Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Adumbration 1/1

Wow.

When you kick a puppy, the puppy stays kicked, doesn't it?

This was so heartbreaking, so unexpected, so very - very - ARRGHH! I don't have the vocabulary!

But whatever it is, Catharine, you've nailed it, hit it exactly perfect. You've captured the pain of Clark's death in both of them, and the fact that Lois wants Clark back and not just Superman is so very telling. I thought at first that Supes was pulling a fast one on her - and of course we were supposed to think that - but Lois's anguish at loving Clark and not being able to substitute Superman for him was so - so very - ARRGHH! I did it again!

Heartrendingly beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with us.

You did it Catherine.

That was so sad! Ahhh!

I have no coherent thoughts.

But it was wonderful too, curse you and your pureeing.

--Laura

I have to admit. It made me cry a little.

Which is pretty rare. Nicely done my dear... nicely done.

Your twist on this challenge was so completely killer. What a powerful scenario -- the one thing she wants so desperately, he just can't give her. And they are BOTH aware of it.

Favorite line: “Lois, I realize I was gone for awhile, but I remembered I had left my stove on back in Kansas, so I hitch-hiked my way back home.”

I know you said in your preface that you went in a different direction than the challenge, but as the person who initially posted it, I found your story completely satisfying.

Great stuff.

Interesting. Rather painful

Excerpted from American Heritage Dictionary (Copyright © 1997)

Quote

ad-um-brate (adm-brat, -dum-)v. tr. ad-um-brat-ed, ad-um-brat-ing, ad-um-brates.

• 1 To give a sketchy outline of.
• 2. To prefigure indistinctly; foreshadow.
• 3. To disclose partially or guardedly.
  [Latin adumbrare, adumbrat-, to represent in outline: ad-, ad- + umbra,shadow.]
  --ad'um-bra'tion n.
  --ad-um'bra-tive (-dumbr-tiv). adj. --ad-um'bra-tive-ly adv.

Now would be a really really good time for the New Kryptonians to arrive.

He could have something like a normal life and Lois could move on. In five or ten years when they come to their senses and admit they can't move on, then you can worry about

Quote

The Return Of Clark Kent

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! So sad!!! Well written, but heartbreaking!

I loved you, Clark. Hmmmm. Wonder if that is the first time we see that line in LnC fanfic.

I loved you, too. I still do. And then he was gone.

Hmmm. You take no prisoners, Brucie. Well, at least no one is dead, not exactly. And Lois and - well, whatever his new name is going to be - are free to move on, I suppose.

Ann

Do I really have to say how much I love this story? You know it made me cry - and you know exactly where, too. *giggles*

I'm always impressed by your genius - evil genius, that is!! You can take a simple little idea and turn it into a heart-wrenching tale in a matter of hours. I could really hate you.

This is beautiful, so powerful and so emotional and just so absolutely perfect - it's so like them. I can really feel the pain for both of them. Lois wanting the real man and Clark stuck in his secret identity and desperately wanting to be himself again, but not knowing how.

I loved this line: "Hopefully I've grown on you, partner." It's so sweet and loving. And then you rip our heart out and stomp it with both feet - and an evil smile.

And even now the end still manages to make me cry. Waaaaaaaah!!!!

And as to:
Bah... I made a few crazy suggestions and gave myself permission to edit your wonderful story more than anyone should have been allowed to. I'm just happy I could help (and that you didn't yell at me to go write my own stuff *lol*)

I totally bow to your genius, Cat. Totally.

Oh wow. Different, definitely different and the writing was so beautiful too. This was my favorite part.

It's really telling on so many levels for me--the fact that he grabs the picture and it really doesn't matter that it never broke. There is no gratitude from Lois for "saving" the picture. In fact, the "picture's savior" at least to me feels a bit disparaging (because at the bottom it's the fact that he didn't "save" Clark that causes all this). It also makes me think that the fact that nothing *seems* to be broken superficially doesn't mean that it isn't. In some ways that can makes things that much harder to fix.

Really lovely *contented sigh*. I enjoyed this thoroughly. Thanks for posting it.

alcyone

How sad. This TOGOM business never seems to get old.

(And thanks to Framework for the definition - now I don't have to bother looking it up!)

Poignant. Descriptive. Mournful.

As Superman grieves for what might have been friendship, but for what we all know is a deeper loss.

Descriptive. Poignant. Mournful.

Honest.

Defensive.

And she closes him out of her life.

Descriptive. Poignant. Mournful. (Did I say that already?) Powerful.

Elisabeth

Not a crappy idea at all, Cat! This was sad and achingly poignant. <sniffle> I loved how you kept the reader from realizing that she knew the truth until the end. I had to read it twice just to see if you were cheating, but you weren't. Love, love, LOVE that she's able to separate the two in her mind and she mourns Clark so much. <more sniffling>

When she dropped the picture and he caught it.... <shivers> That was so perfect. Just the right mix of anger and sorrow and accusation.

Why can't he come up with an excuse? I WANT HIM TO COME UP WITH AN EXCUSE!

And another kiss like there's no tomorrow. That would do nicely for a sequel. Otherwise, like Lois, we're left to mourn and feel all hollow inside.

Nicely done. A well written slice of the anguish that Lois and Superman would feel if that situation had arisen.

I've always liked the concept that Lois is forced to accept that Clark is 'dead' even if he was Superman and the body survives. Most takes concentrate on Lois' hurt and anger over making her go through the trauma of his death when he wasn't really dead. But here she has had to accept that Clark isn't coming back and so the loss and despair she had felt wasn't for nothing.

Tank (who says that this will now clear the way for 'call me Daniel' to come into Lois' life and make her forget all about... 'what's his name')

This was beautiful. I too wonder, what happens next?

P.S. Thanks to Framework for the definition--I had no idea adumbrate was actually a word. Also, your modification to the challenge made it even more interesting.

Tank: does "Call me Daniel" come with a haircut?

He could come with a pony tail or no hair at all - it ain't gonna make us like him any better. LOL! In fact, if he's against the idea of changing his hairstyle, I say it's all the more reason for someone to give him a haircut!

Oh, Cat. This is beautiful. I echo everything Terry said, way up there at the top. Thank you for sharing it with us!

Yup, you need a sequel.

Sara (who wonders if people would be jealous of her being able to read the actual manuscript from the author's notebook )

Oh, man... yeah - there needs to be a sequel to this. PLEEEEEEEEASE!!!