Sleep had eluded Charlie much of the night. A very intense dream about his mystery lady had awoken him after only two hours. This time though, his lady had a face; she had a name.

Lois. Such a beautiful name. Such a beautiful woman. Not just in appearance either. He'd learned that she was incredibly intelligent. She was also strong willed, passionate, and maybe a tad possessive. She seemed to guard her emotions with others, yet with him she'd been as open as a book. And from the first touch she'd been shamelessly physical as well. They'd continued to touch throughout the night, which had done nothing to ease his powerful attraction to her.

That's why he'd left her outside her hotel. There was no way he could have gone inside without continuing up to her room and ...

And that's why he paced the sidewalk outside the Donovan at five in the morning. His dreams had painfully awakened him shortly after three. Even after taking matters into his own hands, he'd been overwhelmed with thoughts of Lois. He could almost smell her perfume, the fruity scent of her shampoo. He could almost feel the soft touch of hands on his skin. Her body pressed against his...

Damn! He grumbled yet again as he made another turn at the end of the building. Why was this woman affecting him like this? He'd been in the company of beautiful women before, but none quite so captivating. He had been hesitant to leave her, reluctant to lose the feeling he got from just looking into her eyes. And what incredibly beautiful eyes they were. Large pools of rich chocolate that seemed to pull you inside. He could drown in those eyes.

He could also die from wanting her. He growled his frustration, threw up his hands, then headed in the direction of town.

"Charlie?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked back. There she was! Had he dreamed her up?

No. She was real. He could feel her presence, smell her shampoo. Dressed in tan shorts, a white blouse void of sleeves, and sandals, she looked as good today as she had the night before.

"Hi," he managed, embarrassed that he'd been caught outside her hotel at such an hour.

Instead of saying anything about his presence though, she smiled at him. "This is a wonderful surprise. Would you like to join me for breakfast?" she asked as she extended her hand to him.

Charlie glanced at her hand before reaching out and pulling her to him. "Lady, I'd like to join you any way I can." She hadn't missed his meaning at all. She gasped softly just before he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers in an urgent kiss. He groaned when she immediately surrendered to him. His lips and tongue plundered hers in wild abandon for several long moments before he withdrew and placed his forehead against hers. Both were left gasping for air.

"God, what you do to me," Charlie breathed before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest. He held her closely, his face buried against her neck. He inhaled deeply, as if trying to burn her into his memory. His large body trembled; the connection so intense between them.

Glorious respite and torture all in one, Charlie thought as Lois' small hands held his back and she turned her face into his neck. Very reluctantly he smoothed his hands up and down her back, then withdrew to look at her. "It didn't work."

"What didn't work?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I thought that if I kissed you, held you just once, it would take the edge off." His hand came up to cup her cheek. "I've never been so thoroughly knocked off kilter by anything in my life."

"It's torture, isn't it?" she asked as she moved her hand around to rest against his chest.

Charlie closed his eyes as his mind was flooded with images. Another hand, another time, resting against his chest. Those damn images! Not now. Not here. If what he envisioned wasn't about this woman, he didn't want them invading their time together.

"Open your eyes, Charlie. Look at me."

He did. And almost gasped as the woman before him seemed to converge with the pictures in his mind. Was it possible?

Deciding that he'd explore those thoughts another time, when Lois wasn't with him, Charlie leaned forward to kiss her again. This time the touch was soft, gentle, offering more to come.

"You mentioned breakfast," he said when he drew back.

Lois smiled, tucked herself close to Charlie's side, and they made their way toward town.

++++

Soft laughter wafted up on the air to be blown across the miles separating them from the past. But in the place the past was irrelevant. There was no Lois Lane, no Clark Kent. Here, it was just Lois and Charlie, two strangers who met and discovered they were incredibly attracted to one another. And rather than deny that attraction or approach it cautiously, they decided to storm it full speed.

A decision that had been the right one.

Lois glanced over at Charlie as he bargained with one of the vendors at the large open air market they'd ventured to. After breakfast they'd walked along the beach talking. When that grew boring, they wondered up on the boardwalk to peruse the many shops there and eventually at Center City. Lunch had been eaten at one of many small cafes before Charlie had told Lois about the open air market a few miles away. They'd repacked the picnic basket with a few items, then trekked further up the coast to another small city by the sea.

The open air market, known fondly by locals as 'Heaven', was tucked a few blocks off the ocean and offered customers nearly everything their heart desired. A small pavilion offered kiddy rides for weary youngsters and the smell of cooking foods filled the air. It reminded Lois a lot of the farmer's market back in Metropolis, only with more offerings than just produce. She'd found it too easy to indulge and Charlie had happily carried out several bags of loot to stash away in her jeep.

