Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Aussie Rules (37/?)

A slow smile spread across Flinders' face, and she held out her hand. "Welcome to Melbourne," she said warmly. "And welcome to the paper. I hope we can work together."

Chris smiled - a smile that would have reduced every man in the room to a blithering idiot. "I hope we can work together, too," she said. "You've been my inspiration."

"I have?"

"Definitely. Every time they told me I wouldn't make it as a footy journo, I told them Lois Lane had."

Flinders smiled. "Don't let the blokes get you down," she said. "They've only just got acclimatised to one female in the newsroom - they're probably going to spin out at the thought of two."

Then, as Banjo watched, the unbelievable happened.

The two females dissolved into what could only be described as fluttery giggles. It lasted for less than a couple of seconds, but it was enough to send him the direst of warnings - life at the Herald Sun had just changed. Forever.


Part 37

"Hey, Flinders, I see that your Yankee mate had to go home early."

"Yeah," Lois replied, infusing that one word with enough brightness that she hoped it would cover any underlying despondency that managed to seep through.

"I read about it in the paper ... seems he made quite an impression in just a few weeks."

Now *that* was an understatement, Lois thought wryly as she took the wrapped package from the countertop. "Thanks, George."

"Have a good week, Flinders."

Lois stepped out from the warmth of the fish-and-chip shop and into the cold and damp night.

It had been a long and tiring day. There was exactly one month until the Extraordinary General Meeting where the members would vote on the future of Hawthorn, and the pressure was building. The feeling amongst the volunteers at Operation Payback was that if the vote were held now, the pro-merger group would win comfortably.

Some Hawthorn supporters saw the merger as the only means to escape certain extinction.

Others were being enticed by the concessions offered by the AFL - concessions that would almost guarantee on-field success.

There was so much to do. The declaration needed to resonate throughout the footy world - the stalwart heart of Hawthorn still beat strongly. The essence was still there - the essence that had been birthed in the early years when victories were so scarce ... and had ripened in the glory years of the eighties when Hawthorn had played in seven consecutive grand finals.

With the future so uncertain, their history took on greater meaning than ever before.

In the midst of a mind buzzing with campaign strategy and the threat of losing her club, there was something else never far from her thoughts.

Marrying Clark.

Lois had schooled herself not to dwell on the possible wedding except when she was alone or with Clark. She was worried that, in a lax moment, her thoughts would rise to the surface and she would speak out something that would lead to a lot of awkward questions.

In that respect, being with the Operation Payback volunteers had been better than being in the newsroom. She knew no one - not personally - and there wasn't the time to indulge in the luxury of personal chat. They had a club to save.

Mentally, she snapped shut the lid on the still-pulsing concerns of the day and thought ahead to the evening. A wellspring of hope gurgled inside her. Clark - would he be able to come to Melbourne?

Lois hugged the small package tighter, glad she'd had the forethought to order her usual amount for one. Browny had written a short piece - explaining that Clark had had to return home and thanking him for his contribution during his five weeks in Melbourne.

How many Friday nights had she walked home clutching her fish and chips? Too many to count. And for so many of them, she'd walked with a light step, looking forward to a quiet night watching the footy.

But now, that seemed so hollow.

Anything without Clark seemed hollow. Not that she needed all the extras - the flying, and the suits, and the double-life, and the still-mind-blowing reality that anywhere in the world was merely minutes away. What she needed was *him*. Just him. Just Clark.

As she hurried up her driveway, her excitement mounted. Was he here already? No lights glimmered in her windows - but that didn't mean Clark wasn't in there ... waiting for her. She stepped into her unit, and the chilly air froze her hopes. Clark would've warmed it for her.

Lois switched on the light and the heater - and couldn't resist checking her bedroom, just to convince herself that he wasn't here.

Back in the kitchen, she stood, hugging the bundle of fish and chips and drawing minimal solace from its warmth and aroma. Her thoughts stretched across the miles, and she willed him to hurry - trying to ignore the niggling awareness that he might not be able to see her tonight.

It was always possible that someone needed Superman.

It was still very early - not yet six-thirty in Melbourne. That meant it was not yet four-thirty for Clark.

He wasn't due at the Planet for a few hours - there was still time.

There was a swish of moving air, and her hair lifted from her shoulders. Lois swung around, beaming with welcome.

