Hi, FOLCs. It’s been a while.

I was lurking here a few weeks ago and noticed this thread: Similarities in storylines It got me thinking about stories that I’ve seen and I got an idea in my head. This story was inspired by another story. I’ll share that information when I post the next part.

I want to thank Morgana for volunteering to beta. Also, thanks to LabRat for providing an “is this suitable for the main board” opinion.

My projected posting schedule will be one part every other day or so. I hope you enjoy my take on this often-covered episode.
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Identity
by bobbart - Bob Bartholomew <bobbart_99@yahoo.com>
Rated: Very PG-13
Written: Winter 2012

Disclaimer: This is a fanfic based on the television show, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I have no claim on the pre-existing characters whatsoever, nor am I profiting by their use. The new story elements are mine. No infringement is intended by this work.

This is an adaptation of the Season 1 episode “Pheromone My Lovely” written by Deborah Joy Levine.
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Chapter 1 – Morning

Revenge + 40 hours

Clark opened his eyes to a darkened room. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was just past 2:00 am. He didn’t have to see anything to tell him that he wasn’t alone. He knew that even before he’d opened his eyes. The warm body pressed up against his made that fact impossible to miss.

He'd always been careful to avoid particularly deep… entanglements… with the fairer sex. Clark had never wanted to commit too deeply a personal relationship with a woman with whom he wasn’t willing to share the secret of his abilities. As a consequence, he hadn’t dated seriously in high school or college, and had never allowed a situation with a woman get to the point where there would be any confusion about his being interested in taking a relationship ‘to the next level.’

However, from the moment he’d met Lois Lane, Clark had known that his previous rules for female relationships were about to be thrown out. Being around her was like nothing else he’d ever experienced. With the slightest gesture or word, she had the ability to evoke reactions from him, both good and bad, that no other woman had ever done. From the moment they’d met, he’d been trying to figure out how to interact with the enigma of a woman. The one perfect certainty in his mind was that she was ‘The One.’ This was the woman who he desperately wanted to find a way to let all the way in. In the months he’d known her, they had progressed to being friends. He wanted more – far, far, more – but his lack of experience in these matters left him unsure of how to move their relationship forward. Now, with Lois asleep beside him, the puzzle that was their relationship had taken on a whole new level of complexity.

On Tuesday, there had been a photography shoot in the Planet offices for a perfume company. There had been models all over and some very strange scents. It was later that day that Lois had started acting strange, but at the time Clark hadn’t realized how out-of-character she was.

Wednesday morning everyone was acting crazy with feelings of love. And Lois had decided that she was in love with him. He’d managed to avoid her all day, but in the early evening she’d shown up in his apartment and tried to seduce him with the dance of the seven veils. It was easy to see that she wasn’t herself, and he’d managed to fend off her almost comical attempts at seduction.

But she wouldn’t leave. Even worse, she had put so much energy into her seduction attempts that it was clear to Clark that she was on the verge of collapse. There was no way he would kick her out of his apartment in her condition. Not surprisingly, she’d been very cooperative when he suggested that she sleep in his bed. However, once she learned that he was planning to sleep on the couch, she came out and curled up next to him.

His couch was comfortable, but it just didn’t work with both of them on it together. Finally, Clark had given in and they had moved to his bed. He’d only gone along with this because he’d been successful in getting Lois to change clothes into a set of sweats. The only clothes she’d brought were a trench coat and her seven-veil costume. They’d settled into bed with him under the sheets in sleep-shorts and a t-shirt. She’d been on top of the covers in the sweats.

Now Clark was paying the price for being a sound sleeper. Lois wasn’t where he’d left her. She was under the covers and pressed up against him. And worse, at least from the perspective of his resisting the advances of his extremely attractive partner, she’d managed to discard the sweats he’d provided. She’d also found a way to remove his t-shirt without him waking up. This meant that they were in bed with the two of them pressed together bare skin to bare skin.

The feeling was unbelievable… and terrifying. He needed to end this now.

He started to try to separate himself from her. At his movements, she started to stir but ended up simply tightening her embrace. Clark decided to try another approach. “Lois, wake up,” he said, shaking her a little.

This time she woke up. It took her a second to realize where she was but after a second, she looked up at him and smiled. “Make love to me, Clark.”

That was too much. Clark practically jumped out of bed and retreated to the far side of the room. “Lois, I can’t. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

She sat up on the side of the bed. She wasn’t smiling any more. “I know what you’re saying,” she said in the saddest voice Clark had ever heard from her. “I’ve been here before. I thought you were the one man that liked me.”

