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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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"Didn't except to see you so soon," Perry told Clark.
After all the work he and his two friends had put in to pump the water out of the streets, not to mention the major clean-up operation that he'd promised he'd put every effort in, he hadn't expected Clark to start thinking about coming back to the Planet for at least a couple days.
"Uh... Yes, sir. I realize that... uh... I..."
Clark was standing there looking like a kid who'd done something wrong and was waiting for his punishment. Perry had the hardest time trying to refrain from laughing. No wonder people didn't see through the secret identity! The man standing in front of him now looked nothing like the self-assured hero whose picture grazed the front page of the Daily Planet's evening edition. Of course, the self-assured hero didn't have to deal with any of the issues of "real life" - he had Clark Kent to deal with them. I love this! Perry is definitely one of my favorite characters. And it's so fun and sweet, Clark standing there in front of Perry, thinking Perry is scolding him for doing his reporting job sloppily, when in fact Perry is praising him for saving the city and getting back to his job at the Daily Planet so quickly. Imagine this... Lois Lane - you know, the woman who spent weeks complaining about being stuck with a work-partner? - well, that same person came in here and practically begged for me to give her back the partner she'd just lost. I'd say that's quite a change of winds, don't you agree?"
"She... what?" Clark was astonished. "She really did that?"
"She really did that," Perry confirmed. "So you see, under the circumstances, I don't have much choice..."
Perry took the envelope containing Clark's resignation from his desk and ripped it in two. He then threw it in the trash bin.
"Welcome back, son," he said.
"Thank you, sir," Clark replied, happy and relieved. Aww, I love this! "There's just one little thing," the editor said, authoritatively. "I don't know for sure what's going on between you two, but I could venture a pretty good guess. I'm just going to say this once, so you better listen... Now, you know, Lois is like a daughter to me. I cannot stand to see her miserable. So... aw... if we ever find her crying in the conference room again 'cause of some stupid stunt you pulled, well you better believe me when I say this: invulnerable or not, I promise it's going to hurt." Awww, what a wonderful way of saying, "I know you are Superman, and you'd better take good care of Lois, or I might think about that pink slip and a few other things, too!" "Hang on," the editor started, seeing the growing displeasure that was starting to show on Clark's face. "Before you start jumping to any conclusions, Lois didn't tell me anything I didn't already know."
"You mean...? Really?"
"Well, hey, I didn't get to be editor of a major newspaper purely for my good looks, you know!" he chuckled. I thought he used to say he didn't get to be the editor of a major newspaper because he can yodel?  The front-page article was entitled: "Heroes Leagued to Save City." Hey!!! Why did you have to point out in your postscript that this could be seen as the beginning of the Justice League? I wanted to be clever and point that out myself! <pouts> "Tell me, Clark," Arthur asked, "Lois Lane...? Is she the brunette who went by like a tornado just a few minutes ago?"
Clark grinned. "Yeah, that would be her. And she was definitely in tornado mode. Which... I think is my fault, somehow." He looked a little embarrassed as he admitted this to his friends.
"Do you think she'd go for a..." Arthur started.
"No, I don't think so." Clark said abruptly, anticipating his friend's question. So true, Clark! Lois don't like them blond! What Lois apparently failed to realize was that Clark was just as lost without her as she was miserable without him. And unbeknownst to her, while she was pacing and looking out her window, desperately hoping he'd show up, he was actually standing right outside her door.
As soon as his friends had left and he'd had a chance to take care of a few things that needed his immediate attention, Clark had gone over to her place. He'd seen that the lights were on, so he had entered the building and walked up to her floor. Upon arriving at the door, though, he'd found himself frozen in place, unable to knock. He stood there for the longest time, unable to decide what to do next. How sweet! He might have been the strongest man on the planet, but faced with the wrath of this one woman, the all-powerful Man of Steel invariably became as invulnerable as a small kitten. In fact right at this moment, on a scale from one to petrified, he scored at paralyzed plus one. Aaaaaawwww!!!! Kitten And I loved that scale, too! "Lois?" Clark called again, seeing as though there was no answer. "It's me... Listen, I'm sorry. I... umm... I know you're there, Lois. Can we talk? Please?"
Huh? He could he know she was there? Wait a second! He hadn't... had he? Lois sprinted towards the door and undid the row of locks that kept her safe from strangers lurking on the outside. She opened the door in one swift motion, then grabbing Clark by the collar of his shirt, she abruptly pulled him inside and kicked the door closed a second later.
