Broken Trust
'Gods, I'm such a bitch when I wanna be'
"No, Natasha Romanoff is the only assassin worthy of my collage" Jayden scolded her mother as she glued an icon to an old large frame. "What? I thought the Winter Soldier was cute" Lois brushed off, typing away on her laptop. Jayden looked at her mother, eyebrow raised.
"You have a type" Jayden muttered, rolling her eyes at Lois. "Excuse me?" Lois asked, using her reporter tone. Clark, who had stumbled into the kitchen, perked up his ears. He knew that tone, and he also saw the smirk on his daughter's face as it mirrored Lois' own.
"Guy who is basically god but really is a total sweetheart with a burden they deem too heavy to carry but always prevails. Dad is basically just MCU Bucky Barnes without the trauma" Jayden shrugged, going back to her little project.
Lois looked at her daughter, slightly offended. "I am appalled you think I have a type. What about your Dad?" Lois challenged her daughter. Jayden rolled her eyes, "Off brand Thor" Jayden mumbled.
She continued to glue the pictures, ignoring her parents as they didn't enjoy her choices. She felt her skin tingle, like a sixth sense. She felt it before. It was like something was warning her.
'Tag, I don't know what–'
Jayden felt a rush of energy, the same energy when she protected Jon and Jordan against Tag. "Rebel, what's wrong?" Clark asked her, Jayden's bright silver veins making him concerned. Jayden tilted her head slightly, her eyes glowing a silver hue.
Clark could hear Jordan's ELT but before he could react, Jayden had stood up and rushed out faster than ever. Lois looked at her husband, feeling the wind from their daughter's movement. "Clark go!" She gasped, knowing he was the only one that could find a solution to the newest development in their daughter's abilities.
Jordan scrambled to the ground, not knowing why Tag was attacking him. Well, he did know, but he kinda hoped his Dad would get there soon. "Stay away from my brother!" Jayden's voice screamed, her voice echoing like last time.
Jordan looked up to see his sister's hands glowing bright silver, the light climbed up from her veins. She looks at Tag in utter rage, standing in front of Jordan very protectively. "Who the fuck are you?" Tag took a few steps back. "Your worst nightmare" Jayden spat, blasting Tag with her glowing hands.
Tag flew back, hitting against a tree as Jayden stormed up to him. "No one hurts my family" Jayden spat. She held her hand up, the glowing stopping as it climbed around Tag's form. Jayden lifted him up, the fierce glow in her eyes burning brighter. Jordan scrambled to his feet just as Clark landed in between the distance of Jayden and himself.
Tag was terrified, struggling to break free from Jayden's unusual grasp. Clark immediately saw his daughter walk closer to the teen, hearing her heart race. Tag began to use his speed, causing Jayden to become slightly dazed as the winds pushed her back. That's when Clark and Jordan saw that the youngest Kent was floating, mere inches off the ground. Tag ran away the moment the binds on him were gone. Clark looked to his son, hoping he could watch his floating sister while he tackled the other problem on hand.
The curly-haired boy nodded before his father flew away after Tag Harris. Jayden turned to her brother, the glowing making the darkness of the forest brighter. "Jay?" Jordan called out, wary of his sister's current state of mind. He knew how terrified she was after the first time she attacked Tag, he didn't want to make things worse. "Are you okay?" Jayden asked, still floating in the air. Jordan studied his sister closely. He saw how the washed-out blue in her hair had become white, slowly growing up to her roots. Jayden's face was calm, neutral for lack of a better term. She didn't seem fazed by anything which was very unlike his sister.
"I'm fine. Are you?" Jordan asked, now standing face to face with Jayden as she slightly towered over him. "Your sister is fine" the echo in her voice changed to one Jordan had never heard before. "Why did you say it like that? You are my sister" Jordan was confused by her words.
