This is my Life
In which Kate is adopted by Ranger Gonzalez and tries to build a life with her new family only to be thwarted by the infamous Gecko Brothers. Post S2E2
I own nothing but this idea I had on a whim.
Kate chose to drive down to Bethel after Seth abandoned her. She didn't cry, simply festered with doubt and sadness and pain. Seth had been her rock after Titty Twister and she his. It wasn't easy driving away from him just like it wasn't easy being cast to the side.
She drove on autopilot, crossing the border with more ease than the first time. It wasn't long before she was pulling up to her house. The cross her dad had nailed to the wall was the first thing she noticed. She almost swept it away in a fit of anger.
She had hoped Scott would be home but that hope was crushed when she searched through the dark house. Lost, she called Ranger Gonzalez for assistance.
It turns out he lived nearby and Kate only had to wait forty minutes before he let himself into the house. He hugged her and she returned it gratefully, tears stinging her eyes at the reminder of the last person who'd hugged her.
They talked over her options, limited as they were due to her missing person status and age. When Kate expressed her desire to live on her own Ranger Gonzalez told her that wouldn't be possible.
"I'm sixteen," She said, confused. "Couldn't I just emancipate myself?"
"Not in your case. If anything, you'll be put in a foster home until they can determine your families whereabouts."
They talked about different choices, each one sounding less and less pleasant to Kate.
When Ranger Gonzalez finally posed the idea of adoption, Kate had been hesitant to agree. He owed her nothing, not even his help. To impose on his life was not something she felt comfortable with.
"I understand," He confided when she shared her reticence with him. "Earl made me uncomfortable, too. It was hard to look at him after just losing my dad. But that man loved me like his own child. And Kate," He reaches over to tip her face up to his. "I'll do the same for you."
Tears in her eyes, she softly agrees.
Plan in motion, they head down to his department and it is there where Kate reveals her identity. She and her family had been reported as missing after she and her brother failed to show up for the new school term*. It is hard to declare them as dead. Harder still to name Richie and Seth as their murderers.
The only thing she takes comfort in is the fact that both brother's are declared dead and will never have to take responsibility for her lie.
She is in the interrogation room for hours, Ranger Gonzalez at her side and his friend Tony conducting the interview. They ask if she wants a lawyer and she politely declines.
"So, you were kidnapped by The Gecko Brother's." Begins Tony and he lays out a picture of the two men for her to confirm.
She nods her head mutely, Freddie's hand a comforting pressure on her shoulder. Tony pulls the picture back, writes some notes down on his paper, and pushes the microphone closer to her.
"Can you tell us why they kidnapped you?"
"They needed a way to cross the border. They thought my family would be the best cover for them." That was the truth. Seth and Richie just wanted them as cover. It was only after that they refused to let her go.
"Do you know what they did with the bonds they stole?"
"No. They kept it away from us in a suitcase."
"And can you tell us what happened after you crossed the border?"
"Seth drove until we reached a strip bar. I can't remember the name. They had us all go inside the bar with them."
"Do you know why they were there?" Tony interrupts as he hastily jots down her words.
"To meet up with a man; Carlos. They never got to meet up with him, though. A bar fight broke out and I got separated from them. Seth grabbed me before I could make a run for it." Truth blended with lies.
"And your family?"
"My dad was killed." She said, taking a shuddering breath. Killed by her hands with a stake to his chest. Freddie gripped her shoulder tightly and Kate composed herself, blinking back her tears.
Tony gives her a sympathetic frown and she continues.
"Richard got shot but he was dragged off by Carlos's people. My brother Scott as well. Seth took me and we ran for it. He kept me in different Motels for a couple month's—as a hostage in case he was caught. It was like that until finally Richard found us."
"Richard Gecko found you two?" Tony asked and Kate could see him creating a time line of events on his paper from where she sat.
"Yes."
"And was your brother with him." She hesitates again, mind drifting to her brother who was probably still roaming the halls of the temple, lost and angry.
"No," She says softly, eyes welling with tears once more. "No, he was alone."
"And then what happened?"
"They let me go."
"They…let you go?" Tony asks incredulously, arching a brow. Kate nods.
