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tampered2007-08-30 08:33 pm
luthored.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-08-30 08:33 pm
Log; Complete
When; August 30th [Morning].
Rating; PG [Aaaangst].
Characters; Clark Kent [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
solared] & Lana Luthor [luthored].
Summary; There's more to it than just a simple miscarriage. After this. Season 6 spoilers.
Log;
She was still in a certain amount of pain, and she felt weak, but all of this was nothing compared to her terror. That was what made her shake as she curled up and waited for Clark to fetch the doctor.
Clark had been the one to find her...? She vaguely remembered seeing a blonde woman before passing out, but nothing was clear. Upon waking up, part of her had hoped that Lex would be there to comfort her. Even if she loved Clark, she couldn't keep from caring for Lex, and this was his child. They were supposed to be a family now.
Still, she was comforted by Clark's presence, even if she didn't want him worrying about her. She knew that the Lex in the City wasn't really her husband, and she shouldn't have been startled by his absence.
Digging her nails into the blanket and shuddering again, Lana looked up as she heard the door open, watching as the doctor stepped in. She could see Clark out in the hall for only a moment before the door was shut again, leaving her alone with the man about to deliver the impending news.
---
It'd been a shock, to say the least. One moment they'd been having a perfectly normal conversation, even if the topic wasn't one he was ever going to be happy about, and the next... He'd moved without fail, knowing the on place he needed to be just then. Something was happening to Lana, and he wasn't going to just sit back and let it continue, no matter how much she wanted him to leave her alone. To find her unconscious had been worrying enough, but the reactions of the nurses who'd jumped into action, the faces of the doctors as they performed their various tests, he'd seen them all countless times before. The medical centre back in Smallville had been a place that he and his friends had been to more times than he could count.
And then to hear...that. No matter what he'd thought of the idea of Lana being pregnant with Lex's child, he wouldn't ever have wanted something like this to happen. Never to her of all people.
A small cough, and Clark was pulled out of his thoughts. He'd been talking to someone. The doctor. The same doctor who he'd spoken to after bringing Lana in. Taking a deep breath, Clark nodded his had, taking a few steps away to let the doctor through to the room. He himself kept away, glancing up only briefly as the door was pulled open. He'd give her space, a chance to try and work things out.
But would it matter, once the man had started speaking. Or more importantly, once he'd passed on certain information.
---
As soon as she saw the doctor's face, Lana felt herself freeze. She suddenly understood that she didn't want to hear the words that were coming out of his mouth. She knew that much, but she didn't expect the specific accusation to follow.
He wasn't telling her that she had lost the baby. He was telling her something about drugs. Synthetic hormones that she had given herself? No, she had never taken anything other than the required vitamins. What was he talking about... Fake what?
She didn't understand, and she was sure to make that clear as she stared at the doctor accusingly, as if this was some sort of conspiracy. She was hearing his words, but nothing was absorbing. She was in shock. "I don't understand. What does any of this have to do with the baby? Is it okay?"
The doctor stared at her quietly for a moment, almost in his own accusing manner, before explaining slowly and carefully once more. "Mrs. Luthor, you were never pregnant."
Hearing it point blank like that left her stricken, and she no longer responded to any further questions on the doctor's part. Having given up, he simply left the room, with her staring blankly ahead at nothing and trying to understand what she had just been told. The pieces slowly clicked together, but she really wished they hadn't.
---
Even through a closed door, Clark could hear a low murmuring. It took all he had to keep himself from purposely listening in to the conversation. Instead, he turned his attention to the wall opposite, gaze skimming across the various posters that papered the walls. Warnings against the newest diseases that were out to get you. Information to remind people to get their immunisations. ...family planning clinics. If he let himself relax enough, he could almost imagine they were back home.
The door clicked open, and he could practically feel the frustration rolling off of the man as he left. But that didn't matter to him. Not now that Lana knew what'd happened.
That the baby was gone.
Waiting for the doctor to head further away Clark turned back toward the door, his hand raising to knock on the wooden panel. But that was as far as he went just then. He wanted nothing more than to go in and be able to make her feel better somehow. He just had no idea what he could do, or what she wanted him to do. After news like that, what could anyone do?
