Once she was safely outside, Lois made her way around the block and flagged down a cab that was parked in front of a local convenience store. She gave her address to the cabbie and settled back in the seat, grumbling incoherently to herself about frustrating, ungrateful, story stealing, backstabbing, partners.

"Miss, we're here," The cabbie pulled up to the sidewalk in front of the converted brown stone in which her apartment was located.

"Thanks," Lois checked the meter and pulled a few bills from her purse, handing it through the window to the cab driver, "Keep the change."

The cabbie waited for her to get through the front door of her building before taking off as she made her way up the stairs to her second-floor apartment. Pulling out her key ring which held the keys for her lock in the same order they would need to be used to unlock her door, she made quick work of unlocking her front door before slamming it behind her and storming off to her room.

It only took her a few moments to free herself of the gaudy silver dress she had worn on stage that night and toss it over the chair in the corner of her room. She grabbed her favorite fluffy robe from the back of her bedroom door and, tying the sash around her waist, she made her way into the kitchen to look for something to eat.

Opening the fridge, she pulled out a half gallon carton of ice cream and pulled a spoon from the recently washed load of dishes that she hadn't gotten around to putting away just yet before slumping on to the couch to eat her feelings. Lucy, who had been staying out of her sister's way after hearing the slammed door, emerged from her room and gave her a knowing look.

"Oh no, what did Clark do this time?" She asked, leaning up against the partition between the dining room and living room, arms crossed over her chest as she watched her sister binge on the cold treat.

"What makes you think Clark is involved?" Lois looked up to see her sister rolling her eyes.

"Well, for starters, you only eat the double fudge brownie ice cream when you're upset with Clark for some reason." Lucy pointed out, "So I'll ask again, what did Clark do this time?"

"Nothing," Lois pouted around another spoonful of the rich chocolaty ice cream.

"Uh huh," Lucy arched an eyebrow challengingly, her tone indicating she wasn't buying it.

"He exposed my cover, ruined my story, and threw me in a dumpster!" Lois exclaimed after a few moments of her sister's interrogative stare, "And then he has the nerve to invite that woman over to his apartment for a date!"

"Oh, I see," Understanding washing over Lucy's expression, "You're jealous."

"No," Lois scoffed, "I am not jealous! If he wants to fool around with that whore of Babylon, that's just fine with me. But I refuse to listen to him complaining about having to get a penicillin shot after tonight."

"Whatever you say, Lo," Lucy shook her head at her stubborn older sister. She could see what was going on, even if Lois couldn't, "What happened to make Clark have to blow your cover?"

"He followed me into the storage room and Toni found us in there," Lois huffed, "He didn't have to expose me, he could have pretended we were in there having an illicit tryst."

"Ah, so you wanted him to kiss you, and now you're mad because he didn't," Lucy observed.

"No, that's not it at all, I'm just saying he had other options other than exposing me as the person who leaked the information about the change in the Metro Gang's leadership," Lois grumbled, taking another bite of ice cream.

"Like making out with you in a broom closet," Lucy smirked.

"Storage room, and I didn't say making out," Lois rolled her eyes, "That term did not cross my lips or my mind at any time."

"Okay, fine, you said 'illicit tryst,'" Lucy snickered at her sister's blatant obtuseness over the situation, "Most people who are caught having an illicit tryst in the janitors' closet…"

"Storage room," Lois corrected.

"Whatever… are caught making out, or they've moved past making out and are on to other, more enjoyable secret activities," Lucy bounced her eyes suggestively. "I know it's been a while for you. Not that I blame you after you-know-who screwed you over in more ways than one," Lucy ignored the glare her older sister gave her, "But Clark isn't like that, anyone who has talked to him for half a minute knows he's an honest guy."

Lois snorted derisively.

Lucy gave her a questioning look before continuing, "All I'm saying is he's an awesome guy, he's a little too old for me, but were I five years older, you'd have some serious competition from me."

"Not to mention a twin," Lois rolled her eyes, "Look, I know what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work, there is nothing between Clark and I, never has been, never will be."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Lucy shook her head, "But it would require you to stop seeing Lex just to make Clark jealous."

"I am not dating Lex to make Clark jealous!" Lois protested.

"Oh really?" Lucy arched an eyebrow, "Then tell me why you are dating a man nearly twice your age? I know it's not about his money, I've heard too many of your diatribes about the entitled silver spoon set to buy that."

"Well, he's… I…" Lois stammered.

"Uh huh," Lucy gave her a victorious look, "Look, I have to go meet up with Chelsea and Hannah to study for our upcoming Comparative Ethics midterm, but we will discuss this later."

"Whatever," Lois grumbled.

"You know I love you," Lucy reminded her, "I just hope someday you'll open your eyes and see what I'm seeing."

"I love you too," Lois begrudgingly admitted, "Study hard."

"I will," Lucy gave her a quick hug and picked up her book bag before flouncing out of the apartment.

"What does she know, she's not even old enough to drink," Lois grumbled as she stabbed at the semi-melted ice cream in the carton with her spoon and debated if it would be a good idea to exchange it for a large glass or five of Cabernet. A knock on her door broke her from her musings and she made her way to the door, "Did you forget your keys again, Luce?" She asked as she turned all the locks to open the door again, but it wasn't her sister.

"Let's do it," The man gave her a cheeky grin.

"Excuse me?" Lois gave him an incredulous look.

"It's a song request," Lex explained before softly breaking into song, "Let's do it, Let's fall in love…"

"Oh, well I'm afraid my singing career is over," Lois sighed.

"That's really too bad," Lex leaned against the door, "You were an inspiration up there."

"I hardly think I was that," Lois rolled her eyes, "What were you doing there, anyway?"

"Toni Taylor is under the delusion that the Metros and LexCorp have a mutual interest in the Suicide Slum area," Lex shrugged, "Even if that were true, and her intentions were as she said, I wouldn't partner with her. I've worked too hard to get where I am to have it all fall apart because I agreed to a partnership with one of the most infamous mobs in Metropolis. Don't worry, I gave her no indication that I know who you are, so you should be safe."

"Thanks," Lois gave him a small smile.

"Might I come in?" Lex inquired, "We haven't had much time to catch up lately."

"Tempting," Lois gave him a reassuring smile, "But I've had a long day and an even longer week, I was thinking I may just go to bed early." She yawned to enforce the point.

"Very well," Lex gave her a short nod and a smile she was sure was meant to be charming but instead made her skin crawl. "I do so hope your schedule clears soon, so that I may take you to dinner."

"I'll call you as soon as my investigation is over," She promised, "Good night."

"Goodnight then," Lex nodded, "Sleep tight."

"You too," Lois gave him a tiny half-smile and shut the door, "Because that's the only place you're going to see me for a very long time."

She knew she needed to break up with Lex, but that was a problem for another day. What she needed to work on is getting Clark to admit that he was Superman.