Long Past Dawn

'Dawn, wake up'

***

I open my eyes to the now-familiar ceiling of my room. I feel something wet on my cheek and I bring my hand up to my cheek to wipe it away, I bring my hand back and it's wet. Tears? When was I crying?

I push myself up into a sitting position, I'm on my bed, I must have taken a nap.

I don't know what I dreamed of but I feel like it was an old memory. One of the ones I want to forget.

I wipe both cheeks with my palms and sniff. I can feel a familiar knot in my throat, why am I so sad? Why am I so sad when I can't remember why I was crying?

Too much stuff is going on... I get up and walk to the door, and go out. I need some fresh air right now.

I walk through the main part of the warehouse, no one's there, and out to the street in front. I'm surprised that the sun almost setting the streets in an orange flush as the sun slowly sinks beneath the skyline. The air is also getting colder.

I lean my head back and look up at the sky, even the clouds seem to be dyed in a pink color, making them almost seem like cotton candy.

I sigh, what a beautiful evening. Suddenly I feel like some one's looking at me, I spin around to see who it is. I look across the street and see an alleyway covered in shadow by the buildings to each side of it, deep down in the alley where it seems like the shadows are thickest I can almost see a shape. It's small and seems rather scranny, a kid maybe?

The shape comes closer and I suddenly remember all those late-night horror movies I used to watch and man I've never felt like I was in one more than right now.

I shiver, there's something strange and I don't like it. It feels like when a dog meets another dog, they don't know what they should do.

The shape comes closer and I see that it is a kid; a little girl to be exact, maybe five years old. She's thin, way too thin, and her tan dress hangs down her frame, her black hair is a tangled mess and it seems like she doesn't have any shoes. But it's her eyes that scare me the most, a black color that seems to see through everything.

"H-hey are you ok?" I ask, thinking she might be lost or in need of some other help. I know I should be on edge, after everything that's happened I wouldn't be entirely surprised if a kid her age tried to kill me right now, but somehow she seems... I don't know, familiar isn't the right word, maybe comforting?

She stops walking when she hears me call her, then suddenly it seems like she's about to cry. I'm about to ask if she's ok when she dashes across the street without looking for traffic and launches herself at me. I'm about to think I was right when I thought a little kid would kill me when she hugs me in a tight embrace.

I'm shocked and don't know what to say but she seems to beat me to it, "Materfamilias! It really is you! I was looking for you!"

Ma what now? Ok, too much stuff is going on right now...

I raise my hand and she flinches, I know what that means. I rub my hand up and down her back until she calms down a bit.

"Materfamilias is so nice," she hiccups, "I'm so glad I found you." She hiccups again and I'm trying not to laugh.

"I'm sorry how do you know me?" I know I'm probably way to calm right now but I just have a feeling like this girl needs me so much. I don't know a way to describe it, mothering instinct?

She looks up shocked at how I couldn't know her. Suddenly two crystal wings explode from her back, they're like mine but not at the same time. They don't have a set shape, they flow from crystal to crystal, unlike mine that is solid crystal. As if by reflect mine also open and she sees them and hugs me tighter, "As expected from materfamilias, your wings are beautiful. I sensed you and I needed to see you."

Wait backtrack one second, sensed me? This is getting weird fast. No scratch that, this was weird since the beginning.

"O-ok then what's your name?" I somehow have moved from rubbing her back to patting her head.

"They called me Jikan, but if materfamilias wants me to have a different name then you can give me one." Ok, you're giving me way to much power here kid.

"Ummm no. Jikan is a great name!"

She looks up at me, her eyes shining, "You think so?"

"Y-yeah!"

She hugs me tighter and I'm starting to think she wants to strangle me. "So why are you here?"

"I wanted to be with materfamilias! Please don't send me back there materfamilias!" She then seems to realize something, "But if materfamilias wanted me to go back then I would. I'm a good girl."

She's not lying. Oh great, the other voice is back! And here I thought I would be living without it!

"O-ok but where did you come from?"

She suddenly starts shaking violently and I'm about to think she's having a fit when she says, "Please materfamilias, Jikan will be good, please don't send Jikan back to that dark place. Jikan wants to be with materfamilias."

What place? Give me some answers kid! But I can see how scared she is so this time I hug her and try to comfort her.

"DAWN'S GOT A KID!" I spin around, Jikan still in my arms to see Flash standing in the doorway to the warehouse.

Wait, what? How would I have a kid? She's like five or six and I'm thirteen, a bit of common sense and you would know that's complete crap. But it's Flash so I expect nothing less.

Jikan must have seen him cause she immediately starts shaking again.

"Come on, he's ok," I say getting up and walking back toward the warehouse, I stop and turn when I don't see her following, I turn around and see she hasn't moved an inch. I hold out my hand for her to take and she immediately scurries over to grab it, at least she's easy to please.

"Where did that one come from?" Flash says looking in amazement at Jikan and her still open wings.

"Materfamilias," Jikan whimpers looking up at Flash as she grasps my hand tighter, it kinda melts my heart a little.

"Hey, it's ok..." I say, rubbing her head a little to calm her down. She honestly reminds me of a little animal.

Wonderwoman, Batman, Green Lantern, Superman and Black Canary all look over in alarm, as for Question, well he looks over... Cause you know he doesn't have a face? Yeah I know I already made that joke and yes it is just as bad the second time around.

"Who... What?" I'm amazed, Batman actually has nothing to say. "Where did the kid come from?"

"Ummm funny story..." Turns out Batman isn't the only who doesn't know what to say. "Umm, this is Jikan..."

Jikan hides behind me. I can tell she doesn't like being here, not to mention her wings are shielding her. "M-materfamilias," she whispers, grasping my hand even tighter.

In the corner of my eye, I see Stephen come over to see what the commotion's about, great someone else to see me fail at explaining!

"Jakin, can you tell them what you told me?" That's right, I don't know how to explain so I'll let the kid do it.

Jakin nods and steps forward a little. "M-my name is Jakin and I-I came to see materfamilias, I sensed her and knew I had to see her..."

Batman raises an eyebrow and Wonderwoman looks like she's trying to process both my hair and Jakin at the same time while Stephen looks like he just walked on to the set of some TV drama.

"Materfamilias? What does that mean?" I hear Stephen say in confusion, and honestly, I don't have a clue either.

Wonderwoman seems to speak first, "It's Latin for the female head of a household it's not commonly used now though and I have no idea how a little kid would know it."

Wait, since when am I the head of family? And more importantly what family?! Will someone please tell me what the hell is happening here and why I'm suddenly in charge of some family that I don't know about?!

"Ok but you've never met Dawn before so why did you come here.....Jakin." Batman says, and yes I would also like to know that.

"Because I love materfamilias the most!" Jikan says proudly while puffing up her c.h.e.s.t. Oh dear god help me before this cute little child it the death of us all.