"...Lana." The word came out alongside a sigh, before he finally tapped lightly on the door. He'd do whatever he had to.
---
If she had simply been told that the baby was gone, then surely she would be in a fit of tears right then. But to learn that there never had been a baby... Was there anything to feel remorse for? Her child had never existed.
She heard a knock and something that sounded like her name, but Lana didn't respond. She just kept staring ahead, face blank. Synthetic...hormones...put in her system. Against her will.
Lex. The name now tasted like acid on her tongue as she whispered it without even realizing. What about the sonogram? Whose baby was that? Lana had thought that the City was some bizarre world...but the world she had left behind was the real Hell.
Suddenly, she didn't want to cry. A part of her felt desolate, but the pure and utter disgust overpowered that. She had been tricked and violated in the worst of ways. As she looked down, Lana spotted the glittering wedding ring on her finger. Apparently she hadn't been the only one keeping secrets.
"...Clark," she whispered, remembering that he was still outside. Her savior. Had it been him at the door? With a shake of her head, her features disturbingly placid, the young woman ripped out the IV before moving to stand, the floor cold against her bare feet. She repeated his name as she tried to stand, trembling and just about to fall over. "Clark."
---
She was quiet...for so long. Clark wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. He would've at least expected her to be upset, given what'd just happened. He had no idea how long she'd been pregnant. But after the way his own mother-
A whispered word, followed by another, and they were both missed. It wasn't until she called his name aloud that he moved again. Pushing the door open, his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Lana was trying to...leave? And unsuccessfully it seemed.
Stepping forward quickly, Clark's arms flew out to hold her up as he tried to gauge how she was going to react. She didn't seem upset, which was a shock to him. Instead she looked calm, collected. It was almost as though nothing had happened, despite her being stood in the middle of a hospital room. "...you need to get some rest." What else could he say?
---
She stilled as he held her, and once again her emotions threatened to unleash. But she swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. Saving her... He was always trying to save her. For once, she had tried to save him...and she couldn't even do that much properly.
Lionel wasn't here, anyway. His threats seemed like a thing of the past. And the Lex here... He wasn't even the Lex that she could be mad at. How could she get revenge when he hadn't even done anything yet?
Still, he would do it. Would it be terrible of her to fault him for something he hadn't yet done, but most certainly would?
Keeping her gaze off to the side, she tried to stay steady herself as she looked around for her clothes, detesting the hospital gown. "...You think I can rest here? I want to go home." Whatever home meant these days.
---
He had to remind himself that this wasn't the same Lana he'd left behind by coming here. This Lana was still married to someone he'd once considered his best friend. He wanted to be able to comfort her, to hold her and protect her from anything else that would try to hurt her.
But he couldn't. Not in the physical sense of the word. He'd been relegated to the sidelines without his knowledge, and that was where he was stuck standing from now on. He'd do what he could, from a distance. And it was for that reason alone that he kept himself from wrapping his arms around her. Instead, he was forced to wait until she was steady enough to stand on her own, before his arms returned to his sides.
"...your apartment?" Or with Lex? He may not have been the same man she was married to, but he'd be some kind of comfort to her, right?
---
Once she was free to move on her own again, she began searching for her clothes, doing her best not to stumble and fall. Finding them wrapped in a plastic bag, Lana began to pull them out, only to pause and glance over her shoulder pointedly at Clark before heading to the tiny bathroom that was connected.
After shutting the door, she was slow to change. The last thing she wanted to do was fall and crack her head on the toilet seat...although the more she thought about it, the more it didn't seem like such an awful idea. To end it all... To just stop the misery.
The anger was the only thing that kept her going, that kept her fighting to stay strong. She would cling to that fury and disgust. It was all she had left.
As she stepped out, she looked surprisingly small in her clothes, even if they fit just fine. It was the way she wouldn't look up from the floor, and how her arms were staying crossed over her stomach, as if protecting something.
"...I don't have an apartment. I've been staying in a different place each night. Where are you staying?"
