Chapter 9: Asleep

"Dreams are answers to questions we haven't yet figured out how to ask." - X-Files

Conference Room, Area 51

Superman watched her through the glass. She was so beautiful, despite her peaceful state. She was connected to various machines, and that upset him but he made sure not to reveal his feelings.

"Has she been asleep all this time?" It took all of him not to express how he really felt. He had to quell the urge to break through the wall and hold her.

"We've had her in intravenous fluids since her arrival, but we do wake her up regularly, re-acclimating her as best we can, but she hasn't spoken a word since we've brought her here"

"You mentioned she spoke earlier of another language"

"We've had the linguistic department work on it, so far, nothing," he concluded.

"How about her mental state?"

"Cohesive and non-violent, except…" He reached down on the table to flip open a file, he hands him a couple of hand sketched drawings. "Look familiar"

Superman held in his hand a drawing of their son when he was nine-years-old. "She drew this?" The man nods. Superman forced himself to hold back his smile, thankful that she remembered their son. He could only imagine how Jonathan would feel when he learns that his mother is alive.

"She dreams a lot," the man added, pressing another button on his remote. A plasma screen appears down from the ceiling. He turns the screen on, several images coming up at the same time, all of Lois on different days moving restlessly in her sleep.

Superman's heart breaks. She's hurting and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He feels so helpless. What has happened to her? Where as she been for twelve years?

"We don't know the specifics of what happened to her or where she has been, but she's alive and well now and our focus is getting her back on her feet"

"I find it hard to believe that you have no gain over this." There will always be that part in Superman that distrusts the government.

"Of course I have a gain over this. I'm a scientist, not a saint, but I'm not inhuman. I haven't hurt her nor do I intend to. What about you, what are your intentions. We've kept her resurrection confidential even in the highest of authority?"

"I'm here to bring her back to her family"

"Yes, about them." He nodded knowingly. "We're still trying to find the best way to approach her husband about his wife's sudden appearance"

"It's been three months, how long do you think you can hold her here?" he responded, holding his spite. He's had to hold a lot of emotions as of late.

"Judging by your countenance, not very long." He already resigned himself of the fact that Superman was going to leave with her.

"I'm taking her"

But he'll make him work for it first. "I don't think that's the best course of action, she's emotionally unstable"

"According to inconclusive results," Superman reminded him.

"It pains my ego to agree with you on that, but we have a 24/7 hour medical staff on hand to attend to her needs"

"So do the people who love her"

"Do you really think that's what's best for her?"

"Yes"

"Then I have one request"

"Name it"

"You give us a bi-weekly update on her progress and I'll see about making sure that you don't have any problems on our end"

"It's that simple?" he replies skeptically.

"Superman, I'm a man of science, not a power-hungry businessman. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. Simple as that"

"Then you have yourself a deal," says Superman. At the moment, this was the best solution he can find without putting anyone in harms way, especially his wife. As the wall between him and his wife disappeared, the man moved to her machines and carefully removed the attachments. When he was finished, he backed away.

Superman moved next to her, looking her up and down, x-raying her to make sure nothing was broken. Satisfied, he moved his hands slowly underneath to lift her close to his body.

"Thank you." Just as he was about fly off, he turns to him. "Before I leave… what's your name?"

The middle-aged scientist smiled. "H.G. Wells"

"Herbert George Wells," Superman returned in surprise.

He shook his head and laughed. "No, Howard Gregory Wells," he corrected. "There is no blood relation between me and the author, but my parents did find it amusing"

Fortress of Solitude, Arctic

"How are you holding up?" Bruce asks Jonathan, he had just got off communications with his father seconds ago. The heartbeat he heard was in fact, Lois's. Now, he was going to face their son and tell him the news.

The boy shrugged indifferently, the feeling of numbness still inside of him. "I don't know what to think anymore," he admits, failure evident in his voice.

Powers beyond his imagination was growing day by day inside of him. His father is Superman, the greatest hero who lives. And now, his mother may very well be alive after believing that she's been dead for twelve years.

The last forty-eight hours has been a rollercoaster ride he never expected to jump into.

"I just got off the COM link with your dad." Johnny' head shot up at the mention. "He's on his way back"

Johnny swallowed hard in response. "Is she… with… him?"

Bruce nods. "Yes, she is"

He stifled his cry. "So mom's… really alive," he says softly, not quite believing it yet. He was both anxious and scared at the same time.

Johnny was grateful to receive a comforting hand by Bruce, and for the first time since learning of their connection, he saw him not just as a rich philanthropist, but as his Godfather.

It'll only be a matter of time until she arrived; he got up quickly and made himself ready. After so many years, he didn't want her to think that he forgot his manners.

Bruce simply smiled.

In the Air

They left New Mexico ten minutes ago, and in her condition, Superman decided to take the flight to the Fortress slow, holding her carefully and lovingly in his arms, while at the same time the feeling of never wanting to let her go consumed him.

She was here, in his arms, and he was really holding her.

The years passed has matured her beautifully, despite her tired expression. Every once in a while, she'd move, clutching onto the red cape he wrapped around her fragile frame.

He smiled at that. He's missed her so much that even the smallest of gestures made him happy.

And now she was home, and when she's ready, she'll see her little boy. He was thrilled for their reunion, yet regretful that they lost so many years. They'll just have to take this a day at a time.

Fortress of Solitude, Arctic

"You're father is close by," Bruce yelled across the room, indicating through the crystallized computer module Clark had taught him how to use so many years ago.

"Do I look okay?" Johnny stepped up to him nervously.

Bruce grinned at the boy. "I don't think you'll have to worry about how you look, Johnny. According to your dad, your mom is going to be a little out of it for a while"

He shrugs. "Doesn't mean I shouldn't be prepared"

"Fair enough… You look great"

"Thanks," he beamed.

Bruce looks up and sees the familiar colors of red and blue. "Here he comes"

Johnny took a deep breathe before turning. "Da…" his mind stopped when he saw the familiar figure nestled protectively in his arms. "Mom," he whispered longingly.

Clark felt her stir in his arms when his son uttered her name. He looked up to see his son entranced. "Help me to her room"

Johnny stood frozen. "Huh?" His eyes still focused on his mom.

"Son. Room. Now," his father rephrased.

Johnny looked up apologetically. "Sorry dad," and lead him to her room. When his father laid her gently atop the bed, Johnny whispers to him in a low voice. "Can I stay with her?"

Clark eyed his son sympathetically; he knew how he felt because he was feeling it too. Now that she was back, he wasn't sure if he could ever let her out of his sight. His son seems to feel the same way too.

"Of course you can"

Johnny smiled brightly as he took a gentle hold of one of his mom's hands. He stayed close, seemingly content sitting by her side for however long it would take. He had his mom back and that's all that mattered.

Clark thanked the stars for reuniting his family back together, but before he can truly relish her return, he had to know what has happened to her. She'll be waking up soon and he didn't want to frighten her.

He needed to speak to Bruce.

To be continued…