Clark's P.O.V.

I get the sound of her laughter, telepathically of course, for some of the trip.

She's got a good head for heights, likely due to her levitation. I can tell that she enjoys it up here.

This isn't really her first flight. She had a bad nightmare once so I took her and Pippin for a short one.

I never did find out what the nightmare was about but she did like the flight, which is good because it felt hard for me seeing her try to scream.

Thank God for that monitor.

She had that nightmare shortly before finding out I'm Superman.

I think she wanted a Dad because she was calling me that before I adopted her.

Well, it could also be due to something at school. There's always events for parents and seeing the details for them might have set something off in her.

My little problem solver.

I land in a few minutes with her in my arms.

She looks around after I put her down then, smiling, traces the word Kent on the mailbox.

I grin when she points to herself after finishing. "That's right, Sayna."

Such a simple gesture but it speaks so loud.

"Now, come on."

She nods then follows me.

Looks like the everybody's already outside.

I'm just about to introduce her when she gets bowled over by Rusty and Shelby*.

Well, there's her surprise.

I know that she's trying to laugh but Ma seems concerned. I also knew I was going to have to explain.

I laugh gently. "Ma, that's your granddaughter, Sayna. You can't hear her laugh because she's mute."

She breathes out slowly. "Oh. Well, that makes sense. Good thing I know ASL."

She looks almost sternly at Pa. "I told you that you should have learned. You've certainly got no excuse now."

Kara laughs. "Well, I know it too. How about we surprise Sayna with you knowing how to use it to say her name? It will be easy. You just need to learn four different letters."

I nod. "She doesn't like being called Say."

He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "All right. I suppose it's only fair."

He smiles. "Besides, I should be able to understand this family's newest addition. Liking animals makes her okay in my book."

He looks at her. "You'd think that she understands those dogs."

If he only knew.

I look at her as Pa gets his sign language lesson. It's nice to see her having fun.

I hope she doesn't tire herself out too much. I wonder what she's saying to Rusty and Shelby with that telepathic connection she has.

Sayna's P.O.V.

I can tell that Dad's about to introduce me to our family but, before he can, I'm bowled over by two dogs.

Hello to you too.

I use my telepathy to say that, also asking their names.

Rusty and Shelby. Those are good names.

I give them mine, which I can tell they like.

Rusty's a good boy.

Yes, Shelby's good too but she also seems maternal. She seems worried as she asks me why I don't use loud speech.

Well, that was going to come up, wasn't it?

I stroke her then tell her I can't.

This gets me surprise from both of them.

I guess they've never met a mute before.

It's not much of a surprise to me. I've had to tell that to a lot of different animals.

It would be nice, just once, to not get surprise when I tell an animal that I can't use loud speech.

I know that I'll never have it. It's the way I am.

I should accept it but it feels hard sometimes.

That's why I started calling Clark Dad early. I wanted to feel less alone.

You might remember being the way I am sometimes gives me this feeling.

The fact it still gets me the occasional bully doesn't help.

Of course they could also be picking on me because I'm so smart.

The littlest 7th grader.

I feel pretty small around all those kids. They're all so much bigger than I am.

I can only grow so fast.

I always try my very hardest but sometimes it feels hard to keep up. I can't run very far yet and that makes things feel, well, hard, especially since I don't really want to explain my panting.

The only people who know said explanation have ben made swore to secrecy by me, Dad or both.

Well, not the only people.

I doubt very highly that the people in the place where I grew up would tell though. There were strictly enforced rules about that kind of thing.

Yes, that's why I haven't told Dad what I.E.C. stands for. It's also why I haven't told you.

Well, that and because one person who worked there made most of us afraid. Our name for him was the principal.

I'm still afraid of him.

He's in my nightmares, usually towering over me and laughing cruelly. Coldly. He always seems especially amused by my silence.

Think about something else, Sayna. Something that's not from Silent's memories or at least something more pleasant.

