How stupid could one man be? Charlie thought as he flopped to his back and stared at the ceiling. He should have never stopped his and Lois' encounter. It was bad enough that he'd still been slightly aroused when she left... Okay, he'd been outrageously aroused... But after waking from another erotic dream, his erection had become painful.
Why had he stopped them? She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. He'd be fool not to have seen it. Hell, he'd smelt it!
And that was it. A refreshing slap to his face. What kept resounding loudly in Charlie's mind was that he couldn't possibly give himself to Lois if she didn't know just how different he was. He couldn't explain this sudden need to reveal himself. What he could do had certainly never bothered him before. But suddenly he wasn't as comfortable with himself as he'd once been.
Funny how none of thoughts had stopped him from taking Melissa to a motel room.
<Yeah, but they kept you from completing the act.>
Was that true? Was who he was the reason he'd been unable to perform with Melissa? He hadn't thought so. At the time he'd attributed his shortcomings to the nameless, faceless dream woman that haunted him relentlessly. Could his true identity really have been the roadblock that night?
He jerked to a sitting position as a conversation came to mind. Or had it been mere thoughts? Another time he'd said or thought something exactly like he had tonight. Lois should know him completely. Or rather *she* should. But Charlie had replaced his mysterious woman's nameless face with Lois'. Why not use Lois' name for confusion sake?
How did she know him completely if he didn't even know himself? A question he couldn't answer, wouldn't be able to until he remembered his life. So, where did that leave him and Lois? It was crystal clear to him that he wanted a relationship with her. Could he knowingly enter into one without knowing who he was? And what if he never remembered? Did he wait on something that might never happen? An aching throb from a certain part of his anatomy screamed the answer loud and clear. No! He would just tell Lois tomorrow about his funny... quirks. He'd pray she wasn't turned off by them and maybe she'd help him build a new life, with memories he'd never forget.
Until then he'd have to spend the rest of the night tortured by his thoughts.
Torture... was spelled L-o-i-s.
++++
He'd been right about seeing Lois in a bathing suit. It was every bit as enjoyable and absolutely agonizing as he'd known it would be. Thankfully there had been the task of sailing their small boat to distract him.
Charlie and Lois had shared breakfast at his cabin. Her sitting on his lap while he fed her eggs and toast. That small element known as torture again. But he'd been unable to help himself. And selfishly used the excuse of having only one chair to get her onto his lap.
They'd both cleaned up, changed, and headed down to the bay to rent a boat for the day. Lois had been securely strapped into her life vest and they'd set out on their small boat. It was just large enough to provide space for them to sit to share their lunch at noon. Now Lois was stretched out basking in the sun. And threatening to give poor Charlie a heart attack.
"Damn!" he mumbled as he dropped the rope he was holding.
"What's wrong?" Lois lifted her head and cracked open one eye.
"Nothing," he said with a touch of sarcasm.
"Charlie?" she questioned and opened both eyes.
He sighed, dropped the rope, and looked up at her. "It's just you're sitting there looking good enough to eat and my bathing suit is way too tight and I can't figure out how to tell you that I'm a strange cookie."
"What?" Lois sat up completely to look him, an expression of curiosity on her face.
"Lois, I stopped us from making love last night because there's something about me I want you to know first."
"Okay." She eased forward so she was closer to him.
He dropped to sit beside her, shoved a hand through his hair, then took a deep breath. "I'm a little unusual."
"As in..."
"As in I can hear things normal men shouldn't. I trim my beard and hair with my eyes. I bounce beams of fire, literally, off a mirror. I have to do this because razors break on my hair! I can move my hands really quickly. Quickly enough to almost be invisible. And I don't remember anything past a couple of years ago." He glanced at her but hurried to continue before she could say anything. He felt that if he didn't get it all out at once, he might not. "I woke up one night, naked in some kind of crater, and barely remembered my name. Some homeless guy gave me some clothes and the next day I got hired on a fishing boat at the marina. I think that was somewhere in Maine. I worked on a few different boats for a while before finding Mystic. What I said about liking it and staying was true. I've been here since. I have memories now and then, but I'm not sure what it all means."
