"Richie." Kate whispered as he brushed hair behind her ears, she looked up into his dark eyes that was hidden behind his glasses
"Shhh." He whispered as he trailed his fingers down her cheek, he could feel a tiny shiver go through her body. They forgot they were in the Titty Twister they forgot that the music was loud and head ache banging and they forgot about Kate's father and brother but Richie didn't forget about Seth he knew he was hovering around "You are beautiful Kate." He said to her watching her blush
"Not as beautiful as some these woman I bet." She surprised herself at the jealous tone in her voice. She has seen how Richie looked at the woman here it's almost the same look her brother has
"No they don't have the same beauty you do." He said with a smile as he leaned down close to her lips
"Would you ever hurt me?" She asked as she held onto his jacket while he moved his hands down hers to her waist
"Not intentionally Kate, like my brother I want to protect you." He tells her moving one hand up to her cheek "Can I kiss you."
"Yes."
He moved a couple of inches closer and pressed their lips together, she gasped at the warmth coming from the older man making her shiver with 'what the hell are you doing' and with 'I fell safe' both of these thoughts were crazy but she couldn't stop. Richie moved his hand back to her waist and pulled her on top of his lap, pulling away slightly to look up into her blushing face made him smile made him feel himself again "Richie." She called to him, once again her voice soft and delicate "Richie I…"
"Shhh it will be alright." He said kissing her again as laid her out on her back.
She now sat on her knees looking at the burning building Seth sat next to her kneeling on his hands and knees coughing his lungs up, a gun was still in her hand empty as she threw it to the side as she looked back at the place that stole father, brother and lover. Seth got to his knees and turned around to look at her, she was covered in blood it was caked into her hair mattering it together some from her the rest from her brother and father and dead vampire stripers "Kate." He called out cupping her cheeks trying to look at her "Are you hurt anywhere?" He asked her trying to see a cut, burn or a brake
"N…No." She whispered
"Come on let's get cleaned up and then out of here." He tells her as he picks her up.
They go to the RV and into the shower, Kate sent the longest in there trying to get the blood out of her hair. When he turned the shower off she heard voices and decide to get dressed in the small bathroom before taking a look. Opening the small door she looked out to see the Freddie Gonzalez pointing a gun at Seth who was also holding a gun at Freddie "Stop!" She cried out standing in front of the blood covered man
"You're defending him after what happen in there?" He asked
"He didn't know that place was filled with vampires!" She yelled,
"He took your family hostage dragged you and them here to this hell hole and they are now dead." He spat
"So is his brother! He didn't want this either he didn't think this would be the shit our come! Yes he and Richie dragged me and family here yes they are dead because of that but those blood sucking snakes made sure we were stuck on this ride!" She screamed at him, Seth reached out and took her arm pulling her back, Freddie lowered the gun and Seth did the same as he tried to comfort her, he looked up at the man in front of him and sighed
"You can use the shower, it might be cold water by now but it's better than nothing." Seth said
"Sure." Was the response as he moved towards the shower.
Seth looked at Kate and cupped her cheeks again "What was you thinking he could have shot you." He whispered as he heard the shower turn on, she looked up at him and let him wipe her tears away
"The gun in his hand was my one, it's empty like yours." She told him, he had a small smile and kissed her forehead
"I'm sor.."
"Don't." She said looking at him in the eyes "Don't say you're sorry, I know your sorry I know it wasn't all your fault…just please don't." she told him as more tears ran down her cheeks. They were quiet for the moment as the hum of the shower was still going
"Did he hurt you?" He asked, she looked back up into his almost dark eyes "Richie did he hurt you? I know what you two did before the colours were shown."
"No." she said rubbing her arms "No he didn't." Seth rubbed her arms
"Good." He said as they both heard the shower turn off.
"Did you want me to come with you?" She asked Seth, he looked at her and sighed as he stood by the car, it was late afternoon now and while Freddie slept Seth was planning on leaving
"Kate…"
"I want you to stay."
"You need to go home." He tells her
"To what? How do I explain?" She cried as he walks up to her and took her into his arms
"You tell them what ever you need to." He said as he held her close
"Please don't leave me." Pulling back Seth pulled out a pen and wrote down on a piece of paper and handed it to her "If you ever need to talk or something happens and you need me call."
"I need you now." She whimpered holding on to him
"Once the shock wears off you will hate and then the hate will turn the pain and at some point you will forgive me." He kissed her on the lips. Freddie walked out of the RV seeing Seth pull away from Kate "Take care of her." Seth asked him
"Of course." Freddie said as he walked up to them, Seth got into the car and drove off feeling guilt bubble under his skin as he left his princess with the man who shot his brother.
5 months passed and those who lived thought the terror Seth thought he would never see Kate or hear from her and in those 5 months he didn't until he got a phone call one night. He sat up on the bed in some dank motel room and picked up his phone "Hello?" He said though a sleep filled voice
"Seth." Came the soft voice, he bolted up right sleep now gone
"Kate? Is very thing alright?" He asked with worry
"I need to talk to you." She said
"Alright I'm listening." He tells her as he stands up looking for his shirt, she was quiet on the other end all he could hear was the sound of the TV in the back ground well he hoped it was the TV "Princess?" He called out
"I don't want to tell you over the phone." She whispered
"Okay, where are you I will get to you as soon as I can."
It was early hours of the morning in some road side dinner, he walks in seeing Kate already sat in one of the booths, she had a tan not a strong one but a nice healthy glow her hair was tied back into a pony tail and was a little longer, he walked over to her and slipped into the booth across from her. Kate looked up slightly shocked to see he was there "What did you think I wasn't coming princess?" she looked at him and smiled at him
"Umm yeah I did, sorry." She said as she got up and hugged him, he smiled as he warped his arm around her holding her close breathing in her scent.
Pulling back he looked her up and down and then he froze staring at her stomach "Kate." He whispered as she pulled her arms down and sat down "Kate?" He called her again, she sighed
"Sit down please." She asked him, in his shocked state he sat down and looked back at the girl in shock
"You're pregnant." He said as the waitress walked up to the table
"Coffee?" She asked
"Yes." He said not taking his eyes off Kate. The dark hair girl was looking down at the table and her cup of tea, the waitress poured the coffee and then walked off "Kate?"
"It's Richie's." She told him, leaned back and rubbed his eyes he wasn't even going to say 'you're sure' because that would be insulting to her "Seth say something?"
"I don't know what to say… I'm shocked."
"Yeah so am I, it took me this long just to call you." She said rubbing her own eyes "I thought you should know?" She told him, he took a mouth full of his coffee and looked at her
"What are you planning to do? Do you still have the money I gave you?" He asked
"I yeah I still have money, I want to keep him." He looked at her and takes her hands "But I want you to be part of his life Seth part of mine, I don't have anyone else."
"Kate." She pulls her hands away from his and looks down into her lap
"Please don't leave me again."
He knew he should have said no and walked away, but she had a part of his brother growing inside of her and he couldn't leave her on her own with a child, he wanted to see is nephew grow up to give him a better childhood than him and his brother one without fire without guns and without pain. He took her hand again and rubbed small circles with his thumb and told her that he won't leave her, he won't leave them.
