Disclaimer: I do not own AHS.

A/N: Hi everyone! Let me thank you again for all the wonderful praise that went to Dear Father and now, as promised, the first chapter of Dear Mother! Enjoy!

…

DEAR MOTHER

…

CH 1- The Years After

BOSTON, 1975

Lana stood outside of the principal's office of King Hill public school. The bell rang and Lana watched as children filed out of class and ran down the halls. It was12PM on a Friday and school didn't let out until 2. She watched as a group of first graders pushed each other rambunctiously and smiled.

"Ms. Winters?" Came the secretary's voice.

"Yes?" Lana spun around to meet her.

"He's all yours." She smiled.

"Thank you." Lana returned the smile and exited in to the hall.

It was November and the air outside was cold. Lana wore a luxurious coat and her hair had grown longer. She walked out in to the front of the school where kids ran around the grass, playing with one another.

"Hey punk, what's in the backpack?" Asked an older boy as he stood over a younger one.

"Nothing." The younger boy said as he tried to avoid the older boy.

"Give me that!" The older boy grabbed his backpack, yanking it.

"Hey, that's mine!"

Lana looked across the yard where the voices caught her attention. She saw the two boys and immediately hurried over.

The older boy took the backpack and shoved the younger boy to the ground. He opened the backpack and pulled out a toy dinosaur. "Dinosaurs? Hey, you know what a dino dick tastes like?"

"Fuck you." The younger boy said.

"What did you say, asshole?" The older boy got closer.

"Hey!" Lana hurried over and pushed the older boy away. "Get away from him." She threatened the boy.

The older boy scoffed, threw the backpack on the floor and walked away. Lana watched him go for a moment and then knelt down to the boy on the floor.

She looked at her precious son. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Johnny answered.

Lana picked up his glasses from the floor and handed them to him. Johnny took them and put them on. He then looked at his mother rather embarrassed.

"You know he's the asshole, right?" She said to him, referring to the other boy.

"Yeah, I know." Johnny said.

Lana looked at her son and smiled softly as she caressed his cheek. He had grown so much in the past three years. Johnny was a day shy of turning ten years old and Lana couldn't believe it. Her baby boy was about to turn ten. It truly amazed her how fast time went by. And in those three years, Johnny had gone through a growth spurt but still needed to carry his inhaler around. Lana had moved him out of the private school so he could attend public school with Thomas and Julia Walker. Lana wasn't sure how she liked the change, however, but as long as Johnny was happy.

She sighed. "Come on." She helped him up to his feet, took his backpack and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and brought him closer. "We should report that kid." Lana said as they walked out of the playground.

"Nah, he's not worth it." Johnny answered. He then looked up at her and smiled. "Thanks, Mom." He said.

Lana looked at him. "Anything for you, my Johnny boy."

She smiled for him but deep down she was in rage over how her son had been treated by that bully. Well, that kid hadn't heard the last of Lana Winters. That was for sure.

"So where we going?" Johnny asked as they reached the car. Lana had gotten Johnny out of school early to take him out for his upcoming birthday. He was going to be ten years old and Lana couldn't believe how fast time had gone.

"You'll see." Lana smiled as they jumped in to the car.

"Can we take Scout?" Johnny asked.

"Scout can stay at home." Lana said about the now full-grown Beagle that Oliver had gotten Johnny when he was just a puppy.

"Okay." Johnny said.

Lana turned the ignition and drove off in to the streets of Boston. Lana had wanted to move them out of Boston and in to New York for some time now. Ever since Oliver's death, life in Boston had changed drastically. However, there were so many things that still kept them in Boston.

Johnny had become great friends with the Walker children and was finally making other friends at school. Befriending Thomas and Julia had helped him open up a lot and Lana was glad for that.

"So where are we going?" Johnny perked up again.

Lana laughed. "I told you, it's a surprise."

Johnny groaned.

"You're so impatient." Lana chuckled as she kept her eyes on the road.

Johnny then stopped, "Awh, you're not taking me to the dentist again, are you? You do it every time."

"No." Lana said, "Not this time. Promise."

