Title: Red Lipstick Woes
Author: InBetweens
Rating: T
Plot: Lois Lane decides to play a little game with her nemesis, Cat Grant. Her harmless prank does more than she originally plans. Soon things are out of everyone's control and they all have to face the consequences.

Part One

Cat hated being woken up early on a Sunday. Sunday was the only day of the week that she allowed herself to sleep in. Carter was old enough now that she could safely enjoy two extra hours of rest while he watched TV, played video games, or researched his newest fad. It wasn't much to ask to be left alone for two measly hours on a Sunday, was it?

Cat spent her life being the early bird, waking up at the crack of dawn to be the first one up, the first one at an event, the first reporter to get the scoop, the first one in the office to prepare things for her bosses. Now she was the boss. Now, she had other people come in early so she didn't have to. She had a weekend staff. They were capable human beings, or at least they pretended to be.

So, why on this green earth, was her phone ringing at 7am on a Sunday?

Growling as she rolled over to answer the incessantly buzzing device, she hoped—and then regretted it—that someone had died or a disaster had struck.

"What!"

"Kitty Cat!"

Cat sat up abruptly in bed, the blankets falling to bunch up at her waist. "Lane…" Her eyes narrowed as if she could make Lois 'feel' the glare she was sending her 3 thousand miles away.

"Is that anyway to answer the…"

Cat clicked the end button and missed having the ability to slam a cordless or handset down into the cradle, the smash of plastic a satisfying sound when your body was taught with tension.

The phone in her hand began to buzz all over again, The Devil's Mistress flashed across the screen, because Lois didn't deserve to have her name anywhere within Cat's phone. She declined the call and put the encased phone upon the side table. It made a groaning noise, the same groaning noise that had woken her in the first place. The only time the phone would actually ring was if Carter, Adam, or Kara called it. Otherwise it was on Do Not Disturb. The call stopped and Cat sighed, lying back down slowly. Before her head even hit the pillow the phone groaned like a whale. She shot up and grabbed it off the table. She put it inside the side table's drawer. Cat couldn't even attempt to lie back down as the noise only grew louder, sounding like a school of whales.

Throwing the drawer open with more force than needed Cat squeezed the infernal device tightly, wishing it were Lois' neck.

Taking several deep, calming, breaths Cat swiped her thumb to the side and accepted the call.

"Speak. Quickly." Cat forced herself to smile, fake and sweetly, and full of malice.

"Kitty Cat, are you alright?"

"I'm…"

"Did you drop your phone in shock?"

"No. I merely hung up on your insufferable…" Lois gasped cutting off the rest of Cat's insult. Cat grit her teeth, "What. Do. You. Want."

"Is that anyway to treat your oldest friend? Hanging up on her when she's calling to see if you received the present she sent you."

Cat's eyes widened, "Present?"

Cat pressed the mute button as she threw off her blankets and raced to her bedroom door. She held the phone against her shoulder as she grabbed her robe and tied it haphazardly. Throwing the door open she didn't even cringe at the loud crack of the knob banging into the wall.

One might think she was excited to get her present but those people did not know her and they certainly did not understand her relationship with Lois Lane. Most of the time Cat didn't understand her relationship with Lois Lane.

The last time Lois had sent her a present it had been of the sex toy variety and Carter had opened the package. Cat shivered, it had scarred them both, and he had never opened a package with her name on it again.

Racing out into the foyer of her beach side house she passed the living room where Carter was snuggled up on his bean bag chair with a book. She only slowed long enough to make sure he was okay before running towards the front of the house. She saw a package sitting on the small end table. It was no bigger than a 4"x4" cube. But it had been left on the side table, most likely by the security guard that had signed for it.

Cat brought the phone back up to her ear and unmuted it. Lois' laughter sputtered out from the small speakers.

"I take it you found it?"

Cat examined the small box closely, spinning it slowly to see if there were any identifiable logos on the box. She came up empty. It was just a plain cardboard box.

"What's the occasion?" Cat smirked, "You wouldn't be sending me a gift to celebrate your divorce from that farm boy would you?"

