---- Chapter 3: Finding A Win

"Smallville, do you think that I'll ever get the chance to actually spend some time with Chloe without getting called away by something pertaining to the article we're doing on her article?"

Lois looked over at Clark, who leaned back in his chair with a sleeping Jacob laying against his chest. He pushed his glasses up on his nose a little further while his eyebrows drew together in thought. "I would assume at some point you won't be called away to meet a source or check something that has been sent to you, yes. I can't guarantee it, but, ya know, odds are in your favor."

"Are they really? It seems like I got to spend a total of an hour with Chloe this weekend after I forgot her Friday night. God, I still can't believe I did that. And then I try an impromptu breakfast that gets interrupted by an unlikely call and we get interrupted in the middle of a trip to the zoo."

"Unlikely, yes, but not unheard of in our lives."

Frowning, Lois grabbed a pen off her desk and started messing with it. "Still, I feel like it's my fault for not planning around things like phone calls from sources better." She looked over at Clark again. "I don't think Chloe blames me, though, so much as she blames her luck, or lack thereof. Everything seems to go wrong around her these days."

"You have to admit that she's had some of the worst breaks since April. After the twelve days that nobody wants to think about, it just killed her outlook on life. Once she couldn't get a job in journalism after that it just took that Chloe that we knew and loved and buried her."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to find a way to dig her up, Smallville." Lois tossed her pen back on her desk and sat up, running a hand back through her hair. "So help me, if I have to dig until I'm fifty I will dig her up and get Chloe back. She deserves happiness more than anybody I know..." Trailing off, Lois sighed and stood up.

"It's not on you to make her happy, Lois. It's something she has to do herself."

"That doesn't mean I can't show her the way." Lois grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. "This conversation is to be continued. Does Jacob need anything while I'm out getting lunch?"

Clark leaned over for a moment before getting back up. "All we have in the bag is enough formula for one meal, so if you want to get more of that or some strained something or other he should be set for the day."

"All right. Don't let me forget to call Chloe when I get back, ok? I want to check and see how the whole paycheck fiasco has turned out."

"Will do."

Lois walked away, jumping into the elevator before it could close. The ride down was slow, but eventually she got down and walked out of the building. She watched cars go by as she waited to cross the street. What the hell could she do to get Chloe's luck to turn around? There had to be something that could be tinkered with or changed so that it would make her think that there were positives in the world again. One good thing, even if it had been messed with, could be the key.

The problem was if Chloe found out. She was still one of the best at getting the truth Lois knew, if not the best outside of herself, and that presented a huge set of problems. Looking up, she noticed that people were crossing the street and hurried across, heading down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. She didn't want to put something over on Chloe, but the woman couldn't catch a break! If she thought something positive might happen for Chloe on its own, she'd happily sit back and wait.

Patience, though, had never been her friend. It had rarely even been an acquaintance.

Looking up occasionally, Lois stayed deep in thought. How the hell could she going to fix up something positive to happen to Chloe? What the hell was she going to fix up that could go well for Chloe? She could always take her to a bar and find hot guys to pay attention to her, but that would probably just end up annoying her. It had always annoyed her when she'd gone to a bar to drink and couldn't get ten minutes to herself without some guy interrupting.

Yeah, a guy was out of the question, for now at least. Professionally it seemed as if Chloe had something going for her, even if she was an assistant. What the hell would that lead to, though. Was Stanton going to train her to become something within the company, like a junior executive or something? That wouldn't be so bad, but it would take time. There was that patience thing again.

It wouldn't be so bad if Chloe hadn't chosen to live where she did. It gave Lois nightmares thinking about what could happen to her cousin if she walked the streets there late at night. If she was lucky, all that would happen was a mugging. Well, Chloe could kick butt, and there was also the option of Superman should she so choose, but still, that's no excuse to live somewhere awful when she could have their basement.

Of course, the inevitable independence issues had come up but Lois didn't think they were a big deal.

Lois turned into a grocery store, and after grabbing a hand basket made her way over to the baby food section. She grabbed a couple jars of plums, carrots and peas before tossing in another thing of formula as well. She made her way through the store back to its deli, and after taking a number was helped pretty quickly.

Twenty minutes later she was making her way back into the bullpen with a large bag of fried chicken, as well as all the things she'd bought for Jacob. She got to her desk and put the bags down before stuffing her purse into her desk again. She smiled at Clark as he got up and spun Jacob's carrier around, revealing to her an awake and happy looking baby. She picked him up and he squealed in delight.

