A/N: Thanks for my reviews. I'm trying to keep both of my stories
updated, so check back soon!
ON WITH THE STORY!
Clark was speechless. People at the Planet always teased him about 'wearing his heart on his sleeve', and he knew they were right. The emotions he was experiencing flickered across his face. There was the instantaneous shock, then suspicion, and finally, warmth at seeing his two friends whom he hadn't seen in eight years.
He spoke to Chloe first. "Chloe, what are you and Lana doing here?"
Chloe finally found her voice and said, "I could have asked you the same thing."
Clark gestured around and said, "I've worked at the Planet for two years now."
At that moment, a man nearly bumped into Clark while perusing through a large stack of news reports. The man stopped himself in time, and when he saw who it was his face broke out into a smile. "Clark, why didn't you tell me that you had two lovely ladies visiting you today?"
Clark smiled and felt the tension in the air ease. "I knew these two girls from high school. And actually, I asked them the same question myself."
Ethan Sommerlan had been his friend from the start of his Daily Planet career. Clark had been a scared reporter on his first day and Ethan had shown him around. Ethan had quickly established Clark as Ethan's new best friend, and Clark had been accepted at the Daily Planet quicker than if he had struck out on his own.
After the incident with Chloe, Lex, and Lana, Clark had vowed never to share his secret with anyone else; it just hurt people. But Ethan had been different, and Clark had just recently told Ethan of his abilities. Ethan had reacted the way he always reacted in situations; he took it in stride, and now considered it his personal mission to protect Clark.
Clark didn't know what had made him decide to tell Ethan. He did know that Ethan was a person he could trust. And Ethan relied on Clark as a second hand man.
Chloe knew she better answer, or risk never getting to talk to Clark again. "I'm from the Chicago Sun-Times. We're taking some pointers on the layout of your newsroom since we are restructuring ours."
Clark looked puzzled. "You mean you two didn't come here together?"
Lana shook her head from side to side. "No, I'm here on my own. I'm from Frost Advertisements . . .?" She left the sentence hanging, hoping someone would come to her rescue.
Ethan brightened, obviously remembering the name. "Then I'm your guy, so to speak. I had an appointment with a Ms. Lang from Frost Advertisements today."
Lana looked relieved. She glanced at her watch. "Clark, Chloe, how about we meet in the lobby, about 12:30, for lunch?" After Chloe's enthusiastic nod and Clark's reluctant one, Lana let herself be led away by Ethan, who was already discussing the possibilities of advertisements for the Daily Planet. She turned over her shoulder and sent Clark a smile. "And Clark? No running away this time."
Clark still felt stunned by the whole reunion. He remembered Jimmy saying something about a representative from the Chicago Sun-Times visiting the Planet, so Chloe's story rang true.
As for Lana . . . he thought that he had put her out of his mind. After all, he hadn't seen her in over eight years. But seeing her face again brought back a whole batch of painful memories.
Chloe snapped her fingers in front of Clark's face, trying to bring his attention back to her. "Clark! Clark! Hello, Mr. Kent!"
Finally, the glazed look disappeared from his eyes, and he shook his head to rid himself of all those memories. Once again, he was businesslike. "Jimmy!"
Jimmy had been standing quietly in the background, observing the encounter. Hearing his name, however, he jumped. "Yeah, CK?"
Clark felt more relaxed as he related orders to Jimmy. "I'm sure Chloe will need to be situated in her hotel, and be brought back to the Planet by 12:30. After lunch, you can give her the grand tour of our newsroom." Clark softened the blow of his orders by punching Jimmy lightly on the shoulder.
Jimmy nodded, obviously intimidated by showing this beautiful woman around. Commands from CK, however, were basically the law of the Planet, so he didn't question him.
Jimmy held a lot of respect for Clark Kent, even though he suspected CK had some sort of secret he was always trying to protect. He had been doing some background checking on his own, but so far had come up with nothing substantial on Clark Kent. Born and raised in Smallville, Kansas, the farmboy had come up clean as a whistle in the criminal search he had run. Jimmy just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something . . . secret about Clark Kent.
Jimmy turned to Chloe, and said, "Well, I guess it's back to the car we go."
Chloe seemed to get angry. "Just because I'm a guest here does not mean that I will be told what to do! I will go to my hotel when I'm good and ready!"
Clark shrugged, trying hard to seem indifferent to her outburst, and headed to the elevator, where he had been trying to get to in the first place. After the elevator doors shut behind him, and Clark Kent was nowhere to be seen, Chloe turned to Jimmy.
She said, "Ok, on to my hotel now."
Jimmy looked confused. "But you just said . . ."
Chloe silenced him with a look. "You just have to know how to deal with people like Clark Kent."
Chloe hauled her purse over her shoulder and marched into the next waiting elevator, Jimmy following close behind.
