Don't own AHS.
A/N: Hi, everyone! Sorry it took me a million years to update this fic. Won't lie that all my Walking Dead fics have gotten my attention a little more these past weeks but alas, I haven't forgotten about this fic. Enjoy!
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CH 25- My Family
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1971
Johnny sat on the kitchen floor with a big piece of construction paper before him. The piece of paper had a large tree drawn right in the middle. Johnny had written Lana's name right in the middle of the tree. From her name, he drew a line down and wrote his name. Johnny then stopped and stared at his family tree. It only had two names on it.
He sat up and glanced over at Lana who was sitting on the table looking through bills. She was awfully pensive and wrist deep in concentration. Johnny felt hesitant to disrupt her but asked anyway, "Mommy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm done."
Lana glanced from her work and eyed the little boy a bit skeptically. "All of it?"
"Mhm." He stood and grabbed the construction paper and showed it to Lana. "I don't know mo' names."
Lana looked at his work and read the two names upon it. Once she realized what it was, she saddened. Lana always knew it was just the two of them but seeing it on paper—especially on something Johnny had made himself—it was heartbreaking.
"It's beautiful." She told him trying to fight back the lump in her throat, "Good job, baby."
Johnny smiled brightly pleased that his mother approved.
"Now go put it away."
"Okay!" He said and ran off.
Lana watched him happily run off and asked herself why she never told him about her family. It was just not the right time. Maybe it never would be.
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"I'm home!" Lana's voice called through the hall followed by the sound of the front door closing.
Rachel hid the letter behind her and flashed a smile as Lana walked into the kitchen. When Lana noticed Johnny and Rachel both standing there, looking at her with wide eyes as if they had just been manhandling the cookie jar. Lana raised a brow, "Hi." She said a little skeptically.
"You're home!" Rachel burst into a smile. She secretly handed Johnny the letter as she went up to Lana and kissed her. "How was work?"
"A little boring than usual."
Johnny tucked the letter in his back pocket before Lana noticed, not sure why they were hiding it from her.
"Hi, Mom."
"Hey, Mister. How's the arm?"
"Okay." He shrugged.
Lana kissed his forehead and went to the fridge to pour herself a glass of lemonade. While her back was turned, Johnny gave Rachel the letter and left before Lana could question him. Not to mention the fact that when he saw his mother he couldn't help but to think of the article.
Lana drank her lemonade and eyed Rachel who stood with her hands behind her back. She raised a brow and set the glass down, "What's wrong with you?"
"Me? Nothing. Nothing's wrong." Rachel smiled nervously unsure of what to do. She then sighed and made sure they were alone. "Um, Lana?"
"Yes, dear?" Lana said distracted by the mail Johnny had left on the table.
"Can we talk in your study?"
Lana glanced at her again suddenly concerned. "Sure."
The two women went into Lana's study and Rachel closed the door behind her. "Now will you tell me what's up with you? You didn't flip through that Playboy magazine again did you? You know it always leaves you feeling awkward—"
"Lana, no!" Rachel was flustered, "That was an accident. I—" She cleared her throat, "That's not what this is about."
"What is it then?"
Rachel pulled out the letter from her back pocket and handed it to her. "This came for you."
Lana hesitated before she took the letter. Once she read who it was from she froze and Rachel swore she had never seen such fear in her lover's eyes. Not even when they took Johnny to the hospital when he broke his arm. It was a different form of fear. It was the kind of fear you see in a person's eyes when their past catches up to them.
"W—when did this come?" Lana demanded, her voice wavered.
"Today." Rachel explained calmly, "When Johnny got the mail."
"Did he see it?"
"He asked who it was from. He didn't recognize the name. Lana, what's going on?" Rachel had once stumbled upon a box of old letters in the attic when she was helping Johnny find some old comic books Lana had store up there. It had been a long time ago when she and Lana had begun dating. She had read the name of Margo Porter but didn't think much of it nor had she asked Lana. But that's how she came to remember the name.
