The Day After

Chapter IV

This had to be one of the worst days of his life. He had been in pain most of the day due to lack of sunlight, then he couldn't fly to the sun, and after being rushed to the hospital in critical condition by a hysterical Lois, there he was... a shivering heap in her arms, waiting for help to arrive. His body was insanely cold and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. The pain from the stab wound was also threatening to consume all reason and he wanted nothing more than to pass out and hope that help would arrive in time.

But she held him in her arms, trying to keep him warm and rocking his trembling form, and he knew he had to hold on. He had to do it for her and their son; despite a wound that felt as if it would burst into flames, agony and extreme cold all over his being, and a tightening chest that was making it nearly impossible to breathe. He had left humanity once; he couldn't do it again. He would just have to pull through, no matter the odds against him.

Suddenly, he heard doors open, and he turned to see who was coming. It was a crowd of nurses and doctors coming toward him, and he sighed, relieved. Lois rejoiced about help finally arriving and, for a moment, they forgot themselves and embraced, not wanting to let go. He felt whole in her arms, and he hoped that the feeling was mutual, even though he knew it wasn't meant to be.

He was brought back to reality when he saw a doctor coming toward him, examining his face closely. He looked at the man worriedly. Did he not believe he was Superman? With his powers slowly leaving him, how could he prove who he really was? His secret identity was also in danger of being compromised, after so many years of keeping it a well-guarded secret, and there was nothing he could do about it. He looked at Lois, wanting to ask her again why she didn't take him to pick up his suit, but he couldn't summon the breath to even form the question.

The doctor seemed to recognize him, though he could swear that he'd never seen the doctor's face before, and the next thing he knew, he was no longer in Lois' arms. He was picked up by a team of doctors and he couldn't help but scream with what little breath he had left in his lungs. To his relief, they quickly placed an oxygen mask on his face, forcing air into his lungs.

He heard Lois demanding to stay by his side, but a doctor refused her. He tried telling them that he wanted her to stay with him, that she was his strength in this time of need, but he was too weak to even speak. Then they rushed him away while he struggled to hold on to life, trying not to despair at the thought of not having Lois by his side when he needed her the most. He kept his super-hearing tuned to her, listening to the comforting sounds of her heartbeat and breathing. It reminded him that he was still alive even though he felt otherwise, and more importantly, it reminded him that there was someone waiting for him to beat this terrible illness.

He couldn't believe how helpless he was. He couldn't even bend the steel bars that he was holding as tightly as he could. Normally, he could bend steel in his bare hands, but his strength was gone just like his power of flight. He tried using his x-ray vision to see through the ceiling, but he couldn't even do that. Unless there was lead on the other side, which he seriously doubted, then he was in serious danger of losing his powers. And all because of a stab wound inflicted by a madman to whom he had done no wrong.

He wanted to cry. His powers were leaving him and he didn't know if he would ever get them back. What if he couldn't save those in need? What if many more died because of his lack of intervention? He had left them once on a selfish quest that almost cost him everything he held dear, but he had vowed not to leave the world unprotected again. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his powers and being unable to help people. At least he still had his power of super-hearing, but what good would that do without the rest of his powers?

The thought of leaving Lois was also difficult to bear. She had forgiven him for leaving, and she obviously wanted him back in her life in some way. Why else would she tell him that Jason was his son, offer to share her home with him, and rush him to the hospital while putting herself at risk in the process? Why would she hold him in her arms and try to keep him warm if she didn't care for him? Then he heard her voice...