have a seat, Chloe." First, he poured tea then leaned over and cut several slices of the fresh, warm bread before sitting down beside her. Clark began to serve then waited, expectantly, as she took the first bite.

"Your mom’s right. This is great! Feel free to practice your culinary skills on me anytime." She took a bite of salad, relishing the perfectly ripe avocado and speared a piece of watermelon. "Mmmm…this is really sweet. From your garden?"

"Actually, Fred Smith gave Dad a couple of his square melons and I had to do something with them. I couldn’t stand to see them sitting on the counter; they’re just too weird." Fred and his melons, both, he thought.

"Why do I have the feeling there’s more to it than that?" She narrowed her eyes and stared at Clark for a moment, as if daring him to invent a more plausible explanation.

Clark stared back, giving her his most disingenuous look. The melons had reminded him of the inadvertent destruction of Fred’s garden shed back when Clark had first been learning to control his speed and the memory still filled him with guilt but of that, he gave no indication. He was all wide-eyed innocence as he looked up at Chloe and not about to go into any further details. "I just think melons should be round. Fred thinks they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread. They are nice and sweet, though; I’ll have to admit."

"Your dad thinking of growing some, himself?"

Clark shuddered at the thought. "I hope not. More eggplant? Salad?"

"Oh, Clark, I couldn’t. Everything’s wonderful but I just can’t eat very much when it’s this hot." She fanned herself and sighed. "It’s really getting warm; a lot worse than yesterday; bet it’s ninety-five in the shade." Chloe scooted away and lay back on the blanket, staring up at the tall trees beyond the pool. Dust motes danced in the light that filtered down through the leaves and nothing stirred in the oppressive afternoon heat. Sighing, she turned on her side, looking into the distance. "Wish there was just a little breeze…" Instantly, a cool breeze wafted over her, actually making her shiver. "Did you feel that?"

She sat up and Clark was suddenly very close behind her, leaning over her shoulder, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Feel what?"

His breath tickled her neck when she turned her head to look at him. "That cool breeze just now…couldn’t you feel it…and why, uh…why are you smiling like that?"

"Me? I’m just enjoying the view."

She closed her eyes, trying to ignore his closeness and the long buried feelings that threatened to come flooding back; there was no point. She sat, lost in thought until her reverie was interrupted by another wonderfully cool breeze enveloping her body. For a moment, it felt as though she was in an air conditioned room.

Her head jerked up, her eyes widening as Clark’s large hands gently rubbed her arms. "You’ve got goosebumps." He laughed, softly, in her ear. "How can you be cold? Weren’t you just complaining about the heat?"

She turned, instantly suspicious. "Are you telling me you didn’t feel a cold breeze just a moment ago?"

Clark shook his head, all innocence. "Well, maybe a little one," he stopped, looking up at the trees before returning his gaze to her, "but I’m not sure I’d call it cold." He leaned in even closer, "This is the haunted woods…maybe…" his voice dropped to a whisper, "maybe there’s a ghost…" When he saw the look in her eyes as she seriously considered the possibility, he tickled her sides, eliciting a high pitched squeal. Clark jumped out of the way as she went on the offensive.

"Clark Kent!" He rolled over, laughing while trying to escape her questing fingers. "That was rotten!" But she was laughing with him. First she aimed for his armpits, always the perfect target when they were younger and Clark squeezed his arms tight to his sides in defense. Before he could wiggle out of reach, Chloe quickly straddled his stomach and went for his neck. Clark tucked his chin down onto his chest as she tried to worm her fingers underneath. He raised his arms to grab her wrists and she went back for his armpits, giggling as he had to squeeze his arms tight again to protect himself.

"Chloeeeeee…..Chloeeeeee…eee…ah…" he was really squirming now, "please…"

"Say it, Clark." She wrapped her hands around his wrists and slowly stretched his arms out above his head, leaning over him until they were face to face. She smiled down at him, "Say it or else I’ll…" Chloe scooted backward, preparing for another assault, the stomach this time; belly buttons had always been another favored target.

Clark’s eyes widened in alarm and he yelled, "No! Stop! Uncle! Aunt! I give!" She rolled off, flopping onto the blanket next to him and he abruptly flipped over onto his stomach. They laid there for quite some time before their laughter finally subsided, Clark ever watchful for a sneak attack. It had been like old times when Chloe’s unerringly accurate ability to find her victim’s most sensitive spots had helped to keep both Clark and Pete in line. This time, however, it hadn’t been the threat of further tickling so much as the effect of her proximity to another sensitive area that had caused his rapid capitulation; times, it seemed, had still irrevocably changed.

Eventually, her gaze fell on the pool and she got up, heading down the sandy slope toward the water. "I wish I’d known; I’d have brought a suit. Come on, let’s go wading."

"I thought you were cold."

"Well, now I’m warm." Chloe kicked off her sandals and lifted up her calf length skirt as she ventured out into the shallow water.

Clark got up and threw his flannel shirt onto the chair, removed his socks and shoes and rolled up his pant legs before walking out into the water. Had he been by himself, he would have stripped and gone for a swim in the deeper end near the spring. Chloe looked over at him, her eyes glinting with mischief then turned her back toward him. She reached down and loosened the ties that fastened her skirt then, it seemed to Clark, was excruciatingly slow in unwrapping it before she threw it back onto the little beach. His eyes were riveted to her shapely curves and the abbreviated thong she was wearing as she moved deeper into the water. "Come on in, Clark; the water’s nice and cool."

Clark took another step then stopped, suddenly made nervous by the thoughts that were beginning to flit through his mind.

"I dare you." She looked into his eyes and proceeded to pull her shirt over her head, flinging it, too, back onto shore before she went farther out. Clark tried not to stare at the small and very revealing undergarment which barely covered her breasts. The tight, filmy fabric did little to conceal the effect the cold water was having on her. Without conscious direction, his eyes gave him an up close and personal view of that effect, in exquisite color and high definition detail. Clark gasped, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he spun away from her. When he opened his eyes, he tried to distract himself by focusing on something else-anything else-there-an old stump that jutted up out of the water on the far side of the beach. Instantly, with a small explosive pop, the stump burst into flame.

Chloe jumped at the sound and shouted, "Clark!" in surprise when she saw the flaming stump. Clark quickly moved toward it, frantically splashing water over it to extinguish the fire. "What the hell was that?" Chloe stared at the smoking remains of the tree stump then at Clark who’d turned his back on her again and was now staring intently up into the sky overhead as though it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. "Clark! Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah, I hear you, Chloe. Um…I’m not sure what caused it but maybe the decaying organic matter in the stump created a methane build-up and the heat caused it to ignite. It is awfully hot, today… Weird, though, huh?"

