A/N: Please review! I love getting feedback on my stories.
Amber found herself sitting in a café in the Metropolis city centre. She'd left the apartment just a few hours ago and had mindlessly caught the subway, getting off in the city centre. A waitress put Amber's order down on the table in front of her, snapping Amber out of her daze, the events of that morning still at the forefront of her mind. "Toasted spinach and feta cheese wrap. And here's your water." The bubbly waitress said putting a plate and a large glass of water down on the table. Amber thanked the waitress before she whisked away to serve another table.
Amber picked up the wrap and devoured it in minutes then finished the glass of water in a few loud gulps, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. She hadn't eaten that morning and her stomach had been growling for most of the subway ride. Café food had always been too expensive for Amber to afford in the past but that morning, mainly due to her rumbling stomach, she decided 'fuck it' and headed for the first café she saw.
People walked by the café window and Amber watched them thinking about where to go from there. Finding a job was number one on her list, closely followed by finding somewhere to live. The thought made Amber's face scrunch slightly and she rubbed her face with both hands to smooth the creases back out. She didn't know anyone in the city that she could stay with and a hotel room in this part of town would be far out of her price range. Amber felt like she was out of her depth and promised herself to only spend the money Cathy had saved up for her if it was an absolute necessity.
The time ticked by and different people walked in and out of the café, greeting their friends or hurriedly buying coffees and sweet pastries. After some time Amber had had enough of sitting and staring out of the windows so she stood up, searched her pockets for some kind of tip for the bubbly waitress and got ready to leave.
As she was shrugging on her backpack a man caught Amber's eye, he was tall with black hair and wore a pair of glasses. What originally caught her eye was his motionless staring from across the sea of bustling people in the room. He was staring at Amber, a look of concern on his face. When the man realized Amber had noticed his staring he immediately ducked his head, grabbed his timely coffee order from the counter and left.
Amber watched him cross the road and head into the Dailey Planet newspaper building from through the large café window. She stood for a moment with her eyebrows creased in confusion thinking about that man. He didn't look familiar, she was fairly certain she didn't know him. Perhaps he mistook her for someone else.
Finally acquiescent that she'd never met the man before Amber pulled her sleeves down over her hands and left the café.
…
The evening air was cold and the sunlight was quickly fading. Down in an alley way full of dumpsters Amber grovelled through each one searching for blankets. She pulled out a thick but dirty and ripped comforter from the last dumpster and rolled it up tightly. There was pile of other neatly rolled bedding which Amber had found in the dumpsters. Amber used her belt to tie the pile together and hoisted the bundle onto her back before staring up at the fire escape. Up. That's where she was going.
Even though the freezing metal made Amber's hands go dumb she kept climbing up the fire escape until she was finally at the top of the vertical ladder at the very top of the building.
Amber threw the belted bundle onto the roof before struggling over the edge herself. She collapsed with a thud on the ground sweating and a little shaky. Her breath spiralled up into the air as she exhaled and Amber frowned knowing it was going to get colder.
Her backpack was leaning against the large air-conditioning vent on the other side of the roof along with a pile of flattened cardboard boxes. Amber carried the bundle over to her backpack and unbuckled her belt letting the blankets fall in a heap on the ground, the neatness of which they were rolled disappearing in the pile.
Amber picked up the cardboard boxes first and got to work.
…
The noise of her teeth chattering uncontrollably rang in Amber's ears and she tried to wrap herself up tighter in her makeshift bed of dumpster blankets, cocooned by large sheets of cardboard. Her body shook and shivered violently, her skin feeling like it was pressed against snow.
Amber's little cocoon lay next to the air-conditioner vent, though it did little to stop the cold breeze. Until she found a place to live Amber was going to sleep on the roof tops. She came to the conclusion she was safer up there at night than down on the streets. It was only a few hours into Amber's first night on the rooftop but she honestly wondered if she would be able to withstand the cold that night alone.
