Let's Go Back

Close Your Eyes

They started training the kids on using their powers soon after talking with Steven.

While Peggy and Lizzie were at work, they would take the kids in the backyard and work on their abilities.

Sarah was struggling the most with controlling her abilities. She was so scared of hurting someone that she would just keep it in until something inevitably shifted around her.

There wasn't really a name for what she could do so Lizzie came up with the word 'Chrono-manipulation'. When they were speaking about her aging something it would be called 'progression' and if she was de-aging something, they called it 'regression'.

She refused to train for awhile but eventually they told her that she is more likely to hurt someone if she doesn't practice.

"Alright, honey. Put your arm out," Steve says as he stands behind Sarah.

She places her arm out but makes no move to position it how she is supposed to.

"Come on, Sarah. This is important," Steve says.

They have worked on little things such as flowers and small rocks. She was able to find some success regressing and progressing those, but they were so small.

They were now standing in front of a giant tree out near the forest. She has changed a tree before but it was by complete accident.

She drops her arm and turns to face her dad.

"I know it's important but I don't think I can do it," Sarah says.

"You can," he reassures her.

He reaches out to guide her hand back up but she jerks her arm out of his reach.

She has refused to touch anyone or let anyone touch her for months. She's too afraid that she'll hurt someone.

He needs to show her that she isn't going to hurt anyone. He kneels down and tries to grab her hands but she rips them away again. She knows that her father is persistent but she's so scared.

"Stop!" She says.

She starts crying because the last person she wants to hurt is her dad.

"It's okay, honey, you won't hurt me," he says softly.

He reaches for her again but she pulls away again.

"No!" She screams in panic.

Her hands begin to light up blue and she begins to cry violently.

Steve has noticed that her powers usually act up when she's emotional.

"I can't stop it!" She says.

He grabs her shoulders lightly.

"Honey, look at me," he says softly.

She looks up at him and he can see the utter panic in her eyes. He starts tearing up because he can see how scared she is.

"You are okay. I am here with you and nothing bad will happen. Now I want you to take a deep breathe in and a deep breathe out," he says.

She tries but she is sobbing so it is difficult. He reaches up and cups her face in his hands.

"You're okay, deep breathe in and a deep breathe out," he says.

He continues to talk her through it until eventually she calms down enough and the blue light retreats from her palms.

"See? You controlled it. I'm so proud of you, honey," Steve says.

She hugs her father tightly around the neck and he holds his daughter tight to him.

"I just don't want to hurt anybody," she whispers.

He rubs her back soothingly as he holds on to her.

"You won't, you just need some practice, okay?" He says.

She nods against his neck. If there is anyone she trusts, it's her dad. He would never let her do anything that could hurt her or someone else.

He pulls away from her and turns her back around to face the tree.

She timidly reaches her hand up and aims her palm towards the tree.

"Alright, I want you to focus on regressing the tree. You've done that before so it's nothing you haven't done, okay?" He says.

She stands there for a few minutes with her hand outstretched but nothing happens. She drops her hand in frustration.

"It's not working," she says.

He guides her hand back up.

"Close your eyes," he says.

She rolls her eyes but follows his instruction.

"Deep breathe in and out," he says.

She does as he says and takes a few deep breathes.

"Good, now I want you to picture the tree in your head. Remember how tall it is and how wide. Now imagine the size of the sapling. Remember how small it is and how fragile it is," he says.

As he is talking, he can see the blue light emitting from her hand again.

"I want you to picture the giant oak and imagine changing it down to the little sapling," he says.

The light shoots towards the tree and begins shifting it. He sees as the tree turns into the sapling.

"Open your eyes, honey," he says.

When she opens her eyes, she sees that she has successfully changed the tree.

"I did it!" She squeals happily.

She turns around and throws her arms around Steve.

"You did it," he says proudly.

She lets go of him and turns back around.

"I want to go again," she says with more confidence.

After that day, Sarah was able to control her powers better and better. Once she put her mind to it, she was able to use her abilities more and more efficiently.

However, she soon learns that chrono-manipulation isn't her only ability. She is working on another tree one day when Peggy called her in for supper. She turns to look at her mom without dropping her arm and accidentally rips the tree right out of the ground.

She understandably flips out and won't let anyone near her again. She was finally gaining confidence and this is a huge setback.

Steve never imagined that Sarah could have more than one ability but he guesses it's possible. Wanda had both telekinesis and mental manipulation.

In that moment, he wished more than anything to have Wanda here to help his daughter. She is the only person in existence who can understand exactly what she's going through. She could help her understand and control her abilities so much better than Steve ever could.

At least he can train her to use her telekinesis better than her Chrono-manipulation. He at least has experience working with an enhanced with telekinesis.

It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience but eventually she learns how to control that as well.

Steve forces her to use her telekinesis whenever she can. He has her practice writing without her hands or getting a soda from the fridge. He knows that the more she practices, especially with things that require finesse, the more she will be able to control her powers instead of her powers controlling her.

Steve avoids having her lift things that she couldn't physically lift with her own two hands. He wants her to control her powers but throwing heavy objects with her mind is something that she would use in a fight. He vowed to himself that he would never teach the kids how to use their powers to fight.

He vowed to himself that they would get to live as normal of a life as possible given their abilities.

He will do everything in his power to make sure that they never have to face the things that he had to face.

They will be happy and safe if it's the last thing he does.