---
Watching as she discovered her clothes, Clark knew straight away that trying to get her to stay would be a waste of time. She already seemed to have made her mind up, and it'd never been an easy thing to change before. As she shut herself into the bathroom, Clark took a seat on the edge of the bed, his eyes on the floor as he waited for her to come back out again.
The door clicked once more, swinging open as she came back out. He couldn't help but stare, the concern clear in his face. He'd seen Lana upset before. Hurt, angry, sad. But he'd never once seen her acting anything like she was now. And he didn't know how to handle it. This wasn't an area in which he was allowed to make mistakes. Not this time.
Somewhere new each night? Either she'd not been comfortable in any of the places, she really expected to find a way home, or there was something wrong. "...there's a farm, a few minutes away from the center," or so he guessed. "I've been staying there." He paused, unsure of how she'd take the offer. "You can stay there, if you want." Even if it meant having to take his time with everything, it didn't matter to him. Not if it meant she'd be able to get some rest. "I can stay in the barn or something."
---
The news that he had actually found a farm near a metropolis like this was...almost staggering. And yet, the news was surprisingly comforting. Clark had found a farm to live on again... He really was not made for the city.
With a small smile, reassured by this news, Lana stepped forward to look up at him. She tried to keep that fury and determination out of her eyes, as it was not directed at him, and instead offered him a look that was more gentle. This was the man who had protected her throughout high school and after, and looking at him now and how she knew he would be in a couple years, he was still the same.
"Some things never change," she whispered with a shake of her head before moving past him. She hadn't yet noticed her lack of purse, but really that was not the biggest thing on her mind.
She was still having trouble walking, as she still felt weak and in pain from her earlier attack and whatever drugs they had given her, but she moved her hand to brace herself against the wall as she moved, determined to stand on her own.
---
He still didn't know whether her reaction was a good sign or not. But for the time being, he'd have to let things run their course. At least having Lana nearby would mean that she wouldn't have to be alone if things ever did...get worse. That would be true regardless of where she ended up staying. In a few short hours she'd lost so much. He wasn't going to let her lose anything more. Not if he could help it.
There was a faint smile in response, before Clark was moving to follow after her. He was hovering, and he knew it. But it was something he couldn't help. Especially not when a friend was trying to leave hospital early. The doctors may not have been able to force her to stay, but it didn't mean they were going to be happy about it.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" The question was asked, thought he already knew the answer. They were halfway through the result of it all. And with the way The City worked, it was likely she wouldn't be able to get the rest she needed.
---
Lana didn't respond at first, instead concentrating on keeping her head ducked so that her hair would hide her face from view as nurses hurried past. Then she spoke, knowing he would hear her even if she whispered. "I'm not sure of anything anymore, Clark."
She spotted her doctor out of the corner of her eye, and he tried to move to intercept her. Normally she might have been able to negotiate her release, but he was probably thinking she was some lunatic that drugged herself to fake motherhood. She didn't want Clark hearing any of that, so she panicked a bit, reaching out to grab his sleeve before she broke into a run.
Or at least it was a ridiculous attempt at a run, as she was staggering the whole time. She wasn't even sure where she was going, or where the exit was. She had nearly knocked over twenty nurses and patients in her eager attempt to escape, only to step outside onto the sidewalk to nearly run into a person that looked like they had stepped out of a horror movie.
Smallville. Metropolis. She wasn't home, and she wasn't sure she ever would be. She had escaped that hell of a hospital, only to step out into a nightmare. There was only thing there right then that made any sense, and that was Clark. Past, present, or future...was he the only one she could trust?
Lana could recall a time when he had been the one she trusted the least.
Suddenly, she laughed at the irony of that, her body suddenly shaking as she let him go to drop down to her knees, fingers fanning out while her hands supported her against the sidewalk. She was laughing at how absurd and unreal this all was, and she didn't even notice that she was sobbing at the same time. It was just too much. Too intense.
She was only human.
---
Her reaction only served to worry him more. But regardless, he followed her every step of the way, if only to make sure she didn't injure herself along the way. Apologies were being thrown back towards each person that was bumped, shuffled, or moved out of the way as they made their way through the hallways. A door in sight, and Clark was relieved to find that they were actually outside. Hopefully it'd mean that Lana would calm down a little. Or at least walk the rest of the way. She wasn't in any fit state to be running, as proved by her stumbling dash.