"The two divorces between us are yours." Lois stressed.

Cat cringed, Lois only ever struck out like that when Cat brought Clark into it.

Cat pinched the bridge of her nose. "Lois, my son is in the next room. What's in the box?"

"Just open it and find out."

Cat hesitated. Lois seemed to realize that and appeased her. "It's nothing that will scar Carter."

Cat pulled out the letter opener that she always left on the end table, as this was primarily where mail was left for her to retrieve.

"You on the other hand..."

Cat stopped what she was doing and glanced sideways at the phone pressed against her cheek. Lois' laughter bubbled through the phone.

"I'm kidding scardey Cat."

People wondered why she didn't tolerate Cat jokes. The woman on the other end of this phone line, along with half the staff at the Daily Planet and from her middle and high school were why. She hoped they all enjoyed knowing the girl they'd picked on had more money and power than they could ever hope to have.

"Open the damn thing would you?"

"Why, Lois, financial trouble? I hear long distance calls are expensive these days."

Cat knew Lois rolled her eyes, but at least she remained quiet.

Cutting away the tape Cat opened the box and found a small crystalized vial of soft red lipstick. Cat couldn't help the small gasp of surprise. It was...gorgeous.

She could practically feel Lois' smirk coming through the phone. "It's expensive. So don't throw it out. It activates a deeper shade when warmed by body heat."

"What brand is this; I don't recognize it." Cat picked up the cylinder vial, truly impressed with the shinning quarts like crystal, she'd never seen this mineral before.

It felt like quarts but the texture was off, and it reflected her eyes like it were glass, but the jagged edges weren't sharp or dull, they just were. The vial was designed almost like a sword or a polar ice cap with the crystals jutting out to the left and right, the bottom was a deep golden spiel with a see-through container encasing the red lipstick within.

"It's exclusive. You'll be the only one with it for months. The product hasn't even hit the market yet." Lois went quiet for a moment as she sighed, "I may have had to drop your name during an interview and they were so thrilled that he insisted I send you this as a thank you."

"So, this is a bribe to…what? Put Ad space in my magazine or periodical for this no-name brand?"

"No. It's for you. I thought about keeping it. But it just isn't my color and besides. When I say I'll do something. I do it."

Even Cat knew that Lois was an honorable person and would do as she said if it was within her power to do so.

"Besides, it's perfect timing. Your anniversary is right around the corner."

Cat rolled her eyes, 'anniversary'. It was Supergirl's anniversary, and CatCo as the company that had named her, was throwing another gala in honor of all she had done for National City in the last twelve months. Lois was constantly picking at her, always poking her in the ribs about Supergirl and Cat needing to have her own caped crusader under her thumb. Cat did her best to ignore it. What else was there for her to do?

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Kit-Cat. You owe me one for that Granger interview."

The tension was back and she was beginning to get a headache. "And after this we're square on that?"

"Maybe."

"Lane…"

"Fine. Fine. We'll be square on that."

Cat smiled, it would be one debt off her shoulders. "What exactly are your terms?"

"Wear the lipstick for the next week. Including the Supergirl Banquet CatCo is hosting."

That, was easy. Too easy. "Why don't I trust you?"

"Because you know me."

"Yes, I do. What are you playing at?"

"Nothing nefarious, if that's what you're thinking. And nothing that will hurt you or anyone close to you."

"And all I have to do is wear this lipstick…for a week, including the Supergirl Banquet and I'll no longer owe you for the Granger interview?"

"Yepp.." Lois popped the 'p'.

"Doh-."

"With proof of course!"

Cat's shoulders sagged, of course there was more. "What kind of proof?"

"A picture of you putting on the lipstick and wearing it later on in the day, sent to my phone, every day, for the next week."

Cat thought about it. "Fine."

"Fabulous!" Lois gushed. "Smell you later alley cat."

The line went dead.

Cat inspected the lipstick vial curiously for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders and went to start the day. Maybe waking up early on Sunday's wasn't a total waste after all.

End Part One