By Round Robin
Summary: A multiauthored tale of the day after the Big Revelation. Part 1 is by Caroline Baker, Part 2 by Diane Elliott, Part 3 by Rhen Brink, Part 4 by Diane Levitan, Part 5 by Cindy Cheung.
***
Part 1, by Caroline Baker
Clark sat down at his desk, shaken. He watched Lois come into the newsroom. He had replayed the events from last night over and over in his head. He couldn't believe he had told her he was Superman. Lois had just given him an incredulous look, then set her jaw, gathered up her clothes, and stormed out of his apartment. He sighed.
"Whoa, Lois! You wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" exclaimed Jimmy Olsen.
"SHUT UP, JIMMY!" screamed Lois. She added, muttering, "God, that kid's annoying."
Jimmy's chin trembled. "Okay," he said meekly. He turned to his desk and brushed the moisture off his cheeks.
"All right, listen up, kids," announced Perry. "We've got a staff meeting in two minutes. I want some news — you okay, Kent?"
"I'm fine, Chief, I just—" he was cut off by one of the TV's LNN reports. The news staff gathered around to watch.
" … the fire that started in this building half an hour ago has already spread to the surrounding buildings, and given the mysterious water shortage, firefighters are uncertain as to when the blaze will be conquered."
"Olsen! Jones! I want you two down there to cover that. See if you can find out about that water shortage," commanded Perry. "Now, Lois and Clark. About that article on the museum robbery-"
Clark glanced around wildly. He knew he had an obligation to his job, but he *had* to go help those people in the fire. Lois, noticing his distress, cleared her throat.
"Hey, Chief, is it okay if Clark goes to get some yogurt?"
Perry's eyebrows shot up. "*What*?"
Lois continued. "It's *really* important, but he'll be right back from wherever he's going."
Clark shot her a glare that would have, had he not been wearing glasses, melted her skin, and then dashed off, loosening his tie.
"Now what in tarnation was that all about?" Perry said.
Lois took a deep breath. "Well, Chief …"
***
Part 2, by Diane Elliott
"… Clark found out about a little discussion Sarah and I — you remember Sarah? From the mess when Jimmy was programmed… Anyway, he found out about that Sarah had compared him to Chocolate, and Dan to Rocky Road. He's had a bit of a yogurt fetish ever since." Lois grinned. There, that was not only believable ('I even managed to sneak in a babble,' she thought triumphantly), but it was going to get Clark teased a little as soon as he got back to the office. Serves him right!!! It would match what everyone would think of her if they knew what Clark had been pulling on her all this time! (For some strange reason, she heard the words "Galactically Stupid" ringing through her head. 'Now what was _that_ from?' she wondered.)
Perry shook his head a little. Something was up, he could tell, but he wasn't sure what, or who was zooming whom.
Lois turned to Jimmy and said, "Be sure to say 'Hello' to Superman for me, if he's there." After saying that, Lois winced a little. As angry as she was with Sup… Clark, she didn't want to give any hints as to his identity.
The phone gave a sudden ring. Lois bent to pick it up.
"Hi, Lois, this is 'Dan the Man!'"
"Hi, Dan, I was just…"
***
Part 3, by Rhen Brink
" … on my way out." She paused briefly and with renewed determination she started again. "Listen, my life has gotten incredibly complicated in the last 12 hours. I really don't need any further complications. I'm sorry if I sound rude. I don't mean to - at least I hope I don't … Please, just don't call me anymore. Don't send flowers or sculptures or fuzzy bunnies … In fact, if you could arrange to go back to wherever you came from, you'd be doing me a BIG favor!" With that, she gently put the phone down in it's cradle and reached for her purse.
Rummaging around for a moment or two, she pulled out a single sheet of paper on which she had written:
GOALS FOR THE WEEK.
There, second from the top, she had written:
— Resolve Scardino issue.
She plucked the pencil from behind her ear and put a single black line through that one. Nodding slightly as she mentally ticked off each entry, she continued reading down the list till she found number five. Her lips moved subtly as she read:
— Make Clark tell me why he always leaves when we're talking about important stuff.
