Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or The Big Bang Theory.

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"Why am I not surprised that you're bonding with the weirdo of the group?" Lois wanted to know as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror the next day, propping her boobs up as she readied to start her first day at the comic book store.

"I take offense at that." Chloe chuckled, leaning in the doorway as she watched her cousin, still wearing pajama bottoms and a spaghetti top. "I have normal friends."

"Name one." Lois challenged as she pulled down the front of her form-fitting shirt, once more propping up her breasts so that they were in perfect display.

Chloe opened her mouth, then closed it. "You."

Lois snorted in laughter, finally turning to look at the blonde. "I might be human, but I sure as hell ain't normal." She held her arms out to her sides and gave a little twirl. "What do you think?"

"I think you'll be using your cleavage to sell more comics than that store has ever sold before." Chloe chuckled, leaning her head against the doorframe.

"That is the aim." Lois admitted with a wicked smile, coming to a stop before making a face. "I'm not going to get used to Withridge though. I don't feel like a Withridge. I especially don't feel like a Lois Brianna Withridge." She anchored her hands on her hips. "And have I mentioned how I don't find it funny that we've taken the identities of the witches who took our identities? I mean, I can get the irony, but still..."

"We'd already decided that for it to be harder to be found we'd have to assume new identities, and anyway, Lois Lane is a known name in this universe." Chloe reminded, not too fond of her new identity as Chloe Madelyn Hibbins either.

"Withridge makes me sound like some stuffy british aristocrat." Lois scratched at her arm, obviously uncomfortable.

"Believe me, no one is going to mistake you for a british aristocrat." Chloe's lips twitched with her amusement.

"I feel like I should be insulted, and yet I'm not." Lois shook her head, twirling around to gaze at herself in the mirror once more. "So you actually going to follow through with that stupid manual? When will you have time to read it before actually starting cooking anyway?"

"Read it already." Chloe responded, folding her arms over her chest. "He actually has some interesting facts in it. And you know me and challenges. I need something to keep me from going insane."

"So is that what this whole friendship with him is? A challenge? Something to keep you from going insane?" Lois asked in worry, her gaze meeting her cousin's in the mirror. "I'm mourning what destroying the beacon means...you aren't."

"I process things in a different way." Chloe shied away from that all-too-knowing gaze, staring intently at a plug-in air freshener. "You really shouldn't be late for your first day you know."

Sighing, Lois twirled once more and came towards her, engulfing the smaller woman in a tight hug before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Knock Dr. Weirdo off his feet."

Chloe hugged back. "Go sell out the whole shop in one day."

"Consider it a given." With a flash of mischievous hazel eyes, Lois grabbed her bag was jacket and was gone, heels clippety clopping against the floor until she closed the door behind her and was gone.

Sighing, feeling incredibly alone all of a sudden, Chloe gazed around her at the empty apartment.

While Lois stress cleaned and stress drank, Chloe cooked whenever she felt she couldn't handle things anymore. It was why this whole thing was perfect. She could challenge herself with Sheldon Cooper's high standards and keep herself busy, her mind off of the thought of never seeing the people she loved the most ever again. Flashes of Clark, Ollie, Bart, Victor, AC…even Dinah and Lana…they were tormenting and taunting. Her mind was still unable to believe that she'd probably never see their faces again, that that rapid farewell was the last time she'd hear their voices or have their arms around her.

If Lois wasn't here...Chloe didn't think she'd be able to stand it.

Taking in a deep breath, the blonde went to bathe.

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"No..." Howard's eyes were wide as he dropped his fork back onto his plate, leaning forwards on their table in the CalTech cafeteria. "You can't be serious."

"No way does Sheldon have a deal, dude." Raj agreed, shaking his head.

"I thought so too but Penny and I have agreed he does." Leonard shared, still smiling ridiculously large, his face hurting him somewhat. "He's human!"

"I fear for what we are becoming as a race if that is so." Howard bemoaned, somewhat pale. "There's no way he's a normal, hot-blooded male. No way. I refuse to believe in any possible universe in which Sheldon Cooper is after some tail."

"I have to agree with him." Raj made up his face. "This is all a huge misunderstanding. Sheldon must definitely want something from that girl. But sexy-times can't be it."

"A world where Sheldon procreates..." Howard was dazed, apparently feeling somewhat sick. "Mini Sheldons running all over the place with her blonde hair and his personality!" He shivered, hugging himself as if feeling horribly vulnerable. "I never believed I'd live to see the destruction of mankind!"

"Dude, he does not have a deal." Raj tried to calm his friend down.

"Think what you want, but there is so a deal." Leonard defended.

All along, the object of their conversation was in his office, unaware of how popular a conversation he was between his small group of friends.

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Playing the music up loudly, Chloe wore a tank top and shorts, dancing to the beat as she held the manual in one hand and a cookbook in the other. Some of her favorite bands didn't exist in this world, but she'd found some interesting alternatives which would do just fine as replacements. If there was anything she was, it was adaptable. She had the ability to blend in with those around her, to become a part of whatever group she found herself a part of, and to not only survive but flourish. That was one of the reasons why she was the only one who could pull off this mission. She didn't have a superpower or a superweakness or a superidentity. She was no one. And that would help keep the Kryptonian Crystal safe from Zod.

When Clark had realized that he couldn't trust the man, that his brotherhood had been all a lie-all a game to get Zod his superpowers back-he'd been heartbroken. Chloe hadn't been surprised, she'd expected it and that was why she'd made arrangements to help protect her loved ones when Clark's dreams of a Kryptonian brotherhood fell through, but still her heart had hurt for him because she knew that while Clark loved them they couldn't make up for the Kryptonian piece of him that he'd never truly fill. At least Lana was superpowered and by his side, finally they were able to be true partners and equals. A selfish little part of Chloe resented the finality, the fact that she knew for sure that there was nothing that'd ever come between those two...and that she never really had a chance.

