She could only stare. Lois was dumbfounded as she stood before the large carved eagle statue in the lobby of Paine's Investment House. It wasn't the quality of the work that obviously had gone into the piece, but the name that fascinated her. 'Charlie King'. The gold plaque held the name of Charlie King. Sure, it could simply be a huge coincidence that the Charlie she'd met-- who looked a lot like her partner-- would have the same name as an undercover identity used during the Metro Club investigation by the team of Lane and Kent. But somehow she knew it wasn't. She knew now that Charlie was really Clark.
What happened that day so long ago? Had he been hurt? The thought pained her horribly. He could have been out there somewhere hurt and alone. Had he lost his memory? It was pretty apparent from talking with him that he didn't know her at all. She's seen those small flashes of recognition but nothing else. How was it possible that Superman couldn't remember a thing? Was he that much like other humans that he could suppress memories because of pain he'd been caused? Or was there some other reason? Had he truly been injured and unable to remember? That couldn't be true though. He'd remembered enough to take on an identity he'd used once as Clark. So there had to be something else going on. Was it his Kryptonian biology that kept him here, away from his past... away from his life?
There had to be some small hope that she'd get her Clark back.
But was he really her Clark? Had he ever been? More to the point, did she want the relationship they'd shared back again?
It only took a split second to answer that question. NO! She couldn't-- they couldn't go back to how things were. Not now. Not after she'd come so painfully to the realization that she'd made some of the worst mistakes of her life.
And obviously Clark couldn't either. His scars ran far deeper than Lois had imagined if his mind refused to remember his agonizing past.
But had she expected any different? Clark had been devastated by her rejection, then by her marriage to Luthor.
<<That's funny. When did I start thinking of him as Luthor?>>
<<The day you finally realized who he was.>>
That had been the day she'd wised up and taken Clark's advice. She'd investigated. What she'd found had made her sick inside. It might have been Perry, Jimmy, Jack, and yes, even Clark, who had dug up the evidence to bury Luthor. But when she'd gone back over the entire mess, she had clearly seen all of her mistakes. The horrible truth jumped out at her, as if begging for her to see the man Lex Luthor had been. How had she ever called herself the best investigative reporter in the city if she'd been too blind to see through such a transparent act?
She hadn't wanted to see. Just like she hadn't wanted to admit that her partner had become so much more than just a colleague, just a friend. She'd wanted to hide away, safe inside the loveless relationship she'd known her marriage would be. 'If I don't love him', she'd told herself, 'then he can't hurt me.' How ironic that thought had been.
Luthor had hurt her in so many ways he never imagined. By choosing to marry him and turn Clark away, she'd lost something much more precious than she could have known. Love, true love comes but once in a lifetime. For Lois, it came. And until today, she thought it had died right along with her partner.
Numbly she made her way out onto the sidewalk into the brilliant sunshine. One couldn't help but appreciate such a place as Mystic. Nestled close to the sea as it was, you could smell the salty air of the ocean nearly everywhere you went. Standing on Main Street, a full two miles from the water, was no different. Lois inhaled deeply before her tortured thoughts returned to the issue at hand.
What did she do now? Charlie was Clark; she had no doubt. But he was someone else entirely now. Or was he just himself for the first time in his life? Maybe an odd mixture because she was certain that even his super side was part of what shaped his character.
That had been an issue she'd rolled around in her head for so long the first time she learned who Clark really was. As Superman she'd placed him on a pedestal. Yet as Clark she'd refused to see what had been so blatantly clear. One didn't, couldn't, exist without the other. Even if Clark had wanted otherwise, he would not, could not, ever be himself without both sides. And for all her brilliance, all her investigative knowledge, it had taken losing him for Lois to finally realize that. To finally admit that. She had seen, yet refused to see what was right in front of her face.
And she'd thought it too late to change that. Ironically, in a way it still was. Clark wasn't the same person anymore. He was different... more. There was no way she could just walk up and say 'Hi, I'm the woman who broke your heart.' No.
If she wanted to get any part of Clark back, she'd have to get to know the person he'd become.
