Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Above Alt Else, 13/?

Oh - this was so sad!!! I wondered what Lois had agreed to but had no clue that it was to be Jory's mother!!! Poor little guy!!! And she's right - Clark's not being much of a dad either.

Speaking of parenting though... time to get my own kids down for a nap. I'll be back later with more .

Edits:

Okay, back. They're in bed at least... Well, one kid is anyway...

Poor Jory - dealing with these episodes. I'm glad Clark told the daycare about them even before he enrolled Jory. There may not be any medicine that they can give him and he should have discussed that with them too - that there's really nothing to do but hold him through it - because surely if there was medicine, he would have left it with them. I don't know anything about the disease or syndrome or whatever you mentioned later, but I do wonder if there isn't some medication but Clark is reluctant to use it because of the possible physiological differences - assuming once again that Jory is his bio son.

I'm still curious about Lana. When I first read med school [did you mention that before? I forget], I was hopeful that she had been a leading researcher in this particular field, but apparently not. At least not on the up and up. So does that mean she really is the bio mom? And Clark says that she's not the mom because she's not present in Jory's life? Lois was right to call him on that later. He may be a father to Jory or a caregiver, but he's certainly not being a Dad by any stretch of my imagination.

He's so different than the DadClark we usually see. The one who longs for a child of his own to connect with, to have someone on earth who is a part of him and [usually] a part of Lois. I can't see how that's going to happen here. This Lois is so different than ours, but I think she would have gotten on fine with 'our Clark' and probably they would have been together and happy fairly quickly, but this Clark... I can easily see this Lois wanting children but not with this Clark - not after he's pushed Jory so far away, even if it is because he's trying to protect his own heart from Jory's eventual death. Lois was much more of a mom in this segment than Clark has been a Dad in the first 14 parts.

It breaks my heart. Maybe it's because of my own 8.5 month old son who had [now resolved] health problems. We were never even close to losing him, but it certainly wasn't easy. But at the same time I can't imagine not letting myself love him because he was sick. I said it before and I'll say it again, I think Clark is going to regret the time he spent trying to protect his heart. I think, eventually, it will break his heart - the time he lost with Jory. My heart breaks for him, for Jory, for the time they've lost. For Lois and Clark because, unless he grows up, I can't see them having a family together.

I realize there's a lot we don't know about Clark's past and there could be a lot more to it, but still...

I loved Lois and Jory's outing. I think she's probably right - Clark's not helping him even though he thinks he's protecting him. Poor Jory wanted to play ball with those kids - he just wants to be treated as normally as possible and who can blame him?

Have I mentioned how mad I am at Clark?!

Okay, okay - enough for now - but post more soon. Today. Today would be good. In fact, now if you want. Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a different Clark on top?

Carol

Edit again: Okay - I changed the topic because I realized that given my mood today, 'break my heart' might be a bit strong, though it certainly is applicable to me, and nothing else is coming to me but I didn't want to inadvertently discourage someone from reading.

Did I mention I haven't gotten Jory out of my head today [isn't this pathetic?]. I even looked up Progeria - of course, that makes my heart break more but... And of course it makes me more mad at Clark, because the life expectancy for this child is not 3 or 4, but probably 10-13. If the wiki is right, that is. Of course, if Jory really is half Kryptonian, then his life expectancy could easily be much more than that - what with the dense molecular structure and all. And Clark is shutting him out. No pictures on his desk. Nothing. Makes me want to kick his invulnerable rear end into next week.

okay, progeria makes me think that Jory is for sure a clone. If I remember my high school bio correctly, clones only live to be about half the age of the "orginal" because of the DNA used is as old as the oringinal, even though the clone starts out a a baby. And also, there's the whole thing with clones only lasting a few days in the LnC universe.

So my bet is that Lana cloned Clark somehow and made Jory, with a few flaws. And so Clark wants to find Lana again to help fix whatever is causing Jory to die.

Working from old memories of a documentary I saw on Progeria many moons ago, there are actually many, many medicines that will each treat one part of Progeria, similiar to the way that most elderly people take a half dozen different medications for a half dozen different problems. I don't remember anything about the episodes that Jory appears to be having, though. The deafness is also an entirely different problem.

If I could have one wish for Jory it would be that he would be allowed to be around other deaf children his own age. Wouldn't it be fun for him to find someone where he is the same? Unfortunately, that oftens means he can't be with his own family--not that he is with his family now in any real sense of the word.

There's a part of me that wishes that Jory really could pick his own parents right now. It might give him a sense of belonging somewhere. I suspect he would pick Martha over Lois any day of the week if he were given the choice.


Elisabeth

I'm loving this story from its beginning, and these scenes with little sweet Jory and Lois really moved me!
Please keep posting your wonderful story!

