Forty minutes later, Lois emerged from her editor’s office with a victorious look on her face. She looked out into the bullpen and caught his gaze immediately and smiled at him.
He smiled back and waited patiently for her to come to him. He didn’t have to wait long. As soon as the police officers headed for the elevator, she said a few final words to her boss and headed straight to him.
“I’m guessing by the look on your face, you got exactly what you wanted out of that meeting,” he said as she leaned against his desk.
She laughed, eyes twinkling. “Luthor is officially a suspect in all of the arsons and is a person of interest in Toni’s murder. And, more importantly, they won’t be going public with either of those things until morning, so I get the exclusive in tomorrow’s paper.”
“You are a wonder,” he said, beaming at her. “Nicely done. Now what?”
“Now I start writing some of this down and trying to get some sort of rough draft together while we wait for any more news on the search.”
He nodded. “Okay, good. Let me know if I can do anything to help. Oh!” he said, suddenly remembering. “I started that sidebar for you.”
“What?” she asked, “You wrote my article?”
“No!” he said, suddenly afraid he had overstepped. “I just…sort of sketched it out for you. I just started it. You said you didn’t want to do it. That you were going to tell Perry to assign it to someone else. But you had all the notes right there. So I just typed them up for you. You can rewrite it however you–”
She put a hand on his arm. “Do you think I’m angry?” she asked, her mouth quirking into that smile he loved so much.
He exhaled nervously. “I… I don’t know. I just wanted to help. But now I feel like maybe I overstepped, and that definitely wasn’t my intention.”
“I adore you,” she whispered, reaching out to stroke his cheek. “You have no idea…. I’m not mad. I was just surprised. Thank you. That was really helpful.”
He smiled, relieved.
“Lois!” Perry bellowed, and they both turned to face him. He made his way through the newsroom to Clark’s desk. “I thought you didn’t have time to write this sidebar and wanted me to reassign it? The whole thing is done.”
Lois turned and looked at him, eyebrows raised, and started to laugh. She turned back to Perry. “I didn’t write it. Clark did it while we were in the meeting. He said it was just a sketch and he was just giving me a head start.”
Perry’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about, son? It’s a damn good article.”
“It’s still rough,” he insisted. “And it needs a quote from the FAA about the consequences for changing a flight plan en route.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Perry asked. “Call the FAA.” He turned and walked off, hollering at someone named Susan about getting him her article.
Clark looked up at Lois, who was barely holding back her laughter. “This has to be your least relaxing vacation day ever.”
“Lois, I routinely spend my vacation days working on the farm. At least here I’m sitting at a desk,” he teased.
“True,” she said. “At least I’ve only got you writing and editing articles, not plowing fields.”
She stood and nodded her head toward her desk. “I’ll get you my contact at the FAA.”
“Thanks,” he said, watching as she walked to her desk, his eyes drifting again to her legs. She shrugged off her suit jacket and hung it on the back of her chair, and then rifled through her rolodex and pulled out a card.
She walked back over to his desk and held the card out to him. He grasped it, but rather than letting it go, she tugged it back playfully. “Just to be clear, no one touches my rolodex. It’s a death penalty crime in this newsroom,” she said, grinning at him.
“I am appropriately flattered,” he teased. She released the card and went back to her desk and began typing.
He called the number on the card and got the last of the information he needed. After he hung up, he updated the article with the new information, including a colorful quote about the rarity of any pilot deviating from their flight plan for any reason except extreme weather. Then he gave it another read through and made a few polishes.
“Hey,” he said, just loud enough to get her attention.
She looked up and smiled at him, and his heart stuttered, imagining a life where they did this every day.
“How do I submit this when I’m done?”
“On the taskbar at the top, there’s a “share” button. Click that and it will give you a drop down menu. Then choose “send to copy”.
“Thanks,” he said.
She nodded and smiled at him again, then went back to typing. He submitted his article, then snuck another peek at her. She reached blindly for her coffee cup as she read back over what she had typed so far, but winced after one sip and poured it into the ceramic pot on her desk. Clark narrowed his eyes and realized the pot contained a lifeless spider plant, no doubt dead of a caffeine overdose. He shook his head and laughed silently.
