A/N: OK. Here it is the sequel to SCC..Kelly and I are really excited we hope you like it! I wrote this chapter!
Enjoy!
Prologue
A fifteen-year-old Lois Lane leaned casually on the rail of the balcony. She was not only completely and utterly bored, but she also extremely uncomfortable in her itchy black dress that made her look like an Amish woman.
She sighed and pulled out a pack of camels from her purse. Her father was off cavorting with important clients in some secret meeting room, so she was safe.
"Need a light?" A deep smooth voice asked her. Lois rolled her eyes.
Great another one, Lois thought bitterly.
For the entire night she had been getting hit on by stuck up bratty rich kids who thought flaunting their money would make her automatically drop to her knees.
But before she could tell this new Casanova to screw off, a flame swiftly appeared in front of her face. Well, since he's offering, She put the cigarette to her lips and inhaled quickly.
"Thanks-" she said finally turning around to face the stranger purposely blowing smoke in his face.
Oh, my!
He was tall and broad shouldered with dark hair and eyes and a strong handsome face. He looked like he was only a few years older than her, eighteen or nineteen maybe.
"Bruce Wayne," He acknowledged extending his hand.
"Lois Lane," She shook his hand politely, but firmly.
He smiled. "So you're Lois Lane, huh?"
She cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Did you really steal a tank last year?" He asked taking a swig from his drink.
She smirked, "Not single handedly."
He chuckled.
"So Mr. boy billionaire what brings you out here with the nicotine addicts?" She said taking a long languid drag from her camel.
He shrugged. "These kinds of events aren't really my thing and when I saw you out here all alone well-" he trailed off smiling warmly at her.
"Down boy." She shook her head at him.
He couldn't keep the amused expression off his face. " You don't look like your having a very good time." He observed.
"These aren't really my kind of thing either." She confessed, "And if I don't get out of this dress soon I'm going go insane!"
Bruce gave her a look.
"That's not what I meant!" She snapped realizing her innuendo. "It's just very-uncomfortable." She finished awkwardly.
"I see," he said grinning. "Have you been to Gotham before?"
"Once, when I was about three." She answered.
"I don't want to be too forward Ms. Lane, but would like me to show you around the city tomorrow?"
Lois scrutinized him through narrow eyes. Did he really think she was that naïve?
"Strictly as acquaintances, of course." He quickly amended guessing her thoughts.
She gave him a skeptical look.
"As lovely as you are Ms. Lane, and even though you seem years older than you actually are, you're still well- jail bait."
Lois laughed. "All right." She agreed after a long second.
He beamed back at her. "I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." He quoted.
"Casablanca? Really?" She said shaking her head.
"We can work on my pop culture references." He suggested.
"Definitely," Lois agreed "But first can you find me something to wear that doesn't make me look like a nun?"
**********
Nine years later….
Chapter 1
Old friends
Something wasn't right. She could feel it in her gut. It had been a couple of weeks; in fact she had still been Star City, when he last emailed her.
Not that that was weird. She had been swapping emails/phone calls/text messages with Bruce for almost ten years on no real schedule. And of course, their friendship hit a rough patch a few years ago when she had first come to Smallville. And he was busy with his own life, traveling the world, trying to find himself or something like that. But a few years ago he had texted her, it was right after her 'Green Arrow Bandit' stories had hit the newsstands.
Read your article. Looks like you finally found your niche Lane.
Followed by a few weeks later,
Please tell me you are not dating Oliver Queen.
And just like that they picked up where they left off. It was easy.
No one, not even Chloe knew about her friendship with the playboy Gotham Billionaire. And Bruce wanted to keep it that way. It had been necessary when she was younger,
"They'll never believe you're a girl and you're just my friend," he had told her. "And with you being a minor? The press would eat us both alive. I'm used to it, but I'm not going to throw you to the lions."
Now, it was just out of habit.
Lois sighed sitting at her desk. He was probably just busy. He did have a multi-billion dollar company to run. She was just being paranoid.
Still, the reporter couldn't seem to completely shake the troubled feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Lois?" The woman in question jumped in her seat.
"God, Smallville are you trying to give me a heart attack? You can't sneak up on a girl like that!" She exclaimed turning her head to look up at him.
He looked like he was about to have a panic attack or something.
"So the mob, huh?" He asked throwing the newspaper down on top of her keyboard.
Lois groaned. Was he really bringing that up? She hadn't exactly been forth coming to Clark about her little stint in Star City. It had only been a little more than a week since she came home. And her story, which had gone national, had taken a little bit longer to get through the presses. It finally hit the pavement this morning.
"Yep," she said simply. "The mob." What was he expecting her to say?
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask." She replied shortly. Which granted he hadn't.
"Lois!" His voice held a warning in it. Oh, yeah she was shaking in her heels.
"What?" She demanded spinning around in her chair to face him.
"You could have gotten yourself killed!" he ranted. His face softened, "Lois, why didn't you call me?"
"And what would you have done?" She asked. "Hopped on the next plane and-" she trailed off waiting for his explanation.
He had no answer for her.
"Besides I had plenty of back up." She assured him. He really was worried about her.
"Look, I know you can take care of yourself I just wish you wouldn't you know-"
"Break into a mob head quarters?" She finished smiling.
