Band of Blue TOCChapter 18Clark sat down and prepared for his next move with Lois.
It’s weekend. Do I leave her to ‘miss me’ or do I find some way to spend ‘non-work’ time with her? As he pondered his next move he noticed the lack of noise coming from across the desk. Frowning, he looked up.
Lois was staring at the phone. Her eyes looked a little glassy.
Is she crying? “Lois?” He leant forwards a little. “Are you alright?”
She tilted her head slightly to look at him. Her face was a blank, expressionless mask.
“Lois?” he asked again.
“Er, Clark.” She finally stopped staring and blinked. “I, er... I need to go to the hospital.” She stood up slowly and started to put things in her bag.
“Hospital!” Clark stood up from his chair suddenly. It shot backwards into a young lad walking behind him. “Gosh, I’m sorry,” Clark said to the young man then turned immediately to Lois. “What is it?” he asked.
“It’s the General ... er my father. He’s had a heart attack.” Clark was now at her side and he put his hand on her arm. She turned to look at him and he saw pain and worry in her eyes. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“I’ll take you. Is it Met Gen?” Lois nodded.
As Clark turned and steered her towards the elevator he shouted out to the lad he’d knocked. The young lad was limping very slightly. Clark winced.
He’s going to have a bruise on his leg. “Hey ... er ...”
The young man stopped and turned back. “Olsen,” he replied. Clark felt a familiarity about the name but he knew he’d never spoken to the lad before, although he was often around the basement.
“Can you let Perry know that I’m taking Miss Lane to the hospital to visit her father?” Olsen nodded and continued on his way. As Clark stood waiting for the elevator doors to open he pondered the familiarity of the name Olsen. It seemed he felt ... friendly ... towards the lad. But if that was the case why had he referred to Lois as Miss Lane for Olsen’s benefit?
Olsen ... Olsen. That’s it. Clark remembered just as the elevator doors pinged open.
“Olsen. He’s the intern who got the first pictures of m ... Superman.”
Lois turned and looked at him blankly. “Huh!” She was obviously in her own world at the moment.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the back of the cab Lois replayed the conversation in her head.
‘It’s daddy. He’s had a heart attack.’ The General was too stubborn to be ill. How could his heart be failing?
‘It’s daddy. He’s had a heart attack.’ She heard Lucy’s sobs repeatedly in her head.
‘It’s daddy. He’s had a heart attack.’ She looked down at the hand holding hers: Clark’s. He’d taken on a protective role since the phone call. It was strange. She felt safe. Even stranger; she felt safer holding Clark’s hand than when she’d been in Superman’s arms.
‘It’s daddy. He’s had a heart attack.’ Lois felt her own heart miss a beat.
He’ll be fine. I just need to get to the hospital
‘... I’m taking Miss Lane to the hospital ...’ Lois adjusted her view to look up at Clark’s face.
Clark called me Miss Lane. Why does that sound familiar? Clark turned to see her looking up at him. He smiled a little and squeezed her hand in reassurance.
“We’ll be there soon, Lois. Don’t worry.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
At the hospital Lois suddenly left Clark’s side and ran to a young, slim girl. His arm felt bare without her holding onto it. Clark admitted that it felt good that she needed him, but he hated the circumstances. He studied the young girl hugging Lois. She was much younger. Her hair was longer and straighter than Lois’s. Her face was slimmer. But somehow he knew they were sisters. He walked over to them after giving the ladies a few minutes together.
“Lois?” he questioned.
“Oh, this is my sister ... Lucy. Lucy this is Smallville, er Clark.” Clark held out his hand and Lucy took it in a simple handshake.
“How is he?” Clark asked.
“They won’t let me in to see him. His wishes - apparently.” Lucy seemed upset and disappointed. Did she feel rejected?
Clark felt an emotional whirlwind spring up beside him and he turned to see Lois striding off. He watched as she collared the first nurse she found. He could hear her diatribe without his super-hearing.
“What’s this about refusing to let my baby sister in to see her father?” She stood with her hands on her hips and her foot tapping.
“I’m sorry Miss but the patient has requested no visitors whatsoever.” The nurse was obviously involved with the case as she knew the situation that Lois was referring to immediately.