"Hey there, Jacob. Did you sleep well? I got you some food, if you want some soon." Lois looked over at Clark. "I also got us some fried chicken."

"I smell it. Where'd you go?"

"The mom and pop grocery store five blocks down."

Clark nodded and Lois sat down, smiling at Jacob as she did so. With one hand she pulled his carrier over onto her desk and sat him back in there before taking a piece of chicken from Clark. She took a bite and mumbled a thanks around it as her thoughts strayed back to Chloe. What the hell could she do to get Chloe's head back into a positive place? What could she arrange that was big enough to take some of the sting out of her life?

Shaking her head, she took a large bite and looked over at Clark. "Hey, Smallville, what can I do for Chloe that will put a positive spin on her life for a while?"

He frowned. "How do you mean?"

"I mean that I want to do something for Chloe, without her knowing about it, that will make her think something has gone right for once. Sometimes all it takes is that first good thing and we'll be able to get her on the path to happiness once more."

"That sounds... duplicitous."

"Duplicitous? Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Lois shrugged. "Whatever. What can I do, in the hope of helping Chloe, that will make her think that maybe things have turned around, that just maybe not everything in her life is still going wrong."

Clark went silent a moment before saying anything. "Wouldn't you consider the fact that she got a job thirteen days ago something that might convince her everything is not going poorly anymore?"

"Professionally, yes. I want to give her hope beyond her job, though. I want to make her think 'Hey, my world outside of work doesn't totally suck anymore.'"

"What about your attempts to get her to start up another relationship, or at least be a part of the social world again?"

"I don't think that pawning her off on a guy would do the trick. While I think she could use the attention of a guy, if for nothing else than a shot of self esteem and some good ol' fashioned stress relief, if you catch my drift."

"Drift caught," he said as he tossed the bone from his chicken onto an extra napkin he'd placed beside the one that had held his food. He wiped off his hands on yet another napkin before standing up. "I'm going to go get a bottle of water. You want anything?"

"The same, please." She smiled at him and he walked off, leaving her alone with Jacob. "Well, baby boy, what do you think? You think I can find a way to get Chloe out of her self imposed exile from the world of social interaction? I like to think that I can, but your cousin once removed is quite the stubborn woman, much like your mother."

Jacob just flailed his arms about, but Lois took it as a 'You can do anything you set your mind to, mommy, and I love you so much that I just don't know how to express it.' She found it odd how long the sentences were that Jacob used in her mind. She also found it odd that she was thinking about thinking what her infant son was saying in her head. Maybe this was what going crazy felt like.

After wiping her hand on a napkin, Lois grabbed another piece of chicken out of the bag and devoured it quickly. She smiled at Clark when he finally got back with the water. "Why did the vending machine trip take you near to ten minutes?"

"Cat in a tree situation. Figured I'd help while I had some down time."

Lois smiled a little wider and shook her head. "Only you, Smallville. You are quite the boy scout."

"That's what I'm told."

"So, did you happen to brainstorm anything that we can do for Chloe to make her feel better about her life while you were getting water and making sure that kids everywhere don't have to fear cats in high places?"

He shook his head and took a big drink of water. "Nope."

Lois stood up and walked across the bullpen and into the restroom, washing her hands to get rid of the grease and so she could make a bottle for Jacob. Heading back to her desk, she grabbed his diaper bag and found the empty bottle and remaining formula mix before going to the break room and getting everything ready. She walked back out and set the bottle on her desk while she picked up Jacob and got him situated before giving him the bottle. Once he was going, she looked up at Clark.

"Nope?"

"Correct. If you want to do this, then you go right on ahead. I am going to stay out of it because I want Chloe talking to me in six months, and she'll need me to talk to because she will be ignoring you and your attempts to make her feel better."

"Oh come on, Smallville. I'm trying to help her, here!"

"I understand that, and I think it's commendable. I think the best way to go about things is to let Chloe sort everything out on her own timetable. You may be right to try and give her a win, but I think this is one of those times where not taking action is the correct action."

Lois frowned at him and sighed. "There's no such thing as not taking action, Smallville. I can't sit around and watch Chloe have a crappy time of things. It's not who I am. Were I to do that, I would have to change my name from Lois Lane Kent to Lois Chicken Kent. I'm going to figure something out, help her and see her happy."

Flying low, Clark sped into the burning building and grabbed a woman and her baby, covering them from a large piece of falling ceiling that was headed for them. He blew a path clear of flame and got them out of the building quickly before heading back inside. He pulled a trapped elderly man out before x-raying the building once more. There were still at least a dozen people in there. The building must have one awfully useless fire alarm or something.

