Lois awoke to the smell of burnt toast. She followed her nose down to the kitchen, where she found Clark and Lane staring at something black in a frying pan. "What's going on?" she asked.
Both of them looked up when she spoke, although Lane immediately focused once again on the smoking pan. Clark gave her a grin. "Good morning, Lois!" he said, in a voice that seemed far too cheerful, especially for this hour. "Lane and I were just...ah...having a little cooking lesson."
The smoke alarm began to wail.
"I see he takes after his mother in the cooking department," Lois said with a smirk.
Lane blinked at her while Clark carried the pan over to the sink. It almost seemed to have a reddish glow to it, although that was likely just the lighting. "What are you talking about?" said Lane. "My mom is a great cook!"
Lois snorted. "I knew she wasn't really Lois Lane," she muttered.
"How do you want your eggs, Lois?" Clark asked.
"I'll just have cereal, thanks," Lois replied, fanning smoke away as she made her way to the fridge. "So," she said as she reached for the milk, "any ideas on what we can do today to work on getting back home?"
There was no reply.
Lois set the milk on the counter and turned around, only to find that Clark had a distracted expression on his face. "Clark?"
Clark whipped around to face her. "Uh..." he began, then glanced out the window briefly before turning to Lane. "Does Superman...?" he whispered, tapping his glasses.
"Superman!" Lois exclaimed. "That's a great idea, Clark! If anyone can help us, he can."
Lane shook his head at Clark.
"But then how...?" Clark whispered to the boy.
Lane shrugged. "You're asking me?!" he whispered back.
"What?" Lois frowned at them both.
"Nothing," they said at once.
"Uh," Clark said again, "I was just thinking...how about if I go look for him, right now?"
Lane raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'll come with you," Lois decided.
"Er..." Clark looked out the window again. "How about if we split up? We'll cover more ground that way."
Lane glanced out the window, then frowned at Clark. "You're kidding," he said softly.
Clark shrugged.
"The half-pint's right," Lois said. "We should stick together."
"You know," Lane said slowly, looking at Clark, "I...think I might have left my...homework...over at Jake's house."
Clark's eyes widened. "No!" he said firmly, "your parents would kill me!"
Lois rolled her eyes. "Clark, I think he's probably old enough to go to a friend's house and get his homework."
Lane gave Clark a pleading look. They both glanced out the window. "Only if I go with you," Clark relented.
Lane pumped a fist into the air and sprinted for the door.
Clark followed close behind. "Wait!" he called. "We haven't discussed what you're wearing!"
Lois raised an eyebrow at Clark's retreating back, then shook her head. It was far too early in the day to be trying to make sense of her partner's weirdness.
