Unsupervised

"But... but... three hours! I left you alone for three hours!"

Grabbing Lena's wrist, Lois said, "She worked as Cat's assistant?"

Lena nodded.

"Oh, the poor thing. Lena, you should award her the purple heart in journalism, maybe the purple pen or something."

"Why?"

"She was Cat's assistant," Lois said as if that explained everything.

"So was Kara for years. Kara seems to adore Cat."

"That's because Kara is Super... uh... stupid. Super stupid..."

Blinking rapidly, Lena said, "Did you just call Kara stupid?"

"Anyone who adores Cat is stupid," Lois shrugged as if this explained everything. She also hoped this would cover up her almost blunder, as well.

Eyes narrowed, Lena's lips were a thin line as she examined Lois. "Just give me your phone, and I'll give you Eve's direct line, but don't think we're done discussing the Kara matter. Kara Danvers is many things, but stupid she is not."

"Yes, boss," Lois smirked as she handed over her phone.

"Does that mean you've decided to work for me at CatCo now, then?" Lena asked as she took the offered phone.

Lois made a sort of non-commital noise and shrugged. "I'm thinking about it. This is not a yes by the way, Luthor! I don't want any contracts dropping on my doormat in the next few days, you hear me?!"

"Hmmm? Oh, certainly," Lena said with a half-smile, not looking up from the phone as she handed it off, turned on her heel, waved over her shoulder, and headed to the door. "Have fun, darling. I'll see you after work."

"Laters!" Lois grinned, even as she thumbed the dial button on her phone and tapped impatiently, waiting for it to be answered.

After what felt like forever, the line clicked and a voice spoke politely. "CatCo Media, Eve Teschmacher speaking."

"Eve, hi! I'm that person Lena was just telling you about," Lois smiled brightly as she perched on the arm of one of the couches, phone held to her ear with one hand as she began to hold fingers up for each item she started to list. "So I need pens, paper, tape - duct, parcel, sticky and... well, all the other kinds of tape too, maps, lots of maps, pins, string, probably some cardboard, a couple of matchboxes, a box of a dozen doughnuts - maple glazed, scissors, maybe a craft knife, a soldering iron, some pliers... Um, you get all that? Any questions so far?"

"Yes and yes." Eve took a deep breath. "Color preference on the duct tape? Which maps exactly and how large? Pins: safety, straight, bobby, push, other? I can only bring you matchboxes without matches. That's a comment not a question, but this is a question. What size matchboxes, small or the large ones? Doughnut store preference for the doughnuts? Do you need solder to go with the soldering iron? Is there anything else we need for this project, ma'am?"

"We?"

"Well, Miss Luthor said I'd be working with you to complete this task, and that you couldn't leave the apartment. I've cleared my schedule for the remainder of the day to assist you in whatever way you need."

A smile formed on Lois' face. "You don't say. In that case yes to it all"

"Uh... yes to which parts, ma'am?"

"Bring everything. All colors of tape, maps of everywhere, all those pins plus other, every size of matchbox, don't care on the doughnut as long as it's maple glazed - though Krispy Kreme if possible, yes to the solder, and I forgot the post it notes, ball point pens, and marker pens. Maybe a couple of pencils, an eraser or two, a ruler, a tape measure, a spirit level, and a sewing kit. Does that answer your questions?"