Thanks to my beta, Dandette, again. :)
Part 36 – The Cure
A few days had passed since Superman had made his appearance in front of City Hall, and the city was once again under the watchful radar of a fully healed Superman.
The people were still buzzing over the Kryptonite, and Superman's surprising act of defending it and asking that it not be destroyed.
Dr. Price had told Clark to continue to take time in the sun, and that later that week, they would get together and talk about the aura connection with Leah, and that he was still studying his blood from the towels and suit.
Lois and Clark were now eating dinner together every night at her place before Clark would go, make the rounds, and then return to his own apartment.
One night, after putting out a fire and doing countless other rescues around the world, since there were barely any problems in Metropolis, Clark took a quick shower before going to bed, dreams welcoming him…
He once again found himself on a lush green prairie… an unbelievable light, brighter than the sun, in the distance.
"Hello, Mr. Kent."
Clark turned towards the voice to find David, standing next to him, his clothes gleaming in the light.
"Please don't tell me I'm on the border of life again; that not here, but not there, so here mess, was really confusing," Clark said.
David giggled. "No, it's not like that, I just needed to talk to you, so I am using your dreams to do so."
"Oh. Well that's a relief, if I had managed to hurt myself again, Lois would never let me out of her sight again, and she'd probably have a sunlamp handy at all times."
"No, you're safe, you're just sleeping," David said, clearly amused at the relief on Clark's face.
"So, what do you need to tell me?" Clark asked; David got that awed look again for a moment.
"My mom has discovered the cure, but now she's going to have to ask something of you, and she's a little hesitant about it because she thinks it's asking a lot."
"Is it?"
"Probably not to you, but from her point of view, after everything that has happened, she thinks it is."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just go to STAR Labs unannounced at 1:20 pm today."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"And then…?"
"And then the world will change, and a New Era will begin."
David stepped back, his eyes sparkling in the light around him as everything suddenly faded.
Clark woke up to the sun peeking through the curtains, the clock reading 6:47 am.
- - -
Daily Planet; 10:24 am"What's up with you, Kent?" Perry asked, seeing him restless during the meeting.
"Nothin'," he said suddenly. Lois looked curiously at him.
"Well, as I was saying, they are going to reopen the west wing of Saint Andrew's in 12 days, and it is expected to be a big event. We currently know they have not only repaired the damage from the bombing, but have made extensive improvements. I want this event covered well, who knows, Superman might make an appearance.
Clark continued to fidget.
Perry gave him a glance before simply continuing on about what the city had planned for the event and who was expected to be there, including the Mayor and other important officials.
After leaving the meeting, Lois went to Clark.
"Clark, why are you so jumpy today?" Lois asked. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, I just had an interesting dream last night."
"Must have been, if you're still hyped up about it. What was it about?"
"Well, apparently I need to drop by STAR Labs today at 1:20."
Lois raised one of her eyebrows.
"David came to me in my dream," he said finally.
"Oh, wow. Why?" she asked, sitting on the edge of his desk.
"May has found the cure, and I guess the next step to take is supposed to happen at 1:20 today, and I need to be there at STAR Labs to make it so. I guess I'm just nervous," he admitted. "David said May has something she needs to ask of me, I just hope I can do whatever it is."
"I'm sure whatever it is, you'll be able to make it happen, and it will be worth it," she said.
Clark smiled, thankful for her encouragement.
"Now, I think we need to get to work on the story Perry wanted us to work on," she said, handing him an envelope. "Jimmy took the liberty of getting the city records of the hospital, and what repairs and remodeling they have done to the children's wing and that area around it."
"Wow, Jimmy doesn't mess around," Clark said, looking through the papers.
New hospital beds, equipment, new toys, a huge story book mural with classic fairy and folk tale characters, and the list just went on and on.
"Looks like the attention Superman was giving to the hospital in the cleanup and before did not go unnoticed," Lois whispered.
Clark smiled, flipping to the next page.
- - -
1:15 pm; STAR Labs
Clark couldn't take it any longer, he gave Lois the 'I'm going' look, and left to STAR Labs. He hovered high above the labs and focused, hearing people working within, and seeing them carrying out experiments and filing away data.
He then looked to the room where he went for his appointments with Dr. Price. There, he found Dr. May Johnson working as Dr. Price entered, closing the door behind him.
Dr. Price found May staring into a microscope in Superman's examination room.
"Checking again?" Dr. Price asked.
"I just can't believe it," she muttered, zooming in on the sample.
