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Together again Chapter 2
Lois and Clark walked silently out the room and Lois closed the door behind her, leaving just a couple of inches open in order to be able to check on her son. She gave him a last long glance before turning toward Clark again. There was such sadness in her eyes. Clark wondered how she was able to smile at him, when she looked toward her ex-best friend. Okay it was a very sad smile, but it was a smile nonetheless and Clark was glad of it.
She let herself sit on one of the chairs in the corridor.
She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Clark, a little hesitant, took her hand into his. "How are you feeling, Lois?"
She seemed unable to look at him. She was staring at his hand, and the sweet way he was caressing her own. "I'm so glad you are here... That you don't hate me... I know I'm feeling so selfish but I need a friend so much..." She looked deep into his eyes with an honesty and a need Clark had never seen in her before. "Please, Clark... be my best friend again." Her tone was calm and she almost whispered, Clark felt all the loneliness, the fear and the pain that she was forced to hide from the world.
"I always wanted to be your best friend... even when you didn't want me..." This time he whispered without looking at her.
Lois stared at him intensely. It was a long, silent moment. He was avoiding to look at her but she seemed not to be able to move her gaze from him. Only when Clark slowly raised his head and met her gaze did she smile and, holding his hand tightly, said, "How could I survive all this time without you?"
Clark smiled and Lois remembered so clearly why she found his grin irresistible. "That's the cutest thing you never said to me... you know that?"
"I know I've already said this, but... I've missed you so much!" Lois moved forward a bit as if to embrace him, but then she stopped. Her mind was screaming: if you hold him again... you never will be able to let him go. Don't do that, Lois. He doesn't deserve to go through this once again, and your heart will never be able to bear it again. You've made him suffer so much... he never deserved that.
"You have no clue how happy I am about this... I mean that you miss me, that we met again, even if it is in this awful place. But it's late now... I mean ... Your husband will probably be here in a few minutes and I really don't want to meet him." All of this seemed so painfully like deja vu. It hurt them both so much. Lois' expression changed in a way he wasn't able to decipher. Even her tone changed when she spoke.
"That won't happen... it probably wouldn't happen even if you stayed here for a month." There was something in her eyes, something so close to hate. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her self-control. "He usually just says he hates hospitals, that he can't stand to see Jerome in pain but I think he hates all this... he hates that I spend all my time with Jerome, instead of accompanying him to his stupid parties... can someone be jealous of his own son? It's... awful!"
"Are you going through all this, alone?!" She slowly nodded, then she stopped, raised her head, and smiling sadly added, "I'm not alone... I've got Jerome with me... he is my strength... he's the only reason I get up in the morning."
Clark was silent for a moment. He could barely believe that she was SO alone. "I like him, even if I've just met him."
"I think he likes you too... He seemed be happy... He told me that I should call you... but... but... I..."
"I know..." he whispered. "I know..."
"Clark, I wanted so badly for him to be your son... When I found myself pregnant... I cried... but the doctor said the baby was too far along to be yours... he was only born six months after... after that night..." Clark saw the tears sparking again in her eyes. With a great effort Lois closed them and pushed the tears back. "Jerome is so nice, luckily he doesn't seem to take after his father ... not physically nor in his character... I guess your name helped him... He's good, and strong and brave, braver than me... He cares about people almost as much as you do..."
There was a long moment of silence again.
"Then he was why you didn't leave Lex?" She nodded slowly.
"Don't blame Jerome, I'm the one who made the mistake... I hurt you so badly... I'm so sorry." Clark saw seeing her tremble as much he heard it in her voice.
Lois didn't see him smile sadly at her words. He'd never thought to blame the baby, and now he couldn't even blame her either. He realized that the situation had been as painful for her as it was for him. So, instead of continuing with the topic, he suddenly asked again, "Lois, how are you, really?"
