Janet, I have very little time to post FDK now that I'm back at work, but I loved this chapter as usual. I loved how Clark explained to Lois why she was not the kind of heroine that she thought she ought to be, and why he had done so much more than she had. I wasn't going to quote anything at all this time, but I can't resist this little snippet:
“It’s just – I’m supposed to be this great, fearless reporter – best ever, Mad Dog Lane – and I’ve just been living this safe little life here in Metropolis! As if I were just some ordinary… I don’t know – like your basic girl next door! No adventure!
Poor Lois - she thought she was being Princess Elizabeth and now she thinks she's just been "the girl next door", eh?
I loved the way Clark reassured her. And I loved the way they worked out who Superman would be, and how Clark would answer questions about him. I loved seeing them back at work together, making the protection of his secret a joint venture between them. And I loved that unexpected bit of telepathy. Oh, and by the way, I just loved Clark's phrase for hacking into a system:
‘unscheduled file maintenance on a non-client system’?
Also, I'd like to say that I appreciate the fact that Clark and Lois decide that Superman stands for "truth and justice" rather than "truth, justice and the American way". It's no big deal, and I wouldn't have objected if you had included "the American way", but I appreciate Clark's humility and his international approach to what he stands for.
I love Lois's fears of meeting Clark's parents, too. You really make me feel how unused Lois is to meeting people socially. And Clark means so much to her now that she would be very unhappy if his parents disliked her. Of course, I do expect they will love her, and poor lonely Lois really needs their support.
I love your story, and I'm relieved you didn't take offence at my earlier comments on Clark's reaction to incest.
Ann