"It would be a start." He muttered playfully.
They locked eyes for a moment too long.
Lois was the first to break away.
"So-"
"Police say they have no leads on the kidnapping-" The TV screen in the bullpen was suddenly blaring, interrupting Clark's sentence.
Both reporters turned their attention to the newscast. This had to be something big.
"Billionaire Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Industries, was last seen-"
Lois leaped from her chair. "What?" She pushed her way to the front of the crowd staring at the television in disbelief.
Clark was hot on her heels, ("Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry-")
No!
Lois flew up the stairs to and burst into Tess's office.
"The Bruce Wayne kidnapping. I want to cover it."
**********
Tess had given her permission to go to Gotham. However, she told Lois it wasn't going to be on the 'Planet's dime.' She had to find her own way.
No problem.
She'd just call Ollie-
Oh, right. He no longer had a jet.
OK. Maybe The general could-
That was a no go. Her father was still livid about that time when she was seventeen and 'borrowed' a base helicopter without permission. It wasn't like she didn't have her pilot's license at the time.
And the next flight didn't leave until tomorrow afternoon. She needed to go tonight- as soon as possible.
Hmmm…Lois dug through her purse and pulled out a small white card with a number on it.
She dialed. "Hey Babs, I need a favor."
**********
When Lois explained her situation to Barbara carefully. Meaning she may have left out a few key details.
She told her new friend she needed to a ride to Gotham for an assignment. She didn't mention anything about Bruce. She had been very vague on the specifics. But in the end Oracle had agreed.
Someone named, Zinda was picking her up on the roof of the Daily Planet in three hours.
God, she'd only been home what? A week and she was already heading back out on the road.
She was stuffing clothing into her bag, when Clark barged into her apartment.
"Lois? What the Hell is going on?"
"I'm going to Gotham to cover the Bruce Wayne story." She said, "Hand me that red shirt, will you?"
Clark blindly grabbed the first item of Clothing next to him. He was just about to hand it to her when he noticed, "Hey, this is my shirt!"
She snatched the item out of his hands and stuffed it into her suitcase "mine now."
"Lois I mean it! You completely freaked out at the planet? Do you know Bruce Wayne, or something?"
Lois bit her lip.
"We've met a few times. He donates a lot of money to government funds." She explained dismissively.
"So this is personal?"
"Sort of." Lois said vaguely grabbing her favorite blouse and skirt.
"So, you're leaving tonight?" He sounded a bit upset.
Lois stopped packing and looked up into his big round blue-green puppy dog eyes.
"Clark," She put a hand on his chest, "I have to go."
"Will you at least call this time?"
"Will you answer?" she retorted quickly.
"Lois!"
"Yes. I promise I'll call. Write. Hell, Smallville I'll even send you smoke signals if it will make you happy. OK?"
"Every day."
"What?"
"Every day." He repeated, "Promise me."
Lois furrowed her brows. Clark was being a bit too over protective. Even for him.
"Look, 'Macho man' you're not my father. I'll check in when I check in." She turned on her heel and finished packing.
She heard Clark's heavy sigh behind her.
"Just be careful." He muttered before leaving.
"Always." She replied, but he was already gone.
**********
Lois was waiting on the DP roof fifteen minutes early. Clark had of course insisted on helping her with her bags. Lois let him. He also insisted on waiting for this "Zinda" person with her.
"You don't have to do this, you know." Lois said quietly.
"I know."
Silence.
Lois started tapping her heel out of annoyance.
"Would you just say it?" She exclaimed turning to him.
"Say what?" Clark asked curiously.
"What ever it is you want to say, because this whole silent passive aggressive thing really isn't attractive!"
Clark sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry about earlier at the apartment. You were right I was- out of line. I just-" he trailed off trying to find the right words.
"What?" she demanded.
"Worry." He finished.
"Like an old wash woman." She agreed.
Clark snorted.
"But you still love me, right?" He teased.
Lois pretended to think about it for a minute.
"You have your moments, I suppose." She said as nonchalantly as possible.
Clark was about to respond, but a loud Thwacking noise cut him short.
Lois watched as the chopper hovered a few feet above the landing.
"Come on Duchess! I ain't got all day!" A lively woman with an old-fashioned bobbed hair cut called to her from inside the helicopter.
Lois turned to her Clark. "Bye."
"Bye."
Before she could change her mind she put her arms around his shoulders and gave him, what was supposed to be a quick squeeze. But Clark wrapped his arms around her waist and held her for a minute.
Lois pulled away from him and smiled before picking up her bags. She threw her luggage into the back and climbed in the front seat of the chopper.
"Is that your fella?" The woman Lois assumed was Zinda asked once she put on her headset. "He's a real Sheik!" She giggled.
"Sheik?" Lois gave her a puzzled look.
"You know, keen?" The woman amended.
"Right." Lois responded slowly still confused. "No. He's not mine. I mean we're not together, like that."
Zinda gave her a look. "Mmm-hmmm. But you a carry a torch for him, dontcha?"
"Just fly the damn chopper!" Lois grumbled.
A/N: Please Review! Comments=Love
*Sheik: 1940's term meaning a man who has sex appeal.