A/N: In this next chapter, it appears the past week has finally caught with Clark! Thanks, Hana. You're the best, even with all your school work, you managed to always come through for me. *hugs* Please R&R. Thanks!

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Chapter 7 – In the Hands of Mortals

Previously:

"Well, I guess that leads me to the all important question ... are you going to tell her about yourself?"

Clark sighed. "She may already know."

"What?" Chloe couldn't believe it.

##

Clark couldn't believe any of this was happening, but he knew it was true. "Lois knows my secret, I'm sure of it."

"But how, when?"

"I don't know how, Chloe, but the first night I found her at the hospital, she was pretty out of it. She apologized for being late. I asked her when that was, and she said "the phone booth."

"That's it? That's all she said? Clark, it could mean anything. Has she dropped any other clues?"

"No, nothing else, and I haven't asked her about it either. I wouldn't know what to say."

"We need to know more. I know. You could call her at the hospital as the Red Blue Blur and check up on her."

"Chloe, that's a terrible idea."

"Why not, it might work."

"No, it would only make matters worse. Don't you see? Lois and I just bared our souls to each other, declared our love, our deepest feelings. I can't turn around five minutes later and call on the phone pretending to be someone else. It wouldn't matter if she knew my secret or not. I know it would devastate her. I can't hurt her like that, not any more."

"Oh, I see your point. It was a bad idea. We'll think of something."

Clark ran his hands through his hair, and began to pace. "Oh, God, I'm going crazy. I can't seem to think straight. I'm so worried about her. Every time someone close to me knows my secret, something bad happens to them. It's like a curse or something. They die, leave me, go insane, or something else equally devastating." He looked at Chloe, and she could see tears in his eyes. "I couldn't bear it, Chloe."

"Clark you have to calm down. Lois is alright." She went to him and touched his arm. He was shaking. "When was the last time you ate, or got some sleep?"

"Four days, maybe more, I don't know." Clark tried to calm himself down by taking deep breaths, but it wasn't helping. His heart was racing and his palms were sweaty. "Chloe, something's wrong." Clark immediately fell to the floor in a faint.

"Clark, Clark, can you hear me? Oh, no, think Chloe think. Oliver will know what to do." She ran and got her cell and called him. "Oliver, pick up, pick up, please pick up. Oliver, thank God. Clark fainted. I think it's because he hasn't eaten and he hasn't slept in four days or more. I don't know what to do."

"I'll be there in ten minutes. Keep him warm, alright?"

"Alright, please hurry." She hung up the phone, ran to get some blankets, and covered him up. She stroked his hair. "Oh, Clark, you have to eat and sleep. You're not a god. You're human, just like us. Please wake up."

Oliver arrived a few minutes later, and Dinah and Bart were right behind him. They had a stretcher with them. "Chloe, we have to move him. He needs medical attention, and I know a doctor who can help him. He's a friend of ours, and he knows about all of us. We can trust him."

"But where are you taking him?" Chloe had to know.

"I can't tell you, at least not yet, and you can't come, so don't ask."

"Oliver, if you think I'm going to just sit here and wonder what's happening to him, you're crazy. I'll follow you, I will."

"Please, Chloe, you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt him."

"Oh, really? And how would I know that? I know what you did to him, Oliver. Clark wouldn't be happy about this, and you know it."

"Chloe, we don't have time for this. Clark needs a doctor now. I'll call you as soon as the doctor checks him out. Please Chloe. You said you trusted me. Was that a lie?"

Chloe stared at him for a moment. She did trust him. "Do you promise to call me as soon as he's settled and the doctor sees him?"

He touched her cheek. "I promise. We have to go. Come on, guys, we need to hurry."

As soon as they were gone, Chloe gasped to herself. "Oh Lois, I have to call her, but what should I say?"

##

Lois was steadily improving. After another walk down the halls, Lois was able to walk on her own now. I was hoping Clark would come back this afternoon and take another walk with me. Oh, well, I suppose he got tied up. He is one busy superhero.

She was sitting up in bed, reading a magazine, and suddenly she had this feeling to just give him a call. He does have a cell phone with him. I'll just say hello and find out when he can come back to visit me. Shaking her head, she dialed his number, and got his voice mail. "Hi, Clark, it's me. I miss you. It's so boring here, but the doctor said he may release me tomorrow instead of the day after that. Isn't that great news? I think so. Well, I won't keep you. Call me when you get this message alright? I love you. Bye."

Several hours later, Lois started to really worry. Clark hadn't called her back. She then left him an urgent message to call her as soon as possible. Where is he, and why hasn't he returned my calls? She took a deep breath to calm herself. Something is wrong. I can feel it. Chloe might know something.

Chloe looked at her cell, saw it was Lois, and decided to play dumb. She hadn't heard a word from Oliver. She took a deep breath and answered the phone. "Lois, hi, how are you feeling?" Chloe inwardly winced. That was a bit too cheerful. I hate this.

