Chapter Three
"So when does the job start?" Chloe asked her cousin that Sunday morning.
"Monday," replied Lois. "I'm nervous as hell."
Chloe feigned shock. "Lois Lane? Nervous? Do my ears deceive me?"
Inside Chloe knew her cousin would be nervous because she would've been nervous too. But somehow Chloe knew that her dear cousin wasn't apprehensive because of the job. Anyone who had been in the Talon the day Lois and Lex met would have seen the way Lex looked at her. How he forgot anyone else was there and only spoke to her. It was very un-Lex if Chloe did think so herself.
She knew Lois picked up on it as well. Ever since the two were little, running around interviewing people and writing their one-page, grammatically-challenged editorials, Lois had been the observant one, always seeing through things, putting a new spin on happenings, looking for an angle. All of their relatives may have thought that Chloe's decision to be a reporter at seven was a bit premature, but they knew when Lois declared it at ten, that it would happen.
It was one of the reasons Chloe was surprised by Lois' acceptance of the job. Lois couldn't have been so naïve not to see Lex Luthor's obvious interest in her not just as his PR director. Lois had disposed of many a man because of their hastiness. Lex could be intimidating, but that never seemed to faze Lois before and Chloe couldn't help but why Lois had went along with everything.
Unless Lois felt the same way.
Chloe looked at Lois, who had been like the sister she never had, and found herself completely unable to read her.
"Lois?" Chloe ventured.
"Mm?"
"Why'd you take this job?"
"I don't know what you mean."
Chloe searched for a better way to explain herself. "Its just that, the other day at the Talon, Lex seemed--interested in you and I've never known you to warm up to a guy so quickly and I was just curious."
Lois tilted her head to look at Chloe curiously. "You mean you thought he was interested in me beyond the job offer?"
Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Um, yeah, I definitely picked that vibe up."
Lois laughed. "Maybe you've had a little too much caffeine."
'Maybe you have,' Chloe thought.
~*~
"Lana still avoiding you?" Jonathan Kent asked his son as the pair worked on farm chores that afternoon.
Clark stopped. Dumb question. But he really didn't feel like discussing it.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Dad," Clark said, easily driving his shovel through the hard dirt.
"Come on Clark. Lana used to be here all the time, even before you two dated. Now we hardly see her and I was just curious," Jonathan explained.
Clark sighed. He knew his dad meant well and he shouldn't be upset. And he wasn't. At least not at his father.
"Lana doesn't want to have anything to do with me. She wants to move on and I guess us being just friends isn't in her plans," Clark relented, his voice low.
Jonathan placed a reassuring hand on his son's strong shoulder. "I'm sorry it has to be that way, son," he said sympathetically. "But you can't let this get you down forever. If Lana's not the one, then I'm sure there's someone else out there for you."
Clark wanted to ask who that happened to be, but his father went on.
"Let's not talk about Lana. What else is going on in your life? There has to be something."
Clark thought about how Lex had asked him that question just a few days ago and how there had been nothing to say. It was quite pathetic how his whole life revolved around Lana Lang.
But he loved her. Even now he could still feel it. He tried to hide it, especially around her because it was so painfully obvious that she didn't feel the same. And because it was all his fault they weren't together anymore.
"Earth to Clark," came his father's beckon.
"Yeah, dad."
"I said, what else is going on? There is something else besides Lana, right?"
Clark racked his brain. What had he said to Lex the other day?
"Uh, well, Chloe's cousin is in town from Metropolis."
"That's--interesting."
"And Lex offered her a job at LexCorp after meeting her."
Jonathan stared at his son thoughtfully. "Clark?"
"Yeah, Dad?"
"You need to get out more." Jonathan smiled in jest and resumed his working.
Clark rolled his eyes, knowing inside that dear old dad was right again.
~*~
Monday morning arrived a lot quicker than Lois planned for it. She figured she could stay in Sunday night until her nerves settled. Beside that, what Chloe said the afternoon before really got to her.
Was Lex Luthor really--interested in her that way? And if so, why the hell couldn't she see it? And furthermore, just, why? They met, had a coffee, made intelligent conversation. He didn't know anything about her except her name, family ties and level of education. She didn't know him either, not really. The Luthors were well-known, but only in the public sense.
Lois sighed. Maybe this was just a product of Chloe's overactive imagination.
Even still, offering her a job so quickly was odd, coming to think of it.
"Aren't you going to be late?" came a voice from behind. Lois turned to see Lana coming down the stairs. "You want to make a good impression."
