God, just when you think things are perfect...

That's pretty true... I had never really thought of it that way.

But man. This chapter was so emotional! But it felt so logical at the same time. It really was perfectly in character for both of them I think. When Clark said he loved her at the end my heart did that little twisting thing you always read about.

*sigh*

It was super sweet and reminded me just how timeless their relationship is. Thanks for the post, it was well worth every second of the wait.

Laura

Oh, they were soooo close... and now they're in separate sleeping bags again. <sigh> Three steps forward, four steps back... but I guess life is like that sometimes, eh? Getting married *is* terrifying at times. It's a radical and fundamental life change, stepping out into the unknown. And I know I test my husband sometimes, still. I think of it as pushing on a brick wall. I push, but I don't *want* the wall to fall down -- either away from me (he gives up) or on top of me (he gets angry). I want that wall to be strong enough that I can lean against it sometimes, if I need to. Ya know? Yeah, I'm not sure my hubby gets it either, God bless him

Um, anyway... I liked the discussion about her falling down the stairs and charging back up... not quite sure I get where he was going with that, but I liked it But I guess, emotionally, they might both fall down the stairs again sometime. Maybe Clark's worried about his tendency to retreat and stay there in a heap at the foot of the stairs. Kind of like where he was at the beginning of this story...

Anyway, good section, and now I wanna see the next (last! ) part....

PJ

I think Sue means that Clark is fascinated by human will and their ability to overcome adversity despite their limited resources.

I'm currently in a Spartan phase and have just read Gates of Fire where the warrior Dienekes contemplates courage.

"Achilles, Homer tells us, possessed true andreia. But did he? Scion of an immortal mother, dipped as a babe in the waters of Styx, knowing himself to be save his heel invulnerable? Cowards would be rarer than feathers on fish if we all knew that."

Part of me wants to Aarrgghh! and the other part is commiserating with Lois. Getting married is huge, especially when your parents gave such a crappy example.
Loved this. It took me at least a week after my wedding day before the phrase "Oh, my God, we're married" stopped running through my head.

Loved the white-water rapids scene. I haven't done that since I was a teenager and I loved it. The Snake River has some fun spots.

That whole vulnerability thing that comes with loving someone else sucks, eh?

Oh, and LOL at Lois falling into the river.

BJ