okay, once again another short chapter. Next one will be longer, promise. I just am really crammed for time.
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Clark could hear distant noises and murmuring, but nothing distinct, that he could understand. He felt like he had gone blind, because all he saw was black. He started to panic, and found he couldn't move either. Fear raced threw his mind. Hour after hour, the fear pulsed threw him, never letting up. Finally he started to feel the different parts of his body again, even if he couldn't move them, it made him feel a little better. Eventually he started moving parts of his body, it was so slow though, maybe it was only a few minutes or days, Clark didn't know, but to him it felt like an eternity.

He started to see his eternal darkness, become a little lighter every now and then, until finally he could opened his eyes and the sunlight shone down on him so bright, it made him immediately shut them again, but in fear that he wouldn't be able to open them again, he opened them again.
He recognized the room; it was were all his medical tests were done. He hard the beeps and rumbling of the machinery hooked up to him. He reached up and tried to pull the tube that was in his nose out, but was too weak.
"Clark." An all too familiar voice said with a mixture of surprise, excitement, and sorrow.
Clark didn't have enough energy to look over, but he knew it was Lana. He felt her squeeze his hand, "Are you awake?"
Clark squeezed her hand back, and opened his eyes a slit.
"Clark." She whispered with such tenderness, "You are awake."
Clark listened as he heard a chair scrape across the floor, as it moved backwards, "He's awake. I saw him open his eyes, and he squeezed my hand." Lana said to some unknown person.
"Honey, there are still no changes in his vitals, and his heart rate is still abnormally slow, from the coma." The voice sounded almost like she pitied Lana.
"No, look." Clark felt warmth, as he guessed two bodies were standing over him, so he opened his eyes.
"You're right." Clark heard a voice say. He couldn't see anything, the sunlight was blinding him, and he didn't have the strength to turn his head. "I have to call Mr. Luther right away, he told me to inform him immediately if there were any changes."
That was all Clark remembered before drifting back to sleep. But it wasn't like the eternal blackness he had grown accustomed too, it was a soothing darkness, and the sleep strengthened him.
Once he woke, he felt so much more strength. It wasn't even close to what he was used to, but it was enough.
He propped himself up in his bed, as he looked out, the glass window, to see Lionel talking to a nurse. It felt horrible to look at his face and think betrayal, when he once found comfort in it. His chest hurt, there was so much pressure on it, like a ton of bricks. He felt relief in intervals that coincided with the pump at the side of his bed, which thrust oxygen into his lungs.
Lionel locked eyes with Clark, and entered the room.
"Clark, how do you feel?" Lionel rested hand on his left shoulder.
"Like..." Clark found it so hard to talk, "being... alone." He managed to get out.
"What?" Lionel looked confused, and almost a little hurt. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you." And he left.
Clark sunk back down into his bed. He couldn't just be totally cold to Lionel. In this life, Lionel hadn't done anything to him. Not really. But that was the kind of person he was, and he would turn Clark into.
Clark was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the door creak open, and the love of his life walked in.
"Clark." She said with tears in her eyes, as she hugged him tight.
"Lana." Clark croaked out. He couldn't get anymore words out, not at the moment, but he did give her the biggest smile he had ever used in his life.
"How do you feel?" She sat on the edge of his bed, as one hand was on the back of his neck, playing with his hair, and the other on his knee.
"Better." Clark said, but Lana couldn't understand him.
"It's okay, you don't have to talk." She smiled at him, "I'm just so glad you're awake."
She hugged him again. Clark held on to her tight, taking everything about her in. The way she always put her right hand higher on your back, than her left, when she hugged. The way she smelled; he swore that just her sweet smell was a mood elevator. When he couldn't hold on any longer, he let go and leaned against his bed.
It was so weird; Clark couldn't stay awake, no matter how much he wanted to talk with Lana. He found himself being pulled into slumber; Lana was the last thing he saw. He had never had so little control over his body, except for the effect the meteors had on him, or should he say kryptonite?

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Clark woke a day later. It was so incredible how much a day could do for you, strengthen you, refresh you. His chest felt better, but not healed.
"Can I take this off?" Clark gestured to the IV in his wrist. How did they even get it in?
The nurse turned towards him, "No. Leave that in, it's to make sure you don't get dehydrated. I see you are feeling better."
"Yeah. Um...how long have I been asleep?" Clark asked, wishing Lana was still there.
"About 18 hours." The nurse informed him, as she took his blood pressure.
"Was anyone here?" Clark asked.
"Lana stayed for about an hour after you fell asleep. Your father was here most of the night. Lex left about half an hour ago." She said.
"Oh..." Clark again felt guilty about Lionel. Clark thought about everything. Now it seemed so far away, in the back of his head. It wasn't nearly as vivid as before, yet it stuck in his memory, but the intensity had decreased significantly. It was like a dream, where you can remember it, but only if you really try, and even then you have to run it threw your mind a few times for it to really stick in your real memory. Clark hadn't a doubt that it was all real... well what real would have been. 'It was all just a bad nightmare' never once crossed his mind.
Clark began to get bored; the nurse brought him in a TV, but he was still bored, so he just fell back to sleep, with nothing better to do.
Clark slowly fluttered his eyes open, as he felt soft hands cup his face, and squeeze his hand.
"Lana." Clark pulled her in for a hug, and then gave her a slow, gently kiss that he poured all his love into.
Clark looked at Lana, and saw tears running down her cheeks. He knew they were of joy, but he couldn't help but see the image of the future him telling her to stop crying. It made him love her tears, at that moment. "I love you so much." He hugged her again.
"I love you too." She whispered in his ear.
It was like one of those moments, where you realize how much you really love a person. You thought you knew before, but then you realize you weren't even close. You know one day was worth dieing for, and you should just be happy you knew her at all. You know in your heart, you'd die for that person, and devote your whole life to their happiness, even if it meant giving up your own.
In that instant you realize that pain is the only way to happiness. And even though it feels like someone took a thousand steak knifes to your heart, you know the thing you love the most, need the most, you have to give up. You died inside yourself, but you'd die again for her, just to keep her from the demons.
So Clark cherished Lana, as he held her in his arms for maybe the last time. If there was even a chance that Lana could end up how she did in the future, because of him... he knew he had to say good-bye forever.
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&TBC