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  • METROPOLIS: New Beginnings

    Hi all!

    My first ever post on Kryptonsite and wasn't sure if this was the right place to put this story But while we wait on a new episode I've been playing around with this so I hope you like it! If anyone does lemme know and I'll try and update it once a week - work allowing

    It's set post Smallville and post Clark's training...


    Title: METROPOLIS: New Beginnings
    Status: COMPLETE.
    Rating: PG to PG-13 (some mild violence, some sensuality, nothing more than you would see in a episode of Smallville)
    Relationship: Lois and Clark legend with a Smallville twist!
    Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Smallville/Lois & Clark TNAOS/The Superman movies or DC Comics - it's all just for fun!!!
    Summary: Clark returns to Metropolis after almost six years away, having completed his training and traveled the world... picking up from where the movies and L&C would have begun with a little creative license along the way... (I may come back and edit a bit if Season Eight adds anything that would seriously effect the time-line ...)

    Thanks to WickedJenn for the totally AWESOME BANNER over at the stories homepage where I've been having fun playing around (Hey - a gal can dream, right?!) You can find the link on my profile page or see the banner here


    UPDATE 15/12/08:

    You can find a new companion piece to this story GOTHAM: Dual Identities telling the Bruce Wayne/Chloe Sullivan side of it here:

    Forum for posting fan fiction that is primarily about any combination of characters that doesn't already have its own forum here. Can be friendship or romance. All fic posted in this forum must be rated G through PG-13.


    And the follow up to this story METROPOLIS: Guiding Light here:

    Forum for posting fan fiction that is primarily about the pairing of Clark/Lois. Can be friendship or romance. All fic posted in this forum must be rated G through PG-13.




    CHAPTER ONE




    Gotham Gazette Offices ~ Late Evening.



    It wasn’t the first time she’d worked late with only the occasional shuffle of the cleaning crews to let her know she wasn’t alone in the building. And it wasn’t that she was overly edgy, despite the number of times she still found herself looking over her shoulder. But there was just, something, that brought her attention from the computer screen long enough to notice when a shadow moved in her peripheral vision.

    Automatically her spine straightened a little, her hand sliding from the keyboard to the top drawer of her desk while she looked from side to side without moving her head to indicate she knew she wasn’t alone. Stay calm. Remember you’re in the best position. That was one of the comforts of having her desk facing the only entrance and her back to the wall. But it also meant she had to be ready, just in case she had to get to the exit – fast. So she rolled her chair back at the same as she slid the drawer open, covering the sound with a cough as her fingertips touched the cold metal of the gun she always kept close by.

    He stepped out of the shadows, a deep voice she hadn’t heard in what felt like a lifetime rumbling out a low greeting, “I should have known I’d find you at a newspaper somewhere. Hiding in plain sight, huh?”

    Her breath caught, “Clark?”

    The light from her desk lamp illuminated his features as he stepped closer, a small smile on his mouth and sparkling in his eyes, “She remembers.”

    The answering smile was immediate, and she was out of the chair and flinging herself into his arms before the sound of his low chuckle even reached her ears, “Oh my god - I can’t believe you’re here!”

    “Careful now – squeeze me any tighter and you might leave a bruise.”

    Leaning back she smacked a broad shoulder, “As if!”

    Setting her at arms length Clark raised his dark brows, “Look at you. Life in Gotham City obviously suits you.”

    She tilted her head to one side and rolled her eyes, “What can I say? I guess I just found my niche. If I’d known all it would take was a secret identity then I’d have followed your lead a lot sooner.”

    His expression changed, taking on that ‘weight of the world/responsible for everything’ look she remembered all too well from when she’d known him before, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you Chloe. What you did –“

    “Needed done,” She stepped forwards again and squeezed his forearms, “I’m a big girl now Smallville – I can look out for myself. So you can stop that. You always did guilt better than anyone else on the planet.”

    The smile reappeared, “Your cousin has been rubbing off on you some in the nick name department, hasn’t she?”

    Chloe grinned before moving back to her desk, talking along the way, “Lois and my new life combined. It’s tough not getting to see her anymore though. I miss her being around.”

    “You still talk?”

    “We have a code,” She threw him a wink as she sat down on the edge of the desk, “Just don’t go telling anyone at the Witness Protection Program. I’m quite happy where I am. So – tell me all about Clark Kent’s latest adventures – where’ve you been for the last five years? Enrolled a new side-kick yet?”

    Clark shook his head, folding his arms across his broad chest, “No new side-kick, you’d be tough to replace. I’ve travelled some – finished up my training – and now I’m headed back to Metropolis. I just wanted to check in and see how you were.”

    “You finished your training? Wow – what was that like?”

    “Interesting.”

    “I’ll bet.”

    When he wasn’t any more forthcoming Chloe crossed her legs and studied him for a moment, finding it interesting he’d chosen to go back to the city rather than the small town they’d grown up in, “Do you know what you’re going to do in Metropolis?”

    “I have a job offer,” His wide mouth twitched at the edges, “At the Planet.”

    Chloe’s eye’s widened, “You’re kidding me.”

    “Nope. Start Monday. I sent them some pieces from my travels and they liked what they saw. It’s pretty easy to get the inside story on disasters and accidents if you’re on the scene when they happen.”

    “Well, well, finally a hidden bonus to being a superhero, huh?”

    “So it would seem. And the way I see it – it’s easier to keep track of what’s going on if I’m at the centre of it all, so The Planet’s ideal,” He unfolded his arms and moved forwards until he was close enough to turn and sit on the desk beside her, his voice lowering, “You want me to give a message to Lois?”

    Chloe laughed softly, nudging his shoulder with her own, “And how would you do that when you’re not supposed to know where I am, genius?”

    “Good point.”

    “Does she know you’re back?”

    “No.”

    “She was pretty mad at you for a while.”

    Clark smiled, his chin dropping, “No change there then,” He glanced sideways at her, “It’ll be like the old days.”

    “We’ve all come a long way from the old days.”

    “Yes, we have,” And the hint of regret in his voice was all too evident.

    So Chloe nudged his shoulder again, her voice soft, “We all end up where we’re s’posed to be in the end.”

    “I like to hope so.”

    The doors at the end of the hall swung open, a cleaning trolley rattling down the tiled floor while they sat in silence waiting for it to pass; a million unspoken words hanging heavy in the air between them until Clark took a deep breath,

    “Are you happy Chloe?”

    She was touched that he needed to know and comforted by the fact that even though so much had happened since they’d been friends before it still felt like it had been weeks rather than years since they’d last talked. It was a sign of true friendship, wasn’t it?

    “You know something? I am. I might not get to write the name Chloe Sullivan in my by-lines these days but I’m still exactly where I always wanted to be,” She waved a hand at the room, “Here in a great newspaper – sniffing out the great stories… It’s not The Planet I dreamed of but its pretty close. I could do with a little less of a high-maintenance image but I kinda love the fact that an old friend thinks I look glamorous nowadays…”

    Clark nodded, aiming another smile her way, “I’m glad. And now I’m back I’ll try and fly in as often as I can, okay?”

    “In the literal sense or via traditional methods?”

    “Nah - I got that one down pat now.”

    “Well I’m very glad to hear it ‘cos some of those trial sessions?” She shuddered, “Not so pretty to watch. Graceful wasn’t exactly your thing at the beginning.”

    He laughed, “No it certainly wasn’t.”

    Chloe watched as he pushed up onto his feet, tilting her head back to look up into his face as he studied her with affection shining in his eyes. She’d missed her friend. It felt good to have him back – and to think he could come to her again if he needed help with something. She’d missed that too. Only now she had a life of her own as well – she wouldn’t be putting her career on hold while she spent time helping him research meteor freaks or escaped Zoner’s or… well… the list could go on and on…

    “Don’t be a stranger.”

