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.*･｡. WAITING FOR SUPERMAN! .*･｡.
SEPTEMBER, 2005
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——

"—but daddy! Why can't you come with us?"

The man smiled down at his daughter fondly. She was the very same — and rather — short nine year old with the bright grin that happened to make his life better, day-by-day. Even after nine years of growing, she hadn't really changed. He had often wondered how he was lucky enough to be blessed with something that made his world so blissful; how he had succeeded in creating something of such beauty and such awe. Then again, her mother had been involved. It was no wonder that the child was so perfect.

Lois was the spitting image of her mother.

"Because, Little Lo—" Matthew Lane chuckled as she pouted at the childhood nickname, one that would never fail in irritating her to no end, "—going to visit Stiles is for you and mommy, this time. I'll go next month,"

A whine passed her lips, "But I want you to go now!"

Lois had never been too much of a brat as a kid, perhaps quite needy as every nine year old tended to be, but whining had only ever occurred rarely. Having had parents that succeeded in raising her well, she had never been given an opportunity to whine about much. She wasn't spoilt, but hardly starved of affection.

            There had never been a reason for her to act like a baby.

She may have only turned nine as little as a month prior, but Lois had seemed to grow up quickly in comparison to other children her age. It had always been like that.

In order to emphasise her point of wanting him to join them on their ventures, to make the trip for three and not two, a deep frown surpassed her pink lips and both arms crossed over her chest. Perhaps he should have blamed himself — due to the very stubborn nature she had inherited from both her parents, Lois was quite good at creasing her brow and stomping her foot. She was not a brat, but she was good at putting on the act if she thought it might work. Her father laughed most times, knowing that it was a forced charade of the children she saw kicking off at school, but he gave her credit where credit was due. Now she truly was acting like a child.

"Stop frowning," he teased gently, allowing his index finger to tap against her button nose, "I'm sorry— but there's work to do here, kiddo."

A heavy sigh exhaled from Lois' lungs, despite the grin that threatened to shine due to her fathers actions. She understood that he had an important job (as much as a child possibly could), though unsure as to what it specifically was, and it meant that the man couldn't always join them in the monthly trips to Beacon Hills. It upset her greatly, though it wasn't necessarily his fault. So she dealt with it, nonetheless.

It didn't mean that she missed him any less while they were gone.

A voice broke the pair from their private conversation, minus the loud voices, the talk of an angel greeting their ears as the familiar woman exited their family home. "Lois, dear, are you ready?"

Lois glanced over at her mother and nodded her head once in response, a content smile finally appearing upon her lips. The thought thought of getting to see Stiles again was a good one. It had seemed like forever since the last time, even if it had been only four weeks, at the most.

The Lane family had known the Stilinski's since roughly the beginning of time — quite literally. Somewhere along the line, several years ago, the two sets of adults had crossed paths during their high school days and remained in close contact, even when they had gone separate ways after college. They had both attended one another's weddings, as well as the births of their children, and they had yet to fail in living out their lives as best friends, even if they had chosen to live in different towns. It was like a family, if not through blood but through heart. Thus, it was like tradition for the Lane's to travel to Beacon and visit the family, and it had been happening since before Lois was actually born. For as long as the short brunette could remember, the road trips had never faltered.

And through this process and natural occurrence of her childhood, was how Lois had wound up with her best — not voluntarily chosen, but still most wonderful — friend: M. Stiles Stilinski.

Honestly, the pair at hand had always been alike. Even at the tender age of nine years, they both held the key to success in their profound sarcasm and self-proclaimed razor sharp wit. The children were known for teasing one another endlessly, bonding over their love for Star Wars and fighting to the death about whether Batman was a worthy superhero, or not — Lois strongly opposed to the matter. She was always in favour of Superman.

Stiles, the hyperactive boy, and herself were terribly close, sharing a sibling-like bond that simply couldn't be broken. Only seeing one another for three days every few weeks had managed to make them closer, if possible. The trips to Beacon were what they anticipated most, they were valued, and Lois couldn't miss one.

"Have you got everything?" Emily Lane pressed on.

Searching through her purse in order to double check the list that was running back and forth through her mind — she was often the over thinker of the family — Emily hummed, "We have snacks in the car, have you got your GameBoy? Colouring book? If you get bored I guess we can always play a game—" she paused for a moment, "Wait, have you gone to the bathroom, yet? I really wanted to try and make it without any service breaks—"

Matthew let out a loud laugh at his wife's fuss and worry, a tendency that was a profound feature of her personality. She had always been one to overthink every situation and scenario.

