Another update for Touch the Flame! Can I get a woo hoo?

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Big. Time. Rush.

Maslover2626: Thank you so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying it! And thank you for reviewing :)

startrekwarrior12: Since your PM thing is disabled, I figured I'd respond to you this way :) Anyway, thank you so much for your review! It made my day. I'm so relieved that you think that I did Katie's feelings about the rape really well, because honestly, it's tricky to figure it out. So thank you for that :)

THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed, or read this story! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Warnings: Not a lot of warnings for this one. Just suggestiveness and language I guess. Oh, and Kendall being a complete ass (sorry, Kendall lovers, don't hate me, okay?)

So, this chapter is more of a filler. It was supposed to be longer, but I wanted to get it up today, so most of what I had planned to happen in this chapter probably won't happen until the next chapter. But there's still some important stuff, so it's not all fluff and whatnot.

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Nine: Family Therapy

Katie's POV

I awoke the next morning cocooned in James' sheets, his arms around me. I smiled to myself, hearing his steady breathing, and feeling the solid lines of his body pressed against mine. Definitely something I could get used to.

I turned over so that I could face him. He sighed in his sleep and pulled me closer to him. My smile widened and I snuggled into him, closing my eyes again.

Finally, he began to stir. He opened his eyes, blinking at me sleepily. Oh my gosh…he was so adorable…and he was mine. Well, as much of mine as James Diamond could ever be. I had him, probably more than any other girl ever had. If I had known when I was fourteen that four years later I would be waking up next to him…It probably would have saved a lot of teenage angst. Plus, it would have given me something to look forward to.

But maybe it was a good thing that I hadn't known. If I had, things might not have gone the way they had. And honestly, at this point, I couldn't imagine doing anything differently, and if I got presented with the chance to change what had happened, I was beginning to think that I wouldn't. I would let it play out the way it had, because that was the way it had been meant to happen.

I smiled and almost squealed to myself. James and I were meant to be! Well, okay, not meant to be, meant to be, but still, pretty close. And who knows what could happen in the future? At fourteen, I wouldn't have even considered the fact that one day I might end up with James, and yet, here I was, laying in his arms, in his bed. It didn't get much better than that.

"Morning," James mumbled, reaching over so that he could sleepily kiss me. I kissed him back, before pulling back. He moved closer to me, sliding down so that he could rest his head on my bare chest, sighing contentedly. I ran my fingers through his messy air, feeling my smile widen even more. How was it possible to wake up feeling this good, feeling this happy? We hadn't even said "I love you", but we might as well have, with how happy I was. It shouldn't have been possible, but it was.

"Morning," I replied. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good. You?"

"Really good."

"Sounds like a good thing."

"Mmm hmm. It is."

He tilted his head so that he could smile up at me. "You know, you're really beautiful."

I blushed. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You're gorgeous. I've always thought so."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? I have. Even in high school. Just because I didn't want to hook up with you didn't mean anything. You were like my little sister, and I respected you."

"And if you knew you'd end up...like this…with me…What would you have done?" I asked him, genuinely curious.

He shrugged. "Nothing different. Mainly because I was a stupid seventeen year old boy."

"But if you could do it all over…would you? Would you change anything?"

He didn't even pause. "No, I wouldn't. Well, I might change hurting you, but that's the only thing."

"Really?"

James nodded. "Yeah. I wouldn't want to risk changing anything that might not lead us to this."

I smiled. "Neither would I. And honestly, I don't think I'd change you hurting me. It's a part of our relationship and who we were. It's our history."

"You really feel that way?"

"Yeah, I do. I'd rather have had that experience, rather than risk not having you now. I never realized how much I needed you until everything started going downhill with my family. And now…" I shrugged. "I care about you."

"But do you like me?"

I was stunned. The question sounded like it had just slipped out of his mouth, unbidden. He had sounded scared and vulnerable, not at all his usual cocky and self-assured self.

Before I could say anything, he rolled over, burying his face in my chest, hiding it. He cheeks were flaming hot against my bare skin, and I almost laughed at how embarrassed he suddenly was.

