Generations's (Spin Off/ Book FOUR)

What's the matter Mary Jane?

Dean:

We had a huge hunk of red clay. And that was it. We also didn't know what the hell we needed it for. So we went into a large abandoned place in the middle of nowhere, and started to look at the case on the table, Sammy and Kali both doing tech stuff before unwrapping it as well.

And I had my tool box.

"That's a lot of fuss over a caveman Lego." I pointed out, getting a mallet and handed my brother safety goggles as Khalilah just turned her eyes silver.

"Yeah. Well, whatever Dick wants is bricked up inside that."

Well, mallets were fun here. "All right." Then I hit it hard with the mallet, and thunder boomed outside, making Kali smile. She loved storms. "That sound like somebody saying, "No, wait – stop," to you?"

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah."

Dammit. "Yeah." I just shrugged. "Oh, well." Then I kept hitting the clay as Khalilah looked warily, like there was something about to happen. She was so rarely happy still, channeling all of that pain and sickness into anger. Every day was hard, and she was too busy trying to help me and Sammy stay sane while she was just carefully balancing all those broken pieces as the storm tried to wash them away. 

Every time that happened, she sang a song to me, so maybe I should try and sing one to her?

But then there was something in the clay, and I lifted out an inscribed stone tablet from the clay casing. That'll do for now, so we went to crash out for the night, or, Sammy did as Khalilah kept working on something, slowly filling an ashtray next to her. So I turned on the music to a song, and started to sing softly to her.

What's the matter Mary Jane, you had a hard day
As you place the don't disturb sign on the door
You lost your place in line again, what a pity
You never seem to want to dance anymore

It's a long way down
On this roller coaster
The last chance streetcar
Went off the track
And you're on it

I hear you're counting sheep again Mary Jane
What's the point of trying to dream anymore
I hear you're losing weight again Mary Jane
Do you ever wonder who you're losing it for

Well it's full speed baby
In the wrong direction
There's a few more bruises
If that's the way
You insist on heading

Please be honest Mary Jane
Are you happy
Please don't censor your tears

You're the sweet crusader
And you're on your way
You're the last great innocent
And that's why I love you

So take this moment Mary Jane and be selfish
Worry not about the cars that go by
All that matters Mary Jane is your freedom
Keep warm my dear, keep dry

Tell me
Tell me
What's the matter Mary Jane...  

"Is that supposed to be ironic?" She asked me, not looking up. "Because I sang to you the time I bleached myself after killing someone, and then again when I erased your memory, and then when I came back from the dead. What's wrong with you, did I manage to give you terminal lung cancer through second hand smoke? Because surely smoking for more than 3 weeks is needed for that."

"You know what it is, Khalilah. It's me trying to remind you that you're everything to me. Hell, I just sang Alanis Morissette to prove that." I told her, pressing the lock button on the tablet. At least I hoped that it was the lock button and not the one to take a photo. "And I hate Alanis Morissette. "

Kali managed a weak smile. "But you know that Mary Jane is my favourite song in the history of songs. Dean, I... Given the circumstances, I am perfect right now. More perfect than I was a few weeks ago, when I was just looking for my next dose of dust. So, please, Dean, just... let me chain smoke like a Texan grandmother, beat the crap out of the bad guys, and stay awake for weeks at a time."