Lana's smile was somehow reassuring and it prompted Lois to stand up. She smoothed her navy blue pinstriped skirt and white blouse. "Do I look professional?" she asked, turning to face Lana.
Lana nodded and Lois smiled in gratitude as she walked out the door.
The drive to the LexCorp plant was shorter than she'd hoped. She had no idea why she was so nervous about this. She'd had jobs before, internships with the Daily Planet. Nothing spectacular, of course, just a few articles for a few dollars to work through college, but still she'd never felt nervous for any of those jobs. Why should the Luthors be any different?
Lois pulled into the LexCorp parking lot and produced an ID for the doorman. The elevator in front of her opened and Lex stepped out.
"Right on time," Lex said, his face breaking into a devastatingly handsome smile. "Why don't you come with me to my office and we'll discuss what your job here will be."
Lois felt herself relax in his presence as she followed him down the hall toward his office. When they'd settled, Lex began.
"All right, first of all, welcome and thank you for accepting the job offer. I was a little worried that you wouldn't. It was after all, a little sudden I know. But after hearing all your views on journalism, the media, and publicity, I thought maybe I should rethink my need for a PR director."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Luthor," Lois replied, genuinely flattered. "Thank you for offering me this job. I'm grateful for this chance, not only to work for you but also to spend time with my family. I really appreciate it."
"Glad to help," Lex said softly. "Now, what you'll be doing here is actually quite simple. We work on a myriad of different projects here and given LuthorCorp's reputation, the media usually wants to know all about it. My father wasn't one that wanted to give too many details especially to a reporter. Of course, the media spun that all around and we got some bad press for awhile. I then made a deal with some of the major publications to give weekly reports for their business sections. Usually these reports are written up by Gabe Sullivan, your uncle. But of course reportage isn't exactly his specialty and there has always been the potential for an explosive situation. It hasn't happened yet, which is why I hadn't hired a PR director yet. My father so graciously offered his PR firm, but those gentlemen aren't exactly high on my list, so I decided to stick with Gabe for the time being. Then I met you." Lex smiled. "I think you're the perfect mix for the job. You have the right journalistic qualities and in talking to you, you seem open enough to write honest, yet flattering reports for LexCorp."
Lois took it all in, feeling more comfortable as Lex spoke.
"Are we all right so far?" Lex asked.
"More than all right," responded Lois.
"Great. Now this job may require long hours of reading--" Lex looked around in mock-concern. "--boring reports and spending more time with your uncle and I than you might like, but I think you can handle that. Am I correct?"
"Most definitely. I am up to the challenge."
"I believe you are."
The door opened then and Lois turned to see Lionel Luthor stroll into the room. Lex stood and Lois stood up quickly as well.
"Dad," Lex said stiffly. "Don't you ever knock?"
Lionel fixed his gaze on Lois inquisitively. "I need to speak with you privately Lex."
That was all Lois needed to head for the door. "I'll just find my uncle and get to work," she said breathlessly, obviously in extreme discomfort in Lionel Luthor's presence.
Lex nodded and Lois was gone in an instant. Lex fixed his gaze sharply on his father. "Could you be anymore rude?"
"Lex, who was that?"
"If you must know, that was Ms. Lois Lane, my new PR director."
Lionel laughed cynically. "Lex, I thought I raised you to think with your head and not your--"
"Does this conversation have a purpose? Other than to irritate me?" Lex interjected.
"Do you know anything about this woman, other than she's Gabe Sullivan's niece? That cannot be why you hired her. Lex, I--"
Lex interrupted again. "Of course I know more than that. I had a very pleasant conversation with her the other day. She is very intelligent. And, yes, I did check her credentials. Now will you please get out of my office?"
Lionel did so reluctantly, turning to give his son a disapproving stare.
Lex sighed, exasperated, and thought to himself, 'The joys of being a Luthor.'
A/N: Thanks for the reviews Heavenstar3, The Die Hard, and C.K.7980. I appreciate you letting me know how I'm doing. I just have one comment to The Die Hard: I know a doctorate in journalism sounds odd, but of course there are those out there (I know, I'm studying journalism). I don't think Lois ever had one either but I wanted to make it plausible that Lex would hire her without making her too much older than Chloe and the gang. That's why they call it fiction! (
Also, please let me know if Lois is becoming a Mary Sue! Please! I know she's not an original, but still most of the stuff about her is coming from my head. I've done research on her, and she is pretty spectacular and I want to convey that in a non-Mary Sue kind of way. I would appreciate it if reviewers would let me know if she's getting to be like that. Thanks!
