First off, totally forgot to disclaim this so here it is: I sadly do not own Patrick Verona or anything to do with 10 Things I Hate About You.

If you haven't figured it out yet: A was the winner, so let the drama unfold.

I was crunching for time as I ran around the house, picking up random objects off the furniture and dusting everything in sight. My mother stood over the stove, stirring the gravy and humming. I couldn't help but smirk a little. My mother only sings when she's happy or excited. So in short, I haven't heard her hum in years.

I was putting the last of the magazines away when the oven timer beep. It was exactly five-thirty and I needed to pick up and Kat and bring her over by six.

"I'm going to pick up Kat. Don't burn the house down while I'm gone."

Honestly, I don't know why I put my mother in charge of cooking while I was gone. She couldn't even make toast without burning it. The food was pretty much ready. It just had to be stirred every couple minutes and I believed my mom could manage that. On second thought, I should've just given Kat the address and told her to get directions online- even though according to my mother I was being the perfect gentleman by picking her up.

My shoulders slumped a little as I came to a stoplight. I decided to take my mother's car, mostly so I wouldn't get the motorcycle lecture from her father again.

Parents were so weird. I mean you should have seen how my mother has been acting the past twenty-four hours. She was given vacation starting Wednesday afternoon and ending on Monday, and then she was given the December holidays off. When I got home on Wednesday I could hear the vacuum cleaner running. I walked upstairs and everything had already been cleaned, the house looking spotless on the top floor. I had helped my mother clean the downstairs, scrubbing toilets and cleaning plates and silverware for today.

I finally arrived at Kat's house at five forty-three. I walked up to the lit house and knocked on the door. When no one answered I knocked some more and finally tried the lock. Running a hand through my hair I finally decided to take my usual route of entry, Kat's window.

I climbed up the trellis and through her window, not finding Kat in her room. I walked into the hallway and looked out the window, seeing that her car is parked out front but her father's wasn't.

I continued to walk through the house, finally finding her in the family room. The T.V. was flickering from commercial to commercial as she lay, completely passed out on the couch. Her hair splayed all over the place, her mouth was slightly open, and the baby belly was protruding quite noticeably underneath her dad's old sweatshirt. I stared at her for a moment, ravishing at how peaceful and innocent she was when she was in another world entirely.

After a minute or two I shook my head to clear it. I then smoothed her hair down onto her head, kissing her forehead before gently whispering her name in her ear. She finally moaned and stirred, arching her back to try and stretch.

She opened her eyes and noticed me standing over her.

She glanced around frantically trying to gain her sense of time, "What time is it?"

I glanced at my watch, "It's ten to six."

She stretched again, this time her arms going above her head. It would have been completely sexy, if it weren't for the belly.

"We have to be there at six?"

"Yep."

She struggled to sit up on the couch as she rubbed her eyes, finally deciding to hold her hands out to me so that I could help her off the couch.

She slowly got up off the couch, even with my help, and held her back with both hands as she wobbled to the staircase and up the stairs to get changed.

I sat on the couch and waited a whole five minutes for her to come back down in a pair of dark jeans and a light green blouse covered by a dark sweater. She turned off the T.V before grabbing her bag off the floor and following me out to the car, not showing any signs of excitement or surprise that we were taking a car and not my motorcycle. She slid wordlessly into the passenger's seat and buckled her seat belt, automatically closing her eyes while resting her head back on the seat.

I pulled away from her house when she finally asked, "Is this your ride?"

"My mother's."

It was silent again as nothing was said. The sound of the blinker was becoming unbearable to hear as we waited at a stoplight.

"What's your mom like?"

The question was out of the blue, and when I glance at her I could tell that she hadn't moved from her original position.

"Um…" I started trying to think of good things to say, "… she is a dancer. She has this passion about everything she does. Plus, she is super excited about meeting you. So don't blow it okay? We've only been talking for about a week now."

I always wondered why I let bits and pieces of myself slip out like that. We'll be talking about one thing and something personal will slip out, causing her to snap all of her attention towards me. She knows better by now not to dig any deeper, but collect each moment as it comes. In a way, she does the same thing to me and I've learned to love each little moment like this. It's like you're seeing more and more of this person day-by-day, week-by-week, and month-by-month. I find this oddly exhilarating and it may sound strange, but it's all part of the game that we play. It works and because we both understand the rules. I have never, in my whole life so far, been able to find someone else who knows how to play the game and knows the rules as well as Kat does. That's something you just have to appreciate.

