Re: FDK: Zoe Meta v2 5/22
Ultra Woman
05/09/25 12:12 PM
Looking forward to Clark meeting Jerome and Lois. Clark messed up and it's understandable if Lois feels hurt and mad at him, but I believe she can forgive him, even if it takes some time. He has missed out precious time with Jerome and it can't be recovered, but he has the chance to make things right now.
Andreia
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Re: The More Things Stay the Same (4/8)
Terry Leatherwood
05/08/25 08:53 PM
Lois watched him go and couldn’t help the smile which spread across her face. She had butterflies in her stomach and, for the first time in weeks, she felt like her old self again. [sarcasm] Oh, right, that's not going to rebound on their developing relationship at all. No way that could have a negative effect, right? [/end sarcasm]I wonder if she'll fall in love with Superman and reject Clark (again!) and when Clark reveals that the two men are one she goes totally ballistic and zing! She remembers everything! But because she's had this time as pre-intervention Lois, she decides she wants Superman and not Clark and Clark goes a little nuts because not again! And H. G. Wells happens along and says that he can't fix this one. Oh, but you wouldn't do that to your gentle readers, would you? That would be so very cruel!
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Re: FDK: Stuck in the Dark 14/35
AmandaK
05/08/25 08:17 PM
This is getting good. I can't wait to see how he does with his new ability. Will he take to it quickly or will there be a steep learning curve? Also, can't wait to see Lois' thoughts on this.
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Stuck in the Dark 14/35
aPurpleOkie
05/08/25 06:16 PM
Chapter 14
Kal sat at the small desk in his hotel room, fingers drumming once against the edge of his phone. The mid-morning light filtered in through the curtains—unseen, but still felt. The city was already moving outside, a distant buzz of traffic and footsteps and elevator dings. He hadn't touched his coffee yet.
The decision had already been made. Now it was just a matter of following through.
He inhaled slowly, exhaled even slower, and dialed the number he hadn't called in over two years.
Dr. Bernard Klein.
It rang twice before a chipper voice answered.
"Dr. Klein's office, how can I help you?"
Kal cleared his throat, his voice steady despite the nerves winding quietly in his chest. "Yes, this is… I'm calling on behalf of Superman. I was hoping to speak with Dr. Klein."
There was a beat of silence, and when the receptionist spoke again, her voice was more cautious. "I'm sorry, did you say—?"
"I know it's unexpected," Kal said quickly. "But he's requested to speak with Dr. Klein directly. It's… important."
Another pause, then the soft click of hold music.
He waited.
Thirty seconds later, the music cut out.
"Superman?" Dr. Klein's voice was as familiar as it was disarming—nervous, curious, kind. "Is that really you?"
Kal swallowed. "Yes. But I'm not calling about a rescue. I need your help… for something else."
Dr. Klein's voice was careful, tinged with disbelief. "You… you sound different. Are you all right?"
Kal hesitated. "I'm not in danger. But I'm not who I used to be."
There was a pause, the sound of shifting papers and a faint tap—maybe of glasses being set down.
"I see," Klein said slowly. "Is this… connected to what happened two years ago? When you disappeared?"
"Yes," Kal said. "I didn't just vanish. I was injured. Badly."
"Are you hurt now?"
"No. Not in that way." Kal exhaled. "But I've lost something important. And I need your help to understand what's left."
Another long pause. Then Dr. Klein's voice softened. "Come in. I'll clear the lab this afternoon. You'll have complete privacy."
Kal hesitated. "I won't be coming in the suit. I'll be in street clothes. Name's Kallen Ellis."
Another pause. "Understood," Klein said, his tone shifting slightly. "I'll meet you at the front desk and make sure no one asks questions."
"Thank you," Kal said, the tension in his shoulders easing, just slightly.
"I'll see you at two o'clock."
He ended the call and sat still for a beat, the hotel room buzzing faintly with morning life just outside the window. The decision was made. Now all he had to do was follow through.
He picked up the phone again, this time dialing a more familiar number.
"Lois Lane."
"It's me," Kal said. "I'm not going to be able to meet up this afternoon. Something came up."
A brief pause. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just… something I need to do. I'll fill you in tonight, if that's alright."
"Of course," she said quickly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I am," Kal replied. And this time, it was mostly true. "Talk later?"
"Later," she said, and the call ended without fanfare—but not without weight.
Kal slipped the phone back into its cradle and turned toward the closet. Kal took his time getting ready. Just jeans, a collared shirt, a weathered jacket, and the familiar sweep of his cane ahead of him as he made his way to the lab.
He kept his head down as he walked through the lobby of STAR Labs. No one gave him a second glance. A man with a cane wasn't remarkable. In this moment, he wasn't Superman. He was Kallen Ellis.
Dr. Klein was already waiting when Kal entered the lobby of STAR Labs.
"Mr. Ellis," he said with a polite nod, his voice carefully neutral. "Come with me. My lab is just down the hall."
Kal followed him further into the building. He heard the sliding doors open as they entered into the lab—familiar in layout, but different in feel. Less bustle, more containment. The hum of equipment, the scent of metal and ozone. Klein locked the door behind them.
"Place is clear," he said. "You can relax."
Kal exhaled slowly. "Thank you."
Dr. Klein gestured toward a padded examination bench and pulled up a chair beside it. "So," he began, "let's start with what you can tell me."
Kal found a lab stool with his cane then sat, hands resting loosely on his knees. "As you know, I haven't been active for the past two years. On my last rescue… a weapon emitted a concentrated burst of ultraviolet light directly into my eyes. I was blinded instantly. At the time, I assumed it would heal. Given enough time, I thought it might reverse itself."
Dr. Klein's brows drew together, concern evident. "But it didn't."
Kal shook his head. "No."
"Has there been any improvement? Even partial vision?"
"Nothing," Kal said quietly. "No light. No shapes. Just… darkness."
"Were any of your other powers affected?"
"My hearing's still there, so is invulnerability. But x-ray vision, microscopic vision—those are gone. I haven't tested the others. Not seriously."
"Why not?"
Kal's voice was dry. "Because the last time I misjudged my own strength, I cracked a support beam in my kitchen. I can't afford to guess wrong."
"Alright. Then let's not guess."
Dr. Klein set the clipboard aside. "Kal, I think we should test the rest of your powers. Not full-strength," he added quickly, "just enough to establish some baselines. You've already lost two abilities we know of. Let's find out what's still functioning."
Kal tensed slightly. "Doctor…"
"I know you're nervous," Klein said gently. "But I'll be careful. Everything is calibrated for low-stress testing. And it's better to find out here, in a safe place, than out there."
Kal nodded once, reluctantly. "Alright. Where do we start?"
Klein gestured to a reinforced panel mounted behind a blast shield. "Heat vision first. Focus on the beeping target—just enough to trigger the sensation."
Kal turned his face toward the sound. It took effort—more effort than he expected—but eventually, he felt a flicker of warmth behind his eyes. A heartbeat later, the sensor chirped once.
