Clark was out walking late on Thursday because he couldn't sleep. He hadn't had as much distraction from his problems as he'd hoped for. In fact, now he had a new problem being worried about Lois and Robbie. Maybe that was why he heard their voices. Well, that and his super-hearing. They were in a deserted spot. He must have lived on the base as well to be here at this time of night.

"It's time you start putting out," Robbie said. "You know you want it or you wouldn't be sneaking out of your bed to see me."

"That's real romantic. Let me clue you in on something. The only reason I'm going out with you is because my father said I couldn't, and I needed a date to the prom. I was going to break up with you anyway afterward, but it looks like it's going to happen a day earlier than planned. Goodbye."

"You're lying. You've got quite the reputation as a party girl." He reached out and touched her in an inappropriate area.

He was about to rush in to help, but Lois took Robbie's wrist and made his arm change directions, so that he had to bend over unless he wanted it broke. "Try that again and you won't be grabbing anybody for a long time to come. Reputations aren't always all they're cracked up to be, but it is true that I'm a second-degree black belt, and I can kick your butt."

She let him fall to the ground. Robbie let out a string of expletives as he got up, but he did leave.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. She shouldn't have let herself get in that situation in the first place because there was never a guarantee in an altercation, but she did know how to defend herself against a bad date without out any kind of powers. It wasn't the kind of girl he was used to, but one that he highly respected.

He showed himself.

"Smallville, you have a knack for turning up like a bad penny."

Was there no end to her nicknames for him? "Lucky for you I did. He might come back."

"If he does, I can handle that creep," she said, lighting up a cigarette.

He shook his head in annoyance. "At least you know he's a creep now. How'd you get more cigarettes?"

"I told you. I have my contacts. I think I've earned a cigarette tonight. Now where am I going to find a date?"

"Well, if you'll remember I did offer to take you, which makes me think I need to have my head examined."

"I suppose you are one direction I could go," she said, less than thrilled at the prospect, "but you can't wear plaid to the prom."

"I'm sure I can scrounge up a suit and tie somewhere though you are probably more concerned that I'm not an exciting enough date to anger your father, since I must have passed inspection yesterday."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I know how to spice things up. Just meet me at eighteen thirty hours."

"6:30?" he asked, feeling he was starting to get the hang of military time.

"Lois Joanne Lane!"

"And this day just keeps getting better," she said, knowing she was in trouble now that she'd been caught with a cigarette in hand. She put it out though it was far too late for that.

Clark didn't know whether to leave or stay, but General Lane ignored his presence altogether.

"Didn't I tell you if I ever caught you smoking I'd kill you?" he said at the top of his voice, all but in her face, spittle flying.

"I know. That's why I started. I took it as a personal challenge," she said as cool as a cucumber. She was either very brave or out of her mind.

"I should have sent you to military school a long time ago."

"Hello, I've been in military school all my life. You trained me for combat, made inspections of my room, made me run for punishment. I wasn't your daughter. I was your recruit."

Even in the dark, Clark could see his face getting redder with anger, but that didn't stop Lois. "Besides, it was a little hypocritical of you, wasn't it? You smoke cigars like it's going out of style."

"Except you're not my parental authority. You were just old enough to remember your mother. Do you want to end up like her, laying in a hospital bed, pumped full of meds, and hooked up to a ventilator? Have countless years stolen from your life?"

Despite her bravado, that image effected her deeply he could tell. He couldn't imagine having to see your parent like that at a tender age. Maybe that was another reason for the wall she put up. "Fine, I won't smoke anymore. Happy?"

"No, I'm not happy. Do you think you can give them up that easily? Say goodbye to your almost prom date because the only thing you're going to see until you graduate is the inside of our house and the inside of your school."

"I can't go to prom?"

"Not in this lifetime."

He saw her smile as her father marched her back home. She'd just been issued another personal challenge. She was going to find a way to get to that prom. He didn't know how, and honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted to know how.