Chapter Nine

                                    

                                          
 I Don't Wanna Be Afraid Anymore

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
'If it's still in your mind, it is still in your heart'
-Paulo Coelho
Clark landed just outside his home, Emma lying unconscious in his arms with the plant-like creature still attached to her chest. He brought her inside, bracing himself for his family's reaction. He found Sienna waiting for him in the hallway connecting the stairs and the front of the house. She gave him this look as if she knew precisely what had attached itself to Emma. Sienna no longer looked weak, she had changed into a set of Lois' old clothes and her hair was tied up in a bun.
She helped Clark bring Emma to the couch, the creature seemed to tighten with every move they made. Jordan and Jon came rushing into the living room, hoping to see Emma was okay. Their shock-filled gasps were loud as they saw Emma. Her skin looked glossed over, and her hair looked dead and dull. "What is that thing?" Jordan asked the Kryptonians, his fists clenched at either side of his body.
"The Black Mercy is an alien parasite that makes its host dream of their perfect fantasy world while it feeds off of them until the host dies. The only way to save her is to have Emma reject the fantasy world. Then the Black Mercy will slowly detach and die" Sienna explained sadly, her hand cupping Emma's nursing cheek. She let tears fall, her sobs failing to be concealed. "This is all my fault. I was supposed to keep her safe, instead, I played right into Mal's hands" Sienna cried, occupying herself by fixing Emma's hair.
Jordan walked over to the woman, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She was here, we had this... fight. Maybe if I stopped her from leaving this wouldn't have happened" He told the protector. Sienna only shook her head at the young El. "No, Mal would have done this anyways and Emma would never let you get hurt. She never wants anyone to be hurt by Mal" Sienna sighed, knowing her mother's own stubbornness passed onto her granddaughter. 
Lois came into the room, noticing something in Emma's hands. "What are those? In her hands?" She said out loud, her husband seeing what she saw. In each hand was a scrunched-up piece of paper. He handed one to Sienna and opened the second. "It's a way to help her. We need to call your cousin Clark, only Kara and the DEO have the resources we need" Sienna told him, reading the paper over his shoulder, not mentioning the one in her hand.
<><><>
"Emmie! Wake up!"
Emma felt a sharp pain in her side. She groaned awake, her eyes blinded by the light. "Huh? What's goin' on?" Emma yawned, opening her eyes fully. "It's morning Emmie! Come on Mammy made breakie!" a small and high voice spoke, shaking Emma. She turned to see long foxy hair and a face full of freckles. "Sophie?" Emma questioned, shooting up from the bed she was in. She looked around the room. 
She was in her shared room with her baby sister, the lilac walls filled with multiple movie posters and her pride flags, her sister's side filled with multiple drawings done by the seven-year-old and the various family photos graced her view. She was taken out of her thoughts by her sister's tight grip pulling her out of bed and onto the floor. "Come on! I want rashers before Conner eats them all" Sophie whined. Emma whipped her head around to her sister, "Did you say, Conner?" She asked the minor child. Sophie nodded proudly before Emma shot up from the floor and ran downstairs. She stopped once she reached the kitchen.