So guess who finally read DC's "Blackest Night:" run??
Moi, and IT WAS SO COOL!!!
I based their therapy session off of the ones I do with my mom and my therapist.
"Recognize, Green Lantern, B10."
"Hey," Nightwing nodded at her.
"Where's Jessica?" She asked.
Connor pointed down the hall with his thumb. "Dinah's got her in therapy. She said if you came in to join them."
"Thanks." She nodded.
Arriving outside the waterfall room, Jaina stared down the door for a couple minutes before knocking.
"We're busy!" Dinah yelled at the door.
"It's Jaina, can I come in?"
There was a moment before Black Canary opened the door and let her in.
Jaina looked at Jessica, in a t-shirt and jeans, with Power Ring still wrapped around her hand. The tiny teenager barely took up half the plush green chair, hugging her legs to her chest.
"Are you okay if I sit in on these sessions with you?" Jaina asked quietly.
"Yeah," Jessica said, just as quiet, not looking up at her.
There were no other chairs except for the ones already appropriated by Black Canary and Jessica, so Jaina created a simple one of her own next to Jessica's.
"Glad you could join us, Jaina," Dinah smiled warmly. "I wanted to speak to you and Jessica about how you plan to train her and help keep her ring under control. And about what happened last night."
Jaina would rather not talk about last night, but she took a deep breath and nodded.
Canary looked at Jessica next. "Jessica, did you want to tell Jaina what you told me, or should I?"
Jessica sat up a tiny bit more. "You said you were gonna be there for me, but last night- I know you got knocked out for a while, and that wasn't something you could control- but then Aqualad stabbed Artemis and I watched the whole thing myself and I didn't do anything and she started bleeding everywhere and I just stood there and-" Jessica started to hyperventilate as she spoke faster and faster, but Canary reached out and placed a hand on her knee, and reminded Jessica to take deep breaths.
Shakily breathing in and out as she recalled the events of last night, Jessica turned to Jaina. "I felt like you'd...you'd abandoned me. I-I know that you didn't mean to, but-"
"Hey, you can't help your emotions. I know that." Jaina smiled helpfully. "If you can, please remember that you can talk to me about anything. Maybe it's just how you perceive it, which isn't your fault, but maybe it's something I did do, which I should change.
"Plus, I did leave you last night."
"Why'd you do that?" Jessica asked.
"I needed to get away. I was hurting, and I needed to go someplace else. You were already dealing with a lot, and I wanted to make sure I didn't burden you. Next time, I'll tell you before I just run off, okay?"
Jessica nodded, still not looking up at Jaina. "Okay."
"So we're going to work on communication?" Dinah clarified.
"Yeah," Jaina said uncertainly. "Should I be writing this down?"
"If it'll help you remember."
Jaina had her ring record that, and whatever else Canary wanted her and Jessica to talk about.
"Jessica also told me she wasn't sure what you wanted her to do with her ring, should she be training on her own, should she try to stop being scared so much, basically, she's wondering if you have a training regimen you'd like her to follow.
"Um, wow, I guess I never really thought about that," Jaina scratched the back of her head. "I usually just go with my gut. I'm not like Bart, but I am kinda impulsive."
"I-I've found that I get more nervous if I don't know what's going to happen, or if something gets unpredictable," Jessica supplied.
"Okay, that's another thing to work on," Jaina said, biting her lip.
"How about a compromise," Dinah suggested. "Together, you come up with a general outline of a training program, but if Jaina sees fit to make any changes, then she will notify Jessica and explain them to her. No surprises."
"Okay," Jessica sat up a bit more.
"I can do that," Jaina smiled hopefully at her apprentice, and for a second, Jessica smiled back.
Dinah smiled at both of them. "Do you feel better about all this, Jessica?"
Jessica nodded. "Yeah, I am."
"Taking the medicine I asked you?"
"No, I'm sorry," Jessica started to curl up again, "What was it again?"
"It's just fine, sweetie. They're probiotics, I gave M'gann plenty of backups if you need them, they're all over the Cave's kitchen."
"I'm sorry I'm not doing as you asked, I...I've never really had therapy before. M-my family didn't have much money for that, much less medicine. You guys really don't have to do all this for me, I-I don't want to be a burden.
"Oh sweetie, I promise you, you're not. We're here to help you, and we aren't going to make you go somewhere or do something you don't want to do."
"Okay..." Jessica's ring hissed.
"So how about you two get started on that regimen we talked about?" Canary offered her chair to Jaina and left the room.
"Okay." Jaina uncomfortably settled into Dinah's chair, facing Jessica.
"Okay..." they had said that word so much already today, it was starting to lose its meaning. Jaina scratched at her head, trying to think.
"Okay, I can teach you how to fly fast and you can already create your own constructs like nobody's business. We can work on that during regular training with the team once a week, and if you're comfortable with it, maybe the two of us can practice a couple more times during the week. Does that sound good?"
Jessica nodded. "Yeah, that sounds okay."
Jaina played with a split end. She really needed to get her hair cut. "But, I also told you that I was going to help you overcome that ring, and since it's powered by fear, that means helping you overcome your fears, but you've got anxiety, so it's not just going to go away." Jaina rambled.
"Right," Jessica nodded, both girls staring at Power Ring.
"Um...list some things you're scared of." Jaina blurted out.
Jessica replied almost immediately. "Large crowds, small spaces, water, school, guns, people hating me, annoying other people, loud noises, suffocating-"
"Okay, let's start with those then. Start small, don't overwhelm yourself.
"Okay, crowds. What makes you so scared of crowds?" Jaina prompted.
Jessica had to think for a moment. "Mostly it...it's the people. They're always pushing and shoving and they're really loud and it's overwhelming and I feel like I can't breathe."
Jaina nodded, deep in thought.
"Start small," she reminded herself.
Struck with an idea, Jaina snapped her fingers suddenly, startling Jessica.
"Sorry," Jaina winced, checking to make sure Jessica was really okay.
"Are...are you cool with all the other girls on the team? You've met Barbra, and Karen, and M'gann, and Cassie, and BC, and they're all nice, right?"
"Yeah, they're nice," Jessica traced the pattern on the chair. "Cassie's a little...overbearing, though.
"Hmm..."Jaina tapped her chin. "Rocket, aka Raquel, from the Justice League, is having a bridal shower because she's getting married soon. I don't think you've met her or Zatanna yet, but you could come with me, get you used to being outside and around people, I guess. You don't have to, if you don't want to," She added quickly, though she meant it with all her heart.
Jessica bit her lip, "It wouldn't be a problem, would it?"
"Not at all," Jaina shook her head. "I need to get out more, not just for hero work."
"Okay," Jessica nodded slowly. "I'll go."
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Jaina reminded her, hoping Jessica didn't feel pressured into it.
"It's okay," Jessica attempted to smile. "I need to get out more too."