Lois & Clark Forums
Posted By: KathyM FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 09:30 AM
I started off the folder, and then got delayed by phone calls, etc. Now it's 3 hours later, and I've FINALLY had a chance to finish this section. And I have to say...

Awesome.

I've said that before, haven't I? Well, I have a feeling that I'll be using that word a lot more before this saga is over. And I'll need other adjectives as well - time to break out the thesaurus again.

Hmm...so why can't the soul-tracker find them? The only idea I've come up with is that Tempus has zapped L&C into a future beyond the Peacekeepers' current existence - and they can't read into the future. But Wells was able to track them both into the past and into a future beyond when he originally lived, so presumably the Peacekeepers would be able to as well.

Well, I love time-travel, dimension hopping, etc. So I'm eager to see the explanation.

The Tempus stuff is, as always, just splendid. Madge seems to understand him well, but he may have just outfoxed her this time.

The L&C interlude in the park was wonderful. I love how Lois is filing away all this information in her head - there's the investigative reporter hard at work - and the poker face conversation was wonderful.

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“I’m new at this,” he apologized sincerely. “And you’re right. I’ll practice.”
Loved it.

But as much as I loved all the stuff that came before, I really fell head over heels when I saw Clark's reaction to the DP globe and it quickly became apparent that it's a museum with tour guides representing the characters we know and love. I'm dying to see more about how L&C react to this. Hope I make it to Saturday... grovel

Kathy
Posted By: ErinK Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 10:04 AM
Moved from the other thread...


LOVED THIS!!! I'm so glad you've already got part 2 posted.

I love Madge; she is such a wonderful character. I love their panic when Lois and Clark's life sign readings are registering, love Tempus's mocking words (you write him SO well!), and love Lois and Clark's confusion when they wake up in the park.

Love it, love it, love it!!! (Did I mention I love it? )

Even though I've had the privelege to read this already, it's been a while since I've read these opening installments, and they're even more fabulous than I remember. I'm enjoying them right along with everybody else!

Can't wait for part 3!
Wow, CC.

This is good. I really liked being inside Lois's head as she gathered all these little clues about him. Especially the guess about him needing to be 18 to get his flying license goofy

But the Daily Planet... whoa. It's a museum. And the Luthor/Cage exhibit???? L&C are in for such shocks... can't wait to see them <g>

PJ
clap

Next part ASAP pleaseeeeeeeee grovel

Karla
Posted By: Anonymous Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 12:41 PM
ACK!!!I'm late! geez you take your kid to get her tooth pulled and next thing you know CC's got a whole new section posted!!

And oh boy what a doozy!<...forehead slapping icon here, or maybe this guy notworthy


TEEEEEEEJ
Posted By: Shadow Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 01:06 PM
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“Where have you sent them?” she thundered to Tempus, who was barely visible under the large pile of coworkers who had dived onto him in the instant it had taken their heroes to disappear.
Shut up, really? They disappeared? That's awesome...well, not ideal, but that's just a really great idea. Anywho.

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Clark cast a wary glance at the women in his group, young and old. Surely, it was just his imagination. He currently didn’t know down from up. But they seemed to be.... eyeing him... as if he was on today’s lunch menu.
LOL

Meanwhile, good God, I'm going to pull my hair out! What is going on?! Where *are* they? How can it be off the Utopia radar? Can the peacekeepers find them? 2001 questions pour out.

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Otherwise they’ll all leave here debating why she didn’t love him like he did her right away.
And the 'he' here is Clark, perhaps?

I smell disaster.

JD
smile1

Edit: <And thanks to everyone who pointed out that the DP is a museum wherever and whenever they are>

Oh good God, thanks for pointing that out, Vicki! I clearly was not paying attention and would have driven myself crazy LOL.
Posted By: rivka Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 01:51 PM
Pam, I think perhaps that is Luthor-Cage (as in, cage made of kryptonite), not Luthor/Cage.

But this is CC, so I'm prepared to be completely mistaken. goofy

CC, this is just so great that I have no words! Except to say that I can't wait for the next part! smile

*buckles up*
Posted By: Vicki K Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 02:47 PM
CC - I'm stunned by this story!! It's just wonderful, very different, thought provoking and completely hypnotic. WHERE are they?? And thanks to everyone who pointed out that the DP is a museum wherever and whenever they are - I just thought that someone had gone nuts and everything everywhere is some kind of homage to Superman. Poor Clark!

