Jenni, Sorry for the delay in posting fdk... no excuse really except being disorganised...
You really write your bad guy well. I hate him, which is exactly what I should be feeling. I am dreading and curious at the same time to see what damage has been done in the retirement home, and what Thomas has up his sleeve for his next grand outing... especially if it inadvertently involves Clark... hmmm..
I also love the father-son banter going on with Clark and Matt. There is a jealousy and pride in Clark for his son... which is an interesting conflict, as well as the fact Clark is still trying to be all that he can be even without the full range of powers. I feel like Clark is struggling to come to terms with the 'disability' he now has compared to where he was before... and seeing Matt doing what he used to be able to do is causing his feelings and emotions to clash with one another. It is such an interesting aspect of Clark for me because we rarely see Clark struggling with anything (except kryptonite or Lois).. and when he does struggle, it is a short term thing, where as here... Clark has to deal with a radical change in who he was and come to terms with what he has lost. The reality is, as much as we are seeing some of his powers return... he may never get back what he had, and he certainly won't loose the permanent scars he will have to live with the rest of his life.
It is nice to see Clark is making headway in his investigation... That goes hand in hand with the whole 'I can no longer be Superman' theme, because in order to heal, I think Clark needs to realise he doesn't HAVE to be Superman to be a good reporter and still fight for truth and justice. If he can succeed in regaining his confidence and edge as a reporter... then he CAN do almost anything.
As you can see... I find the story, and the characters in your story very compelling...
Keep it coming... please!
