Sorry this is so late! The Internet at our house is not working for some reason, so I'm posting this at my brother's--hope it comes through all right!

Thanks for reading and commenting despite the lateness!

Frustrating. I want to shake Lois up. More soon. Laura

Love Lois' comment about Clark's disguises!

I guess if Clark refuses to go with Superman that Lois will suffer.

I love that Lois finds herself drawn to Clark even while Superman is in the room.

You do a great job with subtlies here. We're seeing Lois slowly moving more towards Clark. There's little pieces suggesting all is not what it seems but it's going to take time to put it all together.

Yeah, Clark is trying to reveal to Lois that Superman isn't who she thinks he is.

I thought the Fortress of Solitude was his tree house - though I guess it could be either.

Joan

I loved this part. Well done, delightful.

You know, I wonder if Clone Superman is becoming more like Clark, his progenitor. He seems to be developing more of a conscience.

Did the clone really know those police officers were corrupt, or did he just take Nigel to them because he was told to? And the fact that the clone injured L&C's bodyguards is a point against the theory that he is developing a conscience.

I wonder if Luthor has the globe - I don't think so, from Clark's words. I'm sure that Luthor wants the globe desperately. Did he ever have it at all in this universe?

Wow! So much going on. Love that Lois is feeling the draw to Clark stir Lois' suspicions again about neo Supes not being who he claims.

Can't wait for more!!

Oh please, oh please, oh *please* let this be the moment when she realizes Clone!Supes is a fake! I can hardly bear it anymore -- aaagh!

Are you finally seeing the bigger picture here, Lois? SuperClone is evil!!!

Woman, you are *so* dense.

Yes, only he's not using against who you think he is.

Give the woman a cookie, she's almost there!

Fear that he's listening in?

Ok, maybe Henderson doesn't know that CK=S.

Putting CK=S pieces together? Or further realization that SuperClone is evil?

I LOVE the description there. I'm picturing black-clad ninjas jumping out from behind ferns.

Yes please!

Now Lois, I know you are dense, but think for a minute about what Clark just said. It responds to *Superman's* DNA *and* it responded to *Clark's* DNA too. Do I have to hit you over the head with a frying pan?

Why not? The suit oftentimes does.

Oooh, Clark's finally figured out a way to make Lois see that SuperClone is a fraud. I love it!

More please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a thought, but *if* SuperClone is starting to break down and die...maybe a wild goose chase to the North Pole will use up his remaining energy and kill him?

Wow, another chapter full of hints, promises, discoveries and wrong conclusions.

*hits Lois over the head*

I loved all of it, but especially the end about the globe and the Fortress. Considering how Clark seems to be looking at windows a lot here, maybe he really is laying a trap for the Other Superman. I mean... North Pole?... how not this Universe is that ?

I think the Globe IS in the tree house and that Supes might promise Lois to fetch it and not find it. *cackles with evil laughter*

And whatever's up with muddy Supes, I don't think he's about to die... maybe he's just angry that they start to think bad about him?

Ahhhhhh... still so much mystery, so many hints and half truths... I fear the only remedy for my curiosity is: more!

~Sira.

I just wrote a very long, detailed fdk post, and the cursor on my laptop highlighted it and deleted it! Stupid cursor jumping all over the place on me. So frustrating.

Here we go again:

So, this is where I had my "Duh!" moment. I had noticed Clark was weak after speaking with Supes in the last chapter, and I seemed to recall he had been weak after meeting up with Superman during his and Lois's walk the other day, hence my "Does Superclone have K on him?"

After reading the above quote, I remembered. Clark didn't just *talk* to Superclone the other day, he flew off with him - and it was pretty obvious at the time that it was to Luthor and another dosing of K. (In my defense, I read that chapter over 2 weeks ago. One of the drawbacks of reading chapter by chapter, instead of in one fell swoop.) And, of course he was weak after talking to Superman in chapter 13 - given that just *before* talking to Superman, Nigel had exposed him to K! So, as Emily Litella (a.k.a. Gilda Radner) would say... "Never mind."



My take on Clark's anger: I think it was something Luthor said, not something Superclone said. (I second D. Chak's motion. Please let Clark eventually tell Lois - and us - what is being said during his little trips with Superclone!)

My take on the globe: Clark hid it, just as he said, in his Fortress of Solitude. He knows Supes is eavesdropping, so he give the wrong colors and location. I hadn't thought of him sending an ailing clone off to the North Pole to die, but that's an interesting idea. What I thought of was that he really does, as he says, want Lois to ask Superclone about it - he knows the clone will repeat back the wrong answers which he just overheard. I also have a theory as to when, who, and how Lois will discover the true colors and location of the globe. Time will tell how close (or far off) my theory is.

I'm talking a lot about plot in my fdk, but I want you to know that - outstanding as I think the plot is - what really impresses me is the nuance and depth of emotion. All the subtle little things the characters say and do which speak volumes. Very well written.