She stared at him for a long moment before she leaned over and kissed him. "Charlie, I know we only met a few days ago, yet I feel more for you than I've ever felt for anyone. I don't care if you can fly. I just want to spend time with you, get to know you. And maybe even see what you look like without that suit on," she finished with a devilish grin.
It was true. She hadn't lied. He could see everything she felt in her eyes. She'd certainly taken everything in stride though. He'd thought she'd been more... curious maybe. Or apprehensive, but this... this was well... well, it was...
Ah hell, he wasn't going to question it. If she could live with his quirks, as he'd affectionately dubbed them, then surely he could... show off for her.
He returned her playful grin and rose to his feet. He stuck his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts, all the while holding her gaze with his own.
"Ah, what are you doing?" Lois asked as her eyes grew wide in surprise.
"I'm showing you what I look like without this suit on." He waggled his brows as the material slid down to reveal a line of untanned skin.
"Charlie," Lois whispered.
His heart began to thunder in his chest as her eyes shot below his waist in anticipation. He was about to push them the rest of the way down when he heard something. His hands stopped and he titled his head to the side.
"What? What do you hear?"
<Huh? How did she know...?>
"Splashing. A lot of splashing and screams. Lois, somebody's drowning." He jerked his shorts back into place, fired off the motor on their boat, and pointed the vessel toward a nearby cove. Beside him Lois searched the distance for whoever was in trouble. Just as they rounded the point, Charlie saw the commotion. Several swimmers stood on the beach while another swam toward the person splashing about in the water. But they were too far away. They'd never make it.
"Go!" Lois pushed him slightly.
"What? Lois, that's at least a hundred yards." Charlie was staring at her in disbelief.
"Charlie, jump in and swim really fast. You can make it." Her eyes shot to the drowning victim. "Hurry. He's just gone under!"
Panic shot through him and he felt as if he'd been struck by lightening. He'd never felt so desperate in his life. Without thinking, he did as Lois told him to do. Within a matter of seconds, Charlie rose to the surface with a small child braced in his arms. He wasn't sure how he made it to the shore, but he'd never known terror like he felt as he placed that child's body on the sand. A little boy, a vibrant little boy of maybe ten had already turned blue. But he had to try. He leaned forward to breathe into the boy's water logged lungs. One, two, three breaths.
"Come on, buddy, breathe!" Charlie leaned over to breathe for the boy again. Behind him the cries of the child's mother and siblings were a faint sound as he concentrated fully on clearing a small set of lungs of the dirty ocean water that threatened to shut down an entire machine. A human machine, full of life and with far too many years still yet to live.
Suddenly water shot from the boy's mouth and the little guy started coughing. Charlie helped him sit and remained with him until he was sure the child was breathing well on his own again. He silently backed away as mother and child were reunited. The father, who was the other swimmer that had attempted to reach the drowning boy, reached out to pump Charlie's hand in a fierce shake.
"Thank you, my friend. Thank you!"
"You're welcome," Charlie told him just before the mother stood and rushed to throw her arms around his neck.
"Thank you for giving my boy back," she sobbed into his shoulder. She drew back, patted Charlie's cheek, then went back to her son.
Charlie could only watch, strangely detached from the scene as it unfolded before him. He glanced out at the water, then back to the boy. How the hell had he made such a long swim in seconds like that? He'd felt like a spear slicing through the ocean water. The only thing on his mind had been saving that child from dying.
And he had. And suddenly images flooded his mind. Another child about to be crushed by a huge sign... that he caught. A man who had been trapped in a manhole... until he'd found him and lifted him to safety. An explosion, a fire, a bomb... that he... ate? A bus full of people, a man in a wheelchair with a gun, and another bomb. He'd sat on that one!
