Sam and Janet rode quietly in Janet's car. The sun was still up, and both women were basking in the golden light. Sam realized as they rode along just how much she had missed being with her girls - and since Janet had adopted Cassie, she very much thought of the two of them as her girls. Janet was responsible for Cassie, and that made Janet hers to support and protect too.
"Hey." Janet called to Sam as she stopped for a red light.
"Hey." Sam came to from her reverie and smiled back at her.
"Thank you for doing this. I've missed seeing you two together."
Sam smiled and leaned her head against the window, once again looking out at the beautiful day. "I can't believe I left you two alone for so long. Don't let me do that again."
"Don't worry. I won't." They exchanged a glance and both chuckled.
.
Cassie had indeed been pleased to see Sam, but with some reservation that Sam had never seen before. The usual exuberant greeting was instead a mellow "Hey, Sam" and a half smile. Sam tried not to feel hurt - after all, she was the one that had been buried in her lab. The plan was to hit the local Blockbuster, and Sam and Cassie were tasked with picking a movie while Janet went to get the pizza. Cassie trailed Sam through the store, never wandering away. She seemed noncommittal about any of the movies that Sam handed to her, and finally Sam just picked a remake of a classic she knew and headed outside to wait for Janet, her little shadow not far behind.
Taking a seat on the curb, Sam decided to take the direct approach. "So, did you do anything fun at school today?"
Cassie shrugged. Sam looked her over as the almost-teenager played with the toes of her sneakers, chin on her knees.
Sam waited a moment before trying again. "I hear you're doing well in your classes. Learn anything really cool lately?"
Cassie sank down further onto her knees and shook her head. "Not really," she mumbled.
"Cass?" At the sound in Sam's voice, Cassie turned to look at her. "I'm sorry I haven't been here. I've missed you." She let her disappointment with herself show.
Cassandra looked at her for a moment before turning back to the white tips of her pink Chuck Taylors and resettling her chin on her knees. " 'ts okay."
"No, it's not." Sam dropped her head and pulled her fingers through her hair, not happy with herself. As she lifted her head she spotted Janet's car turning into the small parking lot. "Let's go have some dinner, huh?" She held out her hand and Cassie allowed herself to be pulled up to standing.
.
"So what did you girls pick?" Janet asked as she set the plates next to the pizza on the coffee table. She looked to Cassie but the girl just looked at her and shook her head, unknowing. Her attention was on the pizza, and she took a seat at the coffee table with her back to the sofa.
Sam had finished getting out of her boots and jacket and stowing them in the hall closet. She grabbed the VHS tape from the Blockbuster bag and popped it into the VCR, exchanging a look with Janet. "101 Dalmations." She settled in next to Cassandra and put a slice of pizza on her own plate. Leaning in, she whispered conspiratorially, "Lots and lots of puppies." This did bring a small giggle out of the girl and Sam couldn't help but look to Janet to share in the small victory.
The evening passed along quietly. Dinner finished, all three girls ended up on the couch, Cassie sitting quietly in the middle with an occasional giggle for the puppy antics. Sam and Janet exchanged glances over Cassie's head, both enjoying the evening of downtime with good company. The giggles were pure music to Janet's ears after a week of girly grouchiness. As the credits began to roll, Janet got up and began to carry the pizza box and plates into the kitchen. Cassie leaned into Sam, not wanting her to leave.
"Hey." Sam looked down and Cassie turned to look her in the eye. Sam smiled at her.
"Don't go." Cassie wrapped herself around Sam's arm.
"I'm not going anywhere. Your mother brought me from the base. No car." She smiled reassuringly at Cassie, but the girl didn't smile back. She leaned heavily against Sam and remained quiet. After a moment, Sam wrapped both arms around her. "Come here." Cassie climbed into Sam's lap and buried herself in her hero's embrace. Sam closed her eyes and held her tightly. Her emotions got the better of her, and she found tears slipping down her cheeks. How could she have stayed away from her little girl for so long?
Janet emerged from the kitchen to see the two girls curled into each other. She stepped back quietly, not wanting to interrupt. As she moved she saw the shiny track of tears on Sam's face. A small pain flashed in her chest and her hand moved to cover it. Her girls needed each other. Her girls… yes, they were. Adopting Cassandra meant that Sam was somehow hers as well - they were undeniably a pair. Anyone who had ever seen them together knew as much.
After a moment of watching the two, Janet slipped back into the kitchen and pulled out the milk and cocoa, and lit a burner on the stove.