Gaghh.
This is worse than a deathfic.
Clark is completely broken. He's so badly damaged, I don't know how much recovery is possible. He can't communicate on any meaningful level. He's doing things because someone is telling him to do them or putting things in his hands. Makes me wonder if he still knows what that little porcelain room off to one side is for.
I agree with Bernie Klein - you
do not want Clark to regain his powers while he's in that state. If he did, he'd accidentally break something important or seriously injure someone and not have any idea what happened. They probably should limit his exposure to sunlight at this point in his (questionable) recovery.
I wonder how long it will be before well-meaning someone tells Lois to give it up and get on with what's left of her life. You haven't said, but I get the impression that finding Clark hasn't made the news yet. I want to see Lex when he finds out. Nigel will probably be apprehensive about it, but Lex will chortle and gloat because now she'll see just how powerful Lex is and Lois will "see what she threw away all those years ago." The staff at Arkham will probably notify him eventually, because surely he's got someone on the inside as a spy.
Of course, that would probably lead to Lois finding out that Lex was responsible for Clark's condition. If so, maybe she'll tell the superhero community, who - if nothing else - will be impressed with not just her success so far but her determination to bring Clark back to life. I would expect that they would help her by assembling evidence about Lex and Nigel, not just referencing Clark but about his criminal empire of today. And maybe - just maybe - he'll be insulated well enough so that the legal process can't (or won't) bring him to justice.
And that would leave Lois with no real options.
An interesting thought appears.
Clark eventually (say, five years down the line) recovers some of his mental faculties, but not enough to function in society, despite corrective surgery on his crippling injuries. His memory of being Superman never returns, and his powers don't reappear, although he does regain his health. Most importantly, he comes to recognize Lois as his friend but, because he's limited to a child-like understanding, cannot love her as she desperately wishes. The superheroes, through Wonder Woman and/or Batman, come to her and sorrowfully tell her that not only is there no real hope for further recovery for Clark, there's not enough hard evidence against Luthor to do anything other than annoy him. She gives in to despair, then to anger, and she decides to do something about it.
Lex, thinking he's invincible, meets Lois in public and taunts her with his triumph. She nods and tells him he's won but he won't enjoy it. He asks why, since he's certainly enjoying the moment. She snatches out a carbon-plastic knife and buries it in his belly and pushes up. As his heart pulses against the blade and rips itself apart, he stares at her as she asks him if he's enjoying this moment. Lex falls to the ground as his security team grabs Lois and subdues her and he dies within seconds. His sudden death shatters both his business and criminal empires, and Lois hears from her cell that the truth is now known. She pleads guilty to first-degree murder and is sentence to life in prison.
Epilogue. A year into Lois' sentence, Clark comes to visit Lois in prison, accompanied by Bruce Wayne. Clark greets Lois, then asks if she's coming to see him soon. She looks at Bruce, who tells her that Clark didn't realize she'd been gone for so long, and didn't react to her name until he saw her. She nods and tells Clark that she'll see him soon. Clark gives her that empty, momentary smile he always gave her, then turns to Bruce and asks when they're serving lunch. Lois tells Clark goodbye, then says "no more" to Bruce, that the visit means nothing to Clark and only hurts Lois. Bruce agrees and they depart, leaving Lois to spend the rest of her days in prison - alone.
Like I said, worse than any deathfic.
Wow. This story is
really dark.
