Yet another Disclaimer: No, despite begging, picket lines and a hunger strike, I still own no part of this, nor do I recieve any compensation, other than reviews. The offer to Ms. Durance still stands tho (chocolate, yum!)

Author's Note: In the Supes comics, Clark makes his debut by saving a plane falling from the sky, which Lois happens to be on. He then goes for the uniform. He also gets hired at the DP for 'scooping' Lois with the Superman story, and Lois doesn't like it. She eventually gets over it, but Clark's playing catchup the whole time. But I just like to play with things a little, sooooo...

Chapter 5

The entire bullpen was stuffed into the conference room the next morning. Clark was stuck near the back of the room, stuffed between the sports writer and gossip columnist. Lois was near the front. She had been in the office all night, typing furiously.

Perry waved the paper in front of the assembled reporters. "This is the single greatest story to ever land on this green earth! And I want the Daily Planet to be the lead paper on it!" He began pacing, warming to his subject. "I want everything about him! How does he fly? Where is he from? Does he have a girlfriend? Does he have a boyfriend?" Perry went on at length, then stopped. He looked at the group with surprise. "What are you doing here? Get out there and give me a story!"

The reporters fled. "Lois, you and Clark stay!" Perry thundered. Lois and Clark approached the Chief. "You two are my best, so I expect you to get the interview."

Clark opened his mouth to protest, but Lois cut him off. "Sure, Chief. No Problem"

Perry smiled, "That's the spirit, Lois! Get me this guy's story and you'll have your Pulitzer." He turned to Clark, "You back her up a hundred percent, Kent. She's the lead on this one."

Clark nodded sheepishly and the duo returned to their desks. Lois was almost breathless with excitement. Clark looked over at her, "Lois, have you gotten any sleep lately?"

Lois made a negligent wave with her hand. "No time for sleep, Smallville. Coffee will have to do."

Clark looked her in the eye. "Lois, you're running on empty. Please get some rest. We have to find this guy first."

"Already working on that, Smallville" said Lois. "What do you think, should I jump off a tall building or set my apartment on fire?"

"WHAT?" shouted Clark. He looked down as everyone in the bullpen looked over. Quieter, he said, "Lois, that's insane! I won't let you risk your life for this story!"

Lois looked at him sharply. She was quieted by his concerned look. "Okay, I wasn't seriously contemplating that." Clark stared at her. "Well, not too seriously, anyway." Clark crossed his arms and glared. "Jeez, Smallville! Okay! I promise that I won't endanger myself to get an interview." Lois was taken aback by Clark's protective attitude. He hadn't ever asserted himself like that in their partnership. "So, how do you think we can nail down an interview?"

Clark sat back, thinking. "Maybe he'll come to you?" Lois laughed. Clark frowned, "Really, Lois. I couldn't think of anyone better if I had a tale to tell. You'll be fair and accurate, and you'll write what ever he tells you well." Clark looked at Lois, who was looking at him funny. "What?"

"You know, Clark, you're as good a writer as I am." She said. "You've got that farm-boy honesty going for you too. What makes you think that he wouldn't ask you?"

Clark coughed uncomfortably. Truth be told, he had already written the article. The ethics of the situation were cloudy, but he could say what he wanted and avoid uncomfortable questions. "Um, I don't know. He did save you, didn't he?"

Lois actually blushed. "Well, don't forget that the VP was on that plane, as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I was just a girl along for the ride." Lois looked at Clark. "Anyway, we don't know this guy's name. I was thinking Superman."

Clark laughed. "SUPERMAN? Isn't that a little pretentious?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "Clark, the guy can fly! He's strong, fast, has some kind of x-ray vision and can hear conversations inside a plane in the upper atmosphere. If that's not super, then what is? Besides, that S on his chest has to stand for something."

Clark rubbed his chin speculatively. "That may not be bad, after all. But the Germans would call him 'ubermann' which has all sorts of baggage attached to it, what with the Nazis and all."

Lois stared at him. "You speak German?"