"Do you always X-Ray in to see if I'm there? Huh? How dare you!" she accused him, her eyes narrow with anger. Hah!!! So Lois!!! "I guess you were expecting someone else?" he said, pointing at the opened window.
Something in his voice told her that he was hurt by the fact that she'd been hoping for Superman to show up instead of just plain old Clark. But it wasn't like that at all... She couldn't let him think that!
"Oh, no..." she lied, "it was just a bit hot in here and..."
"Lois, come on, it's freezing in here."
"Ah... Well, now that you mention it, I guess it is a little bit chilly." And this is adorable! Lois closed the window and pulled the drapes shut. As she took a step back, she bumped right into something solid that hadn't been there just a second ago. She hated that he could do that and she was about to turn and tell him so, but he had grabbed her wrists and wrapped both her arms and his around her waist. The warmth from his body and the softness of his touch sent waves of pleasant shivers through her body. Aaaaaawwww!!!!! (And talk about feeling those pleasant shivers... ooooohhh!!!!!) "You're not really mad, are you?" he whispered in her ear.
"I'm very mad," she said, trying to sound as cutting as she could, but failing miserably. Of course she wasn't mad. How could she be when he was standing so close like that...
"No, you're not," he whispered before kissing her neck lightly, just above her shirt collar.
Lois felt the world start to melt away slowly. With the last of her conscious mind, she replied, "Yes, I am. I'm mad at the two of you."
"No, you're not," Clark whispered once more, kissing her neck again, a few inches higher.
"Yes, I am," Lois repeated, although barely remembering what they were arguing about.
"No. You're not," he whispered yet again, this time gently brushing her earlobe with the tip of his nose.
"Yes, I am," she replied, but the words had completely lost their meaning by now. Her head came to rest on his shoulder as he tightened his arms around her slightly.
"If you say so," Clark said, sounding clearly amused by Lois' forced indignation.
"I don't remember what I was supposed to be mad about," she confessed, "but I will be again if you stop what you were doing before..."
He smiled and brushed a light kiss on her temple. "This?" he asked softly.
She moaned in agreement, the sound of which almost made him weak at the knees. His eyes closed themselves as three little words rose from his heart to his lips. Sorry to quote absolutely all of this, but it's just such a wonderful argument about being mad or not while you are being kissed and caressed by Clark. <exquisite shivers> "I love you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
His declaration took Lois completely by surprise. She had suspected that perhaps he did, but she wasn't expecting him to voice it. At least not right now. She wasn't prepared for it. She hadn't had time to think about what she felt yet... His words had pretty much the effect of a cold shower instead of causing her heart to sing, as it should have.
Clark felt Lois' body tense suddenly. His eyes flew open and he let go of her wrists, his arms falling limply to his sides. He took a step back and mumbled some sort of unconscious apology. But is this too much, too soon? Realizing what was happening, Lois spun around to face him. "No, don't!" she begged, in a state close to panic, convinced that he was going to take it all back.
Clark looked at her, completely befuddled.
"You shouldn't be sorry," she explained, "I should. And I am. Sorry, I mean. You just surprised me. I wasn't expecting... I shouldn't have reacted like that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to look like... you know... that I don't... you know... because... well, the thing is that... I... uh..." she stopped to take a deep breath. Lois was so confused she didn't know what she was trying to say anymore.
He gave her a lopsided smile. "You have no idea how adorable you look when you're babbling like this," he said softly.
An embarrassed little smile made her way to her lips as her cheeks turned a warmer shade of pink. She looked at him, her eyes wide with wonder. Adorable? When she babbled? Really? Too much, too soon? Oh no, hardly! And Lois, adorable when she babbles? Oh yes, definitely! "Really," Clark said, answering the unspoken question that was so clear in her big brown eyes. "But you really have to stop looking at me like this, though," he added. "Unless you're trying to kill me," he whispered after a short pause.
"Oh, that's a pity," she said, a sly smile slowly appearing on her lips. "Cause I happen to like looking at you like this." She batted her eyelashes at him suggestively.
"Careful," he warned her, "you're standing on slippery ground, here."
"That's ok," Lois replied. "Cause you'll be there to catch me if I fall, won't you?"