    “I won’t,” He rocked forwards onto the balls of his feet and dropped his chin to look at her with a quirk of his eyebrows, “Watchtower.”

    Ah, so that was how he’d found her. She pursed her lips and nodded, “Oliver finally signed you up then I take it.”

    “Uh-huh.”

    She nodded again, “Bout time too. You always were the last one to the party. Do we still get to call you Boy Scout?”

    The question raised another low chuckle of laughter as he rocked back onto his heels, “No, that’s gotta go. If I have any new ideas you’ll be the first to know.”

    “I better be. Can’t have Lois steal the scoop on me and you know no-one bestows a superhero title better than lil ole me.”

    “If it was left to Lois we’d still have the Green Arrow Bandit, so I’ll just leave it in your capable hands,” He took another deep breath and looked her straight in the eye, “If you need me – for anything - just yell, okay?”

    Chloe smiled a broad smile, well aware he meant literally, “I have an army of superhero’s looking out for me these days - trust me. You just keep an eye on my cousin for me – she’s never out of trouble.”

    “I can believe that.”

    “She won’t make it easy for you.”

    “I can believe that too.”

    “And you’ll have a hard time convincing her you’ll make much of a reporter when she’s only ever known you as a farm boy.”

    The smile he gave her indicated he had an ace somewhere up his sleeve, “Well like you said – we’ve all come a long way since the old days.”

    Chloe’s eyes narrowed; every fibre of the reporter in her sensing something big was on its way. But before she could ask the question he leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek, his voice low and edged with sincerity,

    “It’s good to see you Chloe Sullivan.”

    “You too Clark Kent,” She waited until he was almost at the door before she added, “And by the way – for future reference - it’s Vicki.”

    He turned, “Vicki?”

    Yes, they’d come a long way alright. Something told Chloe that Clark Kent was about to unleash a new name into the annals of Superhero history. And thanks to the Witness Protection Program she had a new name of her own – one he needed to start using if he wanted to make sure Lex Luthor’s long reaching hand couldn’t touch her again,

    “My name - it’s Vicki – Vicki Vale. Try and remember?”

    “I’ll do my best.”

    And just like that he was gone – the associated swift displacement of air blowing her long blonde hair back from her cheeks. She shook her head, a smile on her lips,

    “That just never get’s boring…”



    The Daily Planet – Monday Morning.


    “I don’t need a partner.”

    “I’m sorry – did I say it was optional?”

    Sarcasm was wasted on Lois and her Editor-In-Chief was well aware of that fact, so she simply placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, “If you land me with some wet-behind-the-ears newbie it’ll slow me down.”

    “I sincerely hope so,” Perry leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking as he rocked it from side to side, “You need someone to be the voice of reason Lois – every time you get in over your head and end up hurt it takes you out of action. And the last time was one time too many. You need someone to watch your back.”

    “I had Jimmy to watch my back.”

    “Yes and look how well that turned out. You may as well have taken Bambi on assignment with you.” With a deep sigh he rocked forwards, folding his arms on the desk and fixing her with a direct stare that said he meant business, “This paper sells on its headlines Lois and with you out of action I lose headlines. It’s business. And as your boss I call the shots – so you’re getting a partner whether you like it or not.”

    Lois knew when Perry used the tone of voice he’d just used on her there was no way she was getting out of it. Oh, she could fight – she could kick and scream and reason with him and threaten to leave – but it was pointless. So she’d just have to prove her point,

    “If he gets in the way it’ll cost me headlines.”

    “Three strikes and he’s out – you have my word on that. But I tell ya Lois, from what I’ve see of this guy’s work, he’s got a superhuman nose for a story before anyone else gets to it.”

    Three strikes could be arranged she felt. If nothing else, one of the joys of being a bone-fide General’s daughter was a gal learnt about strategy. She gave the newbie a week, tops. After all, she’d made her way onto The Planet’s payroll by being a tiger – and tiger’s didn’t play well with kittens. Lois had yet to meet a newbie who wasn’t a kitten…

    “Well he better be somethin’ if he’s gonna keep up with me.”

    “I can give it a try.”

    Lois’s hands dropped from her hips when she heard the deep voice behind her – it couldn’t be. But she could already feel a sense of impending doom settling in the air as she slowly turned on her heel to look at him.

    It couldn’t be, but it was.

    His eyes sparkled behind the lenses of unfamiliar glasses, a hint of a smile on his mouth. And Lois hated him for looking so pleased at her surprise. Hating him even more when he merely inclined his head a little – lifting a large hand to push his glasses back up his nose as he replied with a calm,

    “Miss Lane.”

    She made a cursory glance down his large body and then turned to look over her shoulder at Perry while pointing a finger forwards, “You hired him?”

    “Lois Lane meet Clark Kent – your new partner.”

    Monday mornings officially sucked. With a scowl at Perry for good measure she turned her ire on the person she now blamed entirely for her predicament, lifting her chin as she walked towards him, “If you already got the job you didn’t need to dress like you’re heading to an interview. And just so you know; new guy gets the coffee.”

    The smirk she gave him was immediately replaced with another scowl when he raised a hand, “Black, four sweet n’ low.”

    “See Lois – already doing his research…”

    Snatching the coffee from his hand Lois lowered her voice as she walked through the narrow space left in the doorway, “Way to go at kissing ass on your first day.”

    “Come in Kent. Close the door.”

    Oh he had a nerve just walking in after disappearing off the face of the earth for so long. Not that she hadn’t noticed the features that appeared from varying locations around the globe the last couple of years with his name on them - some of them had actually been good – not great, but not bad either. And it wasn’t that she was ticked off he hadn’t stayed in contact with her specifically, it wasn’t like they’d been that close to begin with. But she’d thought when her Cuz -

    She pursed her lips as she walked across the buzzing floor to her desk – phones ringing, voices calling across the room, the sound of printers and the barely perceptible clack of keyboards all clamouring together into a kind of weird lullaby that soothed her soul. The Planet was home, the one constant left in her life and if Smallville thought he could just walk in here and make like he hadn’t deserted everyone and everything –

    Well, he could just think again.


    “Pull up a chair Kent.”

    Clark controlled the smile that had been on his face since Lois left the office with her nose in the air, reaching a hand across the desk to shake Perry’s hand as he sat down, “Mr. White – just in case I haven’t already said it; I really appreciate the chance t-“

    “It’s not a free ride Kent. We’ll give it a try for three months and see how you do. But I warn you now – Lane isn’t gonna make life easy for you.”

    Had she ever? “I’m sure th-“

    “And she’s gonna do her best to trip you up so she can get rid of you, make no mistake about that. She prefers to go it alone. I had to fight like hell to get her to take a photographer with her,” Perry frowned across the wide desk, “Can write a story with the best of them but can’t take a picture worth a crap. You take your own pictures, right?”

    “Well I’ve taken a fe-“

    “That’ll help. We’ll give you something small you can carry with you. How’s your spelling?”

    “It’s good. I’ve never-“

    Perry nodded, “Make sure you read everything through before it goes to copy editing then. Save me a full time member of staff to check for that language only Lois understands.”

    Clark had to hold back another smile. Ever since her early days at The Inquisitor Lois had been more interested in grabbing a headline than she had in whether or not anyone could translate the words she used.

    The glasses he was still struggling to get used to made their way a little down the bridge of his nose again, forcing him to raise a hand to push them back into place. He still didn’t see why he needed to wear them – it wasn’t the biggest stroke of genius his Mom had had when they brainstormed ‘disguises’. But it was more about the little things that would make people second guess their suspicions she had reasoned. The guy that preferred to wear reading glasses rather than contacts was hardly likely to be the same guy who would fly through the air and catch falling planes. And look-a-likes for celebrities were a dime a dozen, so if anyone ever put two and two together he could laugh it off, suggest he might make money pretending to be someone he wasn’t and then do something clumsy to prove his point if he had to, right? Well. Time would tell.

