Clark thought it must have been fate that Chloe was in Smallville this weekend as he stood knocking on her door. He couldn't take young Lois to the police. He had to figure out how to send her back to the right time. It seemed best to leave her with her cousin for now. He hadn't told young Lois what was going on. He didn't want to alarm her.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped.

"Is that your natural hair color?"

She looked at him like he was crazy. "Duh! I'm too young to dye my hair."

"It looks prettier when it's darker. You should leave it like that."

"I don't like my hair dark. Daddy says lighter hair is prettier like my mom had."

Clark looked at her sadly. Is that why Lois dyed her hair a light color? She thought dark hair wasn't as pretty?

Chloe opened the door. When she saw the little girl with Clark, she looked ready to scream and pass out at the same time. He took her into the kitchen, while Lois sat on the couch.

"So that's definitely your cousin at a younger age?"

Chloe managed to get two words out. "Yes. How?"

"I don't know, and she doesn't know that she's in the future or that you're her cousin. I'd like to keep it that way. Can she stay with you?"

"I—I guess so, but my cousin was a smart kid. She'll figure out I'm her cousin grown up. I just know it, and she's my older, bossier cousin. I'm used to following Lois' directives, especially when we were that age. It'll be too weird for me to be the one in charge."

"I think—Lois, stay on the couch and don't even think about eavesdropping—you could handle it. I tell you what. We'll go in there and talk with her. If she looks like she's catching on, she'll stay with me. Okay?"

Chloe nodded and they both went into the living room. Lois looked as mad as a hornet.

"Are you a cop?" Lois directed at Chloe.

"No, I'm a reporter," Chloe said nervously.

"You lied to me," she said turning to Clark. "You're going to be in big trouble, mister. When my dad finds out you've kidnapped me, he's going to send in the whole army after you."

"It's too dangerous to go to the police right now," Clark told her. "I want you to stay with my friend, um, Claire. She will take good care of you until I can find your father for you."

"I warned you earlier that I'm a red belt." She jumped off the couch. She was about to kick him and end up hurting herself, but Clark gently held her out of range with his hand on her forehead. She was wildly kicking and punching the air. At last, she gave up and sat back down on the couch. "You win," she said," hold me hostage."

Chloe bent down, so that she was eye level with Lois. "I promise you that we aren't bad people. I'm a reporter."

"Prove it. Show me one of your articles with your name on it."

"I—I can't."

Lois didn't look surprised.

"I can show you my Daily Planet press pass."

"Well, then show it to me."

Chloe covered her name with her thumb but showed her the picture.

Lois was satisfied. "Is it fun to be a reporter?"

"Yeah."

"My little cousin would love to meet you. Every time she comes to visit, reporters is all she wants to play."

Chloe looked hurt. "I thought you liked playing it too."

"I do, but I wouldn't mind playing other stuff once in a while. You look familiar, don't I know you from somewhere?" she said, squinting her eyes.

Chloe became nervous again. Clark saw that it wasn't going to work after all. Chloe was right. She needed to stay with people she didn't know as a little girl.

"I guess it'd be better if you stayed with my mom and me," he said and added under his breath, "once again."

It seemed it didn't matter how old she was. She always managed to end up living with him.

sss

"I can't believe your mom and…someone else wasn't at home," Lois said, raging into her apartment with young Clark.

She too had decided not to tell him about the situation. She was going to hand him over to the Kents. They were good at handling these sorts of situations, but she couldn't take Clark over tonight.

"I mean," she continued, "what on Earth could they be doing this time of night? Smallville isn't exactly known for its nightlife unless you include cow tipping. I can't really picture Martha Kent tipping a cow over in its sleep. She should have told me where she was going. I'm her chief of staff. I should know where she is at all times."

"You talk an awful lot," Clark told her.

"And you don't talk enough, Smallville."

"How can a town talk?"

"Never mind. I suppose I have to feed you."

"You don't have to feed me."

"Yes, I do. It's an annoying little efact of life. You don't eat 3 times a day; you're not going to be healthy."

Lois opened the fridge and said, "How does a jar of mustard sound?"

"Fine."

"I was kidding. You never had a sense of humor, did you? Wait, here's some leftover Chinese takeout. Wow, on second thought, I don't even remember when I had that." She threw it in the trash and opened the freezer. "You could always eat ice cubes. If you're wondering, I do eat. I just don't eat very much food from the grocery store. I order out or your mom feeds me. There's nothing open that delivers right now and that includes your mom's kitchen. The sad thing is I live right above the Talon. So close to food and yet so far." She took out the ice cubes.

"It's okay, Miss Lane. I don't want to eat ice cubes."

"I'm fixing us some ice water. At least we won't die of thirst, and my name is Lois, not Miss Lane."

"My parents always tell me to call adults by their last names to be respectful."

"You're—forget it." She poured tap water in with the ice and set the glasses on the table. She began looking through the cabinets. "Today must be your lucky day, Clarkie. I just found a can of pinto beans."

Clark didn't look like he thought that was lucky. She took out her can opener.

"Can I help, Miss Lane?"

"My can opener is deadly. I should get a newer one that isn't so sharp or bulky, but I hardly ever use it."

"Da-arn," she quickly covered up her swear word because she was in front of a 7 year old. The can opener had sliced her finger. She grabbed a washrag from the sink and bound it around the cut.

"You're going to get germs. Mom and Dad always put on peroxide and band-aids when they get cuts."

"Thank you for your medical opinion, but I'm the adult not you."

He didn't say anything but gave her a stern, I-know-what-I'm-talking-about look. She went into the bathroom to take care of it and muttered under her breath all the way. He took the opportunity to open the can of beans and put them on the stove.

"You little show-off," she said when she came back out. "I guess I should've known Martha Kent's son could cook from birth."

Clark just grinned.

After they ate, Lois was covering the couch with a sheet.

"I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch. It'll be good training for when you lose your bedroom."

Clark looked puzzled but got on the couch.

"Miss Lane?"

She turned around on her path to the bedroom.

"I don't feel comfortable spending the night at someone's home without my mom knowing."

"I know your mom, remember? We're like best friends. Trust me. She won't mind."

Clark scrambled off the couch and onto his knees. He folded his hands together.

"What's the matter? What are you doing?" Lois asked.

"I have to say my prayers."

"Of course you do. Good night, Clark."

"Good night."