"The brother's were always soft on me." She admitted and that was the truth. Richie initially but Seth, too, after having spent three months with her. Tony gives her an uncomfortable look and glances between her and Freddie hesitantly.
"Did they…" He pauses and gives her a meaningful look. "Did they rap—"
"No." She cuts in, almost angrily. Freddie, whom had grown tense at her side, relaxes.
"Sorry," Tony apologizes. "Standard question."
"I understand." She says but she is still miffed by it.
He asks her a few more questions until finally they draw to a close.
"I'm sorry about what happened, Ms. Fuller, but I'm happy to report to you that The Gecko Brother's were reported dead just recently." She nods her head, smile curling the corners of her mouth as her heart drags heavy. She hates them. She wants to hate them. Yet her heart still feels love.
Ranger Gonzalez is a whirlwind of action as he offers to take temporary custody of her. His coworkers fight him; say that she is better off in Foster Care.
"I'll take care of her." He announces sternly and they all eventually quiet down. He files for adoption* that same day.
Kate is quiet when they drive to his home. Margaret is visibly surprised at the sight of her and already she is hesitant to move forward. For a fleeting moment she thinks of Scott, and whether he had the same reaction when he met her. Freddie wraps an arm around her shoulders and guides her to the older woman.
"Margaret," He says softly, leaning forward to kiss the woman who's eyes never stray from her face. "This is Kate."
Margaret and Freddie's eyes meet and a silent conversation passes before Margaret finally smiles down at her.
"Hello, Kate." She says and reaches out to take her hand. "Welcome home."
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.
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Billie is a ball of sunshine in her father's arms, dressed in a small pink onesie with little bunny ears on her small feet. Kate is in love at first sight. Freddie passes Billie over to her and Kate is almost reverent in the manner that she holds the baby.
"This is your big sister, Billie," Freddie coos to the baby and Kate glances at him sharply, surprised. He smiles, thumb tracing the baby's rounded cheek. "She'll take care of you, baby." He meets Kate's eyes and they are soft and Kate hastily nods. She will protect the baby—her baby sister—with her life.
Margaret strolls into the room and smiles proudly at the three of them. She walks into Freddie's embrace and they are so in love that sometimes it is hard to look at. Her father and mother were like this until they weren't.
Her eyes fall down to Billie's and the baby girl gives her an almost inquisitive look. Small chubby fingers reach out to touch her nose and Kate places a kiss along her palm.
"I'll protect you," She promises softly.
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.
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The next two days are spent getting Kate oriented and settled. They are both horrified to find that Kate only has a small backpack filled with the bare essentials and a notebook that Margaret spies with the same illustrations in her husbands.
Margaret gives it an appraising look but never asks questions to which Kate is eternally grateful. They go shopping and Margaret has an absolute field day with the task, going more than a little over board when purchasing Kate clothes and furniture.
"I'm sorry," Kate whispers to Freddie while they both watch Margaret converse with a saleswoman about two different types of dresser's.
"Nothing to be sorry about," Says Freddie as he cradles a sleeping Billie. "Margaret loves to shop. She's probably ecstatic she has an excuse to do it." He chuckles but still Kate feels guilty.
"I promise to pay you back."
"Hey, now," Freddie says, eyes meeting her own and hand falling to her shoulder. "You're my family. I don't want you paying me a cent."
There is a strange but pleasant flutter at the word and Kate returns the smile.
She staunchly ignores the memory of a drunken Seth claiming her as his family on a hot night in Mexico.
.
.
.
"How many have you got?"
She counts the sharpened pieces of wood at her side and gathers them up into one large pile.
"Twelve," She waves the half-finished piece in her palm. "This'll make thirteen." Kate was pleased to know that Freddie had multiple defenses and weapons in order for a culebra attack. She demanded that Freddie accept her help in making weapons and to train her in the case of a culebra home invasion.
Freddie was initially reluctant but soon caved after Kate's persisting and reasoning.
"Training me is the best defense. If a culebra comes to the house I'll be sure to end them before they even look at Margaret or Billie."
Margaret was bemused at their training regiment and drills but Freddie seemed more at ease on the days he worked late and left her, Billie, and Kate home so she chose not to question it.
