Outsiders
Chapter 14; The Good and the Bad
Joshua's home
Clark had picked Josh up from the hospital that morning along with Ryan and after school the three had driven back to Josh and Ryan's home with only a stop off at the town's supermarket for supplies.
Ryan waited for Josh to slide out of the car before hopping out and grabbing as many bags from the back of the car as he could. Clark easily hefted the last four and the two followed Josh up through the garden. Josh had to fumble with his keys since he had one arm through a crutch but he managed to get the door open without much more delay.
Josh winced at the sight of the house with its dustsheets and clear evidence that nobody had lived in it for the last three months. It was dry and cheerless. Josh went straight through into the kitchen and switched on some of the equipment, the cooker and fridge among them. He put the kettle on to make all three of them a drink. Being mid February it was rather cold.
"I put the heating on." Ryan announced as he came back into the room.
"Let's get hot drinks and then split up. Just gather up the dustsheets and Ryan can put sheets on our beds." Josh nodded. "Thanks again for the help, Clark."
"Don't mention it." Clark laughed. "You know my mom, she'd kill me if I left you two to sort out your own house."
"The man has a point." Ryan laughed.
Josh put the three mugs on the table as well as coffee, tea and chocolate pots. Ryan reached for the coffee pot but Josh slapped his hand away. Ryan grumbled under his breath but took the hot chocolate. Josh pushed his own mug towards him and Ryan grumbled again as he started spooning it into Josh's mug as well. Clark laughed at the two of them before reaching for the coffee. Josh poured water into all three mugs before putting milk into his own and Ryan's. Clark shook his head so Josh put the milk away even as Ryan stole the sugar and begun shovelling heaps of it into his drink as he smirked at Josh.
Josh wandered from the room with his mug in his hand and the crutch in the other. "Don't forget we're going to dinner in an hour."
Josh made his way through the house to the living room while Clark began in the dining room and he heard Ryan's footsteps on the stairs. Josh put his mug on the table after taking a deep mouthful and then began carefully folding the dustsheets. He began with the sound system and then switched it on and put in a CD before cranking the volume knowing that Ryan and Clark would be able to hear the Muse album as it played. The two sofas, reading chair, TV, bookshelf and coffee table followed.
He'd have to come around with a rag tonight or tomorrow and dust off everything that hadn't been covered up like the light fixings on the wall and the mantelpiece. Even as he thought it his eyes were drawn to the dusty picture frames above the fire place. He walked towards them and slowly reached out with his hand. He traced his fingers through the dust, clearing the front of one of the photos. A picture of himself and his Uncle from when they'd been staying in New York about two years ago.
His fingers shook as he cleared the front of a more recent photo of himself, Ryan and their Uncle from the end of the last year, just before Martha had lost the baby. He and Ryan were standing on either side of their Uncle and he had his arms around them both. An older photo showed Kevin and his sister from before they had met and another showed Josh and his Uncle from before they'd left England so many years ago.
His finger traced a photo of just Kevin and he only realised how long he'd been standing there when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped around to see Clark standing in the darkness. Clark opened his mouth to speak but he shut it again when his eyes strayed to the photos on the mantelpiece. Josh turned away and wiped at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie but there was no way that Clark had missed the tears in his eyes. "I suppose we should've traded rooms." Josh tried to laugh but it came out rather weak.
"I really am sorry, Josh. I know how much he meant to you." Clark told him. Josh turned back to the photos and lifted the first one from the mantelpiece. "I can't really know how you must feel right now but I can imagine. If you need anything..."
Josh sighed out but nodded. "Thanks Clark."
Clark stepped up to his side and drew an arm around him. Josh was surprised but didn't move away as Clark let him turn into the hug. Clark wasn't Bart or Arthur but he was solid and calm. Josh hugged him and rested his head on his shoulder, ignoring the fact he'd never shared a moment like this with his friend. He knew that Clark must have comforted Ryan for the last three months.
"Mom and Dad have been worried that you've been alone living on the streets in some city somewhere." Clark told him when Josh pulled away, wiping at his eyes yet again.
"I've been with friends." Josh assured him.
"Where?" Clark asked.
"We were travelling, mostly around the Pacific." Josh told him honestly.
"You mean the west coast?" Clark asked.
"If you say so." Josh managed a weak smile.
"Ryan's really happy you're back." Clark told him.
"I know." Josh sighed. "I felt really bad for leaving but I had to and Ryan understands."
"He defended you a lot with Pete, Lana and Chloe." Clark nodded. "I admit that we didn't really think you should have left him but Ryan swore to me that you had a valid reason."
"I never liked that I had to leave but staying here did enough damage." Josh told him before turning to end the discussion. "Ryan! We need to go!" He yelled after checking his watch for the time.
"I'm coming!" Ryan yelled back from what seemed to be his own room. Josh ducked into the kitchen to wash his face but by the look that passed across Ryan's face when he came down the stairs he wasn't completely successful in hiding his little breakdown. Ryan hugged him quickly but they didn't linger knowing that they needed to get going if they weren't going to be completely late.
The restaurant in town wasn't that big but Josh, Ryan and their Uncle had been there quite a few times and it was generally rather peaceful. Martha and Jonathan were already there when the three boys walked in and they headed over to sit down. "You're cutting it a bit close." Jonathan laughed.
"A bit close?" Josh smiled. "We're ten minutes late. I got a bit distracted."
Josh pulled up the menu and pretended to ignore the look that passed between Clark and his parents. He knew that his eyes weren't completely back to normal but knew the Kents well enough to know they wouldn't bring it up.
"Are you ready to order your drinks?" The waiter asked.
Josh nodded to Jonathan as did Clark and Ryan and the five of them gave their orders. "So, Ryan told us you were staying with friends?" Martha asked when the waiter had left.
"Yeah, two guys I've known for a few years." Josh told her. "They're both misfits so we get on perfectly."
"Misfits?" Jonathan asked.
"Well one was kicked out of his home three years ago by his parents and the other's parents died a long time ago." Josh explained. "They prefer the free life. I don't think either of them could be pinned down to a single place long enough to say they weren't homeless."
"So what did you do?" Jonathan asked.
"We travelled mainly." Josh shrugged.
"Did you see anything interesting?" Clark asked.
Josh laughed. "Not really."
"Are we going to meet these friends of yours?" Martha asked.
Ryan snorted in amusement. "If you can get Bart to stay for dinner you'd get a medal!"
"Ryan." Josh laughed. "Besides I can get him to stay for dinner."
"That's just because..."
Josh nudged him in the foot and Ryan closed his mouth before grinning at him. "They're a bit private." Josh told Martha, "But if they ever decide to stay for any length of time I'll be sure to try to invite you all over for dinner."
"Speaking of which, how is the house?" Jonathan asked. Josh had to pause as they all ordered their food but once the waiter disappeared he shrugged at the man.
"It just needs a good shakedown." Josh shrugged. "It would be easier if I could carry stuff with two hands but I'll have this cast off this weekend."
