Summary:Just a short one shot of when Chloe's mother left. What she was thinking and how she coped. This is a Lois/Chloe cousin piece. I think their relationship is so diverse and interesting, so I thought I'd have a go at writing some of their past. I have written Lois to behave quite grown up simply because her father seems like the type to incorporate good manners and strictness. I am planning on adding more Chloe/Lois one shots so let me know what you think. Ideas are welcome. Thanks.
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Chloe sat silently on the patterned couch, her small hands placed efficiently on top of her knees. She was confused. Her mind had started running through every possible scenario as of why her mommy wasn't home, why her daddy had plastered on a fake toothy smile and handed her a glass of orange juice accompanied with a plate of burnt pancakes.
She had asked him why mommy hadn't made her breakfast, but he brushed her off. Tried coherently to avoid her questions only managing a quick smile and see through explanation. One consisting of mainly jumbled phrases, saying that mommy had left and would be back later.
When later would be he did not accentuate.
Chloe however young didn't believe him; she could see the hurt in his eyes. The same hurt she now felt.
Although along with the hurt she also felt confused, lost. Had she done something to make her mommy leave? Had she said something that made her mommy upset? Questions she longed to ask her daddy, but thought better as every time she tried he would display the same fake smile and change the conversation.
Her heart felt as though it would break and she desperately wanted to cry, to have her mommy hold her.
There was a loud knock at the door followed by her father's voice although it was mumbled and she couldn't understand what was being said. Moments later her daddy comes into the room there's a slight pause in his actions as he clears his throat, causing Chloe to look up.
"Chloe, Lois and her dad are here…would you like to go play in your room, I'm sure Lois would be more than happy to accompany you." He says his face looks almost pleading but Chloe really doesn't want to move.
She isn't in the mood to pretend that she is fine, her mommy is gone. She wants to cry again but pushes the urge back as she just stares at her daddy, hoping he will let her stay on the couch. Let her think things through cause she needs to make sense of this, she needs to understand.
"Please Chloe, Sam and I need to have a grown up talk." Again his eyes are pleading.
But she can't make herself move; instead she looks directly at her hands. She doesn't usually defy what her daddy says but things are so complicated, she just wants someone to tell her where her mommy is.
"Come on Chlo, I'll race you." The voice that speaks is Lois's, Chloe until now hadn't realized she had been in the room. Looking up rather quickly she see Lois standing next to a somewhat grumpy looking Sam, although Chloe notes that he almost always seems gruff and doesn't take too much notice.
Reluctantly she stands from the couch keeping her head bowed as so she doesn't show Lois how close to tears she is. Her daddy smiles briefly before gesturing for Sam to sit down.
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Chloe moves quickly to sit on her bed, crossing her legs as she stares at the ground.
She wants to be alone.
But at the same time having Lois with her makes her feel slightly better.
Comforted in a way.
Lois follows her actions as she joins her on the bed, she doesn't say anything but simply holds out her hand.
It's a small gesture to be observed, but from where Chloe is sitting it's a lifeline. A symbol of pure reassurance, something that within the last few hours she had felt like she had lost.
She grasps her cousin's hand tightly with her own, feeling Lois tighten her grip.
"Daddy said mommy would be back later," Chloe says, her voice small.
She makes no direct eye contact as she again speaks.
"Where'd mommy go?" She knows her question is big, too big for Lois to answer as she would not know but she can't help herself. She's scared.
Lois shrugs gently, this action makes Chloe's heart sink.
"Do you…think she doesn't love me anymore?" She needs to ask because right now she can't think of another explanation.
"Chloe no, your mom loves you heaps." Lois says forcefully.
"Then why'd she leave me?"
"I don't know."
"Me neither." States Chloe in a quiet voice, bowing her head again as a few tears fall.
She feels Lois loosen her grip on her hand as she adjusts her position, allowing her legs to hang over the side of the bed.
"My dad said not every question has an answer…" Lois says clearly trying to ease Chloe's mind.
Chloe doesn't say anything; she just looks at her cousin innocently. Eyes teary as of now she can't hold back her emotions.
"Sometimes you have to wait a while to get an answer." Continues Lois, her voice light.
Chloe wipes absently at her tears as she takes in a shallow breath.
"Do you think I'll have to wait long?" Her voice is small, timid.
"I hope not." It's a short reply, but filled with compassion. Sincerity.
"Daddy is sad, he tries to act happy in front of me but I can tell he misses mommy." Chloe pauses briefly as a thought suddenly strikes her. "Lois…?"
"Yeah, Chlo?"
"Do you think daddy will leave me too?"
"Of course not," Lois seems sure but Chloe isn't positive.
She wouldn't want her daddy to go away as well.
"But what if he does? Who would look after me?" She asks watching her cousin again shift her position.
She knew she wasn't being fair asking Lois all these questions, but her daddy hadn't gave her answers.
She was thankful that Lois tried to. Thankful that she didn't plaster on a faked smile and make up excuses.
"I would look after you." Lois stated as though Chloe should have known that.
"But why?" Chloe asked quietly, sniffling back tears.
"Because we're family, that's what family does."
Chloe looks up as Lois speaks, their hands still firmly grasped.
"I'll always protect you Chloe, I promise."
There's a slight creak from the bedroom door as Chloe's dad walks in, followed by Sam who stays back a fair distance. She can tell her daddy has been crying, but this doesn't make her sad. It makes her feel calmed simply because now she knows that he feels like she does. That she's not alone.
"Chloe honey, would you like Lois to stay for dinner?" His voice is light, beholding a slight strain as he bends down near Chloe.
She nods more than enthusiastically before jumping to her feet.
Lois rarely comes over for a visit and when she does she never stays long, so this was more than good news.
Looking down quickly Chloe shuffles closer to her daddy.
"Lois said that sometimes you have to wait to get an answer, and um I promise that I will be good and wait…" Her daddy looks slightly confused so she continues, "If I am extra patient maybe mommy will come home sooner."
Her daddy gives her a smile as tears start to appear, his voice cracking slightly as he speaks.
"I hope so honey," With that he stands up and turns to Sam barely hiding his quiet sob.
"Lois, take Chloe down stairs to wash up for dinner." Lois's daddy sounds stern as he looks to his daughter, getting a small nod in reply.
Walking over to Chloe, Lois holds out her hand a small smile on her lips.
"Come on Chlo,"
Chloe takes her cousin's hand smiling for the first time that day.
Her pain and hurt hasn't gone away. She doesn't think it ever could. But just having her older cousin to look out for her, to comfort her helps. She knows Lois would never leave her; she can always count on her.
She wants to be brave like Lois when she gets older.
She wants to be able to console and comfort others like Lois did for her.
Maybe someday her question will get answered and she will know why her mommy left, but for the mean time she will be patient and she will wait.
…Cause sometimes you have to wait a while to get an answer.
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