Author's Notes: Before we begin, please read the first chapter of both 'The Story of the Century' and this one as well to get caught up. This second chapter will continue in an alternate reality where Lois knows the truth earlier than in the series. In this reality while infected, they had sex, declared their love, and Clark revealed his identity, but in the series, they did not. A week later, Clark tries to find out exactly what she remembers. I hope you enjoy it and please review. Thank you.

~o~o~

Chapter 2: The Whole Truth

The Daily Planet bullpen, minutes later:

After that shocking question, they continued to stare for minutes, he took her arm and led her to the supply closet, shut the door, locked it, and turned to face her, but Lois spoke first.

"I can see it in your face, we truly had sex?" She asked not genuinely believing it, but it may have been wish fulfillment or a dream, a vision, or… it truly happened? She wondered.

"Yes, it happened… but only once," he replied and winced at her look. "Lois, I am sorry this happened to us, but..." He hesitated.

"What were you going to say?"

"Yes, we were infected, but I think it showed us that we should think about what the drug brought out in both of us, that there is something between us, and we should not ignore it but try and figure out why it happened."

"Clark, it happened because we were infected with some type of aphrodisiac that affected our minds and…" She hesitated.

"Our hearts; is that what you were going to say?" He came closer. "Lois, we said those words and I do not think it was the drug, but I think we spoke from our minds and what we were feeling."

She stared at him and a part of her believed it, but she cannot do this right now. "I have work to do; need to get to work." She turned and left him staring after her.

He sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair. Standing by the window, he thought of that night, but instead of regret and anger, it brought out their connection, and the fact that he did have feelings for her since the day they met.

Over the past months, she helped Superman deal with issues that would have led him to leave Metropolis, but she made sure he would not leave her. He remembered their visit to Smallville, and it became clear how she felt about him. She feels the same way, but it will take time for her to accept those feelings and he is willing to wait. Then he stood up straighter as he remembered that night. They did not talk about the fact that she knows the truth about me, that I am Superman. We have a genuine problem. He shook his head and went back to work.

~o~o~

Later that day, although they are officially partners, they managed to avoid each other, with glances every now and then, but they truly needed to talk about his secret and how they should manage it going forward. He watched her gather her things preparing to leave for the day, but they truly needed to talk.

Standing by her desk, he asked, "Are you almost finished, can we go somewhere and talk?"

She sighed and logged off her computer. "No, there is nothing to talk about. Whatever happened that night, it did not happen at all. Forget it."

"Can you forget it?" He paused. "I cannot do it."

She looked around but did not want to do this right now. "Clark, look I can understand why you are fixated about that night, but we were both drugged and did not know what we were doing. You should look at it like that because that is what happened."

"There's more than only, you know, what we did, but I revealed myself to you; you know, my true self? Do you remember that?"

"What are you talking about? Your true self? What does that mean?"

He sighed, took his glasses off and rubbed his tired eyes then slowly put them back on. "Never mind, good night, Lois." She stared after him unable to think clearly.

Lois continued to stare as he entered the elevator then she froze, but then she remembered all of it as it flowed through her mind like an unstoppable train of thought: the suit; no glasses; we flew together; the sex, but the words; the words; spoken with a truth. Startled out of her thoughts when Perry shook her shoulder.

"Lois, what is going on with you today? Kent is walking around in a daze and here you are staring into space. What happened between you two?" Perry asked concerned.

She shook her head of Clark and her memories of what they said that night. "Well, we are trying to finish the story you gave us this morning."

"Okay, will give you another day, but need it on my desk before noon tomorrow."

"Sure Chief," she said and stood up. "Good night, Perry."

"Good night, Lois," he said and watched her leave. He shook his head and went back into his office.

~o~o~

All during her drive home, she could not get that night out of her mind. Clark is Superman, but the words. Shaking her head, she arrived home and he is standing at her door, waiting for her.

Not looking at him, she walked up the steps. "Clark, please, cannot talk about it not tonight."

"It will not take long, please, Lois; it is important."

She inwardly sighed. "Okay, come in but please; I am exhausted." After heading to the kitchen, she offered him a drink.

"Sorry, I do not drink when." He hesitated.

"You can say it… when you fly?" She asked and waited with a sly grin.

He perked up. "You remember?"

"Yes, all of it is coming back to me now." She paused. "Were you going to tell me the truth soon or, not sure whether to tell me at all?"

