Don't own AHS

A/N: Hi, everyone! Hope you're all doing well. Finally got around to finishing up this chapter! Hope you enjoy. I skimmed through it super fast so I apologize for any typos, etc. More updates on other fics are also coming your way!

.

TEN

The Woman in the Frame

She felt like strong, cold hands tightened around her neck, slowly shortening her breath. Lana looked up to her tormentor, fire in his eyes. A scream lodged in her throat, unable to make a sound. She heard his voice in the distance and with a jolt, she sat straight up, gasping for air.

Lana quickly looked around her to find herself in her lavish bedroom. She could have sworn she had felt a presence in the room with her. Alas, she was alone.

She glanced over to the portrait of Wendy upon the nightstand and gave out a soft sigh, "It never ends, does it?" She spoke to the photograph as if it would answer back.

After she managed to collect herself, Lana went to check on the boy. She found him fast asleep in his bed. He looked much younger than he was without his glasses. Almost like a little boy barely entering grade school. Lana watched over him, gently learning his every feature.

Johnny still seemed so unreal to her in many ways. He felt like a distant dream that she feared would disappear upon waking. And when she looked upon him in such an innocent light, she felt the guilt begin to devour her from within. How could she have abandoned something so pure? Untouched and unsullied by madness and evil. Because the boy was so young—too young to be blamed of anything.

Lana gazed at the fading bruise under his eye. It was barely visible now. She gently brushed her fingers along his temple, slightly brushing his hair out of the way. He looked a little like his father; she had to admit. Alas, they did say boys always resemble their mothers the most.

Johnny stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He became confused at the sight of Lana. "M—Mom?" He spoke groggily.

The word made Lana's stomach flip. She still wasn't used to it or felt worthy of it.

"What's wrong? What time is it?" He rubbed his still sleepy eyes.

"It's late." She answered, "Go back to sleep."

"Did you have a bad dream?" He asked, fighting back a yawn.

"Something like that." Her smile weakened.

"S'okay. They're not real." He rolled to the side and let sleep succumb him.

Lana stood a little surprised. He looked so young but in that moment he felt beyond his years.

.

In the morning Lana paced back and forth around the kitchen as far as the phone's extension cord would let her. Johnny sat at the breakfast table stuffing his face with French Toast and orange juice. He always ate like it had been his first meal and months and probably his last.

"Breathe while you chew, love." Lana reminded him, taking a short moment away from the phone and then went right back into the conversation.

Something about a signing. Or at least that's what Johnny understood. His attention was set on the television screen in the family room that was right in his view from the kitchen.

When Lana hung up to phone she sat at the table across from Johnny and released a heavy sigh. "I swear if I knew Joan Weathers would be this difficult to deal with I would have never agreed to that appearance." She mostly commented to herself. She then glanced over at Johnny who continued to stuff food in his face.

"A growing boy, aren't you?"

Johnny's eyes met hers. He swallowed the food in his mouth and his cheeks blushed. "I never had these before." He looked down at his plate.

Lana felt guilty again. "Well, you can have them whenever you want."

"Even for dinner?" He perked up.

Lana smiled, "Even for dinner."

Johnny grinned from ear to ear, "You're the coolest, Mom." And continued to eat.

Lana's smile slowly faded. If only he knew the truth of it all.

.

Johnny seemed to be settling in well in his new school. The first days went by without any incident. He seemed pretty reluctant at first; nervous that everyone would know he was an orphan. However, he no longer was. He was a new face to the entire student population and none of them knew where he came from, only that he was there now.

There were some things he had to get used to like his new uniform. On the first day he struggled with his tie.

"I can't do it." He grumbled in front of the mirror by his closet.

"Here, let me help." Lana grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around so he was facing her.

"This is dumb. Why do I have to wear a tie?"

Lana kept her eyes on her task, "It's part of the uniform."

"But why?" He questioned, "My old school didn't need uniforms."

"Well, this one does." Lana managed to fix his tie properly and stepped back looking at his uniform. Khaki pants, white button up, Navy coat, a maroon striped tie and brown loafers. He looked quite handsome, even with that disgruntled expression upon his face. "There, you look great."

"How did you do that?"

"My mother taught me how." Lana answered.

"Why? Girls don't have to wear ties." He faced the mirror to look at himself.

"Yes, well, she thought I should know in case I ever married." She placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Did you?"

"No." Lana forced a smile, "But it came in handy anyway because now I have a son—" She turned him around and tapped his nose, "I can teach. Now hurry up and gather your things."

