|
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3
Blogger
|
OP
Blogger
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3 |
XOXO
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,069
Top Banana
|
|
Top Banana
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,069 |
Great chapter, Sonia. Tense and full of equal amounts of love and angst. I love how both the Kents and the Lanes are rallying around Jory and it's nice that they are in on the secret. Lois blinked and looked from one to the other. She finally turned to Clark. “My father called me,” she explained, realizing with sudden pain that even with what she imagined was at stake, Clark still hadn’t planned on telling her.
“And I’m glad he did,” Martha added, giving her son a hard stare.
Lois glanced at Martha and somehow knew that her father had acted on his own. She looked down at the little stuffed bear she had found in the backseat of her car and steeled herself against Clark’s venom.
Lifting her head she met his gaze. “Move aside or I’ll go through you.”
His head titled in challenge and Lois prepared to push past him when Martha intervened. “Clark. Move.” Oh how I love Martha Kent. I really can't understand Clark - that he'd keep this from Lois, even when the situation turned dire. I can only imagine how Lois would have felt if Jory had died and never gotten the chance to say goodbye. She never would have forgiven Clark. As it stands, I'm not sure there's anything he can do to win her over. Loved the conversation between Clark and Martha. I can't believe how different this Clark is to the one on the show. There, he told his parents everything. Here, he's kept everything to himself and when Martha finally figures out how poorly he's treated Lois, she calls him on it. The wrenching in his heart at his mother’s disappointment almost made him physically wince. 'Bout time something finally got through to him.  Again, it's wonderful to see Lois interact with her parents. Clark felt that he needed people around this situation that he could trust.”
Lois blinked. “This situation… So you know.” She swallowed. “And Mom?”
Her father nodded. “She’s making sure that everything we do is private.”
Lois nodded gratefully. “People he could trust.” She tried not to show how much that stung. “Clark couldn’t tell me, but he recruits my parents? Nice.” I can't help but think about the line in the last chapter, where Lois confronts Clark before the awards ceremony. It really does seem like he's doing everything in his power to hurt her.  And now they've both been banished from the hospital. I'm on pins and needles to eavesdrop on their conversation (assuming they don't complete the trip in angry silence). More soon, please. BJ
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,797
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
|
|
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,797 |
Riveting!!! So Kryptonite is the only thing that can keep Jory alive? At the cost of his future powers, to be sure. Well, that's a small price to pay when the alternative is death. Lois was wrong to be against the radiation therapy. On the other hand, Lois is entitled to be wrong now and again, and Clark has been pushing her too far. It was heartbreaking that little Jory had had a heart attack!!!  And Lois hadn't been told about the surgery or about Jory's condition! He oculd have died and she wouldn't even have had a chance to see him first!!! Thank God her father took it upon himself to let her know. It is easy to hate Clark in this story, but I think you are doing a good job at showing us how Clark has been caught in a trap that he doesn't know how to escape from: He couldn't explain why he always reacted completely opposite to Lois's presence than he wanted to. It was as if she represented everything he feared and reviled in himself all at once.
She had been the one who was against the cochlear surgery, and she had been right. She had berated him for being a horrible father, and she had been right about that too. When he sees Lois, he is reminded of everything he has done wrong, everything he deserves to be taken to task about. It is not easy to feel good about a person whose very presence reminds you of all your shortcomings. The night of the barbeque at the Lane's house, he had overheard her tell her mother exactly who he was to her. In that moment Clark had realized just to what extent he had come to rely on Lois in a way he had vowed never to rely on anyone. The overheard words had been just what he *needed* to hear to wake up and pull himself out of fantasy. In addition, the words declaring the platonic nature of their relationship had been just what he *wanted* to hear. As he'd said, he had no *intention* of falling in love with Lois Lane. And Clark is deathly scared of becoming dependent on someone. See, even then, he still had no intention of falling in love with Lois Lane. So he had retreated into the person that he knew the best – even if it wasn't really the one he necessarily *liked* the best. Wow. I love this. It is easy to become the person you know best, even if it isn't necessarily the person you like best. But now, with the lights off and the draperies drawn, the things inside the room were not so stark – not as black and white, so much as gray. He liked black and white – they were as simple to understand as yes and no, do and don't. Here in the diluted world of inbetween, he wasn't sure where he fit on the scheme between need and want. This is great, too. Clark wants everything to be black or white, because it is so hard to deal with shades of gray. Loved the conversation between Martha and Clark. I'm glad that Clark realized that his mother was disappointed in him. But he showed her the crack in his own armour, too. Clark is trying to shield himself from so much pain: Martha smiled wryly. “So you're being noble, now? What pain were you sparing that child by closing him off from the people who love him? All this time… everything that you've accomplished… I thought you had grown.”
