It's Monday here in Sweden, and I don't have that much time to write feedback.
But I loved this part of your story, and I particularly delighted in the conversation between the two Loises. Oh, but I have to start with this little snippet of dialogue between H.G. Wells and Lois:
“Oh, Mr. Kent – it’s so good to see you again. I’m so happy you found your Ms. Lane. If I might say so, she’s quite the handful.”
Lois shot Wells a dirty look. “I’m not the one that dredged up Tempus, Herb, so – ditto!”
“I can see you’re never going to let me live that one down, Ms. Lane… are you?”
And Clark's comment was priceless:
Clark smiled. “You two seem to be getting along famously.
But where are Ellen and Lucy?
No one has come around asking for me?”
“Sorry, Lois, I just back myself.
(Small typo here - it should probably be "I'm just back myself.")
I’m writing up the story on the dam rescue, and yes, both our names are on the byline, in case you were wondering,” Clark said.
Not really paying attention to him, Lois replied, “That’s Clark, nice!” She wore a crestfallen expression on her face.
I really like that reference to Superman the Movie! Of course, in there, Lois said those famous words ("That's Clark, nice!") after Superman had taken her flying, and Clark had come to pick her up afterwards, when her heart and mind were still full of glorious images from her flight with the superhero. Here, in your story, romantic giddiness is not the reason why she can't speak properly. Where are Ellen and Lucy?
“Ms. Lane, I suggest that you go into your archives and see if history’s been changed at all. I *did* warn you about this, didn’t I?”
Maybe they are still dead. How sad.
Okay, now it's time for some Lois/Lois interaction:
“So your Claude did the same thing to you, except you slept with him?” Larger Lois said. “At least I didn’t sleep with the bastard. Well, I haven’t actually slept with *anyone*,” she disclosed. “I don’t want anyone to see me naked. I’m too self-conscious.”
“Lois… really? You’ve never had sex? *Never*? Wow…” Thin-Lois was at a loss for words, which really didn’t occur too often. “Didn’t you ever have a steady boyfriend or anything?"
So Big Lois is a virgin. Yes, that makes sense. And Thin Lois is slightly shocked at the idea that a version of herself could be more or less her age and still sexually inexperienced.
And Clark’s apparent interest in me has me really scared. He tells me that *I’m* his soul-mate, that I’m beautiful… he treats me like a queen. But yet, I can’t let myself believe that someone like him would really want to have … *that* kind of a relationship with *me*.” She looked up at her thin-twin. “I’m not you,” she said motioning to Thin-Lois’ figure. “He’ll be disappointed. I just know it. End of romance. Fine´.”
Oh, poor Lois. Poor Larger Lois. She is so self-conscious about this.
Thin-Lois placed her palms on Larger-Lois’ hands which were now resting on the table. “You know, for what it’s worth, I’ve always suffered from poor self-esteem with men too,” she said sympathetically. “It took the longest time for me to see how wonderful *my* Clark was. I’d get close to him and then get really scared, and I’d back off. I wasn’t afraid to let him see me naked, I was afraid to be *intimate* with someone again. Share myself completely. I was just so fearful of being hurt again. I really drove him crazy. Your Clark has had a really hard life. Give him a break and trust what he says. These guys really don’t lie,” Thin-Lois advised. “Supermen *do*tell the truth,” she added, in a soft tone so others wouldn't overhear.
I love Thin Lois's words to her big twin here. She is so sweet, and she seems to earnest and truthful. I think she really cares, too.
“How long did you date Clark before you guys had sex? If I’m not being too nosy, that is,” Larger-Lois inquired.
“Oh, it was a *really* long time. Over three years - our wedding night,” Thin-Lois replied. “We had decided to wait. It was hard, but it was worth it. And we had a lot of roadblocks in the way before we got married. Clones, amnesia, wedding destroyers… you name it!”
I have to differ with Thin Lois. All of the waiting was *not* worth it. In fact, all of Season 4 prior to their real wedding was not worth it, if you ask me.
“But you weren’t a vir-“
“A virgin? No. I already told you, I slept with Claude. There were a few others, college boyfriends that didn’t amount to much in the long run. You know. Oh, I guess you don’t,” Thin-Lois said.
I find this so sweetly poignant. "There were a few others, college boyfriends that didn't amount to much in the long run. You know. Oh, I guess you don't."
“*My* Clark lost his parents at age ten. How sad,” Larger-Lois said empathetically.
“He came over here to fill in for my husband not long ago,” Thin-Lois informed her. “He met Clark’s parents. He looked so sad when he left here. Martha – that’s my mother-in-law – was calling him ‘honey”, and I know he was envious of the love that me and *my* Clark share. He had no family of his own, and he hadn’t been able to find you. He was truly a lost soul.”
Oh, poor Clark.
“How do I get over the feeling that I’m just a replacement for you? And I can’t imagine being naked in front of him… that frightens me. I mean, if he really loves me, and our relationship goes somewhere… he’s going to want to make love to me. Right?”
