Chapter Four: Love is in the… Sports Drink?

Devoted

Lois and Clark were in Clark's loft. They were sitting on the couch. Lois was leaning against Clark, her head resting on his shoulder. Clark's arm draped over Lois' shoulder and Lois played with his fingers.

"Chloe's been acting really weird," Lois was saying. "She has been giving me these odd looks. Like she suspects something. It's creeping me out."

"Uh huh," Clark said.

"Are you even listening to me?" Lois asked as she turned to look at her soulmate.

"Of course, you were talking about Chloe," Clark said.

Lois frowned at him.

"You're distracted," she said. "I know I can take over a conversation but usually you say more than uh huh. What happened at practice today?"

"Coach Teague was shot at by Danny," Clark answered.

"What?" Lois exclaimed. "You should have told me right away."

She pushed on Clark's shoulder. Normally, she would punch a guy but she knew that Clark's body would hurt her more than she could ever hurt him.

"Well, you kissed me and I got distracted," Clark answered.

"You're not going to get out of this," Lois said. "What happened?"

Clark sighed. He sat up forcing Lois to sit up. They turned to face each other.

"It was odd. He seemed fine at practice. He had no reason to attack Coach Teague." Clark explained.

"I'm going to guess you saved the assistant coach?" Lois asked.

"Yeah. He would be dead if I didn't," Clark answered. "Danny had the shotgun pointed directly at Coach."

Lois frowned.

"Did Danny say anything during the attack?" she asked.

"Not that I know of," Clark answered honestly.

"Hm," Lois said.

"I don't want you getting into this Lois," Clark said. "It could be nothing."

Lois rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't," she said. "Besides, I think Chloe might get her claws into this one before I do. She hasn't had a juicy story this year and I'm pretty sure she will be on the hunt for one."

Lois looked into Clark's eyes and she could tell he believed her.

The next morning, Lois entered Smallville High alone. She was on her phone. She was still trying to work her way back on Met U's acceptance list.

"Well, can you please tell the dean there's been an egregious error? I belong at Metropolis University, not walking the halls of Podunk High," she said to the person on another end. "I'm sure that we could work this all out if you could just get him to call me back. Thank you."

She ended the call. She felt her bond with Clark liven as she walked up to his locker.

"You know, if you spent as much time studying as you did trying to leave you'd be in college already," Clark said.

Lois glared at him. As much as she loved him, sometimes he just got on her nerves.

"And where'd you get that pearl of wisdom, the Farmer's Almanac?" she said before realizing her words were too biting. "Sorry, that was my frustration talking."

Clark stared at her and nodded.

"I understand," he said. "I get that high school is not where you want to be."

"You can be way too understanding," Lois said.

They smiled adoringly at each other for a moment.

"So, what do you think?" Clark asked after the brief pause.

Lois stared down at his chest. For the first time that morning, she noticed Clark was wearing his brand new letterman's jacket. She took the moment to study the jacket.

"They're not really your colors," Lois said before she began to walk down the hall.

"They're the school's colors," Clark defended.

"I'm glad you made the team. I'm proud of you" Lois said. "I gotta say, I'm gonna miss the plaid, as lame as it is it completely belongs to you."

"You know sometimes I wonder if you really love me," Clark said.

Lois sent a wave of affection through their bond and Clark sent a wave back at her.

They continued to walk down the hall and noticed something was off with the cheerleaders and jocks. The jocks seemed to be at the cheerleaders' beck and call. The boys were carrying the girls' things and following them around without complaint.

"Where are we, some kind of freakish feminist parallel universe?" Lois asked as her skin crawled.

"It does seem odd," Clark said sharing her feeling. "Maybe Chloe will know."

"Okay," Lois said.

They walked to the school's newsroom.

"Chloe, have you seen how the football players are acting?" she asked as they walked into the room.

"Yeah, and I noticed one of them unloaded a shotgun in the boys' locker room," Chloe answered. "I was thinking about maybe doing an article on it but two only reporters I have are late again. Oh, hi, it's you."

"Sorry, I was storming the gates to Metropolis U trying to get them to change their admissions policy," Lois said.