I kept running my fingers through his hair. "You know what? I actually do. I like you. A lot."

He looked up at me, eyes wide and just as vulnerable as his voice had been. "Do you?"

"I do. I thought it was obvious how I feel."

He shook his head. "It's not."

"Oh. Well…do you like me?"

"Yeah. A lot."

I smiled, and he slowly smiled back.

I pulled him up so that we were face to face, and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back, bracing himself over me. I deepened the kiss, smiling into it, before pulling away. He looked at me questioningly.

"I just realized…today's Sunday."

"Yeah…and?"

"We have to go to school tomorrow. Which means, we need to do homework."

"Crap," he groaned. "Well, I don't have that much. How about you?"

"Not too much. I should be done in a couple of hours."

"Good. Same. Then we can get back to the really important stuff."

"Like what?" I asked, pushing the covers back and crawling out of bed.

"Like showing each other how much we like each other."

I chuckled. "You can show me how much you like me in the shower."

"I'm game." He got out of bed too, picked me up, and hightailed it into the bathroom.

Sunday went by much too fast. We got through our homework and spent the rest of the day hanging out together.

I didn't hear from either of my parents until that evening, when my mom texted me: I called your brother to let him know that your dad's gone. But we're all going to meet up on Friday evening at 7 with a family counselor to talk things over. I'll text you the address tomorrow. Love you. –Mom.

"Well?" James asked me as I set my phone down on the nightstand. "What'd she want?"

"She called Kendall to let him know about Dad, but they've arranged to have us all talk to a family counselor on Friday evening."

"Oh." His brow furrowed slightly. "That sounds like a good thing."

I nodded. "It does. It sounds like maybe they're trying to figure this thing out. But maybe it's just so that Kendall and I won't end up hating them."

"Maybe. Speaking of Kendall, have you talked to him lately?"

"Not since Friday at lunch."

"Damn."

"I know." I sighed. "So much has happened since then." I pulled my knees up to my chest. "I hope he doesn't hate me for not contacting him. I just – I couldn't tell him. It wasn't my responsibility. And he's been so…casual about it all…He always thought I was overreacting. He didn't live with them so he didn't know. But it didn't matter, he always refused to listen to me, no matter what."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's not your fault. And then this happened and I just wasn't ready to talk to him."

"What happens when he asks where you're staying?"

"I don't know," I sighed again. "Is it okay if I tell him I'm staying with you?"

James nodded. "Go ahead. I have a spare room, and he's under the impression that we don't actually like each other."

"But we're living in the same house…" I pointed out.

"True. Well, he'll probably assume that I still see you as a little sister. Believe me, I don't think he's going to get suspicious."

"Logan might though."

"Logan can't do anything about it. And I don't think he would anyway. He'll want to see it all play out."

"Yeah, you're right. He won't want to interfere, it's really not his style."

"Exactly. So we have nothing to worry about."

I nodded in agreement.

James laid back on his elbows. "Don't worry, Katie. I think the last thing he's going to have on his mind right now is you staying with me."

"Very true," I agreed, lying down beside him. He draped an arm over my waist, pulling me closer to him. I leaned into him, and kissed my left temple.

"Whatever happens with your family, I'm here for you," he told me quietly.

"The same goes for you," I replied, and he kissed me.

"Good."

I didn't see Kendall until lunch the next day, when I joined the guys at their usual table.

He looked up at me as I approached. "Mom called me," was all he said.

I nodded. "I know. She texted me last night."

"Right. And how long have you known about the split?"

"Since Friday…"

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I thought to tell you. I just also thought it was their responsibility to let you know. I'm not the one with the marriage problems."

"They don't have marriage problems!"

"No? Then why the hell did Mom kick Dad out of the house?!"

"Why the hell are you asking me?!"

"Because you're the one who's so deep in denial you're practically drowning!"

"They're fighting, that's all!"

"Damn it, Kendall! Dad's cheating on Mom! It's why he's been so distant! It's why they've been fighting! It's why she kicked him out!"

