Boy, there’ve been three proposals now and still no engagement! What do I have to do to get these kids to agree to tie the knot?

Oh, and I thought you might want to see this:



I don’t dare open it up, though. Otherwise, we’re definitely in nfic territory.

I really struggled to find a picture of Claude. I’m sort of worried that the picture I finally chose might be of a guy too young to be Claude since I see him as someone in his mid-30s. What do you guys think? I’m so bad at judging age.

ML

He's too good looking.

Yeah, he works as a Claude for me. Although, I've always pictures Claude as blond. But that's just me.

That Randy Goode is no good! How dare he tell Superman who he can and cannot date? Love? Live with? Ha! Like his life is any more clean!

Oh, dear, Clark took out the trash. Hopefully, it isn't that time of the month and it will be in the tabloids tomorrow that Superman is sterile! (Can so picture that happening in tomorrow's edition of National Inquistor, Daily Whisper, Daily Inquistor, The Whispering Inquistor What in the world is the name of that rag?!)

Speaking of rag-writing reporters (and I'm using the term loosely), what's up with Nunk and Lemont in Smallville? Are they going to give up? Or is all this Smallville solidarity going to make them try harder? Why do I think they're going to bump into Lana Lang soon? <<shudder, if she's anything like alt-Lana>>

Hmmm. Toby Raynes refused to write about Claude's Love Fortress tell-all. May Toby have first hand exposure to Claude-ster's evil ways? Hhhmmmm. Curious! Could he be switching sides to the pro-CK side?

Yea, Perry!

First, a terrific part. I loved how all of Smallville just "happened" to be shut down. Why does the phrase "circling the wagons" come to mind? Small town folk do take care of their own. I wonder what their opinion is on whether CK is S? (I know that the answer, frankly, isn't very important to them. Clark is Clark, whether or not he dons tights.)

Your picture of Claude doesn't work for me: He looks too slimy. (Yes, he *is* slimy, but part of his sliminess is that he, like Lex, appears charming to one not in the know.) But as to the rest of the front page, especially the image of Lois...Let's just say I don't blame her for hitting the roof. I feel like I need a cleansing shower after just looking at it. (In other words... Well done!)

Ummm... Hasn't Clark been doing *everything* in this trilogy blindly? This feels rather like a Tom Swifty to me.

Looking forward to the next part.

Joy,
Lynn

Finally Clark is growing up and acting as a mature man. Bravo! Glad that he followed Perry's advice. If they want to survive this storm they have to be together because they're stronger this way.

I agree with Lynn. And I imagine Claude like this:



Or this...



But Claude is not important. Claude is past. Clark is the future (of course, if they are able to save Clark's secret).

Andreia

Good job!

Great part. Love the magazine cover. Always looking forward to more.

Andreia's second picture is very close to my idea of what Claude would look like.

BTW, Is Arigato's first name "Dom" (as it was in part 6 and the top of part 7) or "Don" (as it appears in the middle of part 7)? The former would keep the pun better, but the latter is a more common name , at least in my neck of the woods.

Joy,
Lynn

Glad you're still enjoying the story.

The name should have been Dom. But I only used that name because someone in the fanfic related thread had found that as the name of a Star Reporter in the commics. But I've changed the name now to something completely different because I think it's a little distracting to the story. Don't worry, though, because he doesn't show up in the story again. I just wanted a different reporter other than Toby because I thought that story was too scumy for her to write.

Anyway, thanks for the comments. Next part should be up at midnight EST.

ML

I think the photo you chose of Claude is fine as far as the age goes, but UW's photos do a good job of capturing how I've personally always pictured him. I think it's the longer, 'sex symbol' like hair. The photo on the magazine is a bit too close to Clark's shorter dark hair, IMO. But certainly there is no right or wrong in casting a character we've never seen.

Anyone else think that L&C need to head back to Smallville for awhile? They'd have a lot more peace and quiet than they do in Metropolis. Those Smallville folks are doing a fabulous job of keeping out the riff-raff!

Loved the convo with Bill and how he was able to convey his coded message to Clark so well. Smart men, both of them.

The only quibble I have with this chapter is that Clark *again* said he felt he should distance himself from Lois. I totally get why you had Lois express those same doubts -- it's a nice way to parallel his earlier lunkheadedness, and gives them each the opportunity to see things from the other's perspective -- but Clark saying it *again* just annoyed me. I could see him perhaps confessing his worries to Perry, in a "I know it's wrong, but I can't help but feel guilty, like if she weren't with me, none of this would have happened" and then Perry can reassure him and point out that Lois needs him more than ever, etc. But for him to actually go all the way back to his earlier plan to distance himself seems to negate all the progress they made after their big fight. And I find that very frustrating -- not in a "Aww, poor adorable lunkheaded Clark" kind of way, but "Argh, how unattractive that makes him look!"

Kathy

I'll think about that, Kathy. What I really wanted was for Clark to get a fresh perspective on the topic, but I might be able to do that differently.

Anyway, next part is ready to go and will be up shortly.

ML

Thanks for the visual!

Uuuumm... she never actually had "sexual relations" with that man. He always used a Cuban cigar.

Isn't that article a tad misogynistic? And given that these dirt rags are likely mostly bought not by middle-aged men, wouldn't that anger the core readership? Unless, they can stand up on their high horse, and point to *those* women who give the entire gender a bad name.

Umm... That was 10 years after that article came out On an unrelated subject: How about the long list of double-crossing strumpets who first shagged the Big Bad only to then spread their thighs for James Bond and help him in killing previously mentioned Big Bad. It's only with Paris Carver, that the Big Bad got rid of his strumpet before she could more than sleep with James Bond (okay, still out of the time frame, but couldn't pass up on the reference )

You haven't tried her then? Otherwise, you wouldn't ask?

So, thanks for that hilarious editorial.

Now look at that!

Isn't that the second time her thoughts drifted in that direction in this story?

/raises eyebrow/

Ahhhh!

Oooooooh!



Oh boy!

/waves/ Michael

Smallville defending their own! Love everyone's determination to protect the Kent's and their son. Leo Nunk and Lamont will never want to go anywhere outside of New Troy again.

Uh, I have to disagree with the Claude photos. Lois described him in the pilot as older and more experienced. Although these guys are yummy on all levels, they are not nearly slimy enough or old enough to be the man (or creep) in question.

Love the way you are bring Mindy, the future Mrs. Church into the picture.

All in all this is a very enjoyable read.

Morgana mentioned:
Yeah, but remember that Lois was 21 at the time. "Older and more experienced" very easily could have meant 30. To Jimmy, or a new DP intern, Lois and Clark, in their mid-to-late-20's, are the "older and more experienced" stars at the paper. Would a fresh-out-of-college Lois let herself get seduced by a 40+ year old Lothario? I would think the warning bells would be ringing too loudly for to happen, even for a girl with Daddy issues. (Plus I think Perry would have put a stop to something like that before it even started.)

Kathy