Disclaimer: I don't own AHS.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry it took forever to update. Please enjoy.

THE GREAT GOLDEN CHILD

CH 21- Landslide

Once again Lana drove down the road to Salem. Kit's words had rung in her mind all night. Lana's heart dropped when he spoke Lux's name in urgency as if something had happened to the child, her child. Lana packed her bag and drove up to Salem. The sun had risen just as she reached the Welcome sign. However, this time she didn't stop. She kept on driving.

Kit was in the kitchen making coffee. He had been up all night impatiently waiting Lana's arrival. Jude had come home late for Timothy insisted they go out for dessert and a stroll through town after dinner. By the time Jude came for Lux she was already fast asleep in Julia's bed. Not wanting to wake her, Jude returned home without her.

Kit checked on the children. Thomas was fast as sleep on his bed. His covers were pushed off and his hand and foot hung off the bed. Kit walked in to his son's room and put the covers over him. He smiled softly at his son and exited the room.

Kit stopped in the doorway of Julia's room. Julia and Lux were snuggled close together on the bed. Lux had her arm around Julia's stomach, her head rested against hers as they snuggled together. Both girls' sleeping faces faced Kit. A sad smile brushed his lips. He felt guilty for he would soon abrupt the peace they were so accustomed to but it had to be done.

Lana had to know Lux was her daughter but the question remained: did Lux have to know that Lana was her real mother? That, Kit knew, was not his decision to make. That truth rested with Jude and Lana to decide. Kit only hoped that the children were not harmed in the midst of the war he was about to unearth.

It was then Kit heard the sound of a car pulling up in front of the cottage. He took in a deep breath and tore his gaze from the sleeping girls, closing the door quietly behind him.

Kit stepped out of the cottage. Lana had parked the car in front on the side of the road. She stood in front of the passenger door patiently waiting for him. Kit could tell right away that this was not a happy visit and it wasn't going to stay like that either. There was a storm coming, he could feel it.

Kit stepped down the porch steps and greeted Lana. Lana stood off the passenger door and faced Kit. "Kit what happened? Is she okay?" She asked referring to Lux.

"Lana." He paused, "Lux is fine. Don't worry."

Lana sighed in relief and let Kit pull her in to an embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked in almost a whisper.

"Tell ya what?"

"Why didn't you tell me she was my daughter?"

Kit slowly pulled away. Shock was written across his face. He looked at Lana; she looked so broken. "Ya-ya knew? How?"

Lana wiped away her tears. "Jones." She answered, "I received the package as soon as I got home." Her brown eyes darted at him with accusation. "You knew, didn't you?"

Kit kept his eyes on hers. "Lana, listen to me-"

Lana suppressed back a cry. "You knew and you didn't tell me!" She pushed Kit. "You got to be fucking kidding me, Kit! You knew how much I wanted to find her."

"Lana." Kit spoke calmly in means to calm her, "Trust me when I tell ya that I didn't know at first. I didn't know until ya came to visit."

Lana backed away from his grasp as she tried to collect herself not wanting him to see her break down.

"I never knew she was yer daughter and I didn't suspect a thing until I saw the two of ya together." He stopped and looked at Lana, "I thought I was crazy for thinkin' it. I didn't wanna tell ya and be wrong. Please, ya gotta believe me."

Lana remained quiet trying to make sense of things.

Kit sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell ya soon enough but I- I just couldn't keep this secret anymore. Ya needed to know. That's why I called ya over…"

Lana thought things through. She knew Kit would never keep such a thing to himself on his own accord. Of course it had been Jude who had sworn him to secrecy. And there he stood: ashamed and filled with regret for not telling her sooner. Kit was loyal to Lana but he was also loyal to Jude and that was something both women knew very well.

Lana was livid, she was furious that such a thing had been kept from her when they knew how much she wanted to find her daughter and there she was under her nose the entire time. But Lana had been foolish too. She had not seen the similarities or had put two and two together like Kit had. Perhaps it had been denial on her part but Lana should have seen it. She should have known. It was so obvious.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell ya sooner…" Kit bowed his head ashamed.

Lana sighed in defeat. "Kit-"

"Lana?"

Kit and Lana both turned at the sound of her voice and looked to see little Lux standing on the porch in her pajamas.

"Lux." The name escaped Lana's lips in a whisper as she took a step forth.

