FDK: In a Better Place 17 or On behalf of the family... holy freakin' cow!!!!

Yeah, yeah, I'm parking... but I'm being greedy today. Brb! :p

...back!

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She pulled back from him and he let her go immediately, raking an agitated hand through his hair, wondering how to begin to speak to what was between them. The words of his heart so tangled he knew they would never string together coherently.

Wow... gem! That's a great sentence, that last one. And awesome show of emotion right before it.

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He thanked the stars that had guided his ship from Krypton, thanked the currents that had led him to Metropolis, and thanked whomever had designed the Cosmos for this gift, this preview, of loving Lois Lane.

Awwwww!

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Which left him with the Family Council yet to contact. And more specifically, Elise. He would call her and tell her everything.

And in so doing, take her world apart.

Can't you just *feel* the weight on his shoulders?

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He straightened his stance, squaring his shoulders, just as he had seen Clark do. His grin mocked him. Some Superman.

That's just beautiful. That parallel/comparison thingy. He knows as the throwback he'll have some responsibilities, but boy is he having doubts! Poor guy!

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Some had been hard, too heavy to tell... up until today, until this morning in the records room with Clark, who had known those secrets, and understood them in a way no one else ever could.

How very true. And this tells me he's been hiding this from everyone for a while now, though... was he ever quite sure of the extent of his secret? I'm thinking not.

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He wanted exactly that, right? To be off the hook. To have the job placed into hands more competent than his own... which were shaking.

No, he didn't want that. Not really. He's just terrified to death that he's the last person on Earth who could handle being a superhero. And what a nice semi-parallel to how Clark's been feeling all along during his first few days as Superman.

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She picked up immediately, nearly startling the com from his nervous grip. “Well? What did he say? Did he agree? What took so long? I’ve been dying here!”

Oh geez, Elise! Nice choice of words there.

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She remembered the old saw about never meeting your idols; they’re always bound to disappoint you.

Baloney. This one was even better in person.

AWWWWW!!! Love those lines!! Love them!

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Also, she would have missed the whoosh of his exit, which thrilled her to her toes. She’d read about that, but to see it...

Madge pressed one shaking hand over her heart, a chorus of joy like a choir loft of angels sprang to voice inside her head singing over and over, “Oh my God! He’s heeeerrrreeee!”

I feel like I should be dancing or cheering or something...

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The current incarnations of their souls were already present. It was Madge’s job to know that, and though she would never tell, it was her pleasure to work closely with one of them.

OH?!?!?! Petal? Is it really Petal?!

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Right out in the open... alongside dozens of look-alikes...

Tempus. That evil, brilliant bastard. All his bragging had been right. He really was a diabolical genius.

Madge found herself laughing. She almost wished he hadn’t been eaten just so she could tell him so.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

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Pocketing her zip-com and imagining handing it back to her and fussing at her for forgetting it, he headed out the door. He would go back to work. He would finish this, fix this, and get her back.

If there was any justice in the world, that was the way it would be.

Oh that's just beautiful! And... I'm near crying.

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“Our time here has been very...” Lois paused and searched for the word. “Bizarre,” she concluded, in the same instant Clark said, “Wonderful.”

Love that!

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She would remember this. Maybe even cheat horribly and tell it to Fredrick.

Love that too!

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“...a few crumbs,” Lois finished for him.

*snork* LOL!!!

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And Lois was being rude and abrupt! Oh, this was too, too good. Madge knew she didn’t deserve this, but was grateful, all the same. And she would tell Fredrick. How on earth could she not? A newer, more open policy was in the works anyway. She decided quickly that justified it very neatly.

ROTFLMAO!!!! Oh that's just great!!!

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“Right,” Clark said. And then he did the oddest thing. He threw back his head and yelled, “Help, Superman!”

What in the name of...?

Lois looked just as blank as she felt. “Clark, what the hell are you...?”

Clark draped an arm around Lois’s shoulders. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you-”

I'll tell you... I'm so glad no one's near me right now... because they would have seen my face light up and my hands rise from the keyboard to clap with delight. That's right, I clapped! Big dork that I am squealed along with it... but.... YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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“I was on my way when you called,” he blurted at once, “and you will *not* believe what my brother-in-law does for a living.” Catching sight of Madge, the young man holding her assistant’s wife stopped talking at once. “Oh, um, hello.”

