Lois Lane sat in her apartment listening as the children came up and down the halls. Tonight was Halloween and they were all dressed in various costumes. Princesses. Ghosts. Goblins. Witches. Superheroes. Superman had been around just long enough that everyone had been exposed to him and the children loved him. They weren't the only ones, Lois mused to herself as she dipped her tablespoon back into the double double chocolate fudge ice cream she had opened not too long ago.

Lois was beyond smitten with the mysterious stranger from another planet. She felt like a schoolgirl again, although she couldn't remember ever having a crush like this in high school. This was something beyond crush status, she knew it. She was sure she was in love with him... well, in love with the idea of him in the very least. She knew that true love came from knowing someone, and even though she knew him better than most people because she was fortunate enough to have the only exclusives he's ever given, but she still didn't know him.

She wanted to know the man under the tights and the cape. Blushing, she didn't mean that literally. Well, not completely literally. She would like to know him in that sense, but she wanted to know the man. She wanted to know who he was behind the superhero identity. For as long as heroes have been saving damsels in distress for centuries, people have speculated that they don't live as the heroes they are galavanting as, but rather they had secret identities so they could live normal, peaceful lives, something different than their hero persona so people would never suspect who they truly were. It's what she would do if she was a superhero.

It was at that moment she got the most far fetched idea she'd ever had. Alright, so maybe not the most, but it was pretty out there. It was Halloween, right? She reasoned with herself. She wouldn't feel that ridiculous if she were to go out dressed in skin-tight leather. Biting her lip, she threw the throw blanket off her lap and turned off the television. She didn't even know what she had turned on, having been lost in thoughts of Superman all evening. Tossing the remote down on the coffee table, she shuffled into the kitchen in her fluffy slippers and tossed the ice cream in the fridge, the spoon into the sink, before hurrying into the bedroom and diving into her closet.

She sifted through all her clothes. All she had was business suit after business suit, but then her fingers stopped on it. It was leather and the feel of it made her spine tingle. Her sister Lucy had bought it for her when she was begging her to go out and get laid. After rolling her eyes at the thought, Lois pulled the outfit from her closet. It needed a few alterations, but it would work very well. She wasn't a world-class seamstress or anything, but she could at least make a few minor changes to the outfit. She didn't want to end up on Cat's Corner wearing that without changing a few things. Of course, Cat herself would probably wear it as is. Lois, on the other hand wouldn't.

After making a few adjustments, she realized she wouldn't even wear it on any night except for tonight, but it was going to suit her perfectly for what she had in mind. Considering why she was doing it though, she should probably have found something with red, blue and gold in it, but it really wasn't Lois' style. She was not so flashy. Her eyes widened as she thought that.
After making the modifications, Lois pulled her robe off and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. She'd had a long day at work and she hadn't planned on showering until morning, but if she was going out, she wanted to be fresh.

After her shower, she walked out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around her steamy body, into the bedroom. Looking the outfit over, she winced slightly. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. She wanted to get Superman's attention. As if she hadn't been bold enough already as it was, but now he'd really see her. She'd tell him it was her at some point, she reasoned, but tonight she'd have a secret identity as well. After drying off a little more, she picked up the outfit, opting to go sans panties. She was sure it would be better to be as unencumbered as possible if she was going to be parading around as a superhero.

Pulling the outfit up, she shivered as the leather formed to her skin. This was really risque. Although, it wasn't as though she hadn't been adventurous in high school, and she still went out on a limb from time to time, maybe not with her wardrobe, but at work anyway. Especially lately, now that Superman was around. It wasn't as though she was purposefully putting her life in danger because she knew she could rely on him to save her, but it was just seeming to happen. But tonight, if things went the way she wanted, she'd be the one rescuing him tonight.

She just figured he might be lonely. He was a from another planet and he hadn't been here that long. She hated to think that he sat at home when he wasn't out helping people, her especially, alone and lonely. She wanted to be able to help him out with that. Hopefully, this would be enough to get the job done. But it wasn't a job. This was personal. She truly thought they could have something. It didn't matter to her that he was an alien, literally. Nothing mattered to her. The only thing that mattered was how happy the two of them could be together.

After finishing her hair and makeup, fashioning a mask from the spare , she looked down. She was still missing shoes. Heading back to her closet, she realized she had the perfect pair. Black stilettos. Sliding them on, she smiled at herself in the mirror in her bedroom. She looked perfect. Best Halloween costume ever. Turning a full circle in front of the mirror, she admired her handy work and nodded before heading out of her room. Stopping at the door, she giggled slightly to herself. She briefly considered climbing out the window. But she wasn't a superhero and the drop from the fire escape ladder to the ground would kill her feet in these shoes. She opted for the door instead.

It was too bad she didn't have the ability to fly, she mused to herself as she walked down the streets of Metropolis. She'd been flying with Superman more than once and she really enjoyed it, for more than just being held in his warm embrace. What was she really accomplishing walking up and down the city streets? It wasn't as though Superman would notice her if he happened to be flying by. She could yell for him if she happened to see him, but if she was going to pretend she was a superhero to get his attention, calling for him wouldn't really work in her favor to that end.

"Help! Oh, God, please help me!"

Lois heard a voice call from the dark alley as she was walking by it. Smiling to herself, she couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. Alright, so Karma would probably smack her down for smiling at someone's misfortune, but if it brought Superman to her, Karma could forgive her this once, right? She started running into the alley. Running in her heels wasn't easy, but she had to play the part. She didn't have the illusion of swooping in like Superman does, so she'd have to make her entrance elegantly... or as elegantly as she could in heels.

