<de-lurking>
Great story, Lynn. I've enjoyed reading the story from start to finish, and even found myself liking Gillian despite really not wanting to. :-) It's difficult to construct an outside character to be an integral part of a fanfic without the character becoming either two-dimensional, Mary-Sueish or both, and I'd say you avoided both traps quite well. Plotwise, you engrossed us in the Columbian story so strongly, then cunningly slapped us with the events that played out in Metropolis despite Clark's absense, which for me at least had a nice wham. As others have commented, I would have liked to see more Lois in the story, but that's me. I had fantasies of Lois showing up and meeting "Sam", who is and isn't her partner. I know some were uncomfortable with the story given the lack of direct L & C content in much of the story, but I think you used the one time in the story line where that could fly <ahem, no pun intended> well. I hope all those who were uncomfortable initally go back and read it now that all of it has been posted. Definitely a quality read, if uncomfortable in content at times.
Back to lurkerdom... :-)
Hutch
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