Wendi's present fic: His New Hero
Feb. 8th, 2004 09:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
out_thereHey, I know I promised this to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
happyminion a while ago, but there's still two other January birthday fics outstanding, so... it could have been a *much* longer wait.
Title: His New Hero
Fandom: Ummm... Sports Night crossover with Wendi's Smallville/Justice League AU. (Just nod and go along with it.)
Authors Notes: Thanks to Wendi for being so supportive, and to Slod for betaing (and reassuring me that, yes, it *did* sound like Jimmy).
His New Hero
On days like this, Metropolis was monochrome. From her stone grey sidewalks and silver skyscrapers to the thunderous sky above, the entire city seemed to be created by shades of grey.
Honestly, Jimmy didn't mind it. Wally would bitch about the weather, would say that the grey was depressing and the rain was dreary. But Jimmy liked the overcast days, filled with soft light and blurred shadows. It was like walking through one of those old black and white films, as if any moment now he'd run into a movie star who'd been dead for years. Okay, that was somewhat macabre, but it was still cool.
What wasn't cool, was walking through the city at ten in the morning, trying to track down CK. Clark was a nice guy and a good reporter. He also stopped Lois from physically strangling anyone (like Jimmy, when he managed to trip and make her spill this morning's coffee down her new shirt). Clark was also a genuinely... nice guy. A decent, law-abiding guy who believed that good guys shouldn't finish last. Who believed in manners, and opening the door for Lois, who faced every morning with a bright smile.
Clark just wasn't a reliable guy.
Hence, Jimmy walking through Metropolis. The last time anyone had seen Clark, had been just after nine this morning. Since CK had saved him from Lois's caffeine-deprived wrath, he'd returned the favour by not mentioning to Lois that CK was MIA, with his cell phone on his desk. Instead, Jimmy had grabbed it and his camera and said he was going people shooting.
Lois had glared at him blankly. "You're doing what?"
"People shooting. Shooting pictures of people," Jimmy had replied, fiddling with his camera strap and keeping a safe distance between himself and the intrepid reporter.
She'd shaken back her chocolate curls, and watched him closely. "Anyone in particular?"
"No, just crowds. Random strangers. You know, people," Jimmy had babbled.
"Fine." Lois just turned back to her screen with a sigh of annoyance. "Keep your cell on."
He'd grabbed his camera and headed downtown, making his way to the LexCorp Tower. It was amazing how many times Clark ended up there. CK was a great guy, as long as you didn't factor in the fact that he tended to sneak out of work to make-out with his boyfriend. As far as critical character faults went, that was pretty minor. In fact, Jimmy would say it wasn't even earthquake material, just minor shudders. Certainly nowhere near the San Andreas faults inherent in Chloe's personality.
On the way, Jimmy had decided he might as well take the occasional picture. A shot of a young business woman, her neck stretched to the side as she pulled something out of her bag, her dark eyes bright and alive. A little boy, probably only four or five, running after pigeons. An old man, leaning down to slowly pick up a copy of Daily Planet. And the shot he was currently taking, a dark-haired guy in a bright red shirt, grinning as he spoke on into his cell phone.
He was standing outside the LexCorp building, cradling the small phone in his hand, shoulders hunched protectively against the slight breeze. Jimmy was concentrating on getting the focus just right, on drawing attention to the guy's angular face, and couldn't help overhearing half of his conversation.
"No, the reason I'm here and you're not, is because of my sporting sensibilities. I admire the Sharks, and I have always had a deep fondness for the Gliders...
"...Well, maybe the fact that you've come down with a cold helps my case...
"...You okay? Got chicken soup?" the guy asked and laughed, and Jimmy took the shot, catching the open laughter. He put the lid back on the lens and heard the guy say, "Everybody needs chicken soup. It's a cure-all, Casey. Colds, the flu, even the black plague, can be helped with chicken soup...
"...Well, I assume it makes you feel better before you collapse in a painful death. I've got to go, or I won't get a chance to introduce myself before we do the interview at midday...
"...I'll call you from the airport. Bye, Casey," the guy said and flipped his cell closed. He took a deep breath, and looked around, spotting Jimmy and his camera. "Hey, man. Did you want an autograph?" he asked in a friendly tone.
Jimmy shook his head. "Nope. Just wanted the photo."
The guy grinned. "Sure?"
"Absolutely positive," Jimmy replied, putting the camera back in its case carefully. You could never take too much care of a good camera. Of course, that also meant that you should never let Wally West touch it. Which would be easier if Wally didn't excel at taking advantage of a moment's distraction.
"Only fools are positive," the guy said, grinning at the schoolyard taunt. His eyes glinted mischievously, and Jimmy had the sudden mental image of a fourth grader trapped in an adult body.