So that's why at the next stoplight I wrapped my hand around hers and brought it up to my lips, kissing her knuckles gently. Her eyes didn't open but she did grace me with a small smile, making me grace her with one even though she couldn't see it.

I pulled up to Jackass's house and turned off the car. We were running a bit late but that didn't bother me at the least. Kat opened her eyes and unbuckled her seatbelt when she heard me take the keys out of the ignition. I got out of the car and waited for her to meet me on the grass. She slowly got out of the car and stared at my house, mouth slightly agape. She apparently didn't imagine me living in a house this large.

Since Jackass was the CEO of a giant, worldwide company, living with him had its perks. His house was pretty large, with a large and green front yard. The house was covered with brick in the front, the woodwork being used in the back of the house. I took her hand and pulled her through the iron entrance gate. We stopped at the French doors and I turned to her.

I smoothed down some hair that had been rifled in the car, "Try to be on your best behavior, alright?"

She smirked at me while feigning surprise, "Aren't I always?"

I lead Kat through the large foyer. She was twirling, admiring it from all angles. You could smell the food wafting in from the kitchen, filling the house with it's sweet scents. It didn't smell like anything had burned yet, which was a good sign already.

I pulled Kat into the kitchen and cleared my throat, "Mom this is my girlfriend Kat, Kat this is my Mom, Stephanie Paisley."

My mom automatically turned around from her position by the stove and dropped the spoon she was holding. She made her way across the kitchen and hugged Kat, squeezing her tightly.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Kat. I've heard so much about you!"

My mom let go of Kat to turn back to the stove, making it seem like she knew what she was doing. Kat gave me a look as I blushed lightly, shrugging my shoulders at my mother's comment.

"Dinner's almost ready," my mom called over her shoulder. I sighed and walked over the stove, lifting the lids as various pots. I turned off the stove, realizing that everything was done.

The table was pre-set and all I had to do was get all this food into the plates.

I gave my mom a pointed look, telling her to drop the act.

She gave me the spoon as I added a little salt and pepper here and there and finished stirring various dishes.

Kat gave me a questioning look with her eyebrows raised and I shrugged my shoulders again, not giving anything away that easily.

My mother saw this exchange unfortunately. She explained with a sigh, "Patrick cooked dinner tonight. I never cook anyway, but Patrick made it a point that we make specific dishes."

Kat glanced between my mother and me. I shrugged for a third time and smirked, "Nothing with a face right?"

She let out a small smirk as well, "Right."

Dinner was cooling and already my mom and Kat had hit it off.

"Patrick, why don't you take Kat upstairs and show her your room," my mother said pleasantly, "Don't be too long because I'll be getting the food on the table."

Kat grinned and I sighed. This is what I get for not paying attention to "girl talk" for a whole five minutes. Great.

Kat followed me as I practically dragged my feet along the hard-wood floors. I walked slowly up the stairs and down the carpeted hall to the last room.

I opened the door and walked inside. This was one of the only places I could call home and it comforted me to know that Jackass wouldn't dare touch a single thing of mine. It could be highly contagious.

Kat twirled around like she did in the foyer. She was taking it all in. The blue walls, the slightly messy bed, the desk in the corner with paper scattered every which way. There were no clothes on the floor, but there was a shirt strewn over the back of the desk chair.

Kat smiled as she sat down on the bed, reading the posters that filled the walls. They were mostly band posters with the occasion motorcycle or car. Hey, I was a mechanic and was proud of the work I had done.

She flopped back on the bed and let out a huff. I came and stood over her, smirking.

"Your bed is extremely comfortable," she noted, still smiling.

"Well it's durable too. You know, if you want to try it out with me some time," I winked at her and could see the slight blush on her face as she glared at me.

"It's pretty much what I expected," she said, changing the subject as she shrugged.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

She sat up and stood up next to me when she heard my mother holler that dinner was on the table.

She patted my cheek, "Definitely a good thing."

With that she turned on her heel and sauntered out of the room, swinging her hips.

She left me in my own room with a dry mouth, wondering for the millionth time what I had gotten myself into.

My mother managed to correctly place everyone at the table. We all sat and dug in quickly. We weren't even halfway through our meal and my mother was already laughing at some smart-ass remark that I had made. I glanced at Kat again, realizing that she couldn't stop smiling and neither could I.

