Lois hadn't even tried to turn in an article that would irk him in even the slightest way for the past week. She was silent on the Luthors and even Ultraman. She turned in every assignment given early. She was the first to arrive and the last to leave though that wasn't exactly a new thing. She was the model employee in every way, and that made Clark angry.

She was behaving this way because she didn't want to have to be around him. Did she think she would give into temptation again if they were alone? That thought intrigued him.

"What do you think, Ms. Lane?" he asked.

"About what?"

There were a few snickers around the table. It was as he suspected. She wasn't even listening to him as he spoke at the monthly meeting he always held. "It would be nice if you were to join us here on Planet Earth. About using vigilantes to increase paper circulation."

"I think it's pandering to the lowest kind of readers," Cat chimed in, uninvited. "It's yellow journalism. Good writing and important news is what should be selling papers. Not crude heroes, if they could even be called such, performing sensational feats."

"Thank you, Ms. Grant," he said, "but I believe I directed the question to Ms. Lane."

She seemed to hesitate, but then she spoke her opinion boldly. "What our world needs most right now is hope. These super-charged heroes are offering it. They provide help and ask nothing in return. They make the downtrodden masses believe that you can make a difference one save at a time. And besides which, they spark the imagination in a sometimes very gray, dreary existence. Is that sensational? Maybe but sensational is what might finally start turning things around. And if that sells a few extra papers all the better as that is what we're in business to do."

Lois should have been working as a speech writer. It was a rousing, persuasive argument. He almost felt like applauding her and a few did. If only she would agree to do some PR for him as she'd been so close to doing, she could work wonders for his reputation. All the constant fear in his presence was starting to feel tiresome, and if anyone could fix that, she could. "I quite agree, and the rest of my employees would be wise to remember that. If papers don't get sold, reporters start losing their jobs. Look alive people find a story about a vigilante and you'll keep your situation. Land an interview with one, and you'll earn a bonus. Now go. That's all that was on the agenda."

The room erupted with formerly bored, dignified journalists tripping over themselves to get started. Lois was the exception. She gathered her things slowly, regarding him warily as she did so.

"We can't let this tension be between us forever," he said when they were the only ones left in the conference room. "We have to talk about that night. I don't see what the harm was in a simple kiss."

"The harm is that I'm married, and I don't take my vows lightly. I promised to forsake all others, and I always keep my promises as far as it's in my power to do so."

"I have no doubt about that." He respected her for it. Her honesty, her commitment to marriage wasn't plentiful in the circles he ran. It was a rather refreshing change, and it made him desire her all the more in ways that went beyond sexual attraction and revenge on Queen. "I'm not asking you to leave your husband, Ms. Lane."

He stepped closer to her, and she didn't run. In fact, she wet her lips rather enticingly. She could deny she didn't want it, but she was giving him signals that she did, so he closed the space entirely. "I suggest we finish what we started."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, her arms wrapping around him.

He closed his eyes as he narrowed in on her mouth, but he opened them again when he felt the prick of something penetrating his arm. A blue liquid was rapidly disappearing from a barrel through a needle that went into his arm. It took a moment for the shock to disappear to allow him to formulate words. "What have you done?"

"I'm sorry," she said, and she did truly look remorseful with big, wet eyes and a trembling lip, but that did nothing to stave off the loss of his powers, nor did it stop Oliver and his buddies from leaping out of the woodwork and grabbing him.

He'd been so concentrated on her, he hadn't even noticed them hiding. He could practically see Lionel shaking his head at him for allowing himself to be taken by a woman, for not being constantly on his guard against a worthy opponent. He would say he deserved whatever it was they were about to do to him, and Clark would have to agree. "A marvelous feint, Mrs. Queen. Touché "