Simona

This chapter is absolutely heartbreaking and so sweet at the same time. I can see why you gave Lois a happier childhood than our Lois, because she needed it in order to be able to relate to Jory like this. I love how Lois is taking Jory to her heart and learning how to love him best (learning sign). And you integrate the signing so well, it just flows right and makes such an impact on the story. Do you know sign yourself?

Oh, so very, very sad!

Jory has Progeria? Oh no! I have seen documentaries about what this does to children, turning them into old people in the small bodies of kids....

But the cloning theory is getting more and more naggingly insistent. As Beth pointed out, clones live shorter lives than the original being they were cloned from, because the clone is always made from tissue or DNA that is not absolutely newborn. (And even if it is newborn, we must take the gestation time into account.) A shorter life span for Jory is definitely to be expected if the boy is a clone. Admittedly, Clark's tissue shouldn't start breaking down at this stage of his life, and therefore neither should Jory's, unless the cloning process was a partly botched job.

And Lana went to med school? I don't know if I like that info... what has she got to do with Jory? Did she learn any cloning stuff?

Clark was so inadequate as a father in this chapter, and while his treatment of Jory is inexcusable, I still think Clark's own desperation and inability to cope may be excusable. This was so strange:

Where does Jory come from? Is he a clone? Is Lana his mother? Was Jory born a full year before Clark came back home to Smallville? What does Lana have to do with all of it? You've got to tell us, Sunrei!

Anyway, with Lana treating Clark so badly when they were kids, and Clark suffering the horrible shock of seeing his best friend - his only friend? - die and being unable to save him, and with Lana probably blaming him for Pete's death... and with Clark feeling out of place and unsure of what to do with himself at all, and feeling that everyone around him was in danger... and Jory dying, and Clark being unable to save him... yes, I think it is excusable that he hasn't been able to cope with a lot of things. But for all of that, he needs someone to tell him to shape up. And because Lois has been such a wonderful friend to him - newsflash, Clark, you have a new friend even though Pete is gone - she is the one who tells him a few words of truth:

Take that, Clark! And think of what it means. Jory needs someone who loves him, and you haven't been doing a good job at all of showing him the love that you do feel for him.

Of course Jory thinks that Lois is his mother. My guess is that from now on, she will have to assume that role as much as possible. I suspect that she will be seeing Jory on an almost daily basis now. Either that, or else Clark will run away again and take Jory with him. I sure hope not!!!!

A bit of irritating A-plot is making its unwelcome presence known... that voice. Is it Luthor? Has he got Kryptonite? Well, sigh. Ahh gaaaah. I hope this wonderful Lois is able to save Clark if Lex manages to lure him into a Kryptonite-baited trap.

And I so hope she will be able to save Jory, too!

Ann

EDIT: I just realized something. Maybe Lana isn't the only one who would be able to save Jory. Maybe she is the only one that Clark will allow to examine Jory, because she already knows Clark's secret. Maybe Sam Lane would be able to treat Jory just as well, or better, only Clark won't allow him to, because he doesn't want any more people to know about his superpowers. If so, please make Clark come around soon, Sunrei!

Well... that about darn near had me in tears...

I REALLY want to smack Clark...with something hard...preferably Nightfall...

I loved the scene between Lois and Jory in the park that was just too sweet. And him wanting to leave with her...just awwwww.

Anyway fabulous addition to an already awesome story. Can't wait for the next one!

I immensely enjoyed the interspersed sign language dialog

It has been a long time since I've been able to post FDK, but I had to do in this chapter. I'm mad with this version of Clark. Furious. I think he's egoistical and heartless and his behavior with Jori is inexcusable. He'd already been stupid and harsh with Lois, but with Jory he's even worse. It's no wonder their parents "kicked him out of the nest". I don't know how Lois is putting up with him. I want to hit him with a kryptonite bat!

This scene broke my heart into pieces. Poor, poor boy. I wanted to burst into tears.


This is heartbreaking. My heart broke in smaller pieces. It doesn't seem like she is his mother. There's no indication that she have been involved with Clark. I'm sure if he told Lois the whole story she would be able to help him to find a way. But he is too much pigheaded to trust her. Luckily this Lois is patient. Very patient.

Sorry the rant. But this Clark is infuriating.

Please, come back with more. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next part!

Andreia

One of the sad byproducts of our current medical technology is that children who are seriously ill or seriously injured now live, whereas a century ago they would quickly die. Now, quite often they survive and even thrive and have more or less normal lives for decades.

What usually gets lost in the shuffle is the stress that a child's illness puts on a marriage. Families in the US with a child undergoing long-term (six months or more) treatment for a serious illness or injury have a divorce rate far higher than that of the general population. The last time I checked, it was above eighty-five percent.

