Hi everyone!
Or maybe I should be doing this
instead since I kind of went MIA on everyone.
Well, here's part 16. I'm so very sorry that it's taken me this long to post it. I hope that someone is still reading. Now that the Holidays are over I'm hoping to find some time to get back to writing. But I can't promise when the next part will be posted. I've barely begun part 17. But I can promise you that I've in no way abandoned this story--I just had to put it on the back burner for a while.
Much thanks to Darcy and Sheila for beta reading this! And a million thanks to everyone for your awesome fdk!
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From Part 15:
Lois struggled for freedom but stilled when her movements caused the knife to cut even further into her skin. He had an iron grip on her, and terror rose up in her throat as he dragged her toward the open window. “Well, you’re the writer, so what do you think of this headline?” He paused, and Lois’s heart raced in terror as his mouth neared her ear. “ “‘Nosy Reporter Plunges to Death’…sounds like a good headline to me.”
And for the second time that night, Lois felt the world tilt as she was shoved out of her fifth story window. The wind claimed her, and she let out a blood-curdling scream as she plummeted into the empty darkness. Lois screwed her eyes shut as the ground rushed up to meet her.
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Part 16:
“How’s he doing?”
The sound of his deep voice pierced the silence, startling Martha awake. Her tired eyes fell on his tall form as he filled the open doorway of Clark’s room.
“Thanks to you, Superman, he’s doing much better. The doctor was in here a while ago to check on him. His vitals are improving.” Martha sat up straighter, stretching. A chair was not the most comfortable or ideal piece of furniture to fall asleep in. Martha’s eyes traveled to the other side of Clark’s bed where Jonathan was sitting. Superman’s presence had awakened him too.
“Where’s Mr. Wells?” Jonathan asked, also stretching.
Superman entered the room and shut the door behind him. Standing at the foot of Clark’s bed, he crossed his arms over his chest in the famous Superman pose that everyone was so familiar with. “He had business to attend to in another universe.” An amused grin crossed over his face. “I guess we Supermen keep him plenty busy.”
“I’m still having a hard time wrapping my mind around all of this. Time travel, universe hopping…” Jonathan trailed off, shaking his head in wonderment.
“It was a lot for me to take in too,” Superman said softly.
Martha watched as Superman stared at her husband intently, his expression unreadable. A few moments of heavy silence passed and Superman blinked, seemingly becoming aware that he had been staring at Jonathan.
“I’m sorry for staring,” he started, his voice hesitant. “It’s just that my dad passed away a couple of years ago,” Superman explained, answering the questioning looks that both Jonathan and Martha were giving him. “You look so much like him.”
Martha wanted to pull him into her arms upon hearing his words. His expression was sad, and she had to remind herself that the man standing before them wasn’t her son. But she felt bad for him nonetheless. “I’m sorry, Clark.”
“We both are, Clark,” Jonathan spoke up. “And we could never repay you for what you’ve done for our boy.”
Superman’s eyes fell to his feet, and Martha got the impression that he was uncomfortable with where the conversation had gone. “So…where is everyone?”
“Perry and Jimmy went home to catch a few hours of sleep, and I talked Lois into going home for a while so she could change clothes and get something to eat,” Martha explained. “So where did you disappear to?”
“After the last blood donation, I thought that Metropolis could use Superman’s help. Word of Clark’s attempted murder is spreading like wild fire. The criminal element has been putting in overtime.” Superman pulled an empty chair to the foot of the bed and sat down. “I’m sure my appearance has caused all kinds of new rumors to fly. We should hold a press conference as soon as Clark is able and put an end to this story that Clark Kent is Superman.”
Martha was opening her mouth to reply when Superman suddenly jumped up, a look of horror crossing over his features as he was apparently hearing something the rest of them couldn’t. “What the…? Lois!”
Martha watched in stunned silence as he disappeared an instant later, the door to Clark’s room banging against the wall in his haste to leave. Just as the familiar sonic boom sounded in the skies above, another sound pierced her consciousness.
A low moan filled the room, and Martha watched with growing worry as her son thrashed around in the hospital bed. Clark’s dark eyes suddenly shot open, and Martha stared at him, shocked that he was awake.
Had he heard what Superman had heard?