ON WITH THE STORY!
Clark was speechless. People at the Planet always teased him about 'wearing his heart on his sleeve', and he knew they were right. The emotions he was experiencing flickered across his face. There was the instantaneous shock, then suspicion, and finally, warmth at seeing his two friends whom he hadn't seen in eight years.
He spoke to Chloe first. "Chloe, what are you and Lana doing here?"
Chloe finally found her voice and said, "I could have asked you the same thing."
Clark gestured around and said, "I've worked at the Planet for two years now."
At that moment, a man nearly bumped into Clark while perusing through a large stack of news reports. The man stopped himself in time, and when he saw who it was his face broke out into a smile. "Clark, why didn't you tell me that you had two lovely ladies visiting you today?"
Clark smiled and felt the tension in the air ease. "I knew these two girls from high school. And actually, I asked them the same question myself."
Ethan Sommerlan had been his friend from the start of his Daily Planet career. Clark had been a scared reporter on his first day and Ethan had shown him around. Ethan had quickly established Clark as Ethan's new best friend, and Clark had been accepted at the Daily Planet quicker than if he had struck out on his own.
After the incident with Chloe, Lex, and Lana, Clark had vowed never to share his secret with anyone else; it just hurt people. But Ethan had been different, and Clark had just recently told Ethan of his abilities. Ethan had reacted the way he always reacted in situations; he took it in stride, and now considered it his personal mission to protect Clark.
Clark didn't know what had made him decide to tell Ethan. He did know that Ethan was a person he could trust. And Ethan relied on Clark as a second hand man.
Chloe knew she better answer, or risk never getting to talk to Clark again. "I'm from the Chicago Sun-Times. We're taking some pointers on the layout of your newsroom since we are restructuring ours."
Clark looked puzzled. "You mean you two didn't come here together?"
Lana shook her head from side to side. "No, I'm here on my own. I'm from Frost Advertisements . . .?" She left the sentence hanging, hoping someone would come to her rescue.
Ethan brightened, obviously remembering the name. "Then I'm your guy, so to speak. I had an appointment with a Ms. Lang from Frost Advertisements today."
Lana looked relieved. She glanced at her watch. "Clark, Chloe, how about we meet in the lobby, about 12:30, for lunch?" After Chloe's enthusiastic nod and Clark's reluctant one, Lana let herself be led away by Ethan, who was already discussing the possibilities of advertisements for the Daily Planet. She turned over her shoulder and sent Clark a smile. "And Clark? No running away this time."
Clark still felt stunned by the whole reunion. He remembered Jimmy saying something about a representative from the Chicago Sun-Times visiting the Planet, so Chloe's story rang true.
As for Lana . . . he thought that he had put her out of his mind. After all, he hadn't seen her in over eight years. But seeing her face again brought back a whole batch of painful memories.
Chloe snapped her fingers in front of Clark's face, trying to bring his attention back to her. "Clark! Clark! Hello, Mr. Kent!"
Finally, the glazed look disappeared from his eyes, and he shook his head to rid himself of all those memories. Once again, he was businesslike. "Jimmy!"
Jimmy had been standing quietly in the background, observing the encounter. Hearing his name, however, he jumped. "Yeah, CK?"
Clark felt more relaxed as he related orders to Jimmy. "I'm sure Chloe will need to be situated in her hotel, and be brought back to the Planet by 12:30. After lunch, you can give her the grand tour of our newsroom." Clark softened the blow of his orders by punching Jimmy lightly on the shoulder.
Jimmy nodded, obviously intimidated by showing this beautiful woman around. Commands from CK, however, were basically the law of the Planet, so he didn't question him.
Jimmy held a lot of respect for Clark Kent, even though he suspected CK had some sort of secret he was always trying to protect. He had been doing some background checking on his own, but so far had come up with nothing substantial on Clark Kent. Born and raised in Smallville, Kansas, the farmboy had come up clean as a whistle in the criminal search he had run. Jimmy just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something . . . secret about Clark Kent.
Jimmy turned to Chloe, and said, "Well, I guess it's back to the car we go."
Chloe seemed to get angry. "Just because I'm a guest here does not mean that I will be told what to do! I will go to my hotel when I'm good and ready!"
Clark shrugged, trying hard to seem indifferent to her outburst, and headed to the elevator, where he had been trying to get to in the first place. After the elevator doors shut behind him, and Clark Kent was nowhere to be seen, Chloe turned to Jimmy.
She said, "Ok, on to my hotel now."
Jimmy looked confused. "But you just said . . ."
Chloe silenced him with a look. "You just have to know how to deal with people like Clark Kent."
Chloe hauled her purse over her shoulder and marched into the next waiting elevator, Jimmy following close behind.