Good part. I like all the ways Clark is showing Lois that he doesn't belong on the "B" and "C" lists. Of course if he overdoes it, Lois may start feeling she's on the "B" list.
Perry read it over without comment. After finishing, he set it down and looked at Clark. "That's some piece you did there, son. Sounded like that local pilot you mentioned in the article has you to thank for not getting that stuff pinned on him."
"I just exposed the truth, Mr. White."
"It is solid writing, Kent. How much experience do you have in the Metropolis area?"
I'm glad in this story Clark is not a newbie. This gives him a much easier chance of impressing Lois early on. Of course in this story, it's Lois who's going need to convince Clark since he's the emotionally damaged one.
Clark could only smile at Lois's antics, as he looked at the befuddled editor. "She's a real fireball, isn't she?
"You don't know the half of it, son," Perry said, still staring at the door Lois had just gone through.
"You’d be surprised," Clark muttered under his breath.
No love at first sight.
"You want to saddle some guy from Hicksville on me, for what could be the most important story of the year?" 'Great,' Lois thought, 'first good prospect to walk by in a while, and he's a hayseed from the boonies.'
Hey, at least he's not "married, engaged or an idiot."
"Is he married, or does he have a girlfriend already?"
"I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. But he kind of just 'fell off the turnip truck' from Kansas, so he may not be used to women with your... fashion sense."
"Oh." Cat contemplated that for a moment, then she gave Lois a devious smile. "Maybe I'll just try the 'down home' look on him next time. What do you think, Lolo?"
"I think that if you call me that in the newsroom again, you'll probably end up with a kick in the shin. It's bad enough you use that nickname when we're by ourselves. And as for Kent, don't pounce on him just yet, I need him to help me with a story later. I'm going to have to spend enough time just showing him the ropes, so I don't need you distracting him."
A nickname Cat uses when they're by themselves? I guess a Lois who hasn't been hurt by Paul or Claude seems to be willing to be friends with Cat. Their banter seems more friendly and teasing than biting like it was in the series. And Lolo was Lois' nickname in high school. Does this mean Cat went to the same school?
"You were assigned to work *for* me. I'm the senior partner, so I call the shots. This is an important story, so you better just follow my lead and keep up. I don't need some rookie from the boonies slowing me down. Comprende?"
Clark scowled at her, taken back by her hostile attitude. "Did I do something to offend you, Ms. Lane? Because I don't really think we know each other enough for you to be upset at me yet. We should at least get to know each first, before you start getting mad at me."
Without further comment, he bounded up the stairs and headed toward the elevator.
Clark isn't quite like he is in the series. He's a bit less likely to be sarcastic and more likely to be direct. He ends up shocking Lois more as a result, making her realize she's just being mean.
She caught a quick peek at him out of the corner of her eye as they rode down in the elevator. 'Actually he's a very big boy,' she thought appreciatively. 'Too bad he's from the sticks. His idea of a good time is probably corn husking... or whatever they do out in Kansas. Definitely a 'C' lister. Maybe a 'B' lister if trained properly.'
Lois watched Clark as the taxi drove on, his face faintly reflected in the window, as the scenes of life on the city streets blurred by. As she studied his reflection, she felt her preconceptions slowly slip away from her. She realized that, once again, she had leapt before looking, this time jumping to a conclusion on the type of person Clark Kent really was. Somehow, the soft image she saw in the taxi's window reflected a depth she rarely glimpsed in a city where shallowness was fashion, and who you were was more important that what you did.
Moving up the list!
"Sorry. I usually don't act so bothered about things like this. You think I would be used to this by now."
"You never get used to it."
Clark, very early on, is already teaching Lois the value of compassion.
Feeling a little mischievous, she did her best Lauren Bacall imitation, and said with a mock seductive voice, "It's not hard, you just have to whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Clark? You just put your lips together... and... blow." She had only meant to say her last statement in jest, but her voice became husky as she got out the last word, and her eyes locked on to his. The background noise of the city seemed to disappear around Lois, leaving only the sound of her racing heart.
Jiminy Cricket, she's not. Thank goodness for Clark.
'Boy, what a dope, Lane. I'm lucky that Clark talked to me at all after that show this morning. Too bad we're involved in an important story, it would be nice to learn more about him.' That thought made her pause. She couldn't remember, in her adult life, ever thinking about a man, over focusing on a big story. Could she really be that attracted to Clark after only knowing him for a few hours? That would definitely be a first. She didn't even warm up to Paul this quick, and she was sure that he was *the one*, at the time.
'Ha! The *one*, indeed.' On their first date, he told her that if she really loved him, she would spend the night with him. She couldn't believe that women actually fell for that line. Linda King was welcome to him. Of course, Linda only lasted two months with him, before he found a new target for his wandering eye. Poor Linda, it took the rest of the school year for her to get over the humiliation. Lois was just glad that she was there to help Linda though that time.
Settling back into the taxi's seat, her thoughts wandered back to Clark's image again. Feeling like this was new to her, and she wanted to be cautious. She had waited this long to find the right person, no use in rushing it now. In the door's window, she could now see her reflection, making her think about the choices she had made to get where she was today. The exterior shell she had forged around herself to make it in a career that was basically a man's world. Here she was, twenty-seven years old, and she'd never had a serious relationship with any man. Was it good, because she was being patient, or was it bad, because she was being too picky... or was she afraid to even try?
Maybe it was time to do something that. After the investigation, she could suggest to Clark a nice, casual dinner together. Just a couple of newshounds trading war stories. Exchanging experiences. Swapping tales of life. Getting to know each other better... Sharing a meal. Telling their favorite jokes. Making him laugh, just so she could see him smile again...
Two comments here. Apparently, Lois dumped Paul after he suggested they sleep together rather than her bending over backwards in hero worship of him. One less federal disaster, just a bad date. Second comment is that Lois is very early on thinking of dating Clark. With his hangups, she's going to have a tough time of it.
He had started to enjoy the camaraderie that seemed to be growing between them, working together on this investigation. But he was afraid something more than that could happen. He could recognize the attraction stirring within him, and the last thing he needed was to worry about getting his heart broken again. He would just need to be careful, and keep their budding friendship in perspective.
That settled in his mind, he continued on into the building, and up to meet with his new colleague and potential work partner.
Fortunately, the attraction is mutual, only Clark is playing the Lois role here trying not to admit that attraction to himself.
More soon!