“Son, what is it?” Jonathan asked, visibly worried and surprised to see his son awake and alert.
Clark was clearly trying to speak, but the ventilator prevented it. “Hold on, Clark. I’ll go get the doctor.” Martha squeezed his hand and stood up. He followed her with his eyes as she made her way to the door, a silent question in their depths. Instinctively knowing what was worrying her son, she hastened to assure him, “Don’t worry, Lois will be fine.”
Martha left the room, leaving Clark with Jonathan, and prayed that fate wouldn’t make a liar out of her.
*****
<I’m going to die.>
It was the only thought that ran through Lois’s mind as she fell. There wasn’t time for her life to flash before her eyes. The hard cement of the sidewalk was approaching swiftly, and all Lois could think was, <This is it.>
Her luck had finally run out.
So when two strong and warm arms enfolded her, embracing her in their safety, she was more than a little shocked. Lois forced her eyes open and found two brown eyes staring back at her in concern as the world around them sped on by.
“I’ve got you,” he assured her. Lois was positive that he was listening to her galloping heartbeat.
“Thank you, Superman,” she managed, her voice more than a little shaky. “If you hadn’t shown up…” Lois shivered, and the image of the sidewalk as it rushed toward her implanted itself in her mind’s eye.
“I guess it takes two Supermen in any universe to keep you safe, huh?” he teased. Lois looked into his eyes and realized that he was more than a little shaken himself. “I just hope that *my* Lois can manage on her own while I’m here.”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Lois said reassuringly, although she knew that it was only a platitude. She knew herself better than anyone. It was entirely possible that his Lois was getting herself into all kinds of interesting trouble. It was also entirely possible that she could take care of herself, too.
“What happened, Lois?”
His voice brought her out of her thoughts, and her mind turned to the matter at hand. “There was an intruder. Just another criminal whose bad side I managed to get on.”
Superman landed in a well-lit area about six blocks from her apartment. “I’m sure you’ll be safe here. I’m going to go after him. I’ll come back to get you after I’ve checked him into a nice cozy jail cell.”
Just as Lois was opening her mouth to protest, he lifted into the air. “Oh, don’t worry, I didn’t want to go with you!” she called after him in frustration. That was something that her Clark would have done. Those two had more in common than she’d realized. Her Clark had the tendency to make sure that the “little woman” was tucked safely away. It appeared that it was an annoying trait in any universe.
Lois started to pace, her eyes taking in the curious stares of people as they came and went from the nearby grocery store. Ten restless minutes went by and Lois started to wonder why she was waiting there, doing nothing but pacing. Just as she was about to start toward her apartment—Superman should have known better than to expect her to stay put for very long—he swooped down in front of her.
“I took your intruder and dropped him off at the police precinct. Inspector Henderson wants you to come in and give your statement as soon as possible.”
“I can’t believe he’s still at the station. He must be pulling an all-nighter.” Lois shook her head free of her jumbled thoughts. The Inspector pulling an all-nighter was of little concern to her at the moment. She was itching to get back to the hospital. “Well, it can wait until tomorrow…today…later today.” Lois shook her head to clear it. What time was it anyway? The sky was starting to brighten, which told Lois that it must be very early morning. “I need to get back to Clark.”
Superman nodded once before picking her up. An instant later they were airborne and flying in the direction of Metropolis General Hospital.
*****
“I can’t believe how quickly he’s recovering.”
The doctor’s words reached Lois’s ears just as she approached the door to Clark’s room. Her heart sprung up in her chest, blinding hope filling her soul. The doctor’s words were promising.
“Lois, I’m going to fly another patrol over metropolis. I’m sure it’s for the best if Clark doesn’t see me right away. It might be a little too confusing for him.”
“Thank you again, Superman. Clark and I owe you our lives,” she whispered softly, not wanting to be overheard, though the chance of that was slim. The hall was completely empty.
He smiled at her once more before turning and heading in the opposite direction, his cape billowing behind him.
Lois rushed into Clark’s room. A brilliant smile lit up her face when her eyes fell on him.
He was awake.
Clark saw her instantly. Lois’s pulse sped up as his eyes held hers. “Clark…” She was by his side an instant later, her small hand wrapping tightly around his larger one. Lois’s gaze fell to their entwined hands, his sitting heavily in hers and cool to the touch. She squeezed his hand, wishing that she could give him her strength. He looked so weak.