You've brought up, or you've had Lois bring up smile , so many great points that were never explored in the show - Clark's mannerisms, his familiarity with the planet (golf courses, do not trespass signs, litter, etc.), and I love how you've had her counseling him on how to develop a better poker face, etc.

I LOVE this, and can't wait to see what happens next.

I got a kick out of the fact that nobody seemed to think about removing the ring from Tempus or physically restraining him in any other way but having lots of bodies lie on top of him. wink

MORE please! smile

V
Yay part 2!! grumble

CC you have me ROTFLMAO during most of this. Love, love, LOVE what must have been Lois' and Clark's stunned expressions as 'Perry' went on his tirade. Soooo funny!

Where in tarnation ARE they? I can't even begin to figure out what you have in store for us..darlin' (as Tempus would say).

woooohooooo..

~Liz
Posted By: Laurach Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/14/05 09:12 PM
Well I have to hand it to tempus this time. He really has them in a pickle now<g> Of course I am wondering why the world isn't just dissapearing since Lois and Clark are missing from there own time. I am looking forward to hearing all about Lois finding out the story of Clark Kent/superman. I wonder how she is going to take it. Laura
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Tempus, who was barely visible under the large pile of coworkers who had dived onto him in the instant it had taken their heroes to disappear.
rotflol rotflol

This is great!! Fast-paced, funny, and riveting. I love the almost caricatured descriptions of Tempus and the Peacekeepers. I love the tongue-in-cheek discussion/lectures Lois and Clark are having, with her trying to pry stuff out of him, and giving him advice at the same time as to how to conceal that same stuff... And he's acting more and more Clark-like, more and more familiar with her as they interact. I've always wondered if Lois would have figured out Clark's secret faster and earlier if he'd spent more time with her initially. By the time they were interacting regularly as Lois and Superman, her preconceptions (misconceptions?) were set in concrete and she saw what she expected to see. But in the beginning, if he hadn't been remote with her, maybe she would have tumbled to the whole CK=S thing right away.

-----

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She gathered her robes and squatted down close enough to look Tempus in the eyes.
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Madge waited. She knew he would tell her. He always did. Eventually.
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Madge got comfortable.
I enjoyed these descriptions of the "interrogation"... you can tell they've all done this before, over and over and over and over... It's like Tempus is a one-man employment agency; because of him, all those other people have jobs as Peacekeepers or as ancillary Peacekeeper staff. Pretty funny!

And the over-the-top DP museum... as TEEEEEEEJ says, once Lois and Clark figure out where they are,
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Tempus is going to make them so disgusted with their future they are just going to say "the heck with it"
And as to when they are, are they in the current present? The Peacekeepers' present? Would that make the soul trackers glitch out? That could explain Tempus's "place so obvious", except for the part about the one place that unravels all Utopia. Unless we go back to TEEEEEEEJ's comment above...

I'm looking forward to your next installment!

~Toc
Posted By: TriciaW Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 02:32 AM
CC

This is superb. smile1

Tricia cool
Posted By: daneel Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 05:25 AM
Rotfl!! goofy

Jose hyper
Posted By: LabRat Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 05:35 AM
Ah, Madge. Dear, dear Madge. You just have to love her. goofy She reminds me of one of those stalwart old biddies beloved of Ealing Comedies. laugh Capable, no-nonsense, doesn't suffer fools gladly and with a biting wit to keep her going through the absurdities of her job. She's just adorable.

The banter and interaction between Clark and Lois was wonderful. I think my favourite was Lois concluding that on Clark's planet you have to be 18 to gain a flying licence. laugh But, as others have said, there were just too many laugh-out-loud moments to count.

And then the capper - the Daily Planet museum. Wonderful!

