TEN YEARS AGO
TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE JSA FELL

"As much as Stripesy seems like a kind man, I'd feel a bit more at ease if Freya and I weren't separated to make our way to the safe house." Kaitlyn sighed, watching from their shared bed as her husband frantically scribble something in his journal. "Don't you think you're overthinking this? You just got the medical doctor position and my nurse hours work perfectly with your schedule so that we don't have to find a trustworthy sitter for Freya."

"Believe me, I thought the same but Nabu sensed something dark. Something with an urge." He quickly explained. "We need to get you and Freya out of here as soon as possible. I just need to make a quick phone call—"

"But—"

"And hopefully Stripesy will arrive as soon as possible to take you to my safe house while I deal with the matter. We just need to pack Freya's things—"

"Kent!" Kaitlyn practically yelled to cut the man from becoming a rambling mess which caused his eyes to widen. "Can you please listen to what I have to say."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, knowing that he was running out of time. "We don't have time for this! I—"

He paused, realizing that his tone started to rise, and took note of his wife's expression filled with concern. The last thing he wanted was to leave on bad terms with her.

He scribbles one last thing in the journal before closing it shut and walking close to Kaitlyn to take a seat beside her, covering her hands with his. "I'm sorry. What were you going to say?"

She interlaced her fingers with his, giving them a small squeeze in comfort. "You've been on edge ever since..." She trailed off, causing the pit of Kent's stomach to churn in discomfort, the memory of having to take down Bruce Gordon circling his thoughts. "and you haven't spoken to any of the JSA members in years. I've been understanding your worries with the first and second move but you want us to start over again over what Nabu sensed? Would something have come up in the sensors?"

"Darling, I understand but—"

"But nothing, Kent. I refuse to keep doing this." She firmly cut in. "Do you want Freya to live the rest of her life by always running away? She deserves a normal life here in New York City."

His eyes soften. She's right, he thought to himself. I can't put our daughter through that...but it's what he signed up for once he and Nabu became united. How could he leave this life? It wasn't who he was.

He brushed his thumbs across her knuckles with a sigh. "It is my responsibility as Doctor Fate to protect the world and make sure chaos doesn't prevail," He stated with an assuring nod, wiping away the single year that trickled from her eye. "But it is also my priority as a father to do whatever I can to keep my family safe."

"Kent..."

"I'll double-check the sensors to see if there's something we're missing and patrol the city for a couple of days but if there is truly nothing," He lifts their interlaced hands to press a quick kiss. "then we'll stay. I'll put the helmet down until it's truly necessary."

Kaitlyn's eyes slightly widen. "Wait, what? But Nabu—"

"Nabu will understand." Kent cut in with a small smile. "It's time that my family comes first."

"But that doesn't mean you should give Doctor Fate up completely. All I want is for you to give your time to this family." She lets out a sigh, a sense of guilt filling her chest. "I'm just...scared to lose you. I can't."

"You'll never lose me, darling." He whispered, leaning close to press his head against hers. "We have said goodbye before. We'll be together soon, I promise."

Kent leans forward to capture her lips into his, pulling Kaitlyn closer into his embrace to pour the amount of love they shared towards one another.

Knowing that Kent still needed to check their security systems, Kaitlyn reluctantly pulls away with a shaky breath. "I love you."

"And I love you most."

"Mum? Dad?" The two parents turn to their bedroom door, seeing their five-year-old daughter tiredly rub her eye with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes trail to the packed suitcases on the desk.

The two parents share a look of uncertainty until Kaitlyn nods, indicating she would handle it. "I'll be back." Kent whispered, pressing a quick kiss on her cheek before leaving their bedroom.

"Did I do something wrong?" Freya worriedly asked and Kaitlyn's eyes widen. "I-I'm sorry—"

Kaitlyn crouches down to her daughter's level with a sad smile. "Hey, hey, hey. You did nothing wrong, little one. It's just boring grown-up talk your father and I need to have." She assured, tucking in some of her hair behind her ear before guiding her back to her bedroom. "Come on, let's get back to bed."

Kaitlyn tucked her daughter under the covers but the child is quick enough to wrap her mother's arm around hers to prevent her from leaving. "Can you sing me to sleep?"

