A/N: Long. Quite long in fact. Also, unbetaed. There's a reason for this. I've had it in the works for a while now, and I've got a sizable chunk written (I think twelve chapters, at last count) and I know where I'm going with it. But I've reached the point where I'm tired of looking at it without anything new coming up, and can't motivate myself to start writing again without going mad (as the title suggests
). So, I'm leaving it in the hands of you fine folks to inspire me a bit. I *hope* to be updating this on a weekly basis (please note the 'hope' involved, my schedule's been kinda crazy recently). Feel free to beat me over the head if I don't. (Wait, wait! Not literally!!
)
Set post season 4. This chapter's fairly short, sorry. But hey, if you want more you've got to give me time to work on it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Lois and Clark or Superman franchises. If I did, wouldn't you want me to be cleaning up the new comics instead of wasting my time on here? That's what I thought. :p Just saying.
*****Madness: Chapter One*****"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go."
-- King Claudius, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet"There. All done!"
Clark scowled and pulled his shirt back on quickly, wincing slightly at the movement. The doctor seemed entirely too chipper for his tastes. Anyone that just stuck a bunch of needles into someone else should not sound so ecstatic.
"Don't worry- I've engineered it so that the side effects of the Kryptonite should wear off within the half hour."
"I'm still not so sure about that, Bernie."
"Clark," Dr. Klein took on a chiding tone and Clark cut him off before he could respond.
"I know, I know. Everything's worked out fine so far. It hasn't effected me as long or as strongly as normal, and the needles really don't hurt so bad-"
"And with more exposure to the doctored dose, the quicker you'll gain immunity against it, and your powers should exponentially return at a faster rate. You won't be without them for long before you can be up and flying around again."
Clark nodded and took a deep breath, readying himself to face his wife in the other room. When he'd just about decided he was ready as he'd ever be, Dr. Klein placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"Clark," he pursed his lips, looking unsure. "I know you're nervous about the blood and tissue samples- and mostly about the kryptonite, but I still have to ask- are you sure you're okay with this?"
Clark nodded. "Of course. I'm perfectly all right, Dr. Klein."
"Oh, no. I mean, physically, of course you're all right. You're Superman. Granted, you're probably not feeling so super just yet, but you are super nonetheless..."
"Doctor," Clark hinted, trying to gently put his friend back on track.
"Right. Sorry. It's just that... I would understand if mentally or emotionally, you're feeling a little out of control on this one."
"Bernie, I can assure you, I'm fine."
"Yes, yes, of course." He took to pacing, not sure how he could possibly phrase this to the Man of Steel. "Only... well, this isn't exactly a normal case, but in any case... most people in your relative position who feel fine and claim to be fine but are inexplicably nervous... It's not just because of the needles."
Clark stared at his friend in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Bernard Klein took a deep, calming breath and tried to put it as delicately as possible. "Sometimes, it's more a fear of what's to come than of what it takes to get there. Are you... is there any possibilty that this nervousness is derived from some second thoughts?"
Clark looked taken aback briefly. "What? No."
"I'm not saying that you may purposely be having these thoughts, or that you even like having them, but it is a big step you're taking, and it's perfectly natural to be a little bit concerned with how things will be in the future."
"Bernie," his voice had steel in it, and immediately the doctor met his gaze and held it. "I want to do this. Really, I do. I can't tell you how much it would mean to me if Lois and I could have a child of our own together. It would mean the world to me- to us both. Yes, I'm concerned about what the kryptonite will do to me- to my powers, and if something horrible will go wrong at a point in time when I'm without them. But I still want to do this. More than anything in the world."
Dr. Klein remained silent for a while, considering, before ultimately deciding it wasn't his place to delve any further. "All I'm saying is that you and Lois should talk more about this. That's all. Because the farther we go with this, the more difficult it will be to stop the process."
Clark was silent, lips pursed in thought, before he finally gave the doctor an almost imperceptible nod and took his leave.
*****TBC*****
