From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG0102B" ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 05:32:57 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Randi .." Subject: Re: New: "Purple For. . .?" (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: Wanda McCants >Randi, >Based on all the wonderful comments that were made concerning your story I >knew I was in for something special. You didn't disappoint, thanks for >sharing your sweet tale just in time for Valentine's Day. Thanks so much, Wanda!! :) Randi ================================== "I'm not a praying man. I don't even know if you're up there. But if you are and you can hear me, Save me Superman!" -Homer Simpson =================================== _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 05:34:05 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Randi .." Subject: Re: New: "Purple For. . .?" (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: Judith Williams >I'm a little late with this, but 'Purple' is a lovely, waffy read, Randi. >Thanks for posting it. :) Jude Thanks, Jude! :) Randi ================================== "I'm not a praying man. I don't even know if you're up there. But if you are and you can hear me, Save me Superman!" -Homer Simpson =================================== _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 05:51:10 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Randi .." Subject: Re: Answers and scores for Quiz #14: BEST VILLAIN Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: Hazel > >Marilyn and Randi get 2 points and a big hug. :) > LOL! Thanks Hazel, I needed that! :) And big thanks to you and Wendy for writing these quizzes! Though I didn't often participate (and you can see why ;)) I really enjoyed reading them and trying to guess! :) Randi ================================== "I'm not a praying man. I don't even know if you're up there. But if you are and you can hear me, Save me Superman!" -Homer Simpson =================================== _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 05:59:03 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Randi .." Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: Carol L Moncado > >Okay - installment 2. "Lois and Clark and the IRS"? I took about 5 >minutes for this - maybe more - it didn't seem to flow as easily. What >do you guys think? No rotten fruit please! > ROFL!!! Oh, Carol, this was just *precious*!! I'm absolutely loving it! :) So many hilarious lines! Randi ================================== "I'm not a praying man. I don't even know if you're up there. But if you are and you can hear me, Save me Superman!" -Homer Simpson =================================== _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:27:38 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jo March Subject: Re: Kerth Quiz #15 (and last): BEST LOST EPISODE MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Forgot to send this in last night... S P O I L E R S P A C E Quotes 1)Shayne Terry - Dear Lois. 2)Arrgh! I know I've read this... 3)Umm. Sounds like something by Cindy Leuch -is this Personal Loyalties? 4)This can only be one of Nan's stories… Home III: Memories? 5)This unforgettable (IMHO) quote is from Wendy's For the Greater Good. 6)I'd better recognize this one! Shayne's Hearts and Diamonds. 7) This is a story where even Clark acts aggressive… the title, though… 8)Jenni Debbage, Red Sky. 9)Irene Dutchak, The Spying Game. 10)Umm. So, how'd I do? I had fun; thanks, Hazel! Many, many thanks to you and Wendy for organizing these great quizzes! JoMarch __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 00:30:37 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Here is part three just for you melisma! (Lifts up rock and hands her the piece of paper with part 3 on it) I left it without a real stopping point on purpose! That way I have to write more! Hope you guys enjoy it! But now, I need my beauty sleep! Gnight! CM ***** Lois had an evil look on her face. "You know if I kill you now, I'll get social security benefits." She walked to the window and opened it. "Jump." Clark looked at her in disbelief. "You're kidding right?" When she didn't answer, he continued. "You really think that Superman would let his best friend die?" Clark was almost hoping that he could. The wrath of Mad Dog Lane - or was it Mad Dog Kent - in full swing was more than even he was strong enough to deal with and this tantrum was going to be a doozy. Lois just glared at him and pointed. "Out. Now." "You really want me dead?" Lois just looked. *Well, she's already so mad, she really couldn't get any madder. Maybe I should jump and then fly back in and announce to her that I AM Superman. It can't get any worse than it already is.* He took another look at her. *Nah*, he thought, knowing from the way her jaw was set that to make her madder was stupid. "Sit down, Lois. And close the window. I am not jumping." Lois sighed and closed the window. She crossed to the table and sat down, close to tears. "Now tell me all about it. How did you find out about this?" "Well, a little while ago this guy comes in here. I was working on my novel and this guy starts asking for Mrs. Kent. I ignored him until he started getting annoying and I told him there was no Mrs. Kent here. He asked me if I was Lois Kent. I told him no, I was Lois Lane. Well, then you are Lois Kent. I told him no I wasn't. He said yes I was and what's more my husband and I - that's you, you know - were defrauding the IRS. I told him I didn't know what he was talking about and please leave me alone. He told me about the law. I told him that was crazy, but he assured me that, no, it was real and that I WAS Mrs. Kent." "Lois, you're babbling again." "Is that all you can think about? That I'm babbling? We have bigger problems than that. Apparently, we are legally married and trying to defraud the IRS!" "Is the thought of being married to me that horrible?" :-) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:56:45 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? In-Reply-To: <20010208.003040.-4008729.1.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:30 AM 08/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Here is part three just for you melisma! (Lifts up rock and hands her >the piece of paper with part 3 on it) I left it without a real stopping >point on purpose! That way I have to write more! Hope you guys enjoy >it! But now, I need my beauty sleep! > >Gnight! > >CM Gee, thanks Carol - now you KNOW I'm gonna keep bugging you until you post the rest of this... You are feeding us with a baby's teaspoon, you know! Melisma (under her Rock, tired of strained carrots and peas and wanting adult food, dammit! :) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 01:54:45 -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: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, babe, you are on a roll! Get some sleep, then write more! There are just too many funny lines here... :) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 01:51:05 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: StarKitty Subject: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ok, I just received this joke from another list I'm on and some of it I = just don't get. Could someone help me out here? Please? The ones I don't get are 23 and 27. Just what the frell are Sorels and = what are Labatt Blue and Molsons commercials? I just hate it when I don't get something like this. Just = one more reason I'm glad I've got you guys for pals, though. There's = bound to be someone who's willing to take a poor confuzzled Californian = aside and explain it to her ;) Tara ------------- Subject: You are Canadian when......] 1. You only know four spices: salt, pepper, garlic salt and ketchup. 2. You design your Halloween costume to fit over a parka. 3. The mosquitoes have landing lights. 4. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 5. You have 10 favourite recipes for moose meat. 6. Canadian Tire on any Saturday is busier than the toy stores at Christmas. 7. You live in a house that has no front step, yet the door is one meter above the ground. 8. You've taken your kids trick-or-treating in a blizzard. 9. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled in with snow. 10. You think sexy lingerie is tube-socks and a flannel nightie with only 8 buttons. 11. You owe more money on your snowmobile than your car. 12. The local paper covers national and international headlines on 2 pages, but requires 6 pages for hockey. 13. At least twice a year, the kitchen doubles as a meat processing plant. 14. The most effective mosquito repellent is a shotgun. 15. Your snow blower gets stuck on the roof. 16. You think the start of deer season is a national holiday. 17. You head south to go to your cottage. 18. You frequently clean grease off your barbecue so the bears won't prowl on your deck. 19. You know which leaves make good toilet paper. 20. The major parish fund-raiser isn't bingo it's sausage making. 21. You find -40C a little chilly. 22. The trunk of your car doubles as a deepfreeze. 23. You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewellery and your Sorels. 23a. You know what Sorels are. 24. You can play road hockey on skates. 25. You know 4 seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter and Construction. 26. The municipality buys a Zamboni before a bus. 27. You understand the Labatt Blue and Molsons commercials. 28. You perk up when you hear the theme from "Hockey Night in Canada". 29. You actually get these jokes and forward them to all your Canadian friends! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 02:07:24 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Betty Cheng Subject: Re: Betty's site In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.0.20010204084256.00ab85f0@actcom.co.il> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry Kathy, for giving the credit for IVV to the wrong person. Like Hazel said, whichever author gave me permission to link to their stories, I looked up their names in the archive and linked everything there. Since Pam gave me permission and the story was listed under her name on the authors page in the Archive, I labelled her as the author of the story on my website. Actually I'll be glad to change the name if you can tell me who wrote the story or was it a group effort? And also, I am maintaining the website for as long as I can so it is important I get the information right. So far I've gotten permission to use the database 'til May. Right now, I'm in the process of transferring the site to my own webspace but it's still available at my partner's webpage http://cgi.sfu.ca/~mhancock/. I finally got my network card (and ADSL connection) back yesterday so I should link more stories over the weekend. HELP! Does anybody know of a server that hosts websites with databases? I really want to move the website to a more permanent home that doesn't threaten to close it down every 4 months. Thanks. Cheers, Simba -----Original Message----- From: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic [mailto:LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU]On Behalf Of Hazel Sent: February 3, 2001 10:46 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Betty's site Kathy wrote in obviously teasing vein: >On Sat, 3 Feb 2001 15:58:11 PST, Betty Cheng wrote: > > >In Vitro Veritas Pam Jernigan > >Hey, Pam, when did steal my title for your own story?? Actually, Betty, >Betsy wrote this S5 episode, with some help from me, and some scene >assistance from Pam. It probably doesn't matter for you site now, but I >thought I'd give credit where credit is due. Betsy wrote a great ep. :) I can't think of any S5 stories that *weren't* great eps, Kathy. :) But to be fair to Betty, I'll remind you that her site is the fascinating school project that takes your preferences and suggests which fics in its database you're likely to enjoy. Since Betty (or Simba, to use her nick) only used stories from authors that specifically gave her permission to do so, I would imagine that IVV went into the database under Pam's name because she gave permission for it. :) Hazel, who suggests you'd all enjoy a visit to http://cgi.sfu.ca/~mhancock/ ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:42:01 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jude wrote: > Hi Gerry: I've never heard anyone here call it 'Kraft dinner'. It's just > good old generic macaroni and cheese. Some people actually make it from > scratch with real cheese instead of powder. :) Jude ...and over in this part of the world we call it Macaroni Cheese; we always make it from scratch with pasta, milk, cheese, seasoning and sometimes mustard, and it's usually baked au gratin - ie with cheese and breadcrumbs sprinkled over the top and cooked in the oven Wendy -------------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:59:01 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay, Carol, did this cut off before the end? Because you haven't finished it *yet*, you know! S p o i l e r s p a c a > It was the if- > you-aren't-here-in-two-seconds-and-explain-whatever-earth-shattering-deta > il-I-need-explained-then-I-will-never-speak-to-you-again-at-least-not-unt > il-I-need-you-to-help-me-again-but-I'll-never-admit-it scream. ROFLMAO!!!! > Lois waited until he shut the door to look at him. "I want a divorce." > "Well, Mrs. Kent," he got a look of death, "what I > want to know is. . ." LOL!! > Lois didn't let him finish. "I know. Why is this a law? Who would want > such a law? What purpose does it serve? And why us? Why do they have > to come after us? What did we do to deserve this? This is the craziest > thing I have ever heard of. Being married because you check into a hotel > as a married couple. How on earth are you supposed to do undercover > assignments then. 'Hi. I'm Lois Lane and this is my partner Clark Kent. > We aren't really married, we just want to pretend that we are so we can > be undercover. Now don't tell anyone, you hear? Oh, and are there any > really obscure laws that we need to know about? Like how this could > really make us married?" And this is a classic Lois speech! :) > "Well, like I was saying," he had a glint in his eye as he spoke, "what I > want to know is where are the presents and where are we going on our > honeymoon?" He grinned that big grin. He wanted his last moments alive > to be good ones, because he knew, Superman or not, Lois was about to kill > him. Love this from Clark too. But - WHERE'S THE REST?!! Carol - this is a great debut, and if you really wrote it in five minutes, then I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do when you have more time! :) Oh, and guys, look out for Erin's take on this too. It's every bit as great! Wendy -------------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 06:36:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just caught up with this this morning and am grinning. So much fun. It only takes you 5 minutes??? So we'll have another bit today? Carol ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 07:05:35 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hilarious, too! Plus they're mostly the truth, especially if you're a guy. (Battles in the Great Canadian Gender Wars are usually triggered by a hockey related incident.) Think Sorels are boots. Labatt & Molson beer commercials all have Canadian settings which usually feature a tongue-in-cheek play on some Canadian stereotype -- they assume #1- 29 are part your internal psyche. I don't get #13, though. Thanks, Tara. Will 29 these. Carol (who actually did excavate her front step yesterday) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 07:24:10 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable In a message dated 2/8/01 7:05:52 AM Eastern Standard Time, Ccmalo@AOL.COM=20 writes: > I don't get #13, though. >=20 <<13.=A0 At least twice a year, the kitchen doubles as a meat processing plant>> I would imagine that this refers to what happens after one goes hunting and=20 brings home a moose or a deer that needs to be processed -- no doubt before=20 it goes into freezer storage in the trunk of the car. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:13:09 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, I like it, I love it, I want more of it! What a quick and fertile mind you have. I wondered what spin the story would take, and you didn't disappoint with your WAFFY piece. Wanda "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:24:50 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit What a delightful turn of events....Pam suggests a great storyline and we all get to read such fun stuff. All I can say is, Pam, do it again. Kate ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:57:34 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, ROTFL, if you can put this together in five minutes I see good things for us readers ahead. Keep writing, loved it. Wanda "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 09:05:27 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/8/01 4:43:21 AM Eastern Standard Time, cmoncado@JUNO.COM writes: > But now, I need my beauty sleep! All right, Carol now that you have us all champing at the bit, go ahead and rest because we know we're in for a wonderful ride. WM "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:00:16 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II: Becoming Partners Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Hi everybody, I'll take my chance that someone will want to read this and post the first few sections now and then some more later if there are readers. The story is practically complete - I'm putting the finishing touches on the final scene, so there will be no waiting for more installments. This is the continuation of Strangers, an alt beginning story. It's not necessary to have read the first one, but it would make this story a little clearer. If you find any errors or have suggestions, please let me know. I have this horrible habit of constantly adding things to my stories long after they've been returned from my BR's :) ****** Strangers II: Becoming Partners Clark Kent stared at the papers on his desk. His normally tidy desk had stacks of papers strung all about, and trying to will the piles of papers into their proper places wasn't working. The newsroom of the Daily Planet was just starting to buzz with the morning activities, although he barely heard the noise around him. He leaned back in his chair and rotated his shoulders in an attempt to loosen them up. He'd spent an all-nighter trying to piece together the massive file that Samuel Platt had left behind yesterday afternoon. Clark's insight told him that Platt wasn't just a crazed maniac that the security guards hauled away. Yesterday afternoon he had come storming into the Daily Planet, crying "it's going to explode!" The security guards had assumed he was referring to the thick package in his hands and hauled him away. Clark had told the man as he was being taken out of the Daily Planet that he would look into his claims that the space rocket, the 'Messenger' was going to blow up. It didn't take him long to read through the thick file at superspeed, but the scientist's notes were out of order, and some vital information was missing. It was a masterpiece collection of napkin notes and pieces of data, singly without significance, but collectively - the meaning was devastating. As Clark read Platt's notes, the truth revealed itself. Someone was conspiring to cause the space shuttle to malfunction - the question was who and why. He had to get to the bottom of the story, and see if he could stop the sabotage before disaster struck. Sometimes he wished he had a partner to bounce ideas off of, but that situation seemed impossible. He had to work alone, especially now that he was planning to go public with a new identity. It was better to keep his distance from others; he had to hide the fact that he was different. His whole life that he had built here in Metropolis would be at stake if it was found out that he, Clark Kent, was able to fly, and had other enhanced capabilities. The privacy he needed to keep a normal lifestyle would be in danger if the media found out the details of his life. Now they only knew him through the 'miracles' he performed incognito and it distressed him greatly that his own peers were closing in on his secret. All he wanted his whole life was to be able to fit in; but mostly, he wanted to make a difference in the world. Thanks to a most enchanting stranger he met a few days ago, he now realized that his dreams were in his grasp. They had met after he had saved her airplane from crashing at the Metropolis airport. She managed to track him down later that evening, when she caught him removing traces of his rescue. Although he had been very reluctant to talk to her at first - even going so far as to leave her in a hangar at the airport - it had to have been fate that had drawn them together one more time that night. He had been ready to leave behind his Kerth-Award winning career. For two years he had managed to avoid discovery, but now the media, fueled by the reports of the Miracle Mania fan groups, had him seriously thinking about running away. During their talk that night, she explained that she had been through a similar situation, and had helped him realize that he would have to face up to his problems. Leaving everything behind hadn't solved anything for her, and it wouldn't help him either. He just needed to find a way to make living in Metropolis work out. Although he had been very discouraged, she had lifted his spirits by coming up with the idea of a new identity to use in order guard his private life. To his absolute delight and surprise, though, it was *she* who gave him the feeling that he finally belonged in Metropolis. They left, not knowing each other's names, but with the promise of friendship. After they finally started talking that night, the connection he felt toward her was immediate and familiar. A strong bond had formed and he didn't know why; only that she was ingrained upon his heart and soul now, and there would be no erasing it. Work had kept him so busy lately that he barely had time to think about his debut or what he was going to tell the media about himself. Thank goodness the hiring freeze had been lifted recently. Perry could employ more reporters to help ease the work load. The last hire had been over four months ago, and a lot of help she had been, he thought with a frown. A new society columnist, Cat Grant, had not been what the Daily Planet needed. In an attempt to raise the subscription numbers, the suits upstairs had decided a gossip section would be the perfect addition to the newspaper. When that had failed to bring up circulation, Perry reluctantly moved her to part-time reporter status to help fill in the gap. By then, the hiring freeze had go into effect, and it was all the relief the editor could offer to his news team. Cat was clingy and persistent in her attempt to work with him. Her work as a gossip columnist was sufficient, but it was apparent she was lacking in skill as far as investigative reporting was concerned. Clark worked with her if he was cornered; it wasn't that he didn't like helping people, but she was constantly overly flirtatious toward him. Although he was friendly, he chose to be somewhat of a loner - it was dangerous to be too open with people. He often found himself working at night in the office in order to get more work done. Plus, it was easier to leave if he needed to help someone. Pushing his chair away from his desk, he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a large cup. He looked out over the railing from the break area, and stared at the empty desk next to his. He assumed that work space would be occupied by some new hire soon. As he raised the cup to his lips, he hoped that whoever it was, the person would be easier to tolerate than Cat Grant. He glanced outside through the tall windows gracing the newsroom walls. It was still dark, but barely so. If he hurried, he could take a quick flight around to the other side of the world before it got too light to fly. He had a small promise to keep before tackling the heavier issues of the day. ******* It was another extremely hot September day in the city. The combination of the sun-broiled sidewalks, heated-soaked buildings, and mixed in with the high humidity in the air had Lois exhausted before it ever reached eleven in the morning. She slumped against the nearest building that offered a little shade and pulled her sweat-drenched blouse away from her skin. She had wandered down to the edge of the business district, looking for some type of lead to a story she could break. Without the benefit of a newsroom with all its technology and computers, she had to resort to doing things the hard way - field work. Hoping her memory served her correctly, there was always something happening in this section of town. If she could only get a clue to anything shady going on here, maybe something would bust loose for her. She walked the streets, looking down alley ways, in the backs of warehouses - she even stared at strangers' faces looking for a glimmer of a guilty conscience. This was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. She couldn't waste her money on taxis any longer; it was getting too expensive. A wave of nausea flitted within her stomach, and she closed her eyes, hoping it to be only a few seconds. Her eyes flew open when she felt something cold touch her hand. A man in dirty food-stained clothes was staring at her with open curiosity. "Hey, lady. You ok?" The man spoke with a New York accent. "Here, ya better drink this." "Thanks, I think," Lois said with a caution laced voice. She looked at the Styrofoam cup thrust into her hand. "What is it?" "You don't look like you can get picky on me," he said slightly offended. "But if ya must know, it's Peppy's Cola." "Is it diet?" she inquired. "My, my, we're a little persnickety; ain't we? No. It's not *diet*. Do I look like the kind of guy who would do *diet*? Geez! Gimme a break!" Lois took a huge gulp of the drink and smiled cautiously at him. "Thanks, I was pretty drained. That helped a lot." "It's about time ya showed a little gratitude. I worked hard for that drink. It was a huge sacrifice on my part." "I said I appreciated it," Lois cracked back at him. "Do you want me to pay homage to your alley or what?" The strange man laughed. "Ya know, lady. I like you. You've got spunk. And for that, I'm going to offer to share my lunch. You look like you could use it too; you don't have enough meat on your *ah hem* to make a sandwich," he said, looking at her challengingly. "Beg your pardon! I don't think my...whatever, is any of your business. Why would I want to eat....ohhh; what's in that bag?" she blurted when he waved a rather large takeout bag wafting with exquisite odors in front of her nose. "Linguini in clam sauce and chocolate fudge layer cake," he announced proudly. "If you ain't going to take advantage of my more than generous offer, then I'll be on my way." "Wait a minute! You said you worked for that food? What did you do?" she asked, her irritation ebbing slightly. "Let's just say I provided something that someone wanted badly," he said vaguely. Lois sensed that she could be on to something. Besides, that linguini was smelling very good *and* he had chocolate cake. "On second thought, you seem to have a great appreciation for fine food. Well, I'm no slump on pasta either. I bet that stuff is not as good as Luigi's downtown location....open that container up and let's see if it's up *my* standard of pasta." ****** Just through the alley, she was taken to makeshift dining area. She wasn't too surprised when he opened a wooden box hidden behind some containers and pulled out a couple of china plates, silverware and two goblets. "Welcome, to my home away from home," he declared. "Pull up a crate and give yourself a rest." "Do you live here?" Lois asked hesitantly as she sat down cautiously on a sturdy wooden box. She knew it probably wasn't very smart walking through a back alley with a completely strange man, but she had a feeling this guy could be a possible source for a story. She could handle herself. Besides, there wasn't any reward without a risk. He continued to take out place mats and spread a white table cloth on a huge wooden wire spool that served as their table. "No. I have my own place, but it's too far to go back to eat lunch. So I put together this little setup. Kinda nice, dontcha think?" "Yeah, if you're into this kind of inner city dining experience," Lois replied. "Of course I am. Isn't everybody?" He pulled up his own crate, opened the bag with a flourish, and spooned out the pasta onto their plates. As soon as he sat down, he started shoveling the food into his mouth at an alarming rate. "By the way, name's Bobby. Bobby Bigmouth," he stated with a huge mouthful. Lois dipped her fork into the food and before she tasted it, she answered, "Lois. Lois Mad Dog Lane." she thought. "So whatcha doing in this part of town, doll," he asked. "I guess you can say I'm looking for a job." "Listen, Lois. The red-light section is kinda far from here. Besides, you don't look the type. You're far too classy a dame to be over there, if you don't mind me saying. Though, with a name like 'Mad Dog', you might make good money, if you know what I mean." He stared at her straight in the eyes, the whole time chewing vigorously. "Bobby," Lois gritted her teeth, but decided to let his comments slide. "I'm not looking for *that* type of job." "I didn't think so, but if you were, I could nose around for ya, ask some guys..." "Just what kind of 'guys' do you know? What is it that you do, anyway?" she interrupted. "I'm a chef by trade, but on the side, let's say I provide information for the right price." He was hedging again, but with some luck, perhaps she could draw him out. "What's the right price, Bobby?" she said casually. "Oh. That's easy. Food. And lots of it. None of that fast food garbage, either. I may have a food addiction, but I prefer the gourmet variety," he answered as he poured the rest of the linguini on his plate. "Good stuff, eh? You want some more? Ya lucky I'm feelin' generous today. This last guy was so pleased with my snitchin' that he gave me a double portion." "No, thanks," she said thoughtfully. "If I needed some information, could you get it for me?" "Hey, whatcha dealing in, lady?" he said offensively. "They don't call me 'Bigmouth' for nothing, but I have to be able to trust ya." "All right, Bobby; I'll be straight with you," she said. "I'm a journalist looking for a story. I don't work for any newspapers yet, but that's what I'm hoping you can help me with." "You a reporter? Keep talking." He stopped chewing to stare at her openly again. "But I gotta be sure I can trust you. Guys in my line of business tend ta disappear if they blab to the wrong ears." "I know we just met. I'm not sure I can trust you either, but you took care of me, right?" "Yeah, I took care of ya. "And I am very grateful," she said with a smile. "Even if you haven't offered me any of that delicious looking chocolate cake yet." "Geezo Pete's! Where's my manners," he apologized. She watched as he cut her a large chunk of cake. "Thanks. You may be addicted to food, but *I'm* addicted to chocolate. See? That's one thing we have in common." She took a sizable bite and savored the dessert before continuing. "Back to what I was saying, I need a job. In order to get a job, I need a story. Once I get a job, I plan on treating any faithful source very well." "Oh yeah! Keep talking, babe," he said interestedly. "What's your stomach's desire, Bobby?" she asked, leaning forward on her elbows. "Oh," he thought for a moment. "I'd have to say Peking duck." "I'll make a deal with you, if you can give me any information today that leads to a newspaper job, I'll bring you Peking duck with all the trimmings once a month for a whole year." "Whole year? All the trimmings?" "Uh huh. Pecan pie too?.... But you have make it good, I need a job soon." "You on the up and up?" He looked her straight in the eye. "You drive a hard bargain, Lois; but like I told you before, I like you, and something tells me I can trust you. All right, here's something you might could use; there's been a lot of activity going on at the docks. Lots of stuff being unloaded, but no trucks going in and out. Most of the action is at night. I don't have any names for you now, but I'll ask around for ya." "Where's this happening, Bobby?" She was excited. At last, she might have something to sink her teeth into. "Let me confirm some things and do some snoopin'. I don't remember hearing which docks this was going on at," he said. "But bear with me, and I'll let ya know. Hopefully, we can find something that will get you your job - and me my Peking duck." "Thanks. I was hoping you had a lead for me today, but I guess you're not as good as I first thought." "There's that gratitude pouring out of ya again. You come back in a couple of days and *I'll* show you good." "I'll do that, Bobby. Now have some cake, it's great," Lois scooted her crate back away from the table and propped her feet up on a foot tall box. She smiled to herself. Hopefully, she had Bobby right where she wanted him. *****tbc _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:00:21 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Marilyn L. Puett" Subject: Re: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed Golly, Erin! Why did I know I'd get an answer from you? Thanks for the info! Marilyn AKA Supermom ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:01:04 -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: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Um...why don't I seem to have parts 1 and 2?? V -----Original Message----- From: Pam Jernigan [mailto:jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET] Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 11:55 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? Carol, babe, you are on a roll! Get some sleep, then write more! There are just too many funny lines here... :) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:06:11 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Clark arrived back at the office around eight that morning, which was a lot later than he had intended. On a whim, after his trip to the other side of the world, he had decided to visit his folks to see what sort of idea for a costume his mother had cooked up this time. His busy schedule at the Planet didn't allow him an extended stay in Kansas, so he flew back there periodically to check on the progress his mom was making on her sewing creations. The first couple of outfits were duds, not that Martha did a bad job on the creative side of the outfits, they just didn't seem to fit his abstract idea of what his new identity should be like. But this time it appeared that she had put together a winner. His mom insisted on making a few adjustments after he tried it on so that he could take it with him. He complied with her wishes, but knew he had to make the visit snappy so he get back to his investigation. He had one last stop to make before he showed it to the world, and that would be taken care of later that night. The events that unfolded around the Messenger that afternoon almost caused him to *have* to use the suit, but he had managed to handle the circumstances without having to reveal his new identity. Upon arrival at the Daily Planet, Clark placed a call to Dr. Platt immediately, who agreed to meet with him to discuss the potential sabotage of the Messenger which was scheduled to launch later that day. There were still a few pieces of the puzzle missing and if Dr. Platt had the answers he was looking for, he believed that they could stop the potential disaster. After a very fruitful meeting with Platt, Clark went straight to EPRAD alone. And surreptitiously, with the use of his powers, he was able to locate and disengage a small bomb that would have detonated upon the firing of the rocket boosters. There wasn't time to go to the proper authorities with the bomb evidence he'd obtained, but the disaster was averted, and the Messenger was launched successfully. It would have been hard to explain to the officals how he came into possession of such evidence without making them suspicious. The revealing meeting with Dr. Platt that morning had him convinced that it wasn't necessary to turn it that evidence yet. The rest of the afternoon was spent embarking upon an expose of the people behind the corruption in the space program. It appeared that Dr. Toni Baines, the assistant director of Extra Planetary Research and Development, was framing the current director of the space program, Jack Laderman, in order to be promoted to his position. She had bribed several of the managers to help carry out her mission, but now it appeared that she, along with her cronies, were going to spend a long time in jail. There was enough incriminating evidence against her, without including the bombing attempt, to prevent her from escaping time in a penitentiary. Just for insurance, he had left an indentation of his hand on one of the panel covers where he found the bomb. It was a guarantee in case Tony Baines managed to escape the charges on some technicality. He was sure that by then, if she avoided jail time, he would be flying around in his new identity. Depending on his status with the local authorities, he could testify that it was he that had stopped the bomb from detonating. As he deliberately pushed his hand against the steel, it made him smile at the irony of the situation. Just a few days ago he was erasing traces of his rescues. Now, he was leaving his mark for all to see. He hoped after tonight, after he saw *her*, he would be ready to show himself to the world. The past few days, he had been writing short intriguing articles on the miracles that were happening all over Metropolis and the nation. He thought if he fueled speculation toward the so called 'Miracle Mania Man' now, the public would more readily accept him in his new identity when he made his debut. At least he could judge their reactions somewhat and make a final decison based on either public outcry or acceptance. Before, it had been his policy to pointedly avoid any mention of the Miracle Mania craze happening in the city. He approached Perry about writing the articles the second morning after he and his new friend had met. The editor had been surprised when he suggested that he write them *and* that they appear somewhere on front page. Mostly editorial in nature, they should have appeared in the co-op section of the paper. His argument was that the whole city was buzzing with the speculation that there was a miracle performer among them. Some kind of composite was being made of this guy by the people he had rescued, and more evidence that this person really existed was being found. The facts were building and it would be a good idea for the newspaper to be on the positive side of this person in case he ever decided to reveal himself. If this story had any truth to it, the Daily Planet should at least have acknowledged it at some point. Clark knew he was taking a slight risk in writing the articles, but he also wanted to set up a relationship between the Daily Planet and his alter ego in order for him to write future articles. Along with the articles, he had become more brazen about leaving evidence of himself at a rescue scene. Throwing caution to the wind was very nerve wracking for him, but the public was closing in fast - it was either set up his arrival or take a chance that he might not be recieved graciously. He opened up his desk drawer and touched the gaily colored box resting on top of some papers. It was hard waiting for tonight. Maybe he should take a chance and see if she was home. ******* Carefully balancing her groceries on her hip, Lois fumbled through her purse for her keys. She never understood how her purse always seemed so cluttered. It always took on a personality of its own when she had her hands full, and her keys always seemed to fall into a black hole on the bottom. She located them at last, and unlocked the many locks on her door. Entering her apartment, she kicked her shoes off in mid-stride and plunked the grocery bag down on the counter. It was good to be back home. Mrs. Bussye had turned out to be a nice elderly lady who was still as sharp as a tack. The room that she had available for Lois was actually a small furnished apartment located above her house. It was originally built many years ago for her son while he was attending Metropolis University. Her children had long since moved away, and the apartment had stood empty for many months. She tried to rent it out for a while, but it proved to be too much of a burden to keep up with the stream of renters that seemed to change about every other month. The house was at least a century old. Misplaced among the taller more modern buildings of at least fifty or more years younger, it was located in an old commercial district that was degrading rapidly and had been more susceptible to crime and gangs. Mrs. Bussye noted that the crime seemed to have slowed down dramatically in the recent months. Many of the trouble makers were found mysteriously tied up in the neighborhood. Although they weren't prosecuted, it seemed they weren't as willing to participate in deviant activities. It was only because of her new friend that she lived here. Lois discovered, one day while they were cleaning up the apartment from its disuse, that Mrs. Buysse didn't know his name either. The elderly woman explained that before sun-up one morning about a year ago, she was baking bread in her kitchen when she heard a noise in her alley. Upon investigating it, she noticed three men storming out into the street. 'That nice young man' appeared a couple of seconds later with a huge wire cutting tool in his hand. She was scared of him at first, and suspected that he was up to no good, but he placed the large tool down safely when he saw her. He then explained that the men who ran from her alley were about to cut the main line of electricity to her house and he had chased them away before they could do any harm. He went on his way that night, but she frequently saw him walking her street, sometimes mysteriously appearing from her alley way. She assumed he was homeless - he was always wearing the same black clothes and knitted cap. At first she was wary of him - not sure if he was casing her joint, but her attitude slowly changed toward him. He always treated her with courtesy, occasionally stopping to talk briefly with her. Soon she was putting some baked goods aside for him. In a neighborhood like this, it was hard to know who you could trust. She knew he was sincere when he came to her the other night asking about a room for a young woman. In all the time she had known him, he never asked for a single thing. So she took him seriously when he said there was a young woman who needed a place to stay. She was happy that she did - Lois remembered flinching inwardly when Mrs. Bussye said it was great having a young lady around the house. Lois snorted to herself. Just wait until she catches me with my lock picking kit. Her apartment was a small L-shaped efficency located above the two story house. Lois opened her front door to step almost directly in the tiny kitchen to the left of the door. The living area was to the right and was furnished with a comfortable sofa, single well-used chair next to an endtable, with an old lamp on it. There was a single window in the living room and another along the same wall in the bedroom. The bathroom was behind the kitchen and adjoined her bedroom. One of the first things she noticed, after setting down her armload of groceries, was that someone had been there. On the table near the window was a box of chocolates with a sealed envelope underneath. She walked over to the table, and picked up the box, which had Swedish writing on it. It can only be from one person, she thought with a smile. She opened the box and stuffed a brown confection into her mouth. Closing her eyes as the blissful taste of Swiss chocolate took over her taste buds, she sank into the overstuffed chair by the table and opened up the note. Dear Friend, I was out flying early this morning and remembered your request for chocolate. Mom and I think we have a prototype for an outfit. It's... different, but I think it might work. Let's just say it is very streamlined. I had a wonderful time the other night. Our talk has changed my outlook on so many things. Thanks for straightening me out. Mrs. Bussye let me in your room to write this note. She's tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for me to leave and I don't think even *I* want to get her mad! She must think a lot of you if she's mothering you already. I'd better go. I'd love to stop by later, I have some news. Enjoy the chocolates. Your friend P.S. Don't eat them all in one sitting; I'd like to be able to take you flying again. His teasing humor was still apparent in his writing; she'd have to get back at him for that last comment. Her spirits were lifted immediately. It would be great to see him again after the long days she had spent pounding the street. The night they spent forging their friendship was all just a hazy dream in her mind. She wondered if and when he would come tonight. There was no time on the note, so she had no idea how long ago he had been here. Would he fly or walk over? It was almost dark, so maybe he would fly. She opened up the window and allowed the rapidly cooling air to start filtering into her stuffy apartment. After an intolerable morning in the record-breaking heat, a cool front had passed through the area, leaving the first signs of the fall weather to come. She busied herself with preparing supper which consisted of opening a can of soup and heating it on the tiny stove in her room. The saving grace of her whole meal was a fresh baked loaf of french bread that Mrs. Buysse had given her on the way up to her apartment. She opened up the Daily Planet evening edition that she bought along with her groceries that evening. There it was again. A small column about the miracles happening in Metropolis. She had followed the articles since their inception and was very curious about the author. He was Clark Kent - the same journalist who had won the Kerth Award for Best Investigative Journalist at the last awards ceremonies. The articles had an incredible insight into the situation. They were mainly human interest - touching on the people involved in the miracle, but always left the reader thinking about who and why of the *person* behind the rescue. Kent never referred to the rescuer as an 'it' or an angel, but always kept a positive attitude toward whoever was performing the miracles. The clips weren't hard enough for her taste, too touchy-feely; but they painted a favorable attitude toward her friend. She was sure he would like them. The hours wound down as Lois waited for him to show up. She curled up on the small sofa and turned the television set on, but her mind drifted in and out of the program. She had to find a job soon because her money was disappearing fast. Although she didn't want to go there without something significant to show the editor, maybe a trip to the Daily Planet should be on the agenda tomorrow. That new source, Bobby, was not proven; therefore, she couldn't count on anything involving him yet. She had the articles she'd written from the Metropolis Star and the more recent ones from the Journal in California. With those articles and a little good luck, there might be a chance that something could fall her way. Plus, you never knew what kind of connections you might make at a prestigious newspaper like the Daily Planet. ****** tbc _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:10:15 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II - Becoming Partners - Part 3 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed ****** It was just past twelve o'clock when Clark was finally able to make it back to her room. Perched on the edge of the roof next to her apartment, he was hidden from the street below by sitting behind the chimney. His legs were drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped tightly them with his chin resting heavily on his knees. The light was on in her apartment, but he was indecisive on whether to see her, especially at this late hour. He remembered her concern about their forging friendship right before they parted ways. She was afraid that they would be awkward around each other the next time they met, and that their newfound camaraderie was just a one-time thing. He hoped it wouldn't be true, but nevertheless, he was a little scared. It wasn't the thought of not having anything to talk about that had him apprehensive. He was scared that he had placed her on a pedestal and that he would be disillusioned by her in some way. Not that he'd ever thought he would be, really; but the woman he had been dreaming about for the past few nights seemed so perfect. She was challenging, intelligent, confusing to his senses and beautiful - almost too good to be true. When he thought about the night they'd met, he wondered if he now viewed it through rose-colored glasses. None of the fears he had felt so overwhelmingly that night came to the surface anymore. He knew he felt them very strongly at the time, but the panic of his secret being discovered was overshadowed by her presence. All of his thoughts from that night were happy ones; it had turned into a mystical time because of her. >From the moment their eyes met as he rescued her airplane, something inside him snapped. He had never expected to see her again after that rescue, but two other times that night they were drawn together. Twice he had run from her, the first time after he had saved the plane, and the second time in the airplane hangar after she tried to trick him into revealing his secret powers by jumping off a huge portable stair well. All his life he had to conceal his super abilities and he instinctively ran from her attempts to get him to talk about himself even though he desperately wanted to open up to her. Destiny must have been smiling down on him that night, because after the third time their paths had crossed, he'd given up trying to run from her. It was unfortunate that he didn't meet her as Clark Kent instead his 'flying freak' side. Perhaps if they'd met under different conditions, he would be able to pursue her at *her* own pace. The past few days he had thought about this new scenario - they could have had a proper introduction, learned each other's names and *maybe* he would have found the courage to ask her out. She might have resisted him at first, of course, that was her nature; but he would have been persistent and sooner or later he would have won her trust. Then again, if this were reality instead of his dreams, her guarded attitude probably wouldn't have allowed him to break down any of her self-constructed defenses. Probably seeing him as just another man, she would have snapped him like a twig, and snuffed his feeble attempt to get to know her like two wet fingers putting out a lit match. It was only because he was safe to her now, because of that promise forged in the night, that he was in any position to get to know her. How could spending such a short time with one person have such a profound effect on his life? A few hours in the night were all the memories he could draw upon, yet he felt he had known her a long time. Not only in the sense of familiarity that comes with spending time with someone, but that he *knew* her. Little things - like the way she lifted her chin when she was particularly pleased about something she had said, or the way she had burrowed her face into his shoulder when he took her on their first flight together. Those tiny things didn't come as a surprise to him, they were expected in some unexplainable way. Wherever these feelings came from, he didn't care; it just felt so right to be with her. It was getting so late. Listening with his superhearing, he heard the television set murmuring softly in the background, but embedded in the muted tones was her heartbeat and light steady breathing. More than likely, she was already turned in for the night, but maybe a tiny peek to make sure she was sleeping would be all right. If she were still waiting up for him, he wouldn't want to leave. He used his super vision to look through the wall of her apartment. She was sleeping all curled up on the couch, clutching a small throw pillow. Should he turn her light off? It probably wouldn't hurt her if it was left on, but it bothered him that it was still on. Besides that, her blanket was practically on the floor, and the light September breeze was starting to bear a slight nip to it - she might get a chill if he left her that way. Just for a moment, he rationalized as he floated down from his hidden perch. With sweating palms, he parted the full-length curtains and peered inside. Talking to her would have to wait until next time, but he hoped seeing that she was warm was not intruding on her space. He stepped through the small window, floating carefully down and across the floor so he wouldn't wake her. Picking up the blanket, he placed it gently on her, tucking it carefully around her shoulders, than finally allowed himself to look at her. She appeared smaller than he remembered - in sleep all beings seemed more vulnerable - she was no exception. She was far more beautiful than he remembered as he inhaled sharply. Dark brown hair spilled over on her face, a few strands of it caught in the soft fullness of her lips. Long, black eyelashes lay serenely on smooth, creamy skin. he thought. His gaze traveled slowly downward and even through the thickness of the blanket and her sweats, her soft feminine curves held him captive. He was having a hard time catching his breath. After moment of indulgence, he remembered to breathe again. With a wistful smile on his face, he took one more glance at her, reached the lamp and clicked it off. The noise startled her. "Ummm! Who's here?" She partially sat up and immediately turned the light back on. "Hey. It's me. I was just turning your light off. Sorry I woke you," Clark whispered. "Go back to sleep, it's late." She squinted at the light in her eyes as she tried to focus on his features. "No. I'm glad you came." Lois said, struggling to sit up further. "Come sit down. Can you talk for a while?" "You were sleeping," he protested. "I can come back another time." "Sit!" She rubbed her eyes and sat up a little more. "So are you going to take a seat?" She patted the cushion next to her. Pushing the blanket aside, he sat down stiffly on the edge of the sofa. She pulled the blanket up over her lap, tucking her feet under the covers and looked at him. He looked at her, but couldn't find any more words to speak. Sounds tried to form in his throat, but his mind had completely frozen up. "It's good to see you again," she said after a few long seconds. "It's good to see you, too," he answered automatically. Lois watched his unreadable face for a moment, then cast her eyes down to watch her fingers play with the satin edging on her blanket. Small children often drew comfort from the slick sensation of the shiny material beneath their fingers. Observing kids was far from her favorite past time, but she remembered that Lucy had her security blanket for years, dragging around until the edging was dirty and ragged. Finally her mother cut the binding off in one of her fleeting domestic moments, but the blanket never offered the same comfort again. Her sister had lost interest in it a few days after the silky edging was gone. She rubbed harder at the bright blue satin and wished it would calm the rising feeling of nervousness tightening inside her stomach. Why was it so hard to start a conversation with him? He had finally shown up after days of waiting for him and now they had nothing to talk about. Her heart felt so heavy in her chest. She would bet that he was going to leave her. This friendship had all the indications of being a flash-in-the-pan, a one time wonder. "So how have you been?," she said after another moment of heavy silence. she thought. She never should have agreed to be friends; this was a big mistake. Why couldn't she have just left their friendship on the front steps of that old building? It was perfect that night - now it was... non-existent? It would have been better to think about what could have been than to have... silence. "I hope it was ok, coming here this late," he said tersely. His mouth felt dry, like he'd been licking cotton balls. As the sporadic light from the television set cast dancing shadows across her face, he tried to comprehend her expressions. From what he could tell, she was feeling the same way he was. The magic was gone! This was what he had dreaded. Was this the huge flaw that he'd overlooked? Was he receiving a large dose of reality now? After all his expectations of having a friend he could finally confide in, they had nothing in common. Maybe he should go before all his illusions were broken. Just leave with the memory of that wonderful night, before this awkwardness smothered the lovely phantasm of the woman he met. He gathered himself mentally and prepared to stand up. he thought. Giving up this easily was not an option. He had to think of *something* to break this awful ambiance that had settled over them. There was never a problem of finding words to speak when he talked to heads of state and other influencial members of society. Thinking fast under pressure was never difficult anymore in his job. Who would have thought this petite 'sleeping beauty' could reduce him to a blubbering idiot? Even *that* wasn't true - he *wished* he could blubber *something* to her instead of what appeared to be disinterested silence. He glanced down at his black attire to make sure that he wasn't wearing his farm clothes - the last time he felt anywhere near this speechless in front of a woman was when Lana Lang surprised him one day when he was fifteen. She'd called him into the barn and he found her in the hayloft wearing just his large overalls - the lack of a shirt beneath the bib left nothing to his imagination. After staring speechless at her for several eternities, his hasty retreat down the ladder was just short of superspeed. This incident occured during the time he was developing his super vision and he still wondered if Lana had intentionally dressed that way, or if it was one of his earliest experiences seeing through things. Neither one of them ever spoke of that incident again, although it took Clark many days before he could look her in the eyes. Clark stole a quick glance at Lois. Her eyes were cast down and she looked weary. Maybe she was just tired; after all, it was well past midnight and she *had* been sleeping before he woke her up. Guilt suddenly washed over him as her realized it was *his* fault that this was happening. If he hadn't been so impatient to see her, their next meeting could have been a whole other ballgame. She probably wasn't thinking very clearly now and was still groggy from being awaken in spite of her insistence that he stay. It was his fault, therefore he needed to rectify the situation with some snappy dialogue, or... food! Why didn't he think to bring her some ice cream or something to help them break the ice again. Instantly, he mentally slapped himself on the forehead. Duh, Kent! You brought her the chocolates today - ask her about those. "Did you like the chocolate? I hope that was the kind you wanted," he asked, crossing his fingers on his hand that was not within her sight. Lois breathed a hopeful sigh of relief as she reached over her shoulder and picked up the nearly empty box of chocolates he had delivered earlier that afternoon. "Chocolates? Oh. They're delicious. Want one?" She anxiously thrust the box towards him. "Sure," He knew he would probably choke on a piece if he tried to eat one, but he thought it was wise to keep them moving in what appeared to be a positive direction. "Sorry, I don't have a better choice, but after today, they were just what I needed to unwind." She smiled hesitantly at him. Clark searched around in the crinkled brown cups for a lone piece of chocolate. After frisking the box for a couple of seconds, he took it from her hand and lightly pounded the papers flat with the palm of his hand. He grinned at her. "You must've had to do a lot of unwinding." "They're all gone? I didn't eat the whole box, did I?" Lois clapped her hand over her mouth and collapsed back into the pillows in embarrassment. "All two pounds," he said, as his grin turned into a full blown smile. After her embarrassment faded, she sat up and studied his face. In spite of the terrified look that was fading in his eyes, Lois noticed that he was relaxing a bit more, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Just maybe they were going to get through this awkward phase of their friendship. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:15:22 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 4 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Part 4 He smiled sheepishly at her and scooted back into the sofa to get more comfortable. "So how have you been? How's the job hunting?" he asked, tossing the chocolate papers up and down inside the box. "It must've been a hard day if you ate *all* this." "*Don't* rub it in, mister," she quipped, as she snatched the box from his hand and placed it on the table behind her. "It was a hard day; very frustrating and hot, but I *did* make a contact today. It's like a shark tank out there, though. The field I'm in is so competitive, especially for a woman - it oozes testosterone. Not to mention the fact that my feet have blisters and they ache..." "Don't give up. You'll find something in a few days. Here, give me your foot." He held out his hand tentatively, his expression asking permission to proceed. She stuck a foot out from under the blanket and allowed him to grab it gently. "You said you have blisters?" "Just on the back of my heels." "I'll be careful." His hands were firm, applying just enough strength on the right pressure points to give immediate gratification to her aching appendage. Her foot felt like it would melt like butter in his grip. It just hurt so good. "That feels marvelous," she said as he continued to give her foot a massage. Her tension from before was rapidly dissolving away. He stopped after a moment and bathed her foot in a wash of warm heat. "Hmmm... you do know how to treat a girl," she sighed as his therapy for her foot began to take effect. She leaned happily back into the sofa pillows, but a sudden revelation struck her as she noticed something was different. "Hey, what's with the hair? New style?" He broke out in another relieved grin, his cheeks flushing slightly. "It's an experiment. I thought I'd try this out to see how I liked it. It's for the new identity. I thought slicking it back with gel would help keep it in place when I fly. What do you think?" He turned his head from side to side so she could see all view points of his new hair style. "Looks good. Quite striking in a heroic sort of way," Lois stated, trying to smother a giggle. Although he honestly was very handsome in his new hair style, it was his mannerisms that tickled her funny bone. The way he was turning his head from side to side reminded her of an old fashion commercial for Brillo Cream. "So it *is* too much. I knew it. I should have listened to Dad," he groaned. "I didn't say that! It looks good. Very professional." "Are you sure?" He smoothed a hand over the top of his head. "Maybe I should have gone with the spikes." "Trust me. No spikes. Let it go." He smiled at her once more, then looked down to concentrate on rubbing her foot. What was he thinking? Was this a far too intimate favor to offer to do for her? He'd been dreaming of this for such a long time - well something very similar to this - curled up on the couch or in front of a fireplace with his love wrapped in his arms, while they'd talk about the day's events. He always hoped for someone to share his life with, but it seemed too distant, too remote - until now. Except, at this particular moment, the only thing he had wrapped around her was his hands on one foot, but it was a start. Now the woman in his dreams would have *her* face and he didn't know whether to be mortified or happy; after all, she wanted only friendship from him. But what could it hurt to have this moment in his mind? Lois noted that he seemed so much more comfortable than just a few minutes before. This was how she remembered him - relaxed and concerned for her welfare. She thought it was kind of him to care about her aching feet of all things. No one had ever offered to do this for her before, and she reveled in this sweet gesture of his friendship for a few moments. She watched his face as a tiny smile crept up on the corners of his mouth. He must be as relieved as she was that they were finding the same rapport as the other night. "We did it," she grinned triumphantly. "Did what?" "Picked up right where we left off. You've been here for only ten minutes and we are chatting like we've been friends for years." "It *feels* like we've been friends for years, but I was a little doubtful before I came here." He glanced away quickly, then met her eyes again. "And *very* dubious a few minutes ago." "I know. It's a big relief to me too. I didn't know if we were going to make it." "Actually, I was terrified. I sat on the roof across the alleyway for a long time." "Is that why you were late? It's not like you mentioned in your note what time you'd be here, but I *was* expecting you a little earlier than this." "I intended to come sooner, but I had to help with a mudslide in Mexico. Then I had to go home to shower." "And try out the hair gel." "That too." "Why were you having doubts?" "I've wanted someone other than my parents to know my secret for so long. I suppose I was scared you would think about everything and change your mind." "Are you kidding? And miss out on this?" She pointed to her foot in his hands and smiled. "No, really. You taught me more about friendship in one night than what I've learned my whole life. My secret fear was that you'd decide knowing me was too risky and take off for parts unknown. Either that, or you would go the super hero route and never see me again. But mostly, I had a hard time believing that a man could ever stay friends with me without some sort of angle or agenda. You seemed almost too good to be true." "I'm far from perfect..." Clark guiltily replied, as his thoughts of only moments earlier came to mind. "See. That's the difference. You know you're not, but the other jerks I've dealt with believe they *are* perfect." "Okay, I get your point..." Clark answered. He looked down at the small foot in his hands. She didn't seem to be bothered by this expression of friendship, she was totally unaware that his mind had stepped over the line drawn in the sand. Perhaps he was being overly sensitive, or stupid, about this whole matter, but he'd better reined in his imagination before she caught on to him. "So how did your parents react when you told them about your new identity?" "They were a little scared at first, but I told them about almost leaving town and how closed in I felt about this whole Miracle Mania craze." He released her foot and picked up the other one. "I told them about you." "What did you tell them?" She flinched as Clark began to work their magic. "Sorry," he grinned, glancing at her foot. "I told them that I found a friend who I felt comfortable enough around to talk to about *everything*." "What did they say about an outsider knowing about you?" "They were happy we didn't exchange names, although Mom didn't seem as worried as Dad. But their concerns were eased when I explained that it was *you* who convinced me to stay in Metropolis." He gave her foot a squeeze. "Mom said to thank you when I saw you again." He felt a twinge of embarrassment. What he didn't tell her was that his mom also said to give her a big hug. His mother had a way of seeing right through him. Although he didn't go into any details about that night, and tried to sound as detached as possible when discussing her, there was a hint of amusement in her expression as they talked. Later that night, Clark had accidently heard his mom telling his father. 'He's fallen like a sack of potatoes for that girl and he doesn't even know it yet,' and that was when he realized it was true. He was falling in love with this crazy, beautiful stranger and his mother had known it before he did. But he had promised her to stay only friends, and as much as he wished otherwise, he would keep that vow. This euphoric feeling he felt whenever he thought about her was so new to him. That meant he would have to work on keeping his emotions in check and *not* letting them show. For all he knew, this was just an infatuation - a crush. More than likely his emotions would level off and he would learn how to handle them. A tiny voice popped up inside his head and answered back, He ignored the sarcastic snipe in his head, instead thinking that once he learned to rein in his budding feelings for her, it would be good to have the companionship that they both desired. After all, she was wonderful company, and once they had started talking the other night, it was hard to part ways . The renegade noisemaker piped up again, Before Clark could defend himself to that annoying chirper, Lois' voice chimed in his ear. "So you mentioned you have your outfit already? What does it look like? And can I see it?" Startled, he laughed nervously, glad for the intrusion from those disturbing reflections. He had to think for a second to register in his mind what she had said. The suit? She wanted to see the suit. "Umm... I'm still working up the courage to wear it around my apartment, much less let anyone else see it yet." He lifted her foot to put back on the sofa, but she placed it back to where it was resting on his lap. With silent communication and body language, she urged him not to stop his ministrations. Those deep brown eyes had him wrapped around her little finger and he didn't dare disappoint her. He'd deal with those wanton thoughts later - maybe. "Is the suit that bad? Perhaps you should start over." "No. Dad likes it a lot and I value his judgment. It's just so revealing; Mom used a lot of spandex." Her eyes widened. "Spandex? Why *don't* you model it for me? Believe me, I'll give you an honest opinion." He grinned at her, she was as impatient as he remembered. Besides, if he could pull off wearing his suit in front of *her*, then he could do it in front of anyone. "Ok. I'll show you, but first I have some things to share. After I convinced my parents that obtaining a public identity was the right thing to do, we talked about the night they found me." His eyes were cast with a faraway look as he repeated the lines told to him as a child. "They were coming home and saw a strange light fall from the sky. When they went to investigate it, they found me, a small baby, in a tiny spaceship in one of their neighbor's fields. Mom and Dad had tried for years to have children, so when they finally found a child, they were determined to keep me." The spell about him broke as he turned to Lois and continued, "Of course, I heard the story many times before, but then Dad said he had something special to show me, something he had never felt compelled to share with me until that night. We went out to the barn and under the floor boards in one of the feed rooms, he had buried my spaceship." "Spaceship?" "My folks never knew where I came from, they thought that maybe I was a Russian experiment or a secret Government project. I always had wondered about my lineage, who my biological parents were, and why they didn't want me." "I didn't think to ask you anything about your origins that night or how you got your powers. We'd covered a lot of ground that night, and it totally slipped my mind." "That doesn't matter. Now I can answer your questions more thoroughly." "So, did you see the spaceship?" "Yes. It was amazing. The ship was so small, I couldn't believe that I was able to travel in it, even as a baby. But the most amazing part was not the ship, but what was inside. Evidently, my dad was in such a hurry to hide it, that he didn't find a small globe tucked under the seat." He stopped talking for a moment and studied her reaction. "Am I scaring you with any of this?" he fretted. "No." She patted his arm. "You can't scare me away. Stop worrying and talk. What was this globe?" He broke into a relieved grin before resuming his tale. "As soon as I touched it, it started to glow. At first, it had the earth's form and land masses, but it changed quickly to a unfamilar world. The globe felt like it was a living entity, it pulsed and seemed to be alive in my hands. Then a hologram appeared in front of us - it was my biological father. Apparently, they didn't abandon me like I always believed they did. I was sent away because they loved me." Clark sighed, and fell silent. Lois could tell something had struck an emotional cord inside of him as he swallowed heavily a few times in order to gather himself again. After a moment he continued. "I tell you, it was an indescribable feeling standing there with the parents I had known all my life and then seeing my birth parents for the first time. My mom's face was so still, it was as though she was afraid they were going to take me back. When the hologram ended, she was gripping my arm so tightly her knuckles had turned white." "What about your father? How did he react?" "Quietly. I guess it's not everyday you find out your only son's an alien. I'm sure he had his suspicions though, he never actually told me about them, but I guess they were there all along." He reclined wearily back into the cushions and continued, "The name of the planet I'm from was Krypton." "Was? As in past tense?" she asked. "The planet was dying rapidly. There wasn't any time left for them. As a last ditch effort, they put me in that tiny spaceship and sent me here because Earth was very close to Krypton in compatibility. My earth parents found me in a nearby farmer's field and buried the spaceship in their barn. Apparently, some government agents came around a few days later looking for some clues. That's why my parents thought I might have been an experiment from some other country." "So you're a foundling from another planet. Are your parents treating you any differently?" "Oh no! If I've learned anything from this it's that I know that they'll love me no matter who or what I am. I'm so fortunate to have had them raise me. They were mostly worried how I was handling all this." "How do you feel about knowing the truth?" He finished with the last foot he was working on and tucked it under the warmth of the blanket before he answered her. This time she left it there. "Confused. Happy and sad at the same time. At least I know I wasn't some throw away child that the government had forgotten. I've always been different, but now I understand why." "What makes you sad? You have the truth." "I'm not human, I'm Kryptonian - the *last* of my kind... my whole race was destroyed in that planet explosion. I can never be the same as anyone else, anywhere. There's always going to be a part of me that wishes that I could be normal." He looked her pointedly. "Face it, I'm from another planet. That's a fact now, not just a wild guess." "But that doesn't matter, except for your planet exploding. You're Kryptonian, I'm human. So what! Being human is not necessarily a good thing," she smiled at him. "I should know, I've dealt with enough idiot humans to last a lifetime." "I guess it's going to take a while for me to absorb. I mean, I've always known I was different, but this is so final. I've been trying to live in this city for some time now. As much as I try, I know I'll never be able to live a completely normal life." Clark laid his head back and closed his eyes. "But you have your normal life already. Now that we've figured out an answer to your problem with this new identity, you're about to make a difference in the world the way you've always dreamed. Think about your dreams. You still have them, don't you?" He nodded. Hoping he wasn't distancing himself from her again, Lois sat up straighter in order to be closer to him, then reached out and covered his hand resting on the seat. At her touch, his eyes opened and he smiled wistfully at her. He really *did* feel alone in this world, she realized. What a burden to have to carry - knowing all your life you were different and not understanding why. Then finding out you were from another planet... She squeezed his hand tightly and was happy when he turned it over and gripped hers back with equal strength. At that moment, respect for him welled up inside of her. Not knowing all his life the very important details that made him who he was, he could have reacted so adversely; yet, he had become a man who cared, and wanted to use those differences for the good of all people, not just himself. His parents must be very special people to have raised him, knowing he was different, yet instilling inside him a solid foundation of the values that he possessed. She shuttered to think what would have happened if her parents had found him instead. "Thanks for the encouragement," he said finally. "I didn't say anything...much." "But you're here... listening. That means a lot to me." "No problem. Don't forget that you have me on your side now." "I won't." His grip on her hand slackened slightly and he rolled his head towards her and sought her eyes. She observed that they were not so downcast anymore. His melancholy mood had passed and she was rewarded with a heart-felt grin. "So where's this suit?" Lois asked, hoping to capitalize on the changing atmosphere that suddenly filled the room. "Just a minute! *Patience*, please." He made a face at her and continued, "One more thing, I found out my Kryptonian name. I don't know if you want to know it; it was my idea not to exchange names, but since this isn't my *real* identity..." "I'd really like it if I could call you something other than 'stranger'," Lois replied. Clark got a pensive look on his face and stared off across the room. "According to my biological father, I come from the House of El. He was Jor-El and my mother's name was Lara. " He turned to Lois. "I'm Kal-El." "Kal-El. That's almost earth-like, except for the El, but that's like your last name, isn't it?" "I believe so." "Ok, *Kal*; but it's only fair that I give you mine. How about just my first name so we can be even? I don't think that's going to break any of the ground rules *you* set." "Sure, if you don't mind." Finally, he would have a name to go with that face. "Lois. My name's Lois," she stated. "Lois," he spoke barely above a whisper. Her name seemed to roll off his tongue - to him, it was beautiful. While he was out flying, he had imagined what her name could possibly be, but hadn't been able to settle on one. 'Lois' wasn't too perky or trendy - it just seemed to fit her. His hand tightened ever so slightly around the small one that was still resting in his larger one. "It's a good thing you told me your name. You couldn't imagine the choices I was coming up with in my mind." "Same thing with you. Kal's pretty normal sounding. Even now, I can still take a stab at your real name. Maybe it's something like Archibald or Jerome," she paused when she saw his caught-with-his-hand-in-the-cookie jar expression on his face. "I'm right, aren't I?" she gloated. "One of those is your real name. You said you would tell me if I found out anything about your real identity." "You're correct in that it's one of them," he replied with a grin. "But the question is, is it my first name or last?" He hoped he could send her on a wild goose chase. There were too many possibilities to calculate. Plus, there was no way she could guess his identity by only knowing his middle name. Her mind went into overdrive. "I don't think any respectable parents, especially ones living out in the countryside, would call their kid, Archibald. That's more like some high society hand-me-down with a silly title of 'the Third' attached to it, so it has to be Jerome. Am I correct?" "Ok. You've got me there," he admitted. "What's wrong with the name, Jerome?" "Nothing. I was just making a contrast. Horrible versus passable. Good compared to bad. I've always liked the name Jerome. There was a kid in my seventh grade class who I had my first crush on and he liked me too. We were just working up enough nerve for our first kiss when he had to move away. I guess you can say that's my only relationship that didn't end up as a recipient for government aid." "Did you ever see him again?" "Yes, I did. It was my five year high school class reunion, and Jerome stopped by just to see if there was anyone he knew from junior high." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "What's so funny?" "He was a Neanderthal! Hairy arms, neck, hands! I don't think I've seen anyone with that much hair and most of him was covered with clothes, but he was as nice as he could be. He was engaged to someone living in Metropolis and was here on a visit. So the name Jerome has a good track record with me." "That's good to know. Wouldn't want to give you nightmares at the mention of my name." "Good, for now," she smiled sweetly at him, giving him a tiny punch on the arm. "You've put it off long enough, let me see the suit." "Has anyone told you you're like a pit bull? You don't give up, do you?" "Not like a pit bull exactly," she hemmed. <'Mad Dog', maybe>, she thought. "Now where's the outfit...Jerome?" She studied his puzzled reaction. "Ah ha! Confused response. Must be your middle name. Now get out of here and be sure you don't find a cat in a tree that needs rescuing or you'll have to answer to me." "Ok, ok. I'll be right back." He rose from the sofa and headed for the window. She was good. He hoped he hadn't underestimated her tenacity for the truth. ******* tbc _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:18:11 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 5 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Part 5 Lois drummed her fingers on the table besides the sofa. He had been gone perhaps five minutes and said he'd be right back. How long did it take a man with the capacity to achieve mach three in two seconds to change his clothes? On a whim, she got up and padded over to the window. Pulling the drapes out of the way, she stuck out her head outside to see if she could find him lurking around in the late night. The flashing lights of the Apollo hotel glowed in the alley way outside her window. Even in the obscure location where her room was located, they provided enough light for her to see several feet. "Kal," she whispered. "Are you out here?" She couldn't talk very loudly - Mrs. Buysse would be up in a flash if she thought there was trouble brewing - but that super hearing had to be good for something. "Kal! Where are you?" she said more emphatically, trying not to speak louder than what was necessary, although it was undetermined to her at this point exactly how well he *could* hear, or for that matter, how quickly he could get dressed and fly back to her apartment. "Are you looking for me?" A timid voice said above her. "There you are. What are you doing on the roof?" She twisted her head until she was looking upside-down. All she could see of him was his shiny head sticking out over the edge. "I don't know about this, Lois," he stated. "I feel... ridiculous." "Come down from there, or I'm jumping out this window," she teased. "You know I'll do it." He laughed softly, "Promise you won't laugh? You'll give me an honest opinion, won't you?" "What if my honest opinion is a laugh?" she goaded playfully. When his head disappeared from the roof line, she determined he was slightly more insecure about this outfit than she had first realized. "Wait a minute, I'm kidding. Come on down. You're going to look great..." She was interrupted from her consoling by a knock on her door. A deep alto voice spoke from behind the entrance way. "Lois. Are you ok? I thought I heard some man talking up here." She sprinted the short distance across the room, turned on the overhead lights, and opened the door. "Hi, Mrs. Buysse," Lois said, eyeing the baseball bat that garnished her landlord's hand. "I was yelling at the television. You know, those political talk programs can really get a person riled up." "Yeah, those politicians all sound a like," she said belligerently. "But I could have sworn I heard voices outside your window. Do you want me to check?" "That's perfectly all right. I didn't hear anything," she hurried and faked a yawn. "I was *just* now heading to bed." "Ok. You can't be too careful - especially a young thing like you on your own. Men could be hanging out anywhere, particularly in this part of town." "Yes, Mrs. Buysse. I'll be careful," she confirmed while trying to smother a snicker. "I see you got your chocolate from that nice young man," she stated, eyeing the empty box. "Well, now, you be sure to watch him too. Once they start bringing you gifts, you don't know what they are going to want in return." "We're just friends," Lois answered. "He's harmless." "That's how they all start out, as innocent as a butterfly, but you never know when they're going to turn back into a rotten worm," she said matter-of-factly, drawing her advice from old worn out memories. "Yeah," Lois commiserated with her, "we all have a few worms lurking around in our life. But honestly, he's one of the good guys." "If you say so. Well, as long as everything's ok up here, I'll go, but I'm going to keep my ears open anyway," she said as she turned to leave. "Don't forget to lock your locks, dear. Good night." "Good night," Lois said as she quickly shut the door. Letting out a relieved sigh, she rested her forehead briefly against the doorframe, then rapidly clicked each bolt and snapped every lock shut. If there was one thing that Mrs. Buysse had taught her, it was how much she reveled in securing her apartment. It made her feel as though she was putting one over on all the scumbags in the city. She had to be sure that when she rented her next apartment, there would be at least five locks to garnish her door. After hooking the chain in place, she smiled to herself. Now it was time to find Kal. She was about to turn around to walk back to the window, but was stopped in her tracks by a strong male voice. "Do you need any more locks on your door?" he chuckled, chiding her softly. She whirled around quickly, and sharply drew in her breath, her eyes opening wide at the sight of him. Kal stood before her in a skin tight blue suit with red over briefs trimmed in yellow. The primary colors contrasted sharply against each other, and the clingy material drew her eyes to the masculine features of his body. A diamond-shaped emblem in the center of his chest was embellished with a large S symbol inside it. His red cape alone, billowing from his soft landing, took up more than half the space in her room. She swallowed noisily as her eyes focused in on the physical attributes of his body. It was a quite a shock to see what the loosely fitting black clothes he'd been wearing before had been covering up. "Just look at you. Wow!" she whispered, full of wonderment. He most certainly appeared to have all the parts of a man, she thought, as her eyes wandered from the tip of his red dyed boots upward along his beautifully proportioned body. The clearly defined muscles in his biceps appeared to be as big around as her thighs. As for his muscular chest, the thin spandex displayed the ripples and plains of his chest to perfection - and, at that particular moment, she would have given almost anything to run her hands over those hard curves. There was no denying he was gorgeous. At last, since she'd turned on the bright overhead lights, she was finally able to see him clearly. The sharp chiseled features of his face and neck were what legends were made of, but it was his eyes that drew her in above all the other physical qualities. They were a deep, rich chestnut overlaid with shimmering light. He has dancing eyes, Lois thought. As he smiled at her now, they came alive and seemed to reach down to hold her captive in them. She had known he was handsome before, despite the dimness of the other night, but now the total effect of his presence was awesome. This degree of sheer magnetism that was radiating from his persona now was something she never expected and had caught her completely off guard. He shuffled his feet and looked up at the ceiling, his smile fading into uncertainty. It appeared her scrutiny of his physical traits was leaving him uncomfortable. The high rush she felt at seeing the world's first super hero in all his glory gave way to the reality that this was just her friend - a somewhat shy country boy from middle America who was trying to find his place in the world. She shook her head to clear it from the dizzying thoughts racing around inside of it. As Lois came back down to earth, without thinking, she grabbed his hand, "Honestly, you look great. Face it, your mom knew what she was doing when she designed this suit." "Think so?" The last couple of seconds he could feel his cheeks growing warm under her obvious examination and approval. Although it left him feeling awkward and very self conscious, huge wave of relief washed over him as he realized the ultimate test had been passed. Her open admiration of him in his new outfit left Clark feeling that he was able to face anything or anyone with confidence. Although he wanted to make a favorable impression on the world, it was this small woman's opinion that mattered the most to him. "Absolutely," she beamed as she swung their hands back and forth. If she could have seen herself in the mirror, she would have hardly recognized the person in it. She was acting like a school girl as their hands swayed between them, her defenses were completely gone. , she thought. All of her built-in safeguards had slipped away like heavy chains and she felt free to be herself. After all she had been through the past few months, one would think that the steel-reinforced cement walls she'd constructed around herself would be impenetrable, yet she was acting like a kid in a candy store around him. The most powerful man in the world was no threat to her - that fact, in itself, was liberating. Other men had used her; casting her aside without any regard for her feelings - her heart was left bruised and calloused. Yet, this very remarkable person wanted to befriend her; no strings, no expectations and she suspected he'd be willing to do almost anything for her. As she was learning to trust him, his promise of only friendship was helping to anchor down her insecurities about the opposite sex. A small rush of gratitude swept through her. "So, what does the S stand for?" she asked when she could finally compose her thoughts again. "It was attached to the blanket I was wrapped in when I came here as a baby. I assume it's some sort of family crest because it was also engraved on the ship that I came in." "Are you going to base a name for yourself from the symbol? You know people are going to ask you about it." "I suppose I should. Any suggestions?" She tugged on his hand, pulling him toward the sofa, and flopped down upon it. "How about Stupendous Man?" "That could easily be turned into Stupid Man," he said wryly, taking a seat next to her. "Or Silly Man. That's the way I feel in these tights." "Here we go...Spandex Man - guaranteed to get you out of a *tight* spot," Lois giggled. "Hey! You're getting into a sensitive area there. Watch it, or I may go up on the roof again." "Sensitive? As in ticklish? Or are you a man of steel?" Her hands darted out and began to tickle his sides and soon had him on his back squirming on top of the cushions. Her light touch had him writhing in sweet agony. He had never known he could be so sensitive to someone else's physical contact. "All right, stop or turnabout is fair play," he chuckled, secretly hoping that she would continue so he would have an excuse to tickle *her*. She pulled her hands away from his ribs and placed them in her lap. "I'll be good; but now that I know that you are ticklish, you're fair game, buster." "And *you* are warned that I won't just sit by and let you torture me next time." "That's fair, but you can't use any super powers, super man," she said as she poked him right in the middle of his emblem. Narrowing her eyes, the name she just now called him began to register in her mind. "Superman," she whispered thoughtfully. Then she grew more excited and exclaimed, "That's it! Superman! What do you think?" "Superman? Isn't that a little self-promoting? I just want to help out, not sell myself," Clark protested. "But it fits! You have all these super powers and a big red S on your chest. *And* you're a pretty super guy, not just in the strength department either," Lois insisted. "If people get self-righteous, just tell them your mother made the suit and your best friend named you." "Am I your best friend?" he said slowly. It was still hard to fathom that she had gotten past all the superpowers and liked him for himself. Those doubts had come racing back full tilt at him after her close scrutiny of him a couple of moments ago. But he quickly pushed them aside. It would be a different story if she didn't know him *before* he had the suit. He wasn't quite sure he would know how to handle it if she had admired him openly *without* knowing him first. "If you're not already, you're going to be. So whatcha gonna do about it?" "I guess I'm going to become Superman," he grinned, happy because of her admission of friendship. "Because if I don't, you're liable to throw yourself off a fifty story building or something crazy like that." "That's still a possibility. I'd love to go flying with you again," she hinted. "I'd like to take you flying, but there's still the fact that the media will be all over the place when I go public. We should do it after the dust settles; even then, after dark so no one tracks me to you." "Protecting me again," she said, frowning. "The media doesn't bother me." "However, every criminal that will want to use you as leverage bothers *me*," Clark replied. "That's one of the reasons we decided not to share private information. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being selfish by wanting to be friends with you. I have no idea how the world is going to receive me and if you are connected to me in any way, I'd hate to think how you would be treated." "I know you believe some lowlife is going to suck the information about your real identity out of me with some sort of truth serum. Also, I know it's important to you for me to *not* know your identity - partly, because you have your parents' safety to consider. Please, Kal, don't feel bad for coming over here. You've helped me in ways I never thought anyone could." "What ways are that?" "Well, to be honest, you have me laughing again. That's one thing that I haven't done enough of lately. Frankly, I haven't felt this comfortable with *anyone*, *ever*, and that includes my family. I get along pretty well with my sister - when we're not fighting, but those times are few and far between. She's living way out in California now, though, so it's nice to have you *here*." "You mean you're not this sunshiny personality all the time?" Clark pretended to be shocked, then smiled at her. "Hardly. It's good that you can't spread that around. I have a reputation to keep up, you know; although I don't know who's around to remember it anymore." "I seem to recall a slight flare up from the other night when you were packing your suitcase in the middle of the sidewalk." "Sorry if I was a little unreasonable then. I try to take one day at a time, but that day, several of them attacked at once. Clark laughed quietly, "You're forgiven. I suppose it's not fair to you that I know where you live and you know nothing about me..." "Don't sweat the details, Kal. After all, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even *have* this place. By the way, do you sweat?" "Only under extreme emotional duress," he answered, then thought, <*and* when I'm around you.> "How's Mrs. Buysse working out?" "She's a cross between a den mother and a drill sergeant. She makes wonderful baked goods, but then she serves them to you with a baseball bat in her other hand," Lois grimaced. "She knows everything that goes on in this neighborhood, which could put a cramp on our visiting each other. I'm surprised she hasn't been up here again. This house is so old and thin, you can hear a mouse burp down in the basement." "I'll keep my eye out for another place for you. This area of town isn't the best -just for example, that seedy hotel across the alleyway, I've seen the people who stay in that place and I don't think even *I'd* be safe there. That's probably why she comes across the way she does - she'd have to be tough to survive living by herself in this area. I'm glad she's watching over you." As if on cue, sharp rapping sounded on the ceiling. "Lois! Are you ok? I thought I heard a man's voice again," Mrs. Buysse voice rung through the plaster and the floor boards. "Are you sure you don't have any lost Kryptonian relations? She hears as well as you do." Lois rolled her eyes and yelled back. "I'm fine, Mrs. Buysse. Thanks for watching out for me." She turned to Clark and whispered, "If I mollify her by being grateful, she might let it pass and not come up here again." "Are you sure you don't want me to come up?" The muffled sounds of her deep voice spoke from the floor. "That's ok. I'm glad you're watching out for me, but I'm safe." "My pleasure, hon. Good night, Lois. Remember where you put that bed slat, just in case." "I have it near my bed. Thanks for checking on me. G'nite." "Bed slat?" Clark questioned. Lois pointed to a smooth hefty two-by-four leaning against the wall in the small open bedroom off the side of her kitchen. "Oh. I'm glad I'm invulnerable. I guess that's my cue to fly." Clark rose from the couch. "It's getting so late and you have another day of job hunting tomorrow, don't you?" "I suppose," Lois replied, saddened at the thought of him leaving so soon. "Anyway, you look great. Go knock 'em dead, when... tomorrow?" "Let's hope so, depends on the circumstances." "I wish I knew when and where you were going to be so I could be there," she said wistfully. If she could catch his debut, then that would be a great first story to take to the Daily Planet. After all, she had found him first. She had already vowed to herself *not* to turn *him* - the flying stranger and whatever information she learned about him privately - into a headline, so any explanations to a newspaper would have to be credible. No one could be privy to the fact that she knew Superman before his introduction to the world. She had to be at the exact location at just the right time in order to get the scoop ahead of the other reporters. At least she did have the advantage of knowing beforehand that Superman was about to arrive, and she could plan accordingly. It was just a matter of keeping her eyes to the skies. "I wish you could be there with me, too," Clark smiled. "But when I tell them my name is Superman, I'll be seeing your face." "Are you going to go to the press, or rescue something first?" "I'll wait for a rescue, then they'll know I want to help." "Sounds like a plan." She got up from the couch and walked him to the window. "Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you." Lois looked thoughtful for a second, then fumbled around her neck, unclasped a chain with a small charm dangling from it. "Here. Take this with you. It's a good luck charm my sister gave me when I left California. It must work well, because you've saved me a couple of times already." She reached around his neck and fastened the chain, taking care to tuck it under the top of his suit. "There. Can't see a thing. Remember, you can do this. I know your first instinct is to run away in order to protect yourself, but hang tough." She smiled, patting the small horseshoe charm beneath his suit. She was so beautiful in the way she was smiling up at him, Clark felt himself being drawn ever closer to her face, and those soft, full lips. After just a second or two of heavenly distraction, he caught himself and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Thanks, that's sweet," he said, as he briefly covered her hand with his. "I couldn't do this without you." He opened up his arms, and looked at Lois with a lopsided grin on his face. She smiled back at him once more, and just like before when they said good bye the first time, she wrapped her arms around his waist. It seemed like a new routine was being established, one that he would like to continue for very long time. Lois drew away from him and smiled, "See ya later, Stranger." Tracing the 'S' on his chest, she continued, "Or should I say, Superman." His heart felt like it nearly stopped beating as he felt her fingers lightly followed the emblem's pattern on his suit. Clark was jolted out of his brief trance when she gave him a sound thump on his chest with the palm of her hand. "I'm so glad you stopped by," she sighed happily. "Don't forget, I believe in you." "Thanks. I expect that you'll have a new job soon." Clark tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. "Also, that you'll stay out of trouble." "I managed to do that the last few days, didn't I?" Lois quipped. "Yes, you did," he answered with the light dancing in his eyes. "If our first night together was any indication of how you like to find trouble, I imagine you are about due." "Ye of little faith! Just watch me!" she said challengingly. "Believe me, I will. Remember, if you ever need me, just call for help." His face grew serious. "Please be careful, especially in this neighborhood. Make sure your doors are locked." He parted the curtains and had to float sideways to get out. "We're going to have to find you a new place soon, I'll keep my eye out for you. Besides, these old apartment buildings are not very user friendly," he quipped once he was outside. "Good bye, Lois." "Bye. Talk to you soon," she laughed as a red and blue blur melted in the night sky. ****** tbc _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 07:24:48 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: A Question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I've almost finished Home IV: Honeymoon. I've been thinking about posting it to this list, but I don't know if you want to see it in installments over the next three weeks, or do you want to wait a few weeks and see it all in one piece on the Archive? Let me know, please. Nan ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:25:43 -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: A Question MIME-version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I love it and vote for posting it here. V -----Original Message----- From: Nancy Smith [mailto:deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET] Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 8:25 AM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: A Question I've almost finished Home IV: Honeymoon. I've been thinking about posting it to this list, but I don't know if you want to see it in installments over the next three weeks, or do you want to wait a few weeks and see it all in one piece on the Archive? Let me know, please. Nan ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 09:19:31 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit They are part of the thread fanfic idea up for grabs - all three came from me yesterday! I didn't title it until later - it was just going to be a for fun 5 minute thing -but then everyone kept wanting more. . .and more and since I don't want melisma showing up on my doorstep. . . Hope you find them! CM On Thu, 8 Feb 2001 08:01:04 -0700 Vicki Krell writes: > Um...why don't I seem to have parts 1 and 2?? > > V > > -----Original Message----- > From: Pam Jernigan [mailto:jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET] > Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 11:55 PM > To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU > Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? > > Carol, babe, you are on a roll! Get some sleep, then write > more! > There are just too many funny lines here... :) > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:33:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Think Sorels are boots. I've never worn Sorels, but yes... > Labatt & Molson beer commercials all have Canadian settings which usually > feature a tongue-in-cheek play on some Canadian stereotype -- they assume #1- > 29 are part your internal psyche. > LOL. Having moved to the state of Michigan in order to attend college, I've had a strange awakening. Being so close to Canada has its advantages and its new 'lingo'. Actually, hunting season, is I believe the day when the least amount of people attend class, the Stanley Cup brings everything to a grinding halt and everyone around here swears to me that Molson Canadian (Labatt has its advocates as well) is the best beer in the world. Dating is a nightmare though (so be forewarned if you aren't excited by hunting season, beef jerkey and buying gun paraphenalia). Thanks for the jokes :) Rachel ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:47:55 -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: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Vicki, parts 1 and 2 are hiding under the subject line "fanfic idea up for grabs" -- just look for the ones Carol posted, I guess :) Vicki Krell wrote: > > Um...why don't I seem to have parts 1 and 2?? > > V > > -----Original Message----- > From: Pam Jernigan [mailto:jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET] > Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 11:55 PM > To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU > Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? > > Carol, babe, you are on a roll! Get some sleep, then write more! > There are just too many funny lines here... :) > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:01:27 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.20010207204229.00841210@pop.intergate.ca> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I loved this Carol, but now what happens. How do they get out of being married? OR Do they stay married? What does the IRS really want from them? And where will they go on their honeymoon? Stop enjoying all the compliments and get to work. Gerry ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:15:29 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Tara, I don't know what Sorels are either. The Molson Canadian beer ads had this guy (who is on some American sit com now) listing what he is not and then he ends it by saying "I am Canadian". Beer ads here tend to be very nationalistic. Let me add to the list #30. I eat Kraft Dinner. Gerr ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:20:44 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Adam Labotka Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Grr Carol I hate you, you write so much faster then I can :P. Enjoying this keep it coming please. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:16:02 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 4 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I know, I know. Melisma wants more substance. But I still have 40 pages of John Locke to read today - so here is another page or so. Maybe will have more later! I get to read Strangers II as a reward for finishing! Have a great day everyone! This one took about an hour (course I was watching today's LC - Seconds - I really don't like this whole clone thing - this is my first time through the series!) ***** "Is the thought of being married to me that horrible?" Lois just glared at him. "You are not funny. Don't start with me." "Fine, Lois, whatever. Would you mind explaining to me exactly how we are in trouble with the IRS?" "I don't know - I think he said something about a marriage penalty that we were avoiding or something. I really wasn't paying attention. The fact that," her voice turned to a hiss, "we are married really threw me for a loop! He left his card and said to call soon or else." "Marriage penalty? I don't know anything about that. We can ask Joe, the financial editor - he'll be able to tell us." Lois stood in front of him and poked a finger into his chest. "We are NOT telling ANYONE do you understand me? The only person who is going to know is the lawyer who gets us a divorce or an annulment or whatever." "Come on. My mom's always wanted a daughter. She'd be thrilled!" He got another patented Lane glare. He was going to have to change his thinking - it was now a patented *Kent* glare. At least he wanted it to be. He was going to have to find a way to convince her that this really wasn't such a bad idea, especially if he could do it without revealing the whole Superman business. "Clark, I am not going to stay married to you. That is all there is to it. You know I'm never marrying. Unless it's Superman - but he just isn't the marrying kind you know. What am I saying? Of course you know. Somehow, you can get a hold of him anytime, night or day without screaming for help. He won't even tell *me* how to do that! So you are the privileged one, not me! I can't imagine how wonderful marriage to him would be." Her voice dropped as she imagined dancing on air. "Never mind. It will never happen. What we need to figure out is how we are going to get a divorce!" "Do we have to?" Lois exploded. "Of course we have to! I am NOT staying married to a hack from Nowheresville!" Clark grimaced. "Are we back to that again? I thought we had gotten beyond that." "We have. But I am still not staying married to you!" "Lois, I was raised in a small farming community with old fashioned family values and I'm sorry, but divorce just wasn't one of them." "Oh, don't even start, Kent. We are getting a divorce and that's all there is to it." Neither one heard Perry walk in. "What in tarnation are you two talking about?" Clark answered first. "We got married, Chief. Can we have some time off for a honeymoon?" "I told you not to start with me, Kent. You are not funny. Chief, we need time off to get a divorce." "What are you two yapping about?" Lois explained ending with, "I am not staying married to Clark Kent." "I don't believe this, kids. What kind of laws are these? I think there's a story here. And you two are going to write it." "What?!" "No way." Both reporters exploded at the same time. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:25:07 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerry wrote: > The Molson Canadian beer ads > had this guy (who is on some American sit com now) listing what he is not > and then he ends it by saying "I am Canadian". Beer ads here tend to be > very nationalistic. I heard the "My name is Joe" ad while I was in Canada last summer, and thought it was hilarious. I've since found sites on the internet which have movie files of it. Can't find the best one now, but here's one which has the words from the ad, together with a Windows Media version - seems slow to play, but if you can read it, you'll get some idea of the humour! http://home7.swipnet.se/~w-72891/CanadianClub/CCsales/ad.html Wendy -------------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:27:34 -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: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ooh, Missy, this was good ... I don't know how I missed Strangers I, but it seems I have some catching up to do! :) But what I really want is more of this! -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:33:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: A Question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 02/08/2001 10:25:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET writes: << but I don't know if you want to see it in installments over the next three weeks >> oh, so you want to drive us crazy? :P How "almost" is "almost finished?" Can't you just send it to this list at the finished point? --Laurie (eagerly waiting) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 18:13:18 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kaethel Subject: Re: Question for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks to Carol, Dia and Nan for their helpful answers to my medical questions. :) Nan, thanks for the info about the shot in the shoulder; I think I'll go for the forearm, since I don't want the wound to be too serious. For now . So if my character is shot in the shoulder and passes out from the shock and pain, they'll be taken to the hospital after having received that first aid, but how long do you think they'll be forced to stay there? And how long will their arm be immobilised? And do you guys have any idea of a website where I could find more about this, so that I get my details straight, if needed? Helene :) Kaethel@club-internet.fr ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 18:23:09 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kaethel Subject: Dance of the Seven Capes - part 3 - Finale MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, here's the final part (told you it would be a short one). :) I hope you'll like it, and please let me know what you think. :) Helene :) _______________________________ Clark observed the expressions flitting over Lois's face with growing worry. She hadn't said a word for several minutes, and she seemed lost in her thoughts. Her gaze was unfocused, and she was repeatedly tearing on the edge of a cushion, completely unaware that the fabric was progressively giving way, and he could already see some of the white stuffing sticking out of the hole she was digging. She hadn't finished her earlier sentence, but he'd understood the meaning of her last words. As much as it should thrill him that he actually meant something to her, it pained him that she couldn't bring herself to admit it out loud. He knew she needed time, that discovering about his other identity had come as a shock to her, and that right now he was probably very lucky she was methodically tearing that cushion to pieces, instead of him. But her silence scared him, because he knew that beneath lay the hurt she didn't want to show him. Lois had never been good at revealing her emotions, and when she was upset, she shut herself off in a silence that could destabilise anyone who approached her. If she'd been really mad, she would be yelling at him, hitting him, or she'd have already stormed out. But she wasn't doing anything of the sort. She was sitting here, staring into space, and ignoring his presence, as if he didn't exist in her inner universe. A place where he didn't, and probably *wouldn't*, ever have any role. Her attitude was a rather ominous sign when it came to any future they could have had together. He inwardly shook himself, ordering himself to stop fantasising about something that wouldn't ever exist anywhere else but in his dreams. Whatever Lois felt about him, him *Clark*, it had never involved love. Even if she did think she had some strong feelings for Superman, she should now be aware these hadn't been real, and her attraction to him would very quickly wear off now that she knew who was hiding behind the famous superhero. A very ordinary man, who could do right and wrong, love and hate, rejoice and hurt. A man who was far from being perfect. Why would she want him, now? He'd always considered Lois someone who was looking for perfection, and wouldn't be content with anything less, whether it was in her work or in her relationships. Not that her attraction to Luthor fitted really well in that little dreamy scheme, but she probably thought the businessman didn't have any flaws, and Clark had to concede that, from an exterior point of view, she couldn't be contradicted on that. She also seemed to take the name she'd given him literally, without realising the man she saw in the suit didn't exist, had never existed, and would never exist. There was no such thing as a perfect being, and Lois had been the first one to claim that truth on his first day at the Planet. She was the cynical one in this partnership, so why was she insisting on her attachment to some non-existent entity? Suddenly, her head snapped up and she caught his gaze, not giving him a chance to escape as she threw her blanket and cushion on the floor, revealing again that golden outfit, the sky-blue threads of silk sliding on her bare arms and making him shiver as he wondered how it would feel to brush his fingers over her skin. He briefly closed his eyes, trying to get his senses back under control, to fight against the desire that was coursing through him and eating at him a little more every day, not giving him a moment of respite, never giving him the chance to catch his breath before he would fall again, mesmerised by that woman who'd given him so much already, without ever fulfilling his heart's dearest wish. And... and... His thoughts trailed off as he felt her take his hands in hers and brush her thumbs on his knuckles, the fleeting touch making him shudder, though he couldn't decipher if it was from fear or anticipation. When he didn't find one last straw of strength to resist, he kept his eyes closed, refusing to see and preferring to feel, letting her guide his hands to her lips. The contact was soft, making his nerve ends tingle. His fingers pushed against her mouth, and he couldn't hold back a small gasp as her tongue stroked a timid path down his index finger. But it was all over too soon, and her torturous mouth left him somewhere between a moan of frustration and a sigh of relief. "I guess my... relationship with Superman didn't really help in making you want to tell me," Lois said, breaking the silence that had settled between them for those long minutes. Clark opened his eyes, his body still dizzy from her exquisite caress, and his mind still confused by the new turn of events brought by her knowledge of his secret. He nodded slowly, not trusting his voice to stay neutral. Lois had kept a light hold on his hand, and was absently playing with his fingers, entwining them with hers in complicated patterns that Clark suddenly found fascinating. It felt good, to have her touch him like that, in that innocuous yet intimate caress, a promise of more, yet a casual gesture which he could easily get used to. "I really did make a fool of myself," Lois murmured with a small sigh. He looked up at her discomfited face and drew a hand out of her tender grasp, bringing it under her chin to make her face him. "You couldn't have known Clark was the man beneath that suit," he said softly, trying to convey some reassurance with his voice and gestures. "Yeah? I'm a reporter, Clark. How come a man who flies has been able to work beside me for months and I never even noticed?" she asked, unconvinced. Clark took a few seconds to answer, pained by the truth lurking beneath her statement. Oh, not that he could ever doubt her ability as a reporter; but she had just spelled out what had been his torture ever since he'd met her. She'd seen Superman, and hadn't ever given a second glance to Clark Kent. "Who would ever guess someone like me has superpowers? I'm a pretty unremarkable guy," he finally said, unable to hide a downcast note from his reply. "But you have the same qualities as he does. The only difference is the powers... well, *was* the powers. At least in my head - Oh, Clark, this is so confusing! Yesterday there were two people who mattered to me, Superman and you, and now - " "Now there's only one of them." She nodded. "I... I matter to you?" Clark asked hopefully, reviewing what she'd just told him. "Of course you do. You're the first man I've ever..." She trailed off, unsure of her next words, but his reassuring squeeze of her hand was the only encouragement she needed. "The first man I've ever completely trusted. You know that." "Superman is." She shook her head. "No. *Clark* is. Superman is... well, he's trustworthy. But who did I tell about Claude? Who knows what I like, what revolts me, what makes me cry and what makes me laugh? Which one of you knows the *real* me?" "All right, so maybe you consider me a friend," Clark conceded. "And I do, too. You're the only person I've truly trusted, apart from my parents, and I couldn't imagine telling anyone about me, but you. So, yes, we're friends, but - " "More than that," Lois interrupted, her eyes unwavering. Clark started and his head shot up, his gaze locking with hers and a question forming on his lips but that he couldn't bring himself to voice out loud. "Yes, Clark. These past few days made me realise that it's time to stop struggling against... against this thing." "This thing?" "This... connection I feel to you." "Lois, there's nothing I'd wish more than that, but I can't let you say that when you're still under the effect of this nasty substance - " "It's not the perfume, Clark. What I feel for you is stronger than anything I ever felt for any man in my life. It's real." "It's just - " "It's *not* lust." Clark's eyebrows shot up, and he couldn't help but let his gaze travel over her pearl-clad body. "Okay, there was some of that. Still is. I mean I wouldn't be against the idea of- oh, geez, what am I saying?" Lois blushed furiously, feeling even more embarrassed as a broad grin made its way to Clark's face. Collecting her thoughts, she ignored his teasing expression and spoke up again. "You said you were tired of lying. Well, so am I. This perfume thing, whatever it is, just helped me to realise something I'd been denying for the past few months." Clark's gaze was still fixed on her, and she looked down, suddenly feeling shy and vulnerable. He wasn't helping her at all, sitting there, immobile, and waiting for her to speak her heart's contents to him. Did he think it was easy for her? The last time she'd opened up to a man, that individual had taken advantage of the emotions she'd been experiencing for him to get her into bed and steal her story while he was at it. She knew that Clark had nothing in common with Claude, that he would never betray her the way her former lover had, but when you'd spent the last five years burying yourself in your work and avoiding any relationship with any man, almost barking when one approached too close, it was difficult to win over her skittishness and plunge forward. Even with Clark. She'd been too naive when she'd met Claude, thinking that her love would be requited, too young to understand that the man's range of experience went beyond reporting, and that it was something he wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of. She'd barely waited to know him before she'd made the first step that had got her into utter humiliation. A goo-goo-eyed teenager, that's what she'd been at that time. Unable to see what was right in front of her, not seeing... Not seeing the man beneath the suit. She'd made the exact same mistake with Clark Kent, and yet it didn't have the same bitter taste it had had when she'd discovered the way Claude had been using her. Clark had never, and *would* never do such a thing. He'd become her friend before reaching the next level in their relationship, and there had been no hidden schemes, no lurking strings attached. But he had lied to her. After her disastrous experience with Claude, she'd sworn never to fall for a liar ever again, and yet she was on the verge of forgiving Clark for the amount of lame excuses he'd made her buy ever since she'd known him, for his elusive personality, for letting her live in her fantasy world, her nights filled with dreams of blue, red and yellow whirlwinds. Whatever his lies, he'd never used them to destroy her, and therein lay the difference. Clark had to keep his identity a secret to protect the people he loved as much as himself. Besides, she'd been throwing herself at his alter-ego for longer than she cared to remember, and he'd never taken advantage of that, despite his own feelings. She couldn't doubt that he was attracted to her; he'd given her a few glimpses of his attachment to her on several occasions, both as Clark and as Superman. The caped superhero, generally distant and unreachable, had completely melted in her arms that day when he'd saved her as she was trapped in a vault. She'd seen the brief yet unmistakable flicker of desire in his eyes when he'd caught her as she was almost fainting; his warm hands had sent shots of need through her body, but above all, the dark light of passion and fear had been shining in his gaze, and for half a second, she'd thought he would kiss her. If Allan Morris hadn't interrupted, he would probably have, and she wouldn't have complained in the least. After that investigation, however, Superman had started to drift away from her, coming less often to her apartment, even though her window was still open for him. He'd remained distant during the rare interviews she conducted, as if something had been broken by that one moment of weakness. What had hurt at that time was now a comfort to her, though, knowing that it was *Clark* who had been fighting against his attraction to her so as not to let her start a relationship with the part of him he considered unreal. As for Clark's feelings for her, she'd always suspected they ran deeper than simple friendship. From the first glance he'd given her, she'd caught that spark that spoke of danger to her, and which had made her try to run away at first. For the past four months, she'd been struggling somewhere between her fear of commitment and her worry that Clark would stop being interested in her. One minute flirting with him, the next one sending him to hell. She was surprised he was still here beside her after what she'd put him through, but it probably took more than Lois Lane to destabilise the Man of Steel. She should have known, though. Barely two weeks earlier, when they'd been investigating what had turned out to be Jason Trask's sickening paranoia in Smallville, and Rachel Harris had prevented the madman from shooting Clark in the back in extremis, Lois had run to her partner and clung to him as if she would never let go. Clark had returned the embrace, and she'd felt a strong and weird sense of deja vu when she'd noticed that barely suppressed longing shining in his eyes. She hadn't made the link with the vault event right then, but on reflection, now, it seemed obvious that it had been the same insistent but shy emotion that had passed between them both times. That time, in Smallville, *she* had been the one to pull away, scared by the intensity of the physical and emotional contact between them, probably like Superman - Clark - had felt back in that vault a couple of months earlier. And during these past thirty six hours, he'd most certainly had to face the same kind of temptation, only much stronger this time, since her attempts at seducing him had been more than blatant. Yet he'd resisted, *again*, in that boy scout fashion that should irritate her but did nothing but endear him to her. Didn't that prove he was trustworthy? Enough to make her lower her barriers this once, and take a tentative step towards a relationship that could, for the first time in her life, bring her the happiness she'd been missing all this time? She felt his gaze on her and met his eyes, noticing with dawning wonder the care and tenderness they held and promised. Her hands were still wrapped around his, and he hadn't made a move to escape her grip, accepting her gesture of commitment, as if confirming this was where he belonged. Where *they* belonged. A timid smile crept to her face, and he responded in kind. It was the only encouragement she needed, and she slowly bent forward, almost imperceptibly, her eyes flickering closed of their own volition. Their lips met, the caress of silk against silk, and she let him explore her in unhurried gentleness, his leisurely pace contrasting with the quickening pulse in the back of her throat. His hands left hers to frame her face and bring her even closer, and she let out a moan of pleasure as she felt his fingers thread themselves in her hair. The heat of his body radiated through her even as she wasn't touching him, beckoning her, and she fell forward into his steady embrace, her hands roaming up his chest and feeling the hard muscles beneath the light fabric of his shirt. She sensed the nanosecond of hesitation within him as she reached beneath the hem of his pants to tug his shirt out, and immediately pulled away, afraid to have trod one step too far beyond the limit. He seemed to understand the concern in her eyes, because he cupped her cheek and brought his lips to hers again, keeping the pressure gentle, and retreating a bare second later to trail a series of open-mouthed kisses on her throat. She gasped at the sensation, both surprised and aroused by the long forgotten reactions of her body to a man's touch. Not just any man, she corrected faintly through the fog in her mind. Clark. It was Clark in the arms of whom she was melting, surrendering to the light strokes of his lips and hands, leaning into his strong body, anticipating the feel of his warm skin on hers, and... ... and letting him take her over that threshold of intimacy without an ounce of reluctance on her part. He momentarily stopped his delicate attentions on her neck, his arms coming around her and lifting her effortlessly so that she sat on his lap. He kept his hold on her, his hands stroking a shivery path up and down her ribcage and making her ache for more, but the passion that had lain in his eyes during those past heated minutes left way to an infinite tenderness, and a question that he seemed unable to voice, probably for fear of shattering the spell between them. "Yes, Clark," she murmured, breaking the silent exchange, and answering his uncertainty. He closed his eyes and a shuddering sigh escaped his mouth before he whispered her name, reverently, the raw emotion radiating from him bringing a lump to her throat upon realising the many ways that man could love her. "I love you," he said in a sigh, leaning his forehead against hers. Lois took a deep shuddering breath, moved by the truthfulness she heard in his declaration, and aware that for the first time in her life, there were no lies, no false confessions. "I love you, too," she said softly, surprised by how good it felt to finally voice her feelings for him. A weight was being lifted off her shoulders, and she found herself grinning at him, before she repeated, "Oh, yes, I really do love you," confirming it as much to him as to herself. "Are you..." he started to ask, trailing off and averting his eyes from hers, unable to prevent himself from thinking about the perfume and what effects it could still have on her mind. "Sure?" she asked, completing his half-formed question. He nodded. "The perfume, Lois. I can't... I can't take advantage of you like that. As much as I love you, I don't want you to say things like that because some chemical made you lose - " "Made me lose my inhibitions," she interrupted. "Clark, it just proves that what I feel for you is *real*. No chemical substance could create what I'm feeling right now." "What if there is such a substance? What do we know about this weird thing?" "I was sprayed yesterday, and have had enough time to understand what I was feeling towards you during all that time." His eyebrows shot up in a silent question. "Lust. Raw need. Sexual desire," she countered, amused at the blush that made its way to her shy partner's face. "But this isn't what I'm feeling right now." "Oh?" There was a slight note of disappointment in his tone, even if he'd probably done his best to hide it, and Lois found herself giggling. "What I'm feeling," she continued, guiding his hands around her waist, "is that this..." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "... is where I belong. Now and forever." He looked at her for a long moment, amazed by the simple truth lying in her words. "Now and forever," he solemnly repeated her statement before sealing his lips back to hers... ... in agreement. - The End - Kaethel@club-internet.fr ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 12:49:41 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 4 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/8/01 8:23:08 AM Pacific Standard Time, cmoncado@JUNO.COM writes: s p o i l e r s p a c e > "I don't believe this, kids. What kind of laws are these? I think > there's a story here. And you two are going to write it." Mwahahahahahahha this is too funny, and especially for someone seeing the series for the first time. I am impressed. Should we tell her what happens?? Kate > > ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:52:58 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 5 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, I finished 30 pages of my reading! Only 10 to go! I needed a break so I wrote some more. Missy has finished beta reading my first real story - do I post it her in segments like she is doing with Strangers II? If people want me to and that is how to do it, I will! If so - about how many pages in Word is acceptable per segment? I think there will be two or three more segments. We'll have to see. I can't claim to know the law or anything, but since New Troy doesn't really exist, I figured I could make some of it up. And this is based in part on "Who's the Boss?" which did a similar episode with Tony and Angela. So throw a little bit of Tony Micelli into Clark in the lawyer's office and see what happens! :-) ***** Perry gave them his best "I'm your editor and you do what I say" look. "You two are writing the story. Now go find yourselves a lawyer, if that's what you want, and get it sorted out." Lois just looked at him in disbelief. "What do you mean if that's what we want? Of course that's what we want. Right, Clark?" Clark just sat there with a grin on his face. "CLARK!" "Right, honey. Whatever you want." Clark knew he was on thin ice, but he was having too much fun. Besides, he knew how to swim and he never got cold. "Well, think about it, Lois. You already know he's a good cook and you've got him trained to come when you call. He knows all your little quirks and for some reason he sticks around anyway. It doesn't get any better than that. Trust me, I know." "Quirks? I don't have any quirks." "Sure, Lois. Whatever you say. Now get on it, kids. Talk to Bob in legal. He'll get you in touch with a lawyer. NOW GO!" Lois and Clark scampered out of the conference room and onto the story. Some time later they were sitting in the office of Bruce Bigbrain, Metropolis' leading divorce lawyer. Bruce looked at the couple sitting in front of him. So this was the famous Lane and Kent. He read their articles all the time. They looked like they belonged together. He wondered why they needed him. He didn't have to wait long. "Miss Lane. Mr. Kent. What can I do for you?" He shook hands with them as he said it. As he shook Clark's hand, he noticed the familiar grin from the billboards around town. "Actually, it's Mrs. Kent. And that's why we're here." Bruce noticed the fire that shot out of *Mrs. Kent's* eyes. Apparently, she wasn't happy with the situation. "Well, tell me what's going on? I hadn't heard that you two got married." Lois took over from there. "We didn't know either. Not until today. Do you know about the stupid law on the books that if you check into a hotel as a married couple it's legal?" She didn't even acknowledge his nod. "Well, that's crazy. We were undercover, working on a story about six months ago. We checked into a hotel as a couple on their honeymoon, got the story and that was it. No hanky panky or anything like that. Don't start, Kent." Bruce saw him shut his mouth quickly, trying to hide a grin. "This is absolutely crazy. It is absurd! What kind of place has laws like this? Who wrote these things?" Clark stopped her in mid-babble. "Lois, honey. You're babbling again." "Don't honey me, Clark." She took a deep breath. "Mr. Bigbrain, how do we get out of this?" Bruce smiled. If there was ever a couple that belonged together, it was these two. One of the reasons he was the leading lawyer in his field was that he knew when to encourage a couple to stay together and when to help them end it. This wouldn't be easy but it could be fun. He knew he could help them stay together. The problem would be that Mr. Kent might not enjoy what was about to happen. Oh, well. He'd get over it if it worked. "Well, there's a couple of things that we could do. The most obvious is a divorce. In New Troy, that would mean that any and all assets obtained since the marriage would be split evenly." "No way." "Excuse me, Mrs. Kent?" "I am NOT Mrs. Kent. And I got a inheritance a couple of months ago and I am NOT sharing it with Clark." "Okay, so a divorce is out then. The other option is an annulment." It was Clark's turn to ask the question. "What exactly is an annulment?" "An annulment is a dissolving of the marriage. As though it never happened." Lois stood up. "That's what we want. Where do we sign?" Bruce laughed and motioned for her to sit down. Once she did, he continued. "There are some forms to fill out and other things to sign. Let's see." He dug through the file drawer of his desk. "Here we go. Papers for the Annulment of Marriage. Who are we saying is asking for the annulment?" Lois spoke up quickly. "Me. I am." With that he filled out the basic information. Names, dates, addresses and so on. Then came the fun part. He couldn't wait to see how this worked out. "Now, Mrs. Kent, why are you asking for an annulment? Has your husband cheated on you?" "Well, no." "Is he a drunk?" "No." "Does he ever hurt you?" "No" "In fact, I usually save her life." Clark grinned again. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm eternally grateful. What are our other options?" Lois was all business. "He's never abused you?" "No." "Does he do illegal drugs?" "No." "Abuse legal ones?" "No." "Are their any children either living or on the way?" "No. Of course not." "Well, there is one other option, but I'm not sure how this will work." "What is it?" "Has the marriage ever been consummated?" "NO! NEVER! I DON'T THINK SO!" Clark looked pained. "Am I THAT repulsive?" Lois ignored him. "No, the marriage has not been consummated." "Well, is it due to, ah, how to put this delicately? Let's see, inadequacies on the part of Mr. Kent?" "How should I know?" "Well, that is the only way, I am afraid." "Well, then yes, Clark is inadequate." It was Clark's turn to explode. "WHAT? We are NOT getting an annulment based on MY supposed inadequacies. That is NOT going to happen." Bruce smiled. It was going perfectly. