Family is found...whether it be blood or circumstance or choice, what binds us does not matter. All that matters is that we are bound
-Taylor Jenkins Reid
Emma and Jordan sat in the backseat of Sienna's car. Emma's head rested on Jordan's shoulder as their hands were intertwined. The moment was peaceful compared to the last few days they've been through. Jordan looked down at Emma as she hummed along to the radio. She wasn't angry or sad like she was at the school, she seemed happy and calm as her thumb caressed the back of his palm.
Emma wanted to stay like this. No impending doom, no resurrected family members. Just her and Jordan. "We're here" Sienna spoke up as they pulled up to the Farm. Emma took a deep breath as she unbuckled her seatbelt. Conner was waiting on the porch, talking with Sam as she exited.
Sam, for the first time since meeting the girl, gave her a smile. A sympathetic smile at that. Everyone sat in the dining room, Emma the only one standing as she refused to sit by her brother. "What is this Eradicator?" Sam asked, alien technology confusing him. "Depends" Emma answered, shrugging her shoulders.
Everyone but Conner looked at her weirdly. "On what?" Sam asked, hoping Emma would elaborate. "Well...one version of the eradicator is when Clark dies, it's actually like an intergalactic nanny. Takes Clark from Superman's public grave and brings him to the Fortress so he can be...revived? Anyways... the eradicator basically eradicates any threat to Clark while during the process" Emma explains the reign of the supermen storyline.
Clark looked at Emma in disbelief, "I'm sorry...I die?" he asks Emma. Emma's face turns red, "Yeah...it's super shitty on Lois' end but it doesn't matter" Emma brushed off, seeing Conner smirk at her. "Yeah... Emma doesn't like that storyline. Cried, wrote a song and continued on" Conner commented only for Emma to glare at him. "The other is the one we have now, the device. It was made by Lara to help keep Krypton alive, like the sunstone crystals. She never intended it to be a weapon" Emma moved on forward, ignoring her brother's comment.
Lois nodded, "Did they say anything about it to you?" she asked Emma. Emma bit her lip, "No, nothing like that..." she trailed off. Clark could see she was holding back, "But?". Emma fiddled with her fingers... "When Mal showed up...Tal he seemed almost concerned about me? It was kinda unnerving" Emma explained, crossing her arms. Everyone was shocked, Morgan Edge cared about her. "What do you mean?" Sienna questioned her.
Emma began walking around the table, "He had this look...it wasn't like before... during town meetings or when I was in his office. It was genuine and Mal didn't like it...she did something" Emma tried to explain properly but it was coming and going every time she got the words out. "It's okay Emma, you lost a lot of blood" Jordan tried to reassure her.
Emma gave him a thankful smile. "I know its just...I don't think he's that bad. There's something else going on I can feel it" Emma explained, knowing Lois would have an answer within seconds. "Of course you can" Conner spoke up, confusing everyone at the table. Emma glares at him, "No one asked you" She spoke in a monotone. Conner rolled his eyes at her. "It's because you both are essentially the same person" Conner stated, ignoring Emma.
Emma only scoffed, "What are ya on about?" She questioned him. Conner shook his head, "You and Tal are the same...I know you don't remember it now but trust me...you two are one in the same" Conner told her. Emma visibly gagged at him, "Yep, definitely not revolting". But Sam seemed to go into national security mode.
"You're working with Morgan Edge?" He asked Conner, standing up. Conner nodded, "Yeah but I'm on your side... right Emmsie" He looked at Emma hoping for her support. Emma looked away from him, a frown on her face. Conner looked at her baffled as Emma refused to look in his direction.
"Emma, come back me up here" He breathed out. "I...I can't" Emma spoke, breaking the tension like a hammer.
He looked at her and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He had truly hurt her like their mother had doner her entire life. He had broken her. Conner had actually broken his sister. Sam then stood in front of Conner's line of sight of Emma. "Look son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way" He spoke confidently before walking closer to the man. "Don't make this harder for her" He whispered, seeing how uncomfortable Emma was.
Conner dropped his head before nodding at Sam and turning away from everyone. That was when people noticed that Emma had gone from the room without a sound. Jordan stood up to follow her.
Jordan knew where she would be, the same place he found her that night. Emma sat on the back porch swing, knees to the chest as she stared off at nothing in particular. Jordan sat next to her, leaving a little space, just in case. Emma stayed silent as she scooted over slightly, resting her head on Jordan's shoulder.
"I'm here...I'm right here" Jordan told her gently, wrapping his arm around her. "Thank you" Emma whispered, her hand resting softly on his chest.
<><><>
Emma and Sienna had stayed at the Kent Farm that night. It was too dangerous for them to be alone with Mal out and about, fear that she might take Emma again. The poor girl had been mostly mute since Sam took Conner away. She couldn't handle it, hearing his voice drop as he pleaded with her to help him. She just couldn't.
Finding out that he caused the death of her family, the one that truly loved her. It was taking every single part of her not to crumble into pieces. She slowly walked downstairs, listening to Clark and the boys talk and joke. A small smile graced her lips, 'at least they were okay' she thought to herself.
She hesitated as she reached the last step. She could still hear the boys and she could hear Lois and Sienna talking about Lana, who seemed to be calling to the house soon. Emma walked out to the porch, the cold hitting her as she leaned agasint the railings. Emma rested her head in her palms. How the hell did she get wrapped up in all this?
One day she's with her sister then the next she's finding lost relatives, that she's half alien, her mother is even worse than she imagined. And to top it all off, her dead brother was alive the whole time.
"What are you thinking about?"
Emma let out a sigh, "Everything". She turned her head to Jordan as he walked up next to her. She gave him a half-assed smile for a moment while his hand slithered into hers and squeezed it tightly. "Everything...is complicated. Maybe focus on one thing at a time" He suggested, kissing her head softly. "Okay then. Conner. He was here this whole time and not once did he see me. After I came here, punching that jackass in Metropolis" Emma began to list her first problem, making Jordan laugh at her comment. "The Black Mercy...he just stayed away. How can someone do that?" She asked, not expecting an answer as Jordan stood next to her.
"I honestly don't know Em" He answered her, seeing the tears beginning to burst from her eyes. "I don't expect you to. My whole life I've tried to help him, selling drugs to put him in rehab, helping him into the Irish army...it's just never enough for him" Emma sobbed out, not caring about the soldiers in front of her going about their day.
"I will never be enough to stop him from this..." Emma cried out, her hand letting go of Jordan's. "I'm not enough...not then, not now and definitely not in whatever future there'll be" Emma choked before Jordan had pulled her close to him. He rubbed circles on her back as she cried into his chest.
Jordan took Emma's head in his hands, his thumbs wiping her tears. "Hey, you are enough" He told her softly. His touch made Emma's spine tingle as he held her close with such tenderness. "You are so much more than enough, Conner has no idea what you would've done for him" His eyes never left hers, her tears pooling over his thumbs that laid on her cheeks. "Don't you ever think ,you're enough for someone who can't see all you've done for them. You are enough because..." His thumb began to stroke her cheek softly as the gap between them became smaller.
"You're enough for me"
Emma blushed hard at his words as butterflies erupted in her stomach. She couldn't find any words to tell him how she felt. Emma kissed Jordan softly, their lips moving slowly. When they parted Emma gave Jordan the first genuine smile he'd seen from her in the last two days. "You're enough for me too" Emma whispered as her hands wrapped around Jordan's waist.
Jordan smiled back, resting his head on top of Emma's as he held her close. "I'm always gonna be here for you, always" Jordan stated, holding Emma tight. Emma smiled as she rested her head on his chest. "I know".
<><><>
Sienna crossed her arms as she stood with Clark. "I don't like this" She smacked her lips as a picture of Dr. Dabney Donovan. They had figured out that he might have the Eradicator and helped Tal use the people of Smallville to resurrect Krypton. "Edge? Or your sister" Clark asked her. Sienna shook her head, "Emma".
Clark furrowed his eyebrows at her. "What do you mean?" He asked her, leaning onto Lois' desk. "I was twenty two when Krypton died, I became Kara's protector at twelve. In the eyes of our society I was an adult" Sienna explained to Clark, dropping her arms. "You don't want her to become the boys' protector?" Clark guessed by Sienna's words. The older woman smiled at Clark's innocent guess.
She began to walk back and forth, "Being the eldest is hard enough for any family on Krypton...but the female dominant Protector Families, being the eldest daughter comes with certain sacrifices" Sienna sighed, watching from the small window as Emma and Jordan talked. She felt a tug in her heart as she watched Emma smile with Jordan holding her close. "There's many reasons I never tried to save them when they were children...yes one was Mal's threat and I couldn't risk her killing them but also" She walked away from the window and turned back to Clark.
"If...there is more than one El...a elder Protector can make the decision for another daughter to be born...As the eldest I was forced to make a sacrifice for the honour of the Houses and El and Alor...I can never bear a child, only Mal could further our lineage" Sienna admitted to Clark.
Clark was taken back, looking at Sienna shocked. "Emma can't make that choice! She's a child" He exclaimed. "You don't think I know that? It's not just deciding it, if she goes through the ritual it will sense if Sophie is alive and make the choice for her" Sienna added, seeing the anger in Clark's eyes. "Maybe my father can find a solution" He suggested, hoping to save Emma from the fate that awaited her. Sienna only shook her head, "No, the only El's that would know are Allura Zor-El and Lara Lor-Van" Sienna informed him.
Sienna walked up to Clark, "I don't want this either y'know, Emma deserves a choice but we both know she's too young for this" Clark seemed to cool down as Sienna spoke. "How can we stop this and Edge?" Clark asked her. Sienna only frowned, "I have no idea". That's when Lois came in.
"That was my Dad, no word from Kyle" She announced, seeing the tension immediately. Clark motioned to stop her from asking, "Later, babe". Lois nodded, "But he also talked to Emma's brother but he'll only tell her". Sienna threw her hands in the air. "She won't talk to him, she's too hurt" The woman concluded. "Maybe, Emma will. We need to give her this choice" Clark stepped in. He hated to even think it but they knew Emma better than Sienna and he thinks she knows that too. Sienna only nodded at his interjection. "Let's hope she will"
<><><>
Emma felt nervous as she walked with Superman, Lois and the twins into the D.O.D makeshift base. Her body was tense as soldiers eyed her every move. She began to pick on the skin around her nails when she felt someone stop her, by taking her hand. Jordan gave a small smile and squeezed her hand gently. "You'll be fine" He whispered to her as they approached the tent that held Conner.
Emma took a giant breath, her hand shaking in fear. "I promise we will be out here the entire time" Lois smiled at her, brushing away the hair that fell in front of Emma's face. She smiled at the motherly gesture. "I know" She nodded. Emma kissed Jordan's cheek before walking into the tent.
Conner sat at the edge of a glass box, humming as two soldiers stood guard inside. "Can we get a little privacy?" Emma asked them timidly, gaining Conner's attention. The soldiers nodded and left the tent.
"You came" Conner smiled gratefully, standing up just as quick. Emma huffed at him, "You called" her voice was dull. Conner could see that she didn't want to be here. "I'm sorry, for everything Emmsie, I didn't know how much this would affect you" Conner apologised but Emma didn't seem to be listening.
"Your shaking and the sweats pouring through ya" Emma stated, crossing her arms. "Lemme guess, withdrawals?" She stated, her face formed in disgust. Conner looked away in shame. "Is that why? Mam supplies you with heroin and you do as she says?" Emma asked him, her voice sharp as she held back her sobs. Conner bit his tongue, looking down at his feet.
"Eight years since she put you on that shit and you can't even stay clean for a year" Emma spat at him, anger coursing through her veins. "Thought I hid it well, but 'course you're too bright for your age and found me..."
"Overdosing in a shitty alley" Emma cut him off, tears brimming as she clenched her fists. Conner looked guilty now, his finger finding the scar that caused that overdose Emma was mentioning. "Em, when I...when I left you I was protecting you" Conner tried to shift the conversation, but Emma wasn't having any of it.
"I was nine! and...I saw this dying junkie who looked like my brother. Who taught me to play piano, who called me his every day Lois Lane" Emma began, walking around the glass cell as she spoke. "I didn't know which version of you was real...and I waited for you to explain yourself or to apologise!" Emma turned to face Conner, stopping in her tracks. "Or to tell me you would stop!" She choked out, a single tear falling from her eye.
Conner bit back his tongue, trying to find the right words, "In my experience, family cause pain. Whether by their presence or their absence, there's a certain type of ruin that only a family member can... can leave behind" Conner frowned looking up at Emma, seeing the little girl he remembered.
"And you... you were such a sweet little girl. With a temper that rivalled Lois Lane. I've been here for almost two years and I missed our argument debates for Superman or whatever you were into" He snickered, seeing the small spark in Emma's eyes. "Perhaps I was always meant to leave you broken" He figured, only for Emma to step back.
"You-you really think I'm broken?" She asked him, biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood and forcefully swallowing the flesh. Conner looked at her now realising what he had said and whishing he could take it all back. "Maybe you're right" Emma shrugged tearfully, walking back to the side of the tent she came in.
Her face had morphed into anger, "Maybe that little girl you miss so much would be better off if she'd never loved you at all" Emma spat at him. Conner turned away from her, tears falling as Emma's words hit him harder than he expected. "W-Where's the doctor?" Emma asked him.
"There's a building in between Smallville and New Carthage, under my birth name. You'll find the Eradicator there with the doctor" He finally told her what she came here for. Emma only gave him a curt nod before turning away to leave. She quickly wiped her tears before walking out.
Sam had arrived during her time with Conner, ready for an answer. "Well?" He asked impatiently as Emma barely took a step outside the tent. Lois rolled her eyes at her father, nudging him. "Dad" She scowled at him. "There's a building nearby, name on the lease is Vor Clarks" Emma told Sam who was quick to run it through D.O.D systems.
Lois, however, looked at Emma curiously. "Vor?" She questioned her. Emma nodded, "Conner's legal name". Lois seemed content with the answer before Superman walked with Sam to find the building. "You guys stay in town, I'll call you when we have it" Lois told them, giving Emma a quick squeeze on her shoulder before she left to follow her husband and father.
Jordan took Emma's hand with a quick smile. "Wanna get a burger?" He asked, knowing she hasn't eaten since yesterday morning. Emma only nodded and stepped closer to Jordan as they walked out of the D.O.D area, her head on his shoulder.
<><><>
Emma sat across from Jordan as the waitress brought out their food. "Thanks" Jordan smiled at her before she left them alone. Emma only stared at her very plain burger, ignoring how much she wanted to eat. "Ok, what did he say to stop you from eating?" Jordan asked Emma. Usually by now half the burger would be gone after Emma not eating for almost a day.
"I looked up to him as a kid" Emma sighed, looking out the window to see the tent her brother was being held in. "He was the closest thing I had to a father after mine died. Until one day we were in the Peace Park and I realised that Conner wasn't there. So I looked for him and found him not even a minute away. He was overdosing in an alleyway when he was supposed to be with me and his foster family" Emma explained to Jordan, only turning to face him when she finished.
Jordan moved from across to next to Emma quickly, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "He thinks I'm broken...and I think that maybe he's right" Emma bit back a sob, tasting the blood on her swelling lip. "Mosaics are broken" Jordan spoke up. Emma looked at him with red eyes. "I think they're beautiful...along with you" He finished with a dark blush on both their faces.
Emma let out a small laugh, her smile making Jordan's heart flutter. "You really seem to be on a roll today" Emma mused, leaning into Jordan's side. "I love your smile and I love when you eat" Jordan pointed to the untouched food.Emma snickered at him before lifting the burger and biting into it. "Happy?" Emma asked, food still in her mouth. Jordan laughed at the dollop of ketchup on Emma's cheek, swiping it away with his thumb.
"Happy" Jordan answered.
<><><>
Emma walked to the start of the base alone. She had convinced Jordan and Jon to help Sarah understand all this. Jordan seemed against it knowing that Sarah was someone Emma felt...insecure about. She still doesn't know how she convinced both of them she'd be fine.
Sienna waited for Emma with a concerned face. The young girl noticed the glowing on Sienna's cheeks, one dot under each eye along the cheekbone in a lilac purple. "What's wrong?" Emma asked, already seeing the woman open her mouth. Sienna closed her mouth with an anticipated look.
"Okay little one, you're gonna be exposed as Kryptonian" Sienna lid out bluntly. Emma furrowed her eyebrows, "This has something to do with the..." Emma makes a circle to her own face. Sienna nodded, "Yeah, it seems the Eradicator is connected to us through X-K, which from testing and old knowledge from my mother, is the mineral that created the Protector Families" Sienna explained as she brought Emma into the base.
Emma nodded along, "Which explains why it gives people powers...Maybe that's why people in Smallville are the perfect targets...It's in our blood so its symbiotic with our bloodline but also the constant exposure to the people in the town" Emma realised as they walked in the room with what Emma could only describe as a huge MRI machine.
Sienna was surprised, "Where the hell did you learn that?". Emma shrugged at Sienna, still looking at the machine. "Venom movie" She answered, walking towards it. Her eyes glowed, along with the cheek marks, the back of her hands and the crescent moon on her forehead.
"Woah" Emma breathed out, seeing the Eradicator sitting on a table. It begins to dimly glow the same neon blue. Emma reached out for it, her hands tingly as the glowing got brighter with each step. Before she could touch it, Sienna put her hand in front of Emma, knocking her out of the trance. "Easy there, you can't touch it just yet" Sienna warned her as the glowing in the Eradicator stopped.
Emma looked dazed as she leaned against a table. "What was that?" Emma asked her. Sienna stood next to her, "That is the final step to becoming a protector...but it comes with its costs" Sienna looked at her young niece with a disheartened look. "Sienna what haven't you told me?" Emma asked her, anxiety creeping it's way into Emma's mind.
"If I'm correct on how Lara connected our bloodline to the Eradicator...it means you'll end up like me" Sienna sighed, placing a hand on Emma's shoulders. Emma was clearly confused, "When you begin the final step, the ceremony will search for other Alor daughters...if it senses Sophie is alive somehow you may lose the ability to conceive" Sienna told her solemnly. "I'll never have kids?" Emma asked her to confirm. Sienna nodded, afraid of looking at the girl.
"That's why you didn't save us? Why the death threats meant so much to you. Sophie and I are the only ones" Emma figured out, tears falling from her eyes. "Gods I need to stop crying" Emma shook her head. Sienna could only smile at the bravery from her niece. "You have a choice Emma. I'm not gonna force you into becoming a Protector if that's what you want" Sienna told her, not wanting her to make a decision based on anyone else but herself.
Emma stayed quiet, "What if we asked Lara? I doubt Kryptonians knew about the multiverse" Emma suggested, not truly answering Sienna's plea. The woman only nodded as Superman walked in with Sam. Superman seemed to read the room quickly, "She told you" he had the same look as Sienna.
"Yeah and I'm still going through with it" Emma answered him. Even if Sophie was alive or detected by the Eradicator, Emma knew this was their only chance to stop Tal and her mother. Sienna only shook her head at Superman as he tried to reason with her. "Don't, she is more stubborn than Lois" Sienna smirked at Emma who nodded in agreement.
Speaking of the Devil, Lois entered the base with Lana, who was taken back by Superman in person. Emma snickered slightly at Lana's shocked face. Sienna only rolled her eyes.
"Emma?" Lana questioned, surprised at the young girl's presence. "Hi Mrs.Cushing, sorry about Kyle" Emma greeted her softly with a wave. Lana was shocked at Emma's apology, "Sweetie, it's not your fault". Emma however believed it was, if she didn't storm into Morgan Edge's office she might have been able to warn them. "How come you both are here?" Lana followed up, finding the presence of the teacher and her niece's odd for the circumstances.
Sienna seemed to fumble slightly, looking to Lois for support. "My mother attacked us last night too...She's been changed like Kyle only it seems to have happened years ago from what Superman can tell us" Emma smiled softly as she lied through her teeth without a single inch of hesitation. Behind her, Lois could see her husband look shocked.
He had heard her heartbeat which hardly changed as she lied, scaring the shit out of him. It took him a few moments to even find a slight jump which was so small he might have missed it. She's only fifteen and is lying better than a pathological liar and he couldn't pick up on it unless he truly concentrated.
Lana pulled the girl into a small hug, "Are you okay?". Emma only nodded at Lana, pulling away. "She's always been...difficult. I never actually noticed the change" Emma explained to her. Sienna nodded along in agreement to what Emma was saying, adding how she was estranged from her sister. Emma turned around, walking ahead of the adult women. She saw Superman's side look and she only brushed him off.
She has been lying to foster parents, social workers, gardaí and doctors for most of her life. It was simple to lie to people who didn't truly care about her, but when it came to people she loved? Emma would stumble like a ball down a mountain. Jordan even pointed out Emma's tell and she has been working on it. Hopefully she can fool people enough to satisfy there questions about her.
<><><>
Emma stayed away from the Eradicator, waiting for Lana's transition to Lara to complete. She played with her rings, especially the one with Conner's name. Her mind wandered to the sacrifice Sienna made.
It seemed harsh to deny someone the right to have a child. Even if it's a messed up tradition, it's cruel. Emma thought of Sophie, her sweet Sophie. She missed seven years of her life because of Mal. She wasn't there for her first days at school, her birthdays, her period, her first boyfriend or girlfriend. Emma missed all of it, only photos giving her a glimpse into the life Sophie had on John Henry's earth.
"Hey"
Emma turns to see Superman, his face softening as he notices the silent tears on her face. "You okay?" He asked her, stepping forward. Emma wiped her tears. "I will be.. Is Lana..?" Emma changed the topic. Superman saw right through her, but he felt like she needed a distraction. "Yeah, come on" He smiled, hoping to offer some comfort.
Emma felt her markings glow as she drew closer to the Eradicator, her stomach turning in knots as soldiers stared at the girl next to Superman. She entered the tent that held the device, seeing Lois and Sienna watch Lara in Lana's body. "By the gods..." Lara stared at Emma in awe, her hands over her mouth.
"You look like her...like Naeza"
Lara walked over to Emma, cupping her face softly. The scars on Emma's face made the woman sigh. "Mal did this?" Lara asked, not believing that the little girl she knew could harm her own child. "Most of 'em" Emma admitted, feeling slightly uncomfortable by Lara's touch. The woman sensed this and stepped away, her hands returning to her sides. "It is lovely to meet you Emma" Lara smiled at her, hoping to comfort her just like her son had done only moments ago.
"Lovely to meet you too, Lara" Emma smiled back. The Eradicator began to flash blue, catching everyone's attention. Emma was quick to cover her eyes from the flashing lights. "What's happening?" Sienna asked her, watching Lara close it. "It's summoning Emma...she must complete the process" Lara explained, looking at the girl who over ed her eyes. "Why are you doing that?" She asked her. Emma slowly uncovered her eyes, "Photosensitive".
"Okay, how does Emma complete the process?" Superman asked his mother. "Simple, the same as her trial, only her older brother will relinquish his role as the eldest sibling and then Emma will choose" Lara spoke softly, looking at Sienna as the woman nodded. "Choose? Choose what?" Emma asked, not remembering Sienna talking about choosing. "I'll explain to you in private little one, this is something you can't be influenced upon" Sienna answered her.
"So we need Conner... What about the sacrifice? My sister...she's in a different universe and we don't know if she's.." Emma huffed, crossing her arms. Lara only nodded solemnly, "I'm afraid so, as for the sacrifice the process only searches in this universe...as advanced as Krypton was we never figured out how to travel to different universes" Lara answered,
Everyone else seemed to let out a movement of relief at the answer. Emma seemed more determined, walking up to Lara. "Let's do this" She nodded, looking the woman in the eyes. Lara nodded too, her mind drifting to Naeza when she first agreed to merge the Eradicator with Alor customs. "I'll begin preparing the Eradicator"
<><><>
Conner walked into the tent with two D.O.D soldiers with guns to his back. He was cuffed in kryptonite handcuffs even though they were useless against him. He smirked as he saw Jon and Jordan stand behind his sister, glaring at him. "Some things just don't change, huh sis" He winked at Emma, only she rolled her eyes at him. "Don't" She warned him with a glare of her own.
Lara watched the tension between them, her eyebrows furrowing. "What happened?" She asked then both. Emma crossed her arms, "He abandoned me for drugs and got my family killed" She answered her, Emma's voice blunt. Lara seemed shocked at this, she had never learned of Alor siblings betraying the other so easily.
"I said I'm sorry" Conner exasperated. "You also said I'm broken" Emma snapped back at him harshly. Everyone went silent at Emma's retort, seeing the siblings harden their faces. "None of us like you and now shut up and help us" Emma growled at him. Conner only nodded, "Derek Hale quote" He muttered only to get another glare from Emma, making his raise his hands in surrender.
Emma turned to Lara, her face calm and relaxed slightly. "How do we start?" She asked her. Lara only nodded, "First I'll need a drop of both of your blood to activate the ritual". Emma and Conner held out their hands, allowing the woman to prick their fingers. She guided them to the Eradicator, allowing their blood to fall on it. The inside glowed blue and a light green. Emma's markings returned as Conner's eyes glowed the light green. "Now, your ancestors will guide you, can he take off the cuffs?" Lara asked only for Conner to snap them in half.
He held them out for Emma to hold, Emma took them feeling his grip. The moment their hands joined, the glowing got brighter as the ghost of music began to fill the silence. Emma and Conner stared at each other without blinking. " Two lovers wander down to the shore " Emam begins to sing, her voice soft. " Hand in hand the evening before " She continued, her eyes boring into Conner's. " The day that their hands will be... "
" Joined " They both sang, their eyes glowing in sync.
" She enters and swims with the foam...He bids her come out and come home " Emma continues on her own as her veins glow blue. " The deeper and colder she goes " Conner's veins glowed as well as he began to sync with Emma.
" The silt of our wedding bed...The pebbles where you lay your head...Love come in, the water is fine " That's when their hands began to glow. Conner's light green mixing with Emma's neon blue slowly.
"When shе is pulled beneath thе rush...He waits and waves his face aflush...Til' the pale imitation drifts up" Conner spoke alone, his body tensed up as the power he had was beginning to drain from him.
" The silt of our wedding bed...The pebbles where you lay your head...Love come in...The minnows our witnesses...The cause of our sickness is...Love come in, the water is fine " Their voices were stronger, their eyes not leaving one another.
Sienna and Lara shared a look. "She has to choose" Lara spoke as Conner seemed to look more determined. "Choose?" Jordan asked, confused to what his grandmother meant. "Emma must choose where her heart lies. The House of El..." Lara stated. "Or the House of Alor" Sienna finished, she had a feeling that Conner knew this as well and the consequence of the choice they both knew Emma would pick.
" Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...But both feel the same when your eyes are closed " Emma seemed to grasp Conner's plan, her body overwhelmed with the power she was getting. " I am the river's daughter...I am the river's daughter...I am the river's daughter...And you'll be her son when we're both reposed " Emma's voice overpowered Conner's, her face hardening as she gripped his hands tighter.
" Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...But both feel the same when your eyes are closed " That's when Emma and Conner both closed their eyes, the Eradicator getting brighter than before as their voices became louder and stronger, " I am the river's daughter ...I am the river's daughter ...I am the river's daughter " Emma's eyes opened suddenly, the glowing brighter than before, "And you'll be her son when we're both reposed" Her voice seemed more strained as Conner looked at her.
Her choice
" Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water " For the first time, Emma's gaze strayed from her brother. " But both feel the same when your eyes are closed " She sang with a smile as she looked at the Kent's. She whipped her sight back on Conner, her gaze sharp as she squeezed on his hands and taking his power by force. " I am the river's daughter ...I am the river's daughter ...I am the river's daughter ...Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water...Blood runs thicker than water " Emma watched as Conner faltered, buckling to his knees as they finished the ritual.
" And you'll be her son " She sang as Conner's voice faltered " When we're both reposed " Conner managed to let out. " The water is fine " Emma finished letting Conner go.
The siblings both gasped, Conner falling to the floor and Emma stumbling into a table. Sienna rushed over to Emma, holding her by her shoulders. "Emma...what are you feeling?" She asked her, examining her face. Emma only nodded, grasping onto Sienna's shoulders. "I'm fine auntie" She gasped, catching her breath.
Conner began laughing in pain, his hand on his chest. "For now...but every memory our mother took from you will come flooding back and it will be agony" Conner sputters out, blood decorating his lips. "Get him out of here" Sam ordered from the entrance. Emma watched as Conner was dragged away, mumbling to himself.
Emma looked down at the back of her hand. The House of El crest no longer glowed but looked like a tattoo. Sienna smiled softly, using her thumb to rub the back of her own had, showing the same only for the House of Alor. "I knew you'd choose it" She smiled at her, brushing her hair out of her face.
Lara smiled greatly, "Now the blood collected by Tal and Mal will be incompatible unless from the source". Emma looked at the women weirdly, "I'm sorry what?". "Well, before you finished the ritual you're blood needed to be collected and transfused into the subjekt. Now they will need to transfer your blood into the Eradicator right from you" Lara explained.
Emma let out a long groan, "Great...just great".
<><><>
Jordan and Jon stood at the diner counter, on one side was Sarah, still reeling from the visit with her father and on the other was Emma, curled into a booth as her hood was up. "What are we gonna do?" Jordan sighed, seeing his girlfriend and best friend both upset. "We?" Jon asked with an eyebrow raised at his twin. "Look at them. They're upset" Jordan mentioned.
"I think she wants to talk to you" Jon motioned to Sarah and not his brother's girlfriend. "Yeah, and why's she upset? Because you had to tell her what's going on" Jordan reminded his brother. "Hey, look, I'm not gonna apologise for telling the truth, okay? Ever. And I wish things weren't the way they are, and what happened to her dad, it really sucks" Jon admitted to his brother.
"Right? But I think...you talk to Sarah and I talk to Emma" Jon suggested to Jordan as their orders came through. Jordan peered over his twin's shoulders, looking for Emma's opinion. The girl only smile at him, a small nod before she looked back out the window. "Go, I'll handle Emma" Jon encouraged him, taking his and Emma's drink in hand and walking over to her.
Emma looked at Jon, her eyebrow raised. "Thanks, but I'm fine Jon" Emma told him, overhearing their whole conversation. Jon shrugged, "No you're not and as your best friend, I'm here to cheer you up". Emma shook her head with a small smile. "Ego much?" She asked, sipping on her milkshake. Jon waved her off.
"Well, I am your best friend, that comes with its own flair. Like the fact you're totally fine with Jordan talking to Sarah and not you?" Jon asked her. Emma kissed her teeth, "Jordan's her best friend, I won't let my insecurities get in the way of that. I may be a bad person but I'm not evil" Emma stated, sitting back and sipping her drink.
"You're not a bad person Emma, you just did what you needed to survive" Jon scolded her, hating when she said that about herself. "I'm not Kathrine Pierce" Emma rolled her eyes at him. "Who's that?" Jon asked her. Emma's eyes lit up, "Only the badass vampire in The Vampire Diaries, and the only reason I even watched the show...and Klaus". Jon began to laugh at her, seeing her fangirling rise surface.
"Go on Fangirl, explain it to me" Jon sat back as well. Just as Emma was about to explain, a loud noise took everyone off guard. Jon ran to the window where his brother was, hoping to see what was happening. But Emma saw flashes of what was to come, her head splitting from the memories coming back to her. She ran out of the diner and straight for the D.O.D area, almost crashing into Sienna.
"It's Tal, he's woken the Kryptonians" Emma told her just as Superman flew past her head. "Don't worry, Kal's got this" Sienna reassured her. But Emma knew different. "Help everyone get ot safety, go!" Sienna encouraged her.
So Emma ran, screaming at people to get inside and wait out the attack. But she felt her spine tingle as the sun set. Her head hurt as her eyes glowed. Memories came back, like a ton of bricks. Even if it was only one or two, the pain was unimaginable.
She tried to run back to the base, but her bones screamed at her to stop. Her sight blurring as she stumbled her way back.
"Boys, boys! Please come now!" Lois screamed for her sons. But the twins were stuck, "Where's Emma?" Jordan asked, worried about her. "I have her!".
Conner held Emma in his arms as she could barely keep her eyes open. He was quick to hand her to Jordan. "Go, now! Get her to safety" Conner told the twins, allowing them to run to the safe zone. Emma looked for Conner, her body still weak. Jordan and Jon helped her stand. “Conner” Emma gasped as the twins held her up right. Conner didn't seem worried as a hand attached to his neck. He only smiled at her as tears welled in his eyes.
Mal held her son by his throat, her gaze vicious towards her daughter. “You think you can two outsmart me!” Mal gritted her teeth at Emma, her grip on Conner tightening. Conner, however, kept his eyes on Emma. “At least I know you're safe...I love you Emmsie” Conner smiled as his eyes closed. He accepted his fate. His comfort was knowing his sister was loved by the family she deserved.
“No” Emma looked at her brother, not ready to relive one of the worst moments in her life. Mal's eyes low green, the earth beneath her and her eldest son began to crack. A yellow glow surrounded Conner, his veins changing as his strength was leaving his body. “May this serve as my final warning, daughter!” Mal declared before a construct of X-Kryptonite rose from the stabbing Conner in the back and comes through his chest.
Emma screamed.
She screamed so loud the twins had to let her go to cover their ears. Mal stumbled back slightly, looking at her daughter with a sheer look of shock. She flies away the moment Emma's voice leaves the ringing of everyone's ears.
As the people controlled by Tal-Rho fall from the sky, Emma stands up shakily. Her scars glow blue as her eyes and markings. Behind her, Sienna and Lois run to the twins, faces filled with concern and alarmed. "What happened?" Sienna questioned them. Jon gently nodded his head towards Emma, seeing his twin watching her ready to act if anything was about to happen.
Emma stopped at Conner's lifeless body. She looked down at him, almost like a machine she kneeled down next to him. Emma placed his arms over his torso, hands on top of each other. She took of his matching rings, placing them in between the palms of his hands, She then turned her head to his. His lifeless light brown eyes staring back at her neon blue ones. She gently closed his eyes, his skin felt tight like plastic as the colour turned to an ashen shade.
As Emma's markings began to dim, Conner's lit up for a moment before they turned black. Like tattoos on his skin.
Emma then closed her eyes before kissing his forehead, her warm lips feeling the heat drain from his body. "El Mayarah... goodbye Conner" Emma whispered before standing back up and turning to everyone. She walked towards them, seemingly unaware of the painful emotions she had releases only moments prior.
Jordan was the first to step towards Emma, his heart in his throat. Emma looked up at him, and for a spilt second, Jordan swore he saw Emma's heart break. For the spilt second Jordan could see every wall that Emma had left standing crumble. Emma collapsed into Jordan's hold, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as her head buried into the crook of his neck. Jordan's arms held Emma close, his face gently pressed against her hair.
A/N:TW: Mentions of Substance Abuse, Suicide, Self-Harm and Paternal Abuse. Please let me know if there's more I haven't listed. Enjoy! Song
'I know that when I stare into your eyes I can see all the years of lies'
-Billy Talent
"Brother?" Superman scoffed at him, not believing a word he was saying. "I know how unlikely it may seem, but the two of you do share the same Kryptonian blood" a new voice added in, flying to the ground. "Meet my friend, Mal" Tal introduced Mal to Superman with a sense of mockery. "Oh, we've met" Superman glared at the woman, who only gave him a sickening smile. She wore a dark green cloak with a golden pin with the Alor family crest on it
"You are not my brother" Superman stated bluntly, wanting to get this ruse over with. "I am Kal-El" Tal stated simply, ignoring his little brother's brassiness. "Whether you want to believe it or not. My real name is Tal-Rho" He introduced himself more formally to the name of his earthly ruse. "The son of Zeta-Rho and Lara Lor-Van, your mother" Mal spoke alongside Tal. Superman looked at them, very confused at the information he was given. "That's not possible. My mother..." He was cut off by Tal.
"Married Jor-El, your father. Yes, I know. Years after she'd been matched to my father, years after I was born. It was when she first warned that Krypton was dying. The very reason my father sent me here. I was the first son of Krypton to leave... And I came here with one purpose: To further our Kryptonian heritage" Tal explained to him, trying to ease his brother's mind.
"My mother would never destroy innocent lives" Superman huffed, not believing his birth mother would ever dream of such from his birth father's stories. Mal laughs at Superman's choice of words. "Humans are far from innocent. This world you protect deserves better than those who inhabited it" Mal commented at him, hand on her hip. "That's not your decision to make" Superman told them.
"It's already been made. Don't you see, Kal? This is our chance to be with our own, to have a family again" Tal tried to break through to him. "A family?" Superman questioned him harshly.
"The mines, the X-Kryptonite, the people in this town, they gave us the means. Krypton will finally be resurrected. The defense council will reign" Mal told him with a wicked smile. "And we'll have our mother with us once again. I know you long to see her, just as I do. Help me do that, brother" Tal subtly begged the hero, hoping he would come to his side of this long awaited plan.
"Not like this" Superman spoke with venom lacing his words. It was made clear to Tal that he must think of other ways to 'persuade' his brother. "The time has almost come, Kal-El. Our people will awaken soon. And when that happens, I need you by my side, or you will be eradicated too" Tal gave him the finally warning before leaving the hero with his supposed protector.
"Well played Kal, didn't think you'd turn your own brother away" Mal commented. "Where's Emma?" Superman asked the woman. Mal rolled her eyes before holding out her hand. It glowed green as her palm faced upwards, intensifying with a brighter glow. The ground between them seemed to crumble, the edges turning green. "How are you doing that?" Superman asked her.
"My sister can create weapons and reveal memories through emotions" Mal grunted as a pillar of rock began to rise. "I can take memories at my own will and terrakinesis, manipulation of earth and minerals" She finished as Emma's body appeared on the pillar. Her skin was paler than normal and the bandage on her arm turned a dark red colour. "What have you done?" Superman gritted his teeth and he gently picked Emma up bridal style.
"Borrowed some blood" Mal shrugged before flying away from the hero with a dangerous laugh. Superman was fast to fly away to the makeshift D.O.D base outside his house.
He landed in between the house and the tents that were made up. Sienna was the first to run to Superman, her eyes filled with relief. "Emma!" She called out, reaching for the unconscious girl. "What happened?" She asked Superman, seeing her niece looking like a corpse.
<;><><>
Jordan sat beside Emma as monitors beeped in the desperate silence. The sun shining through the small cracks in the tent. She was hooked up to an IV drip, her skin looking more lively then when she was brought back. A nurse came in to take the last blood bag only moments before, giving the boy a sympathetic smile.
"She'll be okay son, she's strong" The nurse told him before leaving. Everyone was affected by Emma's state, some more than others. Clark and Lois seemed to be busy themselves with finding Tal-Rho and Mal's whereabouts. Sienna had been back and forth between the farm and her home with Alor heirlooms hoping to figure out what Mal wanted from Emma.
Jon, he did what he always did when he was afraid. Throw his football at the tire swing. His grandfather was preventing any tests that could reveal Emma's unique hybrid genetics, already having copies of NDAs incase of the worse.
"You're brooding"
Jordan looked at Emma, the girl looking at him through half-opened eyes. "It might suit your Dad, just not you" She spoke. Her voice was soft, like petals of a flower had before made fro her lips. Her eyes were glowing through her lashes, even though she wasn;t in use of her powers. To Jordan, she looked like an angel.
"Just worried about you" He answered simply, scottong his chair over towards her. Emma mustered a smile, reaching for Jordan's hand. "Would you believe that this is the safest reason I've ever been in a hospital bed?" Emma asked him, making Jordan smile and roll his eyes at her. "You're ridiculous" He told her. Emma only smiled at him.
The silence spoke volumes as Emma closed her eyes, the smile on her face slowly fading.
"I'm sorry Emmsie"
"Mam, that's enough"
"Find me little sister"
"Conner" Emma whispered, opening her eyes. They glowed, as did the two dots under each eye. "Emma? What's wrong?" Jordan asked her, seeing the back of her hands begin to glow. Emma was quick to rip the needle connecting her to the IV. "I need to stop them" Emma answered vaguely, jumping off the bed.
She had never been more thankful that she wasn't in a shitty hospital gown. "Stop who?" Jordan asked, following after Emma as she left the tent. She looked back at him, the glowing dying down slightly. "Your parents" She answered before running towards the Farm house.
Jon has noticed Jordan's mop of hair running, he was curious until he noticed the washed out blue his twin followed. Discarding his favored football, Jon ran after them from the tire swing. He knew that Emma was about to do something, Jon was trying to figure out what.
<;><><>
Lois, Clark and Sienna sat in the kitchen, brainstorming ideas and theories to why Tal needed Emma and why. The trio of guardians had laid out many pieces of translated Kryptonian scripture from both El and Alor archives. A small little device that projected more knowledge in the mother tongue of the latter. And the box that Kara gifted Emma, only knowing that Naeza had given it to Kara for the next protector.
The door opening caught the Kryptonians attention quickly, turning their heads to see Emma panting as she stopped to catch her breath. Jordan and Jon ran in behind her, curious to know what was running in Emma's head.
"Who has a lighter?" Emma asked, stunning everyone in the house. "What!?" Sienna exclaimed at her niece. "Lighter. Now" Emma repeated, before walking past the adults and rummaging through the drawers for one.
Lois looked at the girl as she mumbled incoherent nonsense. "Emma, explain why you want a lighter" She told the girl. Emma kept rummaging as she took a deep breath. "Back on Mars, before White Martians eradicated the Greens. There were underground caverns of sorts that Greens would use to hide, but Whites would infiltrate. So they came up with a solution. Fire. It reveals their true skin. J'onn and Kara used it when a White infiltrated the D.E.O" Emma explained before turning around with a lighter.
"What happened with Tal and Mal?" Clark asked her, seeing the fear in Emma's eyes. She looked at everyone, unsure of who she could really be seeing. "Something impossible. I hav- need to be sure that you're all...you" Emma spoke shakily, pressing on the small button to light the lighter in her hand.
"Hand to the flame, please" She asked softly, holding it out for everyone. Lois was the first, giving the teen a soft smile. She raised her palm close enough no to burn herself. Nothing. Then Clark. Nothing. Sienna. Nothing. Jon. Nothing.
Jordan walked up to Emma, copying what everyone else did. "Nothing" Emma breathed out, releasing her grip on the lighter as the flame disappeared. She slumped her posture before resting against the kitchen island.
"Conner, I saw Conner at EdgeCorp and in Tal's Fortress. He's alive... I think" Emma told everyone, her voice cracking as her knuckles whitened by her grip on the island. Everyone was in shock. Conner was supposed to be dead. From Emma's words, murdered by their own mother. "That's why you wanted to make sure we weren't Martians" Clark spoke softly as Emma nodded.
"It's a possibility but...I don't think he is" Emma shrugged, wrapping herself in her own arms. "But I saw him die. I was there, I saw his last breath, it isn't possible" Emma stated, trying to convince herself of the fact. "How did he die?" Sienna asked her, walking up to her niece slowly. "Heroine overdose. I thought it was Mal but...it wasn't, he chose to ..." Emma couldn't finish her sentence. The mere thought of Conner doing what she saw was...hypocritical.
Emma shook her head. "That's not the point, he told me something about the box" Emma spoke, picking up the object from the table. "It can tell us why they need my blood"
<;><><>
After vague explanations to convince Sam and the other parental figures in Emma's life, the girl was in the school gym with the box in her hands. Jordan and Sienna stood on either side of her as the rest were behind. "So what now?" Jordan asked Emma, seeing as she was leading the reins on this one. Emma opened the box for the first time, remembering Kara's words.
The blonde hero looked at Emma with a smile. "Don't open it yet" She told her. Emma looked at her confused. "Why?" She asked back, seeing Kara's own curiosity hitting her. "Your grandmother said you'll know when" Kara answered with a shrug.
A small crystal was on the box, along with something Emma could only describe as a mini podium for it. As Ema took them out, a slip of paper followed as it fell to the floor. Sienna picked it up, curious to the condition of the paper.
Emma cocked her head as Sienna read the words written. "Is that English? What's it say?" She asked her. "Your knowledge may be rooted in ink but your true passion is in the melodies" Sienna read out loud, turning to her niece. Instantly, the teen knew what it meant, without another question, she put the crystal on the small podium.
A light beamed around everyone, not blinding but bright enough to close your eyes to. Emma and Sienna's eyes glowed brightly. For Sienna only her eyes lit up purple unlike Emma. Two dots under each eye had glowed as well and the glowing on the back of her hands was clear for the first time since the Black Mercy. On her right a clear outline of the House of El crest glowed brightly. On her left was one she was still unfamiliar with.
"That is our family crest, the House of Alor" Sienna told her, seeing the girl stare at it. "Why is it doing that? My hands" Emma asked her for the first time. "I am not sure, not yet" Sienna answered truthfully. Emma nodded at her answer before placing the crystal and its podium on the floor.
She closed her eyes, "Liguhshehd Alor!" Emma boomed loudly. A burst of light emitted from the crystal, unlike the first it only hit below the knees. It was enough to created a glistening barrier between Emma and the others.
"By the Gods" Sienna gasped. Not only was a barrier created but Emma was put in a traditional Kryptonian uniform worn by the head of each house. A dark blue dress with a companion cloak that flowed just below her knees, thankfully a pair of weird looking tights and silver boots. She had a silver belt and wrist cuffs. The only thing out of place was the crest dawn in her chest area. On the right was half of the House of El in scarlet red stitching, on the left was the House of Alor in emerald green stitching.
"What's happening?" Clark asked as everyone seemed to freak out. "The trial of Alor. It's the first step to becoming a protector" Sienna explained, releasing that she still had the note in her hand. "It's designed to tailor the weakness of each daughter" Sienna added, seeing Emma's angry face.
"What the actual fuck am I wearing!?" Emma exclaimed with a huff. "Why is she blocked off from us, isn't that dangerous?" Lois asked, crossing his arms. Sienna shook her head. "No, it's to prevent us from helping. I was much younger than Emma when the trial took place".
"But why music!" Emma shouted from the other side. Sienna turned with the most devious face. "Superman Musical" She spoke bluntly. Emma's face paled instantly. "Superman Musical" She repeated, more terrified than ever.
"Superman Musical"
Emma watched everyone look behind her in shock. Only Jordan's eyes met her own with a sense of deja vu as he silently warned her. Emma's eyes darkened as she turned to see the new person to enter. "Conner" Emma spat, clenching her fists at her side. The older man looked at Emma with sadness and a hint of guilt.
Music began to play as Emma turned to face her older brother.
She walked towards him as the music got louder. "You were the flood that swallowed us whole" She sang softly, looking up at her brother. "Refusing a love we endlessly gave you. You were a fire out of control" Emma breathed out as tears well in her eyes. "The blaze that couldn't be... tamed" Emma turned away from him, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Emma..."
Emma looked back at him in anger as her eyes glowed blue, "Why should I have a heavy heart?" She spat, taking a step closer as a memory began to form of Emma trying to save Conner from his overdose "Why should I say I'll keep you with me?" Emma pointed her finger at Conner, digging it into his chest causing him to stumble back as he sees Emma's memory of lying on the floor, blood pooling around her. "Why should I go and and fall apart for...you?" Emma stumbled on the words at the end.
She stepped away from Conner, "Why... should I play the grieving girl and... lie. Saying that I miss you and that my world has gone dark without your light?" Emma looked at him with a hard glaze, filled with hurt and pain. "I will sing no requiem...Tonight" Emma took a deep breath.
"'Cause when the villains fall, the kingdoms never weep. No one lights a candle to remember. No, no one mourns at all. When they lay them down to sleep" As Emma sings a new memory manifests. Conner in a hospital bed and Emma crying holding his hand as he 'dies'.
Emma turns to her brother, tears falling from her cheeks. "So, don't tell me that I didn't have it right" She sings, grabbing his arm and puling up the sleeve. "Don't tell me that it wasn't black and white" His arm is covered in scabs from his addiction. The one Emma risked everything to help him with. "After all you put me through. Don't say it wasn't true" Emma looked her brother in the eyes as he was speechless.
As the other memories faded, one formed. It was Conner, using X-K to imobilse Emma in Edge's office, willingly. "That you were not the monster, that I knew" The music faded as Emma wiped her tears, while Conner only looked at her with a guilt ridden face.
"Emms, I know you're surprised" Conner started walking towards her. "Well the last time we were in a room together you killed yourself. Surprised? Livid seems better" Emma growled at him. "Hypocrite" Conner snapped at her. "Yes, my twelve year old ass though there was no other choice! What's your fucking excuse?" Emma shouted at him.