At the moment, the object of most of her day's musings was in negotiations with an older gentleman to procure their dinner. Fresh fish were iced in a large display for your choosing and Charlie had his eyes set on a large cod fish.

Funny, she thought as she watched him, he's so much different now. Or was it that she was finally getting to know the real man? Since their kiss that morning they'd shared many, many more soft pecks and sensuous touches throughout the day, but Charlie's entire demeanor differed from Clark's. Over breakfast they'd talked of their pasts. Charlie had related some stories from his many fishing trips, while Lois told of her beloved Daily Planet.

Watching him now, she realized this was the first time the entire day that she'd even given thought to the fact that he'd once been Clark Kent at all.

She'd learned that Charlie liked the solitude of being on the open sea. Yet, he was just as happy to be seated at a large table with several of his buddies after a hard week of fishing. He liked hard work-- relied on it to get him through his days. He rarely watched television, mainly because he didn't own one. He read almost constantly as long as it wasn't the news; he found it depressing. He liked fresh fish and seafood, swinging with the kids at the park, and sailing on the smaller vessels with a buddy or two. Kissing was definitely a plus and he'd love to dive off that cliff he'd taken her to the night before. He was an avid swimmer, ran in the mornings, and had a dog he called 'Ole Boy'. He lived in a small cabin tucked back in a thicket right outside Mystic, and it offered a view of the wetlands that drifted up into the cove. No car, no phone, no television, no expensive clothes. Nothing that would even remotely hint to the fact that he was who she knew him to be. However, it all seemed to fit this man so perfectly.

"He broke," Charlie declared as he turned to Lois.

"I see," she said as she eyed the bag in Charlie's hand. "Now, where do you suppose we cook that?"

"I thought we could go back to my place." He'd automatically thrown his arm over her shoulder, a gesture both were incredibly comfortable with.

"Are you trying to get me alone?" Lois playfully bumped her hip against his.

"Constantly." His dark eyes smoldered slightly as he looked down at her.

She was just about to say something when another voice cut into their exchange.

"Charlie!"

Lois looked up to see a woman grinning widely at him. For a moment, she thought he was going to pull away from her.

"Melissa. I'm glad I ran into you."

"Oh, me, too. Charlie, this is James." She indicated the man to her side before looking back at Charlie. "He's asked me to accompany him up to Augusta this weekend, so..."

"Great!" Charlie offered up a smile and squeezed Lois' shoulder. "Oh, this is Lois."

And for a brief second, time stood still. He looked directly into Lois' eyes and no one or nothing else seemed to exist. She felt that rapid rush of warmth flood her body again, just as it did every time he looked at her that way. But she forced herself to turn to the other woman and smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah." It appeared Melissa was staring between them, but then shook her head and looked at Charlie. "So, I'll see you around."

"Yeah." Charlie nodded politely as Melissa went to catch up to her companion, who had already left the others.

Lois watched the scene unfold, wandering briefly if she should ask who the woman was.

"She doesn't warrant that kind of expression," Charlie said softly as he smiled down at her.

"What?"

"Melissa. She's a friend."

"Charlie, that's your business." Lois had the grace to blush as she started them to walking again.

"And what if I asked about your past? Would you tell me?"

She halted and looked up at him with questioning eyes. Why had he asked such a question? She'd talked of her life all day. Yet, there was something in his expression... Worry? Concern?

Charlie pulled his arm from around her and lifted his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "A few times today when you talked about your life, I saw something... hidden behind those powerful eyes of yours. What is it, Lois? What's hurt you so badly that it brings that kind of pain to light?"

Leave it to Clark, she thought wryly. He was the only one who had ever been able to read her expressions. And even void of his memories, his worry for her took precendence. This one instance there was no way she could have *not* seen him in Charlie.

She thought briefly to deny what he'd said, but that would never work. He'd know she was lying. This man had nothing to lose by being completely forthcoming with her. There was no fear of being gilted and as a result, Charlie showed none of the inhibitions Clark had about their relationship. Charlie had presented himself as openly and honestly as he could. If Lois couldn't accept that, it was likely it wouldn't bother him the same way it had Clark. The least she could do was be as completely open and honest in return. Until now she had been. But he hadn't asked questions that came so close to the past, their past.

"Charlie," she whispered softly. She glanced down at their feet before lifting her eyes back to his. "You don't want to hear about my troubles."

"Lady, I want to hear all there is to know about you." His hand smoothed gently over her shoulder before he took her hand. "Tell you what. Let's take this fish and head back toward Mystic. I'll cook this up and feed you a wonderful dinner. Then I'll build a fire and we can watch the flames dance while I hold you. More than anything I think you could use a little of that."

