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Joined: Jan 2011
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Features Writer
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OP
Features Writer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966 |
I know finishing this story has taken longer than I thought it would, but I am nearly done!  Thanks for being patient! Hope you enjoy--and please comment!
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2010
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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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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9,509
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9,509 |
Wait. Wait. Wait. The blinding light? The revelation that Lois had at the end of 12? Was that CLARK loved HER? Ooooh. Evil fic writer. You got us all! She hadn't realized this before? Here we all thought that she had made some discovery that WE thought was NEW! Argh!  I am glad that Lois is realizing that the Superman that's out there isn't trustworthy. You'd think she'd be more  How can she keep thinking that THIS Superman is the same GOOD Superman that she loved before? How can she trust him in light of all the negative evidence piling up against him? How can she still love bad Superman over Clark? Someone hit this woman with a car and lamp-post, because Wanda Detroit had more brains! At least Henderson is on the job and is making sure that she's not speaking when there might be bugs in the apartment. Smart man. Where's Jimmy? Why hasn't he returned?
VirginiaR.
"On the long road, take small steps." -- Jor-el, "The Foundling"
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"clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2003
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O...kay. So I was wrong about what she believed. I thought she finally believed what Clark had been telling her. But no, she still thinks everything he said was crazy-talk. So, what did she believe? I went back and re-read, and I think I get it now. Unsatisfied, still feeling that at any moment blood would start seeping from a wound he didn't yet realize he had, I tore open his coveralls and stared disbelievingly at the t-shirt beneath. <...> Needing to convince myself, I ran my hands over his chest again and again before finally realizing that he had not been shot. <...> "You're okay," I whispered--to him and to myself. "You're okay."
And only then, with his hand caressing my hair, did I finally believe. If I'm reading this right, she thinks he's been shot but doesn't realize it. She searches for a wound; she knows what she heard and saw. Finally, she allows herself to believe that Clark is alive and hasn't been shot.No eureka moment. No "Clark is Superman." (Breaths sigh of relief on that one) No "Clark was telling me the truth about Superman." Not even, if I read it right, "Clark is in love with me." Just "Clark wasn't shot." Right? The good thing about all of us reading too much into this passage is that, now that I know what was meant, I absolutely MUST have more! I'm compelled to keep reading. I know it's coming. If not now, soon. It's just one chapter away. Or two. Or three. Aaaaaah! When, Lois? WHEN??!!!
"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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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Feb 2007
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Whoa!  So Superman himself created quite havoc for their bodyguards! I think Lois is still so preoccupied with thinking about Clark and her feelings and her thinking she had lost him, that she is not thinking straight or thinking through all the clues she has been given regarding this Superman not being the good guy she thought; after all she hardly reacted to Henderson not knowing what she meant about Nigel. And of course, they were interrupted in their conversation when Henderson realized the apartment could have been bugged. If Henderson didn't know about the clone Supes before now, I think he will put it together once he speaks to L&C. And Lois seems on the brink of putting two and two together to make Clark = Superman, but only once she more than doubts the guy currently wearing the suit and can use her logic to see it's not the box as a reminder of his imprisonment that affects Clark, but what's in the box! Can't wait for more!! 
EvelynC
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3 |
"A doctor," I commanded the man. Serrated shards of light and darkness were alternating within my head and embers burned in my left arm; the only way to distract myself was to focus on what we needed to do. "We need a doctor. Clark--" There's that distancing thing again, Lois. "It's nothing," I said with a shrug that made me immediately wince with pain, belying my statement. Typical Lois. "Clark!" I exclaimed, a ray of light suddenly piercing through the mental haze. "Do you know what this means? We have Nigel! If we can get him to testify against Luthor, we...we could be almost done with this." So *that* was her revelation? *sigh* As if my thought had summoned him when my cries for help couldn't, a whoosh preceded Superman's hasty entrance into the warehouse. His step checked briefly as he took in the scene. A strange expression reshaped his features, but when he met my eyes, I saw only aloof neutrality. Oh no! *groans* Anti-Supes to the anti-rescue! "I'll take him," Superman offered. "It looks like I was...too late...for the original rescue. So, the least I can do is drop him off for you." Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! "Oh, thank you!" I sagged a bit in relief. Oh come on, Lois? Are you *that* thickheaded??> Not that I was in the best shape to analyze his expressions; not that I could tear my attention from Clark's quickly dwindling strength and warm touch to focus on the superhero. Well, at least she's so focused on Clark. "Clark. We'll talk later." Oh oh! "I'm sorry," Clark mumbled when I had to support him on our way up the steps into my apartment building. "I thought I was done with this." Hmmm....he thought his strength was back fully? Or he thought he'd never make a rescue again? For a long month, Clark had faced the kind of treatment I had gotten such a small taste of today...and I hadn't come for him. I hadn't even looked for him. Luthor might have been the one who imprisoned and tortured Clark, but I was the one who had let him stay there. It's so fantastically sad how much Lois is beating herself up for Clark's imprisonment. Such a wonderful thing to see. A slightly guilty expression painted itself across his face. "I overheard you talking to Perry." So the superhearing is really starting to come back? Something took my heart in a tight hold as I stared back at him, something that made colors seem brighter, edges seem sharper, and days seem both longer and shorter and altogether infinitely more worth living. Something that made it hard to breathe and stilled the dizzy swirl the room seemed to want to travel around me. The word you are looking for is: LOVE. "It was easier this morning," he said, as if that explained anything. His jaw clenched as he looked away. "I don't know that it'll be as easy tomorrow." True, soon he'll need his heat vision for that again. a second thought, I stretched myself out beside him and took him into my arms, resting my head on his chest. It would be hysterical if Perry walked in right about now... I frowned suddenly. That hadn't been Clark. That had been Superman. He had crashed through the thick, reinforced walls as if they had been paper and caught me before I could fall. He had carried me outside into the cool air and set me down on my feet only when he was convinced that I could remain upright.
