I am shamefully, embarrassingly late in replying and thanking you all for your utterly wonderful comments on this final part and the story as a whole. At first, I was waiting until I was sure that anyone who wanted had had a chance to post, and then I just got distracted.
I just hope that the
little Christmas present I posted for you all as a gesture of thanks helps make up a little for my dilatoriness.
Anyway. The most important thing I have to say here is a huge, heartfelt, grateful
thank you for all the wonderful things you've all said about this story, both along the way and on this final instalment. I can't possibly do justice to all your insightful, thoughtful, kind and generous comments in this post, but I will just pick out a few things.
Kristin said something a few people had been mentioning, here and on IRC:
I didn't think it could be done. I didn't think it was possible to end this story in one part after where you left us off in the last segment.
I got several 'suggestions' (ie they were more than mere 'suggestions') that just one part couldn't possibly be enough to make up to you for all the anguish and torment I'd been putting you through.
But I don't know why I even doubted you. It was perfect! Everything came to a close. She's getting better, with a few side effects of course. They are going to try dating first. The bit about Henderson. Their future investigation into Luthor. You hit every loose end I could think of.
Aww! Thank you so much!
Sheila said:
I just wish that there weren't any doubts about their marriage.
Well, the way I see it, there aren't. But I think it would have been completely unrealistic to leave this with hearts and flowers and a public acknowledgement of their marriage. As EminMN said:
They both love each other and they both realize that fact. They have become very close in the past 24 hours. I am reminded of the song that says: “What a difference a day makes, twenty-four little hours.” Much has changed in the past day for both Lois and Clark. However, one day is still just one day, no matter how extraordinary that day may have been.
I liked that Jen said this:
my favorite part was probably the fact that L&C didn't just jump into being married. The toys were neatly put back in the box, but I think the toychest is open for the journey the two of them still need to take together.
But Ann says exactly what I was thinking:
we all know that this taking-off-the-rings thing is certainly not for ever, or even for very long.
It would have been unrealistic for them to decide, there and then, that they'd stay married, and no matter how much Clark wants it I couldn't see him letting Lois suggest it - he'd be too afraid that she'd change her mind once she gets over the emotional trauma and her dependence on him. I don't see it as taking very long, though, for them to admit that this isn't just a temporary thing - that their feelings for each other are real and lasting. Give it a few months and they'll be discussing which of their apartments is better for them to live in.
I was so happy to see so many of you mention Henderson's role in this story.
I loved how you were able to use Henderson a lot in this story. I feel that he was tragically under-used in the series, but your incarnation of him in this story is great.
that's just adorable! The peach (sweet innocent, very feminine colour) roses with thorns... And Henderson on Lois's Christmas card list! And thank you so much for the wonderful way you used Bill Henderson in this story. He's a great character, and I'd like to see more of him in Lois and Clark fanfiction.
But there's one point that really deserves some more attention. Henderson. You write the man brilliantly! No idea how you do it, but it's just *him*. His hard work, his way of speaking and showing he cares. The roses were a perfect idea!
Also, I adored Henderson all through this story. I know others have said it, but he really was a very bright light here. His character was perfectly used!
Thank you!! As is probably obvious by now, I'm a huge Bill Henderson fan. He was sadly under-used in the series, but when we did see him I loved his interaction with Lois. Their relationship is just so layered - on the surface, apparent distrust and sarcasm, yet there's so much more underneath. Their respect for each other is obvious. He's the cop Lois calls when she needs something - like a break-in at Clark's apartment investigated. And he comes when she calls, even if petty breaking in is so far beneath his role as a detective inspector. I wish they'd written him in as the cop investigating Clark's murder in TOGOM, and given him a decent role.
Anyway... *ahem*
Thank you all for enjoying his role so much! Although I'm not really writing L&C fic at the moment (like I said, been distracted...), when I do come back to it I have a Henderson-focused story in my mind as one I want to write. Hope you'll enjoy it, when I do get around to it!
Okay, a couple of nitpicks:
Tank (who understands Clark's emotional need to be with Lois all the time, but in the light of who Superman is finds it unrealistic, even if it is the stuff of 'true romance')
You're absolutely right, Tank. Of course it's not very realistic, just as Clark staying with Lois throughout the previous day probably strained at the edges of credibility.
I'm just pretending that there wasn't a lot of need for Superman during this period - I mean, it can't be all death and disaster all the time! <g>
Judy said:
There were parts where I was screaming to the monitor the entire time. For example that hole lead thing made we want to scream. I KNEW those shavings of metal were important, yet at first Clark totally ignored them. AND this was after feeling bad of wasting time with the whole superpower thing and what not. He had the answer to installments prior, but he kept it from everyone. Also why did he not think of X-Ray visioning her. HELLO CLARK!! That could have saved her life from the very beginning. When you could not see through her the light bulb should've and would've gone off. Through his moments of guilt that was never mentioned once (the use of X-Ray viision)...well from what I can recall, I do not remember it being mentioned. That was the only thing I found a little disappointing.
Now, I don't see this. Why would Clark X-ray her? I can't see any reason why he would think it would help. He knows she's been injected with a poison, but he's not a chemist or a scientist and wouldn't imagine that he'd be able to recognise what it is just through X-raying her.
The metal shavings, yes - but you have to remember that this was in a toymaker's workshop. Edwin Griffin would use lots of different materials in making his toys, including metal, and there'd be shavings and bits and pieces of all sorts of things all around the warehouse. It's not as if the fragments Clark saw were the only thing lying around. So I think it's plausible that he didn't pay any attention to them at the time. When he was at the warehouse, he was looking for things like a hypodermic and traces of fluid - it never occurred to him or anyone else that one of the poisons might have been in solid form. After all, injections tend to be liquid.
You asked for a response on this:
I do not know if any of you watch HOUSE? I think it would have been ironic to have him as the doctor - rather than Dr. Sutton. House would have been a challenge for Lois, and it would have been humourous them constantly bickering. Plus they were looking for the best medical team, and House and the gang were it (in my opinion). Thoughts on this suggestion would be interesting and definately wanted.
I'm afraid my response is
I've never heard of House...
Finally, a few of you have asked about a sequel. I'm going to take the KathyB approach here and take it as a huge compliment that you enjoyed the story so much that you don't want to let the characters go, and I feel very pleased about that. But, no, there's no sequel. I've told the story that I want to tell, and taken it as far as my imagination wanted to go with it. For what happens from here on, feel free to use your own imaginations.
There already are some stories out there which have Lois and Clark marry first (for convenience or some other reason) and then build a relationship afterwards. Try ML Thompson's First Comes Marriage, Erin Klingler's The Accidental Husband, Jessi Mounts' For Better Or For Worse, and Missy Gallant's work-in-progress What's Love Got To Do With It.
Anyway, I'll leave it at that. I'm conscious, as always, that a mere thank you is far from sufficient for all the wonderful words you've posted in feedback for this story over the weeks as it was being posted, but please believe that I'm overawed, stunned, and very, very grateful.
Thank you. 
Wendy
