Chapter 3: And the Verdict is....
Clark and Martha were greeted by Dr. Nalliah standing at the door to the room.
“Clark. We have the next set of tests that we would like to run on you.” Clark could only nod his head dumbly as he walked with her into the room with his mother following behind them.
“Clark, you have a high white blood cell and lymphocytes count. We could like to do a bone marrow biopsy. The procedure will only take about an hour and you will be under for the whole thing, but there is the possibility of complications.” At this being said Jonathan walked in.
“Complications?” Jon said by way of greeting.
“Dad they want to do a bone marrow biopsy.” Clark answered the unasked question from his father.
“So what does that mean? What are you looking for there?” Jon knew that this was not something you did when a person, child or not, was not sick with something.
“It could be an aberration. Since Clark rarely gets sick he may just have a high white cell and lymphocyte count all the time. I would like to check and see if there is reason behind it or if it is something else.”
“Something else? What kind of something else?” Martha asked in her most worried voice. She had the feeling she already knew but she needed her suspicions confirmed first.
“The worse it could be is leukemia.” Dr. Nalliah said. An uncomfortable silence descended the room.
“So what if it is leukemia? What's the next step?” Jon asked.
“I will alert the proper specialist. Don't worry too much yet. I still have to perform the biopsy and then send it to the lab. The result should come back in a couple of hours after that and then we shall know what the problem is. If it is nothing, then we move on to our next set of tests.”
“Which are?” Martha said looking more and more scared.
“Something that is no worse than the biopsy now. Let me get the room ready and then I will have the nurse come and get you.” With this being said Dr. Nalliah walked out of the room, as she did a quiet sob could be heard coming from the bed where Clark was sitting.
“Leukemia! I could have cancer!” Clark said as his sobs got louder and harder.
“Clark! Don't you dare think you have cancer until we know for sure. They have to do the biopsy first and if you do have leukemia than we will get through this.” Martha said while hugging Clark. Martha was worried that Dr. Nalliah was going to say that, but she did not want to think that her son could possibly have leukemia. The waiting for the nurse was the worst part of the whole biopsy.
Clark was called back to a room down another corridor on the tenth floor and from there they did the biopsy. Clark got the feeling that this test was just a confirmation of the other tests that they may have run on his blood the first time. With companies out there that could figure out your DNA code from just a strand of hair, Clark had no doubts that they just confirming a suspicion. When Clark got back to his room to wait and get dressed, he saw his mother and father talking quietly in the corner of the room.
“I'm back.” Clack said a little off. The drugs they had given him were still in his system and he still felt like he was flying. Clark made it to the bed before his mother was able to help him.
“Clark are you alright?” Martha asked with evident concern in her voice.
“Just fine mom, the drugs are just still in my system. I can get dressed now though. They said to just wait here and they will let us know what the results are.” Clark said while laying back in the bed and closing his eyes.
“Honey you take your time getting ready. Your father and I will be right back.”
“Could you get me something to eat? I am kind-of hungry and they said that I could eat.” Clark said with his eyes still closed.
“Sure thing, son. What is it that you want?” Jon asked.
“Whatever they have down stairs will work.”
Jonathan and Martha made their way down to the food court that was located on the first floor. As they stepped off the elevator, they saw that a large crowd of people had just entered the hospital and from the looks of the group, they looked to be in high school. As Martha and Jonathan made their way over to the corner they heard what sounded like the leader of the group speak.
“Okay listen up. This is a hospital so act like you have some sort of sense. These are sick children and they don't need your pity or anything else you think you might want to dish out on them. We will be taking a tour of the place and then we will be going up to the labs on the seventh floor. I want you to partner up then and write about the topic I gave you on Friday.”
A girl that looks suspiciously like Chloe Sullivan, Martha thought in her opinion, spoke:
“Miss Atkins, are we going to be visiting with any of the patients here?”
