Pete

Author's note: This takes place 2 months after Gillian's Shadow, if you haven't read that please do so or you will be a little lost. Please let me know what you think. Also all spelling, grammatical, etc. errors are my own, if you notice any please inform me.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't even own the computer I'm currently typing this on, so please don't try to sue me.

Summary: The new face at the Lightman Group brings in a new case.

Kathryn O'Riley was your normal everyday girl. She was 23, worked as a waitress and there was something more about her. She could read people. It was because of this talent that she also was working at the Lightman Group as of two months ago. She had started out because of an assignment for a class. While she was there she wound up helping them solve the case and was offered the job of an unpaid intern.

Tonight Kat wasn't working at the Lightman Group though; she was at her other job, Denny's. It seemed like any other night. It started out crazy with the dinner crowd, but now that it was later on it was starting to slow down. She had just sat her last table of the night, a nice looking family, a couple in their late 30's with a boy who looked about 10. As she set the menus down on the table she noticed that there was something off about the boy.

She smiled at the family and said her normal opening, "Hi, I'm Kat and I'll be your server tonight."

The boy looked up at her, a huge smile lighting up his face, "Hi Kat, I'm Pete! What happened to your arm?" The boy asked, noticing the sling that she had around her arm.

She couldn't help but grin. She could tell from the boy's speech and his look that he had Down's syndrome. "Hi Pete. I hurt it." She said shrugging it off, in all reality Kat had been shot working on a case for the Lightman Group. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Can I get a glass of milk?"

As Kat was writing down his drink order, the father jumped in, "No! We'll all have water."

Noticing the disgust flash across the man's face Kat gave a slight nod saying, "I'll be right back with that." She couldn't help but wonder what was going on as she walked away from their table.

She was still within ear shot when she heard Pete's voice again, "Dad, why can't I have milk?"

Still listening to their conversation, she stopped at the server's station to grab a pitcher of water before going back to the table. She could hear the man's voice clearly through the almost empty restaurant. He was extremely angry, "Because, we all know that you're going to spill what you get, and I'm not cleaning it up!"

Kat couldn't believe her ears. She'd never heard someone talk to their child in such a tone. She especially couldn't imagine anyone talking to their special needs child like that. She couldn't resist, she went back to the kitchen. Returning to the table she held four glasses, one milk and three waters.

Struggling slightly because of her arm Kat set down a glass of water in front of each person, also placing the milk in front of Pete. The father noticing this shot her a look of contempt, barking, "I said no milk."

"It's no trouble really," Kat smiled, trying to hide the anger and disgust she really felt for the man. "It's on the house, and if anything happens I'll clean it up."

"You're damn right you will." He sneered.

Smiling again she pulled out her notepad and took their orders. Throughout the next hour when she wasn't serving the family she was observing them. Pete was a joyful boy even with his father's verbal abuse. The smile on Pete's face only faltered once when he accidentally spilled a drop of sauce onto his shirt.

After the family had paid and were getting ready to leave she approached the table again to collect their tab. She completely ignored the parents, focusing entirely on Pete she asked, "How was it?"

"It was great! Thanks Kat!" He beamed up at her.

"I'm glad to hear that." She let out a slight giggle, starting to clear the table.

Pete, glancing towards his parents then looking back up at her sadly said, "I have to go. I hope your arm gets better."

Smiling she waved as he left. Looking down she was unsurprised to find no tip.