    He just needed to make sure no-one ever got close enough to see through him. A lesson he’d learned the hard way in Smallville.

    “Marsha will show you were you’re working and get you a press pass.”

    Clark nodded. Didn’t seem like much point trying to add to the conversation anyways. He’d failed miserably so far. But when he stood up, Perry cleared his throat and cracked a smile,

    “Glad I was able to repay that favour I owed you Kent. Might not have been here if it wasn’t for that little stopover in Smallville. Don’t let me down.”

    Clark smiled back, “I won’t Mr. White.”

    He turned and left the office, his smile growing as he looked around the busy bullpen. This was the beginning; finally. Because he knew his place in the world now, didn’t he? Or at least what he wanted it to be.

    ‘There’s a whole world of people out there who need us…. You can’t wait for them to come to you.’

    That’s what a friend had said to him once, before they were even friends. And he’d been right. Clark had learnt that in his travels around the world. He’d fought against every one of his abilities in his youth but they were gifts. Gifts that as an adult he wasn’t going to waste. He wasn’t going to wait for the people who needed help to come to him.

    Not anymore…


    END CHAPTER.
    [B][COLOR=darkblue][I]
    Last edited by cloisthelegendbegins; 09-05-2009, 03:28 PM.

  • #2
    Great start.
    Cant wait for Lois to get at him!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks super12!

      Just playing with another chapter now

      AND THANKS FOR READING! Bit scary coming to play in here with all these great stories!!!

      Comment


      • #4
        i like it cant wait to read more update soon!!

        Comment


        • #5
          how many years have passed, since Lo and CK last saw each other ?
          awesome start and I'm impressed Annie !
          my name is Jazz, glad to meet ya. As long as you can promise
          LOTS of Clois goodness, I'm in.
          Vicki Vale ? I liked that.

          Comment


          • #6
            THANKS Klandgraf and Jazel!

            Jazz it's great to meet you too!!! I'm thinking it's been five years since CK disappeared - not sure of what age he is when Smallville ends...??? But am thinking maybe mid-twenties so he's early thirties now? Does anyone know how much older Lo is sposed to be - a couple, right?

            Lots of Clois goodness for sure - but a bit of plot arc too so hope thats okay, Glad you liked the Vicki bit! Been thinking about that a while...

            Know I said a week for the next post but have one pretty much ready so will post it in a minute when I read thru for mistakes...

            Annie

            Oh and am I sposed to have done a disclaimer and stuff somewhere?

            Here we go then! Hope you like it!


            CHAPTER TWO:

            Metropolis Penitentiary – Maximum Security Wing.

            “Tell me what I want to hear.”

            The expensively suited lawyer set his briefcase down on the narrow tabletop in front of him, clicking it open as he spoke into the receiver pinned to his ear, “It wasn’t easy.”

            “I don’t pay you an extortionate retainer to do the ‘easy’ things Mr. Leibmann.”

            He lifted his gaze and looked straight into the emotionless eyes on the other side of the tempered glass. Throughout his career he’d been the lawyer who’d made no bones about taking on clients who were guilty as charged. It was his job to get them off regardless. But never in his career had he represented a client who sent a chill up his spine the way this man did. Lex Luthor was as close as Leibmann ever expected to get to the devil this side of death.

            He swallowed hard, forcing a confidence into his voice that he didn’t feel, “We have the locations of all of them now,” He took a breath, “except the girl.”

            Lex’s mouth curled into a smile that didn’t warm his eyes, “The one I specified I wanted most?”

            “Our contact couldn’t completely confirm anything past eighteen months ago.”

            “Find another contact.”

            Leibmann cleared his throat, glancing up at the security cameras as his hands settled on the briefcase only to have Lex’s voice speak coolly into his ear,

            “I bought a window. I have contacts of my own.”

            The older man nodded, opened the briefcase and lifted out a folder, “On the other matter we’ve had considerably more success. The first stage of Genesis is ready as per your instructions.”

            He held a photograph up to the glass, peering over the edge to see the very second Lex’s eyes focused on what he was seeing. It took a mere tenth of a second more for his smile to grow, his voice deep and filled with a chilling darkness,

            “In position?”

            “A week from now.”

            Lex nodded, “I’ll be at the designated rendezvous.”

            His lawyer had no idea just how he planned on making that happen. And frankly he didn’t want to. In the two years that he’d been the Luthor Lawyer, he had seen and heard things he would take with him to his grave. So he put the photograph back into the folder and lifted the lid of the briefcase to lock it away again.

            “Leibmann.”

            “Yes?”

            “Find the girl.”


            Daily Planet – Mid-Morning:

            “Something wrong with the coffee I brought you?”

            Lois didn’t even bother to look at him. The fact he was there at all still grating on her nerves like fingernails down a chalkboard. So she gritted her teeth while she replaced the filter and poured water into the top of the coffee maker,

            “It was cold.”

            That was a lie. It hadn’t been cold and she’d needed the caffeine twice as much when she was having such a bad day already so she’d downed it. But he didn’t need to know that, did he? Like one cup of coffee was a good enough apology for not being there for Chloe. Or his own mother! While they’d all risked their lives to put Lex where he belonged for the rest of his days, he’d been off taking the holiday of a lifetime! So much for the good guy he’d been so keen to let everyone think he was…

            When he appeared in her peripheral vision she glanced sideways at him and found him struggling with the lid of the coffee. Shaking her head she snatched it out his large hands, pursing her lips in annoyance. It was the last straw. If he couldn’t even open a jar of coffee then he was going to be zero use around the place.

            Lifting her chin to look up at him, she opened the jar with one turn and slammed it down on the counter beside the coffee maker, “Let's just get something straight from the get go; I didn’t work my sweet, perfectly toned buns off to become the lead investigative reporter for the Daily Planet only to end up baby-sitting you! And another thing," she said without pausing for a breath, "you’re not working *with me*, you are working *for* me. I call the shots, I ask the questions. You’re the low man, I’m the top banana; got it?"

            "You like to be on top, got it," He nodded, a completely deadpan expression on his face.

            Oh he had *not* just said that! Lois remembered enough to search his eyes for a sparkle in the light blue depths; finding it only making her glare venomously at him. "Don't push me, Smallville, you’re still *way* out of your league."

            Turning her attention back to the coffee maker, she practically growled with frustration, closing her eyes and shaking her head before she mumbled under her breath, “Terrific. No sweet n’ low. This day just gets better and better. It’s not even lunchtime yet and already I need an antacid.”

            "Paava leaves."

            "What?" She frowned up at him again - vaguely aware of the fact he had pushed his large hands into the pockets of his dark trousers. Granted, a suit was an improvement on the lumberjack look of old, but even so… it still made him look like he was ready to sell insurance. Once she’d got shot of him she could suggest it as a career, seeing he already had the uniform.

            Clark took a breath that expanded his ridiculously broad chest, "The Yolngu tribe in New Guinea eat paava leaves to relieve stress, it puts them in a meditative state. Maybe you should try it. It’s a better alternative to antacids. But then if you drank less coffee -"

            “When I need your advice I’ll ask for it. The world has still managed to turn while you’ve been gone, and it’ll turn when you leave this time round. Paava leaves…” She snorted, “I bet the air in my mouth tastes better.”

            “I’m not going anywhere this time Lois.”

            The deep rumble of the softly spoken words tightened her throat so that it took her to swallow before she could speak; her brows quirking sarcastically, “ Well it’s a shame it’s nearly six years too late for you to make that decision, isn’t it?”

            And she tagged on a sideways tilt of her head and a smirk for good measure.

            Clark’s face remained calm, his thick unruly fringe of dark hair moving in places when he blinked, catching on the thick lashes behind his glasses, “I didn’t know until after –“

            “The damage was done?” She tutted, her hands on her hips, “Isn’t that always the way? Well just so you know,” She leaned forwards a little and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “You missed one helluva party.”

