a hopeless romantic | r.s

Chapter Twelve

Brace yourselves. That's all I can say.

"I don't know what ta do," Lane complained, sprawled out on Trek's couch.

A day had passed since Farnsworth had officially fired her. Lane didn't know what she had ever done to the man to receive such treatment for defending herself.

Trek sighed, sitting in the chair across from her. "I... well, I ain't sure, either. Dey shouldn't have fired ya."

"Dey still did." Lane huffed, shaking her head. "I can't believe it. These rumours is ruinin' me life."

"I'd do anythin' ta help if I could," Trek told her. "I know nothin' really makes sense right now, but..."

They both knew he had no end to that sentence.

"Why is everythin' so focused around me?" Lane demanded. "I jus don't get it!"

"What did ya even do ta have all dis happen in tha foist place?"

"Nothin' new," she replied desperately, throwing up an arm. "It's been like dis since me faddah died, really." Trek was silent at those words, and Lane looked over to see that he was looking down at his clasped hands. "What?"

"Jus thinkin' bout yer faddah, is all," Trek told her, shooting her a closed-lipped grin. "A lot has happened since he left."

"Don't say it like dat," Lane grumbled, putting a hand in front of her eyes. "Don't make it sound like he jus took a bit of a detour, 'n dat he'll be back someday."

Trek was silent once again.

"Ise so tired," Lane told him, turning onto her side to face him. "Things jus keep happenin', 'n Ise jus tired. I wouldn't mind if it all jus ended."

"Hey." Trek frowned, standing up and gesturing for her to move so he could sit. "Don't be sayin' stuff like dat. Yer one 'a tha strongest people I know, maybe even strong-ah den me."

"I could nev-ah be strong-ah den ya," Lane refuted bitterly, leaning on his shoulder. "You or Dad. I wasn't given tha strength tha two 'a ya have."

"Ya got no idea, Lane," Trek said, wrapping an arm around her. "Ya got no idea."

They spent a moment in silence, in which Lane pondered his words. She didn't know what kind of alternate universe he'd been living in for him to think that she could ever be stronger than her own father. So maybe her father hadn't cared for her as much as she thought he had, but she didn't understand how that would ever detract from his strength. Her father had always known what he wanted, and had always known just how to get it.

He'd always been her role model in that way. If he'd never actually been strong, then what did that make her?

"What about yer daught-ah?" Lane questioned.

"I don't think she cares much 'bout strength," Trek replied after a moment. "Or, at least, dat type 'a strength. I think she has her own type, if dat makes sense. She's real good at bein' able ta tell right from wrong, 'n she has strength in always bein' able ta see two sides of an argument. Even I struggle wit dat sometimes."

"She must get it from her muddah," Lane remarked, ignoring the sting of hurt the words left her with. What she wouldn't do to experience the love of a mother again. "Oh, by tha way, I got a pape fa ya from one 'a tha boys when dey wasn't lookin'. I dunno what it was 'bout, but hopefully somethin' good. On tha count-ah ov-ah dere. I said count-ah, Trek. Not table."

"It's nice ta see ya made some friends," Trek told her teasingly, turning away from the table. "I was gettin' worried dat yer only company would be borin' old men."