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Chapter 72
Chapter 73
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Carol

Whew! It looks like things are finally heading the way they're supposed to. You really had me worried for awhile there. Of course, there are still tons of issues to work through.

Wow! I love it! Lois finally talked to Clark and told him that she couldn't take this any more.

Ann

They're... they're... they're *talking* And what is Lois second wish going to be? Cuddling in bed? Yes? Please? Pwetty Pwease?

I think I'm sort of fine now. Less angst this time around. No nasty cliffhanger. Just waff-withdrawal. Okay, so basically, it's not the bad hangover sort of withdrawal but just the *want more* sort of withdrawal. Still bad. So I'll just try? More, please?

Michael

Both Lois and Clark's behaviour in these last two chapters seemed out-of-character for me.

The way that you've written him, being sulky, immature, and often selfish, your Clark would have jumped at getting out of the marriage. Up until recently, he had such resentment towards Lois that when Lois said he could get out of the marriage, and she would help him set things straight with Lois, I feel that your Clark would have jumped at it. Him not doing that seemed to be a leap that I think needed further character development.

The big question is why is he staying in the marriage? I think his reason is that he must protect Lois and Christopher. Yet, even in his conversations with Lois, he still has the five year countdown going on his head. It doesn't make sense to me why Clark would want to be Lois' friend again instead of trying to get Lana back.

From Lois' perspective, she knows Clark is still on his five-year countdown. Since she's admitted she's in love with him, why is she settling for friendship? She knows her heart's going to broken in five-years when Clark leaves, so why is she letting herself remain this vulnerable?

They're even talking about Lana getting back together with Clark after the 5-year mark. It seems so odd to me to have a wife and husband talk about the husband getting back together with his ex-girlfriend after the marriage is over. Marriage shouldn't have end dates, so Lois and Clark certainly have to work on building a solid foundation before having any type of meaningful relationship.

I'm eager to see how you develop this forced relationship into something meaningful and potentially long-lasting.

grinch

Unless he had a motive he was not even admitting to himself.

I'm going to repeat some my comments from the last part's FDK

I think Clark is still the same, he who falls for Lois Lane the minute he meets her. But this Clark had a whole life laid out that interfered with his admitting it to himself.

I love Patrick's point! Yes, Clark really is in love with Lois, although he absolutely denies it to himself. He can't process the information from deep within himself that he actually loves Lois. And because the information sort-of reaches him, but totally threatens his self-image, he has hung on even more desperately to the notion that he loves Lana. Who is he if he can't hold on to the girl that he fell in love with when he was six?

Well, Clark, you have already married Lois, so it is long past time to move on now! Particularly since you really do love Lois rather than Lana!



Who am I?

Ann

So, this was the best thing I have read in what feels like ages:
I've been wanting Lois to come to that realization since all this bitterness started to occur. Not that I wanted Clark to take her up on it, mind you, but I so wanted Lois to start feeling a little more steel in her backbone, so thank you for that.

I don't think that they were out of character in these last two sections. What I see is two people trying to come to a tenuous truce. Even though Lois gave the above speech, I don't think she *really* wanted it to go through. This is one of those things where you feel like your sacrifice is the best thing to do for the person you love. She's willing to let Clark go and get his ALC (after Lois and Christopher) life on instead of making him suffer through a five year farce. The fact that he's pretty convincing about staying and doing better has got to make her feel better, just it's still not the 'everything' she could desire.

And after that whole tense conversation, they go and watch movies together and teeter around another ALC conversation. Again, I think from Lois's perspective, she is trying to be the mature one and prove to him that she understands his predicament. Basically, 'I know you don't love me, I understand this is hard, but I want to be your friend, and if that means I fillet my heart just so you have someone to talk to, I will do that... because I *do* love *you*.' Then again, that might be too Hollywood, ya think?

I guess what I'm saying is that I understand how they could have gone from bitter, non-communicative, spiteful individuals to attempting to reconnect with awkward truce talk by their first anniversary. I think its important to recall that this is year 1 (time is flying), so there has to be *some* personal growth happening behind the scenes too. So, yes, I understand it--but that doesn't necessarily mean I like it.

