I want to take this opportunity to give a shout out, throw kudos to, and specifically recognize (and thank) my absolutely fantastic betas on this project. They helped with the title and the characterizations and my grammar and especially with the goofy typos I still make despite my @#%#%^ years of experience.

In no particular order, let me salute Elisabeth, DSDragon, CarolM, and IolantheAlias. All four of these hard-working and determined betas went the extra kilometer (or mile, depending on where they might live) and helped make this story as much fun as it is. If you like a specific part, it's a good bet that at least one of them contributed materially to that scene, and often all four of them did. And they all helped me replace the original title (which worked for the original outline but not for the tale which demanded to be told). Great job, y'all!

Here's the last chapter. It's the shortest of the bunch, but it's got some punch. Enjoy!

Hi Terry

Well, I wanted to strangle Connie, and even went back to part 22 to make sure that she was in on Lucy's plot, but in the end...

...I was right about Lucy's plan, but only because you led me to it in your responses to my previous feedback.

You do realize, even if Lois hasn't yet, that this is only a temporary solution. How long can Clark keep writing about the music industry? At some point Lois is still going to have to chose between the music career and the reporting one, I would think. Unless they're hoping to reach a point where the band doesn't have to travel any more?

Which just means....sequel, sequel,

Nice smoochies, BTW, and the tone is completely in tune with the band's usual ribbing of each other. It looks like Clark will fit right in.

squeeee! I was so excited when this popped up - loved it!!!
but there's more, right? i mean the whole wanda detroit thing...and of course, more lois and clark!!! great story!

Nice ending!

Weird thought on Terry's signature - if read literally, doesn't it imply that Alma has a really tiny waist?

This was a fitting ending, Terry

Great ending! Fun, waffy and very enjoyable. I love how you tied it all up with Clark going on tour.

of course I am now looking forward to the sequel. There are sooo many possibilities and adventures Clark and Lois can have (in her Wanda disguise)

Loved the threats. Loved the ending. Any praise is deserved by the author--bravo!


Elisabeth

Terry - thanks for the kind words about the beta. I will say that beta'ing this was its own reward - the first look at a great fic! Very enjoyable.

This was a wonderful AU take on the first meeting of L&C. The music info certainly added a ton of verisimilitude. And, of course, there was a happy ending (which I'm a sucker for.)

As other posters have said, this cries out for a sequel!

Terry, this has been a fun exercise in a completely different 'what if' world. Of course, I enjoyed the musical aspects of the story, but I was more impressed on how you were able to keep the basic personalities of Clark and Lois consistant even though their world was very different from what we are used to for them.

This story does leave things somewhat open-ended, and would allow for a sequel, or sequels, but I don't think it automatically needs one. We all know that Clark's situation with the band will only be a temporary one; he does have to become Superman yet.

What was presented here was merely a small slice of the lives of Lois and Clark and is complete within itself. We can all imagine for ourselves how their lives will evolve from this point on.

Let's face it. Very few bands, even successful ones, last for 30 or 40 years together. Lois can have her muscial success, and then when she is ready to move on, Wanda Detroit will be there waiting for her. And I suppose Clark will be there somewhere, too.

Actually, once Lucy has reached the level were she can become a super star on her own, I imagine Lois' desire to do the band thing will fade. She will have fullfilled her 'promise' to make sure her sister is taken care of. And just because she's no longer on the road performing doesn't mean that Lois can't continue to write hit songs for Lucy and others.

Tank (who wonders which Lois would rather have; a grammy or a pulitzer)

I meant to leave feedback for Chapter 22, because I was impressed at the number of loose ends you managed to wrap up in that one.

I am one of those asking for a sequel--heck, although we know their time on the road will be limited, it could lead to a whole series of sequels. For one, they're headed to Gotham City, and I would love to read what happens when the Silent Vigilante meets the Dark Knight.

But I can also see Tank's point that the story is near perfection in itself, and some of the best stories are the ones that leave us making up our own sequels in our own minds.

Anyway, thanks for giving me a reason to compulsively check these boards almost every night over the last several weeks. I've enjoyed it!

Terry,

Sorry I haven't commented on many other chapters. The last few days have been crazy and most of my reading time was during times when I had no free hands.

This story was great! The ending was a surprise - I fully expected a resolution that involved Lois at the Daily Planet, but Clark's traveling with the band was not something I had considered.

You did a great job of writing an AU story where Clark and Lois were still the Clark and Lois we know and yet not. Additionally, I feel like I know the other members of the band as well, which is a hard thing to pull off.

This was a fully enjoyable read.

- Nancy

I wanted to thank everyone who left such wonderful comments. As I was working through this story, I never had any idea that there would be a sequel, but now that I've read your brilliant feedback, I think there might be one someday. It will have to wait until I finish a certain story about another road, however, and there are a couple of shorter pieces sitting on my hard drive, waving their hands at me and begging to be sent to some poor beta who doesn't know what she's letting herself in for.

I had long thought that writing such a story using a strong musical theme might be cheating, but it turned out that it worked better than I thought it would. Thank you again for all the ego-expanding comments, and for the encouragement to even think about continuing this tale. It may happen!

And yes, the story has already been sent to the archive. A GE has it now. I hope she's patient with AU scenarios!