Which wouldn't be such a hardship because from what little she'd seen and spoke with him, Charlie King was someone she could very easily come to love. She already liked him and was definitely attracted to him physically. So, she would get to know him, all of him, the way she'd never done before. In doing so, she'd finally get to know Clark as she never took the time to do before. With any luck, maybe one day his memory would come back and they could work out all that had gone wrong before.
Until then, she had a date to get ready for. With a smile and slight lift in her step, Lois bounded across the street toward a small salon. A facial and a manicure was just what was called for.
++++
Mystery and intrigue, he decided, as he watched her exit the elevator. That's how Charlie viewed Lois Lane. Her face was lit with a smile that made his heart skip a beat as she made her way toward him. She wore a knee length sundress made of thin, flowing material. The top hugged her gorgeous curves, making him glad to be a man. He could almost smell her perfume which served to further fan the flame that was starting to burn just below the surface.
"Hi," Lois told Charlie when she was within a few feet of him.
"Hi, yourself," he returned a bit breathlessly. She looked so good, better than yesterday and he would have sworn that wasn't possible.
"Is that for me?" she asked of the yellow rose he held in his hand.
He glanced down at the flower, but quickly lifted his eyes back to her. He was powerless to stop his gaze from roaming down to her ample bosom, much of which was displayed over the top of her dress. Had she worn that dress to purposely entice him? Before he could stop it, a groan escaped his lips and he forced himself to look back into her eyes. Glad to see that she hadn't been offended by his primal action, his temperature rose to almost massive overload when he saw her pupils darken. Obviously she appreciated his response.
Charlie had to mentally shake himself to keep from grabbing her right then and there. He couldn't stop the overwhelming rush of desire to hold this woman, kiss her, caress her...
Why did he feel that way about a woman he'd only met the day before? More precisely, why did he feel that way about *this* woman?
"Charlie?" Lois called sweetly. "Are you okay?"
With great effort, he managed to focus on her face. "I'm fine, just..." Again his gaze swept over her body appreciatively. "You look fantastic," he breathed at last. "This is for you," he told her as he held out the rose, completely oblivious that she'd asked him about the gift.
"Thank you." Lois smiled as she brought the rose to her nose and inhaled deeply.
Oh good grief, Charlie thought as he watched Lois in rapt attention. Why did she have to do *that*?! He was already having trouble convincing his raging libido that throwing her to the floor and ravishing her body in the lobby of the Donovan was not a good idea. The expression on her face as she took in the scent of the rose almost had him bolting for the door. Or the ice machine.
<Not now, Charlie! You don't even know this woman! Just this morning your attraction to her made you question if you'd known her in another place and time. Silly! Plain ridiculous!>
Then again... Could it be possible? Could he have known Lois before? In another place and time? Surely not. Surely if she knew him she'd have told him by now. Wouldn't she?
<Yes, Charlie, she'd have told you before now. Lois is just a pretty lady you met and now you have a date with her.>
Their date! He was finally wrenched from his thoughts and turned quickly to grab the picnic basket he'd set on a table behind him. "As much as I'd love to just stand here and stare at you, I'd like it even more to stare at you somewhere else." He flashed her a gorgeous smile, then extended his arm. "Shall we?"
Lois hesitated, as if uncertain that she wanted to go with him after all. But then she smiled and thrust her arm through his. "Lead on, James!"
Charlie chuckled softly. "Oh baby, by the end of this evening, James will be the last person on your mind let alone your lips," was what immediately came to his mind, and almost slipped from his mouth. But the intense feelings that were welling inside him made it impossible to speak. For a moment he'd been transported to another place: a sidewalk in a large city walking with a woman who had her arm through his exactly the way Lois did right now. The image felt so real. Could it be an actual memory? Or was it just wishful thinking?
He glanced down at her, temporarily mesmerized by how the sun made her beautiful dark hair glisten. Again he wondered just why this woman seemed so familiar, yet so totally unfamiliar. Maybe what he'd felt had been a date or maybe just wishful thinking-- him wanting her to be his dream girl. Either way, he wasn't about to let it ruin his date. He'd just have to ponder those things later, alone, away from Lois.
Once on the sidewalk, Charlie led her in the direction of the boardwalk.
"We'll hail a cab on the other side of Center City. That's usually the only place to find one. I don't own a car." He shrugged apologetically, but simply smiled.
