Thanks to those who partook of my annual foray into the most rewritten episode in L&C fandom.
One of the advantages of TOGOM stories now is, because of the vast amount of them, and the familarity with them, we can utilize what amounts to 'shortcuts' in the story telling.
We know that Clark doesn't tell Lois that he's not actually dead because in his mind, Clark Kent is dead, and he feels that Lois would be better off going through the typical grief for a lost friend and then move on with her life. We also know that Lois, even if she sort of understands his motives, doesn't appreciate him making those decisions for her.
That sceanario has been played out over and over in these stories so we all know what they are and the writer doesn't really have to actually write them any more. They can merely be acknowledged as happening off camera and the story can get on with the 'twist' the writer wants to explore.
Also, it was easy to just infer that Lois figured out Clark's secret without presenting a very familiar 'revelation/epiphany' type scene for Lois. It's obvious that having that much time for her to obsess over the 'death' of Clark that she wouldn't begin to see the discrepancies in what appeared to happen and what actually did happen; ie: the lack of blood, etc. This also always leads her to think back of her time with Clark and Superman and viola, the light bulb is switched on. Again, we've all seen this done many times in past stories and again, it can be referenced as happening off camera and not needed to be trotted out again.
My purpose in this version was to showcase Lois' need to see justice done. She has realized how much Clark actually meant to her (the real underlying point of the episode) and she has to be there when Clyde pays for his crime.
The part with Joe Kent was added to appease those who 'need' to have a happy ending (I like happy endings too). I didn't feel there was any real need to go into what would encompass a whole new fic to explore what most of the fandom could imagine would happen. The 'happy ever after' was set up such that we 'know' that eventually Lois and Joe/Clark would get there.
That having been said; if anyone feels compelled to write a fic exploring this 'next day' and subsequent developements I'd have no problem with that. Have at it.
Thanks again for the support to this broken down old writer.
Tank (who has to remind the gentle readers that he, again, came up with a very logical reason for Lois to acquire the more desirable shorter haircut)
