Born to Fly

What Used to Be - ✔

Sharon's door swings open. Uncle Mark waltz through the door and removes his hat.

"Hello!" He waves to me. Matthew runs into his arms. "And hello to you!"

The two boys play around together as I help my aunt set the table. Before anyone of us can get seated, Lee calls me.

"Go ahead, darling!"

I pick up the phone. The air fills with static as I watch my distant family. Their tenderness is something I haven't seen since I was a child. Not even Jim is this expressive towards Lee. Mark kisses his wife quickly, but their quick peck is packed with love. The light in their eyes brightens even the darkest parts of my heart.

"Hey, Sera. Can you hear me? How's it going over there?"

"Fine," I say while shutting their back door behind me. I sit on the porch swing. "It's not home, but it'll do. How's it in Gotham?"

"Same old, same old. Are you resting? Hey Jim! It's Sera. Do you want to talk to her?"

My brother comes onto the phone. "How are you?"

"Fine. How's the gang war coming along? Has Falcone taken the city back yet?"

"You've only been gone for a few hours." I can almost hear him smile through the phone. "Not yet."

"Have you heard anything from Penguin, by chance?"

He pauses. "You've never called him by his nickname before?"

"Things are different now. Have you heard from him?"

"I haven't. Don't you think I would tell you if I had?"

No. He wouldn't.

"If it was convenient."

"What would it matter to you, anyway?" He demands. "He broke your heart."

"Only on your coaxing," I remind him. I hang up before he has the chance to respond and sit still for a moment.

The silence in Metropolis is too loud. I miss the sound of a busy, bustling street, the rain. The setting sun feels unnatural on my face. It's too bright here. I miss the dark.

"How was your day at work?"

We make easy conversation at dinner. It's a quiet, simple night at my family's residence. Mark talks a little of his work which is driving him nuts. He wants to be out of the reporting business which is the driving force of their move to Gotham. Apparently, he's got some high-end editing job. Sharon's planning to switch hotels, and they've even got their hearts set on a school for their son.

Their life sounds like a dream. Each of them is individually filled with contentment and peace. They rejoice in each other's company as if there's nowhere else they'd rather be. I felt like that only once in my life.

Dad was still alive and my brother wasn't so responsible. He'd just scored the winning touchdown at our annual homecoming game. I'd just led the final cheer. As we drove home, Jim and I rolled down the windows and blasted Van Halen as loud as we could. We were screaming along at the top of our lungs and nothing could take the moment from us.

We didn't know there was a bloody war going right outside of our haven. We didn't know how many thousands would perish at the hands of the city. We were together, and absolutely nothing more.

When the family parts for the night, I also retire to my room. As my head hits the pillow, Mattew appears at the doorway.

"Hey, little man. You okay?"

The boy remains silent until he reaches the edge of the Queen-sized bed. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Why?" I scoot the edge. "Can't you sleep in Mommy's bed?"