Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Learning to Love, 14/?

Very short feedback here, Carol.

Great Clark POV! Clark came through as such a loving, honest, well-meaning young man. He struggles with a very difficult situation, and he tries to make ends meet and shoulder responsibility for his family and make his young wife trust him. Importantly, you made us see that he loves her very much. In the last chapter, Lois was ready to let Clark go as soon as she could keep Lucy out of the system, but here you showed us that Clark very much hoped that he would be able to keep his family together.

However, speaking about trust. I think that Clark hasn't done anything wrong when it comes to Mayson, even though I was very glad to see that he has resolved to see much less of Mayson from now on for Lois's sake. But while Clark hasn't done anything wrong with Mayson, I'll keep insisting that he was wrong to keep his Kryptonian nature a secret from Lois. And he did keep it a secret. It was not as if he didn't have a chance to tell her. I remember that Clark and Lois were playing a sort of game, where Clark had to answer a lot of questions about himself. He had every chance to tell Lois his secret then and there, but he didn't, because... well, because. Because he didn't. If I had been Lois, Clark's failure to share his secret with me at that time would have suggested to me that Clark was not fully to be trusted. I would think to myself that he didn't tell me about his powers even when the opportunity presented itself. Why would he tell me about Mayson, considering he likes to keep me in the dark about other aspects of himself?

I hope that Clark will be made to really deal with the question of why he didn't tell Lois his secret as soon as they were married. I hope that Lois will make him tell her about that.

(Ah, but maybe you'll be telling me that your Lois didn't take offence at Clark's "lies by omission" about his powers at all, and she hasn't even been thinking about it since Lucy asked her how long it was before Clark told her?)

I hope you know that I'm going on about Clark's secret only because I hate when he is lying to Lois about it. But, like I said, maybe your Lois isn't at all worried about those three months when he didn't tell her.

I wish that Lois had really asked Clark how long he had been sleeping with Mayson. If she had, then Clark would at least have known what the problem was and why Lois kept withdrawing herself from him.

Anyway, Clark was adorable in this chapter. I feel for him so much. I absolutely loved that he used to hold Lois at night when she had her worst nightmares, only Lois didn't remember any of his nightly tenderness in the morning! I so, so hope that things will work out all right for Lois and Clark, just like Aunt Louise promised Clark that it would! (But Clark, you sure put your foot in it here:

Oh noo!!!! Lois, he didn't mean it the way it sounded!!!)

Ann

Most of all I wanted to say thank you for showing us the situation from Clark's side. I knew if we saw things from his point-of-view the evidence wouldn't be so damning. As it is, Clark feels guilty for allowing himself to lean on Mayson's friendship, even though he consoles himself that the meals are never planned, the conversation is light, Lois is always welcome to join them and they are often accompanied by others. Still, I'm glad he's making more of an effort to seek out his wife.

It could be Lois' nightmares or it could be that he's depressed. It's completely understandable given the strain that he's under and the lack of support system. Also depression frequently follows exhaustion.

Sacrificial love.

She keeps telling herself that she doesn't want what she really wants.

I'm glad that Aunt Louise decided to write letters to be opened after her death. I'm also glad that, along with Martha's letters, have been a catalyst for pulling them together.

Well done.


Elisabeth

Great stuff Carol. I'm glad Clark has decided to make more of an effort with Lois. Hopefully they can regain some of their lost friendship.

I was ready to kick him, however, when he said that thing about moving on to bigger and better things. Okay, he had no idea how it came across to Lois, but that was really not what she needed to hear now!

I hope Lois gets the courage to confront Clark soon about her suspicions. Granted, she may not believe his explanation right away, but it'll at leact help to have everything out in the open.

Delightful part. I enjoyed Clark's POV about Mayson.

Hmm I hope that helps because in part 13 it sounded like Paul is going to put some moves on Lois in the near future.

Thank you for a much needed Clark perspective- it definitely helps to see what Clark is thinking and feeling. I, too, am really glad that he has decided to limit the Mayson-time down to nothing. It's about time! I would also like to insert here a comment about Martha's letter. I love that she is not just talking about guarding hearts anymore. It was very wise of her to tell Clark to guard their 'love' from outside forces. I think that advice is going to come into play very soon. Methinks that now that Clark is aware of Mayson's intentions, his eyes are going to be wide open when Paul starts to interfere.

Lois really needs to read her letter from Martha - hopefully she won't be as hesitant to follow the advice in the letters from both Aunt Louise and Martha as she was with the verbal advice Aunt Lou had for her.

I was wishing that Lois would have blurted out her question about Clark sleeping with Mayson, too. She might not have believed his denials, but at least Clark would no longer be in the dark about what's really going through her head. All the misunderstanding and nonspeak is only digging the hole deeper - the whole one step forward, two steps back type of thing... I'm hoping that we get to see one of those forward steps soon.

Maybe it will be in Colorado... Can't wait for Thursday!
~s

Amen. Lois reminds of this quote I read somewhere. It was something like, we spend most of our time worrying about the horrible things that don't end up happening. Lois is just going to be eaten alive by this until she blurts it out. I worry.