"We could take my car. Then we wouldn't have to worry about getting back," she offered.
Charlie smiled down at her a second before deciding that he'd definitely like to ride in her car. For some reason he wanted to surround himself with as much of this woman as he could.
"Are you sure you don't mind?"
Lois patted his bent arm with her other hand. "Wouldn't you rather be alone?" she almost breathed.
Damn! She was doing it again. She was purposely trying to torture him!
Charlie halted their progression and looked down into Lois' dark eyes. Her lashes were long, caressing her face ever so lightly when she blinked. The rich deep brown of her deep pools captivated him, pulled him inside.
"I'd most definitely like to be alone," he told her honestly. If she could play the seducer, why couldn't he play the seducee?
Lois inhaled deeply, as if trying to regain some form of control. "It's back at the parking area beside the hotel."
"Okay," he said softly, but refused to look away. She was so beautiful. If he hadn't been holding the basket of food, he would have reached out to touch her soft skin.
<Thank God for picnic baskets!>
She smiled and turned them in the direction of the hotel parking lot. Charlie reluctantly tore his gaze from her so they could make the short walk without tripping over something. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him, but he had to stop. She was just a woman. Decidedly a very beautiful, very mysterious, very sexy, very...
<Enough!>
"Here we are," Lois announced as they made it to her car.
Charlie raised a curious brow at her choice of vehicles. A silver Jeep Cherokee, pristine in appearance, was not something he would have thought she'd drive, but it worked. Of what he knew about this lady so far, it seemed to fit her.
He stepped up to set the basket inside the hatch she'd opened before going around to the driver's side to hold her door open for her.
"Wow! Aren't we a gentleman?" she remarked as she eased down into her seat.
"Nah... just trying to impress you," he teased, offering her a bright smile.
"Well, it's working," she told him, an equally bright smile gracing her lips.
He chuckled softly, pushed the door closed, then jogged around to the passenger's side. Settled inside he immediately felt like Lois' entire essence surrounded him. It was hard to breathe, to concentrate. Every sensory nerve in his body seemed to be on high alert. And for a brief moment, he had an overwhelming sensation of familiarity.
His eyes darted around the interior of the car. Why did he feel as if he'd been in this car? In the car of woman he'd only met a little over twenty four hours earlier? Not for the first time he wondered again just who this Lois was. Could she be someone he once knew?
He glanced at her as she skillfully maneuvered the vehicle onto the road. Who was this woman? Her profile revealed even more strength than looking at her directly. He could tell she was confident in her actions and pursued what she wanted with fierce determination. Yes, he decided, she definitely looked like a Lois. But more importantly, who *was* Lois? Had he known her at some point in his previous life? Maybe his mind associated her with someone he'd known. Could his subconscious make connections to another that his conscious mind couldn't? Again, he asked himself if the way he felt had anything to do with his dream lady. Was he so entranced with that mysterious figure that he was casting his thoughts onto another woman?
"Charlie?"
He mentally shook himself when she spoke. Above all else, there was no way he'd let Lois know how utterly confused he was. And he was certainly not about to ruin his date wondering about questions he didn't have the answers to.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay? You seem a little distracted."
He smiled at her. "I'm fine. I was just... wondering how I'm going to survive this evening."
Lois screwed up her face in confusion. "What?"
"Honestly, I don't think I'll be able to stand being around you all evening." He offered her a heated gaze that left little to doubt what he meant.
"For what it's worth, I feel the same way about you," she confessed with a blush.
He exhaled a deep breath, tearing his gaze away from her to gain a little control over his raging libido. He'd been bold with other women before. Hell, he'd taken Melissa to a motel only a short while after meeting her. But he didn't think he'd ever felt the way he felt in Lois' presence. She was bliss and agony wrapped in one petite, gorgeously sexy package. And unlike when he'd met Melissa, he wanted to get to know Lois before he ever invited her near a room that contained a bed.
Torture never felt so good!
++++
Lois could barely sit still as she drove toward the place Charlie had directed her to go. When she had first seen him back at the hotel, it had been all she could do to breathe. He wore a faded pair of blue jeans, that fit in all the right places, a shirt with a loud print that covered a black tight fitting t-shirt underneath, and the same brown loafers he'd had on when she first met him yesterday. He looked fantastic. And if she thought it had been hard to breathe just looking at him, she'd nearly passed out when he smiled directly at her. There was no doubt at all now that Charlie was Clark Kent. She'd know that incredible smile anywhere.
