Rated PG-13
Language and another tame love scene.
Set three days after the events in 'The Trance and the Talent Show'.
Three days later, something happened that pissed Lois off!
Martha loved Lionel's idea of an 'Amazing Race' type of event to raise money for the victims of Dark Thursday.
Unfortunately, word had gotten out about the talent show. And oddly, the public perception came about, that the citizens of Smallville did not take the victims of this horrific event, seriously.
It was also perceived that Senator Martha Kent did not take the tragedy, or her own job, seriously. Talk of a recall campaign began to run rampant.
If Martha and Lionel were appalled, Lois was ever more so! She felt guilty. Her job at The Inquisitor had gotten in the way of her real job. Chief of Staff to Martha Kent.
That was going to change...starting today. She had rid herself of her journalistic duties, thanks to Lex Luthor. She would now devote her full attention to making sure that Martha Kent was not recalled. That could not happen.
But when Lois hurried down the stairs to her breakfast meeting with Martha and Lionel in the Talon...she got a very unexpected surprise.
Now mind you, Lois hadn't really noticed her surroundings at first anyway. Her mind had moved from Martha to her only son, Clark Kent, and what had happened between them three nights before. Lois had also decided that on that front, it was time to stop acting so childish. Maybe she should stop putting off Clark's attempts to make something happen between them. She had already avoided him for the past couple of days anyway.
Or had he been avoiding her? And why was Clark Kent the one man that affected her this way? She had never been scared to open up to A.C., Oliver...or even Brian.
Lois had never been scared when it came to a relationship. What was different about Clark?
Probably the fact that despite all her protestations, she had fallen for the 'dorky farmboy'.
And Chloe's reaction bothered her. Chloe WAS bothered by the idea of her and Clark. Her cousin never said as much but Lois could feel it. She didn't want to lose her cousin/best friend.
Lois reached the bottom step and looked around. Martha motioned her over. Lois saw Lionel and a tall looking, young, dark haired woman sitting with them. The woman looked about her own age and wore glasses. Lois noticed her almost black hair shined and her skin was alabaster like. Who was this chick?
Lois made her way over to the table. Martha looked nervous. Lionel did not.
"Ms. Lane...you're three minutes late."
"Yeah...sorry about that." Lois said, being polite. She didn't answer to him anyway.
"Let's get down to business then. I'm concerned about Martha's Senatorial career."
"Lionel," Martha interrupted, "people just don't understand. I think our PR team can spin this so that it's understood that we do take the victims plight seriously."
Lionel patted her hand.
"I agree. But I don't like all of this talk of a recall. It would be a disgrace to Jonathan's memory. That's why I've called in re-inforcements to help you and Ms. Lane."
Lois raised a brow.
"Excuse me?" Lois asked him. She looked over at the other woman. Was she the 're-inforcement' Lionel had been talking about?
As if he read her mind, Lionel cleared his throat.
"Ms. Lane, this is Diana Prince. She works for..."
Lois slowly stood up. WTF????
Diana slowly stood up as well. She knew she would be stepping on toes when she took this assignment.
"Ms. Lane...I've met your father. I actually have worked for as a Chief of Staff to a few Generals. Not your father but..."
Lois looked her up and down! She then looked at Lionel and Martha. Lois settled on Martha.
"I don't understand...you don't think I can handle this?"
Martha excused herself from Lionel and Diana and pulled Lois out of earshot.
"Lois, Diana is just going to give you a little help, that's all. It's temporary."
Lois said nothing. Martha patted her shoulder and walked back over to the table. Lois shook her head. She couldn't believe this! She was being shoved out of her job! And by this...this...
Diana suddenly appeared before her.
"Lois, this IS temporary. We both want the Senator to keep her job, don't we?"
Lois folded her arms.
"The implication being that she wouldn't, if it were just little old me helping her, correct?"
Diana bit her lip. This situation was not ideal, that was for sure! But it was all she could come up with on such short notice. She had no desire to steal Lois Lane's job or even stay in Smallville.
She was really here on business...and to get close to Lex Luthor.
Lois's cellphone rang. Diana was about to say something else when Lois rolled her eyes, turned her back and looked at the I.D.. Christ! Lex...
"Hello?" Lois answered.
"Lois? It's Lex. How are you this morning?"