Chloe floated over to the charred, still smoking stump, examining it more closely but there was very little left. She poked it experimentally and half of it fell off into the water. "Why are you staring up at the sky?" she asked as she turned back in his direction.

"Um, I, um…thought I heard something overhead."

Chloe stared at him for a moment, waiting for any possible further explanation that might be forthcoming. When none came, she sighed and swam out across the pond, occasionally glancing back at the stump in case it flared up again.

Clark was still trying his best not to think about the scantily clad body swimming nearby. Afraid his eyes might again betray him if he looked at Chloe, he looked instead into the bushes ringing the pond and tried to locate those with the most berries. Chloe swam close and splashed him from behind.

"Clark! What are you doing?"

"Um…thinking about blackberries…"

She came closer, swimming around so she could see his face but he turned so his back was toward her.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Are you coming or not?" She waited then splashed him again.

"Okay, okay! Just give me a minute." He turned away from her, hesitating for a moment before slowly pulling off his t-shirt and dropping it at the water’s edge. Next he unfastened his jeans, hopping first on one foot then the other as he stepped out of them then throwing them over next to his shirt. Behind him, Chloe giggled. When he turned around she had disappeared. Clark waded further out into the water, thankful she wasn’t near and floated out into the middle of the pond, trying to spot her. Finally, he stood on a submerged tree trunk near the stump he’d set on fire, x-raying the pond when she came up behind him and snapped the elastic of his boxers before quickly diving under the water again. "Hey! Okay, I will get even for that."

He turned in a circle, determined to capture her but she managed to get behind him again, snapping his waistband a second time before she jumped away, laughing and swam to the far side of the pool. "Hey, is it deep enough to dive in over here?" She climbed out onto a rock and looked around.

"Yeah, but be careful; there’s a big log under there. Don’t-" Chloe dove in and disappeared from sight. A moment later, her bra floated up to the surface. Clark started to dive down after her just as she popped up right in front of him, giving him a wonderful view before she sank back into the water.

"Clark! I lost my-"

He quickly turned away, his cheeks a fiery red and mumbled, "I know!" The rogue garment slowly floated past, teasing him.

"Well, where is it?"

His voice went into a higher register when he said, "Here," and he picked it up, very pointedly not looking in her direction as he held it out behind him with thumb and forefinger, as though he was afraid of it.

Chloe reached for it but he was waving it around so much she couldn’t get hold of it. "Will you hold still!" Finally, she snagged it and put it on. One of the straps was hanging by a thread. "Rats! So much for Victoria’s Secret." Clark abruptly dove under the water, coming up on the other side of the log where he quickly sidled up close to the submerged portion of the branch, attempting to appear casual.

"Clark, where…oh…" she laughed, seeing his blush and dove under again, emerging opposite him next to the log, smirking at his apparent shyness. Clark moved even closer to the log. She reached over and made another grab for him but Clark jumped back out of reach and quickly dove underwater. A submerged limb that jutted out from the old log snagged his shorts, neatly peeling them off as he went by. Clark shot across the pond at high speed, oblivious to his loss, Chloe following in hot pursuit. She stopped suddenly when she encountered the errant underwear wafting on an underwater current; grabbing them, she headed to the surface, bursting upward with her prize held high.

Clark’s smirk at eluding her turned to panic when he saw what was in her hand.

"Didja lose something, Clark?" Chloe snickered with delight at his predicament.

"Alright. Hand ‘em over." He moved toward her, trying to appear intimidating but it wasn’t working and Chloe kept just out of reach, waving his shorts around like a proud banner. Clark made a grab for them when he got close, lunging up out of the water momentarily to reach them.

"Nice view, Clark." A look of horror crossed his face and he sank back in the water, his hands instinctively covering his groin. "Too late for that, Clark. I’ve seen it all, now: Clark Kent in all his glory." He dove underwater, once again, giving Chloe a good look at his ass on the way. She tossed his boxers aside and followed him under but Clark was quick and he circled around behind her. When she surfaced, he grabbed her around the waist, turned her upside down and dunked her, her squeals echoing through the forest.

Clark laughed, holding her at arms length. Just as she reached out to extract her revenge his sensitive ears picked up a snuffling sound somewhere close. His head snapped up, his face suddenly serious. "What’s that?"

"That’s original."

Clark turned her right side up and pulled her close as he listened, turning around in a circle, x-raying the dense bushes that surrounded the pond. She giggled as she reached down to tickle him but he clapped a hand over her mouth and whispered, "Shh." As quietly as he could, he moved through the water, holding her close and rose up on the far bank where their clothes lay. He mouthed the words, "Get dressed," and hastily slipped into his jeans.

She stared at him suspiciously as she started to dress.

Clark’s eyes widened and he yelled, "Run!" A moment later something huge and black came tearing through the thicket on the opposite side of the pond, roaring at the top of its lungs and pounding toward them along the bank. Chloe took off at top speed wearing only her shirt and panties although she snagged her camera bag in passing. Glancing back, she saw that Clark had somehow managed to get fully dressed. Now he was close behind her, practically goosing her along. "Don’t look back!"

The bear gained on him and Clark turned to take a look just as it leaped forward and took a vicious swipe with its monstrous claws, raking his face and neck and ripping the front of his red t-shirt. Not far off, he saw another rustling in the bushes; a quick scan revealed a second bear coming in their direction. At that point, he’d decided a tall tree would be the safest place for Chloe so he sped up, grabbing Chloe as he passed by and hauled alien ass up the tallest tree he could find. Everything was a confused blur until Chloe found herself sitting against the main trunk on a broad branch near the top of one of the largest fir trees she’d ever seen. It was certainly the biggest tree she’d ever been in.

She stared at Clark as he settled next to her. The tree limbs were large and close together, forming a platform of sorts and allowing him to hold her close as they waited. Far below, the bear came to a halt, pacing around the trunk and snorting in disgust at the loss of its prey. The bear stood and clawed at the rough bark, sniffing the air as though contemplating climbing up to get them. Clark watched intently, ready to discourage the creature if necessary.

Chloe was still breathing hard, eyes wide, her whole body shaking, not sure whether she was more afraid of the bear or of being so high up. She really didn’t like heights and she definitely hated being up in trees. Chloe chanced a glance down at the ground and immediately felt dizzy; a moment later she was scared all over again when a second bear appeared and ambled over toward their tree. She clutched at his shirt and he pulled her over into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "Clark," she whimpered then started to cry.