"Yes, have kept it to myself since learning the truth about who I am and what I am for a long time; a long time."

She sat down beside him. "I remember when we first met, and you were in the suit saving me and everyone on that space shuttle." She had to admit they did connect as friends.

"No, Lois, we met at the Planet days earlier as Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Perry introduced us." He raised an eyebrow. "Then later after we appeared to relate in an odd way, you told me not to fall for me farm boy, and I laughed but there was something between us. Did you feel it too?"

She did not answer him, but then, "This entire situation is not making any sense. We met twice at the office and on the space shuttle."

"I remember how shocked you felt to meet me, and I have to say you were not afraid when I revealed my powers, only stunned, but it showed me the truth. There is someone who would accept me as I am, not only as Superman and one day Clark Kent as well."

"You wanted me to know the truth from the moment we met?"

"Yes, and I still believe that Lois; only you." His eyes roamed over her face. The air is thick with tension.

They continued to stare, but the phone rang. She left his side and picked it up and it is her father. "Hello, Daddy, yes, I just got in. What is it? No, have not seen Superman all day. What did you say?" She shook her head. "No, Daddy of course not. He would never."

She turned and Clark stood up and turned to go.

"Daddy, I have to go; will call you tomorrow."

"Clark, please, we do need to talk. Perry noticed our distraction today and we do not want him to get suspicious about us and what happened that night."

"You are right, the fact that the entire office appeared infected, but not if he saw us kissing. I have not heard anything since that night."

"Sit down please. Am I the only one who knows the truth about you?"

"Yes, besides my parents," he let slip.

"Oh, your parents, but you were born on another planet, right?"

"Yes, that is true. I am adopted and raised here on Earth," he replied.

"My article did mention your origins and powers but nothing specific about your adoptive parents. Are they still alive?"

"My biological parents are dead. My adoptive parents are alive, and I talk to them every day," he replied happy to have them. "You did meet them in Smallville."

"Oh, yes, I did, but you were just Clark, not a superhuman being from another world."

"That is true, but you know the truth now, and I have to say I am happy to share this secret with you."

She could not look at him. "I am glad you have someone else to talk to about everything," she tried to smile.

"Not only them, but now I have you," he repeated how much he needed her in his life, as the air became thick again. Still staring, he asked, "What did your father say about me?"

She sighed, stood up, not wanting to talk about her father and his obsession with Superman, but she could not understand why, since he is a physician in sports medicine, it made no sense. She went into the kitchen.

He followed her. "Please Lois, tell me what he said."

"More of the same." She paused and stared at him. "He seems obsessed with Superman and all the things you can do. He thinks you are a threat to this country, possibly because you are an alien, you could be carrying a pathogen that could harm us, whatever that means."

After that reply, he walked over to the window and thought of her father and what it could mean if they were to become involved. Standing by the window looking up at the night sky, he whispered sadly. "I have been on this planet for over 30 years and have not infected anyone, but he is not alone. People hate what they do not understand. My mom said that to me a long time ago, even before I first revealed myself."

Then it dawned on her. "Clark, I did not make the connection. You are Superman but did not know the truth when I visited Smallville and met your parents." She paused thinking of her trip. "Your Mom is amazing, and your Dad is too."

He turned to face her. "Yes, they are, and I feel blessed that I have them."

Her mind is spinning not only about that night but what all it could mean for them as friends. She glanced at her watch, but her mind is not ready for the truth. "It is getting late."

He came closer and took her hand; she does not resist. "We did talk about Superman but not about me, Clark Kent."

She looked down at their joined hands, then the words. "Well, we can talk about him later."

"Later, do you mean at work or… on a date?" He asked, waited, and waited. "Lo…is?"

"Okay, one date."

He frowned. "Only one?"

"Do not push it, Kent."

"Okay, leaving." He turned to go, then she stopped him. "See you at work?"

"Of course, I look forward to every minute I can spend with you." He let that hang.

She shook her head amazed he would say that. "Wow, you truly are something. Good night, Clark." She walked him to the door.

"Good night, Lois." He left but she watched him walk away until she could not see him anymore.

~o~o~

The next day at the Planet, Lois tried to work on their article, but everything is different now. Superman works here as a journalist, but his name is Clark Kent, a nice guy, but she did remember their first day when Perry introduced them. He seemed quiet, not too outgoing, but friendly, hardworking, willing to help anyone, a nice guy.

"Lois, where did you go just then?" Clark asked and stood by her desk, but he knew.