He shook his head vigorously. Those couldn't possibly be right. He hadn't done those things... Had he? He turned when Lois made it to his side.
"Oh, Charlie," she almost squealed. "You were awesome."
He caught her as she threw herself into his arms.
She'd known... that he could save that boy.
He grasped her arms and pushed her back to look at her. "How did you know I could do that?"
"All that stuff you told me. You said you were quick. I just assumed you could swim fast, too." Her voice had dropped almost to a whisper, and she kept eyeing the other people around them.
That was possible. She could have guessed. But...
But she'd known he'd heard something...
She hadn't hesitated a second...
Just asked what he heard...
She couldn't have assumed that from their brief conversation.
Clark looked at Lois closely. Just one hint. One tiny speck of recognition. Was it too much to ask? Was it too much for a man to want to remember such an incredible woman?
He could hear voices behind them talking about his miraculous rescue and right now was not a good time for others to ask questions. Hell, he wanted to ask those questions. If only he could answer them...
"Come on. We should go." Again, Charlie was struck by Lois' understanding. She nodded, grasped his hand, and together they went back to their boat. A few moments later, they were easing out of the cove and into deeper water.
++++
Lois couldn't begin to understand what Charlie must be going through. He had to be horribly confused by the day's events. From what he'd told her only parts of him had seeped into his new life. How awful it must be to remember part of you and not the rest.
Since saving the little boy and sailing them back out into deeper water, Charlie had been unusually quiet. He kept staring off in the distance. A few times there had been an expression on his face that she wasn't quite able to discern. But she knew this had to difficult for him. The only thing she'd thought to do when he'd mentioned the drowning boy was give him a gentle nudge to help. It had been apparent by the stricken look on his face that he was terrified for the child. *He* was the one who pointed the boat toward the danger and when Lois had seen the horror in Charlie's eyes, she automatically reacted.
Funny how easily she seemed to fit into that part of his life. She briefly wondered if she'd fair so well if he ever regained his memory and returned to being Superman. Could she rattle off excuses to readily explain his disappearances? Would she be able to support him in his need to help? Then comfort him when he'd seen too much tragedy?
She glanced at the man across from her. This man was different. He might never choose to be 'super' again. Would she be able to support that decision?
<<Listen to yourself, Lois. You sound as if you're planning a life with him.>>
Her eyes drifted out across the glimmering water. They'd sailed out a lot further than they'd been all day. The water was unusually calm and mesmerizing if you stared for more than a brief moment. It provided a calm for Lois' tortured thoughts.
Why couldn't she plan a life with this man? He was every woman's dream: gorgeous, compassionate, affectionate, passionate... The list could go on forever. True, he wasn't Clark Kent, might never be again. But he was Charlie King. A complete person in his own right and she'd fallen completely in love with him. Planning a life was a logical step....
Wasn't it? Was it too much to ask to share your life with the person you love? After all the pain in her life, Lois felt she deserved a little happiness. Having lost a very dear love that she hadn't realized she'd had until it was too late, Lois did not, could not, lose another. And it was obvious Charlie felt very strongly for her as well. He'd mentioned the night before that she would leave soon and he wasn't all that happy about it. It was fairly safe to assume that maybe his thoughts had drifted toward a future as well. If so, why not plan beyond today? And, too, he’d shared with her all about himself, told her what was strange about himself. Something that Clark Kent had never done. That showed her how serious he'd become about her. He’d been more honest with her, in such a short time, than Clark had ever been in their previous relationship. So, why not at least think a little more about a future, their future?
Right now she needed to know what was going on with Charlie. She turned toward him and their eyes locked. He stared at her for several long moments before his face broke into the widest smile she'd seen yet. It was infectious and she returned it just as brightly.
