Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Ten Years in the Making (16/?)

Thanks for all the great reviews!

Sheila-

Why, thank you!

I'm so glad this sounded sincere. I am a terrible apologizer (just ask my husband, he'd be happy to provide countless examples). I probably should feel worse that I know what to say for someone else since I'm so bad at doing it myself, but really, I felt that Clark always seemed to know what to say, and so he would not hold back in apologizing either.

Carolm-

I have to admit, that just fell into my lap. It just occurred to me one day out of the blue (I hadn't even been thinking about the story at the time). I wish I had more ideas like this one. Usually I agonize over things and don't think of anything even remotely believable.

It's interesting – I wrote this in the story as it fit with how Clark was treating her. But I agree with you. Growing up, a family member of mine suffered from depression. We talked about hospitalizing them, but they were really against it and in the end we bended to their desire. It worked out somewhat okay in the end with them getting over their depression, but in recent years I've had the chance to discuss depression with several doctors and see now that we would have better served them by forcing the issue. Depression is a mental illness and it's fair to treat someone with a mental illness as someone who can not make the best decisions for themselves.

My husband has heard some recent evidence that says that you should medicate depression even if you think you can get over it on your own. Depression can cause permanent changes in your brain and so even if you do get over it, you won't be as healthy as if you'd treated it early on. Sadly, I see this with the family member who suffered depression. While they don't anymore, nor are they the same person I think they were before the depression (this was before I was born, but based on the stories I've heard). I've chosen not to deal with this in this fic – Lois is essentially fully recovered, but basically, I see good reason to force a clinically depressed person to get help against their wishes.

Of course, this does not go for sending articles to Lois' editor and other things Clark did for Lois' own good. There he's just supposed to be Clark – trying hard and having good intentions, but being a bit of an idiot and treating Lois poorly.

TOC-

I am so tempted to say, “Of course, you can.” But I've decided instead to appreciate this. So, thanks!

So, I actually wrote the part with Clark's apology before I posted the last part (so before you had a chance to leave feedback). The point of it was a bit like Sheila said – Clark is sincerely sorry. More than anyone else, he's always been able to see through Lois and so, having spent so much time with her recently, he realizes now how much he hurt her. This both makes him apologize as he sincerely feels badly and because quite frankly, he's depressed. Despite “knowing” that he and Lois would never have a relationship once he died, it's different now and the knowledge makes him sad. And also all the more appreciative for what a great friend Lois has been to him the last few weeks. So, I intended for Clark to “beat himself up”. It's how he's feeling. It's the problem with screwing up as badly as he did. Once he realizes it, he just feels awful and it's hard for him to forgive himself. This leads to him apologizing to Lois because he feels sorry.

So many questions, so little time… Some of this will be answered in the next chapter, but probably not all. It's only half way done now, though, and I'm not 100% sure where I want to leave off.

It's not really important. It is a sign (as you say) of where Lois and Clark where when he died. They were getting closer, but not that close yet and so Clark had never told Lois about the cage.

Gr8shadesofElvis-

And I continue to appreciate it, so you can continue not to feel bad.

KathyM-

Take a lesson from gr8shadesof Elvis.

I'm just kidding. I am horribly guilty of this type of behavior myself, so I completely understand.

It really does make me somewhat disgustingly happy to hear this. I have a hard time deciding when I write something if it sounds stupid and only holds together with all the extraneous information I haven't written that's in my head (or doesn't hold together at all), so it really is great to hear others like it.

Wow! That would be scary! I hadn't considered that. That would be a great idea for a story, but it won't be this one. (I'm happy to read someone else's take on it, though. How would that get resolved?)

Tank-

Thank you!

Definitely! The idea for this story came to me because I, too, thouhgt Clark was within reason not to tell Lois that he was Superman when he was shot. But I wondered how far that could be carried and when it would be too far. This is definitely it (and this could probably have been Two Years in the Making and still been too far) but I could see Clark doing this. I think Clark, while generally a caring guy who would do just about anything for Lois, tends to get too wrapped up in making sure Lois loves him for him and not for Superman and feeling badly for himself as he doesn't see that she does care for Clark. While he clearly doesn't go this far in the TV show, I think he tends this way – to be so caught up in bemoaning Lois' lack of feelings for him that he doesn't see them at all. This is just that taken to the extreme.

I hope not. I am heading toward a conclusion soon (although I'm still having trouble determining how soon is soon).