"I think we should tell him, he'd want to know," Price said.
May looked up, giving a sigh.
"I know, it's just, I think it's too much too soon. My Lord, Price, the man nearly died both times from being around the stuff, asking him this…"
"But if it will do what we are sure it can do—"
"I know." She paused, becoming lost in her thoughts.
So this was what he had been talking about the whole time, this was why he told me not to quit. He knew. And my son told him this.
She looked back up to Price.
"When should we ask him?" she asked.
"Soon, some kids have less time than others."
"That's putting unfair pressure on him," she whispered. "Asking him to face his one weakness for us to be able to get his blood."
"May, if our theories are correct, just one pint could save hundreds, and who knows, maybe we'll be able to synthesize that protein in his blood cells.
"All we can do is ask him, and I am sure of what his answer will be, when told all the facts."
"And what's that?"
"Yes."
Both doctors froze, unable to believe their ears. They knew that voice.
They turned, finding Superman standing in the room, an open window behind him.
He went forward.
"If you're sure it will do what you just said, let's do it now," he said, the faces of the children from the hospital coming to his mind.
If this would work, they shouldn't have to wait another moment to get better.
Price turned to May, who was staring wide eyed.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"I'm sure. More sure than I've been about anything before in my life," he said.
"How much did you hear?" Price asked. "If you have any questions, we'll answer them all."
"I heard the whole conversation. But I do have a few questions," Clark said as what he was agreeing to settled upon him.
"Ask away," Price said, moving to a stool to sit on by two chairs, which May and Clark took.
"So, there's a protein in my blood?" he asked.
"Yes, and we've been doing some tests on it, well, a lot actually. We found that it only comes from the red blood cells, and breaks free after being exposed to Kryptonite. We believe that it may also come out when your overall aura tells it it's needed, like when you healed, for the most part, in that elevator.
"We found that this protein emits a specific type of aura. This aura entices good living tissues to respond and grow, but only after away from the presence of Kryptonite," Dr. Price said.
"We found this out after placing a sample of living tissue with it, to see how it would respond, but we also found out something else.
"It dissolves dead tissue, and corrects corrupted DNA by using the pure DNA near it," May continued. "We don't know exactly how, but it seems that well tissue gives off a very faint aura. I almost missed this, but every time, healthy tissue has this aura, and corrupted or dead tissue does not. Yet another phenomenon that will no doubt be looked into."
"So, to put it simply, this does the exact same thing as your aura connection with Leah does, only it goes deeper, to the root of the problem, instead of only repairing the damage done by the source," Price further explained.
"How long have you been looking into this?" Superman asked.
"Since the day you were shot, so four days," May replied.
"You found all this out in four days?" Superman asked, surprised.
"We've been pulling all-nighters, especially after we discovered certain areas of your blood were giving off auras on Charlie's Aura Camera," Price answered. "We didn't know how long the blood from your suit and those towels would last, even frozen."
"How long will it take?" Superman asked.
"Will what take?" Price asked, not knowing what exactly he was asking about.
"When you get my blood, how long until it can be used?"
Price smiled.
"It can be extracted very easily and used immediately. From what we have seen so far, it is a kind of universal donor. And through the samples we have, we found that once the protein breaks free from the blood cell, it sinks," Price answered. "We'd have to do a few trial runs before we can make this public or really start this, but after what I've seen so far, I'm certain this will work."
"Can we start this today? Now?" Clark asked, thinking about Leah, and the countless others this could help.
"Uh, sure," Price said, pleased and surprised at his eagerness.
"Um, May, get him set, we'll use that chair. I'll get the Kryptonite." He got up but turned back before taking a step. "You're sure?" he asked, a little concerned about doing this now himself.
"I'm sure."
"Okay," he said as they all stood up.
Price left the room, Superman turning to May who led him to the fancy cushioned chair, made to comfortably examine a patient.
- - -
Lois looked at the time, 2:12 pm.
She couldn't wait any longer, she was certain something big was going on at STAR Labs; actually, she knew it for a fact.
When she got there, she suddenly worried about whether or not she would be able to enter.
Like they'll just let me stroll on up there, she muttered to herself.
"Ms. Lane! How are you? What are you doing here?"
She turned around to find Charlie.
"Uh, fine, just need to talk to Dr. Price about something," she fibbed. "Is he here?"
"Oh, yeah, he is. Here, follow me. Actually, he mentioned something to me about maybe needing to talk to you about something soon," he said, leading her.