"No it's not! It's because she's a selfish bitch and he's a fuck up prick! And you!" his eyes were burning with anger, hurt, sadness. "You don't even give a damn. You just want him out of the house."

"Why the fuck would I want my father out of the house?!"

"Because he told you the truth about James when you were fourteen and you didn't listen! Which is why you ended up so fucked up! You're always so adamant about how he's to blame, but if you had just listened, you wouldn't have gotten hurt! But oh no, you knew everything. It's your own fucking fault you got hurt! And if you had just learned to keep your mouth shut, you wouldn't have been bullied in high school! Everything that you blame on everyone else is your fault, Katie. You just don't know how to take responsibility."

I got to my feet calmly, but my breathing was beginning to pick up. I coolly picked up my iced tea and threw it right into Kendall's face. "Maybe you should just grow the fuck up. Call me once that happens. Until then, I don't want to talk to you."

And with that, I stormed out of the cafeteria. Once I was outside, I broke out into a run, dashing across campus. People stared at me, some whispering, some yelling when I almost collided with them, but I didn't bother giving them so much as a second glance. I was too busy fighting tears and the urge to scream.

I finally reached the parking lot and found my car. Because James' and my schedules were liable to change, depending on the day, we had agreed to just take separate cars. Plus, we didn't want to tip people off to the fact that I was staying with them.

I unlocked my car and climbed in, buckling up and starting the car. I had no idea where I was going to go. I just knew that I needed to get away for a few hours.

I ended up driving out of Canton Lake, going into the next city and just riding around, letting myself have time to think. The problem was, my brain was so jumbled up that I had no idea what to even think about. I didn't want to think about what Kendall had said to me, I didn't want to be reminded of my parents, and I didn't want to focus on the fucked up relationship that James and I had. I still hadn't asked him about his stepmom, and I wasn't sure I was going to. From everything Mr. Diamond had said, the fling or whatever the hell it was had ended. It was no longer relevant to whatever James and I were. Maybe it never had been.

It was almost dark by the time I headed back towards Canton Lake, and by the time I pulled up in front of James' house, it was pitch black, except for the street lights.

As I pulled up into the driveway, I noticed that the living room lights were on, and James' car was already parked. He was home.

I parked the car, got out, and headed up to the front door. I turned the doorknob, half expecting it to be locked, but it turned easily in my hand. I pushed the door opened and stepped inside, letting the door fall closed behind me.

I could hear the sounds of a TV show coming from the living room, and I followed them in.

James was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, looking like he wasn't really focusing on the TV screen.

When I walked into the room, his eyes immediately shot to me. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Are you okay?" he asked me, moving over so that I could sit down next to him. "I thought about following you, but Logan said that you probably needed space, so…"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm…I'm okay, I guess."

"I can't believe Kendall said all those things to you," James said fiercely. "He had no right. I yelled at him after you left, but I don't think he was really listening – he was too busy trying to get the iced tea out of his hair."

"Good," I snorted. "If he wants to be so dense, then he should have something stupid to focus on."

"I'm really, really sorry. He's just in major denial. It's easier to take it out on you, rather than admit that his parents might not be perfect for each other."

"I've been trying to tell him that for ages and he never listened!"

"I know." He rubbed my leg comfortingly.

I sighed. "I just can't believe how messed up things have gotten. I swear, I say it every day, but it still hasn't really sunk in. This is my life. My father doesn't give a shit about my mom, my brother, or me. My mom's too busy being pissed at my dad to even pay any attention to me. And my brother blames me for the whole thing."

"Where do I fit in?" James asked, sounding almost scared.

I smiled a little. "It's ironic. I've been saying for so long that my life started going downhill because of you, but now you're probably the best thing in my life."

"Kendall said something about your dad telling you the truth about me…"

"What? Oh. Yeah. It wasn't anything I hadn't heard before. Just that you would never want me the way I wanted you." I shrugged. "Kendall's right – if I had listened, I probably wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"If I had been a better person, you wouldn't have gotten hurt either," James pointed out.