He also looked frustrated. A low, indistinguishable sound was coming from the back of his throat. It was obvious to Lois that he was trying to speak. “Dr. Dunn, would it be possible to remove the breathing tube?”
“We can give it a test run and see how well he’s able to breathe on his own.”
Knowing that he’d be a lot more comfortable once the ventilator was removed, Lois reluctantly let go of Clark’s hand and stepped back so the doctor could have adequate room. As the doctor went to work on Clark, Martha pulled her aside. “Are you okay?”
“We were worried,” Jonathan added, coming to stand behind his wife.
“I’m fine. I’m guessing that you both must have been present when Superman heard that I was in trouble?” The Kents nodded in unison, and Lois continued. “Someone attacked me in my apartment and pushed me out of the window.”
Two sets of widening eyes stared back at her in shock. “Are you sure you’re okay, Lois?” Martha asked, her tone filled with worry.
Lois smiled at them reassuringly. “I’m fine. Superman caught me, and then he went after my intruder. The guy’s in jail.”
“Clark woke up right after Superman rushed out of here. He looked terrified, Lois. I’m not sure if his hearing has come back—that’s seems unlikely—but there was no mistaking the terror in his eyes. He somehow knew that you were in trouble.”
A loud fit of coughing interrupted their conversation, and Lois and the Kents’ attention was drawn to Clark. The doctor had already taken the breathing tube out, and Clark was coughing, trying to catch his breath.
“Is he okay, Doctor?” Lois asked as she watched Clark with worry. He looked like he was struggling to breathe. Just as she was starting to panic, Clark’s coughing settled down. His chest was moving, slow and even a few moments later.
“He’s doing fine,” the Doctor assured them all. “He probably won’t be awake for long. His body has been through the wringer.” True to the doctor’s words, Clark’s eyes fell on Lois one last time before drifting shut.
*****
There was pain.
Not the kind of excruciating pain that exposure to kryptonite brought on, but a dull, never ending kind of pain that seemed to radiate through his body. Clark tried to swallow, but that brought more pain. His throat felt like he’d swallowed fire—then washed it down with quicksand.
Forcing one eye open, he decided that it was safe to open the other one as well. Squinting against the overhead light, Clark looked around in confusion.
Where was he?
His eyes fell on Lois. She was fast asleep in a chair on the right side of the bed he was laying in. It penetrated his foggy mind that it was a hospital bed.
What had happened to him?
“Lois?” he croaked weakly.
“Clark?” the soft female voice came from his left. Clark’s eyes found his mother an instant later, sitting in another chair at his bedside.
Where was his dad? And what in the world had happened?
As Clark became more alert, startling and confusing—even terrifying—images assaulted his memory. He could remember the sickly green glow he’d lived in for so many days. He remembered the pain—that was something he was sure would remain branded in his mind’s eye for eternity.
And he remembered with painful clarity that Lois was now Mrs. Lex Luthor.
Everything else was a jumbled mess, swirling around in his mind, teasing him with lightening quick glimpses, but always remaining out of reach.
“What…what happened?” Was that *his* voice that sounded so weak, so…out of use? He sounded like he hadn’t used his vocal cords in ages.
Lois roused suddenly. Her eyes fell on him, surprise filling their dark depths. Surprise was quickly replaced with something Clark could only describe as elation as her lips formed into a smile. “Clark, you’re awake.”
“Honey, how do you feel? Can we get you anything? I suppose I should page the doctor. Do you hurt anywhere?” Martha’s questions came at him in quick succession.
He wanted to laugh, but knew instinctively that it would probably bring him more pain to do so. “Mom, I didn’t know that you were taking babbling lessons from Lois.” He’d expected his mom to laugh, even break out in a small smile, at his small attempt at humor. What he hadn’t expected was for her to break down crying.
He felt Lois’s warm hand enfold his. Looking at her in confusion, he asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
Lois’s eyes were suspiciously bright as she squeezed his hand. “No, Clark, we’re just so grateful that you’re finally awake and that you’re going to be all right.”
Martha took his other hand. “Oh, Honey, we almost lost you.”