The pitter-patter of raindrops made Amber open her eyes in dread. The rain came in fast and strong and soon enough the little cocoon bed was soaked through. Shivering and sniffing Amber began to cry feeling hopeless. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? Wh-where the fuck am I supposed t-to go?" Amber's sniffing turned into sobbing, the loud rain drowning her voice out.
"I ju-just want to be home with you mum. I hope yo-you're safe. I hope dad hasn't hu-hurt you. I'm sorry I di-didn't stay and save you from him. Oh mum I wish I was in your arms right n-now!" Amber wailed as she hugged her legs for warmth. She sobbed and mumbled to herself while listening to the heavy raindrops hitting the rooftop.
"There you are. I've been looking for you."
The strong familiar voice cut through the rain and Amber stopped sobbing. She wasn't sure if she actually heard his voice or if she'd imagined it. Amber lifted the soggy blankets and cardboard up and looked out into the rain.
Superman stood on the ledge of the building opposite to her with his arms folded across his chest; the rain didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.
"What are you doing here?" Amber asked sitting up, the cardboard and blankets folding back with a squelch.
"I could ask you the same question. I've come to take you to the hospital, like I promised I would last night." Superman said stepping off the ledge and drifting down onto the rooftop landing in front of Amber.
"How did you find me?" Amber asked clenching her jaw to stop her teeth chattering.
"When I found that you weren't at your apartment I went looking for you. I'd nearly lost hope of finding until I heard your voice through this rain." Superman said offering his hand out to Amber. She didn't register his outstretched hand; too many questions were clouding her mind.
"Why were you looking for me?" Amber asked squinting against the rain. Superman dropped his hand then lowered himself down onto his knees in front of Amber. He looked her in the eye sincerely. "I promised I'd take you to the hospital to make sure you were okay after what happened to you last night. I will not break that promise Miss Adderley."
"You can call me Amber."
Superman smiled at her and stood up offering his hand out to Amber again. She took it and he pulled her up out of the soggy bedding. The warmth of his hand made Amber's skin tingle. She thought about how warm she'd feel being wrapped up in Superman's cape again while he held her close. She longed to feel warm; her entire body was shaking like a leaf from the icy temperature.
"It's the middle of the night; hospitals are only open for emergencies right now." Amber said looking at Superman questioningly. "Don't worry, the doctor I'm taking you to is a friend of mine. He always works late. Shall we?" Superman responded picking up Amber's backpack and slinging it over one of his broad shoulders.
"May I?" he asked holding his hands out to Amber. She nodded thinking about how warm he'd feel again. Superman gently wrapped an arm around her waist and swooped down bringing his other arm up behind her legs. She was not disappointed when her skin started tingling as it warmed up.
Superman softly jumped up into the air. What caught Amber off guard was that gravity didn't bring him back down to the roof. It was a surreal moment, rising up into the sky. Amber buried her face in Superman's shoulder to avoid the heavy raindrops and even though he was warm she still shivered against the cold wind.
In what seemed like no time at all Amber felt Superman land and she lifted her head from his shoulder. He began walking through the front door of the Metropolis Hospital with Amber still in his arms.
"So what am I supposed to do in there? Ask for an X-ray or something?" Amber asked as Superman walked through the double doors.
Superman chuckled at her, "No, no. The doctor's knows what happened and he'll check you over, no X-rays needed. Once we're finished here I'm going to take you back home, I'm afraid I can't let you stay up on that roof top again. You'll catch your death in this weather."
Before Amber could say anything they'd reached the front desk .The tired looking receptionist jumped up wide eyed when she noticed Superman approaching the desk. "H-hello! Welcome to the Metropolis Hospital."
"Hello Miss, is Doctor Hugh Garcia still available?" Superman asked pleasantly. Amber was very aware that he was still holding her bridal style in front of the receptionist.
"Let me just phone is office" she said picking up the telephone headset from the desk. The phone call was answered and she smiled triumphantly at Superman.
