Sure... it got out of hand, became longer than intended... You know we don't buy that anymore, don't you? You're Wendy, the great Torturer (is that a word?? xD); if you don't give us endless chapters of pure angst, there is just no waff... Really, YOU COULD give us a break :p

Seriously now . I really like your take on the events of BaTP/HoL. I like how Clark gave himself away in the earlir part, and how Lois lets him now that she has figured it out in this one. And I'm dying to see how Lois manages to convince Clark that her feelings are true, that it's not just love for Superman and his powers that she feels; because right now, with the mood Clark is in, I really thing she's got a tough job.

Anyway, another great part. Get righting that LAST part (and it'd better be the last... unless, that is, you decide to treat us with more than one waffy and angstless part )

I knew I shouldn't have started this before it was all posted But I just caught up, and this is classic Wendy. Painful, but worth it.

I want part 4!

PJ

Aw I almost cried at the end of this chapter! I can't wait for four. Laura

Okay, Wendy, I'm ready for part 4/22 now! You realize that we've seen through your ploy now, don't you, of pretending to write a short story as a cover-up for starting a new epic? Sneaky, sneaky. But we know better.

This is a really wonderful story! Sure, it's based on one of the most written and rewritten scenes in all of L&C, but you always have something new to bring to it. And it feels good to really hash through all of the issues that were simmering underneath Lois's rejection of Clark's love, plea for Superman's, and then finally acceptance of Lex's.

The introspection behind the dialogue is just enough to let us feel like the speech is only the surface of everything that is really passing between them, but without overpowering the dialogue (or making us forget what the last person's line was). An excellent balance.

I, like Lois, am a little unclear on what Superman was trying to show Lois when he took her to Pakistan. But maybe that's at least partly because the idea of how much suffering Clark sees and deals with in his role as Superman and how he recovers from it is a theme so often discussed in fanfiction that it has grown old and seems obvious to me. You are going to include Lois actually getting an article published about Pakistan, right? I will be very disappointed if she doesn't manage to convince the DP of the necessity of such an article--and write it in a way that makes people actually read it, too.

Can't wait for the next part, be it the final or not!

Hi,

Great part.

Wendy, you are slowly killing me! You have two stories here that are breaking my heart!!!

Okay, so I lie! More from this section!!! : Ahh, the heart and soul of this story. Look at her go! Instead of whining about his behavior, she's going through it piecemeal, which someone with her investigative skills could get into trouble doing...

Ha! Love this! It's so anticlimactic. There are no widening eyes, no moment of complete epiphany. Just a natural progression of thoughts leading up to the truth, which seems to come with a sigh and acceptance all at once. It's just perfect! Different
No! He doesn't think you're stupid, Lois. CLARK, tell her you don't think she's stupid!!!!


Heartbreaking! And Clark's right!!! How can she prove her feelings to him now!?!? COME BACK HERE, PLEASE!!!!

More!!!!!

~NICOLE

Wow, Wendy, you really surprised me this time. I was sure Lois would blow her top after she found out about Superman's secret. After all, we have seen her go ballistic so many times when this secret has been revealed to her, and this time she had more reason than usual to be furious, because Superman had lashed out at her so unmercifully and accused *her* of everything that had gone wrong between them. But this time, Lois was not furious at all. No. She was absolutely none of that which Clark had accused her of being:

No! This time Lois was mature, clear-sighted, caring and intelligent. Not to mention that she was empathic and unselfish too, as she managed to see the whole situation from Clark's point of view and sympathize with him and his feelings, and with his fear of exposure. I'm so proud of the way Lois behaved in this chapter! And I love being proud of Lois, because I am one Lois and Clark fan who definitely loves Lois!

Still, even though I really *am* so proud of Lois here, I still think she blames herself too much for what has happened. What - she should be ashamed of getting engaged to Lex? Oh no, she shouldn't, because believe me, folks, after having been a fan of Lois and Superman for 35+ years, I know there is no way that Lois could even tentatively have accepted Lex's proposal! No. Way. The only Lois who could have accepted a ring from Lex is the Lois clone, so stop nagging the real Lois about this, OK? But, well, I have to admit there *are* a few very bad things that the real Lois could have done, like telling Clark she didn't love him and then asking him to find Superman for her. Lois, you should be ashamed of yourself for doing that to Clark, and Clark, you have a right to be angry.

But, hey, Clark! How about you, too, try to be a bit mature and caring and unselfish about this? How about you try to see things from Lois's point of view? How can you be angry at her for not understanding who you are, and then be relieved that she hasn't figured you out after all?

