Wow--that was amazing! Great, great part Anti-K
Lois’s hands were clenched around the steering wheel so tightly that white was peeking out
Another cool detail--the white from her clenched hands--and the link you made back to his cell. Lots of thought goes into linking everything like you do....it's really effective
“I’m here,” he whispered, smoothing a hand down her hair. “It’s okay.”
He lied, of course. He wasn’t really there to stay, wasn’t really himself, and nothing was okay at all. But these were the types of lies he could speak without sacrificing his conscience or becoming a monster, soft and tremulous lies, warm and comforting, like coats offered to partners who shivered in the chill of dark garages, like coffee heated by surreptitious glares. Lies that didn’t hurt but helped. Lies that comforted. Lies that promised that one day things would be better and in the meantime they could endure.
“Clark,” she sobbed into his shoulder, a whisper of breath past his neck, an echo shaped into a name that carried only bittersweet pain. Nothing more, just his name. As if she’d finally realized that her partner was gone forever. “Clark!”
You really did a great job of creating such a sense of loss and confusion--of them finally getting that free moment (after all they've been through) to really let it all sink in. For Lois here, but for Clark throughout the chapter. I love how you get so fully into the emotional ride they are in and let us ride it out with them
...and look back at Lois. He was almost taken aback, almost scared, to see that her eyes were fixed on him to the exclusion of all else. She stared as if she were seeing him anew--no, as if she were memorizing him much as he’d been memorizing her for so long.
Beautiful! Yeah, Lois is falling/has fallen head over heals for him--and is really looking 'at' him for the first time. I could just picture this visual exchange btw them. And Clark, with all he's going through, just doesn't see the look for what it really is...
Her face threatened to crumple, more tears glinting like moonlight over waves reflected in the bottom layer of misty clouds. “You’re not a monster, Clark!” she exclaimed, as if it were obvious. As if she had never said it. As if he had not had to feel his whole self shiver from earthquakes to his soul at the thought that he might be as bad as his arch-nemesis. “Lex had power and he hid it and he lied, but you’re nothing like that. You’re right--you don’t lie, Clark, not really. You show who you are every day, in every move you make, every word you say, everything you do. You have a closet, and you don’t show it to everyone, but you *are* a hero, and you don’t have to wear a cape to be one.”
YES!!!!!!!!!!! The miscommunication is resolved. She
does not think you are a monster (of course not, Lunkhead!)
“Why are you saying goodbye?” she cried. “I know you can’t love me anymore, and I can’t blame you if you hate me, but please…please don’t leave!”
I enjoyed this sentence--this statement from Lois. So honest...she is afraid he is leaving b/c he doesn't love her and maybe hates her--just doesn't have a reason to stay anymore. Now if only Clark would have thought more about the admission--that she's worried that he doesn't love her....so....yeah, she must want him to (love her). YES!
How ironic, he couldn’t help but think as the thud of the door closing on Lois Lane echoed through the apartment that was his once again. How ironic that the last twenty-four hours had begun with a capital letter and ended with a period.
Such a cool ending...'the last 24 hours had begun with a capital letter and ended with a period.' Yeah--amazing! I could not love this ending any more. So good. Such a wonderful link to the rest of the story...
Really looking forward to them getting some time together eating dinner. Having a few moments alone beforehand to digest everything should be good for both of them, too.
Post soon! So excited to read more...
Lovin' it!
Laura