He had almost everybody out when he heard another call for help. Was that Chloe? Why would she be calling for his help as Superman? Gritting his teeth, he knew he couldn't go to her yet as he flew up into the building and pulled the last couple into his arms, both having passed out from the smoke. He flew them outside and got them into the hands of the paramedics before taking in a deep breath and releasing it into the building frozen. It did the trick as the flames disappeared from sight. He turned to the closest fireman.

"It's all out, sir."

"Thanks for your help, Superman."

Clark nodded before lifting off and heading towards where Chloe's yell for help had come from. He pushed his speed a little until landing, finding Chloe in an alley looking sullen. "What happened Chloe? Why were you calling me?"

"I just got mugged. He's long gone, by now. According to my mugger, I appear to be the only woman in Metropolis you aren't going to save from trouble."

Clark's shoulders drooped a little. How could something like this have happened to her the day he and Lois were talking about how she needed a win? He walked closer to her, laying a hand lightly on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. I was helping with a fire and rescue just east of the city when you called and I couldn't do things any faster than I did."

"It's not your fault, Clark. This is just the kind of thing that seems to happen to me."

"What did he take? Just your purse?"

"Yeah, but it actually had something useful in it for once: my paycheck."

Clark groaned. Of course. With this happening, Lois was going to be even more set on finding some way to make something positive happen for Chloe. "Lois told me everything that happened with that. I'm sorry, Chloe. You don't think there's any chance I could find him?"

"I couldn't see any distinguishing features or clothes, so no."

"Damn," he said. Not wanting to do everything in his Superman suit, Clark made a quick trip home for a change of clothes and was back standing in front of Chloe as he slid his glasses onto his nose. "I feel like I can't say it enough, Chlo, but I'm sorry. I want you to come stay with us tonight and sleep in a comfortable room instead of your apartment. Do you have your keys?"

"In my purse."

"More difficult, but not a big hindrance." He took off and flew into her building gathering up her clothes and laptop before getting back to her. He handed the laptop to her and walked her out to the street, waving down a cab. They both got in and he gave the guy the house address.

"Clark, you don't have to do this."

Clark nearly laughed at the statement, and would have if the situation hadn't been so serious. "Do you know what Lois would do to me when she heard about this if I didn't bring you back with me? My son would have to learn about me from you because I'll be in a little pieces and Lois will be in jail for involuntary manslaughter."

He saw Chloe smile and she looked over at him. "Why involuntary manslaughter? Seems like Lois would realize what she was doing while dicing you."

"She wouldn't know what she had done until the white hot rage cleared from her vision."

Chloe nodded, probably knowing what he said was entirely possible. The rest of the cab ride was quiet as he watched the scenery fly by. When they got to the house Clark paid the driver and hoisted her clothes bag up over his shoulder before walking her into the house.

When Clark walked into the living room and was followed by the sound of a pair of feet in loud shoes, Lois looked back over her shoulder and frowned when she saw Chloe with him. "What happened?"

Clark answered before Chloe could say anything. "Chloe got mugged and I couldn't get there in time to even catch the guy as he ran."

"What?" Lois jumped off the couch and walked over to her. She gave her a quick look, not seeing any blood or indications of injuries. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Fortunately my mugger wasn't too keen on stabbing, just threatening and thieving. He had ample chance to kill me but didn't."

"What did he take?"

"My purse, which normally wouldn't be a huge deal except it had my paycheck in it."

"Oh God," Lois said as she wrapped Chloe in a hug. "I'm glad Clark brought you here. What did I tell you about that place being a haven for muggers? Nevermind." Lois backed out of the hug and held Chloe at arm's length. "I'm just glad you're ok. Does this at least change your mind about living there? Will you please come stay here where it's safe?"

"Lois, please..."

Even after being mugged, Chloe was going to try and fight her on this! "Come on, Chloe. I know I'm kinda being harpy here, but if you came here the basement would be all yours. You could save money until you had enough to buy a nice apartment, or even a small house."

Chloe backed away a bit and crossed her arms over her chest. "Lois, listen to the following statement: Thirty one year old living in her cousin's basement because she got mugged while living somewhere crappy and has no money. What comes to mind?"

Lois grinned and shrugged. "A once and future journalist that's down on her luck and needs her family?"

"Close. A once and former journalist no longer able to do what she loves and has had a run of bad luck that makes the worst gamblers look like they're on a hot streak. I'm almost afraid that if I come live here something bad is going to happen to Jacob!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Chlo."