Wow... the women in the story are just so great! (I've decided... why use another word than great? it won't lose its meaning, right?

)

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“Sis, this is Gramps,” said Silas with a huge, face-splitting smile. “He’s holding up pretty well for his advanced age, don’t you think?”

“Holy freakin’ cow,” said Elise, then immediately blushed hotly. “I mean, that is, on behalf of the family... uh... holy freakin’ cow.”

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!! And.... another ROTFLMAO for the "on behalf of the family..."

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Lois shrugged. "I'm good at flying with brand new Supermen."

LOL!!!

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And she was back and all business. Or mostly so. Sweet Fredrick, of course, was the owner of her heart and her loyalties, that went without saying, but good heavens she wasn’t dead yet. She felt a little less guilty when Elise, happily married to Hank, as she well knew, wore an identical look when Clark wrapped his free arm around her.

*snicker* LOL

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"If you didn't, we were going to," said Lois pointedly, and Madge felt a thrill of fear... or really, just a thrill. Lois was fussing at her!

ROTFLMAO!!!!

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“You can’t look for what can’t be seen,” Madge tried to say comfortingly, but his chest muscles were so hard against her side she might have just said ‘meow’, she wasn’t sure.

Oh god! I should NOT be cackling with laughter! This is the climatic end of the world scene!!!

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"He's going to be good at this," Elise told Clark quietly, her eyes shining. "I wish I could have known you, but thank you, for whatever you did for him."

Clark looked at the young woman he held. Probably not any younger than he was, he realized, but his granddaughter, all the same. The instant kinship between them felt exactly right. "I honestly don't know who helped who more," he said, just as they burst through the doors and past dozens of dancing and clapping Peacekeepers.

Awwww!!! Now I'm crying because that's so sweet!!!

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To be concluded on Tuesday! Thank you for reading!

Okay... don't kill me guys... actually relieved to see this. Why? Well... I'm going to be SO late for work! Eeep! But, hell! It was worth it! I'll be back later to expound upon all the intelligent things everyone will say.

Sara

Woohoo!!! They're on their way home!!!

But then, as you promised me, it's only a tiny mention. So I can forgive it. Plus, I like Silas. And Petal too. So I hope they meet in part 18!

Okay, I'll be back later if I can think of anything intelligent to say. Or I'll settle for anything even slightly more coherent!

Wendy

I've been sort of spot-reading this story. I know it seems silly, but anyone who knows me can tell you that I hate suspense

.

Anyhow, now that it's almost over I can go back and read it from the beginning. I cheated by reading the end first, but who cares. This is terrific!

Nan

I thought the soulmates that Marge was keeping an eye on were Elise and Hank (I thought that they have something very special going on.

), but now that Wendy mentioned Silas and Petal...I wonder...

Tuesday. It's not that far away.

gerry

I love that conversation between Silas and Elise.

So, Silas is ruining blind dates, huh? Wonder if that's genetic...

"Listen, Silas, I can't talk. It's the end of the world."

"Wait, Elise, listen to me! It's the end of the world!"

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“Holy freakin’ cow,” said Elise, then immediately blushed hotly. “I mean, that is, on behalf of the family... uh... holy freakin’ cow.”

Out of words, hopefully not out of allowed emoticons... "

!!!"

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“You can’t look for what can’t be seen,” Madge tried to say comfortingly, but his chest muscles were so hard against her side she might have just said ‘meow’, she wasn’t sure.

Sorry to do that quote-and-run thing again, but it's the best I can do right now.

And that ending. <Happy sigh>

I'm sorry to see this story coming to a close, CC, but this is coming together better than I could have imagined.

Uhm, right. Need conclusion for post. Uhm... er... *runs up and hugs CC*

Paul

Oh, that was such a great part! Really I'd just rather gush right now instead of making any other comments even though God knows I have a running commentary on almost everything.

I may come back later.

Okay I'm back.

