Caroline, I loved this chapter. Of course I did, since you are such a brilliant writer.
However, I'm feeling increasingly exhausted and increasingly inadequate at mustering up the necessary energy to write any meaningful feedback. And things are just getting ever crazier at school.
So let me just say that I second absolutely everything that Elisabeth said in her post. I wasn't going to quote anything, or at least quote extremely little, but I love how you show us how the edgy and uptight Lois from the pilot has become so marvellously softened by getting to know Clark the way she did (well, by making love to him after about three hours' aquaintance). Of course she hasn't given up all her resistance to him yet, but she is so incredibly in love:
So no working with Clark, however tempting the idea might seem when her desk still smelled like Chinese food and her lips still tingled from his kisses.
<Happy sigh>
Even the thought that their relationship would be common knowledge in the newsroom the next day didn’t bother her. What was there to be embarrassed about? Clark was sweet and gorgeous and everyone who had met him loved him.
She isn't even worried about the office gossip!!!
No, having the newsroom know that she was seeing Clark wouldn’t make her a laughingstock; it would make her an object of envy, and she did so enjoy being an object of envy.
So, so, so Lois!!!!
Not that that was why she was interested in Clark, but it was a pleasant bonus.
Yes, she is very honestly in love, but becoming an object of envy because of her office romance is indeed a pleasant bonus!
And I loved this:
She’d thrown him out of the newsroom so that she could get something done, but he was almost as distracting in his absence as he had been when he’d been present.
And this put a huge grin on my face:
She was slipping, and the worst part of it was that she was so besotted, she hardly even cared.
I could empathize with Lois's horror at finding Dr. Platt's dead body, and I so strongly felt her need to go to Clark for comfort in the office the next day:
The newsroom was in full swing when she walked in, and her eyes automatically went to Clark’s desk. She wanted to see him, wanted a few minutes of light-hearted banter, like they’d shared the night before. She needed a little of his healing comfort, after the night she’d had, and this time, she knew she could go to him for that. They might not have had an official date yet, but she knew Clark’s broad shoulders were hers to cry on if she wanted them. He would listen if she needed to talk and talk if she needed the distraction. He would do whatever he could to make things better for her. It was something she’d secretly always wanted and yet, for some reason, pushed away with both hands. But Clark was different. With Clark, she wasn’t pushing anymore.
Because Lois so honestly needed solace from Clark, and because she was giving in to her need for comfort for the first time in years and years, I found it so unbearably painful that Clark was angry at her precisely when she needed his sympathy the most.
But I loved that Lois made him understand how he had hurt her:
“I do accept that.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “But you need to accept that I care about what happens to you. And it scared me, okay? It scared me hearing that you’d been through that by yourself.”
“And maybe it was scary for me, too.” Her voice quivered slightly and she paused to steady it. “Maybe it was scary and...and horrible and sad...and maybe I would have liked to be able to come in here and talk to you about it instead of getting yelled at and called a liar. Did you ever think of that?”
“I’m sorry,” he said softly - and sincerely, she thought. She felt herself softening a little towards him. “I really thought this was about protecting your story.”
Yes, I think Clark understands. And of course he was so honestly worried about her, too.
And Lois seems to understand that her relationship with Clark is too important and too valuable for her to throw away by allowing their fight to escalate to levels where it can't be controlled, or contained.
This is disarmingly charming:
Reporters are nosy. They talk. Right now they’re out there talking about what we’re doing in here and wondering if we’ve already had our first fight.”
“Ha! Shows what they know.” Clark’s eyes twinkled at her. “This is at least our second fight.”
She laughed. “They’re getting better, I think.”
“Oh, definitely,” he agreed. “And maybe later, we can even kiss and make up.” He waggled his eyebrows at her teasingly.
“Sounds promising,” she said lightly, as her stomach did little flip-flops.
And this is... adorable.
Well! I ended up quoting much more than I thought I would. Your story has the most adorable B-plot, and the B-plot is always what I'm here for anyway. Your portrayal of Lois and Clark is heartwarming and lovely. I marvel at how you show us Lois and Clark's vulnerability and fears, as well as the wonderful, sweet attraction between them. Their emotions fill me, overwhelm me, radiate their warmth and need straight through my computer screen and settle right in my heart.
Ann
loved it! I so totally love Lois in this, she's just great!