I breathe out slowly. He doesn't know where I am.

My smile widens. I like that I'm safe here.

Smallville.

I lick my lips then mouth that word. I do sometimes demonstrate for animals what happens when I try to use loud speech.

I don't want to tell Rusty and Shelby that I'm cursed though. A cursed girl sounds like something from a story.

I'm not sure if it's one that I'd want to read.

Oh. Dad's calling me.

I go to answer him.

Soon, I'm in front of him and seeing his warm smile.

He tells me that me that my grandpa has a surprise for me so I look to see what it is.

I notice that he's smiling too. Somewhat slowly, he spells my name in ASL.

I can't help but grin when he's finished. He got it right!

I forget myself in my happiness and clap my hands.

This makes three pairs of eyes widen.

I find myself feeling a little nervous as I run one hand through my hair then give my explanation regarding sound.

Grandma translates for me. I like that she knows sign.

Grandpa gets a closer look at me. "This may seem like a long shot but I read a lot of science fiction**. Are you a telepath?"

He figured that out fast.

I nod, feeling like I should trust him. He, like the rest of my family, gets told what I can do and about my field of silence.

Grandma whistles. "Well, that just beats all."

And...she said it. Dad called it.

We head inside then Dad's cousin looks at me. "Sayna, does this mean that you know Kryptonese?"

Dad nods. "I actually tried before we came here. As you all know, she's very good with languages."

Linda grins, wide and toothy, then picks me up with a laugh. "Kal, that's great! I love that I have someone else I can use that language else with. So do I get a name sign?"

Good, she understands sign too.

I make an l with my right hand then move it in an arc like the sun by my hair.

She laughs gently. "I like it. What's the one you had for Clark?"

I show her.

Grandma laughs gently. "Well, aren't you just as cute as a button? Bright as one too."

I guess I can be both. I'm getting kind of hungry though.

I ask Linda if she can put me down then, once I'm on the floor, look towards the kitchen.

Grandpa laughs gently. "I think we could all use a snack. Clark, you'll have to tell us more about this newest part of the family."

Grandma nods. "She's such a little thing. I hope she didn't come from a bad environment. That girl of yours doesn't look like she has nearly enough meat on her bones."

Dad breathes out slowly. "Well, there's not a whole lot that I can tell. She keeps her past a secret. I found her on the streets a week ago."

For the second time, three pairs of eyes widen. It actually makes me feel kind of uncomfortable.

Linda breaks the silence by saying to Dad that he adopted a stray.

Well, yes.

Grandma seems a little annoyed by the word though. "She's no stray. Much like you, Sayna was a little girl lost***. Poor little mite."

She finishes preparing a snack then, after I sit down, sets in front of me and gently runs one hand through my hair. "Well, you're found now. You'll always be safe here. After all, you're a Kent and you always will be, okay?"

I nod then thank her and start eating. She made me the first snack I got from Dad.

"How old is she, Clark?"

He tells her.

Her eyes widen on finding out. "Why, she's not anywhere near big enough for seven! She hardly looks half that age."

Dad explains.

She shakes her head. "I thought she might have been malnourished. I'd like to give those bullies of hers a piece of my mind."

I don't want you to meet them. They'd hurt you.

I want to keep you and my family safe. No, I have to do that.

I can't let them know where my bully triangle is.

My family's here to protect me and I want to do the same for them. Sure, two of them are superheroes but still.

In fact, keeping my family safe makes me feel like a superhero.

I breathe out slowly. I'd never be able to join Dad and Linda in fighting crime but at least I can do that much.

I finish my snack then go to look outside. I want to see more animals.

I go over to Dad and ask.

I get a hug that I return.

"Of course you can. Just don't wander past the mailbox, okay? You remember where it is."

I nod then, not too long after he lets go, I'm looking around. The sun feels nice.

Hello again, Rusty and Shelby. You guys want to show me around? I've never been on a farm before.

Yes, I'm using my telepathy.

