Title: Vulnerable
Author: Ashley Graham
Rating: K+ -Just to be safe…there is some swearing and a bit of blood…
Summary: Who exactly found Clark in the middle of the road in Hidden, after he was shot? This is an AU version of what I wish had happened…Hints of a future CLIOS relationship, nothing too obvious since Clark is with Lana at this point in time.
Authors Note: This chapter is a little longer than the others for this story, read on!
Vulnerable
Chapter 6: I Swear
Jonathan squeezed Martha's hand, hoping to gain strength from her, before standing up.
Martha gave him a weak smile of encouragement from her chair before he disappeared down the hall.
Jonathan could feel his legs shaking slightly as he neared the room that held his son. He hesitated when he reached out for the door handle, afraid at what he was going to see.
Taking a few calming breaths, he opened the door and entered the room, shutting the door shut behind him with a quick snap.
His legs almost buckled from under him when he saw Clark, and the emotions that he had kept at bay in front of the others broke through.
"Clark…" He choked out as he made his way to his son's bedside. Tears were already streaming down his cheeks before he had even sat down.
"Son…its dad…I'm here…" Jonathan said shakily as he gazed at the teen's prone figure. "I'm so sorry son, I'm so sorry…this is all my fault…I n-never should have let you go…"
The distraught father stroked his sons face gently, a look of hurt, guilt and complete and utter fear on his tanned face. "I can't lose you, son. I can't…"
"Please Clark…please hold on, o-okay?" Jonathan found himself pleading to his unconscious son, it was unlike him to stutter or completely break down, but this was a whole lot different from any of the other times that Clark had been injured. He had been immortal then…
Jonathan couldn't handle the thought that his only son was teetering on the precipice of life and death.
"Y-you know…its funny, this morning I was worried about how fast you were growing up…and now, and now…I'm a-afraid, afraid that I'll n-never get to see you become that man I've always known you'd grow into…" He whispered sadly, before dropping his head onto the bed and crying softly at Clark's side.
Jonathan soon lost track of how long he'd been there for, and he quickly rubbed the tears off of his face before standing. "I won't let you die, Clark. No matter what…I won't let you go…I promise you that…" He said softly into his son's ear before leaving the room.
Martha was on the verge of going to make sure Jonathan was alright, as he had been with Clark for nearly half an hour, when he walked into the room, looking worse than when he had left.
"Honey? Are you alright?" Martha asked.
Jonathan didn't answer, but quickly held her in a tight hug, which he didn't release her from until at least a full minute had passed. He then sat down, massaging his temples.
Lana hurried out of the room, obviously intending on going to see Clark. She came back less than 10 minutes later, mumbling to Chloe that it had been too hard to see him like that, especially after he had flat lined in front of her not long before.
"It's okay Lana..." Chloe reassured her quietly.
The dark haired beauty shot her a grateful smile before lowering her eyes to her shoes.
"I'll be back in a minute…just want to let Sma-Clark know that I'm rooting for him…" Lois said awkwardly before quickly leaving her chair.
Chloe smiled after her retreating cousins back. She cares for him way more than she's willing to admit.
Unlike the rest of the group, Lois didn't hesitate to enter Clark's room. She had found him bleeding on the road, and had seen his body get shocked multiple times…he couldn't look much worse than he already had the last time she had seen him.
She did cringe slightly however, when she saw the respirator tubes that ran out of her friend's mouth. Frowning, she took a seat beside the bed and regarded Clark carefully. "Well Smallville, you've definitely done it this time. You almost had me thinking you were some sort of superman for a while there…the way you always appeared at the right time…the way that you never managed to get yourself hurt in really dangerous situations…I guess you really are just lucky….or, well…I guess you were lucky…"
Wrinkling her nose, Lois realized that that hadn't really come out the way she had wanted it to. "I didn't mean it like that, Smallville. Sorry, I guess I do have a big mouth…"
"Anyways, you better get through this. As amazing as this might sound, I do like your company…who else am I supposed to make fun of? Hmmm? Who will reply sarcastically back that I'm annoying or delusional? I swear I'll kill you before you die, and it won't be a peaceful death!" Lois threatened, obviously being sarcastic.
"I won't let you put your parents through hell because you decided that you couldn't fight anymore! That honorable streak of yours better fight this, Kent. I know damn well that the last thing you want is to hurt your parents…" She continued, her voice slightly softer than before.
Sighing, Lois rose from the chair and grabbed Clark's hand. She leant down, so close that her lips nearly brushed his ear, and whispered, "Please Clark, your parents won't be the only ones that'll go through hell if you leave…"
With that, she gently squeezed his hand before straightening and leaving the room as swiftly as she had come.
When Lois had finally made her way back, she was surprised to see a new addition to the group; Lex had returned.
She gave him a questioning glance before sitting next to Chloe.
"Miss. Lane, I took it upon myself to tow both your car and Miss. Sullivan's to the hospital parking lot." He informed her, tossing the keys in her lap.
"Uh, thanks…I guess."
"Lex, for the last time, quit using my last name…its just Chloe." The blonde said, annoyed.
Lex shot her a smirk. "Now, as I was saying a moment ago, I wanted to know if my third miracle has happened." He said, directing his question to the Kent's.