"Well if you need anything fixed let Clark know." Martha told him. "He's quite good with that sort of thing and Jonathan would be happy to help out, wouldn't you?"
"Of course." Jonathan nodded.
They talked at length about Josh's plans and even though Josh didn't really have many he managed to appease them. It was a good dinner and Josh enjoyed himself and Ryan was quite obviously enlivened by the whole thing.
Josh tried to pay for the entire meal but when Martha and Jonathan refused he insisted on paying for his and Ryan's share and the two adults caved when they saw the determination there. Clark and Ryan just laughed at the whole thing.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
That night
Josh had been lying in bed for three hours and given up trying to sleep when the small sound of his door swinging open attracted his attention. He lifted his head and saw Bart standing in the light from the moon coming through the window. Bart didn't waste any time in stripping down to his boxers and sidling under the covers with Josh. He curled up to Joshua's side. "You always manage to get yourself into trouble."
"Maybe you should stay here and keep an eye on me then?" Josh suggested. He'd called Bart as soon as he'd had a chance to tell him about the Wizard he'd killed. Josh didn't wait for an answer and nuzzled into Bart's neck as if he'd been joking. He never wanted Bart to be tied down here for his benefit if it made him miserable. "Just make sure you check your messages."
"Of course." Bart told him and kissed his chest gently.
There was a small startled sound from the doorway and both looked up to see Ryan hiding behind the door. Even in the dark Josh could see Ryan was half naked and he was crying. Josh sat up quickly. "It's okay, Ryan, we're not doing anything."
"I..." Ryan glanced at Bart nervously.
"It's alright, twerp." Bart sat up further and surprised Josh by sliding out of bed. "I'll just steal your bed."
"Oh..." Ryan glanced nervously between Josh and Bart.
"Ryan, you know I wouldn't ever turn you away. Bart won't admit it but he loves you just as I do." Josh told him seriously and grabbed Bart's hand to plead with him to stay.
"I won't stay unless Ryan wants me to." Bart told them both quietly. "He needs you."
"I don't mind." Ryan sighed and turned to leave to room. Josh tried to get up to follow him but with his cast he couldn't. Bart was between Ryan and the door before Ryan could even put his hand on the door handle.
Bart opened his arms, obviously seeing something on Ryan's face, probably a look of desperation. Ryan stumbled forwards and Bart wrapped him up in his arms, hugging him tightly even as Ryan began crying again freely. Bart slowly walked Ryan over to the bed and with some manoeuvring on all of their parts Ryan curled up against Josh who hugged him and Bart hugged them both from Josh's other side.
"Was it another nightmare, Ry?" Josh asked. Ryan nodded and buried his face in Josh's chest.
"It wasn't real, Ryan." Bart spoke up quietly and Josh smiled over at his boyfriend who held the back of Ryan's neck as he cried. Bart continued to whisper gentle things in Ryan's ear to soothe him and slowly Ryan fell asleep on Josh's chest.
"Not so much a street rat." Josh smiled at Bart sappily. "Seriously, Bart. Thank you."
"You were right." Bart told him before kissing his cheek gently. "I do love him. It's nice to have a little brother like him."
"You're turning into a sap, you know that right?" Josh asked. Ryan moaned and muttered in his sleep. Bart leaned over and kissed the boy on the side of his head and Josh could feel Bart's left hand rubbing circles in Ryan's back, soothing him out of his troubled sleep.
"I'm still a street rat." Bart told him. "Does he normally go back into a nightmare so fast?"
"Sometimes," Josh paused as Ryan twitched violently in his sleep. "If he does though he'll spend the whole night switching through them."
Josh shifted backwards up the bed knowing exactly how to deal with Ryan when he was in this state. He pulled Ryan onto his lap so he was curled up against his chest and Bart shifted to hug them both, boxing Ryan in with both his older brothers hugging him. "Can you sleep like that?" Bart asked.
Josh shook his head. "I don't mind staying up. If I'm not here to soothe him he'll slip into a nightmare properly and there'll be screaming and crying. It's not fair to him."
"A kid like him shouldn't even have nightmares like that." Bart frowned.
"It's his mind reading ability." Josh sighed. "He witnessed a lot of really bad thoughts when he had them at full swing and it's not pleasant to have that in your head. Plus he relived my own life when I healed him."
Bart winced and snuggled Ryan further into himself, hugging Josh tighter as he did. "I'll try to get some sleep, I've been running all day, but if you get too tired, wake me up and I'll take over."
Josh leaned down and kissed Bart soundly on the lips before letting Bart fall asleep. He stayed up for the whole night as Ryan and Bart slept. Ryan's sleep was pained and anxious and Josh had to almost constantly soothe him to calm his dreams down. Ironically, Bart's dreams were the complete opposite and Josh could feel the effect it had on his boyfriend against his leg. If it wasn't for the fact Ryan was snuggled up to him, he'd have trouble not responding to it.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A week later
Josh, with his cast finally off of his leg, pulled up in front of the Kent Farm. He'd had a shift at the hospital followed by a check up with the Orthopaedic specialist who had taken off his cast and declared him out of murky water. Michael had stuck around for his appointment and then driven him home where he'd picked up his Jeep and headed to pick Ryan up from the farm. They were due to see a film that Lana had picked for them at the Talon.
He knocked on the door and a moment later Martha opened the door and let him in. "How many times have I told you to just walk in, Josh?" She asked him.
"Probably several hundred." Josh shrugged. "Is Ryan about?"
"He's out horse riding with Clark." Martha told him and led him to the kitchen counter. "Clark promised to have him back in time. I think Ryan invited him to the film, I hope that's okay."
Josh laughed and shrugged. "I think Ryan's scared I'm going to run off again, the only time he's not attached to my side is when we're in classes or I'm working. The more time he spends with Clark the better."
"Hey, Joshua." Josh turned and nodded at Jonathan as he walked in.
"Hi, Mr. Kent." Josh smiled at him.
"I saw the horses up on Jacob's mound so they'll probably be about twenty minutes." Jonathan told him.
"That's good. I wanted to talk to you away from Ryan anyway." Josh told them and pulled a satchel bag onto his lap and then pulled out a small wad of paper. "Item one." He grinned at them and Martha chuckled. "This is my timetable for the next month. I've sorted out my shifts with the hospital so that they're the same every week and my school work is there too."
"Is there a reason you want us to see this?" Jonathan asked.
"Of course." Josh nodded but didn't elaborate yet. "Ryan's timetable is there too, when he needs to stay here because I'm not home for the evening and when he can be home alone."
"You know he's welcome here any time, you don't need to plan it all out." Martha frowned but then her eyes widened. "Do you?"
"Technically no, but when Lionel Luthor's leading lawyers are pointing Metropolis Judges in Ryan and my direction it's best to have something like this." Josh told them.
"You have got to be kidding..." Jonathan sat down in a seat heavily.
