Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Learning to Love 22/? or Meet Mad Dog Lane Kent

Carol, I haven't much time for FDK now, but I had to point this line:

I absolutely L-O-V-E-D this line! Clark described Lois's attitude perfectly: "like a lioness defending her territory." It was time for somebody to tell Mayson to get lost.

I hope Lois find these answers soon.

Andreia

WOW!!!!!
What a totally awesome post!

Your grasp of Lois is soooo....hmmm, perfect, no...dead on...not quite.../me thinking hard............got it....SO TOTALLY AMAZING IT IS SCARY!!!

If I didn't believe in parallel universes, you could make me think that you were tapping into a real one right now and showing us what you saw.

If this thing doesn't at least win a kerth next year, it will definitely be nominated.

James

YEAH!!!

Ahh, I have to cut myself off and go to class, but that just Kicked. Butt.

JD

There were so many things I liked about this chapter!

First, I loved how Clark was there for Lois when she had her nightmare - and for the rest of the night, too! He held her gently but safely, tenderly and undemandingly, and he kept vigil over her all through the night. That was just wonderful.

As for Clark's sadistic fantasies - I could sympathize, but I didn't read that part so carefully. Let me say that I'm glad that Clark would only fantasize about these horrible things, but never carry any of them out. On the other hand, I love that he is so protective of Lois.

I loved their morning conversation, and I loved that she thanked him.

And then there was that letter from Mayson. I'm very glad that Lois was there when Clark found it, and that it prompted him to tell her about the times that he had not been honest with her. Because then he could tell her that he had been honest about everything else, and certainly about everything that concerns Mayson. I'm very glad that Lois read Mayson's letter to Clark.

I think it was good for Lois to read these lines from Mayson. I think she needs to ask herself how she really feels about her husband. Does she love him? Actually, yes, I think she does, but she is not quite ready to acknowledge it. But I think that she may be more willing to admit that she does love Clark when she knows that there are others who are willing to love him if she doesn't. Not that I think she doubts Clark or truly fears that he would leave her for another, not anymore, but she still needs to think about how she herself feels about him.

By the way, I'm glad that Clark told her this:

And Lois didn't seem to feel uncomfortable about being told this. I don't think she is ready to give her virginity to Clark anytime soon, not the next night or week or month, but I do think that the idea of fully sharing herself with Clark is slowly growing on her.

I loved that Lois and Clark went to see Mayson together. I also loved what Lois told Mayson, every bit of it. Mayson needed to hear it. Like Clark said, if Lois hadn't told her so bluntly, Mayson may still not have taken the hint.

But I also loved the fact that Lois apologized afterwards. Yes, Mayson probably needed to hear exactly what Lois told her, but Lois also needed to acknowledge that she she was sorry that she had been so excessively harsh. I really like the idea that Mayson could be a potential ally in Lois and Clark's fight against Professor Paul. For that matter, I wouldn't necessarily mind if Lois could be some sort of friends with Mayson - at least so that she and Clark can have lunch with Mayson, all three of them!

This remains an absolutely engrossing story.

Ann

Whoot! I still feel a little sorry for Mayson, honestly. But it was so nice to see Lois standing up for her man and her marriage!

I would hope that Mayson’s at least decent enough to be able to put the Clark/Lois thing aside and do the right thing. Lying in this case would be bad on so many levels, from morally, to the fact that she’s pursing a career in law (isn’t she? I think. I don’t have it in me to go look it up right now).

I’m really glad to see Lois apologize here. Yes, she had every right to defend her marriage, and I’m very proud of her for that, but she was just a *little* brutal toward Mayson. However, I hope she’s apologizing because she legitimately feels that way, and not just to influence Mayson’s convictions on how she’d testify if needed.

Oh, I’m really looking forward to seeing this conversation!

Aaaand... There's my long feedback penance for being so skimpy last time.

Great section, Carol!

ETA: I completely agree with James. This story has got to be a shoo-in for a Kerth next year (unless you do something really evil at the ending).

I loved seeing Lois convince Mayson that her marriage with Clark is real and unbreakable. I hope she convinced herself, while she was at it.

Like a few of the other readers, I really had difficulty reading Clark's torture wish-list. I found it jarring, both because I think it's out of character for Clark even to imagine that sort of thing (certainly those sorts of details), and because it made for fundamentally unpleasant reading. I'm sorry, but that's just my take on it, for whatever it's worth.

Still loving the story as a whole. Very interested to see where the Planet's and Henderson's investigations take them. And really hoping Lois puts on the nightgown before the last chapter!

Argh! I have been trying to edit that out for hours. I had a serious case of poster's remorse as soon as I did it and I simply CANNOT get the 'edit post' page to load. I just finally got this reply post to load.

ARGH!

As soon as I can, I'm going to edit most of that out though I may pull one or two from the hat as stray thoughts later.

Can I say ARGH! again?