"Pinky promise?" He stuck out his pinky in her direction.

"Pinky promise." Lana wrapped her pinky around his.

Satisfied with his mother's pinky promise, Johnny sat back down.

Lana drove them out of the city and in to the countryside. Johnny looked out the window and became restless and impatient as he moved around. Lana noticed but only shook her head.

"So," Lana began, "How was school?"

Johnny shrugged. "Ok. Thomas and Julia were absent."

"Were they?" Lana raised a brow but bit back a smile.

"Yeah." Johnny said, "I didn't see them at recess." He pushed his glasses up.

"I wonder why." Lana answered as she drove the car up a familiar driveway.

Johnny felt the car stop and looked up. "Uncle Kit's house?" He asked as he looked at Lana.

"Yup. I just need to pick up something and we'll be on our way."

"Okay." Johnny said as he hopped out of the car and followed after Lana.

They went up the porch; Johnny stopped at Lana's side. Lana knocked but no one answered. Johnny moved back and forth on his feet, his hands in his pockets. Lana knocked again but once more there was no answer.

"Maybe they're not home?" Johnny asked losing interest. He was eager to get going to wherever Lana had said they were going.

"Maybe they're out in the back." Lana suggested, "Why don't you go check?" She suggested with a soft smile. "Go on." She shooed him off.

"Okay." Johnny said and hurried down the porch and around the house. Lana followed after him.

Johnny went around the house, stumbling in to the backyard. He hurried up the back porch and tried the back door. It was unlocked.

"Uncle Kit?" Johnny called as he stepped inside.

"Surprise!" A people jumped out of various hiding places. Johnny stumbled backwards, completely surprised. The Walker's house was decorated with balloons, decorations, lights and a hanging banner that read: HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Lana stepped from behind Johnny and placed her hands upon his shoulders. "Happy early birthday, Johnny boy." She kissed his cheek.

Kit came up to them laughing.

"Uncle Kit!" Johnny ran in to his arms, happy to see him.

"Whoa!" Kit picked him up in the air, "It's the birthday boy!"

"Is this all for me?" Johnny asked as Kit sat him back down.

"Ya betcha, kiddo." Kit ruffled his hair. "Its all for you."

Thomas and Julia were the next to run up to Johnny. The kids laughed and joked amongst each other.

Kit turned to Lana, "How'd we do?"

"Amazing." Lana smiled, "Thank you, Kit."

"Ah, its nothin'." Kit said with a smile, "Johnny deserves it."

"Johnny!" A voice gasped.

Johnny, Lana and Kit looked up to the source of the voice. Johnny's eyes widened and he smiled. "Aunt Barb!" He ran to Barb who stood waiting for him with open arms. As soon as he crashed in to her, Barb closed her arms around him.

"Look at you! Look at how much you've grown."

Lana smiled, "Barb!" She walked over and gave Barb a hug. "You made it after all."

"Of course, " Barb said, "I wouldn't miss this little munchkin's birthday celebration." She squished Johnny's cheeks and then looked to Lana. "Lois, unfortunately, couldn't make it. She had to work but—" She looked back to Johnny, "She sends you a giant present." She pointed to the table where next to it was a brand new bike with a red ribbon.

"Cool!" Johnny ran to it.

Lana sighed. "That Lois. Always going big."

Barb smiled, "How've you been, Lana?"

"Good." Lana said and for the first time in a long time she could answer that honestly.

Johnny's surprise party was a small one. The only people there were Kit, his girlfriend Natalie, Thomas, Julia, Lana, Johnny, Barb, Barb's friend Janet, and Bern, the receptionist from Lana's work. Lana found that Bern had always been kind to her regarding whatever happened to her. Bern was a good friend and co-worker. And even though the party was quite small, Lana could tell Johnny was having a good time. The big smile on his face said it all.

Kit had many games planned; he even had a piñata for the kids. When night fell, they turned on the twinkling lights around the house, turned off the lights in the kitchen and brought out the cake.

Johnny sat at the head of the table as Lana placed the cake in front of him on the table as everyone sang him a happy birthday. Johnny looked at her and smiled.