Another apology was passed on to the last of the victims of the rushing, before Clark could finally turn his full attention back on to Lana. He watched, almost helplessly as her grip slipped from him, her body giving out as she collapsed to her knees. She was laughing. She was crying. ...she needed help.
He was alongside her in seconds, a hand resting gently on in the center of her back. A sign that he was there, and he wasn't going to leave her. Not now, and not ever. "...it's going to be okay." Though he wasn't sure if either of them really believed that.
---
She hadn't wanted him to see her like this. She wanted to protect him, not worry him. But it was all just too much, and Lana couldn't keep the tears from flowing anymore than she could keep from breathing. The hand on her back didn't calm her down any, instead only making her remorse even more painful.
She was glad that this wasn't Smallville. The press would have simply loved to snap a picture of the new Mrs. Luthor acting like a nutjob on the street. Instead, people barely passed her a glance, probably assuming it was a curse and worrying about their own lives.
It was with a shaking hand that Lana tried to wipe at her tears, willing them to go away. Could she tell him the honest trust about the baby, or lack thereof? She knew that if this had been home, this wouldn't have even been a problem. Lex would have been at her side... She probably wouldn't have even found out that it was false. He would have just kept on lying to her.
For once, she was grateful that she was in Hell.
"No, it's not. It's not going to be okay. I'm stuck here in some alternate universe, and you and Lex are stuck in the past. You're both right here, but I'm all alone." Wiping at her eyes again, she tried to regain some composure, or at least not weep so messily, but it was a false endeavor.
"But that's not the case... I made sure I was all alone in Smallville, before I even came here. I pushed everyone away, everyone except for the wrong person."
---
In all his years of knowing Lana, he'd never once seen her react this way. And he still had no idea of how to deal with it. He may be able to protect people, but repairing the damage that others had caused was something he'd never understand completely. But even if he didn't know exactly what to do, he wasn't going to give up. Not on Lana. If he had to spin the planet backwards, he'd do just that. For her.
The hand slid to her shoulder as he tried to get her to look up at him. This was one thing he wouldn't ever lie about, and he needed her to believe it. "You're never alone. Whatever happens." It was one promise he refused to break, no matter what the cost may be. "Even if you pushed me away, I wont ever leave you." It may've been a future version of himself, but he knew the facts now, and he knew that it wasn't ever likely to change. Even if she was happily married to another man, Lana was always going to remain special to him.
"This isn't Smallville. You don't have to live that way, if you don't want to." And he hoped beyond all belief that she didn't want to. The Lana he knew valued her friends. She didn't push them away so easily. "You can make your own decisions." And not follow the ones laid out for her by certain third parties.
---
This was a special moment. She knew that if she didn't tell him now, then she wouldn't allow herself another chance. This moment of weakness was where she could bare it all.
But to what end? What good would it do to let Clark know? Knowing him, he would probably try to avenge her in some way. She knew now, that Clark had meant every word he said when he wanted to protect her. But who did she need protecting from? Lex? Or was it herself?
...She wouldn't let this be his burden. This would be hers.
The tears stopped then, and she wiped her sleeve against her face one last time before reaching to grip his arm and stand up, waiting for him to follow. With a forced and weary smile, Lana made her decision.
"You're right, Clark. Everything will be fine. Time heals all wounds, right?" Her words sounded hollow to her, and the young woman turned to begin walking again, to hide the desolate glaze in her eyes. "In time, you'll understand. For now...I suppose I'll need to pick up some extra clothing if I'm going to be staying with you."
---
Standing up after her, Clark forced a smile, knowing that things were far from sorted yet. He wasn't the only person who hid things. ...but at least it was a start. Wasn't it?
Time? That was something they had plenty of there. "...yeah." Though some wounds were bigger than others. And with the way things stood at the moment, Lana's was a wound that was going to take more than just time. But for now, he'd leave her be. At least long enough for her to recover. Physically. The rest... "...understand what?"
They were moving once again, only this time, Clark began directing them toward the barn. Clothing could wait. For now, he just wanted to get her back and comfy. "We can do that later." Once she was well enough to walk without looking like she was going to collapse, at least.