Clark felt the guilt as it set in, weighing him down until he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He’d obviously put his parents and Lois through hell. “I’m sorry. I never meant to cause you guys any pain.”
“Oh, Honey, we know that! This is not your fault,” Martha quickly assured him, a look of disbelief in her eyes as she looked at her son. “Why would you even think that it was?”
“I…guess I don’t. I just hate to think of you guys worrying about me so much.”
“Of course we were worried about you, Clark! You almost died. But what happened was not your fault, you lunkhead!” Lois told him, the smile on her face taking the sting out of her words.
“What *did* happen?” he asked hesitantly, not entirely sure that he really wanted to know all the details.
“You don’t remember?” Lois asked in surprise.
“I remember being in a cage. There was kryptonite,” he shuddered involuntarily before continuing, “and I remember listening while you…” Clark swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought out loud.
<Married Luthor.>
He was suddenly overcome with nausea. The love of his life had married his worst enemy. Had she gone to bed with him? *Why* had she married him? Something was very wrong with the whole situation, but his thoughts were so jumbled that he couldn’t discern fact from dream.
Had it all been a dream, or more accurately, a nightmare? Had he really been trapped in a kryptonite cage? Had she really married Luthor? Why had she married Luthor? There was a reason, an important one, swimming around in his mind, remaining just out of reach.
“Lois…” that one word relayed so much, all the pain, despair, and confusion he was feeling. “Did you marry him?”
Lois took in a breath, his question visibly upsetting her. “Clark, we can talk about all of that later. You should just concentrate on getting well.”
“Lois is right, Clark. Just get well. The rest will sort itself out soon enough.”
Clark shook his head vigorously. He regretted the motion an instant later when a sharp pain shot through his head. “No, tell me now. There are things that I can’t remember. What happened?”
Silence met his question, and Clark frowned. “I need to know. Just tell me.”
“I married Lex. I did it to protect you, Clark. But I broke free on our wedding night. I ran to you. I had found out where he was keeping you,” Lois paused as a fresh batch of tears escaped down her cheeks. “I knew that I had to get you out of that cage before…”
Clark tightened his grip on the fingers entwined with his. Lois hid her face behind her other hand. “Lois, it’s okay. I’m okay.”
“He shot you, Clark. You almost died.” Clark was silent for a few moments, giving Lois a few moments to let it all out. Wiping her eyes, she met his gaze again.
“Lois, where’s Luthor?”
“He’s dead.”
Clark hadn’t expected that answer. He’d expected to hear that Luthor was in jail—had expected to hear that the monster had gotten away with it and was free as a bird even—but he hadn’t expected to hear that Lex Luthor was dead. Clark found that he felt nothing. No bitterness, no remorse, not even relief. He just felt complete numbness.
“Lois…what happened?” he asked softly.
“After he shot you…we struggled. The police arrived, and Lex was cornered. Rather than go to jail, he jumped from the penthouse balcony.”
Clark closed his eyes as her words washed over him. Lex Luthor was finally out of their lives. The numbness finally lifted and Clark felt relief. Not relief that a man was dead, but relief that Lex Luthor wouldn’t be able to hurt any of them ever again. And suddenly, Clark remembered the barrel of the gun as Luthor had aimed it at him. He remembered Lois’s terrified eyes, remembered the chilling expression on Luthor’s face as he’d forced Lois down the stairs with him.
Jonathan entered the room at that moment, his hands holding a cardboard cup holder full of steaming coffee cups. “Clark! You’re awake.” Jonathan quickly put the full cup holder down on a nearby table before rushing to his son’s bedside. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired…confused,” Clark answered, his voice raspy. “Thirsty.”
Martha rose from her chair. “Jonathan, why don’t you sit here and talk to Clark for a moment? I’ll go see if I can find the doctor.” Moving toward the door, she added, “I’ll find out if it’s okay to get you some water, Clark.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Martha left the room, and Jonathan finally sat down a couple of silent moments later. “You sure gave us a scare, Son.”
“I know, Dad. I’m starting to remember some of what happened. I remember the gun now.” Clark’s eyes traveled to Lois. She was wiping the last of her tears from her face. “I’m just so thankful that he didn’t hurt you, Lois.”
