Nancy, I think your story must have the best "family feeling" ever of all LNC fanfics. In Clark's big, happy, generous family, everyone is important and everyone counts. And there always seems to be room for more people. Unless you are not there to make trouble, it appears that you would almost always be a welcome visitor. Your story makes your readers feel, I think, that they, too, could come to Clark's house and be welcomed there as guests. It's almost as if your story blurred the lines between fiction and reality, in almost the same way that the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" blurred the lines between real people and cartoons.
But there is one person who is not there in Clark's family, and who I, the world's greatest Lois fan, always miss so bitterly. I so, so, so wish that Lois could be a part of this story, that she could get to meet all the fascinating people here and be a part of everything that happens. And of course: I would so, so, so much love to see
her as Clark's wife, standing by her man and loving him, being loved by him in return, and raising their children with him.
But that will not happen, and sometimes I feel as if I miss her so much that I can't bear to go on reading your story. You know that I need to feel that Lois remains a part of this family in spirit, at least, if not in the flesh. And in this part you did make Clark talk about her and cry for her:
“Oh, Caitlyn… I miss her so much.”
She said softly, “It’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. And to think she knew.” He shook his head in frustration. “Some of the things she did make sense now.”
“Like what?” Caitlyn pulled his glasses off and handed him a tissue.
He shook his head no. “I don’t want to talk about it. Maybe later. But not now. Of course, you know about the videos.” He stood up. “Oh, god. Lois wasn’t supposed to die because she had a baby. It’s just not supposed to be that way. Mothers are supposed to hold their babies and love them and breastfeed them. Fathers aren’t supposed to take care of a baby by themselves.”
Well, I think Lois was unbelievably brave, considering she knew about her own impending death but managed to be a bright and happy center for her family all the same, concealing the truth of her looming demise while she was making preparations to help her children get on without her.
Not only Clark but also Jon misses Lois in this chapter:
Jon bit his lip. “I miss mom a lot. Especially right now.”
Ah, but poor, poor, poor Lara:
Lara stood in the middle of the floor watching these two grown-ups cry and hold each other. She understood the meaning of what they were saying. Her mommy - her real mommy - had died to give her life. She had her teddy-bear in her hands, and she dropped it on the kitchen floor. She turned and quietly ran out of the room. She found a place to hide and sobbed. It may have been the twins’ birthday, but Lara Kent felt like she had aged a decade in one moment of time.
Oh, oh, oh. How could it
ever be a child's fault that his or her mother died while giving birth to this child? It can't ever be the baby's fault. It's not as if the baby asked to come into existence.
So I so, so hope that poor little Lara will get over her horrible guilt. But I, the Lois fan, also hope that Lara will find some confirmation that
Lois loved her, and Lois wasn't angry at Lara and never blamed Lara for what happened to her. I would like to see Lara make a slightly stronger connection with Lois, if that is at all possible.
And as for Claire's tears... I think I know what they are about, and I guess you know what I'm hoping to see when it comes to Claire.
So many things were fascinating in this chapter. I like Los more and more, and at the same time I like K'al less and less.
K'al and Los are both telepaths, and another telepath visited the Kent home in this chapter - J'on J'onzz. He was always one of my favorite members of the Justice League. It was great fun to see him here! And while J'on J'onzz is a green man from Mars, Mister Spock is a slightly less green Vulcan form Vulcan. You know Mister Spock is an old favorite of mine, so I won't object if he visits the Kents in a later chapter, Nancy!
A young man whom I like more and more is Jon. I love the fact that he is a good singer, and that he would care so much for his little sister that he would comfort her by writing a song for her. I was so shocked when he started bleeding so badly. I don't really think that anything truly bad will happen to him - I think that is the rule of your story, Lois is dead but no one else will die - so he will obviously survive, though it's not absolutely certain he will not suffer any ill effects afterwards.
Ah, well. You know there are so many things and so many people I want to see more of in this story - Jon and Hannah, Los and Marisol, Zared and Jenni, and then there are the twins, particularly Claire. And then I want to see, if possible, Lois making her (spiritual) presence known in a good way for her children's sake.
Looking forward to more, Nancy.
Ann
