Chapter 30 – Christmas Eve Part 2
Lena chuckles at Lori's comment about smelling like her.
"Yes, you do, darling." Lena smiles, lovingly.
Lori, meanwhile, has her own wide smile on her face.
"Come on, why don't I help you get dressed while mommy has her shower, and then I can help you dry your hair properly." Lena says.
"But I did dry it!" Lori pouts, "I dried it with a towel."
Lena chuckles again, and reaches out one of her hands to feel Lori's hair.
"Yes, I can see that." Lena says, "But it's still damp. Let's dry it properly with my hairdryer."
"Okay. But as long as I can have my hair just like yours!" Lori says, cutely.
Lena laughs for a third time.
"You'll have to be more specific, darling. I have worn my hair in multiple different ways." Lena says.
"I want it like when your hair is really straight." Lori clarifies.
"Okay." Lena smiles, "I don't see any problem with that. But that does mean we are going to have to blow dry your hair, and then use my straighter, which I thankfully have brought with me."
"Yes, okay. I want to do that." Lori nods.
"Alright. You get dressed, and then sit on the bed." Lena says, "I'll get my things out to do your hair. But I'm warning you, this is going to take a while. So, if you're not prepared to sit still for probably half an hour, we can't do this."
"I promise to sit still." Lori says.
"Okay then." Lena smiles.
Lori and Lena then both proceed to go about their tasks, with Lori getting dressed into the clothes that Kara has laid out for her, while Lena goes through her bags to get out her hairdryer, straighteners, and some products to put in Lori's hair while straightening it, before and after.
Eventually, Lori sits down on the bed, and Lena goes about her task, and starts to dry the 7-year-old's hair, before moving on to straightening it about 10 minutes later. It is at this point that Kara comes back into the room, and grows a big smile on her face at seeing Lena tending to Lori's hair, and honestly being a bit of a mother towards the young girl. Previously, when Kara was first bonding with Lori, she would have been jealous of Lena having such an interaction with the 7-year-old, but not anymore. Kara knows now, from everything that has happened, including the joking talks with Lena, and the more serious one with Eliza, that she and Lena are meant to be together, and will eventually be married. So, Kara knows that one day Lena will be Lori's other mom, it's just a matter of time.
Kara spends about 5 minutes getting changed, quietly, not wanting to disturb Lena or Lori. The whole time Lori has her back to Kara, as she is sitting on the other side of the bed, and while Kara does talk to Lena and Lori a bit, she keeps the conversation light, not wanting to be a bit of a third wheel. Then, once Kara is dressed, she makes her exit from the bedroom, with a smile on her face, leaving Lena and Lori to it.
About 30 minutes later, Lori comes running down the stairs, joining Eliza and Kara in the living room, with her hair all straight and shiny, just like Lena's.
"Mommy! Look at my hair!" Lori says, excitedly, as she whirls around in front of Kara.
"Ooooo.... It looks nice." Kara smiles, "Just like Lena's."
"Yes. I like Lena's hair." Lori nods.
Kara chuckles.
"I like it too." Kara smiles, before reaching out to Lori, and pulling her onto her lap, "And I like how your hair looks, always."
Lori smiles happily at Kara saying that, with her sitting in the blonde's lap.
"Love you, mommy." Lori says, looking up at Kara, into her eyes.
"I love you too, baby." Kara replies, and places a kiss on one of Lori's cheeks.
"Well, I think your hair looks lovely, Lori." Eliza smiles.
"Thank you, grandma." Lori smiles back.
"Did you make sure to thank Lena for helping you do your hair?" Eliza asks.
"Oooo... No." Lori says, with a look of realisation on her face.
Lori then proceeds to jump off Kara's lap, readying herself to run back upstairs to thank Lena. However, Kara grabs Lori's arm, and prevents the 7-year-old from doing so, because she can hear that Lena has just got into the shower herself.
"Lena's in the shower, baby." Kara says, "You can thank her once she gets down."
"Yes. Okay." Lori nods.
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It is now a few hours later, and currently Kara, Lena and Lori have been spending the last hour and a bit walking around Midvale. Kara has been showing Lena and Lori all the sights of the town, and the places she visited the most growing up, or the places that actually have a lot of meaning to her. Of course, this did include Kara taking Lena and Lori to her favourite diner, which she and Alex went to, regularly, after school. However, they didn't really eat any food in there. Kara just ordered herself a sandwich, as she can eat for days, while Lena and Lori both got a milkshake to drink as they continue to walk around the town.