Conner rolled his eyes, "You wouldn't understand" He told her. Emma growled. Like 'embodying her inner Derek Hale' growled. "Wouldn't understand? I'M IN FUCKING SMALLVILLE!" Emma snapped, her voice boomed in the hall. Her eyes began to glow as her breathing became heaved. "I'M KRYPTONIAN! OUR MOTHER LIED TO US FOR YEARS" Emma walked up to him, her fists meeting his chest. "SHE KILLED THE PEOPLE I LOVED AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND? AT LEAST YOU GOT OUT! I SPENT THE LAST YEAR CLEANING YOUR FUCKING MESS!" Emma screamed at him, the hits becoming harder as Conner actually seemed to be affected by them.
Emma kept hitting him until Conner stopped her. Catching her hands and keeping them in place. "I know you're angry, just please let me explain" Conner sighed, letting go of her hands. Emma stood back, crossing her arms. Conner gave a grateful smile. "After Sophie was born, you wouldn't leave her side. Like seriously it was like trying to separate chewing gum from hair. You stayed with her the whole night she was born, it was strange. But Amy had made an exception. I stayed with you both. Mam had other plans" Conner spoke like he was carrying this information like stolen money.
Emma watched as Conner turned his back to her. "She tried to take you and Sophie that night. To bring you here" He told her, before turning around to face Emma again. Emma looked at him, horrified at his words. Conner was ready to comfort his sister, knowing their mother's secret would hit her like a ton of bricks.
"I convinced her to wait, but I didn't know the consequences of my actions. The countless travelling between our worlds was causing the weaker one, the one we were born in, to crumble" Conner admitted. Emma was quiet, her eyes closed a she took a step back. Conner pleaded with his eyes, hoping she could understand.
Emma looked up at her brother, eyes glowing fiercely. Emma swung her fist at Conner, hitting his face and knocking him back. "Seven years...Seven years" Emma hissed at him. "Emmsie, please. I was trying to protect you!" Conner tried to explain. Emma scoffed at him. "You sent me to a rehab center! You abandoned me for a year! That's protecting me?" Emma asked him, her anger worse than an active volcano.
Conner could see the betrayal in Emma's eyes. "Yes, Emma...I knew, since Sophie was born. I knew that we were Kryptonian and that this world actually existed... I knew" Conner finally admitted the truth. Emma felt her heart being pulled from her chest. "You knew" She whispered, tears falling from her eyes as Conner nodded.
"You let everyone that I love die!" Emma shouted at him. "You left me! You left me alone! You sent me away!" Emma shouted louder, the blue glow in her eyes being changed to the red of her laser vision.
"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!" She screamed in pure pain. Fired at her brother with no regard to his safety. Conner used his hands to block them, the searing of his skin causing him to grit his teeth. He knew that his betrayal would hurt Emma, but he never expected her to react like this. After a few moments Emma had stopped, her energy draining from her and she fell to the floor. "You lied to me" She sobbed, her gut feeling like someone had ripped it out.
"I was trying to protect you" Conner tried to excuse himself. "You killed our family! Kono, Jeju! Jon Jon, Adam! Anthony!" Emma listed off as she walked Conner to the edge of the barrier, his back up against it. "You sent Sophie to her death! My sweet Sophie is gone because of you!" Emma cried. Conner looked at her bewildered, "No, she should be here with you! Mam promised" Conner spoke only for Emma to laugh at him. "Mal keeping a promise? She was sent to the world where John Henry is from!" Emma corrected him. Conner gulped at the truth.
"You killed the only person who made me want to survive...to live" Emma stated, before walking back away from Conner. "You told me after that night there is always a choice, even when you can't see it, it's there" Emma recalled, looking at him. "Did you have a choice before choosing to let me see you die?" Emma asked him, her voice hoarse and gentle. Only the Kryptonians could hear her question.
Conner looked down at his feet in shame. "I did, the night I... she was going to take you both here or I help her until it was time" He answered her. Emma only looked at his, neutral as she raised her hand.
"I told John Henry I had been in his position, holding a blade to the person who hurt me most" Emma spoke, pointing to the scar on her chin. "I almost killed her...when you became unresponsive. She gave me this, dragged a boxcutter across to the top of my heart and almost killed me. All for you" Emma told him, looking up at her brother.
Conner brushed Emma's hair behind her ear, " I love you Em...Please forgive me" He begged her. Emma caressed his cheek. "You're my brother Con, I'll always love you and you know I would do anything for you" Emma spoke to him with sadness. "But you chose me over our family. I can't forgive that, I don't think I could... even find a part of me that can" Emma admitted to him filled with sorrow.
Conner shook his head not believing a word Emma said. "What choice would you truly make?" He asked her. Emma sighed, "I would choose my family over everything. I always have and I always will" Emma answered him, her eyes and marking glowing brightly.
"You need to become a protector to stop them. You'll have your powers and you'll remember what to do" Conner told her, the promise he made in the fortress not leaving him. Emma nodded, as the crystal glowed. The barrier began to glow too. The light swirled, drawing closer to Emma before engulfing her in the light. Like before it burst out from where Emma was.
Emma stood up, in her ordinary clothes. But her markings had changed, she had three dots under each eye and a simple crescent moon above the space between her eyebrows.
But her hair had changed. It was longer than before and the colour had somewhat changed. It was black on top fading to the blue Emma had before and then to a lighter blue. Sienna seemed to be proud as Emma walked closer to them. "What just happened?" Emma asked, noting her hair.
"You've completed the trial. Now you must become an Alor Protector" Sienna told her as the glowing died down. "How do we do that?" Lois asked the woman. Sienna took a deep breath, looking up at Conner.
'Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed'
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Emma walked into the gazette, looking around for Lois. "Lois!" Emma called out, her answer being a loud bang. Lois came out of the office, smiling at Emma. "Do I even want to know?" Emma asked the woman about the bang. Lois raised an eyebrow, "Just Chrissy" She told her.
"So what's the craic?" Emma asked Lois, seeing her Morgan Edge board behind her. "I need your help, have you ever seen a yellow kryptonite before?" Lois' voice was quieter, making sure Chrissy wouldn't hear her. Emma scrunched her eyebrows. "Uhh, I know how different kryptonite effects both Kryptonians and humans differently, but the colours? It varies depending on Crisis, Barry fucking the timeline or simple storyline purposes" Emma explained to her.
Lois bit her lip, she knew that Emma's memories seemed to stop coming back in the last few weeks but still a small part of her was hoping for anything. "If you want I can give you all the information on what they might do depending on the colour" Emma offered just as Chrissy walked out of the small office. "Yes and remember that-" "Sienna is picking up the boys for school" Emma smiled at her before leaving the gazette with a small wave to Chrissy.
<;><><>
"Boys, Sienna will be here in a minute! You know what Emma's like if she's late!" Clark shouted up at his sons as he heard them scramble upstairs. "Clark, we have to do something, and nobody's gonna listen to me. They haven't since that first town hall, but they will to you" Lois told Clark, finishing their previous conversation as their sons came into the kitchen.
"Hey, which one's mine?" Jordan asked as Clark pointed to his lunch bag. Jordan thanks his father. "All right, guys, we're probably gonna have another late night working on this Edge case" Lois explained to the boys as Sienna's car pulled up outside. "All right, we were gonna see Emma's revue tonight anyway" Jon shrugged mindlessly at his parents, unaware of Jordan's shocked face. Jordan hit his brother's side with wide eyes.
"Dude, you weren't supposed to say anything" Jordan hissed at him as Jonathan's face paled. "I'm so screwed," Jon muttered as Emma walked into the house. Lois turned to the young girl, hands on her hips. "You're performing tonight and you didn't tell us?" She questioned her.
Emma looked in the twins' direction, glaring at them and seeing Jon's face. "I didn't want to make a huge deal out of it. Taking down Edge is more important than a small performance" Emma explained to Lois, handing her a folded piece of paper. "No, we will be there" Clark confirmed, seeing Emma's body go a little tense. "Cool. Now let's go! If we're late I will decapitate you both" Emma pointed at Jordan and Jon before leaving the house.
Lois and Clark gave Jordan a suggestive look. "Come lover boy, don't wanna piss off your girl" Jon snickered at his brother as he went red. "I raised you not to keep a pretty girl waiting" Lois added, earning a groan from her son. "You're mother's right Jordan, where's your manners?" Clark joined in before Jordan walked out with a red face.
Emma waited on the steps of the porch, impatiently tapping her fingers. She heard Jordan mumbling angrily behind her. "Let me guess, teasing you?" Emma asked with a knowing smile. Jordan held out his hand to help her up, "You've got no idea" He sighed.
Emma kissed his cheek, holding his other cheek. "Trust me, I know. Older sister of horny brothers and cousins. I'm the queen of teasing" Emma told him before letting her hand fall to his side, intertwining their fingers.
"Come on, I'm not being late even if it's that hellhole" Emma gently pulled Jordan along to Sienna's car.
<;><><>
The ride to school was calm, Emma having Speak Now by Taylor Swift playing as she had a nap in the front seat. Sienna was having small talk with Jonathan while Jordan looked over the music for Emma's performance.
As soon as they began to pull up to the school, the quick cut of Haunted caused Emma's eyes to open. "Hey, who cut the bridge?" Emma asked groggily, the side of her temple red from leaning against the window. "We're here" Sienna told her as the boys had already begun to leave the car. Emma seemed cranky at this point, her eyes flashing neon for a moment before leaving the car.
Sienna turned back to the twins, especially Jordan. "Keep an eye on her today please" She asked the twins who nodded before leaving the car. Emma had stopped a little away from the car, looking out at the crowd. For a moment she could see someone, someone that felt familiar. But when she blinked, they were gone.
Jordan placed a hand on Emma's shoulder, taking her out of her dazed state. "You good?" Jordan asked, interlacing their fingers together. Emma gave his hand a small squeeze, "Just tired". Jordan nodded before they caught up with Jon.
He was staring at Teagan as she walked in. "Don't forget to close your mouth lover boy" Emma teased him, nudging his side. Jon rolled his eyes at Emma, nudging her back. "Whatever" He mumbled, earning a few chuckles from Jordan and Emma. "What? Can you dish it but not take it?" Emma snickered at him before Jordan gently pulled her inside to leave his brother to be lovesick.
<;><><>
Emma smiled as Jordan finished playing the piano. "You're amazing, it sucks you had to stop" Emma admired, smiling at Jordan till her cheeks hurt. Jordan chuckled, "Yeah, anxiety's a bitch" Jordan sighed, making Emma laugh. "Definitely, the bitch of all bitches" Emma agreed, resting her head on Jordan's shoulder. "You're so good at singing, honestly how weren't you famous?" Jordan asked Emma, knowing she was a part of the Superman Musical.
She shrugged, "It was a hobby..." she spoke lightly, already seeing Jordan's eyebrow raised at her feeble statement. "...I just didn't get famous for being a gigantic nerd, okay!" Emma pushed Jordan weakly, seeing him shake his head at her as he laughed off her statement. "I'm surprised that you haven't, you would definitely make a living as a gigantic nerd" Jordan told her wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Oh yeah and create the biggest Superman Musical this universe has ever seen. Name changes in all" Emma exaggerated with her arm in the air. Jordan struggled to contain his laughter while Emma giggled profusely.
Jordan wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder. "I'll be in the front row cheering you on" He told her, kissing her cheek softly. Emma hummed, taking in Jordan's embrace. It was a dream come true for her. She was in Smallville and dating Jordan Kent. It felt surreal.
Emma turned her head to kiss his cheek in return. "You're a dork. But you're my dork" Emma told him with a simple smile as she looked into his eyes. "And you're my fangirl" Jordan smiled before sneezing, turning his head away into his wrist. Emma felt a coldness wash over her, eyes burning that she ducked down.
"Em" Jordan looked down with wide eyes. He turned to see her eyes glowing for a moment as her breathing was laboured. "ELT, now" Emma said urgently, helping Jordan up as he sneezed again, fumbling to take out the small device as Emma hid him from people who might see him.
The ringing of the high pitched frequency took Emma off-guard, her eyes still glowing. Clark came through the doors of the empty school hall. "Jordan?" Clark asked worried about him seeing the glowing on Emma's face. "Something's wrong with me2 Jordan managed to force out as he sneezed again, more ice appearing on his arm.
"The kryptonite grenade. It's affecting him, you must have accidently passed it on, Clark" Emma told him, making Clark confused. "Then why aren't you sneezing ice?" He asked her. Emma shrugged, "Go, before someone sees him" she urged Clark. "What about you?" Jordan asked, not wanting to leave Emma while her eyes and cheeks were still glowing.
Emma kissed his cheek, "I'll be fine, now go" reassuring Jordan enough to leave with Clark. "I'm sorry" She whispered before running out of the school, determined to find one person. Her vision showed her the truth, and she'll do anything to stop it. To stop Zeta-Rho.
<;><><>
Emma stormed into the small EdgeCorp building. Her face stoic as she made her way to Edge's office. No one noticed her and if they did, they didn't care or want to know why an angry teen was stomping around.
She found Leslie first, the woman staring at her like the town hall and harvest fest. "If you have a problem Larr, spit it out" Emma glared at her. Leslie remained quiet, opening the door to Edge's office. Emma huffed as she walked passed, and quickly spat at Leslie's feet. The woman growled at her inhumanly as she slammed the door.
"Now that's no way for a young lady to act" Edge spoke, legs crossed as he sat at his desk. Emma rolled her eyes, "Fuck off Tal". Edge's relaxed demeanour vanished at the mention of his real name. "You're remembering" He stated, standing up slowly. "Barely but I know about the Eradicator and your mud pile of a father" Emma stated, seeing the anger in his eyes. Tal slammed his hand on the desk, the whole room shaking with it. "HOW DARE YOU!" He shouted at her, expecting some fear or a squeak of terror. He was taken back by Emma's lack of response.
"Was that supposed to scare me?" Emma asked him cheekily, crossing her arms. Tal glared at her for a moment. "I bet you're curious why I chose–" "Smallville natives are more receptive to Kryptonian consciousness' due to the over exposure of X-Kryptonite" Emma answered simply.
Tal seemed impressed by Emma's knowledge. "You truly are an Alor daughter, spitting image of your grandmother, Naeza" He told her with a sense of truth. "I don't care Tal, but I know you're gonna send those brainwashed lackeys after Lois" Emma reminded him of his little plan. "Well, not yet" Tal clicked his tongue.
Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Not yet? What are you planning?" Emma questioned, her eyes glowing fiercely as two dots appeared under each eye. Tal seemed intrigued. "You see young Alor, my dear mother knew that my father was up to something and added a failsafe" He told her, clicking his fingers.
The door opened behind Emma, causing her to turn. She looked in shock at the silhouette. Her eyes faded as she gasped, tears gathering in her eyes as she stepped back. "No" She breathed out, her breath heavy. "It can't be" She whimpered. The young man stepped forward into the light.
"I'm sorry Emmsie"
A gust of dark yellow was blown into Emma's face. Knocking her down to the floor, eyes drooping. "No...it" Emma slurred out painfully, coughing up with a coldness in her throat. A cold breath left her mouth, crystallizing into ice on the floor.
Tal dropped his shoulders, hands in his pants pockets. "Bring her to the fortress, prep her for...7 ounces" He ordered the man. The young man lifted Emma into his arms bridal style. She murmured trying weakly to fight back. "Please...C-C" She forced out before her eyes closed. The veins on her face turned a bright yellow.
<;><><>
Sienna walked into Jordan's room, her eyes full of worry as she saw all the ice manifesting from Jordan's illness. "Where's Emma?" Jordan asked, his voice low and raspy. Sienna looked at Jordan confused. "I thought she was here" Sienna stated, looking around at the rest of the Kent family. "She's not at the school?" Lois asked Sienna, just in case Emma had stayed behind to provide a cover up for Jordan's sudden exit.
Sienna shook her head. "No, I had to gather her things after Sarah noticed her notebook on the piano" She explained, her heart began to race. A gust of wind broke into the room. Clark was quick to shield Jordan while Lois did the same with Jon. Sienna's eyes began to glow purple as she watched her little sister carefully.
"What a lovely little room" Mal commented to start a conversation. "What do you want, Mal?" Sienna asked, creating a small dagger in her hand. Mal tutted at Sienna, walking away from the middle of the room to the door for a quick exit plan. "Put the blade away sister, there's children present" Mal scolded her like a child. "As if you ever cared for the safety of a child" Lois glared at the kryptonian.
Mal walked up to her very slightly. "Watch it Lane, unlike my offspring I don't care for your life" Mal threatened her with a sharp tone. "What do you want, Mal?" Clark asked this time, his own anger beginning to bubble at the threat to his wife. Mal was quick to drop the evil look and turned to Clark with a smile.
"Just to tell Emma's alive... for now" Mal shrugged simply. "What are you doing to her!" Jordan shouted, standing up only to fall back down with a fit of coughs as ice chunks came out. Mal grimaced at the sight, "I'll make sure she's returned alive. I just need her for a little project" Mal avoided the question without hesitation.
"Mal" Sienna dragged out in a dangerous tone. "What have you done?" She asked. Mal only smirked at her sister. "Only Lara Lor-Van deemed necessary" She answered vaguely before flying off from the farm.
<;><><>
Emma groaned as sunlight blared into her eyes. The feeling of sand putting her off as she felt the grains stick to her skin. She opened her eyes slowly at first, blinded by the light. SHe began to sit up, realising her body felt unnaturally weak. As if she had just woken up from a drug haze.
"You're awake!" Tal cheered as Emma groaned. "What the fuck!" Emma snapped, looking up at the alien. Tal crouched down in front of her, clicking his tongue. "Welcome to my humble Fortress. Unlike my dear little brother, I much rather feel this world's magnetic sun on my face" Tal welcomed her, confusing the teen greatly at his lack of coldness. Maybe if melted in this dying heat. "Almost like a drug, something you know very much about". Nevermind, there it was.
"What the fuck do you want with me Tal? Ransom, Kal-El's human identity? Not happening" Emma guessed with her usual softheartedness. Tal rolled his eyes at her. "No, that will come at its own course and I'm a billionaire" He answered with the same energy. Standing up right Tal walked away from Emma.
"Are you aware of the maker of the Eradicator?" Tal asked her, turning to face her again. Emma thought for a moment. "Lara or-Van, you and Kal's birth mother. First kryptonian to have a natural pregnancy in centuries'' Emma answered him. Tal hummed in agreement, "Your mother was right, you do know your stuff" Tal complimented her. "How else was I supposed to cope with the shit she put me through?" Emma counterated his words.
"Mal's way of 'readying' you, but please believe me when I say, I never agreed with her methods" Tal spoke softly, as if he actually cared. Emma bit her tongue, " Like what Zeta did to you?" Emma asked him, crossing her legs. "Don't worry, you haven't been exposed to any drugs, I give you my word" Tal spoke with a harder tone, ready to get back to his topic.
"My mother, she created the Eradicator as a safety net. But when she realised how dangerous it could be she sent it into the universe. Unaware it was linked to my brother and his cousin's pod. She also created a failsafe, incase the universe had other plans. The blood of the most current Alor protector" Tal explained while he brought out a familiar object.
An hospital IV drip, ready to use.
"Unfortunately for you, I am not qualified for this" Tal smacked his lips. Emma watched as his face morphed into concern. It was weird, Emma felt like she could feel his concern as someone walked into the small cavern.
"But I am"
Emma narrowed her eyes at Mal and the woman held the needle in the air. "Let's get started" Mal's smile was vicious as she grabbed Emma's arm. She stabbed her vein harshly, making Emma wince. Her mother only snickered at Emma. "Pathetic, all those years of needles and you still can't handle the pain" Mal tsked Emma, making sure that the IV was working.
Emma growled at her, "What do you expect, it was torture" She fired back. Mal glared at her before slapping her face hard. Emma could feel the stinging on her cheeks, already feeling the bruise form. "Be quiet! You're just like your brother" Mal hissed at her as the blood began to be taken from Emma's arm.
"You gonna kill me like you did to Connor?" Emma asked boredly, already getting ready for a long wait. No one would have noticed she was missing. Jordan was more important right now. Emma could wait for a rescue as long as Jordan was okay.
Mal snickered at Emma's statement. "I never killed Conner, Elrisia. That's just what he wanted for you to believe" Mal answered, sitting across from her daughter. Emma looked at Mal suspiciously. "What are you talking about? I saw you kill him" Emma stated with strong belief in her words.
"Why don't I show you" Mal stated, her eyes glowing green. Emma's eyes widened as her eyes flashed blue and then green.
<;><><>
Emma stood in the parking lot of the hospital her mother worked, Deirdre standing in front of her. "Emma, you need to think this through" The detective warns her gently. Emma only scoffed at her. "No! I know my mother did this, she's not getting away with it. Not after Billy" Emma snapped at the woman. Deidre sighed, rubbing her temples, "You don't know this for certain and if..if you did you should go to the station or tell me where Marty is hiding" Deidre suggested, knowing Emma long enough now. Emma looked at her for a moment, biting the inside of her bottom lip.
"Twomey,!" a man called from inside the hospital. Deirdre huffed at her partner. "Do not go anywhere Emmie, I mean it. You've been out of this mess for three years now, we don't need you back in this" Deirdre pleaded with Emma. The young teen nodded as Deirdre ran inside to the hospital. Emma waited till the woman was fully inside the building before running to a bus stop.
She had run to her mother's small council house, the windows boarded up with wood scraps. Emma held a dark hurley in her hand, her knuckles white from her grip. She walked up to the door covered in spray paint, fisting it harshly.
"MAM! OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!" Emma screamed till her throat burned. The door opened quickly, causing Emma to step back. A man with a joint in his mouth. Emma saw the fresh and old patches of blood on his arms before the man crossed. "Word of advice, veins on the thighs are better, now move" She pushed away from him into the small house.
The walls were thick with smoke, either from crack, weed or both. Emma walked past the man in the front room, pipes in hand while scraps of tinfoil were discarded on the floor. "Hey Emma!" some of them mumbled, the girl waving back nicely. They were made addicts by her mother, she was there for most of them. Needles forced into their skin by Marty's hand.
Emma made her way upstairs, knowing which room her mother would be in. Marty sat on a rocking chair, joint in between her fingers. On the bed was Conner, just like their mother. Joint in hand only there was a fresh patch of blood coming through his grey shirt. And a needle beside him free hand.
"Con! What are you doing?" Emma snapped, walking past her mother to inspect her big brother's arm. "Emmsie... it's fine just a little boost" Conner slurred as Emma slapped him in the face. 6 months dealing cocaine and weed to put you into Tabor Lodge. Almost two years clean... Conner, how could you do this?" Emma began to tear up, her rage left to a dangerously simmering fury.
"He's finally embracing who he is Elrisia, my son" Marty stood up behind her. Emma swung her hurley at Marty, the wood snapping in half as it hit Marty's head. "WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE US ALONE!" Emma screamed, dropping the broken hurley. Marty walked up to Emma, grabbing her arm. She shoves her joint into Emma's shoulder, the sound of sizzling skin and the smell of flesh burning making Emma gag.
Marty laughed maliciously as she pushed Emma back. "Looks like little Conner isn't doing so well little one" Marty fake grimace looking behind her daughter. Emma turned to see Conner, dropping a larger needle than most addicts use. Blood dripped from his forearm, his body beginning to seize up violently, shaking the bed frame of the mattress he was on. Emma tried to hold him in the recovery position, his breathing becoming dangerously slow.
Then he stopped. His entire body collapsed, his chest stopped rising and his lips were slowly turning a blue colour. Emma felt her body turn rigid, hot tears falling down her face as her mouth was left agape. She turned slowly to Mal, seeing a small box cutter in the corner of her eye. She very carefully moved towards it, picking it up from the shelf it sat on. She saw red.
Marty was against the wall, the box cutter no longer in Emma's hands. Instead it was on the floor covered in blood as sirens began to blare, blue lights flashing rapidly. Emma's body paled as she fell to the floor. Blood covering her body, a fresh cut made from under her chin to the centre of her chest just above her heart.
"Do not mess with me Elrisia" Marty whispered into her ear, a small flicker of green glistening in Emma's eyes as she did before Marty left the room. It was silent for a moment until a loud crash echoed throughout the drug den of a house. People running as Gardaí made their presence known. Loud thumps of footsteps shook the floorboards as people came into the room.
"We need two ambulances now, one unconscious with signs of overdose and another bleeding rapidly from chin to chest" a Garda spoke into a radio on his shoulder. "Wait, these are Marty Clarks' kids. Emma and Conner" A different Garda released. "Requesting back-up. Possible suspect by Martha 'Marty' Clarks, search perimeter for suspect. Victims are Conner Ó Chroídheán, twenty-two and Emma Ní Chroídheán, fourteen"
<;><><>
Mal watched as Emma squirmed, replacing the third and fourth blood bags with fresh ones, packing the older ones into a special box. "Why do you torture her like this?" Tal asked, finally having his first subjekts activated. Mal simply watches Emma as she mumble incoherent words. "It's fun. Seeing her helpless like a fly in a glass box" Mal commented with a ghost of a smile.
Tal glared at the woman with disgust. "She's a child!" He snapped at her. Mal gave him a stink eye. "Really? Zeta!" Mal called out, the hologram A.I appeared. "Yes my dear" He greeted the Alor sweetly. "Your son needs a little...fix" Mal suggested sweetly, seeing the fear in Tal's eyes. "He's not feeling himself" She added before turning back to her daughter.
"Now let's allow the dam to break" Mal smiled, brushing hair out of Emma's face. Her finger tips glowing green as the glowing followed veins on Emma's head. "Remember little one...remember the truth" Mal spoke into her ear.
"Mam, that's enough"
<;><><>
Emma walked down the small path, covered by trees and bushes. Sophie was asleep in her arms, her head resting on the crook between Emma's neck and shoulder. Emma hummed a sweet lullaby as they walked into a small tunnel. "Almost home baby, promise" Emma whispered into Sophie's hair.
She felt her body tense up as she walked out of the hidden path to a main road. A pub on her right and a primary school to her left. She walked past the small scouts building that was across from a chemist, the zebra crossings illuminated by the small yellow lamps.
A few cars would pass, their lights guiding Emma's way home. She had earned a few scratches on her body from the prickly thorns that hide the path. A car pulled up in front of Emma, making her hold Sophie tighter.
"Emmie, it's me Deirdre" The woman stepped out of the car, a small smile on her face. "You scared me Dee, thought you were.."Emma trailed off ,kissing Sophie's head. "Marty? No one has seen her since that night Emmie, maybe she's finally gone from your lives" Deirdre spoke softly, taking a car seat from her boot and securing it in the back of her car. Emma nodded gratefully at the gesture, strapping Sophie in while trying not to wake her.
Emma closed the car door silently, entering the front of the car. "What were you even doing in the Wella at this hour? With Sophie no less" Deirdre asked Emma as they began to drive back to Emma's home.
"Graveyard, it's Billy Rose's anniversary" Emma responded, watching Sophie from the side mirror on the car. "Two years right?" Deirdre asked her, eyes on the road. "Yep, not even thirteen when it happened" Emma answered bluntly, not wanting to cry and wake her baby sister up. "How's school? Junior Cert is coming up" Deirdre changed the subject. "Fine, failing most subjects but we get on with it" Emma shrugged as they stopped at a traffic light.
That's when the car shook. Emma felt her body tremble as she saw the road in front of her start to crack and crumble. "Sophie!" Emma gasped, unbuckling her seat belt to grab Sophie. As Emma turned to grabber sister, Sophie seems to have disappeared from the backseat. The seat belt ripped in half and the side door hanging by a thread.
"SOPHIE!" Emma screamed, getting out of the car as fast as she could. The sky was no longer black as it seeped green. Everywhere seemed to be crumbling around her. Emma looked around to see Sophie held in her mother's arms. "LET HER GO!" Emma screamed at Marty running up to her.
Marty only smirked at her daughter. "Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for her?2 Marty asked Emma before throwing Sophie to the nearest crack. Emma screamed as she ran towards her sister. Her veins on fire and her eyes burning. She has to catch her, she has to save her Sophie.
Emma jumped into the crack as Sophie screamed for her big sister. That's when Emma saw it. The black and white portal was underneath them, getting closer every second. Sophie was the first to fall in, Emma barely grasping her fingers as she followed suit. The mix of darkness and light engulfing her before Sophie disappeared from her sight.
"SOPHIE!"
<;><><>
Mal smiled contently as Emma finally stopped moving, the final blood bag filled and put away. "Well?" Tal asked the older Alor impatiently. "Yes, I'll have Vor prep her for Kal-El. You get the device?" Mal asked him back, crossing her arms at him. Seeing if there was anything she needed Zeta to take care of. Tal held up Lois' ELT, shaking it slightly. "Good. Vor!" Mal called out hardly, her voice echoing.
The boy came to the woman, his face hidden in the shadows of the cavern. "You know your job, see to it" She demanded him before walking away with Tal to go over their plan with Leslie Larr. The boy kneels over Emma's body, brushing her hair out of her face. He gently stopped the bleeding in her arm with a pristine white bandage. "Talk about tables turning" He muttered to himself mostly, wrapping up Emma's arm.
He noticed the scar under her chin, eyes turning soft at it. "I'm so sorry, you had to face her all alone, Emmsie" He sighed, seeing her eyes open ever so slightly. The ice blue like frost on a window pane. "Now you need to listen to me" He spoke softer before whispering something into Emma's ear. Emma's mouth opened slightly, trying to say something.
"Co...nn...er" She managed to slur out before closing her eyes again.
<;><><>
"I'm glad you came" Tal said, seeing Superman land near him. Superman gave him a determined look. "Everything you're doing is gonna stop" He warned the man he believed to be Morgan Edge. The older kryptonian sighed with pity. "That's exactly what your friend Lois Lane and the young girl Emma keeps saying to me" Tal spoke with a smirk on his face.
"You can't make that happen any more than she can" He added seeing the look on Superman's face as he mentioned Emma. Superman flew straight for Tal, fist balled up ready to punch him. But Tal gracefully dodged him at the same speed. Superman missed him completely. Then Tal punched him harder, knocking Superman to the floor. "Did you really think I'd be giving people powers without having them myself?" He asked Superman rhetorically as the hero got up swiftly, confused for a moment.
"You see, I got mine the same time you did, Kal-El, when I arrived on this planet" Tal spoke, walking slowly towards Superman who was silently stunned he knew his first name. "When you arrived?" Superman asked him, raising his eyebrow at the villain. "I think it's time you learned the truth about who I am and where I'm really from, brother" Tal spoke, floating into the air to assert some sort of dominance over Superman
Brother?" Superman scoffed at him, not believing a word he was saying. "I know how unlikely it may seem, but the two of you do share the same Kryptonian blood" a new voice added in, flying to the ground. "Meet my friend, Mal" Tal introduced Mal to Superman.
'Many people live and die without ever confronting themselves in the darkness'
-Carmen Maria Machado
Sienna knocked on Emma's door, "Emma, come on! I know you're awake" she sighed, hearing the small giggles coming from her niece. Emma was tucked under her heavy blanket, her phone in her hands as she was typing. Her cheeks were red as she texted Jordan. Their conversation only contained love-sick memes and emojis. It had only been a day since they sort of got together and yet Emma couldn't help but feel like a little kid.
"Emma Victoria Margaret Ní Chroídheán! We need to go, for the love of Rao, just be dressed in the next half an hour!" Sienna gave up, walking away from the closed door. Emma finally left her bed's warm embrace, feeling the cold hardwood floors with her feet. She was too tired to change properly, grabbing the nearest hoodie and sweatpants after putting her bra and socks on. She left her head down, hardly brushing it as she grabbed her flash converse.
Sienna had a look of sweet relief when Emma turned the corner for the kitchen, grabbing the handle of the fridge door. "I thought you had succumbed to your bed" She commented as Emma pulled out a can of monster. "Close but Jordan convinced me to get up" Emma answered bluntly like she wasn't an absolutely flustered mess less than five minutes ago. "Jordan? That's who you were texting?" Sienna asked her. "Yeah, we kinda got together last night" Emma shrugged as her phone buzzed. The minute Emma saw who had texted her, she went from dead inside to a kid in a candy shop.
Her aunt was amazed by the sudden mood change topped by the information she was given. "You're with Jordan, Emma, that's amazing!" Sienna smiled at her. "Yeah, it feels...right. I don't think I've felt like this since I got adopted... I actually feel like I'm fifteen and not like thirty" Emma explained, feeling her heart flutter. She was actually happy which was super weird for her. "You can tell me all about it in the car, come on" Sienna said, grabbing her niece by her shoulders and walking her out the door.
<;><><>
Emma followed Sienna as she entered the school; she didn't want to be near this death trap on a Saturday. Emma almost tripped over her own two feet when she felt someone catch her. She was hoisted back on her feet gently with a familiar laugh behind her. She turned her head, rolling her eyes as Jordan gave her a goofy grin.
"You have no idea how fucking clique this is to me, do you?" Emma asked him, crossing her arms. "Really?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows at Emma. "Do you know how many times I have seen multiple versions of your parents do the whole 'she falls and he catches her' thing that can make any girl's heart flutter?" Emma explained, her cheeks turning red. "Did your heart flutter?" Jordan tried not to laugh as Emma's face went bright red.
She shoved him with her hand, hating that Jordan could turn her into a completely flustered mess of a person. "Do not give me that look, your cuteness is the only thing keeping you alive" Emma pointed at him. Jordan only shook his head, gently taking her hand and pulling her to him.
"You think I'm cute?" Jordan asked with a shit-eating grin. Emma tried to glare at him, but his adorable eyes made her knees weak. "Cute means ugly but desirable" Emma stated, feeling Jordan's fingers intertwine with hers. "I like this" Jordan smiled, his thumb gently caressing Emma's. "Yeah, me too" Emma smiled, walking a bit closer to him. Jordan smiled at her, kissing her cheek. "You sweet, adorable, cute little dork" Emma bit back, wrapping her arms around his middle."Whatever you insane, mess of a fangirl" Jordan said back, resting his chin on her head, praying that she didn't feel the heat radiating from his cheeks. "This is so corny" Emma muttered before breaking the hug.
"What's with the bag?" Emma asked him, seeing the football gear inside. "Jon and I are taking a break after what happened with the guy trying to kill our Dad and the thing that attacked you" Jordan explained, picking it up from the ground. "How about you, since when do you come to school on a Saturday? Aren't you allergic to not being asleep?" Jordan joked, earning an elbow to the side. "For your information Dork, Sienna needs help with some talent show and I'm not trusted to be alone for a couple of hours" Emma told him, the pair walking towards the gym.
Jordan looked at her funny, "Why can't you be alone?" he asked. "Because the last time someone left Emma alone, she had to talk herself out of a grand theft auto charge" Sienna's voice spoke, catching the couple's attention. Jordan gasped while Emma gave him a sheepish smile. "In my defence, that is the least incriminating fact you'll ever hear about me" She said confidently.
"What's the worst?" Jordan asked her, only for Emma to pale. "For another time" Emma patted his arm. "Emma, can you please start putting up the chairs? I have to grab the sign-up sheet and make sure the piano is tuned" Sienna smiled at her niece. "You ripped me from my comfort for this? I wonder if there's an asylum close by that'll take me" Emma groaned at her aunt as she handed Emma the key to the supply closet that held the folded chairs. Emma let out a groan as Sienna ran to run her own errands.
"I'll come help once I'm done with Coach, yeah?" Jordan suggested, smiling when Emma's face lit up. "You are a lifesaver, good genes" She joked, her nose scrunching up as she snickered. Jordan rolled his eyes, kissing her temple before leaving her in the hallway alone. Emma's face went bright red as her stomach fluttered with butterflies. She wanted to jump and squeal like the fangirl she was. Jordan had her wrapped whether he knew it or not.
<;><><>
Emma had finally put the last chair out when Jordan came back from Coach Gaines small office in the locker rooms. "How long was I gone?" Jordan asked looking at her in awe. "Not long, I thought the chairs were like the ones back in my old school" Emma shrugged at him with a smile. Jordan rolled his eyes at her. "So... do you wanna go to the diner or..." Jordan shrugged his shoulders, giving Emma an awkward smile.
Emma's eyes lit up in excitement, grabbing Jordan's hand as she began to drag him out of the gym. "Come with me...I want to show you something" She smiled at him as they left the gym.
Jordan followed Emma as they ran past the lockers and down a couple of flights of stairs. He was almost out of breath before Emma stopped at a marron door. She turned to him, still buzzing with excitement. "Promise me you won't laugh" She told her, with her pinky in the air. "You want me to pinky swear?" Jordan asked her, raising an eyebrow at her. "I trust Pinky swears more, promise me" Emma insisted with a pointed stare. Jordan sucked it up, hooking his pinky with Emma's. With a satisfied smile, Emma opened the door behind her.
"Welcome to my escape"
The room was filled with instruments on every wall. Guitars, Basses, various violins and more. A drum kit sat in the right corner next to a small booth that held a single microphone. A small keyboard was set up near the window to the right, unlike the other instruments it looked to be used much more recently. "The music room?" Jordan asked her, wondering why she would ever think he'd laugh at this. "Yep, when I get angry or scared Sienna brings me here so I don't break something" Emma explained, the feelings of tiredness and anxiety washing away as she stood contently in the room.
"Why did you promise me not to laugh then?" Jordan asked her, tilting his slightly allowing his curls to bounce gently. Emma's face went red for a moment. "Because, before I came to Smallville music was my escape...just like this but slightly different" Emma shrugged. "How different?" Jordan nudged her lightly, an amused grin forming as he watched Emma's cheeks burn red.
"I wascompossingmusicforaSupermanmusical....andwasinit" Emma sputtered, closing her eyes. Jordan looked at her confused, "Em, slowly" He advised her, his grin not leaving his face. "I... was composing music for...a Superman musical and I had a part in it" Emma repeated to him, embarrassed for her life. She watched Jordan's grin grow into a smile before he bit his lips to stop him from laughing.
Emma pouted at him, "It's not funny! You promised you wouldn't laugh!" She shouted at him, crossing her arms and turning away from him. Jordan felt bad quickly, containing his laughter long enough to grab Emma's upper arms and turn her to him.
He gently rubbed her arms, hoping to comfort her before talking. "No it's not funny, I think it's cool that you were composing music for a musical...even if it was about my Dad" He told her softly, stepping closer to her making the space between them smaller. Emma looked at him with disbelief. "You can't tell anyone, especially Jon he'll never let me live it down" Emma warned him, her opposite hand reaching for the one Jordan had on her arm.
"I swear, I won't tell Jon" Jordan agreed before holding up his pinky. "Pinky swear" He added, making Emma's pout disappear. She gladly hooked her pinky with his before kissing his cheek. "Thank you" She smiled at him. Jordan only smiled bigger, wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulders. For a moment Emma tensed up then relaxed, not used to the new meaning behind Jordan's touches.
"Sienna signed me up for the talent show and it's freaking me out" Emma sighed, hesitantly placing her head on Jordan's shoulder. "How come? You were amazing at Harvest Fest" Jordan pointed out. Emma shrugged, "But that was different, for me at least. At events like Harvest Fest, there's a vibe that I can get caught up in like the underground raves back home. Most people are too caught up in their own world to take notice. But talent shows? Everyone is focused on you and only you and it freaks the shit out of me, like the verge of a panic attack freaked" Emma explained to him, finding comfort in Jordan's touch as she spoke about her fear. Jordan could feel the fear from Emma, causing him to tighten his grip ever so slightly. "I get it, when I, um... used to play the piano. I did the whole little kid recital thing. As I got older and my anxiety got worse, it got to be a little too much" Jordan told her, relating to her fear in a sense. "I forgot that... I definitely need to see little Jordan in a suit" Emma teased lightly, a small laugh emitting from her. Jordan rolled his eyes at her, "I'm going to regret telling you that" He sighed playfully.
"I keep your secret, you keep mine" Emma reminded him before her eyes landed on the piano. "My Dad and Aunt Nat taught me guitar and piano. I can't play much now since my hand got injured, but I like to try" Emma mused before breaking away from Jordan's touch and walking over to the piano.
Jordan watched as she sat down, gently placing her hands above the keys and taking a deep breath. "Wanna hear a snippet from the musical that shall not be named?" Emma raised her eyebrow at him with a silly grin that made Jordan's stomach flutter with butterflies. "Totally, Fangirl" He answered, grabbing the chair closest to him and bring up near the piano.
"If I could do it all over, maybe I'd do it different
Maybe I wouldn't be here, in this position
I found you, then I lost you, lookin' back is torture
And it hurts to know I let you go, you live right around the corner
And I could've had it all, could've had it all
True love, I knew I had it, true love was so hard to find
True love, if I could get it back, I'd never let it go this time"
Jordan could only admire as Emma's voice filled the room, her eyes closed gently as she pressed down on the piano keys. "I'd never let it go...I'd never let it go this time" Emma finished as she lifted her hands away from the piano. Emma opened her eyes to see Jordan smiling at her stupidly. "What?" She asked him, confused about why he was smiling like that. "You so good, this talent show will be easy for you" Jordan told her, making Emma blush hard. "If only there were a song that I could sing without totally revealing the family secrets we have" Emma groaned, hitting her head on the piano, making an awful sound.
Jordan shook his head, pulling the chair he was sitting in closer to Emma. "Come on, I'll help you out" He offered.
<;><><>
John Henry Irons sat in the interrogation room, his face showing no emotion as Superman walked in for the second time. He looked at the beloved hero with hatred in his eyes, the familiar surge of rage coursing through his veins.
As Superman began to talk, the veteran stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "I will only speak to Lois Lane" He gritted his teeth. Superman let out an exasperated huff. "She doesn't want to talk to you. Is there anyone else who you would be willing to speak with?" He asked, praying that the man who had been trying to kill him might actually negotiate.
John Henry stayed quiet for a moment before looking up at the camera recording him. "I'll speak with Shara or Elrisia Alor only" He spoke, unaware of the pit he created in Superman's stomach.
Sam, who was in the opposite room furrowed his eyebrows. He waited for Superman to return from the room. As his son-in-law entered the room, Sam gave him a hard stare. "Who are these Alor people?" He asked Clark. "Emma and her aunt, Sienna. Sienna and Emma's mother were from Krypton, they protect the House of El. Emma is supposed to be the boys' protector" Clark quickly explained, taking his civilian phone from the table and dialling Sienna's number.
"I need you at to D.O.D." He spoke. Before the phone left his ear, Sienna stood in between the men, her hair slightly frizzed from the speed she came in at. "What do you need me for?" Sienna smiled at Clark. "The man that has been trying to kill me wants to speak with you or Emma, I had a feeling that maybe you should be the one" Clark told her, pointing to the camera feed of the man.
Sienna looked at him, studying his face before nodding. "Turn off the camera, I've stayed undetected for over forty years, I'm not blowing Emma's chance to be a sense of normal" Sienna warned Sam, walking promptly to talk with John Henry.
Sam looked at Clark with an angry look. "Is she serious!" He exclaimed, not trusting this new alien. Clark didn't answer, only pressing the button to turn off the camera.
Sienna walked into the room, giving John Henry a kind smile. He looked up at the woman, his face softening for the first time since his capture. "Shara, it's nice to see a familiar face" John smiled at her. Sienna sat down, placing her hands on the table.
"How do you know about my niece and me?" Sienna asked him, cutting the formalities. John only nodded, sitting back. "I know of Elrisia because, in my world, her sister was my daughter's best friend" John Henry answered, not afraid of the woman. "Elrisia's sisters are no longer with us" Sienna told him carefully. "I'm aware, Elrisia died in my world. Sithya was the only other Alor besides your doppelganger" John added, making Sienna nervous at the namedrop.
"Why did you want to talk to me?" She asked him, her voice turned cold. John Henry leaned over the table like he was about to spill a secret. "I know your sister... Emma is not safe as long as her half-human heart beats. She cannot become a protector, under any cost" John whispered, his words striking a cord. "How in Rao's name do you know her human name!" Sienna growled, her fist denting the tale as she stood up angrily.
"Because, Emma will help Mal destroy this world just like mine, willingly or not" John warned the woman as she left the room, infuriated at the man.
<;><><>
Emma stood behind the curtains of the stage, her stomach dropping every moment or so. She watched as a senior left the stage with a smile, making Emma's confidence crumble. "Next!" a teacher called, waiting for Emma to walk out on stage.
"You can do this... just like Harvest Fest...just like-" Emma looked up, her eyes widening in fear as the plain stares of the judges bored into her. She gulped, walking up to the mic and giving a shaky smile. "Hi, I write songs and this is one I wrote when... I lost my brother a couple of years back" Emma nodded, taking a deep breath before closing her eyes.
She opened them to see Jordan and Jon, smiling up at her.
"Good morning, you're leaving
I'll see you in the evening
My best friend 'til the end
My better half, no pretend
Our language is sacred
Though people try to solve it
New adventures on the way
You're right by my side whenever I need you
Through the hardest times, I'll be there for you
At the crack of dawn when the moon is gone
I won't be hard to find
'Cause you and me, oh yeah, we're seamless
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh, hey
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh yeah
You and me together
Take on the world forever
I know all your secrets
And I promise you, I'm gonna keep them
I'll be there when you are feeling clueless
You and me, oh yeah, we're seamless
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh, hey
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh"
Emma finished, tears brimming in her eyes as the judges gave her a small applause. She bit back her lip before leaving the stage. She ran down to Jordan and Jon, a smile on her face. "You did it!" Jordan beamed, hugging Emma tightly. "I did it!" Emma smiled back, still feeling her body racked with nerves and excitement. "You were amazing Em" Jon told her. "Thanks, Jon" Emma smiled as Jordan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Jon looked at them with a shocked expression.
Emma only nodded, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Finally! God you two are impossible!" Jon exclaimed at them. Jordan blushed hard while Emma rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever, I was thinking of Vicky May's for lunch" Emma suggested, changing the topic with the agreement of Jon's stomach growl.
The trio walked out of the gym, discussing what they were planning on buying at the local café. Sienna was heard, shuffling towards them quickly. "Emma! We need to talk" Sienna called out to her. Emma quickly looked at her aunt, "I didn't break the law I swear" She blurted out. Sienna gave her a pointed look, "Really, that's what your first reaction is?" She asked her niece.
Emma shrugged, "Daughter of a dealer, I'm the best at revenge. That's why I was known by the local gardaí" Emma explained innocently. "Remind me never to piss you off" Jon muttered, earning a light smack from Emma. Sienna shook her head at Emma before speaking again.
"Did your mother ever call Sophie a different name? Like the one, she called you?" Sienna asked. Emma furrowed her eyebrows, thinking for a moment. "Yeah... It was a weird one too...Sithya like the minor goddess of magic in Kryptonian mythology" Emma answered earning a prideful look from Sienna. "You read the books, I'm impressed" Sienna praised her.
Emma smiled bashfully at her aunt. "John Henry knows about us, the Alors, your human name all of it. You need to come with me" Sienna told her, holding out her hand. "You think I can get through to him?" Emma asked her, stepping away from the boys. Sienna nodded firmly as Emma took her hand.
<;><><>
From the moment Emma and Sienna entered Sam's office, alarms rang out throughout the D.O.D building. Emma felt her stomach tighten as she quickly ran through the halls, no longer fighting the rush of energy she had been experiencing since she first saw Jordan blow up the bonfire. She ran to a room that felt so familiar, punching in a code that had been burned from her memories like fire to paper.
She looked around, seeing that John Henry wasn't there yet and hid away from the naked eye as she heard the door unlocked once more. She didn't feel as weak as she thought in a room full of kryptonite. Maybe it was her human side? 'Thanks, Dad?' Emma thought to herself before she heard shuffling from whoever came into the room.
Emma thankfully hid in a weird closet that held kryptonite katanas. 'Alex Danvers and Damien Wayne would kill for this' Emma snickered to herself before she felt the room shake. She held in her relief as she heard Clark's voice.
"Clark whatever you do... do not give me away please" Emma whispered, praying that the room wasn't covered in too much lead. She felt her eyes glow as the blue shone back in her face.
Images flashed in her head, making her wince over so softly. So, the soldier is a bad guy and John Henry will grab a kryptonite spear. Great just her luck. Emma tried to focus her hearing, but the loud sound of the grenade made her jump. A door slams open and the sound of heavy feet makes the floor vibrate as someone screams, "Drop the weapon now!"
"Stop! Hold your fire!"
"You wanted to see me? Here I am" Lois called out, making Emma breathe out in relief. "You should go, Lois." John Henry warned her. "I'm not going anywhere" Lois answered before Clark started coughing.