"Stop blaming yourself. We're both to blame."

"I'm more to blame."

I shook my head, laughing. "Nah uh. We're not arguing about whose fault it is more. We were a lot younger and we didn't know what we were doing. We both made mistakes. I was too young for you, I was too naïve."

"But you had a crush on me," James protested. "What I did to you was just plain nasty."

"Well, you were a nasty person," I shrugged. "But you felt bad about it. And you've more than made up for it."

"Yeah – I've given you lots of orgasms."

I smacked his shoulder. "That's not what I meant!"

"But it does help."

I chuckled. "I'm never telling."

"It does. It totally helps."

"I'm not talking about this anymore."

"Us or orgasms?"

"Orgasms."

He grinned. "Only for the time being."

"I'm not going to even dignify that with a response."

"Mmm hmm."

I shook my head. Boys.

"I do have a question for you though…" James said slowly, sounding a little unsure.

"Shoot."

"If I had shown an interest in you…Would you have slept with me?"

I turned to look at him, our eyes meeting. He held my gaze steadily for several seconds, before I broke it and looked down, not sure I really wanted to answer his question.

"You would've…"

"I – yeah – probably…"

He looked down too.

"I was actually considering it," I admitted quietly. "I knew what you did, I knew what you were like, but the thing was, you were you. You were my Jamie-Bear, the one who taught me how to rollerblade and skateboard and ice skate, who I could go to for anything. Even at fourteen, it just made sense for me to lose my virginity to you. And I really liked you. And I trusted you. When you told me to save you a dance, I got my hopes up. I had the night planned out in my mind perfectly. It didn't matter that I looked like I was ten. I was hoping you could see past that, and see me as, well, a woman." I laughed a little. "Obviously, you couldn't. My body hadn't caught up to my hormones or my thoughts, and it wouldn't for another year. I was almost fifteen by the time I could go out and actually buy a regular bra. I was thrilled when I finally got hips because it meant that I was no longer considered scrawny."

"Well, you grew up nicely," James said, sounding almost breathless.

"I like to think so."

"You know, if I had actually stuck around for another year, chances were I would have made a move," he told me honestly. "When I saw you in the coffee shop the first day I was back, I was definitely checking you out. I wasn't going to sleep with you, but you were definitely hot. I was definitely interested."

"Really? So…I wasn't just an easy fuck? I mean – what am I saying? You thought I was hot. It wasn't like you wanted me for my mind."

"Do I ever want girls for their minds?"

"My point has been made."

"Look, you weren't just an easy fuck. You were tempting, forbidden fruit. I wanted you, more than I was willing to admit."

I bit my lip. "Where does your stepmom fit into all of this?"

He blinked. "Savannah?"

"Yeah. Your dad mentioned her on Saturday…"

"Oh."

"It's none of my business, but…"

"We slept together three times," he said bluntly. "I'm not proud of it. I did it to get my dad back, and she came onto me first – I didn't initiate it. And once we slept together, I stayed away from her. The first time I slept with her was the night after I got back."

"Wow, you really held out," I deadpanned.

"There was too much sexual tension between us," he informed me. "Don't tell me you didn't feel it when I drove you home from the party."

"No, I definitely felt it. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because I was still horny from it. I think it's why I gave into Savannah in the first place. I needed relief, and she was there to help me out. I would have preferred it if it had been you, but obviously that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. I did what I thought was necessary. It was an awful thing to do, and I wish it had never happened. But I can't take it back – but believe me, if I could, I would."

I nodded. "I believe you."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. There isn't any reason for me to be. You've obviously learned your lesson about sleeping with your stepmom, so there's nothing else to say."

"Okay." He looked a little relieved. "I'm sorry your plans for the dance didn't pan out. I'm sorry I wasn't your first."

"I'm not – about the dance, I mean. As for you being my first, I don't know what to say to that. I have mixed feelings about that."

"Why?"

