A/N; I was going to add a little homage to Carl Sagan, but it felt weird because I was close to him growing up. My mother literally use to read me his books as bed time stories. (Though admittedly I didn't understand a word of it until I was older. ) Because of him I always had more of an absorption for mathematics and astrobiology rather than English. (If you hadn't noticed my grammar, linguistics, creativity sucks eggs.) Not much of a writer. Any way I realize this no longer has to do with a note, and more or less so sounds like a self indulgent egomaniacal goal intended. Which is not the case. Just wanted to say I think Mr. Sir Sagan is much too great of a name to just toss around in a child's program fan fiction by a pimple-popping wanna-be author.

"A-Hah! Goddard. My finest creation is now complete! The computer-generated environmental viewer." In the lab the boy genius held proudly to his reality helmet. It covered the eyes, as did a virtual reality helmet, but this was no computerized simulation. Quite the opposite. It let you travel into zones of lives just by the thought. It could really be useful for FBI or an espionage needing to play the fly on the wall. He could see what was going on, on any planet in any galaxy right now just by thinking it! He could be side by side with the worlds brightest rocket scientists, seeing them conduct super secret experiments. Each embryo of thought seemed more marvelous than the ones before it.

Taking a seat in the special designed chair, which it's arm rests were two separate sets of dials instead of a fine Italian leather. Plugging the helmet into the machine and slipped it on. nothing of his breath but asinine laughter, already getting giddy imagining everything he would soon be seeing and spying upon. "Hmm, Goddard, Let's see what James Hansen is up to." The helmet took a few seconds to warm up. The vision now processing was very ill-defined, fuzzy even but within the next 30 seconds it became incredibly cloudless until he felt as if he'd been viewing high resolution. His disappointment came ripping through as the vision showed the brilliant man at a dinner table, eating himself a normal dinner and sharing normal, small talk conversation with his peers. He shut his eyes and started to think himself out of his life.

Where to travel to next... All the greatest minds he'd ever been fascinated by were deceased decades and decades ago. Viewing their current activity would show only of decomposed material and burial remains. Jimmy didn't have as dark as a mind as say, his friend Sheen, so he didn't have any concernment of this. This was a current helmet, it could do no such time travel. He sighed, saddened. Knowing he'd never get a chance to see Newton, Kleiner, Bohr, and the most depressing that settled to him... Einstein, at work in their prime. He liked to think and tell others he had gotten his middle name after Issac Newton, but truthfully he assumed he'd gotten it from a relative of his crazy great uncle Issac on his fathers side.

Everyone he knew was so predictable. Carl and the Weezer family were probably disinfecting hand sanitizer. (As if even possible) Jimmy had tried numerous times to tell them hand sanitation was a self cleaning property but they didn't listen. Sheen was probably watching Ultra Lord, playing with his Ultra Lord dolls-- eh erm "action figures" or eating his favourite sugary breakfast cereal which just so happened to be Ultra Lord rings. After he gave it some thought; the most interesting person he knew was the spunky blonde haired girl across the street. She was never too predictable and was such a challenge. He knew she wouldn't bore him to death to watch. It wasn't just that though. As he slummed hard into his seat, tapping his fingers daft along his leg, he'd realized he hadn't know much about Cindy's home life. It was such a mystery. Especially the interactions of her and her parents. A true cryptogram his scientific attentiveness wouldn't allow him to ignore exploration of. Hah! Maybe he'd even get lucky and catch her doing something really embarrassing he could tease her about for the rest of the year. Like writing something juicy in a diary, or putting on a green gooey facial like he'd seen in the movies. "To the Vortex residence! Place of specification; Cindy's current location."

As the focus changed from inside of the helmet to an actual picture he noticed this was the extended length of time yet it had taken for the imagery to become intelligible. The image remained indistinct for a good 40 seconds before a full metamorphose to visual clarity. He assumed this might have been affected by the level of activity in each frequency. Since the first live he'd spied on was much more sedentary and mundane, it hadn't taken as much time to adjust. There must have been something very heavy going in in Cindy's current life to experience such a delayed transition. This only added to his excitement. As things became clear he spotted Cindy's parents. Both in her bedroom, they were talking and the blonde pony tail was visible. He couldn't see Cindy's face because she was turned around. Quickly Jimmy reached his hand out to the dial on the arm rest, trying to move the shot over with no such luck. He assumed once Cindy started to make more motion or speech she would become the main focus of the video.

Mrs. Vortex held her hand over her forehead, lightly rubbing her fingers into it to relieve tension. "So Cynthia, please explain again to me how you let the school BUY you a lunch."

Nervously the child shifted on the bed. "Well, like I said I... forgot my lunch at home this morning because I was in such a rush. In the cafeteria they noticed I didn't have one and... bought me one on credit."