Yes, sure, it could have been so much worse if Lois truly had seen through you! Clark, you really are a bit schizophrenic - honestly, you are. You want to be loved for a person you are not - good old plain non-superpowered Clark Kent - and you are pathologically afraid that the woman you love will see you for the man you are! Believe me, Clark, after watching you try to get your act together for 35+ years, your obsessive behaviour really *is* getting to me!

So, Clark. I'm hopeful Wendy will make you stop moping in the next chapter. Don't feel so extremely sorry for yourself, hmmm? Can't you see Lois loves you? Can't you see she is sorry for hurting you? Can't you see she will stick by you if you'll just give her a chance, now? Can't you forgive her for being fooled by the pack of lies you kept feeding her?

Chin up, Clark! Life is not so bad when Lois loves you. She loves *you*, now. Not the cartoon superhero you insist that you are not. Hey, Clark, you should be proud of yourself! You told her! You showed her! You made her love *you*! Please accept her apology and go to her in Wendy's next chapter, OK? And promise me, too, that you won't tell Wendy how you get me worked up and babbling and agonizing over your lunkheadedness. Well, it just goes to show how much this chapter got to me!

Ann

Oh, no...don't let Lois walk out the door! I'm happy Lois went to Clark's to finish their conversation (the one from Italy ), but can't accept her decision to give up now. Fight for him, Lois! Start kissing Clark...he'd never be able to resist. One more part, eh? I'm waiting for the WAFFY conclusion! Susan

Yes, Susan!! You're right!!

Lois just needs to lay one on Clark and get it over with!! He'll never be able to resist!!... I think...

Wendy!

Get back here and fix this now!! Although I'm hoping you can fix this in seven more parts, you'll probably wrap it up in one.

Missy (who is trying reverse pychology to get Wendy to post more parts)

JD

Oh, Wendy, you truly know how to toy with my emotions. The second half of this chapter in particular carried a punch. I am teary as I write this.

This has been a really excellently executed piece. I love how raw and honest Lois was when she came to Clark, saying the things that needed to be said. They have things left to hash out, but, oh, you two, there's hope for you yet.

As a fan, it hurts me to see them both isolated from one another and hurting, but you write that so well. Props to you for that.

I'm on the edge of my seat awaiting Part 4.

It's so easy to empathise with her here!

*sob*



Give her a hand, people. She figured it out!

Awwww.

LOVE THIS!!!!

And the ending, how heartbreaking. Why must you torture me so? Is it not enough that Lois is dying in one story, but now she has to be miserable here too? Aaagh. If you weren't so good, I'd have to

WENDY!

I knew Lois would get it. Clark dropped too many clues for her not to. And oh how bad she feels. But that talk? And Clark's responses? Horrible! Not the writing, you understand. Just heart-wrenching. Especially that last line. I'm almost crying for Lois here.

But, ya know, I'm laughing, too. Because it just keeps growing and growing. Can't wait to see the end, whenever it comes.

So... you know when most people talk about feedback addictions, they're talking about craving feedback for their own work (which I do, of course), but me... I really have a problem, don't I? There's no cure for this, and it's only getting worse. And, of course, there's the horrid side effect of the added coloUr in my vocabulary. This. Is not. Good. <g>

OMG! He really left! Yes, I know, this is the second time I've read this... but... it still hurts, Wendy. It's... well, it's the fact that we all know Clark so well, and on the series he'd always threatened to distance himself from her, but never did (though who knows what would have happened if he'd actually had the guts to leave one of those tim... oh, wait... Kaethel knows! <g>). When you get right down to it, no matter how mad Clark was with Lois, you knew he was dying not to be. And you knew he'd always answer the door if she came knocking, even if it would kill him to do so.

This time... god... he's so angry, so *hurt* that... he really does not want to see her again... because it. Hurts. That. Bad.


Ah ha!!! There's the rub! (I'm assuming this is the right expression... feels right... but...) This... for some reason, I was not expecting this, but it makes perfect sense. You can just about feel her confusion and anger roiling together inside her.


I love that. "*wanted* to hurt her". I love that she sees that. See, Clark? See this?! She does know you. Well, sorta...


Every word... ). This... this is why Clark believes that 'Clark is who he is'. Because *Clark* is entitled to have feelings, be angry, passionate, hurt... bend the rules when it comes to breaking and entering... To him, that's what makes him the human he longs to be. That's why Clark is so much more important to him than Superman is... at least when it comes to other people accepting him. (All the poor guy wants is to fit in.


