Trust

                                    

                                          
Warning: This chapter mentions suicidal ideations. If you struggle with this, know that you are loved and valued more than you know. I'm open to talk if you need someone to listen. :) 
Jade stood in front of the team not knowing where to start. There was so much to say, but she couldn't find the words to say it. The team looked at her as she paced in front of them.
"Just start at the beginning, Jade." Bruce said gently.
Jade sat down at the head of the table and took a deep breath.
"My father was never a good man. George Carlisle was an absolute nightmare. Most of what I know about him came from my grandmother, so I'm sorry if the details are a little...lacking.
My mother thought she had found her soulmate when they first met. He was good looking and charming, she thought he had a good soul. He had been working for SHIELD for three years by the time I was born. My mom noticed something had changed with him about six months into her pregnancy. He was distant and cold. She assumed he was having an affair, but it was so much worse than that." 
Jade paused as she took another deep breath.
"I was three months old when she found out about his involvement in Hydra. At first she assumed that it was just a faction of SHIELD that he had been recruited for, but something about the situation felt off to her, so she started digging. The more she found out, the more she realized that it was worse than she first thought. 
He had files on high profile officials. Senators, presidential cabinet members, influential business people, people of power. They were targets. People who were in Hydra's way and needed to be dealt with. Every time he returned from a trip, she'd sneak into his office at night and go through the files he tried to hide from her.
When I was five, he began behaving more and more erratically. He would talk in circles about all the plans he had for me. He told my mom that I was going to be groomed for Hydra and that I would do great things for them. My mom got scared and snuck me out to my grandmother while he was on a trip. My grandmother had a friend, David, who was ex-special forces and he helped us disappear. He even got my last name changed without it being traceable. He thought that was the easiest way to hide me from George. 
He had a friend who was able to change my records without there being a paper trail George could follow. My mom refused to come with us even though granny begged her to come. She thought it would be easier for George to find me if she came. That was the last time I ever saw my mom. Honestly, the only memory I really have of her is the smile she gave me as I left with granny. It was so bright, but sad at the same time."
Tears filled her eyes and she wasn't sure how much longer she could continue without completely breaking.
"About six months later, David showed up at our house and I overheard him telling granny that mom was dead. She had left my dad and moved into an apartment a town over because he began threatening her. The building she was living in had caught fire. To the police it was an accident, shoddy wiring or some shit, but David said it was arson. He told granny that George knew where I was and was coming for me.
We were on the run for six years. David would come visit us every three months and relocate us to a new town. One day, David showed up out of the blue and said George was dead. He had been caught in a fire at some government building. The police confirmed it was him and David agreed. Guess the bastard has a thing for fire."
A humorless laugh bubbled up her throat.
"I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest, like I could finally breathe. I was happier than I had been in years. We could finally enjoy our lives. We thought we were free.