Josh snorted. "It's nothing to do with legal obligation and so on but I've talked to Simon and he agrees. We're cracking in on this undue attention and Lionel's attempts while I was gone as cause for the restraining order I put against them. He's trying to put it forward that a seventeen year old, grieving over his Uncle's recent murder is not a fit guardian for a troubled fifteen year old with a bad background."
"Could that work?" Martha asked.
"Normally with just that, no." Josh shook his head. "But Lionel got into my sealed records dealing with the hearing to grant Uncle Kevin custody of me."
"I'm not sure I follow." Jonathan frowned.
"He's trying to make people think that somebody with my abused past can't be trusted in raising another child with a past like Ryan's." Josh explained.
"Abused past?" Martha frowned in concern.
"These, Mrs. Kent, weren't done for show." Josh waved at the scar across his throat and his sweat band. Both were things he knew the Kents took for granted now. They looked ready to ask and Josh sighed and looked out a side window. "I hate to bring this up but with your joint custody of Ryan, Simon thinks you need to know in case Lionel tries to use the fact you don't know my past to his benefit. I'd rather this didn't become public knowledge though, not even to Clark. He has a habit of being too honest with his friends."
"Of course, Josh." Martha frowned. "Anything you tell us stays with us."
"Even though the courts eventually pardoned Uncle Kev he technically kidnapped me when I was eight." Josh paused for their shocked gasps. "My parents, as you might have guessed, are dead." They nodded slowly. "They were murdered by one of the people hunting me now when I was still a baby, trying to get to me. More of the people hunting me, from a different group, put me with my relatives. My mother's sister and her family. My Aunt's husband did these."
Josh pushed up the sweat band to bare the burn over the scar. "The bolt shaped scar is from when my parents were killed but the burn was when I was six and my Uncle got tired of the looks that people gave me because of the scar. He tried to burn it off with a fire poker." Josh pulled the sweat band back over his scar and gently touched the one at his throat. "This one is rather obvious I suppose. My Uncle tried to slit my throat when I was eight in what he thought was an empty multi-story car park. Uncle Kev scared him and he ran but Uncle Kev had been watching the abuse for two months already and had reported it a dozen time without any response so after the hospital stopped the bleeding he kidnapped me."
"Josh, we don't know what to say." Martha gasped.
"It's a long time in the past." Josh shrugged. "I suppose I still get emotional about it at times, like when Clark did that weird thing and stole my sweat band."
"And suggested your parents had done it to you." Jonathan winced violently.
"I don't really want to know why he said it." Josh shook his head and finally met their eyes. "But you know why Uncle Kev was granted custody and now if Lionel suggests you're blind in this you can say you're not."
"So why the timetables?" Martha asked trying to change the subject.
"To show that my management of Ryan is being monitored by a pair of responsible adults who have already proven themselves as responsible parents." Josh told them. "I need you to read these over, sign the declaration at the bottom to show you agree, and then keep them."
"Of course." Jonathan nodded. "Is there any need to actually read it or can we just sign them."
"I could do with some hints now and then." Josh pointed at the timetable and they nodded.
"If you ever need advice with dealing with him then please, just let us know." Martha told him. "And if you ever need anything...personally...you can always come to us."
Josh nodded and smiled. "On a lighter note, Ryan's birthday."
Martha grinned. "We had a few ideas, to be honest it's been a bit hard to catch you without Ryan around."
"What did you have in mind?" Josh asked.
"We were thinking about holding a party at the Talon. Ryan really loves it there." Martha told him.
"That's what I thought." Josh nodded. "Have you asked Lana?"
"We wanted to run it passed you first." Martha chuckled.
"I'll ask her at school tomorrow." Josh assured them. "You might imagine I have another problem."
"A gift?" Martha laughed.
"I'm not really very good at getting presents for people. Not if I'm the one supposed to get the main gift." Josh sighed. "I've only thought of one thing that I think would really make him happy but I've never seen him out there with Clark and Lana."
"What did you have in mind?" Jonathan asked.
"A horse of his own." Josh sighed feeling rather stupid suggesting it. "Every time he comes back in with Clark or Lana after going riding he glows and he talks for hours about it. I think he likes horses, their minds aren't like ours so he can't hear them and he likes how gentle they are and how they love their owners when well treated. I think he wants that."
"We had thought of a horse but we don't really have that option. We can't afford it right now." Jonathan said, admitting for the first time that they had money problems. Josh knew better than to offer anything, but he had made it clear in the custody agreement that Ryan's future had no monetary limits and that Josh would help them out for Ryan's sake.
"But I have the money." Josh nodded. "If I could rent one of your stables and pay for the feed. I think Ryan would really love that. As it is he can't go out with Clark and Lana."
"I don't think going with the two of them is really a problem right now." Martha sighed.
"Oh right. I noticed something was up but I haven't really had the chance to talk to Lana this week. I've have to hunt her down." Josh shook his head derisively. "So what do you think?"
"I think it's a wonderful idea." Martha told him. "But you should ask Lana to take you and Ryan to choose the horse. She knows more about them than anybody else in Smallville."
"And you don't need to pay for the stable and the feed isn't a problem. With the herds it really makes no difference." Jonathan told him.
"Mr. Kent. To be honest with you the cost of the rent and the feed would barely make a dent in the interest my accounts earns each month." Josh told him.
"We don't want your money." Jonathan told him.
"It's not doing me any good." Josh almost snapped. "I don't take favours from people unless I need it and you've done enough for me and Ryan without asking for anything in return. The money does nothing for me and you'll take it because you deserve to be paid for stabling a horse."
Jonathan blinked at him but it was Martha who snorted first. Josh sighed. "I know you hate anything that looks like charity but if you're looking after a horse for Ryan then you deserve to be paid for it."
"Alright, Josh." Jonathan sighed. "We'll sort that out later but don't expect me to accept anything overly generous."
"I wouldn't insult you by trying." Josh laughed.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Smallville High School
Josh was drawing in his diary. It was a double sketch that blurred together over the span of a double page. Rather difficult to do with the page break. The right side was taken up with an endless plain while the other side was a drawing of both himself and Ryan attached at the hip with Ryan's arm around his waist and his own arm around Ryan's shoulders. Ryan's head was on Josh's shoulder. It was done in a soft pencil but his current troubles were rather obvious in his work. The scar on his own neck was angry and thick and he held Ryan tightly and protectively.
The endless plain was blank so far as Josh finished up the joint background, an endless tunnel of darkness with shadowy forms in the background. The same tunnel that his Uncle had protected him from for so long, the tunnel that the Wizards lingered at the other end of, waiting for him to fall down it. He began work on the front of the plain drawing the twisted view of his Uncle's tombstone. He didn't see the carved stone as a linear thing, it was everywhere in his life and his twisted view of it was going down into his sketch.
"You really do zone out when you're drawing." Chloe's voice made him jump. He shouldn't have been surprised to see her here since this was the Torch. He looked up at her but noticed she was leaning on her desk opposite where he was sitting on the window desk like always. "Shouldn't you be revising?"