Clark kissing Lois and demanding 'Is this what you want?' made me want to slap him too. I can't ignore that he's responding to 'something' that boiled up in him (methinks it's a combustive mixture of lust and denial), but he's responding in the wrong way. I guess that was the Kryptonian way of saying 'You think I'm not attracted to you?! The problem is that I *am* attracted to you! [insert Kryptonian curse here]'

We are easing back into friend territory (I like that) with a bit of cuddling on the side (I like that too). There have been some cautionary fdk's that have been averse to intimacy, but I'm firmly in the camp that thinks cuddling is okay. I agree that sex is out, but cuddling is harmless, right? :evil grin:

Okay, previews lend themselves to speculation: We're going to Smallville? Will *this* be the time that the Green Glow of Home makes its presence known? RAFO!

BTW- this addiction thing is really hard to kick. I don't know how we're all going to make it...

~s
(who needs... more... stat!)

(My third post here... :rolleyes: )

In previous FDK threads, Michael has called Clark Lex. Well, I don't think Clark is like Lex at all, but even so I think a version of Lex may figure prominently in this fic, and we have already met... her!! Because I think this Lex is a Lexa, or rather, her name is Lana.

Clark's infatuation with Lana is as stupid and unreasonable (well, almost) as Lois's stupid infatuation was with Lex. And I think that just like Lois in canon LNC, Clark is in for a rude awakening when it comes to Lexa, uh, Lana!

Ann

*hugs Lana* Shhhh, Ann doesn't want to hurt you, I'm sure. It's all Carol's fault that you don't have your Clarkie-poo any longer. shhhhhhh *glares at bad people hurting Lana before getting out blond voodoo-doll and a nice, sharp needle*

Seriously, though, in previous parts Clark showed extreme anti-social tendencies. He had no conscience and behaved like his wishes were all that mattered. Besides, it was fun calling him Lex Now he's starting to open up to Lois. Just like Lex did after he got sprayed

Michel

I don't think there's much more to say.

YAY!!!!

Whew-Christopher is going to be one mixed up kid.

I want Lois and Clark to end up together. I think we all do. My concern is that we've read nearly fifty chapters of Clark whining about his situation and pining for Lana. Finally, Clark seems to making a turn in the right direction, and I want it to be realistic that he and Lois end up together.

Some of you mention, that Clark loves Lois. For me, that seems to be a stretch at this point. The story, written in the first person, allows us to hear Clark's thoughts. Nowhere has he admitted even caring for Lois (other than wanting to protect her). His thoughts seem to drift to Lana and how things went terribly wrong. So, without hearing a change in his inner voice, I can't quite grasp him saying he loves Lois. That seemed to come out of the blue for me.

Deep down inside of Clark, I do believe that he loves Lois. But, I think we could have had an internal revelation first, and then tell Lois.

Sonia mentioned (how do you quote in one of these messages?) that Lois and Clark have come to a tenuous truce. My question is why? They had the out, and with this version of Lois and Clark, I feel that it would be more in character for them to escape at this point, then to stay together.

Just last chapter, Clark wanted to give Lana the snow globe. He still feels for Lana. She haunts his thoughts. His desire to protect Lois and Christopher comes out loud and clear. When Lois said Sam could handle protecting her and her son, why would Clark stay? He could have a different motive other than protection, but he certainly isn't expressing it in his inner voice.

When cuddling at the movie, the conversation then drifted to Lana's baby. I'm happy that Clark told Lois about the baby. But, then a discussion of how the baby would likely be Clark's step-child. I don't see this conversation as building a relationship, if there's a countdown still ticking as to what's going to happen after the five-year mark. That may just be me however. They're communicating better, but it's hard to see much hope for the future just yet.

I'm still eager to see where Carol takes things from here. I want to see Lois and Clark fall in love, and then have a solid marriage. Falling in love temporarily and on a fixed timeline would be the worst thing that could happen for everybody involved in my opinion.

grinch, quoting is done by placing the respective text between this opening [quote ] and this closing [/quote ] tag. No space before the ].

Why Clark is in love with Lois and why people (or me) don't need to see it spelled out, is probably based on his early on urges. Before Latislan. There he did a one-eighty and become Mr. Lana. Or perhaps it's because I just read a story and don't see it differently whether or not it's first or third person

Michael

As for the protection thing...

Yes, Sam can hire protection, but as Clark pointed out, if they're not married for five years, there is no 'statute of limitations' on his paternity claim. Right now, there's an end date, if they don't stay married there isn't. If the end date didn't change, then maybe I could see him leaving, but not to leave Christopher - who he's coming to love very deeply - in paternity limbo until he's an adult.