"It’s okay, Chloe. Everything’s okay; we’re fine." He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. "We’ll just wait here for a little while-"

Suddenly, she became aware that her fingers were grasping his shredded shirt. "Clark! Clark, he clawed you! Oh, God!" She started running her hands over his chest, frantic to see how badly he was hurt. "How bad? Talk to me!" Now she was beginning to sound really panicked.

Clark held her even tighter, making it impossible for her to examine him any further. "Chloe! Listen to- Listen to me! Calm down; I’m not hurt. My shirt’s ripped but that’s all. I’m fine; honest." He smiled, wiping her tears away with his fingers. She seemed calmer when she looked up at him. "Okay…better now? Come on…"

She hugged him tightly. "I don’t like heights, Clark…"

"I know, Chlo. But we have to stay here until they leave. I promise I won’t let you fall, okay?"

She relaxed against his chest, grasping his shredded t-shirt in one fist. After a while, her breathing grew more regular. "What’ll we do if they try to come up here?"

"I don’t think they’ll try it but if they do, I’ll…throw things. We have the high ground after all." He tried to give her a reassuring smile. Chloe looked down just as the larger bear leaped up onto the trunk and went up several feet before sliding down.

"Clark!" She was shaking again.

"Chloe, we’re really high up; I don’t think these branches would hold those bears. They’ll give up eventually and we’ll go home. Odd; I didn’t know there were any bears in the woods."

Clark felt her shiver. "Are you scared or cold?"

"Both. And this wood’s rough."

"Well, your, your, uh, uh, underwear is practically non existent. No wonder."

Chloe glared at him, not sure if she should be surprised he’d even noticed or angry at his remark. "Well, Mr. Kent! I didn’t anticipate having to sit on hard wood, thank you very much! And you can just leave my underwear alone!" She crossed her arms and stared off in the other direction, adding an emphatic "Hmph!" to underscore her displeasure.

"Chloe…come on…Chloe…here-" Clark took off his flannel shirt and handed it to her. "Wrap this around your legs. I’ll hold onto you…" She looked back at the proffered shirt, still frowning. "Come on; this will make it better." He smiled before tentatively placing his hands on her sides. She immediately began to squirm.

"That tickles!"

"Hold still!" Clark closed his large hands around her again, his long fingers brushing her stomach and she wiggled again in protest. "I’m not trying to tickle you-"

"Well, you are!"

"You’re gonna fall if you don’t stop-"

"Okay, okay…just…just…go slow…" She was panting, trying not to laugh but she shivered again when he touched her. The sensation of his hands on her sensitive stomach was one she couldn’t ignore and not just because it tickled. Eventually she got her giggles under control, allowing him to steady her while she wrapped his shirt around her bare legs. She tied the arms around her waist and leaned over, buttoning the shirt for good measure. She added another "Hmph!" and frowned again. "I suppose you’d like me better in Daffy Duck shorts."

Clark stared at her for a moment and added, "No, I…wouldn’t. I mean…what you’re wearing or not wearing is fine; I mean, um…it’s just not suitable for tree-climbing…" He stared down at his shoes with sudden intensity. I like what you’re wearing... "Now…" He reached down and began untying his shoes. Chloe immediately lost her balance, tipped sideways and had to grab an overhanging branch to keep from falling.

"Whoa! Uh…Clark, what are you doing? I don’t think those shoes will fit me…"

"No, but I was thinking…" he pulled off one shoe and then a sock, "this might." He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a roll of duct tape. "And we’ll give you a custom fit. Duct tape- don’t leave home without it."

"And all this time, I thought you were just glad to see me."

Reddening slightly, he raised one eyebrow at her as he handed her the sock. "You’ve really been in fine form today, you know that?"

"I know...it’s just so easy to tease you." Chloe punched him lightly on the arm and sighed, somewhat wistfully. "Like old times…"

Clark removed the other shoe and handed over his other sock before putting his shoes back on and tying them. He held her again while she pulled on his huge socks; they hung like bags on her small feet. "Here, scoot back and I’ll fix your footwear." He pulled her feet onto his lap and snugged the socks with duct tape around each ankle then pinched up the excess on top, wrapping it with strips of tape. As an afterthought, he taped the bottom of the socks. "There. Long lasting treads. Eat your heart out, L.L.Bean." A sudden wind rustled the leaves making her shiver again. When she glanced away, looking for the bears, he warmed her with a mild sweep of heat vision.

She looked back at him and wiggled her feet in approval. "I feel warmer, already. And I like the little elvish tips." She eyed his tattered t-shirt. "Aren’t you chilly at all?"

"Nope. Not really. It is kinda breezy up here, though."

Chloe was quiet for a moment. "Will your parents miss us?"

"They’re in Topeka until at least next Thursday or Friday. Your dad?"

"Fertilizer convention in Omaha. Back next Wednesday, at the earliest. Maybe Pete’ll miss us."

"Last I heard, Pete’s gonna help Lana reorganize the stock room at the Talon this afternoon." Clark chuckled. "I wouldn’t count on him noticing we’re missing anytime soon."

"Okay, so…we’re on our own," she sighed. They sat in companionable silence for a time; Chloe wondering if the bears really would leave without trying to climb up to get at them. She relaxed a bit when they moved off a ways. She stared at Clark’s rugged profile, wondering how he’d managed to get them both up into their high perch.

Clark felt her eyes on him and turned toward her. "What?"

"Just wondering how you got us up here so quickly." Mercifully, for Clark, another thought preempted the first. "My mouth’s dry. You got any gum?"

He dug into his front pocket, past the duct tape and down to the pocket lint level. "Nope." Then he checked the other pockets and came up with a few pennies and a piece of chalk which he held up. "Sorry; unless you want to suck on a piece of chalk or some duct tape, you’re out of luck."

Chloe pulled up her camera case and looked in a side pocket. "Eureka! She held up a couple of candy pops. "I forgot about my emergency stash. Here; supersize cherry blowpops."

"I don’t think I’ve ever had cherry." He tore off the wrapper and took an experimental lick. "Mmmm…" Popping it in his mouth, he pronounced it, "Werry wood."