            “Lois-“

            “Lane! Where’s my fluff piece on the old theatre downtown?”

            Lois sighed heavily, rocking back on her heels to yell back across the room at Perry, “Its coming!” She lowered her voice, “Its just missing the fluffy bunnies and the harp music.”

            When she aimed a look of anguish at her empty coffee cup Clark’s voice rumbled beside her again, “I’ll go get some sweet n’ low. I’m told I’m in charge of the coffee for a while anyway.”

            “Try not to get run over by a bus. The paper might fold without you.”

            Clark drew in a deep breath the second the elevator doors closed, reaching a hand up to loosen his tie and undo the top button of his white shirt. He’d known of all the people he’d left behind while he made his personal journey of discovery that Lois would be the one who would find it hardest to forgive. She was tough on the outside, but inside she was capable of deep hurt. And if he knew her she’d have been the one to step up to the plate when everyone else was finding the going tough. His Mom had filled in most of the story, *she’d* understood why he hadn’t been there – as had Chloe; not that he felt any better about not being there for her than he did about Lois taking all the weight on her shoulders. But whereas his Mom and Chloe had known why he’d gone and how long it had taken for him to take so big a step, Lois didn’t know anything.

            All she knew was that one of her best friends had abandoned them all. Lois didn’t make friends easily - didn’t let anyone that close. Everyone she had had ended up hurting her, barring the cousin she’d been forced to let go too. And now who did she have?

            He’d prove he wasn’t going anywhere this time. It would just take time.


            Metropolis – outside the Daily Planet:


            Outside sirens wailed, people hurried across the street like herds of sheep, cars honked their horns, and vendors shouted out their wares. It was gloriously chaotic.

            Smiling at the sights and sounds, Clark weaved his way through the traffic, taking his glasses off and tucking them inside his jacket so he didn’t have to keep pushing them back up his nose. Half a block away he found a grocery store, fetched the sweet n’ low and then stopped outside onto the sidewalk for a moment to survey the chaos, breathing in the aroma of exhaust fumes and hot dogs. Inexplicably, he felt like a stranger at the same time as he felt like he’d found a place he could call home again - especially when he tilted his head back and saw the familiar sight of the Daily Planet globe spinning high above him. How many times had he walked in and out of that building and never once imagined he’d end up working there? With Lois Lane of all people! His nemesis; the bossy, stuck-up, rude girl who’d bugged him so much at a time in his life when he had more than enough to deal with.

            The one who’d taken enough blows to the head during their varying adventures to practically merit her own wing at the Smallville Medical Centre…

            He dropped his chin and shook his head. Of all the people he’d thought he’d be spending time with in the future – Lois Lane had been bottom of the list.

            Suddenly an insistent honking drew his attention and a quick glance brought a city bus careening down the street to his attention. Another glance in the opposite direction and he could see the traffic light had turned red, and the throng on the sidewalk were pouring onto the pedestrian crossing without looking. It was a split second decision.

            Running into the street, right in front of the oncoming bus, he caught a glimpse of the driver's horror-filled eyes as he held his hand out and braced himself for impact. With a jolt, the bus came to an abrupt halt, throwing its passengers forward violently despite Clark using his body to absorb the majority of the impact and dissipating it into the ground at his feet.

            Immediately he stood tall - checking around him with fear coiling in his gut, hoping to hell no-one had seen what he’d just done. His gaze fell on a small girl standing close to him; a girl who would have been in the direct path of the bus if it hadn't been stopped.

            She was staring at him with saucer eyes, her arm lifting and a finger pointing straight at him as she tugged her mother’s skirt,
            .
            "That man... he..."

            This couldn’t happen! In averting a disaster without thinking of the repercussions he may just had revealed himself as someone out of the ordinary – in a single second making a decision that would ruin all the plans he’d so carefully considered before coming back to Metropolis. How big an idiot was he?

            But no-one seemed to be paying any attention to her, and no-one else seemed to have seen anything out of the ordinary; the bus driver already checking on his passengers. So, with his heart pounding, Clark darted back onto the sidewalk and melted into the crowd of pedestrians, hoping to disappear like he had so many times over the years. A shadow, a movement from the edge of someone’s eye that made them second guess what they’d seen, leaving behind a *miracle* that people would talk about for years. That was his life. It had always been his life.

            And right enough, no-one came after him - no-one paid him any attention at all - so he breathed a sigh of relief as he headed back to the front of the Planet. Not noticing as behind him, the little girl stared at the imprint of a hand, imbedded into the steel of the bus's grillwork.

            Clark shook his head. What was it Lois had said about a bus?


            Early evening – ten blocks from the Planet:


            “There’s a rule about meeting informants in dark alley ways is there?”

            Lois walked a few steps ahead of him, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she scanned the alley, “I can take care of myself. No-one said you had to tag along.”

            “That’s not entirely true now, is it?”

            Damn Perry and his genius ideas. Like she couldn’t make one teensy meeting with an informant she’d used for two years without getting into trouble! It was ridiculous. And he’d even arranged to have people come in and move the desks around so she was forced to work face-to-face with her least favorite person in the known universe. And he could run out for sweet n’ low and fill her coffee mug without her asking as many times as he wanted, but she wasn’t going to soften. Even if the thoughtful gestures reminded her of the guy she’d once thought he was. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d have laid odds on someone being as good at heart as she’d believed him to be - probably never - trust wasn’t her thing after all. And believing in someone only to discover they were as unreliable as everyone else had hurt dammit.

            Where *was* Mickey? It wasn’t like him to be late.

            Turning on her heel she walked smack bang into the solid wall of Clark’s chest. An ‘oomph’ escaping her lips before she stepped back and scowled up at him, waving a hand in a circle in front of her body, “Personal space big guy. When Perry said shadow me he didn’t mean that close.”

            Clark pushed his glasses back up his nose. Why didn’t the stupid man try laser surgery or contacts like the rest of the world anyway? And then he quirked his dark brows at her, the wind in the alley tossing his unruly hair into even more of a mess,

            “I’m the first partner you’ve ever had, aren’t I?”

            Lois folded her arms across her chest, “I’m not a team player.”

            “I remember.”

            And he’d said it just softly enough to do damage. She didn’t want him to remember things about her. She wanted him to forget they’d ever met. It was what *she* planned on doing. If he was going to remember anything it should be that she had the memory of an elephant! And that he had a long way to go before she’d believe in him again. Or anyone else who tried to come across as being whiter than white…

            “Move.”

            He just stood there, calmly blinking at her, a hint of a smile toying with the corners of his wide mouth. Damn him.

            Forcing her to take a step to the side - so she purposefully nudged him - *hard* - on the way past, not bothering to look over her shoulder to see if he was following as she walked to the other end of the alley. Where her usual excellent timing brought her into the middle of a robbery…

            “*Stop them!*”

            A car parked at the kerb with its engine running revealed a third hooded guy flinging the door open, “*Get in!*”

            And then there were sirens.

            “Lois don’t even think about–“

            She was already moving, rolling up the sleeves of her tailored jacket and marching over to put herself between the thief and his getaway, “Hey - can you boys give me a ride?”

            Clark saw the police car pull up, two cops taking up firing positions across the fenders, one shouting a warning; “Police! Down on the ground!”

            Lois had got herself between the two thieves and the cops. Not good. Not good at all. And if she was the same Lois he remembered, then in about ten seconds she was going to take them on. So he stepped forwards, reaching a hand out for her at the same time as the thieves moved, and before he knew it they had guns to their backs and were now shields.

            *Great*

            “Nice save Smallville.”

            “If you hadn’t decided to go play the female Rambo –“

            “I can take care of myself – I can’t look after both of us.”

            Clark gritted his teeth, “I don’t need you to-“

            “Would you two shut the hell up?”