He was there - dressed in a charcoal suit and gazing at her like he'd been waiting for this moment all day. "Hi, beautiful," he said in his wonderful, love-charged voice.

"G'day, big guy."

They stood - content to stare and relish the wonder of being together. "You got fish and chips," Clark said.

"It's Friday." She smiled. "You're early."

"I had a busy night, so I figured there was no point going to bed for such a short time ... and anyway, I couldn't wait to see you."

Lois put the package on her counter and stepped into Clark's arms. "Ooh," she said. "You're cold."

He put his hands on her shoulders and eased them apart. "May I go into your bedroom?"

"Of course," she replied, puzzled.

Clark was back within seconds, his arms held towards her in invitation. She rushed into his embrace and was surrounded - not only by him, but also by the lovely warmth emanating from him.

"I guess you put my mirror to good use," she murmured from the haven of his chest.

"It's cold in here."

"I only just got home."

"I'm glad you came home early."

"Me, too."

Clark unfolded from her and nodded towards the bench. "Since it's Friday night, I guess your plans are fish and chips and watching the footy?" he said.

"Only if I don't get any better offers."

He smiled. "Do you feel like flying?"

"Ooh, yes. What do you have in mind?"

Clark plunged his hands into his pockets and contemplated his shoes. Lois could see his smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. When he had it mostly under control, he looked up. "Am I allowed to keep it a secret?"

At that moment, Lois would have agreed to almost anything he asked of her. "I guess you're allowed one," she said, as sweet anticipation bubbled inside her.

"Thanks," he said.

In that one word, Lois discerned a mountain of meaning. Clark had planned *something*. She indulged in a slow visual journey, taking in his crisp white shirt and geometric tie. "You are dressed to impress," she said, allowing her appreciation to gild her tone.

"My plans didn't really include fish and chips," he admitted.

Lois took the package from the bench and held it towards him. "Can you cool it off?" she asked.

He took it from her, blew on it, and then disposed of it in the fridge.

Lois chuckled at the ease with which Clark could achieve some things. "What would you like me to wear?" she asked.

"Something warm ... and comfortable."

"Give me ten minutes?"

He nodded, but she sensed his unvoiced impatience. He was excited about something, and it was contagious.

Lois hurried into her bedroom, and when she emerged, she was wearing dress pants, a white blouse, a fitted jacket, and the pink diamond necklace Clark had given her.

"You look fantastic," he said as he reached for her coat and held it while she slipped into it. "Are you ready?"

She smiled, and he picked her up.

"Hold on to me," he advised. "It's dark, but we're still going to move quickly."

Lois clasped her hands around his neck and clung to her man.

||_||

Clark could barely contain his exhilaration. He'd planned everything in minute detail - the only variable had been what time Lois would arrive back at her unit. She'd been home early enough that he was confident everything else would fall into place.

And that made his heart dance.

He started to lose altitude and Lois, in his arms, strained to look down. "Any hints as to where we're going?" she asked.

"You'll see soon," he said.

"It's dark."

"Yup." He touched a kiss to her temple. This was a secret he couldn't wait to share with her.

||_||

Lois laid her head on Clark's shoulder. She was intrigued about his plans, but not so curious that she couldn't simply relax for a few moments. She loved the feeling of his strong arms around her ... loved the firm wall of his chest ... loved the warmth of his neck ... loved the aroma of the cologne that she would forever associate with him. She placed a kiss on the bare skin above his collar and felt the responding tremor of his laughter.

A few minutes later, Clark landed them with a gentle thud. He slid Lois to her feet and took her hand in his. "Do you know where we are?" he asked.

Lois took a deep breath, inhaling the pure freshness of pre-dawn. "The lack of lights and the silence tell me we're nowhere near a city," she said. "And it smells rural."

"How would you know that, city girl?" he teased.

"No car fumes."

"Good point."

"And, although it's still dark, the temperature is quite mild - so I'm guessing northern hemisphere."

Clark chuckled, and it resounded softly through the murkiness. "Can you see well enough to walk?" he said.

"Yes, I can see vague outlines."

"I won't let you fall."

He led her towards a tree and, after a few steps, Lois could distinguish a narrow shadowy building looming between the branches.

"We're on my parents' farm," Clark said. "And this is my tree house."