She thought about her answer very carefully. "I really don't know, I guess I haven't had the time to think about me. I still miss the Planet, and all my old friends... and you above all. I left my job at LNN two year ago, when Jerome fell sick. And now I practically live here. I go home only to get a change of clothes... I guess it's been three months since the last time I saw my... Lex... but I really don't care about him... He has some new girlfriends with him..."
Clark's hand moved on her arm in order to give her a sort of comfort and Lois smiled at this taking his hand in hers. "Lois..."
"No, it's okay. I REALLY don't care. It means he stays away from us. He scares me and Jerome too. He's dangerous... I guess... well I guess you were completely right about him. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."
"I stopped my battle against Luthor a lot of time ago, Lois," he said calmly.
"Why? You were right..."
"But you were... are his wife! If he falls, you'll fall with him. And I couldn't do that to you!" There was such an undertone in this words. An undertone of pain and friendship and respect and love.
"How blind was I?" She covered her face with her hands, trying to push away the tears again.
"Lois, please, I don't want to speak about that... not now!"
"I'm so sorry, Clark."
Clark moved toward her and then he took Lois into his arms, holding her tightly. He felt her tears rolling down her cheeks and they were so hot against his neck. Again the memories filled his head, her soft scent was still so familiar to him. To feel her curves pressed against his chest was the most exquisite torture he'd felt in his life, and again he felt her hold him with all her strength.
They stayed holding each other for long minutes, even after Lois stopped crying. Her breath still trembled. It was quite late, outside it was already dark. "Lois, I know you are tired... why don't you try to sleep a while?"
"I can't... I'd have to go home. I need to get some clean pjs for Jerome... and I need a shower... but... how can I? Jerome is in pain and...I don't want to leave him alone. I don't want..."
"Don't worry about that... I have the evening free, I'll stay here with him. He's sleeping now, so, like I said, don't worry. Take all the time you need..." Clark saw her lip tremble, tears were again glowing into her eyes. "Stop crying, Lois. This isn't the Lois Lane I lo... I knew. You are strong...you told Jerome so, didn't you?"
She slowly moved against his body, this time without embracing him, simply leaning against his chest. "It's so good have you here, again."
"It's good be back. Now you go... Jerome will be fine," he said. He kissed her on the cheek and went into her son's room.
oooOOOooo
Clark walked into Jerome's room slowly. He left the door open so the light could enter. It was already night. He leaned against the little table that was near the window. He was able to see Lois enter her Jeep. He wondered why Lois still had that car. The last time he'd seen her in Metropolis she was driving a cabriolet Lex had bought for her. Clark noticed also that she had some problems before the engine started. He smiled. The richest man in world's wife was driving a car that needed a junk yard more than a mechanic. There were so many strange things around here.
As he was still looking out the window he caught the sound of Jerome's name being spoken out in the hall. Even though he didn't usually listen in he thought this time it might be all right. Although Clark knew that Lois couldn't have heard the words of the nurse back in that corridor he could hear them well enough. And they hurt him.
He heard Becky, the nurse who'd assisted Jerome minutes earlier, talking, almost threatening, a man who Clark assumed to be a security guard, given the tone and content of his responses. He wanted Clark to leave. It was too late. No visitors were allowed.
Becky stopped him. "Don't you dare to do that!! I'm never going to bring you another piece of my apple pie if you do! It's the first time in almost two years there is someone with Lois!"
"But the regulations..."
"I don't care about that! I'll take responsibility. Don't you understand? She is losing her son and no one seems to care about that."
"Jerome is that bad?" Clark then heard the guard curse. "He's the only one able to make Doctor McDaw laugh. McDaw seemed almost human with Jerome!" he added sadly.
"I wonder where in hell his father is! That bast... Poor Lois. I'm glad this guy is with her. Finally someone who cares about her!" She probably smiled because her tone softened a little more "They look so cute together... don't they?"
"You've got them married already?"
"Silly! Of course not, but at least he is here... where is her family?"
Good question, Clark thought. Where was her family? Where was her husband? Where were her parents... her father was a doctor... maybe he could help her!
