Post feedback, good or bad, here.

I hate to say this, but I'm confused. It's ibvious to me that this is different from canon, but I can't figure out for the life of me how. Here's some questions I had by the end...

CJ=Clark? Or someone else?

Just WHY would Luthor give the Superman Foundation that money? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks for commenting.

CJ = Clark Jonathan - not Clark Jerome. CJ is Lois's son.

As to Luthor, his reason for leaving his estate as he did is in the title - I didn't know. That is the crux of the story. What doesn't Luthor know?

I purposely left gaps but it all fits together if you ponder for a bit.

What doesn't Luthor know?

Interesting premise, but it would really help if the readers had more hints to work with.

These hints might make for follow-up parts which provide clues for what Lex did not know.

Thanks for reading.

A fairly big clue is in the last paragraph.

The story on it's own reads more like a teaser (or prologue) to a larger story so on it's own I'd say it's incomplete. I do encourage you to flesh it out a little more though.

I'm afraid I have to agree with the other commenters. I've read it twice, both before and after reading your responses here, and I'm no closer to figuring out what you're trying to imply. I surmised right away that CJ must be Lois's son, but the rest of it ... sorry, I'm lost! I get the feeling from your responses to the feedback that you've got something in there you think is obvious, and you're frustrated that we can't see it as clearly as you can. But I think you're going to need to give the readers a bit more to go on. It sounds like the prologue to a what could be a very interesting AU storyline. I hope you'll take it and expand on it. Good luck!

Kathy

I agree with everyone else. You've written an intriguing piece, but I, too, am confused.

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My nearest guess about what has happened: In this AU, Luthor disliked Superman but liked Clark Jerome Kent. He killed Superman and, only as Superman lay dying did he realize somehow that CK=S. He was overcome with remorse for having killed Clark as well, and therefore committed suicide. What his suicide note referred to was that he hadn't known CK=S. Lois either witnessed the murder or else pieced together what had happened. The "real" obit would mention Clark's dual identity, and would therefore be kept secret at least until after the deaths of everyone who was near to Clark and who could be hurt if Superman's secret identity were to be made public.

Randi, am I close?

Joy,
Lynn

As per Lynn's speculation, note the last paragraph. Peace was at hand. Luthor, by the time this story unfolds, no longer hates Superman and has pretty much stopped his attacks on Superman. So no, Superman does not die at Luthor's feet.

I've posted this story on another fic site and am thinking of doing a follow-up so I won't say more. Not to give anything away.

It is a death fic as I noted - a "soft" one. Realizing folks here don't like death fics I won't post a follow-up here, if I do one, cause it would have to go into the kind of details readers here don't like to read and I will respect that.

I, like most, am very confused, but intrigued as well. Where, pray tell, might I find this second update? And I think you've probably caused enough confusion here that you might just post it here too maybe?

As near as I can figure, Lex must have found out about CK=S and felt remorse for one of two scenarios. (A) Superman has died, either as a direct result from Lex's actions or otherwise, and Lex realizes that he is indeed his friend and Lois' husband. Of course, Lex feels guilt for the, um, dispatching of her husband and kills himself with the note saying "I didn't know." But of course, I would feel that if that were the case then Lois would have reacted a bit more strongly than she did here. In which case I would guess (b) that Lex has given up on the kill-Superman pipe dream but perhaps somehow Superman/Clark are gone already. Perhaps Lex didn't know that Lois was *really* Superman's gal, or discovered CJ was a bit super himself, and then felt bad for everything he used to do. Ooohh, or caused something else. (C) Clark and Lois and CJ are all okay, but maybe lost another family member like a child. That would be evil.

Anyways. So basically what I'm saying is that I would be interested in more.

CJ is really Lex's son?

Mouserocks, thanks for your comments. I have not written a follow-up to the story yet. I intended it to be a stand-alone. At the other site I have received a number of PM's asking for "the rest of the story". I have it all in place in my mind and may do the "sequel". Not sure yet.

Weird thing, this is my 4th fic and I guess I like writing dark fics even more than reading them - LOL! All have been tradgedies.

I am a tease at heart too - all 4 fics leave a lot of open questions for the reader to fill in.

As to Lois and Lex - I'll add that Lois sheds a number of tears at Lex's funeral.

Hi Randi!
Welcome to the boards!

That’s odd…

Oh? That Clark's Superman since that's the most obvious secret. Or that CJ is Clark's son instead of Lex's.

CJ? She got a child from Clark?

Huh? Something scared him straight? Nah…

Something really did scare him. A. Lot.

Huh. Okay, you *have* to tell us the rest. Did he have terminal cancer?

Michael

Edit: Oh, look. Part two's already posted

Thanks for the welcome.

I'll just say nothing scares Lex. Not even Superman.