He had to change his resume to fit his reference. He added this new lie to all the others for which he would have to atone.
Oh dear, I'm realizing that his "real self" is all Clark, Lois will see him as "all Superman" if he's not careful when she finds out the truth.
“Good. Let’s take a look.” He paused at the first one. “The Borneo Gazette: ‘Mating Rituals of the Knob-Tailed Gecko’?” He swallowed. “Kent, I’m sure these are fascinating stories, but you see, son, this is the Daily Planet…” he started to say
I'm guessing Lana probably made him take more practical stories at one time. (And I'll admit that just a wild guess as to why he had other more practical stories that would be too identifiable while Canon Clark wouldn't besides the fact that Alt-Clark's experience at the Alt-DP.)
when a woman with a dark brunette bob burst into his office. “Lois! Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?” He indicated Clark.
Without knowing he did so, Clark levitated out of his seat. Quickly, he set his feet on the floor so it appeared that he had only stood up as courtesy to her. His eyes sought out hers for the brief half a partial second she allowed, before she returned her focus to her boss.
Lois Lane.
Clark had been thinking about this interview so completely he had forgotten that he might actually see her. He was completely unprepared in how this chance meeting slammed him in the chest like a wrecking ball.
Lois nodded to Clark, immediately dismissing him.
Wow, attraction on his end at least. I don't remember if there was more than a passing glance from Lois in the Pilot, either.
Clark’s heart which had rose with anticipation of this meeting thudded into his shoes as he sat himself back down. He wasn’t even worth a second glance from the woman of his dreams. What was he doing here? Maybe Wells was right. Maybe the connection wasn’t with every Lois.
“Lois, can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?”
Then her eyes darted back to Clark as Perry introduced them and Clark got to his feet again. “Lois Lane… Cl…”
“Chuck, isn’t it?” she asked.
Chuck? Clark held out his hand. “Clark,” he corrected. “Clark Kent.”
*snort* I guess Lois letting him introduce himself is something limited to soulmate pairings and not near-soulmates. And Lois "almost" knowing??? Something's off here. I'm sure we'll find out in time.
She ignored his hand as she studied him with more interest than her earlier brush off had implied she ever would. “I know you,” she said, pointing at him. “I don’t know from where, but you seem awfully familiar.”
Wait... what??
I guess because her timeline is in a loop some things just stuck in her subconscious.
Clark blanched. They didn’t know each other. He had never met this Lois before. He smiled to cover this guffaw. “Perhaps in a previous life,” he teased.
“A previous life where you were named Chuck?” She laughed.
Oh yes you have... you just don't (and won't?) know it. For some reason it sounds like there's a better connection between these two than the original. Probably because there isn't the pesky soul-connection gumming up the works. Sometimes it can be more trouble than it's worth.
He loved her already. How could he not? She was more beautiful than he remembered the other Lois looking. Her hair was styled differently, longer. Fortunately, that instantaneous connection he had felt before, was still there.
Well, it's not a soul-connection but it
is full on attraction. I guess that counts for something.
“So, Chief, are you hiring Chuck?” she asked Perry. “’Cause I could use him on my team, like an hour ago. I have a lot of research to wade through.”
*snort* Sounds like she's
always going to call this Clark "Chuck."
His eyes returned to Lois in time to see her nod to Jimmy to acknowledge that she understood that she had a telephone call. “I’ve got to go. Nice meeting you, Chuck,” she said with a wave to Clark. “Again.” She shut the door on her exit.
Huh, is she just joking or does she seriously believe they've met before?
“I tell ya, if that woman wasn’t the best damn investigative reporter I’ve ever seen, I’d…” Mr. White went back to checking his heart rate, before remembering why Clark was there. “Look, Kent, I’m sure you’re an intelligent guy, but you can’t just walk in here with this kind of resume and expect a job.”
Clark realized that this interview wasn’t going in the direction he expected. “Mr. White, I know those aren’t the best samples, but I’m a good writer, a hard worker, and I do have experience…” He had been doing the job for the past four years.
“Kent,” Mr. White interrupted him. “Kent, I just don’t have anything for you, son.”
He hadn’t been hired?
Just the way the other one went. Unfortunately the introduction to Lois went differently and as a result hasn't learned about the theater being torn down.
What was he supposed to do now? The Daily Planet had been Clark’s life – his home – for the past four years. Did he really want to be in this dimension working somewhere else? Was there anyplace else nearby – so as to keep him close to Lois – where Clark Kent could work? Would she even talk to him, let alone date him, if he worked for the Gotham Gazette or The New York Times? Probably not. The Metropolis Star was closest newspaper, but he hoped never to be that desperate for a paycheck.