++++
He'd sat silently, reliving the last hour over and over in his mind. How had he done what he'd done? Okay, he could understand the swimming fast part. He'd seen his own hands move at lightening speed before. He was different that way. So, how about the CPR? When he'd gotten the little boy to the bank, he'd known automatically how to help him. It just seemed to come him. Like so many other things he didn't understand about his past.
After it was over, and he'd had time to think about everything, Charlie had actually been a bit scared. For a brief second he'd also been angry with Lois. To think she might know something about him and not be telling him...
That couldn't be. She couldn't be someone from his past. Surely he'd remember her... wouldn't he?
But geez, she was so unsurprised by what he told her! She'd pushed him off the boat like a pro! And again, she'd still said she didn’t know him.
Once they'd put back out to sea, he'd begun to think rationally about everything he *did* know. He was different, that was a given. He clearly didn't recall his past beyond two years earlier. And he was completely taken with the lady on the boat with him. He couldn't change who he was or what he could do. He'd tried that when he'd first discovered his... uniqueness. Many nights had been spent pondering what he didn't remember and nothing had come to light. He'd finally accepted that the past was the past and probably best left there. Until now, until meeting Lois, he'd never actually wanted to remember. He'd figured it would come back if and when it did. Like a fine wine, one simply had to give the process time.
New thoughts had been raised earlier. What if Lois really was someone from his past? Could she really be his dream lady? Could be the reason he'd wanted to forget in the first place? Could a woman that had undoubtedly caused him so much pain that his subconscious chose forget his own past be the exact balm he needed to recall it again?
It made sense, perfect sense. What a person usually fears most is the thing they tend to need most. Maybe she was this person, this woman that haunted his dreams. He'd certainly used her face and her name to add an identity during his restlessness. It really didn't matter. Charlie *had* met Lois. And he'd fallen head over heels for her. No matter what, *that* was more important. If she helped him remember, and there were things he found painful about his past, maybe she'd also be the one to ease that pain. And if he never remembered, maybe she'd still be there to share his quirks with him.
Besides, a new emotion had risen within him. He'd saved a person's life today. A boy would walk and talk and play tomorrow because of him. And that felt... wonderful!
Suddenly his eyes locked with Lois' and he stared at her. He might have known her in the past, and she might very well know him now. But it didn't matter. Yeah, he decided, he'd climb onto the ship for the ride. The waters might get choppy, but with a skipper like Lois he was certain they'd be able to weather the storms.
Finally he allowed his smile to burst forth. It felt even better when she smiled right back at him.
"For a while there I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see that smile again," she told him after a moment.
He blushed and held out his hand for her to come to him, which she did willingly. He settled her by his side before he lifted their joined hands to place a kiss on her skin. "Lois, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't confused earlier."
"Oh, Charlie, I'm sure you are."
"I'd also be lying if I said I didn't feel good about what I've done. I don't know how I did it, why I remembered the things I did to get it done. But I'm very glad I was able to help. It just felt so... "
"Right?" she helped him out, almost certain that his super tendencies were starting to seep into his new personality.
Amazing how she knew him so well. Did that mean something on a grander scale? Was this the woman he was meant to spend his life with?
<Whoa, boy! Where did that thought come from?!>
From the same place the thoughts about weathering storms together had, he supposed. Lois might just be *the* one. And would it be so bad if she was? Absolutely not, Charlie decided as he stared into her beautiful eyes. Yeah, it was probably way too soon to be thinking about anything long term, yet his heart didn't care. *This* was right.
"That's not the only thing that feels right," he told her huskily as he brought his hand up to cup her face. Her breath caught a second before he kissed her. Oh so right, was the only thing Charlie could think as he pulled Lois over to straddle his lap, giving him better access to her mouth and body. His desperate hands sought as much of her as he possibly could.
"Yes," Lois moaned as he nibbled on the skin of her neck. She leaned back into his hands, giving herself up to him completely.