"Suit yourself" He spat back at her. "John, I know about Natalie!" Lois called out to him, hoping to stop him." I know what happened on your world, to you, and to your family" Lois told him, her voice sounding strained.
"Then you know why I have to do this" John gritted his teeth. Emma very carefully opened the closet door, her eyes meeting Sam's and Sienna's. She held one finger up, her face pleading with them to give her a chance if Lois failed.
"Please. Please, I see the anger in your eyes. It's covering something I can relate to: the torture that comes from wondering if you failed, if there was something you could've done to save them, but there wasn't. If there had been, you would've found it" Lois spoke to him, pleading with every word she spoke for her husband's life.
"They're gone, and it's not your fault, but it's not his fault, either" She told him, hoping he would see the truth in her words. "You don't know what's coming" John spoke, the anger becoming familiar to Emma.
"But I do" Emma spoke up, catching everyone's attention as she walks past Lois. "I also know that pain you feel and the anger when you look at Superman. I've been in your position, holding a blade to the person who hurt you most" Emma spoke to him softly, not treating him like the villain.
"He isn't Mal, Elrisia, he will..." "Join the surprise Kryptonians, I know. But I know how it feels to have everything ripped away. Mal took everyone from me, my home, family, friends...my life and I wanted to kill her. And I almost did" Emma admitted, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. John looked at her, trying to see if there were any false claims.
"You're trying to avenge Natalie and your Lois, but what would they say if they saw you try to kill a man who hasn't committed the crimes you believe will occur?" Emma asked him, holding her hand out. "Who would stop you? Your family?" John spat at her. "My sister...my baby girl, Sophie. She saved my life, she was the reason I got out of bed every day and now she's gone... but the love I have for her is the reason I'm still fighting...I know you're only doing this for Natalie but I'm telling you, John, he won't turn his back on us" Emma told him like it was a fact as old as time.
"How do you know that?" John asked, watching Emma walk up to him, her face hidden from everyone's sight. Emma allowed her eyes to glow softly. "I've seen it John... give me the spear" Emma whispered, holding her hand out.
" John...Our Superman is good, he would never turn on us, ever" Lois repeated. John loosened his grip on the spear, handing it to Emma. Emma smiled at him, thanking him silently. "Did you kill her?" John asked as the soldiers began to retain him. "I wouldn't be here if I did" Emma answered him, biting back her lip. John gave her an understanding nod before Sam had him taken away.
Sienna ran to Emma, hugging her tightly. "I'm okay...Auntie your gonna break my ribs" Emma ford out in a laugh before Sienna pulled away from her. "I'm so glad you are safe, when you ran... my mind went straight to..." Sienna stopped herself, knowing the soldiers were still listening.
Emma nodded, smiling at her aunt. Lois came up to her, her eyes sad and pitiful. "Oh Emma" She sighed before pulling the girl in tightly. "I know about the RV..." Emma whispered, only making the woman hold her tighter.
"Is he okay?" Emma asked them both, worried about Clark's well-being after the kryptonite. "He'll be fine, what about you...any lightheaded issues" Sienna asked eyeing the weapons in the room. "I'm fine, a little unnerved but no sicky feeling... you?" Emma questioned confused as to why the woman was still standing in a room of kryptonite. "A story for another time" Sienna told her.
<;><><>
John Henry looked at Superman confused as music blared from his RV. "What the fuck?" He asked, looking at the man confused. "Emma insisted on cleaning it...there was a little accident" Superman said before Emma walked out, a bucket and a big bottle of bleach in her hands. "All done, even sorted out a bed of yours" Emma smiled, hopping onto the ground.
John Henry gave her a grateful smile, holding his hand out. "Thank you, Emma, for everything" He nodded, waiting for her to shake his hand. Emma gave him the 'Are you serious look before hugging him quickly. "No problem" She answered back before letting go. Emma gave the men one last smile before bidding them farewell.
Jordan was waiting for her on the porch, a lovesick smile on his face as he held his hand out subtly for her to take.. Emma felt her stomach flutter as she felt his hand slip into hers. "Since when was 'stopping someone from murdering Superman' one of your many talents?" Jordan asked playfully, pulling Emma close to him. "Since forever, just not the Superman bit" Emma answered, her nose tipping off Jordan's.
Jordan pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, resting his forehead against Emma's fading blue hair. "I'm just glad you're safe" Jordan whispered. Emma kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You ain't getting rid of me that quickly, Dork" She told him with a cheeky smile on her face. "You bet Fangirl" Jordan looked down at her, grey meeting blue.
Emma could stare into his colour-changing eyes forever if the world allowed her. "I hate to break up to the lovely moment!" Lois called, taking Emma out of her thoughts. She gave her a tightlipped smile before she looked at Lois who was gesturing for her to come over.
Emma walked back to the RV, noticing the small box in John Henry's hands. "Your little sister, Sithya was on my Earth. She wasn't born there so she isn't a doppelganger" He began, opening the box to reveal a small girl with ginger hair next to who Emma assumed was a young Natalie Irons. Emma felt tears gather in her eyes. "Sophie...my sweet Sophie" Emma gasped, gently taking the photo as if it would crumble at the slightest touch. Her fingers ghosted over her baby sister's face, tears falling from her face. "How old is she in this?" Emma asked him, her eyes filled with tears. "It was her eighth birthday. She was fourteen the last time I saw her" John Henry answered with a solemn face.
"Is she alive?" Emma asked, feeling her stomach twitch into knots. "I don't know...It had been three months since I saw her before the attack. She moved here, to Smallville" John answered before handing Emma the box. "She was Nat's best friend, you should have these" He told her with a sad smile. "Thank you... you have no idea how much this means to me" Emma cried softly, feeling Lois' arm wrap around her shoulders. "You're not alone, John. Don't forget that" Emma reminded him before the man entered his truck.
Sophie might be alive...she finally had something to hope for.
'If it's still in your mind, it is still in your heart'
-Paulo Coelho
Clark landed just outside his home, Emma lying unconscious in his arms with the plant-like creature still attached to her chest. He brought her inside, bracing himself for his family's reaction. He found Sienna waiting for him in the hallway connecting the stairs and the front of the house. She gave him this look as if she knew precisely what had attached itself to Emma. Sienna no longer looked weak, she had changed into a set of Lois' old clothes and her hair was tied up in a bun.
She helped Clark bring Emma to the couch, the creature seemed to tighten with every move they made. Jordan and Jon came rushing into the living room, hoping to see Emma was okay. Their shock-filled gasps were loud as they saw Emma. Her skin looked glossed over, and her hair looked dead and dull. "What is that thing?" Jordan asked the Kryptonians, his fists clenched at either side of his body.
"The Black Mercy is an alien parasite that makes its host dream of their perfect fantasy world while it feeds off of them until the host dies. The only way to save her is to have Emma reject the fantasy world. Then the Black Mercy will slowly detach and die" Sienna explained sadly, her hand cupping Emma's nursing cheek. She let tears fall, her sobs failing to be concealed. "This is all my fault. I was supposed to keep her safe, instead, I played right into Mal's hands" Sienna cried, occupying herself by fixing Emma's hair.
Jordan walked over to the woman, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She was here, we had this... fight. Maybe if I stopped her from leaving this wouldn't have happened" He told the protector. Sienna only shook her head at the young El. "No, Mal would have done this anyways and Emma would never let you get hurt. She never wants anyone to be hurt by Mal" Sienna sighed, knowing her mother's own stubbornness passed onto her granddaughter.
Lois came into the room, noticing something in Emma's hands. "What are those? In her hands?" She said out loud, her husband seeing what she saw. In each hand was a scrunched-up piece of paper. He handed one to Sienna and opened the second. "It's a way to help her. We need to call your cousin Clark, only Kara and the DEO have the resources we need" Sienna told him, reading the paper over his shoulder, not mentioning the one in her hand.
<;><><>
"Emmie! Wake up!"
Emma felt a sharp pain in her side. She groaned awake, her eyes blinded by the light. "Huh? What's goin' on?" Emma yawned, opening her eyes fully. "It's morning Emmie! Come on Mammy made breakie!" a small and high voice spoke, shaking Emma. She turned to see long foxy hair and a face full of freckles. "Sophie?" Emma questioned, shooting up from the bed she was in. She looked around the room.
She was in her shared room with her baby sister, the lilac walls filled with multiple movie posters and her pride flags, her sister's side filled with multiple drawings done by the seven-year-old and the various family photos graced her view. She was taken out of her thoughts by her sister's tight grip pulling her out of bed and onto the floor. "Come on! I want rashers before Conner eats them all" Sophie whined. Emma whipped her head around to her sister, "Did you say, Conner?" She asked the minor child. Sophie nodded proudly before Emma shot up from the floor and ran downstairs. She stopped once she reached the kitchen.
Sitting at the table was her Jeju, reading a book with a cuppa in hand while across from her was Antony rushing to finish his homework. And at the cooker were two men, laughing and joking without a care in the world.
"Conner? Dad?" Emma choked, causing all attention to turn to her. She couldn't believe this, it wasn't possible, right?. "Ems! You're up!" Conner smiled brightly, rushing over to his sister. Conner wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up for a hug. Emma hugged him back, tears in her eyes as she hugged her older brother tightly. "You're here, you're really here" Emma cried, earning laughs from her brother. "I missed you so much Ems, the Engineer Corps is nothing compared to one of my favourite sisters" Conner smiled, putting Emma down.
Emma looked at him confused. "Engineer Corps? I thought you were in CIS?" Emma asked him, so sure he was on the computer side of things. "Looks like someone hasn't taken their iron tablets and coffee, that flu must have gotten to you. Come on Emsie" Her father smiled brightly at her. Emma walked over to him, hugging him as tightly as possible, "I love you Daddy" She told him. "I love you too babes, you sure your feeling okay?" Seán asked her, feeling her forehead.
Emma shrugged, "I dunno, I had this weird ass dream. I was in...Kansas? I think and there was this family... and...and?" Emma tried to think but her mind kept coming up blank. "That's dreams for you love, they seem so real until you wake up" Amy smiled, kissing Emma's forehead. "Yeah, weird it just seemed so real like it actually happened" Emma furrowed her eyebrows.
"Mam! Jon Jon's trying to take my laptop!" a woman called, rushing into the kitchen. The older blonde was followed by a younger ginger. "I need it for my CBA Kono! Auntie!" Jon Jon whined as his eyes pleaded with Amy. The nurse only sighed at her daughter and nephew.
"Alright, Jonathan take my laptop, Kono please get Sophie dressed, Conner, you will take your siblings and cousins to school, Seán get Emma ready for work" Amy took charge pointing at everyone before taking a sip of her tea. Emma looked at her Jeju confused once more.
"Work?"
<;><><>
Less than an hour after Clark had called Kara, a knock on the door echoed in the silent house. Clark opened the door and was quickly embraced by his cousin, Kara. "Oh, I hate meeting like this" Kara sighed, hugging her baby cousin tightly. "Me too Kara" Clark agreed before allowing her into the house.
Sienna smiled at Kara, a bright smile on her face. "Shara!" She squealed, seeing the Alor protector and going straight for the hug. "Kara Zor-El, how I have missed you" Sienna smiled, hugging the woman she had looked after since birth. Kara pulled back, happy to see her protector in person after so many years. "You look so much like Allura, she would be so proud" Sienna smiled at the youngest Kryptonian. Kara returned the compliment with a sad smile before looking at her godsons. "Look at you two! It feels like only yesterday you both were running around the farm chasing fireflies" Kara cooed, hugging them both tightly. "Good to see you too Aunt Kara" Jon smiled at the blonde, Jordan nodding beside him.
Kara quickly changed from a happy family reunion to serious once she saw Lois holding Emma's hand. "J'onn and Alex are setting up in the barn, they won't be long" She informed the adults before walking closer to Emma.
"So this is the infamous Emma, huh?" Kara asked hand on her hips as she looked down at Emma. "Yep, she's a huge Supergirl fan" Lois smiled at her friend, knowing that Emma would be jumping around the place if she knew Kara was here.
Sienna cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "Clark, ladies can I speak to you for a moment?" She asked, her head pointing to the kitchen. Jordan and Jon were left watching Emma while the adults went to the kitchen.
Sienna unfolded the second piece of paper Emma was holding. "It has to be Jordan, he's the only one who can get me out" Sienna read out loud for them, showing them the note. "Why only Jordan?" Kara asked her cousin and his wife. "He's the only one who knows her best, she trusts Jordan more than anyone" Clark explained. "Not to mention their feelings for each other. Emma told Jordan things that I still don't know, he's the only one who can convince her to reject the fantasy world" Sienna added carefully, knowing that they would be cautious about sending their son into a dangerous mindscape.
Kara looked at her cousin. "Alex was my only emotional tie to this world, she knows me better than I do. She can help Jordan be ready for what might be waiting. If anything happens, J'onn will pull him out" Kara promised them both. "This will be harder Kara, you were on Earth for years before Non targeted you. Emma has been here for less than three months. The Black Mercy wouldn't need to create some sort of explanation. Emma truly believes that this world was all a dream and she's back home" Sienna told them, knowing that she was right. "We don't know that for sure" Lois added only to be shut down by Sienna.
"This is the girl who has been looking up to you three for almost a decade. Smallville was her escape from reality, you and Kara were her escape, Lois. She has dreamed of being in our world countless times. Don't you think the Black Mercy will find ease in tricking her? Underneath the Kryptonian heritage, the pain, loss and fear she's a foster kid who could relate to the lives of Kara Zor-El whose family died saving her, Lois Lane who was raised by her single father and Clark Kent, a man who had a loving family" Sienna shot back at her, tears streaming down her eyes at the thought of failing her niece once more.
"She is vulnerable to her greatest wish. Her family"
<;><><>
Emma walked into a small pub, the sounds of laughter filling up the room. She seemed at ease as she followed her father behind the bar. "I dunno Dad, I'm still shaken up from that dream. It feels like an itch I can't scratch" Emma pouted at him. Seán chuckled at his daughter, lifting the plank of wood to allow her behind the bar. "We made a deal Emsie part-time at school, part-time at the bar" Seán reminded her. Emma looked at him confused, she was in school part-time? That didn't seem possible.
She looked at him, a weird feeling in her stomach. "That's something straight out of a comic Dad.. like Super... Sup..." Emma tried to get the word out, but it was on the tip of her tongue, She could see the word in her mind, and hear it in her ears but she could recognise it or say it. Why couldn't she say it?
"Emma! A little help please sweetie!"
Emma looked up to see her Aunt Natalie holding too many pints at once. Without thinking, Emma rushed over to her, grabbing half of the pint glasses. "You're not supposed to bite off more than you can chew Nats, knowing you we'd spend the next week cleaning up shards of glass" Emma smiled cheekily at her aunt. "Oh hush you cheeky little shit" Natalie laughed at her, flicking her bright foxy hair to the side.
Emma laughed at her aunt's dramatics, a warm feeling making her feel safe. She loved her family. They were all she needed. Her life felt so perfect.
<;><><>
Emma was moved to a makeshift containment area. She lay on the cold steel countertop, connected to an EKG and oxygen tank. Alex was connecting her to the same technology that brought her into Kara's mind years before, a sense of déjà vu. J'onn watched silently as the Black Mercy's vines wrapped around her neck. Emma was drifting away faster than Kara did. Sienna was right.
Lois and Clark pulled Jordan aside, nervous about the question they had to ask him. "What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?" Jordan asked his parents, feeling bile in his throat. "Emma's second note was the solution to getting her out of the Black Mercy's hallucination" Clark explains to him slowly, looking to Lois to help him. "She said that it had to be you Jordan. Emma needs you to save her from her own mind" Lois admitted, looking at her son with fear and worry in her eyes. Jordan furrowed his eyebrows, processing the information. "Me? She wants me to save her?" Jordan questioned them. The pair nodded as Jordan looked back at Emma.
"What do I need to do?" He asked them, determined to get Emma back. Alex had walked over, a simple smile on her face. "You must convince Emma that the world she's in is fake. She needs to reject the Black Mercy willingly or else you will be there until... it kills her" Alex tried to put it gently. Jordan nodded, a pit growing in his stomach. "You can do this Jordan, Emma trusts you more than anyone" Sienna tried to raise his spirits as she put an oxygen mask over his face.
Alex brought over the device that would bring him into Emma's mind. "Once you're in there, the Black Mercy will try to stop you. No matter what you need to find Emma and convince her" Alex reminded him, placing the device on his head being weary of his curls.
In less than a minute, Jordan's eyes had closed confirming that he had entered Emma's mind. Now it was up to him and that scared the shit out of his family.
<;><><>
Jordan opened his eyes to see a small pub filled with people. He looked around, seeing a dart board near him and a glass case full of trophies and team scarves. Laughs of drunken people filled his ears as they shared stories with random strangers. But one laugh caught his attention.
Her laugh.
She stood behind the bar, a pint glass in hand as she filled it up chatting with someone in front of her. Her scars had disappeared, as did her tattoos. Her hair was the same pale dark blue and her eyes still had their icy glow.
He walked up to her, watching as she did a little dance to the music playing in the pub. She looked like she didn't have a care in the world. Like the heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders for good.
"What'd you like?"
Jordan was taken aback by the question, not realising that Emma had seen him. She looked at him with a big smile on her face. But she didn't recognise him at all. "Come on cutie? Do you want Rasa or something a lil' stronger?" She asked him. Jordan blushed at her, not expecting her to call him cutie at all.
"Don't you recognise me?" He asked her, making Emma furrow her eyebrows. "Are you in my year? Maybe I know your mam?" Emma shrugged at him. "It's me, Jordan... Jordan Kent" He told her, pleading at her with his eyes. Emma looked back at him, biting her lip. "Sorry, I never met a Jordan Kent before" She told him, walking away to another customer.
This was gonna be a lot harder than he thought.
<;><><>
Sienna tapped her foot impatiently as she watched Jordan and Emma breathing. Something wasn't right. Sienna knows her sister and this seemed way too easy. She walked over to her niece, inspecting the Black Mercy closer.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked the older Kryptonian. Sienna shook her head, "Mal isn't this lenient when it comes to tormenting her daughter. The Black Mercy is child's play to her. Mal has been trying to break Emma for fifteen years, it isn't logical for her to try and end it like this" Sienna explained, noticing the small yellow glow from the centre of the Black Mercy.
"Oh Mal, what have you done now" Sienna sighed, face palming at the sight. "What is it?" Lois asked, not liking Sienna's tone. "It's a stone that I thought had been lost with Krypton. The Stone Of Darkest Day" Sienna said harshly, her veins glowing purple.
"What's the Stone Of Darkest Day?" Jon asked her. "After the war with Daxam, the Stone Of Darkest Day was used to help the Protector Families confront their darkest days. My ancestor Elrisia the Enraged didn't believe it did the families any good and hid it ever since. My mother must have put it in Mal's pod before we left" Sienna told them. Kara walked up to the woman, "Do you know what Emma's darkest day was?" she asked her, Sienna shaking her head.
"That's what I'm afraid of"
<;><><>
Jordan followed Emma as she collected empty glasses. "Keep following me around and I'll call my brothers, they're vicious" Emma deadpanned at him. "Please it's me Jordan. You fell on my farm and found out that you're half-Kryptonian. This is all a dream from some weird alien plant" Jordan tried to convince her. Emma waved him off, trying to ignore him the best she could.
"Look, St Micheals, GF or whatever mad house you got out from they seriously need to fix your script" Emma told him, walking behind the bar once more. "I'm not crazy! If this isn't a dream then where are your scars? Or your tattoos?" Jordan called out to her.
Emma looked at him with an uncertain look. The girl bit her lip, finding some truth in his words. She looked at her exposed skin, feeling a weird sensation like she was missing something. She was about to ask him more when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Ems, you alright" Conner asked, smiling cautiously at Jordan. "I'm fine Con, just talking with Jordan" Emma smiled at her brother before he walked past her. "You don't belong here" He glared at Jordan. "Christ's sake Conner, he was only looking for maths grinds. The mocks are coming up, the poor lad needs them" Emma tried to calm her big brother down. This wasn't like him at all.
Conner grabbed Jordan by his collar, his face a bright red. Emma felt something within her snap before grabbing Conner and pulling him back. He looked at her with black eyes, making her jump in fright.
"You are not my brother" Emma spat at him.
<;><><>
Sienna paced back and forth, trying to find out a way to help Emma. Her powers could only do so much and they were running out of time. "Shara, calm down" Kara tried to stop her, seeing the small crater the woman was creating. "Kara's right, your no use if you keep this to yourself. You need to let us help you" Lois told the woman, seeing the burden she was carrying.
"No, this is all because I was too afraid of my own sister to save my nieces and nephews. This is my problem, an Alor problem, not El" Sienna told her, the sound of the EKG catching everyone's attention.
Emma's body began to shake, her veins glowing blue. Sienna noticed that the back of her right hand was glowing brighter. She walked closer to see the House of El crest clear as the day. "Impossible" Kara spoke from behind her protector. Sienna nodded, knowing what the heroine meant.
Sienna looked to J'onn, the man already knowing what she needed him to do. "Are you sure about this?" He asked her, and the only response was a nod from the Alor. "I have to" She told him.
<;><><>
Emma grabbed a crate from under the bar, hitting Conner over the head with it. As he fell to the floor, Emma jumped over the bar. Grabbing Jordan's hand, Emma dragged him out of the pub. The pair ran down the small cobbled road, far from Emma's family pub until they reached an abandoned café.
Emma panted her hands on her knees. She can't believe she got fooled by a fucking Black Mercy. She looked at Jordan, seeing the fear in his eyes. "Jord, you okay?" Emma asked him. Without hesitation, Jordan pulled Emma into a hug. His hand cradled the back of her head, his other was wrapped around her waist. Emma wrapped her hands around his neck, burying her head in the small curve between his neck and shoulder.
"I was so scared that I lost you" Jordan murmured, fearing that if he let go that Emma wouldn't remember him again. "Hey, you not losing me anytime soon. No alien plant is can accomplish that" Emma smiled softly, pulling away from his body. She placed her hands on his face, gently caressing his cheeks. "You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not. I still have werewolf jokes for your Dad" She joked, getting the boy to laugh at her comment.
Jordan rested his forehead on her hers, a feeling of relief that she was back. "So, how do we get out of here?" Emma wondered, noticing that her hometown was empty. "Alex said you need to reject the fantasy world" Jordan told her.
Emma looked at him with wide eyes. "Alex? As in Alex Danvers! The Alex Danvers!" She asked him, shaking him by his shoulders. "Yeah, and my Dad's cousin Kara" Jordan told her, afraid of the crazed look in her eyes. "Are you telling me Supergirl and her sister are trying to save me!" She squealed at him, her entire body feeling like she had drank one too many Red Bulls. Jordan nodded before Emma screamed very loud in excitement.
"As much as I love seeing you in full fangirl mode. You won't be able to meet them unless we get out of here" Jordan pointed out, stopping Emma from her little fangirl dance. "Right. How do we do that? I mean I know this world is fake. I have my memories, what do I have to do now?" Emma wondered.
The ground began shaking, the pair holding onto each other as it became worse. "Emma!". The teens turned to see Sienna standing in front of them. She didn't look like she was really there, her body was transparent. "Sienna! What's happening?" Emma asked her aunt.
"Your mother. Listen to me very carefully. You must go to the place where you had your darkest day. Only when you face that will you wake up" Sienna told her before the ground started to shake more. Before the pair could ask more questions, the woman disappeared.
Emma looked at Jordan before looking at the hill beside them. She took a breath before taking Jordan's hand again. "Come one, it's this way" Emma told him. Jordan could see the fear on Emma's face, he squeezed her hand making sure she knew that he was there.
<;><><>
After what felt like forever, the pair ended up on a terrace of dark red houses. Emma walked up to the one near the main road. She had Jordan step back before she hit the glass on the white door with her exposed elbow. It shattered quickly, with trickles of blood around the edges. Emma put her hand through, trying to feel the latch to open the door. "Em, your arm" Jordan pointed out when the clicking of the latch caught Emma's attention.
"It's nothing Jord" Emma responded, not thinking a wound in a fake world was gonna affect her actual body. She opened the door, the front hall was small and dark. She gestured for Jordan to follow her, holding out her hand. He took it, allowing Emma to guide the way.
They ended up in a small bathroom. The sink was smashed, and the mirror above it cracked with red blood dripping on it. Emma felt her body freeze seeing her reflection. Her eyes looked bloodshot, and dark purple bruises decorated her face as a fresh set of stitches sat on her cheek. She went to touch it, not feeling the white plaster that sat there.
"It's just a reflection" Jordan told her, only for Emma to shake her head. "No, it's a memory. My mam's fella was beating the shit out of me, I pissed him off for flushing his tablets down the toilet" Emma shrugged, kicking the loose blue one on the floor. Jordan squeezed her hand. "Hey, what happened wasn't your fault. Your mom should have never let this happen to you" He told her.
"But what happened next was me" Emma sighed, taking her hand away from Jordan's. She went to the corner of the room, sliding on the floor. Jordan copied her, sitting next to her on the blue-tiled floor. "After the beating, I couldn't take it. Everything was breaking around me, falling apart. I just wanted it to stop, I wanted her to stop breaking everything" Emma bit her lip, trying to stop her tears from falling.
"So I came in here. She was passed out on the couch. Her fella left and Conner was asleep. I didn't think about it, I don't even think I wanted to. I just grabbed a bottle of pills and took them all" Emma mumbles, curling up on the floor. She didn't want to be there, she hadn't been here in years. She didn't want Jordan to know what she did, it was shameful and selfish of her to try and take her life.
Jordan put his arm around her shoulders. Emma looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Conner found me, called the ambulance and stayed with me. My Jeju made sure I got the best of the best but I didn't feel like I deserved it. I almost left them behind. I almost left Anthony and Sophie to bury their big sister. She almost won, Mal almost got what she wanted" Emma continued, her stomach feeling like a huge crater in her body.
"What made you want to stay?" asked her.
Emma closed her eyes, taking a breath in. "Sophie. She was only three at the time. She came to the hospital to see me. The way she looked at me like... seeing me was the most important thing for her... I swore on my father's grave I would never let Mal hurt her, ever for as long as I was still standing" Emma answered, feeling that crater in her stomach fueled with anger.
Mal was not winning, not today. She had to stop being afraid of her mother, it wasn't doing her any good. Not in Smallville, and definitely not in life.
<;><><>
Jordan was the first to wake up, feeling like someone had taken cement off his chest as he sat up. Lois and Clark rushed to their son, hugging him tightly. He looked to his left, seeing Emma still unconscious. "Why isn't she awake?" He asked everyone. "Give her a minute" Alex answered from experience.
A high-pitched shriek comes from the Black Mercy, its vine-like tentacles unravelling themselves from her body. It crawled off to the floor, hiding in the closest dark corner. Emma woke with a gasp, immediately taking the oxygen mask from her face. She sat up only to be pulled into Sienna's arms, the older woman hugging her niece like a lifeline. "Aunt Sienna" Emma smiled, hugging the woman back.
Tears formed in the woman's eyes at what she was called. She kissed Emma's head a thousand times, thanking Rao for keeping Emma alive. Emma smiled at her aunt before her eyes landed on the Black Mercy. Without hesitation, Emma's eyes flared red and lasers struck the Black Mercy. With a dying shriek, the alien plant was left as a burnt-looking piece of metal.
"I always hated the Black Mercy" Emma muttered, causing everyone to laugh at her. Jon went up to his friend, hugging her tightly. "You scared the shit of me Fangirl" He told her. "Nah, I still got a whole list of football jokes to let out" Emma smiled at him, gently pushing him away. "Not to mention I can finally slang your Dad for leaving the coolest member of his family" Emma glared at Clark playfully making the man sigh. "Any chance we can put you back under?" He asked only for Emma to start laughing at him.
Alex snickered at her comment. "I like this one Clark, now you have to keep her" She commented, nudging the hero. Emma felt her body jumping with excitement at the sound of Alex's voice. Jon was quick to step back, knowing full well what was about to happen. "Oh no, she's entered fangirl mode" Jon commented as his twin smiled at the sight.
"Your actually Alex Danvers! Oh, my gods, I'm actually meeting the Alex Danvers. I think I might faint" Emma started freaking out, forgetting that Kara was there. "I knew she was a fan but seriously J'onn you left some stuff out" Kara told the martian who only chuckled in response. Emma fell back onto the medical table trying to compose herself in front of her literal heroes.
"I can't believe I'm in the same room as Supergirl and Alex Danvers. I can die happily" Emma murmured
<;><><>
"I can't believe I met Kara and Alex Danvers!" Emma squealed as she sat on the porch of the Kent house. Jordan sat next to her as she held the small little box that held not only the sisters' signatures but a gift Kara had belonged to her grandmother, Naeza Alor. Emma seemed to notice the stare Jordan was giving her.
"What? You're doing that thing" Emma pointed out, placing the box behind her. Jordan looked at her confused. "What thing?" He asked her. Emma laughed at the small little crinkle on his forehead. "When you look at me and you do that thing" Emma told him, nudging him a bit. "I have no idea what you're talking about" Jordan shrugged, giving up as Emma rested her head on his shoulder.
"Do you think differently of me?" Emma asked Jordan, biting the inside of her cheek. Jordan looked at her, "Why would you think that?" He asked her. Emma shrugged, lifting her head and resting it on her knees. "After what you saw in my head, I wouldn't be surprised" Emma mumbled. Jordan looked at her, gently pushing back a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, if it means anything I think that you being here, shows that you are strong and resilient. And I'm not going to judge you for that, ever" Jordan told her.
Emma turned to him, a small smile on her face. "You still like me?" She asked him, "Yeah, I still like you" Jordan told her, kissing her forehead. "Good, 'cause I don't wanna be afraid anymore" Emma whispered. Before he could react, Emma grabbed Jordan's face pulling him in for a kiss. Jordan didn't hesitate in kissing her back. His hands were on her cheek as he kissed her back.
When they pulled apart, Jordan kept his forehead on hers. "Good, I was kinda tired of just being friends" He let out a small laugh. Emma only shook her head gently at him, "Me too" she said before kissing him again.
Emma woke to her head on fire. Her alarm echoed in her ears like police sirens. She quickly moved her hand around to find her phone. She lifted her head from her pillow, her eyes searching for the voice of Zoe Wees alerting her with every lyric. Finally, she turned off her alarm as her curls suffocated her face.
She lay in bed for a few minutes, debating whether to get up for school or wait until Sienna dragged her out of bed. Her head was pounding like two sledgehammers fighting with her skull. She could hear a tap running, shavers buzzing and a kettle boiling. She tried to focus on the loudest one, hoping to ignore the other sounds.
It wasn't working.
She tried to think of something else for a moment, allowing her body to hone in on a sound to focus on naturally.
Thump...Thump...Thump
Emma tried to listen to it further, focusing on whoever's heartbeat she found
Thump...Thump...Thump
Slowly the sound of the running tap became backroom noise as she took a deep breath in.
"I can't do it. I'm sorry"
Emma gasped at Jordan's voice, hearing her heart racing. She could feel the heat burn on her cheeks. 'What the fuck Emma!? Why would you do that...Gods! Your a total creep' She scolded herself before pushing away her blanket.
She swung her legs to the edge of her bed, her covered feet hovering over the cold wooden floors. She took a moment to clear her head and just started the day fresh. Getting up, Emma grabbed a pair of sweatpants and searched her drawers for a hoodie to wear. She huffed as most of her warm ones were still in the washing machine. Yet her brain reminded her of the black one that was hanging on the back of her door.
It was the one that Jordan gave her the night she came to Smallville. She hadn't worn it much but something told her to put it on. She felt the fabric against her pale skin, her body slowly but surely warming up as the leaves turned brown outside her window. She hated the cold sometimes, still bewildered at how cold she was in Kansas compared to everyone else.
She grabbed her phone out of the charger, her eyes finding the folded piece of paper in her phone case. She sighed before walking out of her room.
She smiled at Sienna as her aunt closed a brown lunch bag for her. "How's the super-hearing?" She asked, fixing her shoe at the same time. "Okay, just a raging headache" Emma shrugged, having no energy at this hour of the morning. Sienna nodded, before taking out another test tube bottle.
Emma groaned at the sight. "Why can't I give this to Jordan? He's really struggling and I'm completely fine" She asked Sienna, still frustrated with this situation. "You are an Alor, which means on Krypton you would have had enhanced hearing anyways. If I gave this to Jordan it may make things worse" Sienna explained to Emma simply. Emma only huffed and rolled her eyes muttering under her breath.
She felt awful that she had a scapegoat for her superhearing and Jordan was suffering. She hated the feeling in her gut that stabbed her with guilt and sympathy. Sienna brought the girl close, knowing that physical touch, especially hugs, helped her calm down.
Yet, Emma's body froze almost instantly, not used to hugging the woman who was her biological aunt. She usually loves hugs from anyone really but it was different with Sienna. Maybe it was Emma's irrational fear of her own mother or the feeling of betrayal. But Emma still hadn't felt comfortable in touch with Sienna yet.
"He's gonna be fine Emma, this isn't your fault" Sienna told her. Emma however silently disagreed. It was her fault, kinda. She decided to be stupid and not tell anyone about how Jordan was supposed to break Jon's wrist and then ended up getting the worse injury from trying to stop him. The only good thing that came from it was that Emma had dislocated Cutter's jaw which made her happy.
<><><>
As Sienna pulled up to the school, Clark and Jon had also done the same. Emma was quick to leave the car and march over to the red truck. Jon tried to catch the girl for a conversation, quickly thrown off guard by her lack of plaster Paris-wrapped arm. Emma jumped into the free seat next to a stunned Clark and slammed the door.
"Jordan okay?" Emma asked him.
Clark nodded passively at her presence, hoping the blue-haired girl didn't explode in his truck. "He's okay...just a little rattled" Clark answered carefully under Emma's death glare. He swore she could rival Lois if she tried. "I'm fifteen, not five Clark... holding back the truth is a major factor in my trust issues" Emma huffed at him angrily.
"Good morning to you too Emma" Clark dropped his shoulders.
Emma glared at him. "I've survived being semi-raised by a drug addict who turned out to be an advanced Kryptonian from a family I didn't even know existed until a couple of weeks ago...Sorry I'm not in the mood for an idle chat" Emma rolled her eyes at him.
"He's fine... Jordan just needs to adjust and learn to focus on his hearing. It takes time" Clark told her before taking a double take at her. "How are you holding up so well?" He asked her. "Some serum thing that Sienna's been giving me. Alors are supposed to have the advanced hearing. Keeps the edge off and before you ask, she said that Jordan couldn't have it because it was only made for Alors and could make things worse for him" Emma deadpanned before going to leave the truck.
She hesitated for a moment before turning back to Clark. "J– Just tell Jordan I'm sorry" She bit her lip before leaving the truck.
<><><>
Jon ran up to Emma, a small smile on his face. "Hey, where have you been all day fangirl?" He asked stopping at her locker. Emma gave him a half-assed smile, "Oh you know brooding in a dark corner trying to ignore baby cries" She shrugged, gently closing her locker. "How's the arm?" She asked steering the conversation onto him as quickly as possible.
"Annoying and totally frustrating to the point I might just chop it off" Jon huffed before Emma began to walk off. "Emma, you okay? You seem sad" Jon noticed, walking up beside her. Emma shrugged, not really sure how to answer him. She was pissed that she was getting off easy while Jordan was at the farm in pain. "It's not fair" She sighed angrily, clutching her binder tightly. "What's not fair?" Jon asked, seeing her knuckles turn white. "I'm here, not in pain and controlling it while Jordan's in pain. Why should I get the easy way out with this stupid serum? I'm not a good person, I deserve the pain, all of the pain that comes with this not Jordan" Emma spat out, her gut turning at the thoughts of Jordan in pain.
Jon wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a side hug. "Hey, Jordan's gonna get through this, okay? Look, it's not your fault that we're not... normal and it's definitely not your fault that you got an easy way out. You need to stop blaming yourself Emma, it won't do you anything" Jon tried to reassure his only friend, only gaining a mumble in response. He sounded like her Jonathan, her Jon Jon. It scared her if she got too close to him. Mal would do anything to get rid of it, and unlike most villains, her mother would go with the harshest way possible.
Emma moved away from him, not saying a word. "I really need to see Sienna, gotta take my 'meds' see ya around Jonathan" Emma said with a tight smile as they approached Sienna's office. Jon was confused by her sudden excuse. Did he say the wrong thing? "Emma, you okay you–" Before Jon could finish the school bell rang loudly.
Instantly Emma had clutched her hands over her ears, feeling her head hurt like a sledgehammer to a brick wall. "Emma! Shit!" Jon panicked, grabbing her by her shoulders and guiding her into Sienna's office.
He placed Emma near a wall as she slid down in pain. Sienna was fast to intervene, grabbing the serum and running to her niece. She helped Emma take it, the effects coming slowly with the bell no longer ringing in their ears. Jon placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping it might soothe her. Emma slapped his hand away. "Stop! Your not him. You'll never replace my Jonathan" She spat, tears spilling from her eyes. Both Sienna and Jon were taken aback.
<><><>
Sienna placed a steaming cup of tea on her desk. Emma sat with her knees to her chest, still recovering from her hearing. She felt so bad for what she had said to Jon. It just came out. One minute she was in agony the next she was telling her only friend that he can't replace her best friend from a world her mother destroyed supposedly. "It's normal to lash out Emma, you came here without any choice. You're still adjusting and it's okay" Sienna tried to reassure her young niece. Emma only broke down more.
"I'm a horrible person" Emma sobbed into her knees. "He's my best friend, the only one who kinda gets what I'm going through. I just compared him to Jon Jon, my dead cousin" Emma shook her head in guilt. "We don't know if your world is gone" Sienna reminded her only to earn a red-eyed glare from Emma. "Just talk to him and apologise, if he truly is your best friend then he'll understand" Sienna advised her as the bell rang again for her lunch period. Thankfully it didn't affect Emma as much as the last three.
Emma ran to the football field, knowing Jon would be on the bench looking over the plays. She spotted him on the bleachers, his cast sticking out like a sore thumb. "Jon?" She asked, tapping his shoulder carefully. The blonde boy turned his head to face her. "Can we talk?" Emma asked him. He nodded before running over to Coach Gaines. After a few words were exchanged, Jon jogged back over to her. "Wanna get a bite?" He asked her. A small smile on her face formed as she nodded.
The pair walked in an awkward silence back into the school. Emma was tearing the skin near her fingernails, the blood staining them. Jon tapped his uninjured hand against his cast before clearing his throat. "I thought that serum shit was supposed to stop the hearing from hurting?" He asked, trying to start the conversation.
Emma shrugged, "No, it's supposed to help my brain adjust. Like a computer programme. Once you have the software, everything else is simple. The serum is the programme, its software is changing my brain's hearing process so that when it's all gone, it will be easier to focus on one sound than all of them at once" Emma explained to him with the same answer Sienna gave her. He nodded, the metaphor making sense somehow.
"I'm sorry" Emma added, stopping her walk and turning to face Jon. "I... You remind me so much of Jon Jon and I miss him so much. And when I found out about Mal being here... I don't want anyone to die because of me. Not Jordan, you, Lois hell even Clark and Sienna" Emma's words flew out, the fear clear in her tone and eyes. Jon only let a small smile out. "Emma, it's okay. I figured that finding out the... secret was gonna be hard for you. Especially when all this was fake for you back home" Jon swung his arm around her shoulder, causing her to walk with him.
Emma quickly wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him tightly. "I forgive... you really love hugs, huh?" Jon let out a laugh. Emma pulled back, "I didn't get many as a kid. I promised myself I'd never let Antony or Sophie ever feel like I did. So I always gave them a hug and a kiss on the cheek every day as many times as I could get away with" Emma explained to him. "Isn't your brother like thirteen?" Jon asked her. "Yep, so I threatened to limit his screen time with his Xbox" Emma smirked as they entered the cafeteria.
"You're my best friend Jon, seriously I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you" Emma told him, being serious in her words. Jon faked a gasp, "Me? Your best friend? I feel like I won an award" He mockingly placed a hand over his heart. "Watch it Kent, I'll break the other arm if you're not careful" Emma shoved him gently, the pair erupting into a fit of laughs.
With a bag of chocolate bites in her hand, Emma and Jon left the overcrowded room to the less overcrowded halls. "As your best friend I have a question" Jon announced. "Shoot" Emma managed to reply with her mouth filled with chocolate. "What the fuck is going on with you Jordan?" Emma began choking at his question. "What!?" She choked out, her throat now a bit sore from her chocolate choke. "Cause Ross and Rachel's relationship makes more sense than whatever is going on between you two" He exaggerated with his hands and cast flying everywhere. "We kissed" Emma mumbled.
"What! When! Why wasn't I told this!" Jon exclaimed before Emma hit his side. "Keep it down, I don't think my mother heard you" Emma hissed at him. "Sorry" He whispered, ducking his head down. "So why aren't you two...together?" Jon asked her as he failed to wiggle his eyebrows. "What part of my mother kills anyone I get close to didn't register in your brain?" Emma asked him back. "Right, psycho-mom. Why can't you just take the risk? I know there's usually murder but, isn't dating the person you actually want to be with, be worth it" Jon shrugged.
Emma stayed quiet which frightened Jon to a certain extent. "Emma? You good?" He asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. She didn't react, the sounds of panting overtaking her ears for a moment. Jon watched as she opened her phone, speeding away from his side. She opened her contacts finding Jordan very quickly.
With the phone to her ear, the dial tones lasted longer than she hoped. With eh pickup sound she immediately heard the panting more vividly than before. "Listen to me... just breathe and listen to my voice. You're okay Jord, just listen to the sound of my voice and ignore everything else. Listen to the way I pronounce my t's. Tree. Three. Trees. Thirteen." Emma instructed him gently, her heart pounding.
Back at the Kent farm, a hole was made in Jordan's wall. His fist was covered in dust as he held his phone to his ear. Emma's gentle voice echoed softly in his ears as a steady enough heartbeat overlaid. It was Emma's heartbeat.
"Jord. Please talk to me" Emma whispered, making Jordan realise how long he had been listening to her. "I'm here. I'm okay" He answered, listening to Emma's sigh of relief. He felt his knuckles tighten with the thoughts of what he heard previous to her call. "I'll be over for my free class, okay" Emma sounded a bit on edge at the end, like she wanted to say more than that.
Emma wanted to say 'love you' as she did with everyone she truly cared about. Yet the lingering thoughts of what it might cause stopped her. "K, see you soon" Jordan answered back before hanging up the call.
<><><>
The only thing about high school that Emma liked was her free class. She was allowed to leave the school early at the end of the day because she had a free period as the others called it. She strolled down the empty road to the Kent farm with music in her ears.
She walked into the house, closing her door gently in case she agitated Jordan's hearing. She quickly scanned the living room, kitchen and dining room for him before heading upstairs. His bedroom door was open slightly. Emma tapped the wood softly before placing a foot in the room. She eventually saw Jordan sitting with his head in his hands, eyes shut tightly. She noticed the hole in his wall which made her gulp.
"Jords? You good?" Emma whispered, taking a step towards him. Jordan looked up at her, his eyes were red from tears. He nodded slowly as he took his hands away from his head. Emma was quick to lunge towards him, hugging at tight as possible. "This is all my fault Jord. I'm so sorry" Emma cracked, her voice almost a whisper.
"What? Emma, what are talking about?" Jordan asked, holding her gently in front of him. "I knew that Cutter was gonna piss you off. That you would break Jon's arm. I.. Thought if I stopped it then only I would get hurt" Emma had to stop herself, tears began streaming down her eyes. "I'm so sorry Jordan... I'm sorry" Emma sobbed harder, backing away from Jordan subconsciously.
It was silent apart from Emma's violent sobs. Jordan placed his hand on her cheek, using his free one to wipe her tears. "I knew Em" Jordan told her, making Emma look at him like he had three heads. "Wha– How?" Emma stuttered out, confused as to how he knew. "You stutter when you lie or hold something back. When Dad asked f if there was anything else to look out for you stuttered" Jordan explained to her. Emma looked at him with wide eyes. She didn't even know that about herself. "You noticed that? I didn't even know I did that" Emma gasped.
Jordan could only shrug at her. "I forgive you. I know you were only trying to help in your own way" Jordan hoped to calm her. "You knew... and you're not mad at me, at all" Emma broke down the information, still finding it hard to grasp. "Why would I be mad?" Jordan asked her. He was confused, everyone made mistakes. He broke Jon's arm, sure his twin was pissed but in the end, they were still brothers and they loved each other. He remembers when Jon would leave him alone at lunch, the bullies would attack him until he resorted to eating in the bathroom alone. And yet, his brother would always stick up for him.
"You aren't angry at me for hiding this? Anyone else would be furious with me! Why can't you be angry at me Jordan!" Emma snapped, jumping from the bed away from Jordan. "I don't know! I just can't be mad at you" Jordan told her, confused as to why Emma wanted him to be angry with her.
Emma clenched her fists, her head pounding as she heard multiple noises at once. She was losing control of her hearing. The feeling of blood dripping down the sides of her head was noticeable to Jordan. "Em, you're bleeding" Jordan gasped, coming closer to her. Emma gritted her teeth. "Why can't you be angry with me!" She forced out.
"Because I'm falling in love with you!"
There was silence. Emma looked up at Jordan with her eyes glowing blue. She took a step back. She didn't hear multiple noises, only the steady beats of two hearts. Jordan's and her own. "What" She whispered cautiously, looking at him like a deer in headlights. "I can't be angry with you because I'm falling in love with you Emma. You can't be angry at someone you love" Jordan repeated, his own grey eyes looking at her with adoration and care. Emma gulped slightly, walking backwards to the door. "Don't do that to yourself" Emma told him before taking the opportunity to run down the stairs and out of the Kent farm.
Leaving Jordan to scold himself for admitting his feelings for a girl who wanted him safe.
<><><>
Sienna Clarks walked past a rusted gate door, feeling nostalgic about the path she took. Many trees towered over her as she took in the scenery of nature. She loved Earth's natural plant life compared to the artificial feel of Krypton.
She followed the youngest plant life, trees that were less than half the size of the others. This was where she and Mal landed forty years ago. Just near a small river that flowed to the reservoir. She could still remember feeling the sun on her skin for the first time.
"This is probably the only thing I like on this dreadful planet"
Sienna turned around to see her little sister standing on the bridge. She walked up to her, hands in her pockets. "You're trespassing Mal" Sienna warned her lazily. Mal rolled her eyes at the darker-haired sister. "They wouldn't remember it anyways" She scoffed at her. "Your powers don't work on me little one" Sienna mused before taking out the dark purple dagger from her pocket. A green glow emitted from the inside, making Mal smirk.
"You kept it" She stated plainly, looking out onto the river. "It shouldn't have affected her. Green Kryptonite is useless to our bloodline" Sienna told he sister, concerned about what she did to her own daughter. "Do you know what happens when a Black Mercy dies? It shrivel up like a dying plant" Mal began walking around her sister. "Yet no one ever tries to recreate the power they hold. You see Shara, the petals of a Black Mercy still work even when it's died" Mal chuckled seeing her sister piece together a conclusion in her mind.
"You soaked Kryptonite in the poison of a Black Mercy? There's one on this planet?" Sienna questions like she didn't know the answer. Mal shrugged at her sister. "Black Mercy's aren't wild creatures, they need targets. To know of a target, they need blood" Mall continued her explanation of the species. Sienna's eyes widened in fear.
"Mal! What have you done!" She demanded, her eyes glowing red. Mal simply laughed off her sister's protectiveness. "I think you know sister, only you won't be there to save young Elrisia" Mal's eyes glowed dark green as the ground began to shake underneath them.
<><><>
The sun had set when Emma ran back to Sienna's, her breaths laboured as she opened the front door. Her face was red, hot tears streaming down her face. She couldn't think straight, the only thought in her mind is what her mother would do to Jordan. She didn't notice her new home being practically lifeless as she walked into the kitchen.
She felt her stomach drop, the atmosphere in the house freaking her out. She passed a mirror, almost missing what she saw. Her eyes were glowing blue, and a dot under the
corner of each eye began to do the same. She felt burning on the back of her hands. On her right, the house of El crest glowed brightly in blue. Her surrounding veins also glowed around the crest. Yet on her left, a different crest illuminated.
But before she could try to figure out what crest it was, her surroundings changed completely. In a blink, she was in a warehouse-looking area with the sound of banging echoing in her ears. She turned to see a man next to an RV.