Josh snorted. "I've finished those make up exams." He'd had a series of tests thrown at him in his spare time by all of his teachers to find out if he'd missed too much to finish the year.
"And?"
"And what?" Josh grinned.
"Do you think you passed?" She pressed.
"They were easy." Josh shrugged. He saw her trying to look at his sketch and was surprised she hadn't already gotten a look. She could have stared all she liked before she'd announced her presence. Josh sighed and spun the book to show her the drawing. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You're an awesome artist."
"So I've been told." Josh shrugged before snapping the book shut.
"Was that...?" She trailed off.
"My Uncle's gravestone?" Josh asked and then nodded. "Ryan took me to see it a couple of days ago."
She winced. "Did you need something?"
"I need to talk to Lana about something without Ryan around." Josh told her.
"His birthday's coming up right?" She tilted her head. "You know he expects you to forget."
"Really?" Josh was shocked enough that he dropped his books. "How? What?"
She laughed. "He knows you've had so much on your mind this last week. He said he mentioned it when you were in the hospital but he feels guilty for bringing it up. He said it was such a pointless thing."
"It's his first birthday." Josh told her sadly and she winced. "He's never had one before. I think he's scared to get his hopes up and have them shattered again."
"Well if I know one thing about you it's that he need not worry about that any longer." Chloe laughed. "You'd never let this pass without making it special."
"Exactly." Josh nodded. "So don't you dare try to skip out on the party."
She laughed again and the two turned to look at the door as Lana walked in with Ryan. Chloe glanced at Josh before hopping up. "Great! Josh wouldn't come to the cafeteria with me. Ryan, you'll be a darling and come right?"
Ryan raised his eyebrows at her but stumbled backwards out of the room as Chloe dragged him along behind her. Josh laughed at his shocked look and Lana stared out into the hall in shock. "What was that all about?" Lana asked.
"Chloe knows I wanted to talk to you without Ryan around and since you're currently avoiding Clark like the plague it's been hard to find you." Josh told her. She opened her mouth to defend her current reaction to Clark's pleasant. "Lana, honestly, I don't care about whatever tiff you currently have with Clark. If you believe he was the reason you got hospitalised then I'm not going to argue otherwise."
"You weren't there." Lana accused.
"Precisely." Josh shrugged. "I just said I wasn't getting involved."
"Then what did you want." Lana snapped and dumped her bag on the side. Josh just watched her and eventually she sagged into a seat and rubbed her head. "Sorry. I shouldn't snap at you."
"I'm used to it. I'm far too observant for my own good." Josh grinned at her cheekily. "I wanted to ask you for a favour. Can I rent the Talon on the eighteenth of March?"
Lana frowned as if trying to remember something. "Sure...why?"
"It's Ryan's birthday and I want something loud and reassuringly cheerful for him." Josh explained. "It's kind of his first birthday party and anything he gets will be his first birthday presents."
"Oh. Of course." Lana told him. "We'll get together sometime and plan it all out. Everybody loves Ryan. It'll be great for him."
"Exactly." Josh nodded. "I also want to ask you for a more personal favour. Has he given any hint that he wants to get his own horse?"
"He barely stops." She laughed. "Whenever we go riding he talks about what kind he's going to get when he's older."
"Let's hope he knows what he wants." Josh smiled at her.
"Really?" Lana gasped after a few moments. "You're going to get him one for his birthday."
"You don't think I should?" Josh raised his eyebrows.
"No! It's a wonderful idea." Lana laughed.
"His birthday is the Sunday. I was hoping to go to Rinchards on the Saturday with him to choose one." Josh told her.
"Rinchards is one of the best, but they're expensive." Lana worried her lip.
"The cost doesn't really matter to me, Lana." Josh pointed out. "The reason I want to go there is the choice it offers. I wanted to ask if you'd come with us. I know nothing about horses."
"I'd be happy to come." Lana nodded enthusiastically.
"Great." Josh smiled again. "Thanks."
"No problem," Lana nodded. "Thanks for the warning about his birthday too. I'll find something good to give him myself."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Days later – Smallville Medical Centre
Josh was lurking in the ground floor nurses station when Michael found him. "That Kent boy is upstairs in the neurological ward."
"Neuro?" Josh frowned. "What did he manage to do?"
"Doctor Grasit is looking him over." Michael shrugged. "Something about a robbery down in the town."
"I might go check on him." Josh told them.
"Hey, it's not like they pay you or anything." Michael chuckled. "Go run riot or something."
Josh laughed but slipped out of the glassed in station and to the elevators and up to the neurological wing. He paused at the nurses station for that floor and found out which room Clark was assigned to before heading that way.
He saw Doctor Grasit coming out of the room and stopped him. "Doctor?"
"Oh, Josh. I wondered if you'd be by."
"What happened?"
"As far as I can see there's some serious scaring in his retina. Honestly I was ready for cornea damage from shattered glass or even sound damage to the vitreous fluid but nothing like this. It's almost as if his retina was burned. Like a flash bang or firework to the face. I can't explain it."
"What about tests?" Josh asked.
"I've done a visual inspection and I know why he can't see but Mr. Kent is tying my hands. He won't allow a blood test which could rule out infections." Grasit shrugged. "I've given them permission to go but I was just going to get an AMA form."
"I'll do that and if it makes you feel any better I'll keep an eye on it." Josh told him.
"Nobody likes to think about something like this happening to Martha and Jonathan's kid." Grasit sighed before biting his lip. "You know you're not allowed to do more than first aid out of the hospital but keeping an eye on his retinas isn't actual medicine. Get the nurses to loan you a scope. You know what to look for?"
"Definitely." Even though he assured the Doctor he knew he asked a few questions to be sure. Josh headed back to the admin office to pick up the form and then eventually managed to get into the room with a form in his hand and a boxed scope in his pocket.
"Josh." Martha sighed in relief at the sight of him.
"You never cease to amaze me." Josh laughed trying to get some of the depressed look off of their faces. He took Clark's hand in reassurance and the boy relaxed. "I've dealt with plenty of blind people before Clark." Josh told him and the surprised look.
"The doctor can't work out what's wrong." Jonathan told him.
"And you've tied his hands rather well if not gotten yourself put on the radar." Josh shook his head. "I'm not going to force you to lie by asking what happened. There's enough weird stuff in this town to just assume some weird Chloe-fied power did it."
"Chloe-fied?" Clark asked in surprise.
"Hey, it's been a long day." Josh chuckled before putting a form on the desk. "The discharge is against medical advice and Clark has to sign to leave."
"I would say show me where to sign." Clark muttered with attempted humour.
Josh laughed properly as Martha attempted a faked laugh that didn't cover her nervousness. Josh took Clark's hand again and handed him a pen before moving it to the right place on the form. Clark signed and took his hand back quickly.