Charlie paused briefly to look at the woman before him. She'd gone limp in his hands, giving up control to him with absolute confidence that she was safe in his arms. Lying back the way she was made it almost impossible for him to refuse. He leaned forward and kissed her chest, causing her to tremble in excitement. Her body responded to his touch and he watched in fascination as she enjoyed the things he did to her.
"Lois," he gasped against her skin as she moved ever so slightly. With his heightened senses, every touch seemed magnified. He lifted his head and looked at her briefly. Funny, he couldn't ever remember feeling so much when he was with Melissa. Sure, being with her had caused a reaction, a very male, a very primal reaction. But this... this was unlike anything he'd ever known.
Charlie moved his hands around her sides and gently massaged her. Her eyes snapped open in... surprise. Or was that excitement? No matter, her brown eyes were nearly black with desire and her hot hands were searing him everywhere. He moved his hands again, eliciting a loud moan from Lois. Wanting, no *needing* to see more, feel more, he removed her bikini top
"Damn!" he breathed as he stared down at her. "Baby, you are so beautiful."
"Oh, Charlie." Her hands ran through his dark hair.
He pulled back and she opened her eyes, almost growled at him, then captured his mouth in a hungry kiss.
Damn! I've died and gone to heaven, Charlie thought as Lois kissed him deeply. Then all hell broke loose. She started to move!
<Anything but that, baby!>
++++
Neither could move. They simply held the other tightly, gasping for air as they recovered from their powerful encounter. How completely and utterly embarrassing, Lois thought as she held Charlie's body against her own, unable to give him up just yet.
<<What are you? A school girl?>>
It had been a while, and she had never felt desire like she did with Charlie. She wasn't sure she'd ever felt this strongly with Clark. And she'd definitely felt it with him. She might have denied it, wished it hadn't been so, but she'd felt it just the same.
"Well, that was embarrassing as hell," Charlie mumbled against her skin.
His statement was enough to wash away her own feelings of inadequacy. Maybe their reaction was simply a testament to their powerful desire for one another. Besides, she realized, it had felt good. Really good. Still, if she responded this way with minimal touching and kissing, what would happen if they were completely naked?... In a bed?
Suddenly things didn't seem so bad. She laughed softly, placing kisses to Charlie's face.
"It's not funny," he whined. "I'm a grown man for Christ's sake. I shouldn't... lose control like that!" He tried to sound upset but failed miserably. A low chuckle escaped his mouth as Lois continued to kiss him.
She sat back to look him. "Come on, *baby*, you weren't the only one who lost control."
He finally smiled at her. "I wasn't, was I?"
"No. And if I can decide that this was just a natural, healthy reaction to two and half days of constant arousal, why can't you?"
He smoothed his hands up and down her back. "I knew you held a lot of power in this small body." He growled playfully at her, then nipped her lips with his own.
"And you, Mr. Innocent? I wasn't alone in my endeavors back there."
"All I was doing was sitting here minding my own business. Then you had to climb onto my lap and practically throw yourself into my face. What did you expect me to do?"
"Charlie King! I can't believe you said that!" She swatted at him playfully, causing him to laugh and hug her to him.
"God, you're so cute," he told her when he leaned back.
"So are you." She grasped either side of his head and kissed him softly. "And undoubtedly the best damn kisser in the world."
"Thank you." His hands smoothed up her back as they continued to sit staring at one another. "Did you say my whole name? I don't recall telling you," he said after a moment.
"I went to see that eagle at the investment house. I saw your name on the little plaque."
"Ah... It wasn't like I was keeping it from you deliberately or anything..."
"Charlie, I know." She kissed him again, completely content for the first time in years.
"So what's yours?"
"My what?"
"Your last name. You know mine. Don't you think we know each other well enough by now?" he asked with a pointed glance at their current state of undress.
"It's Lane," she told him softly.
"Lane? Lois Lane," he repeated slowly.
He cocked his head to the side to study her features and Lois wondered if he remembered something. He smiled and kissed her again.
