FDK goes here .

Next scheduled posting...
Tuesday, Chapters 88 and 89, um... sometime - I'll try to get them up before I head out in the morning, but once I leave at 9ishET, I won't be home until 4ishET - so either, before 9am or 4-5pm ET, if I don't get it done in the morning, it'll be one of the first things on my list in the afternoon.

Previews

Chapter 88
Chapter 89

Wow... this should lead to some interesting things... and your previews... curiouser and curiouser...

!!!

Due to lack of words, a pictographic FDK...



And...

Andreia

Ann

Okay, I'm going to babble away here.

Imagine all sorts of cartoon-scenes:
- teapot whistling.
- steam coming out of Daffy Duck's ears
- bells
- whistles

I was about to scream and bash my head at the stupidity of them. I even wondered if "making forget" couldn't just be a new euphemism. And then you pulled a complete one-eighty and OMG

Last time you commented:
to this:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">And in the parts you've been reading there was that Bad Thing [Pop Pop], and then another Very Bad Thing [Revelation] and the reaction of other people to that Very Bad Thing and then a Could Have Been Bad Thing [Sam's heartattack] and the Might Have Not Been a Totally Bad Thing [???]. That doesn't help someone get over lunkheaded stupidness.<b>[ I'm scared.

Man, I should have waited till tonight to read, but I had to check on Sam, and you dump this on me??!?!

Michael's right. There's gonna be a blow-up bigger than Krypton. But you know what? That's TALKING, and cheese and rice, they need to do some serious talking. Lois needs to say, "I'm falling in love with you" and Clark needs to give his BS about commitments to Lana, but he's really confused about Lois, and mix in a little bit of the wretched five year plan. And this is just conversations 1-3 out of the Box of Conversations We Should Be Having.

Great parts!
JD

holy guacamole!! oh they're definitely screwed (no pun intended :p ) aren't they?

Thank God! Some release!!!

I hope this completely ends Clark's obsession with Lana, and I say this because I am hoping and wishing that this new area of L&C's relationship opens his eyes too. And if Clark says Lana's name again during their waffy time I am so going to throw something at this computer!!!

We all know how Lois feels, so maybe she will finally voice it. We all need someone or something to help us forget.

Please no more torture, let there be a happy ending!!!!

Uh-oh, this cannot go down well. Nope. No way. Next thing we know, they'll be at eacht others throats again. *sigh* Or not talking. Or re-erecting the Great Wall in the middle of their bed. Or did you intend for Lois to get a strange sort of appetite again, followed by no appetite at all? I don't think that would do them any good, either. Anyway, can't you post everything you have so far *at* *once* and stop this torture?

Thanks for reminding me, Mellie. I meant to mention that. Of course Lois is pregnant again. Or do you have her on the pill, Carol? After all, Lois doesn't really expect anything so... Oh boy, they're so going to have a little sister for little Chris come next summer. And at the rate they're going (one baby every other Halloween), they will have a third one on the way when they get their divorce...

Michael

You write Sam's fear very well, leaving off the "just in case anything happens" that they both know he is thinking.


Throughout the day we repeatedly see Lois failing to give Clark the benefit of the doubt or underestimating what he does do. She thanks him when he bakes her a cake, but since it's not in her love language she immediately forgets it. He hugs her, but since it wasn't all day long she discounts it as too little or forced. She assumes that if she cries he will hold her, but only for show. She assumes that if something were to happen to her he would move on, untouched. She blows off all of his requests for conversation and sleeps with her back to him, even though he makes himself available to her.

In other words, if he doesn't express love to her in the way she expects it to be expressed, it's nothing to her. I'm not sure that this will blow up in their faces, because even though their marriage is not on stable ground he is expressing love to her when she needs it in a way that she feels loved. In other words, to her it isn't just sex.


Elisabeth

wow. now they HAVE to be real with themselves and each other, so that means.....living happily ever after?

Um... er... *speechless*

I'm totally with Michael here--that was a complete 180 in a span of mere seconds. Part of my inability to form coherent thought is due to whiplash and shock

Clark's mind was--once again--on Lana. As much as I enjoy the fact that their *ministrations* made him forget about the blonde bombshell for a period of time, I'm afraid about what comes after.

As for the preview: I'm banking that it *isn't* Lana, but rather the classic Clark Kent response to an irate and babbling Lois Lane.