She followed gratefully.
- - -
May adjusted the head rest as Clark eased himself back, the chair having been reclined, before he placed his arms on the armrests.
The top half of his suit was folded and was resting on the counter.
He took a slow deep breath.
"We'll have this done as quickly as possible," she said, putting a finger electrode on him, before flipping the heart monitor on that was beside and slightly behind him.
He nodded.
He looked at his right arm and turned it, palm up, a blue vein just visible underneath his skin at the crook of his arm.
Knock-KnockClark and May turned their heads to the door; Clark used his x-ray vision to see who was knocking, since it was clear Price wouldn't need to knock.
"It's Lois and Charlie," he told May.
May was about to go to the door, but someone opened the door before she moved.
"Lois, I hope you didn't pick another lock," Superman playfully scolded.
Lois blinked, blushing.
May and Charlie decided this must be an inside joke between them as Price approached.
"Ms. Lane?" Price asked, surprised to see her and Charlie.
Lois didn't answer him, her eyes focusing on Clark, the flush on her cheeks fading.
"C—Kal-El, what are you doing?" she asked.
"It's okay, they figured out the cure, I'm just helping," he said.
May got up and pulled up a chair for Lois on his left side before helping Price prepare, deciding to stay out of this discussion. Charlie, too, made himself helpful by opening the sealed bags.
"I'm glad you're here," Clark said suddenly, taking her hand.
"I still don't understand exactly what's going on, but if what I'm thinking is what you're about to do, I'm glad I'm here too," she said, looking up as Price came over and laid a large, long vest on top of Clark.
A lead vest.
He secured it as May rolled the tray over with what was needed to take the blood.
Clark looked at the little table, seeing a few vials, a clear bag able to hold a pint, a needle, a rubber tube, and a few other items, including a lead box.
May and Price had plastic gloves on, and were now waiting for Superman.
Lois took a breath, seeing what was on the tray, her assumption proven correct. She looked at Clark and gave a soft smile, which he uneasily returned before looking to Dr. Price, who had the small lead box in his hands beside May.
"I'm ready," Clark said.
"Alright," May said, prepping his arm by cleaning the area needed and tying the long rubber tube around his arm above his elbow. She then placed a red foam ball in his hand.
"You squeeze that," she said.
They then looked to Price, who moved around the tray and held the box close by where they would extract the blood.
"You can look away," May said, needle and equipment ready.
Clark looked away, focusing onto Lois whose hand was now over his—he wanted to be careful, in case the pain was more than he had expected. He closed his eyes.
Price opened the box.
Whether it was from the smaller amount he was exposed to, the lead vest, or that he was expecting it, he didn't know, but the pain he had been expecting wasn't there.
Sure, there was pain, but not the excruciating stabbing or the throbbing burn; instead, it was pain in a concentrated area, a deep soreness.
Squinting now, Clark could hear all of their pounding hearts; the heart monitor connected to him had only increased slightly.
He suddenly felt a sharp prick, which could only mean one thing...
He turned his head just enough to watch as his blood quickly began filling the bag, before focusing his eyes upon the Kryptonite in the lead box being held by Price.
He could feel the radiation hitting the side of his face, neck, and arm, but the way Price had it positioned, most of it was directed at his arm.
It was only a small piece, a shard about two inches long and a half an inch wide.
He never thought he would ever be this calm while being this close to Kryptonite.
Before he knew it, the bag was full and May was switching to a vial. He watched as May worked quickly, filling the needed vials. By the time the last one was about full, he started to get really light headed, and the pain from the Kryptonite was growing.
The heart monitor showed this, and Price shut the box.
Soon after he closed it, the last vial was full, and Clark's body was forcing out the needle.
He turned, slightly dazed, to Lois, who suddenly planted a kiss on his feverish forehead.
"I'll get this ready right away," May said, taking the blood as Price left to secure the Kryptonite. Charlie took over in the clean up, smiling in amazement at Superman, understanding the implications of his donation.
- - -
STAR Labs; 3:23 pm
"So, this is it?" Superman asked, looking at the dark green substance in the container.
"Yes, this is what we were able to separate from the pint. We exposed it to Kryptonite, and separated it from the rest of your blood," May said.
"What are you doing with the rest?" Superman asked.
"Dr. Price has frozen it for later examination. Don't worry, we have already taken the precautions to have the containers rigged so that if they were to be stolen, they would be destroyed. We definitely don't want to risk any of this falling into the wrong hands," she said.
