Here's where we diverge from canon. This will have some important repercussions down the timeline as we proceed.

Let me know what you think of Lois' reasoning.

Wow! What a start. Actually that is very Lois. Now what I don't expect is for Clark to heed her... I do expect that it will take some time and a lot of one step forwards and two step backs to get there. The Lois reasoning is basically her standard reasoning in Season 1 and early season 2 only on steroids. She before always thought she could keep Clark as a best friend so she did not need to keep a distance from him. I just wonder how long this dodge will last. Mayson has not made her appearance. Lois always acts like she can let Clark go until someone makes a real run at him then the green-eyed monster shows up. It will be interesting to see how you handle that aspect (if you even cover it).

I can't wait to see where you jump to next. I really like working around the well known story lines to the personal relationship aspect of the story. I mean we all know the series plot points and much of the dialog by heart so we don't need to have to go over that again so you refer to it but don't cover it specifically. I really like this angle.

The entire series was about how they worked around Lois's lack of trust, her belief that no one could/would love her completely, and Clark's constant belief that he loved her and would/could love her forever. The stuff they had to work through covered what you stated in the first FDK: joy, pain, and angst.

Great start and can't wait for the next episode...

Mike

Nooooo...rocks already!!!!

LOL...well, you warned me, right? I totally understand her reasoning - it's rational, logical. Just don't be in love so you can't be hurt by it. If only it were that simple. If only you could turn off the undeniable connection you have with someone as if it were a light switch. But it doesn't work that way. Lois is going to stress herself out by fighting the connection, forcing herself not to love him. Surrendering to her true feelings would be so much easier.

I can't imagine Clark will go along with this. It's not in his nature to just sit there forever - whether he wants to acknowledge it or not, Clark flies off when the situation gets too tough. So he'll either fight for what he's always wanted - fight for the reason he stayed in Metropolis in the first place - or he will fly off. Because he can't be with her day after day if he truly loses hope that he'll never have the love he's always wanted.

I choose to be a hopeful romantic. Lois and Clark love each other and they will engage in personal drama denying their feelings for each other for a few parts but eventually will give up the pretense and live happily ever ever. WAFFFFFFFF!

/groobie's eyes slide warily towards the author's name again.

Yes, your statement was the reason I was wary of reading this. For me burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me, burn me 4 times I quit.

To be fair with Terry he does not always leave them apart or kill Lois but unfortunately for me the first two stories of his I read were She's... and Cold Shoulder. When Death Comes Knocking wasn't bad just did not like him turn Lois into a shooter to get the story. While That One Great Love was violent against Lois to the max, she survived and the Lois/Clark relationship was as strong if not stronger at the end so Terry is capable of writing/finishing it that way. I hope this one ends up on a positive note but time will tell...

Mike

LOL...Terry's a brilliant writer...I'll keep reading even if I'm bawling my eyes out! Then I'll go back over to the nfic side of the boards to clear my head.

Keep up the good work, you evil genius.

I guess that is where we are different and that is not a problem. But to me brilliantly written stories I don't want to read are still stories I don't want to read. Terry's writing has never been an issue. His muse and I just generally don't see eye to eye on the Lois & Clark universe. .

But that said I really like this story so far. Time will tell just how far off canon he strays but we will see. I suspect we will get a better picture with the next chapter to just see how far into the weeds he heads .

On the nFic side you can imagine the one I am not reading right now...

Mike

It makes sense that Lois would ricochet off the suddenness of Clark's death and sudden reappearance by bouncing far off that disaster to fall off the other end. Clark needs to realize that he hurt Lois by dying (or faking his death and not telling her that he didn't really die).

I don't know how Lois is going to fulfill this new life promise unless she leaves Metropolis, or Clark does. Let's hope that neither of those things happen and they work together to find their love together.

I'm glad that Clark realizes that Lois is only venting her emotional roller coaster and that by pushing him away so strongly, it only means that she cares so much.

I must have really good luck when I pick stories on the Archives, because every one of the ones of Terry's I've read has Lois and Clark together at the end by it usually takes the whole story for them to discover it. (Hopefully, I haven't just now jinxed myself).