Kaitlyn's heart warms at her daughter's words and she nods in response "Little bird, have you heard the sirens calling?" Her mother delicately hummed the tune, carefully adjusting her position so Freya would be in her arms. "Somewhere out there in the waters, full but so empty. It seems so endless."

"But all things end." Freya quietly chimed in with a tired smile, feeling her mother dig her fingers through her hair, her eyes beginning to become droopy within seconds at the sensation. "All things come and go."

"When they collide, everything ebbs and flows just like the tides." Kaitlyn's smile falters, remembering the next line. "Holding on to memories that slip through my palms like water, they all dissipate."

The sounds of her daughter's soft snores cause Kaitlyn to look down with a smile, seeing the serene expression on Freya's face as she peacefully slept.

She leans down and presses a kiss against the top of her head. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, little one."

NOW

Freya's POV:

"That sounded beautiful, Freya." Yolanda spoke up with a smile as soon as I finish strumming the last tune on my ukulele. "Your dad left this for you?"

I shrug, leaning the instrument against her pillows. "The handwriting's different so I'm assuming it's my mom's." I explain as I close the journal. "Maybe as a memento of her?"

"Or it could be something else." She suggested, reaching over to grab my ukulele. She strums a few of the strings to play a lighter tone with a content expression. "When I was a little girl, my Abuela used to sing to me whenever I had a bad day at school. Maybe the song was a lullaby?"

"The lyrics are a bit depressing to be considered a lullaby." I snort. "Though, it would've been nice to know more about my mom."

"Like what?" Yolanda motioned for me to get comfortable in which I didn't hesitate to scoot closer to her and lay my head on her lap.

"Like...where do I get my personality from? Am I more like her or my father? Is she reckless or calculated? Is she—" I pause to look up to see her expression, seeing her small smile form which I quickly shake my head to look out the window. "I wish I knew something about her family before she decided to stay with my father."

"Well at least you know she had a nickname for you," Yolanda traced along my jaw with a playful look. "little bird."

"Is that going to be a thing?" I roll my eyes. "Do not call me little bird."

"I may or may not have a list." She muttered, causing me to raise a brow. "Okay, okay. I do." She quickly reached to grab her phone from the nightstand and I sit up properly, watching as she clicked open her notes. "There's my love, honey, hermosa, baby or babe, snappy, cariño—"

"Wait a second, snappy?" I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "Why snappy? I'm not snappy."

"If I explain, you'll just prove my point further." She chuckles, brushing my hair behind my ear. "mi amor."

I fail to fight the urge to smile as I bump her shoulder with a grin. "As long as it's not snappy."

"Seeing as it made you smile, I'll use it." She leans in and pressed a quick kiss against my cheek. "Now what are my nicknames?"

"Do I have to? Is that a thing that...couples do?" I awkwardly ask, unsure of the idea of coming up with the nickname but she nodded with a smile. "I don't understand the point of it. I mean, can I just call you Yolanda?"

"You can but having a nickname for your partner is something special just for the two of you. It shows appreciation!" She bumped my arm. "It's supposed to sound adorable."

"It sounds cliché and pointless." I counter which she pointedly raised a brow. "Okay fine, uh...Wildcat, Montez, pain in the ass,"

"What the—" She gasps, shoving me off of her which causes me to roll off of the bed with a thud. "I gave you cute nicknames!"

Before I could answer, the sounds of footsteps coming up the steps causes our eyes to widen. "¿Yolanda, qué estás haciendo?"

"¡N-Nada, mamá!" Yolanda stammered, wincing at her shaky tone before she turned to me. "Hide!"

I scramble to empty my backpack and slam my helmet over my head, causing my clothes to transform into the suit.

I fly straight to the ceiling and lie flat against the wall, tightly clutching onto my cape to prevent it from dangling.

However, my eyes landed on my ukulele but before I could grab it, Yolanda's mom enters the room with her expression filled with suspicion. "¿Quién más está aquí contigo? ¿Está aquí uno de sus amigos?"