This is one spot where CanonClark and AltClark seem to have differing motivations. While CanonClark was disappointed in not getting the position it didn't really seem to faze him (probably because he believed he had other options even though he really did hope to make Metropolis his home.)
Clark started moving towards the exit. He spied Lois at her desk on the telephone and his reluctant steps slowed. At least he could salvage something from today. She hung up the phone. It was now or never.
“Yes?” Lois asked as she noticed him standing there.
“Would you like to have lunch with me?” he asked.
She hesitated less than a brief moment, enough only for him to perceive, but not anyone else, before swinging around to go through the files on her desk. “Rule number one: I don’t date people I work with.”
Boy, does he have the gumption to try and take her out when he doesn't have a job. I can't fault him for his assertiveness, though. I do find it interesting that she paused. I suspect there was a moment in the back of her mind where she was going, "yes!!!" before pulling back.
Ahhh.... so HERE'S where he finds out about the "mood" piece Lois refused to do.
Lois groaned and then noticed that Clark was still next to her desk, waiting for an answer. He knew by how distracted she was what her reply would be, but he couldn’t leave. Not if he had a one out of a million shot that she would say ‘yes’, he couldn’t leave.
“I brought my lunch,” she informed him. “Anyway, how are you going to afford to take me out without a job?”
“Kick a man while he’s down, why don’t you, Lois?” Jimmy mumbled, passing by and dropping a file on her desk.
Good Job, Jimmy. Poor Clark, though. He so wants to make her a part of his life and she keeps stomping on his hopes.
Lois looked up at him again. “I’m sorry, Chuck. I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all, but I really don’t date reporters – employed or not.”
He really should have thought about this one a little more seriously. I mean, the CanonLois did get engaged to a reporter (her partner, no less) so that's rather obvious that's not the case.
Suddenly, Clark was curious what her answer would have been if he had asked her while in the blue Suit, before remembering that nobody in this dimension knew about Superman. Her answer probably would have been the same; it was a ridiculous skintight blue Suit, cape, outfit with shorts! She would never want to date a man dressed like that.
Hmmmm.... For a second I was thinking there might be a possibility that he would consider the idea of dating her as Superman but thought about that again. I don't know whether he was thinking it was a possibility here or not.
She had been asked on a date. This very morning, some man had been interested in her and had asked her out to lunch. She had wanted to tell Lucy, when her younger sister had once more started in on Lois’ lack of a social life, but for some reason Lois hadn’t mentioned the handsome man with dark hair and glasses who had shown no fear of her and actually asked her on a date.
If she hadn’t been distracted by the Platt story about the Messenger sabotage… If he had asked her out for dinner and not lunch… If he hadn’t been another blood-sucking reporter… If he hadn’t been unemployed… Lois sighed. If she hadn’t been tempted to say yes…
Lois, Lois, Lois, you've
really got to think about letting loose some of these stipulations from time to time. You'll never find your "prince charming" otherwise.
Lois had no idea why she had been tempted. She knew nothing about the man, but there was something there, something intangible, something distinctive, something familiar.
He had claimed that they had never met. He had joked that she had known him in a past life. Had she?
Ah, yes they have... sort of.
That was what Lois wanted: to love so deeply that even if her true love died, she would still love him until the end of time, even if another man came along who wanted her. Tears came to her eyes and, for a reason Lois didn’t understand, she began to cry. It was at that moment, she realized the reason.
She would never love that deeply.
Never find a man she could love like that.
Never find a man to love her like that.
*exasperated sigh*
“Thank you for the offer, Cat. I’ll keep it under consideration,” he replied.
Cat’s face fell, knowing a brush off when she heard one. She glanced over her shoulder at Lois who was back on the phone and then back at Clark. “I guess some worms prefer early birds to night owls.”
Ah, yah.
“Nine o’clock, Luthor Towers, and we’ll see who’s right,” she told him. “And who’s buying me coffee tomorrow.”
Now, that sounded like a date. Clark couldn’t help but smile. “I thought you didn’t date co-workers? Rule number one, wasn’t it?”
Lois stood up, strode the four steps to his desk, and stuck a finger in his face. “This…” She pointed between them. “— isn’t a date. This is business.”
Was that what it was called in this dimension? Sounded like a date to him.
Not sure if it's a date, really but it certainly sounds like a bet at least.