Clark smiled. "Always," he promised. Hmmmm, yes, he will catch her... and then carry her off and put her down somewhere a bit more comfortable? Hmmmm???? "I'm glad you came back, Clark," she told him softly. "I... I'm sorry that I never realized before... um... just how important you are to me. For a while there, when I didn't think you'd ever come back... I... um... Please don't ever..." Lois looked away for a second as tears were starting to cloud her vision. "Don't ever leave like that again, Clark. Please? I... I'm lost without you." Her bottom lip was quivering and her last few words came out barely a whisper.
He gathered her in his arms and hugged her close to his heart. "I promise. I won't leave you again," he repeated over and over as he gently stroke her hair, until she stopped sobbing uncontrollably.
"I think you need to catch me, now," Lois whispered after a moment.
"I do?" Clark asked, somewhat puzzled by her statement.
"Yes." She looked up at him. "You made me slip... and now you need to catch me. Because I'm falling in love with you."
Lois reached up to kiss Clark. For one short blinding moment, as their lips met, it was as though the Earth suddenly stopped spinning and the Universe stopped expanding. Two lonely souls had found their one true mate. Pssst, Clark? I can see that the cosmic stuff is getting to your poor head, so you and Lois really need to lie down... but you know as well as I do that Lois's couch is uncomfortable. But I do think her bed is pretty comfortable...eh, hint, hint? ~ Iris Allen ~
Iris is Barry's wife. She also happens to be the aunt of Wally West (the third Flash). She's a photojournalist and works for the Picture News in Central City. An interesting bit of information about her is that while she had figured out that Barry was The Flash (he talks in his sleep, apparently), he did not tell her that he was until well over a year after they were married. I'm still not sure why she didn't just go up and ask him about it... She has pretty much the same super powers that Lois Lane does. ...think about it. Iris Allen has the same super powers as Lois Lane? Well, that sure as heck makes her a force to be reckoned with!!! Lois: "It's as if we're living in... Bizarro world or something!"
"Bizarro world" is an alternate version of Earth - it's actually a cube planet (!) which is called Htrae. It was founded by an imperfect clone of Superman (ie: Bizarro) and a similarly imperfect clone of Lois Lane. The Superman clone was created by Lex Luthor (the clone of Lois Lane was created by.. well, Lois herself, so Bizarro would have a companion). The L&C episode Vatman was probably inspired by this. In popular culture, the adjective "Bizarro" is often used to describe something which looks to be an imperfect duplicate of something. There have been several outrageous Bizarro stories in the comics, too! Weather Wizard: "Let's see just how slippery you are when you're wet!"
Of all my references, this is by far the most obscure...
"Slippery when Wet" is the title of an album by Bon Jovi. And before you start thinking 'well that's got nothing to do with Superman', let me assure you that it does. Jon Bon Jovi had the classic Superman logo tattooed onto his arm at the height of the success of that particular album. You can see a picture of it right here. Well, that was sure complicated, but funny! Barry Allen: "I'm off to see the Wizard?"
Well no, that's just a really bad pun... Off to see the Wizard, is obviously from Wizard of Oz... And Barry is on his way to fight the Weather Wizard. ha ha ha. Off to see the Wizard... oh, that reminds me of our round robin over at Zoomway's board. It was so much fun!!! Flash: "If we went to S.T.A.R. Labs, we could scan for polaron emissions"
Ok, this doesn't have a lot to do with Superman at all. I got that from an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. ("Apocalypse Rising"). On an interesting note, in another episode of DS9 ("Let He Who Is Without Sin"), Mr. Worf explains that he grew up on a farming planet and spent most of his youth trying to control his strength so as no to harm humans. Yes, my friends, this makes Worf a farm boy with well above average strength... Kinda like someone else we know. You might also be interested to know that the actor who plays Worf, Michael Dorn, also lends his voice to Kalibak in Superman, the animated series. (The same Kalibak who just happens to be in the Superman Revenge Squad.) Hmmm. Imagine the kind of things you can learn from reading a story like this one. The man formerly known as the Weather Wizard
Yes, yes, I know... that one should be illegal. Please just ignore it. *Especially* if it doesn't ring a bell. The artist formerly known as Prince?  Jimmy: "Oh, come on, Lois! What d'you think? That he's going to sneak a peak at your underwear? I doubt he's interested in knowing what color it is!"
This is a reference to the first Superman movie, in which Lois interviews Superman for the first time. Upon being told that he has x-ray vision, Lois asks him to tell her which color underwear she's wearing. They were pink.... "Do you like pink?" "I like pink very much, Lois." "Heroes Leagued to Save City."