He stood and walked to the elevator, remembering the coffee cart he had passed on the way in.
He was standing in line for coffee when Jimmy burst through the door. He nodded a greeting, and Jimmy made a beeline for him, notebook in the air.
“CK! You’re not going to believe this! It’s a good thing I went back down there. The whole place was full of graduates from the program. They were all working together to fix the damage and paint over the graffiti. The whole place looks good as new.” He held up the camera that was hanging around his neck. “I got all new pictures! The place looks amazing. And everyone wanted to talk about how the program changed their lives and how they weren’t going to let some vandals take that from the next generation.”
Clark smiled broadly. “That’s amazing. It sounds like you’ve got a whole new story.”
“Yeah, man! I’ve got to get writing!”
“Go,” Clark said, nodding toward the elevator that was arriving. “I’ll be happy to take a look at it again when you’re done if you want.”
“If I want? Heck yeah!” Jimmy said, squeezing into the elevator.
Clark turned back to the line and ordered two coffees, then took them to the side table with sugars and creams, taking care to fix Lois’ just the way she liked.
When he returned to the newsroom, she was focused on her computer, typing away, and he assumed she hadn’t even noticed he was gone. But when he set her coffee on her desk, she turned and beamed at him.
“So that’s where you went! Thank you,” she said sweetly. “It’s probably going to be a long night. I’m going to need this.”
“Let me know if you need anything else,” he said, tilting his head toward the empty desk where he had been sitting.
The newsroom staff began to thin out as evening approached. By seven o’clock, there were only a dozen or so reporters left. Lois was back on the phone, trying to weasel information about the security tapes out of her prison source, and Jimmy was hanging around his desk, chatting with him about his fantasy football league.
Perry stepped out of his office, and Clark watched him cast around the newsroom until his gaze landed on Jimmy.
He made his way over to them, and Clark nudged Jimmy, motioning at his approaching boss. “Son?” Perry said. “That was a great article about those kids and the cleanup. That was a whole different angle than we discussed this morning. How did you know to go back down there? Did you get a tip?”
Jimmy shook his head eagerly. “No, CK told me to go down and get a quote from a kid. One who was in the program now or who graduated from it. He said it would be better than the quote I had from the program director. And when I got down there, I saw them all cleaning up.”
Perry shot Clark a thoughtful look and then turned his attention back to Jimmy. “Well, now, that’s real good. Real good. The writing was better on this article too. I barely changed anything.”
Jimmy beamed. “CK helped me with that too. He gave me a bunch of tips. I’m ready for whatever you have for me next!”
Perry laughed. “Well, stick around, and we might find something else for you tonight. Who knows what’s going to happen with Luthor. In fact, why don’t you go check in with Tina and see if she needs any help on the timeline she’s writing up.
“Awesome!” Jimmy said, dashing off.
“Did you write that article for him?” Perry said, when Jimmy was gone.
Clark raised his hands in the air and shook his head. “No, I swear. He did it all himself. I just sat with him and worked it through like I would with one of my kids; helped him identify the places that were weak, tighten up the spots that were too wordy. And he got some great quotes — more than he could use in the space — so I helped him read through and choose the ones he liked best. He did it all himself; he just needed a little guidance. He’s got a ton of potential.”
Perry smiled and nodded. “That he does. Thank you. I’m sure that meant more to him than you realize. How are you holding up? You itching to get out of here? Sorry to hijack your whole day.”
“Me?” Clark said. “I’m having a great day. This has been so much fun, I might make Lois bring me to work for a day every time I come to visit.”
Perry laughed, and clapped him on the arm. “Spoken like a true newspaperman.”
Perry wandered off, and Clark stood and stretched, then made his way to Lois’ desk. He rested his hands on her shoulders, then massaged gently, his hands gliding across the silky shirt she was wearing.
Lois dropped her chin to her chest and sighed. “That feels so good,” she moaned, and he stopped abruptly, every nerve in his body on high alert. She laughed, and he couldn’t help laughing too as he resumed his kneading.