This was a trait that had not been gifted to their daughter, who had a relatively care free, go with the flow, attitude. A very stark contrast to what would have been expected, considering how she resembled her mother in almost every other aspect.

"Em, it's going to be fine." The man reassured as he pulled her into him, "You have everything, Lois went to the bathroom a minute ago, and do you really think I'd let her go anywhere without that GameBoy?"

Sighing, the woman rolled her eyes playfully, "No, you think it's the gift of life."

"It is the gift of life!"

He took this chance to point a thumb to his little girl, a proud and cheeky grin etched onto his face at her input on the conversation. In that moment, he knew that he really had raised her well. There had to be a trait of his buried in there somewhere. Maybe he had just found it?

"Do you have to plague her mind? Already?" Lois' mother let out a huff, "You've already hooked her on Light Wars!"

It was Matthew's turn to roll his eyes and pat his wife on the head, "Star Wars, dear— Star Wars." She scoffed at him, "Plus that's my job, right? As a parent, I have to start my daughter's life somewhere. Fighting through the Galaxy just happened to be the best place to do it,"

Laughing the same laugh she had always had, Emily shook her head, smiling fondly at the man whom had stolen her heart during their first homecoming dance. It hadn't always been easy for the pair, as nothing ever was; a hectic chain of events that at the time convinced you that you couldn't make it, that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. But really, in the end, love always powered through. That was something they had learnt.

And, it was definitely the truth. Even when your childhood sweetheart started out as a cocky asshole, taunted you endlessly, and happened to be an utterly, loveable dork at heart.

     "We'd better get going," she eventually stated, not wanting to make the long drive without her husband, and turned to face her daughter. She let the man's grip falter slightly, "Come on, let's head off Lois."

Matthew placed a quick kiss to his wife's forehead and mumbled a soft and true I love you before detaching himself fully, and making his way to the little Lois whom stood with a grin, as always. She hadn't gotten her smile from either parents specifically, and for that reason they had liked to believe that her smile was a combination of the two — she had her fathers teeth and her mother's lips, or so they had decided, and it made her incredibly adorable. Even more than she already was.

"Have fun and look after your Mommy for me, Lo." He instructed the girl as he crouched down to her level. "And make sure that you say a big hey to Lil' Stilinski for me, okay?"

Lois nodded in approval. She knew  for certain that Stiles would be incredibly happy for the recognition he got — he loved the attention that he received from her family a little too much, sometimes, and liked to rub it in everyones face.

"I will, daddy!" She assured him, "Don't you worry!"

Matthew smiled lovingly and shook his head, "I know, I wasn't worrying."

Without warning, the short brunette charged forward and wrapped her tiny arms around her father, a sudden pout on her lips. "I'm going to miss you!"

He didn't hesitate to press a kiss to the crown of her head, rubbing his hand along the small of his daughter's back in order to give her some comfort. It was certain that he would be there when she got back, that wasn't a problem, but it didn't mean that he would miss her any less whilst she was gone. Lois was his everything.

The man nodded slowly, "I know, Lo— I know." He then sighed, "I love you, you got that?"

"I got that."

"Good," the blonde man grinned and stood up rather abruptly, lifting little Lois into the air, "Now, let's get your butt into that seat!"

The girl squealed and giggled as he soared her through the air, occasionally pretending to drop her before throwing her up even higher. He often did as such, flying her through their lounge and making battle ship sounds, acting as though she were Han Solo flying the Millennium Falcon. It would probably scare the living daylights out of most children, being twirled at such a large distance from the ground, but for Lois, it was the best game that she had ever played. She wondered if Stiles would ever be big enough to do the same to her, but she wasn't sure. At the moment she was taller than him by a whole inch.

Upon parking his daughter into the chair and fastening her seat belt, Matthew placed another peck to her head of hair. She was smiling up at him, very excited now that she had been thrown around ams hyped up, and he knew her mother would hear about the game for the rest of the journey. He chuckled , "See you soon, Lo."

"Bye daddy," she smiled, throwing her tiny fit in front of her to attain a fist bump. The man complied and ruffled her hair, before stepping back and shutting the car door.

He wandered towards the drivers seat, watching with fixed eyes as his wife prepared herself for the long ride ahead. It wasn't the first time Emily had driven so many miles, especially not to get to the Stilinski household, but he couldn't help but worry about her. He would always worry about her — she was the love of his life, after all, how could he not worry when she was away for so long? What if something happened?

Matthew always worry for his families safety, it was natural.

"Be careful, okay?" The man started his usual lecture, tone full of concern, running a hand through his fringe. "If you get tired, or hungry, remember to pull over and—"

"—and stop at a station," Emily grinned teasingly, "I know the drill, Matt. I'll be fine."

