Ch 3

A/N. Ok guys I know it's been a little while, but I'm really trying. Please read and review. I need to know if I should keep going on this or just give it up as a lost cause.


Pushing her way through the small crowd, almost managing to get a drink spilled on her, Kat rushed to Pete. The boy smiled the moment he saw her as if she was a friend he'd know all his life.

"Pete what are you doing here?" she asked, kneeling down to his level.

He shrugged, "My dad kicked me out of the car." He replied nonchalantly, like this happened all the time.

Taken aback Kat rose to her feet, "He kicked you out of the car?"

"Yeah, he said I was too loud. I was just singing with the radio." He shrugged again as Ria walked up to the pair, still looking confused. He saw her approach and smiled up at her, "Hi I'm Pete. Who are you?"

She plastered the best smile she could muster on her face and said, "Hi Pete, I'm Ria. I work with Kat."

"Oh, you're a waitress too!" He said excitedly, obviously thinking it was much more glamorous than it really was.

She let out a small laugh and answered, "No we work together somewhere else."

"Oh." Sounding slightly disappointed, he looked down studying his shoes.

Ria took the time to address Kat, "Um don't you think we should get him out of here. This place isn't exactly the best place for a kid."

Hearing this Kat nodded, and Pete looked up, "I'm not a kid!" He said indignantly, "I'm 10."

Kat knelt down again. "I know that Pete, she's not saying it like that, it's just that you're supposed to be a little older to be in a place like this."

"Ok," he shrugged. "So where are we going?"

Kat looked up at Ria, not knowing exactly what to do herself. Sighing Kat more asked than stated, "We are only a block from the office; I guess we could take him there."

"I'll call Gillian." Ria responded pulling out her cell as Kat took Pete's hand and led him out of the bar.

As they approached the building Kat saw that the light was still on in Gillian's office. She breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't left yet, knowing that Gillian would know what to do. At least that was what Kat was hoping.

Kat gently led Pete through the door and through the building. He looked around with interest at the décor. His look mirrored Kat's the first time that she'd walked through the building. As they kept walking Kat noticed how quiet it really was. The only sound in the building was the click of Kat and Ria's heals, the squeak of Pete's sneakers, and the gentle hum of the air conditioning.

Stopping in front of Gillian's door Kat knocked and let herself in. Gillian was sitting behind her desk, apparently waiting for them. She quickly got out of her chair and made her way over to them, smiling at Pete. "Hi, you must be Pete. Kat has told me about you. I'm Gillian."

Pete beamed up at her and stuck out his hand, "Hi Gillian."

Gillian tried to stifle a laugh as she shook the boy's hand. "So Pete, I heard these girls picked you up tonight."

"Yeah!" He said excitedly.

"What were you doing there?" Gillian asked, smiling at his enthusiasm, even though she was worried about his situation.

"Dad kicked me out of the car." He answered a little sadly.

"Why would he do that?" Gillian asked, leading him over to the couch, taking a soft chair herself. Kat sat next to Pete on the couch, and Ria took a chair next to the desk, distancing herself slightly from the group.

"He said I was singing too loud. He told me if I didn't stop that he would make me get out of the car. I really liked the song that was on and didn't want to stop. Then he stopped the car and told me to get out."

"Has he done that before?" Gillian asked, now very concerned.

"Yeah, he's done it a couple of times. The first time he came back for me, but the others I just had to get home myself."

"Where is home?"

"I don't know where it is from here. I've never been in this part of the city."

Gillian and Kat exchanged worried glances, "Do you know what your address is?"

He looked down at his shoes, confusion across his face, "I don't remember. Usually Dad will only drop me off a couple blocks away from home."

Gillian nodded and looked up at Kat, nodding her head again in the direction of the door. "Pete could you stay here for a minute while I talk to Kat and Ria?"

"Sure." He smiled again, curling into a ball on the couch.

Going into the hall so that they could still see him, but he couldn't hear, Kat asked, "Gillian what are we supposed to do? I can't just leave him alone."

"I know. He's going to have to stay with one of us tonight. Then in the morning we'll call child services."

"Ok. He's staying with me." Kat said, leaving no room for questioning. "I'm the one who found him. I'll bring him in tomorrow."

Gillian nodded, "Ok, we'll see you in the morning then."

Kat went back into the room and dropping down to her knee again said, "Ok Pete, how would you like to come home with me tonight?"

His eyes lit up, "Really? I get to stay with you?"

"Yep it's just you and me tonight. How's that sound?"

"Great!" He jumped up and threw his arms around her neck. Stopping suddenly and looking worried, "But won't Dad be mad?"

"We'll talk to him in the morning." She said leading him back out of the office.

Pete stopped when they came to Gillian and Ria. "Good night Ria." He said brightly, and putting his hand out to Gillian, "Good night Gillian."

She couldn't help but smile at him again. "Good night Pete. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

"Ok." With that they left the building and made their way back to retrieve Kat's car.