"And I had to pick up my new jacket," Clark said. "What do you think?"

"It's not exactly your colors," Chloe said.

Lois gave Clark an 'I told you so' look.

"It's the school colors," he said again in defense.

"Whatever," Chloe said before changing the subject. "Lois, I need you to go to the Smallville Medical Center. Apparently, our gun-toting ex-quarterback woke up this morning and is feeling the sting of his second-degree burns. He's been apologizing nonstop. So…"

Lois smiled at her cousin. She was relieved to see Chloe acting like her old self. She was really worried that something was wrong.

"Sure he doesn't love the prospect of playing tight end for the Kansas State Boys' Home," she said and then her phone started ringing. She answered it. "Hello? Yes, I will hold for the dean."

She looked at Chloe.

"I've gotta go," she said and left. The call could have gone better. She still wasn't able to talk her way into Met U.

Disappointed, she decided to research another way of getting out of high school and she knew where she could do it without too many interruptions. That is why, later that day, Lois found herself alone in the newsroom. She had just finished a phone call when Chloe walks in.

"Hello," Chloe said. "Look, I'm gonna need you to run with that psycho-quarterback story. You might wanna interview his girlfriend, Mandy. She's a cheerleader."

"Hi. I'm busy trying to get out of Mayberry," Lois said.

"That's fine," Chloe said. "Do whatever you want. You're in charge now. I'm quitting the Torch."

Lois couldn't believe what she just heard. It wasn't like Chloe to blow off a good story let alone quit. Chloe was no quitter. Lois knew that her cousin always wanted to be a reporter. It was her passion. Lois knew she wouldn't just give up her dream like it meant nothing.

"Whoa, wait," she exclaimed. "Quitting? Why?"

"I finally understand why it never worked with Clark," the blonde said.

"Okay, I'll bite," Lois said. She wondered what was up with the sudden change in her cousin.

"Because I was never there for him," Chloe explained. "I was always here, buried in this stupid school newspaper. I wasn't devoted to him, but that's all gonna change now."

"Please stop with your crazy talk," Lois pleaded She was more than a little freaked out by Chloe's behavior. "You can't quit because, seriously, I need the credits. And how many anvils are you gonna let this guy drop on you?"

Lois was remembering all of the times Chloe called or wrote about how much she loved Clark Kent and how he never seemed to see her. At first, the whole situation made Lois want to punch Clark in the face. Now, everything was different. Now, she was with Clark. They were soulmates. Now, Lois knew for sure Clark could never see Chloe the way she wanted and she felt sorry for her cousin.

"You know what's crazy? I actually thought you'd be happy for me." Chloe said approaching her. "Now that Lana and Clark are finally a thing of the past I may actually have a shot at this. Why are you getting in my way?"

Lois immediately felt guilty. She wanted to tell Chloe the truth. She wanted to tell her that Clark was her soulmate and they've been secretly seeing each other for four weeks. She wanted to tell her how sorry she was but there was this cosmic thing pulling her and Clark together. Then, she saw the crazy look in her cousin's eyes. Chloe had a look that said 'don't get in my way'.

"Fine," Lois said backing off. She gathered her things. "Looks like I'm gonna be covering the pompom beat."

"Thank you," Chloe said. Her eyes still looking crazed.

Lois quickly made her exit. It didn't take long for her to find Mandy. The cheerleader was just done the hall from the Torch. She caught what Mandy and the other cheerleaders were talking about.

"Seriously, Mandy. The 24-hour mourning period's over," one of the cheerleaders was saying. "You need a new boyfriend to take to our pool party."

"Hey, I'm not taking a step down from Dan and dating a wide receiver, Rhonda," Mandy said.

"Well, Clark Kent the new quarterback," Another cheerleader said. Lois felt her blood boil when her soulmate's name was mentioned.

"And he's hot," said yet another one and Lois wanted to pull out the girl's hair.

"No decisions," Mandy said. "I'll scope him out."

Lois couldn't help thinking that Mandy and Clark were not going to happen. She felt smug knowing that she had Clark and no one else was going to have him but her ever again.

