#jorma

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?