Jimmy knew the response to that. "Positive?"
The guy laughed, and then looked around again. "You guys aren't big believers in having street numbers on your buildings, are you?"
Jimmy shrugged. "We're better than Gotham. Trying to find a street number in their CBD is almost impossible. Here, you just need to know where to look. Or, how high to look, as the case may be," Jimmy amended, pointing at the number on the building opposite, strangely placed on the left side of the building, just below the first storey windows. "What are you looking for?"
The guy looked down at a scrap of paper. "416. I'm on the right road. That's gotta count for something."
"LexCorp Tower?" When the guy nodded, Jimmy grinned and pointed straight above them.
"Wow, that's tall," the guy said, peering at the distant top of the building. He snorted when he saw the bold black and purple lettering. "I should have just looked up."
Jimmy shrugged. "We have a lot of airborne superheroes. It pays to have the signs up high."
"Fair enough," the guy said, and shrugged.
"Oh, I'm Jimmy, by the way. And you are?" Jimmy stepped forward, and held his hand out.
"Dan," he said, as they shook hands. "Thanks."
"It's cool. It's what I'm here for. To help the population at large by providing clear and helpful directions," Jimmy said, walking into the lobby.
"It's an important job. Somebody's got to do it," Dan replied, as he followed Jimmy to the elevators. Jimmy pressed for the top floor, and the ride basically passed in silence. It wasn't a bad thing. It was the way of the world, Jimmy thought. Exactly what elevator protocol demands. You needed to know the person pretty well to talk in an elevator, especially one that was quickly being filled by various LexCorp employees.
Standing at the back, it was hard to fight the suspicion that he was trapped in an elevator with a bunch of suits and wigs. There was a possibility that that's all they were; clothes and wigs, no people underneath. Which, really, would be pretty cool, Jimmy thought. Just to check, he looked down at the sleeves and was oddly relieved to see skin and hands.
By the time they got to the top floor, it was just him and Dan again. The doors opened with a quiet chime, revealing Lex's personal assistant, Joan. She was the type of extremely efficient secretary that should never hear you calling her a secretary. Therein lay the reason for Wally's lack of welcome in Lex's office. Well, that and Wally had his own issues with Lex. Special edition issues, even.
Jimmy waved at her, walking towards the doors, but stopped when he heard Dan clear his throat. "Hi. I've got an appointment with Mr Luthor." Jimmy turned to see Dan grinning down at her, and grimaced. Possibly, he should have warned Dan that charm really doesn't work on Joan. Stepping back, Jimmy waited to see Joan's patented icy stare appear, but she let Dan talk. "I'm running just a little late. Got a bit lost."
Shockingly enough, she smiled at him. That was a rare occurrence, and Jimmy grabbed his camera on instinct. He'd worked with CK and Lois long enough to know that when something unexpected happened, it was his job to take the photo quickly (and they could ask questions later). He quickly snapped Joan's normally unseen smile as she replied, "He's waiting for you in his office."
"Hey, Joan?" She turned to face Jimmy with a surprised expression that was quickly guarded. "Is Clark about?"
She nodded tersely. "He's waiting to meet Mr Rydell." That soft smile returned to her face as she turned to Dan. "If you'll follow me?"
As they followed her into Lex's office, Jimmy took a good look at Dan. You never knew who was a secret superhero, and that display seemed pretty strong proof for some kind of mind-control. Telepathy, or hypnotism, or maybe just mutant charisma. Jimmy couldn't help thinking of those old fifties horror movies. "The Mutant Charisma That Ate New York!" Jimmy sniggered quietly and thought he'd probably watch it.
They walked into Lex's office and Jimmy found his missing co-worker. Clark and Lex were leaning against Lex's huge wooden desk, but Clark quickly stood up and pulled his jacket straight when he saw them.
"Mr Luthor?" Dan asked, stepping forward to offer his hand. "I'm Dan Rydell."
There was something about that phrase that rang a bell, but Jimmy wasn't sure what. It was like humming a snatch of a tune and not being able to remember the song. (And Jimmy has spent hours humming little phrases until he finally remembered the lyrics. It was just the type of thing he had to solve.)
Lex smiled confidently and stepped forward. "Please, call me Lex."
"Dan." Clark shot a look over at Lex. Jimmy hadn't seen CK that nervous since Clark managed to forget his mother's birthday.
Lex smiled at Clark, one of those fond, mocking smiles that Jimmy never saw when Lex was in public. In his opinion, Lex should smile like that more often. "Dan Rydell, this is Clark Kent. Reporter for the Daily Planet."
