Not sure what my day's going to be like so here goes...
Thanks - as ever - to Kathy.
Last time
She moved away from him. "Okay. Let's get this over with."
"What?"
"Meeting the venerable Perry White and getting my butt handed to me and being offered a job writing obits for a few months until I find some really juicy story and prove myself." She sighed. "And I'll take it, gratefully, because it means I'm working for the Daily Planet."
He closed the wall in the closet. "I doubt you'll be writing obits. Dog shows, maybe, but not obits."
Lois groaned.
Clark laughed again, picking up his bag and the suits. "Well, let's go then."
She sighed. "Fine. Let's go."
*~*4*~*
"Darlin', I can't begin to thank you enough for saving this big lug."
Lois found herself wrapped in a big bear hug with the editor of the Daily Planet. "Only too happy to oblige," she told him.
Perry gestured towards the chairs. "Have a seat and let's talk turkey."
Lois took one chair, glancing nervously at Clark as he took the other.
"Now, I know you did a great job investigating in Smallville and I remember your Lex Luthor stuff from when it happened. That was good work, too. I waited to see your application show up on my desk but it never did."
"My parents needed me at home," she told him. "Dad had back surgery and helping them came before getting my dream job at the Daily Planet."
He nodded. "And that's commendable, but you haven't really investigated much since college. So, here's the deal. I want you to work with Clark. For the next couple weeks, at least, you're his gofer, researcher, whatever he needs, you help him with. He'll teach you the ropes around here. After that, we'll look at making you full partners – working together to get leads, sources, stories."
Lois looked at Clark. "What? You mean it?"
Perry nodded. "Clark says he's never worked with anyone better and I trust his instincts." He handed over a folder. "I need you to fill all that stuff out while Clark and I discuss your first assignment together." He handed her a pen. "Lois Kent, welcome to the Daily Planet."
"Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."
He snorted. "It's Perry or Chief. None of this 'sir' nonsense." He nodded at the folder. "Get started. I want you to hear this while you work on that."
"Wait, Perry. I want to make sure I've got this right," Clark said suddenly. "She's not working *with* me, she's working for me. I'm top banana, I call the shots, all that kind of stuff?"
Perry snorted. "You can look at it that way if you want to, but somehow I think that'll end you up in a world of hurt."
Clark grinned. "I think you're right."
Lois rolled her eyes as she opened the folder. She hesitated as her pen hovered over the address information. "Clark, what's your grandpa's address?" She looked at Perry. "I don't have a place in Metropolis yet so he's letting me stay there until I get settled."
Clark scribbled it down on a piece of paper for her, along with his phone number and his own information for a local emergency contact.
"So what's the story, Chief?" he asked.
"Cat was at the Metropolis Grand last night at some soiree of some kind and saw Congressman Harrington talking a guy name Roarke."
"The arms dealer?" Lois asked.
Perry looked pleasantly surprised. "Yeah. You know him?"
Lois shrugged. "Not really. He was in People once. He's an international arms dealer of incredible proportions, but that's about it."
"Well, Cat saw them together and followed them. She figured out what office they're using. You two are going to set up surveillance in the hotel in a room that has a clear view of the office."
Clark nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."
Perry's eyes twinkled. "That's not the best part."
"What is?" Clark asked cautiously.
"You two are newlyweds. Staying in the honeymoon suite."
"What?!" Lois and Clark asked in unison.
"You heard me," he told them with a smirk. "And you need to get over there in the next half hour in order to get everything set up before the meeting Cat thinks they have tonight."
"But Perry, Lois doesn't have any clothes with her or anything," Clark told him. "I have a bag in my car because I'm staying at my grandpa's and that's actually why we were in town but..."
"Sorry, kids." He leaned back in his chair. "The meeting is supposed to be in less than ninety minutes, so Lois needs to get her paperwork dropped off on my desk so I can send it to Personnel in the morning and that way she's an official Planet employee and is getting paid and everything. And you two need to get over there and checked in and set up. You'll figure something out."
Lois sighed as she signed her name to the last piece of paper. "All done."
She handed the folder over and waited as Perry scanned through everything. "Looks good," he said, shutting it and tossing it onto his 'out' pile. "Keep all your receipts for the expense report. Order room service because you're a couple happy and in love and on your honeymoon."
"Got it." Clark turned to look at her. "Ready, honey?"
"Don’t push it, Lane," she growled.
Perry chuckled. "Have fun, kids. Call me in the morning and I expect you here for a bit tomorrow afternoon."
Clark was halfway out the door and gave a half-hearted backhanded wave. Lois followed him to his desk.
"Now what?" she asked.
Clark sighed. "Sorry. My powers aren't completely back yet so I can't fly home to get your bag," he said, keeping his voice low despite the nearly deserted newsroom.
"It's okay," she sighed. "I'll figure something out. Maybe I can stop at the gift shop or something."
"So I get to see Lois Kent in the honeymoon suite?" he asked, a twinkle in his own eye as he picked up a couple of file folders.
"Is it going to be any more exciting than our last wedding night?" she asked with a raised brow.
Clark glanced around the newsroom before giving her a quick kiss. "A bit, hopefully. We'll get the dirt on Harrington and Roarke and not get beat up in the process."
"That sounds like a good plan."
Clark took her hand and walked towards the elevator. "We need to stop downstairs and pick up the cameras and stuff and then we'll head over to the hotel."
Ten minutes later, they were in the Jeep on the way to the hotel. Clark pulled up in front of the Grand. A porter helped get the bags and suits out of the car as a valet took his keys.
"Can I take this to your room for you, sir?" the porter asked as Clark's arm found its way around Lois.
Clark nodded. "The honeymoon suite, please."
"Shall I unpack them for you as well?"
Clark put his other arm around her, pulling her close to him. "Uh, no. Thanks, but um..." He kissed Lois softly. "I, uh, think we better do that ourselves." He winked at her, obviously enough that everyone around saw it.
Lois giggled, snuggling in close to him. "Probably a good idea, studmuffin."
He kept his arm around her and their faces were close together as they walked towards the check-in desk. He kissed her lightly, repeatedly, as they waited their turn to check-in.
"Honey, I think I'm going to go over to the gift shop," she said, walking her fingers up his arm.
He leaned in close to her. "Okay, but that's Harrington over there in the black wingback chair, talking to the waitress so you probably can't get any clothes or anything," he whispered.
She sighed. "Maybe I'll just stay with you and send you down to get me something... pretty later." She rested her head on his shoulder and suddenly wished that this was the real thing.
*****
TBC