"Can we go home now?" Clark asked and Josh winced slightly. Clark enjoyed his individuality too much and had always been strong and independent. This would be painful for him.
"My shift's ended. How about I come back with you?" Josh offered. "I'll have a look back at the farm." Josh shook his head at Martha and Jonathan when they went to thank him.
"You're driving?" Clark asked making Josh look at him.
"Yeah, wanna take a spin?" Josh offered brightly. Clark nodded. "Excellent. I was going to offer anyway, I need to talk about Ryan's birthday with you privately."
Martha looked less worried about Clark's odd behaviour after that and Josh led Clark out of the hospital taking the back corridors down to the staff car park. Incidentally using a different route than Martha and Jonathan. "Thanks, Josh."
"For what?" Josh asked.
"Don't be a smartarse." Clark told him with a small grin.
Josh laughed. "Alright. I thought you could use the space for a while."
Josh paused to let Clark get into his car and then circled the car to get into his own. "So are you going to be able to heal this?" Clark asked.
"I won't know till I look at it." Josh told him.
"But do you think you will?" Clark pressed.
"I'm not going to answer that, Clark. Not till I look." Josh told him. Clark sighed and put his head back onto the head rest.
"Sorry, Josh. I shouldn't take this out on you." Clark apologised once they were driving down the road.
"I can't imagine what it's like for you, Clark." Josh told him truthfully. "But you've got good parents and good friends. And Ryan adores you too much to let this bother him."
That brought a smile to Clark's face. "I've brought him a chain for his birthday." Josh knew there was more so he waited. "When my mom hit him with the car and then me and Chloe found his bag at the side of the road, there was a photo of him and his mum in his bag and he was playing with a small silver chain. He told me he thought it was his."
"That's a great gift." Josh grinned. His agreement was in his tone.
"You think he'll like it?" Clark sounded unsure.
"He'll love it." Josh assured him.
Clark didn't say much for the rest of the journey and waited tensely as Josh parked and walked around the car to guide him to the door. To make it less like he was purely there to guide him, Josh pulled out his phone to called Ryan. He was studying at his friend's house and Josh was supposed to be picking him up on the way home. Josh passed him over to Clark and Clark told him what had happened.
Clark used it as a good way to avoid his parents as they looked like they wanted to pamper him. Josh tugged Martha back rather unceremoniously when she tried to follow Clark into the living room.
"Somebody needs to watch him." Martha complained.
"Really?" Josh asked. "It seems to me like he could walk around this place in his sleep."
"He needs to know we're going to help him." Martha told him.
"No." Josh shook his head. "He needs to know he can do this without constant help."
"This can't be permanent." Martha told him. "We just need to help him through it."
"Clark has major scarring on both retinas. Medically speaking he's blind." Josh told her. "If you start treating him like he's helpless he'll start thinking it."
"But..." Martha started.
"No, Martha." Jonathan sided with Josh. "He's right. If there is any chance that this is permanent we need to let him know it's not going to affect the rest of his life."
"Let's go see if it is permanent shall we?" Josh offered and led them into the front room. Clark was just hanging up. "Hey, Clark. Ready?"
"For what exactly?" Clark asked. "I wasn't awake the last time."
"I'm going to have a look the normal way." Josh told him.
"And the normal way is?" Clark asked with a small grin.
"Stick a bright light in your eye." Josh laughed as he pulled out the scope and turned on the light. He placed his left hand over Clark's eye and held up the eyelid before Clark could flinch. "And look through your pupil to the retina."
"At least it doesn't sound painful." Clark snorted.
"If you weren't blind you'd have a rather blinding headache from the light." Josh told him before switching to the other eye. He let go of Clark. "I can see the scarring. I can show you if you want." He offered Jonathan and Martha who both shook their heads.
"Now I'm going to be honest with you." Josh told them. "I've healed two people with cornea damage but the only person I've seen with this kind of damage couldn't regain his eyesight."
"Why not?" Clark asked. "You can heal the scarring right?"
"Yeah." Josh agreed with him. "But under normal circumstance the thing that causes this kind of damage shorts out the Optic nerve and I can't heal that kind of damage."
"Why not?" Clark asked.
"It would be like giving life to a severed limb." Josh told him. "I'm going to take a look, you might feel a strange sensation behind your eyes but try not to move them about too much."
Josh brought his hand up to cover Clark's eyes and the other boy flinched as Josh pushed his powers into him. His hand glowed white and he shut his eyes to 'listen' to his ability. It was almost thirty seconds before he pulled away. "I'm not going to heal the scarring." Josh announced.
"But you could?" Clark asked desperately.
"Yeah but it wouldn't cure your eyesight. That needs to 'reset' on its own, if it will." Josh explained. "If I heal your retinas your body may not try to get your site back. I'd rather leave it to heal naturally before I interfere."
"So what do I do in the meantime?" Clark asked.
"Learn to cope with it, I'm afraid." Josh told him. "Rest your eyes as much as possible. Don't sit staring at the sun just because you can't see it. Don't go get an x-ray of your eyeballs. Don't do any drugs. Don't drink alcohol, don't go to raves. Don't go skydiving."
"Oh because I do all those things normally." Clark told him sarcastically.
"And the last and most important. If Ryan wants to play basketball against you let him because he really needs as much help as he can get." Clark laughed and Josh squeezed his shoulder. "I'll swing by on the way to school tomorrow and be your chauffer."
"You don't have to do that." Clark complained. "I'll take the bus."
"Hey. I know the sort of kids at our school. They kept trying to trip me up after my car crash. They're not the sort to let a blind kid walk freely." Josh told him. "Besides, Ryan will try to beat anybody up that tries to insult you and he's a real wuss and I'll have to bail him out."
Clark laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Definitely." Josh slapped him on the shoulder.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A few days later
"Well, you don't have to worry anymore." Josh assured Clark with a nod as he backed away and lowered his hands. "While not back to full strength your vision is on the rebound."
Josh pulled out the scope to verify his findings from his abilities. He turned on the light and shone it in Clark's eyes. The poor boy flinched and shielded his eyes. "Josh!" Ryan thumped him.
"What?" Josh asked innocently even as Martha and Jonathan laughed. "I was just checking his sensitivity to light."
"You could have asked." Clark muttered.
"Where's the fun in that?" Josh asked and dodged away from Ryan who tried to slap him on the arm again. He turned to Martha and Jonathan. "I just came from the hospital. Pete was released several hours ago. He only has a few rope burns and bruises."
"We're glad." Martha nodded.
"Right, twerp." Josh slung an arm around Ryan's shoulders. "There's a stack of plates in the sink with your name on it."
"Why do I have to do it?" Ryan whined.
"Feel free to start cooking instead." Josh told him even over Martha's giggles. "For that matter if you really think it's unjust you can start doing your own laundry too."
"I'm not supposed to do dishes and laundry and cooking." Ryan complained. "I'm only fifteen!"
