I leave for Canada next week. I'm hoping to get this story finished during the flight. I don't know how much internet access I'll have for the next month - not to mention that I'll be busy in the lead-up to my son's wedding.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this part.

Corrina.

Clark was able x-ray Lioli? Hmmm... Either his powers were coming back the whole time and Clark was just suppressing them or there's stuff in the village to prevent them from returning. He might be able to explain away the hippo by saying it was an adrenaline rush (which it sounds like it might have been) but not his reassuring Lois that Lioli would be fine.

So he's going to tell her all? Good. Regardless of what happens next, this secret will no longer be between them.

NIce now we are getting somewhere.

I agree with Christina that Clark must have x-rayed Matty's daughter to discover the lack of broken bones. Other than the boys and Lois witnessing Clark and the hippo (and no, Clark, nobody is going to believe you could knock over a hippo on an adrenaline rush nudge. Sorry.), he was also witnessed super speeding through the jungle by Romaric.

Once again I'm guilty of putting western attitude onto the Bangala, as Romaric shows he's really a good guy. A village of all-trusting Clarks. It sounds like paradise. I could see why Lois wants to stay and Clark wants to leave. It's hard when you're usually the best guy out there, and suddenly, you aren't. Not that THIS Clark has ever felt as if he were the 'best guy' out there, or canon Clark would ever admit to being the 'best guy'. (Just joking, I know that's not why Clark feels the need to return to Metropolis.)

Maybe he did. Did Kent check the ground for shattered snake fangs? No.

The third man. I knew she wasn't talking about Romaric.

Kent has certainly cemented Diddi's admiration for him. First he can fly (or close to it in Diddi's estimation), and now he's super fast and super strong. No way Diddi's ever going to let this guy go. He's such Lois's son, taking Clark hand to make sure that Clark can't run off.

Having a house full of kittens at the moment, I must say getting a hippo to move is much easier. If the kitten wants to climb up your arm and stick his nose in your ear and purr until your eyes cross, there's no way you're going to dissuade him, no matter how many times you set him on the floor. Just trust me on this.

Oh, no, Clark, don't believe that. A monster tells her husband she's pregnant with his child when she's not and then tells the press that her husband beat her when he didn't. A monster is someone who fills you full of green rock and drops you from a plane. A monster picks up a hippo and drops it on a little girl, instead of saving the girl. YOU are not a monster.

So moving. I don't know about having Lois being your judge, jury, and executioner, but this Lois might do all right at the job.

Have a fun trip!

Clark's powers are coming back. Or maybe they just were there, and he needed to feel like using them.

So far no one has had a negative response to Clark. However I can see why with Lana being the only one he has ever opened up to he has major fear.

Have a good flight Corrina. I'm sure you will be very busy with the wedding, so we will wait patiently for the next part.
Great part. Maybe Clark will finally be able to face his fears. I hope so.

Great part!!

Oh, Corrina, remember that there are free wifi spots all over the place. Lots of restaurants have it available for their customers (not that I want you to sit and post while on vacation, I'm just sayin' )

Have a safe and happy time in Canada and California!!

LOL, Kismatt. I'm currently using free wi-fi at LAX. Two more flights to go!!

I'm also able to charge my computer, so I can continue writing.

Hi Corrina,

First, congratulations for your son's wedding! I'm sure you must be quite happy and excited!
Second, thank you for having posting so soon this part.
And third ; ) if despite all the things you have to do, you succeed to finish the next part, don't hesitate, send it, I'm waiting and I'm sure not the only one eager to know how Clark will handle the situation.

Have a great time in Canada,
Hannah.

That was awesome! I can see why Lois has been terrified of that loose end. I love how Romaric treats it so matter-of-factly.

Not only did Clark push aside a hippo, he also beat Romaric on his home turf by at least a minute.

And I love how he realizes that he needs to stop running. Something tells me he's going to be surprised.

Aaaaah! His powers are back! And everybody saw him.... Humm... I'm pretty sure that bangala people won't reject him, neither Lois of course!!!

Definitely agree with Kissmatt! Please! Find some Starbucks!! Or some other place with free WiFi!!!

Enjoy your vacations and the wedding

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm ready for this charming tale to reappear. I tend to agree with others that Clark has been suppressing - or at least not using - his powers, probably because of his shattered heart. Now that he knows he has them back again, will he sit in mid-air for Lois to prove that he can fly? (I doubt he wants to reveal that aspect of himself to everyone right now.) Or will he take a knife and show her that his skin is impenetrable? Will he light a fire just by looking?

And now that he knows Lois' huge secret, how will she deal with that? How will she approach him now? Maybe she'll be ashamed of her snap response and ask his forgiveness. Maybe she'll be angry that he kept that side of himself from her. Maybe she'll ask him if he can take care of the boar that's been roaming around outside the village.

And will they join forces, go back to Metropolis, and take Tempus down so hard he'll bounce into next week? Will they agree to separate forever because Lois can't leave her life with the Bangala? Or will Clark decide he can't leave Lois and stay with the tribe?

Or will Tempus somehow hear about the white woman healer and the strong white man living with the Bangala and come to visit with malice aforethought?

So many questions yet to be resolved. Hurry, Corrina! Get back home from your son's wedding (which I'm sure was wonderful) and let us know what happens next! Because all the best stories, according to Sam Gamgee, leave us wanting to know what happens next.

And he's right.

So hanging out for another instalment of this story!

Hope everything's ok and you're just having too much fun to finish this, but here's hoping you come back soon!

Thanks so much for the fdk and prompts. I had a wonderful time; the wedding was an incredibly special day.

When I got home, I decided I didn't want to post any more parts of this story until it was finished so there would be no further long breaks. I am currently working on the final chapter. I will finish writing it, send it off to the BRs, do a final edit, and then begin posting again. And this time, you should get a new part every few days.

Thanks again for your patience.

Corrina.

Good news all around!

Great news Corrina!

Thank you, eager to read the continuation of your story! : )

Oh wow, I really have missed a lot. Congratulations!

Welcome back, Corrina!

I love this story! Just thought I would give it a bump. Hopefully you will start posting soon!!!

Kathy
www.chili-everyway.com

Wow! I just re-read all the lovely FDK and good wishes from this thread. Thank you all so much.

My son's wedding was an incredible day. It was the coldest I have ever been (-36C) but the Canadian welcome was very warm and friendly.

When I last posted, I thought this fic would be 39 parts. One reason for the delay is that it took an extra part to finish. However, parts 36-39 are betaed and mostly ready, and part 40 is written.

So, the next part should appear very soon. And the rest of the story should follow reasonably quickly.

Can I just re-mention that this story was written as the first of two? This means that not all the ends will be tied up by the end of Part 40.

The sequel is called 'Twice Healed'. Since arriving back from Canada, life has been hectic, so I can't give you any idea of when the sequel might be posted. I haven't started it yet, and there are quite a few other projects ahead of it on my 'to do' list.

One of those projects is a little story called, 'The Wedding'. I hope to post the first part on Valentine's Day.

Again, I really appreciate everyone who has remained interested in this story. Your encouragement and patience with the delays are two reasons why I continued to write when, at times, it would have been easier to stop.

Corrina.