Thanks to my wonderful betas!
From Chapter 44
“What are you doing here?” Lois asked as she walked into the restaurant to pick up the food she had ordered.
“I have a date,” Linda said.
Lois looked around for Clark, but did not see him. Then again, Linda was alone right now. Maybe he was meeting her later. “Well, have fun,” Lois said in an effort to get away quickly.
“What, no barb?” Linda asked.
Lois rolled her eyes. “No. Although a warning – stay away from Clark. He's a nice guy and a little naïve.”
“First Superman and now Clark? Do you own all the men with great bodies in this town?” Linda asked.
“I'm serious. I know you're just using him to get back at me and I'd hate for him to be hurt.”
“For me to want to get back at you, you would have had to do something that mattered to me,” Linda said. “Which you didn't. Besides, if you think that's the only reason I'm interested in Clark, you must be blind, deaf, and dumb. He's smart and kind, in addition to being one of the hottest guys I've met in Metropolis. What's not to like?”
Chapter 45
Clark got in to work before seven the next day. He knew Lois had been coming in late since they were quiet and Perry was coming in early because the drop in circulation meant he was not sleeping well. He figured this was the best way to talk to Perry alone. He felt badly for keeping this from Lois, but given the issues with Linda, he thought it might make sense this time. Maybe. He was still torn about that.
“Perry?” he asked, sticking his head into his editor's office.
“Oh, good morning, Clark. What are you doing here this early?” he asked, then his eyes lit up. “Do you have a story?”
“Sort of,” Clark said. “Nothing for today's paper. But maybe in a few days.”
“What is it?” Perry asked, still excited. “If you can get it in before we're closed down…”
“We're about to be closed down?” Clark asked.
Perry shook his head. “I don't know. But the numbers don't look good. So, what have you got?”
“I think Preston Carpenter and Linda King are staging the news,” Clark said.
“What?” Perry was confused. “Clark, that's a serious allegation.”
“I know,” Clark said. “And I'm not sure it's Preston and Linda which is why I'm not ready to print it yet, but I have good reason for suspecting them.”
Perry sat back, giving Clark a "Let's hear it' look.
“Linda admits that the only reason she's been getting the news stories she has is that she just happens to be in the right place at the right time. At lunch yesterday, he called to check that she was at the restaurant moments before the elevator cable snapped, and she says he always keeps close tabs on his reporters. Carpenter has editorials written recently on the topic of the latest news stories and he writes them fast enough to get them in the paper at the same time as Linda's article,” Clark explained.
Perry looked interested, but not one-hundred percent convinced. “If he keeps as close tabs on Linda as you say, he probably knows what she's going to be writing about and could be writing the editorials at the same time.”
Clark nodded, “I know. And Lois said something similar when I mentioned the elevator editorial. But then there's this…” he held up the elevator cable. “I got this from the site. It looked cut to me and the lab analysis confirms it. That was not an accident.”
Now Perry looked very interested.
“I know that doesn't mean Carpenter and Linda did it, but…”
“But maybe it's time for some undercover work,” Perry smiled. “You know, Clark, things here at the Planet are not looking that great. A man of your talents, well, you'd probably get a job pretty quickly if you tried.” He smiled widely at Clark.
“That's what I was thinking,” Clark said. “If I can get Preston to hire me…”
“If? Clark, he's going to be tickled pink to get one half of the Planet's best reporting team.”
“What about Lois?” Clark asked, looking uncomfortable. “I mean, to be honest, we haven't been getting along all that well since Linda came to town, but I still feel weird about not telling her this.”
“What's Linda King have to do with you and Lois?” Perry asked.
Clark shrugged his shoulders. “I don't really know. Lois and Linda have some sort of rivalry going on. I don't know what it's about, but Linda has made some attempts to get me in the middle and Lois thinks…”
“Right,” Perry remembered. “The lunch from yesterday.”
“Yeah,” Clark said.
Perry thought. “Well, I'd love to have Lois' perspective on this, but if she's not going to be able to be objective about it… Given her attitude yesterday, and I'm guessing what happened at the staff meeting was not the worst of it, maybe it's best to leave her out. Maybe you could have another argument with her and use that as yet another reason you're leaving. Would Linda King buy that?”
“Oh, yeah,” Clark confirmed. “In an instant.”
************
Clark knocked on Lois' door just a few minutes later. He suspected Lois was up and just was not coming in to work in the mornings as it was too depressing to sit at her desk with nothing to do. Just to be sure, he had listened at her door for a few moments. He could not tell what she was doing, but he was certain she was awake and in the kitchen.
Lois grunted when she opened the door. “Oh, it's you.”