I agree with Elisabeth that in Lois's mind this event will be more than just sex. The unfortunate part is that she won't believe that Clark will feel the same. In her mind, he's thinking of Lana.

Ack, my speculation chip is no longer functioning... That could be fixed with more data (better known as more story)!

~s

Ok, my brain is still going through NaNo withdrawl. I am now ready to keep up to date on your story, unfortunately, I need to start with part 78

James, who needs to stop thinking about word counts and start thinkig about spelling things correctly again...

Painful. Very painful. Also to my mind rather unrealistic. How many inexperienced young woman want to have sex to escape, forget, and so forth?

Sexually experienced woman yes, certainly, but inexperienced? Should have taken her flying. That would have distracted her.

So they somehow over look what Chris did?

If Tempus ever shows up he won't be talking about Lois when he says "galactically stupid" !!

I do want to add a lighter comment....



The Incredibles? Are we going to see a capeless Superman? After all.... all the caped Superheroes died in that movie =P

Elisabeth said:

Did Clark express love to her? Was it love? As I read these two parts, up until you-know-what, I was going out of my mind with frustration and grief at Clark's inability to really reach out to Lois when she needed him. I was reminded of how tender and physical Lois had been with him, when he was in shock after Pop Pop's death. She held him all night, and he thanked her for it, because he realized that it had indeed helped him. But he touched her so briefly, with so little conviction, up until you-know-what.

I agree with Elisabeth that Lois should have been more grateful to Clark for he did in fact do for her, like bake her favorite cake, when she had probably not eaten all day. That was a very sweet gesture. But coupled with his helpless distance from her, it was a careful friend's gesture, not a loving husband's one. Consider this quote from part 87:

<sigh> <groan>

At this point I was ready to cry myself!!!!

But Clark did a one eighty and made love to Lois. And because Lois was so fragile at this moment, their lovemaking is going to be absolutely hugely important to her. Will it not be even more unbearable for her to be rejected by Clark now than it was before?

But what will their lovemaking mean to Clark? Will it just mean that now he and Lana are sort of even, because both have lost their virginity, so now they can meet again as equals when he divorces Lois in three years? Seriously, has Clark's romp in the hay with Lois cured him of the notion that he will divorce her in three years? I'm not sure. He has to admit to himself that he has not saved his body and his virginity for Lana only. But what if he still thinks that he has saved his heart for her? That is what he was thinking to himself, not long before he made love to Lois, that his heart still belonged to Lana. (At the very least Clark might admit to himself that Christopher is probably his biological son. I think that this lovemaking should jog both Lois and Clark's memories of what really happened in the cabin that night when they were both almost dying of hypothermia.)

So I agree with those who fear that this lovemaking could blow up in Lois and Clark's faces. In any case, one romp in the hay won't take care of two years of heartache, misery and silence. And I'm not sure it will take care of two years of divorce plans.

But like Mellie, I was definitely thinking that Lois could be pregnant again, which would be an interesting complication. But it is certainly not a given that Lois is pregnant, and it won't happen unless Carol wants it to!

And what about Navance and his kidnapping threats? I keep wondering *when* Christopher is going to be kidnapped, not *if* it's going to happen.

Oh, this story is so, so far from over!!!

Ann

I can't believe they did that! They weren't supposed to do that until they told each other they loved each other, and that they wanted this to be more than a five-year countdown. Instead, they have an unconventional marriage, that has been consummated, where Lois is in love with her husband, and Clark is still in love with his ex-girlfriend. They really didn't need to sleep with each other. I'm afraid these people had enough complications with their lives. They really have made a mess of things.

Now, Lois has the possibility of being pregnant? As the career driven person that she is, I can't imagine what having two kids before graduating college will do to those dreams. But, this couple would certainly have some success rate in the fertility department...I mean two times creates two babies.

Lois has been depressed since Chris' birth. Some of that may post-partum, but we have heard her voice depression triggers as rejection fears from both Clark and Chris. I can't imagine giving your "virginity" to your husband when you're your most vulnerable, but giving him permission to practically think that you're someone else. I mean how unhealthy is that?

I really wonder about Lois' self-esteem in this story. She truly deserves better and deserves to be happy. Giving her body to Clark, at this stage, will not increase her happiness, it will just worsen her feelings of rejection. This whole situation is beginning to be unhealthy for all involved.

Clark, still tied to Lana, will be guilt-ridden for cheating on his ex-girlfriend. He'll wish the whole event would never have happened, which will send Lois into a tail spin!