"Because you have so much experience under your belt, and the only experience I have I don't even remember. I wish I at least had someone to compare this to, you know?"

"You – you want to sleep with other guys?" his voice sounded shaky.

"What? No! No! I didn't mean it like that! I just…I just want to know what it's like for you. I mean, I'm probably the first girl who you've actually slept with so much. It's gotta be weird and different for you."

"You would think so…But it's not. It actually feels really natural. Honestly, I don't think those previous experiences even count. They shouldn't. They don't."

"Why not?"

"Why do you think?" he looked at me, eyes dark, smoldering, intense. Our eyes locked again, and I was left breathless.

"I – I – "

He kissed me, slowly and deeply, and my hand reached up to cup his face. Eh, who needed breath anyway?

His teeth slowly scraped against my bottom lip, before tugging at it, and I whimpered into his mouth. James…

He pulled back, and I focused on catching my breath.

"Have you eaten?" he asked after a few seconds of silence.

I shook my head.

"Okay. I ordered Pad Thai."

"Sounds good."

He nodded. "Let's go eat."

I barely saw Kendall at all during the rest of the week. I had a feeling he was avoiding me, just like I was avoiding him.

James and I had been working on our project for our history class, which was probably a very good thing, because it was due on Friday.

"I hate oral presentations," I moaned as we walked into the classroom. "It means I have to speak in front of everyone."

He chuckled. "You'll be okay. And remember, I'll be up there with you. If you need me to take over, I will."

"I'm so glad you're an actor and a model."

He grinned. "Just consider yourself lucky."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Let's just get this damn thing over with."

"Sounds good to me."

Somehow, we managed to get through the presentation without passing out.

That evening, I headed to the address that my mom had texted me. It was an office building, with a bunch of frosted white names on the glass door: Doctor…PHD…Counselor…Biting my lip, I headed on in. I managed to find the office my mom had told me to meet her, Dad, and Kendall at. I knocked on the door and walked in. All three of my family members were already seated in green leather chairs, and the good doctor was sitting in a chair, her legs crossed.

"Ah, you must be Katie," she greeted me.

I nodded. "And you must be Doctor Harrison."

"I am. Would you like to sit down?"

I eyed her. "I guess…" I slowly sat down beside Mom. She gave me a small smile and patted my leg reassuringly.

Neither Dad or Kendall acknowledged my presence. That was welcoming.

"So," Doctor Harrison, "would someone like to explain why you're all here?"

Mom nodded and spoke up. "Well, I scheduled this meeting because recently Ken and I separated, and it seemed like there were some things that we needed to discuss as a family."

"All right." Doctor Harrison scribbled something down on her clipboard. "And why did you and your husband separate, Ms. Knight?"

"He was – is – having an affair with his secretary."

"I see. And how long has this been going on?"

"For six months," Mom answered.

I gasped. "Six months?! As in a whole half year?!" I glared at Dad. "Wow. Just wow."

He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. But he didn't say anything to me either.

Doctor Harrison looked at me. "This is news to you?"

"Yes! I had no idea he had been cheating on Mom for so long!"

"And you?" she addressed Kendall. "Is this news to you?"

"Yes, it is. I had no idea he was cheating on – "

"Yes you did," I interrupted. "You too did know. You just wouldn't listen to me. You're so damn stubborn and bullheaded that you couldn't see what was right in front of your face. According to you, every time something was wrong, every time Mom and Dad would fight, I would be overdramatizing everything. Well, guess what. I wasn't. I had a very good reason for believing what I believed. But you wouldn't listen to me. You never did."

"Well, considering you've been depressed since you were fourteen – "

"I wasn't depressed!" I retorted. "Why the hell would you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the constant black nail polish? The fact that you were always moody?"

"You mean because I was a teenager?"

"Whatever. You kept to yourself, you were pretty much convinced that everyone was out to get you."

"I wasn't convinced! Kendall, I was bulled every day in school!"

"See what I mean?"