“So kind of you to ask Miss Sullivan. Lex Luthor was kind enough to get us volunteer time here at the hospital on the fifth floor. Mr. Luthor was also kind enough to help on this little field trip as well. So with out further a due follow me.” The group of high school students moved in the opposite direction of where Martha and Jonathan were standing. As the group rounded a corner the unmistakable bald head flashed into sight.
“Was that Lex there?” Martha asked pointing as discreetly as possible and speaking with concern in her voice. It would not due to have the whole Smallville High School know about Clark's problems before he was fully able to come to terms with them himself.
“Martha, I think that is Lex, with it looks like the Smallville High School biology class. Clark did not tell us that they were going on a field trip.”
“I don't think he knew. He is after all failing because of that Miss. Atkins woman.”
“Yes, I remember now. This must be what Clark was talking about a few weeks ago, when he said he would not be able to go on the field trip due to his grade in the class.” Jonathan said as he followed Martha toward the smell of food.
Martha and Jonathan arrived back to Clark's room with worry and food. Clark was sitting on the bed dressed and reading his book that he had been reading on the way to Metropolis this morning.
“Clark we're back!” Martha said by way of greeting. She did not want to have to tell Clark that Lex and his biology class were here, but she knew that she needed to tell him so that they may try to avoid them at all costs.
“So what did you bring me?” Clark asked not looking away from his book.
“Well it seemed that they had a place that made fresh deli sandwiches. So we got you a ham, turkey and cheese. I hope you like it.” Martha said as she gave the sandwich, chips and drink over to Clark.
“Now don't eat too fast. I don't want you getting sick.” Martha warned Clark as she saw Clark tear into the food.
“But mom!” Clark whined.
“Clark, just take it slow.” Jon warned.
“Fine, so why the looks?” Clark asked as he ate. He has seen his parent share looks as they came in, as if speaking a secret language that only they understood.
“Now Clark, don't get worried or concerned but it seems that your biology class and Lex are here at the hospital now.” Martha said as calmly as she could.
“You mean to tell me that they are here, now?” Clark asked with his voice getting louder with each word.
“Yeah.” Was the only response got to his question.
”So I will have to see *those* people now? I could have cancer and I have to deal with *them*?” Clark yelled.
“Well…..Not necessarily, they seemed to have some sort of schedule so if we can just avoid them we should be fine.” Martha said with as much tension in her voice as Clark's.
“SCHEDULE?! Do you think a schedule will keep Lex Luthor from walking around this hospital like he owns it? There is a possibility that he does own at least part of it, maybe a wing or a floor, with Lex who knows.” Clark yelled with bitterness and resentment in his voice. His mother had worried what his reaction to finding out that Lex was in the building was going to be, she had it. It was hurt and anger covered with the bitterness and resentment he was showing now.
“Clark now calm down, this is doing nothing to help.” Jonathan said in a commanding voice.
“Clark look Lex may own a wing or a floor, but he won't find you. He seemed to be busy with the field trip and it looked as if Miss Atkins would have him busy the whole time they where here. Let's just worry about your test result and then focus on what we need to do to get out of here when it is time.”
“Okay,” Clark said in a deflated voice. All the yelling had taken a lot out of him and with the reminder of the test results Clark mood had changed from hurt and anger to worried and anxious. The Kents finished their lunches in silence and as they began to worry about the result too much Dr. Nalliah walked in.
“Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Kent if you would follow me please.” Dr. Nalliah said as she walked out of the room and waited for the group in the middle of the hallway. The Kents followed quietly behind the doctor and each had their thoughts on what could be the results of the test were and none of them were good. They followed the doctor down the hall to the bank of elevators that they had arrived in a few hours before. When they entered the elevator the three Kents made sure that there was not the unmistakable bald head of Lex Luthor in the car with them. They were alone for the time being. Dr. Nalliah pressed the 3 on the panel and then there was silence. At the chime of the third floor, Clark began to get more nervous than he was before. He figured that good news would be easy to break, taking a patient to a different floor that had the looks to be some sort of open area with lots of kids with no hair running around or sitting doing something did not look good.