"Hey, Clark," Dan said as he shook Clark's hand.
"Hey," Clark replied, beaming widely. Jimmy sometimes wondered if CK had the right number of teeth. That broad grin always looked a bit too white to be possible. "It's great to meet you. I did an assignment on your show in college. It's a great show." And what do you know? It was possible for that grin to get even wider.
"You did an assignment on me in college?" Dan blinked at Clark.
"Yeah, for my television journalism class," Clark replied, still grinning.
Dan chuckled. "Man, now I really feel old."
"Look on the good side," Jimmy offered. "Now there's a whole group of cute journalism co-eds who'll be utterly impressed by you." Clark turned to stare at Jimmy and Lex hid his amusement behind a cough.
"Hey, Jimmy," Clark said, looking a bit dazed.
"You didn't notice me come in, did you, CK?"
"Am I needed back at the Planet?" Clark sidestepped the question, but from the light blush, Jimmy knew he was right.
"Not yet, but you will be. This is not a good day to tempt Lois' temper."
"Lois knows I'm here. I promised I'd get an autograph for her," Clark replied.
Lex turned to Clark. "Lois is a sports fan?"
"No. She's a fan of Dan Ryd-" Clark stopped and looked over at Dan pleadingly. "Could you please forget I just said that?"
Dan shrugged. "I don't even know who you're talking about."
"Yeah, but if she ever finds out that I told you that," Clark grimaced and sighed. "My life won't be worth living."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Well, my life at work will be utter misery," Clark amended sheepishly.
"There'll be punishment?" Dan asked with a sly grin.
"It's almost as if you know her," Lex finished dryly.
"I think I work with someone like her. There are times when it's worth not pointing out how insane your colleagues are. It's better to just go along with it, and accept your fate," Dan said, shaking his head in mock-seriousness. "Do you want me to sign the autograph now?"
Clark nodded his head like an overgrown puppy. "Please."
Dan walked to the desk and Lex passed him a piece of paper and a pen. "How do I spell her name?"
"Lois. L-O-I-S," Jimmy piped up. Clark was still staring like a star-struck groupie and seemed incapable of forming actual words.
"And could you make one out to Clark as well?" Lex asked with a sharp grin.
Dan laughed, and started writing on another piece of paper. "Sure." He handed the pages back to CK and said, "It was nice meeting you, Clark."
Poor CK was still staring at the pages in shock. "Would you mind another photo?" Jimmy asked, pulling out his camera. "Give Clark something to remember you by?"
Dan's lips quirked into a smile. "Just ask my publicist. I have no trouble posing for pictures."
"Great attitude," Jimmy said, lifting his camera to frame Clark and Dan. "Lex? Move a bit. I've only got half of you in the shot." Lex took a step to the right, away from his grinning boyfriend, and Jimmy glared at him. "A step to the left, Lex."
Lex sighed and rolled his eyes, but stood next to CK. "Smelt!" Jimmy called out, and took the photo as they all laughed. "Works every time. I don't know what people find so amusing about it. It's an everyday, practical word, and yet nine out of ten people laugh." Jimmy shook his head as he carefully packed the camera away.
"It's a funny word," Dan said, shrugging. "Like cleave. Or smote."
Jimmy snickered. "Good point. Well, I think it's time for me to get this reporter back to his newspaper before both of us are punished."
"Nice to see you, Jimmy," Lex said, subtly steering Clark towards the door. "Clark, I'll see you later."
"Thanks," Clark said to Dan and then walked to the elevator in a daze. It was like seeing Frankenstein as a fanboy. Highly unnerving, but it amused Jimmy to imagine Clark with his arms out, holding the autographs tightly, and groaning. Obviously, Jimmy had watched too many monster movies during college. He knew he shouldn't have let Wally talk him into watching them with him.
When the elevator doors closed, Jimmy turned to Clark. "Okay, CK, what was the big deal? I mean, the guy looked normal enough."
"It's Dan Rydell, Jimmy," Clark said, his eyes wide, making him look about sixteen. It was a wonder Clark didn't get constantly carded. More correctly, it was a wonder that Jimmy got carded and Clark didn't. He looked way older than CK. Of course, the fact that Clark towered over most people might be the deciding factor.
Jimmy shrugged. "Okay, so it's Dan Rydell. Who's Dan Rydell when he's at home?"
"It's Dan Rydell. Alongside Casey McCall?"
Jimmy frowned. "What?"
"Sports Night. On CSC...?"
"Oh god," Jimmy groaned. "That was Dan Rydell."
"The one and only," Clark replied with a grin.
"There's probably more than one Dan Rydell, but that one happens to be the famous sports anchor. The one that Wally virtually hero-worships. The sports show that Wally tapes, and watches twice. And forces friends to watch with him." It was possible that Jimmy was hyperventilating.
