(she hadn’t wanted to turn it off and leave herself locked in total darkness)
She's already locked in a mental darkness.
(here, before the one she’s come to see, she doesn’t think she can possibly make a worse impression than she already has),
And, she knows on some level, I'm sure, that she's never needed to impress Clark.
but she is afraid to meet it because once she does…well, then what?
The true terror, that he might dismiss her completely and not even favor her with an argument.
His parents. They’re here.
Ouch for her. Even if Clark doesn't scorn her, will his parents find it within themselves to forgive her for ruining Clark's life? (Of course they wouldn't care much about the changes to their own life, it's their son who they are worried about.) We, of course, know they'll be gentle, but Lois doesn't.
The entire suite is quiet. Frozen.
I can well imagine the three-way awkwardness.
She vowed to give voice to those who couldn’t otherwise get their story out, and instead she has become the one who mutes them all, strikes them dumb and leaves herself gaping and breathless behind in the void.
Love this!
“We’re not angry with you.”
See? Although it's hard to imagine they would feel Lois was completely blameless.
Looks at them both and is speechless, to see Clark’s compassion and his strength, to see his nobility and his empathy, staring back at her from two very different faces, worn and weathered and wrapped in concern they try so hard to hide from her.
Love it!
But it is not him. Once again, she looks for Clark and finds Jimmy instead.
And all the readers just had heart attacks.
“He doesn’t like taking time for himself. Not anymore.”
Ouch.
“The truth is,” Jimmy finally says, swiveling to walk away as he finishes, throwing the words over his shoulder, “he needs something. And if you’re the one to give it to him, well then, maybe I’ll just chalk it up to poetic irony.”
I'm glad they are all smart enough to realize that the one who broke Clark may be (IS) the only one who can fix him.
Wait, this CANNOT be the end of the chapter. You forgot to include Clark! Plllllllease hurry and give us more?