LabRat (why isn't there more in my mailbox? You have a buffer to keep up, you know...)
Posted By: Wendymr Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 11:59 AM
I'm late, and everyone else has said everything already! :p CC, I'm speechless anyway. I don't know how you do it. This is amazing - the humour, the deft touches with description and detail everyone else has mentioned. Madge and Tempus. Clark noticing things about how Centennial Park has changed and Lois noticing things about Clark noticing things. wink

And I think Janet is right. Lois doesn't need the Daily Planet museum; she just needs to be alone with Superman for another half-hour or so and she'll have him all figured out. goofy

As it is, I agree with TJ and others: I think they're in the present, in the Peacekeepers' time, and they're now inside a ghastly, tacky, Lane and Kent 'living museum' with costumed actors playing the parts of themselves and their colleagues. Never mind whether or not the penny will drop for Lois - in fact, there are several pennies to be dropped, aren't there? - I think she's going to deck somebody before too long! eek

As for this destroying Utopia, could you imagine the effect on Lois right now of being told that she'll marry the Mr Greenjeans farmboy, even if he is Superman? Running for the hills might be the tamest of her courses of action... wink

Roll on tomorrow!

Wendy smile
Posted By: KathyB Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 12:54 PM
Brilliant.

Just freakin' brilliant.

Loved the banter between Tempus and Madge. (They reminded me of another couple near and dear to my heart ... Tempus/Madge 'shipping, anyone? <eg>) Loved that he sent them to the future instead of the past. (God, yes! So obvious, yet no one has thought of this before??) Loved that Lois kept picking up on these totally innocuous clues Clark dropped about golf courses and parks. (And especially her giving him the "help" he so desperately needed at this point.)

Loved Clark's reaction to the DP all gussied up; I actually gave the wooby lip when he thought that he'd scared everyone. (And LOL at the garishness of all the red, blue and yellow decorations -- I'm starting to see why Tempus wants to ruin it all! laugh ) And then I got to "the DW wing" and laughed so loud that I was glad my kids were still in school. ROTFL!!!!

But then I got to this ...

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Not Perry raised his eyes heavenward, as if seeking guidance. “Isn’t necessary? Believe me, it is. Otherwise they’ll all leave here debating why she didn’t love him like he did her right away. Whether or not she was even worth the time and effort. We tried to leave it out, at the request of the family, but the Luthor-Cage exhibit really put them off her without it. It’s simple psychology, son.”
And I was back to "brilliant!" again ... holy cow, you are a genius. It's fandom played out as tourist theater played out as fanfic. I'm in awe.

(And I just have to mention my appreciation of the "Graceland" aspect of it all ... Perry would be so proud of you, CC!)

I'm enthralled ... nearly speechless in my awe (well, not really, because I'm writing all this feedback, but for me, this is like being speechless!) ... ready to bow down and beg for the next part.

Yes, I'm begging. Down on my knees. Ready to come down there and wrestle it out of your hard drive. Saturday, huh? It's a date.

Kathy
Posted By: KathyM Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 06:25 PM
I'm back with a nit. Rivka posted in the fdk for Part 1

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(Two nits: Andrus and replicant)
Well, the second one was nagging at me, so I went to look it up on dictionary.com

I think that "replicate", which is the word CC used, *is* the one she wants. They're referring to whether or not this could be a duplicate Tempus. But the only definition given for "replicant" is "one who replies".

The word "replicant" isn't listed in merriam-webster. I don't have a print dictionary at the moment.

Kathy
Posted By: Artemis Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 06:47 PM
This is totally awesome story that took a turn waaayyyy out into left field in a direction I wasn't expecting. More as fast as you can!!!
replicate is the verb
replicant is the noun
I don't know what the dictionaries are saying these days, but "replicant" is common usage in science fiction these days. (ref. Stargate SG-1) The replicators are the little machines that replicate themselves everywhere (or did until the end of season 8) laugh
cool
Artemis
Posted By: Wendymr Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 06:48 PM
Yes, Kathy, but... From Meet John Doe:

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ANDRUS
I leave in your place this replicant... a synthetic Tempus, who shall keep the people of this primitive time from asking questions better left unanswered.
and I suspect this is what CC's referring to. huh


Wendy smile
Posted By: rivka Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 06:58 PM
That was indeed my assumption. And since I watched that episode not long ago, I was pretty sure of the word -- but I checked the script anyway. smile

I suspect the L&C writers nabbed the word from Blade Runner.

Definitions of replicant:
Wikipedia
Encarta
Posted By: KathyM Re: FDK: In a Better Place, Part 2 - Woohoo! - 04/15/05 07:38 PM
Now that's the kind of info that I was looking for! laugh

I'd completely forgotten the MJD reference, and as you can see, the sources I was consulting are just not up on their sci-fi lingo.