“That’s ridiculous. Why would my father not want to have any visitors? Where is the doctor in charge of his case? I’m going to have words with him.”
“The office at the end of this corridor is Dr Bryan’s but he is probably out on rounds at the moment,” the nurse replied. Lois strode off down the corridor.
“Lois.” Clark called after her and when she ignored him he set off to catch up to her. Footsteps behind him made him realise that Lucy was also following.
He caught up to her at the door to the Doctor’s office. It was locked. Lois rooted around in her handbag and pulled out a thick pin. Jigging it in the lock Clark realised that she was trying to break in.
“Lois!” he said, in shock. “You can’t break into his office.”
She turned to look at him, determination written all over her face. “Watch me.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois flicked through the filing cabinet in the doctor’s office looking for her father’s file. She’d managed to convince Clark to keep watch at the door.
He’s obviously head over heels for me. She smiled.
“Lo, what are you actually looking for?” asked her sister. Lois turned and looked into Lucy’s red-rimmed eyes.
“The General won’t let us in to see him, the doctor’s on his rounds: how are we supposed to find out what’s wrong?” Lucy gave a sad smile in agreement and Lois went back to rifling through the papers.
“Ah ha!” she shouted in triumph. Clark put his head round the door.
“Success?” he asked in a quiet voice.
“Yep,” she said triumphantly.
“Then can we leave?” he said in a worried tone.
“Let me read it, Smallville. I can’t very well take it with me.”
Everyone stood in silence while Lois muttered to herself as she read. A sigh of relief came from her lips as she closed the file and slid it back into place. The tension which had been with her since Lucy’s phone call left her body with that sigh. Staring at the closed filing cabinet drawer she spoke quietly.
“Take us home, Smallville.”
“What?” Lucy cried. “I want to see daddy. Is he alright?”
“He’s fine Luce.” Lois turned around and looked at her sister. “It was only a mild heart attack. He’s being kept in for observation.”
“Then why can’t I see him.” Lois felt her heart break for Lucy as she saw a tear falling down her cheek. Lucy was such a rebel, disappointing the General at every turn, but it was all for attention. Daddy was everything to Lucy, he just didn’t realise it.
“It’s in the notes, Lucy. The nurse was right. Daddy has requested no visitors.” She put an arm out to Lucy and rested her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s leave. I don’t like hospitals.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark walked Lois through the door to her apartment. They had dropped off Lucy ten minutes ago and Lois hadn’t spoken since. Clark left her in silence and avoided trying to get her to talk. Yes, it was strange to be with Lois in such silence, but he guessed that she needed thinking time.
Once through the door Lois took off her coat and Clark closed the door behind them. Clark turned back round to see Lois stood in front of him, coat in hand. She hadn’t moved. He took a step forwards and then noticed her shoulders shaking.
“Lois?” he asked in concern as he walked round. As he faced her he noticed the shaking increasing. “Lois, it’s okay,” he said. At his reassurance the sobs emerged and she dropped her coat to the floor. Clark stepped forwards and enveloped her in his arms. He felt her arms come round him and hold tight. He stood there, with her in his embrace, until she’d sobbed out her shock.
Ten minutes passed while he just held her tight. He felt tears in his own eyes; sympathy for her pain and worry. He’d experienced the death of his own father by a heart attack, although it had been a dream rather than reality. Such a strong dream, though, that the emotions seemed utterly real.
Lois had stopped sobbing a while ago but Clark could still hear her ragged breathing. He held her closer. Sniffing, she finally lifted her head off his chest and looked up into his face. She smiled an incredibly sad smile as he relaxed his hold.
“Are you okay Lois?” Clark asked tenderly.
“Thank you,” came her answer. Clark stared into her eyes and felt his head lowering a touch. He stopped himself after a moment.
She’s in pain; don’t be a jerk, Clark. He continued to look into her eyes, though and she looked back. He saw uncertainty and then confusion flicker across her face and then she raised herself on her tiptoes.
As her mouth touched his he tightened his embrace again and surrendered to the kiss he had been longing to experience.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And so it starts …