Lois could see the outline of a ladder that, even in the dimness, looked somewhat rickety. "Are you sure it's safe?" she asked.

"I built it," Clark said, pretending indignation. At the foot of the ladder, he put his hands on her hips. "Duck low enough that you don't hit your head," he said. "Once you're through the door, you'll be able to stand."

Lois's eyes had adjusted sufficiently that the moonlight was enough to enable her to see the rungs of the ladder. Taking a firm grasp of them with her hands, she climbed to the top and into the tree house. Clark was immediately beside her - reaching to help her stand.

Suddenly, light flickered in the corner, and Lois saw a small candle. Next to it, another burst into flame, and then another. Soon, a dozen candles saturated the room with warm cosy light.

Lois looked around. Though simply built, the tree house was solidly constructed. Along the far wall was a large and sumptuous floor cushion that probably should have looked out of place in the rustic surroundings but instead augmented the otherworld ambience.

Clark lifted her coat from her shoulders and gestured towards the cushion. "Would you sit? Please?"

Lois sank into the softness that billowed soothingly against her tiredness. Clark sat next to her, not reclining, but perched on the edge of the cushion as he faced her.

"Thank you for coming," he said.

His formal tone suggested he wasn't completely at ease. Lois smiled inwardly, and her growing anticipation dissolved the last of her fatigue. Clark took her hand in his and hauled in a huge breath.

"Lois," he said. "I never imagined that I would do this here, but in some ways, this is a very appropriate place." He swung his hand to indicate the little shack. "When I was younger, I would come here whenever I needed to think ... whenever I needed to try to find ways to deal with being the only one of my kind on Earth ... probably the only one of my kind still alive."

Lois squeezed his hand, experiencing his isolation as acutely as if it were hers.

"So, I'd come here to be alone," Clark said with a short, ironic chuckle. "And I would try to overcome the biggest fear of my life - that I would always be alone. I have wonderful parents - two people who couldn't love me more if I was their biological son - but they belong with each other ... and I yearned for someone who belonged with me.

"And then I found you," he said. "And you're the person I'd been looking for, hoping for, dreaming of. All of that lonesomeness - that was my heart crying out for you."

Lois smiled tremulously as tears clustered along her eyelids.

Clark slid from the cushion and knelt on the floor of the tree house.

"Lois," he said. "I will always love you. I want to share everything with you - my secrets, and my hopes, and my dreams, and the moments that encapsulate my life. I want to share your life, and your secrets, and your moments, and your hopes. More than anything, I want you to be happy - and if being with me makes you happy, that would mean *everything* to me."

The moisture in Lois's left eye broke from its barrier and drizzled down her cheek.

Clark took a folded handkerchief from his pocket and tenderly dabbed away her tear. After returning the handkerchief, he continued. "I promise you my faithfulness and my everlasting love. This is not just for today - it's for every day of our future." He reached again into his pocket. When his hand reappeared, he was holding a small ring box. He flicked it open, revealing an elegant, single-diamond ring. "Lois," he said. "Will you marry me?"

Lois took a moment to gaze into his eyes - the candlelight had darkened them. She could see his love and his sincerity and ... and just a sprinkling of anxiety.

"Aww, Clark," she said, on a gush of breath. "Of course I will marry you."

He didn't move - except for a slow grin that spread across his face as his joy glistened.

Lois took his face in her hands. "You won't ever be alone again," she promised. "You'll be with me ... and together, we have everything."

His eyes lowered, and his mouth drifted towards hers. He captured her in a kiss sweet with intensity. Lois slipped her hands to his neck and pulled him closer. Instantly, a wave of heat rolled through the sweetness, dissolving it. She felt Clark's answering groan tremble through him.

Their mouths opened and Lois pushed her tongue forward. She met Clark's tongue and the impact of their touch radiated through her, driving her to surrender to the mind-numbing demands of her need for him.

He kissed her with an urgency that, until now, had been confined to her dreams. He wanted her. And he was closer to capitulation than he'd ever been before.

It was that thought that dowsed her fire.

If they went ahead now, Clark would see it as his failure. His weakness.

Lois forced herself to draw away.

Clark placed his head against her - his ragged breaths testament to the power of their kiss. "Lois," he breathed.

She found refuge in the simple, calming action of kissing his forehead. "It's a beautiful ring," she said. "Thank you."