Damn! Damn him! For a moment, Lois felt a wave of anger drill through her system. She'd needed that comfort two years ago! She'd needed him!

She glanced toward the parking lot in an effort to stifle the hot tears stinging her eyes. He was right though. Even after all this time, after the excruciating pain had dulled to an ache, after resigning herself to the fact that Clark was gone, after the dawning clarity of mistakes had come full circle, she still needed that comfort.

"Hey," he said, his voice full of concern. "I didn't mean to bring any painful memories to the surface." He stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her to hold her close.

Lois' arms circled his body as she buried her face against his chest. God, she missed this. She'd missed being able to go to Clark for comfort. And with Charlie offering such comfort, it was impossible to refuse it. After all, he might not be the same man, but he was still pretty super.

She finally leaned back to smile up at him. "I think I'd like that."

"Good." He smiled brightly at her, pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then led the way to the jeep.

Tucked inside the vehicle, Lois took a deep breath. She'd had no intention of getting this close to Charlie so fast. But it was almost impossible not to. She'd admitted long ago how she really felt about Clark. That had been the primary reason she'd decided to just get to know him now without revealing what she knew about him. She'd wanted their time together to flow easily, freely... slowly. Only her heart and body had other plans.

Their date the night before had been magical, unlike any she'd ever had before. They'd talked aimlessly, touched constantly, then parted with promises of so much more to come. Those promises were what had kept her awake most of the night. Nearing five in the morning, pure excitement had brought her from her bed. She'd showered, dressed, and decided to just head over to a cafe for breakfast. At least there her thoughts couldn't turn so erotic in nature, as they'd done repeatedly in her room. Seeing Charlie on the sidewalk had been a nice surprise and when he'd kissed her, the small flame had raged out of control. He felt exactly as she did, so what was the use denying it any longer? She was drawn to Charlie with an unmistakable link that neither seemed to have to the will nor the inclination to fight. Sexual energy seemed to dance frantically around them, leaving her to wonder how they'd manage normal conversation.

But the day had gone so well. Too well... Or not well enough. Lois couldn't get enough. This man, this Charlie King was so much like Clark, yet not. He was exciting and fresh. He had a sense of humor, bringing her to laughter over and over again. His nature was kind, pure, simple. Easy going, but complex, too. Sexy as hell and the best kisser she'd ever encountered, Charlie was every woman's dream. Add compassion and Lois had fallen in love all over again. Suddenly they couldn't get to Charlie's little cabin fast enough.

++++

He was glad the drive didn't last long; he wasn't sure he could have remained calm much longer. Being able to concentrate on something besides Lois offered him sweet respite from his musings.

As much as he hated for her to see his simple home, Charlie had wanted them to be alone. And he was positive the Donovan didn't offer guests a place to cook up fresh fish.

"Don't expect too much," Charlie told Lois as he retrieved his packages from the back of the jeep once they'd parked outside the rustic cabin. "It's just a place to sleep and work."

"It's quaint, simple. Just like this whole town," Lois remarked as she took in the little cabin.

"The inside's just as simple," he told her as he made his way up onto the porch. The old lab yelped happily but didn't offer to move. "Hey, Ole Boy." Clark smiled, but couldn't pat the dog because of his load.

"Oh, Charlie, he's adorable," Lois remarked as she kneeled down to offer the dog a scratch.

Charlie watched in amazement as the dog jumped to his feet and started to wag his tail happily, all the while barking and basking in Lois' attention. "I'll be damned."

"What?" Lois asked, a complete picture of innocence.

"That ole dog hasn't moved a muscle in as long as I can remember. At least not to greet me."

"Guess he just likes me better than you." She stuck her tongue out at Charlie before focusing on the dog again.

Holy hell! She would have to tempt him like that, Charlie thought as he pushed his door open. Suddenly there wasn't enough space outside for him and Lois both. Adding such a torturous thought to his wayward emotions was almost too much.

Charlie hadn't known if what he'd glimpsed in Lois' dark eyes today was really there, or just in his imagination. Several times he thought he'd seen masked pain in her expressions when she spoke of home and her past. She'd mentioned friends that were dear to her. One in particular seemed to make her especially sad. She'd said the friend was a work colleague, but hadn't elaborated very much other than this person was no longer around and was missed horribly. What unnerved Charlie was that she failed to mention if this friend was male or female. Judging from the way she seemed to draw in upon herself, it had been a man. He was fairly sure that particular expression could only be caused from the loss of a lover.