Clark hadn't been there that day.
And Superman hadn't been there the day in Smallville when I had suddenly--as sudden as the sound of a gunshot--realized just how much Clark meant to me, not just as a partner, but as a friend. When I had seen how close I could come to losing him and ran to him and taken him into my arms because I knew, then, that I did not ever want to be without him. Interesting parallel to how Clark's/Superman's face touch clues in Lois in the show. Hopefully this version of Lois is as swift on the uptake. I had almost kissed Clark. Yeah, the *almost* part of that is the problem. *Hopeful bubble for a Lois revelation pops* Finally, with a deep sigh, I burrowed closer to Clark and slept, falling into a dream where Clark cradled me in his arms and took me flying through the skies, his glasses casting bright sparkles of light until I took them off with a laugh and tucked them protectively close to myself as the wind caressed us with cool fingers. To quote Tempus: "Hello? Duh! Clark Kent *is* Superman!" "Your statement?" Henderson repeated. "Superman? What are you talking about? You're sure you're all right?" And that comes as a shock to no one. Are you getting the big picture yet, Lois???? Bingo! At least you figured out *something*, Lois! Another wonderful chapter! Please post more soon. This is slow torture waiting to see what is going to happen! 
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent
"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,425 Likes: 1 |
I had promised myself that I wasn't going to do any quoting here, but I couldn't resist this: Something took my heart in a tight hold as I stared back at him, something that made colors seem brighter, edges seem sharper, and days seem both longer and shorter and altogether infinitely more worth living. Something that made it hard to breathe and stilled the dizzy swirl the room seemed to want to travel around me. What elegant, eloquent prose! In this part, Lois' subconscious mind is shouting at her conscious one that CK=S, but she is still in denial. I wonder for how long? Will "Superman's" doing what I had figured he would do -- not turning Nigel and the henchman in (and, presumably, returning them safe and sound to Lex) be the clue that will finally tell Lois that something is seriously amiss and that 'Superman' is not all he appears to be? I would guess that part 14 will tell... Joy, Lynn p.s., I had a really wild idea: What if there is more than one superclone? One whose alliance is 100% with Lex and another who has started to be a bit more independent and who is, at minimum, fond of Lois. This is probably way off the wall. But if this isn't a story that contains multiple super-clones, perhaps someone should write such a story. It would be interesting.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 30 |
That's a good point. Where is Jimmy with the evidence against Luthor?
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,724 Likes: 1 |
More dreams blurring Superman and Clark - Lois your subconscious is trying to tell you something! I love this: Yet the letter didn't really change anything, I realized with an inward start. Clark was the same person he had been before. It was only I who had changed. I who had grown with the realization that Clark didn't fit into the nice, neat label I had given him upon our first introduction. He didn't slide into any category I had assigned him--in fact, he seemed to move between them, partner and friend and brother and-- It's wonderful to see Lois slowly realizing her feelings for Clark - though she's not all the way there yet. Joan
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2003
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Deadly Chakram said: quote:
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"It was easier this morning," he said, as if that explained anything. His jaw clenched as he looked away. "I don't know that it'll be as easy tomorrow."
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True, soon he'll need his heat vision for that again. D.C., I think he already does (or at least *did*) need it. I read this to mean that the reason he shaved that morning was because he'd only just that day gotten his heat vision back. Now that Nigel's exposed him to K, his powers are gone again, so shaving won't be so easy. Speaking of Clark being exposed to K and losing his powers, I'm getting the craziest feeling that Superclone has K on him.  I have no idea how that could be possible, but it seems everytime he shows up, Clark gets noticeably weaker and sicker. Is that just my imagination? Must have more! Please? 