"Thank you," he murmured. "Thank you for saying 'yes'."

She buried his fingers in the hair on the back of his neck and waited for time to bring a measure of stability to their runaway hearts. "Thank you for making this so special."

Clark straightened and removed the ring from the box. He slid it onto her finger and then he leant forward and kissed the back of her hand. "I love you, Lois," he whispered.

"I love you, Clark."

He rose from his knees and shuffled onto the cushion next to Lois. She extended her hand and examined the ring.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I love it." She smiled. "Were you worried about my answer?"

"I tried not to be."

"Clark!"

He grinned. "I hoped you would say 'yes'."

Lois tilted her hand and watched the candlelight play in the diamond. "Well, it's official now - not public, but official - so you are to quit worrying."

"I wasn't really worried," he said. "But sometimes, this seems too good to be true."

"We've got the rest of our lives to get used to it."

He smiled. "I can't take you to a restaurant ... so I hope it's OK with you if we eat here."

Lois looked around - savouring the intimacy of the candlelight and the tiny room. "You know," she said. "It's true that in other circumstances this wouldn't have been our location of choice, but I think this is perfect."

He smiled, obviously pleased by her comment. "As soon as Mom and Dad were asleep, I began preparing our food in the kitchen. It's all ready for us."

"They don't know?"

"They won't mind," he said. "But I wanted this to be just you and me."

"That's what it feels like," Lois said. "Private and secluded - it's perfect."

"I was hoping you'd feel like that."

"After your parents get up, would you like us to go in and tell them our news?"

He nodded with a happy smile. "They are going to be thrilled."

"We're both lucky to have them."

Clark stood and gestured over his shoulder. "Would you stay here for a few moments while I go and see to the final touches?"

"Do you need help?" Lois offered.

"Yes, I do," Clark said. He withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket and offered it to Lois. "This is a list of all the decisions we need to make about our ..." His smile surfaced. "... about our wedding." He handed it to her. "Could you think about this while I get the meal?"

Lois took the paper. "Sure."

He crouched beside her. "There's something you should think about first," he said. "Before you think about anything else."

"I've already chosen the groom," she said with a smile.

His responding smile was brief. "The Star suggested September 7th for our wedding. That's the first week of the finals. If Hawthorn makes the Eight, you'll have a big game that weekend."

"We don't even know if we'll make the Eight," Lois said.

"But, if you do, and if the merger ... I'd hate for you to always regret that you were in Metropolis when Hawthorn played their last game."

"I've already thought that through," Lois said. "And also the fact that - being a finals weekend - Browny will probably want me to cover a game."

"So ... perhaps we should suggest another date for the wedding?"

"Finals go for four weeks," Lois said. "Do you really want to wait until October?"

"No," he said decisively.

"Neither of us wants to wait that long," she said. "So we'll tell the Star we want the wedding in the early morning. That will be late at night Melbourne time. We can get married and have a few hours together before I need to go home."

Clark grimaced. "Lois," he said. "This is ... Our wedding shouldn't be squeezed between everything else. It's too important for that."

"That's true," Lois said with a smile. "And next time, we'll get married outside of the footy season, and we can do it however we want," she said. "But, this time, we have some obstacles to work around."

"You're OK with that?" Clark asked.

"I want to marry you," Lois said. "The rest is simply detail to be worked out."

He smiled and straightened. "I'll be back soon," he said.

||_||

Lois reclined between Clark's chest and his arm and sighed with utter contentment. She was pleasantly full, deliciously warm, and with the man she adored. He'd transformed the tree house into a pseudo-restaurant. A small table and two chairs had appeared - followed by a dainty tablecloth and a little vase of summer flowers. Thanks to his super-speed, he had easily combined the roles of chef, waiter, and attentive fiancé.

The food had been sensational - creamy chicken Marsala with steamed vegetables fresh from Martha's garden, followed by a chocolate cheesecake that outdid anything Lois had eaten in a restaurant. As they had dined, they'd discussed Clark's list - and decided on the specifics of their very simple wedding.

It was nearly dawn. Lois could see little beams of light sneaking around the door. The timid half-light of the rising sun combined with the candles to dress the atmosphere with dreamy intimacy.

And, of course, simply being with Clark was like the best of dreams coming true. Every time she saw or felt the ring on her finger, her simmering joy surged again. Three weeks and one day. Twenty-two days and she would be only hours away from marrying Clark.

