Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic The Long Road Home Part 50 - Comments

So, we've finally made it to the end. Thanks for coming along with me. It has taken me years to finish the story, so thanks for your patience. I want to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to my beta readers, Avia and Ray. Throughout, I've benefited tremendously from their insights, suggestions, and encouragement. They made this story better and I am in their debt. Thanks again for reading.

Warmest regards,

Rac

So sad that it's over. And so warm and fuzzy because of where and how it ended.

Loved Patch. That the Kent kids would take a wounded dog into their home and into their hearts is so very telling. Like their father, they're strong enough to guide and protect someone who was injured, and like their mother they're patient and loving enough to wait for the healing. I love the way you encapsulated Clark and Lois' relationship with Patch. He's a great dog, bacon notwithstanding.

And Lois getting her quiet time with Patch by running was brilliant. Not only does it give her some alone time and some bonding time with the dog, it will convince her neighbors that she's so fit because she exercises so much. After all, she's almost forty, and if she's going to keep that physique she'll have to work at it.

You brought Clark and Lois full circle, too. I love how they each still cherish the other. And I love how they told Jon about his heritage. I can just imagine the eight-year-old boy sitting on his bed as his mom and dad spin into Ultra Woman and Superman! I'm sure he would have fallen had he been standing. And I'm also sure he would have fired question after question at them once he realized his mom didn't do *that* with someone who wasn't her husband.

Side note: When I was Jon's age, none of my friends spoke about such things - at least, not in my hearing. I had to wait for that information. Probably saved my brain from exploding.

As I wrote, I'm sad that this wonderful epic journey is done, but I also know that nothing lasts forever, not even something this excellent. I hope your muse(s) isn't/aren't completely exhausted, Rac, because we'll be looking for more from your fertile mind as soon as you can recharge.

Thank you for this most excellent tale. I intend to nominate it in as many Kerth categories as it will fit into, and I would be shocked if it were not recognized for its exceptional quality.

Indeed, this has been a wonderful, wonderful ride.

I love it! I love how you told us about Jon's discovery of his identity and his eight-year-old thoughts about sex and his Mom and himself. I love how you handled it all. Indeed, what a sight it would have been, not least for an eight-year-old boy, to see his parent spin into Superman and Ultrawoman! Oh, wow!

Like Terry, I too loved Patch. Yes, it was so perfect and fitting that Lois and Clark would adopt a dog like that. Also, their dog somehow signifies that they have "settled down". In Swedish we have an expression which goes "villa, vovve, Volvo" - "house, doggie, Volvo" - which means that now you have settled down and acquired all those things that prove that you are an adult and you have found a comfortable life style for yourself.

And Lois and Clark have each other. I love that they love each other so much, and that other men are so jealous of Clark when they see his beautiful wife.

Indeed, this has been a wonderful, wonderful story!

Ann

Aww, what a wonderful epilogue. For a moment there you had me convinced that Jon would draw the right conclusions. But no, he smacked right into the obvious one

Anyhow, this was a fantastic and epic tale and while I'm happy that their struggles are over, or at least their current ones but at the same time I'm sad to leave this universe

Michael

That was just beautiful and a perfect ending to the story.

I also hope that your muse isn't exhausted yet and that there are still a few more stories you'll write - I do love all your other ones!

Patch was cute and Jon's reasoning was very believable.

Excellent story!

Wow! What a wonderful story! Thank you so much for finishing it for us; it is so appreciated that you were able to get back to it for us after so long and bring it to such a heart-warming and excellent conclusion. I also hope you will continue to write.

Thank you again!

Words can't describe it, but I'll try. Excellent, heart-warming, wonderful.

Kerth Award.

Beautiful end to a beautiful story. Thank you.

WOW!!!! What an amazing trilogy. I really, really, loved it. I really enjoyed all of the clark and lois in the third story. I felt so sorry for them in the second story when the others were getting together and they had to be apart. Would scan over the zara and ching parts because I was mad they could be together and clark and lois couldnt. However, I really liked Enza, Sim Lok, and Thia. It was nice to see the story of jor el and lara that you wrote as while as clark's sister keir el. So glad they named their daughter keira.

You are an excellent writer and storyteller. I have enjoyed all of your stories and really hope that you continue to write more in the future.

As one of Rac's beta readers I was pleased and honored to have worked with her all these years.