She approached the group and they finally noticed her.

"Mandy, right? I'm Lois Lane," she said. "I'm doing an article for the Torch about what happened to your boyfriend."

"She doesn't wanna talk about it," Rhonda said.

"I don't wanna write the article, but my cousin dumped it on me and I need the credits, so let's uh…"

"Wouldn't give that geek rag a quote if it were the last paper on Earth," Mandy said bitchily.

"Darn," Lois said sarcastically. She wasn't impressed by the cheerleader's Queen B attitude. "And I thought it was gonna be so insightful."

She noticed the cheerleaders' boyfriends coming towards them.

"Oh, look. Your valets are here." She said. She decided to dig into Mandy. "Except you don't have one anymore, do you?"

"I could have another boyfriend like that," Mandy said with a snap.

"It's amazing what a short skirt and the ability to rhyme will get you," Lois said. She wasn't even the tiniest bit impressed.

Rhonda dropped a folder and Lois bent down to pick it up. She opened up the folder to have a look at what was inside.

"Oh, Advanced Chem," Lois said. "How many cheerleaders does it take to draw a double helix?"

Mandy stepped up to her.

"You want a quote?" she said.

"Yeah," Lois answered knowing that nothing good was going to come out of the cheerleader's mouth.

"Back off, bitch," Mandy said before walking off, purposely bumping into Lois as she walked away.

The other cheerleaders followed.

Lois turned to the group.

"Oh, Mandy," she called out.

The cheerleader turned her head to look back.

"Stay away from Clark Kent."

Mandy rolled her eyes and continued walking.

The next day at practice, Lois approached Clark after she saw him talking to Lana. She felt a small sting of jealousy at the sight of the other. Of course, Clark felt the jealousy through their bond and sent a comforting wave to her.

"Hey, what did you do to my cousin?" Lois asked. "She's freaking me out."

She was feeling a bit agitated. She had spent a part of last night and most of the day listening to Chloe swoon over Clark.

"Nothing," Clark answered. "She's hitting on me."

"Well, obviously you sent some kind of signal that you were interested."

"Look, Lois, I got a game coming up and I'm trying to make an impression. So can we talk about this later?"

Lois rolled her eyes at his priorities now. Clark sent her what felt like an apology through their bond.

Then, they heard Chloe calling for Clark. She was running across the field with pompoms and a Smallville High cheerleading outfit.

"Hi," the petite blonde called.

"Oh my God," Lois said not believing her eyes. She knew Chloe hated cheerleaders just as much as she did. To see her cousin wearing the uniform really worried her.

"Hi," Chloe said running up to them.

"Chloe, what's up with the cheerleader outfit?" Clark asked.

"I found it in the storage locker," Chloe answered. "I thought, you know, what better way to support my new favorite starting quarterback than to join the cheerleading squad? We can be together all the time."

"Yeah," Clark said without enthusiasm. Lois could tell that Chloe's bizarre behavior was freaking him out.

"What is she doing here?" Chloe said noticing Lois standing beside Clark. She had a look of disgust on her heart-shaped face.

Assistant Coach Teague interrupted before Clark could say anything. Lois felt the relief he felt.

"Okay, good luck," Chloe said. Her smile returned. "Bye."

She went to the bleachers.

"Oh, my God," Lois said. "She's taken the fast train to Stepford."

"I need you to keep her away from me," Clark said.

"With what? A tranquilizer gun?"

"There's obviously something wrong. I just need time to figure it out, okay?"

"Okay," Lois agreed. She walked away.

She watches Clark go to the get a drink and saw him flinch in pain. She felt the sense of worry course through him. She nearly felt every tackle and hit he got out on the field. Now, she knew something was terribly wrong. Clark wasn't supposed to feel pain like that and she was wondering why his super vulnerability was failing him. She didn't get a chance to talk to him about it. He was quickly flagged down by a very concerned Chloe and Lois knew that if she interfered she was going to get the crazy eyes again.

Lois and Clark found themselves at the school after hours. Night had fallen and the halls were empty.

