Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prologue! I really appreciate it. And thanks to Laurena my beta (editor) for her help!

Chapter One

Clark Kent was reluctant to wear such a costume, tights and a red cape? But then who was he to say no to his mother? She would be so proud of him once he wears the costume she had made him.

"No woman's going to be staring at your face," Martha Kent informed him as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"MOM!" Clark exclaimed in embarrassment. As though he was still that awkward

Smallville teenager rather than the newly employed reporter of the Daily Planet, Martha mused. She shook her head as she walked up to her son and put her hand on his shoulder, to look at his reflection in the mirror.

"Clark, I'm very proud of the man you've become, moving to Metropolis and starting

your career..." Clark grinned.

"Thanks, Mom." She nodded as she went over to sit down on the couch.

"Now you make sure to bring that costume back to me if you get snags in it…."

Clark nodded, "will do."

Martha surveyed her son in his costume one last time. "You are doing this because you don't want people to know that it's Clark Kent saving lives, correct?"

Clark nodded his head again. "I was planning on just doing it like I did when I still lived in Smallville," he replied. "But after today, after seeing Lex, Lois and people on the ground in broad day light, I figured I needed something to let me just be Clark Kent, mild-mannered citizen." Martha smiled as she looked at her grown son with teary eyes. Jonathan, if only you could see the man your son turned out to be…

The next day Clark started his first official day as the next great reporter at the Daily Planet. Or at least that's what he hoped would happen. Standing in the elevator, he pushed his GQ style glasses up his nose as he waited to hit the main floor of the Daily Planet. He still couldn't believe his luck that two days earlier he met with Perry White, the man who almost discovered his secret nearly nine years ago but eventually promised him a job if he ever needed one. And to his great surprise and gratitude, White kept it.

As the elevator arrived on his floor, the doors opened to the hectic life of a newspaper. Clark let out a deep sigh as he stepped off and went straight to Perry's office. Or at least that is what he had intended.

"Man killed by prostitute wife! Page A7!" he heard someone yell as they ran in front of Clark.

"Does anyone have a picture of that Kansas senator!" another yelled as they ran behind him.

"Are you lost?" a voice asked Clark who turns to look and sees a young man with relaxed curly brown hair grinning at him.

"Oh, no not really," Clark answered with a bit of embarrassment. "Just overwhelmed I guess."

"Don't worry about that," the man answered casually. "You kind of get used to it. When I first interned here in high school, I almost ran back to the elevator."

Clark smiled at the guy. "I'm Clark Kent by the way," he stuck out his hand.

"Jimmy Olsen," the other smiled as he took Clark's hand and shook it. "I'm the top photographer around here." He held up his professional camera that he was holding in his hands. "Are you a new reporter?"

"Yeah," Clark answered. "Is Perry in his office yet?"

Jimmy nodded as he moved out of Clark's way. "Yeah, he sure is. But you better watch out, he's in one of his moods."

"Thanks for the warning," Clark replied. "Nice meeting you, Jimmy."

"You too, Clark!" Jimmy yelled as Clark finally entered Perry's office.

"OLSEN! DID YOU GET A…" Perry yelled before he finally looked up from his computer screen and saw Clark. "You're not Olsen."

"Nope," Clark replied with a bit of a grin on his face. Perry shook his head as he stood up and walked towards Clark.

"Good to have you with us at the Daily Planet, Clark." He shook Clark's hand and smiled. "Even though it's your first day I want you to jump right in and get your feet wet. Get a feel for what I, as the editor-in-chief, am looking for in my reporters. And that's why I'm going to pair you off with my best damned reporter…" But he was interrupted when his office door flew open and in comes Lois Lane looking down at a piece of paper in her hands.

"Here it is Chief," she informs him as she taps the paper, "my ticket to a Pulitzer!"

"Clark, meet Lois Lane," Perry replied as he walked back to his desk.

"Oh, I alrea-" Clark started to say as he looks over at Lois who appeared to have not noticed his existence.