"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: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3 |
Interesting points, Vicki!
I took the shaving thing to mean that today his invulnerability wasn't back so he could shave with a razor, but tomorrow that might not be the case.
I think Clark getting weaker in Superclone's presence is more due to the fear that is hanging over Clark's head.
It's so wonderful how Anti-K leaves it up for interpretation and keeps us guessing!!!
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent
"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: May 2003
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Hi there again,
concerning the shaving comment. I, too, believe that his heat vision was back and is gone again. It just makes sense.
Just take the hearing he indicates, the strength to move the truck (at least I think that was him).
I'm so glad Lois is starting to see the light (pun intended), but she's still got a long way to go. But Anti-Supes made a big mistake in not turning Nigel over, I mean, Lois! He let Nigel goooooo! Think, woman, think!!
Also, I'm starting to believe that Clark's talks with Superman are a bit more sinister than what I originally thought. Meaning, does Supes dose CK with K to keep him out of his way?
In any case... looking forward to the next chapter.
~Sira.
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Joined: Jan 2011
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Features Writer
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OP
Features Writer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966 |
All right, my Internet is back up, so hopefully things will go a bit more smoothly now! Glad you're still enjoying it, Mozartmaid! I was afraid that the amount of time it took to get answers would make people frustrated and (shudder) cause them to stop reading. So, anyway, I'm delighted that you're still involved and enjoying it! Vicki, you're right about what Lois realized. And I apologize because I really never meant that paragraph to be a big deal, which made it a bit fun to read the feedback. I hope it wasn't too disappointing. Thanks for commenting! Love your detailed speculation, EvelynC! Yes, Lois has been through quite a lot--enough to put the rest of us in a hospital bed, I suspect --and realizing that CK=SM is quite a leap for her to make. But...soon.  Sorry about the slow torture, Deadly Chakram. Hopefully, it's at least a pleasurable pain, anyway? Thanks so much, Lynn!  And more than one Superman out there? Hmm...an interesting idea. I know it seems like it, Morgana, but I really haven't forgotten Jimmy! Thanks, scifiJoan. Writing Lois's slow transferral--or is that 'realization'--of love to Clark is one of the best things about writing this story! Thanks, Vicki! And you're right about the shaving, but Deadly Chakram's right in that a little ambiguity's always good. I read somewhere that a writer is never supposed to write as much as he/she really knows, that they're always just supposed to leave a tiny bit unclarified. Easily misused, I imagine, but I keep it in mind. Love your comments, Sira! Can't answer too many questions, but thanks for the feedback! Thanks, everyone, for telling me what you think of the story! Glad you're all enjoying!
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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
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"I'm fine," Clark assured his friend--and me, I suspected. "Lois, this is Harv. I met him when we were investigating the South Side fires. He used to be one of my sources, but today, he let me borrow a uniform and hitch a ride with him." Aaaaahhhh As if my thought had summoned him when my cries for help couldn't, a whoosh preceded Superman's hasty entrance into the warehouse. His step checked briefly as he took in the scene. A strange expression reshaped his features, but when he met my eyes, I saw only aloof neutrality. Wonder how that's going to go... "Thanks," I said again when Superman bent and hoisted Nigel up. I forced a smile for him, feeling a bit bad that I couldn't spare him more attention. But he performed rescues all the time, I assured myself; he surely understood that there were more important things to attend to at the moment. Leaving Nigel with Superman, that can't be good. But how will he convince Lois he's still on the up and up? "Clark. We'll talk later." That can't be good either. "I thought I was done with this." Bursting into warehouses, not knowing how to pull off the rescue when the bad guys have guns? A slightly guilty expression painted itself across his face. "I overheard you talking to Perry." Huh. I checked the first time when Clark showed up and I don't think Lois ever mentioned Lulu or the Red Light District. So, the only way for him to know is by hearing Perry. Or asking Perry. And confessing to the first, now, there's a clue. "You overheard me," I repeated, at first surprised before remembering that there were several instances when Clark had demonstrated that he had remarkable hearing. "Oh, Perry--" But Lois has more important things on her mind than overzealous partners. "It was easier this morning," he said, as if that explained anything. His jaw clenched as he looked away. "I don't know that it'll be as easy tomorrow." Uh-huh. OTOH, he will still be vulnerable, won't he? Or is he just referring to putting a sharp object against his soft skin. The box. Whatever was in it--more of the drug they had dosed him with, I guessed--scared him. The simple sight of it was enough to pause him. And yet...he had still forced himself forward. Still come to me.  Michael
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Features Writer
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OP
Features Writer
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Posts: 966 |
Thanks for the feedback!
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Joined: Apr 2007
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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: 9,066 Likes: 31 |
Umm... /looks at Muse, who appears to be intently examining a very bland spot of wall/ Umm... Michael
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