She kept stealing glances at him, just making sure he was real. She wasn't sure how in the world she was going to manage spending time with him and not revealing what she knew, but somehow she would do it. There was no way she'd mess this up a second time. Clark, Charlie, deserved for her to see the real person behind those heated gazes.
And those gazes... wow! Certainly Clark had looked at her like that before, but he'd always been careful not to let her notice. Here as Charlie, not knowing his former self, he was completely uninhibited. He could cast lustful stares her way without fear that she'd rebuke him for it. Truth told, those looks made her feel amazing, had always made her feel that way. She'd never admitted it before, not even to herself. That had been a different person. The Lois she'd become enjoyed the attentions of the good-looking man next to her. She eagerly awaited more as well.
"Turn here," Charlie interrupted her musings. "And you can park over there." He pointed to spot and she carefully brought the jeep to a stop.
Charlie had brought them to a cliff overlooking the ocean. As Lois climbed from the car she couldn't help but be awed by the sight before her.
"You were supposed to let me open the door," Charlie told her as he made around to her side just as she stood erect.
Lois smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I'll remember next time." She watched as the look of admiration filled his eyes again. He reached out to take her hand.
"Come on." Charlie brought them to a stop closer to the edge of the cliff.
"This is beautiful," Lois remarked after a moment of soaking in the awesome display before her. The sun was still a good way from sinking into the horizon, but she could see for miles. The crystal blue of the water glistened brightly in the late afternoon sunshine. The cliff was on a point where the ocean cut inland to form an alcove, creating a private beach below.
"Not as beautiful as you."
Charlie's husky whisper cut into her thoughts once again and her eyes quickly found his. His irises had darkened and his whole body seemed to be held in check to keep from touching her. It was amazing the differences between this man and the man she'd once known. Maybe being around him without revealing what she knew wouldn't be so hard after all.
"Is that you trying to impress me again?" Lois asked with a quirk of her lips.
"Nope. That's you trying to make me embarrass myself." He squeezed her hand gently, groaned, then turned to look down at the beach. "I should have told you to bring a bathing suit. I'd forgotten about this beach."
How in the hell had she never noticed this man before? She might have fawned all over his alter-ego, but she'd be blind not to see the incredible person before her now.
"Then again, I don't know if I could have survived seeing you in a bathing suit," Charlie told her with a grin.
Lois could only smile brightly at him. His open admiration of her was very refreshing and incredibly heady. With any other man, she would have cut out their spleen by now. Yet this man was someone she was as comfortable with as she was with herself. She knew him almost intimately, yet she didn't know him at all. And she wanted to learn everything there was to know in the space of one evening. Charlie was sadly mistaken if he thought he was the only one who would have a hard time surviving this night.
++++
Charlie had carefully laid out the contents of the picnic basket he'd brought along. A huge, plush blanket of deep blues and reds was spread before he set out the meal he'd carefully chosen. Fresh fruits and vegetables along with three different kinds of cheeses and ham were accompanied by a bottle of the best wine he could find. For desert there was a selection of chocolates, including melted chocolate to dip strawberries in.
He was sure she knew just what he was thinking as he kept casting sultry gazes her way. Watching Lois eat had to have been the worst and most delightful experience known to man. With every bite of her pearly white teeth and every lick of her luscious tongue, Charlie had wanted to throw her to the blanket and explore those areas personally. He'd had to close his eyes when she'd bitten into the first of the chocolates. Her expression was one of absolute bliss. She'd raved about all of his selections, especially the treats. But it had been all Charlie could do to force himself to keep the conversation going.
After dinner and a quick clean-up, Charlie moved the blanket closer to the edge of the cliff so they could watch the sunset. He'd been momentarily stunned to realize they'd talked for nearly three hours. He was completely intrigued by his date, even if he did have to keep reminding himself to keep his hands to himself.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything so amazing," Lois commented as they sat side by side watching the golden hues as the day faded away. Cast against a backdrop of blue, red, and purple it was truly breathtaking.
