From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG9803D" ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 00:13:09 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peace Everett Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time In-Reply-To: <199803212233_MC2-3790-9E09@compuserve.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable March 28, 1998, 8 p.m. EST works for me. Peace ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 07:59:59 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Schmill Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- and OVERSEAS Fans In-Reply-To: <199803212233_MC2-3790-9E09@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" March 22, 1998 Hi, Folcies! At 10:32 PM 3/21/98 -0500, Pam Jernigan wrote: [ ... ] >The *other* important question to consider is, what time of day should >we begin? I don't know if it's possible to set a time that will accomodate >all the FOLCs around the world. And if it comes down to it, I think that >we have more Australians than Germans, so that's the group we have to try >hardest to include. I'm sorry, my German friends, but that's how the >numbers work out. > >Just as a starting point, let's think about doing it at 8pm Eastern time >(from Eastern time, subtract 3 to get the Pacific time; add 6 to get German >time, and add 11-14 to get the time across Australia (I think)) (There's >another reason to do this thing sooner than later - starting in April we'll >have to worry about Daylight/Summer time around the world...). Saturday is a good day as most people can sleep in a bit on Sunday. However, though I am not entirely sure on the List's statistics, I am fairly sure that taken together, there should be at least as many EUROPEAN overseas fans as there are fans in Australia and New Zealand. Europe is not just made up or represented by Germans. I know at least of the UK, Ireland, France, Norway and Spain being there in addition, and European being as geographically small as it is, the only different time zone I am aware of is the one hour that GMT is closer to you Americans. Raising my voice here and asking for a starting time that is more considerate of us Europeans over here is NOT a personal preference as I am in a position to be flexible enough to go by a semi-EST schedule anyways. Not everyone is, though. 8 pm EST is 2 am in Germany, Norway, France, etc. and 1 am in the UK and Ireland. (Sorry, I'm not sure about Spain; I *think* that goes by GMT, too.) When doing some arithmetic that would avoid times that MOST people would be asleep, i.e. between midnight and 5 pm any given local time, I cam up with 5 pm EST as a possible starting time. That would mean a really starting at 11 pm Central European/10 pm GMT (a rather late curfew for us Europeans) a n d 7 am Sunday "down under" (calculating with Austrilia being 14 hours ahead of EST), which is early to get up on Sunday, but manageable IMO. That would put you Americans between 2 and 5 pm, fairly regular hours IMO. I am posting this to BOTH lists in an attempt to reach as many "overseas FoLC's" as possible. PLEASE speak up for yourselves, guys, indicating what times would be good for YOU. With the Kerth Awards being a great gesture in recognizing folcdom's finest writers and fanfic being THE most important contributing factor in keeping our show alive in my opinion, I would like as many fans as possible to be given a chance to attend the ceremony. If we scheduled it somewhere in the afternoon for you USsers, you'd still get the most convenient time out of the lot. My two cents here. Going back into lurking now. Doris Schmill ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 10:42:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Chapter 4 CJ spent most of the next day cleaning up the room he had been staying in, his father's old room, and the loading the cab of his truck with the necessities of a long trip. His Grandmother prepared him a huge batch of brownies to take home to his mother, and several other tasty snacks for himself. Once the truck was ready to go, he spent what was left of the day with his grandfather grandfather. CJ had always enjoyed spending time at the farm, and the last several weeks had been fun, but he wanted to be back at home with Kat. Now that he knew she didn't hate him, he was anxious to get back into his relationship with his best friend. Jonathan understood CJ's need, and tolerated the decision with good humor. Frankly, Jonathan had expected CJ to become bored with the farm before this time, and that would have happened if CJ hadn't spent so much time developing his abilities while he was there. Martha insisted that CJ wait until the next morning to leave for Metropolis. She had a great deal of confidence in his driving skills, and she was willing to allow him to make the drive alone, but she did not want him making the drive in the dark. CJ was disappointed that he would have to wait, but he was indeed proud that his grandparents would let him make the drive without his father at all. Martha and Jonathan had always been more supportive of his independence than his parents, but he believed that this was because they had already raised their child, and understood the value of independence. It wasn't that Lois or Clark was stifling, just that they were protective. When the morning came, and all the good-byes were said, CJ drove back to his home in Claremont. He was tired, but proud when he arrived at home just before dark, and he was also glad to see his parents. He spent a great deal of time telling them about his adventures on the farm, and explaining how his powers were developing. Clark made a point to remind him of keeping the abilities secret, but CJ was already learning to cover his increasing strength and speed. Once his parents were finished quizzing him, CJ made his way into his bedroom. He spent a few minutes writing in his journal, then he picked up his phone. He had been waiting all day to make this call, and he couldn't wait any longer. Kat answered on the third ring, "Hello?" "Hey, Kat. I'm home, now." CJ was stumbling over his words. He suddenly felt so stupid. "That's great. How was your trip?" "It was cool," CJ stumbled. "I guess I'm tired, but it was fun coming back by myself. I didn't feel so much like a baby." "Is something wrong, CJ?" CJ squirmed a bit more, "No. I don't think so. I'm just tired." "Well, maybe you should get some sleep, then." "I guess so. Good night, Kat." "Night, CJ." CJ hung up the phone feeling confused and shaken. He had always been able to talk to Kat, and he didn't know what the problem was. It wasn't supposed to make a difference, this change in his life. Kat had apparently dealt with it, and it wasn't bothering her any more. At least, she hadn't mentioned it. He was the one who was feeling uncomfortable and awkward. He supposed it was probably from the argument as much as anything, but that didn't make sense either. They had argued many times in the last few years, usually over small things, and when they were speaking again things went right back to normal. He couldn't figure out why this felt so different. He had been so anxious to get back to see her. It amazed him that now, when he was here, he had no idea what to say. He didn't know if he should bring up the subject, or work around it. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and in the process his caution was making him miserable. She was his best friend, and he should be able to talk to her. That was, after all, what had started this whole mess in the beginning. He had just wanted to share this part of his life with her. Now, he just wished it could all go away, and be back to the way it had been. At the very least, he realized why his father had kept secrets for so many years. CJ finally managed to reign in his wandering thoughts enough to get ready for bed. He brushed his teeth, found his shorts in his suitcase, and dressed for bed. Before laying down, he crept out into the hall, and down to his parent's room. He paused a moment at their closed door, considering, then he knocked quietly. After a moment, his father's voice called out, rather breathless, "What do you need, CJ?" "I just wanted to say good night." CJ heard rustling, then was startled when his mother opened the door. She enveloped him in the kind of hug that he had loved as a child, and tolerated as an adolescent. CJ hugged back, as much for his own pleasure as for hers. "I missed you, Sweetie." "I missed you, too, Mom." "Good night, Son," Clark called, still in the bed. "Night, Dad." While CJ headed back to his room, Lois climbed back into her bed next to Clark. "That was unusual," she remarked. "Usually, I have to hold him down to get a hug, or even a 'good night' for that matter." "Maybe he missed us," Clark mused, as he put his arm around his wife's waist. He tugged gently, pulling her into the cradle of his body. He sighed softly as she wiggled her bottom into his groin. "You keep that up, and I'll have to finish what we started before CJ came in." "Well," Lois smiled, "you do what you have to do." She wiggled her bottom against him once more for emphasis. "You do know how to get into trouble, don't you." Clark grinned broadly as Lois looked over her shoulder at him. "I do try," she assured him with a kiss. "I do try." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The next morning, CJ was up with the sun. He put away the clothes that he had taken to Smallville, then he made his way into the kitchen. "You're early," Lois commented. "I didn't eat much dinner," CJ replied as he grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the table. "I figured if I got up early enough Dad might make breakfast." "Sorry, Sweetie. Your dad had to leave early." "Is there a problem at the paper?" Lois considered a moment before answering her son. They had never liked lying to him about Clark's mysterious disappearances, but it had become a habit. It would be impossible to trust a small child with the secret. CJ had an incredible pride in his father to begin with. If they had added the knowledge that his father was really Superman, it would have spread trough the sandbox and into the school yard within days. They had begun making the excuses quite early, and then it had been a matter of not knowing when it would be appropriate to tell him the truth. When Clark had finally revealed to CJ the truth, it had changed the situation. They no longer had to lie to him, but Lois was still unsure how much of the truth to tell him. "There was a problem, but it wasn't with the paper," she explained. "He heard something on the television that he heeded to check out." "Oh," CJ said, quietly. He seemed to forget that his father was Superman. He knew about his father's powers, that much was easy to take, but he had thought about Superman as another person for so long that he found it impossible to combine the two images in his mind. "I guess that means I'm cooking breakfast, then." "You and your father! You won't let me near a kitchen," Lois said with a smile. CJ returned her grin and replied, "That's because we value our health." Lois smacked her son playfully, marveling for a moment how much he was like his father. He had the same sense of humor, and the same gentle manner. He was beginning to look like his father as well, and as he stood in front of the stove frying French toast she was stunned. Dressed only in the shorts he had slept in, he clearly showed that his body was becoming more adult than she had realized. She wondered just how long she would have to wait before she had to really become worried about him. He had always been a beautiful child. His wide brown eyes and wavy dark hair should have looked decidedly average, but on him it did not. He had grown quite handsome in the last few years, and she was beginning to develop a motherly concern about his life. He was a good boy, true, but he was just a boy. The challenges of development were becoming greater by the day, and while she didn't worry about drugs or alcohol, she did worry about girls. CJ had excellent judgment, and was well able to decide what was not safe. He had a wonderful rapport with his parents, and was able to tell them anything. But, how would he react when girls started falling all over him? Lois had expressed her concern to Clark a few months ago, and he had just shrugged it off. Clark had never had difficulty fielding the advances of the women around him. He had been polite, but made it clear that he wasn't really interested. Clark assumed that CJ would have that same tact, combined with the knowledge of when and where to use it. Lois wasn't quite so sure. She had fallen into to many bad relationships, and she didn't want CJ to do the same. While he normally did show good judgment, he was only a boy. Lois set her concern aside for a moment as she watched her son fix the breakfast. Fortunately he also had his father's ability in the kitchen. Lois was certainly pleased with this as well. CJ was going to be a wonderful man, just as wonderful as his father. She was sure of it. She gratefully accepted the plate when he offered, and enjoyed the meal before getting dressed for work. CJ accepted his mother's departure with good grace. Since he had turned twelve, he had been what was termed as a "latch key" kid during the summers. He didn't mind the label, or the responsibility. He enjoyed having the time alone to write, and if it was unusual that a young boy didn't look for ways to get into trouble, CJ wasn't aware of it. He valued his parents opinions, and he worked hard to earn their respect. He had learned earlier than most teenagers that respect was a two way street, and if he wanted his parents to allow him to do as he wished, he needed to make his decisions responsibly. CJ quickly cleaned up the kitchen, and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Glancing at the clock, he saw that Kat should be awake by now, and he went to his room to change. As he entered the room, he saw Kat sliding his window open from the outside. "Need something?" Kat jumped at least a foot, hitting her head on the window. She glared at CJ with a typical evil look. "You could warn a person, you know." She pulled her other leg through the window and up onto the window ledge, leaving behind the large tree limb that had served as her ladder up into CJ’s room. "Maybe, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun." Somehow, seeing her there, joking like she had always done, reassured him that their relationship was not irrevocably damaged. It restored his comfort with her as nothing else could. CJ reached down to help her through the window. He placed his hands on her sides, and just lifted. Kat came quickly through the window, and found herself sitting on the ledge. She studied her friend for a moment, vaguely surprised that he looked the same as he always did. It wasn't that she had expected him to grow horns or anything, but her perception of him had changed enough that she almost expected to see a physical difference. "Thanks," she told him, "you really are strong." "I guess I am," he answered, even though it really wasn't a question. After a moment, with concern he asked, "Does that bother you?" Kat shifted uncomfortably. She looked up at him, but failed to allow her green eyes to meet his. He had been her best friend forever, but she was still dealing with the fact that he had lied to her. "How strong are you?" she asked. "Well, I'm not bench pressing cars, yet. My dad says he could do that at my age. I guess I'm pretty strong, though." "But, you can't fly?" "Not yet." Too bad," she offered. "That would be really neat." "I guess it would. Maybe I'll have my dad take me. I never really thought about it before." He moved to sit next to her on the window ledge, and leaned his head back against the window. "So, you don't even know what you can do, yet?" CJ sighed. He had known the questions were inevitable. He had even looked forward to them at first. He liked the idea of sharing his discoveries with a friend. His fear was that soon the abilities were all she would be able to see. It was his hope that discussing this with Kat would help him sort it all out, but that just didn't seem to be happening. In fact, the more she questioned, the less sure of himself he became. "My dad says that we have to learn as we go. I'm different than anyone else because I'm only half from Krypton, so there's no way to tell what I will turn out like." Kat considered the information for a moment. She had to keep reminding herself that this was her best friend. He kept throwing out terms and ideas that had no place in her orderly life, and she wasn't sure how to take it. CJ was not the person that she had always known, and that would take some getting used to. "Let's start with what you can do. What's the coolest thing, so far?" CJ thought about it for a moment. He had mixed feelings about his abilities. He appreciated the strength and speed, of course, but he wasn't sure that was the best thing. He liked being able to start fires with his sight, and hear his mother calling from a mile away, but they weren't the best thing either. Further, he wasn't sure he had explored all of his abilities yet, and the best might be yet to come. "It's cool to see through things," he told her. "I can tell who's on the other side of a door before I open it, and I can see if there are fish in the water before I choose a place to set up my fishing pole. Yeah, I guess the best is the vision." "You can see through anything but lead, right?" Kat asked, remembering what she had read about Superman. "Yeah. But most metals give me a little trouble. Dad said that might get better with time." "Can you see like that all the time?" Kat asked as she stood and crossed the room to sit on the edge of his bed. "Not all the time," he answered. "I have to concentrate on it, really think hard. Even then, if I'm tired, it kind of fades in and out, like looking through a veil or something." "So, you can't always see through my clothes?" Kat finally addressed her primary area of concern. After all, it was uncomfortable enough to have your best friend be a boy, without wondering if he was literally undressing you all the time. CJ smiled, then laughed, not realizing that Kat had developed an angry expression on her face. "I only did it to prove a point, Kat. I don't care what color girl's underwear are." "It's not my underwear I'm worried about," Kat confided. "It worries me that you can see past the underwear if you want to." CJ's laugh softened into a gentle smile, a smile that would have stunned his mother in it's resemblance to his father. "You are my best friend. I would never embarrass you like that. It would be like sneaking into your bedroom or something, and I know that's just wrong. My parents taught me better than that." Kat smiled a little in return. She was both relived and a little disappointed that CJ was such a sweet friend. As they had gotten older, she knew that her friends though CJ was really cute, and she had begun to hope that someday they could be boyfriend and girlfriend, but she wasn't ready for the concept of loving an alien. ******************** Kat was just finishing up her shift at the convenience mart when she heard an unfamiliar voice. When she looked up, she saw a handsome boy, really cute, with huge blue eyes and a killer smile. "Hi, I'm Andy. I'm new here. My mom wanted me to pick up some batteries, and I don't see any." He flashed the killer smile once more, and Kat just stared. After a moment of standing there very much like an idiot, Kat finally processed beyond the boy's looks, and his words began to register. Andy failed to notice her glazed expression, or perhaps was too polite to mention it, but he waited patiently until she found her voice. "Batteries...ummm...well, what size do you need. We keep them behind the counter so no one will walk off with them. Not that you would do that, but that's just what we do." Kat attempted to cover her nervousness with babble, much as Lois would do, but she was unaware of how poorly it served that purpose. "Double A," Andy replied. He watched the girl nervously twirl her hair and fidget. She was kind of pretty. She had wavy brown hair that reached her shoulders and it had a pretty red shine to it. Her eyes were an unusual green, and they were really wide. She wasn’t fat, but she wasn't really skinny either. She looked like she was in shape, maybe she was a runner or something. In any case, she seemed sweet, and she wasn't bad to look at. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Kat stopped in the act of reaching for the batteries located beneath the counter. She thought briefly of CJ, but he wasn't really a boyfriend. He was her friend, and he was a boy, but that was about it. She wondered if he thought of her as a girlfriend, and decided that he didn't. He had certainly never said anything like that, and she didn't expect him to. "No boyfriend," she told him. "Why?" "I just wondered if you might want to go out. I don't know many things to do around here, but maybe we could catch a movie or something." He looked at her hopefully. She really was pretty, and he would like to get to know her. After a moment of thought, Kat decided that she had little to lose. He was nice looking, after all, and her dad had said that she should spend time with people other than CJ. "I'll have to ask my dad," she told him. "But, I would like to go out." Andy flashed the killer smile once more. He gave her his telephone number, and paid for the batteries before leaving the store. As soon as he had left, Kat called her father at work. While he was a little annoyed at being interrupted at work, he was pleased that Kat was showing interest in another boy. He felt that she was much too young to be getting serious about one boy, and while she insisted that her relationship with CJ was purely friendship, he had his doubts. He had little trust for teenage boys, vividly remembering being one himself, and he was worried for his daughter. It had been hard raising her alone, and if it had not been for the Kents he might not have managed it, but that didn't mean that he was ready to hand his daughter over to their son. Kat was thrilled that her dad had given her permission to go out, and she couldn't wait to call Andy. She waited on a few more customers, and then decided that it had been long enough for him to make it home. She dialed the number that he had given her, and was surprised when he answered the phone. She told him of her father's decision, and agreed to meet him at the small theater in town. She reminded herself that she didn't know him, so she didn't give him her home address. It made her feel just a little guilty when she called CJ to tell him that she would not be over to watch videotapes that night, but she rationalized that he wasn't really a boyfriend, so she shouldn't feel too bad. Oddly, he didn't ask her why she had to change her plans, he just agreed and told her that he hoped they might be able to do it soon. Kat spent hours getting ready for the "date". It was the first time that she had gone out with a boy when she wasn't part of a group, so it was special. When Andy arrived at her house to pick her up, she introduced him to her father. They seemed to get along well enough, and the meeting was short. Once that formality was taken care of, they left the house in Andy's car. It wasn't as nice as CJ's truck, and didn't look as well kept up. Nevertheless, it drove well, and Kat soon found herself entering downtown Claremont, and heading toward the Ciniplex there. The little theatre specialized in older movies, classics really, and it was less expensive than one of the larger ones that showed the newest releases. The movie was really good. Kat enjoyed the thriller about the doomed ocean vessel, and regardless of knowing how the ending must be, and the fact that she had watched it a dozen times with CJ, she still cried when so many people died. Andy was fascinated with the special effects used in the movie, and was still talking about them with animation as they left the theater. Kat had liked being able to watch a movie with a friend, and if she was a little disappointed because the other girls in the audience had their boyfriend's arm around them, she didn't think about it too much. The return trip to her house was slightly more eventful. Just a few miles outside of the city, just before reaching the little suburb where she lived, Andy's car gave out. They pulled over at the side of the road, and decided that they would walk together to the nearest house. Andy didn't want to leave Kat alone in the car, so he took her with him. After several hundred yards, Kat twisted her ankle and fell on the side of the road. The joke had always been that the potholes here were big enough to eat a car, and that might be an exaggeration, but they truly were big enough to give a girl wearing high heels a bit of trouble. Kat screamed when she fell, and she really did try not to cry, but the pain was more than she could handle. She sobbed quietly as Andy tried to comfort her, and tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't leave her there, it was just as unsafe as leaving her in the car would have been. He also couldn't get her into town when she was crying so hard. He put his arms around her as she cried, and he considered his options. The decision was taken from him, though, as a very angry CJ pulled up in his truck, and stopped with a squeal of tires. CJ had heard Kat's scream. He didn't know how he had heard it, and known instantly that it was her, but he had. He had recognized her gasp of pain instantly, and her sobs had torn at his heart. He had barely remembered to get in his truck, rather than just running out of the house at top speed. He had managed to get in the truck, and race to her rescue, without revealing his powers to the neighborhood. When the truck skidded to a stop, CJ leapt out quickly. What he saw was Kat sitting on the ground with Andy crouched over her. Kat was crying, and that was all CJ needed to know. As quickly as he could, he tackled Andy over Kat's head. He took the larger boy to the ground, and was proceeding to knock the stuffing out of him when a deep voice called his name from behind him. CJ didn't hear the voice, but he did feel the hands of Superman as he picked the teenager up and relocated him a safe distance away from Andy. Kat was still trying to figure out exactly what had happened. One minute, she had been hurting, but otherwise safe with Andy, and the next she was watching her best friend knock him senseless. Finally, she realized that CJ must have realized that she was in trouble, and just mistaken what that trouble was. She attempted to go to Andy's aide, but Superman's large hand held her back. "Would you care to explain what is going on here, young man?" Clark said in his sternest voice. In truth, the sternness wasn't only for effect, he was furious that CJ had driven so recklessly. "He hurt Kat," CJ sputtered. Both Kat and Andy looked at CJ with shocked expressions, and quickly denied that this was the case. It took several minutes of explaining to clear up the situation, and apologies took several minutes more. CJ was caught between what remained of his anger, something he didn't understand, and embarrassment over what he had done. Clark, too, was angry, but this was more due to his fear for his son's behavior than what might have happened between Andy and Kat. When the discussion finally ended, Clark flew Kat to the nearest emergency room to have her ankle x-rayed, and CJ drove Andy to the Claremont garage to arrange to have the car towed. The boys did talk some on the way to the garage. CJ apologized sheepishly once more, and Andy accepted the apology while rubbing the jaw that would soon bruise. When the reached the garage, Andy spoke before getting out of the truck. "Are you sure she's not your girlfriend?" he asked. CJ looked up in surprise. "Nah," he told him, "but she is my best friend, and I'd do anything for her." The look he gave Andy was still slightly threatening, and Andy took the hint. He nodded briefly before exiting the vehicle. CJ drove home slowly and carefully, and was quite relieved to see that his father wasn't yet home. He slipped up the stairs and entered his bedroom quietly. He turned off his television, which was now showing a different program than what he had been watching when Kat had screamed, and changed into some shorts to sleep in. His last thought before drifting off to sleep was that Andy had been lucky that Superman had shown up. He didn't really know how much damage he could have done if he hadn't been stopped, and Andy hadn't really had a chance. CJ was sure that his father would have a good deal to say about what had happened. He had used his strength carelessly, and someone could have been hurt. What's more, he could have been revealed as an alien, and that would have put the entire family in danger. CJ figured he was looking at least a month of grounding, but he decided it was worth it. After all, Kat had needed help. Maybe not the kind he had given, but the situation had worked out for the best. Now, if only he could convince his father of that. ***** continued tomorrow in chapter 5 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 10:56:13 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 1 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit It has come to my attention that Chapter 4 is too long for a single e-mail. I will divide it in half, and send it out in two parts for those of you who cannot recieve attachments. I apologize for any inconvienience. I am new at this :) Thanks for you patience, Crystal Wimmer Chapter 4 CJ spent most of the next day cleaning up the room he had been staying in, his father's old room, and the loading the cab of his truck with the necessities of a long trip. His Grandmother prepared him a huge batch of brownies to take home to his mother, and several other tasty snacks for himself. Once the truck was ready to go, he spent what was left of the day with his grandfather grandfather. CJ had always enjoyed spending time at the farm, and the last several weeks had been fun, but he wanted to be back at home with Kat. Now that he knew she didn't hate him, he was anxious to get back into his relationship with his best friend. Jonathan understood CJ's need, and tolerated the decision with good humor. Frankly, Jonathan had expected CJ to become bored with the farm before this time, and that would have happened if CJ hadn't spent so much time developing his abilities while he was there. Martha insisted that CJ wait until the next morning to leave for Metropolis. She had a great deal of confidence in his driving skills, and she was willing to allow him to make the drive alone, but she did not want him making the drive in the dark. CJ was disappointed that he would have to wait, but he was indeed proud that his grandparents would let him make the drive without his father at all. Martha and Jonathan had always been more supportive of his independence than his parents, but he believed that this was because they had already raised their child, and understood the value of independence. It wasn't that Lois or Clark was stifling, just that they were protective. When the morning came, and all the good-byes were said, CJ drove back to his home in Claremont. He was tired, but proud when he arrived at home just before dark, and he was also glad to see his parents. He spent a great deal of time telling them about his adventures on the farm, and explaining how his powers were developing. Clark made a point to remind him of keeping the abilities secret, but CJ was already learning to cover his increasing strength and speed. Once his parents were finished quizzing him, CJ made his way into his bedroom. He spent a few minutes writing in his journal, then he picked up his phone. He had been waiting all day to make this call, and he couldn't wait any longer. Kat answered on the third ring, "Hello?" "Hey, Kat. I'm home, now." CJ was stumbling over his words. He suddenly felt so stupid. "That's great. How was your trip?" "It was cool," CJ stumbled. "I guess I'm tired, but it was fun coming back by myself. I didn't feel so much like a baby." "Is something wrong, CJ?" CJ squirmed a bit more, "No. I don't think so. I'm just tired." "Well, maybe you should get some sleep, then." "I guess so. Good night, Kat." "Night, CJ." CJ hung up the phone feeling confused and shaken. He had always been able to talk to Kat, and he didn't know what the problem was. It wasn't supposed to make a difference, this change in his life. Kat had apparently dealt with it, and it wasn't bothering her any more. At least, she hadn't mentioned it. He was the one who was feeling uncomfortable and awkward. He supposed it was probably from the argument as much as anything, but that didn't make sense either. They had argued many times in the last few years, usually over small things, and when they were speaking again things went right back to normal. He couldn't figure out why this felt so different. He had been so anxious to get back to see her. It amazed him that now, when he was here, he had no idea what to say. He didn't know if he should bring up the subject, or work around it. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and in the process his caution was making him miserable. She was his best friend, and he should be able to talk to her. That was, after all, what had started this whole mess in the beginning. He had just wanted to share this part of his life with her. Now, he just wished it could all go away, and be back to the way it had been. At the very least, he realized why his father had kept secrets for so many years. CJ finally managed to reign in his wandering thoughts enough to get ready for bed. He brushed his teeth, found his shorts in his suitcase, and dressed for bed. Before laying down, he crept out into the hall, and down to his parent's room. He paused a moment at their closed door, considering, then he knocked quietly. After a moment, his father's voice called out, rather breathless, "What do you need, CJ?" "I just wanted to say good night." CJ heard rustling, then was startled when his mother opened the door. She enveloped him in the kind of hug that he had loved as a child, and tolerated as an adolescent. CJ hugged back, as much for his own pleasure as for hers. "I missed you, Sweetie." "I missed you, too, Mom." "Good night, Son," Clark called, still in the bed. "Night, Dad." While CJ headed back to his room, Lois climbed back into her bed next to Clark. "That was unusual," she remarked. "Usually, I have to hold him down to get a hug, or even a 'good night' for that matter." "Maybe he missed us," Clark mused, as he put his arm around his wife's waist. He tugged gently, pulling her into the cradle of his body. He sighed softly as she wiggled her bottom into his groin. "You keep that up, and I'll have to finish what we started before CJ came in." "Well," Lois smiled, "you do what you have to do." She wiggled her bottom against him once more for emphasis. "You do know how to get into trouble, don't you." Clark grinned broadly as Lois looked over her shoulder at him. "I do try," she assured him with a kiss. "I do try." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The next morning, CJ was up with the sun. He put away the clothes that he had taken to Smallville, then he made his way into the kitchen. "You're early," Lois commented. "I didn't eat much dinner," CJ replied as he grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the table. "I figured if I got up early enough Dad might make breakfast." "Sorry, Sweetie. Your dad had to leave early." "Is there a problem at the paper?" Lois considered a moment before answering her son. They had never liked lying to him about Clark's mysterious disappearances, but it had become a habit. It would be impossible to trust a small child with the secret. CJ had an incredible pride in his father to begin with. If they had added the knowledge that his father was really Superman, it would have spread trough the sandbox and into the school yard within days. They had begun making the excuses quite early, and then it had been a matter of not knowing when it would be appropriate to tell him the truth. When Clark had finally revealed to CJ the truth, it had changed the situation. They no longer had to lie to him, but Lois was still unsure how much of the truth to tell him. "There was a problem, but it wasn't with the paper," she explained. "He heard something on the television that he heeded to check out." "Oh," CJ said, quietly. He seemed to forget that his father was Superman. He knew about his father's powers, that much was easy to take, but he had thought about Superman as another person for so long that he found it impossible to combine the two images in his mind. "I guess that means I'm cooking breakfast, then." "You and your father! You won't let me near a kitchen," Lois said with a smile. CJ returned her grin and replied, "That's because we value our health." Lois smacked her son playfully, marveling for a moment how much he was like his father. He had the same sense of humor, and the same gentle manner. He was beginning to look like his father as well, and as he stood in front of the stove frying French toast she was stunned. Dressed only in the shorts he had slept in, he clearly showed that his body was becoming more adult than she had realized. She wondered just how long she would have to wait before she had to really become worried about him. He had always been a beautiful child. His wide brown eyes and wavy dark hair should have looked decidedly average, but on him it did not. He had grown quite handsome in the last few years, and she was beginning to develop a motherly concern about his life. He was a good boy, true, but he was just a boy. The challenges of development were becoming greater by the day, and while she didn't worry about drugs or alcohol, she did worry about girls. CJ had excellent judgment, and was well able to decide what was not safe. He had a wonderful rapport with his parents, and was able to tell them anything. But, how would he react when girls started falling all over him? Lois had expressed her concern to Clark a few months ago, and he had just shrugged it off. Clark had never had difficulty fielding the advances of the women around him. He had been polite, but made it clear that he wasn't really interested. Clark assumed that CJ would have that same tact, combined with the knowledge of when and where to use it. Lois wasn't quite so sure. She had fallen into to many bad relationships, and she didn't want CJ to do the same. While he normally did show good judgment, he was only a boy. Lois set her concern aside for a moment as she watched her son fix the breakfast. Fortunately he also had his father's ability in the kitchen. Lois was certainly pleased with this as well. CJ was going to be a wonderful man, just as wonderful as his father. She was sure of it. She gratefully accepted the plate when he offered, and enjoyed the meal before getting dressed for work. CJ accepted his mother's departure with good grace. Since he had turned twelve, he had been what was termed as a "latch key" kid during the summers. He didn't mind the label, or the responsibility. He enjoyed having the time alone to write, and if it was unusual that a young boy didn't look for ways to get into trouble, CJ wasn't aware of it. He valued his parents opinions, and he worked hard to earn their respect. He had learned earlier than most teenagers that respect was a two way street, and if he wanted his parents to allow him to do as he wished, he needed to make his decisions responsibly. CJ quickly cleaned up the kitchen, and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Glancing at the clock, he saw that Kat should be awake by now, and he went to his room to change. As he entered the room, he saw Kat sliding his window open from the outside. "Need something?" Kat jumped at least a foot, hitting her head on the window. She glared at CJ with a typical evil look. "You could warn a person, you know." She pulled her other leg through the window and up onto the window ledge, leaving behind the large tree limb that had served as her ladder up into CJ’s room. "Maybe, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun." Somehow, seeing her there, joking like she had always done, reassured him that their relationship was not irrevocably damaged. It restored his comfort with her as nothing else could. CJ reached down to help her through the window. He placed his hands on her sides, and just lifted. Kat came quickly through the window, and found herself sitting on the ledge. She studied her friend for a moment, vaguely surprised that he looked the same as he always did. It wasn't that she had expected him to grow horns or anything, but her perception of him had changed enough that she almost expected to see a physical difference. "Thanks," she told him, "you really are strong." "I guess I am," he answered, even though it really wasn't a question. After a moment, with concern he asked, "Does that bother you?" Kat shifted uncomfortably. She looked up at him, but failed to allow her green eyes to meet his. He had been her best friend forever, but she was still dealing with the fact that he had lied to her. "How strong are you?" she asked. "Well, I'm not bench pressing cars, yet. My dad says he could do that at my age. I guess I'm pretty strong, though." "But, you can't fly?" "Not yet." Too bad," she offered. "That would be really neat." "I guess it would. Maybe I'll have my dad take me. I never really thought about it before." He moved to sit next to her on the window ledge, and leaned his head back against the window. "So, you don't even know what you can do, yet?" CJ sighed. He had known the questions were inevitable. He had even looked forward to them at first. He liked the idea of sharing his discoveries with a friend. His fear was that soon the abilities were all she would be able to see. It was his hope that discussing this with Kat would help him sort it all out, but that just didn't seem to be happening. In fact, the more she questioned, the less sure of himself he became. "My dad says that we have to learn as we go. I'm different than anyone else because I'm only half from Krypton, so there's no way to tell what I will turn out like." Kat considered the information for a moment. She had to keep reminding herself that this was her best friend. He kept throwing out terms and ideas that had no place in her orderly life, and she wasn't sure how to take it. CJ was not the person that she had always known, and that would take some getting used to. "Let's start with what you can do. What's the coolest thing, so far?" ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 10:58:18 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit It has come to my attention that Chapter 4 is too long for a single e-mail. I will divide it in half, and send it out in two parts for those of you who cannot recieve attachments. I apologize for any inconvienience. I am new at this :) Thanks for you patience, Crystal Wimmer It has come to my attention that Chapter 4 is too long for a single e-mail. I will divide it in half, and send it out in two parts for those of you who cannot recieve attachments. I apologize for any inconvienience. I am new at this :) Thanks for you patience, Crystal Wimmer CJ thought about it for a moment. He had mixed feelings about his abilities. He appreciated the strength and speed, of course, but he wasn't sure that was the best thing. He liked being able to start fires with his sight, and hear his mother calling from a mile away, but they weren't the best thing either. Further, he wasn't sure he had explored all of his abilities yet, and the best might be yet to come. "It's cool to see through things," he told her. "I can tell who's on the other side of a door before I open it, and I can see if there are fish in the water before I choose a place to set up my fishing pole. Yeah, I guess the best is the vision." "You can see through anything but lead, right?" Kat asked, remembering what she had read about Superman. "Yeah. But most metals give me a little trouble. Dad said that might get better with time." "Can you see like that all the time?" Kat asked as she stood and crossed the room to sit on the edge of his bed. "Not all the time," he answered. "I have to concentrate on it, really think hard. Even then, if I'm tired, it kind of fades in and out, like looking through a veil or something." "So, you can't always see through my clothes?" Kat finally addressed her primary area of concern. After all, it was uncomfortable enough to have your best friend be a boy, without wondering if he was literally undressing you all the time. CJ smiled, then laughed, not realizing that Kat had developed an angry expression on her face. "I only did it to prove a point, Kat. I don't care what color girl's underwear are." "It's not my underwear I'm worried about," Kat confided. "It worries me that you can see past the underwear if you want to." CJ's laugh softened into a gentle smile, a smile that would have stunned his mother in it's resemblance to his father. "You are my best friend. I would never embarrass you like that. It would be like sneaking into your bedroom or something, and I know that's just wrong. My parents taught me better than that." Kat smiled a little in return. She was both relived and a little disappointed that CJ was such a sweet friend. As they had gotten older, she knew that her friends though CJ was really cute, and she had begun to hope that someday they could be boyfriend and girlfriend, but she wasn't ready for the concept of loving an alien. ******************** Kat was just finishing up her shift at the convenience mart when she heard an unfamiliar voice. When she looked up, she saw a handsome boy, really cute, with huge blue eyes and a killer smile. "Hi, I'm Andy. I'm new here. My mom wanted me to pick up some batteries, and I don't see any." He flashed the killer smile once more, and Kat just stared. After a moment of standing there very much like an idiot, Kat finally processed beyond the boy's looks, and his words began to register. Andy failed to notice her glazed expression, or perhaps was too polite to mention it, but he waited patiently until she found her voice. "Batteries...ummm...well, what size do you need. We keep them behind the counter so no one will walk off with them. Not that you would do that, but that's just what we do." Kat attempted to cover her nervousness with babble, much as Lois would do, but she was unaware of how poorly it served that purpose. "Double A," Andy replied. He watched the girl nervously twirl her hair and fidget. She was kind of pretty. She had wavy brown hair that reached her shoulders and it had a pretty red shine to it. Her eyes were an unusual green, and they were really wide. She wasn’t fat, but she wasn't really skinny either. She looked like she was in shape, maybe she was a runner or something. In any case, she seemed sweet, and she wasn't bad to look at. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Kat stopped in the act of reaching for the batteries located beneath the counter. She thought briefly of CJ, but he wasn't really a boyfriend. He was her friend, and he was a boy, but that was about it. She wondered if he thought of her as a girlfriend, and decided that he didn't. He had certainly never said anything like that, and she didn't expect him to. "No boyfriend," she told him. "Why?" "I just wondered if you might want to go out. I don't know many things to do around here, but maybe we could catch a movie or something." He looked at her hopefully. She really was pretty, and he would like to get to know her. After a moment of thought, Kat decided that she had little to lose. He was nice looking, after all, and her dad had said that she should spend time with people other than CJ. "I'll have to ask my dad," she told him. "But, I would like to go out." Andy flashed the killer smile once more. He gave her his telephone number, and paid for the batteries before leaving the store. As soon as he had left, Kat called her father at work. While he was a little annoyed at being interrupted at work, he was pleased that Kat was showing interest in another boy. He felt that she was much too young to be getting serious about one boy, and while she insisted that her relationship with CJ was purely friendship, he had his doubts. He had little trust for teenage boys, vividly remembering being one himself, and he was worried for his daughter. It had been hard raising her alone, and if it had not been for the Kents he might not have managed it, but that didn't mean that he was ready to hand his daughter over to their son. Kat was thrilled that her dad had given her permission to go out, and she couldn't wait to call Andy. She waited on a few more customers, and then decided that it had been long enough for him to make it home. She dialed the number that he had given her, and was surprised when he answered the phone. She told him of her father's decision, and agreed to meet him at the small theater in town. She reminded herself that she didn't know him, so she didn't give him her home address. It made her feel just a little guilty when she called CJ to tell him that she would not be over to watch videotapes that night, but she rationalized that he wasn't really a boyfriend, so she shouldn't feel too bad. Oddly, he didn't ask her why she had to change her plans, he just agreed and told her that he hoped they might be able to do it soon. Kat spent hours getting ready for the "date". It was the first time that she had gone out with a boy when she wasn't part of a group, so it was special. When Andy arrived at her house to pick her up, she introduced him to her father. They seemed to get along well enough, and the meeting was short. Once that formality was taken care of, they left the house in Andy's car. It wasn't as nice as CJ's truck, and didn't look as well kept up. Nevertheless, it drove well, and Kat soon found herself entering downtown Claremont, and heading toward the Ciniplex there. The little theatre specialized in older movies, classics really, and it was less expensive than one of the larger ones that showed the newest releases. The movie was really good. Kat enjoyed the thriller about the doomed ocean vessel, and regardless of knowing how the ending must be, and the fact that she had watched it a dozen times with CJ, she still cried when so many people died. Andy was fascinated with the special effects used in the movie, and was still talking about them with animation as they left the theater. Kat had liked being able to watch a movie with a friend, and if she was a little disappointed because the other girls in the audience had their boyfriend's arm around them, she didn't think about it too much. The return trip to her house was slightly more eventful. Just a few miles outside of the city, just before reaching the little suburb where she lived, Andy's car gave out. They pulled over at the side of the road, and decided that they would walk together to the nearest house. Andy didn't want to leave Kat alone in the car, so he took her with him. After several hundred yards, Kat twisted her ankle and fell on the side of the road. The joke had always been that the potholes here were big enough to eat a car, and that might be an exaggeration, but they truly were big enough to give a girl wearing high heels a bit of trouble. Kat screamed when she fell, and she really did try not to cry, but the pain was more than she could handle. She sobbed quietly as Andy tried to comfort her, and tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't leave her there, it was just as unsafe as leaving her in the car would have been. He also couldn't get her into town when she was crying so hard. He put his arms around her as she cried, and he considered his options. The decision was taken from him, though, as a very angry CJ pulled up in his truck, and stopped with a squeal of tires. CJ had heard Kat's scream. He didn't know how he had heard it, and known instantly that it was her, but he had. He had recognized her gasp of pain instantly, and her sobs had torn at his heart. He had barely remembered to get in his truck, rather than just running out of the house at top speed. He had managed to get in the truck, and race to her rescue, without revealing his powers to the neighborhood. When the truck skidded to a stop, CJ leapt out quickly. What he saw was Kat sitting on the ground with Andy crouched over her. Kat was crying, and that was all CJ needed to know. As quickly as he could, he tackled Andy over Kat's head. He took the larger boy to the ground, and was proceeding to knock the stuffing out of him when a deep voice called his name from behind him. CJ didn't hear the voice, but he did feel the hands of Superman as he picked the teenager up and relocated him a safe distance away from Andy. Kat was still trying to figure out exactly what had happened. One minute, she had been hurting, but otherwise safe with Andy, and the next she was watching her best friend knock him senseless. Finally, she realized that CJ must have realized that she was in trouble, and just mistaken what that trouble was. She attempted to go to Andy's aide, but Superman's large hand held her back. "Would you care to explain what is going on here, young man?" Clark said in his sternest voice. In truth, the sternness wasn't only for effect, he was furious that CJ had driven so recklessly. "He hurt Kat," CJ sputtered. Both Kat and Andy looked at CJ with shocked expressions, and quickly denied that this was the case. It took several minutes of explaining to clear up the situation, and apologies took several minutes more. CJ was caught between what remained of his anger, something he didn't understand, and embarrassment over what he had done. Clark, too, was angry, but this was more due to his fear for his son's behavior than what might have happened between Andy and Kat. When the discussion finally ended, Clark flew Kat to the nearest emergency room to have her ankle x-rayed, and CJ drove Andy to the Claremont garage to arrange to have the car towed. The boys did talk some on the way to the garage. CJ apologized sheepishly once more, and Andy accepted the apology while rubbing the jaw that would soon bruise. When the reached the garage, Andy spoke before getting out of the truck. "Are you sure she's not your girlfriend?" he asked. CJ looked up in surprise. "Nah," he told him, "but she is my best friend, and I'd do anything for her." The look he gave Andy was still slightly threatening, and Andy took the hint. He nodded briefly before exiting the vehicle. CJ drove home slowly and carefully, and was quite relieved to see that his father wasn't yet home. He slipped up the stairs and entered his bedroom quietly. He turned off his television, which was now showing a different program than what he had been watching when Kat had screamed, and changed into some shorts to sleep in. His last thought before drifting off to sleep was that Andy had been lucky that Superman had shown up. He didn't really know how much damage he could have done if he hadn't been stopped, and Andy hadn't really had a chance. CJ was sure that his father would have a good deal to say about what had happened. He had used his strength carelessly, and someone could have been hurt. What's more, he could have been revealed as an alien, and that would have put the entire family in danger. CJ figured he was looking at least a month of grounding, but he decided it was worth it. After all, Kat had needed help. Maybe not the kind he had given, but the situation had worked out for the best. Now, if only he could convince his father of that. ***** continued tomorrow in chapter 5 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 17:13:03 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NK Wolke Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Hi Folcs, I must admit I'm a little disappointed about the time-schedule for the Kerth award. I'm one of these unlucky Europeans who simply can't stay awake a whole night. I hoped I would be able to be at least at the start of the ceremony, you know - hear the music, see the stars arrive and so on , but if the party starts at 2.00 am there will be no chance for me. It's usually the time when I can't fight my need for sleep anymore no matter how mutch I try :( Wouldn't it be possible to start at least one or two hours earlier? The Australian Fans maybe would miss the start but they would have the possibility to watch the largest part of the party (depending on how much they need to sleep in on Sundays :)) and we Europeans could watch the start. Hey, even the Oscars start at 1.00 am here ;) If that's not possible, are you planning to post the winners on the list? I'm so curious who made it in the different categories! Maybe you could also post a log somewhere so it wouldn't be *so* bad to miss it! take care all Nicole AKA Ckgroupie on IRC NKWolke@t-online.de ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 12:18:33 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hey Nicky, >> if the party starts at 2.00 am there will be no chance for me. << Nothing's set in stone yet :-) I'm just trying to get us talking so that= we can find the best possible time for everyone. You and Doris have both= argued for an earlier start time, which would work for me. But yes, we will post a list of winners to this list and to various web pages, and the log of the ceremony will be available as well - I know I'm= planning to have it on my page, and I think several others are as well. = So for those who can't make it, you'll still get to see the results! :-) BREAKING NEWS: I've talked with Leanne, and we now believe that we can definitely set the date for March 28th (or early morning the 29th in some parts of the world ). So you can factor that into your planning. I'm still taking volunteers to present awards... but the cut-off date will have to be Tuesday (23rd) so that I can finalize the line up for the= ceremony. If you've been meaning to speak up but haven't gotten around to= it... hurry up! :) PJ !^NavFont02F03380015MGHHGQMGSHG3DMG3FHJ3AA6E2 E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 22-Mar-1998 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Fanfic writer, Kerth co-coordinator, busy mom :-) http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ "[You want to know] what's the Mountie like? He's Superman, alright?" --Due South, Red White or Blue ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 06:49:36 +1100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jenny Stosser Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time In-Reply-To: <199803221219_MC2-379B-89B1@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:18 PM 22/03/98 -0500, Pam Jernigan discussed the timing of the awards with Nicky and Doris: Hey folcs, I'm an aussie and as far as I'm concerned, this particular sunday, the earlier the better for me, as I happen to be working this sunday from 8am to 5pm! (So unless I happen to win an award between 6.30am and 7.30am, I won't be there to accept it :( ) Should I make my acceptance speech now? -- Jenny Stosser -*- jenerate@ozramp.net.au -*- (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) This message is umop ap!sdn -*- David is 5 and Megan is 2! Photos on the Stosser Family HomePage: http://geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/4583 Please sign our guestbook! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 15:00:19 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: I go where the ocean is deep Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time Nicole wrote: > If that's not possible, are you planning to post the winners on the list? I'm > so curious who made it in the different categories! Maybe you could also post > a log somewhere so it wouldn't be *so* bad to miss it! I was also wondering if anyone knew what order the awards would be presented in. (Will they be presented in the order they appeared on the ballot?) This would especially help presenters/nominees/counters so they can make sure they're online while their category is being presented, even if they aren't able to be there the whole time. -Christy kubitc@kenyon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 16:10:36 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> I was also wondering if anyone knew what order the awards would be presented in. (Will they be presented in the order they appeared on the ballot?) << Yes, they will - MC Erin is putting together a bare-bones program that will appear on my webpage soon (my URL is in my sig :-) but basically, we'll follow the ballot order, with a break after every 7 categories (commercial breaks ;-) Later this week, I'll send out a schedule to all the presenters so they'v= e an idea of when they'll be on stage, and if that time isn't good for them= , they can talk to me and we'll get them to a better part of the ceremony. = (I've already had one presenter say she can't be here before 8pm Eastern,= so she'll be matched up with one of the last categories). While people are contemplating all this, by the way, keep in mind that it's very unlikely that this thing will be less than 2 hours long. And i= t could go way longer, if the IRC round robin sessions are any guide... = PJ !^NavFont02F030C000EMGJHG7CMG7EHJT7B11 E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 22-Mar-1998 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Fanfic writer, Kerth co-coordinator, busy mom :-) http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ "[You want to know] what's the Mountie like? He's Superman, alright?" --Due South, Red White or Blue ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 08:50:17 +1000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: A Vukovic Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:13 AM 3/22/98 PST, you wrote: >March 28, 1998, 8 p.m. EST works for me. As an Aussie, I am fine with it starting 2 or 3 hours earlier to let the Europeans have a nose in. I will be attending for part of the ceremony, and the earlier in the day the less it takes out of my Sunday... you know beach, sun and all that. Gotta love this heatwave we are having so late in the season. Adrienne _________________________________________________________________________ Adrienne VUKOVIC aev@cia.com.au _________________________________________________________________________ "How can you be so blind, Lois? I mean, you look right at the guy, and still you don't have a clue who he really is." Clark Kent to Lois Lane: BatP, "Lois and Clark:TNAOS" _________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 16:57:10 -0500 Reply-To: NightSky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: Yet Each Man Kills (Part 1 of 4) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Now that you are done re-reading Kerth nominees, I've got a new story to offer all of you. This is the first full-length story I've ever written, and I'd really like to know what you all think about it. It's not an incredibly cheerful story -- I'm just not a cheerful person, I guess -- but I did try to include some WaFFs for all of the FoLCs who love WaFFs so much. So if there are any parts of this story that make you feel WAFFY -- or moved to tears -- or smile, or that make you shake your head in sheer disbelief that I could think Lois or Clark could ever act in *that* way, I'd like to hear about it. This story was distributed last Sunday as part of TUFS. I apologize to those of you who got this twice. It's a very stand-alone episode, so don't feel like you have to have been keeping up with the TUFS stories to read this one. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yet Each Man Kills" E-Mail 1 of 4 By Genevieve Clemens (NightSky@erols.com) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Lois Lane stretched out her feet luxuriously as her husband's hands massaged her calves and ankles. If she were a cat, she would have purred. Her arms rested upon her swollen belly; she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "That feels soooo good," she said. Clark Kent slipped her shoes off and began massaging her feet as well. "You worked awfully hard today, covering that press conference at city hall," he said. "You probably should have let someone else cover it, maybe Jimmy." Lois's eyes flew open. "Oh, Clark, don't be silly. It was a boring conference, true, but it was my turn to take the next boring, nothing important, news assignment. No one can say I'm not a team player. And it's not as if we had anything more important to cover. No mad scientists trying to destroy the world..." "No vampires flying through the city," Clark picked up on her train of thought. "And no nosy corporation planting fake relatives on us," Lois continued. "And no major crime waves -- unless you count these department store robberies," Clark finished. "But you're on your feet too much, running around all day," he went on. "I can see how tired you are, when you finally get home at night." "Clark, I'm pregnant -- I'm supposed to be tired. All the books say so. I'll let you in on a secret, though, if you promise not to stop doing that." She gestured towards his hands, still moving methodically on her legs. "Promise," he said with a smile. "Pregnant ladies are never on their feet too much," she said. "Everyone offers me a chair -- even rude, obnoxious Donald Stuart from the Star offered me his front row seat today at the press conference. People give you seats in the subway, let you take their taxis..." "Better enjoy that now," Clark said with a smile. "I understand that ladies close to delivering have trouble getting cabs; the taxi drivers are afraid they'll have the baby in the cab." "That's terrible!" exclaimed Lois, outraged. "Discrimination. And besides, we have weeks to go before we get to that point." "Getting closer every day," Clark said. "Don't remind me!" said Lois. "I've got way too much to do before this baby gets here. It's much less trouble where it is now - - inside and quiet." "Well," said Clark, standing up. "Right now, what you have to do is rest while I go into the kitchen and start din...ner." Lois looked up as Clark's voice trailed off. With a feeling of resignation she recognized the distracted look on his face. "What do you hear?" she asked. "I'm not sure," he replied. "Someone's in trouble -- and it sounds really close -- on our street maybe." Lois stared as her husband disappeared into a whirlwind of blurring colors, to be replaced by a familiar figure in red, blue, and yellow. "Stay right here and rest," he said. "I'll be right back to make dinner." A whoosh of air stirred the curtains and her hair. Lois found herself alone in the room, although a blanket had magically appeared over her. With a heavy sigh, Lois snuggled into the pillow and closed her eyes, content to rest and wait for her husband to return. ********** Superman hovered in the air outside the house, listening intently. He finally focused in on the third-floor apartment in a converted brownstone, two houses down the street from the Kents'. Focusing his eyes inside, he saw a large man backhand a woman, knocking her against the table. Without another thought, he flew through the open window and caught the man's arm just as he was about to hit the woman again. "That's enough," he said, in the cool, emotionless voice he had cultivated as Superman, although he could feel anger bubbling deep inside him. He looked at the woman, staring at him stunned, her cheek bright red where she had been struck. "You'd better call the police." "Yes, I...I will," she answered. "Thank you." As she went to the telephone, the man found his voice. "You got no right!" he exclaimed angrily. "No right bursting in here and..." "Be quiet," Superman said. He spied a chair and used just enough force to propel the man into it, noticing with a guilty enjoyment that the chair moved a few inches under the impact. "We'll see what happens when the police get here." "Yes," said the man ominously, staring at the woman. "When the police get here." The woman wouldn't meet his eyes. She moved slowly, painfully, walking without a word to a chair, where she sat down, staring at the floor. It wasn't long before they heard the police coming up the stairs. Superman listened to their conversation as they came up the stairs. "Dispatch said *she* called this time?" a female voice asked. "Yep," was the succinct answer. "Maybe this time she's decided to do something," the officer replied. A second later, came the loud knocking at the door. "Police!" The woman stood up and answered the door. The female police officer looked quietly at her bruised face. "Mrs. Chiswick," she said. "Are you willing to press charges? We can arrest him." "Yes," said the woman defiantly. "I want him arrested. He came barging in here and assaulted my husband. There must be laws against that. I want him arrested. Superman's mouth dropped open in shock, as he realized the woman was pointing directly at him. In the sudden silence that followed the woman's frenzied accusation, the police officers seemed to notice Superman for the first time. The second police officer, who had been standing quietly in the doorway, entered the room. "Superman," he said, "I'm Officer Potter. This is Officer Heelis. The Chiswicks already know us. Can you tell us what happened?" Superman somehow managed to find his voice. "I was...passing by," he said, not willing to admit that he lived two doors down the street. "I heard the sounds of violence and saw this man," he gestured at Chiswick, "strike her. So I came in, restrained him, and suggested that she call the police. She did." "And I want *him* arrested," Mrs. Chiswick said. "He can't just come busting in here, interrupting a private moment between husband and wife, can he?" Officer Potter shook his head. "Superman, would you step outside with me? I'll get your statement." He glanced at his partner. "Talk to her," he murmured, nodding his head towards Mrs. Chiswick. Superman walked with the officer down the stairs and out into the street, still shocked by the turn events had taken. "He hit her hard enough to knock her into the wall," he said incredulously. Potter grimaced. "We've been here before. Sometimes it gets too loud and the neighbors call. She never admits what happens." He looked up at Superman. "Don't worry about it. You did the right thing, especially since you didn't know what was going on." The other officer came out. "She decided not to have you arrested, Superman," she said. "Wants to sweep the whole thing under the rug, as usual." Superman looked up towards the building in concern, listening, but all was quiet. "There is nothing we can do, is there?" he asked. "No. I try to give her the name of a shelter, but she won't listen. He hasn't put her in the hospital yet. Until she decides to take action, our hands are tied." Superman didn't want to hang around any longer than he had to. >From their faces, he could tell that the two officers were also frustrated and wanted to forget about this situation as soon as possible. Helplessness didn't sit easily with any of them. Superman nodded to the officers in farewell and slowly rose into the sky. ********** Ron Chiswick watched Superman take off from the window of his apartment. Behind him he heard his wife setting the table for dinner -- his *late* dinner! -- but somehow, right now, he just didn't feel hungry. "Who does he think he is?" he muttered under his breath. "Coming in here and acting like he's some sort of God. This is *my* house." He turned around and glared at Sarah. "Gettin' to be like a man's not boss in his own home," he said angrily. "Every Tom, Dick, and Harry's comin' in here to tell us what to do." "Ron," Sarah pleaded. "The police were just here. We don't want them back." "What are you sayin'? That I don't know how to act?" "No, Ron! That's not what I'm saying at all." Tears stood in her eyes, as she looked at him apprehensively. "Damn it!" he exclaimed. "Police, Superman -- now even my *wife* is tellin' me what to do! This is *my* house, woman, and I'm in charge here. Me! The man! Do you understand?" He stalked over to her, anger apparent in his eyes. Sarah flinched as he came close, but stood her ground. Experience had taught her that running didn't help. Chiswick raised his arm as if to hit her, but the memory of the police came back. With a cry of rage, he swept the dishes off the table. The sound of the dinner crashing to the floor seemed to satisfy him. He grabbed his coat and headed to the door. "I'll be back." "Ron," Sarah timidly reminded him, "you've got that job interview tomorrow. Please don't get..." The door slammed shut behind her husband, and she whispered the last word to herself. "Drunk." She closed her eyes and bit her lip, feeling the tears welling up. Ron was so much more irritable when he was unemployed; he had more time to reflect upon life's unfairness and her own shortcomings. He hadn't gotten the last two jobs he'd interviewed for, and Sarah had put all her hopes on this job with the Albion Cleaning Service. Not only was he calmer when he was working, but he'd also be out of the house all night, cleaning local office buildings and department stores, giving her some much-needed privacy. Praying that her husband wouldn't get too drunk to show up at the interview tomorrow, Sarah Chiswick knelt down on the floor and began picking up the broken dishes. One eye was rapidly swelling shut; she could still taste the blood in her mouth from where her lip was cut, but as she put the larger pieces of glass into the trash, she told herself again that once her husband had a job, everything would be normal again. Resolutely, she silenced a nagging voice deep inside her that told her things were as normal as they were ever going to get. ********** About ten minutes after he had disappeared into the Metropolis sky, Superman landed quietly on the Kents' patio, a brown paper bag in his hand. Going into the kitchen, he set the bag on the table and whirled around. In an instant, Clark Kent stood there, holding his glasses in his hand. He stared intently at the wall for a moment and saw that his wife had dozed off on the sofa. Moving quickly -- so quickly, in fact, that human eyes would not have registered anything more than a blur -- he dumped out the contents of the bag. It was still early spring in Metropolis, and he'd taken a detour to warmer climes to get fresh vegetables. He heated water to boiling in a second, added rice, and set it to simmer on the stove. Even super- speed couldn't cook rice quickly. But it made short work of chopping and dicing the vegetables, and he made a quick stir fry for dinner. He brewed a herb tea that Lois had learned to...well, to tolerate. He couldn't actually say she liked it. He did, though; it was one he'd drunk when he'd traveled in the Far East. With the rice almost finished, he set the table and called his sleeping wife to dinner. Lois had finished her first serving and was reaching for seconds before she asked what had called him away earlier. Clark took a deep breath and thanked his lucky stars that his pregnant wife wasn't having any trouble with high blood pressure. They'd been together long enough -- as husband and wife and as partners at the Planet -- for him to know exactly how Lois would react to this story. "You mean, this woman -- whose husband is beating her to a pulp -- not only refuses to do anything about him, but tries to have *you* arrested?" "Well, honey, I wouldn't worry about that part of it. The police didn't take her very seriously at the time, and they did talk her into forgetting about pressing charges." "Well, I should think so," Lois said. "I mean, of all the ridiculous things -- but I'm not really upset about that. It's the fact that she's just staying there, letting him treat her like that and doing nothing! You said they live on our street? Which house? What's their name?" "Chiswick. They live two houses down, across the street. You know, the one that's obviously been turned into apartments. That building is terribly rundown, though. I've seen better apartments in slums like Hobbs Bay. "Rich, poor, whatever." Lois found that irrelevant. "I don't care. Things like this just shouldn't happen. There ought to be something we can do or..." Clark interrupted. "Lois, I understand how you feel. But sometimes there's nothing anyone can do to help someone who doesn't want to be helped." "Sometimes people just need to be told they need help. I'm a reporter. An article in the Planet may open her eyes." "I'll bet the Planet has published about a hundred articles on domestic violence over the years," Clark said. "She hasn't read my story," Lois answered. "There are no new stories, Clark," she went on to quote, "only..." "New angles," they finished together, with a smile. "My wife, the crusader." Clark said proudly. "But I should warn you, I didn't see a single newspaper in the apartment." "Maybe someone will read it to her," Lois said hopefully. ********** The next morning at the Daily Planet, Lois used that old quote again, trying to convince Perry that it was of earth-shattering importance that she write this article. Perry was skeptical. He'd seen Lois in her "change the world" mode before. Lois's work was always good, no question about that, but when she wrote this kind of article it tended to be emotional and ended up showing a decided bias that had to be edited out. And Lois had never really taken it well when he had to rework her articles. He considered, and decided that no matter how biased this article was, he'd publish it. There really was only one side in this case. He tuned in again to her tirade. "So if we could look at why these women just sit there and take it," she was saying, "instead of fighting back or..." She stopped as Perry held up his hand. "Lois," he said, "you're a good reporter; I know you can do a good story. It's not news, but if you want to write it up, go ahead. I'll keep it for the next time we need filler." "Thank you," Lois said, her voice getting higher as it tended to do when she got her own way. Perry stopped her as she turned to go. "Hey! Don't forget, this is secondary to your *real* job of writing the *news*. I want you and Jimmy to look into these department store robberies. There was another one last night." "Jimmy?" Lois questioned. "Why not Clark?" Perry raised his eyebrows. "In case you've forgotten, I leave at three this afternoon for London. That newspaper convention where I'm supposed to speak, remember? And when you all drew straws to see who'd get stuck in this office..." "Clark lost," Lois remembered, still feeling grateful that she hadn't. Her time spent editing the paper was not something she remembered with pleasure. "So work with Jimmy on this one." Perry said. "You're a great teacher; remember you taught Clark the ways of the big city, didn't you? And Jimmy has the same spark the two of you do. He's been doing great since his promotion." Lois nodded and Perry continued. "If you can squeeze the abuse story in, go ahead. There is no hurry on that one, so take your time. Don't overdo it, honey." Lois gave him an annoyed look as she left his office. Perry hid a smile. She was so prickly these days, taking umbrage at any hint that her pregnancy kept her from doing her job. And Perry had to admit, she hadn't slowed down a bit. Still attacking each story with the same enthusiasm she always had and positively glowing with health, she looked as striking as ever, more so perhaps. Perry turned back to his computer, secure in the knowledge that he'd soon have two great stories -- one breaking news with the byline "Lois Lane and James Olsen," and the other a tear-jerking filler story "by Lois Lane" -- and he'd bet even money that he'd have both stories by the end of the week. Lois left the office, looking for Jimmy. Not seeing him, she went over to Clark's desk. "Perry says I can write the spousal abuse story if I can fit it in with those department store robberies, too," she told him. "Where's Jimmy?" "You going to be working with him?" Clark asked. "Go easy on the boy, Lois. He's nervous about writing, and you demand perfection." "And I get it too." Lois leaned closer to Clark, happily. "My everyday partner is perfection in all things." She leaned against his shoulder, for all intents and purposes looking at his computer screen. But Clark bit his lip and took a deep breath as Lois's breast brushed up against his shoulder and he felt her warm breath against his cheek. "In the office, and in the bedroom," she murmured, so softly that even he wasn't sure he heard her. He looked away from his computer screen, meeting her eyes as they shared a look that would have been more appropriate in the bedroom than in the office. Lois ran her tongue over her lips slowly and took a deep breath. The sound of someone clearing his throat brought them back from their fantasy. Jimmy Olsen, dressed in a sports jacket and a tie, stood watching them, an amused look on his face. Unembarrassed, Lois and Clark drew apart. "Perry's assigned you to work with me on these department store robberies, Jimmy," Lois said briskly, in her all-business voice. "Find all the police reports and put together the stories that have already been done on them and meet me at my desk. And don't take all day about it, either." Clark's eyebrows shot up as he watched the transformation of his bedroom-fantasy wife into the no-nonsense reporter. Jimmy was stammering out some sort of acknowledgment as Lois walked back to her desk, her heels clicking on the floor. "Whew!" Jimmy exclaimed. As he saw Clark looking at him with sympathy, he asked, "She used to treat you like that, huh?" "Uh-huh," answered Clark succinctly. "How long did that last?" asked Jimmy. "Until I learned to anticipate her. I'd have the police reports and summaries in my hands when she asked for them. Oh, and scooping her once or twice didn't hurt." "That'll be the day. I'll never be as good as you two." "Sure you will. You have the talent, and the intuition. And you'll learn a lot working with Lois." "If I survive," said Jimmy glumly. Clark laughed. "Man, I wish I had what you have, CK," said Jimmy enviously. Clark looked at him questioningly. "You're on top of your profession; everyone respects you, even Lois, and you have a beautiful wife who looks like she'd like to seduce you right in the middle of the newsroom. I'll never have that." "The only perfect thing in my life is Lois, Jimmy," Clark answered sincerely. "And she wasn't easy to get. You're young yet. I was 28 when I met Lois, and it took years before we were married. They weren't easy years, either. The rest of my life is like everybody else's -- some good times, some bad." "Maybe," said Jimmy unconvinced. "But I'll bet when you were my age, you had girls crawling all over you. I can barely keep a girlfriend for one week." "You'd be surprised, Jimmy," Clark said softly, turning back to his computer. "You'd be surprised." Jimmy looked at Clark pensively for another second before turning away to go rustle up the police reports and background stories. ============================================= Continued in the next three e-mails ============================================= -- Genevieve (NightSky@erols.com) ; The Voting is over, but you can still read the L&C fanfic nominated for the Kerth Awards! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 16:58:45 -0500 Reply-To: NightSky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: Yet Each Man Kills (Part 2 of 4) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yet Each Man Kills" E-Mail 2 of 4 By Genevieve Clemens (NightSky@erols.com) -------------------------------------------------------------------- A few minutes later, Jimmy arrived at Lois's desk with his arms full of folders. She waved him to a seat and continued talking on the phone to the Planet's librarian. "That's right, Helen. I want a list of shelters for abused women as soon as possible. Thanks." Jimmy looked at her inquiringly. In spite of Clark's parting comment that Jimmy didn't know all there was to know about Clark Kent, he refused to believe Lois was seeking shelters for herself. Lois pursed her lips. "It's for a story," she said, sounding slightly annoyed as always when she had to explain the obvious. "A *different* story. Now what have *you* got on these department store robberies?" Jimmy took a deep breath. "In the last three weeks, five different upscale department stores have been robbed, mostly jewelry, watches, stuff like that. No one knows how. The staff closes up for the night just like always; when they open the next morning they find the stuff gone. No alarms are tripped, no doors broken, nothing to indicate how anyone got in. The police are baffled." Lois looked at the folders in his hand. "And those are...?" "Police reports." Jimmy set a stack of folders on Lois's desk. Another stack followed. "Inventories of all missing items." Jimmy set down the final pile of folders with a flourish, "and finally, insurance claims." "So what we have to do," Lois said, "is find out what they all have in common, besides the obvious. There's always a link. Any ideas?" Jimmy looked apologetic. "Well, uh, I haven't actually looked at any of these yet. I just rushed them over here as fast as I could." Lois bit her lip. She wanted to be patient with Jimmy, but her mind wasn't on this assignment; she really wanted to get on the phone and concentrate on the shelters. "Tell you what," she said to Jimmy, "why don't you read the reports, find out the similarities, check into every possibility, and, when you've done that, come back and we'll see what we have." Jimmy, abashed, picked up the folders again. He'd worked so hard to get them all together, and even that wasn't enough. As he turned, he caught Clark's eye. Clark had overheard the whole conversation. Jimmy felt slightly better as Clark winced in sympathy. With a weak smile, he headed back to his desk. Lois turned to her computer and saw that the librarian had already sent her the list of shelters via e-mail. Scanning the list until she found one that was only a few blocks from Hyperion Avenue, she picked up the phone and called to set up an interview. ********** The next day found Jimmy sitting at his desk at the Planet, still reading all those reports, although by now he'd included the financial reports of all the department stores in question. He was looking a bit worn; he'd stayed at the office till eleven the night before, gone home, and returned by six that morning. Lois had stopped by his desk briefly, seemed to approve of what he was doing, and suggested he also look at any and all business contracts the department stores had. She then headed out for her interview at the abused women's shelter. Jimmy sighed and turned back to the computer screen. Lois stopped by Clark's desk on the way out. "I'm off to the shelter," she said. "It's right in our neighborhood; I think I'll go home for lunch. Care to join me?" "If nothing comes up, either here or -- " he made the hand motion they used to indicate Superman. "By noon, I'll be glad of an excuse to get out of here." "I'm leaving early today, too, Boss," Lois said, jokingly referring to the fact that with Perry away at the conference, Clark was nominally in charge. "Doctor's appointment at four-thirty." "Don't forget your parents are coming to dinner." Clark laughed as Lois's panicked expression showed him she had indeed forgotten. "Don't worry. I'll cook." "You usually do," answered Lois. "See you at home for lunch." She turned and headed up the ramp to the elevator. With a sigh, Clark turned back to his computer screen. During the budget crisis a few years ago, someone in upper management had decided that when Perry was absent, his editing duties could be handled by one of the senior reporters. Since then, the role of "Editor pro-tem," as it was jokingly referred to, was rotated among Lois, Clark, and two others. All of them were grateful that Perry wasn't gone very often. Lois, remembering her brief time in Perry's office, told them they were lucky that Perry's other duties were all handled by someone upstairs, but Clark found reading and correcting others' work far less interesting than writing his own material. He also disliked the feeling of claustrophobia being stuck in the office all day gave him; he'd gotten used to being able to come and go as he pleased. Whenever he drew editor duty, he was terrified that some major crisis would require Superman's presence, and he would be hard-pressed to leave. Lois paid the taxi driver and looked around her. The brownstone in front of her looked amazingly like her own house, except for the sign on the door which proclaimed it the "Sawrey House." Lois walked up the steps and rang the bell. The door opened, and a young woman looked out. "I'm Lois Lane, from the Daily Planet. I have an appointment with Beatrix Warne." The young woman opened the door fully and invited Lois inside. Ushering Lois into a small office just off the hallway, the woman asked Lois to wait just a minute while she went and got Ms. Warne. Lois looked around the office. Snooping had never bothered her, and she glanced at all the papers on the desk (bills, mostly, and letters waiting to be answered), picked up the journals and flipped through them, and then began to study the diplomas and certificates on the wall. She found that Ms. Warne had graduated with a BA from Metropolis University and had completed a number of continuing education courses. She noticed a plaque on the opposite wall near the door. She moved closer to read it. It was handmade, with beautiful calligraphy showing the stanzas of a poem. Yet each man kills the thing he loves By each let this be heard, Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a flattering word. The coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with a sword! Oscar Wilde Lois heard the sound of children playing in the house as the door opened and Ms. Warne came in. She was a young woman, probably about Lois's age. "Lois Lane? I'm Bea Warne." Lois shook the woman's hand and took the seat she was offered, as Ms. Warne seated herself behind the desk. "I was surprised to get your phone call," Ms. Warne continued. "Domestic abuse is everyday sort of news. This is a shelter for abused women. We do a lot of good here, and we need money to operate. That's about all there is that's newsworthy here. Somehow this is not the sort of story I'd expect the world-famous Lois Lane to be covering." Lois smiled at the flattery. "Sometimes I do this kind of story too, especially if something piques my interest. A woman on my block is being abused by her husband, but she won't leave him or seek help. That got me thinking, and I decided to try to write a story about it." "So you want to focus on the women who put up with the abuse, rather than on the shelter itself?" "Perhaps. I haven't thought that far ahead," Lois admitted. "Right now, I'm just trying to find out more about it." "Well, spousal abuse occurs throughout our society; it's not confined to any particular race, nationality, or economic class. About the only common factor is that just about every victim of abuse has a very low self-esteem. Many of them can trace their low feelings of self-worth back to their childhood. In other cases, the partner has managed to erode their self-esteem over the years of abuse. They generally feel very alone in the world; they either have no family or feel they can't ask their family for help. There's really not much anyone can do until the victim decides it's time to make it stop. Even the police can't make an arrest without a complaint. In some places the law permits the police to press charges; the victim doesn't have to. We have a law like that pending in the legislature now. But in any case, many women tend to stay with an abusive or controlling partner for a long time. There are many reasons. The more subtle the abuse or controlling behavior, the more likely the woman is to stay." "What do you mean, 'subtle abuse'?" "Physical abuse, beatings, is the most obvious and gets the most press. But even more epidemic than that is what is often termed 'emotional abuse.' This can range from out and out threats to constant criticism. 'A bitter look,' a 'flattering word,' or a 'kiss,'" she quoted, and Lois glanced at the poem on the wall. "Over the years, all of those can by used by a controlling partner to destroy the other's confidence and feelings of self-worth just as effectively as a pair of fists. We have a number of support groups here for women who have been in that kind of relationship. Many of the women are still with their husbands, but they come to the support group anyway. We try to build their self-esteem, let them know they have alternatives, and show them some of the patterns of their spouses' controlling behavior. And we have support groups for the children of such marriages as well." "I heard the children earlier," Lois said. "Witnessing this sort of thing must be terrible for them." "Yes. And many of them are abused as well. They carry the scars well into adulthood. You hear that abused children are more likely to become abusers in adulthood. That's true, but many do not. Many of them are straight-A students in school and at the top of their professions as adults, terrified to be anything less than perfect. If they are not perfect, they give someone the opportunity to punish them, or to snipe at them. And they keep a brittle shell around themselves, unwilling to let anyone get too close. Much of their energy goes into maintaining this shell and their perfectionism." Lois shifted in her seat, suddenly uneasy for no reason she could fathom. Ms. Warne reached into a drawer and withdrew some brochures. "Perhaps you'd like to visit some of our support groups?" she asked. "And would you like a tour?" "Yes," Lois answered, glad of the change of subject. She rose and prepared to follow Ms. Warne out of the room. ********** The newsroom at the Daily Planet was bustling with activity. Phones rang, reporters talked, messengers rushed about delivering mail to each desk. Still glued to his desk, Clark yawned and stretched, more from boredom than tiredness. As he looked around the office, he saw Jimmy yawning as well. Clark got up, went over to the coffeepot, poured two cups of coffee, and carried them over to Jimmy's desk. Jimmy took it gratefully. "Thanks, CK," he said. "I'm beginning to see double." He sipped at his coffee. Clark glanced at his computer screen. "What have you got?" "These are all the business contracts of the department stores that have been robbed. You want to know where they buy their clothes hangers? I can tell you. I was just about to run a comparison program and see if anything pops out." "Let's do it," Clark said, perching on the side of Jimmy's desk and getting comfortable. Jimmy typed a few more keystrokes and then, with a flourish, pressed the enter key. They both stared at the hourglass that appeared on the screen and waited impatiently for the results. "I like your tie," Clark said to Jimmy, after they'd watched the hourglass for a bit. Jimmy's hand went self-consciously to his new tie. "You know, I feel kinda silly, dressing up like this after all those years. I mean, everybody knows me." Clark shook his head. "Clothes are important, Jimmy. People see the clothes before they see the person. Put on a different set of clothes, and it's amazing how differently people treat you. I still have trouble believing it sometimes." "Yeah, I guess you and Lois dress up a lot, when you are investigating something, don't you? So you don't think I wasted the money, buying the new jackets and ties, then?" "Not a bit. You look just like a trustworthy young reporter ought to," Clark said with a smile. Then he gestured at the computer screen. "Look, it's done." The hourglass had finally disappeared, leaving only one company's name on the screen. "Albion Cleaning Service," Clark read out. "They all have the same cleaning company," Jimmy pondered out loud. "The cleaning crews are probably there after hours, when no one else is around. What do you think?" "Bears looking into," Clark responded, finally getting interested in something that morning. "Let's check it out." But as Jimmy turned to begin digging into Albion's background, someone clapped Clark on the shoulder. "Hey, Clarkie," Ralph Claremont said in his jovial fashion. "Looked at my story yet?" Clark straightened up, resigned to going back to his editing duties. "Story's too long," he said and motioned Ralph to follow him back to his desk, so they could figure out how to shrink it into the allotted space. As he sat down, Clark snuck a peak at the clock -- an hour till he was supposed to meet Lois for lunch. He hoped he'd be able to finish up here and still have time to walk home. After a morning stuck at a desk, he needed the exercise. Leaving the shelter with her briefcase filled with program literature and group schedules, Lois walked quickly towards home. The noon sun was shining brightly down on Hyperion Avenue as she walked, and she unbuttoned the top button of her coat. Sometimes she wasn't sure whether the fact that pregnancy made her feel warm all the time was a good thing or a bad thing. As spring approached and the weather in Metropolis warmed up, she was starting to realize that what had been an advantage all winter could be a handicap in the summer. In front of her a large, heavyset woman was walking slowly, carrying a bag of groceries. Lois veered towards the inside of the sidewalk, hoping to pass the woman, when the woman suddenly turned, heading in towards the building. The collision between the fast moving Lois and the woman was inevitable, and the groceries were scattered around the sidewalk. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Lois squatted to pick up some fruit and a box of pasta. "I was going too fast; if they gave out speeding tickets for walking, I'd get one." "It's OK," said the woman quietly. Lois drew her breath as she saw the bruised face and the black eye and realized that they were in front of the house where the incident had occurred only two nights before. "Here, I can manage," the bruised woman continued, as she noticed Lois's gravid condition. "It must be hard for you to get down and pick things up, these days." "Getting harder every day," Lois admitted, as she sat down on the steps in front of the house, preparing to be her most charming self. "I'm Lois Lane; I just live down the road. We must be neighbors." "Sarah Chiswick." She turned away from Lois to pick up a few more items and put them back in the bag. "Are you OK? It looks like you haven't had an easy time of it either." "Oh," laughed Sarah, embarrassed. "That was nothing, just a silly accident." "I'm a friend of Superman's," said Lois quietly. "He told me what happened." "He doesn't know anything," Sarah said, a belligerent tone coming into her voice. "Comin' in there, and tryin' to tell us what to do." "He was only trying to *help*!" "They're all trying to *help*, but none of them know what'll help. Tellin' me to leave, that won't help nothin'." "Then what will help?" Lois asked. As a reporter, she'd learned a long time ago when to stop talking and start listening. With a heavy sigh, Sarah sat down beside her on the step. "Look, Ms. Lane, Ron don't mean nothin' by this. He just gets frustrated, that's all. Everything's going wrong on him right now, and he gotta hit out at something. If it weren't me, it'd be the wall, or slamming the car door or something. And it's not his fault. He lost his job a couple of months ago. It wasn't fair -- he was doing fine, but then they found out he'd been in jail years ago and let him go. And now he's got nothing to do but hang around the bar all day. He has a bit too much to drink, and -- and that's all." "So what would help?" Lois asked again. "Not me leaving him, that's for sure. Nor me having him put in jail, neither. He's my husband; I took vows, and I'll stay with him come what may. What would help is for someone to help him get a job. He hates it so much when he isn't providing for me, when I have to scrape pennies together for food. He's got a job interview this morning, though. If he gets the job, he'll be fine." "But you can't just stay here and let him hit you!" "Look, Ms. Lane, it's none of your business, but my husband loves me. He really does. And he takes good care of me. It's just when he's down, then he drinks. And then when I do something stupid he gets real mad -- that's all. It's not his fault." Lois was quiet for a minute. "Mrs. Chiswick, he could seriously hurt you some day. Even if you don't want to leave him, there's a shelter for women like you just a few blocks away. They have support groups for women; you could talk to other people about it..." Lois broke off. Sarah was shaking her head. "He wouldn't like that much. We don't mingle much with other people; we keep to ourselves. Ron, he needs for me to be at home when he is. Besides, places like that -- they'd just try to talk me into leaving him." Sarah stood up. "I gotta go in now. He'll be back any minute, and I need to get lunch ready." Sarah stood up and struggled with the grocery bag. As she looked down the street, she saw her husband coming. "Oh, there he comes now." Lois looked and saw a big, hefty man walking down the street. As he climbed the steps they were sitting on, he smiled. "Sarah, everything went great! I'm sure I'll get this job," he exclaimed. He took the bag of groceries from his wife. "Let me help you with that. Just getting back from the store?" he asked. "Yes," Sarah answered. "Ron, this is Lois Lane. She lives just down the street. She bumped into me, and the groceries went everywhere. I think we got them all, though." Everyone glanced around the sidewalk, looking for stray cans of vegetables. Chiswick looked back at Lois. "So, after picking up the groceries, you two just got to talking? What about?" Lois got to her feet, her antagonism towards Chiswick oozing from every pore. He seemed to sense this and stiffened. "Nothing in particular," Lois answered. "I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet. I'm just coming back from an interview at the shelter for abused women a few blocks away from here." Chiswick met Lois's eyes defiantly. "That's got nothing to do with us. C'mon, Sarah, let's go inside. I want my lunch." "Mr. Chiswick, I think your wife needs to have this information. They have a lot of programs at the shelter that could help her." Lois pulled some of the brochures out of her purse, ignoring the pleading look in Sarah's eyes that begged her to drop the whole topic. Instead she went to hand the papers to Sarah, only to find her arm grabbed roughly by Chiswick. "Just who do you think you are?" Chiswick was furiously angry, and as Lois looked up into his face, she could easily see the beast that would hit a woman. She tugged mildly at her arm, but Chiswick held it tightly. "I got the police, I got that do-gooder *Superman*, and now I got *you* comin' in here and tellin' us how to live our lives." The grip on her arm tightened. "Now listen and listen good." Chiswick shook Lois slightly. "Sarah is *my* wife, and I can take care of her. She doesn't need outsiders givin' her ideas. We don't need other people tellin' us what to do, and my wife does not need *friends* like you..." another shake..." tryin' to turn her against her husband." As Chiswick's grip tightened on her arm again, Lois moved. She freed herself from Chiswick's grip with a movement practiced dozens of times in the dojos and gyms of Metropolis and upon the more unsavory citizens of Metropolis. Chiswick grunted slightly and stepped back, surprised by the sudden pain where Lois had accurately hit a pressure point to make him loosen his grip. "You can take care of her?" Lois was incensed. "Look at her. She has a black eye, that *you* gave her, and she moves as if she is bruised all over. Is this how you take care of her?" Chiswick took another step towards Lois. Lois immediately dropped into a defensive posture. She'd seen violence in men's eyes before, and she was seeing it now. But Lois was no Sarah Chiswick, who stood passively, staring aghast at the entire scene. Lois Lane was prepared to give as good as she got. But as she stood there, ready to take on all comers, she felt a touch on her shoulder and looked up into Clark's spectacled eyes. Clark shook his head slightly, warning Lois to desist. Rebellion flared in her eyes, but when she turned back to Chiswick, she saw that Clark's presence had defused the situation. As Chiswick looked from Lois to Clark and back to Lois again, the wild furor left his eyes. With a muttered curse, he turned and stormed into the building. Sarah, with a reproachful look at Lois, followed him silently. Lois, the adrenaline still flowing through her veins, looked up at Clark crossly. "Clark! I could have handled him. I..." Clark shook his head again. "If you intimidate him too much, Lois, he'll just take it out on her." Lois bit her lip and looked back towards the building. "This is one of the times when violence is not the answer, honey. Trust me on this one." Lois looked up into Clark's face, seeing a sad resignation in his brown eyes. How many times, she wondered, had the strongest man in the world realized that not all of his strength could solve a particular problem? Silently, she permitted Clark to take her arm and turn her towards home. As they walked, Lois was thinking. "Clark," she asked. "Does it bother you?" Clark blinked. He knew Lois didn't mean the Chiswicks, but what she actually meant was beyond him. He looked at her questioningly. "I mean my independence. Chiswick doesn't want his wife to be apart from him, to have an idea that he didn't have first, and he resents that he can't care for her the way he feels he should. He has this vision about what his role should be and what hers should be. Do you feel that way at all?" Clark thought for a minute. He was skating on thin ice here, and he knew it. "I never wanted a slave or a servant, Lois," he finally answered. "Your independence, your spunk, and your intelligence were some of the things that drew me to you in the first place. That doesn't bother me. But..." Lois looked up from fishing in her purse for their keys. "But?" "I don't know. Maybe it's some instinctive male thing. But you are my wife; you're carrying my child." Clark opened the door, and they stepped into the warmth of their house. "When Chiswick started threatening you back there, I wanted to protect you, to hit him or something. But I knew you wouldn't appreciate it. *And* I knew you could take care of yourself. But it's still hard. I want to be with you all the time, taking care of you, making sure you're all right. But I can't be. And you'd get annoyed with me being there, all protective. So I just bite my fingernails instead. Lois hung up her coat and looked at him with a smile. "*Can* you bite your fingernails?" Clark smiled back. "Not really, no. But violence is never an option for me." Lois looked at him. "When I get mad, I'll slam the telephone down or push the books around on my desk. But when you lose your temper -- and you do, you can't deny it -- you just get very quiet and still. Don't you ever get the urge to just hit something?" "Oh," Clark said quietly, "I get the urge." He was quiet for a moment, remembering, and then he looked up at her. "When I was 14, my parents wouldn't let me go see a movie -- I can't even remember what it was now, but all the other guys were going to see it. But they said 'No, absolutely not.' It was rated R or something. I was furious. We were sitting on the steps outside the house, and I stormed off. There was an old shed where Dad kept his tools, and I went over and kicked it. That's all. I just kicked it. Not even very hard. The whole thing collapsed." Clark paused, wrapped up in the memory. Lois waited silently. "I'd been getting stronger, faster for about a year then, but this was the first time I'd broken anything really big. I remember standing there stunned at the noise and the dust. I turned to look at my parents. For a split second, I saw the panic in their eyes, before they covered it up with 'normal parents angry at normal kid' response. But now I knew that that was a facade. I knew they were just as scared and unsure at what was happening to me as I was. "They treated it normally, like I'd just broken a window or put my fist through the wall or something. Dad came over and told me it looked like rain, and I'd better get all the tools into the barn real fast before they got wet and rusted. And I obviously wouldn't be going to any movie the next day, because I'd be busy rebuilding the shed. It took us three days, working together, to rebuild that shed. I was scared to use a hammer, and I did misjudge a few times and shatter the boards. But by time the shed was built, I had a bit more confidence that I could control my strength. "I knew then that I could never give in to an urge to lash out at anything. It's hard sometimes. Once I just had to let it out; I had to yell or scream or something. Where could I go? You can't yell in outer space or under water. I flew up to the Arctic. I stood there all alone, on top of an ice floe, and yelled at the top of my lungs. It started avalanches. I worried a bit about the wildlife. But it did feel good. Didn't accomplish anything, but it felt good." Lois moved over to stand behind Clark, where he was sitting on the sofa. She was curious about what had caused the ice floe incident, but some sixth sense warned her not to go there. She put her arms around him and kissed the top of his head. "My poor Clark. All the emotions of a regular man, but none of the outlets." Clark raised his hands and placed them on top of hers. "There are compensations," Clark said, leaning his head against the inside of her arm. "I'm happy with what I am; I'm proud of what I can do." He turned his head and gently kissed her arm, before looking up into her eyes. "And I'm proud of you. Even if you do make me bite my fingernails." ********** ============================================= Continued in the next two e-mails ============================================= Genevieve (NightSky@erols.com) ; The Voting is over, but you can still read the L&C fanfic nominated for the Kerth Awards! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 17:00:50 -0500 Reply-To: NightSky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: Yet Each Man Kills (part 3 of 4) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yet Each Man Kills" E-Mail 3 of 4 By Genevieve Clemens (NightSky@erols.com) -------------------------------------------------------------------- That afternoon Jimmy proudly showed Lois everything he had discovered about the Albion Cleaning Service. Each of the stores robbed used Albion as their custodial service. Jimmy was quite pleased with the fact that he had also thought to provide a list of the stores that Albion had contracts with that had not been robbed. They reviewed the list. "And look," Jimmy was excited. "These two stores -- McGregor's and Benjamin's -- are really, really upscale stores. I mean, like, only the upper crust of the upper crust could afford to shop in either of them. They haven't been robbed yet. I think we should go and check them out..." "Now? Jimmy, they're filled with shoppers right now. You're not going to learn anything." Jimmy would not be discouraged. "Tonight then," he said. "We can hide out and watch the cleaning company at work." Lois almost yawned at the thought of watching people dusting and sweeping the floors. She knew that the chances of finding anything out that way were slim. But Jimmy's enthusiasm was not to be denied. "OK," she began. Then she remembered. "Oh, no, not tonight. My parents are coming over for dinner. Tomorrow, OK?" Jimmy's disappointment was obvious, but Lois got him to promise that he wouldn't go on his own. "In the meantime," Lois said, "we'll go over to Albion and interview the owner." "About what?" Jimmy couldn't imagine an excuse. "Oh, we'll think of something," Lois said breezily, grabbing her purse. "That's what taxi rides are for." Exulted, Ron Chiswick waited in the outer offices of the Albion Cleaning Service. After months of unemployment, he finally had a job. It wasn't much of a job; he'd be working nights cleaning stores and office buildings, but it was a job. During the interview, he'd thought about lying when they asked him if he'd ever been in trouble with the police, but when he told them the truth, they seemed pleased and hired him on the spot. He was going to buy Sarah a new dress and take her out to dinner with his first paycheck. He stood as his new boss, Jeremy Fisher, came in. Fisher gave Chiswick a T-shirt marked "Albion" and told him to wear it with jeans when he was at work. Chiswick then glanced quickly over a checklist of things to do -- vacuum, dust, clean the restrooms. No problem. "There's one more thing," the supervisor said. Chiswick looked up questioningly. "When you leave, I want you to forget to turn the alarms back on." Chiswick felt the exultation start to drain away and a tension began to replace it. "You won't have to steal anything. Just leave the alarms off." Chiswick thought quickly. He was no fool. He might not be going to steal anything, but somebody else would be. Except for the police bothering him about Sarah, which didn't count, he hadn't been in any trouble for years. Did he want to get involved in this? And yet, it was a job. A man needed a job; he needed to support and care for his wife and family. Slowly Chiswick looked at Fisher and nodded. "I understand, Mr. Fisher. I won't let you down." "Good." Fisher looked at Chiswick appraisingly for a second. "If you do a good job here, Chiswick, we might find something else for you in the organization. You start tomorrow night, ten o'clock, at McGregor's Department Store." ********** Chiswick had barely left when a taxi pulled up, and Jimmy and Lois got out and entered the building. Forty-five minutes later, they were coming out again, frustrated and angry. All of Lois's skill and excuses hadn't managed to procure an interview, and when she'd tried snooping, they had been discovered and pointedly shown the door. "What now?" Jimmy asked. "Do we go back in?" Lois grimaced. "Not today. They'll be watching for us. We'll have to get really sneaky now." She glanced at her watch. "And I have a doctor's appointment in about forty minutes." She thought for a moment. "Jimmy, can you go back to the Planet and find out everything you can about Albion? Who owns them? What are their debts? Everything! Next time we go into that office -- and we will -- I want to make sure we have ammunition." Jimmy watched Lois's cab drive off down the street. Anticipating another all-nighter, he headed off towards the nearest Starbucks to stock up on caffeine before going back to the office. ********** The doorbell rang at 438 Hyperion Avenue. In the kitchen, Clark was holding a tray of cheese and crackers in one hand and a plate of vegetables in the other, while balancing a bowl of ranch dressing in the crook of his elbow. Turning to face the swinging doors which led into the living room, he took a deep breath, pursed his lips, and blew gently. Slowly, as if pulled by invisible ropes, the doors swung open. Continuing to blow until he was safely through the doors, Clark placed the food on the coffee table. The doorbell rang a second time as Clark headed over to answer the front door. As soon as he opened the door, Ellen Lane flew in. "Whew!" she exclaimed. "I thought we would never get here. Sam was late picking me up, and then there was some ghastly traffic tie- up crossing the bridge. Why on earth do you suppose they have to do construction at the dinner hour? I'm starving. Something smells delicious. What's Lois cooking?" Depositing her coat and purse on the chair in the foyer, she headed nonstop towards the kitchen. Sam Lane entered at a more sedate pace. With an indulgent smile at Ellen, he handed Clark a bottle of wine. "Ellen and Lois shouldn't drink it, but I don't see why we should deny ourselves, eh?" he nudged Clark in a conspiratorial way. Clark could think of lots of reasons why wine shouldn't be on the dinner table, basic politeness being the most obvious, but before he could open his mouth, the doors to the kitchen flew open, and Ellen was back in the living room. "Clark! Where's Lois? Isn't she here?" "Not yet, Ellen. She had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. The doctor frequently gets way behind schedule. She'll be here shortly." "Isn't that just like her? Invites her parents over to dinner and then she isn't here. So who cooked? Clark, she didn't leave you with the cooking, did she?" Clark considered telling Ellen that he cooked dinner about ninety percent of the time but decided not to. "It's no big deal, Ellen. It's just a simple dinner, not a seven-course gourmet meal. Come and sit down. Can I get you something to drink?" "Club soda, for me. Sam?" Sam gestured at the wine bottle that Clark was still holding. "I'll have a glass of that, if you don't mind." Clark went into the kitchen to pour one glass of wine and two glasses of club soda. He came back out, served the drinks, and settled himself on the sofa, taking a sip of his club soda. Sam frowned at Clark's choice of beverage and made a big show of drinking his wine -- twirling the glass, sniffing the bouquet, and finally tasting the wine. "Marvelous!" he declared. "You don't know what you're missing." Ellen set down her glass with a decided "clink" and got up to begin nervously pacing around the room. An awkward silence ensued, as Sam sipped at his wine and Clark watched Ellen inspect the living room. Clark tried desperately to think of some subject for conversation. When he saw Ellen run her finger over their bookshelves, looking for dust, he asked semi-humorously, "Can I get you a pair of white gloves?" "Oh," Ellen was flustered. "No, I'm just surprised, that's all. Lois never kept her room neat as a child, yet her house is as neat as a pin." Clark hid a smile. It wasn't Lois who kept the house spic and span, and it didn't take him more than a few seconds a day to dust. "Was it hard to get her to clean her room?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. "Oh, wasn't it just!" Ellen answered, coming back over to the sofa to sit down. "I remember one time when she was about ten..." "I'm starving," Sam interrupted. "If Lois isn't back in about fifteen minutes, let's start without her." Silence reigned again, and Clark found himself listening for Lois's arrival. There were times when Sam and Ellen were quite pleasant to be around and he was sure that Lois had exaggerated all of their problems during her childhood. At other times, like this one, he was sure the most horrific of her stories had barely scratched the surface. The three of them had just sat down and begun their salads when Clark finally heard Lois coming up the stairs. The sharpness of her steps and her infuriated muttering as she searched in her purse for her key warned him that something had happened to put Lois Lane in a very bad mood indeed. The door closed behind Lois with a resounding bang, as she stormed into the dining room. "Clark! There you are! I am not going back to that doctor again. I don't care what you say; I don't care what we do. I am not going back to him again. You can..." As she saw her parents she checked herself and caught her breath. "*Superman* can fly me to *Australia*, and we can find a doctor down there. I don't care, but I am not going back to that *medieval* doctor again. I'm just not." "Lois, dear, what happened?" Ellen asked concerned, while at the same time Sam said, "Lois, don't rush into anything. The doctor undoubtedly knows best." "Knows best! Knows best?" Lois focused on her father's words. "Do you know what he said?" She stared at Clark. He shook his head mutely, raising his eyebrows in silent inquiry. Long experience had taught him that Lois would listen best after she had gotten all of this out of her system. "He started telling me what things would be like when the baby was born, you know -- in the hospital? He told me when I should call him and when I should come to the hospital, things like that. Then he said that the whole time I'd be in the hospital, I'd be in bed, attached to the fetal monitors and with an IV." "That sounds reasonable," Sam began, but Lois didn't even stop for a breath. "So I told him that I'd been reading, and that a lot of the books said that it was more comfortable, and that labor progressed more quickly, if the woman was up and mobile. And *he* said..." Clark didn't think Lois had ever said "Lex" with more venom than she had managed to put into that "he" when she referred to the doctor. "*He* said that he didn't want me reading books, that they would only confuse me. I'm a *journalist* for heaven's sake. Confuse me!" Clark winced slightly when he heard that. As he imagined the invective that Lois had undoubtedly poured out upon the doctor at that point, half of him was sympathetic for the doctor and the other half wished with all his heart that he had been there to see it. "But Lois," Sam's voice of reason wafted over the table, "he didn't mean it that way. These popular books aren't based on sound medical fact; they are frequently contradictory, and as a doctor myself, I can tell you there is nothing more annoying than a patient who insists on telling me how to do my job. You just have to trust him; he has a good reputation, doesn't he?" "Reputation? What's that worth? My doctor for the amnesia had one of the squeakiest clean reputations there was and look what happened then!" "What, what happened?" Ellen was looking between her husband and her daughter, trying to follow the fast moving conversation. As usual, she felt that she was the outsider, missing the one crucial piece of information that the others had. And, as usual, the others ignored her. "Now, Lois, that was an aberration." Sam was desperately trying to get the conversation back on track, sorry he'd brought up the whole question of trust. "Temporary insanity or something. Surely your OB hasn't fallen in love with you. And he's got a lot more experience in delivering babies than you have." "Experience! I'll say. 'Now, Mrs. Kent,' he said." Lois looked towards Clark. "And how many times have I told him I'm not Mrs. Kent; I'm Ms. Lane?" Clark opened his mouth to answer, then shut it again when the question proved to be rhetorical and Lois continued mimicking the doctor without stopping. "'I've been delivering babies since before you were born. You won't want to be walking around.' Well, I may not know how I'm going to feel then, but he sure as hell doesn't either. I want a doctor who will at least listen to me!" "Now Princess..." Sam began, when Ellen interrupted. "Lois has a point, Sam. I've had lots of doctors in my day, and you need a doctor who respects you." Sam gave her a look of disbelief. "I'm serious," Ellen continued. "Lois needs to do what she is comfortable with." "Ellen," Sam said in an aside. "Lois and I are talking." "Well, I know that, Sam, but I want to say something," Ellen began doggedly. "I may not be a doctor, but I've had two babies." Sam shook his head disparagingly. "Oh, come off it, Ellen. They had you drugged to the teeth with Lois, and you were *drunk* when Lucy was born. You don't know about childbirth; you can't even remember it. Now, this is a medical decision, and it has nothing to do with you. Why don't you just worry about what to serve your bridge club next week?" Ellen opened her mouth to start to say something else, but Sam intervened. "Hush," he said in a vicious stage whisper, "Just be quiet. Nobody cares what you think." Ellen stared at him for a moment in confusion, then dropped her head and stared at her plate, twisting her hands together. Silence ruled around the table. Lois looked quickly at her father and her mother, and then glanced quickly over at Clark. He was staring at his plate, pushing the food around with his fork. She looked at her mother again. Lois was reminded of the women she had seen at the shelter, who had also been unable to meet her eyes. Memories of other dinners, other disagreements, came back to her, and she glanced at her father with a dawning suspicion in her eyes. Suddenly Ellen pushed back her chair and stood up, her trembling apparent. "I'll...I'll be right back," she said quietly, as she disappeared in the direction of the bathroom. Sam watched her leave. "She'll be all right. Now, Lois, you have to consider..." "Daddy," Lois protested. "I wanted to hear what Mother had to say." Sam looked up, surprise apparent on his face. "That's a surprise," he laughed. "Let's be serious about this, Lois. Changing your doctor at this late date is not a decision to make lightly." "I don't make any decision lightly. And in this case, I think Mother's right." Sam blinked. He and Lois had had arguments before -- countless times -- and Lois probably disregarded his counsel and went her own heedless way more often than not, but there was one thing he had learned to count on. Lois *never* agreed with her mother. He looked at Lois again. She was regarding him steadily, but she wasn't looking at him with the adoring look of a child, or with the bewildered look she had bestowed upon him during her teens when he and her mother fought. Instead, she was looking at him with the appraising, probing look of the reporter. He'd seen that look once before, when his former partner had gone crazy and tried to use his cyborg patients to fix prizefights. He had gained a grudging respect for his daughter during the cyborg affair, watching her skillfully unravel the threads of the mystery. He'd learned a lot about Lois in the years since then, as he tried to ingratiate himself back into her life. And now he saw clearly that her mind was made up and that she was rather displeased with him. Sam had no objections to losing this argument, but he had no intentions of losing his daughter again -- not while she was bearing his grandchild -- his grandson. As quickly as the wind can change direction, Sam changed his stand. "I just wanted to say that you are pretty far along, Kitten. It might be hard for you to find a new doctor. Let me know if I can help." Lois looked at him pensively for a moment longer. Her eyes went to her mother's empty chair and then to her husband. Poor Clark! Scenes like this always made him uncomfortable, and this time, she had to admit, she was feeling more than a bit uncomfortable too. "I'm starved," she said, in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "Are those potatoes still hot?" Clark started slightly, surprised at a question addressed to him that needed an answer. Adjusting his glasses slightly, he looked around the table, staring blankly at the potatoes for a moment, as if he didn't remember what he was supposed to do with them. He pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "I think they are warm enough," he said, as he passed Lois the bowl. "I'm sure they are," Lois smiled covertly at Clark, as she began heaping potatoes on her plate. Dinner conversation stayed banal after that. Ellen rejoined them in a few minutes, but didn't join in the discussions. They talked about the weather, about Jimmy and how he was coping with his new job, about the new thing-a-ma-jig Sam had been working on, and about the cost of maternity clothes. Clark had to leave briefly -- he remembered he'd promised Miss Moffet down the street he'd feed her cat -- but he was back within fifteen minutes. After the Lanes left, Clark zipped around the house cleaning up, while Lois went upstairs to take a shower. When she came out, Clark was sitting in the chair in the bedroom, reading a book. Lois walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at him. Eventually, he looked up. "Clark," she began quietly, "what did you think about tonight?" "Whatever doctor we use is your decision, honey. I'll support you in whatever you decide to do." "Darn right! No, I mean about my parents." Clark was quiet for a second. "Things were pretty tense from the moment they arrived," he said. "Something must have been going on earlier that we don't know about." "They've been doing so well lately. I cannot believe the way he talked to her tonight! He just cut her down, no tenderness, no love, no *respect* at all." "Lois, your father has never treated Ellen with much respect. He can be indulgent and tolerant, but he always acts like he thinks she's rather silly." "I know," Lois admitted, "and so do I, don't I? But tonight -- he was actually cruel." "It was a bit below the belt, even for Sam," Clark agreed. "Clark? Maybe I've just got abuse on my mind, but at the shelter today, they were talking about emotional abuse -- where one partner attacks the other with words instead of physical force. Daddy's words -- and Mother's reactions...this was almost like a kind of abuse." Clark looked at Lois intensely, thinking about what she was saying. "This may have been going on for years, Clark," Lois continued. "Maybe the reason I think my mother is silly is because I've heard my father say so all these years. And Mother's an alcoholic -- she always seems to want to drink more when Daddy's around. And look at me! I'm just like Bea Warne described the children this morning -- I'm a perfectionist, driven to be the best in my profession, and I keep people at arm's length. Clark, what do you think?" "I think it's something to consider. But I'm not sure we have enough facts to base anything on right now. One little fight at dinner..." "I can remember hundreds of fights -- big and little. All those times she complained he was cruel, and I thought she was just whining." Lois was quiet for a second, remembering. Then another thought struck her. "Clark! What if I turn out to be like my father, nasty and vindictive towards our child?" Clark rose and walked over to her. Was this where her insecurities about parenthood had started? He couldn't count the number of times he'd reassured her. "You won't." "You can't be sure. Look at the way I treat Jimmy! He practically runs from me now and will barely look me in the eye. I've been nasty to him, snapping at every turn." "It's different." "It is not! I'm pushing him, and belittling his work..." "No, you're not. You're pushing him, true, but it's because we both know he can do it. He knows it too. He's not afraid of you, he doesn't hate you, he respects you, and he knows he has to earn your respect. And when he does -- and he will -- you'll tell him so. You play hard, Lois, but you always play fair." "You're sure?" "I'm sure. And you'll be fair and loving with our child too." His hand went to her cheek, and she leaned into the caress. "Just wait and see." She moved towards him, and he gathered her into a reassuring hug. After a moment, he lifted her up and carried her over to the bed. "Aren't you coming to bed?" Lois asked, when Clark made no move to get into bed himself. He shook his head. "I thought I'd go out and see what's going on. I've been so tied up in the office that Superman's hardly put in an appearance. You'll be all right?" "Oh, sure. I'm so tired, I'll probably be asleep before you're airborne." Clark tucked Lois in and kissed her goodnight. He spun into the suit, kissed her again, and was gone. But contrary to her expectations, Lois stayed awake thinking far into the night. ********** At the Daily Planet the next day, Lois hung up the phone for the twelfth time. She got up and went looking for Clark, finding him in Perry's office. "I've called at least a dozen doctors. None of them are willing to accept me as a patient. If I hear another nurse say, 'I'm sorry, Doctor doesn't accept transfers after the fifth month' I'm going to scream. Do you know what I think? The real reason they won't accept me? They think that any woman who dumps her doctor after five months isn't going to be the mild and biddable patient they want." Clark smiled at the image of an amenable Lois. "Well, Lois, mild and biddable aren't exactly the words that jump to mind when one wants to describe you," he teased. "Very funny, Clark." Lois wasn't amused. "Your father warned us last night it might be difficult," Clark reminded her. "But I'm sure that somewhere in Metropolis is a doctor who is just waiting to accept Lois Lane as a patient." "Yeah. I guess I'll just have to keep looking. Oh, I almost forgot. Jimmy and I are going to hang out at McGregor's Department Store tonight." "McGregor's?" "Uh-huh. They signed a contract with Albion Cleaners about two weeks ago, and they haven't been robbed yet. We thought we'd go over about seven, hang around till they closed, maybe even let ourselves get locked in, and see what happens." "Sounds like a real long shot to me," Clark commented. "Tell me about it. But Jimmy's so excited. Seems to think 'Lane and Kent' always get stories by breaking into places." "You'll be teaching Jimmy bad habits," Clark grinned. "Want me to come and be bored with you?" "That's why I'm telling you. I always appreciate your company on a stakeout, Mr. Kent." "Unfortunately, with Jimmy there, our normal 'while away the hours' activities will be curtailed." "I'm sure we can manage to find a way to ditch him," Lois smiled. But as luck would have it, it was Clark who got ditched that evening. To everyone's surprise, the FBI arrested one of the city councilmen late that afternoon. Clark was knee-deep in late breaking news, rewrites, and redesigning the front page when Lois stuck her head in Perry's office. "Jimmy and I are off," she announced. "We'll be fine. I'm taking Jimmy on a field trip." "Be careful," Clark said. "I'll be keeping my ear tuned, listening for trouble." ********** Nothing was quieter than a deserted department store after everyone had left. Jimmy and Lois had entered McGregor's about half an hour before closing and had found hiding places. Now the store had been closed for fifteen minutes, and their echoing footsteps and the buzzing overhead fluorescent lights were the only sounds in the cavernous building. Jimmy had wanted to inspect the way the jewelry and furs were locked up, so he and Lois had gone to inspect the cases. The sudden sound when the cleaning company arrived made them jump and scurry back to their hiding places. From there, they could hear the sounds of the vacuum cleaners and listen to the gossip of the employees, learning more about their families than either Lois or Jimmy really wanted to. Lois tensed suddenly when she recognized Ron Chiswick as one of the cleaning crew. If anyone else discovered them, it wouldn't be too difficult to come up with some sort of explanation, babbling something about being locked in, but Chiswick wouldn't be fooled. And after the scene on the street the other day, he would probably make things as uncomfortable for her as possible. Her fears were for naught, however, as after about three hours of frenzied activity, the cleaning crew left. Jimmy and Lois both stretched as they emerged from their hiding places, and Jimmy went over to check the jewelry cases again. Lois, stifling a yawn, went to check the main alarm system. Her eyes widened at what she saw. Lois's stage whisper of "Jimmy" brought him rushing to her side. "The alarm system isn't turned on." "Not at all?" "No. They must have neglected to turn it back on when they left." The sudden sound of a door opening caught them both by surprise. Too far from their secure hiding places, they scurried behind a nearby rack of women's dresses. The three individuals who entered the store this time were obviously not part of the cleaning crew returning to retrieve a forgotten vacuum cleaner. They were dressed all in black, down to the gloves on their hands and the black ski masks over their faces. Carrying large black satchels, they headed straight for the jewelry section. Somehow, they unlocked each case and began systematically filling their bags. Jimmy took a small camera from his pocket and began slowly inching forward, planning to document what was going on. Lois, on the other hand, had begun to crawl towards the offices, intent on finding a phone and calling the police. Both of them would forever swear it was the other who bumped into the mannequin, causing it to totter and fall over. It didn't matter who it was, however, as both were discovered in short order by the gentlemen in black, who continued to fit the stereotype by holding large black guns. Jimmy and Lois watched helplessly as two of the thieves continued to fill the satchels, while the third held the reporters at gunpoint in a corner of the store. When the satchels were filled, the leader turned and looked at Lois and Jimmy. "I should have known there would be trouble when you two showed up at the office," he said, and Lois recognized the voice as one of the people who had shown her and Jimmy out of the Albion offices the day before. "Now, what am I going to do with you? The night watchman will be making his rounds in about thirty minutes, and I'd just as soon not have the police after us that fast." Jimmy and Lois were herded down the stairs to the sub-basement of the store. Mindful of the child within her, Lois was loath to take any action that might cause one of the thieves to fire his gun. Even yelling for help might have spooked one of the men, who didn't look all that sure about what to do in the first place. She and Jimmy were shoved through a small door and locked in. "Where are we?" asked Jimmy, feeling around in the dark. "Cables, gears..." he reported on what he found. "Sounds like the bottom of the elevator shaft," said Lois, reaching into her pocket for her lock picks. A sudden grinding sound made them both look up in horror as the elevator started to descend. As the dark shape grew larger and larger, Lois took a deep breath and yelled, "Help! Superman!" Clark was putting the final touches on the morning edition when he heard the cry he had half-expected to hear all night. In a flash, he was moving down the corridor, loosening his tie. The sole reporter who was still in the office looked up as Clark sped past, shaking his head in wonder. For a man who never took a day off sick, Kent sure seemed to have a number of urgent calls of nature. ============================================= Concluded in the next e-mail ============================================= Genevieve (NightSky@erols.com) ; The Voting is over, but you can still read the L&C fanfic nominated for the Kerth Awards! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 17:02:29 -0500 Reply-To: NightSky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: Yet Each Man Kills (part 4 of 4) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Yet Each Man Kills" E-Mail 4 of 4 By Genevieve Clemens (NightSky@erols.com) -------------------------------------------------------------------- A blue blur was all that could be seen as Superman flew towards McGregor's Department Store. Scanning the store from the sky with his x-ray vision, he quickly located Jimmy and Lois at the bottom of the elevator shaft. In a second, McGregor's large, famous plate- glass window was history. Superman flew through the store, pried open the elevator doors and grabbed the cables, holding the elevator suspended a few feet above the two reporters. Seconds later, he had secured the car and then moved quickly to the basement to free Jimmy and Lois. "Superman!" Lois didn't give him a second to ask what happened. "Three men, dressed in black. They've got a lot of jewels, and they were here not two minutes ago." Superman nodded and zipped back outside, hovering just above the store. He easily spotted the three men getting into a car on a side street. As the car started off, Superman dropped to the ground and lifted the entire vehicle. He carried the car around to the front of the store, where Lois and Jimmy were just emerging, stepping carefully around the broken glass. "These the three men you mentioned?" he asked, setting the car down. "They certainly are." Lois was unable to keep a triumphant note out of her voice and a self-satisfied grin off her face. Jimmy just nodded. "Jimmy," Superman said, "Why don't you find a phone and call the police to come and pick these 'gentlemen' up? I think they'll wait in the car until then." "Uh, right. Phone, police. Got it." Jimmy was off on a run. Lois walked over closer to Superman. "Thanks for keeping an ear out for me," she said softly. "I always keep an ear on you, Lois; you know that. And a good thing too." "Hey, it's not my fault they decided to pick tonight to rob the store! Besides I taught Jimmy two important things tonight." "Oh, really? What?" "How to phone the police and how to yell 'Help, Superman!' when the elevator's about to turn you into anchovy paste." Half exasperated, half amused, Superman found himself smiling in spite of himself. Lois's ability to bounce back from impending death had always impressed him. He had never quite been able to rid himself of a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach after a close call. Lois, however, was usually cracking jokes immediately afterwards. Shortly afterwards, the police arrived and took the thieves away. The manager of McGregor's had also arrived, and had seemed to cope with the destruction of his plate-glass window fairly well. He and the night watchman had gone inside, and Jimmy, Lois, and Superman were standing alone on the sidewalk. "Why don't I take you home, Lois?" Superman asked. "It's almost three in the morning." "I'm going back to the Planet," Lois looked at Superman as though he had lost his mind. "I've got a story to write." "Lois," Superman led her away, out of earshot but not out of Jimmy's curious gaze. "It's late; you're exhausted. You're not going to make the early edition anyway -- I am *not* redoing the layout again. Let Jimmy go back and write up the story. You can edit it to death in the morning." Lois scowled, but headed back to Jimmy. She told him in minute detail what to write and how to write it, before seeing him into a cab. She turned back and her eyes widened. Superman was standing where she had left him, disconsolately biting his fingernails. She smiled tenderly as she walked over to him. Looking up at him, she whispered, "Let's go home." ********** It was after ten before Lois awakened the next morning. She scowled at the alarm clock, sure she'd set it before she tumbled into bed at three-thirty. Clark was already gone, and she'd muttered a few choice phrases about him, assuming he'd switched off the alarm so she'd sleep longer. It wasn't until she saw the note in the kitchen that she realized he'd only turned it off after it had been blaring for ten full minutes. "You must have needed the sleep, honey," he'd written, "or else you couldn't have slept through the noise." As she stood in the kitchen reading the note, she felt the child inside her flutter. She put a hand on her stomach and pressed gently in response. "This is your fault," she said. "I never had trouble getting by on three hours of sleep before you showed up." The baby moved again, more vigorously this time, and Lois envisioned the child rolling over. She smiled tenderly. "Good morning to you, too," she said, and pressed gently on her stomach again. As she felt the child move in response to the pressure, she wondered what the child thought of her touch and of the sound of her voice. It was another hour before she got to her desk at the Daily Planet. Jimmy's draft on the events of last night was waiting for her on her computer, although there was no sign of Jimmy. A note informed her that he'd gone home around six and would be back in the early afternoon. She got herself a cup of decaf and began reviewing his story. As usual when she was engrossed in her work, the hustle and bustle of the busy newsroom faded from her consciousness. Gradually, however, she became aware that someone was watching her. She looked up and was surprised to find her mother standing by her desk. "Mother! How long have you been standing there?" Lois stood quickly and began moving the piles of papers and books that covered the chair next to her desk. "Sit down." "I just stopped by to see if you'd be free for lunch. But it looks like you're busy, so -- we can make it some other time." Lois glanced at the clock. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got in real late this morning, and I'm trying to finish this up before Jimmy comes in. We had a bit of an adventure last night. I'm not really hungry, just finished breakfast, in fact. We could go get coffee downstairs, if you'd like?" "No, no. It's obvious you aren't ready to stop. I just wanted to talk about the other night. If you were really serious about changing doctors..." "Quite serious. I called at least a dozen yesterday. Daddy was right; no one wants to take me on." "One of my friend's daughters had a baby recently." Ellen put a card on Lois's desk. Lois glanced at it: Women's OB/GYN of Metropolis. "She recommends them," Ellen went on. "Two female OB's and two midwives. Maybe you could give them a call." "Sounds good. I'll give it a try." Lois put the card in her Rolodex. "I've had so many doctors over the years, Lois; you know my health isn't good. It's important to find a doctor that treats you with respect, one that acknowledges that you are an intelligent woman, not one that soothes you with 'just trust me, deary, and everything will be all right.'" Lois laughed bitterly, and shook her head. "That Neanderthal doctor actually said that once or twice. I can't believe I put up with him as long as I did." "From the stories you've told me over the months, neither can I. One of the things I've always admired about you, Lois, is the way you've demanded respect from everyone you've met. You're so like your father, determined to be at the top of your profession, whatever the cost. I'm very proud of you, Lois. The way you've excelled in journalism -- all the awards, and the dedication you show. You'll never get caught like I did -- putting all my faith and effort into the handsome young doctor I caught for a husband, and ending up with nothing. You have so much that I'll never have." "Have you ever thought of a career, Mother?" Ellen shook her head. "No. I didn't much like being a nurse. I did think of getting a degree in interior design, once, but that didn't work out." "Why not?" "I would never have finished up all the requirements. Your father was right; it would have been a real waste of money. He knew all I ever wanted to be was a wife and a mother. I'm almost embarrassed to admit to you that the only reason I studied nursing was to find and marry a doctor. But I failed as a wife, and I failed as a mother..." "Oh, Mother, you didn't fail..." "I was divorced, Lois. A wife can't be more of a failure than that. And, let's call a spade a spade. I'm neither your friend nor your confidant -- I'm just your mother. You put up with me out of sense of duty, and not much more. I'm just grateful your father's giving me a second chance at being a wife." Memories of her father's infidelities flashed through Lois's head. "He's giving you a second chance? I would have thought it was the other way around." Ellen blushed. "No, no Lois." She looked away, biting her lip, then looked back, straight at Lois. "What you saw -- your father -- What he did..." Ellen took a deep breath and started again. "It was all my fault, Lois. Everything that happened was my fault. You know nothing. I -- I really was a failure as a wife." Ellen looked away again. "I'd rather not talk about this, Lois. I'll just say hello to Clark, and then let you get back to work. Where is he, anyway?" Lois pointed towards Perry's office. "Oh, I see him. I'll be right back." Lois watched her mother walk towards Perry's office. "Your fault!" she whispered unbelievingly. She began rooting around her desk, looking for the papers she'd brought back from the women's shelter the day before. Finding them, she opened her mother's purse and slid a copy of the schedule for the support group inside. ********** It hadn't been a good day for Ron Chiswick. He'd gotten home from work just before dawn and had barely managed to fall asleep before the police were banging on his door. They'd taken him downtown for questioning about the events at the store. They'd let him go early in the afternoon, but not before he'd figured out that his bosses at Albion Cleaning Service were in a lot of trouble and he was out of a job again. He wondered if being employed for almost two days would help when he applied for unemployment benefits -- again. Breathing in short, controlled bursts and clenching his fists in frustration, he stormed out of the police station and headed for the nearest bar. ********** At the end of the day, Lois and Clark were walking home from work. It wasn't quite dark yet, another sign that spring was coming and that the darkest days of winter were behind them. As they walked, they talked of everyday things: work, how glad Clark was that Perry would be back tomorrow, plans for their next day off. Suddenly Clark stopped for a second, then continued walking. Lois, who had her hand resting on his arm, noticed that his whole body tensed. "What is it?" she asked. "What do you hear?" "Nothing. Nothing at all." Clark continued walking, although the tight set of his lips betrayed the lie. "It's them, isn't it?" Lois had just realized they were in front of the Chiswick's house. "They're fighting again, aren't they?" "Lois, there is nothing we can do," Clark sounded tired. "Let's just go home. It'll be easier to ignore there." "Clark, we can't just ignore it! We have to do something!" "What? Lois, Sarah Chiswick made it very clear that she didn't want me interfering with her life last time I tried to help. I can't just go barging into her apartment just because I want to. She has some rights, and I have to respect them." "Even if one of the rights is the right to be beaten up by her lout of a husband?" "Even then. Lois, Superman is not a vigilante. I have no more right than Chiswick does to use my strength inappropriately." A muffled crash came from the building. "Even I could hear that," Lois exclaimed, "and I'm not going to stand out here and do nothing." Lois went up the steps to the building two at a time and barged in, Clark following more slowly at her heels. The noise was much louder in the building, and Lois was able to locate the Chiswick's apartment with no difficulty. A thin man stood at the landing, staring at the door. "They're at it again," the man said. "I wonder if I should call the police. I've done it before, and they manage to break up the fight. But it doesn't solve anything." Lois stared at Clark and the man. From the apartment they could hear Chiswick yelling and ranting at his wife, but there were no feminine sounds at all. Suddenly there was an extra loud crash, followed by a sharp scream. It was all Lois could take. "Sarah! Sarah! Open this door!" Lois was banging on the door and yelling. "Sarah! Are you all right! Sarah!" After a moment, the door opened an inch or two, caught on its chain. Sarah's face, blood pouring from her nose, looked out at them. "Call the police!" she gasped, before she was pulled back and the door slammed shut again. That was all Clark needed. One shove from him and the door burst open. Clark was inside. Lois looked at the neighbor who was still standing on the landing. "Didn't you hear her? Call the police! And tell them to send an ambulance." As the man disappeared into his own apartment, Lois followed Clark through the door. To someone who didn't know his secret, the sight of the slender Clark easily holding back the larger, hefty Chiswick would have looked incongruous. Lois just glanced at them before heading over to where Sarah Chiswick huddled on the ground, holding her arm close to her body. Lois dropped to her knees beside Sarah, ignoring Sarah's instinctive flinch away. "The police are coming," she said quietly. "It's going to be all right." The police and the ambulance soon arrived. Based on Lois and Clark's statements, the police took Chiswick into custody, although how long they could hold him would depend on whether or not Sarah would make a complaint. Lois walked over towards the stretcher as they were loading it into the ambulance. "Ms. Lane," Sarah was speaking slowly and carefully, as though it hurt to move her jaw, "thank you for everything." "What are you going to do now, Sarah?" Lois asked. She looked down at Sarah's bruised and bloody face. The paramedics had splinted her arm, and they suspected she had some broken ribs. Sarah shook her head slowly, tears running down her cheeks. "I don't know. I don't want to go back to him, but -- I don't want to send him to jail either. Maybe that shelter you mentioned..." Lois smiled in sympathy. "I'll have someone from the shelter get in touch with you at the hospital." She walked back to Clark and took his hand as they watched the ambulance drive away. Later that night, Lois leaned her head on Clark's shoulder as he reached for the remote to turn off the television. "It seems like a month since this morning," she said. "I can't believe it was only last night that those thugs almost killed Jimmy and me, and you rescued us." "Then you turned around and rescued Sarah this evening," Clark said. "Oh, and I found a new OB," Lois announced. "You and I have an appointment with her next Monday morning." Clark raised his eyebrows. "And does she call you Mrs. Kent?" he asked, remembering how that had been one of the sticking points between Lois and her ex-doctor. "No, she calls me Lois. And she suggested I call her Judith. She's nice, Clark. It's not just the name thing; she treated me with respect. She acted like she knew I had a brain, and that she expected me to use it. I liked that." Clark rose to his feet, and in one smooth motion, he picked Lois up. "Well, I suspect that this new doctor would agree that my pregnant wife, who in one day has been a helpless damsel in distress" -- Lois made a face at him -- "and also been a gallant knight, *rescuing* a damsel herself, should get enough sleep." "Sleep! Clark, it's only nine o'clock!" "Is it? I hadn't noticed. I guess we'll just have to find something else to do to occupy us till 'Lights-out.'" Lois relaxed in Clark's arms, more than willing, as Clark carried her up the stairs. THE END Copyright, 1998, Genevieve K. Clemens. All rights reserved. ================================================ Author's notes: The problem of family violence is not a simple one; it is far too complicated for even a Superman to solve. It is too complicated, in fact, for me to adequately address it in this story. I remember the frustrations I felt, hearing a woman tell the police "No, no -- everything's fine", when ten minutes before she had been shouting "You're killing me!" The next time they started fighting, I sat upstairs in my apartment, listening to the screams and crashes, and wondering what to do. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to see what Superman and Lois would do in the same sort of situation. Lois in particular, I felt, would not handle helplessness well. It is only recently that family violence has been seen as a problem in our society; the name Chiswick comes from the first shelter for battered women and children, which opened in Chiswick, England in 1971. In less that 30 years, we've moved closer and closer to a zero-tolerance ideal for family violence, but, in reality, of course, it is still a major problem. For more information on Family Violence, check out The Family Violence Prevention Fund at . I wasn't the first person to envision Lois and Clark in this kind of situation, and I need to acknowledge Louise Simonson and Dan Jurgens, who wrote the splendid comic book story "The Crisis at Hand." I would highly recommend this story (Superman: The Man of Steel #16 (Oct. 92) and Superman #72 (Oct 92) to anyone looking for back issues of Superman stories in their local comic book store. I must admit that the first scene of this story comes directly from this story. I also need to thank my editors and proofreaders: Patty Macy, Kat Picson, Janeen Grohsmeyer, and Pat Heidkamp, who not only found countless grammar and punctuation errors, but offered comments, suggestions, and some really good ideas. -- Genevieve (NightSky@erols.com) ; The Voting is over, but you can still read the L&C fanfic nominated for the Kerth Awards! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 20:28:13 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Larus2407 Subject: Re: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-22 10:58:58 EST, you write: << . When Andy arrived at her house to pick her up, >> Crystal, you said in an earlier paragraph that Kat would meet him at the theater because she didn't want to give him her home address yet... --L (trying to be helpful) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 20:31:12 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Larus2407 Subject: Re: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-22 20:29:55 EST, you write: << << . When Andy arrived at her house to pick her up, >> Crystal, you said in an earlier paragraph that Kat would meet him at the theater because she didn't want to give him her home address yet... --L (trying to be helpful) >> oops, sorry all. Forgot to change the "TO" so it went private. :( --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 12:47:22 +1100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jenny Stosser Subject: Re: Kerth "Who Are The Nominees?" page In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:03 PM 21/03/98 PST, you wrote: Peace, If it's not too late (i'm just catching up on emails that arrived while I was away), could you please add a link to my website (in the URL) to my Kerth Nominee info page... and perhaps a blurb about my family? THanks! >Crossposting to both lists -- apologies to those who get this twice. > >Well the voting on the Kerths is closed and the ballot is gone. > >However, the nominees' page is still up and still being updated as I >receive information. I have plenty of space at my site right now, so >I intend to keep this page up indefinitely. So if you are a nominee in >this year's Kerths and meant to send me information about yourself >to go on the nominees page, but figured it was too late, it isn't! Send >your bio, list of other stories, links to homepages, etc. to me, and I'll >put them up. If you've participated in round robins, don't forget to >mention those -- I'm working on getting a list of all the participants in >all the round robins, but so far, I don't even have a list of all the round >robins! If you have a *small* photo of yourself (10K or less; larger >can be negotiated) that you'd like to include, send that too -- I have >one up at my page > >Peace > >A FoLC Named Peace >Come visit me, and read my fanfic > > >http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/7137 > > -- Jenny Stosser -*- jenerate@ozramp.net.au -*- (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) This message is umop ap!sdn -*- David is 5 and Megan is 2! Photos on the Stosser Family HomePage: http://geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/4583 Please sign our guestbook! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 21:08:45 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Re: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-22 20:30:13 EST, you write: << << . When Andy arrived at her house to pick her up, >> Crystal, you said in an earlier paragraph that Kat would meet him at the theater because she didn't want to give him her home address yet... >> Thanks!! I fixed that for the final draft. I appreciate you're noticing!! Crystal ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 19:14:34 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Stark Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:32 PM 3/21/98 -0500, you wrote: [snip] >(I confess I have selfish motives for pushing for an earlier date; April >4th is my son's first birthday party, we'll have out of town guests, and it >will be very difficult for me to get online until late in the evening, if >then.) > >More importantly, though, I think we've got a bunch of impatient people >who've gotten all excited I say, declare a date and time whenever you and the volunteers like and everyone else (the chickees to your hard-working Little Red Hens) will do their best to get there :) >The *other* important question to consider is, what time of day should >we begin? I don't know if it's possible to set a time that will accomodate >all the FOLCs around the world. And if it comes down to it, I think that >we have more Australians than Germans, so that's the group we have to try >hardest to include. I'm sorry, my German friends, but that's how the >numbers work out. Well, the US is on the back end of the clock here: practically everywhere else is ahead of us. A Friday evening or all day Saturday into Australia's Sunday night should cover everyone (as long as they don't work on a weekend). Debby Debby@swcp.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 13:20:39 +1000 Reply-To: lboas@postoffice.utas.edu.au Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lory Boas Subject: Hi, I need a little help. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Everyone, sorry to add to band width, I know everyone hates it when people like me write letters to the list asking "How do I get off this thing" etc etc etc Anyway, I seem to have lost the list instructions, could someone please email me privatly with instructions of how to sign off of this list please? Thanks in Advance. Lory ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 21:34:12 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Hi, I need a little help. Comments: To: lboas@postoffice.utas.edu.au In-Reply-To: <3515D506.FAFF2E33@postoffice.sandybay.utas.edu.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 1:20 PM +1000 3/23/98, Lory Boas wrote: >Hello Everyone, sorry to add to band width, I know everyone hates it when >people >like me write letters to the list asking "How do I get off this thing" etc etc >etc > >Anyway, I seem to have lost the list instructions, could someone please >email me >privatly with instructions of how to sign off of this list please? > >Thanks in Advance. > >Lory >From the mailing we got when we signed up: You may leave the list at any time by sending a "SIGNOFF LOISCLA-GENERAL-L" command to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU. Good luck. :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 14:11:36 +1000 Reply-To: lboas@postoffice.utas.edu.au Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lory Boas Subject: Re: My Help Message MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you for the quick responses from people on the list, I'll try the info you gave me. In the mean time you can all ignore my last post. Thanks, and 'bye-bye' I guess ;-) Lory. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 22:19:07 -0600 Reply-To: ginachar@horizon.hit.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: GINA AND CHARLIE JONES Subject: Kerth wavs Comments: To: Lois & Clark MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay...........due to a wonderful suggestion by Leanne, I have added a wav to the wav site -- drumroll.wav. I did not include it in a zipped file but will if more wavs are added. That's all for now...........cya at the Kerths!!!!!! Gina ginachar@horizon.hit.net (loisrae on IRC #loiscla) Check out my webpages at www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/5968 and www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3286. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 06:00:31 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Schmill Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- Short Time Notice Comments: cc: LOISCLA@VM.EGE.EDU.TR In-Reply-To: <009C392B.B1DD2720.62@kenyon.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" March 23, 1998 Hi, all! Sorry for posting on this one again. I just remembered something else when I thought of how short notice scheduling this ceremony really is. At least one of fanfic top notch writers and your nominee in several categories, Sheila Harper, is on vacation and won't be back until March 31. As far as I know, she left BEFORE this discussion even started. Mind you, I can't speak for her since I do not know how important the Kerths are for her. But she is one of my top favorite writers and I would personally want her to be able to be present at the ceremony -- and hopefully there to collect her prize(s). This is just a suggestion of course, but how about trying to make sure that the people who are to be honored have a chance to be there, at least most of them? Thus setting the date after Easter might actually be a better chance. Doris Schmill ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 12:09:34 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Y M Subject: Re[2]: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- and OVERSEAS Fans MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Crossposting to both lists: Hi ! As one - should I say the only ?? - french FoLC on this list, I have to say that 5 p.m. EST (11 p.m. CET) might be bit *early* for me, as we have "Series Night" on Saturdays (The Pretender, Dark Skies - fortunatly almost finished - and Profiler). I won't miss the end of Profiler for no cost, and it ends at 11:30/11:45 pm here. Anyway, just to say that I think that 6 pm EST will be good for me. Just my 2 cents opinion, really.... ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 14:01:39 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- Short Time Notice Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hello, Doris :-) I know it seems like very short notice - but you have to remember that we started discussing this weeks ago. This specific date was mentioned, = by me and several others, maybe even before voting opened. So it's been floating around for a while now. It just took us this long to nail it down. I'm a big admirer of Sheila's work, and it would be very nice if she coul= d be here... but I don't think it's a good idea to reschedule. It was hard= enough to come up with a date that worked for all (well, most of) the volunteers and vote-counters - if I have to try to suit the schedules of all 89 nominees, I will go mad And I don't even want to try to figur= e out who's important enough to schedule around, and who's not. Besides, I think we're all very anxious to find out the results - Sheila's probably hoping to find the results in her mailbox as soon as sh= e gets back, instead of having to wait longer. So I'm making an executive decision: The ceremony will be held on March 28th, and it will begin at 6pm EST. If you'd like to coordinate another party for later (all the best awards shows have post-show parties, and there's no reason we couldn't have one days or weeks after the fact), that would be great, too - just let us kno= w :-) PJ !^NavFont02F03F50007MGHHJF77ADF E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 23-Mar-1998 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Fanfic writer, Kerth co-coordinator, busy mom :-) http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ "[You want to know] what's the Mountie like? He's Superman, alright?" --Due South, Red White or Blue ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 15:59:23 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- Short Time Notice In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.19980323060031.006b50a4@mail.zedat.fu-berlin.de> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 6:00 AM -0500 3/23/98, Schmill wrote: >At least one of fanfic top notch writers and your nominee in several >categories, Sheila Harper, is on vacation and won't be back until March 31. >As far as I know, she left BEFORE this discussion even started. No, she just left this weekend. She is well aware of the date of the ceremony as we have been discussing it for weeks. Her conflict could not be avoided, however. >Mind you, I can't speak for her since I do not know how important the >Kerths are for her. But she is one of my top favorite writers and I would >personally want her to be able to be present at the ceremony -- and >hopefully there to collect her prize(s). Sheila did not ask us to pospone the ceremony for her, though she does send her regrets that she will not be able to attend. The Kerths are very important to her, but she had a prior commitment. She has asked me to accept any award(s) she wins on her behalf, which I happily agreed to do. And of course, she will be looking forward to reading the log when she gets home. >This is just a suggestion of course, but how about trying to make sure that >the people who are to be honored have a chance to be there, at least most >of them? Thus setting the date after Easter might actually be a better >chance. I think the longer we wait on this, the more we risk losing our momentum. The date of March 28 was submitted weeks ago, and although in an ideal world, everyone who wanted to attend would be able to, this is just not realistic. We have to set a date and time that works for the majority of the people. We can't expect to accomodate everyone. It just isn't practical. As for setting a time where "most" of the nominees could be there, I would think that would be later in the evening, not earlier. Most of the nominees are in the US/Canada, as are the majority of the IRCing FoLCs. (Just by eyeballing the ballot, I'd estimate that over 80% of the nominees are in the US/Canada.) But, as you know, this conflicts with the interest of the European FoLCs who would like to attend. Thus, I think we should go with the time that works best for Pam and Erin. After all, they are the MC's -- both in the US -- and they both have children whose schedules they are working around to host this event. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 15:54:53 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: FCoogan106 Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time -- and OVERSEAS Fans Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I'm going to vote for an earlier start to the ceremony, too. I think a 5.00 EST start (meaning 10.00 in the UK and 11.00 for most of the rest of Europe) would be best - or preferably earlier, but this would probably be too difficult for the Australians. Bear in mind that we UKers are planning a "Best Men" fest on Friday 27th, and staying up most of the night twice running may be a little too much! Frances (svenska on IRC) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 15:51:26 -0800 Reply-To: lloydr@ldd.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LLOYD RALSTON Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm a Highschool student so anytime between a little after 3 p.m. through 9 p.m. (CST) for a starting time would be good for me. By the way how long would it likely last? Thanks & CYA, Jodi. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 16:59:39 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 5 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit ************************ Chapter 5 ************************ When CJ awoke the next morning, he got the reaction he expected. While his father had not pressed the issue with a tired and frustrated child, Clark knew that he had to address the issues presented by CJ's increasing strength. CJ opened his eyes and stretched, and turned over groggily in bed. His eyes met that of his father, who was perched on the edge of his night stand, watching the boy sleep. He smiled at CJ as their eyes met, and the smile was returned. "Is this where I get the lecture on controlling my abilities?" CJ asked. "You've got that." Clark couldn't help but smile once more at the boy. He was still a child, just as Clark had been when he had been developing his unusual gifts. Jonathan and Martha had been far more understanding than anyone would normally have been, and he intended to pass along the benefits of accepting parents. He had an advantage that his parents had not possessed, and that was the first hand knowledge of how to control the abilities, and when controlling them was appropriate. Clark had been alone when he was most vulnerable, and he didn't want CJ to feel the same way. "I think it's time for some basic training," Clark told his rapidly waking child. "You have some things that need to be controlled before you hurt someone." He remembered giving a similar lecture to his wife years before, and was grateful that this time around he would have the advantage of being able to demonstrate, rather than just observe and coach. "Get some shorts on, and we'll get started." "What about Mom?" CJ asked. His mother had been slightly withdrawn lately, and he wasn't sure if she should be invited to the lessons or not. "I told your mom what we were going to do. She thinks it's a good idea." Clark replied. In fact, he and Lois had discussed the pros and cons of this at length and on several occasions in the last few months. Last night's activities had just moved up the time line on what they had already planned to do. CJ nodded, and stood to dress as his father left the room. He pulled on a sweatshirt without sleeves, similar to the ones his father frequently wore, and a matching pair of running shorts. He tugged on socks, and then his running shoes, before entering his bathroom to brush his teeth. Once he was ready, he walked downstairs and met his father in the kitchen. Clark handed him a bagel and juice box, and then walked to the back door. CJ took the hint. While his father was not obviously angry, neither was he thrilled with the situation. CJ had nearly hurt someone, and more than that he had nearly revealed the family secret. CJ didn't know why his father hadn't done this long ago. CJ followed his father out the back, and walked with him out into the trees in the yard. "We chose this land for the house because it backed up against these trees," Clark was telling him. "They provide a natural cover for landings, although I do have to make sure I take off fast so that no one catches me above the treeline. They should also make a great hiding place for this." Clark moved slightly beyond the nearest line of trees, to a small clearing. The entire area was rather small. They owned only about an acre of land, and it extended straight back into the wooded area behind the house. From the street, only the houses and a few trees were visible, but the area did extend for a short distance. There were lines of trees, and it provided a good deal of cover for take offs and landings, but there was little area that could be considered a clearing. Clark stopped within this small area, and arranged some bottles he had carried out earlier into an uneven line on the ground. "Let's start with vision," he told CJ. "You seem to be most adept at that, and it's relatively safe." CJ complied by taking a stance as far from the bottles as possible within the clearing. He concentrated firmly, and soon the first bottle exploded with a flash of glass. Fortunately, both were invulnerable to the shards that flew in their direction, and Clark couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, so I lied, nothing is relatively safe." CJ gave him a sheepish grin, and a short apology. Clark took the event in stride, and proceeded to begin demonstrations on how to control the beam of heat. For several hours they worked without pause, each so caught up in the new feeling of camaraderie that was resulting that they were unaware of the time. Clark taught CJ all the finer points that he had spent years discovering. He aided him in the techniques of concentration that he had perfected over decades of use. He taught him all that he knew, and learned a few new things that CJ had discovered during his time of experimentation in Smallville. They worked through lunch, and by the time that Clark was convinced that they could improve no more it was nearly dinner time. Fearing that Lois would attempt to cook them dinner, a torture that neither was willing to deal with, they finally agreed to wait until the next day to tackle additional abilities. As predicted, they met Lois just as she was sticking her head into the refrigerator and hoping for inspiration. Clark sneaked up behind her, and encircled her waist with her hands. When she shrieked and turned around quickly to punch her husband, he met her with an energetic kiss that quickly accelerated into much more. CJ was used to such displays from his parents. As a child, he had assumed that all parents had their hands all over one another all the time, and it had surprised him when Kat had mentioned it. Lately, though, CJ found that watching his parents together made him slightly uncomfortable, and he quickly left the room. He would have to mention it to them later, he thought. Lois and Clark finally remembered just where they were, and managed to bring themselves back from the direction they had been headed. With an acknowledging smile, Lois was first to break the silence that had followed their mutual groping session. "Wow. That was nice!" "Liked that, did you?" he smiled. He ran his hands once again up her sides and around to caress her back. "Yeah, I liked it." Lois returned his smile. "What are you fixing me for dinner?" Clark sighed, briefly remembering a time when they would have ignored that appetite and satisfied a different one without a second thought. It had been a short period in their lives, interrupted more quickly than even if Lois had gone through a pregnancy. Having a child in the house limited the spontaneous sex, but it had little effect on other demonstrations of affection. They were a demonstrative couple, and always had been. Touching for them was as natural as breathing. Clark pulled Lois close and looked over her shoulder at the contents of the refrigerator. He didn't see much, which let him know that they had once again neglected the grocery shopping. He did, however, see a full carton of eggs and he knew that there was a pound of bacon in the freezer. He reached around Lois for the eggs, and then with a final kiss separated himself from her to begin making a large country “breakfast” for dinner. Lois watched him work, impressed as always by his economy of movement, and natural grace. He was a joy to watch. He looked as good to her now as he had when she had first fallen in love with him, and the feeling had been reinforced by years of companionship and sharing. She knew she couldn't live without him. At one point, she had been concerned that her aging would be obvious next to his lack of change, but there were differences in his appearance as well as hers. Lois had allowed her hair to grow back to one length, and while it was longer then it had been when they met, it was in much the same style. She had cut it several times over the years, but she always came back to this versatile and simple style. There was a sprinkling of gray strands among the brown, but nothing too noticeable, and good skin care had kept wrinkles to a minimum. She had gained a few pounds through the years as well, a testament to Clarks regular cooking, but not enough to change her dress size or her energy level. On the whole, she felt that she was much the same as she had been when she married, at least in appearance. Emotionally, she was much different. She was open and confident in a way that came from being unconditionally loved for the first time in her life. She was relaxed even as she persisted in her attempt to be her best professionally. Personally, she was already there. Close observation revealed subtle changes in Clark's appearance s well. While his hair held no gray, there were a number of new lines on his face that had come from both normal worry as a parent and the enormous weight of being responsible for a planet. He was able to keep the stress to a manageable level with Lois's help, but it had added a certain cynicism to him that had not been present years before. He consistently saw the worst that the world had to offer, and it had made an impact. Lois and CJ reminded him of why he bothered, why the world must be a better place for them to live in. They kept him going. Clark thawed the bacon, and started it frying. Next, he quickly mixed up a batch of pancake batter, his mother's recipe, and heated the griddle by glaring at it before placing it over a burner to keep it hot. His efforts were then divided between frying the eggs and flipping the pancakes. As the eggs became solid, he managed to flip them perfectly even as he was reaching back into the refrigerator for a carton of orange juice. Normally, breakfast foods were Lois's forte, and he was surprised that she didn't offer to help. Glancing over at his wife, he found her still standing next to the refrigerator, propped there to watch him cook. He looked himself over carefully, and after determining that he had not spilled anything on himself to earn her constant stare, he waved his hand before her face and gained her attention. "Earth to Lois," he announced. She smiled up at him, still lost in her thoughts. Gradually, she roused herself enough to realize that the look he was giving her bordered between quizzical and exasperated. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Just enjoying the scenery." He smiled back at her and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Then, he handed her a small stack of plates with the silverware sitting atop them and told her to "make herself useful for something besides ogling the cook." Lois did so, slightly embarrassed at being so obviously caught. She wasn't too upset, though. How many woman could honestly still be stunned by the attractiveness of their husband after fifteen years of marriage? She was lucky, and she knew it. As soon as she had set the table, she jogged up the stairs to tell CJ that it was time for dinner. She was already at his door when she remembered that he most likely would have heard her if she had stayed in the dining room. Shaking her head, she knocked and let him know that food was waiting. She jogged back down the stairs, eager to ogle her husband for awhile longer. ******************** Clark had taken a week of vacation from the Planet. Throughout that time, he instructed CJ carefully on the use, and abuse, of his powers. They spent time controlling breathing, testing strength, working with large and small objects to ensure that CJ would be less likely to misjudge his strength, and conducting speed drill and races. Teaching CJ what he could do was easy, it was teaching him what not to do that Clark was having trouble with. Fortunately, CJ was not a child that placed a lot of weight on his athletic abilities or popularity. This type of stress might have made the issue of secrecy moot. Instead, CJ valued his intelligence and his writing talent, and these were not really effected by the developing physical abilities. Clark found that he shared more with his son than strength. They both used writing as a way to achieve a feeling of accomplishment as they competed on equal footing with their peers. They both had feelings of not fitting in that went beyond what they could do, and had begun early in childhood. Clark was slightly concerned, if not surprised, to find that CJ relied on Kat for his equilibrium in much the same way that Clark had relied on Lois. It wasn't that he didn't like Kat, but the emotions of a teenager were unpredictable, and to place one's trust in that was a precarious thing. Nevertheless, Clark understood CJ's need for a confidant, and was not really angry that he had shared the truth with her. They developed a special bond that week that went beyond father and son, and entered into a special friendship or even a brotherhood. They were alone against the world in many ways, and they were able to share hopes, fears, and experiences that no one else could possibly understand. They shared so much, and enjoyed joking about the mistakes they had made. They became friends. It amazed Clark that his son had become so much like a man. They were able to talk as equals, and this was something that took Clark off guard. He was prepared to instruct, and to deal with his child's needs, but being able to receive comfort and encouragement from his son was a surprise. "Don't feel bad, Dad," CJ had told him after Clark revealed a particularly embarrassing incident that had occurred after he had taken Rachel to the prom and then had to explain that he only wanted to be friends. "At least you had a date for the dance. I wouldn't have the slightest idea who to ask." "What about Kat?" Clark asked, hoping to get a little more insight into his son's relationship with the pretty girl. "What about her?" "Why not ask her to the dance?" The look on CJ's face clearly told Clark that he had said the wrong thing. "You've got to be kidding! She's my best friend." Clark looked at his son for a moment before he answered. "Rachel was a friend, too." CJ sighed, and sat down Indian style on the ground. His feelings for Kat were complicated, as he had realized last night. He wasn't sure he could put them into words. "I don't know where to start. She's more than just a friend, she's my best friend. You don't think of your friend like that, you just don't." Clark sat down next to his son, and continued, "Think of her, how?" "Like a girl. Like a girlfriend, I guess." He shook his head in frustration, his own feelings muddled and confused, and certain that his father must be even more lost. "Sometimes it's just like it always was, and she's just Kat. But, sometimes, when I'm not thinking about it, I see her and it's different. She's not just a friend anymore, and I wonder if she feels different, too. I'm afraid that if she finds out she won't be my friend, that it would make her uncomfortable, and I don't want to lose her." Clark felt a wave of empathy for his son. "I remember the first time I asked your mom out," he began. "I was so in love with her, and I was so sure that she didn't feel the same way." Clark chuckled softly to himself, "I suppose she would have preferred for me to ask for money, but I finally did it." Clark stopped when he saw the confused look on CJ's face. "She got to babbling when I told her than I needed to ask her something, and it kind of went from there." CJ nodded in understanding. His mother was notorious for babbling. Most of the time it made sense when it was sorted out, but the thoughts that made their way randomly into speech frequently caused more confusion that she ever realized. She still did it, when she was nervous or embarrassed, and CJ thought it was cute. It was weird to think of your mom as a girl, but when she was babbling he could sure see that side of her. "But, she went out with you. She must have felt like you did." "Not exactly, not at first," Clark explained. "She was afraid if we started dating and it didn't work out that we couldn't work together anymore. It took awhile for her to have enough faith in our friendship to believe it would survive a breakup." "How long?" CJ asked with feeling. "Too long," his father replied. "We went back and forth for months, but we always wound up together. We couldn't manage to stay apart, even when we were mad. It was like a part of each of us belonged to the other, and we had no choice but to make it work." Clark wished he had always been so philosophical about his wife, but it had been a long time coming. They had put one another through a lot before they had come together, and it was a time in his life he would have preferred not to dwell on. He would go through this for his son, he would do anything to spare him some of the pain and uncertainty that he had experienced. "How did you know that you were supposed to be more than friends?" Clark took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "It was more than a feeling, I was just certain. Your mom was...well...she had been in some really bad relationships, and she was afraid that ours wouldn't work out either." "Were you ever afraid that if you wanted more, you could loose what you already had?" CJ voiced his greatest fear. "Every day," Clark said with a sigh. "I think we would have been together a lot sooner if we hadn't been so afraid to loose what we had. Our friendship was very special. We could tell each other most anything, and we knew we'd have the other person on our side. That's a valuable thing, and it's not something you want to mess with. On the other hand, having someone to really love is amazing. It's worth taking a risk, even a big one. I guess you just have to decide that if a friendship really is so valuable, it probably can stand a little risk." CJ considered the information for a moment, comparing this with his knowledge of Kat. Were they strong enough to stand a risk? If they weren't, was the friendship really so special after all. Aside from his heritage, they really hadn't faced many challenges to the friendship, so he had little to base his opinion on. With a sigh, he allowed himself to acknowledge that the decision would not have to be made today, and he could address it later. Unfortunately, that wouldn't keep him from worrying about it in the meantime. *************** "What does it feel like to fly?" Clark turned to look at his son, and was stunned to see the longing in his eyes. He had deliberately never taken CJ flying as a child because he didn't want him connected to Superman. They had allowed him to attend functions where the Super Hero was present, but that had been the extent of the contact. When CJ had asked about their friendship with the alien, both Lois and Clark had minimized their involvement, and hidden behind the disclaimers that all reporters encountered him at one time or another, and it wasn't so special after all. CJ had accepted the explanations, especially since his friends had no contact with him either, and little had been said about it. Since finding out about his heritage, CJ was no longer content to allow himself to have the same limitations as others where his father was concerned. He intended to learn all there was to know. He was well aware that his mother had gone flying on numerous occasions, as she had written about it frequently during her earliest Superman articles. "It feels... There's nothing like it, CJ." Clark answered as simply as he could. "Do you really want to know?" CJ looked at his father, hope in his eyes. "Yeah," he answered. "I want to go." Clark stood, and stepped a few paces away from his son. They had been reclining in the sunshine after a picnic lunch, and he was certain that they were very much alone. He spun quickly, coming to a stop wearing the familiar blue and red suit, and looked down at his son. CJ had watched the transformation with awe, as surprised by it now as he had been the first time. While he could be fast, rarely were his actions a blur. He simply wasn't confident enough with his skills to take them at such speed. When Clark reached out his hand to his son, CJ stood and linked arms with his father. "This will be quick, at first. I don't want the neighbors to see the takeoff." With that, Clark tightened his grip on CJ. Reminding him once more to keep his arm straight, the two of them rose quickly into the air. If Clark was a blur when he spun into the suit, that was what CJ felt like as he was propelled into the sky. He tensed momentarily, then reminded himself that this was his father and that he was always safe with him. He finally allowed himself to relax as Clark slowed his ascent and began to take CJ on a high tour of Claremont. CJ was amazed at how natural it felt to be in the air. It was like a memory, only he hadn't done it before. He felt as if he belonged, in a way that was new and amazing to him. After nearly an hour of flying over the local area, Clark flew CJ to Metropolis. It was a short flight, only a couple of minutes, but the change in scenery was enormous. They flew through the buildings, admiring the architecture of the skyscrapers, and finally came to a stop on the roof of the Daily Planet building. CJ was speechless for a moment as he looked at the expanse of city below them. "This is amazing," he told his father. "Thanks. I'll never forget this." Impulsively, Clark reached over to hug his son. He truly hoped that CJ would share this ability with him as well. It was amazing to be able to go wherever you wanted whenever it suited you, and it was something he wanted to share. Reluctantly, Clark decided that he had to end their outing. He locked arms with CJ once more, and they took to the air. Within moments, they had arrived back at their home. CJ's head was still spinning as he regained his balance after landing, and he gave his father a bit of a dirty look. Clark smiled, apologizing mildly for the speed of the landing, and explaining once more the significance of landing too quickly to attract attention in the neighborhood. CJ nodded that he understood, but still wobbled slightly as he headed for the house. ***** continued tomorrow in Chapter 6 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 22:08:16 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NK Wolke Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Hi Pam (and all you guys who are so great to organize the Kerth Award) :) I just write because I'm so happy about Pam's executive decision: > So I'm making an executive decision: The ceremony will be held on March > 28th, and it will begin at 6pm EST. 6 pm EST is great! Thanks a lot for giving us Europeans the chance to attend! I'm really looking forward to it! ...and now I think I'm going to download those Kerth-wavs take care all Nicole AKA Ckgroupie on IRC NKWolke@t-online.de ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 17:04:04 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time In-Reply-To: <3516F57E.1348@ldd.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 3:51 PM -0800 3/23/98, LLOYD RALSTON wrote: >I'm a Highschool student so anytime between a little after 3 p.m. >through 9 p.m. (CST) for a starting time would be good for me. By the >way how long would it likely last? Thanks & CYA, >Jodi. The ceremony will be on Saturday, March 28, so it shouldn't interfere with school (unless you attend on the weekend). The starting time should be in the late afternoon or early evening for CST, and the ceremony should last at least 2 hours -- but probably more like 3 hours. Hope to see you there, Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 17:42:30 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 4: Part 3 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hello there... One of the neat things about putting a story out in this manner is the feedback from the fans. At the request of a reader I have added another section to Chapter 4...It was a great idea for a scene, and I hope I have done it justice. Thank you, Laurie, I hope you like this... *************************** Superman flew fairly quickly with his precious cargo. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with the girl, in fact the opposite was true, but he could tell from her accelerated heartbeat that she was either in a great deal of pain or that she was very nervous about the flight. Within moments, he arrived at Metropolis General Hospital. He had considered taking her to the small clinic in Claremont, but he wasn't really sure that it was still open. While he didn't see a break in her ankle, he wanted her to have the best care, and this was the place to go. After letting the receptionist know that she was injured, he seated her in the waiting area for the emergency room. He knew that they would not see her without parental concent, so he quietly told her that he would be right back, and made his way to the nearest empty restroom. He was grateful that it was late enough that the area was relatively deserted. He checked to ensure that nobody was watching him enter, and then closed himself into a small stall. With a quick spin, he changed into the jeans and t-shirt that he had been wearing when CJ had made his mad dash from the house. A loose flannel shirt covered the sleeves of his suit. Once more scanning the immediate area to ensure that nobody was around, he exited the small bathroom, adjusting his glasses as he went. When he arrived back in the waiting area, he found Kat looking both alone and quite nervous. He introduced himself to the receptionist at the front desk, and explained that Superman had located him and sent him ahead because he possessed a power of attorney for Kat. The receptionist confirmed this through Kat's record, then asked Clark to have a seat. As Clark approached Kat, she still didn't meet his eyes. She had been avoiding him since CJ's revelation had come out, and this appeared to be more of the same. With a sigh, he sat down next to the teenage girl. The waiting area was unusually quiet, and they were quite alone, so he decided that this would be as good a time as any to get things out in the open. "How's the ankle?" he began. Kat shifted herself uncomfortably. "It hurts," she replied. "Kat, I really think we need to talk." Kat once more avoided Clark's eyes. "About what?" "Well, for starters we can discuss why you won't look at me," he said in exasperation. Kat finally looked up, her green eyes filled with fear and embarrassment. "I guess I just don't know what to say." Clark was surprised at the fear he saw in her eyes. Kat had never been afraid of him, not even when he had disciplined her in her father's absence years before. Carefully, he approached what he thought was the matter. "I'm still the same person I was before, you know. I'm still CJ's dad, and I'm still your friend. That hasn't changed." Kat lowered her eyes once more. It was easier to deal with this when she wasn't looking at him. "I know," she replied cautiously. "But, you aren't just Mr. Kent anymore." Clark sighed. "Yes, I am." Kat looked up, and saw that he was just as uncomfortable as she was. In a small way, that made her feel a little better. "Look," he told her, "I know that things seem a little different now, but I really am the same person. The other part of me is just something I do to help out when I can." Kat met his brown eyes, eyes that really reminded her of CJ, and realized that it was true. He was still CJ's dad, still the dad she had always wanted. As she looked at him, she decided that if she was going to be embarrassed, he might as well hear it all. "I guess every girl I know has a crush on Superman," she explained. "It's kind of weird knowing that he's really your best friend's dad." Clark smiled. "Well, I'm just a regular guy that can do some unusual things," he told her. "Like I can tell you that your ankle isn't broken, or that you don't do as well in math as you could." Kat smiled again at the reminder of the hours he had spent tutoring her in math. That had been one of the reasons that she had always liked him so well. Mr. Kent had the ability to see whether you didn't understand something, or if you just weren't trying. He had been the one to confront a math teacher who was letting her slide through a class without learning, when even her own father hadn't thought she was capable of the work. He had always been on her side, and she suspected that he might still be despite his extra identity. "I was pretty mad when CJ didn't tell me," she added. "Well, that was mostly my fault," he explained. "It's a secret that we have to keep. Anyone who knows is in danger. There are a lot of people that would like to get to Superman. All the criminals that he sent to prison, even some scientists, would like to find out who he really is. If that were to happen, his family would be in a lot of danger." Clark tried not to frighten the girl, but he needed to ensure that she understood the seriousness of the situation. "I understand, Mr. Kent. If anyone found out that I knew, I could be a target to get to him, too. I won't tell anyone," she assured him. "I would never hurt you guys. You're my family, even more than my real family is." She looked up into Clark's eyes once more. "I guess I kind of forgot that for awhile," she said sheepishly. Clark smiled. He had always thought of this girl as though she were his own, and he was glad to have her able to look at him once more. Also, her heart rate had dropped back to near normal, so he was less concerned about the amount of pain she must be in. "Kathryn?" a nurse called, stepping from behind closed double doors and into the waiting area. "Here," Kat called, trying to stand. Clark saw her difficulty, and quickly scooped the girl into his arms. He carried her behind the nurse, following the white clad woman into a small exam room. As he sat Kat down on the exam table, he looked down to see eyes that were at once trusting and open. It was good to have her back again. He was sure that this discussion wasn't completely over, but they had made a beginning. He told Kat that he would be back, then he went back out to the receptionist's desk to call her father. They would be able to see her with his concent due to the medical power of attorney that was kept in her records for emergencies, but the insurance paperwork would have to be signed by her father. Once he had let the other man know what was happening, he went back to the little exam room to sit with Kat. Surprisingly, despite the empty waiting room, the emergency room was really quite busy, and it was going to be a long night. He settled in to wait with her until her father arrived. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 19:26:13 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Schmill Subject: Re: Kerth Ceremony Date/Time Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" March 8, 1998 Dear Pam, Erin, and other Kerth Ceremony Organizers, A heartfelt thank you for the earlier starting time of 6 pm EST, giving us Euro Folcies, especially the ones sticking to fairly normal schedule, a chance to attend. I am certainly looking forward to it. :-) I hope we will have a truly international Folcfest there! Thanks for all the work, time, effort, and love you all put into organizing the ceremony. I hope it will be a big success and become an annual tradition. Keep on folcing! ;-) Doris Schmill ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 10:04:31 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lalapoop2 Subject: Re: "Best Men" Fest (was Re:Kerth Ceremony Date/Time--and OVERSEAS Fans) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-23 18:33:51 EST, Frances writes: << Bear in mind that we UKers are planning a "Best Men" fest on Friday 27th, and staying up most of the night twice running may be a little too much! >> Just out of curiousity, is that Dean Cain's movie? Has it been released in the UK? What are you doing for the fest? Michelle Lala2 on IRC ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 10:32:54 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit **************************** Chapter 6 **************************** "Mother, you are going *where*? Lois nearly dropped the telephone as she plopped herself down onto the sofa. Her mother had come up with some crazy schemes, but this was ridiculous! She sounded so calm, and yet her words made no sense. "Honey, we are going to Bichallsci. It's a very small area somewhere in some tiny third-word country. I really don't even know what one. Your father will be working with the natives to establish a medical training program." Lois rolled her eyes. This was just one more item to add to an already bad day. "How long will you be gone?" she asked in a voice that did it's best to be practical. "Probably around three years." For a moment, Lois couldn't speak. She had been so pleased when her parents had remarried, and their togetherness had filled a whole in her that she had never thought would be filled. In addition, her father's retirement from one of a thousand unusual projects had led him into the field of training others. He had found that he loved to teach, and the money from his past projects had allowed both he and her mother to travel and explore their relationship. Perhaps Lois would have been more pleased if she had seen them more often, but it had been just as well that their interests had led them around the world instead of into the tiny community of Claremont. Clark tolerated her parents, and would always be grateful for Sam's assistance when he had been so ill many years before, but he had little tolerance for her mother. Ellen had always been the typical mother-in-law. She found fault, complained, nagged, and generally criticized both Clark and Lois until they were just as happy to know that the next visit would be six months or a year away. Clark was always polite, and even CJ tolerated the visits with as much good humor as possible, but having the Lanes around was never easy. "Mother! Three years?" While Lois didn't really spend a great deal of time either talking with or visiting her mother, the prospect of spending three years away from her still came as a shock. "What on earth will you do there for three years?" With a long suffering sigh that her daughter could be so difficult, Ellen Lane continued her explanation. "Lois, it takes time to establish medicine as a legitimate way to heal. These people are used to religion and magic as their only weapons. Your father has found men willing to learn basic medical care, but it will take time to teach them the finer points of medication usage and wound care. The country is at war, you know." Lois returned her mother's sigh. "I realize that. That's why I have no idea why you're going." "I am not letting your father fall into the hands of some native princess! It took me years to get him back, and even longer for him to make up the years he had wasted. I'm going with him!" Lois briefly wondered why it had bothered her that her mother was leaving the country. She could be so difficult on the subject of her past hurts. "Fine, Mother," she said with a sigh. "You go to the middle east, and I'll talk to you soon. Do you have a cell-phone number yet?" "Well, that's part of the reason that I'm calling. Your father doesn't want to carry electronics with us that the tribesman won't be comfortable with. It appears we will be without communication for awhile." Lois considered arguing, she really did. Finally, she decided that there was no point If she needed them, she could always send Superman to fetch them, and deal with the yelling then rather than now. "Fine Mother. I'll see you in a few years." As usual, her mother missed the sarcasm. They chatted a few more minutes about inconsequential things, then Lois made an excuse to get off the line. In truth, three years without her mother's phone calls could really be a good thing. After all, her mother was nearly eighty. If she wanted to go traipsing off into another country to find some lost destiny, she was certainly old enough to make that decision herself. Lois would miss her, and her father too for that matter, but it wouldn't directly impact her daily life. For now, her daily life was about all that she could handle. It did concern her that she had not been given an opportunity to say goodbye to her father, but it was not unusual that he would leave Ellen to handle family matters while he tended to business. Lois glared back at the computer screen that was giving her so much difficulty. They had a new writer on staff, and while he showed potential he was a long way from being perfect. Editing his copy required more effort than she wanted to give at the moment, so she searched through files until she found another story that was nearly the same size, and much easier to proof, to insert in the blank area. There were days, and this was one of them, that she wished Clark had taken the job of Editor. He was better at it, that was certain. They had discussed the matter at length when both of them had been up for promotion, and had decided that she was the one who should accept. Clark had been dealing with several minor disasters as Superman at the time, and he had realized that he just didn't have the time to give to the position. Also, Lois did have both seniority with the paper and experience in the editorial role. She loved the job, but she had changed it markedly since she took it over. Now, she took care of the final decisions, but Pat and Andrew took care of the rest. She had decided to create the two Assistant Editor positions when she realized that her job would be impossible with the thirty mile commute that she had to deal with. Quite simply, she never made it home before she was paged back to work. Her decision became whether to make changes in the job description, or to move back to Metropolis. She had loved her home too much to give it up. While she had been the one opposed to the move so many years before, she was the one who now refused to leave it. Their little home in the suburbs allowed Clark some peace. While Superman was still active in world affairs, he concentrated less of his attention directly on Metropolis, and gave more time to their family. He had been concerned that he would be connected with Superman in the city, and that CJ would be put in danger. Lois had been tired of his leaving in the middle of each night, off to save someone else while she dealt with the struggles of raising a child alone. With the press of a key, Lois lanned the final setup for the evening edition of the paper to her assistants, and changed the screen to allow her to work on tomorrow's editorial. She felt like she never really had time to write, and what she did write was not as good as it had been when she was reporting. Still, her editorial responsibilities included this, and she was always living up to her responsibilities. Lois heard CJ and Clark come in from their flight. Clark had asked her opinion on several occasions of taking CJ up, up, and away. Her motherly concern was always countered by the knowledge that he would never be safer than when he was with his father. She did worry that Clark would have to leave him long enough to be Superman during their flight time, so she had put off the decision as long as possible. Finally, she had told him that if CJ asked, Clark could take him, but that she didn't want him to bring up the subject. They had discussed the matter more over the last few days of "training" and she realized that CJ deserved to enjoy the pleasure of flying with his father. She certainly missed the privilege, but her grounding had more to do with the increasing responsibilities of her job and the need to separate Lois and Superman in the public's eye. Having CJ had changed Lois's perception of what danger was. She was no longer content to hope than they would be safe. It had to be a certainty. "Honey, I'm home," Clark called as he came into the kitchen through the back door. He still loved the domestic stuff, even after all these years. He had sent CJ up to his room to get ready for dinner, and now he needed to figure something out to cook. After checking the refrigerator, he decided that they really needed to make a better plan for getting the grocery shopping done. The current idea was that whoever was near a store would pick up a few things as necessary, but it clearly wasn't working. It had been easy to do when CJ was little but now they just seemed too busy. Once again, Clark reached for the telephone and called the local pizza parlor. With pizza on the way, Clark went in search of his wife. He knew she was here, and had a good idea of where she would be. He found her, as expected, growling at the screen of the laptop computer that had become her constant companion in years past. She had it hooked up to a modem, and was clearly patched in to the Planet's computer. Clark walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her. She growled softly, clearly exasperated with whatever she was working on, and leaned her head back to kiss him. Clark gave her an upside down kiss, briefly nibbling on her lower lip before releasing her and sneaking a peek at the screen. "Well, you certainly have an opinion about that," he remarked as he read over her editorial regarding the elimination of creative writing courses in the Metropolis High Schools. "I'm not sure which makes me angrier," she told him. "I'm almost as angry at not being able to color this with profanity as I am the high school's new policies." Clark smiled and kissed the top of her head. She still had most definite ideas regarding journalism in the public school system. She had fought for years to ensure that Claremont didn't loose it's writing program, and as a result CJ was now reaping the benefits of a full journalism program. Now, she was trying to do the same thing for Metropolis. "Pizza's on the way," he told her as he pulled up a chair and seated himself slightly behind her. "You forgot to shop again?" she asked as she glared once more at the screen. "Yep," he answered with a smile, "so did you". She considered being angry at the oversight, but instead she realized that he was right. They really needed to find a better way to divide the household chores. As Clark watched his wife work, admiring the line of her neck where she had pulled her hair up into a pony tail, and finally realized what was wrong with this picture. "Why are you working on the laptop?" Lois turned her head and glared at her husband briefly before turning back to her story. "Because, I haven't taken time to put the dumb thing on disk, okay?" Clark laughed quietly at his wife's continued refusal to keep back-ups of the work she did. He would have to transfer the files to disk while she ate her dinner. She was notorious for loosing files due to power surges and missed keystrokes, and he didn't want to deal with her temper again when that happened. This was one of the little things that he did for her: backing up her work. It wasn't that Clark needed to look for work. He was still reporting for the Planet, although his stories had become less investigative and more tame over the years. It was a natural progression as his attention went more and more to his family and less into his work. He had a novel going on the side, a continuing project that allowed him to put the travels of his youth to practical use, but this required little of his time. For the most part, he assisted his wife in her duties at the Planet and assisted the world as Superman. This, combined with being a parent, was about all that any one man, even a superman, had time for. Within a few more minutes, Lois had completed her editorial and run a spell-check on it. She corrected as many grammatical errors as she could find, and passed the laptop to her husband. Lost in thought, he didn't realize exactly what she wanted at first. Finally, Clark shook himself slightly, and focused on his wife. With a sheepish grin, he sped through the article and made a few corrections. He then saved it to the hard drive, and reached around her for a floppy disk that sat on the desk. Lois smiled at him before kissing him on the forehead and promising him a more thorough thank-you for later. Clark was just about to attempt to collect on that promise, or at least to get a preview, when he heard a knock at the door. He reached for his wallet as he approached the door. "Hi, Mr. Kent," Kat said as the door before her swung open. Clark looked puzzled, but just for a moment. "Hi, Kat. Since when do you deliver pizza?" "Just since I was standing in the pizza parlor when you ordered," she said, returning his smile but not quite meeting his eyes. "My dad didn't want to cook either, so we were getting one. I thought maybe we could save the delivery boy a trip. He looked really busy, tonight." Clark smiled once more as he took the pizza from Kat. "How much do we owe you?" "I'm not sure," Kat said as she followed him through the door. She was still limping slightly, but she no longer needed the crutches. "I think it's written on the side of the box." Clark nodded, tipping the box to the side to read the amount. He then removed several bills from his wallet, and handed them to Kat. "Be sure you tell your dad 'thanks' for us." "I will." Clark opened the box to see an extra large pizza with everything, just like he had ordered. He couldn't help but notice that Kat was watching him over his shoulder. "What did you get?" he asked her. Kat sighed. "Dad's on a vegetarian kick this week. I think he got tomato and pineapple." Clark looked up to see the look of disgust on Kat's face. He had always thought of this girl as another of his children. Maybe it was because she spent so much time in their house when she was growing up, or maybe it was because she and CJ had become so inseparable that the two just seemed to be one. If he had ever had a girl, he imagined that she would be just like Kat. "You know teenagers can't live without pepperoni," he told her. "I think you'd better grab a plate and eat here. Do you need to call your dad?" It didn't occur to him that she might refuse. "Thanks, Mr. Kent. That would be really great," she told him as she took the paper plates that he offered her and carried them to the dining room table. She had spent so many dinners here that it felt more natural to be here than it did to stay home and listen to her father's complaints about his day at work. For the moment, she even forgot that this man was really Superman, and just enjoyed pretending that he was the father that she wished she'd had. That used to make her feel guilty, but lately it just made her feel relief. ***************************** Over dinner, Kat was reminded why she had always enjoyed being with this family. They laughed, talked, and defended one another as they each detailed the events of their day. CJ was back to his old self, and if she noticed that he and his father both reheated their slices of pizza by staring at them she didn't feel it was her place to comment. She was surprised to hear that the Lanes were leaving the country, and she didn't miss the twin looks of relief that the male Kents expressed when Lois made the announcement. She also caught the brief glare that Lois bestowed upon them both, before breaking into a fit of giggles herself. After dinner, she helped Lois to pick up the dinner dishes and throw them away. While they were breaking down the pizza box for the recycle bin, Lois asked her about her new boyfriend. She was surprised at the blush that rose up her face. "Well, he's not my boyfriend," she told the older woman. "I thought you were out on a date," Lois asked her, confused. "We were," she confessed. She plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table and told her, "I guess something happened." "What happened," Lois asked as she took a seat across the table from Kat. "Well, he kind of, well, he kissed me." Kat looked everywhere except for Lois's face. Lois sat and waited. Obviously, she wasn't getting the whole story, and she didn't want to jump on the boy if there really wasn't anything wrong. She had all the motherly thoughts of the many fates that could befall a teenage girl, and she was at least aware that her imagination could sometimes get the better of her. "It was just a little kiss," Kat went on. "It was at school, and it was really quick, but it felt..." Kat trailed off. "It felt how?" Lois asked with concern. "It felt...wrong. I just felt like it was wrong, and I asked him not to do it again. I said we could just be friends." "And, what did he say?" Lois could see the strain that this was putting on the teenager. "Not a word," Kat said. "He hasn't spoken to me since." Kat looked as much exasperated as anything else. She didn't appear to be angry, or even hurt. "It doesn't really bother me," she said, confirming Lois's suspicions. "I liked him and all, but there are people I like more. He was okay to be with, but just okay. Does that make any sense?" Lois smiled. "Of course it does. You're young, and you deserve some time to look around before you decide who you want to be with for the rest of your life." "It isn't just that, Mrs. Kent. It just doesn't feel ... well ... right being with another boy. I mean besides CJ." She paused for a moment, considering whether or not she should be having this discussion with the parent of the boy who was on her mind, then decided that she had always been able to tell Mrs. Kent anything, and this shouldn't be any different. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong, and neither had CJ. "We've just been friends so long. Nothing feels wrong with him. He can hug me, or hold my hand, and it doesn't bother me. With other boys, when they touch me, I wonder what they really want. "It's the same way with words. If CJ says something, I know he means it. I don't worry that he's just trying to butter me up or get me to do something. I just don't trust other people that way." Lois listened to the teenage girl explaining what she was feeling. There was a part of her that was afraid that Kat might be mistaking normal apprehension for something more, but a greater part of her understood that trust was something that couldn't be faked or maneuvered around. Just as she had trusted Clark despite all her experiences that said trust was never well placed, Kat had learned to trust CJ. It was a process that had taken years, and that was not a feeling that she could easily duplicate with another boy. "Are you sure that you don't just need to get to know him better?" she offered. "Like you said, you've know CJ for years. It takes time to learn to learn to trust someone that well. Maybe you just need to give it some time." "It isn't just that I feel comfortable with CJ, it's that I don't *want* to be that comfortable with anyone else. I would rather just talk to CJ than go places and do stuff with someone else." She closed her eyes and rested her head against the chair back. "I feel different when I'm with him. I can say anything, and I don't have to worry about what he will think about me or what he might do. He already knows the worst things about me, and he's my friend anyway. I don't have to pretend with him." Lois watched Kat a while longer, absorbing the information. Kat had just described the most important part of a lasting relationship. She had also described the foundation for her feelings towards her husband, both before they had become married and after. The unconditional acceptance and unreserved trust were essential for a friendship, and necessary for relationships to survive the pitfalls of life. Unfortunately, Kat and CJ were teenagers, not adults searching for lifetime mates. The situation was sounding too serious for their ages, and that much frightened her. "Kat, I know that you like being with CJ, but there is no way for you to get to know other people if you spend all your time with him." Lois didn't want to discourage the friendship, it meant too much to both of the kids, but she wanted to slow down any other ideas they might have. "I know. It's just that I'd rather have a friend than a boyfriend. Does that sound stupid?" Kat opened her eyes and faced Lois again. Lois stood, then walked around the table to Kat. She pulled the girl into a hug, and continued holding her as she spoke. "I know that CJ feels the same way. You are the most important friend that he's ever had, and I don't know how he'd manage without you. You will always be special to him." "I guess. I just sometimes wonder if he feels like this too. And, sometimes it's really weird. I feel all hot and cold, and really messed up. I'm afraid if he knows that I feel like this he won't want to be around me." She held Lois tighter as she continued, "I'm just so messed up inside." Lois sighed and held Kat a little tighter. It was hard enough to deal with friendships and relationship changes without dealing with their added family difficulties. She wanted to help Kat, she really did, but she didn't know how to start. "I wish I had answers for you, Honey. I'd do anything to make you feel better about this. The truth is, I don't have the answers. I will listen though," she told Kat. "I'll always be here to listen to you." "Thanks Mrs. Kent. You know, having you here almost makes up for hot having my mom." Lois sighed once more. There had been a time she would have protested being called Mrs. Kent. She had felt that her professional reputation depended upon keeping the name, and she had told Clark as much. Now, she was grateful to share her husband's name. She hadn't realized that Lane and Kent were so intertwined in the public eye that they naturally fell together. It hadn't been until after the move to Claremont that she had decided to take up the name of Kent. She had been tired of the hassle of explaining her name each time she spoke to one of CJ's teachers. Also, there was the matter of separating herself from Superman. Lois Lane and Superman exclusives seemed to go together. Lois Kent on the other hand was merely a married reporter, mother of one, and not a particular target for anyone. It had gone a long way towards changing her image, and that had been the point. Her life had seen so many changes since the move, but gaining a daughter had been one of the best. Kat's mother had died less than a year after they had moved into the new house. The rumor mill said that she had been anorexic, and had died from complications of the illness. Apparently, her husband had an affair with a slimmer woman, and this had triggered an unreasonable need to be skinny. Whatever the cause, Lois had inherited a beautiful little girl to pamper. Kat's father had been grateful for the help, and relieved that she would receive some female guidance. Clark had been charmed by the little girl who followed his son everywhere and showed up at their dinner table with alarming regularity. Whatever the cause, Kat was a member of the family. She had stood with them through chicken pox, driving lessons, and high school dances. Now, she would somehow make it through the pains of maturing, and developing an interest that was more than friendship for CJ. Lois sighed. Somehow, this too would pass. ***** to be continuted tomorrow in chapter 7 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 15:10:30 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Kerth Ceremony Details Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 As this gets closer, more details keep popping up... 1) If you as a noninee might not be able to make it to the ceremony, do you have a friend who could accept on your behalf? We'll need to know that, for example, when Sheila Harper wins (I'd say if she wins, but sure= ly she will win something! ) (I don't know the results, btw, in case anyo= ne is wondering; they're kept confidential by Price-Waterhouse-Shawler ) = - anyway, when Sheila wins, Kathy Brown will be accepting for her, so we ne= ed to know that, so we can enable Kathy to talk on the (moderated) channel. = = Absentee nominees should make their substitutes known, preferably by e-mailing to Chris Mulder (mulders@mindspring.com), who will be handling that sort of thing during the ceremony. 2) Round-robin writers... All of the authors will be identified but you can't *all* make a speech, so could the groups of RR writers please decide amongst themselves which one will accept the award, should you win= ? = We're looking forward to having a very fun time this Saturday, hope you can join us to see who wins... and there are even a few more surprises awaiting you And after Saturday, expect me to temporarily vanish I'll be very busy planning my son's first birthday party, rehersing for my church's bi= g Easter program, and I'll be totally sick of my computer for a while PJ !^NavFont02F04590007MGHHK5BF604 E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 24-Mar-1998 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Fanfic writer, Kerth co-coordinator, busy mom :-) Kerths will be awarded March 28th, beginning at 6pm EST! http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ "[You want to know] what's the Mountie like? He's Superman, alright?" --Ray Vecchio, Due South, Red White or Blue ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 16:36:43 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: FCoogan106 Subject: Re: "Best Men" Fest (was Re:Kerth Ceremony Date/Time--and OVE Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 24/03/98 15:05:53, you write: << Just out of curiousity, is that Dean Cain's movie? Has it been released in the UK? What are you doing for the fest? >> Yes, this is Dean Cain's movie; it's being released in the UK on Friday in a few cinemas (hence the fest). We're meeting for dinner, then going to see the movie, and after that it's undecided - but it should be fun! Frances ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 18:19:28 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Regina Gilchrist Ash Subject: question re: Kerth Ceremony This may be a dumb question, and my apologies, if so, but I need to know if the ceremonies take place on #kerth or #loiscla or where? Thanks, Regina -- Regina Ash (rash@dnet.net) PT General Editor-Lois & Clark Fanfic Archive http://www.ixpres.com/chrispat/lcfanfic ************************************************ "Science, sufficiently advanced, is indistinguishable from magic." -Arthur C. Clarke *********************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:10 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC ALERT: SOULMATE CHRONICLES THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi There Folcs , The IRC round round fanfic writers have been busy again :). This time we've written another in the SoulMates Chronicles, that series of stories suggested by Lansbury and Zoomway, and instead of creating new personas for the souls of Lois and Clark to inhabit we revisited the Lone Rider and Lulu ;). This is another of the *enhanced* round robin stories, meaning that even though the majority of it was written *live* on the IRC additional sections were added that we believe improve the story. We hope you enjoy it. Many thanks to our editor, Georgia Walden, who along with correcting our typos, imposes order on our unruly bunch . Eileen Eraygun@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:17 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 1 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit SoulMates Chronicles: The Lone Rider: The Beginning An IRC Fanfic by ChrisM (mulders@mindspring.com); ChiefPam (Jernigan@compuserve.com); Ckgroupie (NKWolke@t-online.de); CrystalW (JCWimmer@aol.com); chrispat (cp13607@aol.com); AMCiotola (AMCiotola@aol.com); (Eraygun (Eraygun@aol.com); Lansbury (Lansbury1@aol.com);Zoomway (zoomway@aol.com); H. G. Wells stepped out of his Time Machine and looked down at his black suit covered in dust. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and began to wipe himself free of the brownish red dirt. He walked through the solarium which housed his Time Machine and into the main house. He was very excited about documenting his latest time travel to the past. A smile lingered on his lips as he moved into the library and walked over to his desk. He was always eager to capture on paper the events at his journey's end and now was no exception. He sat in his chair and unlocked the middle drawer. Taking out a black journal, he lovingly thumbed through the pages and mumbled words of approval to himself until he came to a blank page. Picking up his pencil he began... "I, H. G. Wells, have once again traced the celestial spirits of Lois Lane and Clark Kent, who I first met in the year 1996. At that first meeting I was completely taken and enthralled by their strong essences. It was only on my returning to the future that I received as a gift a device which I have named Soul Tracker. The Soul Tracker is remarkable because it not only locks onto the energies emitted by a soul but also has the ability to record the events of what is happening to the bodies these souls occupy. This gift was given to me by a fellow inventor whom, might I now add, happened to be one of the couple's descendants. I always felt he secretly wanted me to chronicle their souls through time and I am pleased to record my latest quest. I will be using the recordings from the Soul Tracker and my own personal observations to describe my next venture which took me to the growing western town of Candelero, Texas, in the year 1885... Luisa "Lulu" McCoy walked into the telegraph office and stopped short, literally stunned by the sight of such a gorgeous man. It had been an ordinary day up until that point, with no indication of momentous upheavals to come. With one look at the stranger's face, however, Lulu felt a strange certainty that her life had just changed irrevocably. Gradually, she came back to awareness of her surroundings and blushed to realize she'd been standing, stock still, just inside the telegraph office door. The telegraph operator who'd so enraptured her didn't appear to have even noticed her, which annoyed rather than relieved her. She moved forward, trying to return to normal, and he looked up. He stared, caught for a second with his mouth half-open, and Lulu felt warmed all over by his appreciative gaze. Her lips curled into a smug half-smile before she could control herself. He blushed. "Yes, miss, may I help you?" Jefferson Higheagle struggled to regain control. He didn't know what had come over him. He'd seen many beautiful women, and none of them had ever touched his heart. So why should this woman be any different? "Hello," Lulu responded softly, ignoring his question. She no longer had any idea what had brought her into the telegraph office, nor any interest in remembering. She drank in the details of his face - the warm brown eyes, the cute wire-rim glasses, the full lips, the lock of dark hair that fell forward onto his brow. Almost of its own volition, her hand reached forward to brush the hair off his forehead. She checked its motion in mid-reach, and pulled off her riding gauntlet instead, offering her hand for a handshake. "My name's Lulu McCoy, what's yours?" "Jeff," he replied, automatically offering the most intimate form of his name, and immediately realizing how inappropriate that was. "Higheagle, I mean, Jefferson Higheagle. Well, Thomas Jefferson Higheagle, actually..." He stopped, hopelessly entangled, and then gave it up for a lost cause. "I'm, ah, new in town." He took her hand and felt a tingle that raced up his arm to the back of his skull. "Mm, I thought so..." Gradually, Lulu started to come out of her spell, and realize just how forward she was being with a strange man. She tried to gather her composure. "What, ah, brought you to town?" "Oh, business," Jefferson replied. "I saw the ad for the position, and I wanted a job where I could write..." He wondered, as he said it, why he would blurt out his dream, but the look of interest and respect on her face reassured him. "You write? That's fascinating..." She leaned forward, but at that moment, the office door opened again and an older man entered the office. "Morning, Miss Lulu. And how are you this fine day?" She smiled at the newcomer. "I'm fine, Reverend, thank you. Mother said to tell you that she'd be by later with some flowers for the church." "Well, well, now that's mighty nice of her. Your parents must be the nicest folks in town." Lulu could feel herself blushing a little, but she accepted the compliment graciously enough, and turned to introduce Reverend LeBlanc to the new telegraph operator. The town's new preacher was an interesting character. Her father said that he just knew that the man must have had a checkered past, but her mother was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. "After all, Lulu, dear," her mother had told her, "whatever he might have done in the past, he's a man of the cloth now, so we owe him that much." "I didn't mean to interrupt your business, Miss Lulu," he said now, gallantly enough. "I just stopped by to see if a package I was expecting has come in yet." "From Sante Fe?" Jeff asked. "Yes, that's it." "Yes, sir, it arrived on the train this morning. I'll get it for you." Lulu and the preacher were left standing by the counter, smiling at one another in the way near strangers will do when they've suddenly been left with nothing to say. Both were relieved when Jeff returned, carrying a large box. Lulu couldn't help but admire how strong he looked. "Will you need some help with that, Reverend?" "If you could just put it in the buggy for me, son, I would appreciate it." "Sure." The three of them walked outside, and Jeff deposited the box in the back of the buggy, then turned to the preacher. "You look kind of familiar, sir. Were you ever on a riverboat called the Mississippi Queen?" Lulu watched fascinated as the preacher turned several shades of red. She didn't know a person's eyes could bug out that far. "Well, I, uh ... that is, I don't think so, son. Why do you ask?" "Oh, no reason," Jeff said soothingly. "I guess I was mistaken." "It was probably the light out here, Reverend," Lulu added coyly. "The sun was probably in his eyes ... or something." "Uh, yeah," LeBlanc agreed, shakily. "Well, I'll be seeing y'all." He climbed in the buggy and left rather faster than was safe for the town's pedestrians. Grinning, Jeff turned to see Lulu giggling. She was more fascinating with each passing moment. They stood there, in the street, just staring at one another. Finally, it dawned on Jeff that people were beginning to notice them. "Well, Miss McCoy, didn't you want something in the office?" Yes, you, she thought, but didn't say it out loud. "Oh, yes, my father wanted me to send a telegram for him." "Of course, miss. If you'll just step inside, I'll help you with that. And, he thought, I wish I had the nerve to ask you out. Suddenly there was the sound of loud, yelling voices and galloping horses at the end of the street. Jeff and Lulu turned around and watched a crowd of cowboys riding into town. They didn't slow their pace and paid no attention to the people walking in the street. Dust whirled around and covered anyone who was careless enough to stay nearby. Jeff saw a young mother drag her child out of harm's away, just before the child would have been trampled by the horses. "Who is *this*?" he exclaimed. Lulu shrugged. "It's Judd Lucas. He's the richest man in town and as you see," she pointed to the yelling cowboys, "he behaves as if he owns it." Jeff watched the man who was riding a little ahead of the crowd. He was tall, about forty, and wearing a black hat. At first sight, not very remarkable in his exterior . But then he saw his eyes. These were not just the eyes of an arrogant man. Here was pure evil. Jeff stepped slightly closer to Lulu, although she didn't appear to need any protecting. She had pulled herself up to her full height, and was attempting to get Judd Lucas's attention as he rode by. He wondered momentarily if he should warn her, then decided that she most likely knew more about the town than he did. He observed her as she took off with confident strides towards the man that had him worried. She made her way through the crowd and stopped before Lucas's horse. Lucas looked down at the remarkable woman who had approached him with such grace, and immediately removed his black hat. He dismounted quickly and efficiently, and passed his reins to what appeared to be a servant who had appeared out of nowhere. Lucas thanked the older, grey haired man, and the servant nodded in brief acknowledgement before leading the mount away. "You haven't been responding to my request for a meeting, Mr. Lucas. The town has a right to know what your plans are for the land you've purchased, and it's my responsibility to write about them. I need an interview." Lulu's voice was loud enough to carry the distance back to Jeff, and he found himself beginning to approach the discussion, very much against his will. "Well, Miss Lulu, if I'd known how pretty you'd gotten since the last time I saw you, I most certainly would have rearranged my schedule earlier. That fancy school up in Austin really made some changes. You're all grown up now, not the little tomboy in pigtails who used to ride out by my ranch looking for adventure," he said, leering slightly. "And I would love to speak with you regarding my plans for the land I've so recently acquired." His voice was smooth, too smooth, and it made Jeff's skin crawl. Lulu took a slight step back. She was not really offended by the man's manner, but his familiarity with her did make her slightly uncomfortable. She caught herself just as she backed into the telegraph operator, and was briefly surprised that he had followed her. She stepped away from him, and positioned herself between the two men. Jeff, realizing that he didn't belong there, did take a step back from Lulu to let her do her job. She decided that this was as good a time as any to press the issue, and she wished to use the townsfolk who were observing them as witnesses. "So, when will you allow me to interview you?" "There's no time like the present," he told her. He reached out his arm for her, and looking around once more she decided to take it. She allowed him to lead her into the cafe at the end of the street, oblivious to Jeff standing on the street with a forlorn expression on his face as the crowd dispersed around him. ***** Jeff was still watching the door to the cafe when Judd Lucas left alone. He debated for a moment, then decided that Luisa had wanted to send a telegraph, and he had a perfectly good excuse to see her. He crossed the road and entered the cafe to find her sorting her notes, and clarifying her thoughts on paper with a well-used lead pencil. He approached her carefully, still remembering how she had jumped when she had backed into him. She looked up at him as he came near. "I got it," she told him, eager to share her excitement. "He gave me a full outline of his development plans for the town. He's putting in a full size store, and even building a new school at his own expense. Jeff sighed as he looked into her wide brown eyes. She appeared to believe that this man had honest intentions, and while he had no good reason, he just didn't feel that this was the case. He didn't trust Lucas, and nothing she could say would change that. ***** "His plans sound pretty impressive, Miss McCoy," Jeff said after a few moments of thoughtful silence. He tried to sound admiring or at least noncommittal about Lucas's plans but he couldn't completely suppress his skepticism and some of it surfaced as he spoke. Hearing that trace of doubt in Jeff's voice Lulu studied his face carefully. "They would be, *if* you believe him." she replied as their eyes met. Jeff nodded. "But I don't quite understand what's going on here. Why did you interview him? Do you *work* for the local paper?" "Nope, I don't work for it, I own it. I'm the editor-in-chief of the Candelero Gazette, the finest newspaper in Dry Creek County." "That's because it's the only newspaper in Dry Creek County," a tall auburn- haired woman drawled from behind the counter in the restaurant. "No one asked for your comments, Kitty." "I know. That's why it's so fun to give them, Lulu." As she spoke Kitty strolled from behind the counter and joined Jeff and Lulu. "So," she said as she eyed Jeff up and down like a prime steer at auction. "You must be the new Western Union man." Jeff blushed slightly. "Yes ma'am, I'm Jefferson Higheagle." "Kitty Richmond," the woman said in reply. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other. Your contract with the company calls for you to have your meals here." "Poor man," Lulu mumbled. (Continued in Part 2) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:33 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 3 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The Lone Rider: Continued from Part 2 _______________________________________ "My apologies," Wells said. "I was rummaging through this old wagon. There's a nice bit of silk here. It says "Pikes Peak or Bust" on one side and "Busted by God" on the other." He shook his head. "I guess their journey wasn't succesful." Jeff looked at the man standing beside the battered, broken down wagon. "What are you doing here?" Wells cleared his throat. "Well, my boy, I followed...you both...up here." "Followed us? Why wou--" Lulu jumped in before Jeff could finish. "Why would you follow us up here? What would you have to gain by doing so?" Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you really?" Knowing full well what kind of spitfire he was dealing with, but also not sure of what to tell Lulu or Jeff, Wells decided to see what help he could be without revealing his true self and reason for being there. "I really am George Wells, Miss Lulu, I assure you. I'm a traveller... and...," he thought fast, "...I've heard rumors. Rumors about your Mr. Lucas." "Oh really?" Lulu was still suspicious, but she was willing to hear him out. Jeff kept his own counsel. "Yes, oh yes, indeed," Wells continued, warming up to his story. "I was in Fort Worth earlier, and I knew a man in the railroad business. He had gotten certain... communications... from Mr. Lucas. Inquiries as to where exactly new rail lines would be laid." "So then you're here to check it out?" Lulu asked eagerly. "Oh, no, no, no, Miss Lulu, nothing of the kind." Wells fingered his glasses nervously. "Purely informal, I assure you." "Well, still, it's another clue," Lulu summed up, suspicions forgotten. "But it's still not proof," Jeff reminded her. He had a shrewd notion that Wells was not telling them the truth... but he couldn't believe that the little man meant them harm. He'd keep an eye on the man, but on the whole he was inclined to trust him. "Yes, well, as to that... when I was, ahem, talking to some of Mr. Lucas's ... associates?" He smiled at the incongruity of such a refined word for such uncouth louts, and his listeners smiled back. "What happened?" Jeff prompted. "Well, you see, they were talking rather freely, as they hadn't yet seen me, and they mentioned a Bartholomew ranch? A ... calving barn?" Lulu paled. "Sheriff Bartholomew's place? He's *that* sure of himself?" Jeff shook his head. "Until today, no one had any idea he was up to anything, Lulu. He's gotten away with everything, why not continue?" "But, but... there are still calves in that barn! If they're killed, the sheriff will be wiped out! And his wife..." suddenly she stopped, and blushed. "Well, I don't like to be missish, but they say his wife is, um, expecting... he can't afford to start all over!" "Well, we'll have to do something," Jeff answered, not quite sure what he had in mind. "But they'll never believe us if we accuse him, you know that." "Well, we'll just have to do something else, then," Lulu replied suddenly. Wells sat back, forgotten, as this legendary pair began yet another lifetime of plotting. "First thing is, we have to stop them. I can probably do that," Jeff suggested, thinking out loud. "If I ride over there tonight..." "Wait," Lulu spoke up, suddenly having second thoughts. "What if there are lots of them? I don't want you to get hurt..." "Thank you, Lulu." Jeff smiled down at her, and then twisted his face, thinking. "You know... I appreciate that you want me to call you by your nickname, but such a beautiful woman deserves a beautiful name..." He caressed her cheek, and she smiled, blushing furiously. "I think I'll call you Luisa." "Okay," she whispered, touched. "Yes, Luisa," he teased gently. "And as for not getting hurt, well..." he thought furiously for a moment, without any visible result. "I've got it!" Lulu burst out suddenly. "I've got it - they won't know it's you, because you'll be wearing a mask." "A mask? Why a mask?" Lulu smacked him in the chest. "So that you can spy on them, of course, and report back with all the details, and they won't know it's you, and..." Jeff placed a hand over her mouth. "Hold it. Do you always babble like this when you're excited?" Lulu blushed and forgot what she had been about to say. A part of her wished it was his lips and not his hand on her mouth. She blushed even more. Where had that thought come from? Jeff removed his hand. "You know, that's not such a bad idea. I'll keep watch at the sheriff's place tonight and stop them if they try anything. If they see me, they won't know who I am, and I'll be free to do it as many times as necessary. But I don't need to wear a mask. I'll just take off my glasses and dress like a cowboy." Lulu looked doubtful. "Don't you think they'll recognize you?" Jeff grinned at her. "Trust me." Lulu nodded. "All right, but I'm going, too." Jeff's eyebrows crawled into his hairline. "Over my dead body. It could be dangerous." Wells chuckled to himself. Some things never changed. They would probably be having the same argument in whatever bodies they were occupying in the year 3000. "I will not let you tell me what to do," Lulu said firmly. Jeff sighed, and tried to think of a diplomatic argument to deal with the determined woman. He considered a direct assault, but decided against it. Then he considered trying to trick her, but he found that lying to her was not an appealing thought. He had always believed in honesty; it was the core of his personality. Besides, she seemed too intelligent to fall for a simple distraction. Finally, he settled on a stipulated agreement. "You can come," he told her, "but you will not leave my side." Lulu looked at him, urging him to continue. "Go on..." He sighed once more and tried to explain himself to the woman who looked as if she wanted to argue with him. "I need to be on guard, and I don't want to worry about shooting you by mistake." Lulu considered the wisdom of the statement, and decided that he was probably right. She had no desire to be shot, and he had already demonstrated once how quickly he could draw and aim his gun. Also, she could think of worse people to be with. . They had planned to spend the evening together, this would simply change the location. "Fine," she told him. "Let's get you changed." Lulu found herself looking forward to the idea of seeing him dressed as a cowboy. ***** Jeff turned around again and looked over his shoulder at his image in the mirror. "Are you sure they should be this tight?" he asked her. Lulu swallowed tightly, and finally moistened her mouth enough to respond. "They look fine, Jeff. You don't want them falling off." She found it difficult to tear her eyes away from his form. He looked *really* good in the snug denim. Her mother had let the borrowed jeans out somewhat, but they were still a tad snug. One of the ranch hands had willingly donated the jeans, but he was significantly smaller than Jeff. There had been sufficient material to lengthen them, but that had been the best that Hattie could do on short notice. She finally drew her eyes from his derriere and looked up into the eyes of her adoptive mother. "What do you think?" she asked. "I think," Hattie replied, "that no one will be looking at his face." With a tiny giggle she left the room so that the couple could talk. Lulu looked up and met Jeff's eyes. He was smiling slightly as he told her, "I guess that's a good thing, huh?" Lulu smiled back. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a bite to eat first? I promised you supper." She was a little disappointed that their evening plans had been ruined, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was not going to give in. "I don't think we have that much time." Lulu sighed. He was right. If a single calf was lost to this villain, she would never be able to forgive herself. They had to do this. She adjusted her own jeans and put on the hat that belonged to her father. It was impractical to go out spying in a dress, and this seemed the best solution. "Let's go," she told him, moving to the door. "One minute, " he replied. He stepped toward her, and gently raised his palm to her cheek. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, then used his other hand to remove the hat. Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, he bent down and placed a tiny kiss on her cheek. He replaced her hat as he straightened. "For luck," he explained, and left the room. She stood stunned for a moment, then shook herself slightly and followed him. As they headed out the door of the McCoy ranch house, they met Micah McCoy, Lulu's father. He was standing on the porch squinting at something in the distance. "What is it, Dad?" Luisa asked. "Looks like company's coming," Micah replied as he watched the cloud of dust on the horizon. "You two had better get back inside quick." Jeff and Luisa nodded and got inside the house just moments before Judd Lucas and a group of his men rode up on the property. "Evening, Micah," Judd said as he rode up to the white picket fence and dismounted. "Evening, Judd. You're a little far from home, aren't you? What brings you out this way?" "Some of my men told me that there were strangers in town. Lot of suspicious things have been happening. I just thought I'd ride on out and see how you and your family were doing." Lucas's tone was affable, but the coldness never left his eyes and his smile was tight. "Well, that's mighty neighborly of you, Judd. But I think I can take care of myself and my family." "I'm sure of that Micah, I was just offering to help. How are Hattie and Lulu?" "They're fine." "I saw Lulu in town today. You know a girl that pretty and spirited is rare in these parts. Don't you think it's about time she settled down?" "I think my daughter is quite capable of making up her own mind about that," Hattie said as she joined Micah on the porch. Judd looked at the older couple standing side-by-side on the front porch. Everyone in Dry Creek County knew they were a couple united in protecting and sometimes defending their daughter's behavior. The Lord above knew they had enough practice doing both in the past. They loved their daughter with every fiber of their beings and it showed, now more than ever. Looking down onto Judd from the vantage point of the high porch they were not prepared for his next statement. "Well, I thought I'd just let you both know now, I am interested in courting your daughter and expect to be marrying her later this summer. She's just the woman to give me the sons I have always wanted. Micah, I know you and Hattie will give me your permission and blessing." It galled him to have to look up to anyone and now was no exception. He arrogantly did not wait for their answer but was turning to leave when they heard a noise coming from the house. The older couple chose to ignore it with a side look to each other but Judd spoke up. "Did you hear that noise?" "No! We didn't hear a noise. Noooo noise at all," they both replied together. Behind the front door both Lulu and Jeff could hear everything that was being said on the porch. Lulu could not believe her ears. She was shocked and couldn't help but feel insulted at Judd's delivery of his intentions towards her. She could feel her anger rise at his insolence. "How dare he think I would start courting him! If only I could get my hands on a gun I would run that no-account off this place!" Jeff was stunned silent by Judd's declaration and he paid little attention to what Lulu had just said. Lulu glanced around the room and saw her mother's sewing basket sitting close by. Quicker than greased lightning she moved for the handgun she knew Mother always kept in there. Jeff saw her reach into the basket. Her hand lingered momentarily on the brown handle of the gun. Moving next to her he placed one of his arms around her from behind holding her in check. He could sense her anger growing and that it was about to erupt. A meeker man would have released her and cowered away, but Jeff put his other hand over her mouth to keep her silent. As she felt his arms engulf her she started to jerk and twist from his confining embrace. He was startled by the strength of this petitewildcat he held in his arms. Arching her back she managed to loosen his hold just enough to kick over a small stool. The noise of the stool hitting the floor was just the diversion she needed to move her head to the side. The hand which was placed over her mouth slipped down to her upper chest. "You can let go of me now. I'm not going to shoot that no-good son of a Jezebel," she hissed. Jeff placed his mouth next to her ear as his arms tightened their hold and softly whispered, "Temper, temper. You're supposed to be a lady." Lulu could sense his laughter. She tried to break free, but his steely hold only became tighter. "Remind me never to tell your parents of what my intentions might be. If this is your reaction to a man asking for permission to court you, I think perhaps we'll elope and skip all the formal courting rituals. Lulu was shocked at her reaction. (Continued in Part 4) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:45 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 5 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The Lone Rider: Continued from Part 4 ___________________________ Wells smiled. There was no doubt about it, these two were well on the way to creating a legendary partnership. ***** In the days that followed, the Lone Rider (with the help of his Luisa, of course) began to loosen the grip of Judd Lucas and his men on the good citizens of Dry Creek County. Barn burnings were stopped, rustlers and horse thieves nabbed and bit by bit they began to piece together the evidence that pointed to Lucas. But so far the case against him was just circumstantial and none of the men they captured were willing to talk. "It could take years to bring that man to justice," Lulu said with frustration as she sat with her parents, Jeff, and Wells at the McCoy dinner table about ten days after the Lone Rider had made his first appearance. Jeff nodded in agreement. "There has to be a way to get real evidence against him. Something that would stand up in court." "Or," Lulu said with a gleam in her eye, "maybe we could force his hand, make him slip up." "Lu-i-sa," Jeff said warily. "What exactly do you have in mind?" ***** Lucas paced his parlor like a caged animal. In the last two weeks he'd begun to see his small empire start to crumble. The men he hired to be at his evil beck and call were being arrested faster than he could hire new ones. He picked up the papers that were lying on his desk and threw them at the two remaining henchmen in his power. Fear is what kept them standing in the center of the room. Fear of what this madman might do if the two of them turned and left. "All of my plans have been ruined," he ranted. "Somehow that Lone Rider has foiled every one of them and he has had the sheriff nearby to arrest anyone involved in my attempts to take control of Candelero." He began to laugh a wicked crazed laugh. He had one last trick up his sleeve. He only needed the McCoy ranch to control the entire right of way for the new railroad line coming outside of town. He had to have the land at any cost. He didn't care who had to be sacrificed to get that piece of ground. Judd stood in front of his two men. The smell of liquor and beans emitting from their bodies sickened him but the thoughts of losing sickened him even more. "You are to get me that ranch," he screamed into their faces. "Yes sir, Mr. Lucas, we hear what you is a-sayin'," the taller of the two said as they backed out of the parlor. They ran for their horses and rode away to parts unknown. Hours later Lucas realized he was alone in his fight for control. He went to the gun cabinet and calmly removed his rifle and his gun and holster. He was going out to the McCoy ranch to get what he wanted or he wasn't going to come back at all. ***** Jeff closed his eyes as he listened to the strange Mr. Wells weave tales of Leonardo da Vinci. Jeff figured Wells would be a good writer since he managed to make everything sound as if he'd actually been back there in those days. Maybe Jeff was just feeling very romantic these days. At least Wells had promised to depart when Luisa showed up. She had promised meet him here up here at his special place to discuss her plan for trapping Judd Lucas once and for all. He sighed. It was probably something guaranteed to get her killed. As one hour lapsed into two, Jeff became restless. It wasn't like Luisa to be late. She was usually the one who had to chide him for tardiness. He finally moved towards his horse. "Something's wrong...I feel it." Before Wells could reply, Sheriff Bartholomew's wife appeared over the rise of the plateau. She was out of breath, her face streaked with tears. She practically collapsed in Jeff's arms. Wells hurried over and began fanning the young woman with his bowler hat. "Oh, dear." Jeff cradled her face. "You shouldn't have made this climb, Mellie. Is Tim all right?" "Tim..Lulu," she struggled to speak. Jeff's blood froze. "Luisa? What happened?" Wells reached over and retrieved a canteen. He soaked his hankerchief and dabbed at Mellie's face. Her eyes opened wide. "Lucas has her! He's at her home. He's out of his mind, Jeff!" "Mr. Wells, take care of her, I'll ride down--" "No!" Mellie shouted. "He's watching every window, you'll be shot on sight...like Tim." "Tim? Mellie, I'm so sorry, is he--" "I don't know," she sobbed, her tears starting anew. "No one can get close enough to find out." "God," Jeff whispered. "If I lose her..." Mellie touched his face. "The reverend is there. Maybe he can stop Lucas." "Or buy time until dark," Jeff said. "It's the only shot I have to get the upper hand." Wells cleared his throat. "Not your *only* shot. That is if you prefer not to risk all the hours until sunset on Lucas' rather fragile grasp of reality." ***** "I love poker, don't you?" Lucas said with a madman's grin. "I'm a civilized man," he continued, scraping the rifle sight absentmindedly against his forehead. Hattie and her husband shared frightened glances. Micah glanced at his cards. He was playing poker with the devil, and Lulu was the table stake. Reverend LeBlanc regarded his hand calmly. Not liking what he saw, he dabbed at his face with a napkin from the table, palmed a better hand from his vest pocket, and made a bet. LeBlanc was careful with his double-dealing and cold decks to make sure that he and Lucas stayed fairly even. He needed to play for Miss Lulu's life, and stall till the cavalry arrived. If they ever did. It was 5 card draw, but it felt for all the world like 'cat and mouse' as the hours stretched on. ***** "You're not serious," Mellie said as she saw Jeff trussed up in the odd harness. "It will work, my dear," Wells soothed, "but he will be enslaved by the prevailing wind." "But that's the silk cover from that old wagon!" Wells squared his shoulders. "Silk made..er will make a fine parachute, my dear." Jeff rubbed a hand across the saddlebag attached to his stomach. "I just pull this stirrup?" "Yes, my boy. You leap clear of the canyon. count to ten.." Wells looked over the edge, "...you count to five...and pull the stirrup. Then shout 'Geronimo!" Jeff nodded with confidence. If Geronimo had done this, so could he. Without looking back, Jeff ran for the edge and leaped. The rush of air momentarily took his breath away. He was falling fast and began to tumble end over end. He frantically felt for the stirrup. His fingers finally folded around the metal. He no longer knew which way was up. "Damn, I forgot to count. Five!" He pulled the stirrup. There was a sudden rough 'yank' tugging him upward. He was like a marionette on strings. He looked above his head as the canopy of the old silk mushroomed above him. Jeff suddenly began to enjoy the floating sensation. He was an eagle. His father had foretold this, or so some of his people had told him. What would his grandparents in Boston think? He shook his head and refocused. "Luisa," he whispered and looked at the approaching outskirts of Candelero. There it was, the McCoy ranchhouse. He was nearing it rapidly. Unfortunately the wind was not cooperating and he would overshoot the target. Just as he thought he was about to land in the barnyard, the silk snagged itself on the weathervane. He was pulled back hard, and smacked against the wall. He truly was a puppet now, a helpless one dangling next to the roof. Lucas leaped up from his seat. "A little too early for Santa Claus," he smiled, and looked out the window. Seeing nothing but the body of Sheriff Bartholomew, he went to the back window. Nothing. He re-entered the living room. His guests, tied to their chairs, were still in place. He glanced out the front window again, but did a doubletake. The sheriff was gone. "Where is he!?" Lucas hissed through his teeth. "Who?" Micah asked innocently. "The sheriff, you idiot! He was there, and now he's gone!" A pale young man leaned in the parlor doorway. "Right here, Lucas," Bartholomew said. Lucas wheeled around, but didn't even have a chance to cock the lever. He was dead before his body hit the floor. Jeff stood up from behind Micah's chair, his Peacemaker still smoking. Jeff holstered his gun and began untying the 'poker players'. Reverend LeBlanc shook his head as he picked up Lucas' cards. "Aces over eights. The dead man's hand." "Now I remember you!" Jeff smiled as Lulu hugged him tight. "You were--" The Reverend shifted his eyes. "You were...the reverend I met on a riverboat once." Jeff looked at the cards and felt a chill run down his spine. "The same cards Hickok was holding when he was bushwhacked." LeBlanc shook his head and sighed, "My, my, what an eerie coincidence." He winked at Jeff, grabbed his hat, and bid his company adieu. Jeff smiled down at Lulu. "I think things are going to be a lot better in Candelero from now on." Hattie nodded. "I saw a new mercantile going up. It's owned by Tempus Tex Ltd. I might finally have a place for reasonably priced calico. (Continued in Part 6) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 4 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The Lone Rider: Continued from Part 3 _____________________________________ She turned and grabbed Jeff by the front of his shirt. Standing on tiptoe, she planted a hard kiss on his mouth and then pushed him slightly as she let go. Off balance, in more ways than one, Jeff fell against the wall. Luisa was running for the back door. "Race ya to the stable!" Jeff straightened his hat. "Whoa," he whispered. He stepped out to the back porch. His wildcat partner was making a mad dash for the stable, her hair flying free like a defiant flag as she ran. He shook his head in admiration. He looked around and noticed Lucas was no longer in sight, having delivered his 'proposal' and made a hasty retreat. Jeff placed two fingers in his mouth and gave a short whistle. A large palomino came galloping from a small arroyo. Jeff mounted the horse on the gallop, and then as he neared Lulu, scooped her up with one arm, and placed her behind him. He enjoyed the feel of her arms tightening around his waist, as the 'pickup' had taken her by complete surprise. Removing her hat, Lulu swatted the horse's flank, increasing the speed and the necessity for an even tighter hold. She laughed aloud as they seemed to fly. His horse must be descended from Pegasus - it had wings. No, she sighed, it was her heart that had wings. She'd never felt so foolishly brave in her life. She knew somehow that nothing could hurt her. Nothing could stop her...as long as Jeff was with her. She wouldn't tell him that, likely the very notion would scare him to death, but she sensed the truth of it. Jeff wished the Bartholomew place was much further away. He didn't want their ride together to end, but soon they approached the small farmhouse. It was modest, befitting an *honest* sheriff's income, but handsomely laid out. Jeff tugged back on the reins, slowing his horse to a walk. "Now what?" Lulu whispered, her voice so invitingly close to his ear. "We wait...and watch," he said, and then smiled. "I guess. I really don't have a clue. This disguise business is new to me." As soon as the horse stopped, Luisa dismounted and removed the bedroll behind the cantle. She untied the leather thong and unfurled the bedroll and seated herself. She patted a spot next to her. "Then let's wait and watch." They settled in on the bedroll, waiting for something to happen. Jeff felt daring enough to put an arm around Luisa, and she didn't protest. She was feeling happier than she could ever remember being. She had no idea why she should feel so close to this particular man. She'd only met him this morning, for Pete's sake, and yet... she felt as if she'd known him forever. She smiled up at him sassily. "You think we should skip the courting stuff, eh?" "Well...." Jeff temporized, trying to read her face in the dying light. "I'm a pretty straightforward kind of guy." "Oh, I can see that," she teased, poking at his 'disguise'. "But that doesn't let you out of courting me. I expect the full treatment." Jeff smiled down at her, his heart overflowing with emotion. His entire life up until this morning now seemed unbearably bleak - how had he ever lived without her? And to find her, and to know that she wanted him to court her... it was almost too much happiness for one man to bear. He leaned down to kiss her... but abruptly pulled his head upwards again, peering off into the distance. "I think I can hear them coming..." They scrambled to their feet and found a handy bush to hide behind. Within a few minutes, two riders pulled up near the barn. It was hard to make them out in the dusk, but Lulu was certain of one thing. "Neither of them are the sheriff," she informed her new partner, "and last I heard, he didn't have any hired hands. These," she concluded, "are bad guys." "Good thing I've got you along," he murmured absently, planning his assault. The two henchmen dismounted near the barn, and rummaged in their saddlebags. After a moment, they stepped away from the horses, with several small bundles in hand. They approached the barn and busied themselves near the back wall. "I bet they're working on setting the barn on fire," Lulu muttered darkly. "We've got to stop them, fast." "Okay, here's the plan," Jeff replied. "I'll get back on the horse and confront them; I've got a gun, and the sun will be at my back, so they'll have a harder time seeing." Lulu considered it, and nodded. "Good plan. While you're doing that, I'll scatter their horses, so they can't get away. See you when you're done!" Before he could do more than utter a protesting "Luisa!" she'd gone, slipping away around the far side of the barn. Shaking his head, he remounted. The best thing he could do now would be to capture the bad guys before they had a chance to hurt her. Things went exactly as Jeff had planned. Mostly, he realized, because they weren't expecting any opposition. Judd Lucas was used to getting his way around these parts. The would-be arsonists were caught red-handed, all the commotion bringing the sheriff outside, away from his dinner table. With their horses galloping away, and a pair of purposeful guns pointing at them, they had to surrender. Sheriff Bartholomew tried to look up into the face of the unknown gunman who had just saved his farm, but he couldn't see clearly because the last rays of the sun were in his eyes. "Thank you, stranger. I really appreciate your help, Mr. ...?" Jeff froze. He hadn't anticipated needing another name to go with his new outfit. "Huh ... I'm ... a friend," he replied lamely. Deciding that it had been easier to face those two criminals than it was to look the honest sheriff in the eye, he whirled his horse around and headed back into the woods ... he needed to talk to Luisa about this. He found her waiting for him in the small clearing where they'd sat earlier. She was practically jumping up and down with excitement. "Did you see what we did back there? We were great! We were super!" Jeff couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm, as he reached down to give her hand up behind him. "Yes, we did just fine back there." He felt her wrap her arms around his waist and took a moment to place one of his hands lightly on hers. As far as he was concerned, *this* was the best part of the evening so far. "What did the sheriff say to you back there? I couldn't hear from back here." "Oh, just that he was grateful for the help." Jeff paused, then added, "He wanted to know my name, and I didn't know what to say." "Oh, yeah, we should have thought of that. You'll need a name for your disguise." They rode in silence for a while, heading for Luisa's home, each thinking of, and rejecting several names. "How about," she said finally, "how about ... Lone Rider." He thought about it for a minute and decided that it sounded pretty good. Besides, *she* had thought of it, so it couldn't be all bad. "Okay," he agreed, "Lone Rider, it is. Thank you, Luisa." He pulled on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt, then turned in the saddle a bit so he could kiss her ... not a long kiss, but a nice kiss. A kiss which said, he hoped, that he was falling for her. Lulu held him tightly, enjoying this far too much, and not caring one little bit that people would say it was happening too fast. She'd always been the kind of girl who knew her own mind. And this Jefferson Higheagle was something special, she just knew it. She laid her head against his strong back all the way home, wishing that she lived much farther away. ***** Wells sat in the saloon, keeping an eye on Judd Lucas. He had seen two of Lucas's thugs leave a couple of hours ago, but a couple more of them had gotten bored and were turning their attention in his direction. "Hey. There's that thar tenderfoot again. Let's have some fun," one of them bellowed. Wells shrank back in his seat. "Oh, dear," he stuttered as the goon lifted him up by the front of his jacket. Just then, the door of the saloon crashed open and Lulu rushed in, followed by Jeff, now back in his telegraph operator outfit. "Mr. Wells, guess what!" she shouted before noticing his predicament. "Hey, you, let go of my friend." The goon dropped Wells and turned to leer at Lulu. "Do you want to take his place, little lady?" He started to grab her, but a second later found himself on the floor clutching a very tender part as she stood over him. Jeff laughed. "I guess you *don't* need taking care of, Luisa." (Continued in Part 5) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:51 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 6 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The Lone Rider: Continued for Part 5 __________________________________ Sometime later, the McCoy homestead was quiet once more. Judd Lucas' s body had been removed, and Jeff had left to take Sheriff Bartholomew to where his wife and Mr.Wells were waiting anxiously for good news. In the kitchen, preparing dinner, Hattie watched out the window as her daughter kissed Jeff Higheagle goodbye. They had seen a lot of Jeff in the past few weeks, and they liked him. One concern, however, remained, and at Hattie's silent prompting, Micah brought up the topic over dessert. "Lulu, about this young man of yours..." "Yes, Dad?" Her reply was a model of decorum, but her gaze was challenging. "Well, it's just...your mother and I...we're a mite concerned." "Oh, you mean the Lone Rider - no need to worry." Luisa reassured them airily. "Judd Lucas is gone, so we won't have to bother with that disguise any more." "I'm relieved to hear that," her father replied, unimpressed, "but that wasn't our concern." He looked over at his wife, at a loss for words. Hattie took up the baton. "It's just that, well, Jeff is...well, he's a fine man, no doubt, but he is a half-breed Indian." There, now it was out in the open. "For ourselves, we don't mind, truly. It's just what other people might think." "And, more importantly, what other people might do," Micah concluded. "People can be cruel. Are you sure you know what you're getting into?" "You're not serious. After all he did today? He saved the ranch - he saved my life!" "We know, and we're grateful," Hattie replied. "But that's not the point." Luisa looked rebelliously from one parent to the other, but the compassion in their eyes stopped any further outbursts. "It doesn't make any difference," she finally stated quietly. "I lo-" she stopped abruptly. She and Jeff had briefly discussed a courtship, but no declarations had passed between them. Nevertheless, she knew how she felt. "I love him. I'd feel just the same if he were..." she paused, looking for the most outrageous comparison she could find, "...if he were from another planet!" Her parents smiled at the absurdity of that comment, and the tension in the room was lessened. "It could be a problem, though," Micah persevered. "Well, we could always move back East," Luisa speculated, feeling her way through new ideas. "Jeff grew up in Boston, and he says they don't care so much about Indian blood there. In fact," she smiled, warming up to the idea, "there's this paper I've heard about, in Metropolis. We could try working there." Hattie regarded her stubborn daughter for a moment, then sighed. She didn't believe that folks back East were quite that free of prejudice, but Jeff had lived there; they could discuss it with him, if things progressed that far. "If Jeff is who you want, honey, we'll support you in that; we'll figure out something." "But we have to handle this carefully," Micah insisted. "Right now, folks think you've got a hankering for the Lone Rider, and he's a pretty popular man. P'raps we could let that illusion stand for a bit - just until the townsfolk get to know Jeff more, to see what a fine man he is." Luisa looked at her father, incredulous. "So I can be seen with the Lone Rider, but I'm supposed to just treat Jeff like a friend? That's ridiculous!" "It's temporary," he replied, unruffled. "When Jeff wants to court you seriously, *if* he does, then we'll shift things around then." Luisa rolled her eyes at this exaggerated notion, but kept her peace. At least they weren't trying to forbid her to see him. "All right, fine. We'll be cautious. But not for too long! And now, if you'll excuse me," she rose from the table and placed her napkin next to her empty plate. "I told Jeff I'd meet him after supper." She smiled brilliantly on her way out the door. "I wouldn't want to be late - my destiny awaits me!" ***** Jeff and Wells walked out of the small house in Candelero where they had dropped the sheriff and his wife. Doc Bernard had assured them that both would be fine. Jeff hopped up onto the seat of the buckboard he had borrowed from Micah to transport Tim and Mellie, and looked down at the man who had been so vital to the successful outcome of the day's events. Wells was standing beside the horse he had hired to use during his stay, but making no effort to mount. Jeff grinned. "Would you like to ride back out to the McCoy place, Mr.Wells, or tie your horse behind with mine, and go in the wagon? It's been quite a day and you look a little...frazzled." Wells shook his head, and smiled a bit regretfully. "No, my boy, my stay here in Candelero is at an end. It's been a pleasure meeting you all, and please send my sincerest thanks to Mr. and Mrs. McCoy for all their hospitality. I regret my rudeness in not making a proper farewell to them and Miss Lulu, but time waits for no man, you know." Jeff looked puzzled. "You're leaving? Now? But how? It's almost dark, and there's no stage due till in the morning." "I have my ways," Wells said, and rested one hand on his watch pocket. He held out his other hand to Jeff who took it and shook it firmly, then added with a twinkle in his eye, "Perhaps I'll be back this way again...someday. Until then, good luck to you, and congratulations on finding your...life's partner." Jeff smiled a little self-consciously, but didn't deny it. "Good luck to you, Mr.Wells. And thank you for...everything." Wells stepped back to watch as Jeff pulled away in a cloud of dust. As soon as the wagon was out of sight, he glanced around and then drew his watch from its pocket. He rubbed his aching behind. "Give me a good English saddle any day," he said with a rueful chuckle, and with a rushing sensation, the Soul Tracker took him back to his study in London. Jeff returned the buckboard to the McCoy stables as quickly as the horses would travel, eager to see Luisa once more, to really be sure she was unharmed. If he had lost her... but he hadn't, so he needn't think about how empty his life would be without her. As he unhitched the horses and turned them over to the McCoy's stable hand, he caught sight of Luisa watching him from the corner of the stable. He smiled in her direction, and she moved forwards. "Hello, Jeff," she greeted him, rather breathlessly. "Hello, Luisa," he replied, not quite self-confident enough to greet her with a kiss, not in front of her hired help, anyway. Inspiration struck. "Would you like to ride with me? We could watch the sunset from the plateau..." Luisa glanced out into the gathering darkness and smiled impishly. "But the sun's set already." "Hmm, we'll just have to find something else to watch, then." She laughed throatily and nodded agreement. Jeff's body responded instinctively, and he turned away to hide his reaction, busying himself with preparing his palomino for an evening's ride. Once again, they double-mounted the horse and headed for his - no, their - special place. There was a full moon that night, bathing the prairie in a romantic wash of silver. The stars seemed brighter and closer than usual, and Venus was especially bright in the Western sky. Jeff and Luisa sat on an old blanket near the abandoned wagon. "Are you cold?" Jeff asked hesitantly. "A little," Luisa admitted, moving just a bit closer to him. He responded as she'd hoped he would, putting his arm around her. They savored the closeness and the view for a few moments in silence. "Are you okay? I mean, after today? You seem a little... subdued." She played with a blade of grass. "I'm fine, really. It was scary, but I just knew you'd save me, somehow. Although," she added, with more of her usual spirit, "I was working on a few plans of my own, just in case." Jeff squeezed her shoulders, reassuring both her and himself that the ordeal was over. "But that's not really what's bothering me," she continued after a moment, surprising him. Hesitantly, she recounted her dinner table conversation with her parents. Jeff sighed. "Luisa, they've got a point. Not everyone accepts me. One of my own cousins, back in Boston, still acts as if I might, at any moment, break into a war dance, right there in the parlor." Luisa stifled a grin at that image, momentarily distracted from her dilemma. "Being m--," Jeff bit back the word 'married'; he hadn't the right, "seen with me could get you in trouble," he concluded sadly. This time with her had been wonderful, but he should have known it wouldn't last. Luisa pulled back and looked him square in the eye. "Thomas Jefferson Higheagle, if you think you can be rid of me that easily, you've got another thought coming." Warming to her subject, she stood, lecturing him. "I've run my own newspaper when no one thought a woman could, I've run my own life, and, for your information, I'll marry whomever I please, even if he is half- Indian!" Jeff blinked up at the love of his life, and had to smile at her vehemence. Apparently he wouldn't be giving her up for her own good, after all. She scowled back at him. "What's so funny?" she snapped. His smile widened as he got to his feet. "I love you, too." She stared at him for a moment, then realized what she'd just said, and blushed furiously. Jeff stepped over to her and enfolded her in a big hug, then pulled back just far enough to kiss her. It was the sort of kiss he'd dreamed about often since he'd met her, a kiss that was deep and long and expressed all the passion in his soul. When they finally separated, they were both flushed and breathing heavily. "Oh my," Luisa uttered faintly. "Oh yes," Jeff agreed, feeling supremely self-confident. Luisa, in his arms, looked up at him dreamily, then smiled and kissed him back. A long moment later they disengaged once more, but didn't go far. They regarded each other contentedly. "So you'll be the Lone Rider's girl?" Jeff asked, teasingly. "For now, I suppose," Luisa sassed. "But only until we get the townfolk to appreciate their mild-mannered telegraph operator. Then I'm dumping the Lone Rider like *that*." She snapped her fingers to illustrate. "And then you'll marry the telegraph operator?" Jeff asked, his heart in his eyes. She smiled back. "No power on earth could stop me." ***** "...as I reflect now on my journeys in time, I marvel anew at the tangled progression of events shaping the lives of these two special souls. That Jeff and Luisa's immediate future was for me a past adventure whose outcome was crucial not only to their happiness but to the happiness of lovers yet unborn is a concept I must accept yet cannot truly comprehend. But no matter. The truth in all that has occurred or will come to be is one of the heart, not the intellect, and I am content that it be so." Wells closed his journal with a sigh of satisfaction mixed with weariness. Looking down, he frowned at the Texas dust that had sifted from his clothing to the desk and the carpet around his chair. No matter how extraordinary life becomes, he thought with a chuckle some things are eternal. I need a hot bath, a good meal, and a night's sleep. And locking away his journal, he left the study. THE END ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:27:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eraygun Subject: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 2 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The Lone Rider: Continued from Part 1 Jeff looked at Lulu and saw she was a little put out by that last remark of Kitty's. "Yes ma'am, I know what my contract says. I reckon we will come in contact across the cafe counter at that." He looked at her and saw a gleam appear in her eye. Kitty licked her lips. "Maybe I could fix up something special for you. All you have to do is tell me what you prefer." Jeff didn't hesitate. "I prefer the company of you, Miss McCoy." He couldn't believe he was hearing those words come out of his own mouth. Lulu's head shot up and she saw he was staring at her. "Really, Mr. Higheagle, for a man who just came to this town you are being very forward." Jeff looked taken aback by the remark but didn't let it sway him from forging on. "Well, would you....one evening soon...do me the honor of joining me for supper here at Kitty's Cafe? I think we could find something to talk about." Kitty turned on her heel and headed back towards the kitchen. She stopped and gave Lulu a wicked smile. "Yes, Lulu take him up on it. I would love to fix you something to eat." Lulu came closer to Jeff. "Since you're new in town, why don't you come to my parents' home for supper this evening?" "I accept," he replied. "I'd better get back to the telegraph. Someone may need to send something out." He nodded at both women and quickly left the cafe. He wanted to make a quick getaway before Miss Lulu had a chance to reconsider her invitation. A fortyish bespectacled man seated at a nearby table glanced up and watched the young man leave, smiled, and went back to scribbling some notes. "Well, well," one of Lucas's dusty desperadoes commented. "Ain't we just the best turned out at the fancy dress ball." The older man looked up. "Are you addressing me?" The ranch hand slammed his palm on the table. "No, I ain't 'addressing'. I can't afford the postage on a fancy package like you." "Fancy package? Oh, oh quite, yes, very humorous." "Lookee, Hank," the grubby man said. "This is the palest piece of pork I ever laid eyes on." Another man, equally unresplendent, stepped forward. "Pork with them fancy panties." The older man smiled. "I did get very tipsy in Liverpool once and put a crown roast on my head. It was terrible greasy of course, and so slid down around my neck. I looked rather like Queen Victoria--" "Shut yer pie hole, mister!" Hank commanded. The older man adjusted his glasses. "Sorry. I guess I get a bit verbose on occasion. The hazards of a writing career." Lulu quickly stepped forward. "So, a writer, how *fascinating* . Maybe you'd like to visit the newspaper office." "That would be splendid," he said, rising to his feet, only to feel a heavy hand restraining him. "We ain't done with this one, Miss Lulu. " Hank grinned. His teeth, those that were left, were stained brown by chewing tobacco. Suddenly Kitty stepped back into the dining hall. "You boys are wasting your time with that duded up banker when I would kill for a dance," she said, affecting a pouty tone. Lulu sighed with relief. "I owe you, Kitty," she whispered. "Don't think I won't collect," Kitty replied flatly. Lulu escorted the befuddled gentleman from the cafe just as the pianola began playing 'Buffalo Gals'. "I'm afraid I was causing trouble without meaning to -- Miss Lulu was it?" "You've just got a peculiar hitch in your getalong, stranger, and sometimes that's all it takes in Candelero." "You have a lovely little town," he huffed, trying to keep up with Lulu's pace. "What I've been able to see at this speed." Lulu glanced around, and remembered the telegram she never sent. "Just a side trip to the Western Union man." The gentleman smiled. "Telegraphy, now there's a lost art." Lulu and her escort stepped into the telegraph office. The dry wind off the desert made the dark office a cool haven. Jeff stood and removed his visor. "Miss me?" He smiled. Lulu blushed. She couldn't believe the nerve of the man! And the worst part of it was he was right. She didn't know why she reacted to him that way, but she couldn't deny it. She felt an almost irresistible urge to be near him. She couldn't say that, of course, but she couldn't think of a quick answer either. So she decided to just ignore it. "I forgot the telegram," she answered coolly. He nodded, too. "Of course. What shall I write?" "To the Fort Worth Gazette. 'Ranch for sale'. Jeff looked up, surprised. "A 'For Sale' advertisement?" "Yes," Lulu answered, a sad smile on her face. "My dad is going to sell his ranch." He sobered immediately. He could see that this wasn't easy for her. "But why?" he tentatively asked. Lulu shrugged her shoulders. "You know...the usual story. Last winter was hard and we lost a lot of cattle. And then a fire destroyed half of our stables. It's just bad luck, I'm afraid. Dad used to have the biggest spread in the county...well, except for Mr. Lucas, of course. He keeps begging Dad to sell him the place. But Dad wanted to try this first. He doesn't like Lucas and he doesn't want to turn our hands into Lucas employees." Jeff felt for her. He could sense how much this story hurt her. He also wondered briefly about the fire. Could it be...? Well, he only had seen this Lucas for a minute, but he couldn't help the feeling that his role in the distress of her family wasn't just one of innocent buyer. "You said there was a fire. How did it start?" Jeff voiced his fears in a manner so that Lulu would not know just where he was leading. She was intelligent, and she could come to her own conclusions, but he had a feeling that it was more than coincidence that the ranch was having trouble at the same time that Lucas was accumulating land. "No one knows," she answered. "We suspect that a lamp fell from its wire out in one of the horse's stalls, but we don't know for sure." Jeff looked at her for a moment, hoping she would elaborate, but she did not. He went about the routine of taking down, word-for-word, the information he would need to send the telegraph. He clarified spelling, annotated destination, and double checked the asking price before efficiently calculating the cost. Lulu sighed as she handed over the money, still saddened by memories of the fire. They had lost several of her favorite horses that night, as well as her childhood hideaway. She regretted the loss of her special place nearly as much as the monetary loss that was forcing her father to sell. Several of the local ranchers and farmers had experienced luck that was far worse than her father's, so she had nearly come to expect that the worst would happen. At first, she had not really considered the bad timing of the fire, but coupled with her investigation into Judd Lucas's other activities, this week things had started falling into place. All she needed was proof. After paying the fee, she took the opportunity to watch Jeff send the telegraph. He concentrated intently, and she was able to watch him unobserved for several moments. He *was* attractive, she mused. Very attractive. Just as she was beginning to try to think of a way to prolong her time here, the man behind her cleared his throat. She had forgotten that the strangely dressed man had followed her into the telegraph office, and she was rather embarrassed that her own thoughts had allowed her to ignore him at length while she conducted her business. "I'm so sorry, sir. I'll take you to see the paper immediately." Lulu blushed slightly as she realized just how rude she had been. "I'm afraid we need to be going," she told Jeff. "I promised this visitor a tour of my paper, and we've already been here for quite some time." Jeff, having just completed sending her message, looked earnestly into her eyes. "If you're doing a tour, I'd love to accompany you. I've seen some of the larger newspaper offices, but I've never really seen one run on a smaller scale." In truth, he simply wasn't ready to part company with her, but he also wanted to see her office. "Don't you have to man the office?" she asked him. "Miss McCoy, I can take breaks," he returned with a smile. Luisa sighed impatiently. "Please, not Miss McCoy," she requested. "My name is Luisa, but my friends call me Lulu...and I'd like to think we'll be friends." Jeff smiled. "I'd like that," he told her, and reached for his key to the office that he had laid on the desk when he had entered earlier. He followed behind Lulu and her guest, and wondered what she would have to show him. "Well Mr.---?" Lulu hesitated. "I'm sorry. I didn't get your name." "Oh, how thoughtless of me. My name is Wells ... George Wells." "And you're clearly not from around here. Where are you from? We don't get many strangers visiting Candelero," Lulu asked, suddenly back in her role as editor-in-chief. "Oh, I'm from back ... East," Wells replied cryptically. "Oh, really? Whereabouts?" Jeff interrupted. "I was raised back East. In Boston to be exact." "Boston!?" Lulu asked incredulously. "You're a long way from there!" Her attention had shifted back to Jeff. "What brought you out West?" she asked. Jeff shrugged. "I was looking for something." "What?" "I'm not sure..." he replied hesitantly, "but I think I may have found it." Lulu gave Jeff a small smile and they continued to chat, essentially ignoring Wells, much to his relief. It would appear that I have timed things perfectly, Wells thought as he watched the young couple walking in front of him. Wells entered the newspaper office just steps behind them. He looked around making mental notes of everything he saw. He walked around them to where a huge printing press was positioned in the middle of the room. He reached out and touched the apparatus with both hands. "Oh, my! What a lovely machine you have here, Miss Lulu. I am very envious. I am sure you are quite proud of what it can do." Lulu came around the machine and positioned herself so she could press the pedal near the floor and pull the lever that operated the large type setter. A large metal plate lifted and revealed a sheet of newsprint attached to it. Removing it carefully from the plate she handed it to Wells. "Fresh off the press. Here, this one is free of charge," she told him as he took the damp copy of the newspaper. Lulu was anxious to hear what he tought of it. She noticed Jeff was reading over the little man's shoulder and for some reason unbeknownst to her she wanted both of them to like what she had written. Wells looked over the top of the paper. "Good, this is very good. You have your finger on the pulse of this fair town." Jeff looked from Wells to Lulu. What he had read had upset him. He tried to hide his feelings of concern from her but they came creeping into his voice. "Lulu, do you think it is wise to print this about Judd Lucas?" She shook her head at his question and came to stand next to him at the window. Placing a hand on his arm she explained. "Lucas says he is doing the town a favor by wanting to build here, but I get the feeling he's doing more than just building. I wish there was a way to be certain he isn't behind some of our recent problems." Jefferson looked out the window, a smile playing on his face. Maybe there was a way, he thought. "If I might intrude," Wells commented. "Being a writer, I'm fascinated by the...what would you call it? Lingo! Yes, lingo. What precisely is a 'jerkwater town'? One of Lucas's assistants used the term." Lulu raised an eyebrow. "It just means a small town," she shrugged. Jeff turned from the window. "We call 'em 'tank towns' in Boston." "And the etymology of the words?" Lulu patted Wells' shoulder. "Keep using words like that, and I'll hire you as editor." Jeff folded his arms. "The words come from the same place. Water tanks for the railroad. You jerk a chain to bring the water over to a steam engine." Lulu nodded. "Or they pull up to the tank and..wait a minute," she said, and hurried to a wall map. "I knew it!" she said triumphantly. Jeff shook his head. "Sorry, I don't follow." She took some pins from her desk and began sticking them in the map, naming property that had been bought up and the other ranches or farms that Lucas badly wanted. "See something odd?" Jeff's face broke into a large grin. "Now why do suppose a man would buy property in a lateral line?" "Proof!" Lulu said and threw her arms impetuously around Jeff's neck. He took full advantage of her giddiness and pulled her close. Wells smiled and busied himself reading about the shootout at the OK Corral. The couple pulled apart. Lulu blushed. "Sorry, I...I got a little excited." Jeff sighed. "I can honestly say the same, Lulu." Lulu brushed back her hair, but her face was still flushed. "I think we can go to Sheriff Batholomew with this." Jeff shook his head. "It's not 'proof', it's a suspicion...a *good* one, but only that." She folded her arms. "Do you have a better idea, Western Union man?" "As a matter of fact..." ***** "It's beautiful," Lulu said breathlessly. "You're above the world up here, Jeff." He smiled; his 'hideaway' meant a lot more through her eyes. "I came back here after I finished my schooling back East. It was the land of my father's people." Lulu smiled a crooked smile. "An Indian goes to Harvard, hmm?" His answering grin was wry. "Well, Princeton, actually - it was farther away from my relatives." Then he shrugged. "Two different worlds, and I never really fit into either one." "I think I know how you feel...a little. I was left on my parents' doorstep as a baby...I always wondered where I belonged." He nodded. "It's the not knowing--" "--that kills you," she whispered. Jeff's heart pounded. "Maybe two misfits...belong together," he said, his voice soft and low. Their faces came close together when suddenly they heard a loud 'crash' behind them. Jeff turned and drew his revolver so fast it cut a long piece of sawgrass clean in half. Wells raised his trembling hands. (Continued in Part 3) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 21:47:29 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: question re: Kerth Ceremony Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> This may be a dumb question, and my apologies, if so, but I need to kn= ow if the ceremonies take place on #kerth or #loiscla or where? << No Regina, it's not a dumb question :-) The ceremony itself will take place on #kerth_awards (or some variation of that name, if we can't get o= ps in that channel for some weird reason), and that channel will be moderate= d, which means the only ones who can type to the channel are ops and ppl who've been given a "voice" (+v) by one of the ops. So, you ask, where d= o you go to *talk* about the ceremony, as it happens? Well, for that, we direct you to #kerth_chat, which functions as the living room to the #kerth_awards television set. You'll need to /join #kerth_awards to see what's going on, of course - we hope that most ppl will be able to manage= having two channels open at once. (We'll need a few ppl to hang out in #loiscla, as well, to direct latecomers and clueless newbies ) I've got tons of information about all our plans on my website, if you ca= n get to the web... http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/kerth.html Hope this clears things up for you, and I hope to see you there! :-) PJ !^NavFont02F03AE000FMGJHG6EMG70HJAF1975 E-mail from: Pam Jernigan, 24-Mar-1998 jernigan@compuserve.com / ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ Fanfic writer, Kerth co-coordinator, busy mom :-) Kerths will be awarded March 28th, beginning at 6pm EST! http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ "[You want to know] what's the Mountie like? He's Superman, alright?" --Ray Vecchio, Due South, Red White or Blue ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 23:02:01 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Cristin J Whitley Subject: My 1st fanfic ever Hey, all you FOLCs! Here it is, my very first fanfic. It is nothing in comparison to the stories I have read already today. So, don't get too excited. Still, I would like your feedback at CKandLL4ever@Juno.com Thanks! ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** I love Superman!!!!! "No scooping, no flying. We're just Joe and Judy Regular. So, wanna neck?" If this really happenened, it would have taken place during the first season. Valentines Day at the Daily Planet “Love is in the air,” said Cat Grant as she walked into the Daily Planet newsroom. Her arms are laden with every kind of flower that can be found in Metropolis. Lois Lane, who is standing nearby, gives her an icy glance. “Let me guess ... You robbed a florist. Am I right?” asks Lois. Cat rolls her eyes and walks off leaving her flowers on a nearby desk. Lois quickly glances around to make sure no one is watching. Then, she picks up picks up one of Cat’s many bouquets and proceeds to read the card. However, Lois doesn’t realize that there is one person who is always watching her. Seemingly out of nowhere, Clark Kent appears behind her. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Lois!”says Clark as he straightens his tie which is festively covered in little red hearts. “I don’t see what’s so happy about it,” she replies. “Valentine’s Day is just another one of the numerous ‘holidays’ created by the greeting card industry. It gives all those happy people out there yet another chance to gloat and make those of us who remain single miserable. And, frankly, the only good thing about it is getting cheap chocolate on February 15 ....” Before she can go on, Clark interrupts, “Apparantly, someone out there disagrees,” he comments while glancing at the roses still in her hand. “So, who are the roses from?” Lois blushes, and Cat walks up. She grabs the roses from Lois’ hand and gives Clark one of those looks that just screams “I want you”. “They’re from me. Happy Valentine’s Day, Clark,” Cat says. She hands the flowers to Clark and looks him up and down. “Nice suit.” “Uhhh ... thanks, Cat,” says Clark who is obviously very uncomfortable with her admiration. “So, Clark are you busy tonight?” Cat asks hopefully as Lois quickly walks away. “Ummm, I’m sorry. I ... already have plans tonight. Bye, Cat. Thanks for the flowers!” he replies as he chases after Lois. ********** “Lois!? Clark!? Where are those two?” yells Perry White, editor in chief of the Daily Planet. “I think they left, Chief,” says Jimmy Olsen. “Yeah, Jimmy’s right,” adds Cat, glumly. “Well, don’t just stand there! Somebody get me a phone!” yells Perry. ********** “Lois, wait up!” yells Clark as he runs out the doors of the Planet. Lois turns around and gives him a nasty glare. “Oh, hi, Clark. I’m just heading out to look for a story. You know, that is what they pay us to do when some of us aren’t too busy flirting.” “Hey! Cat gave me the flowers. It wasn’t the other way around.... And speaking of flowers ....” He starts to pull a single red rose from behind his back. All of a sudden, Lois’ cell phone rings. “Hello. Hi, Chief. No, I’m not busy. I was just talking to Clark. What? A bank robbery? Where? 