Jayden landed on the ground, now looking up at Jordan whose face expressed concern and fear for his sister. "I am Naer Van, your great-great-grandmother. Your sister is safe, she will not remember what has happened. She must accept her fate as my heir"
Jordan had a million questions. He reached out for her hand, holding it in her own. The glowing stopped as Jayden's body went limp. Jordan caught her with ease before his sister groaned. "Where am I?" She asked in her own voice, feeling weak as Jordan helped her stand. "The woods by Sarah's house. Jay, do you remember anything?" Jordan asked her, brushing the hair out of her face. "I heard you... Where is that mother fucker Tag Harris?" Jayden seethed, completely unaware of the events that unfolded.
...
"No fucking way! Naer Van spoke through me?" Jayden gapped, looking at Jordan in utter disbelief. Her father and Jordan had given her, Lois and Jon the low-down of what happened. Jordan nodded, still freaked out by the experience. "She said you needed to expect your fate as her heir or something" Jordan added, playing with his fingers.
Jayden placed her hand on his, caressing her thumb over his knuckles. She gave him a soft smile. Jonathan felt a tinge of jealousy towards his brother. He hates that Jayden won't talk to him. "I think more tests at the fortress will be helpful" Clark spoke up, feeling the tension between the oldest and youngest triplet. Jayden's previous amused expression fell when her father mentioned the fortress.
She looked at Clark with the iconic 'Really' look. "We both know that he's gonna tell us the same gibberish as before" Jayden sulked, throwing her head back. Lois raised her eyebrow at her daughter. "It's always worth a shot Jayden '' She scolded her. Jayden just shrugged before getting up from her chair and leaving the room. Lois sighed as the girl walked upstairs.
"You two still haven't talked?" The mother asked, letting out an exasperated sigh along with it. Jon only looked more upset. "She won't speak to me. I'm going to bed" He decided, not trying to dwell on the problem. He walked up the stairs, catching Jayden's anger-filled stare.
...
Jayden ran throughout the school, not caring who she hit or pushed out of the way. She slowed down as she neared the boy's bathroom. "Hey you can't go in there!" a senior shouted. Jayden just flipped him off before walking inside.
Jon was standing over a panicked Jordan, his hands clamped over his head. "What's happening to him?" Jayden asked, rushing down to Jordan's side. "I dunno! He said his head hurt and next thing I know he dragged us in here" Jon panicked himself, messing up the events. Jayden put her hands over Jordan's, making him face her. She felt her powers light up as Jordan's eyes mirrored her own. "Urvish" Jayden told him, her hands glowing slightly onto his.
Jordan's breathing started to slowly return to normal, the pain barely lingering by the time Jayden had released her hands from his head. "H–How did you do that?" Jordan asked his sister. "Doesn't matter. You okay?" Jayden asked him, helping him up from the floor. Jordan nodded gently at his sister. "Yeah. Yeah, It's just a headache" Jordan brushed off. Jayden and Jon shared a look.
"Jordan, if this has to do with your superpowers, then you need to tell Dad" Jon stated, worried about his brother's health. "You might need to go to the fortress to figure out what's wrong" Jayden added, a gut feeling in her chest. She remembered the headaches when she got her hearing, pain wasn't the word to describe them. "We can't tell Dad, all right?" Jordan snapped at the pair, making Jayden jump back closer to Jon.
"Jordan, you need to tell him" Jayden repeated, her voice sterner. "Look, if we tell Dad, he won't let me play football tomorrow" Jordan whined slightly, making the triplets feel sympathy. "Jordan" Jayden sighed. "Jay, 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 begged his siblings, using his best puppy dog eyes.
Jayden groaned in frustration, nodding to her brother's plea. "If this all goes to shit I will be the one to end you, not some pubescent idiots from Metropolis" Jayden warned him, glaring at her brother. Jordan held his hands in the air, nodding to her statement. She picked up her bag, checking the time on her phone. "Shit I'm late!" Jayden exclaimed, kissing her brother's cheek and running past Jon without a second glance.
