THE BEST LAID PLANS

She was fumbling with her keys and Clark was a breath's width behind her…nervous, she kept missing the lock.

"Let me have the keys…" his hands on her waist gently trying to pull her back and out of his way.

"I've got this…" she said ignoring his hands

"Let me…" he persisted, still pulling with his hands.

"I said I've got it…" she was amazed that finally got the key in. having Clark so close behind her was making her insides do back flips, she was contemplating on how to pounce on him when they both were startled out of their wits at the door opening- and her keys hanging in the lock. Guilt was written all over their faces, she just knew it...

"Hey guys…How'd the story go?"

"Jimmy." Lois said his name in a flat angry tone.

Jimmy noticed the angry tone to her voice and then looking over at Clark, "That bad Huh C.K?"

"Jimmy, you have no idea…"

Clark walked in past Lois who was still standing in the doorway. Meanwhile Lois was lost in her thoughts

"101 ways to kill Jimmy Olsen…"

When she finally walked in, she saw Chloe sitting on the couch, "…and 102 ways to strangle a certain cousin…"

Her thoughts were interrupted by something she heard Jimmy saying…"Seriously C.K. I think she's hitting on you…"

"Jimmy, I really don't think…"Clark started, but didn't get to finish.

"Who?" Lois asked ready to do battle.

"The Boss…you know…Tess."

"Then why send me on the story with him?" she folded her arms across her chest and waited for his reply.

Lois was in some sort of weird mood, Jimmy figured it was because she was being sent to cover what was essentially a fluff piece…anytime she was given those stories; she wasn't fit to be around for days.

"Because….she probably figures that with all the arguing you two do, you're the safest one to send with him."

"Safe? What do you mean I'm safe?" she asked, her anger way too obvious much to Clark's dismay

"Lo-is!" he pulled her away from Jimmy a step or two and the tried to whisper as low as he could, "Can you calm down before someone figures out what…"

"Are you guys okay?" Chloe asked as she approached them, all the while she was noticing the weird look on Clark's face

"Us? We're just fine…just peachy…"

"They got stuck covering that new book…you know…The new se…" Lois could see the wheels turning in her cousins head…Chloe hadn't said much when they had walked in….the last thing she needed was Chloe figuring out what they were up to.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Lois said interrupting Jimmy

"uh…I live here remember?"

"I thought you were supposed to be at work?"

"I got the day off…" and then looking at her cousin with a mixture of curiosity and amusement she asked

"Why…what did you have planned?" she asked with a huge grin

"Okay….I walked right into that…damn!" Lois thought to herself.

"Actually, we were just trying to…" Clark said trying to fix her mess, only to be interrupted by her.

"Ditch this story…"

"Lois!"

"I wanted to do some brainstorming on what's going on now that Tess is at the helm of Luther corp…"

"Lois! She's not going to print stories about Luther corp or her leadership!"

"Or I could do a story on how many men experience sexual harassment in the workplace…you know the story…one where the woman boss keeps hitting on her male employees…hinting at things…"

Clark turned four shades of red.

"Lois!" and then pulling her around to face him he said…"Please tell me you're joking about that last story!"

Chloe just looked at the two go at it, and still wasn't quite sure what they were up to….she just knew they were up to something…but what?

Back in the truck, they were on their way to the farm.

"We could just forget about it…"

"Really? Just like that….forget about it…"

"Lois…"

"Hey, that's fine with me…it'll give me time to work on my new story…the one on sexual harassment in the workplace…"

"Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Jealous of what?"

Clark grinned…"You are- aren't you?"

"Please!"

"Begging won't make me go any faster Lois…I'm not driving over the speed limit…"

Lois thought for a moment and then regaining momentum, she replied, "You know…I know ways to push you over the limit…"

Clark frowned, realizing the dangerous turn the conversation was taking…

"Lois…I don't think that's a good idea…"

"Really? Because I'm thinking it's a great idea…in fact, I bet you I could make you pull over in seconds flat…"

She slid over closer to him, and placed her hand on his thigh, and slowly began to move it

"Lo-is….Don't you dare…"