Originally, I thought that Clark's stalker was there to reinforce Lois's belief that she's distracting him, making her think he was ignoring a call for help. It does sound like she did notice his anxiety last chapter, but I'm wondering now if there's more to it.
Lois smiles at him, and when her eyes open, he can see the pain in them. “I just… I don’t want to hurt you, Clark. You’re my best friend, and my partner, and…and I think you’re the most important person in my life. And I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”
I love Lois's almost childlike honesty here. But at the same time, there's depth to it. An apology, maybe? A suppressed plea for understanding? For help?
It is his turn to draw patterns on her dusky skin, to trace the curve of her cheek, paintings that release some of the thrill he feels at her words (the relief that she is not about to break his heart again). “I love you,” he whispers. “And so, yes, that implies a certain vulnerability. But it makes me strong, too. You and I are stronger together, Lois.”
You just had to put that aside in there, didn't you?
This made me cringe. I can deal with a hurting Lois, but seeing Clark so trusting and vulnerable and so
happy hurts when I know it's about to crumble.
Lois needed to hear this, though. I'm sure it won't change her mind, but I hope it comes back to her when she figures out what's really going on.
When he finally dares to open his eyes, he finds Lois staring up at him, her expression one he’s never seen before (so tender, so soft, so fond, that he feels his heart stutter and ricochet against his breastbone). She frames his face with her hands, stares and stares and stares as if she has never seen him before and will never see him again. And the words slip from his mouth before he can stop them.
“I love you, Lois.”
This is the most beautiful passage you've written so far. It perfectly encapsulates their relationship as it stands just now. Lois seeing Clark for the first time,
finally in love, but drinking him in because she knows she doesn't have a lot of time left. I love that Lois is enough for Clark despite whatever anxiety is filling the rest of his life. As others have said, poor Clark. I do feel for Lois, but Clark didn't have any idea what he was getting into.
Clark might not make sense as a culprit, but Alt. Clark has more of a motive to carry something like this out. Lois certainly disrupted his life enough. Did he feel some resentment towards our Lois and Clark after living most of his life without his Lois (which, admittedly, would probably be worse for him due to his lack of a proper support system)? In that way, I could see the memories Lois has as both an accident and an intentional cruelty, since she is seeing exactly the life she's missing. Did something happen to his world that he is now showing her? Or is he truly trying to protect this Clark for some unknown reason? Not only does he have round glasses, but there's also an excellent reason why he would feel regret: he still feels bonded to Lois, even if she isn't his.
(That's not to say I believe my own theory, but he's the only person with round glasses I can think of who could potentially fit your description.)
This is the calm before the storm, isn't it? I'll keep my tissues handy as I impatiently wait for your next update. Great job!
