Author's Notes: Thanks for keeping up with these, everyone. Greatly appreciated. I always welcome reviews, good or bad, criticism or not, it's all good either way.
Chapter 9 - Vestibule
Darkness came and the walls closed in. Clark couldn't breathe. Within the confines of his troubled mind, he went over every moment. Every word. Every action. Any detail that would help him find out what went wrong.
All he did was drive.
For a small moment he looked away, but it was only a moment.
Regardless of how fast his superhuman reflexes can be, he wasn't prepared for what happened and now she could die because of it.
No, he couldn't think that.
He should've just dropped the matter. Continued on. Be patient that she would tell him what has been bothering her so. Why did he have to push her? Why didn't he hear the danger like he had so many others?
Superman has saved bridges and buildings from collapse. Protected thousands of people from natural disasters. Superman helped prevent crime from falling deeper into the hands of criminals all over the world.
Superman could do all this but he couldn't save turn the wheel fast enough to get away from harm.
What kind of superhero is reckless like that?
Clark looked back towards the double door entrance of the operating room. No doctor has yet told him of her condition, but they didn't have to.
He heard them all.
A part of him wishes he hadn't.
"…Blood pressure dropping"
"We've got internal bleeding, somebody get me more A positive"
"She's going into cardiac arrest… Everybody clear? One. Two. Three. Clear!"
Clark shut them out. He shut them all out. He can't take it anymore.
"Sweetheart"
He spun around to find his parents behind him, their hands holding one another for support. What he should be doing by Lois's side.
"I… I didn't see it, mom." Clark's eyes glisten with heavy tears. "I… didn't see it," he cried as Jonathan and Martha held him together.
Two Hours Later
The Kent's stayed together until the doctor finally came out.
"Are you family members?"
Martha shook her head. "No, but she's very close to our family"
"How is she doctor?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not authorized to reveal details of her condition if you're not…"
"I'm her boyfriend," Clark interrupted, getting up from his seat and looking the doctor straight in the eye. Martha and Jonathan hid their surprised and waited for the doctor's response.
"Sir"
"Please! We're the only family in the area. We're friends with Superman, he brought her in. Please tell us if she's going to be okay," Clark pleaded with him.
The doctor relaxed, shaking his head before deciding. "She had quite a few internal injuries that we were able to stabilize. Some trauma to the skull, but nothing that protruded the scalp. Most car accidents deal with internal head injuries. Miss Lane is lucky in that respect… and besides two broken ribs, a dislocation to her right shoulder and a closed fracture in her right leg; it's safe to say she's through the worst"
Jonathan and Martha let out a collective sigh of relief, but that knowledge alone didn't make Clark feel any less guilty.
"Can I see her?"
"She's being transferred to the ICU…"
"Wait, I thought you said she was through the worst?" Martha intruded the concern back again.
"We keep severe cases of post-operative patients under close observation for at least the 12 hours before moving them to a recovery room. It's a safety procedure"
"Can I still see her?"
The doctor nodded. "Of course"
"Thank you," he says weakly before turning to his parents. "I'll be right back," he tells them softly.
"Take all the time you need, son." Jonathan held onto his wife as Clark disappeared through the double doors.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Intensive care are broadly defines as a service for patients who have potentially recoverable conditions, who can benefit from more detailed observation and invasive treatment than can be provided safely in an ordinary ward or high dependency area.
Clark was grateful she was under immense care.
Looking over her silent form, Clark moved closer, watching her as the monitors sound off with every beat of her heart and pulse, sounds he too could hear.
"Hi," he whispers to her, grabbing a seat to sit by her. He intertwined his hand with her own. Clark weakly smiles. "I told my parents about us." He talks to her as she sleeps; her body numb and tired under strong medication, but that didn't matter to him.
"They're outside, waiting for you." While one of his hands held hers, the other stroked her soft hair. "I'm waiting for you." Tears begin to fall from his eyes. "I love you." He leans closer to her face. "I love you Lois Lane," he says once more. "I love you so much"
Then night came to and Clark remained by her side.
Recovery Room Next Day
Lois slept soundly through the night without any complications. By morning, the hospital staff moved her to her own recovery room. At one point in the morning, Clark was forced to change into Superman to answer some questions in regards to her accident that occurred on the highway.
He didn't want to relive that day, but he had to answer questions to avoid suspicion.
According to local investigators, they ruled the incident an accident. Apparently, a deer appeared on the road surprising the truck driver who swerved to avoid it but ended up hitting his and Lois's car in the process.
He didn't know what to feel. Anger. Vengeance. Guilt.
After it was all said and done, Clark flew back and remained by Lois's side once more ever since.
"Mr. Kent." He looks up to see an officer by the doorway.
"Yes"
"The department wanted me to bring you some personal belongings that we found in the wreckage." The young officer places the box on a nearby table. "Your suitcases were taken by your parents earlier this morning"
"Thank you, officer"
"You're welcome. Take care"
When the officer left, Clark slowly stood up and approached the box. Opening the lid, he stares at its contents. It contained most of Lois's belongings. Lipstick, her purse, Jimmy Eat World cd, a notepad and…
A hand-made wooden box, and when he scanned it with his x-ray vision, it had lead interiors. He glanced at Lois for a second before looking back at the box. A large part of him wanted to know what was inside.
Lifting it carefully, he was presented with two rings.
Clark stared at it in shock, before having the guts to lift it from its resting place. His enhanced vision caught an inscription made in the inside of the male ring.
My heart I give you forever – Lois Lane… Kent
Clark nearly fell to his knees.
That was the secret.
That's why she's been acting differently the past few days. She was going to propose to him and he ruined it.
"Oh God," he says, holding his tears and grief.
He sped out of the room.
To be continued…
