That night, Anissa found Jen sitting on the rooftop of their father's house.
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" Anissa asked.
"Just thinking?" Jen asked.
"About?" Anissa asked and Jen sighed.
"Khalil." Jen said.
"What about him?" Anissa asked.
"One of the perks of this new world is that he hasn't been shot, which means that he hasn't become a cyborg who gets killed. And I'm wondering if maybe the best way to make sure he stays that way is to stay out of his life." Jen said as Anissa placed her hand on Jen's shoulder.
"Jen, do you love him?" Anissa asked.
"More than anything, but Anissa, no matter how I try looking at it, there's only one way to ensure that Khalil never has to endure all that suffering again and that is if he and I never get together. No matter how much it breaks my heart to have to do that." Jen said as tears ran down her cheeks.
"Jen, if you love him then you shouldn't give up on him. Besides, at least you know where the person you love is." Anissa said.
"You thinking about Grace?" Jen asked.
"Her shapeshifting makes her impossible to track, so really, I'll just have to wait until she comes to me. But you don't have to. If you really love Khalil and I know you do, then find a way to make it work. There is another solution, one you're overlooking." Anissa said.
"Let me guess, the freedom march?" Jen asked.
"So you have thought of it." Anissa said.
"Yeah, I have, but at the same time, as long as I am Lightning, there's always a chance that Khalil will be in danger. And I can't base a relationship with him off of a lie." Jen said.
"Maybe you should talk to mom and dad about this? After all, they made it work despite the fact that dad's Black Lightning." Anissa said.
"Anissa, they got divorced." Jen reminded her.
"Not because dad kept a secret from mom, but because she couldn't accept that he was Black Lightning at the time, but she does now and I think it's only a matter of time until they get remarried. But Jen, do you truly love Khalil?" Anissa asked her.
"I do. And I don't think I can handle losing him again. But as far as I see it, the only way to make sure that he does not suffer, is if I'm not a part of his life. Even if doing so breaks my heart." Jen said as she let her tears fall.
"Jen, it sounds more like you're trying to protect yourself than Khalil. But what are you protecting yourself from?" Anissa asked.
"I'm trying to protect both of us from the pain that us being together will inevitably bring." Jen said.
"They say love hurts." Anissa said.
"Yeah, but it's not supposed to kill you. Like it did him. Loving me got him involved in this world and it got him killed." Jen said.
"Jen, he chose to stay with you. Everything he did before he died, that was his choice. He loved you enough that he was willing to give up everything to be with you. Besides, this is a new world. Maybe things can be different if you give them a chance to be." Anissa said.
"I don't know." Jen said, though Anissa could tell that she was starting to at least consider what she was saying.
"Do you remember what you were like before you started dating Khalil?" Anissa asked and Jen chuckled.
"Oh yeah. Party girl pretending to be a model daughter." Jen said.
"You weren't fooling anyone with that by the way." Anissa said.
"At least I didn't have a criminal record." Jen shot back and Anissa laughed.
"Fair enough. But anyways, after you started seeing Khalil, you changed and it was for the better. Jen, you need him in your life and frankly, I think he needs you to." Anissa said.
"I don't know Anissa." Jen said.
"You should at least talk to mom and dad. They might have some insights on how to make a relationship with him work." Anissa said.
"Maybe." Jen agreed as she wiped away her tears and looked out at the horizon, wondering if maybe, just maybe, Anissa was right and there was a chance for her and Khalil to be together after all.