The wrenching in his heart at his mother's disappointment almost made him physically wince. “What about the pain she'd feel – that we'd all feel – if he dies?” he asked tightly, angry at the slight catch in his voice.
He looked away when he saw his mother's expression change. She had heard it.
“The doctors are working on a way to fix him right now, Clark,” she said, grabbing his right forearm with both hands. “They're going to cure him.”
“But what if they don't?” He looked into her eyes, searchingly; for once not attempting to hide what he was feeling – or perhaps just too raw to be able to. “What if they can't?”
He pulled his arm away, knowing that he didn't deserve her comfort. “Everyone who loves me dies.” Pete. It's Pete all over again, isn't it? Clark sees Pete in Jory. Don't tell me he sees Lana in Lois!!! That's not possible. Is it? “You think I like being the perpetual bad guy? You come in here with your bold assumptions and angry accusations, and *I'm* the one who looks like a heel.” No, Clark doesn't like being the perpetual bad guy. But he has been acting like a jerk to protect himself from pain. I loved how Jonathan and Martha banned Clark and Lois from Jory's room! Clark's dad and Lois's mom were right. Lois and Clark were being disruptive, and it would do Jory no good to have them in his room with that attitude. And now I guess we need part 23!  Ann
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,018
Kerth
|
|
Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,018 |
Really well done. I hope they don't go with the Kryptonite treatment. I would love to see it be that he needs a massive does of sunlight. Have Clark fly him up high in the sky much as Superman does in SR after leaving the plane.
Framework4
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 700
Columnist
|
|
Columnist
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 700 |
Pardon the speedy updates - I'm hoping to finish before the boards go down on the 25th! Yes. It was so difficult to have to read another part of this story so soon after the other. How could you possibly do that to us?  I have to confess I'm in a little over my head with all the scientific speculation. So I'm just sitting here twiddling my tumbs and knowing that things will eventually turn out all right. They will, won't they? Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,531 Likes: 6
Pulitzer
|
|
Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,531 Likes: 6 |
I haven't much time for FDK, but I just waned to point something: “Everyone who loves me dies.” His 'logic' is so sick and twisted.  It should mean his parents don't love him, or they would be dead, too. Right, Clark? Duh!  I hate this Clark. I can't help it. He's so cynical, heartless, cold and deliberately cruel. He gave a wry laugh. “Wow. Gallows humor. That’s good. Maybe you should be working for the comics section.”
Lois’s jaw set and she crossed her arms over her chest. “If I did, I would have a strip dedicated to a schizophrenic superhero who saved people by night but was really a coward in the light.” Well said, Lois. He is a deranged schizophrenic. And that jerk is so self-centered that he doesn't care about it.  Jory could have died and Lois wouldn't have known it because Clark didn't want to call her, though he does know she loves Jory and Jory loves her. He arrived at the doorway to Jory’s room and stopped short, feeling all at once that he was the one who was intruding upon a place he was not supposed to be. He *is* intruding. Jory would surely be happier with Lois. Clark should pack his things and go back to travel around the world, never staying in any place time enough for someone to make the big mistake of falling in love with him. It seems he considers love an unforgivable insult. Wow, I haven't time and I wrote a letter. It just that this situation gets on my nerves. There're just three parts left and I don't see a silver lining. I don't know what could make it better. So I start to write and I want to rant on, and on, and on... Andreia
"My wife's love is what unites Krypton and Earth in my heart. Without it, without her, I truly would be in hell."
~ Superman: Man of Tomorrow #15
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,363
Top Banana
|
|
Top Banana
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,363 |
Okay, I haven't been commenting, but rest assured, I have been reading this wonderful piece of work and am just taken in by it! This whole idea of Clark being the one to fight his love for Lois and Lois being ready to give into her love for Clark is certainly a new view. I also like the fact that Ellen and Sam are positive in Lois's life. I just loved the talk that Sam had with Lois in the bathroom at the awards banquet-in part 21. Wow, what a wonderful side of Sam. He even went into the ladies' "lounge" to talk to his princess. Wow! What a 360º. With what is going on with Jory-which by the way is very original-Clark should have told Lois that he was in the hospital. If he was afraid of losing Jory, he should have allowed him the one thing that brings him complete joy, and that is Lois. Jory needed her mothering so badly. As if sensing her presence, the child turned his head toward the door. His eyes fixed on his forgotten teddy bear and he reached out for it. Fighting tears, Lois clutched the bear to her chest and walked to the bed. When she was there, she forced a trembling smile and handed the bear to him. She was surprised when Jory took it and tossed it carelessly to the side. Then he reached out and grabbed her hand instead. <Pain my arm, Mommy> he awkwardly signed using his free hand. Lois’s eyes grazed over his little body and all the various materials that were intruding upon his person. It amazed her that the band-aid on his arm was the only thing he could find to complain about. This just made me cry. I could just see that precious thing just overloading Lois with his most recent experience. And kids are so resilient-to only complain of a small bandage on his arm with everything else going on with him. This is so like a sick child. Looking up, she saw that Clark was still standing in the doorway and met his angry gaze. She silently challenged him to say something. After a brief stare-off, he looked down; his expression unreadable.