OUCH, OUCH, OUCH.


I LOVE THAT. And what was it I said last night? I think it was something along the lines of just being able to *feel* his resignation from such deeply rooted hurt.

tbc...

And look! Remember what I said earlier about him *always* letting her in? It's a really, really great distinction here, showing that he only does it because he feels he has no choice.


Ouch!! That resentment... wow. It's... it hurts. Resentment, resignation, despair, and hurt that's just unfathomable...


Okay... this just makes me want to cry.





/me scoots the very edge of her seat!!!


This is one of those knock the wind out of you lines... killer, Wendy. Just killer.

Which makes me curious... are the other readers still out there? Or did you off them with this line?


Again, so very cruel with the thingy placement. Who did we learn this from, hmm?

Heee! So it did turn out to be enough to buy a clue!


/me swallows the lump in her throat.


Awwwwwww!!!!


That's... sweet. Really unselfish of her, and it shows just how much she cares for Clark.


(Yes, I'm out of words for the moment... too much pain... ;P)


This. Kills. Me.

... my eyes are watering up for real now...

Awwwww!!!!

I really, really want to cry...

*gasp* Ouch... ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch!!!! Ack!


I'm scared to scroll down... see how you've scarred me, Wendy? I'm holding my breath here because I'm scared of what Clark's going to say... he may stay silent after the first few things she has to say... but it's going to get caustic...

tbc... in the next post, I hope!!

OH GOD!! AWWAAACK! That should be illegal... putting those two emotions side by side. OMG. You kill me, crush my heart... and then... a flicker, barely a flash, of hope that just took all the searing pain in my gut and twisted it, made me catch my breath, and... I'm all choked up now. (And, sadly, this is not me being melodramatic... descriptive, I like to say ).


(Did I mention that it feels like someone has a hold of my stomach? )


This... is the million dollar question... I'm scared to look... for Clark's sake... it might... hurt. And... everything after the question... I love every word. I'll just say that.


Eeek! EeeeeeeeeK!!!!!!!!! I can't think of anything other than EEK! Check back with me later. Seriously.


I'm butchering and cutting you paragraph here because... well... crap, that hit home. And now I get it. I really get it. Finally. The rationalization may not work for everyone as far as the eternal question in the fandom goes... but this works for me. I can believe that Lois, hard-bitten as she is, as much as she protests that she isn't the type to marry or need a man (and this is taking Clark out of the equation for obvious reasons), that deep down everyone dreams of that. And when Lois is not only the type that doesn't *want* to get married, she probably thinks she never will. Because she believes that she doesn't deserve it, doesn't think that anyone *will* ever want her. So when her world is in complete upheaval... and someone asks. Shows interest. Says he's in love with her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her... She's vulnerable and lonely as all hell. Why wouldn't she think about it... and perhaps even say yes because she doesn't think anyone will ever want her?

(As for almost really going through with it on the show... it's hard to go back on your word and admit you're wrong, especially when you're Lois... and your best friend has abandoned you. )


And, finally, to the rest of this paragraph , I can't really say why, but I love that.


OMG!!!!!!!! That's why I love it. OMGOMG! I... I'm speechless.

Awwwww


Now... where's part 4?

Sara

As long as you end it in a super-long WAFF, you can extend it to as many parts as you want, Wendy

Send Clark after her! Don't let her leave. This is so sad. Please hurry with this one!

I, as most of the above, hope there is only one more part...

And Sara... subtle nagging to Kaethel

Jose

Wendy

WOW! This is superbly written.

Tricia

Hehe! Good show!!!

The last part was so heartbreaking! When will you post the happy ending??? Soon I hope...

~Kristen

I don't even know where to start to thank you all for the fantastic, amazing comments on part 3. Nicole and Sara's detailed, analytical posts picking out particular lines, Ann yelling at Clark (which really made me laugh ). Thank you so very much, and I really hope you enjoy the end.


Wendy

Wow, poor Clark. I'm still in the camp who thinks Lois deserves whatever she gets. lol

But I feel for him. He's boxed himself in so that no matter what Lois says, he can't possibly believe her if she turns around and says she loves Clark. It'll be interesting to see, Wendy, how you get them out of this pickle. How about a story where they end up forgiving each other and just ending up as friends?

Nah.

Loving this story so far. Can't wait for the conclusion. Oh, I don't have to wait. Hehe. Off to part 4!

Happy birthday, Laura! There sure are a lot of December babies.