He'd asked her again if their plans were too rudimentary. He said he knew that most women about to be married revelled in sharing the excitement with family and friends. Did she wish things could be different?

Lois had been able to answer with total honesty. With no elaborate detail to distract her, she could concentrate on Clark - and that suited her just fine.

His hand cradled hers and the side of his thumb slowly strummed the back of her hand. Much as she urged the days forward, Lois was content to allow these minutes to dawdle. "How was your first day back at the Planet?" she asked.

"Good," he said. "Perry wants me to work as his assistant editor about half of the time. We spent some time thrashing out the details and then I chased up my sources to let them know I'm back in town."

"Did you see Mayson?"

"Briefly."

"How was she?"

"Remarkably agreeable."

"Was anything said about the Star offering Superman and Ultra Woman a wedding?"

"Jimmy said something about it. Mayson ignored him."

"She isn't taking this as being scooped?"

"Either she thinks Superman will refuse - which will be a slap in the face for Linda - or she figures a wedding doesn't constitute real news."

"She didn't ask you for a date?"

"No," Clark said. "She stopped at my desk as she headed out on a story and asked if I'd liked the cake. I replied that I'd left it in the staff kitchen for everyone to help themselves, and then I told her that I would appreciate it if she didn't go into my apartment when I wasn't there."

"How did she respond to that?"

"She made a comment about there not being any reason to go to my apartment if I wasn't there."

"Maybe she'll be easier than you feared."

"I hope so," Clark said. "How's Operation Payback going?"

"Remember how I told you we play our last game before finals against Melbourne?"

"Uh hum."

"It's a Saturday night game, so we're organising a rally for the afternoon. We're hoping a lot of people will come before going to the game."

"Where's the rally?"

"At Glenferrie Oval."

"The board is allowing that?"

Lois shrugged. "I don't know anything about the negotiations. Scotty said that's where it would be, and we're starting to advertise it."

"What else are you doing?"

"Gathering volunteers. Trying to raise a million dollars to get out of debt leaves very little money to run a campaign. Operation Payback is only a week old, and every day we see new faces. Scotty is hoping for a big turnout this weekend - with many people not at work."

"How's the mood?"

"Determined. Single-minded. We're hearing stories of people spending hundreds of dollars on paint and fabric and making 'no merger' banners. We've opened a bank account, and people are already donating into it."

"What will happen at the rally?"

"Scotty's hoping to get some past-players to talk about what Hawthorn means to them. He wants to outline the plan for rebuilding the club. He wants everyone to know that there is an alternative to the merger. Also, we'll be taking down names and addresses and asking people to commit to being members next year."

"Membership is important?"

"Vitally important. We've always struggled to attract members. We are the most successful club of the past twenty years, yet our membership has never been over fifteen thousand."

"How many would you need to be viable?"

"Twenty-five thousand would be the minimum - so we have to double."

"Do you think that's possible?"

"I'm hoping that what we couldn't achieve with premierships can be achieved with the threat of extinction. The supporters need to realise that members are the lifeblood of any club. Without them, we're an easy target for the AFL."

They fell silent again. Lois's eyes slid shut, and her mind filled with a vision of Clark ... dressed as Superman ... waiting for her as she walked towards him on their wedding day.

"What are you thinking about?" Clark asked. "Hawthorn?"

"No. Us."

"Happy thoughts?"

"Completely happy. I have never felt such peace and contentment. It feels like I'm exactly where I have always wanted to be - here, with you."

"I feel it, too."

"Clark?"

"Uhmm?"

"You want children, don't you?"

She felt his surprise as he looked down at her. "Where did that come from?" he asked.

"I said I was thinking about us."

"Us, yes." She could hear the smile in his voice. "I didn't realise that included children."

"But you want children, don't you?"

Clark didn't answer for a moment, and Lois looked up and tried to read his expression. "I did," he said finally.

His answer shocked her. He'd changed his mind? Did he think she wouldn't make a good mother? "Did?" she asked.

"For so much of my life, my dream was to get married and raise a family."

Her apprehension reared up and caught in her throat. "And now ... you don't want children?" she said, trying not to sound stricken.

"It's not that I don't want them," Clark said. "It's just that I feel so absolutely complete with you that I can't imagine being any happier no matter what happened."