            The barrel of the gun was pushed harder into Clark’s spine. And he gritted his teeth harder. Because there wasn’t a whole heap he could do about it in front of an audience, was there? No matter how much he dearly wanted to.

            Lois attempted ramming her heel into the foot of her captor, “Get your hands off me lowlife!”

            “Is there some part of the gun to your back you’re not getting?”

            Clark jerked in her direction when the man leaned in close to hiss the words in her ear, his arm tightening around her waist. But the move simply got him a warning of his own, “Don't try anything funny, pal. Tell your boyfriend to stay cool lady.”

            Lois laughed out loud, “*Him*, are you kidding me? First up: not my boyfriend – even if the human population depended on it. Secondly: he can't even open a coffee jar – you can breathe easy.”

            Clark glared at her as they were edged towards the getaway car. Once in that car they were in real trouble. And he wouldn’t have any choice but to do something in front of her. *Think Clark – THINK!* Then suddenly, another police car tore up the street towards them, turning sharply to block the getaway car; two more cops jumping out and assuming the position… and now they were trapped. So their captors dragged them back into the alley while the third man made the less than wise decision to fire at the cops from inside his car. He didn’t come out of it so well…

            As the cops moved forward into position, Clark looked over at Lois, his gut wrenching at the flash of fear he could see in her eyes. He made the smallest of nods at her and smiled when her mouth quirked. They’d been in trouble before; it was a silent language they both understood. And just like that she dropped to her knees, leaving her captor exposed. And with her head bowed, a curtain of sleek, dark blonde hair hiding her face, Clark jabbed his elbow back – with just enough control to send his assailant back a couple of feet. Any more than that and…

            The thieves panicked, firing at the cops as they retreated, and much to Clark’s amazement the cops returned fire; forcing him to move fast as Lois got to her feet. He used his body to shelter her, pushing her towards the nearest wall, turning in time to see one of the cops fall before one of the thieves jerked back and down.

            “Run!”

            He barely had time to register what she’d said before a glance over his shoulder saw Lois running as fast as her heels would take her – at the exact same moment the remaining thief moved towards her, grabbing hold of her arm and spinning her until he had his gun to her head.

            “Get back!”

            Clark’s body swayed forwards again, his gaze darting round the alleyway while panic rose like bile in his throat, her name exhaled under his breath, “Lois!”

            Why could she never ever just damn well stay put!

            One of the slowly approaching cops took aim, one hand gripping his other wrist to steady his weapon. And almost in slow motion, Clark saw the man’s finger adding pressure to the trigger. Lois tried to drop again, the thief was spun a little towards the cop with his finger on the trigger – he saw it – yanked Lois round and dropped behind her as the bullet left the cops chamber. And Clark really did see it all in slow motion this time – micro-seconds dragging as he leapt forwards, his hand raised in front of Lois.

            The bullet hit his palm and he closed his fist around it.

            While the thief attempted running off a couple of rounds, empty clicking indicating his lack of bullets, which was enough of an incentive for Lois to put him down the way only Lois could. Quickly - with little effort – and where it hurt most…

            “Are you folks okay? Jeez, I thought I hit you!”

            Clark shook his head, the bullet held tight in his closed fist, “No. I'm okay.”

            “I’m great too; thanks for asking,” Lois kicked the downed thief one last time for good measure, “And they say chivalry is dead…”

            Clark exhaled, looking sideways at her as she blew a strand out of her face and stood tall, clapping her palms together to wipe away any trace of the man she’d just pummeled. When he smiled, her chin raised a distinct couple of inches, a smug smile making its way onto her face,

            “Told you I could look after myself, didn’t I?”

            And with that she turned and marched off down the street, heels clicking, Clark grinning as he told the cops where they could reach them before jogging to catch up with her.

            “You’re not in Kansas anymore Toto… welcome to the big city.”

            Unbelievable. How had she managed to stay alive for so long?

            She marched down the sidewalk, deftly twisting her hair back into place as she continued, “This is the home of the sneak attack, the stab in the back, the –“

            Precisely at that moment, a figure leapt from the shadows of a doorway and grabbed Lois’ purse, catching her off-guard enough to yank it free.

            “Hey!” Her head swung round towards Clark, “*Hello?*”

            Clark shrugged, “You said you could take care of yourself…”

            With a barely disguised curse, Lois scowled darkly at him and took off at the run after her bag. While Clark pushed his hands into his pockets and gave her as much of a head start as she wanted; wasn’t like he couldn’t catch up with her if he had to. And if she was so all fired determined she could do everything alone…

            “Smallville!”

            “Right behind you,” He whistled as he strode along the sidewalk, keeping her in sight as she chased and chased and chased some more. She hadn’t a hope in hell of catching up in those heels – but he’d give her points for trying.

            When she got a little too far ahead for comfort, he capitulated and ‘cheated’ to catch up with her. Then, just as she finally gave up, slumping with exhaustion, her elbows on her thighs as she tried to catch her breath - he took the last two steps to stand in front of her,

            “Technically Metropolis is still in Kansas.”

            She lifted her long lashes to glare at him, her voice husky from gasping in air, “Thanks for the help *partner*.”

            Clark shrugged, “Hardly worth having a heart attack over, was it? Not for twenty dollars, two credit cards, a cell-phone, stick of gum and a lipstick… What would you have done if that one had a gun too?”

            Lifting upright, she looked at him with a strange expression on her face, “How did you know that?”

            “Know what?”

            “You just described the exact contents of my purse.”

            Clark grinned, “I took a shot at it with a little prior knowledge.”

            When she practically growled at him, he stepped out into the street, drawing a hand out of one pocket to hail a distant cab, “Back to the Planet then? Thought so. Taxi!”


            In an Alley four blocks away a man stops, tucking a purse beneath his arm as he flips open his cell-phone:

            “Mr. Leibmann? I have your package.”

            END OF CHAPTER.
            Last edited by cloisthelegendbegins; 01-09-2008, 07:45 AM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Great Update!!!
              Great story bty!!!
              PPMS!!!

              Comment


              • #8
                This is story very well written. Please keep it up!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Great story so far! Love the Lois and Clark: New Adventures of Superman lines you added in the story. I was also wondering if Chloe(Viki) will meet Bruce Wayne? PPMS!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Ohhh!!! Awesome!!! Chloe=Viki!!!
                    FANTASTIC UPDATE!!! PPMS!!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Taralittle, Clois fanfic fan (me too!) and rooting 4 clark! Thanks for popping by and for all the encouragement!!!

                      I haven't got ANY work done all day long playing around with this - how do people *stop* once they get started???

                      rooting 4 - I think we may well have a little glimpse of Bruce somewhere along the way... Chloe was kinda due a superhero of her own at some stage wasn't she? And she's such a cool leading lady! My second favourite in Smallville WELL SPOTTED on the L&C reference too! I've been mentally connecting the dots for a while now...

                      Okay one more and then I MUST do some actual work tomorrow or I'll be in trouble. Will post as soon as I can....

                      Hope it's still as much fun to read!

                      Annie

                      CHAPTER THREE


                      Daily Planet Offices:

                      “So where exactly was your informant?”

                      “What am I now – Mystic Lois?” She flopped down into her chair and reached into her bottom drawer for a new cell-phone, ripping into the carton and wriggling round to reach the keys she had safely tucked away in her pocket, “But if he’d been there I bet I’d still have my purse…”

                      Unlocking a top drawer she glanced up from beneath long lashes to make sure he wasn’t looking, popped the false bottom, and withdrew a SIM card from an envelope, putting the new phone together while she checked her computer screen for emails. And after a while she could feel Clark watching her every move while she worked; it was like being a bug under a microscope.

                      “How many cell-phones do you have?”

                      She shot him a sharp look, “*I’m* always prepared for every eventuality.”

