Ann, I think most of us are here because we like reading about Superman--in this case, Superman in a relationship. Or in the case of a deathfic, Superman mourning the loss of a relationship. The contrast between his being the physically most powerful person in the world and his emotional vulnerabilities is what makes the story so interesting.
To be honest, I'm not here primarily to read stories about a female investigative reporter. There are a lot of other good mystery stories and series out there with female protagonists, but that is not what brings people to the LnC show.
I like Lois as a character, I probably identify with Lois in some ways, but she is in the stories because of her relationship to Clark. Without Clark/Superman, there would be no story, or it would be something completely different, a grown-up Nancy Drew.