"So ... it's not that you don't want children?"

"No," he said. "I want you, and there isn't any room in my heart for anything else - not right now."

She lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed it. "Do you think we will be able to have children?"

"I have no way of knowing," he said. He sighed. "This is something we should have talked about before I proposed."

"Meh," Lois said easily. "We'll talk about it before Lois and Clark get married."

"Will you be devastated if we can't have children?"

Lois thought about it for a long moment. "Not devastated," she said finally. "Disappointed ... mostly for you."

"Me?"

"I've never been particularly maternal, but I think you'd make a wonderful father," she said. "I'm sure you've imagined what it would be like to have a son or daughter."

Clark kissed the top of her head, and she felt the wisp of his breath as he chuckled. "Whenever I thought about having a child, it was always a son. Don't get me wrong," he added quickly. "It's not that I would prefer a son, but my experience of family involves parents and a son. I have experienced a father-son relationship, so it was easier to think about a son than a daughter."

Lois giggled. "A little boy who looked just like you would be so cute."

"Ah," Clark said. "That's the thing - I always *used* to think about having a son, but since I met you, whenever I think about having a child, she is always a girl - a beautiful, dark-haired girl with her mother's smile."

"Would you like that?" Lois asked softly.

There was another stretched silence. "Yes," Clark said in a voice that broke. "Yes, I would. But if it doesn't happen, I'll have you - and that is more than I ever hoped for."

"We both have more than anyone could hope for," Lois said.

He straightened a little. "Mom and Dad have just made a cup of tea," he said. "Shall we go and tell them our news?"

Lois lifted from Clark, turned to him, and smiled. "Let's go, big guy."

He stood and held out his hand to help her up.

She hugged him. "Thank you, Clark. I'll never forget tonight."

He smiled. "Did you ever think someone would propose to you in a tree house?"

"No," she said. "I never had such lofty dreams."

||_||

Clark had no chance of inhibiting his smile as he let himself and Lois into the farmhouse. His parents were at the table. They looked up and smiled in welcome.

"Lois, Clark," his mom said. "What a lovely surprise." She took in their clothes. "It looks like you've just come from a lovely evening somewhere."

Clark smiled. "We did," he said. "And we have some news."

The looks on the faces of both his parents told him they were not going to be surprised by the announcement. They looked from him to Lois - their delight already apparent.

Clark tightened his arm around his fiancée's shoulder and smiled down at her. "Lois is going to marry me."

His mom gave a little squeal and rushed forward. His father stood, grinning widely. Moments later, they swept Lois and Clark into a family hug of celebration.

||_||

Mayson Drake glared at the front page of the Metropolis Star. The cheap, tacky, classless, garish, cringe-worthy stunt was actually going ahead.

How typical of Linda King.

And Superman.

And the floozy in pink.

The Star was trumpeting it as 'The Wedding of the Decade'.

No one from the Daily Planet would be there - Mayson was sure that Preston Carpenter's foremost demand would be an exclusive story.

The guest list would be crammed with as many dignitaries as Linda King could procure in a futile attempt to portray this as something other than what it was - a tawdry, desperate attempt to sell more papers.

A slow smile spread over Mayson's face.

Dignitaries.

Metropolis dignitaries.

There was no one in Metropolis more notable than the third-richest man in the world.

A man who had responded encouragingly to her offer to accompany him to any of his innumerable functions.

His secretary had called early yesterday asking if she would be willing to accompany Mr Luthor to the cocktail party to raise money for the Luthor Children's Foundation.

Stifling all evidence of her indignation that Luthor hadn't called personally, Mayson had graciously accepted.

She had ensured that Clark overheard when she told an openly envious Cat that she, Mayson, would be Lex Luthor's partner.

Clark had appeared completely unmoved.

But appearances weren't always indicative of reality.

If she could inveigle an invitation out of Luthor to be his partner to the 'Wedding of the Decade', she would see how Kent reacted to *that*.

He had feelings for her. He did. Like most of his gender, he suffered from a commitment phobia. Seeing her with Luthor should amend that.

And ... Mayson couldn't wait to see Linda King's face when her arch rival from the Daily Planet sauntered into the event she had so carefully orchestrated as a Metropolis Star exclusive ... and on the arm of Lex Luthor, no less.