This was a rather personal project for me, as my husband and I are dealing with our own infertility issues. So it was, at times, a little difficult to emotionally distance myself from the subject matter to stay true to the characters of Clark and Lois.

This was beautiful, Deadly Chakram! It brought tears to my eyes, all of it building until the moment when he flies up to that void between space and Earth and knew he was entirely separate.

I think you captured his thought process very well, and I like how you brought in the events from the show. The correlation to his parents was very touching and not something I'd ever seen put into words like that before.

The conclusion was perfect. I love that he found that spark of hope--that he does so is so much an integral part of his character--and that though it didn't immediately make him feel better, it did hold him together. And the last line--beautiful! (I also really like the title!)

I can't wait to read the second part! Praying that a miracle comes to you!

Thanks so much Anti-K! I figured that if Clark ever felt like a complete outcast, it would be at this very moment.

Thanks again! I haven't really read any stories that deal with what Lois and Clark feel about their (supposed) infertility ('cause we all know they are going to have babies so Utopia can come about). That's one of the reasons why I wanted to write this fic (plus, my own, personal reasons as stated above). I agree, I've also never seen another author make the connection between Clark and his parents in quite this way (I'm sure *someone* has but I haven't found it yet).

But it always struck me that wow, the Kents couldn't conceive on their own or adopt (not sure if the adoption thing is canon or fanon at this point) and poor Clark is stuck in the same boat.


Thanks again! (Wow, I wind up thanking you a lot!!!)

Lois is definitely the glue that holds Clark together in his darkest hours. And I couldn't see Clark as just giving up completely. As someone going through this right now, it's almost impossible for me to imagine ever giving up completely, even though for me, it's been 14 months of disappointment. Glad you found that this worked for Clark.

The title took some time to reveal itself to me - I was halfway done with part one when I was finally inspired. I like the title too.

Part two should be up in another day or two. I just finished it right before I posted part one, so I want to re-read and edit it one more time before I post.

Thanks so much for the kind words as well.

What a touching piece. I can only imagine the difficulty facing such a subject when you're dealing with it as well.

You did an excellent job capturing Superman's emotions. Can you even imagine being able to do all he does yet:

I love that you ended on a hopeful note. That his love for Lois will bring him through. Great job!

I'm guessing part two is from Lois' POV. That will be interesting to read.

Joan

Thanks so much Joan! You touched on something very important when you say That's the most frustrating part of infertility. The "not-being-able-to-do-anything-to-fix-it" part. I can only imagine that it would be doubly frustrating for Superman to be able to do nothing.

Part two is definitely Lois' POV.

I've been there. We finally adopted a little boy from Russia. I was 48 and my husband was 50. We have a 6 year old doll now. Never give up hope. If you really want it, it will come one way or another. Laura

Thanks Laura! I appreciate the kind words.

Wow. Emotional. Heartfelt. It brought tears to my eyes as well. I could feel Clark's pain. His isolation. That he blamed himself for that awful treatment Lois got from the adoption center is so Clark. He always blames himself for all the troubles they go through. He still considers himself 'the jinx.'

Thank you for sharing your pain with us so beautifully put into words.

Thanks so much for the great review Virginia. "The jinx" - I like that. Poor Clark is always his own harshest critic.

An incredibly poignant exploration of something that Superman shares with many. How can we empathize with a superhero with nearly unlimited power? By showing what he doesn't have in his life, what he's missing, what he doesn't have the power to do or gain.

Awesome.

Thank you so much!