"Ms. Kent, you're late" the principal stated, hand on his hips. "Sorry... lady problems" Jayden apologised before walking into his office. Jayden took out a large binder, with the logo of Metropolis Middle School on the front. "I got my records, is there something wrong with the system 'cause I could help with that" Jayden offered, handing the large binder to Mr. O'Connell. "No actually, but I'll take you up on the offer" He smiled, looking through the binder.
"Ms. Kent, have you ever thought of graduating early?" He asked the teen. Jayden gave the principal a shocked look. "Why do I feel like my parents should be here?" She asked, a weird feeling in her stomach. "Don't worry, I have a meeting scheduled with you and your parents but I just wanted to talk with you first so you could think about it, talk it over with your parents" Mr. O'Connell explained, a warm smile on his face.
Jayden nodded. "I dunno, I don't like being away from my brothers. We're close like that" Jayden told him, even though she wasn't talking with Jon doesn't mean she loved him any less. She was just angry. "I understand, twins, triplets. They always stay close but would your brothers want you to put your future on hold just for them?"
Jayden was lost for words.
...
Jayden dropped her bag at the door, turning her head to see her mother typing on her laptop. "Hey, Mom, where's Dad?" Jayden asked, walking into her small office. Lois looked up from the laptop, glasses still resting on her face. "What happened?" Lois asked her, crossing her arms. "I was asked if I wanted to graduate early" Jayden told her, needing someone's input.
Lois walked over to Jayden, leaning on the edge of her desk. "And?" Lois pried, knowing her daughter. Jayden huffed, letting out a groan of frustration. "It feels wrong. I might not like going to school, especially after half my AP classes were dropped but I don't wanna spend my teens in college every day" Jayden ranted, walking back and forth as she made weird hand gestures Lois could never understand.
Jayden looked at her mother, pleading for an answer. "Okay, how about after your father is done helping Jordan control his strength, the three of us will talk and figure out a solution that helps everyone" Lois suggested, pulling Jayden in for a hug.
The brunette wrapped her arms loosely around Lois, scared of hurting her. "If you don't give me a proper hug I'm going to ground you for a month" Lois warned her, hating that her daughter was acting as if she was glass. "I don't want to hurt you. I still don't know how I'm more in control of my strength than Jor" Jayden mumbled, the pressure adding up in her mind was endless.
Lois held onto her daughter tightly. "You won't hurt me. I know you won't" Lois told her, her grip getting tighter and tighter. Jayden let a breath before properly hugging her mother. Lois smiled, tightening her grip on Jayden. "Told you so. Now, why aren't you talking to your brother?" Lois asked her, serious mom mode had been activated.
Jayden looked at her mother for a moment. She hated confrontation. "I'm just trying to process some stuff. With everything that's happened, I just need my brother... both of my brothers but I feel like Jon is drifting away from us and... I got pissed and I still am" Jayden huffed, crossing her arms.
Lois felt a pang in her heart. She has seen Jayden go through situations that no kid should ever be in and come out stronger than ever. But this, Jon wanting to move back to the city, was breaking her apart. "I can't go and take my anger out without revealing everything. I can't..." Jayden felt her chest tighten as her sobs got caught in her throat. Lois caught Jayden as she swayed back and forth.
Lois gently rubbed her back, whispering a breathing technique that she used with Jordan. Jayden felt her body shake, the feeling of her powers surging through her veins. "Momma..." She gasped, pulling away from her mother.
Jayden's eyes glowed silver, her hair starting to float in the air. Lois went to take her daughter by the shoulder only to be pushed back by a silver glow. "I am sorry Lois, but Jayden must accept her faith" the voice of Naer Van spoke as Jayden's body began to float. Lois immediately pressed the button on her ELT. Clark was by her side as the silver in Jayden's eyes began to shift colour.