Freddie nods his head, the back of his hand brushing against his forehead.
"Okay, that's it for today."
Kate's eyebrows perk up. "You sure? I'm still good to make more."
He smiles and dusts his hand, sawdust falling and spreading through the air. "No, I think it's time we go to the courthouse."
Smiling, he pulls a rolled up piece of paper from his back pocket and hands it to her.
Reading it, she soon gives a little scream and hugs him.
Her adoption had been approved.
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Changing her name from Fuller to Gonzalez is not as hard as she'd expected. What was hard was responding to it.
"Ms. Gonzalez?"
Kate jerks up from her reverie and looks to the woman who has tapped her on the shoulder. The school's office worker gives her a concerned look. Kate's new school, McKinley High School, was much larger than her previous school.
It was to be expected after moving out of the small town of Bethel. Still, it was odd to walk around and not have every denizen not immediately know her name.
"Are you alright? I called your name a couple times." Kate shakes her head with a small smile.
"Sorry, lost in my thought's." The woman nods her head and hands Kate a folder.
"This is your class schedule and all the work the teacher's would like you to catch up on."
Kate thumbs through the paperwork, finding all her schoolwork separated by a paperclip and labeled with yellow post-its. She closes the manila folder and slides it into her bag before looking over her schedule. All the classes are marked with the teacher's names and the class number but it is just a jumble of letter and numbers to her.
"Is there a school map?" She asks and the office worker shuffles through some nearby stacks of paper. The door swings open and the two look to see a boy stroll in with a split lip and a devil may care smile that has Kate's hackles rising. A shake of her head reminds her that it is not Seth.
The office worker sighs in fond annoyance.
"This is the second time in two weeks Mr. Trujillo." The boy, Trujillo, shrugs and sprawls into a nearby chair with the ease of someone who visits a lot. He spreads his legs, dirty high tops almost reaching her flats.
"Wasn't my fault, miss." He says, and briefly makes eye contact with her. He turns back to the office worker. "Marcus called me a "not-so-nice" name." He said and rolls his eyes.
The woman sighs again and finally hands Kate the school map. Kate thanks her and makes to leave.
"Oh, wait, I'll have Mr. Trujillo show you around." Says the woman and Kate and Trujillo make uneasy faces at each other.
"I can figure it out." Says Kate but the office worker gestures for a reluctant Trujillo to stand up. They both exit the room together and Trujillo cocks an eyebrow at her.
"Just moved to town?" He asks and Kate shrugs.
"Something like that." She hands him her schedule before he asks anything else.
"Kate Gonzalez?" He stares at her incredulously. "Didn't peg you for Mexican."
"I'm not." She says and the boy looks even more confused. Kate doesn't say more and the boy shrugs and reads through her schedule.
"Well, we have all the same classes." He says and hands back her schedule. She folds it and tucks it into her front pocket.
"I can let you copy my homework if you need." And he eyes her speculatively. "Unless you're one of those goody-two-shoes kids." Kate snorts and shakes her head. She is so far from being that good girl she used to be that the insinuation is laughable.
Trujillo smiles and throws an arm over her shoulders, the familiar gesture almost throwing her off-kilter.
"Well, I think we'll be good friends. Name's Sergio Trujillo."
"Kate Gonzalez."
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.
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Sergio is her only friend for a short while, and what an annoying friend he is. Outgoing, playful, and downright obnoxious as he flicks paperclips and paper balls at her during class.
Sergio is part of the school's boxing club and has friends from almost every clique. He introduces her to all his close friends and takes great delight in introducing her as Kate Gonzalez. No one believes she is Mexican with her pale skin and Irish features, but when she spouts fluent Spanish at a couple catty girls she is looked upon with a different light.
Three months in Mexico, you pick up the language pretty fast.
She does well in school, Acing every subject and even joining some extra-curricular activities like wrestling and boxing. She keeps a low profile for the most part until mid October where she has an uncharacteristic panic attack in class.
Sergio carries her to the infirmary where they call Freddie to come and pick her up. He and some of their other friends wait with her until Freddie, decked out in his Ranger ensemble, enters through the infirmary doors. He finds her immediately, eyes filling with relief when he notices that she looks well.