Clark nodded. "I spent a few weeks there on my worldwide trek." Clark looked back to his computer, pretending to work. He started to feel uncomfortable with the whole conversation. He really needed the break of landing his own big story, but if he one upped Lois, she would make his professional life very uncomfortable. He came to a decision and scribbled a quick note on a piece of paper. Clark glanced around for a viable distraction.

Lois shrugged mentally. She was used to Clark closing down at odd times. He could be the most open guy she knew, and then be as confusing as calculus. He was always rushing off on scatterbrained errands. More so since yesterday. Maybe the whole flying man thing was affecting his thinking. Lord knew that there were enough people that were interested in the news. There were rumors that a cult in California had formed around the strange iconic figure.

Lois looked up suddenly as a freakish gust of wind knocked over a random copyboy, sending a folder of papers all over the bull pen. Lois looked back down, smirking at the funny scene, when she noticed a small note tucked under her keyboard. Trembling, she opened it. A neat block print spelled out a succinct message.

Your place, 9 o'clock tonight.

A Friend

Lois heart was racing. She glanced at Clark, who was busy typing away. He hadn't even looked up when the copyboy had his accident. "Um, Clark. I'm going to go home a little early today, okay."

"Sure, Lois" said Clark, "just make sure you get some rest."

Lois smiled and promised she would, then almost ran out of the office.

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Lois was pacing on the balcony of her apartment. It wasn't large, but big enough to use as a landing pad, she hoped. Three steps, turn. Three steps, turn. Lois was driving herself crazy. She spun to walk back inside to check the time, when a deep voice stopped her.

"I'm sorry if I'm a little late, Ms. Lane."

Lois turned and stared. There he was, standing astride nothing but empty air. Lois gulped. He was even more impressive than she remembered. "Oh, no. That's okay. Please, come in? And, call me Lois."

The man smiled. "Of course…did you have plans for tonight?" he asked, indicating Lois' outfit.

Lois blushed. She had dressed to impress, for sure. A nice fitting skirt with a blouse that wasn't too tight, but still set her figure off nicely. She had put on tastefully understated makeup and had her hair free, instead of put up or pulled back. Her favorite necklace set off the outfit perfectly. "No, no plans. I just threw on any old thing…I got your note. I would swear that it just appeared out of nowhere."

The man smiled and then vanished. "I can move fast, when I have to" he said from inside the apartment. Lois spun and saw him sitting on the couch, his cape pulled dramatically over one shoulder and spilling down into his lap. He had one ankle crossed over a knee, and one arm positioned on the back of the couch. Lois started. He almost sat like Clark did when he was over at her place. He certainly seemed comfortable here. A good sign.

"So," Lois began, "Everybody has lots of questions about you. Would you submit to an interview?"

The man laughed. "Always right to the point, Lois? I'll answer any questions you have, as long as they're not too personal, but it won't do any good."

Lois smiled, "Of course it'll do good. You're the single biggest story since…since the Lord talked to Moses!"

He laughed again, Lois liked his laugh. He made a gesture for her to continue and she dove in, "So, first, what's your name?"

"What do you think it should be?" he asked.

"Well" she said, taken aback, "I was toying with Superman, but Clark thought that was over the top."

Superman smiled, "It is a little pretentious, but I like it. Superman it is, then."

Lois frowned, "But, don't you have a name?"

Superman nodded, "I was born with the name Kal-El, long ago on the planet Krypton."

Lois tried to process this. "So…you're an alien?"

Superman nodded, "I'm afraid so. Does that frighten you?"

Lois shook her head. "Not at all! It answers one of the oldest questions we have! We're not alone in the universe!"

Superman smiled sadly, "Well, Krypton was destroyed, our sun went supernova. To my knowledge, I'm the last of my kind."

Lois opened her mouth in a silent 'o'. "So," she started, more to move on from an obviously touchy subject, "How is it that you can fly?"

"Krypton's sun was cool and red, Earth's sun is hot and yellow. My body absorbs the energy, and it gives me abilites, like flight."