“Good to see you, too, Lois,” Clark said wryly.
“I'm still annoyed at you for letting Linda scoop you,” Lois reminded him.
“I'm sorry,” Clark said. He knew he was supposed to have another argument with her, but he found it hard to let her remain angry at him for this. Who knew how long he would be undercover for?
Lois looked at him with her hands on her hips, clearly waiting for more.
“I don't know what happened. But Lois, you are letting her get to you an awful lot. Can't you just tell me what happened with her?”
“Oh, she hasn't told you yet? It didn't come up over dinner last night?” Lois asked.
“Dinner? Last night? I didn't have dinner with Linda last night,” Clark said, confused.
“You didn't?” Lois asked.
“No.”
“But I saw her at the Chinese place. She said she had a date,” Lois explained.
“With me? Lois, I did not have dinner with Linda last night.”
“Oh,” Lois mumbled. She supposed Linda did not actually say her date was with Clark. She had just assumed it was. “Look,” she said, feeling sort of sorry for all the mean things she had been thinking about Clark all morning. “This can't leave this room. You can't tell anyone. Not even Superman.” Clark looked at her with his eyebrows raised. “Hey, I've left you alone on that. You have secrets with Superman, I'm okay with that.” She looked at the disbelief on his face, and reworded, “I can live with that. But you have to be willing to keep this from him for me.”
“Of course, Lois,” Clark said, trying not to look too pleased that she was telling him something she did not want Superman knowing. On the other hand, he was also feeling a bit guilty. Lois was opening up to him and telling him some big secret and he was going to follow that up by picking a fight with her. Maybe he should stop her right now, before he hurt her.
He knew he could not do that, though. She would never be okay with his leaving the Planet if they were getting along and Perry was right. He could not involve her in this. And he just wasn't a good enough person to not want to hear her secret first.
“Linda and I were best friends in college. But, as you've probably figured out, it was really competitive,” Lois started to explain. “I had a huge crush on the editor of the school paper, Paul. And Linda knew and it was the one thing we weren't competitive about. She was really supportive about it. It was even her idea that I uncover some great story for the paper to impress him.”
Clark looked at her with raised eyebrows. “You thought you'd get a guy in college to notice you that way?” he asked.
Lois shrugged, “Say what you want, but it worked.”
“It did?”
“Well, for Linda,” Lois said with disgust. “I discovered that some of the school football players weren't taking their own exams. So I wrote up the story to give to Paul for the paper. Only when I went to hand it in, I found him involved in a very public display of affection with Linda. And he had already seen my story. Not only did she get the boy, but I was thrown off the paper for plagiarizing my own story.”
“Oh, Lois,” Clark said, feeling awful.
“It wasn't that big a deal. Paul graduated that year and I got back on the paper the following year.”
“So, she stole your story and a guy, and eliminated your job on the paper and you think she's doing it again?” Clark asked.
“Well, she is, isn't she?” Lois asked. “She's scooped us several times now, the Planet's doing horribly and Perry's talking about shutting us down, and you've decided to become her little lap dog.”
“Hey!” Clark said, sympathy for her disappearing. “I am not Linda's lap dog!”
“Really?” Lois asked him sarcastically. “You jump at her every command.”
“You mean like I normally do for you?” he asked pointedly.
“That's different. I'm your partner. When you do it for Linda, it makes you look weak.”
“And when I do it for you?”
“It makes you look like a loyal partner,” Lois said.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“A loyal partner wouldn't turn into the lap dog of a reporter for their competition's paper!”
“You know, I'd love to hear Linda's side of the story,” Clark said, nearly yelling.
“Go ahead!” Lois screamed back. “Why don't you work with her while you're at it!”
“I think I will!” Clark yelled as he left, slamming Lois' door behind him.
Once he was downstairs, he smiled. That went better than he had hoped and given her attitude, he no longer felt all that guilty about their fighting right after she had opened up to him.
************
Lois sat at her desk glaring at Clark's. Where was he this afternoon? She had come in a couple of hours after their fight and he had been nowhere to be found. Stranger yet, his desk looked empty. Clark always kept his desk obsessively neat, but this was ridiculous. He had even put his picture of his parents away.
When the phone on her desk rang, she picked it up angrily. “Hello?” she barked, and then felt badly. It was not the caller's fault that she was angry at her partner.
“Hi, Lois,” Clark said, sounding hesitant.
“Clark, where are you?” she demanded.
“I'm sorry to do this over the phone,” Clark started.
“Do what?” Lois asked.
“I'd hoped to see you when I came in to see Perry earlier. I just wanted you to know that our fight didn't really have anything to do with it…”
“Do with what?” Lois asked, moving past annoyed and onto confused.