"Kate," He says and she sits up from the bed she lays on to greet him. Sergio's eyes pop out.
"Is that your dad?" He asks, rather loudly. Kate sees Freddie falter but she makes sure to catch his eye when she says her next words.
"Yeah. That's my dad."
Freddie is positively beaming the rest of the month.
.
.
.
The months bleed together until it is December 31st. Freddie and Margaret smile as they lay out a large birthday cake for her. Kate hated her birthday as December 31st always reminding her of things coming to an end, of death.
Seated at the table with her new family she begins thinks that not every ending is so sad and blows out the candles. Billie, seated on her lap, presses a palm against the frosting and they all laugh together.
Later that day Sergio comes over to the house to celebrate with her, a bouquet of flowers and a box wrapped in shiny paper in his hands. Margaret makes Enchiladas, Elotes, and refried beans in the kitchen as Freddie prepares the carne asada for her birthday dinner. Sergio sits by her on the couch as they watch a movie on the TV.
Sergio smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear and Kate almost succeeds in not thinking of the Gecko Brother's and how they both used to do the same thing.
She smiles at him and thinks this is normal.
This is my life.
It's only to be expected that her normal life would be turned upside down by the reappearance of The Gecko Brother's.
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She is zoning out in her last class when the PA system crackles to life.
"Kate Gonzalez, please report to the Principal's Office." Her classmate 'Ooo' and laugh and Kate stands with an apparent look of confusion. Sergio catches her eye and mouth's what's up as she passes him. She shrugs and leaves the room with the teacher's permission and a pass.
She shoot's a text to Freddie as she walks through the hall, flashing her slip to anyone who tries to stop her.
Are you at my school?
She asks and it's not an entirely off question. Freddie or Margaret have come to pick her up from school early before, but they usually let her know before hand.
Her phone pings.
No, not yet. Pulling up to the parking lot now.
She reads and a strange type of dread begins to pool in her belly. He sends another text.
Why, is something wrong?
She stops near the entrance of the Principal's Office and types out a quick message.
I've been called to the Principal's Office for some reason. Thought it was you.
Her phone's ringtone goes off and she see's that it is Freddie calling. She answers quickly.
"Kate, where are you?" He asks and there is wind whipping through the air in a way that let's her know that he is not waiting in the car anymore.
"I'm standing outside of the Principal's Office." She tells him, some confusion bleeding through her voice at the tone of his words.
"Don't go inside!" He yells and Kate almost drops her phone in surprise. His breathing has changed, and Kate can tell that he is running now. Anxiety levels rising she asks him what's wrong.
"Just wait for me." He commands. "I'm going through the back of your school by the gym."
"I don't understand, what's wron—"
"Excuse me, young lady." Surprised, Kate drops her phone and whips around. The school's secretary is at her back giving her a stern look.
"What are you doing in the hall during class hours?" The older woman asks and Kate swoops down to pick up her cellphone. The screen hasn't cracked but the call has ended.
"Um, I'm Kate Gonzalez. I was called to the principal's office." She says, pocketing her phone. She passes the woman her note. The woman gives her a surprised look and reads the slip.
"Oh, I'm sorry dear. Please come in." The woman swings the door wide and holds it open for Kate. Kate lingers in the hall, and looks down the aisle for Freddie.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
Reluctantly, she enters the room. The secretary slides behind her desk and takes a seat. She then leans over and pushes a button on her intercom.
"Mr. Presley, Ms. Gonzalez is in the waiting room." There is no audible response but the woman turns to Kate and beckons her towards the door with 'Principal Presley' stamped along the distorted glass.
"You can go in dear."
Kate turns to the door and slowly pushes it open. The principal is at his desk, speaking to two individuals seated in the high back chairs he provides for guests. She can only see the tops of their heads and can see that they are two male's. Mr. Presley turns at her entrance and waves her over with a large smile.
"Ms. Gonzalez!" He yells jovially. "I have two men here who are thinking about donating to the school!"
"That's great Mr. Presley," She says unsurely because she still has no idea why she's been called here and during what appears to be a business meeting.