"¡Ninguno de mis amigos está aquí, mamá!" Yolanda groaned with a look of annoyance as her mom stepped into the room, crouching down to the floor to check under her bed. "Ay dios mio, hablamos de esto todos los días."

Not how I imagined spending my Friday night.

"No importa." Her mom harshly remarked before she stormed over to her closet and pulled open the doors, pushing aside some of the clothes. "I know I heard—"

"If you heard someone, then it might've been Alex talking to his friends from school." Yolanda interrupted and crossed her arms over her chest, watching as her mom proceeded to walk towards the window to look outside. "You can't be serious."

Her mom looks away from the window but her eyes widen in surprise, seeing my ukulele leaning against Yolanda's pillows.

Crap.

"Since when did you play an instrument?" Her mom crossed her arms with a huff. "You're supposed to be focused on school."

"I have straight A's!" Yolanda groaned in frustration. "I even went to summer school and passed!"

I crane my neck to adjust my position but the slightest movement earns a quiet creak from the wall.

Yolanda's eyes widen at the sound but her mother walks back to the closet with a huff. "I'm double checking to make sure you're not lying to me." She grumbled.

Yolanda frantically looks up and gestures to the window but I quickly shake my head, knowing that the smallest movement would get me caught.

But then it hit me...Dad's journal.

I nod my head towards the journal and she nods, tossing the book into the air and I quickly catch it with my cape.

But with the cape moving drastically, Yolanda's mom turns around again with her eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something."

"I'm not." Yolanda firmly states but her eyes flickered upward.

I quickly flip to the marked page and skim through the explanation paragraph before I slowly wave my hand over my body. "Invisaqui."

Her mom looks up to the ceiling of where I lay with her brows furrowed before she shakes her head with a scoff. "Even if it is a small blanket, you need to talk with either me or your father about redecorating. No exceptions." She remarks.

Redecorating?

I look towards my cape, seeing it still visible in my hands. Oops.

"Fine. Can I focus on my schoolwork now?" Yolanda asks, taking a seat at the end of her bed with a sigh. "Please."

Yolanda's mom shakes her head disappointedly as she walks past her, snatching Yolanda's cellphone from the bed, and exiting the room without another word.

After waiting a few more seconds, Yolanda quietly shuts the door with a sigh. "I don't know how you did it, but that was close."

I slowly fly down from the ceiling as the invisibility spell wore off. "Sorry, the spell is a bit tricky...along with the others I've been trying to learn." I whisper, releasing my hold on the cape so it could drape back to the floor. "Maybe it was a bad idea that I came over."

Yolanda waves her hand dismissively with a small smile. "Don't apologize, my mom finds any reason to search my room." She chuckled, taking a step closer to me and carefully removing the helmet of fate from my head. She places the helmet on her bed as my clothes transform back to normal, smiling as soon as her eyes meet mine. "Besides, I was the one that suggested for you to come over so if it's anyone to blame, it's me."

"Do you think what we're doing is exhausting?" I worriedly ask "Arguing even more with your parents, lying to our friends, coming up with any excuse just so we can spend time alone together?"

"If having to sneak around and getting into trouble means I get to see my girlfriend," She interlaces both of our hands together, giving them a small squeeze. "it's worth it."

I raise a brow. "Even if it means dealing with the Crocks?"

Her smile falters into concern. "Oh yeah...how are you holding up?"

I exhale a breath before shaking my head. "Let's just say I'm counting down the years until I turn eighteen."

"You're telling me." She pulls me to sit down beside her on the bed. "As soon as I get the chance to move out, I'm taking it."

"Out of Blue Valley?"

"Depends..." She playfully trailed as she played with my fingers. "if I have a reason to stay then maybe in an apartment. Especially since I can't survive without seeing your pretty face every day."

I start to smile. "Honestly, if it weren't for you and the rest of the team, I wouldn't have stayed. Artemis has her family back so...I don't have to look out for her anymore."

"Really?" Her eyes soften. "Do they say anything to you?"

"I don't give them the opportunity to so no. I sneak out early in the morning before they wake up and come back home when they're sleeping."

"Freya, you know my offer still stands." She lifts my hand, pressing a kiss against my knuckles. "Stay here. With me."