"Lana!" Lux cried excitedly as she hurried down the porch and across the lawn.

Lana knelt down opening her arms as Lux crashed in to her embrace. Lana instantly collected her and held her tight. She finally had her safe and sound in her arms. After all that time she had finally found her daughter and Lana knew that she never wanted to let her go.

Lux pulled away to look at her. "Ya came back."

"Of course I did." Lana smiled forcing herself not to cry at the mere sight of the girl. She lifted her hand caressing Lux's soft cheek. It was almost like seeing her for the very first time. "I said I would, didn't I?"

Lux buried herself back in Lana's arms. "I missed ya."

Lana hugged her tighter. "I missed you too, my Lux."

"Oh!" Lux said pulling away again, "I've been waiting to finish the book!"

"Is that so, my pretty girl?" Tears overflowed Lana's eyes as she couldn't contain her overwhelming happiness.

"So." Lux smiled. She then tilted her head with a light frown. "Why are ya cryin'?" She looked from Lana to Kit who stood there with a stone serious face. Lux grew even more confused and looked back to Lana.

"Nothing." Lana quickly wiped away the overflowing tears, "I'm just happy to see you is all." She stood back up to her feet and picked Lux up in to her arms. "So very happy." She placed her hand behind Lux's head, bringing her closer.

…

Lana sat at the breakfast table with the children as they ate away their breakfast. Lana watched Lux eat with soft, adoring eyes. She marveled over the girl's precious features quite proud of herself for giving birth to such a beautiful child despite who her father was.

However, the remaining question lingered: what was she going to do with Lux? Was she going to tell her? No, she didn't want to confuse the child and explaining why she gave her up would be too cruel for words. Lux deserved better than that ugly truth.

Kit watched Lana nervously. He didn't know if she was going to tell Lux or not but he knew that once Lana and Jude saw each other all hell was going to break loose and he didn't want the children to witness it. He really feared on how Lana was going to face Jude. But one thing he did know was that if Lux got mixed in the middle of things he was going to be there to support her. After all, the children were his main priority.

Lux went on telling Lana all the things that she had done while she was gone. She told her how she practiced reading the first page of A Secret Garden and how she discovered a nest of baby birds in the tree by her bedroom window. Julia and Thomas also jumped in on the conversation adding their own little adventures.

"Uncle Kit?" Lux asked looking up from her bowl of fruit. "Where is my Mama?"

Kit's eyes instantly went to Lana. He quickly cleared his throat and stood up straight. "She's at home, Luxie but she'll be here soon."

Lux nodded.

"Speaking of Jude." Lana said as she brushed a lock of Lux's hair behind her ear and stood to her feet, "I think I should pay her a visit." Her eyes looked to Kit's, "We have a lot of catching up to do."

…

Jude had slept in. She wasn't used to staying up so late out on the town but Timothy had insisted. Jude felt guilty leaving Kit alone with the children for so long but Timothy was persistent and wouldn't take no for an answer. He talked on and on the entire not about anything and nothing at the same time but not once did he touch the subject of the church. Jude truly worried about his state of mind.

Jude then remembered that she had left Kit to handle the children on his own for too long and threw the thought of Timothy to the back of her mind. She fixed the lace on her dress and headed to the door. Jude stopped immediately when she stepped on to the porch and saw Lux standing there holding Lana's hand. Kit stood behind Lana avoiding Jude's eyes. Jude looked from Kit to Lana. The look on her face told Jude everything: Lana knew about Lux.

"Ms. Winters," Jude said trying not to sound nervous as she stepped down the porch, "We weren't expectin' ya back so soon."

"Well," Lana began, "I had a good reason to come back." She wrapped an arm around Lux's shoulder. Jude saw this and a look of utter fear and panic crossed her eyes.

"I think we need to talk."

"I think we do." Lana agreed.

"Kit." Jude looked to Kit.

Kit responded almost immediately. "C'mon kids, why don't we go to town. Daddy needs to run some errands. Come along Luxie."

Lux looked to jude for permission. Jude smiled at her, "Go on, Goose. I'll catch up with ya later."

Lux was a bit reluctant to go but she let go of Lana's hand and hurried to Kit's side, obeying her mother's wishes. Kit took Lux's hand and led the children down the road to town. Jude and Lana watched them go until they were out of earshot. Jude stepped aside opening the path for Lana.

"Come on in, Ms. Lana Banana."