"Minimal output," Klein said, noting the result. "Residual energy, but the beam's attenuated. Like a pilot light. No risk of damage, but not operationally useful."
"Figures," Kal murmured.
"Let's try freezing breath," Klein said, wheeling out a small mist-filled chamber lined with temperature-reactive strips. "Just aim straight ahead—again, light effort."
Kal exhaled slowly. The chamber fogged. One of the test strips turned pale blue.
Klein looked up, mildly impressed. "Still functional. Limited area of effect, but the temperature drop is measurable."
Next came the strength test. Klein guided Kal to a braced platform with a spring-loaded resistance rig.
"I want you to grip this handle and slowly apply pressure. Stop the second you feel strain."
Kal wrapped his fingers around the grip. The machine clicked softly as the resistance built. After a moment, he stopped.
Klein blinked at the reading. "That was about 60% of baseline strength, assuming the values we'd logged before. Controlled. Impressive, given how long you've been avoiding using it."
"I've had to be careful," Kal said. "Everything in my life depends on precision now. I don't get second chances if I overdo it."
Klein gave a small nod, visibly thoughtful. "It's clear you're holding back—intentionally. You're managing your output constantly, which tells me your physical control is still intact. You're not dangerous. You're just… cautious."
Kal looked away slightly. "I have to be."
After a beat, Klein gestured toward the far end of the lab, where a padded section of wall had been rigged with motion sensors. "One last test. I'd like to get a read on your speed—reflexive more than full-speed. Just a short burst forward. Stop before you reach the wall."
Kal moved into position. When Klein gave the word, he pushed forward—just enough to feel the blur return to his limbs.
The sensors chirped again. Klein checked the output.
"Still there," he said, half to himself. "Dampened. But still there."
Kal returned to the bench slowly, his breath even but strained.
"You're suppressing your abilities," Klein said softly, "even now."
Kal's jaw tightened. "I'm managing them."
"No," Klein said, more gently. "That kind of caution doesn't come from control. It comes from fear. And I don't think that fear is all physical."
Kal didn't answer right away. His shoulders remained squared, but his posture had shifted—just enough to show the weight he still carried.
Klein gave him a moment before adding, "What you're doing—functioning like this—it's incredible. You've built a system around uncertainty and still maintained stability. But Kal… it's okay to want more than that. It's okay to hope."
Kal let the words sit between them.
Then, finally: "If there's a way to fly again… I need to know."
Klein nodded. "Then we'll figure it out."
He stood, crossing the lab with quiet efficiency. Kal listened to the subtle scrape of drawers opening, the click of glass and metal. When Klein returned, he set a tray of varied items on the table: small weights, polished stones, different metals, plastic tubing, and a few rubberized disks.
"These won't hurt," Klein said. "I just want to run some basic calibration tests. Spatial awareness, material differentiation… you don't have to touch anything, just tell me if you notice anything out of the ordinary."
Kal's brow creased. "Doc… I told you. I'm blind. There's nothing to notice."
Klein didn't flinch. "Humor me."
Kal sighed and nodded once. "Alright."
Klein placed the first object—a thin copper plate—somewhere on the table.
"Can you point to where that is?"
Kal remained still for a moment. Then slowly, he extended a hand, index finger hovering uncertainly in the air. His brows furrowed, and after another few seconds, he lowered his hand and shook his head. "Nothing."
"That's okay," Klein said easily, marking something on his clipboard. "Let's try again."
Another object. Another pause.
And then—
Kal's head tilted faintly. He raised his hand and stopped just above the tabletop, about four inches left of center. His hand didn't touch the surface, but his fingers hovered—confident, uncertain, and somehow both at once.
"Here," he said.
Klein didn't respond immediately. Then: "You're right."
Kal's posture stiffened. "I didn't feel it with my hand."
"What did you feel?"
Kal was silent for a long moment. "I don't know. Just… pressure. A kind of pull."
Klein's pen paused above the clipboard.
"Have you noticed anything like that before today?" he asked, voice quiet now. Measured.
Kal hesitated, then nodded once. "Lately. Sometimes when I'm working with maps. Rubber bands, labeled pins. Sometimes I know where things are—before I touch them."
Klein didn't speak right away. Then he placed another object, and the testing resumed—with clearer results each time.
Finally, after what felt like hours of 'looking' for objects, Kal couldn't keep his anxiety at bay any longer. "Dr. Klein?"
"Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry. It appears that you are or have developed a new ability."
"Pardon?"
Klein tapped his pen against the clipboard, his voice growing more focused now. "It's not sight. But it's something. The way you're reacting—the way you know where objects are without touching them—it's consistent. Repeatable. That tells me this isn't a fluke."
Kal's brow furrowed. "So what is it?"
Klein picked up one of the metal objects again, turning it over in his hand. "The closest comparison we have in nature is magnetoreception—a sense found in certain migratory birds, turtles, even some mammals. It allows them to perceive Earth's magnetic field. They use it to navigate, sometimes across entire continents."
"You think I'm… navigating like a bird?" Kal asked, deadpan.
Klein gave a dry chuckle. "I think you're doing something even more complex. You're not just detecting polarity or direction—you're reading spatial pattern—density, material composition, subtle field shifts, maybe even motion."
Kal sat in stunned silence.
"You're perceiving the world through a form of electromagnetic sensitivity," Klein continued. "Like a living compass, but more advanced. It's adaptive," Klein said. "Your body, your brain—they've compensated for the loss of vision by amplifying other inputs. This isn't a side effect. It's evolution. You're learning to see again, just in a different language."
Kal didn't answer. Not right away. He just sat there, turning the words over in his mind like pieces of a puzzle he didn't know he was holding.
Finally, he said, "Can it be refined?"
"I think so," Klein said. "With practice. Calibration. If we can understand the parameters—what triggers it, how it maps in your mind—we might even be able to help you use it for flight. Or rescue. Whatever you need."
Kal exhaled slowly, the weight of two years shifting in his chest—not gone, but lighter. "How do we start?"
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Re: The More Things Stay the Same (3/8)
Darth Michael
05/08/25 05:32 AM
Hi Amanda! Clark flew directly into his bedroom, hoping his absence hadn’t been noticed. Uh-huh. He felt like he should save the I’m-an-alien-who-moonlights-in-tights bomb for another day when she was feeling better and had a better grasp on her own life. /Watches in delighted fascination as the spark creeps along the fuse cord/ one of her front-page articles from her early years at the Planet the second time around. “I’m fine,” she muttered distractedly. “Just fine. I… what is this?” Oops? “This is an excellent piece of journalism.”  I wonder if Lois now wonders how she could have written this when she knows, deep down in a dark and hidden pace, that she had been a hack in the beginning, just like everyone else. “Right, but when did I write it?” she asked. Clark opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off. “I mean, I know when I wrote it. I can read the date. But I don’t remember writing it.”  “And this! And that!” She gestured wildly to the certificate on the wall. “Clark! How do I not remember that I won a Pulitzer?”  it was for a story on amnesia research and its practical application to junior reporters? “And what’s this?!” she poked a finger at the photograph of two kids at the Smallville Fourth of July Celebration. “That’s me! I’m like ten or something. But this… is that you? It’s you, isn’t it?” Oops? “Is this prom? We went to prom together? How is any of this possible? I only met you three weeks ago!” She’s a Kryptonian sleeper agent and only remembers her cover identity? Clark wracked his brain for the right words, the proper way to explain without confusing her even more. He opened and shut his mouth in a few false starts, certain that anything he said would only make things worse.