"I've seen some of the most beautiful sunsets known to man," Charlie commented, remembering many evenings watching as the sun faded into the ocean while on one fishing boat or another.
"I'll bet you have," she said, an expression on her face he didn't completely understand.
Again, he was reminded of the overwhelming familiarity of this woman. So much like the lady in his dreams, yet so very much more. Never had his mystery woman responded to him so openly as Lois did. She'd smiled at him. Friendly, caring smiles. Not the sultry flashes he'd seen tonight. Those held enough heat to start an inferno. An action that made him particularly uncomfortable.
He'd managed for the most part to be a perfect gentleman. But every look, every word seemed to get thicker with underlying desire. His body was certainly doing everything in its power to thrust him into a very awkward position. Charlie shifted uncomfortably, deliberately *not* looking at Lois.
"When you see the sunset out on the open ocean, with no one or nothing around, it has the power to render you speechless." He decided more idle chit chat might help to control parts of his body that had become too independent.
"I bet it's breathtaking from above. You know, flying over it and looking down. Or even flying into it almost."
Charlie looked at her with furrowed brows. Why would she have mentioned something like that? Then again, she did have a point. It was probably even better that way than out on the ocean. If he closed his eyes, he could almost envision what she was talking about.
His lids closed slowly as images flooded his mind. Crystal blue sky filled with puffs of white. Darker hues of blue and red, running together to create an unbelievable purple shade of perfection. The loom of golden fire provided the backdrop to an awesome display of nature.
Suddenly his eyes popped open; the images much too real to contemplate. Not here. Not now. The last thing he wanted was for Lois to think him crazy or something.
A warm, gentle hand reached out to touch his arm and he turned to see brown orbs staring at him with compassion and... understanding?
Nah. That couldn't be right. There was no way he'd just completely understood the expression on Lois' face. He didn't know her well enough to understand what she was thinking... Did he?
"Why is it you're so familiar to me?" he asked before his mind fully registered what his mouth had let slip.
"Maybe I've been in your dreams," she reminded him of what he'd said to her during their first meeting. A smile slowly graced her lips as he continued to stare at her.
He said nothing for several long moments. His mind was awhirl with thoughts. Could he really know this woman?
"Have we met, Lois? Do we know one another?" Lame; it sounded so impossibly lame. It was something he felt he had to ask, had to know.
"I don't know you, Charlie, but I'd love to," she told him softly as she smoothed her hand down his arm and into his hand.
He watched as her small fingers wrapped around his larger ones, intertwining them. An onslaught of emotions roared through his body from her touch. Her smooth skin was warm, encompassing, pulling him yet again into that deep ravine that he was powerless to escape. He gently squeezed the small hand in his, rubbing his thumb across the back in delicate circles.
His eyes slowly lifted back to hers and he almost gasped when he saw what was reflected back at him. Understanding, compassion, and... love? Absolutely not! That wasn't right!... Was it? Charlie looked closer. If what he saw in her dark eyes wasn't love, it was damn close. And there was also something else there. Longing, intense longing. Had this woman known the pain of loss? Was it that Clark she'd mentioned? What happened to him? Did he leave her? Or was Clark just a dream like his mystery lady?
And just how was he able to read everything she felt with a single glance? She became even more familiar in the span of just a couple of seconds and he realized that some of what he saw in her eyes, he felt himself.
Love? Did he feel love for this woman? Was love at first sight something real? Or did Lois resemble so much the images that haunted his sleepless nights that his mind had reflected what he felt for that lady onto this one?
Charlie leaned closer to Lois, brought his free hand up to cup her cheek. "I feel as if I already know you," he whispered.
He watched as she closed her eyes, struggled to take a deep breath. Slowly her hand came up to cover his on her face, then she opened her eyes to look him. Charlie had to fight the urge to pull her into his embrace when he saw that her eyes were shiny, but she smiled in obvious attempt to lighten the moment.
"I feel as if I know you, too, Charlie. I don't think I've ever been so comfortable with a man before."
He didn't fight his urge any longer. He used the hand holding hers to pull her into his side, his other hand slid into her hair. He released her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulder and the hand in her hair held her head against his chest. "Look at it, Lois. Look at the sunset. That's pretty much how I feel at this moment." There was no other way to describe what he felt. Actually, it was impossible for him to understand it all himself.
