Best Intentions

By Sara <superstudent@eir.com>

Rated: G

Submitted: December, 2003

Summary: A New Years Resolution list reveals more about the state of Lois Lane's heart and a mild-mannered reporter's secret than expected.

Just a piece of fluff that popped almost fully completed into my head an hour or two ago…

Thanks to everybody at lcficmbs.com who commented on this and gave me such compliments, and also to CC Aiken, my wonderful GE :) And… they said it wasn't anything to worry about, but oh, well… thanks to Kaethel and Wendy for 'letting' me 'nick' their title ;) Guess great minds think alike <g>.

A belated Happy New Year, everybody! :)

***

New Year's Resoulutions by Lois Lane.

a) I will learn how to spell resulootions. Resulutions. Whatever.

b) I vow to do one nice thing for somebody… okay, somebody other than Ralph… per day. Actually, somebody other than Cat, as well, since however civil I try to be to her, she never fails to rub me up the wrong way. Also the guy from the Chinese takeaway down the street who tried to give me Chow Mein instead of Prawn Noodles that day and wouldn't back down. He still hasn't apologised for that. Yes. Somebody other than them.

c) I will buy Bobby a $50 voucher for a meal at Callards if he helps me crack so much as one big, meaty, Kerth-worthy story this year.

d) I will get a recipe for something *other* than double- double-chocolate-fudge-cake and STICK TO IT, and I will cook it for Clark the next time he teases me about my gastronomic skills.

e) I will never, ever loan the Jeep to Lucy again. The last time I did, she returned it with half the city's supply of clay caked into it and three parking tickets.

f) I will remember to feed the fish more often. Poor little suckers, they're looking awfully sick…

g) I will NEVER, EVER baby-sit my cousin Jane's three 'little angels' again. It took me a week to get the remains of that tin of grape jelly out of the carpet…

h) I will close my window and KEEP IT SHUT—he's not going to visit, and it looks hopelessly desperate.

i) The next time Clark saves my life, I'll ask Perry to make the by-line 'Kent and Lane'. Just for two editions. Or maybe one. Depends on how patronising he is afterwards.

j) I will visit the gym faithfully, five days a week.

k) I will restrict my chocolate intake to five—okay, two—bars per day.

l) I will NOT, under any circumstance, drop any piece of equipment, be it laptop, cellular phone, recording device or beeper, down three flights of stairs, cover it with cement, crush it under the Jeep's front wheel, leave it in the Ladies, immerse it in water, bake it into whatever monstrosity I'm trying to cook or dump it in a dustbin. I've *got* to stop doing that…

"You really think you're going to stick to that, Lois?" a sceptical voice asks behind me. I whip around, ready to do battle. Whoever has been reading over my shoulder…

"Clark Kent! Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's rude to stick your nose in on private matters?"

He shrugs, his hands buried deep in his pockets, grinning. "You were typing so quickly, and it *is* a workday, and I'm your partner… I thought you were working on the next big scoop."

I look at him witheringly.

"Really." His face is of complete innocence, and I quirk my eyebrows at him, grumpily accepting his explanation. "Just don't let it happen again," I mumble, turning back to the screen.

He leans close behind me, his finger pointing at a line on the page. "You'll make the by-line 'Kent and Lane?' You do know that now I've seen it, I'm going to hold you to it, right?"

I turn around sharply.

"You have to save my life, first!" I remind him.

"No problem. Absolutely no problem at all," he grins, spreading his hands.

"Mmm-hmm," I humph, unconvinced. "I'd leave the job to Superman, if I were you, Farmboy."

He's grinning as he walks away, and I just barely catch the mumbled words that he throws back at me. "I will, Lois, I will…"

I look after him, exasperated. That man… how can he stir me to such heights of emotion, without even trying?

Maybe he did see my list of resolutions, but he hasn't seen the ones I have, just for myself. Deep inside my heart, there's one more that needs to be added.

m) I will tell Clark about the minor fact that I'm in love with him.

I smile, switching my computer off and swinging my bag onto my shoulder. I'll tell him—when I'm ready. When *he's* ready. It took so gosh-darn long for it to happen, and then for me to admit it… I'll never do anything to jeopardise it in any way. He needs to confess to a certain 'secret', first. Did he really think that I didn't notice the similarities between him and Superman before now?

The New Year. A time of prospects—expectations—opportunities—anticipation—optimism. A time of hope. A time of love.

A time of love.

THE END

Sara, December 31st, 2003.