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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,122 Likes: 1 |
For a brief but excruciating second Clark was beset by the overpowering instinct to flee. What if this was a trick? What if Scardino and Menzies had cooked up the asteroid story to save the world from what, in their minds, was the greater threat - a rampaging alien?
Lois pulled the curly wig from her head and tossed it onto a seat. She stepped into his vision and wrapped her arms around his neck. "My gut is calm," she said. "They need your help."
Clark gazed deep into her brown eyes and found the certitude he so desperately needed. He slid his hand over her hair, smoothing where the wig had ruffled.
He needed her so much - the thought of life without her felt like a gaping cavern opening up inside him. He *had* to be with Lois. He wasn't going to let anything - including a monstrous asteroid - separate them.
The door opened. Clark dropped his arms from Lois. She moved more slowly - smiling up at him before releasing him from her embrace. She turned on the spot, standing in front of him as they faced whoever was coming.
It was Shadbolt. Thanks! Corrina.
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution" - Daniel Webster
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Yay!! Clark is going to save the day! 
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way. 
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Gee, if only there were someone who knew how to sew....
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Columnist
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Columnist
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I am also happy that Clark is going to save the day; 
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Apr 2003
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Oh, wow, this is a freakin' brilliant chapter. Things are moving so fast now, and I'm on the edge of my seat. You took pity on us by posting this chapter on Sunday ... any chance the Wed-Fri part of things could get bumped up a day, too? (Yes, I'm hopelessly pathetic, LOL.) The Scardino/Lois conversation was really well done. I could feel Scardino's fear, shame, and desperation, and Lois's incredulousness. She once again showed signs of her training and amazing thinking skills as she was able to come up with a list of preliminary conditions so quickly. And at least Scardino was willing to apologize and admit how wrong they all were. "Is he bitter? About what happened to him?"
"About what we did to him?" Lois corrected. Thank you for this. I'm sure you've noticed how "non-apologies" have become the standard mode of operation whenever anyone is caught doing something improper in the world today. It's never "I'm sorry for what I've done" but "I'm sorry if you were offended" or "I'm sorry for what transpired". A complete lack of personal responsibility. So good for Lois for calling him on it. And the conversation between Lois and Clark was fabulous. As I'd hoped, the tears and anger and alone-time helped Clark heal a little, and he was once again able to be physically affectionate with Lois (the hugs, the stroking of her hair and face -- possibly even more than they'd been doing before). And maybe even more importantly (and a bigger breakthrough), he was able to TELL her how much he needed her and that he wanted them to share the bedroom again and continue their "therapy". This seems really huge to me, that he could not only feel this, but ask for this. *huge sigh of relief* One is a Kansas farmer, human, regular guy, son of Martha and Jonathan Kent, and married to Lois Lane. Heh, I love how she slips this in there, so naturally ... married to Lois Lane. Of course he will be.  Clark's fear at having his alien identity exposed was palatable -- that whole section of dialogue was really, really well done -- but this was sheer brilliance on your (and Lois's) part: "Wherever your mom is, there's a chance that she reads the papers."
The force of Lois's words hit him. "You ... you mean, perhaps *she* could find *me* instead of the other way around?"
Lois nodded eagerly. "If she sees a report about a strong, super-powered alien saving the world, she is going to know it's you - whatever your disguise. If she's being held somewhere, she can try to call out to you. At least she'll know you're all right." I had this same thought, that Martha is somewhere grieving because she saw the Daily Planet story and Clark's photo, and believes that he's now dead. But if she sees him try to stop the asteroid, she'll know that he's alive and she can try to reach him. Having the CIA making it a priority to find her will help, too, but I think Lois is right on with her thinking here -- nothing will stop Martha from getting to her boy once she realizes he's alive. You know, I'd been speculating yesterday that, if Clark was too emotionally damaged to forget what Moyne had done to him, that any amnesia from the asteroid (per canon) could be exactly what he needed to create some new associations with Lois. (Say, coming back to her in a fog, and making love to her because he didn't remember that he wasn't supposed to.) It was the only way I could think of to help Clark "forget". But after this chapter, I'm now thinking that might not be necessary ... he seems to have healed a bit on his own now that he's stopped keeping everything bottled up inside, and perhaps the urgency of the Nightfall crisis will help him focus even more on the positives of being who he is. But however you're going to handle it, I can't wait for the ride!!  Kathy ETA, from AmyPrime: Gee, if only there were someone who knew how to sew.... I have no idea whether this will actually happen, but the idea that it could circle back to this had me  Great catch, Amy!
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Oh THANK YOU for posting this early!! I absolutely love the direction this has taken and I cannot wait until the next part. OMG i can't wait!
Love that Lois is taking charge here and thinking ahead. Absolutely amazing stuff here!
LOIS:I don't like you.
MAYSON: Really? Oh god, that is such a relief - I don't like you either.
LOIS: That makes me feel so much better
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
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Delightful. Loved Lois's conditions, delighted to the interaction between Lois and Scardino.
Good to hear Shadbolt will be back and helping.
Now if Shadbolt could just hand the globe to Clark with a "I savaged this from the cleanup" remark.
Picture Clark touching the globe and he and Lois and Shadbolt seeing and hearing the hologram of Jor El.
Clark learning who he is, and later being introduced to the world as Kal El, Last Son of Krypton just prior to flying up to stop the asteroid.
In this 'Verse is there a Space Station Prometheus?
If so perhaps some of their staff could be suited up ready to rescue Clark. It always bugged me in the series we have this space station, why were they out in space in support of Superman when he made the attempt to stop the asteroid?
