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Beat Reporter
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OP
Beat Reporter
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Summary: Mayson doesn't die in the car explosion. What happens next? A/N: There were a lot of things about Mayson I didn't like, and some of them weren't her fault. It got me thinking; what if she had lived? How would Clark have handled the aftermath? Story is complete. Will post a chapter every other day, or every day as real life permits. Enjoy! Many thanks to Blueowl for beta reading this story. Fic can be found here.This thread will be for chapters 1 through 3, and there'll be another thread for 4 through 6. There won't be any real spoilers per se, but I'm aware some folks prefer feedback by chapter and I really don't like it  . Here's a wee compromise.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,666 Likes: 58 |
Off to a great start. I'm curious where you'll be taking this. Consider me along for the ride.
I liked how you portrayed Clark's shock and also his mixed feelings about Mayson now knowing his secret. Can't wait for the next part.
It's never too dark to be cool. 
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1 member likes this:
Toomi8 |
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Feb 2007
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I'm on board! 
When Life Gives You Green Velvet Curtains, Make a Green Velvet Dress.
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1 member likes this:
Toomi8 |
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
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Count me in as well! Mayson is smart, so Clark is going to have to work really hard to make her forget that he is Superman. 
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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1 member likes this:
Toomi8 |
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Joined: Feb 2021
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Beat Reporter
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OP
Beat Reporter
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Yay! Thanks for reading. Chapter 2 is posted.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Poor Clark is still a nervous wreck and Mayson? Well let's say her behavior is an interesting mix between gratefulness and hostility. I'm curious when Lois will pick up on the tension between the two. Love this so far... 
It's never too dark to be cool.
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Joined: Apr 2003
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Kerth
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Kerth
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Interesting premise so far! Love that Lois is trying to cheer Clark up. I agree I think he will enjoy It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. I found it hilarious
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt with the heart
Helen Keller
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 441 Likes: 20
Beat Reporter
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OP
Beat Reporter
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 441 Likes: 20 |
Poor Clark is still a nervous wreck and Mayson? Well let's say her behavior is an interesting mix between gratefulness and hostility. I'm curious when Lois will pick up on the tension between the two. Love this so far... Glad you're enjoying it  Interesting premise so far! Love that Lois is trying to cheer Clark up. I agree I think he will enjoy It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. I found it hilarious I was trying to think of an older movie that wasn't Lethal Weapon, and funny. I haven't seen it in many years but it was one of my Grandad's favourites.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Feb 2021
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2003
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FDK for part 2: Mayson had made it crystal clear that while she wanted a deeper relationship with him, she wanted nothing to do with Superman and thought him a menace to society. Would her affection for Clark be enough to not tell the world? Right??? OMG… what’s she going to do?? “We’re here,” Lois remarked, as if she knew his mind had been elsewhere.
He was grateful for her gentleness this morning. She’d arrived with coffee and hadn’t started the day pressing him for how he was doing. She’d reached out as if to give him a hug but had changed her mind, instead placing her hand on his upper arm, giving a gentle caress, before pulling her hand back. OMG OMG… all this is SO PERFECT! GAHHH! All the understated stuff!! Her thumb had been caressing his hand the whole time she spoke, a quiet reassurance to him that she was still there, that he hadn’t screwed everything up. He was grateful for her ability to assess fairly closely what his thoughts had been – that he hadn’t done enough – and comfort him. He reached up with his free hand and gently tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb gently sliding down her jawline as he pulled his hand back. He heard her breath catch as she closed her eyes, her face turning up toward him in expectation. Lowering his head slightly, he captured her lips with his, his hand returning to caress her face. GAHHH!! So waffy! And WOW!! GAHHH!! This whole part was just full of amazing with the way you did all the little touches from Lois, the quiet support, and Clark’s emotions… everything came through so well and I have all the FEEEEELS!!! *dies* GAH!!  Can’t wait to find out what happens next!! Sara
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,110 Likes: 42 |
FDK for part 3: I’m not exactly her favourite person.”
