Chapter 4

The elevator dinged and the door slid open.

"Clark!" someone called out. Heads turned, smiles broke out and wave of clapping rippled through the entire floor. Clark stepped off the elevator into the midst of applause, a faint flush already creeping up his brace-free neck. He'd been unable to bear the thought of wearing the thing to work so he'd taken it off. A few people stepped forward to shake his hand or pat him on the back. He nodded and smiled shyly. He was used to being the centre of attention as Superman but this was the first time that it was Clark's name being cheered.

Clark weaved his way through the desks, slowly because everyone insisted on congratulating him as he passed. When he finally made it to his own desk, Lois was perched on it, her legs folded gracefully.

"Hey, Smallville," she drawled, grabbing a hi-liter from the cup on his desk and rolling it between her fingers. "How does it feel to be a celebrity?"

"Strange," he replied with a diffident shrug. "I didn't know that many people knew my name."

"Well, while you're waiting for the key to the city," She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nudged a paper cup towards him, "I got you this."

"Coffee." He picked up the cup and lifted the lid. The strong aroma rose to his nostrils. He inhaled gratefully.

"Two sugars." She glanced at him from beneath her lashes and smiled demurely. The corner of Clark's mouth quirked upwards. Lois was giving him the same star-struck look she usually reserved for Superman.

"Thanks," he said with a giddy quaver in his voice he hoped she hadn't noticed. He lifted the cup to his lips to hide his ebullient grin but before he could take a sip—

"Kent!"

Clark sighed inwardly and lowered the cup. He exchanged a glance with Lois before ducking into Perry White's office.

"Yes, Chief?"

Perry looked up from the article he was reading. His bushy grey eyebrows shot up as if he hadn't expected Clark to already be in his office. He slid off his reading glasses and let them hang.

"Welcome back, son," he stated, standing up. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm one hundred per cent, sir."

"Good. Very good." He rounded his desk. "You know you've done us all proud here at the Planet, don't you?"

"Thanks, Perry," Clark mumbled.

Perry's brown eyes met Clark's and he placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. Clark was surprised by the gesture. Perry White wasn't the touchy type.

He lowered his voice. "It's good to have you back, son."

"It's good to be back."

Perry nodded and squeezed Clark's shoulder before dropping his arm and switching back to his usual don't-you-people-know-the-meaning-of-deadlines editor mode.

"Now, I want that article on the sanitation workers' strike on my desk by four!"

"Sure, Perry." Clark smiled. Despite the fact that Perry's was speaking louder than necessary and that a fleck of spit had landed on the side of his nose, Clark was glad to be back. This felt normal and Clark had been craving normal. He returned to his desk and his still-steaming coffee.

Clark worked steadily for the next few hours. The ambient noise and bustle of the office wasn't enough to distract him.

"Finished!" He proclaimed, punching in the final period with a flourish.

Lois gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you, the Energizer Bunny?"

"Jealous?" he arched an eyebrow.

She scoffed and waved her hand. "Hardly. I just have more important things on my mind."

"Such as?" her partner probed.

"Bruce. He's coming in tomorrow."

Clark's high ended abruptly.

"Oh."

She rubbed her eyes and sat back. "I haven't seen him in so long. I'm nervous, can you believe it?"

"No," he said flatly.

She raised her violet gaze to the ceiling, sighing theatrically. "Normally any guy who took me out twice and then just left would be blacklisted. But I don't know what it is about Bruce; I can't stay mad at him."

I can't say I have the same problem, Clark thought dryly. He bit his lip.

"It's his smile," she declared. "That beautiful, rakish, slightly arrogant smile."

Clark examined his midnight blue tie. Made in Malaysia, he observed idly. Malaysians make good ties. He made a sound to let her know he was listening.

"Why do billionaires have to be such jerks?" she wondered, folding her arms across her chest. "Why is it one minute, 'You're the only woman in the world', the next it's 'Remind me how we know each other.'"

"It's infuriating," she huffed. "Lex was the same."

OK, that was it. Clark could listen to Lois pine and whine over Bruce Wayne with only mild queasiness. He didn't exactly like the man but at least he had a modicum of respect for him. Lex, on the other hand, was a different matter; he was the embodiment of all the ills of the human race and the thought of him ever placing his filthy, lying lips on Lois made Clark nearly erupt with rage.

Clark shot up suddenly, interrupting Lois soliloquy. He hurriedly excused himself and escaped into the bathroom. Deep breaths, he ordered himself. He splashed water to cool his burning face. Already he could feel calm blanketing him. He exhaled loudly.

The sound of flushing water alerted Clark to the presence of another. Jimmy Olsen emerged.

"Hey, big guy," the redhead greeted him amiably. "I heard you saved someone's life! That's awesome!"

"Thanks."

Jimmy rolled up his shirtsleeves, dropped some soap into one palm and then placed both hands under a stream of water. Clark watched impassively until something struck him.

"Jimmy, that watch!' he grabbed his wrist, nearly lifting the poor boy off the ground. "Where did you get it?"

"It was a gift from my mom," His voice had climbed several octaves. Lather from his still-wet hands dropped to the floor. "For my 17th birthday."

"Are you sure?" He glared at the kid, shaking him. Clark would have known that watch anywhere. It was the signal watch Superman had given Jimmy. There weren't two on Earth like it.

"Yes!" Jimmy nearly screamed. Clark finally relaxed his grip and Jimmy snatched his hand away, cradling it close to his body. He scowled deeply.

"Dude, what is your problem?"

Clark turned away from him, unable to speak. He bowed his head over the sink. "I'm sorry, Jimmy," he said in a choked voice.