"Please, don't!"

The woman's scream was muffled as the thug covered her mouth. Lois cringed as she came to a halt behind the man who had his body pressed up against the woman very lewdly and roughly. Inhaling deeply, Lois let her jets cool before concocting the most authoritative, disguised voice as possible.

"Let her go. Now!" The demand had come out with an almost British tone to it, but she didn't mind. At least to her, it didn't sound like her own voice.

The man turned away from the woman he had planned on assaulting, sneering at the new arrival. "Two for one," he snarled. "This night just got better."

Lois' stomach turned. If he thought for a moment he was going to place those skeevy hands on her body, he had another thing coming to him. But she didn't have a chance to kick the assailant's butt because Superman touched down right beside her, his arms crossed over the S on his chest in the manner Lois had become accustomed to in the past few months. She was almost disappointed that she wasn't able to actually save this woman. It would be Superman doing the saving, but he was the superhero. She was just pretending.

The man's demeanor changed drastically after Superman dropped down in front of him. The blade he had clutched in his hand instantly dropped to the ground as he shook out of fear. Aside from the shaking, he was frozen. People knew by now that Superman was invulnerable. Nothing hurt him. The man wouldn't be able to stab him with his knife and he wouldn't be able to beat him up either. He looked like he would be the victor in any other altercation, but no one on Earth was a match for Superman. The man knew he was caught.

"Superman, I... I..." the man stuttered before taking off on his fastest running pace, fueled by adrenaline from his fear.

Superman shook his head, and turned to the woman to ask if she was alright. He hadn't missed the leather-clad woman beside him, but she wasn't the one who had the "thank God you're here, Superman" look that said she was the one who had needed the saving in this situation. The one in leather seemed to be as calm as he was. Had she really been there to... was she another new Superhero in Metropolis? Superman decided to tend to the woman who had been attacked and then to the brunette beside him.

"Are you alright, miss?"

Superman asked the woman who was still shaking from what had almost happened to her, but she was able to nod.

"I'm f...fi...fine."

Superman nodded in return and the woman pushed herself away from the wall, finally feeling like she could breathe now.

"Thank you... Sup...Superman."

Superman smiled at the girl and she walked off. Superman turned finally to the woman left standing beside him. Lois felt her heart jump in her chest, the same way she did every time he looked at her. She felt as though he could see straight through to her soul. No one else had ever been able to do that. She wanted to feel that all the time, and that's exactly why you are here.

"I'd like to stay and... chat," Superman told her, "but I've got to-"

Lois didn't want him to go though. "No!"

She reached out, placing her hand on his arm. She felt that surge of energy pass between them that she knew only meant one thing: they were meant to be together. She knew it. She could feel it in every fiber of her being. Superman stopped, giving her a probing stare.

"Have we... Have we met?"

Lois was sure her cover had been blown. She tried to find the voice she had used when she told the jerkbag to let the girl go. She was afraid Superman knew her as well as she felt she knew him. She was afraid he was going to see right through her charade.

"Met?" She shook her head, the British accent coming out once more. "Why? Do you feel it too?"

Superman turned his head, his inquisitive visage turning skeptical. "Look, Miss. I don't know who you are, but I've got work to do."

But Lois didn't want to let him go. She had to think of something. "You can't take him to the police. Your word against his. Besides, he hadn't actually hurt the girl. Scared her more than anything. Scaring isn't a crime."

Truth be told, Lois thought the girl was rather weak. Anyone who lets anyone else have any power over them was weak in her eyes. They shouldn't let someone have any power like that over them. But not everyone in the world was like Lois Lane. She was one of a kind. She hoped Superman could see that. After thinking about it for a moment, Superman nodded. Even though he was sure the man would do this again, he'd catch him and then turn him in. Right now, this new - he looked her over more closely - superhero required his attention. He couldn't have just anyone patrolling the streets of Metropolis. He knew not everyone was invulnerable and as far as he knew, he was the only Kryptonian on Earth.

"You're right." Stepping toward her, he offered his hand. "I'm Superman. And you are?"

Smiling, Lois lifted her hand to his. She hoped her momentary pause hadn't been noticeable. She hadn't thought about a superhero name. How could she have forgotten that key detail.

"Pleasure to meet you, Superman. I'm," she gave him a brighter smile, hoping it would come to her quickly, "Stiletto. Call me Stiletto." She didn't know where the name came from, but it worked.

Superman shook Stiletto's hand, smiling in return. "I haven't seen you around before. New in town?"

"Actually, no," Lois told Superman, her hand still wrapped in his, trying to remember her accent to keep up the charade. "I didn't have the... confidence to go out like this until you showed up."

Superman withdrew his hand, although he wasn't sure why, he felt as though he'd held her hand before. He couldn't place where he thought he knew her from, but he was sure he did know her. It made him pause and wonder if other people felt that about him, feeling the same thing when they shook Superman's hand as when they shook Clark's hand. He hadn't met many other superheroes and them in their secret identities, so he couldn't really tell if this was an isolated event.

"Stiletto?" Superman smiled at her. "Interesting name."

Lois smiled, stepping closer to him. "Not the only thing about me that's interesting."

Superman cleared his throat, looking around. "This really isn't the best of places. Perhaps you would like to go somewhere where we could talk and get to know each other."

Lois smiled brightly. "I would like that."

That's exactly what she wanted. She wasn't about to pass up this opportunity.

"Can you fly?" Superman inquired, not only to see what she was capable of, but just to find out a little more about her.

Shaking her head, Lois stepped closer to him. "But I see that you do. Care to give me a lift?"