"Third miracle?" Jonathan asked.
Lex nodded and replied, "First, I found out that Chloe was able to stop the launching of the missile, and then not ten minutes later I received a call from one of my doctors at Belle Reeve, my father, whom you may know has been in a catatonic state for many weeks, suddenly snapped out of it…he is fully functional and demanding to be released from the facility."
"Does he remember anything?" Lana asked quietly, remembering when she had seen Lionel acting insane over a month ago.
"From what I've been told, he remembers nothing. I'm on my out to retrieve and question him."
"Do the doctors know why he snapped out of it?" Chloe pressed, her reporter instincts taking over.
Lex frowned, but answered, "Apparently, they heard him say 'this body will not be needed' before he became himself again."
Jonathan frowned, his brow furrowed. I wonder if there is any connection to Jor-El?
"Anyways, enough about my father. How is Clark?"
"He's…hanging in there…" Lois replied.
"Can he have visitors yet?"
Jonathan hesitated, but sighed and said, "Room 78, don't be long, he needs rest." He didn't have the energy to fight with the billionaire right now.
Lex nodded and left the room briskly. He made his way to Clark's room and entered quietly.
He did not take a seat beside his former best friend, preferring to stand near the door. The two weren't exactly on the best of terms lately.
"Clark, its Lex. You probably don't want anything to do with me right now, but I just wanted to see for myself that you're still fighting." Lex sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets as he regarded the teenager. He could feel self-doubt creeping up on him slowly.
Maybe I was wrong about him all along. Maybe he is just a normal teenager…and I'm just too paranoid to see the obvious.
Lex groaned in frustration and confusion. He just didn't know what to think anymore! He was damn sure that he had seen Clark survive the impossible, and yet here he was, fighting for his life in the hospital with a bullet in his chest…
"I'm sorry, Clark." He finally said softly.
After one final look at his friend, Lex left the room.
"That didn't take very long." Chloe stated when the bald headed man reentered the waiting room.
Lex nodded and said, "Yeah, I know. I have to see to my father…and well, I'm sure Clark would rather someone else be with him right now, at least…anyone but me."
Before anyone could ask him what he meant by that, he quickly added, "I have my cell, please call and let me know if there is any change…I'll talk to you all later…" With that said, he left the room and disappeared down the hall.
Several hours soon passed, and the small group of five stayed in their respective seats. Darkness had started to creep through the windows as the sun disappeared before the doctor returned, looking very grave.
"He has regained consciousness, and we have taken the respirator out…it was making him very uncomfortable." She announced.
"Thank god!" Martha said, a smile touching her lips.
"Does this mean he's going to be okay?" Jonathan asked anxiously. His face fell when the surgeon shook her head sadly.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent…" The doctor continued, "I'm afraid that his condition is worsening…It is my strong belief that he will not last through the night."
"No…" Martha whispered brokenly, her hand tightening around Jonathan's.
The three younger girls shot each other devastated looks at this new piece of information.
"Is…is there nothing else you can do?" Jonathan asked desperately.
"I'm afraid not, all we can do is make him comfortable…It'll take nothing short of a miracle to save him…I'm truly sorry."
"Oh god…" Martha's voice shook with fear, "Oh god no…."
Lana and Chloe both broke down into tears.
Lois sat still, feeling numb. She hadn't felt this way since her mother had died.
"But…he's awake…doesn't that count for something?" Jonathan pressed.
"The stress was too much for his body to handle and he lost too much blood, his body is under too much strain. We've done everything possible."
"No, no…NO!" Jonathan exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
"I'm sorry." The doctor repeated before leaving the group to handle the bad news in private.
Jonathan looked a Martha, a desperate gleam in his eyes. "I can't let him die, Martha…I-I can't!"
"Jonathan…" Martha began with a sob, "There's nothing more we can do…"
"I refuse to believe that…I won't believe that! I-I've got to go…I've got to do something!" He cried, completely forgetting that there were three other people in the room, two of which did not know Clark's secret.
Chloe bit her lip nervously, she had a very strong feeling that Jonathan was going to the caves.
Jonathan embraced Martha in a hug and whispered into her ear, "Maybe Jor-El can help; I've got to try something Martha. I can't just sit here and wait for him to die…I love you…"
Martha felt the tears slipping down her cheeks faster and faster as she clung onto her husband. "Jonathan, please don't do anything rash…" She choked out quietly.
Jonathan gave his wife a watery smile and said softly, "Tell Clark to hang in there…"
Martha collapsed back into her seat, her head in her hands as she cried quietly.
Lana immediately went to her side and put an arm around her shoulder. She had no idea what Clark's dad could do to help his son, but she new that the devastated mother needed some comfort.
Jonathan gave Martha one more long look before heading outside to his truck.
Not long after he had gone, Martha stood and said shakily, "He's awake…I-I've got to go and see him, uhm, I'll…I'll come back for the three of you when I'm done."
Lana, Lois and Chloe remained silent, knowing full well that Martha needed some privacy with her only son. They watched, feeling helpless, as the mother wandered out of the room, looking lost.
TBC
I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! Clark will get his powers back in this, as I said, I want to stick close to the canon :D You'll just have to wait and see how...you'll know very soon!\