"Hello Dr Garcia, its Melony from the front desk. I have someone here looking for you… Who? Well it's Superman actually… Yes. Yes I'll send him right up." She hung up the phone and smiled at Superman. "He's on floor four, exam room 107."
"Thank you Miss, have a pleasant night." Superman said with a charming smile before turning away and walking towards the lift with Amber.
"Are you going to carry me all the way there?" Amber asked as Superman walked into an empty lift. The doors closed silently and Superman raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you warm enough yet?" he asked chuckling at Amber's face going red. She mumbled a small yes and Superman lowered her to the ground.
"You can't take me back home after this… I don't live there anymore." Amber said looking at the buttons in the lift. Superman questioned her and tears slipped down her face as she recalled what had happened. Amber told Superman about the lifestyle she had with her mother and her father, and how her father treated them.
When she was finished and wiping her cheeks on her sleeve Superman put his hand on Amber's shoulder and told her not to worry about a thing. Before Amber could question him the lift doors opened up and they walked out into a small waiting area. Superman put Amber's backpack on one of the nearest seats and looked the place over.
"Room 107 is just down that corridor." He pointed to their right at the long eerie corridor. "I'll wait here until you're finished." He finished making himself comfortable on one of the seats.
"You'll wait for me?" Amber asked realizing her clothes were still wet from the rain. Superman looked completely dry aside from damp hair which surprising hadn't lost its shape. "I'll be right here when you are finished." He said with a reassuring smile.
Amber smiled back a little stunned then headed down the corridor he had motioned to before. She found the room and knocked on the door holding her breath until she heard someone on the other side. The door was opened by an older man who had small glasses on and a pen behind one ear.
"Ah! You must be Amber Adderley. Come in." The man stepped aside to let Amber in and she sat down on the examination table when he gestured to it. Doctor Garcia began checking Amber for concussion. He quietly checked over Amber's bruises and scrapes occasionally pushing a little too hard on a few of them making Amber hiss. Once he'd finished he smiled at Amber.
"Well I'm happy to say that aside from the bruises and scrapes you're completely fine Amber."
Amber sighed relieved, "Thank goodness for that. Thank you so much for seeing me Doctor."
"It was my pleasure. Take care of yourself, if I ever see you again I hope that it's not in here." He chuckled to himself and opened the door for Amber. She got up and left the room saying goodbye at the door.
Amber was happy to see that Superman was still waiting in the same seat as she walked back into the waiting room. He looked over at her and stood up with her backpack in his hand. "I'm finished now; he said I'm completely fine. You can take me ho-…you can take me back to where you picked me up from." Amber played with her fingers as she spoke.
Superman's eyebrows creased and he looked at Amber a little upset. "I cannot leave you on that rooftop Amber, you'll freeze in this weather."
"But I have nowhere else to go." Amber replied sharply. Much more defensive than she meant to. Superman put a hand on her shoulder and when she looked up at him she was surprised to see that he had a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "I said not to worry about a thing. I know somewhere else you can go."
"What like your place?" Amber snorted. She realized how rude she sounded and immediately dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I really appreciate everything you've done for me." Superman lifted her chin with a finger. "Apology accepted. Now, will you let me take you somewhere safe? I won't leave you alone until I know that you are." He looked at her sincerely and Amber felt hot tears fill her eyes and her face scrunched up. She immediately wrapped her arms around Superman's middle and buried her face in his chest so he couldn't see her crying. He wrapped his arms around her without saying a word.
The honestly she felt in Superman's words made Amber's mind overload with so many thoughts. Superman really did want to help her. He wanted, even needed Amber to be safe. She felt as if she wasn't just another face in the crowd of people he'd saved. A great amount of comfort pooled Amber when she realized that Superman cared about what happened to her after tonight. She sniffed a few times and pulled away to dry her eyes.
She looked up at him and with a hollow voice said, "Please take me somewhere safe." Superman put his arm around Amber's shoulders and together they walked towards the lift not saying another word to one another.