He sighed contentedly as she slid her arms around him and snuggled closer into his side. He smoothed his hand down her neck, shoulder, and arm to grasp her hand as they sat in silence and watched the sun sink further into the ocean. No words were said; none needed to be said. Two ships had finally found one another after endlessly sailing the endless seas.
++++
Lois couldn't remember a time she'd ever felt so good. Her hand was securely tucked into Charlie's as they walked toward her hotel. They'd sat on that cliff overlooking the ocean, talking and holding hands, until nearly midnight. Finally, reluctantly, they'd trekked back toward town.
Charlie stopped them just outside the main entrance of the Donovan. "I'm going to say goodnight out here."
"You can walk me in," she said hopefully, not wanting the night to end just yet.
His fingers grazed her cheek and he smiled at her. "Lois, tonight was beautiful. I had a wonderful time. But if I walk you inside that building, I'm afraid I might try something I might regret later."
She had to smile back. She felt exactly the same way, but she also knew it was too soon for them to be contemplating what her body had screamed at her all night to do. "You're right. I'm just missing you already."
"It's nice to be missed," he said softly as he leaned to press his lips to her forehead.
My God! Why had she never noticed how good it felt to be admired by Clark Kent? He held his lips to her face for several moments before he drew away. Immediately she felt a loss, even more profound than she ever had.
"Tomorrow," he promised as both his hands grasped hers in front of them.
"Early?" She grinned widely as they continued to look at one another.
"Very early," he replied.
"I'll be watching for you."
"I'll be here." He held another beat, then groaned and released her hands.
Lois giggled as he walked backwards down the sidewalk. He finally threw up his hands before turning and hurrying away. She wrapped her arms around her body as she turned to stare out at the bay. Finally alone, she could allow her raging emotions to calm.
From the first smile to the last look, Lois had been in heaven. Following her horrible marriage catastrophe she had felt that she'd never recover. The first person she'd wanted to talk to had been Clark. He'd always been her outlet when the world closed in on her. When tragedy followed soon after, and she realized she'd never again have that solace, Lois was certain once more she'd remain in constant pain for the rest of her life. And even though it had dulled with time, there was always a constant ache buried deep inside her heart. Her elation when she realized she'd once again found her special friend had been turned onto its ear tonight.
Charlie was Clark. There was no mistaking it. Not after tonight. When his hand had come up to cup her cheek, she'd had to stifle the gasp that almost escaped her lips. There was no mistaking that touch. She'd felt it too many times. The tears had threatened to spill out from sheer happiness. But one look into his deep eyes reminded her that she'd never known her partner at all. And the rest of the night proved that fact beyond doubt.
Yes, she loved Clark. Had finally admitted that she'd always loved Clark. It had taken so much pain and heartache to do that, but there was no denying it. However, she'd fallen in love with another man tonight. She had fallen in love with Charlie King.
As Charlie, Clark was allowed to be himself. He allowed his thoughts to be voiced. He acted upon his urges. Things Clark would have never done. Charlie's experiences were a bit different, but she'd heard the remnants of Clark's past weaved into the conversation as they'd talked into the night. This new man, this man she'd never known, was so much more complex than she'd ever imagined. And he was so much more simple than she'd have thought possible.
When she'd stood in front of that statue that morning, the decision made to get to know Charlie was an easy one. She'd been convinced that she could sew in threads of his past to stoke his memory, but now she wasn't so sure she wanted Clark back. At least not the Clark she'd once known. She liked Charlie's openness; something Clark would have never displayed. Of course, so much had happened. If Clark ever got his memory back, he might be different than he was before. Lois definitely liked this new man. His openness, his honesty was refreshing. His admiration was heady. Though clearly sexual in nature, he made her feel beautiful, desired, instead of uncomfortable and like an object to be conquered. It was just too easy to be as open with him.
She sighed heavily and turned to go inside. Standing on the boardwalk wouldn't make the night pass any quicker. She and Charlie had made a date to spend the next day together. She might be confused about a lot of things where he was concerned, but one thing that she wasn't confused about was the fact that she wanted to speed as much time with him as possible. Maybe if she went up and tried to sleep, the morning would come sooner.