Jimmy grunted. He quickly rinsed his hands, dried them on a paper towel and stalked out of the bathroom.

Moments later the door swung open. Clark jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Clark, you okay?" Kyle Rayner tilted his head, his green eyes showing concern.

"Kyle," Clark spun. "Why aren't you on Oa?"

"On what-a?" Kyle screwed up his face.

"You're not a Green Lantern yet," The larger man whispered mostly to himself.

"No, I prefer the Red Lantern over on Adamson," Kyle replied nonchalantly. "Their Peking Duck is the best this side of, well, Peking."

"Peking is Beijing," Clark corrected him almost automatically.

"Which is why you're the reporter and I'm the cartoonist," Kyle quipped, with a broad grin.

Clark stared at him wordlessly. Kyle's grin flickered and then died. Clark breezed past him.

"Tough crowd,' Kyle shrugged to his own reflection.

Clark made his way back to his desk and sat.

"You took your time," Lois remarked behind the pencil in her teeth. She pulled it out and leaned back in her seat, smiling impishly. "Everything alright? Don't tell me you're not getting enough vegetables in the big city, Smallville."

Clark only managed a dry snort-chuckle, feeling the tips of his ears heat up. "Shouldn't you be polishing your Pulitzer or something?"

"I get it done professionally," she replied with a lazy smile, "together with my Nobel Prize and my Grammy."

Clark's head snapped up. "You're kidding."

Lois laughed and arched an eyebrow at her colleague. "Of course, I'm kidding! You think if I had a Pulitzer I'd leave it with some stranger?"

Clark's jaw dropped. "But…your exclusive with Superman?"

"You mean the holy grail for every journalist in the country." She shut her eyes, lifted her chin and spun her chair. "What I wouldn't give for five minutes alone with that man."

Her eyes flew open and she coloured slightly. "For an interview, of course."

There was no need for clarification. Clark's imagination hadn't even begun to wander in that direction. "But he saved you."

"The chopper incident?" she shrugged. "Sure, he swooped in and stopped me from becoming a pavement omelet. But then he was all up, up and away before I could even catch my breath."

Clark froze.

"The guy's all business when he's saving people," she continued, oblivious to her companion's anxiety. "Not one unnecessary word. He's like a robot. Must be why they call him the Man of Steel." She chuckled at her wit and spun once more in her seat but by the time she'd completed the rotation the desk beside hers was empty.

"Clark?" She sat up and craned her neck, scanning the busy newsroom but she only managed to catch a glimpse of grey disappearing into the elevator.

A robot! That was it! That had to be it! Clark had built several robots to take over for him when he was indisposed – deep space missions and all that. Gosh! Finally! Something that made sense. Clark's heart swelled a little. Things were finally looking up.

He barreled down the street, cutting a swathe through the crowds, deep in thought. If it was a robot, he only had to get to the Fortress of Solitude and decommission it. Yeah. Except…his pace slowed. How the heck was he going to get to the North Pole? He still couldn't fly and it wasn't like he could just buy a ticket at the airport. Well, he could but that would take too long and he needed to be there yesterday.

Okay. So he had a problem.

His countenance brightened again and his steps quickened. There was someone who could provide the solution.

"Professor Hamilton!"

Emil Hamilton whirled around and peered at the young man jogging towards him in the University of Metropolis parking lot.

"Clark Kent," Clark stuck out his hand.

The professor switched his binders to his other arm and shook Clark's hand. "You look familiar." He peered at Clark through his thick glasses. Then his brow lifted in recognition. Clark's heart beat hopefully. "You're the reporter who saved that woman a few days ago."

Clark tried to conceal his disappointment. "Yes. That's me. Your office told me you were here. I have something very important I need to ask you."

Professor Hamilton began to retreat. "Sorry, son. Now's not a good time for an interview. I'm due to conduct a seminar on the evolution of bacterial genome structures in – he checked his watch – "ten minutes."

Clark followed. "It's not an interview, Professor, but it is important."

The older man studied Clark's face and demurred. 'Fine. Let's walk and talk."

Here goes nothing, Clark thought. Professor Hamilton was his last hope. He had helped Superman construct the robots. Perhaps there was a way he could remotely control the robot without Clark having to go to the North Pole. He glanced upwards and breathed a silent prayer. He needed a break.

"It's about your STAR Labs research," he began. He noticed the professor stiffen slightly but he kept his tone light.

"What about it?"

Clark searched for words but there was no tactful way to breach the matter.

"You and Superman have worked together on several occasions," Clark began.

The tension in Professor Hamilton's shoulders disappeared. His lemon-with-honey coloured moustache curved upwards in a furry smile and he laughed. "Superman? I should be so lucky."

"So you've never worked with him?"

"With Superman? He repeated incredulously. "No, I've never even met him."

"Okay, what about Superman robots?"

"Superman robots?" Professor Hamilton sputtered. He finally stopped and faced Clark.

"The Phantom Zone Projector?" Clark threw in desperately.

"What? You're fishing Mr. Kent, hoping I'll inadvertently let something slip about my research, which, as you well know is classified."

Clark stared back dumbfounded.

"I cannot possibly deduce your reason for accosting me like this, Mr. Kent," Hamilton went on, pushing up his glasses with a thick index finger. "But given what I've read about you in the news I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. A bad tip. Tabloid fodder."

He placed a hand on Clark's shoulder. "You're better than that, son." He turned and walked away.

"Thanks for your time, Professor," Clark said weakly, shoulders slumped.

So much for breakthroughs.

A/N: The sanitation strike was mentioned in the JL episode "Starcrossed". I own nothing. Review please. Thanks.