"You know, you'd think a man with a time machine wouldn't be late," 1938 Lois complained.

"You might as well enjoy 2006 while you can, Lois," Clark told her.

"I'd rather be enjoying 193-"

Suddenly, it was as if someone had turned out the light. At least that's what they thought at first, but they were still very visible. H.G. Wells was there and visible and so were 1938 Clark and 2006 Lois.

"Where are we?" questioned 1938 Lois.

"We are where time and matter do not exist. A sort of in-between world like limbo," H.G. Wells answered. "It is here that I will send the right Lois to the right time. First, you must place yourselves beside the Clark from your time."

1938 Lois placed a kiss on the cheek of 2006 Clark. 2006 Lois saw this and was slightly jealous (which didn't seem rational because it was technically her and since when did she care who kissed Clark). She then gave 1938 Clark a smack on the lips.

1938 Lois irrationally fumed and shouted, "I'll have you know I'm a very formidable boxer!"

"So what?" 2006 Lois shouted back. "I know judo!"

The Loises were about to advance and not to switch places but to fight. The Clarks held the Loises back.

"I have a feeling this is one fight you can't win, Lois and Lois!" said 2006 Clark.

Both Loises rolled their eyes. They knew they were equally matched, but if she had been anybody else…

"It is time," said H.G. Wells.

When they went to walk forward, only their souls moved and they walked into their respective bodies. Then they all vanished.

Back in 1938…

"So I hope you three understand that perilous situations arise in this business but that's no reason to take unnecessary risks."

"We understand, Chief," Lois said. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go eat. I'm strangely hungry."

"Me too, Lois. I feel like we haven't eaten all day," said Clark, as he wiped his face with a handkerchief and wondered where the lipstick had come from.

"Here, kids. Take these two tickets to the grand opening of Marco's Italian Restaurant. I was going to go, but I feel like I've already eaten."

"If you're sure, Mr. White," Clark said, taking the tickets.

"I am. Alice doesn't even like Italian. Now get out of my office."

They left without protest.

"Chief, how come I never get tickets?" Jimmy asked.

"When you start winning prizes for your pictures, we'll talk."

Clark and Lois headed toward the elevator.

Lois looked over at Clark. There were times when she felt like he had a secret. She respected his privacy though. Besides what kind of secret could a boy from Kansas have? A very good and sweet boy.

Clark looked over at Lois. For a second, he thought maybe she was seeing him in a new light and breaking down her wall of defense. Maybe he had just imagined it. He wondered what would happen if he told her that he was Superman. He felt like she would understand, once she was over the shock. He felt like they might have a relationship, get married, and even have kids. Yes, maybe someday, somewhere, it would all work out.

They locked arms in a comrade gesture and entered the elevator.

Back in 2006...

"Class dismissed."

Lois was the first one out the door this time and Clark hurried to catch up. They walked to Chloe's dorm and heard people snickering all the way.

"Hi…," Chloe began, "what have you two been doing?"

"Listening to Professor Boring. Why are those people laughing?" asked Lois as she pushed her way into the room.

Chloe shut the door after Clark came in and said, "Don't you know?"

"Well, I thought maybe it was because Clark's pants are starting to slide down," at this point Clark looked a little embarrassed and angry at Lois for not telling him as he pulled his pants higher, "but they were looking at the both of us,"

"Maybe it's got something to do with the lip print on Clark's cheek."

Lois walked over to Clark's other side and remarked, "Oh, yeah. Ran into Lana, I see."

Clark blushed again and as he used his shirt to remove it, he found the glasses in his pocket.

"Lois, Lana doesn't wear that shade of lipstick," Chloe pointed out. "You do."

"Are you saying I did it, Cuz? That's just crazy and impossible."

"If you say so."

Clark had put on the glasses and asked, "How do I look?"

"Like an idiot who picked out a stupid pair of glasses."

"I think he looks handsome, Lois. You should keep them. As much as I'm enjoying playing fashion critic, I do have to finish a paper."

Chloe turned on the computer and began typing. Clark decided to try wearing glasses. He had a strange feeling it might come in handy one day. Lois sauntered over to the bed and opened her notebook.

"Smallville, let me see your notes from class."

"If you paid attention, you would have the notes. I shouldn't let you copy mine down all the time."

"Yeah, yeah! Just hand them over."

He sat on the bed beside her and gave her his notebook.

"I must be rubbing off on you."

"Why?"

"Your notes stop at 10:45, Smallville. Which by the way, it's a little obsessive that you document your notes by time."

"Let me see that! That's weird. I don't remember him saying anything else. It's like a chunk of time is missing!"

"It's called zoning out. Professor Blackard's classes will do that to you. Don't worry. I'll show you what I do when that happens."

She gave him her notebook. He saw tic tac toe games drawn all over the pages.

"You play games with yourself?" he asked with a chuckle. "Boy, that would be scary!"

"What would?"

"Two Loises."

She hit him and they proceeded to play tic tac toe.

Chloe printed out her paper and glanced over at Lois and Clark. Lois had her feet laying in Clark's lap and he didn't seem to notice or care. They just passed the notebook back and forth. She could see them getting closer all the time, whether they wanted to admit it or not. That was part of the reason she got them to take a class together and the other part was for laughs.

sss

H.G. Wells watched these two scenes with satisfaction. His time machine now had a screen where he could view time without being there. It had worked out well.

He looked upward and said, "I think I deserve some Advil."

The assignment he had just completed was enough to give anyone a headache. Particularly, a woman whose initials were L.L. and it wasn't Lana. A glass of water and a pill appeared in his hand. After he took it, he seemed to hear someone talking. He listened.

"How does he think going to the Middle Ages is going to stop Utopia? Clark and Lois don't exist in that time, but I guess you'll explain on the way, Lord."

However, that was another story for another time.

The End