Rating; PG [Aaaangst].
Characters; Clark Kent [
solared] & Lana Luthor [luthored].Summary; There's more to it than just a simple miscarriage. After this. Season 6 spoilers.
Log;
She was still in a certain amount of pain, and she felt weak, but all of this was nothing compared to her terror. That was what made her shake as she curled up and waited for Clark to fetch the doctor.
Clark had been the one to find her...? She vaguely remembered seeing a blonde woman before passing out, but nothing was clear. Upon waking up, part of her had hoped that Lex would be there to comfort her. Even if she loved Clark, she couldn't keep from caring for Lex, and this was his child. They were supposed to be a family now.
Still, she was comforted by Clark's presence, even if she didn't want him worrying about her. She knew that the Lex in the City wasn't really her husband, and she shouldn't have been startled by his absence.
Digging her nails into the blanket and shuddering again, Lana looked up as she heard the door open, watching as the doctor stepped in. She could see Clark out in the hall for only a moment before the door was shut again, leaving her alone with the man about to deliver the impending news.
---
It'd been a shock, to say the least. One moment they'd been having a perfectly normal conversation, even if the topic wasn't one he was ever going to be happy about, and the next... He'd moved without fail, knowing the on place he needed to be just then. Something was happening to Lana, and he wasn't going to just sit back and let it continue, no matter how much she wanted him to leave her alone. To find her unconscious had been worrying enough, but the reactions of the nurses who'd jumped into action, the faces of the doctors as they performed their various tests, he'd seen them all countless times before. The medical centre back in Smallville had been a place that he and his friends had been to more times than he could count.
And then to hear...that. No matter what he'd thought of the idea of Lana being pregnant with Lex's child, he wouldn't ever have wanted something like this to happen. Never to her of all people.
A small cough, and Clark was pulled out of his thoughts. He'd been talking to someone. The doctor. The same doctor who he'd spoken to after bringing Lana in. Taking a deep breath, Clark nodded his had, taking a few steps away to let the doctor through to the room. He himself kept away, glancing up only briefly as the door was pulled open. He'd give her space, a chance to try and work things out.
But would it matter, once the man had started speaking. Or more importantly, once he'd passed on certain information.
---
As soon as she saw the doctor's face, Lana felt herself freeze. She suddenly understood that she didn't want to hear the words that were coming out of his mouth. She knew that much, but she didn't expect the specific accusation to follow.
He wasn't telling her that she had lost the baby. He was telling her something about drugs. Synthetic hormones that she had given herself? No, she had never taken anything other than the required vitamins. What was he talking about... Fake what?
She didn't understand, and she was sure to make that clear as she stared at the doctor accusingly, as if this was some sort of conspiracy. She was hearing his words, but nothing was absorbing. She was in shock. "I don't understand. What does any of this have to do with the baby? Is it okay?"
The doctor stared at her quietly for a moment, almost in his own accusing manner, before explaining slowly and carefully once more. "Mrs. Luthor, you were never pregnant."
Hearing it point blank like that left her stricken, and she no longer responded to any further questions on the doctor's part. Having given up, he simply left the room, with her staring blankly ahead at nothing and trying to understand what she had just been told. The pieces slowly clicked together, but she really wished they hadn't.
---
Even through a closed door, Clark could hear a low murmuring. It took all he had to keep himself from purposely listening in to the conversation. Instead, he turned his attention to the wall opposite, gaze skimming across the various posters that papered the walls. Warnings against the newest diseases that were out to get you. Information to remind people to get their immunisations. ...family planning clinics. If he let himself relax enough, he could almost imagine they were back home.
The door clicked open, and he could practically feel the frustration rolling off of the man as he left. But that didn't matter to him. Not now that Lana knew what'd happened.
That the baby was gone.
Waiting for the doctor to head further away Clark turned back toward the door, his hand raising to knock on the wooden panel. But that was as far as he went just then. He wanted nothing more than to go in and be able to make her feel better somehow. He just had no idea what he could do, or what she wanted him to do. After news like that, what could anyone do?