“I’m not crazy.” Lois said firmly, apparently taking his silence the wrong way.  He could have quickly written a manuscript telling the fictitious story of how Wanda grew up? And Lois only remembers the manuscript? It’s like my brain didn’t just forget things – it created alternate memories to replace what I forgot. Is that possible?” Maybe if he explained it via multiverse instead of time travel? But then… the doctor didn’t know Lois’ proclivity for needing to figure things out and digging her teeth in and not letting go until she –  “I got it.” She said again, smiling. “There is a pattern. It’s you.” Oh boy. “You were my date for the Pulitzer award ceremony. That explains why I don’t remember that. Ooooohhhhh…that’s smart! So obviously my mind has chosen to block you out almost completely. The only question is – why?” She wants to revisit the fun with a fresh mind? “Why, Clark?” she asked quietly. “Why did my mind block out anything that has to do with you?”
Something in her tone was almost accusatory and it seemed like a wall was coming up between them. Oops? Abruptly, Lois stood up again and put some deliberate distance between them. She was frowning and studying him seriously. Clark suddenly felt like he was under a microscope Great touch! “Lois… you hit your head.” He was starting to sound like a broken record but he couldn’t think of anything else to say. Yes, calling her emotional or crazy or both – not helping. “How did I hit my head anyway?” She was crawling up a sewer and he was right behind her. Perfectly normal situation. “No. You’d been kidnapped by Luthor.”
“Luthor? Lex Luthor?” Lois looked incredulous. “The kidnapping part I buy – it’s not the first time I’ve gotten into more trouble than I should – but Lex Luthor? He’s a philanthropist.”  “Superman…” Lois whispered in a dreamy voice. Clark blinked. He hadn’t heard her say it like that since… well since before she knew he was him. He bit back a groan and decided to change the topic. Wonderful phrasing – he was him  Hopefully things would be easier in the morning. /Eyes part counter/ Edit: and reading Terry's FDK, yeah, somewhere I think I also posted this theory. Might have been on Discord, though, as one of the possible scenarios. Thank you for reminding me!  Michael
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Zoe Meta v2 5/22
aPurpleOkie
05/07/25 10:31 PM
Chapter 5
The tires crunched slowly along the gravel driveway.
Clark cut the engine but didn’t move. The Kent farmhouse sat quiet at the top of the rise, its front windows catching the last light of the afternoon. He knew every angle of that house. Every board in that porch. Every creak of the front steps. It looked the same—but he didn’t.
He reached across the passenger seat and unlatched the folded wheelchair beside him. His movements were practiced, not graceful. He angled his body, braced one hand on the frame, and shifted his weight, one transfer at a time. The driver’s door stayed open behind him as he settled into the chair and adjusted the footrests.
For a moment, he just sat there.
Not quite ready.
Then the front door opened.
Not rushed. Not dramatic. Just quietly opened.
Martha stepped into the doorway and leaned against the frame. She didn’t wave. Didn’t call out. She just looked at him, eyes steady, arms folded against the evening chill.
He wheeled slowly up the path, the gravel bumping under his tires.
When he reached the porch, she was still there. Still silent.
“Hi, Mom,” he said, voice rough.
Her throat worked, but she didn’t speak. She just stepped down, reached him, and placed a hand gently on his cheek.
“You came back,” she whispered.
Jonathan looked at him a long time. Then he crossed the kitchen, put one hand on Clark’s shoulder, and said simply, “It’s good to have you home.”
Clark nodded, his throat tight. “It’s good to be here.”
Jonathan eased down into the chair across from him like it wasn’t just his knees slowing him but the weight of everything left unsaid. He folded his hands on the table. Looked Clark over again.
“You had lunch yet?” he asked, like it was the only safe place to start.
Clark gave a small shake of the head. “Not yet.”
“We’ve got stew on. From last night. Good as it was the first time.”
Martha set another mug down near Jonathan’s elbow but didn’t speak. She just sat across from Clark again, hands resting around her tea.
Clark looked at the liquid in his cup, hoping it held all the answers. “I thought about this moment a thousand times.”
Jonathan’s voice was steady. “Did you think we’d be angry?”
Clark managed a breath of a laugh. “I hoped you’d open the door. That was as far as I let myself go.”
“Once Lois found out you were back, we knew you would be back,” Martha said. “This house has always been your home. Even when you forgot how to come back.”
Clark looked down. “I didn’t forget. I just… I wasn’t sure I was still someone who belonged here.”
Jonathan leaned back in his chair. “You think love is conditional.”
“No,” Clark said quietly. “but I didn’t think I’d know how to face anyone who used to count on me.”
“You think your son only needs a dad who can fly?” Jonathan asked.
Clark didn’t answer.
Martha’s voice softened. “He needs a father. And Lois… she needed to survive. She didn’t do it waiting on a miracle. She did it by building something new.”
Clark nodded, eyes fixed on the photo still resting on the table.
“I don’t want to hurt them. Not again.”
“Then don’t,” Jonathan said. “You don’t get to fix this in a day. But you do get to try.”
Clark looked up at him. “You think I should see her?”
“I think,” Jonathan said slowly, “you should be ready for her not to want to see you.”
That landed like truth always did in this house.
Clark didn’t flinch.
“I am,” he said. “But I still need to try.”
Jonathan gave a short nod. “Then you’ll have our support. But this next part? It’s not about what you need. It’s about what they do.”
Jonathan didn’t say anything else after that. He just picked up his mug and took a long sip like he’d said all he was going to.
Clark sat back, nodding. He didn’t expect a clear path. He didn’t expect to be welcomed without conditions. But still… a quiet part of him had hoped.
Martha stood and moved toward the stove, adjusting the burner under a pot. “You’re staying for dinner.”
Clark blinked. “You sure?”
She gave him a look that said it wasn’t a question. “You’re not driving back anywhere tonight.”
His eyes veered over to look at the stairs. “But…” He started, uncomfortably, like it hurt him to bring the next words to life.
She turned to the cupboard. “Once we found out Jerome was on the way, we started building an addition onto the back of the house. The last few months of Lois’s pregnancy were hard on her and needed a place to rest without having to climb a bunch of stairs.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
He said it so naturally it almost surprised him.