"I'm looking for Coach Teague," Clark said. "He just attacked me in my loft."

"After that performance on the field today, I'm not surprised," Lois said. "I'm kidding. What happened?"

"The cheerleaders are spiking the cooler at practice," Clark said. "That's why Chloe and the players are acting so weird."

"Nice work, Smallville," Lois said. "You wanna know what they're using?"

"You actually did some investigative reporting?" Clark asked.

"My cousin goes Martha Stewart without the jail time? Yeah. Suddenly the power of the press interests me."

They walked into the Torch.

"Look what I found," Lois said picking up a folder and opening it to show Clark its contents.

"Mandy and Rhonda did a science fair project together, so."

"So that's our smoking gun," Lois said. "According to their chemistry teacher, they researched a hormone called phenylethylamine."

"Phenylethylamine," Clark repeated.

He read the title of the project.

"The love molecule."

"Exactly," Lois said.

"So it's a love potion?"

"Yeah, but it didn't work."

"Until they added the meteor rock," Clark realized.

"That would explain why you got sick after drinking the stuff at practice today," Lois said.

"We had to reverse the effect," Clark said.

Lois thought that was obvious.

"Well it must wear off at some point, otherwise they wouldn't keep juicing the football players."

"We don't have enough time. What if another player goes into a jealous rage and hurts someone?"

"Wait a minute," Lois said. "You drank some of it too. Mandy and her drones are probably expecting you to go all love slave for one of them. They don't know that you have an extreme allergic reaction to their love potion."

"What's your point?"

"That science report's in Mandy's faux Prada bag. Presumably, it can tell us how to reverse this, right? And, presumably, you're infected. The cheerleaders are having a pool party tonight. How do you look in a swimsuit, Clark?"

Clark looked like he wanted to argue, but decided against it.

Lois smiled smugly and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Come on," she said leading the way.

They walked to the pool party together. When they were inside the building, they spotted Mandy's bag quickly.

"Okay, Clark," Lois said. "Faux Prada bag, folder, showtime."

"Lois, I don't think…" Clark started to say.

"Go," Lois interrupted pushing him forward.

"Okay," He said walking towards Mandy and her bag.

Lois watched as Clark distracting Mandy with a kiss. She held in her anger as Mandy took Clark by the hand (and her bag) and left the main area. She waited a few minutes before she followed them. She found Clark and Mandy in the weight room. Mandy's paws were all over Clark and Lois felt the intense need to rip Mandy's hair off her head.

"You're so strong," Mandy said.

Lois felt as if she was going to be sick as she heard the cheerleader compliment Clark. She resisted the urge to reach out and grab Mandy's hair before knocking her out with a well-placed punch. She wonders how mighty Mandy would feel with black and blue bruises all over her face.

"You're so beautiful," Clark said back. He didn't sound at all convincing.

"I'm so gonna beat that bitch to a pulp," Lois whispered to herself.

She watched as Clark and Mandy went back to making out.

Mandy moved Clark so he could sit down and she straddled his lap. The cheerleader did not set down her bag.

"So tell me since you like me so much, what are you gonna do for me?" Mandy asked.

"I'll buy you dinner," Clark said and Mandy kissed him again.

He looked over to Lois and looked like he was about to panic. He felt like he was about to panic. Lois signaled for him to keep talking as she sent a vibe that she hoped was encouraging.

"I'll cook," He amended. "I'll cook you dinner."

"Oh, that is so hot," Mandy said. She went back to kissing him.

Clark removed the bag from her shoulder and threw it towards Lois. Lois could feel through their bond that he was ready for this whole thing to be over with. She was happy Clark was enjoying this act just as much as she was.

"You seem distracted," Mandy said.

"I'm just nervous," Clark said.

"Why?" the cheerleader asked.

"I've never done what I think we're about to do before," Clark answered.

Mandy seemed to like his answer and kissed him again.

Lois went for the bag and Mandy decided to move. Lois backed up to hide under the desk. Mandy laid on the desk and pulled Clark on top of her. The cheerleader had picked up her bag on the way to the desk and Clark relieved her of it again. When he dropped the bag, it landed on Lois' head and she cried out.