Have I mentioned that they shouldn't have slept together at this stage?

It really seems that these people are their own worse enemies. What Navance can do to them pales in comparison to the heartache everyone is feeling!

grinch

PS: Carol did say at the beginning of this adventure that she puts her toys back together at the very end. Considering it's December 1st, we have sixty more posts to go. There's so much angst already, I really don't know how things can be happily ever after so quickly. But, I'm ready for the angst to be over.

Carol,

Okay, I have to confess that I was really being stubborn and not reading your story because I just could not handle another "Lois gets raped" story. But, I decided that since it was raining Sunday, all day, I'd give it a try. Well, it was all good, but then the "rape insinuation" was there. I was just going to throw in the towel, but something made me keep going. Then when Lois started getting symptoms of pregnancy, I about puked, because I couldn't bear another rape. But I read on.

I think it was the night of hypothermia at the cabin that ket me going. There was that cloudiness of a dream that they both had that made me think that maybe Clark had gotten to her in time at the frat party and that she was indeed pregnant with a half Kryptonian baby. WHy else would she have such backward symptoms, and so soon? So I went with it.

Then, the mad man in Europe, which made Clark claim the baby as his, not realizing his faux pas. I really started getting into it then. Then, as bad as it may sound, I really thought that Lana was too high maintenance. I sort of feel bad for what Clark didi to her, because no one deserves that, but face it...I just wanted him and Lois together. But I think that Clark is falling in love with Lois, though he doesn't realize it yet. I even think that Martha and Jonathan are secretly grateful that Clark didn't marry Lana.

When Lois asked Clark for a divorce and he said, "No", I was so grateful, always putting her and Christopher first. That should have spoken some volume to her!

Christopher is beautiful, and I love this Sam! He is so loving and supports Lois so wonderfully. Maybe his heart attack was what they needed to push things along, mind you, I think there will be some repercussions, like a major blow up and another pregnancy!

So, Carol, needless to say, I read all 85 chapters on Sunday and kept checking my iphone at work and nearly yelped when 86 and 87 went up! I think your story is just fabulous and I am so glad that I pressed on with it! Now that I'm hooked, don't you dare stop posting. I commend you for your diligence with posting.

Loved it, loved it, loved it! Now get busy posting and don't keep us waiting!

~Sheila

Ann said: The answer is yes; he did. He spoke two of the five love languages . He offered her a gift of his service and he sat at her side almost all day long. But she rejected that because she wanted the right words and the physical touch. Not only that, but she resented it when he didn't automatically give her what she didn't ask for, as if he's supposed to read her mind. Remember that as soon as she asked for it, he gave it to her with almost no questions asked.

If I had to make a wild guess I would imagine that neither physical touch nor meaningful words are Clark's love language. I'm supposing it's probably quality time since the first thing he does when he's hurting is to split.

I'm also not sure where you split the hair separating love from friendship. There are certainly different kinds of love, but I don't know if you can have love without friendship or friendship without love. To me, a gesture of friendship is a gesture of love.


Elisabeth

Okay - FDKing tonight so that I can try to post in the morning without having to do it.

I must admit though that the following people made it easy with their jaw dropping etc :

Lisa
LoveSuper
Andreia
Ann [the first time ]
Sleep-e [and HI!!!! A lurker!!! ]
James [who really doesn't fit in this list but is easy to respond to]

Lieta - Interesting could be one way to put it...

Michael - love the babble and you may or may not be right about the Might Have Not Been A Totally Bad Thing. [and it's late Nov btw, six weekish after Pop Pop whose service was 9 days before the Presidential election]

JD - Oooo - can I use that Box of Conversations We Should Be Having?!

Lola - that might be a bit too easy... Happy ending? /looks around/ what's that?

Lara - /whistles/

Elisabeth - Ann said:
That's how I tend to see it - neither one are quite sure how to be around each other at this point. He's trying to do nice things, but it's not what she needs and he knows it's not but doesn't think she wants him to give her what she needs. But no, I don't think it will be 'just sex' to her. The question is, will it be 'just sex' to Clark?

Sarah - Happily ever after? what's that?

Sonia - hehe - so sorry about your speculation chip - hope it functions better soon .