I agree with Grobbie and Lois though. at the angst of this part.

Looking forward to seeing where you take this one! Considering the depth of Lois’s reaction to Clark’s “demise,” if she finds out the truth any time soon she is not going to be happy.

Lois! Does she never learn? Sigh. Maybe she should talk to that shrink a little bit more... I'm hoping you let Clark fight to get her back a little harder soon-- I can accept that he's tired tonight, but darn if he doesn't turn it around fast. Otherwise Lois may cut him out faster than a speeding bullet. On the other hand, I think at some point all of us have been responsible for acting irrationally like this (it might just be me, but whatevs). I can definitely empathize with Lois' actions.

Can't wait to see where you take this from here, Terry!

This tale is unusual for me in that the main driver is the relationship between Clark and Lois. Usually I try to weave the romance among the thorny weeds of the action plot, but this time it's the other way around. Y'all need to let me know if that works. I can say that my betas - I was going to say "like it," but there are some more rocks coming up soon.

Mike, I think you're right when you say


After all, it was a romance show and not really a superhero show. We'll see what happens in this area sooner than later.

And I'm sorry your muse doesn't agree with mine. Your muse must be gentle and well-behaved, which mine are not. I have to warn you: one of the reasons I write what I do is that Polly and Trope are a bit capricious and sometimes vindictive. I think it's because they weren't hugged enough as baby muses, and I'm certainly not getting that close to them on a regular basis now. (Please see "When Muses Go Bad" for more information about them.)

Groobie, you're right that Lois can't just "turn it off" with Clark. She's reinforced her defenses, and he's going to continue to attack. We'll have to see how successful he is.

Virginia, thanks for reading and for commenting. I do have some stories when Clark and Lois don't end up together at the end, but I prefer that they be together. It's just that life doesn't always work out that way. (By the way, bring tissues for "She's" or "The Cold Shoulder.")

Debbie, that's a very good point. That will come back to bite Clark later on, but maybe not in the way most people would anticipate.

Mouse, if a person hasn't behaved irrationally toward another person, that first person has never been in strong emotional relationship. So, yeah, Lois is really tired and really wrung out, and Clark has been blindsided with all of this. We'll see how it shakes out pretty soon.

LWhite, if you like angst, this should be a feast.

Look for the next part Monday evening US time. Unless I get the urge to poke more sticks through the bars.

I actually had a line in my head about your muse and I entering a dark alley and only one of use coming out of the alley .



I must agree with the tissues part about She's.. it was beautifully written and your muses worked a great and believable plot out but it was very sad. The Cold Shoulder just left me blah. The plot was tight and although I could see how that could have happened, I just felt empty at the end (probably the point...).

Mike

Terry, here I am trying to get myself into a proper frame of mind to write my yearly ToGOM story and what do I find... you've already started out with a heck of a one.
Of course, this is not a ToGOM story, but merely using it as your starting point to entertain us with a time spanning storyline to come.
As always, your stories are well written and focused on the plot points you want to achieve.
I look forward to following this story as it happens.

I have to mention that I haven't been on these boards much of late because I had an issue with my new computer. This 'new look' website would not allow me to log on with my new machine. Suddenly, today, it let me in. Go figure?

Hopefully the past problems are just that... past, and I'll be able to be a more active part of this fandom once again.

Tank (who wonders if Terry ever got the disc I sent him)

Mike, I wouldn't go into a dark alley with my muses. They scare me sometimes.

Tank, you're right that this isn't a ToGOM rewrite, but it does pin the starting time. When Lois gave Clark that long heartfelt speech in the Jeep as she drove him home, he was sleeping while she opened up her emotional defenses and offered to let him in! Idiot!

And I apologize for not letting you know about the disc. I did get it, I've listened to it, and I liked it. I think it was better than the previous one, and I never thought the previous one was anything but good. I must plead Real Life interference in my fun life.

(For those of you wondering what I'm talking about, Tank is part of a band called the Blue Roses. Please contact him for availability of their music. It would be worth your time.)

Next chapter up in moments. Hope you don't throw a stapler through your monitor.