                      When he made the mistake of chuckling at that she took a really deep breath and forced herself to count to ten. Never had she known someone with such an ability to bug her to the pit of her being the way he did. Would it have killed him to run with her? She might have had her most precious possessions in that purse for all he knew. Okay, fair enough, he’d been there in the alley – when she’d had a brief moment of fear that she might genuinely have gotten in over her head. But he was hardly knight in shining armor material. He might have *reasoned* them to death, but when it came to action?

                      There had been that moment when they’d silently communicated she supposed…

                      She shook her head, “Don’t you have a home to go to?”

                      “Don’t you?” Clark pushed his glasses back up his nose and swung his chair from side to side as he glanced around the almost empty bull pen.

                      And while he was distracted Lois let her gaze slide over him; purely for research purposes – it was the reporter in her. The overly confident edge that had once been so at odds with his ‘aw shucks Ma and Pa’ persona had certainly increased it’s visibility with age. What was he now – thirty two? Thirty three? Who cared? But how could someone who so obviously couldn’t handle himself in a crisis situation be so damn cool and confident? That sight-seeing tour of his must have made him think he was worldly-wise. Well she had news for him – it was gonna take more than that to survive Metropolis. Since Luthor had been put behind bars the crime rate had gone through the ceiling, which had been all the more proof to Lois of how much power he’d wielded. Without the organ grinder, the monkeys were running riot.

                      “Go home.”

                      He smiled a lazy smile at her, “You first.”

                      She counted to ten again, “There’s no-one left to impress on your first day anymore. Go home, knit a sweater and have a nice cup of hot cocoa. It’ll be morning before you know it,” She smiled sweetly, “And then we can do this all over again. I for one can’t wait.”

                      “You can’t keep this up indefinitely you know.”

                      “Keep what up?” She batted her lashes at him.

                      It made him chuckle again, the sound rumbling up from low in his chest. And for a brief moment of insanity Lois almost allowed herself to smile. *Almost*. But that would be giving him something, wouldn’t it? Well over her cold, rotting corpse…

                      “I won you over last time.”

                      No, he’d conned her into believing he was the kind of friend she’d never had before. But she’d learned from that mistake. He had no idea how scared she’d been, how alone. And she’d hated feeling that way. Hated him for not being there to do that calming influence/voice of reason thing he’d always been so good at. If he’d been there he might have talked Chloe out of the story that had almost led to her death, the story that Lois had followed her into when she understood what was going on. The story that made Lois look evil straight in the eye, destroying a part of her soul she could never get back.

                      If he’d thought she was a tough cookie to deal with back in the day then he was in for a big surprise!

                      “I’m older and wiser now. And as the senior staff member here I’m *ordering you* to go home. All I’m gonna do is check emails anyway. I have a date. So if you’re worried I’m gonna scoop you on something, you can knit that sweater without fearing for your career…”

                      When he didn’t move for a long time, she tried counting to ten. Then another ten. Until she wanted to throw something at him, “*What?*”

                      The smile started with a sparkling behind his glasses, and then he bent forwards in his chair as he rolled it back from his desk, “Well at least you’re saying I *have* a career now. That’s progress from this morning…”

                      Lois bit her tongue until she heard the elevator doors close behind him. Then she moved – grabbing her long coat from the rack nearby and texting a message on the new cell-phone before she took it to the trash chute and dumped it, and then, pushing her arms into the coat and cinching it tight at the waist, she put another phone together while she tucked the office phone between her ear and her shoulder,

                      “Lois Lane – I’ll be up in ten minutes. Is his flight on time?”

                      She smiled broadly as she tucked the new phone in her pocket and grabbed a pad and paper. *As if* she was letting Clark Kent in on a story she’d been chasing for weeks…



                      Roof of the Daily Planet – Night:



                      Lois emerged through a rooftop exit, a fierce wind howling around the edges of the high-rise; whipping her hair around her face and into her eyes. But she smiled regardless; she’d been out in worse. And the adrenalin rush associated with the scent of a big story had her blood rushing faster through her veins, warming her from within. She lived for nights like this.

                      Her gaze rose as the helicopter headed for the roof, swaying slightly as it fought the tricky winds. But Ralph knew his job and in a few minutes it landed - if a little more uncertainly than it normally did - on the edge of the illuminated pad, so pushing her hair over one shoulder, Lois grasped it in one hand, ducked down and ran for the door.

                      Safely buckled in, and with a wink and a shared smile for her ‘chauffeur’, they took off - the helicopter rising through the strong winds. Fifteen minutes and she’d be talking to the Secretary Of Defense about the projects that had tied the Government to Luthorcorp. Whether he liked it or not. It was the one missing link that had haunted her for years. And she needed closure. She needed a new beginning.

                      The chopper suddenly jerked back, Lois’ breath catching, “White knuckling me tonight are we Ralphie?”

                      His frown didn’t do her confidence any good, her smile a little weaker, “Ralphie?”

                      “Hold on Miss Lane.”

                      She turned in her seat and looked down at the helicopter’s struts, her stomach churning when she saw what was wrong; rubber-encased cables connecting the helicopter pad floodlights dancing wildly in the wind and one of them hooked around a strut.

                      Oh this was *b-a-d*.

                      The chopper’s alarms went off, lights flashing everywhere.

                      It happened so fast. A floodlight yanked free in a shower of sparks – the chopper lurched violently to Ralphie’s side, and then the next thing Lois knew, she was stifling a moan as the spinning blades above their heads sliced through the glass walls of the platforms waiting room, spraying showers of glass in what looked liked a diamante snowfall. Then, having been rattled around violently like peas in a tin, everything wrenched to standstill, Lois banging her head off something and her vision blurry as she slowly realized they were still hooked to the edge of the building.

                      *But only just.*

                      “Gimme a break here!”

                      Tentatively turning, she found Ralphie’s head slumped over the controls; a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. She tried to reach for his wrist, but the air immediately filled with the horrible screeching of metal against stone, a jarring downward lurch forcing Lois to close her eyes and send a silent plea upwards. Today was not the kind of day she’d planned on going out on…

                      She forced her tightly squeezed eyes open and squinted down her nose; regretting it with a more heartfelt moan; “Okay Lo – you can do this. You can stay veerryyyy still till one of the nice people downstairs dials 911. Yes you can. And if you think really hard about it you can remember the average response time for –“

                      A pathetic smile was aimed at the cracked window in front of her as she exhaled the words; “Whatever it is they send for dangling helicopters. They’ll have a … thing… they have to…lots of helicopters in Metropolis… and tall buildings…lots of *really* tall…they’ll have a thing…” She nodded her head and the chopper dropped another couple of inches.

                      So she held her breath.



                      Outside the Daily Planet:


                      Clark sidestepped his way through the crowd, making sure not to bump anyone with his sports bag. It hadn’t been a bad day, all things considered – well barring the incident in the alley. And there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon he felt. If he and Lois were going to work together that many hours a day when there wasn’t a big story breaking, then when there *was* a big story…

                      It made sense to be friends again. To trust each other. They’d have to have a long talk about her staying still in times of crisis though.

                      There were gasps from the crowd. And he finally stopped in his tracks, saw that everyone was looking up – and naturally looked to see what was so interesting on top of the Planet's sister building. What he saw made his heart stop, his eyes widening in horror. And when he focused his hearing on the chopper dangling precariously from the edge of the building, he could hear a low, breathless voice,

                      “Today is *not* a good day to die. Today is *not* a good day to die. Today-“

                      *Oh-come-on*. He couldn’t take his eyes off her for a minute, could he?

                      So much for choosing the time and place…

                      Pushing his way through the crowd, Clark searched frantically for something. *Anything*. His gaze fell on a row of phone booths – the modern, half phone booths with open fronts; nope.

                      There was a collective gasp from the crowd, a screech of metal against stone – and he could hear Lois’ heart rate beating out a salsa. She was scared – beyond scared – she was petrified.

