Really nice idea and take on that often written about episode. I was laughing the entire time of the Lois call to the Police. I guess a second chapter where they really get down to talking about the revelation and the ramifications of that revelation would be very nice also. That is if your muse has sufficiently brushed the cobwebs off now.

In summary, I just loved the story.

Mike

What a great take on TOGOM. Quick thinking Clark, deciding whether to play dead or reveal all to Lois in that fraction of a second. I like the idea of a code. It makes perfect sense for them.

Lois is absolutely right. Witnesses are terribly unreliable. Genius to call the MPD and verify (with Clark) that nobody recognized them. That is what undercover work is, isn't it?

Nothing more is needed. The story stands well on its own, but that doesn't mean I'll ignore a sequel if your muse is so inspired.

Welcome back!

This was great! Lois' actions make a whole lot of sense, I almost wish that's how the episode should have gone altogether. Clark telling her was a good decision, the code was a good decision, and all around I'd love to see more!

Thanks for the feedback =) While the code thing was the nugget of inspiration here, I have to admit, once I got to thinking about how to go about Clark's 'resurrection' I had a thought... what evidence actually places Clark at the casino at all?

I thought, perhaps, this clandestine casino might be like the Spirit costume shops we get every year, a store that fills a vacant slot for ~3 months wherever they can get one in shopping centers.. i.e., the casino is housed in different places over time, wherever looks like it will be overlooked. This would limit security of the place, for one thing. Once I talked myself out of any surveillance (~.^) I realized that probably the *only* evidence that would absolutely place Clark at that scene is Lois' own testimony.

Delightful solution.

I've read many fanfics based on TOGoM and have even written one or two, but yours is the first that has brought up the possibility that no one even recognized Clark and Lois (or, at the very least, no one would ID them to the police) and, hence, Clark's secret may not even have been compromised.

I just hope that no there were no criminals who had left before the police got there who recognized either Lois or Clark. If there were, Clark may be far from out of the woods yet...

Welcome back to writing L&C fanfic. I hope we will see many more stories from you.

Joy,
Lynn

Lois told him they could come up with something together!



The banter between these three was delightful, despite the rather desperate situation Lois and Clark were in. Henderson is simply a hoot! This one has become my new favorite TOGOM story! Perfectly written.

Maybe you could add another part about them catching the bad guys? Just a thought. Again, welcome back!

Love this story! Great resolution to TOGOM, and the gentlest and kindest revelation I've read.

I agree it's complete as is, although a sequel would be lovely too.

Glad people enjoyed it.

As to the recognition, *shrug* how often do people recognize their TV newspeople if they aren't standing there with a mic? And they are far more visible than newspaper reporters, even ones with billboards erected in their honor. Also, rematching the scene... the clones are all gathered right in the entrance, facing Lois and Clark, with the other 'patrons' behind our duo... which would add even more weight to them likely not being recognized by anyone but maybe the gangsters... who don't know them any more than they did Superman at the bank robbery. I keep coming back to the only reason *Clark Kent* is dead rather than 'dark haired guy got shot' is because Lois stayed and talked to the police...

Now, in a sequel, it would definitely be wise for Lois and Clark to be otherwise engaged whenever the clones get captured or any other situation where they'd have to meet them face to face as that could be awkward...

You know, another thing that always bugged me about this episode... *why* do the clones have their antecedent's memories? Both the 'arg' Lois-clone or the Vatman Clark-clone had to be *taught* to be their counterparts... what made Hamilton's clones different? Some weird soul transfer mumbo-jumbo since they were previously deceased? You'd think part of Hamilton's experiments would have been a 'Nature vs Nurture' thing to rule that out... then again the whole experiment seems more 'crack-pot' than 'proper scientific inquiry' so maybe I should leave that angle well enough alone and just smile and nod =)

I've also been poking around the archives a bit, and Wendy Richards' "Only Superman" has at least some of these elements in it too.

Sara, you’re…back! /checks inbox history/ Oh dear… but you’re *back*! And it’s so funny that we just had a Clark’s twin challenge and a WIP-response by Queenie a couple of days ago. This is just too great a coincidink

LOIS: Oh, nononono. He *can’t be Superman. He just can’t! Please let him be dead. Please make that he’s not Superman!

The crooks coping a feel?