Clark nodded. "Yep. It's how I started watching it. Wally's force-feeding of Sports Night."
Jimmy hit the stop button, and then pounded on the button for the top floor, repeatedly. "Wally will kill me if I don't get him an autograph. Well, he'll kill me for not getting to meet Dan anyway, but he'll make it painful if I don't get him an autograph," Jimmy said, watching the elevator buttons light up as they rose. "Really, really painful. Possibly involving Celine Dion."
"Going back for an autograph?" Clark asked sarcastically.
Jimmy nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah. Life or death matter, now." The elevator doors dinged open, and Jimmy thanked his lucky stars that LexCorp elevators were fast. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Clark. "How mad will Lex be if I interrupt?"
"Not that mad. Lex understands how important an autograph can be," Clark said with a smile.
Jimmy just stared at him, waiting for him to explain. "Meaning?"
"When Lex went to the comic convention last year, he got an autograph that left him speechless for the next hour. He'll be amused, and he'll probably mock, but he won't be too angry."
"Good," Jimmy said, and strode quickly across the open space, pushing through Lex's closed door. "Sorry to interrupt, really sorry to interrupt, but I just realised you're the Dan Rydell."
Dan looked up at him. "Yeah."
Lex just grinned and Jimmy continued, "The Dan Rydell. From Sports Night."
Dan nodded. "Yeah."
"In my defence, no one in this room mentioned the phrase Sports Night. If they had, I would have recognised why you looked familiar. I would have realised why I needed to get your signature. I will be risking my closest friendship if I tell Wally that I met you and didn't get your autograph. It'd be cataclysmic! Total destruction of years of bonding over beer and TV."
"Jimmy, breathe," Lex said with authority. Jimmy had to obey that tone of voice. Besides, he was starting to get a little dizzy, so breathing was a good idea. "I remembered Clark mentioning that Wally was a fan. Of course I got Dan to sign an autograph for him."
Jimmy swallowed and slouched in relief. "Really?"
"Really," Lex said and passed him over a piece of paper.
"To Wally, from one cool guy to another, Dan Rydell." Jimmy grinned. "Oh, man, Wally's going to love this. You are going to be his favourite person, for like, the next year."
Lex shuddered. "Considering the very... enthusiastic way that Wally shows his gratitude, I'm perfectly happy for you to give it to him."
"Really? Are you absolutely sure? Because Wally is going to totally flip over this," Jimmy babbled, looking at the page in his hands. "I'm meeting him for lunch. I could tell him that you organised it..."
"I'd rather you didn't," Lex said firmly. "He's already had a birthday present from me. I don't want him to get spoilt."
"What was the present?" Jimmy asked, and then remembered Wally crowing about the tickets. "The season tickets?"
Lex nodded. "And not trading Broussard."
"You were going to trade Broussard?!" Jimmy squeaked in horror, too stunned to explain all the reasons why that would be suicide for his beloved team.
Dan shook his head and said, "No."
"No?" Lex asked, raising an eyebrow at Dan.
"No," Dan repeated. "You weren't going to trade Broussard. You'd either be an idiot or insane, and I doubt you're either of those. He's one of the best five goalies playing this season. He's one of the Gliders best assets. In fact, he's one of the few players directly contributing to the Gliders current success."
As Dan spoke with total self-assurance, Jimmy decided Dan Rydell was his new hero. He might not have incredible speed or strength, but there were some things that were more important. Such as a proper appreciation of the Gliders, and Broussard in particular. "Can I get you to write that down? Please? Pretty please?" Jimmy raised his hands in supplication. "Wally will never believe me. He will never believe that Dan Rydell understands that Broussard is a great goalie. Never."
Dan laughed. "Sure. Pass me a pen?"
Jimmy passed him a pen, and Dan sat at the desk, scribbling out a few sentences, and signing his name at the bottom. He passed it to Jimmy, and Jimmy fought the urge to yahoo in delight. "Thank you so much," he said, holding an autograph in each hand. "This is going blow Wally's mind and make him eat his words!"
"You're welcome, man," Dan replied, good-naturedly.
"Goodbye, Jimmy." Lex smiled, and Jimmy knew that it was time to be going. He'd overstayed his welcome and that smile was the equivalent of a warning shot. Not quite deadly, but close. "Could you ask Joan to ensure there are no further interruptions?"
"Yeah, of course, whatever you say, Lex." Jimmy started edging towards the door, but turned back as he opened it. "Thank you so much!" he cried back, and then closed the door behind him, before Lex's smile could turn deadly.