Lana didn't speak.
"Lana, who's Margo Porter?"
Lana sighed and leaned against her desk. "She's my sister."
Rachel paused and raised a brow, obviously surprised. "You have a sister? I thought you said—"
"I know what I said. It's just—Rachel, it's complicated."
Rachel stepped back feeling as if she would be dizzy. "Wow, Lana. You're like a Cracker Jack." Lana raised a brow at this not getting the reference, "Filled with a ton of surprises." Rachel finished and Lana huffed not amused even though it was a little amusing. "How come you never told me you had a sister?" Rachel went to stand at her side.
Lana glanced down at the letter, "Because I haven't spoken to her in over seven years." She explained, "I cut her out of my life and I haven't seen her since."
"What do you think she wants?"
"I don't know, honestly. She hasn't tried contacting me since a little after Johnny turned three. I thought she'd forgotten…"
"Well, she obviously hasn't if she's writing to you now."
Lana studied the letter a little more. It amazed her how Margo's handwriting was just the way she remembered it. Almost cursive but not quite. Margo always said cursive writing frustrated her and she would never render to it.
Rachel studied Lana's exterior. She seemed so serious and at the brink of breaking into a million pieces right in front of her. She wasn't sure what to do or say to her. Instead, she placed her hand on Lana's arm and spoke softly, "I'll leave you alone so you could read it if you want." She then leaned in and kissed Lana's temple, "I'll be right outside if you need me."
"Thank you."
Rachel left and closed the door behind her.
Lana continued to stare at the letter too afraid to open it and see what Margo wanted. Lana was tired; she was tired of her past constantly catching up to her. Oliver had been enough but of course her family wasn't as bad as that maniac and Lana wondered if Margo knew of what had happened with Oliver. Of course it had been all over the news. The return of Bloody Face! Lana was sure she hadn't missed it but no one from her family had contacted her. Why now then? Why after so long? Lana didn't know.
Lana frowned at this and rummaged through her drawer until she found a lighter. She flipped it on and hovered the letter over it, ready to let it burn until something stopped her. Right before the flames could touch the envelope, a photograph of Johnny caught Lana's glance. It was a framed photo of Johnny at the tender age of two. He sat in front of a Christmas tree with a toy train before him.
Lana's hands shook and she turned off the flames and lowered her arms. "Oh, Margo…" She whispered, her eyes watering and her heart undoing the seams that took years to stitch.
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Johnny came back down the stairs to find Rachel making dinner. She seemed awfully nervous. "Where's Mom?" He asked.
"In her study." Rachel answered, "It's best if we left her alone for a little bit, okay?"
Johnny nodded and joined Rachel by the stove. "Okay." He glanced at the dinner she was making and then glanced up at her, "Rae, who was that letter from?"
"It's from someone your mom knows from a long time ago." She smiled at him and changed the subject, "Hey, why don't you tell me about that Spider-Man again."
By the time Rachel had dinner made and served, Johnny had told her all about Spider-Man and his origins. Of course Rachel already knew them but she wanted to distract Johnny and she liked to hear him talk about his favorite things. Another subject that kept him going for hours was the thought of who would win in a fight, Spider-Man or Batman. The question really seemed to bother Johnny to the point where his face would go serious with pensive thoughts as he tried to figure it out.
Rachel worried about Lana and decided to give her a break of her tormented thoughts and announce that dinner was ready so she walked over to the study and knocked on the door. "Lana? Dinner's ready…"
"Come in." Was the response she received.
Rachel opened the door and stepped inside, "Hey. Ready to come out?"
Lana sat at her desk, the letter was untouched before her. Lana looked absolutely tormented. Rachel slumped her shoulders, upset at seeing Lana so and went to her, taking her by the arm and dragging her up. "Come on, let's go have dinner and then you can figure out that letter."
Lana sighed, "I'm not hungry."
"The hell you are." Rachel frowned, "Now, go on." She gently pushed her out of the study; "I don't slave over a hot stove for nothing." She said jokingly but in a serious tone that made Lana laugh.