Jonathan finished his tea and stood. “I’m going to check the water trough.”
He left through the back door without another word. Clark watched him go, then turned back to Martha, who was now pulling bowls down from the shelf.
“He okay?”
“He will be,” she said, not looking up. “He’s just… feeling the edges of things.”
Clark understood that more than he could say.
He stayed quiet for a while, watching the way she moved, the familiarity of her rhythm in the kitchen. He used to take that for granted—the soft clatter of dishes, the way her hand hovered over a pan before she touched it, like she was measuring the heat by instinct.
She moved like someone who’d rebuilt her peace in layers.
And he didn’t want to be the reason it cracked.
He looked toward the door, voice low. “Do they ever come out here? Lois and Jerome?”
Martha didn’t answer right away. She folded a dish towel with exact care before responding.
“They do,” she said simply. “Now and then.”
“How often?”
“Often enough that it feels like family.”
Clark nodded. That hurt more than he expected it to.
“She still keeps in touch with you both?”
Martha turned back to him. Her expression was kind but firm. “She never stopped.”
He swallowed hard.
“I don’t know what I’m hoping for,” he admitted. “Just… not to make it worse.”
Martha’s gaze softened again, but she didn’t speak. Just returned to the stove and stirred the pot on the burner.
A few minutes passed.
Then, gently, she said, “Why don’t you lie down for a bit? You’ve had a long day.”
He didn’t argue. His body felt like lead.
She showed him to the spare room. It was neat and warm. A folded quilt rested at the foot of the bed. A small fan hummed quietly on the dresser.
He transferred from the chair to the bed with practiced care, settled against the pillow, and let out a slow breath.
In the kitchen, could still hear the faint sounds of the kitchen—Martha’s footsteps, the squeak of a drawer, the soft click of silverware being set out.
He didn’t know what time it was when he dozed off, just like he didn’t know that Lois and Jerome were expected after dinner.
And neither Martha nor Jonathan had decided whether they were going to tell him.
Thanks for reading!
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Re: FDK: Stuck in the Dark 11/35
Morgana
05/07/25 04:34 PM
But now here he was. Not just asking for her trust—but earning it again.
“Don’t make me regret it,” she said quietly.
“I won’t.”
She nodded to herself and ended the call. A great deal has happen between them and as yet, what it is has not been revealed. He wanted to demonstrate that he was competent and capable, that he wouldn’t need hand holding because of his condition. He hit send before he lost his confidence then, shutting down the computer, he started his nightly routine of preparing for bed. The motions were simple—familiar. Toothbrush. Lights. Checking the locks by touch. Each one reminded him that control didn’t require sight—only belief. Belief he still belonged. Kallen's isolation is so sad. I want to give him a hug... Wanted to say, I'm really enjoying this story!
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Re: FDK: Stuck in the Dark 10/35
Morgana
05/07/25 04:21 PM
Wait a minute... He is not is contact with his parents! No matter what reason he could give, that is very cruel and just plain not right. Hearing that Jonathan is not saying anything speaks volumes. They are both hurt. The next day, Kal hit the ground running. Norman’s municipal building wasn’t particularly busy, which helped. Kal moved through its halls with quiet precision, checking off items from his list. He requested public records, old committee meeting transcripts, council vote roll calls. When staff offered to help, he politely declined—always preferring to do it himself, even if it took longer. He scanned documents using a portable reader, cataloguing patterns by date, council member, and phrasing. Slowly, ever so slowly, Kallen is putting together an investigation worthy of Clark Kent.
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Stuck in the Dark 13/35
aPurpleOkie
05/07/25 12:41 AM
Happy Tuesday! Here is the next installment of Stuck in the Dark. The feedback I've received identified some gaping plot holes so I have made edits to several of the early chapters. Hopefully, this has fixed the issues or at least made them less obvious. Thanks for helping make this story the best it can be. I truly appreciate it!
Chapter 13
They’d been working for a couple hours now, the hotel room transformed into a controlled chaos of raised-line maps, labeled files, and Kal’s digital recorder tracking every thread. He kept his system neat, efficient. Every movement had purpose.
But every so often, a wrinkle formed.
Lois paused mid-sentence when Kal stilled, fingertips hovering above the braille label on a file.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I thought this one was Southside,” he murmured. “But I must’ve misfiled it. Either that, or I just lost track of the layout again.”
She didn’t move to help—not immediately. Kal wasn’t asking for it, and she’d learned better than to rush in.
Still, the quiet lingered too long.
“You okay?” she asked, softer now.
He exhaled. “I’m fine. Just…” His jaw flexed slightly. “Some days, it’s harder than others. Doesn’t mean I can’t do the work. But it wears on me. It’s not the work. It’s the second-guessing. Every step, every system—I build it, and then I have to trust it’ll hold.” There was no self-pity in his tone. Just fatigue. Honesty.
He sat back, shoulders tense. Then, without reaching for the map, he angled his head and pointed toward the far edge of the desk.
“No—wait. That one’s Southside.” He tapped the corner of a folder with near-perfect accuracy.
Lois blinked. “How did you—?”
“Lucky guess?” he offered meekly.
She didn’t press. Just watched him for a moment longer, then nodded and picked up the thread of the work again—filing it away, like she always did.
A few minutes later, Kal started searching for another folder of information. When she realized he was having trouble locating it, Lois nudged one of the folders an inch closer to his hand. She meant it to be subtle—gentle, even—but Kal’s fingers stilled.
He didn’t say anything, not at first. Just let the silence stretch, his jaw tense. Then he reached out—slowly, deliberately—and moved the folder back to its original place.
“I had it,” he said, obviously irritated by her action. Then he shook his head, trying to push the sharpness out. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped.”
Lois didn’t flinch. “You didn’t,” she said softly. “Not really.”
Kal exhaled through his nose, the tightness in his shoulders slow to ease. “It’s just… when people assume I need help, it gets in my head. Even when I know they mean well.”
“I wasn’t assuming,” she said. “I just—” She caught herself. Rewound. “I didn't want you to be frustrated when you picked up the wrong one. I don't know when to help."
He nodded, but didn’t look up. “I know.” A beat passed. “I just… need to know I can still figure it out, that I can pull my weight here. I haven't worked with a partner at the Oklahoman. I don't know how to do this."
Lois's voice was gentler now. “Don’t cut yourself short. You know enough to realize we needed all these records. We’ll figure it out together.”
Kal didn’t respond right away. His hand hovered for a moment above the folder, then withdrew entirely.
“I’m just trying to do what I saw you doing at the Planet,” he said, shrugging. “I know how to work alone. I’ve had to. It’s cleaner. Simpler.”
“Safer,” Lois added quietly.
He gave a small nod. “Yeah. That too.”
She didn’t argue. Didn’t press.
Instead, she reached for a different folder, opening it without a word and laying it between them like a fresh start.