Then he turned and disappeared through the doorway. Clark is just not sure how to deal with Lois and his feelings for her. Now, he was trying not to admit that his heart had expanded even more than that.
He didn’t know why he was determined to push her away, but he’d thought he had done an effective job of it. A part of his soul had died with every push, every kick... every shove.
And yet here she was. This is just so sad. It broke my heart for Clark to feel this way. I just want him to let Lois in so that they can love each other openly the way that they do secretly. “Everyone who loves me dies.” So, this about sums it up for Clark. He doesn't think that he deserves to be loved. Poor baby... “I don’t understand why he’s here, though,” she said. “At Mom’s hospital… or why you’re here, even.”
Sam leaned forward so his elbows were sitting on his knees. “Bernie needed access to more resources and additional hands and Clark felt that he needed people around this situation that he could trust.”
Lois blinked. “This situation… So you know.” She swallowed. “And Mom?”
Her father nodded. “She’s making sure that everything we do is private.”
Lois nodded gratefully. “People he could trust.” She tried not to show how much that stung. “Clark couldn’t tell me, but he recruits my parents? Nice.” This says a lot about what Clark thinks. He does trust Lois and knows that she would not do anything to hurt him or his family. But he just can't say that right now. He hears Lois but he doesn't always listen to her. Clark felt the surge of victory. “Not a problem,” he replied to the other man calmly. “I’ll just go back to *my son’s* room now.” He eyed Lois as he started to walk past her, making sure she caught his meaning.
From the fire he saw there, he was sure that she had.
“No you won’t,” another male voice countered. “Go home, Clark,” Martha advised, also stepping into the hallway and blocking the door with his father. “You haven’t slept in two days.”
“I don’t want to go home,” he ground out. “And if you ban me from the room, I’ll just stay in the waiting room.”
“Go home,” Martha said again. “I need you to go get Jory a new set of clothes for when he’s discharged. Can you do that?”
The words had the desired effect. In one fell swoop, his mother had brought everything back into perspective for him. Clothes for discharge… if he were to ever leave.
“Lois, I want you to drive him there,” Ellen added.
“Mother!”
“Don’t ‘mother’ me,” Ellen said, deftly taking the clipboard that Ian handed her and signing the top sheet. “The fact that you two can’t control your tempers is detrimental to the health of our patients. Until you can rectify that, I don’t want to see you on my floor.”
Clark sighed and exchanged an angry look with Lois. As Ellen had said, they had allowed their tempers to get the best of them and now had to pay the price. Loved it! I love how everyone ganged up on Lois and Clark. Now, hurry back with more of this. It's my break from homework. And a wonderful distraction it is! ~Sheila
I'm a firm believer in the fact that God doesn't put any more on us than we can bear. He does however make us come to Jesus every so often.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,864
Merriwether
|
|
Merriwether
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,864 |
Martha and Ellen are way out of line. Yes, it is appropriate to evict screaming people from a hospital ward, but that doesn't give Ellen the right to kick Clark out until he makes nice with Lois.
I know that we all love Lois and how she treats Jory well, but the orderly is right; she doesn't belong there after visiting hours. She is just a visitor after all. Her passion doesn't make her Jory's mother.
Martha *had* the chance to be Jory's mother, but she pushed him on Clark. She can't have it both ways. Mothering isn't a part-time job any more than it's a temp job. She can't make the decisions as Jory's mother, but give up the day-to-day care. Her love for Jory doesn't make her Jory's mother. She gave up that right when she gave up Jory.
Only Clark is Jory's parent. Only he has the right to make day-to-day decisions for him. Even if they're mistakes, only he is in the position to make those decisions. He may feel as if he's the bad guy, but he is doing the best that he can. Certainly he has a lot of personality flaws, but that doesn't make him any less of a parent.
While Lois and Clark's parents can certainly advise Clark, when the decision is made it has to be Clark's alone. If they don't like it, they can lump it.
With that being said, I do hope that Lois is able to make peace with the fact that she is not a part of Jory's family. I hope she is able to show restraint. In addition, I hope Clark is able to find peace with Lois.
Elisabeth
|
|
|
|
I loved the chapter!!! I can't wait to read more.