"...Lana." The word came out alongside a sigh, before he finally tapped lightly on the door. He'd do whatever he had to.
---
If she had simply been told that the baby was gone, then surely she would be in a fit of tears right then. But to learn that there never had been a baby... Was there anything to feel remorse for? Her child had never existed.
She heard a knock and something that sounded like her name, but Lana didn't respond. She just kept staring ahead, face blank. Synthetic...hormones...put in her system. Against her will.
Lex. The name now tasted like acid on her tongue as she whispered it without even realizing. What about the sonogram? Whose baby was that? Lana had thought that the City was some bizarre world...but the world she had left behind was the real Hell.
Suddenly, she didn't want to cry. A part of her felt desolate, but the pure and utter disgust overpowered that. She had been tricked and violated in the worst of ways. As she looked down, Lana spotted the glittering wedding ring on her finger. Apparently she hadn't been the only one keeping secrets.
"...Clark," she whispered, remembering that he was still outside. Her savior. Had it been him at the door? With a shake of her head, her features disturbingly placid, the young woman ripped out the IV before moving to stand, the floor cold against her bare feet. She repeated his name as she tried to stand, trembling and just about to fall over. "Clark."
---
She was quiet...for so long. Clark wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. He would've at least expected her to be upset, given what'd just happened. He had no idea how long she'd been pregnant. But after the way his own mother-
A whispered word, followed by another, and they were both missed. It wasn't until she called his name aloud that he moved again. Pushing the door open, his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Lana was trying to...leave? And unsuccessfully it seemed.
Stepping forward quickly, Clark's arms flew out to hold her up as he tried to gauge how she was going to react. She didn't seem upset, which was a shock to him. Instead she looked calm, collected. It was almost as though nothing had happened, despite her being stood in the middle of a hospital room. "...you need to get some rest." What else could he say?
---
She stilled as he held her, and once again her emotions threatened to unleash. But she swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. Saving her... He was always trying to save her. For once, she had tried to save him...and she couldn't even do that much properly.
Lionel wasn't here, anyway. His threats seemed like a thing of the past. And the Lex here... He wasn't even the Lex that she could be mad at. How could she get revenge when he hadn't even done anything yet?
Still, he would do it. Would it be terrible of her to fault him for something he hadn't yet done, but most certainly would?
Keeping her gaze off to the side, she tried to stay steady herself as she looked around for her clothes, detesting the hospital gown. "...You think I can rest here? I want to go home." Whatever home meant these days.
---
He had to remind himself that this wasn't the same Lana he'd left behind by coming here. This Lana was still married to someone he'd once considered his best friend. He wanted to be able to comfort her, to hold her and protect her from anything else that would try to hurt her.
But he couldn't. Not in the physical sense of the word. He'd been relegated to the sidelines without his knowledge, and that was where he was stuck standing from now on. He'd do what he could, from a distance. And it was for that reason alone that he kept himself from wrapping his arms around her. Instead, he was forced to wait until she was steady enough to stand on her own, before his arms returned to his sides.
"...your apartment?" Or with Lex? He may not have been the same man she was married to, but he'd be some kind of comfort to her, right?
---
Once she was free to move on her own again, she began searching for her clothes, doing her best not to stumble and fall. Finding them wrapped in a plastic bag, Lana began to pull them out, only to pause and glance over her shoulder pointedly at Clark before heading to the tiny bathroom that was connected.
After shutting the door, she was slow to change. The last thing she wanted to do was fall and crack her head on the toilet seat...although the more she thought about it, the more it didn't seem like such an awful idea. To end it all... To just stop the misery.
The anger was the only thing that kept her going, that kept her fighting to stay strong. She would cling to that fury and disgust. It was all she had left.
As she stepped out, she looked surprisingly small in her clothes, even if they fit just fine. It was the way she wouldn't look up from the floor, and how her arms were staying crossed over her stomach, as if protecting something.
"...I don't have an apartment. I've been staying in a different place each night. Where are you staying?"
---
Watching as she discovered her clothes, Clark knew straight away that trying to get her to stay would be a waste of time. She already seemed to have made her mind up, and it'd never been an easy thing to change before. As she shut herself into the bathroom, Clark took a seat on the edge of the bed, his eyes on the floor as he waited for her to come back out again.