"So when does the job start?" Chloe asked her cousin that Sunday morning.
"Monday," replied Lois. "I'm nervous as hell."
Chloe feigned shock. "Lois Lane? Nervous? Do my ears deceive me?"
Inside Chloe knew her cousin would be nervous because she would've been nervous too. But somehow Chloe knew that her dear cousin wasn't apprehensive because of the job. Anyone who had been in the Talon the day Lois and Lex met would have seen the way Lex looked at her. How he forgot anyone else was there and only spoke to her. It was very un-Lex if Chloe did think so herself.
She knew Lois picked up on it as well. Ever since the two were little, running around interviewing people and writing their one-page, grammatically-challenged editorials, Lois had been the observant one, always seeing through things, putting a new spin on happenings, looking for an angle. All of their relatives may have thought that Chloe's decision to be a reporter at seven was a bit premature, but they knew when Lois declared it at ten, that it would happen.
It was one of the reasons Chloe was surprised by Lois' acceptance of the job. Lois couldn't have been so naïve not to see Lex Luthor's obvious interest in her not just as his PR director. Lois had disposed of many a man because of their hastiness. Lex could be intimidating, but that never seemed to faze Lois before and Chloe couldn't help but why Lois had went along with everything.
Unless Lois felt the same way.
Chloe looked at Lois, who had been like the sister she never had, and found herself completely unable to read her.
"Lois?" Chloe ventured.
"Mm?"
"Why'd you take this job?"
"I don't know what you mean."
Chloe searched for a better way to explain herself. "Its just that, the other day at the Talon, Lex seemed--interested in you and I've never known you to warm up to a guy so quickly and I was just curious."
Lois tilted her head to look at Chloe curiously. "You mean you thought he was interested in me beyond the job offer?"
Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Um, yeah, I definitely picked that vibe up."
Lois laughed. "Maybe you've had a little too much caffeine."
'Maybe you have,' Chloe thought.
~*~
"Lana still avoiding you?" Jonathan Kent asked his son as the pair worked on farm chores that afternoon.
Clark stopped. Dumb question. But he really didn't feel like discussing it.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Dad," Clark said, easily driving his shovel through the hard dirt.
"Come on Clark. Lana used to be here all the time, even before you two dated. Now we hardly see her and I was just curious," Jonathan explained.
Clark sighed. He knew his dad meant well and he shouldn't be upset. And he wasn't. At least not at his father.
"Lana doesn't want to have anything to do with me. She wants to move on and I guess us being just friends isn't in her plans," Clark relented, his voice low.
Jonathan placed a reassuring hand on his son's strong shoulder. "I'm sorry it has to be that way, son," he said sympathetically. "But you can't let this get you down forever. If Lana's not the one, then I'm sure there's someone else out there for you."
Clark wanted to ask who that happened to be, but his father went on.
"Let's not talk about Lana. What else is going on in your life? There has to be something."
Clark thought about how Lex had asked him that question just a few days ago and how there had been nothing to say. It was quite pathetic how his whole life revolved around Lana Lang.
But he loved her. Even now he could still feel it. He tried to hide it, especially around her because it was so painfully obvious that she didn't feel the same. And because it was all his fault they weren't together anymore.
"Earth to Clark," came his father's beckon.
"Yeah, dad."
"I said, what else is going on? There is something else besides Lana, right?"
Clark racked his brain. What had he said to Lex the other day?
"Uh, well, Chloe's cousin is in town from Metropolis."
"That's--interesting."
"And Lex offered her a job at LexCorp after meeting her."
Jonathan stared at his son thoughtfully. "Clark?"
"Yeah, Dad?"
"You need to get out more." Jonathan smiled in jest and resumed his working.
Clark rolled his eyes, knowing inside that dear old dad was right again.
~*~
Monday morning arrived a lot quicker than Lois planned for it. She figured she could stay in Sunday night until her nerves settled. Beside that, what Chloe said the afternoon before really got to her.
Was Lex Luthor really--interested in her that way? And if so, why the hell couldn't she see it? And furthermore, just, why? They met, had a coffee, made intelligent conversation. He didn't know anything about her except her name, family ties and level of education. She didn't know him either, not really. The Luthors were well-known, but only in the public sense.
Lois sighed. Maybe this was just a product of Chloe's overactive imagination.
Even still, offering her a job so quickly was odd, coming to think of it.
"Aren't you going to be late?" came a voice from behind. Lois turned to see Lana coming down the stairs. "You want to make a good impression."