As many of you have complained, Clark's been wrapped up in his own little world. Lois has startled him out of that. First, with telling him she was going to end the marriage and second, when she told him she's actually on medication. He's been reflecting [unseen] on what Martha said [we'll see some of that next time - as in 'I'd thought a lot about what Mom had said' or something to that effect - I thought it was in this part, but maybe not] and when Lois finally opened up to him, even if it was to tell him it was over, he finally started to realize that even though his life hasn't been great [in the sense of no Lana etc], hers hasn't been either, something that he'd been too busy wallowing to really think about. In fact, he's finally realizing that hers may have been worse in some ways - how bad must things have been for her for her to actually believe that the world would have been a better place without her, even if she never had contemplated suicide? [Believe me, I've been there, it's not a fun place.] It's snapped him out of it - at least that's how I see it...

As for the kiss... I didn't plan that - he just sort of did it...

Carol [who might be persuaded to post earlier tomorrow, but not Tuesday...]

/slides a plate of persuasion toward Carol

I failed to mention earlier that I, too, am not a fan of the continuous countdown talk. But once again, I chalk that up to the tenuous truce. Why are willing to reach this truce? Some parts maturity, some parts fear, some parts facing reality, maybe? Honestly, while they both had the 'out' I don't think either really thought it was a true option. I think since we (readers) haven't had any physical encounter with Navance or his nephew in a while, we may have lost some of our fear of imminent danger but LnC & Co. haven't.

I see Lois as the one doing the most reaching out here, but am well aware that they both have ways to go.

Oh, and I also wanted to mention that considering there is a sequel already in the works (worked?), I'm not so sure this one is going to end in the happily ever after we would normally assume. We also are still working with the '71 of ?' deal, so I don't think that the falling in love is on a fast timeline right now. I don't foresee Clark saying he loves Lois aloud anytime soon. But hey, I could be wrong! I am but a mere reader, speculating my wiles away

While I realize that cuddling is controversial, I like it thrown in--not because it fixes things--but because it makes them a whole lot messier.

~s

I think it's interesting that it was Lois who brought up Lana and her future with Clark. Lois, the one who has already admitted to herself that she wants to try for more than five years. Not Clark, the one who is still hanging on to the countdown.

Maybe Lois was hoping Clark would say that there was no longer a countdown (if so, that was a naive hope, to say the least). Maybe she thought honest communication would make them better friends. I'm not sure what the driving force was for bringing Lana into an otherwise cozy conversation, but I think it's safe to say Lois had more emotion loaded into this question than she let us see. ("Are you and Lana planning on having kids?" I asked, not looking at him.")

My point is this:

With the tenuous peace they've achieved, neither of them are going to rock the boat. They're both going to profess to want (or at least accept) the countdown long after they really do because they will each be playing to the other's expectations. We're already seeing that with Lois.

The one who finally says, "Hey, I love you. Let's make this real," is risking a lot. I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Lisa, who wonders if Carol is going to take us right up to the five-year mark before one of them breaks. A divorce-courtroom confession of love!

Lisa - you sort of pointed out half of something I pointed out then erased [several times]. Lois talks in the present/future tense there. Clark *only* talks in the past tense [as in we *had* planned on kids, but we *might have decided* it *wasn't* worth the risk, not we *had* planned on having kids but we *might decide* it *isn't* worth the risk - actual quote is below].

Read into that what you will... One of my betas pointed it out when she read it.

Carol

Maybe Lois, when school starts, could try to express her sympathy for Lana's loss of a child.

Lana could bitch her out and tell her that she knew Clark was falling for Lois from day one. She could tell Lois that she could read Clark's moods and feeling till Lois came along. At that point Clark began to close her out and nothing she did could change it, no amount of talk, no touching, nothing, one day Clark was Lana's then next he was Lois's.

She could tell Lois that of course she'd hated Lois, she'd always hate Lois and so on and so forth.

Think about it, from day one Clark took Lois's side He turned down Lana's idea of being roommates
but turned around and made the same offer to Lois. He also flirted with Lois right from the start Linda King tried to warn him about Lois and he ignored her completely, not a reasonable decision.

And at that infamous party He wasn't concern enough about Lana to even try to find her. But Lois?

Lois he keeps track of and is concerned about and he does LISTEN for her heartbeat.