Title: A Good Reporter 1/2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Smallville, Clark, Lois, Chloe, yadda yadda. You all know what I own by now, and it isn't anything here. All this stuff belongs to the people who bring us Smallville, and I'm only borrowing them for a moment.

Author Notes: Just a quick little two part POV piece that I threw together during the commercials while watching Smallville this week...although it has nothing to do with the episode. A lot of people wonder if there is a connection between Chloe and Lois Lane...and being a Reporter, of course, I have to make a connection even if there isn't one there, cause that means Clark does end up with Chloe in the end! LOL!



Clark's POV

For a moment, I just stare--awestruck. From my sidewalk vantage point, the huge globe on top of the Daily Planet building looks like a tiny speck. The sun glitters off what appears to be endless miles of windows. I shake my head slowly. "Gotta be a hell of a view from the top," I tell myself.

Someone bumps into me and mutters a half hearted apology. But it's enough to pull me out of my daze. I nervously straighten my tie, and push open the doors, striding into the din and the buzz that is the daily background noise of a metropolitan newspaper.

Ten minutes later, I'm standing in the middle of the main office of the Daily Planet. I look around, feeling totally like a fish out of water...or at the very least a small town boy who has been suddenly dumped in the big city. People go about their work, not paying the slightest bit of attention to me. I attempt to stop what looks like a secretary to ask her for directions, but she breezes right past me. I sigh and look around, scanning the faces in the office, trying to find the person I'm looking for.

"Accounting is on the third floor," says a female voice from behind me. I turn around and find myself standing in front of a very attractive woman with shoulder length dark hair. She raises her eyebrows expectantly, and I realize I've been staring, somewhat slack jawed.

"I'm...I'm not looking for the accounting department," I manage to say. "I'm looking for..." I pull a folded business card from my pocket. "I'm looking for a Mr. White."

"Perry," the woman nods. "You must be the new city desk reporter. Sorry...you just looked like you should be in accounting. The suit, the glasses....they don't exactly scream journalist."

I subconsciously push my fake glasses back up on my nose, not yet used to their bulky weight. "I'm Clark Kent," I say, extending my hand. I furrow my brow for a moment as I think I see a flicker of recognition cross her face, but when I look closer, it's gone.

"Lois," she says, shaking my hand. "Lois Lane."

"I've read some of your articles," I say politely. "They're...well...interesting. In a bracing kind of way."

She just nods. "Take no prisoners...that's my motto." She stops and looks at me strangely as my eyes widen at her statement. "What?" she asks.

I shake my head. "It's nothing...I just used to have a friend....well, you reminded me of her just then."

"Reminded? Past tense?" she asks me curiously. "You're not friends anymore?"

"We sort of lost track of each other...she's...well, I haven't heard from her in a while. Years, actually," I say sadly.

"And you never thought to look?" Lois asks pointedly

"I've looked....I'm still looking. She's why I became a reporter...I figure a reporter's job is to follow a story's trail until you get to the end. I'll find out what happened to her eventually...just like any good reporter," I reply.

"Hmm...she must be a incredible girl, to have someone like you love her so much that you'd keep looking for her for years," Lois muses.

"Oh, no," I say, shaking my head. "Chloe...she's just my friend. I'm not in love with her or anything. It's not like that at all," I add quickly.

"I see..." Lois says almost disappointedly, seemingly lost in thought. She squares her shoulders and meets my eyes. "So tell me, Mr. Kent...how does the trail run through Metropolis?" When I just give her a puzzled look, she laughs. "I mean, how did you come to work for the Planet?"

I return her smile. "I'm from a little town about three hours south of here...Smallville. After I graduated from college, I was a reporter for the Smallville Ledger. Mr. White happened to get stuck in town, struck up a conversation at the diner with my editor, and the next thing I know, my boss calls me and tells me there is a job here for me if I'm interested."

"Smallville....sounds like a leafy little hamlet," Lois says softly, her eyes taking on something of a faraway look.

"Yeah. It's...interesting, to say the least," I say. There's something odd about this woman, but I can't pin it down. I'm usually fairly guarded with people I don't know, but it feels so easy to open up to her. That's probably what makes her such a good reporter.

"So, what would compel you to leave such an interesting place," Lois asks, her reporter's face back in place. "I'm sure you had reasons to stay...family, friends?"

"My parents...they passed away a couple of years ago," I say, swallowing hard. It was still difficult to talk about. After Dad's heart attack, Mom was so lost...I knew it would only be a matter of time before she passed away as well. I'm not quite ready to open up about that just yet, no matter how easy this woman is to talk to.

"Oh...I'm so sorry," Lois says, reaching out and lightly touching my arm. Her voice has a slight catch to it...more than you'd hear in regular sympathy to a stranger. Maybe she's experienced a similar loss. I'm about to ask her about it when I feel a hand clap down on my shoulder.

"You must be Mr. Kent!" exclaims a boisterous older man with salt and pepper hair. "Perry White. Did you find us OK?" he asks sticking his cigar in his mouth and holding out his hand.

"Um, yes sir," I say, shaking his hand. "No problem at all...everyone knows where the Daily Planet is."

"Good, good," he nods. "And I see you've met Miss Lane, our star reporter." I simply nod in reply.

"Well, I have work to do. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Kent," Lois says.

"It's Clark," I say. "Call me Clark."

"OK...Clark. Mr. White," she replies, excusing herself and heading towards a desk in the back of the room.

"Come on, Kent," Mr. White says, steering me towards his office. "We've got some things to discuss about the position."

I throw one last glance over my shoulder toward Lois's retreating figure, before following Mr. White towards his office.