Kal tilted his head slightly, listening to the shift of paper, the way she didn’t nudge it toward him this time.
And he reached for it on his own.
They worked in silence for a while after that, the kind that wasn’t heavy—just focused. Intent.
But Lois kept glancing over, not because he needed her to, but because she wanted to. Because every so often, he’d pause—just slightly—before labeling a file, or tapping a folder’s corner to orient himself.
She waited until one of those pauses stretched a little longer than usual.
“Kal,” she said, keeping her tone light but careful. “Have you ever considered talking to someone about this?”
He didn’t look up. “I’m not exactly eager to sit down with a therapist and unpack my feelings about tactile file systems.”
She gave a small huff of breath—close to a laugh, but not quite. “That’s not what I meant.”
He tilted his head slightly toward her, curious. “Then who?”
“Dr. Klein,” she said, and the name landed quietly between them. “You could go as Superman. He’d keep your confidence.”
Kal didn’t answer. Not right away.
Lois let the silence hang. She didn’t fill it. Didn’t backtrack. Just let it settle.
“I don’t know what he could even do,” Kal said eventually. “I’ve already learned how to work like this. Mostly.”
“I’m not saying he’d fix it,” Lois said. “I don’t think this is about fixing. But maybe he could help you understand it. Help you figure out what’s really going on under the surface.”
Still, Kal didn’t respond. But his jaw shifted—like he was grinding down a thought too heavy to name.
Lois folded her arms on the table, voice soft but sure. “I’ve seen the way you know where something is before you touch it. That wasn’t a lucky guess earlier.”
Kal’s brow furrowed.
“I’m not saying it to put you on the spot,” she added quickly. “I’m saying… maybe there’s more going on than you realize. And if anyone could help you figure out what that more is, it’s Dr. Klein.”
That finally drew a flicker of reaction—a small tilt of his head, the kind he gave when he didn’t want to admit something out loud but had already conceded it internally.
Lois didn’t push further.
Instead, she said, “Just think about it.” And then she turned the page of the report between them, as if that was all she’d needed to say.
They continued working for several more hours until Lois had to admit that she was beyond tired and left for home.
The room had gone quiet after that, save for the hum of the mini-fridge and the occasional car slipping past on the street below. Kal sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, cane resting against the nightstand.
He’d gone over the files twice. Rechecked his recorder. Everything was in order.
So why couldn’t he sleep?
He lay back eventually, muscles tight against the mattress. The dark didn’t matter—it never did anymore—but something about the silence felt heavier than usual. Louder.
He was about to turn over when a sound pricked the edge of his hearing. A voice—faint, far off. A sharp inhale. Someone muttering under their breath.
Then: the unmistakable sound of impact. A trash can tipping? A scuffle?
Kal froze, listening hard. The street outside wasn’t especially rough, but it wasn’t spotless either. Could be nothing. Probably was nothing.
Still, his heart picked up its pace.
Another sound: hurried footsteps. A sharp expletive. Something metal scraping pavement.
He sat up.
He could check. Could throw on a coat and head outside. But what then?
He hadn’t flown in years. Hadn’t intervened. Not since—
His hand found the edge of the nightstand again, steadying himself against the weight in his chest.
What if he misread the situation?
What if he got it wrong?
His jaw clenched.
By the time he made it to the window and cracked it open an inch, the sounds had faded. The voices moved on. The tension dissolved into ordinary city noise.
And Kal stood there, hands braced on the windowsill, a ghost of himself staring out at a world he used to be able to navigate without thinking.
He wasn’t afraid of helping.
He was afraid of how.
Of whether he still could.
Lois arrived late the next morning, coffee in one hand and a half-eaten protein bar in the other. Kal was already at the table, hands moving slowly across one of the raised-line maps. He didn’t look up when she entered—but he didn’t need to.
“You okay?” she asked, setting the coffee down beside him.
He nodded. “Yeah. Just started early.” But there was a heaviness in his voice. Something slightly off rhythm.
She didn’t press. Instead, she pulled out a chair and slid into it, mirroring his posture without drawing attention to it.
They worked like that for a while—quiet, steady. Neither of them rushing to fill the silence.
Eventually, Kal set the map aside. “I heard something last night,” he said. Lois looked up. “Outside the hotel. Maybe a fight. Maybe not. By the time I got to the window, it was over.”
“You think someone was hurt?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t do anything.”
“You couldn’t have known for sure.”
“That’s the part that bothers me,” he said quietly. “I used to just know. My hearing, my instincts—they worked together. Now…” His mouth pressed into a thin line. “Now I second-guess everything.”
Lois leaned forward. “What did it feel like? The moment you heard it.”
“Like the air shifted. Like I could almost feel the shape of it—but I couldn’t follow through. Like the map I used to rely was just out of reach.”
There was silence between them again—but this time, it wasn’t heavy. It was careful. Waiting.
Lois studied his expression, the way his brows pinched—not in pain, but in calculation. As if he were still trying to chart a course through something he hadn’t fully named yet.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” she said.
“I didn’t do anything at all,” he answered, almost under his breath.
She didn’t argue. She just let it land.
Kal reached for the coffee she’d brought, his fingers wrapping around the cup like it was grounding him. He didn’t drink it right away—just held it, the warmth bleeding into his skin.
“I think I need to know,” he said finally. “If there’s a way I can help, if I can still matter”
Lois didn’t breathe until he looked up—just a flicker, but enough.
“How can I help?”
“I think,” he started reluctantly, “I think I want to go see Dr. Klein.” Then he went back to the map.
Lois held her gaze on him, trying to decide if she should say anything. Taking her cue from his return to the map, she decided to let it go for now. His willingness to talk to Dr. Klein is progress and there was no need to risk him changing his mind by pushing him too far too fast. They would focus on the investigation for today and discuss scheduling his appointment tomorrow.
A few quiet moments passed before Kal spoke again. “Check this out.” He said as he held a document out to Lois. Lois took the page from his hand, scanning the text quickly. Her eyes narrowed halfway through, then widened in recognition.
“This name—” she pointed, forgetting again for a moment that he couldn’t see. “It’s the same consultant that appeared in one of my Southside files. I flagged it but hadn’t found a connection yet.”
Kal’s brow furrowed. “So we’ve got duplicate phrasing, mirrored zoning, and now a shared consultant.”
“Which means,” Lois said slowly, “this isn’t just a pattern. It’s coordinated. Someone’s steering this.”
Kal nodded. “Then we need to find out who’s holding the wheel.”
They locked eyes—or rather, Kal tilted his head just slightly toward her, catching the weight of her silence.
Lois stood and started pacing, her energy shifting into high gear. “If this person’s involved in both cities, odds are they’re not acting alone. Could be a front for something bigger—maybe even Intergang itself.”
Kal reached for his recorder. “We’ll need to trace their professional history. Board memberships, shell corporations, past legal affiliations.”
“I can handle Metropolis,” Lois said. “And you’ve already got the threads in Norman.”