19th Street? OK, Chief, we’re on it! Bye.” She turns around to explain everything to Clark and realizes that he is already gone. After an exasperated glance around and mumbling a few obscenities, Lois goes and hops in her Jeep. ********** At the Metropolis Bank, two masked men have just run out of the doors carrying rather large and noticable money bags. Out of nowhere Superman appears. He quickly grabs the bad guys and flies them over to the waiting police officers. “Thanks, Superman!” says one grateful officer. “You’re welcome,” replies Superman. He then grabs the money bags and returns them to the bank’s safe. Meanwhile, Lois drives up in her Jeep. She gets out just in time to see Superman flying away. ********** Back at the Planet, Clark is sitting at his desk just typing away. Lois enters and sits down ather own computer. She too begins typing furiously. About 30 minutes later, Lois prints her article and heads for Perry’s office. Then, Clark prints out what he’s been working on. He proceeds to fold it up, put it in an envelope, and place it, along with the rose, on Lois’ desk. ********** When Lois returns to her desk, she finds the letter and flower. She glances around nervously, and opens the envelope. It says: Dear Lois, Since the moment I met you, I have loved you. Nothing would please me more than having you as my valentine. Please meet me at the Luthor hotel’s restarauntat 7:30 PM tonight. Love, Your Secret Admirer Lois’ face lit up in a radiant smile as she clutched the rose tightly in her hand. She was so happy that she felt the urge to share her good news with someone. “Clark?!” she yelled. “Clark, where are you?!?” Lois quickly walked around the newsroom calling Clark’s name. He was nowhere to be found. Cat walked up to Lois. She ssaid, “Lois, Clark left a minte age he has some *big* date to get ready for.” She walked away. Cat is obviously offended that Clark’s “big date” isn’t with her. As Cat leaves Lois starts to process this news. The thought occurs to her that Clark has a date with some mystery woman and she has a date with her secret admirer..... “Hmmm ... Nah! Couldn’t be!” says Lois as she walks out of the newsroom. ********** Clark, dressed to kill in a very nice tuxedo, enters the restaraunt at Luthor hotel. In his hand he carries a dozen red roses. The card in the bouquet says, “Lois, be mine. Love, Clark.” He looks at his watch and sees that it is 7:30 on the dot. ********** Meanwhile, Lois is still at her apartment trying to decide what to wear. She tries on dress after dress. After rejecting a long blue evening gown, she glimpses the clock. It’s 7:45! Lois quickly pulls on a black cocktail dress, grabs a matching purse, and runs out the door. ********** “Where is she? Maybe she found out it was me and doesn’t want to come. Maybe she thinks only a psychpath would leave a note like that. Maybe she didn’t even get my note. Oh, Lois, where are you?” says Clark. He is sitting at a table anxiously checking his watch. Then, his super hearing picks up on a voice. “Help, Superman! The plane is going to crash!” Clark runs out of the restaraunt loosening his bow tie as he goes. The time is 7:55 PM. ********** Lois walks into the restaraunt at 8:00. Romantic music is playing, and she seems thrilled to be there. She walks up to the managerwith absolutely no clue what to say. “Um, excuse me. My name is Lois Lane, and I’m supposed to be meeting someone here ...: she starts. “Yes, Miss Lane. Right this way,” pipes up a waiter as he leads her to a now empty table. About 15 minutes later, Lois notices the flowers. She picks them up and looks at them in disbelief. “Well, it appears that my secret admirer plans to remain a secret, but at least I know one thing about him. He sure is fond of roses!” she says to herself. As she picks up the bouquet, a small card falls to the floor without her noticing it. “Hmmm... I wonder if there’s a card ...” she says. She searches the flowers only to find ... nothing. ********** So, what do you think? Email me! ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** I love Superman!!!!! "No scooping, no flying. We're just Joe and Judy Regular. So, wanna neck?" _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 14:47:16 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 7 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit **************************** Chapter 7 **************************** Stumbling through the front door with her arms full of grocery bags, Lois made a dive for the ringing telephone. She managed to grab the receiver in mid ring, and bring it to her ear without dropping anything breakable. "Hello?" "Lois! How wonderful to hear your voice." "Dr. Klein? We haven't heard from you in a while." Lois carefully tucked the cordless phone between her shoulder and her cheek, and went into the kitchen to put away her groceries. "Well, things at the lab have been pretty quiet. Actually, the reason I was calling was to find out if you and Clark were still interested in trying to have a child." "A baby? Well, of course. Have you found out something new?" "Possibly. I really would like to speak to both of you as soon as possible. There have been some new developments in the field of fertility, and they may prove useful for the two of you." "That sounds wonderful," Lois said, in a cautious voice. She'd had her hopes up too many times in the past to allow herself to get carried away. "When would you like to see us?" "How about tomorrow morning? You can come in before you go to work, that way we won't have to deal with explanations to the lab crew." "Sounds good. We'll see you in the morning, then." "Yes, in the morning. Good-bye, Lois." "Good-bye Dr. Klein." *********************** "What *exactly* did he say?" Lois sighed once more. Clark had asked that question ten times since they had left home, and would not accept her answer. She repeated it once more, "He just said that new fertility developments might help us. That's all Clark. He didn't want to talk about it on the phone." Clark echoed his wife's sigh as they entered Star Labs. Dr. Klein had been caring for him for nearly two decades, and had known his secret for most of that time. Shortly after Lois and Clark had been married, Dr. Klein had quietly ushered them into a back office to inform them that they really shouldn't come to the lab together unless Clark got rid of the red and blue suit. Clark had looked stunned, and babbled slightly as he attempted to brush off the suggestion, but Dr. Klein had been insistent. "You don't hide your feelings for your wife very well. I think it's wonderful that you have found someone, and I'm happy for the both of you, but if an old scientist can figure this out, it's inevitable that the secret will get out." Dr. Klein had been so matter-of-fact, and he had been so right. Shortly after that meeting, Superman stopped giving Lois all the exclusive interviews, although she still got her fair share. Further, the Daily Planet always seemed to have Superman's preferential treatment. Lois stopped showing as much concern over Superman's activities and allowed her new status as wife and mother to explain her change of heart. Oddly enough, Superman continued to keep Lois out of dangerous situations, but the situations became less frequent as Lois turned her attentions to her new son and his safety, and her stories became somewhat more tame. Gradually the link between Lois and Superman fell into memory, and Lois and Clark were able to relax, secure that their secret would remain uncontested. The situation with Dr. Klein had proved beneficial on many occasions. He became Clark's primary physician, and CJ's as well, and learned as much about Kryptonian physiology as possible in order to keep them healthy. Later, Dr. Klein began studying with various gynecologists and fertility experts in an effort to aide his favorite couple in their quest to have their own child. Finally, he had taken over Lois' gynecological care. He completed her annual exams and treated her for any symptoms that appeared to be related to her unique husband. While this had been initially uncomfortable for the both of them, Dr. Klein's professionalism quickly quelled their discomfort. The visits were accomplished early in the morning to eliminate speculation, and allowed them the use of Star Lab's facilities. As technology advanced, Dr. Klein had become certain that he would be able to help the couple conceive. He dedicated a great deal of time to researching the situation, and kept the couple informed of every possibility. Unfortunately, they had not achieved success. The attempts had become less frequent over the last few years, as the emotional results of failure had taken a toll on Lois. Dr. Klein had finally reached a point where he did not wish to provide false hope. It was due to this caution that he had waited this long to contact the couple with his newest idea. It was with a reserved form of excitement that Lois and Clark entered Dr. Klein's office. Certainly, he wouldn't have bothered them if he weren't fairly sure this would work. Clark was especially hopeful, as he still held a great deal of guilt for not being "compatible" with Lois. Lois was more cautious. The constant ups and downs of hope and failure was a roller coaster she didn't want to deal with, again. It had been to painful to dream, and then watch the dream repeatedly die. She had tried to be happy with all that she had. CJ had been a perfect son, and Clark a dedicated husband, but she longed to feel the growth of a baby within her body. She lacked that one connection with CJ, and it still hurt after all these years. "Lois, Clark, please come in and have a seat." Dr. Klein ushered them into his office. "What can we do for you this morning?" Clark asked as he seated his wife in a chair across from Dr. Klein's desk and sat down in the chair next to it. "I believe it is what I can do for you," Dr. Klein said with a grin, seating himself behind the cluttered desk. "I have some news. Last weekend I attended a conference regarding augmented artificial insemination. This is a process that allows us to treat the semen prior to introduction to the ovum, and ensure fertilization in a noninvasive manner." Lois looked at Dr. Klein with a silly smile. She had no idea what he had just said. "Can we have that in English, please." Dr. Klein stopped, then blushed slightly as he realized that the technical terminology had gone over their heads. "Simply put, there is a field of fertility study that deals with problems similar to yours. In some cases, the environment of the woman's body prevents the man's sperm from getting to or fertilizing the egg. In these cases, we are able to treat the semen, and then insert it into the woman, so that fertilization becomes more likely." Clark set forward in his chair, intrigued but cautious. "But this isn't a matter of pH or blood typing. Isn't it a little more complicated with us?" "It certainly is," Dr. Klein said with a smile. "It has taken me years to work out, but it was a formula introduced at the conference last weekend that tied it all together. By using a complicated chemical soup, I believe I can alter the chemistry of Clark’s semen enough to allow for fertilization of the egg, and implantation of the pregnancy. Of course I can't make any guarantees, but this really looks promising." "Does this mean shots and surgery again?" Lois groaned, remembering her previous experience with artificial insemination. "Not at all. At least, not at first. All we need to do, actually, is obtain a semen specimen from Clark, mix it with the chemical formula, and insert in through your cervix with a small catheter when you are most likely to be fertile. It's really no more difficult than a pap smear." "What if that doesn't work? What if I'm not fertile anymore?" Lois was trying not to get her hopes up. "We cross that particular bridge when we come to it. Your menstrual cycles are still regular, so there's no reason to believe that ovulation has ceased. If it has, we may need to try some medications to reestablish ovulation, or external fertilization that we have tried before, with the addition of the formula, of course." "Could this formula hurt Lois?" Clark voiced his primary concern. "Absolutely not. The procedure wouldn't be dangerous, either. Of course, fertilization would not guarantee implantation, and any pregnancy carries with it a certain level of risk. However, Lois is healthy, and I feel the benefit would outweigh the risk." "When would we start?" Lois asked. "We could start immediately with determining ovulation. I could send you home with a basal body thermometer. You would take your temperature in bed every morning before you get up, and when your basal temperature increases it indicates that ovulation is imminent." Lois smiled at the reminder of their previous attempts to get her pregnant. "Been there, done that," she quipped. Clark looked at Lois carefully. He wanted a child, certainly, but he had CJ. Lois had always been the one concerned that she absolutely must have a baby to ensure CJ's birth. CJ had been around for fifteen years, and Clark rarely even considered that he had come from their future. He assumed that if it was meant to happen it just would, and didn't worry beyond that. Lois tended to analyze things more, and she was adamant that she have a baby. She looked back at him now with mingled hope and fear that he would refuse. "I want to do this, Clark." "Are you sure, honey? We're not kids anymore." Lois considered this for a moment, then directed her question to Dr. Klein. "He's right. I'm forty-four, and my age may be a factor with this. Will that be a problem?" "You are healthy, and your cycle indicates normal ovulation. Most women wait until well into their thirties, now, to begin their families, and many wait until their forties. I see no reason you couldn't carry a child to term with no difficulty." "Let's do it," Lois said, turning back to Clark. "You're sure?" "Absolutely. I have to try." With a resigned sigh, fearing the worst, Clark turned to Dr. Klein. "When and where?" Dr. Klein barely contained his excitement. "I have a good deal of the formula already prepared. Use this," he said as he handed Lois the box containing the thermometer, chart, and instructions. "When you see a rise in temperature, call me immediately. You and Clark will meet me here that day, and Clark can produce a ... sample. I will treat the semen, and inject it immediately. The entire procedure should only take about fifteen minutes." Clark rolled his eyes at the prospect of having to "produce" once more. He remembered vividly the lecture that Dr. Klein had given on how to accomplish this so that the initial compatibility studies could begin over fifteen years ago. They had both been embarrassed as Dr. Klein described a procedure that any fourteen year old boy is familiar with, yet Clark was totally ignorant of. The procedure had become frequent in the first years of his marriage, and he had tolerated this to allow Dr. Klein ample opportunity to study his sperm in the hopes of a successful pregnancy. In the last few years this had been necessary less frequently, and Clark had been grateful. Frankly, it still embarrassed him. "I don't mean to be rude," Dr. Klein said, interrupting Clark's thoughts, "But, my staff will be here soon and I don't think we want to explain this to them." He ushered them out of his office and received a hug from Lois and a brief handshake from Clark. Once they got to work, Lois cornered Clark in her office. "Do you really want to do this? You don't seem very happy about the prospect." "It's not that." Clark sighed, and put his heart into his voice as he told her, "I love you. I don't want you hurt if this doesn't work. I don't want to see you disappointed." "I can't tell you I'll be happy if this doesn't work. I want your baby. But, I'm not as raw, now. I think I can handle the disappointment better than wondering if I missed an opportunity." "It's your call, Lois. I'm just along for the ride." "I love you, Clark Kent. You know that, don't you?" "Always. I love you, too, Lois." ********************* "What do you mean, you don't know if you can have a baby? You had me!" CJ was lost. The entire conversation was beyond his understanding. Lois looked once more at her husband in a desperate plea for help. Clark just looked down. He had always wanted to tell CJ the truth, but he had avoided the issue because he honestly felt that CJ *was* his son. He wasn't sure about the details, but he was positive the CJ was his own flesh and blood. Clark had not wanted to face the concept that CJ might have to be taken away from them, so he had delayed this discussion until he had nearly forgotten that it would need to take place. In retrospect, it was similar to his deception regarding Superman. He had initially avoided telling CJ because a child couldn't be trusted, and then it had become a habit. CJ had not been grateful for being shielded from the truth then, and he was not thrilled now. Lois continued, rather annoyed at not receiving more assistance from Clark. "CJ, we believe that you are ours. Your abilities certainly prove that you are your father's son. We just don't exactly know, well, *when* you came from." Clark finally decided that Lois needed some help. "CJ, we've told you about Tempus, and how time travel is possible. Well, you were brought to us nearly a year after we were married, but you were already a few months old. We can only assume it was HG Wells that brought you to us." Clark sat down next to his son on the couch, and put his arm around the boy. "You came with my blanket, the one that Grandma found me in, and a letter that told us to keep you safe. Apparently, you were in some form of danger in your time, and that was a better time for you to be in." CJ looked at his father with huge eyes, clouded with hurt. "So, I'm not really adopted?" Clark hugged his son, as Lois came and sat on CJ's other side. "You are ours," Lois told him. "I've never doubted that." "CJ, it was really hard at first. The first few weeks, we just waited for someone to come and take you away," Lois said quietly. "I tried so hard not to get attached. We didn't even give you a name. It was your grandmother that named you, she just started calling you CJ." Lois smiled at the memory as she continued, "She said you looked so much like your father that we just had to name you Clark. It was too confusing having two Clarks around, so she started calling you CJ for short. She never really told us if that was to abbreviate Clark Jerome, or Clark Junior. When we finally had to establish some paperwork to take care of you, we followed her lead and made it official." She looked at her son, putting all the love she had for him into her gaze. "You are our son, however we got you." Clark had been watching the emotions cross his wife's face. She had run the gamut ranging from fear to nostalgia, and then back to a transparent love that only a mother could show. He remembered those first few weeks as well. He had been learning to juggle the responsibilities of family with the implications of Superman. He had attempted to think of the situation as temporary, but as the time wore on he realized that CJ deserved more than the temporary love that they had been giving him. They had decided to live for the day, believing that they would have him forever, and enjoying the time for what it was. "Your grandparents were the only ones who really allowed themselves to fall in love with you, at first," Clark told his son. "From day one, they just seemed to know you. I guess it was because you looked so much like me. Anyway, they were a great example for us to follow. We figured that if we kept waiting for something that might never happen, we could be loosing out on a lot. We got so used to having you here, and being your parents, that it didn't seem to matter any more how it all started.” CJ sat for a moment absorbing the information. He was hurt. He couldn't believe that his parents hadn't told him about this. What was more, he couldn't believe that his grandparents hadn't told him. They had always been honest, and to find out that they weren't even sure where he came from was making him doubt his identity. Sure, they said he was theirs, but how could they be sure? CJ thought about running out of the room. He thought about yelling, or crying, or just striking out. Nothing seemed appropriate. He knew that he should do something, say something, but he didn't have the slightest clue where to start. Finally, he settled on the one thing that always helped. "Can I call Grandma?" Lois gave Clark an official "I told you so" glare, and nodded to her son. She had wanted to have the discussion with the Kents here. CJ quickly went upstairs to use his own phone to make the call. She was left sitting next to her husband, and she couldn't help but smile. "He's yours alright," she told him. "What do you mean?" "When he has no clue what to do, he calls Smallville," she replied with another grin. Clark blushed slightly, but he did have the good grace not to argue the point. He didn't call Smallville quite as often how as he had done in the past, but for most of his life he had relied on advise that came nearly daily from Kansas. He had received advise on work, on women, on Lois, and on raising CJ with reassuring regularity. It had become a slight point of contention between them early in the marriage, not because Lois was jealous of Martha's knowledge, but because she had been unsure of her own place in Clark's life. Once he had convinced her that she was always first in his life, she had found that Martha *was* an invaluable source of information, and had begun to call Smallville quite frequently herself. Lois leaned sideways into Clark, and felt his arm go around her shoulders. She had her own doubts about CJ's reaction, but she was certain that he would accept the situation eventually. After all, he had adjusted to being the son of Superman with relative ease. Now that she thought about it, Martha had been a big part of that process as well. Lois still wondered if she would ever be that good as a mother. With a sigh that echoed that of his wife, Clark cuddled next to Lois and waited for CJ to come back downstairs. They would get through this, too. They always did. He did wonder why nothing was ever easy. ***************************** The phone rang several times before Martha was able to reach it. Ironically, after running so quickly to grab the receiver, she realized that Jonathan had picked up the upstairs line. Disgusted with her speed, Martha nearly put down the phone, but stopped when she heard CJ's small voice. "Is Gramma there?" Martha immediately recognized the distress in her grandson's voice, and the immature phrasing of her name. She attempted not to panic as she responded, "I'm here, Sweetie. What's wrong." "Why didn't anyone tell me I wasn't born with Mom and Dad?" If possible, his voice became even tinier. Martha responded to the hurt in the child's voice with a quiet authority. "You most certainly were born with your parents, Honey. We just aren't sure quite when." CJ thought about that explanation for a moment, reassured by the confidence in his grandmother's voice. She didn't sound like she cared if he didn't know where he came from. "So, why didn't anyone tell me?" "Frankly, Son," Jonathan added, "It never really came up. It's kind of like when we told your dad that he was adopted. We told him as soon as his strength became an issue, but before that it just didn't seem important." CJ hadn't considered that his father was adopted. He wondered briefly if his family was just cursed with family secrets, and decided that it wasn't really the issue. He didn't like being lied to, but they had told him now. "I hate it when they lie to me," he told his grandparents. "I'm not a baby, and they shouldn't treat me that way." "You're right, Honey," Martha told him. "But," she added, "They did tell you today. Maybe they realize that you are growing up and this is how they are telling you." "Maybe," CJ conceded. "Can I call you back later?" "Of course, Son. You go talk to your parents." Jonathan's voice was quiet, but filled with pride. "Yes, Sweetie. Go talk to your parents," Martha added. CJ hung up the phone and went to confront his parents once more. ***** to be continued tomorrow in Chapter 8 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:28:08 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LStroh1856 Subject: Re: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 7 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear Crystal, Hi....I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying reading your Full Cirlce fanfic. I must admit that at first I wasn't too sure for I have never been as crazy about stories that didn't have L&C as the central characters (and at least up to this point they have mostly been supporting characaters) and I prefer stories that have L&C near the time frame of the series as opposed to L&C before they met or in the future. To make a short story long....I just wanted to say that I really have enjoyed reading the story and I look forward to a new chapter each day. My preferred mode of reading is to read a story all at once (if you have any desire to send me the whole story I'd love it :) but if I have to read it this way I'll live.....I do find myself checking my mail each afternoon to make sure I've gotten the newest chapter. I also have a question.....how long is the story (how many chapters)....at this point I don't want it to end anytime soon!!! Keep up the writing and like I said before....if you'd like to send me the complete story I'd appreciate it (unlike Clark, I don't always have a lot of patience). Laurie LStroh1856@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 16:04:11 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Re: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 7 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-25 15:43:44 EST, you write: << Hi....I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying reading your Full Cirlce ....I just wanted to say that I really have < enjoyed reading the story and I look forward to a new chapter each day. My < preferred mode of reading is to read a story all at once (if you have any < desire to send me the whole story I'd love it :) but if I have to read it this < way I'll live.....I do find myself checking my mail each afternoon to make < sure I've gotten the newest chapter. LOL...once again...I agree with you. This story was intended to be read as a unit. Had I published it that way, I'm sure I would have received far fewer angry letters demanding to know what was going on. I have done this for 2 reasons: to motivate myself to finish the last two chapters (they were in my head, but not my computer) and to allow myself some feedback prior to sending this to Kathy's editors. I must admit, though, that readers are as astute as the editors. They have been so helpful, but I am occassionally embarrassed! < I also have a question.....how long is the story (how many chapters)....at < this point I don't want it to end anytime soon!!! There are 15 chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue (consider me long winded). < Keep up the writing and like I said before....if you'd like to send me the < complete story I'd appreciate it (unlike Clark, I don't always have a lot of < patience). >> Thanks again for your patience...and for reading. I had conserns about sending out a 160 page story as I am pretty new at this (I certainly would be wary of devoting that much time to a story by an unknown author). I like the direction the story went in, and I am hoping that everyone continues to like it when the direction changes in the last 5 chapters or so. I am keeping my fingers crossed. If readers were impatient before the major WHAM...I don't want to know what will happen after I send out Chapter 10! Thanks again for your feedback. I REALLY appreciate it. Crystal ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 14:57:32 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Vicki Krell Subject: Re: NEW FANFIC ALERT: SOULMATE CHRONICLES THE LONE RIDER, THE BE GINNING MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain What a wonderful story! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 16:57:40 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Cristin J Whitley Subject: My fanfic <<>> <<>> <<>> Hey, everyone! Thanks for the encouraging comments! I was SO worried that you would all hate it! Many people out there asked me to continue my story. I was ecstatic at the prospect. However, after pondering the possibilities, I have come to a decision. Many a time, Lois and Clark episodes ended by "leaving us hanging". I see my fanfic to be the same way. I can't really think of the perfect way to end it. Sorry. However, those of you with more imagination than me can feel free to make your own ending. I'd love to read it! Thanks again for your comments. I feel so special now! ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** I love Superman!!!!! "No scooping, no flying. We're just Joe and Judy Regular. So, wanna neck?" _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 19:07:53 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Cristin J Whitley Subject: Today's episode (TNT) Folcs- Hi. I just have a quick question.... Does anyone have the script, any part of the script, or even a summary of tonght's episode on TNT??? I can't for the life of me remember the name! It is the one where Superman has to fight Lord Nor in Metropolis .... Thanks, ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** I love Superman!!!!! "No scooping, no flying. We're just Joe and Judy Regular. So, wanna neck?" _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 19:48:09 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kirshnera Subject: Re: Today's episode (TNT) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-25 19:11:54 EST, you write: > I > can't for the life of me remember the name! It is the one where Superman > has to fight Lord Nor in Metropolis .... Thanks, > ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** It's called "Battleground Earth". See ya'll at the Kerths! Peace, Love, and Superman, ~~>Susan<~~ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 18:08:57 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Sharon L. Gilbert" Subject: looking for a fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I've only got part of Jennifer EAgan's 3 parter, when alternated worlds collide, and I'd love to have the rest. I checked the archive but couldn't find it. Anyone got info on this one? Thanks. Sharon *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Sharon L. Gilbert, Ph.D. Sorry. I was lost in thought. Sorta new territory for me. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 21:12:39 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Cristin J Whitley Subject: Sequel Hey, FOLCs! I know I said I wasn't going to continue my story "Valentine's Day at the Daily Planet", but so many people emailed me privately asking for that. So, I felt like I should finish it. Here it is. Hope you like it. Just so you know, I think this ending is a little off. Maybe too predictable? So, dont expect anything grand! ********** The next day: “I told you, mom. There was a plane crash in Miami. I couldn’t just do nothing!” says Clark Kent who is on the phone with his parents. “Son, wasn’t Lois mad when you got back?” questioned Jonathan Kent. “Well, you see, she was kind of gone ...” “Did she call you and ask why you didn’t show up for your date?” Martha asked. “That’s just it. I never really told her it was a date with me. You see, I tried ... I tried really hard, but I couldn’t. I kind of left a note on her desk ...” “CLARK!” yelled his parents in unison. “I left the roses I bought, but when I came back they were gone. The card was on the floor. I don’t think she even knows it was me. Mom, Dad, I’ve gotta go! I’ll call you later. Love you. Bye!” ********** As he entered the news room of the Daily Planet, Clark nervously straightened his hair and practiced what he was planning to say. “Lois. I’m your secret admirer. No, too forward! Lois, you know that note you got yesterday? Well, I wrote it!” He tries every approach he can think of as he walks towards his desk. All of a sudden, he bumps into ... “Lois! Hi! I...” he starts. “Hi, Clark. Who were you just talking to?” asks Lois. She gives him a quizzical look as Jimmy walks up behind them. Clark is just about to answer when Jimmy starts talking. “Hey, guys. So, how’d it go last night?” “What?!?” Lois and Clark say in unison. “Your dates. You know Lois and her secret admirer, and Clark you had a big date too. Come on, guys, I talk to Cat. I know the gossip. So, spill.” Jimmy waits patiently. “He’s gonna jump! Somebody stop him!” says the voice that only Clark can hear. “A jumper,” he mutters, loosening his tie. “What did you say Clark?” asks Lois. “Oh, I said that my date was wonderful. I have to go .... get some breakfast. Orange juice. Yeah, gotta have that Vitamin C!” He runs out of the news room. ********** Lois is sitting at her desk and looking at the note from her secret admirer. “I wish I knew who he was!” she thinks to herself. Then, she decides to quit thinking about it for a while. Her thoughts drift aimlessly from her shopping list to stories that she should be writing to her partner, Clark. “That’s it! I’ll read one of Clark’s stories to get my mind off of my secret admirer. Lois, you are a genuis,” she says to herself as she walks over to his desk. She sits down in his seat and begins her search. “Hmmm ... suicide attempt, bank robbers, mad scientist, Lois ... Lois? What could Clark have written about me?” She starts to feel a twinge of guilt at snooping, but she quickly decides that if it is about her, she has every right to read it.... ********** Meanwhile, Superman has saved the jumper and is cruising above the city in super speed. “I wonder what Lois is doing,” he thinks to himself. He starts flying in the direction of the Daily Planet to find out. Then, he hears yet another cry for help. “Help, Superman! The bridge is collapsing!” Superman changes his course and heads for San Fransisco. ********** “Clark is my secret admirer? I can’t believe it!” said Lois in disbelief as she finishes reading the letter on Clark’s computer screen. “Well, I’m not going to just sit here and play dumb!” Lois leaps to her feet and returns to her desk. She starts typing on her own computer and quickly prints the finished product. She places it on Clark’s desk and heads for the elevator. ********** When Clark returns to the office, he heads straight to Lois’ desk to tell her that he wrote the note. When he gets there, he finds her chair tucked in, her computer off, and Lois nowhere in sight. “She left? It’s only ... oh, it’s 7:30!” he says, looking at his watch. Clark heads over to his own desk to straighten up before h _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] e leaves. There he finds a neatly typed note. It reads: Dear Clark, I know I didn’t get to see you much today, and I have something really important that we need to talk about. Meet me at my apartment for dinner at 8:00 tonight. Lois “8:00? That only leaves me thirty minutes to get ready! Sounds like a job for Superman!” says Clark as he superspeeds towards his apatment. ********** Lois has just finished smoothing down the tablecloth and lighting the candles when she hears a knock on the door. She walks over and opens it. “Hi, Lois. I got your note. By the way, you look great,” says Clark as he notices Lois’ short, navy dress. He hands her a small bouquet of three, white roses. “Thanks, Clark. I’ve been getting a lot of these lately,” she says as she puts them in a vase with the other thirteen. “Lois, in your note you saids there was something we needed to talk about?” Clark mentions. “Well, I need to talk to you too. You see, I ... I’m ...” “Clark, I know you’re my secret admirer,” she says before he can go on. A look of astonishment comes over his face. “How ... how did you find out?” “How I found out doesn’t matter. What matters is that I know, and I feel the same way,” she says as she looks up at him with hopeful eyes. He leans towards her awkwardly. He tries to get in the right position as their lips touch in a cautious, questioning kiss. This quickly errupts into a fiery, passion filled embrace as Lois and Clark express their hidden feelings in a form so much more meaningful than words. ***Cristin Whitley :o)***CKandLL4ever@Juno.com*** I love Superman!!!!! "No scooping, no flying. We're just Joe and Judy Regular. So, wanna neck?" _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 21:30:23 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: ACdrift Subject: Re: looking for a fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi Sharon, JEAGAN wrote a lot of wonderful Lois and Clark stories. She has them on a website. I'm not sure if it is accessible only to aol members . I certainly think many of her stories deserve Kerths. She wasn't nominated because they are not in the Archive. Her "When Alternated Worlds Collide" is excellent. She still lurks on the WB Boards, so I think you can e-mail her @aol.com. Good luck, Anne (ACdrift@aol.com) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 21:37:26 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: ACdrift Subject: JEAGAN's Fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi Sharon, Duh, I forgot to include the URL for Jennifer Eagan's fanfic: http://members.aol.com/beth012400/jeagan.htm Sorry about that! Anne (ACdrift@aol.com) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 22:36:08 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Sequel In-Reply-To: <19980325.211244.4206.0.CKandLL4ever@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Cristin, Cute ending. I didn't think it was too simple. It was a sweet end to a sweet story. Kathy :) ______________________ Kathy Brown kbrown@toolcity.net KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 22:46:32 -0600 Reply-To: ginachar@horizon.hit.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: GINA AND CHARLIE JONES Subject: Kerth Wavs Comments: To: Lois & Clark MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all!!!!!! Another Kerth Wavs Update! Erin has been working overtime and supplied me with many, many more new and fantastic wavs for the show. I just got them uploaded to my site for your perusing pleasure. One thing, due to size restrictions on my site, I have now had to zip all the wav files into 7 groups. If you do not want to download them this way (or only need a few wavs to complete your collection) just email me (before Saturday night please) and I will do my best to send them right out to you. One more thing......I did some checking and if you download all the wavs from my site you will have used approximately 5.5 mb of memory. I am not trying to discourage you from downloading them but I don't want it to cause you computer problems. See you at the Kerths! Gina ginachar@horizon.hit.net (loisrae on IRC #loiscla) Check out my webpages at www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/5968 and www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3286. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 10:42:16 GMT Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dr Wendy Richards Subject: Re: looking for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII > JEAGAN wrote a lot of wonderful Lois and Clark >stories. She has them on a website. I'm not sure if > it is accessible only to aol members . I certainly > think many of her stories deserve Kerths. She wasn't > nominated because they are not in the Archive. Her > "When Alternated Worlds Collide" is excellent. > She still lurks on the WB Boards, so I think you can > e-mail her @aol.com. I'm not on AOL, so if there is a website accessible beyond AOL for her stories, can someone post the URL? I'd love to read them. Thanks, Wendy w.m.richards@keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 09:47:28 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 8 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit ***************************** Chapter 8 ***************************** CJ discussed the new development with Kat the next day. They had been let out of school early, due to a teacher work day, and had a little time to talk before they would each need to attend their individual jobs. Initially, CJ had been leery of talking to Kat at all. He was still feeling pretty stupid about ruining her date, regardless of the fact that he really had helped. It had embarrassed her, and that fact alone embarrassed him. On the other hand, Andy's car was still not fixed and Kat needed a ride home. Her ankle had merely been sprained, but the walk home was uncomfortable even without the crutches. She was grateful for the offer of a ride. CJ had been surprised that she hadn't just asked him. After all, it wasn't as though it were out of his way. However, it did make him feel good to offer, and even better when she accepted with a smile. "So, what do you think?" CJ asked her as they pulled up in front of her house. Kat sighed. "I honestly don't know what to think. On the other hand, being adopted is less strange than being an alien, so I guess this isn't the biggest thing you've had to deal with lately." She smiled, and looked over at him to see if he shared the humor in the situation. What she saw was big brown eyes that were so sad that she didn't know what to do with him. "CJ, however they got you, they love you. They have been here for you, and taken care of you, and that's more than my folks have done when they did get me the ususal way." CJ closed his eyes a moment and thought about what Kat had said. She was right, despite his resistance to her answer. His parents *were* great. They had loved him, taught him, and supported him throughout all the pitfalls of growing up. They had held his hand when he was frightened and been honest with him when they could have easily lied. They did love him, and that was more important than a situation that they had no control over, and yet had made the best of. CJ had a lot of thinking to do. He would have to move a long way before he could forgive this, but he was now certain it would happen. He needed to apologize to his parents first, they must be frantic with the way he had been acting. Then he would call his grandparents. He should have listened to them in the first place. With a faint smile, he leaned over and kissed Kat lightly on the lips in thanks. It was just a peck, and it shouldn't have been any more than a thank you, but somehow it was more. Kat blushed from her neck to her hairline, and made a quick excuse to exit the truck. She nearly fell when she didn't remember her sore ankle, but she quickly recovered and hobbled into her house. CJ sat in the truck for a moment, watching Kat stumble towards the house. Why had he done that, he wondered? Why would he kiss her ... and on the lips too. He had never done that. It had just seemed the thing to do, and now he wasn't so sure. She had certainly reacted in a funny way to the little kiss. With a final shake of his head at the strange ways of females, he turned off the truck and walked across the street to his house. ***************************** The next morning, as Lois woke, she snuggled into her husband's back. She was grateful to wake up beside him for a change. Normally, early morning was a busy time for him, and she wasn't used to having someone warm to snuggle against before the alarm went off. Before she got too comfortable, or involved, she rolled away from him and reached into the drawer of her nightstand. She grabbed the glass thermometer that Dr. Klein had given her and gave it a good shake before slipping it beneath her tongue. After three minutes, she read the mercury and reached for her pen and chart. Once she had graphed the little number, she did a double-take, looking at the chart. Her temperature had risen a full four-tenths of a degree from her normal basal body temperature. This was it. She tried to contain her excitement, but was unable to do so. Unfortunately, this wasn't her cue to wake her husband up in a soft and fuzzy way, it was her signal to call Dr. Klein. She gently patted Clark on the back until he woke up a little, then she explained, "Honey, you have to wake up. My temperature is up. We need to call Dr. Klein." Clark burrowed more deeply into his pillow, hugging it tightly to his chest, and sighed. "Take some aspirin, Honey. I'll tell Perry you're sick." Lois almost laughed at this blast from the past. It had been a long time since they had worried about placating Perry White. With a wistful, remembering kind of smile she tried again. "Clark, I need you to wake up." Clark grumbled a little more. While normally he was quite the morning person, he had only been in bed for about an hour today. There had been a particularly nasty hostage situation that had required Superman's assistance, and while he was thrilled to have the headline to call in to the paper, he was also exhausted after twenty-two hours without sleep. Finally, he rolled over to see the excited face of his wife. This was odd. Normally, he was up and ready to go, and Lois was still grumbling and dragging far behind him. "What's wrong," he asked. "Nothing is wrong," she answered. "My temperature is up, and we need to call Dr. Klein so he can perform the procedure." Clark's eyes flew open as what she had said finally penetrated his mind. This could be it. After nearly seventeen years of waiting and wondering, this could really be it. He was trying not to get his hopes up, but it was really hard. They had wanted this so much, and to have the possibility here was amazing. He placed his palm against Lois's cheek, and looked into her eyes. She would be the mother of his child...he just knew it. He always had. After kissing her softly on the lips, he left the bed to give Dr. Klein a call. They agreed to meet him at Star Labs, as they had planned to do. Clark showered at superspeed, and left Lois to do the same while he prepared some breakfast. Lois was considerably slower as she showered, dressed, and put on her makeup. After doing so, she walked down the hall and knocked softly on her son's door. Once she had made sure that he was indeed up and getting ready for school, she met Clark downstairs. He handed her a travel cup of coffee and an English muffin with an egg inside. She smiled at his obvious attempt to hurry her along when she saw that he already had both her laptop case and her purse tucked under his arm. "Ready to go?" he asked as he started for the door without waiting for her answer. Lois smiled at his retreating back, "I guess I am." With that, she followed him to the car. ***************************** Lois sighed as she allowed Dr. Klein to assist her to a sitting position on the examining table and pulled the sheet more firmly around her legs to keep herself covered. This was still vaguely embarrassing, although he had been much more adept with his bedside manner than he had once thought possible. Years of caring for Clark's needs, as well as Lois's, had taught him to be slightly more tactful than he had once been while describing the demise of a snowman to a shrinking Clark. Clark stepped forward from his position at the head of the exam table and placed his hand on Lois's shoulder. "How long before we know, Dr. Klein?" The doctor considered the question for a moment before answering. "Assuming the procedure is successful, fertilization should occur in three to four days. After that, implantation could take as much as another week. The soonest it would show up on a urine test would be one week from now, but most likely it would be closer to two." Dr. Klein noted the pained expression on their faces, and took pity on them. "I'll tell you what, I'll send some test kits with you. Just follow the directions inside, and we'll know as soon as possible. You should start using them one week from today. You really can't expect a positive result prior to that." Clark thanked the doctor, and stayed with Lois while she dressed. They were both lost in their own thoughts. Lois was wondering if this time would be different, and Clark was thinking about how the morning had gone. Clark had learned long ago that the embarrassing process of providing Dr. Klein with his samples went much more smoothly when Lois was present. Her ... assistance ... made an otherwise humiliating experience not only faster, but almost enjoyable. This morning had certainly been a surprise. Lois had helped him out in producing a specimen, and then had asked him to stay while Dr. Klein performed the procedure. As promised, it had taken only a few moments, and there had gratefully been no needles necessary. Lois hadn't appeared to suffer any pain, and that in itself was a relief. Clark had always hated the infertility treatments that Lois had to endure. For years, they had dealt with medications, fertilization procedures, and other difficult and painful experiences. Of course, the worst part was always that the pain was for nothing. It simply led to more pain with the expected result wasn't achieved. The worst part for him was knowing that while the infertility was his fault, she was the one who had to endure the pain. He watched Lois pull on her blouse and begin buttoning it. He walked over to her and placed his hands over hers. She looked up and met his eyes, and he was not surprised to see tears in hers. He pulled her into his arms for a moment, comforting her. "You know," he told her, "whether this works or not I still love you. We have each other, and we have CJ. We're still very lucky." Lois sniffled slightly, resting her head against his shoulder. She hated this. She still felt silly when she cried about loosing something she never had. "I know, but I just want to feel your baby inside me." She lifted her head and looked into the depths of his big brown eyes. "I feel like I missed something by not being pregnant. I mean, I never sacrificed my figure or tossed my cookies. I feel like I never paid my dues, and someone is going to show up to collect." "I know that won't happen, Lois. If it did, I'd send them packing at super speed. CJ is ours ... we love him, we raised him, and we won't give him up to anyone." Lois put her head back on Clark's shoulder. She had known he would say that, she had just needed the reassurance. They had dealt with their fears of losing CJ, and their concerns about his origin, on many occasions through the years. Gratefully, the discussions had become less fearful and less frequent as the years progressed. There were even times now when they forgot entirely that he was not acquired in the usual way. At the very least, they almost forgot. With a sigh, Lois pulled away from Clark and finished getting dressed. Clark watched her, reminding himself that they did have to go to work today, as once again he realized how beautiful his wife was. She had her brown hair down today, and it curled softly at her shoulders as it had when he had first seen her. She was no longer self conscious about the occasional gray strand, but considered them to be awards for surviving a teenager. They were her badges of honor, as much as her Kerth Awards were. Once she was dressed, Lois and Clark linked hands and went back to Dr. Klein's office for the promised test kits and any other instructions that the doctor might have for them. **************************** Work went slowly for the Kents. While Lois sorted through possible stories to lead the headlines on the following day, Clark ran the daily staff meeting. Granted, Clark wasn't an editor, but no one on staff would consider questioning his authority. He wasn't just the boss's husband, he was an experienced journalist who had been assisting his wife in the running of the Planet since she had taken over her editorial position. He was good at it, he liked it, and if there was any question asked it was why he wasn't promoted to an editorial assistant as he should have been. Lois and Clark had considered the idea of allowing promotion to a full assistant editor, but always decided against it. The first problem was that of Superman. An editor couldn't be running off every time something newsworthy happened. The second problem was that of the job. It was bad enough to have constant demands on Lois's time, especially when CJ had been younger, but to have those same demands placed on Clark would have made a family life impossible. The entire purpose of the editorial assistants was to allow the editor time for a life, not to take away their spouse. Actually, Lois had completely rearranged the command structure within the city room, and her setup was much more effective than the one Perry had allowed. She was the day editor, she had Andrew to cover evenings and Pat to cover nights. Their salary was little more than the average reporter made, but the experience was excellent, and the benefit of working for the Planet made the jobs irresistible. Lois, of course, made all the final decisions, and had Clark to help her out during the day, but there was always enough work for everyone. Lois sighed deeply. Clark heard it, and was immediately at her side. When she glanced up and saw him she smiled. "You know, if I do get pregnant you can't stay by my side the entire time." Clark gave her a dirty look before replying, "Did you need something?" Lois lifted onto her toes, and kissed him rather soundly. "Yes, I need you. Always." She kissed him once more. Clark relaxed somewhat, and allowed himself to enjoy his wife's kisses. After a moment, he put his arms around her, and deepened his kiss slightly. As she pulled away, she asked him, "We're okay, aren't we?" She knew he would understand. "Yeah," he replied. Then he put his arms back around her and pulled her back to his embrace. "We're very okay." ***** to be continued tomorrow in chapter 9 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 10:02:58 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Re: Sequel Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit thank you...I feel much better now :) Crystal ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 10:54:08 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peace Everett Subject: Re: looking for a fanfic In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable For the record, the URL given as having Jennifer Eagan's stories on it = should be accessible to anyone with Internet access -- this is the same sort of URL= my AOL homepage has and I can get to it from my worldnet server. http://members.aol.com/beth012400/jeagan.htm And this site does have her stories on it -- I was just there two minutes= ago ;) (and no, I'm not from Missiouri ;) Jennifer is a wonderful writer -- = I would strongly recommend that if you haven't read her stories you get over ther= e! Peace ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 17:13:23 -0800 Reply-To: lloydr@ldd.