If you do have Clark fall back to Earth, can you do it "Superman Returns" style? The massive impact, the full deploying of EMS, the huge crowds. It would go a long way to helping Clark to feel accepted and to be willing to continue as a Superman.
Framework4
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Back again to tell you how much I loved this. I loved the conversation with Scardino. Loved the sense of urgency. Loved how Clark came when Lois called. Loved how she didn't even have to yell. Loved how she knew he'd come. Loved "honey". The conversation between Lois and Clark was perfect. Clark's need to do what he has to do without showing the alien to the world, and Lois's reasoned response, coaxing him into inventing Superman. Very true about Martha. If she sees a superpowered alien saving Earth she'll know it's her son, no matter his disguise. Perfect way to bring them back together again. In the last chapter, most of the emphasis was on Clark and his feelings at seeing the "Alien" article, but all I could think of was Martha, reading that her son was dead.  can be a "favorite") was this: If he had agreed to her suggestion ... to begin kissing her and allow things to progress ... so much could have gone wrong. What if he hurt her physically? What if he did something that allowed her to see through the veneer of his counterfeit humanness and glimpse the animal that lurked underneath?
His body had been so tempted. His mind had been so torn. His heart had been so afraid. I loved that image. Him afraid she'd see through the "veneer of his counterfeit humanness and glimpse the animal that lurked underneath".
"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution" - Daniel Webster
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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What an awesome chapter! And so begins the birth of Superman. Love it! The loose ends are starting to be tied together nicely, very believable solutions to all their issues. I am soooo looking forward to the next chapter! Bring on Supes!  Cheers Elizabeth
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,122 Likes: 1 |
Now that I've posted 29, I can reply here with more freedom! Vicki Posting early - I was asked at the Kerth Ceremony if I would consider posting earlier than the Monday I had mentioned. Glad you liked it I loved the conversation with Scardino. Loved the sense of urgency. I appreciate that comment. After I'd posted it, I re-read the part, and thought it was a bit rough. By that time it was getting late, and I was too tired to attempt to fix it. I'm so glad that what seemed to my tired brain to be a lack of polish came across as a sense of urgency! I loved that image. Him afraid she'd see through the "veneer of his counterfeit humanness and glimpse the animal that lurked underneath". I don't think it's easy for anyone to feel they have to pretend to be someone other than who they are. I think for Clark in any situation, it's an on-going theme. He feels the need to fit in - therefore he has to pretend he's human/normal, even though he knows he's not. And in this fic, that's accentuated because he's been told so often that not human/not normal is so bad. MozartMaid The asteroid very quickly turned being super-powered into an asset! Amy Good pick up ... and exactly right. I wanted Clark to become Superman because of the 180 degree turn-around from despised prisoner to world-saving hero. I also wanted him to wear the blue suit and red cape. But with no Martha, I needed another seamstress. I also needed the readers to see Shadbolt as more than a grumpy old guard. This way took care of both situations - and Clark even fixed the sewing machine that made his suit!! Vicki PMed me about a week ago, speculating that Layla would make the Suit. to both of you.  DW This Clark has been through so much, but he is still *Clark". I think one of the major themes in this fic is that 'love conquers all', but your comment is certainly another important theme. Clark is so strong (not just physically) that they couldn't change who he is - he's damaged, but he's still Clark. Kathy I found your comments about Clark's recovery to be really interesting, because I hadn't meant to portray him as being that much recovered. I was thinking that it showed he had regained the ability to *act* OK - and his initial concern about Lois wiped everything else from his mind. Your point is valid because he *did* offer to continue the therapy. However, I meant to leave it open as whether (as Lois had predicted) they would just keep getting back to the same point and stalling. Trail has been 'two steps forward, one step back'. This was definitely a step forward. But doesn't that mean a step back is coming? Bellarase I absolutely love the direction this has taken and I cannot wait until the next part. For me, one of the scary things about posting a story in parts is that you all get the chance to speculate/ponder on how the story will pan out. I love that you do that, but it doesn't guarantee that anyone is going to like the direction I choose. The asteroid development could be seen as unbelievably expedient - I've been with the reaction to it. Thanks! Patrick Space exporation is not an area I know much about, so I stuck fast to Lois's POV. Clark has already seen the globe - that's how he knows he's from Krypton. However, it was just a small part during some of LnC's initial conversations in the cell. Elizabeth I'm so glad the solutions are believable. Laura Wow! That is an incredibly descriptive piece of writing. I notice you haven't posted any stories in a long time (I think I've seen stories of yours way back when.) Perhaps your muse is stirring!! Anyway, I'm that you took the time to compose such a lovely piece in response to my fic. (And I'm glad you kept reading without waiting for 29 - it wasn't as bad as you'd feared, was it? ) Many thanks for such indepth and encouraging FDK. Corrina.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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LOL Corrina, yes I dabbled a few times in nfic. It isn't my strongest talent. I'll stick to the visual arts for now. No it was not as bad as I imagined, I just needed to whine about it I think ;-). Thanks again. What a great great story! Laura
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,956 Likes: 28 |
 Off to FDK for 29  Michael
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,122 Likes: 1 |
Laura I'm glad it was smoother than you were fearing. Michael Loved your comment about Scardino. Ah, yes. I do have to say, this sounds must less like acquiescence than stirred hormones and the realization that sitting in the Arctic didn't flash-freeze them at all. Interesting take! Thanks, Corrina.
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Laura