“Clark…” Her eyes were bright with new tears again as she closed them. Lifting his hand, she pressed it to her cheek. “But he did hurt *you.* I’ve never been so scared in my life. The doctor told us that you weren’t going to make it. If it wasn’t for…” Her eyes suddenly shot open, and Clark got the impression that there was something she wasn’t telling him.
“Wasn’t for what, Lois?”
“For me.” All eyes in the room traveled to rest on the figure who stood in the doorway.
Clark stared in astonishment, speechless. The man entered the room and shut the door behind him. Then he stood, arms crossed, expression stoic, as he looked at Clark. It was a stance that Clark was all too familiar with.
He was staring at Superman.
“Are you guys sure that I’m awake? Last time I checked, I didn’t have a twin.” Clark wanted to take the words back the second they left his mouth. He’d just announced to this stranger that he was Superman.
“Clark, this is going to be *really* difficult to believe—god knows it sure was for us—but this Superman is from an alternate universe. H.G. Wells is a time traveler, and he brought Superman here to save your life,” Lois explained.
“H.G. Wells? The writer?”
Lois nodded.
“Lois…I…you’re right, I can’t believe this. How exactly did he save my life?”
“You needed a blood transfusion. Superman donated the blood that saved your life.”
Clark didn’t know what to say. It was a lot to take in, a lot to accept. “I…guess I owe you a huge thank you.”
“I have no doubt that you would have done the same for me,” Superman replied.
Clark knew that his words couldn’t have been truer. He would do just about anything to save a life. “Yes, I would in a heartbeat. And if you ever need anything, you know where to find me.” Clark paused, shaking his head in wonder. “Wow, I never dreamed that time travel was possible. And to think that alternate universes exist…”
Superman smiled, and Clark felt like he was in the twilight zone. Looking at Superman was like looking in a mirror—only different. It was like looking in a funhouse mirror. The face was his own, but distorted without actually being…distorted. Boy! How much medication did they have him on? Clark felt like he was losing his mind.
“As soon as you’re up for it, I’m going to call a press conference to address the matter of that video tape that Lex shot of you. With the two of us standing together in front of the media—and being filmed together on national television—I don’t think you’ll have a problem convincing everyone that Superman and Clark Kent are two separate people.”
Thank god for alternate universes! Clark grinned in pure relief upon hearing his counterpart’s words. “That sounds like a plan. Go ahead and schedule it for tomorrow morning. The sooner we get this over with the better. I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done,” Clark told him sincerely. “By the way, how long have I been out?”
“You woke up briefly early yesterday morning,” Lois told him. “The doctor took the breathing tube out and you soon fell asleep again. You’ve been unconscious for over twenty-four hours now.”
Clark had a vague recollection of waking up. A feeling of terror came along with the memory. “Something happened,” he stated, trying to recall the memory as it flew out of his mental grasp. “Something woke me up.”
The creaking sound of the opening door interrupted their conversation, and Clark noted the relief in Lois’s eyes. What wasn’t she telling him?
Dr. Dunn followed Martha into the room. “Hello, Clark. I’m Dr. Dunn. How are you feeling?”
“I…I feel fine.”
“Come on, Clark. You couldn’t feel ‘fine.’ You were shot,” Lois pointed out.
“Well, okay. I do feel tired,” he admitted, “and a little weak. And I guess I feel some pain. But all things considered, I feel fine.”
“Do you think I could get you guys to step out of the room for a few minutes while I examine Clark?”
Jonathan rose from his chair and took Martha’s hand in his own. “Let’s give the doctor some space.” They left the room with Superman following.
“I’ll be right outside, Clark,” Lois assured him, giving his hand one more squeeze before releasing it. Clark’s eyes followed her as she left the room after the others, watching her retreating back until the door shut, cutting off his view.
The doctor checked his vitals, examined his wound, and asked what the level of his pain was. After a few minutes, Dr. Dunn had a look of amazement in his eyes. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Your wound has almost completely healed. Normally, I wouldn’t release you from the hospital for at least another five to seven days, but if all goes well, I expect that you could probably go home in as little as two days.”
“Listen, Dr. Dunn…I just want to thank you for all you’ve done for me.” Clark swallowed nervously, wondering how much the doctor knew, and if he could trust him to keep his secret.