Ooh! So close to figuring it all out, Lois!! Just think on it a little more... you can do it...

Making me wonder what side 'Superman' is on? He seems to have a heart in him, even if he's a clone... but is he playing a game? Or was he played himself?

I think Lois Lane needs a Dr. Watson to her Sherlock to put all the clues together... Clark is definitely trying to tell her something with this!

I wonder what the underlying menace in his tone is about... and this is more canon Superman, since on L&C, Clark's Fortress was in his parent's backyard. Interesting... actually, come to think of it... maybe that's the point? How to trap him in the lie?

Excellent, as always! I feel like Lois is SO close to putting it all together! Maybe the hint about the globe/Fortress will be the last piece of the puzzle that she needs to see who the REAL Superman is! Can't wait for more!!

Vicki - D. Chak.??? I *love* it! makes me sound like a rockstar!!!!

Love love love love this story! Like everyone else, I am ready to slap Lois upside the head...

I'm totally picturing Lois from HiM when she's trying to remember 'Buddy Love' and Clark's there just waiting for her to spit the words out...waiting and waiting and waiting...

Clark: 'I'm Superman!'
Lois: /disappointed in herself - 'I knew that!'

Hey, glad you're sticking with it despite your frustration, Laurach! Thanks!

Thanks, scifiJoan! The exchange on disguises is one of my favorites; it just kind of snuck its way in there. And subtlety is what I'm really trying for--which is hard, since it doesn't come that naturally to me!

Wow, that's a great comment to get, Framework4! Thanks!

Superman is certainly growing as a character--ideally, they all are. And, no, Luthor never had the globe; in fact, he doesn't even know about it since Jack never had a chance to steal, advertise, and sell it in this universe. Thanks for the feedback, IolantheAlias!

I love hearing how you think things through, EvelynC. It always gives me a thrill to know that people not only read the story, but think on it and try to figure it out--though it does keep me working very hard! I really enjoyed writing Lois's slow transferral of affection to Clark, so I'm glad that's working for you.

Sorry, Queen of the Capes--hope you don't give up! The revelation is coming!

Ambiguity is the name of the game here, Deadly Chakram--your comment on that really made my day! Clark's dialogue is very hard to write but incredibly fun--I always promise myself I'll never do a strictly set POV story again, but I always end up breaking it. I don't reply to all your comments, but please know that they always make me smile!

I love your description of this chapter, Sira! Maybe that should be the little synopsis for the whole story. So glad you're eager for more!

Thanks for taking the time to write out feedback, not once, but twice, Vicki!

Thanks so much, Mozartmaid! Actually, the Fortress is very important--though I definitely can't say anything more than that!

Stephnachia, at your word picture of Lois in the honeymoon suite! I'm delighted that you love the story!

Thanks, everyone, for the great feedback!

Hi. Back again for something I forgot to highlight when I gave my feedback:

I love this sentence! For so many reasons. "A mantra that soothed," "a litany," promising things she'd only just realized she wanted. But most of all for the phrase "careless words dropped so tenderly." That just stopped me dead in my reading. Not 'tender words dropped carelessly', but 'careless words dropped tenderly.' What a difference that turn of phrase makes!

Now, that would be a nice twist! No, no, Ms. Lane, you must be mistaken. I was never in that warehouse. See, even Superman can't remember seeing me there. Or helping you, as it is.

Yes... what could have gone wrong...

/slaps forehead/ Of course! Nigel *also* had Kryptonite in addition to the anti-Clark.

Poor Lois. Superman's dead. Again!





Michael

Thanks, Vicki! Actually, I did reword that line twice, but I don't remember if I changed the part you drew out--glad you liked it so much!

LNN faking a Superman rescue, Darth Michael? That would be bad, wouldn't it?

Yes, I can very easily see Luthor obsessing over Clark Kent if Superman hadn't shown up. Luthor needs a hobby, and Clark's integrity makes him a target.

Lois does have a hard time connecting Clark to Superman, doesn't she? It made sense to me--hope it doesn't scare everyone else away.

There's an awful lot of shrugging smileys. Hmm...I'm really hoping that's the good kind of 'I want to see where the story is going' and not 'None of this makes any sense; I can't read any further.'

Thanks for catching up (almost) and sticking with me!

Well, I'll confess that after I wrote the feedback, it occured to me... what if it was just a typo? But I left my comment because if it *was* mistake, it was a most fortuitous one! It's good to know you wrote and re-wrote until you got it exactly the way you wanted it, because it was a great sentence!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by AntiKryptonite:
<strong>Lois does have a hard time connecting Clark to Superman, doesn't she? It made sense to me--hope it doesn't scare everyone else away.

Michael

Not to mention if he tells her, she'll die. If it is a bet, I'm sure Luthor would have hedged it so that he'd win. There's nothing he hates worse than losing, after all.

Not that I'm admitting anything--but it is an interesting theory.

True, Luthor does hate to lose. Can you imagine if he and Lois *had* married? Monopoly games could have turned deadly!