They both nodded—two reporters chasing the same truth from different directions.
As she gathered the files and moved toward the door, Kal said quietly, “Thanks for the coffee. And thanks again for… trusting me with this.”
Lois paused, hand on the knob. “It’s not trust,” she said, glancing back at him. “It’s belief. And you’ve earned it.”
Then she was gone.
Kal sat for a moment in the silence that followed, his fingers brushing lightly over the map again. He hadn’t meant for the conversation about Dr. Klein to slip out—but maybe it was time. Time for him to do more than exist. Time to stop pretending life hadn’t kept moving while he had stayed stuck in what had become comfortable. No one had expectations of him in his life as Kal Ellis which meant he didn’t have to worry about disappointing anyone when he couldn’t live up to who he once was.
He reached for his phone and started to dial. It wasn’t STAR Labs number his fingers started to enter. Instead, it was the one for the Kansas farmhouse he’d once called home, the people who he used to talk to about everything, especially about a decision as big as this. But before he made it to the final digit, he stopped. It wasn’t time yet. He wasn’t ready to talk to them. He needed to know what Dr. Klein thought, that was his rationalization, anyway.
Tomorrow, he’d call Dr. Klein. Tomorrow, he would start trying to find answers to the questions he’d been afraid to ask.
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Re: FDK: Zoe Meta v2 2/22
aPurpleOkie
05/07/25 12:20 AM
I didn't read the first version, so everything is new. Thank you for reading! I think you are definitely getting the better version of this story. You should receive answers to your questions soon!
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Re: FDK: Stuck in the Dark 2/?
aPurpleOkie
05/07/25 12:03 AM
And as Morgana asked, where are Martha & Jonathan? Where are Martha and Jonathan? Thank you for pointing that out! I have gone back and added references to Martha and Jonathan into the earlier chapters (mostly 1 - 10 at this point). The posts have been updated on here to reflect those edits. While Kal's (Clark's) behavior may seem a bit out of character for how he and his parents get along, I tried to keep it within reason after such a drastic change in his life. I also wonder how he presumably got a job at a newspaper presumably without a history, including a resume, a journalism degree, a portfolio, and references. I admit I oversimplified that aspect of things, relying on 'movie magic' to keep from getting bogged down in the minutia of the creation of a new identity. (I did a better job of writing a more realistic explanation in the updated version of Zenith but couldn't think of a way to do it in this story without Jimmy being able to hunt him down.) And then there are the more mundane questions, like how in the world does he trim his hair and either shave or trim a beard? That has kind of been addressed in the edits I made in the earlier chapters. Kal's hair is long but I still haven't figured out a good way to explain about the beard. My original thought was that he rubbed that Kryptonite paste Diana Stride made on a razor so his facial hair would be temporarily vulnerable but when I double checked the timeline, Top Copy aired after The Eyes Have It so that wouldn't work. I'm still trying to think of a possible method for him to use that no one else has written. If I think of one, I will go back and edit the story to include it; otherwise, his shaving may have to fall into the category of 'movie magic' as well. Thank you to all the readers and reviewers. I appreciate any feedback provided and take it into consideration when editing. aPurpleOkie
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Zoe Meta v2 4/22
aPurpleOkie
05/05/25 08:49 PM
CHAPTER 4
Boone waited in the Daily Planet lobby longer than necessary.
He’d given the receptionist his name and said he had a personal inquiry for Perry White. Not a story. Not a tip. Just a private matter.
Eventually, a young assistant appeared, clipboard in hand. “Mr. Voss?”
He nodded.
“Mr. White will see you now.”
She led him to the elevator without asking questions, and Boone was grateful for it. Inside the cab, he kept his eyes fixed on the floor numbers as they lit up one by one. His reflection in the polished doors was unfamiliar: grayer, bearded, older. No cape. No glasses. No mask—but still hiding.
The elevator opened onto the bullpen floor, and the hum of old routines washed over him. Phones ringing. Keys clacking. Low voices threading through deadlines.
He followed the assistant without hesitation, but let her lead. He knew every inch of this place, but Boone Voss wasn’t supposed to. Boone didn’t know the path to Perry’s office. Boone didn’t belong here.
Perry was waiting just outside the glass-walled conference room. His stance was guarded, but not hostile—yet. His eyes swept over Boone, the chair, the face.
“Boone Voss?” he asked, voice rough with disbelief or habit.
“Thanks for making time,” Boone said.
“You said it was personal.”
“It is.”
Perry nodded once and opened the door. Boone wheeled in, quiet and steady. The room hadn’t changed. Framed headlines. Thin carpet. Glass walls that offered no privacy at all.
Perry followed him in. The door swung closed behind them with a soft click.
“I’ve got five minutes,” he said. “Start talking.”
Boone kept his hands folded on the armrests. “I was at the Webbers Falls press conference yesterday.”
Perry leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Waiting.
“There was someone there. A woman. She called out a name—‘Clark.’ Just that. One word.”
Perry’s brow creased slightly. “And?”
“I didn’t turn around,” Boone admitted. “But I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I thought maybe…”
Perry didn’t blink. “You came here to track down a voice in a crowd?”
Boone nodded. “When it echoes like that, yeah.”
“You think it was someone you know?”
“I think it might’ve been Lois.”
That landed.
Perry didn’t move. But the temperature in the room changed.
“She hasn’t been with us in years,” he said slowly.
“I figured,” Boone replied.
“What’s your interest in Lois Lane?”
Before he could answer, the door opened again.
“Sorry—got the message late.”
Jimmy Olsen stepped into the room, camera bag slung over his shoulder. He stopped when he saw Boone. “Oh. Hey.”
Boone nodded. “Hi.”
Jimmy’s brow furrowed. “Do I… know you?”
“I don’t think so.”
Jimmy tilted his head, squinting. “Huh.”
Perry cut in. “He thinks he saw Lois. Wants to know where she is.”
Jimmy turned to Boone again. “Why?”
Boone shifted in his chair. “I don’t want to disrupt anything. I just… if it was her, I need to know.”
“You don’t know her,” Perry said, voice flat.
Boone didn’t respond.
“You didn’t even say her name until I did,” Perry added.
“I didn’t think I had to,” Boone said carefully. “You knew who I meant.”
Perry narrowed his eyes. “Funny. Most people don’t talk about her at all.”
Boone stayed silent.
Jimmy spoke up, quieter now. “She doesn’t go by Lois Lane anymore.”
Boone glanced at him, uncertain. “No?”
“No,” Perry added. “Nowadays, she’s Elaine Kent.”
Boone froze.
It wasn’t much. Just a breath. A slight hitch. But it was enough.
“You didn’t know that,” Jimmy said.
“No,” Boone admitted, voice low. “Jimmy… what happened?”
Jimmy’s brow furrowed. “Say that again.”
“What?”
“That line. Just… say it.”
Boone blinked. “Jimmy, what happened?”