And thanks - I'll be back later...
Carol

Personally, I loved Clark's torture list, although maybe it was long. I've had a couple of terrible things happen this year, and I too imagined briefly setting someone on fire heh. I see Clark a flawed guy like the rest of us, and quite frankly if someone I knew and albeit mistakenly trusted tried to rape my wife, I'd think about them burning at the stake. But I didn't run down a whole list when I wanted to set my department chair on fire.

Just my spare change.
JD

Carol, I can see why you edited the post as you did, but despite the fact that Clark's list made me squirm, I have to agree that I completely understand why he feels this way toward Paul. The various torture methods are uncomfortable to read, but so what? Life can be uncomfortable. Clark has good reason to feel the way he does, and I think by telling us exactly what he wants to do to Paul, you allow us to see how Lois' assault deeply this impacts Clark as well. Personally, I hope you add at least some of what you took out back into this section. It seems realistic to me, and as I said, gives a greater impact. Clark is a sweet and caring guy who would never want to see anyone go through what Lois did, let alone his wife. Being sweet and gentle doesn't mean he doesn't have a right to get angry, and justifiably so!

I've been thinking about it all day and I think for the final, archive version, I'll stick a few in here and I may scatter a few more throughout the rest of the story - say if Clark sees him, he might thing about taking him to the top of Mt Everest and leaving him there or something.

Today has just been incredibly frustrating. I work online and such and my internet has been... well, I don't think they allow those words on the boards . These boards were worse than the rest.

Of course, I also missed the first 23min of NCIS on my TIVO last night because the 2nd half of it overlapped with Deadliest Catch [which replays several hours later] and I've been trying all day to get that dl'd and both ones I've managed to DL don't work - argh! And it's going to be another 8-9 hours before the one that's DLing now is done - and all I want is the first 20 minutes!!

Sheesh.

Thanks guys .
Carol [who really should have used today to write but didn't but has sent two segments to BRs this week so...]

I almost didn't read part 22 since I thought it was an edited version of the previous part. (Little details like numbers sometimes are lost on me.)

How sad that Lois has exchanged one set of nightmares for another, more persistent batch. At least Clark feels safe enough to openly comfort her now.

As I wondered in my last part is Clark alright? I'm certain that if Lois needs it she would find a solid support system set up for women who have been assaulted. However, Clark is a survivor, as well. Would he be able to find the help he needs to grieve in his own way?

I never read your original version, however I was planning on commenting on how much I appreciated the downplayed version of his torturous imaginations. In his heart he feels like prison isn't enough to pay for the level of hurt Paul has caused. However, he has nothing in his background that would cause him to imagine a fate that befits him. He may have come across drawing and quartering in his studies at school, but the more bizarre methods of torture aren't included in run-of-the-mill literature. Even with that, Clark feels guilty for his late-night imaginings.

I find it interesting that the note was written to Clark before Lois' near-rape. Somehow I don't trust the homewrecker. My Spidey-sense was tingling fiercely when I realized Mayson had changed clothes and was headed somewhere in a hurry. I don't buy her excuse that she was going to the cafeteria--surely she had more than a glass of wine planned for her rendevous with Clark. I think she wants to talk to someone in person before she goes over to the Kents'.

I didn't find Lois confrontation with Mayson to be over-the-top. It reminded me a lot of the last few chapters of Job.

He doesn't say, "See you later." This has more of a feeling of finality.

As I said earlier, the ending to this post gave me heebie jeebies. I don't trust Mayson. I am wondering who she is in such an all-fired rush to go see. I wonder who took the original picture of her "skipping class" with Clark. I wonder why she knows where they live if she's never been invited over before. And I wonder where she's going.


Elisabeth

Carol, This was great! I loved so much about this chapter. I loved Lois' nightmare (not that I want her to have nightmares, but it was just so realistic). I loved Clark's confession to Lois about the few times he hasn't been 100% honest with her. I loved that their relationship is now strong enough that she could hear those things and know that when he said those were the only times, it was true. I loved Lois' attack on Mayson. And I loved that Lois felt guilty afterwards as she's just not naturally that mean.

I do think Mayson needed to hear it, but I'm hoping that now that they are about to talk, Mayson and Lois could be friends. I'm bringing up feelings about Mayson from the show in here, but I've always liked her. She always seemed a bit sad to me - a woman who was in love with Clark (and come on, it's not like Clark is not the type of man women fall in love with) who happened to be in love with someone else. This doesn't make her intrinisically evil and as Clark said here, I think she's basically a good person. I even think while her letter to Clark may have hurt Lois, that's not what she intended. She felt like Clark was stuck in a loveless marriage, she loved him and thus thought perhaps he'd want to know that there was another option.

I'm hoping this talk with Mayson and Lois will both enable Lois to see that Mayson is a good person and Mayson to see that Lois and Clark are rock-solid so she can be friends with them and get over Clark.

Clearly I read the edited version because Lois was the only one in this version that was out of control.