Rachel tried her best to keep things upbeat during dinner. Lana was awfully serious and Johnny was avoiding looking at his mother for whatever reason. However, dinner went rather smoothly even when Johnny excused himself early without eating much and went upstairs to read his comics. Lana helped Rachel wash the dishes and put away the leftovers. After, she and Rachel watched TV in the living room.
All in the Family was on but Lana changed it until she came across old reruns of I Dream of Jeannie and cuddled up with Rachel and a blanket on the sofa, trying to relax. She wrapped an arm around Rachel and let the younger woman melt into her arms. Lana twirled a finger in Rachel's long dirty blonde hair as she did so.
"Do you think Jeannie's pretty?" Rachel asked casually and a little bit lazily.
Lana studied the woman in the black and white television and did a mere shrug, "Yes, she's pretty."
"Is she prettier than Wonder Woman?"
"Hmm. They're both pretty."
"What about Samantha from Bewitched?"
This made Lana tilt her head back and laugh, "Goodness, Baby Doll!"
Rachel sat up slightly, "What? Come on, just answer the question."
"Why do you want to know so bad?"
"I just do." Rachel bit back a smile, "So whose more attractive?"
"You are." Lana said and looked back to the TV.
"Oh, don't give me that."
Lana only laughed, quite amused by Rachel's silly games.
They continued to watch TV well into the night and by the time the clock struck midnight; Lana realized that Rachel was asleep. Lana kissed her head and gently stood as to not wake her. She put the blanket over Rachel and let her stretch out a little. Lana watched her for a short moment, smiling softly at her and then turned and headed in the direction of her study.
The letter had been where Lana had left it. She closed the door behind her gently shut and made her way around her desk and picked up the letter. Lana took in a deep breath and opened it. There was nothing to be afraid of.
And so Lana read the letter.
Dear Lana,
I don't know how many days it has been exactly since I last wrote a letter to you and actually sent it. It's been almost eight years since I saw you and my nephew last and there hasn't gone a day in where I don't think about you.
So much has happened that I've wanted to tell you about. I have a daughter. She's seven years old and her name is Zoey. She's very bright and loves paper airplanes. David is very good as well. His profession is going wonderfully. He misses you and Johnny as I do. I've told Zoey about the both of you and she'd like to meet you some day. You'd love her, Lana. I know you would.
Mother and Daddy are doing well. Daddy's been sick but he's holding on. It still amazes me that you live in the same city as them but haven't seen them either. Mother tells me she hasn't heard a peep and wonders how you are.
We saw you in the news again a few years ago concerning that man. My heart shattered when I found out you had to go through that again and especially that my nephew did too. I tried to contact you but I wasn't sure how. I didn't have your number or your address. You're probably wondering how I got your address this time around. It was totally by accident and too long to explain now. But I'd like to see you, little sister. I miss you and I'm tired of not having you in my life.
I hope to hear from you soon.
With so much love,
Your big sister, Margo.
Lana lowered the letter and closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape but she was weak and they burst, rolling down her cheeks. It really was too much to take in. The fact that Margo still thought about her and the fact that she had a niece she didn't know existed. Of course she knew Margo was going to have a baby. She was pregnant the last time she saw her but Lana didn't know what that baby turned out to be. Now she was a little girl with a name that knew about her aunt and her cousin and wished to meet them. Those facts made her real to Lana and she felt a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach.
When Lana stepped back into the living room, leaving the letter abandoned on her desk. She crawled back onto the sofa with Rachel and made her way into the sleeping woman's arms. Lana rested her cheek on Rachel's chest and breathed in her lovely scent. Her presence alone comforted Lana and calmed the demons that raged inside of her. There were so many things Lana had to set right and she knew Rachel would help her through it all. Nevertheless, Lana had to find the strength within herself to fix her past mistakes.
She then thought about Johnny and the Family Tree he had made when he was about six or so. Now there were three more names he could add to it.