Dan Rydell was definitely his new hero. Just wait until he told Wally about this.
THE END
happyminion a while ago, but there's still two other January birthday fics outstanding, so... it could have been a *much* longer wait.Title: His New Hero
Fandom: Ummm... Sports Night crossover with Wendi's Smallville/Justice League AU. (Just nod and go along with it.)
Authors Notes: Thanks to Wendi for being so supportive, and to Slod for betaing (and reassuring me that, yes, it *did* sound like Jimmy).
His New Hero
On days like this, Metropolis was monochrome. From her stone grey sidewalks and silver skyscrapers to the thunderous sky above, the entire city seemed to be created by shades of grey.
Honestly, Jimmy didn't mind it. Wally would bitch about the weather, would say that the grey was depressing and the rain was dreary. But Jimmy liked the overcast days, filled with soft light and blurred shadows. It was like walking through one of those old black and white films, as if any moment now he'd run into a movie star who'd been dead for years. Okay, that was somewhat macabre, but it was still cool.
What wasn't cool, was walking through the city at ten in the morning, trying to track down CK. Clark was a nice guy and a good reporter. He also stopped Lois from physically strangling anyone (like Jimmy, when he managed to trip and make her spill this morning's coffee down her new shirt). Clark was also a genuinely... nice guy. A decent, law-abiding guy who believed that good guys shouldn't finish last. Who believed in manners, and opening the door for Lois, who faced every morning with a bright smile.
Clark just wasn't a reliable guy.
Hence, Jimmy walking through Metropolis. The last time anyone had seen Clark, had been just after nine this morning. Since CK had saved him from Lois's caffeine-deprived wrath, he'd returned the favour by not mentioning to Lois that CK was MIA, with his cell phone on his desk. Instead, Jimmy had grabbed it and his camera and said he was going people shooting.
Lois had glared at him blankly. "You're doing what?"
"People shooting. Shooting pictures of people," Jimmy had replied, fiddling with his camera strap and keeping a safe distance between himself and the intrepid reporter.
She'd shaken back her chocolate curls, and watched him closely. "Anyone in particular?"
"No, just crowds. Random strangers. You know, people," Jimmy had babbled.
"Fine." Lois just turned back to her screen with a sigh of annoyance. "Keep your cell on."
He'd grabbed his camera and headed downtown, making his way to the LexCorp Tower. It was amazing how many times Clark ended up there. CK was a great guy, as long as you didn't factor in the fact that he tended to sneak out of work to make-out with his boyfriend. As far as critical character faults went, that was pretty minor. In fact, Jimmy would say it wasn't even earthquake material, just minor shudders. Certainly nowhere near the San Andreas faults inherent in Chloe's personality.
On the way, Jimmy had decided he might as well take the occasional picture. A shot of a young business woman, her neck stretched to the side as she pulled something out of her bag, her dark eyes bright and alive. A little boy, probably only four or five, running after pigeons. An old man, leaning down to slowly pick up a copy of Daily Planet. And the shot he was currently taking, a dark-haired guy in a bright red shirt, grinning as he spoke on into his cell phone.
He was standing outside the LexCorp building, cradling the small phone in his hand, shoulders hunched protectively against the slight breeze. Jimmy was concentrating on getting the focus just right, on drawing attention to the guy's angular face, and couldn't help overhearing half of his conversation.
"No, the reason I'm here and you're not, is because of my sporting sensibilities. I admire the Sharks, and I have always had a deep fondness for the Gliders...
"...Well, maybe the fact that you've come down with a cold helps my case...
"...You okay? Got chicken soup?" the guy asked and laughed, and Jimmy took the shot, catching the open laughter. He put the lid back on the lens and heard the guy say, "Everybody needs chicken soup. It's a cure-all, Casey. Colds, the flu, even the black plague, can be helped with chicken soup...
"...Well, I assume it makes you feel better before you collapse in a painful death. I've got to go, or I won't get a chance to introduce myself before we do the interview at midday...
"...I'll call you from the airport. Bye, Casey," the guy said and flipped his cell closed. He took a deep breath, and looked around, spotting Jimmy and his camera. "Hey, man. Did you want an autograph?" he asked in a friendly tone.
Jimmy shook his head. "Nope. Just wanted the photo."
The guy grinned. "Sure?"
"Absolutely positive," Jimmy replied, putting the camera back in its case carefully. You could never take too much care of a good camera. Of course, that also meant that you should never let Wally West touch it. Which would be easier if Wally didn't excel at taking advantage of a moment's distraction.
"Only fools are positive," the guy said, grinning at the schoolyard taunt. His eyes glinted mischievously, and Jimmy had the sudden mental image of a fourth grader trapped in an adult body.
