"Is this Jonathan Kent?" a clipped voice asked.
"Yes who are you?"
"I am calling from Metropolis General, your sister was just brought in."
"Brought in for what?" Jonathan yelled sitting up and fully waking up Martha.
"There was a bad car accident and she was seriously injured. They are taking her for surgery now. We need you to come to hospital immediately."
"What about my Mom?" Jonathan asked wishing again his father was still alive.
"I'm sorry sir that's all the information I have." With that the nurse hung up the phone leaving a worried Jonathan on the other end.
"Jonathan what happened?" Martha asked frightened as he jumped out of bed and began to change. Before he answered she was up as well.
"There was an accident I have to get to the hospital."
"Jonathan, you're in no shape to drive." Martha informed him as she took in his shaking hands. "I'll drive." She said running to get the keys before he did.
The three-hour drive was spent mostly in silence,
broken only by the mumbling of prayers coming from Jonathan's seat.
He barely waited for the car to stop before jumping out of the car
and running into the hospital. "Where is Kayla Kent?" He demanded of the
first nurse he saw.
She pointed him down the hall and he took off Martha
just keeping up after shooting the nurse an apologetic glance.
"Jonathan," a young looking doctor said as the couple came to a stop
in front of them.
"Is she okay?"
"She's lucky. From what we can gather she was thrown from the car before it blew up."
"Blew up?" Martha asked as Jonathan sank bonelessly into a chair.
"Yes Kayla was conscious when she was brought in. She said that another car hit the car she was in. It went into a several rolls down an embankment and she was thrown out. We had to stop some internal bleeding near her liver, but I expect her to make a full recovery. Other then a surprisingly mild concussion her cat scan is clear, but we are going to observe her for the next 48 hours. She also has some nerve damage to her leg and a broken arm."
"My Mom" Jonathan asked in an emotionless voice."
"I'm sorry she didn't make it." The doctor said gently as Martha sat down next to her husband, holding him as he cried.
"Can I see her?" He asked getting his emotions under control.
"She's being moved to a room right now, I will make arrangements for you both to stay with her."
"Does she know?" Martha asked as a nurse handed Jonathan papers to fill out.
"No she doesn't. I'll let you know when you can go in.
Sadly Martha turned back to Jonathan who was staring
at the papers unseeingly. She took it away from him, "I'll do this."
Grateful he gave her a small smile as Dr Bell walked back.
"She is in room 245. She is groggy and a bit scared, you can finish the forms later."
"Go ahead Jonathan I'll finish them and then come
in." she told him as he offered her a hand.
After he left the doctor looked at Martha for a few minutes. "I had
hoped not to see you again for a long time." He told her before walking
away.
"Hey Animal," Jonathan said walking into the room. He was horrified at the pale and small girl on the bed. Only last weekend she had been at the farm racing Yoda in the fields.
"Beaker, it hurts," she cried.
As he walked farther into the room he got a better look at the bandages and casts that were on her body as well as the IV line they put into her foot.
Noticing where his eyes were focused she told him, "They couldn't find a vein anywhere else."
Gently he leaned over and kissed her forehead before picking up her uninjured hand and holding it in his. He tried not to focus on her glassy pain filled eyes. "If you wanted more attention you could have done it another way." He teased trying to get a smile.
He was rewarded with a small one. "Jon it really hurts," she said after a few minutes.
"I know sweetie, but you will feel better soon."
"How's the princess?" Martha asked coming into the room.
"Mom didn't make it did she?" Kayla half asked half stated in reply.
"No Kayla, she didn't make it."
Worried Martha and Jonathan watched her for a few minutes waiting for a reaction.
"What's going to happen to me now?" She asked her eyes beginning to drift shut.
"Go to sleep Animal and let me worry about it." Jon said as she fell into a drug-induced sleep. He settled into a chair ready for a long vigil, as Martha pulled another chair over and rested her head on his shoulder.
Kayla woke up the next afternoon. She felt the pain and slowly opened her eyes.
"Hey Kayla," Martha said seeing her eyes open. "How are you feeling?"
Kayla forced herself to focus on Martha's face before speaking. "Where's Jon?" she asked her voice rising a bit in fear.
"He'll be right back sweetie; he is talking to the police." Martha told her as she gently gave Kayla a hug. Sitting back down she studied her face for a few moments, making sure that she was ok. "He didn't want to leave you at all but the police insisted." She told Kayla as she noticed the glances she kept shooting towards the door.
"I want Jon," Kayla whimpered quietly after several
minutes had gone by.
Before Martha could reply Dr. Bell walked into the
room, a gentle smile on his face.
"Aren't you a baby doctor?" Kayla asked as began
to check her vitals.
"That's my day job, at night I am a world class
surgeon. I sewed my name onto your stomach. You'll see it when you get
the bandages removed.
"I don't think that's funny," she told him looking around his form to see if her brother was coming down the hall.
"Maybe you'll change your mind when you see
it." He told her as lifted the sheet and checked the bandage. He noticed
the direction of her eyes. "Kayla, the more you watch the door the longer
it will be."
Kayla relaxed back down on the pillow and focused
on the doctor. "Does the phone work?"
Surprised at the question he took a few moments
to answer. "Dial 0 and ask for an outside line."
"Who are you going to call?" Martha asked a teasing
look coming into her eyes."
Kayla however was able to ignore the question as
Jonathan walked back into the room. Seeing that she was awake he crossed
over to her and gave her a gentle hug. Pulling away slightly he planted
a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"How are we feeling today Animal?" he asked
sitting down on the side of her bed.
"It still hurts but I feel a little better." She
told him closing her eyes and going back to sleep.
When she woke up several hours later her room had been filled with her favorite flowers. It was the smell of lilacs that woke her up, that and the sound of her brother's sneezes.
"Who sent flowers?" Kayla asked in a raspy
voice raising the bed into a sitting position.
"There were only two cards," Jonathan said coming
over. Gently he sat on the bed handing her a small cup of water. When she
was done he took the cup before smoothing her hair back. "Do you want to
open the cards?"
Eagerly she nodded and held out her hands for the
cards. The first one she opened was from Bruce //I am so sorry for what
happened. I hope the flowers at least lighten your heart. Alfred told me
to say that first part not that I mean it less but I would say it differently.
I hope you still come to Gotham in the spring. We will start a club. Love,
Bruce//
Smiling slightly she handed the card to her brother
and let him read it.
"Who is Alfred?"
"His butler," she answered already opening the second
card. //Kayla, I am so sorry. I hope you come back to school soon; it won't
be the same without you. My mom sends our family's deepest sympathies.
Bruce and I bought out the flower shops for you. I hope they make you smile.
Love Alex.//
"Can I read that card?"
Shaking her head she put it back in the envelope.
"When can I go home?"
"As soon as Dr. Bell says you can go."
"It won't be permanent will it? Aunt Cindy
will want me to stay and go to school here."
He didn't have the heart to tell her that that was
exactly what he thought was going to happen.