Here goes a short little story where I explore a hypothetical reason for Tate's mental break as well as create a character for one of the unrevealed characters in AHS. Please review!
-Jenn
All's Well That Ends Dead
"And here we are! Murder House!" Yelled the tour guide with overrated enthusiasm. One woman listened with particularly close attention as the guide rambled on about all of the terrible things that had occurred in the house. As he was sitting down, she stood.
"Hold on just one moment, please, I need to get off." She said, unlatching the little door that kept small children from rolling out of the open car.
"Again?" Yelled the man, grabbing her arm, "Listen, lady, this is not a public bus. Where are you wanting to go anyway?"
She smiled and looked up at the big house, "I'm going to the Murder House. I used to live here."
He let her go, recoiling, remembering the red haired woman and her stout companion. She went on her way, walking slowly up the path way, waving at Moira who was watching from an upstairs window. The old woman waved back with a tentative smile, as if she was unsure the girl was real.
Moira met her at the door though, throwing her arms around her, disrupting the blond curls that fell from the young woman's head, "Kate, my sweet girl, it really is you!"
The girl laughed, "Yes, it's me. How have you been, old friend?"
"Well I'd be better if Constance would leave me be, but I've been alright." Her voice got softer, "Mother died this year."
"Oh, Moira, I'm so sorry." Kate said, "Are you sure you're alright?"
Moira nodded, "I did it myself, on Halloween."
Kate put a comforting smile on, an expression that never could quite come across her own mother's face, "She's in a better place."
The old woman flickered, becoming young again, "That's the truth, at least she's not stuck in this house." The ghost and young woman laughed together, catching the attention of Vivian Harmon.
The instant the red haired woman exited the kitchen and came to them, Moira was old again. "Moira, who is this?"
Moira smiled, her milky eye looking at their guest, "This is Kate, she was born in this house, and I helped raise her." She kissed the woman's temple, "Our Kate, finally come home."
Kate held a hand out to Vivian, "Katherine Thomas, you must be Vivian Harmon, it's a pleasure to meet you." She looked around at the house, "You've done some work on the house, it looks nice."
Vivian approached the woman cautiously, but took her hand anyway. "So, you lived here?"
Kate nodded, "Yeah, like Moira said, I was born here. My family and I lived here until I was seventeen." She grinned, "I'm thirty two now. It's really crazy to be back here. I haven't visited in so long, but..." Kate looked at Moira excitedly, "The hubby and I are moving back to L.A.!"
Moira embraced the woman again, whispering in her ear, "They will be so glad to see you again."
Kate pulled away, "I wish I could say I was here just on a personal visit, but I have some business to discuss with Mr. Harmon. Is he in?"
Vivian shook her head, "No, but he should be here soon. May I ask what you want to talk to him about?"
"Of course!" Kate exclaimed, "You're his wife, nothing that I have to discuss with him should be hidden from you. I know from personal experience that a marriage is only successful if there aren't any secrets. For example, my husband knew before we were married that my son is the product of rape."
Vivian put a hand on her stomach, "Oh, I'm sorry."
Kate shrugged, "Don't be, he's the light of my life. Children should never be punished for their parent's indiscretions. I don't ever take out what his father did on my son. Anyway, I need to talk to Mr. Harmon about Tate."
"Tate Langdon?" Vivian asked, shivering at his name.
"Yes, I'm his sister. I need to talk to Mr. Harmon in person about his progress." She looked absently at Moira, "Moira, where is Tate, anyway?"
The old woman glanced pointedly up the stairs before lying for Vivian's benefit, "He has a session with Dr. Harmon at three, so he should be here any minute."
"Awesome, it will be fantastic to see him again. I feel bad for not visiting." Kate said, looking back at Vivian, "Do you mind it I wait in his office for them?"
Vivian shook her head, "No, go right ahead. I guess you already know where it is."
"The study, correct?" Kate asked, receiving a nod in conformation.
"Katherine..." Vivian began.
"Please, call me Kate." Kate said, interrupting her.