Thank God Clark is finally going to take some action with the Maysonator. I know he's not as dumb as he innocently acts LOL.

What else, what else. Can't wait to find out what Mayson does when he does stop hanging out with her LOL. She seems a little to... -_- to just step back. (Couldn't think of a word to describe that face heh.)

Great couple of parts!
JD

Lois Lois Lois Lois
Yes, I understand her reactions, but I still feel that way.

My mother's first marriage was to an awful man that would proposition another woman at the drop of a hat, sometimes within my mother's hearing! He was a heavy drinker and very mean. Twice she had to hide out from him to save her life.

When mom became pregnant with my sister, he divorced her.

two years went by and my dad fell in love with my mother. They dated for a while and got married. However the shadow of her first husband stayed with her until the day she died. Mom never trusted ANY woman around dad and always felt that my dad would leave her or would be unfaithful to her. This went on 44 years. She never could shake the grip of the abuse she endured for 3 years.

She also lived with the fear that he would come back someday and take my sister away from us. And, after my sister turned 21, mom feared that she might try and find her birth father.

I have to say, for many years, I hated a man I never knew. I hated him for what he had done to mom and our family.

James, who doesn't understand why all his FDK lately has been on the grusome side...

I can only speak for me, personally, since I think my viewpoint is a little different than others. Like I've said before, I really don't have a problem with Clark lunching with Mayson as a female. I think males and females can be friends without any romantic intentions. I have several platonic (and I don't mean Sue's version of "platonic") male friends. But, I know what works for me and my fiance doesn't work for others.

What I do have a problem with is Clark lunching with Mayson as a woman he knows has romantic feelings for him. However, what I hope you realize Carol, is that I'm not by any means bashing Clark. I see, given what you have written, how he interprets things, especially with this part of the story. I think this is all realistic. That doesn't mean I can't wish he'd get a little bit of a clue (as it appears he has). You've written this in a manner that I want to shake Clark, just a little. That affect is what has kept me coming back to this story every time you post, wanting to know more--because the story is drawing emotion from me. I think you're doing this very well.

On to this part of the story...

I really feel for poor Lois and Clark. I can empathize with how hard they're having it at the time. I know they are doing what they need to do to survive, but I hate that it's impacted their relationship so profoundly. I think it is realistic to expect this sort of strain given the situation, but I still feel sorry for them. All those unspoken thoughts! A little communication could go a long way toward clearing things up, but I personally know how hard communicating can be.

Oh, and Houston! My hometown! I almost kind of miss it (but not really).

I'm eagerly looking forward to the next part!

Edited because someday I will learn to proof for typos before I just blindly hit the "post" button.

Thank you again, ladies and gents!

Ann - only you would think that was 'very short' fdk . The question of when he told Lois will be dealt with eventually. The seeds of it are in the next segment, but it'll be a while before it's fully explored. Hmm... I didn't even take it the way you're afraid Lois may have. I just thought he [and Louise] meant out of the paycheck to paycheck existence etc. but that is interesting...

Elisabeth - knowing what I knew about what was ACTUALLY going on vs. what was seen prior to this is part of what made it hard to 'listen' to the 'Clark bashing' [maybe that's not quite the right term]. I still don't know what's in the rest of Louise's letters, but once I do, they'll be posted as well.

Beth - See what I said to Ann. I totally didn't see it coming across that way but...

Framework - Paul? Moves on Lois? Hmmm... Will have to think about that one . I think part of it is that he's not just with 'people' and Mayson, but with people Lois knows - her friends from HS - and Mayson. Does that make sense?

Sonia - Why does everyone think Paul is going to interfere?!?! Yes, Lois does need to read it [and I need to write it - no clue what it says yet, really] and she will eventually.

JD - you're right, she is. Interesting assessment of Mayson - you'll see what she does in the next chapter.

James - my heart breaks for your mom and your family and what that man [and I use that term loosely] did to her. It does illustrate the point that those kinds of things can linger long after the situation is no longer part of daily life. Hopefully, Lois won't take 40+ years...

Rona - Thank you. That's how I see Clark too. He told her three days after they met that he wasn't interested and she's had at least 3 boyfriends in the year since then [did anyone catch that?] so why would he think that she's interested in more than friendship? And thank you again - I'm glad that I'm making you want more! Means I'm doing my job!

Thanks again, everyone. Part 15 will be up shortly [kids want to eat - imagine that...]. Part 20 and 21 are finally done and off to Alisha [did I forget her at the beginning of this part? From now on, always remember that Alisha is thanked ]. Another very kind FoLC has graciously agreed to help 'storm the A plot with me and I sent her a big long email about it - realizing that I know more than I thought I did, but how to WRITE it is another story all together. As for when that A plot starts... well, soon.

These were two of my favorite Martha letters. I was almost in tears when I realized what her vision of Clark when he got married was - because they didn't have that. She's right - it doesn't matter if you're in a beautiful cathedral or city hall, but still...

Thanks again!
Carol