John Henry Irons.
Snapping out of the weird vision Emma scrambled for her phone. She needed to call Lois and Clark. "Fuck!" Emma screamed, realising she left her phone in her bag, which she left in Jordan's room. Emma heard a car pull up and ran to the door, believing it was Sienna. By the time she scrambled her way to the main hall, the door was closed.
Emma felt her entire body freeze. Her eyes darkened as a dim red glow emerged. "Put the lasers away, daughter. There is much we need to discuss" Mal tutted, walking towards Emma. Mal raised her hand to Emma's cheek. She gently caressed it, making Emma want to vomit her heart and soul up. Then with a swing, Mal lifted her hand and smacked Emma's cheek. She fell to the floor from the force, coughing violently.
"That...was for every single mistake you have made since you got here" Mal smiled before walking over Emma's shaking body. Emma knew that even if she tried, there was no way that she was gonna make it to the front door. "Come on! Elrisia we don't have all day" Mal called back like it was nothing. Emma picked herself up from the floor and carefully walked into the kitchen.
She watched as her mother sat by the countertop, leg over her knee with her arms crossed. "What do you want?" Emma asked her, trying to keep herself calm. "If you think I'm going to reveal my ultimate plan then you might as well tell the world Clark's secret" Mal smirked at her daughter. Emma glared at her, the anger bubbling up inside of her. "What have you done with Sienna?" Emma asked, noticing a pen and paper near her. "She's...a little busy at the moment" Mal shrugged, knowing exactly what she was doing.
Emma clenched her fist, taking a deep breath. "What do you want mother? You obviously didn't come here to play meaningless mind games" Emma asked her once more. Mal scoffed at her daughter. "Mind games are never meaningless Elrisia" She waved off. "My name is Emma" Emma gritted her teeth, feeling the sting of her cheek more intensely. "Emma, Elrisia, same thing. Anyways I've come to let you know a small fact" Mal mused, getting up from the stool she sat on.
She walked closer to her daughter, her eyes glowing green. She placed her hands on either shoulder and held onto Emma as tightly as humanly possible. She didn't like the sound of bones breaking simultaneously.
"You will lose. You will never see your little 'family' again. No one can stop what's coming. And something you and I both know..." Mal spat dangerously before leaning closer to Emma's ear. "You will never have Jordan Kent".
Mal pushed Emma back as a screeching sound echoed in the house. "I don't need to tell you the purpose of a Black Mercy" Mal smirked before speeding out of the small home to leave Emma to fend for herself.
<><><>
Clark and Lois waited patiently for the twins' next question about the multiverse. They had learned the basics from Emma when she first arrived but she didn't explain the whole concept of Crisis or timelines thankfully. As Jordan and Jon tried to think up a new question, the sound of a large crash shook the house.
Clark was the first to reach the source, with Lois and the boys following in from behind. On the floor of his home, Sienna failed to hold herself up. Her clothes were dishevelled and her hair a mess. A simple knife was lodged in her side, the veins surrounding it glowing a yellow colour against the dark red blood.
"Sienna!" Clark gasped, quick to help the older Kryptonian up. "You... need to find her" Sienna gasped as Clark took out the knife. "Find who?" Lois asked her. "My sister... she's after Emma" Sienna managed before passing out, falling limp in Clark's arms.
Clark used his powers to place Sienna on the couch before flying off to her house. He broke the door coming in, finding the house in ruins. Smashed vases on the floor, broken picture frames and shards of glass were his path. He walked into the lichen, the smell of blood hitting his senses. He noticed Emma's bright red Flash-inspired converse on the floor. He ran over to see Emma, back landed on the hardwood floor a notepad and pen near her unconscious body. A weird plant-like creature sat upon her chest, pink tentacles wrapping around her chest.
After walking out of the Barbie movie you can either hope the world turns pink and you suddenly want to compliment every woman you come across OR you have an existential crisis
'I didn't know you were something I could need
Until you, until you loved my everything
The good, the bad, the in between, all of me
I was fine before you kissed me on the forehead
Held me 'til the mornin', never imagined
Emma tries to control her feelings for Jordan. But with trouble on the horizon and plans in motion, will Emma let him in? Or try to push him further away?
playlist:
+ 1 step forward, 3 steps back- olivia rodrigo
+ fighting for me - riley clemmons
+haunted (taylor's version)- taylor swift
+infinity - mary desmond
+how dare you - brynn elliot
+take me home - us the duo
+something just like this - missy & blonde, julia ross
+ please don't say you love me - gabrielle aplin
+ that way - tate mcrae
+i didn't know - sofia carson
guest starring...
-adam rayner as morgan edge / tal-rho
-wolé parks as john henry irons
-stacey farber as leslie larr
-dylan walsh as general sam lane
-monica bellucci as naeza alor
table of contents:
-07: you didn't say anything?-
-08: listen to my voice-
-09: i don't wanna be afraid anymore-
-10: you're not alone john -
-11: meet my friend, mal-
-12: everyone that i love die-
-13: the alor protector-
'The saddest thing about betrayal is, that it never comes from your enemies, it comes from those you trust the most'
-Unknown
Emma opened the door, still dressed in her lazy panda pyjamas and her hair in a lopsided bun. "Who in their right mind is here at— Jordan?" She halted with a yawn, raising her eyebrow at him. Jordan only gave her a cute shrug before holding up a black guitar case.
Emma made an 'oh' face before smiling at Jordan. "How the hell did I leave without my guitar?" Emma shook her head before taking the heavy instrument off Jordan. "I have no idea" Jordan answered with a small chuckle. He bounced on his heels before speaking again. "Also my Dad wants to know if you need a ride to Metropolis for the game" He added.
Emma placed a hand on her hip, rolling her eyes playfully. Jordan could have easily just texted her all this but he went out of his way to tell her in person. "Yeah, Sienna needs to stay here anyways, but if I have to share a motel room with anyone on the team I'm making my own way back" Emma told him honestly, getting an actual laugh from him.
"Don't worry, Dad picked out two rooms that are connected. But I should warn you he snores, like really bad I don't know how my Mom can sleep sometimes" Jordan faux whispered. Emma scrunched up her nose before snorting out a laugh. "I think I'll survive" She smirked at him before a weird and awkward feeling settled in.
"See you tomorrow?" Emma asked. Jordan nodded before bidding goodbye. Emma shook her head at him before closing the door. After setting down her guitar, Emma could feel her eyes burn.
Quickly she supported herself against the door, her mind clouded by her powers. She could see Jordan and a blur knocking him into the forest. Then the same blur, which seemed to be phasing like a speedster stopped.
Tag Harris.
<;><><>
Emma walked quickly into the school building, her head pounding at the sounds of lockers shutting and people chattering around her. She kept her eye out for Jordan, trying to find him as quickly as possible.
She quickly found him at his locker, Jon beside him with his bag over his shoulder. Emma brushed past him, grabbing Jordan's face by his chin. "Are you okay? Did he catch Tag? How bad does it hurt?" She asked rapidly, examining the bruising on his face. Jordan was about to answer when the school bell rang.
Both of them covered their ears at the high-pitched bell, feeling their entire bodies ache at the pain. They were so absorbed in their pain that neither noticed Jon pulling them into the nearest bathroom.
Emma gripped herself on the nearest sink, trying to regulate her breathing as she looked at her reflection. Her eyes were a neon blue, the burn becoming so familiar. She looked down at her right hand, noticing a faint glow on the back of her hand.
She looked behind her to see Jon calming Jordan down, worried about his twin brother. "Hey. Hey. What the hell was that?" Jon asked them both, looking back and forth. Emma only shrugged her shoulders, still unsure of what was happening to them. "I thought you were supposed to be an expert on this?" Jon asked her with a little temper. "I found out I was half Kryptonian less than two weeks ago, besides my Mam scrambled with my memories, my knowledge is quite limited, remember?" She reminded him, slightly annoyed. Jon only sighed, giving her a quick apology.
"Okay, that is not...that is not a panic attack" Jon moved his gaze to Jordan, who was standing up from the ground. "It's my head. Since Tag jumped me, I've been hearing this really loud high-pitched noise" Jordan admitted a little reluctantly. "Same since I woke up, couldn't even listen to music on the way here" Emma huffed, she could be very short-fused when she hasn't listened to her music.
"Jordan, if this has to do with your superpowers, then you need to tell Dad. You might need to go to the fortress to figure out what's wrong" Jon suggested, wanting to make sure his brother and friend were okay. "Jon, we can't tell Dad, all right?" Jordan pleaded with his twin. "Jordan, you need to tell him" Jon insisted, worried for his brother's wellbeing. "Look, if we tell Dad, he won't let me play football tomorrow" Jordan tried to reason with him. "Jordan" Jon hopelessly sighed, understanding his intentions. "Jon, let me have this. Those Metropolis guys–Woodrum, Cutter, Campana– they've made my life hell. Just let me shut them up, just this once" He asked, practically begging his brother.
Emma couldn't object to his pleas. She understood where he was coming from. There were plenty of boys back home who she proved wrong after they tormented her for being the only girl. Plus bullies were a load of pussies most of the time.
"Fine, but if anything happens we tell Dad, okay?" He held his hand out. Jordan shook it before quickly hugging his brother, muttering a million thank yous.
<;><><>
Emma walked down into the bunker of the farmhouse, curious as to why Clark wanted her there. She noticed a big tree log with many fit imprints. "Um, right foot back. Put your hand up like a fist. Curl your thumb. Bring it back. Transfer the weight. Follow through" Clark demonstrated for Jordan, showing him where to punch. "Are you setting him up for failure?" Emma gasped in horror, running over to them.
She turned to Jordan after giving Clark a disgusted look. "No, you need to put your dominant hand in a fist, close to your face, but not too close. Then have your other hand in front of your mouth in case you need to block. Now make sure your shoulders are wide and turn your body ever so slightly. Keep your stance and make sure there's room for you to actually punch the wood when you lift all your weight into your swing" Emma demonstrated to Jordan, showing exactly what to do. She smiled at his correct stand before looking at Clark mischievously. Taking advantage of her position, Emma punched the wood perfectly and was more focused than what Clark was teaching Jordan. "Don't listen to Stupidman, I have way more experience punching people without using all my strength" Emma smirked while Jordan looked at her in awe.
"You have experience?" Jon asked, more curious about her wording than anything. Emma nodded at him. "My brother was an All-Ireland boxing champion and was in the Irish Army, he taught me a few things" Emma gave a perfectly valid reason.
"Plus... I used to beat up kids twice my size for bullying younger kids. Experience" Emma added innocently at the end, feeling Clark's gaze on her.
"Okay" Jordan gulped, still nervous that he'll break the wood in half or his hand. "Jordan... imagine–imagine this big log is Cutter's face. He's just laughing at you. Pop him. You got it" Jon encouraged him colourfully, with an enthusiastic nod from Emma. Clark gave the pair a disapproving look.
"Come on, believe you can do this, and you will. You're stronger than you think you are. You got it" Clark reassured him before Jordan fixed his stance. "Now" Clark lengthened out before Jordan punched the wood successfully. "Yes! Yes! Yo, that's what I'm talking about!" Jon exclaimed, jumping up and down. Emma ghosted her fingers over the imprint next to hers, a huge smile forming on her face. "Sick! You did it, holy shit look at that clean print!" She gasped, looping her arms around Jordan's shoulders in excitement. " I knew you could do it" She smiled, resting her shin on his shoulder. She could see his smile widen as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Do it again! Come one!" Jon interrupted them, wanting to see his brother in action again. Emma patted his back, pushing him gently towards the log.
<;><><>
Emma bounced her knee up and down, waiting for Clark to come and pick her up for the game. She had her hair in a half-up half-down style with two strands framing her face. Her cheek adorned the Smallville Crows colours with two strips on each cheek. Her bag sat next to her packed while she aimlessly scrolled through TikTok.
"You sure you should be going to Metropolis?" Sienna asked her, with her arms crossed. Emma rolled her eyes at her. "Why not? It's not like I'm putting anyone in danger" Emma answered in a bored tone. "You're putting yourself in danger, Tag is out there" Sienna argued back with the fifteen-year-old.
Emma scoffed at Sienna, standing up quickly. "Now you care about my safety? Could have used that for the past fifteen years of my life" She shot back at Sienna. The Alor was shocked at the response. "How?" She asked, lost for words to prove Emma wrong.
Emma tossed the USB stick her mother gave her a few weeks prior, finally having the courage to open it. "I was terrified to see what was on that, but now... I'm furious" Emma spat before a car honk filled the tense silence. "Maybe tomorrow you can tell me the actual truth" Emma hissed before leaving her mother's sister in utter shock.
She hopped in the backseat, changing her anger into excitement before any of the boys could notice. "Good to go?" Clark asked, looking back at Emma and Jordan before he looked next to him at Jon. "You know it. I can't believe I actually get to go to Metropolis!" Emma squealed as Clark started up the car to start their long journey.
"Of course, it's nowhere compared to Central City..."
<;><><>
Emma sat in the front row of the bleachers, aimlessly looking out onto the field. They were in the fourth quarter of the game and she had no idea what was going on. She decided to get some water from the cooler behind the bleachers to have something to do. She was about to open the blue and white box when she felt her eyes burning blue. She quickly did her best to hide, running into the school building.
Flashes raced in her mind, screams echoing in her ears as she could see Jordan in distress. She took a moment to calm down, remembering the breathing exercises that Sienna had given her. She felt a pang of betrayal as she thought of her newly found aunt. Why did she allow her life to be so terrifying? But Emma didn't dwell further before lifting herself from the cold floor.
She needed to warn Clark and fast. She ran back to the game, her eyes searching for Clark and Jon. She heard the whistle as she found the alien, running to him quickly. "Clark!" Emma shouted, panting as she stopped abruptly. "Jordan... powers...I had a vision...quickly!" Emma gasped, looking up to see Cutter taunting Jordan on the field egging him on for a fight.
But she was too late, Jordan had collapsed on the field in agony. Clark was the first to run to him, Emma not too far behind. Clark skidded to Jordan, his eyes scanning his son. "Jordan!" Emma gasped, falling next to his knees, taking his hand in hers. Emma looked around the field before looking at Clark. "Put your hands in front of his eyes" Emma told him, adjusting his hat to cover his face. Emma gently caressed Jordan's hand.
"Jord, I need you to stop holding back" She told him, earning a confused look from his father. "I can't" Jordan hissed, the pain in his head becoming too much. Emma felt her eyes prick with tears. "Just let go, I promise you it's gonna be okay" Emma reassured him before his eyes filled with red.
Jordan clutched Emma's hand tightly as he released the pent-up energy, the ocular rays burning into Clark's palms. Emma could feel her hand shaking as Jordan's grip loosened as the laser vision had died down. Emma let out a sigh of relief, resting her head on Jordan's shoulder. She still held his hand, ignoring her pain to comfort him.
She looked at Clark, her face unreadable to him. "Is that everything?" He asked her, hoping that he didn't encounter any more surprises. Emma nodded gently before helping Jordan off the field. "L-let's get you both some ice" She smiled quickly, walking with Jordan back into the high school.
She didn't notice the side glance from Jordan as she tried to hide her hand from his view. But Jordan knew one thing for certain. Emma was hiding something.
<;><><>
Emma sat next to Jordan in the motel room, an ice pack in her hand. Jordan was lying down on the bed, a hand over his head from the lights. Emma was no different, she was wearing her glasses since they were supposed to help her with headaches and her sight.
Clark was still fuming with anger when he asked the pair if they were alright. "For the hundredth time, we're fine" Jordan groaned at his father. Emma didn't feel like talking, holding her knees to her chest as her headache slowly got worse.
"No, you're not" Clark stated firmly. "You just detonated like a bomb in the middle of a high school football game in front of a crowd full of people" Clark reminded Jordan, pacing back and forth. Emma felt his steps echo in her head like the Shandon Bells from her childhood.
"I could have controlled it, all right? I just let it go 'cause you were there" Jordan scoffed at Clark, too drained to be arguing with him. "Yeah, but what if I wasn't?" Clark asked him, folding his arms. "Jordan, sit up and look at me" Clark told his son, rolling his eyes. Jordan groaned before sitting up next to Emma's feet. "Do you understand how dangerous this could be? Tell me exactly what happened. Were there–were there any symptoms, any signs, something that would have made you think that this was coming?" Clark questioned him, trying to find the cause of the outburst.
Jordan sighed, "Look, Dad, you're thinking about this too much. I just–I had a moment, all right?" He lied to Clark's face. Emma could feel the uncertainty from Clark as he looked at Jordan. "Jordan... that's not 100% true" Jon spoke up, his voice breaking the angry tension. "Jon" Jordan weakly sighed, knowing that there was no way for him to lie his way out.
"What? Jordan, he needs to know" Jon pointed out to Jordan. "Look, the first time that he had one of these episodes or whatever, I mean, it stopped. It seemed fine" He elaborated on the topic at hand. "The first time?" Clark fumed, sending a pointed look at his other son. "I had a migraine at school. It wasn't a big deal" Jordan admitted, brushing off the event like dust on a shelf.
"And you didn't tell me?" Clark stated, feeling his patience wearing thin. "I didn't tell you 'cause I knew you'd overreact. I knew you'd stop me from playing the game" Jordan snapped, unaware his volume had caused Emma to clutch her hair. "Yeah! And I would have been right!" Clark shouted at him, upset at his son's disconcern for the secret that keeps them all safe.
"So I'm just supposed to be punished for something that isn't my fault? This was my shit, Dad. This was my chance to show the d-bags at Metropolis who I am. You remember how they treated me, right?" Jordan looked Clark in the eyes, the fear and horror he endured reflected in them. "Jordan, I know. I know. And I get it, okay? I know what it's like to be picked on'' Clark sympathises with Jordan.
"Yeah, but you get to grow up, and you get to be Superman!" Jordan snapped at him. Clark took a deep breath, trying to ready himself for Jordan's next statement no matter how cruelly true it may be. "Who am I? I'm a weird kid with headaches. I just–I wanted to be good at something–that was all '' Jordan whimpered, the feeling of being weak and powerless becoming all too familiar with him as he tried not to cry. "That's not what your powers are for. Jordan–" Clark tried to explain before Jordan cut him off.
"Dad, I'm not you, okay?" He reminded him, wanting his father to see him as Jordan, not the boy he was years ago. Clark went to answer but his phone rang. Clark stepped away, talking to Lana on the phone.
Jordan looked at his brother, upset that he outed his problem. But Jon couldn't focus on that, his eyes trained behind his brother. Emma had curled into herself, hands clamped over her ears, tugging at her hair. She didn't move, the only sounds coming from her were her breaths and the mumble of counting to try and calm her down.
She looked up, the neon blue of her eyes no longer burning her as they glowed. "Tag...he has Sarah" Emma whispered, her voice shaky as the veins on her right arm glowed the same as her eyes. They connected to the back of her palm before disappearing as Clark left in a rush.
<><><>
Emma had bandaged her hand in the room she was sharing with Clark. She didn't want Jordan to feel any more crappy than he already did. Her hand was healing fast, but with her luck, it wouldn't be for long.
Knock! Knock!
Emma jumped at the sound, her head feeling as if she asked Clark to punch her. "Two minutes!" She called from behind her before shoving the first aid bag under the bed.
She opened it to see Jordan, his eyes trained on the floor. "Jon's gone to get some snacks. I just wanted to... check up on you" His eyes moved from the floor to the pristine white on her red and purple hand. Emma quickly pulled the sleeve of her jumper over her hand.
She nodded, "I'm fine, how are you though?" She asked Jordan. He only shrugged. "I feel like I let everyone down. Coach, the team, my dad... everyone!" He scolded himself. Emma was taken aback by the harsh tone in his voice. She pushed him away from her at arm's length, her hands gently gripping Jordan's shoulders. "You haven't let anyone down!" Emma exclaimed at him.
"We are fifteen Jord! Sure we have questionable genetics but that doesn't mean we are responsible for everyone else's expectations. So your Dad is Superman, and that's his calling. You don't need to be like him just because you both have powers..." Emma trailed off as she began to register the words she was gonna say next.
"You have to find a way to be you with them, not him" She sighed, her arms deflating to her sides. Emma quickly tried to mask her emotions, going to wipe Jordan's tear-stained face from pure habit. Jordan quickly caught her hands gently, looking at her with a slack-jawed expression. Emma noticed his shoulders were no longer tense, and the redness in his face had died down slightly as his eyes seemed to bore into her. But she wasn't the only one whose body language had shifted.
He watched how her eyes seemed to immediately build walls as she spoke, her words being too familiar on her lips as she spoke. Jordan watched as she hid her reaction as she realised that he wasn't the only one with high expectations created by him and others.
"How... How have you stayed strong through all of it?" He whispered, gently lowering her hands from his face. Emma looked at him bug-eyed, completely at a loss for words. She tried to think of a quick and non-complicated answer before he got suspicious yet her mouth was dry.
Has she been strong? Or was she trying to fool herself into thinking that she was gonna be like Martha? Emma liked to believe she didn't care about other expectations or opinions but was it just that, a belief she conjured up for herself? Should she be telling her own crush to be true to himself with his own abilities when Emma herself can't even take her advice?
Or is she terrified of becoming her mother and uses that fear to allow a false sense of self-actualisation?
Jordan took her silence as an answer, wrapping his arms around Emma's shoulders. Emma silently embraced him back, her head resting just on his collarbone. "I'm not strong Jord... I only pretend to be so no one questions who I am but... I don't think I know who I am either" She admitted quietly, not moving her position.
"That's okay" Jordan told her, summing up her recent rant towards him. "Your not alone in this" He added, deciding to rest his chin on her head. "We'll do it together"
<;><><>
Emma laid down on a bed, a bag of Doritos on her stomach as she gladly ate them with one ear-blasting music and the other listening to the twins trying to find out what Clark was up to. "Nothing about Dad on the news" Jon spoke up causing Jordan to toss his phone towards Emma. "Can't find anything on the Internet either" He answered his brother. Jon sat on a chair, exhausted from the events that happened today. "Jordan you're n–you're not, like, mad at me, are you?" He asked his brother. "Nah. I'm just a little tired of being told what to do. That's all" Jordan shrugged, forgiving his brother. Emma scoffed at the last part, "We all are" She told him, a burst of short laughter erupting between them.
Before anyone could continue the loud sounds of people cheering and then pounding on the door. Emma groaned at the sounds, "One you tell them to fuck off" She begged to turn on her stomach. The twins rolled their eyes at her antics before Jon stood up to open the door.
"Come on, man, open up!" a boy shouted from the other side. "Oh great, it's the boys" Emma moaned, before screaming into her pillow. "Oh come on Irish, we know you love us" Malcolm Teague shouted before the door was open. "Call me Irish as a nickname again and I'll give you a broken nose and a pair of matching black eyes" Emma growled at him.
The sight of cheap booze caught Jon's attention quickly, " You guys celebrating?" He asked, leaning against the door frame. "You know it Kent" Mike spoke up, already a bit tipsy. "How you feeling, rock star? Better?" Jimmy asked Jordan. " I'm all right" Jordan shrugged at him.
"Good. Let's go" Malcolm announced, trying to drag Jon out of the room. "Going where?" Jon asked, pulling back from his teammate. "To pay some millennial to get us a few more sixers so we can celebrate properly" Jimmy smirked, shaking his almost empty can. "That'd be–that'd be tight, guys. But, honestly, my pops said we got to stay here, so..." Jon told them weakly. " Oh, come on!" The group moaned at him.
Jordan had gotten up from his bed, much to Jon's shock. Emma watched carefully as he walked up to his brother. "He did" Jon sighed. " All right. It's not like we're going clubbing. Liquor store's just up the street" Mike tried to convince him. Jordan swung an arm around Jon's shoulders, catching his twin off guard. "You know what? We won a big game, come on" Jordan smiled at the team while Jon had to take a double take at him. "Let's go. Come on" Jimmy cheered as Jon also gave in to the painfully clear peer pressure as well.
"You coming?" Jordan asked Emma, grabbing his coat on the bed. She sat up and gave him a universal-thinking face. "Let's see, cheap drink, a group of lads that watched me get a beating a couple of weeks ago and defying your Dad's orders?" She listed, walking closer to the door connecting the two rooms. Jordan went to tell her it was alright until Emma grabbed his football jacket with a smile. "Sounds fun" She smiled at him, noticing his cheeks burning red as she slipped on his jacket.
"Let's go fellas" She declared, walking out of the room full of confidence. As the football team gladly followed, Jon nudged his brother's side. "Are you two?" He asked raising his eyebrows at him. Jordan shook his head, "I wish" He muttered not admitting that he was liking his jacket on her a tad bit more than he'd like to admit vocally.
<;><><>
Everyone howled with laughter behind an old abandoned warehouse. Emma happily slugged her can, leaning against Jordan. One of the boys was trying to make a joke but failed miserably. Emma only shook her head, looking at Jordan quickly before a group of the boys came back. Sean walked up to her, hands behind his back.
"I... I want to apologise for the way I acted towards you" He told her quickly, holding out a medium-sized bottle of Jack Daniel's. Emma's face morphed into the human incarnation of the love-heart eye emoji as she gently took the bottle from his hands. "Ever hurt me or the twins again and they'll spend decades locating your entire body" She told him, still looking at the whiskey like it was pure gold. Jordan could hold back his laughter at her kid-like expression as she calmly threatened Sean.
Emma immediately chucked her cheap booze away, quickly opening the glass bottle. She took a moment before taking a sip of the whiskey, a wide smile on her face. "Heaven on Earth" She hummed, leaning her head on top of Jordan's. His body tensed for a moment before relaxing. Emma was a totally different person after a couple of beers.
She was more comfortable with people sitting closer to her instead of trying to keep as much distance as possible. Instead of the quick glances she'd make at Jordan, the young Alor couldn't stop staring into his grey eyes. She couldn't help it. Emma had always thought that Jordan was cute, both in her world and this one, why would it just stop now if she didn't have a thing for him?
But Emma knew that alcohol was always making her bolder and way more rebellious. She can often remember times when she does things that no one thought she'd actually do. For example, one time she decided to take a good swig of Jack Daniels before class with Mr Harris. Then when he decided to be his usually homophobic, sexist and racist self, Emma exploded at him with more confidence than Wade Wilson fighting Wolverine. Did it land her detention? Maybe. Did she go? Nope. But Mr Harris ever-so kindly decided to stop teaching Emma's third-year history and music classes.
"Your eyes" Emma mumbled, resting her chin on Jordan's shoulder. "What about them?" Jordan asked her, turning to face her. "They're grey...I always thought they were green" Emma mumbled loud enough for Jordan to hear. Jordan was slightly taken aback by her response. "Really?" He asked her. Emma gave a small nod, her chin still on his shoulder. "Yeah, but I still think they're cute" Emma smiled lazily at Jordan. Jordan could feel his cheeks heat up. "You...You think my eyes are cute?" He asked Emma, who only hummed in response.
"I thought you looked cute with your glasses on" Jordan told her, earning a large scoff from Emma. "You're only saying that my glasses make me look like a Harry Potter rip-off" Emma spat out, taking a large gulp of the now half-empty Jack Daniels. "No, they don't you look...hot" Jordan muttered under his breath, hoping Emma didn't hear him.
Lips pressed against his cheek, the strong smell of whiskey hitting his nostrils. Just as he decided to turn, Emma pulled back. Her pale cheeks were dusted with a light red as she failed to look Jordan in the eye. "No one's ever said I... I was hot before" Emma smiled at him, blue meeting grey for a split second. Jordan smiled at her too. His hand reached out to hold Emma's, their fingers ghosting each other.
"There they are... the Crows"
Emma's smile dropped as she looked at where the voice came from. "Great the Douche Patrol" Emma sneered, standing up straight like the whiskey had zero effect on her. Yet if the twins knew what she was gonna do next, they would have called Lois and Emma is lowkey scared of the woman.
"Hey, you look pretty good, Jo-Jo, for a guy who was dragged off the field" Cutter mocked him, earning glares from the entire team. Emma stood near Jordan, eyeing Cutter as he walked closer to him. Jon quickly intervened, "Yo, Cutter. Seriously, man, come on. Step off" Jon rolled his eyes at Cutter who scoffs at Jon. "Oh, are you sore about Eliza, Kent? Look, I know we used to be friends, but I guess that's over now, huh?" Cutter shrugged before noticing Emma looking at him and then at Jon.
"Yo girl, you got something to say?" Cutter spat at Emma, noticing how she was wearing a team jacket and Jordan wasn't. "Just trying to figure out how Eliza's standards dropped drastically in the span of like two weeks" Emma tilted her head. While the Crows made noises at her boldness, the twins shared a look of grave concern.
"Excuse me!" Cutter spoke harshly, walking closer to Emma. "I'm sorry did your inferiority complex get in the way?" Emma asked him, stepping closer with more confidence than Nightwing when he wore the disco costume. Cutter snarled at her, barely a step from being nose-to-nose with this girl. " No.. it might be the mommy issues? Or is it daddy issues?" Emma tapped her cheek while pretending to contemplate her own question.
"Wait correction it's both you poor sad wanna be" Emma spat at him, finally taking a step towards him and spitting in his face. While Cutter stepped back to wipe his face, Emma smirked walking back to Jordan. "Are you insane?" He asked with a wild smirk on his face. Emma shrugged at him, "Probably".
Cutter witnesses the small conversation with a cheeky smile on his lips. "What, need your little girlfriend to talk for you Jo-Jo?" Cutter taunted, realising that Jordan's number was on the sleeve of the jacket Emma was wearing. Jordan rolled his eyes, gently walking in front of Emma, silently keeping her behind him.
"So what? You came here to talk about how it feels to lose?" Jordan shot back, finally sticking it to his childhood bully. "Wow. Look who found his voice" Cutter pouted at him." Dorky kid since forever. Cried if he was breathed on" He continued to egg Jordan on, breathing on his face. "What, now you're, like, the best guy on the football team?" Cutter pointed out, causing Jordan's anger to rise. "You, uh, juicing or something there, Jo-Jo? Is that what's going on? You juicing Jo-Jo, huh?" Cutter smirked as he could see Jordan's face harden.
Jon and Emma immediately tried to step in. "Jord, let it go. He's just stupid enough to act cocky" Emma hissed at him, her heart racing as her vision was coming true. "Just let it go Jordan, Emma's right. Cutter isn't worth it" Jon agreed, stepping in front of Jordan.
But Cutter didn't quit. "Tell me the truth, Jo-Jo" Cutter spat, trying to get Jon to leave. "Let him shut me up. Right here, baby!" He announced making every pissed at him. "Cutter" Emma glared at him while Jon tried to calm Jordan down. "Come on Jo-Jo, speak! Stop letting your bitch do it for you".
Everything happened so fast. One minute Emma tried to block Jordan's punch along with Jon. She was met with the cold concrete and a numb feeling in her hand. Yet it seemed that only Jordan heard the crack. He checked on Jon, who was still on the floor in agony. But Emma stood up quickly, her veins burning as she glared at Cutter. With a swing of her left hand, Emma punched the boy right in the jaw. She watched as he fell to the floor, holding his jaw as she screamed.
Unaware of her tears falling down her face and her crooked right hand, Emma walked away from him as she hid her hand from the football team. With Jordan's support, Jon and his brother followed her. "One of you call Clark" Emma gulped, the pain in her hand finally being felt as she held her breath and bit her lip only to taste blood.
<;><><>
Emma sat on a hospital bed, staring at the blue curtains with a bored expression. Her hand had been wrapped in a light purple cast. The doctor had just left to fill out a prescription for the pain. She had barely made a sound since Clark brought the three of them to the nearest hospital. Jon had been cleared but Emma's break was serious. They told her that she may never be able to move her hand normally again due to her previous break. Her head while like a war zone of thoughts and other solutions she could have used. There was no regret or anger towards anyone but Cutter.
"Knock, knock" Jordan muttered, trying to sound sympathetic. Emma gave him a quick smile. "Clark go easy on you?" Emma asked, hoping to avoid the elephant in the room. "He says we'll talk once we get back home. Mom's gonna kill me" Jordan sighed, looking down at the floor.
"Why aren't you mad at me?" Jordan asked, looking at eh light purple cast on Emma's right arm. Without hesitation, Emma answered. "I don't regret it" She told him, looking him straight in the eye. "I would do anything to protect you" She added, not stuttering once as she did. "Anything?" He raised his eyebrow at her. "Within reason" Emma smirked with a dry laugh while Jordan let out a chuckle. "Is that why you let Cutter call you my...girlfriend?" Jordan asked.
Emma's mouth went dry at the question, trying to think of an answer. Thankfully the doctor came back with Clark and Jon behind him.
"You're good to go Emma" They smiled at her, handing Clark the prescription. "Thanks" Emma told her, swinging her legs onto the floor. The moment she got up, her body swayed. Jordan quickly tried to balance her by holding her shoulders. Emma gave him a thankful nod before they made their way to the car.
The moment Emma put in her earbuds she knew what awaited her once they got to the Kent house. And she prayed Lois spared her and the boys
<;><><>
The entire ride back to Smallville was silent. Clark kept his eyes on the road, only talking to see if everyone was okay. Jon stared aimlessly at his phone, going from one app to another. Jordan seemed to do the same while occasionally looking at Emma from the side view mirror. She had her earphones in, her music being gently heard in the car. She didn't move or talked much since they left the hospital. She just stared out the window. He couldn't stop wondering why she allowed Cutter to call her his girlfriend.
Sienna's car was parked outside the house, causing Emma to take a deep breath. This was gonna go south faster than the speed force.
Lois and Sienna sat at the kitchen table, their heads turning as the trio walked in with Clark behind them. "What did the doctors say?" Lois asked, noticing Jon and Emma sporting casts. Sienna looked at Emma in shock. "Doctor said the casts come off in six to eight weeks. Could have been worse" Clark answered, the tension between Jon and Jordan keeping him on edge. "Yeah. And he also said that maybe I get full range of motion back, so..." Jon shrugged his shoulders aggressively. "Jon, I'm so sorry" Jordan apologised, the guilt eating him alive.
"Just–just shut up, please" Jon snapped at him. "I–You know I never meant–" Jordan tried to explain before Jon cut him off "Okay, but you did. You–you did, Jordan. You–you got emotional, and then I tried to step in the middle of it like an idiot, and now I have a broke-ass arm, and I'm probably never gonna play quarterback again. So, thanks" Jon yelled at him, his face red with anger. "Thanks a lot" He sighed before leaving the kitchen and marching upstairs.
Emma gave Jordan a sympathetic smile. At she wasn't angry with him, but it didn't stop him from staring at her cast. He did that, he hurt her. "Let's go Emma" Sienna smacked her lips together, her hand placed on Emma's shoulder. The older woman's eyes flashed purple, retracting her hand quickly. Emma turned to her, her stomach dropping as Sienna held her hand on her temple. "Sienna? You g-good" Emma asked her.
Sienna went to say something as she looked up at her niece. The look in Emma's eyes seemed to silently plead with her. Sienna closed her mouth and shook her head."Thank you for bringing her back Clark" Sienna smiled before leading Emma out the door and to her car.
Once they sat in Sienna's black Honda, the older woman looked at her niece confused. "You knew? And you didn't say anything?" She asked, making Emma shrink in on herself. "You knew what Mal was doing to be and didn't say anything for fifteen years" Emma shot back in a whisper. Sienna should have seen that coming. "Okay, I deserve that but I had a good reason" She told Emma, starting the car.
Emma shot her head at Sienna with wide eyes. "Good reason? Not reporting that your sister was abusing her kids wasn't enough?" Emma snapped at her. Sienna took a breath before turning to her niece. "Mal threatened to kill you and Sophie if I ever went near you... I can't have children and I must ensure the Alor bloodline remains until the last child of the House of El is born. So yes Emma, I wanted to save you and Conner but in the end it would have ended in bloodshed" Sienna told her, tears brimming her eyes.
Emma bit back her lip, taken back at the information. Her mother would have killed Sophie if Sienna got involved. Was she truly that evil? "But it doesn't explain the videos" Emma brought up. "Your mother can manipulate memories. When she took them from you she also knew that I would try to find you and created a contingency plan. The videos on that drive are from when you stayed in Smallville years ago" Sienna told her, unaware of the tears streaming down Emma's face.
"I'm sorry... for shouting at you" Emma whispered. Sienna quickly wiped her cheeks, lifting Emma's head. "You have nothing to apologise for little one. It is your mother who is at fault for this" Sienna told her before bringing her eyes back onto the road.
<;><><>
Sienna unlocked the door, quickly shedding off her coat and shoes. "Come on, let's take a look at your arm" Sienna smiled, grabbing a black case from her coat closet. Emma sat down on the couch, waiting for Sienna. The older woman came back with what looked like Kryptonian tech and a standard human first aid kit.
"What's the kit for?" Emma asked her, raising an eyebrow. "You'll see" Sienna smiled before picking up the Kryptonian tech. She furrowed her eyebrows at Emma's cast. With her eyes glowing red, Sienna used her laser vision to cut off the cast. Emma jumped back, looking at Sienna bewildered. "What are you doing!?" Emma tried not to scream at her. Sienna rolled her eyes at her while taking her arm.
"Your half-Kryptonian, you heal faster. And adding the fact you are an advanced half-Kryptonian and you heal just that bit faster" Sienna explained to her, taking the cast off and applying a bandage on Emma's hand.
Emma smacked her lips, remembering that she was actually an alien. "Why didn't you say anything? Thought you had an epic crush on Jordan?" Sienna asked her bluntly. Emma blushed hard at the observation. She only shrugged unsure of what to say.
"I guess when I remembered, a part of me told me not to. That it would make it worse" Emma told her, watching as she tied the bandage. "Do you think you made it worse?" Sienna asked her, closing the first aid kit. "With my track record... Certainly" Emma sighed, cradling her freshly wrapped hand.
Sienna held back a chuckle at her niece's bluntness. She opened the black case which held many shiny objects. Sienna took what seemed to be a blue liquid in an expensive-looking test tube. She uncapped it and held it out for Emma. "Drink" Sienna ordered her.
"Excuse me?" Emma questioned. "I know that your hearing is developing, I went through it. This helps you maintain it until I can help you control it" Sienna told her.
Emma cringed as she tried not to gag when she swallowed the liquid. "That shit nasty" Emma coughed. Sienna smiled at her before looking at the time. "Alright, bed" She decided, using her super speed to put everything away.
'Because my love for you is higher than words, I've decided to fall silent'
-Khali Gribran
Emma took out her earphones as Sienna stopped the car. It had been two weeks since she found out her mother was Kryptonian. After being stabbed with some fucked up kryptonite.
After Jordan kissed her and she lied straight to his face about her feelings.
She spent the last two weeks with Sienna. Her pod was manufactured like the fortress, only without an A.I. She felt like a lab rat for three days, waiting for results and then controlling her powers to her utmost ability.
Since then, Sienna had tried to be there. Buying her clothes, giving her a room to stay in and even buying her a new phone and laptop. Emma felt kinda uncomfortable at the kindness like she was being selfish or demanding like a child.
"Maybe I should go back after Harvest Fest" Emma suggested, looking at her newfound family member. Sienna gave her a deadpanned look, eyebrow raised in all. "This wouldn't be about a certain boy?" She asked, seeing Clark's truck pull up from behind Emma.
Emma felt her heart racing in fear when she saw Sienna's face change. She turned her head to see the red truck. Quickly she turned back to Sienna with the most innocent-looking eyes ever. "I'm begging you, Sienna, can't I just come back on Monday, please" Emma pleaded with her.
Sienna shook her head at the girl. "No, you keep running from the fact that Jordan likes you" Sienna reminded her, causing Emma to huff against her car seat. "Yeah, but he is supposed to like Sarah. I can't just stand in the way of that" Emma explained for what felt like the millionth time. "For the girl who believes in the multiverse, you sure have a hard time expecting that maybe...just maybe, Jordan might be destined to like you" Sienna suggested before leaving the car.
Emma only sighed, putting in both her earphones. No one should be destined to be with her.
<><><>
Jordan closed his locker shut. He looked around him, hoping to see Emma. He knew that her words were lies that night. Emma never stuttered when she told the truth. He knew her well enough at this point to know that much.
He wanted to talk to her, so badly. She hadn't been in school for two weeks and he was super worried about her. Did she hate him? He hoped she didn't.
Jordan was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't notice his brother running up to him. "Jordan!" He exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder. Jordan took a moment before looking at his twin brother. "What?" Jordan asked him with a tired tone.
Jon turned his brother to look at the closest entrance. "There she is, back at school" Jon told him. Emma walked into the building with a dark grey beanie with Saturn stitched into it and dark pastel blue hair. Her clothes consisted of a wine hoodie with white stripes, black ripped jeans and her flash converse.
Jordan was taken aback by her new look. Her hair perfectly framed her face and the new colour made her eyes brighter. She looked like an angel. A sad angel.
Jordan watched how her face remained in a sad neutral state as she opened her locker and took out her books. He noticed her earphones and wondered what song was playing. She looked in his direction, their eyes met for a split moment before she turned away again and left the hallway in a rush.
"She's back" Jordan formed a lovesick smile. Jon rolled his eyes at his brother. "And completely ignoring you too" Jon added, patting his back. "Why would Emma be ignoring you?".
The twins jumped at Sarah's voice, turning to face the girl. Sarah looked at them with curiosity. "Jordan screwed up with Emma, now he trying to win her heart" Jon summed up with a shrug. Jordan hit his brother's side. "Dude" He groaned with his cheeks turning red.
Sarah smiled at his reaction. "I can always talk with her, and see if she's willing to give you a second chance?" Sarah suggested it to her friend. Jordan looked at the girl with hopeful eyes. "You'd really do that?" He asked her. Sarah nodded before the school bell rang. "Tomorrow night at the food booths!" Sarah called before running to class.
<><><>
Emma sat in the music room, strumming on an electric guitar. She kept mumbling words as she gently matched them to the chords. "When you look at me, I'll have to turn my face. If I look too long, I'll never look away" She sang softly before she stopped strumming the guitar and wrote something in her notebook.
"That sounded beautiful"
Emma jumped at the voice, messing up her writing. "Shit" She cursed softly before turning her head to see Sarah Cushing. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt" Sarah apologised to her, sitting across from her.
Emma only shook her head before setting down her pen. "No, it's okay, just trying to figure out something" Emma told her, picking up her forgotten guitar pick. "What are you working on?" Sarah asked her, curious about the girl's hidden talents.
Emma smiled at her, "My aunt signed me up to perform at Harvest Fest tomorrow night and with my brilliant brain said I'd sing an original song" Emma mocked herself, making Sarah laugh. "You have an aunt in Smallville? Sarah asked, unaware of the girl's family. Emma nodded while biting her lip. "Only found out recently, my birth mother is very secretive" Emma explained to Sarah loosely. Sarah nodded before asking another question. "You're adopted? How come you're not with them?".
Emma hesitated for a moment, remembering the cover story Sienna had told her. "They died a couple weeks ago, I've been settling in with my aunt since" She half lied to Sarah, feeling a bit guilty for doing so. Sarah made the 'oh' face before trying to change the subject.
"You write music? That's so cool" She commented as Emma stummed away at the guitar, getting the chords to match her lyrics.
Sarah took her chance to ask about Jordan. "What's the song about?" Sarah asked her. Emma pursed her lips before answering. "A boy I have a massive crush on" She told her half-heartedly, leaving out major details. "You mean Jordan, don't you?" Sarah raised her eyebrows before Emma deflated in front of her. "It seems I'm not as subtle as I like to think I am" Emma groaned at the question as she scribbled out a couple lines.
"Why are you avoiding him? From where I stand, he likes you just as much" Sarah asked her, her voice soft and she stopped Emma from playing the guitar. Emma sighed at the question. She looked up at Sarah with broken eyes. "I highly doubt that" She told her, putting her guitar on the stand.
Sarah only shook her head at Emma. "You shouldn't, he seemed really upset when you ignored him this morning" Sarah recalled. Emma only shrugged her shoulders. "Why don't you give it a try?" Sarah asked her, unaware of the bottle she had opened.
"That's the thing, what if we try the whole dating thing and it ends in the worst way possible?" Emma began, not being able to look Sarah in the eyes. "I hate that when he looks at me my heart just wants me to kiss him. I hate the way his thoughts somehow become mine and I can't get him out of my head" Emma ranted, her eyes swelling with tears.
Sarah made Emma look at her, a tight lipped smile on her face. "You don't know what love really is, do you?" The Hispanic teen asked softly. "Do books and tv shows count" Emma muttered hopelessly. Sarah wrapped her arm around Emma.
"I think you need to let go of your fear and try. You never know, you might find out just exactly what love is or you begin your journey to finding it" She told her. Emma looked at the girl surprised. "That's really good advice" Emma told her. Sarah shrugged, "It's what my mom told me before I got with Sean".
Emma only gave Sarah a grateful smile before looking down at Emma's notebook. "Can I?" She motioned to the book in her hand. Emma handed it to her along with a pen. She watched as Sarah scribbled down a few sentences before handing it back to the owner.
"You have really nice writing, hope this helps you out" Sarah smiled kindly. Emma quickly skimmed through the writing, a smile on her face. "You have nice writing too, thanks for the help" She smiled back at Sarah.
"Just remember me when you're famous"
<><><>
Jordan smiled as he was handed the chocolate bacon his father adored. "Thanks" Jordan handed the money to the guy at the stand. He was very unsure of the meat covered in chocolate, hoping his father hadn't led him astray.
"You probably shouldn't eat anything here that's on a stick" Sarah suggested from behind Jordan, giving him a fright. He smiled at his friend before looking back at the chocolate bacon. "Really? My dad has been hyping them up all week" He told her, now less eager to take a taste. "Well your dad must have a very strong stomach" Sarah commented before seeing the elephant ear booth.
"Come on, I have a feeling you're gonna find out how Emma feels pretty soon" Sarah told him, dragging him to the booth.
However they didn't notice Emma was standing a few feet away, watching their short greeting. She hated how she was right. Her heart felt as if it was shattering in the slowest way possible. How could she be stupid enough to believe that maybe... just maybe Jordan could actuallly and truly like her was beyond her understanding.
She held onto her guitar tightly before making her way through the crowd. She just had to get through this one performance and can go back to Sienna's house and cry to her heart's content. She was just about to go on stage when she bumped into someone.
Emma was about to apologise until she saw who she bumped into. "Next time you tell me Jordan likes me, don't bother I knew it wasn't true" She hissed at Jonathan, tears still pricking at her eyes. Jonathan was taken back at her outburst. "What are you talking about? Jordan is trying to figure out why you're avoiding him" Jon told her truthfully, hoping to help his only friend.
Emma only scoffed at him, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her red and black flannel. "Say that to Jordan and Sarah who are on the date together" Emma spat back at him before pushing him out of the way to get to the stage.
<><><>
"If I can have everyone's attention" Mayor Dean spoke into the microphone. Everyone on the crowded street looked to the stage. Clark and Lois were confused, not knowing there was supposed to be another announcement. Sarah was excited as she pulled Jordan closer to the stage, confusing him as to why.
"Now I know it has been quite an eventful day. And to keep the night in good spirits, Ms Clarks has kindly arranged a performance to get everyone moving" Mayor Dean smiled, gesturing to the alien in the front row.
The crowd clapped for the woman, who had always had the town's best interest at heart. "Now may I gladly introduce the girl who needs no introduction to our quaint town... Emma Ní Chroídheán!"
The people of Smallville gladly clapped as the young teen walked on stage with a black and white electric guitar. "I hope you like my first song, I've been working on it for like a week so criticism is gladly welcomed" Emma let out a nervous laugh.
She then began to play her guitar, moving to the music she made.
"I hate the way you say my name
I hate your picture-perfect lips on mine
If I could, I'd cut the breaks
I hate that I can't help but stay all night
When you look at me, I'll have to turn my face
If I look too long, I'll never look away
Babe, I wasn't praying for a saving grace
Unfold your fingers, let's go back to nothing"
That's when Emma slowed down her fingers on the guitar.
"And I hate the way I say words that I laughed at before
And I hate the way my thoughts aren't mine, now they're yours"
Then she sped up the tempo to match the lyrics.
"Look at what you've created, something borderline sacred
I call it overrated, go on and call me jaded
'Cause I hate the way I say words that I laughed at before"
Jordan watched from next to Sarah, walking closer to the stage as Emma performed the song. "She wrote it about you Jordan" Sarah told him.