"One, count 'em ONE good thing has happened to me in the last three months, Lois. That was getting a job as an assistant, which in my case is fancy talk for secretary. That's it. That's all I've got, and I can't even find a way to get paid for doing the job! Coming and living here will only mean the bad things that keep happening to me will follow me here, not to mention I'll officially be pathetic. If anything happened to you guys..."

"But it won't," Lois said. This was just proof that she needed to find a way to get Chloe something good going for her. "All of that's in your head. I know you're having a rough time; I've been in the front seat for a lot of it. But that doesn't mean that it's going to keep going. You're going to be fine and recover from all this. Let us help you achieve that by giving you a place to stay. Your old furniture is down there, anyway, all set up with the TV hooked up."

Chloe rubbed at her forehead for a minute, eyes squeezed shut. Finally, she sighed and looked back at her. "Fine, I'll come live here. One bad thing happens to any of you around me and I'm outta here faster than Clark can fly."

"Good thing nothing is going to happen. Tomorrow, after we're all off work, we'll pay your landlord for the next couple months and move all your stuff back here. Well, your bed, since that's basically all you had there besides clothes and other small things."

Clark scratched idly at his neck as he watched Lois put some lotion on her arms in front of the bathroom mirror. Her back to him, he looked at her reflection and saw that the skin between her eyebrows was scrunched up. It usually got that way when she was bothered by something. At least this time he didn't have to guess at what it was.

"How are you, Lois?"

"I'm fine, Smallville."

He looked down at the ground a second before looking back up. "No, you're not."

She turned and faced him, leaning back against the counter. "Of course I'm not. Chloe got fucking mugged tonight, Clark!" She paused a second and lowered her voice. "I'm not going to be all right if bad things keep happening to my cousin. How could I be? I'm worried about her, all the time. Every time something happens it just gets worse. I just... I wish I could protect her, like I did when we were little."

Clark couldn't decide what he should do. Should he pull her into a hug and never let go, as was his want? Or should he let her initiate anything like that? He decided on the latter, though he did take a step towards her and run his hand down her arm. "I want to protect her too, Lois. I wish I could have gotten there to help her tonight..." He sighed. "What about all those plans you were making earlier?"

"Most of what I said was just me trying to keep my mouth running so my brain wouldn't start focusing on what really could have happened tonight. What would have happened if the mugger had been easily swayed towards the side of stabbing? I could have lost her tonight, Clark. I could have lost my cousin tonight in a snap and there wouldn't have been a damn thing I could do about it. I don't know what I would do without Chloe."

He thought he heard her sniffle before she continued. "The problem is, I'm not equipped for a situation like this! I used to be, when we were younger and getting into these situations together. She'd get into one on her own every now and again, but it was rarely mortal peril and I was always almost on my way to help by the time it got to mortal peril. This time, though... I don't know how to deal with this anymore, Clark.

"Everything that's happening to her is making me more and more nervous that she will end up dying. I know it's silly, but Jesus, what else can happen to her? Hell, death may be too easy for her, the way things have gone." She paused and let her head drop so her chin was touching her chest. "The only thing I can think of is possibly losing my cousin, and it scares me to death."

This time Clark did pull her in for a hug, hoping to calm her down a bit. She was going down a road of some seriously scaring herself with some dark thoughts, and that wasn't somewhere he saw her go often. When she finally wrapped her arms around him, Clark took a deep breath and knew he would be able to help her.

"I promise you, Lois, Chloe isn't going to die. We won't let it happen. You don't know how to fail, and you've got your super powered husband at your disposal, not to mention a pretty talented sister." He paused, trying to find the right words. "Every time something happens to Chloe, you feel it. You two are so close that when you can't protect Chloe from the world, you feel that you failed her.

"You haven't though. Bad things are going to happen. For most people, they get stretched out over a lifetime. For Chloe, unfortunately, they've been condensed into the last four months. We're going to help her through this, though. We're going to do our article, and while that's happening Chloe is going to live here, where she can sleep safely. She's got a safe place to stay now, so it's one less thing you have to worry about."

"I know," she mumbled into his chest. "Thank you from keeping me from a total meltdown."

"That's what I'm here for."

"I thought you were here to be a beacon of good so that Earth wouldn't suffer the same fate as Krypton."

"Well, I guess the world is 1A, Jacob is 1B and keeping you from a total meltdown is 1C."

She laughed a bit, and some of the tension he'd felt through the evening finally went away. "I guess that's acceptable, Smallville. Let's get some sleep."