"What?" Mandy asked hearing the noise.

"Oh," Clark said trying to cover.

Lois tried to open the bag as quietly as possible. Clark's white t-shirt fell on her head and she felt a deep rage at knowing Mandy was touching what was hers.

Deciding she could not stay in the same room as Mandy and Clark without bashing Mandy's head in with a dumbbell, Lois left to a room that was being redecorated.

"All right," she said taking out the folder and opening it.

With her back turned and her mind focused on the contents of the folder, Lois did not hear Chloe sneak up behind her. Chloe hit Lois with a wrench.

"Chloe," Lois exclaimed turning to face her cousin. "What the hell?"

"I know what you're up to," Chloe said. She struck Lois again. Lois blocked the attack. "I went through this with Lana. I won't with you."

"Do what?"

"Steal Clark!"

Lois quickly ran away and Chloe chased her. She wasn't about to tell Chloe how close to the truth she was.

"Chloe, this is stupid!" Lois said as she dodged Chloe's attacks. Never was she as happy she had taken martial arts than she was at that moment.

"I don't wanna hurt you," she said grabbing Chloe's arm and push her cousin away.

"Too late," Chloe said as she rose from the floor. "You already did."

Lois rolled her eyes and spun kicked Chloe. The blonde fell back into the broiler, burning herself. Chloe cried out in pain. Lois went to her aide.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry," Lois said. "Are you okay, Chloe?"

"Yeah," Chloe answered. "What happened? What's going on?"

She looked around confused.

Lois looked up at the broiler and figured out the cure for the love potion.

"Come on," she said helping Chloe up. "We have to go confront Mandy."

"Um… okay," Chloe said and followed Lois back to the weight room.

"So how far do you wanna go here?" they heard Mandy ask.

"Right about there would be great, thanks," Lois answered for Clark.

Mandy climbed off of Clark and Clark got off the desk. He grabbed his shirt and rushed to stand behind Chloe and Lois.

"Chloe, are you okay," he asked.

"Yeah, fine," Chloe answered.

"I can't believe you, Clark," Mandy said.

"Oh, please," Lois said. "Do you know how pathetic it is you had to resort to chemicals to control your boyfriend?"

"I'm sick of being second to a football," Mandy said.

"So you created a bunch of psycho nut jobs," Lois said to Mandy. Then she turned to Chloe. "No offense."

"None taken," Chloe said.

"What took you so long?" Clark asked Lois.

"She was attacked by a crazy plumber," Chloe answered.

"Yeah," Lois said.

"Did you find the cure?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, we worked out our own little experiment," Lois answered.

Clark looked at her expectantly. Lois understood he wanted some truth.

"I accidentally burned her on the furnace in the broiler and she snapped out of it," Lois explained.

Clark turned to Chloe concerned. Then an idea came to him.

"Just like Dan snapped out of it when the gun heated up," he said.

"Exactly," Lois and Chloe said.

"So it's the heat?" Clark asked.

"Yeah," Lois said.

Chloe turned to Mandy and saw that the cheerleader had left.

"You guys, where's Mandy?" she asked.

Lois and Clark looked over to where Mandy had been moments before.

"Oh, nice, Clark," Lois said. "You know you only have one thing to do."

"Me? You're closer to the door," Clark argued.

"Okay, so it's automatically my fault?"

"Guys, guys," Chloe said getting their attention as Mandy returned.

"Oh hey, we were just talking about you," Lois said.

"Yeah? Well, now you're gonna wish you never crossed me," Mandy said.

"Yeah? What are you gonna do, cheer us to death?" Lois asked sarcastically.

A few football players entered the room. Two were carrying baseball bats.

"Oh, great. Here comes the Love Squad," Lois said.

Clark stepped in front of Lois and Chloe.

"Let's get out of here," he said. "Come on, Lois."

Lois held back as Clark and Chloe went to the exit.

"Bring it on, hotshots," Lois said. She really wanted to cause Mandy some kind of harm.

