Hi guys, I hope you think it is still worth continuing. Wow, now that I'm writing a story, I am really appreciating all the little subtleties in your stories. Anyways, what do you all think? Thanks to Hubby for reading this over for me. I love u!
Previously, on Lois and Clark:
“Can I help you sir?” Lois asked abruptly. The man smiled (showing beautifully straight white teeth in contrast to his tanned olive skin) and walked into the tearoom, stumbling over the slight step.
Part 2
“What do you think this place is? Some sort of media circus? Look, I’ve just had a hard night trying to save someone’s life. Something you probably wouldn’t understand.”
Lois couldn’t believe how rude she was acting to this man but she couldn’t stop. Something about him irritated her. Maybe it was that wavy black hair that threatened to cover this eyes. Maybe it was the dimple in his left check that seemed to get deeper as she continued. She just didn’t like him.
“Anyway, what are you doing here at this time in the night? Isn’t it a bit past business hours?”
“I don’t really follow normal business hours. I just find a story and follow it all the way. I don’t know if you’ve heard of me. My name is Clark Kent and I’m a writer for the Daily Planet, which is read by an international audience. My story could improve some of the conditions here. But if you don’t want to talk to me that’s fine. I will find someone else to talk to here. ” Clark was enjoying this exchange. Dr Lois Lane had eyes of melted dark chocolate and dark hair tied up in a messy bun. Despite being weary, Clark thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He could see that she was all bravado. Yet, there was something about this woman that made him feel alive. He had been at the Daily Planet for a few months, but kept mostly to himself. He was scared of being discovered. Scared of forming any close attachments that may expose him.
When they had met earlier, she had been dazzled by his Superman persona. Usually he disliked this sort of attention from women, but he had thought her reaction to be endearing. He had watched her work on the man he had brought in. Up high and out of sight, he had felt just a bit guilty for spying on her. Those two hours that he remained watching had only felt like twenty minutes as he had watched her interaction with the nurses and other doctors. He was impressed with her ability to take charge. And she had that adorable piece of hair that kept falling over her eyes.
What is happening to him? He had wondered to himself. He has never been like this with any other woman, not even Lana. He was compelled to talk to her again. Just to prove to himself that she was not the kind of person for him.
Lois tapped her foot. “So… how about it?”
Oops. Too busy thinking about her to be paying attention to her. “Um, what did you say? I was distracted by your coffee spilling over the floor. Here, let me help you clean that up. ”
“Dammit. This is your fault…Hey don’t… the cleaners can do that” Lois had no idea why it was his fault. Maybe for making her lose concentration. He was already bending down to wipe the spill.
“Thanks Mr Kent. What I said was, I can see your point. People around here are always saying how they wish everyone knew the plight of this hospital. How understaffed and underfunded we are. How old the equipment are. Perhaps this might help raise awareness in the community. It might not. But since I am second in charge here, I think I should give it a go. Now is probably not a good time since it is crazy out there and I need to get back to it. Let’s meet sometime for a coffee if I ever get out of here and you can interview me. I don’t need to mention that this is strictly business of course.”
Lois did not want Clark to get the wrong idea. There was a twinkle of hopefulness in his eyes. Perhaps it was just the flickering fluorescent light overhead. Maybe this interview might help her chances of becoming head of Emergency this coming June. Dr Miles was going to be retiring soon and she wanted that job. She always did like being top banana.
“Sounds good Dr Lane. How does tomorrow at 4pm sound? Will you have finished our shift and had a decent sleep by then?”
“3:30pm will be fine. Have you heard of Mike’s Diner over the other side of town? Let’s meet there. And don’t be late Mr hotshot reporter. I won’t be waiting around.” Lois dumped out the rest of her coffee in the sink and walked off.
“Sure thing ma’am. See you tomorrow.” Clark replied to her back whilst giving a mock salute. He smiled a little to himself and quickly found himself an empty stairwell to superchange in. When he arrived back to his secluded apartment half a second later and he freefalled backwards on his bed with a grin. The bed broke but Clark didn’t care. Despite the five near car wrecks, two actual car wrecks, one volcanic eruption in Indonesia, a verbal tousle with Lex Luthor and worst of all, a grumpy Perry with a cold, it had been a great day.
####
Later that morning, Lois collapsed onto her exquisitely soft bed, cuddled her pillow and fell asleep immediately. To watch her sleep, one would have seen the secret smile displayed for nobody but herself. She was dreaming of twinkling deep brown eyes, the colour of Lindt dark chocolate.