"What's happening? Rebel?" Clark asked, stepping in front of Lois. "Jayden is my successor and now she will need to accept her faith Kal-El. She will be perfectly fine, bring her to Jor-El if you don't trust my word" Naer Van spoke before Jayden fell to the floor. Clark fell to her side, hoping to wake her up. Jayden's arms spiralled in a silver glow, climbing her veins until they reached her elbows.
...
Jayden lay in a small cubical like a bed in the Fortress. Jor-El scanned her body to figure out what his wife's ancestor had done to his granddaughter. "Well? Is she gonna wake up?" Clark asked, a hand on Jayden's hair not longer the usual brown but becoming white every passing minute. Her skin was turning a fearful white and her lips a threatening violet.
Jor-El had never seen his son that worried in a very long time. He sighed, turning away from his granddaughter. "Her brain activity is rapid, constantly changing too fast for me to determine what Naer Van is doing" Jor-El admitted in a sorrowful voice.
Clark clenched his fists before striking the ice wall near him. "Kal, calm yourself. Anger will not save her" He advised the younger father before releasing Jayden from the invisible barrier. "My only advice is to wait. Naer Van was always protective of our young, no harm will come to Jayden" Jor-El hoped to reassure his son.
Clark lifted Jayden in his arms, her touch was ice cold even with the multiple layers he had put around her body. That's when he noticed her necklace, the one his mother left for him. It was glowing. "Thank you Father" He huffed, the necklace is the least of his worries. Jor-El nodded before returning to the sunstone crystal.
"Wait it out! Clark, our daughter is unconscious!" Lois snapped, trying not to pull her hair out from her scalp. Clark placed his hands on Lois' shoulders, pulling her close to him. He did not know what to say. What could he say? His mother's ancestor took control of his daughter's body. He knew no one that could help. Kara was off-planet and most likely knew nothing of his mother's heritage. The other heroes were fighting their own problems. He had no idea where John Constantine, the only other magic user he knew of, was or if he was even alive.
...
Jayden opened her eyes, a breath of relief as she did. Why was she so tired? Where's Mom? She looked around, white walls at her every glance. "Wha... Where the fuck am I?" She gasped, her eyes going a bright silver. Something didn't feel right to her. Something was wrong with... "Momma! Dad! Where are you!" Jayden screamed as she ran down the white corridor.
It seemed endless, the only difference was the doors she encountered. Each one was a different colour, had completely different designs and has some sort of code on them. Her hand ghosted over the door closest to her, the dark navy blue with darker red swirls becoming so enchanting the mote she looked. "What are they?" She asked, barely above a whisper
"Memories"
Jayden jumped at the voice behind her. Every logical reason not to turn screamed throughout her body. But when did Jayden ever listen to logic? She turned to see... herself? But she was different. Taller. More mature. And her hair was snow-white! Her clothes were similar to the hologram that Jo-El showed her. The only difference was her crest, Jayden didn't recognise it. "It is lovely to finally meet you, granddaughter" She smiled, her eyes glowing a pale white.
"Naer Van? You... You" Jayden started waving her finger around the place. Nae Van laughed at her descendant, with an amused smile. "Please call me Jai" She smiled at the younger one. Jayden nodded, totally not freaking out that her alien ancestor was the spitting image of her. Definitely not.
"Okay, Jai... Where am I?" Jayden asked the woman. Jai-Van only smiled at her descendant. "Every young witch has a part of their mind dedicated to preserving their memories. When the time comes, their most powerful ancestor allows them to decide" Jai-Van began to walk away from Jayden, gesturing for her to follow. "Decide what?" Jayden asked, running up to Jai-Van.