"You think you're cool when you pretend
That I'm not always in your head, don't lie
Your favourite game is self-defense
I dare you to give it a rest sometimes
When you look at me, I'll have to turn my face
If I look too long, I'll never look away
Babe, I wasn't praying' for a saving grace
Unfold your fingers, let's go back to nothing"
That's when Emma's eyes found his, the sheer look of heartbreak written all over her face.
"And I hate the way I say words that I laughed at before
And I hate the way my heart isn't mine, now it's yours
Look at what you've created, something borderline sacred
I call it overrated, go on and call me jaded
'Cause I hate the way my heart isn't mine, now it's yours"
Emma let rip on the guitar in her hands, moving away from the mic as she bounced to the rising tempo. She was truly in her element as she moved her head from side to side matching the guitar.
"And I hate the way I say words that I laughed at before
And I hate the way my thoughts aren't mine, now they're yours
Look at what you've created, something borderline sacred
I call it overrated, go on and call me jaded
'Cause I hate the way my heart isn't mine, now it's yours"
Emma let one last chord out before moving away from the mic, breathless for a moment from her performance. The people went wild, clapping and whistling at her performance. Lois and Clark cheered for her, Lois jumping up and down. Sienna smiled up at her niece, proud of her work.
Jordan was speechless, he never thought that Emma could have that effect on him. She poured her heart out to him through a song, thinking that she wasn't good enough. He wanted— no needed, to speak to her, find out if she was truly afraid to try and be something together.
<><><>
Emma smiled as people congratulated her on her performance. She felt kinda weird about it. Sure, Emma has performed multiple times back home, but this was the first since Conner. She smiled fondly at the memories of dancing in her brother's room to the latest song he had been obsessed about.
She missed them all. She wished she got to say goodbye to her family, maybe make amends with Jordy. But she couldn't, not now, not ever.
"Emma!". The girl held her head up to see Lois just before the woman pulled her into a bear hug. "That was amazing! I never knew you could play let alone sing like that!" Lois exclaimed with a huge proud smile on her face. Emma blushed at the complement, scratching the back of her hand.
"Thanks Lois" She smiled, never believing that Lois Lane would be praising her even in her wildest dreams. Clark walked up from behind his wife, his usual bright smile greeting the teen. "You were incredible Emma. How's your hand?" He asked, noticing her right hand was twitching.
Emma was grateful for Clark's concern. "I took like three painkillers before getting on stage. I'll be fine for a few more hours" Emma told him. She was about to leave, hoping to put her heartbreak plans into action when she was shoved forward.
"Emma! You were a...amaz..."
Emma turned to see Jon slurring his words as he leaned against Jordan. Emma only laughed at the state of her friend. "No way, please tell me this ejjet is drunk" Emma snickered while shaking her head slightly. Jordan groaned in response.
Emma caught a glimpse of the metal flask and grabbed it from Jon's pocket. She was ice to take a sip before she began coughing violently. "Sweet holy Mary, mother of god, Jesus Christ!" Emma spat out, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "How can you drink this crap! If you're gonna get drunk, get drunk on something better than cheap ass cans from the fucking corner shop!" Emma snapped at Jon, his taste in beer being her top priority.
Jordan looked at the girl in amazement. She looked so angry but at the same time she had this aura around her that drew him in with every moment.
Lois had to hold Emma back from screaming, while asking Jordan to get his brother home. Emma calmed down after a stern look from Clark. "I'll help, besides I really want to see the aftermath of this blond ejjet drunk" Emma snickered at the thought of hungover Jon, oh she was gonna enjoy it.
Jordan was grateful for Emma's help as she threw Jon's free arm over her shoulder. "Oh nostalgia, what a bitch" Emma smiled as they carried Jon away from the crowd. "You... You know what else is a bi...bitc?" Jon slurred, amusing Jordan and Emma greatly.
"The fact you think Jordan likes Sarah when it's so painfully obvious you two like each—" Jon was cut off as his body decided that he should throw up. Emma jumped away the moment she felt him gag. She can handle a lot of things but she draws the line at vomiting.
"I hate vomiting drunks" Emma shivered, her face morphed into disgust and horror.
<><><>
Thankfully, after a very tense taxi ride and ten minutes of hauling Jon's ass up to his room, Emma and Jordan were finally left alone. Together.
Emma had fallen onto the couch, the lingering taste of Jon's shit beer making her queasy. "You okay?" Jordan asked her, sitting down next to Emma. "Been worse" Emma shrugged off, the tension still lingering in the air. Jordan nodded before taking a moment to think.
"Do you really believe I like Sarah... that way?" Jordan asked, his gaze on Emma as he did. Emma scratched her arm, not sure what to say. "It's what I know... you're supposed to end up with her, not me" Emma sighed, not looking at Jordan once.
Jordan gently moved closer to Emma, gently holding her chin and moving her face to look at his. "Em, I only want you" He told her. Emma held back her tears before moving away from Jordan, standing up and taking a few steps to the window.
"Why!? I'm broken" Emma shouted at him, failing as her tears began to fall. "Why me!? Sarah is perfect. Yet you're choosing me?" She added. Emma seemed so angry at Jordan but he knew that she wasn't actually angry at him.
She was angry with herself but he didn't know why.
"Sarah isn't you, Em" He told her, his voice raised ever so slightly. Emma looked at him before turning around, trying to find the words to explain why they would never work.
She turned back to him after a few moments, tears staining her pale cheeks. "I'm not good for you Jord. There's so much more to me that even the worst criminals on this earth would even agree with me" Emma told him, hoping he would listen to her pleas.
Jordan looked at Emma, his stomach dropping as bile lingered in his throat. He looked at Emma with sympathy in his eyes. "Why are you saying all this about yourself?" He asked her, his voice cracking. Emma looked down at her hands, sniffling as she wiped her tears.
She looked back up at him, her face still full of sadness and fear. "Because... being with me will get you killed and I can't lose you" Emma choked her voice sounding like someone was squeezing her alive.
Jordan was taken aback by her statement. He was confused for a moment before he remembered. Her mother had killed the people she loved.
He walked towards her, his hands finding their way to her face, cupping her face in his hands. "I can't lose you either and I want to be with you. Your past doesn't define you Em, you might think you're broken but I think you're the bravest, smart, sarcastic and beautiful girl in the world and I will do anything for you to realise that yourself" He whispered as he looked down at her, blue meeting grey.
Emma was very aware of the lack of space between their lips. Her gaze shifted from his eyes to his lips quickly. "I want to be with you Emma, no one else" He told her. Jordan kissed her forehead, catching Emma off guard.
He knew she wasn't ready now, but he was gonna be there, waiting for as long as he cares about her. Emma looked up at him confused and lost. "I can wait" He told her softly unaware of how Emma was feeling at that moment.
Her stomach fluttered at his words. She felt as if the world had stopped and they were the only ones who were still moving. "I like you too Jord... but I can't risk losing you to her even if that means losing you because of me" Emma spoke softly before taking a temp away from Jordan.
"If Martha wasn't here would you... would you be with me?" Jordan asked her, defeated at her statement. Emma heard the car honking from outside. Sienna had arrived to bring her back to her house. "Probably but she's never truly gone" Emma answered before grabbing the handle of the door.
She looked back at Jordan, "Are...are we still friends at least?" She asked him, afraid that she just ruined their entire friendship. Jordan stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, always" He told her with a small genuine smile. Emma also gave off a small smile, opening the door to leave. "Good 'cause I wanna see you crush those Metropolis douchebags next week" Emma told him before leaving the Kent home.
Jordan laughed to himself before watching Sienna's car drive away from the farmhouse. He smiled as the car disappeared into the night. He was happy. He knew that he still had a chance with Emma and he hoped that his Dad will stop Martha.
I guess that's just part of loving people: You have to give things up. Sometimes you even have to give them up
-Lauren Oliver
Krypton, Day of Destruction:
Lara Lor-Van ran down the metallic halls, her footsteps echoing as the sounds of metal clashed against one another. She held her son close to her as another pair of footsteps joined her. "Lara, we must hurry before it's too late" a young woman called from behind the woman.
Soon they reached the room where they stored the escape pods room in the last war against Daxam. The young woman ran to the podium, a holographic keypad appearing in front of her.
Lara shushed her newborn son, rocking him gently. "Where are Allura and Kara?" She asked only for her sister-in-law and niece to appear with another young woman. "Mal, help Lara and Kal" The girl at the podium called out to the younger girl.
Mal had blonde hair and wore a dark green cloak, she looked at her older sister and nodded before running to Lara. "Do you have the sunstone crystals?" Mal asked the mother as she gently placed the body into the pod. Lara's face darkened as she revealed only one.
"Zeta stole my own, he will only have his father's guidance and your Mal" Lara choked, kissing her son's head. "I pray the gods will give you the mother you truly deserve Kal" Lara whispered. Mal looked to her sister as Kara's pod launched.
"Lara, come" Mal held the older woman back. As Kal-El's pod was launched on course to the planet Earth, the El brother and an older woman joined them. "Shara call for two more pods now" The older woman told the eldest sister, running to Mal.
"Mother, what is happening?" Mal asked her, confused as to why two more pods were needed. "You my child. The gods have given me one last vision before we succumb to our sin" The woman, Naeza Alor spoke. Her eldest, Shara quickly ran to her sister's side. Her dark purple cloak shimmered as the last two pods had docked.
"You, Mal will have a daughter in a world different to ours. She will stop Zeta-Rho's dark plan. You must make sure she protects the next generation of the House of El" Naeza explained to the youngest Alor.
"Me? Mother, I am not—" "No my child you will be. Now for this to succeed, you must follow the instruction in my crystal" Naeza began to tear up as she held both her daughters tightly. "Do not fail our ancestors, my daughters. Protect the House of El" Naeza told her daughters before ushering them to their pods
As the pods left the dying planet, Naeza stood with the boys she swore to protect. "Elrisia Alor will stop Zeta-Rho"
Jor-El's A.I sighed as he told his son what the Alor family had done before their home was destroyed. "The House of Alor were one of many, dedicated to protecting the families of the high council. Emma's grandmother, Naeza had been protecting my brother and me since the age of fifteen. The Alors only had women take the mantle as they were the most suitable" Jor-El began to explain to Clark, his holographic arms behind his back.
"These families were advanced genetically, allowing some to gain heightened abilities similar to the effects of the yellow sun. I theorised that Mal and Shara may gain extra abilities under this world's sun" Jor-El added before looking at his son. "Then why doesn't Emma have any Kryptonian powers?" Clark asked his father, watching the girl mumble to herself once more.
Jor-El only hummed at the question. "My theory is, whatever world Mal left her in, its yellow sun did not replicate the same properties as the ones in this world. Until her cells can adapt to the sun, it will be only a matter of time" Jor-El answered before using the fortress to inject the sick girl with something. "This should ease her pain" Jor-El spoke softly.
"Wait, if Mal is Emma's mother, then where is Shara? Maybe she can help" Clark claimed, hope carrying his words. "Like Mal, Shara would have obtained a more human name. All I can show you is a memory of what she looked like before she came here" Jor-El told his son, worried his hope may blind him.
Clark only nodded his head, "Anything". Jor-El showed a hologram of Shara Alor, the image causing Clark to widen his eyes.
<><><>
Sienna Clarks closed her book as a knock on her door echoed her empty home. "Two moments!" She called as she got up from her couch. She opened the door, a smile on her face. "Clark, how lovely to see you" Sienna smiled at the man. "Yeah, I was wondering if I could ask you something" Clark smiled back with curiosity. Sienna stepped to the side to allow him to enter her home.
Clark smiled at her hospitality. Sienna closed the door before leading Clark to her kitchen. "You have a lovely home, family visit much?" Clark asked, seeing how they were three bedrooms and only one was occupied. "No, they don't live in the states" Sienna answered, handing him a glass of water.
Clark nodded but Sienna gave him a questioning look. "What is going on in that brain of yours?" She asked him with an eyebrow raised and her arms crossed. "It's Emma, she's sick" Clark stated, his face darkening. Sienna changed her demeanour drastically. "What happened?" She begged to know.
"Why don't you tell me, Shara" Clark spoke carefully. Sienna only frowned at the name, stepping back. "It's Mal, she's back in this world" Sienna stated as if she already knew. "And now Emma is getting worse. Soon she won't be able to draw the line between her past and her present" Clark added, hoping Sienna could help. "Mal has never cared for her family. I should have known the day she abandoned you in those fields that Elrisia would be hurt" Sienna scoffed at herself, grabbing a bag close to her.
"I can help her, but I'll need your help too"
<><><>
Jordan knelt on the ground next to Emma. Her fingers had turned black, her veins no longer the poisonous green but a dark and disturbing black. "No... I promise... to be good" Emma sobbed gently, trying to move her arms to no avail. Tears fell from her half-lidded eyes. "Mom, she's getting worse" Jordan called for his mother, holding Emma's hand.
Lois didn't know what she could do or say to comfort him. Even after Tag attacked him and his brother last night, all Jordan cared about was her. "You're Dad will have a plan" Lois told him.
That's when Clark came from the front door, his face holding fear and concern. Sienna came from behind him, rushing over to Emma. "Ms Clarks?" Jordan asked, shocked to see the school counsellor. "Please call me Sienna, may I?" She asked, hoping to examine Emma closer.
She held her hands up, her eyes squinting at the black. "Rao help me" She cracked as Emma stirred. "Aunt Nat... please don't go...don't leave us...please" Emma cried uncontrollably, her body raking with her sobs.
"Shhh... Sun goes down and we are here together" Sienna sang softly, raking her finger through Emma's ratted hair. Emma's breathing lowered gently. "Fireflies glow like a thousand charms" Sienna continued until her sobbing faltered before her body laid calmly on the couch.
Jordan looked at the pair in awe. "How did you do that?" He asked her. Sienna only held a soft smile. "I was playing it the other night. She knew one of the lines. I used to sing it to her mother when solar storms plague Krypton" Sienna reminisced with a small yet sad smile.
"You're from Krypton?" Lois exclaimed, coming closer to the woman. "Yes, I was the one who suggested sending Clark and his cousin here" Sienna stood tall as she looked Lois in the eye. "And I'm the only one who can save her" Sienna added.
Lois looked at Clark, looking for his side in that matter. "She's right, Sienna can help her" Clark told his wife. Sienna waited until she could hear her heartbeat regulate. "Now, before I begin there is something you all need to know" Sienna stated, catching everyone's attention.
<><><>
Sienna stood at the top of the dining table. "Since Emma is half Kryptonian, she will start to develop her powers the moment she comes in contact with any Kryptonian object" Sienna began to explain. "But, if that's the case. Why does Jordan have powers and not me?" Jon asked, referring to when they both touched Clark's pod.
Sienna nodded at the question, already having an answer. "You two aren't from the Alor bloodline. Unlike you, Emma was always meant to have abilities. It's how the Alors protected your family for generations. But her powers will be linked to yours" Sienna looked directly at Jordan.
The entire family was taken back by the woman's words. "How is that possible?" Lois asked the woman, her tone one of a very protective mother. "Ten years ago, you spent a summer here, in Smallville. That very same summer, Mal foolishly brought Emma here. She wanted to rebuild the broken bonds between El and Alor. Your three played together, only your grandmother knew the real reason. Then when Mal decided to once more turn her back on her duty, she altered your memories to believe that instead you spent had entire summer with one, Sarah Cushing" Sienna explained to them, a wave of anger lacing her voice.
"Why would she do that?" Clark asked the woman. Sienna only shrugged, "If I knew I would tell you. But all know is that Mal doesn't want her to be who our mother saw her to be. So, once Emma was waiting for Mal with Martha, I used what I had left of my mother's power to link Jon and Jordan to Emma and that also meant—"
"Their powers, Emma will have the same powers as Jordan" Jon connected the dots, earning a bright smile from Sienna. "Exactly" Sienna smiled, scrunching up her nose in excitement. "Okay, but how are we even gonna help her?" Lois pointed out.
Sienna only faced the woman, a plan already made. "Mal wants Emma to re-experience the memories that hurt her deeply. If I can find one that holds enough emotion, I can open a back door to a memory that she holds close to her heart and then and only then, I will be able to remove the kryptonite" Sienna explained to the family.
They all nodded in agreement when Sienna remembered something. "But there's a catch. When I do this when I enter Emma's mind. She will relive her memories and you all will witness them" Sienna warned them, knowing the truths Emma hid from them. "Her past does not paint a beautiful picture".
<><><>
Sienna gently walked over to Emma, shaking her softly to wake her up. Emma stirred as her eyes opened weakly, the grey colour making Sienna more cautious. "Emma, I'm here to help" Sienna spoke softly. The entire room had been reorganised to make as much room as possible.
Emma looked at the woman groggily, barely knowing who was in front of her. "Let me help you up" Sienna smiled, holding the girl up. Emma stumbled for a moment, making Jordan flinch from his spot near the window. Sienna only held her until the young girl could stand on her own.
Sienna held her hand just above Emma's head, her eyes glowing a bright purple as her veins acquired the same colour. Suddenly the room began to change. The dull walls turned a sickening white, the floors turning from wood to pristine white tiles. People in hospital scrubs filled the room.
Emma also changed, her hair was now longer and a faded pink. Her clothes consisted of a lilac purple jumper, black ripped jeans and of course, her flash inspired converse. Her demeanour also changed from her sickly stance to one of anxiety bubbling as her hands raced to her mouth, biting her nails and tapping her foot.
"Emmie!" A voice called. Emma looked to her left, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. "Adam!" Emma called, hugging a boy tightly. He had brown shaggy hair and almost towered over her. Another boy stood from behind Adam, one with curly hair and tattered clothes. "How is he?" Adam asked, pulling away from Emma.
"Stable, thank Apollo. They said he overdosed. Addy, they pumped his stomach" Emma choked, shaking her head in disbelief. Adam was shocked at the news. "What! Jonathan. Our Jonathan, the guy who only smokes weed in a group, overdosed? On what?" Adam exclaimed, making Emma step back. Emma brushed her hands through her hair turning around from Adam, not knowing she was facing the Kents.
"Wow, always knew she was a fan" Lois remarked, seeing the giant writing on Emma's jumper. 'LOIS LANE STAN' in giant letters and a complementary yellow colour.
Emma's eyes lit for a moment before her face darkened. She turned back to the boys. "Why don't you go see him Addy, he'll want his little brother" Emma forced out. Adam hesitated for a moment before nodding. He looked back to the other boy, before walking away disappearing as he passed through the Kents.
The boy looked at Emma with a fearful look. "You're angry I know" He spoke carefully, making Emma look at him with anger. "Angry? Trust me, I'm worse than Superman affected by red kryptonite right now!" Emma screamed at him.
"I can expl—" Emma cut him off. "You stayed behind when the ambulance came" Emma stated calmly, too calm. The boy gulped, "Emmie please" He begged her. "No! You did this! You! After everything we've been through Jordy!" Emma screamed, her hand pointing to anything yet nothing at the same time. Emma tried to hold back her tears.
"I stood by you. With your dad, the trial, rehab! I want against everything I believed in when I sold weed to put you into rehab. I never once asked for anything else but my friend back and this is how you repay me? Putting Jonathan in hospital!" Emma screamed at him, pointing her finger at the guilt-ridden boy.
"Emmie, I'm sorry" He sobbed at her, tears streaming down his face. "Sorry? My cousin almost died Jordan because of you! His best friend!" Emma cried, her mouth covered by her hand as she tried to hid the sobs. "I don't know what else to say, Emmie" Jordy cried out for her. Emma only shook her head at him.
"Only my friends call me that. You are not my friend. Friends don't hurt each other" Emma stated before Adam returned to the hallway. "Hey! What is going on?" He asked, placing a hand on Emma's shoulders. "Ask your boyfriend, he's the one who almost killed Jon Jon" Emma spat at Jordy with a glare of pure rage.
Adam looked between the two, shocked at Emma's words. "Babes, is this true?" Adam asked, hoping that Emma may have gotten the wrong idea. Jordy couldn't look him in the eyes, only confirming Emma's words. "I think you should go Fieldings" Emma spoke with malice in her voice.
The Kents had never seen her so angry at one person. She looked as though he were to say the wrong thing she would kill him on the spot.
Sienna walked over to her, Emma was oblivious to the woman. "Show me, show me something good" She whispered, changing the room once more.
The hospital walls turned a lilac purple. Arches replaced the doors and the floor turned to a darker wood than the one in the Kent home. Emma's hair was a light purple now and shorter too as it rested just above her shoulders. She wore a white collared shirt with blue and gold stripes, a dark blue wool jumper with what appeared to be a school crest and grey pants. But what shocked the family was that Emma was wearing her glasses
She moved a few steps before a melody on a piano filled the quiet room. "Ems, is that you?" A voice called out. Emma walked towards where the piano stood in the Kent home as it was replaced with a different one and a woman with fiery red hair. "How was school today love?" The woman asked in a light Scottish accent.
Emma only shrugged at the woman, sitting beside her. "It was... good. I didn't have any panic attacks and thankfully Mr Fitz was out so I didn't have to listen to his homophobic bullshit" Emma told the woman, joining her as she played the piano. "Good, you take your meds?" The woman asked, looking at Emma with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes" Emma dragged out, earning a nudge from the woman. "Hey! Nat what was that for!" Emma asked, rubbing her side.
"That's her Aunt Natalie" Jordan gasped as the woman only laughed.
"Because Emma, you need to realise that they help you. Now, sing with me" Natalie pursed her lips smiling as she changed the melody. Emma rolled her eyes at her, "You're impossible".
"Someday, this could be, this could be ordinary" Emma sang softly with the piano as her guide. "Someday, could we be something extraordinary? You and me side by side out in the broad daylight. If they laugh, we'll say, we're gonna be someday" The pair sang together in harmony.
Emma joined in on the piano, a smile the family had never seen placed on her face. But one had seen it, Jordan.
"If different was a superpower, we'd be so flawless' Emma's voice falter as the room changed once more, returning to the Kents living room. Emma lost the healthy looks she had as she fell back from the stool she now sat on. Jordan was quick to catch her before she hit the ground.
Sienna ran to her, beckoning Clark to follow. "Jordan, keep her upright. Clark, shield her eyes" Sienna commanded them. "Why her eyes?" Clark asked the woman. "The moment I take away the kryptonite, her powers shall emerge. I feel that a wound that will heal quickly will ease her conscience more than a burning home" Sienna explained, pulling her top up to reveal the wound where her sister stabbed her.
One would expect dried blood, not black goo pouring out of it. Sienna placed her palms together, shutting her eyes as her veins glowed purple again. As she separated her palms slowly, a dark purple dagger began to materialise. "That's supposed to help her?" Jordan asked, staring at the dagger in fear.
Sienna only smirked. "One of my abilities. I can create weapons of absorption. I'll use this to remove the kryptonite and then throw it into the sun" Sienna answered swiftly. She moved some of Emma's hair, "This is gonna hurt little one, I can only promise to be quick" She spoke softly before plunging the dagger into her wound.
As the black began to slowly retreat to the wound, red began to glow around her eyes. "Kal, be ready" Sienna warned him as the dagger glowed brighter along with her veins and eyes. Emma began to breathe heavily, tears forming in her eyes.
Sienna quickly removed the dagger, causing Emma to scream as loudly as possible. She latched onto Jordan's hand as her eyes opened and her newly acquired heat vision activated, burning Clark's skin. Lois held Jonathan's body close to her as Emma's cries got louder. Sienna held Emma's other hand until the blazing red cooled as her breathing started to calm.
<><><>
Emma sat in a dark corner of the barn, her knees close to her chest. She was a fucking idiot. How did she not think for one moment that she could be half-Kryptonian? In all seriousness, she was staying with the Kents! Her mother was a cruel, cold-hearted bitch but she was not stupid by any means. There was a reason she never got arrested for her shit.
Emma hated herself for not seeing the signs that her mother was taunting her with that stupid cloak for a month. Maybe Martha or Mal was right. Maybe all Emma is ever gonna be is stupid, pathetic and useless to everyone in her life.
"Em?"
She shot up from her current winge session to see Jordan at the entrance of the barn. She quickly wiped her eyes before standing up and brushing away some of the hay stuck to her pants. "Over here!" Emma called out, walking towards him.
Jordan looked relieved to see her, happy she seemed okay at least. "How are you holding up?" Jordan asked her. He understood that this type of news was hard to swallow, especially seeing as less than a month ago, they were all but fictional characters to her.
Emma shrugged, "Well when you put a deadly kryptonite poison, hidden secrets about your entire life and having your period on top of it.... I've been through worse". Even though Emma seemed unfazed, Jordan knew better seeing as her entire answer was just a bucket of sarcasm.
He raised his eyebrow at her. Emma only gave him a look, shaking her head gently. "Jord, I'm fine. Just shaken up. I mean...I'm fucking Kryptonian! That's both super cool and deadly terrifying at the same time!" Emma exclaimed with some truth to her words.
Jordan laughed slightly, seeing her smile was something he missed all day. He didn't know how she could do it. Make everything dark, something good and full of light. Only Emma could do it and he loved that about her.
Emma noticed how Jordan had come closer to her, not truly taking any mind to it as he smiled at her like she was holding up the sky. "At least we have each other, right?" He lit up, giving her a gentle nudge at her elbow. Emma laughs slightly, her smile widening greatly. "There's no one else I'd rather have by my side" Emma told him with the most enthusiastic tone ever.
Jordan gently came closer, the space between them decreasing quickly. "You really mean that?" Jordan asked her, his voice soft and low. Emma nodded at him, his eyes catching her attention with ease. "Always" She whispered, her heart beating faster than ever before.
Jordan leaned in, his lips filling the gap between them. It was like electricity sparked inside as their lips gently crashed into one another. Jordan's hand went to cup her cheek as Emma kissed him back.
And for a moment, everything felt right. Emma didn't hesitate to kiss the boy she was falling in love with. But all good things come to an end.
Like a hammer to a wall, Emma pulled away from Jordan. Her fears and anxieties bubbled to the surface as she turned away from him. Her guilt had shown itself as her fingers ghosted her lips. She truly was stupid.
"Em? Did I do something wrong?" Jordan asked, confused as to why she pulled away. Emma shook her head, not trusting her brain to allow the right words to leave her mouth. "Are you sure?" Jordan went to take her arm but Emma turned to him. The fear of God in her eyes as she took a step back.
"This...we can't happen Jordan" Emma spoke with a shaky voice. Jordan was taken aback by her choice of words. "What? Why?" He asked her. He must have done something to cause this. Maybe she didn't even like him in the first place and he read the signs wrong. "You are gonna be with some girl who deserves you... just not with me" Emma bit back her lips as the wrong words fell from her tongue.
She wanted to be with him so badly it hurt. Emma wanted to be the girl Jordan loved, not Sarah. But being envious never ends well, not for people like Emma. She had to let him go before they both got hurt. She had to leave him thinking she didn't care, that she was caught up in the moment.
Jordan looked like a kicked puppy at her words, making her heart clench at the sight. She didn't want this, not like this. Jordan didn't want to believe her, he knew Emma and when she lied he knew one thing for sure. Emma always bit her lip when she lies.
"I'm sorry Jord, I really am" Emma choked before leaving the barn and Jordan in it. She had hoped he would realise she was a mistake and that he actually liked Sarah.
But little did the girl know, Jordan was now determined to find out why she lied to him and to convince her that he wanted to be with her and no one else.
Maybe home is nothing but two arms holding you tight when you’re at your worst.
-Yara Bashraheel
{Emma’s Perspective}
“So, who’s winning?” I asked Clark. “The other team” He told me. “Why won’t you wear a jacket or use an umbrella?” Jon asked me, his annoyance clear. “Because I love the rain. Besides, if Zeus wants me dead, let him kill me” I told him, taking another shot of the field.
I looked back to the stands, seeing a familiar head. I groaned, nudging Clark “General Lane is here” I told him, pointing behind me. Clark looked back, a sour look on his face.
I quickly took a picture on my phone, snickering as I did. Clark gave me a questioning look. “It’s a thing in my world. Sourwolf” I snickered while setting the picture as his contact photo. “God you're weird” Jon moaned from beside Clark. “I’m weird, sweet and borderline psychotic. What’s not to love” I told Jon, a big smile on my face.
“All right, let’s go. Defence. Let’s go. Pick it up. Kent!” Coach shouted, Jon, running up to him out of habit. “Yes, Coach?” Jon asked. I closed my eyes not even wanting to witness this moment.
“No, not you. The other one. Shortstack!” Coach corrected, looking back at Jordan. He ran up to Coach, helmet in hand. “Yes, Coach?” Jordan asked. “Look, I need you right now. I need you to get me that ball. You hear me?” Coach told him, pointing out to the ongoing game.
“Yes, Coach” Jordan answered, his voice a little unsure. I walked up to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. “You can do this Jord. I know you can” I smiled at him. Jordan smiled back before giving me a fist bump. “Thanks, Em” He told me before Clark walked up behind us. “Good luck” I told him before going back up to Clark and Jon.
Clark raised the umbrella over me, smiling kindly at me. “Thanks” I muttered, gripping the umbrella handle. Jon pulled me in close, wrapping an arm around me. “Now entering the game, number 24, Jordan Kent!” The announcer called. I cheered for Jordan as the game commenced, having no clue what was happening. “He got the ball!” I yelled, jumping up and down. “Jordan, go!” Clark and Jon chanted.
I jumped and yelled, having no clue what was happening until I saw Jordan go past the line. “Touchdown, Crows!” The announcer called, and the stands went wild. “Let’s go, Jordan!” Jon and I screamed. I looked back at Lois, seeing her face darken. “Something you wanna tell me?” Sam said in a low voice, the words echoing in my head. I turned around, shocked at how loud the voice was.
Jordan came running over to the three of us, hugging his Dad and Jon. “I did it!” He smiled at them. “Told ya you could do it. I’m always right” I smirked at Jordan, who only laughed at me. “I guess you are” He smiled back, pulling me in for a hug. I hugged him back as tight as I could.
“Thanks for believing in me Em” Jordan whispered into my ear. I felt the heat rush to my face, my stomach fluttering like a tornado had begun to swirl the usual butterflies faster than my heart rate.
I patted his back before a hoard of excited football players came to whisk him away. “I’ll see ya in a minute, kay?” I told him, breaking the hug. He nodded before the entire team and Clark followed Coach Gaines into the locker room.
I ran to the music room, finding Sienna playing the piano. “Ms. Clarks?” I called from the door. She turned to me with a kind smile. “Who won the game?” She asked me, continuing her song. I walked in, sitting a few feet away. “Smallville. Still don’t know how but they did” I shrugged, swaying to the music.
Sienna smiled, humming a tune to her own work. “Stars begin to climb” I sang low to myself, finding it quite familiar. “So, how is everything at Kent Farm? Still having nightmares?” Sienna asked me once she played the final chord. I bit my lip for a moment.
Ever since the cloaked figure gave me that USB, the nightmares have dialled it down. Now instead of manipulating my memories, my dreams are just about my trauma. Still figuring out if that’s an improvement or not. “They are more… mild than before” I smiled kindly at her. Sienna nodded at my answer as she stopped playing. “That’s progress. What about opening up? I know you’ve mentioned your birth mother to Clark. Have you opened up about anything else?” She asked me, turning to face me properly.
Jordan.
He was the first person I told about my Dad since I was ten. Yeah, I didn’t go into detail but the only people who actually knew about what happened to my Dad were my Nana Madge, Jeju and Conner. “Kinda… but I haven’t gone into any details with anyone” I told her, looking down at my wrists, the clean skin making me cringe. “Can you tell me why?” She asked me, something about her voice making me tear up. I wiped my eyes quickly, holding back a sob. “Last time I trusted someone…they didn’t…stick around” I answered, twisting my rings around my finger.
I walked through the CUH, two cups of coffee in hand. Room 312A. That’s where he was. “Emmy? You okay babes?” I turned to see Jeju, a worried look on her face. “Sorry Jeju. Just worried about Conner” I told her, handing her a cup. Jeju gave me a sympathetic smile. Her normal work scrubs had a few stains from staying at the hospital for the entire weekend. Her eyes had bags underneath them dark enough to make Savitar jealous. I wasn’t doing as good either.
From the room window, my washed-out pink hair was in knots upon knots. I had a huge gauze on my left cheek. I was wearing a Teen Wolf lacrosse jumper that Jon Jon packed for me and an old superman pyjama pants. My skin looked sickly pale from the medication I was on. “Any news on Marty?” I asked her, leaning into her side. Immediately her hands started combing through my tangled hair gently. Of course, there wasn’t, she never got caught. “Just that he’s stable, he’ll wake up soon babes” She tried to convince me but we both knew it wasn’t true.
And it wasn’t. Conner’s gone and it’s all my fault. I grabbed my phone that had fallen beside me. “I’ll see you Monday. Thanks for the vent” I smiled at her before leaving the room. I opened my contacts to ring Lois for a ride.
‘Elrisia’
I jumped at the voice, a chill running down my spine. I turned around looking for the cloaked figure. I saw something run towards the front entrance. I ran after it, something in me screaming to run. “Hey!” I shouted as I ran through the front entrance doors. I fell to the ground immediately. I groaned as my entire body felt as if it was on fire.
The cloaked figure walked toward me. I couldn’t see their face, only the glow of a dark purple. “My sweet Elrisia, so naive just like Conner” the voice merged into one. No, it can’t be her. “I know what your thinking? How did I get here? Why did you end up here?” She taunted me, forcing my head up by grabbing my chin. “M-Ma… Ahhh!” I screamed as I felt something sharp pierce my side. Only from the corner of my eyes could I see a green glow. Kryptonite?
“Don’t worry, I made this so it only affects you” She sneered before slashing my face. Tears swelled in my eyes as the pain burned my insides. “Why?” I managed before coughing so hard I could feel my throat bleed. She kicked me over on my back, her foot pressing against my stomach. “How have you survived without me? You always needed me to survive, you can’t on your own you silly little girl” She spat, holding her knife to my neck. It was infused with kryptonite, but why was it affecting me so much? She grabbed my phone from my pocket, a smirk on her face.
“I see you’ve met Kal-El. Perfect” She commented before the faint sound of the dial tone reached my ears. “Emma? Everything okay?” Clark’s voice was low but I could still hear him thankfully. “Emma can’t come to the phone right now Kal-El” She scoffed before I could feel a gush of wind. The pain was getting worse the longer she held the knife to my throat.
She sighed before lifting the knife away from me. “Looks like this puts a halt to our reunion Elrisia. Till next time” and just like that, she was gone in a leap as if she could fly. I started to cry, unable to do anything else. My body wouldn’t listen to me. I tried to get up, to move but it was like she locked my body. Clark’s face came into view, his worried expression making me so guilty.
I felt the bile rise in my throat. The world was getting dark. Too dark. Clark’s words were muddling together as I felt my eyelids close every moment or so.
‘You failed Elrisia. You always fail’
<><><>
“No! Billy don’t” I laughed as my best friend jumped off the tree. She was pissed and that vodka only made her more careless. I tried to help her up, my bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand as I used the other to support her body weight. I wasn’t as drunk as everyone else, I can hold my drink well. Morgan and Caitlin were trying to make tiktoks, Adam kept running it per usual.
Jordy was trying to get a kiss out of Adam, even though he was after at least four joints and Adam don’t smoke. Jonathan was tryna flirt with Morgan. Morgan’s his girlfriend. “Emma! Look, I gotta girl!” Jon Jon shouted at me, kissing Morgan’s cheek. She laughed at him, shoving him gently. He fell on his back and stayed there. “I still have no idea why I go drinking with you lot” I snickered, falling next to Jon Jon in solidarity.
My Jack Daniels was almost gone, my buzz steading ever so slightly. Jordy fell by my side, giggling over the fact he got a kiss on the cheek. Adam tripped over his legs, there goes the blue wicked. “Adam!” We all groaned at him. He flipped us off before rolling off of Jordy. The girls joined the little circle we had going on, Billy Rose just deciding to use me as a pillow. “Uhhh, lads and ladies…. Marty coming in hot” Adam groaned, seeing my birth mother.
She looked as toxic as ever. Her oversized tracksuit jumper and a pair of blue jeans were covered in small patches of white powder. “Your coke delivery went well I suppose” I coughed, pushing Billy off of me. She glared at me. “Come on girls, parties over” Marty sighed, latching her hand onto my forearm. “Ow!” I yelped as she dragged me up from the ground. Morgan glared at her while Caitlin was helping Billy Rose from the ground.
“Hands off her!” Morgan snapped, smacking Marty’s hand off of me. “Nice one M” I smiled at my friend. “Always needing others to help you, Elrisia” Marty smirked at me. I threw the bottle of Jack Daniels at her, missing her face by an inch. “My name is Emma” I snapped, walking ahead of her.
“That’s fine! We’ll just call a taxi!” Jon Jon shouted before Marty grabbed my shoulder tightly. “Why don’t you take shotgun Emma” She spat like a mild venom. The look in her eyes made us shiver. The woman had instantly put us in a cautious sense of mind. Martha Clarks has a plan.
“Nah! I’ll take shotgun, my legs are killing me Ms Clarks” Billy Rose smirked, opening the passenger side of the front of the car. I could see the steam come right out of my mother’s ears as she practically stomped to the driver's side.
I sat in between Morgan and Caitlin in the middle seat. The pair were talking with Caitlin’s mam, a plan we devised when they first learned about my birth mother. “Uhhh… Ms. Clarks, why do you have your indicator on?” Billy asked, seeing her click the switch to do so. I looked up from my phone, the slight red glow in Marty’s eye caught me off guard.
“That truck” She said with a sadistic smile on her face. “Mam!”
I woke up gasping for air. My entire body froze in place, the lingering feeling of the crash never leaving. The strands of my hair ended up soaked from the spit in my mouth. I couldn't move my arms to fix it, fear freezing me in place. I barely took notice of my surroundings as Billy's scream echoed louder in my ears. Why was it so cold? I couldn't feel my fingers? Why can’t I feel my fingers?
“Son, she is awake”
I turned my head to see… Jor-El? “Fuck your fatter in person” I told him. Guess Clark got Lara’s good looks. “Excuse me?” Jor-El asked, his little offended by my comment. Clark had walked into view, noticing the scowl on Jor-El’s hologram face. “It’s not like you have emotions, you’re an AI” I stated, making the hologram sigh. He knows I’m right. “Emma, please” Clark sighed, his head dropping at my tone of voice. I rolled my eyes at him.
Jor-El turned to Clark, a grumpy look on his face. “The kryptonite should not affect you or the twins, but I highly suggest keeping her away from the public. It will take a couple of days before it leaves her immune system” He informed Clark before disappearing in a small flash of light. Clark raised his eyebrows at me, hands on his hips.
“What?” I asked innocently. Clark sighed once more, “Can you try for just a moment to be nice? Especially to my Father?” Clark asked, his voice sounding desperate. I slumped my shoulders at him. “I just said the first thing that came to mind. You do realise I know way more than you think right?” I reminded him, getting up from whatever I was sitting on.
Clark gave me an odd look. Probably because I was just attacked and seemed super unfazed by it. Amateur. “So, what time is it?” I asked, almost slipping on the icy floor. “About eleven at night, Lois is trying to keep Sam in line while the twins are worried about you” He told me. I groaned at Sam’s mention. I’ve had enough toxic parenting for one night, I don’t need to add his and that stupid military crap on top of it.
<><><>
{3rd Person's Perspective}
Emma smiled awkwardly as she walked from behind Clark into the house. The scuffling of feet made her jump as the twins came to greet her. “Emma!” Jordan exclaimed, running to hug her. Emma wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze. “I’m alright, I’ve had way worse than a green glowing rock in my system” Emma brushed aside as she broke the hug. Sam let out a deep, very fake cough at the young girl’s statement.
Emma felt her brief feeling of peace die out faster than her will to live. “What is worse than Kryptonite Ms Ní Chroídheán?” Sam asked her. Emma held back a sigh. “As of right now your presence” She slipped, giving the man an unpleasant look. Jordan and Jon held back their laughs while their parents tried to be unfazed by the teen’s comment. “Excuse me?” Sam spat, already not liking the girl. “I didn’t realise you were that old you needed hearing aids” Emma asked, her head feeling like it was gonna explode. Lois quickly stood in the space between the two. Lord knows what they could cause.
“Dad, this is Emma. Emma this is Sam, my–” Lois didn’t even finish her sentence. “Your dad with the same ‘toxic honour above all else’ bull as my mother who just attacked me. So please don’t feel offended if I’m not gonna take your bullshit” Emma glared before walking up the stairs. The Kent family and Sam all looked at each other, Clark the most worried. “Did she just say her mother attacked her with Kryptonite?” Jon asked out loud. They heard a loud crash and Emma’s normal string of curses. Jordan looked at his Dad worried when he asked, “Did Holo-gramps say anything about… that?”.
Clark only sighed, knowing Sam is gonna have very, very strong opinions on this. “The Kryptonite was made to only affect Emma, if she says that her mother attacked her then we need to learn more about her” Clark explained. He knew that she wasn’t a great mother but if this is a ‘tame’ attack, he didn’t want to imagine what could be the worst.
Sam let out another cough, hoping the twins would leave the room. Thankfully they had gotten the hint and went to check up on Emma before bed. Lois quickly shifted from concerned to annoyed faster than Clark could fly around the world. “Really Dad?” Lois huffed, hands on her hips as Clark stood next to her. “Excuse me? That young girl needs to learn respect” Sam began to argue with his daughter.
Lois felt like a volcano ready to erupt. “She was attacked, Dad! She’s only a kid, so if she doesn't want to deal with your crap then she doesn’t! You are not the one who is looking after her wellbeing!” Lois argued back, her hands going everywhere to prove her point. “She shouldn’t be your responsibility! Where are her parents?” Sam pointed out.
“Dad’s dead! Mother’s a psychopath! Everyone else is probably dead! So can you both stop fighting about me!” Emma’s voice screamed, already sounding sickly. Lois and Sam stopped in their tracks and looked to where the stairs are. “What?” Clark asked, seeing Emma stand at the top of the stairs.
Emma had already changed into a pair of jammies and a hoodie as she rubbed her nose with the cuff of her sleeve. She already looked done with everything and everyone. “Emma, can you remember what happened?” Clark asked her. Emma took a step back, what she said had finally registered in her head. “I’m not stupid. I’ve seen and read enough to know” Emma answered him, looking down at her feet. “Know what Emma?” Lois asked, ignoring the rude looks from her father.
“My world. It’s gone and I’m just waiting until you guys are sick of me at this point” Emma choked back a sob, her eyes emitting a soft green glow. The glow started to climb around her body, jagged, straight, long and short glowing lines became see-through. “Emma” Clark began walking up the stairs gently. Emma began to sway as a thick line manifested on her neck.
“Aunt Natalie?” Emma murmured before falling back. Clark sped to her before she could hit the floor. As he caught her, the glowing died down. The lines became a light pink on her visible skin. But the one place the glow didn’t die was her left wrist. Clark carefully pulled up her sleeve.
‘El Mayarah’ was written in cursive and so were four small hearts with the initials ‘S.O’B’ ‘B.R.O’ ‘N.O’B’ and ‘C.C’.
Lois ran to Clark’s side. She quickly noticed the tattoos on her wrist. “Isn’t that…?” Lois trialled off. “Kryptonian and the meaning behind the crest?” Clark questioned before letting out a sigh. “Yes, yes it is” He answered, knowing that Sam was going to gloat when he finds out.
<><><>
Emma woke with a start, the sound of her heart beating in her ears. She didn’t recognise where she was, the small sparks of anxiety had flickered in her panicked state. It wasn’t until she felt a warm hand take her own did she looked to her left. Jordan held her hand, his eyes bloodshot as he looked into her own. “Jord? What… What happened?” Emma asked him, her cheeks tinted red from their close proximity.
“You fainted and…” His eyes went to her hand, his thumb ghosting over a light pink line on the back of her hand. Emma’s eyes widened as she pulled her hand closer to her face and her sleeve up. “They’re back” She whispered, her fingers tracing the scars with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes welled with tears as she closed in on herself, cradling her left hand.
Jordan hesitated for a moment. He knew that nothing he said was going to comfort her. He did the only thing he knew could give her some sort of comfort. He wrapped his arms around her sobbing body and held her close.
Emma didn’t know what way to feel. For almost a month she had felt wrong. How could she? The parts of her that she has always had were gone. How could she prove that her mother was cruel when the only evidence she’d ever had disappeared and she didn’t know-how. Now that they’re back, her scars, her tattoos, it felt… Her scars.
She could see the flashes of knives, bags of white or brown, and the sinister smirk her mother would wear. And the same sentence she muttered every time, “You’re becoming stronger princess” with venom tracing her words to sound ever so sweet. I could barely hear Jordan’s soft voice over the loud ones that screamed in my head. ‘Pathetic, Useless, Filthy, Repulsive’. She’s a mess. All Emma ever could be was a fake, lying mess that covered up everything.
Emma knew the minute she spoke about her mother that no one would believe her. How could they? All they’ll think is that she’s an attention-seeking brat who can’t function without someone helping her. “It’s okay, Em. I’m not going anywhere” Jordan whispered, rubbing calming circles into her forearm. And they stayed like that, in the comfort of each other's arms.
Usually, Emma would force herself to stop and then tell whoever that she was okay now. Hell, she’s done that to Jordan before. But now? All that Emma could do was let him comfort her. There was something about this moment that made Emma wonder why?
Why have they let her stay when she’s an emotional wreck?
Why is she allowing herself to break? No one has ever been okay when she broke. It was always words that forced her to keep it together. She was the rock her family fell to when they broke. Her brothers, that includes her cousins and best friend, always came to her for everything. Hide weed, money, need to find a place 'cause your mother was drunk again, she could do it in an hour tops. Come to think of it, the only thing she hasn't done was hide a dead body.
Like her Nana always told her, 'the women of our family are the glue that keeps us stronger than time'. Ever since her Aunt Natalie died, she not only had her brothers and sisters coming to her, but her Jon Jon, Adam and even Jordy. She had to be the glue, she was the last female O'Brien and the Eldest of her mother's family.
Yet when she was in his arms, it all melted away with his embrace. She felt safe listening to his heartbeat over the voice of her mother insulting her in the back of her head. His hoodie felt soft even though she was crying on it.
"Why are you still helping me? I'm a mess" Emma asked in a hushed whisper, her fists holding his oversized hoodie. Jordan gently broke the hug, one had on Emma's shoulder and the other ghosting over her cheek. "I care about you Em, I'll never stop caring about you" Jordan told her, the small gap between them becoming very aware to Emma.
"Promise?"
"Always"
<><><>
Clark gave Emma a glass of water, her dark green veins highlighting her pale skin. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" He asked her, concerned that the young girl had said the infamous words 'we need to talk'. "Yep, but first things first. Kilgrave. You need to go" Emma pointed at Clark. The she pointed at Sam with a scowl on her face, " 'Cause you are sadly right. He's gonna escape using chewing gum?" Emma questioned before waving her hand everywhere. "Something really science-y and typical for a villain of his stature" Emma waved off.
Ignoring the shocked faces of the three adults, Emma took a breath as she decided on what to start with.
"The first time I ever saw drugs, I was three. My mam was stuffing it down my nappy. I was used to smuggle drugs from the Republic of Ireland to the UK. She used me till I was six. Most of these scars, they had drugs behind them. Weed, Heroine, Cocaine. You name it, she used me to either smuggle, test or both. I've been in a child rehab because of it. I'm a heroine baby, I was born with the shit in my system so I can get hooked way too easily. When I was five, my mam collected from an overnight stay with my dad. I was missing for three months. I don't remember it, doctors chalked it up to drugs or some sort of mental protection from my brain.
It was fine after that, sure she would still use around me and my older brother, Conner and while she was pregnant with my little brother, Antony. Then it was just a couple week after my seventh birthday. My dad bought me my first Superman comic. She got angry, I've never seen her so vicious. My dad hid me in the kitchen cupboard under the sink with his phone. I rang the guards the moment I heard stuff breaking. But when it got quiet, I came out and I swore just for a moment… my mam's eyes… they were red. My dad was on the floor… he umm, he died in front of me" Emma stalled a breath, her eyes closed tight as she held back the tears. She couldn't look at Clark or Lois, she knew they probably wanted to kick her out. Not that she'd blame them, that's what the Lordans did, along with throwing glasses and forks at her legs.
She felt a weight on her hand that made Emma open her eyes. Lois gave her a sad but sympathetic smile. "It's okay, you don't have to tell us if you can't" She told her. "No, I have to be honest. You and Clark have done so much for me in the past month. You two should know what I am. A drug dealer's daughter" Emma admitted for the first time ever. Lois nodded, allowing the young girl to continue.
