Lois heard the cell door clank behind her. It wasn't the first time Lois had found herself behind bars. Katie, however, was starting to hyperventilate.

"Relax," Lois said. "Take slow, deep breathes. It's going to be fine. Let's hurry up and grab a seat on the bench before more girls are thrown in here."

The jail was already overflowing. Katie looked pale and clenched the underside of the bench, as she stuttered, "They—they took our pictures and our—our fingerprints."

"It's no big deal. We won't be convicted. You used your call for the hotel. As soon as they get the message, they'll come down. My call went for a lawyer, just in case they don't get it. We'll explain our extremely unlucky circumstances and we'll be released. It's as simple as that."

"Really?" Katie asked, unsure they would ever see the light of day again.

"I'm sure," Lois said. "I've been through the system before, under different circumstances of course."

A woman with frizzy red hair, who was on Lois' other side joined the conversation. "Is this the kid's first time in the slammer? She better get used to it. It comes with the profession."

"But—but we're not in the profession," Katie stammered. "It's all a misunderstanding."

"What do you do then?" she asked.

"I'm an interior decorator."

"I've never heard that one before. You decorate the bed?"

Katie looked disgusted. "No, I decorate houses. I'm going to school to become an interior decorator."

"Oh, it's just until you get through school. You're lucky. I have 2 sons to raise. They're 5 and 6."

Katie threw her head into her hands, giving up on trying to convince her.

"Sons, huh?" Lois asked. "You couldn't find a job as a waitress? What are they going to do when their teachers ask them what their mommy does for a living?"

"That's what I tell them I am, a waitress, and I do serve food sometimes. Don't lecture me, please. I know it's not a great job, but it's the best I can do. I have no skills and waitressing just doesn't pay enough. I can't get out. So what's your 'profession'?" she asked using air quotes at profession.

"I'm a reporter."

"That's a clever one. Do you have a little reporter's jacket and hat? I'm a nurse myself, bedside manner and all that. It's not the most original one, but it's a classic."

"For goodness sakes," Katie said, lifting her head up, "we have husbands!"

"Your husbands loan you out?"

A cop opened the cell door. "Mrs. O'Connor and Mrs. Kent, you're free to go."

"There's always a way out," Lois told the woman before she left.

When they got out to the front, they found Rob and Clark waiting for them. Katie ran to Rob and kissed him. Lois walked and when she got to Clark, she hit him.

"What was that for?" Clark asked. "You should be thanking me for proving your innocence. By the way, how did it happen?"

"Broke down, picked up by hippies, dropped off in bad part of town, and that's all I have to say on the matter. If it weren't for you, I would be at the casino right now."

Clark was wise enough to realize Lois had had an unusually bad day and not to press for details.

Back at the hotel, he asked her if she wanted to go to the casino. She didn't answer but headed for the elevator.

"I'm taking that as a no," Clark said.

"I'm tired. I just want to go to bed."

"It's only 2:00. Are you sure?"

"Yes. It probably means I'll be up extra early tomorrow and so help me, Clark, I don't care if the president or Elvis Presley is staying in this hotel and wants to give us an interview, we're going to the casino."

"Really? I think Elvis Presley would be the bigger story."

Lois glared.

"Got it. No time for jokes. Have you had lunch yet?"

"No, maybe I'll wake up for supper. You know if Katie and I were 2 fat, old ladies, I bet we wouldn't have been arrested."

"I don't know. I bet old men go there and some probably like plump women their own age and some young men might even like older women. It takes all kinds."

"That didn't really require an answer but thanks anyway for the disturbing images."

They went into the room and Lois flopped onto the bed. Clark laid down with her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We've got to be on the same sleeping schedule if we can."

"Whatever," she mumbled, shutting her eyes.

"You should have seen the musical. I still don't know what it was about and it was in English. All I know is people were singing, not very well either or dancing well for that matter. Katie would have probably dragged Rob out of there. It only had women in it and they were barely dressed. That was probably the plot of the show."

"I'm trying really hard not to smack you right now. Help me out by shutting your mouth."

"Sorry," he apologized.

Before Lois could fall asleep though, the phone rang.

"I bet it's Rob and Katie," Lois complained. "Who else would call us in our hotel room? Don't answer it."

"It could be important. Hello?...Mom?"

Lois' eyes opened wide and she sat up, straining to hear. Clark put the phone between them, so they could both hear.

"Yes, son. This is your mother," her voice sounded like it could hardly contain its excitement and laughter. "I've been trying to call you at the farm. Finally I decided to call Chloe because she usually knows where you are, but she told me she couldn't tell me. I was even more curious when she said that and the fact that Lois was missing too didn't soothe my curiosity. A friend of mine, who has a job at the Planet now, told me that rumor around the office has it that you two went to Las Vegas to elope. She tracked down your hotel and room number for me. Quite an interesting story, don't you think?"

"I can explain, Mom."

"Oh, don't bother. I go to Washington for just a little while and I miss everything. I'm so happy for you two. I knew it was only a matter of time."

"What?" Clark and Lois cried at the same time.

"Hi, Lois. I'm glad you're both on the phone. I am a little mad that I wasn't invited to your wedding, but I'll get over it. Now Lois is officially my daughter. We have to have a big party as soon as you get back to Smallville."

"Mom? Slow down. We're undercover."

"Undercover?" Martha repeated in a disappointed tone. "You mean you didn't get married?"

"Well, sort of. It's a long story that we'll tell you as soon as we're done, but be forewarned it's a story that will end in divorce or annulment."

"But wait a minute. You're in bed together, aren't you? Phones are usually right beside the bed in hotels."

"No, Mrs. Kent! I mean kind of, but we'd never—"

"I'm sorry. I have a meeting to get to. So let me get this straight. You're not married in the true sense of the word?"

"Yes," Clark and Lois said together, both relieved to have gotten it across.

They said their goodbyes.

"I'm glad that's over," Lois said. "That could have ended up being a disaster if more people got the wrong idea."

"Are you kidding me? Mom probably told somebody."

"She's not a blabbermouth. She can keep secrets."

"Sure. She can keep secrets, but if she's got some good news, she likes to share. The whole town of Smallville will know and be under the allusion that we got married before the sun sets. It's much easier to spread fabrications than the truth, especially when the truth comes second and isn't as scandalous."

"The whole town?" Lois asked.

"There'll be smoke signals, town criers, the works."

Lois threw herself back on the bed. "This is only going to get worse. I have a gut feeling."

Right after she said that, the phone rang again and Lois put the pillow over head and groaned.