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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29 |
"Lois?" Clark leant closer to the bathroom door. "Lois? Are you all right?"
Silence was his only answer.
"Lois?"
She had been in there for twenty minutes. Initially, Clark had left her alone, stripping the bed and hauling the bloodied sheets into the washing machine to soak. He'd stopped at the bathroom door once and asked if she wanted her pyjamas washed, but Lois hadn't replied. He'd gathered a handful of assorted bandages from the first aid box his mom kept in the little cabinet at the bottom of the stairs and taken the tube of Neosporin from his metal box.
Back at the bathroom door, Clark closed his eyes and concentrated his hearing.
He heard the whispered zephyr of her breaths and a choppy noise that he couldn't identify.
Had she fallen asleep? She had sustained a blow to her head. Could she be unconscious?
"Lois?" Anxiety spiked his question. What should he do? He *couldn't* go in there. But ... "Lois? Lois, honey, could you please just let me know you're all right?" Thanks, Corrina.
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,070 Likes: 31 |
Wow, that was another one of those scaries.  I do admit, the reason for Lois's catatonic state sort of jumped out at me, but mainly because when it comes to Clark's reasoning about Lois's behavior, it's usually best to go in a 90° angle of his thoughts if one wants to figure out the truth. And could Moyne's fate really be so easily sealed? And is it possible that it was Moyne himself who abused his aunt? Michael
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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I was so excited to see this chapter posted when I checked ... and now that I'm done reading it, I'm kicking myself because the wait for the next chapter is going to be agony.  As intense as the beginning of this chapter was, with Moyne being so very smooth as he spun his lies to Rachel, I was worried it was going to end up on another tense moment. But then everything finally started to crash in around Moyne and it was like the clouds parted and rays sunshine started to leak through. So stupid of Moyne not to realize that there was physical evidence to support Lois's version of events -- and how wonderful that Menzies thought to ask about it. I was very concerned when Lois didn't take Scardino's advice about telling Rachel that Moyne was a suspect in two murders, but having Menzies deliver the news was even better. And what amazing plotting to have the accusation of rape be the thing that both acted as Menzies' moral line in the sand and saved his marriage. He took a big personal risk in letting Moyne face charges, but the universe rewarded him for it by reconnecting him with his wife. You've done a really impressive job in this story of using a lot of shades of gray when you've painted your characters. And Lois certainly falls within those shades of gray, doesn't she? Other people commented in the last chapter that they didn't like the fact that she was so cold to Clark while she was in agent-mode, but I loved it. One of the things I've enjoyed about this story is how wonderfully competent Lois is. As Menzies reminds himself, she got to her level by being amazing at what she does, and I like seeing evidence of that. Is it going to take an emotional toll on her? Absolutely, and to deny that would not be doing the characters or this story any justice. But that's exactly what makes Lois and Clark so perfect for each other -- he can't believe that he could ever be what she needs, but as they work through the aftermath of what she did and how she acted (and why), Clark is going to see exactly why he is so important to her. As awful as the situation was, it gives Clark the chance to take care of Lois for awhile, and I think that's going to be very helpful in putting them more on an even footing in their relationship. So is it too much to hope for that Moyne will be so outraged by the fact that Menzies isn't covering for him that he'll try to escape and will be killed in the process? All without ever revealing Clark's secret? All I can do is hope, hope, hope that Clark will finally be able to relax and rebuild his life ... and I'm sure that whatever you have planned will be ultimately very satisfying. More, please!  Kathy
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Columnist
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Columnist
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Wow .. that was really awesome! I am glad that Menzies "saw the light" and decided that there would be no special treatment for Moyne and that it will/might save his marriage. So sad about Phoebe though  For a moment there I thought that perhaps Menzies can put a bullet between Moyne's eye once he is escorted back to Metropolis. I agree with Kathy that it will be good for Clark to take care of Lois for a while and that might even convince him that he can be enough for her and what she, not only wants, but needs. Also, Lois has been through a lot - with the whole Linda episode, seeing the injustices done to Clark, and Moyne attacking her twice - that I am glad you didn't gloss over it. Lois needs to deal with those emotions in herself - rage, mostly I think - and Clark will be able to help her once she lets him in. I also liked how Lois was cold to Clark in this and the previous part - she is a very competent agent and at that stage with Moyne attacking her, she needed to "revert back" into an almost "cool, unemotional, rational" agent thinking. (EDT: but now she is in a bad place). Looking very much forward to the next part! 
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Wow -- well done! I agree with Kathy that now that Clark will have to take care of Lois for a while, it may help put their relationship on even footing.
You paint your characters so well! You make us interested in, fear, sympathize with, and worry about secondary characters, which shows real skill as a writer!
I too hope the next part is posted soon! I hope LnC are able to connect a bit in the next chapters as Lois tries to work through what happened to her and what happened in the past with Linda.
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way. 
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Boy, Lois and Clark never catch a break, do they? Wonderful chapter and I was sooo happy to see that Moyne isn't getting off as easily as he thinks he is! Boy, bet he's not going to be happy.
Looking forward to the next part!
LOIS:I don't like you.
MAYSON: Really? Oh god, that is such a relief - I don't like you either.
LOIS: That makes me feel so much better
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Ditto to all that was said here. Very intense chapter. I am so glad Menzies is not putting up with Moyne anymore. I bet it was him that abused Phoebe. Awesome twist! Poor Lois finally needs Clark's help.Maybe that will help Clark feel needed. Can't wait for more. Laura
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Wow! 