Lois walked away from Diana and sat in a chair.
"I've been better."
"Yes, I suppose you have. How do you like your new 'partner'?"
Lois eyed Diana again. So Lex knew about Diana Prince, hey? Her eyes moved from her to Clark and...A.C.???? They had just walked in...and...A.C. gave Diana a kiss!!!! And Clark looked as if he knew her too! Did Clark also know she was about to be replaced?!
"Lois?" Lex asked.
"I'm still here. And I like her just fine."
"Oh I can hear the love in your voice," Lex purred. "Listen, since it's so hard to catch up with you, I'm just going to tell you what I want over the phone."
"Please do." Lois said, glaring at the sight in front of her. Jimmy had just walked in and was eyeing the trio as well.
"I want you to come back and work for The Inquisitor."
"Lex...I'm fighting for my job here!"
"Why bother with it? Let Diana Prince have it."
"Never!"
"I like your fighting spirit, but you're meant for bigger things. There is one story that I want you to work on asap."
Lois sighed and looked away from Clark, A.C. and Diana.
"Okay, I'm interested. What is it?"
"You were in a plane crash last year. A plane crash that happened on a Luthor Corp jet. As you may know, the A.F.A. is still looking into it."
Lois took a deep breath. Yes, she knew that. She had actually had to testify, along with Martha awhile ago...she thought that whole thing was over?
"I thought it was just decided that the crash was an accident?"
"Lois, no one knows what happened to the pilot that took Martha and yourself off course and tried to suffocate you both! There are many questions left to be answered. I would think you'd want some of them answered as well."
Lois nodded to herself. The ice palace. Heaven. If that place really existed...
"I don't know, Lex."
Lex smiled on his end. He knew. He could hear her interest. And now it was time for the clincher.
"There is a panel still looking over the evidence. I want you to arrange an interview with one of the committee members. He's the newest member and the youngest...one Bruce Wayne. Do you know him?"
"Uh...I've heard of him, but no, I've never met him. He's in Gotham City, right?"
"Yes, but he'll be in Metropolis for the party."
"What party?"
"Oh, did your invitation get lost in the mail?"
Lois rolled her eyes!
"Oh, THAT party! No, I just wasn't planning on going."
The party in question, was one being thrown by Oliver and Lana Queen. The newly married couple felt so badly that their knife act caused such an uproar at the talent show, that they were throwing a party for all of the participants, to make up for what they did.
"I wasn't either, since I wasn't invited. But Mr. Wayne will be attending from what I understand. Maybe you could catch him there."
Lois's eyes focused on the trio again. She couldn't stand it! She had to know what was going on!
"I'll get back to you, Lex." Lois said, hanging up.
Lex hung up on his end and leaned back in his chair. So...Lois still did not know that her 'Bryan West' and Bruce Wayne were on in the same. Good.
Lex pulled out an agreement from a desk drawer. It was a takeover agreement, to be exact. One he planned to use against Mr. Wayne. He wanted Wayne Industries for himself. And if Wayne had any feelings left for Lois, he would turn over his company, lock, stock and barrel, without any trouble.
Lex would find out all he needed to know about that, when he crashed Oliver and Lana's party.
Lois hung up her phone and made her way over to Clark, A.C. and Diana. The three looked at her. A.C. grinned and moved to kiss Lois on the cheek. Lois stepped back out of reach.
"A.C...what are you doing here?"
Clark could tell by Lois's tone that she was not pleased. He didn't think she would be. But this plan was necessary...
A.C. had brought Diana to his farm, two days ago. Clark could tell that A.C. was very enchanted with the tall, brunette.
Clark also knew that Diana was from an Amazon Warrior Tribe, had incredible strength and a costume that was just...well...WOW! The past couple of days the three of them had spent a lot of time together hunting for Lex's Sasquatch camp.
One of Diana's sisters was believed to be in that camp, a young woman named Nubia. The three of them had went to Florida, having gotten information that Lex may have moved the camp there...but so far nothing.
That was when Diana came up with a different plan. One that included getting the information out of Lex Luthor, while fitting into Smallville society for a brief time.
Clark didn't quite see why Diana couldn't just work for Lex directly. And yet he had to agree that his mother's newfound troubles had provided an opening here. One that could be used but still...
There was Lois to consider.
