Evolved

12. Remember.

Hera found her aunt sitting in the mess hall drinking tea. "I suppose it's time then." 

Jackie spoke without looking up. Hera still wasn't used to Jackie seeing her memories, and she attempted to shield her mind. She imagined a bubble around her body, reflecting any unwanted mental probing.  

Jackie's eyes flicked up to meet hers. "I guess I deserved that." A small smile on her lips. "Where should we do this?"

"Here is as good a place as any." The space was empty, and Hera knew everyone was sleeping.

"You think you're strong enough to keep your Evolution at bay." She said it like a statement rather than questioning Hera. She knew the answer, so Hera stayed quiet.

"Come here, love." Jackie guided Hera to a stained suede couch in the corner and asked her to lie down. "This could be extremely painful, Hera. I've never given this many memories back before." Hera smiled sadly up at her.

"It has to be done, Jackie." She nodded in reply and swallowed, closing her eyes and bringing her ability forth. "I love you," Hera whispered before she was plunged into chaos.

Everything was a blur in her mind. She could see so many memories whizz past her simultaneously. 

Two small toddlers were pottering around a yard, making mud pies and befriending frogs. 

Hera accidentally destroyed another child's artwork on her first day at school, paper going up in smoke. 

She realised then her powers had appeared long before adolescence like other Evolved's. She zoned in on the memory of her parents 'deaths'. 

She was reading a book with her mother, sounding out the new words for the week. Then, she heard Joseph call Lily, telling her to run and hide before a loud thud shook the floorboards. She looked so afraid, scooping Hera up and putting her in a small hole carved under her bed.

"Don't look, baby." Her mother stood and took a single step before two gunshots rang out, and Hera saw her mother fall to the floor. She was staring wide-eyed at Hera; she blinked and tried to shush her quietly, but blood spilt from her lips. She saw her father then thrown next to her mother.

"Lily, honey. Heal yourself, please." Joseph begged, covered in blood himself, but she only smiled, grasping his hand in hers and sending a healing light from her heart to his. He screamed at her to stop to save herself, but it was too late. He was healed and then jabbed with a needle by the intruders falling silent. 

The agents destroyed Hera's world in minutes. 

Her ability surged, and she screamed louder than she thought possible. The room around her exploded, wood splintered off and killed everyone in its path. Her mother and father's bodies disappeared, causing panic in Hera's young mind, believing she killed them. The earth beneath the house shook and rolled, responding to her cries. 

She screamed again as the house collapsed. Her body free fell as a winged creature curled around her petite frame, and she passed out half-awakening on the cold tiles of aunt Jackie's floor. 

"Monroe, what happened?" Jackie's voice was stricken; she was picking pieces of wood splinters from Hera's hair.

"Everyone was dead; their bodies had disintegrated, Jacqueline. It was a bloody mess. Must've been twenty agents."

Jackie's body shook. "What about Lily? Or Joseph..." Monroe did not speak, but Hera imagined him shaking his head. "There were no bodies, Jacqueline. I got there minutes after the alarm was raised, but it was too late. I'm sorry."

"Go find somewhere to hide, Monroe. If they figure out Hera survived, I'm going to need your help again."

"Of course." She heard wing flaps and then nothing. An angel, her little mind thought. She felt Jackie's palm on her cheek, and all the pain went away. Jackie groaned in agony from the memories and retched. The memory ended, and a dozen more flitted past Hera. Mr Anders covered up most incidents that Hera had at school. She was shocked to see when she turned thirteen, Jackie had told her everything about the evolution in the hopes she would be ready. 

Hera started experimenting with her abilities and nearly killed a boy who tried to touch her inappropriately before Mr Anders stepped in and expelled him. Jackie was scared and felt so ashamed stealing away her memories all over again as she slept.

 It went on and on for what felt like hours. 

So many lapses of control. 

She couldn't believe she hadn't already been found. Tears coated her cheeks as she realised she had been surrounded by guardian angels her whole life in the form of Mr Anders, Jackie, and even Monroe. Soon her memories stopped, and everything was dark. She heard the wind rustling past her ears and through what sounded like trees. Beneath her feet, she could feel grass tickling her calves. 

She didn't know where she was, but she quickly realised Jackie was right. 

Now all she could feel was pain. 

She was in agony, and she could hear voices begging for her to wake up. A hard slap bit her cheek, and she scrunched her face, eyes opening slowly.

"There you are, princess," Jean said, looking slightly worried.

"Did you just slap me?" Hera felt the pain in her body and mind slowly subside, but her cheek stung.

"You weren't waking up, and Teddy was getting worried."

She turned her head more and caught a glimpse of Theo's tense form walking out the door.

"Oh, Hera, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Jackie held onto her hand tightly. Hera nodded, sitting up and stretching her aching limbs. She felt complete now. Well almost. There was something else she had to do, but that could wait.

"I can't believe you told me everything when I was thirteen." Hera finally said, making Jackie sheepishly shrug.

"I thought it would be a good time and that you might start training with Monroe. But then you tried to kill that boy..."

"He kind of deserved it, though..." Hera mumbled.

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Maybe a slap across the face and a bit of education on consent Hera not to be torn apart, my love." 

Hera exhaled air from her nose, a smile playing on her lips. "I think I need to talk with my father." She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Haven't you wondered what happened to him since he is alive and I didn't kill him that night?"

Jackie nodded. "I did. In your memory, they disappeared but not like the other agents. So there must have been someone else there." She swallowed deeply before squeezing Hera's hand. "I'm so proud of you and how far you've come, Hera. Truthfully, I was worried this would be too much for you."

Hera smiled, feeling a sense of pride and peace. "That will hopefully teach you to stop underestimating me... But, it was one of the last pieces to the puzzle, Jackie. So, thank you for giving it back to me."

They hugged, and Jean looked on; her lower lids were heavy with tears. Hera noticed and grabbed her arm, "Come here, Jeanie." She smiled. Jean's eyes widened but accepted the hug between the women for a few moments.

"Alright." Jean pulled back and composed herself, "That's enough family time for me. Hurry up and get some rest. We have training tomorrow."

"Yes, sergeant," Hera said with a smirk as Jean marched away.