Hopefully, the story will only end up being the projected 22 chapters -- 17 are written, and the last five are in various stages of outline form, so (keeping in mind that I always end up being overly optimistic in my estimations) I'm guessing I should be able to post once a week.

I hope you all enjoy it, even with the slightly different writing style, and I'd love to hear what you think of it -- hopefully I haven't been gone so long that I've forgotten how to write Lois and Clark!

So, are you sure once a week is what you're going with? Because I think that a more frequent posting schedule is only fair to your readers. Like once a day.

I love this premise, and I think the present tense is going to give the story a different energy. Can't wait for more!

Amber

I am blown away. I was on the edge of tears for most of this. I'm desperate for more. What can I do to persuade you to post more than once a week? Please.

I feel for Perry so much. I am in agony for Clark.

I'm so glad that he has Jimmy. I love that Jimmy left, and became Clark's link to the world, although I'd love to know how that happened too.

More soon, please?

Well I wasn't sure I was going to like the story from the description and the first few paragraphs but boy was I wrong! I echo the comments you have received so far. I can only add that this story has me hooked and like everyone else I can not wait for the next chapter.

I am loving the way you use all of the characters but especially Jimmy. It is nice to see him get some significant exposure and in such an important role. I can't wait to see how you continue because the first chapter would have been a potential award winning super short story all by itself.

Until next week.

Mike

What a great surprise to see that you started posting this story! There's so much I want to say...but, no, I will not spoil a single thing for anyone. Anti-K is a master at manipulating emotions with her words...savor this story for its sheer beauty.

Personally, I am happy that AntiK gave me a trial as a beta. Hopefully I've been a help and not a hindrance in this endeavor. I must admit I was rather resistant to the tensing issue and we went several rounds on that before she finally convinced me to go with the flow. Once she explained her reasons I saw how it could be effective in this story because of the atmosphere she was creating. It doesn't generally work and I wouldn't recommend this to beginning authors. I am fighting that fight with another author as well.

Wow. What a powerful beginning to a story. You have most definitely NOT lost your touch during your hiatus. (Welcome back, BTW. It's wonderful to see you on the MB again.)

A couple of the lines that hit me hardest were:
and
Poor Clark -- and poor Jonathan and Martha, as well. I wonder where they all are hiding, and what sort of a life they are living. (We've gotten glimpses of what Clark has been doing, but nothing yet about his parents.)

Rarely have I liked Jimmy more than I do in this story.

I wonder what happened in Smallville that made Lois decide to write up the story. In most revelation fanfic, Lois is extremely angry and feels betrayed, but rarely does she go public with her knowledge. (I can think of one, very notable, exception: Alisha Knight's From the Ruins, which I highly recommend.)

I am looking forward to watching this tale unfold.

Joy,
Lynn

Oh wow, I already absolutely love this - so much that I've come out of lurking mode to make a comment! So, yeah, if you can see your way to posting on a daily basis - or, you know, hourly - I'm good with that

I just got off the plane from New York City and look what's waiting for me! Welcome back my friend.

Cannot believe you posted and I am so happy you posted! What a treat for fans of FoLC! A great way to get the msbs off to a running start after the Kerths. The bar has been set very high, now the rest of us have to reach up on tip toe to catch up!

Welcome back, my friend! Been looking forward to this one!


<sinking feeling in gut>


Oh, Perry. How could you?


<cries>


This makes me wonder. Is it only out there because Lois? figured out CK=S? Or did something happen to spark the rumor mill?


Lois, I would like to slap you.


So tragically beautiful.



Well, at least he has *some* allies.


He would do that even if he hadn't been outted, and that just adds to the heartbreakingness. (Yes, Lois said that's a word now. Like chumpy.)

Not sure what the quote limit is since the upgrade...


And now you've just sucker-punched me in the guts.


Absolutely true and heartbreaking.


Yeah, because that won't imperil him at all, Perry.


<Gulp> Nightfall.


So simply stated, but for all the meanings it holds...Oh, Lois, I know you want your Clark back.


Oh. My. God. I LOVE this.


Always did. Always will. Even in less wretched circumstances.


So, you're posting part 2 tomorrow, yes? Please? Pretty please? With a Double Chocolate Crunch Bar on top?

As always, a pleasure to read. I would have posted *all* my favorite parts, but that would have required reposting the entire chapter.

Once again you have found a scenario that put our heroes at juxtapositions. Heart-wrenching for Clark. Even worse that Lois did it and that Perry allowed (i.e. helped her do) it. Yea for Jimmy for standing up for his friend.

Yes, Lois, you ruined Clark's life. You ruined his folks' lives as well. I'm glad that Clark is still in contact with Jimmy. Or was before Nightfall. EEK! Would it be better to have Clark regain his memories or allow him this out... this way to start another life fresh?