One of the bat carriers swung at her and she ducked. She kicked him back into his friends.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark asked coming back for her.

"Clark, you might want to use one of your special talents right now," Lois suggested. She wanted him to use his heat vision. She hoped it he could control its intensity and only burn the football players a little. She really needed to ask him more about his powers.

"You're gonna pay, bitch," the football player Lois had kicked said standing up.

Clark used his heat vision to break a pipe above Mandy and the football players' heads. Hot steam came rushing out fogging up the room. When the room cleared, Mandy and the football players were on the ground. The football players were no longer under the effects of the love potion.

"Good thinking," Lois said.

"Thanks," Clark said.

The first game of the season began the next day. Lana, Chloe, and Lois sat in the stands side by side to watch. They cheered for their team. The Smallville Crows were losing and only had one final play before the game was over. There were only seconds left on the clock. Lois watched proudly as Clark throw the ball all the way to the end zone at the last second the ball was caught by Nate. The throw and the catch won Smallville High the game.

When Clark was out of his football gear and ready to go home, Lois watched as he and Chloe talked. She saw the sad look on her cousin's face and waited for her to walk away before she approached Clark.

"Good news," Lois said patting Clark on the back. "Apparently the dean got a call from a very prominent benefactor with the initials L.L. They did the white-man power dance and, shazam, I'm officially a freshman."

"That's great," Clark said trying not to sound hurt.

"Don't pretend you had nothing to do with it," Lois said. "Why would Lex call out of the blue on my behalf?"

"Look, the important thing is you got in," Clark said. "Because that's what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lois said. "You know, if I could describe my time here in one word it would be 'weird.' A good kind of weird, but weird none the less. I look forward to the relative normalcy of the big city. And don't worry. I'll visit."

"Is that a promise?" Clark asked and Lois felt his worry.

"Every weekend," Lois said. "It will be like I never left at all."

"Well, I could always super speed over to your dorm room when I feel lonely."

"Then there's that."

The smiled at each other.

"About Chloe," Clark said after a moment. "I think we should tell her about us."

"And break her heart?" Lois asked.

"It's better she finds out now than later," Clark said. "It's going to hurt her either way. If we tell her soon the sooner she will get used to the idea."

Lois thought about it for a moment.

"Okay," she said. "Will tell her tonight. I have to head out tomorrow morning."

Clark nodded.

"Okay, tonight," he said.

They decided to talk to Chloe at her house. All three sat in the Sullivans' living room. Chloe sat in her father's Lay-z-boy. Lois sat on the love seat across from Chloe. Clark was on the sofa between the girls.

"What do you guys have to tell me?" Chloe asked.

Clark sighed and looked over at Lois. Lois fidgeted.

"Come on," Chloe said. "Whatever it is it can't be that bad?"

"Um…" Clark said.

"Well," Lois said.

"Come on, you guys. Just tell me."

Clark gulped.

"You see…" he began.

"We never wanted to hurt you," Lois blurted out. "It was instantaneous. It just happened."

"What just happened?" Chloe asked cautiously. "Clark?"

"Lois and I," Clark said.

"You and Lois, what?"

"We're together," Lois rushed out. "We really didn't mean to hurt you. That's why we didn't tell you."

Chloe looked at Clark.

"Clark?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"It's true," he confirmed. "Lois and I have been dating since she came to Smallville. We just connected."

"Connected," Chloe said. "You've been seeing each other for three weeks."

Clark and Lois looked at each other nervously. They were waiting for Chloe to yell at them.

"Are you sure? Is this what you both want?" Chloe asked. "I mean, you're not exactly each other's types."

"I know," Lois said. "It shocked me too."

"We really didn't plan on this," Clark said.

"Okay," Chloe said.

Lois and Clark could tell she was hurting.

"I…" Chloe started to say. "I think I need to be alone."

Without another world, Chloe stood and left the room. Lois and Clark heard her bedroom door shut.

"This is not going to end well," Lois said.

"I think she took it rather well," Clark said.

"Do you really believe that?"

"No," Clark said then sighed. "We're going to have to give her space."

"I know," Lois said.

END OF CH. 4