Linda Lake returns to Metropolis and threatens to expose Clark's secret unless he promises to give her exclusive information on the red-blue blur so she can become a star reporter again. Refusing to be blackmailed, Clark tells Lois his secret and asks her to write his story for The Daily Planet.
Recap:
It's rainy and gray as we peer down over the city of Metropolis, with the Luthorcorp building on the right and the Daily Planet building smack in the middle. Down on the streets, a soaked and panting Lois gets out of a yellow cab, struggling with a giant blue suitcase and a smaller carry-on. Symbolism for all her emotional baggage? Probably not. As the cab drives off, it splashes her with water and she shouts sarcastically, "Great! Thank you! Nice to be back!" Hope that did something for you, Lois, because no way that guy heard you.
She then directs her ire at Clark, who's just showed up behind her with one of those superspeed whooshy sounds off-screen. She complains that he's just now showing up. "The one time I actually depend on you and you flake on picking me up from the airport," she says. He politely doesn't point out all the other times she's depended on him and instead apologizes as she complains about having to stand for three hours in a downpour, watching other people's curbside reunions.
Why the hell didn't she wait inside? I know I usually feel kind of grungy after traveling, but taking a shower in the rain is just extreme. One of her bags pops open, spilling out some clothes, which she gathers up with exasperation from the rainy street. Clark tries to explain, but Lois goes on about how he emailed her the night before to say he'd be there, and how she needs to tie a string around his finger to remind him. Clark says he got held up at work (code for running around saving people), but Lois points out he's a reporter: "You're not saving the world." You know, I can see how Clark would seem dickish here to someone who doesn't know the whole story, but he is trying to explain.
Plus, again, no one made you stand outside in the rain, Lois. He apologizes once more, but she cuts him off with a passive-aggressive zinger about how she doesn't expect to be the person at the top of his priority list. She goes inside. Sad orchestral music. Sad Clark face.