"Oh, how trying your life must me, Ryan." Josh mocked sighed. "If only I could ease your pains. Bye Mr. Kent. Bye Mrs. Kent. See you tomorrow at school, Clark."
"Bye!" Clark laughed.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A week later
Josh was walking through the corridor with Ryan at his side. Classes had just finished and they were on their way to Ryan's locker. They were just about to pass the Torch's doorway when it smashed open and Josh was sent off balance by a flying Chloe. Ryan instinctively tried to grab him but only ended up tipping over as well. Chloe rolled away and ran for it before Josh could stop her and he was on his feet to watch Lana rush out of the Torch, take in the scene, and sprint off after Chloe.
"What the fuck was that?" Ryan gasped as he pulled himself to his feet.
"Not a clue and watch your language, Ry." Josh recriminated half heartedly. He'd been thinking the exact same thing anyway. "Go find help."
With that Josh took off after the two girls. Whatever was happening went beyond any argument the two could be having and he knew Lana was good at martial arts after learning so much after that episode with the drunk at the Talon. Chloe would be hard pressed to defend herself. He saw girls fleeing from the sports changing room and burst in without a second thought just in time to see Lana deliver a nasty kick to Chloe's mid section, sending the wind clear out of her and sending her flying backwards through the door into the showers.
"Yo! Lana!" Josh yelled but was ignored. He jumped forwards and grabbed her arm but had to duck and twist as she spun and sent a cutting punch his way. He swept out her feet and she tumbled onto her back before flipping back onto her feet with little effort. Josh sized off to her but she seemed far too impatient to fight properly and she lashed out with a rather haphazard kick that Josh twisted away from. He grabbed her foot and spun, using his arms to push her into the lockers. She elbowed him rather painfully in the lower ribs and he backed away with a hand on his ribs and was too slow to block a roundhouse kick from her heeled shoes that smacked right into the same set of ribs. The blow was cushioned only by his hand which went numb.
Josh feinted to the left and she twisted but couldn't recover fast enough as Josh tipped himself around and forward in a five-forty kick that delivered a rather strong stunning blow to Lana's undefended shoulder that sent her flying backwards and down onto her knees. Josh recovered and turned to restrain her only to see Lana tip forwards with a boy Josh didn't recognise standing behind her with the handle of a fire axe in his hand. He'd hit her with the blunt end.
"I hope I knocked out the right person." The boy winced.
Josh eyed him for a moment. "Thanks." He dashed passed the boy to where Chloe was sitting against the wall. "Chloe! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine as long as people stop trying to kill me." Chloe grouched out.
"Uh," Josh raised his eyebrows before noticing the blood running down Chloe's forehead. "We need to get both of you to the hospital."
"She's awake." The other boy told him. Josh stood but saw none of the cold look that had been in Lana's eyes before. Only confusion.
"What happened?" Lana gasped out in pain.
"I don't know. Ask my ribs." Josh hissed just as the Principle and half a dozen other people ran into the room.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Torch – A few days later
Josh sat awkwardly in the empty Torch using his usual desk as Chloe slowly set up an old computer. "I'm sorry about this, Chloe." Josh told her. He was waiting for Ryan and had seen Chloe working alone in the rather derelict office. The latest crises had come to an end. Somebody had been brainwashing people with emails, they'd managed to get Clark to try to run Chloe off the road and then Lana to attempt to kill her in the corridors of the school. It turned out to be a woman that was working for Summerholt Institute. The place that Ryan had been held. It was a good thing really that Chloe had kept to her restraining orders and not stored Josh or Ryan's details on the school computers since that was what the woman was using to target her.
That brought him to this derelict room. Just before everything had started LuthorCorp had taken back the donated computers and with it Chloe's harddrive with all her friends' details on it. "I know Lionel fired you from the Daily Planet and he's doing this as revenge because you refused to give him anything on us."
"You didn't give me much choice." Chloe told him.
"But I didn't tie your hands with Clark." Josh pointed out. "For what it's worth I'm proud of you. It shows that no matter your quest for the truth there are some lines you won't cross."
"How do you know about what happened at the Daily Planet?" Chloe asked and finally stood up to look at him.
"When I heard about the computers I asked my lawyer to look into it and he found out the rest from a source in the Daily Planet." Josh told her. Chloe sighed. "Friends are more important than any of this stuff, Chloe."
"This from the guy that refused to befriend anybody in the school to start with." Chloe retorted.
"That was a defensive mechanism." Josh shrugged. "So anyway, Chloe, I've told Simon to rescind the restraining orders against you and the citation against your father is now null and void."
"Really?" Chloe asked. They'd gotten rather lax with it lately but there were some things that Chloe had dutifully made sure to avoid. Like storing anything about the two in her house or computers, or being with Ryan outside of school even with others around.
"I've made sure that neither are in your permanent files so it shouldn't come back to bite you in the arse." Josh told her.
"How did you manage that one?" Chloe asked. Josh smirked at her. "Sorry."
Josh laughed kindly. "On that note, you'd better come to Ryan's birthday party in two weeks and you'd better get him a gift. I'm planning on stringing up anybody that attempts to make his day miserable."
Before Josh could stop her he was being hugged tightly. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
"You doubted me?" Josh asked, faking hurt. "That's harsh."
She laughed. "How are your ribs?"
"Man, that girl knows how to use heels!" Josh groaned prodding at his side. "I've never seen somebody so determined to kill one of her best friends before. And I thought Metropolis was violent enough!"
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A few days later – Smallville High
Because of his old injuries Josh wasn't expected to be able to run track with everybody else. What was expected and what was truth was another matter. His left leg always hurt afterwards but Josh always pushed himself to his limits to keep up with everybody else and he didn't ever lag behind. Because of the number of times he'd hurt the leg it sometimes gave him problems, usually on cold mornings, but he refused outright to favour it.
He was coming to the end of the track when he caught up with Clark who was following Lana off the track. He was glad that the two had gotten passed some of their more tense moments and were at least talking to each other again. Ryan was definitely glad about that.
"Hey, Clark." Josh gasped out. "Couldn't you at least pretend to be tired?"
Clark gave him a startled look but laughed quietly when he saw Josh's cheeky look. Josh turned back to the road and saw that Lana was chatting to a boy by the water bleacher. They both reached out for a cup at the same time and their hands touched. Josh paused as the boy jerked and sent the cup skittering across the table. He turned and Josh gasped in recognition at his face. Before Josh could say anything though the boy walked away and was caught by the gym teacher. Again the teacher reached out and touched his shoulder causing the boy to jerk away and run away across the track.
Josh grabbed Clark's arm to stop him chasing him and sighed. "It's none of our business."
Clark turned to look at him. "I'm supposed to be mentoring him. He's a new kid called..."
"Jordan Cross." Josh nodded. Clark gave him a sharp look. "I knew him from Metropolis. I'm just surprised to see him. His father always insisted on homeschooling. He's a bit skittish."
"Clearly." Clark shook his head. "I'm supposed to be meeting him in half an hour in the gymnasium."