                      Crossing an empty street at the side of the building away from the unfolding drama he could feel a sense of panic washing over him. There had to be somewhere!


                      Roof of the Daily Planet:


                      “Okay Lo – no-one is coming. There is no thing for rescuing falling helicopters. And you have about five minutes before you’re a pancake. Okay,” She looked up past the still unconscious Ralphie to the edge of the roof, because yes, they had slid that far down. And she knew there was only the one option left to her, so she gritted her teeth, “You can do this. The General didn’t raise a quitter!”

                      Shaking from head to toe, hands trembling, she unbuckled her safety belt and ever so slowly and carefully began to crawl upwards over Ralph, “One little step at a time – there you go - you’re doing it…”

                      As she moved, the helicopter violently shifted position, swinging out farther over the roof edge and forcing a squeak from her lips. But when she summoned the courage to try another ‘step’ the cable holding her from plummeting to oblivion jerked with the weight; sparks flying. And Lois couldn’t stop the sob from breaking free from her chest,

                      “Dammit! Where’s a good paava leaf when you need one?”

                      The next jerk was worse and with a scream she tumbled backwards with the movement, numb fingers grasping desperately as her legs swung free and the wind caught the ends of her long coat. Something. Anything! *Please*.

                      She found her unbuckled seatbelt at the last minute on the way out…

                      The crowd below her screamed loud enough for her to hear while for some completely unfathomable reason she prayed they all had the good sense to move back a couple of feet. She’d seen the stain left by jumpers – it wasn’t pretty. But she wasn’t there yet – she was a fighter dammit – she wanted to live! So she gripped onto the seatbelt for dear life, holding the sobs inside her chest and ignoring the hot tears rushing in rivers down her cheeks. No, no, no!

                      The cable snapped.

                      Lois screamed with all her might as she felt the fall begin. But then there was a sudden bump, and a weight around her waist and – heat. Why was there heat?

                      “Easy now; I've got you.”

                      She opened her eyes wide, staring into the face of the man whose arm had to be the weight around her waist, “You’ve got me?” He’s got me, that’s amazing - hang on, “Who’s got *you*?”

                      When he smiled the most wonderfully warm smile at her she stared back in stunned amazement. And then she looked up – at the helicopter strut he had in his other hand. And down – to where there was… nothing…

                      Her gaze flew back to his again. How -?

                      He lifted his square jaw and looked upwards, the arm holding the helicopter up - *the ARM holding the HELICOPTER UP* she laughed hysterically – stretched upright. And then his chin dropped, another warming gaze flickering over her face as she felt herself being lowered down, and down, and down – his gaze fixed on hers – until she felt her feet touch firmer ground.

                      She was only vaguely aware of the fact the helicopter was safely on the ground too.

                      Her mysterious rescuer then smiled another gorgeous smile at her while she stared at him, struggling to find a coherent thought.

                      “I hope this little incident doesn't put you off flying,” He inclined his head, “Statistically it's still the safest way to travel.”

                      Right. Okay. Flying. Safe. Uh-huh.

                      “Someone will be here to take care of you in a moment. I can hear them on the stairs.”

                      Someone. Moment. Stairs. Hear? Lois frowned as her brain ever so slowly kicked back into life. Flying. How did he? And carrying the -?

                      “I…erm…” She damped her dry lips with the end of her tongue, “I…”

                      He smiled again, “You’re welcome.”

                      She opened her mouth to speak again, but just like that he was gone – up, up and… away… Into the stars. Flying. F-L-Y-I-N-G.


                      The sky above a brightly lit Metropolis and the turning globe of the Daily Planet:

                      Clark skimmed smoothly through the air, more exhilarated that he’d ever felt before – even that very first time he’d finally got what he was doing right. Grinning broadly, he arched his back and flew a wide sweeping loop, just for the sheer hell of it. How ironic was it that the thing he’d fought for most of his life was the one thing that would make him feel more alive than anything else ever had?

                      And he’d just stunned Lois Lane into silence. It really didn’t get any better than that!

                      Suddenly noticing the attention he was getting from the ground below, he lifted into an upright position – his long cloak billowing out behind him in the wind. The crowd had grown in size; a mobile TV Unit had even turned up – and as to the number of cell-phones being held above peoples’ heads…

                      Now *that* he hadn’t thought about.

                      Frowning, he looked straight ahead, his eyebrows rising in question; *seriously?*

                      He dropped forwards, tilting his weight to adjust direction and speed so that he reached the side of the building before the burglar could crawl up another floor. Then he turned, placed the soles of his dark red boots against the glass, folded his arms across his chest – and waited.

                      Slowly, laboriously the man ascended the side of the building, breathing hard. And then he looked upwards, his face suddenly registering shock.

                      Clark walked down towards him, a slow smile on his face, “Hi there. Elevator out?”

                      It got busy after that…


                      The Daily Planet – Tuesday Morning:


                      “Wires…”

                      Lois snorted with disbelieving laughter, “Yeah, right, strung from where – the moon?”

                      “Mirrors.”

                      “An optical illusion that carried me up in the air with a helicopter and gently set us down in safety?” She leaned her upper body a little closer, looking up at him with narrowed eyes before standing upright again, “I never took you for much of a drug user. But if the hallucinogenic does it for you – hey – who am I to take the moral high ground…I’m the gal whose life was saved by a flying man with a cape…”

                      She held both hands up as she stepped away, her empty coffee mug dangling off one thumb, “It’s your life Smallville.” She nodded, “Remember that in rehab.”

                      Clark smirked at her, “Funny. So how’d he do it then – no-one can *fly*…”

                      “Well apparently there’s always an exception to every rule,” Titling her head back she spun on her heel, her hair swinging out in an arch around her shoulders as she sing-song voiced to the ceiling, “And *I’m* not a pancake today.”

                      He followed her past the varying monitors and flat screened TV’s filled with the exploits of the ‘flying man’ from the night before. It wasn’t quite the way he’d planned on stepping into the ‘public eye’, but he had been prepared for a certain amount of media attention. And – so far – the speculation had fallen mostly in his favor. Apparently Metropolis had been in need of a ‘vigilante’ – though he wasn’t sure he cared much for the terminology…

                      But finding a solution for all that kinda fell short of capturing his full attention when Lois was in one of the best moods he’d probably ever seen her in. She’d been seconds away from plummeting to her death less than twelve hours ago and now she was like this? How did that work exactly? Just for future reference.

                      “And what sort of night has it been so far? A night that has seen what many believe to be the most extraordinary phenomenon of our times…”

                      “Our roving news-team confirms eyewitness's reports of a caped figure, resembling a man, who appeared flying in the sky over Metropolis. Yes, I said flying…”

                      The varying reports continued in the background while Clark joined Lois at the coffee maker, “You okay after last night?”

                      “White House comments are guarded at present, although the F. B. I. is said to be investigating the matter. As further accounts pour in, speculation has arisen that this whole thing may be some sort of fantastic hoax…”

                      Clark frowned. He *really* hadn't counted on all the differing reactions… But it wasn’t like he could call a Press Conference, was it?

                      “I’m not a pancake – that’s all that matters,” She grinned as she added the sweet n’ lows, “And I have the kind of story that can get me the front page for weeks. It’s better than Christmas.”

                      “We.”

                      “Hmmm?” She turned towards him, her coffee cup cradled between both hands and a soft smile on her lips.

                      The sight of which distracted him for a minute, “*We* have the kind of story that can get *us* the front page for weeks.”

                      The smile faded, a hand lifting off the mug to wave half-heartedly in the air between them, “Yeah, whatever…whats that word again - semantics…”

                      Clark wasn’t about to get scooped on his own story. So he stepped in closer, rocking forwards to duck his head down so he could look her in the eye, “Lois –“

                      “Conference room! Now!”