I reached for Kat's hand under the table and I gave it a squeeze. She grinned at me and I felt my stomach flip as she squeezed back.

My mother wasn't dim witted and she was strangely a people person. She smiled too, knowing that what was going on underneath the table.

My mother wiped her mouth and took a sip of water before turning to Kat, "I want to thank you for everything Kat, really."

Kat looked at her, confused, "Mrs. Paisley, I'm not really sure what I have done here to deserve your thanks."

My mother reached across the table to grab Kat's free hand, "I wanted to thank you for taking my son in with you. After Patrick's father left things have been hard and it means a lot to me that someone is always going to be there for him even when I'm not."

Kat was clearly taken aback, and so was I for that matter. She looked at me and then back to my mother, "It really is no problem Ma'am. I really care about Patrick and would never want anything to happen to him either."

The two women shared a look that I couldn't identify, but it defiantly meant something to the two of them as my mother leaned back and gave a satisfactory smile.

Just then I heard the back door open, and all I could think of was taking Kat and getting out of this house.

I gave my mother a desperate glance and she gave me a look too, one that told me to stay put and keep my mouth shut.

"Steph are you home?" A manly voice called throughout the house.

"In the kitchen Brad," my mom called back into the house, her fingers laced tightly in front of her.

Kat was giving me a panicked look, knowing how much I despised my stepfather. I was being very calm about things considering the fact that Jackass just walked through the door while my girlfriend was over. Things could only go downhill from here.

My mom stood up to great him as he walked into the kitchen in his expensive suit and tie, holding a briefcase at his side. She gave him a kiss and asked him if he wanted a plate of food.

He nodded his head and set his briefcase down on the granite countertop, "Sure, that would be great. How you doing Patrick?"

"Fine," I mumbled.

Kat stood up and held out her hand, "Kat Stratford, it's nice to meet you Mr…?"

"Paisley. Brad Paisley. It's a pleasure Ms. Stratford."

He gave her a slick smile and kissed the back of her hand. Kat smiled politely back through the grimace she was trying to hide.

Jackass slipped off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves before sitting in the seat next to my mother. He took a sip of water before digging into the plate of food my mother had prepared for him.

"I didn't expect you to come home tonight," my mother noted calmly, giving me another warning glance.

"I didn't think I would get the time off. We're trying to close a major deal soon and the final paperwork has to be edited and submitted by next Monday."

"If you don't mind me asking Mr. Paisley, what company do you work for?"

Kat leaned on the table, arm propped under her chin as if she were truly interested in what he did for a living.

Jackass swallowed and cut some more meat, "I'm the CEO of the Paisley and Parsley family company. It's been in my family for generations."

"That's so interesting, to have such a long family history like that," Kat nodded her head as she spoke, trying to show her interest in the subject.

"Well, it started out as a tiny company in the north…"

I completely blocked out the rest of Jackass's company story. I've heard it millions of times already and really wasn't in the mood to hear it again. The whole time Kat stayed attentive, shaking her head and nodding at the appropriate times.

When his story has done, Jackass had to turn to my mother and complement the food.

"Oh no honey, Patrick decided to cook for everyone tonight."

The look that Jackass gave me was one of such pure disgust and I couldn't help but glare the same way back at him. Kat eyed us and I smirked.

"Make sure you flush the toilet so we can't hear you puking this all up."

My mother looked at me, horrified, slamming her fist down on the table and moving her hands frantically.

"Patrick Anthony Verona!"

I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest, raising my eyebrows and throwing down the challenge.

The room was silent and the tension could be cut with a chainsaw. Kat suddenly popped out of her seat. I glanced over at her as I realized that my mother had spilled water down the front of her shirt when she was moving her hands around.

After some apologizing and fretting, Jackass stood up and volunteered to show her where the bathroom was.

I stood up too and ignored my mother's harsh, lecturing whispers. I quietly made it to my room to grab a shirt for Kat. I grabbed the plain black one that was on top and was walking down the hall when I heard a muffled cry.

My face went white as I processed what was going on. Not this shit again.

I moved swiftly down the hall and found the bathroom. I stood outside the door as I waited. It would happen in three, two, one…

And boom!

Jackass moves in for the kill, covering Kat's lips with his and feeling her up. I storm towards the bathroom but have to stop because what happens next is to good not to see to the end.

