The clock on Lois' desk flashed 10:30pm, and the caffeine from the three cups of black coffee she'd had, had worn off about half an hour ago. Sometimes it seemed that the Daily Planet was more her home than the real one lately, ever since Superman came back. She sighed.

"Are you alright, Lois?" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine Clark." Lois smiled dismissively.

"You look mighty tired Lois, maybe it's time to hit the hay?" Clark suggested, clearing his desk out for the night.

"Hit the hay?" Lois gently laughed at him. "You're probably right." She sighed and switched off her computer. Everything she had written tonight had been utter trash anyway.

"Say, how's Jason these days?" Clark inquired.

"He's doing really well, thanks Clark." Lois smiled.

"And Richard?" Clark stammered.

"Oh," Lois winced. "Oh, no!" Lois cleared up her stuff in a hurry. "I totally forgot! I was supposed to meet Richard at a restaurant at 9:30." She switched on her phone. Five missed calls. Crap!

"Oh, well can I give you a lift?" Clark offered.

"I didn't know you had a car?" Lois said, turning off her desk light.

Clark stayed silent. "I don't…"

Lois looked at him strangely, but said nothing. "Thanks for the offer anyway. Goodnight Clark." She said leaving. Sometimes it was hard to see that Clark was a really decent guy underneath his shy exterior.

"Night, Lois." He hesitantly waved goodbye, leaving him alone in the office room.

Rushing through the doors of the Daily Planet, the bitter cold of the night was matched by the dark night sky, making it impossible to wave down a taxi. It also reminded her than she left her coat upstairs, but she'd just grab it tomorrow.

Lois reached for her phone and dialled Richard's cell. Three rings. "Lois?"

"Hi honey." She said sheepishly.

"Where were you?" Richard said angrily. "I waited for forty minutes at that restaurant."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lois apologised, continually trying to signal a taxi. "I lost track of time and I had switched my phone off, and now I'm being ignored by every cab in the city." She said, clearly frustrated.

"Ok, well, you want me to pick you up?" Richard offered, although still sounding pissed off. Lois could understand why, but her career was hitting a low-point recently, and she'd been letting things slide. Still, she hoped she'd never have to choose between Richard and her career.

"No, it's fine." Lois replied. "I'll just see you at home."

"Ok, I'll leave you out some food." Richard said.

"Thanks honey, bye." Lois pressed the 'end call' button and returned her attention back to the road.

A few minutes passed and no more cabs came down the street. Lois shook her head disbelievingly. Of all the cities in the world, Metropolis always had taxis roaming about, except for when she really needed one.

Maybe there's a cab station down the road, Lois thought and began walking down the road. Just as she began to walk, a loud crash of what seemed to be trashcans made her jump from the alley beside her. And again. She began to walk down the alley, her journalistic curiosity taking over. A gun cocked behind her and she could feel it against her head. "Give me your bag, lady."

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"Lois?" Clark shouted as he stood outside the Daily Planet, holding up her coat. "You forgot your coat!"

A scream came from the alley beside the Planet building, and Clark instantly recognised it as Lois'. Using his x-ray vision, he saw a rough man holding Lois at gunpoint, being held against the wall. As usual, Lois was being stubborn and refused to give him her purse. He holds up the gun, about to shoot. Even at super-speed, he wouldn't be able to change into Superman and save Lois. No, this was Clark Kent all the way.

Pushing up his glasses, he ran down the street shouting, "Lois? Is that you? Because you left your –"

"Hey!" The guy with the gun get jumpy and points it at Clark.

"Oh golly." Clark acts surprised and intimidated.

"Over there, next to the lady." The man kept his gun on him and slowly Clark moved next to Lois, keeping his hands up with Lois' coat in one hand.

"Now look here fella, there's really n-no n-need for violence." Clark stuttered.

"Shut up! All I want is her purse." The man shouted, getting more agitated by the second.

Clark looked hopefully at Lois. Hesitantly, she held out her bag to him. Snatching it, the guy backed away slowly at first, and then turned and ran for it. Clark picked up the trashcan lid and flung it towards the thief, hitting him in the head and knocking him out cold.

"Wow, Clark." Lois stared in awe and ran over to kneel beside him, picking up her bag, with Clark following after her. "That's quite an arm."

"Well, you know." Clark shrugged, turning slightly red. "I played a little ball in college."

Lois just looked at him, almost laughingly. "Well thanks Clark, you're a real nice guy. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"You did once." He smiled.

"Well, I better be off. Thanks again Clark. What would I do without you?" Lois smiled, patting him on the shoulder and turning to leave.

"Er, Lois?" Clark stuttered. "Your coat?"

"Oh," She laughed. "Thanks."

"No problem." Clark started, but Lois had already left. She kept doing that, ignoring him completely. Watching Lois leave, Clark sighed and took off his glasses, glancing at his subtle disguise and then back at Lois. If only she could see.