"So," Lois said, interrupting Clark's thoughts, "where'd you meet Big Tit here?"
"Lois!" Clark cried out. He knew she would be unhappy but God...
A.C. folded his arms.
"I think you owe Diana here an apology."
Lois grinned back at A.C., then looked at Diana.
"Diana, I'm sorry you have big tits, since it's what got you my job. I'm sure you're not sorry though, are you?"
Diana touched A.C. gently, before speaking.
"Lois, let's just try and get along, alright? We all want the same thing here."
Clark touched Lois's arm.
"That's right. Now..."
Lois pulled herself from Clark's touch and walked towards the Exit of the Talon. She didn't need this crap! If Diana Prince wanted to pull a miracle out of her ass, let her! ALONE!!! Lois was most hurt that Martha had agreed to go along with this...
She stopped short when Clark suddenly appeared before her.
"Lois, don't leave like this! My mother needs you! I need you!"
"Is that woman the reason I haven't heard from you?"
"Lois...I was giving you space, that's all. And A.C. and Diana are the couple, not Diana and me."
Lois looked back at A.C.. Yes...she had noticed that. She wondered how soon after he had left her, had he hooked up with Big Tit over there?
"Lois, what you called Diana was wrong. Now you'll feel better if you go over and apologize."
Lois looked back at Clark! Was he crazy?
"I have to go. I'm not mad, Smallville. I just realized that maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all."
Clark gave her a funny look.
"Okay...so you're willing to work with Diana?"
"No. But I am going to Oliver and Lana's party...and I think I am going to work for Lex."
Clark paled!
"Lois..."
"Clark, I didn't give your mother my full attention. I love being a reporter. I love writing...even though my spelling is crap. Maybe this whole thing is just meant to be." Lois shrugged. She started to walk out again, when Clark stopped her.
"Okay, what about us? Are we meant to be?"
Lois blinked before speaking.
"I don't know. Chloe is a problem."
"No she isn't."
"Smallville, we're fooling ourselves if we think she isn't. I know it seems like she's happy with Jimmy...and I think she is...as long as you're not with anyone...meaning me."
"Lois, Chloe and I have talked about this. Give her a little more credit than that."
"I know my cousin."
"And I know you. This is another excuse of yours so you can run away from me, again!" Clark almost snapped. Lois rarely, if ever, heard that tone of voice from him.
"I'm not running away from you, Smallville. I'm just being realistic."
"So am I. Chloe is fine with us. For some reason you're not."
"That's not true!"
"Really? Because I'm beginning to get the feeling that I'm paying for another man's mistakes here! Lois...let's just go to the movies or something...tonight. Let's just have one evening alone together where we can BOTH remember how it ends." Clark almost begged.
Lois was about to say something, when she saw Jimmy, standing by a plant. He had overheard everything.
"Jimmy..." Lois began. Jimmy walked over to them. Clark turned to face him.
"So you're saying that Chloe is only with me because she can't be with Clark here?" Jimmy snorted.
Suddenly Lois felt drained! Things were so simple back when...well before she moved to Smallville.
"I have to go." was all she said. She pulled away from Clark, ignored Jimmy and walked out of the Talon. Jimmy glared at Clark before heading upstairs to see Chloe. Clark ran a hand through his hair, then turned back to walk over to A.C., Diana, Lionel and his mother. Diana spoke.
"I was thanking your mother and Mr. Luthor for helping me with this."
"If my son has opened some kind of 'Sasquatch Camp', we will find it Ms. Prince, I assure you." Luthor said, rubbing Martha's arm. Clark averted his eyes at the sign of affection between them, something both A.C. and Diana noticed. Martha pulled away from Lionel and took Clark aside.
"I hated doing this to Lois. How is she?"
"Mom, she's quitting and going to work for Lex full time! I'm assuming she's going to tender her resignation before the day is over!"
"Oh no! I just thought...I mean this is just a cover..."
"One that we can't let her in on. Mom...I swear...sometimes I wonder if I'm going to lose another woman I care for by lying to her!"
"Honey, you won't lose Lois. Now we just have to make sure that we hurry up and find this Sasquatch camp and Diana's sister, okay?"
Clark nodded and hugged his mother. Lois would have to take a backseat temporarily until this continued Sasquatch mess could be straightened out.
That decision, would play right into Lex's hands.