"If you can carry the burden which comes with your powers. For example, when I embraced my powers and destiny I could no longer control my impulses which led me to win the war against Daxam" Jai explained to the young teen. "Is that why you've been taking over my body? Your impulses getting the better of you?" Jayden asked her. Jai let out a small chuckle. "Family has always been my weakness. One of the many reasons I kept my daughter away, is why I allowed my father to kill me. We share that in common Little Flame, we oh-so desperately want to keep our family safe. Something you inherited from your father"
Jayden saw how Jai's hand went to her side, the phantom pain of her death seeping through her memory. "How do I, accept the burden of my powers?" Jayden asked before they both stopped at a new door. It was a pale purple with white accents. "Three core memories that allowed you to awaken your Kryptonian and witch genetics and stay in tune with your humanity. You must relive them one after the other for you to finally embrace your true self" Jai took Jayden's hand and placed it on the doorknob. "The choice is yours Little Flame" Jai told her, the glow in her eyes dying down.
Jayden stared at the blue eyes that met her own. "Jon... He has your eyes" She gasped. Jai smiled, "Blue eyes are a Van family gene, you and Jordan got the eyes of an El but Jonathan got Lara's" Jai mused at the girl before, pushing her forward slightly. Jayden grabbed the doorknob, the coldness of it making her shiver. She can do this. She just needs to turn the knob.
"Sweet Rao" Jai groaned before flicking her wrist and causing Jayden to turn the knob. Jayden jumped at the action before feeling a shove as she fell past the door. She fell onto the ground, the hardwood floor making her shiver with the cold. She was back in Metropolis?
"Jayden! We're gonna be late!"
Said girl looked up to see... "Momma?"
...
Lilli eyed her brother as he left Lois, her eyes flickering a quick green. "Fucking idiot" She scoffed as he came closer to the RV. John opened the door only to be hit by a bubble of water. "Seriously Lilli?" He huffed while giving his little sister a death glare. Lilli turned her head away from John. "She's not our Lois brother. This will not end in our favour" She scolds him as the soldier dried himself off with a towel. "Says the one who got with her crush's doppelganger" John shot back.
Lilli's eyes flashed a darker green. "Watch your tongue John" the young witch hissed. John wore a smug grin on his face. "You are so easy to rile up kiddo" He snickered at his sister. Lilli rolled her eyes at him. "One day I'm gonna go against my morals and curse you to die painfully" Lilli swore as she moved to the computer.
John smiled at the red tint on his sister's cheeks. Even though he might not admit it, he was happy for his sister. After everything she'd been through, the custody battles, training, and the destruction of their home earth, she needed some happiness in her life.
"I've been able to use what's left of Lena's red solar technology to create temporary lamps. But they won't last long, you'll need to stall on using your hammer Thor" Lilli warned him, showing John her plans. "Wow sister, you've thought this one through" John smiled ruffling her hair. Lilli growled at the action, "Don't touch me mirror head" Lilli warned him.
"Mirror head? You do realise this is genetic? I think you might be earning a bald patch Lillian" John snickered at his sister. Lilli swatted his arms, grumbling about his immaturity for someone his age. John went back to his research before he noticed Lilli tying up her hair. "Don't worry Lilli, we'll be okay?" He told her. Lilli looked back at her brother, a shaky look on her face, "I hope so John".
Little did her brother know, this was only the start of the war from years ago.
...
"Jay, come on! We're going to be late" Lois called for a smaller Jayden. Little Jayden ran down the stairs with a picture in her hands. Her hair had those hair colour chalks for kids all over her dark hair. Jayden only smiled at the younger version of herself. Her big eyes only showed innocence and not the horrors she had faced.
Lois gave the girl a curious look, hand on her hips in all true Lois Lane fashion. "Sweetie, what do you have there?" Her mother asked. Smaller Jayden took the picture out from behind her back. Jayden remembered this.
"This is when I found out about Natalie"
Jayden watched her mother's face form a sad expression. "Jay, where did you find this?" Lois asked her daughter. Jayden looked up at her mother, the saddened expression on Lois' face made her frown. "Momma, did you have another baby?" Little Jayden asked, her eyes scanning the photo. Jayden remembered that photo like she was looking at it in her own hands. Her mom with a big belly, Jon and Jordan on either side of her while baby Jayden was asleep on her chest, her tiny hand holding on to her mom's hair.