The usual progression goes like this. The mother becomes the primary caregiver, either because she isn't working or her job brings in less money and she can quit. Even when health insurance makes a contribution, the financial pressure builds up, and if the father is the only wage earner, that burden falls directly on his shoulders. And his wife can't help or spend time dealing with him because she's spending so much time with the sick child. Intellectually, the dad knows what's going on and he understands, but emotionally he gets drained because this is his kid too, and he's grieving just as much as his wife is. But he doesn't have the outlets she does. Men in the US are far less likely to attend support groups or accept financial help from friends and relatives. They're less likely to cry in front of their wives about their pain, because they think that would put more of a burden on mom than is already there. And she's not there for him because she's with their sick child, and he feels unappreciated and even unwanted. Any healthy children in the family only add to the stress, because they will feel shut out too, and they usually don't have the maturity to understand that it's not their fault that Mom and Dad are yelling at each other - or worse, not talking to each other. And the sick child feels guilty too, and usually tells Mom about it instead of Dad. This can create resentment aimed from Mom to Dad, and Dad usually doesn't understand why he's getting the cold shoulder from his wife all of a sudden - unless she blames him for their child's illness. So their communication withers on the vine, too.

And most dads hate going to the hospital to visit their sick children. They have this vision of their sons or daughters as tall, strong, vibrant reflections of themselves and the wives they love, and seeing that child in bed in pain is devastating. And there's not a blessed thing he can do about it! That's terribly frustrating for a man, especially one who's used to taking care of his family and fixing things around the house.

So the stress builds and builds, and sometimes the bond between husband and wife gets rubbed raw and snaps. They separate, and because they have little or no time to reconcile, they often complete the divorce.

It's sad.

This is not meant to excuse Clark's behavior, but to explain it. I know something of what he's going through. He's acting like a dad who foresees his son's funeral. He's trying to insulate himself from the pain, trying to protect what's left of his heart. It won't work, of course, but no one can tell him that.

Except maybe Lois. This Clark has been betrayed in some powerful way by Lana, and he has a hard time trusting others, especially women who aren't his mother. Anything Lois does to help him with Jory is a threat to him, no matter how pure her motivation might be. He doesn't want Jory's death to cause him too much pain, but he's also jealous of the little time he has with this wonderful little boy. And Jory's conditions - the progeria, the deafness, the headaches - are telling him that he's not nearly as super (or as much a man) as he thinks he is. It's a false message, but it comes across on an emotional level, and because he's so close to the situation he can't see it.

Be patient, Lois. Keep loving Jory, even if you aren't his mother. You're already the closest thing he knows to a mom, and he's not going to let that bond go. Just smile at both Clark and Jory and love both of them. It'll take time - a lot of time - but I think it'll be worth it in the end.

This Lois is delightful. This Clark makes me look around for some Black or gold K. Whichever it is that removes all his powers.


I wonder if this deaf boy is being to get superhearing? If this disease makes you age faster then maybe his superhearing is kicking in? Perhaps his body is beginning to process Sunlight.

I wonder what effect that will have on the progression of the disease?

Patrick

Poor Jory! He found himself a new mommy, who loves him, and mean old Clark (who deserves a swift kick to his rear!) won't let him keep her!

Please post more soon.

Tara

Terry raises some interesting points. In fact, I'm glad that Clark has an advocate in Terry.

I would argue though that the woman stays with the child because that is the role she feels most comfortable with and not necessarily because of financial reasons. I would also argue that the man returns to work because that is the role he is most comfortable with.

However, I feel that Clark's problems started long before Jory was born. One of the reasons why the first two years of marriage are difficult is because most people are inherantly selfish before they get married. I never imagined how selfish I was until I got married. The whole scenario about which way to squeeze the tube of toothpaste is because one party never cared about it before; they need to reach the point where they say that if it matters to you then I'll make it matter to me and be selfless enough to do it your way.

Over time the average person becomes less selfish. In fact, they may be feeling pretty good about themselves until the first child comes along. Then they're smacked in the head with another layer of selfishness. Suddenly it's not just about toothpaste but about deeper issues. They need to dig much deeper to tell this helpless baby, "I love you more than sleep."

So when we're accusing Clark of selfishness it's because he never went through those normal stages of adult development. Yes, of course he's grieving. Yes, of course he's under a lot of pressure as a single parent. But grief that lasts for years is inherantly unhealthy.

Besides, at some point he needs to realize that Jory needs a parent. He needs the love that Clark feels communicated to him in simple ways. Eye contact, human touch and loving words would be a fantastic start.

While I know we have been hard on Clark, but the truth is that while there is a time to mourn, there is also a time for peace. The time came long ago for Clark to make peace with his son.


Elisabeth

Elisabeth, I agree with everything you wrote. Please note that while I was explaining Clark's actions and attitudes, I never claimed to excuse them. You are correct when you say that he should have grown out of that selfishness already. You also have a valid point that the mom usually takes the intensive care role instead of the dad because she's better at than he is, although that's a general guideline and not a hard and fast rule.