"After my dad died, I bounced from foster home to foster home. Some good, some bad. Adding to my scar count. When I was nine, I was fostered for the first time with my brothers. My mam was pregnant again and they wanted us to be in the same place. But when Sophie was born, the woman who was fostering us, adopted us along with Sophie. It was okay for a while, My aunt Natalie came back from working abroad and came out as bisexual. She started dating my Jeju's sister and they got married, adopted a kid I knew from an old foster home. I actually made friends on my own… Like Billy" Emma stalled, her breaths becoming fast paced. Clark tried to help her but Emma only pushed his hand away weakly.
She stood up, walking a few steps away from the table. She bawled her hands into fists as the dark green in her veins glowed brighter than kryptonite. "Ahh, why is this so hard!" Emma tried to keep down her scream of agony. Her veins were on fire, every part of her body was like she was in a sauna for her own blood. "Emma" Clark called out, grabbing her by her arm. His skin let out a hiss before he pulled back.
"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?"
Emma looked up from the floor, the cloaked figure standing above her. She could see the smirk on her face. Emma held onto the wall support beam as she rose from the floor. She formed a snarky grin. "Martha Clarks, hiding under a cloak. Thought you were proud to be a dealer" Emma spat, her nose bleeding as she did.
The figure went from the middle of the living room to holding Emma up by her throat against the wall. The hood fell as red eyes glowed. Emma felt her entire body shatter. "You… You're—"
"Kryptonian. Took you long enough daughter" She snarled, ready to blast the girl to dust. "I poisoned you with kryptonite. How did it take you so long to realise?" Martha hissed at her daughter, her eyes slightly simmer down as she lowered Emma to the floor. She scoffed at the girl who scuttered away towards Lois and Clark. "Pathetic. How are you… a scared and gullible child supposed to carry on the Alor family legacy? You don't even react to a yellow sun" Martha spat at her, the woman's voice changing from its unrecognisable echos to a very known British accent most likely from Nottingham with the way she pronounced her words.
Emma was lifted from the floor by Lois, her legs barely strong enough for her to stand. Martha only smiled at the state of her daughter, a rush of joy coursing through her abnormal veins. "Weak legs. Check. Glowing veins. Check" She began to listing off, her smile growing wider as her eyes became infatuated with the sickly look. "I wonder when you're gonna hear the voices" She ticked her tongue.
Emma felt her stomach drop with her mother's tone. "Voices? What voices?" Emma asked, her voice raspy and her breath shortened. "Your father, Billy Rose, Conner… Natalie" Martha listed again walking closer to Emma, for only the table keeping the distance. "Every person who died… because of you"
"You killed them… Natalie died from…"
"An attack outside her own pub. A knife that left water in the wound" Martha let out a breath, the air becoming a mist as ice formed in her closed hand. Once she opened it, a dagger made of ice sat nicely on the palm of her hand. Emma left the support of Lois as she slowly made her way to her mother, clinging to the kitchen chairs for dear life.
Martha was taken back as her daughter's burst of strength. But she remembered that family is a powerful tool for good or evil. Emma stood as best she could in front of Martha before her hand curled into a fist and swung at the blonde. Martha caught her fragile fist, pouting with fake innocence at the child. "Did you truly think that through?" She asked her daughter before holding her fist tighter.
Emma gritted her teeth from the pain, her knees giving out as she fell to the floor once more. Exhaustion crawled its way to Emma's body, her veins glowing even brighter than ever. Martha looked at the sickened adults, mostly her gaze on Clark.
"Alor. A little bit of family history you should know Kal"
<><><>
As the sun rose from its slumber, the Kent twin simultaneously made their way downstairs. There was a swift and normal silence between them as Jordan walked barefoot alongside Jon who wore a pair of gray socks.
However when they came into the kitchen, there was no small talk from their parents or even teh sarcastic comments from Emma, who has taken up the role of entertaining them with weird facts in the dull mornings.
"Okay, this is officially weird" Jon smacked his lips. Clark and Lois shared a look before turning back to the boys. "Why don't you both sit down" Clark suggested, gesturing to the kitchen chairs. Jon looked to Jordan, who did the same. The curly haired twin was gonna sat something until his focus became the support beam close to his brother.
"Was that always like that?" He asked, walking to the beam. The pristine white paint was chipped at the edges and the natural brown wood was chipped and sticking out. "Jordan. Take a seat" Lois sighed, pleading gently with her eyes. Jordan sat down next to Jon.
Clark and Lois took a moment before the latter spoke up. "Emma's mother stopped by" Lois started. Both boys looked at their mother with wide eyes. “Isn’t Emma from an entirely different world than ours? How could her mom be here?" Jon asked, taken back by the news. Clark only sighed at the question. "We don't know yet, which is one of the reasons I won't be at practice today" He told them, quickly facing the sad looks on their faces.
"Only one?" Jordan asked him. "Emma warned your Dad about something, he needs to stop it. So You’re mom will be driving you to practice today" Sam's voice appeared as he walked in, fully clothed in his D.O.D attire and a mandela folder in hand. Lois gratefully took the folder from her father, giving him a smile. "That's everything about Martha Clarks that I could find and a few bits from Hank Henshaw" He told them before turning to his grandsons.
He gave them a quick smile before ushering them to get ready, hoping that he could get at least two minutes with Clark. The twins quickly ran upstairs wanting to check on Emma before they left. Jordan was the first to enter her room after a low 'okay' from the girl.
Jordan felt a pang in his chest as his eyes met Emma's. Instead of her bright icy blue, her eyes where a grayish-blue that made her sickly pale skin look even worse. Her veins glowed a dimming green, with a burst of light Emma coughed roughly into the pillow behind her. Her arms were too weak to move. Usually Jordan would find the girl with the blanket up to her chin, always complaining of the cold. But now the blanket reached to her waist as one of her legs hung over the cold floorboards.
Emma gave him a weak smile, her hand gently lifting for his touch. Emma knew what she was doing was stupid, but she desperately needed to feel his touch. She wanted the butterflies to replace the pit that her mother planted last night. Emma knew the minute the voices began, he would know the small secret she had been keeping from both him and Jonathan.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Jordan asked her, holding the girl's hand like she could break any minute. "Like shit. Why couldn't it be pink kryptonite" Emma rolled her eyes. Jordan looked at her with an amused sign. "Sarcasm, that's a good sign of health" Jordan let out a breathy laugh. Emma's smile got bigger, Jordan couldn't have guess that he referenced a line from the show Emma constantly referenced when Clark was around due to his doppelganger role but he still made her smile.
Jordan felt a bit of pride when Emma's smile grew, his heart beating faster that he was the one to do that. "What's pink kryptonite? I thought there was only the green stuff?" He asked her, his thumb caressing her knuckles subconsciously. He didn't know that it was making Emma feel at ease or that her obsessive thoughts where fighting agasint her heart as it yearned for his presence to be so much more than Platonic.
"It's artificial kryptonite made by Lex Luthor. It makes kryptonians gay" Emma snickered gently, the memories of Jordy and her reading that comic issue making her smile fade. "That sounds really homophobic" Jordan mentioned, however the thought of a rock making his dad gay slightly amused him. "Yeah, but being bisexual and making fun of that issue is hilarious" Emma mused, gently tightening her loose grip on Jordan's fingers.
She saw the far way look in his eyes. She knew that look, the gears in his head doing a 360 with every thought that came to his mind. "Jord" Emma called out softly, taking his attention away from the voice in his head. He looked at her as if she was given stars by the universe only to show him what true beauty was like. Jordan noticed a stray strand of hair poking out from her tight ponytail. He gently brushed it behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
"I'm gonna be fine" Emma told him, her voice barely above a whisper. But her words failed to reassure the boy, as I fher goal was to convince herself more than him. "Ju… Just promise me that you'll call me, if anything happens" Jordan pleaded with her soflty. He knew that Emma wasn't his grandfather's biggest fan.
"I swear" Emma told him.
<><><>
The morning was gone to quick for Emma's liking. She thankfully had enough strength to reach the bathroom, her lower back making her want to curl up into a ball to cry. So it was no surprise when she saw blood when she painfully pulled down her pants. She actually thanked whatever God made her take her phone with her to the bathroom.
After a few moments of the forgiven dial tones, the sound of her call being answered briefly caught her focus.
"Emma? Is everything okay?" Lois asked from the other end.
"Uhh.. Where do you… keep your tampons… or or the pads?" Emma asked, praying the older woman used tampons as the latter made her break out in a nasty rash down there.
Lois must have been taken back before answering the young girl.
"The tampons are in the cabinet under the sink. Do you need me to pick up anything? Chocolate, ice-cream, a bag or two of chips?"
Emma just mumbled a no. Lois had done enough for her already and she didn't want to burden her more. "Umm, no I'm okay. Thank you" Emma responded before hanging up. She quickly cleaned herself up, making sure that her hands were clean of any blood. She changed her bottoms before throwing them in the laundry basket of the guest room.
She then curled into a ball as the period pain collided with the kryptonite pain. Tears rolled gently down her eyes as she took the pain.
Kono slapped Emma's hand away from her car stereo as Arctic Monkeys' latest song played. "No trying to read my messages" Kono scolded her sister as they stopped at a red light. Emma looked after sister with a bored look. "You won't even tell me where we're going or why we are taking the same route to the hospital" Emma pointed out, huffing as she laid back in her seat.
As the car started up again, and soon enough the sisters were at the local hospital where their mother and aunt worked. Kono took a moment before exiting the car, catching her little sister's attention. “Listen, I didn’t say anything because I don’t need another reason to collect you from the gardaí station” Kono began, catching Emma’s attention like wildfire.
“What happened?” Emma asked, her body freezing in place. “It’s Mam. She’s in surgery” Kono told her very carefully, making sure to lock the car doors. “Why! I swear to every god who has ever been thought of, if it was Marty I’m gonna kill a bitch” Emma seethed her mind jumping to her surrogate.
Kono sighed, “This is why you go to therapy” she muttered, hitting her head off the steering wheel. Kono then sat up straight and stop her little sister mid-murder planning. “Mam’s kidney is failing, so we need to be tested to see if we can donate. If not, Mam will be on a waiting list or we will call her family up in Northern Ireland” Kono told her, a hand on her shoulder.
Emma nodded before a familiar car drove up beside them. “Fuck” Emma groaned loudly as the driver tapped on the window beside her. Emma plastered a smile more fake than Clark Kent’s glasses and pressed the button for the window to go down.
“Detective Twomey, what a lovely surprise” Kono spoke first, a similar smile on her face. “Kono” She nodded at the blonde before looking at Emma with a sarcastic smile. “Emma Ní Chroídheán” She greeted with a playful tone.
“Hi Audrey, still tryna find my burn book” Emma smirked at the woman, who only shook her head. “Actually, I’m not here for you kid” Audrey admitted, fixing her uniform jacket. Emma was a little taken back. “Did Antony try to spray paint a wall or something?” Kono asked, unlocking the car.
Audrey bit her lip back. “No, the hospital called. Whatever put your mother in surgery, it wasn’t natural. It was drugs” The gardaí gave the younger girl a side glance. She watched Emma’s face morphed into a seething rage.
“Martha”
<><><>
Jon and Jordan walked on the side of the road. Practice was uneventful so there wasn’t much to talk about. Yet Jon couldn’t help but notice Jordan checking his phone every two minutes.
“She’s sick, not ghosting you” Jon pointed out.
Jordan looked up at his brother with a confused look. “Sorry what?” He lied, pretending not to know who his twin was referring to. “Emma” Jon rolled his eyes. “She’s probably sleeping. She’s always complaining about not getting enough of it” Jon shrugged, his brother knowing it’s true.
Jordan sighed, putting away his phone. “I know, I’m just worried about her” Jordan admitted to his brother. Jon swung his arm around Jordan, pulling him in close. “We all are. But Dad will figure something out” Jon reassured him.
His brother didn’t seem to react to the semi-positive words. “Did you know that when Emma’s nervous or scared she uses Irish slang?” He asked Jon, raising an eyebrow. Jon was taken back for a moment before the realisation settled in.
That lovesick idiot.
“Really? You know Irish slang?” Jon asked him, already knowing the answer. Jordan only shrugged his shoulders. “I looked some stuff up and when I saw the definitions it kinda made sense. I mean the first time you pissed her off she called you a fean” Jordan reminded him. Jon only shook his head. “What does fean mean then? Idiot” Jon guessed.
“It’s just an informal way to say man. That’s why I’m worried, if Emma was scared that her entire home was gone would she be so calm about it” Jordan pointed out, making Jon finally understand his point. “So you think that Emma has known this entire time?” Jon asked as they turned into the farm, the mailbox open with today’s mail.
Jordan only shrugged before seeing Emma sitting on the porch, her head resting against the wall. Jordan walked up to her, noticing the blanket wrapped around her as she slept in the worst position he’s ever seen.
She looked worst than ever. Her skin was way too pale, almost like a sheet of paper. Her veins were a darker green like poison you’d see in cartoons. Her hair had changed too. It was a beautiful caramel brown but now it was almost grey like the colour had faded.
Jordan gently shook her awake, “Em” he called out gently. Emma gently opened her eyes, pulling the blanket tighter around her. “Jord?” She mumbled. That’s when she opened her eyes properly. The gorgeous ice blue eyes had drastically faded into a dark grey with the rims of her iris’ were also green.
<><><>
After returning from the failed prison transfer, Clark had wanted to try and speak to Emma. Even with the Man of Steel there, Kilgrave still escaped with the help of a mysterious woman. Emma’s mother.
He walked up to her room to see his boys watching over her with concerned looks. “What happened?” He asked, the small smell of something metallic in the air. Jordan couldn’t form a word as he watched Emma mumble to herself.
“No… please don’t hurt him” Emma whimpered, her hand reaching out weakly for something that wasn’t there. It had started, she was hearing the voices Martha had warned them about. “When did this start?” Clark asked the rushing over to the young girl.
“After she left the bathroom. We called Mom and she also said she got her… monthly thing” Jon told his father, hoping he’d understand what he meant. Clark only nodded before lifting Emma into his arms. “She needs to stay at the Fortress until we figure this out” He declared before flying away from the farm.
Once he landed in the fortress, Clark immediately laid Emma down in an incubator. Quickly awaking Jor-El, he began to run tests on the girl. “Father, is there any chance she may be—” Clark began looking at the A.I.
“—Kyrptonian? Yes, it seems her cells needed to adjust to our worlds yellow sun before her DNA could show us, hence why the first test was inconclusive”
Clark nodded as he looked over to Emma who was mumbling again. Something about a motorcycle? He then looked at the holographic display his father made of her body. Almost 60% of her body was infected with the altered kryptonite. What was he gonna do?
Maybe home is nothing but two arms holding you tight when you’re at your worst.
-Yara Bashraheel
{Emma’s Perspective}
“So, who’s winning?” I asked Clark. “The other team” He told me. “Why won’t you wear a jacket or use an umbrella?” Jon asked me, his annoyance clear. “Because I love the rain. Besides, if Zeus wants me dead, let him kill me” I told him, taking another shot of the field.
I looked back to the stands, seeing a familiar head. I groaned, nudging Clark “General Lane is here” I told him, pointing behind me. Clark looked back, a sour look on his face.
I quickly took a picture on my phone, snickering as I did. Clark gave me a questioning look. “It’s a thing in my world. Sourwolf” I snickered while setting the picture as his contact photo. “God you're weird” Jon moaned from beside Clark. “I’m weird, sweet and borderline psychotic. What’s not to love” I told Jon, a big smile on my face.
“All right, let’s go. Defence. Let’s go. Pick it up. Kent!” Coach shouted, Jon, running up to him out of habit. “Yes, Coach?” Jon asked. I closed my eyes not even wanting to witness this moment.
“No, not you. The other one. Shortstack!” Coach corrected, looking back at Jordan. He ran up to Coach, helmet in hand. “Yes, Coach?” Jordan asked. “Look, I need you right now. I need you to get me that ball. You hear me?” Coach told him, pointing out to the ongoing game.
“Yes, Coach” Jordan answered, his voice a little unsure. I walked up to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. “You can do this Jord. I know you can” I smiled at him. Jordan smiled back before giving me a fist bump. “Thanks, Em” He told me before Clark walked up behind us. “Good luck” I told him before going back up to Clark and Jon.
Clark raised the umbrella over me, smiling kindly at me. “Thanks” I muttered, gripping the umbrella handle. Jon pulled me in close, wrapping an arm around me. “Now entering the game, number 24, Jordan Kent!” The announcer called. I cheered for Jordan as the game commenced, having no clue what was happening. “He got the ball!” I yelled, jumping up and down. “Jordan, go!” Clark and Jon chanted.
I jumped and yelled, having no clue what was happening until I saw Jordan go past the line. “Touchdown, Crows!” The announcer called, and the stands went wild. “Let’s go, Jordan!” Jon and I screamed. I looked back at Lois, seeing her face darken. “Something you wanna tell me?” Sam said in a low voice, the words echoing in my head. I turned around, shocked at how loud the voice was.
Jordan came running over to the three of us, hugging his Dad and Jon. “I did it!” He smiled at them. “Told ya you could do it. I’m always right” I smirked at Jordan, who only laughed at me. “I guess you are” He smiled back, pulling me in for a hug. I hugged him back as tight as I could.
“Thanks for believing in me Em” Jordan whispered into my ear. I felt the heat rush to my face, my stomach fluttering like a tornado had begun to swirl the usual butterflies faster than my heart rate.
I patted his back before a hoard of excited football players came to whisk him away. “I’ll see ya in a minute, kay?” I told him, breaking the hug. He nodded before the entire team and Clark followed Coach Gaines into the locker room.
I ran to the music room, finding Sienna playing the piano. “Ms. Clarks?” I called from the door. She turned to me with a kind smile. “Who won the game?” She asked me, continuing her song. I walked in, sitting a few feet away. “Smallville. Still don’t know how but they did” I shrugged, swaying to the music.
Sienna smiled, humming a tune to her own work. “Stars begin to climb” I sang low to myself, finding it quite familiar. “So, how is everything at Kent Farm? Still having nightmares?” Sienna asked me once she played the final chord. I bit my lip for a moment.
Ever since the cloaked figure gave me that USB, the nightmares have dialled it down. Now instead of manipulating my memories, my dreams are just about my trauma. Still figuring out if that’s an improvement or not. “They are more… mild than before” I smiled kindly at her. Sienna nodded at my answer as she stopped playing. “That’s progress. What about opening up? I know you’ve mentioned your birth mother to Clark. Have you opened up about anything else?” She asked me, turning to face me properly.
Jordan.
He was the first person I told about my Dad since I was ten. Yeah, I didn’t go into detail but the only people who actually knew about what happened to my Dad were my Nana Madge, Jeju and Conner. “Kinda… but I haven’t gone into any details with anyone” I told her, looking down at my wrists, the clean skin making me cringe. “Can you tell me why?” She asked me, something about her voice making me tear up. I wiped my eyes quickly, holding back a sob. “Last time I trusted someone…they didn’t…stick around” I answered, twisting my rings around my finger.
I walked through the CUH, two cups of coffee in hand. Room 312A. That’s where he was. “Emmy? You okay babes?” I turned to see Jeju, a worried look on her face. “Sorry Jeju. Just worried about Conner” I told her, handing her a cup. Jeju gave me a sympathetic smile. Her normal work scrubs had a few stains from staying at the hospital for the entire weekend. Her eyes had bags underneath them dark enough to make Savitar jealous. I wasn’t doing as good either.
From the room window, my washed-out pink hair was in knots upon knots. I had a huge gauze on my left cheek. I was wearing a Teen Wolf lacrosse jumper that Jon Jon packed for me and an old superman pyjama pants. My skin looked sickly pale from the medication I was on. “Any news on Marty?” I asked her, leaning into her side. Immediately her hands started combing through my tangled hair gently. Of course, there wasn’t, she never got caught. “Just that he’s stable, he’ll wake up soon babes” She tried to convince me but we both knew it wasn’t true.
And it wasn’t. Conner’s gone and it’s all my fault. I grabbed my phone that had fallen beside me. “I’ll see you Monday. Thanks for the vent” I smiled at her before leaving the room. I opened my contacts to ring Lois for a ride.
‘Elrisia’
I jumped at the voice, a chill running down my spine. I turned around looking for the cloaked figure. I saw something run towards the front entrance. I ran after it, something in me screaming to run. “Hey!” I shouted as I ran through the front entrance doors. I fell to the ground immediately. I groaned as my entire body felt as if it was on fire.
The cloaked figure walked toward me. I couldn’t see their face, only the glow of a dark purple. “My sweet Elrisia, so naive just like Conner” the voice merged into one. No, it can’t be her. “I know what your thinking? How did I get here? Why did you end up here?” She taunted me, forcing my head up by grabbing my chin. “M-Ma… Ahhh!” I screamed as I felt something sharp pierce my side. Only from the corner of my eyes could I see a green glow. Kryptonite?
“Don’t worry, I made this so it only affects you” She sneered before slashing my face. Tears swelled in my eyes as the pain burned my insides. “Why?” I managed before coughing so hard I could feel my throat bleed. She kicked me over on my back, her foot pressing against my stomach. “How have you survived without me? You always needed me to survive, you can’t on your own you silly little girl” She spat, holding her knife to my neck. It was infused with kryptonite, but why was it affecting me so much? She grabbed my phone from my pocket, a smirk on her face.
“I see you’ve met Kal-El. Perfect” She commented before the faint sound of the dial tone reached my ears. “Emma? Everything okay?” Clark’s voice was low but I could still hear him thankfully. “Emma can’t come to the phone right now Kal-El” She scoffed before I could feel a gush of wind. The pain was getting worse the longer she held the knife to my throat.
She sighed before lifting the knife away from me. “Looks like this puts a halt to our reunion Elrisia. Till next time” and just like that, she was gone in a leap as if she could fly. I started to cry, unable to do anything else. My body wouldn’t listen to me. I tried to get up, to move but it was like she locked my body. Clark’s face came into view, his worried expression making me so guilty.
I felt the bile rise in my throat. The world was getting dark. Too dark. Clark’s words were muddling together as I felt my eyelids close every moment or so.
‘You failed Elrisia. You always fail’
<><><>
“No! Billy don’t” I laughed as my best friend jumped off the tree. She was pissed and that vodka only made her more careless. I tried to help her up, my bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand as I used the other to support her body weight. I wasn’t as drunk as everyone else, I can hold my drink well. Morgan and Caitlin were trying to make tiktoks, Adam kept running it per usual.
Jordy was trying to get a kiss out of Adam, even though he was after at least four joints and Adam don’t smoke. Jonathan was tryna flirt with Morgan. Morgan’s his girlfriend. “Emma! Look, I gotta girl!” Jon Jon shouted at me, kissing Morgan’s cheek. She laughed at him, shoving him gently. He fell on his back and stayed there. “I still have no idea why I go drinking with you lot” I snickered, falling next to Jon Jon in solidarity.
My Jack Daniels was almost gone, my buzz steading ever so slightly. Jordy fell by my side, giggling over the fact he got a kiss on the cheek. Adam tripped over his legs, there goes the blue wicked. “Adam!” We all groaned at him. He flipped us off before rolling off of Jordy. The girls joined the little circle we had going on, Billy Rose just deciding to use me as a pillow. “Uhhh, lads and ladies…. Marty coming in hot” Adam groaned, seeing my birth mother.
She looked as toxic as ever. Her oversized tracksuit jumper and a pair of blue jeans were covered in small patches of white powder. “Your coke delivery went well I suppose” I coughed, pushing Billy off of me. She glared at me. “Come on girls, parties over” Marty sighed, latching her hand onto my forearm. “Ow!” I yelped as she dragged me up from the ground. Morgan glared at her while Caitlin was helping Billy Rose from the ground.
“Hands off her!” Morgan snapped, smacking Marty’s hand off of me. “Nice one M” I smiled at my friend. “Always needing others to help you, Elrisia” Marty smirked at me. I threw the bottle of Jack Daniels at her, missing her face by an inch. “My name is Emma” I snapped, walking ahead of her.
“That’s fine! We’ll just call a taxi!” Jon Jon shouted before Marty grabbed my shoulder tightly. “Why don’t you take shotgun Emma” She spat like a mild venom. The look in her eyes made us shiver. The woman had instantly put us in a cautious sense of mind. Martha Clarks has a plan.
“Nah! I’ll take shotgun, my legs are killing me Ms Clarks” Billy Rose smirked, opening the passenger side of the front of the car. I could see the steam come right out of my mother’s ears as she practically stomped to the driver's side.
I sat in between Morgan and Caitlin in the middle seat. The pair were talking with Caitlin’s mam, a plan we devised when they first learned about my birth mother. “Uhhh… Ms. Clarks, why do you have your indicator on?” Billy asked, seeing her click the switch to do so. I looked up from my phone, the slight red glow in Marty’s eye caught me off guard.
“That truck” She said with a sadistic smile on her face. “Mam!”
I woke up gasping for air. My entire body froze in place, the lingering feeling of the crash never leaving. The strands of my hair ended up soaked from the spit in my mouth. I couldn't move my arms to fix it, fear freezing me in place. I barely took notice of my surroundings as Billy's scream echoed louder in my ears. Why was it so cold? I couldn't feel my fingers? Why can’t I feel my fingers?
“Son, she is awake”
I turned my head to see… Jor-El? “Fuck your fatter in person” I told him. Guess Clark got Lara’s good looks. “Excuse me?” Jor-El asked, his little offended by my comment. Clark had walked into view, noticing the scowl on Jor-El’s hologram face. “It’s not like you have emotions, you’re an AI” I stated, making the hologram sigh. He knows I’m right. “Emma, please” Clark sighed, his head dropping at my tone of voice. I rolled my eyes at him.
Jor-El turned to Clark, a grumpy look on his face. “The kryptonite should not affect you or the twins, but I highly suggest keeping her away from the public. It will take a couple of days before it leaves her immune system” He informed Clark before disappearing in a small flash of light. Clark raised his eyebrows at me, hands on his hips.
“What?” I asked innocently. Clark sighed once more, “Can you try for just a moment to be nice? Especially to my Father?” Clark asked, his voice sounding desperate. I slumped my shoulders at him. “I just said the first thing that came to mind. You do realise I know way more than you think right?” I reminded him, getting up from whatever I was sitting on.
Clark gave me an odd look. Probably because I was just attacked and seemed super unfazed by it. Amateur. “So, what time is it?” I asked, almost slipping on the icy floor. “About eleven at night, Lois is trying to keep Sam in line while the twins are worried about you” He told me. I groaned at Sam’s mention. I’ve had enough toxic parenting for one night, I don’t need to add his and that stupid military crap on top of it.
<><><>
{3rd Person's Perspective}
Emma smiled awkwardly as she walked from behind Clark into the house. The scuffling of feet made her jump as the twins came to greet her. “Emma!” Jordan exclaimed, running to hug her. Emma wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze. “I’m alright, I’ve had way worse than a green glowing rock in my system” Emma brushed aside as she broke the hug. Sam let out a deep, very fake cough at the young girl’s statement.
Emma felt her brief feeling of peace die out faster than her will to live. “What is worse than Kryptonite Ms Ní Chroídheán?” Sam asked her. Emma held back a sigh. “As of right now your presence” She slipped, giving the man an unpleasant look. Jordan and Jon held back their laughs while their parents tried to be unfazed by the teen’s comment. “Excuse me?” Sam spat, already not liking the girl. “I didn’t realise you were that old you needed hearing aids” Emma asked, her head feeling like it was gonna explode. Lois quickly stood in the space between the two. Lord knows what they could cause.
“Dad, this is Emma. Emma this is Sam, my–” Lois didn’t even finish her sentence. “Your dad with the same ‘toxic honour above all else’ bull as my mother who just attacked me. So please don’t feel offended if I’m not gonna take your bullshit” Emma glared before walking up the stairs. The Kent family and Sam all looked at each other, Clark the most worried. “Did she just say her mother attacked her with Kryptonite?” Jon asked out loud. They heard a loud crash and Emma’s normal string of curses. Jordan looked at his Dad worried when he asked, “Did Holo-gramps say anything about… that?”.
Clark only sighed, knowing Sam is gonna have very, very strong opinions on this. “The Kryptonite was made to only affect Emma, if she says that her mother attacked her then we need to learn more about her” Clark explained. He knew that she wasn’t a great mother but if this is a ‘tame’ attack, he didn’t want to imagine what could be the worst.
Sam let out another cough, hoping the twins would leave the room. Thankfully they had gotten the hint and went to check up on Emma before bed. Lois quickly shifted from concerned to annoyed faster than Clark could fly around the world. “Really Dad?” Lois huffed, hands on her hips as Clark stood next to her. “Excuse me? That young girl needs to learn respect” Sam began to argue with his daughter.
Lois felt like a volcano ready to erupt. “She was attacked, Dad! She’s only a kid, so if she doesn't want to deal with your crap then she doesn’t! You are not the one who is looking after her wellbeing!” Lois argued back, her hands going everywhere to prove her point. “She shouldn’t be your responsibility! Where are her parents?” Sam pointed out.
“Dad’s dead! Mother’s a psychopath! Everyone else is probably dead! So can you both stop fighting about me!” Emma’s voice screamed, already sounding sickly. Lois and Sam stopped in their tracks and looked to where the stairs are. “What?” Clark asked, seeing Emma stand at the top of the stairs.
Emma had already changed into a pair of jammies and a hoodie as she rubbed her nose with the cuff of her sleeve. She already looked done with everything and everyone. “Emma, can you remember what happened?” Clark asked her. Emma took a step back, what she said had finally registered in her head. “I’m not stupid. I’ve seen and read enough to know” Emma answered him, looking down at her feet. “Know what Emma?” Lois asked, ignoring the rude looks from her father.
“My world. It’s gone and I’m just waiting until you guys are sick of me at this point” Emma choked back a sob, her eyes emitting a soft green glow. The glow started to climb around her body, jagged, straight, long and short glowing lines became see-through. “Emma” Clark began walking up the stairs gently. Emma began to sway as a thick line manifested on her neck.
“Aunt Natalie?” Emma murmured before falling back. Clark sped to her before she could hit the floor. As he caught her, the glowing died down. The lines became a light pink on her visible skin. But the one place the glow didn’t die was her left wrist. Clark carefully pulled up her sleeve.
‘El Mayarah’ was written in cursive and so were four small hearts with the initials ‘S.O’B’ ‘B.R.O’ ‘N.O’B’ and ‘C.C’.
Lois ran to Clark’s side. She quickly noticed the tattoos on her wrist. “Isn’t that…?” Lois trialled off. “Kryptonian and the meaning behind the crest?” Clark questioned before letting out a sigh. “Yes, yes it is” He answered, knowing that Sam was going to gloat when he finds out.
<><><>
Emma woke with a start, the sound of her heart beating in her ears. She didn’t recognise where she was, the small sparks of anxiety had flickered in her panicked state. It wasn’t until she felt a warm hand take her own did she looked to her left. Jordan held her hand, his eyes bloodshot as he looked into her own. “Jord? What… What happened?” Emma asked him, her cheeks tinted red from their close proximity.
“You fainted and…” His eyes went to her hand, his thumb ghosting over a light pink line on the back of her hand. Emma’s eyes widened as she pulled her hand closer to her face and her sleeve up. “They’re back” She whispered, her fingers tracing the scars with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes welled with tears as she closed in on herself, cradling her left hand.
Jordan hesitated for a moment. He knew that nothing he said was going to comfort her. He did the only thing he knew could give her some sort of comfort. He wrapped his arms around her sobbing body and held her close.
Emma didn’t know what way to feel. For almost a month she had felt wrong. How could she? The parts of her that she has always had were gone. How could she prove that her mother was cruel when the only evidence she’d ever had disappeared and she didn’t know-how. Now that they’re back, her scars, her tattoos, it felt… Her scars.
She could see the flashes of knives, bags of white or brown, and the sinister smirk her mother would wear. And the same sentence she muttered every time, “You’re becoming stronger princess” with venom tracing her words to sound ever so sweet. I could barely hear Jordan’s soft voice over the loud ones that screamed in my head. ‘Pathetic, Useless, Filthy, Repulsive’. She’s a mess. All Emma ever could be was a fake, lying mess that covered up everything.
Emma knew the minute she spoke about her mother that no one would believe her. How could they? All they’ll think is that she’s an attention-seeking brat who can’t function without someone helping her. “It’s okay, Em. I’m not going anywhere” Jordan whispered, rubbing calming circles into her forearm. And they stayed like that, in the comfort of each other's arms.
Usually, Emma would force herself to stop and then tell whoever that she was okay now. Hell, she’s done that to Jordan before. But now? All that Emma could do was let him comfort her. There was something about this moment that made Emma wonder why?
Why have they let her stay when she’s an emotional wreck?
Why is she allowing herself to break? No one has ever been okay when she broke. It was always words that forced her to keep it together. She was the rock her family fell to when they broke. Her brothers, that includes her cousins and best friend, always came to her for everything. Hide weed, money, need to find a place 'cause your mother was drunk again, she could do it in an hour tops. Come to think of it, the only thing she hasn't done was hide a dead body.
Like her Nana always told her, 'the women of our family are the glue that keeps us stronger than time'. Ever since her Aunt Natalie died, she not only had her brothers and sisters coming to her, but her Jon Jon, Adam and even Jordy. She had to be the glue, she was the last female O'Brien and the Eldest of her mother's family.
Yet when she was in his arms, it all melted away with his embrace. She felt safe listening to his heartbeat over the voice of her mother insulting her in the back of her head. His hoodie felt soft even though she was crying on it.
"Why are you still helping me? I'm a mess" Emma asked in a hushed whisper, her fists holding his oversized hoodie. Jordan gently broke the hug, one had on Emma's shoulder and the other ghosting over her cheek. "I care about you Em, I'll never stop caring about you" Jordan told her, the small gap between them becoming very aware to Emma.
"Promise?"
"Always"
<><><>
Clark gave Emma a glass of water, her dark green veins highlighting her pale skin. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" He asked her, concerned that the young girl had said the infamous words 'we need to talk'. "Yep, but first things first. Kilgrave. You need to go" Emma pointed at Clark. The she pointed at Sam with a scowl on her face, " 'Cause you are sadly right. He's gonna escape using chewing gum?" Emma questioned before waving her hand everywhere. "Something really science-y and typical for a villain of his stature" Emma waved off.
Ignoring the shocked faces of the three adults, Emma took a breath as she decided on what to start with.
"The first time I ever saw drugs, I was three. My mam was stuffing it down my nappy. I was used to smuggle drugs from the Republic of Ireland to the UK. She used me till I was six. Most of these scars, they had drugs behind them. Weed, Heroine, Cocaine. You name it, she used me to either smuggle, test or both. I've been in a child rehab because of it. I'm a heroine baby, I was born with the shit in my system so I can get hooked way too easily. When I was five, my mam collected from an overnight stay with my dad. I was missing for three months. I don't remember it, doctors chalked it up to drugs or some sort of mental protection from my brain.
It was fine after that, sure she would still use around me and my older brother, Conner and while she was pregnant with my little brother, Antony. Then it was just a couple week after my seventh birthday. My dad bought me my first Superman comic. She got angry, I've never seen her so vicious. My dad hid me in the kitchen cupboard under the sink with his phone. I rang the guards the moment I heard stuff breaking. But when it got quiet, I came out and I swore just for a moment… my mam's eyes… they were red. My dad was on the floor… he umm, he died in front of me" Emma stalled a breath, her eyes closed tight as she held back the tears. She couldn't look at Clark or Lois, she knew they probably wanted to kick her out. Not that she'd blame them, that's what the Lordans did, along with throwing glasses and forks at her legs.
She felt a weight on her hand that made Emma open her eyes. Lois gave her a sad but sympathetic smile. "It's okay, you don't have to tell us if you can't" She told her. "No, I have to be honest. You and Clark have done so much for me in the past month. You two should know what I am. A drug dealer's daughter" Emma admitted for the first time ever. Lois nodded, allowing the young girl to continue.
"After my dad died, I bounced from foster home to foster home. Some good, some bad. Adding to my scar count. When I was nine, I was fostered for the first time with my brothers. My mam was pregnant again and they wanted us to be in the same place. But when Sophie was born, the woman who was fostering us, adopted us along with Sophie. It was okay for a while, My aunt Natalie came back from working abroad and came out as bisexual. She started dating my Jeju's sister and they got married, adopted a kid I knew from an old foster home. I actually made friends on my own… Like Billy" Emma stalled, her breaths becoming fast paced. Clark tried to help her but Emma only pushed his hand away weakly.
She stood up, walking a few steps away from the table. She bawled her hands into fists as the dark green in her veins glowed brighter than kryptonite. "Ahh, why is this so hard!" Emma tried to keep down her scream of agony. Her veins were on fire, every part of her body was like she was in a sauna for her own blood. "Emma" Clark called out, grabbing her by her arm. His skin let out a hiss before he pulled back.
"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?"
Emma looked up from the floor, the cloaked figure standing above her. She could see the smirk on her face. Emma held onto the wall support beam as she rose from the floor. She formed a snarky grin. "Martha Clarks, hiding under a cloak. Thought you were proud to be a dealer" Emma spat, her nose bleeding as she did.
The figure went from the middle of the living room to holding Emma up by her throat against the wall. The hood fell as red eyes glowed. Emma felt her entire body shatter. "You… You're—"
"Kryptonian. Took you long enough daughter" She snarled, ready to blast the girl to dust. "I poisoned you with kryptonite. How did it take you so long to realise?" Martha hissed at her daughter, her eyes slightly simmer down as she lowered Emma to the floor. She scoffed at the girl who scuttered away towards Lois and Clark. "Pathetic. How are you… a scared and gullible child supposed to carry on the Alor family legacy? You don't even react to a yellow sun" Martha spat at her, the woman's voice changing from its unrecognisable echos to a very known British accent most likely from Nottingham with the way she pronounced her words.
Emma was lifted from the floor by Lois, her legs barely strong enough for her to stand. Martha only smiled at the state of her daughter, a rush of joy coursing through her abnormal veins. "Weak legs. Check. Glowing veins. Check" She began to listing off, her smile growing wider as her eyes became infatuated with the sickly look. "I wonder when you're gonna hear the voices" She ticked her tongue.
Emma felt her stomach drop with her mother's tone. "Voices? What voices?" Emma asked, her voice raspy and her breath shortened. "Your father, Billy Rose, Conner… Natalie" Martha listed again walking closer to Emma, for only the table keeping the distance. "Every person who died… because of you"
"You killed them… Natalie died from…"
"An attack outside her own pub. A knife that left water in the wound" Martha let out a breath, the air becoming a mist as ice formed in her closed hand. Once she opened it, a dagger made of ice sat nicely on the palm of her hand. Emma left the support of Lois as she slowly made her way to her mother, clinging to the kitchen chairs for dear life.
Martha was taken back as her daughter's burst of strength. But she remembered that family is a powerful tool for good or evil. Emma stood as best she could in front of Martha before her hand curled into a fist and swung at the blonde. Martha caught her fragile fist, pouting with fake innocence at the child. "Did you truly think that through?" She asked her daughter before holding her fist tighter.
Emma gritted her teeth from the pain, her knees giving out as she fell to the floor once more. Exhaustion crawled its way to Emma's body, her veins glowing even brighter than ever. Martha looked at the sickened adults, mostly her gaze on Clark.
"Alor. A little bit of family history you should know Kal"
<><><>
As the sun rose from its slumber, the Kent twin simultaneously made their way downstairs. There was a swift and normal silence between them as Jordan walked barefoot alongside Jon who wore a pair of gray socks.
However when they came into the kitchen, there was no small talk from their parents or even teh sarcastic comments from Emma, who has taken up the role of entertaining them with weird facts in the dull mornings.
"Okay, this is officially weird" Jon smacked his lips. Clark and Lois shared a look before turning back to the boys. "Why don't you both sit down" Clark suggested, gesturing to the kitchen chairs. Jon looked to Jordan, who did the same. The curly haired twin was gonna sat something until his focus became the support beam close to his brother.
"Was that always like that?" He asked, walking to the beam. The pristine white paint was chipped at the edges and the natural brown wood was chipped and sticking out. "Jordan. Take a seat" Lois sighed, pleading gently with her eyes. Jordan sat down next to Jon.
Clark and Lois took a moment before the latter spoke up. "Emma's mother stopped by" Lois started. Both boys looked at their mother with wide eyes. “Isn’t Emma from an entirely different world than ours? How could her mom be here?" Jon asked, taken back by the news. Clark only sighed at the question. "We don't know yet, which is one of the reasons I won't be at practice today" He told them, quickly facing the sad looks on their faces.
"Only one?" Jordan asked him. "Emma warned your Dad about something, he needs to stop it. So You’re mom will be driving you to practice today" Sam's voice appeared as he walked in, fully clothed in his D.O.D attire and a mandela folder in hand. Lois gratefully took the folder from her father, giving him a smile. "That's everything about Martha Clarks that I could find and a few bits from Hank Henshaw" He told them before turning to his grandsons.
He gave them a quick smile before ushering them to get ready, hoping that he could get at least two minutes with Clark. The twins quickly ran upstairs wanting to check on Emma before they left. Jordan was the first to enter her room after a low 'okay' from the girl.
Jordan felt a pang in his chest as his eyes met Emma's. Instead of her bright icy blue, her eyes where a grayish-blue that made her sickly pale skin look even worse. Her veins glowed a dimming green, with a burst of light Emma coughed roughly into the pillow behind her. Her arms were too weak to move. Usually Jordan would find the girl with the blanket up to her chin, always complaining of the cold. But now the blanket reached to her waist as one of her legs hung over the cold floorboards.
Emma gave him a weak smile, her hand gently lifting for his touch. Emma knew what she was doing was stupid, but she desperately needed to feel his touch. She wanted the butterflies to replace the pit that her mother planted last night. Emma knew the minute the voices began, he would know the small secret she had been keeping from both him and Jonathan.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Jordan asked her, holding the girl's hand like she could break any minute. "Like shit. Why couldn't it be pink kryptonite" Emma rolled her eyes. Jordan looked at her with an amused sign. "Sarcasm, that's a good sign of health" Jordan let out a breathy laugh. Emma's smile got bigger, Jordan couldn't have guess that he referenced a line from the show Emma constantly referenced when Clark was around due to his doppelganger role but he still made her smile.
Jordan felt a bit of pride when Emma's smile grew, his heart beating faster that he was the one to do that. "What's pink kryptonite? I thought there was only the green stuff?" He asked her, his thumb caressing her knuckles subconsciously. He didn't know that it was making Emma feel at ease or that her obsessive thoughts where fighting agasint her heart as it yearned for his presence to be so much more than Platonic.
"It's artificial kryptonite made by Lex Luthor. It makes kryptonians gay" Emma snickered gently, the memories of Jordy and her reading that comic issue making her smile fade. "That sounds really homophobic" Jordan mentioned, however the thought of a rock making his dad gay slightly amused him. "Yeah, but being bisexual and making fun of that issue is hilarious" Emma mused, gently tightening her loose grip on Jordan's fingers.
She saw the far way look in his eyes. She knew that look, the gears in his head doing a 360 with every thought that came to his mind. "Jord" Emma called out softly, taking his attention away from the voice in his head. He looked at her as if she was given stars by the universe only to show him what true beauty was like. Jordan noticed a stray strand of hair poking out from her tight ponytail. He gently brushed it behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
"I'm gonna be fine" Emma told him, her voice barely above a whisper. But her words failed to reassure the boy, as I fher goal was to convince herself more than him. "Ju… Just promise me that you'll call me, if anything happens" Jordan pleaded with her soflty. He knew that Emma wasn't his grandfather's biggest fan.
"I swear" Emma told him.
<><><>
The morning was gone to quick for Emma's liking. She thankfully had enough strength to reach the bathroom, her lower back making her want to curl up into a ball to cry. So it was no surprise when she saw blood when she painfully pulled down her pants. She actually thanked whatever God made her take her phone with her to the bathroom.
After a few moments of the forgiven dial tones, the sound of her call being answered briefly caught her focus.
"Emma? Is everything okay?" Lois asked from the other end.
"Uhh.. Where do you… keep your tampons… or or the pads?" Emma asked, praying the older woman used tampons as the latter made her break out in a nasty rash down there.
Lois must have been taken back before answering the young girl.
"The tampons are in the cabinet under the sink. Do you need me to pick up anything? Chocolate, ice-cream, a bag or two of chips?"
Emma just mumbled a no. Lois had done enough for her already and she didn't want to burden her more. "Umm, no I'm okay. Thank you" Emma responded before hanging up. She quickly cleaned herself up, making sure that her hands were clean of any blood. She changed her bottoms before throwing them in the laundry basket of the guest room.
She then curled into a ball as the period pain collided with the kryptonite pain. Tears rolled gently down her eyes as she took the pain.
Kono slapped Emma's hand away from her car stereo as Arctic Monkeys' latest song played. "No trying to read my messages" Kono scolded her sister as they stopped at a red light. Emma looked after sister with a bored look. "You won't even tell me where we're going or why we are taking the same route to the hospital" Emma pointed out, huffing as she laid back in her seat.
As the car started up again, and soon enough the sisters were at the local hospital where their mother and aunt worked. Kono took a moment before exiting the car, catching her little sister's attention. “Listen, I didn’t say anything because I don’t need another reason to collect you from the gardaí station” Kono began, catching Emma’s attention like wildfire.
“What happened?” Emma asked, her body freezing in place. “It’s Mam. She’s in surgery” Kono told her very carefully, making sure to lock the car doors. “Why! I swear to every god who has ever been thought of, if it was Marty I’m gonna kill a bitch” Emma seethed her mind jumping to her surrogate.
Kono sighed, “This is why you go to therapy” she muttered, hitting her head off the steering wheel. Kono then sat up straight and stop her little sister mid-murder planning. “Mam’s kidney is failing, so we need to be tested to see if we can donate. If not, Mam will be on a waiting list or we will call her family up in Northern Ireland” Kono told her, a hand on her shoulder.
Emma nodded before a familiar car drove up beside them. “Fuck” Emma groaned loudly as the driver tapped on the window beside her. Emma plastered a smile more fake than Clark Kent’s glasses and pressed the button for the window to go down.
“Detective Twomey, what a lovely surprise” Kono spoke first, a similar smile on her face. “Kono” She nodded at the blonde before looking at Emma with a sarcastic smile. “Emma Ní Chroídheán” She greeted with a playful tone.
“Hi Audrey, still tryna find my burn book” Emma smirked at the woman, who only shook her head. “Actually, I’m not here for you kid” Audrey admitted, fixing her uniform jacket. Emma was a little taken back. “Did Antony try to spray paint a wall or something?” Kono asked, unlocking the car.
Audrey bit her lip back. “No, the hospital called. Whatever put your mother in surgery, it wasn’t natural. It was drugs” The gardaí gave the younger girl a side glance. She watched Emma’s face morphed into a seething rage.
“Martha”
<><><>
Jon and Jordan walked on the side of the road. Practice was uneventful so there wasn’t much to talk about. Yet Jon couldn’t help but notice Jordan checking his phone every two minutes.
“She’s sick, not ghosting you” Jon pointed out.
Jordan looked up at his brother with a confused look. “Sorry what?” He lied, pretending not to know who his twin was referring to. “Emma” Jon rolled his eyes. “She’s probably sleeping. She’s always complaining about not getting enough of it” Jon shrugged, his brother knowing it’s true.
Jordan sighed, putting away his phone. “I know, I’m just worried about her” Jordan admitted to his brother. Jon swung his arm around Jordan, pulling him in close. “We all are. But Dad will figure something out” Jon reassured him.
His brother didn’t seem to react to the semi-positive words. “Did you know that when Emma’s nervous or scared she uses Irish slang?” He asked Jon, raising an eyebrow. Jon was taken back for a moment before the realisation settled in.
That lovesick idiot.
“Really? You know Irish slang?” Jon asked him, already knowing the answer. Jordan only shrugged his shoulders. “I looked some stuff up and when I saw the definitions it kinda made sense. I mean the first time you pissed her off she called you a fean” Jordan reminded him. Jon only shook his head. “What does fean mean then? Idiot” Jon guessed.
“It’s just an informal way to say man. That’s why I’m worried, if Emma was scared that her entire home was gone would she be so calm about it” Jordan pointed out, making Jon finally understand his point. “So you think that Emma has known this entire time?” Jon asked as they turned into the farm, the mailbox open with today’s mail.