Jimmy knew the response to that. "Positive?"
The guy laughed, and then looked around again. "You guys aren't big believers in having street numbers on your buildings, are you?"
Jimmy shrugged. "We're better than Gotham. Trying to find a street number in their CBD is almost impossible. Here, you just need to know where to look. Or, how high to look, as the case may be," Jimmy amended, pointing at the number on the building opposite, strangely placed on the left side of the building, just below the first storey windows. "What are you looking for?"
The guy looked down at a scrap of paper. "416. I'm on the right road. That's gotta count for something."
"LexCorp Tower?" When the guy nodded, Jimmy grinned and pointed straight above them.
"Wow, that's tall," the guy said, peering at the distant top of the building. He snorted when he saw the bold black and purple lettering. "I should have just looked up."
Jimmy shrugged. "We have a lot of airborne superheroes. It pays to have the signs up high."
"Fair enough," the guy said, and shrugged.
"Oh, I'm Jimmy, by the way. And you are?" Jimmy stepped forward, and held his hand out.
"Dan," he said, as they shook hands. "Thanks."
"It's cool. It's what I'm here for. To help the population at large by providing clear and helpful directions," Jimmy said, walking into the lobby.
"It's an important job. Somebody's got to do it," Dan replied, as he followed Jimmy to the elevators. Jimmy pressed for the top floor, and the ride basically passed in silence. It wasn't a bad thing. It was the way of the world, Jimmy thought. Exactly what elevator protocol demands. You needed to know the person pretty well to talk in an elevator, especially one that was quickly being filled by various LexCorp employees.
Standing at the back, it was hard to fight the suspicion that he was trapped in an elevator with a bunch of suits and wigs. There was a possibility that that's all they were; clothes and wigs, no people underneath. Which, really, would be pretty cool, Jimmy thought. Just to check, he looked down at the sleeves and was oddly relieved to see skin and hands.
By the time they got to the top floor, it was just him and Dan again. The doors opened with a quiet chime, revealing Lex's personal assistant, Joan. She was the type of extremely efficient secretary that should never hear you calling her a secretary. Therein lay the reason for Wally's lack of welcome in Lex's office. Well, that and Wally had his own issues with Lex. Special edition issues, even.
Jimmy waved at her, walking towards the doors, but stopped when he heard Dan clear his throat. "Hi. I've got an appointment with Mr Luthor." Jimmy turned to see Dan grinning down at her, and grimaced. Possibly, he should have warned Dan that charm really doesn't work on Joan. Stepping back, Jimmy waited to see Joan's patented icy stare appear, but she let Dan talk. "I'm running just a little late. Got a bit lost."
Shockingly enough, she smiled at him. That was a rare occurrence, and Jimmy grabbed his camera on instinct. He'd worked with CK and Lois long enough to know that when something unexpected happened, it was his job to take the photo quickly (and they could ask questions later). He quickly snapped Joan's normally unseen smile as she replied, "He's waiting for you in his office."
"Hey, Joan?" She turned to face Jimmy with a surprised expression that was quickly guarded. "Is Clark about?"
She nodded tersely. "He's waiting to meet Mr Rydell." That soft smile returned to her face as she turned to Dan. "If you'll follow me?"
As they followed her into Lex's office, Jimmy took a good look at Dan. You never knew who was a secret superhero, and that display seemed pretty strong proof for some kind of mind-control. Telepathy, or hypnotism, or maybe just mutant charisma. Jimmy couldn't help thinking of those old fifties horror movies. "The Mutant Charisma That Ate New York!" Jimmy sniggered quietly and thought he'd probably watch it.
They walked into Lex's office and Jimmy found his missing co-worker. Clark and Lex were leaning against Lex's huge wooden desk, but Clark quickly stood up and pulled his jacket straight when he saw them.
"Mr Luthor?" Dan asked, stepping forward to offer his hand. "I'm Dan Rydell."
There was something about that phrase that rang a bell, but Jimmy wasn't sure what. It was like humming a snatch of a tune and not being able to remember the song. (And Jimmy has spent hours humming little phrases until he finally remembered the lyrics. It was just the type of thing he had to solve.)
Lex smiled confidently and stepped forward. "Please, call me Lex."
"Dan." Clark shot a look over at Lex. Jimmy hadn't seen CK that nervous since Clark managed to forget his mother's birthday.
Lex smiled at Clark, one of those fond, mocking smiles that Jimmy never saw when Lex was in public. In his opinion, Lex should smile like that more often. "Dan Rydell, this is Clark Kent. Reporter for the Daily Planet."
"Hey, Clark," Dan said as he shook Clark's hand.