Right now, Kara, Lena and Lori are walking into a park which is right in the heart of Midvale. Kara actually used to come to this park a lot when she first came to Earth. Kara liked the park because it actually reminded her a bit of a similar place back on Argo, on Krypton, so it made her feel more connected to her family that were gone, while also giving her a bit of solitude to be alone. Of course, in the first weeks and months when Kara first got to earth Eliza, Jeremiah and Alex all kept a strict eye on Kara, wanting to know where she is most of the time. In this regard, Alex was sort of put in charge of making sure to stay with Kara, or know where she is, when they were coming home from school every day. So, when Kara did want to just be alone in the park, she would tell Alex, who then made her promise to be home before either Eliza and Jeremiah got back from work, before letting her be by herself.
In the park, Kara wouldn't sit in any of the main areas or anything, she wanted to get away from all the people. The park itself isn't a busy park or anything, so Kara could have sat on one of the benches in the middle of the park and likely not seen more than 3 or 4 people over an hour's period. However, Kara wanted complete solitude, where no one could see her. So, Kara would venture further into the park, past a few trees, until she eventually came across this flat area in the middle of the park, with a bunch of grass, and a little stream. Everything just felt so quiet and less overwhelming there, it made Kara feel completely at peace. She would then stay there, in her spot, for about an hour, thinking of her family on Krypton, and even mourning them, before leaving and heading back to her new home.
"Kara? Where are we going?" Lena asks, as the three of them are walking off the path of the park, and between some trees. "I didn't exactly put on shoes appropriate for hiking."
"Oh, don't worry. It's not far." Kara says.
Kara, Lena and Lori then continue walk between the trees for a few minutes, before they finally come across Kara's spot in the park. However, it doesn't really look like how Kara remembers it, it looks a lot smaller, and the stream is virtually dried up, and not just because it's winter.
"Wow. It's unusual to have to space like this in between all these trees." Lena comments.
"Uhhh... yeah." Kara says, still processing the fact that she clearly sort-of romanticised this space in her mind.
"What this this place, mommy?" Lori asks, tugging at one of Kara's hands, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Kara looks down at Lori, and sees how the 7-year-old is looking up at her with so much love in her eyes. It is in this moment, that Kara remembers exactly why she wanted to bring Lena and Lori here today. It's not just to show them a place that she has such fond memories of, it is to do something else, and this setting just feels appropriate.
"Come on. Let's sit." Kara says.
"Kara, I'm not sitting on the ground!" Lena says.
Kara rolls her eyes.
"There are some big rocks over there, by the stream.... Or what used to be a stream..... We can sit on them. Just be careful not to slip in the stream.... Not that there is much water in it right now." Kara says.
Kara, Lena and Lori then make their way across the area, where they soon sit on the large rock formation, about 4 feet tall, and 6 feet wide, with it being rounded, almost as if it is multiple large rocks stuck together.
"Okay." Kara says, taking a deep breath, as she looks at Lena and Lori, "So, I wanted to take you both here today, because I wanted to tell you something, Lori. Well.... I guess I want to tell you both something.... because they are connected.... and.... this place means a lot to me.... or.... at least it is special to me."
"How's it special?" Lori asks, as she looks around.
"I uhh..... So.... when I first came here to earth.... my planet had exploded.... and I'd just lost my entire family.... my parents..... who I had grown up with for 13 years of my life..... Then I had also lost my surroundings, and any sense of familiarity." Kara explains.
Lena gives Kara a sympathetic look while the blonde says these things, with Lori just moving slightly closer to Kara.
"Anyway, there were times, after I came here to earth, and started to live with Eliza, Jeremiah and Alex, that I just wanted to be by myself, away from everyone." Kara says, "And I soon made my way to this park, because it sort-of reminded me of some similar places on Argo, which is the city I grew up in. I.... I don't really know why it reminded me of it.... because.... honestly.... my memory of Krypton is a bit of a blur now.... as it's been so long.... I have lived here on Earth for longer than I lived on Krypton..... but I'm rambling now..... Uhhhh... where was I? Right.... I came to this place because it reminded me of Krypton.... and..... I wanted to find a place where people couldn't see me.... and I was just alone.... So, I walked through the trees and found this area.... It felt so nice.... for many reasons.... It was away from everyone.... so I didn't have to risk anyone seeing me, or coming across me and talking to me or anything, and that was what I wanted.... Then at the same time.... it really helped with my super hearing, as it was away from some of the loud noises, that I can even hear in this small town. All I could hear here, is the nature, and the stream, when it actually had water in it, the birds chirping, and the occasional animal walking about the woods. I'd come here, take off my glasses, and just take everything in, thinking about my parents, and mourning their death, and everything I had lost. I guess.... you could say it was my way of sort of recharging... and healing."