Lois began to line that one out as well but she startled herself, pressing down so hard that she had broken the tip off the pencil! "Ha! Take that! Mr. Superstrength!" She thought to herself. Suddenly, seeing number nine made her stop. A look of determination spread across her face. She was going to take action! As Lois stood, she pushed her chair back forcefully. She was on a roll! She was going to go find Clark and take of number nine before her steam ran out, fire or no fire!
***
Part 4, by Diane Levitan
She ran across the newsroom, stopping only to grab her reporter's pad and a pen.
<Can't start letting Perry think I've COMPLETELY lost it,> she smiled to herself, <though with what I'm about to do now, I might as well have.>
She nearly ran into Perry on her way out, and helped him steady the huge velvet painting of the King he was maneuvering out of the elevator.
"Great shades of Elvis, woman! What in tarnation do you think you're doing?"
"Um, sorry chief, gotta run- I'm meeting Clark at the yogurt shop. I have an angle on that museum piece that just can't wait."
Perry shook his head and chuckled as she furiously pushed the Close Doors button. <That Kent's sure got himself a handful there. Reminds me of my Alice sometimes…> He grunted as he attempted to pick up the painting in its huge, glitzy gold frame. <Now where's that Olsen when I need him?>
Once outside, Lois hailed a taxi, and miraculously, one actually stopped for her.
"Just head towards the smoke, please." It was visible to the north, a great, billowing black column that snaked its way up between the skyscrapers before dissipating far above Metropolis' skyline. "And make it snappy."
The cab-driver looked at her as if she was crazy, but turned and quickly stepped on the gas when he saw the two twenties she held tantalizingly in her hand. <I hope you know what you're costing me, farmboy.>
***
Arriving at the scene, Lois quickly saw that the building was STAR Labs, and that the TV reporter's description had been no exaggeration. <I wonder if STAR had something to do with the water shortage? Some strange experiment? I never have trusted a place as secretive as…> She stopped short as she saw Cla-, er, Superman resting against the side of an ambulance. His face was a greasy black from the smoke, and his costume looked like it could use a good washing, say in the Niagara. <Looks like Martha will have her hands full with this one,> she thought, with a touch of a smile.
Gazing over at the man she loved, she sighed and resolved herself to what lay ahead- <Number 9- Tell Clark how I really feel.> She took a deep breath, exhaled, and began to walk towards him. <Here goes nothing…>
***
Part 5, by Cindy Cheung
As soon as Clark saw Lois coming towards him, he stopped leaning on the ambulance and stood up straight. He was unsure from her expression what mood she was in. But remembering what had happened this morning at the Daily Planet, he was sure she only had one thing in her mind …
"So *Superman*, looks like Clark will be busy tonight doing your laundry, since you don't have a washing machine where you come from," Lois said smugly.
At once Clark felt invulnerable in his suit. He was the Man of Steel but unfortunately, he was not invulnerable to Lois. His arms rested uncomfortably by his side. He carefully looked around to see if anyone was near enough to hear what Lois was saying.
He replied quietly, "Lois, can we talk about this later?"
"No. I want to talk about it now," Or else I'm going to loss my steam Lois thought to herself, "You're not running off this time," Lois crossed her arms.
By now the fire was under control. The Fire Brigade was already starting to clean up the mess and the last of the injured were on their way to the Metropolis Hospital.
"I'll see you at your apartment in 10 minutes," she said and jumped into her cab. Lois smiled to herself once she got in. She was going to run this *her* way. After all, he had been the one in control of their little love triangle. As Superman he had come to visit her at her apartment, playing into her fantasy. Clark knew all along how she felt about Superman, and all the time, he *was* Superman. Lois was starting to get angry again as she remembered what happened last year during the Luthor scandal. Ha! I was played for a fool, Lois fumed. Clark told me he loved me, but when I rejected him, he came to my apartment as Superman, rejecting *me*!
Clark quickly flew home. He was really nervous. What did Lois have planned? What was she going to say? Why my apartment? Was this the beginning of something good or the end … He was so distracted on his way home that he flew into a flock of seagulls. Mmmm.. that hasn't happened in a long time, he thought.
There was a loud knock at the door. Clark used his X-ray vision and saw it was Lois. He was still not ready after his hot shower. So, with just a towel around his waist (and no glasses) he proceeded to open the door …
THE END
(roundgp3.txt)