"Chief, this is front page news. A man saved me, Lex Luthor and Jimmy from nearly getting killed in a plane crash!" She exclaimed.

"Now did Jimmy happen to get a picture of this..." he skimmed through the piece of paper Lois handed him. "Superman?"

"No but countless eye witnesses saw him saving the plane!" ignoring his outburst. Perry looked at her. "Okay we'll run it. Lucky for you it's been a slow news day."

Lois sat up straight with pure amusement at what Perry said. "Now, Lois…I want you to show our newest reporter Clark Kent how Planet reporters do things around here…."

"And my desk," Clark added as Lois finally turns around to actually acknowledge that there was someone else in the office.

"And his desk," Perry repeated. "Now go!"

"Are you sure that's Clark Kent?" Lois asked Perry as she pointed to Clark.

"Yes, now go!" Perry exclaimed, motioning them to exit.

"Well, nice glasses Smallville," Lois smirked as she opens the door while Clark follows behind.

"Nice to see you too Lois," Clark retorted as they walk back into the newsroom.

"Okay. Well let me try to get you situated as fast as I can," Lois replied as she headed towards what obviously appeared to be her desk since it was full of papers splattered everywhere near her desktop computer and had a name plate with her name on it. "Your desk is right there." She pointed to the empty desk next to her. "You can do whatever you want to it, I don't care, just don't bother touching my stuff. Everything is where it needs to be."

Clark smirked as he surveyed her tornado of stuff. "I'm surprised you could find anything in there."

Lois looked up at him. "If I can find the Cape Crusader himself, surely I can find a petty piece of paper in this." She then went back to grab some papers from her desk and puts them in her bag.

She got you there buddy, Clark thought to himself. "So when are we going to go do some work?" Lois looked back at him and slightly let out a laugh.

"We?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah we…"

"Listen Clark," Lois stood up straight and put her hand on her hip. "There's you and there's me but there is no we." Clark stared at her. "You're a big boy now and from what I remember Chloe telling me, you are perfectly capable of getting your own story." She grabbed her bag and headed off. "JIMMY! JIMMY!" Jimmy Olsen soon ran up to Lois, carrying his camera in his hand.

"Ready Lois!"

"Great!" Lois quipped as she turned him around to the elevator.

"Lois!" Clark finally yells, running up to them just as she hit the elevator down button. "Just let me go with you."

Lois let out a sigh. "Clark, as the general used to tell me, if you want to do something for yourself then you need to do it yourself." She turns around to face Clark. "The only way you'd learn what Perry White wants in his reporters, Smallville, is to do what I did: figure it out on your own." The elevator finally arrived and the doors opened to let Lois and Jimmy in. "Bye Clark."

Clark let out a sigh as the elevator doors closed. He stood there for a moment, analyzing Lois' words before he suddenly decides to take her advice and take his chances. He casually stood close to the elevator doors as he let his ears pick up what Lois and Jimmy were up to. If he picked up on what she was on her way to do maybe he could just happen to be there before she arrived.

Are you sure you want to do this Lois? Clark heard Jimmy ask Lois as they rode down the elevator.

It's the only way I can get an interview with him Jimmy. But I can't do it on top of the Daily Planet, too many reporters. But if it's off the largest building in the city he's bound to show up! Lois explained to him.

Clark quickly ran to the door leading to the stairs after he learns that Lois Lane is going to attempt to risk her life in order to get the exclusive interview with her mysterious superman.

Meanwhile…at Luthorcorp Industries…

Lex Luthor stood in his spacious office as he reviewed the events of the prior afternoon. A man had saved his life and did not even bother to show his face. Lex took his bottle of Scotch and poured himself a glass. He did not get it. How could someone just save his life and not ask for any reward? Lex took a sip of his scotch. And for that matter how could he reach the plane in midair and have the ability to land it to safety? These were the thoughts that plagued the powerful Lex Luthor. He knew that steps toward his destiny had already been carried out almost two weeks ago but maybe there was more to it than he knew. Maybe, just maybe, this powerful savior is the key to completely fulfill his destiny.