“Follow me.” Dr. Nalliah said as she walked along a glassed in corridor that had many doors on both sides. They walked past four doors before they stopped. On the outside of the door was a name plaque with the name Dr. Julie Rowley and under the name was pediatric oncology. As Clark finished reading the name plaque he began to shake. This could only mean one thing, that he had leukemia. Dr. Nalliah knocked on the door and was immediately greeted by a woman that had light brown hair and looked to have just run into the office.
“Welcome, come in, come in, have a seat.” The woman said with a smile and hands waving the group in. The woman walked back to sit behind the desk that had two chairs in front of it.
“So, I see Dr. Nalliah has brought you to me. What do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
“These are the Kents. Mr. and Mrs. Kent and their son Clark. The test results that I gave you to look over are Clark's.” Dr. Nalliah said as she made her way over to stand by the desk. Clark and Martha took seats in the chairs and Jonathan stood behind his wife as Dr. Nalliah spoke.
“Ah, yes. Well let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Julie Rowley as you saw on the plaque outside and I am a pediatric oncologist. Dr. Nalliah gave me your results Clark and I have reviewed them.” She was cut off before she could continue by Clark speaking.
“I have leukemia, don't I?” Clark asked in a whisper.
“Well to the point aren't you? So I will be to the point with you. Yes you do. You have a type of leukemia called childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia or it is referred to as ALL.” Dr. Rowley answered. As she answered the tears that Clark had been holding back broke free. He had held a hope that he was not really sick and it was all just a big mistake, but now there was nothing but the truth of what the woman before him said. As Clark pulled himself from his thoughts he could hear his mother's sobs next to him. He wanted to hug her, but knew that he would not be able to comfort her.
“So what do we do now?” Jon spoke for the two in the room that would or could not speak. He would be strong for them and then break down with his wife when Clark was safe in his bed, asleep.
“Well you have a few options actually. You may decide that you don't want treatment, which I would not suggest to any one, or you can get treatment either here or an outside facility. I would suggest here because of the recent renovations that have taken place and that are planned to take place in the next few months. With the sizable donation that Lex Luthor plans to make the Lillian Luthor Comprehensive Cancer Center for Children, the center will become one of the premiere cancer centers for children.” Dr. Rowley said with excitement as she got to the end of the statement. As she spoke though, Clark and his family face got paler and paler. Clark had been right; Lex owed a floor in the hospital and it just so happened to be the floor that Clark may be spending the next few months on.
“So what would be the next step if we decided to get treatment here?” Jon asked.
“Well we would first need to do is to check Clark into the hospital, today. From there we would run more tests and then made a decision on treatment.” Dr. Rowley was cut off by Martha, who had composed herself enough to speak.
“Is there any type of financial assistance program here? We own a farm and we don't have insurance and so we would pay for this out of our pockets.”
“Ah, well you have some choices there as well. You will need to speak with someone in the financial area on the first floor about what you may qualify for, but you may not have to pay for anything. I don't know. We have research studies that Clark may or may not meet the requirements to, or there may be a grant that you may or may not qualify for as well. There are many different avenues to take here at the hospital. This is one of the perks of getting treatment here. If you where to go to a self-contained treatment facility you would have a limited amount of options open to you.” Dr. Rowley said just as there was a knock to the door. All five people turned to see who was at the door. A woman that had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back into a pony-tail and medical scrubs on came in with a smile on her face.
“Mary what can I do for you?” Dr. Rowley asked.
“Lex Luthor is on his way to come and finalize the conditions for the donation he plans to make. Should I just show him in when he gets here?”
“That would be nice, and then he can meet an actual patient that will get help from his donation.” Dr. Rowley said with a big smile on her face. The Kents on the other hand had looks of horror on their faces.
“There's no need for that. Why don't we make our way down to financial services and get Clark checked into the hospital?” Jon said in a strained voice.