Chloe giggled and went to work on her own, running her tongue over the outside before sucking the entire pop into her mouth. A trickle of cherry juice dripped down her chin and she laughed, pulling the pop out and trying to catch the drip with her tongue. Clark’s eyes widened, riveted to her mouth as an old memory of Chloe saying, "What can I do for you, Clark?" while very suggestively licking one of those pops, came rushing back. She’d been infected by the parasitic worm, at the time, though he hadn’t known it then.

Clark could still remember his discomfort as he’d left the Torch office in a hurry that day, castigating himself for his attraction to her, especially since he’d just asked Lana on a date. To his further embarrassment, he’d later acted on that attraction quite publicly when he’d been affected by the Red Kryptonite, not to mention their more private interaction in the backseat of Pete’s car where they’d been all over each other. Clark had thanked God many times that he’d come to his senses when he did. Not that his body hadn’t regretted it. He’d been doubly thankful Chloe hadn’t remembered the incident but he’d never been able to forget how much he’d wanted her.

Chloe had her camera out, staring through her viewfinder at one of the bears when she yelped, "Hey! He’s got my-" she stopped abruptly.

"What?" Clark grabbed the camera, looking through it once for the sake of appearances. Then he lowered it, allowing his telescopic vision to kick in, revealing a small pink package in the bear’s mouth. Now bringing the microscopic component into play, he could easily see the numerous holes where pills had been punched out. Clark turned to Chloe, one eyebrow raised in a Spock-like arch. "Is that a package of-"

"Birth control pills! He’s got my birth control pills! Ooohhh!" She broke a little twig off a nearby branch and threw it down in the bear’s general direction. "I hope I have another package at home." She crossed her arms, adding a "Rats!" in disgust.

"Um…well…guess maybe you’re seeing someone, huh?" He found the thought rather depressing, though Chloe had never given him reason to think she wanted to be more than friends now. And who could blame her? Having ignored her on so many occasions, he was lucky to have even that. A small voice, his own little devil’s advocate, pointed out she had performed that little impromptu strip tease for him at the pond. No, that was nothing. "Someone in Metropolis, I bet. So…who is it?"

Chloe glared at him and grabbed her camera away, stuffing it back into its pouch. "Just because I’m taking the pill doesn’t mean I’m having sex with someone! Men! Everything revolves around you! Of course a girl would only be taking the pill because she’s getting horizontal with some hunky stud! The fact that there are other reasons for using oral contraceptives would never cross your mind- You…you…"

"Chloeeee! Did I say that? I only thought-"

"You’re just as oblivious as any other human male."

Clark’s mouth hung open for an instant at that improbable slander before he said, "Hey! I didn’t mean it that way- "

Clark cringed away in mock fear as Chloe reached out to smack him on the arm but before she could land the blow, she lost her balance and slid from her perch. Clark dropped, quickly grabbing her around the waist with one arm while catching hold of the main trunk with the other. "You okay?" he asked as he climbed, effortlessly lifting Chloe back up into their little sanctuary. She nodded and Clark hugged her close.

"I’m sorry, Clark. I-"

"Look, I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re right and I’m sorry. It’s none of my business, anyway. Truce?"

She leaned against him. "Yeah, truce."

Eventually, as the afternoon drew on toward evening, the sky darkened and the wind began to pick up. A strong gust shook the little platform of boughs on which they sat and Clark gently pulled Chloe into his lap, wrapping his arms around her for added warmth.

Chloe surveyed the dark thunderheads building in the distance. "Looks like a storm’s coming…" She watched Clark who was also looking anxiously at the foreboding sky. "What’ll we do if-"

"Well, we can’t stay up in this tree if it storms." The first deep roll of thunder could be heard in the distance. "Great." Clark surveyed the woods below and decided he couldn’t wait any longer for the bears to leave. Trying to sound casual, he said, "Hey, I think the bears are gone; I’ll go down and take a look. Just stay put."

"Ah…maybe we should wait a while longer…" Thunder rumbled again and Chloe shifted nervously.

"I’ll be right back; don’t move." Clark lifted her off his lap and scooted out from under her. Stepping onto a smaller side limb a couple of feet below, he started down the main trunk. One of his sleeves caught on a twig and ripped, completing the ruin of the shirt so he shrugged out of it and left it behind. Chloe could hear the rustling of the branches as he moved down through the tree.

"It’s okay," he called up. "I’m down; I’ll just look around a bit." He scanned the immediate area and saw the bears moving back in the direction of the pond.

"Don’t go very far! I don’t want to be up here by myself…" Chloe leaned over, peering down through the tree, trying to spot him on the ground. The dense foliage made it hard to see and the light was failing as the sky grew more dark and ominous. She thought she’d caught a brief glimpse of Clark a few feet away; cautiously, she moved over to get a better view, holding onto a small branch for support. "Clark?" Chloe craned her neck, leaning out as far as she could. With a sharp crack, the little branch abruptly gave way and she tumbled forward, plummeting straight to the ground.

Clark caught her easily; she barely had time to scream. "Whoa! Didn’t I tell you to stay put? What were you trying to do?" She was shaking and he held her close; finally, she laid her head on his shoulder. "You okay?"

She stared up into the tree, then back at him and after a moment, shook her head. "Yeah…I guess…" She ran her hand over his bare chest. "What happened to your shirt?"

"It caught on a limb as I came down so I got rid of it. Wanna sit down?"

"No…um…can I just stay right here for a minute?"

Clark laughed softly. "Yeah, sure."

Something rustled in a nearby bush and she whimpered, "What’s that?"

He glanced behind her and smiled. "Just an old possum. I’ll wrestle him if I have to. Now, why don’t we head home before the storm breaks?"

"Okay. Well, wait a minute. I’ve been up that tree a long time. I-"

A twig snapped behind Clark and he whipped around in alarm. A second later he was practically throwing her up the tree trunk. "Get up there, now, Chlo!"

She scrambled up a ways into the tree before she realized Clark wasn’t behind her. Stopping, she called out, "Clark? Where are you? Come on!" She felt the tree trunk shake as though something had slammed into it. Now terrified, she eased back down a few feet until she could see the small clearing near the base of the tree. A tall figure stood in the fading light that filtered down through an opening high up in the forest canopy. "Clark!" She sobbed as two huge shapes leaped out from the bushes at the edge of the clearing, charging the man who stood in the middle.

Clark yelled once, in a voice that demanded obedience, "Chloe! Do NOT come down out of that tree! Get back up there NOW!"