Jimmy went still. The blood drained from his face.
“Oh my God,” he whispered.
Perry turned sharply. “What?”
Jimmy pointed, stunned. “It’s him. It’s CK.”
Boone didn’t deny it. He just sat quietly, hands still.
Perry stared at him, eyes narrowing. “Is that true?”
Boone held a pregnant breath before he reluctantly nodded. “Yes.”
Everything in the room shifted.
Jimmy sank into a chair, eyes wide. “Jesus, man. We thought you were dead.”
“So did I,” he said.
Perry didn’t sit. “You disappeared.”
Clark nodded. “I left thinking I could return one day. But when the time came… I couldn’t. I wasn’t who she remembered. Not even close.”
“You didn’t come back at all,” Perry snapped.
Clark took it.
“I don’t know what she thought happened. I don’t know what you’ve been told. But when I finally…” He tapped the side of the chair. “I wasn’t the same. I thought I could wait until I was better. Stronger. Until I could be the version of me she remembered.”
Perry’s jaw clenched. “And in the meantime, you let her bury you.”
Clark’s hands gripped the chair arms tighter. “I know.”
Jimmy looked at him. “You missed a lot.”
“I know.”
“She has a son,” Perry said.
Clark blinked. “She—what?”
“Jerome,” Jimmy said softly. “He’s about four now.”
Clark sat back like the air had left the room. “I didn’t know. I had no idea.”
“She didn’t know you were alive,” Perry said. “You left her to figure it out on her own.”
Clark nodded slowly. “I’m not asking for anything. I just… need to see her. To explain.”
Perry narrowed his eyes. “Explain what?”
“That I wasn’t strong enough to come back. That I stayed gone for the wrong reasons.”
“You think she needs to hear that?” Jimmy asked.
“I don’t know what she needs,” Clark said. “But I know what I owe.”
Perry walked toward the door but didn’t open it yet.
“She’s not in Metropolis anymore.”
“I figured.”
“She’s not hiding,” he added, “but she’s not easy to find, either.”
“I didn’t want to show up unannounced,” Clark said. “That’s why I came here first.”
“She has a life,” Perry said. “A son. A new name. And people who’ve helped her hold all that together.”
Clark nodded. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“She knows your name,” Perry said. “She told Jerome who you were. But she never told him the whole story. That was her choice.”
“I won’t confuse him,” Clark said. “Or push.”
“You’re damn right you won’t.”
Jimmy gave Clark a long look. “We missed you. But that doesn’t mean we forgot what you cost her.”
Clark met his gaze. “Neither did I.”
He wheeled himself to the door.
And as he left the bullpen—quiet, anonymous, scarred—he knew one thing for certain:
There was no version of this that didn’t hurt.
But pain was the price of return.
And maybe, just maybe, it could also be the beginning of something real.
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Re: A Personal Favor 1/1
Morgana
05/05/25 04:54 PM
Klein turned back to his experiments. "Tell Lois I said hello." Yay Bernie!  He put all the clues together and came up with the right answer. Sweet little fic.
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Stuck in the Dark 12/35
aPurpleOkie
05/04/25 03:07 PM
Thank you to everyone who has been reading and/or providing feedback. I am working to incorporate more information on what happened to Clark and Superman throughout the story (I don't think any of them are in this chapter, though ...) Also, I intentionally neglected to include Martha and Jonathan only because what I was working on had so many moving parts already and I am still trying to figure out how to balance everything. However, I now realize that decision left a major hole in the story since his parents are such an integral part of his life. If I am unable to give them a significant role in the piece, then my goal will be to at least mention them so that they are not completely ignored. I hope you enjoy the next chapter of Stuck in the Dark.
Chapter 12
The newsroom at The Daily Oklahoman was quieter than usual, the lull between morning edits and afternoon chaos giving it an almost eerie calm. Kal moved through it with practiced ease, the tap of his cane drawing no attention from the handful of reporters still glued to their screens.
He found Anderson in his office, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, red pen in hand. The editor looked up as Kal knocked once against the open door.
Anderson gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Sit. What've you got?"
Kal handed over the folder and waited as Anderson flipped through its contents: zoning records, bank statements, voice log summaries, a raised-line rendering of the dual-city map. The editor's eyebrows ticked up with each turn of the page.
"You've been busy," Anderson muttered.
Kal nodded. "It's the same pattern in both cities. Same shell companies. Same phrasing in public hearings. This isn't just a local story anymore."
"And you think the action's in Metropolis?"
"I know it is," Kal said. "Norman's the testing ground. Southside's the blueprint. What we're seeing here? It's just the front end of a much larger machine."
Anderson leaned back in his chair, tapping the edge of the folder. "So you're asking to follow the story. Out of state."
"I'm asking to represent this paper while I do it," Kal said evenly. "Metropolis is where the power players are. Where the money ends up. I can do more from there."
There was a long pause. Anderson studied him.
"You used to come in here with hesitations. Questions about whether you could still do this job." He gestured at the folder. "This isn't hesitant."
“I know but I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone. I’m not going to know what I can do if I don’t stretch myself.”
"No," Anderson said. "You're not."
Another pause. Then he added, "You're sure about this partner of yours?"
Kal's answer was quiet. Steady. "Yes."
“Who is it?”
Kal hesitated for the briefest of moments. “Lois Lane from the Daily Planet.”
“The Lois Lane? Award winning investigative journalist Lois Lane?”
“Four time Kerth award winner, yes, that’s the one.”
“And she’s willing to partner with you on this?” Anderson asked, one brow lifting. Then, after a beat: “You sure she’s not just chasing the story while you do the heavy lifting?”
Kal’s jaw tightened—not visibly, but enough that he felt it. “She doesn’t need me to chase a story. If anything, I’m the one catching up.”
Anderson watched him for a second longer, then sighed and closed the folder.
"Alright. Go," he said. "But I want you back in a week. Any leads tied to Oklahoma come through this office first."
Kal's mouth twitched. "Of course."
As he stood to leave, Anderson added, "Just don't forget where you started, Ellis."
"I haven't," Kal said, gripping his cane—though the irony wasn’t lost on him. If Anderson knew the truth, he’d realize Kal wasn’t leaving where he started. He was going back to it. "But it's time to see where it leads."
The door had barely shut behind him when Kal’s phone vibrated. He answered on the second ring.
"Lois."
"You told Anderson?"
"I did. Just walked out of his office. He signed off. I’m still working through the Norman files—some of the legal language is deliberately convoluted."
"No surprise there. These people don’t want anyone connecting the dots. But we’re going to."
"Have you looked at the newest rezoning package yet?"
"Not in full, but it’s on my list. Why?"
"Same lawyer appears in the Oklahoma and Metropolis filings—under two different firms. Might be a shell identity. I’m trying to verify."
There was a pause.
"You’re good at this," Lois said finally.
"I’m still figuring out how to be good at it like this."
"You are. And we’re going to finish this. Together."