Jayden watched as Lois sat little her down, an arm around her shoulders. "When you and your brothers were still babies, I found out I was having another baby, a girl" Lois began, swallowing her tears as she looked down at the picture. "Where is she?" Little Jayden asked, tilting her head to the side. "She got sick before she came out of my belly... and now she's in heaven with Grandpa Jon" Lois couldn't hold back her tears, hating that she felt weak in front of her daughter. Little Jayden stood up, wiping Lois' tears with her hands.
"Don't be sad Momma, she's an angel now. Protecting us from the mean monsters like Superman and Supergirl" Little Jayden told Lois, making her smile sadly. "Yeah, she's protecting us" Lois sighed, hugging Little Jayden tightly. "What was her name, Momma?" Little Jayden asked.
"Natalie"
Jayden was back in the hallway, her head spinning. One minute she was watching her mother, now she was back in the white hallway. "I must say Little Flame, you have a better relationship with your mother than most Kryptonians" Jai-Van commented, crossing her arms. Jayden only rolled her eyes at her ancestor. "My mom's different, she's always there when I need her, even when I don't ask" Jayden told the witch. Now she just wanted a hug from her mother more than anything.
"Let's move on to the next memory, shall we" Jai-Van suggested, moving out of the way to present the next door. It was the dark navy blue door with darker red swirls. But now that she looked at the red swirls to more they looked like fire. The door knob was a dull silver that she could barely see herself in. Taking a deep breath, Jayden turned the knob, walking in without a doubt.
"No"
The room faded into a pristine white room with statues and paintings that didn't just look weird but expensive. The many frames hung on the walls or sat between books on the dark brown shelves held doctorates and PhDs.
Jayden was back in Dr Finkle's office. The door to her left opened with a loud bang. A younger Jayden with the ends of her hair and one of her biggest regrets, her bangs, dyed a pink so bright that the Pink Power Ranger would be jealous.
"No, Mom was supposed to be here, not you" Her younger self growled as her father followed behind looking like a beaten puppy. "Rebel, your mom has to stay back for this piece she's working on" Clark sighed as he followed younger Jayden to the couch she always sat on. Once Clark sat next to his daughter, Jayden practically jumped to the other end of the comfortable couch.
Dr Finkle walked in her usual notebook in hand. She looked quite surprised when she saw Clark smile at her. "Clark! It is so good to see you!" She smiled before sitting down in her lone chair. "So, today I wanted to talk to you about the fire". Younger Jayden tensed up, looking behind Finkle. Her eyes were emotionless as her face remained blank.
Clark gave his daughter a worried look. Jayden had a feeling that her father might have been listening to her heartbeat. "So, Jayden when did the nightmares start?" Finkle asked the younger teen, who still hadn't made a sound. Clark looked confused. "Nightmares?" He questioned, the father knew nothing of nightmares.
Younger Jayden rolled her eyes, scoffing at his question. "Maybe if you were actually around you'd know" Jayden told him with venom on her tongue. She gave him a quick and snarky smirk before looking back at her therapist.
"Gods, I'm such a bitch when I wanna be"
Finkle cleared her throat, catching the attention of the two Kents. "They started about a week after the fire" Younger Jayden started, picking at her fingernails. "At they were just the memories of the fire. Staring out with me and Vanessa just messing around...then the whole room would erupt into flames" Her voice was steady, her tone so dull she could make her grandfather run for his money. "Then it was different memories. Days out with Grandma turned into roads and fields of wheat blazed in the fire. Some are people... I've never seen running around their homes as lava erupts from the groundbreaking like... when you punch glass" Her voice got shaky, her breathing heavier.
