Superman

Joe was on a date when he got the call from the hospital. Alec had been in an accident. He was being rushed to Mercy General Hospital across town. From the tone in the doctors voice, he knew that it was serious.

"I have to go Tam. Alec's been hurt," Joe said, snapping shut the phone. Tammy nodded her head and got into the car, not asking any questions.

Joe peeled away from Tammy's house five minutes later, intent on getting to the hospital as fast as he could. Joe dodged through traffic and ran lights, urging his old car to go faster.

Joe jumped from the car as soon as he slid into a spot at the hospital; tires squealing in protest. Running for the entrance, Joe found himself stopped up by a man in a white coat.

"Wait, you can't go in there," the man shouted, trying to block Joe's way.

"My brother is in there," Joe said flatly, staring down the shorter man.

"That well may be, but you can't just come barging in here like this," the officious little man said, his tone snide.

"Either move out of my way, or you will end up a patient here as well," Joe's statement was unfriendly, and carried a promise.

The Doctor finally decided that it was wiser to move out of the way. Joe jogged down the hall to the nurses station; gave his brothers name and was directed to a room a short way down the hall.

Joe walked slowly into the room, stunned to find his brother already hooked up to machines that were beeping and pumping air and various fluids.

Joe hoped that hearing his voice would bring Alec out of it. "Hey Alec, wake up man. Alec, time to get up. Alec, If you don't get up, I'm going to take your new car out for a spin," Joe was sure that that one would get him to respond.

Nothing.

"Come on Alec. It's not supposed to be like this, it can't happen like this. We're supposed to go to college together, you are supposed to teach me to ride a motorcycle," Joe whispered, squeezing his brothers hand. "Alec. You can't leave, there is so much left for us to do. You're superman, nothing can hurt you," Joe felt tears gathering in his eyes, but blinked them back.

"It can't end this way."