I very happily stand corrected. Thanks!

Kathy
Wow!! smile1
Well, some of you are obviously mind-readers. Others of you, all evidence points in this direction, have clearly pirated my HD. So fun! And so tricky to respond to.

First thing: Sci-Fi Grammer.

Replica/Replicate/Replicant. Or... the porridge is too hot/too cold/just right. And if I had done my homework- made so easy for me by the very generous Annette's provision of script links- I would have realized sooner!

Other things too good not to note:

Starting with

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What is going on?! Where *are* they? How can it be off the Utopia radar?

Where in tarnation ARE they?
Oh, the theories are sooo good. Loved seeing them. And... that's all I'm saying.

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I am wondering why the world isn't just dissapearing since Lois and Clark are missing from there own time.
Glad you asked, Laura! We'll get there, but I owe a debt of gratitude to Sci-Fi Theory consultants extraordinare, Tank and Labrat, who never ran out of patience as I bounced my ideas off them. And well that they could have. "Oh no, her again?"

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It's like Tempus is a one-man employment agency; because of him, all those other people have jobs as Peacekeepers or as ancillary Peacekeeper staff.
Gads, Toc. We're... twins, right? That's all I can figure.

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And as to when they are, are they in the current present? The Peacekeepers' present? Would that make the soul trackers glitch out? That could explain Tempus's "place so obvious",

They are going to hate Utopia as much as Tempus!!
I have no comment on either of these. Just... here's the nail, here's the hammer, see if you can hit it square on the head.

But that's all I'm saying. wink

And speaking of nailing it:
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Never mind whether or not the penny will drop for Lois - in fact, there are several pennies to be dropped, aren't there? - I think she's going to deck somebody before too long!
Not long at all, Wendy! In fact, just as soon as part three goes up!

Last few things, I promise.

From KathyB:

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It's fandom played out as tourist theater played out as fanfic.
Oh, my gosh! Yes!! And I had a little too much fun with this element. It will pop up more than once.

Also:
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And I just have to mention my appreciation of the "Graceland" aspect of it all
That's just... exactly right.

And then,

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but it was awfully witty of Tempus to send Lois and Clark to a time and place where there are lots of "Loises" and "Clarks / Supermen". Gives a whole new dimension to the phrase "hiding in plain sight."
Love that observation! Keep it in mind as we move along.

And thank you to *all* who read and commented! I can't say well enough how much I appreciate it. Remember that little kiss from me... sloppy
and maybe treat yourself to a little something nice. It's on me.

CC
Bad Sara!!! So behind on reading. razz

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He smirked. Madge waited. She knew he would tell her. He always did. Eventually.
Ooh, let's hope so.

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Not being able to brag on his brilliance was the only real hardship for Tempus. The one thing he could not do. If just once, one time, he did something dreadful and didn’t boast about it, then her office would be in real trouble. As well as her world. So far, though, that had never happened.
LOL!!!

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“They don’t register,” said Andrus again, his face a deathly shade of pale.
eek Eeep!!

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“Because completely dead wouldn’t be nearly as much fun,” Tempus answered, and Madge relaxed infinitesimally. He was proud of himself. He had found a way to outwit the soul tracer and it would kill him not to tell her about it.
LOL! Great line from Tempus!!!

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She knew that she knew him. From the space transport. The bomb. EPRAD. After that, though, things got... blank.
Oh great! Amnesia? frown

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“I’ve sent them someplace out of reach. A place so obvious I hate that I didn’t think of it the first dozen times. The one place that unravels all of Utopia.”
Hmm... so... Do I get bonus points if I guess right? I think it's Utopia. goofy Tempus said obvious... that's obvious, right? Now... the fact that it's obvious doesn't take away the bonus point value, does it?

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It was just a statue, though. Of him. A twelve foot high rendering of blue spandex guy.
Ha!!! I'm right!!! Right?

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“I do?” She returned his tentative smile with a big one of her own. “How about that?” she said, mostly to herself, though she didn’t mind if he heard her. “A guy who can lift space shuttles into orbit... afraid of me.” She tilted her head to the side, looking him over once more. “You’re not just strong, then. You’re smart, too.”
LOL!!! And awwwwww!