Jordan only shrugged before seeing Emma sitting on the porch, her head resting against the wall. Jordan walked up to her, noticing the blanket wrapped around her as she slept in the worst position he’s ever seen.
She looked worst than ever. Her skin was way too pale, almost like a sheet of paper. Her veins were a darker green like poison you’d see in cartoons. Her hair had changed too. It was a beautiful caramel brown but now it was almost grey like the colour had faded.
Jordan gently shook her awake, “Em” he called out gently. Emma gently opened her eyes, pulling the blanket tighter around her. “Jord?” She mumbled. That’s when she opened her eyes properly. The gorgeous ice blue eyes had drastically faded into a dark grey with the rims of her iris’ were also green.
<><><>
After returning from the failed prison transfer, Clark had wanted to try and speak to Emma. Even with the Man of Steel there, Kilgrave still escaped with the help of a mysterious woman. Emma’s mother.
He walked up to her room to see his boys watching over her with concerned looks. “What happened?” He asked, the small smell of something metallic in the air. Jordan couldn’t form a word as he watched Emma mumble to herself.
“No… please don’t hurt him” Emma whimpered, her hand reaching out weakly for something that wasn’t there. It had started, she was hearing the voices Martha had warned them about. “When did this start?” Clark asked the rushing over to the young girl.
“After she left the bathroom. We called Mom and she also said she got her… monthly thing” Jon told his father, hoping he’d understand what he meant. Clark only nodded before lifting Emma into his arms. “She needs to stay at the Fortress until we figure this out” He declared before flying away from the farm.
Once he landed in the fortress, Clark immediately laid Emma down in an incubator. Quickly awaking Jor-El, he began to run tests on the girl. “Father, is there any chance she may be—” Clark began looking at the A.I.
“—Kyrptonian? Yes, it seems her cells needed to adjust to our worlds yellow sun before her DNA could show us, hence why the first test was inconclusive”
Clark nodded as he looked over to Emma who was mumbling again. Something about a motorcycle? He then looked at the holographic display his father made of her body. Almost 60% of her body was infected with the altered kryptonite. What was he gonna do?
Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real
-Cormac McCarthy
{Emma's Perspective}
"Does this have too much blue in it?" Lois asked.
I sat on the windowsill, watching as Jordan groaned leaning on the step ladder. I hit my head against the wall. "I still like the Huntsman's Tribute" Clark shrugged from in front of me.
Both me and Jordan groaned, hitting his head off the ladder. I was too tired for this, she's been painting stripes of different colours for ages now. "Dad, I'm pretty sure that's just slang for 'poop' " Jon huffed from beside his father. "Hey" Clark said, obviously offended by the statement. I sat up properly, "I think the word you're looking for is crap" I smiled at the twin, earning a snicker from the brothers. "Jonathan, don't be gross" Lois raised her eyebrow at him, she even pulled the full name card.
"You" Lois pointed at me with her roller. "Watch your language" I raised my hand in surrender. "Sure thing Cap" I smirked at her, the twins getting my reference as they laughed.
"Also, he's not wrong" Lois told Clark. "Mom, can we just pick something?" Jordan asked, also wanting this torture to end. "Sweetie, this is an important decision" Lois defended, giving all of us a serious look.
"We're finally putting our own stamp on this house" Lois finished, making me roll my eyes at her. "If you'd make up your mind" Jon and I said together. Lois walked up to Jon and took a brush out of the paint she had opened. "Emma" Lois smiled sweetly, beckoning me over to Jon's side. I huffed, lazily walking next to the twin. She waved the paintbrush in front of our faces.
"What about this colour? You like this colour?" Lois asked us, looking at Jon and me in the eyes. "Yeah, it's fine" Jon shrugged at Lois, looking at me briefly. "Yeah?" Lois asked me next. "Yeah" I copied, not even sure why she was asking me. Lois nodded before she swiped the paint on Jon's clothes and my face. I looked at her, my mouth was now wide open.
"It's on" I let out a breathy laugh, grabbing a paintbrush and painting her hair with 'Huntsman Tribute'. "Anything but Clark's colour!" Lois shrieked as Jon and I chased her around the room.
Jordan and Clark began their own little fight before Clark had accidentally hit me instead of Jordan. "Emma I am so s-" I cut him off, grabbing Jordan's brush from his hand, striking him in the chest. I raised my eyebrows at him, silently challenging him. "Scared?" I snickered, waving the paintbrush tauntingly in his face.
Clark rolled his eyes before swiping my face with a pinky pale paint. We got into a little match while the twins ambushed Lois. Soon enough, I moved away, changing targets to the twins. While she was swiping Jon, I turned to see Jordan behind a very quiet Clark.
"Clark?" I called out before the man left in a large gust of wind. I was taken aback, not even noticing that Lois had pulled me back towards her. "That was fucking awesome"
<><><>
Now changed out of the painting attire, I brushed my hair as I entered the kitchen. "Hey, Clark" I greeted, smiling at the hero. I smiled at the twins before walking towards the kettle. "Wait, so you can hear every sound in the world at once?" Jon asked Clark, eating his breakfast.
"It's more like I hear all the fluctuations taking place in the collective sonic frequency" Clark explained poorly to the twins. "That makes zero sense to me" Jon stated, unhappy with the complicated answer. "He basically can hear everything but has to concentrate on the sounds he wants to hear. Like this conversation" I explained as best I could to the twins, tilting my head with a smile. "Very close actually" Clark commented as I sat next to Lois.
"So how do you tell between, like, someone in trouble and someone shouting for a taxi?" Jordan asked, his eyes shying away from me. "Well, it took lots of years of training at the Fortress, but that's where I learned to hone in on certain sounds, like people in distress" Clark told them, happy he could share this part of him with the boys. "Wait, be for real, though. What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever heard?" Jon asked.
I began to cough, almost choking on my coffee. Lois was quick to pat my back while she warned Clark not to tell the boys. I gave Jon the stink eye, "Did you have to ask?" I asked him, catching my breath. The boys looked at me with wide eyes. "You know" Jordan stated, with his stupidly cute smirk on his face.
I gulped, gulping coffee. "No comment" I held my hands up in defence. The boys groaned at my little betrayal. "Why? Come one, please Em" Jordan begged me. I laughed at his attempt. "I'd rather not get a lecture from yer ma" I smiled nervously, knowing very well that Lois could very well get me begging on my knees for forgiveness.
After Lois and Clark began their lecture on how Jordan needs to control his powers, a knock on the door echoed in the house. Clark went to answer. The twins gave me pleading stares, silently begging me to spill. "Keep looking at me like that and I will knock yer teeth out" I warned them, knowing that if a certain curly-haired boy kept staring I'd give in fairly quick.
Clark walked back in with a small parcel in hand. "Who's that for?" I asked, taking a bite out of some toast. Clark placed the package in front of me. "You" He answered with the same tone I had. I looked at him wildly, making an 'mhh?' sound. He nodded before sitting back in his chair.
I opened the parcel carefully, seeing as it was a brown paper-covered box. I gently shook out the contents, my shoulders dropping. A pair of rounded glasses, some of my rings from home, a photo and a note. "How the fuck did these get here?" I asked, recognising my flash ring. I picked up the note, hoping it would give me an explanation. I groaned as I saw the writing. "What's wrong?" Lois asked, looking at the odd array of items. "It's in Kryptonian. I can barely make out a few words" I huffed.
Clark and the twins looked at me in surprise. "You can read Kryptonian?" Clark asked me. "Yeah, found an alphabet online and learned from it. Living with six boys takes away privacy" I said, leaving the note alone and moving to the photo. It was me when a few years ago with my cousins, Adam and Jon Jon. I smiled fondly as we held put Junior Cert results with their arms around my shoulders.
"What's with the glasses?" Jon asked, noticing that I hadn't touched them. "They're mine" I answered him, picking up the dark blue frames. It had been almost a year since I'd worn them, hating the memories that came with them. "You needed glasses and you never told us?" Lois looked at me with concerned and angry eyes.
I only shrugged, "I don't really wear them" I told her. Clark was very unamused while the twins just stared at me in awe. "Emma, you need your glasses or else your eyesight will get worse" Clark told her. "I've heard it all before Clark" I told him, his words flying high over my head.
I picked up the note again, hoping to at least recognise the writing. "Anyways. Could you translate this for me? The only word I'm getting 'and' right now" I asked Clark, hoping to change the subject. Clark sighed before taking the note into his hands.
"Trust the unknown. Trust yourself. Let go of searching for answers and the answers will appear Elrisia" Clark read out loud. I felt my heart tighten and my gut turn at the mere mention of the name. I looked at Clark, "It says Elrisia?" I asked.
Clark nodded before handing me back the note. "Who's Elrisia?" Jordan asked me, looking at me before looking down at the note. "It's what my Mam used to call me when I was a kid" I mumbled loud enough for them to hear me. "Elrisia, why does that sound so familiar?" Jordan pondered.
<><><>
I walked down past the reception area, hoping to find the school counsellor's office. I came across the dark blue door that was described to me. I knocked on the door, waiting for a sign to come in. A blurry figure walked closer, the door handle turning.
"Why does this make so much sense?" I realised, seeing the school counsellor. "I do love the enthusiasm, Emma, please come in" Sienna smiled at me, moving aside to let me in. I walked into the pale grey office, the walls filled with inspirational quotes and mental health posters.
"Take a seat. Tea? Coffee? Hot Chocolate?" Sienna asked, walking over to her small little kettle. "I'm alright" I told her, looking around her desk. I noticed the many sticky notes stuck to the left side as many books piled upon one another on the right. I also noticed the music book wedged between a self-help book and a book about self-confidence. "You teach music?" I asked her as she sat down in front of me. Sienna smiled at me, holding her cup in her hands. "Let me see. I'm the music teacher, guidance counsellor, school nurse and I run detention" She listed with a smile on her face.
I was taken aback by the number of jobs she had in the school. "I know, how can she do it all!" Sienna exclaimed jokingly, doing jazz hands. I let out a small laugh at her. "How are you feeling?" Sienna asked, taking out a Marvel-themed notebook. I folded my arms, leaning back.
"On the verge of the next mental breakdown" I rolled my eyes at her. Sienna shook her head at me. She raised her eyebrow at me, closing her notebook. "I see how it is. You use humour to hide your trauma. Common coping mechanism" Sienna declared, copying my current position.
I smiled at her. Let's see how this goes. "Anything else?" I asked her. Sienna smiled at me, almost amused. "You are very cautious. Always looking after everyone else but never yourself. You get anxious around new authority and usually feel out of place in new settings. Like right now you're biting the skin off your lips because you know I'm right and just don't want to admit it" Sienna smiled triumphantly at me.
I gave her a little clap. "Faster than my last therapist" I commented, unfolding my arms. Sienna looked at me, surprised at my answer. "This isn't my first time. The last Therapist needed one after hearing the shit I went through" I huffed, remembering how frightened she was when reading my hospital records.
Sienna only smiled at me. "I'm not like other therapists or guidance counsellors. My home was taken when I was barely an adult. I lost my mother and my sister and I parted ways not long after. Once I was stable I moved here, became a counsellor and a teacher" Sienna smiled softly, a hint of sadness and regret in her eyes.
"You have a sister?" I asked, shocked by the news. Sienna seemed the only child type from what I've seen. "Mal, she's very... fearless for lack of a better term. What about you, any siblings yourself?" Sienna asked me, turning the tables. "I have an older sister, Kono. Her mother adopted me and my other siblings. Conner, the eldest, Antony was born after me and Sophie, my baby sister" I told her, playing with my silver bands. I'd never thought I'd see them again until that morning.
Sienna smiled softly. "Those rings? One of them gifted them to you?" She guessed, noticing my fiddling. "My brother was very sentimental. For Christmas, he got me four interlinking bands with their names on them. Kono, Conner, Antony and Sophie. Each band has a little saying on the inside" I explained, caressing the one with Conner's name.
"Mal and I have something similar, more permanent but just as meaningful" Sienna looked down at the back of her hands. She quickly shook her head, before looking back up at me. "I'll say we made good progress, how about we do this on a weekly basis? I'm sure Lois and Clark won't mind" Sienna smiled at me.
I shrugged, she actually kinda helped in her own way. "Sure"
<><><>
I looked at Jordan as he met up with Sarah. I don't even know why I'm trying when I know it's not happening. "Unrequited love" Jonathan jumped in front of me, a cocky smirk plastered on his face. I deadpanned at him, slamming the locker shut. "Fuck off" I scolded him. Jon didn't falter. "Why not tell him? I mean you clearly got it bad" Jon asked me, walking ahead.
"I still don't even know why I admitted that to you of all people" I groaned, zipping up my bag. I didn't hear from Jon until I looked up. I saw Sean walking toward Jordan. I tried to get to him as fast as I could before Sean could hit Jordan. "Hey, short stack!" Sean yelled, doing closer to Jordan.
"Why is it every time I see you, you're flirting with my girlfriend?" Sean grabbed Jordan by his jacket. "Oi! Leave him alone!" I shouted, trying to get closer as Sean threw Jordan up against the lockers. One of Sean's friends decided to hold me back.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking-" Jordan didn't get to finish his sentence as Sean punched him in the gut. Jon tried to save him but got held back like me, struggling against the fella's grip. Sean proceeded to hit Jordan, "First, you kiss Sarah, and now I catch you slobbering all over like a-"
"Hey!" I shouted, kicking the guy holding me in the balls. I quickly pulled Jordan back, seeing his eyes glow a faint red. "Get away from him!" I shouted before punching Sean in the face. He stumbled back, letting go of Jordan.
"You little skank!" Sean shouted as his lip started to bleed. Emma scoffed at him, stepping in front of Jordan. "Oh please, I've been called worse" I spat, raising my hands to protect my face. Sean went to hit me, landing a punch on my nose.
I barely stumbled, wiping the blood from my nose with a smirk on my face. "Now we're talking big boy" I snickered before kicking him in the gut and punching him in the face again.
Sean then grabbed me by my jumper and held me up against the lockers as he did with Jordan. "Now you listen here" Sean growled. My hair was definitely a mess and I could feel that same feeling when I saw the vision of Jordan blowing up the bonfire.
"I don't like hitting girls, but if you keep this up I'll-"
"What? Make my life hell? You feckin eejit, I've heard better threats from girls with bigger balls than you" I spat in his face, my hair covering my own thankfully.
"Emma, calm down" Jordan lightly pleaded with me from behind his brother. Sean raised his arm to punch me. I never thought I would thank my mother for-
"Hey, guys!" Clark's cheery voice echoed in the crowded hall. "Wow, this place has" His voice wavered slightly as he looked around him. "Whatever" Sean lowered his hand, pushing me into the locker harshly before walking away with his possé
"Really not changed since I went here" Clark finished. Jordan and Jon helped me off the floor, making me slightly ditsy. "Boys, I'm fine. Like I told ya man, I've fought girls half his size with better punches" I told them, moving closer to Clark to prove my point
"What are you doing here?" Jon asked, standing next to me. "Oh, just wanted to, you know, see how things were going at your new school" Clark asked, stuffing his hands in his pocket.
"So you decide to randomly drop by during the fifth period?" Jon pointed out. "This wasn't random" I coughed, groaning as I tried to cover my face. "Prick fucked my nose" I cursed before putting my hand to my nose and clicking it back into place. "Emma!" The three Kents exclaimed at me. "Can you three get back to your conversation, I'm sure the prick gave me a concussion" I huffed, taking my bag from Jordan. "You were spying on us" Jordan realised.
Shit's going down, again.
<><><>
The entire ride back to the farm was tense. I swear the tension was thicker than Jon and that was saying something. Clark kept asking the boys if they were okay but they just ignored him. I on the other hand had a bloody nose, bruising on my stomach and definitely a concussion.
"I was just making sure that you were okay" Clark began, seeing the anger on both his sons' faces. "Yeah, you could've said something this morning, but instead, you lied to our faces" Jordan shouted at Clark. "It wasn't a lie. You just didn't ask" Clark defended. How long have you been doing this? Since we moved here? Our whole lives?" Jonathan asked, his voice getting louder with every question.
"It's not like I'm listening all the time" Clark sighed, making the situation worse. "That is... that is the wrong answer" I sighed, rubbing my temples. Before things could get out of hand I stepped in between the twins and Clark. "Look, I get that you both are pissed but let's make sure you can at least stay conscious, you both got a bad beating" I told them, waving them off to get in.
I looked at Clark, dropping my defensive stance. "I get it, being able to know they're okay but you need to trust them. Trust me when I say you'll be trying to regain their trust longer than it takes to lose it, take it from experience " I told him before following the boys inside.
I walked into the kitchen, Jordan sitting up on the countertop while Jon grabbed a first aid kit. "Jon, get an ice pack or a bag of frozen shit" I ordered him, pulling Jordan down from the counter and onto a chair. Jon handed me a frozen bag of peas. I handed it to Jordan. "Put this on your chest under the clothes. If it bruises there's no need for hospital" I told him, before moving to Jon.
I noticed the cut on his forehead, most likely from the fella that was holding him back. I took out the anti-septic wipe before putting a bandage over it. "You seem very set on patching us up?" Jordan called from behind me. I turned to him, another bag of frozen peas in hand. I walked over, putting it on his face, seeing the bruising on his jawline. "Well, I used to do camogie and soccer before I fucked up my hand. First aid is second nature when you have the most accident-prone siblings and cousins. Hell, my Jeju is a nurse along with my aunt Emily" I told him, making sure he was able to hold the frozen peas in the right place.
Jordan gave me a toothy grin. "Yet you still haven't cleaned the blood on your face or even got your nose checked out" He gave me a pointed look. I smacked his head gently, causing him to laugh at me. "I've broken my nose more times than I can count every one of my limbs. Hell, even the doctors send me little gifts when I reach my milestone of not being in A&E for a long time" I scoffed at him, putting away the first-aid kit. Jordan looked at me with wide eyes.
"How many times have you been in hospital?" Jordan asked me. "Depends, for injuries or visiting?" I asked him, boiling the kettle. "Injuries?" Jordan's voice raised an octave or two. I thought for a moment. There was the first time Mam got busted, when I broke my leg, the times Mam was testing shit on me and Conner...
"You have to actually think about it?" Jordan exclaimed, taking me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him innocently. "Well yeah" I shrugged. He looked at me as if I had three heads. "How did you manage that?" He asked me. "Kids, fucked up adults, brothers" I listed, making the tea. Jordan let out a breath, obviously shocked by my reasons. It's better to lie about them than tell him the truth.
"So, you and Sarah? What's the story with that one?" I asked, changing the subject away from me. Jordan only shrugged at me. I folded my arms at him, raising my eyebrow. "I've gotten more people together than Oliver Queen had arrows. I can see when someone is pining for someone else, spill" I demanded from him. Just because I have a thing for him doesn't mean I gonna hate a girl for it.
Jordan, now sitting across from me. "I dunno, she seems to like me but I'm not sure if I feel the same" Jordan admitted. I looked at him, taken back. "What makes you think that?" I asked him. This is what happens when it's a tv show and not a book or comic!
I bit back my lip, Jordan staying quiet. "I dunno, it just doesn't feel... right" He furrowed his eyebrows. I nodded, not knowing what to say for once. "Well, my advice is that not everything feels right, it takes time to form that connection with someone" I advised him. "Take it from me, I have so many trust issues I basically wrote the book" I laughed before getting up. Jordan only sighed, clearly taking what I said to heart. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You'll know when the times right if you like someone" I added.
Jordan smiled at me, before looking around the kitchen. "How is it you give such great advice?" He asked me. I shrugged, "Supergirl" I answered him bluntly before leaving to do the only homework I received today before Clark dragged us back to school.
<><><>
Marty walked up to me, a smile on her face. "Heard you got into a fight" She smiled, her eyes staring into my own. I looked at her weirdly, Malia Tate would be so proud. "Sorry, I didn't realise we were friends" I smiled back briefly, before quickly trying to leave her so I could convince Jordan not to try out for the football team before it was too late.
Marty, however, didn't like that and jumped in front of me. "I would love to be your friend!" She did it again, that weirdly creepy smile that reminded me of my Mam. "Please, leave me alone. I'm not the friends' type" I told her again, trying to divert around her small, blonde head. "I could change that" She insisted.
I stopped in my tracks, no time for lies. My Jeju taught me to trust my gut when it comes to new people and it has never failed me. I looked at Marty, not even faking a sympathetic face or tone of voice. "Marty, I don't want to be your friend. There are better people for you to be friends with than me. So please for the love of every god. Leave me alone" I told her before resuming my course on the football field.
"Emma!" Jon called, running towards me. By the look on his face, I kicked the floor. "Shit, he's already tried out hasn't he?" I asked him, earning a shocked look. "You had a vision didn't you?" Jon asked me. I titled in my head in utter dishonesty. "Not a vision, more like a...feeling" I lied through my teeth. Jon deadpanned at me, "Really?" He asked.
I huffed, my form deflating. "Doesn't matter. This doesn't end well" I warned him, pulling him aside. "What do you mean, not end well?" Jon asked me. I looked around me, making sure no one was near. I took a breath in. "Your Dad. From what I remember, Clark doesn't find out in the best way and it ends in a bad way" I told him, with the most serious look I could make.
Jon groaned, punching the support beam near him. "Anything else?" He asked me, praying I had the answer. I started to pace back and forth, trying to remember more. "I...I don't know. It's all fuzzy like I was high or something. Which is weird seeing as I only ever got second-hand high when I was out bushing with my year" I started to ramble.
Jon grabbed me by my shoulders. "Look, no ones asking you for all the answers. The three of us will figure this out" Jon told me, making the pit in my stomach grow wider. No one's expecting me to have the answers?
Once Jon and I walked back to the field, he ran out towards it while I sat on the bleachers. I looked around, trying to understand the game. I looked in the field to see the cloaked figure that was freaking me out so much that I wasn't sleeping enough. I jumped, closing my eye for a moment.
It's not real, it's not real. It's just a fucked up manifestation of my trauma.
"Emma!" Jordan called, running towards me. "Hey! So you play football now?" I smiled at Jordan. He only smiled back, scratching the back of his head. And there go the butterflies again. Why can't he not look at me so cutely? I can't even stay mad at him.
"I guess it was time for something new" Jordan shrugged before he and his brother decided to go into the locker room. I watched as they walked away, giving Jon a look not to tell Jordan what happened.
"This isn't gonna end well" I muttered, picking up my fallen bag. "It never does"
<><><>
{Author's Perspective}
Rubbing her hands at the chill breeze, Emma looked out to the football field. Ever since she remembered most of what was going to happen over the next few days, the girl was determined to watch out for Jordan. Platonically, obviously.
Definitely not because she might have some feelings towards the curly-haired, mixed eyed Kent boy. Not a hope.
She watched closely as Jordan tackled Sean, wincing at the fall. "Please be civil, please be civil" Emma whispered under her breath. She watched as Jordan helped Sean up, here. Emma gave him a small wave, not knowing how she was making Jordan feel. She didn't exactly notice the blush on his own cheeks, playing it off as his adrenaline rush.
Emma noticed Jon and Jordan looking off to the bleachers. She walked up to them, dread forming in her stomach. "Clark's here isn't he" Emma stated, only gaining a nod from Jon. Jordan went to walk away until Emma grabbed his arm. "Hey" Emma called for his attention. Jordan looked back to her, cheeks red. "Don't explode, please" Emma begged him, her eyes silently pleading with him.
"I'll try, promise" Jordan told her, walking away from her grip. Emma looked to Jon, her hand shaking slightly. "This isn't going to end well" Jon stated, even without super sight or anything he could see his dad's disapproving stare. "It doesn't" Emma told him, following the twins.
"How could you possibly think it was okay to join the football team?" Clark argued with Jordan. "You didn't say it wasn't" Jordan shot back. "No, no, don't... don't do that" Clark answered back, seeing what Jordan was doing.
"I see what you're doing" Clark told him. "As long as you don't mention it, it's not a lie, right?" Jordan mentioned. "Your father apologized for that" Lois reminded Jordan from behind Emma and Jonathan who sat by the table. Emma kept her head down, even though the arguing was causing some unwanted memories.
"Your powers are not something to be taken lightly, Jordan" Clark told Jordan, crossing his arms. "Yeah, well, I barely have any, remember? That's what Grand Pabbie told us at Elsa's Ice Castle" Jordan shouted back at Clark. Jon and Emma held back a laugh at the comment, earning a warning look from Lois.
"That's not funny" Lois deadpanned at Jordan. "He was only comparing your powers to mine" Clark explained to his clearly upset son. "No, he said my powers suck. Don't act like he didn't" Jordan argued back at Clark.
"I admit, taking you to see him this early was a mistake" Clark admitted. "Mistake?" Jordan questioned. You know what? Everything you do is a mistake. You get fired, you bring us here" Jordan started to list off. Emma caught his glance, shaking her head slightly. She silently begged him not to finish his argument.
"You know, I just wish you would go back to not being around anymore!" Jordan decided, his anger making him see red and ignore Emma's warning. There was a tension-filled silence, Clark was way too silent.
In all of the Superman based content, Emma was exposed to, she had never seen him this angry or quiet in anything but Injustice. "Go upstairs" Clark demanded. "Yeah" Jordan agreed angrily, shaking his head vigorously. "Right now" Clark added, walking closer to Jordan. "Yeah" Jordan spat before rushing up the stairs, slamming the door in the process.
"I-I'm with you guys. I don't know what he was thinking" Jon added once Jordan was gone. Emma kicked him from under the table, glaring at him. "Don't even start it" She hissed at him. "You too Jon" Clark said, softer but still the same force behind it.
Jon gave Emma a look of luck before following his brother's path. "Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?" Emma chuckled, her nerves getting the better of her. "I heard what you said to Jordan at the end of practice" Clark told her.
"And, I also saw the silent looks you were giving" Lois added, walking next to Clark. Emma cursed in her mind. "You knew this was gonna happen, why didn't you say anything?" Clark asked her. Emma looked anywhere but their faces.
Lois cleared her throat, "Emma Victoria Margaret Ní Chroídheán" Lois demanded, making Emma almost lose her shit. "You both know that Savitar existed. Right?" She asked the pair, not remembering the repercussions of Crisis to the full extent. Clark nodded, folding his arms. "You know how he was created? Barry fucked up the timeline, again" Emma reminded them beofre crossing her arms. "Well, I am not pulling a Barry Allen on your lives" Emma stated very clearly, angry that her full name was used.
Lois looked at the teen in shock. "I am not going to be the cause of that! I don't know why I was brought here but it definitely wasn't to fuck up your family's lives!" Emma snapped, storming out of the household.
Clark held Lois back as she tried to run after the girl, every inch of her wanting to know why she was so upset. "Lois. She needs space, we can't force anything out of her if she's angry" Clark spoke softly, looking out as Emma walked away from the farm.
<><><>
Emma walked through a small forest-like area, she had turned the phone on airplanemode to avoid any calls. She kicked a pebble, her face red from tears and the cold. She hated this, not remembering her life again. She hated not knowing if her Jeju or sister was okay if they were worried about her. Were they even alive? And Antony? Did she visit him before she got here, tell him that she knew he was innocent and that even though he was a pain in her ass that she loved him anyway? She didn't even know if there was a home to go back to.
Emma wasn't stupid, she's consumed enough superhero content and fanfiction to know the chances of her home being in reach was slim to none. She just wished that she could remember, to have some bit of the closure she never seems to find.
"You shouldn't be out here alone Elrisia"
Emma jumped, turning around. Stood in the darkness was the figure from her dreams, standing tall as she felt its gaze on her. The figure took a step closer to her, making Emma take three steps back.
"Who are you?!" Emma shouted at it, the phone gripped in her hand. The figure's hood tilted to the side at the question. "That's not what matters Elrisia" The figure stated, its voice was like every voice she's ever heard merged into one. "What matters is that you protect them" The voice became more stern walking closer to Emma.
Emma looked in the corner of her eye, turning off the airplane mode and turning the volume down on her phone. She kept her eyes on the figure, answering the first person who called when she felt the device buzz.
"Protect who! For all, I know you could be some psycho trying to kill me" Emma glared, pushing her fear deep down. "I have no idea how I fucking got here! What's to say it isn't your doing! That you're the reason I lost my memories!" Emma shouted again, her veins glowing blue, making her see the figure better.
The figure stayed still, like a statute. "This isn't your first time here Elrisia. And you and I both know it's not the first time you've been missing memories either" The figure was about to step closer to Emma when a certain caped hero landed in front of her. A scoff came from the figure.
"Oh Kal-El, you have no idea what has begun" The figure spat before disappearing into smoke, a small clinking sound echoed the silence between Superman and Emma. Superman walked to where the figure was and bent to pick up the object that fell.
He turned to Emma, holding a USB stick wrapped in lined paper. "You saw that. Right?" Emma asked as her voice wavered. Clark walked closer to her. "It's real... it's been real... my whole life" She began to lose control, her veins going blue and her eyes doing the same. Clark brought her into a hug, calming her down the best he could.
"We'll figure this out. I promise" He whispered, before flying into the air with her in his arms.
<><><>
Lois brought Emma close, kissing the side of her head. "Thank god you're okay. I was so worried. Please don't ever do that again" Lois muttered, giving her one last squeeze. Emma was taken aback by her response. Emma stayed quiet when Jon gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Glad you're okay Emma" Jon smiled at her. Jordan gave her a tight squeeze of her hand, a soft smile on his face. She sat down on the couch, still quiet as she stared at her hands.
"I was told that it was a figment of my imagination, a manifestation of my trauma. Everytime I moved homes, or after hospital visits, I'd see this figure in the shadows. I never saw it for longer than a week. I thought it was normal when I got here but then I started getting nightmares, seeing it everywhere" Emma began to explain, her voice shaky as she spoke. "Why didn't you say anything?" Lois asked her, arms crossed over her chest.
Emma shrugged, "I thought it was normal, until tonight" she admitted, looking down at the ground. She felt the USB stick in her pocket, haunting her silently. Questions filled her mind. What was on it? Was it gonna give her answers? Why did that figure have it?
Clark cleared his throat, gaining her attention. "Did you hear me?" He asked her, earning a shake of the head. "The figure said it's not the first time you've been missing memories before?" He stated, curious to this new information. All eyes were on her, making her stomach turn. "My birth mother took me for three months when I was five. I don't remember any of it, just the moment we left my Dad's house and then waking up in the CUH" Emma answered him.
<><><>
Emma knocked on Ms. Clarks office door, her hands playing with the straps of her bag. The sound of her heels echoed in Emma's ears as her shadow came closer to the door. When the door opened, Sienna's eyes lit in delight at the teen's presence. "Emma! What a lovely surprise" She smiled genuinely.
Sienna sensed Emma's discomfort and slight anxiety coming off of her. "You need to talk?" Sienna asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Emma shook her head, pondering her next move. "I always had...issues with my emotions. I tend to bottle it up and-" Emma cut herself off before taking a breath.
"I need to let it out. The only way I know how is slightly embarrassing for me to admit out loud" She admitted, looking at her feet. Sienna nodded, leading her away from the office. "Come with me"
Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real
-Cormac McCarthy
{Emma's Perspective}
"Does this have too much blue in it?" Lois asked.
I sat on the windowsill, watching as Jordan groaned leaning on the step ladder. I hit my head against the wall. "I still like the Huntsman's Tribute" Clark shrugged from in front of me.
Both me and Jordan groaned, hitting his head off the ladder. I was too tired for this, she's been painting stripes of different colours for ages now. "Dad, I'm pretty sure that's just slang for 'poop' " Jon huffed from beside his father. "Hey" Clark said, obviously offended by the statement. I sat up properly, "I think the word you're looking for is crap" I smiled at the twin, earning a snicker from the brothers. "Jonathan, don't be gross" Lois raised her eyebrow at him, she even pulled the full name card.
"You" Lois pointed at me with her roller. "Watch your language" I raised my hand in surrender. "Sure thing Cap" I smirked at her, the twins getting my reference as they laughed.
"Also, he's not wrong" Lois told Clark. "Mom, can we just pick something?" Jordan asked, also wanting this torture to end. "Sweetie, this is an important decision" Lois defended, giving all of us a serious look.
"We're finally putting our own stamp on this house" Lois finished, making me roll my eyes at her. "If you'd make up your mind" Jon and I said together. Lois walked up to Jon and took a brush out of the paint she had opened. "Emma" Lois smiled sweetly, beckoning me over to Jon's side. I huffed, lazily walking next to the twin. She waved the paintbrush in front of our faces.
"What about this colour? You like this colour?" Lois asked us, looking at Jon and me in the eyes. "Yeah, it's fine" Jon shrugged at Lois, looking at me briefly. "Yeah?" Lois asked me next. "Yeah" I copied, not even sure why she was asking me. Lois nodded before she swiped the paint on Jon's clothes and my face. I looked at her, my mouth was now wide open.
"It's on" I let out a breathy laugh, grabbing a paintbrush and painting her hair with 'Huntsman Tribute'. "Anything but Clark's colour!" Lois shrieked as Jon and I chased her around the room.
Jordan and Clark began their own little fight before Clark had accidentally hit me instead of Jordan. "Emma I am so s-" I cut him off, grabbing Jordan's brush from his hand, striking him in the chest. I raised my eyebrows at him, silently challenging him. "Scared?" I snickered, waving the paintbrush tauntingly in his face.
Clark rolled his eyes before swiping my face with a pinky pale paint. We got into a little match while the twins ambushed Lois. Soon enough, I moved away, changing targets to the twins. While she was swiping Jon, I turned to see Jordan behind a very quiet Clark.
"Clark?" I called out before the man left in a large gust of wind. I was taken aback, not even noticing that Lois had pulled me back towards her. "That was fucking awesome"
<><><>
Now changed out of the painting attire, I brushed my hair as I entered the kitchen. "Hey, Clark" I greeted, smiling at the hero. I smiled at the twins before walking towards the kettle. "Wait, so you can hear every sound in the world at once?" Jon asked Clark, eating his breakfast.
"It's more like I hear all the fluctuations taking place in the collective sonic frequency" Clark explained poorly to the twins. "That makes zero sense to me" Jon stated, unhappy with the complicated answer. "He basically can hear everything but has to concentrate on the sounds he wants to hear. Like this conversation" I explained as best I could to the twins, tilting my head with a smile. "Very close actually" Clark commented as I sat next to Lois.
"So how do you tell between, like, someone in trouble and someone shouting for a taxi?" Jordan asked, his eyes shying away from me. "Well, it took lots of years of training at the Fortress, but that's where I learned to hone in on certain sounds, like people in distress" Clark told them, happy he could share this part of him with the boys. "Wait, be for real, though. What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever heard?" Jon asked.
I began to cough, almost choking on my coffee. Lois was quick to pat my back while she warned Clark not to tell the boys. I gave Jon the stink eye, "Did you have to ask?" I asked him, catching my breath. The boys looked at me with wide eyes. "You know" Jordan stated, with his stupidly cute smirk on his face.
I gulped, gulping coffee. "No comment" I held my hands up in defence. The boys groaned at my little betrayal. "Why? Come one, please Em" Jordan begged me. I laughed at his attempt. "I'd rather not get a lecture from yer ma" I smiled nervously, knowing very well that Lois could very well get me begging on my knees for forgiveness.
After Lois and Clark began their lecture on how Jordan needs to control his powers, a knock on the door echoed in the house. Clark went to answer. The twins gave me pleading stares, silently begging me to spill. "Keep looking at me like that and I will knock yer teeth out" I warned them, knowing that if a certain curly-haired boy kept staring I'd give in fairly quick.
Clark walked back in with a small parcel in hand. "Who's that for?" I asked, taking a bite out of some toast. Clark placed the package in front of me. "You" He answered with the same tone I had. I looked at him wildly, making an 'mhh?' sound. He nodded before sitting back in his chair.
I opened the parcel carefully, seeing as it was a brown paper-covered box. I gently shook out the contents, my shoulders dropping. A pair of rounded glasses, some of my rings from home, a photo and a note. "How the fuck did these get here?" I asked, recognising my flash ring. I picked up the note, hoping it would give me an explanation. I groaned as I saw the writing. "What's wrong?" Lois asked, looking at the odd array of items. "It's in Kryptonian. I can barely make out a few words" I huffed.
Clark and the twins looked at me in surprise. "You can read Kryptonian?" Clark asked me. "Yeah, found an alphabet online and learned from it. Living with six boys takes away privacy" I said, leaving the note alone and moving to the photo. It was me when a few years ago with my cousins, Adam and Jon Jon. I smiled fondly as we held put Junior Cert results with their arms around my shoulders.
"What's with the glasses?" Jon asked, noticing that I hadn't touched them. "They're mine" I answered him, picking up the dark blue frames. It had been almost a year since I'd worn them, hating the memories that came with them. "You needed glasses and you never told us?" Lois looked at me with concerned and angry eyes.
I only shrugged, "I don't really wear them" I told her. Clark was very unamused while the twins just stared at me in awe. "Emma, you need your glasses or else your eyesight will get worse" Clark told her. "I've heard it all before Clark" I told him, his words flying high over my head.
I picked up the note again, hoping to at least recognise the writing. "Anyways. Could you translate this for me? The only word I'm getting 'and' right now" I asked Clark, hoping to change the subject. Clark sighed before taking the note into his hands.
"Trust the unknown. Trust yourself. Let go of searching for answers and the answers will appear Elrisia" Clark read out loud. I felt my heart tighten and my gut turn at the mere mention of the name. I looked at Clark, "It says Elrisia?" I asked.
Clark nodded before handing me back the note. "Who's Elrisia?" Jordan asked me, looking at me before looking down at the note. "It's what my Mam used to call me when I was a kid" I mumbled loud enough for them to hear me. "Elrisia, why does that sound so familiar?" Jordan pondered.
<><><>
I walked down past the reception area, hoping to find the school counsellor's office. I came across the dark blue door that was described to me. I knocked on the door, waiting for a sign to come in. A blurry figure walked closer, the door handle turning.
"Why does this make so much sense?" I realised, seeing the school counsellor. "I do love the enthusiasm, Emma, please come in" Sienna smiled at me, moving aside to let me in. I walked into the pale grey office, the walls filled with inspirational quotes and mental health posters.
"Take a seat. Tea? Coffee? Hot Chocolate?" Sienna asked, walking over to her small little kettle. "I'm alright" I told her, looking around her desk. I noticed the many sticky notes stuck to the left side as many books piled upon one another on the right. I also noticed the music book wedged between a self-help book and a book about self-confidence. "You teach music?" I asked her as she sat down in front of me. Sienna smiled at me, holding her cup in her hands. "Let me see. I'm the music teacher, guidance counsellor, school nurse and I run detention" She listed with a smile on her face.
I was taken aback by the number of jobs she had in the school. "I know, how can she do it all!" Sienna exclaimed jokingly, doing jazz hands. I let out a small laugh at her. "How are you feeling?" Sienna asked, taking out a Marvel-themed notebook. I folded my arms, leaning back.
"On the verge of the next mental breakdown" I rolled my eyes at her. Sienna shook her head at me. She raised her eyebrow at me, closing her notebook. "I see how it is. You use humour to hide your trauma. Common coping mechanism" Sienna declared, copying my current position.
I smiled at her. Let's see how this goes. "Anything else?" I asked her. Sienna smiled at me, almost amused. "You are very cautious. Always looking after everyone else but never yourself. You get anxious around new authority and usually feel out of place in new settings. Like right now you're biting the skin off your lips because you know I'm right and just don't want to admit it" Sienna smiled triumphantly at me.
I gave her a little clap. "Faster than my last therapist" I commented, unfolding my arms. Sienna looked at me, surprised at my answer. "This isn't my first time. The last Therapist needed one after hearing the shit I went through" I huffed, remembering how frightened she was when reading my hospital records.
Sienna only smiled at me. "I'm not like other therapists or guidance counsellors. My home was taken when I was barely an adult. I lost my mother and my sister and I parted ways not long after. Once I was stable I moved here, became a counsellor and a teacher" Sienna smiled softly, a hint of sadness and regret in her eyes.
"You have a sister?" I asked, shocked by the news. Sienna seemed the only child type from what I've seen. "Mal, she's very... fearless for lack of a better term. What about you, any siblings yourself?" Sienna asked me, turning the tables. "I have an older sister, Kono. Her mother adopted me and my other siblings. Conner, the eldest, Antony was born after me and Sophie, my baby sister" I told her, playing with my silver bands. I'd never thought I'd see them again until that morning.
Sienna smiled softly. "Those rings? One of them gifted them to you?" She guessed, noticing my fiddling. "My brother was very sentimental. For Christmas, he got me four interlinking bands with their names on them. Kono, Conner, Antony and Sophie. Each band has a little saying on the inside" I explained, caressing the one with Conner's name.
"Mal and I have something similar, more permanent but just as meaningful" Sienna looked down at the back of her hands. She quickly shook her head, before looking back up at me. "I'll say we made good progress, how about we do this on a weekly basis? I'm sure Lois and Clark won't mind" Sienna smiled at me.
I shrugged, she actually kinda helped in her own way. "Sure"
<><><>
I looked at Jordan as he met up with Sarah. I don't even know why I'm trying when I know it's not happening. "Unrequited love" Jonathan jumped in front of me, a cocky smirk plastered on his face. I deadpanned at him, slamming the locker shut. "Fuck off" I scolded him. Jon didn't falter. "Why not tell him? I mean you clearly got it bad" Jon asked me, walking ahead.
"I still don't even know why I admitted that to you of all people" I groaned, zipping up my bag. I didn't hear from Jon until I looked up. I saw Sean walking toward Jordan. I tried to get to him as fast as I could before Sean could hit Jordan. "Hey, short stack!" Sean yelled, doing closer to Jordan.
"Why is it every time I see you, you're flirting with my girlfriend?" Sean grabbed Jordan by his jacket. "Oi! Leave him alone!" I shouted, trying to get closer as Sean threw Jordan up against the lockers. One of Sean's friends decided to hold me back.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking-" Jordan didn't get to finish his sentence as Sean punched him in the gut. Jon tried to save him but got held back like me, struggling against the fella's grip. Sean proceeded to hit Jordan, "First, you kiss Sarah, and now I catch you slobbering all over like a-"
"Hey!" I shouted, kicking the guy holding me in the balls. I quickly pulled Jordan back, seeing his eyes glow a faint red. "Get away from him!" I shouted before punching Sean in the face. He stumbled back, letting go of Jordan.
"You little skank!" Sean shouted as his lip started to bleed. Emma scoffed at him, stepping in front of Jordan. "Oh please, I've been called worse" I spat, raising my hands to protect my face. Sean went to hit me, landing a punch on my nose.
I barely stumbled, wiping the blood from my nose with a smirk on my face. "Now we're talking big boy" I snickered before kicking him in the gut and punching him in the face again.
Sean then grabbed me by my jumper and held me up against the lockers as he did with Jordan. "Now you listen here" Sean growled. My hair was definitely a mess and I could feel that same feeling when I saw the vision of Jordan blowing up the bonfire.
"I don't like hitting girls, but if you keep this up I'll-"
"What? Make my life hell? You feckin eejit, I've heard better threats from girls with bigger balls than you" I spat in his face, my hair covering my own thankfully.
"Emma, calm down" Jordan lightly pleaded with me from behind his brother. Sean raised his arm to punch me. I never thought I would thank my mother for-
"Hey, guys!" Clark's cheery voice echoed in the crowded hall. "Wow, this place has" His voice wavered slightly as he looked around him. "Whatever" Sean lowered his hand, pushing me into the locker harshly before walking away with his possé
"Really not changed since I went here" Clark finished. Jordan and Jon helped me off the floor, making me slightly ditsy. "Boys, I'm fine. Like I told ya man, I've fought girls half his size with better punches" I told them, moving closer to Clark to prove my point
"What are you doing here?" Jon asked, standing next to me. "Oh, just wanted to, you know, see how things were going at your new school" Clark asked, stuffing his hands in his pocket.
"So you decide to randomly drop by during the fifth period?" Jon pointed out. "This wasn't random" I coughed, groaning as I tried to cover my face. "Prick fucked my nose" I cursed before putting my hand to my nose and clicking it back into place. "Emma!" The three Kents exclaimed at me. "Can you three get back to your conversation, I'm sure the prick gave me a concussion" I huffed, taking my bag from Jordan. "You were spying on us" Jordan realised.
Shit's going down, again.
<><><>
The entire ride back to the farm was tense. I swear the tension was thicker than Jon and that was saying something. Clark kept asking the boys if they were okay but they just ignored him. I on the other hand had a bloody nose, bruising on my stomach and definitely a concussion.
"I was just making sure that you were okay" Clark began, seeing the anger on both his sons' faces. "Yeah, you could've said something this morning, but instead, you lied to our faces" Jordan shouted at Clark. "It wasn't a lie. You just didn't ask" Clark defended. How long have you been doing this? Since we moved here? Our whole lives?" Jonathan asked, his voice getting louder with every question.
"It's not like I'm listening all the time" Clark sighed, making the situation worse. "That is... that is the wrong answer" I sighed, rubbing my temples. Before things could get out of hand I stepped in between the twins and Clark. "Look, I get that you both are pissed but let's make sure you can at least stay conscious, you both got a bad beating" I told them, waving them off to get in.
I looked at Clark, dropping my defensive stance. "I get it, being able to know they're okay but you need to trust them. Trust me when I say you'll be trying to regain their trust longer than it takes to lose it, take it from experience " I told him before following the boys inside.
I walked into the kitchen, Jordan sitting up on the countertop while Jon grabbed a first aid kit. "Jon, get an ice pack or a bag of frozen shit" I ordered him, pulling Jordan down from the counter and onto a chair. Jon handed me a frozen bag of peas. I handed it to Jordan. "Put this on your chest under the clothes. If it bruises there's no need for hospital" I told him, before moving to Jon.
I noticed the cut on his forehead, most likely from the fella that was holding him back. I took out the anti-septic wipe before putting a bandage over it. "You seem very set on patching us up?" Jordan called from behind me. I turned to him, another bag of frozen peas in hand. I walked over, putting it on his face, seeing the bruising on his jawline. "Well, I used to do camogie and soccer before I fucked up my hand. First aid is second nature when you have the most accident-prone siblings and cousins. Hell, my Jeju is a nurse along with my aunt Emily" I told him, making sure he was able to hold the frozen peas in the right place.
Jordan gave me a toothy grin. "Yet you still haven't cleaned the blood on your face or even got your nose checked out" He gave me a pointed look. I smacked his head gently, causing him to laugh at me. "I've broken my nose more times than I can count every one of my limbs. Hell, even the doctors send me little gifts when I reach my milestone of not being in A&E for a long time" I scoffed at him, putting away the first-aid kit. Jordan looked at me with wide eyes.
"How many times have you been in hospital?" Jordan asked me. "Depends, for injuries or visiting?" I asked him, boiling the kettle. "Injuries?" Jordan's voice raised an octave or two. I thought for a moment. There was the first time Mam got busted, when I broke my leg, the times Mam was testing shit on me and Conner...
"You have to actually think about it?" Jordan exclaimed, taking me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him innocently. "Well yeah" I shrugged. He looked at me as if I had three heads. "How did you manage that?" He asked me. "Kids, fucked up adults, brothers" I listed, making the tea. Jordan let out a breath, obviously shocked by my reasons. It's better to lie about them than tell him the truth.
"So, you and Sarah? What's the story with that one?" I asked, changing the subject away from me. Jordan only shrugged at me. I folded my arms at him, raising my eyebrow. "I've gotten more people together than Oliver Queen had arrows. I can see when someone is pining for someone else, spill" I demanded from him. Just because I have a thing for him doesn't mean I gonna hate a girl for it.
Jordan, now sitting across from me. "I dunno, she seems to like me but I'm not sure if I feel the same" Jordan admitted. I looked at him, taken back. "What makes you think that?" I asked him. This is what happens when it's a tv show and not a book or comic!
I bit back my lip, Jordan staying quiet. "I dunno, it just doesn't feel... right" He furrowed his eyebrows. I nodded, not knowing what to say for once. "Well, my advice is that not everything feels right, it takes time to form that connection with someone" I advised him. "Take it from me, I have so many trust issues I basically wrote the book" I laughed before getting up. Jordan only sighed, clearly taking what I said to heart. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You'll know when the times right if you like someone" I added.
Jordan smiled at me, before looking around the kitchen. "How is it you give such great advice?" He asked me. I shrugged, "Supergirl" I answered him bluntly before leaving to do the only homework I received today before Clark dragged us back to school.