The rage was growing in Clark. How could all of the people important to Lois leave her to deal with her son's death all alone?
He couldn't allow that! He would be with her. From this moment she would never be alone again. Especially now that he understood why Lois had acted as she had. He decided it didn't matter about his own pain. He would be there for her.
Jerome moaned in his sleep. Clark was beside him in a flash. Clark started to speak him very softly, caressing his head, while the child moaned again. He was probably having a nightmare. Clark took his hand in order to comfort him, continuing to speak to him in a reassuring way.
Clark felt conflicted, he should hate this child. This child was why Lois and he were not together. He was why Lois decided to stay with her husband. Clark should have hated him a lot more than he hated Lois, but he simply couldn't. Jerome was Lois' child, he was part of her. He was the person Lois loved most in the world. From the way Becky and the security guard spoke about him it was clear he was quite beloved by the hospital staff and not just Lois.
But then why they were alone?
The child squeezed his hand before awaking. Jerome felt the big hand that was holding his own. That wasn't his mother's hand. He suddenly opened his eyes, staring at Clark with an almost terrified gaze.
"Hi..."
"Hi... bad dream?"
The child nodded.
"Did Mom go home?"
This time Clark nodded.
"She'll be back soon..."
The child smiled.
"I know, she always comes back soon." They were silent for some moments. Both of them noticed that they were still holding hands, but neither of them released their grip.
"About you book... I really liked it... But... can I ask you something?" The child seemed quite unsure.
"Shoot!"
"Well... did you write about my Mom?" This was definitely Lois' child. Only a boy with Mad Dog Lane's genes would ask a question like that.
"No... I mean ... no... It wasn't about Lois."
Jerome laughed. "You not a very good liar!" He kept laughing and an embarrassed Clark smiled at the child.
"Why did you think that? I mean about Lois." Clark wondered how this child would have been able to guess that. It was very improbable that Lois had told him. So how?
"Well, Mom seems a lot like this Lara Laterpoff, the way you described her and the way she acts. Mom is used to doing things before she thinks about them too, sometimes. And she pretends to be tougher and stronger than she is... like she was tonight. But it wasn't just that. We've read it three times, but the first time she read me your book I was a lot sicker than I am now and I couldn't do much more than lie in bed all day. So she used to read me a lot of stuff. One day she came in with this book. She said a friend of hers had written it. She asked me if she could read it to me. And that was strange. She never has to ask, because she knows what I like in books. I noticed that her hands were shaking as she opened the book. Then she read almost all of it with a sad smile on her face. And her voice broke badly sometimes. And sometimes she stopped reading, making some excuse. So I figured she was remembering something."
Clark was completely amazed. For a moment he thought that there might be another Mad Dog Reporter in the Lane family someday. This boy seemed have to inherited all the talent of his mother. It was almost incredible that so young a child had such ability to understand others.
The child stopped a moment, staring at Clark before adding, "Mom said you traveled a lot."
"That's true."
Jerome bit his lip. "Did you ever see a tiger? I saw one once, at the zoo, but it was sleeping..." Clark smiled.
"Yep, I've seen a tiger and lions too..."
"Wow!" The child paused. "I'd like to be a tiger..." He almost whispered.
"Why?"
"To help Mom!" he proclaimed with decision.
"Why? Your Mom needs help?"
Jerome simply nodded. The little child was so serious. Clark saw him yawn one moment later.
"Will you try to help my mom?"
Clark smiled. "Yes, I'll try to help her."
Jerome squeezed his hand more tightly. "Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise." The boy smiled at him before yawning again. "Now try to sleep... It's late."
The child nodded again and he turned on his side, still holding Clark's hand.
"Clark?"
"What?!"
Jerome raised his head in order to look at him better. "Will you come visit me again?" Clark smiled again. This kid was irresistible!
"Sure... If you want..."
"I'd like that," he said yawning, then mumbling added, "Mom was so happy you were here..." Then he slipped into a peaceful sleep, feeling the warmth of Clark's presence near him.
To Be Continued