"Hey Smallville, you stuck here too?"

Clark Kent quickly looked up his computer screen and sure enough, he saw Lois Lane walking towards their shared desk at the Daily Planet. Trying and failing to suppress the new-found butterflies that always appeared when a certain army brat's perfect figure came into view, he cleared his throat slightly and smiled at her.

"Ye – yeah, just finishing up this story. What about you?" Clark said hesitantly.

"Oh you know me, one story is never enough. So naturally I've got about four unfinished pieces that Randall wants before the end of the day. And he didn't seem overly impressed when I said I had a fifth article about a reincarnated Scrooge working at the Daily Planet..."

Clark let Lois ramble on in her usual fashion, paying no real attention to her words but instead allowing his eyes to lazily follow her as she paced back and forth beside their desk. If being in her presence every day was meant to make him accustomed to her beauty, it had completely failed. He was transfixed by every inch of her; from the hazel eyes brimming with energy to the absent-minded way she would lightly chew her bottom lip. And to think she used to annoy me.

"Earth to Clark?"

Clark's train of thought was brought to an abrupt halt as he became increasingly more aware of Lois' hand waving in front of his face.

"Sorry, my head's not with it. What were you saying?" Clark said, adjusting his tie in an effort to compose himself.

Lois gave him a highly amused look. "Wow, you're especially weird today. I just asked whether you had any festive plans tonight?"

"Um I guess I'll be putting up my decorations...alone," Clark said rather sheepishly.

"Clark, it's Christmas Eve! Leaving a bit late aren't you? Or are you full of the Bah Humbugs this year?"

"I've just been a bit busy – what with...work and the farm and everything."

"Busy? Smallville, you're a farmer not Santa Claus. Sure you haven't been holding out for a certain someone to come back and help?"

Clark looked up at Lois, trying to discern her guarded expression. Did she mean Lana? Or just my mom.

"Erm – no. Mom's already rung and she's held up in Washington."

"Oh." It only lasted a millisecond, but Clark noticed a flicker of disappointment appear in Lois' eyes and she began packing up her things as if to leave. She definitely meant Lana. Clark wanted to tell her that it didn't matter whether Lana came back or not; that for the first time, he knew they weren't meant to be together. That instead, the brunette in front of him was introducing him to feelings he'd never experienced before. But seeing as it was Lois, it would no doubt lead to a round of 20 questions and Clark wasn't quite sure he wanted to risk inadvertently blurting out that he was falling in love with her. But one thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to say goodbye to Lois just yet.

"Hey, Lois," he called out, as she made a move to turn around. "I was wondering – if you're not too busy that is – if you wanted to help me out with the decorations? I just thought, what with Jimmy and Chloe away for Christmas, that you might want some company... Come to think of it, you've probably got much more exciting things to be doing on Christmas Eve so you can totally ignore what I just –"

"Woah hold it, Smallville!" said Lois, and she let out a laugh. "I'm the one who's meant to run the verbal marathons, remember? If you had let me get a word in edgeways, I would have told you that I think it's a lovely idea," Lois said happily, giving Clark a wide smile that made his throat run very, very dry.

"That's great," he beamed back at her.

"I'd better go back to the Talon to try and finish all this work else I won't live to see Christmas! I'll meet you at the base at 1900 hours, soldier," and with a wink, Lois turned on her heels and practically danced out of the basement. She had been gone barely a second before Clark let his head hit the desk in exasperation, leading to a much louder crash than he'd anticipated. That's it Clark, just invite her to your house...on Christmas Eve...alone. That'll totally make your feelings easier to ignore.