Chloe screamed out, "No! Clark!" and took another step down, pausing when she thought she saw one of the bears beneath the tree. Clark said nothing and she yelled again, "Clark, where are you?" The bear’s angry growls filled the clearing; Clark was being badly mauled by the sound of it. Next to her, she spotted a tree limb, broken off by some violent wind and tangled in the branches above; a weapon, if she could only get it down. She pulled on it, trying to yank it free without success. Stepping onto a lower limb for better leverage, she put her full weight into it and finally pulled it loose but her victory was short lived as she lost her footing and slid down through the tree. Chloe was still holding tight to the branch when it finally caught in a dense tangle of ivy, leaving her hanging some ten feet off the ground. She was certain she could hear a bear right below her.

The clearing was briefly illuminated by a flash of lightning and for a moment, it looked like one of the bears had grabbed Clark by the throat. When the light faded, she heard only their vicious snarling. It had grown almost completely dark now, the only light coming from the strobe flashes of lightning overhead. The first patter of heavy raindrops began to fall around her. Terrified, she yelled for him again; her hands slipping slightly when she turned her head. "Clark!" Directly beneath her, one of the bears stood up against the trunk, reaching for her with one huge paw. Chloe heard its low growl and knew it was probably climbing up to get her. There was a loud thump below her, another fork of lightning streaked across the sky and she saw the bear pinning Clark to the ground. "No!"

Then she began to lose her grip and with agonizing slowness, her hands slid off the branch. She cried out once as she fell and suddenly, she was in Clark’s waiting arms, once more. She threw her arms around his neck, crying with relief. "Clark! Oh, Clark!  I saw that bear on top of you! How did you-"

"Chloe, can we play twenty questions later?" He put her down. Rain was falling more heavily and muddy rivulets of water ran through the little clearing, over the bank and into the stream that flowed beyond it. Clark turned away, staring into the distance for a moment. His tone was urgent when he turned back to her. "We need to find shelter. There’s a small cave not far from here but we’ve really gotta go." Behind them, a brilliant fork of lightning struck a tall tree not far beyond the clearing, splitting it in two and showering them with sparks and splinters. Clark grabbed her, shielding her from the wave of debris. Picking her up again, he said, "I’ll carry you; close your eyes."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"There’s a lot of debris in the air."

"Why-"

"Chloe. Now. Do as I say. Don’t open your eyes until I tell you to." He turned her head into his chest, covering her face with one large hand as best he could. "No more questions." Reluctantly, she obeyed, closing her eyes as Clark took off. She felt the rush of the wind and what she imagined was dirt, leaves and other debris whipped up by the storm as Clark ran toward the cave. In a moment she was out of the rain. Clark put her down just as another bolt of lightning struck a tree close by the entrance, part of which toppled over onto the mouth of the cave. Chloe shrieked, burying her head against his chest as Clark pulled her to him.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yeah, you can open ‘em." She gazed up at him for a long moment, somewhat dazed then turned to look at the downed tree. "Stay back away from the entrance. That was too close." Clark, however, went to the mouth of the cave and stared into the distance.

The wind quickly became so strong that large trees were beginning to bend over and she could hear the sharp crack of breaking limbs outside even from where she stood. "Clark, maybe you’d better come back here-"

Clark turned, his jaw set and yelled over the violent wind, "Get to the back of the cave!" She turned but before she could take two steps he grabbed her and carried her to very back wall of the cave where he pushed her to the ground, covering her body with his own. He yelled one word: "Twister!" before the world was reduced to a freight train roar as rocks and tree limbs swirled around them, beating against Clark’s body. Chloe peeked up, whimpering when she saw a crack form in the limestone overhead. Clark followed her gaze, watching as the crack spread and widened until an entire section of the ceiling threatened to come loose. He yelled, "Close your eyes!" and she did, thinking it was the last thing she’d ever see. Clark moved to make sure her face was shielded just as the slab crashed down, shattering across his back. The air was thick with dust and debris for a moment then everything grew quiet; the only sound the steady fall of rain outside.

Chloe opened her eyes, surprised to be alive. Lightning still flashed outside and Clark’s big eyes stared down at her, filled with concern. She remained silent for a moment, pleasantly aware of his body on top of her own, especially his bare skin. Years ago, her dreams had often been filled with such things; occasionally, they still were.

"Are you okay?" Slowly, Clark rose up on his elbows. "You look a little flushed."

Clark was covered with stone dust, some of it turned to mud where water had splattered across it. Chloe looked overhead at the spot where the slab had come loose and around them on the cave floor where chunks of stone lay scattered about. She looked back into Clark’s eyes and whispered, "I’m…okay…are you okay? What happened? How can we be okay?"

"Just be glad we are, Chloe." Clark sat back on his knees then stood, offering her a hand and helped her to her feet. He steadied her when she swayed a little then just pulled her to him, holding her tightly. "Better?" he asked, waiting for her nod before letting go. "Why don’t you sit down? The storm’s still pretty bad and we’re gonna have to wait here for a while." Clark guided Chloe over to a suitable rock. "I’ll build a fire." He picked up some twigs and small branches and began piling them up in a shallow depression at the rear of the cave.

"How you gonna start a fire? All this wood’s soaked?"

"You let me worry ‘bout that." Clark walked to the cave entrance again and picked up a couple of bigger logs. Looking back at her, he said, "If you’re up to it, you can gather some more kindling. Looks like most of the little stuff blew back there." He pointed to the side of the cave a few feet away. Chloe slowly stood, still a bit unsteady. "You still look wiggly; maybe you’d better let me-"

"Oh, Clark, I’m fine. Good grief!" She stomped over and began collecting twigs. Behind her, Clark quickly dried the pile of wood with his heat vision and started a small fire in the center. He grabbed up a couple of nearby stones and smacked them together, making Chloe jump. "What the hell?"

"Sorry. Just making a spark to start the fire." Clark made a show of poking at the fire and blowing on it. "That’s probably enough; you can bring those over and put them right here."

Chloe walked to the fire and got down on her knees beside it. She began adding her twigs to the fire, occasionally glancing at Clark who sat, tailor fashion, quiet and distant, his face lit only by the flickering flames. The fire grew, warming the cave and Chloe began to relax. She sat, leaning over against Clark who stretched out his long legs to accommodate her. Her eyes kept returning to the ceiling of the cave. Finally, she got up on her knees and leaned around behind him. Clark shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"As far as I can see, there’s not a mark on you; how is that possible?" Hesitantly, she touched his mud encrusted skin, running her fingers over his back. "That slab should have crushed us. Why didn’t it?"

