Well, look at me posting a new chapter. I am terribly sorry guys for the extremely long hiatus. I can't promise you to update on a regular basis as my life is really crazy right now. I feel like finishing my stories, but it has been so long, and so much happened to me during my absence so I kind of lost the feeling for them. "Second Chance" just hopped into my mind so I figured why not. I re-read the chapters and here I am. I hope there are still some people out there who are interested. For now this is the only story I will be updating whenever I have the time. I actually have another short chapter waiting, but that's all so far. I hope that some day soon I will continue the other ones as well, but it probably will take some time. Maybe I'll just wrap this one up first and then continue with the rest.

I would very much enjoy to have a Beta as I feel very rusty. If you are interested just let me know. My requirements: English should be your mother tongue (as it isn't mine. I have however a C2 Level certificate and it wouldn't be of any use to have someone correct my mistakes if they aren't any better than me in English) and you should have posted at least one story so far. Thanks!

Two Drops Of Water

[Metropolis]

Clark was pacing back and forth in his loft. It had been ten days since he visited Lana's grave the first time. Even thinking about those words hurt him deeply. He went back three days ago as arranged with this Vincent. The other man however was waiting for him with his head hanging. He apologized to him for not bringing his friend. He explained that she just disappeared on him after he told her about Clark. That she seemed to recognize his name and was deeply upset about the situation. He asked him to give him another week, that he had been trying to track her down for the past three days and wasn't about to give up. He apologized for dragging him all the way to New York, probably wanting to fish for information, but Clark assured him that distance was nothing to him when it came to Lana, that he would come as often as necessary to get some answers.

The truth was that Clark had been squeezing his brain since then to come up with an idea who this woman could be. She obviously knew him very well to react like that. Who was she? Clark would go mad if he didn't find out.

It didn't help that Chloe still hadn't results, either. He understood that Chloe had to juggle her family and her job in the Watchtower, but still. Chloe was resourceful and she loved Lana like a sister. Surely she didn't research only for his sake. Why couldn't she go any faster?

Like she had read his thoughts Chloe emerged on the steps.

„Clark," she said breathlessly.

„Chloe!" She was on to something, he just knew it. „Tell me!"

Clark set on the sofa while Chloe explained to him how Lois got involved.

„She is off to New York tracking down Vincent Keller, Clark. She couldn't stand it any longer sitting around and pitying herself. She wanted to do something. I think to make up for her mistakes. She is doing it for you Clark. I don't think that she expects you to come back to her. She just wants to help you because she loves you."

„Why did you let her go, Chloe? Why did you tell her his name? He could be dangerous for all we know. He seemed pretty evasive to me and something is different about him, I can't quite put my finger on it. She is desperate right now, she could bring herself in danger!"

„Don't you dare blame this one on me, Clark! You are the one who treated her so poorly! That's the reason she took off. I just expected her to do some research from distance, so that I could concentrate on another lead. Which is the reason why I'm here in the first place," Chloe said in one breath.

Lois all but forgotten, Clark tensed, „A lead?"

„Clark, listen, I need you to hear me out and not just take off."

After hearing the urgency in her voice Clark simply nodded and tried to relax. That's when Chloe told him all about Catherine Chandler and the day of her graduation.

"I don't understand Chloe. So there was a shooting in New York on the same day. So what? What does it have to do with Lana? Why would she attend such an event? A police academy graduation? Why would she be interested in something like that?"

"Clark that was where I was getting. I need to show you something, but I also need you to promise me that you will remain composed and won't take off."

"Let me see."

"Clark! Promise me!"

"I promise," Clark sighed.

"Here it goes:"

It took all Clark had in him not to break his promise, grab the article and go find the girl on the picture. Instead he forced himself to remain seated and gently took the article from Chloe's hands.

"How? It's Lana. How?"

"I don't know if it is her. Apparently they believe her to be Catherine Chandler, so maybe she just looks like her," Chloe tried to ease his eagerness. He didn't want him to get disappointed as much as she was hoping that it was Lana herself.

"But she looks just like her! I could recognize her everywhere!" Clark insisted.

"Clark. So does the photo on Lana's grave. If they didn't look alike like two drops of water then no one would believe it was Catherine," she reminded him.

"Well, apparently nobody knew and loved Catherine as much as I do with Lana!" Clark shouted exasperated.

"Clark, please, calm yourself."

"Did you tell Lois? Is that why she took of?" Clark demanded.

"No, I kept it from her. I figured you should be the first and for starters the only one to know about it," Chloe assured him.

"Good, I need to go. I need to find her," he stumbled while gathering himself up.

"Clark, wait! Where do you think you are going?"

"Without me?" she added after smiling at his perplexed face.

"Chloe.."

"Don't Chloe me Clark. If it isn't her you are gonna need a friend. If it is her I'm gonna need to beat the shit out of her for putting all of us through this. I promise I'll let you see her alone first, but I need to be near by," she told him with a serious expression.

Clark took a long look at her as if he wasn't sure whether to grand her her wish or not. No, whether he should obey her command or just take off and leave her fuming. After searching her eyes he seemed to make a decision. "Come on," he simply nodded.

Sooo? The next one will take place in New York. You will be reading about what Vincent and Lois have been up to in the meanwhile. You see that I am jumping back and forth in the time line, that is because so much things happen at the same time in different places and it would not be very beneficial to jump every two sentences. I will always somehow mention when the situation develops. If I should forget sometime, let me know!

Otherwise I hope that you enjoyed it. I would appreciate some reviews as I am just getting back on that fan fiction train.