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“Tempus is real,” he blurted. “Tempus is real and he sent Lois Lane and Clark Kent, the originals, our founders, forward into the future. If they can’t get back to their time, get married, have kids, you and I won’t need to put this conversation off until later. We won’t be here to argue it. And... I do not have problems with women.”

Yes! /me punches in the air happily. Go Silas!

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“You’re the woman from EPRAD!” he gasped.

“You *are* the real Superman!” she said simultaneously.

Oh, shut up! I didn't even occur to me that Clark migh recognize her from EPRAD. Thank God. Part 17 has just given me one too many conniptions. Madge shows up in the museum, oh but what if Clark doesn't recognize her...

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“Right,” Clark said. And then he did the oddest thing. He threw back his head and yelled, “Help, Superman!”

Simply ingenious.

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“Holy freakin’ cow,” said Elise, then immediately blushed hotly. “I mean, that is, on behalf of the family... uh... holy freakin’ cow.”

“You practice that speech on the way over?” Silas asked her solemnly. “Because it’s excellent.”

“And I’m Lois,” said Lois. “Introduce me as Grams, Junior, and you’re grounded.”

</gushing>
JD

Hi,

Wow! Great part.

FINALLY!

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“Just get here,” she said. “Wait!” Her shout reached his ears as he was disconnecting. “How did you know they’d been sent into the future?”

“They’re living in the museum.”

The word gets passed! Great part I of the wrap up. I love the dialog. I hope we get to see a little of how they treat each other when they are back in their own time!

Artemis

Loved it, loved it, loved it!!

CC, you're absolutely brilliant at dialogue!

And the way you switch back and forth from poignant emotional moments to comedy is incredible. I'm in awe of your talent and of your imagination!

Absolutely the best story I've read in an extremely long time!!

Irene

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Tempus. That evil, brilliant bastard. All his bragging had been right. He really was a diabolical genius.

I was gonna say that this section just had me dying, roflmao, but you know, that's been covered. Wow! was another big thing I meant to say, but already tagged as well, so I guess I'll just stick with "I really really, really really, like this story." and hope I get what I mean across.

TEEEEJ

Didn't expect so much...humor... at this juncture of the story

I'll be back later to quote my favorite sections.

Hey! I'm back. Promised I would be.

Actually, the whole post was quite entertaining but I think this passage was the one I enjoyed the most: the initial exchange between Elise and Silas:

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“Hank. He said he’d... never mind. Is it important? I guess it is. You’re calling me and you never call me any more. Not unless it’s to beg me to stop fixing you up on blind dates which you botch on purpose, and even then it takes you a few days to get around to it-”

“Usually I can wait as long as it takes for you to run out of words,” he cut-in quickly. “But this is sort of important.”

Elise paused, drawing in a sharp breath. “Any other time, I’d love to hear you out, but things here are really... urgent... so I don’t think I can concentrate on your woman problems right now, Sy.”

“They can’t be more urgent than what I need to tell you.” He raised his voice, knowing she was about to hang up on him. “Can I fly... uh... run over and see you?”

She sighed heavily. “Really, Silas. No. I’m sorry. Any other time, it’s always yes. You know it is. But Hank and I are working on something... vital.”

“Tempus is real,” he blurted. “Tempus is real and he sent Lois Lane and Clark Kent, the originals, our founders, forward into the future. If they can’t get back to their time, get married, have kids, you and I won’t need to put this conversation off until later. We won’t be here to argue it. And... I do not have problems with women.”

“Come over,” Elise squeaked. “Come over this instant. Why did you call, you big doofus? Why didn’t you just break the door in?”

“This seemed more polite.”

“Screw polite,” she retorted.

“Why aren’t you asking me a thousands questions, starting with ‘Am I high?’” he said as he moved to the doorway, then turned back slowly and eyed the window. “Why do I feel like you aren’t surprised?”

“Just get here,” she said. “Wait!” Her shout reached his ears as he was disconnecting. “How did you know they’d been sent into the future?”

“They’re living in the museum.”

He listened closely, but all he could make out were half-strangled exclamations, swear words that raised his eyebrows. He would have sworn before today she didn’t know such an assortment.

He smiled, perversely enjoying one-upping the sister he’d spent his entire life being one-upped by. “I’m on my way.”

“No. Meet me at the museum. I’m headed there.”