I feel like animals are easier to get along with than people are. After all, I've never been bullied because of the way that I am by an animal.

I think they like me because I understand them.

I sometimes feel like I communicate with them better than people. It's part of why I don't like being asked to do what I can't.

My speech has been asked about, in my opinion, too many times.

Can she speak? Talk? Say anything? Vocalize? Make a sound?

The answer's not going to change, no matter how you ask the question.

What's more, I'm right here! It's really rude to talk about me like I'm not.

Right. Looking around to find more animals.

I head off at a reasonable pace.

Sure, I just had a snack but I'm little and there's a good amount of land here.

I'm led to the barn door. I open it then walk inside.

I mouth an Oh on seeing one of the cows. They're so much bigger than I thought they'd be.

Hello, farm animals!

I greet all of them using my telepathy, giving my name in return for theirs.

Hey, cows are smarter than you think. You can take my word for it.

I will tell you they seem pretty peaceful. They don't really talk much, which I don't mind.

I actually kind of like how only of them was surprised that I can't use loud speech.

I breathe out slowly. It's like I can just be.

That feels calming. Like I let go of a weight I didn't know that I was carrying.

No facade. Just me and the animals.

I almost don't want to head back but I'm starting to feel like I should at least leave the barn.

I think I'll do some exploring. I don't think Dad would mind.

Well, I don't need to open that door. I know enough about Kansas to be able to tell that's the storm cellar. This state is part of Tornado Alley.

Now that I think about it, the dust bowl also effected this state.

I don't think my grandparents are old enough to remember that though. It happened in the thirties.

I like to read, remember? History can be interesting.

I get good grades in all of my classes. I just use a boost because I'm so small. I got it from Dad.

Yes, it's basically a cushion. My teachers don't mind that I use it which is nice.

It's just kind of annoying having to take it to all of my classes.

At least I have some friends. Ones that I have to keep secrets from but still.

There's one who's in all of my classes. I don't know if Dad planned that but it's nice having her there. She interprets for me.

Okay, fine. She's my only friend inside school.

Making friends is kind of hard for me.

Her name is Alder, like the tree.

Yes, she told me that.

She does make me think of a tree and not just because she's really tall. Her skin is tan like one.

She has anotia, which means that her ears didn't form the right way and, as she told me, it's why she learned sign. It gives her some hearing loss.

Her eyes are my favorite color and her hair is brown. She keeps her hair waist length, like mine.

She's told me it's because she hates people staring at her ears. She did show them to me though.

She doesn't have outer ears and her parents can't afford to get them fixed.

She's also told me that she's 5'9".

We get along pretty well, even with our height difference.

Sometimes she'll give me a piggyback ride. Those are fun.

I kind of hate that I have to keep secrets from her. Like how there's a rocket ship somewhere on this place.

Where is it anyway? I want to see it.

That and go to the Watchtower.

Dad obviously hasn't taken me there yet. I think I'm ready.

Oh. He's calling me.

I go to him, following my ears.

I don't think that I'll get in trouble. I did what he said.

I appear in front of him, feeling a little out of breath. I still want to see Dad's rocket though so, yes, I ask him.

"My curious little girl. Sure, we can see it. I was actually thinking of showing it to you. You might as well see it before you go to the Watchtower."

My eyes widen as I ask when that visit will be.

"Soon, okay?"

I nod then, shortly, I'm looking at Dad's rocket ship. I already knew about it.

It's kind of interesting how we both had big changes in our lives when we were babies. How they both led to us getting powers and becoming orphans.

I think those are weird things to have in common.

Dad laughs gently when I tell that to him. "Yes, but we also both got new families."

I smile and nod then say that we both became Kents.

"Yes, Sayna, we did."

Kent's a good name, in my opinion. It means family to me and, yes, I like that I have one.

*the dogs on the Kent farm in Superman for All Seasons
**This is canon.
***This is a reference to Superman: The Animated Series.