Leverage

[Carito_2p]

I think part of my reaction to Lois' actions are the very nature of connections and business MO. You never directly criticize your opposition, you just prove that you're better then everyone else and deserve what you have coming to you. Lois basically threw Clark under the bus with that meeting with Tess and now is faced with her choice. Take the position because it's good for her career, but risk losing respect with Clark as well as any feelings he may have for her. How did you manage to turn Lois into a manipulative, double-crossing, schemer? It's like she channeled her inner Lana. While it may have been a surprise decision at Tess' choice of Clark, it was a justified and good decision and now the rest of the Planet will feel like Lois only got the permission after she cried foul and got a break.

wow inner Lana!?

OMG what Lois did was completely understanding. Is true that Clark is not qualified enough to get that raise. Her arguments were very clear and based on the truth... Clark will understand and she did that in true Lane fashion. Speaked before thinking. But being impulsive like that screams Lois! and doing something like it doesn't mean that she wasn't right. Cause she so was!

I always have the same problem and do things like that, i can't keep my mouth shut when something isn't fair.

Lois had a right to do that. Clark will have to understand and asume that he may be capable for the job, but is in no way deserving of it, like any other reporter that has more experience and years on the basement than him.

Lois wasn't trying to steal the position, she was just making a statement about the way of dealing with the raise Tess had.

There's that whole saying, if you love someone enough, you can set them free? Lois doesn't seem to love Clark enough to let him fly on his own if he needs to and that seemed just a bit OOC for her. She's running scared.

Now she loves him! Lois Lane is the only person that understands Clark Kent better than enyone in the world, she loves him more than enough and in this story, more than he deserves! I understand why she is being a total B* to him. He has to take that and more.
And about letting you love one free... she could totally sacrifice herself for Clark and the world when it came to that.
Clark doesn't want to be free because he need Lois by his side.





Your story is amazing JACK!

[drvr8]

wow inner Lana!?

OMG what Lois did was completely understanding. Is true that Clark is not qualified enough to get that raise. Her arguments were very clear and based on the truth... Clark will understand and she did that in true Lane fashion. Speaked before thinking. But being impulsive like that screams Lois! and doing something like it doesn't mean that she wasn't right. Cause she so was!

I always have the same problem and do things like that, i can't keep my mouth shut when something isn't fair.

Your story is amazing JACK!

I still argue that the inner Lana was channeled because despite her claims, she had ulterior motives for her actions. Her initial impulse was to think of Clark and losing him and it took Chloe to question Tess' actions to spur her into acting on whether others were considered for the position. Plus essentially what she did in front of Tess was to bring up all the negatives against Clark and why he wouldn't be as someone else in the position. In the comics and on Lois & Clark, Lois has played dirty before to get a story at all costs and sent Clark on wild goose chases to distract him from the story she's after, as well as out right stealing stories from Clark. However, Lois has had remorse and guilt over her actions which does set her apart from Lana. However, Acting on impulse and letting yourself get manipulated into something that costs her best friend a promotion is underhanded IMO.

I'm not sure how clear Clark's feelings were to him before the alternate future occurred either. Clark is guilty of being blind to how serious Lois' feelings were for him, but he's not guilty of trying to deliberately trying to hurt her but trying to resolve whether he still had that future with his ex. Lois' actions were directed at removing the promotion from him, either A) Because she felt he wasn't as qualified as his peers, B) Because she doesn't want him to enjoy being a single unattached, attractive, travelling male without her a part of his life anymore; or C) She was temporarily possessed by Lana.

Your comment about not being able to stay silent if things are unfair is an admirable one, just think about if you spoke out about something being unfair and it cost a close friend their job. Would you stand by your convictions or would you protect your family and your friends at all costs? Lois is fiercely loyal to her family and her friends and she's protective of Clark, despite the general unresolve of their relationship at the moment. But I don't think Lois will be able to freely take a job away from a friend, let alone someone she loves as deeply as Clark.

The journey and the hurdles for a couple to find each other are more exciting and interesting to me as a reader, viewer, or participant. Often when couples are supposedly together and happy - they can often appear more boring i.e. Jimmy & Chloe on the show. Love the twists and complications you're adding Jack and hope there are many more for them to overcome. Part of me just wants to see Clark stand up for himself though and not let the women in his life walk all over him. He's spineless and reactionary instead of actively making his own destiny. If it means a chapter or two where Clark is upset with Lois and she has to feel some real remorse for not letting Clark sit down and speak to her or airing out the issue like adults, so be it A stronger Clark means a stronger Superman down the line...

[lovinredkclark]

jack i can't believe this story. you have me hanging on every word.

i see this going in two different directions and i'm torn.
how will clark react after hearing tess and lois' phone conversation?
will he be happy or mad.

please update asap. i NEED to know what happens.

[melissan02]

And the plot continues to thicken!!

Great job Jack!!

[lovinredkclark]

I still argue that the inner Lana was channeled because despite her claims, she had ulterior motives for her actions. Her initial impulse was to think of Clark and losing him and it took Chloe to question Tess' actions to spur her into acting on whether others were considered for the position. Plus essentially what she did in front of Tess was to bring up all the negatives against Clark and why he wouldn't be as someone else in the position. In the comics and on Lois & Clark, Lois has played dirty before to get a story at all costs and sent Clark on wild goose chases to distract him from the story she's after, as well as out right stealing stories from Clark. However, Lois has had remorse and guilt over her actions which does set her apart from Lana. However, Acting on impulse and letting yourself get manipulated into something that costs her best friend a promotion is underhanded IMO.