"Yeah. You look like a Lois Lane," he announced. "And I feel like a..." He furrowed his brows for a moment before continuing. "I'm not sure what I feel like. Again he furrowned his brows in concentration. "Do you think I had this problem as a teenager?"
Lois blinked quickly, taking a moment to figure out why he'd ask such a question. Then she remembered their conversation earlier. He'd admitted that he couldn't remember his past. He was trusting her to help him regain his memories... or at least stand beside him as he laid a new path down the road to his future.
"If you were a normal, healthy teenager, I'm sure you did."
"I'm anything but normal," he said ruefully.
Lois held his head, forcing him to focus on her. "You listen to me, Charlie King. What you can do is very unique. I think your gifts are very special. And just because you can't remember your past doesn't mean you're any less a man. You are a very different kind of man. Normal is a relative term. My life proves that."
That seemed to appease the tension she saw in his dark eyes. Compassion replaced it and he pulled her just a tad closer. "Lady, I'm not sure where you've been the last two years, but I'm damn glad you found Mystic so irresistible."
"Mystic isn't the only thing I find irresistible." She waggled her brows at him, then planted a solid kiss on his lips.
Charlie chuckled softly. "You know, I bet you'd feel a whole lot better if we were... wet," he said after a moment.
She wrinkled her nose at him. "Maybe we could take a swim."
Charlie looked around them briefly. "Yeah. That might help."
Lois laughed again, then started fiddling with the front of her bikini top. Charlie groaned softly and she looked up at him.
"Do you have to put that back on?" he asked her, then seemed to have some kind of revelation. "On second thought, please do. We might not make it back to the bay if you don't."
She dissolved into laughter then, but finished hooking her top in place. Charlie shook his head, stood with her in his arms, then jumped overboard. For the next half hour they played in the ocean, laughing and teasing one another. It had been so long since Lois felt so good. Yes, she was glad she'd found Mystic irresistible, too.
++++
"Are you sure you don't want to come up?" Lois asked Charlie as they stood outside her hotel.
He smoothed his hands up and down her arms as he smiled down at her. They'd stayed out on the ocean until well after dark. Once they'd recovered from their exertions and their swim, Lois had spotted a group of whales. They'd sat and watched the giants of the sea for over an hour. Charlie had held her against his body and told her some stories about times he'd seen whales while he was out to sea. He'd explained the habits of the creatures and their mating rituals. When they'd finally put up the sails again, they'd encountered a group of dolphins and they followed alongside as the beautiful animals sliced through the crystal water. They'd watched the sun set off a point just north of Mystic, a lighthouse in the distance. Charlie had related yet more stories before heading them back home.
They'd docked their boat before heading toward one of Charlie's favorite cafes for dinner. It was nearly midnight before they started in the direction of Lois' hotel.
"As much as I want to stay, I'd like to have something to look forward to," he told her as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "And I need to work for a bit tomorrow morning. I can't do that with you around."
She poked out her lip in a pout. "Gee, just tell me you don't want to see me," she told him with a frown.
"Come on, baby, you know that's not true." He reached out to pull her close, feeling horrible about what he'd said. While it was very true he needed to work, he certainly didn't want to hurt Lois' feelings. "Maybe you could work while I do. I know you need to write some..."
"Charlie, I was only teasing."
He looked down at her smiling face. "Did I tell you that you are so cute yet?"
"Yeah, you mentioned it."
"Well, you are." He smiled, then kissed her sweetly. Finally he drew back to look at her but didn't release his hold on her.
"I know you need to work, and yes, I need to write." She smoothed her hand over the material that now covered his bare chest. "I just miss you already."
"And I miss you," he whispered. "Listen, if you think you can't wait, come on out. Bring your laptop and whatever else you want. I'll force myself to concentrate."
"Careful, handsome. With an offer like that, I might just check out of my room and take up residence." She smiled at him playfully, but his expression grew serious.