“How is it going?” he asked.
“Not bad,” she said. “I think I’ve got most of the background about the fires and Toni’s death all finished. And I got all the basic details that we know so far about his escape. Which is basically nothing. I wish I could get my hands on those tapes.”
“Have they found anything yet?” he asked, working his thumbs up her neck.
She made a vague sound that indicated they hadn’t and rolled her head to one side, exposing her neck to him. He gazed at it longingly, wishing he could kiss her right there on that spot that made her whimper in his arms. He ran the back of finger along it instead, and she inhaled sharply, a shiver running down her spine.
He chuckled softly, and she shook her head, giggling softly. He rested his hands firmly on her shoulder instead, massaging more firmly rather than teasing.
From the fax machine, Jimmy called Lois name and held up a stack of paper.
“I’ll get it,” he said immediately, but she shook her head and pushed her chair back from her desk.
“I need to get up and move,” she said. “I’ve been sitting for hours. She clasped her hands and stretched them over her head, arching her back, and he let his gaze drift over her curves, imagining her arching beneath him like that.
When his gaze made it back to her face, she was smirking at him with a knowing look. He rolled his eyes and jerked his head toward the fax machine. “Go get your fax and stop teasing me,” he said.
She laughed and reached up to stroke his cheek. “Just a few more hours.”
“I’ve heard that before,” he said with a wink.
She walked off to the fax machine, still laughing, and he turned and surveyed her desk. The coffee he had bought her a few hours ago was still half full and certainly cold by now. He shot a look around quickly, then lowered his glasses and focused a beam of heat vision on the brown liquid until it began to steam. He gave it a quick swirl to avoid any hot spots, then sat it back on her desk.
Across the room, Lois was caught up in a conversation with Jimmy, so Clark slid into her chair and took a look at what she had written so far. He was fixing a typo when he saw Cat slink down the stairs and cross the bullpen, headed in his direction.
Cat tossed her hair and slid around to her desk, but paused as soon as she saw Clark.
"Well, hello, handsome," she purred, bypassing her chair to approach him. "How nice to see you here again. You're looking as delicious as ever. All that clean living is clearly working for you."
He stood automatically as she approached. As she had the first time she met him, she extended her hand for him to kiss it. And just as he had the first time they had met, he took it in an awkward shake, refusing to take the bait. "Ms. Grant, good to see you again."
Cat narrowed her eyes, looking him up and down speculatively. Then she smirked. "You're doing that on purpose, aren't you? Not just a pretty face, are you, Teach? Or maybe they call you Coach? I bet they call you Coach. Am I right?"
Clark met her gaze, understanding that he was being sized up. "What answer gets you to call me Clark?"
Cat looked right back. "What answer gets you to call me Cat?"
Clark couldn't help but laugh, knowing he was being called out. He tipped his head in acknowledgment. "Nice to see you again, Cat. I hope you've been well."
Cat chuckled and nodded back. "Thank you, Clark. Nice to see you again too."
She walked back to her desk, tossing her fur wrap on the back of her chair and revealing a short, tight beaded black dress. As she slid into the chair and booted up her computer, Clark turned back to Lois’ screen.
“If you make changes to her article, you’re going to need more than flowers and poems to get yourself out of the doghouse.”
Clark laughed and turned in his seat. “I’m just fixing typos.”
“Don’t bother telling me,” she said. “Your girlfriend is the one who you should be begging for mercy.”
“I’m not afraid of her,” he said, fixing another typo.
Cat looked at him skeptically. “Then you’re the only one. Is she on a tear with all this Luthor drama? I figured I’d get in and find half the newsroom cowering.”
Clark cast a glance over the fax machine where Lois was laughing with Jimmy. And then looked back at Cat.
She raised an eyebrow and looked at him strangely. “What did you do to her?”
Clark laughed. “I didn’t do anything.”
“If you say so,” Cat said, beginning to type.