I'd also like to commend Rac for her dogged determination to finish the trilogy through job changes, work overload and now moving to another continent. Many times there were months where no parts were posted but she never gave up. When real life relaxed its hold on her she jumped right back into the story, never missing a beat. Many times I had to go back and re-read previous sections so I'd remember where we'd left off so I know it had to be tough for her too.

I don't know about most readers but unfinished stories, especially of MANY, MANY parts, are a real hot button with me. I've invested a lot of time in a complex story only to be abandoned. While there may be valid reasons for this it is still very frustrating for me as the reader. Rac never did that and that makes her unique in our fandom, at least in my opinion, and she deserves whatever accolades she garners, as I'm sure there will be many.

Thanks again, Rac, for allowing me the opportunity to work on this trilogy with you. It has been my great pleasure.

Sincerely,
Ray

Hi Rac,

At last I have read all your story and found time to give fdk.

It was certainly a roller-coaster ride. You have made me sad, anxious, annoyed, but always hoping that Lois and Clark would finally make it through to a loving and happy ending.

And you didn't disappoint. This story has clearly taken a lot of dedication and love to write, and I thank you for your hard work, particularly as RL seems to have been very hectic for you.

Thanks again for a great read, and I look forward to reading it in total once it hits the archive.

Yours Jenni

OMG! I just came home and found you had finished the longest trilogy in fanfic history! I'm now off to read and will comment when I'm done.
Many thanks for an intense and interesting journey.
regards
Artemis

Oh, wow, that was really great. I was very happy for the warm and fuzzy ending. I'm glad Clark got his self-confidence back and Nor was banished from his dreams for good.
LOL on "the talk" with Jon. Not the usual one we all go through. It will take burgeoning superpowers to not blab to his young sister.
Thanks for a great story and your persistence through thick and thin like Ray mentioned.
My research shows you started this on May 22, 2003. That's a feat!
regards
Artemis

I've been holding off on posting, because I haven't known quite what to say that didn't feel inadequate. But I should at least say: Thank you for this journey.

Dear all,

Thanks for your kind comments.

Terry, thanks for your very encouraging and thoughtful feedback, all the throughout this story. Glad you liked Patch and her routine with Lois. I agree it's a great cover for why Lois is in such great shape.

When I was nine, my friends and I certainly didn't talk about what Jon's overheard on the playground, but plenty of folks I know say that they got their first inkling of the birds and bees talk from kids on the playground. Jon does seem to have inherited his mother's sense of inquisitiveness and like Lois, his instincts did send him on the right track, while still managing to get him in some trouble.

Not sure if the Muse is likely to get to work any time soon. I'm enjoying having a bit of free time to do other things, but who knows...

Ann, thank you for always taking the time to read and leave such wonderful feedback. I agree that the house and the kids and the dogs all seem to indicate a certain "settling down," which I think after everything they've been through is exactly what they want.

Hi Michael - of course Jon wouldn't guess Clark is Superman. He is Lois's son, after all! And yes, the dirt digger incident didn't happen in this universe, but I can't imagine that no one in the press got a picture of that morning when Superman launched into the sky to save the whole planet from an asteroid. Like you, I'm sad to leave this universe. It has been quite an interesting place to be for all these years.

Thanks, DW. I'm really glad you enjoyed the story.

Thanks, Evelyn. And thanks for sticking it out despite all the delays and breaks in the story.

Iolan, thank you so much. You are much, much too kind.

No, SJH, thank you.

Thanks, Mika. I've definitely heard from others that the Zara and Ching parts weren't their favorite parts, given that they got to be together through their toughest times and Lois and Clark didn't. But I'm glad you enjoyed the other new characters and Lois and Clark's long journey together through the last part of the story.

Ray, the pleasure has been mine.

Thanks, Jenni. You are most definitely right - this has definitely been a roller coaster ride. Thanks for your feedback over the years.

Thanks, Artemis. It has indeed been seven years. I really can't wrap my mind around that. I'm amazed at how many people kept up with the story over that long period of time.

Amy, thanks for coming along on the journey.

Thank you all again for reading and commenting through the years and the many delays. Since I started writing this story, I graduated from law school; moved to New York; had a great, but extremely stressful legal practice; met the future Mr. Rac; switched jobs; moved to DC; got married; and moved to another continent. There were times I definitely thought the muse was gone and the story wouldn't be finished. There were other times when the will to write was there, but the time sorely lacking. So thank you all for the encouragement and feedback that helped me finally finish this monster!

Warmest regards, as always,

Rac