So, this is my totally belated Secret Santa gift for Dommie. Jericho and Katie Lea, as you like.
Yeah, I don't really do humour. Or writing in general, lately. But I tried.
Merry really, really, really belated Christmas hon.
Reviews are appreciated.
Photos lay scattered around the floor, empty photo albums piled by his side. Chris sighed as he picked up a small pile of them, flicking through the images one by one. They were all of her.
Standing behind her birthday cake, a huge smile on her face. Laughing as she stood under the sprinkler, water soaking her bathing suit and hair. The two of them, heads tilted toward one another, as she took a photo.
In every photo Katie Lea looked beautiful, and she looked happy. Chris took a deep breath as he set the photos aside and picked up his favourite picture. He kept a smaller copy of it on the inside of his wallet. He could easily remember the day that he had taken it.
--
'Katie Lea sat on the couch, looking up from her book momentarily.
"Chris, must you always carry that camera around with you?" She said, chuckling. "You remind me of a teenager, taking photos of everything that you get up to."
Chris held the camera up, laughing. "I can't get enough pictures of you. Smile!"
Katie Lea rolled her eyes, an amused smile on her face as Chris took the photo.'
--
Katie Lea walked slowly backstage at the arena. Chris would not be here- she knew him better than she knew herself and she knew that Chris hated the noise backstage before a show. She wouldn't see him for another half hour, at least.
Katie paused at the door of catering for a moment but shook her head and walked on, choosing to sit on top of a storage box. She was dreading seeing Chris again, afraid of what she felt every time they stumbled upon one another since the evening they had called it quits.
At first, she wanted to slap him. To kick him and punch him and make him feel the pain that she was feeling. But then everything she had felt toward him bubbled to the surface. She simply cared too much to do that, cared too much to hurt him any more. After all, she knew that Chris was hurting just as much as she was, if not more.
--
'She looked at him, her cheeks streaked with tears.
"Is… is this it?"
Chris gently placed his palm against her cheek, using his thumb to wipe at her tears. "I don't know, Kat. I don't know." Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he dropped his hand and turned, walking slowly out of the room.'
--
Chris stood and walked slowly to the door, leaving the photos scattered on the floor. His favourite sat neatly on top of the photo albums. It was too much to sit in this room, silence and his memories surrounding him, smothering him. He needed to take a walk and get some air.
Closing the door behind him, Chris began to slowly walk through the halls. The noise that would normally annoy him backstage now drowned out the voices, the thoughts, the memories that were haunting him.
"Chris." He heard somebody say, and there was no mistaking the soft British accent. Chris bit his lower lip as he looked up at Katie Lea perched on top of two storage boxes, an odd smile on her face.
"Hey Kat." He replied. Katie Lea was the last person he was expecting to see, but why shouldn't he see her? After all, he was the one who hated the noise backstage. Katie Lea was the one who loved the atmosphere, loved the chatter of the Superstars and of the crowd as they entered the arena.
"How have you been?" Katie Lea slid down off the top of the boxes and stood in front of Chris, hands clasped in front of her.
"Not… not bad, I suppose." Chris smiled weakly. It had been two weeks since he had spoken to her and Katie Lea looked as beautiful as ever in his eyes. "And you?"
Katie Lea chuckled, shaking her head. "About as good as you have been, I think. You look terrible."
"Well, it's lovely to see you too." Chris laughed softly, feeling the emotions that had been tearing him up inside rushing to the surface. "Kat…"
Katie Lea smiled, looking up at him. "Yes, Chris?"
"No- nothing."
Slowly Katie Lea raised her hand and cupped his cheek, much like he had done the last night that they spoke. "What were you going to say, Chris?"
Chris placed his hand over hers, lowering them together. "What happened to us, Kat?"
"What do you mean?"
"We were so happy. I know we were both so busy… but is that really reason enough to call it quits?"
Chris bit his lip again as Katie Lea lowered her head. He felt stupid for a moment- why would she want somebody like him back? - until he felt her squeeze his hand that he realised he had not yet released. She looked back up at him, a small smile on her face. "No, no it wasn't."
"No?" Chris repeated, not expecting the answer he had gotten.
Katie Lea giggled softly, a cheeky grin on her face. "No, definitely not. But… But I think I might need more of a reason to pick up where we left off."
--
The next morning Chris woke to the sound of Katie Lea's soft breathing. He slowly opened his eyes, praying that this was more than just a dream. Praying that this was a dream come true.
Sure enough, as he opened his eyes, Chris could see Katie Lea curled up by his side. Her head was on the pillow beside his, tilted so that her forehead was against his shoulder.
"Chris?" She mumbled sleepily, slowly opening her eyes and looking up at him.
"Good morning, Kat." Chris smiled, gently stroking her hair.
"G'morning."
Chris grinned. "So, was last night a good enough reason to pick up where we left off?"
"Oh, I don't know." Katie Lea smirked. "I think I might need another reminder."
It's not much, but there you go.