Lana's smile was somehow reassuring and it prompted Lois to stand up. She smoothed her navy blue pinstriped skirt and white blouse. "Do I look professional?" she asked, turning to face Lana.
Lana nodded and Lois smiled in gratitude as she walked out the door.
The drive to the LexCorp plant was shorter than she'd hoped. She had no idea why she was so nervous about this. She'd had jobs before, internships with the Daily Planet. Nothing spectacular, of course, just a few articles for a few dollars to work through college, but still she'd never felt nervous for any of those jobs. Why should the Luthors be any different?
Lois pulled into the LexCorp parking lot and produced an ID for the doorman. The elevator in front of her opened and Lex stepped out.
"Right on time," Lex said, his face breaking into a devastatingly handsome smile. "Why don't you come with me to my office and we'll discuss what your job here will be."
Lois felt herself relax in his presence as she followed him down the hall toward his office. When they'd settled, Lex began.
"All right, first of all, welcome and thank you for accepting the job offer. I was a little worried that you wouldn't. It was after all, a little sudden I know. But after hearing all your views on journalism, the media, and publicity, I thought maybe I should rethink my need for a PR director."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Luthor," Lois replied, genuinely flattered. "Thank you for offering me this job. I'm grateful for this chance, not only to work for you but also to spend time with my family. I really appreciate it."
"Glad to help," Lex said softly. "Now, what you'll be doing here is actually quite simple. We work on a myriad of different projects here and given LuthorCorp's reputation, the media usually wants to know all about it. My father wasn't one that wanted to give too many details especially to a reporter. Of course, the media spun that all around and we got some bad press for awhile. I then made a deal with some of the major publications to give weekly reports for their business sections. Usually these reports are written up by Gabe Sullivan, your uncle. But of course reportage isn't exactly his specialty and there has always been the potential for an explosive situation. It hasn't happened yet, which is why I hadn't hired a PR director yet. My father so graciously offered his PR firm, but those gentlemen aren't exactly high on my list, so I decided to stick with Gabe for the time being. Then I met you." Lex smiled. "I think you're the perfect mix for the job. You have the right journalistic qualities and in talking to you, you seem open enough to write honest, yet flattering reports for LexCorp."
Lois took it all in, feeling more comfortable as Lex spoke.
"Are we all right so far?" Lex asked.
"More than all right," responded Lois.
"Great. Now this job may require long hours of reading--" Lex looked around in mock-concern. "--boring reports and spending more time with your uncle and I than you might like, but I think you can handle that. Am I correct?"
"Most definitely. I am up to the challenge."
"I believe you are."
The door opened then and Lois turned to see Lionel Luthor stroll into the room. Lex stood and Lois stood up quickly as well.
"Dad," Lex said stiffly. "Don't you ever knock?"
Lionel fixed his gaze on Lois inquisitively. "I need to speak with you privately Lex."
That was all Lois needed to head for the door. "I'll just find my uncle and get to work," she said breathlessly, obviously in extreme discomfort in Lionel Luthor's presence.
Lex nodded and Lois was gone in an instant. Lex fixed his gaze sharply on his father. "Could you be anymore rude?"
"Lex, who was that?"
"If you must know, that was Ms. Lois Lane, my new PR director."
Lionel laughed cynically. "Lex, I thought I raised you to think with your head and not your--"
"Does this conversation have a purpose? Other than to irritate me?" Lex interjected.
"Do you know anything about this woman, other than she's Gabe Sullivan's niece? That cannot be why you hired her. Lex, I--"
Lex interrupted again. "Of course I know more than that. I had a very pleasant conversation with her the other day. She is very intelligent. And, yes, I did check her credentials. Now will you please get out of my office?"
Lionel did so reluctantly, turning to give his son a disapproving stare.
Lex sighed, exasperated, and thought to himself, 'The joys of being a Luthor.'
A/N: Thanks for the reviews Heavenstar3, The Die Hard, and C.K.7980. I appreciate you letting me know how I'm doing. I just have one comment to The Die Hard: I know a doctorate in journalism sounds odd, but of course there are those out there (I know, I'm studying journalism). I don't think Lois ever had one either but I wanted to make it plausible that Lex would hire her without making her too much older than Chloe and the gang. That's why they call it fiction! (
Also, please let me know if Lois is becoming a Mary Sue! Please! I know she's not an original, but still most of the stuff about her is coming from my head. I've done research on her, and she is pretty spectacular and I want to convey that in a non-Mary Sue kind of way. I would appreciate it if reviewers would let me know if she's getting to be like that. Thanks!