"Not you again," Chloe said. If things were the way they were supposed to be, she would have ended that statement with a laugh, but she didn't. "I thought I told you not to come back."

"What can I say? I'm not a great listener." She started to shut the door, but Lois jammed her foot in there. "Look who I brought with me."

She looked between Chloe and Oliver waiting for a spark of recognition or a glimmer of attraction but nothing. She should have known given how things had been with her and Clark, but it had been worth a try.

Oliver stuck out his hand. "I'm Lois' husband."

"I know who you are, Mr. Queen," was her tart reply, but she reluctantly shook his hand for politeness' sake.

"Just call me Oliver."

"Have you heard her whacked-out theory?"

Lois cleared her throat. "Let's not talk about that. Can we start over?" The last thing she needed was Oliver insisting she get locked away somewhere for mental treatment, although there were some moments she was starting to feel crazy.

"No, we can't," she replied, so Lois moved her foot, and this time, the door shut with a slam.

"She seems pretty adamant. I think we should go back to Metropolis. You tried. What more can you do?"

"I don't know, but I'm not giving up."

He smiled. "That's why I love you."

A text notification went off on his phone. "I have business to take care of in Star City. Are you going to be okay?"

"Of course."

He moved to kiss her, but she turned her head and offered her cheek instead. He didn't do a good job of masking his disappointment or confusion, not now and not over the silent meal they'd shared before going over to Chloe's. "I'll see you tomorrow hopefully. We'll figure something out together."

If only he could. "Be careful," she said, figuring it was something Green Arrow related.

Oliver left her the car and caught an Uber, but she didn't feel like driving. Despite the fact that it was beginning to get dark, she decided on a walk first.

She passed a picket fence, and kicked the posts as she went by to let off some steam. She did it lightly though. She'd learned her lesson.

She saw the familiar red and blue and turned around. Sure enough Clark pulled up in his cop car.

"What law am I breaking now?"

He pulled that winsome Kent smile that always made her knees want to buckle. "I could take you in for vandalism the way you're abusing that fence, but actually I just wanted to know if you wanted a ride."

"In the front?"

"In the front," he agreed.

She could have told him her car wasn't that far away, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity to be close to Clark and talk to him. "You can drop me off at my hotel," she said, opening the door and getting in. "Smallville's boys in blue really go above and beyond, don't they? Offering taxi service."

Rather than returning her banter, he said seriously. "Actually I have an ulterior motive. Mom told me you're in the family way."

Lois wanted to chuckle and cry at the same time. Only Clark would call it as something as archaic as that, and she had wanted to be the one to tell him. Though in present circumstances, he wouldn't think of it as his, and truthfully, she wasn't sure the baby wasn't just another part of this bizarre fantasy. "I don't really want to talk about it."

He took that as his cue to drive. At least Oliver hadn't found out, but how could he? She didn't have a sign posted on her though she might as get one if got as big as Lana was now. Lana. She hadn't seen much of her, but could this have something to do with magic? What if she was possessed by Isobel again?

"How much do you know about witchcraft?"

"About the same as you. There was that time you, Lana, and Chloe-"

"Yeah, yeah. I remember that. Well, I don't, but you know what I mean." What could be Isobel's motive to target her if she were somehow back? Why didn't she believe the lies like everyone else? "Do you think their power was strong enough to cast a spell on the world?"

It was a strange question, and he looked at her strangely, but right now it was her best guess. "They were powerful, especially Lana's ancestor, but they couldn't even cast a spell over the whole of Smallville. I think the world would be beyond their scope."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Was there ever a meteor-infected person who could-I don't know-change everything?"

"What?" There he went, looking at her as if she were insane.

"Or something."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Well, put it this way what was the most powerful meteor power you and Chloe ever faced?"

"Is this for an article?"

"Could be. Well?"

"Well, I don't know. There was this one guy. He had a really hard-to-pronounce name, but he could mind control people. Change the outcomes if you will."

"Really, and you don't remember his name?"

"Uh, no. Started with an M. He was Russian, I think, but it was so long ago. And anyway, he had his power removed, and even when he had it, he couldn't mind-control on such a grand scale either. Do you think you've run across someone effected by the meteors?"

"I don't think so. When's the last time you did?"

"Not for awhile to be honest. Smallville's quiet these days."

"Like Smallville quiet or Mayberry quiet?"

He chuckled. "I'd almost forgotten the way you could make me laugh. Somewhere in between, I suppose."

A voice came on the radio. "All units respond. We have a 10-92 at the corner of Main and Second."

"10-4. 10-12," he said, answering. It could have been her pregnancy hormones talking but the cop talk was really seductive. It was a shame she couldn't make a move. "Lois, I can't-"

"I know there's an armed robbery in progress. Go on, don't mind the visitor."

"You would know the code."

"Of course. I'm a journalist. I listen to the police scanner."

"I'll drop you off in front of the Talon and come by afterward."

"This isn't my first rodeo, and you can protect me. I want to see you in action, and it could be an interesting story."

He took a second to debate. He didn't want her in harm's way, but he did know he could protect her, and he really couldn't waste time arguing. "Fine, but you stay in the car."