"Hey," Clark replied, beaming widely. Jimmy sometimes wondered if CK had the right number of teeth. That broad grin always looked a bit too white to be possible. "It's great to meet you. I did an assignment on your show in college. It's a great show." And what do you know? It was possible for that grin to get even wider.
"You did an assignment on me in college?" Dan blinked at Clark.
"Yeah, for my television journalism class," Clark replied, still grinning.
Dan chuckled. "Man, now I really feel old."
"Look on the good side," Jimmy offered. "Now there's a whole group of cute journalism co-eds who'll be utterly impressed by you." Clark turned to stare at Jimmy and Lex hid his amusement behind a cough.
"Hey, Jimmy," Clark said, looking a bit dazed.
"You didn't notice me come in, did you, CK?"
"Am I needed back at the Planet?" Clark sidestepped the question, but from the light blush, Jimmy knew he was right.
"Not yet, but you will be. This is not a good day to tempt Lois' temper."
"Lois knows I'm here. I promised I'd get an autograph for her," Clark replied.
Lex turned to Clark. "Lois is a sports fan?"
"No. She's a fan of Dan Ryd-" Clark stopped and looked over at Dan pleadingly. "Could you please forget I just said that?"
Dan shrugged. "I don't even know who you're talking about."
"Yeah, but if she ever finds out that I told you that," Clark grimaced and sighed. "My life won't be worth living."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Well, my life at work will be utter misery," Clark amended sheepishly.
"There'll be punishment?" Dan asked with a sly grin.
"It's almost as if you know her," Lex finished dryly.
"I think I work with someone like her. There are times when it's worth not pointing out how insane your colleagues are. It's better to just go along with it, and accept your fate," Dan said, shaking his head in mock-seriousness. "Do you want me to sign the autograph now?"
Clark nodded his head like an overgrown puppy. "Please."
Dan walked to the desk and Lex passed him a piece of paper and a pen. "How do I spell her name?"
"Lois. L-O-I-S," Jimmy piped up. Clark was still staring like a star-struck groupie and seemed incapable of forming actual words.
"And could you make one out to Clark as well?" Lex asked with a sharp grin.
Dan laughed, and started writing on another piece of paper. "Sure." He handed the pages back to CK and said, "It was nice meeting you, Clark."
Poor CK was still staring at the pages in shock. "Would you mind another photo?" Jimmy asked, pulling out his camera. "Give Clark something to remember you by?"
Dan's lips quirked into a smile. "Just ask my publicist. I have no trouble posing for pictures."
"Great attitude," Jimmy said, lifting his camera to frame Clark and Dan. "Lex? Move a bit. I've only got half of you in the shot." Lex took a step to the right, away from his grinning boyfriend, and Jimmy glared at him. "A step to the left, Lex."
Lex sighed and rolled his eyes, but stood next to CK. "Smelt!" Jimmy called out, and took the photo as they all laughed. "Works every time. I don't know what people find so amusing about it. It's an everyday, practical word, and yet nine out of ten people laugh." Jimmy shook his head as he carefully packed the camera away.
"It's a funny word," Dan said, shrugging. "Like cleave. Or smote."
Jimmy snickered. "Good point. Well, I think it's time for me to get this reporter back to his newspaper before both of us are punished."
"Nice to see you, Jimmy," Lex said, subtly steering Clark towards the door. "Clark, I'll see you later."
"Thanks," Clark said to Dan and then walked to the elevator in a daze. It was like seeing Frankenstein as a fanboy. Highly unnerving, but it amused Jimmy to imagine Clark with his arms out, holding the autographs tightly, and groaning. Obviously, Jimmy had watched too many monster movies during college. He knew he shouldn't have let Wally talk him into watching them with him.
When the elevator doors closed, Jimmy turned to Clark. "Okay, CK, what was the big deal? I mean, the guy looked normal enough."
"It's Dan Rydell, Jimmy," Clark said, his eyes wide, making him look about sixteen. It was a wonder Clark didn't get constantly carded. More correctly, it was a wonder that Jimmy got carded and Clark didn't. He looked way older than CK. Of course, the fact that Clark towered over most people might be the deciding factor.
Jimmy shrugged. "Okay, so it's Dan Rydell. Who's Dan Rydell when he's at home?"
"It's Dan Rydell. Alongside Casey McCall?"
Jimmy frowned. "What?"
"Sports Night. On CSC...?"
"Oh god," Jimmy groaned. "That was Dan Rydell."
"The one and only," Clark replied with a grin.
"There's probably more than one Dan Rydell, but that one happens to be the famous sports anchor. The one that Wally virtually hero-worships. The sports show that Wally tapes, and watches twice. And forces friends to watch with him." It was possible that Jimmy was hyperventilating.