"Make a wish." Lana said sweetly.

Johnny looked to the cake and bit his bottom lip, thinking for a moment. When he was done he closed his eyes and blew out the candles. Everyone clapped.

"Johnny!" Thomas laughed, "Give it a bite!"

"No way!" Johnny laughed, "You're gonna push my face in it."

"There will be no face pushin'." Kit cut in with a knife and plates, "Damn cake took me all mornin' ta bake."

Lana laughed, "Oh, kit."

After the eating of the cake, they sat in the living room and Johnny began to open his presents. He hurriedly opened a box and reached inside pulling out a pair of socks. He made a face, "Socks?"

Thomas laughed and took them from Johnny.

Everyone laughed. Just then Lana heard knocking on the door. "I'll get it." She said and went to answer the door.

"Say thank you for the socks, Johnny!" Lana said as she opened the door and when she looked at the person who stood there she became rigid.

"Rachel?"

Rachel Dylan stood there with a lovely smile on her face. She wore a pretty green dress with a brown coat to keep her warm. In her hands she held a white and blue striped box with a brilliant blue bow on top. Under her arm she held a soccer ball with a red bow around. "I hope I'm not too late."

"No," Lana said still surprised and stepped back so Rachel could go in. "You made it just in time."

"Of course," Rachel took her coat off, "I wouldn't miss little Johnny's birthday party for anything." She paused for a moment, "If you don't mind, that is."

"No, no!" Lana smiled, "Of course not. How could I?" She bit her bottom lip with a smile.

Rachel smiled and looked down. "Oh, right!" She suddenly remembered and handed Lana the soccer ball, "Its from Lou. He couldn't make it."

Lana took the ball. "I'll be sure to thank him first thing Monday morning."

"Rachel!" Kit said, "C'mon in, we're opening gifts."

"Thanks." Rachel said and followed Kit in to the living room where everyone else was.

Johnny smiled brightly when he saw Rachel and accepted her gift with a big thank you. He opened it, careful not to bow and his eyes widened. "Whoa." He looked up, "Look, mom!"

"What is it?" Lana asked with a smile.

"A model airplane! How cool! Thanks, Rachel!" He looked down to the box of the model airplane. Julia and Thomas leaned in to look at it too.

"You're very welcome, Johnny." Rachel smiled softly, glad that he liked her present to him.

Lana looked to Rachel. "Thank you."

Rachel smiled adoringly at Lana before she looked away.

"Alright." Kit cut in, "This one is from yer Uncle Kit." He handed Johnny a box.

"What is it?" Johnny asked excitedly.

"Open it up!" Kit chuckled.

Johnny tore through the paper and opened the box. "Whoa! No way!" He pulled out a brand new baseball glove with a baseball resting inside.

Johnny jumped up and hugged Kit. "Thanks Uncle Kit!"

"Now someone can finally teach ya how ta play some real ball." He high-fived Johnny.

Lana smiled warmly at this. Kit had become an excellent male role model in Johnny's life and Lana was forever grateful for it. But deep down she worried about the future of her windows.

…

The party died down around 11 p.m. and people began to leave. The kids fell asleep on the couches in the living room. Lana helped Kit clean the mess that had been left behind.

"He had a great time." Lana said as she looked to Johnny, "Thank you for helping me with this."

Kit brushed her words away, "No need to thank me, Lana. We're family, remember?"

"Of course." Lana smiled and sighed, "Well, I should get Johnny home."

Lana woke Johnny up, they gathered his gifts and said goodbye to the Walkers and drove home. Johnny fell back to sleep on the road home and Lana had to wake him when they finally arrived.

She helped him get to bed and tucked him in.

"Did you have a good time?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Johnny said sleepily with a yawn. "Thanks, Mom."

Lana sat at his bedside and brushed his cheek. "Happy birthday, my Johnny boy." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. When she sat up, the clock on Johnny's nightstand revealed 12:01. It was now November 16th and Johnny was officially ten years.

Ten years had gone by since Lana's life changed for the better and she couldn't have been happier.