Clark went back to editing, smiling as he heard Lois approach. She stopped behind him, resting her hands on his shoulder, then sliding them down his chest and resting her cheek against his ear. “I know you’re not editing my copy,” she said threateningly, and Clark heard Cat snort with amusement.
“How is it possible that someone so brilliant is such a terrible speller?” Clark asked, fixing another misspelled word.
She whacked him on the shoulder, and he stood and let her have her seat back. He leaned against her desk and watched her work. “What did the fax say?”
She tilted her head at it, indicating that he could read it. “Press release from the FAA. No indication that Luthor left on a chartered plane. All the planes with flight plans filed are accounted for, and no reports of planes on the radar without a flight plan.”
Clark picked up the fax and skimmed it, eyebrows raised. “So he’s still on the ground somewhere.”
Lois nodded, still typing.
“You still think he’s gone? Out of Metropolis?” he asked softly. His heart squeezed painfully at the idea that Luthor was lurking somewhere nearby plotting his next payback.
She didn’t answer.
“Lois….” he prompted.
She looked up at him and shrugged, irritated. “What do you want me to say, Clark? You know what this means. He’s probably still in the city somewhere.”
He ran a hand through his hair and massaged the back of his neck mindlessly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just….”
“Worried about me,” she finished softly. “I know. And I love that you care, but…. This is my job, Clark. You know that.”
He nodded, then cast a glance around to make sure no one was watching them before cupping her cheek and stroking his thumb gently over her cheekbone. “I’m going to go see if there are any more articles in the queue. Tell me if you need something, okay?”
He started to walk away, but she caught his hand and pulled him back. He came willingly, then waited patiently for her to speak.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I know you’re just worried. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m worried too. But there’s nothing I can do right now except get as much information as possible and write this article. Maybe someone saw something or knows something and will come forward.”
“I know,” he said, squeezing her hand. “It’s okay.”
She held his gaze for a second, making sure he wasn’t angry, and he smiled at her until she blushed and looked away. After a second, she turned back to him, relaxed again. “Jimmy told me how much you helped on his article. Thank you. That meant a lot to him.”
“It was nothing,” he said.
“It wasn’t nothing to him. He just talked my ear off about it. If you’re taking applications for fan club president, I’m sure he’s ready to throw his name in the hat.”
Clark laughed and made his way back to the desk that was beginning to feel like his own.
The queue had dwindled to just a handful of stories, and he opened one to edit.
“Hey,” she called across the aisle, her voice hushed. He looked up and she caught his eye and then jerked her head toward the coffee area where Jimmy was flirting with a girl with short brown hair. Clark looked back at Lois and she gave him a knowing grin. He realized suddenly this must be the new copyeditor Jimmy had been crushing on all month. Lucky for him, she seemed to have avoided the plague running rampant among her desk mates.
Lois went back to typing and then reached for her coffee cup blindly. She took a sip, and he watched as her face registered that the liquid was warm. She froze, pulled the cup away from her mouth and peered inside. Slowly, her gaze slid from the cup to him.
“When did you? How did you?” she started.
“Magic,” he said with a wink, and she laughed, her cheeks turning the most adorable shade of pink.
He saw Cat glance up from her computer, her gaze bouncing between Lois and Clark, an amused and baffled look on her face.
Clark glanced at the clock and realized it was almost eight, and Lois hadn’t eaten dinner. Pizzas had been delivered to the conference room while she was at the fax machine, and now the initial crowd in there seemed to have emptied out.
He looked over at her desk and saw she was on the phone again, typing while she talked. He stood and made his way to the conference room, grabbing two plates and selecting the last few pieces of veggie supreme for himself and then grabbing two slices of sausage for Lois.
“There’s a whole other box of veggie over here,” a voice said. Clark’s head snapped up, surprised to see Perry at the other end of the table.
“That’s okay,” Clark said with a grin. “This one is for Lois, and she says salads don’t-“
“Belong on pizza,” he finished with a laugh. “Yeah, I’ve heard that a time or two.”
“Thanks for letting me hang out today,” Clark said.