He didn’t answer at first. Then, quietly: "I believe you."
Lois stayed still for a beat after the call ended, Kal’s words lingering in her ear. Then she grabbed the folder she’d prepared the night before and headed toward Perry’s office—fast, deliberate, like she had something to prove.
She didn’t knock—just pushed the door open and stepped into Perry’s office like she always had.
"Tell me you've got more than an excuse for being two hours late."
"I've got more than that," she said, dropping a manila folder onto his desk. "Try five council members, a coordinated land grab, and a corporate shell trail that crosses state lines."
Perry leaned back in his chair and opened the folder. "Norman, Oklahoma?" he muttered, scanning the first page. "How the hell did this end up on my desk?"
"Because someone out there has been laundering zoning deals through CostMart subsidiaries," Lois said. "And the same pattern is showing up in Metropolis."
Perry flipped to the second document. "These quotes—this phrasing—it's identical. You dig this up on your own?"
She hesitated. "No. I've been comparing notes with a reporter in Oklahoma. Kallen Ellis. Writes for The Oklahoman."
Perry looked up slowly. "Ellis? He won a Kerth earlier this year, didn’t he?"
"That's him," she said. "He flagged the overlap on a hunch. I followed up, and it held."
Perry sat back, watching her carefully. "You vouch for him?"
"I do," she said without flinching. "He's methodical, clear-headed, and—" She exhaled. "He's not looking for a byline war. He just wants to get it right."
Perry drummed his fingers against the desk. "And The Oklahoman? They know he's working with us?"
"He cleared it with his editor. It’s all above board."
Perry drummed his fingers against the desk. “You sure he can keep up?”
Lois didn’t blink. “He already is.”
That gave Perry pause. He sat back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly—not in suspicion, but in consideration.
“Huh,” he muttered. “Didn’t expect that.”
Lois didn’t offer more. She didn’t need to.
After a beat, Perry gave a short nod, like he was adjusting the file in his mental cabinet. Not just the story, but the people in it. “Alright, let’s give it a shot,” he said quietly. “But be careful. Just because the wound isn’t bleeding doesn’t mean it’s healed.”
Perry’s words followed her out of the office, quiet but insistent, like the echo of a door that didn’t quite close behind her.
Just because the wound isn’t bleeding doesn’t mean it’s healed.
Lois didn’t flinch, but she didn’t shrug it off either. He wasn’t wrong. And he wasn’t just talking about the story.
Back at her desk, she sank into her chair and pulled up her messages. The cursor blinked on a blank screen, waiting.
They’d agreed to move fast. Kal needed the details. So why did her fingers hesitate?
She exhaled and began typing.
Lois stared at the message draft on her screen, scrolling back to double-check the tone. Nothing complicated. Just the basic information Kal would need.
She’d included the address for the Planet, their meeting time, and the zoning office hours. Then—almost as an afterthought—she added a line about a hotel two blocks from her apartment. Easy access to the bus line. Quiet corner. Disability-friendly.
She told herself it was just convenience. They’d be pulling late nights, comparing notes. Proximity mattered.
But the moment she typed it, something in her chest tightened—not painfully. Just enough to make her notice.
Perry’s voice came back to her then, uninvited but steady: Be careful. Just because the wound isn’t bleeding doesn’t mean it’s healed.
She stared at the line about the hotel, wondering if she should take it out. Wondering if it meant more than she meant for it to.
Then she shook her head.
Kal could read it however he wanted. She was offering help. Logistics. Nothing more. She hit send before she could change her mind.
She didn’t wait for a reply. She didn’t need one. Not yet.
By morning, she had one anyway.
I'll be there by two. Thanks for the hotel rec. Looks perfect. – K
It was simple. Unassuming. But it made something settle in her chest—a quiet click of gears falling into alignment. They were really doing this.
And a few hours later, Kal was already waiting when she spotted him at the corner of Fifth and Hemsworth, a lightweight duffel over one shoulder and his cane sweeping in practiced arcs ahead of him. The rhythm of the city pressed in around him—brakes hissing, boots on pavement, someone talking too loudly into a phone.
He turned his head slightly as familiar footsteps approached. Confident. Unhurried.
“Hey,” Lois said, the word casual but not unweighted.
“Hey,” Kal echoed, his mouth twitching with the beginnings of a smile. “You weren’t kidding about the traffic.”
“Told you it’d be better to walk from the hotel.” She gestured, forgetting for a split second that he wouldn’t see it. “Perry’s giving us a temp conference room. Private access, Planet credentials, full zoning archive privileges. Even a dedicated drive.”
Kal nodded slowly, the information settling in. “That’s generous of him.”
“You’re not surprised?”
“I’m… grateful,” Kal said carefully. “But I think I’d still rather work from the hotel. At least for now.”
Lois raised an eyebrow. “You sure? You’d have more support at the Planet.”
“I know,” he said, shifting his weight slightly. “But the building’s a labyrinth, and I don’t want to burn half my focus on just getting around. I’ve got a rhythm going where I am. Controlled space. Quiet. Less margin for error.”
There was no apology in his voice—but there was something close to caution. A vulnerability not about the work itself, but about the way he’d learned to do it.
Lois nodded. “Okay,” she said simply. “We’ll adapt.”
Kal tilted his head. “That easy?”
“You’re the one who reminded me this is a collaboration. Not a Planet exclusive. If the hotel works for you, it works for me.”
Something eased in his posture. Just a fraction. But it was there.
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Lois and Clark Message Board Index Update through April 30, 2025
Dawn
05/04/25 02:36 PM
Hi FoLCs! Here is the update of new fic (gathered typically through the end of the month). Links at http://www.lcficdirectory.com/pgindexUpdated to April 30, 2025 New Stories: Date Night by 90stvfangirl Good Night, Lois - Peter’s Kiss by bakasi The More Things Stay the Same by AmandaK Nope by SuperBek Pancakes & Power Outages by 90stvfangirl Stuck in the Dark by aPurpleOkie (aka clrgard) Sunshine Superman by Queen of the Capes Zoe Meta v2 by aPurpleOkie (aka clrgard) New Parts: Found by SuperBek Mad Dog Lane by Kathryn84 Completed Stories: Date Night by 90stvfangirl Good Night, Lois - Peter’s Kiss by bakasi Mad Dog Lane by Kathryn84 Nope by SuperBek Pancakes & Power Outages by 90stvfangirl Sunshine Superman by Queen of the Capes New TOCs: Date Night by 90stvfangirl Good Night, Lois - Peter’s Kiss by bakasi The More Things Stay the Same by AmandaK Nope by SuperBek Pancakes & Power Outages by 90stvfangirl Stuck in the Dark by aPurpleOkie (aka clrgard) Sunshine Superman by Queen of the Capes Zoe Meta v2 by aPurpleOkie (aka clrgard) Added to the Archive: None Enjoy! Dawn & the Index Crew
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