I brush my thumb across her knuckles. "As much as I would love to, I can't. You already deal with so much and if your mom even has the slightest suspicion of us being together, she'll never let you see me or the others again. It's not worth the risk."

She exhales through her mouth with annoyance. "I hate that you're right." She mutters and I let out a small chuckle. "Have you been sleeping better?"

My heart sinks but I quickly cover it up with a nod. "Yeah, of course."

She raised a brow. "Are you lying to me?"

"Wha—why would I?"

"I'm serious."

"Freya, others might not be able to see it but even I know your tell when you're lying to me. Your nose twitched." She emphasized, giving my hands a short squeeze. "Come on, we talked about this. You don't have to keep your guard up anymore."

I let out a puff of air before I nod in reluctance. "Before, it was just nightmares about being taken from my dad when they killed him. It was...manageable." I mutter in discomfort and out of habit, I trace my fingers across the jagged scar line on my back. "Now it's that and the JSA's last fight."

Yolanda's eyes soften. "Eclipso."

Not wanting to burden her with worries, I quickly pull my hand away from my back. "Sorry, it's not that big of a deal." I reassure with a small smile. "You don't have to worry about it."

"But—"

"Yolanda!" Yolanda's mom calls from downstairs, causing us both to freeze at the abrupt voice. "¡Ven aquí! ¡Necesito que laves los platos!"

"Be right there!" Yolanda called out before letting out a frustrated groan as she stood up from the bed. "I'm sorry. I promise it won't take long."

"No worries." I chuckle.

She leaned down and tucked a stray piece of my hair behind my ear before moving her hand to cup my cheek, gently rubbing her thumb along my cheekbone. "When I finish, you can tell me more about the dream, okay?"

I playfully roll my eyes. "Go wash the dishes, lavender."

Her eyes lit up at the nickname and she teasingly smiled, watching her gaze flicker down to my lips for a brief second. "Lavender?"

"Don't make me regret the nickname."

She giggles at my words, leaning her face closer to mine until I gave in and closed the gap between us. She hummed in response but I rest my hands on her waist to pull her to sit back down.

"¡Yolanda!"

Yolanda groaned and pulled away in annoyance. "¡Voy!" She yelled out before patting my cheek. "I'll be back, hermosa."

I simply nod, watching as she exited the room and shut the door behind her but my eyes trail over to the picture frame hanging on her wall. It was a picture of her and her family standing in front of the church with innocent smiles on their expressions.

I assumed this was before the incident at the school since she told me they attend service separately, but I couldn't help the feeling in my chest. Things were normal for her. Happier even at the time.

With her family.

I grab my backpack from the ground and place the Helmet of Fate over my head which forced my clothes to transform into the suit once more.

I step out of her window and fly towards the American Dream building, not bothering to spare another glance behind.

As much as Yolanda's family aren't the best parental figures, at least she still had Alex who's still nice to her. A family member.

Call me selfish but...am I a horrible person for wanting to have a family? To at least have someone close enough to consider family to come back to?

I used to have Artemis and her parents but it isn't the same. It was never real. At the time, maybe it was but now that everything's changed, they were never my family.

I carefully land on top of the tower and remove the helmet off of my head as I take a seat on the ledge, allowing my feet to dangle.

Even if I got justice for my dad, I wish I could've done the same for my mom. Who knows if what Henry Sr. and Jordan said to me was partially true? Maybe there's a chance that she's alive. Maybe the autopsy was falsified?

I scoff, shaking my head in disbelief. Stop kidding yourself, Freya.

She's gone.

.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. *✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ

A/N:

HIHI! Season 3 is coming so soon! I missed writing my lil angy/stubborn Freya so much ;___; even as far as to change a bit of the book covers LOL

Also, I start school again pretty soon as well which means that updates will revert to hopefully once a week rather than putting out updates 3 times a week :/

It really depends since the classes I'm taking have a ton of work if I want to graduate within two years lmao

But! If you're into the marvel universe and love Eternals, I made a book that's about Sersi! I'd appreciate it if you check it out but if you don't, that's okay :)

Anywho, I hope you all have/had a great day! Bye!

~Cimbello