Feedback goes here. I'd love to know which version you liked the best and if you have any suggestions as to how to present this type of story better. It was fun writing such similar but different stories. Thanks for reading!

scifiJoan

Nicely done. Both versions were well thought out and executed successfully.

I would assume that the gentle readers would favor the 3/3 ending because it gives us a Lois and Clark happily ever after.

Since I'm not a fan of Desperate Housewives I prefer this ending also.

But really, I enjoyed the first part the most... can you guess why?

Tank (who has never been fond of the Susan character as written in the bits that I have seen)

I like version #2 for the reason Tank says. Happy ending for L&C.

Plus, I'm a big fan of alternate-universe fics.

It feels to me like the first ending is really a Desperate Housewives story with a nod to Superman. The characters in the first ending aren't really Lois and Clark, but Susan and an actor playing Superman. The second ending feels like a true Lois and Clark story. The characters really are Lois and Clark. I loved the way you ended it, and, unlike Mouserocks, I'm taking the liberty to assume that as soon as she recognizes Clark as Clark her decision is made.

Really, Happy? I thought the first ending felt like a past (future?) lives version of L&C. (mini soul mates episode) Where they know they were meant for each other but they had already met other people, so it wasn't to be. Kind-of bittersweet.

I'm with you. Rockin' part #3. Poor Susan/Lois with her Sophie's choice dilemma though. Best to end it there. I know which husband I'd choose! But then again I don't watch DH.

I'm personally think this would be a terrific way to end DH at the end of this season. Kind of a nod to the iconic Bob Newark Show's ending. And both shows (L&C and DH) were/are ABC shows...

*nods* I agree with you here, Happy. That's definitely the feel I got from each story. My point was that, with no plans to further the second one, I liked the first better. Version #1 left you with that wistful "perhaps" feeling, and Version #2 had me up and running around in circles wondering what would happen. Not that the second reaction's a bad thing, just the first fits my current mood more.

And, as I subscribe to both shows, it's a little difficult for me to brush off and just assume Clark was her choice... not to say he shouldn't be, because he is the right choice. I don't know. This had many good points, but I just wasn't looking for that sort of conflict right now. I'll come back to this in two weeks and change my mind again.

Thanks for all the feedback! It's great to hear your thoughts. I was thinking this version would be more popular since it's our Lois and Clark. It's interesting that some of you have different thoughts about the ending of version 2. Some assume it will be happy and others aren't sure. I have a feeling it depends on how invested you are in Desperate Housewives.

Mouserocks:

I feel the same way too.

Tank

I was going to try to expand the hair cut issue in version 2 with her looking into the mirror and feeling she was seeing someone else but it didn't work out. I thought it might be easier for the reader to imagine Susan as Lois with the haircut too.

IolantheAlias

I like Alt-universes too. You can have so much fun playing with them.

HappyGirl

Excellent point. When I was writing it, I was thinking more of Teri and Dean acting it out on DH, but you're right. It's not really Lois and Clark.

VirginiaR

Yeah! That's what I was going for.

That would be fun.

Thanks again!

Joan

Absolutely *wonderful*!

I too am a DH fan, need I say that is because Teri is one of the principles.

I aplaud you on your integration of the two story lines.

The closing line would bring a tear to the eye. Weeping for joy.

Thanks KenJ! I'm glad to hear the two storylines worked well. It was fun to play around with

I'm really glad to hear that. I was hoping that one line would be enough to convey that she was remembering who she was.

Joan

Great story! I'll admit upfront that I know nothing about Desperate Housewives (though my sister watched it and assured my Lois is the best character on the show), but even if I did watch it, I think I'd prefer the second ending. I'm very much a happy ending person, and the first ending was just too melancholy, too inherently sad.

The second, however, was perfect. For such a short story, I thought you did a marvelous job of showing us just how sad and anguished and desperate Clark is--but you went a step further and showed the integrity of his character even in the midst of such grief when he assured her that he wouldn't force her to come back to him. You definitely could go on and have a great story of her returning to Metropolis (surely HG Wells would have a way of bringing back this universe's Susan) and have her trying to adjust to life, trying to remember everything that happened in her real life, and seeing what Clark has gone through in raising a kid all by himself, how life has move don at the Planet.

The amazing thing I'm so impressed with is that in so few words, you conveyed all of that to us. I imagined all these things just while reading yours--and that's the mark of a great story: to energize and exercise the imagination of those reading!

AntiKryptonite: You bring up an interesting point I hadn't really thought about.

While Lois as Susan loves Mike and MJ and would be upset to leave them, she wasn't always in that dimension. Finding that universe's Susan would allow Lois to return to her rightful place with Superman, knowing that Mike and MJ would be okay.

You made my day with this:

Thanks again!!

Joan

Hi Joan, I've just read these stories. I've watched a couple of Desperate Housewives episodes (mostly because of Teri) but I never got into it. The second ending was (probably obviously) my favourite, but they're both very good. I think I tried to come up with a DH crossover once, but never really got any further than simply *wanting* Susan to be Lois and for Clark to come and take her back. I think you did a brilliant job of combining the shows. Thanks for sharing both versions.

- Alisha

Awww! Cute!

Aww, him sad makes me sad.



(Extra points for tossing in my favorite villain.)

More extra points for the nod to Dean's son.

Yay! She remembers! And presumably go with him!

Nice little fic! I definitely enjoyed it!

And, oh yeah, I totally liked this ending better than the first.

Alisha

Glad to hear you liked both versions. It makes sense that most L&C fans like version 2 better.

Deadly Chakram

You know, I'd forgotten that was the name of his son. I was thinking more along the lines of Christopher Reeves.

Thanks for reading!

I stumbled across this little one during the Kerth quizzes. What a refreshing tale. And eerie. And sad. I never could reconcile how to solve the Clark/Mike/Susan issue. Until now.

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I guess, now that they killed Susan's husband off on Desperate Housewives, Lois is free to return to Metropolis with her son. Thanks, Joan, for providing a happy note to the way they're ending Desperate Housewives.

Michael