Vivian forced a smile, "Kate, then. That's sort of funny, Tate and Kate." She said, trying to dispel the tension in her chest with a little laugh. Kate just looked at her expectantly so she cleared her throat, "When you lived here, did you ever...see things in the house? Things that weren't really there." She asked in a halting manner.
Moira disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Kate to answer the nervous question on her own, "Houses like this...how do I say this...they have character. Sometimes it's just best to remind yourself of what's reality, and ignore the rest. Don't worry, Vivian," She whispered as she walked past the redhead, "They can only hurt you if you think they can. Just a bit of advice: You're alive, and they aren't."
She waited in the office, looking at all of the Harmon's things. "Vivian said you wanted to talk about Tate?"
Kate turned around and looked at Ben, "Yes, I'm Kate, we've spoken on the phone."
"I've spoken to Tate's mother." He said, wondering if she was another crazy person attracted to the house.
"Actually, you've been speaking to me. I didn't figure you would take Tate as a patient if you knew our parents weren't involved. I apologize for deceiving you." She said plainly, her attention instantly diverted upon hearing the creaky floorboard in the hall sound.
"Dr. Harmon, I think..." Tate was saying as he entered the office, until he saw her.
He ran to her, like a small child, "Katie!" He picked her up and spun her around, crushing her to him, "You're here! I just thought Moira was messing with me!"
Kate's smile was wide, "I came to check up on your progress with the good doctor here, and to tell you that I'm moving back to L.A. I'll be able to visit you more often now."
Tate crushed her back to him, whispering into her blond curls, "I missed you so much, and I have so much to tell you."
"That's what I'm here for, brother." She said, equally as quiet. "You look good." She said honestly, pulling him away to get a better look at him. "Want me to cut your hair?"
Tate began scowling, and Ben was anticipating an outburst of rage from him. Tate surprised him though by punching the woman softly in the arm, "Keep your hands off my hair, you freak."
She laughed, and ruffled his hair playfully, "You know I'm just messing, Tate. You're hair looks nice the way it is." She lifted up her own blond locks, which Ben was startled to realize was identical to Tate's, "Mine on the other hand should be cut. Collin needs a trim too."
Tate suddenly looked serious, "How is he? Collin, is he okay?" Ben felt like there was more to what Tate was saying.
"He's wonderful, Tate." She said, as if trying to comfort him, "Collin is just like any other sixteen year old, moody and irrational, but still my little boy. I got lucky, he's a good kid." Ben was stunned to hear that the young woman in front of him had a son around Violet's age, she looked so young, not to mention that she was stunningly beautiful.
She took a phone out of her pocket, "Speak of the little brat." She looked at Ben, "I'm sorry for taking up your time, I'll let you and Tate have your session, but could I come by and talk tomorrow? Alone." The last word was directed to Tate who looked disappointed.
Ben nodded, "Of course, same time?"
Kate pulled out a datebook and pen, scribbling the appointment down. "Three? Sounds great, I'll have to bring my son though, but he shouldn't be any trouble." She giggled, "I'll just stick him in a corner with his headphones in and he'll be happy as a clam. You know how teenagers are." She said, kissing Tate's temple.
"He has a daughter, Kate, her name is Violet." Tate said, in a voice not dissimilar to how a small child would interject into a conversation between adults.
"What a lovely name." Kate said softly, pulling away from her brother, "I'll see you after your session, won't I, Tate?" She said sternly, handing him a paper with her address.
Tate watched her leave with apt attention, his eyes watching as she pulled out her phone again on the front porch. "Goodbye, Kate." He said under his breath. "She's changed." He said louder, partially to Ben, and partially in amazement to himself.
"Do you want to talk about her?" Ben said, turning on his tape recorder.
Tate just continued to watch her, "She's pretty, don't you think so? Kate was always pretty. She looks like our mother. She's gotten older." There was a sense of hollowness in Tate's voice. "She's left me behind."
Ben assumed that Kate had been a big part of Tate's childhood. "That's how families are, Tate. The older children grow up and move away, nothing ever stays the same."
Tate was too tired to dispute what Ben was saying. Kate wasn't just his sister, she was beautiful, fragile, and his twin. His twin, Katherine Constance Langdon, however kind and docile in appearance, was also his murderer. And he couldn't love her more.
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