Chapter 2: Partners

Lois stalked into Perry White's office. She heard the rumor that morning. Lois Lane was getting teamed up with a rookie. She was moving down the ladder from star reporter to babysitter. She charged forward, fully intending to give the Chief a piece of her mind. Perry was talking to the kid as if he were the best thing in the world. Perry never treated anybody that way, especially somebody new. "Chief, what the hell is going on? I don't work with anyone!"

"Ah, there you are. Lois Lane, meet your new partner, Clark Kent!" said Perry expansively.

Lois paused, looking at the tall man uncurl himself from the chair and turn. It was Clark, alright. She almost didn't recognize him. He had combed his hair differently, and was wearing glasses, of all things. "Uh, hi." She said to the love of her life. She turned to her editor. "This isn't going to work out, Chief. I have deadlines, projects…stuff." Damn, thought Lois. She could barely make it through a quiet dinner without jumping Clark's bones. Now she was going to have to spend every waking minute with him. "Just shut up, Clark and play along" she breathed. Clark nodded slightly. "Maybe Cat Grant could take him?" Lois cursed her mouth. Cat was the most notorious slut in the office. What the hell was she thinking?

"No, Cat's department is gossip. Clark's too good of a writer for that. Besides, he once saved my life. He gets the city beat, with my best reporter" said Perry.

"Huh, saved your life?" asked Lois. Clark had never mentioned that he knew the Chief.

"Yeah," continued Perry. "I was just another has-been drunk digging for tabloid news in Smallville, Kansas. Clark shocked me into giving up drinking, got me back on track!" Perry smiled even wider. "Now look at me! Editor-in-Chief of the greatest paper in the world! The New York Times gets collective indigestion every time they think about when they let me go!"

Perry continued on about what a great guy Clark was for another ten minutes, while Clark blushed redder and redder. Lois gave up the fight and led Clark to his new desk. Clark knocked over three wastebaskets and almost flattened two copyboys getting there. She looked at him across the disarray that was her desk. "What's with the glasses and the Cosmo Kramer routine, Clark?"

Clark sheepishly looked at his desktop. "Heat-vision accident" he said shortly. "I was burning some weeds out this morning and accidentally hit a small piece of Kryptonite. The flashback blinds me."

"But you can see now, so it's temporary?" asked Lois quietly.

"No, but a blowtorch across the cornea restores my sight. I should be all better in a day or two" said Clark. Lois thought that Clark was the only man in the world who could say something like that and not sound crazy. "I'm just a little clumsy until my vision clears."

Lois laughed. "Clark, runaway cargo trains are clumsy. Drunk elephant herds are clumsy. You blind is a freaking natural disaster waiting to happen!" She calmed down. "Okay, look about what I said in the Chief's office. I'm not unhappy that he's paired us up. It's just that, I can barely look at you without wanting to rip your clothes off." Clark cleared his throat, looking at someone behind Lois. Lois turned, face to face with her worst nightmare. Catherine "Cat" Grant was standing behind her, tapping a perfectly capped tooth with a perfectly applied fake nail. "Oh, my, God, Lois! I never figured you for the type, and on the first day of work!" Cat laughed and looked at Clark. "Mmmm! Hellllo!" said Cat, almost purring like her namesake.

Lois straightened and said loudly, "yeah, that's what my date said, the pig! So I punched him straight in the face." Lois stared at Clark, willing him to play along.

"Uh…gee, Lois. That's terrible that someone would say that" Clark said lamely.

Cat stalked around the desk, ignoring Lois. She swayed her hips seductively. Lois thought she looked like a hooker fishing for customers. Cat stopped in front of Clark, holding out her hand, "Hi, handsome. I'm Cat." She said in a throaty contralto tone.

Clark jumped up to introduce himself, but bumped his desk. He knocked his and Lois desk hard, causing her coffee to spill all over the front of her suit. "Ahhh!" she shouted. Clark scrambled to wipe up the spill, and Cat stalked off, laughing wickedly.

Clark looked at Lois apprehensively. She was in shock. She turned a venomous glare at him. "Smallville?" she said evenly.

"Uh, yes?"

"SIT!"