"I'm come with you. We're friends." Josh told him.
They changed and waited in the gymnasium for Jordan but he never turned up. "Let's try to catch him later." Josh suggested. Clark agreed and the two walked out of the school together. Ryan had gone back to his friend's house to work on a science project so it was just Josh tonight. He saw Jordan walking down the steps in front of him and Clark proved he, too, had seen him when he called out his name.
Jordan turned and his eyes widened when he saw Josh. His expression turned from realisation, to shock and then finally to wonder and delight. Jordan stepped forwards and hugged him tightly melting into the embrace just like somebody starved of human contact. Which he was really and Josh knew it. Josh pulled back slightly but didn't let go of him. "It's great to see you, Jordan!"
"You too, Josh." Jordan grinned. "It's been almost two years! You said you were coming to Smallville but I kinda expected you to have moved by now."
Josh winced. "Yeah, things got a bit complicated." He didn't want to go into this here so he turned to Clark. "This is Clark Kent, Clark this is Jordan Cross. We met in Metropolis. His father and Uncle Kev knew each other."
"Oh." Clark winced. "Well if you've got this..."
"Sure Clark. I'll pretend you're mentoring him." Josh laughed before noticing a man watching from a truck in the car park. "Hey, Jordan, isn't that your dad?"
Jordan glanced at the man and nodded. "Come on, Josh." Jordan grabbed his arm and began to tug him away. Josh shot an apologetic look at Clark but let his friend tug him away.
"Mr. Cross." Josh greeted as he tumbled to a stop in front of the man who was leaning on the open door of his car. "It's great to see you again."
"Joshua?" Mr. Cross smiled. "It's really you. I never imaging you'd still be here."
"Yeah well..." Josh trailed off.
"Jordan?" Mr. Cross was suddenly looking at Jordan. "Did it happen again?"
"Twice that I saw." Josh told him honestly. "But I knew what to look for. Nobody saw him."
"We knew this might not work." Mr. Cross sighed.
"How about you come back to my house? I could cook." Josh offered.
"That'd be great, Josh. We still haven't gotten everything sorted out and it would be wonderful to see..." Josh was already looking away knowing what he'd been about to say but he was saved for the words when Jordan gasped. Josh and Mr. Cross both turned in time to see Jordan running away across the grass. Josh's eyes widened and he took off after him. Their gym teacher was standing in the middle of the road. Mr. Cross was running at his side but they were too far behind. Even Jordan was too far away when the car slammed on its breaks too late.
Then Clark was there, tackling their teacher out of the car's path and Jordan skidded to a stop. Josh grabbed him as he stopped since he knew that Mr. Cross couldn't. "He stopped it!" Jordan gasped out in shock.
"You saw this?" Josh hissed in his ear, getting a nod in return. "Let's get out of here."
"We'll follow you." Mr. Cross told him sadly.
"I'll pull passed you." Josh told him and headed back to his car. The crowd around the place was growing and Josh knew that Jordan hated big crowds, with good reason.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
He pulled his car into the drive and was just getting out when Mr. Cross' Mazda pulled in behind him. Josh led them inside the house as Jordan started talking. "Is that a new car?"
"Yeah," Josh winced. "Some guys totalled mine, with me in it. I spent months healing from that one. That was almost a year ago now."
"Have you been here for almost two years, Josh?" Mr. Cross asked. "That doesn't sound like your Uncle."
Josh winced but didn't answer. "We adopted a kid, a boy called Ryan. He had a brain tumour that I managed to heal but he's got a bad past and his own talents. His tumour gave him the ability to read minds and his brain has mimicked the ability, though weakly."
He led them inside and through into the kitchen. "Another kid with abilities?" Jordan asked in wonder.
"You've picked a good town to move to. The meteorite storm that hit here infested the place with a strange radioactive rock that causes mutations." Josh told him. "Not many are sane though it seems."
Mr. Cross was looking around taking in everything, including the photo of Ryan on the wall next to the door. "Josh, is your Uncle in Metropolis? I know he planned to work there and live here."
Josh didn't answer and instead just turned away and leaned on the counter top, hunching his shoulders. He could almost feel them looking at him in confusion. "Josh, where's Kevin?" Mr. Cross asked again and Josh just hung his head lower before finally turning teary eyes on them.
"They caught up to him in Metropolis just after Halloween." Josh told them and saw the regret flash across Mr. Cross' face. "They killed him."
Jordan flinched and had his arms wrapped around Josh in an instant. "I'm so sorry, Josh." Mr. Cross sighed. "He didn't deserve that."
Josh sighed and nodded. "I ran away for a time so that they couldn't track me to here but they targeted Ryan to lure me back."
"What happened, Josh?" Mr. Cross asked.
"I lost it and..." Josh paused. "And avenged Uncle Kev."
"Oh, Josh." Mr. Cross took his shoulder in his hand and after Jordan and moved away he wrapped him up in a tight hug. "Neither of you deserved that."
"Why haven't you left?" Jordan asked eventually.
"I can fight them off now." Josh told them and pulled himself away so he could start preparing some food. He was silent for a while before he began to talk, telling them everything about his magic.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A few days later
Josh had enjoyed Jordan's company. His father and himself were staying in town but for some reason Jordan had lost his abilities after an accident that he and Clark had gotten into after being caught when their Gym teacher had kidnapped Lana and Megan from school and tried to incinerate them in a house fire.
Jordan's father had decided they'd stay in town and Jordan was quickly coming out of his shell. He and Ryan hit it off brilliantly and since Jordan was closer to Ryan's age they were becoming fast friends. Josh was glad to have them in town as somebody he could go to. Josh was a mere week away from Ryan's birthday and he was happy for the first time in a long while.
He pulled into the Kent farm to collect Ryan after a shift at the hospital and saw the lights on in the kitchen and the barn. He headed for the kitchen and found Martha, Ryan and Clark laughing around the table.
Clark was just lifting the plate of cookies and he grinned at Josh before ducking out, promising to be back soon. "Josh, how was work?" Martha asked.
"It was okay, Cirrus is slowly developing." Josh told her with a grin. "I could still be years but he's slowly getting there. I'm arranging to get him moved to Grandview. They're building a new complex out there for coma patients and the chief there was an old friend of Uncle Kevin's. He's been looking after Cirrus' case for a long time."
"That's good to hear." Martha smiled at him.
"Speaking of which, Ryan. I meant to asked about yesterday's headaches. Are they still around?" Ryan nodded. "I'll have a look later when we..."
He paused and tilted his head as he heard a shout from outside. He heard it again, this time louder. Clark was calling for his mother and his tone wasn't calm. Josh was out of the door in an instant and this time he heard Clark's fear. "Ryan, the pack in the boot." Josh yelled over his shoulder, throwing his car keys at the boy without looking.
