I was going to leave you with a bit of a cliff hanger (wondering if Lois had a boy or a girl or if everything went all right), but then I thought - no. This is where this section should end - with the first meeting between mother and son. (See - I’m not completely evil. I have a mushy side, too.)

ML

AWWWWWW!!!


TEEEEEJ

Another wonderful part, and what a great way to end it. Now you need to come back and satisfy us on Clark's side of the tale!


Elizabeth

Another great part! So she named him Charlie, uh? Bet that'll jog the memories of some of the girls who thought they knew who the father was. What's going on with Clark? We haven't seen him in a couple of parts. I love this story so far and can't wait to find out what happenes next. Any chance of getting the next part early?

Back for another two cents worth, LOL.

I was thinking... Clark hasn't been back to 'visit' Lois in at least 6 months. Now I really am wondering what has been happening with Clark in the future!

Seems to me that Lois is subconsciously remembering Clark, but she just doesn't realize it. Wonder what it will take to trigger full memory!

Loving where you are taking this story. Keep the parts rolling on in.


Elizabeth

I do hope she remembers something soon, maybe some of the sorority girls will help jog her memory.

Looking forward to the next chapter. Hoping its early.

That was a lovely, moving chapter. Sam and Ellen's reaction to Lois was heartbreaking. Perry's, though, was wonderful. He is assuming his role as surrogate father to Lois. It is a role that suits him so well.

And the sorority girls assumed the role of Lois's surrogate sisters, or at least they stood up for her and supported her. That too was wonderful. And they, her sorority sisters, figured that they knew who the father of Lois's baby is. I'd say they are right. Lois, you should ask them.

And the baby is a boy! And Lois named him Charlie! That was the best thing of all here. Yes, some part of Lois does remember Clark.

Ann

I was really touched by the sorority sisters. Having a baby in college is rottenly difficult even now, but imagine 1988.

Maybe 1997 isn't all blown up because of time paradoxes. Maybe it's all blown up because Lois didn't even *investigate* the Congo story, and the gunrunners became nukerunners who blew everything up.

I also think that Lois' subconscious remembers Clark - but because she knew him as Charlie longer than as Clark, the name "Charlie" somehow stuck - and it was so sweet of her to name the baby Charlie!

Great that the sorority sisters supported Lois like that

Will the next part be Clark's perspective and what happened in 1997?

Well done.

So when Clark shows up and Charlie looks just like him...
But then I got to thinking, if Lois doesn't die in the congo there won't be any opening when Clark applies. so he will end up in another city working with Linda King, who will recall she'd seen him somewhere and who when she see Lois and her son Charlie....

First, to deal with a subject I raised in the comments for the last part... What does Beta Beta stand for?

Michael guessed: Boobs and Booze.

That was incorrect.

Lynn guessed: Beers and Babes

Also incorrect. Then Lynn asked:

Sort of, but... there is no 'and' between the two words.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the comments. And for those of you wondering... Clark will indeed get some face time in the next section.

ML

I did miss Clark this part but I do understand why you couldn't include him. After all, then we would have known that Lois didn't abort or offer Charlie up for adoption. As if.

As for why he hasn't shown up. Well, if this new timeline means Lois will be safe and sound till they meet again he wouldn't come back just to tell her she wasn't raped and that the kid is his and drop off some money. Which would probably be forgery anyhow. One needs to keep things in perspective here.

I do wonder if Sam and Ellen are simply trying to enforce their will or if they do it because they don't want Lois to raise a child they think was conceived by rape. And how did they know about the GHB, as in, did Lois tell them after Clark was gone that she was the one drugged but got away?

Perry was great. LOL on the amendment. Isn't it great if the law protects you from having to admit to your fluffy side? And allows you to teach a hotshot reporter a lesson.

The broken water scene was hilarious.

I kept wondering about Lois moving into the sorority house. Say, is Ellen also paying for it?

Plus Linda of all people dropped the first hint about the father

As for the quotes...
To be fair, she did try more than once

Yes. Condoms. And what they are meant for.

/C-3PO voice/ Wonderful! We are now a part of the tribe.

And even if it's pointless, I'm going to reiterate my plea for you to show mercy to your poor, tortured followers.


Oh, and did I mention I loved the part, even if I kept reading with the tightly knotted stomach?

Michael

Beginning a New Road?

or...

Beginning a New Life?

Sorry. Nope.

ML

A truly sad turn of events.

Tank (who says for all the 'bad' things he has been accused of doing to Lois over the years nothing he's ever done compares with the cruelty of what ML has done to Lois here)

Another terrific part!

How about "Bagging Babes" or "Bedding Babes" for Beta Beta? Or maybe just "Bad Behaviour"?

Joy,
Lynn

Lynn is the closest so far, but still no cigar.

Tank - I did consider putting a 'Tank Warning' on this story (of course, I would have meant something different by it than is normally meant by such a warning. ). Would it help to know that when Lois realized she was pregnant, she got her hair cut to make it easier to take care of?

ML

Beta Beta = Bad Boys ???

Yay!!!!

The other one is much harder to guess!

Can we have the next part early as the prize? LOL

Thanks for sharing your writing with us; enjoying every word.

Cheers
Elizabeth

Alpha Nu Rho

I'll give you guys a hint as to what's behind Alpha Nu Rho. The sorority was founded after Nellie McClung gave a lecture in Metropolis: http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/World%20History/3517.htm

ML

would be the Nu Nu Nu version?

Michael

Another Nellie Rises?

A Nellie Reborn?

A New Road?

Ann

Accept (or Allow) No Retreat? Accept (or Allow) No Restraints?

Joy,
Lynn

Wow. Lots of great guesses happening here.

Okay, so first things first:

Michael: 'Nu Nu Nu' does stand for "Never retreat. Never explain. Never apologize. Just get the thing done and let them howl."

That expression always reminds me of Lois.

So... Alpha Nu Rho... is a take off on that. So far, no one has quite figured it out - although one of Lynn's guesses is closest.

But... don't look for the obvious. It's a little more subtle than that.

Or... maybe it's just a whole lot simpler than that.

ML

This chapter melted my heart. I am angry at Sam and Ellen -- and certainly hope they come to their senses now that the baby is here -- but the fact that Lois has so many good friends is so incredibly wonderful. And even Linda got her roundabout comeuppance!

I'm so proud of Lois for how well she's handled everything, and I love Perry more than ever. And to know that Lois has the support of not just Molly, but of her entire house, is fabulous.

But, of course, the part that got me the most was "Charlie". WaFF, WaFF, WaFF!!

I have no guesses on the names of the houses, but I'm enjoying seeing everyone's theories unfold.

Oh, but a couple typos to check for before you archive -- the date on Lois's "water breaking" scene is given as August 1988, but the shower was in April 1987. Either one of those is wrong, or that's one hell of a long pregnancy. Also, as much as I love the mental picture of Linda being a social leaper (did she join Lois and Teddy in gymnastics? ), I think you mean social leper.

Kathy

Oops. Thanks, Kathy. I'll make those changes.

Anyway, just to let you know that I'm working on the next part and will have it up at midnight.

ML