“Let me come get you.” He easily opened the protesting window. “Trust me. It’ll be faster... I think.”

CC, you obviously have experienced sibling rivalty, either as a child yourself, or as a parent! Perfect!

Big question: current soul mate incarnations:

Clue: Madge works with one of them...

it's either Hank and Elise (and Elise does ramble/babble, apparently, according to Silas' comment)

.....or Silas, since he is the throwback. It makes perfect sense that he would be "Clark" and the only other Lois-like person we've met that works with Madge is Petal, who certainly is headstrong etc etc.

So the next sequel is going to be: Silas meeting Petal and them falling in love!

One more installment and so much riding on it!

WHEW!

Wow!!!!!!!!

Excelent part CC

Waiting for the last one

Karla

*gush**gush**gush**gush*

Wow wow wow

I am reduced to gibbering like Madge..this part was just - just - BRILLIANT!

Love Silas/Elise, love Clark/Madge, love..love..LOVE Madge's inner dialogue (*meow*)

~Liz

Catching up... finally had time to read this... it's all fantastic. But when I got to this point:

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The current incarnations of their souls were already present. It was Madge’s job to know that, and though she would never tell, it was her pleasure to work closely with one of them.

I startled my husband. Let out a yell of "I knew it!" and pounded on my desk

Definitely want to see Silas meet Petal.

Gotta go to bed now...

PJ

I have to say that I'm EXTREMELY impressed by this story, both in the tight plotting and in the characterizations of all the people involved. It's both funny and tense, both random and controlled. Sheesh, why don't my stories turn out like this?

And my favorite parts? Hey, it's ALL good! Clark yelling for Superman? Lois threatening to ground her descendant? "Holy freakin' cow!" Very, very inventive.

I am with everyone else. I'm going to have trouble waiting for the final installment. Any chance of an early posting? Hello? Is anyone listening? Like, can you post it as soon as I finish this? What do you mean, 'schedule?'

I'm in Dallas, on someone else's computer, at 12:30, with someone else waiting to use the computer . . . so I can't post a long, detailed feedback post.

This will have to suffice:

So WHY hasn't Marge arranged for Petal to "accidently" bump into Silas yet?!

...Because it wouldn't be this fun, that's why!

Someone is going to call Hank, right? RIGHT? Because while Madge suggested it, they got kinda distracted, and there shouldn't be any unnecessary angst at this stage.

Hazel, waiting impatiently for the finale!

CC

WOW! I love the exchanges between Silas/Elise and Madge/Clark.

I can't wait to read the last part. I hope you mean Tuesday Aussie time.
(Tuesday 12am Sydney is Monday 10am board time!

)

Tricia

LOL! Reading Sara's comments is just as entertaining as reading the story!

So what else can a reader coming in late say but ditto, ditto, ditto!

Looking forward to the last part, CC.

Sara missed a golden opportunity when naming this feedback thread. It should have been called:

FDK: In A Better Place 17 or On behalf of the family ... holy freakin' cow!

What? Too wordy?

This was so very fun. From Elise's reaction to meeting L&C, to Madge's reaction for the same (Lois Lane glared at me! LOL!), to Elise knowing all along that her brother was the throwback. (And just because it's such wonderful dialogue, I must mention Elise's "I mean, on behalf of the family ... holy freakin' cow!" line all over again.

)

Like Pam, I cheered when Madge explained they couldn't detect L&C because their souls were already present -- I knew it, too!

But I especially loved how Madge was willing to give Tempus his due. He really was an absolute genius, and I have a feeling Madge is going to miss him when this is all over. Her sweet Frederick notwithstanding.

Part 18, please, please, please! Will it be the New Adventures of Silas and Petal? Will they hate each other on sight?

Do they have any idea that they are the present incarnations of L&C's souls? And will Silas take that job that Madge now knows she has to offer him? LOL!! I bet she feels just like Perry White. <g>

Tomorrow! Can't wait!

Kathy

Probably should have edited this in, but there have been a good number of posts since mine.

Just wondering... Did anyone else catch the religious overtones to the Clark/Madge scene, and, if so, how did you feel about it?