I smell the beginnings of a Justice League, right there. Don't you? Yeah, I already told you so!!! Great story, Lara! I loved it! Ann
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Weee! *happy dance*! she liked it!  Thanks for the comments, Ann.  (I hope you noticed my lil dedication at the beginning of my post, btw. tee hee!) I thought he used to say he didn't get to be the editor of a major newspaper because he can yodel? LOL! Yeah, he did say that.  I just didn't want to copy. hehehe! I've done enough picking parts from episodes already, I think... Hey!!! Why did you have to point out in your postscript that this could be seen as the beginning of the Justice League? I wanted to be clever and point that out myself! <pouts> I pointed it out for all those people who aren't as clever as you are, Ann! I knew *you* would notice it right away when you read it in the story. (I'm sure you also picked up on the fact that *this* is what Clark wanted to talk to the guys about, too. That was me leaving a door opened for something else to write about in the future. More Flash! LOL!) And I loved that scale, too! Hehehe! This was one of my famous "1 AM afterthought" things, right there. A silly little idea that popped into my head without warning - while I was spellchecking! - and turned out to be just too cool not to use. Oh and that pic of a kitten you linked to... Aaaawwww!!!! Talk about killing us with cuteness. LOL! I'm keeping it as my desktop wallpaper today. (I can put Clark back tomorrow. ROFL!) I can't explain how happy it makes me that you enjoyed the little reunion scene at the end.  I've had that scene in my head for such a long time, you have no idea! In fact everyday at work I would be reminded of it, cause of this photo which I've got on the board right above my computer. That pic makes it hard to concentrate sometimes... I could just totally see her trying to argue with him and not being able to remember what they were even talking about anymore. I know I would have if I'd been her! I would have likely forgotten my own name!! Pssst, Clark? I can see that the cosmic stuff is getting to your poor head, so you and Lois really need to lie down... but you know as well as I do that Lois's couch is uncomfortable. But I do think her bed is pretty comfortable...eh, hint, hint? Definitely. I have those images in my head too, it's just a question of finding the right words and putting it into writing. Iris Allen has the same super powers as Lois Lane? Well, that sure as heck makes her a force to be reckoned with!!! Yes ma'am. They both have the ability to turn their superhero into a gooey mush with just one sexy little wink. hehehe! The artist formerly known as Prince? :cough: yes :cough: (hey, I did say it should be illegal! ..and I know it's got nothing to do with Superman either. It was just one of those things I could not help... I'm sorry!) I'm thrilled you bothered reading (and commenting on!) my crazy ramblings at the end of that post. hehe! Thank you!
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,797
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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OP
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,797 |
 Picture!!! (Oh, P.S. I saw the dedication! Thanks!!!) Ann
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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"Didn't except to see you so soon," Perry told Clark.
After all the work he and his two friends had put in to pump the water out of the streets, not to mention the major clean-up operation that he'd promised he'd put every effort in, he hadn't expected Clark to start thinking about coming back to the Planet for at least a couple days. Is Perry going to tell Clark that he knows? if we ever find her crying in the conference room again 'cause of some stupid stunt you pulled, well you better believe me when I say this: invulnerable or not, I promise it's going to hurt." Perry is such a big bear. And I am glad he let Clark know that he knows. "Well, hey, I didn't get to be editor of a major newspaper purely for my good looks, you know!" Or because he can yodel. "I hear Kent's got it bad for the girl. And I don't think you want to fight *him*, even over a hot little number like her." I like how Flash is always messing with Clark. That's what friends are for, to bring you down a peg or two. Love the back and forth from Lois to Clark on opposite sides of her door. "No, you're not," he whispered before kissing her neck lightly, just above her shirt collar. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in her shoes right now! Lara, I enjoyed this story so much because it was fun. You had such a nice light hearted tone throughout. That can be difficult to pull off and carry through but you did it. The other reason I liked it so much was the introduction of the other super (bad & good) characters. I have never read the comics so I was completely unfamiliar with them, but you explained them so well that it didn't matter. You mentioned once a desire to completely write Lex out of the series. Are you still thinking of doing that? If so, are they going to be sequels to this one or when you choose a new episode are you going to start over again (meaning Lois doesn't know that Clark is Supes or that he loves her)? And I really like all your endnotes explaining your references and thoughts. Kind of like a peek inside your head. Superman: "everything you ever wanted to know about me."