Oh, poor Lois.
“My dear twin… you know that the man has X-ray vision, right? That he may *already* know what you look like naked?
I don't think he does. At most, he may have found out if his Lois likes pink underwear.
“Oh! Right! Clark, this is Lois – from the other world,” Thin-Lois said. “Lois, meet my husband, Clark Kent.”
Clark shook Larger-Lois’ hand, and then kissed it. “I’m so glad that he finally found you. We were both so worried about him. Now we can both relax,” he said. “All will be well in your universe, too.”
How sweet. Clark isn't shocked or fazed at all at seeing Big Lois. He is just happy for his own twin instead.
Larger-Lois was touched by this Clark’s graciousness. He didn’t appear to be “grossed-out” to see a buxom version of his wife.
This is heartening. I think she is feeling better about herself now.
Thin-Lois broached the subject by saying, “I was just telling Lois here that I’m envious of her bust size. There are a few nightgowns that I’d buy if I looked like you,” she said, smiling at her other-world twin.
Clark laughed. “Well, sometimes my wife does border on the anorexic. I always tell her that it’s all right to gain some weight. A woman looks better with a few curves on her, after all. I’m from the Midwest, where women are corn-fed,” he said.
This is quite adorable.
Larger-Lois felt relieved. “I know you’re just saying that to make me feel less self-conscious, but you know what? It worked.
And I love this!
Larger-Lois looked right into Clark’s eyes. “Answer me this honestly, Mr. ‘I only tell the truth’. “If *I* had walked in, instead of *your* Lois, do you think you would have felt the same way?”
“I’ll answer your question with a question of my own, Lois… if you had a story you really wanted to work on, and Perry was pushing a ‘puff piece’ on you… what would you have done?”
Lois smiled. “That’s easy. I would have reacted exactly the way your wife did. I’d have harassed Perry until he saw it my way. How does that answer my question?”
“Case closed. You would have won my heart just the same. I can see the same fire burning in your eyes – I can sense how intelligent you are – you may even be more straightforward than *my* Lois, if that’s even possible! Lois, beautiful women throw themselves at me all the time.”
And this is wonderful. I do believe that Clark - "our" Clark, not alt-Clark - may have fallen in love with a big version of his Lois, too, but I don't think he would have fallen as instantly or as hard.
“Wow, there’s a Cat Grant in my world. I just met her today at our press conference… I’m going to steer clear of her, I guess,” Larger Lois said.
“No, Lois, don’t bother,” Clark insisted. “The Cat Grants of *any*world would never be able to attract a Clark Kent. You have to trust me on this one.”
How nice that they are telling Larger Lois about this.
Larger-Lois smiled. “You know, I feel like I’ve learned a lot about *my* Clark, just by listening to you,” she said, standing up and giving the other Clark a kiss on the cheek. “You Kent boys are truly irresistible, aren’t you?
Oh, how adorable!
“Well, having said that, I think it’s time for Herb and I to go on to our next journey,” she informed them. “To meddle where no woman has meddled before.”
Captain Kirk, eat your heart out!
“Wells always tells us that trying to change the past is very tricky business. We may inadvertently change the present negatively,” Clark informed her. “Be careful. You may fix one thing, but create a bigger disaster.”
“Well, I have to try. *You* understand, Lois. I just have to give it a shot.”
I don't feel so good about this.
“So now you finally believe me? That I’m not totally shallow and looks-conscious?” Clark said after Lois finished the first part of her story.
I love that alt-Clark is acknowledging Lois's fears and doubts about his feelings for her, and that he finds a new way to reassure her of his love for her.
But before I go on... I found the two Loises' discussion of sex with Clark totally fascinating. Did this Lois tell her Clark about that part of her conversation with her thin twin, too? And if she did.... Chris, I'm so well aware that this isn't the nfic folder, but nfic, sh-nfic.... It is certainly possible to say, even in the PG folder, if Lois and Clark get to be intimate at all in a story. You've really made me curious about what, if anything, you are eventually going to tell us about that, about any intimacy between Lois and Clark in *this* story.
“Well, I’ve also learned that I need to keep you on your toes to keep things interesting… so we’ll see,” Lois replied, giving Clark a sexy smile.
And she is giving him a
sexy smile!
“Oh! The stupid computer finally came up!”
At that exact moment, Lois’ phone rang. “Is this Lois Lane?” a female voice inquired.
“Yes it is. May I ask who I’m speaking with?”
“My name is Chloe Sullivan. I’m your step-sister from California.”
Oh... okay... let me get this straight. No, I don't watch Smallville. But this Chloe Sullivan.... Would she be the nice girl that Clark may be in love with in Smallville, even though he hasn't realized that he is in love? And if the Chloe here is the same as that Chloe from there.... Are you hinting that you are giving Clark a chance to fall in love with a sweet woman who is also beautifully slim? Are you giving him a chance to reject Lois?
Hmmm, Chris. The plot thickens!!! (Pun intended, I think.)
Ann