Neither am I, Clark thought to himself as they exited the elevator. Eek! Right?? “What are you doing here? I was told there was a persistent reporter here too. I’m guessing Lois is in the hallway?” LOL! Omg dialogue is all so good in this scene, but I LOL’d at this!  “Sit,” Mayson instructed while gesturing to the empty chair. “Your nervous fidgeting is annoying.” LOL’d at this too! Poor CLARK!!! All that awkward tension in this WHOLE part!!! GAHHHH! OOH… so I know we all gang up on Mayson, but wow with what you’ve done with her conversation calling Clark out on his behavior! I mean, yeah, some of it was too much assumed on her part…but… Clark really should have been more honest with her! And wow at just their whole conversation!! It was great!! And as much as it galls me to say something positive about Mayson , I think this is a great contender for Best Supporting Character for my noms next year for Kerths! Really, really great job!! GAHHHHH … now I’m nervous about how it’s going to go down with Lois!! Sara (who probably used up a week’s allotment of exclamation points in this post…)
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Features Writer
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Features Writer
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Ahhh!! What an interesting take on this so far!! Agree with Sara that I like how you had Mayson calling Clark out on his behavior! Hope he reflects on what she said and talks to Lois ASAP!! Looking forward to the next three chapters. -Bek 
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Kerth
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Kerth
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I was trying to think of an older movie that wasn't Lethal Weapon, and funny. I haven't seen it in many years but it was one of my Grandad's favourites. It’s one of my dad’s favourites too!
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt with the heart
Helen Keller
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Poor Clark. Can't say that he didn't deserve Mayson's rage. I'm glad she didn't consider exposing him. I'm curious how knowing that Clark is Superman will affect her view of the hero.
It's never too dark to be cool.
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This is a really interesting story! Clark is lucky that Lois is being so understanding about his continued state of shock. It's sweet how she looks out for him.
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Beat Reporter
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FDK for part 3: LOL’d at this too! Poor CLARK!!! All that awkward tension in this WHOLE part!!! GAHHHH! OOH… so I know we all gang up on Mayson, but wow with what you’ve done with her conversation calling Clark out on his behavior! I mean, yeah, some of it was too much assumed on her part…but… Clark really should have been more honest with her! And wow at just their whole conversation!! It was great!! And as much as it galls me to say something positive about Mayson , I think this is a great contender for Best Supporting Character for my noms next year for Kerths! Really, really great job!! GAHHHHH … now I’m nervous about how it’s going to go down with Lois!! Sara (who probably used up a week’s allotment of exclamation points in this post…) *Throws Sara a bag full of exclamation points* I'm so glad you liked that part, and yes, poor Mayson gets dragged a lot. She wasn't all sunshine and roses though, she couldn't take a hint at all. I thought I'd do her a favour in this fic, and have her say her piece to Clark, though she may have some more to say... Ahhh!! What an interesting take on this so far!! Agree with Sara that I like how you had Mayson calling Clark out on his behavior! Hope he reflects on what she said and talks to Lois ASAP!! Looking forward to the next three chapters. -Bek  I was trying to think of an older movie that wasn't Lethal Weapon, and funny. I haven't seen it in many years but it was one of my Grandad's favourites. It’s one of my dad’s favourites too! Haha. Great tastes all around! Poor Clark. Can't say that he didn't deserve Mayson's rage. I'm glad she didn't consider exposing him. I'm curious how knowing that Clark is Superman will affect her view of the hero. My gut feeling is she wouldn't expose him because of who he is as Clark. If she hadn't come to know Clark (and fall for him) it probably would have been a different outcome given her distrust of Superman. This is a really interesting story! Clark is lucky that Lois is being so understanding about his continued state of shock. It's sweet how she looks out for him. Thanks for reading  New chapter will be up shortly with a new feedback thread for the last half of the story.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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FDK for Part Two: “Clark, it’s ok. Some of the stuff we’ve seen… nightmares are inevitable.” Lois reached toward him and grasped his hand. “And Mayson was a… friend.”