Sasha's finger could not calmly trace along her forehead anymore. Instead she threw them both up and into the heavy air above her head. An obvious reveal of her fury. "So now I have to march into the office on Monday and pay $2.00 for a lunch?? Did you even think ONCE how embarrassing that would be for me Cynthia!? That is going to make your father and I look so bad. Like we can't afford a measly two bucks! They are going to think I am just another middle-class, struggling parent who forgot to give her child lunch money or WORSE!" Sasha gasped heavily as an even more shattering to the Vortex image popped into her mind. "That we couldn't afford it!! Oh no, no no. I have worked much too hard to appear as a commoner and you have gone and trashed our reputation in one day. One day! Why didn't you just hide out in the bathroom? Or tell them you weren't hungry??"

"Don't you think I tried?"

Sasha shot her daughter a fiery glance from the eyes, warning her daughter to shut up or else. "I'm not doing it. You are going to say you forgot you put the money in your backpack the entire time. They probably already think you're stupid enough. I'm sure they'll eat that story right up."

Defense and hints of pain covered Cindy's eyes, maybe she was trying a little harder not to let the second one show as much. "I'm not stupid! I'm the smarte--

"SECOND smartest dear. Please don't make me remind you again. It's an embarrassment enough." Cindy's mother looked down, not directly at Cindy but over her, surveying her body slowly with squinted eyes. Eyes crawling up and down her frame with complete disgust now.

"I was going to say I'm the smartest girl in the entire school."

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!" Cindy jumped back, frightened by her mothers loud, shrill voice. Even Jimmy, who was safely across the street jumped back in his seat. Sasha Vortex, the cold and calculating French women was quite threatening. "Where ever you got the idea that second best was good enough..." Sasha paused, and started relieving tension in her temple again by rubbing her fingers to her head. "You need to reexamine yourself. The Vortex name is simultaneous with being thee best. You are such a disappointment! I'm not even proud enough of you anymore to call you my daughter. You're not good enough for me."

Cindy sucked in a breath. That stung deep. Cindy, who Jimmy though was never fazed a day in her life, started to shake lightly. This had him in a complete, 100% case of stun. He didn't think she was capable of emotions, or feelings. Especially not weakness. She was actually hurt, and scared. "I-I'm sorry."

"Save it! I can't believe you are coming in second place to that freak of the week across the street. I mean seriously Cynthia, don't you think you could have done better than that? For Heavens sake! He's a peasant. He comes from a beggars household."

"Mother!" Cindy couldn't believe the things her mother said sometimes. But when she looked into the mirror all she saw was Sasha. A hateful, spiteful, domineering female. Her way, or no way. Sasha's eyes found Cindy's promptly. Was she about to defend the Neutron boy? Hopefully her daughter didn't hold any sort of candle for him. She was not going to let her daughter embarrass her and herself in front of all the relatives if there was any sort of wedding in the future. Plus, all he would ever amount to would be a door to door salesman. Her daughter could never survive on such a measly salary. She had to instill hatred of this boy in her daughter, and she had to do it now. "You better give that Neutron child a big 'thank you' on Monday, because NOW you're waiting on your father and I, hand and foot, each and everyone of our demands shall be met. Worthless pale." Sasha grabbed the pony tail on the top of her daughters head and dragged her up until she was upon her knees. An outcry of pain spilled from Cindy's trembling, quivering lips. Now starting to tremor in pain. Her ear next to her mothers lips. She was in pain indubitably by this hold but she didn't dare say she was. "Do I make myself clear, stupid girl?"

Cindy nodded quickly, with hopeful, pleading eyes, begging to be let go and relieved from pain. Sasha got close into Cindy's face. Their eyes locking. In Sasha's, no remorse, no sympathy. Just chilled icy pools of malice. A desire to harm others, to see them as the object of suffer created by her. Next, Sasha did something that was so out of line and shocking even Mr. Vortex (who was use to this behavior) got sick in his stomach. A small cackling in her throat started. She couldn't help bit smirk again as she started to hack in her throat. The shuddersome emotions in Cindy's face excited her a bit. Cindy was agonizing and dreading her mothers actions, which she anticipated were coming next. Sasha wound the pony tail in her hands. Messes of blonde hair intertwined within her long fingers. Cindy shrived a bit as her mother pulled her hair hard. Causing a lock so she couldn't escape. Suddenly she spat out in disgust upon her daughters face. A large wad of spit trickled down her only daughters cheek. Cindy shrieked. The raven haired woman released her grip upon her daughters hair and Cindy fell down from the length she was lifted, collapsing onto the bed. Initially she couldn't move. Too in stun. Starting to rub her head to nurse he pain, secondly inching back in her bed, wiping her face from where her mother had salivated upon her. Cindy now felt so dirty and worthless.

