The Fanfic Side
by Rachel M. (LCWSnutbag@aol.com)

Hey, look! I'm baaaaaack! And we have a nice Valentine's Day story here by Cristin Whitley!!! Ewwww....those colors don't go very well together, do they? Anyway, Cristin, thanks for letting us use your story!

This is a two-parter...we'll be starting with "Valentine's Day at the Daily Planet," and then we'll move on to "Finding Love (In All the Right Places)." These are two great stories, so prepare to be pegged in the butt by one of Cupid's arrows!
--------------------------------------------------------------

Valentine's Day at the Daily Planet
By Cristin Whitley
Rated G
Submitted June 1998

_______________________________

Valentine's Day at the Daily Planet


"Love is in the air," said Cat Grant as she walked into the Daily Planet
newsroom. Her arms were laden with every kind of flower that could be found
in Metropolis. Lois Lane, who was standing nearby, gave her an icy glance.

"Let me guess ... You robbed a florist. Am I right?" asked Lois.

Cat rolled her eyes and walked off, leaving her flowers on a nearby desk.

Lois quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then picked
up one of Cat's many bouquets and proceeded to read the card. However, Lois
didn't realize that there was one person who was always watching her.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Clark Kent appeared behind her. "Happy
Valentine's Day, Lois!" said Clark as he straightened his tie, which was
festively covered in little red hearts.

"I don't see what's so happy about it," she replied. "Valentine's Day is
just another one of the numerous 'holidays' created by the greeting card
industry. It gives all those happy people out there yet another chance to
gloat and make those of us who remain single miserable. And, frankly, the
only good thing about it is getting cheap chocolate on February 15 ...."

Before she could go on, Clark interrupted, "Apparently, someone out there
disagrees," he commented while glancing at the roses still in her hand.
"So, who are the roses from?"

Lois blushed as Cat walked up. She grabbed the roses from Lois' hand and
gave Clark one of those looks that just screamed "I want you".

"They're from me. Happy Valentine's Day, Clark," Cat said. She handed the
flowers to Clark and looked him up and down. "Nice suit."

"Uhhh ... thanks, Cat," said Clark who was obviously very uncomfortable
with her admiration.

"So, Clark are you busy tonight?" Cat asked hopefully as Lois quickly
walked away.

"Ummm, I'm sorry. I ... already have plans tonight. Bye, Cat. Thanks for
the flowers!" he replied as he chased after Lois.

**********
"Lois!? Clark!? Where are those two?" yelled Perry White, editor-in-chief
of the Daily Planet.

"I think they left, Chief," said Jimmy Olsen.

"Yeah, Jimmy's right," added Cat glumly.

"Well, don't just stand there! Somebody get me a phone!" yelled Perry.

**********
"Lois, wait up!" yelled Clark as he ran out the doors of the Planet.

Lois turned around and gave him a nasty glare. "Oh, hi, Clark. I'm just
heading out to look for a story. You know, that is what they pay us to do
when some of us aren't too busy flirting."

"Hey! Cat gave me the flowers. It wasn't the other way around.... And
speaking of flowers ...." He started to pull a single red rose from behind
his back.

All of a sudden, Lois' cell phone rang.

"Hello. Hi, Chief. No, I'm not busy. I was just talking to Clark. What? A
bank robbery? Where? 19th Street? OK, Chief, we're on it! Bye."

She turned around to explain everything to Clark and realized that he was
already gone. After an exasperated glance around and mumbling a few
obscenities, Lois went and hopped in her Jeep.

**********

At the Metropolis Bank, two masked men had just run out of the doors
carrying rather large and noticeable money bags. Out of nowhere Superman
appeared. He quickly grabbed the bad guys
and flew them over to the waiting police officers.

"Thanks, Superman!" said one grateful officer.

"You're welcome," replied Superman.

He then picked up the money bags and returned them to the bank's safe.

Meanwhile, Lois drove up in her Jeep. She got out just in time to see
Superman flying away.

**********

Back at the Planet, Clark was sitting at his desk just typing away. Lois
entered and sat down at her own computer. She too began typing furiously.
About thirty minutes later, Lois printed her article and headed for Perry's
office.

Clark printed out what he'd been working on. He proceeded to fold it up,
put it in an envelope, and place it, along with the rose, on Lois' desk.

**********

When Lois returned to her desk, she found the letter and flower. She
glanced around nervously, and opened the envelope.

The note inside said:

Dear Lois,

Since the moment I met you, I have loved you. Nothing would
please me more than having you as my valentine. Please meet me at the
Lexor Hotel's restaurant 7:30 PM tonight.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

Lois' face lit up in a radiant smile as she clutched the rose tightly in
her hand. She was so happy that she felt the urge to share her good news
with someone.

"Clark?!" she yelled. "Clark, where are you?!?" Lois quickly walked around
the newsroom calling Clark's name. He was nowhere to be found.

Cat walked up to Lois. She said, "Lois, Clark left a minute ago. He said
he had some *big* date to get ready for." She walked away. Cat was
obviously offended that Clark's "big date" wasn't with her.

As Cat left Lois thought about this news. It occurred to her that Clark had
a date with some mystery woman and she had a date with her secret admirer.....

"Hmmm ... Nah! Couldn't be!" said Lois as she walked out of the newsroom.

**********

Clark, dressed to kill in a very nice tuxedo, entered the restaurant of the
Lexor Hotel. In his hand he carried a dozen red roses. The card in the
bouquet said, "Lois, be mine. Love, Clark." He looked at his watch and saw
that it was 7:30 on the dot.

*********

Meanwhile, Lois was still at her apartment trying to decide what to wear.
She tried on dress after dress. After rejecting a long blue evening gown,
she glimpsed the clock. It's 7:45! Lois quickly pulled on a black cocktail
dress, grabbed a matching purse, and ran out the door.

**********

"Where is she? Maybe she found out it was me and doesn't want to come.
Maybe she thinks only a psychopath would leave a note like that. Maybe she
didn't even get my note. Oh, Lois, where are you?" said Clark. He was
sitting at a table anxiously checking his watch. Then his
super hearing picked up on a voice.

"Help, Superman! The plane is going to crash!"

Clark ran out of the restaurant loosening his bow tie as he went. The time
was 7:55 PM.

**********
Lois walked into the restaurant at 8:00. Romantic music was playing, and
she was thrilled to be there. She walked up to the head waiter with
absolutely no clue what to say.

"Um, excuse me. My name is Lois Lane, and I'm supposed to be meeting
someone here ..." she started.

"Yes, Miss Lane. Right this way," the waiter said, as he led her to a now
empty table.

About fifteen minutes later, Lois noticed the flowers. She picked them up
and looked at them in disbelief.

"Well, it appears that my secret admirer plans to remain a secret, but at
least I know one thing about him. He sure is fond of roses!" she said to
herself.

As she picked up the bouquet, a small card fell to the floor without her
noticing it.

"Hmmm... I wonder if there's a card ..." she said. She searched the flowers
only to find ... nothing.

THE END

To be continued in "Finding Love (In All The Right Places)"
------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn't have said it better! Stay tuned!

-Rachel :)