Clark dropped his head at Lois’ hesitation. Here was yet another example of his failure as he hadn’t told Lois that his relationship with Mayson had been one-sided. As he opened his mouth to explain, Lois spoke. Urgh! Come one Mr. Kent, talk to Ms. Lane and let her know how you are feeling. The time to deal with the trauma is as soon as it happens... Besides if Lois finds out Mayson knows about your 'other job'. 
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Posts: 9,085 Likes: 39 |
Hi Toomi! Part 1 Summary: Mayson doesn't die in the car explosion. What happens next? Is she healthy? Or a zombie? Vampire? Specter? Ghoul? LOIS: Incubus. His shirt was torn, exposing the recognizable spandex to Mayson’s gaze How embarrassing, his not-girlfriend discovering his superman jumpers. LOIS: So that blonde just almost-dies *once* in his arms and he reveals everything to her. And I? /pulls out punch card/ Oh, look, I’m already eligible for a free rescue. “Superman! Oh, thank goodness. I don’t know what happened. Clark saw it, or heard it, I’m not entirely sure. He went to call for help.” I understand why Clark didn’t call out for Superman like a little girl but why didn’t Lois call out like a big reporter girl in danger? “A car bomb. She was in the driver’s seat,” POLICE DETECTIVE: So you’re saying the attorney with ties to Intergang was planting a car bomb and managed to blow herself up in the process? SUPERMAN: I said she was in the driver’s seat when the bomb went off. POLICE DETECTIVE: Thank you for confirming. This will make a fine promotion, catching one of Intergang’s assassins red handed and with Superman as a witness. I’ll get right on the arrest warrant. Landing in the alley by the courthouse, he changed back into his Clark clothes, incinerating the bloodied Suit with his heat vision. BATMAN: Why I wear black rubber. Much easier to get blood off. Clark tore his gaze away from the destroyed car to answer the paramedic. “I’m fine, really. It’s not my blood.” I think we may have had a story before where kryptonite was embedded in the explosives. “Yes. We’ll contact you if we have any more questions.” Seven times out if ten, the mistress gets it by the wife. They’re so gonna interview her again. ducking into the alley before remembering he didn’t have a Suit on. Would have been embarrassing if he had flown around naked. He grabbed a clean mug, popped a tea bag in, filled the cup with water, and stared at it. He wanted to shout in frustration and fear, his conflicted emotions starting to tear him apart. That’s gonna end well… He felt the mug crumble in his hands and left the shattered pottery in the sink. See? The doctor nodded and smiled. “You saved her life. Any longer and we wouldn’t have been able to save her. No matter what the outcome, your assistance gave her a chance.” So it’s now up to the doctors to save Superman’s special friend. No pressure. Leaving his tea unfinished, Clark headed to bed, hoping he could sleep without the images of Mayson’s limp body in his arms.
