I've been reading Erin's excellent story "The Long Road Home," and it got me to thinking. I don't want to give anything away to those who are behind or waiting for the archive version, but I think I can safely tell you that it's an alternate beginnings story which involves Lois coming across the country to investigate Metropolis's new super hero. That much, at least, was evident from part 1.
Thinking about this, I realized that I've read several stories about season 1 (alternate or otherwise) Lois investigating Superman. Whenever Lois finds out CK=SM that early on, she's always faced with a dilemma... ruin Clark's life or bury the Story of the Century?
Sometimes it's a close call, sometimes not. In every story I can remember reading (though my long term memory for detail has, admittedly, never been all that reliable), Lois chooses to bury the story. She realizes that Clark is a good person, and that running the story would hurt him. While she has no problem exposing criminals, she's not one to go hurting innocent people.
What I'm wondering is if there have been any stories I may have missed in which Lois makes the other choice. Maybe she doesn't trust this new hero to be as good as he claims to be. Maybe she doesn't know Clark well enough to consider him a good person. Maybe she thinks it's more important to let the people have the information so they can decide for themselves. Maybe she just doesn't realize that exposing him would hurt him (or his family, if he has one in that universe). Maybe all of the above.
So, she writes the story, her editor publishes it, and the world knows. Only afterwards does she really get to know Clark, and he's not all that well-disposed towards her.
Maybe, as an added twist, as the world gets to know Clark and various "bad guy"-related things happen, (some) people get upset with her for having written the story.
I think it could be an interesting read.
So, has anything like this been done?
If not, is anyone interested in giving it a shot?
(Don't look at me, BTW. It's not my kind of story to write. Besides, I've got a WIP, and I haven't felt well enough to write anything in it in nearly two months.)
Anyone?
Paul