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:57:18 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 4 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > Mwahahahahahahha > this is too funny, and especially for someone seeing the series for > the first > time. I am impressed. Should we tell her what happens?? > Kate > I actually started with the real wedding in November - how could I miss it? I watched the end of CHiPS (don't understand what my dad saw in that!) and when they gave the teaser - I had to tape it! I missed the first episode and several others (VCR problems). ARGH! Even though I know they get together eventually, it is driving me nuts! How did you guys stand it when the series was on for real?! CM > > > > ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:09:26 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner In-Reply-To: <060d01c091bb$c4b85320$916105a0@hrm.keele.ac.uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Heh, Wendy, how about giving me the recipe? It sounds GOOD :) Melisma (under her Rock, only ever having made Kraft dinner - she sometimes calls it mac-n-cheese even though she *is* Canadian :) - from the box, any box, Kraft, generic, no-name, etc, and also using bulk mac and bulk cheese sauce from Overwaitea...) At 10:42 AM 08/02/2001 -0000, you wrote: >Jude wrote: >> Hi Gerry: I've never heard anyone here call it 'Kraft dinner'. It's just >> good old generic macaroni and cheese. Some people actually make it from >> scratch with real cheese instead of powder. :) Jude > >...and over in this part of the world we call it Macaroni Cheese; we always >make it from scratch with pasta, milk, cheese, seasoning and sometimes >mustard, and it's usually baked au gratin - ie with cheese and breadcrumbs >sprinkled over the top and cooked in the oven > > >Wendy >-------------------------- >Wendy Richards >w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 13:07:54 -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: Dance of the Seven Capes - part 3 - Finale MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Helene, this is really sweet... I liked it, a lot! Thanks for sharing :) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:16:12 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 4 of ? In-Reply-To: <20010208.101606.-246623.3.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Yahoo, Carol! Way to go, get the Chief involved :) Hurry hurry hurry... Skip the clone arc, drop out of school, do what you have to, but *finish the darned story* already will ya??!?!?!?!? Melisma (doing a little 'I am Canadian' dance, here under her Rock) At 10:16 AM 08/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >I know, I know. Melisma wants more substance. But I still have 40 pages >of John Locke to read today - so here is another page or so. Maybe will >have more later! I get to read Strangers II as a reward for finishing! >Have a great day everyone! This one took about an hour (course I was >watching today's LC - Seconds - I really don't like this whole clone >thing - this is my first time through the series!) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 12:13:25 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Dance of the Seven Capes - part 3 - Finale MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I ALMOST CRIED! I loved it! Great job! CM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:59:56 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 5 of ? In-Reply-To: <20010208.115301.-246623.5.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Carol, this is priceless!!! I'm sitting here giggling my head off! And how wonderful you only have 10 more pages to go - now zip through them, girl, so you can post another part to this. You are a genius! Guys, can we nominate Carol for best comedy in 2001? :) Melisma (wiping the tears from her eyes, here under her Rock... Between Carol's hilarious fic and another, really sad fic she just read, she's all conflicted emotionally today...) At 11:52 AM 08/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Well, I finished 30 pages of my reading! Only 10 to go! I needed a >break so I wrote some more. Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 21:02:30 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 5 of ? In-Reply-To: <20010208.115301.-246623.5.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Carol wrote: >"Well, think about it, Lois. You already know he's a good cook and >you've got him trained to come when you call. He knows all your little >quirks and for some reason he sticks around anyway. It doesn't get any >better than that. Trust me, I know." ROTFL! This just gets better and better! I adored the lawyer and his list of questions. Can't wait to see where you take this next! Hazel, who is already starting a comedy folder for next year's Kerths _______ "Lots of little Bigwigs, Hazel! Think of that, and tremble!" ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:07:56 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: IRS, Strangers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Today and tomorrow are going to be busy, so I won't get to read the new installments. Hope you've finished by Saturday Carol. I'm laughing my head off. Have Strangers parked waiting to print Missy and will read it in its entirety. Looks good. Keep writing, everyone! :) Jude ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 13:05:33 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - Missy! Where's the rest?! You know I loved the first one! And this one is no different! Love it, love it, love it! CM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:11:15 -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: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 5 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oh, poor Clark! ROFL! He probably deserves it, tho, he's been enjoying this whole thing *far* too much Keep it coming, Carol! > ARGH! Even though I > know they get together eventually, it is driving me nuts! How did you > guys stand it when the series was on for real?! Hey, guys, look, she already knows the name of the ARGH! The producers called it a "story arc", we call it "the non-wedding ARGH". We got through it only through mutual support and therapeutic fanfic. And lots of people didn't make it -- the series never quite recovered from this thorough hosing of the fan base. I know today is bad, but tomorrow will be worse. And then it's the weekend. So just concentrate on fanfic (may I suggest my own, "Forget Me Knot, Redux"?) and breathe deeply. By Monday things will be better. And at least the *next* big cliffhanger will be on a Thursday, not a Friday, so this really could be worse! -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:14:32 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit M-m-m-m. Good recipe Wendy. The mustard sounds like a great touch--haven't tried adding that. In fact, I haven't done macaroni and cheese for a while...maybe tonight! :) Jude ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wendy Richards" To: Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 2:42 AM Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner > Jude wrote: > > Hi Gerry: I've never heard anyone here call it 'Kraft dinner'. It's just > > good old generic macaroni and cheese. Some people actually make it from > > scratch with real cheese instead of powder. :) Jude > > ...and over in this part of the world we call it Macaroni Cheese; we always > make it from scratch with pasta, milk, cheese, seasoning and sometimes > mustard, and it's usually baked au gratin - ie with cheese and breadcrumbs > sprinkled over the top and cooked in the oven > > > Wendy > -------------------------- > Wendy Richards > w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 19:21:40 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bethy Em Subject: Re: Kerth Quiz #15 (and last): BEST LOST EPISODE Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >Well, FoLCs, here it is: the final Kerth quiz. I hope you've all enjoyed >them as much as Wendy and I have! Oh, yes, I have! Thank you both, so much, for all your hard work. S P O I L E R S P A C E Quote 1: "Dear Lois" by Shane Terry Quote 2: "Connections: An Alternate Story" by Carol Malo Quote 3: "Professional Loyalties" by Cindy Leuch Quote 4: "Home III: Memories" by Nan Smith Quote 5: "For The Greater Good" by Wendy Richards Quote 6: "Hearts and Diamonds" by Shane Terry Quote 7: "A Lie of the Mind" by Rose Quote 8: "Red Sky" by Jenni Debbage Quote 9: "The Spying Game" by Irene Dutchak Quote/Excerpt 10: Darn! And I was doing so well! I'm sure I've read it, but can't remember which right now. :-( (And I'm too excited to search right now -- I might be going to France this summer for an internship! And I'm definitely going on a cruise when school lets out! /me does Hazel's Happy Snoopy Dance...double time ;-P) Bethy _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:23:59 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner In-Reply-To: <00a901c09203$61169140$7bfcfd3f@v1t9j4> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Thank you for your replies about Kraft Dinner. ML Thompson used it in her next (and wonderful) fanfic coming to the archive soon (I hope) and she will Americanize it for her readers. I've passed on the name "Yellow Death" to my kids who love the stuff and I may even try Wendy's recipe. Thanks for your help. Gerry ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:56:16 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner Recipe, Mel? What recipe?! Mind you, I forgot the flour. Okay, okay, cook your macaroni, strain it, add some flour and milk - I just mix it all in the pan with the macaroni, but if you're not used to that you should probably mix the flour and milk together separately, and then add it to the macaroni, along with as much fresh cheddar cheese as you want, and salt and pepper. (This is also when you can add a pinch of mustard if desired). Cook slowly while the flour/milk/cheese thickens into a sauce around the macaroni. (BTW, I can't say how much milk and flour to add, because I never measure it! THis is one of those dishes I make by instinct. Trial and error is the way to find out!) Decant into an oven dish; sprinkle as liberally as you wish with breadcrumbs and grated cheese, and then bake in the oven until browned. Voila - Macaroni Cheese! :) Wendy ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 12:03:43 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Thanks, Wendy-kins! I'm gonna stick this into my recipe file :) Oh - how would you modify it for a diabetic who's trying to lose a little weight (doctor's orders)? Melisma (mouth watering under her Rock, even though she just ate breakfast - yeah, she knows it's just past 12pm here :) At 02:56 PM 08/02/2001 -0500, you wrote: >Recipe, Mel? What recipe?! Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 12:06:19 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.20010208120343.00827cd0@pop.intergate.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Oh yeah, and I'm presuming that the mustard is dry mustard, not prepared? At 12:03 PM 08/02/2001 -0800, you wrote: >Thanks, Wendy-kins! I'm gonna stick this into my recipe file :) Oh - how >would you modify it for a diabetic who's trying to lose a little weight >(doctor's orders)? > >Melisma (mouth watering under her Rock, even though she just ate breakfast >- yeah, she knows it's just past 12pm here :) > > >At 02:56 PM 08/02/2001 -0500, you wrote: >>Recipe, Mel? What recipe?! > > > >Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:31:17 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner Mel - sorry, I have absolutely no idea on the diabetic/weight loss front! Low-fat milk and cheese, for the weight side? And since I hate mustard and don't even have any in the house (my mother uses it in macaroni cheese), I don't know. The only mustard I've ever seen is Colman's (English or French) which comes in little jars of a creamy substance. Wendy ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:01:21 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just read through part 5 - I love it - keep it coming quickly merry Carol L Moncado wrote: > Here is part three just for you melisma! (Lifts up rock and hands her > the piece of paper with part 3 on it) I left it without a real stopping > point on purpose! That way I have to write more! Hope you guys enjoy > it! But now, I need my beauty sleep! > > Gnight! > > CM > > ***** > > Lois had an evil look on her face. "You know if I kill you now, I'll get > social security benefits." She walked to the window and opened it. > "Jump." > > Clark looked at her in disbelief. "You're kidding right?" When she > didn't answer, he continued. "You really think that Superman would let > his best friend die?" Clark was almost hoping that he could. The wrath > of Mad Dog Lane - or was it Mad Dog Kent - in full swing was more than > even he was strong enough to deal with and this tantrum was going to be a > doozy. > > Lois just glared at him and pointed. "Out. Now." > > "You really want me dead?" > > Lois just looked. > > *Well, she's already so mad, she really couldn't get any madder. Maybe I > should jump and then fly back in and announce to her that I AM Superman. > It can't get any worse than it already is.* He took another look at her. > *Nah*, he thought, knowing from the way her jaw was set that to make her > madder was stupid. "Sit down, Lois. And close the window. I am not > jumping." > > Lois sighed and closed the window. She crossed to the table and sat > down, close to tears. > > "Now tell me all about it. How did you find out about this?" > > "Well, a little while ago this guy comes in here. I was working on my > novel and this guy starts asking for Mrs. Kent. I ignored him until he > started getting annoying and I told him there was no Mrs. Kent here. He > asked me if I was Lois Kent. I told him no, I was Lois Lane. Well, then > you are Lois Kent. I told him no I wasn't. He said yes I was and what's > more my husband and I - that's you, you know - were defrauding the IRS. > I told him I didn't know what he was talking about and please leave me > alone. He told me about the law. I told him that was crazy, but he > assured me that, no, it was real and that I WAS Mrs. Kent." > > "Lois, you're babbling again." > > "Is that all you can think about? That I'm babbling? We have bigger > problems than that. Apparently, we are legally married and trying to > defraud the IRS!" > > "Is the thought of being married to me that horrible?" > > :-) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 13:01:38 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hm... okay, well I just thought I would ask. For me, when I make it, even if it is from a box, I nearly always soup it up into a one-pot meal. You cook the pasta as directed, then open a can of cream of mushroom soup and stir the cheese packet together with it. Sometimes I saute onions and add it to the soup/cheese, or add mushroom pieces, thawed frozen peas, or other veggies depending on what I have in the house. (If I add tomatoes, only raw, and at the last minute before serving, generally.) Then add whatever protein source you have at hand - I use tofu or chicken wieners mostly, but that's just me. Sometimes I add a packet or so of Taco Bell hot sauce or a couple tablespoons of canned salsa, if I want a little extra zip - or chili powder. That works too :) Anyway, sorry if that grossed you out, but I thought I'd share. Am I the only one that does stuff like that? Melisma (still feeling lousy, here under her Rock, so ducking back under to take a nap...) At 03:31 PM 08/02/2001 -0500, you wrote: >Mel - sorry, I have absolutely no idea on the diabetic/weight loss front! >Low-fat milk and cheese, for the weight side? And since I hate mustard and >don't even have any in the house (my mother uses it in macaroni cheese), I >don't know. The only mustard I've ever seen is Colman's (English or French) >which comes in little jars of a creamy substance. > > >Wendy > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:11:57 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 5 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oh Carol ROTFLOL!!!!! * * * * * * * * * "It was Clark's turn to explode. "WHAT? We are NOT getting an annulment based on MY supposed inadequacies. That is NOT going to happen." hahahahahahaha You have definitely made my day! And, yes it was pure torture waiting for a week between episodes back during the original run, but how fun to actually be seeing episodes for the first time instead of the 31st time ;). Kate > > ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:38:04 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 7 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is part 7 - if you chose Clark please read. If you chose Superman, go to part 8. Spoiler Space* * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * ****** And there stood Clark. There had been no Superman. ***** "Wha. . .? What are you doing here? How did you get in?" "Lois, close your eyes." "What?" "Please." Lois did as she was told. She heard a whistling noise. "Open them." There stood Superman. As resplendent as ever in his red, blue and yellow. Lois felt like sinking into the floor and into the center of the earth. *No, he'd come after me. Did what I think happen, just happen? Is Clark Superman? Is Superman Clark?* Could it be true? She looked up at him again. "Clark?" "Yes." She sat there. It hit her. Clark was Superman. *She* was married to Clark. CLARK WAS SUPERMAN! *She* was MARRIED to Superman! The realization finally hit her. This was good. This was very good. She had realized that she loved Clark, not Superman, and now she had both. His soft voice interrupted her reverie. She looked at him, sitting beside her, his glasses firmly in place, his Clark clothes on. "Are you mad?" She smiled through the tears that were streaming down her face. "No, I'm not." "Can you ever forgive me?" "I can." "Do you still want to stay married to me?" Lois looked at him. She reached out and took his face in her hands. And kissed him. A soft, sweet kiss. A first real kiss. "I think we can call Bruce Bigbrain and tell him we won't need him after all." He smiled at her and kissed her again. "Good. I'm glad. My mom always wanted a daughter!" She smiled at him, their faces inches apart. "One other thing." "Anything." "Are you sure about that whole no inadequacies thing?" He grinned. "Why don't we go find out?" "I'd like that." And as he kissed her again, he picked her up and carried her into the other room. "We're going to have to ask Perry for that time off after all." "We sure are. And I'll take you anywhere you want." "Right now, all I want is you." And they lived happily ever after! And the IRS thing, well, that's a whole other story! :-) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:28:31 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 10 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you read #8, and you wanted Lois to not be okay, then this is your story. Spoiler space/ / / / / / / / / / // / Clark was sitting at his desk trying to do research for the story he was supposed to be writing about the marriage law. He couldn't concentrate. It was almost two in the afternoon and Lois still hadn't shown her face. The elevator opened and there she was. Clark didn't even have to look to know it was her. Lois walked in and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Clark sitting there. She could tell by the way his shoulders were slumped over that he wasn't having a good day. It wasn't going to get any better. She took a deep breath. "Excuse me, everyone. Can I have your attention please?" The newsroom stopped. When Lois talked, everyone listened. "I have an announcement to make." Clark stood up and watched her. "About six months ago, Clark and I checked into a hotel as newlyweds for an undercover assignment. As it turns out, there is a law in New Troy that says if you do that, you are legally married. So, yes, that means that Clark and I are married. And so, I'm leaving the Planet. This is my resignation." Lois walked down the ramp and into Perry's office. Clark, ignoring the looks of those around him, followed her. He shut the door behind him. "Lois. Don't go. I will. You belong here." "No, Clark, it's time for me to move on." "I'll give you the annulment, if that's what you want. You can say whatever you want as a reason." Clark's head hung down, his chin almost touching his chest. "You would do that for me?" "Yes." Lois looked at him. She loved him. She knew that and that would never change. "You don't have to." "I will." "No, I mean you don't have to." Clark realized that she was standing in front of him. "I love you, Clark. And it's going to take some getting used to that you can, you know." And she made a -~> motion. "I don't think we should take that honeymoon right away, but soon. If you can wait, soon." "Lois, I'd wait until the end of the world for you." "I hoped you'd say that." She smiled. They kissed. And they lived happily ever after. And the IRS, well that's another story. ***** Sorry, I just couldn't do it!:-) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:29:01 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 9 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you read part 8 and decided that you wanted Lois to be okay with it, then this is your story. Spoiler Space/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Clark was sitting at his desk trying to do research for the story he was supposed to be writing about the marriage law. He couldn't concentrate. It was almost two in the afternoon and Lois still hadn't shown her face. The elevator opened and there she was. Clark didn't even have to look to know it was her. Lois walked in and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Clark sitting there. She could tell by the way his shoulders were slumped over that he wasn't having a good day. She hoped that was about to change. She took a deep breath. "Excuse me, everyone. Can I have your attention please?" The newsroom stopped. When Lois talked, everyone listened. "I have an announcement to make." Clark stood up and watched her. "About six months ago, Clark and I checked into a hotel as newlyweds for an undercover assignment. As it turns out, there is a law in New Troy that says if you do that, you are legally married. So, yes, that means that Clark and I are married. And, if he'll have me, I'd like it to stay that way." The whole newsroom turned to stare at him. "Clark?" He swallowed hard and nodded. She ran down the ramp and into his arms. He swung her around, holding on like he'd never let go. They just stood there for the longest time, not hearing the cheering of the newsroom, Jimmy's shouted, "Go, CK! Go, Lois!", the gruff voice of Perry telling everyone to get back to work and they didn't see the knowing smile as he went back into his office. Finally, Clark put her down and stepped back just enough to see her face. "Are you sure?" "Yes, Clark. I am. All day all I could think about was that you had lied to me and that I was fool to love you. But then I realized what it all boiled down to. I LOVE YOU! That's all that really matters." "And you're sure?" "Yes. Now, do you think that Superman would fly us somewhere for that honeymoon and we can, uh, prove that you are NOT inadequate?" "PERRY!" "What?" "We're taking a couple of days off." "Take two weeks." But they didn't hear him. Their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss that neither wanted to end. And they lived happily ever after. And the IRS - well, that's a whole other story. ***** Hope you liked it! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:05:56 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 6 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - finished my reading and wanted to finish this too. Here is the next installment. However, I was torn as to where to go with it. So I went everyway! Read carefully - at the end is a set of choices. Which part you read next will be based on the choice you make! A LOIS and CLARK choose your own adventure! ***** Lois and Clark walked into her apartment. He braced himself for the tirade that was about to come. "I can't believe you. We were so close to that annulment! I don't believe you would do this to me. All you have to say is that you aren't the man you think you are and be done with it." "Lois, this is crazy. I am not admitting to the world that *I* am inadequate. It will be public record. Anyone who wants to look can. And if we have to write this article for Perry, someone will look and it will be all over the tabloids. And if we say it wasn't true - don't give me that look. You have no IDEA if it's true or not! - then we were lying and we add perjury to our problems. We are NOT doing this." "Well, then what do you suggest, *husband*?" The venom that shot out of her made him wince at the word. "Well, Perry had a point." "What point was that?" "I *AM* a good cook!" "Don't even think it, Clark. Now you need to leave. I am going to bed." "Well, then shouldn't I stay?" His voice was teasing, but his words were serious. What he wouldn't give to spend a night in her arms - no 'hanky panky', just to hold her. "OUT! NOW!" she opened the door and waited. He sighed and left. "Think about it?" He gave her his best puppy dog eyes. The door slammed in his face. ***** Lois couldn't sleep. She just tossed and turned. Her emotions ranged from pure rage at Clark and the lawyer and the system and the IRS agent and Perry and anyone else who came to mind. The other end of the spectrum was Clark. That's all. Just Clark. He DID know all of her quirks and she knew she had many. For some reason she had let him inside all of her defenses. *And he IS a good cook. Lois, what are you thinking?! This is crazy! You aren't actually considering staying married to him, are you? No way!* She thought about his comments throughout the day. His voice had been teasing when he referred to her as 'honey' or any of the other comments he had made. But, if she thought about it, and was honest with herself, there had been a little bit of something else there, too. Was it hope? Did he - could he - want to stay married to her? She sighed. It wasn't possible. He was her partner. Her best friend. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. He felt the same way about her - she knew it. Or did she? The more she thought about it, the more she realized that he might feel something more for her. It didn't matter - she loved Superman. She vacillated between these two emotions for hours. About four a. m., she fell into a restless sleep. ***** Lois was sitting, tied up in a hanger. And there was Clark. Talking with her and promising never to reveal what she said about Claude. There had been no Superman. Lois was tied up, again, this time in a warehouse. Next thing she knew, there was Clark, untying her and helping her get out. There had been no Superman. Lois was sitting at her desk, laughing her head off. Clark was next to her making a silly face and doing a perfect imitation of Perry. There had been no Superman. Lois was sitting at a dinner for two. Clark came out of the kitchen with a steaming plate of penne paste. They had laughed and talked and shared chocolate cake. There had been no Superman. Lois was walking in the park with a cup of chocolate ice cream. Next to her with those chocolate eyes and smiling face was Clark. There had been no Superman. Lois was sitting on her couch, crying her eyes out because she found out that her dad was making cyborgs. Clark was holding her and comforting her. There had been no Superman. Lois was dancing. Her eyes closed. She felt like she was floating on air. Only one man could make her feel this way. She opened her eyes. There was no Superman. Only Clark. ***** She sat straight up in bed. She was drenched with sweat. What did it all mean? Did she - could she - really love Clark instead of Superman? Was it possible? All she really knew was that she didn't want to lose Clark. Superman was a good friend, but Clark. Clark she couldn't live without. She stood up and wrapped her robe around her. She walked to her window, the one that was always open, and called softly, "Superman. I need to talk to you." She went and sat on the couch, knowing what she needed to do. There was a familiar WOOSH! and there he was. She didn't look up. "Thank you for coming." "I'd never NOT come, Lois. You know that." Lois sighed. "I know." "Are you even going to look at me?" "No. I need to say this and I couldn't if I look at you." "Go ahead." She told him the whole story. About the undercover assignment. The marriage. The lawyer. Everything. Well, not everything. She left out the whole inadequacy thing. Superman grinned to himself, knowing what she had left out. "So there it is. I'm married to Clark. I love him. And if he agrees, I'd like it to stay that way. Do you understand?" "Perfectly." "You do?" Lois finally looked at him. ***** If you want Lois to see Clark, go to part 7. It you want Lois to see Superman, go to part 8. :-) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:58:10 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 8 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you wanted Lois to see Superman, this is your story. If you wanted her to see Clark, go back to #7. ***** SPOILER SPACE/ / / / / // / / / / / / / / Superman stood there, as resplendent as ever in his blue, red and yellow, arms crossed in front of him. It was the pose she knew so well. He seemed to be taking it rather well, all things considered. "Yes, Lois. I understand. Would you like me to tell him that you want to talk to him?" Lois smiled. "No, thank you. But I'd like to tell him myself." "I understand." He stood in the window, ready to leave. "And Superman?" "Yes." "The window won't be open anymore." "I know." "Thank you." "Anytime." He flew off, smiling. ***** Lois stood in front of the door to Clark's apartment. She couldn't quite work up the courage to knock on the door. She didn't know how he was going to take this. Finally, she took a deep breath and just knocked. A minute later, she heard noises inside. "Coming." Clark opened the door, looking slightly disheveled, wearing a t-shirt and shorts. "Lois? What are you doing here?" Lois walked in. She was nervous. What had she been thinking? Telling Superman to leave? Telling Superman that she loved Clark. That was crazy. "Lois, are you okay?" "Fine. I'm fine." She was pacing around his living room. "No, I'm not fine. I've been married for six months and didn't even know it. I didn't even want to be married. You wouldn't help me get the annulment. You have been acting like a silly school boy all day. All you've done is tease me about this. I couldn't sleep tonight I was so mad. I was furious. And when I finally did fall asleep, I had weird dreams. Really strange dreams. They were about Superman. But they weren't. He wasn't ever there. I need to be rescued from a hanger and Superman wasn't there. I was tied up in a warehouse and no Superman. I was laughing at my desk and there was no Superman. I was eating penne pasta and he wasn't there. I was walking through the park, eating chocolate ice cream, but again no Superman. I was crying my eyes out, and he wasn't there for me. I was dancing and I thought I was floating on air. I thought I was in his arms, but he wasn't there. He wasn't anywhere. When I opened my eyes to tell him that I loved dancing with him, there was no Superman." Lois stopped and looked at Clark sitting on the couch with a neutral look on his face. "There was you. All those times, there was no Superman. There was you. Clark. And I realized that all the times that I really need someone, YOU are the one who was there for me. YOU are the one I can't imagine my life without. Superman comes in handy for saving my life sometimes and stuff and he is a really good friend, but when I think about my life, there is only you. Always you. And I don't want a divorce. Or an annulment. Are you just going to sit there or are you going to stop me? I'm babbling. I always babble. But you know that. You know all of my quirks and yet you are still there for me. You can stop me anytime now." She looked at him expectantly. "Lois, do you mean it?" "Yes." The word was barely a whisper. "Oh, Lois." He was standing next to her, holding her in his arms. She could feel his breath playing with the hair on her forehead. "I love you, too." Lois looked up at him. "You do?" "More than life itself." She leaned up to kiss him, but he pulled back. "There's something I have to tell you first. Maybe you better sit down." Lois allowed herself to be led to the couch. He sat down next to her, took her hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Lois, I love you. I have loved you since the moment you walked into Perry's office that first day. Nothing since then has diminished that love. And I have to admit, when you told me that we were married, I couldn't have been happier. All I wanted was for you to decide that it wasn't so bad after all and that you wanted to stay married. But there's something I have to tell you. Lois, I'm different. Different than anyone else. And because I'm different, I've had to lie to the people closest to me, including you. Don't say anything. Please, let me finish. In the beginning, you didn't like me all that much and I couldn't just tell my secret to anyone. So I kept it from you. We became friends, best friends, and then I was afraid of what you would think, of how mad you would be. How mad you are going to be. I've wanted to tell you for a long time now, but the timing was never right." Lois sat silent, wondering what the big news could be. "Here it is." Clark couldn't bring himself to just say it, so he went at it the roundabout way. "The reason I can get a hold of Superman so easily is because I know his secret identity." "Superman has a secret identity? That's the big secret? I wondered if he did, but it's really not that big a deal. I wish he would have told me, but I understand why he wouldn't." Clark breathed a big sigh of relief. "I was hoping you'd say that. You see, Lois, the reason I know his secret identity, is because, I . . .I AM Superman." He took his glasses off and sat there, waiting. Lois just stared at him. This couldn't be happening. Clark was Superman? He had taken his glasses off and as she looked closer, she could see that it really was him. Superman. The Man of Steel. And she was mad. Very mad. "How dare you? How dare you keep this from me? I am your best friend! I am an investigative reporter. How did I not know this? You must think I am galactically stupid." "No. Lois, I could never. . ." "Save it, Clark, Superman, whoever you are." "Lois, Clark is who I am, Superman is what I can do." Lois stood up. "I . . .I have to go. Bye." And she left. Clark sank back into the couch. He had blown it. ***** Lois walked out of the building. Tears were running down her cheeks. How could he do this to her? How could he let her open her heart up to him and then tell her something like that? Wait. He had said he was Superman. She had opened up to Superman earlier. Told him all about Clark. The tears came even faster. She WAS galactically stupid. How many times had she gushed over Superman to Clark? How many times had she told Superman things that she would never tell anyone else, not even Clark? All day, Lois walked. And walked. And walked. She went over everything in her mind. Clark was Superman. No wonder he was never around when Superman was saving someone. That explained all of the times he ran off to return a video or a library book. Come to think of it, she'd never even seen him at the library. She sighed. And then the cycle would start all over. She was mad. She was hurt. She was angry. She was . . .torn. She finally reached a decision. With determination written all over her face, she walked toward the office of the Daily Planet. ***** Sorry, couldn't decide what to do here either. If you want Lois to accept it, go to installment 9. If you don't, go to 10. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:32:47 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Read first - before IRS! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry everyone - the pieces got sent out of order - make sure you read 6 first! CM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 14:06:48 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 10 of 10 In-Reply-To: <20010208.152905.-246623.14.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Aie, Carol you bad girl!!!! What's the story with the IRS, already? Melisma (giggling, but still a *very* unsatisfied customer, here under her Rock :) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:18:35 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 1 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay a bunch of people could find 1 and 2 since they were under the heading fanfic up for grabs. So I sending them again! CM ***** "Mrs. Kent?" Lois didn't even look up. "Mrs. Kent?" The voice was starting to nibble at her concentration. "Mrs. Kent?" The voice was more insistent this time. Lois glared at the speaker and went back to work. There was a sigh. "Excuse, me, but are you Lois Kent?" Lois couldn't believe her ears. She looked at the man standing insistently by her desk. "*I* am Lois *Lane*. As far as I know there is no Lois Kent. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." "Ma'am, you are who I am looking for." "I told you I am NOT Lois Kent. There is no such person." "But there is. My name is Brent Dodge. I work for the Internal Revenue Service." "What do you mean. And what do I have to do with the IRS?" "Do you remember a story that you and your husband did while checked in at the honeymoon suite?" "I remember the story, but we weren't really married. We were undercover. I am not married and certainly not to Clark Kent. What does that have to do with the IRS?" "Well, Mrs. Kent. . ." "Please quit calling me that." He ignored her. "Mrs. Kent, we checked you tax return for this year and it appears that you and Mr. Kent are trying to defraud the IRS." "I don't know who you are or what you're doing, but leave me alone." Lois stood to walk off. "Are you aware of the law in New Troy, 'If a man and a woman who aren't married go to a hotel/motel and register themselves as married then, according to state law, they are legally married.'" Lois sat back down slowly. "Are you serious?" "Yes, Mrs. Kent." "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" :-) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:25:22 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS 2 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay resending this one too to make sure that everyone can find it! Okay - installment 2. "Lois and Clark and the IRS"? I took about 5 minutes for this - maybe more - it didn't seem to flow as easily. What do you guys think? No rotten fruit please! ***** Clark sighed. He was in the Philippines trying to help rescuers after a tidal wave went through. He looked around and saw they could handle it. He wondered what Lois wanted this time. As much as he loved her, sometimes he wished he couldn't hear her worldwide. Unless she was in trouble. Then he didn't mind. But the only trouble that this scream seemed to portray was trouble for him. It wasn't the Luthor has me trapped or I am being tied to a nuclear weapon scream. It was the if- you-aren't-here-in-two-seconds-and-explain-whatever-earth-shattering-deta il-I-need-explained-then-I-will-never-speak-to-you-again-at-least-not-unt il-I-need-you-to-help-me-again-but-I'll-never-admit-it scream. He better go. He didn't want to be on Lois' bad side. By the time Clark made it back to the newsroom, Lois was in the conference room, pacing furiously and muttering under her breath. Jimmy caught him on the way in. "I don't know what you did, CK, but I wouldn't want to be in your shoes for all the money in the world." "I didn't do anything." "Sure, CK, tell that to her." Jimmy pointed to the conference room. Clark took a deep breath. "Wish me luck." "You're gonna need it." Clark walked towards the conference room wracking his brain wondering what he could have done to make Lois *this* mad. He opened the door already cringing at what was to come. Lois waited until he shut the door to look at him. "I want a divorce." "Excuse me." Clark didn't understand. "I want a divorce." "Why are you telling me this?" "Because apparently we are married." She threw a piece of paper at him. "Since when?" he questioned as he looked at it and quickly scanned the print out. It was an internet site of old and seldom used laws in New Troy. There, with a bright red star next to it was the law in question. 'If a man and a woman who aren't married go to a hotel/motel and register themselves as married then, according to state law, they are legally married.' Yikes. "Well, Mrs. Kent," he got a look of death, "what I want to know is. . ." Lois didn't let him finish. "I know. Why is this a law? Who would want such a law? What purpose does it serve? And why us? Why do they have to come after us? What did we do to deserve this? This is the craziest thing I have ever heard of. Being married because you check into a hotel as a married couple. How on earth are you supposed to do undercover assignments then. 'Hi. I'm Lois Lane and this is my partner Clark Kent. We aren't really married, we just want to pretend that we are so we can be undercover. Now don't tell anyone, you hear? Oh, and are there any really obscure laws that we need to know about? Like how this could really make us married?" "Lois." "What?" "You're babbling. And that's not what I was thinking at all." "I am not. And what were you thinking?" "Well, like I was saying," he had a glint in his eye as he spoke, "what I want to know is where are the presents and where are we going on our honeymoon?" He grinned that big grin. He wanted his last moments alive to be good ones, because he knew, Superman or not, Lois was about to kill him. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:50:33 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fine - this is for Melisma! Who just wouldn't leave me alone! This should work no matter which ending you chose. I don't know anything about the IRS really, so it is all made up! Have a great day! CM ***** Lois and Clark walked into the IRS office. It had been six weeks since they had found out they were married. And despite everything, they were happy. There had been a few problems at first, the whole Superman issue, but things got better fast. They had gone back to see Bruce Bigbrain and tell him that they didn't need his services after all. He smiled and said he knew they wouldn't. He showed them the form - there was no line about Clark being, well, inadequate. Clark was mad, but just for a minute. If Bruce had just let them say the marriage had been unconsummated at the time then the marriage would have been annulled and that would have been the end of that. Maybe. Who knows what would have happened? Clark was glad they didn't have to find out. And so here they were. No longer did they wonder about Clark's issues; he didn't have any. In fact, they were both very happy. Except that this IRS thing didn't want to go away. "Clark and Lois Kent?" They stood up and walked into the office of Brent Dodge, the IRS agent who had first broken the news to Lois. Lois looked at Clark nervously and he squeezed her hand gently. They sat down across the desk from Brent Dodge. He started. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, it appears from your tax returns that you were trying to defraud the IRS." Clark spoke up. "Mr. Dodge, how do you figure that we were trying to defraud the IRS?" "Well, you filed separate *single* tax returns. Deductions are higher for two single people filing separately than they are for a married couple. So between the two of you, you claimed around $3000 too much." "We didn't even know we were married." "That doesn't matter. Under the law you were married. That's all that matters." "But. . ." "No, buts. Refigured your total tax between the two of you . . ." He used his adding machine. He asked a few more questions about deductions and came up with a new figure. He looked at it in disbelief. "It appears that *we* owe you money. That can't be right." He mumbled to himself and readded some more. He sighed. "It appears that we owe you $750. You'll have a check in, well, 7 - 10 years. Have a nice day." He stood up and walked out. Lois and Clark looked at each other. They stood up to walk out and looked at each other again. She grabbed him around the neck and giggled. "I love you." "You just love me because we are getting money from the IRS." "You know it!" Together, arm in arm, they walked out of the IRS. Content and happy. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 18:16:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 (no spoilers) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit 11 of 10? Hmm, creating numbering on a story about a government office that deals iwth numbers... --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:34:26 -0700 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 (no spoilers) In-Reply-To: <11.f91ba32.27b482c9@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Laurie wrote: >11 of 10? Hmm, creating numbering on a story about a government office that >deals iwth numbers... ROTFL!! Are you kidding? She was writing about the IRS! 11 of 10 sounds pretty much like them. Erin (running to cash her state and federal tax return checks before the IRS comes after her for making that remark ) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 00:04:06 -0000 Reply-To: Yvonne Connell Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, I can answer the mustard question, even if Wendy can't. Basically, use any type of mustard you like! Personally, I like (prepared) wholegrain mustard, but dry would work just as well. And to modify it for losing weight (I don't know anything about diabetics) - I'd say don't modify, make something else! Also, having now read Wendy's recipe with interest, I'd differ, because I would make a roue (butter and flour), add milk to make a thickened white sauce, add cheese, and then dump that in with my macaroni. I think this is like trifle recipes... Yvonne (yvonne@yconnell.fsnet.co.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 19:19:33 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lesley Hilliard Subject: Re: Dance of the Seven Capes - part 3 - Finale MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I really liked this Helene. Thanks for posting it. Lesley ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 19:20:54 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lesley Hilliard Subject: Re: Strangers II: Becoming Partners - Part 5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is a very nice beginning to your story. Hope you continue posting here. Lesley ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 19:41:56 -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: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit LOL, Carol... This whole thing has been very funny, and the choose your own adventure aspects were fun, too (I liked #7 the best but they were all good). And now, we have part 11 of 10! Somehow that's fitting, considering the way the rest of the story went So what was up with the IRS...? Now there's a bureaucracy all over! Thanks so much for taking me up on my fanfic idea, Carol, I have enjoyed the heck out of your efforts :) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 18:48:46 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Question MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - for all of you who said you wanted to hear more from me - Part 1 of my series of sequels to "Baby, I Hardly Knew You" is finished I think. What now? CM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 18:31:05 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 In-Reply-To: <20010208.165035.-246623.26.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 04:50 PM 08/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Fine - this is for Melisma! Who just wouldn't leave me alone! This >should work no matter which ending you chose. I don't know anything >about the IRS really, so it is all made up! Have a great day! > >CM LOL, this was a good ending, Carol :) Now I want to challenge someone (not necessarily Carol, who prolly hates my guts now :o) to write about the period of transition she glossed over - the Superman thing, where they live, just getting used to being married, the reactions of the Planet staff, etc... FoLCs, I see a whole saga in the cards :) Melisma (absolutely addicted by this story and not wanting it to end, ever - hiding under her Rock) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:18:52 -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: Betty's site On Thu, 8 Feb 2001 02:07:24 -0800, Betty Cheng wrote: > Since Pam gave >me permission and the story was listed under her name on the authors page in >the Archive, I labelled her as the author of the story on my website. >Actually I'll be glad to change the name if you can tell me who wrote the >story or was it a group effort? I answered this in my first post on the subject. :) Quote: >>Betsy wrote this S5 episode, with some help from me, and some scene >>assistance from Pam. The Archive does list the author as "Betsy, with help from Kathy and Pam" (paraphrased). You just need to go to the story listing and check. It's in the description as well as in the story itself. It was really Betsy's story ... I did some writing on it as well, and as Pam said, she contributed a scene (back then, we were all walking on eggshells and didn't want to upset anyone who thought they might deserve writers credit when an author's note would do. LOL, Pam, how far we came. ) Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:29:33 -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: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed LOL, to add to Erin's experienced description ... for most tests, you usually don't dip the stick in the urine anymore. You just hold the "absorbant tip" under your urine stream while you are urinating (/me watches as all the guys on the listserv run screaming from their computers ;)) for 5 or 10 seconds and then put it flat on the counter to wait for the colors to change. As Erin said, some brands do "two lines is pregnant, one is not", while another popular one does a "plus" for pregnant and a "minus" for not pregnant. Most of them also have a "control window" that will always turn color (blue or pink, depending on the brand) so "you can be sure the test is working". BTW, ovulation kits work pretty much the same way. Six years ago, the cheapest kits would have you collect your urine in a cup and dip the stick, or use the "ring in the test tube" method you described. But now even the generic or store-brands use the "hold it under your stream" method. Oh, and you didn't ask, but the pregnancy tests you can buy in the store are basically the same thing the doctors' offices use. There is also a blood test you can get in the doctor's office, which is supposed to be even more sensitive, but they don't do them routinely. More than you wanted to know, I'm sure. ;) Oh, and P.S. to Erin and Pam ... now that we know the Kerth coordinator position is a fertility drug, I really need to know if it works to induce labor as well. Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:41:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kass Johnson Subject: Re: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Although everything has been said already about this, ( ;) I just wanted to add one more thing.. My doctor said that the tests should be used in the morning, if possible, the first time you have to pee that morning. She gave some medical gobblegook as the reason, all I know is, it worked (or not, depending on your outlook..) Kara (running after twin girls who will be one year old on March 25th and is very afraid to even attend the Kerths) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:49:04 -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: Kraft Dinner The things we learn on this list ... One of my favorite songs is "If I Had A Million Dollars" by the Barenaked Ladies, and it has the (totally wonderful) line, "we wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner -- but we would!" It cracks me up every time (since *everyone* knows that Kraft Mac-n-Cheese rules ;)) but I always wondered why they called it Kraft Dinner, instead of the American term. And now I know! LOL!!! Kathy (If I had a million dollars ...) I'd build a tree fort in our yard .. (If I had a million dollars ...) You could help; it wouldn't be that hard ... (If I had a million dollars ...) Maybe we could put a tiny little fridge up there somewhere ... Gosh, I love that song. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:01:39 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed On Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:41:24 EST, Kass Johnson wrote: > My doctor said that the tests should be >used in the morning, if possible, the first time you have to pee that >morning. She gave some medical gobblegook as the reason, all I know is, it >worked It's because the test is measuring the amount of HCG in your urine, and the concentrations are the highest in the morning because you've held it for several hours. Most tests these days are sensitive enough to test anytime (as long as you hold it at least a couple of hours) but for the most accurate results (especially if you aren't very late), you should test first thing in the morning. Or you can be like me, who, after nearly three years of trying for #2, couldn't believe that I would actually be six days late for a reason other than being on vacation, but I stopped at the drugstore on my way home from meeting Wendy, Irene and Karen in Ontario anyway and took the test at my parents' house that evening because the curiosity was killing me. >(running after twin girls who will be one year old on March 25th and is very >afraid to even attend the Kerths) LOL! Well, you *were* the one who went into active labor during the ceremony last year, weren't you? ;) Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 21:00:09 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Those other stories I keep mentioning do go into a transition of being married and Superman (well, it's a pilot rewrite, so there is the creation of Superman, but powers and stuff) to be dealt with, and where to live an all of that! I think that I am just going to post the first few pages of the first fic and wait to see if someone finally tells me what to do with the rest of it! *BG* I guess in this day and age of instant messaging I want an instant message - so look for the first part of First Night. Coming soon to a list-serve near you! I could never hate your guts!:-) Your face maybe. Your rock even, but not your guts!:o) CM > LOL, this was a good ending, Carol :) Now I want to challenge > someone (not > necessarily Carol, who prolly hates my guts now :o) to write about > the > period of transition she glossed over - the Superman thing, where > they > live, just getting used to being married, the reactions of the > Planet > staff, etc... FoLCs, I see a whole saga in the cards :) > > Melisma (absolutely addicted by this story and not wanting it to > end, ever > - hiding under her Rock) > > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 22:01:21 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - part 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay this is my first real attempt at fanfic as opposed to the what can I whip out in 15 minutes to keep Melisma off my back and under her rock!*bg* Special thanks to beta readers Missy and Chris H. This is the first part of a series of sequels based on Chris' "Baby I hardly Knew YOu". If you haven't read it, you should. (short version - L and C meet in DC ten years before the pilot) In this version of my little LC world, they didn't exchange last names and Clark went by CJ (otherwise they would have known immediately in Perry's office and what fun is that?!) This is for you Melisma - hoping to keep you happy!:o) SSS - flashback * thoughts/emphasis My other email account said this was about 15KB which is under the amount it says on the FAQ - so if it is too big, please don't hate me! I didn't mean to! I would love feedback - just remember that it is a rewrite of Ep. 1 and the good stuff doesn't start until after the White Orchid Ball. If you want more posted here - let me know! Also - I am looking for a series title! I have 3 stories about finished and 1 more under construction! Thanks! CM First Night ***** The dark streak appeared out of nowhere. It headed straight for Metropolis. Anyone looking at the sky would have screamed in fear thinking that a meteor was about to hit. But no one was looking. The streak headed straight for downtown Metropolis and came to earth in an alleyway across from the Daily Planet newspaper. There was no earth-shattering impact or any other indication that anything unusual had taken place. Nothing except for the young man who walked out of the alley a few seconds later. He straightened his tie and looked at the hubbub on the city streets around him. It was different than anywhere he had ever been and he had been to Paris, London, Beijing, Tokyo and most other major and minor cities in the world, but somehow this one was different. He knew why and he sighed. Yes. He sighed. A long, deep sigh. If only he knew how to find *her*. She was the reason that he had come here, to Metropolis. He didn't even know if she still lived here. It had been over ten years. Even if he could find her, would she remember him? Probably not. Why would she? She had been beautiful and she, no doubt, had many suitors in the last ten years. She was probably married, maybe even with a child or two by now. He ran his hand over his tie, a normal gesture to anyone else, but he was really feeling for the small circle hidden there. He did it almost unconsciously; he had been doing it for so long. The feel of it there brought back the memories that he treasured. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Air had been the one who first spotted her at the hotel. Air, CJ's best friend, pointed across the lobby towards a young woman who was standing at the reception desk. She was wearing snug jeans, a white bodysuit top and a black vest; and CJ had to admit she was a real looker. Her chestnut-brown hair was tied back into a pony tail and small circular sunglasses were sitting right above her forehead. Stunning! The boys looked at her with their mouths hanging open. Air had gone over and hit on her, but even the ever so dashing and suave Air had been rebuffed by the beautiful girl. The boys grabbed their bags and got onto the elevator. CJ looked at the mysterious girl one more time. She gazed around the lobby, obviously looking for someone or something; and before the elevator doors closed, their eyes met. And for the first time in his life, CJ lost himself in someone else's gaze. Her eyes were brown and sparkled like diamonds. He felt his heart turning somersaults and found that he liked the feeling. CJ could have looked at her for the rest of the evening but the doors closed in front of his face, and she disappeared from his sight. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS He had never even known her last name. She had never known his real name either. In high school, he had gone by CJ to please his parents, but as soon as he left home to go to college and travel the world, he had begun using Clark. She'd never recognize that name. He was abruptly drawn out of his reverie by the screams of a mother. He had heard those same screams time and time again all over the world. They never changed. He quickly looked around and saw a little girl, no more than 5 years old, with long blond hair and a teddy bear under one arm, wandering in the middle of the busy street. There was a car speeding straight for the little girl. There was no way one of the bystanders would be able to reach her in time, but Clark knew that he could. Fast as light, he ran to the curb near the little girl, and at a more human pace, but still faster than many would believe possible, he ran into the street, scooped her up and carried her out of the way. The mother grabbed the little girl[,] and held her like she would never let go. The car sped off and the driver, who was talking on a cell phone, never knew what happened. Clark quietly walked off, picked up his bag from where he had left it across the street and continued on his way. No one had noticed how quickly he had moved from the bus stop to the tree by the curb and he was determined to keep it that way. ***** Lois Lane always looked the same. Business suits and no nonsense attitude. She had just landed another major story. This one was on a car theft ring and the national news had picked it up. The Daily Planet employees were gathered around the television watching as the world picked up on the report of their star. Right now, she was basking in the glow of her most recent success. "To Lois Lane - still going where no reporter has gone before!" Jimmy joked as he raised his coffee cup. The Planet newsroom joined in the jocularity until the gruff, unchanging voice of the editor cut through the mirth. "Hey, hey, hey! Turn that thing off," Perry White glared in the direction of the television until someone did as he instructed. "Now Jimmy, don't encourage her, she's got a head as big as the Metro Dome as it is!" he said in his best grizzly bear voice, but everyone saw the big teddy bear underneath smile at 'his girl.' "Well, it's nice to know I'm appreciated around here, Chief," she said with a flip of her hair. "What do you expect... garlands thrown at your feet?" he suggested with a wicked smile. "No," she said with a quick laugh. "But I would like a raise." "Well, I'd like Cubs to win a World Series once in a while, but hey, Lois..." He showed her the insides of his empty pockets. "Times are tough." The gathered staff members laughed, and Perry looked around at the party going on in his newsroom. "What's everybody standing around for? This is a newspaper, not Happy Hour at Buckingham Palace," he said firmly. "Well, I guess I'll just have to finish my novel. I'll make so much money I'll be able to buy *you* that football team and you can turn them into winners." Perry grinned. "Sure, Lois. You do that." He shook his head as he walked towards his office, mumbling, "Football team? Lois wouldn't know the difference between a shortstop and a tight end. Novel? Sure Lois, sure." Lois' novels were legendary. She had yet to finish one of the many that she had started. Jimmy followed his boss across the newsroom, eagerly trying to get his attention. "Chief, I got a great idea for a story. See the sandwiches in the cafeteria tasted funny yesterday, and today I'm feeling sick. I think that food poisoning --" Perry stopped at the door of his office and turned to face the enthusiastic boy. "Did you finish those obituary updates?" Jimmy's face fell as he realized that yet another idea was being shot down by one of his two idols. A good scandal in the lunchroom was better than writing obituaries. He wondered if Lois Lane had started off writing obituaries. "Jimmy," Perry began, sounding each word out clearly, "never underestimate the need for a good obituary." With that, he went into his office and closed the door. Jimmy turned away. "I can think of one right now," he muttered under his breath. He tossed his notebook on Lois' desk angrily and was treated to the look of death that "Mad Dog Lane" usually reserved for others. He quickly picked it back up and saw the pink message slip underneath. "Whoa, I guess you've finally hit the big time!" Lois, who was concentrating on rereading what she had already written of this latest novel, didn't look up. "Huh?" "This time, Lex Luthor's personal assistant --" he played his only little game of keep away, until he saw he had pushed Lois as far as he felt was safe. "-- returned your call," he called as she snagged it and turned away from him. She looked disappointed and wadded it into a little ball. "Give it up, Lois," Jimmy said. "Luthor never gives one-on-one interviews." Lois just looked at him. "Well, he's never met Lois Lane before, either," she said determinedly. *And this time is going to be different. I am going to get that interview AND finish this novel.* This novel was different. She really believed that. She HAD to believe that. She had started writing this one in June. June 11th to be exact. That was ten years to the day after she met CJ, and she would never forget him. SSSSSSSSSSS Lois Lane was waiting for her father in the lobby of the hotel where she was staying with him for the weekend. Suddenly she felt a presence behind her and she turned around. In front of her stood a young man, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old, with blond hair and blue eyes and a smile which he probably found terribly enchanting. "Hi," he said. "So what is a nice girl like you doing here all by herself?" Oh brother. One of those guys! she thought, disgusted. "Save your breath, Prince Charming. I don't have time for it," she stated simply. The young man looked pretty disappointed. He went back to a group of young men, standing on the other side of the lobby. His friends had a very good time making fun of him - except one of them. He just stood there and smiled. Lois noticed that he was tall, probably taller than her father. Even though he was wearing a sweatshirt, which said 'Smallville High' across the front, she was able to see that he was pretty muscular. Another young man joined the group and they all got onto the elevator. Lois scanned the area once again, looking for her father, but she didn't find him. Instead, her gaze fell upon the young man with the 'Smallville High' sweatshirt, and their eyes met. He smiled at her and his chocolate brown eyes twinkled delightfully and shyly, telling her: I know a secret. Lois had to admit he looked handsome, probably better than all the other guys she had met until today. She found herself staring at him. And then the elevator doors closed in front of him. She stood there, staring at the closed elevator doors, still in a daze. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and found her father. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS And so she had written the beginning of her novel. She was having somewhat more difficulty with the rest. The next twenty-four hours had been incredible. The only people in the world had been her and CJ. And still his name was all she really knew about him. Except that even now, more than ten years later, she was hopelessly, helplessly in love with him. ***** The young man who had rescued the little girl stood across the street and stared at the icon for the world's best newspaper. The "Daily Planet". He had arrived! He still couldn't believe that his old professor had known Perry White and that he was willing to give him an interview. It wouldn't do to be late, so he took a deep breath, walked across the street and entered the rotating doors, stopping only to ask directions to Mr. White's office. Mr. White reminded Clark a little bit of the absent-minded professor. Papers were strewn everywhere on his desk, a disaster to anyone else, but Clark was sure that the editor knew just where everything was. "So you are Mister, uh..." "Kent, Clark Kent," the young man was quick to help in any way possible. As though to prove Clark's suspicions, Perry White pulled out his resume. "Ah yes, Kent. Oh, Professor Carlton called me about you; boy, I haven't seen him in I don't know... Let's see here," he brought himself back to the matter at hand. "Editor, Smallville Press," he read slowly, valiantly trying to keep his smile in place. What kind of name was Smallville. "Where is that, that's in...?" "Kansas." "Kansas," the chief repeated, barely able to keep the incredulity out of his voice, grateful for the insistent ringing of his phone. "Oh, just a minute please," he apologized as he reached out and grabbed the receiver. "Yeah... Oh, tell him to keep his pants on! If Carlini's can't deliver on time, just find a place who can!" Clark looked around to see if there was anyone in the newsroom who hadn't heard him. As he started to take his pulse, he asked Clark, "Would you believe I had to buy a blood pressure monitor last week?" "Paava leaves," Clark said with a smile, wondering how this man would take the suggestion. "I beg your pardon?" Perry asked, the confused look usually reserved for Lois on his face. "The Yolngu tribe in New Guinea eat paava leaves to relieve stress, it puts them in a meditative state. Maybe you should try it," he suggested as a woman entered and left some papers on his desk. Perry grunted his thanks. "Oh, well, I see you've done some traveling," Perry observed. *He wants me to eat leaves? Does everyone from Smallville have a screw loose?* "Well, this is my first trip to Metropolis," Clark clarified. "I have some samples of my work," he remembered, handing the editor a handful of papers that he pulled out of his bag. "Oh good, good, let's take a look," the editor said, grateful to get the conversation off of him eating *leaves*. This young man had the kind of honest face that was missing in today's world. "The Borneo Gazette," he read slowly, feeling his stomach drop and remembering why he didn't ride roller coasters. "Mating rituals of the knob-tailed gecko?" With a sigh he faced the clean-cut young man with the hopeful eyes, trying to find a gentle way of breaking it to him. "Kent, I'm sure that these are fascinating stories, but you see, son, this is the Daily Planet! We just don't do stories on knob-tailed geckos. Or any other reptiles for that matter. Rarely even a story on mating rituals of mammals, unless you count 'Cat's Corner', and NOBODY but Cat counts that." He was interrupted by a dark-haired young man who burst through the office door. "All right, Chief, I fixed the horn on your golf cart," he announced, a tad bit smug. "Not now, Jimmy," Perry said abruptly. "The tone's still off," the lad continued, his face drooping a little bit. "Jimmy, not now!" Perry shouted, wondering if there was anything to the paava leaves thing. He needed something. Jimmy left with a haste born from knowing the Chief's anger on many occasions. "Now, as I was, uh, saying, you just can't walk in here and expect..." This time the interruption came from a brunette whirlwind who was pleading her case before she even entered the office. "Chief! I think there's a story here and we should check it out, it could be more Kerth material, you..." "Lane!" the chief exploded. "I don't know what cockamamie story you're talking about this time, but can't you see I'm in the middle of something here?" he asked with a definite edge to his voice. Clark rose to his feet wondering who it was that had the gumption to talk to this obviously powerful man this way, and instantly had a feeling of deja' vu. For a second he looked startled, but then shook his head and decided that it couldn't be. There was no way. "Oh," she said, irritated at the interruption. She barely glanced at the man who was interrupting her day, and then turned back to the Chief as though demanding an answer. "Lane. Clark Kent," Perry introduced. "Nice to meet you," she said, glancing at him just long enough to know that she needed to do a double take. She did[,] and then decided that she was imagining things. She turned immediately back to her editor. "Anyway, he worked for the Sec. State..." Clark closed his mouth, for once dumbfounded by what he had seen. He didn't quite know what to think of the tornado of a woman who had just walked back into his life. Back into his life? He looked more closely at her and debated. Finally, the rational side won. This couldn't be his Lois - it would be too easy. He planned on having to search the city for her and for her to just walk back into his life would be entirely too easy. And if there was one thing that Clark's life was not, it was easy. "Hold on there, Lois!" Perry stopped the whirling dervish that often reminded him of that little cartoon character who ate anything in its path. "What happened to that mood piece I gave you about the razing of that old theater on Forty-second Street?" "I wasn't in the mood," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Clark looked at her more closely. Maybe it was possible. She certainly had the spunk. "You weren't in the *mood*," he repeated with a touch of singsong in his voice. "Now look, Lane, you can't come in here and tell me you're not in the..." The young woman focused her attention on the young man who fixed the golf cart horn. He was making 'you've got a phone call' motions at her. "I gotta go, I'll catch you later!" she told her boss, drowning out his tirade as she swept out of the office like a tornado of energy. Clark followed her intently with his eyes, studying her face, wondering. . . He was startled when Perry continued talking. "I tell you, if that woman wasn't the best damned investigative reporter I've ever seen, I...!" Perry took his pulse again and mumbled, "This job and that girl is gonna kill me yet". Then he remembered - the Borneo Gazette and - was it hook-tailed iguanas? "Look, Kent, I'm sure that you're an intelligent guy, but you just can't walk in here with this kind of resume and expect to get a job." "Mr. White, I know I lack experience," Clark said earnestly, turning his attention back to the task at hand, "but I'm a good writer --" "Kent," Perry interrupted. "-- and a hard worker, and I --" "Kent," Perry sounded almost wistful. "I just don't have anything for you, son." Clark's 100-watt smile melted from his face. "Well, thank you, sir. I appreciate you taking the time to see me," he said politely, knowing that his small time success was a long shot here. "Okay," Perry said with a friendly smile. Clark shook the man's hand, picked up his satchel, and walked slowly out of the office. Perry smiled until Clark had turned away, and then stared at his throbbing hand with a grimace and a whimper of pain, holding it away from his body. Then he looked in the direction the young man had gone, his eyes wide. ***** Clark had told the cab driver to take him to a cheap, clean hotel. "Cheap", the Hotel Apollo was, but Clark wasn't sure about clean. He could make it look better in a matter of seconds if he wanted to, but he just didn't have the heart. It wasn't much of a home. If he ever found Lois, he wanted to have a better place to show her. This was a dump! There was a pay phone even. How cheap could people be? He didn't think he could even get incoming calls. He sighed and picked up the phone. He hated calling his parents collect, but he really didn't have much choice. "You want me to wire you some cash?" his dad offered right away. "No, I'm fine," Clark said half-heartedly, *but it won't be long before I can't afford even this hell hole*. "How'd the interview go?" Martha Kent asked eagerly. "Not so good, but something'll turn up, I'm sure," Clark said into the phone, not even able to convince himself. "Nyeah, I think I should wire you some cash," Jonathan interjected. "I'm fine, Dad." "You're still going to make it home on Friday?" his mom asked. "I'd never miss your home cooking, Mom," Clark said with a wistful smile. "What home cooking?" Jonathan snorted. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in..." "Clark, you're being careful, aren't you?" his mother asked into her phone, cutting off her husband's complaint. "Sure, other than the car incident this morning, but that --" "Car incident? Clark..." his mother began, her happy smile vanishing. "Metropolis isn't the Outback, you know," his father warned, ignoring his wife's glare. "People in the city are always looking to make a quick buck. If they find out about you, they'll put you in a laboratory, and..." Clark rolled his eyes and finished the familiar phrase with him. "... 'dissect me like a frog.' I know, Dad. Believe me, I'm trying my best to be like everybody else here, but I couldn't let that little girl get run over. You understand; don't you, Mom?" He heard her sigh. "Of course, sweetheart. You can't just NOT help." "Well, I'll get that cash out to you tonight," his dad told him. "Dad..." Clark realized that he needed the money more now than ever, but he couldn't just TAKE it. "I'll pay you back, I promise. Okay, I'll talk to you guys soon." "Bye, honey," his mom said gently, giving her husband a slightly sad smile. "Oh, mom. WAIT!" "What is it sweetheart?" Jonathan had already hung up the phone that he was on. "Do you remember that trip that I took with AJ and the guys to DC?" "Of course. The trip where you met the 'woman of your dreams'?" He could almost see the grin on her face. "*Yes, Mom*! That trip." "What about it, honey?" "I saw her today." The silence hung between them. "Are you sure, sweetheart? How do you even know that she's still in Metropolis? Odds are she moved on a long time ago. And even if you do find her, she is probably married by now. I don't want you to get your hopes up over a dream that ended over ten years ago." "I know, Mom. But it was her. . .it was. I know it. She works for the Planet now. When I got a good look at her, I saw her eyes and well, I know it was her. The same spunk and determination that I saw in Lois, I see in this Lane person." "Lane?" "Yes, that's what Mr. White called her. I wonder if it's a pseudonym or something. Maybe she doesn't use her real name at work." "You have to admit it's a stretch." "I know, Mom. I just wanted you to know that I found her again." "Well, for your sake, son, I hope so. Now you get a good night's sleep. I love you." "I love you, too, Mom," Clark hung up slowly, feeling a pang of loneliness...that lifelong companion of his. Now if he could only find out if Lane was the Lois that he knew and loved. He lay back on the bed, unwilling to admit to himself that he needed to pick up the Daily Planet and look for other job opportunities. Even with the money his dad was sending he wouldn't survive here long. He closed his eyes and willed himself to relax. He took several deep breaths. Slowly he started floating toward the ceiling. He could relax much better this way. The cushion of air was much more comfortable than the thin, hard mattress of the cheap hotel bed. He played with the ring that had been hiding under his suit. She had given it to him ten years ago. He hadn't taken off since, no matter how much the guys razzed him. He sighed one more time. Sure, he could float up to the ceiling, but could he get a job? A regular job like any regular guy? He closed his eyes and smiled softly. Ten years. Ten years was a long time. SSSSSSSSSSSSS "Hey, Air, have you seen my glasses?" CJ asked and went through his bag. "Nope." "Damn! I must have left them on my desk yesterday when we left," CJ said. He didn't really *need* glasses, but they helped him control his special vision. When he had been younger, he had had problems with his capability of looking through walls and with his heat vision. After he had almost burned down the shed behind the house, his mother had suggested glasses, and after that he had been capable of controlling his special powers. In the meantime, he was so good at handling his powers that he didn't really need the glasses anymore, but he was so used to them that he felt strange when he was not wearing them. "So, Kent, that girl in the lobby must have made an impression on you, huh?" Air asked suddenly and shot CJ an amused look. "Beg your pardon?" "Hey, you were staring at her as if she were Marilyn Monroe herself," Air laughed. "I was *not* staring at her!" CJ protested and changed into his boxer shorts. "Yes, you were!" "Were not!" "Were so!" They heard a knock at the door. CJ got up and answered it. AJ and Barney were standing in front of him. "Hey, CJ, we thought we'd go and eat something. Are you and Air joining us?" "Sure, why not? What do you think, Air?" "I'm with you. Just let me take a shower and put on some clean clothes," Air answered and disappeared behind the bathroom door. "Where are we going?" CJ asked as he put on the rest of his clothes. "We thought Chinese." ***** CJ, Air, AJ and Barney entered the Chinese restaurant and were greeted by a young Chinese waiter who introduced himself as Danny. He showed them to their table and then left again so they could study the menu. "Hey, CJ, look who's here. Your little girlfriend," Air whispered suddenly and nodded towards a table behind CJ. CJ turned around and indeed. She was sitting at a table with a man, who was probably her father. They had the same eyes. CJ smiled, oblivious to his surroundings. "Oh, look. CJ's in love," AJ said suddenly, such a jump back into reality. "Oh, shut up, AJ!" CJ snapped. "How come I hear that a lot today?" AJ asked. "I guess because you are a total jerk," Air said and laughed. "Oh, look who's talking!" AJ shot back. The guys were having a lot of fun, but Clark wasn't able to concentrate. He couldn't get his mind off that girl. And even though he had never spoken to her, he had the strange feeling he was falling in love with her. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS He stood up, in mid-air, and started walking in circles around the room. It was two steps to the wall. Stop. Shake head. Turn. Two steps to the other wall. Stop. Shake head. Turn. Repeat over and over. Always playing with the ring that hung around his neck. He didn't want to give up his dream. He couldn't, especially now that he thought he knew where Lois was. He had to talk to her. To see if she remembered him. To find out if she felt the same way that he did. He liked what he had seen of Metropolis so far; the bustle and excitement and constant activity and she was more of a reason to stay. He would just have to get a job somewhere else until he could find out for sure. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:11:57 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kass Johnson Subject: Re: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kathy, Twas me, I'm afraid, and I'll be glad to pass the curse ;) I'll be quietly sitting in the peanut gallery this year, since Adam has emphatically dared me to present *anything* this year ;) Kara ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 20:39:58 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: First Night - part 1 In-Reply-To: <20010208.220128.-41418227.3.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:01 PM 08/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Okay this is my first real attempt at fanfic as opposed to the what can I >whip out in 15 minutes to keep Melisma off my back and under her >rock!*bg* Special thanks to beta readers Missy and Chris H. This is the >first part of a series of sequels based on Chris' "Baby I hardly Knew >YOu". If you haven't read it, you should. (short version - L and C meet >in DC ten years before the pilot) In this version of my little LC world, >they didn't exchange last names and Clark went by CJ (otherwise they >would have known immediately in Perry's office and what fun is that?!) > >This is for you Melisma - hoping to keep you happy!:o) Ooooh Carol, now you've gone and done it - You won't be able to check your mail without finding a note from me nagging you for the next part!!! Honestly - I always forget how much I love the Pilot, but you just reminded me. That plus the added, er, dimension you have here - magnifique! Hurry up and post the next part... Melisma (vowing that she will not NOT NOT be a nag this time, but her Rock knows that's prolly not going to happen :) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:43:16 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Lorie Y. Crisp" Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit For some reason, I can't stand homemade macaroni and cheese. (yes, I call it just plain ol' macaroni and cheese no matter if it's the supergeneric or the Kraft brand. Although Kraft is best :) ) I don't know why I don't like homemade, it's just not cheesy enough, I guess. Kraft is cheesiest. And no, they didn't pay me to say that! Although I wouldn't mind if they did.... Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 04:50:52 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II - Part 6 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Clark walked tentatively into the newsroom the next morning. For the first time, he was wearing his suit under his clothes. He contemplated bringing it in a duffle bag, or stashing it in his desk somewhere; but the risk of someone finding it, or of him being in a place where he couldn't get to it fast enough, worried him. His main concern right now was that the bright primary colors would show through his clothes; his wardrobe consisted mainly of light pastels, and white shirts. But to his amazement, after trying on his work clothes over his costume, not a bit of color bled through. When he placed a shirt over the suit when he wasn't wearing it, the design of his shield could be seen plainly. He supposed it was his aura that made it invisible when he had it under his clothes. Still, he felt a little self conscious when he arrived. The suit was binding, but not uncomfortable; it was very reassuring in a way. He now knew he had the means to make himself known to the world in case any emergency arose. Yet, he knew once his existence was revealed, there was no turning back, and *that* fact was nerve wracking in itself. Instead of going to his desk right away, he headed straight for the coffee break area. No one was over there, as opposed to the space around his desk, where a small army of workers had collected. With his super hearing, he heard them gabbing about the latest installment of his articles. It had been written late last night after his visit with Lois. He was full of confidence when he arrived home, and typed out the article swiftly, leaving the readers with the desire to find this hero of the night. In his final paragraph, he specifically asked the would-be hero to reveal himself, saying that no one wished him any harm, and that he would be welcomed in the community. The main discussion of the group wasn't directed at himself, Clark Kent, the writer, but at the whole idea of the desperate 'man hunt', and whether there was any truth in the whole situation. It amused him that his plan was working. The curiosity he hoped to arouse from his last column was there; his colleagues were wondering if the miracle man would come out of hiding. Although the response was favorable, he had no desire to discuss it, either as the author of the articles, or as the miracle man. His manner towards most people during his tenure at the Daily Planet was mostly friendly and courteous, but he never shared any personal information to anyone. As much as he enjoyed the company of his boss, even Perry was kept at a safe distance. He would occasionally go out to dinner, or a movie with the 'boys', but heart to heart talks with anyone was out the question. Especially now that he was about to become Superman, it was imperative that he remain a loner. There was a simple solution to the bunch around his desk - he'd just wait until Perry cleared everyone out of the area. He used his super vision quickly and noticed the Chief was getting perturbed at the ruckus in *his* newsroom. It was just a matter of time before the boss would run them off quicker than you could say, 'Elvis is King'. He downed his steaming coffee quickly after determining no one was watching, and poured himself one more cup. Another complex dilemma presented itself this morning: whether to choose a cinnamon twist or plain cake donut. The choice was obvious, after he thought a moment - just take them both. He processed high sugar content foods differently than humans. They had a calming effect on him, and also seemed to enhance the absorption of the sun's rays. It didn't take as long to feel the full effects of the sun after he consumed a large amount of sugar-laden foods. Whether that response was all in his mind or if it was a chemical reaction, he wasn't quite sure. If today was going to be as exciting as he expected, he would need the extra energy. "Hey! C. K.!" Jimmy Olsen waved across the room at him. Clark nodded his head and gave a friendly wave. It didn't appear that Perry was coming out of the office anytime soon. A phone call had interrupted his descent upon his fellow workers. Now Clark either had to find another task to justify his reason for being by the coffee maker, or head for his desk and hope he wouldn't be inundated with questions about his articles. A presence at his side startled him out of his thoughts. "Hi Clark. You're looking unbelievably handsome this morning," Cat Grant purred at him. "Good morning, Cat," he said, smiling robotically at her. All at once, talking to the gossips grew appealing. He looked over at Jimmy and tried to get his attention without it being apparent to Cat. "It's a good morning after a *great* night," she spoke seductively. "Which reminds me, when can you give me *your* course on Investigative Reporting 101? I most certainly would like to investigate you - I mean, learn from you." She sidled up closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. Panic began to race through his veins. What if she felt the outline of his emblem beneath her hand, or saw the colors of his suit through his shirt? Just because *he* didn't see them in the mirror, didn't mean that humans weren't able to distinguish them. Why hadn't he covered this with his mother? Removing her hand from his shirt, the need to run welled up inside him. "Cat, I'm really busy these days, we're still so short-handed. Maybe Perry can recommend someone whose schedule is not so hectic. Speaking of schedules, I have to go. The Prometheus is going to launch in an hour and I have to cover it, but first I need to contact Perry about something....sorry," he said, backing away from her quickly. Passing by the donut tray again, he grabbed a couple more icing covered donuts to add to his sugar collection. Nodding good bye, he quickly headed down to the swarm surrounding his desk. As much as he would have liked to have taken his donuts and walked back into the elevator, Clark had to keep an appointment with Perry. The editor called him early that morning, letting him know he'd received the latest article and asking him to stop by his office in the morning. Before he saw his editor, he decided to deposit his breakfast on his desk and check his e-mail. He covered the front of his shirt as best he could with what he was carrying and his hand accidently brushed against the small horseshoe charm around his neck. Lois wouldn't want him hiding and scared of his own shadow. Or his own suit. He paused a moment in his descent down to his desk, fingered the charm through his shirt and drew in a deep breath, gathering strength from her belief in him. Clark smiled, remembering her warm hug and farewell from last night. It was all he could do not to kiss her on the lips when she smiled up at him after placing the chain around his neck. He was fortunate to catch himself and plant it on her forehead instead. Seeing her again only amplified his growing emotions for her. He woke up this morning on such a high - it was an incredible feeling. But it was made perfectly clear to him that she wanted - even needed - only friendship from him. He couldn't forget that. What they shared as friends, in spite of how fast it was formed, mattered too much to him to ruin by any romantic notions that decided to pop into his head. Her reaction to him when she first saw him in his suit puzzled him though. He supposed it was just the outfit, but he could hear her heart beating a little faster as she looked him up and down. he rationalized. There was no sense in thinking along the lines that she found him remotely attractive. But when she traced the S on his chest, he thought he would jump out of his skin. he winced. The crowd moved to the side to allow him to reach his chair. He smiled amicably at them while placing his donuts and coffee on his desk. "Hey, C. K.! Bring some donuts for the rest of us?" Jimmy's eager face grinned at his idol as he grabbed the cinnamon twist. "Do you really believe all this stuff about this guy in black?" "Yeah, Clark," Ralph asked, in a fulsome tone of voice. "Just because a couple of old farts blow their way out of a traffic jam, that doesn't mean some do-gooder is waiting to surprise us with his boy scout act. C'mon!" "Ralph, all those people can't be wrong. *Someone* has to be helping out with all those rescues," Clark replied reluctantly. How did he end up being dragged into this conversation? "If you are gonna make something up, why couldn't you have included a hot babe or too? You know, a little leg or a *couple* of *other* things. Now *that's* gonna sell papers." Perry White's voice boomed out from his doorway, "Hey, this isn't tea time at the palace! Everyone get back to work before I have all of you selling papers on the street corner - that is *if* we have a paper worth its own ink. Kent! In my office." As everyone scurried away back to their workplaces, Clark braced himself to face the chief. If anyone would know something was up, it would be his boss. In fact, the way he was barking at him, he wondered if he didn't already know things were out of the ordinary. Imagery. He mentally pictured Lois relentlessly shoving him toward Perry's door, berating him for even *thinking* about chickening out. Sensing her support had worked before; he needed to take heart in her faith in him and see this through. "Hey, Chief. You wanted to see me?" Clark inquired as soon as he poked his head in the door. "Yeah, Clark. Have a seat." Perry hadn't looked at him yet, he was thumbing through a folder. Clark sat down on a chair and waited for the older man to continue. "Well, son, it appears that your instincts about those articles were right. I had my doubts when you came to me with them, but the numbers I have in my hands are proof enough. Since you started your front page editorials, subscriptions and individual sales have been climbing. And this was before that wonderful piece you sent in last night for the morning edition. I just wanted to commend you for some fine work." "Thank you, Perry. I'm glad that you believed enough in me to *let* me put those pieces on the front page." "I wouldn't have done it for just anyone. On top of that, there's the expose on Baines that's headlining the paper this morning. The suits upstairs are so pleased lately that they gave me permission to start hiring. Everyone around here has been up to their eyeballs in alligators for months now - I'll be getting you some relief real soon. " "I thought the hiring freeze was already lifted." "Oh, it was, but that doesn't mean diddlysquat. They like having something to hang over your head. It makes them feel like they're earning those big bucks on their paycheck." Clark laughed. It didn't appear that Perry was suspicious about him at all. Another hurdle crossed. "It's good to know there will be some reinforcements at some time." "You keep up the quality work, son. Just because I have some young whippersnappers coming on board, doesn't mean my top reporter can rest just yet. Keep reeling 'em in, Kent." "I'll try. Which reminds me, I need to cover the launching of the Prometheus..." "Well, what are you waiting for? I know you're as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rockers when you are on a simple airplane ride - that was apparent when we took that last business trip together. But if you don't get out of here, I'll personally see that you're on that rocket. I won't have my reporters gloating over their successes." Clark jumped out of his chair and feigned fear as he backed out of his boss's office. "Yes, sir. I'll do my best." Perry was constantly teasing him about his airplane phobia. He loved to fly, but only under his own power. "Remember Kent, you're only as good as your next story," Perry said gruffly with a twinkle in his eye. Perry turned his attention back to his reports as Clark shut the door. "Best damned reporter I've ever seen since...I can't remember when," he mumbled to himself. "I'll be lucky if I can hire someone who has half his talent...." ****** Lois walked up to the Daily Planet bright and early that morning, her first time since returning from California. She had been here before, of course, but now, she was seeing everything in a new light, trying to absorb as much as possible. Awestruck, she walked through the lobby, this could be the opportunity she had been waiting for, the turning point in her journalism career. Fueled by the excitement that the news of 'Superman', was going to emerge sometime today, Lois rose especially early. Determining the exact event that would trigger Kal's release from obscurity was not going to be as simple as she first thought. Would he wait for a major disaster, or would it be something simple, such as a robbery? He had said that he wanted to rescue *something*, which could have meant a person, or persons. A beached whale or alligators threatening a bunch of ducks might not make as good an impression on the citizens of Metropolis as say, a major fire or train wreck. People would have to be involved, although she couldn't see him waiting around, picking and choosing what he would rescue. It would be the first big event that happened today. There was no way of knowing exactly when and where that would be, so reluctantly, she decided to stick to her plans of going to the Daily Planet. The longer she thought about it, the more eager she became. At least there, the news from around the city would be filtering in, and that would give her a better chance of figuring out what Kal would do. In any event, if she was predicting it right, he was going to be major news for years. Being the first reporter to break the news of the Super hero would most certainly land a job for her at the Daily Planet, not to mention a Kerth Award or Pulitzer prize. No doubt, he was huge news and to think she had found him first! The elevator doors opened and she beheld the bullpen before her. Bustling with activity, no one seemed to notice her; she was insignificant to them. Just another person melting into the daily grind of the newspaper world. One of these days, she was going to be somebody in this place, she thought to herself. She marched down the ramp, trying to appear as though she had a purpose, but after a few quick deliberate strides, found she had to slow down considerably or she'd be circling people's desks in her haste to look proficient. Out of curiosity *and* the necessity to figure out where she was heading, she started reading the name plates on the desks of the employees. A sensation of utter distress and disgust ran through her body as she recognized her old rival from the Metropolis Star, Cat Grant, as she worked intently at her desk. What was she doing here, and when did she learn how to work? Lois brought the folder she was carrying along side her face to hide behind so she wouldn't be recognized. She was not ready to spar with Cat yet. She almost turned around to leave. Her past was rearing its ugly head already, and she wasn't ready to face it at the moment. But wasn't this one of the reasons why she returned to Metropolis? She berated Kal for wanting to run away, yet when confronted with her past, running was first thing that came to mind. Later would be better than sooner, as far as she was concerned, but if she had to face Cat Grant it was better to do it with a smile rather than tears. She dropped the folder from her face, straightened out her skirt and started to march over to Cat's desk. A loud yell was heard in the newsroom and her attention was immediately drawn towards a large news monitor on the other side of the room. A few people were gathered around it watching the space shuttle, Prometheus, prepare to launch. She walked a little closer to the screen to see what all the shouting was about. Scrubbed. The television announcers were getting reports that some technical glitch had postponed the shuttle for a while. There was still a window of time available if they launched within a few hours. After a few minutes, Lois turned from the monitor on the wall. Nothing earth shattering happening there anymore. She had more important things to do than watch commentators rehashed the same information about the aborted shuttle mission. For a few seconds she forgot where she was - the Daily Planet. Time to regroup herself and find a purpose for being here. Now that she had arrived upstairs, it might be harder to come up with a reason to be able to stick around. If she was really lucky, she might find herself sitting at a desk starting a new job. She glanced over at Cat's desk again. So much for her former colleague's improved work ethics - she was busy filing her claws, probably sharpening them to sink into another brainless Boy Wonder. she thought. There would be plenty of time to deal with Cat if and when she was hired. First though, she had to get the job, but in order to do so, she needed to locate the editor-in-chief's office. After finding what was obviously the conference room, she made a quarter-turn to the right, then found Perry White, Editor-In- Chief, painted on glass framed in a wooden door. She drew inhaled a deep breath, then knocked confidently. "Come in." Perry White's voice boomed. Lois stepped into an office that was comfortable and friendly. Papers and books were stacked on the desk, along with a couple of photos that pictured an older woman and two young men. Bookshelves were filled with volumes of hardbacks, and a sprinkling of heartfelt knickknacks; a picture of Elvis Presley adorned the back wall in the final touch of a room that had seen many an all-nighter spent in it. And behind the desk was a gruff looking man who appeared to have a few soft edges hidden beneath his hard exterior. Potential teddy bear - was Lois' first impression. "Mr. White, my name is Lois Lane and I believe we need to talk..." ***** _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 04:53:00 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II - Part 7 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed After the Space Shuttle launch was scrubbed, Clark stuck around with the other media personnel at EPRAD for a short time until a reason could be given for the postponement. In an official announcement, it was stated that the problem was nothing serious - the reason given for the delay was "an insignificant event" given by the official spokesman of the space program. In his quest to get behind the cryptic news spin, Clark overheard through his super hearing a couple of sarcastic employees saying that the "insignificant event" was simply a klutzy worker spilling coffee on a vital computer keyboard. After the instrument was changed out, the launch would commence in three hours, which was the next window of opportunity. Not wanting to wait around while they were preparing for the launch again, he decided to take a taxi back to the city. He was looking forward to when he could fly in the daytime over the city without having to hide - hopefully, sometime today. It was frustrating having to take cabs and other transportation to get around, especially when he could be at his destination in a couple of seconds. Sinking into the back seat, Clark was grateful for the respite that the blaring horns and yelling taxi drivers allowed him. This suited him just fine, his ride back into the city would allow him time to think about Lois. Instead of being a nervous wreck riding in a city cab like most people would be, he let his head fall back against the seat and closed his eyes, allowing his heart's imagination to wander. Her smiling face immediately greeted him in his mind's eye and he instinctively smiled back at her. Big mocha-colored eyes, framed with long, dark lashes, stared at him... challengingly? Wait a minute, even in his imagination she was trying to stay one step ahead of him. Back-up here. This was *his* fantasy. Sweet hands were tickling the back of his neck as she fastened the clasp of the good luck charm. Her hands rested briefly on his shoulders before smoothing their way down his chest to linger, a single finger tracing the S on his chest... lazily... deliciously. With a gentle hand, he lifted her face slowly, and waited a second before she allowed her eyes to meet his. Their countenance had changed now, instead of friendly camaraderie, she now looked at him with longing. He threaded his fingers through her silky hair, gently tugging her toward him. Full, inviting lips parted slightly as she closed her eyes and waited to be kissed. His pressed his lips to hers, caressing her mouth more than kissing it, savoring every first moment and sensation of their newfound relationship... Clark was jolted out of his amorous thoughts by a solid thump from the back of the cab. A quick glance out of the window revealed that they were a few blocks away from the Daily Planet stuck in a traffic jam, and someone had run into their bumper. His driver was already spewing expletives as he jumped out of his vehicle to confront the equally irate man behind them. It appeared to Clark that his ride had come to an end, so he decided to walk the rest of the way to work. Interrupting the now arguing drivers, he shoved some money into the cabby's frantically waving hand and threaded his way through the cars slowly moving on the street. The day was so beautiful, the sky scattered with a few fast moving cirrus clouds and when he lifted his face to the sky, he wished he could fly along side of them. He had awaken this morning in a lighthearted, carefree mood, but the responsibilities of his job and the significance of becoming Superman had put his spirits on hold - until now. At least out here in the anonymity of the streets, he didn't have to cover how he felt about Lois. His mood was suddenly buoyant; it didn't matter where he was, he was walking on Cloud Nine right here on the crowded sidewalk. A trip up to the uppermost atmosphere didn't compared to the emotions he was allowing to bubble to the surface now. He was giddy and carefree. A smile could be plastered on his face without having to explain why and he could even be... silly - even his walk had a sunny cheerfulness to it. Loosening his tie slightly, he took his suit jacket off, enjoying shedding the heavy responsibility of being the top reporter for one of the world's finest newspapers behind him, even if it was only for a few minutes. Passing a flower stand, he stopped suddenly, and on a whim, purchased a bouquet of fresh daisies. After giving the vendor a huge tip, he continued on his way down the street. Being in love was so exhilarating - he didn't have to fly in the sky to feel as wonderful as he was feeling now. Never having experienced these sentiments before, the sensation was almost overwhelming to him. Part of his jubilation was due to finding out that he *could* feel love; he never knew if his physical differences extended into the matters of the heart. His past relationships with others had him wondering if he was capable of that kind of intense emotion that he knew his parents shared with each other. Sure, he had girlfriends before, and had even experienced a couple of adolescent crushes, which, when they didn't work out, sent him into teenage-angst despair. Although it seemed earth shattering at the time, it wasn't long before he had forgotten the current apple-of-his-eye and slipped back into everyday life as though nothing had happened to him. However, Lana Lang was slightly different from the others. Their relationship had been based on friendship, progressively changing to couple status, mostly pushed along by Lana's domineering personality. He wasn't entirely an unwilling participant in her manipulations to further their relationship along; but he would have been content for them to stay friends. Clark remembered fondly that some of their kissing sessions turned out to be pretty intense that last summer before he left for college, but he always held back, not fully understanding why until now - Lana simply wasn't *the* one. The Nigerian Princess, Yetunde Gwadabe, was an interesting interlude just out of college. They'd met each other in the Igbo Ukwu Gallery in Lagos and started talking about their respective travels around Nigeria. Traveling incognito, as was revealed to Clark later that afternoon, she was disguised as a tourist in order not to draw attention to herself. He had found her fascinating, in mind as well as body. She was an exquisite beauty, well spoken with an odd sense of humor. They'd spent the next few days touring the city together, with an occasional trip to the white beaches; and she'd taught him ball room dancing in the evenings. It was an odd combination, acting like children while building sandcastles in the day, but at night, they were decked out in their finest, dancing to classic music in the romantic setting of an old elegant dance hall. 'Tunde' - he remembered she laughed at his shortened version of her name - was a beautiful person. He enjoyed her company immensely and was almost tempted to accept her invitation to travel with her, but he had to keep his super abilities a secret, so he decided against it. But the biggest reason he didn't stay with her was that his feelings weren't mutual. There was something missing. He had never felt a special connection with anyone and was beginning to think he never would. Until he met Lois. He had been cautiously optimistic after their first meeting. The muddled feeling in his head the next morning had him wondering if she was real. It was very possible that it was only infatuation that racked his dreams in the days that followed, but after seeing Lois last night, he knew that something special was forming between them. He was almost overcome with tears when she reached for his hand to comfort him when he was depressed about being different and Kryptonian. Her small warm hand extended him a lifeline then, and for the first time in a very long time, he knew he never had to feel alone again. Parents were suppose to love their children, no matter what, but it meant everything to have *Lois* know who he was, an alien, an outsider; and yet, still accept him. Sure, he knew that *she* had to change her mind about their relationship, but he could wait - a very long time if he had to. Of course, there were many issues she had to work through; her rantings that first night left no doubt in his mind that someone had left her hurt and betrayed. He'd waited twenty-eight years to meet someone he could love completely; and now that he'd found Lois, waiting longer, however the amount of time it would take, would be worth it. A tiny voice reminded him that there might be a price to pay for all this craziness *and* that he was letting himself get too carried away with all this indulgent thinking, but he'd worry about that later. He chose right now to view his glass as half-full, instead of half-empty. Starting a relationship as friends was actually the ideal way to build something that would last, he rationalized, having experienced that with Lana, only the problem with Lana was the lack of sparks between them. Sparks with Lois, no problem there. His whole body felt aware of every touch, sigh, glance and smile that she afforded him. Flowers. He stared blankly at the daisies in his hand. Why did he buy them? Walking by Centennial Park, he passed a few children playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. Handing the flowers to the children's mother, he flung his jacket over one shoulder and hopped his way to the end of the chalk drawing on the cement. The children giggled as the mother blushed at seeing such a handsome man act so foolishly. He turned around, walking backwards and shared a huge smile with her. He was in love! What more was there to say? Except - he was in love with Lois! He passed a bookstore, ducked inside, and wandered aimlessly for a few seconds, not really knowing why he entered the small establishment - until he came to the baby name books. Flipping through a book promising the widest selection of names, Clark quickly located the name 'Lois', and found its meaning to be 'good' or 'desirable'. She certainly was both of those! He picked up another book, a thicker one this time. This one had a more in-depth explanation of each name. Eagerly reading the detailed entry, a few choice phrases popped up at him: Your name of Lois has created a practical, responsible, stable nature, and you desire to direct the efforts of others rather than to take orders or ask permission. Permission? The word was not in her vocabulary. You have a determined, self-reliant, capable nature and resent any interference, although in your desire to help you are inclined to become involved in the lives and decisions of other people. Wasn't that the truth?! She was totally responsible for his staying in town and becoming Superman. Now, he couldn't imagine his life without her. You like to make your own decisions and to be the master of your domain. You feel a limitation in your own expression when it is necessary to reach another through tact and understanding. Although you are honest and fair, a directness in speech is a source of much consternation to you, and you often regret what you say. That side of her he hadn't seen much of yet, although she was quite persistent when trying to get him to model the suit. He felt his cheeks grow warmth as he remembered her blatant gaze on him when she saw him wearing it last night for the first time. Her direct examination had filled him with apprehension that she might prefer the suit and all it represented to *him*, but his worrying was for nothing. Yeah, she was something else, all right; but he was relieved when she'd fallen right back into the warm banter that he was growing to love about their friendship. He became slightly aware of some voices snickering over by the counter. Dropping his eyes suddenly, he was confounded by the sudden awareness that he had been staring into space at the very pregnant belly of some woman on the cover of a prenatal care book. Clark felt his cheeks tingle yet again as he overheard comments about him being a first time father and how much they wished that *their* men would act that way. Father? Were they talking about *him*? He looked at the baby name book in his hand, and self-consciously put it back on the shelf. He fought to remove the grin on his face while moving slowly over to the magazine stand without appearing to be awkward or calculating. Feeling mischievous enough still, and wanting to throw the ladies behind the counter for a loop, he quickly choose a men's magazine, 'Cycles & Chicks', to purchase. After it had served its purpose here, he'd toss it on Jimmy's desk. He didn't have any desire to read such a concoction, and the young photo journalist would be thrilled to have it, that is, if he hadn't already read it. He paid for his purchase, secretly grinning at the disdained looks on the clerks' faces at his choice of material. Was this one side of being in love? Tossing aside your scruples? Taking a walk on the wild side? Well, he had to admit he was slightly more conservative than other men his age, but his circumstances were different - *he* was different. But not today, Clark thought happily; he was in love! Wishing them a good day, he opened the door to the street and allowed it to close, its bell ringing cheerfully behind him. He eyed the huge globe of the Daily Planet looming from a block away and decided it was time to put his foolishness aside. Even if his indulgence was only for a tiny slice of time, he needed to become responsible again, although it was a relief to have had a respite from the load on his shoulders - a load that was guaranteed to get heavier as the day wore on. As the globe grew larger in his sight, he tightened up his tie, drew in a deep breath and put on his mental hat of professionalism. Which reminded him, the morning was just about over and he hadn't become Superman yet. The city was uncharacteristically quiet, as if it knew that it was driving him crazy waiting. Maybe all the criminals were held up in the traffic jam, he thought wryly. Pausing outside the newspaper's building, he briefly entertained the thought of ducking behind the alley, changing into his suit and flying the skies without attending to an emergency. Although thinking once more about his future alter ego was causing him to become edgy again, he decided, no, he'd better be patient just a little while longer. Metropolis couldn't stay quiet too much longer. More than likely, all kinds of trouble was about to break loose. After all, Lois was in town. He whirled through the glass doors of the Daily Planet, totally unaware that the object of his affections was very nearby. ****** "Well, Lois," Perry spoke authoritatively some time later. "I just don't see that you have enough experience here for me to justify hiring you. "Your work at the Metropolis Star was good, for that rag. The articles you wrote for 'The Journal' were better, but that's not the kind of news that we write around here. I don't see anything like that in your past experience. Those small town papers are excellent for what they do in their neck of the woods, but their feel for the news is different than ours." "Mr. White, I tried to get them to put in edgier articles. My best investigative work was never printed. They had scandals brewing in both the police *and* the fire departments. Illegal gambling and... donuts! Do you realize that the police chief was the main offender? Anyone who would consume donuts by the truckload has to be a little shady, if you ask me. Do you know that he visited the bakery up to five times a day? He might have been using the shop as a cover-up for some big undercover operation. If you just give me a chance. I'm a hard worker..." Perry smiled quietly to himself - the woman was a first class babbler, but she had enthusiasm. "I'm sure you are Miss Lane, but right now we can't afford to hire someone that is not proven. I can't have my best reporters baby-sit someone who can't pull their own weight - they're already running around like chickens with their heads cut off." "If I can come up with something worth your time, will you read it?" Perry studied the earnest face of the young woman in the chair in front of him. Some decisions had to be black and white in the newspaper business, just like the ink and paper that they used to print their copy. He knew he couldn't justify hiring this young eager reporter without something substantial to base his decision on, but he could leave an opening that she could slip through. "Ok, Miss Lane," he said after pondering his choices. "I'm a fair man. If you can bring me something worth printing, I'll reconsider. Remember, this is not a promise. I'm just not slamming the door in your face." "Thank you, Mr. White," Lois answered determinedly. "I'll find that story for you." She left his office thrilled with the possibility of actually having a chance to be hired. Now all Kal had to do was show his face in public and for her to find him before any other reporter scooped her. In her haste and excitement, she tripped over a stack of phone books on the floor and found herself staring at the name plate of Clark Kent. His desk stood before her, but the seat was empty. She remembered that he was the reporter who had been writing all those editorials about Kal. Sitting on the desk was a half full cup of coffee, with a napkin sprinkled with crumbs and a bite-sized bit of plain cake donut. Walking around to the back of his deck, she touched the back of his chair and to her surprise found it still warm. He was here! Where was he? It would be interesting to talk to him in person about his personal views on Kal. More than likely, he was a balding middle-aged geek who chewed his pencils until he had yellow slivers of wood stuck in his teeth. A man with his reputation had to have been in the newspaper business for years. "Still hanging around senior reporters desk's, I see." A voice suddenly came out of the blue and startled Lois. "Face it, Lois. The only date *you* are going to find around here is on a calendar." Lois turned around to look into the face of a smug Cat Grant. Glancing at her attire, she noted that she still had the same style of tight fitting, slinky clothes that she wore at the Metropolis Star. "Nice perfume, Cat," she retorted. "Must you marinate in it?" Cat let out an amused laugh, "I see you haven't changed, Lois. I heard you left town to find yourself. Too bad you didn't run across a personality while you were gone. It might help you keep a man for more than a day." Lois narrowed her eyes and felt the blood rushing to her head. It was hard to believe Cat would have the gall to mention *him* in practically the first words out of her mouth. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but was beaten to the punch by a male voice. "Cat! Where's that mood piece I gave you? The razing of that old theater on Forty-second?" The editor-in-chief boomed as he marched out of his office. "She probably wasn't in the mood," Lois muttered under her breath. "Kind of hard to imagine though, she's always in the mood." Cat glared at her, then turned to Perry. "I am putting together my weekly advice column. It's that time of the week again." "Blasted society page! When are those suits going to realize this is a newspaper and not some two-bit rag? I need reporters, not rumormongers. Get it to me as soon as you can." Perry retreated back into his office. Lois backed slowly away. Razing of an old theater? On Forty-second Street? Mr. White seemed to want that piece badly. Not a story she would choose, but maybe she should seize this opportunity and get over there. "Oh, Lois? Why *are* you here?" Cat chirped after her as she tried to get away unnoticed. "I thought the unemployment offices were down the street from the Star." "You should know, you prowled that area often enough - oh, but that was only at night, wasn't it? Not that it's any of your business, but I'm seeing *if* I want to work here. Although I must question their taste in employees." "You wouldn't say that if you saw our star reporter," she clicked her tongue as the expression of a hungry animal played across her face. "But then again, the way you're snooping around his desk, you probably already have." "Do you ever come out of heat? I don't know why I'm standing here talking to you," she said exasperated. It was time to get out of this place. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped about ten degrees and this conversation was annoying her. "Listen Cat! I have no intention of *ever* getting involved with anyone I work with again. And I'm telling *you* to mind your own damn business before I..." "My, my! Who lit the fuse on your tampon, honey?" Cat snickered spitefully. "Who could blame you for playing up to Claude, he was absolutely scrumptious." "Undoubtedly, you have every man here notched on your garter belt. Leave me out of your little games. I'm not playing." She glared daggers at Cat one second longer, then whirled around on her heels and ran full tilt into a man's body. Lois looked up into eyes that were intently raking up her up and down. "Is*this* what you are so thrilled with, Cat? Even *I* thought you had better taste than this reject from the nerd factory." "Ooo... Cat! Who's the live wire?" Ralph said suggestively as he sat down in Clark's chair. Twirling around, he faced Cat with interest. "I don't remember if I'm notched on your garter belt. Can I see it to make sure?..." Her instincts proved her right again - this Clark Kent was a first class geek, although she couldn't see *how* he ever found enough smarts to win a Kerth award. Anyway, she didn't want to stick around to find out. His last comment was quite enough for her to hear. She rolled her eyes upward in disgust and quickly stormed out of the newsroom. In the elevator on the way down to the lobby, she was furious at herself for letting Cat get to her. Before arriving in Metropolis a few days earlier, she promised herself that she wouldn't allow that to happen. Now, the first time she had run across anyone from the Star, she had found herself spouting off impulsive remarks that she already regretted. That whole distasteful incident was put behind her a long time ago, and there was no reason that she should feel this way. No reason at all. She stepped out of the elevator, pausing for a second to get her bearings. Suddenly, it was all she could do to stop shaking. Oh, how she longed for that carefree feeling she had with Kal the night before. And a warm hug. Not that she needed a hug, but.... Should she hunt for him, or go for the theater story? She might miss both stories if she waited for Kal's first public appearance. On the other hand, if she did the piece that Mr. White wanted, *and* hoped that Kal waited a bit longer, she might be able to nab both of them. He sure looked fantastic in his suit, she thought dreamily, as she spun through the revolving door and exited out onto the street. She looked up at the sky expectantly, totally unaware that Kal was spinning around in the opposite side of the revolving door. Lois whistled for a taxi and was soon on her way to Forty-second Street. ****** A couple of hours after she'd left the Daily Planet, Lois found herself picking her way through the trash and debris in Bobby Bigmouth's alleyway. The Sarah Bernhardt theater was only a few blocks away; and rather than spending the money on more taxi fare to go back to her apartment, she decided to write her article at his makeshift dining table. More than money would be spent if she kept running around town; besides that, the streets were still jammed packed with traffic. Time was a precious commodity today if she was going to try to figure where Kal was going to turn up. Grimacing in disgust, she picked some old pizza boxes off Bobby's table and gingerly started to wipe away some of the crumbs with a slightly used napkin, but decided to blow them off with her breath instead. Pulling up a crate to the table, she sat down and pulled out her notebook from her bag. Before she started assembling her notes, Lois became aware of how much more favorable that twenty-four hours had made in the weather. Scorching and humid yesterday, today was slightly crisp but pleasant; and the sky was a brilliant blue. The sun felt warm and comforting on her back as it shone in a direct line between the buildings. She would be in the shadows soon, so it was probably a good idea to start writing before she became chilled. At least the buildings provided a wind break from the brisk, north winds blowing across Hobbs Bay. A little later, she was deep in thought, scribbling away furiously in her notebook, when a shadow was cast on her paper from over her shoulder. She turned around suddenly and found Bobby Bigmouth eyeing her grumpily. "So ya turned *my* table into *your* office. Ain't anything sacred anymore?" Bobby said sarcastically, but a tiny smile threatened to turn up one corner of his mouth. "Good morning to *you* too, Bobby. Whatcha got in the bag for us? Any coffee?" Lois smiled sweetly at him briefly, then continued her writing at a rapid rate. "Well! You assume a lot, dontcha? Ya come in here and take over *my* dining table and now you want to eat *my* food again? Ya hitting me where it hurts, doll." He grabbed a crate and pushed a couple of Lois' notes aside. Without glancing up from her writing, she pushed them back into their former place and held them in place with her free hand. Bobby moved the papers a fraction of an inch away from him again, then crossed his arms, satisfied that he had the last unspoken word. "Just a second! Almost done," she said offhandedly, ignoring his latest challenge. With a triumphant dotting of the last period of her final sentence, she announced the completion of her piece with a loud, "Ha!" and looked at Bobby smugly. "So whatcha got there, Baby Cakes?" Bobby asked curiously. "I'd like you to know that I have an opportunity to get a job at the Daily Planet. I just talked to their editor-in-chief and got this assignment from him." "Really! Lemme see!" He grabbed the papers and began reading. His eyes grew wide after a few moments, then he handed the papers back to her quickly. "Doll, I don't know whatcha thinking here. I ain't no critic, but...are you sure that's the effect you want your readers to have?" "Of course, Bobby. Who's the experienced one here? I *have* worked for two newspapers, you know." Lois said confidently. "If you're happy with it yourself, I can only hope this editor sees something I don't." "Hold it there! If I may ask, just what is *wrong* with my article? It doesn't matter what you think, but I would like to know...not that I'm curious or anything." She didn't want to let Bobby know that his opinion *did* matter to her, after all, he was part of the public; but she couldn't let him see that she cared what he thought. Bobby regarded her openly for a couple of seconds, then deciding he was up to the fallout that was sure to occur, he chose* not* to placate her. Reading from the papers still in his hand, he answered bluntly. "I mean, what is this? 'It was only bricks and mortar; the real hero in this scene was the wrecking ball poised to reduce the Sarah Bernhardt Theater to rubble. Roaches, cobwebs and the smell of rotting garbage...' Hey, sweetheart! Ya not exactly breakin' my heart here. You're making me sick!" He continued reading from her copy, "' ... was the lasting impression the old actress would retain of a place that once filled her with false hope. Pipe dreams that never saw fruition would remain only in her mind.' That's enough warm fuzzies to last me for a long time," he added sarcastically. "Oh, Bobby! I'm not going for that touchy feely stuff - I'm writing it like I see it. The woman needs a life! Maybe if she sees it in print, she'll take a hint. Besides, it's only a building." "Isn't that a little biased? 'The wrecking ball was the real hero'... Who asked your opinion?" "Mr. White is sure to see it the same way I do. If not, isn't that what editors are for?" "Yah, Doll! Whatever you say! Now I suppose you expect me to share my hard earnings again." He held the bag in front of her and pulled it away when she made a grab for it. She reached behind her and opened up the box of plates and other tableware. After arranging the appropriate objects on the table, she sighed, reaching for the sack again, "Bobby, don't be so anal retentive; and give me that bag. I promise I'll make it up to you when I get my job. What's for lunch today?" "Chinese from the Kung Food Palace." Bobby sighed resignedly and placed the food on the table. Then muttering under his breath, he quipped, "I'm glad I'm not counting on you to be my only food source!" "What's with those pizza boxes I had to pick off the table earlier? I thought you said you only liked gourmet food." "Everybody likes to get in on the act and use my table. Must've been the bums from two alleys over. They think it's a night out on the town when they come over here. Hey! I think they swiped my tablecloth." "Just as long as they stay over there and don't expect any of our food. They're not hostile, are they? I mean, are we going to be attacked in some sort of gang war?" "Naaah... nothing like that. Hey, whaddaya mean *our* food? I ain't said I was sharing, ya know." Saying nothing, Lois shot a patronizing look at him, pulled out the white cardboard containers of Chinese food, and immediately thought of the other night when Kal had flown all the way to China. She wistfully noted how plain the containers looked compared to the bamboo ones he had brought *their* food in. "Have you heard anymore about the activity down on the docks? Any names, places?" Bobby sniffed noisily, and drank a swig from his bottle of soda. With a pleased look on his face, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and replied, "Yeah. I got something for ya, dollface. Not much, mind ya, but just the fact that the guys are so tightlipped tells me it's big." "Really? Come on, spill it," Lois said eagerly. "It appears this ain't some two-bit mom and pop store business. I tried to get some names for ya, but nobody seems to know who's heading up this operation. Either they just don't know, or the guys who are involved are scared of squealin'. For a good reason too - seems like a few guys who wanted out of the employment have been given a tour of the harbor with a pair of cement shoes. I tend to believe'em because I haven't seen my good buddy, Gus, in a week. The last time I talked to him, he said he found a job, but didn't know what it involved. What the other guys *did* tell me was that the food chain is so long in this organization that it has everybody guessing who's at the top. It's really going to take some digging to find out who's the head honcho." "This isn't much to go on," she said thoughtfully, lowering her voice. "Poor Gus! If people are being murdered, this could be phenomenal. Can you prove any of this, Bobby?" "Nah! Can't prove anything. But there is one more thing... a black limousine was seen driving down Wharf Street late last night. It's been spotted around here before, but nobody has a clue to who it is. " "The boss?" "Maybe." "Did anyone even think of getting a license plate number?" "Hey! I'm dealing with a bunch of dumb bums. They don't think that far ahead. Even if they did, you can bet they wouldn't want to get involved." "Ok, forget the bums. Did you find out which dock is having all the action?" "Not specifically, but I think it's one of the ones behind that seedy dock bar, Ace O' Clubs. I wouldn't even bring my mother-in-law into that place." He let out a low laugh. "If you knew my ma-in-law, she could whup all their scrawny a...." "Ex-cuse me!" "Sorry, doll! But you get the picture, dontcha? This ain't no place for a lady like yourself. Ya gonna stick out like a sore thumb if you do what I think you're gonna do." He eyed her warily after seeing the glint in her eye. "Of course, I'm going to have to do some snooping, Bobby; but any good reporter has to be prepared to take a little risk. This will give me the chance to try out one of my undercover disguises. I've been waiting for just the right time to try out a couple I've created. This is the perfect opportunity." "Listen, sweet cakes, I don't mean to rain on your little parade, but whoever these people are, they mean business. This ain't no 'little risk'." Lois tossed her hair over her shoulder as she shrugged off Bobby's concern. "I'll be fine, Bobby, *and * I'll be careful." "I'd hate to see a pretty thing like yourself take swimming lessons the hard way," he persisted. "Listen, I'm not going to get anywhere in the newspaper business by taking the easy way out. I'm an investigative reporter, and I need to prove myself," Lois argued defensively. "And another thing -- knock it off with all this 'pretty lady' crap, or you'll be wearing your Moo Goo Gai Pan on top of your head." "Ok, *Mad Dog*, you can't say I didn't warn ya. Just don't go all ballistic on me. I should've figured you'd be one of those femi-nazi's." They ate a few bites of food in silence, Lois being well aware that Bobby was quite possibly right - this could be a dangerous undertaking. "All right," Lois snapped. "I'll considered myself warned." She flung an eggroll down on the ground and smashed it with her foot. "Hey! Whatcha go ahead and do that for?" Bobby protested. "That was prime eggroll! Ya crazy or somethin'!" "*That*... was for the femi-nazi remark," Lois said in a calm voice. "Say it again, and I'll give you a 'heil 'Hilter'' where it counts." "Okay," Bobby chuckled. "You made your point, doll. My dear wife would've done a lot worse than you just did. I suppose the guys from the Ace O' Clubs are rubbin' off on me. I just like gettin' ya all riled up; it helps my digestion." After rolling her eyes at Bobby's last comment, Lois returned to picking at her food. Was all this just luck? If it didn't rain, it poured, she pondered while they were eating. After wandering around for days looking for some scrap of news, she now was faced with a potentially huge story, probably a dangerous one if Bobby was telling the truth. Time was running out on finding Kal, who was getting ready to descend on the city at any time. Getting Superman's story before all the others would have to be the next priority. The dock story seemed like it wasn't very urgent at the moment, so she had a little window of time to play around with. A trip to the Ace O' Clubs later today, or sneaking around the docks tonight would probably suffice in getting started on that one, but locating Kal had to come first. Then, of course, she had this fluff piece on the Sarah Bernhardt theater. Maybe it would be a good idea to turn this in to Mr. White right away. It didn't matter which story landed her a job, just as long as she worked there. Once in the door, she would be able to use all the newspaper's resources to her full advantage, giving her a much better position to track down Kal and help her crack this new case on the docks. Bobby finished eating, then drummed his fingers on the table. Lois looked up from her musings to notice that he looked like he wanted to talk. As a matter of fact, he appeared to be worried about something. She turned up the corners of her mouth in a slight smile as she took a stab at what she thought was stewing in his mind. "Ok, Bobby," she sighed. "I know this can be a little dangerous.." "Before you go on, Lois," Bobby interrupted. "There's something you need to know. I thought that when I first gave you info yesterday about this activity that there was just a little shenanigans goin' on, you know, a little under-the-table misdealin's developin', but now I'm comin' to believe differently. Maybe I thought you would run when you heard all that was happenin', or I needed to find out what kind of stuff you're made of. It appears that no matter what I tell you, you are going to do otherwise." "How do you know that?" Lois protested. "I should know; I've seen that look in my wife's eyes on more occasions then I care to admit. And I can't leave you hangin' either. That's no good; my ma raised me different. So, if you are so determined to pursue this, I've decided to help you." "Help me? Bobby, really? How can *you* help me?" Lois warily questioned. "Yeah. I've been thinking, you know, about those disguises you were talkin' about. Do you think you could come up with one for me? Somethin' kind of tougher than this old dirty apron? 'Cause if you can, I've got an idea." "I don't know, Bobby. What do you know about being an investigator?" Lois asked doubtfully. "Didn't you say you were a cook?" Bobby rolled his eyes. "Chef! I'm a chef! Listen, I wasn't born yesterday. Why do you think I'm still suckin' air? If I was bad at knowin' how to stay low about things, I'd be swimmin' with poor Gus." "True. So what's your idea?" She looked at her wristwatch and gasped at the time. "Make it fast, I *have* to get back to Daily Planet soon. Time is.... oh, hurry up and spill it!" "Just meet me tonight, with the disguises, on the corner of 53rd and Wharf Street. We can take my bike to the Ace O' Clubs, and see what we can find there." "Bike? As in motorcycle? So I guess that means you want to go for the biker look. I can handle that," Lois replied confidently, then looked at him belligerently. "That plan isn't exactly original. I can go there by myself, you know." "No doubt, sweetheart; but I've got contacts and you don't. Some of those might come in handy for you in the future, if you play things right. So take your pick; with, or without me?" She scowled at him. "Okay. Count me in. What time?" "Meet me at nine. The crowd doesn't get going good until about ten o'clock, so that should give us plenty of time to get our disguises and story straight." "Let's make it nine thirty. And don't be late, or I'll go without you." Lois stood up and gathered her notebook and purse. "Thanks for lunch.. bring coffee next time. Gotta go!" Bobby stared at her retreating form half running down the alley. Noticing she had hardly touched her food, he pulled her plate towards him and began finishing off her leftovers. No sense in letting good food go to waste. He might need it for strength later; Mad Dog Lane was on a rampage and he was caught in the middle. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 04:55:49 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II - part 8 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Whatever cloud that Clark was floating on was soon shot down to ground level when he entered the Planet's bullpen and found Ralph sitting at his desk. The inept journalist was totally absorbed in himself, his eyes were closed and his feet propped on the desk top. The man was completely lacking in social graces and common courtesy, and Clark had given up a long time ago in trying to gently coach him in how to interact with people. The only language that Ralph understood was blunt and crude, and since he wasn't going to lower himself to Ralph's way of thinking, he reluctantly decided to assert his seniority over the city news reporter; that is, if his presence alone wasn't enough to send the coworker back to his desk. Fortunately, the moment Ralph detected Clark's return, he lazily opened his eyes and grudgingly returned to where he belonged. Clark spent the next two hours working on a few follow-ups on some leads that lay neglected in his work load folder. He wanted to return to EPRAD to cover the Space Shuttle launch again; it would be a nice companion story to the one he had in the paper this morning about the arrest of Dr. Baines and her cronies. He was hoping that the upheaval caused by his expose wouldn't compromise the space program too much and wished to help repair the damage with a good report. He observed from the monitors that the count down had continued - thirty minutes and ticking. Just enough time to grab a bite to eat from the deli on the corner, then he would fly over there. He decided that flying to EPRAD wasn't such a big risk at this point. The city couldn't stay quiet much longer - Superman would be needed soon; if he was observed flying, they would know who he was soon enough. News segments from the area television stations had now picked up considerably on the Miracle Mania coverage since this morning. One copycat station had singled out the idea that his most recent editorial had touched on - calling the miracle worker out from his hiding place. Of course, the angle they took on it was utterly sensationalized. No Superman interviews for them, Clark thought, groaning inwardly. Sadly enough, this was to be expected; not all coverage was going to be pleasant or low key like he wanted to be. It just came with the territory. He listened to another reporter state that he had several possible sitings that the 'miracle worker' was really Elvis Presley, and had been heard singing "Earth Angel" during some of his rescues. Clark groaned. Perry might either get a chuckle out of that report, or become hopping mad at the melodramatics. Not able to tune out the television moniters, he decided it was time to get lunch. Maybe the deli still had a few donuts leftover from this morning. He secured the papers and folders on his desk, then marched up the ramp to the elevators. ***** Shot down and rejected. The article didn't fly in Mr. White's eyes and Lois was heartbroken. He was gentle enough with her, though, and he *did* say he liked her style this time. Only problem, albeit a major one, was the content of her article. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that Bobby was right in his criticism of her news piece - it was biased and just a teeny bit unfair to the woman at the theater. Why couldn't she have overheard a hard news, let's-stick-it-to-'em-big-time assignment? Or listened to Bobby and gotten a second opinion? At least the older editor didn't escort her out the building and tell her not to come back, but he didn't appear to be very hopeful. Kal was still nowhere to be found and she was becoming discouraged. Certain that the reputable newspaper would have news about him if he'd already surfaced, she was both relieved and anxious for her friend when she heard nothing in the hubbub of the bullpen. She wished she could talk to him about her disappointment. It was awfully tempting to yell for him, but she didn't want to cry wolf - she'd have to save that for a time when she really needed to talk to him. More than likely, he was making his first splash as a super hero as she stood commiserating with herself in the lobby of the Daily Planet. Lucy! Maybe Lucy was home. Lois knew she worked nights as a waitress, so she would probably still be sleeping. She had no qualms about waking her up or calling her collect - isn't that what sisters were for? The phone in the lobby had a waiting line of about five people. Just her luck, she was ready to pour her heart out to her sister and now she couldn't find a telephone. Spinning out of the Daily Planet's revolving doors for the second time that day, Lois started walking down the street and looked around for a public telephone. There was one. Right in front of that deli, but the doors were close - someone must be using it. Lois leaned against the wall, but became aware of some strange activities happening from within. Grunts and banging noises, with occasional mutterings sounded from inside. What was going on in there? Suddenly, an elbow punched a huge dent in the side and Lois immediately knew who it could be. She poked the side of the booth just to make sure it was solid metal and not some cheap imitation material before she said anything. "Kal?" She questioned. "Is that you?" An eye appeared in the small round hole that his elbow had punched through, and it answered, "Lois?" "Oh my gosh! It is you! What are you doing in there?" she whispered excitedly. "It's time! I have to become Superman. The Space Shuttle has a bomb ready to go off any minute and I have to get there fast. My cape is stuck in my zipper and I can't reach around to get it undone because there is no elbow room in this booth. I'm destroying it trying to reach behind my back. My mom will kill me if I rip a hole in the cape before I even use it." "Can I help?" Lois laughed under her breath at his babbling. "Maybe I can fix it faster, or should I boil some water first?" His desperation to leave reminded her of the heroine in her soap opera when she had to leave for the hospital to give birth. But she never knew exactly why people always had the desire to boil water when women went into labor; but Kal sounded so panicked just now, it brought back memories of frantic Hollywood fathers racing around desperately trying to get their wives to the hospital in time. "Uh... sure. Not about the water, I mean. It's going to be crowded and I need to hurry. The news report said there was ten minutes on the bomb's clock and I've already wasted two minutes trying to get this undone." Lois opened the folding doors and slipped into the booth. Kal's big bulk took up the majority of the room. She shut the door behind her quickly and reached under his cape to help with the uncooperative zipper. Clark stood there in disbelief as Lois was pressed up against his back; trying to work in the small space. This was unbelievable! What was she doing here? He had been eating a club sandwich when he saw the reports about the Prometheus on the television set in the deli. Now he was about to become Superman and the love of his life was in a phone booth with him helping with his zipper. Stray renegade thoughts, probably left over from this morning's walk, came pouring through his mind. Glancing down through the limited light of the phone booth, he spied a triangular piece of white cloth from his work shirt poking out of his red briefs. Sloppy - he looked sloppy, he thought as he tucked it out of sight. He should have planned this 'changing into the suit routine' through a bit more before he tried to do it for real. Where did he stick his glasses? And his tie? He hoped he remembered to undo the knot completely or he might look lumpy. Lois was muttering something at him and he felt her trying to wiggle past him in order to position herself face to face. "I can't reach it from that angle - no working room. Here. Bend your head down so I can get at it from this way," Lois commanded. Clark found his face buried in the side of Lois' neck as her arms slid over his shoulders in order to reach the stuck zipper from a different angle. The pulsing hollow at the base of her throat was beating gently against his cheek causing his heart to pound inside his chest. It was getting very warm in the booth, Clark noted as he tried not to breath in her scent of lilacs and Chinese food? "This isn't working either," Lois stated. "I still can't get it up." Clark prayed no one was standing in line outside the phone booth listening to their conversation inside. More wiggling ensued as this time she glided her arms underneath his, resulting in a mock embrace. He could feel her breath against his ear as she concentrated on her task. "Thought you said you didn't sweat," she grunted, pressing harder against him as she stretched her arms to reach around his large chest. Clark didn't know what to do with his hands. Well, he knew what he wanted to do with them, but didn't dare, so they hung limply by his sides. "You must really be nervous about this Superman stuff," Lois rambled through gritted teeth, her lips grazing the side of Clark's neck as she spoke. His body was *so* solid, she noted mentally as her fingers jerked persistantly at the zipper. What an absolute wreck he was, she thought to herself again. She could still feel the moistness of his breath lingering on her skin as it now made contact with the open air. Her delightful form crowding his body was also inundating his senses, leaving him unable to think about anything except the innocent brushing of her mouth against his bare skin. Her words barely registered in his brain, but he managed to catch 'nervous' and 'Superman' and put the meaning of her question together. "Uh... yeah. This has me on edge," he stammered. "Poor thing. Don't worry, I've almost got it," she grunted. "I can't believe I've found you. I've been thinking about you all day." Huh! *Thinking* could hardly describe * his* thoughts on her. Daydreaming... imagining what it would be like to be in a situation like this - without the pressure of going public as Superman in a few short seconds. The Space Station! During this phone booth exercise of trying to turn his nerves into steel, he'd almost forgotten why he was in here to begin with. He had to leave regardless of the condition of his suit. Just then, he felt the zipper slide upwards in a smooth motion. Done! "Thanks! I need to fly!" he opened the doors to the booth and stepped out cautiously. Luckily, only a couple of people saw him come out the phone booth. With shocked expressions on their faces, the bypassers stared at the man in the strange outfit. Lois stormed out of the booth right on his heels and called to him, "Take me, too! I wanna go with you!" "Lois. I can't. You know why." Clark turned to jump up in the air and all reasoning disappeared from her mind as Lois grabbed his hand when he flew upwards. She felt herself rise in the air alongside him. "Kal!" she screamed as she clutched his hand in a death grip as she found herself being pulled higher and higher. Raising his arm so she was dangling in front of his face like a prize fish, he grinned at her self-inflicted predicament. "I'm sure you've thought this out completely *and* have everything under control," he chuckled, looking at the terrified look on her face and her shapely legs flailing below her. He slowed down in order to swing her into his arms. She grabbed at him fiercely as soon as she could get her arms around his neck. Settled in his secure grip, her confidence returned and she retorted against the wind, "Of course, I planned this. I *like* dangling above the jaws of death." "I knew you couldn't stay out of trouble. Ready!" Clark knew there was no sense in arguing with her. He didn't want to dispute with her why she couldn't go with him - he *wanted* to her to come along. He could find a place to put her safely out of the public eye once they arrived at EPRAD, especially if he came quickly straight down from the sky. A few clouds had trickled in since this morning and they could fly above them to stay out of sight until he could deposit her out of the limelight. But there was that bomb that he was worried about. He told Lois to tuck her face against his neck because he had to put on a little speed. >From high in the air as they approached EPRAD a few seconds later, he could see the digital display of the bomb counting down the seconds - forty-six... forty-five.. forty-four... Hundreds of spectators and EPRAD personnel were a safe distance away, many were still retreating. The emergency crews were milling around the shutdown rocket boosters, trying to decide how to disarm the bomb. Clark landed behind a building close to the ground crowd, and set Lois on her feet. "Thanks for the help, Lois," he smiled as he turned to go. "Wait." She grabbed his arm and impulsively reached up to kiss his cheek. "Good luck, Superman." Flashing a quick smile at her, he flew off quickly. Lois ran from behind the building to join the crowd. She'd made it! She was here! Here to see Kal's debut! ****** Clark arrived at the launch pad immediately, landing close to the bomb, nearer than the Bomb Squad dared to go. He shouted at the technicians to step back, and that he was here to help. The countdown on the bomb's display had five... four... three seconds left. In plain sight of the technicians and the crowd, the new super hero wrenched the bomb from its attachment on the rocket booster, and stuffed it in his mouth, barely having time to super swallow it before it exploded. Smoke billowed from the corners of his mouth. He turned away from the crowd of workers, but his belch resonated to reach the stunned observers. Feeling energized by his success in getting rid of the bomb, he asked an official who had just pushed his way through the small gathering, "The crew still on board?" At the official's shocked nod, "Whoever did this, also put a locking mechanism on the shuttle's doors. They're trapped inside and were going to blow up with the bomb." Clark asked another question. "Will you be able to launch now?" The Launch Commander gulped noisily, then answered, "No, we need to abort. Once the thrusters have been fired, they need to be replaced." "So there is nothing wrong with the transport vehicle or the space station, Prometheus?" "That's right. We've lost our ability to launch. We'll have to abandon the mission." "Step back. Sounds like all you need is a boost," Clark answered confidently. "Tell those inside to strap themselves in - they're going for a ride." "Who are you?" The Launch Commander demanded, having found his authority again. "Just someone who wants to help," he responded as he moved towards the huge pile of steel. To the amazement of the ground crew and the crowd; the space station, Prometheus, began rising effortlessly in the air, powered only by one brightly costumed newcomer with a brilliant red cape. After safely setting the Prometheus on its way in space, Clark flew back to face the crowd. In the distance, someone in the crowd murmured, "It's a bird." "It's a plane!" "No! It's Superman!" one precocious reporter stated. "Superman?" The crowd picked up quickly on the new super hero's name. Lois blended back into the crowd and found a different location in order to separate her from any familiarity to the Superman name. News media focused their cameras on the incoming red and blue blur as he flew over the crowd once more, settling down on a platform build for the commentators during the space transport launch. Lois stood there in shock. She knew that Kal was strong; after all, he'd rescued her airplane that first night, but actually seeing him lift the space station in the air as effortlessly as he had carried her earlier was different story. The sight of him displaying his powers left her totally dumbstruck - her gentle, caring friend was a force to be reckoned with. And he'd swallowed a bomb! Ironically, she thought, if she ever got around to *ever* cooking, at least she'd know she couldn't hurt him with her inept attempts at feeding him. The crowd murmured in excitement around her. Some people were pressing forward in order get closer, while others shrank back in uncertainty. Lois wanted to yell at the retreaters that they had nothing to worry about, it was only Kal - he was here to help, not hurt anyone. She pushed her way forward in the crowd. If Kal intended to speak, she wanted to make sure she heard him. ***** With her knees drawn up to her stomach, Lois sat waiting against the aluminum siding of the metal building where Kal had deposited her earlier that afternoon. No one had passed her way in quite some time. The crowds were dispersing slowly; the excitement of Superman made them want to linger and talk about him. Metropolis - and the world - had found their Miracle Mania man and they were reluctant to let go of him and the moment. She could definitely understand that; the afternoon's activities left her feeling a little sad that she was no longer the only one who knew about him. She shouldn't feel this way, really; after all, she had pushed him into becoming Superman. It was just that he belonged to the world now, and however they elected to receive him, it wasn't up to her. She only hoped his introduction to the world would be viewed as favorable - but how could they *not* see how wonderful he was? Still, it was hard for her to stomach that he could be moving on to bigger and better things now that he was Superman. It didn't puzzle her that he would choose to talk in public so soon after debuting. All the Miracle Mania nuts would be out in full force tomorrow - any press conference scheduled after today would most likely to draw a huge crowd, much larger than the four or five hundred here earlier. There were a lot of media personnel here to cover the launch, since it was on live television, her hopes that she'd be the first one to break the story of Superman had been dashed. She patted her notebook inside her bag. At least the time she'd spent sitting here was put to good use; she'd written up a heck of an article on the arrival of the new super hero and the rescue/launch of the Prometheus. Let Perry White reject *this* one, she thought. With any luck, no one from the Daily Planet would be here to report the events firsthand. Maybe somehow she could convince Kal to give her a personal interview soon. She wondered if Kal would dare to land again and risk being seen with her - his protective nature might not let him. In a small way, she understood his fears; the crowd and the officials who had asked him questions were quite blunt and ruthless at times. Just a few more minutes, then she'd have to leave; but for now, she was content to wait to see if he'd return for her. Dang! She was proud of him! At first when he began speaking, he seemed so lost, but after a few questions, after she'd caught his eye from the crowd, he didn't appear at all nervous or shy like he was last night in front of her. Instead, he was confident and self-assured; his expressions were firm, yet kind - a magnetic personality. She could've been so easily bedazzled by him if they weren't acquainted beforehand. She had heard quite a few comments from the other women in the crowd that would have made him blush, had he been there. Rising to her feet, she dusted the back of her skirt off and looked up in the sky wistfully. It was too much to hope that he'd come back for her; besides, it was time to turn this article in to Perry White and hope it would be well received. "Looking for me?" A voice spoke softly behind her. She turned around sharply, and closed the gap between them as she leaped into the circle of his arms. "Oh, Kal!" she blurted. He twirled her around happily, sharing a broad grin with her. His whirling stopped and held her firmly against his body as she perched a head's length above him. She relaxed her hold on his neck and let her elbows rest easily on his shoulders. "I'm so proud of you," she exclaimed, "You did it!" "*We* did it, you mean. I couldn't have done this without you." "Nonsense! You're the one with the abilities." "You're the one who encouraged me to do this. I wouldn't be here, in the city or in this suit if it weren't for you," he said lowly, his voice intense with emotions as his eyes melted into hers. "Thank you." "So what does this mean?" He drew his breath in slowly, realizing an invisible web of emotion was building between them. "Partners. I guess this means we're partners." "Yeah, I think I like the sound of that," she whispered. "Me, too." With her fingers tentatively touching his hair, she commented softly, "Looks like the hair gel worked." "Yeah. Still slick as a whistle." "I didn't know if you'd return ..." "Remember... I told you I'd always come back..." "Yeah. You did." Her fingers still played hesitantly with his hair. "I'm glad." She was filled with a strange inner excitement that she didn't recognize. His gaze was wrapped around her like a warm blanket and for a long moment it felt as though she were floating. Lois let her mind go blank, it was enough that Kal was here and that he hadn't left her to find her own way back into the city. A small thing, really; but it meant something to her. Clark relaxed his grip, until she, ever so slowly, slid down the length of his body. She stood there in his arms, not moving a muscle. It would be so easy to lower his face and kiss those slightly parted lips. Did she know what her body language was telling him to do? Was she aware of what he was feeling now? Could be so easy... But what if this was all part of the excitement of the day? It was very possible that she was reacting to the suit again. More importantly, there was that darn promise he made to her. He looked into her soft brown eyes and tried not to get lost in them. Not an easy task to do after being crammed next to her in the phone booth and the indulgent thoughts he had during this morning's walk. What did she say a minute ago about him coming back? It hit him just then that she was still working out issues with other men in her life. She trusted him, or was beginning to, and *that* was something to be protected. If he gave into his feelings now, that would turn him into every other man that had disappointed and left her. Not that he would ever leave her, but she wouldn't see it that way if he broke his promise now. No, it was a friend that she needed, and he had to be that friend to her no matter how he felt - at least for now. He loved her too much to muttle her mind with emotions that she wasn't ready to handle. Still, it heartened him to know that there was hope of more - after she had worked out whatever issues that had pained her in the past. Dropping his face, Clark rested his forehead against Lois's and closed his eyes, resting breifly in the moment at hand. Before the dawn on a revelation could rise within her, Kal remembered once again the promise he made to her and released her from his embrace. With a sigh, he murmured, "Come on, partner. I'll fly you home." _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 20:56:16 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 1/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is the fourth story of the "Home" series. In order to understand the premise, you need to read the three previous stories, Home, Home II: Beginnings, and Home III: Memories. The familiar characters are the property of DC Comics, Warner Bros., December 3rd Productions et al, and I have no claim on them at all, but the new characters, settings, and the story itself are mine. Nan Smith ********** Home IV: Honeymoon By Nan Smith "Clark, what am I going to tell my parents?" Lori said. She and Clark Kent were seated on the big, comfortable sofa in his apartment, only half-watching the drama unfolding on the vidscreen that took up a large part of the opposite wall. It was new. Clark's previous vidscreen had finally decided, three days before, to die a horrible death. Clark, alerted by Lori, had fortunately been available to put out the fire before it caused any damage to his apartment, and a friend had gotten him a deal on one of the latest models to replace his ancient, and now defunct one. Clark had regarded it as a good investment; he would soon, barring alien invasions, women who shrank big people into little people, and attacks of amnesia, be bringing a beautiful new bride, who had the virtue of also being his soulmate, into his home. Sitting on the couch together watching a show presented all kinds of interesting possibilities to a soon-to-be-married couple. As it had this evening. They had been curled up together on the couch, Clark's arm around Lori, her head resting on his shoulder, and sharing an occasional kiss. Lori had long since lost track of the plot line, finding her companion far more interesting than the characters on the screen, but now her gaze fell on the sparkling stone on the third finger of her left hand. She had been wearing it for three weeks, and it still surprised her to see it there. So far, she hadn't told any of her family of the engagement and she had been worried about it. The reason for her apprehension wasn't her father or sister. Her mother's reaction was sure to be explosive and it was something that she was not looking forward to with any anticipation. Clark stroked the back of her hand with a forefinger. "You're really worried your mom's not going to like our engagement, aren't you?" "That's putting it mildly," Lori said. "She'll have a fit. She wants me to do what she never did--have a successful career and I can tell you, to her that doesn't include a husband. She's never let Dad forget that she gave up her career to marry him. I'm not going to be able to convince her that mine is likely to be better because of you." Clark planted a kiss under her ear. "Maybe not, but you've helped my work, too. I've seen it improve over just the last six weeks. Together we're better than either of us is alone." "I know, but try to get Mom to believe it," Lori said, trying with only partial success to remain focussed on the subject. "She'll be after me to break it off; I know she will. Did I ever tell you why Marcy left home at seventeen?" "No. What happened?" "Mom was the reason," Lori said. "Marcy got tired of Mom criticizing every guy she spoke two words to, and trying to discourage her boyfriends. She took a six-month marriage contract with a guy she managed to talk into it, moved to New York and started modeling swimwear at the local Shaw and Rickman's department store. We didn't even know where she was for over eleven months. When we finally heard from her, some talent scout had seen her work at Rickman's, she'd signed with Sergio's Modeling Agency in New York, and the rest is history. Now she's one of the top-rated models in the industry and has gone through about fifteen boyfriends and six more short-term marriages in the last five years. She says she gets bored easily." "That's too bad," Clark said. "I don't want to criticize your mom, but I don't think she's being fair to either of you." "Oh, Mom gave up on Marcy a couple of years ago," Lori said. "Everyone puts on a good show, but they barely tolerate each other. Now she's focussed on me to fulfill her dreams. I do want to be a successful investigative journalist; it's always been my ambition, ever since seventh grade. But I don't see why I can't have that and a husband--and children, eventually--too." "There's no reason at all that you can't," Clark said. "It's not up to you to fulfill your mother's ambitions. You need to fulfill your own, whatever they may be." "It won't matter in the long run," Lori said. "There's nothing she can say that will change my mind about you, but she's going to make our lives miserable in the meantime. Do we have to tell her--right away, that is? I'd rather just elope and tell her later." "Well--" Clark had begun to kiss her lightly along her neck. Lori closed her eyes and leaned against him. "I'm not going to even try to tell you what to do. Whatever you decide, I'll support you." "Um...yeah," she murmured. "Oh, Clark..." She felt him smile against her neck. "Um..." He chuckled and kissed her one last time. "I'm not playing fair, am I? Seriously, whatever you're happy with, I'll go along with you. If you really want to get married quietly and then tell them, and maybe have a more formal ceremony later so our families can attend, we could do that." Lori sighed deeply and reluctantly pushed herself somewhat upright. "I'd kind of like to. That's what Marcy did--except she never had a big, formal ceremony. She and--I think his name was Jerry--just came in and announced they were married. Of course, Mom blew up and said all kinds of awful things and Marcy stormed out. When she did get in touch with us again, she called Dad. She and Mom didn't speak for over a year after that, but eventually things quieted down. It's going to be a mess no matter what we do. But I don't want to disappoint *your* family." "Believe me, they'll understand," Clark said. "Have Ronnie tell you some time what happened when she and Mason Brent wanted to get married. His parents were dead set against it. They didn't approve of her, don't ask me why. He and Ronnie ended up flying off to Las Vegas to get married secretly, and his parents didn't know about it for six months." He chuckled. "The only reason Mason told them then was that she was four months pregnant with Oliver." "So what happened?" Lori asked, her attention thoroughly caught. "They had a tremendous fight," Clark said. "His dad almost threw him out of the family business. It got pretty intense and Mason walked out. It took his parents a while to come around, but they reconciled about six months later, after Oliver was born and they finally realized that Mason valued his wife and child more than his position in the business." Lori found herself laughing, trying to imagine the circumstances that might have led up to such a situation. "That sounds exciting, but it turned out all right, I guess." "Well, they'll have been married fifty years this September, so I'd say it was pretty 'all right'. Mason's retired now, and their daughter, Alice, is the CEO of the company. Oliver decided he wanted to be a cop, as I'm sure you recall." "I could hardly forget," Lori said. "Ronnie's awfully nice, but I'm a little nervous about meeting the rest of your family. I mean, what will they think of me?" Clark pulled her back against him without much effort. "They're already prepared to like you, sight unseen. Lara and Aaron helped stand guard over your place one night while we were investigating Gaia's Children, you know. That was the night before Ray and Frank kidnapped us. They were hoping things would work out for us. Everyone was, even John." He kissed her neck. "He knew I was afraid to tell you about my past, and he told me to have faith in you. He was right." "I guess a lot of things were happening that I didn't know about then," Lori said. "I wondered how Superwoman knew my name, but I didn't figure it out at the time." "You weren't supposed to." He grinned against her hair and resumed his previous, highly distracting activity. "No one will be hiding anything from you from now on, though. Anyway, however you want to handle your mom is your choice. I'll go along with whatever you decide to do." "I don't want a long engagement," Lori said, dreamily. "Neither do I," Clark said. He rested his cheek against hers. "I'm anxious to take you off on a honeymoon to wherever you want to go." "Hawaii?" Lori said. "I'd love to go to Hawaii." "Hawaii it is," Clark said. Lori turned her head to look up at him. "Thank you, Clark." "What for?" She snuggled into the curve of his body. "For being so understanding about waiting. I know that most guys..." "Hey," Clark said. "Remember what I said. I'd never ask you to do something you felt was wrong. If you want to wait for our wedding night, we'll wait, and that's the end of it. Besides," he added, "you were more than understanding about *me*!" "What did I ever do to deserve you?" she asked. "I'm the luckiest woman in the world." "You didn't have to do anything," Clark said. " I'm the lucky one, to have found you. Other men have to settle for second best." Lori didn't answer. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled his face down to hers, shelving the discussion for the moment, but it stayed with her. It would be an awful fuss, of course, but Mariann wouldn't give in easily to the idea that Lori wanted to get married. The horrible memories of what had happened when Marcy had announced her marriage were still clear after seven years, and being the only child left at home after that had been a nightmare. She really didn't want to face her mother's wrath without some kind of insurance. The thoughts of the endless arguments to which she would be subjected, and the pressure Mariann would attempt to bring to bear to get her to change her mind made her cringe. Eloping had been in her mind ever since she and Clark had picked out the ring in Paris, three weeks ago. It wouldn't take much to persuade her that it was the best course of action. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:59:00 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Marilyn L. Puett" Subject: Re: Home Pregnancy Test Info Needed Thank you ladies for your enlightening look into the fascinating world of pregnancy detection. It's come a long way from the old rabbit test! As I said in my initial message, my childbearing days are over. And my boys are a long way from making me a grandmother so that I could learn this from a daughter-in-law. Leave it to the wonderful FoLC to help me out! :) At least I know I won't be going into labor at the Kerth's! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 21:00:03 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 2/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 2/? by Nan Smith The vidphone chimed. Clark reluctantly raised his head and glanced at the identification on the screen. His eyebrows went up. "It's your parents." "Oh, great. I left a call forwarding to your number. I probably shouldn't have." "You better straighten your hair," Clark said. "Tell them I'm in the bathroom," Lori said. "I've got to fix my makeup. And you better wipe the lipstick off your face." She rose from the couch and fled. Clark removed the lipstick, ran a pocket comb hastily through his own hair, grinned and picked up a random hard copy of a file they had been studying earlier before the project had been abandoned in favor of more pleasant pursuits. He glanced casually at the screen. "Yes?" The screen came on. Mariann Lyons looked out of it at him, an expression of disapproval plain on her face. "Mr. Kent, where is my daughter?" Clark raised an eyebrow. "She's in the bathroom. Is there a problem?" "What's Lori doing in your apartment at this hour?" Clark laid the paper down on his coffee table. "We're a reporting team, Ms. Lyons. Journalists don't have set hours like other jobs." Lori's mother looked unsatisfied with the explanation. "May I speak with her, please?" "I'm sure she'll be back in a minute," Clark said, peaceably. Robert Lyons appeared in the screen. He smiled at Clark. "Hello, Mr. Kent. How are you?" "Fine." "How's Lori doing? I saw your expose last week in the Planet." "She's doing fine," Clark said. He turned his head. "Lori, your parents are on the phone!" "Tell them just a minute, Clark," Lori's voice said, faintly. Clark turned back to the vidphone. "It'll be a few minutes." He glanced at the indicator on his screen as the vidphone chimed again. "Excuse me, I have another call coming in. Lori will be here in a minute. Hold," he told the vidphone. "Take second call." The screen shifted. Clark smiled in genuine welcome to the second caller. "Hi, Jon, how's Seattle?" His youngest son grinned. "Hi, Dad! I heard you're getting married! She said yes, huh?" "Yes, she did." Clark glanced over his shoulder as Lori emerged from the bathroom, her hair and makeup perfect. "This is Lori, Jon. Lori, this is Jon Kent, my son." "Hi, Lori," Jon said. "Hi." Lori smiled timidly at the image of Clark's son. Clark was silent, looking at him. Of his four children, Jon looked the most like Lois. He was a handsome man, with his father's eyes and his mother's nose, smile and coloring. "Welcome to the family," Jon said. "Dad, the four of us are throwing a barbecue next Sunday, and we wanted you and Lori to attend. All of us want to meet her. Do you think the two of you can make it?" Clark glanced at Lori. "It's up to you, honey." Lori hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Sure." "Good. It starts at noon, so come any time from then on. We'll be having several family members drop in--most of us, actually. We thought we'd take turns doing patrols, just in case. Will that be all right?" "Sure," Clark said. "Look, Jon, Lori's parents are on my other line. They don't know about this yet, so..." "I get it," Jon said. "See you later. Good luck." He winked at Lori. "It's nice to finally meet you, Lori. Ronnie described you, and she was right. Dad's a very lucky man." Lori looked gratified. "Thanks," she said. "I like your family already, Clark." "Good night, Jon," Clark said, with a slight grin. "We'll see you Sunday. Close second call," he added. "Sorry about that, Ms Lyons. Here's Lori, now." Mariann Lyons looked sternly at her daughter. "Lori, I expected you to be in your apartment. It's too late for you to be visiting friends, even if it's 'business'." Her tone said she thought it was anything but business. "Sorry," Lori said. "We had some things to finish." Mariann scowled at Lori and then Clark and rather obviously bit her lip to prevent herself from saying something that would contravene good manners. Robert Lyons' expression was a little hard to read, but Clark thought he could see a slight smile in his eyes. "Hello, honey," he said. "We just wanted to know how you were holding up. Your Mom's tried to call you several times in the last couple of weeks, but all she got was your phone's recording." "I'm sorry about that," Lori said. "It's been a pretty busy two weeks. Clark and I were on stakeouts almost every night." "So I gathered from your message." Mariann Lyons' tone said she didn't believe a word of it. She surveyed Clark frostily. "Are you certain you aren't getting in over your head, Lori? You were involved in that stolen jewelry thing in--was it Alta Linda?--and then all the trouble you went through on the pharmaceutical black market expose you wrote about last week--I'm not certain I approve of all this. They have an opening at our local paper; I inquired about it today, and I'm sure you'll be happier closer to home. When I told them that you might be interested in a job here, they seemed to recognize your name and they were very favorable to the idea." "It was Alta Mesa, Mother," Lori said. Clark could hear the stiffness in her voice. "I'm fine, although it *was* a bit of a surprise to find a 2.7 million dollar ring in my purse. And the other thing was okay. None of the shooting got anywhere near me. Clark made sure of that." Her voice rose slightly. "But Mother, I already told you when we were in Houston that I'm very happy at the Daily Planet and I don't have any plans to quit. I'm not interested in a job in Los Angeles." Mariann Lyons' eyes flicked significantly at Clark. "I trust you remember what I said about certain career hazards, Lori," she said. "We need to talk later in private. I don't want you to make the mistake your sister made. The Herald is a respected publication, and it was willing to offer you an excellent salary. I really don't see your objection to taking a position there, and you could live at home and save yourself the cost of renting an apartment. I hope you'll reconsider." She glanced once more at Clark. "I have to check the roast. The oven's timer is acting up again." She disappeared from the screen abruptly. Robert Lyons glanced over his shoulder. "Your mother is worried about you, Lori," he explained. "She's afraid you're going to get hurt being involved in all these things." "It's my job, Dad," Lori said. "I'm doing fine. Clark and I work together as a team. We look out for each other." Robert Lyons glanced at Clark. "So I gathered. Don't feel pressured to come back to Los Angeles unless that's what you want to do. Take good care of her, Mr. Kent." He smiled slightly into his youngest daughter's eyes. "Good night, Lori." The screen went dark. Lori looked at Clark. "See what I mean?" Clark smiled. "Did you hear what your dad said?" Lori nodded. "Do you think he knows?" "I'd say so," Clark said. "Your mom's sure suspicious of me, though." "That's not unusual," Lori said, sounding resigned. She walked to the vidphone and punched in a number. "What are you doing?" Clark asked. "Calling my phone and changing the filter settings," Lori said. "I'm officially avoiding Mother for a while longer. She's trying to get me to come home where she can keep an eye on me. She's wanted me to, ever since I graduated. Clark what am I going to do?" Clark smiled slightly. It wouldn't be normal, he supposed, if his soulmate didn't have problems with her family, although Mariann Lyons certainly seemed to dwarf Ellen Lane when it came to controlling personalities. "Clark," Lori said, suddenly, "Is it too late in the evening to make a quick trip to Las Vegas?" "Huh?" "I want to get married before Mother does something I'll regret. We can have another, bigger wedding for the family later. Is tonight too soon?" "No, of course not. Are you sure?" "Yes, I am." Lori looked resolute. "I'm not going to do what Marcy did, though. I don't want a six-month contract unless you do." "I'd like a lifetime one," Clark said. "So would I. Let's go right now." Clark raised an eyebrow. Well, he couldn't blame her, he supposed, judging from the story about Marcy. It wasn't going to make for good relations with Lori's mother, but he had a strong hunch that the relationship between himself and Mariann Lyons was never going to be a particularly warm one. Oh, well, that was just something he'd have to live with, he thought. At least Robert Lyons didn't seem upset and, if he was any judge, Lori's father had a pretty good idea what the relationship was between his daughter and her partner. Unfortunately, so did her mother. He gave a mental shrug. No matter how they did this, there were bound to be problems, and he'd already promised to go along with whatever she wanted. Maybe if he and Lois, years ago, had been a little more determined about it, they'd have managed to get married a lot sooner than they had. If there was one thing he'd learned in a century, it was not to be indecisive. Vacillating back and forth caused more trouble in the long run than making a wrong decision. At least if you did that, you could deal with the consequences and get it over with. Being wishy-washy about an important step usually resulted in a lot more worry and trouble than it was worth. "Why don't you grab my leather jacket out of the closet?" he suggested. "It's bound to be a little cold at this time of night. Let me just get the wedding rings, and we can be on our way." ********** The Golden Nugget Chapel in the Old Wagon Wheel Casino and Restaurant wasn't exactly what Lori had dreamed of, but white lace and satin could come later. Right now, becoming Clark's wife was more important. Her mom's phone call to check on her whereabouts and renew the pressure to return home had been the final straw. After months of Clark's friendship, she had realized what it could be like being loved by someone who didn't have a stake in controlling her every action. Once the marriage was finalized, they could deal with the inevitable repercussions. Mariann wasn't going to like this no matter how they did it, Lori knew, but she and Clark would have one thing in their favor. Her parents lived on the West Coast. Three thousand miles as a buffer was a distinct defense against her mother's anger, as Marcy had discovered several years ago. At the time, she hadn't understood her sister's actions but her reasons had become abundantly clear since. And if worst came to worst, she could always shut off her phone. They completed the legal forms quickly. From somewhere, Clark produced a bouquet for her. Lori fidgeted nervously while they waited for the couple ahead of them to finish their nuptials, and Clark asked her again, "Are you certain this is what you want to do, Lori? I don't want you to be sorry later." "I'm sure," Lori said. "Unless you don't want to?" "No, of course not," Clark said, quickly. "I just don't want to cheat you out of anything. I want it to be perfect for you." "It is perfect, Clark," Lori said. "It can't be anything else, because I'm marrying the man I love. Long engagements are overrated anyway." "Well, okay--if you're sure," Clark said. He took her hand. "I love you, Lori, and I promise you I'll never willingly give you any reason to regret your decision. And..." He lifted her hand to kiss the knuckles lightly, "I'll never let your marriage to me affect your career for the worse. You're going to be one of the best investigative reporters at the Planet. I know that already." He looked up as the young woman who stood in as one of the witnesses beckoned to them from the chapel door. "Let's go. This is it." ********** "Okay, kids, which ceremony do you want?" the Reverend Daryl asked. Lori's first impression of him was of a used aircar salesman. He was a tall, slender, man with a thick shock of dark, curly hair and distinct five-o'clock shadow. His black, formal suit looked as if he'd been sleeping in it. "We got one for every kind of marriage." "Traditional," Clark said. The Reverend Daryl's eyes widened and his eyebrows flew up. "Traditional? We don't get many of those. Are you sure you don't want a provisional six-month one first, just to be sure you're compatible? Wouldn't want to make a mistake like that, you know." Lori gripped Clark's hand. "Traditional," she said, firmly. "We talked this out in advance." "Okay, then. Millie! Angela, let's get this show on the road." The two women who were apparently the professional witnesses scurried in to take their places. From somewhere, traditional wedding music started to play, no doubt a recording, and Reverend Daryl showed them where to stand. "Okay, okay! Cut the music!" The music died with a faint squeal, and the Reverend began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..." Lori listened with a fragment of her attention, but most of it was on Clark. The fact that the ceremony was a good deal short of what she had once dreamed about was unimportant. Later, she would remember it as the most beautiful wedding she had ever attended. It wasn't the tacky surroundings or the nasal voice of the man who later signed their marriage certificate--it was the fact that she was marrying Clark. She heard Clark's voice giving his responses clearly, and when it was her turn, she gave them as firmly. Then it was over; Lori was wearing a plain gold band on her finger and the Reverend Daryl pronounced them husband and wife and told Clark he could kiss his bride. While her ears were still ringing from the kiss, Clark slipped the engagement ring back onto her ring finger, next to the brand new one, then they signed their names on the register and the Reverend Daryl smiled benignly at them. "That's it, kids, you're married. Good luck. Next!" ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 05:00:44 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Strangers II - Part 9 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed The disappearance of his arms from around her waist left Lois missing the security that they brought to her. She snapped back from the warm bubble she had fallen into and registered in her mind what Kal had just spoken to her. Home? He was going to take her home? She couldn't go home yet - she had to find a way to the Daily Planet - she barely could afford taxi fare back there today.. She bent down and picked up her bag. There had to be a way to get Kal to take her back to the Daily Planet. Shouldn't be too hard - that was practically where they'd found each other. It made sense that she would want to go back to the place where she had been before this Superman stuff erupted. "I'm glad you came back for me... there were so many people around. I was sure you wouldn't risk it." "I had to wait until everyone cleared out of here; although I had to leave for a few minutes to take care of something. But most of the time, I was keeping my eye on you from that cloud up there. When you got up to leave, that's when I knew I had to come down to get you." "You were watching me from a cloud?" Lois looked at him incredulously. Clark grinned at her sheepishly. "Not too closely, if that's what you're worried about, but I couldn't let you get into trouble; after all, you're not suppose to be here at EPRAD. Everyone in the crowd had to sign in and check out with security." "Oh." Once again he was there for her; even when she didn't think he needed to be. Yet, the old independent Lois flared up defensively, and she quipped, "I could have talked my way out of any trouble. Honestly Kal, I don't need a babysitter... " Clark cocked his head to the side, and spoke quickly, "Even now, we have to hurry. There are some officials driving over this way in a jeep." He crossed his arms and challenged her. "Are you coming, or do you want to fend for yourself?" "Of course, I'm going with you. What kind of question is that?" she threw back at him. Clark loved this. This small bundle of femininity could have him melting like butter one minute, yet in the next few breathes, she was defying his right to even exist. He never felt so alive then when he was with her. Scooping her up, he said quickly, "Hang on tight. I have to go fast." Lois shut her eyes in anticipation and opened them immediately when she found herself swiftly zooming upwards. It was an incredible rush of wind and sensation. Her stomach felt like it was being tickled with a giant feather from being launched off the ground so quickly. In an instant, she was surrounded by white mist swirling around them in a dreamlike fashion. Kal slowed to a stop within the cloud. "Sorry I had to do it that way, but they've been looking for me with radar and motion sensors ever since I left the platform. I don't mind if they find *me* again, I just don't want them to find me with *you*." "So this is your cloud? It's beautiful in here, although it's causing my hair to frizz." Clark laughed quietly. "Even if they can track me now, they shouldn't be able to identify you. There are enough clouds today that we can fly from cloud to cloud back to the city." He observed her hair with a soft expression on his face. "I wouldn't worry about your hair. I can dry it for you when we get on the ground." "You can? With your heat vision? That'd be great! By the way, I can't go home just yet. Could you drop off me off downtown near where I found you? I have to see someone about a job." "A job? Oh. Okay," Lois noticed his brow furrowing together and wondered if she had offended him. She hoped he didn't think she was taking advantage of his powers. They floated along with the clouds in silence for a few seconds before Lois piped up. "Are we staying here for a reason, or are you spacing out on me?" Clark looked startled for a second, then glanced nervously at the swirling mist around them. "Um... there's a news helicopter flying around here. I'm waiting until they're gone, then we can fly to the next cloud." He sighed, then shifted her in his arms so he could see her face more directly. "This is probably none of my business, but... I know you're still looking for a job. Is there something I can do to help? Do you need any money to help tide you over until you get your first paycheck? I'd be happy to give... or loan you some if you needed it." Lois' first instinct was to deny that she needed any assistance. "Oh Kal! I'm fine, really. I'm getting by," she said automatically, hoping that she sounded convincing enough. "I just thought I'd ask. I remember how hard it was starting out in Metropolis when I first moved here." First paycheck? Oh, my gosh! She'd have to wait until she got paid, and she didn't even have the job yet! Clark continued on with his memories. "My mom and dad had to offer money to me a couple of times before I accepted any from them. It's a hard thing to do when you are trying to be independent... you know, admit that you need a little help." He watched her face out of the corner of his eye. Could she be cracking? He had a feeling last night after he'd rubbed her feet that she had been walking out of necessity. Metropolis was a huge city to get around in, almost impossible for someone with limited transportation. "I'm glad I finally decided to let them help me. Life was so much easier after I did, and my parents felt so much better knowing that they had done something to contribute... " That tiny glint in his eye was slightly annoying her independent side, but though she resented it, she realized that she wasn't going to make it without accepting help from someone. She most certainly wasn't going to ask either of her parents for any aid; they'd definitely view it as a handout *and* a failure on her part. She looked at her handsome counterpart's face and watched him as he rattled on about his first days in Metropolis. He really did understand what she was going through. Plus she could see right through his gallant attempts to help her - even finding a way for her to preserve her dignity. She opened her mouth to answer him... Their heads suddenly popped through the clouds into bright sunshine; the sun's rays bounced off the clouds, blinding Lois temporarily. After her pupils adjusted to the brilliant light, she surveyed her surroundings and exclaimed, "Oh, Kal! It's so beautiful up here!" Her arms tightened instinctively around his neck. "Those big white clouds... they look like you could walk on them." The randomly scattered clouds hovered at different levels and distances all around them. The ones above her appeared to be racing with them along a invisible track on their flat silvery bottoms. "I love coming up here with these huge cumulous clouds. These thunderheads make it seem like a huge playground. When I first started flying at eighteen, I wanted so badly to take this girl I knew up here and have a picnic, but she didn't know about my powers, and I wasn't about to tell her about myself. Anyway, I couldn't figure out how to spread a blanket out on those clouds without it falling. My aura only extends an inch or so from my skin." "Aura?" "My super abilities include a aura that protects the clothes I'm wearing and people I may be carrying. You might have noticed that our flight up here was very quick. Without my aura, you would have been knocked unconscious by the amount of G's I pulled flying up here." Lois noticed that their shoulders were only barely above the clouds. The rest of their bodies were still encased in the cloud. Fine mist wafted between their faces, not enough to obscure their sight, but enough to have Lois believe she was in a dream. "I want to see the ground below. Can you do your little floaty thing over to the edge of this cloud?" Kal looked around the sky, listened carefully, then grinned happily at her. "Coast is clear. I'll do something better. Hold my hand and drop your legs down like we were on the ground. We'll 'walk' over there." "Don't be scared, Lois," he glanced at her startled face. Lois' mouth dropped in astonishment, as he floated a little higher, then released her carefully. Giggling and gasping, she grabbed Clark's hand with both of hers as her feet bobbed and disappeared into the white, wispy surface. "Okay. I can do this," she said, panting from excitement. She straightened her body upright, then smirked at him triumphantly. "See!" "Very good!" he smiled proudly at her. His heart turned over at her reaction to his suggestion to 'walk'. It was really very brave, and extremely trusting of her to do this. "Now let go of your other hand and let's walk." Although her feet weren't touching anything, the act of moving her legs in the air made it seem like she was actually walking on the clouds. Her hand in Kal's felt warm and secure, and she got caught up in the wonder of the moment. She relaxed her hand in his slightly and slipped suddenly through the cloud. Kal lifted her back up and when she was level with him again, she hooked her arms through the crook in his elbow and said, "I think I like this better." "You relaxed your grip and fell out of my aura." Clark covered her hand linked through his arm with his. "We can float the rest of the way if you like." They reached the edge of the cloud, but still couldn't see the ground quite yet. Clark floated down the incline of the cloud for another hundred feet. Soon they came to the edge and the swirling dark colors of the earth lay out before them. The city stood proudly on the distance horizon, the sunlight mirroring and bouncing off the glass and metal of the buildings. The shimmering light off the waters of Hobb's Bay reflected back to them in softly muted silver and diamond flashes. "It's beautiful - this Superman's view of the world." Her arm held his a little tighter. "It's so different than being in an airplane, it's so peaceful. I never thought I'd be gliding to the city on a cloud." Lois observed the sunlight dance its reflective ballet across the distance, watching the city with mixed feelings. Metropolis was such a hard nut to crack - it was so difficult trying to get back in her good graces, but once she accepted you and made you one of her own, you were hooked for life. There were so many injustices she wanted to reveal, so many criminals to expose to the light of the law, if she could only be given a chance - to be accepted by the journalism world. Acceptance. She *had* acceptance. She was hanging on to him, literally, for dear life; not only in the physical sense of the word, but *he* was her lifeline in this dog-eat-dog city. She had been let into his life inspite of herself, even though she had bullied her way into his; and he became her friend. The best part about their friendship was that he needed her too. Kal had expressed that to her in so many words and she believed him. No, it was more than mere camaraderie now - he had became her partner. Although their journey together, so far, was brief, it was solid: they were true partners in helping each other start the new phases in their lives. She, trying to start over again in a hostile city; and him, being a superhero in an inimical society. At least the media hadn't turned on *him yet, and she wanted to make sure that when she did become part of the press, that she did everything within her power to help him. Where did this fierce protectiveness for him come from? Funny how they wanted to shield each other from the ways of the world. It was also pretty amazing how they leaned on each other and felt so connected to one another. Tears mingled with the cloud mist evaporating from her face and she laid her head on his strong shoulder. The strange feeling that she had earlier, encased her heart again like a warm cocoon. Just maybe when it was ready to emerge again, there might be... oh, something to salvage. As the cloud drifted slowly toward Metropolis, Clark's thoughts turned once again to the decision he made a few minutes earlier not to kiss Lois. It was the right one - especially since it led to a moment like this. His arms still tingled from her touch, but there was so much building between them. Something powerful, but silent; layering it's foundation down in order to construct something strong and invulnerable. Clark felt her head lay against his shoulder and his heart was full. It appeared that his morning walk had been surpassed. He had both of his favorite things with him at this moment: the skies he loved to fly in - he could do that freely now that he was Superman - and the woman he loved more than his very life, up here sharing it with him. He was very grateful that he could give her the world, even if it were only on a silver cloud. "Yes," she murmured. "I'll accept your offer to help me out." "You will?" he answered quietly. "Yeah. We're partners, you know," she spoke in a calm, confident manner. "I know, Lois." He tightened his hold on his hand covering hers and leaned his head against her soft hair. "I know." The End ... But stay tuned for the Epilogue and Strangers III _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:57:17 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Strangers II - Part 9 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oh, MIssy - spoiler space / / / / / / / / / / / / / / revolving door? Hero of a wrecking ball!?! And you left it there - if you're not careful - I'll hound you like Melisma has been hounding me! I loved it! The phone booth was great! *sigh* Hurry! Oh, goodness - I'll need a rock if I do much more of this!:o) *bg* Carol ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 00:18:37 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - part 2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Again - to keep Melisma off my back!:o) Does it pain you to know that not only do I have this story finished, but 2 sequels besides (almost) and another at least 1/2 done? *big evil grin* hehehe - and I'm going to make you wait! I hope this ends on a cliffhanger for you! And I don't think I'll post the next segment until Sat! Unless you ask nice!:o) ***** Lois struggled with groceries, her bag, her purse and the four locks that she insisted her sister kept locked at all times. "Lucy?" she called. "Are you home?" "Hi sis!" Lucy came from the bedroom as Lois set the groceries in the kitchen. "I thought you were going out tonight," she said in surprise, looking to see if her sister had brought home anything good. "Chocolate ice cream? Did you finish off the other half-gallon already?" Lois shot her a look, ignoring the ice cream comment. "Oh, I gotta work, I can't. Don't start!" she warned over her shoulder as she went to put the rest of her things on the couch. "Did you find an escort to Lex Luthor's White Orchid Ball yet?" Lucy asked, following her like a puppy looking for scraps. "No, I did not," Lois said clearly, feeling that she had already had this conversation one too many times already. "Lois, its tomorrow night!" Lucy reminded her unnecessarily. "What about Mitchell? I thought you liked him." "Mitchell is a hypochondriac," Lois pronounced, taking some files from her satchel and trying to escape into the kitchen. Lucy followed her, doggedly. "They can't all be bad, Lois. They can't all be boring or stupid. What are you waiting for?" "Fine. I'll ask Mitchell to take me," she said as she pulled a frozen dinner out of the grocery bag. "I'm not just talking about the Ball, Lois. You've got to get out more," Lucy insisted. Lois groaned. "Will you stop?" she demanded, struggling to open the frozen dinner. "Geez, you sound like Dad! I'm only twenty-six!" She popped the frozen dinner into the microwave. "Besides," she muttered to herself, "I've already met the man of my dreams and he's nowhere to be found." "Twenty-six today, thirty-six tomorrow," Lucy warned, following Lois again as she took a folder from the kitchen back to the sofa. "And I know why that dentist, Alan, never called you back; dragging him to the Women In Journalism seminar, 'Weak Men And The Wise Women Who Love Them'. You've got to stop scaring them off, Lois!" She grabbed the folder from her sister's hand to get her attention, to make her listen. "You've got to stop being so smart all the time, so intense! And don't give me that nonsense about some guy you met ten years ago at a hotel in DC. I can't believe you are still holding on to that pipe dream." Lois looked at her sister and chose to ignore the last remark. "Don't you ever quit following me around? Look, I'm just being myself, and if they're not man enough to handle it, then I guess I'll just have to wait 'til I find someone who is." Lois Lane wouldn't change for anyone. "I just hate to see you sitting at home," Lucy replied wistfully, cutting off her sister's tirade. "I get out plenty. I have dates," Lois replied, trying to convince herself as much as her sister. "You have interviews," Lucy [corrected said softly ]. Lois started to say something, but stopped as she realized that her sister was right. "Lois... I just want you to meet a super guy." "I already have. Don't give me that look. I won't ever forget CJ and you know it." Lois sighed and gave her sister a quick hug. Deep down inside, she wanted to find CJ, knowing, somehow, that he was the 'super guy' for her. She dreamed of romantic walks on the beach, of candlelit dinners and slow dancing in Mr. Right's strong arms, but he never had a face. She could never even put CJ in those dreams, just some faceless, nameless guy, who made her feel that she was floating on air. She had a hard time believing that Prince Charming actually did exist, even in the person of CJ. He was probably married with a couple of kids by now. She thought about the guy in Perry's office today. Those eyes, were something, but she couldn't convince herself that he was CJ. She knew that all of the good guys, if there were any, were taken or played for the 'other team'. Or from Smallville. Who disappeared never to be seen again. Lois pulled the covers up around her chest, sighing. She set aside the papers she had been reading, unable to concentrate. She picked up the remote and started The Ivory Tower, her favorite tape. She snacked on some popcorn as the passed the credits quickly. "Gwendolyn, have you made your decision?" a dark-haired man asked on the screen. Lois felt herself getting emotional. As often as it happened, she couldn't help it. The pretty blonde tossed her wavy hair. "All right, you win," she replied almost defiantly. "I'll keep my promise. Tonight my body is yours. But my heart... my heart beats only for one man," she finished in grand melodramatic fashion. "Oh!" Lois wailed softly, hugging the blanket a little closer as the tears started to flow. Why couldn't *she* feel that kind of passion again? Would she ever find her way back to her one true love? As the dark man began to nibble on Gwendolyn's neck, Lois pulled a tissue from beside the bed. With a little whimpering sound, she wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and sniffled. *Maybe Lucy is right. Maybe I don't remember what the kisses were really like. Maybe it's all in my head. Maybe I am just chasing a pipe dream. No, it can't be. It WAS real - I know it was!* "Oh, CJ. Where are you?" She felt like getting the sweatshirt out of the bottom of her bottom drawer, but if Lucy came in she'd have some explaining to do and she didn't want to deal with Lucy. She closed her eyes and remembered the first time she met him. She had gone out for Chinese with her dad, but . . . SSSSSSSSSSS Lois wasn't able to concentrate on the conversation with her father anymore. She felt that she was being watched and she turned around. It was him. The guy from the lobby with the 'Smallville High' shirt. He was looking at her and blushed when he knew she had caught him staring. But he didn't look away. Lois smiled and he smiled back. "Uhm, Daddy? Do you mind if I..." She pointed towards the ladies' room. "Oh, no. Of course not," he answered, and Lois got up and walked over to the ladies' room. When walking past the 'Smallville High' guy, she shot him a look that meant: Move! SSSSSSSSSSSS Tears started to stream down her face. The Ivory Tower always had that effect on her. ****** During the night, Clark remembered the mood piece that Mr. White had assigned to Lane. He could write the piece. He knew his best work was when he tried to tug at the heartstrings. Maybe Perry White would use it and that could start his ball rolling. Finding the theater wasn't difficult. It was just behind the crowd that stood next to a wrecking ball. The construction crew was almost finished setting up and the protesters, the few of them, were in full swing. "Keep the theater on the spot, we don't need a parking lot!" One of them looked anxious. "Where's Beatrice? Bea? Bea?" Clark made sure that no one noticed him and lowered his glasses. He looked right through the brick wall, wondering what he would find. He saw a woman on the stage, feather boa draped around her neck. The decrepit building falling around her and her floppy hat, surrounded by evidence of the by-gone days of theater. "After the dark death of autumn, and the cold barren winter, how I wish this rock might be taken from my heart," she called, a slight echo in the large, empty hall. "Okay, Bill, start her up!" a voice called, breaking Clark away from the scene inside. He looked again to make sure that he was ignored and lowered his glasses again. With an intense look on his face, he managed to fry some of the wires inside the motor of the wrecking ball machine. Though it was only a brief delay, the protesters cheered as though a permanent stay had been given. Clark fixed his glasses firmly on the bridge of his nose, and glancing about yet again, made his way inside. The woman on stage continued, oblivious to his presence, the passion obvious in her voice. "Oh, for the days of my childhood, back when my soul was pure. I slept right here in this nursery, looking out at the orchard from this very room, and every morning I awoke with such joy in my heart. My orchard is just the same as it was then. Nothing is different. All of it, all of it, dressed in white. My lovely orchard." Clark's applause echoed loudly. He drew her attention as he had planned to. "Who's there?" "Just... a fan." "I'm not leaving." She sounded determined. "Not until I finish." He smiled. "All right. Do you mind if I watch? I always loved this play." "You know it?" she asked. "The Cherry Orchard. Anton Chekhov." She looked somewhat impressed that a young man would know the work. "His finest, don't you think?" "Definitely," he agreed with a gentle half-smile. She smiled back at him, remembering days gone by. "They don't understand. Theater is more than bricks and mortar." Her gaze traveled around the room, remembering things as they had been. "It's drama and passion, and mystery and comedy and life!" She looked at him with an intensity that he found charming. "Don't make me go. I'm not ready." "We have some time," he assured her. "You understand. I just want to say good-bye." Clark smiled as he realized how he was going to write this article. He sat in the back row and listened as she continued, a faraway look on his face. While he listened his mind slipped back to another time and another place. He had seen the look that she gave him that night at the Chinese restaurant. SSSSSSSSSS She wanted him to follow her. CJ cleared his throat. "I'll be right back," he said and got up from his chair. The rest of the gang didn't even notice him because they were in the middle of an argument about whether sweet 'n' sour was better than stir-fry. CJ entered the lounge, which was a small room one walked through to get to the ladies' or men's room. She was sitting on a small soft sofa and had obviously been waiting for him. When he entered the lounge, she got up and walked up to him. "Okay, who are you and why are you staring at me all the time?" she demanded. CJ was taken aback. Her presence made him nervous enough and this was too much for him. He felt himself getting red and stammered something like, "I'm sorry, I... I... don't know." "What? You don't know your own name?" she said and a ghost of a smile flashed across her lips. "Oh...of course. CJ. I'm CJ," he answered. "I'm Lois. Nice to meet you, CJ. So now that we've gotten rid of that problem, tell me why you're staring at me all the time." "I... uh... I guess I'm just kinda attracted to you," CJ said, surprised at his own words. "Oh, really? Well, I guess the feeling's mutual," she replied and CJ's head shot up. What?! *She*? Attracted to *him*? She smiled and he felt his knees almost giving away underneath him. He was able to lift the tractor at home on the farm without any effort at all and she brought him to his knees with a simple smile. This girl was sure something! "For real?" he asked, almost in shock. "For real," she answered and melted his heart with another smile. "Well, uh, in that case, how'd you feel about going to the movies with me after dinner?" CJ asked and was surprised that he had found the guts to ask her. "Sure, why not? I'll just have to ask Daddy," she answered and CJ felt terribly relieved that she hadn't shot him down. "Great!" CJ exclaimed. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS "...all of it dressed in white. My lovely orchard." Clark was brought out of his daydream as the scene ended. Clark spent the rest of the morning researching the theater and Beatrice. He went back to his temporary, very temporary, home and used his laptop to type up the story. He typed faster than the machine could deal with and soon it was starting to smoke. Clark sighed. He had ruined more laptops that way, so he slowed down and waited for it to catch up. He read the piece again, to make sure that it was as good as he thought it was. He smiled, a satisfied smile as he realized it was that good. "Beatrice was eighteen when she made her debut. Warren G. Harding was President, the Unknown Soldier was interred at Arlington, and Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees..." Perry read the article as well. His gruff voice softened by the words that he was reading. "... She came to say good-bye, as we all must, to the past, and to a life and a place that soon would exist only in a bittersweet memory." He smiled broadly at Clark. "Smooth," Jimmy said, amazed that someone could move Perry like that. Lois had listened, speechless, trying to unobtrusively use the doorframe to hold her up. She didn't understand how someone from the middle of nowhere, and he had to be from nowhere since she had never heard of him, could make her care about days gone by. The piece had called up memories of her own past. The past before she understood the reasons her mother slept so much during the afternoon, before she knew that she could never please her father. She knew when her parents separated that those days were over. All she was left with was CJ and those were the only good memories she had left. SSSSSSSSSSSSS "You are certainly not going to the movies with some hick from nowheresville, whom you've just met!" Sam Lane exclaimed. "But, Daddy..." Lois protested. "Don't 'daddy' me! I said no!" "What's wrong with you? What's wrong with *him*?" Lois asked, practically yelling. "Why do you want to put up with a boy from *Smallville*? He's going to be a farmer someday and he'll be very happy with his wife and his 2.5 kids and his cows. You deserve something better, Lois!" her father said. "You are not going, you understand?" "But, Daddy, I--" "I said no!" her father said, as he got out of the cab, then stormed inside the hotel and left her standing in front of it. "Damn you!" Lois yelled after him, but either he couldn't hear her anymore, or he simply ignored her. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Jimmy's comment brought Lois out of her reminiscing. She straightened up, unwilling that any should know how the story had affected her. "Uh, yeah, if you like that sort of thing," she said flippantly, hoping that she came off as the impartial, impassionate person the people at the Planet knew. "You know, Kent, there's only one attribute I value more than experience, and that's initiative." Perry White's smile reached more than his eyes. "Clark Kent, welcome to the Daily Planet!" Clark could barely contain a whoop and reached to take Perry's offered hand. "Oops!" Perry stopped before Clark could squeeze, "I don't think I could take another one of your handshakes." Clark peeked over at the woman he now knew to be Lois Lane and was more sure than ever that this was the woman that the girl he had loved grew up to be. Clark's moment of triumph was immediately interrupted, though, when the office door was flung open. "Chief, you gotta see this. Something about a sex change for the royals." "I'm not interested in the sex changes of royals. When you have something real, come get me." The Chief wasn't known for wanting fluff. He wanted substance. "It could be news, Chief," Jimmy said. "Can I look into it?" "No. Not on my time you're not." "Well, then I'll do it on my own." "Whatever, Jimmy." He looked up at the three of them. "Don't you have work to do? Kent, I didn't hire you so you can hold the floor down. Now get out there and find me some news." He sat down and gave them a look that said the meeting was over. Clark and Jimmy left the office. "Come on, CK. I'll give you the tour." ***** In Perry's office, Lois hadn't left. She laid out her game plan. "I'll need a task force, I can't cover this story alone." "You can have Jimmy," Perry suggested. "Chief," Lois said dryly, "we're talking about the President here!" "Okay, take Kent." He looked at her slyly, waiting for her reaction. "Kent?" she repeated, unable to believe what she had heard. "Kent," he confirmed impatiently. "What about Myerson?" she asked hopefully. "He's busy." "Burns?" she tried, grasping at straws. "Budapest." "Forget Kent," she stated firmly. "Uh-uh," he said equally as firm. "He's a good man. "Kent is a hack from Tinytown, I couldn't make that name up!" she snorted, knowing full well she had. "Kent, or nobody. And it's Smallville. You know, Kansas." *Smallville?* No, it couldn't be. Seeing the look on Perry's face, she knew she was at an impasse. "Fine. Don't ever say that I'm not a team player." She turned sharply and stalked out of the editor's office. ***** Clark followed Jimmy around, trying to take it all in. "We have different sections, just like the paper has different sections," Jimmy explained. "Society, Sports, Entertainment... Come here." Clark didn't know what it felt like to fit in, but he sure hoped that this was the place he could finally find out. Lois went to get herself a cup of coffee, knowing that she would need the extra 'oomph' to get through this story. Cat Grant let out a low wolf whistle, obviously smitten as she watched the good looking young man following Jimmy around. "Who's the new tight end?" she asked in a voice that barely concealed desire. Lois rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. "Why don't you throw your usual forward pass and find out?" she asked and stalked off before Cat could pry and find out what kind of effect this new guy had on her. Cat shrugged out of her jacket and straightened her bright outfit. She ran her tongue over her teeth and pinched her cheeks, bringing color to them before she turned and tried to pour on the charm. "Ah, excuse me," Clark said, wondering what game she was playing. "Catherine Grant," she said, using a voice he didn't know could come from a human. "'Cat's Corner'." She held out a hand and waited expectantly for him to kiss it. "Oh yeah, I've read your column." He held her hand awkwardly for a moment before releasing it. "Oh, then my reputation precedes me," she smiled, pleased. "Among other things," Lois muttered barely trying to conceal the fact that she was eavesdropping. Cat began to stroke Clark's tie. "This is a great tie. You know, I know what it's like to be new in town... Lonely... I'd be happy to show you around." "Ah, that's very nice of you, Miss Grant," Clark said slowly, somewhat flattered, but not wanting to encourage the way she was stroking his chest. He didn't want her to feel the ring either. Especially not with Lois right there. He was more sure than ever that she was *his* Lois. He just needed to find out, somehow, if she remembered him. "Now, if you'll excuse me." Clark walked off, leaving her in his wake, something that didn't happen very often. Lois rolled her eyes again, closed the cabinet drawer rather loudly, and took her coffee to her desk. Clark took his coffee and walked to his new desk. He couldn't help but notice Lois' reaction to Cat's come-ons. He hoped that Lois' reactions meant that there was still a spark there. He grinned, there weren't too many people like Cat in Smallville! ***** Lois waited for Clark to return to his desk. "Let's hit it," she told Kent, smacking his arm as she walked by on her way to her own desk. Clark looked surprised and pleased at the same time. Following her to her desk, he sat down in her guest chair. "Mind if I ask where we're going?" "To interview Bob Marvin. He's convinced the President, or a member of the Cabinet, is up to no good; I'll brief you on the way." Lois grabbed her things, and Clark quickly grabbed his jacket to keep up with her. "And let's get something straight, I did not work my buns off to become an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet just to baby-sit some hack from Nowheresville! And one other thing," she said without pausing for a breath, and without noticing the look on his face, as she stopped on the stairs that led up from the pit of the newsroom to the elevators. She turned abruptly to face him, "you are not working with me, you are working *for* me. I call the shots, I ask the questions." She began to walk towards the elevators again, still laying down the law. "You are low man, I am top banana, and that's the way I like it. Comprende?" she asked over her shoulder, unwilling to look at his eyes again having seen something there that she wasn't comfortable with. "You like to be on top. Got it," he returned clearly, looking straight ahead at the elevator's impassive doors and not meeting her eyes, knowing that if he did, the game was up. Lois glared at him, fire coming out of her beautiful brown eyes. "Don't push me, Kent, you are *way* out of your league." The doors opened, and she entered, grateful that she didn't have to look at him anymore. Clark followed and stood behind her, a grin spreading across his face and disappearing as he realized that the elevator was mirrored. He knew he could reach her, if he just had the chance. In the meantime, though, if she pushed, he intended to push back. *Hmmm, I wonder what she'd do if . . .* Clark reached over and pulled out the stop button on the elevator. Lois turned around, her eyes spewing venom. "Just what do you think you are doing?" Clark smiled and took her face in his hands. "This." He leaned down and placed his lips on hers. For just a split second, Lois fought back. Then, as though she had no will of her own, she found herself responding to the ever-deepening kiss. She couldn't think. She couldn't believe this was happening. She, Lois Lane, Ms. Always in Control, was being kissed, in an elevator by a hack from Nowheresville. *A hack from Nowheresville. No, a hick from Nowheresville.* That was what her dad had said about CJ. No, it couldn't be. She had to get away. She had to be able to think about this. She finally managed to push herself back from the surprisingly solid chest and whisper, "Please. Stop." "You don't remember me, do you?" Clark was disappointed. He felt like a balloon without air. He had been so certain that THIS was his Lois and that if he could just kiss her, she would know it was him. Lois straightened her hair and gave him a cold, hard look. "No, of course not. Where would I know you from? And why would I want to remember you? And just where do you get off kissing me?" Lois was starting to get outraged. "I don't know how you do things in Dinkytown, but that is NOT how things are done here in the big city." Clark slowly reached around her and restarted the elevator. "I'm sorry. I guess I thought . . ." Lois was fuming. "You *thought*? You *thought*! That's your problem you didn't think! Now it's my turn to think. We have a story to find." Lois crossed her arms and faced the doors, her brow furrowing, deep in thought. She wasn't thinking about the story. She was thinking about CJ and the last time that she had seen him. It was the next day - after the Chinese restaurant - and all she could think about was how their weekend had been cut short by her father. SSSSSSSSSSSS Tomorrow came all too soon. It was probably already there when Lois found a dreamless sleep. She got up and got dressed. After taking a shower and brushing her teeth she went downstairs to the restaurant, where her father had promised to meet her. He was late, as usual. She had already begun eating when he finally showed up. "Morning, Princess," he said and sat down opposite from her. "Hi, Daddy." Her father looked as if he had something on his mind. "Is something wrong, Daddy?" Lois asked. "No, Princess, nothing's wrong. It's just that I got a call an hour ago and they need me in Seattle at the lab. I'm leaving in an hour." "What about me?" "I thought you'd take the car and drive home to Metropolis. It's only an hour's drive from D.C." "But I--" She stopped in mid-sentence. She knew she couldn't tell her father about CJ. "What? Does something bother you about the plan?" her father asked and ordered a cup of coffee. "No, Daddy, nothing," Lois answered and sighed. "Good. Here's the key for the car. Just give the bell boy this card and he'll get it for you," her father said and tossed her the key and a small white card. "I'm sorry, Princess. I know I had promised you a weekend with me, but they've got problems and really need my help. You understand that, don't you?" "Sure, Daddy," she answered quietly. "Okay, I'd better go and pack now. Be careful, okay?" "I will. Bye, Daddy," Lois said and stood up to hug her father goodbye. He left her standing there, in the middle of the restaurant. And she tried to figure out a way to tell CJ. ***** She stood in front of his room door and finally raised her hand and knocked. The blond guy from the lobby opened the door and his face split into a huge grin when he saw her. "Oh, look who's here!" he exclaimed. "CJ's little girlfriend!" Lois saw CJ coming out of the bathroom behind the blond guy. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and had obviously just taken a shower. "Hey, Kent, your girlfriend's here!" the blond guy said over his shoulder. CJ was at his side within a second. "Shut up, Delaney!" he snapped. Then he turned to Lois and smiled warmly. "Hey, Lois," he said. "Should I leave you two alone?" Delaney asked, still grinning broadly. "Just get outta here, Air!" CJ said and this time Air saw CJ wasn't kidding. He hurried out of the room and closed the door behind him. "So, what are you doing here?" CJ asked. "I need to talk to you," Lois said quietly. "Well, okay, sure." "I'm leaving D.C." CJ's heart sank. "Why?" "My father needs to go to Seattle and told me to drive home." "Oh. When are you leaving?" "Right away. I just came to say goodbye," she said and then turned around because she didn't want him to see her tears. "Do you mind if I help you with your bags?" CJ asked. He knew he should say more but he couldn't think of anything. He hated the thought of losing her. "No," she said and then slowly walked towards the door. She opened it and stepped out into the hallway. He grabbed something and followed her. ***** Her bags were already packed and waiting for her. CJ picked them up and they headed for the elevator. "I'm really gonna miss you," CJ said suddenly, while they were waiting for the elevator. "Me too." CJ laid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Do you mind if I kiss you goodbye?" he asked softly. Lois was able to feel his hot breath against her skin, his strong arms around her waist and instead of answering him she leaned forward and kissed him, tenderly, gently. And he responded to her kiss, softly, when he wanted to hug her so hard. After what seemed an eternity they broke apart, both gasping for air. "No," she whispered. "No?" "No, I don't mind if you kiss me goodbye," she answered breathlessly. Then suddenly with a soft Pling! the elevator doors opened and a elderly couple stepped out. Lois and CJ entered the elevator and she pushed the button. SSSSSSSSSSSSS Even after all this time, Lois couldn't bring herself to think about that first night. It was just too painful. *Wait! The blond guy. The one who hit on me the first night. He said CJ's last name. Come on, Lois. Think, girl. You were standing there at the door. The blond guy answered it.* She closed her eyes. *CJ came out of the bathroom - oh, he looked hot. The black t-shirt, clinging just a bit like the skin underneath wasn't quite dry yet. The wet hair, with a few strands falling over his forehead. Stop it - get back on track Lois. And the guy said . . . Hey, someone, you're girlfriend's here. Did he - could he? - have said Kent?* She stole a peek at Clark in the mirrored walls of the elevator. Smug, she returned to her internal rambling. *No, it couldn't have been. My CJ would have grown up to be MUCH better looking than that. Besides, he didn't wear glasses.* The soft Pling! of the elevator door opening shook Lois back to reality. "Come on, Kent. We have a story to do!" **** TBC - *lifts rock and gives Melisma an evil grin* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:01:15 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: First Night - part 2 In-Reply-To: <20010209.001842.-41418227.6.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:18 AM 09/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Again - to keep Melisma off my back!:o) Does it pain you to know that >not only do I have this story finished, but 2 sequels besides (almost) >and another at least 1/2 done? *big evil grin* hehehe - and I'm going to >make you wait! I hope this ends on a cliffhanger for you! And I don't >think I'll post the next segment until Sat! Unless you ask nice!:o) > >***** Please, I'm asking nicely - I'm on my hands and knees. I'd give you my firstborn if I had one. Oh, Kara, sis, may I borrow yours? >**** > >TBC - *lifts rock and gives Melisma an evil grin* WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Melisma (terrified under her Rock - and going nuts waiting for the next installment) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 17:19:11 +0900 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Liz O Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We have a similar ad for Fosters beer in Australia The website is http://www.ibelieve.com.au if you want to check it out. Wendy Richards wrote: > Gerry wrote: > > > The Molson Canadian beer ads > > had this guy (who is on some American sit com now) listing what he is not > > and then he ends it by saying "I am Canadian". Beer ads here tend to be > > very nationalistic. > > I heard the "My name is Joe" ad while I was in Canada last summer, and > thought it was hilarious. I've since found sites on the internet which have > movie files of it. Can't find the best one now, but here's one which has the > words from the ad, together with a Windows Media version - seems slow to > play, but if you can read it, you'll get some idea of the humour! > > http://home7.swipnet.se/~w-72891/CanadianClub/CCsales/ad.html > > Wendy > > -------------------------- > Wendy Richards > w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 03:29:07 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Lorie Y. Crisp" Subject: looking for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit OK, hopefully those of you that are still up in the wee hours of the morning can answer this for me. I'm looking for the fanfic that was about an alternate universe (that was ours, I think), and two actors were the stars of Lois and Clark, and the male star found out he had superpowers. H.G. Wells came to him and said, "you're Clark Kent's counterpart in this universe, etc etc" And he and Lois Lane's counterpart met the real Lois and Clark who taught him how to be Superman. Ring any bells? It's one of my favorite fics, and so far I can't find it. I'm looking alphabetically through the archive, but it's taking forever. Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 00:33:09 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: looking for a fic In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sounds like Wendy Richards' Big Boys Do Fly - part one. She's got three parts out, and I keep hoping she'll write some more of it... Melisma (ducking under her Rock to avoid the daggers that the Great and Talented Author's eyes are shooting at her :) At 03:29 AM 09/02/2001 EST, you wrote: >OK, hopefully those of you that are still up in the wee hours of the morning >can answer this for me. I'm looking for the fanfic that was about an >alternate universe (that was ours, I think), and two actors were the stars of >Lois and Clark, and the male star found out he had superpowers. H.G. Wells >came to him and said, "you're Clark Kent's counterpart in this universe, etc >etc" And he and Lois Lane's counterpart met the real Lois and Clark who >taught him how to be Superman. > Ring any bells? It's one of my favorite fics, and so far I can't find it. >I'm looking alphabetically through the archive, but it's taking forever. > >Lorie > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 09:37:53 +0000 Reply-To: ampaes@etsii.upv.es Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Amparo Palacios Escrig Organization: Universidad Politecnica Subject: Re: looking for a fic I know that one. It's Big Boys do Fly by Wendy Richards. And remember that there are three parts all of them great. And no, it's not that I'm still up, it's just that I have just get up an hour ago. Glad to help you. Amparo ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 03:46:26 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Lorie Y. Crisp" Subject: Re: looking for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/9/2001 2:33:38 AM Central Standard Time, melisma@INTERGATE.CA writes: > Sounds like Wendy Richards' Big Boys Do Fly - part one. She's got three > parts out, and I keep hoping she'll write some more of it... > > LOL...I should've remembered that it was a Wendy-fic. Silly me! Thanks guys for the replies. I'll go read it now.... Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:05:45 +1100 Reply-To: "jenerator@ozemail.com.au" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jen Stosser Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed this story... and that for someone who hasn't' even seen the whole series once over yet, you certainly have a wonderful grasp of the characters! Well done, and I'm looking forward to your next Choose Your Own Adventure (tm) Jen jenerator@ozemail.com.au -*-This message is umop ap!sdn (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) -*- JenerEight on AIM -Photos of David (8) and Megan (5) on the Stosser Family HomePage http//www.geocities.com/j_stosser Please sign our guestbook! -----Original Message----- From: Carol L Moncado [SMTP:cmoncado@JUNO.COM] Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 9:51 AM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 Fine - this is for Melisma! Who just wouldn't leave me alone! This should work no matter which ending you chose. I don't know anything about the IRS really, so it is all made up! Have a great day! CM ***** Lois and Clark walked into the IRS office. It had been six weeks since they had found out they were married. And despite everything, they were happy. There had been a few problems at first, the whole Superman issue, but things got better fast. They had gone back to see Bruce Bigbrain and tell him that they didn't need his services after all. He smiled and said he knew they wouldn't. He showed them the form - there was no line about Clark being, well, inadequate. Clark was mad, but just for a minute. If Bruce had just let them say the marriage had been unconsummated at the time then the marriage would have been annulled and that would have been the end of that. Maybe. Who knows what would have happened? Clark was glad they didn't have to find out. And so here they were. No longer did they wonder about Clark's issues; he didn't have any. In fact, they were both very happy. Except that this IRS thing didn't want to go away. "Clark and Lois Kent?" They stood up and walked into the office of Brent Dodge, the IRS agent who had first broken the news to Lois. Lois looked at Clark nervously and he squeezed her hand gently. They sat down across the desk from Brent Dodge. He started. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, it appears from your tax returns that you were trying to defraud the IRS." Clark spoke up. "Mr. Dodge, how do you figure that we were trying to defraud the IRS?" "Well, you filed separate *single* tax returns. Deductions are higher for two single people filing separately than they are for a married couple. So between the two of you, you claimed around $3000 too much." "We didn't even know we were married." "That doesn't matter. Under the law you were married. That's all that matters." "But. . ." "No, buts. Refigured your total tax between the two of you . . ." He used his adding machine. He asked a few more questions about deductions and came up with a new figure. He looked at it in disbelief. "It appears that *we* owe you money. That can't be right." He mumbled to himself and readded some more. He sighed. "It appears that we owe you $750. You'll have a check in, well, 7 - 10 years. Have a nice day." He stood up and walked out. Lois and Clark looked at each other. They stood up to walk out and looked at each other again. She grabbed him around the neck and giggled. "I love you." "You just love me because we are getting money from the IRS." "You know it!" Together, arm in arm, they walked out of the IRS. Content and happy. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 14:04:19 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Carol, This was such a stitch! You really have a flare for comedy. I loved the Choose-Your-Own-Ending, they were great! I think I need to sit you down and explain to you - since you are new - what a Tank ending is. This could add a whole new dimension to your Choose-your-Own-Ending experience. Glad to see you are posting First Night. Hang on, folks! You are in for a wonderful ride! Missy >From: Jen Stosser >Reply-To: "jenerator@ozemail.com.au" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 >Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:05:45 +1100 > >Carol, >I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed this story... and that for >someone who hasn't' even seen the whole series once over yet, you certainly >have a wonderful grasp of the characters! Well done, and I'm looking >forward to your next Choose Your Own Adventure (tm) > >Jen > >jenerator@ozemail.com.au -*-This message is umop ap!sdn (Jenerator or >Some1Else on IRC) -*- JenerEight on AIM -Photos of David (8) and Megan (5) >on the Stosser Family HomePage http//www.geocities.com/j_stosser Please >sign our guestbook! > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Carol L Moncado [SMTP:cmoncado@JUNO.COM] >Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 9:51 AM >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Re: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of >10 > >Fine - this is for Melisma! Who just wouldn't leave me alone! This >should work no matter which ending you chose. I don't know anything >about the IRS really, so it is all made up! Have a great day! > >CM > >***** > >Lois and Clark walked into the IRS office. It had been six weeks since >they had found out they were married. And despite everything, they were >happy. There had been a few problems at first, the whole Superman issue, >but things got better fast. They had gone back to see Bruce Bigbrain and >tell him that they didn't need his services after all. He smiled and >said he knew they wouldn't. He showed them the form - there was no line >about Clark being, well, inadequate. Clark was mad, but just for a >minute. If Bruce had just let them say the marriage had been >unconsummated at the time then the marriage would have been annulled and >that would have been the end of that. Maybe. Who knows what would have >happened? Clark was glad they didn't have to find out. > >And so here they were. No longer did they wonder about Clark's issues; >he didn't have any. In fact, they were both very happy. Except that >this IRS thing didn't want to go away. > >"Clark and Lois Kent?" > >They stood up and walked into the office of Brent Dodge, the IRS agent >who had first broken the news to Lois. Lois looked at Clark nervously >and he squeezed her hand gently. They sat down across the desk from >Brent Dodge. He started. > >"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, it appears from your tax returns that you were >trying to defraud the IRS." > >Clark spoke up. "Mr. Dodge, how do you figure that we were trying to >defraud the IRS?" > >"Well, you filed separate *single* tax returns. Deductions are higher >for two single people filing separately than they are for a married >couple. So between the two of you, you claimed around $3000 too much." > >"We didn't even know we were married." > >"That doesn't matter. Under the law you were married. That's all that >matters." > >"But. . ." > >"No, buts. Refigured your total tax between the two of you . . ." He >used his adding machine. He asked a few more questions about deductions >and came up with a new figure. He looked at it in disbelief. "It >appears that *we* owe you money. That can't be right." He mumbled to >himself and readded some more. He sighed. "It appears that we owe you >$750. You'll have a check in, well, 7 - 10 years. Have a nice day." He >stood up and walked out. > >Lois and Clark looked at each other. They stood up to walk out and >looked at each other again. She grabbed him around the neck and giggled. > "I love you." > >"You just love me because we are getting money from the IRS." > >"You know it!" > >Together, arm in arm, they walked out of the IRS. Content and happy. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 06:35:53 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: looking for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It sounds to me like you're looking for "Big Boys Do Fly" by Wendy. Nan Lorie Y. Crisp wrote: > OK, hopefully those of you that are still up in the wee hours of the morning > can answer this for me. I'm looking for the fanfic that was about an > alternate universe (that was ours, I think), and two actors were the stars of > Lois and Clark, and the male star found out he had superpowers. H.G. Wells > came to him and said, "you're Clark Kent's counterpart in this universe, etc > etc" And he and Lois Lane's counterpart met the real Lois and Clark who > taught him how to be Superman. > Ring any bells? It's one of my favorite fics, and so far I can't find it. > I'm looking alphabetically through the archive, but it's taking forever. > > Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 06:51:33 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 3/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 3/? by Nan Smith Outside in the warm air of Las Vegas, Clark looked down at his new bride. "Well, it's done. What now? Shall we ask John for a week off so we can go to Hawaii?" "Not yet," Lori said. "We'll save that for after the big formal wedding. Take me home, Clark." Clark shook his head. "At the very least, I want to give my new bride a night in a Honeymoon Suite here in Las Vegas. I went back and picked up a few essentials while you were reading the chapel brochure. They're stashed in a rental locker over at King Tut's Hilton and Casino." Lori giggled and snuggled into the curve of his arm. "Has anyone ever told you that you're the most romantic man on the planet?" Clark grinned. "I work at it." "You succeed very well," Lori said. He led her down an alley, glanced carefully about and spun into Superman. "Let's go. The Hilton is across town." They lifted quickly out of the alley into the evening air, and flew over the brilliantly lighted city. Las Vegas had been the gambling capital of the country for well over a century. It had grown in size and glitter year by year; structures that were the product of fantastic imaginations and modern engineering sprawled across the landscape below them, outlined in a bewildering rainbow of lights. The dark bulk of an aircar cruised by a hundred yards away, its headlights illuminating the open space ahead of it. Clark avoided the beams and quickly gained altitude. Lori wondered if they had been seen but even if they had, what did it matter? In the dimness, illuminated only by the pale, sliver of the rising moon and the reflected light from below, her face would be invisible to casual observers, and they were too far away for the car's night sensors to pick up fine detail. Of course, people did wonder now and then who the mates of the supermen were. Every time a new superhero appeared there was a fresh flurry of speculation in the tabloid publications over the identity of the non-super mother or father. In spite of all the attempts of numerous investigators from many different agencies both private and governmental however, no one had ever found out and now she knew why. A little thrill passed over her skin as she realized she was now one of their family, and would one day perhaps, be the mother of super children of her own--a few years from now, of course, when her career had become a little more firmly established. She slid her fingers along Clark's jaw line and saw him swallow. He wasn't nearly as calm about this whole matter as he was trying to appear, any more than she was. She took a deep breath and deliberately turned her attention to the scenery passing below her. Seen from above, Las Vegas was an enchanted city. Lori felt as if she was living in a fairy tale just for tonight, flying in Clark's arms through the warm, dry desert air. The skyline was a mass of brilliance. To the west, the sunset was almost gone. The faintest streaks of rose hues were visible against the dark blue of the late evening sky, but the glow of the city lights blotted out the stars overhead. The thin, barely visible streak of the waning crescent moon could hardly be seen, floating like a ghost over the hills to the east but below them, Las Vegas shone. "It's beautiful," she said. "Yes, it is," Clark said. She turned to look at him, and saw that he was watching her. "I meant the city," she said. "Oh, yeah, the city's nice, too," he said. He brought them down in a shadow and spun into his civvies. Lori looked up at him in the darkness and shivered half in nervousness and half in anticipation. Not only was he Superman, he was her husband now, and they were about to spend their first night as man and wife. She ran a hand up his forearm, feeling the hard muscle under the sleeve of his suit. "Better not do too much of that until we get to our room," Clark said, a laugh in his voice. "Our reservation is on their computer, along with orders for a bridal dinner in the honeymoon suite and a champagne breakfast in the morning." "I guess," Lori said, a little nervously, "we'll have to provide the rest of the entertainment for ourselves, won't we?" "We'll think of something," Clark said. "Come on, let's go get our bags and check in." He took her hand and smiled at her. "It'll be okay, Lori. You don't have to be nervous." "I'm not nervous," she said, untruthfully. Clark slipped an arm around her. "Hey, this is me, remember? Your best friend? We'll just take this whole thing slowly and see what happens. If you like we'll just play Scrabble." "Right, no pressure." Lori nodded. She sniffed her bouquet of flowers and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Clark. I don't mean to be..." "Don't worry," Clark said, reassuringly. "Let's just go check in, okay? It's all right to be a little nervous about everything. You've never been married before." "That's true," Lori said. "Ms. Kent? Should I call myself Ms. Kent now? My mother changed her name after she married Dad." "Only if you want to," Clark said. "You can stay Lori Lyons if you like." "But I want to let people know I'm your wife," Lori said. "It's something I'm really proud of. But I don't want to, well, give up my professional name, either. What did Lois do? Was she Ms. Kent?" "Only when it came to her personal life," Clark said. "When she was on the job she was Lois Lane. We established that before we even got married. You could do something like that if you like," he added. "You might use your professional name for work, and your married name for everything else. That wouldn't be unusual. Or if you prefer, you can be Lori Lyons all the time. That's okay, too. It might make your mom a little happier. Whatever you decide, I don't mind. If you want, we could even do what they do in the Martian colonies--I could take your name. What matters to me is that you're my wife." "Lori Kent at home, and Lori Lyons at work. I like that," Lori said, brightening at once. "I don't think you should change your name, though." "Well, to tell you the truth, I'd rather not," Clark said, "but to be fair, I don't see why you should either, unless you want to." "Well, I kind of want to," Lori said, "but I've been Lori Lyons all my life, and changing my name would be kind of strange, too. I think I'll do it your way--I'll be Lori Lyons professionally. That way I've got my own professional identity on the job." She took a deep breath and looked up at him again. "I'm babbling, aren't I?" "Only a little," Clark said. "Remember what I said before. I like the way you talk when you're nervous. I'm only sorry you're uncomfortable." "I'm not, really," Lori said. She ran a hand across his chest. "Just--well, it's new, and something I've never done before, and I don't want to disappoint you, and I'm not really sure what to expect, and--" She broke off. "I mean, Mom explained it theoretically to me, of course and you know, girls talk, and I've read all about it, especially after I met you, and..." She felt herself blushing. "I guess I shouldn't have said that, huh? But--" Clark gave a little chuckle. "Not at all. It's flattering. Come on, let's go inside, have dinner, and we'll just see what happens, all right? No pressure." "All right." Lori swallowed, but a tremor of excitement was running through her. Her mother's warnings that a man only wanted one thing and that they were all alike, were being refuted by Clark every day she spent with him. What had Mariann gone through to make her think the way she did? Lori wondered. She was beginning to see that her mother was embittered and cynical about the love that could exist between two people. Her dad was a good man. Why couldn't Mariann see that? Why had she tried her level best to keep her daughters from marrying and finding love and happiness with someone? For that matter, why had her father stayed with her mother, given the way she treated him? What kept him loyal and still in love with her? It was a complete puzzle she wasn't at all sure she could decipher. ********** The honeymoon suite in the hotel was spacious and luxurious. The bellboy disappeared into the bedroom, their bags floating along behind him on the anti-grav cart. Clark set Lori down inside the door with a flourish. She looked a little less nervous now, he thought, and reminded himself that she was a virgin. She had every right to be nervous. For that matter, so did he. The bellboy emerged from the bedroom. "You're all set," he informed them. "Your stuff is in the drawers on the left." "Right, thanks." Clark tipped him a handful of credit tokens and ushered him out the door. The man winked at him. "Dinner'll be up in a few minutes, sir," he said. "Thanks." Clark closed the door after him practically on his heels, and heard the man chuckle. He turned back to Lori. His bride was looking around the spacious suite. Clark removed his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "Care for a game of Scrabble?" he asked innocently. Lori broke out laughing. "You said that before. You didn't really bring a Scrabble board, did you?" "No, but I can get one in a few minutes." "I can't argue with that." She walked over to him and slipped her arms around him. "I'm sorry I got all nervous." "No problem," Clark said, returning the embrace. He raised his head. "Here comes--" The door chime sounded. "Room service." "--Dinner," Clark finished. He released her and added, "Come in." The door opened and a hotel employee entered, a cart loaded with delicacies floating before him. "Here we are," he announced. "One wedding dinner, complete with champagne. Where do you want it?" "Right by the sofa," Clark told him. He glanced at Lori. "Is that all right with you, honey?" "Sure." Lori met his eyes with a nervous smile. He winked at her reassuringly and went to stand by her as the man set about arranging their dinner. He completed the job efficiently, removed a bucket of ice with a tall, foil-wrapped bottle of champagne in it from the lower shelf of his serving cart, and set it on the floor. "There you go, sir. Enjoy your dinner." "Thanks," Clark said. When they were alone once more, Clark locked the door, ordered the room's computer to play soft, background music and activated the "Privacy" setting. The last thing he wanted was to be interrupted in the next few hours. Lori was nervous, and he was as well. On his first wedding night, he had been the virgin, but Lois had not. This time he was supposed to be the experienced one, but this situation was new to him as well, despite his theoretical knowledge. He wanted to be sure that Lori's first experience with the physical side of love was a good one and to do that, he was willing to take all the time necessary. He settled himself on the sofa and reached for the champagne bottle. "Shall we have a toast?" he asked. "That sounds nice." Lori sat down next to him, and he smiled reassuringly at her as he removed the foil and eased the cork free. She accepted the glass he held out to her, half full of the pale amber effervescent liquid. "What shall we drink to?" "How about to us?" he said. "And to a long and happy marriage?" "I like that," she said. "And," Clark said, "to the most beautiful bride of the Twenty-first Century. You are, you know." "I think I'll drink to the most wonderful groom," Lori said. "I'd feel funny drinking to myself." He chuckled. "Cheers, then." She sipped the champagne and hiccuped slightly. "Sorry. Carbonation on an empty stomach always makes me hiccup." "That's okay." He removed the plate covers. "We can remedy that. Can I interest you in something to eat?" ********** Clark was careful to keep the conversation light as they ate. The meal consisted of foods that he had learned were among her favorites and he watched as she gradually relaxed under the influence of the banter and champagne. When they had finished, Clark cleared the debris with super speed, left it on the cart outside their door, turned on the vidscreen and found a channel that was showing a romantic comedy. Within a few minutes, Lori was leaning against him and he had slipped an arm around her shoulders as they watched the program. Once she looked up at him, appearing a little confused. "I thought you would want...well..." He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "Only when you want to, honey. There's no rush." She snuggled into his side. "I want to, Clark, it's just..." "When you're ready, we will. I can always go get that Scrabble board in the meantime, you know." She giggled. "I can just see us spending our wedding night playing Scrabble! When you picked up my clothes you didn't by any chance pick up a nightgown for me, did you?" "Um...as a matter of fact, I brought along one I bought for you when I was in France last week. I'd planned on giving it to you later, but I figured now was as good a time as any." He saw her swallow. "In that case, I think I'll go try it on." "All right." He glanced at the mostly unwatched vidscreen. "Screen off. While you're getting your things, do you mind if I take a ten second shower?" ********** By the time she found her night clothing, Clark had emerged from the bathroom clad in a robe and slippers, his dark hair slightly damp from the shower. She went past him into the Honeymoon Suite's spacious bathroom, to discover her little traveling case sitting neatly on the counter. Clark had seen to everything, she thought. He was trying so hard to make her comfortable, knowing how nervous she was. Part of her nervousness stemmed from her wish not to disappoint him. Clark had been married before. He must have some sort of expectations, she knew, at the same time telling herself that he must know she wasn't experienced and surely, being the kind of guy he was, would make allowances for that. She'd heard conversations between other girls in college concerning the merits and skills of guys they had been with, and she knew the theory of what to expect, but this was reality. As she showered and prepared herself for her wedding night, she took the occasional deep breath to calm the butterflies fluttering around under her breastbone but at last, she could delay no longer. She inhaled deeply and opened the door. "Clark?" He was already lying on top of the covers, waiting for her, wearing a pair of black, silk pajamas. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he smiled. "You're beautiful, Lori." She had to admit the pale nightgown of soft, cream-colored satin and lace was lovely, and complemented her coloring perfectly, but he wasn't looking at the gown. His dark eyes were resting on her face with an expression in them that brought a flood of warmth to her cheeks. "I hope I don't disappoint you," she said shyly. "I'm new at this." "You couldn't possibly disappoint me," he said. He got smoothly to his feet, crossed the room to her and took both her hands. "Don't be scared, honey. I wouldn't hurt you for the world. You know that, don't you?" She nodded. "I'm not scared; not really, Clark." "Good." He leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips, pulling her gently into his arms. His embrace was warm and loving and Lori pressed herself against the thin silk of his pajama shirt, feeling the firm muscle under the light material. She felt him scoop her up easily and they drifted over toward the bed. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 09:51:07 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - Part 3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - Melisma - you asked nicely - and though I want a child desperately, I won't make your sister give hers! If nothing happens by then - I'll help with the Kerths next year Lois and Clark walked dejectedly back into the newsroom. "Hey, kids. You get anything?" Perry called from the door of his office. Lois sat down wearily at her desk. "No, Chief. We looked all over town for Bob Marvin and couldn't find him anywhere. We'll try again tomorrow." Her phone rang. As she picked it up, she heard Perry tell them to try a little harder next time. Clark went to his desk, took off his jacket, and sat down. He tried to look busy as he shamelessly eavesdropped on her conversation. "No, Mitchell," she was saying, resigned, "I'm not mad. If you've got the sniffles then you've got the sniffles...Yeah, that could lead to complications," she flipped through her address book, starting to look desperate. "No, don't call me, I'll call you." Lois hung up, with the finality of knowing she'd never talk to him again. Canceling plans to go to Lex Luthor's ball because of sniffles? Oh, please. She had only a couple of hours to find a date and she'd never hear the end of it if she showed up alone. She looked around, wondering if, by some miracle, there was someone here she could go with, without losing face. Clark rummaged through his desk and pulled out some paper, looking studiously at them. He realized that it was the fire drill instructions and hoped that Lois wouldn't look too closely if she came over. He could always claim that he was concerned for safety. Lois' stopped her search when she saw Clark at his desk. Being new in town, he was probably her best bet for someone with no plans. He wasn't exactly sophisticated, he wasn't exactly CJ, but... *This is crazy. He'd probably show up looking like he was going to a barn dance.* Too bad she was desperate. She stood and walked to his desk, squaring her shoulders in determination. "I don't suppose you own a tuxedo," she said, doubt evident in her voice. "I could get one," he said, looking up and trying desperately to suppress a grin. He knew what she needed, but he wanted to see how she would handle it. "Why?" he asked, feigning innocence. *Maybe she does know.* "Oh, well, the man that I was going to Lex Luthor's Ball with has the flu," she explained, keeping her tone light, as though it were no big deal. That in fact, she could be doing him a big favor. "Ye-es...?" he said when she stopped. Lois really didn't want to ask him, he could see that, but he was going to make her work for this date. "Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to..." She didn't want to actually ask him to go, maybe he'd pick up on what she wanted. She looked at him more closely and saw that his eyes were twinkling. *He knows, that scum. He knows and he's going to make me ask anyway. And he's enjoying this*, Lois seethed. She walked away, then realized what the ramification could be if she didn't ask him. She turned. "Do you want to take his place or not?" she blurted, frustrated. Clark grinned at her, intrigued by the way she put it, but not about to pass it up. Nor was he about to pass up the chance to have some fun with her. "Well, thanks anyway, Lois, but I thought I'd go to bed early tonight." "Are you crazy?" she asked, in complete disbelief. "This is *the* social event of the season! Everyone who is anyone is gonna be there, and you want to go to bed early?" He stood and walked over next to her. They were almost touching. He was very aware of her breathing and knew that her heartbeat quickened as he drew near. "So, is this... a date?" He knew he shouldn't tease her anymore, but he couldn't help it - it was so much fun. "Date? Oh!" Her voice turned deceptively sweet. "Oh, you mean like in Kansas, where you meet my parents and then you try and give me a hickey in the vacant lot behind the Dairy Freeze." There was more fire coming out of her eyes than came out of his when he needed to actually start one. "No this is not a date! This is business. I am going to land the first one-on-one Lex Luthor interview if it kills me!" "Okay," Clark realized that he had pushed her far enough. Lois looked shocked for just a second. "Good. I'll see you there." She walked away, towards the elevators. "Nine," she added as she turned around. He nodded. "Okay," she said, even more certain than ever that there was something that she didn't understand. Her eyes caught his as the doors of the elevator closed. He waved at her and his grin was something to be admired. Clark laughed, a full-bellied laugh. She really didn't want to go with him, that was obvious and he had enjoyed her take on small town dating. He wondered what she would have said if he had mentioned dating in Washington, D. C. His plans altered for the evening, he knew he had to get to his parents home quickly if he wanted to eat and get his tux and get back by nine. He used his vision to make sure that the alley behind the Planet was empty and he slipped his glasses off as he readied himself for his flight. He wondered what his mom was going to say. Clark smiled as he rose slowly and gracefully into the night sky, made a lazily looping circle overhead, and vanished with a whoosh. He darted in and out of skyscrapers, like it was some sort of video game. He was full of excitement about the evening, no matter what Lois thought about it. Maybe tonight. . . Yes, somehow, he knew tonight would be special. It wasn't a date, he reminded himself; she wasn't interested in him. The grin remained on his face all the way west to Kansas. He thought about the first time that he knew he could fly. Oh, sure he had levitated some, but flying? Only Lois could have helped him learn how to do that. SSSSSSSSSSSS CJ put the bags into the trunk of a dark blue jeep and then turned around to face her. "I guess this is it," he said and he sounded very sad. "I guess so," she said and noticed moisture gathering in her eyes. "Listen, CJ, thank you for everything. I had a fantastic time with you even if it was only very short. But I'm going home to Metropolis now and you're going back to Smallville. We will probably never see each other again. Therefore I won't ask you for your address or your phone number and please don't you ask me for mine. It's difficult enough for me without knowing that--" Her voice broke. "Goodbye, CJ." "Take care of yourself, Lois. And maybe we'll meet again, someday. Here I want you to have this." He held out his "Smallville High" sweatshirt. "Thank you. I'll keep it always." She thought for a second. "Here." She pulled off her class ring and handed it to him. "I can't take this. What will your dad say?" "I'll just tell him I lost it here. Please - I want you to have it." He took the ring, wanted desperately to kiss her one last time, but he knew he couldn't. He opened the door on the driver's side and she got in. He leaned down one last time and kissed her softly on the cheek. Then he turned away and began walking down the street. Slowly at first, then faster until he was running at full speed. He wanted to leave the pain behind him. Suddenly he felt himself lifting off. This was a surprise. Even though he had been aware of the fact that he could float, he hadn't expected something like this! He flew higher, up into the outer atmosphere and realized this was the only place where he could go to ease the pain. At the same time he realized he couldn't stay in the outer atmosphere for the rest of his life, and so he resolved to forget about the young woman from Metropolis, whom he had loved so dearly but hardly known. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS He landed in front of an old farmhouse, which glowed softly with welcoming lights, climbed the porch steps, and opened the door. It was great to be home! ****** "Dinner was great, Mom, thanks," Clark said warmly. After eating take-out in his crummy hotel room, it was great to have a home-cooked meal, though he thought he could go days without eating and it wouldn't matter. "Thanks, honey," Martha murmured in response, happy to have him home for a visit. "So now tell me more about this woman you're going to Lex Luthor's Ball with," his mother called as she cleaned up in the kitchen. "Lois is... well, she's complicated," Clark began, not quite sure how to sum up Lois Lane, and not sure how long it would take his mom to figure it out. "Lois? You're going with Lois?" his mom erupted, coming into the living room and sitting across from her son. "Isn't that the woman that you are sure is the same person you met in D.C.?" his dad interjected. Clark just looked at them and continued. "Domineering, uncompromising, pig-headed...brilliant," he added more softly with a smile. His parents both picked up on the change in his voice, and they smiled at him, prompting him to add, "And we're not really going out, it's 'business'." "Uh-huh," Martha said, her smile growing bigger. "Thanks for sewing my jacket, Mom," he said as he stood up. "You're welcome, honey," she said softly. "That electrical storm over Cleveland was brutal." "Maybe you should take another route," she suggested simply, putting her arms up for a hug. "See you next week, honey. I love you. Take care!" Jonathan and Clark went outside for a few minutes of father/son bonding. "I forget how beautiful it is here," Clark said. "The only stars you see in Metropolis are riding around in limos," he added wryly. "You're the one who wanted the rat race. I couldn't live there, not for a minute!" Clark wanted to make his father understand. "There's something about the city...the pace... everyone going somewhere." "Impatient," Jonathan summed it up in one word. "Just like you." He smiled at his son. He wasn't cut out to be a farmer and his dad had always known it. "Well, I guess you finally found your niche. You can stop living out of that old suitcase." "I hope so, Dad." That much was true, but Clark didn't know if he would ever truly feel at home. Anywhere. "Being in Metropolis, working at the Planet, it's a dream come true, but..." "But you still feel like you don't fit in," Jonathan finished for his son. His heart broke, but this was one time when a father could do little. "I don't!" Clark said quickly. "I don't fit in." *I'll never fit in. I'm just too DIFFERENT. We don't even know where I'm from.* He spotted a rock and all of the years of rejection, resentment, pain and frustration went into the kick that he gave that rock. Jonathan Kent watched the rock soar up into orbit. "I have to control myself, all the time, never use my powers because I don't want to jeopardize my chance to lead a normal life!" "Whatever that means," Jonathan said, knowing that being normal was relative. "Just... being human, like you and Mom. Living, working, meeting someone, having a family," Clark replied. Now his dad knew his deepest dream, his most sacred wish. A family. "Clark, we don't know if that's possible," his dad was forever cautious. The subject had come up before, but never with the intensity he heard in his son's voice now. "And you can't risk anyone finding out about you. If they knew you came from another planet..." "But I can't hide forever, Dad," Clark wasn't going to give up easily. "There has to be a way that I can be Clark Kent and still use what I've been given to do some good!" Clark knew that as difficult as the conversation was for him, it was equally difficult for his father. He hung his head, knowing that raising such an unusual child had not been easy. His parents, especially his dad, had always worried that some government agency would find out about him and take him away. *And dissect me like a frog,* Clark thought with a wry grin. *At least now we know that I CAN'T be dissected!* He reached over and gave him a big hug, grateful for everything his father had ever done for him. Jonathan knew he would support his son, whatever he decided. "You'll find a way, boy. You'll find a way." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 09:55:08 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - Part 3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - Melisma - you asked nicely - and as much as I want a child - I won't take Kara's! If nothing happens by then, I'll volunteer for the Kerth's next year. Too bad I wasn't around in time this time!:o) Anyway - I really don't like this whole Lois amnesia thing! AAAAHHHH! This part isn't all that exciting - the next one will be the ball and then it gets good! (At least I like to think so! ****** Lois and Clark walked dejectedly back into the newsroom. "Hey, kids. You get anything?" Perry called from the door of his office. Lois sat down wearily at her desk. "No, Chief. We looked all over town for Bob Marvin and couldn't find him anywhere. We'll try again tomorrow." Her phone rang. As she picked it up, she heard Perry tell them to try a little harder next time. Clark went to his desk, took off his jacket, and sat down. He tried to look busy as he shamelessly eavesdropped on her conversation. "No, Mitchell," she was saying, resigned, "I'm not mad. If you've got the sniffles then you've got the sniffles...Yeah, that could lead to complications," she flipped through her address book, starting to look desperate. "No, don't call me, I'll call you." Lois hung up, with the finality of knowing she'd never talk to him again. Canceling plans to go to Lex Luthor's ball because of sniffles? Oh, please. She had only a couple of hours to find a date and she'd never hear the end of it if she showed up alone. She looked around, wondering if, by some miracle, there was someone here she could go with, without losing face. Clark rummaged through his desk and pulled out some paper, looking studiously at them. He realized that it was the fire drill instructions and hoped that Lois wouldn't look too closely if she came over. He could always claim that he was concerned for safety. Lois' stopped her search when she saw Clark at his desk. Being new in town, he was probably her best bet for someone with no plans. He wasn't exactly sophisticated, he wasn't exactly CJ, but... *This is crazy. He'd probably show up looking like he was going to a barn dance.* Too bad she was desperate. She stood and walked to his desk, squaring her shoulders in determination. "I don't suppose you own a tuxedo," she said, doubt evident in her voice. "I could get one," he said, looking up and trying desperately to suppress a grin. He knew what she needed, but he wanted to see how she would handle it. "Why?" he asked, feigning innocence. *Maybe she does know.* "Oh, well, the man that I was going to Lex Luthor's Ball with has the flu," she explained, keeping her tone light, as though it were no big deal. That in fact, she could be doing him a big favor. "Ye-es...?" he said when she stopped. Lois really didn't want to ask him, he could see that, but he was going to make her work for this date. "Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to..." She didn't want to actually ask him to go, maybe he'd pick up on what she wanted. She looked at him more closely and saw that his eyes were twinkling. *He knows, that scum. He knows and he's going to make me ask anyway. And he's enjoying this*, Lois seethed. She walked away, then realized what the ramification could be if she didn't ask him. She turned. "Do you want to take his place or not?" she blurted, frustrated. Clark grinned at her, intrigued by the way she put it, but not about to pass it up. Nor was he about to pass up the chance to have some fun with her. "Well, thanks anyway, Lois, but I thought I'd go to bed early tonight." "Are you crazy?" she asked, in complete disbelief. "This is *the* social event of the season! Everyone who is anyone is gonna be there, and you want to go to bed early?" He stood and walked over next to her. They were almost touching. He was very aware of her breathing and knew that her heartbeat quickened as he drew near. "So, is this... a date?" He knew he shouldn't tease her anymore, but he couldn't help it - it was so much fun. "Date? Oh!" Her voice turned deceptively sweet. "Oh, you mean like in Kansas, where you meet my parents and then you try and give me a hickey in the vacant lot behind the Dairy Freeze." There was more fire coming out of her eyes than came out of his when he needed to actually start one. "No this is not a date! This is business. I am going to land the first one-on-one Lex Luthor interview if it kills me!" "Okay," Clark realized that he had pushed her far enough. Lois looked shocked for just a second. "Good. I'll see you there." She walked away, towards the elevators. "Nine," she added as she turned around. He nodded. "Okay," she said, even more certain than ever that there was something that she didn't understand. Her eyes caught his as the doors of the elevator closed. He waved at her and his grin was something to be admired. Clark laughed, a full-bellied laugh. She really didn't want to go with him, that was obvious and he had enjoyed her take on small town dating. He wondered what she would have said if he had mentioned dating in Washington, D. C. His plans altered for the evening, he knew he had to get to his parents home quickly if he wanted to eat and get his tux and get back by nine. He used his vision to make sure that the alley behind the Planet was empty and he slipped his glasses off as he readied himself for his flight. He wondered what his mom was going to say. Clark smiled as he rose slowly and gracefully into the night sky, made a lazily looping circle overhead, and vanished with a whoosh. He darted in and out of skyscrapers, like it was some sort of video game. He was full of excitement about the evening, no matter what Lois thought about it. Maybe tonight. . . Yes, somehow, he knew tonight would be special. It wasn't a date, he reminded himself; she wasn't interested in him. The grin remained on his face all the way west to Kansas. He thought about the first time that he knew he could fly. Oh, sure he had levitated some, but flying? Only Lois could have helped him learn how to do that. SSSSSSSSSSSS CJ put the bags into the trunk of a dark blue jeep and then turned around to face her. "I guess this is it," he said and he sounded very sad. "I guess so," she said and noticed moisture gathering in her eyes. "Listen, CJ, thank you for everything. I had a fantastic time with you even if it was only very short. But I'm going home to Metropolis now and you're going back to Smallville. We will probably never see each other again. Therefore I won't ask you for your address or your phone number and please don't you ask me for mine. It's difficult enough for me without knowing that--" Her voice broke. "Goodbye, CJ." "Take care of yourself, Lois. And maybe we'll meet again, someday. Here I want you to have this." He held out his "Smallville High" sweatshirt. "Thank you. I'll keep it always." She thought for a second. "Here." She pulled off her class ring and handed it to him. "I can't take this. What will your dad say?" "I'll just tell him I lost it here. Please - I want you to have it." He took the ring, wanted desperately to kiss her one last time, but he knew he couldn't. He opened the door on the driver's side and she got in. He leaned down one last time and kissed her softly on the cheek. Then he turned away and began walking down the street. Slowly at first, then faster until he was running at full speed. He wanted to leave the pain behind him. Suddenly he felt himself lifting off. This was a surprise. Even though he had been aware of the fact that he could float, he hadn't expected something like this! He flew higher, up into the outer atmosphere and realized this was the only place where he could go to ease the pain. At the same time he realized he couldn't stay in the outer atmosphere for the rest of his life, and so he resolved to forget about the young woman from Metropolis, whom he had loved so dearly but hardly known. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS He landed in front of an old farmhouse, which glowed softly with welcoming lights, climbed the porch steps, and opened the door. It was great to be home! ****** "Dinner was great, Mom, thanks," Clark said warmly. After eating take-out in his crummy hotel room, it was great to have a home-cooked meal, though he thought he could go days without eating and it wouldn't matter. "Thanks, honey," Martha murmured in response, happy to have him home for a visit. "So now tell me more about this woman you're going to Lex Luthor's Ball with," his mother called as she cleaned up in the kitchen. "Lois is... well, she's complicated," Clark began, not quite sure how to sum up Lois Lane, and not sure how long it would take his mom to figure it out. "Lois? You're going with Lois?" his mom erupted, coming into the living room and sitting across from her son. "Isn't that the woman that you are sure is the same person you met in D.C.?" his dad interjected. Clark just looked at them and continued. "Domineering, uncompromising, pig-headed...brilliant," he added more softly with a smile. His parents both picked up on the change in his voice, and they smiled at him, prompting him to add, "And we're not really going out, it's 'business'." "Uh-huh," Martha said, her smile growing bigger. "Thanks for sewing my jacket, Mom," he said as he stood up. "You're welcome, honey," she said softly. "That electrical storm over Cleveland was brutal." "Maybe you should take another route," she suggested simply, putting her arms up for a hug. "See you next week, honey. I love you. Take care!" Jonathan and Clark went outside for a few minutes of father/son bonding. "I forget how beautiful it is here," Clark said. "The only stars you see in Metropolis are riding around in limos," he added wryly. "You're the one who wanted the rat race. I couldn't live there, not for a minute!" Clark wanted to make his father understand. "There's something about the city...the pace... everyone going somewhere." "Impatient," Jonathan summed it up in one word. "Just like you." He smiled at his son. He wasn't cut out to be a farmer and his dad had always known it. "Well, I guess you finally found your niche. You can stop living out of that old suitcase." "I hope so, Dad." That much was true, but Clark didn't know if he would ever truly feel at home. Anywhere. "Being in Metropolis, working at the Planet, it's a dream come true, but..." "But you still feel like you don't fit in," Jonathan finished for his son. His heart broke, but this was one time when a father could do little. "I don't!" Clark said quickly. "I don't fit in." *I'll never fit in. I'm just too DIFFERENT. We don't even know where I'm from.