                      Perry stood at the top of the huge oval table, waiting for everyone to crowd in before he cleared his throat and began,
                      “How's everybody this morning, sleep well?" he smiled at the faces around the table and there was a chorus of assents, for the most part – Clark choosing to silently take the fifth amendment on that one…

                      Perry’s voice changed, “Well I *didn't*! Last night our publisher called me into his office and asked me one question. The question was; how come the Daily Planet hadn't nailed down the flying man story since it literally dropped in our laps." He looked around, his sharp eyes glittering. "Now I took this as a personal criticism, and I assured him that each and every one of my staff would chip in, would not rest until this mystery guy was ours. Now... is that clear?"

                      "No!" Lois objected instantly, frowning down the table, "Perry, you can't be serious. I was the one he flew with, I wrote the original piece on today’s front page – the first eye witness account!”

                      Clark leaned down close to her ear, “And when did *we* do that?”

                      She turned her face a little towards him, dropping her voice to stage whisper back, “*We* weren’t there - *I* was.”

                      Well actually…

                      “I *found* him Perry – he’s *mine*!"

                      "He found you," Clark corrected with a grin hidden behind his hand at her choice of words. Frankly, money couldn’t buy this.

                      "I think you’ll find it still counts. And you already owe me a Gucci purse so if I were you – I’d be making with the tall, silent type about now," Lois smiled sweetly over her shoulder, using the same stage whisper.

                      "Perry this isn't fair. I should have the exclusive on the follow-up. Those are the rules."

                      "The rules are off, this is too big."

                      "But he's *mine*!" She protested, jumping up from her seat, the staff members all greatly amused by her out-burst. Though possibly not as much as Clark, “If *anyone* gets to expose him as some kind of freaky fraud then it’s me; full stop!”

                      The smile on his face swiftly faded. *What?*

                      "From now on, fraud or bone-fide All American Superhero – this guy is fair game. Every reporter for himself... or herself," Perry added, looking pointedly at Lois.

                      "All right!" Jimmy Olsen, another face Clarke had been surprised to find himself working with from the ‘old days’ exclaimed from the back of the room.

                      "Enthusiasm, see, I love it," Perry said approvingly.

                      "I'm with you, Chief."

                      "We're a team?"

                      "Yes sir!" Jimmy said reverently, obviously seeing his big chance for a break.

                      Which Clark understood, he really did. He had nothing against Jimmy, or anyone else who wanted to print the TRUTH. And the only one who knew the truth and how much of it to reveal to the public was…

                      "Fine, Jimmy, now here's what I want from you," Perry said to him. "Two... no, no, no, make that three..."

                      "Okay," Jimmy said, earnestly taking notes.

                      "Donuts, jelly. Go to Lucille's - tell her they're for me. You got it?"

                      Jimmy stopped writing, disappointment evident in his eyes. "Got it," he mumbled back, leaving with slumped shoulders.

                      So Clark made a mental note about who he’d arrange the best photo ops for - well, once he knew that the suit worked that was - it’d been too dark the night before to tell if Queen Industries had delivered on what they’d promised.

                      The phone rang, and Perry answered it, "White. No, no, no, wait just a minute, don't... I don't agree with that."

                      Lois sat down and turned in her chair, chin raising and her gaze locking with Clark’s, “I'll find him first. Watch and learn."

                      "Oh really." Clark resisted the urge to fold his arms across his chest – just in case, "He could be anywhere for all you know; Mars, the North Pole..."

                      Right under your nose…

                      "I'll find him."

                      "What if he doesn't want to be found?"

                      She took a deep breath, avoiding his gaze and focusing on a random point somewhere behind his left ear, “Then I’ll know he has something to hide, won’t I?”

                      That was twice she’d hinted at that. Clark knew she had trust issues, but what exactly had he done to make her so suspicious? Didn’t he save her life fast enough? Stay to chat long enough? Seemed to him she hadn’t had a whole heap to say at the time.

                      "Maybe all this frenzy isn't what this guy expected. Maybe he's gun-shy."

                      Lois looked down her nose at him, "That's ridiculous, He has no reason to hide if he’s the do-gooder he advertised himself as last night. But in my experience – there’s no such thing as black and white. Believe too much in one or the other and the grey area will bring you down ever damn time."

                      And just like that he knew what her problem was. It wasn’t with Clark the so called Superhero – it was with Clark the Kansas farm boy who’d deserted everyone in their time of need. Having been let down by the latter when she’d once told him he was amazing for always believing in the best in people, she was determined the former had to be too good to be true. Had he done that much harm?

                      If he had then there was only one way to start fixing it. He’d have to make sure the exclusives went to the ones who needed them most.

                      "All right, everybody, let's think," Perry called out after finishing his phone conversation. "What would draw this flying man out? Use your instincts. Beat the bushes, turn the stones... Get me flying man!"

                      He frowned at the room in general, “And come up with a catchy name for him while you're at it.”

                      The staff dispersed, energized by their boss's fervor. So, standing back and waiting for Lois to get to her feet, Clark moved closer, lowering his voice to ask: "So where do we start?"

                      She lifted her nose in the air, "We? Weren’t you listening in there? It’s every man for himself - there is no *we* on this one."

                      "How do you know I don't have the inside track on finding him?"

                      Lois laughed sarcastically, telling him without words there was no way a wet-behind-the-ears hack like him could turn up information that she, the star reporter for the greatest newspaper in the world, didn't have access to. Why, she more than likely had contacts and sources in government agencies and on the streets, a vast network of people who knew people who knew people! (And were probably gosh darned useful when they actually turned up in their designated alley way…) *He’d* only just gotten off the hay wagon via a completely selfish trip around the planet they called home, he knew nobody!

                      And the bottom line was; she didn’t trust him any further than she could comfortably throw him – which wasn’t very far, was it?

                      She treated him to one of her patented superior smirks. "When you run across Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis and the Easter Bunny, why don't you just reel them in at the same time?"

                      “I would. But I have a bigger story in mind.”

                      “Bring your best game Smallville.”

                      When she marched ahead of him he took one long stride to catch up with her, leaning his cheek close to her ear and breathing in a deep breath of her springtime shampoo before he quietly asked, “And if this flying man turns out to be a good guy? What then?”

                      “Not some stunt for the latest Warrior Angel movie you mean?” She halted in her tracks and pondered an answer while he inwardly smiled at the analogy. And then she took a breath, turning her face towards his and dropping her gaze to his mouth briefly before she frowned and looked into his eyes, “Then I might have to take a minute to regroup, mightn’t I?”

                      Meaning it might restore her faith a little? Bring his best game, wasn’t that what she’d said? Well she had a lot to learn about his best game, didn’t she?

                      END OF CHAPTER.




                      Hi Disco Lemonade!!! We must nearly have cross posted! Thanks for popping in - I'm meeting so many people - these boards ROCK!

                      And don't you have a fanfic up? Something with Green in the title... caught my eye funnily enough Might have to go have a read now I have this chapter done...

                      Annie
                      Last edited by cloisthelegendbegins; 06-12-2008, 08:15 AM. Reason: continuity

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                      • #12
                        Ohhh!!! Thanks!!! Project Green!!!
                        I love your story it's awesome!!!
                        Such Irony!!! PPMS!!!

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                        • #13
                          Love the update!!!
                          Lois saved by Superman!!!
                          I knowm once you start writing, its hard to stop!!! LOL!!!
                          Clark and Lois are going at it, but at least they are talking to each other!!!
                          PPMS!!!

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                          • #14
                            Great post!
                            Damn that Luthor, I hate him! ( I just wanted to say that)
                            By far the best Chapter yet!
                            Cant wait for more!
                            Last edited by super12; 01-09-2008, 08:36 PM.

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                            • #15
                              This is good. More soon I hope. Just wondering. What season is this more or less set in.
                              Last edited by Chlollie; 01-09-2008, 10:24 PM.

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