Josh skidded into the barn seconds later and instantly saw Clark knelt over a prone form. He was at his side even when Martha gasped out in horror as she caught sight of her husband on the floor. Josh knelt at his side and instantly flooded Jonathan with his power, scanning him and trying to heal him without a care as to who saw him.
He broke away as soon as he realised what was happening to him. "Clark, an ambulance." Clark didn't move, he was clearly too shocked. Josh shoved him harshly and he sprawled out backwards. "Clark! Now!"
Josh chucked his cell phone at him knowing that Clark rarely carried his own and Clark fumbled with it desperately. Josh focused down on Jonathan who's eyes were staring at him. "All I can do is ease the pain, Mr. Kent. You need to focus on us and try to ignore the pain." Josh told him.
"Wha..." Jonathan gasped out and his frown increased as a wave of pain rushed through him.
"It's a heart attack." Josh told him as he undid his shirt buttons and put his hand on his chest to measure his heart beat. "There's nothing I can do here. I don't have the equipment. Clark is calling an ambulance."
Ryan stumbled down at his side and dropped the pack. "What do you need?"
"The scope, Ryan." Josh told him without taking his attention from Jonathan. He put it over his head and put the ends in his ears so he could hear Jonathan's heart beat better and find out what he could safety give him. "Ryan, find the needle with 'Streptokinase' written on the side."
Ryan fumbled through the bag and Josh took the needle from him. He found the right vein in his left arm and injected the needed amount. "The ambulance is on the way." Clark told him. "What can I do?"
"Go meet it." Josh told him without looking up. Clark stood quickly. "And for the love of god, Clark, get your mother out of here!"
Clark ran off and he heard him trying to get Martha to leave the barn. Josh bled more of his power into Jonathan, but held back the healing properties which would remove the anti-clotting drug he's just given him. "Josh..." Jonathan gasped out.
"Don't try to talk too much, Mr. Kent." Josh told him and put his hand on his forehead to stop him trying to sit up. "You need to take it easy. I can't do anything for heart attacks but right now you do what I say and that's all. Got it?"
He sagged back to the ground and clenched his eyes shut in pain. Josh pried open his left eye and checked his pupil for the normal pain responses. "Ryan, there's a black zip up case in there with Morphine written on the outside. Give it here."
"I don't..." Jonathan tried even as Ryan handed him it.
"With all due respect, Mr. Kent, shut up." Josh told him sharply as he pulled out a single dose and injected it into Jonathan's right arm.
Josh pulled a few more pieces out of the kit, he set a heart rate monitor around Jonathan's left wrist to monitor changes and it's low beeping was erratic and stressed like Josh had expected. He put a band around his upper left arm to take blood pressure which was low. He did a constant stream of little things to make the whole situation less damaging. Good first aid, especially from a person officially trained in heart attack management, was vital in situations like this.
It seemed like hours before he saw flashing lights and two men rushed into the room with a stretcher. Josh knew them both so they didn't try to push him out of the way. "Male, forty-eight, first heart attack. He's conscious and I've administered a normal dose of Streptokinase four minutes ago and Morphine three minutes ago. Heart rate has remained erratic and blood pressure is low but both are constant."
"Good work, Josh." Kyle told him and started their own checks, being able to skip part of the checks because they knew Josh was qualified to do all the pre-transport checks. "You're riding with us?"
"Definitely." Josh told them. He helped them to get Jonathan onto the stretcher. "Ryan, go with Clark and Martha."
Ryan didn't complain but followed Josh out of the barn with his pack. Josh took it just as he climbed up into the back of the ambulance and Ryan ran off to where Martha was sitting in the passenger seat of their truck with Clark standing in front of her. He just about saw Clark getting into the truck as well as Ryan when the ambulance pulled out onto the road and hit the sirens.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Late that night
Josh stood looking through the glass of the private room that Jonathan had been assigned to. Clark and Martha were in there with him, talking to him, but Josh and Ryan were waiting outside. Ryan was nestled under Josh's arm and he was trembling slightly. "You did good, kid."
"What? Me?" Ryan frowned up at him. "You're the awesome one. You were doing everything."
"But you were calm and helpful." Josh told him. "You were great."
"What's going to happen now?" Ryan asked.
"Once he's stable he'll be sent home and we have to make sure he gets his rest. I'll heal the damage from the blood starving of his heart but he'll need to adjust to it for a while." Josh told him. "His heart didn't clot from bad health. They can't find a reason why his arteries collapsed but they might try to reconstruct it later on if they can."
"But he'll be okay?" Ryan asked.
"He'll be fine, Ryan." Josh lied.
"I can't hear it from you but I heard the doctor's thoughts." Ryan sighed. "I know you're just saying that."
"Ryan, I'm sorry." Josh kissed the top of his head. "It's hard to see but there's nothing anyone can do to repair his heart. For some reason it's weakened and it's only a matter of time before it fails and they can't restart it."
"There's nothing?" Ryan looked up at him.
"I'm sorry, Ryan." Josh shut his eyes and rested his head on Ryan's hair. He opened his eyes and smiled reassuringly at Clark who was looking out at the two of them.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
March 18th – Talon
Josh smiled as he sat on the stool by the counter of the Talon. Lana was leaning on the other side enjoying the vibrancy of the Talon as Ryan's birthday party got underway. They spent the entire day before with just Ryan, Josh and Lana in Rinchard's finding the perfect horse for Ryan along with all the necessary equipment and Josh and Lana would go back on Wednesday to pick it up and take it back to the Kent Farm. Ryan had stared at the place in shock when Josh pulled into the compound and Josh thought he might have been close to fainting as it dawned on him why Josh had brought him and Lana so far to a stable.
He'd spent the next three hours randomly hugging Josh. It had been a good day but they'd gotten back late in the evening and Ryan had crashed out in Josh's bed without any attempt at gaining permission. He'd woken up to a lively Bart who'd come into town for the morning to spend time with Ryan.
The Talon was full with what seemed to be everybody in their lives. There were Ryan's friends from school, as well as what could be called Clark's gang, Chloe, Lana and Pete as well as Jordan and his Dad. There was staff from the hospital like Michael, Cassandra and Anne as well as Martha and Jonathan, forced to take it easy by Josh. Josh had even decided to ignore the fact that Lex Luthor was paying a visit.
Clark had helped him move all of Ryan's gifts into Josh's car earlier. Evidently Chloe and Clark had spread the word that it was important for Ryan to feel that this was a special day and everybody had gone out of their way to get him a gift.
"You did really good, Josh." Lana told him over the music. Josh grinned at her. "Especially with everything this year."
"We can only hope that the next year will be easier." Josh told her. "And that I'm doing a good thing by Ryan."
"There's no doubt about that, Josh." Lana laughed. "There isn't a single person in Smallville that thinks you're a bad guardian."
"As long as Ryan agrees with that." Josh told her.
"Watch out, Josh." Lana suddenly grinned. "One of my waitresses is looking at you and I've heard she's developing quite a crush."
"Dear god, help me." Josh laughed.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
End Chapter