Clark nodded. "Yep. It's how I started watching it. Wally's force-feeding of Sports Night."
Jimmy hit the stop button, and then pounded on the button for the top floor, repeatedly. "Wally will kill me if I don't get him an autograph. Well, he'll kill me for not getting to meet Dan anyway, but he'll make it painful if I don't get him an autograph," Jimmy said, watching the elevator buttons light up as they rose. "Really, really painful. Possibly involving Celine Dion."
"Going back for an autograph?" Clark asked sarcastically.
Jimmy nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah. Life or death matter, now." The elevator doors dinged open, and Jimmy thanked his lucky stars that LexCorp elevators were fast. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Clark. "How mad will Lex be if I interrupt?"
"Not that mad. Lex understands how important an autograph can be," Clark said with a smile.
Jimmy just stared at him, waiting for him to explain. "Meaning?"
"When Lex went to the comic convention last year, he got an autograph that left him speechless for the next hour. He'll be amused, and he'll probably mock, but he won't be too angry."
"Good," Jimmy said, and strode quickly across the open space, pushing through Lex's closed door. "Sorry to interrupt, really sorry to interrupt, but I just realised you're the Dan Rydell."
Dan looked up at him. "Yeah."
Lex just grinned and Jimmy continued, "The Dan Rydell. From Sports Night."
Dan nodded. "Yeah."
"In my defence, no one in this room mentioned the phrase Sports Night. If they had, I would have recognised why you looked familiar. I would have realised why I needed to get your signature. I will be risking my closest friendship if I tell Wally that I met you and didn't get your autograph. It'd be cataclysmic! Total destruction of years of bonding over beer and TV."
"Jimmy, breathe," Lex said with authority. Jimmy had to obey that tone of voice. Besides, he was starting to get a little dizzy, so breathing was a good idea. "I remembered Clark mentioning that Wally was a fan. Of course I got Dan to sign an autograph for him."
Jimmy swallowed and slouched in relief. "Really?"
"Really," Lex said and passed him over a piece of paper.
"To Wally, from one cool guy to another, Dan Rydell." Jimmy grinned. "Oh, man, Wally's going to love this. You are going to be his favourite person, for like, the next year."
Lex shuddered. "Considering the very... enthusiastic way that Wally shows his gratitude, I'm perfectly happy for you to give it to him."
"Really? Are you absolutely sure? Because Wally is going to totally flip over this," Jimmy babbled, looking at the page in his hands. "I'm meeting him for lunch. I could tell him that you organised it..."
"I'd rather you didn't," Lex said firmly. "He's already had a birthday present from me. I don't want him to get spoilt."
"What was the present?" Jimmy asked, and then remembered Wally crowing about the tickets. "The season tickets?"
Lex nodded. "And not trading Broussard."
"You were going to trade Broussard?!" Jimmy squeaked in horror, too stunned to explain all the reasons why that would be suicide for his beloved team.
Dan shook his head and said, "No."
"No?" Lex asked, raising an eyebrow at Dan.
"No," Dan repeated. "You weren't going to trade Broussard. You'd either be an idiot or insane, and I doubt you're either of those. He's one of the best five goalies playing this season. He's one of the Gliders best assets. In fact, he's one of the few players directly contributing to the Gliders current success."
As Dan spoke with total self-assurance, Jimmy decided Dan Rydell was his new hero. He might not have incredible speed or strength, but there were some things that were more important. Such as a proper appreciation of the Gliders, and Broussard in particular. "Can I get you to write that down? Please? Pretty please?" Jimmy raised his hands in supplication. "Wally will never believe me. He will never believe that Dan Rydell understands that Broussard is a great goalie. Never."
Dan laughed. "Sure. Pass me a pen?"
Jimmy passed him a pen, and Dan sat at the desk, scribbling out a few sentences, and signing his name at the bottom. He passed it to Jimmy, and Jimmy fought the urge to yahoo in delight. "Thank you so much," he said, holding an autograph in each hand. "This is going blow Wally's mind and make him eat his words!"
"You're welcome, man," Dan replied, good-naturedly.
"Goodbye, Jimmy." Lex smiled, and Jimmy knew that it was time to be going. He'd overstayed his welcome and that smile was the equivalent of a warning shot. Not quite deadly, but close. "Could you ask Joan to ensure there are no further interruptions?"
"Yeah, of course, whatever you say, Lex." Jimmy started edging towards the door, but turned back as he opened it. "Thank you so much!" he cried back, and then closed the door behind him, before Lex's smile could turn deadly.
Dan Rydell was definitely his new hero. Just wait until he told Wally about this.
THE END