* He spotted a rock and all of the years of rejection, resentment, pain and frustration went into the kick that he gave that rock. Jonathan Kent watched the rock soar up into orbit. "I have to control myself, all the time, never use my powers because I don't want to jeopardize my chance to lead a normal life!" "Whatever that means," Jonathan said, knowing that being normal was relative. "Just... being human, like you and Mom. Living, working, meeting someone, having a family," Clark replied. Now his dad knew his deepest dream, his most sacred wish. A family. "Clark, we don't know if that's possible," his dad was forever cautious. The subject had come up before, but never with the intensity he heard in his son's voice now. "And you can't risk anyone finding out about you. If they knew you came from another planet..." "But I can't hide forever, Dad," Clark wasn't going to give up easily. "There has to be a way that I can be Clark Kent and still use what I've been given to do some good!" Clark knew that as difficult as the conversation was for him, it was equally difficult for his father. He hung his head, knowing that raising such an unusual child had not been easy. His parents, especially his dad, had always worried that some government agency would find out about him and take him away. *And dissect me like a frog,* Clark thought with a wry grin. *At least now we know that I CAN'T be dissected!* He reached over and gave him a big hug, grateful for everything his father had ever done for him. Jonathan knew he would support his son, whatever he decided. "You'll find a way, boy. You'll find a way." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 11:06:35 -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: First Night - part 1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey, Carol ... this was good! Post more! I like the changes you've made to the pilot, interspersed with the flashbacks ... I think I've read the original but I can't remember But I'm having no trouble following this one. So where's the rest of it, then?? :) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 10:05:37 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - Part 4 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As much as I want to make Melisma wait over the weekend, I want feedback even worse! Here's the ball! ****** Clark was disappointed to find Jimmy waiting for him outside the tallest building in town. Lois had, apparently, gone on ahead, despite her need for an escort. As he walked in, Clark realized that he had never been in a place quite like this. And he wasn't sure if he liked the over the top opulence. Clark looked around for Lois, wondering if he would like the way he looked in his tux - his mother sure did! "Have you ever met him? Lex Luthor?" Clark asked, almost out of boredom. "No, but I've read all five of his unauthorized biographies!" Jimmy said, his admiration apparent. "Rags to riches, wrong side of the tracks, self-made billionaire, owns dozens of companies, employs thousands of people, Man of The Year every year, has his finger in every pie, but rarely appears in public," he prattled on, as he took a drink from a passing attendant. "He won't give personal interviews. Hey, there he is!" he exclaimed unable to take his attention from the top of the stairs. *Lex Luthor is a handsome man.* Clark couldn't argue with that. *Well, if you liked the dignified, yet boyish, smile that doesn't reach the eyes type, draw the attention of all the ladies in the room, speaks multiple languages type.* He didn't catch the irony of his thought. "You're on my phone list," Luthor assured a beautiful young lady. "Harry, congratulations on the buy-out." "I like that editorial on the ozone." "Senator Washington! Nice of you to come." "Merci beaucoup." *He seems more like royalty - what a snob.* Lois was watching him. She just couldn't decide how to go about it. Then she made up her mind. Coming on strong was what she was best at. Lex was paying attention only to the three people surrounding him when her authoritative voice called out, "Lex Luthor!" He froze. No one who knew him would use that tone of voice with him. He was the ultimate authority. He turned wondering who he would have to take out this time, but was unprepared for the beauty that met him. Her gown was a shimmering white, cut low, but not too low. Her hair was swept up, leaving her long, graceful neck unobstructed by that encumbrance. Her eyes showed that not only was she beautiful but intelligent, and held some kind of unspoken challenge. She was the one thing that Lex had been unprepared for this evening. "Why haven't you returned my calls?" Lois asked. Lex barely looked as he excused himself. "Gentlemen." The word could barely be heard. He was enthralled by this new distraction, certain that he would have a new 'toy', but he didn't think of it in such crass terms of course. "Lois Lane, Daily Planet," she introduced, extending an elegant hand on the end of a long, intriguing arm. "Well, I can assure you, I'll never make that mistake again," he said never taking his eyes off of hers as he kissed the back of her hand. "She's something, isn't she?" Jimmy asked, with a rueful shake of his head. "Only she could pull that off." Clark was so used to being in complete control of his powers that he didn't even notice as he started to levitate. He was completely enthralled by her, his head as gone as his heart had been for years. She presented a side of her here that he knew must exist, the elegant, graceful, poised woman that completed the Lois that he already knew and complimented perfectly the Lois that he remembered so well. "Clark? Clark?" Jimmy was waiting expectantly for a response, wondering if this new guy saw the same things in Lois that he did. Except that Jimmy knew that he never had a prayer. Jimmy's voice brought him back and he prayed that no one noticed that his feet had actually left the ground unassisted. "Yeah. She is something." There was no other way to put it. Lois and Luthor were dancing, each enjoying the company of the other. "I hope you'll forgive me for being so bold..." she began, the apologetic tone never making it out of her imagination. "But boldness is a trait I find very attractive in a woman, Miss Lane," Lex said, his eyes looking at her appreciatively. "Well, thank you. That's a line that I haven't heard before." Her laugh floated across the room. She once again turned into the consummate professional. "Anyway, Mr. Luthor, I..." "Lex," he corrected smiling and dipping her gracefully. "Lex," she repeated, wondering if there was ever a time when he wouldn't surprise her. He wasn't at all what he expected. She had expected him to be cold and reclusive, but instead he was exactly the opposite. She smiled, her biggest, most inviting smile. "I know that you're hesitant to give interviews..." "Well, you can understand, a man in my position, I wouldn't want to be misinterpreted. I have had one or two bad experiences with the media," he said. Lois laughed lightly. "But not with me!" she said, desperately trying to persuade him to come around to her way of thinking and trying hard not to think of CJ while she was in the arms of this devastatingly handsome man. He appeared to come to a decision and his eyes twinkled as he offered, "So why don't we make it..." He leaned in, his lips caressing her cheek as he whispered, "... dinner." Lois' eyes glowed triumphant and she was glad that he couldn't see it. She was an expert at turning dinners into interviews! This would be her biggest story ever, the Lex Luthor exclusive, even if it wasn't Kerth material. "Mind if I cut in?" Clark asked politely, ever the gentleman. The look that Clark received from Lois would have sent Smokey the Bear running the opposite direction. "Lex, this is Clark Kent. Clark works at the Planet," she said, barely caring that her voice was barely civil, inwardly vowing revenge. "A pleasure," Lex said as cold as Lois was heated as he shook Clark's hand. The intense look in his eyes as he murmured "Thank you," made Clark want to show him who was 'the man' around here, but Lex walked off before Clark had a chance. She followed Luthor with her eyes, smiling again, until at last the he disappeared in the crowd, not even aware that she was dancing with Clark. As soon Lex was out of sight, she smacked Clark on the arm. "Clark, you idiot!" she hissed, taking the lead and turning him around, trying to get another glimpse of Luthor. "It's taken me a year to get this close!" "What, this close?" he asked with a smile, pulling her body against his. Words couldn't describe the sound of disgust that he heard coming from her throat. "I would've thought square dancing was more your style!" she said, hoping to put him back in his place. He had some nerve, interrupting her dance with Lex Luthor when he *knew* she was trying to get an interview from the reclusive man! And he had no business being such a good dancer! "Actually I learned from a Nigerian Princess who studied ballroom dancing in England," Clark said, hoping impress her the way Lex Luthor's dazzle obviously had. "Really? How fascinating," she said. It really was, if it was true. She sighed resignedly. He WAS her date, no, not date, escort, so she should dance at least one dance with him. She closed her eyes and imagined herself in the arms of CJ. Somehow she just knew that he would have been perfection on the dance floor. She couldn't tell anyone how she would have known that, she just did. There were lots of things that she just *knew* about CJ. Things they hadn't talked about that night in her room. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Lois heard a knock at her bedroom door. She left the bathroom, where she had been getting ready for a shower, and opened the door, wearing only a bathrobe. "CJ!" she exclaimed surprised. "Hey... may I come in?" he asked quietly. "Uh, well, yeah. My Dad's room is next door and he's not here anyway," she answered and stepped aside to let him enter. He stepped past her and brushed her body with his. He held his breath and could see she was doing the same. "Uh... I was just going to take a shower, but I guess that can wait till later. Do you want a Coke or something?" "Sure, thanks," he answered and sat down on her queen-sized bed. "I'm, uh, sorry for coming up here so late, but I just *had* to see you." SSSSSSSSSSS Lois let out a little sigh. "Oh, CJ, I miss you so much." But Clark didn't hear. She looked up to make sure but little did she know, and there was no way she really could have, that Clark was thinking about the same night as he held her in his arms, dancing. He'd gone to her room after his friends had teased him mercilessly about the lipstick on his face. He had known that he had to see her again. SSSSSSSSSSSSS "So, are you staying in D.C. all by yourself?" Lois asked. "Uh, no, a few friends of mine are with me. You met Air earlier today and--" The ringing of the phone cut him off. Lois got up and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" "Ms. Lane, this is Marsha from reception. Your father knows you were kissing that hunk in the lobby. He's on his way upstairs. I'm really sorry!" the woman on the other end of the line said and then slammed the receiver back onto the cradle. "Oh, no!" Lois cursed. "No, no, no!" "What's the matter?" CJ wanted to know. "My Dad! He's on his way here!" "So? We haven't been doing anything naughty, have we?" he asked and grinned. "You don't know my father, CJ! He'll go ballistic! You'd better leave now." "Well, okay. If that's what you want," CJ said and got up. But it was too late. They heard a knock at the door and CJ used his special vision to find out who it was. He was able to see Lois's father standing in front of the door and he looked furious! "It's your father!" "How come you know it's him?" she asked and looked at him, surprised. "Well, I...uh... have you been expecting someone else?" "No..." "See?" "Lois? Lois, open the door!" they heard her father saying. "Move, CJ!" she hissed. "Where?" She scanned the bedroom and then pointed towards the curtain. "There!" she said and pushed him across the room. He hid behind the curtain but he knew Dr Lane was going to be able to see his sneakers. He had to come up with something! *Fast!* Then CJ had an idea. He started floating, something he had just recently discovered he was capable of doing, and hovered behind the curtain, holding his breath. He used his special vision to see what was going on. Lois opened the door and her father stormed in. "Okay, young lady, where is he?" "He? What are you talking about, Daddy?" "I heard you talking to someone!" "Ever heard of TV, Daddy?" she asked and pointed towards the television set. "The woman at the reception told me that she saw you kissing some guy in the lobby! Do you have something to tell me?" "Daddy, puh--leese! Do I look like someone who runs around kissing every guy she meets?" Lois asked and felt her ears getting hot. Something that happened only when she was lying and she knew that her father was aware of that. She covered her ears with her hair. "No..." "See? She must have mistaken me for someone else," Lois said and then started pushing her father towards the open bedroom door. "But--" "I'm really tired, Daddy. I need to sleep. And you'd be better off if you'd do the same. You look miserable!" "Nice hearing that from my own daughter," Dr Lane said and a ghost of a smile flashed across his lips. Lois smiled back. "Goodnight, Daddy," she said and kissed him softly on the cheek. He hugged her. "Goodnight, Princess, see you tomorrow morning." He began to leave but then turned around one more time. "And you're sure you weren't kissing some strange guy in the lobby?" he asked. "Goodnight, Daddy!" Lois said and closed the door. She ran across the room and pulled the curtain aside. CJ had remembered just in time to get his feet back on the ground. Literally. "Phew! That was close!" he said. "I know! You'd better go now before Daddy decides to check on me one more time before going to bed," she said. "You're right. Goodnight, Lois," he said and bent over and kissed her softly on the lips. They were soft and warm and kissing them felt absolutely fantastic. Before the kiss could deepen he pulled away, because he knew if he let that happen he'd never be able to leave. "Goodnight," she whispered. Clark walked over to the door and took a small glance through, using his special vision, before opening it, just to make sure her father wasn't outside anymore. The coast was clear. He opened the door and stepped outside. He turned around one more time and smiled at her. She smiled back. He gently closed the door and then took the elevator up to his room. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS "Clark? Clark? Earth to Clark?" "What? I'm sorry. Did you say something?" "The music has stopped. And you're still trying to dance with me. Yet another thing we do different here in the big city." "You mean you don't kiss in elevators AND you don't dance without music?" he asked with an obviously fake incredulous grin on his face. "Not if you know what's good for you," Lois hissed as she turned and walked away from him without a backward glance. She struggled to keep her composure. Why did he have to bring up that kiss? No kiss had ever affected her like that. Not since she met CJ. Her mind started to wander back to the hotel lobby, the night that her dad wouldn't let her go to the movies with him, but she stopped herself before the memories could surface. It was just too painful. "Where're you going?" he called as he followed her. Keeping up was a full time job. He followed her into an obviously private study. The fire burning in a magnificent fireplace, the large mahogany desk and expensive artwork all pointed to the fact that they shouldn't be here. "Lois, what're you doing?" Clark asked, as he closed the door behind him, bothered that she seemed to be so at ease with snooping in someone else's private space. "Being a reporter; you should try it some time," she said, shutting a set of double doors that opened onto another branch of the hallway. He was surprised that icicles weren't forming on her icy voice. "Lois, you can't come in..." He stopped when it became obvious that she wouldn't listen and stepped into an adjoining room. "Lois..." "Just look around," she told him, her irritation evident in her voice as he tried to follow her. Not at all comfortable with what was happening, Clark was, nevertheless, intrigued by the antique weapons on display on one wall. As he turned he felt cold steel against his throat, just under his Adam's apple. Lex Luthor was at the end of the sword, lightening flashing in his steely eyes. "Macedonian," Clark observed, without taking his eyes off of Luthor. It was a challenge he couldn't lose, unless Luthor actually tried to use the thing and it bent against his impenetrable skin. "It belonged to Alexander the Great," Lex Luthor said, his hand and eyes never wavering. Luthor was somewhat surprised as he had expected the younger man to turn away, but Clark didn't even blink. "A brilliant tactician. Alexander's strategy was simple. Always seize the high ground." Lex suddenly smiled his patented smile that was never close to sincere. "It was with this sword that he defeated --" "Defeated Darius the Third and was proclaimed King of Asia," Clark finished, accepting the challenge and meeting it admirably. "You surprise me, Mr. Kent. I'm not often surprised." *And I don't like it*. Luthor couldn't keep the disdain out of his voice. Lois returned to the room, just as the exchange ended unaware of the challenge given and met. "I hope you don't mind us looking around. You have a beautiful home, Lex." Her arrival demanded that the men turn their attention to her rather than the face off that was at an end. "Have you seen the view from here?" Lex asked, as he opened the French doors and led them out onto the protected balcony, the raw beauty of the storm enveloping them. "The tallest building in Metropolis," he said, raising his voice to be heard the thunder. "I must confess that I love the fact that everyone in this city has to look up in order to see me!" The look on his face made it evident that he was proud, and almost condescending at the same time, of his accomplishment. "Let's get back to the party. I think you'll find my announcement will...interest you." He tried to appear gallant as he motioned Lois and then Clark inside. "After you," Clark said, still the gentleman. Lex Luthor felt as though he had won some sort of victory as Clark motioned him ahead and closed the French doors. That the young man had been unintimidated had been a point in his favor, that maybe he was someone to be respected. Now he knew that this Clark was nothing. He had let Luthor get his own way and he was now escorting the lovely Miss Lane down the stairs. Lex decided that Clark was no match for him. Clark stared after Luthor, wondering what that little scene had been all about. Perhaps Luthor was angry that he had cut in on their dance, perhaps he was trying to stake some sort of claim to Lois and intimidate Clark. Downstairs, the band played a fanfare to draw the attention of the milling throng of party-goers. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Lex called out in his well-bred tones. "Honored guests... my friends. Well, we've come here tonight for a good cause. Thanks to your generosity the Luthor House for Homeless Children will soon be a reality." The guests began to applaud, but Lex held his hands up to stop them. "Thank you. As you know, I've dedicated myself to improving the quality of lives of the citizens of Metropolis. Please feel free to stop by and see the hologram of the new facility." The applause was sincere and enthusiastic, and Lois joined in heartily. Her gaze, however, was not on the impressive hologram. She was looking at Lex Luthor admiringly, and Clark, in turn, was watching her closely, trying to read the expression on her face. She seemed very impressed with Mr. Luthor. Clark turned his attention to the recipient of these accolades, who was smiling around in a benign fashion. He slowly, hesitantly, joined in the clapping, but his heart wasn't in it. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 10:07:49 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Night - Part 5/5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - this - except for the flashbacks is MINE all MINE - though I did steal the concept from Grace Livingston Hill's "The Best Man". Feedback is welcome - please! ***** Some time later, Clark and Lois walked out the front door of the tallest building in Metropolis. He couldn't help but see how wonderful she looked. He wanted so badly to tell her everything, but couldn't quite bring himself to do it. The rain was still coming down steadily. Neither one quite wanted to end the evening. Clark for the obvious reasons and Lois for reasons that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Even though she had been working on her novel about CJ, she hadn't thought about him this much in a really long time. What was it about Clark and that kiss in the elevator? The two stood there in an awkward, yet companionable silence. Out of the shadows came a man. A short man. With a bowler hat. "Miss Lane, Mr. Kent. I must speak with you immediately." Clark eyed the man suspiciously. "Who are you?" "My name is, umm, ahh, Henry, Henry George Wells. Yes, that's it." Clark noticed that he had an accent, but couldn't quite place where it came from. "I have information for you." Lois eagerly jumped in. "Is it about the investigation we're running on the President?" Mr. Wells looked a little bit apprehensive, but answered, "Well, in a way. There is somewhere that you need to be right now. Both of you." "Dressed like this? Clark, you go to your hotel and I'll meet you. Where do we need to meet, Mr. Wells?" Lois started to walk off as she asked the question. "Oh, I assure you, Ms. Lane, you are dressed quite appropriately for where we are going." "Really? And what kind of source would want to meet with us looking like this? Most sources I know aren't exactly black tie material." "Ah, Miss Lane. I never said you were meeting a source. I said that you had somewhere to be. Now if you will follow me, all will be explained." He started walking. He did not look back to see if they were following. He knew they would and he smiled a little smile to himself. "Well, Lois? Are we going or not?" Clark looked at her expectantly. "Of course we are. When did Lois Lane ever turn down a chance at a story?" She walked off leaving him to try to keep up with her and wishing desperately for an umbrella when she realized that the rain had suddenly stopped. "Lois, there's something that we need to talk about." She shot him a look of death. "Oh, really? Like what? Like how often are you going to start kissing me in an elevator? Or how often are we going to dance without music? Or. . .or . . .Well, or what?" "I guess I should tell you why those things happened. And I probably shouldn't have kissed you in the elevator. . ." Lois interrupted. "SHOULDN'T? Now THAT is the understatement of the year. There is only one man that I ever want to kiss ever again and it is not you." "How can you be so sure he wants to kiss you?" "I just am." "And when was the last time this wonder boy kissed you?" Lois stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes clouded over. "Ten years ago," she said quietly. Clark started. Could it be that she was talking about him? "This guy kissed you ten years ago and you are still hung up on him. What were you 15 or something?" Clark hoped that she hadn't noticed the look of hope and desperation in his eyes. "16. His name was CJ and he was more of a man than you will ever be!" she answered reverting back to the Lois Lane he knew in the here and now. "Must have been a big city guy then." "No," she said slowly. "He was from a town named Smallville, too. But I think it was Smallville, Nebraska." Clark got an evil grin on his face. "Nope, couldn't be. There's only one Smallville in the states and it's in Kansas. What was this guy's name? Maybe I know him." "Oh, bother. I am not discussing this with you. The topic is closed." She stormed off in the direction that Mr. Wells had gone. The two hurried trying to keep up with their leader who was, by now, far ahead of them. Clark had an easier time seeing, what with his special vision and all, but he let Lois take the lead. Suddenly, Wells disappeared into what looked like an old church building. Lois whispered to Clark. "You go around the right and I'll take the left." She walked off before he had a chance to say anything. As he watched the two go their separate ways, H. G. Wells smiled. He knew that if he fixed it now, there would be less problems for both later. ***** Clark walked around to the right side of the church. The next thing that he knew, a man was dragging him inside. "There you are, old man," said the arms doing the dragging. "Josh," came a harried voice from a redheaded, tuxedo-wearing young man. "Everyone else is ready. The bride is here finally and, oh there you are. The groom and the best man are here. That's everybody. Good, we can get started." Clark looked around, confused. The one named Josh, the one who had dragged him in from outside, looked at him. "All ready?" "Ready? Ready for what?" Clark needed to stall so that he could figure out what was going on. "For the wedding, silly. Oh, there's the music. We gotta go." "Wait! What am I supposed to do?" Clark still didn't understand what was going on. "Just stand there and do what the preacher tells you. Don't get cold feet on us now. Everyone is counting on you. You'll be fine." And with that, Josh, the redhead, and Clark made their way into the chapel. ***** Clark stood next to Josh. He looked around and as near as he could tell there was a wedding taking place, but there was hardly anyone there. He must be the best man. *Yes, the redhead told Josh that the best man had arrived just after I walked in. That must be it.* He was satisfied that his ruse as best man wouldn't hurt anyone so he kept his peace. He turned and saw the bridesmaid walking down the aisle. *Wait a second! That's Lois! How did she end up in this thing, too? Oh, man, this is weird! I wonder what all of this has to do with the corrupt President?* Suddenly, Clark was being pushed forward gently by the redhead standing behind him. "Take her hand, man." Clark did as he was instructed and looked at Lois. He knew that she looked beautiful tonight, but somehow, she took his breath away just now. He had to concentrate to keep his feet on the floor. Floating just now would be a really bad idea! He realized that he should be listening to the preacher, but he was just droning on and on about the "Dearly beloved" and "holy matrimony" stuff. Lois looked up at him, smiling sweetly and with a voice that dripped venom, she whispered, "What is going on here?" Clark put on his best innocent look. It always worked with the ladies, especially when he really was innocent. "I have no idea. Honest." "Clark?" The preacher looked at him expectantly. "Huh?" The redhead whispered. "This is where you say 'I do'." Clark thought it odd that he would have to say 'I do', but maybe it was just to put his blessing on the marriage. "Um, yeah, I do." Chuckles rumbled through the few assembled. He tried to concentrate on finding a way out. He was so absorbed in this pursuit that he didn't even realize that Lois had said 'I do' as well. Someone handed him a ring and he put it on the offered finger. He didn't even look up to see whose finger it was. Lois grabbed his hand and whispered something, but he didn't catch that either. He was too busy using his special vision to try and figure out how he was going to get Lois out of here. The redhead bumped him again from behind and apparently someone had bumped Lois as well for suddenly their lips met. Clark stared wide-eyed into her wide eyes and could see his own fear and confusion mirrored there. *Are WE the bride and groom?* he thought to himself. *That doesn't make any sense at all.* He whispered to Lois through his lips that still rested on hers. "We've got to get out of here before they realize that we aren't whoever is supposed to be getting married." "You got that right." The redhead elbowed Clark again and whispered, "Isn't it about time you two came up for air?" Clark pulled back quickly and looked at Lois. She looked scared, but furious. The preacher announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Lois Kent." Clark just looked at her. Tears were about to spill out of her brown eyes. "Don't you give me that puppy-dog look. You have a lot of explaining to do, honey!" she hissed though clenched teeth and a beautiful smile, spitting the last word out with venom worthy of a snake. "I don't know what you're talking about, *snookums*. I had nothing to do with this." His own smile was plastered on his face. As they started to walk out of the church, he realized that there was no one there. No one at all. Just him and Lois and Josh and the redhead and one other woman in midnight blue. Josh was holding a Bible in his hands. "Good luck, kids! I know this wasn't the world's best wedding, but it did the trick! G'night!" As they exited the building. Lois dropped all pretense. "What in the world was all of that?! And don't think that this marriage is real. It isn't. It can't be. There is no way that I would marry you. You are a hack from Nowheresville. I don't marry people from Nowheresville, or Dinkytown, or Tinytown or, or Ittybittyburg or anywhere else. There's only one man that I would EVER marry and you are not him. I am NEVER getting married. I WILL find a way out of this!" she exploded. She started to stomp off when Clark softly called after her. "I believe the phrase that you are looking for is 'hick' from Nowheresville, not 'hack'. At least, that's what your dad called me." Lois stopped and turned sharply on one heel. "What did you say?" "I said that your dad called me a hick from Nowheresville, not a hack. There's a big difference." "What do you know about my dad? When did you meet him?" "I've never met him, but you told me that he didn't want you going to the movies with someone from Smallville who would grow up to be a farmer and have 2.5 kids." "What are you talking about? How did you know all that?" "Lois, it's me." He sounded defeated. She took a closer look. "CJ?" "Yes, CJ. That's what they called me in high school. My parents liked it." Clark ran his hands through his hair and let out a scream. "WHY?!!!" "Why what?" "Why couldn't we have just been together? Why did your dad have to be so against us? Why did he have to leave and make you go to? Why did he have to come up to your room just then. Why didn't we get there a day earlier? We were supposed to you know, but AJ had a flat tire and we decided to wait until the next day. Baby, I hardly knew you, but Lois, I have never loved another woman. Anytime I tried to start a relationship, there was you. Standing there in the hotel lobby in your jeans and black vest. And there was you in the little area of the Chinese restaurant, just outside the bathrooms." He covered the distance between them with two large steps. "There was you, opening the door in your bathrobe." He brushed away the tears that were now flowing freely down her face. "And you afraid of what your dad would do if he found me in your room. And you knocking on my door telling me that you had to leave early and we couldn't spend the day together. And you. There was always you. I even tried to kiss another woman one time. That Nigerian Princess I told you about? I kissed her once." He gently cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs still wiping away the tears. "But there was nothing. *Nothing*. Just you. All I could think about was you. And she knew it. She told me that there would never be another for me, just the one I had lost. I kissed you in the elevator because I knew that if I could just kiss you, you would know it was me. That you remembered me as well as I remembered you. That you had been dreaming about us as long as I had." Lois stood there staring up at those chocolate brown eyes. She reached up and took his glasses off and looked closely. "It is you! Oh, CJ!" She reached up, glasses in one hand, and pulled his face down to hers. "I *have* been waiting for you! I've been waiting for so long." She touched her lips to his, but he pulled away. "Lois, I'm not CJ anymore. I'm Clark. And half an hour ago, you didn't want anything to do with me. And, now, here we are," he lowered his voice as though someone on the deserted street might hear, "married. What do you want me to do?" "Clark. I have been looking for CJ for so long, that I got wrapped up in my fantasy. See, I was supposed to see you from across the room and take one look and know it was you. You'd be standing there, in a black t-shirt, and somehow I would know. The glasses threw me off a bit, that is part of the reason I didn't know it was you. I'd run across the room as a path just opened up and throw myself in your arms and we'd kiss. THAT kiss. The one from the lobby. The one where we never, ever had to let go. The one my dad didn't interrupt. The Snow White, Cinderella, Prince Charming kiss. And the room would fade away and we'd be in a wide open field with lots of wildflowers and . . .and we'd ride off into the sunset on that white horse. Remember that song? The one that was playing in the lobby, the first time you kissed me?" Clark nodded. "I can't even listen to it - all I do is cry. I turn it off and bawl my eyes out. Anytime I see a couple on T. V. or on the street kissing or holding hands, all can think of is you. There has never been anyone but you. I tried to convince myself that I was over you and that my life had moved on, but it didn't work. I have tried relationships, too, but the guys I kissed weren't as understanding as your Nigerian princess. I never felt anything kissing them. All I could see was your eyes. Those deep brown, chocolate pools that I could see your soul in. I WAS looking for you, Clark. I just wasn't looking for a reporter who wasn't looking for me." "But I was looking for you, Lois. I never even knew your last name. All I knew was that you were from Metropolis. When I saw you in Perry's office, I couldn't believe that it might be you. I . . ." "Why didn't you say something then?" "I wasn't sure. He referred to you as Lane and you didn't seem interested enough to even look at me properly." The rain started to come again. "Come on, let's get you somewhere dry." He held his coat over her head as they hurried towards the nearest lighted building. It was the Metropolis Hilton, one of the nicest hotels in town. As they walked in, Clark stopped and looked at Lois. He held her chin in one hand and grinned mischievously. "My love, I know that's it's our wedding night and all, but I can't afford this place just yet." "Clark, this is not funny." "Lois, you just told me that the only person you would marry is CJ. I AM CJ. And we are married. What more do you want?" He was a little exasperated and more than a little defeated. "I don't know, Clark." She sank down in one of the big hotel lobby chairs, tears threatening once more. "It just isn't how I imagined. No black T-shirt. No white horse. No big church wedding with all my friends - our friends. Perry walking me down the aisle." Clark looked at her in surprise. "My dad and I aren't all that close anymore. No reception. No presents. Not what I expected at all." She sat silently for long minutes and finally reached a conclusion in her mind. Clark stared out the window at the pouring rain. He almost didn't hear her when she said, "In some ways, it's even better." She looked up at him through wet lashes. "Better? How is this better?" "Well, see this way, we don't have to worry about invitations, or catering, or renting a church or my parents arguing with your parents or any of that. This way it is just you and me, the way it was in the beginning." She stood up and walked the two steps to where he was standing. "Let's see if your kisses still take my breath away." He looked down at her, not daring to believe what he had just heard. He bent down to kiss her, but she stopped him. "Not here. Wait." He watched, perplexed, as she walked over to the registration desk. She returned shortly. "Well, Mr. Kent, what are you waiting for? Your bride needs to be carried over the threshold of the Honeymoon Suite. And to think, I almost wore blue tonight." She looked up at him and smiled softly. "Lois, I told you I can't afford somewhere like this." "I know, but I can. Call it your wedding present." "I don't have anything for you." "Sure you do and the sooner you take me upstairs, the sooner I can, uh, well, unwrap it?" She said that last with a question in her voice and in her eyes. "If you're sure that's what you want." He searched her eyes trying to see what was written there. She took his face in her hands. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life." Clark picked her up in his strong arms and carried her toward the elevator. "Lois, are you absolutely sure?" "Yes." After they entered the elevator, Lois reached over and pulled the stop button. "Just what do you think you are doing?" he asked, a smile on his face. "This," she replied and kissed him softly. After a moment, he used his elbow to push the button back in. "Well, if you are planning on doing that, we better go find that room you were talking about." The soft Pling! of the elevator told them that they had reached their floor. They didn't take their eyes off of each other as he carried her down the hall to their room. As she reached over and unlocked the door, Clark sighed. "Lois, there is something that we need to talk about." She pushed open the door and whispered. "Talk can wait. Let's see if you can still kiss like you did in that lobby in Washington." She pulled his head towards hers as he kicked the door shut and carried her to the king-size bed. "Lois," he groaned pulling away from her momentarily, "there is really something that I need to tell you." "Later," was all she said as her lips captured his and he forgot all about what he was going to tell her. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS She entered the lobby and walked up to him. "You're not going, are you?" he asked. "No," she answered quietly. "Daddy thinks you're just some hick from nowheresville, as he put it." "Oh." "I'm sorry, CJ. I would've been fun." "Yeah..." "Well, I guess I'd better be going..." she said and stepped back a few steps. "Yeah..." "See you, CJ," she said and then suddenly stepped forwards again and planted a kiss on his cheek and sent a hot shiver down his spine. I don't want another heartbreak I don't need another turn to cry I don't want to learn the hard way Baby Hello, oh no, goodbye But you got me like a rocket Shooting straight across the sky... She pulled back again but then CJ, surprised by his own boldness, leaned forward and captured her mouth with his. He felt her shock at first, but then she started responding to his kiss and she leaned forward until she was pressed tightly against him. Her arms locked around his neck and his around her as the kiss continued. It's the way you love me It's a feeling like this-- It's centrifugal motion It's perpetual bliss. It's that pivotal moment It's Impossible This Kiss, This Kiss Unstoppable This Kiss, This Kiss And CJ, who didn't need to breathe on his way through a rainstorm, found himself light-headed. Finally, gasping for air, they broke apart and just remained that way, gazing into each other's eyes. She smiled at him and he returned her smile. Then she leaned forward and kissed him again, softer than the first time. This kiss ended too, as gently as it had begun and Lois opened her eyes and looked into his. Cinderella said to Snow White How does love get so off course? All I wanted was a white knight With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse. Ride me off into the sunset Baby, I'm forever yours "I should really get going," she whispered. "Okay," was all he managed to say. But neither one of them let go of the other. "Lois?!" She snapped out of her daze and turned her head towards the elevators where she could see her father getting off one of them. She grabbed CJ's hand and pulled him behind a nearby pillar. "He shouldn't see us this way," she said as he pulled her closer and kissed her again. "I," she said against his mouth, "should really go now." "Uhuh..." It's the way you love me It's a feeling like this-- It's centrifugal motion It's perpetual bliss. It's that pivotal moment It's Unthinkable This Kiss, This kKss Unsinkable This Kiss This Kiss She buried her hands in his black hair and marveled at the feel of his arms around her and she tasted him, exploring his mouth with her tongue and losing herself in his kiss. "Lois?!" They broke apart again and Lois peeked around the pillar and saw her father coming towards them. "I need to go now," she said. "Okay," CJ replied and then kissed her again, quickly. "Goodnight, CJ," she whispered. "Goodnight." You can kiss me in the moonlight On the rooftop under the sky You can kiss me with the windows open While the rain comes pouring inside Kiss me in sweet slow motion Let's let every thing slide You got me floating, You got me flying She began walking away, with her hand still touching his. When her hand slipped away she looked up at him one more time. She couldn't believe the feelings she was having. She had known this guy for what? Half an hour? And then she found herself standing in the lobby of a hotel and kissing him passionately as if her life depended on it. What was wrong with her? It's the way you love me It's a feeling like this-- It's centrifugal motion It's perpetual bliss. It's that pivotal moment It's Subliminal This Kiss, This Kiss It's Criminal This Kiss, This Kiss Their eyes met one more time and then Lois walked over to her father. "There you are. I've been looking for you." "Sorry, Daddy." "Well anyway, I wanted to tell you that Dave just called and I have to run over to the lab and help him. It won't take long. I promise." "Okay, Daddy, see you." "You just go to your room and stay there, okay? I don't want you running around in Washington D.C. all by yourself, you understand?" "Yes, Daddy." "Okay, I'll take you to your room to make sure everything's fine, okay?" "Uhuh..." They entered the elevator and Lois shot CJ one last look before the doors closed in front of her. CJ found himself confused. What had happened tonight? That girl was incredible! CJ had never believed in love at first sight but now he was beginning to change his mind. SSSSSSSSSS Clark looked down at the beautiful woman lying next to him under the covers of the big bed. He laid back, resting his head against the headboard and staring at the ceiling. It was real. It hadn't been a dream. He was married to Lois Lane, no, he was married to Lois Kent. A smile played across his face. His mom would never believe that he HAD found the girl from the hotel, and what's more, he had married her. He had found a marriage license in his pocket the night before, so he knew it was legal. Lois had fallen asleep long before he did. He only needed about three hours a night anyway, and he was just too keyed up to sleep. So he had waited for his wife, *wife* he thought, *must be the most wonderful word in the English language. Or any other language for that matter.* And Clark knew almost every language in the world. He had waited for his wife to fall asleep and then walked over to look out the window and stare at the city for some time. He had picked up all of their clothes and laid them neatly on the chair in the room. It wouldn't do for the clothes to get all wrinkled just because they hadn't had time to take them off more neatly. As he had tried to brush the wrinkles from his coat, the paper fell out of his pocket. On it was a yellow sticky note from that Wells guy saying that he was sorry for tricking them, but he knew they would be happy together, and yes, it was all legal. But, oh man, did they have a lot to talk about. Marriage was difficult under the best circumstances, but this, this was all new territory. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 11:56:12 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Kraft Dinner On Thu, 8 Feb 2001 23:43:16 EST, Lorie Y. Crisp wrote: >I don't know why I don't like >homemade, it's just not cheesy enough, I guess. Kraft is cheesiest. Ummm... Lorie, ever try adding *more cheese* to the home-made version? ;) Wendy --------- Wendy Richards wendy@kingsmeadowcr.freeserve.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 12:15:01 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Marilyn L. Puett" Subject: 348 Hyperion Avenue Has anyone ever figured out the floorplan for Lois and Clark's townhouse on Hyperion Avenue? We see bits and pieces of it on the show: the foyer, the living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedroom. But I also know that there's a back part of the stairway that goes to the kitchen or utility area (we see that in AKAS when Lois comes down and finds Clark working on his Superman mail). There's apparently a study too -- where Lois and Clark find the baby in the bassinette in the final episode. Or is that the dining room? Anyway...I just wondered if anyone had ever been able to devise a floorplan for the place. We never saw anything upstairs except their bedroom. Marilyn AKA SuperMom ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 10:17:20 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: looking for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey Lorie, I'm delighted that you like my fic! :)) Mel wrote: > Sounds like Wendy Richards' Big Boys Do Fly - part one. She's got three > parts out, and I keep hoping she'll write some more of it... Hey!! The Big Boys series is finished! But if you want to see more of Conor and Laura, you'll find them making a guest appearance in So Strong a Foundation (which itself is a sequel to A Love So Long in the Making). Wendy -------------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 13:56:34 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Question Carol - the normal route is to send it to the Lois and Clark Fanfiction Archive (www.lcfanfic.com). Go and take a look at the FAQs, which will explain the submission and editing process to you. Then get it ready and send it off! Wendy --------- Wendy Richards (also General Editor, L&C Fanfic Archive) wendy@kingsmeadowcr.freeserve.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 11:25:19 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: First Night - Part 5/5 In-Reply-To: <20010209.100751.-191079.8.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Oh My Gawd!! :::wipes away tears::: Carol... :::speechless under her Rock again::: ...you tease... :::wonders where she can find a firstborn at this late date::: ...awesome... ...next story, please? Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 14:37:33 -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: First Night - Part 5/5 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm enjoying this, Carol! You've done a good job recreating the Pilot, with appropriate changes, and I like the inclusion of scenes that were cut from the US versions :) And I had to laugh out loud when you mentioned inspiration from "The Best Man", cause that's one of my favorite GLH books! I wouldn't have thought of adapting it to L&C though That meddling Mr. Wells... I did wonder how much longer they could go before realizing their shared past ... interesting ending, too! So you said you had sequels??? -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:04:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: NEW: A New Beginning, Part 1 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi everyone! This is my first time ever posting to this list, and this is=20 also the first story I've ever written. So I'll probably mess up a lot :)=20 Last week I finished posting the story on the Zoomway boards, so some of you= =20 might have read it already. It's about when Lois and Clark are teenagers,=20 but in different scenarios. I think the only thing that you should know=20 before you read is that for some reason Lois lives in Smallville. =20 So, without further explanation... PROLOGUE: Late May, 1966 Jonathon and Martha Kent were on their way to their home in Smallville,=20 Kansas, when Martha suddenly grabbed her husband's arm, motioning for him=20 pull their pickup truck over.=20 "What is it?" Jonathon asked, following his wife's gaze across Shuster's=20 Field. =20 "I don't know, I saw something fly across the sky. Maybe it's a meteorite!"= =20 Martha pushed her door open and ran to the fence. Jonathon put the truck=20 into park and followed her, slightly less enthusiastically. He glanced up at= =20 the darkening sky. The sun had already set, and twilight was fading quickly=20 into night. He still had chores to do at the house, and he wasn't really in= =20 the mood to go dashing over the countryside. But Martha was already running= =20 through the field towards the woods. He smiled slightly and followed her. The young couple entered the woods, where it was even darker than in the ope= n=20 field. "What is it exactly that we're looking for?" he asked, looking aroun= d=20 anxiously.=20 "I don't know, something out of the ordinary." They walked through the=20 trees, scanning their surroundings. "How about that for out of the ordinary?" Jonathon asked, pointing to the=20 left of him. Several small trees had been knocked over. Martha hurried past=20 him, stepping carefully over the fallen trunks. =20 "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, pointing towards the clearing that they had= =20 come upon. A trail of dirt and grass had been upturned, leaving a long path= =20 across the ground. The two followed it, both of them now curious. =20 "What is it?" Martha asked, stopping when they came to the object they had=20 been tracking. Jonathon kneeled in front of it, with Martha looking over hi= s=20 shoulder. He ran his hands along the smooth sides of the=E2=80=A6 thing tha= t they=20 had discovered. Without warning, the top half of it suddenly popped up,=20 slowly raising. Martha gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. Jonathon=20 sat back on his heels, looking up at his wife. She reached down and lifted=20 the small child out from amongst the dark blue blankets of the craft. =20 The child gurgled with delight and reached up and placed one small hand in=20 Martha's hair. Martha looked at Jonathon with pleading eyes. It hadn't been= =20 too long before that night that the couple had realized that they couldn't=20 have children. And now, as if in answer to their prayers, a child had=20 literally fallen from the sky for them.=20 "Oh boy," Jonathon said after several moments. The dark-haired, fair-skinne= d=20 child that Martha now held in her arms stopped giggling and looked over at=20 Jonathon with a solemn expression. However, after several moments, he smile= d=20 again and stuck his tongue out from between his lips.=20 "We have to keep him," Martha said, holding the small boy close to her. Early September, 1978 Clark and his father were leading two of the horses in from the field to the= =20 barn. The sky overhead was growing increasingly dark with anticipation for=20 the upcoming storm. The wind whipped Clark's longish dark hair around his=20 face, and the horses were prancing, growing excited because of the spooky=20 sounds the wind made while blowing over the field. Clark spoke soothingly to the colt that he held by the halter. Jonathon had= =20 promised that by the time the colt was old enough to be trained, Clark could= =20 have the responsibility of taking care of him, so Clark was extra careful=20 with the young horse. They were nearly to the barn when Clark heard his=20 mother screaming from the front porch. Clark snapped his head towards her,=20 noticing Jonathon doing the same from the corner of his eye. Martha was too= =20 far away to be heard clearly, but she pointed towards the barn. Jonathon an= d=20 Clark looked in the direction she pointed.=20 "Oh my God!" Clark yelled in fright. An immense dark funnel in the sky was=20 making its destructive path towards the Kents' farm. "Let go of the horses!" Jonathon yelled. "The cellar!" Clark let go of his colt and followed his father towards the cellar they had= =20 behind their house, where Martha already stood, holding the door open. The=20 family dove underground, and moments later they could feel the ground shakin= g=20 around them. Clark fell to the floor with his hands over his ears, trying to= =20 block out the never-ending roar of the tornado. Then, just as quickly as it= =20 started, the horrible sounds stopped. Clark timidly stood up, and Jonathon=20 unbolted the door and lifted it up. Clark followed him, anxious to see the=20 aftermath of the storm.=20 The fields were demolished, flattened or sucked away. Rubble that had falle= n=20 from the tornado lay strewn about on the ground. The horse that Jonathon ha= d=20 been leading galloped around in fright, but Clark couldn't see his colt=20 anywhere. He looked up at his father and then at his mother, his lower lip=20 trembling. He leaned back into his mother's embrace, staring at the=20 destruction around him. Then he turned around, and wrapped his arms tightly= =20 around his mother, just now beginning to be afraid of what had happened, and= =20 what was to come. 3 Months Later Clark watched, determined not to start crying again, as the girl loaded his=20 colt onto her horse trailer. They had found the horse deep in the woods the=20 day after the tornado, and now Clark was losing him again. He knew that the= =20 young horse would have a good home. The girl had said she wanted to train=20 him to ride instead of to use as a workhorse. And he was glad that his=20 parents were getting a good price for the horse. But he just couldn't help=20 but feel discouraged as he watched yet another piece of his past and future=20 leave his life. His mother stood behind Clark and gave him an encouraging=20 squeeze on his shoulder, as if to say everything would be all right. But fo= r=20 some reason, Clark didn't think it would be. =20 The girl talked with his father for a few minutes before climbing into the=20 cab of her truck and pulling out of their driveway with a friendly wave.=20 Clark let out the long breath that he had been holding as his father=20 accompanied the remaining two members of the Kent family near the door of th= e=20 barn. Clark gave Jonathon a small smile, trying to convince his father and=20 himself that he was ok.=20 "Well, hello," Martha said, and Clark looked up, wondering who she was=20 talking to. Standing a few yards in front of Clark was a boy a few years=20 older than he was. The boy had shaggy blond hair, wore baggy tan pants and=20= a=20 loose black shirt, and carried a small backpack. =20 "I'm Tuck," the boy said abruptly in a strong southern accent. He moved his=20 backpack to his other shoulder and stared back at the Kents. There was a=20 short pause before Jonathon spoke. "Well, what can we do for you, Tuck?" he asked kindly.=20 "Got any work that needs done?" Tuck asked in the same short tone. Jonatho= n=20 exchanged a glance with Martha over Clark's head. "'Cause I can work for yo= u=20 if you need something, if you let me stay at your house for a while." Clar= k=20 scrutinized the teenager. He wasn't sure what he wanted his parents to say.= =20 It wasn't very fair of the boy to just drop in on them right now, when they=20 were having problems. But then, Clark thought it might be fun to have=20 someone live with them. It would be like having a big brother. And maybe=20 Tuck could help his father start the farm up again. He smiled hesitantly at= =20 Tuck when their eyes met, but Tuck only raised an eyebrow at Clark.=20 "Well, I suppose if you need somewhere to stay, we could use the help for a=20 while," Jonathon said slowly. Clark smiled up at his father. He was hoping= =20 his father would approve. Inheriting a friend helped ease the pain of losin= g=20 his horse.=20 A NEW BEGINNING =20 Late August, 1983 Clark Kent stood beside the pond, leaning against the huge willow tree. He=20 waited for the crunch of footsteps that he waited every night to hear. The=20 moon made the pond sparkle, and he glumly kicked dirt out into the water,=20 making small splashes and ripples spread outward. Lois wasn't coming. Yet=20 again, she hadn't showed up. Clark kept coming, late night after late night= ,=20 hoping that she might be there to meet him. But she was never there. He=20 turned around and walked back onto the path that led to his small Kansas=20 farmhouse. He shut his eyes tight, unwilling to let the tears fall that=20 desperately needed to. He swiped his hands across his eyes once, wiping awa= y=20 the moisture, and then jogged back to his house. He slid in through the kitchen door silently and made his way to his room. =20 He passed his parents' room, pausing for a second to hear their rhythmic=20 breathing, then continued on down the hallway. He passed Tuck's room, and=20 unconsciously quickened his steps. Clark had spent his most recent years=20 growing up with Tuck, who was the Kents' stablehand. Tuck, at 20, was only=20= 3=20 years older than Clark, but Clark still felt uneasy around him. Tuck had=20 shown on too many occasions that he couldn't be trusted.=20 Clark slid into his room quietly, slipped out of his boots, and sunk into=20 bed. He was tired, yes, but the real reason he wanted to get to sleep was=20 for morning to come. Morning held no surprises, it was the same day after=20 day. Night was when Clark had to worry. * * * Lois Lane and her sister Lucy walked down the busy Metropolian sidewalk=20 towards their hotel. Lois' knee-length skirt swished back and forth as the=20 two girls hurried through the crowds of people. =20 "I'm going to miss this when we leave," Lois said sadly, stopping to look=20 around at the scenery: tall buildings, lots of cars crowding the streets,=20 people everywhere you looked. To Lois, it was heaven. "So am I," Lucy said, pulling Lois to the side so her sister could have a=20 better view, then pointed across the street. "Look at that guy!" Lois rolled her eyes and started walking again until she saw a building=20 across the street with a huge globe in front of it. "Hey, isn't that=E2=80= =A6" "The Daily Planet building," Lucy supplied. "You know, the big newspaper." "Of course I know what it is," Lois said. Lois had always loved writing, an= d=20 her dream was to be an author of romance novels. However, standing right in= =20 front of the building that produced the best newspaper in the world, she=20 thought that maybe she could have a career as a journalist. "Come on," Lucy said, pulling Lois' arm and breaking her out of her daydream= .=20 "Daddy said we needed to be back at the hotel by 6:00, and it's already=20 6:10." Lois threw one last longing glance at the Daily Planet building, then= =20 followed her sister. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:05:10 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 2 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 2 Sunlight was already streaming into Clark's bedroom window when he woke up=20 the next morning. The clock on his bedside said it was already 11:30. Clar= k=20 sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Instead of feeling=20 refreshed, he felt even more discouraged. If it was already 11:30, than tha= t=20 meant that no one else was awake yet, and Clark would have to yet again take= =20 care of the morning chores. Clark pulled on his boots and grabbed a flannel= =20 coat out of his closet. He walked down the hallway, careful not to disturb=20 anyone. He walked down the stairs and through the empty kitchen. He=20 wistfully remembered the mornings when his mother had had pancakes and eggs=20 ready for him every morning. He pushed those memories away and stepped out=20 the door. The afternoon sun was beginning to disappear behind dark clouds that hung to= =20 the east of the Kents' ranch. Clark made his way through the yard, overgrown= =20 with weeds, and into the barn. Their old workhorse kicked his stall door=20 impatiently as Clark came in, and he quickly threw a pad of hay into the=20 stall. He then picked up a tin can of corn and threw its contents around in= =20 the dirt outside the barn for the few chickens that were left. After letting= =20 the horse out in its field, Clark came back into the barn and sat down on a=20 bale of dusty hay. The barn used to be filled with several different cows, a couple horses, a=20 mule, and some goats. But now, all that was left of that was their old and=20 tired workhorse, who they kept around only because they were afraid to sell=20 it. Cobwebs hung down from the ceiling, and dust covered nearly everything=20 in the large barn. Clark remembered how this barn had once been his father'= s=20 pride and joy, but after they had lost all their crops 4 years before in a=20 tornado, and the bank had stopped funding them, his father had practically=20 let the barn, and the farm, go to waste. Clark picked up a rusted rake and began to clean out the horse's stall,=20 wondering why life has taken such a devastating nose-dive. His parents=20 didn't even try to put things back together; they had both fallen into a=20 depression after what they'd worked for had suddenly disappeared. Clark remembered the night of the tornado well. He had been helping his=20 father bring in the livestock because the forecast had called for a bad=20 thunderstorm that night. They had been about halfway to the barn from the=20 field when they saw the funnel in the sky, about a mile away. Martha had=20 screaming from the front porch. The three ran for the cellar, barely making= =20 it before the wind began to pick up at a terrifying pace. They huddled=20 together underneath the ground as the tornado went right over their heads. When they finally made their way out of the cellar, the land was in ruins. =20 The crops had been completely blown away or flattened, and the roof had been= =20 torn off the barn. Amazingly, the tornado hadn't bothered the house, and=20 Clark wondered what would have happened to them if the house had been picked= =20 up or blown away. The only animals that were left after the tornado were th= e=20 horse and the mule, and the Kents' had sold the mule a few months later. Around that time, Tuck had wandered to their house. He had been 15 and=20 looking for work, and since Jonathon needed help around the farm, he agreed=20 to let him stay. The deal they made was work in exchange for food and a=20 room. After settling in, however, Tuck began to drink, and he was always=20 causing trouble and never helping. The Kent's, however, didn't have the=20 heart to tell him he had to leave. Clark was torn from his thoughts as he felt icy hands on his bare neck. He=20 jumped and turned around, and saw Tuck standing behind him. "Oh, good morning, Tuck," Clark said nervously, inconspicuously moving away=20 from Tuck across the horse's stall. "Mornin, Clark," Tuck answered, taking a swig out of the bottle in his hand.= =20 Clark made a face, but quickly masked it by coughing. Tuck was drinking=20 again, as he had nearly every day for the past 2 or 3 years, and it made=20 Clark sick. It seemed like the man was always walking around with a can or=20 bottle in his hand. "What're ya doin there?" Tuck asked, leaning against the stall door. "I'm uh=E2=80=A6I'm cleaning the stall," Clark answered, hoping that Tuck ha= dn't=20 heard the nervousness in his voice. Tuck had been known to get angry very=20 easily. "I coulda told ya that, whatdya think I am, dumb? I'm wonderin why you don't= =20 get your pa to do it. You gotta take care of your pa, Clark, make sure he=20 keeps hisself busy, huh?" "Uh-huh," Clark answered, trying to scope out an escape route. Tuck was=20 standing in the doorway to the stall, and if Clark tried to get past him, he= =20 knew he wouldn't make it. Tuck took another drink of his liquor, and then threw it at Clark's feet. =20 Clark obediently picked it up with his rake and put it in the wheelbarrow to= =20 be thrown away. "Your pa's a lazy guy, ain't he, Clark? He don't never do anything no more,= =20 I might as well be runnin' this farm." Clark held his breath and counted to 10 in his head. He knew Tuck was just=20 trying to get to him, so that Clark would get mad. Tuck had played this gam= e=20 with Clark as long as he'd known him. Tuck would work Clark up until Clark=20 yelled back, and then=E2=80=A6Clark shuddered to think of what had happened=20= the first=20 few times that had happened. Clark had ended refusing to leave the house fo= r=20 quite some time, because of the gruesome marks on his face. The only reason= =20 Tuck hung around was because he had no where else to go, and Clark's parents= =20 had no one else to help farm. "Your pa and ma both, huh? Your ma's still asleep at the house, the lazy=20 woman. You're the only one that works around here, same as me. But I don't=20 know how you do it, you're always runnin' out in the middle of the night, an= d=20 don't get no sleep. Where you always goin', anyway? Bet you go out and=20 drink, huh? You a big boy now, and you think you wanna drink." Clark shut his eyes tight and Tuck laughed, as he opened another bottle of=20 beer. "You want some of this Clark?" Tuck walked into the stall, and the=20 waft of alcohol filled Clark's nostrils. "Stay away from me, Tuck," Clark said in a low, threatening voice. "You think you are a big boy, dontcha?" Tuck said nastily. Clark darted=20 around him towards the door, and then he felt the glass bottle make contact=20 with his head. Shards of glass fell all around him, and the liquor drenched=20 his head and back. Spots danced in front of his eyes for a moment. He gasped= =20 and ran faster for the barn exit, then out into the drizzling rain. He=20 didn't stop until he was in the house. His mom was in the kitchen,=20 half-heartedly going through the process of making some scrambled eggs. She=20 turned off the stove, looked up, and began to ask him to get a plate for the= =20 eggs, before she saw his face. "Clark, honey, what happened?" she asked softly, and pulled him towards her.= =20 She stroked his cheek, where blood was trickling down from the cuts. Clark= =20 was breathing heavily, and tears were welling up in his eyes. He sat down a= t=20 the table and put his head down into his arms. Martha stroked his=20 alcohol-soaked hair and his trembling shoulders. "Was it Tuck, honey?" she asked, even more softly than before. Clark=20 nodded, and Martha glared out at the barn. "I'm so sorry," she said, barely= =20 loud enough to be audible. * * * Lois and Lucy finally made it to their hotel room, after making a few more=20 stops for sightseeing. They entered their hotel room, laughing at a joke=20 Lucy had just made pertaining to the cute male that occupied the room next=20 door to theirs. Sam Lane held up his hand for silence as they entered, and=20 they immediately quieted down after sharing a few more die-hard giggles. Sa= m=20 was on the phone, and he hung up a few minutes later. He looked=20 apologetically at Lois and Lucy. "I'm sorry girls, but it looks like I've got to go meet a potential client=20 for dinner." Lois rolled her eyes, but she couldn't really complain. The only reason she= =20 and Lucy had been able to come to Metropolis in the first place was because=20 their father had had business in the city. "It's ok, Daddy," Lucy said. "But how about this. I'll give you two some money, and then you can go catc= h=20 some dinner and do a little sightseeing. What do you think about that?" Lois smiled at her father. She knew he was trying his hardest to be a good=20 father, even though he didn't have much experience, and she loved him for=20 that. "Thanks, Daddy," she said as she took the money. Sam stood up and wrapped his lightweight jacket around his shoulders. "Well,= =20 then, I'll see you later. Don't be out too late," he stopped to check his=20 watch, "and I'll be home by 10:00 at the latest." He exited the room, and the two girls were quiet for nearly 15 seconds befor= e=20 looking at each other with a grin. "What do you say we go see if the boy next door has a brother?" Lois asked,=20 her eyes twinkling mischievously. Lucy nodded her agreement, and so they set= =20 off. * * * "Jonathon, we have to do something. We can't let that man continue beat up=20 on our son! What if=E2=80=A6what if he loses his temper and=E2=80=A6and Cla= rk is killed! =20 It will only take one time, and then=E2=80=A6" Martha sunk down into the cou= ch in=20 their living room. It was later that afternoon, and after cleaning his glas= s=20 wounds and washing his hair, Clark had gone back to sleep. The rain poured=20 outside. Jonathon paced around the room. "I know, Martha, I know. But Tuck's been with us for so long, how can we=20 just all of the sudden tell him that he has to leave? There's no way he'll=20 ever be able to survive on his own anywhere." "You didn't see Clark's face when he came in. There was glass stuck to him,= =20 all over him. His face was bleeding, and he was crying!" She looked down at=20 her hands and lowered her voice before continuing. "This isn't how a 17 year= =20 old boy should live." Jonathon sat down on the couch beside Martha and put his arm around her=20 shoulder. "I know he's not being raised in the best of homes. But I'm tryin= g=20 my hardest to make him turn out right, and I know you are too. Things will=20 get better, I promise. I even put in an application at the hardware store i= n=20 town yesterday. Things are going to get better." Martha sighed and looked up at her husband. "Oh Jonathon, I wish you were=20 right. It's just been so long, I think I've lost hope." * * * Lois woke early the next morning, and immediately her mind projected the=20 memories from the night before. She smiled sleepily and threw her arm out t= o=20 the side, landing with a thump on Lucy's back, who was still asleep on the=20 other side of Lois. Lucy muttered something about going to bed too late and=20 getting up too early before turning onto her side, facing away from Lois. =20 Lois sighed as she remembered the night before. The two girls had gone out to a caf=C3=A9 outside the hotel to get some dinn= er,=20 and to their delight were joined by two young men, who afterwards treated=20 them to a nearby ice cream parlor. Then the boys gave them an un-needed but= =20 very much wanted tour of a part of Metropolis, and the night ended with Lois= =20 getting a quick kiss on the lips by the older of the two. It was too bad th= e=20 Lane's had to return home that night. Lois groaned. Back to boring=20 Smallville, and the boring farmhouse, and the boring school, and the boring= =E2=80=A6 Clark! To her embarrassment, Lois had completely forgotten about Clark. She= =20 hoped he still wasn't going out to that pond, or else he would be angry at=20 her. She had been gone for nearly 2 weeks now=E2=80=A6poor guy. Lois almos= t felt=20 sorry for him sometimes. He always seemed so sad and depressed. But she=20 still enjoyed being with him, he was a good friend and someone she could tal= k=20 to. He was also quite attractive, Lois thought with an inward grin. She=20 really did hope she hadn't hurt him by forgetting to tell him she would be=20 gone. * * * Clark didn't wake up until much later that night. The rain was still pourin= g=20 down against his window, and he lay in bed for several moments. He really=20 didn't want to go out in the rain, but what if Lois showed up and Clark=20 didn't? The more he thought about if, the surer he was that this would be=20 the night that Lois met him at the pond. He knew it. So he slowly swung hi= s=20 legs over the bed, slipped on his boots, and pulled on a plaid jacket. He tiptoed silently out of the house and within a matter of moments the=20 pouring rain drenched him. He ran through the backyard and into their field= =20 that once held rows and rows of different crops. Now it was just brown mud,=20 with a few flattened weeds poking out here and there. He made his way into=20 the woods, where the rain was barely able to seep through the heavy canopy o= f=20 trees. He shook the water off his head, then continued running through the=20 woods, his boots sinking into the soft mud. He finally came to the clearing= =20 that held the pond, but his heart sank when he saw Lois wasn't there. Who am I kidding? he thought. Of course she's not here. Why would she want=20 to see me? He stood in the pouring rain for a few minutes, his face up to=20 the sky and his eyes closed. He could barely tell when his tears mixed with= =20 the rain that fell down his face. He didn't return to the house until much=20 later. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:06:50 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 3 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 3: The Lane's returned to their house in Smallville late that night. Lois=20 stumbled out of their Dodge and waited for her father to unpack the bags fro= m=20 the trunk, barely able to keep her eyes open. When she finally made it into= =20 the house, loaded with her bags, she saw that it was already past 1:00. She= =20 walked into their dark living room and found her mother, asleep in the=20 recliner, with their small TV on mute. "Mom," she whispered, causing Ellen to stir and then slowly open her eyes. =20 "We're home," Lois said. Her mother closed her eyes again. "All right," she said, her voice thick with sleep. Lois stood there for a fe= w=20 more moments. "Mother, why don't you go get in your bed to sleep?" "I'm fine here. Go on to bed." Lois stood there silently for a long time, watching her mother. She knew sh= e=20 and her father weren't on good terms at the moment, and Lois had thought if=20 her mother had gotten a couple weeks to herself, then she would be more=20 relaxed and refreshed when the rest of the family got home. It appeared tha= t=20 that wasn't the case. Lois jumped when Lucy touched her arm from behind. They shared a silent=20 look, then they both walked to their room. "I thought that maybe she would be happy to see us, you know?" Lois said as=20 she sat her suitcase down beside the bed and pulled out her toothbrush. "Well, wait'll she sees what we brought her," Lucy said mischievously,=20 holding up the bag of hotel soaps they had collected to bring home. "You=20 know she'll be thrilled." Lois smiled slightly, then walked into the bathroom that joined their room.=20 "But really, Lucy. She didn't change a bit." Lucy shrugged and joined her in the bathroom. "It's her loss. If she=20 doesn't want to rebuild our family=E2=80=A6" She trailed off. "But you're ri= ght. =20 You'd think she would at least want to give it a try." Lois stopped her brushing for a minute to talk through toothpaste. "Well,=20 maybe we would get back together if anything in this world actually went=20 right." * * * "Clark? Clark, honey, wake up." Clark opened his eyes slowly and saw his=20 mother standing over his bed. "Hi, Mom," he said softly, then cleared his throat. "How are you feeling? It's almost amazing how much better your face looks.=20= =20 You can barely see the scratches=E2=80=A6" she trailed off, running her hand= slowly=20 down his cheek. Clark sat up and ran a hand through his hair. It was still damp from the=20 night before. "I'm feeling fine Mom, much better." He looked at his clock and saw it was=20 already 1:00. "Have the animals been fed?" he asked. Martha smiled. "Yes, Tuck is out taking care of chores and your dad went=20 into town." She stared at him for a second. "It's really=E2=80=A6amazing.=20= There's=20 hardly any scratches left on your face except for where that deep gash was.=20= =20 And even it's just a little line." Clark shrugged. They were silent for a moment. "Clark, I don't really know how to say this. I know that Tuck is abusive to= =20 you, and your father and I haven't been the best=E2=80=A6" "Mom, don't," Clark said sharply. His tone softened, and he put a hand on=20 his mother's. "I'm fine. And you and Dad are the only parents I would ever= =20 want. You're doing your best, and that's all anyone can do." He stood up=20 then and walked slowly out of the room and down the stairs. Martha stood=20 silently, lost in her thoughts. She knew Clark was just trying to be nice,=20 but he had always been so wonderful. He was a gift to their family, and if h= e=20 hadn't been there, she knew both her and Jonathon might have just given up o= n=20 their lives long ago. She silently thanked God for sending Clark into their= =20 life: he really was a gift from above. Then she slowly followed Clark down=20 into the kitchen. Martha found him sitting at the kitchen table, silently drinking a cup of=20 buttermilk. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Buttermilk's the cure for=20 what ails you, that's what your father used to say." She smiled at him, but=20 when he didn't respond, she patted his shoulder and walked to the=20 refrigerator. "How about I fix us some pancakes? I know we haven't had any i= n=20 a long time, and that's mostly my fault." Clark smiled half-heartedly up at her. "Sure Mom, that'd be great." His=20 attention then turned back to the window, where he was watching Tuck out in=20 the yard, who was sweeping the sidewalk to the barn. Clark realized that th= e=20 man really wasn't so bad when he wasn't drunk, but when he was=E2=80=A6 Martha noticed the direction of Clark's vision and followed it out the=20 window. He was watching Tuck. She squeezed his shoulder silently as she=20 passed him, and glared out at Tuck. As she mixed the batter for the=20 pancakes, she wished life could be normal like it once was. * * * It was midnight, and Clark was walking slowly down the trail through the=20 woods. He didn't truly think Lois would be there, he was going more out of=20 habit than anything else. But as he made his way into the clearing, what he= =20 saw made his heart leap. Her silhouette against the sparkling pond made him= =20 stop and watch her for a moment. She sat on one of the large rocks that=20 bordered the pond, and she was staring out across the water. Her dark hair=20 fell past her shoulders, and she had one leg crossed over the other one. "Lois," he breathed. She turned her head, and Clark could see her dark,=20 sparkling eyes. His knees threatened to buckle on him, and he put a hand=20 against the willow tree to steady himself. Lois stood up and walked over to= =20 him. "Hi, Clark," she said softly, staring down at the ground. "Why haven't you been here?" Clark asked, then wished he could take it back.= =20 It was rude, and if he weren't careful, he would make her not want to come=20 back. And Clark couldn't stand that. "I've been busy. We just got back from a trip to Metropolis. Daddy liked i= t=20 there a lot. So did I." She turned around and walked back to the edge of th= e=20 pond. Clark didn't quite know what to do. All this time he had waited for her to=20 meet him here, and now that she did, he didn't know what to say. So, he just= =20 tried to make conversation. "Metropolis=E2=80=A6wow. That's=E2=80=A6that's a= pretty big=20 city, huh?" "Yeah, it's great. It's so much more exciting than being here in=20 Smallville." Clark nodded, awkwardly standing beside her. Lois sat down on the rock again. Clark sat on the ground across from her.=20 They sat silently for a moment. "So, how have you been?" Lois finally asked. "Pretty good, I guess," Clark answered. Lois didn't know about Tuck, so=20 Clark couldn't tell her about the day before. "You?" "Good," she answered. That sat silently again, before Clark took Lois' hand= =20 and looked shyly up at her. "Would you like me to tell you your future?" he asked, turning her hand over= =20 so her palm faced up. Lois laughed lightly. "Sure." Clark pretended to study her hand intently for several moments=20 before tracing his finger along the top of her palm. "Let's see=E2=80=A6you're going to have a long life, and lots of kids." He l= ooked up=20 at her again, looking for her reaction, and when he saw none except for a=20 smile, looked back down at her hand. "And you're going to have a=E2=80=A6wel= l, I=20 can't tell if it says adventurous life or=E2=80=A6big house." Lois laughed a= nd pushed=20 his head back softly with her other hand. "I think you need to get your eyes checked. That or your palm reading=20 skills." Clark laughed too, then held her hand between both of his and looke= d=20 up into her dark eyes. "It also says that you'll find your true love sitting right in front of you.= " Lois was silent for a moment as they looked at each other. Then she stood=20 up, gently pulling her hand from between Clark's. "Clark, I=E2=80=A6it's late. We should be getting home." Clark sat back on= his=20 knees, dumbstruck. What had just happened? He hadn't meant to say that. It= =20 had just slipped out. But=E2=80=A6he thought Lois loved him, like he loved=20= her. As=20 she started to walk off into the woods, Clark jumped up and followed her. "Lois=E2=80=A6I=E2=80=A6I'm sorry. If I did anything=E2=80=A6" he started. Lois looked over at him and gave him a half-smile. "You didn't do anything,= =20 Clark. It's just late." Clark followed her until she turned to go to her=20 house. "Goodnight, Clark. I'll see you later." "Goodnight, Lois," Clark said as he watched her retreating back. Then,=20 inaudibly, he mouthed, "I love you." He made his way back to the house, but he was wide-awake, so he decided to=20 sit in the barn for a while and think. He walked up to the horse's stall an= d=20 made a clicking noise with his tongue. The horse jumped slightly, waking up= ,=20 then turned slowly around to stick his head over the door. Clark rubbed the= =20 chestnut's wide forehead and sighed. "I wish she could love me too," he said, barely over a whisper. "I know where you go these nights now." Clark jumped and turned around. Tuck stood in the doorway of the barn, his=20 figure casting a long shadow through the aisleway. He carried a can of beer= ,=20 of which he took a long swig of then threw it against the horse's stall=20 beside Clark. The horse jumped back in surprise. Clark was frozen in place. As Tuck walked slowly closer to him, Clark=20 noticed he couldn't keep his teeth from chattering. "You go out to see that girl, Lois, huh? Why didn't you tell me Clark? I=20 could have given you some advice, ya know? Kinda a guy to guy thing." Tuck=20 was getting closer and closer to Clark, and Clark couldn't move. He couldn'= t=20 remember ever being so scared. He was alone with a dangerous, drunk man in=20 the middle of the night in a barn. "Tuck, please=E2=80=A6" Clark said, his voice coming out almost in a squeak. "Whatsa matter, Clark? I just wanna talk to you about Lois." Clark started= =20 to move away, from Tuck was in front of him in a flash, and suddenly had his= =20 vice-like grip around Clark's wrist. "Please don't do anything, Tuck," Clark begged, his whole body trembling. "Whadya think I'm gonna do, Clark?" "I don't know, please let me go." His voice was shaking. Tuck grabbed his other wrist and held them both up before pushing Clark back= =20 against the wall of the barn. "Listen, Clark. I just wanna talk to you." =20 Clark could feel tears running down his cheeks that he couldn't stop. Tuck=20 leaned his face so close to Clark's that their noses almost touched. The=20 sharp smell of alcohol hit Clark's nostrils, and he coughed. He turned his=20 face away from Tuck and closed his eyes. "Look at me, Clark. Open your eyes. Ya need to listen to what I gotta tell= =20 you." Clark shook his head and desperately tried to wrestle free of Tuck's=20 grasp, but the older man was much stronger than Clark. "You think Lois wants you for your personality or looks, huh? That's not wha= t=20 she wants at all." Tuck moved his body closer to Clark, until his whole body= =20 was holding Clark against the wall. "No, no, no, please no," Clark was murmuring through his tears. "She don't want you at all. She just wants what you come with." Tuck moved=20 his hips up against Clark, and Clark gasped and twisted his body away from=20 Tuck. Tuck got a better hold on Clark's wrists again and slammed him back up= =20 against the wall. The air rushed out of Clark in a WOOSH of air. Clark tried to cover his ears as Tuck continued talking, but he couldn't. H= e=20 was saying terrible things, things that Clark wouldn't have ever thought.=20 Then he grabbed Clark's chin and made him look at his face. "You wanna know= =20 how I know all this? All those nights she didn't meet you, I know where she= =20 was. I know all this stuff=E2=80=A6" Tuck moved his face closer to Clark's=20= until=20 their noses touched. "I know all this stuff because she told me." In a rush, Clark wrenched his hand away from Tuck. "No!" he yelled, swung=20 back, and hit Tuck across the face. Tuck flew back against the wall all the= =20 way across the room and hit his head, then crumpled to the ground. Clark wa= s=20 frozen again, still trembling. How had he done that? How had he just sent=20 Tuck, a 200-pound man, flying across the room? Everything grew silent again= ,=20 and Clark backed up against the wall, horrified. Questions were running=20 through his mind, but he didn't have answers for any of them. "Mom!" he screamed through the night. "Dad!" He slipped down the wall and=20 onto the barn floor. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:07:04 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 4 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 4: Martha woke with a start. "Jonathon!" she whispered fervently, nudging her=20 husband's shoulder. "What?" he said, his voice heavy with sleep. "Did you hear that?" Martha asked. She sat up and slid out of bed, slipping= =20 on her robe. "Martha, what is it?" Jonathon asked. Martha didn't answer him as she ran=20 out of the room, but when she came back, Jonathon could see the look of fear= =20 on her face. "Something's happened to Clark. He's not in his room." She paused for a=20 moment, catching her breath. "Neither is Tuck." This made Jonathon jump up, and together they ran out of their house and ont= o=20 the porch. "Where could they be?" Martha asked, her eyes darting around the=20 yard. "Check the barn," Jonathon said, and they both flew through the yard and=20 through the wide barn doors. The first thing Martha saw was Clark curled up= =20 in a ball against the wall, his shoulders shaking. "Clark!" she exclaimed and ran over to him. She kneeled down beside him,=20 Jonathon right beside her. "Clark," she repeated, softly. "Clark, honey, loo= k=20 at me." She gently pried his arms away from him, and the moonlight that=20 shone in through the doors illuminated his tear-stained face. He leaned=20 forward and wrapped his arms around Martha's back, burrowing his face into=20 her shoulder. She rubbed his back soothingly. "Martha," Jonathon called from the other side of the barn. Martha and Clark= =20 both looked over to him. He was standing above Tuck's crumpled figure. "I=E2=80=A6I don't=E2=80=A6I didn't=E2=80=A6" Clark stammered, a whole new b= atch of tears=20 threatening to spill out of his eyes. "Clark, just tell us what happened," Martha said gently, still holding him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then pulled himself out of=20 Martha's grasp. He leaned back against the barn wall, his eyes closed. "I was out with Lois," he said, then let that sink in. His parents hadn't=20 known he went out to see her every night. Neither of them said anything. "Then, I came back here. He=E2=80=A6Tuck=E2=80=A6he attacked me. He was ho= lding me against=20 the wall, and he was drunk. And he was telling me all these things=E2=80= =A6" A tear=20 slipped out from underneath his tightly shut eyelids, but he wiped it away=20 with the back of his hand. "And then=E2=80=A6I punched him. And somehow, he ended up all the way acros= s the=20 barn." Clark opened his eyes and looked for his parents' reaction. The two elder=20 Kents looked at each other for a few moments, letting all of this sink in.=20 Jonathon was finally the first to speak. "Son, are you sure you didn't pull him over here? Or maybe he walked over=20 here before he collapsed?" "Dad=E2=80=A6no. I hit him, with my bare fist, and he flew across the room." "I don't understand this," Jonathon said, running a hand through his hair. =20 He bent down beside Tuck and felt for his pulse. "He's alive, just=20 unconscious." Clark let out a sigh of relief. If he had killed someone, even in=20 self-defense, he could never have lived with the guilt. "Why were you out with Lois?" Martha asked, standing up. "I just went to see her. We met in the woods beside the pond. We just=20 talked." Martha took a deep breath, and then softly said, "Can you tell us what Tuck=20 said?" Clark shut his eyes again. "No." * * * Once Clark was back in his bed, he couldn't go to sleep. His father had take= n=20 Tuck to the emergency room, and Clark felt awful, because he knew his parent= s=20 didn't have extra money to use for a hospital visit. Martha had stayed with= =20 Clark beside his bed, saying she would wait for him to go to sleep, and he=20 finally pretended he had gone to sleep, because he needed time alone to=20 think. His mind raced, all his thoughts on that night. First, there was=20 Lois. But then he pushed her out of his mind. He would save those thoughts=20 for later. He couldn't deal with them right now. His more immediate concern=20 was how, how, HOW had he sent Tuck flying 20 feet through the air. And then=20 when he thought of what Tuck had said=E2=80=A6he shivered and pulled the bla= nket=20 tighter around him, even though he wasn't cold. He didn't have answers for any of the questions that bounced back and forth=20 through his head. He just wished that everything could be normal again. =20 Finally, his mind settled long enough for him to fall asleep. And then it=20 started up again in his dreams. * * * School started in Smallville a week later. Clark felt the anxiety that come= s=20 with the first day of school as he woke up, making sure it was early enough=20 to have enough time to get ready. After getting dressed, he walked out=20 across the hallway to the bathroom. The door was locked. He raised his hand= =20 to knock, but the door swung open before he could and Tuck stepped out. He=20 gave Clark the same sneer that had been pasted on his face since the week=20 before, then continued out into the hallway, after making sure to push Clark= =20 backwards out of his way. Clark shook his head slightly, sighed, and then=20 continued on into the bathroom. He was pleasantly surprised to find his parents both awake and busy as he=20 entered the kitchen, especially since, after looking at the clock, he found=20 it was only 6:10 in the morning. For the first time in what seemed like an=20 eternity, Clark thought that maybe things would start looking up. He supposed that his parents had decided that it was better to leave things=20 as they were, for the time being anyway. They hadn't spoken anymore to Clar= k=20 about the incident in the barn, and ever since Jonathon had brought Tuck bac= k=20 from the hospital, Tuck had stayed up in his room, coming down only for=20 meals. There had been no more signs of Clark's inhuman strength, and Clark=20 had come to blame it on a serious adrenaline rush. Clark also hadn't seen Lois since that night, but he had only been out to th= e=20 pond once in the past week. He supposed he could have gone out more, but as= =20 much as he hated to admit it even to himself, what Tuck had said had had an=20 effect on Clark. He knew, in his heart, that it wasn't true, but his mind=20 couldn't help but thinking that Lois was taking advantage of him. He pushed=20 these negative thoughts out of his mind as fast as they came, but he knew=20 they were there, and he felt the fear that ate away at him, that maybe Lois=20 didn't love him. Martha seemed excited as she sat Clark down at the table and served him a bi= g=20 platter of assorted breakfast foods. "Special occasion?" Clark asked mildly. Martha poured him a glass of orange= =20 juice, and then with her own breakfast sat across from him. "It's your first day of school! Of course it's a special occasion." "It depends on your point of view I guess," Clark said with a smile as he=20 nibbled at his toast. The whole mood of the morning, and he and his mom's=20 friendly conversation was enough to make him cheerful. He didn't feel quite= =20 as on edge as he'd felt lately. At that moment Jonathon walked in from outside. Clark could smell the=20 country perfume of horses, hay, and the general outdoor scent as he passed=20 him. "Mornin' son," Jonathon said as he pulled his jacket off and laid it across=20 the back of one of the chairs. "Morning," Clark replied. Jonathon left the kitchen, only to stick his head= =20 back through the door. "I'll give you a ride to school on my way to town if you'd like," he offered= ,=20 and Clark nodded. "Sure." Jonathon nodded and then turned around. Clark finished his=20 breakfast a few minutes later, then went upstairs to get ready. * * * Lois stepped off the bus and stopped for a second, soaking in the atmosphere= .=20 It was her second year at Smallville High School, and she was looking=20 forward to not being on the bottom of the food chain. She spotted one of he= r=20 friends, Wendy, and trotted over to her. "Hey Lois!" Wendy said enthusiastically, brushing her long bangs out of her=20 eyes. "Hey," Lois replied, glancing around at her surroundings. They were standin= g=20 outside the door of the school. Lois nodded her head towards the door and=20 they walked in, comparing schedules. They found they had first period=20 Advanced Literature together, so they made there way to the classroom, Lois=20 inconspicuously looking around for a tall, dark, and handsome senior of whom= =20 she hadn't seen for a week. But, after no sign of Clark, she followed Wendy= =20 into the classroom and sat a desk near the back. She greeted other friends=20 that she hadn't seen over the summer and they chatted lightly until the PA=20 system crackled on. She listened to the announcements and jotted down a few=20 notes about when the yearbook and newspaper staff would start meeting while=20 the principal droned on in an over-zealous voice. Lois spotted a note on the blackboard written in big white chalk letters. It= =20 read: ANNUAL SMALLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL KICK-OFF COUNTRY DANCE-SEPTEMBER 12 She grinned as she remembered her experience from last year. She had gone=20 with her boyfriend, of whom she'd had a very short-term relationship with. =20 She had dumped him when she found out that he really liked her friend Beth=20 more than her, and was just using her. Typical guy. She thought about who=20 she'd like to go with this year. The first person that came to her mind was= =20 Clark. He really wasn't a typical guy, she concluded after thinking about i= t=20 for a moment. He was caring and patient, unlike any other boy Lois had known= .=20 But she didn't know if she really wanted to be more than friends with him,=20 because if something happened between them, then their close friendship woul= d=20 be ruined. Not like Clark would go to the dance with her anyway, he was a=20 senior, after all. However, she really wouldn't mind going with him, even i= f=20 it was just as friends=E2=80=A6 "Hello? Earth to Lois." Lois jerked her head up and realized she had been=20 daydreaming. She grinned sheepishly, which quickly turned to a blush and sh= e=20 saw who was trying to get her attention. Troy Wilson, the most popular boy=20 in her class, was standing beside her. She had long since developed a crush= =20 on him, like most of the girls. His soft, golden hair. His bright blue=20 eyes. His cute little dimples. Lois had to keep herself from sighing. "Hi Troy," she said, scooting over to leave him enough room to pull a chair=20 up beside her desk. "So, uh, how was your summer?" he asked, spinning a pencil around in between= =20 his fingers. Nervousness? Lois thought vaguely. "It was great, we just got back from Metropolis." "Oh. You have relatives there or something?" "No, we were just visiting." "Oh." Troy cleared his throat and looked down at the desk. "So, uh, you got= =20 a date to the dance yet?" Lois nearly choked. She started coughing and Troy looked at her worriedly. "You ok?" He asked, touching her arm lightly. She nodded, her eyes watering= .=20 Troy Wilson had just asked HER to the dance! She was nearly ready to pinch=20 herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming when he repeated his question, in a= =20 slightly more forward form. "You wanna go to the dance with me?" Lois nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Troy smiled. "Great," he said,=20 getting up and walking back to his seat. As she relaxed, she was a bit=20 surprised at her lack of self-control. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:08:05 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 5 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 5: "Hey Clark," a voice sang into Clark's ear. He turned around and smiled=20 pleasantly at the girl behind him. "Hi Lana," he answered. She immediately broke into a long speel about her=20 summer, and Clark tuned her out, smiling and nodding at the appropriate=20 times, as he looked through the crowded hallway. It was the end of the day,= =20 and for school, it had been relatively fun. The perky spirits of everybody=20 helped him relax a little, and he was actually mildly disappointed that it=20 was time to go home. But he hoped maybe the mood that had been present in=20 his parent's personalities that morning had lasted throughout the day. Clar= k=20 heard Lois' voice and turned around, expecting to find her nearby. He=20 scanned the hallway, looking for her. He frowned slightly, that was weird. =20 He was sure he had heard her talking, but he couldn't see her anywhere. "Clark! Are you listening?" Lana asked, pulling his shoulder. "Um, yeah. Something about a boat," he answered. He returned to his search=20 and finally found Lois turning a corner, coming towards him. She was talkin= g=20 with a group of friends. "Um, will you excuse me for a moment Lana?" he=20 asked, and before getting her permission, he walked towards Lois and pulled=20 her away slightly from the rest of her group. He took a deep breath. This=20 was it. He was going to ask her to the dance. "Lois, um, you know the dance on Friday?" He was a little shocked to see her= =20 face fall when he said that, and he wasn't sure whether to continue or not.=20 He swallowed the lump of nervousness in his throat and continued. "Uh, do yo= u=20 want to go with me?" She turned her head away from him. "I can't, Clark." Clark looked at her, confused, and waited for her to=20 continue. "I'm going with someone else." He felt the color drain from his=20 face. She=E2=80=A6was going with someone=E2=80=A6else. At first he was hurt= , but hurt=20 quickly gave way to anger. "Ok," he said coolly and walked back over to Lana. "Do you want to go to th= e=20 dance with me?" he asked her defiantly, keeping an eye on Lois. Lois looked=20 crestfallen, which was the total opposite of Lana. "I'd love to!" Lana said excitedly, slipping her arm through Clark's. "Now,= =20 we have to match. I have this great purple dress=E2=80=A6" As his anger sub= sided for=20 the moment, Clark wondered what he had gotten himself into. * * * Lois rode the bus home in silence, staring out the window. Her mind was a=20 mix of emotions. Somewhere, in some tiny crevice in the back of her mind,=20 she felt guilty hurting Clark like that, but for the moment, she felt more=20 anger than guilt. Clark had asked Lana Lang, one of the most popular=20 cheerleaders in the whole school, to the dance right in front of her! Sure,=20 she HAD just turned him down, but still=E2=80=A6the nerve! She was glad tha= t Troy=20 had already asked her, she sure didn't want to go anywhere with that Kent gu= y. Lois arrived home and stormed up the path to her house, slamming the door as= =20 she walked into the kitchen. Lucy, who had arrived home earlier from the=20 junior high school, was sitting at the kitchen table reading through the=20 newspaper. When Lois stomped in with a scowl on her face, Lucy grinned and=20 made a hissing noise to demonstrate Lois' anger. Lois ignored her and made=20 her way up to her room. She lay in bed for a long time, and much to her=20 dismay, she started to silently cry. She didn't like to admit to anyone,=20 even herself, that she had been hurt. * * * Clark walked into the crowded gymnasium four days later with Lana clinging t= o=20 his arm. He wore the classic country garb: a plaid shirt, blue jeans, and=20 boots, as most of the other young men wore. And like most of the other=20 girls, Lana wore a simple dress that was purple with tiny pink flowers=20 covering it. They were perfectly normal, but Clark felt strangely awkward.=20= =20 He had known Lana for most of his life, growing up around her, and he=20 normally felt at least slightly comfortable with her. Tonight, however, he=20 was anxious, looking for Lois, even though he kept telling himself he was=20 definitely NOT looking for Lois. Actually, he wasn't angry at Lois anymore, and if she had wanted to make up,= =20 he would have, because he missed her. And he would have been glad to shed=20 Lana onto some other hopeful male. She chattered on and on constantly, and=20 Clark's rational mind told him that he wouldn't last the night. While sitting out after a few group dances, Clark finally saw Lois for the=20 first time. She had the same defiant look on her face that Clark guessed wa= s=20 on his. She was with Troy Wilson. Clark knew him because they both were on=20 the football team. Clark didn't know him too well, but he had heard vague=20 rumors that he didn't have very good luck with girls, in spite of his=20 popularity. Clark didn't know any details, though. "Clark, come on. It's a slow dance," Lana said, pulling him back towards th= e=20 dance floor. He sighed inwardly. If he could handle everything else, he wa= s=20 sure he could handle Lana Lang. * * * Lois was having fun in spite of herself. Troy was actually a pretty nice=20 guy. He was friendly, funny, and a good dancer. Lois still kept her eye on= =20 Clark though, making sure he was seeing how much fun she was having, and=20 paying close attention to how he acted around Lana. By his expressions and=20 actions, Lois could tell that he wasn't enjoying himself nearly as much as=20 she was. So it was with a smug smile of satisfaction that Lois walked past=20 Clark, holding Troy's hand. Troy was leading her out the door of the=20 gymnasium and into the hallways of the school. "Where are we going?" Lois asked. She wasn't worried, just curious. "You'll see," Troy said with a mysterious smile. Lois smiled back, but she=20 was starting to wonder exactly where Troy was taking her. He pushed open=20 double doors that lead into a darkened hallway, the overhead lights dimmed. "Troy=E2=80=A6" Lois started. Troy made a 'Shhhh' noise. "They'll hear us," he said softly. Lois didn't like the direction this=20 seemed to be going in, and she stopped. "Let's go back to the gym," she said firmly, starting to turn around. But=20 Troy clutched her hand tighter. "Not yet," he said. Lois could feel her heart starting to beat faster. She= =20 knew exactly what Troy wanted to do, and what he was going to do, and she=20 frantically began to think of escape routes. He was a lot bigger and stronge= r=20 than she was, and she knew no type of self-defense. He was in charge here,=20 and she couldn't do anything but follow. And during all this, the same=20 thought kept going over and over in her mind. Clark would never have done=20 this. * * * Clark and Lana were dancing to the last slow dance of the night. Clark had=20 his head resting on Lana's, and as much as he tried to concentrate on her,=20 his thoughts kept straying to Lois. He had seen her leave with Troy, and sh= e=20 had seemed happy enough. Clark knew there was pretty much only one reason wh= y=20 they would leave early, and unwanted visions of the two together were fillin= g=20 Clark's head. In spite of those, Clark thought he could almost hear Lois. In fact, the more he concentrated on it, the more sure he was that he COULD=20 hear her. But he hadn't seen her come back into the gym, and he'd been=20 watching for her. Something very strange was going on. He lifted his head=20 from Lana's and concentrated on the sound of Lois' voice. He could tell it=20 was her, but he couldn't understand what she was saying. It reminded him of= =20 when two people behind him would whisper: he could hear them, but he couldn'= t=20 make out what they said. And that's when he realized that Lois was in distress. He had no idea HOW h= e=20 could hear her, or why, but he could, and there was a reason for it. She=20 needed him. For a moment, he thought that perhaps they had formed some type=20 of mental link, but he quickly dismissed that idea. Things like that only=20 happened in the movies. Luckily, the song was going off, so Clark moved away from Lana. "I'll be=20 back later," he said quickly, walking out the door into the hallway. He=20 moved away from the loud country music that blasted out of the gym into the=20 eerie silence of the empty hall. The farther away from the gym, the better=20 he could make out Lois' voice. And she was definitely in distress. Clark=20 picked up his pace and jogged through the hall, following the direction of=20 her voice. He didn't know how this was happening, but at the moment, he=20 didn't care. All his previous thoughts about Lois were long gone, he cared=20 only for her safety. He pushed his way through two double doors that led to the freshman hallway.= =20 Now, he could hear another voice too. A man's. He could feel fear building up inside him as he cautiously made his way=20 through the hallway, now slowed down to a walk. He was afraid of what he=20 would find when he arrived at the scene of=E2=80=A6whatever was going on. T= he door=20 of one of the dark classrooms was ajar, and Clark could hear the voices=20 coming from inside. With a start, he realized that Lois was crying. He moved his head silently=20 around the corner of the door to see and plan what he was going to do. He wa= s=20 unprepared for the scene that lay in front of him. Troy had Lois pinned dow= n=20 against one of the desks. He was kissing her neck and unbuttoning her shirt= =20 at the same time, without passion, only desire. Lois was crying and kept=20 telling him to stop. Clark recoiled in shock. He had never imagined=E2=80= =A6 He burst into the room in a flash of rage and grabbed Troy's shoulder,=20 pulling him up. Troy looked confused for a moment, and then he recognized=20 Clark in the near-pitch black of the room. He reeled back and punched Clark=20 across the face. Before Clark even realized what was happening, he felt the= =20 fist slam against his jaw, and a small trickle of blood began to trail out o= f=20 the corner of his mouth. He prepared to send a blow back at Troy, but he=20 hesitated, remembering what had happened to Tuck. Troy used his hesitation=20 against him and kicked Clark in the stomach. The air was knocked out of=20 Clark and he doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. But when he looke= d=20 up, he could see Lois sitting on the desk, buttoning her shirt up with=20 trembling fingers and giving Troy a dauntless look even though he was making= =20 his way back toward her. This gave Clark a new burst of energy, and=20 forgetting his pain, he jumped up and tackled Troy to the ground. He lay on= =20 top of him, holding him down. "Go get help!" he yelled at Lois, but she had already run out the door. =20 Moments later, she arrived with a few teachers who had served as chaperones.= =20 Clark stood up slowly and backed away from the action. He walked over to=20 Lois, who was standing in the hallway. She wrapped her arms around him. He=20 held her tightly, almost afraid to let her go. He could feel her trembling=20 against him. "Thank you," she murmured into his shoulder. "Thank you so much. You=20 shouldn't have helped me, after how I treated you this past week. I'm so=20 sorry for how I acted." "Me too," Clark said, running his hand slowly through her hair. He didn't=20 know how it had happened, but he thanked whatever forces had made it possibl= e=20 for him to hear Lois that night. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:08:39 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 6 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 6: "Oh honey!" Ellen Lane ran through the hallway, her hair across one side of=20 her head, and her house slippers poking out from under her long trench coat.= =20 Lois rose her head from Clark's shoulder and let herself fall into her=20 mother's outstretched arms. "I got here as fast as I could=E2=80=A6" She stopped mid-sentence as she eye= d Clark=20 suspiciously. "Is this the boy=E2=80=A6? "No, mom," Lois said at the same time that Clark shook his head and held out= =20 his hands innocently. "He's the one that stopped Troy." Her mother nodded,= =20 as if remembering. "I'm so sorry, Lois," Ellen said. Lois nuzzled her head against her shoulde= r. "I'm ok, Mom," Lois said reassuringly. She was incredibly relieved to see=20 her mom arrive, even though Ellen must have been asleep. It was already=20 close to midnight. "Where's Daddy?" Lois asked, and then regretted it when=20 she felt her mom tense. Her mood had changed when she answered. "He's at work," Ellen said flatly. "He's not even around for his family." "Mom, he had no idea this was going to happen=E2=80=A6" She was broken off b= y a man=20 that gently touched her shoulder. "Miss, if we could just check you out over here=E2=80=A6" He directed Lois t= o a group=20 of paramedics that had been called to the scene. Lois looked back over her=20 shoulder and saw that Clark had left. She felt like she hadn't thanked him=20 enough. * * * Clark hurried out the doors of the school into the cool fall night. His hea= d=20 was a swirl of emotions, and he needed to calm his mind down. He felt=20 slightly guilty for leaving Lois, but he knew she was in good care now that=20 her mother had arrived. He was surprised at how much anger and hate he had felt when he saw Troy in=20 the dark classroom. His head kept playing the scene over and over, and he=20 wished it would go away, leave him alone. He felt horrible that he had show= n=20 such contempt to Lois the past week. He vowed that he wouldn't hurt her=20 again. In the mean time, he had other things to think about. He looked up and saw that he was already at his farmhouse. The walk had=20 seemed shorter than it normally took. He walked through the backdoor and=20 found the house dark and still. Everyone was already asleep, but he really=20 needed to talk to his parents. He sauntered up the stairs and stopped=20 outside their door. He stood there for a long time, contemplating if he=20 should or shouldn't wake them. He could hear their breathing, slow and=20 regular, so he decided it could wait until morning. But he was wide-awake,=20 so he changed into more comfortable clothes and walked out into the night. =20 He made his to the huge oak tree in the middle of their backyard. He slowly= =20 climbed up the ladder that led into his old treehouse and sat for an unknown= =20 length of time. * * * Clark woke up the next morning with a sore neck and covered with dew. He=20 opened his eyes slowly to find himself sitting up against the wall of his=20 treehouse. He groaned inwardly at his sore muscles and he stood up as well=20 as he could, even though he had long since grown too tall to stand up=20 straight. He jumped down the short distance from the wooden floor to the=20 ground and jogged up to the house. It was very early, the sun hadn't risen=20 and the fog still hung low over the ground. Clark made a detour on his way=20 to the house to take care of the horse, and then made his way into the=20 kitchen. It was silent and dark, as it had been the night before, and Clark= =20 slid into a chair behind the kitchen table. He sat for a moment, listening=20 to nothing but the slow ticking of the clock. With a sigh, he stood up and=20 washed some dishes that had been left in the sink the night before. The lights were flicked on over his head and he turned around to see his mom= =20 standing in the doorway. He smiled quickly at her and turned back to the=20 sink. "I didn't hear you come in last night. Was it late?" Clark nodded, and tried to decide where he should start. He heard his mom=20 put a pot of coffee on to boil. Finally, after his mom had sat down with he= r=20 cup of coffee, he turned around and sat across from her at the table. He=20 took a deep breath. "Something=E2=80=A6weird is happening," he said. Martha watched him, slowly= sipping=20 from the hot mug. "Like what?" she asked. Clark filled her in on the events of the night=20 before. Martha was very sympathetic and worried about Lois, and Clark was=20 once again reminded of how thankful he should be to have such loving parents= . "But the weird thing is=E2=80=A6 I could hear her," Clark said slowly. Mart= ha looked=20 at him blankly. "What I mean is, I could hear her from the cafeteria. She=20 should have been way too far away for me to hear her. But I could. And=20 it=E2=80=A6it's worrying me I guess. I don't think it's normal. Is it?" "I don't really understand=E2=80=A6" Martha said slowly, not knowing how to=20= answer.=20 No, it wasn't normal. And that other day, Clark had thrown Tuck across the=20 barn=E2=80=A6 "Clark, has anything else=E2=80=A6unusual happened?" she asked. "I don't think so," he answered after thinking for a while. "Not that I can= =20 remember." Martha remembered the evening 17 years ago clearly. It seemed like it hadn'= t=20 been nearly that long. She and Jonathon had been a new couple, having only=20 been married a few years. They had been driving home, Martha couldn't=20 remember where they had been coming from. They had seen the streak of light= =20 across the sky, and thinking it was a meteorite, went to investigate. That'= s=20 when they had found the small spaceship that carried their son. Clark Jerome Kent had grown up in a normal home, surrounded by normal things= ,=20 and he had shown no signs of being of any race but human. Therefore, Martha=20 and Jonathon had decided that Clark needn't know he was not from Earth. It=20 would only leave too many questions unanswered, and they didn't want him to=20 grow up knowing he was different than everyone else. However, Martha and=20 Jonathon had been waiting for the day when something happened to their boy=20 that was inhuman. Maybe this was what they had been waiting for. Martha=20 took a deep breath. How could she possibly tell her son that he was an alie= n? * * * Lois woke the morning after the dance to the angry voices of her parents fro= m=20 downstairs. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. Why did=20 they always have to fight? She lay in her bed, listening to the voices that=20 were continually growing louder and more violent. She felt a tear slip down= =20 her cheek, but wiped it away quickly. Her parents hadn't been getting along= =20 very well lately, her father was more interested in his job than his family,= =20 and her mom drank far too much alcohol than was normal. Ellen said she dran= k=20 it to wash away the pain, but Lois wondered if she knew what it was really=20 doing to her. Lois jumped as the front door slammed. She cringed, then rolled out of bed.=20= =20 She made a bet with herself as to which parent had left, and figured she=20 would put her money on her mom. She was probably going to "wash away the=20 pain," Lois thought harshly. * * * "Well, son, this is=E2=80=A6 I'm not sure how to explain this," Jonathon sai= d slowly.=20 Martha had explained to him what was happening with Clark, and now all thre= e=20 were sitting in the living room. It was barely 7:00 in the morning, but=20 Clark was wide-awake. He didn't understand what was going on, he hadn't=20 thought his parents would take this so seriously. They sat across from him=20 solemnly, and Clark was afraid to know what they were going to tell him. Wa= s=20 he dying? He didn't know what to think. "Explain=E2=80=A6what?" Clark asked. "You know you're adopted," Martha said, and at Clark's nod, gave a quick=20 glance to Jonathon. "We=E2=80=A6 don't know who your parents are. We found=20= you." Clark waited for her to continue. He knew all this already; his parents had= =20 explained it to him long ago. He didn't like where this conversation was=20 going, though. Martha shifted nervously on the couch, and Clark subconsciously soaked in hi= s=20 parents' mood. He could feel the sweat on his clenched fists, and he tapped= =20 his foot restlessly. "I wish you would tell me what was going on," he said, then laughed=20 nervously, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "We found you in a spaceship," Jonathon said in one breath. Clark looked at=20 them blankly, trying to absorb this new information, but his mind couldn't=20 comprehend it. "Wha=E2=80=A6what?" he asked, then laughed harshly. "What are you talking ab= out?" "You were in a spaceship, over in Shuster's field," Martha said as Clark=20 stood up and walked across the room. "We thought you were a meteorite=E2=80= =A6" Clark=20 cut her off. "This is crazy!" he said, his voice high. He walked back to them. "You can't= =20 be serious." Jonathon nodded solemnly. "We hadn't planned on telling you. We thought tha= t=20 maybe nothing would ever come of it. But, it looks like maybe there's=20 something=E2=80=A6" "So=E2=80=A6so I'm an alien. That CAN'T be!" He sat back down in the chair=20= and=20 watched his parents silently. "Ok, where's the punchline?" he asked. This was a nightmare, and it was=20 going wildly out of control. He didn't want to believe them, but somehow, h= e=20 knew they were serious. He just couldn't take that for an answer. He was=20 normal. He was human. "We=E2=80=A6we're not joking, Clark," Martha said gently. "You are! You're lying!" He jumped up and ran to the backdoor. He felt=20 hysterical, his mind was out of control. He stomped into the kitchen and=20 grabbed his father's car keys from their hook on the wall. =20 "Clark, wait!" His parents were running towards him. "We need to find out=20 what's happening=E2=80=A6" "I hate you!" he exploded. "I hate you for doing this to me!" He ran out th= e=20 door and jumped into Jonathon's pickup truck. He turned the key in the=20 ignition and slammed the car into reverse, zooming out the driveway. He was= =20 out of sight by the time the elder Kents got to the end of the driveway. Tuck watched the Kent family from his upstairs bedroom window. He narrowed=20 his eyes at the pickup truck that soon vanished from his view. * * * Clark sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff, looking out into the valley= .=20 The sun was just beginning to rise, and he watched the brilliant oranges,=20 pinks, and yellows as the great ball of fire rose over the horizon. For the= =20 first time in his whole life, he realized this wasn't his sun. And this=20 wasn't his hill. That farm he'd lived on his whole life? Wasn't his. And=20 those weren't his parents. He felt like an outsider, unwanted, on this=20 planet of people to which he didn't belong. It was a deep feeling of=20 loneliness like he had never felt before. It was like being starving, but=20 never being able to satisfy the hunger. His anger had faded away with the rising of the sun, and he felt terrible fo= r=20 yelling at his parents. No, they weren't his parents. They were just=E2=80= =A6people.=20 But people that had always been kind to him. They had taken him in, knowin= g=20 that he was not even of the Earth, and they had taken care of him, even=20 though they had been going through hard times. Now he felt guilty, too. =20 They had had no reason to let him stay with them, but they had. And they=20 cared for him. He knew they didn't love him, it must be hard to love an=20 alien, but they did care for him. And that was more than he could deserved. He wanted to go back and apologize to them, but he couldn't. Not yet, anyway= .=20 He couldn't grasp the full picture that was now painted for him. This woul= d=20 change his life forever. All the problems that he had had before were=20 laughable. Imagine, just a week earlier, he had felt depressed because Lois= =20 hadn't wanted to go to a dance with him! Now he knew she wasn't even the=20 same species as him. And who knew what happened now? Maybe the people on=20 his=E2=80=A6home planet died at a young age. Maybe he would grow another he= ad. How=20 was there any possible way to know? He had a thousand questions, and no=20 answers. Maybe his parents, his real parents, were going to come back for=20 him. Or maybe they were already here. It would probably be best if he went= =20 with them. After all, he didn't belong on earth. He stood up mechanically and walked closer to the edge of the cliff. He=20 looked down at the steep drop, and he felt the crazy urge to jump. The valle= y=20 beneath him was spinning madly, and the colors all seemed to meld together=20 into one. His mind was fogging up. He couldn't think straight, or even=20 breathe. He backed up very slowly. He backed up until his hands touched a tree, and=20 he clung on to the trunk, as if it would hold him up. He was scared. He wa= s=20 so scared he had almost flung himself over a cliff. He turned around and du= g=20 his fingernails into the bark. His dark hair was damp with perspiration and= =20 it clung to his forehead. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his rapid=20 heartbeat. He felt the tears fall down his face, but this time, he didn't=20 try to stop them. He slid to the ground, holding on to the tree as if it=20 were the only steadfastness in his life, which was spinning wildly out of=20 control. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:09:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 7 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 7 Tuck lay in his bed for what seemed like an eternity until he was sure that=20 all three Kents had left. Jonathon and Martha went out in search of Clark a= =20 while ago, but Tuck had to be certain they were gone before he left his room= .=20 He had been on his way downstairs for breakfast when he had heard the angry= =20 voice of Clark. He had overheard=E2=80=A6something, but he wasn't exactly s= ure what=20 that something was yet. And what he had heard, he couldn't believe. Clark?=20 An alien? This thought triggered a memory stored away in the crevices of=20 Tuck's mind. A few years earlier, Tuck had stumbled upon something in the=20 Kents' shed, which had made no sense at the time. But with this newfound=20 information, Tuck felt the need to investigate more thoroughly the object in= =20 the shed. He slipped out of the house quickly, and jogged to the barn. He hadn't been= =20 outside much in the past few weeks, and the strange feeling of the wind over= =20 his still-bruised face brought back the painful memories of that night. If=20 this whole thing about Clark being an alien turned out to be true=E2=80=A6we= ll, Tuck=20 couldn't think of a more perfect revenge. He opened the door to the old shed, and the rusted hinges groaned in=20 response. Tuck walked to the center of the room and lifted up the old=20 dust-covered rug. He ran the toe of his boot over the ground until it hit th= e=20 large iron ring. He grinned devilishly. Just like he remembered. He=20 kneeled down on one knee and grasped the ring with both hands. He heaved=20 upwards, and in spite of the protesting moan the hinges let out, the door=20 lifted up. Tuck half-smiled to himself. There it was, untouched over all=20 these 17 years. Tuck reached down inside the hole and ran his fingers over=20 the dust-covered S that adorned the front of the small spacecraft. Revenge=20 would be sweet. * * * "Princess?" Sam Lane said as he knocked on Lois' door. "Can I come in?" "Sure," Lois' voice answered from the other side. Sam pushed open the door=20 and stepped onto the plush pink carpet of Lois' and Lucy's room. Lois was=20 sprawled out on her bed, her pencil poised over a sheet of notebook paper,=20 and her schoolbooks spread open around her. Sam sat on the corner of her=20 mattress, clasping his hands in his lap. Lois looked up thoughtfully at him= . "Do you think this last sentence makes sense?" she asked him, handing him th= e=20 piece of paper. "What's this? My Lois doing her homework on a Saturday?" He chuckled as he=20 took the paper and began to read. Lois knew he was being especially cheerful= =20 to her because of the events of the night before, and his lack of=20 participation in them, but it still made her feel=E2=80=A6special. Loved. "It's actually an entry for the school paper. I felt like I needed to=E2= =80=A6you=20 know, expound on why girls should always be certain that the boy they're wit= h=20 is=E2=80=A6worthy." She paused for a moment, as if thinking, then continued,= "And I=20 have a personal experience to include now." Sam looked at her with sympathy= ,=20 and he was almost able to talking, but Lois opened her mouth first. "Finish=20 reading." She didn't want to deal with sympathy right now. After all,=20 nothing had really happened to her. However, if Clark hadn't shown up=E2= =80=A6Lois=20 shuddered at the thought. Sam put the paper back down on her bed. "That's really good, Princess. =20 You're so talented in writing, you're talented in everything. I'm so proud o= f=20 you, you and Lucy both=E2=80=A6" he trailed off. Lois lifted her eyebrow at= him and=20 poked his hand with her pencil. "Are you ok, Daddy?" she asked with humor in her voice. Her father wasn't=20 one to just flush out compliments. He looked down at her with a new sense o= f=20 determination. "How would you feel about being an intern for a reporter at the Daily Planet= ?" * * * "Is that the truck?" Martha asked, looking out the passenger side window of=20 the borrowed car. After Clark had run, or driven, away, Jonathon had run=20 over to their closest neighbor's house and asked for the use of their small=20 car. He hadn't had time to give them a reason, but luckily trust builds a=20 strong bond between Smallville residents. "Looks like it," Jonathon muttered. Their old pickup was parked under a=20 grove of apple trees. A boy in near hysterics had obviously tried to hide=20 it. He parked the car beside the truck and the two climbed out quickly. "Reckon he went up to Heaven's Hill," Jonathon said, eyeing the gravel path=20 that led upwards to the top of one of the highest hills in Smallville. It=20 wasn't too uncommon for Clark to go up there and sit for hours on end, so=20 that was the obvious place for him to go. "Oh my," Martha said softly. What if Clark had=E2=80=A6taken drastic measur= es? He=20 had been terribly upset, and Martha couldn't blame him, but=E2=80=A6he was p= robably=20 standing at the edge of the highest hill around. "Come on," Jonathon said, sensing Martha's anxiety and pulling her towards=20 the path. The climb wasn't too difficult, but the incline did take its toll= =20 on the older couple, and by the time they could see the top, they were=20 panting. "Almost there," Martha said with a new persistence. "Yup," Jonathon agreed. When they were finally able to see the flat top of=20 the hill, Jonathon lightly touched Martha's arm and put one finger on his=20 lips, then pointed towards a tree near the edge. Martha crept up behind a=20 picnic table and watched Clark silently. He sat with his back against the=20 tree. He was staring out to no particular point, and two fingers constantly= =20 twirled a long piece of grass in between them. Martha looked at Jonathon for= =20 his consent, and at his nod, she stood up straight and walked towards her so= n. "Clark, sweetie=E2=80=A6" she started. Clark jerked his head up at her, tak= en by=20 surprise. He jumped up, and Martha was almost afraid that he was going to ru= n=20 away from them, but then he ran to her, and she wrapped her arms around him.= =20 She felt Jonathon's presence behind her, then saw his hand Clark's shoulder. "I'm really sorry," Clark said into Martha's shoulder. "It's ok, honey, we're just so glad that you're ok," she said, looking up at= =20 Jonathon. This was going to be a very rough time for all of them. * * * "Now, Clark, if you're sure you're ready to see this=E2=80=A6" Jonathon said= ,=20 stopping outside of the door of the shed. He didn't want to upset Clark=20 anymore than he already was, but he also didn't want to think that Jonathon=20 didn't trust in him. Clark nodded slowly, feeling the same apprehension he had felt earlier that=20 morning while he had waited in suspense for what his parents had had to tell= =20 him. However, he thought bitterly, there was probably nothing more=20 surprising than finding out you're an alien. He had a feeling that whatever=20 his father was so apprehensive about telling him couldn't possibly be any=20 worse than what he'd already learned. He felt matured in a way he had never=20 before, as if he had already seen the worst life had to throw at him. He=20 hoped this was the case, anyway. "Ok, then," Jonathon said, opening the shed door. The inside was dark, the=20 only dim light coming from the dust-covered window. Jonathon pulled the=20 chain to turn on the light, but the bulb only flickered for a split-second=20 before sparking and burning out. Jonathon made an un-definable noise, but h= e=20 motioned for Clark and Martha to follow him in. He walked to the window and= =20 heaved it open. Light immediately flooded the shed, and made it appear less=20 like a cave to Clark. "Martha," Jonathon said shortly as he surveyed the room. Leading from the=20 door to the center of the room were very definable, very recent footprints o= n=20 the dust and dirt coated floor. Clark glanced from one parent's horrified=20 look to the other. What was happening now? Jonathon kneeled down beside the iron ring and pulled the door up. "Ohmygod," Martha said in one breath. "It's gone," Jonathon said slowly. "What? What's gone?" Clark asked, wishing they would explain to him. They=20 seemed to keep him in the dark too long, too often. Jonathon took a slow breath, "The ship. The space ship that we found you in= .=20 It's=E2=80=A6" "Gone," Martha finished. "Well, who took it? Who else knows?" Clark demanded. Martha and Jonathon shared a worried glance. * * * Lois lay on her bed unmoving for an un-definable amount of time after her=20 father left her room. He had told her that the client he had met with durin= g=20 their stay in Metropolis was offering him a job. It was at a place called=20 Star Labs, and he would be able to study robots and cyborgs, something that=20 had always been his dream. He said that she could come with him, and Lucy=20 could stay in Smallville with their mother. He was asking her to leave her home, and move to Metropolis, which was quite= =20 a contrast from Smallville. He was asking her to leave her life, and=20 everything she'd come to know. But what a glamorous life would be in her=20 future! Sam had arranged with a Perry White, who was the editor of the Daily= =20 Planet, that if Lois was truly interested in journalism, and would be willin= g=20 to put her heart and soul into it, then he could make an intern out of her.=20= =20 There was a reporter who was willing to take her on until she graduated from= =20 high school, when she could go to the Metropolis School of Journalism. It=20 was her dream, and there was now a very large possibility that it could be=20 her reality. She would give anything to go with her father. At least that's what her=20 first thoughts had been. Besides leaving Nowheresville, she could get away=20 from the school that she had just been horribly humiliated in the night=20 before. And she could become a reporter for one of the biggest newspapers i= n=20 the world! Yes, it would be wonderful. But, there were some things in Smallville that=20 she would hate to leave. Her mother, her sister, Clark=E2=80=A6 Could she j= ust drop=20 everything and run to the big city? And leave them all behind? She wasn't=20 sure. She had questioned at first why her mother and Lucy couldn't come wit= h=20 them, but Sam had said that Ellen had already made it clear that she didn't=20 want to move to the city. And one of the girls had to stay with her, to tak= e=20 care of her. Sam had thought that Lois would appreciate the move more than=20 Lucy, especially since he had already made plans for her. And Clark=E2=80=A6she didn't know what to think about him. She liked to thi= nk that=20 he had saved her life the night before and she certainly knew that he cared=20 for her. And she cared for him. But he was just a guy=E2=80=A6right? She w= ould meet=20 plenty of guys in Metropolis, who would be much more upbeat than the hicks i= n=20 Smallville. But she didn't, and had never, thought of Clark like a hick. He= =20 had always been kind and gentle, and he had never, ever pushed her into a=20 situation in which she was uncomfortable. She loved him. But she doubted=20 whether she could ever have a future with him. In spite of her attempts to=20 push these thoughts out of her head, she knew that he would be going nowhere= =20 in life. He was in his last year in high school, and she doubted quite=20 seriously that he would be going to college. His family was destitute of=20 wealth and she had made the assumption that he suffered from personal=20 problems. He was destined to be a farmer for the rest of his life. But Loi= s=20 had the chance to change her life forever. She could see the papers now. An article on the front page of the Daily=20 Planet, with a byline of Lois Lane. Or maybe she would be married by the=20 time she had a front-page story, and her name would be different. She grinne= d=20 mischievously at the thought. "This isn't a dream, is it?" she asked herself, flopping onto her back on th= e=20 bed. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:10:02 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 8 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 8: "Swear to God it's real," Tuck said as he leaned on the counter of the local= =20 newspaper, pointing to the ship that he had carried to the receptionist in=20 the lobby. She eyed the ship warily. "Mr=E2=80=A6" "Tuck," he answered. "Mr. Tuck, I don't know about this. We don't run a Dirt Digger here, just a= =20 paper." She ran her hand over the ship. "Got it from the Kents'. I reckon they're hidin' an alien." The=20 receptionist narrowed her eyes at him. "You," she pointed at him, then at the door, "get outta here, and take your=20 spaceship. You leave the Kents' alone. They don't need this mess." Tuck=20 shrugged his shoulders and picked up the ship. It was surprisingly light, i= n=20 spite of its bulk. He didn't really need it in the paper, that was just goin= g=20 to be an added glory. He would hit the kid where it hurt. He placed the=20 ship carefully in the back of the pickup truck and headed towards Smallville= =20 High School. * * * Sunday passed very slowly, with the whole Kent household on edge. Clark=20 stayed in his room for most of the day, thinking over the weekend's events.=20= =20 He had now gotten over the initial surprise of finding out that he was not o= f=20 earthly origin. He was still feeling the loneliness that he had felt the da= y=20 before, but it was more like a gentle hum in his head instead of an=20 electrifying fear. And he found, after a day of contemplation, that he=20 didn't feel any different. He still felt like Clark Kent, instead of the=20 alien that he was. 'Alien' had now become like a curse word in his mind, and he mentally kicked= =20 himself whenever he referred to himself as one. He still felt, looked, and=20 thought like a human. The only difference now was that he had the=20 information that he was indeed not. Not for the first time, he thought what= =20 his peers would think when they knew that he wasn't like them. Especially=20 Lois. His parents had been terribly afraid of letting anyone else know, and= =20 that's why they had been brooding all day over the fact that the spaceship=20 was gone. Clark, however, didn't think anything really bad would happen. =20 They would probably treat him differently than they had before. Would they=20 be afraid? He hoped not. He decided that the safest way to protect his=20 friends, and himself, would be to just not tell them. But could he live a=20 lie his whole life? Clark had figured that Lois would have come by his house sometime during the= =20 weekend to talk about Friday, but now he was glad she hadn't. He was too=20 much of a wreck. He wondered if she would come to school the next day. She= =20 must have been terribly embarrassed, and it would be hard, even if Troy=20 wouldn't be there. Clark heard the heavy, slow footsteps of his father coming up the stairs. H= e=20 turned over onto his side on the bed and pulled the blanket up around him.=20 "Dad?" he called. Jonathon turned his head around the corner of Clark's room. Clark could see= =20 the lines of worry on his father's face. "What is it, Clark?" he said wearily. Clark sat up off his pillow. "Ok, I know that it would be weird if anyone found out about=E2=80=A6you kno= w, me,=20 but how can it be so horrible that you and Mom have been stressing over it=20 all day long?" he asked slowly, carefully trying to choose the best words. =20 His father sighed deeply and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Clark, if anyone, like=E2=80=A6 the government, found out about you, do you= think=20 they would just leave you alone? No, they would capture you and take you=20 away to some lab, somewhere, and study you. You would live in a cage forever= ,=20 if they didn't kill you right away so they could dissect you!" Clark stared at him. This thought had never crossed his mind. Images of=20 himself, strapped to a table in a white room with sharp metal objects probin= g=20 into him filled his head. "Why would they do that?" he asked in a strangled voice. Jonathon took on a= =20 gentler tone. "The majority of the people in the world don't like people that are=20 different. But being different is what makes you special. And don't you=20 worry about anything, we won't let anything happen to you. All right?" Clark nodded, falling back onto his pillow. Jonathon rubbed his back for a=20 few seconds before standing up. "Are you going to feel up to going to schoo= l=20 tomorrow?" he asked before leaving. Clark nodded. Jonathon turned out the=20 light and shut the door. Clark, however, didn't fall asleep until much=20 later, and when he did, his dreams only filled his mind with terror. * * * Clark woke the next morning, feeling as if he hadn't slept at all. He=20 groaned and turned over away from the window, thinking that he could tell hi= s=20 father that he did indeed feel too bad to go to school. But then he thought= =20 that if Lois did come to school, he needed to be there for her, if she liked= =20 it or not. So he slowly made his way off of his bed, pulled on a T-shirt an= d=20 jeans, and left the room, giving the bed one final, longing glance. His father had offered to give him another ride to school since he again had= =20 to go into town, and Clark graciously accepted. It was better than walking,= =20 which was how he got to the building most mornings. So as he stepped out of= =20 the truck and onto the school grounds, he felt more cheerful than most=20 mornings. But as he neared the building, he began to feel nervous. What if= =20 someone could tell that he was different than he had been the last time they= =20 saw him? He scolded himself for thinking that. He wasn't different, at=20 least not on the outside.. He climbed the steps and entered the hallway. A= =20 few girls turned to look at him, then they turned and giggled, their faces=20 away from him. Clark frowned. What was that about? A girl that he didn't know very well walked up beside him. "Hey, space-boy,= "=20 she said, then laughed as she turned back to her boyfriend. Clark stopped=20 walking and stared back at her, wide-eyed. How did she, a girl Clark didn't= =20 even know, know about him? As he started walking, more slowly this time, he= =20 noticed that people were indeed looking at him with amusement. They knew. =20 They all knew. Now he was going to be put into a secret lab somewhere and b= e=20 dissected. He saw Lois at her locker and sighed gratefully. He walked up=20 beside her and she turned to look at him. He thought he could almost see th= e=20 laughter in her eyes as well. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why's everyone looking at me funny?" "You haven't been to the cafeteria, have you?" she asked, her amusement now=20 gone as she saw how upset he was. "No=E2=80=A6" Clark said slowly. Lois closed her locker and linked her arm=20= through=20 his, guiding him to the cafeteria. He was so worried he didn't even notice=20 her gesture. He could see a mass of people crowding around the doors, tryin= g=20 to get inside. Lois pushed her way through, pulling Clark behind her. They=20 broke through the mass of people and what Clark saw nearly made him faint. =20 There was a huge poster of him, almost covering an entire wall. It had his=20 school picture from the last year blown up, but it had been edited so that h= e=20 now had two very long antennas sticking out. It was made to look as if he=20 were driving a spaceship. At the top, the poster read 'CLARK KENT, TEENAGE=20 ALIEN'. Then at the bottom, it said, 'WE HAVE PROOF.' Clark could almost=20 feel the earth collapse beneath him, and his legs threatened to turn into=20 jelly. He backed up through the crowd very slowly at first, then he turned=20 around and ran through the hallways and out of the building. He stopped=20 running when he got to the parking lot and sat down, leaning against=20 someone's car. He heard footsteps running towards him. "Clark?" It was Lois. He groaned, not wanting to talk to anyone at the=20 moment. "Where are you?" she asked. He stood up and caught her eye for a split=20 second before turning away. "That's a bunch of garbage," she said fiercely,=20 but she got no response from Clark. She cleared her throat. "Do you know=20 who did that?" "I'm not sure," he said glumly. There was a long silence, and Lois moved on= e=20 step closer to Clark. "The principal was trying to take it down. So it's probably gone by now." =20 She reached out and took his hand. "Let's go back inside. You can't just le= t=20 them win." "You're right," he agreed and followed her back up to the school building. =20 Just as they walked through the door, Clark was pushed from the side and he=20 slammed into the wall. He looked up in a daze. There was a group of guys=20 standing a few feet away. "Hey, alien-freak, watch where you're going," one of them said, and they all= =20 laughed. They walked away, and Lois ran over to Clark. He had turned white= . Alien-freak. The words kept replaying themselves in his head. That's what=20 he was. A freak. It had suddenly all become so simple, everything had been= =20 put into black and white. He was a freak. He didn't belong among the=20 humans. He felt tears prick the back of his eyes, but he wiped at them=20 fiercely. He was such a baby. If that's what aliens called their young. "Lois, I better go," he said, shaking free of her. She would think he was a=20 freak, too, if she knew the truth. She would never talk to him. He had to=20 get out of there before he gave himself away. "Go? Where?" He almost said home, but caught himself in time. It wasn't his home. "The=20 house." "What? You can't just leave=E2=80=A6" she trailed off as he ran out of the s= chool. =20 He ran as fast as he could through the parking lot, then down the road. It=20 seemed like the trees and surrounding landscape were just a blur. All he=20 could feel were his feet pounding on the pavement, faster than they'd ever=20 before. Funny, he thought vaguely. My feet are beating faster than my heart. * * * Lois stared off after Clark. Where was he going? She knew the poster had=20 upset him, but was it really THAT bad? And then that group of guys had pushe= d=20 him, but come on! He was acting pretty pathetic in her opinion. She watched= =20 a few authoritative figures march past her angrily, one of them carrying the= =20 poster. She heard the bell ring signaling that school was now starting, but= =20 the whole of the student body was still milling around in the hallway. All=20 because of the poster. She began to understand why Clark had been so upset.= =20 But she wished he hadn't left, because besides this whole alien thing, she=20 needed to talk to him about her moving to Metropolis. "Lois," she heard her friend, Wendy, calling her, "I heard what happened on=20 Friday. I'm so sorry." Lois suddenly found herself enveloped in a hug. "I'm fine, really. Nothing happened." She almost said that Clark had saved=20 her in time, but bringing him up would probably only result in Wendy saying=20 something about the poster, and Lois was just about sick of everyone being s= o=20 rude. Didn't they understand that Clark had feelings too? He was a normal=20 human being, just like everyone else! * * * "Hey, Jon," the hardware store-owner called out as Jonathon entered through=20 the door. "Hey, Hank," Jonathon greeted. "So'd ya get my message?" Hank asked, coming around the counter and walking=20 over to pack flashlights on a shelf. Jonathon nodded and helped him stack the boxes. "I'd be happy to give ya a job as a clerk, but frankly, I been wondering why= =20 you stopped farming." "Well, after the tornado flattened all our crops, I just didn't have the=20 heart to start over. I'm getting older, so I figured I should try to find a=20 safer job. Especially I got that back injury when I was repairing the barn.= =20 My body just don't work like it used to." "I understand, and if you'd like, I'll start you out working 4 days a week=20 for about 4 hours a day. How's that sound?" "It sounds great. I can't think you enough for this, Hank." "Don't mention it. I'm getting too old to work as much as I do, too. I=20 wouldn't mind a little help around here. I have the high school boys, but=20 they're not too reliable. They always have a date to make and have to cance= l=20 their hours." "I know how it is, I have one of them." "Well, I'll make you up a schedule and call you when I have it made." "Thanks again," Jonathon said as he left. He headed down the sidewalk=20 towards the grocery store, greeting familiar faces cheerfully as he passed.=20= =20 Things were starting to look up. He quickly grabbed the items he needed from the shelves and headed to the=20 checkout line. He unloaded the contents of his shopping cart onto the=20 scanner when something on the magazine rack made him take a double look. An= d=20 when he did, he was afraid that his heart would stop beating. There was=20 Clark on the front page of the Dirt Digger. The same picture that was=20 hanging in a frame in his living room. Except it had been edited, he now ha= d=20 antenna sticking out from under his mussed black hair, and he appeared to be= =20 driving a spaceship. The same spaceship that he arrived to earth in. =20 Jonathon quickly grabbed the paper and lay in face down within his other=20 items. This was what he had feared would happen ever since he and Martha had first=20 found Clark. That something would happen to their boy. And now something=20 was happening. Someone had found out, and now it was on the front page of a=20 newspaper that was sent all over the country. He exited the store and jumped in the pickup, where he immediately pulled th= e=20 newspaper out from the bags. He quickly scanned the article on the inside=20 cover. It explained that Clark Kent was actually an alien, with a load of=20 phony facts to back that statement up. Except for the one that said they ha= d=20 the spaceship that he arrived in, which was true. Jonathon gave a silent=20 prayer thanking that the article hadn't been put into a REAL magazine or=20 newspaper, but still=E2=80=A6 even this was too much publicity. Jonathon sped home, needing to get there and show his family what was now=20 happening. But as he pulled up onto the long and normally deserted road tha= t=20 his house was located on, he could tell something was wrong. Right before he= =20 came to the lane that led to his driveway, he saw several large, black Sedan= s=20 parked on the side of the road. This made him slightly nervous, because=20 there was normally no one anywhere around, and especially not in a mass like= =20 this. He turned down the lane and into his driveway. He couldn't see anyone=20 outside, but he knew that meant nothing. He would never forgive himself if=20 they had done something to Martha. Thank God that Clark was still at=20 school... ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:11:07 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 9 of MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 9: Clark's memories of his run home from school were hazy, as it passed so=20 quickly. As he zoomed, for lack of a better word, towards his front porch,=20 he tried to slow himself down before he hurt himself, but found that it was=20= a=20 rather difficult thing to do. He managed to do so without much disaster, bu= t=20 he had been forced to trip himself over the first step of the porch. He=20 stood up shakily, holding onto the railing. He could hear his heart thuddin= g=20 wildly in his chest, and he gulped in air. It was such a strange feeling,=20 for a few moments, it had actually felt as if he hadn't even been touching=20 the ground. "Mom," he called as he stepped into the house. There was a silence before=20 Martha stepped into the kitchen to find Clark leaning against the counter,=20 his face red and his hair wind-swept. "What are you doing here so early?" she asked, feeling a small flicker of=20 anger. If Clark was skipping school... "I'm a freak," he said flatly, his face emotionless. "Where'd you get that idea? You are not a freak, Clark, and if anyone says=20 otherwise-" Clark cut her off. "There was a poster at school. Someone had edited my=20 picture to make me look like an alien." He had been trying to keep his=20 attitude impassive, but his voice cracked as he continued. "Everyone was=20 looking at me weird and calling me 'alien' and 'space boy' and=E2=80=A6''fre= ak'. =20 And they think its just a scam, what would they think if they knew the truth= ?" Martha put her arms around Clark, because he looked in dire need of a hug. =20 "So you came home? Why don't we go back to school and if anyone says=20 anything to you, you tell them your mother will never let them forget it." "M-om," Clark sighed, "this isn't a joke." "I know, honey. But they'll get over it. Kids do. They'll never know-" "But what if they find out? I won't be welcome anywhere." "They WON'T find out. Don't worry." Clark broke away from her. "I'm not going back to school." "You can't run away from your problems," Martha protested. "Watch me," Clark said stonily, walking into the living room, then pounding=20 up the stairs. Martha rolled her eyes at him. He was so stubborn. She=20 intended to follow him up the stairs, but there was a knock at the front=20 door. She sighed and walked through the living room to the door. She opene= d=20 the door to find two men in suits standing on her porch. "Yes?" she asked, as pleasantly as possible. She had a hunch that these were= =20 salesmen, but that idea quickly dissolved as they pushed brusquely past her=20 into the hallway. She narrowed her eyes at them as they looked around. "What ARE you doing?" she asked, the annoyance now clearly evident in your=20 voice. "Are you Mrs. Kent?" the smallest man asked. "Yes..." she answered slowly. "We've come to talk to your son. Is he here?" Martha folded her arms across her chest. What was this? "No, he's at school= ." "Well, then, we'll wait for him to get home." "You most certainly will not. I don't know who you are, or what you want,=20 but you will not stay in my house any longer. Now, please..." She motioned=20 towards the door. "Mrs. Kent, this is quite important. I'm Henry Richards, and this is my=20 colleague, Mr. Norman. We're from the National Inquiry." Martha interrupted him with a snort of disapproval. A tabloid reporter. Sh= e=20 wasn't sure why they were here, but she wasn't going to allow them to stay=20 any longer. "I really don't care who you are, and my husband will be home any moment, so= =20 if you don't leave, he'll make you leave." Richards smiled and spoke as if he were explaining something to a child.=20 "Mrs. Kent, we have an offer for your son. I understand you aren't=20 finacially secure," this earned a disapproving look from Martha, "and we are= =20 prepared to pay your son a rather large amount of money to use his story." "What story?" Martha asked, clearly confused. "Don't play dumb, Ma'am. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The Clar= k=20 Kent alien story." "That's it. Get out of here." Martha opened the door and was prepared to=20 push them out when a voice came from behind them. "Wait, Mom. How much money?" Three heads swiveled around to see Clark=20 standing at the bottom of the stairs. His face showed weariness, sadness,=20 anger, but most of all, defeat. * * * Clark sat on the couch, beside his mother and across from the two men. =20 Martha continuously fixed Clark with her disappointed glare, but he ignored=20 her, instead, he waited for the men to explain what they wanted. After the introductions, Clark had instructed for them to all sit in the=20 living room, and Martha grudgingly brought the men iced tea. "What is it exactly that you want?" Clark asked. He kept his voice as flat=20 and emotionless as he could. His previous thoughts and worries had been=20 pushed out of his mind. "All we want is your approval to use your story. After the Dirt Digger made= =20 that front page article-" Clark cut him off. "What article? What are you talking about?" Someone cleared there throat loudly from the hallway, and Clark looked up to= =20 see Jonathon leaning against the doorframe, grimly holding up the newspaper=20 that he had brought home. "What is that?" Clark asked his father. Jonathon= =20 came to sit beside Clark and Martha, showing them the paper. Clark thought h= e=20 could feel his face flush as he read the article about him. It was a bunch=20 of trash, saying how he had come here to lead an alien invasion. He laughed= =20 harshly. "What is this?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. "That's exactly what we'd like to know," Richards said excitedly, leaning=20 forward with his hand folded together in front of him. "Who are these people?" Jonathon asked Martha. Martha explained the situation to him softly. "I'm still not sure what you want," Clark said slowly. He needed to think=20 about what he said before he said it, or he might get himself into trouble.=20 "This is all a bunch of trash." "Ah, the joys of working for a paper like the Inquiry. All you need to do i= s=20 give us permission to use you so you can't sue us, maybe feed us some=20 information, we write an exclusive interview with you, and that's it." "Why would I do that?" Clark asked. "Because you need the money. We're prepared to pay quite a large sum for=20 your consent. Think of it as...an easy and sure way to win the lottery." "How much money?" Clark asked. "Well, I can't be sure, but=E2=80=A6how does $10,000 sound?" Clark sucked in his breath quickly. 10,000 dollars! He could pay for the=20 house to be fixed. He could get his parents back on their feet. They could= =20 buy a newer car. After all, their pickup truck was older than Clark. =20 Then Clark remembered how he had, in vain and maybe curiosity, sent in his=20 applications to the Metropolis School of Journalism and Wichita U., two=20 large, and expensive, colleges. He knew he wouldn't get accepted, but with=20 this money, he may be able to pay to go to the community college for a few=20 years. Clark looked over at his parents and could see the surprise and shock on=20 their faces too. Frankly, he didn't see why he shouldn't do this, after all= ,=20 the rumors were already flying around if his picture was on the cover of a=20 newspaper. All he would be doing would be feeding the fire, not starting it= . Jonathon finally cleared his throat. "We really need to discuss this, but I=20 believe our answer will still be 'no'," he said, glancing at Martha, but=20 deliberately diverting his eyes from Clark's face. "Dad!" Clark protested, but Jonathon stood up and directed the men to the=20 door. "Here's our card," Richards said cheerfully to Clark, handing him a small=20 business card. "Get in touch with us soon with your decision." Clark=20 nodded slowly, still in shock. Then he nodded more surely. "Yeah, ok, I'll call you," he said decidedly. "Good! Then we'll await your call." Clark nodded again. Martha closed the=20 door behind her and then twirled around to face Clark. "Clark Jer-" she started before Clark interrupted her. "Don't. This is my decision." He turned and thudded up the stairs, taking=20 them two at a time, before he reached his bedroom. He jumped onto his bed.=20= =20 He didn't know what to think. His brain was blank as he tried to understand= =20 all this new information. He could have a lot of money. More than he had=20 ever hoped for. All he had to do was sell his life. He felt like he was=20 dealing with the devil. Riches for his soul. But no, this wasn't like that= .=20 Not really. He was just giving them permission to write a phony story abou= t=20 him that no one would believe anyway. And those words kept repeating in his= =20 mind. "...how does $10,000 sound?" If he didn't take the money, wouldn't they write about him anyway? They mus= t=20 have known that the Kents' couldn't afford an attorney to actually sue them,= =20 so what were they trying to pull? Clark certainly didn't trust the=20 reporters, but what other choice did he have then take the money? His life=20 was going nowhere fast, and he doubted seriously that he would ever be more=20 than a farmer. Unless, that little voice in his head nagged, your real=20 people come back to get you. Which raised another question. What would=20 Clark tell the reporters? He couldn't tell them the truth of what he really= =20 was, of course, he had to make something up. The easy part, however, would=20 be that he needed to make it sound like it was pretend, so they wouldn't=20 suspect he was really an alien. He doubted rather seriously that the=20 National Inquiry reporters actually believed that he was an alien, or they=20 probably would have decided not to mess with him. They just wanted a scoop. He still needed to think it over more, when he wasn't so wound up, and think= =20 it through rationally, but he felt that he had already decided what he would= =20 do. Take the money, give them their story, and say goodbye to his life. Or= =20 maybe find the truth in it. * * * ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:11:48 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 10 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Part 10 Lois came home from school to the sound of her parents yelling. "Big surprise," she muttered as she dropped her book bag with a clunk in the foyer. She wasn't in the mood to deal with her parents right now, so she went around the living room that they currently inhabited and stormed up the stairs. For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she was glad that her mother wasn't coming with her and her father to Metropolis, but she pushed it away quickly. That wasn't fair. She knew her parents wanted to separate. The fighting wasn't healthy for anyone. But moving away seemed so... permanent. When they moved, she knew her family would most likely never get back together. On top of all this, her day at school had been horrible. Everyone had finally settled down enough to start classes 20 minutes after Clark had left. And Lois still felt horrible for just letting the poor guy just run away. She wondered how he was feeling now. She knew he must have been horribly embarrassed, and everyone would probably make cracks about it for a long time until something else happened and they could pick on someone else. That was just how it was in high school. Lois just wished that Clark hadn't had to get so hurt. "Lois?" She looked up to see Lucy standing in the doorway, her eyes red from crying. At first sight, Lois felt annoyed with her sister. She just needed to grow up. This was how life was. Lois had already decided that she wouldn't humor her parents by being depressed. But when Lucy came to her bed and sat down, leaning her head against Lois, she felt her heart go out to her younger sister. This was one of the rare moments when the two sisters could just find comfort in each other, and Lois treasured this because it happened so infrequently. And after she moved...would she ever feel close to her sister again? "I don't want to stay here with Mom," Lucy said quietly. "I don't want you to leave. Please don't go." "Lucy, I don't want to leave you here. Or Mom. But, this is the opportunity of a lifetime! And it's not like I'll never see you again or anything. We just gotta be strong. You gotta be strong for you and Mom both. Anyway, you don't want to leave your home and your friends and everything do you?" "Do you?" Lucy countered. "No...but I'm trying to look at the big picture. I'll be starting my career! The thing I want to do for the rest of my life. What's more important than getting a jumpstart on the rest or your life?" Lucy pulled away from her. "I don't know, your friends? Your family?" she asked in a harshly sarcastic tone. "Fine. Go off and leave everyone else. You just want to be able to say that you're better than the rest of us." She stood up and stormed towards the door. "Lucy! That's not true. You know it." Her sister ignored her, and Lois was left sitting on her bed with a terrible feeling of guilt. * * * That night, Clark again found himself in his tree house. He sat with his arms crossed and resting on the windowsill, his chin having found a place to rest in the crook of his elbow. He looked out over the fields. The moon gave the normally brown and dead grass of the fields a turquoise shine, seemingly filling them with life. Clark could almost remember what his life had been like before the tornado. He could remember sitting in this same position, looking out over the fields that really were alive. Through his younger eyes, he could see his father out planting seeds, and every once in a while, he would turn to wave at the tree house. Clark could imagine his 9-year-old sized hand poking out through the window, waving back with so much energy and innocence. The horses were out in the pasture, the mare and her colt. A dozen chickens pecked the ground near the barn for any food that might have been left. The sunlight streamed through the leaves of the tree that held the tree house. Suddenly, Clark was given a forceful yank back into reality. There was a figure out in the field. No, more than one figure. He squinted to see better, wishing he had a pair of binoculars handy. Then suddenly, it was like he had been pulled a hundred yards closer. For a split second, he had a magnified view of the people. Before he leapt back in fright. He jumped away from the windowsill, his eyes wide with shock. He lost his balance as, instead of finding the floor, one of his feet found the hole in which he climbed into and out of the tree house. He fell through the hole, unable to find anything to hold on to, and landed on his back on the hard, dirt-packed ground. Then he waited for the pain. And waited. Was he in shock? Had he fainted? Was he dead? Was that why he felt no pain? He cracked his eyes open slowly. He found himself lying on his back, looking up through the hole in the tree house. Just where he thought he was. So he wasn't dead. He groaned. Everything would have been a lot less complicated if he had died. He rose very slowly, waiting for the shocking pain that should have been coursing through his body. But it didn't come. He climbed to his feet, holding onto the ladder for support. Maybe he really had died. That was the only reasonable explanation. "Maybe I'm already in Hell," he muttered to himself. "Or maybe I'd rather be there." That was when he remembered the figures out in the field. For that split second, he had gotten a close up view of the people, which still boggled his mind. But he had seen them. Tuck and the two guys that had been at his house. "Of course!" he whispered to himself. Tuck was the one that had set this up. He knew about Clark. Clark didn't know whether to be glad that he had figured out whom was behind this, or even more upset. Tuck was dangerous, Clark already knew that. Having him know his secret, well... he had already seen what had happened in this short time. He put his head in his hands, then looked up into the clear night sky. "Kill me now," he begged the stars. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 21:14:44 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kaethel Subject: Re: Dance of the Seven Capes - part 3 - Finale MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey guys :) Pam, Carol and Lesley, thank you so much for your kind words about this little fluffy piece. :) :) Thanks for making my day! Helene :) Kaethel@club-internet.fr ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:19:14 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 11 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Part 6: Clark didn't return to school the next day, nor the next. On his third day of absence, Lois was beginning to worry. That added to everything else that was going on in her life was almost ready to make her go insane. She had a feeling that the rumors and gossip that she was now hearing around the school were worse than they would have been if Clark had showed up. Everyone was saying that Clark was really an alien, and he wasn't attending school because he was preparing an invasion. All the kids at the school were so naive. Didn't they understand what they were doing to Clark? Could they even comprehend what he was going through? And this wasn't even her biggest concern. She was moving in only 2 weeks, and she was still a little tentative on her decision to leave Smallville. It seemed like there were so many things she had left undone. She felt like a quitter since she was just running away from everything. From the hard life to the perfect life. But it wouldn't be perfect, because after much thought, she realized that she would probably be alone most of the time, especially when she first moved there. Her father would be busy with his new job and she wouldn't know anyone in that huge city. She hoped for her sake that this Mr. White would let her start her internship right away. At least she would meet people. She was in her room on that that Thursday, trying to decide what she wanted to take with her to Metropolis. She would only be able to take a few things, besides the necessities, on the plane with her, and then her mom would ship the rest of her things in boxes through the mail. Her father was currently in Metropolis, looking for an apartment. This would be another huge change for Lois. She had lived in this huge, old farmhouse her whole life, and she would be moving into a small and modern apartment. This wasn't to say that she really didn't want to go anymore. She was still brimming with excitement at the prospect of getting to live in a big and busy city. She was just having second, and third and fourth, thoughts about leaving. Before he had left, her father had notified the school that Lois would be leaving. And she had told all her friends at school as well. It had been hard to tell them that she was moving because, since no one hardly ever moved into Smallville, she had known most of her classmates her whole life. But she knew that the hardest was yet to come. She needed to go see Clark, and besides tell him that she would be moving she needed to see why he had been avoiding school lately. It seemed easy enough as she thought about it, but when she started to stand up to go to his house, she sat back down abruptly. It wasn't easy. He was one of the most complicated humans she had ever known. He normally tried to wear such a brave mask to hide his emotions, but Lois knew on the inside he was hurting. She didn't know any details about his home life, because whenever she tried to talk about it he withdrew himself and wouldn't talk anymore. But she had heard rumors from her parents and various other sources that Clark had it pretty rough. She wondered what he would do when he found she was moving. I'm being too egotistical, she then realized. Clark wasn't that infatuated with her. He might be gloomy for a little while, but he would move on, probably faster than Lois would. This was another reason why it was so hard to tell him. Their relationship was undefined. Lois didn't know exactly how Clark thought of her. He'd said a few bold things every once in a while, but they had never gone any farther than flirtatious talk. This was mostly her fault, Lois realized. She had always shied away when Clark tried to do... well, anything. Her fear of being involved in a real relationship had multiplied a hundred times after the incident with Troy, as much as she told herself that Clark wasn't like that. Lois considered Clark as a dear friend, but she wasn't sure what else. Still, she had to tell him. She couldn't just leave without Clark knowing. And she was worried about where he had been the past few days. So she reluctantly left her bedroom, rummaged through her mother's purse to find the car keys, and headed out the door. * * * Clark was out in the barn that afternoon. He had buried himself in doing house and yard work ever since the night he had seen Tuck with the newspapermen in the field. He still hadn't called them back, and he also hadn't seen Tuck since then. Clark wondered where he was, but then decided that it was probably better that Tuck was staying away from the Kents. Except for the fact that Clark couldn't keep track of his activities. Clark still hadn't decided fully what he wanted to do about the newspaper. The $10,000 still shined like a neon sign in his head, but it seemed too good to be true. There had to be some sort of catch that Clark wasn't seeing, and he intended to find it if there was one. And the bigger, more important reason that Clark was reluctant to give himself up was because, after having enough time to think about it, he realized that he could still continue his life. If he didn't give newspapers information to feed on, they would eventually leave him alone and everyone would forget about him. This idea had been sparked by the thought of Lois. If people found out that Clark was really an alien, then Lois wouldn't ever talk to him again. That was what Clark was most afraid of. He didn't want to lose Lois. Even though they had only been close for hardly over a year, which wasn't very long in Smallville standards, Clark felt that he really and truly loved her. Even if they were of different species. He remembered the first time they had met, at a newspaper meeting at the high school. Lois had been a freshman, and Clark a junior. Saying they hadn't exactly hit it off was a rather large understatement. Well, actually, for the first few weeks they had practically ignored each other, because Clark was older than Lois and he already had friends on the staff. But then the editor had the idea to pair up a less experienced staff member with one that had experience to get some human-interest stories. That was when they had started to not get along. Lois felt that she didn't need Clark's help, and Clark felt that if Lois felt that she didn't need his help, he certainly wasn't going to offer it. Clark was able to smile ruefully back upon the memory now, but at the time, it hadn't been a joking matter. Luckily, things settled down between the two after working together for a while, and their relationship became one of friendship, until finally Clark was beginning to think that perhaps there was something more than friendship. After all, it had been Lois' idea to meet at the pond on those summer nights. It was funny in a sick way, Clark thought, that the summer seemed to have taken place years ago, when Clark had been much younger and much less intelligent than he was now. If only things had happened differently. If only his powers hadn't started showing up. If only his parents hadn't told him the truth. If only Tuck hadn't been in earshot. If only he had never come to earth to begin with. But he didn't have the heart for 'If only's,' because they only dug deeper the hole that Clark was slowly burying himself in. He had already stopped going to school. What measures would he take next? Besides, would he have really rather not have known the truth about himself? No, he decided. It was better for him to know. He would get through this somehow, he and his loved ones. They would all work their way through this, and eventually, if they were lucky, they could continue on with life. If Clark wasn't captured and taken to a lab and cut open and experimented upon. He shuddered involuntarily. The thought sickened him. He could picture himself lying there, in a bright room, his skin pale from no sunlight, metal objects being sharpened... He tore his mind away from the image. He couldn't think that way. Not until there was no hope left. He forced himself back to reality in order to stop his thoughts. This was why he had buried himself in work, so he wouldn't have time to think about...anything. He grabbed a broom and the ladder and walked out the barn door into the bright sunlight. He propped the ladder against the side of the barn and then climbed up to the top, broom in tow. He was going to give his best shot at making the farm look decent, he thought fiercely as he brushed away dirt and cobwebs from the barn wall with the broom, precariously balancing himself on the ladder. He could feel the warm rays of sunlight beat down on his T-shirtted back as he brushed down dirt and cobwebs from the wall, and he wondered why the day had to be so beautiful in spite of Clark's mood. "Clark?" Clark had been so intent on not thinking about anything that he was caught off-guard when someone called his name from the ground. He jumped in surprise and the ladder lurched perilously underneath him, but he caught himself before he fell backwards. He clung onto the ladder for a few moments before he twirled his head around to send a glare towards whoever had startled him. But he found himself in a much more precarious position when he saw Lois standing on the ground, looking up at him. "Lois!" he exclaimed, clambering down the ladder. Once he landed safely in the dirt, he looked himself over. His boots were mud-covered, much like the bottom half of his jeans. A fine layer of sandy-colored dirt covered the other half. Cobwebs and other unidentifiable matter clung to his dark T-shirt. He could only imagine what his face and hair looked like. Lois, on the other hand, was the apotheosis of a woman. She looked neat and petite, as always. Her long dark hair fell past her shoulders and rested on her mid-back. She wore dark blue jeans and a tight sweater that perfectly accented her...her... Clark flushed and yanked his gaze up towards her face quickly. I still feel human, he thought ruefully as he exchanged his weight from one foot to the other nervously. "What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly. He felt a bit perturbed with her for coming to his house without any warning. He always felt very self-conscious to let anyone see how he lived, and when he hadn't even had any time to prepare himself for her arrival, it made him feel trapped. Lois had never been to his house before, she didn't know anything about his home life. She didn't know about any of his problems, about Tuck. "I...I...was worried. You haven't been at school, so I thought I would come and check on you," Lois answered, sounding as uneasy as Clark felt. "I haven't been feeling very well," Clark lied. "I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't about the poster because, Clark, it's worse since you haven't been there and..." "It's not about the poster. Believe me." Lois studied him quizzically for a moment, and Clark ran a hand through his hair self-consciously. "What?" he asked. "If you're not feeling well, why are you outside working?" Lois asked slowly. "Is it really any of your business?" Clark snapped and turned away. Seconds later, he turned back to Lois. "I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from. There's just a lot of pent up stress and...and anger and I had to let it out some way. I'm really sorry, Lois." "It's ok," Lois answered, more carefully. There was a long pause, before Lois continued. "Look, Clark, the real reason I came here was to tell you that I'm moving. To Metropolis," she said quickly. Clark could almost feel the color drain from his face as the earth opened up at his feet. He placed a hand on the barn wall for balance. He couldn't have really just heard her say that, could he have? She was just joking. Right? He looked at her with pleading eyes, but she refused to meet his gaze. "Right, well, we're leaving in two weeks, and I just thought you should know before we left because I didn't know if you would be back at school or not." Clark finally caught her eye as she finished talking. He thought he could almost see tears. He hoped she didn't see any in his eyes. "You're...moving? Forever?" he asked in a daze. "Yes, I'm moving," Lois said, almost impatiently. "But...why?" Clark asked. "My dad got a new job there, in Metropolis, and he got me a job working at the Daily Planet. Can you believe that? From lowly sophomore staff member to intern at the biggest newspaper in the world. And I'm going to go to the Metropolis School of Journalism when I graduate from high school..." As she trailed off, Clark looked away from her again. He felt another emotion well up in him, one that he didn't feel too often. Jealousy. He hoped Lois realized how lucky she was. The Metropolis School of Journalism, one of the most prestigious, and expensive, journalism schools in the United States. His dream, or what his dream had once been. Now his dream was to stay alive long enough to graduate from Smallville Community College. "That's...amazing," Clark said wistfully, then he met Lois' eye again. They were silent again. "Do you have to go?" "I want to go. Don't you know what this means? I'll be a reporter at the Daily Planet!" "Yes, Lois, I understand what it means," he said, taking two steps closer to her. "I just...I don't know if I'll be able to stand it if you leave." "Clark, I wish there was some way...," Lois said, her gaze never wavering from Clark's. "Lois..." Clark said huskily, stepping closer still until there were barely inches between their noses. Clark reached up with his dirt-covered hand to cradle Lois' head. He leaned closer, watching her, hoping she couldn't hear his heavy thudding heart. He fluttered his eyes closed as he brushed his lips across hers. "Clark, don't give me a reason to stay," Lois breathed against his cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he softly kissed her forehead. He slowly pulled away, still holding her cheek in his palm. "You're really going to go?" he asked softly, his voice now barely above a whisper. Lois nodded, then moments later, Clark found himself engulfed in a hug. Lois had her arms wrapped around his back, and Clark did the same. They stayed that way for some time, neither saying anything. Clark thought he felt Lois shiver underneath him a few times, and he wondered what she had to be scared about. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:24:32 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 12 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Part 12(sorry about the mess up last time if you noticed it!) Clark was up late again that night, wandering around the yard. The sole reason for his restless behavior was that he couldn't sleep, couldn't get his mind calmed down enough for him to sleep. After Lois had left, he had decided that he would call the newspapermen. He would give them their story and take their money. After all, hadn't he just earlier that day decided that Lois was his only steadfastness? And now...she was leaving. Leaving him. The tight clenching in his throat returned as he remembered the day's events. For the most part, he had gone through the day in a haze, not letting any emotions leak out from the heavily guarded wall that he had mentally built around himself. In the total opposite direction of thinking, his other reason for being up was that he was so wired. He had been afraid to eat or drink anything in fear that the electric sizzling that had settled on his lips after their kiss would disappear. It hadn't been the longest or deepest kiss that Clark had ever shared, but it had been the only one that had ever left him feeling as if he were walking on air. The only one that had ever kept him up at night. The only one that left him wishing the girl wasn't going to be moving before the month was over. The lump in his throat threatened to rise again. As he walked towards the barn, he heard his radio that he failed to turn off earlier playing loud, staticky rock music that was barely getting a reception. He sighed heavily as he walked inside and turned the 'on-off' knob on the radio. As the station slowly died, Clark could hear quieter, muffled voices coming from...somewhere. He had the sudden urge to yell "Hello?" but he fought it as he crept back towards the door. He stopped again when he returned outside and listened for the voices again. There, he could hear them coming from the side of the building. He moved stealthily along the outside of the barn until he came to a corner, where he waited. He picked up the tail end of a sentence, recognizing Tuck's low, cold voice. "-subtle approach?" Tuck was saying in his normal hiss. His other companion, or companions, spoke in tones so low Clark couldn't hear. There was a long moment of silence, and Clark wasn't even sure that the men were still there. He poked his head around the corner quickly, and stole a quick glance of the small huddle. The same men he had seen the other night! Tuck and the two newspapermen. He pulled his head back quickly around the corner and flattened himself against the wall. Why were they hanging around his house like this? Especially having mysterious conversations with Tuck in the middle of the night! He turned quickly and walked back towards the way he had come. He didn't know why they were there, but it was making him nervous. "Clark!" an over-zealous voice called from behind him. He froze in place before he composed himself and turned around, hoping he looked collected. The three men stood in a line. They had large smiles plastered on their faces, except for Tuck. He looked at Clark with his normal scowl. Clark slowly crossed his arms across his chest and gave them a "Well?" look. The head guy held out his hand for Clark to shake. What was his name? Robinson? Some 'R' name. Richards? Yeah, that was it. Clark suspiciously took his hand and shook it quickly before pulling his hand back. "What are you doing out this late at night on a school night, Clark?" "Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing. What ARE you doing here, on my property, this late?" Clark countered. As if the moonlight had unmasked the men's true intentions, Clark could see through their genial personalities straight to their origin in a way he couldn't have before. "Well, we were staying in Smallville, and our plane leaves for DC tomorrow, so we thought we'd come and see you for your answer. I thought it would be a shame for us to be right here in your town without you consent for the story." He flashed his brilliantly white teeth towards Clark. "Well, then." Clark paused, remembering his previous thoughts. Hadn't he been so ready to take the men up on their offer? Now that he was here with them, however, he wasn't sure that was a good idea. These men didn't seem like the kind who should know about Clark. Even though Clark didn't know too much about himself to begin with. "Yes?" Richards prodded. "Well...I think that...the answer's no," Clark said slowly, tensely. As soon as he said it, he wondered nervously if he should have disagreed with them. He waited for the men's reactions, but there barely was one. "Really?" Richards said, looking down at his fingernails. Then his mood and tone both changed drastically. He looked back up at Clark, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm sorry to hear that. It would have been so much easier if you came willingly." Before Clark could understand what was going on, the man's henchman had seized both of his arms and twisted them behind his back. Clark struggled against him, but he was stronger than his outer appearance might have suggested. Richards walked up towards Clark, stopping when he was only about a foot away. "My name is Marcus Hayes. I work for Bureau 39. It's a government agency that was designed for the sole purpose of tracking down dangerous aliens. And with the Tuck's proof of your ship and documents written in your language, we have reason to believe that you are indeed a dangerous alien. And we can't just let you run around freely, wrecking havoc, now can we? So we're going to go back to our...hideout, if you will, and ask you a few questions." "What are you talking about?" Clark asked, finally tired of listening to the man go on and on. He couldn't believe he had been double-crossed like that. "I'm not even going to humor you by answering that. You know exactly what I'm talking about, alien." Clark writhed in the man's grasp, trying to work himself free of his steel-like hold on his arms. But when he looked up again, he saw Hayes approaching him, holding something in between his fingers. "Now, if you would just stop thrashing about..." Hayes said as he held up a needle for Clark to see. Clark gasped and pulled as far away as he could, but his captor wouldn't allow him to go any farther. "We can't have you making too much commotion on the jet home, or the pilot would get angry," Hayes said as he positioned the needle on Clark's shoulder. Clark shut his eyes tightly, but then opened them again moments later when he felt nothing. No pain, no drowsiness. Clark saw quite an amazing sight when he looked down at Hayes. The man was trying without luck to force the needle down into Clark's shoulder. Hayes hesitated as he pulled the needle back, trying to figure out what was wrong, and Clark used that hesitation as his moment for escape. He jerked his arm up and elbowed the man with the power of a sledgehammer in the nose. He let go of him, but Clark wasn't sure how long it would be before he recovered enough, so he looked up at Hayes. He was looking at Clark with an unsure look in his eyes, as if he didn't know whether to run or stay and fight. Clark narrowed his eyes at him before he lifted his leg and kneed Hayes in the groin. Hayes fell backwards, groaning, and he dropped the needle. 2 down, 1 to go, Clark thought as he looked around for Tuck. "You're not going to get rid of me as easily as you did them," Tuck snarled into Clark's ear. Before Clark realized what was happening, Tuck brought his knee up hard against Clark's back. There was complete silence for a moment, before Tuck let go of Clark and fell to the earth, clutching his shin. Clark froze for a second, gazing around him at the three large, grown men, moaning on the ground, before he took off. Unquestioning his fate, he ran towards his house. He stopped on the front porch, holding onto the rail and gasping for breath. He wasn't really out of breath, he was just...scared. Scared nearly to death, actually, he thought. He continuously watched the barn, waiting for the men to come and catch him. He willed himself to go inside the house, but he couldn't. There was no sound except his own raspy breathing in the night air, and that spooked Clark even more. He was afraid of the men, yes, but even more so, he was afraid with what was happening to him, to his body. He had fallen out of the tree house the night before and walked away unharmed. Tuck had just kneed him in the back, and only ended up on the ground. The needle hadn't been able to penetrate through Clark's skin. Clark shivered involuntarily. It was like he was caught in a bad horror movie, who's plot only seemed to worsen with each scene. He began to feel curious when there was no pursuit. He hadn't hurt them THAT bad, had he? And if he had, what would he do now? Just leave them there? He watched the barn with growing anticipation. They weren't chasing him; maybe they were concocting a larger plan. He took one slow step back towards the barn, then another. He felt almost possessed as he walked back towards the barn. He had never noticed how ominous the barn looked at night, looming above the farm. He imagined shadows shifting into shapes ready to reach out for him. The night was silent without a breeze blowing. He couldn't stop his teeth from chattering in anxiety. Suddenly, seemingly from no where, a solitaire gunshot rang out. Clark jumped, shouted, and spun in one movement. He ran back towards the house, his feet seeming to barely touch the earth. He heard another shot, and a bullet whizzed past his head. Oh God, they're shooting at me! he thought frantically. He flew up the steps onto his porch and slammed into the door, turning the knob in the same moment. "It's locked!" he squeaked, his voice choked. He gave it a few more tries before looking over his shoulder. One of the men was running towards him, but in the dark Clark couldn't see who it was. However, there was definitely a gun that was pointed at him. He paused for one moment before taking off from the porch, running down the driveway. He feared for his parents' safety, but then figured that at the moment they were safer than he was. He ran past the truck, wishing that he had the key. But he didn't, and there was certainly no way he would try to get into the house to get it. Anyway, he was confident he could outrun the men for as long as they chased him. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:25:54 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 13 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 13:=20 He didn't know what urged him to go to Lois' house, but the next thing he=20 knew, there he was, standing in her yard. Leaning on his knees in a=20 baseball-player stance and gasping for breath, he looked back behind him for= =20 any signs of pursuit. He must have left the men in the dust, because he=20 could hear no footsteps, and certainly didn't see anyone on his trail. He=20 turned his attention back to Lois' house. Why HAD he come here? He surely=20 couldn't just go barging in her front door at 1:00 in the morning. That was= =20 too absurd to even think of. However, her house was only a one-story, and Clark didn't think it would tak= e=20 him too long to find her room. But wouldn't that be invading her privacy to= =20 do that? Anytime, but especially when she was asleep? And what would he tel= l=20 her when or if he found her? All those rumors you've been hearing about me,= =20 they're true. I'm really an alien and am now being pursued by a secret=20 government agency. So I was wondering if I could bunk here tonight. Yeah,=20 right. Even with all these thoughts of transgression, Clark still found himself=20 creeping silently around Lois' house, peeking in all the windows, until he=20 found her room. Lois was asleep, as she should be, and despite all that was= =20 now happening, Clark again felt that tightness in his throat at the thought=20 of her leaving him. He faltered for a moment before he brought his hand up=20 in a fist and rapped on her window. He cringed at the loud sound his=20 knocking made in the silent night, but continuously repeated his movements=20 until Lois finally began to move restlessly in her bed. Finally, she sat up= ,=20 her hair flipped over onto one side of her head and her eyes blinking=20 sleepily. She looked about for a moment before finally pinpointing the sound= =20 to her window. She stood up from her bed and, as if it were completely normal to have=20 someone come to her window in the middle of the night, she walked over to he= r=20 window and opened it. "Clark?" she said slowly, confused. It must have been a dream. Why else=20 would Clark be at her window so late at night? There was no other=20 explanation. However, Clark's continuous furtive glances around him made=20 Lois think otherwise. "Can I come in?" Clark asked in a loud whisper. Lois stepped back. "Um, I guess," she answered, her voice echoing loudly in the otherwise still= =20 house. She watched in growing confusion as Clark gripped the windowsill and= =20 pulled himself up and through her window. This was crazy. "Clark, what's going on?" He looked like a spooked horse, standing in the=20 middle of her room, shaking involuntarily and breathing as if he had just ru= n=20 a mile. She tugged nervously at the T-shirt that she was sleeping in, pullin= g=20 it down as far as she could. "I can't tell you, or at least I don't have time to right now. But there ar= e=20 some really bad guys after me, Lois, and I was scared and I wasn't thinking=20 so I came here. And=E2=80=A6I don't know what to do now." "Wait a second, who's after you? I don't understand." "Men from the government. They're chasing me, and they have guns. This is=20 too much, I don't think I can take it." He sat down on the edge of Lois' bed= ,=20 but Lois stood, rooted to her spot. It was official. Clark Kent had gone=20 insane. "Clark, um, maybe you need to get some sleep. I don't think-" "They're really after me Lois. I'm not imagining, or dreaming. And there=20 might be a reason for them to be, but I can't tell you it right now." Lois=20 had never seen Clark so wound up, he was normally so reserved and quiet. Fo= r=20 a fleeting moment, Lois wondered if Clark was on drugs. But that was stupid= .=20 There was a bigger chance that Lois herself was. This seemed like a=20 perfectly normal occurrence in an insane person's life. But Lois wasn't=20 insane. Or at least, she didn't think she was insane. Which brought up=20 another issue, do people that are insane realize that they're insane, or do=20 they think they're normal? "What am I thinking?" Lois said out loud, realizing how demented her thought= s=20 were becoming. "What?" Clark asked, now confused. He was beginning to calm down, now that=20 he thought he was safe. They wouldn't find him here, because they would=20 never think to look. Unless they had been following him the entire time and= =20 were just waiting for the perfect time to strike. In which case he didn't=20 want Lois to be around. He stood up again, heading back towards the window. "I have to leave now, thank you for letting me in." "But=E2=80=A6wait! Clark? Are you going to tell me what's happening?" "I'll tell you later. But I have to leave now, because it's too dangerous=20 for you if I stay here." At Lois' flashing eyes, Clark realized that that=20 was perhaps not the best choice of words. "Too dangerous for me? Now look, Clark. I may be a girl, but I'm certainly=20 not afraid. I'll help you with whatever it is you need help with." "But see, you can't help, because you don't know what's going on!" Clark=20 protested, leaning his head out the window to glance around. "But I want to know," Lois said as Clark brought his head back inside the=20 room. "But I can't tell you." He hesitated for a moment before reaching over and=20 giving Lois a quick peck on the lips. "Just in case I don't see you again." "Clark!" Lois cried as he clambered out the window. "Why wouldn't I see you= =20 again?" He just shrugged, then turned and ran back into the night. Lois watched him= =20 run off, then closed the window. She walked slowly back to her bed and lay=20 down. That had to have been the most thoroughly confusing conversations she= =20 had ever had ever taken part in during her whole life. In the same way, no=20 one had ever invoked so much curiosity in Lois in such a short time. She=20 longed to know what was going on, hoping for her own sake that Clark wasn't=20 in fact just going insane. And they way he had kissed her, and then said, "Just in case I don't see you= =20 again." He had sounded to serious, and=E2=80=A6final. Lois pulled the blan= ket up=20 around her. Was Clark really in danger? If he was, and Lois just lay there= =20 sleeping, she would never forgive herself. She stood again and looked aroun= d=20 for her clothes. No way would Kent do this alone, whatever it was. * * * Clark returned to his house a few hours later. He had been wandering around= =20 the open countryside, being sure not to go too near to any sort of=20 civilization. He was exhausted as he climbed up the steps of his porch, the= n=20 groaned as he remembered the door was locked. He had waited for a long whil= e=20 out of sight, making sure there were no signs of the men, before allowing=20 himself to walk towards his house. So he stood on the porch, leaning his hea= d=20 against the cool metal frame of the door with his eyes closed. After a few=20 moments, he sat down by the door, leaning up against the house. Minutes=20 later, he stood himself up slowly. He hadn't even tried to see if the door=20 was unlocked. He placed his hand on the knob, and to his surprise, it turned and the door=20 swung open. He leaned back suspiciously. Only hours earlier, the door had=20 been locked. Now it wasn't. He had a feeling that his parents hadn't been=20 out of bed since he had last been there. Gruesome images of his parents lying on the ground in the living room, or th= e=20 kitchen, torn up=E2=80=A6 He shook the nightmarish images out of his mind, b= ut he was=20 still afraid to go in the door that was now hanging open. He took a step=20 back. The men were inside his house, waiting for him. That was the only=20 explanation. They already had his parents, and they were just waiting for=20 him so they could kill him too. "Clark?" Clark jumped back in surprise as someone called his name from the=20 dark hallway beyond the door. His mother's head poked out from inside. =20 "Mom!" Clark exclaimed, throwing his arms around her. "I thought you were=20 dead! I thought they had gotten you. Are you all right?"=20 His mother faltered at his show of concern, and Clark pulled away from her,=20 confused. But=20 when he saw the expression on her face, he gasped and receded to the railing= =20 of the porch. It was a look he had never thought he would see on his=20 mother's face. Contempt. Disgrace. Pity.=20 "I'm sorry, Clark," she said off-handily as two large men came up behind her= .=20 "Jonathon and I realized we didn't want to have you around any longer." At= =20 this, the two muscle men descended on Clark. =20 "Mom?" Clark asked, confused. "I don't understand=E2=80=A6What's going on?" "They're taking you away, Alien. We decided we wanted the money more than w= e=20 wanted you." The two men grabbed Clark's arms and picked him up off the=20 ground. He fought them in vain. "Why are you doing this, Mom!" he cried, tears now falling from his eyes.=20 "I'm your son! Let me go!" Martha walked up to him and gave him a quick,=20 mocking kiss on the cheek. "I would never want a freak for a son. Take him away." The men carried him=20 off the porch, with him kicking and screaming. He got farther and farther=20 from the house, but all he could see and hear was Martha's flagitious=20 laughter. It was engulfing him, so much that he couldn't even hear himself.= =20 "No!" he cried. He sat up so quickly that he knocked his head against the=20 wall of the house. He looked around confused. He was lying on the porch,=20 under a sky gray with anticipation of the rising sun. =20 "Oh," he said to himself. It had just been a dream. He had been asleep the= =20 whole time. And yet it seemed so real. He could still hear Martha's=20 laughter, fading away until it was a hum, reminding him of what could happen= .=20 His eyes were heavy with sleep, and he reached his hands up to rub them. H= e=20 could feel the dry tears on his cheeks. He supposed that his worst nightmar= e=20 would be to have even his parents exclude him. He shuddered at the thought. He heard the screen door creak open, and he looked over as Jonathon stepped=20 out. "Clark? What are you doing?" Jonathon asked, suddenly concerned. To his=20 surprise, Clark suddenly flung his arms around Jonathon's shoulders, holding= =20 him tight. "What's the matter, son?"=20 "Where do I begin?" Clark asked, a hint of dark humor in his voice.=20 "How about with where you've been all night."=20 * * * "I cannot believe you let a teenage boy escape! You're 10 times his size!"=20 Marcus Hayes raged. "And you had a perfect shot at his head, and you missed!= =20 I could not have been teamed up with a sorrier person." "As I recall, Your Holiness," Harold Brown, Hayes' associate retorted=20 sarcastically, "the kid brought you to your knees as well." Hayes backhanded= =20 the man across his face, sending him reeling. =20 "Don't argue with me, Brown. I didn't come here to fight with you. Or a=20 15-year old-" "17-year old," Tuck corrected lazily. Hayes gave him a sharp look. "I don't care how old he is. What I'm saying is this: You had better have hi= m=20 back here within the next twenty-four hours. I'm not going to go back to DC= =20 without the kid. And for your sake," he turned to Tuck, "you had better hop= e=20 all this alien crap is true. If it's not, well=E2=80=A6I'd hate to be in yo= ur=20 position."=20 Tuck fumed silently, watching the back of the men's heads as they walked=20 away. It had to be true. =20 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:26:41 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 14 of MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 14 It was Friday afternoon, and Lois was stuck in her room. It wasn't right. =20 She stared daggers through the door that her father had just exited through.= =20 She had been restricted to her room for the remainder of the day just becaus= e=20 she had been trying to help her friend! So what if it had been the middle of= =20 the night? So what if her friend was a guy? She couldn't believe that her=20 parents didn't trust her to take care of herself.=20 She lay back on her bed, closing her eyes. She was extremely exhausted,=20 having gotten only a few hours of sleep the night before. After Clark had=20 made his exit through her window, she had followed him. She couldn't see=20 which direction he had gone, because he was already out of her sight by the=20 time she got outside. So she had gone to his house and waited on his porch=20 for him to get there. A long period of time passed while she sat on the=20 railing, and Clark never showed up. At one point, she thought she heard=20 voices from the side of his house, but upon investigation, had come up with=20 nothing. She had finally gone home, too tired to stay out anymore. When sh= e=20 arrived home, her father was waiting for her, sitting on her bed. He=20 believed she was out running around with boys. She tried to tell him that sh= e=20 was above that, and she had just been trying to help a friend, but of course= =20 Sam didn't believe her, and so here she sat: In her room. And she still=20 didn't know if Clark was ok. It was all so frustrating. She turned over and looked at her calendar. 12 days. Only 12 days before=20 she left Smallville forever, and she was sitting cooped up in her room, doin= g=20 nothing constructive.=20 "I don't think so," Lois said, sitting up. And for the second time in the=20 last 24 hours, she opened her window and crept out. * * * Clark watched from inside the doorway as his father drove away. It was his=20 first day at his new job, and Clark felt guilty now. He had just piled a=20 truckload of problems on his dad's shoulders. Jonathon had wanted to stay=20 home, fearing for both Clark's and Martha's safety. But Clark and Martha ha= d=20 both pushed him out the door. The job was important for the family. And the= =20 way Clark saw it, if they ever got through the Bureau 39 problem, then=20 Jonathon needed the job. And if they didn't, well=E2=80=A6it wouldn't make=20= any=20 difference whether Jonathon was there or not. He was definitely safer in=20 town, in public, then at home anyway. Martha pulled Clark away from the door and sat him down at the kitchen table= .=20 Clark couldn't help but look at his mother in a new light after the dream h= e=20 had had. He realized again how lucky he was to have parents that cared for=20 him. More than any aliens did, to have sent him away from their home. =20 Clark was stuck. What could he do now? He was skipping another day of=20 school, but somehow that didn't seem important anymore. As far as he knew,=20 there were still men chasing him, even though he hadn't seen or heard from=20 them since the night before. Maybe they were planning something else for=20 Clark. The thought sent chills through him.=20 "Why didn't you come and tell us what was happening, Clark? Don't you know=20 your father and I would have done anything in our power to help you?" "Yeah, I know that Mom. It's just=E2=80=A6I guess I didn't want to get you=20= involved.=20 I can handle it myself." =20 Martha sat silent for a moment. "Well, what do we do now? I have to say, thi= s=20 is bigger than anything else I've been involved in my whole life. These men= ,=20 the way you describe them, they're dangerous. How can we beat them?" "I don't know. All this thinking it making my brain hurt," Clark said, and=20 stifled a yawn. He was still tired, his restless sleep on the porch had don= e=20 hardly anything for him. He wanted to just go lay down on his bed and sleep,= =20 but it would leave his mother defenseless if he left her alone. Martha noticed the yawn too. "Why don't you go rest for a while. I'll hold= =20 down the fort."=20 "Mom, I can't leave you alone-" "You underestimate me, Clark. I'm a big girl, you know," Martha cut in, a=20 hint of mischievousness in her voice.=20 "I know. Ok," Clark gave in. He stumbled through the living room and was=20 asleep almost before his head hit his pillow.=20 * * * Harold Brown fumbled with loading the gun under Hayes' piercing gaze. "I hope you'll be a bit more confident handling that later," Hayes commented= =20 dryly. "Look, Marc, I've never killed anyone before. I don't know if I'll be able=20 to-" "You had better hope and pray that you'll be able to," Hayes broke in. "Or=20 else you'll be in a heck of a lot more trouble than you're in now." Tuck sauntered down the trail towards the two men. "He gets off work at 6:00= .=20 It's now 4:15," he reported, sitting on a rock. He threw the bag of=20 hamburgers towards them.=20 "There's your lunch."=20 As the men ate, Hayes' mind was racing. Plenty of time to follow through wit= h=20 their plan. And this time, he would be sure it worked. He had no choice. * * * "Clark!"=20 Clark sat up with a start, breathing heavily. It was the same dream, but=20 this time it had been followed by a glimpse into the labs that Clark would b= e=20 studied in. The walls had been dripping with a red liquid, and huge knives=20 lay on the table beside a body. It had been utterly terrifying. And the=20 scream, the one that finally woke him from his nightmare, it was blood=20 curdling. Someone had screamed his name, a woman's voice, but one he=20 couldn't depict. It was a scream of anguish. Torment. But here he was, in=20 his own bed, warm and safe=E2=80=A6 No, he wasn't safe. There were still men after him. He glanced at his=20 clock. It was already almost 5:00 in the afternoon. He groaned as he=20 stretched. He had been asleep nearly the whole day. He stood up, and=20 realized he was wearing the same clothes that he had the day and night=20 before. He changed into more comfortable sweat pants and a T-shirt before=20 opening the door and padding down the hall. =20 He stopped at the head of the stairs. He felt a sudden and strong feeling=20 that something was wrong, but then it was gone. He held his breath, waiting=20 for the feeling to return. The house was too quiet. That's where the=20 feeling had come from. There was no sound of his mom humming, no sound of=20 the broom sweeping across the linoleum, no sound of dishes clashing together= =20 in the sink. But then the clock in the living room struck five times,=20 breaking Clark out of his reverie, and he let out a breath. You're being paranoid, Clark scolded himself. His mom was just outside, or=20 reading, or taking a nap. He continued down the stairs.=20 * * * Lois was forced to walk to Clark's house, because she couldn't very well tak= e=20 the car without being seen. This proved another reason why Lois was looking=20 forward to going to Metropolis: She wouldn't have to walk a mile just to mov= e=20 between houses. =20 She continuously looked behind her shoulder, afraid that her parents would b= e=20 following her. She laughed to herself at her paranoia, but she did quicken=20 her pace a bit. =20 Arriving at the end of Clark's driveway, she found that their truck was gone= .=20 She hoped Clark was home, or else the whole trip would have been a waste.=20 She trotted up the driveway, but when she arrived at his porch, she found=20 that his front door was wide open. Uncertain whether to knock or go in, she= =20 hesitated. For a moment. Then for more than a moment. She felt nervous, and= =20 she figured that that was partly due to the fact that she had never really=20 gone to Clark's house and just knocked on the door. She checked her watch. =20 It was 4:30. What if his family ate dinner now? She would be intruding, and= =20 he might be mad. Or, what if=E2=80=A6 Clark walked around the house naked or= =20 something weird like that? She smiled at the thought, and then mentally hit= =20 herself. This wasn't the time or the place. Suddenly, breaking through her thoughts was a crash from inside the house. =20 Her attempts to ignore her curiosity were proven futile as she poked her hea= d=20 through the door.=20 "Oh my God," she breathed, stepping back outside and flattening herself=20 against the wall. There were men inside the kitchen. Two men in black=20 suits, and Clark's mother. As far as Lois could tell with her limited view,= =20 the men were attacking Mrs. Kent. Where were Clark and Mr. Kent? She tried=20 to calm her quickly beating heart. What could she do? Shakily, the stepped= =20 off the porch and ran back down the driveway. =20 * * * Clark realized he was still tired, even after sleeping all day long, as he=20 tripped over the bottom step on the stairs. He smiled to himself. He had=20 heard somewhere that the more sleep people got, the more tired they felt. H= e=20 could believe it as he rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Mom," he called out into the silent house. She wasn't taking a nap, he=20 noted as he passed through the living room. He heard a scuffling sound comin= g=20 from the kitchen. "Mom?" he called again, slightly quickening his pace. He=20 suddenly wished for the old days. His parents would both be in the kitchen b= y=20 this time, preparing dinner together and stopping every few moments to show=20 their affection for each other. Then he would walk inside, mud-covered from= =20 head to toe after playing football with his friends. His mother would scold=20 him lightly and send him to the bathroom to wash up for dinner. But these weren't the old days, and the house was still quiet. Out of nowhere, he suddenly felt something push into the small of his back.=20= =20 He whirled around with a yelp of surprise, and was met by a sickening smile=20 from Marcus Hayes. Clark's eyes traveled downwards, and saw the small handgu= n=20 that was now being aimed at his chest. He stood frozen in fear, and again hi= s=20 eyes met Hayes. "Wha=E2=80=A6what=E2=80=A6?" Clark stuttered. Hayes stepped closer to him a= nd shoved the=20 barrel of the gun into Clark's chest. Clark backed up against the wall,=20 shaking uncontrollably.=20 "You, my dear boy, are going to make me a lot of money," Hayes said=20 cheerfully. "I was going to capture you, but you yourself ruined that plan.= =20 There's too much of a chance that you could get away. Therefore, I'm just=20 going to kill you now. An alien's corpse is better than no alien at all." H= e=20 put his finger on the trigger. A thousand thoughts ran through Clark's mind= =20 in a matter of the two seconds that they stood there, facing each other. =20 Clark didn't want to die. He had at one point thought that it would be=20 easier, to just give up, but he now realized that he really did have a lot t= o=20 live for. His family, how would they survive without his help? He had Lois= ,=20 and all his other friends. His future, he didn't want to just lose=20 everything. But now here he was in his living room with a gun shoved into=20 his ribs. He didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this. "No, wait!" Clark stammered through chattering teeth. "I'll do whatever you= =20 want. I swear. Please, don't." "Interesting offer, but no, I don't think so." Hayes pulled the trigger. The next several seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. The bullet hit Clar= k=20 under his ribs. He cried out, falling to the ground and clutching his chest= .=20 Simultaneously with Clark's cry came a muffled scream of anguish from the=20 kitchen. Hayes stepped over Clark's body with an air of disdain and walked=20 over to where Harold and Tuck were holding Martha. Hayes smiled at her=20 contemptuously before smashing the butt of the gun across her face. She fel= l=20 to the ground in a heap, and the men let her lay. =20 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:27:49 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 15 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 15 =20 Clark lay in a daze for several long moments. He was dead. That much was=20 obvious, he had just been shot. But then why was he still laying on the=20 floor? Still feeling the pressure of the bullet in his chest? Still hearin= g=20 the shot, over and over? He felt no pain, so that must mean he was dead. Of=20 course, he had never been dead before, so he didn't know what it was like. H= e=20 would, however, have pictured something a bit more heavenly. But then he heard a less-than-celestial sound coming from the kitchen. It wa= s=20 the same voice, the same scream that had awoken him from his slumber only=20 minutes before. He shuddered and turned his head over. Let him leave earth= =20 now, before he had to hear his mother scream like that again. =20 She was crying now, he could hear her even from his position on the floor. =20 He wondered if he was an angel, here to take care of his mother. Or maybe h= e=20 would not be allowed to leave earth, since he wasn't human. He placed his=20 arms on either side of him and pushed himself up into a sitting position wit= h=20 a slight groan. As he sat up, the bullet fell to the floor underneath him.=20= =20 He looked at it for a moment, puzzled, then he reached down and picked it up= =20 between his two fingers, holding it up to his eyes for better inspection. H= e=20 then slowly looked down at his chest. There was a hole in his shirt, but as= =20 he moved the fabric away, he found that his smooth skin was still that:=20 Smooth. Unharmed. He wasn't sure what was going on, but something was. He crawled towards the= =20 kitchen on his hands and knees. His mother was on the floor, like him. She= =20 was sitting with her legs curled up underneath her, her head in her hands,=20 and a mixture of moaning and crying was escaping her lips. The men were=20 nowhere to be seen. "Mom?" Clark asked, his voice slightly hoarse. At first, Martha didn't look=20 up, and Clark was afraid that he really was dead, and no one could see him.=20= =20 But then slowly Martha lifted her head from her hands. A large purple welt=20 on her cheek obscured her features, but nothing could hide the wishful look,= =20 which was quickly replaced by a look of astonishment. "Are you all right?" Clark asked again, dragging himself closer to where his= =20 mother sat. "I=E2=80=A6Clark? You're not=E2=80=A6 I mean, I saw you=E2=80=A6." Martha a= ttempted to make sense=20 of the hundreds of thoughts that were racing through her mind. =20 "I think I'm all right. I mean, I'm not sure, but I feel=E2=80=A6 fine," Cl= ark said=20 slowly. Martha came to one of the same conclusions that Clark had. He must be dead,=20 and not even know it.=20 "Oh, honey," she started, but she had no idea what to say. What could she=20 possibly say to her son, who had just been murdered?=20 "Where'd the men go? We need to get away from them," Clark said, looking=20 towards the door. =20 "I don't know, they were gone when I looked up again. But Clark, let me=E2= =80=A6 let=20 me look at the wound," she said gently. Clark lifted up the T-shirt to just=20 above his ribs. "Where'd you=E2=80=A6 I mean, where'd it=E2=80=A6" Martha choked, unable to=20= say the words. =20 Where did the bullet hit you? Where'd you get shot? They all sounded so=20 final, so=E2=80=A6dead. Clark however, understood her. He placed his finger= s on the=20 approximate point of contact. "But honey, there's no mark there," Martha said softly.=20 "I know. It's really weird," Clark answered, letting his shirt fall back=20 down. He glanced around his kitchen from his view on the floor. He still=20 felt in a state of shock, like his mind was cloudy. It was like someone had= =20 poured thick gravy in the part of his brain that did the logical thinking,=20 and he had to wade through slowly to get anywhere.=20 "We should call Dad?" Clark said, his tone a question rather than a=20 statement. He started to stand, and had to hold onto the table for support.=20= =20 His body was shaky, protesting against his movements. He reached out a hand= =20 to help his mother. He pulled it back to him, however, when he heard severa= l=20 pairs of heavy footsteps on the porch. Before he could comprehend what was=20 happening, two more bullets were flying towards him. They hit him in roughl= y=20 the same place. His body jerked in shock, but this time he stood standing,=20 watching in wonder as the bullets fell to the kitchen floor beside him. He=20 stared at the ground for several moments before looking back up at the men,=20 placing a hand over the spot that the bullets had hit. The men looked back=20 at him with as much if not more amazement as Clark himself felt. =20 "What the=E2=80=A6" Hayes said in bewilderment as he stepped into the kitche= n. Brown=20 followed close behind him, carrying a large black bag that he presently=20 dropped onto the floor. After a few long moments of complete silence in the=20 kitchen, Clark advanced towards the men. This=E2=80=A6invulnerability, or w= hatever=20 it was, suddenly gave him a new sense of power. They couldn't hurt him. He= =20 could do whatever he wanted, and they couldn't do anything about it. The=20 intensity of the feeling almost scared him. Along with the power came a dee= p=20 rage. These men were ruining his life. But now, they were powerless against= =20 him. Clark grabbed Hayes with both hands by the collar and slammed him back=20 against the wall.=20 Everything was suddenly crystal clear. All he had to do was get rid of these= =20 men that were ruining his life. And he had the means to do so. Nothing else=20 mattered. "Hey Clark," a voice drawled from behind him. He hesitated for a moment=20 before dropping Hayes and turning around. Then he stepped forward with a=20 gasp. "Tuck, no!" Clark pleaded. Tuck was standing farther back into the kitchen,= =20 with one strong arm wrapped around Martha's neck, the other holding a gun to= =20 her temple. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she trembled in his grasp. =20 Clark had never doubted that Tuck was an evil man, but could anyone really b= e=20 this evil, to kill a woman point-blank right in front of her son? =20 "Let's make a deal, Clark. You go with the men, I won't blow your mama's=20 head off." Clark didn't have to hesitate. "All right. I will." He backed himself up until the men each grabbed one o= f=20 his arms. =20 "Clark!" Martha cried out, but dared not try to free herself from Tuck's=20 grasp. The two men pulled Clark towards the door. He watched his mother=20 sorrowfully, allowing himself to be dragged. "Please Tuck, keep your promise," he pleaded. He was being pulled backwards= =20 out the door. Suddenly, he heard wheels crunch on the gravel. He couldn't=20 see who it was, but he already knew. It was his father. And they would kil= l=20 him too. But if it was his father, why did Hayes and Brown suddenly tense? Their gri= p=20 on his arms got tighter, for a few seconds, before they suddenly let go of=20 him. What?=20 Then they were pushing him back into his house. He stumbled inside, caught=20 off guard, but caught his balance quickly as he saw that Tuck still held the= =20 gun leisurely against his mother. He swallowed quickly, nervously, not=20 wanting to set Tuck off, then turned around to see what was going on. Hayes= =20 and Brown were standing inside the door and staring out through the screen,=20 but Clark couldn't see over them at what was going on.=20 Hayes whispered very softly into Brown's ear, and Clark struggled to hear=20 what they were saying. "We should leave, try to make it to the woods. We can't just stand here and= =20 let them take us!" "But what about the kid? Do we leave him? He'll just tell them what=20 happened." Clark caught himself leaning forward to hear them, but straightened up=20 quickly when they turned around. =20 "We're out of here. If you EVER tell anyone about us, who we are, where to=20 find us, you can be sure that you will never be able to live your life=20 without being followed, or watched. We'll be back someday, and we'll be sur= e=20 you don't get away then." With that, they ran out the door. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:27:56 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 16 of ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Pat 16 Lois was beginning to think she wouldn't be able to make it into town. She=20 was gasping for breath as she ran down the road, her lungs burning. She had= =20 never noticed how long the distance was into town. Of course, Clark lived=20 even deeper into the country than Lois did, but still=E2=80=A6 She was very=20= tempted=20 to walk, but she couldn't. Something very bad was going on at the Kent's=20 house, and the image of Clark hurt, or=E2=80=A6or hurt really bad, propelled= her=20 forward. =20 A few cars went by, their occupants giving Lois strange looks, but she didn'= t=20 slow down until the road led into town. Once there, she headed for the=20 Sheriff's Office. She leaped up the steps onto the small porch and swung th= e=20 door open. Bounding into the room, she stopped at the desk, gasping for=20 breath. No one was in sight. She hung onto the edge of the desk, gasping=20 for breath and wondering what to do now. Now that she had run what seemed=20 like 10 miles to get into town. She spied the service bell on the counter=20 and rang it impatiently over and over. Finally, a balding deputy who=20 evidently seemed to have eaten a few too many donuts emerged from an office=20 behind the desk.=20 "You rang?" he said, eyeing Lois suspiciously. Lois rolled her eyes at him,= =20 then leaned forward on the counter. "I need the sheriff," she said impatiently. "He's not here," the deputy replied flatly. "Well where is he?" Lois demanded, surprised at the deputy's lack of=20 interest. She had an emergency! "What do you need?" the deputy asked, not answering Lois' question. "The sheriff!" Lois exclaimed. "Haven't we already been through this?" Lois took a deep breath. "My friend and his family are in trouble." It was= =20 the deputy's turn to take a deep breath as he pulled out a notebook. "Who's your friend, and what's the matter with him?" "Clark Kent. And there's these-" "Kent? I just saw Jonathon at the hardware store. He told me today was his=20 first day at work." So that's where Clark's dad was. Not at home with Clark and Mrs. Kent. They= =20 were there alone with those men. Chills went down Lois' spine. She silently= =20 prayed that nothing bad happen to them before continuing.=20 "OK, there's these men at their house. I saw them attacking Mrs. Kent. =20 Please contact the sheriff," she finished, her tone nearly pleading. The=20 deputy gave her a long look, as if to see if she was telling the truth,=20 before slowly nodding. "All right. Let me call his radio." Lois sighed with relief as the deputy=20 picked up his radio and pushed a few buttons.=20 "Hey Rob, you might wanna head on over to the Kents'. There's some kind of=20 trouble over there." He attached the radio to his belt and then came around= =20 the counter, grabbing his jacket and hat. "Come on," he said to Lois. "We'l= l=20 meet him over there, and pick up Jonathon on the way." Lois followed him ou= t=20 the door and they drove a few blocks in the deputy's car to the hardware=20 store. Lois jumped out of the car and ran into the store. Mr. Kent was=20 behind the counter, checking out a customer. "Mr Kent!" Lois exclaimed as she ran up to the counter. Jonathon looked at=20 her in surprise. "Hi Lois, what's wrong?" he asked, noticing her worried expression. He=20 thanked the customer as he left, then turned back to Lois. "Clark and Mrs. Kent are in trouble," she said in one quick breath. "In trouble? How?" Jonathon asked, confused.=20 "There were some men in black suits inside your house," Lois replied, and=20 Jonathon immediately leapt forward, grabbing his keys from behind the=20 counter. "The sheriff is on his way there. The deputy's waiting outside fo= r=20 us." Jonathon swung the CLOSED sign on the door and locked it, hurrying out behin= d=20 Lois. A thousand horrible thoughts were running through his mind. He knew=20 he shouldn't have ever left the house today, after what had happened to Clar= k=20 the night before. Because he did, this is what happened. He jumped in the=20 front seat of the deputy's car, praying they wouldn't be too late. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:29:06 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Part 17 of 18 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Part 17 "Hold it right there, boys." Clark watched through the screen door as the=20 sheriff trained his gun on the two agents. They stopped running and turned=20 around slowly, their hands at their sides. Clark watched the sheriff advance= =20 towards the men slowly, his gaze unwavering. The tension hung in the air,=20 and Clark shivered involuntarily. Something was about to happen, he just=20 didn't know what that something was. Clark opened his kitchen door and stepped out on to the porch at the same=20 time that Hayes and Brown both revealed their guns. They sheriff stopped in= =20 his tracks as the men directed their guns towards the sheriff. Clark watche= d=20 the scene in his driveway with rising anxiety. What if they men killed the=20 sheriff? Then there would be no stopping them from killing his mother and=20 taking him away. =20 Could he deflect the bullets from hitting the sheriff in time? And if he=20 could, did he really want to test the theory that he was invulnerable? The=20 bullets hadn't hurt him the other times he had been shot at, but what if his= =20 invulnerability stopped working, or maybe it had worn off? He figured that=20 he would rather be dead then dissected, but then they would have no reason t= o=20 leave his mother alive. And if he was killed, what would be stopping them=20 from killing the sheriff anyway? There were too many complications, too man= y=20 scenarios. All of them bad. But as he watched Hayes place his finger on the trigger, in the same way he=20 had watched it only short time before when the gun had been instead pointed=20 at Clark, there was no doubt in his mind what to do. "Duck!" he yelled to the sheriff as he leapt off the porch and tackled Hayes= =20 onto the ground. They wrestled on the gravel for a moment, Clark reaching=20 for his gun. Clark heard Brown shoot his gun, and he froze, waiting for the= =20 bullet to hit him. He was going to die. But then he noticed that Hayes had stopped struggling with him. Instead,=20 Clark saw that a tiny hole had appeared in Hayes' chest. A bullet hole. =20 Blood quickly coated the man's shirt, and Clark jumped up off the ground,=20 turning his head from the gruesome image. He looked over at Brown, who was=20 staring down at Hayes, who was lying still on the ground. He dropped his gu= n. "I shot him," he murmured. Clark almost thought that Brown was going to cry= ,=20 because of the expression on his face, before the man suddenly smiled. =20 "About time somebody did." Clark snorted with disgust at the man. How could he be happy that he had=20 just killed someone?=20 The sheriff put one hand on Clark's shoulder. "Thanks, Son," he said, pullin= g=20 his handcuffs off of his belt. He cuffed Brown's hands together behind his=20 back and led him back to his car.=20 Clark watched the sheriff walk away with the surviving agent, still in a=20 daze. He glanced back down at the body on the ground, but tore his eyes awa= y=20 quickly. What a terrible, horrible, awful day this had been. =20 "Oh my God!" he said suddenly. His mother was still inside with Tuck! =20 "Sheriff!"=20 He ran back towards his house, deciding not to wait for the sheriff. There=20 wasn't enough time. He swung open the door and came to a stop when he entere= d=20 his kitchen. Martha was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, and Tuck was=20 sitting across from her, still holding the gun towards her boredly. =20 "Clark!" Martha and Tuck said this simultaneously, Tuck in a somewhat less=20 excited voice. Clark hesitated, unsure what to do. His uncertainties he had= =20 felt outside were now flooding back. Could he get in front of his mother in= =20 time? Would he get hurt? Would Tuck really shoot her? "Tuck-" Clark started, stepping towards the man. Maybe he could talk him=20 down. "Calm down Clark. I don't really have no interest in killing Martha. But I= =20 also don't wanna spend all my life in jail neither. So here's the deal. Yo= u=20 let me walk out the door right now, and I won't ever come back. And I won't= =20 never tell anyone about your secret either. Sounds good to me." Clark paused for a moment. Out of the blue, he reflected that that was=20 probably the most he'd ever heard Tuck say when he was sober. "The sheriff's= =20 outside. He won't let you leave. And how can you expect to get away clean,= =20 after all you've done?" =20 "I'm not really giving you a choice. You either convince the sheriff to let= =20 me leave, or I'll take your mom down before I go to jail." Clark shut his=20 eyes, trying to think clearly. How could he decide this? He, a 17-year old= =20 boy, was being asked to decide whether to let a convict walk free, or save=20 his mother's life. The answer was inevitable to him, but did he have that=20 kind of authority? Then again, he had been through so much in the past few=20 days that he felt as if maybe he had the right to do whatever he deemed=20 worthy. "How do I know you'll leave us alone?" Clark asked dumbly, trying to buy=20 time. Think, think, think.=20 "You'll have to trust me," Tuck said, giving Clark a sardonic smile. Yeah=20 right, Clark thought. Trust Tuck. When pigs fly. He looked to his mother.=20= =20 She returned his gaze, but gave no hint as to what she thought he should do. "All right. Leave." Tuck raised his eyebrows slightly, but then stood and stuffed his gun into=20 his shirt pocket. He raised a hand to wave at Clark and Martha before=20 walking into the living room, heading for the front door in the opposite=20 direction of the sheriff. Martha and Clark stood still for a moment, until=20 they heard the definite sound of the front door slamming. Then Clark turned= =20 and collapsed into Martha's arms.=20 "Was I right? Did I do the right thing?" Clark asked against his mother's=20 shoulder. "You did your best. It was the only option for you. I don't know if it was=20 right, but I would have done the same thing," Martha said. Clark looked up=20 and found tears running down his mother's cheeks. He gave her a half-smile. "Let's never, ever, ever do anything like that again," Clark said. "All right," Martha replied, smiling softly. Clark turned as he heard the=20 sheriff walk in. He took a deep breath, preparing to explain everything tha= t=20 had just happened, but then the door opened again and Jonathon walked in,=20 followed closely by Lois. Clark jumped up and ran to them, first enveloping his arms around Jonathon,=20 then he turned to Lois. He looked down into her dark eyes, now so full of=20 emotion. Clark wondered for a minute why Lois was here, then realized that=20 she must have been the one that alerted the sheriff. He hesitated for a=20 moment before wrapping his arms around her. =20 "Thank you," he murmured into her ear. He pulled back for a moment. "I'm so glad you're ok. I was afraid something had happened to you when-"=20 Lois started. Clark cut her off. "I'm fine, don't worry." He figured that it would be=20 better not to tell her that he had been shot, because that would have taken=20= a=20 lot of explaining. She slowly smiled at him, and he found himself grinning.= =20 Relief suddenly poured over him. He was ok. Everyone he cared about was ok= .=20 The men weren't a problem anymore. No one was after him. There were still= =20 a few technicalities he would have to deal with, but he knew that in the arm= s=20 of the one he loved, surrounded by the people he loved, he was safe. He=20 closed his eyes for a moment, basking in the incredible feeling of plain=20 happiness that he hadn't felt in so long. He opened his eyes again to see=20 Lois' soft, innocent face so close to his, and it was all he could do to not= =20 laugh out loud with delight. He leaned forward slowly and softly closed his eyes. His lips met Lois', an= d=20 he drew her closer to him, wrapping his arms tighter around her neck. He=20 smiled against her lips. This was why he was alive. Why his life, out of s= o=20 many that were threatened, had been spared. A low whistle made he pull back, and he turned his head to find his mother=20 and father, and even the sheriff, smiling brightly at Lois and Clark. Clark= =20 was sure his face turned several shades of red in those few seconds, and he=20 turned back to Lois, to find her smiling brightly up at him. She pulled him=20 back towards her and again their lips met. Ignoring his parent's delighted=20 laughter, Clark let himself fall into the rapture of the moment. At that=20 moment, he realized he must have been the luckiest guy on Earth, even if he=20 was an alien. He smiled at the thought. Things could have definitely been=20 worse. =20 * * * Clark didn't know exactly what he was expecting that Monday when he returned= =20 to school, but it certainly wasn't the looks of pity, humor, even fear that=20 he saw in his peers' faces. He sighed as he followed Lois up the steps into= =20 the school. How much more of this was he going to have to take? Couldn't=20 everybody just forget about the poster and the newspaper? No, he realized,=20 answering his own question. It would take a while for them to do that.=20 He entered the building and was immediately engulfed in a wave of voices. =20 The whispers about him coming from all the students were all loud and clear=20 in his head. He feared all the voices would smother him. He desperately=20 wanted to shake his head and make the voices leave, but he couldn't make a=20 scene without causing only more ridicule upon himself. Why did all these=20 weird things have to happen to him? Unable to sleep the night before, he had= =20 made a list in his head of all the strange things that he had done in the=20 past week or so. There was the invulnerability, of course. And the ability= =20 to see things up close, at least he had been able to that night in the tree=20 house. Also, he had been able to hear some things that he didn't think he=20 should have been able to. This was one of those moments. =20 "-look at him-" "-I wouldn't dare show my face-" "-poor guy-" "-he's so strange-" It was all Clark could do to not jerk his head around and search for the=20 origins of all these comments. He sped up and kept his head down, but=20 suddenly the whispers all quieted down to the normal hum. He sighed in=20 relief and lifted his head up again. He had almost been afraid that the=20 ultra-hearing might never quit.=20 "Hey Clark!" Clark looked over to finally see a friendly face, Brad, the=20 quarterback on the football team.=20 "Hey Brad," Clark greeted. He was delighted when Lois stopped with him and=20 put her arm around his waist. He responded by putting one arm around her=20 shoulders. Brad gave him a sly look before continuing. "Where were you on Friday? We needed you at the game," Brad asked, referrin= g=20 to the football game at Smallville High. Clark laughed to himself. What ha= d=20 he been doing on Friday? Helping catch secret government agents? Dodging=20 bullets? "I'm sorry I missed it, I was=E2=80=A6sick." "I didn't expect you to show up anyway, since you hadn't been at school.=20 Anyway, you just better not miss anymore." Brad spotted Lana and looked bac= k=20 to Clark with his sly look. "See you later." Brad walked away, and Clark looked back down at Lois. They both smiled. Th= e=20 normalcy of the school was making Clark feel uncomfortable, he had gotten so= =20 used to being in strange situations that the familiar faces and normal high=20 school gossip seemed extraordinary. He, at least, felt like he was coming=20 out on top of everyone else. He had been through more in the past few weeks= =20 than most of the students would ever experience. So he would endure their=20 remarks and long stares, and be able to secretly laugh at them. Besides, at least for a few more days, he would have help, he thought fondly= ,=20 gazing down at Lois. It wouldn't be too bad, as long as she was with him. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:30:56 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: A New Beginning, Final MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable * * * Clark walked dejectedly down the road towards his house. He had managed to=20 keep his spirits high enough at school, but now that he was alone, he felt=20 the depression that he knew would come. Lois had left for Metropolis the da= y=20 before. He already missed her terribly. There was a deep hole in his heart= =20 that he feared couldn't possibly be filled. He would never get to see Lois=20 now. He could only see her when she came to Metropolis, which she had=20 promised she would be doing on a fairly regular basis, but it wasn't enough=20 for Clark. He longed to feel her small body pressed up against his just one= =20 more time. But he knew that if he had gotten the chance, he might not be=20 able to let go. =20 She should have landed at the Metropolis National Airport late the night=20 before, and she had promised she would call him after she settled in. His=20 biggest fear was that she would get so caught up in the happenings of the bi= g=20 city that she would forget about him. It would probably happen in time, he=20 knew. She would continue on with her new life, and he would be forced to=20 continue on with his, no matter how bleak it looked from his current view.=20 But he loved her, and he selfishly wished over and over that she had never=20 left. He wondered if it was healthy for someone to feel as much love for=20 someone as he did for Lois, but decided that nothing that felt so right coul= d=20 possibly be wrong. Clark turned to walk up his driveway, but noticed mail in his mailbox and=20 changed direction. He pulled the small stack of envelopes from the box and=20 flipped through them as he walked back towards his house. To his surprise,=20 one of the envelopes was addressed to him. Looking at the return label, he=20 saw that it was from the Metropolis School of Journalism. He sighed as he=20 half-heartedly flipped it over and tore it open. He had already received a=20 'Thanks-but-no-thanks' letter from Wichita U., and he knew it had been only=20= a=20 matter of time before he received one from MSoJ as well. He pulled out the=20 neatly folded letter and opened it. He scanned through the first paragraph,=20 expecting the=20 'There-were-so-many-applicants-we-could-hardly-choose-but-you're-definetely-= no t-one-of-them' speel. Therefore, as he went back and read it again, and the= n=20 again and again, he found himself lacking the required amount of air to=20 survive. "Oh my God.." he said slowly. Could this be true? Could something actually= =20 go right for Clark Kent? He couldn't believe it. But then he read it again= ,=20 and a huge smile erupted on his face. The letter read that the Metropolis=20 School of Journalism had accepted him. And he had received a half=20 scholarship! The school had liked his series on family problems that he had=20 written for the Smallville newspaper, which he had submitted with his=20 application.=20 "I made it," he said softly, then suddenly he dropped his book bag and the=20 remaining mail on the ground and he jumped up in the air, shouting with=20 exultation. He ran up to the house and burst into the kitchen. He thrust=20 the paper into his mother's face, who was still trying to recover from=20 Clark's surprise entrance. "Read it!" he yelped, barely able to stand still. Martha scanned the letter=20 quickly, and her face was nearly as bright as Clark's. "Clark, this is wonderful! I didn't even know you applied!" Martha said,=20 giving her son a big congratulatory hug. Clark ran back outside to get the=20 mail he had dropped and his book bag. As he stooped to pick up the letters=20 that were strewn about the driveway, Clark realized that he couldn't go to=20 college. For one thing, he had only received a part scholarship. How could= =20 he possibly afford to pay for even some of the cost required to attend=20 college? It was such a far-fetched idea that Clark almost had to laugh=20 cruelly at himself. =20 And for another reason, Clark couldn't just leave his parents and move=20 halfway across the country. How would his parents get along without him? =20 And what if there was some emergency that his parents needed help with? =20 Clark would never forgive himself if something happened to his parents=20 because he had been selfish and left them for his own needs. It was a dream= ,=20 and nothing more. Even now that he had the means to pursue it, he couldn't.= =20 He angrily kicked at the gravel in his driveway, sending the tiny rocks=20 flying through the air. Martha was standing at the front door as he stomped= =20 up the porch and pushed past her. Surprised by his sudden change in mood,=20 Martha followed him into the living room where he had flopped despondently o= n=20 the couch. She sat down on the arm of the couch and waited for him to explai= n=20 his mood's sudden downfall. "How am I supposed to go to college? We don't have enough money," Clark sai= d=20 bluntly. Martha sat for a moment, taken by surprise at the reason for Clark'= s=20 drastic change in attitude.=20 "Clark," Martha said slowly, "didn't you know that we've been saving money=20 for your college? We haven't been able to add much in the past few years, an= d=20 we've been tempted to use some of it, but it's there. Your father and I hav= e=20 always wanted you to be able to fit in and have a normal life, and we wanted= =20 to make sure that there was nothing that would keep you from doing so." =20 Clark stared up at her for a few moments from his position on the couch. "Are you serious?" he blurted out after a moment. Martha laughed lightly. "Yes, I'm serious." But Clark didn't make any move=20 to return to celebrating. "But how are you and Dad going to get along without me?" Clark asked slowly= ,=20 trying not to sound conceited, but he was truly worried about that.=20 "The same way we did when you were too young to be any help. Clark, I don't=20 want you to worry about us. Go with this, and don't ever think that it was=20 the wrong thing to do. Your father and I will miss you when you're gone, bu= t=20 when you have the chance to have such a better life than we did, you need to= =20 take it. And I think that your father has decided to farm a little again. =20 There's no need to ever worry." Clark sat in silence for a long time. This seemed too good to be true, but=20 he figured that he had earned it. It was like the calm after the storm. An= d=20 he wanted so badly to do this. He wanted to go to the school and Metropolis= =20 more than anything else he had ever wanted. He slowly smiled, and looked at= =20 his mom again. "Do you really think I can do this?" he asked. "Of course I do. I wouldn't want anything else for you than your happiness,"= =20 Martha answered sincerely.=20 Clark sat up and hugged his mother tightly. Now, instead of the gloomy life= =20 with no future he had imagined for himself, he saw a new beginning, one of=20 bright and endless possibilities. He couldn't imagine anything better. EPILOGUE Late September, 1986 Clark Kent strode down the long stairway that led to the street. Through his= =20 new glasses, he spotted a dark-haired young woman sitting on the stairwell=20 and reading a book, oblivious to the sounds of the Metropolian traffic and=20 city noises in general. Clark sidled over and sat down next to her, slippin= g=20 his arm over her shoulder and softly kissing her head. "Hello, beautiful," he said when she looked up, giving her his most innocent= =20 look. Lois Lane smiled at him and closed her book, packing it into her purs= e=20 before standing up and giving Clark a quick hug. Clark entwined his fingers= =20 around Lois' as she led him down the street toward the parking garage where=20 her car was located. "I made us a reservation at my uncle's caf=E9 for lunch," Lois informed Clar= k=20 as they strolled down the street hand-in-hand.=20 "Sounds yummy," Clark answered, giving Lois a goofy grin. She giggled and=20 leaned forward to give him a quick kiss before continuing on their route.=20 "We don't have to hurry, but I do have to be at work by 4:00," Lois said. =20 Clark checked his watch. He had planned to fly out to see his parents this=20 evening, so it worked out well for him that Lois had to go to the Planet. =20 But for three hours, they had the day to themselves. =20 At that moment Clark heard a distant cry for help. He closed his eyes for a= =20 moment, waiting for the wailing sounds of the ambulance. They followed=20 quickly. He breathed a silent 'Thank you' before shutting out the sounds. =20 He had subconsciously, and much against his will, managed to somehow train=20 himself to listen for cries of help. And maybe, someday, he would try to hel= p=20 those who needed it. But right now, he thought as he brought Lois' hand up=20 and pressed his lips against it softly, right now, he was content walking=20 down the street with the woman he loved. He wanted nothing more than to spen= d=20 his life with her. And, he thought blissfully, he was finally being given th= e=20 chance to do just that.=20 THE END Thank you everyone who read this for reading this :) I hope I did everythin= g=20 right, and please leave feedback! Thank you so much again! Christy ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:10:02 +1100 Reply-To: "jenerator@ozemail.com.au" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jen Stosser Subject: Re: writers international (pam's sigfile) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Pam Jernigan [SMTP:jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET] Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 11:42 AM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell P:P:P:P:P:P:P: Jen jenerator@ozemail.com.au -*-This message is umop ap!sdn (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) -*- JenerEight on AIM -Photos of David (8) and Megan (5) on the Stosser Family HomePage http//www.geocities.com/j_stosser Please sign our guestbook! ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:16:30 +1100 Reply-To: "jenerator@ozemail.com.au" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jen Stosser Subject: Re: looking for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It's by Wendy, and I can't remember the name of it now! Darn it! Jen jenerator@ozemail.com.au -*-This message is umop ap!sdn (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) -*- JenerEight on AIM -Photos of David (8) and Megan (5) on the Stosser Family HomePage http//www.geocities.com/j_stosser Please sign our guestbook! -----Original Message----- From: Lorie Y. Crisp [SMTP:SuperLorie@AOL.COM] Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 7:29 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] looking for a fic OK, hopefully those of you that are still up in the wee hours of the morning can answer this for me. I'm looking for the fanfic that was about an alternate universe (that was ours, I think), and two actors were the stars of Lois and Clark, and the male star found out he had superpowers. H.G. Wells came to him and said, "you're Clark Kent's counterpart in this universe, etc etc" And he and Lois Lane's counterpart met the real Lois and Clark who taught him how to be Superman. Ring any bells? It's one of my favorite fics, and so far I can't find it. I'm looking alphabetically through the archive, but it's taking forever. Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 14:20:51 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 4/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 4/? by Nan Smith It was nearly three a.m. when Lori woke. The room was dim, and for a few seconds she couldn't remember where she was. The sound of Clark breathing beside her brought memory back suddenly and she smiled into the darkness. She should have known. There had been no need to be nervous. Clark--her husband!--had been just as wonderful on their wedding night as he had been about everything else. He had been gentle and understanding with her nervousness, even to the point of admitting to her that he was a little nervous as well. In a way, that had been reassuring. And now… She turned on her side. His slightly exotic features were barely visible in the faint glow of the bedside chronometer. She studied them, the dark brows and lashes, his full lips, the lock of hair that fell across his brow, and raised a hand to brush her fingers across his cheekbone. "I love you, Clark," she whispered. "You have no idea how happy you've made me." His eyes opened and met hers. He smiled. "I love you, too, Ms. Kent," he said, very quietly. "I never thought I could ever be this happy again." "I'm glad," she said. A little twinge of doubt crossed her mind, as it had intermittently from the moment he'd told her the truth about himself. She'd subdued it in the face of the fact that he was so obviously in love with her, but it still nibbled at her now and then. "I only hope I can be as good a wife as Lois was." Clark pushed himself up on an elbow and leaned over to kiss her. "I'm not worried, Lori. I'm not comparing you to Lois. You're yourself, and you don't have to try to compete with anyone." "I just want you to be proud of me," Lori said. "I don't want to disappoint you. How long were you married to Lois, Clark?" "A long time," Clark said. "And I loved her very much from the moment I met her. But now there's you." He stroked her face lightly with a forefinger. "You can't imagine how proud I am of you, Lori, or how it makes me feel that you were willing to marry me. When I saw you that first time, I felt like I'd been hit by lightning. I knew it was happening all over again, and all the rest of the night I kept seeing your face and trying to figure out how to arrange for Clark Kent to meet you." "Do you think your family will mind that I'm taking her place?" Lori asked. "No." Clark pulled her into his arms. "I talked to all four of them about this months ago, and they urged me to go for it. Lara said that Lois spoke to them privately, years back, without telling me about it and just about ordered them to make any new wife of mine welcome." "Really?" "Yeah. I don't know why it should have surprised me, though. She would have been furious with me if I'd stayed single to honor her memory or something." He kissed the tip of her nose. "She made me promise that if I found the right person, I wouldn't go all noble and do something stupid out of a misplaced sense of duty. I used to be famous for doing stuff like that. I had this idiotic idea that, since I was Superman, I could make decisions for the good of other people without consulting them. Lois nearly killed me a few times for it, but fortunately she finally managed to break me of the habit--mostly, anyway." Lori found herself smiling. "I guess I owe her something for that, then. I'm glad you decided to do what she told you." He laughed. "Me, too. And now I've got you to tell me what to do." He began to kiss her lightly along the jawline. "Is there anything I can do for you right now, Ms. Kent?" "Well," Lori said, sliding her arms around him, "now that you mention it…" ********** Clark lay awake for some time after Lori had gone to sleep with her head on his shoulder, feeling as if he had come home. Lori wasn't Lois, of course even though like Loisette and Lulu she had the same soul. She was a person in her own right, and a very attractive person at that, but the part that made her his soul mate was very much evident to him. Up until a few months before, he had almost despaired of ever finding her. Now… He pressed a kiss lightly into her tousled hair, vowing to himself to love and protect her as long as she lived against anyone who would try to hurt her. Lori murmured in her sleep, and Clark's arm tightened slightly around her. It was a little frightening to realize how much of his happiness was tied up in this one, young woman. Fortunately for his peace of mind, Lori didn't appear to be quite as reckless as Lois had been, although now and then he had seen her display flashes of Lois's assertiveness. Lori was, in her own way, as strong a person as her previous incarnation had been, just as intelligent, and would doubtless keep him on his toes. It wasn't an unattractive prospect at all. The reason for the suddenness of their marriage crossed his mind, and he frowned slightly. Her mother was going to be difficult to handle, especially when she learned of this latest development. For a brief moment, he found himself nostalgic for Ellen Lane. For all Ellen's faults, she had sincerely cared for Lois's happiness. She might have had a different set of priorities than Lois, but she had never tried to relive her own life through her daughter. By all appearances, Lori's mom was determined to see to it that Lori lived the life she felt she should have lived, herself. He hoped he was wrong. It wasn't pleasant to think that Mariann would willingly sacrifice Lori's happiness to achieve her own ambitions. They would have to wait and see, but Clark had no intention of letting her bully Lori. He knew his bride had a pretty good idea of what they were in for, and the fact that she had wanted to get married so quickly as a defense against her mother's meddling spoke volumes. Lori had impressed him right from the start as an ambitious but levelheaded young woman--a surprising quality, considering how much her upbringing seemed to have damaged her belief in herself. Clark's lips thinned, thinking about that. Mariann seemed to have gone out of her way to instill in her the conviction that no man would be interested in her for any kind of long-term relationship. He was glad that he seemed to have been able to convince her at least partially that her mother had been, to put it politely, mistaken. Whatever the real reasons for Mariann's behavior, he had the feeling that it would make Lori unhappy to end up with the same relationship with her that Marcy had. It was probably a good thing that he'd already been through the Lane school for dysfunctional families. He had the feeling that he was going to need everything he'd learned there, and more, before they were done. Not for the first time, he missed the presence of Jonathan and Martha Kent. They could have helped him to figure out how to handle the problems that were bound to crop up in the not-too-distant future. His mother had always seemed to know what to do. Fortunately, Robert Lyons appeared to be a stable and loving father. If he was any judge of character, Lori's father was a lot like his son, Brad. The fact that the man had stayed with Mariann through what had to have been a turbulent marriage said a lot about him. He must love her in spite of her controlling behavior, so there must be good qualities there somewhere; at least he hoped so. Somehow, Clark didn't believe that Robert Lyons was at all intimidated by his wife. The whole thing was a puzzle, all right. Mariann's frequently voiced belief that Lori's career would be destroyed by marriage didn't make any sense to him. In this day and age, a woman's career was limited only by her own ambition. Maybe someday, he'd figure out the reasons behind it but in the meantime, he didn't intend to let someone else's emotional hangups hurt his wife. Mariann was going to have to learn to live with the situation, and that was all there was to it. Eventually she would see that Lori's career wasn't suffering at all because of marriage. Of course, that might spark more of the feelings of jealousy toward her daughter that he had already detected in her. Mariann seemed to him in some ways a rather pathetic person, always wanting more than she had. What was it he wondered, that could have caused her to become that way? Clark gave himself a mental shake. Lori's mother couldn't be an entirely terrible person or her daughter wouldn't have turned out like she had. He didn't really know enough about her to be able to figure out what her actual motivations were. All he could do was look out for Lori when things hit the fan. Somehow, they would cope and the problems would eventually work themselves out. They always did. Satisfied that he'd settled a few things, at least in his own mind, he put his other arm around Lori as well and drifted off to sleep. ********** The soft beeping of his wrist talker on the bedside table awoke Clark. Beside him, Lori stirred, and he reached out quickly to shut off the noise. Silently, he picked up the little device, rose from the bed and hurried into the living room of the suite. "Clark Kent," he said. "Clark!" It was John Olsen's voice. "Is everything okay? I got your message that you wouldn't be in this morning, but I thought you'd want to know, we've managed to track down two of those three pieces of jewelry and have a line on the third." "That's great, John," Clark said. "Yeah, Lori and I are okay. We had a little change of plan last night, and we're in Las Vegas right now. We'll be in to work tomorrow at the usual time." "Las Vegas?" John said. "Anything going on there that we should know about?" "Nothing of international importance," Clark said. "Lori and I got married at a Las Vegas chapel last night. It's a long story. The big wedding is still on track, though." "Sounds like there's more to it than you're saying," John said. "Well, yes--sort of. What about the jewelry?" "Oh, that. Well, two of the pieces were a set--a pair of earrings. They were purchased by a college student at Metropolis City College. One of our representatives located her and explained that they were part of a collection of rare Native American jewelry that had been lost. Don't worry, we paid her the price of the earrings, plus a bonus for her inconvenience. The other piece is a ring. We're still tracking the buyer, but we expect to have more information in a few days." "That's a relief. I'll feel a lot safer when it's under our control." "So will the rest of us. Take tomorrow off, too, Clark. Your bride deserves at least that much time to get used to being married before she comes back to work." "Thanks, John. The real honeymoon will take place after the formal ceremony, though. Lori's thinking Hawaii." "Good choice." "Are you going to be at Jon's on Sunday?" "Wouldn't miss it," John said. "Aaron's providing the transportation for Marilyn and me. How often does the patriarch of the whole clan get married, after all? This is a big deal." "I guess," Clark said. "I just hope everyone will remember not to overwhelm Lori. She's only 21, remember, and not used to this sort of thing." "Don't worry," John said. "I think I know her pretty well. I already warned Jon about it and he says he'll take care of it." "Thanks," Clark said. He raised his head at the sound of Lori's sleepy voice. "Lori's awake. I'll talk to you later." "Bye," John said. "And Clark…" "Yeah?" "Congratulations." "Thanks." Clark shut off the wrist talker and opened the door to the bedroom. Lori was sitting up, holding the thin silk of the bed sheet up to her shoulders. The lovely nightgown that he had brought to her from Paris lay carelessly on the floor where it had landed last night, along with his black silk pajama top. "I wondered where you were," she said. He slipped back into the bed. "We had a phone call. I didn't want to disturb you." He had not failed to notice the fact that under the sheet, his bride was wearing nothing but her bare skin. "I told them to bring breakfast up about nine. We've got an hour to kill. Can you think of any way we might pass the time?" Lori giggled. "What happened to my nice, gentlemanly, polite, restrained fiancé? I could swear he was with me when we got to Las Vegas." "He turned into your husband, who thinks you've got an irresistible, beautiful, sexy body, of course." "Oh," she said, unable to hide her pleasure at his description. "Well, in that case…" ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:00:33 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 5/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 5/? by Nan Smith "So," Clark said, "welcome to your new home." He set her down inside the threshold of his apartment. Lori looked around the place that had heretofore been only Clark's and sighed in satisfaction. "This is wonderful, Clark. You have no idea how glad I am to be out of that poky little flat." "I think I do. Give me a few minutes and I'll have your things over here, and you can decide what to do with them." "Okay." Lori looked after her husband as he flashed out the skylight, changing from his civvies into Superman in a blur, and was gone. She walked into the bedroom to remove her sweater. It was wonderful to even *have* a bedroom after weeks of living in the tiny, one-room flat that she had called home after her graduation from New Troy State. This one was larger than the bedroom she'd had at her parents' home in Los Angeles, and Clark had a double bed, too. Her cheeks grew warm at the thought of that. There was a gust of wind in the other room and then the whoosh of Clark's departure again. Lori hung her sweater on the hook behind the door and looked around the room with a new viewpoint. This was the room she and Clark would share in the future. Clark had a double dresser against one wall, and a big closet. He would have to make room for her things there, or get her another dresser. On the wall was a small, framed photograph that she had noticed before in passing, but now she moved across the room to examine it. The picture was that of an older couple, smiling, and now, looking at them, she experienced the oddest feeling of déjŕ vu. Their faces were familiar, although she knew she had never seen them before. Curiously, she removed the small, framed picture and turned it over. On the back was a line of faded handwriting that she recognized as Clark's: "Jonathan and Martha Kent, 1999." These had been Clark's parents, his human parents, who had found his ship when it landed in Shuster's field in 1966. Lori turned the photograph over once more and examined the two faces, wishing she had known them. These two people had found the baby who would one day become Superman, and raised him to be the remarkable person she had married. Slowly, she replaced the old photograph to its position of honor on the wall. While she had been examining it, she had been aware of several more arrivals and departures in the other room, and now she turned at the sound of a step behind her. Clark, still in the famous red and blue Suit, was standing there watching her, a smile on his face. "Hi," she said. "I was just looking at the picture of your parents." "They were terrific people," he said, soberly. "I wish you'd known them." "I knew they must have been," Lori said. "But, you know--it happened again." "What did?" "That really weird feeling, like I'd seen them before. Just like when I saw your picture at the Planet, and when you proposed. It happens all the time, and I sure wish I knew why!" Clark said nothing, but began to slowly pull off his Suit, unlike his usual lightning change, a puzzled expression on his face. "Do you have any ideas?" he asked, after a moment. She shook her head. "No, and it's really annoying." "Well, maybe we can figure it out. Tell me the next time it happens, okay?" "Okay. I just hope you don't think I'm crazy or something," Lori said. "Not a chance." Clark's teeth flashed in that devastating smile that had the usual effect of making her knees weak. "I think you've got a pretty strong grip on reality." "Thanks." "I brought our bags from Las Vegas and all the stuff from your flat," he said, changing the subject. "I thought while you checked them over I could clean out half the closet and dresser for you. We'll take care of all the other details of moving and then we could go and do something fun together. John's giving us tomorrow off, too, before we go back to work, just to get used to being married." "That was nice of him," Lori said. "I guess I should call my old landlord, too, shouldn't I? I'm paid through the end of the month, so that ought to cover the two weeks notice..." She took a deep breath. "And then, we probably better call my parents." "Yeah," Clark said. "I guess so. Do you want to do the talking, or shall I?" Lori hesitated, the temptation to let Clark handle the hard part tugging strongly at her, then sighed. "I guess I better, but will you stay with me?" "Do you even have to ask?" Clark said. "Of course I will. Whatever happens, I'll back you up, you know that." Lori nodded. "Yeah, I *do* know that. I feel a little guilty about it, too--dragging you into the middle of it. Mother's not going to like this." Clark dropped the top of his uniform on the bed and crossed the room to put his arms around her. "That's probably an understatement, but I can take it. There's no way I'd leave you to face this alone." "Thanks, Clark." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. The kiss was threatening to become something more when she pulled free. "I better go check over my stuff while you change. If we get started, we might forget to call them at all. We'll get back to this later." "Okay, but I'm taking that as a promise," Clark said. "Count on it." Lori made her way toward the doorway, but she was unable to resist glancing back in time to see him remove the leggings. Seeing Clark in nothing but his shorts was definitely a treat she didn't want to miss. This being married thing certainly had its perks. Far too soon, they had finished the chores and Lori braced herself. It was time to make the fatal phone call. She settled beside Clark on the sofa and looked at him. "I guess this is it." "Yeah." He took her hand. "You know what to expect, so try not to let it get to you. Remember, this is your life, not your mom's. She has no right to tell you that you can't get married." "Tell my mother that," Lori said, glumly. "Are you ready?" "Yeah. You don't have to use the touchpad. I authorized you as a new user before we left." "Right." Lori gulped and spoke to the vidphone. "Robert and Mariann Lyons." Rapidly she recited the code to set it in the phone's memory and they waited, Clark gripping her hand tightly. The screen lit up with a soft chime. Mariann Lyons' face was looking accusingly at them. "Well," she said, acidly, "I'm glad you finally saw fit to call me, Lori. Your phone refused my calls. I wanted to speak to you *privately*, however." Lori inhaled deeply. Facing her mother with the news she was about to impart was just as difficult as she had expected. "I know, Mother, but this is important. Clark and I were married last night." "*What?!!*" Lori felt Clark's hand tighten around hers at the sound of Mariann's raised voice. The following explosion was all she had expected and more. Somewhere in the ensuing tirade, Robert Lyons appeared in the background, frowning as he tried to decipher the reason for his wife's wrath. When it became clear to him, he glanced at Clark with an expression Lori couldn't read, but remained silent. Lori didn't try to defend herself, but kept her lips tightly closed in the face of her mother's fury. Clark looked at her and then back at Mariann several times and said nothing, but he never released her hand. It gave her the courage to ride out the storm with reasonable calm. When her mother finally ran out of things to say, she spoke quietly. "Are you finished, Mother?" "I can't believe you would do this, Lori, after all I've told you..." "Mother, I don't think you need to repeat that. I remember." "Obviously you didn't absorb a thing I said. Your career comes before marriage, young lady! Marriage ruined my career as a business consultant." She glanced at Clark, and Lori was shocked at the dislike that showed on her face. "At least everything isn't lost. When your six month contract is up and you've gotten all this out of your system, you can come home and work at the Herald. I *knew* it was a mistake letting you go to school so far from home, and see what's come of it! I was against this job of yours at the Daily Planet right from the beginning! It isn't good for you to be so far away, involved in all that investigation and traveling. You're too young!" "It's not a six-month contract," Lori said. Her voice sounded stiff, even to her. "It's not even a year contract. It's lifetime." Her mother seemed bereft of speech for several seconds. In the background, she thought she could see a slight smile on her father's face, but she didn't say so. "Mother, I'm not going to talk to you when you're so upset. Clark and I are still a reporting team and being married to him isn't going to affect that at all. You'll see that after while. I love Clark, and I've never been happier than I am right now." "Lori, you don't know anything about love and marriage." Mariann looked venomously at Clark. "This *man* has completely deceived you. A man only wants a handmaiden and a bed partner. Your career will suffer, and in the end you'll be nothing!" "Mother, lots of women have marriage and a career," Lori said, with some spirit. "You could have, too, if you'd wanted it." Mariann looked as if she were going to explode. Lori glanced desperately at Clark. "Ms. Lyons," Clark said, quietly, "we wanted to tell you and your husband about this as soon as possible, but I think everyone is upset enough. We'll discuss this a little later, if you don't mind." "Goodbye, Mother, Dad," Lori said, quickly. "Love to both of you." She cut the connection before Mariann could object. ********** "Well," Clark said after a moment, "I guess that might have gone better." The phone began to beep. Clark glanced at the identification on the screen. "Your mom's calling back." "I don't want to talk to her right now," Lori said. Her voice was shaking. Clark pulled her into his arms. "It's all right, honey. She'll get used to it." "I know." She took a trembling breath. Clark held her tightly. After a few seconds, he realized she was crying softly. "Hey," he said. "It's okay. You knew she'd be mad." "I know," Lori said. "Hearing it is something else. I shouldn't have said that." "Said what?" "That part about women having marriage and a career. Mother hated her career, and after she married Dad, she quit and never went back. All these years, though, she's pretended that it was because of being married to Dad. It wasn't. But she was being so nasty about you..." "I guessed that," Clark said. "She probably doesn't appreciate it being brought up, though. But, honey, just because she had a problem doesn't give her the right to run your life. You're of age. It's not your fault the way her life turned out." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab at the tears. Lori sniffled a little and clung to him. "You're right. And I'm not sorry I married you. I'm glad." "Good." He bent his head to kiss her lightly. "So am I. Give her some time to absorb it. It's up to her, now. If she wants to have any kind of relationship with you, she's going to have to decide to tolerate your decision even if she doesn't like it. Between us, we'll show her that you're career is just taking off, not falling apart." "She won't like that either, now," Lori said. "I'll be doing something she didn't--or couldn't." "That's not your problem," Clark said. "In the meantime, I think we should go and do something that has nothing to do with your mother. What do you say?" She nodded against his chest. "Okay. You're such a wonderful guy, Clark." Clark wrapped both arms tightly around her. "Without you, I'm just another character flying around out there in tights." She gave a watery giggle. "Right. Just an ordinary guy. What do you want to do? Shall we go somewhere, or stay here?" Clark hugged her. "We can give the bedroom its initiation a little later. Why don't I take you flying? There's this place in Switzerland I know that makes the most decadent chocolate you ever tasted. I think you need some of it right now." ********** When they returned from Switzerland and an aerial tour of the Alps three hours later, there were fifteen messages waiting on the vidphone recorder. Clark scanned them at high speed while Lori was changing into clothes more suited to Metropolis in the late summer. Fourteen calls were from Mariann Lyons, and contained mostly short, angry monologues and demands that Lori call her back. He unceremoniously transferred them to the phone's archive. If she really wanted to see them, she could retrieve them later when things had calmed down a bit, although there was nothing new or of interest in any of them. The remaining call was from John Olsen. Clark ordered the vidphone to play the call, just as Lori re-entered the room. "What is it?" she asked. "John called. I thought we better find out what was up." The screen lit up and their editor's face appeared. "Hi Clark, Lori," he began. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but do you think you could give me a call back when it's convenient? Something's come up. It's private, so I don't want to leave any details on the phone. Bye--and congratulations again." "John sounds worried," Lori said. "Would he be at the office right now?" Clark glanced at his wrist talker's time display. "Yeah, maybe. I'll call there. If he's out, it'll relay." The vidscreen lit up seconds later. Their editor was sitting at his desk, and the worried look on his face relaxed somewhat when he saw them. "Thanks for calling back," he said, without preliminary. "I'm headed home in a few minutes. Do you think you could meet me there?" "Sure," Clark said. "I'll let Marilyn know you're coming," John said. "I don't want to discuss this over the air." "No problem," Clark said. "We'll see you in half an hour." "Right." The screen went off. "I wonder what's going on," Lori commented. "John sounded upset." "Yeah, he did." Clark nodded at the vidphone. "I archived your mom's calls, if you want to see them. Nothing unexpected, I'm afraid." "Delete them," Lori said. Her jaw tightened. "I don't even want to listen to anything she says while she's in this stage. I heard all of it about Marcy, seven years ago. It took her weeks to run down. I'd rather concentrate on business--and us." "Good idea." Clark was glad to see the investigative reporter emerging once more. Lori appeared to be handling the situation with Mariann well, but he didn't like to see her unhappy. Still, she seemed to have regained her equilibrium since the painful phone conversation with her mother, earlier. She made a face. "Clark, if we don't set the rules now, we'll have trouble for our whole married life. I don't want to be fighting with her forever, or barely speaking to her the way it is with Marcy." "I think that's sensible," Clark said. "I'd rather not fight with your mom either, to tell the truth, but I'm not going to let her push you around." "Thanks, Clark. I appreciate the support." She walked over to him and put her arms around him. "I think most of this is my fight, but I couldn't do it without you." "You've got as much of it as you want," Clark said. He returned her embrace. "Tough love isn't very pleasant for either side, but it looks like the only thing that's going to work. I think you're doing the right thing. It isn't just your fight, though. It's *our* fight--together. You can call the shots, but I'm right here with you, all the way, no questions asked." "You don't think we made a mistake getting married so quickly?" He shook his head. "I think this would have happened no matter what we did, and at least this way we're getting the worst over sooner rather than later. I do think we ought to set a date for the big ceremony in the near future, though--and invite your parents and your sister. What do you think?" "I think you're right," Lori said. "How about October? That isn't too long, but we'll need to arrange it pretty quickly." "I have some female relatives who love to help arrange weddings," Clark said. "Rhonda already volunteered. I told her I'd ask you." "Do you think she really wants to?" "I know she does," Clark said. "Ronnie likes you, you know; she says I needed someone who was going to keep me hopping. I think that's how she put it. She'll be at the barbecue. Why don't you talk to her, then?" Lori nodded. "Okay, I will. We better go. I take it you know where John lives." "Of course. It's only a couple of minutes by Superman Express and he has a back yard with plenty of trees and shrubbery for family members who choose to come by air. Let's go." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:02:52 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 6/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 6/? by Nan Smith A bare ten minutes later, Superman and Lori touched down in the secluded back yard of John Olsen's house. Clark spun back into his street clothing and led the way to the back door. It opened as they approached, and a tiny, dark-haired woman of perhaps forty stepped out. "Clark! John phoned. He said you'd be coming over." She smiled at Lori. "You must be Lori. I'm so glad to meet you! I'm Marilyn, John's wife." Lori smiled, feeling unaccountably shy. "Hello." "Marilyn knows all about us," Clark said. "Lori and I were married last night, Mari." "John told me. Congratulations, Clark, but I hear the big wedding is still on?" "Yes," Clark explained. "Sort of the official one for our families." "I see. That sounds nice. Well, come on in and sit down. John should be here soon." Clark let Lori precede him into the neat kitchen of John's house and followed. Marilyn led them into the living room and gestured them to seats. "Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, Lori? I know Clark drinks tea." "Whatever's convenient," Clark said. "Do you have any idea what this is about, Mari?" She shook her head. "No, John wouldn't talk about it over the phone, though, so it must be pretty serious." She turned to Lori. "John's told me about you, Lori. He tells me you're one of the Planet's rising stars. Don't tell him I told you that, though." "He said that?" Lori looked gratified. Marilyn grinned. "He did indeed. I'll be right back." She whisked out of the room. "I like her," Lori whispered. "So do I," Clark said. "Don't let her fool you with her homemaker image, though. Marilyn's a senior engineer and department head over at Genie Electronics. She and John have been married almost twenty years. They've got three kids, one in college and two in high school. She's a poster child to refute your mom's thing about women's careers and families." "Why are my ears burning?" Marilyn inquired, entering the room with a tray of coffee cups. "You said anything, Clark, so you're getting coffee." "That will be fine," Clark assured her. "Can I help you with anything?" "No, thanks. I'll be right back with the sugar and cream." She disappeared from the room, to reappear again almost instantly. "Here you go. So, Clark, why the sudden wedding, or shouldn't I ask?" "Probably not," Clark said. "And, no, it's nothing like what you're probably thinking." Marilyn laughed. "Don't worry, Farmboy, I know what a Boy Scout you are. The thought never crossed my mind." She winked at Lori. "Oh," Clark said. "Well, it had to do with...um, an eccentric relative. You don't even want to know the details." Lori had never heard her mother described as an eccentric relative before and surprised herself by laughing. Clark glanced at her with a raised eyebrow and the expression on his face made her laugh again. "Sorry," she apologized. "It's pretty complicated." "Oh," Marilyn said. "One of those things, huh? Well, I hope it works out all right." She raised her head. "I think John's home." "He just pulled up," Clark said. A moment later, the door opened and John Olsen entered. He smiled when he saw his visitors. "Good, I'm glad you're here." He gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Hello, honey. Has Meriel called?" "She left a message that she'd be here later," Marilyn said. "What's going on?" "She came to see me this afternoon," John explained. "Her best friend is in the hospital fighting for her life. It's Rena Harcourt, Mari." "Oh, my God." Marilyn's face had drained of color. "What happened to her?" John set his briefcase on the floor next to the couch. "I better start from the beginning," he said. "Clark and Lori don't have any idea who I'm talking about." He sank onto the sofa and ran a hand through his hair. "Could I have one of those coffees? I've been stewing about this all afternoon." "Sure," Marilyn said. She handed him a cup of coffee. "Cream, and no sugar in this one. Is that okay, honey?" "Yeah." John took it and after testing it cautiously, downed half a cup in one swallow. "That's a little better." "Meriel is their oldest daughter," Clark told Lori. "I haven't seen her for about four years, ever since I left Metropolis to become a free lance journalist." "That's right," John said. "She's nineteen, and just finished her first year at New Troy State in June. She's picking up some credits by attending their summer session. Finals are this week. Rena Harcourt is her best friend. We've known her family for years. The two of them started NTSU together and are roommates." "What happened to her?" "Meriel said that last night, Rena was cramming for her organic chemistry final in the morning. She woke up about four a.m. to hear Rena vomiting. At first she thought Rena had the flu or something, but she couldn't wake her up in spite of what was happening, and then she started convulsing, so Meriel called the paramedics. Rena was taken to the emergency room, and a little later, the cops showed up to interview Meriel. It seems that Rena had taken a dose of dream dust, and reacted badly to it. She's got about a 50-50 chance of survival. Whether she'll have brain damage is another question." "Dream dust!" Clark said. "Oh, my God," Marilyn whispered. "Yeah." John finished the coffee. "Meriel's in pre-med, Clark. She's heard some things around the campus, and she has some friends in the ER at New Troy State Medical Center. That's the university's affiliated teaching hospital, you know." "Aren't the police investigating?" Lori asked. "Oh, the hospital was required to report the case, of course," John said. "That's why the cops talked to Meriel, but they've got higher priorities than a college kid overdosing on dream dust. Meriel's worried. She said there's some things she thinks we should know." "What things?" Clark asked. He raised his head. "I hear a car." "Meriel?" John asked. Clark glanced toward the front walk. "Yeah. She'll be here in a minute." ********** Clark almost did a double take when Meriel Olsen entered the room. The gawky, slightly chubby teenager he had known had grown into a slender, very attractive woman with a strong resemblance to her father. Normally she wore a smile, but today she was frowning, and her eyes were reddened as if she had been crying recently. "How's Rena?" Marilyn asked at once. Meriel closed the door carefully. "Still the same," she said. "Her parents are there, and they wouldn't let me see her. Hello, Gra--uh, Clark." "Hi, Meriel." The fact that Clark's descendents usually called him by his first name might have surprised some people, but Clark had made a point of asking them, once they were grown, to address him that way. In light of his appearance, someone uninformed of the actual circumstances might have thought it extremely odd if a man or woman who looked nearly his own age were to call him "Grandfather". "Your dad asked us to come over," Clark explained. "He thought we might be able to help. This is my wife, Lori, who's also my reporting partner." Meriel looked Lori over curiously. "Hi," she said at last. "Dad's told me a little about you. Didn't you graduate from NTSU last June?" "Yeah," Lori said. "I was the editor of the NTSU Clarion." "I thought you were," Meriel said. "I remember the big flap over campus security." She sat down suddenly in an armchair. "Maybe you and Clark *can* help. I tried to tell the cops I talked to, but they wouldn't pay any attention. I heard one of them tell another one that he had better things to do than interview 'dreamers' trying to fry their brains. It wasn't *his* best friend that was in the hospital, maybe dying!" She clenched her fists and a stray tear leaked from the corner of one eye. "She told me she'd stopped using it. I believed her, but she was having a really hard time with the course. She must have decided to use it just one more time." "My roommate used it a couple of times when she had big exams coming up," Lori said. "I could never convince her that it might kill her--or worse." She pressed her lips together for a second. "She'd always be hung over afterwards, but by that time she'd aced the test. Your friend must have figured it was worth the chance." "What did you try to tell the police?" Clark asked. "John said you'd heard something you think might be related to what happened to your friend?" "Yeah," Meriel said. "There have been some rumors. According to what I heard, the paramedics took another student out of our dorm in the middle of last Monday night. He didn't go to the university's medical center--I think his parents had him taken to their private doctor, so I don't *know* it was dream dust, but that was the story. While I was waiting at the hospital, I talked to a couple of friends of mine who work there." "What did they say?" Lori asked. "There've been six other students through there this week, before Rena," Meriel said, "All of them came from NTSU. One of them died, and one is going to be brain damaged for the rest of his life. That's a lot more than they usually get during a finals week. About three times as many." Clark whistled softly. "Anything else?" "Just a couple of things I overheard. There's somebody called 'The Professor' that you go to for help if you're having trouble passing the tests. I don't know if that's important or not and I don't know how to find out who he is, but someone's dealing this stuff around the campus and I'm afraid there's going to be more of the same sort of thing happening if something isn't done." "I don't blame you," Clark said. "This 'Professor' could be a dream dealer. If he's a free lancer who's manufacturing it on his own, the stuff might be purer than the usual street dust, and the kids who buy it wouldn't be used to it at that strength." "That's possible," John said. "I called a friend of mind at the 13th Precinct about it. They're not convinced that there's anything unusual happening. My contact said they think it's just a fluke. There's always an incident or two around exam time, and you know how the cops regard it. Dream dust's not addictive and there are far more deadly and common drugs available. It's not a high priority with them." "It's more insidious, though," Lori said. "Kids use it because it's an easy way to pass tests. Read the material, snort the dust and in the morning, they remember everything as clear as a bell. Most of the time the only cost is a nasty hangover but once in a while, something happens like what happened to Meriel's friend. I know a lot about it because I researched it to write an article on it for my high school paper. The guy who would have been our class valedictorian put himself permanently in a care facility on exam week by using it. It was pretty bad." "Kids playing with their lives," Marilyn said. "No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Do you think you and Lori can do anything, Clark?" "I'd like to try," Lori said. "I hate dream dealers." Clark nodded. "I think we should. If nobody else will take it seriously, maybe we can stir up some outrage over it." "If you think I can help, just ask," Meriel said. "I'll do anything I can. I want to bring whoever did this to Rena down." ********** "It's almost the end of the summer session," Lori said. "It's too late for me to go undercover as a student, even if the school administration would let me get anywhere near the campus. They still don't like either one of us very much after we embarrassed them over the security problems." "We can still look around," Clark said. "We have a couple of days before the end of exam week, then the fall session starts in a little over three weeks. How do you feel about starting tomorrow? I know that cuts in on our time off, but..." "But there's not much time," Lori concluded the sentence. "Maybe John will give us another day off afterwards." "Probably," Clark said. He opened his refrigeration unit and removed a bottle of chilled wine. "Why don't you open this so it can breathe for a few minutes before we eat." "Sure." Lori took the bottle and set about searching for the corkscrew. "Dinner smells delicious, Clark." "Only the best for my bride," Clark said. "You've had to adjust to an awful lot. I mean, I told you where John fits on the family tree--he's my great grandson. His mom is my oldest son's daughter, and he has a daughter only a couple of years younger than you. That would shake up a lot of people." Lori was working on removing the lead foil. "I've always liked sexy older men," she said, teasingly. "Yeah, but I think we took it to the extreme," Clark said. "You're a remarkable woman, Lori." "Nothing about our relationship is ordinary," Lori said. "What's one more little difference? Ordinary is dull. How many descendents do you have, Clark?" "Well," Clark said, "there's my four children, and their twelve children, and then *their* children. And *their* children, after that. Aaron--he's Blue Lightning--is John's older brother, and *his* son and daughter-in-law just had a little girl of their own, so we're getting into the great-great-great grandchildren now. I could figure it out--the family keeps a record of the family tree in an archive at the Superman Foundation--but I couldn't really tell you right off the top of my head. There might be a few that I don't know about by now. At a guess I'd say something like a hundred, and about a third of them have or will have super powers. You'll meet a lot of them at the barbecue on Sunday. I hope it doesn't scare you off." "Just so long as you're with me," Lori said. The prospect was a little intimidating to be sure, but at least Clark's family had so far welcomed her and approved of their marriage, which was a distinct difference from the way her mother had greeted the news. "If my mother didn't scare *you* off, I don't see why your family should scare me." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "The only person who could have chased me away would have been you. I did want to ask you, though, if you have any idea where she got this notion that you getting married would hurt your career. I mean, your dad doesn't seem like the kind of guy to try to subjugate his wife or something, and I'd think if he was, he wouldn't put up with her blaming him for everything that's wrong with her life." "He isn't," Lori said. "Dad has never mistreated Mother. She does pretty much what she wants. I never thought much about her attitude while I was growing up--kids don't, you know. To them, how they grow up is normal no matter how weird it really is. It wasn't so...so *intense* then, either, of course. It seems like she's gotten a lot more fixated about my career, since Marcy left home. She never let me date in high school, but I wasn't really very interested in dating, and I didn't think much about it until I left home to go to college. Mother's attitude *is* really peculiar, and I don't understand it, but it isn't funny, because I think she actually believes it. What really puzzles me is why Dad stays with her. I'm glad he does--I'd hate to see my parents break up, but most guys wouldn't put up with it." "He must love her in spite of herself," Clark said. "I guess I can understand that. You seem to love me in spite of all the strikes against me." Lori threw the cork at him. He let it bounce off his forehead and reached for her, laughing, but the ensuing kiss was interrupted by the whiff of food beginning to scorch. He released her and returned to the stove to remove the stir-fry before it was irreparably damaged. "Oops! I think we're okay, though. Grab a couple of plates, would you?" "Right here." Lori removed two plates from the cupboard and set them on the kitchen table. Clark transferred the contents of the pan onto the plates, while Lori poured the wine. Dinner with Clark was always fun; he was such a well-informed person--which was reasonable, considering his vast experience--but he was never pedantic or boring. He was able to tell funny stories based on things that had actually happened to him, and bring to life things that, to her, had been until then a dry history lesson out of a book. After dinner, Lori discovered that even cleaning up the kitchen, a chore she had always hated, was actually fun when they did it together, in spite of the fact that Clark could have finished the job in seconds. Watching the vids was forgotten this evening in favor of other pursuits more attractive in the eyes of newlyweds, and which Lori found far more interesting than any characters on the vidscreen. Falling asleep in her new husband's arms some time later, she murmured, drowsily, "It's a good thing I didn't know how wonderful it was before. I wouldn't have waited so long. But maybe it wouldn't be so nice if it wasn't with you." Clark chuckled softly and pulled her closer. "If I'm lucky, you'll never find out." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:06:31 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 7/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 7/? by Nan Smith "Here's the information you asked for," John told them the next morning. "Meriel talked to her friends in the ER, got the names of the six students who came through with dream dust poisoning, and told me not to ask who her friends are." "So much for confidentiality," Clark said. "Do you think you can break into the school computers from here, Lori, or are we going to have to get into the Administration building?" "It depends on if they changed the passwords on the Clarion's computers," Lori said. She took the little disk and turned toward the door. "Let me get to work with this and see what I can dig up." "I appreciate you coming in like this," John said to Clark as Lori exited. "I feel a little guilty, eating into your time off, considering you've been married less than 48 hours." "There'll be time later," Clark said. He glanced after his wife and raised an eyebrow. "I see Fred is back." "He got back yesterday," John said. "Let's hope that sensitivity training class did some good." "It better have," Clark said, a little grimly. "I've had all I intend to tolerate of his mouthing off to Lori." "If he can't behave, he'll be job hunting before long," John said, "that is, if Lori doesn't decide *she's* had enough. I get the feeling Fred is on thin ice with her." Clark couldn't suppress a grin. "So do I, and Heaven help him if she loses her temper. He still blames her for the Gaia's Children debacle." "I don't care if he blames her for last week's earthquake in China," John said. "He better watch his step. I won't tolerate sexual harassment in this office." "Yeah," Clark said. "I..." He broke off, raising his head. "What is it?" "Emergency. I'll see you later." He was gone out the window on the word. John slowly closed it behind him and shook his head. "I wonder what they do with their clothes," he murmured, thoughtfully before returning to the current task on his computer screen. "They never seem to leave them any place." ********** The essay question had not been all that difficult for a student who knew her material, and Meriel Olsen finished the test ten minutes before the allotted time was up. English was not her favorite subject, but she had chosen to take as many general education classes during the summer as she could fit in, in an attempt to get most of them out of the way. Now she scanned what she had written, made a minor correction and transmitted the test to her instructor. This was her last exam until the next semester started in September and she and Rena had planned to visit a beach resort together for part of their vacation. Instead, Rena was in the hospital, in a coma, and the question of whether she would recover completely was still unanswered. Meriel detached her pocket-sized computer from the desk terminal, closed it up, picked up her small handbag and left the testing room. Her little groundcar was a short distance away and she walked slowly toward it, oblivious of the fact that it was a fine, sunny morning in mid-August. A brisk breeze was blowing and tiny white clouds scudded across the sky. She had reached the car when a tall, well-built young man stepped up beside her, trapping her between the car and the hedge. Meriel glanced at him in mild irritation. "Do you mind? I can't open my door." He smiled. "Sorry about that, Ms. Olsen. Somebody wants to talk to you." "Well, I don't want to talk to him," Meriel said, irritably. "I'm going over to the bookstore to sell my books." "I'm afraid not." The young man was suddenly pointing a small, ladies'-sized stunner at her. "Get in your car and don't make any noise or you'll be waking up with a headache. Do it now." "What?" Meriel gaped at the weapon. "Are you out of your mind?" "*Now*, Ms Olsen." He kept the weapon pointed directly at her midriff. "I really don't want to stun you." Meriel removed the electronic key from her handbag, mentally gauging the distance between herself and her opponent. He had moved back a step or two to allow her room to open the door. If she let him get in the car with her she would never be seen again, she knew. This couldn't be a coincidence. She had been asking questions of too many people in too many places and someone must have gotten worried. As she withdrew the electronic key from her purse, she fumbled it and dropped the ring onto the synthastone pavement. The young man moved forward a step, his attitude menacing. "Pick it up! Open the door!" The key, of course, was sensitive to her fingerprints. Her would-be kidnapper couldn't open the door or start the car unless she, personally, inserted it correctly. Meriel leaned forward to retrieve the small, flat item, shifted her weight as she straightened and slammed her heavy, little computer against his nose with all her strength. Blood gushed, and he staggered back with a scream, clapping a hand to the injured member. Meriel shoved the key into its slot, yanked it out, jerked open the door of her car, jumped in and slammed it behind her all in the space of two seconds. The door locked automatically. She pushed the key into the ignition slot harder than necessary. "Engine on!" she gasped out.. "Emergency! Manual override!" The engine roared to life. Meriel shoved her foot onto the accelerator, gunned the motor and backed out of the parking space with a squeal of tires. A faint tingle washed over her and her head swam slightly; the man had fired his stunner, but the shielding of the car had attenuated it to a nearly harmless level. The alarm to warn her that a human being was in her path sounded, but she didn't stop. Her front fender struck him a glancing blow, jarring her as she swiveled the wheel, still backing, and she saw him flung sideways into the hedge, stunner flying from his hand. She stomped her foot on the brake, jammed the car into forward and peeled out of the lot, the tires screeching in agony. "Grandpa Clark!" she cried. "Help me!" ********** Clark was returning from the site of an aircar accident, his flight taking him directly over the grounds of New Troy State University when he heard Meriel's scream, not only in his ears but in his mind. Instantly, he changed course to zero in on the cry. He saw her groundcar lurch drunkenly across the street, nearly sideswipe a second car, the collision prevented only by the other vehicle's automatic defenses, and swooped down to seize the erratically weaving vehicle. Inside, he could see Meriel, her face white with panic and tears flooding down her face. "Meri!" he shouted. "It's all right! Take your foot off the accelerator!" His voice must have startled her out of her shock, for the engine ceased its roaring, and she collapsed forward over the steering wheel, her shoulders shaking. Clark brought the car to a stop at the side if the road. The door was locked, and for an instant, he considered the wisdom of tearing it from its hinges, then thought better of it. "Meri, unlock the door," he told her. "It's all right. You're safe." It took several repetitions for the message to get across, but at last, she obeyed. Clark pulled the door open and had to catch her as she flung herself into his arms. "Easy there. It's all right," he told her. She was trembling, and he could hear her heart pounding furiously. Something had happened, all right, but she was too shaken to answer him coherently at first. "You're safe. What happened?" "He tried to kidnap me," she gasped out finally. "*What?* Who?" "Him! The guy in the parking lot! I hit him with my car." Clark hadn't seen anyone in the parking lot, but he hadn't really been looking. He slipped an arm under her knees and the other behind her back and lifted off from the street. An instant later they were hovering over the lot, but there was no sign of Meriel's attacker. "There's no one here now," he said. "What happened?" She stammered out enough to give him some idea of what had occurred, and he scanned the area where her groundcar had been parked with his enhanced vision. "Drops of blood," he said. "He was here, but he isn't anymore." He examined his great, great, granddaughter's face. The pupils of her eyes were dilated widely. "Are you all right, Meri? What's the matter with your eyes?" She closed them and dropped her head on his shoulder. "He fired a stunner at me. I was in the car." She gagged slightly. "I feel a little sick." That explained her erratic driving. "Just keep your eyes closed and take some deep breaths," he directed her. "You'll feel better in a few minutes." "Okay." Her voice sounded muffled. "I'm going to take you to the Daily Planet," he said. "We can come back for your car later. Just hold still and breathe." She inhaled deeply, obviously trying to regain control of her stomach. "Thanks, Grandpa Clark," she said. "I...I guess I shouldn't have called you. I should have called the police, but I didn't even think of it. I just screamed for you." "I'm glad you did," Clark said, soberly, "even if you didn't mean to. But it looks like you did pretty well on your own." She shivered. "It was like it was somebody else doing those things," she said. "Then, when I got away, I just fell apart." "That's not surprising," he said. "You did fine. It's almost like old times, isn't it?" Meriel's giggle was half-hysterical, but it told him that she was recovering from the shock and the stun beam. "Yeah, it is." She took another deep breath. "It seems like you were always getting me out of trouble when I was little." "Well, yes. *How* many times did I pull you out of trees or something?" "I lost count." Another deep breath. "My stomach's starting to feel a little better." "You didn't get much of the charge. Just take it easy. It'll wear off pretty quickly." He made the flight through the air as smooth as possible. After a few minutes, she sighed and raised her head. Her complexion was still pale, but her eyes looked normal again. "I feel better." "Good. I'd hate to have you throw up all over my Suit." "It wouldn't look very good for Superman, would it?" Meriel agreed. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm awfully glad you're back, Grandpa Clark. I've missed you." "I missed you, too," he said. "I'm sorry I left like that." "You were looking for her, weren't you?" she asked. "Your soulmate. Like in the story you told me when I was little." "You remember that?" Clark asked, a little surprised. "You were barely three!" She nodded, careful not to move her head suddenly. "Of course I do. *Were* you?" He smiled. "Yes." "And all along she was here in Metropolis." "Well, not really, but that's where I found her." He regarded her soberly. "We always knew you had my Kryptonian telepathic ability, like your dad, Meri. You have the photographic memory too, don't you?" "Yeah," she said. "I don't need dream dust to pass tests. I wish I could have given it to Rena." "So do I," he said. "We're going to catch whoever's distributing this stuff, Meri. That's a promise, and I think you can help us even more than you already have." "How?" "The guy that tried to kidnap you. Do you think you could describe him to an artist?" "I guess so," Meriel said. "What artist?" "Me," Clark said. "Oh, yeah," she said. "I didn't think. You used to draw all those pictures for me when I was a kid." "I still can," Clark said. "We'll try it when we get to the Planet." ********** When Clark and Meriel finished talking, there was a silence around the table in Conference Room 1. John's face was ashen, and he seemed unable to form words for the moment. Lori, ever curious, fastened upon one aspect of the story. "Meriel, you and your dad have Clark's telepathy. You could have called for help, and the guy would never have known. Why didn't you?" Meriel looked a little embarrassed. "I never even thought of it. As kids, we were always taught that trying to read the minds of our relatives is bad manners. I'll sure remember it next time, though." "There's not going to be a next time," John said. He looked grim. "Clark, I don't care what you and Lori have to do, but I want this guy caught. And Meriel, you and I are going to practice thinking at each other. You're not a little girl anymore. It's time you got used to using it-- just in case." "Okay," Meriel said. "I'm sorry, Dad. I really messed up, I guess." "No, you didn't," Clark said. "You stayed alive, and that's the important part. Meriel and I are going to try to draw this guy, John. She got a good look at him, so we'll see if we can produce a good enough picture to try an identification." "When you get the picture drawn, give it to me," Lori said. "I managed to get into the University's files through the Clarion's computer." She smiled, feeling quite pleased with herself. "Somebody forgot to change the password since I was the editor. If you can give me a fairly good drawing, I can have the comp compare it to the pictures in the records. We might find a match if he's a student there." "Check out the roster of instructors, too," Clark said. "He might be a TA. Meri did say there's this 'Professor' who might be involved. You never know." "That's a scary thought," John said, "although not entirely unprecedented." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:08:20 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 8/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 8/? by Nan Smith Lori was cross-checking the schedules of the six students whose names Meriel had supplied, when Fred approached her desk. Lori ignored the copy boy. Ever since the day he had made the mistake of accusing her of sleeping with her partner, the two had maintained a sort of armed truce, but Lori was well aware that Fred regarded her as the enemy. Fred stood still, watching her expressionlessly, then he smirked. "Didn't take him long, did it?" he asked. "Huh?" The remark was genuinely confusing. "What the dickens are you talking about?" "Your partner." He nodded at the conference room, where Clark and Meriel could be seen in deep conversation. "I guess he got tired of you, didn't he? Not that I blame him." Lori looked incredulously at Fred for a long moment, then burst into laughter. "Fred, go pester somebody else before I tell Mr. Olsen what you're saying about his daughter!" Fred had obviously not expected her reaction. He stared at her for several seconds, then turned and walked away. Lori snickered to herself. She had his number, now. Routing Fred was going to be something she enjoyed. The office boy was crafty and certainly capable of holding a grudge, but he was neither imaginative nor particularly bright, and when she had the opportunity to arrange it, he was going to meet his Waterloo. She had a number of things to settle with him, and she was definitely going to let him know who was boss. Why she had ever let the pathetic little weasel upset her was a mystery to her now. The fact that Clark Kent, a man so incredibly superior to Fred that there could be no comparison, had fallen in love with her and married her outright had been a tremendous boost to her self-confidence, and she found that because of it, Fred's barbs had no power to hurt her. "You look like you're enjoying yourself," Clark's voice said in her ear. She looked around and up at him, and he surprised her by bending down to kiss her squarely on her half-open mouth. Someone cheered, and there was a patter of applause. Clark straightened up and grinned unrepentantly. "Okay, everyone, now that we have your attention, I'd like to make a short announcement," he said. He waited until the slightly surprised murmur died down and continued, " I'm very happy to announce that Lori and I were married day before yesterday." He reached down and held up Lori's hand to display the wedding ring on her finger. Lori felt herself blushing as applause rippled over the room, but she couldn't restrain a smile. "All *right* Clark!" someone shouted. Again, Clark waited until the noise died away. "We'll be holding a Traditional ceremony for the benefit of friends and family in October," he continued, "but we thought we should let everyone here know. Okay, that's it. As you were." He bent down and added softly in Lori's ear, "That should take the wind out of Fred's sails." "You heard?" she asked. "Wait, what am I thinking. Of course you heard." "Yes, and you handled him perfectly," he said. "I just thought I'd add my two cents." Andrea Waltham drifted up to Lori's desk and looked Clark over wistfully. "Oh, well," she said, "I tried. Nice catch, honey. As for you, Clark, you better treat her right." She winked suggestively at Lori and glided away, leaving the pair of them staring after her in astonishment. "I hate to think what that means," Lori said. "You know perfectly well what it means," Clark said, with a grin. "But, since it already runs parallel to what I was thinking..." "Behave yourself!" Lori said, trying not to giggle. "Did you and Meriel manage to produce that drawing?" "As a matter of fact, we did. Here you go." He presented her with a sheet of printer paper with the face of a handsome young man sketched clearly on it. "Wow," Lori remarked. "Meriel's got a great memory." "Photographic," Clark said, very softly in her ear.. "And my being able to see the picture in her mind when she's thinking hard about something helps. Will this do for your project?" "It better. Let me scan it and we'll let the comp do its magic," Lori said. "How's Meriel doing?" "Better. She's tougher than she looks." "I guess that would follow. She's your descendent. If we get a match, what do we do?" "Research on his background for starters, and after that we'll do what seems appropriate, depending on what we find." ********** It was approximately ten minutes later that she saw Clark lift his head and then make the flying signal to her. She nodded and watched him hurry out of the newsroom. A moment later, John exited his office, headed for the elevator. At her desk, he paused. "Where's Clark?" "He left a few minutes ago," she said, making the same signal Clark had made. John nodded. "Okay. I've got a lunch meeting with the suits upstairs, if anyone asks. When Clark gets back, you can tell him that we've got a lead on the last piece of jewelry. Some guy named Gerald Smitt bought it. He was a geology teacher over at Metro City College, but he's changed apartments and jobs, so we're still trying to get his new location. Shouldn't be long, now." "Clark will be glad to hear that," Lori said. John smiled slightly. "Gotta run. Meriel's in my office. She mentioned wanting to get her car back pretty soon, before Campus Security issues her a citation. She and Clark sort of left it by the side of the road, earlier. You might tell Clark, if you see him before I do." "Okay," Lori said. "Have a good lunch." When John left, Lori leaned back in her chair and stretched. The computer was still working and for the present, she had nothing to do. After a moment, she stood up and headed for the editor's office. Meriel Olsen answered her knock, and rather shyly invited her in. This was the first time they had had the chance to get acquainted without the presence of John and Clark. Lori hesitated, almost changing her mind. "Am I interrupting anything?" "No. To tell you the truth, I'm a little bored. Dad doesn't want me to go anywhere I might usually go, at least not alone. He's afraid something will happen to me." "That sounds familiar," Lori said. "We were on stakeouts the last couple of weeks, and Clark was worried about leaving me alone the whole time." The two young women laughed together. "That sounds like Clark," Meriel said. "Gra--Clark used to regularly get me out of trouble when I was a kid, and lecture me about it afterwards. I could tell you stories you wouldn't believe." "Oh, I don't know," Lori said, recalling some of the events in her life for the past few weeks. "I might. Why did he have to get you out of trouble so much?" Meriel shrugged. "I liked to fly with him, so I was always climbing things. Once I got stuck on the roof of our church. One of the choirboys--an older kid named Billy Stevens-- dared me to do it and naturally, I couldn't back down. I was about seven." Lori giggled. "Of course you couldn't," she said. She was beginning to like Meriel. "So, how did you get down?" "Clark got me down," she said. "Naturally he couldn't do it as Superman, because Superman wasn't supposed to be around then, but he 'climbed' up and back down with me hanging on piggyback. Actually, he was flying and I knew it, but no one else did. Then Dad got hold of me and I lost my vid privileges for a week, but flying with Clark was worth it." "I'd think so," Lori said, wondering what it would be like, growing up as a non-super child in a family where many of the adults could fly. "Didn't you ever feel cheated, not being able to fly, yourself?" "Sometimes," Meriel said. "But neither of my brothers could fly, either, and neither could Dad or Mom. Uncle Aaron and Aunt Carrie sometimes took us flying, but that wasn't the same thing. After Henry and his sisters started to fly, it was a little different. I envied them for a long time, but I really felt sorry for Edward." "Who's Edward?" Lori asked, feeling a little bewildered. "Oh, I forgot, you haven't met most of the family, yet," Meriel said. "Edward is my cousin. He's thirty, and he's the only one of Uncle Aaron's kids who doesn't have super powers. He was pretty disappointed for a long time, but he finally got over it." "Poor kid," Lori said. "That would be awful!" "Well, he's a research scientist now," Meriel said. "He's smarter than all the rest of us put together, except maybe Clark. He also races aircars in his spare time and holds some kind of amateur title. I think he's making up for it in his own way, to tell you the truth. Anyway, I liked flying with Clark most of all. He'd fly with us sometimes, but he was really careful not to be seen. All of us kids were crazy about him. He actually enjoyed playing with us, not just pretending like some people do. I think he really loves children." Lori hesitated again, wondering whether she should ask the question. "Do you think he'd like more kids of his own, someday? I do, in a few years, but I know he's already been through it, once." "I think he'd love it," Meriel said, at once. "If there's one thing Clark really enjoys, it's children. Why do you think he always volunteers at those Christmas charity things every year? It's so he can play with the underprivileged kids and make them feel special for a day. In some ways, I think he's a big kid at heart." "That sounds like Clark, all right," Lori said. Her stomach chose that moment to growl and she laughed. "I'm hungry, and I bet you are, too. Let's go get some lunch, and you can tell me more about the family I've married into." "What I'd really like to do is go get my car before Campus Security tows it," Meriel said, "but Dad doesn't want me to. Do you suppose Clark could take us? We could go to lunch afterwards. I *am* hungry." "He's out on some kind of emergency," Lori said. "Look, why don't we go get it, ourselves? Nobody's going to bother the two of us together. Then we can drop in down at Mamacita's, if you like Mexican food, and I can tell you what happened the first time Clark tried to take me there. We can leave a note for Clark and John." ********** Lori and Meriel descended the elevator to the lobby and exited out onto the street. It was just noon and the sky was a bright blue with tiny clouds dotting it. Meriel glanced at Lori, assessing her beloved Grandfather Clark's new wife. Lori was a beautiful girl, she thought, not very tall, but athletic and slim, exactly as Meriel had always dreamed of looking. Her eyes and hair were very dark brown, almost black, and her eyelashes... Meriel sighed, aware of a slight touch of envy. She had to wear false eyelashes to achieve that look, but she could tell right away that Lori's were real. If she hadn't been so nice, Meriel could cheerfully have hated her, but she didn't. For one thing, Clark was obviously crazy about her, and it would have made him unhappy to think that Meriel disliked Lori. For another, Meriel just liked her. Lori was smart and friendly, and obviously trying hard to help find the persons responsible for putting Rena in the hospital. Lori glanced at her wrist. "Darn!" "What?" "Oh, nothing important. I just keep forgetting. My wrist talker's at the repair shop as of this morning, in critical condition." "What happened to it?" Meriel asked. Lori grimaced. "Would you believe the strap came apart and it fell off in Clark's microwave oven? I didn't even notice it until I came back to take out the oatmeal." "Ouch," Meriel said. "That couldn't have been good for it. It sounds like it would be less expensive to just get another one." "Not exactly; it's kind of special. My brother, Brad, gave it to me for my twenty-first birthday. Anyway, Clark thinks they can repair it, but until then I'm without a chronometer." "And a wrist talker," Meriel said. "I don't have one either. I was going to pick mine up from the shop this afternoon, after my English exam. The guy in the parking lot kind of messed up my plans for the day." "We can do it after we get your car, I guess," Lori said. "It's too bad we haven't got better transportation, though. We'll just have to use the slidewalk. It won't take too long." "I guess there's no reason for Clark to have a car," Meriel agreed. "I never thought about it before." "No, and I haven't gotten one yet," Lori said. "Oh, well, walking's healthy, I guess. Where is your car, exactly?" "Not far from the English department," Meriel said, "on 'H' Street. Clark put it on the shoulder of the road, just opposite the statue of the Founder." "I hope the pigeons don't carry it off," Lori observed dryly. Meriel laughed. "It's a subcompact, so they might," she said. "I just hope whoever that guy was, he's not watching the car, waiting for me to come back." "He's probably sitting somewhere with an ice pack on his nose," Lori said. "I never heard of anyone using their computer for self defense, but that was really smart." "It was all I could think of," Meriel said. "I took a class in women's self defense for physical education, but I never really expected to use it." ""Well, it was a good thing you did," Lori said. "Whoever is behind this, they must have overheard you asking questions and gotten worried." "That's what I figured," Meriel said. "If someone is dealing on campus, though, why would he worry about someone like me asking questions? I'm not a cop or anything." "I don't know," Lori said. "It makes you wonder if there's something more behind it than just people dealing dream dust. Where were you asking the questions, anyway? Was there anyone around who could have overheard you?" "I don't know," Meriel said. "I asked questions at the dorm, I know. I was trying to find out about Pete Bremerton, the guy they took out last Monday. I talked to my friends in the ER, after Rena was admitted there, too. I guess someone could have been listening." "Maybe," Lori said. "Who did you talk to at the dorm?" Meriel thought about it. "I talked to his roommate, and a couple of other students who were in his geology class with him. Nobody wanted to talk about it, really." "I guess that doesn't surprise me," Lori said. "No, I didn't really expect any answers," Meriel admitted. "You don't suppose one of them might have told whoever is distributing this stuff that I was asking questions, do you?" "Maybe. When was this?" "Last night, after I got back from Dad's. Nobody knows where Pete is or what happened to him--at least no one will tell me if they do know." "Do they know what happened to Rena?" "Probably. The paramedics weren't exactly subtle when they came in. You know: big flashing blue light and a siren that could be heard six blocks away. They woke up the whole dorm." "Yeah." Lori was looking thoughtful. "I wonder if it would do any good to look around his room at this point." "I don't know," Meriel said. Was Lori really advocating that they sneak into Pete's room without permission? Still, Mel, his roommate, wasn't being very forthcoming with answers. Maybe they could find something. "His stuff's probably been taken out by now, but we could try." Lori raised an eyebrow at her in an exact imitation of Clark. "Maybe, and maybe his roommate knows more than he's saying, too." "Yeah, I guess he might. Somebody must have told on me. It could have been him." "Unless it was just a random carjacking attempt, and it didn't sound like it. Do you want to take the risk?" Meriel hesitated. If they got caught, they could be in trouble but if they found something that could lead them to whoever had sold Rena the dream dust, it might be worth it. Besides, if someone came in, she could make some sort of excuse about having lost something last night while she was there. "Sure. What do we do?" "You can still get into the dorm, can't you?" "Sure. I don't have to check out until Saturday, actually. Exams are still going on through tomorrow." "Okay. After we pick up your car, here's what we'll do..." ********** The little, red groundcar pulled into the dorm's parking lot and Mariel Olsen cut the engine. It was nearly one o'clock in the afternoon, and here and there students hurried along the University's paths and slidewalks, or lounged on the emerald green lawns, shaded by the leafy trees dotting the greensward. Some had their recorders, portable computers and electronic books spread out around them as they studied for exams, others were simply enjoying the early afternoon sunshine, and one or two slept, stretched out on the grass oblivious to the occasional gnats and bees buzzing about the area. The air was warm, but not too warm, the sun was high in the sky and little white cirrus clouds dotted the blue expanse. It was a perfect day. Lori and Meriel left the car and walked briskly toward the doors of the shabby, white building where Meriel had lived for nearly a year. Lori glanced around, grimacing at the plain, utilitarian hallway as they hurried toward the stairwell. She had lived in another dorm very like this one for three years until last June, when she had graduated and the most exciting part of her young life had begun. The big, uncurtained windows let in the afternoon sun, and she could smell the familiar scents of the dorms--the faint aroma of cooking food drifting in from somewhere, the smell of the commercial disinfectant solution the cleaning staff used to wash the floors and the sharp, over-perfumed odor of cheap floor wax. It was amazing, she thought irrelevantly, how familiar they were, although when she had lived in her dorm she had never before been consciously aware of them. "My room is on the third floor," Meriel said. "Pete's is on the second." "Okay," Lori said. "Lead on." They took the stairs to the second floor. The first floor hall had been nearly deserted; many students had already departed to enjoy the short vacation time left to them before the start of the new session, some were taking finals, and others were in their rooms, cramming for their upcoming tests. Many were simply outside, enjoying the warm, summer day. Meriel and Lori emerged onto the second floor and stood for a moment, taking in the situation. This corridor was completely deserted. Here and there, a door gaped open, and Lori could hear the hum of a computer and an occasional voice as students talked, or listened to recorded lectures. Somewhere, a soap opera was playing. Lori recognized her mother's favorite, a long-running drama to which she had been subjected every summer for as long as she could remember, and grimaced. "The Lonely Road" held no interest for her, although Mariann had practically identified with Inga and her numerous marital troubles a couple of summers ago. "This is it," Meriel said, softly. They had paused before a closed door, halfway down the hall. Lori held up crossed fingers, raised her fist and rapped sharply on the panel. Silence greeted them. Lori knocked a second time and they waited, glancing hopefully at each other, but no one came. "Looks like no one is there," Meriel said. "Okay, stand behind me in case someone comes," Lori said. The locks in the dorm weren't electronic. The University never spared money for anything they didn't have to when it came to student housing, and the ancient dorms had been there for at least fifty years, subject to various repairs and innovations. The cheap, mechanical locks were a cinch for anyone who had taken the minimum time to figure out how to open them, as Lori had the first year of her residency here. A long, twisted wire, a minute spent feeling around for the tumblers and the shear point, and she applied pressure in the correct place, aligning the two. There was a click. "Wow," Meriel said. "How did you do that?" "Practice," Lori said. "I always wanted to be an investigative reporter, and that sometimes means getting in where they don't want you. Come on." She eased the door open silently, and they slipped inside. There were two beds in the room, one unmade and the other with the bedding carelessly pulled up to cover the pillow. The spread dragged on the floor and several electronic books, a stack of computer disks and half of a somewhat desiccated cheese sandwich adorned the upper surface. Meriel made a face. "That was there, last night when I talked to Mel," she said, indicating the sandwich. "I guess Mel didn't sleep there, then," Lori said, stepping over a soda can that lay on its side on the floor. "Or, at least I hope he didn't. Check the dressers for starters." Both dressers had clothing in them, but nothing unusual emerged. Meriel dug in the closets and under a pile of dirty laundry there without results. "This place is a pig sty," Lori observed, feeling under the mattress of the half-made bed and then under the box springs. "Nothing here." She proceeded to the other bed and treated it in a like manner. "Nothing...wait." She knelt, feeling under the end of the bed. There was something here, although it was probably just a discarded bag of fast food or something, judging from the condition of the rest of the room. It was stuffed up under the box springs, and difficult to reach, but at last she managed to grasp it with the tips of her fingers and wiggle it loose. A small, wadded-up paper bag emerged. In some disappointment, Lori opened it and looked inside. In the bottom, folded up, was a plastic bag, half full of a fine, greyish powder. She regarded it for a moment, then unsealed the bag, took a tiny pinch of the substance between her thumb and forefinger and carefully resealed it. The only container she had available was a little metal box in the bottom of her purse that had contained cold pills, but it would do. She found it, dusted the greyish power into it and snapped it shut. Dropping it into her bag, she turned. "Meriel, look at this." Meriel emerged from the bathroom where she had been searching the medicine cabinet, and hurried to her side. "What is it?" Lori held up the bag. "Look. Is this what I think it is?" The taller girl examined the plastic bag. "It might be," she said. "It sure looks like it." Lori replaced the plastic bag inside the paper one, closed it and shoved it back into the springs as close to where she had found it as she could get it. "So they have dream dust here in the room--if that's what this stuff is. I suppose it might be Pete's, but that's an awful lot of dust for one person. Do you suppose one of them was selling it?" "Maybe. Which means either Pete or Mel might know the supplier," Meriel said. "We've got to find out where Pete was taken. If he's still alive and able to communicate, we might be able to identify who's behind this." They grinned at each other. "In the meantime, let's get out of here," Lori said. "I think we've pushed our luck about as far as we should." "I'm with you there, girlfriend," Meriel said. "Let's go." At the door, they paused, listening. Footsteps were approaching, and as they waited, the sounds stopped just outside. A man's voice said: "I've got some on hand. Wait here and..." The voice broke off. "That's funny, the door's not locked." Meriel's eyes met Lori's, agonized. The panel swung open. A thin, blond man stared at them in shock. "What are you two doing here?" he demanded. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:13:59 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 9/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Since I understand AOL doesn't allow more than 20K e-mails, and the last one went 23K, I'm going to move back a little to make sure everyone gets it all. this one overlaps the last one slightly. Home IV: Honeymoon 9?/ by Nan SMith The taller girl examined the plastic bag. "It might be," she said. "It sure looks like it." Lori replaced the plastic bag inside the paper one, closed it and shoved it back into the springs as close to where she had found it as she could get it. "So they have dream dust here in the room--if that's what this stuff is. I suppose it might be Pete's, but that's an awful lot of dust for one person. Do you suppose one of them was selling it?" "Maybe. Which means either Pete or Mel might know the supplier," Meriel said. "We've got to find out where Pete was taken. If he's still alive and able to communicate, we might be able to identify who's behind this." They grinned at each other. "In the meantime, let's get out of here," Lori said. "I think we've pushed our luck about as far as we should." "I'm with you there, girlfriend," Meriel said. "Let's go." At the door, they paused, listening. Footsteps were approaching, and as they waited, the sounds stopped just outside. A man's voice said: "I've got some on hand. Wait here and..." The voice broke off. "That's funny, the door's not locked." Meriel's eyes met Lori's, agonized. The panel swung open. A thin, blond man stared at them in shock. "What are you two doing here?" he demanded. ********** When Clark returned to the Daily Planet, he glanced automatically at Lori's desk, but she wasn't there. As yet unperturbed, he looked around the room and in the editor's office and conference rooms, but there was no sign of Lori or Meriel, and he couldn't hear her heartbeat anywhere in the building. Fred went past, a box of doughnuts in his hands. Clark debated for an instant, and hailed him. "Hey, Fred, do you know where Lori went?" "Nope." The copy boy continued on his way. Clark glanced around. Andrea Waltham was working at her computer, frowning slightly in concentration. "Andrea, where did Lori go? Do you know?" The gossip columnist looked up. "She and Ms. Olsen left about an hour ago, I think. Lori said she left you a note on your desk." "Thanks." Clark returned to his desk, but a brief search confirmed that there was no note. Well, maybe Meriel had left one for her father. He scanned the editor's office, but nothing resembling a note was to be seen. That was odd. He tried to consider the situation objectively. If the two of them had left together, it was possible they had just gone to lunch. But knowing Lori's curiosity and determination to dig up the truth, and the fact that she was with Meriel, who, like her great, great grandmother Lois, always seemed to attract trouble like a magnet, left him a little worried. Another question remained as well. If Lori had told Andrea that she'd left a note for him, then she'd left a note, so where was it? Perhaps it had blown off his desk. He scanned the room with his enhanced vision. The note wasn't on the floor but... There was a wadded-up ball of paper in his trash basket, with Lori's handwriting on it. Could that be it? He x-rayed the paper and read the message with only the slightest of effort: "Clark, Meriel and I have gone to get her car before Campus Security tows it. We'll probably go to lunch at Mamacita's afterwards. Love, Lori P.S. If you get back in time, why don't you join us?" Oh, great. Clark sighed in resignation and fished the note from the trash, holding it by a protruding corner and using the tips of his fingers. It was unlikely that Lori had discarded the note, so someone else had. Why someone would do such a petty thing was unclear, but he intended to find out who it had been, if possible. In the meantime, at least if they got into anything too bad, Meriel could call for help. The last thing he wanted was for Lori to feel that he didn't trust her. She was young, but she had a lot of common sense, and neither of the two women was stupid. He wrapped the wad of paper in his handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket. He'd just have to hope for the best, he decided, optimistically, and with any luck, they'd be back before long with the car. ********** "What are you two doing here?" Mel demanded. Meriel smiled. "Hi, Mel," she said, doing her best to sound cheerful. "I wondered where you were." "How did you get in my room?" Mel demanded. Behind him a dark-haired young man whom Meriel recalled vaguely as having seen around, appeared to be trying to retreat quietly into the background. Meriel frowned. "You left the door unlocked," she said. "I thought you must be around here somewhere, because I knocked and it just swung open." "I left it locked!" Meriel shook her head. "Maybe, but it wasn't when we got here. Anyway, I just came by to see if I dropped my monogrammed pen while I was here, last night. My dad gave it to me for my birthday, and I had it in my purse when I came down here. Have you seen it? It's gold, with a capital M on it in rhinestones." "No," Mel said, curtly. "Next time don't come into my room unless I'm here." "Okay, I'm sorry!" Meriel said, striving to sound annoyed. "Look, if you see my pen, let me know, okay? I really don't want to lose it." "How long have you been here?" Mel asked, suddenly. "A couple of minutes," Meriel said. "Since you weren't here, we figured you'd gone to somebody else's room or something, and waited for you." "Well, next time wait *outside*!" "Okay! Geez! You don't have to have a hemorrhage over it! Come on, Lori, I guess we're not wanted!" Meriel flounced out the door, past Mel, and Lori followed quickly, looking offended. Neither of them relaxed until they had reached the door to the stairs and gone through it. Then Meriel exhaled explosively. "Whew! That was close!" "You were great!" Lori said. "You should have been an actress. You almost had me convinced!" "Thanks!" Meriel fought the desire to giggle nervously. "I guess now we better go tell Clark what we found, don't you think?" "Yeah, I think we've taken enough risks for one day," Lori agreed. "Did you hear what he was saying to that guy?" "I sure did. I hope he's not selling him any dust. You think Mel is our dealer?" "Well, it's either him or Pete," Lori said. "Assuming that stuff was really what we thought it was. We'll find out." "What do you mean?" Lori grinned and patted her purse. "I got a sample. Clark knows some people who can analyze it for us." ********** Clark was on the verge of going in search of the two women when the vidphone on his desk chimed softly. He glanced at the small screen and sighed in relief. The call was coming from Meriel's car. "Clark Kent," he said. The palm-sized screen lit up. "Hi, Clark," Meriel said. "Did you get our note?" "Yeah, but I want to talk to you about that," Clark said. "Want to meet us at Mamacita's? We'll be there in fifteen minutes." Lori's face had appeared behind Meriel's. "We have something to tell you that we don't want to talk about over the air." Clark had to resist the urge to breathe heavily. Obviously, the retrieval of Meriel's car had not been the only thing on the agenda. At least they were both all right. "I'll be there." The lunch traffic at Mamacita's wasn't heavy today. When Clark arrived, after hiking over on foot, Lori and Meriel were just pulling into a parking spot. His pretty wife waved at him cheerily, and the two young women hurried over to the entrance where he stood waiting for them. "Clark, who do you know that can analyze something for us?" Lori asked at once. "I guess Arnie could help us, over at STAR Labs," Clark said. "Some of his colleagues handle that kind of stuff. Why?" "We need to find out if the powder we found in Mel's room is really dream dust," Meriel said, matter-of-factly. "*What?*" Clark had to work to keep his voice fairly level. "I thought you were just going to pick up your car!" "Well, we decided to check on something while we were there," Lori explained. "It was on our way. Anyway, I found a bag under his mattress, and I got a sample." Clark took a few seconds to remind himself that Lori was just being an investigative reporter and that neither she nor Meriel had gotten hurt. The friendship the two of them had obviously struck up promised to cause serious disturbances for his peace of mind in the future, however. It looked as if Rhonda's wish for him to marry a woman who would keep him hopping had been fulfilled. Lori's expression changed slightly, and she put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Clark. Are you mad?" she asked, a little apprehensively. He inhaled deeply and shook his head. "No, I'm not," he said, firmly. "You did what you thought you should do. I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't." It wasn't an error he'd make a second time, he told himself. Lois hadn't liked his attempts to protect her from herself by making decisions for her, and he was at least smart enough to learn from his mistakes--if someone hit him over the head with them often enough. Even he could learn a lesson like that, eventually. Lori's smile told him he'd said the right thing. He put an arm around her, telling himself to calm down. Lori and Meriel were smart women. Besides, if they'd gotten in too deep, they would surely have called him. "Let's go get something to eat," he said. "Good idea," Meriel said. "I'm starved." "Me, too." Lori slipped her hand into Clark's, and he squeezed it lightly. "I feel like having a combo grande. I didn't eat much of my oatmeal after I found my wrist talker in it." "Oh, yes, the shop called while you were gone," Clark said. "Their technician was in, and he thinks he'll have to replace most of the inner parts. He recommended scrapping it and buying another one. He said it would cost less. I told him to replace the inner parts anyway, because the talker was a gift from your brother. He estimated two weeks before it's fixed, but he said he could do it." "Thanks, Clark," Lori said. "You didn't need to do that." "Yes, I did," he said. "Some things are more important than saving money." ********** While they sat waiting for their meals, Lori and Meriel filled Clark in on their afternoon activities. Clark listened, consciously making an effort not to criticize. They had gotten caught, but had talked their way out of the situation and were justly proud of themselves. As a matter of fact, he was proud of them, too. If he looked at it dispassionately, they'd done a pretty good job. It was just that from his perspective, it was hard to be dispassionate. "Nice work," he said, when Meriel had finished. "Maybe you should have been a reporter instead of a doctor, Meri." His great granddaughter grinned, but shook her head. "A doctor is kind of an investigator, too, Clark, and that's what I want to be. Right now, though, I want to find out who's poisoning the students at NTSU." "We haven't got very long," Lori said. "Tomorrow is the last day of exams." "That doesn't mean we won't be able to track down the source," Clark said. "Classes start again in three weeks, and it's probable they'll be back." "Maybe," Lori said. "I've got a kind of bad feeling about this, Clark. Whoever is behind it apparently went after Meriel just because she asked some questions. What if there's something more involved that we don't know about?" "Like what?" Clark wanted to know. "I don't know. Something, anyway. I just have the feeling it isn't only about someone selling dream dust to college kids." Clark considered that. Lori had an almost intuitive instinct about such things. Maybe she was right. "Well, the only thing we can do right now is attack it from this angle until we get more information. I'll get the sample to Arnie right after lunch, and we'll see what he comes up with. By the way," he added, "where did you leave the note that you wrote me?" "On your desk," Lori said. "I set your coffee cup on top of it, so you'd be sure to find it. Why? Shouldn't I have?" "That wasn't where I found it." "Where was it?" Lori asked. "Somebody crumpled it up and threw it in my trash can." "Who would do a thing like that?" Meriel asked. "I saw where she put it." "So did other people in the office," Clark said. "Somebody threw it away." Lori stared at him, her forehead puckered slightly, then realization dawned. "Fred!" she said, indignantly. "That little creep!" "Who's Fred?" Meriel asked. "The office copy boy," Clark said. "He blames Lori for the upcoming end of the world." "What?" Meriel said. "It sounds to me like he's got a serious mental problem." "That, too," Lori said. "He's part of the Gaia's Children movement." "You mean that group of whackos that tried to sabotage the Mayflower?" Meriel asked. "That's the bunch," Lori said. "Lori had a packet of information about one of their leaders and they were trying to get it back," Clark explained. "We think they used Fred to spy on Lori and set her up for a kidnapping, but we were never able to prove it. After we uncovered the plot, Fred blamed Lori, since the organization thinks that when the big ship gets to Alpha Centauri, Armageddon is going to arrive here." Meriel shook her head. "Fanatics," she said. "You know, there's a lot of different groups out there that are out of the mainstream--people that still think the Earth is flat, people who think technology is going to destroy the planet--but Gaia's Children has got to be one of the strangest." "Exactly." Clark glanced around. "Here comes our food." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:16:33 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 10/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 10/? by Nan Smith "Arnie says he'll give it top priority," Clark told Lori an hour and a half later. "One of his colleagues said he'd get right to it as soon as he finished with what he was working on, so we ought to have the results before the end of the day." "Good." Lori squinted at him. Her eyes were watering from the overly bright computer screen, and she wiped the moisture from her cheeks with the back of her hand. A dull headache had begun behind her eyes some time ago and she closed them momentarily, pressing the heels of her hands against them. "Are you all right, Lori?" Clark's voice sounded worried. "What's the matter?" "Nothing. I've just got a headache. The lights are a little bright in here." Clark's warm hand rested against her forehead for an instant. "You don't seem to be running a fever, but you don't look like you feel well. Are you sure you're okay?" "Yeah, I think so. It's just a headache." Clark moved around to massage her shoulders. "I guess it's been a pretty stressful couple of days. Does this help?" "A little," she said, untruthfully. If she were entirely honest, she might have admitted that she felt slightly nauseated as well. Clark wasn't fooled. "Lori, what's the matter? You look terrible." "I don't know," she said. "My head hurts, and I feel a little sick to my stomach. You don't suppose it was the Mexican food, do you?" "I doubt it. Mamacita's is a good restaurant. You could be coming down with something, though." Again, he rested the back of his hand against her face. "I think I should take you home to bed. To rest," he clarified. Lori nodded, reluctantly. She was feeling more miserable by the minute. "All right." Clark helped her out of her chair. "Okay?" "Uh uh." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "I think I'm going to..." Lori ran for the ladies' room. When she returned a few uncomfortable minutes later, Clark was waiting by the door. "I told John I'm taking you home. Come on." "How about Meriel? Is she okay?" "She's feeling fine. I don't think it was the food." He put an arm around her. "Come on, honey, let's go." Lori was eternally grateful that Clark didn't try to take her home via the slidewalk. He guided her through the door to the stairs and then she felt herself swept up in a pair of strong arms. She put her throbbing head down on her husband's suddenly Spandex-clad shoulder and closed her eyes, barely aware of it when he shifted into super-speed mode. Within what was probably seconds, she felt herself being tucked into bed. The bedsprings creaked and sagged as Clark sat down next to her. He rested a hand on her cheek again. "Lori?" She forced her eyes open. The light in the room seemed incredibly bright and she closed them quickly. "Just a minute." Clark moved away, and even behind her closed eyelids, she could see the light dim. "Okay, try again." She cracked an eyelid. The illumination of the room had lessened considerably, but her stomach lurched slightly. "Clark?" "I'm right here. Honey, I think you need to see a doctor. You got sick awfully fast." She moaned faintly. "I don't want to move." "Okay, I won't make you." He stroked her cheek with one finger. "I'm going to call Rhonda. I don't like this." "Okay." Lori couldn't bring up the will to protest. The room seemed to be rocking unsteadily, like a ship at sea and it was making her sick. She closed her eyes and fought the urge to lose the contents of her stomach again. There couldn't be much there after the episode in the ladies' room at the Planet. >From somewhere, she heard vaguely the whoosh that announced the arrival of one of Clark's relatives and then the murmur of voices, but it was all in the background as she fought a desperate battle with her stomach. She started retching again and was barely aware when a pair of warm, masculine hands lifted her head and held a basin for her. Eventually the dry heaves subsided. The voices in the background slowly faded away as well, leaving only confused images dancing in her head. Then those also vanished, leaving nothing. ********** She wasn't Lori. She was moving through a bedroom that was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Somewhere was the vague knowledge that she was dreaming, but she had never had a dream like this one. This was the townhouse, her home, something in the back of her mind told her. Part of her had never seen this place before, but another part had. She looked in the mirror of an antique cherry wood dresser and saw a face that was familiar and yet strange. The face was more mature, and resembled hers, and yet it wasn't. Lori didn't understand, but when she heard Clark's voice call, she knew he was speaking to her. Lois. He had called her Lois, and she was Lois. Clark came into the bedroom. He was Clark, but he was a different Clark. He wore the glasses she had seen him wear in the photograph at the Planet, and he was dressed in the period clothes of the turn of the century. He was waiting for her. The Kerth Awards were tonight, and they were up for their first joint Kerth. The smile on his face, however, wasn't for that. They had learned only today that they were expecting their first child. Clark hadn't been able to stop smiling since he had heard the news, and she, Lois, who had never wanted children until she had married Clark Kent, was thrilled and happy. Part of her mind found all this strange and foreign, but part of it wasn't at all disoriented. This was natural and normal, the way things should be. Somehow, then, she was looking at the scene from the outside, an observer. The woman who was herself and yet not herself and Clark were suddenly outside the townhouse on the sidewalk, and Clark was opening the door of a silver ground vehicle that she had never seen before. She felt herself drifting farther away from them, the scene beginning to fade. What was happening to her? Lori thrashed about, the figures in her dream becoming distant and shadowy again. She didn't want to leave this dream. She tried desperately to grasp the images, but for all her frantic struggling, she couldn't move, couldn't hold on. The dream shapes melted like mist, and she nearly cried out in her frustration. There was something about what she was seeing that meant something, but what it was she hadn't discovered. There was something she didn't want to lose... ********** Lori opened her eyes to find herself held tightly in Clark's arms. Her husband was lying beside her, holding her with her head tucked under his chin. Lori lay still for several confused minutes, trying to figure out what had happened. The stomach-churning nausea was gone and so was the throbbing headache, leaving only faint discomfort. The painful, over-sensitivity of her eyes to light seemed to have disappeared as well. "Clark?" Her voice didn't want to work and the word came out cracked and raspy, but the effect on Clark was like magic. His arms tensed and then slowly relaxed, releasing her. "Lori?" He sat up, looking down into her face. "Ronnie! She's awake! No, Lori, lie still. Ronnie!" "Take it easy, Clark, I've still got my super-hearing." Rhonda Klein was standing in the doorway. For the first time since Lori had met her, except for a very brief interval when she, Lori and Clark had been in disguise, she wasn't wearing the pink costume of Ultra Woman. Clark's granddaughter was wearing a pair of jeans, a white blouse, tucked in at the waist, and a pair of jogging shoes. Her dark hair was tied back in a swinging ponytail, and she was half-smiling at Lori. "Ronnie?" Lori asked. She rubbed her face and blinked at the doctor. "What's going on?" Rhonda moved forward and sat down on the edge of the bed. "That's what we're hoping you can tell us, Lori. We'd like to know what happened. No, don't move for now. I don't want you to start feeling sick again." Lori frowned, trying to make sense of the words. How was she supposed to know what had happened? Then the second part registered. "I don't feel sick." "No nausea?" Rhonda leaned forward, examining her eyes. "No headache? Your eyes look normal. No photosensitivity?" "A little headache. Not much." Lori cleared her throat. "I feel...pretty okay, really. Kind of...spacy, I think." She blinked, still frowning, noting for the first time that a line of plastic tubing was connected to her arm, running from a bag, half full of a clear fluid, hanging at the head of the bed. "What happened?" "Lori, you had an adverse reaction to a dose of dream dust," Rhonda said. "Fortunately it was a very light dose; only a trace, really. If it had been any stronger, we'd have had to put you in the hospital. It was touch and go there for awhile whether I was going to admit you anyway." "Dream dust?" Lori wasn't sure she'd heard it correctly. "I didn't... That can't be..." "It was dream dust," Rhonda said. "But, how could I have..." "That's what we're trying to figure out. Clark told me you found a bag of what you thought was dream dust in someone's dorm room. Did you smell it? Maybe to try to tell what it was?" "No, of course not! I'm not crazy!" Lori said, horrified. A little pulse beat of pain, like a shadow of the previous one began to throb behind her eyes. "All I did was take a pinch of it and transfer it to the pillbox. I never got it near my face. In fact, I held my breath while the bag was open." Rhonda looked searchingly at her for a long moment. "You're sure." Lori nodded, cautiously. "Of course, I'm sure. She grimaced slightly and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. "Headache?" Rhonda asked. "A little bit." "Close your eyes, lie still and relax," Rhonda told her. "It's all right. You'll feel better in a little while." She glanced at Clark. "So, she didn't inhale it at all. All she did was touch it." "I told you she wouldn't," Clark said. "I know," Rhonda said, slowly, "and I believed you, but I had to be sure. It looks to me like we've got a bigger problem on our hands." "I better call Arnie," Clark said. He squeezed Lori's hand. "I'll be right back, honey. Don't go anywhere, okay?" "Not likely," Lori mumbled, closing her eyes in relief. Rhonda's hand rested lightly on her forehead. "The stuff is mostly out of your system, Lori. You should be feeling normal in a couple of hours." "Ronnie, how could I have..." "Shh." The superwoman spoke soothingly. "That's what we're going to find out. Don't give us a scare like that again, okay? Clark was almost frantic." "I didn't..." "I know. I never thought you did it on purpose. Try to go back to sleep, now. It's the best thing you can do for yourself." ********** "Ronnie, I don't get it." Clark kept his voice low so as not to disturb Lori, sleeping in the next room. He could tell by listening to her deep, even breathing that she was resting far more peacefully than she had been a short time before. Her restless tossing and turning had scared him and threatened to pull out the intravenous tubing Rhonda had placed in her arm several hours ago, and he had ended up lying next to her, holding her to prevent the thrashing. "Why did she react so violently to the little amount you said was in her bloodstream? Kids have to snort it to get the usual effect." Rhonda shook her head. "Kids snort the usual stuff to get the effect. This isn't the usual stuff." "I figured that." "I was talking to Dr. Frazier while you were in there with Lori," Rhonda said. "The powder was dream dust, all right, but there's been a chemical alteration made to its structure. That was why I had to make sure of the way Lori contacted it." She poured herself a cup of the tea one of them had made several hours ago and warmed it absently with her heat vision. "She touched it, Clark. She didn't even inhale it. Under normal circumstances, a person could roll in the stuff and not have any reaction to it at all as long as they didn't inhale it or inject it. It doesn't penetrate the outer skin. Not normally." "But it must have this time," Clark said. "Yes, exactly. It's somehow been changed to pass through the epidermal barrier and into the capillaries--and thus into the bloodstream. It probably took a while--that would explain the delayed reaction." "You mean, it isn't instantaneous." "No," Rhonda said. "Especially on the skin of the hands. If she'd washed her hands within a few minutes, there would probably have been no effect at all." "We went to lunch about half an hour later," Clark said. "She and Meri went into the restroom to wash. Neither one was impressed by the cleanliness of Mel's room." Rhonda shook her head. "She would have absorbed some by that time. It may have lessened the effect, though. That may be why she only had a trace of it in her system. I hate to think what the full dose might have done." "And a trace amount was enough to do that to her." Rhonda shook her head again. "Yes, and that's something I haven't figured out. The stuff *is* more powerful than standard dream dust--there's no question about that, but it shouldn't have affected her so badly, unless there's something else about it that we haven't figured out yet. Arnie said they're not completely finished with the analysis. He'll probably have more for us in a couple of days." She paused, frowning. "You said there's been more dream dust cases than usual this exam week." "That's what Meriel's friends in the ER said. About three times as many and it's only the summer session. There aren't as many students taking exams as there are during the normal school year." "There might not be a connection," Rhonda said, "but I tend to distrust coincidences like this." "In other words, something about this stuff causes more people to react badly to it than the ordinary, garden variety dream dust." "That would be my guess. 'Why' is another question, though. An ordinary chemist just manufacturing dream dust to sell wouldn't go to that kind of effort, and certainly wouldn't deliberately produce a product more likely to kill or cripple its buyers. So what's really going on?" "Lori said she thought there was something else behind it," Clark said. "On less evidence." Rhonda's expression relaxed into a smile. "She still does it, doesn't she, Clark? It's almost like old times." "Yeah." Clark poured himself some tea and heated it up. "Don't mistake her for Lois, though, Ronnie. She isn't." "No, of course not. But I still see her do things that remind me of her." She sipped the tea slowly. "Are you going to tell her?" Clark didn't answer for a long moment, then he shook his head. "I don't know. Certainly not for a long time, unless something really unforeseen arises. What would you do if someone came along and told you that you were the reincarnation of his dead wife?" Rhonda grimaced. "I see your point. I'd think he was crazy." "In Lori's place, wouldn't you be hurt, too, thinking I'd married her because I thought she was Lois, come back? I couldn't do that to her. I love her too much." "You're probably right. How many people know?" "CJ knows. Lara, Jon, Ann, you and John are the others. Meriel guessed about her being my soulmate from a story I told her when she was little, but she doesn't know about the past lives aspect." "That's just as well," Rhonda said, thoughtfully. "None of us will say anything, of course. It isn't our decision to make." "Thanks." Clark tuned his hearing to Lori's breathing, relieved to hear her slow, natural respirations. "It isn't an irrevocable decision. If it seems like the right thing to do, I will, but the circumstances would have to be unusual. Some odd things have happened, though. I'm not sure how to explain them." "What things?" "You remember the Kryptonite bracelet. She somehow knew enough to dislike it. She's seen things of mine that she saw as Lois and she keeps having déjŕ vu over them. I'm not sure what to think." "What things?" Rhonda asked. "There's a picture at the Planet of Lois and me receiving our first joint Kerth, for one. That also happened to be the day we found out that we were expecting CJ. It was an important day for us in two ways. And, there's my fertility statue." He jerked a thumb at the little object sitting on the bookcase shelf. "Is that all?" "Other things, here and there. The picture of my Mom and Dad was another. But it didn't happen when she saw CJ, Lara or Jon--or even you. I don't understand it." "Grandma never had it happen to her, did she?" Clark shook his head. "Not like this. Everyone has an occasional case of déjŕ vu." "Yeah." Rhonda poured more tea into her half-full cup, frowned at the now lukewarm liquid, and Clark saw the faint flicker of red in her eyes. Steam began to rise from the surface. "I wish I could give you an answer, Clark, but I don't have any." She smiled ruefully. "Science thinks there's a physical explanation for everything, and maybe there is, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions in the world. Maybe your friend HG Wells could explain this one." Clark made a face. "Let's not talk about that," he said. "Every time he appeared on the scene he brought trouble with him. It wasn't his fault, but it happened, all the same. I'll find my own answers." "I don't blame you a bit," Rhonda said. "Tinkering with time raises a whole new set of problems I'd rather not even think about, much less tackle." "That's about how I feel." Clark poured himself more tea and heated it. "This dream dust mess, though..." "You and Lori are going to keep investigating, aren't you?" "I guess so," Clark said, a little reluctantly. "We have to, really--unless we can convince the authorities to take it seriously. I just don't want to expose Lori to that kind of danger again." "A lot of choice she's going to give you," Rhonda said. "Yeah." Clark looked morosely at his granddaughter. "I hope you're happy." "I am. You need a wife that keeps you on your toes, Clark. She'll do it, too." "To say the least." Clark rose. "I need to make more tea." Rhonda got to her feet as well. "I'm going over to STAR Labs to talk with Arnie and his friend. Maybe we can figure out a few more things about this new variety of dust. It's going to take some time to study it completely, but I think we need to. I'll be back to check on Lori before I go back to Houston, though." "Thanks." Clark dropped a kiss on his granddaughter's cheek. "Has anybody ever told you that you're a pushy woman, Ronnie?" "Sure. Lots of people." "They were right, and it's a good thing they were. Thanks for all your help." "You're welcome. Lori's a sweetheart. When she wakes up, tell her I'll be glad to help her with the big wedding. We'll talk about it at the barbecue." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:19:42 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 11/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 11/? by Nan Smith Waking up the second time was more pleasant than the first. Lori opened her eyes to the aroma of classic chicken soup cooking. The wall chronometer told her it was past eight o'clock in the evening. Had she really slept that long? "Clark?" she called. Clark appeared in the doorway on cue. "Hi, honey. How do you feel?" Lori stretched, noting that somewhere along the line Clark had changed her office wear for a pair of pajamas, and the plastic intravenous tubing had disappeared. "Pretty good, actually. Where's Ronnie?" "She had to go home, after she checked you over one last time." He came to sit on the edge of the bed. "I was scared, Lori." "I'm sorry," she said. "It wasn't your fault." He reached out to pull her into his arms. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you now." She cuddled into his embrace. "You're not going to. I promise I'll be more careful from now on." He hugged her tightly, then released her. "Good. I've got something on for you to eat. Ronnie said your stomach might be a little sensitive for awhile, so I stuck with my mom's old standby--chicken soup and herbal tea. Would you like me to bring you some?" "Could we eat in the living room?" "Sure. Let me get your robe." He turned to retrieve it from the bedroom chair. She slid her feet over the side of the bed groping for her slippers. Clark turned back. "Here you are. Can you walk okay?" Lori sighed. "I'm *fine*, Clark." "Okay." He waited while she put on the robe. Lori sighed resignedly. "If you'd like to give me a hand to the bathroom, I'll be there in a minute." He grinned. "Sure. I'm sorry, honey. I'm just worried about you, that's all." She held up her hands and let him give her a boost to her feet. "I know, and I really appreciate it, but I'm not made of china, you know." "I know." The way he handled her said otherwise, however. Lori figured that to a man who could swallow bombs, most of humanity indeed must seem as fragile as the proverbial china. That was probably why Clark, and Superman, was the gentle soul that he was. He had to be. She sighed. That was something she wasn't likely to be able to do much about if the indomitable Lois Lane hadn't been able to. How could she possibly convince him that something so incontrovertibly true to him wasn't? She glanced up at him and shook her head, wryly. Oh well, there were much worse things a woman might have to put up with than a husband who was unfailingly considerate of her welfare. "What?" Clark asked. "Nothing." She let him put an arm around her and help her to the bathroom. "I'll be fine, Clark. Why don't you go set out the soup?" "Okay." He released her and waited until she closed the door. Lori shook her head again, but had to smile at the same time. She vaguely remembered lying miserably in the bed, throwing up, and Clark holding a basin for her. If that wasn't the true test of love, what was? It would be easy for Clark to tell her he loved her when all was going well but when he still loved her, even in such thoroughly unromantic circumstances as that, there wasn't much else to say. No matter what anyone tried to tell her from now on, she knew the exact truth of Clark's feelings for her. "Lori Lyons," she murmured to herself, "you are one very lucky woman." ********** She negotiated her way into the living room a few minutes later. In spite of her claim, she discovered that her legs were a little shaky, and she had to stop and rest a couple of times, grasping onto various pieces of furniture for support. Clark had set out two bowls of soup and some French bread (probably really from France, too, she thought) along with two cups of herbal tea and his genuine Chinese teapot. He had arranged the cushions on the sofa for her comfort and drawn the big armchair up to the coffee table so he could sit across from her, and as she negotiated her unsteady way into the room, he was there to extend a supporting hand. "Doing all right?" "Yeah." Lori settled onto the big couch with a sigh of relief. "I'm sure I'll be fine by morning." "I'm sure you will," Clark said. "Especially if you take it easy tonight. Want to try some soup?" Lori picked up the spoon and tasted the liquid cautiously. It was hot, but not too hot, and tasted delicious. "This is really good, Clark. Where did you learn to be such a great cook?" "My mother taught me a lot of it," Clark said, settling back in his chair. "When I left home, I learned a lot more. Cooking got to be a bit of a hobby for me for awhile, and then when Lois and I married I did most of the cooking. Lois was brilliant, but she wasn't a cook." "Really?" "Yeah. Oh, eventually she got so she could handle basic stuff, but it was never something she did well, so it was my job, mostly." "And this is your mother's chicken soup recipe?" Clark nodded. "I was never able to improve on it. I really didn't want to, anyway." Lori nodded. "I can see why. I wish I'd known her." Clark smiled a little sadly. "I miss her. I miss them both, really. They would have liked you, I'm sure." He turned his head as the vidphone chimed. Both his eyebrows went up. "It's your dad's office calling. Want to take the call?" Lori hesitated. "I guess so, but if it's Mother, I don't want to talk to her." "Screen block on," Clark said. "Yes?" "This is Robert Lyons," Lori's father's voice said. "I know you're not taking calls from Mariann, but I need to talk to Lori." "Block off," Clark said. The screen lit up and Robert Lyons' face appeared. Her father looked a little worried, but he gave her a one-sided smile when he saw her. "Hello, Clark, Lori. Am I calling at a bad time?" "No," Lori said. "I just don't want to talk to Mother, unless she's prepared to be reasonable about Clark." Her father smiled ruefully at her. "I understand, Lori. Your mother can be trying, to say the least. First, I wanted to say congratulations to both of you." "Thank you," Clark said. "We appreciate that, Mr. Lyons." "Rob," Lori's father said. "You're my new son-in-law, after all, Clark." He turned to Lori. "Are you all right, honey? You don't look well." "I'm okay, Dad. Clark's taking good care of me." "I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to be in Metropolis on business tomorrow. I wondered if I could come by to see you? I wanted to talk to you, and to explain a few things." "Sure," Lori said. "That is, unless something happens. We're sort of in the middle of an investigation right now." "Would eight be all right?" "Eight will be fine," Clark said. "Mr. Lyons--" "Rob." "Rob," Clark said, "I'm sorry if we've caused you any problem over this." "No, don't be," Robert Lyons said. "Mariann has her own ideas about how Lori should live her life. I'm happy to see that Lori didn't let that stop her from doing what was right for her. I'm only sorry that I wasn't there to see the two of you married, but I understand why you did it this way." "As for that," Clark said, "there's going to be a formal ceremony in October, for the sake of both our families. You and Lori's mother will be receiving an invitation. I hope you can be there." Robert Lyons smiled. "I'm sure I will be," he said. "We'll talk more tomorrow. I have a few things to say that I don't want to go into over the phone. Good night, now." "Good night, Rob," Clark said. "Good night, Dad." The screen went off. Clark raised an eyebrow at Lori. "That was interesting. I'm glad your father is happy for us, anyway." "I thought he would be," Lori said. "Dad doesn't say much, but he's always wanted me to be happy. He was the one who stood up for me when I wanted to go to NTSU to get my journalism degree. Mother didn't want me to. She wanted me to go to the local university, but NTSU has one of the best journalism programs in the country." "That doesn't surprise me," Clark said. "I never thought your dad was intimidated by your mom. I'll be interested in what he has to say." "You won't tell him about what happened today, will you?" "No." Clark shook his head. "That's our business. No one else needs to know about it." "Good." Lori picked up her cup of tea and sipped it. "We need to find out where this stuff is coming from, Clark. Did I hear Ronnie say this happened to me just because I *touched* it?" He nodded. "According to Dr. Frazier at STAR Labs, the dream dust has been chemically altered so it can pass directly through the skin. It takes a little longer, but that means it can affect people without their even knowing they've come into contact with it." "Well, I figured I'd probably come in contact with it, but I didn't realize it would hurt me or I wouldn't have touched it." "Of course not," Clark said. "There's more, though. This stuff is stronger than the standard dream dust and something about the chemical alteration makes more people tend to react badly to it, like you did. Ronnie thinks you didn't get the full effect of the drug because we went to Mamacita's right afterwards. You washed it off your hand before you had time to absorb the full dose, or you would have been a lot sicker." Lori sipped her tea, thinking that over. "Clark, this can't be just your standard drug dealer." "You're probably right," Clark said. "But there's the rumor Meriel reported that there's a 'Professor' kids can go to if they're having trouble passing exams." He picked up the afghan that lay folded on the back of the couch and spread it over her lap. "How's that? Are you comfortable?" Lori nodded. "That's fine. You know, it might not be connected," she said, returning to the previous subject with her usual tenacity. "Or, maybe the guy manufactures the regular stuff, too, and sells it. It would be a nice little sideline, if he needs money to finance his project--whatever the project really is." "But why would he give his special stuff out to students to sell? That seems like an unnecessary chance to take." Lori shook her head. Her mind felt a little numb, maybe a lingering effect of the dream dust, she thought. "Maybe he didn't," she said. "What do you mean?" "Well, if some of the students know this guy manufactures dream dust, could someone have stolen some of it to sell on his own?" "And maybe got some of the altered dust by accident," Clark said. "That's possible. If it's true, it means that student is in danger, too. If he touches it, he could react as violently as you did." "Like Pete or Mel," Lori said. "Maybe that's what happened to Pete." "It could be exactly what happened to him," Clark said. "And Mel has the dust you found in his room." "Clark, if we're right, there's no time to lose," Lori said. "If Mel knows about it and sells it to other kids, some of them are going to die." "I think I better have a talk with Velma Chow," Clark said. "Maybe Superman can convince the cops there's something more serious here than just another dream dealer selling dust to college kids." "Do you think they'll do anything?" "Maybe." Clark hesitated. "I probably should do it right now, but I don't want to leave you alone." "Clark, tomorrow is the last day of exams. If he's going to sell any dust, it's going to be tonight." Lori set down her teacup. "You better go. I'll stay right here until you get back." Clark got to his feet. "All right, I will, but if you start feeling sick, I want you to call me." "I will. Hurry up. I don't want anyone else to die because we weren't fast enough." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:34:37 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 12/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 12/? by Nan Smith When Clark had left by way of the skylight, Lori poured herself another cup of the herbal tea and settled back against the cushions. The apartment was quiet, but somehow comfortable and welcoming. She found herself looking around at the place that had so suddenly become her home, and smiling. Clark's apartment wasn't luxurious, even though it was in a high security building, and the furnishings in it were his, gathered over more than a century of living. He'd told her most of his things were either in storage or in the attics of homes belonging to his four children. Maybe when they decided to buy a house of their own in a few years he would bring some of them out to use. Beyond the French windows, she could see the skyline of Metropolis and the moving lights of the aircars in the Bayview Skystream out over the harbor. This was the night of the new moon but despite that, the sky of Metropolis wasn't dark. A haze of reflected illumination hid even the brightest stars. The city was alive with multicolored lights, and it never failed to fascinate her with the thoughts of the millions of people, each living their own life in the vast city below her. Clark's antique clock chimed nine o'clock as she watched the parade of lights and she automatically glanced at her wrist, only to recall the tragic fate of her wrist talker. It had been sweet of him to tell the repairman to fix it for her, in spite of the fact that it could have been replaced at half the cost. Clark seemed to understand instinctively that some things were worth much more than their monetary value might indicate. The vidphone began to sound in the background, and she glanced at the identification on the screen. Her eyebrows went up. The call was coming from Marcy's apartment in New York. Well, it was probably from Marcy, since Mariann and Lori's sister rarely spoke anything but superficial pleasantries to each other. "Yes?" Lori said. The screen lit up. Her blond, beautiful sister's face smiled at her. "Hi, Sis," she said. "Hi," Lori said. "I hear you got married," Marcy said, sounding surprisingly pleased. "Nice move, kid. Mom's having a fit." "Where did you hear that?" Lori asked. "From Mom," Marcy said. "She didn't have anybody else to complain to, so she called me. You married Clark, huh?" "Yes. We were married in Las Vegas, night before last." "Great," Marcy said. "Mom says you sneaked off because you were afraid of what she'd say." "We did," Lori said. "I didn't want to have to put up with her nagging me to break my engagement." "No kidding," Marcy said. "I don't blame you a bit. Are you happy?" Lori nodded. "Yes. Clark is the best thing that ever happened to me." "That was a dumb question, wasn't it?" Marcy said. "Where is he, anyway?" "We're in the middle of an investigation," Lori explained, glibly. "I came down with some kind of 24-hour bug, and we were supposed to meet an informant tonight, so Clark went by himself." "You didn't even have a honeymoon?" Marcy asked. "Not yet. We're going to have a big wedding in October so our families can attend, then Clark and I are going to spend two weeks in Hawaii." Lori could feel the flush rising in her cheeks. "Clark wants a cabin on our own private beach and..." "I get it," Marcy said. "You don't have to draw me a diagram." She winked. "All by yourself with a gorgeous guy like that..." Lori knew she was scarlet but she couldn't help smiling. "He is, isn't he?" "Oh, yes. Anybody could see you were already crazy about him when we met him at your graduation. That's why Mom didn't like him." "Really?" "Sure," Marcy said. She hesitated, and Lori could have sworn she was blushing. "I wanted to tell you, Lori, I've met a really wonderful guy." "Again?" Lori couldn't help saying. Surprisingly, her sister didn't take offense. "Yeah. Only this time, I think it's the real thing." "Really?" Lori couldn't help a slight skepticism, but she hoped it didn't show. "Who is he?" "His name's Ryan Kent." "Kent?" Lori said. "Yeah. He's some kind of relative of Clark's. I met him back in June, when you and Clark were investigating those crazy cultists. Clark asked him to bodyguard me, I guess, and you know how much I hate good-looking guys hanging around me." "Oh, yes," Lori said, dryly. "You can barely stand them." Marcy laughed. "Anyway, we liked each other a lot and we've been going out. Yesterday, he told me he loves me." Her voice dropped. "Lori, he wants to marry me--for life. No guy...no guy has ever wanted that before with me. They always wanted a six month contract--just for the fun of it." For the first time in Lori's life, Marcy seemed genuinely vulnerable. "I was really jealous of you for awhile, you know. When we were in Houston, Clark was just so crazy about you, and I tried to flirt with him, but it wasn't the same. I think that was when I realized I was falling in love with Ryan. It's never been like this with any of the others. I feel this incredible connection to him--like we were always meant to be together. It kind of scares me, but...I never wanted anything more in my life." Lori had to consciously close her mouth. "That's great, Marcy. What did you tell him?" "I told him I wanted to think about it for a little while--just to be sure--that I didn't have the best track record when it came to guys. He understood. He said I was right because there were things about him I should know, too." Lori didn't let her mouth drop open again, but it was a struggle. Marcy's relationships usually took about a week before she and the new guy in her life took out a six-month marriage contract. This was definitely not the Marcy she knew. And Ryan was a relative of Clark's? Was it possible that he was one of the supermen? She had to talk to Clark about this. "I think you're being smart, Marcy. What does he do? And when do I get to meet him?" "He's a private detective," Marcy said. "He works for Brandon and Wallace Detective Agency here in New York. I don't know exactly when we can make it down to see you, but it will be soon. Okay?" "Sure," Lori said. "Just give me a little warning so we'll be sure to be here. Clark and I have a pretty busy schedule." "Yeah, I know." Marcy grinned, but without a trace of the superiority that had always accompanied her dealings with Lori in the past. "Kent and Lyons of the Daily Planet. I don't know what Mom's complaining about. It looks to me like you've got a pretty good start at your career." Lori shrugged. "You know Mom. If there's a guy involved, then it's automatically bad. Marcy, do you have any clue why she didn't want either one of us to get married? She didn't mind when Brad did." "No." Marcy shook her head. "I just know that she tried to keep me away from guys. You know, if she hadn't tried so hard, I wouldn't have gotten married just to get away from home. I'm glad I did, though, or I might not have met Ryan, and that would have been awful." She glanced at her wrist. "He'll be here in a few minutes. We're going out to dinner." "You mean he's not--um..." "No, he's not living with me. He did stay here while he was guarding me, but that was all, and it wasn't for lack of trying! He said that while he was on duty, he couldn't let himself get more personally involved. Now, he says he wants to wait until we're officially engaged! Men!" Marcy said in exasperation. "It sounds to me like he's pretty serious about you," Lori said. "Besides, waiting until it's official isn't so bad." "You *are* kidding aren't you?" Marcy said. "You haven't *seen* him! He's gorgeous! It's not that it's all physical--it isn't. Ryan is just such a great guy to be around--but I *want* to get physical with him, and he knows it!" Lori was at a loss over that. Fortunately, Marcy's door chime sounded in the background at that moment, putting an end to that particular subject. Marcy called, "Come in! I'm on the phone!" Somewhere behind her, there was the sound of a door opening and closing. Marcy said, "Come over here, Ryan. I want you to meet my baby sister." A tall, well-built man who appeared to be about Clark's age, moved into the screen's pickup. He looked a lot like Clark, Lori noted. His eyes had the same shape as her husband's and his face the same structure, but he had a rakish air unlike Clark's GQ style. His dark, waving hair was a little longer than Clark's, and there was a trace of five o'clock shadow on his upper lip and jaw. He wore a black pullover shirt and black slacks, and managed to look both dangerous and extremely attractive at the same time. Lori felt her eyebrows climb. "Lori, this is Ryan," Marcy said. "Ryan, this is Lori, my little sister." He flashed Clark's smile at her. "Hi, Lori," he said. "I'm glad to finally meet you." "Hi," Lori said. "It's nice to meet you, too, but I'm afraid I'm not really dressed for any introductions right now." "Got a cold?" Ryan asked. "Don't worry about it on my account. You look fine." He turned to Marcy. "Are you ready, honey? Our reservations at the club are for ten." "Yes. Let me grab my coat." Marcy turned back to Lori. "Good night, Sis. I'll talk to you later." "Good night," Lori said. "Enjoy your dinner." "I hope you feel better," Ryan said. "Say hi to Clark for me. Good night." The screen went dark on the word. Lori was left staring at the screen for a long minute before she gave a soft laugh. She'd be willing to bet that Clark hadn't expected this when he'd asked Ryan to bodyguard Marcy, but if it turned out that the same thing had happened to Ryan Kent and Marcy as had happened to Clark and her, then maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Of course, there would have to be a lot of explaining to do before they were done... ********** When Clark returned over an hour later, he found his wife sound asleep on the couch, the afghan pulled up around her shoulders. He debated for a moment over whether to simply pick her up and carry her to bed or to wake her, but before he made up his mind, she opened her eyes and yawned slightly. "Back already? How did it go?" He sat down next to her. "Good and bad," he said, a little grimly. "Velma believed me, but there wasn't any probable cause to search Mel's room. At least there wasn't until we checked on his whereabouts." "Where is he?" Clark clenched his fists, trying to tell himself, as he had been for the past hour, that it hadn't been his fault for not realizing the implications sooner. It didn't help. "In the morgue, now. He was dead in his room. He'd been dead for several hours at least." "Oh, no!" "Yeah." Clark shook his head. "I'm supposed to call tomorrow to find out more, but it looked like his death was the result of dream dust poisoning." "From the new stuff?" "Probably. We found the plastic bag. It was empty, but there was enough residue that Velma thinks they'll be able to do an analysis with no trouble." Lori shivered. "How about the people he sold it to?" "We don't know. Velma's people called the college administration and are trying to get the names of all the students who have exams tomorrow. Two have turned up in the emergency room, but the only report we have so far is that they're in critical condition." Lori put her arms around him. "Oh, Clark..." He wrapped his arms around her. "I should have done something, Lori. We knew how dangerous the stuff is." "You knew *after* Dr. Frazier's friend analyzed it, Clark. It might already have been too late for Mel by then, anyway. And besides, you had something else on your mind, too. It's not your fault you didn't think of everything." She pulled back and fixed her eyes on his face. "You are *not* to blame yourself, do you hear me? Mel was selling that stuff. He had to know it could hurt people. He wasn't exactly innocent, even though I didn't want him to die. Clark, this isn't over. Someone created the new dream dust. He must have had a reason. We have to find him before more people end up dead." Clark continued to hold her, letting what she had said penetrate. Somehow, when she said it he was far more willing to accept it as the truth, although he had been telling himself essentially the same thing since they had found Mel's body. She was right. He might be Superman, but he was neither omnipotent nor omniscient. The only thing they could do now was to find the "Professor", or, if he wasn't the source, locate the real one. That was much more important and far more productive than assigning blame. "Thanks," he said, his voice muffled in her hair. "You're right." "Of course I am," she said, quietly. "You can't take on the responsibility for the whole human race, Clark. You can only do the best you can." "I love you, Lori," he said. "You make sense, when nothing else does." "So do you," she said. "I had no idea what life could be like until I met you." She sniffled unexpectedly. "Please don't feel guilty about this. It wasn't your fault." "Hey." He tilted her face up to his. "Don't cry, honey." "I just don't like to see you upset," she said. "You're such a...a good man, Clark. Nobody could try harder to help. You can't be everywhere and do everything. No one can." She scrubbed at her face with the heel of her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm a little emotional tonight." "You have some reason," he said. He stroked her hair. "How did I get along for so long without you?" "I don't know." She looked up at him. "We don't have anything else to do tonight, do we?" "Well, there's the dishes..." "Forget the dishes," she said, sounding suddenly determined. "I want to...you know what I want to do." He felt his eyes widen. "Are you *sure* Lori? You were so sick today, and I'm not sure we should--" "I feel much better," she said, "and I just need you to, tonight. Do you really mind?" He had to struggle not to laugh. "Of course not. I just don't want to overtire you." "You won't," she said. "It's been such an awful day. At least we can make it end right." ********** "How are you feeling, Lori?" Andrea Waltham looked up as Lori and Clark passed her desk on the way to the editor's office the next morning. Fred glanced sullenly at the two reporters as they paused by the gossip columnist's desk. "I'm all right," Lori said. "It turned out to be a touch of food poisoning, probably from that sandwich I had for a snack yesterday morning." "That must have been one stale sandwich," Andrea said. "I'll be sure to stay away from the sandwich machine from now on. I'm glad you're feeling better, though." "Thanks," Lori said. "Is Mr. Olsen in his office?" "Yeah. He got in about six-thirty this morning." "Thanks, Andrea," Clark said. Lori glanced over at Fred, who was scowling at her. She'd had just about enough of his dirty tricks and nastiness. Fred was going to find out how it felt to have the situation reversed in the very near future, just as soon as she had a chance to concentrate on it. They went on to the editor's office and Clark knocked lightly. "Come in," John's voice called. Their editor looked up as Clark opened the door and let Lori enter ahead of him. "How are you doing, Lori?" "I'm all right," Lori said. "How's Meriel?" "She's fine," John said. "Why shouldn't she be?" Clark pulled forward a chair. "Sit down, Lori. John, you got the story we sent in last night?" "Of course." "We wanted to tell you what really happened." He made sure the door was locked and took a second chair. "In case you hadn't guessed, there was more to it." Quickly, he sketched the events of the day before. John listened in silence until Clark had finished. "My God." He turned to examine Lori's face. "Are you *sure* you're all right, Lori?" "Ronnie came by this morning. She gave me a clean bill of health," Lori assured him. "Where's Meriel?" "She and Marilyn went over to the hospital to visit Rena," John said. "She's out of her coma, thank God, and the doctors don't think there's any brain damage." "That's one mark in the positive column," Clark said. "John, this isn't over. Whoever is manufacturing the stuff is still loose. I know the police will be investigating, but I'd feel better if we can keep on it, too." "Do you have any leads?" John asked. "A few. We need to talk to Rena first," Clark said. "We have to find out who sold her the dream dust." "I thought it was Mel," John said. "Not necessarily," Lori interjected. "It could have been Pete Bremerton, the roommate Meriel said was taken out by the paramedics on Monday night. Mel may simply have been an opportunist after Pete got sick. If it was, we may be able to find out from him where he got it--assuming he's still alive and his mind is still intact." "There's always that," John said. "What if he can't help you?" "We'll deal with that when we come to it," Clark said. "This 'Professor' may have been selling ordinary dream dust to other students as well. If he's our man, we might be able to locate him through some of the other victims--the ones who got their dust from him rather than Mel or Pete. Anyway, it's a shot." He paused. "Any more word on the Kryptonite ring, by the way?" "Just what I told Lori, yesterday," John said. "A geology teacher, one Gerald Smitt from Metro City College, bought it about six months ago, but he's moved since and changed jobs. Apparently there was some sort of scandal in his personal life, according to the guy our man talked to, and he quit voluntarily rather than have it brought up for public scrutiny. As soon as we have more, I'll let you know." "All right. So, I take it you want us to keep on this?" Clark said. John nodded. "It looks as if you've still got some avenues to pursue," he said, "and we still haven't figured out who it was that attacked Meriel. I want to be sure she's safe. By the way, did you find anything from that search program you were running yesterday, Lori?" "I haven't had a chance to check," Lori said. "I'd only just gotten back here when I started feeling sick. I'll take a look at it in a few minutes." "All right, get going," John said. "You've got work to do." When they emerged from John's office, Lori headed for her desk. Since she had become Clark's permanent partner, her small desk had been exchanged for a larger one located close to his. Fred was standing next to it as she approached, and he looked up guiltily before scurrying away. Lori gazed after him, frowning. What was the little weasel up to this time? "Computer on," she said. "Results of search program 3." The computer hummed softly into life, but after several seconds, the screen flashed an error message. Lori frowned and tried again. Again, the same message resulted. "What's the matter?" Clark asked. "My program's been erased," Lori said. "All the data is gone." "That's odd," Clark said. "Can you set it up again?" "Yeah, I think so, but I'll have to start all over." Lori went to work, recreating yesterday's efforts. When she finally had it running, she sat back, thinking. That shouldn't have happened, she knew. Everything should have been saved automatically the way she'd directed it to do, until and unless someone deliberately deleted it. Slowly, she raised her eyes to Fred, disappearing into the storeroom. He wouldn't have been that foolish, would he? She'd left the computer running and unattended. He could have done it without much effort. It wouldn't take a computer expert to accomplish the feat, although if he'd gotten caught it would result in a severe reprimand if not outright termination. Was his dislike of her so great that he would stoop to trying to sabotage her work in such a stupid way? There was no way she could prove it, she knew. Not this time. But there was an elementary trap that she could set up. Nora, her best friend during her high school years, had shown her a trick when someone had broken into the personal student computer files in her history class and stolen her work for her history term paper one semester. She'd caught the little creep when he'd come back for more. The whole incident had given her a completely undeserved reputation--at least, undeserved at the time--for being a computer whiz. She'd learned a lot in the intervening years. This one was going to be a masterpiece. Carefully and quickly, she began to work. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:46:41 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 13/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 13/? by Nan Smith New Troy State Medical Center was a cluster of buildings set on spreading, landscaped grounds. It had been there for nearly a hundred years as a major teaching hospital for medical personnel of all sorts, and had a worldwide reputation. The saying was that if you had an ordinary disease you shouldn't go there because no one would pay you any attention, but if you had something strange and exotic there was no better hospital for you. Meriel Olsen glanced uncertainly at Clark and Lori, as they hurried down the wide, antiseptic-scented corridor and squared her shoulders, determinedly. This wasn't something she really wanted to do, but it was important. Her best friend had nearly died of a near-fatal dose of dream dust. Finding the source of this deadly new form was of paramount importance. Rena was likely to be upset, but Meriel knew it had to be done. She paused outside Rena's private room, took a deep breath and knocked firmly. "Re, may we come in?" "Meri?" Rena's voice answered, and Meriel winced at the sound. It was hoarse and tired, not the voice she expected from her childhood friend. "Yes. I've got some friends with me. May we come in and talk to you?" "Sure." Rena's voice seemed almost drained of life. Meriel entered, and her companions followed. The girl in the bed was lying back against a pair of hospital pillows and turned her face listlessly toward the door as Meriel entered, followed by Lori and Clark. Rena's thin face and huge, tired eyes made Meriel wince, and reaffirmed her determination never to touch illegal drugs. The price her best friend had paid all because she had wanted to pass a chemistry test was much too high. "Hi," she said, softly. "Hi," Rena croaked. "I figured you'd be back after your mom went to work. You don't have to say 'I told you so'." "I wouldn't say that!" Meriel said. "Well, you could." Rena closed her eyes. "I was stupid. You were right. Who are these people? Cops?" "No, these are my Uncle Clark and his wife, Lori. You know--Kent and Lyons from the Daily Planet?" "Oh." Rena opened her eyes again to survey Clark and Lori with dull curiosity. "I remember. You were talking about them. What do you want? An interview about how to be a moron?" A tear rolled down her cheek. "I can tell you first hand. If the judge doesn't put me in mandated counseling, maybe I'll be lucky and get to take the whole course over again." "No," Clark said. "I don't think you're a moron, Rena. I think you made a mistake and nearly paid for it with your life. You don't need me to tell you that." Rena closed her eyes and nodded. "That's for sure." "Re, I doubt anyone's told you," Meriel said. "There's a new kind of dust. It's stronger and more dangerous. That's probably the kind you got. We're trying to find out where it came from, and who's making it. It's killed two people in a week and more may still die, or never be normal again. We need you to tell us where you got it." Rena hesitated. "If people find out I--" "If you don't tell us and people die, how are you going to feel?" Lori said, bluntly. "This stuff can kill you just by touching it, if you happen to react the wrong way to it. Mel Hanson is dead. Was he the one who sold it to you?" Rena stared at her, obviously shocked. After a second, she swallowed. "No," she whispered. "No, it was Pete. Pete sold it to me on Monday." Meriel looked at Lori, almost angry at her tactic, but Lori didn't flinch. "Thank you, Rena. You probably saved some people's lives today." "Yeah." Rena said. Another tear leaked down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Meri. I've been such an idiot." Meriel looked helplessly at Clark. What was she supposed to say, especially when she'd been thinking the same thing for nearly two days? But she couldn't say that to Rena, especially when she was feeling like this. Besides, Rena was her friend, a friend who had made a nearly fatal mistake. "It'll be all right," she said. "We're going to find out who's making this stuff, and we're going to stop him, Re. You've helped us a lot." Rena closed her eyes. "That is if Pete isn't dead, too," she said. "I should have realized, but I wasn't thinking. I should have figured... It was just this one time. I just wanted to pass the test." She began to cry softly. Meriel put a hand on top of hers. "Re, when you take the class again, I'll help you study for the tests, I promise. Just please, don't take any more dust. I don't want you to die." ********** "So Pete Bremerton was the one selling the stuff before Monday night," Clark said, a short time later. He opened the door of Meriel's little car for Lori, let her squeeze into the rear, then folded his muscular frame into the only marginally more roomy passenger seat. "It sounds like Mel just took over where Pete left off." "That doesn't make it any better," Lori said. "Now we need to find out where Pete wound up. If he was dead, you'd think it would have been reported somewhere. I 'm going to run a search for him when we get back to the Planet. If he's still alive, maybe we can track him down and get some answers. Assuming he can answer questions." "That's the big 'if'," Clark said. "There's still that unidentified guy who went after Meriel, too." He glanced at his great granddaughter as she got into the driver's seat. "Somehow, I doubt Mel sent him after her. Maybe our 'Professor' was trying to get some answers. If he knows his super dream dust was stolen, he may be trying to find out who took it. Meriel might have looked like a lead if he was getting desperate." "Yeah," Lori said. "I hope you're being careful, Meri." "Meri doesn't make the same mistake twice," Clark said. "I never had to rescue her from any tree, rooftop or cliff more than one time. Of course, if I hadn't known she liked to fly with me, I'd have wondered about her obsession with heights." Meriel looked at him with a half-smile. "I always wondered how long it was going to be before you figured it out," she said. Clark chuckled. "I think the time I pulled you off your Uncle Aaron's garage roof when you were three was when I put two and two together," he said. "You mean you knew all along?" "Sure." Clark glanced back at Lori and winked. "I'm not galactically stupid, you know." ********** Galactically stupid. The phrase was familiar, although Lori was sure she'd never heard it before. The sensation of déjŕ vu, which had been all too common in recent weeks, was back with a vengeance. Now why should such simple words trigger the almost otherworldly feeling that somewhere, in some other time and place that was of great importance, she had heard them before? "Lori?" Clark's voice sounded worried. "Are you all right?" "Yeah...sure. You know that déjŕ vu thing? It's back." "What déjŕ vu thing?" Meriel asked. "Just something we were discussing the other day," Clark said. He was frowning slightly. "What brought it on?" "When you said 'galactically stupid'. I've never even heard it phrased that way before, but it's like it means something important to me. Weird, huh?" "Yeah," Clark said. "Really weird." He was looking hard into her eyes, his own intense and concerned, but he said nothing more. Meriel pulled the little groundcar out into traffic, and a moment later they were headed back toward the Daily Planet. She was turning into the parking lot under the Daily Planet building when Clark's wrist talker beeped. "Clark Kent," he said. "Clark, this is Arnold Frazier," the voice from the little speaker said. "Superman told me to contact you if I need to get hold of him. I have some information for him about the altered dream dust that he brought to me yesterday." "Yes, Doctor?" Clark said. "Tell him that I need to see him right away. I believe we have the answer as to why the chemical changes were made." "I'll tell him right away, Doctor. Thank you." Clark shut off the wrist talker. "Better let me out here, Meri." Meriel pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine. A second later, Clark was out the door and had disappeared. Lori and Meriel looked at each other. "Life with a super-hero is never dull," Lori said, at last. "Maybe we'll finally get a few answers." "I hope so," Meriel said. "I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what's behind it, and every idea I come up with is more crazy than the last. Terrorists, mad scientists with mind control schemes, blackmail--but it all seems like a lot of effort to go to when something more simple will do." "Yeah, I know," Lori said. "So have I. Thank heavens for Dr. Frazier." "It's nice to have friends in high places," Meriel said. She opened her door. "I promised Dad I'd stay within sight for another day at least. At least I brought something to do." "Well, I've got that search running, if someone hasn't erased it again," Lori said. "I want to see if it's turned anything up yet." "Erased it? What happened?" Lori scrambled out after Meriel. "I came in this morning and found out someone had wiped out the records of the search I was running to try to identify that guy who tried to kidnap you, yesterday." Meriel wrinkled her nose, looking puzzled. "Why would anyone do a thing like that? Couldn't it have been an accident?" "It would have had to be a really strange one," Lori said. "I think the reason is a lot more likely to be human. Our office gofer has had it in for me ever since Clark and I messed up the plans Gaia's Children had to blow up the Mayflower." "You mean that guy you told me about yesterday?" "Uh huh." "What a little jerk!" "Well, yes, my opinion exactly," Lori said. "If I can catch him at one of his little tricks with the evidence to prove it was deliberate, I think I can fry his bacon for him, but it all depends on if he comes back." "You said yesterday he's already been warned a couple of times. He'll be back," Meriel said. "If he hasn't straightened up yet, then he's not going to. Give him time to hang himself. He will, sooner or later." "I hope I can help him along a little," Lori said. "I set a trap with my computer. If he comes back and tries again, it's all over." "What did you do?" Meriel asked, curiously. "Well, it's a variation on a trap that I used once in high school to catch a guy that liked to steal other students' work and present it as his own..." ********** When the elevator opened on the newsroom floor, Meriel was laughing. "I'll bet that was a shock!" she was saying. "Oh, yes. The thing was, I had him dead to rights, with pictures and a record of every move he'd made," Lori finished. "And he'd done it all to himself. Of course, I couldn't have managed it without Nora to help. She taught me an awful lot about computers. See the blond guy carrying the doughnut box? That's Fred." Meriel glanced casually in the direction she had indicated. "Not a bad-looking guy if he'd smile," was her verdict. "I guess." Lori hadn't considered Fred's looks since she had come to know his character. "Let's go check the computer." The computer had finished its search. Lori retrieved the information and displayed it. "Is this the guy, Meri?" Meriel examined the picture presented. "It sure looks like him," she said. "Who is he?" "Well, according to this, he's a TA in the geology department at NTSU. His name is Lester Norton." "A geology TA tried to kidnap me?" Meriel said, sounding slightly aggrieved. "What a let-down! I thought villains' sidekicks were supposed to be sinister characters with a hunchback, one eye and a telltale limp whose masters cook up plans to rule the world in their dank, dark lair." "You've been watching too many vid dramas. Besides, the brains behind the operation may yet turn out to be a mad scientist," Lori said, getting into the spirit of the thing. "I'd like to bring down a mad scientist." "Me, too," Meriel agreed, enthusiastically. "Maybe he's the sinister, limping, one-eyed hunchback." "Yeah, maybe. Seriously, though, you've never seen this Norton guy around campus, before?" Meriel shook her head. "You know how big the campus is." "Yeah." Lori examined the face of their suspect. "Well, I guess looks can be deceiving. He sure doesn't look like an evil sidekick." She glanced at Meriel. "It's funny, I have the feeling I'm missing something, but I don't know what it is. We'll have to check Mr. Norton out. First, though, I want to run a search for any mention of Pete's death." "Yeah," Meriel said, dropping the joke, "I wish this really was a vid drama." "You and me both. Maybe Clark will be able to shed some light on the whole thing when he gets back," Lori said. "In the meantime let's see if we can find any mention of Pete Bremerton." The search program had so far turned up no mention of Peter Bremerton when Clark walked into the newsroom twenty minutes later. Lori was still at her desk and Meriel was sitting beside her in a borrowed chair. The two of them were immersed in a computer game while the machine continued to mine the net for any mention of their quarry. "Well," he said, quietly, "I see you're both hard at work." Lori grinned. "Sorry, we got bored. What did Dr. Frazier have to say?" "A lot of things," Clark said, "most of which went over my head. But his colleague has completed a thorough analysis of the dust, and they think they know what the purpose was for making the chemical changes." "Well, what was it?" Meriel asked, impatiently. "Apparently," Clark said, "someone is trying to make a dream dust that's addictive. They haven't succeeded yet, but the chemical changes suggest that that was the purpose." "You mean he's trying to *addict* people to this stuff?" Meriel was horrified. "Yeah. And the chances are that he's going to keep trying until he succeeds," Clark said. "I already told Velma Chow. They're trying to find Pete Bremerton, too, by the way, but it looks as if he's disappeared off the face of the earth." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 18:02:48 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 10 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, Just finished Lois and Clark and the IRS and thoroughly enjoyed it. will comment on first night when I've read it all - since you have posted all of it. keep writing. looking forward to your sequels. merry ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:02:27 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 14/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 14/? by Nan Smith "Great. Has anyone contacted his parents?" "Velma Chow contacted them. They're residents of New Jersey, and they claim they haven't seen him." "They're not worried about him?" Lori asked. "I'd expect them to be frantic!" "Dr. Bremerton spoke to Lieutenant Chow. He said they haven't heard from Pete for two weeks. He declined to answer any further questions. Lieutenant Chow is trying to find out more through the local cops, but it's slow going." "I can see that," Lori said. "It sounds to me like they know exactly where he is." "I'm going to get hold of Lisa," Clark said. "Maybe she can find out what we need to know." "Who's Lisa?" Lori asked. "Another member of the family?" "Yeah," Clark said. "Lisa Brent O'Brien--one of Ronnie's daughters. She's married to her partner, Matt O'Brien--they're plastic surgeons, and live in Newark. They'll be at the barbecue on Sunday, so you'll get to meet them." "I'll be there too," Meriel said. "Henry promised to give me a ride. Don't be nervous, Lori. There's going to be an awful lot of us there, but there'll be people who know you, too and everybody wants to meet you. It was supposed to be your engagement party, but now I guess it'll be sort of a wedding party. It's a big deal for the whole family, you know." "I guess I didn't really think about it," Lori said. "I suppose it will be." "Don't forget me," Clark said. "I'll be there, too--just for moral support, you know. And I hear that Ryan's coming with his fiancée." "You're kidding!" Meriel said. "You mean he finally decided to stop playing the field and settle down?" "He says he's finally found the right woman," Clark said. "He called me this morning with the news. I've never seen him so happy. He was literally walking on air." With anyone else, that would be hyperbole, Lori thought, but with Clark's family it might be physically true. "It took him long enough," Meriel said. "Who is she?" "He didn't say," Clark said, "but he says he told her about himself last night, and he wants us all to meet her." Lori opened her mouth and then closed it. The middle of the newsroom wasn't the spot to discuss private family matters. Instead, she said, "We identified the guy who attacked Meri, yesterday, Clark. He's a geology TA named Lester Norton." Clark frowned. "Geology? That's interesting." "Yeah," Lori said. "It's probably only a coincidence, but didn't John say the guy who bought the ring was a geology teacher?" "He did. He said Gerald Smitt was a geology teacher over at Metro City College before he resigned," Clark said. "Can you dig up a picture of him?" "I'll see what I can do. Maybe the DataNet would have him." Lori turned to the computer. "That's a scary thought," Meriel said. "If the guy with the ring is also the guy making the dream dust..." "I'd say the odds against it are fairly high," Clark said. "Besides, if he's at NTSU, I'd think our people would have found him by now." "Unless he's there under another name," Meriel said. "Well, maybe," Clark said. "Anything, Lori?" "It's looking." As she finished speaking, the screen lit up with a picture of the man in question. Gerald Smitt was a short, rotund man of about 40, with a round, ruddy face and short, red hair. "Let's see...he's a graduate of MSU, with a PhD in geology, married once and divorced. Employed until six months ago by Metro City College. Apparently he hasn't gotten a job since, or it would be in here." "Well, he could have just taken a sabbatical," Clark said. "That's possible. He's apparently well-traveled. He's spent time in several foreign countries, including the Antarctic as well as Mars and the moon, studying geologic formations." "Can you check his picture against the roster of instructors at NTSU, and see if he's there under another name?" Meriel asked. "Sure. This shouldn't take as long. There aren't nearly as many instructors as students," Lori said. "Meanwhile," Clark said, "I think we need to check up on this Lester Norton. If he's involved in this business--and I can't see why else he'd have gone after Meri--maybe he can lead us to his boss." "You don't think he's the bad guy?" Meriel asked. Clark shrugged. "It's possible, but it's equally possible he's working for our bad guy." He glanced at his wrist talker. "It's nearly two. As soon as you're finished there, Lori, we'll go over to the campus and see if we can find Lester Norton." "And," Meriel said, "find out if he's had an accident involving his nose in the last day or so." She looked wistful. "I'd like to go, too." "If he sees you, he'll know something's wrong," Clark said. "I know," Meriel said, "But it's boring sitting here. I know Dad's worried about my safety, but I was going to the beach with Rena for my vacation. That's all shot, now." Lori glanced at the computer as it gave a soft "ding". "It's finished. No matches. If Gerald Smitt works there, his picture hasn't been recorded." "I guess that's a dead end," Clark said. "Shall we go, Lori?" "Sure." She got to her feet. "Go ahead and play whatever games you like, Meri," she said. "We'll be back in a while." "Sure." Meriel moved into Lori's chair. "This isn't how I planned on spending my vacation." ********** "I think," Lori said, as they stepped into the elevator, "that we should plan on getting a groundcar at the very least before too long. Relying on Superman Express gets inconvenient sometimes." "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Clark said. "There are times when you need to get places quickly and I'm not around. One thing, though, we need a bigger one than Meriel's. I could barely squeeze into it. Maybe we can visit the dealer's tomorrow. You have your license, don't you?" "Sure. I renewed it last summer when I went home for vacation. I'll have to change it for New Troy, but that won't be a problem. Besides, I want to put my new name on it." Clark grinned. "I kind of like that, myself," he said. He put his arms around her as the elevator rose toward the roof. "Do you like necking in elevators?" Lori giggled. "We're being watched," she said, nodding at the camera lens. "I'm on my honeymoon. Let them eat their hearts out," Clark said, and kissed her. ********** The Geology Department was housed in Bell Hall. It was an older building made of discolored brick, and one outer wall was completely covered with ivy vines. As they entered via the front doors, Clark could hear the faint murmur of voices and other sounds of human occupancy. A quick glance around with his x-ray vision showed him three classrooms occupied by students taking their finals. A directory near the entrance informed them that the office of the department head was at the far end of the main hall. Together, they headed toward it, the soles of their shoes echoing loudly on the bare floor. The door was closed, but a quick peek with his x-ray vision told him that the room was occupied. Clark knocked firmly, and a tenor voice called, "Come in." The inhabitant of the room was a short, balding man, definitely neither Lester Norton, nor Gerald Smitt. He looked up from his computer screen as they entered. "Can I help you?" "I hope so," Clark said. " This is Ms. Lyons and I'm Clark Kent. We're from the Daily Planet." The man's eyebrows climbed almost to where his hairline would have been. "I'm Dr. Parsons, head of the Geology Department. Why would the Daily Planet be interested in us?" "We're trying to locate one of your teaching assistants for an interview--a Lester Norton," Clark explained. "We're doing a series of educational articles on the job of teaching assistant: how they get the job, what they're expected to do and a few anecdotes to fill out and personalize the interview. His name was given to us as a possible candidate." "Oh, I see." Parsons rose to his feet. "I'm sorry, Mr. Norton isn't here today. He suffered an accident yesterday and called in ill this morning." "Oh," Clark said. "I hope his accident wasn't serious?" "Oh, no. Apparently he fell and bruised himself severely, yesterday. It was just one of those unfortunate incidents. I'd offer you a substitute, but all my other teaching assistants are proctoring final exams at the moment and can't be spared. It you'd care to wait...?" "No," Clark said. "We'll try some of the others who were recommended. I hope Mr. Norton feels better soon." "Very well. I'm sorry your trip was for nothing." "That's all right," Clark said. "We have other--" The feeling that overcame him at that instant was completely unexpected and yet as completely familiar. A wave of dizziness washed over him followed at once by the burning ache of Kryptonite exposure. His surroundings seemed to blur, and he felt himself stagger. "Clark!" Lori's voice came faintly from the background and her arms closed around him. He was vaguely aware of an exclamation from Parsons, and of hands supporting him, then of being lowered into a chair. For an instant, the room almost dimmed out. Then he was sitting in a straight-backed chair, his head shoved into his lap, and Lori was kneeling beside him, her dark eyes wide with fright and comprehension. Parsons had gone to the water cooler and returned now with a paper cup full of cold water. "Mr. Kent?" His voice sounded concerned. "Are you all right?" Clark pushed himself rather dizzily upright. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so." "Here, drink some of this." Parsons offered the cup. Lori took it and put it carefully into his hand. "Take a couple of sips, Clark," she urged. "And take some deep breaths." Clark did as he was told. The feeling had disappeared, leaving the usual joint pains in its aftermath. After another moment, he straightened slowly. "Sorry," he said. "Are you all right, Mr. Kent?" Parsons was clearly concerned. "Would you like me to call the paramedics?" "No," Lori said. "He gets low blood sugar sometimes. I told you that you shouldn't have skipped lunch, Clark. Here." She reached in her bag and produced a chocolate bar. "You're lucky I had this one with me. You better eat it." Clark took the bar and peeled the paper with hands that were still shaking. "Sorry," he said again. "You better get Mr. Kent something else to eat besides that," Parsons said. He still looked a little worried. "I will. We'll stop at McFeegle's Burger Palace on the way out and get him a cheeseburger," Lori said. She was clearly waiting for him to eat the chocolate, which he had no desire to do. His stomach was still feeling slightly queasy, but it was a necessary deception if Lori's excuse was to be believed. He choked down the bar and followed it with another sip of water. After a few minutes, he let Lori help him to his feet. The weakness had vanished completely now, and the joint pains were fading. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "You don't have to say 'I told you so', Lori. You were right, as usual." "Of course I was," she said. "Let's get you back to the car and find a place to eat. We're sorry about this, Dr. Parsons." "No trouble at all," Parsons said. "Do you need any help getting back to the car?" "No, I'm all right, now," Clark assured the man. "Thanks for your help." ********** "It was Kryptonite," Clark was saying, some minutes later. "I couldn't mistake it." "Then Smitt *was* somewhere around!" Lori said. "Clark, we've got to get you out of here. I don't want you anywhere near that stuff!" "It was somewhere nearby, but it wasn't in the room," Clark said. "Someone must have passed by in the hall outside." "We'll tell John," Lori said. "Are you *sure* you're okay?" "Yes, positive." He dropped a kiss on top of her head. "Really, I've been exposed to the stuff before and survived, as you can see. Remember, the ring doesn't have anywhere near the amount of Kryptonite that was in the bracelet. I'm fine, really." "Well, I still want to get you out of here," Lori said, stubbornly. "Norton's home sick, and someone around here is carrying a Kryptonite ring. This is no place for Superman! We'll have to track Norton down some other way!" "Okay, okay!" Clark gave in. If he were to admit the truth, the event had scared him somewhat. They now had unarguable proof that the poisonous ring was still in Metropolis, and not far away. Someone in the geology building had it--Gerald Smitt, or someone else? Whoever it was, he couldn't afford to get too close. They would have to find some other way of locating it. "Clark are you sure you feel okay?" Lori hesitated before letting him scoop her into his arms. "I remember what happened the last time." "I'm fine, honey. This wasn't anywhere near the exposure I got from the bracelet." He picked her up without hesitation. "We have to go back by way of the twentieth floor. That's the way we left." "Details, details. Okay, but if you feel the least bit sick--" Clark grinned. "Really, I'm okay. Honest! Trust me." Lori put her arms around his neck and they lifted off. Within a few minutes, they landed gently on the roof of the Planet and ducked into the stairwell, to emerge a few seconds later on the twentieth floor. John wasn't in his office when they arrived in the newsroom, but Meriel was still at Lori's computer, immersed in some sort of empire-building game. She glanced around as they crossed the room toward her. "Hi. Any luck?" "Yeah, both good and bad," Lori said. "Is your dad around?" "He'll be back in a few minutes," Meriel said. "What happened?" "Norton was home 'sick'," Lori said, "but we found something else. The ring is there, somewhere." Meriel's eyes widened. "You mean *the* ring?" "Uh huh," Lori said. She turned to Clark. "Did you *see* it?" "No," Clark said. "I just felt it." "Are you okay?" "I'm fine. If Smitt is there, though, we didn't see him. It's possible someone else has it, I suppose." "We'll find out," Lori said. "We need to get rid of that thing. I don't want anything out there that can hurt you." Clark smiled. His young wife seemed to be as protective of him as the proverbial mother hen. It was amusing in a way. She was far more easily hurt than he was, yet like Lois before her Lori had apparently taken it on as her responsibility. "Don't worry, honey. It'll be all right." "I'll relax when the ring is under control and not before," Lori said. "I saw what the bracelet did to you." She glanced up at the sound of the elevator arriving. "There's John. I want to know exactly why Smitt left Metro City College. John said it was because of some personal scandal. I want to know what it was." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:05:16 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 15/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 15/? by Nan Smith John listened without comment to the whole story, leaning back in his desk chair far enough that he seemed to Clark to be in danger of tipping over. When Lori had finished, he said, "I don't have the information, but I'll have our people find out. In the meantime, Clark, you stay away from NTSU, at least until we have some idea where the ring ended up." "John," Clark pointed out, "we don't know that you and Meriel are safe, either. Ronnie could feel the bracelet's effects, even though it was some distance away. You two don't have the super powers, but you're descended from me. It's possible the stuff could affect you, as well." "I know. We'll handle it, Clark. Meriel, you heard what I told Clark. It applies to you, too. I can't order you to stay away, but please don't go near the place until we have a few more facts." Meriel nodded. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm not stupid." John smiled wryly. "No, but I know your habit of attracting trouble. Sometimes, I think it's hereditary. For the sake of your poor old dad's grey hairs, though, stay away from NTSU for the time being." "You don't have any grey hairs," Meriel said. "A lot you know. Between you and your brothers, I think I've aged an extra ten years since you hit your teens. Promise?" "Yeah, I promise. I just hope you guys have this straightened out by the time the fall semester starts." "In the meantime," Clark said, "Lori and I will keep going on the dream dust angle. There may not be any connection between the two." John raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, right. They both have the geology department in common. That's a coincidence?" "It could be. There's no reason there should be any connection that I can see." "You know how I distrust coincidences." "Well, yes," Clark admitted, "so do I. But I can't see how the two could be connected. Unless it turns out Gerald Smitt was dealing dust at Metro City College." "Anything's possible," John said. "Just do me one favor. Until we know for sure, be extra careful, okay? Lori, I'm counting on you to keep your husband out of trouble." Lori nodded seriously. "I'm way ahead of you on that, boss." John smiled. "I imagine you are. The trouble is, you're something of a trouble magnet yourself. Be careful, both of you." He glanced at his computer screen, which was out of sight of the two reporters and Meriel. "In the meantime, the Chief of Police just announced a press conference at City Hall in about forty-five minutes. I need somebody to cover it, and you two seem to be available. Get on over there." It was six o'clock when Clark and Lori made their way into the quiet of their apartment. The antique mantle clock sitting on one of the shelves of his bookcase was just chiming as Clark opened the door. "Why do I think that press conference assignment was just an excuse to keep us out of trouble for a while?" Clark muttered, closing the door behind them. Lori dropped into the big armchair without a word and let her bag slide to the floor. "Yeah, probably," she said, "but I don't really care right now. We'll figure it out tomorrow. Right now, I just want to take a hot shower and then get some dinner. My dad will be here in a couple of hours." "Go ahead," Clark said. "I'll get dinner going. Do you want to call your dad and see if he'd like to eat here?" "He's probably having dinner with a client," Lori said. "He said he'd be here on business today, but I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to leave him a message, just in case." "Okay. I'll do that while you shower." Clark said. "Thanks," Lori said. Clark dropped a kiss on her hair. "Then maybe I could join you." Lori found herself turning pink. The image that suggestion conveyed attracted her strongly, but she regretfully shook her head. "If we get involved in that we might forget about the time," she said. "But how about a raincheck?" "I think that could be arranged," he said. "Go on, honey, get your shower and I'll fix dinner." By the time she emerged from the shower, Lori could smell the aromas of cooking food beginning to circulate around the apartment. She dressed quickly in a pair of slacks and a shirt and went into the kitchen. Clark was whistling softly as he dealt almost simultaneously with teriyaki chicken breasts, some kind of Japanese vegetable dish and a cucumber and crab salad. A bottle of wine, the outer surface coated with moisture, sat open on the kitchen table beside a pair of chilled glasses. He had found time to change out of his suit into more casual clothing as well, she noted and stood in the doorway for several seconds regarding her new husband with admiration. "You look good," she said finally, moving forward to the table. "Do you want me to pour some wine for both of us?" He turned around, a smile quirking the corners of his mouth. "I could say the same of you. Sure, it's probably ready. Dinner'll be ready in a few minutes. You like chicken teriyaki, don't you?" "I love it," Lori assured him. "Did you get hold of Dad?" "Yeah. He's having dinner with a client at the Lexor." "I figured it was something like that." She glanced at her wrist for about the twentieth time that day, only to recall again that her wrist talker was in the shop. "I think I need to get a substitute until my regular wrist talker is fixed," she said, in exasperation. "It wouldn't hurt," Clark said. "You can probably get one at Green's." Lori poured the wine and handed him a glass. "I think I'll do that." She took a swallow of the wine. "Mm, nice." "I picked it up at a little winery I know the last time I was in Germany," Clark said. "They advertise that Superman buys his wine there." "Really?" "Sure. The owner always makes sure my favorites are available. He's done it ever since I put out a fire at his place and saved the business a little over a year ago. I didn't have the heart to tell him he shouldn't, since he seems to enjoy it so much. And he gets the free advertising, of course." "Of course," Lori said. "What's the time?" Clark glanced at his own wrist. "Quarter to seven." He picked up the pan bare-handed and transferred the chicken breasts deftly to the two plates. "There we go. Now for the veggies, and if you'll just serve the salad, I think we can eat." ********** The door chime sounded only a minute before eight. Lori glanced at Clark, who rose quickly from the sofa. "It's your dad." Lori swallowed, but said nothing as Clark went to answer the door. Robert Lyons stood there, a small wrapped parcel in his hands. "Hello, Rob," Clark said. "Come in." "Thank you." He entered and smiled at Lori where she stood in the middle of the living room. "Hello, Lori." "Hi, Dad." Her father glanced around the apartment. "You have a nice place here. Very homey." "Thank you," Clark said. He indicated the armchair. "Won't you sit down?" "Thank you." Rob glanced at the package. "I thought I should bring you a wedding gift. Here, Lori." "Oh, Dad, you didn't need to." "It isn't much. My mother wanted you to have this on your wedding day." He took his seat and folded his hands in his lap. Lori sank down onto the sofa, and Clark sat beside her. "Why don't you open it, honey?" Lori smiled and pulled at the ribbon. It came loose easily, and she carefully detached the tape holding the paper in place. She was beginning to suspect what it might be, and when the little white box came into view, she knew she was right. "Oh, Dad!" she breathed, opening the lid. Inside lay her Grandmother Lyons' delicate locket with the white cameo on the cover, that she had seen her grandmother wear from the time she was a little girl. "Grandma's locket! Oh, thank you!" "I thought you'd like to have it," her father said. "Oh, I do!" With trembling fingers, she put it around her neck. Her fingers shook so much that she couldn't fasten the tiny catch, and Clark took it, clipping it together for her. Robert Lyons smiled. "Your grandmother wanted you to have it," he said. "She remembered how much you always liked it." "I did," she said. "I wish she could have lived to see me married." "She would have been pleased to see you as happy as you are," Rob said. He looked down at his hands and then back up at Lori and Clark. "I'm sorry," he said, abruptly. "Mariann isn't being very pleasant right now, and I'd understand if you didn't want to see either one of us. You deserve an explanation." "Well, I admit, I don't really understand her attitude at all," Clark said, "but it isn't your fault. I'm glad to have the chance to get better acquainted with you and Lori wouldn't like it much if she couldn't see you." Robert Lyons nodded soberly. "I'm happy for both of you," he said. "I could see the first time I met you at her graduation that she thought the world of you, Clark. And, of course, I don't agree with my wife's prediction that it will ruin her career. I don't think Mariann really believes it herself, underneath--at least not anymore." "Then why does she say the things she does?" Lori asked. "If I were in your place I'd be angry, the way she always blames you for ruining her career. We all know you never made her quit her job." He nodded. "I know, Lori, but there's more behind it than you realize. Of course, I didn't make her quit her career--I would never make her do anything she didn't want to do. It's always been a convenient excuse for her, and I didn't mind, because I knew it was mostly a defense mechanism. It's less painful for her to blame me than to blame herself--especially after everything she went through to get the education she did. If it makes her happier to believe it..." He broke off. "I only wanted her to be happy, Lori. Your mother had a lot to overcome, and I loved her. I still do, but I can't support her in this. You have the right to lead your own life; she has no right to try to make you lead the one she wants you to. Clark, you know our family is Traditionalist, don't you?" "Yes," Clark said. "I'm something of a traditionalist, myself." Rob nodded. "Have you ever heard of the High Traditionalists?" "They were one of a number of splinter groups that broke away from the Traditionalists during the Decade of Unrest," Clark said. "Their leader, Nolan Vega, was a very charismatic man, with strict ideas about a woman's proper place." He saw the surprised look on Robert Lyons' face and added, "I'm a student of history. Things like that interest me." "I see. That's pretty accurate. Then you probably know that their group retreated from society for some time to avoid the riots and gang wars and all the rest of the civil disturbances of the time, and went back to the land. After things quieted down, they didn't change very much. They still have a large settlement in the Midwest, and the outside world is kept pretty much at bay. The law, of course, mandates that children must be educated through high school, but their women are still taught to be obedient handmaidens to their fathers, brothers, and later their husbands--who are chosen for them by their parents. Mariann's family was High Traditionalist, and that's the environment where Mariann grew up." "I see," Clark said. "Her attitude is beginning to make a little more sense, now, but I still don't understand why she's so determined that Lori stay single for the sake of her career." "Their community is like a little island that somehow never got out of the Nineteenth Century," Robert Lyons said. "Only worse. Mariann's father was extremely strict even among the rest of his group. When she told him she wanted more of an education and a career, he beat her to within an inch of her life. She still has the scars from his attempts to make her into a 'decent' woman. She hated him. She ran away at sixteen." "I can see why," Clark said. "Why didn't she tell Marcy and me this?" Lori asked. "We would have understood." "She didn't want you to know," Robert Lyons said. "I think she was ashamed of it. She even told you that her parents were dead, remember? For all I know, they could still be very much alive, but she's never had any contact with them since she left home. Anyway, she finished high school and put herself through business school by working, taking care of other people's children, cleaning homes, and qualifying for scholarships. She's amazingly intelligent, you know. That was where I met her. After she graduated, she went to work for the firm that had hired me and worked there for several years. She and I were friends--at least from her side. I was crazy about her from the start. The problem was that after all that, she found out she wasn't happy in her career. She wanted a husband and children--but she couldn't admit how she felt. To her, it would have been a tacit admission that her father had been right after all. I knew she didn't love me, but I didn't care. I loved her, and I asked her to marry me. She liked me well enough, and it was her way out." He sighed. "She quit her job by choice--it wasn't something I wanted her to do, but I don't think she's ever forgiven herself for what she saw as a failure on her part. She had to pretend it was the marriage that made her quit her job. Anything else would have been too painful." "She didn't fail!" Lori burst out. "You know that, and so do I," Robert Lyons said, "but your mother doesn't. As the years have gone by she's gotten more like her father in some ways--he was very controlling, and so is she, now. It's gotten to be almost an obsession with her. She wanted you and Marcy to do what she didn't. I understand that, but I can't agree with her. You have the right to your own lives--just as she did." "I don't want to fight with her," Lori said, "but I'm not going to divorce Clark to make her happy." "I don't expect you to," Robert Lyons said. "Mariann has a lot of conflicts and problems. I've talked to her about counseling. She isn't ready to agree yet, but I think she will, eventually. She's miserable the way she is, right now. I just wanted to explain to you what's really going on with her, and to ask you to be patient. Do you think you can?" Clark reached out to take his wife's hand. "I'll do whatever you decide, honey," he said. "It's up to you." She met her father's pleading expression and nodded. "Yeah," she said. "I guess we can." Robert Lyons smiled. "Thanks, Lori," he said. "I think things will get better, but it's going to take a while. Your mother has a lot to work through. I don't want you to feel guilty in the meantime. You had every right to do as you did, and I'm glad that you married a man who loves you as much as Clark does. I hope Marcy finds as much happiness as you have, someday." Lori gulped. "I think she will, Dad," she said. "She called me last night. She's met a guy she says she really loves. He's asked her to marry him for life--none of those six-month play-marriage things. She said she needed to think it over to be sure, but it really was what she wanted to do." "I hope so," Rob said. "I worried about her more than I did you, Lori. You were always the thinker. Marcy was the rebel, like your mom. She jumped into marriage just to get away from home. I don't think any of her six-month contracts made her very happy. She wanted the real thing, but she's had a hard time finding it." "Maybe she has, now," Lori said. "I'm glad you explained about Mom, Dad. At least now I understand why she acts like she does, even if it isn't very pleasant. I feel kind of sorry for her." "Just try to be patient," Rob said. "Your mother is going to have to realize that she has no right to try to control anyone's life but her own. She isn't even doing very well at that right now. I think she'll accept the idea of getting counseling eventually. We've talked about it and I hope she'll begin to see that her obsession is ruining her life." Lori hesitated. "You still love her," she said, "even if she doesn't love you?" Rob nodded. "I always will, Lori. She's always been my best friend. I can live with that, if I have to." "I can understand that," Clark said. He regarded the other man with respect. Robert Lyons had loyalty and the courage to deal with the situation in which he found himself. Clark didn't envy him, though. Rob had a difficult time ahead of him, but at least he knew what he was up against. He thought Mariann Lyons was a lot more fortunate than she knew. Lori's father stayed for another hour talking about more pleasant subjects. When he left, he kissed Lori and turned to Clark. "I'm glad my daughter found you, Clark. I knew when I saw you again in Houston that I'd be hearing about your marriage before long." "I'm lucky to have found *her*," Clark said. "She's an amazing person." He put an arm around his wife. "I'm glad you came by, Rob. Lori didn't want you to be angry with her because of this." "I'm not," Rob said. "Your mom's problems aren't your fault, Lori. I think you've chosen the best way to deal with her. She's going to have to realize that if she doesn't take a look at her own behavior, she's going to alienate her whole family. I think she'll see it after while. And," he added, with a smile, "I'll be at your big wedding in October, even if she isn't." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:08:05 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 16/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 16/? by Nan Smith When Robert Lyons had gone, Lori turned to Clark and put her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. Clark automatically put his around her. "Is everything all right, honey?" Lori nodded, not releasing her grip on him. "I think so. I feel bad for Mother, though--and for Dad. I never knew all that stuff about her before. Maybe I should have been more understanding." "Lori," Clark said, "don't start feeling guilty. She didn't want you to know. It's all right to feel sorry for her, but it isn't all right to let her control your life because of it. Would you have wanted to stay single to make her happy?" Lori shook her head. "No." "That's good, because, take it from me, that wouldn't have worked either. It would simply have made you unhappy along with her. It's up to your mom--with your dad's encouragement--to get help. You can't fix it. It was never in your power, or your sister's, to fix it, so blaming yourself is not only useless, it's misdirected. Your mother is a grown woman; maybe it's time she took a little responsibility for herself." Lori nodded against his chest. "You're right, but if I ever start acting like my mother, tell me. I want to stop it before it starts." Clark chuckled. "I don't think you're the kind of person to hide from problems, honey. You're more the kind who charges in and takes them on no matter what the cost, like you did with the security problem at NTSU when we first met. That's one of the things I love about you." She looked up at him. "Really?" "Well, yes--and just by coincidence, you have a great body too." Lori giggled, suddenly feeling much better. "That's what I like about you. You have this instinctive grasp of the important things in life." "Mmm--let's hear it for instinct," Clark said and lowered his face to hers. Lori closed her eyes and kissed him back enthusiastically. After all, they might not have gone anywhere exotic after their wedding, but they were technically honeymooners, weren't they? The floating sensation she experienced then wasn't entirely because of the kiss, she discovered a few seconds later. They were drifting across the floor about four inches above the rug, rotating slowly. At her breathless giggle, Clark looked down and laughed. "See what you do to my concentration?" he said. "I guess even Superman can be distracted," Lori observed. "Given the right distraction, you bet," Clark replied, quite cheerfully. "Am I that much of a distraction?" "Much more," Clark asserted. "You're the worst kind of distraction because I don't even want to fight it." They drifted toward the bedroom, still several inches above the rug, Lori giggling helplessly. Her laughter was contagious and Clark joined in. ********** As happened often, Lori was aware on some level that she was dreaming. She shifted in bed, snuggling against her husband's side and sank more deeply into the dream images that swirled around her and resolved themselves into Centennial Park at night. She wasn't alone, and she wasn't Lori. She was someone else who was also her, and in the dream it didn't disturb her at all. Beside her, his face partially illuminated by the old fashioned lights that still adorned the park was Clark, but not the Clark of today. As in the picture at the Daily Planet, he wore a pair of glasses and the clothing of the period. He was speaking, but his words were muffled, as if she were hearing them through layers of cotton. They had stopped beside a fountain, and he was still speaking. He pushed her gently onto the seat at the base of the fountain and started to speak again. Lightning flashed and as abruptly, rain began to pour over both of them. Clark looked up in exasperation. "Come on! Give me a break!" The muffled sensation that had surrounded her was suddenly gone and his words were sharp and clear. Lori heard herself laugh. "Do you want to go back?" "If the earth opened up at my feet, I wouldn't move until I'd said this," Clark said. He knelt. "Lois," he began, and produced a small box wherein nestled a gold ring with a glittering diamond, "will you marry me?" Lori's eyes flew open and she sat straight up in bed, inhaling air in a great gasp. Clark shot into a sitting position almost at the same time. "Lori? What's wrong?" She took another deep breath and blew it out. Clark took her by the shoulders. "Lori? Are you all right?" Numbly, she nodded. The dream had been vivid, disturbingly so. She could still see the images and feel the emotions it had evoked in her. In that dream, she had been Lois Lane, Clark's first wife. Slowly, she turned and examined Clark's face, barely visible in the dimness. Her racing heartbeat was slowing, but the tingle of adrenaline still raced along her nerves. "Lori?" Clark said. "What's the matter?" Slowly, she shook her head. "Nothing." "It didn't seem like nothing. Did you have a bad dream?" "Not exactly." She took a last deep breath. "It was a dream, but..." "Well, it must have been a heck of a dream." "I dreamed I was Lois. We were in Centennial Park by the fountain, and you were proposing to me in the rain." She laughed nervously. "What does that say about me, dreaming something like that?" He was staring at her. "In the *rain*?" "Yeah. Crazy, huh?" He was slow to answer. "Well...it's certainly different. Are you sure you're okay?" "I think so. It just...startled me." It had more than startled her; it had shocked her, because it felt so real. She had never had such a vivid dream. "Do you want to tell me about it?" "No...no. It was silly." "Not if it shook you up this much. Your pulse is still fast. What happened?" Lori shivered. The chronometer said it was two in the morning and the apartment was chilly, even if it was summer. Clark noticed. "Here, get under the covers. I'll be right back." In a gust of air, he was gone. Before she could count to twenty, he was back, handing her a mug of what turned out to be hot chocolate. "Drink this. It'll help you warm up and relax." Lori leaned back against the headboard and obediently sipped the chocolate. Clark had slipped into the bed again so smoothly that he hadn't even jostled the mattress. Only when she felt the springs creak slightly as he too leaned back against the headboard, did she realize he had been floating to avoid shaking the bed. As he had predicted, the drink warmed her, and she felt herself relaxing. Clark was watching her closely. "Feeling better?" She nodded. "Thanks, Clark." "Don't mention it. Now, about that dream..." She laughed a little nervously. "It wasn't that big a deal, really. We were in Centennial Park. It was night, and we were walking together. You were wearing glasses, like the ones in that picture at the Planet. You were talking to me, but I couldn't hear what you were saying. Then you made me sit down on that bench by the fountain, and all of a sudden, it began to rain. And you said...'Come on! Give me a break...'" She stopped. "And?" Clark's voice seemed slightly unnatural. "You said you were going to say something no matter what: 'If the earth opened up at my feet,'" she quoted. "And you got down on one knee and took out a ring and asked me to marry you. That's all I remember. Weird, huh?" Clark didn't answer at first. Then he shook his head. "Yeah, really strange." "Maybe it was the chicken teriyaki," Lori said. "Or maybe it was because Dad came to visit tonight." "Yeah, maybe." Clark took the now empty cup and set it on the table by his side of the bed. "Lie back down now and try to go back to sleep, if you think you can." Lori turned her head to examine his face. "Are you upset, Clark?" "No, of course not. Come on, now, lie down." Suiting his actions to the words, he slid under the covers and held out his arm. Lori scooted down next to him. He put his arms around her and she felt the remaining tension drain from her within seconds. Somehow, being held by Clark was more reassuring than all the hot chocolate in the world. "Feel better?" he asked, softly. "Mm hmm." She found herself yawning. "Thanks, Clark." "You're welcome. Go to sleep, now." ********** After Lori had dozed off, Clark lay staring at the ceiling for some time, running the incident over and over in his mind. Lori had described almost exactly what had happened the evening he had proposed to Lois. That couldn't be a coincidence, he knew. As he had halfway suspected, although Lori certainly wasn't Lois, somewhere under the surface were traces of Lois's memories. Everyone had déjŕ vu occasionally; it had happened to him every now and then too, but this clearly was something out of the ordinary. Lois had never had these flashes, anymore than anyone else did, but Lois had never been immersed in reminders of her previous incarnation, whatever it had been, every day of her life. Not only that, it was doubtful if in any other life she had met or married her soulmate of the previous one. It appeared that there was a certain amount of carryover; it must simply be that this situation had rarely if ever arisen before. The question was, how far would it go? How far *could* it go? Would Lori turn into Lois? He doubted it, but to his amazement, he found that he wasn't entirely happy at the prospect. As much as he loved and would always love Lois, he loved Lori as well. He didn't want to lose her. The worries and conjectures floated around in his mind for some time. Lori shifted a little against him and murmured in her sleep, and he found that he had tightened his grip on her. He consciously relaxed it. Holding onto her physically couldn't stop what was happening. He would just have to hope that the situation would stabilize at some point. Perhaps he could talk to Rhonda on Sunday. His granddaughter was a remarkably practical person and he tended to go to her for advice or when he needed to talk over a difficult situation. The decision made, he was able to relax somewhat and shelve the problem for the present. Even Superman needed sleep occasionally, and Friday had been a day of more than the usual stresses. Gently, he pressed a light kiss on the top of Lori's head and closed his eyes. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof..." Who had said that, he wondered drowsily, but he was too tired to follow the thought further. ********** The soft chiming of the vidphone awakened him the next morning. A glance at the wall chronometer informed him it was nearly eight o'clock. This was Saturday, and he and Lori didn't need to be in to work until noon, but Clark had plans for the morning. Lori still slept beside him, her dark hair tousled against the pillow, and he levitated gently out of the bed to avoid disturbing her, grabbing for the robe lying across the nearest chair. Closing the bedroom door, he glanced at the machine. The I.D. on the screen informed him that the call originated from the office of the Planet's editor. "Yes?" John's face appeared. His eyebrows flew up as he took in Clark's appearance. "Oh, to be a newlywed. Looks like I woke you up." "You did, but I wanted to get up early, anyway." Clark tightened the sash of his robe. "What's so urgent, anyhow?" "Lori asked for some information, yesterday, after the two of you got back from NTSU. I just got a call from one of our investigators. The scandal at Metro City College involved a...'relationship' between Gerald Smitt and one of his TAs, a graduate student by the name of Deborah Tisdale. Apparently, she left at the same time Smitt did and returned home to Cleveland. If we can't locate Smitt by Monday, we'll try to find her and see if she can shed any light on the situation, but it seems like a long shot." "Any further word on Smitt?" "Not yet." John said. "We haven't given up yet, though. We're checking around NTSU for hiring records over the last few months. I'll keep you informed. When will we be seeing you, today?" "We'll probably be in around noon," Clark said. "There are a few things I want to check out this morning." "Are you one hundred percent today? After yesterday, I don't want you anywhere around the college campus." "It'll be all right, John," Clark assured him. "I've dealt with Kryptonite before in the hands of much more formidable persons than a college professor. Remind me to tell you about Jason Trask sometime." He glanced at the bedroom door as it opened. Lori, wearing the satin and lace dressing gown that went with the Paris creation she had worn, however briefly, on their wedding night, emerged. He saw John grin and added hastily, "I'll talk to you later." "No problem. See you around noon." The screen went off. "What did John want?" Lori asked. He repeated the information for her benefit. "This morning I wanted to see if we can track down Lester Norton. He may or may not still be home 'sick' but we might be able to find out something about his associates. There's still the dream dust problem to deal with." "As soon as I can get dressed I'll see if I can find his address," Lori said. "Why don't you go get your shower?" "I seem to remember a raincheck," Clark said, teasingly, and watched with amusement as her cheeks turned a delicate pink. "I think we can put that off until tonight, though. I wanted to get a jumpstart on this thing today. We don't know if Norton will be back at NTSU when the fall semester begins, and today is the last day before they close down for the summer. Would you like the bathroom first?" "No, you go ahead. You're faster than I am." Lori hesitated. "Um...I wanted to mention something, by the way." "Oh?" "Yeah. Ever since you told us about Ryan yesterday, I meant to tell you but things kept happening. Marcy called me after you left, night before last. Remember, you said Ryan told you he's found the right woman?" "Yes." "Well, I know who it is." Clark paused for a long moment, then, with a sense of inevitability said, "Marcy." Lori nodded. "I'm sorry. I should have said something, but--" Clark smiled wryly. "Why? Ryan didn't." "Well, I kept intending to, but one thing after another happened, and I just forgot. Are you upset?" "No, of course not." Lori looked worried. "Are you sure? I mean, I know Marcy doesn't have the best record when it comes to men in general, and marriage in particular, and..." "Honey." Clark walked over to her and put his arms around her. "Ryan doesn't have much of a record in that area, either. Marriage, I mean. He's been waiting for the right woman. If he thinks Marcy is the right woman, it's none of my business. Just because I'm his grandfather doesn't give me a say. I have to trust his judgement." Lori looked relieved. "I thought there might be some kind of rule about who you could marry, or something." Clark shook his head. "Of course not. We have to be sure, but if Ryan trusts Marcy, then that's all I need to know." He grinned suddenly. "It's going to be interesting when she finds out that you're her step-grandmother-in-law, though." Lori looked stunned for an instant, then began to laugh. "I hadn't thought of that! Clark, we're going to have a very strange family tree!" "We have a very strange family," Clark said, seriously. "It just keeps life interesting." He added, "And if we stand here like this for much longer I'm going to forget all of my sterling resolutions about the raincheck. I better go get that shower. I think I'll make it a cold one." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:10:33 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 17/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 17/? by Nan Smith When they stepped outside the apartment some forty minutes later, the sky was shrouded with heavy black clouds and a light rain was falling. Little puddles of muddy water dotted the pavement Lori pulled her raincoat tightly about her. "It sure would be nice to have a groundcar right now," she remarked. Clark spotted a taxi and whistled sharply. "Why don't we visit a dealer after we check on Mr. Norton, if there's time?" "That sounds good to me." She stepped back from the curb to avoid the water splashed about by the wheels of passing traffic. The groundtaxi screeched to a stop in front of them, spraying water in all directions. Clark reflected that the taxi drivers of Metropolis hadn't changed much in a hundred years. They still drove like maniacs. He opened the door for Lori and clambered in after her, then surreptitiously fanned low-level heat vision over her, drying her exposed clothing. "Where to?" the driver inquired. Clark gave him Lester Norton's address and the taxi peeled away from the curb with a jerk and a squeal of tires, barely missing a tour bus and peppering pedestrians behind them with mud and water. The driver took the corner on two wheels, throwing Lori against him. He could feel the car's stabilizer fighting to keep them upright and wrapped an arm around his wife, gritting his teeth as the tail end of the groundcar skidded sideways frantically. The driver fought his vehicle back under control and shot under the nose of a fuel truck to beat the traffic signal. That did it. As soon as they had time this morning, they were going to get Lori a car. This was the last time she was going to risk her life in one of these things, if he had any say about it. It was apparent to him that the driver of the taxi had a death wish. Twenty minutes later, the driver, undaunted, pulled his taxi to a sliding stop against the curb of a quiet, tree-lined street not far from the university. Clark paid him and got out, followed by Lori. The taxi driver took off with the shriek of tortured rubber and Clark pulled Lori out of the way of the shower of mud he left in his wake. "Wow," Lori said. "Who needs a roller coaster after that?" "Roller coasters are safer," Clark said. "And cheaper. Let's go see if Mr. Norton is home." Lester Norton lived in a small, shabby room in a boarding house not far from the NTSU campus, but the only individual present was an elderly housekeeper. Mr. Norton, she told them, had left for the college half an hour before. Clark took the opportunity to x-ray the man's room but nothing obviously suspicious was visible. The room had very little to identify the occupant, much less anything to indicate possible associates. As they returned down the walk, Lori said, "What now?" "Well, I can't go near the geology building until we find out where the ring is," Clark said, "but there's nothing to stop me from flying over it and taking a look." "Let's go," Lori said. "I'd rather fly in the rain with you than risk my life in another taxi, anyway." Clark grinned. "We'll fly above the rain, okay?" "Okay." They headed for the nearest secluded area and a moment later Superman and his passenger were in the air and headed for the university grounds at cloud level. They avoided a police aircar that passed by not far away and Lori covered her face until it was out of sight. "I don't think that's really necessary," Clark observed. "Even if we were close enough, I don't think the Metro police are going to take any pictures. If it was a tabloid photographer, now, it would be another story." "I prefer not to take chances," Lori said. "Police are people, too." She wrinkled her nose, an expression that was purely Lori. Lois had never done that, he thought. "I remember a tabloid photo of Blue Lightning carrying a woman, a couple of years ago. She was covering her face, too. There was this big hue and cry, with the press trying to track down the mystery woman." Clark remembered that. "That was his wife, Michelle. You might remember what happened, though. They asked him about it." Lori giggled. "Yeah, I do. He told them it was none of their business. There was a lot of screaming about the public's right to know and a couple of women tried to claim they were his mystery woman, but they were discredited." She snorted. "Bottom feeders!" Clark smiled. His pretty wife had the same opinion of the tabloids that every responsible journalist had. Not that he wanted any so-called "responsible" journalists to find out about her, either. "They're always trying to link us with celebrities and scandals," he remarked, matter-of-factly. "We ignore it, but it sells." He ceased his forward motion, hovering just within the bottom layers of cloud. "Here we are. Are you cold?" "No, not really. You're pretty warm. Do you see anything?" Clark was scanning the geology building below them. "Nope. There are three people inside--Parsons, some guy I've never seen before and the janitor." "I take it there's no sign of the ring, either," Lori said. "Not that I can see." "No sign of Norton?" "No." "Great. Where do you suppose he is?" "Not here," Clark said. "His stuff was in his room, though, so he'll be back there, eventually." "What do we do? Stake out his room all day?" Clark shook his head. "John can assign someone to do that. Maybe the new intern." Lori sighed happily. "It feels awfully good not to be at the bottom of the food chain anymore." Clark smiled, scanning the geology building again. "Whoever has the ring, he's not here today, either." "Do you suppose Gerald Smitt could be teaching here under another name?" Lori speculated. "Or maybe someone else has the ring. Maybe it's a student, or a TA or something. Metro City College is affiliated with New Troy State. Students transfer here from MCC all the time. One of them could have it." "Maybe," Clark said. "Right now, I'm going to call John, and then we're going to visit a groundcar dealer. Do you have any preferences?" ********** Just before noon, the brand new silver Jeep Predator pulled into a parking space on the second level of the Daily Planet's tall parking structure. Lori cut the engine and looked admiringly at their new car. "You like it, huh?" Clark said, smiling at her obvious enjoyment. "I can't get over it," Lori said. "I always figured my first car would be a little subcompact like Meri's. This one is really something." "There is no way on the face of the Earth that I'm ever going to try fitting into something that size again," Clark said firmly. "I'm slightly claustrophobic, anyway. I hate confined spaces and sitting with my chin on my knees is not my idea of comfort." He opened the door. "Let's go. At least we get to stay out of the rain." The newsroom was its usual busy self when they stepped out of the elevator. Lori went straight to her computer and accessed the university computers. As insurance against the Clarion staff changing the password on the paper's computer, she'd set up her own method of access two days before. Now she began to dig into Lester Norton's background as documented in NTSU's records. Maybe something here would tell them what they needed to know. ********** The third level of the hospital parking lot was dim and quiet, Meriel thought as she pulled her car into one of the available spaces. It was just past lunch hour and not yet time for the shift change, so the traffic through the parking structure was at a minimum. She was actually a little early, but Rena was due to be released from the hospital this afternoon, and Meriel had volunteered to pick her up. Her friend was in some trouble with the law because of her indiscretion, and was due before a judge on the following day. The family lawyer had reassured them that since this was her first offence the penalty was likely to be slight, but Meriel know that just that fact was enough to worry Rena, who had never had so much as a parking ticket until now. Her parents were quite upset with her as well, and the next few weeks of her life were probably going to be fairly unpleasant. Meriel wanted to let her know that at least one person wasn't blaming her for anything more than--well, a stupid mistake. She rather thought that Rena had learned a very hard lesson and wasn't about to rub it in any more than circumstances already had. She was pretty sure Rena could use a friend right now. Meriel and her mother had planned to take her out to lunch this afternoon, just to assure her of their support. Somewhere, she heard the echoes of another car engine and then the sound cut off. She headed briskly toward the elevator, which would deliver her safely into the hospital lobby without the necessity of stepping out into the rain. There were footsteps behind her, and a glance over her shoulder showed her two dim figures approaching, half-concealed in the shadows of the lot. The lighting was too dim in here, she thought. A light prickle of nervousness ran over her scalp and she banished it impatiently. Nothing was going to happen here. She paused in front of the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. The footsteps behind her came closer, and suddenly Meriel was dizzy. Weakness swept over her in a wave, followed by an aching sensation in all her joints and the fiery cramping of muscles all over her body. She stumbled and put out a hand to brace herself against one of the big synthastone pillars, but everything was blurring before her eyes and her hand missed its target. Meriel stumbled, thrown off balance, and fell. Her head struck the pillar with a burst of stars. The dim lights went black. ********** Lori looked up from her computer screen in time to see Clark rise from his desk and head for John Olsen's office. Something about his expression made her pause and then stand up and follow him. John's face was grim as they entered his office. "Clark, Marilyn just called me," he began without preliminary. "I think there may be a problem." Lori saw her husband's face go pale. "Meriel?" he asked. John nodded. "She was supposed to meet Marilyn for a late lunch. The two of them were going to take Rena Harcourt out and try to cheer her up when she was discharged from the hospital, but Rena said she never showed up. She doesn't answer her car phone or her wrist talker. More importantly, she didn't answer when *I* called her." He tapped his forehead. Clark closed his eyes, his face rigid with concentration. After a long moment, he shook his head. "She's not answering. Do you have any idea where else she was going today?" "Marilyn said Meriel was going to go over to the hospital to pick Rena up, but she apparently never arrived," John said. "Other than that, I don't know." "Okay," Clark said. "I'll head over to the hospital and look around for her car. Lori, you keep working. See if you can find the slightest shred of information that might tell us something about Lester Norton, who his friends are; anything to tell us where he might be. And John, get hold of Aaron and Henry. I'll call Lara and CJ. If all five of us are looking for her, we might have a better chance of finding her." Lori nodded. "Be careful, Clark." "I will." He gave her a quick kiss and was gone out the window. ********** Meriel Olsen came slowly awake. Every muscle in her body throbbed and cramped like a sore tooth. Her joints ached, and her head swam nauseatingly. A voice said, somewhere in the background, "She's coming around." Someone flipped water in her face. A woman's voice said, "Come on, wake up." Meriel gagged and moaned faintly. "Come on," the woman's voice said, sounding impatient. "I don't have the time or patience for this. Wake up!" Meriel moaned again. A hand grabbed her by the hair and pulled her face up. "Wake up!" The movement sent pain shooting through her head and the room spun sickeningly. The muscle cramps increased to almost unbearable levels. She began to sob dryly. "Take it easy!" The voice was male and sounded strained. "You're not going to get anything out of her like that!" "I intend to get an answer! Who sold Harcourt the dust, girl?" Meriel couldn't help it. She hiccupped, coughed and then lost the remainder of her stomach's contents. The woman's voice gave an exclamation of disgust and the hand released her hair. Meriel dropped back to the floor, retching. "Grandpa Clark," she mumbled. "Help me..." A hand striking her face sent her reeling back into the darkness from which she had so painfully climbed. ********** Clark, sailing through the air toward the hospital, found himself shifting direction slightly. Something tugged at him almost below the level of consciousness, pulling him in the direction of New Troy State University. It was as if he could feel Meriel's fear and pain. His great great granddaughter was somewhere in this direction and in dire need of help if his instincts were any judge. Someone was pulling his hair--no, Meriel's hair. It was somewhere around here... And then he heard it. *Grandpa Clark...Help me." There was the feeling of a hand striking his face, and then the tenuous mental touch was gone. Alarm sent him plunging in the direction of the call. He had it pinpointed now. She was in an older, two-story house not far from the university. Meriel lay on the floor of the kitchen, and two people, one of them Lester Norton, argued back and forth over her. The other, a slender, blond woman who might have been attractive except for the angry scowl that distorted her face, reached out, seized Meriel by the hair, and drew back her hand to strike. Clark shot forward and burst through the kitchen door, slamming it back against the wall. In a split instant, he seized her wrist, restraining her. Too late, he felt the telltale ache of Kryptonite radiation. Dropping her hand, he staggered back. The woman's face reflected shock, then a grim satisfaction. A malicious smile split her face. "Surprised, Superman?" she asked. With one hand, she reached up, tugged at a chain that hung around her throat, and from the neckline of her blouse, withdrew a small, gold ring with a glittering, green stone, half the size of his thumbnail. "No one else ever realized what this was," she said. "But I did. I believe in insurance. Now, Les!" >From the corner of his eye, Clark caught movement; then something hard struck the back of his head with stunning force. That was the last he remembered. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:12:21 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 18/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 18/? by Nan Smith Lori made a fourth trip to the coffee machine, loaded the brew with cream and sugar and returned to her computer. Uneasiness rippled along her nerves. An hour had passed since Clark had left and he had not yet returned. If Lester Norton had gotten hold of Meriel, they needed to find him and it was beginning to look as if they wouldn't manage it in time to help her. She hoped fervently that Clark would be careful, too. She wasn't as convinced as he was that the connection of the geology department with both the new dream dust and the Kryptonite ring was only a coincidence and the possibilities that opened up scared her. She had rarely felt as helpless. Her boss paced about the Pit, coming to peer over her shoulder every few minutes, which didn't help her concentration. She couldn't blame him, however. It was his daughter who had disappeared. With five superheroes and the police as well, scouring the city no one had turned up anything but Meriel's car parked on the third level of the hospital-parking tier. Lori stared at the screen. Lester Norton was a graduate student, a teaching assistant to Don Wilcox, one of the geology professors. His address was given, and the make, model, license and university parking permit number of his car as well as the fact that he'd spent his first two undergraduate years at Metropolis City College. His grades were consistently good, although they had slipped recently. What was it that she was missing? She covered her eyes, trying to force her brain to think creatively. She wasn't getting anywhere from this direction; maybe she needed to look at it another way. Okay, she'd suspected all along that the geology department connection wasn't a coincidence. If it wasn't, then the Kryptonite was somehow connected to the new dream dust and therefore probably to Lester Norton. So what did she know about the Kryptonite ring? Well, she knew Gerald Smitt had originally bought it, but Gerald Smitt had left Metropolis City College because of a probable affair with his TA. But the TAs who worked at Metro City College hadn't gotten their degrees there, it was a two-year college. The TAs came from NTSU, because of its affiliation with the city college. Gerald Smitt hadn't been seen since, and his TA had returned to Cleveland... Her mind screeched to a halt. That had been six months ago. Who was to say that the TA had *stayed* in Cleveland? Maybe she had come back the next semester. Maybe Smitt actually didn't have anything to do with this. Suppose he'd given the ring to his girlfriend? What had her name been? Deborah something--Deborah Tisdale, that was it. Quickly, she directed her computer to find any and all information on Deborah Tisdale and within a few minutes, a possible answer was staring her in the face. Deborah Tisdale was a TA in the geology department this semester at NTSU. She had her bachelor's degree in geology, but had a minor in chemistry, and was taking her master's in the subject. Lori caught her breath. If John's investigators had even considered the girlfriend, no one had checked on her yet. If she had the ring and if she was the one manufacturing the dream dust, and if she was the one who had Meriel... But none of this was proof. All of it was based on "what-ifs", and Lori knew just how wild anyone but Clark would think her idea. How many times had Mariann told her that she let her imagination run away with her? Lori got to her feet. She couldn't do much more good here, and she might be able to check this idea out herself without pulling the police or any of the supermen off their own search. Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was to bring any of the super-heroes into this if there actually was Kryptonite on the premises. She grabbed her raincoat off the coat rack on her way to the elevator, and a moment later was in the conveyance and on her way to the Daily Planet's parking tier. At least the Predator could get her to Deborah Tisdale's address a lot faster than the slidewalk. Three minutes later, she was in the Jeep and on her way. ********** When she pulled the Jeep out onto the street, she thanked Clark's foresight in insisting that they purchase a groundcar today. The rain was coming down by the bucketful. Lori steered through flooded streets that an hour ago had been merely wet. Ground traffic was almost as heavy as before but even more unpredictable. What was it, she wondered abstractedly, that made otherwise moderately sane drivers lose their common sense when it began to rain? People did things with their cars when it was raining that they wouldn't dream of doing on a bright sunny day. Lori gritted her teeth and inched her way through water that came almost to the axles of her new car, trusting that her anti-collision system would keep her from any serious, unanticipated meetings with other vehicles. It almost didn't. At one stop, only the fact that she was cautious about starting up prevented her being hit as a truck slid sideways into the intersection and tilted slowly and majestically onto its side. She maneuvered carefully around the accident, watching the spreading ripples from the motion of her Jeep's wheels as they met the ripples spreading outward from the capsized truck. The vehicle's driver clambered awkwardly out a window, looking shaken. That was only one of the sights she saw as she made her cautious way toward the university. Accidents, usually of a minor nature, abounded, an inevitable consequence of millions of people living in close proximity to each other, all of them trying to get somewhere in bad weather. The radio announced that a power station had been struck by lightning, knocking out the power to a large section of the city and that two of the superheroes had arrived to try to put out the resulting fire and to help the emergency services cope with injured employees. Lori made a face. It was just as well that she hadn't called for the super-heroes to help. It looked as if there were a few other things taking up their attention at the moment. Once she got away from the business district, her progress was faster. Traffic was sparser and less frantic, but the rain and accompanying wind seemed to intensify, buffeting the Predator mercilessly. Once, a branch torn from a tree smacked across the windshield and she almost drove off the road but at last, she pulled onto the street some six blocks from NTSU, where Deborah Tisdale lived. The house, according to the records, was actually the address of Audrey Tisdale, age 72, listed as Deborah's aunt and nearest local relative, so the woman was apparently living with her. It was an older model she saw, as she drove slowly past, and in the driveway sat Lester Norton's car, an ancient, green Ford Cruiser. Someone was probably here, then. Lori continued down the street well past the house and parked nearly at the next corner. She cut the engine, looking around unenthusiastically at the tossing branches of trees and bushes and the waterfall euphemistically described as a thunderstorm, wrapped herself tightly in her raincoat and got out, locking the door behind her. A sharp, very wet gust of wind nearly took her off her feet and rain slashed almost horizontally into her face, but she turned her back to the gale and let it bear her in the direction of Deborah Tisdale's residence. It almost took her on by, but she fought her way across the sopping lawn to the house and paused at last in the shelter given her by the corner of the building to take stock. Should she just march up to the door and pretend to be a stranded motorist? Maybe, but even if Meriel was here, what good would it do? If her presence were known, she'd never be given a chance to find out. There was a light dimly visible through the curtained window, some distance back in the house. Lori moved along the outer wall toward the rear of the building, not particularly worried about noise. Nobody but one of the supermen could possibly have heard anything but the loudest of sounds over the constant pounding of the rain and the rumbles of thunder. A six-foot fence barred her way, but barriers of that sort had never stopped her before. She made it over the fence at the expense of a skinned knee, a splinter in one hand and a small tear in her raincoat and found herself in a weedy back yard. A dog house that had apparently not had an occupant for some time judging by its condition and a neglected and obviously uninhabited fishpond, were the only features that she could immediately discern in the pounding rain. A trellis, supporting a scraggly climbing rose, ran up one side of the house, and the canes blew about wildly. One had partially broken and lay sideways across the back steps, its leaves whipping about in the wind. The sky above was black as pitch and lightning flickered constantly. Light streamed from a back window; she could see two persons moving about inside, but here the noise of the storm worked against her. Their voices were inaudible to her. Lori paused, irresolute. How was she going to find out if Meriel was there without getting inside? She moved closer to the house, sheltering under the overhang with water cascading from the roof an inch from her nose while she thought over her options. A gust of wind blew cold water into her face and the back screen door banged open violently. Lori froze, flattening herself against the building, praying that if anyone opened the door the falling rain and the trellis would shield her from discovery. The back door opened. A man, whom she recognized from the picture as Lester Norton looked out, grimacing at the downpour. "Wind blew the door open," he said over his shoulder as he groped for the handle. "It's nothing." "That lock's broken," a woman's voice said. "Just pull it shut and hook it. We can lock the inside door. This antique place of my aunt's is falling apart, but the price is right." "We've got to get rid of them before she gets home," Lester said. He grasped the handle and pulled the screen shut, but the wind jerked the slippery metal out of his hand and the door flew wide again. He swore luridly and reached for it a second time. "Hurry up!" the woman's voice said. "Close the door! Do you want to advertise it to all the neighbors?" "Nobody could hear anything over this." He grabbed the door handle and pulled it shut. An instant later the solid door slammed. Lori closed her eyes for an instant. That had been close, but what Lester had said chilled her to the bone. "Them"? Meriel could be one, but if there was someone else here... It wasn't logical, but she had a bad feeling who it might be. She had to call for help. She lifted her wrist and remembered, for the umpteenth time, that her wrist talker was at the shop. She couldn't call the police. Yelling for one of the superheroes might or might not produce results, especially now, but it could as easily alert these two to her presence, and fighting her way back to the car might well take more time than Meriel--and Clark, if he was in there--had. Lori considered the situation for about half a second and made her decision. She had to get in there somehow. If she found them alive, then she could decide what else to do. The kitchen light went out as she stood mulling over her choices. The two were leaving the room, which gave her a little more safety in moving about. A glance at the rickety trellis and its thorny rose canes decided her against that option unless she couldn't find any other way in. She looked around, hoping for inspiration. The garage was attached to the house, and there was a small door in the rear of it, she noted for the first time, held shut with a rusty padlock. That was a stroke of good luck. Most likely, that kind of lock wouldn't be tied to any alarms. Lori examined it for a moment, then looked around for something hard and heavy. Decorative stones were scattered around the fishpond, but all of them were too small for her purpose. In the bottom of the depression, however, sitting in an overflowing mixture of rainwater and small, floating globs of evil-looking green slime, was a large, decorative chunk of white quartz. Lori picked it up without a second thought and returned to the padlock. She grasped the padlock in one hand and struck it twice with the chunk. The lock broke. She removed it expeditiously and tossed it to the grass, then cautiously pushed the door open. The hinges creaked loudly, but that was the least of her worries. She slipped inside and closed it after her. As she entered the garage, the overhead light flickered as the sensors detected her presence, glinting off the slick, gleaming surface of a big, black aircar. "Lights off!" she commanded as loudly as she dared. The flickering died, and she drew a deep breath to settle her nerves. Now, if she didn't have to open any regular door locks without a key, the house's intruder alert system shouldn't sound since there were already occupants inside. There was a door to her right, which appeared to lead into the house proper. She turned the knob, praying silently that it wouldn't be locked. Luck was with her, for the knob turned under her hand and she pushed the wooden panel open a crack. Beyond was the dimness of an unlighted room. She edged it open a fraction of an inch at a time, watching for the telltale flicker of light and paused at the first hint of activity, with the door open about five inches. There was no sound audible over the muted rumble of thunder that penetrated from outside. Lori risked it again. "Lights off!" The flicker died. Tensely, she listened for any indication that she had been detected, but there was nothing. Slowly and carefully, she eased the door open until she could slide through. Her raincoat caught on the knob and she stopped. That would have been bright. All she needed to do was to drip water all over the floor and let them know she had been here! Quickly, she shed the rain gear and dropped it through the door into the garage. Her shoes were wet, too, and they followed the coat. Gently, she closed the door behind her with a soft click that sounded like a minor explosion to her tightly drawn nerves, and turned back to survey her location. She was in the kitchen. Through the door and down a short hall, she could see the glow of light leaking under a door, and as she listened, she could hear a muffled male voice speaking, cracking with what she judged to be anger and fear. "...Can't kill Superman! Every one of the other ones will be after our scalps, and they'll never rest until they find us! I say we cut our losses. Right now they don't have any real proof, but it's getting too risky!" "Don't wimp out on me, Les." The second voice was higher and carried more clearly to Lori's straining ears. "If we dump them in the river with no identification, no one will ever know. We've got to find out who sold the Harcourt girl the dust. If we don't, he can tell them where he got it, and there's been four deaths now, counting the two yesterday. We'll be lucky if we get thirty years at hard labor in the lunar mines!" "That's your problem, not mine!" "If I go down, you go with me," the woman--Deborah?--said, flatly. "I'll make sure of that. Look, Les, I've got the addictive formula worked out. There's a fortune waiting for us, but we can't let them pin this on us. We have to find out who stole the dust and get rid of him, and if I have to wring it out of the Olsen girl, I will. No one's going to hear anything. The basement is as close to soundproof as you can get, especially with this storm going on. Now, are you going to help me or not?" "I don't know. The way she cracked her head, I'm not sure she's gonna be able to tell you anything, anyway." "If she can't, we'll have to get hold of Harcourt, but she's being watched pretty closely. I'd rather do it this way..." Lori retreated backwards into the kitchen. She'd heard enough. Clark and Meriel were in the basement. Now, all she had to do was find the way down to it. She looked around hopefully. Weren't doors leading to the basement frequently in the kitchen? Not this time, apparently. Nothing resembling a door that might lead to a basement presented itself. Then where would it be? There was a small, closed-in porch giving onto the door into the back yard. Without much hope she checked it, and found herself looking at a wooden door opening opposite the outer one. The door was held closed with a simple mechanical lock, and the key was in the lock. Thanking her lucky stars and the arrogance of the two kidnappers, she cautiously turned the key. It squeaked slightly, setting her teeth on edge, but the lock turned. Leaving the key in the lock, she opened the door and entered. A flight of wooden steps descended into blackness, but at once the sensors detected her presence and the lights flickered on. Lori closed the door quietly, debated a second and left them on as she descended. Now wasn't the time to take a headfirst dive down the stairs. >From her vantage point, as she descended, she could see that the basement had apparently been used for storage for many years. Shelves lined the walls, loaded with ancient and very dusty books and magazines, and anything else small enough to stack on them. Children's board games were piled helter-skelter next to them, and with them, sports equipment of various kinds. A tennis racquet with half its strings missing leaned against the wall together with a baseball bat and a set of golf clubs that had seen better days. A bowling ball sat next to a deflated football and two football trophies, all equally covered with dust. Against the far wall, sagging under a pile of debris, was a ping pong table, and lying next to it on the floor, so still that she couldn't see them breathing... Meriel and Clark. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:14:15 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 19/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 19/? by Nan Smith For all her rush to get to them, Lori was careful to avoid noise. The wooden stairs creaked slightly as she descended, but her bare feet made no other sound. Clark and Meriel were lying on their backs as if they had been carelessly dumped there with no regard for their comfort--which didn't surprise her. If Deborah Tisdale wasn't a sociopath, Lori didn't know the meaning of the word. From everything she had seen demonstrated so far, the woman was a conscienceless monster. They were breathing, much to her relief. Meriel had an ugly, swollen bruised spot on her forehead that made Lori wince in sympathy. Clark had no apparent injuries, and she knew that only one thing could have brought down Superman. It had to be here somewhere, but how was she supposed to find it in this jackdaw's nest? An idea hit her then. "Lights off!" she commanded. The lights went out and the room was plunged into absolute darkness. Lori stood perfectly still, letting her vision adjust. Multicolored sparks seemed to dance before her eyes, although she knew they had to be her imagination, but one colored light didn't dance. It was right in front of her, a steady, greenish spot in the blackness. Lori closed her eyes. "Lights on!" She had the spot pinpointed in her mind, and when she slowly opened her eyes, letting them readjust to the light, she knew exactly where to look. The ring was sitting on the ping pong table between an ancient bucket of long-dried paint and a climbing boot. She snatched it up. She had to get this thing away from Clark as fast as she could, but how far was far enough? Lori retreated to the farthest side of the basement, glancing about for inspiration. Surely, with all the junk in this place there would be something suitable. If she could get it inside a lead container, that would do the trick but nothing seemed to fill the bill. Desperately, she looked around, searching for anything she could use. Pipes of some sort extended from the wall. Some ancient appliance, she thought, might have been hooked up to them at some time or other. One of the pipes protruded from the floor and was encrusted with mineral stains, as if water had run into it at some time in the past; perhaps it had been a drainage pipe for one of the old washing machines that had become obsolete thirty-some years ago. Lori tried to see down into it, but blackness met her gaze. Wait a minute. She had the miniature hand light she'd taken to carrying after her near mugging at the university months ago, when she had first met Clark. Quickly, she dug around in the pocket of her slacks for the little key ring that held the electronic key to the Predator. The hand light needed a new power cell, she thought as she directed the pale beam into the pipe, but it was sufficient to tell her that the thing extended deep enough into the ground for her purposes. She was about to drop the deadly piece of jewelry into the pipe when another thought struck her. In its current condition, if by some unlikely chance anyone ever found it, they would undoubtedly pick it up. Lori didn't want this stuff to ever menace Clark or one of his family--and maybe someday descendents of hers, too--again. She had to destroy it, permanently. Leaving the ring on the floor, she crossed the room to the spot where the golf clubs leaned forlornly against the wall and selected one. A lone aluminum plate that looked like part of a camping kit lay among the other miscellaneous junk on the ping pong table. She appropriated it as well and returned to the ring. With single-minded determination, she placed the ring on the metal plate and used the golf club to grind the green stone into tiny bits of broken, green crystal, and the gold circlet of the ring into a shapeless mass of twisted metal. It was easier than she had expected. The brittle crystal shattered easily, and Lori took great satisfaction in turning the poisonous, green stuff into powder. When she was sure that no one would ever be able to recognize it again, she carefully poured the green dust down the pipe. The whole process had taken only a few minutes, but time was precious. Footsteps overhead reminded her of the danger they still faced. Clark and Meriel couldn't defend themselves from the people who had already demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were ruthless killers. It was up to her to protect her husband and her new friend until she could call for help, or until Clark revived enough to help her. But what could she use to defend herself against a stunner, or other, more solid weapons that the two could bring to bear? Her eyes fell on the golf club that still lay on the floor by the metal piping. That might work, but she needed another sort of advantage. A golf club was certainly no match for a stunner. She looked frantically around, and necessity produced an answer. Children's board games littered the wall shelves, and one of them in particular might have what she needed. Quickly, she hurried to the shelf, opened the one she sought and breathed a sigh of relief. The game was mostly complete. Lori gathered the necessary equipment and set to work, aware that the door above the stairs could open at any second. A minute later she stood back, surveying her set-up with the eye of an artist. It would have to do. Meriel moaned softly, beginning to stir, and the moan was followed by one from Clark. Lori suppressed a surge of hope. They were still a long way from being able to help her. She moved to a position beside the steps, beyond the line of sight of anyone who might open the door to the stairs, and gripped the golf club with both hands. "Lights off!" she commanded in a whisper. The lights went out. Lori stayed where she was, pressed against the old, rough concrete that made up the wall of the basement. This house had been built before the invention of synthastone. It was pitch black as only an enclosed room can be. Even on the darkest night, some small amount of light is available to the eye but inside the basement there was none. Lori shivered in the darkness, knowing that if Clark and Meriel didn't recover in time, she was going to have to fight a pair of killers by herself. And to defend the man she loved, she would fight; there was no doubt at all in her mind about that. A year ago they hadn't met; now she knew she couldn't live without him. She waited, trying to breathe quietly and hoping against hope that Clark would recover before it came to that. Footsteps crossed the kitchen floor above her and she stiffened, a tingle of adrenaline beginning to pump through her blood. Her heart began to beat harder as her body readied itself for action and she took a tighter grip on the golf club. Without warning, the door at the head of the stairs opened noisily and light filtered through the opening. Lori squinted her eyes against it, knowing full well what was coming next. The basement lights came on, flooding the room with hard brilliance. Lori shaded her eyes, letting them adjust as the sound of two sets of footsteps came down the wooden steps. Clark moaned, stirring feebly, and Meriel raised a hand to her forehead, gingerly feeling the bruise. Lori prayed that the attention of the two would be on their victims and not on where they were putting their feet. She could see them, now. Lester Norton came first, hurrying, with Deborah Tisdale a step or two behind him and holding a stunner. Lori crouched, unmoving, planning her actions as she watched them. Lester reached the bottom of the stairs. He stepped onto the basement floor and his foot went out from under him. With a yell, he fell backward into Deborah's knees, knocking her off balance. Lori was already moving. Deborah grabbed for the wooden railing with her free hand, the other, gripping the stunner, flew outward for balance. Lori struck for her stunner hand with the golf club, with every ounce of her desperate strength behind it. Deborah screamed. The stunner flew across the room and disappeared somewhere among the countless piles of junk. Lori didn't pause to savor her victory. Lester was scrambling upright and Lori struck again. The golf club caught him a glancing blow on the side of the head, sending him crashing face first to the floor, moaning. The element of surprise was gone, now. Deborah came down the remaining stairs in a rush. Tears were streaming from her eyes, and her right wrist was twisted at an odd angle, but her face was distorted with fury. Her foot hit the floor, but in her anger she had forgotten, or had not realized, the significance of Lester's stumble. Her foot went out from under her as well and she crashed to a sitting position on the steps, the breath whooshing out of her in an agonized grunt. Lori didn't pause. She struck a third and last time at Deborah's good hand and heard the sickening crunch of bone. Deborah screamed again, clutching her injured arms to her chest and rolling into a ball on the floor. Suddenly there was quiet. Lester started to push himself up and Lori jabbed the golf club into his back. "If you move," she said, amazed at how calm and menacing she sounded, "I'll hit you again. Lie down and spread your arms and legs as wide as you can. *Now*!" She must have sounded convincing, for the man froze and then slowly obeyed. Lori bent over Deborah where she lay curled on the floor and seized one of the broken wrists. "Don't move and this won't hurt," she said. Her voice started to shake as the adrenaline rush began to subside, but she had evidently convinced the other woman that she meant business, for Deborah didn't protest. Lori removed the little wrist talker and stood back, keeping a close eye on her two prisoners. Golf club in one hand, she used the thumb of the hand holding the device to slowly punch in the number of the Editor's Office of the Daily Planet. "Olsen," a voice said, after a moment. "John, this is Lori," she said, trying to sound cool and businesslike. "I've found her, and I'm going to need some help..." ********** "If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it," John Olsen said. He was sitting in the editor's chair behind the desk in his office at the Daily Planet, leaning back so far that he appeared to be in imminent danger of tipping over backwards. Also in the office were Meriel, Lori and Clark. Meriel's forehead was still spectacular from a brilliant and highly picturesque bruise, and she lay on the big, comfortable couch that sat against one wall of the office. "Lara and I got there, and there was that Norton guy spread-eagled on the floor and Tisdale lying there with two broken wrists--and there's Lori standing over them with a golf club in her hands, and both of them scared to death of her." He gave an incredulous grin. "I didn't know you were so ferocious, Lori." "I'm not," Lori said, "but I couldn't let them hurt Clark or Meri, either. I'm just glad it turned out the way it did." She still looked a little shaken, Clark thought. Lori hadn't liked what she had been forced to do, but she had done it without hesitation because it was necessary. He reached out and took her hand lightly in his own. The last few hours had been hectic, but it was finally over and the bad guys were in custody. All he wanted to do at his moment was to take his wife home. "So, what happened to them?" Meriel asked. She had spent most of the time in the emergency room being observed for a possible concussion. "They're in jail," John said. "The police found enough evidence to incriminate Deborah five times over, and both of them were spilling their guts, trying to implicate the other when the police let me leave. The only thing I want to know," he added, speaking to Lori, "is where you got the marbles." "Marbles?" Meriel said. "The ones she used to trip up that precious pair and get the jump on them when they came down the stairs," John said. "There was a game of Chinese Checkers on one of the shelves," Lori said. "It was all I could think of." "Chinese Checkers!" Meriel looked at Lori in awe. "Yeah," Lori said. John gave a short laugh. "Well, we all owe you something. This is a front-page story, and I don't care if the suits upstairs don't like it, you're getting a raise. NTSU should thank you, too, although they probably won't." "At this point," Lori said, "I don't really care. I just want to go home and get a hot shower." "Well, you can go any time," John said. "Just let me say thank you once, Lori. You saved my daughter's life, and it's not really possible to thank someone for something like that. Our family is lucky that you're part of it." Lori turned pink and stared at her shoes. "Oh, there is one last thing," John added, as Lori and Clark stood up to leave. "Yeah?" Clark asked. "What is it?" "About half an hour after I noticed you were gone, Lori, something happened. I was wondering if you could explain." "I will if I can," she said. Clark noticed how tightly she was holding onto his hand, but said nothing. "What happened?" "Well, I was pacing around in there, when your computer suddenly gave out this piercing screech, guaranteed to raise the dead and then started screaming 'Rape!' at the top of its...speakers. Poor Fred was standing in front of it, and he nearly jumped through the roof. I don't suppose you'd care to explain, would you?" "Oh. That was my Fred-trap," Lori said. She gave a tiny smile. "Your 'Fred-trap'?" "Yeah," Lori said. "When I was doing the search for a picture that matched that drawing of Clark's--I got sick, if you remember. When I got back the next day, someone had erased all my search data. I decided to trap the saboteur. Just a minute." She let go of Clark's hand and left the room. Clark looked at John, who raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. A moment later Lori was back with a microdisk. "This should document it." "What's that?" Clark asked. "The evidence," Lori said. She handed it to John. "If you play that, it should explain everything." John took the disk, giving her a quizzical look. "Okay, but this better be good." The screen lit up with a picture, obviously taken by a computer's vid camera. It showed Fred working on a computer, and below the picture a readout appeared, tracking the gofer's efforts meticulously. It was painfully obvious that the man was attempting to erase the files of Lori's latest search. When the computer screamed and began to shout, John stopped the playback. He gave Lori a look that Clark interpreted as a combination of annoyance with Fred and amusement at Lori's unquestionably original trap. "Go home, both of you," he said. "I'll take care of this. I'll see you at the barbecue tomorrow, and not before. Comprende?" Clark nodded and put an arm around Lori. "Si, senor. I guess we'll see you tomorrow." "Oh, yes," John said, mildly. "Send Fred in here on your way out, would you?" ********** After Clark and Lori had left, John replayed the microdisk again. Meriel was watching him curiously, and as he shut it off, asked, "What are you going to do, Dad?" John glanced at her. "What I've wanted to do for weeks--ever since I found out he'd probably tipped off those thugs who tried to mug Lori on the slidewalk that she was leaving the newsroom." There was a knock on the door. John called, "Come in!" Fred opened the door and entered. "You wanted to see me, Mr. Olsen?" "Yes, Fred." He picked up the microdisk and rose, gesturing to a seldom-used side door in his office. "Come into the conference room, please." Fred looked surprised, but followed John through the door. John took a seat at the conference table and slipped the incriminating disk into the room's computer. "Fred, I want you to see something." He was silent as the scene began to play, watching Fred's face. Fred looked first merely curious, then uneasy and finally thunderstruck. When the playback concluded, John looked at him for a moment without speaking. "Well?" he said, at last. "If you've got an explanation for why you tampered with the information on a computer belonging to one of my best investigative reporters, I'd like to hear it." "I...You can't believe I'd do this," Fred said, at last. "It's obviously a set-up. She's trying to get me fired." John shook his head. "Try again, Fred. Ms. Lyons has done nothing to you during all the weeks of her employment here, while there are several witnesses who have testified to your continued attempts to harass her. I gave you every chance to correct your behavior, and you've continued with the same pattern in spite of all the warnings. This is the last straw. If I keep you on after this, she has every right to sue the Planet for failing to protect her from harassment. You can clean out your desk and pick up your severance pay on the way out." "You can't do this!" Fred protested, weakly. "I'll sue!" "That's your right," John said, quietly. "It's also why the paper has a very large legal department. Let me put it this way. You can go quietly, and still have a career in the journalism business--at some other news organization, of course. Or you can make a big stink about it, air all this dirty laundry in public, and make yourself persona non grata with every other news organization in the world except the International Dirt Digger. It's your choice, Fred. Good bye, and good luck." John stood up, tucked the microdisk into his pocket, and opened the door to his office. "I'll expect to see you out of here in an hour." He shut the door behind him. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:16:31 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 20/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Home IV: Honeymoon 20/? by Nan Smith Lori and Clark stepped into the elevator together and Clark directed it to the parking lot. As the elevator car accelerated into motion, Lori moved suddenly to put her arms around him without saying a word. Clark put his around her and rested his head on top of hers. "Honey, I'm sorry." "Sorry?" Lori said, and her voice was suddenly shaking. "Clark, I almost lost you!" "I know," he said. "And it was my fault. I should have paid attention to your hunch that there was a connection between the dream dust and the Kryptonite. You were right--as usual." "I'm not trying to blame you," she said. "I'm just so glad you're all right..." He tightened his arms around her. "Well, even if you aren't blaming me, I'm blaming myself. You had to put yourself in danger because of me. If you want to be mad at me, I won't try to fight back." "I don't want to fight with you," Lori said. "I'm not a fighter." He gave a laugh that was half a groan. "You could have fooled me. If it hadn't been for you, Meri and I would be dead by now. Honey, I'm so sorry..." "Clark, don't," Lori said. "It's all over. Just promise me you'll be a little more cautious after this. Besides," she added, "nobody's ever going to find the Kryptonite again. I got rid of it permanently." "I heard you tell John that, but you didn't say how. What did you do with it?" "I ground it up and dumped it down a drainpipe. It's gone for good, Clark." He slipped his hands up to her shoulders, holding her a little away from him so he could look her in the eyes. "Have I ever said what an incredible person you are? Brave, brilliant and beautiful. How could any man ever be so lucky?" She didn't answer, merely pulled him closer. Clark was silent, still kicking himself. He knew he deserved to be scolded, and the fact that she didn't want to threw him off balance a little, although he thought he understood. Lori had grown up with a mother who constantly nagged, complained and tried to make her feel guilty as a control tactic. She disliked the behavior and couldn't bring herself to do the same. Lori fought when her back was to the wall or to defend those she loved and at no other time. He breathed a long sigh and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll do my best to be more careful," he said. "That's a promise, honey. But thank you for riding to the rescue. You were better than the cavalry." "You're welcome," she whispered. "I couldn't face the thought of losing you, Clark. Not ever." "You never will," he said. "Not if I have a choice in the matter." Horrified, he saw that she had tears on her cheeks. "Honey, I promise I'll be careful. I'll listen to your hunches from now on. Don't cry!" "I'm not," she said, resolutely wiping her eyes with the palm of her hand. "I'm just glad it's over." Relieved, he released her and grasped her hand. "So am I. You're going to have to tell me how you figured it out--maybe over dinner." The doors of the elevator opened and they stepped out. "I'm going to take my favorite girl to dinner and dancing to celebrate the fact that we're both alive and that you took a very dangerous drug dealer out of circulation. I'm more proud of you than I can say." "Why don't we just order takeout?" she said. "I'd like to eat at home with you--without anyone else around. And we can dance there if you want to." "Okay," he said. "That's even better." He held her hand tightly as they walked through the parking tier toward the Jeep. The sound of the rain could be heard drumming ceaselessly outside, and he thanked his lucky stars that Lori hadn't let that or anything else stop her. "Besides, I still have that raincheck to collect on, and what better time than a rainy day..." She laughed a little shakily. "Don't you ever think of anything else?" "Where you're concerned, not if I can help it," he said. "Besides, I'm still on my honeymoon." He squeezed her hand. "Seriously, honey, spending the evening alone with you is nicer for me than going to a party with a hundred other people." "Oh, Clark..." ********** Lori shifted in her sleep, aware once more that she dreamed, and that again she was not Lori but Lois. It was beginning to be almost expected in some deep part of her mind. She was one person in a line of other people filing on board a big rocket destined for a space station. She handed her forged boarding pass to the individual collecting them and passed on into the craft, dodging into a small cabin. There was a single seat with safety webbing to one side, and she strapped herself into it. As the countdown continued she looked around and on the bulkhead, she saw it, almost as if she knew it was going to be there. Somehow, she was out of the restraining straps and looking closely at the little device that was clinging to the wall. " It's a bomb!" she heard herself say. "You bet it is. It's a bomb!" What she did next seemed to come automatically. Suddenly, in the way of dreams, she was holding a pair of cutters and she was chopping frantically at a mass of wires inside an open panel. Then everything seemed to slow when a colorful figure in red and blue stepped through the door, walked straight to the bomb and opened it. "Hey! Get away from that!" The man in blue removed an object about the size of a cracker from inside the casing. "What kind of lunatic..." He popped it into his mouth and swallowed, while Lori/Lois stared at him in shock. An instant later, he burped. He looked slightly embarrassed. "Excuse me," he said. Lori heard her voice even as she swam upward from the depths of sleep. "What the hell are you?" Her eyes opened in the dim room of the apartment that she and Clark shared and she turned her head to look at the man sleeping next to her. This time her awakening hadn't been violent, and the dream hadn't been in the least surprising. It was as if she'd anticipated it. The whole thing had been extraordinarily clear and vivid, and it wasn't like déjŕ vu at all. It was more like a fragment of a nearly lost memory from a time long past that had somehow made it to the surface. She studied Clark's face in the dimness, feeling oddly calm, as if something had happened that she had been expecting. Nothing in her belief system allowed for it, but there was something, a connection that she shared with this man that had been there from the night she met him and, if she was honest with herself, from before that as well. She belonged with him; she had always belonged with him and he with her. It was a tie that had existed since before the birth of Lori Lyons and would exist long after she was gone. It wasn't reasonable; it wasn't even rational, but the conviction was there and she couldn't deny it. Clark's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled. "Hi, honey." "Hi." Lori reached out to touch his face. "What's the matter? Couldn't you sleep?" "I had a dream," she said, softly. "I dreamed about the first time Lois met Superman." He pushed himself up on his elbow. "What?" "It was in the Messenger rocket, and Superman swallowed an explosive that was meant to destroy it." She continued to look him in the face. "It really happened, didn't it?" "Well...sure. It's in the history books." "I know. Only this time, I was there. Lois was there. She called you a lunatic. That wasn't in the books." He was looking at her with a worried expression. "No, it wasn't." "Clark, did it happen?" She saw him swallow. "Yes." "And she asked you 'What the hell are you?' didn't she?" He nodded. "Clark, I have to know if I'm losing my mind." She rested her hand on his cheek, feeling the rasp of bristles on her palm. "Do you believe in past lives? I know it sounds insane, but could it be possible? This is the third dream like this, and it's like I've been there each time. Do you?" He closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes." "Clark, I know this sounds crazy, but am I Lois Lane?" He shook his head. "No. You're Lori Lyons." "*Was* I Lois Lane?" He slowly pulled himself up in bed and tapped on the table light. Lori kept her eyes fixed on his face. If she looked farther down at his broad shoulders and chest, she knew it would be harder to think, but she had to know. All these weeks she had been experiencing that strange sense of déjŕ vu when she saw things relating to Clark's earlier life. There had been the dreams that seemed more like little glimpses into something that had once been, and now the uncanny sense of calm that was almost knowledge that had come out of this last dream, as if some barrier had been broken... "*Was* I, Clark?" she asked. "I have to know. Am I going crazy, or is it true?" "And if you were," he asked, "would it make a difference?" "Is that why you married me?" she asked, taking his reply for assent. He shook his head. "No. I married you because I love you," he said. "You're the other half of me, Lori. Without you, I'm incomplete." "It's the same with me," she said, slowly. "But, Clark..." He reached up to put his hand over the one she had rested on his face. "Lori, I don't know all the answers. I *do* know that we're connected, somehow, but why it's so, I can't tell you." "But I was Lois..." "In a way. Lori, do you believe in time travel?" "I don't know." She scooted up in the bed until like him she was leaning against the headboard, her shoulder touching his. "Do you?" "I don't have to 'believe' in it because I know it's real. I met a time traveler nearly a hundred years ago--more than one, actually--and he showed me something. He had an invention from the future, and he'd used it to track me through time. My 'soul' for want of a better word--and while he was doing that he found something incredible." "What?" "He discovered that I wasn't alone. Lois's soul was there with mine, never one without the other. We were soulmates, meant to meet and fall in love in every lifetime. When Lois died, I discovered that the connection was still there, somewhere. It was the only thing that kept me going for the next twenty years. When I met you that night, I knew I'd found my soulmate again." He brushed her face with his forefinger. "You aren't Lois, Lori, and I don't want you to be. I want you to be the person you are now, that I've fallen in love with in *this* lifetime. I didn't marry you because I thought you were Lois come back to me. I married you because I'm in love with *you*--Lori Lyons. Can you believe that?" It was impossible to disbelieve the sincerity in his voice. "Yes." He closed his eyes and blew out a breath. "Thank God." "But, Clark--if you knew this before--if you knew that was why I was having all this déjŕ vu--why didn't you say something?" He reached out an arm and pulled her closer, so her head rested on his shoulder. "I didn't know what to think at first. It seemed awfully unlikely that you would remember things like that. I wasn't even sure when you had that last dream. And I was afraid you'd think I was crazy, or worse be hurt. I promised myself I'd never hurt you, Lori, if it was within my power to prevent it." She was silent for a long moment, thinking that over. It was completely believable, and just like Clark to behave that way. "I think I understand," she said, "but would you promise me something, Clark?" "If you want me to." "If I have any more of these memories, I want you to talk to me about them. I want you to tell me about Lois and the things you and she did and how my déjŕ vu fits in. Can you do that? I don't want you to pretend it didn't happen. I think it will be a lot less spooky for me if I *know*." He put his other arm around her, enclosing her in them. It was a secure and loving embrace, and Lori knew at that moment how much he had wanted to protect her against even the possibility of hurt, and how much he had feared that the knowledge might drive her away. "I promise." "I'll hold you to that, Superman," she said. She brought her free hand up to his face, turning in his arms so she could see his still-worried expression, and stroked his cheek. The bristles of his beard scratched her palm lightly and she slid the hand around the back of his neck. "I love you, you know." "I love you, too," he said. "Don't ever leave me, Lori." She lifted her face. "Not a chance, pal. You're stuck with me forever, and you better kiss me now, before you get yourself in big trouble." "I think I can manage that," he said, and obeyed. ********** Lori woke to the feeling of someone tickling her forehead. She brushed futilely at it, but encountered nothing. The tickle moved to her nose and cheeks, then a voice said softly in her ear, "Hey, sleepy-head are you going to sleep all day?" Lori opened her eyes to find Clark sitting on the bed next to her, tickling her forehead with a lock of her own hair. "Good morning, beautiful," he said, "did you know it's nearly noon?" Lori yawned and stretched, and noticed as Clark's eyes flicked downward when the sheet pulled away from her shoulders. He grinned and reached down to reclaim her gown from the floor. "Lose something?" "Mmm, I seem to remember someone pulling it off sometime in the middle of the night," she murmured sleepily. "Shocking," Clark said. He bent down and kissed her lightly. "Breakfast is ready whenever you are. The barbecue starts in about three hours, so I thought I'd better wake you up in time to get something to eat before we start out." "Is it really that late?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "Here, give me that!" She took the garment and dropped it over her head. "I better get a shower. I want to look my best when I meet your family." Clark chuckled. "I don't think you have to worry. Meri was telling me the other day that she thought you were beautiful. She said you were what she always wanted to look like." "You're kidding! Meri's a very pretty girl!" "Of course she is; when did that ever make a difference?" Clark got to his feet. "I'll let you get ready. Coffee's on the table and the rest will be waiting when you're out of the shower." ********** When Lori emerged from the bathroom half an hour later with her hair done and all her makeup in place, she could hear Clark talking in the living area. He glanced around as she entered the room. "Here she is, now. Lori, this is Ann Kent, my daughter." Ann Kent was a tall, statuesque beauty who resembled her father more closely than Jon, Lara or even CJ, whom she had spoken with only once by vidphone. Lori's eyes widened in recognition. "Holy...*you're* Clark's daughter?" Ann Kent smiled a very famous smile. "Yes, I am. Only you probably know me by my stage name." Lori nodded, numbly. "I'm...pleased to meet you." "Likewise. I just called to make sure the two of you weren't going to be late. Welcome to the Kent family, Lori. I'm happy to see you're carrying on the family tradition. I'll see you in person in a while. Bye, Dad." Again, Lori nodded. Ann Kent smiled and signed off. Lori swallowed and summoned a glare at her husband. "Why didn't you *tell* me who she was?" Clark shrugged. "I didn't really think about it. Ann's been an actress on and off most of her life. As a matter of fact, she's been three *different* actresses, for three different generations, one after the other although that part's not public information." "Yeah, but it would have been nice if you'd warned me. I wouldn't have made such an idiot of myself." "You didn't," Clark said. "Besides, actors are just people, too. Just because she's the star of her own series doesn't mean she's any different from the rest of us." "How does she moonlight as a superhero when she's so famous?" Lori asked. "Don't people recognize her?" "No more than they recognize me," Clark said, "although a couple of gossip columnists have mentioned her remarkable resemblance to Shooting Star. Who thinks a vid star would be spending her spare time propping up the Golden Gate Bridge and picking cats out of trees? There's an upcoming holovision feature being made about her, though, and the studio decided Ann's--um--too well developed to play the part, so it's going to Rachelle Winters. Ann thought it was pretty amusing." Lori giggled. "Hollywood!" "Well, there's a reason it's called Tinsel Town. Come on in and get something to eat. And be sure you bring along a jacket when we go. Seattle can be a bit cool, even at this time of year." ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:18:06 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 21/? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 21/? by Nan Smith Two hours later, flying through the summer air in Superman's arms, Lori watched the countryside passing below her. "There's the Black Hills," Clark said, nodding at the national landmark below them, "and Mount Rushmore. We can come back by here later and get a close up look at the presidents if you like, when the crowds are gone." Lori found herself laughing. Clark was like a kid, showing off for her amusement. "I'd like it," she assured him. "I like all of this. I especially like my private pilot." She snaked an arm around his neck and stretched up to kiss him. "Oops, not too much of that," Clark warned her with a laugh. "I don't want to wind up in Japan or something." He accelerated as an aircar came into view. "We better hurry or we're going to be late." "Does...did that happen often?" Lori asked, broaching last night's subject cautiously. Clark smiled. "More than I care to admit," he said. "I can't count the times I've wound up in some unintended spot because of that." He bent his head down to kiss her lightly on the nose. "You're more lethal than Kryptonite, honey." His smile faded. "I had more proof of...of what we were talking about than just the time traveler's word, you know, Lori. He was able to actually demonstrate the truth of the whole wild 'past lives' story." "How?" "He took Lois and me back in time to a couple of previous lives and actually showed us...in person, so to speak. There was one..." He chuckled slightly, "in medieval England. I was some sort of Robin Hood prototype, and you were the Lady Loisette. We had a pretty hot romance going, Sherwood Forest style." "You're kidding." "Nope. And there was another in the old west. You were Lulu, the heiress of a piece of valuable land. I was--well, think of some kind of Lone Ranger, only in real life. Apparently, dual identities are part of my persona." "And mine?" Clark hugged her. "Among other things, one of your traits seems to be your ability to figure things out from a minimum of information. Like yesterday. You're smart, strong, and always manage to keep me in line, no matter how many dumb things I do. And I can be pretty dumb, sometimes." He brought them to a stop in mid-air, holding her tightly. "Without you I'd be lost, whether you're Loisette, Lulu, Lois or Lori. Do you believe me, honey?" Lori nodded slowly. "Yes, I do, no matter how unlikely it seems." "I'm glad. Now, we still have a party to get to. There are a lot of people waiting to meet the new first lady of the House of Kent." Lori gave a realistic shiver. "That's a scary thought. I hope I don't disappoint you." "Not a chance in the world. Come on; let's get it over with." Far too soon, they were approaching Seattle and the home of Jonathan Kent II. Jon, Clark's second son, lived some distance from the city near a wooded area, which made approaches from the air by his flying relatives easier to accomplish unobserved. By the time they arrived in the large back yard, a fair number of persons had arrived ahead of them. A crowd of children was playing on a swing set and several more were digging industriously in a children's sand box set under a spreading tree. A boy, somewhere in his mid teens, was seated at one of the picnic tables, playing some kind of hand-held game. Lara and a balding man who appeared to be around sixty or so were arranging food on more wooden picnic tables and waved cheerfully as Clark touched down and set Lori on her feet, then spun back into casual clothing. Clark took his young wife's hand and drew her over to the pair. "Lori, this is Dr. William Klein, Lara's husband," he informed her. "Bill, this is Lori." Bill grinned and thrust out a hand. "Welcome to the club, Lori," he said. Lori found herself shaking his hand and smiling. "You're Ronnie's dad," she said. "That's right," he said, with a grin. "My daughter has had a lot of good things to say about you." Lori glanced at Lara, who winked at her. "I like Ronnie. She's awfully nice." "We think so," Bill said. "She's in the house, helping Jon and Donna coordinate this thing. You better take Lori inside, Clark. They're all waiting to meet her." "Yikes," Lori said. "I don't suppose there's still time to back out." Lara grinned, looking suddenly a lot like her father. "I'm afraid not. It's time to face the music, sweetie. Don't worry. Nobody bites. You might tell Ronnie to send out some reinforcements, though, Clark." "Okay." Clark squeezed Lori's hand. "Come on, honey." As they headed toward the house, Lori asked, "Clark, if Oliver is about forty-nine or fifty, and Ronnie's his mom, and Bill is her dad...how old is he?" "Bill is ninety-five, I think," Clark said. "About that, anyway." "He looks about sixty--and a pretty healthy sixty at that," Lori said. "That's because he's lived in such close association with Lara all these years," Clark explained. "Her aura slows his aging process. The same thing happens to all our husbands or wives." "You didn't tell me that," she said. He looked worried. "I didn't think of it. Should I have?" "You're darned right!" Lori said. "You mean I'm going to stay young and healthy a lot longer than I would have if I married an ordinary guy?" "Well...yes." Lori blinked at him. "And you didn't think I'd be interested in that? Clark, that's great!" The worried look disappeared. "Whew! You're not mad, then?" "Why would I be mad?" She laughed at his expression. "Clark, you have to stop expecting me to jump all over you for silly things." She drew a deep breath and stiffened her backbone. "Come on; let's meet your family. I have the feeling there's a lot I need to learn about you, still." "I just hope the women don't tell you too many embarrassing things about me," Clark said. He led the way to the house and up the back steps. A large blue, red and yellow banner had been hung across the length of the house, announcing "Congratulations, Lori and Clark!" As they approached, the door opened. "Ah! Here they are, now," Rhonda Klein said. "Come on in, guys. Lori..." She gestured around at several persons standing about the kitchen. "This is my husband, Mason. You've met CJ, I think, and Annie and Jon." Clark's other children were all here, Lori realized, and a man who appeared to be in his early forties smiled and lifted a soda can to her. That must be Ronnie's husband, Mason, she thought. She found herself being regarded in a friendly way by the occupants of the room, and felt herself turning red. Rhonda smiled at her and indicated a petite, smiling redheaded woman of about Bill Klein's age. "This is Donna, Jon's wife, and, of course, you already know John and Meri." "Quit teasing her, Ronnie," John said, stepping into the room through the opposite door with Meriel beside him. "Come on in, Lori, everyone's wanted to meet you, especially after yesterday." She felt Clark's arm slip around her waist. "Come on, honey." She saw him grinning proudly at his descendents. "Guys, this is Lori, as you already know. We were married Tuesday night in Las Vegas." "All right, Dad!" Jon said. "I guess we shouldn't have expected you to waste any time. Lori, you know CJ and Ann, I guess." "Well, kind of," Lori said. "We've spoken on the vidphone." CJ--Clark James Kent, *not Jerome* Clark had emphasized--reached out to take her hand. "Hi, Lori. I'm glad to meet you in person at last. You know Ann, I guess." He grinned at his younger sister. "Only her name's really Annie Kent, not Annabelle Reyes. Don't ask me why her agent picked that." Evidently, this was a long running joke in the Kent family. Ann elbowed her brother in the ribs and smiled widely at Lori. "It's nice to finally meet you, honey. I haven't seen Dad so happy in a long time." "We're all glad you're here, Lori," Jon said. "Now, guys, if we're going to get this party going, we're going to have to mush! I heard Lara say they need some help out there. CJ, you get the burgers started on the main grill, and Annie, you drag George away from the baseball game and get him out there with the hot dogs on grill number two. There's going to be a lot of people here in the next couple of hours." "Can I help?" Lori asked, timidly. "You're the guest of honor," Jon said. "Dad, why don't you take her into the living room and introduce her around. And then come back. We've got another grill that needs to be started up for more burgers. You've been officially drafted." Rhonda and Meri followed as Clark escorted her into the large living room. "Hey, look who's here!" a voice announced. Lori had a confused impression of several men and women of varying ages. One of the women was barely older than Lori and holding a baby in her lap; another could have been her grandmother. "Hi, Clark!" A slender blond woman approached Clark and kissed him on the cheek, then stood back and surveyed Lori. "Is this Lori?" "Of course," Clark said. "Hi, Carrie. Lori, this is Carrie Olsen, John's little sister." Lori's head was starting to spin with all the introductions of different people. Meriel laughed. "Clark, go on and cook the hamburgers. We'll take care of Lori. I think she's getting confused with all the new faces." Clark looked down at his wife. "Is that okay, honey?" "Sure," Lori said. "I'll be fine." She would, she assured herself firmly. Everyone was being very friendly. There was no reason to be nervous. Clark dropped a light kiss on her lips, to the obvious amusement of everyone in the room, and departed. "Now," Rhonda announced, "with Clark gone, we can get down to business. Lori, the word is that you two are planning a big wedding in October." "We are," Lori said, "but I've never done anything like that. I'm not sure where to start." "That's okay. Clark said you needed help with it. Well, we're here to help, if you want us." ********** Clark, attired in a large, chef's apron, was expertly flipping burgers when Lori, accompanied by the crowd in the living room, exited the kitchen door a short time later, carrying plates and bowls of food and all of them laughing and talking at once. Judging by her heartbeat, she had relaxed a good deal since he'd left her to the mercies of his female relatives. He had restrained his urge to eavesdrop on the conversation, although he cringed at the thought of some of the stories they had probably been telling her. Jon, accompanied by either James or Perry (he could never keep the Kent twins straight) followed the crowd, each of them carrying a large jug of punch or some sort of beverage. The other twin followed, balancing an enormous ice chest lightly on one hand and a large bowl of potato salad in the other. There had been several more arrivals in the last fifteen minutes. He hoped Jon had arranged for enough hamburgers and hot dogs to feed this mob. Everyone had brought something, a covered dish of some specialty from home, drinks or desserts. The Kent clan's parties were always memorable, but there hadn't been one like this in years. He caught motion out of the corner of his eye and turned to look. A superhero in a pitch-black outfit was approaching at treetop level, carrying someone. Only Ryan wore a completely black costume, so that had to be his grandson, and his passenger was almost certainly Marcy Lyons. He lifted an arm to wave, and a moment later, Ryan dropped to the ground in front of him and set Lori's sister on her feet. "Hi, Clark. Sorry to be late. I had to stop a mugging at the last minute." His form shimmered for an instant and then he was standing there in black slacks and a black pullover shirt. Clark grinned. Trust Ryan to dress in a way that showed him off to best advantage for his companion. Marcy looked as if she would like to drool, but was being circumspect because of the company. "That's all right. Nobody's started eating yet. Hello, Marcy." Marcy was holding a sealed food container of some sort and looking at him, a little wide-eyed. "Ryan, you didn't tell me Clark was one of you, too. I mean, I knew he was your cousin or something, and I wondered, but..." "I know. I figured you might like to be surprised," Ryan said. "The party's for Clark and Lori. Where's your bride, Clark? I'd like to meet her in person." "Over there, undoubtedly listening to every embarrassing story they can think of to tell her about me," Clark said. Ryan grinned. "I can probably look forward to the same," he said. "Fortunately, Marcy knows about most of it already." "Don't kid yourself," Clark said. "They'll remember every tiny, humiliating, little detail that you thought everyone but you forgot a long time ago." "Hi, Marcy!" Lori had approached while Clark had been speaking with his grandson. She was smiling broadly, and Clark was glad to note that she had regained her self-confidence in the short time since he'd seen her. "I was wondering if you were going to make it after all. Hello, Ryan." "Hi, Lori." Ryan looked her over critically and smiled. "I'm glad to meet you in person. I guess you heard, huh? Marcy said yes." "Clark told me," she said. "Congratulations." She turned to her sister. "For life, huh?" Marcy blushed. "Yeah," she said. She displayed her left hand with a modest diamond glittering on the third finger. "It feels wonderful." The look she turned on Ryan banished the doubts Clark had been secretly harboring. He'd told himself he had to trust Ryan's judgement, but both Marcy's record and Ryan's had left him a little worried. Still, he'd seen that expression in the eyes of Kent men and women and the mates they had chosen too many times to be mistaken. This time it was real. "Congratulations from me, too, Ryan," he said, sincerely, "but I think you better fill Marcy in on the exact relationship here..." "Right," Ryan said. "First, though, I want to drop off this salad, and take her to meet Dad and Mom. Come on, honey." Clark watched the two of them go for an instant and then turned to his wife. "I guess all's well that ends well, to coin a phrase." "I guess so." She came to stand beside him by the barbecue grill and put an arm around his waist. "I hope they'll be as happy as we are." "If they're even half as happy, they'll do all right," Clark said. "I love you, Lori." "I love you, too, Clark," she said. ********** tbc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 16:20:27 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Home IV: Honeymoon 22/22 parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Home IV: Honeymoon 22/22 by Nan Smith Epilogue: Six weeks later: October in Metropolis definitely had a nip in the air, Lori observed as she stepped out of the silver Jeep Predator. The little church they had chosen was picturesque with its steeple and the big trees on all sides, shedding their colorful leaves on the ground. Meriel Olsen emerged from the church door and gestured to her vigorously. "Come on, Lori, we're all ready. Let's get you into your dress and let Donna fix your hair for you. Marcy's already here and people will be arriving any second." "Where's Clark?" Lori asked. "He's not allowed to see me until the wedding starts. It's supposed to be bad luck." Meriel laughed. "Considering the circumstances, I don't think you need to worry. He and Ryan are talking to the minister. Come on." The little room above the chapel was a madhouse, with the maids of honor pulling and tugging at their dresses, and Donna Kent, who had been a hairdresser to the stars in her youth, fussing with Lori's hair. Lori tried to control the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach. This was silly, she told herself. She'd been married to Clark for almost seven weeks. This ceremony was merely for the benefit of family and friends--and Marcy and Ryan, of course. Her sister, already dressed in her wedding gown, twisted the diamond on her finger, put on more lipstick and applied another dusting of powder to her nose. Rhonda, who had played the part of wedding coordinator for her, put the finishing touches on Meriel's outfit and laughed. "Marcy, sit down. You look fine," she said. "You're a top-rated model, for heaven's sake. You already know you're beautiful!" "I guess," Marcy said, "but this is different. This is *Ryan*!" Donna smiled at her. "Marcy, Ryan would marry you if you were wearing a gunny sack. My son waited sixty years for the right woman. Relax. It will be okay." Marcy sniffled softly. "I just wish I'd waited for him," she said. "I've been married seven times." Donna laughed. "Do you think he cares? Ryan is completely crazy about you!" She placed a final pin in Lori's hair. "There you go, Lori, you look perfect." She stood up and went to Marcy. "Honey, don't cry. You'll make your mascara run." She put an arm around her future daughter-in-law. "Marcy, no one cares how many times you were married before. You're marrying Ryan, now, and I'm looking forward to having you for my daughter." Marcy sniffled again and dabbed at her eyes. "Sorry." "That's okay. Better fix your face a little. It's almost time to get down there," Donna glanced at Rhonda. "What's the situation?" "There are some last minute arrivals," Rhonda said. "Jon and Mr. Lyons are in place, and Blue Lightning just happened to show up and grab a guy from the Dirt Digger who was trying to sneak up here and get a picture of Marcy. I think we're all set as soon as our brides are ready." "I hope Mom doesn't make a fuss at the last minute," Marcy said, nervously. "I don't think she'd dare," Lori said. "Not in front of five hundred people." She smiled comfortingly at her sister, suddenly feeling like the one in charge. "Come on, Marcy. Clark and Ryan are waiting. Let's go get married." ********** Waiting for the signal to make their entrance, Clark glanced at his grandson, who was fiddling nervously with his cummerbund. "Ryan, you look fine. Relax. This is the easy part." Ryan swallowed. "I know. It's just that I've waited for this for so long. I hope I'm the husband she expects me to be." Clark chuckled. "You've been living with her for over a month and you're going to be a father in about eight. That's when the difficult stuff starts. Save your energy for the sleepless nights." "Yeah." Ryan inhaled deeply. "I figure I'll be asking you for advice a lot--at least as much as I ask Mom and Dad. You've been through it four times and you've taken care of a lot of grandkids." Clark laughed. "I must have changed your diapers several dozen times at least. If you need help, just ask." Ryan looked embarrassed for a second, then he laughed. "I guess you must have. I wanted to thank you, Clark." "What for?" "For asking me to guard Marcy. If it hadn't been for you, I'd never have met her. I knew the second I saw her that she was the one. I didn't believe it would ever happen to me until then." Clark regarded his besotted grandson tolerantly. "Well, now's the time to make it legal. I think this is it." As he spoke, CJ poked his head through the door. "Time, guys. Too late to run." Clark gestured to Ryan. "After you." ********** Waiting in the little anteroom, Lori glanced over at her tall and beautiful sister. Marcy had always been the one who appeared to be in control, who never seemed to get flustered when it came to men--but then, none of the other men had been Ryan. She met Lori's eyes and smiled nervously. Lori smiled back. "Relax, sis," she said. "It's going to be fine. You're marrying the man you love. Look at it this way, when the minister says 'I now pronounce you', you become my granddaughter--and I'm only twenty-one." Marcy's laughter had a semi-hysterical edge, but it seemed to help. "That is so ridiculous," she said. "When Ryan told me who Clark really was, I almost fell over." "I noticed you recovered pretty fast," Lori said. She would never forget the look on Marcy's face when Ryan had imparted the news. It was one of the few times she'd seen her sister literally speechless. "Well," Marcy said, "I'd already found out that Ryan was almost sixty, and that his dad was eighty-nine, when they both look thirty. Clark was just one step farther down the line. He's really nice, too. I always visualized the original Superman as this stern, unyielding hero, but Clark's a sweetie." She took a deep breath, seeming to relax. "The Kent family sure makes pretty men, doesn't it?" "That's for sure," Lori agreed. "And you're marrying one. If that bambino of yours turns out to be a boy, you're going to be chasing little girls away with a club." Both women giggled at the thought. There was a knock at the door and at Lori's invitation, Rhonda peeked inside. "All set?" "All set," Lori said. Her father was waiting at the door behind Rhonda and Lori took his arm lightly. "Thanks for coming, Dad." Robert Lyons smiled. "I wasn't going to miss the wedding of both my girls." He glanced at Jon Kent, who held out his arm for Marcy. "Ready, Jon?" "Ready," Jon said. The first strains of the Wedding March began to play, and Robert Lyons smiled at Lori as the bridesmaids filed out ahead of them. "Okay, here we go." Her father guided her out into the chapel proper, and Lori began her walk down the aisle. ********** The wedding, Clark thought later, had been great. Lori's mother, sitting in the first row, had actually smiled tentatively at him when he and Ryan came out to take their places, and a few minutes later the Wedding March began. Lori came first on her father's arm, and behind them, Marcy, escorted by Jon. The two young women were like night and day, Lori with her striking dark hair and eyes and Marcy, blond and green-eyed, one petite and the other tall and statuesque. He heard Ryan catch his breath at the sight of Marcy, and had to admit that Lori had the same effect on him. Both the brides reached the altar and their escorts surrendered them to the men waiting for them. The wedding reception was on a grand scale as well; the Kent clan had done itself proud for their patriarch and his bride. He heard later that the whole family had chipped in to make it a memorable occasion. Rhonda, as always, had turned in an exemplary job. For a moment, watching his granddaughter dancing with her husband, he wondered. Whenever he wanted advice and help, ever since Rhonda had been an adult he had instinctively gone to her and her husband. She and Mason had been his confidants and advisors for years, just as Martha and Jonathan had when he had been a child. Was it possible? If Lois's soul had returned, why couldn't others? Most likely he would never be sure, but it was an intriguing thought. The music struck up for the final dance of the evening, and Clark led Lori onto the dance floor. He held her tightly as other couples joined them and when he looked down, he saw her watching him with a little smile on her face. "What are you thinking, Clark?" she asked. "I'm thinking that we've come a long way in eight months," he said. "We sure have," she said. "All of us have." "Yeah." He looked over at Ryan and Marcy. His grandson had a silly grin on his face and Marcy's head was on his shoulder as they swayed together in one secluded corner. Clark grinned. "I think it's time we made our exit," he said. "Go ahead," Rhonda's voice said behind them. "We'll take care of the gifts. Hawaii is beautiful this time of year." "Hawaii is beautiful *all* times of year," Mason said. "You two should get going." On the steps of the reception hall Lori paused and tossed her bouquet over her shoulder. Marcy's followed hers, and then Clark was helping her into the Jeep. He ran around to the driver's side and they drove away amid the cheers and good wishes of the guests. "Did you see who got your bouquet?" Clark asked. "No." "Meri. John got Marcy's." Lori broke into laughter. "That figures. Where are we going?" "Just back to the apartment to park the Jeep and for you to change. After that, Superman Express is headed to Hawaii for our honeymoon." Lori slipped a hand into his and rested her head against his shoulder. "It's already been like a honeymoon, Clark," she said, "every single day I've been married to you." The End Okay, to coin a phrase, that's all, folks! Feedback welcome. Nan ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 20:19:47 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lesley Hilliard Subject: Re: A New Beginning, Final MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I liked your story very much, thanks for posting Lesley ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 21:26:54 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Shannon Subject: Re: Strangers II - Part 6 In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hey, I accidentally deleted part 1 of Strangers II, could somebody please send me a copy George W. Bush: "If I lose I knowthat no matter what happens...my wife will love me. My daughters will love me. The dog will love me, and the cats will pretend they don't, but they really will." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:46:44 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/7/01 4:59:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, jessi914@MAIL.COM writes: > Anyway, I've got it, and it will be done eventually, preferably in the next > month or two. > > That's good to hear, Jessi. I'll be looking forward to it. (Don't you have spring break coming up in a while?) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 22:04:25 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: A New Beginning, Final MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey - CHristy - I'm not really one to give lots of advice just yet - the Lois and Clark and the IRS story that showed up the last couple of days and the First Night story were mine, but that's all I've done so far. I did want to tell you that I liked your story. It was different - but different is good! :o) Hope you keep writing! CM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 00:05:21 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: First Night MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, Just read your story First Night - all parts. I loved it. Can't wait for the sequels. merry ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:03:18 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann said: >That's good to hear, Jessi. I'll be looking forward to it. (Don't you have >spring break coming up in a while?) Yeah, it's a whole five days long, including the weekend. My school doesn't seem to exactly get the concept of vacation time. :) Jessi ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:52:23 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/10/01 10:03:40 AM Eastern Standard Time, jessi914@MAIL.COM writes: > Yeah, it's a whole five days long, including the weekend. My school doesn't > seem to exactly get the concept of vacation time. :) > Poor Jessi! Do you all get lots of snow days? Or do they just think that kids should get good educations in your town? Take care, Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 11:41:00 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: alauters Subject: Re: Home IV: Honeymoon 22/22 parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Nan, this was lovely. I've been truly enjoying the "Home" series. Thanks. Amy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 09:47:02 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Home IV: Honeymoon 22/22 parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you, Amy. This is the last of the series. I may write another sometime in the future, but I'm kind of tapped out for now. Nan alauters wrote: > Nan, this was lovely. I've been truly enjoying the "Home" series. Thanks. > Amy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:34:07 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Home IV: Honeymoon 22/22 parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Nan wrote: > This is the last of the series. I may write another sometime in the future, > but I'm kind of tapped out for now. -----Well, they say Old Faithful is slowing down too, but I'm sure, like it, that deep wellspring of yours is still bubbling. I'm looking forward to the next spectacular creative burst however long it takes. Jude ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:14:13 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Calling Kathy...! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Apologies for sending this to the list, but it is kind of fanfic and = Archive related. Kathy, been trying to send you back a final copy fic that's been GE'd - = but it's bouncing back from both your home eddress and the = kathyb@lcfanfic.com. Wendy tried fwding it for me from both eddresses = with the same result. I'll just wait a couple of days and hope it clears, then try again. But = thought I'd give you a heads up in case others are having similar = problems. :) LabRat :) (ain't technology wonderful? :P) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:45:59 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bethy Em Subject: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed I've already posted this to the MBs, but I know there are some here who don't frequent those, so I decided to post here as well. As soon as my mom edits it, I'll be sending it to the archive. But at this stage, any and all comments/suggestions/etc (even nit-picky editing) are welcome, either here or privately at bethyem@yahoo.com. Bethy PS Many people on the MBs wanted to see this expanded into a longer story. Right now, I have no creative urge to do so, but I won't rule out the possibility for the future. For the present, however, it's going to remain a vignette. ************************************* When You Need My Love By Bethy Rated PG All feedback welcome and appreciated ************************************* Two in the morning and the doorbell rang. He knew just who it was -- who else had both the lack of tact and the gall to come pounding on his door at such an obscene hour? Sighing, he grabbed his glasses and plodded up to the door. "What is it, Lois?" he asked, even as he opened the entrance to see his disheveled partner standing there. Her hair and make-up, though in disarray, implied that she came from a formal setting, but she was attired in a simple pair of leggings and oversized tunic. Deep, muted-colored leggings and tunic, as if she simply wanted to blend into the background. A surprised look crossed her face, but she tried to hide it. "I...just thought you might be up to watching a movie." "Lois! It’s two in the morning! Didn’t you ever consider the fact that I might be asleep?" He looked exasperatedly at her, knowing as he did so that he wouldn’t be able to refuse her. He never could. Taking pity after her sheepish ducking of the head, he sighed. "All right, come in." "Thanks." She flashed a grateful smile up at him and charged on, both into the room and into speech. "So, since we’ve run out of Lethal Weapons, at least until they make a new one, which probably won’t be for a while, knowing the way Hollywood likes to milk the suspense, I thought--” “Lois.” “--we might want to try Die Hard. They’re not as funny as Lethal Weapon, of course, nothing really can compare to Mel Gibson in humor and fighting, but they do have lots of blood and guts, plus a good plot, and there are three of them, too, so we’re set for a little while." "Lo-is." She stopped rambling and looked up at him. "What?" "What are you doing? And don’t tell me you just wanted to watch a movie. The only time you wake me up to watch some movie that we’ve either seen a dozen times, or else 'have to try,' is when you really need to talk. So why don’t we cut to the chase?" "Clark! I’m insulted that you think that I think so little of our friendship. Did you ever think that maybe I just wanted to spend some time with a good friend?" His heart ached. No, he didn’t think she just wanted to spend time with him. She never 'just' wanted to spend time with him. There was always some ulterior motive -- usually some sort of men trouble. She managed to get close to Superman and then felt depressed because it later hit (hard) that she would never be able to have him. Or she went out on some blind date set up by Lucy or some acquaintance at the Planet. Or she met up with an old buddy, or flame, and tried to re-light any old fires, only to fail miserably, like a camper beset with drizzling rain. Or she had a run in with her father, and he ‘reaffirmed’ her feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. This time he knew it wasn’t Superman. He hadn’t seen her in the Suit in days. And he didn’t think her father was in town. He’d been planning to go to Europe for some scientific convention. Dr. Klein had been talking about it for weeks, and he knew the two were planning on making the flight together. To his knowledge, she hadn’t hooked up with any old acquaintances (not that he was the best one to know, but he still didn’t think so, she wasn’t acting like that. Not this time). Besides, her lipstick was smeared in such a way as to tell him, instinctually, that she'd hurriedly pulled away from an unwanted kiss. "Another blind date, huh?" She gave a surprised affirmative nod, then plopped onto the couch. Why? Why couldn’t she see what was right in front of her face? Why couldn’t she see that he loved her? For who she already was, not for the person he wanted her to become for his pleasure. Why did she continue to torment herself with these 'dates?' Well, if you really wanted to call them that. Lucy was right, she didn’t go on dates, she went on interviews. Interviews to determine possible candidates for that ever so important position in her life. Oh, why couldn’t she see he wanted the job? It wasn't as if anyone else could truly appreciate her like he did. A brief instant of scorn erupted in him towards her still anonymous date. Obviously, he had pushed too hard, tried to know Lois-the-woman before he knew Lois-the-*person.* Why was he, Clark, the only one to see that, first and foremost, she needed a friend? That only out of true friendship could a lasting love develop? It was obvious! Well...obvious to him, at least. Despite his internal preachings on 'friendship,' he wanted to love her. Every time he saw her, every time she got that "I've got an idea!" glint in her eyes, every time she made some crazy leap of logic to hit the nail smack on the head. Every time, he wanted to kiss her, to tell her how *much* she meant to him, how much he wanted her in his life. He knew about her 'baggage.' He didn't care. He just knew that his life, without this wonderful woman, was worthless. "Um, why don't you go ahead and start it? Do you want any popcorn? Or hot chocolate! That's it, exactly what we need. I'll go make some. Of both." He sought for something, anything, to use as an excuse to postpone sitting there. Beside...her. He wasn't sure he could handle it. Everything inside him was screaming to take her in his arms and comfort her, wipe away all the pain, both of recent and scabbed-over wounds. But no. He couldn't jeopardize their friendship. Even if he couldn't have her as a wife (he refused to say lover, because as much as he wanted to make love with her, he wanted more. He wanted a life companion, a best friend who could share *everything* with him...a soulmate), he wanted to keep her as a friend. As long as he had her in his life, in any capacity, he was okay. As long as she was there, there was a possibility of more. But he didn't think he could bear it if she was gone completely. So he restrained himself. He settled for friendship, but he resolved to be the best friend she could possibly hope for. And maybe, just maybe, she’d wake up and see what had been there all along. She’d see his love and acceptance and maybe she’d be able to start loving and accepting herself. To realize that though ninety-eight percent isn’t one hundred, it’s still a darn good score and that those ninety-eight points in her favor outweighed the two missing ones a hundred fold. He brought back the popcorn and two mugs of hot chocolate -- extra chocolaty, no worries about calories tonight -- and halted upon seeing her. She was facing the TV screen, but she wasn’t watching it. She was curled up in a tight ball against the back of the davenport, her arms wrapped around her knees, protecting herself from any and all outside forces. Her eyes stared vacantly ahead, tears threatening to fall any moment. She always presented a tough exterior, but here she looked...childlike. Exactly like a little girl, trying to act like a 'grown-up,' trying to keep all her emotions inside, trying to handle her problems, "all by herself." Suddenly, he decided. Forget about keeping his distance -- she was hurting and needed comfort. He set down the bowl and the mugs and engulfed her in his embrace. "Shh...It's okay, Lois, just let it out. Don't try and say anything." He forestalled her attempt at speech. "Just let yourself cry. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Shh, it's okay." She wrapped her arms around him and obeyed. She let it all out while he continued to rock back and forth and make soothing nonsense sounds. He gazed down at her small form, wracked with sobs, and he knew. It didn't matter if she never saw him as more than a friend. It didn't matter about anything. All that mattered was that she needed him, at that moment, and he was there for her. And he would be there for her, always. *Whenever you need me, Lois,* he thought. *I'll be here when you need my love.* _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 11:53:58 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 07:45 PM 10/02/2001 -0000, you wrote: >I've already posted this to the MBs, but I know there are some here who >don't frequent those, so I decided to post here as well. As soon as my mom >edits it, I'll be sending it to the archive. But at this stage, any and all >comments/suggestions/etc (even nit-picky editing) are welcome, either here >or privately at bethyem@yahoo.com. > >Bethy > >PS Many people on the MBs wanted to see this expanded into a longer story. >Right now, I have no creative urge to do so, but I won't rule out the >possibility for the future. For the present, however, it's going to remain >a vignette. Whoa, Bethy, this was awesome! But I agree - we gotta know what got Lois so riled up. And what happens next... Maybe you don't need to expand it into a longer story - but you could write a sequel based on it. Or a prequel, or whatever... Melisma (under her Rock, stopping the babble before it reaches Lois-like proportions :) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 14:05:35 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm almost in tears! I loved it! Carol ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 15:16:20 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Laurie Dunn Subject: Re: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks, Bethy. That was a warm, cozy story. It's nice to see stories posted here again! LaurieD ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 13:16:02 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dede Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol - this was absolutely brilliant! When I was younger I used to love the choose your own adventure stories. As I did then, I went back and read your story in every combination possible! I loved Lois' babbling and Clark's smugness! I loved how through her dream she realized that when she needed someone it was always Clark that was there for her - not Superman. You did a great job! Dede > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Carol L Moncado [SMTP:cmoncado@JUNO.COM] > >Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 9:51 AM > >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU > >Subject: Re: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of > >10 > > > >Fine - this is for Melisma! Who just wouldn't leave me alone! This > >should work no matter which ending you chose. I don't know anything > >about the IRS really, so it is all made up! Have a great day! > > > >CM > > > >***** > > > >Lois and Clark walked into the IRS office. It had been six weeks since > >they had found out they were married. And despite everything, they were > >happy. There had been a few problems at first, the whole Superman issue, > >but things got better fast. They had gone back to see Bruce Bigbrain and > >tell him that they didn't need his services after all. He smiled and > >said he knew they wouldn't. He showed them the form - there was no line > >about Clark being, well, inadequate. Clark was mad, but just for a > >minute. If Bruce had just let them say the marriage had been > >unconsummated at the time then the marriage would have been annulled and > >that would have been the end of that. Maybe. Who knows what would have > >happened? Clark was glad they didn't have to find out. > > > >And so here they were. No longer did they wonder about Clark's issues; > >he didn't have any. In fact, they were both very happy. Except that > >this IRS thing didn't want to go away. > > > >"Clark and Lois Kent?" > > > >They stood up and walked into the office of Brent Dodge, the IRS agent > >who had first broken the news to Lois. Lois looked at Clark nervously > >and he squeezed her hand gently. They sat down across the desk from > >Brent Dodge. He started. > > > >"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, it appears from your tax returns that you were > >trying to defraud the IRS." > > > >Clark spoke up. "Mr. Dodge, how do you figure that we were trying to > >defraud the IRS?" > > > >"Well, you filed separate *single* tax returns. Deductions are higher > >for two single people filing separately than they are for a married > >couple. So between the two of you, you claimed around $3000 too much." > > > >"We didn't even know we were married." > > > >"That doesn't matter. Under the law you were married. That's all that > >matters." > > > >"But. . ." > > > >"No, buts. Refigured your total tax between the two of you . . ." He > >used his adding machine. He asked a few more questions about deductions > >and came up with a new figure. He looked at it in disbelief. "It > >appears that *we* owe you money. That can't be right." He mumbled to > >himself and readded some more. He sighed. "It appears that we owe you > >$750. You'll have a check in, well, 7 - 10 years. Have a nice day." He > >stood up and walked out. > > > >Lois and Clark looked at each other. They stood up to walk out and > >looked at each other again. She grabbed him around the neck and giggled. > > "I love you." > > > >"You just love me because we are getting money from the IRS." > > > >"You know it!" > > > >Together, arm in arm, they walked out of the IRS. Content and happy. > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 16:27:06 -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: Calling Kathy...! On Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:14:13 -0000, LabRat wrote: >Kathy, been trying to send you back a final copy fic that's been GE'd - but >it's bouncing back from both your home eddress and the kathyb@lcfanfic.com. >Wendy tried fwding it for me from both eddresses with the same result. I've been very unhappy with the number of times @home goes down in the year that I've had it. I'm glad you are able to reach me through the listerv website at least! I was having problems all last week, on and off, but it seemed to be better last night. But of course, as soon as I think that, now today it's apparently down big time ... I seem to be able to check my mail (though obviously that's not accurate since you can't send to me) but when I try to mail out, it's telling me "no such domain name". Very, very aggravating. So yes, just hold to things for a few days and try again. I'd appreciate it. As for why the lcfanfic address isn't working, though, that's a mystery! It's a forward to my @home address, but you'd think it would go through regardless. But obviously not. Thanks for your patience, Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 15:18:34 -0700 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Calling Kathy...! In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >I was having problems all last week, on and off, but it seemed to be better >last night. But of course, as soon as I think that, now today it's >apparently down big time ... I seem to be able to check my mail (though >obviously that's not accurate since you can't send to me) but when I try to >mail out, it's telling me "no such domain name". Very, very aggravating. > >So yes, just hold to things for a few days and try again. I'd appreciate it. Kathy--yep, I too just had 2 emails to you bounce. Just so you know I got your email, and was trying to email you back...not ignore you. Erin :) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 16:39:54 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is beautifull Bethy. I'm one who would like this expanded. merry ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:52:16 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Norm Mayes Subject: OT:Is the listserv archive secure against spammers? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I found this bit of info at http://www.thisistrue.com/spam.html=20 "The current most-common place to get your address is from web pages. If = your e-mail address is listed on a web page anywhere on the 'net, = especially if that page is listed in a search engine or directory, = spammers will find it. I've seen the scanners in operation, and it's = amazing how quickly they work. The software can, for instance, ask a = search engine for any page that has the word "cat" in it and grab the = addresses off those pages for a "targeted" list of people with a = presumed interest in cats. It takes only minutes to gather the = addresses. " I checked the listserv archive site and found all sorts of addresses = listed there. The fanfic archive also has lots of addresses listed in = the fics. Is there anything that can or should be done here? Or is the = writer at this website talking thru his hat? The site has been up a long time. I do have posts from my old email = address there and I stayed relatively spam free,so I'm not sure whether = the spammers have just missed us or what among the multitude of web = pages out there. comments? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 20:43:23 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and the IRS MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - this story is up on the zoom board now! Several of you (melisma being the most vocal) suggested that I do so. I hope I did it right! Please let me know if I screwed it up! Also - you could put some nice comments for me!:o) *vbg*!!!! Thanks for everyone's help and for all of the nice things that you guys said about it! CM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 18:56:01 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS In-Reply-To: <20010210.204330.-181027.11.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Yay, Carol! Way to go :) Melisma (proud of you, under her Rock0 At 08:43 PM 10/02/2001 -0600, you wrote: >Okay - this story is up on the zoom board now! Several of you (melisma >being the most vocal) suggested that I do so. I hope I did it right! >Please let me know if I screwed it up! Also - you could put some nice >comments for me!:o) *vbg*!!!! > >Thanks for everyone's help and for all of the nice things that you guys >said about it! > >CM > > Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 22:15:47 -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: OT:Is the listserv archive secure against spammers? On Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:52:16 -0800, Norm Mayes wrote: >I checked the listserv archive site and found all sorts of addresses listed >there. The fanfic archive also has lots of addresses listed in the fics. Is >there anything that can or should be done here? I'd say it just comes with the territory of belonging to a listserv. If we want to have a website interface (and thus an archive of posts), or a fanfic Archive where people can write authors with feedback, this is just something we have to risk. "Should be done?" That's certainly an understandable opinion, given the amount of spam we all deal with. "Can be done?" You've got me -- if you have an obvious solution, feel free to share. I sure as heck have no idea. >The site has been up a long time. I do have posts from my old email address >there and I stayed relatively spam free,so I'm not sure whether the spammers >have just missed us or what among the multitude of web pages out there. Personally, I keep a special email address for posting my address on line anywhere, like when I enter a contest or order something on a site without a privacy notification. And yes, it gets almost all spam, but since that's all I use it for, I expect that. I hardly ever put my @home address anywhere, and I still get spam, though not nearly as much. They'll find you where ever you are. My solution? The filter option in my email program and the delete key. ;) Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 22:21:42 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: OT:Is the listserv archive secure against spammers? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I don't get spam, and my address is on the archive. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 11:07:44 +0200 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Hazel Subject: Answers and scores for last Kerth quiz: Best Lost Episode Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed It's a bit late, but here are the answers and scores to our final Kerth quiz, Best Lost Episode: Story 1: Dear Lois, by Shayne Terry Story 2: Connections, by Carol Malo Story 3: Professional Loyalties, by Cindy Leuch Story 4: Home III: Memories, by Nan Smith Story 5: For the Greater Good, by Wendy Richards Story 6: Hearts and Diamonds, by Shayne Terry Story 7: A Lie of the Mind, by Rose Story 8: Red Sky, by Jenni Debbage Story 9: The Spying Game, by Irene Dutchak Story 10: Vanishing Act, by Nan Smith Scores are as follows: Coming is first with a perfect score is Dia, who I gave credit for getting Irene's story on a quote, even if it was a different quote from everyone else's. :) Tim is a very close second with 19 points. Pam, Wendy and Adam get 18 points. Tricia and Nan get 16 points. Terry gets 15.5 points. Ann gets 15 points. So does Cindy - and no, Cindy, authors don't nec'ly get their own stories from the quotes! :) Helene, JoMarch and Maureen get 14 points Yvonne gets 6.5 points, coming close to her personal best. ;) If there's anyone I've missed, I apologize; my own copy of the quiz arrived in my in-box after six replies, so I'm not sure I've gotten them all. I know I speak for Wendy when I thank all of you for jumping in to these quizzes and searching -- and guessing! -- for the answers. I also thank those of you who added their own recommendations. And I know I speak for all of us when I thank Erin, Kathy, Pam & Co for all of their hard work on the Kerths -- not only what they've done so far, but all the painstaking organization to come as well. *My* job, at least, is already done. ;) (And it was a lot of fun, too!) Hazel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 05:38:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: Answers and scores for last Kerth quiz: Best Lost Episode MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hazel and Wendy, thank-you for these quizzes -- I may not have tried them all (except on my own -- the answer "I know this one; I've just read it " kept recurring) but I enjoyed them all. I appreciate the time you both took to set these up -- they were fun. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 05:55:39 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: Calling Kathy...! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just double-checking, Kathy. On Feb 8, I sent you the final version of the story I'd just GE'd for the archive. I hope you got it. I can resend it. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 08:18:42 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Questions for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi everyone. I have a few questions for a fic that I've been trying to write for weeks (or is that months?). I hope some of you may be able to help me. 1) In the show, do we ever hear a name for the Chief of Police? specifically during the second season? 2) Were there ever any names given to upscale residential areas of Metropolis? I know that there were neighborhoods with names like the South Side and Hobbs Bay, but they seemed pretty downscale as I recall. Thanks a million. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 05:31:59 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get In-Reply-To: <3A83AF07.CBF545A2@ozemail.com.au> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I'm coming in late to this OT topic, but I couldn't resist adding one thing. The actor in the "My name is Joe" ad has moved to LA as he has been offered a role in a movie! This was a BIG news story across Canada - mentioned in newspapers and on TV! (g) Of course, this is a pretty typical state of affairs for Canadian actors. We've shipped some pretty notable entertainers south of the border. Just think - you can thank us for William Shatner, Martin Short, Leslie Nielsen (brother of a politician who at one point was the Deputy Prime Minister - isn't that a scary thought?), Matthew Perry, Jim Carrey (He grew up in my old home town and went to the high school that my mother taught at!) and there is a whole list of more. Irene D. > > Wendy Richards wrote: > > > > I heard the "My name is Joe" ad while I was in > Canada last summer, and > > thought it was hilarious. I've since found sites > on the internet which have > > movie files of it. Can't find the best one now, > but here's one which has the > > words from the ad, together with a Windows Media > version - seems slow to > > play, but if you can read it, you'll get some idea > of the humour! > > > > > http://home7.swipnet.se/~w-72891/CanadianClub/CCsales/ad.html > > > > Wendy > > > > -------------------------- > > Wendy Richards > > w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 08:52:31 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Norm Mayes Subject: Re: OT: Joke that I just don't get MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <- you can thank us for William Shatner, Martin Short, Leslie Nielsen (brother of a politician who at one point was the Deputy Prime Minister - isn't that a scary thought?), Matthew Perry, Jim Carrey > Thank you for them? 'Some' people might want to blame you for them ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 10:11:21 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, Okay you finally satisfied the hungry beasts that make up FOLCs. Thank you for listening to Melissa, and taking up Pam on her idea. I really loved your story and look forward to reading more stories from you. Keep writing. Wanda "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 10:20:30 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Melisma, Sorry for misspelling your name, maybe I should be under a rock or hit with one for that mistake considering how many times I've seen your name. Wanda "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 09:42:38 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: lcfic Subject: Message Board Index Update through February 10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi FoLCs! Several vignettes, lots of new story parts, and some completed stories all this week on Zoom's message board! Links at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Meteor/7378/lnc.html Also, look for Jo's TOC's next week! New stories this week: DANCE OF THE SEVEN CAPES: KAETHEL PHEROMONE MY LOVELY – OH, BOY! COMPLETE VIGNETTE TANK WILSON PHEROMONE MY LOVELY – OH, BOY!A SEQUEL: JANE DOE POOF! THE MAGIC BABY COMPLETE VIGNETTE HATMAN (AKA PAUL GABRIEL WEINER) PURPLE FOR... COMPLETE VIGNETTE RANDI WARWICK New part(s) posted: THE DEVIL'S BARGAIN: WENDY RICHARDS FUGUE: SHAYNE TERRY THE LONG WAY HOME: CHRISH PURITY: YVONNE CONNELL STRANGERS II: RAGGIEMOM (AKA MISSY GALLANT) Completed stories this week: THE EXODUS I: THANATOS HOME IV: HONEYMOON: NAN SMITH LUCKY, LUCKY LADY: BRENDA Added to the Archive this week: Doomsday by Nathan Welty Lifeflight - An Elseworld Story - Part II by Raconteur (this is Parts 27B thru 51A) Enjoy! Dawn & the Index Crew __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:39:09 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Annette Ciotola Subject: New Showcase - 02/11/01 Comments: To: lcnfanfic@egroups.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey Gang! No new fanfic this week, but as we see Kerth Nominations in full swing, we thought to bring you one of this year's possible Best New Author nominee's. So head on over and check out the new Showcase at http://www.anneplace.com Also, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to stop by the Kerth site and get your nominations in!! http://www.ida.net/users/davek/kerths.html Anne :) (who's still thinking about who she's gonna nominate! Decisions, decisions ...) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:54:31 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rich and Dawn Subject: Peace MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi FoLCs, I'm looking for a current eaddy for Peace. Is there anyone who can help me out? Thanks! Dawn ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:54:11 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ML Thompson has asked me to post these questions to the list for a fanfic she's finishing up. What's the American custom with respect to Intensive Care Units? Would a patient in an ICU be in a ward with other patients? Would there be a nurse for each patient in the ward? Or would the patient be placed in a private or a semi-private room until he no longer needed intensive care? Does this vary depending on the type of medical benefits you have, or would all patients in this situation be treated the same? Would the size of the hospital make any difference? Carol ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 13:11:28 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and the IRS - 11 of 10 In-Reply-To: <30.105abdaa.27b807be@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:20 AM 11/02/2001 EST, you wrote: >Melisma, >Sorry for misspelling your name, maybe I should be under a rock or hit with >one for that mistake considering how many times I've seen your name. >Wanda S'okay, Wanda - you aren't the only person who's called me that. It's an unusual nick, sort of unknown outside the classical music scene - even lots of ppl *in* the classical music scene don't know it :D I have one gal on my church organist list (and organists *ought* to know better ) who *always* calls me Melissa. And you're the first person who's ever actually wrote back to correct herself or apologize... Melisma (definately amused, under her Rock) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 16:08:59 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I can only answer from having visited relatives in ICU and having volunteered (in high school) in the Cardiac ICU of a local hospital, but here goes-- << Would a patient in an ICU be in a ward with other patients? >> In the ones I've been in, yes. ICU consists of a large room subdivided into cubicles, each containing a bed, patient, and necessary medical devices. The cubicles are quite small and there may be one (uncomfortable) chair in there as well. Usually the number of visitors is restricted, due to the size of the room and the sickness of the patients. The patients' cubicles were around the periphery of the room, with the nurses' station in the center. The cubicles were divided by curtains rather than walls, so patients have very little privacy in ICUs. << Would there be a nurse for each patient in the ward? >> I think each hospital might do things differently in regards to nurse/patient ratios in ICUs. In my experience, there were several nurses per ICU, so each patient shared a nurse with several other patients. << Or would the patient be placed in a private or a semi-private room until he no longer needed intensive care? >> I'm not sure I understand this question. Patients in ICU would be in an ICU ward and wouldn't have private or semi-private rooms, since their medical conditions are serious enough to need more concentrated nursing. After their condition improves, patients could then be transferred to their own rooms. <> >From what I've seen, the bigger the hospital, the bigger the ICU. Also, as I mentioned above, there can be several ICUs per hospital, each specializing in caring for patients with different ailments. (The nurses in these units would also have some specialty caring for patients with different ailments.) I've seen Cardiac, Pediatric, Neonatal, and Neurologic ICUs. Hope that helps. Christy attalanta@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 21:47:07 -0000 Reply-To: Yvonne Connell Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Medical/gun question for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This one's similar to Helene's, really. I want a gun shot wound where = the bullet gets lodged in the body, but otherwise isn't too serious. = The shot will probably have glanced off, or grazed past, someone else = first. It could even come through a silencer, if that helps reduce its = penetrating velocity. I'm thinking forearms, but can anyone confirm = whether this is feasible? Thanks, Yvonne (yvonne@yconnell.fsnet.co.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 17:41:14 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Annette Ciotola Subject: Re: New Showcase - 02/11/01 - OOPS!!! Comments: To: lcnfanfic@egroups.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Major typo, gang!!! In the URL for annesplace. Be sure to go to: http://www.annesplace.net The .net is *very* important!! Anne (who is majorly blushing) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 18:59:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: New Showcase - 02/11/01 - OOPS!!! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, it's a natural mistake, I guess. It was certainly educational. :) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 19:12:09 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: PJ Piasecki Subject: Re: Peace MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/11/01 12:50:43 PM Pacific Standard Time, rfield@INFI.NET writes: > Hi FoLCs, > > I'm looking for a current eaddy for Peace. Is there anyone who can help me > out? > > Thanks! > Dawn Delurking just for a moment - here is her new addy. peace9@speakeasy.net Unfortunately, she's not too involved anymore - lots of new interests. Piper ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 00:59:31 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bethy Em Subject: Re: NEW: When You Need My Love (1/1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Thank you, Melisma, Carol, LaurieD and merry for your feedback. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Melisma -- Lois hasn't told me why she's so riled up! :-) But, I like your idea of a prequel/sequel/whatever. Hmm...maybe do the same scene, but from Lois's POV? Ahh! Runaway brain! Somebody sto--wait. That's a good thing. Have fun running, brain. :-ţ Bethy _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 18:35:09 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Becky Bain Subject: Re: Answers and scores for last Kerth quiz: Best Lost Episode In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.0.20010211104638.00aa31b0@actcom.co.il> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed I'm really really terrible at matching story titles to actual stories, so I don't participate in the quizzes - but I do read them and enjoy them! So - a sincere Thank You to Hazel and Wendy for all their work! It was fun. Becky rbain@uswest.net Nothing that really is can ever perish. - Plotinus ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 18:43:40 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Becky Bain Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed My sister was recently in a neurological ICU (she's out now and recovering nicely, thank you!) - it was small, glass-sided cubicles along a U-shaped hallway, with a nurses' station in the center of the U. There was only one neuro ICU, and this was the city-owned hospital (where indigent patients are sent), so I'd say uninsured patients would received precisely the same treatment. After being released from the ICU, she went to a semi-private room at this hospital. During a previous hospitalization, in a different hospital, she was in a private room because that hospital =had= no semi-private rooms! Much to her annoyance, since if they'd =had= semi-private rooms, my sister and her husband could have roomed together (they were in a serious car accident in December - both healing nicely now!), but that's a different story. I have to imagine that the size of the hospital =would= make a difference, simply because different hospitals are going to have differently-designed facilities, probably relating as much to the age of the building as to its size! Some smaller hospitals are not equipped to handle extremely critical cases, and those may be transported to other hospitals. My sister and her husband were both taken to a small hospital in rural Utah where their conditions were stabilized, then airlifted to Salt Lake City because the small hospital they were first taken to did not have the capability to care for them properly on a long-term basis. Hope some of that helps! Becky rbain@uswest.net Nothing that really is can ever perish. - Plotinus ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 21:37:45 -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: Calling Kathy...! On Sun, 11 Feb 2001 05:55:39 EST, C.C. Malo wrote: >Just double-checking, Kathy. On Feb 8, I sent you the final version of the >story I'd just GE'd for the archive. I hope you got it. I can resend it. Yup, everything before Friday got through fine (as far as I know) -- it was Saturday that everything went kerflooy. But it all seems to be back up now (as of last last night) so for those of you waiting to send me something, feel free to try again! :) Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 21:21:41 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: First Flight MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey, Missy - changed a paragraph or so in this story. Well, actually, I just added a line. What do you think? or should I leave it the other way? Insert instead of the same section when Clark is at the farmhouse near the beginning of the story: "Last night was really rough. We're working on a story together and, well, I told you all about that this morning, right?" His parents nodded. "We left the hotel together and walked to work. We fought on the sidewalk, because Lois isn't ready to tell everyone that we're married. The whole thing was bizarre. I thought I was the best man at someone else's wedding and the next thing I knew, we were kissing and she was looking at me with this horribly frightened look on her face, asking me what was going on. We left the church and while she was freaking out - and believe me - she can freak out." He smiled softly, thinking of her in the white dress, tears running down her face as she realized who he was. "Anyway, she finally figured out that I was CJ. She had been waiting for me, just like I had been waiting for her. It started to rain and we ran to the closest dry doorway. It turned out that it was the Hilton and, well, we ended up staying. She was happy, excited even, that we were married. "After she fell asleep, I, uhh," he looked sheepishly at his parents, "straightened up our clothes and the marriage license fell out of my pocket. It's all legal. We are *legally* married." "Uh, Clark? I hate to interrupt but what about, uh, compatibility?" Jonathan looked uncomfortable at the question. Clark blushed. "There weren't any problems, Dad. But, anyway, she is still getting used to the idea and doesn't want anyone to know yet. She even put her rings on a chain inside her suit so no one would see them. I told her that I wanted the world to know and before we resolved anything, Jimmy from work interrupted. We didn't get to spend much time together all day because we were working. Perry figured out yesterday that I was married and he's worried that my new wife won't understand me spending so much time with another woman. And Lois doesn't want everyone to think that she is the 'other woman'." He used two finger quote marks around the term. "I asked her to have dinner with me and figured we could have a nice quiet evening and get some things out in the open. I could tell her my secret and maybe she could help me figure out how to use my powers and keep my identity. She could tell me why she's not ready to tell everyone and maybe we could work it out. She turned me down because she had an interview with *Lex Luthor*." The last two words were spit out with malice. "We fought about it. We both said some nasty things and then she left. They had dinner together, but I don't think she got her interview. I think he just wants to date her. I don't like the man. There is something about him that just isn't - *right*. He took her home and, well, I kinda floated up next to her window so I could see what was going on. Don't give me that look, Dad, nobody saw me. I didn't use my hearing so I didn't hear everything that was said, but I did hear her say that there was no 'Mr. Right' for her. And then I flew off. I've only been married two days and already my marriage is a shambles." He closed his eyes, willing himself not to cry again. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 22:46:28 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: First Flight MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit So sorry everyone - meant to send it to Missy - course you could read it as a sneak preview of what is going to happen, but it really isn't much - but you have a whole other story first! Next comes First Fight - hopefully it will be out sometime early this week - and then First Flight - which those two paragraphs are from! AHHHHH!!! Oh, and since I'm posting to the list anyway - I have to say that I REALLY don't like Max Deter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think Superman needs to get rid of some of his morals for once and teach the guy a lesson!!!!!!!! Okay, maybe not, but you know what I mean! *sigh* Hopefully one of these days I won't make any more mistakes! Oh, and now that the IRS story is on zooms boards - what do I do with it now? Any suggestions? Anyone want to read it for puncutation and grammar and stuff for me?! *bg* You know you want to, Melisma - I might give you dibs on the fourth story in my series! JK!:o) CM ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 20:58:43 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melisma Subject: Re: First Flight In-Reply-To: <20010211.224657.-185067.9.cmoncado@juno.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Anyone want to read it for puncutation and grammar and >stuff for me?! *bg* You know you want to, Melisma - I might give you >dibs on the fourth story in my series! JK!:o) > >CM Hey, I *love* to beta-read for punctuation and grammar and spelling and stuff! Bring it on :) Melisma (watching her inbox with anticipation, here under her Rock) Visit my rock at http://www.intergate.ca/personal/melisma/index.html ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 00:08:21 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Marilyn Puett Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed I think a lot of it depends on the type of medical situation you are in and the size of the hospital. My husband had some serious nose and throat surgery about 2 1/2 years ago. For 24 hours afterward he was in ICU because of the danger of swelling and bleeding. He was in a room by himself which opened off of a central nursing station. There were probably 6 to 8 other rooms opening off this station as well -- all for post-surgical ICU patients. Our only other ICU experience has been with Neonatal ICU. This was a huge room full of incubators and warmers, each with a baby with tubes and wires everywhere. In the NICU, each nurse has only one baby to tend to. Both these experiences were in a fairly large metropolitan hospital that serves a multi-county area in Alabama. It is affiliated with the University of Alabama medical school so there is a lot of state-of-the-art equipment and their techniques are pretty cutting edge. Hope this helps. Marilyn AKA Supermom >From: "C.C. Malo" >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" > >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: medical question for a fanfic >Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:54:11 EST > >ML Thompson has asked me to post these questions to the list for a fanfic >she's finishing up. > >What's the American custom with respect to Intensive Care Units? Would a >patient in an ICU be in a ward with other patients? Would there be a nurse >for each patient in the ward? Or would the patient be placed in a private >or >a semi-private room until he no longer needed intensive care? Does this >vary depending on the type of medical benefits you have, or would all >patients in this situation be treated the same? Would the size of the >hospital make any difference? > >Carol _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 08:19:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, Most ICU's have a central computer monitor if you will to observe patients in semi or private rooms; however much depends on what condition the patient is in. In cases where the patient is coming from surgery then the patient would be assigned to surgical ICU's or Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) for immediate post-op care. The care is usually one nurse for every two patients depending on the level of injury or care needed. The more complicated the care the more nurses that are needed to staff the unit. In addition to PACU's, hospital can have medical and cardiac ICU for their patients individual needs. As to the size of these units, many factors come in to play, most small hospital can't properly staff or maintain ICU's so patients that require that level of care are shipped to larger hospital in the area. This prevents a repeat of services, and centralized services have the best equipment, and personnel. If you need more specific information I can certainly elaborate by checking with other nurses at my hospital. I hope this helps. Wanda "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 08:57:58 -0700 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Kerth Nominations Update MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi everyone! Just a quick note to remind you that there is less than ONE WEEK left to send in your Kerth Awards nominations! Nominations close this coming Sunday, Feb. 18th, at midnight EST, and can be sent directly to me at erink@ida.net with "Kerth Nominations" in the subject line. I definitely appreciate everyone's participation with these Kerths as they couldn't be the success they are without your support. So make those decisions and send me those nominations no later than this Sunday! I know it's a tough decision to narrow down those favorite stories from 2000, but remember, you can nominate multiple stories in each category. For more information and the answers to some nominating FAQ, visit my Kerths nominations page at: http://www.ida.net/users/davek/kerth_nominating.html I look forward to seeing your nominations this week! Thanks! Erin :) __________________ erink@ida.net Visit my LNC/Kerth Website: www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "It's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." __________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 10:46:36 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit M>L Thompson enquired: > >What's the American custom with respect to Intensive Care Units? Would a > >patient in an ICU be in a ward with other patients? -----After open heart surgery, I was in a private room for a while, then transferred to semi-private room. There was a central nursing station with a patient monitor as well as a monitor in the room. In the private room there was a nurse in attendance at all times until I woke up and the respirator was removed. After returning home, I had a double stroke and was returned to ICU on an emergency basis and placed in a private room with a nurse always there until I was transferred to another hospital for additional tests, again in a private room but no nurse, until I was subsequently deemed strong enough to go home. Different hospitals have different routines depending on the size of the hospital, types of rooms available, what kinds of specialists are involved and severity of condition. If a patient is admitted, that patient would receive the best care the hospital could provide. Getting admitted without health benefits might be difficult and would certainly affect the number and quality of specialists involved. :) Jude ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 11:03:05 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit In honor of Valentine's Day, and of the fact that a number of people have already asked me if I ever intend to write another Lori and Clark story, I thought I'd dash off a little vignette. This one is semi-historical considering my usual type of story, because it has absolutely no A-plot whatsoever. Tank, be warned. This has everything you hate in it, so if your health is at all at risk, avoid it like the plague. Nan A Valentine Vignette By Nan Smith Superman arrived in the apartment he shared with his wife Lori, through the skylight. It had been a day that had kept him busy almost from the moment they had gotten out of bed this morning, starting with a severe snowstorm that had begun sometime during the night. Of course, February was the season for snowstorms, but it seemed as if it had just been the trigger for one disaster after another. In spite of all the anti-collision devices and navigational systems installed in ground and air vehicles alike, accidents always increased in this kind of weather. Impatience often led drivers to ignore the warnings of the various protective devices and do other unwise things, which frequently led to accidents. Human impatience was the one obstacle that modern science seemed unable to completely vanquish. He'd wanted to be home early today. Lori hadn't been feeling well for several days and had promised reluctantly to talk to the Kent family physician today. The lights were on when he touched down, and that meant Lori was probably home. He listened and instantly picked up her heartbeat in the bedroom and with it the soft sound of sobs. Instantly, he was in the room, to see his wife sitting on the bed, crying quietly. "Lori? What's wrong, honey?" At once, he was beside her, an arm around her. At the sound of his voice, she looked up, her eyes red and puffy and her nose running. Clark produced tissues for her. "Lori? Honey, what is it?" "Oh, Clark," she whispered. Clark quelled the surge of fear that rose in his chest. "Honey, what's the matter?" Lori wiped her eyes. "I saw Ronnie," she said. "Clark..." He took a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry." "Sweetheart, what *is* it?" Clark grasped her shoulders, trying to keep his voice steady. Surely, if it were too bad, his granddaughter would be here with Lori, wouldn't she? "You know how I've been feeling sick the last few days? I was feeling better today, and then... Well, after it happened, Ronnie ran some tests..." "What did she find?" Clark kept his voice level. "Clark..." Lori inhaled softly. "I was about six weeks pregnant, but I miscarried this afternoon. There was something wrong with the baby...it couldn't..." She began to sob in earnest. "I was going to have a baby, but I lost it. Oh, Clark, I'm so sorry..." "Oh, honey." He pulled her close, feeling a little guilty at the relief that surged through him. "It's all right. I thought--" Lori was still crying. "I didn't want children this soon, but now…I was going to have your baby and I didn't even know it, and now it's gone!" Clark smoothed her hair, making soothing sounds, simply holding her. "Lori, sweetheart, it's all right. It's not the end of the world. I'm sorry it happened, too, but I thought something was wrong with *you*!" Lori shook her head. "No, I'm fine--except for this. I know how much you want children--" "Shh." Clark held her tightly. "Honey, this happens, sometimes. It doesn't mean it will happen again." She sniffled. "You don't mind?" "Well...I didn't say that. I *do* want children, and I'm a little sad it happened, too, but it will be all right. Really." "Ronnie said that." She hiccupped. "She said it didn't mean anything was wrong with me...just that sometimes things go wrong." "They do, sometimes. But maybe the next time, when you're ready to have a baby, it won't." She was silent, cuddling against his chest. At last, she sat up. "I think, maybe I want a baby sooner than I thought," she said, softly. "I didn't realize it until I'd lost it." He wiped away the tears on her cheeks with the edge of his cape. "We can talk about it," he said. "Remember, once it's done there's no changing your mind." "I know." "And babies are a lot of work." "I know that, too." "And you still want to?" She nodded. "Well," he said, "we have a little while to think about it before we can try." "Ronnie said a week." "Then we'll have that week to make up our minds for certain." She gave him a tremulous smile. "I'm sorry, Clark. I feel like I failed you." "You could never fail me." He dabbed at fresh tears on her face with his cape again. "Lori, Lois miscarried once, too, and I never believed she failed me. Why should I think that about you? I'm only sorry that you feel so bad about it." He moved to kneel in front of her. "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. In less than a week it will be the anniversary of the day I found you. Sweetheart, do I need to tell you what a difference that day made in my life?" He took both her hands. "You changed the world for me, Lori. After I met you, it was full of hope again." "Really?" she whispered. "Really. And if you want a baby--*after* we've had time to talk about it--we'll try." "Oh, Clark." She slid down onto the floor with him to wrap her arms around his chest. "I love you so much." "And I love you." He tilted her face up to press a kiss on her lips. "Always and forever." The End ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 11:12:53 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: A valentine Vignette Addendum MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I know, I missed a couple of typos, but I've caught them. Just pretend they aren't there . Nan ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 16:56:31 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: Fanfic idea up for grabs Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann said: >Poor Jessi! Do you all get lots of snow days? Or do they just >think that >kids should get good educations in your town? Well, under normal circumstances, I'd tell you my district just seems to be a big fan of education, (Imagine that. Education in school. ) but this year we've had our fair share of snow days. I guess the streets disappearing underneath the snow for days at a time will do that. Jessi ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 23:23:54 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hey everyone :) I know it's an old, old question and I should probably have been paying = attention last time someone asked but....which real life US city is = Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest approximation thereto. Baltimore = was suggested last night on irc...is that the general consensus? Thanks! LabRat :)=20 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 15:22:43 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I know in the Christopher Reeve Superman movies it was New York City. Nan LabRat wrote: > Hey everyone :) > > I know it's an old, old question and I should probably have been paying attention last time someone asked but....which real life US city is Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest approximation thereto. Baltimore was suggested last night on irc...is that the general consensus? > > Thanks! > > LabRat :) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 19:49:27 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christy Landrum Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I think New York City too. Christy ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 20:12:54 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Diyan Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic >I know it's an old, old question and I should probably have been paying attention last time someone asked but....which real life US city is Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest approximation thereto. Baltimore was suggested last night on irc...is that the general consensus? the reason this question is so old is because there is no right answer. We know that it's on the east coast, and there is the Hobbs Bay (and the Hobbs River?), so it seems to me to be closest to New York. But we know is isn't New York because in "Man of Steel Bars" Lois mentioned what temperature it was in New York and in (Chicago?) as opposed to what temperature it was in Metropolis. I tend to think of New Troy as an extra piece of land (the lost city of Atlantis didn't sink in the L&C universe, but rather drifted away from Greece and ran into the east coast of what later became the US) and Metropolis is the largest city in the US. On the map we see in the Pilot, Metropolis is at about the same location as Baltimore, but as far as Zoom know, there's no other connection. -Dia ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 19:50:04 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Amy Lauters Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oh, goody, a question I can answer based on my current research! :) We're never told where Metropolis is, but I can tell you that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster modeled it on Toronto, Canada. However that helps. :) Amy ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 20:45:47 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/12/01 8:14:10 PM Eastern Standard Time, zimri@HOTMAIL.COM writes: > On the map we see in the Pilot, Metropolis is at about the same location as > Baltimore, but as far as Zoom know, there's no other connection. > > I always thought it looked like it was about in the location of Delaware or New Jersey. As far as Baltimore goes, it has always been a somewhat provincial city, and certainly nowhere near large enough to be Metropolis. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 21:36:04 -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: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit That's a lovely vignette, Nan, thank you! I'm always happy to see Clark and Lori, and this was just such a nice look at a tender moment between them... -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:19:16 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit << We're never told where Metropolis is, but I can tell you that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster modeled it on Toronto, Canada. >> Actually, I believe they modeled it off of Cleveland. Both were high school students at Glenville High School in Cleveland's East Side when they created Superman. (Although Shuster lived in Canada until he was 10, when he moved to Cleveland.) They even named some of the characters, ie Lois, after people they went to school with. At Glenville, Siegel and friends put out the weekly student newspaper. (For anyone who's interested, this information and lots of other interesting stuff can be found in the book Superman at Fifty: The Persistence of a Legend, edited by Dennis Dooley and Gary Engle.) Christy attalanta@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 20:24:29 -0700 Reply-To: Rhonda Robinson Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rhonda Robinson Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi everyone, Just to add to the debate, I vaguely remember reading that both Metropolis and Gotham City were modeled after New York. Houston Street was the dividing line, with one city modeled after NoHo (north of Houston) and one after SoHo (south of Houston), but I can't remember which was based on which part. Can someone check sources and verify or correct this? Bye, Rhonda ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:05:10 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Amy Lauters Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > << We're never told where Metropolis is, but I can tell you that Jerry Siegel > and Joe Shuster modeled it on Toronto, Canada. >> > > Actually, I believe they modeled it off of Cleveland. >> It's true they were in Cleveland when they created Superman; that's where they met and also found "Lois." But from what I've read (and that _Superman at Fifty_ book is great!) a lot of the elements that they worked into the city of Metropolis came from those early experiences in Toronto. At least, that's according to Les Daniels in _Superman, The Complete History: The Life and Times of the Man of Steel_ (1998). I guess it's just one of those mythic places that evolved from a number of sources and inspirations. :) Amy ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:04:20 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi there! Sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to you - but I hadn't read the first 3 yet and since I accidently started reading part3 of Honeymoon - I decided I couldn't wait any longer! While I'm not sure I buy into the whole reincarnation thing (okay - I'm sure I don't), I LOVED your stories! They are great! I am glad that I have found this wonderful place! CM Oh - and for those of you who are keeping up with me and my first time through LC - *whew* Max is GONE!!! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 23:10:01 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Shawn Catlin Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic In-Reply-To: <000f01c09582$ed60b900$0f02000a@csd.uwm.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII that may all be true, but Metropolis is in Illinois... On Mon, 12 Feb 2001, Amy Lauters wrote: > > << We're never told where Metropolis is, but I can tell you that Jerry > Siegel > > and Joe Shuster modeled it on Toronto, Canada. >> > > > > Actually, I believe they modeled it off of Cleveland. >> > > > It's true they were in Cleveland when they created Superman; that's where > they met and also found "Lois." But from what I've read (and that _Superman > at Fifty_ book is great!) a lot of the elements that they worked into the > city of Metropolis came from those early experiences in Toronto. At least, > that's according to Les Daniels in _Superman, The Complete History: The Life > and Times of the Man of Steel_ (1998). > > I guess it's just one of those mythic places that evolved from a number of > sources and inspirations. :) > > Amy > ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:33:23 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you, Carol; I appreciate the feedback. As for the reincarnation thing, it's part of Lois and Clark canon, so it's "legal" . If you haven't seen the "Soul Mates" ep in the fourth season, be prepared. After all, it's no wierder than a man who can fly. I just didn't like the idea that someday Clark might have to go on without Lois, or vice versa, so I came up with a way around it. I'm not the only writer who has this same obsession and hunted around for a way to deal with it, I can tell you. We all take our Lois and Clark very seriously here. :-) Anyway, thanks for dropping me a note. It's the stuff writers thrive on, here in LnC land. Nan Carol L Moncado wrote: > Hi there! Sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to you - but I > hadn't read the first 3 yet and since I accidently started reading part3 > of Honeymoon - I decided I couldn't wait any longer! > > While I'm not sure I buy into the whole reincarnation thing (okay - I'm > sure I don't), I LOVED your stories! They are great! I am glad that I > have found this wonderful place! > > CM > > Oh - and for those of you who are keeping up with me and my first time > through LC - *whew* Max is GONE!!! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:37:57 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Pam! Thanks for the note. The idea sort of popped into my head last night when I was trying to think of something to write for Valentine's Day. I figured everyone else would be doing short stories of Lois and Clark so I decided to be a bit different. Have to keep up my reputation, you know. > That's a lovely vignette, Nan, thank you! I'm always happy to see Clark > and Lori, and this was just such a nice look at a tender moment between > them... > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:37:46 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Pam! Thanks for the note. The idea sort of popped into my head last night when I was trying to think of something to write for Valentine's Day. I figured everyone else would be doing short stories of Lois and Clark so I decided to be a bit different. Have to keep up my reputation, you know. Nan Pam Jernigan wrote: > That's a lovely vignette, Nan, thank you! I'm always happy to see Clark > and Lori, and this was just such a nice look at a tender moment between > them... > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 22:38:39 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, I accidentally sent the darn thing twice. Just ignore the second one. Nan Pam Jernigan wrote: > That's a lovely vignette, Nan, thank you! I'm always happy to see Clark > and Lori, and this was just such a nice look at a tender moment between > them... > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 05:21:52 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks, everyone, for your help. It sounds like there's some variation. Only wish some of your experiences with the system hadn't been acquired in such harrowing ways. Carol ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:34:56 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hey guys. Many, many thanks for your responses to my question, both here and privately. Re, the privately, I'm not sure how many of those were intended to be private or simply got misdirected, so I won't bother to post them here to the list. :) Now, funnily enough NYC had always been in my mind too. But I also had the vague feeling that it had been mentioned in the show at some point, so thanks Dia for confirming my suspicions there. And Zoom. :) So...if it ain't NYC... Delaware was also mentioned in our irc discussion last night, so you're not alone in thinking that the map pointed to around about that location, Ann. And...Illinois, Shawn? Okay, lots to think about here then. Thanks for the help. Appreciated. :) LabRat :) > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:36:22 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Actually, I take that back. A proper look at some of these messages and = the style makes it clear they were intended for the list. So...fwding. = :) LabRat :) ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Aerm1@aol.com=20 To: labrat@blueyonder.co.uk=20 Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 1:42 AM Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic In a message dated 2/12/01 6:19:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,=20 labrat@BLUEYONDER.CO.UK writes:=20 ....which real life US city is Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest = approximation thereto. Baltimore was suggested last night on = irc...is that=20 the general consensus?=20 Good question. I used to read Superman comics in Baltimore and it = never=20 occurred to me that Metropolis was really Baltimore. I always thought = it was=20 supposed to be New York.=20 Ann=20 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:36:58 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fwding... L > New York City is commonly referred to as Metropolis. I would say it's > become a part of the vernacular. NYC is also called Gotham. So to many > people the two superheroes inhabited the same environs. :) Jude > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "LabRat" > To: > Sent: Monday, February 12, 2001 3:23 PM > Subject: Question for a Fanfic > > > Hey everyone :) > > I know it's an old, old question and I should probably have been paying > attention last time someone asked but....which real life US city is > Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest approximation thereto. Baltimore was > suggested last night on irc...is that the general consensus? > > Thanks! > > LabRat :) > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:37:33 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fwding.... L > In a message dated 02/12/2001 6:19:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, > labrat@BLUEYONDER.CO.UK writes: > > << which real life US city is Metropolis supposed to be? Or closest > approximation thereto. Baltimore was suggested last night on irc...is that > the general consensus? >> > > BALTIMORE???? Hmm, I always thought it was sort of New York like with the > river and the island in the river... > > --Laurie (only an hour train ride from the big apple) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 07:41:21 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A New Beginning, Final MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is a very original start for Lois and Clark. Only, I didn't like it that Tuck got away. When Superman appeared, he'd know, and would undoubtedly cause trouble--but, then, maybe that's what you intended. Nan > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 12:19:18 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Diyan Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic On Mon, 12 Feb 2001 23:10:01 -0500, Shawn Catlin wrote: >that may all be true, but Metropolis is in Illinois... > yes, and Paris is in Arkansas... LabRat - there is a Metropolis, Il, which is, as far as I know, the only town named Metropolis in the States. There is an annuel Superman festival there -Dia (who notes there is also a London, AR, a St. Paul, AR, and some tiny communities that none the less show up on the map, named Boston and Dallas) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:45:28 -0000 Reply-To: LabRat Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Organization: LabRat Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dia wrote: > LabRat - there is a Metropolis, Il, which is, as far as I know, the only > town named Metropolis in the States. There is an annuel Superman festival > there > > -Dia (who notes there is also a London, AR, a St. Paul, AR, and some tiny > communities that none the less show up on the map, named Boston and Dallas) Thanks for the clarification, Dia. :) I think there's probably an almost everything most anywhere in the US. When researching a fanfic for another fandom some years ago I was constantly amused and delighted by some of the old western town names. You could basically make up the weirdest name you liked and it wouldn't have looked out of place or been challenged as implausible. LabRat :) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:30:46 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 02/13/2001 12:19:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, zimri@HOTMAIL.COM writes: << who notes there is also a London, AR, a St. Paul, AR, >> And don't forget London, Ontario, Southampton and lots of other UK-type names on Long Island, New York, and out in western NY, you have Bagdad, Persia, Versailles, and Cuba and not far from the NJ border there's Florida. --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 10:43:56 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: medical question for a fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit C.C. Malo wrote: > ML Thompson has asked me to post these questions to the list for a fanfic > she's finishing up. > > What's the American custom with respect to Intensive Care Units? Would a > patient in an ICU be in a ward with other patients? Would there be a nurse > for each patient in the ward? Or would the patient be placed in a private or > a semi-private room until he no longer needed intensive care? Does this > vary depending on the type of medical benefits you have, or would all > patients in this situation be treated the same? Would the size of the > hospital make any difference? > > Carol ----------- Most of my hospital experience actually on the job has been as an OB nurse, but for a very short time I worked in the ICU unit of a small hospital. Because it was small, it was the only ICU the hospital had, so we had critical patients of all kinds there. As I recall, all the patients were in the same room, separated from each other in small, curtained booths. There was a nurses' station where we had the vital signs of the cardiac patients displayed so the charge nurse could keep an eye on them, and the week I worked there I was assigned to three patients as my own personal responsibility. I took care of everything but treatments that required technicians who specialized in those particular areas. Now, as this was a small, private hospital, these patients all had medical insurance, but when I worked at Los Angeles County Medical Center, by contrast, benefits didn't matter because it was run by the county. That's all I can tell you, really. I worked at the patient level most of the time, and even when I was a charge nurse my focus was on my ward, not on hospital administration, so what different hospital policies may be are a bit beyond me. Nan Nan ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 16:36:47 +1100 Reply-To: "jenerator@ozemail.com.au" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jen Stosser Subject: Question about Clark growing up MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm working on a fanfic, and wondered if anyone knew when the "Where Did I Come From?" books were first published? Would Clark have been exposed to these books (or similar) when he was going through puberty? And in a community like Smallville would there have been sex ed classes at school at the same time? Or would he have learned everything from watching the cows in the fields? Jen jenerator@ozemail.com.au -*-This message is umop ap!sdn (Jenerator or Some1Else on IRC) -*- JenerEight on AIM -Photos of David (8) and Megan (5) on the Stosser Family HomePage http//www.geocities.com/j_stosser Please sign our guestbook! -----Original Message----- From: Shawn Catlin [SMTP:magneto@BC.SEFLIN.ORG] Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 3:10 PM To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Subject: Re: [LOISCLA-GENERAL-L] Question for a Fanfic that may all be true, but Metropolis is in Illinois... On Mon, 12 Feb 2001, Amy Lauters wrote: > > << We're never told where Metropolis is, but I can tell you that Jerry > Siegel > > and Joe Shuster modeled it on Toronto, Canada. >> > > > > Actually, I believe they modeled it off of Cleveland. >> > > > It's true they were in Cleveland when they created Superman; that's where > they met and also found "Lois." But from what I've read (and that _Superman > at Fifty_ book is great!) a lot of the elements that they worked into the > city of Metropolis came from those early experiences in Toronto. At least, > that's according to Les Daniels in _Superman, The Complete History: The Life > and Times of the Man of Steel_ (1998). > > I guess it's just one of those mythic places that evolved from a number of > sources and inspirations. :) > > Amy > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 12:38:27 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit And there is a Mexico, MO! And a Cuba as well! CM On Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:30:46 EST No Name Available writes: > In a message dated 02/13/2001 12:19:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, > zimri@HOTMAIL.COM writes: > > << who notes there is also a London, AR, a St. Paul, AR, >> > > And don't forget London, Ontario, > Southampton and lots of other UK-type names on Long Island, New > York, > and out in western NY, you have Bagdad, Persia, Versailles, and > Cuba and > not far from the NJ border there's Florida. > > --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 14:50:41 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: btinternetmail Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Nancy This was sad but very sweet and lovely for Valentine's Day. Regards EileenB ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 15:57:31 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/13/01 12:19:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, zimri@HOTMAIL.COM writes: > Paris is in Arkansas... > and in Kentucky and Texas, and who knows where else. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 21:44:40 -0000 Reply-To: Yvonne Connell Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Medical/gun question for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Many thanks to everyone who replied to my question. It looks like the fleshy upper arm is the ideal location for lodging my bullet . Yvonne (yvonne@yconnell.fsnet.co.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:39:37 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit New York. "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 15:09:19 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: A Valentine Vignette MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you for the feedback, Eileen. Nan btinternetmail wrote: > Nancy > > This was sad but very sweet and lovely for Valentine's Day. > > Regards > EileenB ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 18:18:47 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Medical/gun question for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 02/13/2001 4:42:38 PM Eastern Standard Time, yvonne@YCONNELL.FSNET.CO.UK writes: << It looks like the fleshy upper arm is the ideal location for lodging my bullet >> Hmm, I didn't know Yvonne played with guns. Have to watch out for her! --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:05:12 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: RFC822 error: MESSAGE-ID field duplicated. Last occurrence was retained. From: Debby Subject: Note from Debby Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Just a note to let you know that about 10 minutes ago I learned that my ISP, cais, is apparently pulling out of our apartment complex for a variety of reasons that add up to they can't give us good service and they blame us. I don't even know if this message will reach you though I suspect it will. However, if you write to me and it bounces, rest assured that I will get back to you eventually. If I have enough notice, I will try to unsubscribe or suspend any egroups I'm in before they start bouncing. Apartment management assures me that they're looking now for a good replacement service. Our cable TV provider is making all kinds of promises about high speed service being available... eventually. I can always sign up with earthlink and get a cute little camera :) Debby at, for now, huitziln@cais.net (I have another eddress, dstark@darkmage.net, but can't access it easily without a connection here at home) 611 Lead SW, Apt 918 Albuquerque, NM 87102 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 19:46:46 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Valentine=92s?= Day Rules MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit This is total WAFF, but what can I say? It’s Valentine’s Day and I couldn’t help myself. Valentine’s Day Rules by Gerry “Okay, here are this year’s rules.” “Make sure that there are only a maximum of three. Two years ago you kept on adding rules.” “Don’t worry. I’ve kept it very simple this year. I want a romantic evening. You can’t spend any money on it. Those are the rules.” “Can’t I even bring you a dozen roses?” “No. Unless you have a rose garden of your own, forget it.” “Martha, that’s not fair. You know that I’m not good at these things. You’re the creative one, not me. I’m the farmer.” “I have faith in you. You can do this and I’m sure that it will be our best Valentine’s Day ever.” “Martha, I’m a grandfather already. I’m getting too old for this.” “No, you’re not. How can you be too old if I’m not?” “Okay. We’ll have a fire in the fireplace and we’ll make love. That doesn’t cost any money.” “No. Romance does not equal sex.” “Is that another rule?” “No. It’s a clarification. I want romance. It’s Valentine’s Day” she said as she pecked him on the cheek. “Although romance can lead to sex if you play your cards right.” “This isn’t easy, Martha. I’m drawing a blank here.” “I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Two weeks later with Valentine’s Day only two days off, Jonathan still didn’t have a clue how to make Valentine’s Day romantic for Martha without spending money. That was really the hard part because he had to do something special and it couldn’t be as simple as buying roses or a box of chocolate. He was really stumped and time was running out. He hadn’t had that many problems in the past when there were innumerablebut simple rules. He loved Martha, that was for sure. Their love had grown over the forty-five years that they had been married. They gone through their ups and downs. The years before they found Clark had been extremely hard. Martha was depressed that she couldn’t have children, but because she didn’t want to upset him, she didn’t confide in him. They began to move in different directions and for a time he was afraid that she would drift so far away that she would leave him. After they found Clark, they began to talk about Martha’s fears of being childless in a child-oriented community and her fears that Jonathan was disappointed in her because she couldn’t give him a child. Their talks helped lift the cloud over Martha’s head and allowed them to become the strong family that they were now. They had a rocky time again when he believed that Martha was having an affair with her art instructor. Thinking about that really embarrassed him. How could he have flown to Metropolis with that nude painting and actually shown it to his son? He smiled at Clark’s reaction. “Mom?” was all his articulate son could say. Jonathan was so jealous that he didn’t think how uncomfortable he made his son. He was also so jealous that he couldn’t see clearly enough that all Martha wanted was some space. They talked about it and they made up. Holding her again was like coming home. He wouldn’t let go of her so quickly again. The peonies were a nice touch. He wondered if there were any available for picking at this time of year. He couldn’t pay for them anyway, so what did it matter? Even when he tried to do something romantic, it didn’t turn out the way he planned. For one of their anniversaries, and Martha would be upset that he didn’t remember exactly which one, he set up a whole chain of gifts. So what happened? They got kidnapped by Jason Mazik and the whole house of cards collapsed. In the end, Martha was pleased with the trip to Italy, but the total impact of the gift was lost. That had been the last time he tried anything creative. A simple gift was enough. Sitting in that prison wasn’t so bad now that he was looking back. He knew that Martha wasn’t angry at him for what he had said to her mother. Besides, he and Martha got to be alone without any interruptions. And then he knew what he was going to do for Martha. On the morning of Valentine’s Day, Martha came down to the kitchen surprised to smell fresh coffee brewing and Jonathan nowhere in sight. That didn’t surprise her. She figured that he was out in the barn doing whatever he did out in the barn so that he wouldn’t have to face her this morning. She knew that it would have been easier to put a price tag on the day and not put so much emphasis on the romantic part. Jonathan was such a good man; he just didn’t say little endearing things or surprise her with little gifts. He wasn’t stingy. She always bought what she or they needed. He showed her that he loved her over and over in his actions. He was always attentive. He was never interested in other women. He was a wonderful husband and a wonderful father. Clark was so lucky to have a man who put so much love and effort into raising his son. No wonder Clark was such a wonderful husband and father. The more she got to know Jonathan, even after forty-five years, the more she loved him. But, he wasn’t romantic. So why was she torturing him like this? She was sixty-five years old and she just wanted a little fun and a little romance. In front of the coffee pot was a note addressed to her. It was from Jonathan. M, Do whatever it is you do today and then when you come home, I’ll take care of everything. Love J Well, maybe he is getting into this year’s rules. Intrigued, Martha went about her daily chores until early afternoon when she went into Smallville for her weekly art class. Martha came home late from her class and found the house dimly lit. She entered into the front hallway and heard an old favorite Glen Miller album playing in the background. As soon as she closed the door, Jonathan, in a tuxedo, appeared. He took her coat and hat, purse and package. As he hung up her coat, he sent her up to the bedroom to find something more appropriate for the evening. She found one of her favourite evening dresses lying on the bed with the matching shoes on the floor beside it. She quickly washed up, dressed and went downstairs to see what else Jonathan had in store for her. Good smells were coming from the kitchen, but Jonathan, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, gently escorted her into the candle lit dining room. The music played softly in the background, and Jonathan placed his arm around Martha’s waist and pulled her in closer to him. They began to sway rhythmically to the music. “How’m I doin'’ so far?” he asked. “Wonderfully,” Martha laughed as Jonathan turned her around and then dipped her. When the music ended, Jonathan escorted Martha to her chair at the table, and then he went into the kitchen. Dinner was a simple affair. Home baked bread and beef stew that she had put in the freezer a while back and a fresh tossed salad, but Martha appreciated it because she didn’t have to plan it or prepare it. “Looks like dessert also came out of my freezer,” Martha laughed as she saw the generous portions of blueberry pie topped with vanilla ice cream. “I did make the coffee from scratch, and it is decaf the way you like it.” “Everything is perfect.” And it was Martha realized. They hadn’t talked about Clark or Lois or the children. They hadn’t talked about the farm or the weather or money. They hadn’t talked about their friends. For the first time in many years they allowed themselves to talk about themselves, about their marriage, the good times and the bad times, but mostly about the good. And they talked about the years that passed and the years they had to look forward to and how they would spend that time together. At the end of dinner, Martha and Jonathan cleared the table together. “Jonathan, these flowers are really beautiful. But you weren’t supposed to spend any money.” “I didn’t.” “So where did these flowers come from? “I’m not quite sure exactly where they came from, but I know that I didn’t pay for them.” “Did anyone else?” “No. I don’t cheat at the rules, Martha. You see, I was thinking of getting you peonies, but I knew that would be against the rules because they don’t grown in our garden in February. So, I called Clark and asked him if he could find peonies anywhere, but he couldn’t pay for them because I couldn’t pay him back. Clark called back and said that he couldn’t find any, but if I wanted he would find some really nice flowers for me. So, I said yes. These are the flowers. He picked them in the rainforest. I think Lois ended up with a similar bouquet.” “They’re beautiful.” “Not as beautiful as you are, Martha.” Martha leaned over and kissed Jonathan on the cheek. “You’re getting better at this romantic stuff, Jonathan. I told you that you could do it.” Jonathan moved closer to Martha and kissed her lips. She wrapped her arms around him and drew him closer. “Wanna huggy dance some more?” “Not yet, I’ve got some more planned. Next part of the evening is a nice wintry walk.” “I wanna huggy dance inside. It’s cold outside.” “Come on. Let’s get our warm woollies on.” Bundled up, the two walked out of the house to the oak tree overlooking the barn. It was a special place where they used to go to be alone. When they were first married, Jonathan had put up a swing for Martha. Later it was used by Clark and now when the grandchildren visited, they played on it. Martha sat on the swing as they once more talked about the years that had passed. “Come here. I have to show you something.” Jonathan said. As Martha got closer to the back of the tree, she saw that Jonathan had inscribed their initials inside a heart. JK & MK Martha leaned into Jonathan once more and kissed him. “Come on. It’s really getting cold out here, let’s go inside. I’ll put some more logs on the fire,” he suggested. In the living room, Martha sat cuddled up to Jonathan. “So, how did I do?” “Mmmm,” Martha murmured, “You did really well. You can be romantic if you want to.” Martha nuzzled up to his neck. “This was hard for you, wasn’t it?” “In the beginning, it was. I panicked because I really didn’t know what to do to make the evening romantic. And then I started thinking about the good times and the rough times we had. I realized that the best times happened when we were together, just by ourselves without any of the daily chores and worries to interrupt us. Being locked in Mazik’s cell was nice when we didn’t worry about Clark. We had time to talk about moments in our lives that we shared.” “I was really scared then.” “Me too, but at least we were together.” Jonathan began placing gentle kisses on Martha’s forehead, on her nose, her cheeks until he reached her lips. “I love you, Martha. I don’t need Valentine’s Day to know that. And I should know at this point, that I don’t need Valentine’s Day to tell you.” His lips lingered over hers lightly brushing against them until she drew him closer to her and they deepened the kiss. Martha’s hands moved slowly from Jonathan’s face to his neck and she began to fumble with his bow tie. “You do know how to romance a girl, Jonathan. As she began to undo his tie, she whispered seductively, “And sometimes, romance can lead to sex.” Happy Valentine’s Day ############## “Martha?” “Yes, Jonathan.” “What about all those people reading about us?” “Tell them to go away. This isn’t nfic and we’d like our privacy.” “Go away.” ############### Feedback welcome. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:39:54 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Irene D." Subject: Re: Valentine’s Day Rules In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii A big heartfelt 'AWWWW' is resounding through my office at this moment in time, Gerry. Very sweet! I loved this! Irene __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 18:17:04 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Valentines Day Rules MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This was sweet, Gerry, and appropriate. People sometimes forget what a happy marriage (and by extension a romance) Jonathan and Martha must have had. Oh, and a very cute post script. Nan ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 21:45:58 -0600 Reply-To: truitt22@flash.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: timothy truitt Organization: tnt technical services Subject: Re: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Valentine=92s?= Day Rules MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerry, nice waffy Valentine's gift. Thanks. merry ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 23:04:14 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit LabRat said: >And...Illinois, Shawn? I'm not Shawn, but, you bet, Illinois, and if anyone doubts it, I've got the pictures from this summer to prove it. Metropolis, IL, besides holding the Superman Festival every year, also has what's probably the country's biggest Superman museum. (With the exception of Zoom's house, of course. ) I wouldn't recommend any FoLC go way out of their way to get there, but if you happen to be passing through southern Illinois, it's definitely worth a stop. If nothing else, you'll have an opportunity to touch an actual suit worn by Dean. (Okay, you're not really *supposed* to touch it, but no one was looking, and my brother did it first, so...) I've also got pictures now of those newspaper's up in Perry's office, the police jacket Clark wore in Church of Metropolis, a first(?) season outfit of Lois', campaign posters from TA, and gobs and gobs of other things. Someone, believe it or not, has collected Lois and Clark items more obsessively than we have. One of my favorites was a pin that read only "I saw *the* kiss." I looked suspiciously like a fan creation to me. Does anyone know the story behind that? Jessi jessi914@mail.com ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 23:58:09 -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: Question about Clark growing up On Tue, 13 Feb 2001 16:36:47 +1100, Jen Stosser wrote: >I'm working on a fanfic, and wondered if anyone knew when the "Where Did I >Come From?" books were first published? Would Clark have been exposed to >these books (or similar) when he was going through puberty? I can't say that I read that exact book, but I did read books that answered these sorts of questions when I was a kid. There were the classic fiction books by authors like Judy Blume, where the main characters were pre-teens going through puberty with all the questions that go with that. But I know there were also educational series that took a more biological and social approach, talking to kids about what they were feeling, what was happening biologically in their bodies, and how behavior decisions had consequences. For the fanfic, I would think you could have Martha order any kind of book mail order if the Smallville Public Library wouldn't have it, or maybe have her pick up some books in a visit to "the big city". > And in a >community like Smallville would there have been sex ed classes at school at >the same time? Or would he have learned everything from watching the cows >in the fields? I'm around Clark's age, but I didn't grow up in a small farming town, so I'm not sure if/how things would be different. In the big city suburbs where I grew up, we had to watch a video in 5th or 6th grade (age 10-11-12) about growing up. The girls were in one room and the boys in another. The girls' video would talk about getting your period -- I have no idea what the boys' would talk about, though I could probably guess. Then in 9th grade (age 14), as part of the Physical Education/Health class, we had a few-week-long unit on sex ed, again in single-gender classrooms. I had a teacher who took the unit very seriously, and she was a very "academic" instructor, so we had to memorize all the proper names for all the body parts (male and female), learn all the biological details of everything, etc. My husband grew up in a different city in the same state, though, and he says his unit was only a couple of days long, not weeks. I was originally going to say that the coverage of such topics would be mandated by each state's Board of Education, but apparently that doesn't extend to how much time would be spent in each given school district. Hope that gives you something to go on, Kathy ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 21:26:44 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Valentine's Day Rules MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerry: What a great story! It was just perfect for the occasion. How did you know my valentine fantasy? Maybe rules will work for my Jon. :) Jude ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 00:04:30 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My name is Carol and I am indecisive. This is Indecisive Anonymous, isn't it? Oh, no this is the LC list! AHHHH! This is a sequel to my recently critically acclaimed :o) "Lois and Clark and the IRS", but it is the first one. The other one - due out tomorrow for Valentine's Day - will be very different, though also a sequel - just a different reality. I hate not being able to decide which way to go! So I go all directions! I just wanted to get in on the Valentine's Day stuff - so here it is! CM ***** "Mrs. Kent?" Lois didn't move. "Mrs. Kent?" The voice was more persistent this time. "Mrs. Kent?" This time the voice couldn't be ignored. She looked at the face the voice was coming from. "What?" "It's time to get up, sweetheart." "Clark, I don't want to." "Sorry, gotta go. Perry will be really mad if we are late AGAIN!" "Aren't we newlyweds for a year after getting married?" Lois swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Honey, we've been married almost a year and a half." "But we've only KNOWN about it for nine months." Clark helped her up. "Whew! Sometimes I wish you had been inadequate?" Clark grinned. "Haven't we had this conversation a few times recently?" "As long as I look like a beached whale, I get to wish you were inadequate." "But, honey. You look beautiful." Clark kissed her forehead and held her as close as he could. She glared at him. The patented Lane-Kent glare. She waddled towards the bathroom, her hands rubbing her stomach, knowing she wouldn't exchange this child for anything. At the same time, she was moody and she really did feel like a whale. And to make matters worse, Clark and Perry wouldn't let her investigate anything. And on top of all of that, this child was half-Kryptonian. No one knew exactly what kind of delivery this would be. Two more weeks and they'd know. ***** Clark sighed as he watched his wife walk into the bathroom. She *was* beautiful. She just couldn't understand that she was even more beautiful know that she was carrying his child. Today was Valentine's Day and he wanted the first Valentine's Day as a married couple to be special. *Well,* he thought ruefully, *we were married last year, we just didn't know it.* He smiled. He hoped today would be perfect! ***** Some time later, Lois walked into the living room. "Aren't you ready yet?" She asked her partner/best friend/husband/father of her child. He was sitting on the couch in his sleep shorts watching the news. It irritated her to no end that he could be ready in seconds, literally. She tried to watch as he got ready, but her eyes just couldn't keep up. One second he was there, shorts and all. Then he was gone, with a wooshing sound. Then he was back, suit and tie in place. She mumbled, "You know, I'd really like to be able to do that." "Sorry, honey." He kissed her gently. "Happy Valentine's Day." He handed her a bouquet of a dozen red roses. She groaned. "Clark, I forgot all about Valentine's Day. And it's our first Valentine's Day together." He kissed her softly. "It's okay, sweetie. You are already giving me the best gifts I could ask for. You and that baby of ours. That is all I ever want." He kissed her nose. "We better go or even the S-Express couldn't get us to work on-time." Lois just looked at him, disappointed in herself that she had forgotten such an important day. She'd have to make it up to him later. Much later. Her doctor had said no more 'inadequacy tests' until after the baby was born. He wouldn't even let her have chocolate! ***** The day was long and boring for Lois. She didn't want to be at work. She didn't want to be anywhere really. Except maybe in Clark's arms. He had been gone most of the day, making discrete flying motions at her as he left. Clark smiled as he walked into the newsroom. He could hear their heartbeats from miles away. All three of them. He had debated telling Lois, but she insisted that she didn't want to know if they were having a boy or a girl. He had asked her if she would want to know if they were having more than one baby before he even knew and she had said no. He had been forbidden to use his x-ray vision to see if he could tell the gender of their child - children - but he couldn't keep his hearing from picking up the extra heartbeat several months ago. He had almost blurted it out to her when he first realized it and many times since, but he had kept his promise. Every time they bought a crib or something else for the new baby, he would go back later and purchase another one. The extras were stashed at his parent's house. They knew the secret, of course, and they couldn't be more excited. He really hadn't been out rescuing people. He had been putting the final touches on his plan for the evening. They were going to have a romantic candlelit dinner. And maybe some dancing. If Lois was up to it. It was getting harder and harder for her to get around. He was planning a nice back and foot rub for her. He knew she would need it. And he wanted to pick out baby names. Two of each. He smiled. She had promised to talk about it two weeks before she was due, and not before. And Superman was going to be no where to be seen. He walked up behind her and gently rubbed her shoulders. "Hey, how ya doin'?" "How do you think I'm doing?" Lois was perpetually grumpy these days. "It's almost over." "I know. Two more weeks." Perry stuck his head out of his office. "Lois! Clark! My office. Now." Lois sighed. "Wonder what he wants now?" Clark smiled. It was all part of his plan. They walked into the office. "Now, you two now how happy we all are for you, right?" Perry jumped right in and waited for nods. "Good. Now get out of here." Lois couldn't believe it. Perry never let them leave early. "It's only four, Perry." "So? It's Valentine's Day. Get out of here before I change my mind." "Come on, Lois. He's the boss. You have to listen to him." Clark guided her out of the office and helped her gather her things. She complained constantly that he wouldn't let her carry anything, but he knew that she secretly liked it. He held her hand as they walked towards the elevator. "So, what's the plan for tonight? More Kevin Costner films? Or is it Russell Crowe this week? We finished Mel Gibson already didn't we?" "No movies." "What are we doing then?" Movies had been their way of spending their evenings once physical activity had been crossed off by the doctor. "You'll see." Clark grinned at her, knowing it would drive her nuts. "Tell me, Clark." "No." They arrived at the Jeep and he helped her in. No driving for this mama and it drove her nuts. Fifteen minutes later they pulled into the garage of their new home, a three bedroom house in the suburbs. Lois opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks. Clark was already inside, though she hadn't seen him get there. She ALWAYS went in first. He was holding a steaming pan of penne pasta and the green salad was already on the table. Candles were lit and music was playing softly in the background. "Oh, Clark," was all she could say. He set the dinner on the table and helped her with her coat. "Milady, your dinner is served." He knew that to anyone else it would seem early for dinner, but Lois liked to eat early these days. He held her chair for her gallantly. She sat and he sat across from her. They enjoyed a quiet dinner together. No calls came for Superman, but he knew that he would have ignored them unless it was something really major. After Clark cleaned up - Lois barely had time to wipe her mouth with her napkin and he was done - and they went into the living room. On the floor, next to a roaring fire, were blankets and pillows arranged invitingly. "Have a seat, my love." He helped her lower her pregnant self to the floor. He picked a couple of books off of the end table and sat down next to her. She cuddled as close to him as she could. "Dinner was divine, Clark. What's next? Back rub?" She looked at him hopefully. "Later, my little tornado. I don't want you to fall asleep just yet!" "I have made a habit of that, haven't I?" "It's okay. I would say that I understand, but I don't." "You're right - you don't." Lois grimaced. "And as happy as I am to be having your child, be glad that you don't have to got through this. I don't think that even Superman could deal with this." Clark smiled and kissed her forehead. "I KNOW he couldn't. Here's what I was thinking." He showed her the books. "You're due in two weeks, so it's time we started talking names." Lois took the books and commented, "Clark, do we really need name books? Can't we just pick out names that we like?" "Sure. That's what I thought we would do. These are just in case we get stuck." "Oh, okay. So what's first - a boy's name or a girl's?" Clark knew he had to word this carefully. "What I was thinking was this. Why don't we pick out two of each? And when the baby is born, we can see which one fits. I don't want to be stuck with a name that doesn't seem to fit." Lois smiled. "That actually is a good idea, Clark." Clark smiled. She didn't suspect a thing. They spent the next hour discussing names and finally had two of each that they liked. A boy would be Jonathan Samuel or Noah Christopher. A girl would be Ashleigh Marie or Kameron Elizabeth. Only Clark knew that they would need two of the names. ***** An hour later, after they had decided on the names, Lois was almost asleep. Clark had started with her feet, gently massaging them, knowing how she liked her foot rubs. He had massaged her calves and then her thigh muscles. By the time he made it to her back, it was almost lights out for Lois. Somehow, she found the energy to murmur. "Clark?" "Yes, honey?" "Thank you." "For what?" "For tonight. For the dinner and the massage. And for Jonathan or Noah or Ashleigh or Kami. And for loving me and convincing me to stay married to you." Clark lay down next to her, knowing that she would soon be asleep and he would get up and do his nightly rounds. He wrapped his arms around her. "Lois, I am the one who is thankful. For you and Jonathan or Noah or Ashleigh or Kami. And for you staying married to me and letting me love you the way you deserve to be loved." He wondered if he would get a response. He didn't. Lois and their children were sound asleep. "Happy Valentine's Day." He kissed her forehead and held her until he went to sleep to. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 01:22:20 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Lorie Y. Crisp" Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Awww!! that was so good! Thanks for a great story! Lorie ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 06:03:39 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "C.C. Malo" Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Re:=20Valentine=92s=20Day=20Rules?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wonderful, Gerry -- a gentle tale about affection and commitment. Nice references to some of the episodes, too. Loved the ending. :) Carol ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 11:06:47 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Valentines Day Rules MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yes, I liked this a lot too, Gerry. A very different story, very romantic, and nicely written. And the postscript made me grin! A great start to my day. Wendy :) -------------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 06:33:09 -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: Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit lol Carol... I'd feel sorry about your indecisiveness, except that you keep giving me such cute fanfic! :D I liked this one -- good old Clark, cranky old Lois ;) I did wonder how a woman manages to get to 38 weeks gestation without a clue that she's having twins, though. Five years ago I wouldn't have noticed, but after two of my own pregnancies I'm a lot more aware of that sort of thing ... doctors start checking heartbeats at 8 or 10 weeks into the pregnancy, and generally catch twins pretty early. Which is good, because twins are very often born premature, and need special care. So that part strained my credulity just a tad. Although I suppose if they were being paranoid about tests revealing anything non-human about the baby, they might not go to a regular ob/gyn... maybe if you mention that, and say that Clark had read up extensively on the risks of multiples and was prepared for early labor, that would help... I feel guilty nitpicking what's obviously a fun piece of fluff, though :) -- please forgive my pet peeve ... I enjoyed this very much, and I'm looking forward to the alternate version, tomorrow! (And you *are* sending these to the archive, right??) -- Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, in Australia you have to explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 06:31:19 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I can tell you that it does still happen, just not as often as it used to. I'm reminded of the story my sis told me about a couple who came in to her hospital, when she lived in Roswell, NM, to have a baby, and sure enough, it was twins. When it was over, the young father walked out into the hall and let loose a whoop they could hear all over the building and yelled, "Wahoo! We got one of each!" Nan Pam Jernigan wrote: > lol Carol... I'd feel sorry about your indecisiveness, except that you > keep giving me such cute fanfic! :D I liked this one -- good old Clark, > cranky old Lois ;) > > I did wonder how a woman manages to get to 38 weeks gestation without a > clue that she's having twins, though. Five years ago I wouldn't have > noticed, but after two of my own pregnancies I'm a lot more aware of > that sort of thing ... doctors start checking heartbeats at 8 or 10 > weeks into the pregnancy, and generally catch twins pretty early. Which > is good, because twins are very often born premature, and need special > care. So that part strained my credulity just a tad. Although I > suppose if they were being paranoid about tests revealing anything > non-human about the baby, they might not go to a regular ob/gyn... maybe > if you mention that, and say that Clark had read up extensively on the > risks of multiples and was prepared for early labor, that would help... > > I feel guilty nitpicking what's obviously a fun piece of fluff, though > :) -- please forgive my pet peeve ... I enjoyed this very much, and I'm > looking forward to the alternate version, tomorrow! (And you *are* > sending these to the archive, right??) > -- > > Pam Jernigan / ChiefPam / jernigan@bellsouth.net > http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam > http://personal.rdu.bellsouth.net/~jernigan/ > > In America only the successful writer is important, > in France all writers are important, in England > no writer is important, in Australia you have to > explain what a writer is. -- Geoffrey Cotterell ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 09:58:17 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day II MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - here is the other version of my story. It is also a sequel to "Lois and Clark and the IRS", it just takes a different turn. Oh, and Pam, I didn't mean to imply the doctor didn't know - just that Lois didn't want to and the doctor knew that. I'll clarify that before I sent it to the archive or anywhere else. Oh, and I did catch a bunch of typos and stuff - these haven't been betaread (Missy and Melisma are plenty busy with stuff from me as it is!) Anyway - here goes! CM ***** "Mrs. Kent?" Lois didn't move. "Mrs. Kent?" The voice was more persistent this time. "Mrs. Kent?" This time the voice couldn't be ignored. She looked at the face the voice was coming from. "What?" "It's time to get up, sweetheart." "Clark, I don't want to." "Sorry, gotta go. Perry will be really mad if we are late AGAIN!" "Aren't we newlyweds for a year after getting married?" Lois swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Honey, we've been married almost a year and a half." "But we've only KNOWN about it for nine months. It's not fair! People don't expect you to be on time places when you're newlyweds." "I know, Lois. You better hop in the shower or not even the S-Express can get us to work on time." Lois had that gleam in her eye, AGAIN. "Care to join me for that shower, flyboy?" Clark groaned. "As nice as that sounds, I'll have to take a rain check." He kissed her forehead and helped her up. "Now get!" "Yes, sir." Clark watched his wife walk into the bathroom and smiled. The adjustment to married life hadn't been easy for either of them, but he knew that they wouldn't trade it for the world. Once things had settled down, and that took about two months, things were great! The last seven months had been the best of his life! And he knew Lois felt the same way! Today was technically their second Valentine's Day as a married couple, but they decided that last year didn't count. They hadn't known they were married at the time, so they just didn't count it. Besides this way they got to have two anniversaries every year - once for the night they stayed at the hotel (They went back this year to do things right) and once the day that they found out and Lois wanted him to jump out the window for his social security benefits! He planned on flying her somewhere for that anniversary. They had decided that they would take turns planning Valentine's Day. Lois had insisted that she had planned the year before. *Sure,* thought Clark. *She'd planned it. We ended up eating chocolate ice cream and watching "Sound of Music". I didn't even think she liked musicals!* And so it was his turn this year. The only rule, besides the money limit, was that Superman couldn't do any of it. He even had to use the oven and pot holders and a lighter if he wanted to make dinner at home! It just wasn't fair! "Lois, you need to hurry, honey!" "I'm coming. I'm coming." Lois walked into the living room to see her husband sitting on the couch watching the news in his boxers. "You aren't exactly ready either, mister." Clark grinned at her and disappeared. Literally. Lois hated it. He was standing in front of her one second. Gone the next. And then back, shirt tucked in, tie neatly knotted and no sign of the suit anywhere. "Ready?" Lois just gave him a look and headed out of the apartment. ***** The day was fairly quiet at the newsroom, so Lois and Clark were able to slip off for lunch together. Another rule - lunch didn't count. "What? Do you make these up as you go along?" Lois just smiled. "Yes." She already knew what his present was going to be and she knew he would love it! "So, what are we doing tonight?" "I can't tell you." "That's not one of the rules." "Okay. I thought we'd sit on the couch, eat chocolate ice cream and watch 'Sound of Music'." "Sure, Clark." "If you don't want to believe me. . ." Clark grinned. She knew he was kidding and she was right. He had a spectacular evening planned, even without the help of his alter-ego! ***** They arrived at what had been Clark's apartment and was now theirs, about six o'clock. Lois was told to go to the bedroom and stay there until Clark told her to come out. About seven, Lois, never known for her patience, finally called, "Can't I come out yet?" "I would have been done over 45 minutes ago, but you had to have rules! So, no, stay put! Ten more minutes!" In reality, dinner had been easy to fix. Clark had spent the last hour working on something else. It wasn't much, but he hoped Lois would like it. She knew that he wasn't very creative, not really. If he concentrated and did stuff superspeed, he was fine. He could draw peoples faces to help the police or make origami, but only using his speed. If he had to make something slow, it was horrid, and Lois knew that. He finally stood up, hid what he had been working on and called her to dinner. She came out of the bedroom to find him carrying a steaming bowl of penne pasta, using hot pads, and a tossed salad. As she crossed the room, he set down the dishes and held her chair as she sat down. "Milady, your dinner is served." He used a lighter to light the candles and the remote control to turn on a CD. "Very impressive. Pot holders, lighter, remote control. No super powers there!" "You'll wish you hadn't made that rule later!" "Why?" "No reason." Clark knew how much she loved dancing with him, their own special kind of dancing. They enjoyed their dinner; the time spent talking was just what they needed. Afterwards, Clark told her to sit still and close her eyes. She did, knowing how upset he would be if she peeked. He put a pair of earmuffs on her head and went to run bath water. His landlord was always pleased when he made improvements to the place, but the Jacuzzi tub probably wasn't staying when they left. When the tub was almost full, he led her in. "Clark, how did you know this is what I would need? And why didn't you let me take a bath while you fixed dinner?" "Because I know you. And because then I couldn't join you. I'll be back in a few minutes." Lois slipped into the luxurious bubbles. Relaxing was something she had learned to enjoy. She knew she would need it even more from now on. She couldn't wait to see Clark's face when she gave him his present, though if they were taking a bath together it could be a while. Clark came in soon after, a satisfied grin on his face. He slipped into the tub with her and they spent what seemed like forever together. They talked some more, about the future. About what they wanted out of life. The discussion was interrupted every so often with soft, gentle kisses. The passion they had come to know so well, that was still such a mystery to them in so many ways, lay just beneath the surface, but neither were ready to give up quality talk time. With Superman around, they didn't get it all that often. The water started getting cold and Lois begged him to heat it up with his vision, but he refused. He wouldn't break her rules. They toweled off and put on their robes. Lois had expected something more to happen, but it hadn't. Sometimes she hated that maddening self-control of his. Clark waited as she walked into the bedroom. There was soft candle light and rose petals spread across the bed. In the middle was his project. Lois turned and looked at him as he followed her. "Clark, it's beautiful." "You haven't opened it yet," he said ruefully. "You may not like it." "I'll love it because it is from you." "We had that five dollar limit, so I couldn't go overboard." "I know." Lois sat on the edge of the bed and opened the box. "Oh, Clark," was all she could say. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was holding a photo album. On the front was a picture that Jimmy had somehow managed to take at Lex Luthor's White Orchid Ball two days after they met. They were dancing. "I don't know how anyone got this shot. We couldn't have danced for more than a minute or two and I know I didn't have the nicest look on my face for most of it." Clark sat down next to her. "We got lucky. The one second that you had a decent expression on your face and Jimmy took the picture." They spent the next fifteen minutes going through the photo album. He had gotten some of that scrapbooking stuff from his mom, so the photos had been cut to interesting shapes and there were all kinds of thought bubbles and such throughout the book. There was also plenty of room for more. "And you did all of this without super powers?" Lois was doubtful. She knew Clark's normal speed artistic talent. "Yep. Why do you think you had to wait in here for dinner? I hadn't gotten it finished yet. Dinner was a breeze. This was not." Lois took a deep breath. She was ready to give Clark his present. She reached into her nightstand and pulled out a package. "Here. This is for you. I found it on sale a few months ago and I wanted you to have it. I just wasn't sure when I would give it to you." Clark opened the package carefully. It was a book. He read the title. "What to Expect When She's Expecting: A Man's Guide to Pregnancy. Lois, why do I need this?" The words were out before he had time to process the information. "You mean. . .does this mean. . .are we. . .are you. . ." Lois couldn't take anymore. She flung her arms around his neck. "Yes, Daddy, we are!" Clark just held her for the longest time, disbelief written all over his face. Finally, he pulled away. He was obviously having a hard time controlling his emotions. "Lois, are you sure? You haven't been sick or anything, have you? Because if you have and I didn't notice. . ." "No, Clark. I haven't been sick. It has been a really good pregnancy so far. No problems at all. I went to the doctor last week while you were in Indonesia with a mudslide or something. As much as I hate seeing you leave as Superman, I was glad that time, because I didn't know how I was going to get away otherwise." "Well, I guess you are glad that you didn't annul the marriage then?" He kissed her forehead. "Very glad." She kissed his jaw. "Glad about anything else?" He kissed her nose. "Glad you really don't have inadequacy issues." She kissed his lips, softly. "We proved that a long time ago, remember? Anything else you are glad about Mrs. Kent?" He kissed her cheek. "I am VERY glad about this baby." She kissed his lips again, not quite as softly this time. "Is that all?" He kissed her other cheek. "I'm glad you know how to kiss, farmboy." She kissed him again, with more urgency. "Let me show you." He kissed her and she threw the rules out the window as they floated in each others arms. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:41:26 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Phillip Atcliffe Subject: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival in mid-to-late September? Thanking you in anticipation, Phil ------------------------------------------------------------ Gravity is a Downer... So let's go flying! -- so sayeth Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 09:54:15 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, here in Ramona we have a Western Days Festival and Rodeo every September. Kansas might have something like that. Nan Phillip Atcliffe wrote: > One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of > excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas > have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival > in mid-to-late September? > > Thanking you in anticipation, > > Phil > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Gravity is a Downer... So let's go flying! > -- so sayeth Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 10:15:45 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well, there is, of course, the corn festival, or harvest festival. Founder's Day commemorating the founding of the town can happen any time of year. Really big, though, is the County Fair which in small towns features an opening day parade. They even close the schools for it. The judging competitions of all kinds of livestock from chickens to sows to breeding bulls (no they don't compete against each other) is very popular. Carnival rides are a must as is the big baseball, softball or football game. Food is a central item. Hamburgers never smell quite as good or taste quite as greasy as at the fair. And in good old American tradition, the hot dogs are to die for. There is usually a favorite hometown dessert treat--baked fruit pies of some kind, blueberry, apple, peach, cherry; or fried fruit pies--apple, peach, cherry; or layer cakes of various sorts all topped with ice cream. And lots of booths with games or products for sale. I think you get the picture. :) Jude ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phillip Atcliffe" To: Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:41 AM Subject: Question for a fic #32768 > One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of > excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas > have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival > in mid-to-late September? > > Thanking you in anticipation, > > Phil > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Gravity is a Downer... So let's go flying! > -- so sayeth Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:28:51 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Carol L Moncado Subject: Pregnancy questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Okay - I get bored easy and have too much time on my hands. Supermom wants to know what happens after Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I, so I started thinking about it. I am looking for someone who can help me with problems during pregnancy with multiple children and delivery in general - problems that can occur late in gestation. I really don't know where I'm going with it and the questions are still forming in my head, so I don't want to beleagure the list with them. If there is someone who would be willing to help me in PM, please let me know! Thanks again - and thanks for all of the nice stuff that everyone has said about my stories so far! You have a special folder in my email! CM ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 10:47:00 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Pregnancy questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Carol, I might be able to help you. Why don't you send me a list of questions and I'll do my best. Just for your information about my credentials, I'm not only an RN, my specialty is obstetrics and I'm also the mother of twin boys. That does give me a slight edge. Nan Carol L Moncado wrote: > Okay - I get bored easy and have too much time on my hands. Supermom > wants to know what happens after Lois and Clark and Valentine's Day I, so > I started thinking about it. I am looking for someone who can help me > with problems during pregnancy with multiple children and delivery in > general - problems that can occur late in gestation. I really don't know > where I'm going with it and the questions are still forming in my head, > so I don't want to beleagure the list with them. If there is someone who > would be willing to help me in PM, please let me know! > > Thanks again - and thanks for all of the nice stuff that everyone has > said about my stories so far! You have a special folder in my email! > > CM ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 14:09:08 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Pregnancy questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My sister had twins and spent the last three months in bed, trying not to move too much or she would go into labor. Twins also usually come early..... Kate ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 11:19:47 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oops! Forgot a biggie. Some people go to the fair and never do anything except play bingo. :) Jude ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Williams" To: Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 10:15 AM Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 > Well, there is, of course, the corn festival, or harvest festival. > Founder's Day commemorating the founding of the town can happen any time of > year. Really big, though, is the County Fair which in small towns features > an opening day parade. They even close the schools for it. The judging > competitions of all kinds of livestock from chickens to sows to breeding > bulls (no they don't compete against each other) is very popular. Carnival > rides are a must as is the big baseball, softball or football game. Food > is a central item. Hamburgers never smell quite as good or taste quite as > greasy as at the fair. And in good old American tradition, the hot dogs are > to die for. There is usually a favorite hometown dessert treat--baked fruit > pies of some kind, blueberry, apple, peach, cherry; or fried fruit > pies--apple, peach, cherry; or layer cakes of various sorts all topped with > ice cream. And lots of booths with games or products for sale. I think you > get the picture. :) Jude > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Phillip Atcliffe" > To: > Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:41 AM > Subject: Question for a fic #32768 > > > > One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of > > excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas > > have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival > > in mid-to-late September? > > > > Thanking you in anticipation, > > > > Phil > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > Gravity is a Downer... So let's go flying! > > -- so sayeth Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 19:26:17 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Dom Melaragni Subject: Re: Question for a Fanfic In-Reply-To: <384043077.982123454111.JavaMail.root@web349-mc> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > Jessie wrote >One of my favorites was a pin that read only "I >saw *the* kiss." I looked suspiciously like a fan creation to me. Does >anyone know the story behind that? Diving back into the mists of time, I seem to recall that they were made, not by fans, but by someone at the studio and were given to all the cast/crew members who were on the set when they filmed *the* kiss at the end of Lucky Leon - and a few lucky FoLCs at LAFF97 during the auction. Dom ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 14:49:38 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Could they be celebrating/reenacting the great Smallville Gold robbery at that time? I don't offhand recall the time of year that took place. Maybe that's the time when they have some sort of town history celebration. --Laurie In a message dated 02/14/2001 12:54:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET writes: << Well, here in Ramona we have a Western Days Festival and Rodeo every September. Kansas might have something like that. Nan Phillip Atcliffe wrote: > One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of > excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas > have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival > in mid-to-late September? > > Thanking you in anticipation, > > Phil >> ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:04:02 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Nancy Smith Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit That would have been May, because Tempus told HG Wells to set the time machine for May 1966, so he could be there when Superman's ship landed(he actually set it for 1866). Nan No Name Available wrote: > Could they be celebrating/reenacting the great Smallville Gold robbery at > that time? I don't offhand recall the time of year that took place. Maybe > that's the time when they have some sort of town history celebration. > > --Laurie > > In a message dated 02/14/2001 12:54:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, > deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET writes: > > << Well, here in Ramona we have a Western Days Festival and Rodeo every > September. Kansas might have something like that. > > Nan > > Phillip Atcliffe wrote: > > > One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of > > excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas > > have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival > > in mid-to-late September? > > > > Thanking you in anticipation, > > > > Phil >> ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 15:32:21 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Diyan Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 Thinking of the festivals we have around here... There is a town north of here that has a lot of vinyards, and they have an annuel Grape Festival, mid august. This is the one that all the kids go to, because they bring in rides and games and there's cotton candy. Another one is the apple fest, in mid to late september, in a town a little ways west of here. That one doesn't have rides and stuff, but is a craft fair. You can get caramel apples, apple cider, apple dumplings, apples, apples, apples. And peanut, pecan, or pinon brittle. That's the part I like most about the festival :), but the main part is the craft fair. Also at the end of August or beginning of September is the county fair, which just outside Fayetteville. During the day there is livestock showing, baking competitions, quilt competitions, etc. At night there is the carnival air with rides and cotton candy. Fayetteville is the only town I know of in the area that has multiple fairs: we have Spring Fest and Autumn Fest. They're both basically the same thing, except that Spring Fest always gets mostly rained out. There's a parade, and there are bed races down Dickson steet, and then the street is just crammed full of pedestrians. There are a lot of the craft fair type people selling theire stuff, there are face painters, there are singers and bands and magicians, there are funnel cakes, and all this is right in the middle of downtown. The only other local festival I can think of is War Eagle. There is a mill a ways east of here that has a really nice store in it: they sell corn meal, barley flour, pancake mix, etc, but that's only a small part of what the sell. They have tons of nice cook ware and other stuff. There's also a county restaurant ("the bean palace") in the attic. It's out in the middle of nowhere- well, in the middle of a bunch of cow pastures, but once a year, the cows have to move over for The Craft Fair. This is the mother of all craft fairs. All the hotels for 4 counties are booked. Hundreds of smaller craft fairs have sprung up to take advantage of all the craft fair goers in the area that weekend (okay, maybe not hundreds, but lots). I've only been once. It was fun, but I couldn't see any of the crafts for sale because there were so many people crowded under the tents. Smallville is not going to have a grape fest or an apple festival; besides the fact that Kansas is a grain not a fruit growing region, Smallville already has a corn festival. Smallville residents are likely to visit the Harvest fest, or fall fest, or wheat fest in the next town over. But your best bet is probably the county fair. -Dia ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 16:06:58 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/14/01 2:50:26 PM Eastern Standard Time, Larus2407@AOL.COM writes: > Could they be celebrating/reenacting the great Smallville Gold robbery at > I wouldn't think so, because it only happened when Tempus went back in time. Once H.G. Wells put everything right again, there would have been no Gold Robbery reenactment. I have a question about county fairs. Every state I have ever lived in, the county fairs have been in August, before the state fair. Do some states have them in September? If they do, then that would be a good idea. One other idea is a "Harvest Homecoming Festival." One of the communities in Southern Indiana has one, in late September. Ann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 16:21:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wanda McCants Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?Re:=20Valentine=E2=80=99s=20Day=20Rules?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerry, Simple and sweet, warm and comforting. What a wonderful gift for Valentine's Day. Thank you for sharing your "Rules." "What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" ......Langston Hughes Wanda ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:04:19 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Jessi Mounts Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Phil asked: >One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what >kind of >excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town >in Kansas >have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn >Festival >in mid-to-late September? I can see by my mailbow that you've gotten about a dozen replies to this already, but I'm replying anyway. My little town in Missouri has a pumpkin festival the first Saturday in October every year. That's almost your late September, I suppose. Jessi jessi914@mail.com ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:20:49 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kate Crane Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In addition, small towns sometimes have a Founder's Day celebration....not dependent on the season, but a specific date. Kate ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:37:30 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Re=282=29:_Valentine=EDs?= Day Rules In-Reply-To: <20010214013954.12180.qmail@web903.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU writes: >A big heartfelt 'AWWWW' is resounding through my >office at this moment in time, Gerry. Very sweet! I >loved this! > >Irene > Thanks Irene. Gerry ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:38:50 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: Re: Valentines Day Rules In-Reply-To: <3A89EAA0.966B27BA@earthlink.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU writes: >This was sweet, Gerry, and appropriate. People sometimes forget what a >happy marriage >(and by extension a romance) Jonathan and Martha must have had. > >Oh, and a very cute post script. > >Nan Thanks Nan. I enjoyed writing about Jonathan and Martha. I like to look at them as people rather than parents. And romance is so nice as we get older. Gerry (who thinks she's still very young) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:39:40 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gerry Anklewicz Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Re=282=29:_Valentine=EDs?= Day Rules In-Reply-To: <50.1161e3d8.27bbc00b@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU writes: >Wonderful, Gerry -- a gentle tale about affection and commitment. Nice >references to some of the episodes, too. Loved the ending. :) > >Carol Thanks Carol. I wrote this quickly and with a deadline. The ending just happened. I think it's my warped mind. Gerry ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 23:54:51 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Missy Gallant Subject: Be My Kal-entine Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Just a fluff piece I wrote this afternoon. Many thanks to Marnie and Jo March who helped me with on IRC. This is set in the Strangers universe. *********** Be My Kal-entine Clark was flying on his patrols after disposing another gang of drug dealers for the Metropolis police. He always checked on Lois at night; most of the time she was asleep in her bed by the time he'd finished with his rounds. He hadn't visited her apartment in a few days; he'd been working with the police to help catch those drug dealers. The police hadn't wanted to bust them until they had evidence of their criminal activities, but since the pushers were heavily armed, the police had asked Superman to be there for the bust. The bad guys were now jailed and Superman was free to go. Clark x-rayed into Lois' apartment and his heart fell when he saw her sitting on her couch, her legs drawn up in a tight ball, crying her eyes out. He swiftly swooped down from the sky and tentatively knocked on her window. "Lois? Are you ok?" She glanced up from her tearful snufflings and stared dejectedly at Kal as he stepped through the window. He swiftly walked over to her and gingerly sat down on the sofa. "What's wrong, Lois?" he offered, then waited for her to answer. "Nothing's wrong. Not much, really." She twisted her blanket in her hands and stared at it as if it were fine art. She looked up at his concerned face and rewarded him with a weak smile. Didn't seem like what was bothering her was too earth-shattering - she was smiling at him. "Ok, now you have to spill it! You're wringing that blanket like it was some chicken's neck!" Clark grinned, trying to encourage her. "Come on! What's the matter? Run out of chocolate, need some ice cream... or how about a movie?" He was stretching, but he hoped that he could loosen her up so that she'd tell him what was bothering her so much. Seeing that his light-heartedness wasn't producing the desired affect, he lowered his voice and told her, "You can tell me, Lois." "Am I really that undesirable?" She looked at him point blank and Clark felt her gaze hit him between the eyes. "What?" 'Undesirable' and 'Lois' in the same sentence was like stating that the moon was square or some other absurd comparison. "Maybe it's because I don't smile enough," Lois spoke into the air after her stare shifted to the ceiling. Now Clark was very confused. He wished his vision could see inside her head in order to find out how her mind was working. "I mean you have all these women falling all over you every time you appear as Superman. What is that like knowing that you could have any of them? I thought you'd at least take one of them out." "Lois, you're babbling. I don't have any idea what you are talking about," Clark said confusedly. Other women? Was she kidding? Not in this lifetime. "Kal, it's Valentine's Day... and when you didn't come by for a few days I thought that maybe you'd forgotten me... Or our friendship didn't mean as much as I thought it did to you." Clark released a huge sigh, because he then semi-understood her babblings. "Lois, I was with the police. I had to help them wrap up - literally in an old lamp post - some dangerous criminals." Covering her forearm with his large hand, he murmured as quietly as he could, "I could never forget you." "Oh." *I just missed having you around, stranger,* she thought. "I know we're just friends, so since I obviously can't find a date, not that I *really* wanted to go out, I was hoping we could hang out together." Where were these ramblings coming from? Surely Kal had better things to do on Valentine's Day than hang out with her? She'd seen those women who'd crashed through the police lines during his interviews with the press. Some of them were absolutely stunning. Her mouth continued to run ahead of her thought process. "And with all those groupies following you wherever you go, I figured you had taken one of them out after they threw themselves at your feet. I really hate Valentine's Day. It's all just a huge promotional campaign for the flower and candy industry. I just thought I was old news..." "I don't want any of those woman, Lois. I'm still waiting..." "Really? Waiting for what, Kal?" *For you to love me,* he thought silently. "I'll know when the time's right." "I wish... " "What do you wish for, Lois?" "I wish that someone could take me dancing, and bring me flowers, and have a nice dinner without all the paranoia and expectations that follow... just for once, on Valentine's Day." Although he was sticking his neck out to be wrung, he asked her, "Was that why you were upset? Were you hoping that we could do that tonight?" Clark didn't know which section of his brain that this boldness around Lois was coming from. He made a mental note to tag it and refer to it again in the future. Mainly he just sensed that she needed him tonight. "Is that silly, Kal? If there's someone else you'd rather spend tonight with, I'd understand. It's just that I've spent too many Valentine's Days fending off lowlifes and smooth talkers..." she paused and lifted a hand to smooth his cheek, "... I just want to spend it with someone who I know really cares about me - even if we are only friends." Clark caught his breath before it escaped out of his mouth in a mighty rush. Her small hand left liquid fire on his face from her innocent touch. Could she tell he loved her? But there was that phrase 'only friends' again. "So do you want to have a pretend date? With all the frills, but none of the chills?" He invited her in a light-hearted manner, and smiled at her even though his heart was dropping to the vicinity of his spleen. She stroked his cheek slowly, letting her fingers drop when they reach his jawline. "Yeah," she giggled softly. "Would you be my Kal-entine?" "I'd love to," he answered, grasping her hand lightly. He gave it a squeeze as he rose from the sofa, and planted a kiss on her temple. Before straightening to his full height; he murmured, "And you are *not* undesirable... " He pulled her off the sofa and ushered her towards her bedroom door. "Get dressed, my little valentine. I'll take you dancing... Superman style." The End. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 00:02:33 -0000 Reply-To: Yvonne Connell Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Yvonne Connell Subject: Re: Medical/gun question for a fic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > << It looks like the > fleshy upper arm is the ideal location for lodging my bullet >> > > Hmm, I didn't know Yvonne played with guns. Have to watch out for her! LOL, Laurie! I've even been known to play around with crossbows, too ;) Yvonne (yvonne@yconnell.fsnet.co.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 18:00:17 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 05:41 PM 02/14/2001 +0000, you wrote: >One for the agriculturists or rural dwellers among us: what kind of >excuse-- ahem, *reason* might everyone's favourite small town in Kansas >have for a festival/party/celebration/whatever a la the Corn Festival >in mid-to-late September? In an effort to extend hands across the border and in union with their sister city "Villa Chica", Smallville celebrates a joyous Mexican Independence Day on the 16th of September. As Martha Kent might shout, "Viva la Revolucion!! >Thanking you in anticipation, You asked for it... >Phil Debby huitziln@cais.net still on line for now... ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:32:07 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Judith Williams Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ann asked: > I have a question about county fairs. Every state I have ever lived in, the > county fairs have been in August, before the state fair. Do some states have > them in September? If they do, then that would be a good idea. ----Yes, some states do. The one I described in my post was in Arkansas and I believe there are some here in the state of Washington. :)Jude ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann E. McBride" To: Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 1:06 PM Subject: Re: Question for a fic #32768 > In a message dated 2/14/01 2:50:26 PM Eastern Standard Time, > Larus2407@AOL.COM writes: > > > > Could they be celebrating/reenacting the great Smallville Gold robbery at > > > > I wouldn't think so, because it only happened when Tempus went back in time. > Once H.G. Wells put everything right again, there would have been no Gold > Robbery reenactment. > > > One other idea is a "Harvest Homecoming Festival." One of the communities in > Southern Indiana has one, in late September. > > Ann ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 03:15:38 -0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bethy Em Subject: Re: Valentine’s Day Rules Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Gerry, This was wonderful! I loved Martha's rules, and how you began the story ambiguously so that we didn't know it was M&J. His final solution was perfect, and absolutely the epitome of romantic (at least to my limited knowledge ). And the end had me ROTFLOL!!! Thank you for that wonderful treat, Bethy _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com