"Chief, I really think there's a story here," Clark insisted after relaying what his parents had told them about their neighbor's recent find.

"I agree," Perry nodded, "Take Lois and see what you can dig up… no pun intended."

Lois groaned in frustration, "You're seriously sending us to Nowheresville…"

"Smallville," Clark corrected.

"Whatever," She rolled her eyes, "After some rock some farmer dug up? Perry, I'm an award-winning investigative journalist, isn't this a little beneath me?"

Perry arched an eyebrow in her direction, "Lois at what point did I make this sound as if this is an optional assignment? Last time I checked I was the Editor in Chief of this newspaper."

"But Perry, it's Smallville," Lois protested.

"I bet that's how that first reporter at Love Canal felt," Perry countered, "Now get your butts down to travel to arrange for your flight and lodging."

"Actually, just flight, Chief," Clark interjected, "My folks have offered to allow Lois and I to stay with them while we are in town, especially since all the hotels are full due to the Corn Festival that starts tomorrow."

"Great," Lois rolled her eyes and followed Clark out of the Chief's office to make their travel arrangements.

An hour later, Lois slammed the front door of her apartment shut behind her, startling Lucy who was studying at the table.

"What's up with you?" Lucy asked, watching as her sister threw her purse and briefcase on the sofa and stormed off to her room. She didn't catch everything that her older sister was muttering as she pushed open her closet door and began rifling through the clothes hung there, but she was pretty sure she heard the words 'stupid,' 'Perry,' 'Clark,' 'assignment,' and … was that 'Smallville?' "Lo, could you try that again for those of us without supersonic hearing?"

Lois huffed as she pulled a couple blouses and suits from her closet and tossed them onto the bed, "I said, I have to go on this stupid assignment that Perry is sending me on. Apparently one of Clark's childhood neighbors found a rock of all things and now Perry thinks it's the story of the century and is sending us to Smallville to investigate it."

"Not exactly the way I thought you would ever mention Clark, Smallville, and a rock in the same sentence," Lucy shrugged, "At least not without his parents being involved."

This elicited a near-feral growl from the older Lane sister, "See, now that's just where you're wrong," Lois fumed as she shoved her clothes and toiletries into her suitcase, not caring if she was wrinkling anything she packed, "His parents are involved. Apparently Smallville is having it's annual crop worship festival so there are no hotels within 30 miles so was are having to stay with the Kents… who I have never met… in the middle of nowhere!"

"So, Clark's taking you home to meet the parents, huh?" Lucy teased, "Big step."

"You're not funny," Lois gave her sister a flat look. "Look, I don't know how long I'll be gone, may just be the weekend, hopefully it won't be longer. My flight takes off from Metropolis International in a little more than two hours, I'll call you when I land."

"Okay," Lucy nodded, following her sister as she made her way into the living room and collected her purse and briefcase again, "But do me a favor and try to find some time to relax. If they are having a festival while you're there, maybe you and Clark can go and enjoy it a little."

"Lucy, this is work, not a date," Lois pointed out.

"I know, but if the chance arises to let your hair down, for the sake of your sanity… and blood pressure, take it," Lucy advised.

"Fine," Lois rolled her eyes, "If in the off chance I have a moment, I will try to relax. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," Lucy replied drolly, "Now, go, you don't want to miss your flight."

"I'm not so sure about that," Lois groaned.

"Just go already," Lucy practically shoved her sister out the door. She had to suppress a chuckle when she glanced out the window to see a taxi pull up before Lois could even hail it, and saw Clark step out of the back seat, take Lois' suitcase and load it into the trunk before holding the door to allow Lois to enter the cab and sliding in next to her.


"Would you stop that?" Lois huffed at her partner who was getting fidgety as they taxied toward the runway, "I would think you of all people would love flying." When Clark send her a questioning look, she explained, "You traveled quite a lot before coming to the planet, didn't you? And you couldn't have very well driven to all those places."

"Yeah, well," Clark hedged, "I'm not really a fan of planes."

Lois arched an eyebrow at her partner, "Well just try to relax and take deep breaths. It's only a couple hours to Wichita, it'll be over before we know it."

" Ladies and gentlemen; we are next in line for take-off," The pilot announced, " Flight attendants, please take your seats."

Lois noticed out of the corner of her eye how Clark's hand tightened on the armrest of the seat as the engines spooled up. She could also tell the concentrated effort he was putting into not breaking the seat when the plane lurched forward and began to gain speed for take-off, but she was pretty sure that it would bear at least slight indents after the flight was over.

"Would it help if I held your hand?" Lois inquired soto voce.

"No, I'm fi…" Clark gasped as the plane became airborne and banked to the south west, "Fine, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Lois checked.

"Yeah, I just have to take deep breaths, like you said," Clark nodded quickly.

"Well, if it helps, they serve alcohol," She smirked.

"Wouldn't help, alcohol doesn't have much of an effect on me," Clark shrugged.

"Too many keggers in college?" She teased, "Built up a tolerance?"

"Something like that," Clark shrugged.

A few minutes later they heard a bell ding overhead before the head flight attendant made an announcement that they had reached cruising altitude and would soon be coming through the cabin with the drink and snack service.

"Should be smooth sailing from here, assuming we don't hit any turbulence," Lois shrugged and pulled out a magazine from the seatback in front of her, "Here, read this, maybe it will distract you."

"Thanks," Clark gave her a weak smile and began flipping through the magazine and glancing over the articles. He'd settled on an article on points of interest in Boston when the flight attendant stopped at their row.

They ordered a couple colas and accepted their bags of trail mix before he turned back to the article as Lois pulled out a book from her briefcase and settled in for the flight. The next time she looked over, Clark was patting the pockets of his jacket. She rolled her eyes and pulled a pen from her briefcase and handed it to him.

"Thanks," He nodded and accepted the pen before meticulously trying to solve the sudoku puzzle in the back of the magazine.

After a while, they heard a ding from over their heads followed by an announcement that they were making their descent into Wichita and would be arriving soon. The flight attendants made one last pass through the cabin to check that the passengers were ready for landing before taking their seats at the front and aft of the cabin. A few moments later they felt the familiar bump and jolt that came from the wheels touching down on the runway and the reverse thrusters being engaged to slow them to a safe taxi speed.

Clark seemed to relax as soon as they were able to deplane and enter the terminal. Due to the small airport size, they didn't have long to wait for their bags to come out in the baggage claim area and the walk to the car rental desk was relatively short. Seeing as Clark was familiar with the area, it was decided that he would drive them into Smallville, a decision Lois began to question when she saw the blue convertible the rental company had given them.