"And the speed, hearing and x-ray vision?" asked Lois, looking up from her notes.

"X-Ray vision?" Superman asked. "I prefer the term deep vision. X-Ray vision sounds so fiftyish."

Lois chuckled, "Sorry, one to many Mystery Theaters when I was growing up. So, what else can you do?"

Superman smiled. He seemed to be enjoying himself. "Well, I can produce heat from my eyes."

"I'll say" muttered Lois. Oh crap! Did I say that out loud? "Heat, huh?"

Superman nodded and got up. "May I borrow your kitchen?" Lois nodded, and he fetched a pot, filled with water. He indicated her to stand back and stared at the pot. Lois saw the air between his eyes and the water waver, like a mirage in a desert. The water started to boil and steam. "There, heat. I haven't really tested how hot I can go, but I've vaporized metal before."

Lois was in awe. He wasn't bragging or boasting, but merely stating fact. "Okay, anything else?"

Superman dumped the water in the sink and turned to her. "I'm kind of invulnerable to harm."

Lois gaped at him, "What do you mean, invulnerable."

"Invulnerable, impervious, indestructible…pick one."

"Bullets?"

"Bounce right off."

"Bombs?"

"Play hell on my clothes, hence the tight suit. Clothing closer to my body tends to share somewhat in my talent." Superman said.

"So, nothing can hurt you?" asked Lois.

"Nothing on earth, so far." Said Superman.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" blurted Lois.

Superman was surprised. For the first time in the interview, he was more shocked than Lois. "Uh, no. Not really."

Lois blushed, for what felt like the thousandth time that night. "I'm sorry, I promised not to pry into the personal stuff." Lois collected her thoughts. "So, why are you here?"

Superman smiled. "To fight for truth, justice and the American way."

Lois smirked. "I can't believe you said that with a straight face! You'll be fighting every corrupt politician and official in the world. I'm not sure how thing were on your world, but things are different here on earth." He's got to be the world's biggest Boy Scout!

"Would you like to see my world, Lois?" asked Superman gently.

Lois nodded and Superman rose. She followed him to the balcony, where he turned to face her. "Take off your shoes and step on my feet."

Lois complied and moved very close to him. Distractingly close. She put her arms around his trim waist, and felt his large warm hands on her back. She stared into the greenest eyes she had ever seen, and felt safe. "So, where is your world? I thought you home planet was destroyed. Kryp…Kryp" Lois stammered.

"Krypton." Superman supplied. "It was, but this is my world now." He nodded around, and Lois tore her eyes away from his. She suppressed a gasp as she realized that they were several hundred feet in the air. She gripped him tighter and he smiled.

When they were about a thousand feet above Metropolis, Lois relaxed. She had never felt safer, which was strange, considering that she was suspended over a major metropolitan city without a parachute. "It's so beautiful" Lois breathed.

Superman looked into her eyes. "Listen, Lois. What do you hear?"

Lois closed her eyes and concentrated. She heard the light wind. "I don't hear anything" she said.

"I hear everything" Superman said. A note of pain and sadness was hidden in his voice. It caused Lois to look back to him. "Every day, thousands of people dying, in pain and without hope. Crying out for someone to save them. If I don't do everything I can to help, then I wouldn't be repaying my adoptive home for sheltering the last son of Krypton."

Lois was mesmerized by the intensity of his words. She slowly reached a hand up and caressed his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

Superman shook himself. "You must be cold. I forget how fragile you all are sometimes." He flew Lois back to her balcony without another word. Lois couldn't help but think that she had done something wrong, but she was unsure of what that could be.

Superman set her gently down. "I have to be going, now Ms. Lane" he said. "I enjoyed our…interview, but like I said before, it won't do you much good."

Lois laughed, more from nerves than amusement. "Are you going to stop me from printing any of this?" she asked incredoulously.

"No. Good night Ms. Lane" said Superman.

So, it's back to Ms. Lane? "Goodnight…Superman."