Disclaimer we still don't own Smallville or Batman although no one has ever seen batman in the same room as me ... just saying...

Clark arrived back at the Daily Planet a few seconds later. Pausing down a side street, he put his glasses on and took on his customary slouch before heading for the front door. He headed upstairs, hoping Lois would be at her desk when he got there. She wasn't, so Clark started asking around. A few people had seen her that morning, but she had left in a hurry after talking to Tess. Clark thanked them and headed up to Tess' office.

"Tess!" he said, bursting into her office.

She looked up from her desk and sighed.

"Oh, Clark," she said. "Yes, please, come in. It's not like I have any actual work to do. Just come in and take a seat, just like your girlfriend."

"I actually came to talk to you about Lois," Clark said, taking a seat.

"Oh?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm your boss, Clark. Not a relationship counselor."

"What? No," Clark said hastily. "I just wanted to know if you sent her somewhere. She isn't answering her phone and I need to get a hold of her. Did she take an assignment?"

"Actually, yes," Tess answered. "It was unusual, actually. She barged in my office demanding an assignment to take her out of Metropolis."

"And you gave her one?" Clark exclaimed. "What was it? Where was it?"

"Hmmm… Well, it's actually out of the norm for Lois. Just a basic gossip assignment about Bruce Wayne. He's Gotham's white knight, and a major playboy. He's got all of the high class girls chasing after him," Tess told Clark. "Anyways, he recently adopted a kid and I didn't want the Planet to be left out of the scoop."

"Why would Lois want that story? Was she really that desperate?"

"I think the location had something to do with it. I made her promise to bring me back the interview, but she said something about doing some investigating of her own while she was there."

"In Gotham!" Clark said, jumping up. "Gotham isn't a good place to go off on her own. What does she think she's going to find that won't get her killed there?"

"Batman, Clark," Tess said fixing him with a cool stare. "She's chasing Batman."

Clark ran back in to Watchtower at full speed, skidding to a stop next to Chloe. She looked up from her computer screen in surprise.

"Aaahh! Clark!" she exclaimed. "Why do you insist on surprising people like that? A warning would be nice."

"Chloe," he said anxiously, "Lois is in Gotham. Well, on her way to Gotham."

"Gotham!" Chloe said. "What on earth would possess her to go there?"

"Well, she took an assignment from Tess to interview Bruce Wayne, but Tess said the real reason Lois was interested in it was the rumors about Batman."

"Ah, yes," Chloe said, hitting a few keys on her keyboard and bringing up some articles. "I've been follow this legend for a while. I thought we might approach him at some point, but there's never been a good time."

"I'm not worried about allies right now, Chloe," Clark stated. "Lois is going to get herself killed."

"I know," Chloe said, concern in her voice. "Gotham isn't Metropolis. If she pokes her nose in the wrong place, she won't be coming back."

"That's it, I'm going to get her," Clark announced. "She can be mad at me all she wants, but I'm not going to let Lois get herself killed."

"No, Clark," Chloe said, shaking her head. "You can't go after her."

"And why not? Someone has to look out for her safety."

"She's a grown woman and has the right to make her own decisions. Including going to a dangerous city without someone to protect her."

Clark whipped around to glare at Chloe.

"Don't look at me like that Clark," she said. "I know you're worried. So am I. But you can't control Lois like that. She'll call if she needs help and you can be there in thirty seconds. You just can't stop her from doing anything, you'll smother her and push her away. Lois is too independent to follow orders."

"I know," Clark sighed, dropping into a chair. "But what if something happens and she can't call me? Or I don't get there in time?"

"Don't dwell on what might happen," Chloe said. "Let Lois do her thing. By the time she gets back she'll have forgiven you and the two of you can have it out over Gotham. Until then, you need to distract yourself."

"How? Work isn't going to help, I'll just be sitting at my desk staring at Lois'."

"I found some more leads on the kryptonite disappearances," she said. "Why don't you go check those out while we wait to her from her? That'll keep you busy and out of my hair."

"Thanks, Chloe," Clark said. "Good to know you're trying to get rid of me."

Chloe just grinned and turned back to her computer again.

"Anyways," she said. "Head toward the north end of town. I'll give you more specific instructions over the comlink as you get closer."

"Got it," Clark said, turning to leave.

"And Clark?" Chloe said, making Clark pause and look at her.

"Yes?"

"Please look before you barge in anywhere. I don't have anyone on standby to come fish you out of a den of kryptonite right now."