Anyway, while I have sympathy for Clark, I have a whole lot more for Jory. He's been cheated of his childhood by his nature, by his physical weaknesses, and by the selfish actions of the alleged adults in his life. None of this is his fault. There's no possible way to blame him for his multiple handicaps. And Clark has not been in the same area code as a good father to him. I think, once he calms down, he'll have the grace to admit that Lois was right about him. And I also think that he'll ask her to help him with Jory. He might not do it with good grace, but I think he will, if only because he knows he needs the help, especially when he hears of an emergency requiring Superman in the evening when Jory's awake. And it will happen. Soon.

Can't wait to read that. This story has taken a very serious turn, and I for one am glad to see it play out. Next chapter soon, please? Pretty please, with feedback on top?

Boy, there has been a lot of analysis in this thread. Makes me almost scared to post just a little FDK. Almost, but not quite.

I din't see most of it coming in this chapter. Lois becoming Mommy was so out of the left field. It seems so real and nice (ok, not the sad stuff) and Jory has the right attitude with his little hammer. Well, sort of. But Lois can't really give Clark a piece of her mind, for if she would, she might not ever see him again.

More, please
Michael

Wow. First of all thank you once again for the comments and the discussion. I am glad that there are people that are still willing to understand Clark. I never sought out to excuse Clark's behavior, but instead to slowly flesh out his character. It is certainly a progression - and although it can be frustrating, I'm easing everyone, you, me, Lois, Jory, and Clark, into a place where connections are substantiated over time and trial. As much I am a sucker for the love at first sight situations, I think that different trials bring out different tribulations. This thought also spurs me to bring up the idea that people don't always make the right choices - which is why we have stories to tell

I also want to acknowledge Elisabeth's point about Jory probably choosing Martha over Lois any day. I think that's likely true, but I'm going from the mindset that Jory knows what his relationship is with Martha, and realizes that there's another slot to fill. This might seem to an advanced thought for a child, but I have come to realize that children have an amazing amount of awareness and great depth of feeling - they just don't always have the language or the ability to express what's going on in their heads. At the same time, as much as they are aware of what's going on - it's not a given that they understand the meaning of it all.

I think Jory probably grew up with a certain amount of love and attention from his primary caregivers, and given the apparent reluctance to match that on Clark's part, I'm hoping that it seems natural for him to furiously latch onto the only person currently showing him the care he craves. I have also learned that children, even the tiny ones, are incredibly stubborn when they get an idea. It's almost as if they completely commit to something and can't comprehend why someone would try to tell them differently. My nephew renamed me when he was 1 and a half, and it has remained as such since.

As for sign language - I have taken some classes/lessons in the past, but I am by no means fluent. I do a fair job of signing to myself (meaning there's no telling if anyone else would understand a word). I'm glad that it flows well with the story. It's a challenge to find the balance, especially when trying to show Jory's communications because sign is really mix of expressions and hand movements that the delineations between words/signs and meanings don't really come across in the full sentence dialogue that we are accustomed to.

I'm sure there's more I could comment on, but I'm assuming you'd rather me get the next chapter ready for tomorrow's posting.

Thanks again!
~Sonia

Sunrei -

I know I've been very hard on Clark. I'd still like to kick his Kryptonian rear into the middle of next week, but I've never been without sympathy for him. [And I'm not trying to imply you thought that either .]

Terry and Elisabeth have made some excellent points, but I still hold that Clark is going to regret the years he didn't spend with Jory. It's not easy to have a sick child - whether it's something like Down's where the lifespan is [fairly] long or a child with cancer given a few months to live. They're different kinds of hard though, I think.

I think somewhere inside is 'our Clark' who wants to know and love Jory but who is afraid of being hurt again - he lost Pete because he couldn't save him and now he's going to lose Jory because he can't save him and he may blame himself. The whole Kryptonian reproducing with a human thing. This is a genetic thing after all and he may believe it's his 'fault' [not that it is of course - it's just one of those things. I had a friend in HS who later had 2 children both of whom had a specific type of disorder. The little girl died young and her older brother died later [IIRC]. Testing determined that her and her husband had a 75% chance of having a child with this disorder and they chose not to have any more children - she became pregnant unexpectedly and they have a healthy daughter last I heard. I know it was heart wrenching for her to make that decision. However, Clark didn't know about the possibility of this disorder/whatever and how does he know that it's 'his' fault? Couldn't it be the mother's 'fault'? Or some combination of the two or total random circumstance that can't be explained? Of course, all of this is based on Jory being Clark's bio son.]

I *do* understand where Clark's coming from but he's still ticking me off .

Carol [whose 8 month old was released from the surgeon's care today ]