Finkle nodded, jotting down something in her notebook. "Why didn't you tell me Rebel... I could help" Clark asked, his heartbroken face affecting Jayden but not her younger self. "Why? So you can say that you're gonna help but then Mom swoops in because you're not there. You're never there!" Jayden shouted at him, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Is that why you've resorted to not sleeping?" Finkle asked, knowing that Clark had not known what his daughter is hiding. "It didn't start like that" Younger Jayden corrected her gently. "Please elaborate" Finkle smiled gently, progress was being made. "At first, I'd stay up just half an hour longer every night. That way, there was less time to sleep. Then I realised that if I could handle half an hour, maybe I could go an hour. One hour turned into two, three, five...Next thing I know, I'm not sleeping for days on end" Younger Jayden admitted, refusing to look anyone in the eye.
"I was tired at first...but then, uh... after a while, I got used to it, I guess. And I liked having the extra time to read and finish my homework. And the more I thought about it, the more I figured... If I don't need one night's sleep, maybe I don't need two, or three weeks either" Younger Jayden allowed the tears to flow down, her voice cracking gently. Clark went to place his hand on Younger Jayden but she pushed it aside, not wanting his comfort but deep down she desperately wanted a hug from her Dad.
Jayden quickly wiped her tears, the anger inside her bubbling up. "And then, it just kind of, um... i... it kind of became a new project for me... you know, seeing how long I could go without sleep. Not sleeping was all I thought about. I didn't care about the fact that I didn't have any friends and everyone at school is afraid of me. I just..." She let out a sob, trying to choke it down but failing miserably.
"All I cared about was making it through another day without sleeping"
Younger Jayden started sobbing. A heavy weight on her shoulders came crumbling down like meteors in the sky. "Why didn't you tell me?" Clark broke, feeling his heart being ripped out of his chest. "I don't think empty promises are gonna help Dad" Younger Jayden shrugged before getting up off the couch and walking out of the room, muttering thanks to Dr Finkle before slamming the door behind her.
Next thing Jayden knows she's in the back of her mom's car, her younger self sitting in the front while her Dad drove slowly back home. "Are you just gonna ignore me for the entire day?" He asked her, his eyes trained on the road. Jayden shrugged, one earphone hanging from her shoulder.
"Why are you rarely home?"
"'cause he's freakin' Superman" Jayden scoffed, leaning back into the seat.
Her father sighed, not even sparing a quick glance at his daughter. "I'm busy Rebel" Clark told her. Younger Jayden groaned. "You're always busy. Even when we visit Grandma, it's like you're never there. All I want... All I want is my Dad" Younger Jayden's voice broke, looking out the window, the music blaring in her ear was forgotten.
"You and Kal-El have a curious relationship" Jai spoke right into Jayden's ear. Jayden jumped at her voice, making her realise the memory was over. "Well, when your dad is hiding the fact he's fucking Superman your entire life there's gonna be a few bumps in the road" Jayden told her, wishing she could take back every time she shouted or said something mean to him.
"Why are you showing me memories of sad stuff?" Jayden asked Jai-Van, following her down the hallway. "These memories have made you into who you are. Learning your mother had a time in her life when she wasn't as strong as everyone believes she is, showed you that even the strongest people can fall" Jai-Van explained, tapping the door knobs as she carefully looked at the doors.
"And my Dad?"
Jai-Van stopped in her tracks before turning to Jayden. "A lesson I learned the hard way. Sometimes family isn't always there, but when you truly need them they will" Jai-Van told her before opening a door. Jayden looked at the woman before looking into the darkness that the door revealed. "What will this one teach me?" Jayden asked Jai-Van.
"Something I never took to heart" Jai-Van smiled before allowing Jayden to enter.
Jayden was met with the fields of the farm. The sun shone through the corn almost making it look like gold. "Home?" Jayden asked.
Jon and Jordan walked out to the porch, cups of coffee in their hands. Younger Jayden walked out right behind them, looking like a car hit her. The three sat around one corner of the porch. Jon was on the seat that Grandma would always sit on. Jordan sat on the railing to the left while Jayden did the same her back facing the truck and car.