In Man or Monster, you had Lois furiously angry with Clark. Here, Clark has every right to be angry at Lois. I don't know what he did to make her out him, but Perry said that they'd just returned from Smallville, so apparently Clark outed himself to save his folks (Smallville? Mr. Irig?) from Trask and B39, but was his non-disclosure to Lois worth ruining his life?

I'm not understanding the need for current tense, but I'm willing to play along to find out.

Beautifully written, as always, Anti-K. Everyone pointed out the phrases that caught my heart too. Very interested to see the direction you take. I never can seem to guess correctly with your stories. You're always surprising me.

How about a compromise? You said that you'd post every week and that you'd written 17 out of approx. 22 parts. So, how about 1 a week until you're done and then up it?

Wow. However unintentional this is, what timing on this! With the post Convergence event, there's supposed to be a story where Lois (of the comic world) outs Clark as Superman. Mind you the two Clark/Supermen are quite different (the Kents being the most obvious, of course, but not only that) but it will be interesting to read this one in comparison to that one when it happens. (With that said, not really interesting in buying it for the canon-changes this feels like.)

Christina, I've read some of the Convergence titles, but I am a little behind on the reading and have not been keeping up with this news. Is Lois's outing Superman supposed to be one of the changes that stick around post-Convergence? Unless we know otherwise, I would suspect that that is a have-their-cake-and-eat-it-too situation in which TPTB are able to tell a really interesting story with profound implications to the characters -- not as an imaginary tale or an Elseworlds story, but actually in-canon, without it actually having any long-lasting repercussions, since that universe is reset. And extreme example of this sort of thing is "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" If this is the type of story they plan to tell as a cap-off to The New 52, I'd love to read it. I hope, however, that it isn't going to be the new status quo for the post-52 universe.

I guess time will tell.

Joy,
Lynn

p.s., Of course, there's always the possibility that she outs Clark and no one believes her, or there is some pandemic that causes world-wide amnesia about Superman's other identity, or any of a number of other ways they could hit the reset button after this particular story arc.

Lynn,

Thanks for the link and recommendation. That was indeed an excellent story and I had never read it before. It kind of whets my appetite for the rest of this story.

Kind of a sideline story was A Matter of Ethics by Nan Smith. In it Lois discovers Clark's secret and considers writing the story but the activities and obsession of Trask and his men nearly causing the death of Martha, Jonathan, Wayne Irig, and Clark convinces her the story should not be printed. I wonder what happened differently in Anti-K's version. I suspect we will get that side of the story within a few chapters and see if the events unfolded differently or did Lois just succumb to the lure of the Pulitzer and do her patented jump in without checking the water level first thing.

Mike

Mike, I'm glad you liked "From the Ruins." I usually prefer lighter pieces, but this one was so powerful and so well-written that I make an exception for it. I like Nan's writing, and when I get a chance, I will try out "A Matter of Ethics". Thanks for the recommendation.

Christina, I just saw an article on the Superman Home Page site discussing the outing of Clark Kent as Superman. The article contains previews of the relevant story and did, indeed, specify that it takes place post-Convergence. Although I won't form a firm opinion until I read the story in its entirety and until I see whether this is a one-off, an alternate universe, or the new norm, I can say right now that I am not impressed with the artwork, and DC's* vision of the Clark/Superman character seems to be diverging more and more from my own. I am glad that the New 52 is wrapping up, and I am trying to maintain optimism that the post=New 52 world will be an improvement.

Time will tell.

Joy,
Lynn

* By DC, here, of course I mean DC Comics, not Deadly Chakram.

That article, and the images given are the ones I was talking about when I said this is kinda (but so totally not really) like the upcoming Post-Convergence story "Truth". I've decided that the Convergence: Superman stories will be the only ones I will buy from DCComics for the forseeable future. Instead I'll be spending whatever little money I have on the backissues of the Superman Family and the Earth-1 variant (i.e. the married Clark/Lois of the 60s and 70s).

I, of course, prefer the more upbeat stories myself but this one was as you say so powerful. I expect Anti-K's to have a similar feel as the situation is quite similar. Nan's stories are almost always upbeat and positive. That story is no different, it also a great Lois/Martha bonding story which I always like.

Mike

Christina, I'm probably with you. I will try a few issues of the post-52 Superman to give it a chance, but unless it proves itself to be far better than its first impressions make it out to be, I'd rather fill out my Earth-2 collection, as well.

Mike, I am now looking forward to Nan's story even more. Thanks again for the recommendation.

Joy,
Lynn

Wow. That's all I can say about the first chapter is Wow.

What a great beginning! Clark, outed as Superman. Loss of the life he wanted. Loss of being at work with Lois. Loss of his privacy, his hometown, his normal life. How can he ever get over this?

And what about Lois and Perry? They're wrestling with the knowledge that they did wrong, and I love how you portray them.

I hope that you'll do flashbacks and tell us how Lois found out, and what prompted her to publish it. You have touched on why Perry went along with her, but will we see more of Perry's reaction to Lois's story?

I'm eagerly awaiting more.