**** Hey, at least she’s still alive! Onward to part 2 (in a bit…)  Michael
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Posts: 9,085 Likes: 39
Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,085 Likes: 39 |
Hi Toomi! Part 2 while also finding out what she would do with that information. He’ll learn when the black suits arrive at the Daily Planet with k-tipped shock sticks. “Sure, he brought her in, but he wasn’t the one risking his life to pull her out of an exploding car!” Actually … LOIS:  CLARK:  shush! “Lois, darlin’, my hands are tied,” Perry calmly stated. “For the moment, the police have requested we do not print anything about Mayson’s condition.” So, she’s been successfully assassinated? POLICE: Accident. Fuel tank ruptured. news channels had images of you and Lois being looked at by paramedics, though she seemed as feisty as ever.”  Clark knew Perry disapproved of his perceived relationship with Mayson, while also pursuing Lois. It’s in a reporter’s blood. Always chasing the next big thing. Perry does it. Lois does it. Jimmy does it. Linda does it. Claude does it. Ralph does it. And Clark. Clark does it too. “Do I take it that things are going well between you and Lois?” CLARK: Yes, we’re hoping for maternity leave within the next one or two years. PERRY: Did she remember seeing the Suit? MAYSON: Superman. Superman rescued me. I’ve seen his suit. And Clark was there. Besides, I’m sure they told you about the publication ban.” “Yes, what’s with that?” “It’s complicated,” Mayson said with a sigh. “I can’t say anymore now, but when I can, you’ll be the first I call.” Oh, they’re preparing a move to bring down the dangerous vigilante. It will be announced via the news media just when the special forces will raid the vigilante’s hideouts and known associates. It will go down in history as the biggest operation since the raid against Al Capone. The first one. Not the arrest three months ago. “I can see that. You’ve got mustard dripping down your hand.” That’s from the concussive brain damage. Besides, it’s the weekend; not much will be revealed on the criminal investigation until Monday.” MetroPD, serving for your protection from nine to five, five days a week! Brightening, Lois nodded in agreement. “How does pizza and a movie sound? I’ll bring both to your place, at seven?” “That sounds good.” He grinned as Lois linked her arm through his for the rest of the walk back to the newsroom. See how easy it is to make her happy? No one questioned why Superman was in the area. Everyone was too grateful for the help he offered. JIMMY: I built a statistics database for frequent Superman sightings. He seen most often near Carter Avenue, the Daily Planet, and Smallville. Funny, huh? “Look at me, Clark. You saved her life. You pulled her out of her burning car, and called for help. If you hadn’t been there, she would have died. What else could you have done?” Yes, at least she didn't get hurt because of him. “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” she answered, grinning. “You’ll like it.” Yes, the original was much more funny than the remake. movie that was Lois’ usual movie of choice, either an action or a romance So… True Lies would be a great fit, I guess? being lulled to sleep by the steady beat of her heart. Awwwww… Michael
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
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Hi Toomi! Part 3: “I need your help. I’ve been trying to gain access to see Mayson Drake which shouldn’t be so difficult seeing as I was able to see her with Clark already, but I keep getting turned away. I just want to ask her some questions.” Mayson not wanting to talk with the other woman? Superman would like to see Mayson,” Lois stated before Clark could object. “Mr. Superman, sir!” exclaimed the young man, jumping to his feet. “It’s an honour to meet you. Hey, they could use Barry the Superman double to get into places. They don’t even have to identity him as Superman, Lois could just say “he’d like to see the crime scene”. I was told there was a persistent reporter here too. I’m guessing Lois is in the hallway?” Lois had been cool to Superman since he’d run out on her in the hospital and all business with Clark. Admittedly, they’d had a busy week which hadn’t left much time for relaxing. So she’s either ticked off or trying to be a good girlfriend and not moon Superman. /Hmmm, maybe I really should add ‘after’ in there/ “I almost told them no,” Mayson remarked as Clark entered the room. LOIS: He can be a bit stalkery, right? “Hopefully after the weekend. I believe I’m going to a rehab facility for a few weeks, as I’ll still be in a wheelchair for some time and my apartment isn’t accessible.” Ooooh, bunny: what if Mayson became a female Twoface from the explosion? What I can’t understand now is why you led me on?” He doesn’t know how to interact with women. I didn’t say I saw him.” At his response, Mayson glared at him. She doesn’t like lawyers, does she? “So you’re worried she’ll want the cape but not the man underneath?” Oh no, she does want the man underneath the cape. Though the cape can act as a blanket in a pinch. “So you were going to let her fall in love with you and then spring this on her?” It’s a tried and true process for ’capes’. . How do you think that’s going to end Uuuuuuu… Abandon her with some feeble excuse? Uuuuuuuuu… “I can’t believe Lois hasn’t figured it out.” TEMPUS: She’s what we in our time like to call a bit of a ‘Lois’. Yes. Only if you bring coffee.” Awww, there’s still hope for them! On to part 4! Michael
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