Clara's POV
The only sound was our quick footsteps through the silent halls as we ran towards the entrance of the Cave. We were headed to the zeta tubes so we could cut off Jessie if she was going to S.T.A.R. Labs. I knew we had made it to the tubes when a grey orb lowered from the ceiling and blue rays scanned Dick and me and announced our names in a monotonous voice. His gloved hand slipped into mine.
"I didn't know I was registered already," I mumbled, avoiding his eyes and trying to mask my anxiety.
"Surprise!" he said with a grin. I offered him a nervous smile. He rubbed his thumb over mine and brushed a piece of hair behind my ear. "Everything will be okay." I leaned into him as the Team caught up to us, and the golden rays transported us to S.T.A.R. Labs.
The front entrance of the laboratory looked more or less like the lobby of a fancy hotel. Rich red carpeting covered the floor, and receptionists were seated at marble countertops, peering at computers. We walked up to one. She took one look at Aqualad, and lead us to the swinging doors that read "Personnel Only."
"He's in there," she said quietly before leaving. Aqualad sighed through his nose, then pushed the doors open to reveal Dr. Wells, dressed in a lab coat. It looked like he hadn't slept since his daughter had been taken. I wouldn't have either.
"Come, come," he said breathlessly, then began leading us through the labyrinth of halls that was S.T.A.R. Labs. We passed door after door, some with windows showing us the horrors inside. I tried to create a map of the building in my head, but with the speed we were going, I quickly gave up.
Soon enough, we reached his office, located deep underground. He led us in. Papers were scattered everywhere, picturing images of Jessie, potential suspects, and files. He brushed some papers off of his chair so he could sit down. I noticed there was a crime board behind him, showing where Jessie could've been taken.
"Where is my daughter?" he looked so hopeless. Aqualad would hate to tell him the news.
Yet he did, explaining everything, up until when we arrived at the lab. "Do you know anywhere else she could be?" he finished.
Dr. Wells seemed to ponder over this. He was deciding if he trusted us enough. "This is confidential information," he began.
"Nothing leaves this room," said Artemis.
Dr. Wells clasped his hands together. "There is one person..." He pulled down holographic panels depicting a woman named Patricia Wells.
"That's impossible," breathed Dick beside me. "She's dead."
"We faked her death," corrected Dr. Wells. "She was... bringing down the family name."
I read more on the panel, noticing that it mentioned her to be an ex-drug addict. Opioids.
"That's awful," muttered Zatanna.
"It was necessary," Dr. Wells corrected. "She lives near Happy Harbor Beach." He handed a slip of paper to Aqualad. "That's her new address."
Aqualad nodded once. Dr. Wells got back up and led us out of the building in silence.
We took the bioship to the new address, noticing a boat crashed into the concrete wall in front of it. Dick swore.
It was a cozy house, tucked right to the side of the beach. It was very modern-looking, except for one thing; it had no windows.
Dick rapped on the door three times. It was opened almost immediately. A short woman in her mid-twenties with soft brown eyes opened the door. "Are you first responders?" she asked, panicked. Aqualad said nothing and brushed past her.
"Where is Jessie?" I asked.
"Who are you?" she asked.
I hesitated. Should I tell her the truth? "Claire," I said. It was close enough.
She paused. "I don't remember Jessie ever mentioning you." She narrowed her eyes.
Thankfully, Aqualad's call from the living room saved me. "Clara! We need you!"
I ran past Patricia and toward Aqualad's voice. He was holding Jessie's head in his lap as she shook on the ground.
"It's usually you that does this," murmured Dick. I restrained from rolling my eyes at him.
Aqualad moved away as I approached Jessie. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. She curled up and leaned closer to me. She continued to shake, tears spilling from her eyes that were still squeezed shut. I brushed my hands through her hair. "Everything's going to be okay," I whispered to her. "Jessie. It's fine. You're not there anymore. You're here. Come back here."
I could feel her using my voice as a tether to pull herself out of the nightmare. I picked her up and carried her to the sofa, pushing some paintbrushes away to make room.
She sighed through her nose, then opened her eyes and sat up.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" she asked, panicked. My mouth almost dropped open.
"You really don't know?" I asked. She shook her head. I furrowed my brow.
I moved out of the way as Patricia stepped in to comfort her. The Team gathered away from them to talk about what to do next.
"Is it possible for her not to remember her flashback?" asked Aqualad.
I shook my head. "Not so much. It's possible to forget what caused the trauma entirely, but not..."
"Maybe it's just rare?" Beast Boy asked.
I scrunched my nose. "Maybe..." I said, but I doubted it.
"So what should we do next?" asked Artemis.
"Take her back to the Cave. We can help her better than her cousin. You saw how fast Clara calmed her," said Wally.
"Agreed," said Aqualad.
We turned back to Patricia and Jessie. "It's time to leave," said Aqualad.
"What? No! Where are you taking her?" Patricia stood defensively in front of Jessie. Aqualad nodded at M'gann, and her eyes turned green. Patricia swayed slightly, then fell into Superboy's waiting arms, and he laid her down on the sofa.
Jessie's eyes went wide. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the Cave," Aqualad informed her. He held out a hand for her.
The room went still, hoping she would take it.
Reluctantly, she did, and she stepped around the sleeping body of her cousin. We walked back to the bioship and had a silent ride back to the Cave.