EvelynC
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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Interesting conversation re: Lois. I didn't see a professional closing off the extraneous in order to focus on the essential; I saw a woman hanging by a thread and, to quote Emily, "in a bad place". But I do agree with everyone above that this could definitely work to advance the plot along towards getting Clark to realize that Lois needs him as much as he needs her. He's putting himself down at the moment, but I'm hoping he will soon see that he is exactly what Lois needs. Maybe we will get Emily's silver lining tonight, and Lois will want to sleep in Clark's arms? Please? So sweet, him calling her "honey". You had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what Moyne would say and what Menzies would do. I couldn't imagine how you would get us out of that one. Oh, ye (or me) of little faith! I liked how that scene played out. 
"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution" - Daniel Webster
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Joined: Jul 2004
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Features Writer
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Features Writer
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I dont think we've seen the last of Moyne. There just has to be a Clark-Moyne face off of some kind.
"I'm red-eyed, tired and drunk" Teri Hatcher
"Fun will now commence" 7of9
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Vicki, I guess I wasn't very clear. What I meant was that Lois' clung to every ounce of her professional training, which, even with that, she barely hung on long enough to guard Moyne; but certainly once Rachel took the gun, she closed in on herself almost completely. At least she was still able to answer their basic questions, but she is definitely in crisis, and I didn't mean to imply anything else. If she doesn't even respond to Clark's desperate question to her in the preview, he will need to get her professional help; but hopefully she will seek it herself soon.
EvelynC
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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good call for Menzies...i can hardly wait until the next part!
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Blogger
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Blogger
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That was another fantastic chapter, as usual. I'm very happy that Menzies has finally "seen the light" and will stop covering and protecting Moyne, even when he thought it was going to be at the expense of his marriage and will cause Phoebe to close off from him even more (although that doesn't seem to happen after all). Just like many have already mentioned, I wonder who had attacked Phoebe in the first place, although I doubt it was Moyne, since she would not have been so protective of him (unless there were some crazy, special circumstances).
Granted, I wonder how Menzies will react if he finds out that that the prisoner is still alive and that Lois and Scardino have fooled him. Plus, I highly doubt that we've seen the last of Moyne, even considering that Menzies is not planning to cover for his any longer.
As for Lois - yikes! She has definitely been through a lot and it has finally caught up with her and now taking it's toll. She has a lot of emotional baggage and I hope she'll be willing to allow Clark to help her see that she's not as bad as she appears to think she is (by almost killing Moyne after that teenage guard).
Anyhow, I cannot wait to see how things play out from here. Please update soon!!!
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Sep 2010
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Kathy expressed my sentiments exactly... I was so anxious for this post and if anything at the end of it, I was even more desperate for the next (several) post(s). I'm glad Rachel is a competent sheriff and did not take Moyne's story without questions. How fortuitous that he didn't mention the presence of the alien to Menzies on the phone. I can't wait to see how this all turns out. I'm especially glad that Menzies seems to have drawn his moral line in the sand where Moyne is concerned. And given the development in Phoebe's story, it is unlikely she'll be sympathetic to him, given the charge. Now let's just get back to fixing Lois and Clark! Lois seems so lost, and I hope Clark can help. Big hugs to them both. I want more, and I want it now! (pretty please with sugar on top?)
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29
Kerth
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OP
Kerth
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,181 Likes: 29 |
Michael And is it possible that it was Moyne himself who abused his aunt? I thought about having a tie-in - not Moyne, but possibly his father. I decided against it - at this stage, who raped Phoebe won't be a part of the story. Kathy And what amazing plotting to have the accusation of rape be the thing that both acted as Menzies' moral line in the sand and saved his marriage. How far Moyne went with Lois was one of the most difficult decisions in the fic. I think Menzies' 'line in the sand' works better if Moyne had actually raped Lois (or at least come closer than he did.) But I really didn't want to go there - for many different reasons. As awful as the situation was, it gives Clark the chance to take care of Lois for awhile, and I think that's going to be very helpful in putting them more on an even footing in their relationship. You're very good at looking 'through' a situation and seeing why things 'really' happen. DW Also, Lois has been through a lot - with the whole Linda episode, seeing the injustices done to Clark, and Moyne attacking her twice - that I am glad you didn't gloss over it. Lois needs to deal with those emotions in herself - rage, mostly I think - and Clark will be able to help her once she lets him in. I did sort of gloss over it for a while! MozartMaid You make us interested in, fear, sympathize with, and worry about secondary characters, One reason I like long fics is that there is the time to do that. Bellarase Boy, Lois and Clark never catch a break, do they? I wouldn't say 'never'. Laura Lois needs Clark. That should be fun! Evelyn It makes it so much harder since she never really has dealt with her feelings about Linda and that whole nightmare she went through, and that is why she is now numb, almost catatonic in the aftermath of Moyne's attack and barely functioning; she's in shock, which one would expect from anyone in reaction to the recent attack, but even worse for her due to the previous awful experience with Linda. Great explanation! Vicki Interesting conversation re: Lois. I didn't see a professional closing off the extraneous in order to focus on the essential; I saw a woman hanging by a thread and, to quote Emily, "in a bad place". One thing I love about these boards is how readers have different takes on what happens. I think Lois was 'hanging by a thread' and because of that, she reverted (because of her training?) to being the aloof professional. SJH I dont think we've seen the last of Moyne. There just has to be a Clark-Moyne face off of some kind. Uhmm. There will be a 'face-off'. Joy I like to think that any decent man finds the idea of rape abhorrent. True Love although I doubt it was Moyne, since she would not have been so protective of him Exactly why I didn't make it Moyne or his father. Emily Now let's just get back to fixing Lois and Clark! Sounds likes a plan. Many thanks for all of your comments. I have to go and make some dinner for my family. After that, I'll be back and post Part 15. Corrina.
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