Madge is there, in the museum which is all but a temple to L&C, despairing, knowing that she needs a miracle, and then he shows up from out of nowhere (or maybe from above) and quietly, gently, kindly offers help.

I'm not sure how much fatigue contributed to my emotional state, but for me, seeing that scene through Madge's eyes (thanks to the magic of CC's writing) was about as close as a firm agnostic* can get to a religious experience.

Did anyone else see that scene that way, or was it just me? If you did see it that way, what did you think?

Just curious.

Paul

*I'll just leave it at that for simplicity's sake...

Can't say that I did, Paul, but I can definitely see what you're talking about.

Oh... and topic edited just for Kathy because I totally missed that in my excitement from reading.

And to bring her back to life from the Rest and Reproduction days...

[Linked Image]

Sara

First of all... the thread title and Sara's pic!! LOL!

You don't know how many different things I tried and failed to get Elise to say when introduced to her ancestors.

She very stubbornly stuck with that, though, and now I'm glad!

So...nearly there. Am I the only one who is going to miss these meetings?

I have promised myself that once this is wrapped-- and I've caught up with all the great writers whose stuff I've fallen far behind on-- I'll just unplug my brain for the summer. Set it out in the sunshine and let daisies grow in it.

But this has been such a great, fun thing for me. Thank you for this!

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Labby saw that coming from a long way out, Wendy.

And on the subject of soulmates:

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I thought the soulmates that Marge was keeping an eye on were Elise and Hank (I thought that they have something very special going on.

I left Madge's one reference really vague just for that reason, gerry. Readers could decide for themselves who they think it is. (I know who they are, but like Madge, I'll never tell them...)

This... I just *loved*

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"Listen, Silas, I can't talk. It's the end of the world."

"Wait, Elise, listen to me! It's the end of the world!"

Actually, Paul, I could have copied and pasted all of your story comments on this last part. They made my writer's heart beat gleefully. Thank you!

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*runs up and hugs CC*

*runs up and adopts Paul as her younger, smarter brother*

And while we're on that:

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CC, you obviously have experienced sibling rivalty,

Chris, I'm the middle child. That's all I'm saying. (But it says a lot, doesn't it?)

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He really was an absolute genius, and I have a feeling Madge is going to miss him when this is all over. Her sweet Frederick notwithstanding.

Ah yes, and I tried to write teeny, tiny hints of that. I imagine the years of trying to out smart each other has given their relationship an unusal sort of closeness, a begrudging respect and admiration.

*hands the Madge/Tempus ship off to KathyB for further exploration*

Last thing, because it just floored me, the religious undertones of the Madge/Clark scene:

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Did anyone else see that scene that way, or was it just me? If you did see it that way, what did you think?

Holy cow.

You know, Paul, when I first read that I thought maybe I'd been busted. Finally. For years I wrote acts of worship and liturgies for the Methodist church. It's a language in and of itself, and while I've never been blatant, I've often used some terms and phrases, etc., because I find them powerful and universal even when telling Superman stories. For telling any story, really. So, when I first read your comment, I thought 'Shoot, so much for my secret identity.'

But then I really looked at that scene. And dang, if you aren't exactly right. I didn't have it in mind, not. at. all. What I did know was that even though each character held a small piece of the puzzle, it was to Madge I wanted Clark to first 'appear.'

***

From here I will take a paragraph that is in no way meant to be offensive to you religious types (of which I am one, btw), but read no further if mixing the secular and sacred makes you cringe.

So.

Ok.

If I stand back and look at it, I can see how closely it mirrors many a 'angel arrives in a dark hour bringing good news' story. And stronger still, the parallel to Easter morning in the Garden with Mary Magdelene. To her mind all is lost, and the words first spoken to her are "Woman, why are you weeping?"

You know, it makes me wonder... what *else* is in there that I've never seen??

***

Theological discussion concluded. And maybe that was only interesting to me and Paul, but thank you for indulging that one last ramble!!

Part 18 coming up later. Still tweaking, still fretting... the usual!

Thank you to everyone who read and commented on this part. Part 17 is my very favorite. That you liked it so well is really gratifying.

CC

Awesome! I just finished reading the last few parts. I was in Russia over a week and am just catching up! Great job. I love Silas being Superman. Laura