“You’re welcome, Clark. But really, it’s *I* who owes *you* the gratitude. You saved my son’s life two months ago. I could never repay you for that. I want to assure you that your secret is safe with me.”
“No, Doctor, you *have* repaid me—not that I ever needed repayment—but you’ve given me a second chance at life. For that I am truly grateful. If not for you and Superman, I have no doubt that I would have died.”
“I’m just glad that I was able to help.” The doctor quickly filled in some information on a chart, smiled at Clark one last time, then exited the room.
*****
“Hi, Son,” Perry quietly said as he entered the room later that night. Taking a seat at Clark’s bedside, he asked, “How are you feelin’?”
“I’m doing okay,” Clark told him. Wanting to change the subject, he said, “Jimmy came by earlier. I heard about what happened to Jack.”
“Yeah, that poor kid’s been through the wringer. I hear that he’s come out of his coma and is expected to recover fully, though.”
“That’s what Jimmy said. I’m glad to hear it.” Clark swallowed hard at the thought of anything happening to Jack—to anyone that he cared about. Thank god that Luthor couldn’t hurt anyone else.
“Where’re your folks?” Perry asked.
“Lois and I finally convinced them to go back to my apartment and get some shut-eye,” Clark paused, a grin forming on his lips. “My mom finally found someone who is more stubborn than she is.” Clark’s eyes fell on Lois, fast asleep in the chair. “We tried to convince her to go with them, but she refused to budge from this room.”
“That’s the Lois we all know and love. Well, Son, I have some great news, “Perry began, leaning forward. “While you and Lois were both missin’ in action, I talked to Franklin Stern about re-openin’ the Planet.”
“What did he say?”
“He shot me down faster than you could say ‘Graceland.’”
“And this is good news?” Clark asked, both eyebrows rising in silent question.
“No, the good news is he called me back today. It appears that Mr. Stern has reconsidered. The Daily Planet now has a new owner.”
“That is great news! Lois will be thrilled.”
“I’m sure that’s an understatement, Son.”
“So, when will the Planet be open for business again?”
“It’s gonna take some time to repair the building, not to mention the ‘modernization’ that Stern has in mind,” Perry said dryly, his expression making it clear to Clark that the newly reinstated Editor-in-Chief wasn’t fond of that particular idea, “but in the meantime, Mr. Stern has given the okay for us to set up shop somewhere temporarily.” Perry’s face broke out in a brilliant grin. “At least Stern and I agree on two points—Metropolis needs the Daily Planet back in circulation, and it needs for it to happen as soon as possible.”
“Did I hear something about the Planet being back in business?” Her voice still groggy with sleep, Lois’s words brought both men’s attention to her as she stretched in the chair.
“Yes you did, Honey. The Daily Planet is now owned by Franklin Stern. We’re due to start printin’ at our temporary location in one week, two tops.”
Lois jumped up from her chair and danced around happily. Looking a little sheepish a few moments later, she sat back down. “Sorry, I’m just so excited. That’s great news, Chief!”
Clark smiled at Lois happily. Things were going to be okay, he knew it. The Daily Planet would be in circulation again, Jack was going to be fine, and Luthor couldn’t hurt anyone he cared about ever again.
And best of all, Lois loved him.
He’d had nothing to do all day but lay in bed, thinking. Slowly, the missing pieces of his memory filled in, and Clark remembered everything that had happened over the last two weeks. The clearest memory of all was when Lois had gotten him out of the cage. She’d gone above and beyond to get to him—to save him.
There was really only one thing left to do, and Clark had something special in mind. “Lois, do you think you could find out if it would be okay for me to have some oolong tea?”
“Oolong tea?” she asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that one before.”
“It’s a favorite in my family. I’d really like a cup if you could find some.”
“Anything for you, Clark.” Lois got up and headed for the door. “I’ll see if I can find some. Be back in a jiffy.”
Lois left the room, and Perry’s sharp gaze fell on Clark. “Okay, Son, What is it?”
“Was I that obvious?”
“Oh, I don’t think Lois noticed. She’d jump through fire for you, Clark.”
“She might as well have, for all that she went through.”
“Let’s not get into all of that now. I’m guessin’ that you have somethin’ you want to say. Well, time’s tickin’ away, Son.”
Clark smiled at his boss and began to tell him what he had in mind.
TBC...
