Chapter 13: Fear

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." – Franklin D. Roosevelt

The days went by and her memories cease to give her any peace. The only moments in which her mind rested was in the presence of her son and husband. They were the light in her never ending tunnel of darkness. If only closing her eyes were enough to make them go away.

"Mom. You home!" Johnny called out, coming home a bit tired from a long day of classes.

Johnny waited a second for an answer and when he didn't get one, he looked around only to find the house empty.

"Mom!" he yelled again.

There was no reply.

Immediately, he began to panic and super speeded through every room of the house. When he reached her room, there was still no one there. Then, his hearing picked up a faint sound. He rushed towards the window and looked all around the back yard. Despite being new to his powers, he's grown rather adept to them in such a short time.

Focusing his eyes towards the tool shed, he x-rayed through it and saw a body lying motionless behind it. A wave of fear enveloped Johnny as he speeded out of his home and to his mother.

"Mom! Mom!" he kneeled before her, checking for her breathing and pulse. Thankfully, she was still with him. "Stay with me, mom," he whispered, scared. "Dad!" he screamed. "Dad! Help me! It's mom!"

He felt a gush of wind brush behind him while he held his mom's head atop his lap.

"Dad," he says softly.

"I'm here." Clark moved to Lois's other side. He had no idea something had happen to her. He could hear and feel the beating of her heart, it was always there. Regular. Unharmed. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I came home. She was like this when I found her. Is she okay? Why isn't she waking up?" Johnny lightly shook her. "Come on, mom. Wake up. You can't leave us again." He wipes the tears forming in his eyes.

"Let's get her inside." Clark scooped her up, Johnny never lets go of her hand as they both carried her into the house, settling her carefully on the bed.

"Call Bruce, Johnny"

"Dad," he began to protest.

"Now!"

Johnny does what he's told.

Bruce quickly arrived and did the best he can to scan Lois of any unusual affects. Twenty minutes later, they found nothing to would explain her collapse and why Clark didn't sense any irregularities when she did so. Johnny, on the other hand just wants to know if his mother is okay.

"Uncle Bruce, how is she?"

Bruce puts a supporting hand on the young man's shoulder. He's been through a lot but he knew he could get through anything. He is the child of Lane and Kent after all.

"Why don't you see for yourself"

Johnny quickly moves pass him and into his parents room. The sight before him sent him waves of relief. His mom was awake and looking okay.

"Mom," Johnny uttered softly.

His parents look up.

"Hey," she says with a smile and before she knew it, she was engulfed in his embrace. He tries hard to stifle his sobs. "Shh…. It's okay. I'm okay. Everything is going to be okay"

In the hallway

Clark gives his wife and son some time alone. It's going to take a while until Johnny feels comfortable enough to let his mother out of his sight. He smiles at how protective their son is when it comes to his mother but saddened that it had to happen in the face of tragedy.

"He's a great kid, Clark"

"He gets it from his mother"

"You're being too modest. You and Lois raised him well"

In the room

Lois and her son spent the first few minutes in comfortable silence. Johnny seemed content to just sit besides her. She mused at how well he takes to being silent where as a teenager, and even as an adult, she absolutely loathed it.

"How's school?"

"Fine"

"Johnny," Lois began softly and Johnny's eyes stare up with her filled with childlike innocence. "If I ever leave you, it would never be by choice"

Johnny nodded, knowing it was the truth but it didn't make the reality of the situation any easier to bear.

"What happened to you mom? Where did you go? I thought if we waited, you'd tell us, but I see now that you don't want to talk about it at all. I want to know. I want to know who took my mom from me"

A part of Lois knew her son would pursue the question further than her husband and a part of her couldn't help but be proud of him for that. When he first came into their lives, she couldn't believe that he was hers. He was their miracle. Their child.

Her husband.

Her family.

That's what matters to her now.

And he was right, they needed to know, but is she ready to walk down that path all over again?

To be continued…