"I am working on our current assignment, but should be done soon," she replied still distracted by Superman standing there in a suit and tie.

He watched her try and get back to work. Her phone rang and Lex Luthor needed to apologize about their date the other night. Clark listened. She accepted his apology and he asked her out again. She glanced at Clark, and he is at his desk typing but is he listening to us? She wondered.

"Sorry, I have plans," she replied. Clark raised his eyes to her face and smiled. She smiled in return.

"Bye, Lex," she said and hung up. Minutes later, an email arrived in his inbox. He opened it and read it and it is perfect, like her. "Meet me after work and you decide where to take me to dinner."

"I know just the place." He replied.

After that reply, they did manage to get back to work and finish the assignment and sent it to Perry.

~o~o~

That same evening at dinner at an Italian place, they talked about everything, her life as a daughter of a life-long physician and a brat, his life on the farm growing up with no knowledge of who he is or what he is, but as powers awakened in his early teens, he accepted them as if he had a choice. He realized it was time to leave Smallville and after he finished college traveled the world for years, learned more about writing, which he enjoyed. His Mom made the suit, he left his hometown, and found a new home, Metropolis.

She asked him about his first save. He admitted that it was her on the shuttle. Lois was his first save. She felt honored. He asked about her early life. Lois then told him that her parents divorced in her early teens, and her Dad was an absent father, being a doctor meant more to him than being a father. Her sister Lucy and I lived with both parents, but we made it through high school and college without too much trouble.

After dinner which they both enjoyed, he walked her to her door, but they stood toe to toe, not knowing how to behave. She felt nervous and unsure, but when he leaned down, she froze, turned, opened the door, and said, "Thanks for dinner, see you tomorrow." She shut the door in his face.

~o~o~

The next morning, they had an assignment, their first together since the perfume incident. After getting the specifics about the assignment, they decided to talk in private, meaning the conference room.

Clark followed her, he shut the door. "Why are we in here, Lois?" He asked still miffed about her slamming the door in his face.

"We need the privacy because… I wanted to apologize about last night." She paused as he stood there staring at her. "It's just I'm finding it hard to look at you and not see you in the suit. It's going to take a while for me to not see you that way."

Clark got the point. "You see me as Superman, not me, right?" She was quiet. "I understand why you feel that way but let me explain a few things about me and how I see myself. When I wear the costume and the cape, it is Superman and the things I can do, but when I am here working, it is only me, Clark Kent, because he is me."

"Okay, I understand. But when I met you that first day, you were only a guy looking for a job, and when you got that job and we were assigned together, I felt upset because I did not know you were, shall we say, inexperienced and I felt like I did not have the time to teach you how to be a reporter."

"Well, I am not inexperienced. I have worked as a reporter, just not here or at a national news agency, but I can learn. I have gotten better at my job; would you agree?"

She tried to smile. "Yes, I do agree that you have gotten better."

"Lois, about last night, I am sorry too. You were not ready to kiss me, but I will not lie, because I am attracted to you. I think about you a lot and I know you do not feel that way, but…" He hesitated.

"Go on," she encouraged him.

"I know we decided not to talk about the 'perfume' incident, but I do think about the night you came to me, danced with veils, and looked into my eyes. You recognized me because of my eyes. I will never forget it. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember," she replied. His eyes were compelling.

He came closer and dared to raise her chin the same way he touched her as Superman during their exclusive interview. "Lois, we have this connection and I do not know how to forget about it or not talk about it because it is there between us."

"Clark, I remember a lot of things about that night, but do you think we should do this?"

"Lois we are talking about it and that is a start, and I will not force you into anything. I am willing to wait for you because…" He hesitated again.

"Because what?" She asked still staring at him.

"Because of this." He leaned down again and closed his eyes, and she did the same then they kissed sweetly not too forward. He pulled away after a minute and waited for her to open her eyes.

When she finally did, but she could not believe what happened. She touched her lips. "Clark, something is not right."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Are we still infected?"

Stunned, he stared at her unable to think what to say.

TBC!

~o~o~

Song Inspiration: Vision of Love, Mariah Carey.

A/N: Yes, they are, and it is called Love! I have not written in this verse for over a decade. Although I enjoyed writing this chapter, I admit it felt strange but barreled through and will enjoy writing them this way with the truth out there and they will accept it in their own unique way. But it will take time to adjust to this new normal. Come back in a week. Thank you for reading and please comment.