The room was illuminated by a flash of light and as the building shook, two green eyes poked out from under the covers. Kory cursed at the sudden storm that Bludhaven was experiencing and tried to remain calm as she counted to three.
No matter how long she's been on Earth and how many thunderstorms she's experienced, each one still made her body shake in fear.
Tamaran has storms like this but only during the season and since Kory left Tamaran at such a young age, she never got to experience the weather. She still remembers her first encounter with a thunderstorm and how a boy with spiky hair almost lost it when she made a trip to his room and requested to sleep next to him.
Being only friends at the time, he allowed her to sleep in his bed while he slept on the floor next to her.
Things changed when they became a couple and their physical relationship progressed. He would hold her all night and she'd place her face in the crook of his neck as he helped calm her down.
It's the reason why she married him.
Well, one of the reasons.
The other reason being she loves him more than anything in the entire galaxy.
The clap of thunder had her shake in her spot and cover her head with the blanket.
"It's just a storm" she said to herself. "It's just a storm."
"Mommy!"
Kory's eyes snapped back open and she climbed out from under the covers.
Her other love.
"Mommy!" she heard again. "Mommy! Mommy!"
Kory ran over to her daughter's room and opened the door to see her toddler crying under the covers.
The sight broke Kory's heart.
She hated seeing her daughter cry.
"Mar'i!" she exclaimed and the toddler crawled to her.
Kory lifted her baby up and quickly ran back to her room to hide under the covers. She cuddled her daughter into her side and checked her to see if anything was wrong.
"Sweetie?" she asked.
"Mommy I scare!" she cried. "I no like this."
Another flash of lightening and another clap of thunder.
This time it seemed to be getting closer and much louder.
Mar'i's started to cry again and Kory placed the side of her baby's head into her chest as she rubbed her back in circles in an attempt to calm her down.
"Shh" she whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Where daddy?" she mumbled.
Tonight he's not here to hold them.
He's on a three day mission with other League members.
Mar'i squeezed her mother tightly. "Want daddy!" she cried.
"I know baby" her mother whispered. "Me too."
The clap of thunder that came next brought Kory to tears. She fought so hard to stay strong in front of her daughter but even a mother can be afraid of something like a thunderstorm.
The knob on the door rattled and four scared green eyes looked over to the bedroom door creaking open.
A figure, wet, and cold stepped through.
"Daddy!"
"Richard!"
They both jumped out of bed to tackle him to the ground.
"Oh what a greeting!" he laughed.
"Daddy!" Mar'i exclaimed in happiness and wrapped her arms around his neck, never letting go. "Daddy I scare!"
He placed a protective arm around his daughter and kissed her on the forehead. "I know baby. Daddy is here though. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He looked over at his wife and winked at her. "Miss me?"
She laughed before grabbing his arm. "Shut up and cuddle with us."
Several minutes later and he had his favorite girls sleeping next to him. Mar'i fell asleep the minute her head touched the pillow and he noticed Kory was still awake, her arm over her daughter.
He took her hand and clasped it with his before giving her fingers a kiss.
"I missed you" she whispered.
The thunder clapped and Kory snuggled closer to her husband.
"I've missed you too" he whispered back. "And I've always promised you I'd be there for every storm."
"You cannot be there for every storm" she told him.
"But you know I'll always try" he said. "Luckily, we finished up early and we were able to come home. One look at Bludhaven weather and I raced back here for you both."
"You're amazing" she said drowsily.
He let out a chuckle. "You're amazing for giving me a family."
He heard her tiny snores and smiled at his sleeping wife before getting comfortable and wrapping his arm around them both.