His lip twitched to the side, eyes softening as he took in every feature and each detail of the woman he loved. It wasn't necessary, being that he knew her like the back of his hand, but it was more so a reoccurring habit. At the end of the day, she was the love of his life. Her beauty would always be extraordinary to him and one day, if either of them weren't around, he wanted to be able to remember all of it — to treasure it if he no longer had her by his side. Matthew had to know it all.

"Yeah, I know you will be." He agreed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, enjoying the way that his heart rate quickened as she leant against his chest. Even after all these years, it was the same. The things that she did to him. "I'll miss you,"

"As much as you'll miss Lois?" She poked him in the side as they laughed, "I'll miss you, too."

Matthew sighed happily, "I love you."

"And I love you," his wife smiled sweetly, glancing up at him through her lashes. With a quick peck to his lips and a flutter of their hearts, she left his grip and waved, "See you, Matt."

"See you, Em."

——

"Mommy!" Lois squealed excitedly, pointing towards a car on the other side of the road, "Yellow car! Yellow car!"

Her mother laughed airily and nodded her head, "Damn! You got me."

The girl smiled smugly at her childish win, it having been the fourth yellow car on their journey so far. She couldn't wait to get to the Stilinski's and rub her achievement in Stiles' face. He had only gotten two last time they had spoken about it, meaning that she was sure to win without a doubt — the pair were highly, and undeniably, competitive at just about everything.

"How long is left?" The nine year old girl questioned impatiently. She glanced up to the woman beside her and grinned, practically dancing in her seat, "I want to see Stiles!"

"It's not too long now, sweetie." Emily assured her daughter, fully aware of the short attention span that she — like her father — had always possessed through the years. Lois hated waiting, "You'll see Stiles, soon."

Lois nodded happily, satisfied with the answer she had been given, and peered back out of the window, just about able to see the multiple cars passing by each second. With the short height that she had been cursed with, it made the action harder than it had needed to be but she still managed to see, nonetheless. Even if only her eyebrows were visible from the other side.

The family of usually three people, but currently two, sat in silence for a while, with Lois occasionally babbling about her excitement and joy to see her friend after alleged 'years'. Emily did nothing but smile affectionately at the girl next to her because that was all that she could do — her daughter did nothing but make her smile endlessly. After a while, however, the child grew restless and bored so (of course) the GameBoy was quick to make an entrance. Lois eyed the Nintendo from it's place on the dashboard as she figured out her chances of reaching it without unbuckling her belt. The possibility was unlikely but she was sure that her mother would be mad if she was to remove her seatbelt, so instead, the girl shuffled as close to the edge of her seat as she could and aimlessly threw out an arm.

"Lois, honey, sit back please." Emily chastised, eyes flickering to watch what her daughter was doing and then back to the road.

The short brunette shook her head and continued to struggle, smacking her palm about in hopes of gripping the object that she was reaching for. A groan passed her lips, as she missed it for a third time, and stretched across even further.

"Lois!" Her mother snapped, "I said sit back! I can't see the mirror—"

And just as the GameBoy had brushed her fingertips, all too fast did the headlights blink and the horns scream, foreshadowing what was too happen only moments later.

Before they could process, car that they sat in was knocked off of the road, colliding with multiple objects and toppling over the barriers that were supposed to keep vehicles on their land. Their lives had been put in high jeopardy, snatched into the hands of a twisted game that no one ever wished to play — Lois really didn't want to play, anymore. She had only wanted her GameBoy.

The window to her right had shattered in only seconds, shards of glass crawling into the skin of her temple and cheek, placed that were to be kissed by lips and not pain, though she failed to feel the blood trickling along her skin due to the shock that had already held her paralysed. Her tiny body was thrust around like a rag doll, the familiar crimson liquid now escaping her lips and connecting to the previous trail upon her head. She had no idea as to where the substance was coming from anymore, though she could distinguish the metallic taste within her mouth, a taste she was sure to never forget.

Lois felt like she couldn't breathe.

It was like a panic attack. With an overwhelming and crushing fear in your chest, feeling almost as though it was forcing your lungs up and out of your rib cage all together. Her heart was racing and her mind was blank, yet somehow in overdrive at the very same time. Lois was scared, so terribly scared for her life but she could do nothing.

The child let out a fearful scream at the sound of metal viciously attacking other metal and the groans of the vehicle jumping over rocks. A chorus of screeching tires and terrified shouts of drivers, whose cars fell to an abrupt halt at the scene presented to them, sounded but they were too far away to possibly help them now. It was too late, the car was too far gone and their lives were too out of reach. There was nothing anyone else could do but watch.