"What do you mean?" Lois asked.
"This has Kal's genetic code. I'm sure there are a few people who would like to get their hands on it, and not for the benefit of humanity."
"I see."
"When can we test this? How long does this aura last?" Superman asked.
"Nurse Schmitt and Officer Mathews are bringing Leah here. We don't know how long the protein aura will last, but the breakdown of the aura seems to slow when frozen."
She paused, just looking at Superman.
"What?" he asked.
"I never thought I would see the cure for cancer in my lifetime, and yet I am, because of you."
"No, it was your dedication to helping children, and your gift of research and investigation. I just supplied the means," he said.
- - -
Leah knew something big was going on when Officer Mathews entered and spoke with Nurse Schmitt. The looks they then gave her were a mixture of awe and excitement.
Soon after, Dr. Alder and Schmitt were taking her out of the Ward and outside to an ambulance with Mathews after disconnecting the lines to her, leaving only the heart monitor and one IV.
"Where are we going?" she asked Schmitt, for some reason a little nervous. It had been a while since she had been in an ambulance.
"You're going to STAR Labs. Superman and some others are there. They think they have a way to make you better," she said.
"I won't be sick any more?" she asked.
"If this works, you won't be sick anymore," Schmitt said, helping Jim load her up.
With her purple cap on, she sat up when the ambulance doors were closed and looked to the older looking paramedic.
"I'm going to get better?" she asked him.
"They think so, but just lay back and rest, ok?" he said gently.
Leah liked this man; he was a comforting presence.
She looked around the ambulance, wondering what was going to happen at this 'lab' and how they were going to make her better. Whatever it was, she could hardly wait; she was going to see Superman again.
They pulled up to the place, she presumed, and the ambulance stopped. The doors opened, and they gently rolled her out, Dr. Price, May, Charlie, Superman, and Lois walking to her.
Superman stopped right beside her, giving her a smile.
"Hello, Leah," he said, walking beside the stretcher as they all went into the building.
"Hi," she said, her eyes staring into his.
They went into the large white room, a bed against the left wall, all set for her.
Superman then gently lifted her and placed her on the bed, Jim and Price situating the equipment and the heart monitor.
"I'm going to get better?" she asked, still trying to digest this information and what was happening.
Superman kneeled by the bed, matching her eye level, taking something from the side table.
"Leah, we think this will cure you. If it does, you won't have cancer anymore."
She looked at the little tube of green liquid held in his hand.
"What is it?"
"A special protein, from my blood."
"It will make me better?" she asked again, somehow getting excited and serious at the same time.
"We think it will, we don't really know. You're the first person we're going to try it on."
"Me?"
He raised himself up and sat on the edge of her bed, nodding, before handing it to May.
"Are you okay with that?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Thank you, Superman," she said, her innocent eyes looking up trustingly.
"You're welcome."
He turned to May who quickly measured out a small amount into a shot.
Everyone paused, looking to May who took a breath, staring at the gift in her hand, and the miracle in the bed about to receive it.
David was right. Don't quit. And now, she was still here, doing what she had been called to do, fulfilling what she always hoped would someday be a reality.
"Just relax, it might feel weird when it first goes in," May said, inserting the needle into Leah's IV line, and pressing the green liquid into it.
They watched it stream down the line, joining the other substance going into her vein from the IV bag, Price looking through the camera beyond Superman.
Superman took hold of her little hand with his right as his left touched her cheek.
She smiled, just as the rest of the protein went into her.
They waited.
Beep…beep…beep..beep..beep..beep.beep.beep.
"It's happening," May said suddenly as Leah's eyes glazed over.
Clark was scared, taking hold of her hand in both of his as her breathing increased as well.
"It's alright, Kal-El. It's what happened to you in the elevator," Jim said, placing his hand on his shoulder.
Clark had heard, but wasn't going to relax until he saw it for himself.
Beep.beep.beep..beep..beep…beep…beep…
Leah's eyes focused, and she blinked a few times.
No one moved for a moment.
"Am I better?" she asked, her little voice breaking the silence.
They looked to May, who in turn looked to Dr. Price, his eyes glued to the glowing camera screen.
After a moment, he looked at them and smiled.
- - -
A/N: Sorry it took me a while to get this part up, and though I am halfway done with the next (and last...) part, real life is piling up, and that (even though I sometimes don't like it) is priority.
Please remember to review, it helps me type faster when real life decides to give me little breaks. :)