“You wouldn't like to meet Lex Luthor?” Dr. Rowley said dreamily.
“Ah maybe another time. We should really get going. We have a lot do.” Martha answered.
“Yes well I would hate to keep you then, I will see you all soon.” Dr. Rowley said as stood up and followed the Kents to the door with Dr. Nalliah at her heels. Jonathan was the first to leave the door. He checked to see if he could see Lex anywhere and saw nothing. He then turned around and motioned that it was clear.
“Thank you and we will be seeing you soon.” Martha said as she exited with Clark along side of her. The Kents could see the bustling around of people on the floor and could tell that Lex Luthor would be here at any second. They knew they could not take the elevators, but could not come up with a way to get by Lex unnoticed. Clark then noticed the stair directly across from the elevators and decided that Lex would never take the stairs and usually if there was an elevator no one would willingly take the stairs.
“How about we take the stairs to the first floor?” Clark said as he pointed to the stairs. Dr. Nalliah cut in before either Martha or Jonathan could reply.
“Clark, we will need to have you check in as soon as possible. It would be easier if you were to follow me to the waiting room for leukemia patients while your mother and father fill out the paper work and we get your room ready.”
“Is that the best thing?” Jonathan questioned that doctor.
“Yes, I think that it would. Is there a reason for your hesitancy?” Dr. Nalliah could sense that the Kents were very wary of the situation with Lex Luthor. She could not see a reason for that unless they read and believed the stories that were printed about the bald young man.
“Okay then, Clark go with Dr. Nalliah and your mother and I will go and get you checked in.” Jonathan said to Clark as he made his way toward the stair case that Clark had pointed out before.
“Okay, dad.” Clark said with sadness and anxiousness in his voice. His mother was the first person to go through the door, followed by his father. Clark was lead by Dr. Nalliah to a room next to the bank of elevators that the Kents had been avoiding. Just as Clark started to make his way through the door, the chime of the elevator sounded and the unmistakable voice of Lex Luthor filled Clark's ears.
“Tell them I will be with them shortly. I have an appointment. Ah, Dr. Rowley how nice to see you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” Clark heard as the door closed behind him. Clark leaned against the door for a second before he stared at the room he had been lead to.
Lex Luthor was not an unperceptive man. He couldn't be with his father being Lionel Luthor. So when he saw a person that had the build of Clark Kent, it gave him pause. Lex, of course knew that Clark could not possibly be at the hospital because he was not on the field trip, and he also knew that Clark was not able to go on the field trip. The details Lex did not know, but Desiree had made the suggestion that Clark was failing due to his non-attention in class. Lex could find that believable since it seemed that most of the males in Smallville High had an attention problem when Desiree was in the general vicinity. Clark may have been in Metropolis but the children's hospital would not be included in his tour of the large city, but it would include the extent of Metropolis Convention Center, where the Organic Farming Show was taking place. So even though Lex believed Clark to be at the convention center, he would make a call to check, just in case. Lex dialed a number that was unknown to the people standing around him and waited for the line to be picked up.
“Osborne” was the barked answer to the line being picked up.
“Lex here, I need you to check on something for me. I wanted this five minutes ago if you catch my drift.”
“Sure. So what is it that you need?”
“Attendance at the show in the convention center.”
“Okay, give me half an hour tops.”
“Done” Lex then hung up the phone and continued to talk to the people around him as if the call had never taken place. Some days it was good to be Lex Luthor. A response to his request was made ten minutes later. The trill of a cell phone went off and was answered with the barked reply of:
“Luthor”
“Got the list, who are we looking for?”
“Kent”
“Well it looks like the Kents, three of them, checked in at 8:20 this morning. That is pretty much the extent of these records. I could check surveillance if you need.”
“No, that won't be necessary. I got the information needed.” With that Lex hung up the phone and continued his tour of the Lillian Luthor Comprehensive Cancer Center for Children.