<><><>
Marty walked up to me, a smile on her face. "Heard you got into a fight" She smiled, her eyes staring into my own. I looked at her weirdly, Malia Tate would be so proud. "Sorry, I didn't realise we were friends" I smiled back briefly, before quickly trying to leave her so I could convince Jordan not to try out for the football team before it was too late.
Marty, however, didn't like that and jumped in front of me. "I would love to be your friend!" She did it again, that weirdly creepy smile that reminded me of my Mam. "Please, leave me alone. I'm not the friends' type" I told her again, trying to divert around her small, blonde head. "I could change that" She insisted.
I stopped in my tracks, no time for lies. My Jeju taught me to trust my gut when it comes to new people and it has never failed me. I looked at Marty, not even faking a sympathetic face or tone of voice. "Marty, I don't want to be your friend. There are better people for you to be friends with than me. So please for the love of every god. Leave me alone" I told her before resuming my course on the football field.
"Emma!" Jon called, running towards me. By the look on his face, I kicked the floor. "Shit, he's already tried out hasn't he?" I asked him, earning a shocked look. "You had a vision didn't you?" Jon asked me. I titled in my head in utter dishonesty. "Not a vision, more like a...feeling" I lied through my teeth. Jon deadpanned at me, "Really?" He asked.
I huffed, my form deflating. "Doesn't matter. This doesn't end well" I warned him, pulling him aside. "What do you mean, not end well?" Jon asked me. I looked around me, making sure no one was near. I took a breath in. "Your Dad. From what I remember, Clark doesn't find out in the best way and it ends in a bad way" I told him, with the most serious look I could make.
Jon groaned, punching the support beam near him. "Anything else?" He asked me, praying I had the answer. I started to pace back and forth, trying to remember more. "I...I don't know. It's all fuzzy like I was high or something. Which is weird seeing as I only ever got second-hand high when I was out bushing with my year" I started to ramble.
Jon grabbed me by my shoulders. "Look, no ones asking you for all the answers. The three of us will figure this out" Jon told me, making the pit in my stomach grow wider. No one's expecting me to have the answers?
Once Jon and I walked back to the field, he ran out towards it while I sat on the bleachers. I looked around, trying to understand the game. I looked in the field to see the cloaked figure that was freaking me out so much that I wasn't sleeping enough. I jumped, closing my eye for a moment.
It's not real, it's not real. It's just a fucked up manifestation of my trauma.
"Emma!" Jordan called, running towards me. "Hey! So you play football now?" I smiled at Jordan. He only smiled back, scratching the back of his head. And there go the butterflies again. Why can't he not look at me so cutely? I can't even stay mad at him.
"I guess it was time for something new" Jordan shrugged before he and his brother decided to go into the locker room. I watched as they walked away, giving Jon a look not to tell Jordan what happened.
"This isn't gonna end well" I muttered, picking up my fallen bag. "It never does"
<><><>
{Author's Perspective}
Rubbing her hands at the chill breeze, Emma looked out to the football field. Ever since she remembered most of what was going to happen over the next few days, the girl was determined to watch out for Jordan. Platonically, obviously.
Definitely not because she might have some feelings towards the curly-haired, mixed eyed Kent boy. Not a hope.
She watched closely as Jordan tackled Sean, wincing at the fall. "Please be civil, please be civil" Emma whispered under her breath. She watched as Jordan helped Sean up, here. Emma gave him a small wave, not knowing how she was making Jordan feel. She didn't exactly notice the blush on his own cheeks, playing it off as his adrenaline rush.
Emma noticed Jon and Jordan looking off to the bleachers. She walked up to them, dread forming in her stomach. "Clark's here isn't he" Emma stated, only gaining a nod from Jon. Jordan went to walk away until Emma grabbed his arm. "Hey" Emma called for his attention. Jordan looked back to her, cheeks red. "Don't explode, please" Emma begged him, her eyes silently pleading with him.
"I'll try, promise" Jordan told her, walking away from her grip. Emma looked to Jon, her hand shaking slightly. "This isn't going to end well" Jon stated, even without super sight or anything he could see his dad's disapproving stare. "It doesn't" Emma told him, following the twins.
"How could you possibly think it was okay to join the football team?" Clark argued with Jordan. "You didn't say it wasn't" Jordan shot back. "No, no, don't... don't do that" Clark answered back, seeing what Jordan was doing.
"I see what you're doing" Clark told him. "As long as you don't mention it, it's not a lie, right?" Jordan mentioned. "Your father apologized for that" Lois reminded Jordan from behind Emma and Jonathan who sat by the table. Emma kept her head down, even though the arguing was causing some unwanted memories.
"Your powers are not something to be taken lightly, Jordan" Clark told Jordan, crossing his arms. "Yeah, well, I barely have any, remember? That's what Grand Pabbie told us at Elsa's Ice Castle" Jordan shouted back at Clark. Jon and Emma held back a laugh at the comment, earning a warning look from Lois.
"That's not funny" Lois deadpanned at Jordan. "He was only comparing your powers to mine" Clark explained to his clearly upset son. "No, he said my powers suck. Don't act like he didn't" Jordan argued back at Clark.
"I admit, taking you to see him this early was a mistake" Clark admitted. "Mistake?" Jordan questioned. You know what? Everything you do is a mistake. You get fired, you bring us here" Jordan started to list off. Emma caught his glance, shaking her head slightly. She silently begged him not to finish his argument.
"You know, I just wish you would go back to not being around anymore!" Jordan decided, his anger making him see red and ignore Emma's warning. There was a tension-filled silence, Clark was way too silent.
In all of the Superman based content, Emma was exposed to, she had never seen him this angry or quiet in anything but Injustice. "Go upstairs" Clark demanded. "Yeah" Jordan agreed angrily, shaking his head vigorously. "Right now" Clark added, walking closer to Jordan. "Yeah" Jordan spat before rushing up the stairs, slamming the door in the process.
"I-I'm with you guys. I don't know what he was thinking" Jon added once Jordan was gone. Emma kicked him from under the table, glaring at him. "Don't even start it" She hissed at him. "You too Jon" Clark said, softer but still the same force behind it.
Jon gave Emma a look of luck before following his brother's path. "Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?" Emma chuckled, her nerves getting the better of her. "I heard what you said to Jordan at the end of practice" Clark told her.
"And, I also saw the silent looks you were giving" Lois added, walking next to Clark. Emma cursed in her mind. "You knew this was gonna happen, why didn't you say anything?" Clark asked her. Emma looked anywhere but their faces.
Lois cleared her throat, "Emma Victoria Margaret Ní Chroídheán" Lois demanded, making Emma almost lose her shit. "You both know that Savitar existed. Right?" She asked the pair, not remembering the repercussions of Crisis to the full extent. Clark nodded, folding his arms. "You know how he was created? Barry fucked up the timeline, again" Emma reminded them beofre crossing her arms. "Well, I am not pulling a Barry Allen on your lives" Emma stated very clearly, angry that her full name was used.
Lois looked at the teen in shock. "I am not going to be the cause of that! I don't know why I was brought here but it definitely wasn't to fuck up your family's lives!" Emma snapped, storming out of the household.
Clark held Lois back as she tried to run after the girl, every inch of her wanting to know why she was so upset. "Lois. She needs space, we can't force anything out of her if she's angry" Clark spoke softly, looking out as Emma walked away from the farm.
<><><>
Emma walked through a small forest-like area, she had turned the phone on airplanemode to avoid any calls. She kicked a pebble, her face red from tears and the cold. She hated this, not remembering her life again. She hated not knowing if her Jeju or sister was okay if they were worried about her. Were they even alive? And Antony? Did she visit him before she got here, tell him that she knew he was innocent and that even though he was a pain in her ass that she loved him anyway? She didn't even know if there was a home to go back to.
Emma wasn't stupid, she's consumed enough superhero content and fanfiction to know the chances of her home being in reach was slim to none. She just wished that she could remember, to have some bit of the closure she never seems to find.
"You shouldn't be out here alone Elrisia"
Emma jumped, turning around. Stood in the darkness was the figure from her dreams, standing tall as she felt its gaze on her. The figure took a step closer to her, making Emma take three steps back.
"Who are you?!" Emma shouted at it, the phone gripped in her hand. The figure's hood tilted to the side at the question. "That's not what matters Elrisia" The figure stated, its voice was like every voice she's ever heard merged into one. "What matters is that you protect them" The voice became more stern walking closer to Emma.
Emma looked in the corner of her eye, turning off the airplane mode and turning the volume down on her phone. She kept her eyes on the figure, answering the first person who called when she felt the device buzz.
"Protect who! For all, I know you could be some psycho trying to kill me" Emma glared, pushing her fear deep down. "I have no idea how I fucking got here! What's to say it isn't your doing! That you're the reason I lost my memories!" Emma shouted again, her veins glowing blue, making her see the figure better.
The figure stayed still, like a statute. "This isn't your first time here Elrisia. And you and I both know it's not the first time you've been missing memories either" The figure was about to step closer to Emma when a certain caped hero landed in front of her. A scoff came from the figure.
"Oh Kal-El, you have no idea what has begun" The figure spat before disappearing into smoke, a small clinking sound echoed the silence between Superman and Emma. Superman walked to where the figure was and bent to pick up the object that fell.
He turned to Emma, holding a USB stick wrapped in lined paper. "You saw that. Right?" Emma asked as her voice wavered. Clark walked closer to her. "It's real... it's been real... my whole life" She began to lose control, her veins going blue and her eyes doing the same. Clark brought her into a hug, calming her down the best he could.
"We'll figure this out. I promise" He whispered, before flying into the air with her in his arms.
<><><>
Lois brought Emma close, kissing the side of her head. "Thank god you're okay. I was so worried. Please don't ever do that again" Lois muttered, giving her one last squeeze. Emma was taken aback by her response. Emma stayed quiet when Jon gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Glad you're okay Emma" Jon smiled at her. Jordan gave her a tight squeeze of her hand, a soft smile on his face. She sat down on the couch, still quiet as she stared at her hands.
"I was told that it was a figment of my imagination, a manifestation of my trauma. Everytime I moved homes, or after hospital visits, I'd see this figure in the shadows. I never saw it for longer than a week. I thought it was normal when I got here but then I started getting nightmares, seeing it everywhere" Emma began to explain, her voice shaky as she spoke. "Why didn't you say anything?" Lois asked her, arms crossed over her chest.
Emma shrugged, "I thought it was normal, until tonight" she admitted, looking down at the ground. She felt the USB stick in her pocket, haunting her silently. Questions filled her mind. What was on it? Was it gonna give her answers? Why did that figure have it?
Clark cleared his throat, gaining her attention. "Did you hear me?" He asked her, earning a shake of the head. "The figure said it's not the first time you've been missing memories before?" He stated, curious to this new information. All eyes were on her, making her stomach turn. "My birth mother took me for three months when I was five. I don't remember any of it, just the moment we left my Dad's house and then waking up in the CUH" Emma answered him.
<><><>
Emma knocked on Ms. Clarks office door, her hands playing with the straps of her bag. The sound of her heels echoed in Emma's ears as her shadow came closer to the door. When the door opened, Sienna's eyes lit in delight at the teen's presence. "Emma! What a lovely surprise" She smiled genuinely.
Sienna sensed Emma's discomfort and slight anxiety coming off of her. "You need to talk?" Sienna asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Emma shook her head, pondering her next move. "I always had...issues with my emotions. I tend to bottle it up and-" Emma cut herself off before taking a breath.
"I need to let it out. The only way I know how is slightly embarrassing for me to admit out loud" She admitted, looking at her feet. Sienna nodded, leading her away from the office. "Come with me"
Lois handed the heavy box to Clark, the weight lifted off her arms. Emma rolled her eyes as she helped Jon with his stuff. “Jesus Christ! What is even in here?” Emma asked him, feeling her back break with every step she took. “Just my trophies and medals, few game balls” Jon answered, not even noticing the weight in the box.
Emma looked at Jon with wide eyes. “That all” She spat, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Jon made a face as they walked up the steps to the house. “Hey, I found some chocolate. Want some?” Jordan offered the pair, holding the bar in his hands. “Please before I turn your brother foxy” Emma glared at Jon before smiling at Jordan as he handed her the bar. She broke off some before handing it to the other brother.
“Are you always this mean?” Jon asked, taking the bar from her harshly. “I lived with six boys, two being my brothers, three being my cousins and my father. I have a sister who is four and my mother. Being harsh is needed” Emma explained, eating the chocolate.
Jordan laughed at Jon’s face, Emma smiling back in response. “Also Mom wants you outback” Jordan told Emma, making room for her to slide past.
Emma smiled at the infamous couple as she walked outside the house. It still felt surreal. Being in Smallville with the Kent Family and practically living with them. “How are you holding up?” Clark asked the teen, noticing the bags under her eyes. The reporter was no stranger to sleepless nights and neither was his wife.
Emma tilted her head at Clark’s concern, smiling softly. “I’m grand. I’ve been in worse foster homes compared to a whole different universe” Emma compared, remembering the Lordans from when she was seven. Lois gave her the typical ‘mammy’s not impressed’ stare. “Well, we wanted to ask you something before Cisco finishes the paperwork” Clark told her, hoping to get this done quickly.
Emma fixed her posture, waiting for one of them to continue. “Do you have any medical or mental health issues?” Lois asked her. Emma thought for a moment before answering. “Carpal Tunnel in my right arm” Emma informed them, shaking her arm around.
Clark raised his eyebrow, knowing the girl was lying about something. “Are you sure that’s everything?” Lois asked, picking up on Clark’s signal. “In my world, you guys are probably the most trustworthy people ever” Emma began, her voice raising a couple of octaves.
Lois and Clark had a strong feeling about where the girl was going. “Emma, it’s okay if you don’t want to tell us” Lois reminded her. “I know it’s just… My childhood is very lock and key. I want to tell you guys but–” Emma stopped herself. “It’s hard?” Clark guessed, listening to her heartbeat.
Emma nodded, biting her lip. Lois brought her into a hug. “I know this must be scary and frightening but I promise that we’ll be here when you’re ready” Lois explained to her, rubbing her shoulders. “Thanks, Lois” Emma smiled.
<><><>
Emma followed Lois and Jon to the shop or as they kept correcting her, the grocery store. She wanted to actually understand how American currency worked and let’s just say she sucked. “Okay, so how much is this?” Jon asked, holding a bag of crisp- chips. “Dollar?” Emma guessed.
“One right out of twelve” Jon smiled at her snarkily. Emma returned his smile before kicking his kneecaps. “Jeez, thanks Emma” Jon deadpanned before Lois scolded them both. “I’m never gonna understand this shit” Emma groaned. “Language” Lois warned her, taking the tea bags from her hands. “Sorry” Emma sighed before they made it to the tills.
“Don’t worry Emma, it just takes time” Lois tried to reassure her. “Yeah, who knows, maybe they’ll put you into elementary school” Jon teased her. Emma smacked his head. “That’s enough you two” Lois scolded them, scaring the pair with her stare. “Yes Lois/Mom” they both said together.
Once they returned to the farm, Emma noticed Jordan waiting impatiently for them to return. “Someone’s in a good mood” Lois giggled as Jordan rushed to help them with the shopping. Jordan only smiled at his mother before rushing inside. Emma and Jon both looked at each other confused as fuck. “Not psychic” Emma glared, seeing the lightbulb ding over his head.
Once the trio walked inside only to find Clark smiling as happily as Jordan. “Okay, I understand why the entire comic community calls Clark the walking version of a golden retriever” Emma started, putting the bags of groceries on the kitchen countertop. “But this is a whole new level of fucked up and I had to watch Injustice a million times” Emma pointed at the father and son.
Clark and Jordan looked at each other before Jordan nodded. “Cisco called me… You're officially a U.S citizen” Clark announced very giddily. Emma raised an eyebrow at the hero. “And….” Emma dragged on. “You’ll be starting school with the boys” Clark told her, clapping his hands together. Emma looked at him speechless. “Holy shit!” Emma exclaimed, her fear taking over.
Clark noticed this, “Don’t worry, the school is going to help you with extra tutoring” He reassured her. Emma nodded, sitting down. Her hand was aching from the bags. “Em, you okay?” Jordan asked her, seeing her pain. “My hand is killing me. Stupid Carpal Tunnel” Emma hissed, clenching her teeth.
Clark whooshed out of the kitchen. Jordan quickly ran to get a glass of water. Clark came back with a chemist bag in hand. “Here, take one of these” He said, handing her a white pill. Emma looked at him, taken back. “This better not be poor man’s coke” Emma warned him before swallowing the pill with some water.
Jordan and Clark looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Totally not concerning at all” Jordan mumbled, kicking the floor. “It’s an Irish thing ya wouldn’t understand” Emma brushed off quickly. Not the time for her tragic backstory. “So when am I starting exactly?” Emma asked, going to put away the shopping. “Tomorrow” Clark told her.
Emma froze for a moment, her head spiraling everywhere at once. “Grand” Emma shook off nervously. “That’s okay, right?” Clark asked her, noticing her light shock. “It’s grand Clark” Emma reassured both him and herself. “I think I might go lie down for a bit, tablets make me sleepy” Emma spoke quickly, rushing past them and practically jumping upstairs.
She fell onto the guest bed, her heart racing. It felt like only yesterday she was smacking her cousins for stealing her food and now she was living with Superman and Lois, the most famous couple in her world, besides Rose and Jack from titanic.
And, she has to go to school with the Kent twins, one who she has had a crush on since the show came out! How was she supposed to manage all that on top of these freaky powers?
All this thinking was making her restless, yearning for the sleep she missed out on when Clark decided to wake them up at sunrise which in Kanas was fucking five in the morning. She closed her eyes, hoping that her sleep would allow her some peace.
Darkness.
Emma watched the shadows of black around her spiral and bubble around her. “Where am I?” She called, only for her voice to echo back at her. She kept turning around, trying to find something, anything to tell her where she was.
“What is this? Owl House!” Emma screamed in frustration. That’s when a weird shadow figure started to form in front of her. “Who are you?” Emma asked the figure.
‘You are the Key’
Emma was taken back by the voice. “What are ya’ talking about?” Emma asked, trying to punch the figure. Her hand went right through and the darkness just moved to her right.
‘Change what you must but don’t let the darkness overcome him’
“Overcome who?” Emma asked the figure.
‘You’ll know soon when they decide it’s time for you to remember’
“Remember what? Who the fuck are ya!” Emma exclaimed, waving her hands around. She noticed the glowing blue on her veins. “No, not again!” She panicked.
Emma felt her eyes open so fast she could practically feel the wind on her face. That wasn’t normal. “Sun’s Up! Come one, school starts today!” Clark’s voice boomed. Emma groaned, did she sleep for that long?
A knock on the door gained her attention. “I’m up” Emma groaned. Lois peeked through the small crack in the door. “How are you feeling?” Lois asked her, walking into the room with some clothes in hand. “Like Sciath na Scol but ten times more nervous than excited” Emma groaned, pulling the duvet covers over her head.
Lois sighed at the teen, her head going to the. “Come on, it’s not that bad. Besides, you’ll have Jon to help you today” Lois tried to cheer her up, pulling back the curtains. “Jordan and Clark going to the fortress today?” Emma asked, turning away from the sun. “Yep. Now get dressed quick, you missed dinner last night” Lois told her, pulling her up by her arm. “Not an unusual occurrence” Emma muttered, swinging her feet to the cold floor.
“Clark is cooking a big breakfast and I am packing that lunch bag for you. Now get dressed” Lois informed her before walking out of the room and closing the door. Emma groaned before putting on the pastel pink tank top and knitted sweater. She took a glimpse at the flats Lois left and sighed. There was no way that she was putting them on and risking getting blisters up the back of her ankles. She noticed her Flash converse was sitting by the door, looking cleaner than when she arrived.
“Any chance of getting a cuppa?” Emma asked as she walked into the kitchen. Lois smiled at her, delighted the girl even left the bed. “Kettle just popped” Lois smiled at her. “Nice” Emma thanked, walking over to the cupboards and taking out a large mug.
“You seriously aren’t gonna finish a full cup of tea before school?” Jordan asked her, seeing the amount she poured into the mug. “I had a 1-litre flask and the tea barely lasted twenty minutes” Emma answered, pouring a bare drop of milk in. She stirred the teabag before taking a massive gulp of the burning liquid.
The twins looked at her in awe, how had she not coughed or even winced about the burning sensation of the boiling hot water. “Ye both are gonna catch fists if ye keep staring at me like that” Emma glared at them. “Noted” they both said, her glare rivalling Lois’.
“Get it while it’s hot” Clark announced, placing a huge plate of eggs, rashers and sausages in front of Emma. “You know unlike your boys I am not a greyhound breed sadly” Emma commented, staring at the food in slight fear. Clark looked at her strangely, why was she comparing the three of them to dogs. “It means I can gain weight unlike those two” Emma pointed at the twins, envious of their lack of weight.
Lois tapped her with the Smallville Gazette, “Eat now. You missed dinner last night. No one could wake you up” Lois warned her. Emma held her hands in defeat. “I’m a deep sleeper, not to mention certain tablets make me very sleepy, along with concentrated bleach” Emma shrugged before she began eating the food.
It was a busy morning, Lois sorting out lunches for Emma and Jon, Clark was helping Jordan find suitable clothes for the Fortress and Emma stayed quiet, eating her food in silence. Jon noticed her silence and kicked her foot under the table. “Yes?” Emma asked, kinda irritated at him. “What’s the weirdest thing about America to you?” He asked her.
Emma leaned back, thinking as she played with the food. “Besides your lack of self-preservation? How you lot practically play rugby but with metal helmets and call it football with completely different terms” Emma answered, causing Jon to be very offended. “How dare you mock football” He gasped, putting a hand over his heart. “Sorry to burst your bubble Jon, but ‘Football’ is basically a pussy’s version of rugby” Emma fake pouted at him.
Jordan laughed at the pair, soon enough the three teens were laughing at the previous words said. “Alright you three, get ready we’re leaving in ten minutes” Clark announced before humanly jogging upstairs.
Emma waited by the car as Jon and Jordan said their goodbyes. “Good luck Jordan” Emma smiled at the curly-haired boy. He nodded before Clark and Lois came out. “Emma! Jon! Car, now” Lois ordered before kissing her husband and son goodbye. “How come he gets to go flying with Dad and I have to go to school?” Jon asked Lois who opened the driver's side door. “At least we have the radio” Lois smiled.
The drive was quite short as Lois pulled up to the school. Emma grabbed the school sack that Jordan lent her. “Emma, before you go…” Lois called her, rummaging through her handbag. She pulled out an old Samsung phone and handed it to her. “Lois… you don’t have to” Emma tried to decline. “You need a way to contact us. I know you’re being modest and not used to help but please take it” Lois figured out pretty fast.
Emma sighed before taking the phone from her. “Thank you” Emma smiled before leaving the car. She looked at Jon, he looked kinda scared and nervous. “Not used to being the new kid?” Emma asked him. “Nope” He said, looking at Emma. “Any advice?” He asked her. “It usually depends on what kind of school it is but I’ve been in a boys school for the last four years so this is kind of like deja vu to me” Emma admitted, her stomach doing way too many flips. “How did you end up in an all-boys school?” Jon asked her, eyebrow raised.
“Long story” Emma groaned.
<><><>
Emma huffed as she looked down at the school map. She hated High School and it’s only been two hours. How the fuck was she supposed to know where the science labs were? “Are you okay?” a strongly accented voice called. Emma looked up from the scrunched piece of paper to see a girl with short blonde hair in a Loki t-shirt looking at her kindly. “Depends, do you know where the science lab for Ms. Mills class is?” Emma asked, exhausted from all the walking.
“I’ll show you. I’m Marty” The blonde raised her hand out. Emma shook her hand, “Emma. You seem weirdly familiar?” Emma mused as the two walked away from the lockers. “I have one of those faces. You’re the new girl, right? Some of the football team mentioned you” Marty answered with her own question. “Does the Irish accent give it away?” Emma asked cheekily, gaining a laugh from Marty.
“Well Emma, here we are. I have to go to this class but just take the first right down this corridor” Marty smiled before leaving Emma to her own devices. Emma nodded and went to grab her science books from the bag. She looked up to see Jon and Sarah walking towards her. Just as she was about to greet them when she was pushed to the side.
Emma looked forward to see the football team walking towards the pair. It clicked in her mind, the playbook. She stayed back, not interfering with the scene. She knew this was like time travel, some things you can change, others not so much. Until she could remember more, Emma had to stay silent. Once the team left Jon, she walked up to him. “Load of shitheads” She grumbled, catching Jon’s attention. “This is all Jordan’s fault” He huffed, looking down at his feet. “Hey” Emma punched his arm. “Give him a break, it’s not every day you learn a life-changing family secret” Emma reminded him. Jon just rolled his eyes. “Whatever” He tufted before leaving for his class.
“Sweet Thor gives me strength” Emma begged before going to science.
<><><>
Emma started at the fields, music in her ears as she wrote in a copybook. She felt the wind from Clark landing. However, she stayed put, the events of today making her rethink every decision she made. Maybe she should have helped Jon with Sean. Maybe it would have helped.
A tap on her shoulder caused Emma to look up. She smiled softly as the curly head of hair looked down at her. She took out one of the earbuds, “Jor-El’s so weird right?” Emma asked him, pushing over to allow him to sit next to her. “Totally” Jordan agreed, looking at her with a very serious expression. The pair burst out into fits of laughter.
Emma had to take a few deep breaths before speaking again. “No, but like seriously, how are you feeling?” Emma asked him, pausing the music to listen to him. “A lot better, kinda wished Jon was there with me though” Jordan admitted, looking at his twin practicing his football skills.
The Irish girl only looked down, the flashing images of the fortress in her mind. She shook her head. “Who knows, maybe you’ll be flying him there next time” She forced a smile, making Jordan look at her like she had two heads. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves” Jordan playfully nudged her arm.
Emma only smiled at him, watching his eyes light up at the thought of being able to fly. She may have started a bit too long because she swore Jordan’s eyes were an actual mix of blue and green swirling in his eyes.
“Boys, Emma you’re coming with me” Lois called, taking Emma out of her trance. “Shotgun!” She called just before Jon could get the words out. She smirked at him, sticking her tongue out at him. “How’d you respond so fast?” Jon asked, thinking that the girl had super speed or something.
“I've spent the majority of my life with eight-plus kids. Speed is how you get shit done” Emma responded, buckling up. “Language Emma, please” Lois practically begged her. Emma shrugged, smiling at Lois. “Lois, I’m Irish” Emma explained loosely. “I can’t stop myself from something that’s literally the way I was raised. Just like you want to investigate the new owner of the Planet, Morgan Ego” Emma added.
“You don’t like him do you?” Jon caught on from the fact she didn’t say his proper last name. “The Brits colonized my entire country for nearly a century. Some of them are sound out, but the ones like Thatcher and that poor excuse for a millionaire are the ones I’d love to break their noses” Emma explained with a hint of disgust in her voice. Lois smiled brightly at her, their mutual hate over Edge making her a little more upbeat.
<><><>
From the moment Emma stepped into city hall, she felt two pairs of eyes on her. Morgan Edge and his weird assistant Leslie Larr. The woman glared at her as if Emma spat on her, which sounded very appealing right now. Emma could have sworn that her eyes had a faint red glow to them.
“You’re the Irish girl right?”
Emma turned to see Sarah Cushing smiling brightly at her. “I go by Emma actually” She responded as if the girl called her the worst thing since Lex Luthor. She didn’t mean for it to come out that snarky but old habits die hard. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right” Emma apologized to her. “It’s okay, must be weird being the new kid” Sarah empathized with her.
Emma nodded, not trusting her mouth. “Well if you ever need help, Jordan has my number” Sarah smiled at her before she went to stop her sister from eating something. Emma turned to see Morgan Edge glaring at her not so subtly. She looked around before sticking up her middle finger at him. Once he saw it she put it down and walked over to the boys.
She sat next to Jon, who handed her a can of something. Emma raised her eyebrow at him. “It’s soda” Jon whispered, putting it in her hand. “What flavour?” Emma asked as Morgan Edge began to talk. “Orange” Jon answered. Emma shrugged and opened it, taking a sip. Not bad for America.
Emma was playing with her hands when Lois spoke up, hearing the argument a million times. She saw from the corner of her eye that Jon and Jordan facepalms at their mother. “You two are so weird. She’s only protecting the town” Emma whispered to them. The twins only gave her an evil look.
“An Irish teen in the crowd! How delightful” Morgan Edge called, noticing Emma’s accent. The girl raised her eyebrow at him, her nose scrunched up in disgust which Jordan smiled at shyly. “A Brit on stage! Some things just don’t change” Emma replied to him sarcastically.
He only smirked at the comment. “I see the Irish haven’t lost their flair for the dramatics. What’s your name, young lady?” Edge asked her, Emma now standing up. “Call me young lady again and I’ll recreate the Easter Rising ya tory!” Emma spat at him, her glare rivalling Lois’ one. All the adults were quiet, looking at the girl in awe.
“And second, it’s Emma. Emma Ní Chroídheán, Morgan Ego” Emma answered, crossing her arms. Edge only rolled his eyes. “Anyhow, what do you think of my proposal for Smallville?” He asked her. Emma snorted halfway through.
“Before I even begin to answer that, let ye all know my opinion is very biased” Emma said looking onto the people of Smallville barely noticing the smile from Lois. Emma nodded to herself before changing her stance. “First of all, you are basically a richer and more shitty version of Thatcher” Emma began counting on her fingers. “Second, you’re asking me, the descendant of the same people yours enslaved and deemed unfit to even rule our own country, stripped us of all that we are with our traditions, language, rights and well fucking more and ye still have six of our counties ye greedy cunts!” Emma snapped, earning gasps of shock from the adults who never heard an Irish teen go off on one.
Emma then walked closer to Edge, with the most confidence in the world as she was bulletproof. Once she was mere meters away she spat as loudly as she could.
“And you expect me to comment on the welfare of a town I’ve been in for the bare two weeks? You are a load of bullshit wrapped up in an expensive suit” Emma then turned and walked out of city hall, being the first to ever leave Morgan Edge speechless.
“Your friend is so cool” Sarah smiled at the twins. Jon noticed the lovesick look in Jordan’s eyes as the boy took one last look at the exit she used. “Yeah, she’s something alright” Jordan commented, thankfully having the strength to hold back a lovesick tone much to Jon’s relief.
<><><>
Emma stayed in the guest room when she returned to the farm, playing with her necklace. She looked at the engravings, smiling softly at the memories the necklace brought her. Jordan knocked on the half-opened door. “Hey! Dinner’s ready” Jordan told her, walking in slightly. Jordan noticed her daze and came closer, gently shaking her shoulder.
Emma jumped, turning to punch Jordan. Thankfully she snapped out of it only an inch or two away from his face. “Shit! Sorry” Emma apologized, backing away quickly, fiddling with the necklace again. “It’s alright Em” Jordan smiled, recognizing the sign of anxiety as Emma kept her eyes trained on the necklace. “Your necklace, it’s beautiful” Jordan commented, hoping to make her feel better.
“My older brother, Conner gave it to me after my Dad died. It’s like a mini urn, I have his ashes with me” Emma explained, her voice soft like silk. It wasn't like when she was around others, her accent was soft, not harsh and bold. Jordan gave her a small smile. “What was he like? Your Dad?” Jordan asked, sitting next to Emma on the giant wooden chest.
Emma took a moment, kissing the key necklace before looking out the window. “He was my favourite person. Always smiling, telling jokes and being a spoof. When I was with him, I knew that I was safe. He was the one who got me into comics actually” Emma smiled at the memory.
“I was seven years old, day after my birthday. My Dad took me to an old charity shop with my birthday money. Let me go wild. First thing I saw was a Superman comic, issue 245 volume one. Ever since I’d been reading the newest issue. My Dad loved the fact I was into heroes, always buying me comics”
Jordan saw the way her eyes lit up as she spoke, a certain sparkle drew him in falling down the rabbit hole of her ice-blue eyes. There was something about her that would trap him in a longing gaze.
Emma looked away from the window, her eyes now at her feet. “Due to the system, I didn’t get to see him much. Even when I was with him for a few overnight visits, it just wasn’t enough. He was gonna adopt me and my brothers even though he wasn't their dad” Emma trailed off before going back into her unsettling silence.
Jordan raised an eyebrow, not used to the girl going so quiet in the two weeks he knew her. “Em? What happened?” Jordan asked her softly. “He was murdered. I witnessed the whole thing but no one believed me” Emma whispered, letting a tear slip from her eyes. Jordan pulled her into a hug, patting her back gently.
He never said sorry for your loss or he’s looking down on you proud or some shit like that. Emma could just hug him and cry silently. Once they pulled away, Emma wiped her tear-stained face. “Thanks, I needed a winge” Emma smiled at him, letting out a little laugh. “Anytime” Jordan smiled back.
<><><>
“Why do I have to go?” Emma pouted at the couple, her arms crossed.
Lois and Clark raised their eyebrows at the teen girl. “Not like you’re living here out of the goodness of our hearts” Lois remarked carelessly at the girl. Emma scoffed at the statement. “If I had a euro for every time I was told that Lex Luthor wouldn’t stand a chance against me” Emma snickered. “Still, you need friends and Smallville seems like the best place to do so” Clark added, leaning against the kitchen sink.
Emma rolled her eyes at the hero. “I’m not the outgoing type. I’m the new girl who has a weird obsession with depressing music and superheroes. If I felt up to it, I’d take over the world” Emma sighed, uncrossing her arms. The pair deadpanned at her. “I’m serious” Emma deadpanned back at them.
Lois sighed, throwing Emma a light jacket to wear. “You are coming, after your talk with Morgan Edge the town is even more curious about you” Lois reminds her, earning a groan. “I hate people, and crowds” Emma moaned, following the woman to her car. “You sound like Jordan” Jon commented as he walked past her.
Emma looks back to the mentioned twin, “Finally, someone who gets it” She smiled before allowing him to sit in the middle cause lord knows she ain’t sitting in between two brothers ever again. “You two done with the sibling spat?” Emma asked them, buckling her seatbelt while looking at the twins.
The pair nodded, gaining an impressed look from Emma. “That was fast, me and my brothers are usually fighting for weeks. The longest one was three months” She recalled before Clark and Lois entered the car.
Emma stood behind the family as Lois knocked at the door. She played with her sleeves, humming a melody from a movie she watched as a child. She was just behind the twins to be noticed but not enough to be seen fully. The door opened with a very happy Lana Lang behind the thick wood.
“You made it!” Lana exclaimed, glass of red wine in hand. “Sorry we’re late” Clark smiled at his best friend, showing his bottle of wine that he bought for the barbeque. Lana only brushed him off. She noticed Emma looking at her feet from behind the twins. “You must be Emma” Lana smiled at her.
Emma looked up, matching her smile before it faded quickly. “It’s so nice to meet you” Lana ushered the family inside, giving Emma a small rub on her shoulder. “You too” Emma muttered under her breath. “I am so glad that you guys could come. I’m embarrassed… hi. I’m embarrassed I didn’t have you over sooner” Lana exaggerated as she led them into the kitchen. “Oh, yeah, no, don’t be” Lois smiled bashfully at the woman.
Emma looked around the kitchen, basking in its cleanliness bar the fact of the number of people in the house at the present moment. She noticed how the men had a beer or a cigarette in hand as they chatted with other guests and older ones.
Emma’s right hand went to the back of her left, tracing where a faded scar once was. She hated house parties with strangers, they made her relive memories and nightmares she wished to forget. She felt someone touch her elbow gently causing her to flinch. “You okay?” Jordan asked gently, making sure no one around them could hear but Clark if he wanted to.
Emma looked up at him, praying to the gods she wasn’t on the verge of tears or that her voice might cooperate with her brain for once. “Yeah, just um– little dazed that’s all” She lied bluntly, faking another smile. Jordan furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, making Emma wonder if he saw through her lie.
He nodded, biting his lip. “You just say the word okay?” Jordan hoped to reassure her, his fingers ghosting over hers making a shiver climb down her spine. Emma didn’t even realize that it was unlike one from the cold or the bad feeling kind of shiver when she was around untrustworthy people.
Emma followed the twins, trailing behind them as they made it to a room with other kids from their class, including Sarah Cushing. Emma trained her eyes to the floor, listening to anything else but her conversation with the twins. She tried to focus on something else, anything else but the overwhelming pit that seemed to be growing in her stomach and her chest.
She looked up when Sarah called her name as if she were looking through the unprescribed glasses she used as a kid to help read her schoolwork. Emma’s voice was like an echo of when she had asked Sarah for directions to the bathroom, not even sure what her exact words were.
Emma could barely hear what Sarah had said, yet her body seemed to take her away from the room as if it knew. Emma didn’t feel the hard concrete as her back hit the wall. She felt her chest tighten as she tried to take deep breaths. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes as they travelled down her cheeks. Why was this so hard for her! Why couldn’t she just accept that she was here, in Smallville? Why was it every time she ended up in a new home or unfamiliar place she had to have these stupid panic attacks that caused her to become more closed off?
She shouldn’t be like this, Clark and Lois should be so easy to talk to. Emma had read and seen so much that they should be the easiest people she could talk to. Her hands began to shake as she slid down the wall, away from the prying eyes of the guests. She could hear herself think anymore, the words of her mother now echoed louder than the drunk adults laughing obnoxiously at something stupid.
‘Stop with the waterworks, you are making yourself look like a child’
Emma shook her head, trying to get the demon out of her mind. She had her nails dug into her scalp, feeling the roots of her hair against her fingernails. She felt her throat close up as she tried to gasp. A hand was hovering over her shoulder, a shadow looming over her shaking form.
“It is okay, you only need to breathe” a calm and soft female voice echoed. Emma barely caught her words, opening her clenched eyes. She looked up her sight still blurring. The woman was white and had black hair if she was correct. The woman knelt down, her hand placing itself gently on Emma’s shoulder.
Emma let out a gasp, flinching away from her touch. “No touch? That’s okay little one” The woman unknowingly reassured the teen. Emma looked away, not wanting her to see her state any longer. “It’s okay, I only want to help you. Now, nod very slowly if you know a breathing exercise” The woman carefully instructed her.
Emma did as she asked, turning back to face the woman. “Okay, now I want you to count to five with your fingers as you take a deep breath okay?” The woman said in a soft tone, kneeling next to Emma.
1,2,3,4,5
“Very good, now do it again but let the breath out”
1,2,3,4,5
“Atta girl, now let’s keep doing it until you feel a bit better” The woman praised her. It was like that for a good ten minutes, the panicked, short breaths were replaced with soft sobs as reality came crashing down on top of Emma. “Gods I’m so stupid” She muttered, her head pressed against her palms.
The woman was taken back by the negativity, curious as to who hurt the girl. “That is a horrible thing to say about yourself. Panic attacks are more common than you think” the woman softly, brushing the stray hair out of Emma’s tear-stained face. “I’m sorry Ms..?”Emma looked up at the woman, who smiled warmly at her.
“Sienna, Sienna Clarks” She told her, holding out her hand. Emma shook it gently a sad smile on her lips. “Sorry for taking you away from the party Ms Clarks” Emma apologised to the older woman. “Never apologize for someone helping you little one, and please call me Sienna” She gave Emma a very serious look.
“I’m Emma Ní Chroídheán” Emma introduced herself, hoping to change the conversation topic. Sienna gave a knowing look. “You’re the girl who got Morgan Edge to shut his mouth” Sienna had a sly smirk on her face. Emma rolled her eyes, guess the one thing she inherited from her mother was how to make a name for herself.
Emma let out a defeated sigh. “He did have it coming, something about him doesn’t sit right with me” Sienna let out a small laugh, now standing from her crouched position. “Come on, I’m sure Lois or Clark may be worried about your sudden disappearance” Sienna held her hand out for Emma.
Emma looked at the woman, feeling like she was missing something. “Have we ever met before?” Emma asked. Even though she knew it wasn’t possible something inside of her said otherwise. “I don’t believe so” Sienna answered, raising an eyebrow. “You do remind me of my niece however, you look her age” Sienna commented, helping Emma from the floor.
“What’s her name?” Emma asked, a grateful smile replacing her frown. “Elrisia”
Emma felt her throat close up at the name.
<><><>
Emma sighed, walking into her house. Her hair was curly and bright pink. She was tired, too tired to function but somehow she was. “Who’s in the house!” She called, dropping her back bag with various superhero-related pins and sewn-on patches.
“Just Sophie and myself Emmy!”
The teen sighed, rubbing her eyes as she walked past the beige coloured walls of her halfway into the small kitchen. “Emmy!” A little girl bounced up and down as the tired girl smiled weakly at her. “How was school, Soph?” Emma yawned, pressing the small switch on the kettle.
“Me and Nora made snowflakes! Also, Ms Donovan said that the parent meets were tomorrow. Can you sign my journal?” Sophie asked, holding the poorly made school journal that had been decorated in scribbles by the six-year-old. Emma nodded, pointing to the table where her older sister sat with a cup of tea.
“Any news on the next batch Kono?” Emma asked, pouring the hot water into her giant orange mug filled with coffee powder and sugar. “Not yet, but I highly suggest you sleep Emmy you look like how Darkseid feels” Kono commented, her eyebrow raised at her sister.
Emma gave her a tired look before sitting down on one of the chairs that had a very interesting leaf design. “Jeju and Aunite Emily working the night shift?” Emma asked the blonde, grabbing a pen to sign her sister’s journal. “Yeah, the terror three are out getting high per usual and Antony is with Leighanne ‘studying’ at her house” Kono tried to hold back a laugh while her sister snickered. “Here Soph, go watch the telly while me and Kono have big girl talk” Emma ruffled her baby sister’s amber hair as she ran out of the kitchen with her journal.
Emma took out her phone, noticing a text from her mother. “Mam?” Kono assumed, seeing the look. “Ever since the funeral. I hate that she keeps getting away with this shit. First my Dad, then Billy Rose now Con” Emma spat, slamming her phone face down on the small, glass table. “Jeju will make you replace the glass if it cracks” Kono reminded her, shaking her head.
Emma rolled her eyes before a loud bang caught the sister's attention. “Your favourite gay disaster has arrived!” Emma laughed at the statement as her friend waltzed into the kitchen. “Jordan, you’re thick” Emma scoffed at him, earning sad puppy eyes. “Emma! How could you, my only female friend that has never had a crush on me” Jordan fell to the floor in his dramatics, on his knees with an offended face.
“I heard that Adam left his hoodie over the couch, grab and I won’t say another word” Emma offered her friend. “This is why I love you” Jordan smiled as if nothing had happened. “Please get off my floor” Kono sighed. Jordan was gone, most likely entertaining Sophie from the sound of her laughs.
“Saturday, Higgs is bringing a few ounces of green. Only problem is your Ma also gets stuff of him” Kono spoke in a hushed tone. Emma let out another sigh, could she ever get away from that woman. “ If I see her again, I’ll kill her” Emma deadpanned.
“That so daughter?”
Emma turned around to see her mother smiling down at her. Emma felt her body tremble as she got up from the chair. Everything turned black around her and her hair went to its natural brown colour. “I only ever wanted what was best for you Elrisia, why do you constantly make me the bad guy” Her mother gritted her teeth.
“You kill everyone I care about, how is that good for me!” Emma shouted back. Her mother scoffed, “You think they were good for you? Seán was going to relapse on cocaine after the papers went through. Billy Rose was using you for your little side job in the school” Her mother began to list off, walking closer to Emma.
“What about Conner! Your son!” Emma screamed at her, tears in her eyes.
“Conner was a means to an end”
Emma’s eyes shot open, a cold sweat crawling down her spine. She slowly sat up on the bed, kicking away the covers. She took a moment to process her weird nightmare. She was used to having them about her mother, but not like that. Never once did her siblings, cousins or friends come into it. They were usually the memories that carved themselves into her brain, not memories turned nightmares.
Emma needed to do something, unable to sleep now. She grabbed the phone that was upside down on the bedside table. 3:09 illuminated in white. Emma huffed before standing up, grabbing a go-go. She tied her hair in a half-assed bun before carefully walking downstairs, hoping she wouldn’t wake the superpower man who could probably wake at the slightest creak in the floorboards.
She wandered into the kitchen, opening the small cabinet under the sink. Emma grabbed the bleach, glass cleaner and a cloth. She put them on the counter before filling up the kettle. Once she had mixed the bleach and boiling water in a mop bucket she found, Emma began her normal stress-cleaning routine.
First, she swept the floors, making sure she wouldn’t deal with cleaning dirt with more dirt before mopping the floors. She then cleaned the windows she could get her hands on, going from to the inside of the house to the outside as best she could. Once she finished that, Emma then did a second round of mopping the floors before she began to clean all the picture frames she could see.
Clark had landed on the front porch, exhausted from his latest Superman venture in the Philippines. He walked into his home, a wafting smell of bleach making his nose hairs tingle. He noticed how the floors seemed way cleaner than he left them only an hour or so ago.
He walked into his home more, noticing the brighter picture frames and the fewer pale windows. He looked into the kitchen to see Emma, putting away the cleaning products as she mumbled words to a song.
“Emma?” Clark called out. Emma jumped in her place, hitting her head off the sink in the cabinet. She turned to see Clark, letting out a loud sigh. “Sweet Rao, Clark. You gave me a heart attack” Emma gasped, standing up and closing the cabinet. “How much like Derek Hale can you be?” Emma whispered to herself, forgetting he had super hearing.
“Who?” He asked her. “An alternative version of you that is an angsty werewolf that is constantly angry or pissed off that all my girl friends have an unhealthy obsession of” Emma explained, not holding back anything at this point. Clark looked at her, a little unsettled by her answer. “Same” Emma shrugged, putting the mop bucket back where she found it.
Clark only nodded, using his speed to change out of his hero attire. Emma sat down at the table, playing with her hands when he came back. “Why are you up so early?” Clark asked her. “Nightmare” Emma laughed at him, begging that he wouldn’t ask too much.
“What was it about”
He has asked too much. Emma bit the corner of her lip, now sitting back in the chair. “Just a nightmare” Emma repeated, now picking at her nails. Clark sighed, pinching his temple. “Emma, I only want to help you–”
“You but you have to open up or else I can’t?” Emma guessed, raising her eyebrow at Clark. He was slightly taken back at her. “I know, I’ve heard it all before, sorry” Emma muttered, flicking away the little nail fragment she had torn off. “Then let me help you, please” Clark begged her, now sitting in the chair closest to her. Emma took a moment, contemplating the cons and pros of what she might say next.
“My birth mother hates me” Emma stated, her tone cold and brash. Clark looked up at her in shock. “Out of all of four of us, she only ever wanted to leave me in the system” Emma told him, her mind racing to the moments her mother constantly told her she was the only mistake she had ever made etc.
Emma looked at the hero, a small smile on her face. “I hate her as well so it’s pretty 50-50. Honestly, I’m surprised she even gets visitations with any of us anymore” Emma laughed off slightly, hoping this wouldn't be a big deal. Clark placed a hand on her own, taking Emma out of her little rant. “Emma, what she did isn’t right” He spoke softly, choosing his words carefully.
Emma’s eyes widened. “I already know that” She pulled her hand away from him, her words coming out harsher than expected. “I already know she’s a shit mother. I already know that what she did to me was wrong. She’s supposed to be my mother for fucksake and all she can do is use me to gain a couple of bob” Emma began, the tears gathering in her eyes.
She looked away from Clark. She already had enough breakdowns today and doing it in front of one of her idols wasn't on her bucket list. “I’m… I’m not stupid like she says, I know that at least” Emma choked, standing up from the table, closing in on herself.
Clark followed her movements, walking closer very slowly. “It’s okay to cry, to break down and let it all out, Emma. Trust me, I understand” Clark tried to relate to her. Emma turned to him, eyes full of tears. Her veins glowed a soft hue of blue. “Why is it the one woman that is supposed to love me can’t even admit that she’s… cruel?” She asked him, holding back the sobs.
“I don’t know” Clark admitted before pulling the girl into a hug as she cried against his chest. He rubbed her back gently, telling her it was okay to let it all out.
<><><>
Emma smiled as Jordan walked into the school, his own smile making her stomach swarm with butterflies. He quickly caught Sarah’s attention, making Emma’s smile disappear. She knew. Every day her memories came and reminded her that no matter what, Jordan Kent and Sarah Cushing would end up together.
She only let out a deflating sigh before closing her locker. She turned away to see Jon look at her with shocked eyes. “Ye alright?” She asked him, fixing her bag on her shoulder. Jon walked up to her, trying to hold back his smile.
