Six weeks passed since the whole incident with Lilian shooting both Lena and Robert. Things were going relatively easily with all of them, but there was a tension building between both Lena and Robert. Lena was going about her daily business, but Robert was being cold with her and she had no idea why.
Lori was sat eating her breakfast one morning, be it, rather uncomfortably. Lena and her husband were staring at each other from across the table. Rob was filling out forms, while Lena was keeping an eye on Lori.
The last few nights, Lori was having nightmares of what happened weeks prior, and Lena guessed it was just her trauma being delayed.
"Lori honey, why don't you go and get dressed? I'll take you to school." Lena said softly after a sharp inhale.
"No you won't." Robert snapped at her, "I will."
Lena frowned at him. Lori looked between the two of them, feeling ever uncomfortable.
"Go on." Lena said after a moment. She kept her voice soft, knowing that she didn't want her daughter feeling more scared than what she already was with everything that had gone on.
Lori got off of her chair and walked to her bedroom in silence.
"What is wrong with you?!" Lena hissed at Robert, "You've been snappy for the past few weeks and it's getting old now. Lori doesn't need you like this, especially after everything that has happened. She almost lost the both of us and all she wants is for the family to be perfect. Come to think about it, she has only started having bad dreams since we have been cold with each other."
"Maybe she needs to learn that family isn't always perfect." Robert shrugged, packing his bag.
Lena scoffed, "I have had just about enough of this. You and I don't even have sex anymore." She then went silent for a moment, "Are you seeing someone behind my back?" She hissed.
Robert only laughed, "Only you would be that paranoid."
"Well are you?"
"You know how loyal I am to wedding vows! You know how strict I am with these sorts of things, and you on the other hand-" He stopped mid-sentence.
"Me, what? Robert if you have something to say-"
"You kissed her!" He snapped, "I heard everything and saw everything." He hissed, "I thought you loved me and yet I watched you kiss her! I know who you really love!"
Lena was taken aback, "Robert-"
"I don't want to talk about it. We can move on from it, but the fact that you had the audacity to go behind my back- I'm trying to get past this, but everytime I look at you, I see your lips on hers. I made a promise to you the day we got married and I thought that you were better than your name!" He snapped, just as Lori came out of her bedroom, "We'll talk about this later." He hissed.
Robert then smiled at Lori, "Hey sweetie, are you coming?"
"Are you and mom okay?" Lori asked nervously.
"Just a small disagreement that's all." He said softly, "How about we stop at the shop on the way to school and we get some chocolate or something like that?"
Lori nodded slowly, "Okay." She walked to the door and picked up her school bag, before returning to Lena. She gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and a hug, "I love you mom."
"I love you too. Have a good day." Lena said to her, using a soft voice. She held on to her daughter a little tighter than what she normally does, but the truth is, she is terrified of losing her.
Robert looked at Lena as Lori walked out of the door, "We'll talk later." With that, the door closed and Lena was left alone.
Her legs trembled beneath her. Lena pulled out a chair and sat down. She couldn't believe that she got caught. She really was sorry, and somehow she had to prove it. She had to get her husband's trust back, and that was going to be hard.
"I'm really sorry about me and your mom." Robert said to Lori in the car on the way to school, "But this happens, but we will get through it. I promise."
"I know these things happen dad. I'm not ten anymore." Lori sighed, "I just want you and mom to treat me like I'm grown up because I'm not a kid anymore. I want to know who my real father is and surely mom would know, I mean, I wasn't just an accident."
Robert sighed, and turned down the radio, "Life is complicated and believe me, you don't want to grow up too soon." He laughed softly, "Aren't you okay with me being your dad?"
Lori felt like she had offended him. She lifted her glasses on her nose, "I love the fact that you are my dad, don't get me wrong. There is just a part of me that wishes I knew the truth."
"Well, there are times when the truth is hidden for a reason and I'm sure your mom is keeping her secret for a reason-"
"To keep me safe?" Lori asked.
"Exactly." Robert said, changing the gear on the car, before pulling to the side of the road, "Here we are."
Lori kissed Robert's cheek, "Thank you for the lift." She then hesitated, "Can you and mom try and work it out? I know it's grown-up stuff, but you'll figure it out."
"We will." He assured her, taking her hand, "Have a good day, won't you?"
Lori nodded slowly, "I will."
"Hey, don't worry about us. We'll figure it out." He said to her.
"I love you dad." Lori said softly, before grabbing her bag out of the car. Little did she know that this would be the last time that she would see her father alive.
As Robert's car reached a junction, it was hit by a cargo truck with huge force. Lori witnessed the entire thing. Dropping her bag, she ran all the way down the road, not caring how fast she was on her feet. She collapsed to her knees once she got about 10 feet near the wreckage. She caught sight of her father before, the car erupted in flames in a huge explosion.
"DAD!" Lori screamed as her school friends pulled her away.
Lucy Lane was doing a talk at the school, and she got out of her car and ran over to comfort the young girl. It wasn't until she ran over and properly looked at the girl, a girl that she had never met, that she knew exactly who her mother was. Those eyes, the hair, the glasses. She was a spitting image of Kara.