“Perry didn't tell you?” Clark asked, confused.
“Tell me what?”
“I gave him notice today and he told me there was no need. Since we are so slow, I could leave today.”
“What do you mean you gave your notice? Clark, are you seriously saying that you've quit the Planet?” Lois asked, amazed.
“I didn't want to. Honest. But we have to face facts. The Planet's not doing all that well. So, when Linda mentioned working at the Star…”
When Lois spoke again, there was acid in her voice, “You are working with Linda King?”
“Yes, but Lois, it's going to be okay,” Clark said.
“I'm sure it will be!” Lois said before she slammed down the phone.
She stared at it in shock for a moment. Clark had left the Daily Planet. Worse yet, he had not even discussed it with her before he did it. She got up to go to the bathroom before anyone could see the tears gathering in her eyes. Why did everyone leave her?
“There you are, beautiful,” Chad said, his voice rough. Lois looked up, startled. He had been heavily sedated before she had gotten there and she had spent the last two hours in his silent room waiting for him to wake up. The Andrews were in the waiting room, but while they poked their head in occasionally, they had mostly left Lois alone.
“Chad,” Lois said, launching herself into his arms. “I was so scared,” she cried into his chest.
“Oh, I'm fine, babe. I mean, I feel like crap, but nothing you can't fix with a little TLC,” he smiled at her.
“I should get your parents,” Lois said.
“Just a second. Just what happened anyway?” he asked her, holding her in place with a weak hand on her arm.
“You got hit by a car, Chad,” Lois said. “The woman who took me here said it looked bad and I saw your bike. It was a mess.”
“Well, I do feel okay. I mean, really sore, sure, but fine,” Chad assured her.
“The doctors said you were lucky to survive,” Lois said, her voice breaking.
Chad tugged her arm gently, to wrap his arms around her. “Hey, don't do that. I promised you I wouldn't leave you without telling you, didn't I? I'm going to be fine, Lois. Really.”
Lois, feeling foolish, sat up and brushed at her eyes. “I know. I'll go get your parents.”
A doctor came in just a few minutes later and after taking some vital signs, suggested that Chad could use more rest and suggested the Andrews and Lois go home for a few hours.
Mrs. Andrews suggested Lois come home with them and take a nap in Chad's bed so she could come back with them later in the afternoon. Nodding her head in agreement, she moved to kiss Chad on the cheek.
“Hey, is that any way to say goodbye when you haven't seen me in months?” Chad teased.
“We'll wait for you outside, Lois,” Mr. Andrews offered.
As soon as the door was closed, Chad had his lips pressed to Lois'.
“I'm so glad you're alright,” Lois whispered with her lips still resting on his.
Chad kissed her again, before leaning back and yawning.
“I guess I should go,” Lois said, her voice impossibly soft. “You're going to be okay, right?”
“I'm going to be fine, baby. I promise. Have I ever lied to you?” Chad asked.
Lois nodded, smiling slightly.
“Remember when I fell during that rock climbing trip with my dad? I'm indestructible, baby,” Chad grinned at her. “Now go home and get some rest. But make sure my parents bring you back here soon. I want yours to be the first face I see when I wake up,” he said, kissing her lightly once more.
Lois smiled. “I'll see you in a few hours,” she said as she left the room.
************
Lois was furious when she showed up at the museum. Not only was he working at the Star, but he was working with Linda? Not that she should have been surprised, but really! Did he have no shame?
To top things off, he smiled when he saw her. Like he was not some good-for-nothing hick who abandoned his friends at the first sign of trouble! She saw Linda lean over and whisper something to him and seethed. Well, weren't they cute? Ick!
Finally, Secretary Wallace started the press conference, so she did not need to watch Kent and King together over there. Goodness, even their names matched!
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Secretary Wallace started, “the Ambassador and myself will be happy to answer a few questions before the unveiling.”
Lap dog Clark asked the first question. She should not have been surprised. “Mister Secretary. Clark Kent. Metropolis Star…”
Right, he worked for the Star. No reason why she had to be polite. “Mister Secretary. Lois Lane, Daily Planet,” she cut him off.
“Excuse me,” Linda got involved. “But I believe Clark was asking a question!”
Lois glared at Clark. Linda was fighting his battles for him now? How pathetic! “What, can't Clark speak for himself anymore?” she asked, her eyes on Clark.
“Maybe he's just gotten so used to you doing it for him…” Linda answered.
“Enough!” Clark said, very loudly. “I'm pretty sure we're here for a press conference. Not to listen to the two of you bicker!”
Lois was annoyed to see Linda give Clark a glare pretty similar to the one she gave him. Only she was allowed to look at him like that!