It had felt like lightyears before the world had finally come to a stop and the car had stopped in it's tumbling. The sounds of terror had paused and been replaced with the sickening eruption of a car hitting water. Their car had hit water.

A heavy gasp fell from Lois' lips, having heard the impact and splash of the river before she had seen it. The nine year old let out a panicked cry, turning to face the drivers seat through her salty tears.

"Mommy!" The little girl screamed, her entire body shaking in fear and pain, "Mommy! Help!"

But the woman didn't stir at the sound of her child's voice, instead a groan passed her lips as the sensation of cold water tickled at her legs when it began to pool at the peddles by her feat. This time, her mother didn't come running to her side, ready to make everything better. She couldn't.

At the lack of movement and understanding of the situation, Lois sobbed even harder than before, a shrill shriek sounding at the dangerous sight of the liquid death as it it grew closer; it threatened to smother her. Helpless cries echoed throughout the interior of the car, mixing in with and entangling themselves within the sound of gushing water that fell through the lack of a window. It kept pouring and pouring, rising higher as the time they had left ticked away. Lois had never seen so much water.

Another scream, "Mommy— please!"

This time her mother awoke, a numbed pain coursing throughout her veins. Her reactions were slowed and her eyes remained tightly shut, leaving her all but oblivious to their predicament, "Lois?"

The girl paid no attention to the slurred words that the woman produced and remained within her state of fear and trauma, tears never leaving her cheeks, "Mommy!"

It was then that Emily opened her eyes, her heart hurting far more than her limbs at the sound of her daughter and the sobs and tears that wracked her body. It was then that she noticed the endless supply of water that was being pumped into the car, that she realised the fatality of their situation. It was then that she sprung into action.

Not another choice in mind, her hand reached out to grab the door handle but the burning within her bones prevented her from grasping onto it — the pain was unbearable.

     "Open the door, Lois!" She shouted desperately through grit teeth, eyeing the little brunette fearfully, "Open the door, honey!"

The girl spluttered in response, more sobs slipping from the tip of her tongue, breathing raggedly as the water rose to her chin. Her tiny fingers fumbled for the button on her seatbelt, the panic within her soul creating a permanent tremor within her hands. Lois was scared, she was completely and utterly scared.

After a minutes worth of attempts to release the seat belt across her chest, success was in the air as well as another heart-wrenching cry. Her body screamed in detest as she pushed herself towards the car door, her head dipping under the water too-many-times per second. Lois was far too short to even stand a chance at rising to the top of the cars own lake, let alone the fact that she not able to actually swim. Everything about the situation was deadly; the next few minutes were deadly.

Emily choked and gurgled on water as she continued to encourage her daughter, "Open the door— do it, Lo!"

Without another thought, Lois' small fist blindly wrapped itself around the handle. She threw the door open, using the last of her strength and willpower, and with one last cry her body was sucked through the exit and into the navy blue abyss.

The girl wasn't sure how or when, perhaps she had blacked out for a second or two in between, but she found herself rising upwards, her limbs having gone limp.

It felt as though her lungs were bursting at the seams, her heart was racing and her mind spinning. Finding once last ounce of effort, Lois writhed through the water clumsily in attempt to rise to the surface. She knew about swimming, she was fully aware that you had to kick your legs and flap your arms, but it didn't mean that she could quite do it. The girl tried — hell did she try — but she couldn't.

Even in a life and death scenario, her brains natural instinct failed to kick in and the fear overpowered it.

Her mind felt as thought it were exploding, her lips tightly sealed and performing a blockade that could either save or end her life. Lois wanted to live, she wanted to breathe real air but she couldn't. Both now seemed unachievable and unattainable, in her predicament neither was plausible in the slightest. If she breathed in, she would die. If she didn't breathe in, she would die. It was a lose, lose.

But as she thought that all hope was lost, as she was ready to take one last dying breath. As her vision grew dull and her pathetic excuse of a heartbeat fell shallow, Lois' body was lifted out of the water.

And the paralysis of terror devoured her.

From where she wobbled on dry land, their family car was nowhere insight. Her arms and legs could barely move, blood mixed with dirt and water was dragged across her face. Lois was beyond freezing, huddled within the arms of a stranger that desperately continued to question her in hopes of gaining a response, but he didn't. The car was nowhere to be seen and neither was the person she had arrived with.

     The only response that the man got was the shattering scream of a broken girl, the gaping hole in her heart due to the loss of one person.

The loss of her mother.

——
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