The door clicked once more, swinging open as she came back out. He couldn't help but stare, the concern clear in his face. He'd seen Lana upset before. Hurt, angry, sad. But he'd never once seen her acting anything like she was now. And he didn't know how to handle it. This wasn't an area in which he was allowed to make mistakes. Not this time.
Somewhere new each night? Either she'd not been comfortable in any of the places, she really expected to find a way home, or there was something wrong. "...there's a farm, a few minutes away from the center," or so he guessed. "I've been staying there." He paused, unsure of how she'd take the offer. "You can stay there, if you want." Even if it meant having to take his time with everything, it didn't matter to him. Not if it meant she'd be able to get some rest. "I can stay in the barn or something."
---
The news that he had actually found a farm near a metropolis like this was...almost staggering. And yet, the news was surprisingly comforting. Clark had found a farm to live on again... He really was not made for the city.
With a small smile, reassured by this news, Lana stepped forward to look up at him. She tried to keep that fury and determination out of her eyes, as it was not directed at him, and instead offered him a look that was more gentle. This was the man who had protected her throughout high school and after, and looking at him now and how she knew he would be in a couple years, he was still the same.
"Some things never change," she whispered with a shake of her head before moving past him. She hadn't yet noticed her lack of purse, but really that was not the biggest thing on her mind.
She was still having trouble walking, as she still felt weak and in pain from her earlier attack and whatever drugs they had given her, but she moved her hand to brace herself against the wall as she moved, determined to stand on her own.
---
He still didn't know whether her reaction was a good sign or not. But for the time being, he'd have to let things run their course. At least having Lana nearby would mean that she wouldn't have to be alone if things ever did...get worse. That would be true regardless of where she ended up staying. In a few short hours she'd lost so much. He wasn't going to let her lose anything more. Not if he could help it.
There was a faint smile in response, before Clark was moving to follow after her. He was hovering, and he knew it. But it was something he couldn't help. Especially not when a friend was trying to leave hospital early. The doctors may not have been able to force her to stay, but it didn't mean they were going to be happy about it.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" The question was asked, thought he already knew the answer. They were halfway through the result of it all. And with the way The City worked, it was likely she wouldn't be able to get the rest she needed.
---
Lana didn't respond at first, instead concentrating on keeping her head ducked so that her hair would hide her face from view as nurses hurried past. Then she spoke, knowing he would hear her even if she whispered. "I'm not sure of anything anymore, Clark."
She spotted her doctor out of the corner of her eye, and he tried to move to intercept her. Normally she might have been able to negotiate her release, but he was probably thinking she was some lunatic that drugged herself to fake motherhood. She didn't want Clark hearing any of that, so she panicked a bit, reaching out to grab his sleeve before she broke into a run.
Or at least it was a ridiculous attempt at a run, as she was staggering the whole time. She wasn't even sure where she was going, or where the exit was. She had nearly knocked over twenty nurses and patients in her eager attempt to escape, only to step outside onto the sidewalk to nearly run into a person that looked like they had stepped out of a horror movie.
Smallville. Metropolis. She wasn't home, and she wasn't sure she ever would be. She had escaped that hell of a hospital, only to step out into a nightmare. There was only thing there right then that made any sense, and that was Clark. Past, present, or future...was he the only one she could trust?
Lana could recall a time when he had been the one she trusted the least.
Suddenly, she laughed at the irony of that, her body suddenly shaking as she let him go to drop down to her knees, fingers fanning out while her hands supported her against the sidewalk. She was laughing at how absurd and unreal this all was, and she didn't even notice that she was sobbing at the same time. It was just too much. Too intense.
She was only human.
---
Her reaction only served to worry him more. But regardless, he followed her every step of the way, if only to make sure she didn't injure herself along the way. Apologies were being thrown back towards each person that was bumped, shuffled, or moved out of the way as they made their way through the hallways. A door in sight, and Clark was relieved to find that they were actually outside. Hopefully it'd mean that Lana would calm down a little. Or at least walk the rest of the way. She wasn't in any fit state to be running, as proved by her stumbling dash.