.

"Why didn't you marry anyone?" the question came abruptly in the car on the drive to his new school.

Lana was stumped. She was sure he had asked her that before when he first arrived.

"I told you, remember? The person I loved…passed away."

"Well, I mean, after…you didn't meet anyone else?"

"No." Lana kept her eyes on the road.

"Why?" His curious began to peak through.

Lana drove the car around the corner to Johnny's school. "I just never really tried." She parked the car on the side of the street. Children dressed in uniforms covered the grounds, holding books and carrying satchels.

Johnny glanced out the window to see his new school. He was already dreading the rest of the day.

"Johnny?" Lana caught his attention, bringing his eyes back to her. She smiled at him, "I promise you that one day it'll all make sense. Okay?"

He nodded, "Okay."

.

Johnny awoke again that night from nightmares of nuns and rulers. He reached over to the nightstand and turned on the light. He sighed when he saw he was still in his room. It was then he heard soft music coming from down the hall. He stood from his bed and followed it.

Lana was still wide-awake in her room, pacing back and forth whilst she gathered her things for the following day. She had Billie Holiday playing on the record player on a soft volume as to not wake up the boy. The song playing reminded her of Wendy.

"All of me. Why not take all of me? Can't you see, I'm no good without you—"

Lana sat at the edge of her bed and landed her soft gaze upon the photograph of Wendy that sat on her nightstand.

"Take my lips. I want to lose them. Take my arms. I'll never use them."

Lana took the portrait into her hands. She gazed upon the face she no longer woke up to every morning. The pain was just as fresh as it had been that day down in the basement when Lana discovered Wendy's frozen body next to her.

"Your goodbye. Left me with eyes that cry. How can I go on dear without you?"

Lana felt the old hatred make its way once again through her veins. "If only you had just held on…" She spoke softly to the frame. Her eyes swelled with tears that she tried her hardest to fight back. One slipped and she brushed it away just like all the rest.

"Mom?"

Lana heard his voice and quickly looked to the door where Johnny stood. He had a worried look upon his face.

"Johnny." She placed the portrait back on the nightstand, "What are you doing up? Another nightmare?"

Johnny didn't want to admit it but he nodded.

Lana patted the spot on the bed next to her. "C'mere."

Johnny entered the room and sat on the bed next to Lana.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered, smiling for him.

"Why were you crying?" He glanced over at the frame.

"I was just remembering."

"Remembering what?"

"Just things from a very long time ago."

Johnny looked at the picture again. Seeing a woman in such a provocative pose made him blush a little. "Who is that?"

Lana cleared her throat, fighting back the lump. She glanced at the photo. After all, she had promised to be honest with him. "That was Wendy. Wendy Peyser."

Johnny tilted his head slightly, "Was?"

"She died back in 1964."

"Oh." Johnny looked at the woman in the frame again. It was such a strange feeling to know she had died. At least to him it was. He didn't know her but death was still such a strange concept to him. "Was she your friend?"

Lana exhaled, "She was the love of my life."

Johnny frowned lightly, a bit confused, "You loved a woman?" His voice grew a little high pitched in surprise.

Lana laughed lightly at his reaction, "Yes, Johnny. I did."

Johnny nodded. "So that's why you never married her?"

Lana nodded and then studied his calm expression. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

He met her gaze. "That you like girls? No. Why would it?" He almost seemed confused about it. As if it had always been something he knew or was perceived as normal.

"Well, because society still doesn't accept people like me."

"Society's stupid." He practically snorted at the fact. "That doesn't bother me."

Lana couldn't help to smile. Of course it didn't bother him. He was still too young to fully understand and besides, she could do no wrong in his eyes. But one day, that was going to change.

"D—did uh, did my dad know you liked girls?"

Lana hesitated but nodded silently.

He then paused, his brows pulled together in deep thought and realization. "Wait. If you like girls then how come—?"

Lana cleared her throat again. "It's getting pretty late and you have class tomorrow."

Johnny tilted his head back and groaned, "How come you never want to talk about him?"

"Johnny—" She didn't really know what to say.

"No." He remained firm, "I want to know about him. Please."

Lana sat back down, staring back at his gaze. "Do you really want to know?"

Deep down Johnny was nervous to know more about the man that was his biological father. What if he didn't like what he heard? What if he wasn't the great man he always thought him to be? Still. Johnny was as stubborn as the woman that brought him into the world.

"Yeah."