Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Learning to Love, 36/?

Wow. And you know what. Knowing what had really happened takes so much out of this cliffhanger. I think. I assume. We know what "And then what?" means. This is just an attempt to finagle another part out of this instead of making part 36 longer Please, get back here with part 37. Like, now.

And the whole time I was screaming at Lois: You promised each other not to hide things anymore (or something along those lines)

Big question: Will Clark be more horrified at what had happened or heartbroken that she hadn't told him?

Michael

Wow, Carol! Michael asked... The answer is Yes! He will be equally distraught with both issues. He's going to hate himself for what he did and Lois may have perhaps set him back. After all, Clark really isn't "alright". He's suffered some post traumatic stress from all of this as well.

I wish that Lois had told Clark what happened. She was supposed to not hold out on him. You've got to get back to us before Monday! I don't know what it's like--emotionally--to be an assault victim, but I think that Lois should give Clark the chance to show her how wonderful making love can be when two people who love each other and belong to each other in the eyes of God. I think that he could eradicate her demons or at least send them to a deep abyss.

Carol, you've got to get back!


~Sheila

I hope that Clark won't be too horrified at Lois. I, too, was at the edge of my seat, just waiting for Lois to tell Clark what had happened. And I was so disappointed that she didn't. But, since I'm the resident Lois-defender on these boards, I'll try to offer what I think is Lois's point of view of what had happened, and how that affected her relationship with Clark.

Me the claustrophobiac can so totally empathize with Lois's near panic here. Clark traps her, and even when he stops trying to - well, whatever he is trying to do - even then he traps her and suffocates her. As a claustrophobiac, I can totally understand Lois's panic. And I know that that fear doesn't just go away.

After Lois was almost raped by Paul, Clark became Lois's anchor in the storm. He was her protector, the man who kept her safe. And yet on that night he trapped her, almost like Paul had trapped her, and-- and---

What was Lois supposed to tell Clark in the morning? (Or later on during that day, perhaps?) Should she say, 'Hey Clark, you nearly raped me last night'? How would he react if she did? What would happen when she looked into his eyes and accused him of almost raping her? Could she trust him to react in a good way?

Could she trust him? After what had happened?

This is what I think that Clark's 'sexual initiative' that night did to Lois. She had learnt to trust him almost completely. He had always been so good to her, so patient, so loving. He held her at night. He kept her safe from her nightmares. He protected her from would-be rapists. But what happened when he turned out to be almost like a would-be rapist himself? When he wanted to make her have sex with him, not because both of them wanted it, and certainly not because she wanted it, but because he wanted it? What then? Could she trust him then? Could she confide in him after that?

I quite agree with what Elisabeth said in the previous FDK thread. Clark was so exhausted, and possibly also hungry and angry, and possibly heartbroken because of all the people he hadn't managed to save, that he literally wasn't in control of himself. He had pushed himself beyond his own limits. Well, I think that is something that Clark has to learn: he mustn't push himself so far that he can't control himself any longer. It is not at all strange that he doesn't know his limits yet, because he isn't Superman yet, and he has helped out at disaster sites so rarely. He hasn't learnt how to pace himself yet. He wasn't resposible for what happened.

Okay, fine: but what Lois saw was that he tried to force her to have sex. Because he wanted to. Even though she didn't.

I think Lois had begun to think that Clark would never do something like that to her. But now he did it after all. And Lois froze. And she clammed up. She couldn't talk to him any more.

Well, all I can say is that I hope that Clark understands Lois. And I hope that Lois understands Clark. And I hope they will start the slow process of helping Lois to trust Clark again. And then I hope they will both be ready to love.

Ann

Great story and great chapter. I could really see Lois' panic in your description. But man I couldn't believe she was so dishonest with him after the promises they made. I know she was trying to protect him. She should have known somehow he would find out. I'm always amazed that people think you won't figure out something happened by the way you react to them - like Lois and her flinching. How stupid does she think Clark is. Her excuses will only last so long. By hiding what happened she is only making it worst for both of them.

I CAN NOT believe you left us hanging where you did. I'm already in withdrawal from not knowing what happens.

Well I am not sure why I hate this. It isn't the writing style or the inventiveness of the story. For some reason I really hate this too fragile Lois. I almost wish she'd stop being so pathetic and just off herself. Her hurt fragile way is making me want to strangle her. I am not sure why it frustrates me so much that she won't just be strong and get over it already. Maybe because I can't relate to her at all. I was young and innocent once, I've even been hurt a time or two in my life. I have also suffered some mild abuse, but to marry Clark! I mean we are talking about the most wonderful patient beautiful man here! He has suffered three years with a scared little girl who is frigid toward him when he gets the least bit interested. I think Clark deserves better. He deserves to have physical love. What a waste of a body and good man! The poor poor slob wants this broken woman? They should do each other a favor and remain friends and divorce. Lois should really think about putting herself into a mental institution to be helped. She obviously has been repeatedly raped or abused and needs help where he can't give it. Even in Leela's Long Strange Trip when she had a reason to be really afraid of Clark she got over it faster. This Lois makes me angry. I am not sure why it frustrates me so much. I think I am going to have to stop reading it until it is finished so I can skip to the resolution. It is just too frustrating for me. So it must be a really good fic to provoke such emotion, I just can't take it anymore. Please don't be insulted. I think you are a good writer, it is the character that is frustrating me. You must be doing something right to make it so real for me that I feel so strongly about it. I will read it after it is over so I can skip the frustration. Thanks for understanding. Laura

Write woman, write! Please let Clark's shock have a positive outcome. This was a great chapter.