Oh, lookie there! Clark’s getting frisky!
LOIS: Ha! And they call *me* the Ice Queen. Apparently, I’m hot enough to raise a corpse.

Huh, so she didn’t realize he’s Superman? And here I thought that maybe…

Ooookay?

“I’m a superhero”
FIVE: “I’d like to consummate now. Pretty Please?” when Clark does it and “Storage closet, *now*!” when Lois does it.

There’ve been all sorts of resolutions, from crazy things like using a clone to more sensible ones, like a bullet proof vest. What’s your take going to be?

Ah, yes. One of the sensible ones

So, Henderson blackmailed his colleague or threatened him with desk duty or some such thing if he made his life with the reporter harder than need be?

Brown hair.
Chestnut.
Black.
Really dark brown.

Red gown.
Light red dress.
Deep red number, with a lot of skin showing.
Legs.

Looked like a sailor in a suit.
Neanderthal.
He was quite dull.
Reminded me of Superman, kind of.

Have they tried removing the concrete from around his body?

HENDERSON: Kent, be careful out there. And Lane, if they shoot, try to step in front of Kent. Can’t afford lose any more good reporters.

A…*date*?

Lex Luthor’s reanimated corpse?

Did she just imply…?

Henderson certainly thinks so. Plus, did he just out Clark to his partner?



That was great! Am so glad you found your mojo again

Michael

What an awesome interpretation of TOGOM!

It's such a good episode, and has instigated so many wonderful fanfics--many of which I have read and greatly enjoyed . BUT, you managed to make this one so amazingly fresh and unique .

How true that, really, the only person that can pin 'Clark Kent' to that nightclub IS Lois Lane. They are undercover. With people from the past that don't know who these two reporters from the Daily Planet are. And in reality, these people could probably care less--they just want to get out of the situation as the police are arriving.

I can attribute a lot of the original episode 'problem' (Clark is dead, how can he live his life?), now thanks to your story, to Clark being sorta a bit paranoid. His whole life--this, this situation--is so much a fear that he has carried with him: being discovered.

Genius thought process!

Oh--and what better way to see where the police are with the story--to distance yourself FROM the story even more, than to call and try to get info about it! . Love this!

Fantastic job--what a pleasure to read!
Laura

***...and really enjoyed their code!

Thoroughly enjoyed this take on a much beloved episode. Loved the idea of a code between them. It's just so Lois and Clark. I could picture Lois going at breakneck speed to Clark's apartment. The whole "date" conversation with Henderson had me smiling. Great stand alone, but I'm definitely in the camp of a sequel (or more). The capture of the gangsters and 'maybe' a really great date. Good job of saving both Lois and Clark a great deal of stress and misunderstandings. Sarah

*Waves at Micheal* Hi... *hides away*


Maybe I can give *you* some inspiration then? (You also still need to archive your HiM masterpiece from the dark side *nudge*.)

And I fully admit to the witness statement parts of phone conversation being inspired by the Brain Games episode where they stage a crime then talk about how open to suggestion/persuasion/manipulation eye-witness testimony can be... something as simple as 'was the suspect wearing a hat?' vs 'what color was the suspect's hat?' can produce memory editing...

And thanks to the rest of the reviews =)

And, in my head cannon, Coin Toss (dusty as *that* now is) totally happened... so Clark could have a *little* reason to be paranoid...

Umm...yes...that and a certain unfinished story. Plus the wips that never saw public light. Oh dear!

Michael

I've been poking around my old wips... but currently I'm 6 parts into a new story, so *shrug* we'll see how that goes before I worry about shaking off too much dust elsewhere.

Just poking around in the TOC and came across your story. As several others have mentioned, a code makes perfect sense for Lois and Clark. I think it makes more sense for Clark to fight for his identity than let Lois grieve and try to pick up the pieces later.

The dialog was perfect, too. Two thumbs up.

I don't do story comments often, but I thought I would drop you a note to say that I think this is probably the best TOGOM fic I've read. There have been sooo many different takes on the episode, and so many authors tee off on its angst-y nature. But you went an entirely different direction, a more thoughtful direction, and I really liked it. It's actually kind of surprising that the issues you raised in the story - the fact that Lois and Clark snuck into an illegal gambling joint where nobody would be able to ID them, nor would they even want anything to do with the cops - haven't been raised before. It's refreshing, really.

Thank you for writing this, and my hat's off to you for a job well done.