Sasha started to smile a bit, she felt so powerful. Like a dictator. A hoarse whisper pieced Cindy's ears. "Weakness. You are so weak. That was for being second best, second best, second best" A cruel taunt spilled from a sneering mouth.

As Cindy rolled over on her bed, her back facing her bedroom door now because he heard her parents getting up and walking over to it out to leave. Jimmy's high tech sound detectors could hear Cindy, even though she was mumbling under her breath. "I hate Neutron for this. He is going to pay Monday."

"Well, C'mon sweetie. Chef has prepared dinner for us." Mr. Vortex walked into the hallway at Sasha's beckoning hand. Cindy moved a little to free herself from the bed and get up as well. Until her mother stopped her in mid movement. Making it perfectly clear she was not welcomed. "No supper for you missy. Since you got soooo hungry today and couldn't help yourself to free lunch, I am going to train you to starve. That way, if this ever happens again you will be more prepared to go without food. We can't have another slip up." With that the door to her bedroom shut. Cindy didn't sit still for a second, she just lay back down, pulling the covers up to her chest. As she lay her head upon the pillow she tried to shut her eyes. Sleep would make her unaware to the lack of food. The most upsetting part of this was, that when she thought she was alone clear droplets showered from her eyes, down her cheeks. Jimmy almost hoped she'd never open them but she did, revealing a sadness he didn't think could exist in a heartless, aggressive being such as Cindy Vortex. Squinting hard at her wet eyes, she tried her hardest to silence her weeping. If she was caught crying she'd be labeled "weak" again. All she could do was dig her face and into her pillow. The quick and sudden rising if her back showed she was now sobbing. This went on for about two minutes until she had exhausted herself out enough and had cried herself to sleep.

Jimmy's forefinger flipped the switch. He sat there as his vision over his eyes upon the screen faded out to black. His body in stillness, in the silence of his lab. Motionless, buttoned up. He just sat there for two entire minutes, processing everything he had seen. A mess of colours and clips kept replaying of what he saw. "You're stupid. Worthless. Not good enough." No wonder she'd always said that to him. he could see where she got it from. No matter what he tried to think of... Goddard, Purple Flurps, Science, he couldn't out run the image. Cursed photographic memory of his! Eventually he slipped the helmet off of his head and set it on the helmet at his side for a few more moments. He continued not to move a muscle. He was truly disturbed. He reached for it, holding it into his lap. He played around with the dials for a bit. Making sure this worked properly and had no malfunctions. Once he saw it was working perfectly and what he was with... completely real, he leaned back into his chair. Something inside of him compelled him, and all at once he took the helmet and chucked it at the wall of his lab. The rowdy noise of plastic and glass cracking into millions of tiny, irreversible pieces. Jimmy looked down into his hands, he noticed both were tightly balled in fists. He tried to release them but as he did he noticed his fists were so tight he'd cut into the palms of his hands with his fingernails. Being a nail biter, he must have had some pretty tight fists to have cuts like that. His nails were rather short. He was just so angry and fuming inside to how they treated Cindy. Jimmy felt like the biggest, most unempathetic jerk in the galaxy. All the times he was so mean and ruthless to her. Though she always seemed to provoke him =, he'd known the true Cindy now and felt like a monster. Images still stiring in his mind, his eyes blinded by horrific visions of abuse, even AFTER the helmet had been removed. Jimmy couldn't understand why he was getting so worked up and upset about this. He wiped the palms of his hands on his pants. He couldn't deny he cared for her, really truly cared for her. He thought she'd be the girl always to her own, never needing protection, but now all he wanted to do was rescue her from that life he'd seen. Let her rest her head upon his chest. To comfort, hold and protect her.... even if she'd sock it to him after that. Jimmy smiled and started to laugh a bit, picturing her doing that. Though he seemed to be in a facade of his own, pretending he never enjoyed her company. Her rivalry and antagonizing was always stimulating.

The most unsettling part that had him the most perturbed was the fact how well she played this off. She seemed so hard, tough, callous, and rude. But her outside was just a protection so no one could see her insides. Because inside she was belittled, unloved, shadowed, wounded ... abused, All this time he'd thought she hated him for him, but it was HIS fault she'd been being harassed at home. He couldn't believe he saw her cry. He never thought he'd see the day. Thinking back over time he'd been pretty rotten to her. Had he knows what turmoil after 3:00 occurred, never would he have been so mean. He decided he'd make it up to her.

"Here." Around 12'O clock the students piled out of their classroom to the lunch tray. In the morning they placed their lunches (for the students who brought their own from home) on a cart, so around lunchtime it was waiting in front of the cafeteria for them. Cindy was in search for her bento when she heard Jimmy, ruffling through the brown bags next to her say 'Here' She spun to him to see him extending a brown bag in her direction. You were only allowed to bring one bag per person since everyone had their own individual slots with their names on it upon the cart. Jimmy had snuck an expensive necklace out of his mothers jewelery box room late last night. Since he was only allowed one bag, he spilled his lunch out for the necklace. If he'd put it into his jacket pocket or backpack he had much too great a risk of his mom finding it, if she decided to do a pocket or backpack search. She knew how 'Forgetful' eleven year old boys could be when they had a note from the teacher or a report card.