We have Steak and Shake coupons on the fridge, someone might just have to make a quick trip there tomorrow for lunch.

Wow. I figured Clark wouldn't last for more than about two minutes, but those were an intense two minutes. And where did all that "baby" stuff come from? Has Clark been watching cheesy movies?

I was really impressed by Lois's ability to keep calm during Clark's "episode" and then later when they fell asleep together. I think she's starting to realize that she needs him and trusts him. But it's really confusing when the person you know might hurt you is also the only person you'll ever want to turn to for comfort.

I'm not surprised she didn't tell him about it. From her POV, what good could come of it? It won't change the past, and she really does believe he would never do such a thing if he weren't drunk-equivalent... so the only effect would be to upset him when he's normal, and not make any difference if he gets all loopy again because he'll forget. By not telling him, she gets to keep things as they were, to keep Clark as her rock.

Not that any of that's true, but I can see her thinking it. I really like the suggestion someone made about Clark needing to learn his limits. Maybe Clark can help her to learn to love *herself*, by convincing her that yes, saving lives is more important than a few nightmares (like they already agreed)... but it's not more important than *her*.

I was not suprised Clark fell asleep.Shame Lois did'nt take the time to,you know, check things out a little...

I continue to find this sit-on-the-chairs-edge reading, which is good, but if I were Clark I'd be pissed if someone discussed my life that intimately with someone else!

Hopefully he won't feel betrayed!

If it were me, I totally wouldn't have told Clark the truth. Why? Because it's the right thing to do? Of course not. It's because I would rather play the get-out-of-jail free card that comes with Clark's black-out. I'm a fairly strong person, in general, but why invent trouble when you can neatly sidestep it.

Here's the one thing we learned in this part that I hadn't thought of in part 35: Clark was vulnerable to Lois because she *smelled* good. Personally, I've always hated the smell of lavendar. It's fine on the plant, pleasant even. But as soon as they add the essential oil to a lotion, soap or other hoity-toity whatnot it becomes too intense. James, on the other hand, *loves* the smell of lavendar so I confess that I do own a few items. Clark seems to have a weakness that far surpasses my husband's preferences.

I can't wait to get to the other side of the cliffhanger. Knowing what happened doesn't downplay the intesity of the revelation. When I played the game, get-out-of-jail free cards were worth more.


Elisabeth

This Lois is badly damaged. I know, she's faced a great deal of adversity in her life, most of it when she was really too young to handle it, but she's not doing the one thing she needs to do to resolve these issues in her past.

She needs to see a professional and get some real help.

All she's done so far is paper over the cracks in her life. She's never actually dealt with the problems.

She's afraid that Clark will leave her because her father left her. She's afraid of taking responsibility for her recovery because her mother forced her to be responsible for Lucy when she was really too young. She's scared of the intimacy of sex because - well, I'm not real sure why, I just know she is.

And it's a crock! She has to work out her past issues, not pretend they aren't there! She has to understand that "giving her more time" is the wrong thing to do! If she waits, she'll learn more and better ways to avoid the real problems in her life (she's done a lot of that already) and that will not resolve the root issues. Alice, please please please help her see that she needs professional help!

Clark needs to tell her the same thing. He didn't "almost rape her!" She would only have been in danger of having sex with her husband if she'd taken off her clothes and kissed him passionately. Even then, he probably would've fallen asleep before anything actually happened. Quit babying her, Clark! She needs professional help!

Tense story. Where's the next chapter?

One of the things I did like about this part is nothing happen.

There must be a dozen L&C on the archive where the exhausted superhero has sex with Lois and has a blackout.

When I started to read that scene I thinking Carol was going to take the easy road and have them have sex and Lois discover she liked it.

I'm glad she didn't take that route.

Hey guys . Sorry it's a day late. I made a lot of progress yesterday which also meant that I didn't get this posted, but I *think* this monster is done [except for edits of course].

I tend to be very claustrophobic when I'm pregnant [and I have 4 kids under 7 so that's a lot in recent years ] and I have to even tell my little kids to back off sometimes because I get so closed in [by a 2yo!!!].

I will say that I don't agree with Laura - to divorce and be friends wouldn't help matters any. He's said repeatedly that Lois is his soulmate - he doesn't *want* anyone else. Could he go out and find someone to be physical with? I'm sure Lana and probably even Mayson would be first in line, but he has no desire to be with anyone but her and is willing to wait. If they hadn't felt forced into marriage, they more than likely still wouldn't have been together either. Anyway...

We'll see a bit more of her history in coming chapters - where sex was used as a weapon of sorts in her family growing up. It's the ultimate act of trust for her and she's just not there yet. She will be.

Other than that...

Look for 37 in the not too distant future - as in later today .
Carol