Chapter 10
Thank you all for your feedback!
Part I: Clark
Needless to say, you had a very restless night.
Making out with Diana the night before, albeit short as it was, made you feel something, a physical yearning that you hadn't felt in over a year.
By 4 am you give up trying to sleep and against your better judgement, go out for a run.
The difference of temperature between the outside air and the one coming out of your lungs is so steep, your breath fogs up your glasses.
"Ah, crap," you mumble under your breath as you take off your glasses to clear them with your undershirt.
You never see the car coming.
Part II: Diana
The shriek of the ringing telephone wakes you up from the delicious R-rated dream you'd been having about you and Clark. You check your phone and the first thing you register is the time.
5:30 am
"You gotta be kidding me," you grumble, accepting the call from the unknown number. "Hello?"
"Ms. Prince, please?" The voice on the other end asks.
Running a hand on your face, you say "Yes?"
"I'm calling from the New York Presbyterian." The name of the hospital instantly register and you sit up on your bed. "Do you know a Clark Kent?"
Heart hammering on your chest, near to the point of breaking through your ribcage, you stand up and head to the closet to get dressed. "Yes, he's my fiancé," you say without realising it.
"He was brought in about an hour ago. He was hit by a car and-"
"Is he ok?" You panic. You just got him back, you can't- "Please tell me he is ok."
"He is," the older woman assures you. "He asked us to call you. You're also listed as his emergency contact."
A tad calmer now, you nod even though no one can see it. "Yes, I'm on my way."
Part III: Clark
You're still a little groggy when you wake up, God only knows how long later. It takes a little longer to sink in where you are but that doesn't bother you, not when she's right there beside you.
"Hi, sleepyhead," Diana mumbles. She's wearing the same thing she was when you left her apartment, your old sweatshirt. She has dark circles under her eyes, no doubt from having been woken up in the middle of the night.
"What time is it?" You ask, your mouth dry as if you'd been chewing on cotton.
"Almost 7," she replies, choking up before she's unable to keep the tears in check any longer. Sobbing, she says "I thought I was going to lose you."
"No, babe, don't." You try to sit up but the cast on your knee prevents you from moving. "Ah, shit." you had completely forgotten about it and the pain, even if it's not unbearable, stops you from going to her. "C'mere."
You open your arms and she climbs up on the hospital bed with you. Kissing the top of her head, you keep her close, letting her cry it all out. It doesn't take her long though, and when he tears have dried, she looks up at you with those beautiful dark eyes.
"Better?" You ask, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Diana chuckles. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
"Just a hairline fracture, nothing serious. I'm sure the doctors told you." She nods.
The car hit you right on your knees, but the hit wasn't bad enough that broke your patella completely. You have to wear a cast around your right knee to keep it straight, and you're not allowed to put any weight on it for at least 4 weeks. You never thought you'd have to wear crutches, at least not before you turned 70. Now they are leaned against the hospital bed, mocking you.
"I'll be back on my feet in no time." She gives you a look that says she got the pun and doesn't appreciate it. "It's just for a few weeks."
"I know." She's playing with your fingers, her touch so light it's barely there. "I was so scared when they said it was from the hospital."
"I asked them to wait until morning."
She sits up on the bed, head shaking. "No. They were right to call. I would be really pissed off if you'd spent the night here and I wasn't informed about it. By the say," Diana quickly adds before you can get a word in. "What the hell were you going out at 4 in the morning?"
You look down at your hands. "I, I couldn't sleep."
She frowns. "So you watch tv. You don't go out in the snow in the middle of the night, Kal."
"I needed to blow off some steam."
"Why would you-" You raise your eyebrow at her and she gets it instantly. "Oh. You were… Right."
She was too, there no way she couldn't be after that made out sessions, but maybe she wasn't as affected as he'd been.
"Yeah. Figured a run in the snow would be more useful than a cold shower."
Diana laughs. "Guess a broken kneecap did the trick."
You smile. "That it did."
Her nose wrinkles and you can't help but smile. She always does that when she's confused about something. "Wait. You live in a walkup."
"Yeah, I- Ohhh." How could you possibly go back home if you can't climb up the stairs to your place? "I guess I'll be getting a lot of take out."
"Stay with me," she blurts out. "I mean, my apartment has an elevator and it's close to the park."
Had you not had your leg broken, you wouldn't think it'd be a good idea for you two to move in together again, but there were extenuating circumstances and her apartment was much larger.
"I know it's too soon for us to move in together again but you can't possibly climb up 5 set of stairs every day with a broken kneecap."
"And you'll be there to take care of me," you offer, making her smile.
"That too."
Part IV: Diana
Clark waits in the car while you go to his apartment to pack up some essentials. He's been discharged from the hospital and after stopping to fill his prescriptions, you drive to his place to pack up.
A feeling of nostalgia comes over you when you're alone at the apartment. It was home for you at one point in your life, but it somehow isn't what you want anymore. It was the place you left Clark alone and you don't want that on the back of your mind.
Shaking the thought away, you go to the bedroom and start packing. Underwear, t-shirts, the comfier the clothing, the better. The doctor recommended Clark doesn't walk at all during the first week, but you know the man you love, that will never happen. He is as restless as a 5 year old.
Something under his pillow catches your eye and you decide to investigate. Sure enough, you find your long lost t-shirt under his pillow. You're certain he hasn't been wearing yours for it would never fit him, but undoubtedly he's been sleeping with it too.
Turns out great minds do think alike.
-o0o-