I have to say that Lois' speech to Mayson was nice but it was all bs. As if she knew much of those things about Clark.

Three years is long enough for her to get over her issues!

Other than that rant I totally love this story. Lucy and Jimmy are get together.

Delightful part. Above and beyond!

I hope Mayson can be the woman we know from the show. She was always one of the good guys with a strong sense of justice.

I think L&C should begin by playing the tape without commentary. Both the assault and the meeting with the administration.

If she is anything like the Mayson on the show she's going to want know how she can help.

Mayson: "So do you any help burying the bodies? Seriously Lois I hope you're going after both these scumbags. If you're worried that you won't be believed, forget it. His little speech is way too rehearsed, and that means he's done this before. It may take some effort but MPD's SVU has a great deal of experience locating past victims and getting them to help."

BTW and off topic, I always picture Mayson as the daughter of Paul Drake and Della Street Drake, the god daughter of attorney Perry Mayson.

On the contrary. She knows all of the answers except the ones about his preferences when it comes to their intimate life. In fact, you guys should know most of them too. I'll answer them in my 'official' response post later .

Hmmm... maybe I should have given bonus points to anyone who could answer them .

Carol

Truth be told, and I actually wanted to hit on that stuff when I came back after class to finish my comments...

Okay 1. The fact that Lois felt the need to personally defend their marriage is a big step. We all know she doesn't think much about marriage to begin with, but the fact that she sees something important in where she and Clark are right now...bravo. She could have easily let Clark do all the talking, but she didn't.

And 2. The fact that she had the guts to mention some of those things that she actually doesn't know yet, well a) talking about intimacy like that so soon after the attack must have taken strength, and b) even though she's not ready for any of the things she mentioned, well maybe you can't help but wonder when you're married to a hunk, so... That trailing off ellipsis is where I'm at with my thoughts heh. Even if there's nothing going on, it doesn't seem like you mention things like that *just* for kicks... Even though we're a long way away from anything, it gives me a cracked optimistic eye for their relationship somehow...but that's just me.

Anyway, that's my real feedback now that I can sit down. Great part, Carol!
JD

Whoa, definitely a heavy and multifaceted post!

I really enjoyed Clark's musings as he remained in bed guarding Lois's dreams. He went from torturing Paul (understandably) to dreaming up stories about princesses and princes. That was undeniably sweet.

Then moving onto Lois and the letter - that was great stuff. From Clark's sudden admission of the only time he hadn't been totally forthcoming to Lois's quiet tears; everything was just perfect. The emotions were real, the situation terribly complicated and complex, yet justified and natural. After everything that has happened, it felt like this was just one situation out of a thousand that Lois could claim some control over, so it was totally believable that Mayson got the brunt of the venting.

That said, I was surprised, yet not surprised, at the extent Lois went to during her rant - regarding the intimacy of their relationship. I agree that she needed to go there, if she hadn't it would have been suspect. I loved that Clark silently stood by and let Lois have her say even when he was uncomfortable. It will interesting to see what is said at the meeting with Mayson and if anything can be salvaged for a possible... professional relationship, maybe?

Great part, Carol!

Never let it be said that I can resist a challenge, especially one that I know most of the answers (and those I didn't, Elisabeth knew)

"Did you know he has an eidetic memory? Remembers *everything*. Do you know why he got a 'B' in biology in high school? The only 'B' on his high school transcript."

Couldn't disect the frog and set them free

"Do you know what his birth parents left him?"

the Globe

"What his adopted mom left him? What she left *me*?"

Letters, the farm, and instructions with Wayne to get a car

"What his biggest fear is?"

Being disected like a frog.

"What his biggest secret is?"

He's an alien

"His most valued possession?"

The globe/mother's letters

"What the last thing his parents said to each other before they went to bed was or the last thing his mom said to him every night when she tucked him in?"

I have loved you since the beginning and I will love you until the end.

"Do you know who he took to his senior prom or why?"

Rachel and they agreed since they were children.


"And I bet you also have no idea what he sounds like when he sings in the shower;
awful

why he hates planes;
Cause he can fly himself.

or how much he actually works out to keep that body you're just dying to get your hands on.
He doesn't.

You have no idea where the last place he was truly happy was
Colorado

mad dog mad dog mad dog Way to go Lois! very good part keep it going

I could definitely see Clark imagining himself torturing Paul in the context of a hearing or interview. If he has to sit there and listen to the scumbag lie about Lois (or him, for that matter), just flashing on a way to torture or kill the guy would work for me.

I guess I see Clark as someone who could have those thoughts in the heat of the moment, but not so much at other times. Of course, you are the author, Carol, and it's up to you to interpret your characters. I'm just giving you my reaction as a reader. I'm very new around here, so please let me know if I'm out of line at any time!

Hmm. On re-reading this part, I don't believe Mayson is going to get lunch before she meets with L&C. Wonder what she's up to?