Perry chuckled. “We should be thanking you. She hasn’t threatened to disembowel anyone all night. I’m pretty sure all of Research is pooling funds to buy you a gift.”
Clark shook his head and laughed.
“I just finished the final read on your story,” Perry said. “That was good work. Thanks for stepping up and doing that.”
“I was glad to help. I didn’t plan to write the whole thing; I was just trying to save her some time by typing up her notes. But I really appreciate you giving me the opportunity to write it, Mr. White.”
“Son, anyone who writes that well gets to call me Perry. Or Chief. You’re practically one of the team after tonight, so you get to choose.”
He flushed with pleasure, so close to realizing his dream of working for a paper of this stature.
“There you are!”
He turned and found Lois paused in the doorway, her smile trained on him.
He smiled back automatically and held up her plate. “Hungry?” he asked.
“Starving,” she answered.
She came to stand next to him and took the plate, but put it on the table and slid her arm around his waist. His heart fluttered as she stroked his back, and he set his plate down on the table too, unable to stop himself from touching her in return. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”
“Henderson. I was just checking up on their search. He talked in circles for a while, but basically, they have nothing. They still haven’t figured out how he got out of the prison, so they aren’t even sure where to start.”
Perry furrowed his brow. “Did he say any more about the fires?”
Lois shook her head. “He said they’re looking into it. Reexamining the evidence with him in mind. And they’re examining his prison records to review his call log and visitor log. But he didn’t have anything for me yet, even off the record.”
“Highway patrol still doing roadblocks?” Perry asked.
Lois nodded. “I asked Henderson about that too. He wouldn’t comment on the record, but he said off the record that he agrees it’s pointless. Luthor isn’t stupid enough to get caught at a checkpoint.”
“Any off the record ideas of where the hell he is?” Perry asked.
“They’re focusing on known associates. Most of those are in prison too, but they’re looking into anyone who’s left. And they have Luthor Tower surrounded in case he has any illusions of returning home.” She hesitated and cast Clark a sideways glance before continuing. “And they’re watching anyone they think he might target. Any of his employees who turned state’s evidence. Anyone who testified against him.”
Clark looked at her, waiting.
She rolled her eyes in concession. “Me,” she added.
Clark took a deep breath, his hand tightening around her waist automatically. She tilted her head close to his, and spoke softly. “It doesn’t mean anything. They’re just covering all their bases.
“I know,” he said, raising his free hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, and stroke her cheek. “It’s a good thing. Not that he might…but that they are aware. I’m glad they’re watching you.”
Perry cleared his throat and started to turn for the door, and Clark dropped his hand and stepped away from her, suddenly remembering that they were at her work in front of her boss.
A woman walked into the room just then, and it took Clark a second to recognize her as Diana from Copy who had helped him get all set up.
“Oh, I’m glad you’re still here!” Diana said, when she spotted him. She lifted a piece of pizza from an open box and sat it on her plate. “I wanted to thank you. You are a lifesaver. I swear to god, I don’t know how we would have worked that queue without you today.”
Clark felt Lois’ hand squeeze his waist, and he heard her soft chuckle.
“I was happy to help,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Diana turned to Perry. “He edited more articles than almost anyone else on the desk tonight. And I didn’t have to make any major fixes. If this is some sort of job trial, I call dibs.”
Clark laughed and held up a hand in protest, eliciting laughter from everyone involved. “I’m only in town for four days. But I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
Between Diana’s praise, Perry’s gratitude for the sidebar he had written, and Jimmy’s admiration for the help with his article, he was overwhelmed by the flattery.
Perry turned to Diana and asked her to look over a final draft of another front page article with him, and she followed him out of the conference room, plate in hand.
Lois turned to him and shook her head, laughing.
“What,” he asked, missing the joke.
“Is there anyone in this newsroom who doesn’t adore you?” she asked.
He laughed, recognizing that question from her last day in Smallville. Then she glanced around the conference room meaningfully and before turning her gaze back to him.
“Alone at last,” she whispered, sliding her hands around his neck. And he didn’t need any further invitation. His lips were on hers, and he felt like every one of his dreams was coming true.