Framework - I do understand what you're saying, but even for inexperienced Lois, it's very likely that being with Clark would put Sam out of her mind for a while - anything from focusing on... performance anxiety to thinking it's her only chance to be with the man she loves and focusing everything on that. As for flying - that offers lots of time to think, I'd think, and that was the last thing she wanted...

Lieta - I wondered if anyone would notice that .

Ann - That's how I see it. See my comment to Elisabeth above. You're right that one [super?] night isn't enough to fix everything and it shouldn't be. And as for being far from over... it keeps getting longer. Don't want to tell you guys what chapter I'm on...

Grinch - /whistles/ Complicated? I've struggled with PPD myself and I know what things set it off too. As for the 'permission' thing... that will be discussed later. Toys back together? You do mean Clark and Lana back together right?

Sheila - WOW! That's A LOT for one day! I don't know if you read the FDK threads as well [can't imagine you did], but... I struggled with the toga party thing. I knew about the Kryptonite and the snow storm and what may or may not have happened at the cabin. But at the same time, *knowing* that was when Lois got pregnant [if that is, in fact, when she did], would have changed things for Clark - from the beginning he'd have thought Christopher was his son, which I think would have changed things at least some. If there was some other way around it [without having her sleeping with Joe regularly because that would have made things so different too], I would have taken it, but the father needed to be ambiguous - at least to them .

Okay - off to get some other stuff done so I, hopefully, will get this posting before 9am tomorrow and btw - we're getting a new TV on Wed and I'm SOOOO looking forward to seeing The Incredibles on it!

Carol

I think it got lost in the 'OMG they did what?!' mania ~.^

Elisabeth -

You posted while I was .

You're right that they're speaking different languages and right now - even though they're not aware of those - they're not speaking each other's languages right. Your evaluation of their languages is interesting. They played a role in LtL and so I put thought into them, but I hadn't here because they don't - but I think you've got them down.

Carol

I think a lot of things got lost in that mania... .

Carol

This Clark speaks my love language. It screams love to me, even when nobody else notices. You should ask James sometimes about the first meal he cooked me.


Elisabeth

Elisabeth said:

Elisabeth, I'm getting what you are saying about different ways of expressing your - well, caring, if not necessarily love. I'm just wondering - if Lana had been the one who was hurting and Clark had felt free to be with her, wouldn't he have hugged her? Wouldn't he have spoken softly and soothingly to her? Wouldn't physical touch and meaningful words have been his love language with Lana? And can we blame Lois for yearning for him to use the same kind of love language with her?

I think Lois has been comparing his treatment of her with what she imagines would be his treatment of Lana in a similar situation. Remember, too, that for two years Lois has watched Clark 'put on a show' for the benefit of others, so that he has hugged her and kissed her in public, but not in private. Is it so hard to understand that she doubts his love for her in view of that?

I agree with you, however, that Clark has shown love for Lois. Indeed, the very fact that he has stayed with her and put on the show of being her husband, and stayed faithful to her to boot, is a demonstration of love in my book. Particularly in view of how much it has cost him. Because, indeed, it has cost him a lot.

It's just that he is at war with himself over how much love he can allow himself to show his wife.

And at the root of Lois's depression is her conviction that her husband is going to leave her for another woman. And so far, Clark hasn't done too much to disabuse her of that notion.

Ann

Yup! All yours.

JD

Whee!

Thanks JD!
Carol

I, too, had a lot of fun at the Incredibles reference. (Elastagirl? You married Elastagirl? And got bizzzzay!!)

(And sorry, Sonia, for stealing your sig!)

(Hey, but Clark must have a cape - it wouldn't look right otherwise!)

Speaking of how bizzzay Clark got when he married Elastagirl, and regarding the possibility that he impregnated Lois with her second child the second time he made love to her, I'm reminded of a scene from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. A Protestant husband looks disapprovingly at his Catholic neighbours' innumerable offspring, and he remarks sourly to his wife: "They have a child every time they do it!" The woman looks at her own two kids and replies, "Yes, dear, so do we."

Ann

And then the movie segues into that hilarious musical number, "Every Sperm Is Sacred". A great bit. I can still hear the tune running through my head....

Well, since you had to bring up the Incredibles - when will we hear the sentence "CJ (or Chris) does not have any superpowers"? And when will we be proven wrong (see The Incredibles, the little other movie on the DVD about the strange things happening to the babysitter)

Loved the stuff about the cape, Lieta. Quite funny. So, will Clark start out in a red suit with an i on it?