After the "adventurous" day Lois and Clark spend together, she tries to forget it even happened, but a persevering Clark Kent wants to show Lois she's already found what she's looking for.

I

Two days after what Lois now called "Doom's Day", Martha's words still echoed in her mind. "You've been disrespectful to me and to this house and I'm really disappointed at you both. I know you're young and hormones rule over yourselves sometimes. I've had a hard time when I was your age too, but I was in love with Jonathan. Now how come you tell me it was just a game, a practical joke? I deeply hope you can think about what you did and figure out what you feel for each other in reality. I love you both and I would be very happy to see you together if that's what you want, but I won't accept that kind of behavior in my house under the excuse of a game that got out of control!" After that, Martha had not mentioned the "event" again, and Lois would definitely not be the one to bring up that matter, but something still hung in the air for her: What a heck did Martha mean when she talked about feelings and her and Clark being together? Fortunately, Chloe was finally coming to town, and once she told the whole story exactly how it happened, she would understand it. Yes, Chloe would definitely have something better to say.

-----

"You know Lois, I agree with Mrs. Kent," Chloe stated.

"What? I'm not listening to this! Can't you see I was just taken by the moment? Do you really think there's something more in it?" Lois demanded, amazed at her cousin's reaction.

"I do think so Lois. You're not the kind that gets 'carried away' just because of some warm caresses and a hot body."

"I'm really not, am I?" Chloe nodded, happy that Lois was getting to the point. "And he's not even that hot, I mean, you've seen his body too, I can't deny he's gorgeous, but…he is…he's not…he's just not THAT hot!" Lois looked at Chloe, trying to get some help, but all she found was a dreamy looking girl, sighing deeply. For some reason, it annoyed her even more! "Hello! Could you please come back to Earth?" Lois questioned loudly while waving a hand in front of her cousin's face.

"Sorry, but it's all your fault. You're the one who started talking about Clark's body! And by the way, I would have to say he really IS THAT HOT!" Lois rolled her eyes in irritation and Chloe had to let go a quick laugh. "Ok, but this is not the main subject, so let's get back to the point."

"Thank you!"

"Even with Clark being that hot, good looks never got you out of your mind, so we just have to figure what was that 'something else' that made you helplessly surrender."

"Hey! I didn't tell you that!" Lois said, shocked.

"Oh no, Clark did." Chloe's sarcastic smile made Lois shiver with anger; she was surprisingly speechless. Chloe then went on, ignoring the thunderstorm in her cousin's eyes. "Anyway, the two of you have spent a lot of time together lately, maybe there's something growing inside you and you just haven't realized it is there."

"What? No way! I'm just needy, that's what it is! But you're right about one thing, I've spent a lot of time with Clark lately, he's turned into the only male reference I have in my life." She stopped for a moment. "You know what? That's the problem! I need to see new people. Meet guys. That way I can take that stupid farm boy off of my head!"

"Take whom off of where?" Chloe spread a wide smile; she couldn't help it. Lois realized she had said too much. But getting herself out of trouble was nothing new.

"Yeah, like getting better references for life, improving my perspectives." Chloe just nodded one more time, still carrying that same smile. That smile was caustic to Lois, but she had to ignore it by now. "I'm serious! I have to do something about it! Otherwise, in five years I'll be the proud young mother of Peggy Sue, Barnaby and Rufus!"

"That is something I would love to see!" Chloe laughed uncontrollably. Lois laughed too, but she didn't want to lose focus.

"So, will you help me or not?" Chloe allowed herself to laugh a little bit more, before she went on, looking apparently serious.

"How can I help you Lois?" She questioned, slightly confused.

"By getting me a date of course!" Chloe just couldn't believe what she heard. Was Lois that desperate? "Come on, don't look at me like that cuz. Just introduce me to any interesting guy from the Planet."

"Well…sure I can do it, if that's what you want."

"Yes, that's what I want," Lois said while she crossed her arms and looked through the window, thoughtfully. "That's all I need to make things get right again…"

-----

Clark rested on his couch, staring at nowhere, still processing his mother's words. He knew he was supposed to be ashamed and deeply sorry, but he just couldn't help thinking it was worth the trouble anyway. For one day he was confident, relaxed, carefree, and it all felt just too good. He had a taste of freedom, and he wouldn't let it go. He had a taste of Lois, in a way he had never had before, and that was too good to be left alone. He had to explore it; they had to explore it, see where it could take them. Sure his mother was right about things going too far with Lois; that could not happen again. Not like that at least. But just the realization that right now he allowed himself to think about the possibility of making out with Lois Lane already made him smile. He wanted her, and he didn't mind saying it, even if only to himself.

The sound of steps coming closer took Clark away from his pensive state. Chloe had finally arrived.

"Is this loft cleaner or is it just your smile brightening everything?" she said, stopping a few feet away from him.

"Thank you Chloe, I'm actually very happy," he said as he pulled her in for a welcoming hug. "Come on, tell me how are things in Metropolis?"

"Not as fun as they've been here. Now tell me what did you do to my cousin to make her freak out like that?"

"She did freak out? Wow, that's better than I thought…"

"And why would it be good?" Chloe looked at him questioningly, almost guessing what his answer would be, if the broad smile he carried was any indication.

"Because that means I was not the only one that felt something changing that day. If she would at least return my calls so we could talk…"

"Well, I hate to bring you bad news but… talking to you and working this out isn't actually in her plans right now," Chloe stated in a lowered tone.

"What do you mean?"

"She asked me to get her a date with some guy from the Planet. She said she needs to build new male references, since you're the only one she has right now." Chloe saw Clark's confidence diminishing, and quickly added, "but she also let slip that she needed to get that damn farm boy off of her head. Guess you know whom she's talking about."

"Really? Then I got to do something!" Clark seemed as excited as a five year old who has just gotten a new toy. Chloe just stared, amazed at what she saw. "But wait! She's in denial right now, and she's so stubborn I'm sure she would never listen to me. I bet she wouldn't even look at me right now."

"Hey, don't look at me like that! I've tried to talk, but she won't listen to me either!"

Clark stood up and started pacing back and forth, trying to think of a plan. Chloe still couldn't believe her eyes. Was that man really her best friend? If he wasn't and alien himself, she would swear he'd been abducted. Suddenly he stopped and looked at Chloe with the weirdest face ever. She could even see an imaginary light bulb right over his head.

"Denial! Denial is the key! You must get Lois a date as soon as possible!"

"Excuse me? I'm sorry but I'm not following," Chloe said as she raised an eyebrow.

"I read once in a Linguistics book that a word's importance, its true meaning, is given by the uniqueness it has in front of all other words in a vocabulary. That means a word can only prove to be necessary in a certain vocabulary by being different from all others."

"And what does it have to do with you and Lois?"

"She will only understand what that day meant, what I mean to her, after she does that kind of contrast. Then she will realize everything else out there is just… different from me."

"And she obviously couldn't find anything different to be better for her than you." Chloe didn't mean to seem skeptic, she was just stunned. "Where did that self-confidence come from? Please tell me your source 'cause I need some of that!"

"It's not self-confidence Chloe. I just believe in Lois and me. I don't think being with me is the best thing that could ever happen to her. It just feels… right."