Abeyance

A few hours later, Valerie was hungry again.
"Mommy..." She looked up at Lights. Lights grinned and kneeled down next to her.
"Sweetie, I'm not your mommy." She smiled.
Valerie frowned, if anything. "But I don't have a mommy or daddy anymore. Can't you be my mommy and he'll be my daddy?"
I looked down at Valerie with a smile when she looked up at me.
"Val, we can't-" I started saying, but Lights said "Of course we can."
Lights looked up at me and mouthed 'just go with it.'
I nodded. Even though I really wasn't this girls father, I felt like it. It was now my responsibility to care for her. Her life was in my hands. It was kind of an unsettling feeling. But I'd love her nonetheless. Lights and I would make it work.
I picked Valerie up, not able to hide the wince from my wounds that time. Lights frowned and rubbed my back.
"So what do you want to eat, kiddo?" I smiled.
"Ice cream!" She grinned. I frowned.
"We can't have ice cream, honey. It's all gone bad by now."
She frowned. "Oh..."
"You know what? I'm going to cook us a real dinner tonight." I smiled at Valerie, then at Lights.
"How?" Lights asked me.
"With rice and soy sauce, and if we're lucky, bread that isn't hard as a rock yet. And a hotel for electricity."
She grinned and kissed my cheek. Soon after that, we approached a market.
"Me and you are going to go inside and get surprises for mommy, how's that sound?"
Lights smiled and stayed outside the store. There were glass windows, I can see her perfectly. And I was still holding Valerie, she was fine. I guarded these girls with my life.
"We need rice, soy sauce, bread and soda."
"What kind of soda?"
"Whatever kind you want. I'm getting a special drink for me and mommy."
I reached over the counter and got a shopping bag. Inside I put a bottle of wine and the soy sauce. I let Valerie find the rest.
We walked up and down every isle, and she pointed out the rice, bread, and soda.
I also figured we'd need utensils. So Valerie and I found plates, forks, knives, spoons, cups and napkins. I also threw a couple candles into the bag. Why not?
While I was at it, I got us some hygiene materials. Soap, shampoo, conditioner, razors toothbrushes, toothpaste, and whatnot.
We were walking out of the store when we passed a rack of children's books.
"Can I get a book, Daddy?" She asked me. I nodded.
"Or course, pick one."
She smiled and picked a Dr. Seuss book. I put it in the bag with our things.
We walked out, and I let Valerie walk again. She stood between Lights and I and held each of our hands.
"So what's in the bag?" Lights asked Valerie.
"Daddy said it's a secret."
Lights smirked at me. "Oh is it?"
I nodded with a grin. "More than one, babe."
She shook her head with a grin.
We had to pass multiple hotels until we found one that still had electricity. One without would be no help, I wouldn't be able to cook. Finding anything with electricity was trouble. When we found one, thankfully the lights were already on. I searched the desk for a skeleton key. That required me breaking into every compartment in the desk, but I found it. And I used it to open us up the nicest room in the building. A suit. Holding Valerie, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
"So this is it."
Lights grinned. "This is lovely, Kellin!"
I set Valerie down, then put the bag on the kitchen table.
I took out the hygiene supplies and handed them to Lights.
"Take a shower, dear. Now I'm not saying you smell..." I chuckled.
"I know what you mean." She grinned and went into the bathroom to shower.
Valerie helped me cook as Lights showered. We had prepared a great fried soy rice dish with bread on the side, with soda to drink for Valerie, and wine for Lights and I.
As Lights stepped out of the shower, I was lighting one of the candles I bought on the table. She stepped out of the bathroom with a bathrobe on. One of those flimsy paper kinds.
"Came with the room?" I asked, referring to the robe. She nodded.
"I want one!" Valerie grinned.
"You can have one, Val. There's more in there."
Valerie smiled.
We all began eating like one big, happy family. It was nice, honestly. I couldn't have asked for a better evening. Hopefully tonight would be even better...
After dinner, Lights and Valerie cleaned up while I took a shower. I showered quick to make sure there was still warm water for Valerie. I didn't want her to have to take a cold bath, what kind of father does that? It was cool that I got one of those towel robe things, too. I wouldn't have to sleep in my dirty clothes. It was bigger. Made for men.
Together, Lights and I gave Valerie a bath. I was pretty sure Valerie really liked us. And I was 100% sure that Lights and I really liked Valerie.
We put the robe on her after her bath. It was way too big obviously, which is what made it so cute. We rolled up the sleeves and tied the bottom so she wouldn't trip.
We walked out of the bathroom, and Valerie yawned.
"I'm tired."
Lights and I both nodded and brought her into one of the two bedrooms in the suit. The smaller one with the full bed verses the king bed.
She climbed into the bed, and Lights and I both tucked her in.
"Can you guys read me the book I got today?"
I grinned and nodded. "I'll go get it."
I left the room to get the book and returned seconds later.
I lay on one side of Valerie, and Lights on the other.
"One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish." I read the tittle with a grin. Lights and I alternated pages until the book was complete and Valerie had fallen asleep.
When she was asleep, Lights kissed her forehead, then I did. Then I kissed Lights, and we silently got off of the bed and walked to the doorway.
"She's a cute kid." I smiled.
Lights nodded. "She is."
She turned off the light switch and slowly and quietly closed the door.
"Should we get to bed, too?" Lights asked.
I shook my head with a smirk. "Not yet..."
"Oh no, what do you have planned..."
I grabbed my bag and pulled her into our bedroom. I closed the door behind us and smirked.
I took out the rest of the candles and set them up on the dresser, then lit them. I took out two more cups and poured wine into them.
"For you." I handed her one.
"Thank you."
We both took a sip of our wine. I put my cup down and wrapped my arms around Lights.
"We're getting somewhere." I smiled.
"I hope so."
I kissed her cheek, which turned into me kissing her lips. We kissed for a while, gentle at first, then heatedly.
So I kept the it like that, and without pulling away, pulled out a packet from the box in the bag and shut the lights.
She pulled away to see what I was doing, and when she saw, she giggled.
"Where'd that come from?"
"Oh, y'know. Just slipped into my bag while you were feeding Valerie in the store..."
She giggled and kissed me again.
"You're cute."
I brought our lips together again and untied her robe, revealing a fully naked Lights.
"My goodness you're beautiful, babe..."
She blushed. "Thank you."
I took this as a time to finally look at her tattoos. My favorite had to be the Wonder Woman on her back.
I climbed on top of her and began kissing her.
"I'm going to make you-" I began to whisper, when the door to our bedroom opened. I jumped off of Lights and covered her with her robe.
"Yes, Val?"
I hurried to the door while Lights put her robe on quickly.
"I had a bad dream." She frowned and wiped the tears from her eyes.
I picked her up.
"What happened?"
"T-the aliens... They took me away, too..."
I frowned and kissed her head.
"They'll never take you away from me. Ever! I promise."
Lights walked over to us and gave us a group hug.
"You're safe here, Val. I promise."
Lights and I both kissed her head.
"Can you tuck me back in?" She asked.
"Of course." Lights smiled. The both of us walked her back to her room and tucked her back into bed. We kissed her head.
"Good night, Valerie."
"Night mom, night dad."
We both grinned and closed the door. Then I smirked and took Lights' hand.
"Where were we...?"
We went back into the bedroom and shut the door behind us.
Valerie slept through the night after that. And needless to say, that night was one of the best of my life.