"Dad's Superman" Jon broke the silence. "Better than other rumours" Younger Jayden mumbled taking a sip of coffee. "We're half-alien" Jordan added, his anger almost gone from yesterday. "Kryptonian. We're half-Kryptonian" Younger Jayden corrected him, looking out to the fields behind him.
Her brothers saw the distant look in her eyes. Jonathan walked up to her, a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, look at me" he called, resting his head on top of hers. "Nothing. And I mean nothing is gonna break us three" Jon told her, signalling Jordan to join him. The triplets huddled together, heads on each other's shoulders. "We're the Faternals, the three musketeers. Nothing is gonna change that" Jon declared, squeezing Jordan and kissing Younger Jayden's temple.
"I hate that nickname" Jordan rolled his eyes. Younger Jayden snorted at his comment. "How about the J team? That seems more fitting" She suggested, earning nods from her brothers. "The J team, until the sun dies and the world is gone. We'll always stay together" Jonathan smiled, holding his siblings close.
Jayden returned to the hallway, her heart in her throat. "I never believed my family would stay together. Even when our decisions weren't the same" Jai-Van spoke softly, regret hidden behind her words. Jayden looked at the woman, a sad smile on her face. "Guess it's hereditary" She shrugged. "Now Little Flame, listen close..."
...
Lois waited patiently for her boys as the glowing veins on her daughter's body faded. She saw the headlights of her car and quickly ran over to Jayden. "Jay?" Lois whispered, knowing she might not get a response. "Momma" Jayden called out, feeling Lois' hand on top of her own. Jayden's eyes opened with a start before she got up. Lois noted that her eyes were silver as Jayden stood up. "Sweetie, where are you going?" Lois asked as Jayden walked to the nearest exit. Jayden didn't answer walking outside her home, the blinding lights of the car not phasing her one bit.
"Jay Jay!" The boys called out together, shocked that their sister was awake. Jayden stopped in her tracks. She held her hands out, palms facing the ground. Her hair began to lift her roots changing from brown to white. "Clark!" Lois called out, running to her husband and sons. Clark quickly wrapped his arm around Lois, a habit of saving her so often. "Dad! She's... floating" Jon gasped.
Jayden was surrounded by white mist, lifting off the ground. She spoke in an unrecognisable language, her voice becoming louder with every word. Her eyes glowed red like her father and brother when in use of their laser vision. Her breath became a mist as if she were in the cold.
The mist began to change colour. The pure white had begun to fade into a dark midnight purple mixed with beautiful pastel pink. Her long hair reacted the same way, Jayden's roots becoming purple as they quickly faded into pink. Jayden slowly began to return to the ground, the mist finally dying down as her feet touched the ground. Her family stood in their places for a moment, scared that she would collapse again.
"Shit! What fucking time is it?!"
...
Jayden walked into Jon's room, she could hear his cries from outside the house. "Jon?". Jayden sat next to him on his bed, his cast brushing her arm. "What? You wanna talk now after my wrist breaks?" Jon spat weakly, still upset at the fact his wrist was broken. "Excuse me? You and I both know I'm too stubborn for that" Jayden scoffed at him, gently nudging his side.
Jon suppressed a laugh. Everyone knows that Jayden can hold a grudge for as long as she wants if she puts her mind to it. "I'm sorry for being a bitch. I just... I need you, Jon. You... You keep me grounded, help me remember that I'm not alone even if you don't have powers" Jayden explained to him, the guilt of ignoring her own brother over a stupid reason weighing down on her.
Jon laid his head on her shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry for being a stupid doofus, from now on I'll be the ordinary idiot you love" Jon smiled. Jayden pushed him off of her. "You are anything but ordinary. You dear brother are the glue that stops me and Jordan from ending up in a ditch because only Rao knows we can't be left alone for like three minutes max" Jayden told him with the most serious voice she could muster.
Jon only shrugged in agreement. "So.. we good?" He asked. "Always doofus" Jayden smiled, hugging her brother tightly.