Lane was also aware that Lena practically adopted the young girl, and she knew exactly who she needed to call. But first, she needed to get Lori to calm down.
"Okay, I've got you." Lucy said calmly, wrapping her arm around the girl, "Lori, right? I'm a friend of your mom's, okay?" Lucy asked, trying so be as delicate as possible, "I need to get you off of the road, and inside. Can you do that for me?"
"My dad." Lori gasped, choking on tears, "He's gone."
Lucy looked up at the fire ball in the middle of the road, and knew, she just knew that all of this was set up. The inferno reflected on the glass of Lori's glasses, while tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Come on." Lucy urged her, trying to get Lori to at least stand up. She couldn't imagine what the young girl was feeling right now, and just as she looked up in the sky, she saw Supergirl briefly hovering.
She knew that Kara had been listening to Lori very briefly, and the hurt on Kara's face was evident. Or was it guilt? Lucy couldn't quite place it.
Kara walked over to the inferno and used her ice breath to put the blaze out. Her hands dropped from her hips, and she looked resigned.
The hero approached Lori slowly, "Lori-" She began.
Lori suddenly found strength in her legs and she backed away from Kara, "You claim to be a hero and yet you couldn't even safe my dad! You were too slow!" Lori screamed at her, "Like you almost were to save mom!" She glared at her, before hissing, "Some hero you are." The young girl then walked off, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Kara glanced at Lucy, "Thank you, for looking after her."
"You know, she's right. When it comes to everyone else you are super fast to the rescue, but when it's her…It's like you slow down. She feels as though she doesn't matter…That she is inadequate, and that even Supergirl doesn't care. I've only been with her for two minutes, this is the first time I have met her." Lucy said to her, "Kara, it doesn't matter where she comes from. She just wants to be loved."
Kara frowned, "Lucy, how do you-"
Lucy shrugged, "Why else would you give your child away?" With that, she walked off, to go after Lori.
Kara swallowed hard, looking back at the wreckage. She then launched herself into the sky. She soared as high as she could go at a high speed. She wanted to cry.
She needed to cry.
Three Years Ago.
Lena walked in with Robert after a night out. They were kissing, and holding each other as if their lives depended on it. Lena chuckled as Robert held her back against the wall, kissing her tentatively.
They almost dropped each other when Lori walked in.
Lena was startled, "Lori! I thought you were at a sleepover?"
Lori shrugged, "I missed home, so I came back." The youngster then frowned, "Who is he?"
Robert cleared his throat, nervously rubbing his neck.
"Oh-This, this is my date, Robert." Lena stuttered.
"I've heard a lot about you." Lori smiled as she walked over. She held out a hand to him, "I'm Lori."
Robert glanced at Lena, who only smiled at him. The man shook Lori's hand, "It's very nice to meet you."
Lori stared at his stubble, "You need to shave."
"Lori!" Lena gasped, "I'm sorry, she just has this weird thing about guys with stubble."
"Have you dated many guys?" Robert asked, lightly chuckling, "That is none of my business by the way. But she is right, I need a shave, because if I'm honest, I'm not a massive fan of stubble either."
Lori rushed to the bathroom and brought out a razor, "Here! I have this for you!"
Lena hid her head in her palm, embarrassed.
Robert just found Lori endearing, "Thank you." He plucked the razor from her hand, "I guess I should go and shave now." He kissed Lena's cheek, "So where is the bathroom?"
Lori grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bathroom, "Here you go! Have a nice shave!"
"Thanks." Robert laughed, before shaking his head after Lori shut the door.
As Lena was pouring a glass of wine, Lori sat at the counter, "He's cool. You should marry him."
Lena spat her wine back into her glass, "I'm sorry?"
"Well, I can tell that you two are made for each other…He is like…McDreamy." Lori said softly.
"And you need to cut down on how much Grey's you watch." Lena chuckled.
"Ooh!" The girl gasped, "I did some cooking while you were out."
"You-" Lena began as Lori walked over to the fridge and pulled out three puddings.
Three chocolate fondant cakes.
Lena stared at them, "Are you sure you didn't go to the store and buy these?"
Lori scowled heavily, clearly offended.
"O…kay, so you really did do these." Lena replied quickly, "Don't they need warming up?"
Lori grabbed one plate at a time, putting them in the microwave.
"So how did you learn to make these?"
"Food class." Lori said pointedly, "My teacher says that I could be a chef one day, but I don't want to be a chef."
Lena was proud of what her daughter was achieving, she just wished that she would get better at her maths and science. She was a slow learner. It wasn't as though she wasn't trying, but she truly was.
Robert appeared again, coming into the kitchen, "Who's cooking?"
Lori's eyes lit up, "You look lots better." She said honestly. "And I made chcocolate fondant cakes from scratch!"
"Really?" He said, staring at the one that was yet to be warmed up.
Lori scowled once again.
"So, you made these?" He asked.
"Why is it so hard to believe that a ten year old can make amazing food?" Lori asked, offended.
"It's just very rare honey, and we are jealous because you know how mommy's cooking turns out."
Lori scrunched up her nose, "I don't trust your omelettes. You're too careful with them."
After the puddings were ready, Lori doused them in custard and passed them over. What a delightful treat they were.