Thanks for all the lovely comments.
I'm sorry if chapter 15 was depressing for some, but as Yvonne said, Lois is dealing with this as realistically as she can.
Maria, though it isn't written, my assumption is that Rachel had already taken a witness statement from Lois while Clark was unconscious. She wants to interview them separately to see if the stories match up.
As for questions about what happened in the past...we'll have to see. Ditto for the Kent farm and some of the other things you asked about.
As for the nightmare in chapter 12....it's very possible that some of it might have been mixed in with memories of what happened to his parents. I think that the Kent's lingered on for a while, and in young Clark's mind, the machines and other aspects of hospital life might have become mixed in with horror stories his father told him about being dissected.
Thanks for the comments, Terry. In GGGOH, Clark was without his powers for something like a day, and this was with his father making the right conclusion and closing the box fairly quickly. I think that Clark's somewhat longer exposure to this rock accounts for part of it. This is his first time to be exposed to it. On the show, Clark later seemed to develop a partial immunity. He didn't lose his powers for long after the kryptonite was out of his reach.
Also, part of it is likely Clark whining to himself. He's got the same aches and pains as the rest of us for a short while, and the contrast likely seems overwhelming.
Not that a beating feels all that good of course...
Well, let me know what you think of this chapter!