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LLOYD RALSTON Subject: Re: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I thought this Soulmate Chronicle was really great. I like the idea that they fell in love the first time they met (and Lois actually didn't deny it). I also had an idea. I don't know if anyone else thought of it or not, but anyway the Soulmate Chronicles seem to be in the past, maybe one in the future (way in the future like chrispat had H.G. Wells say in the year 3000?) would make a good story as well? Well anyway it was just a thought. Keep up the good work (all you fanfic writers)! CYA, Jodi lloydr@ldd.net ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 18:34:16 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: BethF99 Subject: Re: looking for a fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-26 11:56:26 EST, you write: << For the record, the URL given as having Jennifer Eagan's stories on it should be accessible to anyone with Internet access -- this is the same sort of URL my AOL homepage has and I can get to it from my worldnet server. http://members.aol.com/beth012400/jeagan.htm And this site does have her stories on it -- I was just there two minutes ago ;) (and no, I'm not from Missiouri ;) Jennifer is a wonderful writer -- I would strongly recommend that if you haven't read her stories you get over there! >> ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 18:34:22 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: BethF99 Subject: Re: looking for a fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-03-26 11:56:26 EST, you write: << For the record, the URL given as having Jennifer Eagan's stories on it should be accessible to anyone with Internet access -- this is the same sort of URL my AOL homepage has and I can get to it from my worldnet server. http://members.aol.com/beth012400/jeagan.htm And this site does have her stories on it -- I was just there two minutes ago ;) (and no, I'm not from Missiouri ;) Jennifer is a wonderful writer -- I would strongly recommend that if you haven't read her stories you get over there! >> Hi everyone! I usually lurk around here, but I thought I would jump in since, well... that's my site everyone keeps talking about. Actually, there are several writers featured there, including a new continuing story by Leslie Cohen. The main page is at http://members.aol.com/beth012400/fanfic.htm Going back into lurkdom now... Beth ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 14:18:50 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Ellimrac Subject: Re: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I love the Soulmate Chronicle Series. Please keep writing. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 13:29:35 -0700 Reply-To: Erin Klingler Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Kerth Awards Reminder! Comments: To: lnc list MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi folcs! Just a reminder (or a commercial, of sorts :) that the first annual Lois and Clark Fanfic Kerth Awards are being held tomorrow night, Saturday March 28th at 6pm EST. (Sorry to those folcs who are out of the country...I don't know what time to tell you. You'll have to figure out the time/day difference yourself ) It's going to be a TON of fun, so everybody make sure to attend! The ceremony will be on #kerth_awards and will last between 2 1/2 to 3 hours. All the chatting will be going on in #kerth_chat since our ceremony is going to be on a moderated channel (meaning only channel ops and those given speaking assignments can talk there). For more details about what this means, and about all the fun we're going to have, visit Pam's site at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html Don't miss the Fanfic Kerth Awards! We're going to have a blast! Erin :) ___________________ (aka ELK on IRC) erink@ida.net "The truth is, no one knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now...as they happen." CK to LL in BY ******* "You bet your sweet little chumpy I am." _________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 18:13:39 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 9 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit **************************** Chapter 9 **************************** Kat and CJ were escorted into a very small office at Star Labs. They were told that Dr. Klein would be with them shortly, and that they were to wait. CJ allowed Kat to sit in the chair closest to the desk, and he paced through the office. It didn't take much distance to cover the small area, but he paced anyway. He had asked Kat to come with him for this visit. His parents had no idea that he was in Metropolis without permission, and it was his hope that they wouldn't find out. If they did, he could at least say that he hadn't gone alone, and that might get him out of a little bit of trouble. It wasn't that he wanted to go behind their backs. The opposite was true, he wanted them to know all about this. However, he wanted his answers from a professional before they found out that he was asking. He didn't want them to be hurt by his questions, and as much as they loved him it would hurt them for him to investigate his origins. He supposed that it was being the son of two investigative reporters that drove him to look for the answers. They had told him that they had spent months looking for the reasons back when he was an infant, but they had not actively pursued it in many years. After a time, they had simply decided that he was their son, and it was their responsibility to raise him. They had stopped asking the hard questions, and just accepted that CJ was theirs forever. CJ wasn't ready to accept the same ideas. He didn't want to leave them, but he did want to know just why he was here. If he hadn't been born to this time, what time was his? He was obviously their son, or at least Clark's son, but when was he born, and what situation could possibly be so bad that they would send him so far away? He was confused and angered by not having the answers, and if they were indeed unavailable, he wanted to know it first hand. Bernard Klein entered his office with a cup of coffee in one hand and a scientific journal in the other. He had been told that he had visitors, but he had been so involved in the article he was reading that the information truly hadn't registered yet. He pulled the door closed with one foot, and began walking towards his desk by habit. CJ had been just as involved with his own thoughts as Dr. Klein had been with his journal. As a result, the two males collided at full speed, and both of them jumped back from the contact. Bernard fell into the desk, spilling his coffee all over, and most especially all over Kat. Thankfully, he was as forgetful about his coffee as he was with his message, and the beverage was not hot in the least. Everything seemed to happen at once. Kat screamed, Dr. Klein cursed, and CJ jumped backwards. Then, time seemed to stop as all eyes focused on the teenage boy hovering inches off the floor. CJ hadn't been thinking about anything except for getting out of the way, but he found himself suspended several inces above the ground. CJ was so startled when he realized why they were staring at him, that he dropped quickly to the ground. As quickly as the excitement had begun, it was over. Dr. Klein was quite certain, though, that he had indeed seen CJ fly. For the most part, Dr. Klein was less surprised than the teenagers. He had been expecting this manifestation to occur, and felt it was just a matter of time until it happened. He had followed this child from infancy, through childhood, and now into adolescence, and their was little that would surprise him. "Well, CJ, I suppose that answers one question," he said in his best clinical voice. CJ looked over at Kat to see that while she was quite wet, she was less frightened than he was. He attempted to duplicate the action, and was not successful. Apparently, it was not something within his voluntary control yet. That wasn't really unusual, it had taken time for him to recognize most of his abilities such as strength and x-ray vision. Initially they had been sporadic and involuntary, and as they developed he had been more able to both recognize and control them. He assumed that his would be the same way. "I guess I have something new to tell my dad," he said in a shaky voice. Kat smiled at him as she brushed at the coffee on her t-shirt and jeans. Dr. Klein handed her some paper towels and muttered an apology. "So," he asked CJ, "What brings you to my office?" He was fairly sure that the boy was here without his parent's permission, but he didn't want to deal with that just yet. He was certain that the boy was here for a reason. CJ thought about several ways to phrase the questions, and in fact he had been rehearsing it for days in his mind. Still, even after all of his imagining, the question came out sounding silly. "I want to know when I come from." "I assume you mean originally," Dr. Klein said. "Well, yeah. I'm pretty sure that my parents are, well, my parents. But, they haven't had any kids, so I want to find out just where I fit in." He seated himself next to Kat, perched on the edge of her chair, and waited. Dr. Klein nodded. "I understand your concerns, but our Temporal Investigations Section really hasn't discovered anything new in the last several years. We do have a device that will displace time, but we have no clue how it works or how to control it. Frankly, temporal work is so dangerous that we have barely scratched the surface of what might be possible." Seeing the disappointment on the teenager's face, he decided to go out on a limb, and show the boy what little he knew. Kat was missing the majority of the conversation. Not only did she have no idea what they were talking about, but she was beginning to feel rather clammy. "Come with me, CJ." Dr. Klein left the room quickly, leaving CJ and Kat to follow behind him. CJ grabbed Kat's hand and quickly dragged her along. They followed the scientist until he reached his destination. It was a large locked door marked "Temporal Displacement Laboratory". Despite the sign that limited entrance to authorized personnel, Dr. Klein pulled out a key card that allowed him to unlock the heavy door. He mumbled something about rank having it's privileges as he entered and held the door for CJ and Kat to follow him in. It was actually a rather nondescript little room. There were a few instruments and machines laying about, but for the most part the lab appeared to be deserted. Dr. Klein unlocked one of the many cabinets and removed a small device. It resembled a small remote control unit, and CJ briefly wondered what it could be for. Dr. Klein explained quickly what the device was. "CJ, this is really the only clue that we have as to how to initiate temporal displacement. We can operate it, but we have no clue how to set the device for a specific destination in time or space." He put the black device onto the nearest table, and began to open other cabinets as he spoke. "We believe that you were delivered with a device of this nature, but we can't prove anything. This device was left following the incident with Tempus several years ago. A similar device was used to place your father into an area of time without dimension, according to your mother. We have been able to disassemble the device and reproduce it, with consistent success, but we have no idea how or why it works." Dr. Klein finally found what he was looking for, and brought the weathered papers over to CJ. "This is the documentation that you father was given by H.G. Wells regarding the manufacture of an interdimentional transport device. We have kept it under lock and key, of course, but frankly he's the only one who has been able to duplicate it. The theories simply don't make any sense to the rest of us. There is something at the molecular level that we don't understand that causes this machine to control it's own temporal stability. We have asked for his help in the matter, but he feels that if he helps it will alter the time line and do damage. He feels that we need to understand the ideas on our own if we are to hope to master them. Frankly, I have to agree with him." Dr. Klein seated himself on the edge of the lab table as he continued. "So, you can see what we are working with. We use this laboratory in conjunction with the military experimentation on space anomalies in order to learn what we can, but temporal control is still beyond our abilities. Even if we understood it, we couldn't necessarily find your specific line of time. Apparently, there are multiple realities at any given time, and no way to know which one you came from. Because of your physiology, I do firmly believe that you are Clark's direct descendant, but we don't know from what time or demention that you might have originated. I wish I could be more help." CJ sighed. He had known that his parents were thorough, but he had hoped that they might have missed something. Apparently, science hadn't come as far since their efforts as he had hoped. Kat hated to interrupt the discussion, but she was beginning to feel miserable. Her clothes were damp, and the constant airflow that maintained the temperature near so many computers had her thoroughly chilled. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a pair of sweats in the truck. They need to be washed, but at least they're dry. Can you show me how to get back down to the garage? Dr. Klein looked at the young lady as if he was just noticing that she was damp. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Let me get you some help with that." He stood and used the intercom to call for one of his lab assistants. A young woman in a white lab coat arrived to escort Kat down to the garage, and assured her that she would help her find a place to change once she had her dry clothes. After Kat had left with the lab tech, Dr. Klein escorted CJ back to his own office. Once there, he asked if CJ had any additional questions. "Actually, I do have one," the boy said, blushing quite thoroughly. "It isn't about where I come from, though." "What is it?" "Well, I was wondering, well..." He trailed off for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "You had to help my mom get pregnant, right? Because, my dad wasn't compatible with earth physiology." "That is true. The chromosomes appeared to be compatible for union, but the outer areas of the cell had different densities. I used a chemical to minimize this difference, and allow your mother to become pregnant." CJ continued to blush. This was not an easy discussion, but he wanted to know what his future had in store for him. If he couldn't understand his past, he could at least know what might be coming up. "So, will I have the same problem?" "I suppose it's possible," Dr. Klein told CJ. "We wouldn't now for sure without tests. It's possible that you would be more compatible because your mother is presumably from Earth." "Could we do the tests?" CJ asked in a small voice. "When you are a little older, I'm sure we will. There doesn't seem to be much reason to do so yet. You aren't planning on having any children in the near future, are you?" Dr. Klein tried to lighten the moment with the joke, but CJ was determined. "I have to wait for everything! I have to wait to see where I come from, I have to wait to learn about time displacement, and I don't want to wait for this." CJ was near tears. The entire day had been so frustrating that he was almost ready to scream. Dr Klein smiled. He supposed it could do little harm to run the test on CJ. Aside from contributing to the delinquency of a minor with the reading material that they kept in the little room, he didn't think that allowing the boy this one answer would upset anyone too much. "Okay, CJ. Come with me. We'll need to get a specimen." "Specimen?" CJ asked as he followed the doctor once more from the room. Dr. Klein had to smile. Once he explained the procedure, CJ would probably decline to do it, and that would take care of the problem without him having to even do the tests. ***************************** The blond lab assistant had accompanied Kat down to CJ's truck, and then allowed her back into the building. She led Kat to the ladies locker room so that she could change, and once she was dry and warm again she led her back towards the room that Dr. Klein had been in. Just as they left the elevator, the technician's pager went off, requesting that she report immediately for some procedure on the eleventh floor. Kat saw the undecided look on the young woman's face. She also saw the door to the room she had been in earlier. "Just go," she told the technician. "I can see the door from here. Thanks for your help," she finished with a smile. The woman returned Kat's smile and reentered the elevator. The truth was, she had been away from her section for too long and she didn't want to be reprimanded. As the elevator door closed behind her, Kat began walking towards the room. Once there, she pushed on the door and it slowly swung open. Dr. Klein had not made sure that the door had closed and locked behind him. No one was there. She wondered if they would be back, and sat down on the table to wait for them. The room was quiet. She saw the little device sitting on the table, the one that Dr. Klein had said could manipulate time. Picking up the seemingly harmless little box, she looked at it more closely. It was small, and the texture of the buttons was unusual. They weren't smooth as she would have imagined them to be. Stroking her fingertips across the buttons, she depressed one by accident. She dropped the device immediately, jumping off the table and away from the large doorway that appeared in the air. She watched the glowing doorway appear, then after a moment it seemed to collapse in on itself and disappear. She stood shaken for a moment, just looking at the space where the doorway had been. Grateful she had not been any closer, she quickly left the room and pulled the door closed behind her. She tugged on it once more to ensure that it had locked, then she retraced her steps to Dr. Klein's office. She felt strange walking through the corridors herself, but was relieved when she saw his office ahead. This door was locked, so she carefully sat on the floor by the door, holding her gym bag of wet clothes on her lap, and waited for Dr. Klein to come back to his office. ***************************** When CJ and Dr. Klein returned to the office, Kat had fallen asleep. CJ woke her, and told her that it was time to leave. If she wondered about the slight blush on his face, or the "test" that Dr. Klein mentioned while they were leaving, she had the good grace not to ask. After all, she certainly didn't want to be questioned about what she had been doing while away from them. The trip back to Claremont was uneventful, and Kat found it a little odd that CJ wouldn't look at her. He dropped her off in front of her house, and then pulled up into his own driveway. He didn't even tell her goodbye, or thank her for making the trip with him. He didn't say anything, really. CJ locked his truck and went into the house through the kitchen door. He was still lost in thought from his experience at the lab, and still embarrassed by the procedure that he had done. He had considered backing out of the test once it was explained to him, but had been even more embarrassed to do that. After all, he had practically begged for it, even if he had not known what he was getting into. He had expected a blood test, or even a urine test, but to have to do *that* was humiliating. He really wanted to forget that it had happened. CJ grabbed a piece of cold pizza from the refrigerator and checked the noteboard to find out what his mother needed him to do. As expected, she would be late tonight. The Friday evening staff meetings usually ran pretty late, and he had counted on that when he had planned his after-school trip into Metropolis. He noted that he was to do a load of laundry and to start something for dinner. A second glance into the refrigerator gave him another piece of cold pizza and a pound of hamburger that he was certain he could do something with. He browned the ground beef and then added some diced onions. While he raided a cabinet for canned tomatoes, the telephone rang. He stirred the beef with one hand while he grabbed the kitchen extension with the other. "Yeah?" he asked into the phone. "What's for dinner there?" Kat asked him. She was still a little confused over his lack of conversation on the drive home, and she wanted to make sure it wasn't something she had done. "Mmm, looks like chili for now. How about there?" "Well, looks like either Chinese or Pizza, here. I haven't decided who to call." She twirled the phone cord in her fingers as she waited for CJ's reply. "How about you just come here," he invited. "Mom isn't home yet, so I'm cooking. It should be edible anyway." His mother's cooking still bore the brunt of more jokes than they would admit to, but the reputation was well earned. "Sounds better than take-out," she replied. "Want me to come help?" "Sure. You do the best garlic bread around," he said with a smile into the receiver. "On my way!" She hung up the phone, and headed to the house across the street. Odd, how that always felt more like home than her own house, she thought. Dismissing the idea, she bounded up the three steps leading to the kitchen doorway and opened the door. It never occurred to her to use the front door, that was for guests, nor did she think to knock. ***** to be continued tomorrow in Chapter 10 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 19:50:58 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: demona Subject: Re: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 6 of 6 In-Reply-To: <4e374695.35185d9a@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ChrisM ChiefPam Ckgroupie CrystalW chrispat AMCiotola Eraygun Lansbury Zoom, Thanks so much for a wonderful read. I'm so proud of you guys, that was seamless! Not to mention a really intriguing story idea. You're all such teases though... all those times they "almost" kissed. You should have heard me muttering under my breath! ;) Everyone of you is an admirable writer, but hey, we all already knew that. ;) Take Care, Demi ____________________________________________________ Demi (a.k.a) Demona or http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy/demona.htm --- L&C Site http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy --- "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. for I have the biggest, *meanest* dog in the whole damn valley." --(exceprt from Phil Atcliff's 'Couch Potatos') ______________________________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 11:10:06 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: JCWimmer Subject: Fanfic: Full Circle: Chapter 10 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit okay...before you read this, I feel a warning is in order. If you can't deal with WHAMs, don't read this. If you can't deal with lack of resolution, wait until the rest of the story is sent out to read it. I really don't want anyone to be terribly upset due to this chapter. Like I said in the prologue, I believe that it is throught testing that characters grow. With that in mind...I hope you enjoy... *********************** Chapter 10 *********************** Lois and Clark sat side by side on the floor with their backs against the bathtub. Together, they stared at the little plastic container that held the answer to their future. This had been their routine for the last three mornings. Each day, Lois had placed a urine specimen in the little container, carefully followed directions, and watched her hopes die. As they waited, they gave one another some comfort as they discussed every measure of their future except for the tiny person that might or might not be there. After the requisite ten minutes, Clark stood, and held out a hand to help Lois up. It had been two weeks since Dr. Klein's procedure, and they had been putting themselves through this torture since the tenth day. Dr. Klein had insisted that they could not know to the day when a test would be positive, but he recommended daily testing until they were sure the procedure was ineffective. If this was the case, Lois would begin taking her temperatures again, and they would repeat the procedure for two more months. Lois didn't really want to go through months and months of waiting, but she would do what was necessary to conceive Clark's child. Lois reached for the plastic unit, and glanced inside for the negative result she was certain would be present. When she encountered a small "+" sign, she was so surprised that it didn't register. Clark reached around her and took the unit from her. He looked at it for a moment more as a wide smile spread across his face. When he looked down at his wife, he was shocked to see tears streaming down her face. He set the unit on the sink and wrapped his arms around his trembling wife. Lois sobbed in his arms for several minutes before calming enough to smile up at her husband. "This is for real, isn't it?" Lois asked in a trembling voice. "Congratulations, Sweetheart." *********************** "The blood HCG confirms what your urine test indicated. Implantation has occurred, and Lois is most certainly pregnant." Dr. Klein said these words as he took his seat behind the still cluttered desk. "We will need to monitor your HCG level throughout early pregnancy to evaluate the development of the embryo, but for now everything appears to be progressing nicely." "If everything is fine, why do you need more blood tests?" Clark asked with concern. "Well, there are several reasons. At this time the baby is too small to see through ultrasound, and this is our best indication of continued development. Also, I would like to chart the pregnancy quite closely to use as a reference point should CJ ever decide to have children. For that matter, this information would be useful if you were ever to father another child as well." "Let's just get through this one," Lois said with a grin. Clark returned her smile, and squeezed her shoulder gently. Then he sat back and listened to Dr. Klein quiz Lois on how she was feeling, what she was eating, and every other tiny aspect of her life since the procedure Dr. Klein had performed two weeks ago. He made arrangements with her to meet every other morning for a quick blood draw to monitor her hormonal changes, and gave her a renewal for the prenatal vitamin prescription that he had originated before they had even accomplished the procedure. She took the prescription, as well as another for an iron supplement, and thanked Dr. Klein before standing to leave. Clark was quiet as he escorted his wife back to work. They needed to make decisions regarding telling their son about the pregnancy, and calling their parents, but for now he wanted to just enjoy this time with his wife. The thought that a part of him was growing within her body was at once thrilling and terrifying. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Clark asked once they reached the relative privacy of her office. "I'm fine, Clark. I'm wonderful! I'm pregnant," Lois said with a giggle. Her face was alight with the knowledge that she was carrying the child of the man she loved. "Oh, no. You are not going to worry for the next eight and a half months! I'm perfectly fine, and I intend to enjoy this time." "I'm supposed to worry, it's my job." "Wait a minute. I'm the cynic and you're the eternal optimist. That's the way it's always been and I refuse to allow things to change now." Lois shook her head as she lectured Clark. He finally broke into a small smile as he placed his palm against her cheek. "We're gonna have a baby..." he said with wonder. "Yes," she said, turning her head to kiss his palm. *********************** The evening was spend talking with CJ and calling Lois and Clark's parents. Martha insisted on coming to visit as soon as possible, while Ellen lectured Lois on the potential ruination of her figure. CJ was both excited at the news and concerned where the baby would sleep. Clark laughed at CJ's worry over loosing his own room, and assured him that he would not be displaced by the small child. Lois and Clark went to bed happy, and enjoyed the dreams of their future family. Quickly, Lois became accustomed to her family dictating her actions in life. Apparently, pregnancy entitled husbands and mothers to decide when she was hungry, tired, or working too much. Lois took all of this with an unusual level of complacency. The fact was, she was tired. She was always hungry, slightly dizzy, and she maintained a slight level of nausea at all times. Clark became concerned when she had difficulty holding down meals and began sleeping twelve hours each night, but his experience with pregnant women was limited, and all the books assured him that fatigue and morning sickness were quite normal. By the time Lois reached her ninth week of pregnancy, her situation had worsened dramatically. She was no longer able to work, and frequently was admitted to the hospital for fluids. Dr. Klein enlisted the help of a renowned obstetrician to aide him in caring for her, but it was becoming clear that Lois's body was having a great deal of difficulty with the pregnancy. By mid August, Dr. Klein began to wonder if Lois could possibly make it to term. Lois collapsed at home in Clark's arms one evening, and he quickly flew her to the hospital. The test results were terrible, indicating that Lois was suffering from blood poisoning as well as dehydration and pregnancy. Further tests revealed that the baby was demanding far too much of Lois's system, and Dr. Klein began to recommend termination of the pregnancy. "No. Absolutely not!" Lois screamed when Dr. Klein presented the idea. "Lois, I don't think you realize just how dangerous this is. Even if we are able to maximize your immune response, maintaining that state for the next seven months would be impossible. I don't see how you could live to term to deliver this baby." Dr. Klein spoke quietly, but with authority. "I can't kill my baby," Lois sobbed. "Honey, the baby can't live if you die," Clark pleaded. He knew that Dr. Klein would never introduce this solution if there were any other options. "What if you can keep me going until the baby can be born early. How long would I have to carry him?" Lois had always believed that she carried a son. "Well, with current NICU procedures, we can usually gestate children as long as they pass the twelve week mark." "That's it then! That's what, three more weeks?" Lois was encouraged by the hope in this choice. "Closer to four," Dr. Klein replied. "Then that's what we do! I will not let you kill this baby just to save me some discomfort." "Lois," Clark interrupted, "this isn't inconvenience. It's your life." "Clark, promise ... you won't let ... them do this," Lois pleaded through her tears. "Just get ... me through the next ... couple of weeks. Then they can keep the ... baby alive and I'll ... get better. Please, Clark. We ... won't get another chance. Dr. Klein ... won't do this again ... and you ... know it. Please, I don't ... want to loose ... my baby." Lois finished with a sob. Clark closed his eyes and held his wife's hand as she sobbed. He wanted the baby, but he wasn't willing to risk Lois's life to have it. "Is there any chance it could work?" he asked Dr. Klein quietly. "Yes. The risks are high, but if we keep her here with medical care available we may be able to get the baby up to twelve weeks." Dr. Klein looked doubtful, but he wanted to give them some hope. "I want to move her up to intensive care. We have life support there, so if she becomes unstable we will be better able to handle it. It will limit your visiting hours, and I don't believe CJ will be admitted up there, but the care is the best available." "That will be fine." Clark’s voice was more certain than his heart was, though. ********************** The next two weeks crawled by. Lois's condition gradually worsened, and she lapsed into a coma towards the end of the second week. Lucy came to visit, but Lois didn’t even know that she was there. After a week, Lucy returned to California to care for her family, leaving Clark with specific instructions to contact her if there was a change, or if she could do anything to help. Lois didn't even appear pregnant, and yet the baby had taken hold of her body completely. When her vital signs began to fail, Dr. Klein arranged for a cesarean section to be performed. Lois was placed on a respirator, and the surgery was performed with a quick efficiency. Baby Boy Kent was placed in a gestation tank in the Newborn Intensive Care Nursery. While just shy of twelve weeks, the neonatalogist felt that he stood a fair chance at normal development. He was surrounded by a viscous nutritional fluid, and his blood was oxygenated through intravenous lines that entered his umbilical cord. Martha and Jonathan spend hours sitting with him, partly because they were still not allowed to see Lois in the ICU downstairs. It was hard to believe that this two inch form would ever develop into a child, but as long as there was any hope at all, the Kents would sit here with him and wait. Lois condition did not immediately improve, as Dr. Klein had anticipated that it would. While the agent that had poisoned her blood was gone, her system had been severely depleted in the process. Her brain waves remained stable, but her body was still in a shut down mode. Lois remained on the respirator, and she was fed through an arterial line into her neck. This line made it possible to give her nutrition as well as fluids, and it also allowed physicians to draw blood without continuing to make her a pin cushion. It also permitted the nurses to remove the IV lines from her arms and hands, and Clark was once again able to hold his wife's hand and dress her in nightgowns that had sleeves. At first, Clark remained with his wife at all times. He left her side briefly to attempt to locate the Lanes, but returned when they were not immediately accessable. He felt that his place was with Lois, not searching the globe. He refused to see the baby, feeling that Lois needed him more than the new child. Martha and Jonathan did their best to understand Clark's fear and anger, and they became the baby's "parents" to the nursing staff. They were allotted all the privileges due to parents including unlimited visiting hours and training in the care of the tiny child. For all of the Kents, days ran together into weeks, and nights blended with days into a seamless hospital experience that lost all relation to reality. As time progressed, Clark had to spend time away from the hospital. He had not had the benefit of taking shifts, as his parents had, and the fatigue was causing him to loose his grip on reality. Superman had ceased to exist, as Clark slowly drowned in a well of pain and fear. He made an effort to be with CJ on occasion, assisting with homework and even working with him on his truck. He found some comfort in sharing his fears with CJ, but he was cautious not to frighten the boy any more than he already was. Clark went back to work during the day, and went straight to the hospital when he was done. While he had assumed most of Lois’s editorial responsibilities during the pregnancy, he deferred most of the decisions now to her two editorial assistants, and allowed them to take top billing in the credit section of the Daily Planet. Lois's condition remained stable, yet failed to improve. She was taken off the respirator when she seemed ready, and continued to maintain normal breathing on her own. Her heartbeat was strong, and her brain activity normal, and yet she remained unconscious. Clark spent hours at her bedside, both talking to her and caring for her physical needs. Each morning he entered her room and bathed his wife. He massaged lotion into her skin to repel dryness and increase her circulation, then dressed her in one of his large flannel shirts for warmth. When the nurses were ready, he lifted Lois into his arms so they could change her bedding, then he arranged her as comfortably as possible. He washed and brushed her hair regularly, and kept it braided so that it would not be in her face. The nurses were amazed with his willingness to care for each of her daily needs, but they allowed him to do as much as possible and tried to give him some privacy with his wife. Meanwhile, Baby Boy Kent continued to grow. Nine weeks after his birth, he was transferred into a standard incubator. He was finally able to breath air instead of fluid, and Martha and Jonathan were permitted to hold the baby. He fit easily onto Jonathan's hand, and measured about ten inches in length. His brain and lung development, the primary concerns of neonatalogists, had progressed beautifully. Martha suggested that his incubator be placed as close as possible to the large window of the unit, and the baby responded well to the additional sunlight. His growth rate increased, and within a few more days he began sucking a dextrose solution from a tiny bottle with a preemie nipple. Martha loved to feed him, and she spent all of her free time holding the tiny baby and giving him the skin to skin contact that the nurses said was so important. Her only regret was that she could not convince Clark to come see the baby. His heart was still with Lois, and he seemed to have no time for anyone else except for CJ. Clark was doing his best to handle life with Lois in the hospital, and Marth knew that everything possible was being done for the two fragile Kents, but Clark was changing. He was easily startled, and he seemed to be weaker than he had been. He was not sleeping at night, and Martha was rarely able to get him to eat. Even with CJ to care for, losing Lois was tearing Clark apart. If he couldn’t have Lois back, she seriously wondered if her son would maintain the will to live. Only time would answer her questions, and time was dragging in a way she had never known. ************************ It had been four months since the baby's birth when Lois opened her eyes. Her brain activity indicated responses to sound and sight, but she did not react to it. Clark was the first to notice the big brown eyes of his wife begin to follow him. When he moved across the room her head would vaguely move to follow his movement, and her eyes began to fixate on him. The link appeared to only be with Clark, as she did not react when other people entered her room. Clark continued to care for as many of her needs as possible, and the nurses were relieved to have one less patient to bathe and turn. Nearly a month later, Lois left the ICU for a step-down unit on another floor. Dr. Klein continued his daily visits, although there was rarely any change in her condition. Dr. Klein feared that Lois had experienced brain damage as a result of the continued exposure to the pregnancy, and he felt responsible because he had both initiated the pregnancy and allowed it to continue against his better judgment. He was unable to look Clark in the eye, and he sensed a subdued rage when he was in the other man's presence. Once Lois was moved to the new floor, she was allowed to have visitors. CJ was able to visit his mother, and he was finally able to feel a part of a family again. He brought copies of the Daily Planet and read the stories to her one by one. Lois began to respond to more of her visitors, and especially to CJ. She vaguely imitated a smile, and followed him consistently with her eyes. Even the other physicians and the nursing staff remarked about her improvement. She was not talking, or caring for herself, but just the fact that she appeared aware of her surroundings was encouragement to those around her. Martha and Jonathan brought her pictures of the baby, and while Clark refused to look at them Lois stared at them for hours. The Metropolis General Hospital became a member of the Kent family. They lived there, slept there, and revolved their lives around it's schedule. Clark was there first thing in the morning, and last thing each night. More than once he slept next to Lois on the tiny hospital bed, his arms wrapped around her still form. The nurses knew that his happened, just as they knew it was against all the rules, but the most acknowledgment it ever received was when an extra blanket was left for him, or a reminder given to put Lois' rail up so he would not fall. Even the staff realized that something special was going on in the room, and they were loath to disturb it. ******************** "Can I go with you to the hospital today?" Kat asked as she sat down on CJ's bed. She had dropped by for a ride to school, and he was almost ready. "Sure. I wanted to take mom my new column. I finally got the farm piece edited, and I think she'll like it." CJ finished buttoning his flannel shirt, and turned around to tuck it into his pants. "What time did you want to leave?" Kat swallowed heavily and looked anywhere except for at her friend. Friends were not supposed to feel like this about friends. CJ thought about it for a moment. "Let's leave around four. Dad wants me to pick up some chow mien for mom. The doctor said she's ready for solid foods, and Dad doesn't want her starting with that nasty hospital stuff." "Leave it to your dad to think of everything," Kat commented. "Yeah, I guess." CJ didn't sound so sure. "I just wish, sometimes, he thought about someone besides mom." "You know she needs him, now." "I know. Forget I said that. We need to get to school." "CJ, talk to me," Kat pleaded. CJ had been quieter this week than he had since his brother's birth. She knew he was worried about his mom, and even his brother for that matter, but this felt different. "I'd rather not." "CJ!" With a sigh, CJ gave in to the inevitable. "Sometimes I just wonder why I'm even here. I feel like I'm just in the way. They give me these little jobs to keep me busy, but it's not like they really want me here." CJ sat on the bed with a miserable look on his face. "I just want stuff to be like it used to. I'm sick of living in that place, or living here alone. Even my grandparents spend most of their time with the baby, and they don't care about me now." CJ quietly began to cry. Kat was immediately by his side, with her arms around him. She hugged him as the small cries turned into wracking sobs, and cried with him when he began to shake. She was vaguely aware that he was hurting her with his grip, but she didn't feel it was a good time to mention it. After awhile, CJ loosed his grip on her and relaxed somewhat. "Sorry about that," CJ mumbled as he wiped his face on his sleeve. "That's what friend's are for," she replied as she wiped her face in a similar manner. They looked at each other briefly before breaking down into a laugh. "We're pretty pitiful," CJ commented. "Oh, well," Kat smiled. She sobered quickly and her eyes met CJ's. "You know your dad loves you. He'd do anything for you. He's just really having a hard time with this." "I know. Sometimes, it feels like I'm loosing both of them, and I'm sort of afraid of being left all alone." You'll never be alone, CJ. You'll always have me." CJ smiled and kissed Kat on the cheek in thanks. Then he took her hand in his and reached for their backpacks with his other hand. If they didn't leave now, they'd be late for school. ***** To be continued tomorrow in Chapter 11 ***** ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 10:19:23 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Ali Tavakoly Subject: fanfics needed!!!! Comments: To: dbzml@catbox.com Comments: cc: BSG-THEME@LIB01.FERRIS.EDU, gundam@aeug.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, I recently moved my site and have gotten 20 megs of storage for my site:) I need more fanfics to add to my growing collection:) I am now hosting 5 dragon ball fanfics 5 star wars fanfics and one devil hunter ypoko fanfic. I also host fan art. so if interested please email them to me in private also make sure if you are sending anything that it is in text and that spellign has been accounted for. Alos please include a brief summery of the fic. I am not too picky about this. if you want a midi file to be on the main page of the fic(this applies to multy part series) Either provide me with one or please tell me what midi you want and I will see if I can find it. finally please send all submittions to vegeta@jps.net my adresss is http://www.jps.net/vegeta or quantum-singularity.home.ml.org peace, ali ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 13:13:53 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: NJATR Subject: Re: NEW FANFIC: THE LONE RIDER, THE BEGINNING Part 4 of 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi One day I was going crazy deleting my mail an accidently delete Part 2 of the story. Could someone please send it to me. Thanks. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 17:14:45 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kirshnera Subject: Re: Sequel Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Cristin-- I have just one thing to say about your fanfic. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww. How cute :) Keep on writing! Peace, Love, and Superman, ~~>Sue<~~ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 20:44:28 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Stark Subject: Thanks :) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who nominated and voted for a variety of my stories for the Kerths awards. I'm proud of winning for my half of "SwapMeet". :) You have generously given me something I can brag about to my small but far-flung family, even those who don't care about L&C ;) Now's the time to relax and perhaps reassess my approach to the whole fanfic thing in an effort to come up with new, winning surprises! Thanks again! Debby Debby@swcp.com