"That sounds..... beautiful Kara...." Lena says, being touched that Kara is sharing this information with her, "Thank you for telling us this."
"You're welcome." Kara says.
"What does that have to do with what you want to tell me and Lena?" Lori asks, confused.
"Oh, well..... I guess I just thought this was a good place to tell you something, as it's a place that means a lot to me, and was a place where I mourned my family. So, it would also be a good place where I add to it." Kara says.
Lori now grows another confused look on her face, while Lena grows a smile on hers, knowing what Kara is getting at now.
"So, Lori, I didn't want to tell you, not until I had things underway, but I'm going to adopt...." Kara says.
Before Kara can even finish her sentence, Lori leaps towards Kara, and takes her in for a big hug, bursting into tears. It takes Kara a few moments to realise what is happening, but she soon adjusts, hugs Lori back, and starts to cry herself.
"I love you, mommy." Lori says.
"I love you too, baby. So, so, much." Kara replies, as she hugs Lori tightly.
Lena simply watches on, with a big smile on her face, so happy that she introduced Kara to Lori, and that they are now a little family.
Kara and Lori continue to hug and cry for a few moments, before Kara finally pulls them apart, although only by a few inches, and wipes some of the tears from Lori's face.
"Lena is helping me, with her lawyers, but I have started the process to officially adopt you." Kara says, "I don't really know how long it will take, and I'm sure there is some hurdles that you and I will both have to jump through, but once it's done, you'll officially be Lori Danvers, my legal daughter."
Lori sniffles at Kara saying that, and then rests her head on Kara's chest.
"Love you." Lori says again.
"Love you too." Kara says, again herself, kissing Lori on the top of her head.
Kara then takes in the moment with Lori for a few more minutes, before she finally turns to look at Lena.
"Lena, I did have something to tell you as well." Kara says.
"Oh... yes..." Lena says, hiding her own tears, "You did say something...."
"Yeah." Kara nods, with Lori still resting in her lap, "So, on the adoption form, I have to have a guarantor, someone that will take care of Lori if something happens to me. I want that to be you."
"Wha.... what?" Lena says, shocked.
"I spoke with your lawyers about it, because I know the adoption and foster systems have refused to let you take Lori because of your name and everything, but your lawyers have told me that the same thing wouldn't be a problem for you being put down as a guarantor for Lori." Kara says.
After Kara finishes speaking, Lena remains silent for several moments, having no words right now. Lena really was not expecting this.
"Lena?" Kara eventually says.
"I... sorry." Lena replies, pulling herself out of her own head, "I just..... I presumed that you would put down Alex as a guarantor for Lori... she.... she is your sister... after all."
Kara nods her head.
"You're right. Alex is my sister, and I know if something happened to me, and she took Lori in, she would give her an amazing home, filled with so much love. BUT she wouldn't be you." Kara says, "Alex doesn't have the connection that you and Lori share. The bond you two have is unlike anything I have seen. So, I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather have look after Lori than you."
"I.... wow...." Lena says, being very touched by Kara's words, "Th... thank you."
"Is that a yes?" Kara asks.
"Of course it's a yes!" Lena replies.
Lori now quickly moves from Kara, and takes Lena in for a hug.
"Love you, Lena." Lori says.
"Love you too, darling." Lena replies, now breaking out into her own tears.
For the next few minutes, Kara just looks on at Lena and Lori hugging, with a smile on her face. Kara's hope is that nothing will ever happen to her, and she will be able to see Lori grow up and everything. But Kara is happy that if something does happen to her, which she can't lie is an actual possibility, given her job, that Lori will have a home with someone who is just as connected to her as she is.
"It was a good decision to come here." Kara eventually says, with a smile.
"Yeah, it was." Lena chuckles, still hugging Lori.
"You two are actually the first two people that I have ever brought here." Kara says.
"Really?" Lena says, surprised.
"Well... sort of." Kara says back.
"Sort of?" Lena asks.
"Yeah, like I said, I would come here a lot, just to be by myself after school. I just had to promise Alex that I would be back by the time Jeremiah and Eliza got home from work. However, one day I didn't get back in time, and I was out pretty late." Kara says, "I'd come here, and laid on the grass, taken off my glasses, and fallen asleep. So, Eliza got home from work, saw I wasn't there, and panicked, while also apparently yelling at Alex. Alex, however, just told Eliza she knew where I was, and promised she would go get me, which she did. On that day I woke up to Alex shaking me awake and with her sitting next to me."
"She knew where you were?" Lena asks.