"I'd liven up that dreary old cabin. I couldn't possibly have you living there like it is." Why was his heart thundering in his chest? Was he actually considering her moving in with him?
"I was just kidding again," she told him, the smile starting to fade from her face.
"I wasn't," he said softly. Why not consider it? He felt just like she did. He hated to have to be away from her.
But live together? He hadn't ever lived with anyone. At least no one he could remember. He didn't think three other smelly sailors counted. They'd never slept in his bed. He was fairly sure that's where she'd sleep... He hoped so anyway.
Holy hell! He really was considering this.
"Charlie." Lois just stared at him, as if seriously considering taking him up on his insane idea.
He finally managed to regain a little control. "Crazy, huh? We hardly know one another and I'm practically asking you to live with me."
"No crazier than me considering it," she told him seriously, this time all trace of a smile gone.
L-o-i-s... torture!
<<Oh, who gives a damn!>>
He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "You know where I live. There's plenty of room for you there."
Lois placed her hand on his chest over his heart. "How about here, Charlie? Is there plenty of room for me here?"
Bam! Couldn't get more straightforward than that! Power, power the likes of which he'd been unaware a woman could possess, wrapped up in a brilliant package. *That* was Lois Lane, Charlie decided quickly. She'd hit him with so much force that he was sure he'd never recover.
His large hand covered her small one his chest. "There's plenty of room in there because you've managed to steal my heart." His voice was a husky whisper as he allowed himself to absorb all the warmth that seemed to permeate the air between them. He caught Lois' surprised gasp in his mouth as he kissed her again. Reluctantly he drew away and released her. His eyes continued to bore into hers as he slowly backed away.
"Sleep well, pretty lady."
"Is that possible without you in my arms?"
He stopped cold, stared at her for an intense moment, then rushed forward to gather her in his arms again. After a passionate kiss, he pushed her away. "Dammit, Lois, turn around and walk into that building!"
It took her a few moments, but she finally smiled at him. "Leave your door unlocked," she tossed at him before she turned and rushed inside.
Charlie shoved his hand roughly through his hair, then turned and jogged down the boardwalk. Out on the sailboat he'd been consumed with overwhelming desire for Lois. But here tonight a different kind of emotion had consumed him.
Overwhelming love.
Outside town his jog turned into a full run. Within seconds he was standing on his front porch. He stared in stunned silence behind him. He'd covered the distance of a thirty minute walk in three seconds. How was that possible?
"What am I?" he whispered to himself. A hefty thump on the boards of the porch was his only answer. Charlie looked down to see his dog wagging his tail. "Hey, Ole Boy." He kneeled and scratched behind the dog's ear briefly. "Don't you find me just a tad... weird?" He chuckled when the dog didn't even lift his head. "Okay, maybe you don't." He glanced back out across the blackness that surrounded him. "It seems I've found a woman who doesn't either, boy."
To the contrary, Lois seemed to be captivated by his abilities. She'd asked him several times after the rescue of the drowning boy about the sounds he heard. He'd related the whales' songs to her without second thought. And he didn't realize it at the time, but he'd been able to clearly *see* what they were doing. It was as if he'd magnified them with his eyes.
Hell, why not? If he could shoot fire from his eyes, why not magnify things?
He stood again. Things were just so confusing. Developing abilities he didn't understand, lost memories to a past he didn't know if he wanted to remember, and a giddy feeling of love oozing from every pore. He was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless!
The dark interior of his depressing little cabin greeted him as he pushed the door open. This would never do to bring Lois to. Suddenly he didn't even want to consider whether or not he should be considering a woman he barely knew living with him. His heart knew her. His heart knew her completely, intimately. And there was no way she should have to come home to this shabby little place.
Charlie flipped the lights on, shrugged from his Hawaii print shirt, and headed straight for his work table. Within minutes he'd drawn up plans for some drastic changes to his abode. A smile spread across his lips as he thought about Lois' reaction. Making her happy made him happy. And he intended to make her very, very happy.