Cindy rose an eyebrow as she turned to the side. "What's that for?"

Jimmy pushed it a little further in her direction. His eyes weren't quite finding hers through the nervousness, instead they were watching his sneakers on the ground. "It's for you."

Cindy didn't really know what to think as she took an observation of the brown bag. "You know Nerdtron, if you are trying to prank me with doggy doo you're supposed to leave the little brown bag on my porch, set it on fire then run away. Not hand it to me in the hallway"

Jimmy lifted the bag a little to look at it. "No, no It's not that. It's a present... For you."

Huh? "For me?" Question dug into her tone, like emotion worn onto the sleeve exposed it's wearer. She started to accept the bag but couldn't help but stand skeptical. She hesitated mid-passing of the bag. "This better not be a deranged prank of yours Neutron, or I'm going to--

"It's not."

Cindy sighed, blowing a piece of hair from her bangs away by her breath as she slowly opened the bag and took a peak inside. Half expecting rubber snakes to come jumping out at her, but instead... It was a beautiful jewel necklace. Her mouth dropped open as she continued looking down into the bag. It was beautiful. She gasped softly, because the sight just took her breath away. Jimmy looked at her, eyes half lidded. Not sure what to think of this, since she hadn't said a word since she opened it. But maybe it was good considering she hadn't called him 'Spewtron' yet.

In a few seconds they were back to the same dance. Silence, awkwardness. Not knowing what to say or do. "So... What do we do now?"

"You put it on me Nerdtron! Geeze are you always so clueless?"

"Oh right. Of course, of course." Jimmy almost stumbled over his shoes as he ran behind her. The palms of her hands were sweaty. She handed him the necklace and he struggled to fasten it through his wet fingers. "Man Vortex, do you always have to be such a jerk? I'm trying to be nice to you."

"I'll be mean if I want, zero. Not like I don't deserve to be."

Jimmy blinked. His eyes shut as he finally fastened it. He remembered Friday night, what he'd seen. Before he could remember it anymore, Cindy spun around. Her hands both lifting out to the sides. "Well? How does it look?"

"Beautiful." Cindy looked down, her face turning red. Jimmy drew circles with his shoes onto the tiles nervously. He couldn't believe he'd just said that out loud! But he looked more collected and cool than he was letting on, so he was almost positive she didn't detect under his calm exterior he was a bundle of nerves. "Well. I hope you like it." The boy genius offered an polite smile then turned around, walking into the cafeteria with now empty hands.

"Wait!"

"Yeah?" He turned around hopefully. He'd of course wanted her to call after him and not just let him walk away. He always wished for that. He watched her run down the hall a little until she was at his side. "Where is your lunch?"

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, he did his best to explain. But knew no matter how he said it he'd look obsessive. "Well you see, I could only bring one bag to school, so instead of lunch I brought your present."

Cindy watched him rock around trying to explain. He kept about blabbering on. She just watched. Eventually she cut in to end the display. "Do you want to sit... with... me? We can share my lunch."

Looking up, his voice cracked and gave away he was rattled. "R-really?"

"Yeah. C'mon."

They took a seat in the cafeteria. Cindy opened the bento box. (Cindy always having a liking to all things Oriental.) She hoped Jimmy didn't recognize her writing on a napkin. She didn't have to worry about getting caught usually since she disguised it. But she'd never sat with Jimmy before. Just Libby and Brittany. But they weren't genius'. She looked at the napkin. "Have a great day at school sweetie. Love you- Mom" Jimmy pretended like he didn't see the note, but he did. He could also tell Cindy's writing anywhere. After all- He had a photographic memory. He noticed an all new nervousness came over her. Cindy started to laugh fearfully as she crumbled up the napkin. "You know how mothers are. Always embarrassing you by writing notes in your lunch box."

All he could do was nod sympathetically at her charade, for what he knew she was trying to do. Let people think she was loved by her mother. Cindy was the perfect fake.

Review; I'll admit this was a cliche theme in the JN fan fiction universe and probably doesn't have the strongest likelihood of her being that abused behind closed doors. Although, I didn't go with her parents beating or raping her like I'd read in some stories. (Not saying if you did that it sucks. If you can pull it off believably enough I do like the story of the hidden life. Would I have written one myself if I had not?) Undeniably though whether you like or hate Cindy she has issues and seems to come from a dysfunction environment, especially with her mother. I thought I'd explore it a bit.