"Yeah. It turns out after a few weeks of me wanting to be alone for a while after school, Alex decided to follow me. At the time I couldn't distinguish Alex's heartbeat from anyone else's, so I didn't know she was nearby. But it turns out she saw me in the park, and then go walking further into this woods, to this area. A few days later, she came back, found this place, and realised this is where I was spending my alone time." Kara explains.
"What did Alex do once she found you?" Lori asks.
"Well, she told me that Eliza was really worried, and had yelled at her a lot. I kind of expected Alex to be mad at me too.... but she wasn't. She just sat next to me, not making a move to get up, and remained silent." Kara says, "I then just had the urge to tell Alex why I came here, and what I was doing. It.... it felt nice to let someone know.... I think.... Alex and I really bonded over that.... Although when we got back home, we were both grounded for 2 weeks, which sucked. But I did bring Alex back here a few times, when she asked if I wanted some company on a few times after school. But.... I technically didn't bring her here like you, because she found it by herself."
"Well, that sounds like a lovely story, Kara." Lena smiles.
"Yeah." Lori nods, with a big smile.
"BUT.... if we stay out here any longer, my ass is going to freeze off, these rocks are cold." Lena says, as she takes Lori off her lap, and then stands up.
Lori giggles.
"You said ass!" Lori smiles.
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It is now a few hours later, and Kara, Lena and Lori have got back to Eliza's house, and Kelly, Esme and Alex have just arrived, and are taking all their things from their car into the house.
"Esme!" Lori says, excitedly, and goes running towards her cousin.
Esme turns around and sees Lori, and goes running towards her too, with the two cousins meeting in the middle of the driveway, and taking each other in for hugs.
Lori and Esme giggle, happily, as they hug one another.
"Merry Christmas." Esme says.
"Merry Christmas." Lori replies, happily.
Lori and Esme continue to hug each other for a few moments, with Kara and Lena soon walking up, each with their own smiles on their faces, happy to see how well Lori and Esme get along with each other.
"Hi, Esme. Did you just get here?" Kara asks, with a smile.
"Aunt Kara!" Esme says, and then takes Kara in for a hug.
"Ohh.... hey little one." Kara smiles, as she hugs Esme back.
"Aunt Lena!" Esme then says, and moves from Kara to Lena, taking the CEO in for a hug now.
Lena chuckles, happily, and hugs Esme back.
"Oh, hey guys." Alex smiles, as she now walks up to Kara, Lena, Esme and Lori.
"Alex!" Lori says, and takes Alex in for a hug.
Kara and Lena both chuckled, amused by all the hugging that is going on now.
"Hey, Lori." Alex smiles, as she hugs her niece back.
"Did you guys just get here?" Kara asks Alex, repeating her question from earlier.
"Yeah." Alex nods, "We arrived like 10 minutes ago. Eliza said you'd gone to take Lena and Lori out around Midvale, to show them the sights?"
"Yeah." Kara nods, "We were actually just coming back from the park I used to go to."
"Oh." Alex says, knowing how much that spot means for Kara.
"Mommy is going to adopt me!" Lori then says, excitedly.
Alex's eyes widen at Lori saying that, being surprised by this information, as while Kara has now told Lena and Eliza about the adoption process, she hasn't told Alex yet.
"Really?" Alex says, surprised.
"Yeah." Kara nods, "I've been working on it with Lena's lawyers for the last week and a bit, and I just told Lori about it, at the park."
"Oh, wow. Well, I'm very for you." Alex smiles.
Kelly now joins the group, walking outside herself, with Lori taking the former therapist in for a hug too.
"Shall we head inside? It's a little cold out here?" Lena suggests.
"Sure." Alex nods.
The group all then make their way inside, where they are joined by Eliza, who has been carrying some of Alex and Kelly's bags upstairs to the room they are going to use.
"Okay, so, girls, I've put your stuff into the bedroom next to mine." Eliza says to Kelly and Alex, "Esme, you will be sharing Alex and Kara's old room with Lori, is that okay?"
"Yes." Esme nods.
"Yeah! We are going to be sharing a room! We can have sleepovers for all of Christmas!" Lori says, excitedly.
Esme simply smiles widely at Lori saying that.
"Okay." Kara smiles, happily, "So, Alex, Kelly, what do you think about going to the fair later? Are you both up for it?"
"Uhhh... yeah." Kelly nods, "Just give us a few hours to relax a little bit. I might even take a shower to freshen up."
"Sure." Kara nods.
"Let's say..... we can leave around 5?" Alex suggests.
"Sounds like a plan." Kara smiles, with another nod of her head.
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