I'll be back with more later, but I just
had to comment on this:
"There are other things to consider," Martha added in, gently.
They all turned to look at her. It'd been him and Lois arguing for ten minutes now and his parents had been all but silent.
"Everything you told us, honey...you're going to need help, professional help. A trauma therapist, maybe someone who works with combat veterans, PTSD." Martha looked at him and he could see the anguish in her eyes, knowing everything he'd been through—the pain he'd wanted to spare them but hadn't been able to.
"You're not going to find one in Smallville, son," Jonathan said. "And these things don't just heal on their own, no matter how much love you're surrounded by."
Thank you, Jonathan! And thank you, Sara! This is excellent! Consider me completely appeased!
So far, anyway.
***************
Okay, back for more. Wonderful chapter. Absolutely terrific.
My favorite clip:
"I'll do it," Clark said, his voice quiet but his tone firm.
They all turned to stare at him, the room silent but for Kallie's whimpering. Clark stood and went over to Jonathan, taking Kallie gently from his arms. He cradled her in his arms and rocked her gently, running his fingertips over her soft cheeks, and she quieted.
"How can I not?" he asked, looking at everyone in turn. "She deserves to live in a world with Superman. So how can I not do everything I can to be okay again?"
I can only imagine the courage this required. Clark is willing to face all the horrible things that happened to him on New Krypton - and all the horrible things he had to do to survive and win. It won't be easy - and that journey would indeed fill up another entire tale - but it will be worth it.
Lois is amazing. She's incisive, decisive, and determined to see her husband healed. And she's right that Clark can't be in Metropolis without helping as Superman. Her idea that Clark's cover was that he was on New Krypton with Superman is brilliant, as was Perry's decision to let the Super-baby rumor die a natural death. Terrific setup for the next story - The Return of Lois and Clark. Oh, yeah, Superman will be there too.
I have a question, though. Don't they need to get married legally?
(if they already are I missed it) Most states nowadays disallow what used to be called the "common-law" marriage, a marriage without benefit of clergy or a license. Without that legal framework, it would be more difficult for Clark to have responsibility for Lois' and Kallie's medical care, and for Lois to be involved in Clark's therapeutic treatments in any meaningful manner. But I'm sure you'll take care of that little niggle very soon, probably in the next couple of chapters. Right?
Right?!I'm looking forward to the end of this one and the beginning of the next one.