Kat's eyes pop open and she pushes against him with no success. She finally decides to kiss him back as she slides her hands up his arm to the back of his head. She runs her hands through his hair a couple times before grabbing a fistful of it. She yanks it hard, ripping his head off her. She takes this opportunity to knee him in the groin, pushing him over on the cold tile floor. She even slaps him while he's down, cussing him out a bit.

When she comes out of the bathroom she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and ignores my gaping mouth. She just grabs my hand and calmly walks back into the kitchen.

"Thank you for the lovely evening Mrs. Paisley."

"Where's Brad?" My mother asked, looking down the hallway.

I smirked at her, "He's lying on the bathroom floor where Kat beat him up."

She started wide-eyed and Kat and then glanced back at me.

"You let her do that to him?"

I scoffed at her. She was really mad at Kat for this?

"While your precious little husband was making out with my girlfriend, she was trying to protect herself. I honestly don't know why do you put up with this crap. If you ask me I'm better off without you both."

My mother didn't answer me as she stared at the ground, her knuckles white as she gripped the chair in front of her.

I glared at her as I grabbed Kat's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen. I grabbed my leather jacket off the hook and handed Kat the shirt in my other hand. I waited for her to change before I walked out of the house.

I uncovered my motorcycle and jumped on, giving Kat the extra helmet I just bought for her and putting my own on. She didn't say anything to me or make a snide comment as we pulled out of the driveway and speed down the rode.

Her grip on my waist was tight. I drove and drove before I finally decided to pull up at her house. She gave back the extra helmet and let me follow her inside the house.

I took off my shoes jacket after she did and sat on the couch as she riffled through the fridge. She finally brought me a glass of orange juice as well as one for herself.

She curled up next to me on the couch before flicking on the T.V. and changing it to some discovery channel.

She rested her head on my shoulder and quietly said, "I'm sorry."

I let out a small scoff, "For what?"

"For having you and your mom get into a fight."

I glanced down at her, "My mother and I always get into fights."

She lifted her head off my shoulder, "That's not the point Patrick. I didn't have to practically beat up your stepfather. Who knows what he's going to do to her."

"It's nothing she doesn't deserve," I muttered under my breath.

"Patrick!" She stared at me, surprised at my tone of voice. "Why would you say something like that?"

"It's not like she doesn't deserve it. She's gotten herself into this mess. The minute the letter came from Iraq telling us they couldn't find him she went on, remarried, and started this whole new life without even including me."

Kat looked taken aback at this new information, and wrapped her arms around my neck to pull me in for a hug. My tense shoulders relaxed at her touch and I let myself melt into her.

When she pulled back I leaned in to kiss her.

"He had no right to do that to you. You shouldn't be sorry," I whispered against the skin of her neck as I pulled her hair back from her face.

She didn't say anything back to me and I brought my lips back up to hers, kissing her gently. We were sucking the oxygen out of each other, opening our mouths to allow our tongues to intermingle. I leaned forward so I was on top of her as my hands slipped under her- my t-shirt to feel the curves of her body.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and brought them down my back to reach under my shirt. Her hands were cold and I shivered, causing her to smirk against my lips. Soon, our shirts were riding up father and father, the kissing getting more heated and passionate by the second.

She pulled away abruptly, "Patrick, we have to stop."

Her voice was raw and I simply nodded my head from where it nuzzled her neck.

She placed both hands on my chest and pushed when I kissed her neck, snapping me out of the daze I was in.

I shook my head, "Thanks."

She smirked at me, "No problem."

She let me kiss her sweetly one more time before I rested my head on her chest like a little kid. I let myself sag on her a little, my arms and legs resting on either side of her as I felt myself melt my body into hers. I felt the weight of the afghan cover me and I could practically hear her smile as one arm wrapped around my waist and the other came up to stoke my hair.

As my eyes drooped at the reassurance and contentment that this position brought me, I understood why Bianca came to Kat when she was upset. Kat kissed the top of my head, and I realized it was like being comforted by the mother you never had.

Remember to review. Tell me if this is how you thought Thanksgiving was going to go or if I totally butchered your thoughts.

THE CHALLENGE FOR THE INDECISIVE: Let me know what you want to happen next. I really do try to incorporate all different ideas in the story that you guys have. I do this all for you!

- artist1157