Clark closed his eyes; sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair, creating a small dust cloud around his head. "Chloe…can’t you just let it go? Be glad we’re okay."

"I am glad we’re okay but I can’t help wondering why we’re not pancakes. How did we…or is this another math mystery?"

Smiling, he said, "Look. It’s really not such a mystery." He pointed to the cave ceiling. "See that stain?"

Chloe looked upward. "Not very well. It’s too dark in here to see much of anything. But what about it?"

"Water’s been seeping in here for so long it rotted the stone; made it soft so it lost cohesion. Eventually, it was bound to give way and the suction of the wind pulled it loose. Luckily, it fell at an angle and hit the ground right next to us. Then it disintegrated and we were mostly hit with small stones and dust. We were just very, very lucky. See? No mystery. Nothing for the Wall." Chloe was silent. "Chlo?" He started to turn around, stopping when he felt her hands on his back again.

"Hold still." She examined him further, still not believing he was unhurt. "Alright…I…guess that might make sense…but what about the bears?"

"What about them?"

"Their claws are like razors and I thought I saw one of them grab you-"

"It tripped on a tree root or something and fell. Must’ve been knocked out ‘cause it didn’t get up." She was silent for a moment as she ran her fingers under his chin and around his neck. Clark bit back a little moan when her fingernail scraped the sensitive skin under his jaw.

"One of ‘em had you down; how’d you get away from it?"

"Smacked it in the head with a rock and it just took off."

"Um…did I happen to mention the seat of your pants got ripped?"

Clark’s hands flew behind him to assess the damage. A flap of denim hung down exposing him as though he was wearing a pair of old fashioned long johns; only the waistband held his jeans together in the back. He tried, unsuccessfully, to tuck the flap back in place.

"Better be careful. They look like they could go at any minute." She giggled and after a moment she sat down next to him, again. "You’re a mess, you know it?"

Clark looked down and brushed at his bare chest. "Yeah, I guess I am." He smiled over at her and Chloe tried to wipe away some of the grime on his face. She succeeded only in making stripes across his cheeks.

"Hmm. Not sure that’s an improvement." Leaning over against him, Chloe sighed and stared into the fire which was now burning quite merrily. Outside, lightning flashed, followed by the low rumble of thunder and rain was still coming down heavily. They sat quietly for a while as the fire burned down.

Her thoughts drifted back to earlier days when Clark and Pete were her best friends and together they spent many hours searching for answers to mysteries linked, in one way or another, to the meteors that fell on that fateful October day. Mutation in the local population had seemed pretty common, especially in children who were very young at exposure. Lana, who had no doubt tired of being stalked by the various meteor freaks who’d resulted and who had never completely gotten over the death of her parents when the first meteors hit, had railed about them on many occasions. Oddly, Clark who claimed he hadn’t been affected by the meteor rocks, had often seemed haunted and saddened when she went on one of her rants. After the Gillboy incident, and subsequent sniper attacks, Lana had been angry with Clark for pointing out that those people hadn’t asked to be altered. She’d banged around the house for a while complaining about Clark’s sympathies for "those freaks," and when Chloe had tried to be sympathetic to her while agreeing with Clark on the matter, she’d stomped upstairs and refused to come down for quite some time. Well, that was just Lana; she had a quite a temper at times when she got her mind set on something and refused to compromise until she worked through it. Chloe, having lived with Lana, had seen that first hand on several occasions and thought of it as Lana’s Pink Pissy Mood.

As she sat watching shadows dance on the cave walls, she wondered what the glyphs in the Kawatche cave had meant and why Clark was so fascinated by them, almost to the point of obsession. In fact, everyone had been fascinated by them; the Kawatches certainly were because the drawings and symbols were supposed to tell their history and they’d taken to Clark as though he were one of them. Had he been a long lost member of their tribe, perhaps and sensing that, they’d taken him into their confidence? Both Lex and Lionel had been extremely interested in what had been discovered there. Lionel had hinted that Clark might have some secret knowledge of the cave language. Bet it really pissed him off to think a Kansas farmboy knew something he didn’t.

Lionel had claimed the cave symbols were rearranged the day of the explosion on the Kent farm, implying that Clark was somehow responsible, although how he thought Clark could have done so was unclear. She certainly hadn’t seen any evidence of tampering on the wall itself but photos taken of the symbols there before that day did appear to be different. Lionel had also mentioned a metal disc of some sort that he said would have fit into an octagonal depression in the wall, also no longer evident after that day. She had been truthful when she’d told him she hadn’t been in the cave all that much. Her last visit with Clark during that tumultuous spring had resulted in her being infected with the parasitic worm and the cave had given her the creeps, ever since. The early settlers had reported hearing voices in the area and except for Ezra Small, had refused to go there. The Kawatches had always considered it sacred ground, never entering the caves without the guidance of a medicine man so she wasn’t alone in her reluctance. As recently as the spring when Clark had discovered the newer chambers, locals had occasionally claimed to see and hear odd things in the vicinity of the caves.

The Kawatche caves and the meteors were somehow linked, she was certain, but how was the mystery she had never solved. Ezra Small’s Diary had mentioned at least one earlier meteor shower in the Smallville area, implying there’d been others, if she’d understood him correctly; he spoke of the shapeshifters among the Kawatche tribe appearing after one of them. Perhaps they were the first meteor mutations and the meteors were actually a periodic phenomenon. That was a cheery thought.

Chloe was getting drowsy when Clark jostled her. "Sorry, Chloe; I need to get more wood. Chloe…"

She sat up, yawning. "Okay; I was nodding off." She watched as he walked to the cave mouth and paused to watch the storm. At one side of the cave, a torrent of water poured down from the hillside above and out over the entrance below. Clark stepped under it, throwing his head back, arms outstretched, letting the water hit him full force in the face and chest, in an effort to remove some of the dust and mud. Lightning flashed and Chloe caught a glimpse of Clark as the water cascaded over his body. The image of Naked Clark rising up out of the pond kept trying to intrude into her thoughts; it had been an incredible sight… Anyone could see that Clark Kent was an amazing physical specimen and events over the years had made it obvious that he possessed physical strength beyond that of an average man. Maybe it was just the rigors of farm chores that had given him such impressive strength but having watched Clark toss heavy feed bags and hay bails around like they were weightless while his dad strained to do the same made it seem unlikely. His dad’s well known objection to Clark’s playing football was also impossible to understand. Claims that he was needed on the farm didn’t ring true; his dad, after all, had helped out on the family farm and he’d played football… No, there was something more but it was part of the Clark mystique that he refused to reveal and she had never uncovered an explanation for it. Perhaps Clark’s sudden bursts of temper were the reason...