Again, he wondered back to the name she'd mentioned. Could she be missing that Clark person? Had he been her lover? For some reason the thought made him jealous. Imagining Lois in the arms of any man but himself was not something he wanted to do. Of course, they'd both had a life before meeting. And neither had been born on the day they'd met. It was likely that such a beautiful woman would have been involved, possibly even married. Could that be what was wrong? Could she have been married and her husband... left her? Or had he died?

He glanced toward the door, his compassion for Lois growing even stronger. Suddenly he wanted to just gather her in his arms and hold her forever. Or at least until her pain was gone for good. Instead, he blushed when she appeared in the doorway and he turned back to unloading his purchases.

Lois was content to study his few belongings in the other room, while he studied the ones before him. A fragranced hand soap, dish liquid, name brand toilet tissue instead of his usual choices. All things he wouldn't normally buy. A package of simple, but pretty curtains for the kitchen window. Four window blinds for the remaining windows, a nice floor rug for the living room, and even an elegant place setting for the kitchen table-- for two. Things he hadn't cared or given much thought to before. Hell, he'd even bought matching placemats and a table cloth.

And there was more. Shower gel; he usually used bar soap. A toothbrush and toothpaste-- items he already had. Razors-- definitely not something he needed. Charlie stared at the items in stunned silence when he realized that he was setting up house... with Lois. He'd bought the items in hopes that Lois might grow comfortable enough to stay over with him.

What was wrong with him? He'd only met this woman and already he was planning for her to be in his home, for more than a casual visit. Was that something she'd consider?

He glanced back at her briefly and expelled a deep breath. Right or wrong, that's where his thoughts had involuntarily gone today. He wanted her in his home; he wanted her in his life. And he'd taken steps to make sure she'd be comfortable. Maybe she *would* stay over with him. After all, she certainly seemed as interested in him as he was her. Even if tonight wasn't the night, he'd have those items to offer her.

That was also why he'd purchased new towels-- large terry cloth in bright colors-- and a new set of sheets for the bed. He probably was rushing things by hoping she would want to stay with him, but of course, there was absolutely no way to deny that if she stayed, he'd want something to happen between them. He'd never invited a woman to his place before, had never wanted to. But with Lois he wanted her in his house, in his bed, and in his heart.

<Damn, Charlie! Why didn't you just come out and tell her you want to...>

"Charlie, are you okay?"

Lois' voice stopped his traitorous mind from venturing down a road that bordered on being a bit too kinky. He sighed in relief before he smiled over at her. "I'm fine."

"You sure? You seem distracted." She laid her hand on his shoulder, her brows furrowed in concern.

"I was just thinking about you... again," he said and waggled his brows as he continued to put away the supplies and the groceries he'd stopped off to buy at the market.

"I think I like that," she told him with a childish grin. "I like that you can't think of anything else."

He paused and flashed a heated gaze her way, then pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I like it, too," he whispered before he continued with his tasks. "Now, would you like something to drink while I clean this fish?"

"Actually, I noticed the tide is out. Think we could dig a few clams to go with that?"

"We can dig as many as you want. I should have thought to do that myself." He moved over to cabinet to find a bowl to place the fish in before he pulled out other supplies from under the sink. "Living near the ocean can be a wonderful thing," he told her with a smile. "Come on."

They stopped long enough to take off their shoes before heading down to the dunes several yards away from the cabin. Charlie made sure to position himself to get the best view of his companion while they dug clams. He could barely keep his eyes from her, much like his thoughts. The woman had managed to invade his very being, not unlike his dream lady. Again, he wondered if there was a connection.

While Lois was almost as familiar as an old friend, she was also so completely unfamiliar. He'd relished learning every detail she'd been willing to share during the day and looked forward to more. He decided that if she was someone he'd known once, then he very much looked forward to renewing their acquaintance. Of course, if he did know her, if the connection was real and not imagined, she would have certainly told him by now. Right?

"Look at this one. It's huge!" Lois held up a large clam for Charlie to see. Her expression was one of complete awe, reminding him of a child who had accomplished an impossible task.

Charlie chuckled softly. How was it possible to feel so much for someone when you knew so little about yourself? Lois was a welcome rush into his otherwise slow existence. She made him smile; she made him laugh; and she made him feel. Beyond the satisfied meager life he'd lived the last couple of years, he found that because of Lois he wanted more. That was the reason he'd purchased those items for his cabin. He wanted her here with him. He wanted her to breathe life into his floundering world. His dream lady might have consumed much of his thoughts for the last two years, but now she had found a name. There was a face now, with chocolate eyes and short hair. And there was someone to project all of his emotions on. Charlie had found who he saw when he closed his eyes and her name was Lois.