Then her shoulders visibly slumped. “Everyone hates me. Stay away from Mad Dog Lane,” she parroted. “She’s a real bitch.” Lois had started crying even before she’d finished her last sentence. Not only that, she had started shivering in the cool night air.

That was too much for Clark and he went back to the bed. Clark sat next to her, picked up the blanket from the bed and pulled it around her shoulders. “You’re the most beautiful and desirable woman I’ve ever met.”

“You’re just saying that,” she said dejectedly, looking at the floor.

“Lois, please look at me.”

She looked up at him. “Lois, if I believed that you were really interested in me, I’m not sure I’d ever be able to let you go.”

Her smile suddenly reappeared and she threw her arms around him. “I do want you,” she declared.

“But you aren’t yourself,” he countered. Clark was aware of every inch of her skin pressed against his. He could also feel each of her tears as they moistened his shoulder. “Something happened to you yesterday. You don’t love me.”

“Yes I do,” she pleaded. Then Clark felt the gentlest kiss on his neck.

“Lois, this isn’t you. Just a few days ago I’m sure you didn’t love me.”

“I wasn't thinking straight,” she countered.

“But these feelings aren’t yours. I think one of the perfumes affected you.”

“Probably. But whatever happened didn’t change anything. It just made me realize how much I wanted to tell you about how I feel.”

“What are you saying?” Clark asked, suddenly even more confused.

Lois was continuing to kiss his neck and shoulder. “I’ve been pretending you didn’t matter for a long time. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want to love you.”

“That’s the perfume talking,” Clark countered. “Think about it. Before yesterday you weren’t even attracted to me.”

“That’s not true,” Lois said softly. “I started liking you right from the beginning. Then I started respecting you when tricked me after I stole your story. Then when we were working on the cyborg boxers story, I learned that I could trust you. It was in Smallville, when we had so much fun, and you almost died, that I realized how important you are to me. And when you almost left Metropolis during the heat wave, I realized that I loved you.”

“What?” Clark exclaimed softly, genuinely surprised. “You didn’t say anything. You haven’t treated me any differently.”

“I was scared,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Everybody hates me. You’re such a great guy. All the men like you and most of the other women want you. I… I didn’t think I could tell you. Then yesterday I realized that you had to know how I feel. You’re so wonderful that I just have to be with you.”

“But Lois, this isn’t you. When you’re yourself you don’t want to be with me.”

“You mean that you don’t want to be with me,” Lois wept, as she started to cry again. “You hate me too.”

Her sobs were killing him. Clark could feel the tears running down his back. He couldn't do this anymore. “Lois, I don’t hate you. I’ve been in love with you almost from the first.”

“You’re just saying that,” she countered.

“No. My heart has belonged to you ever since I saw you at Luthor’s ball.”

Lois pulled back so that they were face to face. Her arms were still around his neck, but now he was looking at her tear-streaked face. She seemed to be waiting for him to say more. She was so beautiful, but in this moment, Clark could see a fragility that Lois would normally never show. She was hopeful, that was clear. But she was also afraid. A moment ago she’d put her heart on the line by admitting her developing feelings. Could he do any less?

“Remember the night at the Daily Planet right after we met,” he said after several long seconds. “The time that I brought you Chinese food for dinner?”

She smiled weakly. “A good horse is like a member of the family,” she quoted.

Clark smiled at her recollection of that moment. “Do you remember telling me not to fall for you because you didn’t have time for me?”

“But Clark...” she started, but Clark silenced her with a finger pressed gently to her lips.

“It was already too late,” he continued. “I’ve dreamed of a time when I could tell you how I feel. I’m just afraid that you’ll hate me when whatever happened wears off.”

Her smile had been growing the whole time. God she was beautiful when she smiled. “You mean...?” she asked.

“Lois, I really do love you. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”

Lois’s mouth was against his in an instant.

Clark had kissed Lois when he’d almost left Metropolis during the heat wave. That time she’d been too in shock and hadn’t really returned the kiss. This... This was magical. Kissing Lois - really kissing her, with her whole-heartedly kissing him back, was everything he’d always dreamed.

After the most wonderful few minutes imaginable, Lois pulled back again. This time her face was aglow with happiness. “I love you, Clark.”

The absolute truth made his response too easy. “I love you, Lois.”

Her responding smile was truly dazzling. Then she pulled herself up against him in a hug that conveyed her emotion. Clark suddenly became aware of Lois’s bare breasts pressed against his chest.

Earlier Lois had been kissing his neck, but now she had worked her way up to his ear. “Make love to me,” she whispered. Deep in the back of his mind, a quiet voice told him that when Lois’s normal personality returned, he would lose his love forever. But in that moment, with so much of Lois’s bare skin pressed against his, Clark ignored that voice and cooperated with the inevitable.

TBC