Another apology was passed on to the last of the victims of the rushing, before Clark could finally turn his full attention back on to Lana. He watched, almost helplessly as her grip slipped from him, her body giving out as she collapsed to her knees. She was laughing. She was crying. ...she needed help.
He was alongside her in seconds, a hand resting gently on in the center of her back. A sign that he was there, and he wasn't going to leave her. Not now, and not ever. "...it's going to be okay." Though he wasn't sure if either of them really believed that.
---
She hadn't wanted him to see her like this. She wanted to protect him, not worry him. But it was all just too much, and Lana couldn't keep the tears from flowing anymore than she could keep from breathing. The hand on her back didn't calm her down any, instead only making her remorse even more painful.
She was glad that this wasn't Smallville. The press would have simply loved to snap a picture of the new Mrs. Luthor acting like a nutjob on the street. Instead, people barely passed her a glance, probably assuming it was a curse and worrying about their own lives.
It was with a shaking hand that Lana tried to wipe at her tears, willing them to go away. Could she tell him the honest trust about the baby, or lack thereof? She knew that if this had been home, this wouldn't have even been a problem. Lex would have been at her side... She probably wouldn't have even found out that it was false. He would have just kept on lying to her.
For once, she was grateful that she was in Hell.
"No, it's not. It's not going to be okay. I'm stuck here in some alternate universe, and you and Lex are stuck in the past. You're both right here, but I'm all alone." Wiping at her eyes again, she tried to regain some composure, or at least not weep so messily, but it was a false endeavor.
"But that's not the case... I made sure I was all alone in Smallville, before I even came here. I pushed everyone away, everyone except for the wrong person."
---
In all his years of knowing Lana, he'd never once seen her react this way. And he still had no idea of how to deal with it. He may be able to protect people, but repairing the damage that others had caused was something he'd never understand completely. But even if he didn't know exactly what to do, he wasn't going to give up. Not on Lana. If he had to spin the planet backwards, he'd do just that. For her.
The hand slid to her shoulder as he tried to get her to look up at him. This was one thing he wouldn't ever lie about, and he needed her to believe it. "You're never alone. Whatever happens." It was one promise he refused to break, no matter what the cost may be. "Even if you pushed me away, I wont ever leave you." It may've been a future version of himself, but he knew the facts now, and he knew that it wasn't ever likely to change. Even if she was happily married to another man, Lana was always going to remain special to him.
"This isn't Smallville. You don't have to live that way, if you don't want to." And he hoped beyond all belief that she didn't want to. The Lana he knew valued her friends. She didn't push them away so easily. "You can make your own decisions." And not follow the ones laid out for her by certain third parties.
---
This was a special moment. She knew that if she didn't tell him now, then she wouldn't allow herself another chance. This moment of weakness was where she could bare it all.
But to what end? What good would it do to let Clark know? Knowing him, he would probably try to avenge her in some way. She knew now, that Clark had meant every word he said when he wanted to protect her. But who did she need protecting from? Lex? Or was it herself?
...She wouldn't let this be his burden. This would be hers.
The tears stopped then, and she wiped her sleeve against her face one last time before reaching to grip his arm and stand up, waiting for him to follow. With a forced and weary smile, Lana made her decision.
"You're right, Clark. Everything will be fine. Time heals all wounds, right?" Her words sounded hollow to her, and the young woman turned to begin walking again, to hide the desolate glaze in her eyes. "In time, you'll understand. For now...I suppose I'll need to pick up some extra clothing if I'm going to be staying with you."
---
Standing up after her, Clark forced a smile, knowing that things were far from sorted yet. He wasn't the only person who hid things. ...but at least it was a start. Wasn't it?
Time? That was something they had plenty of there. "...yeah." Though some wounds were bigger than others. And with the way things stood at the moment, Lana's was a wound that was going to take more than just time. But for now, he'd leave her be. At least long enough for her to recover. Physically. The rest... "...understand what?"
They were moving once again, only this time, Clark began directing them toward the barn. Clothing could wait. For now, he just wanted to get her back and comfy. "We can do that later." Once she was well enough to walk without looking like she was going to collapse, at least.