Clark turned to let the water wash over his back and practically moaned, "Aaahhh…much better…" Finally, he stooped to grab two more large pieces of wood and came back. "God, that felt good-" he realized Chloe was staring at him. "What?"

She tore her eyes away from him to stare at the waterfall. "You…that…looked great! Think I’ll try it." She jumped up and headed to the front of the cave where she stuck her whole head into the stream of water and came away shivering and spluttering.

Clark laughed out loud. "Hey! You’re gonna drown that way. Hang on-" he stopped to add the wood to the fire and went to her side. "Go easy. Wait…" He reached up above her head and put one hand under the water, letting it splash first on his palm before hitting her.

"Oooh…f-feels g-good but it’s so c-cold…"

"Close your eyes and try not to think about it. Mind over matter." He tried to follow his own advice and ignore the revealing contours of her wet shirt.

"R-r-right. Th-that’ll work." But Chloe did as he suggested and surprisingly, the water began to seem warmer. In a minute or two it was actually quite pleasant; eventually it felt almost hot, in fact.

"Had enough?"

"Uh…yeah…wow, that did feel good." When she stepped out from under the water and opened her eyes, the whole cave seemed warm and steamy. "It looks like-"

"Steam; I know. The fire’s warming the cave enough that the cold moisture is starting to precipitate out into fog."

"Well, aren’t you Mister Science Wizard, today? You’re just full of explanations."

"Now, stand over there by the fire and dry off." Clark positioned her in front of the fire, drying her off with gentle bursts of his heat vision when she wasn’t looking. She was fairly dry in no time and Clark sat down, holding out his hand and inviting Chloe to sit close. He put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled against him, sighing as she watched the flames catch on the wood he’d added. A noise startled Clark from behind and he turned to see a small trickle of dust and pebbles falling from a crack beneath the section of collapsed ceiling. He stood, eyeing the wall and ceiling.

"What’s wrong?"

"I heard something…just…making sure the rest of the ceiling isn’t coming down on us…" Suddenly, his eyes widened and he ran to the crack he’d been studying. Chloe rose, grabbing up a burning twig from the fire and more cautiously picked her way over the debris to see what ever it was that Clark had suddenly found so fascinating. "Careful…"

Chloe shoved her torch up to the crack and gasped. "Is that what I think it is, Clark? That looks like the glyphs in the Kawatche cave…"

"Yeah, it is! We’re actually not that far from the other cave…maybe this one’s connected..." Clark stared at the crack intently then started to stick his hand in.

Chloe grabbed his arm. "Wait! Remember those parasites in the cave walls? What if there are more here? Maybe you shouldn’t just stick your hand in there."

"Nah, there’s nothing in there." He started to reach in again.

"You don’t know that! Don’t-"

"It’ll be okay." He put his hand inside and moved it upward along the crack, his eyes widening as he felt past the revealed glyph. "Chloe! It’s-" he stopped, excited as he felt the familiar octagonal depression meant for the Kryptonian key. He pressed his face into the narrow opening, feeling farther along the rock face inside. "I see more drawings! And…some of them are carved into the wall instead of painted on…"

Chloe angled her head around beneath him, trying to get a look for herself. "Is that the two headed figure?"

"Naman and Seget. Yes but…the one beyond it is just Naman and there’s a symbol…I don’t understand…it looks like…"

"How can you see anything? Wait-" She hurried back to the fire to get another torch. "Here! This one’s bigger! Can you see any better?"

"Oh, yeah…yeah…I think there might have been a passageway here but it’s been filled in over the years." Clark turned to Chloe, sighing. "There’s no way we can get in there now; we’ll have to come back later."

"Did Joseph Willowbrook ever say anything more about his theories on extraterrestrials observing us? The Ledger reporter didn’t really take him seriously and except for mentioning whenever further research was being conducted in the caves, that was pretty much the extent of coverage in the local media." Chloe stared at the figure then asked, "Does the whole tribe believe the legends about Naman being "The One" who’ll be a force for good and help all mankind?"

"Joseph and Kyla came from a family of shamen, so their viewpoint was probably a bit more…traditional than some. "But, yeah…they believed the promise made by the first visitor that another like him would return one day. Naman is the one who’ll the prophecy."

"You sound like you believe it, too."

"A lot of Indian legends involve beings from the sky who interact with humans. It’s not an uncommon belief among indigenous peoples."

"What exactly does the legend say about Naman and Seget?"

"They were close, like brothers then they became enemies."

"Well, that’s depressing."

"Yeah, kinda."

"Did Joseph Willowbrook ever say anything about the sprits in the caves? Ezra Small talked about hearing disembodied voices there; the settlers were afraid to go near them because of it."

"Not specifically, no." Looking at her thoughtfully, he added, "I’d appreciate

it if you didn’t mention this to anyone, Chloe. I’d like to do this myself. Okay?"

"If you say so." Smiling, she added, "I could help…if you want a second pair of hands…"

"Alright. We’ll come back and see if we can find a way in. Maybe there’s another entrance somewhere." Clark narrowed his eyes, staring hard at the wall for a moment before turning away. "Come on. Right now we just need to sit tight and wait out the storm." They settled by the fire again, Clark occasionally glancing back at the crack and Chloe snuggled up against him, once more. Gradually, she became aware of Clark’s warm hand gently rubbing her arm.

"I meant what I said, earlier. We used to be so close; I miss that." He chuckled as he stared down at her.

"What are you laughing at, Kent?"

"Just thinking it’s never boring when you’re around, Chlo; you’re always in the middle of things even when you don’t cause them. I…never appreciated that like I should have when we were younger."

Chloe pulled away and moved closer to the fire, putting some small sticks into it. Without looking at him, she said, "Well..yeah…" sighing, she added, "I know there were times when I pushed too far and I should have backed off. I…I just have this problem with curiosity and I have a hard time letting go of anything that piques it."

"I hadn’t noticed." She glanced back at Clark and he could see a tear making its way down her cheek. "Hey…Chloe…"

"It just seemed like sometimes, well, our entire sophomore year, really, I never knew what would set you off; like…that symbol that was burned on your barn; I was sorry that people harassed you over it but…correct me if I’m wrong…did you ever ask me not to print the picture I took of it?"

"No, you’re right, I didn’t and I was wrong to yell at you over it; I had no right to interfere between you and Lana."