If, by any chance you thought this was a reference to something, well... I know what you're thinking and I didn't mean it to be a reference to that. If I had then it would have been "always" instead of "ever". Seriously. Well, I wasn't thinking it until you said this, Lara! "Didn't except to see you so soon," Perry told Clark. I think you may mean "expect"? I hope to see another new story from you soon! P.S. Thanks for the dedication.
lisa in the sky with diamonds
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Posts: 5,797
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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OP
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Aug 2005
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Hmmm, Lisa. Now I finally understand what I was thinking about when you mentioned that "always" wanting to know something....
Ann
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Thank you Lisa! I'm so glad you thought this story was fun. Yay!! "No, you're not," he whispered before kissing her neck lightly, just above her shirt collar. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in her shoes right now! Wouldn't we all! I mean, seriously... I'd take a second mortgage for five minutes of that little fantasy, myself. And yeah, I know, this is making me look awfully pathetic! You mentioned once a desire to completely write Lex out of the series. Are you still thinking of doing that? If so, are they going to be sequels to this one or when you choose a new episode are you going to start over again (meaning Lois doesn't know that Clark is Supes or that he loves her)? Ah... you know... I do dream of a Lex-free universe. It would be such a grand place to live in. Hehe! I'm not sure I'd want to re-write all the episodes and start from zero on all of them... Although, it could be fun to start every new episode re-writre with Lois not knowing that Clark is Superman and her finding out during the course of the story every time. LOL! There are a few things I'm sure of, though: - there's going to be a prequel and it's going to be all about Livewire. I absolutely love this villain. (hey, maybe I could replace Lex with her all the time? mmmm... this is giving me an idea. Ooooh!) - there is going to be at least one sequel. I'm not sure who the villain is going to be, but we're going to get some more of Flash. ('cause I like him so darn much. LOL!) - there's a little nfic epilogue in my head that's begging to get out of there. However, right now I'm working on my "little" NaNoWriMo story. It does include Lex, though, but I punished him and made him dirt poor. hehehe! As soon as I'm done with that (at the end of the month, obviously) I'll start posting it. So far it's pretty cool, if I may say so myself. It's quite different, but I'm having a ball with that! I'll definitely be posting some more stories, that much I can assure you. I'm having too much fun writing them! And I really like all your endnotes explaining your references and thoughts. Kind of like a peek inside your head. Yeah, you get to see just how deranged I really am. Thanks for letting me know about the typo I forgot. I'll go fix it. (that's what I get for posting at 2:30 AM! Yikes!) And thank you for all the wonderful feedback. It means the world to me that you guys enjoyed this story!! (btw, about the "always" thing... I guess we'll just have to make him find out about that sort of thing real soon.. won't we. )
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Very well written Laura. I especially like all of your explanations at the end of the story. As much as I love the Justice League, I've never known the bios of most of the super heroes. I only knew the identities of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman. I only knew the personal lives of Batman and Superman. Thank you for the abbreviated bios. Let's hear from you again very soon! 
I'm a firm believer in the fact that God doesn't put any more on us than we can bear. He does however make us come to Jesus every so often.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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glad the bios were useful! (putting them in writing was useful to me as well, cause from then on, I didn't always have to go and read the full length texts on Wikipedia. *lol*)
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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Posts: 3,166
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Great story, Lara and thanks for the dedication. Sorry it took me so long to leave feedback. My aunt died so I've been a little out of sorts... Clark was standing there looking like a kid who'd done something wrong and was waiting for his punishment. Perry had the hardest time trying to refrain from laughing. No wonder people didn't see through the secret identity! Oh, I love it! Clark, the little kid and Superman, the big strong hero!! And Perry knows! She didn't really expect him to show up, especially not after the insults she'd spat in his face, but she couldn't help but hope that maybe he would anyway. Awww.... Poor Lois. "I don't remember what I was supposed to be mad about," she confessed, "but I will be again if you stop what you were doing before..." Haha! "Yes." She looked up at him. "You made me slip... and now you need to catch me. Because I'm falling in love with you." Awww..... And Toyman, I don't know, he said something about space rats."
Ok... If you haven't seen the L&C S2 episode Season's Greedings, you really ought to do that now. Trust me, it's SO worth it. It's mine! Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine....
~~Even heroes have the right to dream.~~
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Ah, Nancy! I'm so sorry to hear your aunt passed away.  Thanks for the comments! I'm glad you saw the dedication. I really meant it, too - without you guys encouraging me to continue, this might have died as a WIP... (story of my life!) Now happily on my way to another project.
Superman: Why is it that good villains never die?
Batman: Clark, what the hell are good villains?
=> Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
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