####
The Planet was hectic as usual that morning. The scent of burnt coffee wafted amongst the people powerwalking through the desks laden with magazines, newspapers, loose paper and mugs.
An orchestra of noise could be heard as soon as one stepped out of the lift. From the noisy tap-tappitty –tap of fingers striking keyboards, to Perry’s currently nasal voice demanding that Jimmy carry out a seemingly and usually useless errand. Clark would usually also hear the heartbeats of everyone in the office. On a slow day he tuned them in, waiting for them all to synchronise in one loud thump. It doesn’t happen that often, but it was awesome when it did. Today he had a new heartbeat to tune in to. It wasn’t not even in the office. It was the slow steady heartbeat of a sleeping woman, hopefully having a sweet dream.
“CK, are you sleeping on the job?” Jimmy’s voice shattered through his eardrums causing Clark to remember why it was never a good idea to superlisten to someone far away when you are near other people.
“No no, I was just collecting my thoughts for my article on Superman’s rescue in Indonesia last night.” Clark replied, rubbing his ears. “The lava flow had trapped an entire village and their huts were being weighed down by the ash. Apparently, some of their huts had already collapsed by the time Superman got there. He had had a really busy night with several car incidents in Metropolis.”
Clark didn’t mention the Lex incident because he needed proof or would risk criticizing Metropolis’s favorite philanthropist. Clark yawned and leant back on his chair. He was somewhat tired because he had stayed up all night listening to a certain comforting heartbeat. He wondered what sort of dreams she was having, that made her heart quicken at times.
There was a new pile of subscription magazines on his desk, the top one being Time magazine. On the cover was a man that looked very familiar. Beneath the portrait were the words, Albert Jackson-Scott, the alternative energy man. Waving Jimmy off, Clark sat back up in his chair and flicked through the magazine to find the main article.
Albert Jackson-Scott, an inventor based in Metropolis, was to be awarded for his work in renewable energy. Clark had recognized this man as the one he had brought to Metropolis General last night. The article continued on for several pages. Some people thought he was eccentric because of his passion to make ‘green energy’. Conversely, others thought he was a modern day angel to save the world. He has one teenage son with his ex-wife and stated that the reason he puts so much energy into the project, is to make it a better world for his son and all the children of the world. There was even a quote from Lex Luthor praising Jackson-Scotts work.
“This man has done for the future what Luthor Industries has done for the economy. He is a man to watch.”
Most people would have thought that was high praise from Luthor. Clark knew better.
The article also explained that Jackson-Scott used to be an electrical engineer for the navy as well as for various private firms until he decided to do his own thing. There was a picture of him cycling with his son, a sport he pursues regularly. He is all about the green and healthy philosophy preferring to stick to veggies, and juice rather than cigarettes and booze.
As far as Clark could tell, this man was healthy and fit. And there didn’t seem to be any reason why he should have a heart problem at the age of 41. It wasn’t quite right. Even though he usually wrote heart touching pieces or Superman articles, being his ‘close friend’, he was going to do some investigating.
Clark walked over to Jimmy who was carrying a plaque of a mounted fish and asked him “Hey Jimmy, I need you to do some research on an Albert Jackson-Scott. Especially anything to do with employment history, lifestyle, family history of heart problems, that sort of thing. While you are at it, run a crossmatch with Lex Luthor or any of his companies. If anything comes up, let me know ASAP. Got it?”
“Sure thing CK. I’ll get right on it.” Jimmy replied. Jimmy loves it when Clark gets like this. Clark would really knuckle down into an investigation and include Jimmy in the process. He didn’t treat Jimmy like a mere errand boy. He valued his efforts in conducting the computer analyses and recognized that it took some skill. Who knows, maybe Perry would let him become Clarks partner one day. Jimmy Olsen – reporter for the Daily Planet. James Olsen – star reporter for the Daily Planet. Jim Olsen – top repor…
“What are you doing standing around like a Meerkat looking at the desert sky? This isn’t just an amusement park! Have you fixed my fish yet? Get back over here!” roared Perry with his head out of his office door.
“Yes Chief!” Jimmy replied. Maybe he could ask Chief tomorrow about writing an article.
Clark laughed to himself silently at the exchange. He knew that Perry loved Jimmy like a son. Jimmy just needed a bit more confidence to stand up to the domineering ‘father’. He knew he could trust Jimmy to do a thorough job on the research. Now he just needed to figure out something important. What was he going to wear this afternoon? Perhaps a visit to Paris was in order. A breeze blew a few papers off the desks as Clark sighed.
The Planet staff wondered again why the Daily Planet had become so drafty in the last few months.