"I'm better. Have you seen Clark?" Lois worriedly asked.

"No, I haven't seen him lately. He was here earlier to check up on me, but then he left." Chloe closed her eyes. It's not my secret to tell.

"Well, then, where is he? I left several messages for him. Could he be at the office, on a story or something, not wanting to be disturbed? Chloe, I'm worried about him."

"Lois, don't worry. He's probably out at the farm checking up on things, doing chores. I'm sure he'll call you when he gets a minute."

Lois' heart rate spiked after that, she was so worried. "Chloe, where are you? I'm coming to see you."

Chloe sighed. She knew Lois wouldn't stop until she found out about Clark. "I'm at my new home. The address is 1599 Spencer Avenue. I'm on the top floor."

"Don't go anywhere, Chloe. I'm on my way." Lois hung up, not wanting to hear any more of her excuses. She immediately called a cab. I have twenty minutes to get ready. I know I'm not ready to leave the hospital, but I can't ignore this feeling that something is terribly wrong. All I can see in my mind is the last time he was here with me. He had been so sweet and caring, not wanting to leave me. She shook her head, trying to concentrate on what needed to be done. She needed to find him and make sure he was alright. She managed to get dressed, ignoring her aches and pains. The hospital was very quiet, which was good for her. She made it out without being detected. The cab was waiting for her.

##

As soon as Chloe hung up the phone, she called Oliver. "Oliver, yes its Chloe. How's Clark doing? Please tell me he's awake and alright. Lois is on her way over here. She won't stop until she finds out where he is."

"He's still unconscious, Chloe. The doctor is with him now, but why is Lois looking for him?" Oliver asked.

"Oliver, Lois and Clark are together now, they're a couple. They finally acknowledged their feelings just this morning. Lois is very worried about him."

"Well, well, well, he finally did it. Good for you, Clark." He chuckled. "I'm happy for them, Chloe, really I am, but Lois can't know where Clark is, not right now."

"Why the hell shouldn't we tell her? Oliver, we don't have a choice here. You know Lois. She'll tear the city apart looking for him, and she shouldn't even be doing this. She was hurt during the Doomsday fight, and she's not 100 percent."

"She was hurt and nobody said anything to me? Is she alright?" Lois was his friend, and he was concerned about her.

"Oliver, let's not get into that right now. Lois is probably sneaking out of the hospital as we speak. I have to tell her something when she gets here. But there is something else you should know. Lois may already know Clark's secret. Clark seemed pretty sure about it." What a mess, Chloe thought.

"Well, you have to stall her, and try to find out how much she knows. I'll go talk to the doctor and see when he'll wake up. I'm sorry, Chloe, but that's all I can tell you right now. I promise to call as soon as I know anything. Bye, Chloe."

"Bye, Oliver. Please call me back."

##

The Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories, aka, S.T.A.R. Labs, is a research organization. Dr. Emil Hamilton is a research scientist, a brilliant doctor, and the one person who can save the life of the Red Blue Blur. Dr. Hamilton was working in his lab when he received an urgent call from Oliver Queen. Dr. Hamilton knew right away that special 'arrangements' had to be made for this particular person. He was a very special young man. He had met him on several different occasions. He was never hurt, but he was always there to help his friends. Dr. Hamilton knew all their secrets, including the fact that this young man was Clark Kent of Smallville.

Clark arrived at the facility unconscious, his breathing was very shallow, he was sweating, and his pupils were dilated, which indicated to the doctor right away that he needed urgent medical treatment. They took him to a top secret area of the facility, only accessible to very highly secured individuals employed at the Lab.

Dr. Hamilton had made a point to find out as much as possible about life on Krypton before the explosions that had destroyed the planet. Clark was very forthcoming with that information, and now that information may save his life.

Just then, Oliver Queen entered the lab. "Dr. Hamilton, how is he?" Oliver could see Clark in a sterilized environment, surrounded by equipment with a nurse at his side.

"We have managed to stabilize him, but he's not out of the woods yet. He hasn't regained consciousness and I don't know why. Placing him under an artificial 'red sun' has temporarily enabled us to give him fluids, which he desperately needs right now. It will be only a matter of time before he awakens, but I don't know when. His body needs rest. From what I understand he hasn't eaten or rested for almost a week?"

"Yes, doctor, that's true. Clark is very much in love with a young woman who went missing, and he was determined to find her, even endangering his own health. This young woman, from what I understand, is about to tear down these walls, if necessary, to see him and to make sure he's alright.

"Ah, yes, young love. Well, I think you did the right thing by not allowing any of his friends to come here. This particular area of the lab is not known to the 'main' body of work of this laboratory. Giving access to these individuals would cause attention we don't need right now. I think we can handle this young woman."

Oliver rolled his eyes. He had no idea what he's talking about!!

##

A/N: He sure doesn't! Next up, Lois has a few words with Chloe! Thanks for reading.