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“Why not until you were eighteen?” she asked quickly, trying unsuccessfully to extract herself from his firm grip. He didn’t even seem to notice. “Is that how old you have to be to get a license on your home planet?”
LOL!!!

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An “I don’t know how to answer what you just said without giving away something I don’t want to give away” sort of move. She, herself, had a million of them. But they were way better than his. Not nearly so obvious.
ROTFL!!!! That's great! Love that line about Clark's look!

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He had been here before.

Lois jotted that down in her mental notebook.
Ooh! Lois is a smart cookie!!

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He knew golf. She put that right next to ‘had been to the park.’ There was something very non-alien about this alien.
Wow... this line is... well, it's funny, smart and waffy all at the same time. laugh

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He didn’t know that though, because the guarded look came back once more.
*snicker*

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There was a plea in those last words she found almost endearing. He was such a juicy interview subject, and she could hardly wait to pin him down. But there was a vulnerability to him, an innocence underneath the muscles. He was right to be guarded. This world could chew him up and spit him out before he knew what hit him.
AWWWWWW!!!!!

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And just as she had hoped, he followed, falling in step beside her, giving her a fond, too trusting smile. “I promise, Lois. When I figure out what I want to say, how to say it. When I’ve practiced that poker face, I’ll call you.”
LOL!!! Can you say "eager puppy"? <g>

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She stopped and looked at him. “Stuff like that. You need to be careful what you say. I could jump right on that comment. Ask where you were until now. Where you were when you saw the report. What you were waiting for. What your plans are. How you know about golf courses and cigarette butts and litter in the park. And if you don’t have an answer....”
I really like how she's keeping her edge, but at the same time she feels sort of protective over him. Great touch! laugh

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“Too much,” he said with a desperate groan. “Why would they do this, Lois?” He tore his eyes from the display in front of them, and they burned into her, so bleak and pleading she took an involuntary step back.
Wow, wow, wow! So much here! Let's see if I can actually remember all of what I thought. First off, poooor Clark!!! He's not only embarrassed, but he's probably freaking out, too... like maybe he's wondering if everyone knows Superman equals Clark Kent, who works at the Planet... even though he just got there. And then... I'm going to assume that since this is Utopia, that the Planet is more of a shrine than an actual working newspaper. Though, could be both, we'll see. Anyway... they're going to go in there... and oooh boy! They're going to see their pictures, aren't they? They're going to get mobbed by fans and such. Ooh boy... this does not look good!

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“I scared everyone,” he said flatly. “But instead of raising the white flag of surrender, it’s my flag they’re waving. Just to show they’re friendly. That they’ll cooperate. So I won’t be a... threat to them.”
Ooor, he could be thinking that too. Either way, still not good.

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The Chief was bearing down on them. In his very short time at the Planet, Clark couldn’t recall seeing Perry White outside of the bullpen, his own personal domain. But now, in the lobby, amidst the terrible clash of colors, the Chief looked... different somehow. Smaller than he had been just that afternoon. And most definitely angry.
Oh really?? Hmm... nice touch.

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The man who definitely was not Perry turned toward her, noticing her for the first time. He blinked hard and slammed them all to a halt. “Great shades! You’re the best I’ve seen yet, honey! Your group just left with Cat Grant, but you can catch up with them, and send her back here. She’s very popular with the lonely businessmen on their lunch break,” he added with a chuckle. “They started in the usual place.”
Ooh, buddy! Is this some kind of... Planet Hollywood? (No pun intended. goofy ) Museum?

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“The DF wing?” Lois scowled. “The whole saga? What is going on here? I don’t understand-”

“That’s two of us,” Clark cut-in fervently.

“-and I’m not budging until you tell me,” Lois finished.
Good! You tell 'im! And... *gulp* the whole saga? Yipes!!! That hasn't happened!!!

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“The DF wing,” he huffed. “The Dysfunctional Family Wing. Lois Lane’s history. Just give them the spill: absent, unfaithful father, bitter alcoholic mother, flighty sister, cold as ice ace reporter...”
mecry

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“So...” He cleared his throat when his voice cracked slightly. “Who wants to see the Krypton wing?”
Did I already say "poooor Clark"?? mecry

Yipes, CC! What a set up!!! Yikes... I think that's about all I can say right now. eek

Sara (who has a very good excuse for being late in reading this... I was writin'!!! laugh )
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