Lana said nothing as she took Jude's offer and went inside the cottage. Jude followed closing the door behind her.

The cottage was silent for a moment. Lana wandered across the living room to the fireplace where portraits of Lux growing up sat neatly. There was one portrait of her as a baby. Lana picked it up and studied it her, her back to Jude.

"She was so small, wasn't she?" Lana asked breaking the silence.

Jude crossed her arms. "She was." She answered casually as she lifted her chin slightly, "Still is."

"When did she outgrow her allergy to formula?" Lana asked in the same calm and collected manor.

Jude froze at her question. When Lana turned around to meet Jude's gaze she could instantly see that she struck a cord. A very delicate cord for that was something not even Kit knew about Lux.

"Where are you getting at, Ms. Winters?" Jude's voice was almost a whisper too afraid to find out.

Lana glanced down at the portrait once more and then placed it back upon the shelf. "I think you know very well where I'm getting at." Her eyes met Jude and they interlocked.

Jude almost flinched at Lana's words but held her stance. She could instantly tell that Lana was a force to be reckoned with and would not go down easily. After all, she had managed to survive the horrors of Briarcliff with her sanity in tact if only a little bruised. But Lana had paid a much greater price for her involvement but only because Jude had condemned her there in the first place.

"Ya have no right." Jude gritted through her teeth as she shook her head, "Ya have no right to come here after so many years."

"She's my daughter." Lana said strongly.

"No!" Jude snapped, "Ya lost that right when ya dumped her in that horrible place!"

Lana was cut back by Jude's harsh but truthful words. She had seen St. Ursula's herself and she was not proud of what she had done but she never imagined her child would end up in such a horrible place.

"Ya chose yer life, Ms. Winters." Jude continued, "Ya chose a life without her and as far as I'm concerned, ya have no daughter…"

Lana closed her eyes, collecting herself from Jude's hard blows. But she knew that every word coming out of her mouth was true. There was no denying it. Lana had chosen her path when she gave the baby girl up. Remorse came too late.

"I was wrong." Lana said calmly not faltering for a single moment. "Giving her up was a mistake…"

"No." Jude spoke, "It is too late for regrets. What's done is done."

"Don't you think I know that?" Lana snapped, "I have spent a very long time regretting my decision to give her up but I can't turn back time. I know that…" She stopped and looked up at Jude, "I just needed to see her. I needed to know how she was doing."

"Fine without ya, I can tell ya that much." Jude said harshly.

Lana flinched. Her words stung badly.

"Lux suffered a lot, ya know." Jude continued as she looked past Lana to the portraits on the fireplace, "When I explained ta her that she was adopted, she blamed herself. Questioned why ya didn't want her. And the children in her school were so cruel ta her."

Lana followed Jude's eyes, her heart breaking at every single word. She then remembered the incident at the church's playground where she first saw Lux. At first Lana had no idea why she was being bullied but now it all came together. Indeed the children had been so cruel.

"Of course I reminded her that she was better off without ya, that she didn't need ya and ya know what she said?"

"What?" Lana's voice was barely audible but she needed to know how her daughter felt about her and her decision to give her up.

"That she didn't need ya because she has me."

Lux's words slashed an open wound in Lana's heart. She felt her eyes prickle with tears and her knees shake with the weight of it all. It hurt her to know that her own child had suffered from her absence and that even she had admitted that she was better off without her own biological mother. But Lana knew what to expect, she knew what she could be walking into. Still, she had to take that chance.

"And it's the truth, Ms. Winters. I wanted that child when ya didn't. I plucked her from the garbage ya dumped her in and raised her. I gave her the love ya denied her. I looked past the fact that that deranged man helped in her makin'. And why? Because that is what a real mother does."

Lana's eyes instantly locked with Jude's not able to look away. She felt the wound opening wider and wider and the stings of the truth burn hotter against her skin. Jude was right. She hadn't been a good mother. She hadn't been able to look past the girl's conception. She had let the fear and the greed overcome.

Jude knew that every word she spoke was an absolute truth for she had loved Lux despite who her parents were or how she was brought in to the world. She had loved her the very moment she saw her at St. Ursula's because when Jude saw that newborn baby girl laying in that old crib she knew that there was no going back. Lux was meant to be the daughter life had denied her in the beginning.

Jude also knew her late mother had been right. God did answer her prayers; it wasn't the answer Jude had been looking for, it was far better.