I'm not sure how clear Clark's feelings were to him before the alternate future occurred either. Clark is guilty of being blind to how serious Lois' feelings were for him, but he's not guilty of trying to deliberately trying to hurt her but trying to resolve whether he still had that future with his ex. Lois' actions were directed at removing the promotion from him, either A) Because she felt he wasn't as qualified as his peers, B) Because she doesn't want him to enjoy being a single unattached, attractive, travelling male without her a part of his life anymore; or C) She was temporarily possessed by Lana.

Your comment about not being able to stay silent if things are unfair is an admirable one, just think about if you spoke out about something being unfair and it cost a close friend their job. Would you stand by your convictions or would you protect your family and your friends at all costs? Lois is fiercely loyal to her family and her friends and she's protective of Clark, despite the general unresolve of their relationship at the moment. But I don't think Lois will be able to freely take a job away from a friend, let alone someone she loves as deeply as Clark.

ok you need to stop with the lana comments. blahna has no business in this story and by NO means has lois EVER acted like blahna.

IMO lois wasn't trying to get the promotion for herself but point out that others in the basement might resent being passed by.
also chloe will have to step up here and explain that she's the one who mentioned this to lois and (like carolina was saying) lois acted just like lois would, without thinking.

so lets take this for what it is, A BLOODY BRILLIANT FIC BY JACK.
and as the author, jack has the right to make his characters act how he chooses.

anywho jack i can't wait for the update.

[lovinredkclark]

fantastic jack.

that installment answered my questions.
i was wondering if clark was going to be mad at lois. and at first he was but he then forgave her. and i like the twist in his response, about he knows how it feels to act with thinking that it will someone close to him. nice touch.

excellent. i'm soooo lovin this fic.

and you know what i'm going to say. yep that's right.
more please.

[drvr8]

Tess interrupting Lois' confession in the elevator was brilliant and I could feel Lois' panic to genuinely not want to hurt Clark and Clark's very genuine reaction to her confessions were very well written. When you wrote Clark's reaction to Lois telling him about the promotion his first reaction was shock and stun, then Lois begins to cry and Clark steps back from her but was his emotional reaction one of loss? That was how I read it, that something he thought could be a true path for him was taken away and the sense of loss in not only the position but in a loss between the two of them? Clark didn't seem angry or upset with Lois, just extremely saddened by the loss of what he thought was a bond between them? Just how evil is Tess though? Would she force one of them to take the position or fire one of them or is she just a genuine boss with the circulation of the DP in mind?

To all of us Lois fans out there: Comparing Lois' actions to some of Lana's manipulations does not make her Lana. I personally love Lois Lane and think ED's portrayal of her is absolutely brilliant and completely amazing over the course of the series. In no way do I think Lois would become or act anything like Lana intentionally, but was trying to point out that Lois' actions, while correct for her own career, would have irreperable damage to the trust and friendship between Clark and her. Ok, maybe not really because Clark is a kind-hearted and generous person and truly does love Lois and would probably forgive anything that she could do. Perhaps Lois wouldn't have consciously done something to hurt Clark, there is always the question of how much of her subconscious is involved in taking away something from him. The morality line is something like, would you fight for what is right if it means hurting those who love you most? And connecting that, with other characters' blindness in regards to the consequences of their actions was the parallel idea I was bringing up. However, Lois is mature and caring enough about Clark to step back and allow Clark the opportunity to make his own decisions and his own mistakes regarding his ex, she's just as strong in this story realizing that a promotion is not worth losing a friend over.
Lois' decision to give up the promotion even after Clark has expressed that he thinks she's right for the job gives us a window into how deeply she does love him and wants to be that person who he works side-by-side with. I can't wait when Clark can actually make that connection to having found someone who he can work together with for the rest of his life with Lois, just like his own parents.

I'll be waiting patiently for the next update Jack Wonderful work as always.

[Carito_2p]

wow excellent update!

I loved the undestanding between them!

And is Lane-Kent the hotter team in the world.
I soo knew Lois would not accept the raise... she is cool like that!

i soo love the elevator scenes! hope to read more soon!
Jack you rock at writing!

drvr8... About your question earlier about maybe costing a friend her job... I would still mantain my convictions and talk to her or make my opinion know... one of the things i hate is injustice ans the unfairnes of the people and the world, and I can't stand hyprocrisy. So yeah i would complain anyways... and I defend my family againts all.

The things that pisses us off with the comparision to Lana is that there is no reasons to fo that. Lois is Lois and in a whole other league of Lana, just watching the show and not putting any other references, I think Lana is a complete garbage with no morals and etics...

But i understand you point of view and your need to make connections or references.

[jjsmallvillelvr]

fist of all you write really fast! woah! i still havent started this one...i just found out it exisited. you need a mailing list or someething!

[lovinredkclark]

go blue. i've got ya.

[lauraforever]

totally awesome new chapter!!!

[jjsmallvillelvr]

Jack, it's awsome as always but I just wanted to ask you something: do you ever sleep ????
I kind of like these frequenet updates but I'm thinking about you well-being ...

sleep is fpr people who can't write material like this guy can!!!

[bennettbc2331]

Great update i really love this story.

[jjsmallvillelvr]

holy moly this is good!!! can't wait for more! keep on writing! u r excellent at it!!!

[LuckyLois]

fist of all you write really fast! woah! i still havent started this one...i just found out it exisited. you need a mailing list or someething!

Just subscribe to this thread and note to be e-mailed immediately. If I didn't do that I wouldn't remember any of the fics I read!!

Jack just finished and once again you blew me away. I love the interaction between all of the characters, so dead on!

Keep them coming!!!