Absolutely amazing, Anti-K. Wow really is about all I can say, too. I'm a huge fan of your writing, and I've been so excited to read this story since you posted last week.

I so much enjoy how you write--the details, the metaphors. The raw emotion. Reading just now, honestly, it was an experience. You completely bring the reader into the story--into all the pain, into all the confusion, that is 'life' now at the Daily Planet.

And Clark...oh-my-goodness. My mind is still processing all the layers of hurt, betrayal, and change he is going through. Everything that now Clark's parents are going through. And so sadly, because of Clark's friends--that completely sold him out.

I am so curious to find out the backstory...what led to the decisions that have altered absolutely everyones life.

What made Lois go this far? How did the 'story' become all that mattered? And most importantly, how can this be fixed?...or CAN this be fixed?

Your talent is inspiring ...

Awesome (and yes, that word is a complete understatement) job
Laura

Wow, thank you, everyone, for such a great response! I always love coming back to this community because you all are so encouraging and welcoming. I'm glad so many people are taking a chance on a story that has a dark premise and an unusual writing style -- I did try to put it off and to select a more usual style, but the story wouldn't leave me alone (the Lois and Clark from this universe existing in my head really wanted me to try to fix things for them -sigh-), and no other style seemed to really work for it.

I wish I could post faster, amberlea, because it's hard to wait a long time for feedback, but I don't want to leave you hanging, either, so this is my version of a compromise. A different energy and a more immediate sense of danger and suspense is exactly what I'm going for with the present tense!

Thank you, KatharineKent! What can you do to get me to post more often? Um...maybe come and chain me to the computer and cut my internet so that all I can do is write? Yeah, that might work, because unfortunately, distractions are abundant and I seem to find them all!

LWhite, you said 'the emotions are so near the surface...' Thank you!! That's exactly what I try to do with my stories (because, as I'm sure KenJ can tell you, details and science are not my forte! ), and so this was a compliment that made my day! Also, I hope your exam went well!

Thank you, MikeM! I admit, this prologue was, for over six months, all that I had of the story because I couldn't imagine how I would find a happy ending if I continued. But, as I said, they're persistent! Jimmy is one of my favorite things about writing this story, getting to bring him to the fore in a way I haven't seen in many stories anywhere, so I'm glad you're enjoying his role. So glad you gave it a chance!

Aww, thanks, groobie! You're a great beta!

LOL! Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ken! I'm glad you're enjoying your time on this story and not getting ready to strangle me! You've definitely been a help.

So glad to be back, Lynn! Jonathan and Martha will definitely be coming into the story, and no, things aren't any better for them than for Clark. I originally had a disclaimer to the story about how I didn't believe that Lois in any universe would actually publish Clark's secret, but that I wanted to explore this biggest of what-ifs anyway -- but groobie convinced me I didn't need it. I haven't read the story you mentioned, and I'll probably hold off on reading it until I'm finished with this one so there's no (intentional) overlap, but I did wonder if there were any other stories about Lois making his Secret public.

Wow, what an honor, Bean22! It made me smile to realize my story was your first post! So glad that you're enjoying, and I hope to hear more from you! (Very belated) welcome to the mbs!

Thanks, Morgana! Couldn't have made it this far without your constant encouragement!

Sorry, Deadly Chakram, you can't trick me with all your question marks into revealing anything - and I'm not a big chocolate fan, so the candy bar won't budge me. But thanks so much for the feedback (that's way better than chcocolate) - I always enjoy your step-by-step reactions. Glad this story wasn't a disappointment to you after hearing about it for so long!

I'm glad to hear I can surprise you, Virginia! Actually, I feel like I'm a fairly predictable writer, so this reassured me a great deal! I didn't even realize that I kind of did switch the dynamic from MoM?! In my defense, I wrote this prologue way before MoM? came about! And yay, you spotted the reference to Smallville! If I can finish these last REALLY troublesome chapters, I will definitely start posting more often!

I had no idea about the comics storyline, Christina! I guess I'll just say 'Great minds...' Hope this one doesn't rate too poorly in comparison to the other one! I haven't been minding the New 52 universe so far, and like some of the facets we've gotten to see through it, but I'm afraid I've fallen a bit behind. (Guilty confession: I always wait to read them until they're in trade papaerbacks and sold used on Amazon for really cheap!)

'How can he get over this?' you ask, IolantheAlias. Well...I hope I have an answer by the time I'm done! So glad that Lois and Perry came through all right - this prologue was painful to write in a way because of how broken they both are!

Wow, LMA. Thank you for the wonderful feedback. I'm not ashamed to admit I've read it multiple times while staring at the document where the next Newsworthy chapter is supposed to go! Each chapter, I also had to process more of what this meant to Clark and how it would have affected every layer of his life and who he is. Such a compliment to hear you feel as if you're there in the moment with them! And I do hope we can at least find a bit more happiness than we've got now - I'm not a fan of depressing stories!

Thank you, everyone, for such lovely feedback! I hope you all enjoy chapter 2!