"It just really ticked me off; it was personal and I was angry that she invaded my privacy…and then you came to get me to forgive her- well, you were just riding to her rescue. That’s what knights in shining armor do, right?"

"Chloe…if it’s any consolation, she never told me what she saw."

"It was just some pictures; I should have gotten rid of them a long time ago." They didn’t really mean anything." She turned away again, busying herself by adding more sticks to the fire.

"They must’ve meant something if you’d saved them…Chloe…I didn’t mean to

dredge up a lot of bad memories…" Clark sat up and took her hand, pulling her back to sit beside him. "Come here." He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her.

"That’s okay, Clark. We’ve both had our share. Like the time you ran away and went wiggy; that was a bad time for all of us."

"I know…I’m sorry. At the time…I thought I had no choice."

"Why were you…so different in Metropolis? It’s like you were your own evil twin." Clark turned away, ashamed. Chloe stared at him, waiting but he remained silent. "It was the ring, wasn’t it? The first time you acted so strangely, I thought you had some sort of bi-polar disorder. But that wasn’t it at all; the red meteor rocks affect you, somehow, almost like a drug."

"Chloe…"

"I just don’t understand why everyone who’s affected by the green rocks is changed for the worse except you but the red rocks make you go all Jekyll and Hyde."

Sighing, Clark got up and started to pace.

"When I…followed you back to your apartment, I didn’t know what to expect but it was like you were your own evil twin. And you got so…angry the last time I came back …you…you really scared me; I was afraid you might-"

Suddenly, he turned, yelling, "Hurt you? You’re right! You should have been afraid! You have no idea what a chance you took! I was out of my mind- I always knew you’d come looking for me and I didn’t want to be found! The longer I’m around the red rocks, the more they affect me and when you came that last time I…it was like I was overdosing or something; if it makes you feel any better, I threw you out because I didn’t want you to see me like that."

"Why didn’t you take it off?"

"Oh, I took it off but every time I thought of my mom and all the pain I caused, I put it on again."

Chloe stood and walked toward him. "Lana was so sure she’d get you to come back. She said you were just waiting for the right person to find you. I only came because, well, I thought I owed it to you to try again, to tell you everything was falling apart at home; I knew, deep down, you’d never listen to me. A woman’s got to know her limitations; the Spring Formal should have taught me that, if nothing else."

"Don’t say that! I never meant to hurt you…"

Sighing, she looked away. "I know you didn’t, Clark but it was inevitable. I was shocked when you asked me; I couldn’t believe it, it was just too good to be true…"

Clark spun around and was in front of Chloe in two long strides. "I meant it when I said I wanted to take you to the dance, Chloe! And I thought you meant it when you said you just wanted to be friends. Why’d you tell me that if you didn’t mean it?"

"I figured I’d just cut my losses and go back to being a best friend. I mean, you’d already left me behind at the dance. And I know you had to look for your dad but I was so worried and I searched for you and you never even tried to get in touch! It really hurt when I had to hear it from Lana that you were okay because you’d brought her to the hospital! But it would have been okay…and I tried to deal with it even though it was hard except then-" she stopped, wiping away another tear before it could get very far. "it seemed like, that whole year, I felt like I was barely a friend at all. At least, it got better after you came back from Metropolis and the whole Lionel fiasco was finally out in the open. I was actually relieved-"

"Chloe…"

"Forget it, Clark; water under the bridge at this point. It was a mistake to ever think we could be more than friends; I should never have tried to cross that line."

Clark reached out, touching her cheek. "You’re wrong, Chlo; there was nothing wrong with thinking that." He drew her into his arms and held her close, slowly rubbing his hand over her back.

"It’s okay, Clark. Anyway," she sighed, "it’s not like you ever really noticed I was a girl-"

"Chloe…I’m so sorry…but that’s not true." Clark held her for a moment, resting his cheek against her hair, memories of the Spring Formal suddenly flooding his mind. Gently nuzzling her cheek, he whispered softly, "Not true at all. I’m very much aware that you’re a girl." He lifted her chin, looking deep into her bright green eyes and saw they were brimming with tears. One lone tear made its way down her cheek as she started to turn away and Clark gently brushed it away with his fingers. Then slowly, he leaned down and kissed her. His touch was soft and tender and the smallest of sighs escaped her as he kissed her once more. When he pulled away, he said softly, "Chloe…can we try this again? Maybe I can get it right this time…"

Before she could utter a word, his lips moved on to brush the sensitive skin behind her ear then Clark teased her earlobe with his lower lip and all she could do was moan. She arched backward, shivering as he touched her and sighing as he began to nibble his way down her neck. Then he was back, delicately tracing her inner lips with the tip of his tongue before plunging deep inside.

"Mmmm…oh, God…Clark…" she gasped when he broke the kiss. After a moment, he slid his hands down over her ass and pulled her close. "What…are you doing…" she moaned again.

"Proving my point."

Lex Luthor walked cautiously along an old trail that led through the heart of Burnham Woods. He had come searching for Chloe and possibly Clark, at Lana’s request. He’d returned from Metropolis just in time for the late afternoon thunderstorms which had driven the Talon’s customers inside and Lex and Lana had both been at the coffeeshop when what appeared to have been a twister touched down, mangling the Talon marquee. It had also turned Lex’s newest Porsche upside down and deposited it right outside, blocking the front doors; he wondered if he’d get another ticket.

Lana, even though terrified, had managed to herd everyone into the storeroom at the rear of the building and no one had been injured except for Lana who’d been struck on the head by a jar of maraschino cherries. The whole incident had badly frightened Lex, at first, when he’d whirled around to see her apparently covered with blood, then totally grossed him out when Lana started giggling and licking the blood from her hand, saying it was delicious. By the time he’d figured out it was cherry juice, she’d consumed quite a bit of it, as well as the cherries and when he finally tried one, at her insistence, he discovered they were fermented. Lex couldn’t decide if it was the blow to the head or the fermented fruit that had caused her to begin her prognostications but she’d immediately started saying Chloe and Clark were missing and in trouble, insisting Lex go to find them.

He called for his staff to bring the fully equipped Hummer, assist with the clean-up and tend to his fallen Porsche, so he could search for Chloe and Clark. Fortunately, Pete Ross had been helping Lana rearrange the stock room when the twister hit and was quite capably managing the aftermath. Pete seemed adept at juggling situations as they arose; Lex thought he might have a future in politics ahead of him. Pete’s only serious problem, at