She also wished that Lois hadn't had to go through the same pain. Chloe had seen the way that Clark had started looking at Lois in Lana's absence, but when the love of his whole life returned he'd dropped Lois immediately, seeing only Lana. Lois had pretended that it didn't matter and that she didn't care, but Chloe recognized the pain in those hazel eyes...and while she knew that Lois would have still offered to join her on this trip across worlds even if she'd been with Clark, Chloe knew that her cousin was especially happy to do it because she wouldn't have to see the superhero perfection that were the "Super Duo".

Chloe could understand her, she wasn't too comfortable whenever she'd bump into Jimmy and his new girlfriend Cat Grant, but still it hurt more to see Clark so happy and know she'd never be the cause.

Maybe being stuck in a world where she wouldn't have to watch it would end up being a blessing in disguise. The fact that she so far hadn't met anyone who was her type or had struck her interest sexually was also a good thing. She needed the time to get her life in order, to make some sort of sense of what it'd become, and it was easier to do without attraction making things even messier than they already were. The men she'd met this far were nice, if odd, and Penny was a sweetheart. Those were the type of people she and Lois needed in their lives right now. Nice, normal people with nice, normal problems.

And while Sheldon Cooper was one very odd duck, with his fascinating peculiarities he seemed to promise the distraction she so desperately needed to keep from going insane.

"So, Mister Cooper," she put down the manual and cookbook, taking in a deep breath. "Prepare to be amazed."

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The Sheldonator...

The Incredible Sheldon...

Dr. Sheldon the All-Knowing...

In his office, surrounded by his work, Sheldon went through the arduous yet important task of giving himself a superhero name. It was quite shameful on his part that he'd been a card carrying member of the Justice League for so many years and yet he'd never bothered to give himself a heroic alias. If he was to become "bosom buddies" with the Lois Lane and this Chloe, he was going to have to do better than this! He'd researched them, of course, and while there was tons on Lois Lane Chloe was a new addition to the franchise. Apparently she'd just been added into the Superman universe by way of a Jimmy Olsen comic where she played his ex girlfriend and journalist/hacker extraordinaire. Sheldon had never really read Jimmy Olsen's comics (who cared about the sidekicks anyway?) but he'd already made it his priority to go to the comic book store and buy it posthaste.

Also, when he's typed in "Lois Lane" and "Chloe" in the search engine he'd been surprised to find out that people were wondering how exactly close the new Chloe Sullivan character was to Lois Lane and those from Smallville given the fact that she was supposed to be from Smallville as well. Also, when Pete Ross had broken his arm (or was it a leg?) there'd been a "Chloe S" who'd signed the cast, and on a post-it on Lois Lane's desk in the Daily Planet there'd been a reminder that merely said: "Call Chloe".

She was obviously in the universe, even before her appearance in the Jimmy Olsen comic, and Sheldon was fascinated by the fact that her presence had been kept secret for so long.

Why exactly was that?

Who exactly was this Kryptonian Crystal keeping, Brainiac-infused neighbor?

He tingled at the fact of having been in the same apartment as the Crystal of the House of El.

And he'd be in its presence again tonight, having dinner prepared for him by two women affiliated with the Justice League.

It was like coming home.

He needed to call and tell his Meemaw about this...without sharing the whole Justice League connection of course. He was a card-carrying member and needed to start acting like one...and keeping the girls' secret was going to be his first duty as an active Justice League member!

And he didn't deny the little superior thrill it gave him to know he was the only one who was aware of the girls' alter ego.

Ooh.

Just the word brought Batman and Superman and all his heroes to mind!

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She'd figured out what she would be preparing based on what exactly they had on hand, and Chloe felt quite confident that she was going to impress everyone with her cooking...even if she had to cook and recook until it was perfect. While this would prove a useful distraction for today, she quickly realized that she'd have to most likely find herself some sort of a job as well or she'd grow insane with restlessness. The thing is that Chloe didn't know exactly what she should do in this world. Journalism was too obvious and she honestly didn't want to do anything that would remind her of her old life, friends, mission. If she was going to integrate herself into this world she wanted to do so as a new person, as Chloe Hibbins.

But who was Chloe Hibbins?

What did she like?

What were her hobbies?

Her past?

Her future?

The blonde groaned, realizing that she needed to know this information and soon. Both she and Lois had come up with an outline of who their characters were supposed to be should they be questioned, but to be believable Chloe needed to become Chloe Hibbins…needed to feel like her. She wasn't sure who Chloe Hibbins was, but she didn't want her to be anything like Chloe Sullivan. If for some reason they were found (and it was always a possibility given the fact that the Crystal was involved) she didn't want to make it too obvious and help the Kandorians find them.

So obviously becoming a famous actress was out of the question.

Her lips quirked in amusement at that, shaking her head.

No, Chloe Hibbins wasn't a paid actress…although her whole life would be spent acting.

So who, and what, was Chloe Hibbins?

She wasn't a member of the Justice League, that was for sure.

And she had no interest in working in a store.

Cooking was only her first choice when she was stressed.

Journalism was way out of the question.

So what believable options were there out there for her?

"Stop stressing yourself out." Chloe whispered to herself, frowning. "You don't have to answer these questions right now. All you have to do at this very second is cook. That's all. Stop getting ahead of yourself."

She turned towards the oven to check on the food…when suddenly a shocked of power erupted from the Crystal and rippled throughout her, images flashing before her in fast procession before she finally found herself laying on the ground, gasping and panting, eyes wide and body trembling.

Oh god…

"Alia."

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TBC