Chapter Text
Lena gazed at the plastic stars on the roof and hoped for the twelfth time that night, that sleep would take over, but instead, her mind drifted even further from rest. She groaned, tossing and turning, unable to understand how the others were so placidly dreaming. Maybe she was just envious of how easily they could give into slumber, unafraid of stumbling into nightmares, even though their daily activities could leave more than enough impressions for the night terrors to take over. But still, they rarely woke up in a sweat of gasping for air. Unlike her.
So she turned one final time before tossing the covers aside, sitting there in the middle of the darkness. At moments like that she wondered if she was even real, if no one was there to see her, how could she be sure she was not a shadow anymore? She heard a soft groan as Webby turned, as if though she had read her thoughts and was arguing in her defense. Lena chuckled, leave it to Webby to lift her up even when she was asleep.
Lena gently tucked the cover up to Webby's shoulder and quietly left the room, wandering aimlessly through the halls until she caught a glimpse of light coming from the kitchen. She pushed the door finding no other than the previously missing mother of the triplets, who was silently contemplating her reflection in her coffee mug. Lena was half-minded to leave when the door creaked, making sure to announce her presence.
Della looked up from her cup meeting equally exhausted eyes "Oh, hey kid" she smiled offering her best gesture given the unfortunate hour.
"Um, hi" she entered the kitchen moving around with way more familiarity than Della would.
"Couldn't sleep?" the older woman inquired if only to try and have a conversation with the teen.
The others had introduced her of course, but they were rarely in the same room to even get to know each other, let alone talk.
"I can hardly ever" Lena answered, taking the milk carton out of the fridge "you?"
"Same, I guess. I can't seem to keep track of the concept of time"
Lena chuckled dryly, reaching for a glass instead of drinking directly as she usually would, perhaps just for the sake of appearances with Della watching her "I understand the feeling" she nodded, serving herself a tall glass and getting busy with drinking half of it in one go.
Della took the opportunity to really look at the girl, considering what she actually knew about her; not much "Yeah, I heard you got stuck too" she mentioned trying to sound casual, but her words must have struck a nerve as Lena coughed, setting down the glass and putting her act together.
Lena didn't like how the simple mention of the event could still wind her up so badly, but she tried to play it cool. "Nothing as impressive as a decade in space" probably not her finest response as now it was Della's turn to look mortified, pushing her mug away, unable to stand her reflection.
Lena grimaced making a self-note to hit her head against a wall later, but right now she needed to save the situation somehow "I saw when you came back" she mentioned, unable to figure out how that was supposed to make it any better "as a shadow" she added "I held into Webby's, so I partially had a good look at it...before that, I've never seen any of the triplets as happy...they were...glowing when you hugged them" she thought back to herself. That's how she imagined it felt to be reunited with family.
Della softened her demeanor, looking at the teen "I heard a lot about you too before meeting you" she said, "that you were-"
"Magica's niece, her shadow puppet at best" Lena cut bitterly, but Della didn't flinch as she finished the sentence.
"-Webby's best friend"
The teen looked up, caught off guard. Della truly didn't seem to have any ill will against her. Not that anyone at the manor did, or at least openly admitted it, but Lena had in one way or another betrayed them, used them, hurt them... but Della...Della hadn't even been there when it all happened, she didn't look at her like the other adults would once in a while, silently wondering when would she turn back into a shadow under Magica's control.
"She spoke fondly of you" the woman continued "I can see why"
Lena felt her face blush as she looked away, unused to the offhandedly given compliments, other than the ones from Webby.
"She's always looking at the best of people, not a great judge of character," Lena said, diminishing the previous comment, but Della wouldn't have it.
"On the contrary, I think it matters the most coming from her" Lena seemed really uncomfortable by the praise "Is that so hard to believe?" Della asked truly curious and concerned "That you are worth-"
"I hurt her. And everyone else in this place" she cut her short "I was selfish! Only looking out for myself, I should have-!, I could have-!" words got stuck as her chest ached and her stomach turned. The amount of self-hate loaded in the teen made Della's own heart hurt.
"If there's anyone selfish in here, it's me," She said, managing to get her attention.
"No, you-"
"I stole a ship, I got myself lost in space, I abandoned my family in the pursuit of my own interests..." her voice almost broke, but her eyes were determined "you were following orders of an abusive parental figure that never treated you as an equal, let alone as a real being"
"I'm not a real-"
"Real enough to have feelings, real enough to me" she sentenced severely meeting her gaze "and if they had found it in themselves to forgive me, then be sure they have forgiven the person that saved Dewey's and Webby's lives at the expense of her own"
Lena felt her beak go dry as she was still holding gazes with the older woman. She didn't know how or why, but talking to her, hearing this form her, it felt...more meaningful, more genuine. She could let her guard down in a way she hadn't been able with anyone else, not even Webby since she hadn't wanted to let the younger girl see all her broken pieces. But Della...she had been broken too and had put herself back together, literally, as her metal leg showed. And Lena had picked all the shadows she could to build herself again. Maybe they weren't so different.
"Thanks..." was the only word she could manage.
Della smiled endearingly nodding once, sure that her words had been heard.
"Lena?" a sleepy and drowsy voice called from the entrance as Webby rubbed her eyes tiredly "I couldn't find you, I thought- " she didn't finish the sentence, not willing to open that wound over something that clearly wasn't it since Lena was there, she hadn't disappeared.
"Sorry, Pink. I just...came for a drink" she shrugged, unable to admit that the nightmares were still an issue.
That didn't stop Webby from hugging Lena's arm and leaning over her shoulder exhaling loudly, already half asleep again.
"My bad, I kept her talking" Della smiled standing up, ruffling Webby's hair "I think it's time we all head back to bed"
Webby just nodded babbling a response, hiding her face deeper into Lena's shoulder, her personal shield.
Della smirked before gazing up at Lena, smiling softly as their eyes met. They seemed to be in an understanding, two broken pieces trying to fit into a picture-perfect family, an odd one admittedly, but one they wanted to belong to nonetheless.
"Good night," Della said.
"Y-yeah, um thanks for..." she gazed at Webby, although the smaller girl was not entirely conscious, Lena felt shy about admitting what they had discussed "the company" she decided.
Della nodded smiling gently "Anytime"