"Yes, yes, they said they would love a tour of the school facilities and by the person who convinced them to put their money into our institution." He gives her a proud grin and Kate raises a brow. Was Mr. Presley saying she'd convinced two businessmen to finance their school?
"Excuse me, sir, I think you're mistaken."
"Not at all my dear, these fine men told me all about your desire to expand and remodel some of the more run down parts of our school. They even named you."
"They did, did they?" She says wearily, the dread in her belly grows stronger until she unwittingly backs up into the door. The doorknob digs painfully into her spine, halting her.
"Yes," He says and gesture for the men to stand up. They do, still facing forward and Kate's mouth goes dry as she sees familiar black suits.
"Kate might I properly introduce you to Seth and Richard Jackson."
She only catches a glimpse of horn-rimmed glasses and black flames peaking out of a white collar before she is ripping open the principal's door and sprinting away. The secretary cries out in shock and she ignores her and the two men yelling her name as she flies out into the hallway.
Tears in her eyes, she runs blindly.
Why now, why now, why now!
After the nightmares finally stopped, after she'd settled into school and found friends and Sergio and—after she'd built a life.
After she'd given up on them.
There's a shrill ringing—the school bell—and children pour into the previously empty hallway.
She knocks and jostles people and they yell at her angrily as she continues to run in a panic. She sees Sergio exit class and he meets her eyes with worry.
"Kate?" He says, pushing through their peers to her.
"Kate!" She hears Richie yell at her back and she scrambles to Sergio.
Arms wrap around her from behind and she screams as she is hefted up.
"I got you, Katey-Cakes." Richie says playfully against her neck and she scratches at his sleeves, crying and thrashing. Her classmates are watching her and the scene she is surely making.
"Hey!" She hears Sergio snap and he runs to her defense, jostling and shoving the bystanders in his haste. He is near hitting distance before Richie presses a palm against his forehead.
"Go home." Richie says authoritatively and Kate sobs as Sergio turns and calmly walks away. She continues to sob as Seth comes from behind Richie to stand before her. He presses his hands against her cheeks and she rips away from his touch.
"Hey, Princess." He says softly, gently and Kate juts her leg out to try and kick him. He dodges with a smirk and the brother's carry her away from the crowd of students that surround them.
"Let me go!" She cries and writhes against Richie's vice like hold. Richie glares at the kids that block them in and they part like the red sea.
"Sorry Kate," Seth said as he led the way.
"We can't do that," Richie murmurs against her skin. "We need yo—" A sharp crack of skin against skin and Kate is unceremoniously let go. Training allows her to fall to her feet and she looks up to see Richie right himself, hand rubbing against his jaw and glasses broken on the floor.
Freddie, breathing hard, glares at the two men and pulls Kate behind him.
"You broke my glasses," Claims Richie, peeved. Freddie reaches into his back pocket for the stake she knew he had, while Seth strides angrily to his brother's side, hand reaching for the gun hidden under his jacket.
"Ranger asshole," Seth greets with a cocky smirk and an angry crease in his eyebrows.
"Don't!" She yells, at whom she doesn't know. They all disengage from committing a full out brawl, but their anger still simmers beneath the surface.
"Call it payback." Freddie snaps at Richie, hands balled up into fists at his side.
"What is the meaning of this!" Cries Mrs. Appleton, the home economics teacher. She runs through the stagnate crowd of students and is surprised to see three adults at the center.
"Out of the halls, children!" She yells and everyone is reluctant to move and miss the drama. Freddie ends it when he glares at the two brothers and wraps an arm around Kate's shoulders.
"Stay away from my daughter." He hisses and the brother's smirk crookedly.
"No promises, dad," Says Seth and he and Richie stride purposely the other way.
"Kate, let's go," Freddie says and gently tugs her away. "Let's go home."
"There is no home." She murmurs brokenly.
The Gecko Brother's ruined it.
*I'm going to assume that Kate and Scott were either at the end of their summer break or still early in the school year as Kate was worried about home coming. For the sake of the story they were down in Mexico around June. So Kate lost about two weeks of school.
*I have no idea how Foster Care/Home and adoption work or the time frame and requirements necessary for it.
I have about three more one-shot ideas for this fandom.