As far as the "out of character" debate, I do agree that this Lois and Clark are different than the ones from canon. But I can also see symiliar personality traits.
Clark certainly WAS not acttracted to/in love with Lois right away. Most people do see that as an essential part of "Clark."
I admit that was the way I always saw it, too.
But this is the way I see this story. Clark wasn't going to be in love with Lois at first sight if he was serious enough about Lana to plan on marrying her when the story started. Jumping from one woman to the other that quickly is what would be a lot more "out of character" for me.
And Clark always said he fell in love with Lois at first sight on the show. Maybe that was true, to a certain extent. Chemistry? Yes. Her passion, which canon Clark always loved about her? Yes. How much she loved reporting, which Clark always loved about her? Yes. And even how much she cared, even though the hid it under the "tough reporter image"? Yes, because she was obviously worried about the colonists, even though she pretended it was only the story she cared about.
But what about values? What about friendship? What about bond of "understanding" rather than just a mythical "connection"?
Those aren't things you can find at first sight.
And that's why a story that has them find love more gradually, works better for me in many ways, even though I still love canon LNC's relationship.
And since, as I have said before, I have been in a situation where one of my best friends was in love with me while I wasn't in love with him, I am a lot more sympathetic to Clark's situation in this story.
I still see Clark's resistance to Lois as evidence of "double-edged-guilt" as oppossed to selfishness and "holding out for Lana."
I will also say, from exprience, that if he wants to move on with his life with Lois, or even with someone else, he will have to let that go eventually.
BUT, I also know how powerful "double-edged-guilt" can be. And since Clark is MARRIED to Lois, rather than just dating her, and getting pressure from his parents, and at this point, Sam, as well, it makes it even more powerful. So the fact that it is taking him so long to get over it totally works for me.
EDIT: Oh and, as far as Lois's desire to not settle for "second best", Carol has mentioned this as an important part about this fic to her, so it's not surprising to me that she's saying it.
Well I will say that she's being petty, to a certain extent, she is also being Lois. ANY LOIS, as I said in the 112/113 feedback thread, has always been a very proud woman. Agreeing to settle for "second best" goes against her pride.
Furthermore, with all she's had to deal with for the past three years, I think we should cut her a little slack. She's preparing herself for the eventuall divorce, in part because she's believes it's unavoidable, and in part because she wants to grant the man she loves some happiness.
But I think she thinks having him go to Lana and then come back and say "let's try it again Lois", would simply be too much for her heart to take.
Okay, now let's take my "defender of Clark hat" off, and talk about his convesation with Sam again.
THIS is where I think Clark was being selfish. He WASN'T EVEN THINKING about how Lois would feel about it.
He just had his head in his hands thinking "I should avoid Sam so He won't believe I'm not good enough to Lois."
EDIT: And I still believe he should have told her. From the very beginning, they made decisions about Navance and the consquencs of that, together.
Can we please agree to keep all of this to ourselves then?" I asked, more tears leaving my eyes. "Can you let her believe that I'm actually having your baby? Can you not tell your parents? We can't let anyone know the truth." I knew how close he was to his folks.
He hesitated. "Okay. You're right. The best way to keep this all quiet and away from Navance is if no one else knows. Not your dad. Not Joe. Not my folks. Not Lana."
Part of what she's saying here has to do with Christopher's partentage. (They didn't realize Clark could be the father backt then.) Part of that has to do with not telling anyone about Navance, which of course isn't an issue anymore because of the media.
But part of this is also the circumstances of their marriage.
And when he had to tell Sam about Navance BY MISTAKE, he acknowledged he should have talked to Lois first, even though he only told him because Sam overheard him on the phone.
And this is before they had become friends again and he "loved her like a friend."
"Lois is going to kill me," I muttered. I was going to have to tell him more of the truth – but not that the baby wasn't mine; that we were just biding our time until we could file for divorce. "Daniel and Jill and whoever else they told at the State Department, and probably some people at the FBI, are the only ones who know about the letters. His nephew goes to Met U and he's run into us or just Lois accidentally on purpose a few times, just to let us know he's watching."
And Lois did get upset, but acknowledged that it made sense that he told Sam if heard him talking to Daniel on the phone.
But - later they had this conversation.
Should we just tell a very select few the truth? About everything but the true paternity?
I shook my head to myself. No. Too many people knew too much already.
"We need to talk."
Lois' voice shook me out of my reverie.
"About what?" I asked her.
"How we're going to pull this off," she said.
"I was just thinking the same thing."
"And?"
"We could tell your dad more of the truth," I suggested. "And maybe Vicki and Ollie."
"No." She shook her head vehemently. "I can't risk them letting something slip."
Even when they were barely tolerating each other (and this scene is definitely taken from one of those times - it was shortly after their first trip to Smallville), they DISCUSSED whether to tell anyone about their circumstances. They always agreed not to.
Sam, as I said before, said he already knew something was off. But Clark still didn't have to tell him what he did.
And even if he did tell him, Clark should STILL TELL LOIS what they discussed.
When he had to tell Sam about Navance, they talked about it. Where is that conversation now? Where is Clark even THINKING he should CONSIDER it?