I got to my feet. "Oh my God! You really think I'm making all this up?! Why would I make up being called bitch and slut and having my sports bra stolen and being knocked into lockers and finding graffiti on my locker and having notes passed about me about how weird and bitchy and slutty I was? Why would I make any of that up?!"

"I never had any trouble with any of that in high school!"

"Because you were a popular hockey player! I wasn't popular! I was an outcast! Why can't you understand that people are treated differently based on social status?! Look at how we're treated at restaurants and stores, as opposed to, say, the Diamonds. They get the finest service, and the waiters and store clerks look down their noses at us. That's how it works. Think about it." I fell silent, my chest heaving from my outburst.

After several long seconds, Doctor Harrison cleared her throat. "Please sit back down, Katie."

I did so, curling up in my chair and staring at the wall, feeling completely miserable. I wanted to be anywhere but here, with my judgmental family and a doctor who probably couldn't help us out of our hole if we tried.

"Are you still living in your parents' house, Katie?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "I, um…I left the night my dad did."

"If you don't mind me asking, where're you living?"

"With a mutual friend of Kendall's and mine."

"Who would that be?" Dad asked, sounding almost curious. "Stephanie or Camille?"

"She's living with James," Mom informed him.

"She's living with WHO?!"

Have I mentioned that Dad reeeeaaallly doesn't like James? Because he doesn't. He kind of hates him, actually.

"With James," I said calmly.

"You're living with James?!" Kendall yelped. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

"That there's someone out there who actually cares about me and listens to me and doesn't judge me."

"Oh, and James is that person?" he retorted sarcastically.

"With me, yeah, he is." My voice had turned quiet with that sentence.

"I can't believe this," Kendall shook his head.

"You're the one who wanted James and me to get along," I reminded him. "And now we are getting along. You don't really have any right to be upset about this. Why are you upset about this?"

"Maybe because I know what kind of guy he is. If you're living with him, then you're more vulnerable to his seduction techniques."

Too late…

"Nothing bad is happening," I told him. "We care about each other. We're friends. He even took me to visit his dad in the hospital."

Kendall blinked. "He took you? He hasn't asked any of us to see him."

"You guys haven't been hanging out as much lately though," I pointed out. "You've been busy with the college hockey team and Logan's busy with his class and the science club and Carlos is working on getting into an actual relationship with Stephanie. And James is dealing with his dad, and his mom keeps going off on vacation or whatever, and he's been spending a lot of time with me. We're trying to mend our friendship."

"It's a good thing," Mom spoke up. "I'm glad she has someone there for her. The rest of us haven't been around as much as we could have been."

"I'm busy with college and hockey and Jo," Kendall said defensively.

"And I'm busy with work," Dad added.

Along with fucking his secretary, but apparently in his mind, that doesn't count.

Mom shook her head. "Excuses, excuses."

Doctor Harrison scribbled something else down, before looking at us. "So, you feel like your daughter doesn't get as much attention as she could receive?" she addressed Mom.

"Honestly? Yes. She ended up in the middle of Ken's and my arguments, she was always around, so she saw and heard everything."

Doctor Harrison nodded. "I see." She looked back at me. "And how did you feel about your parents' fights?"

I bit my lip. "They worried me a little at first, but I thought maybe they were just going through a rough patch. And then the fights got a little more…intense, and I got a little scared. After they'd been going on for a few months, I just…I just wanted them to figure this thing out, whether it meant getting divorced or getting therapy or whatever. But when it actually happened…It hurt. A lot. That's when I ended up at James' place. He told me that I could call on him if I ever needed him, so I followed him up on his offer."

"And who is James?" Doctor Harrison asked me. "You two haven't gotten along in the past?"

I shook my head. "Basically, he's one of Kendall's best friends, and when I was fourteen, I had a huge crush on him, but he kind of rejected me so I ended up really hurt and started…well, not liking him. He moved to LA after graduation, but his dad's got lung cancer and is in the hospital, so James came back. And then things got complicated with my parents and we were put together for a group project for a class, and we started talking and hanging out."

Doctor Harrison nodded. "That's really interesting actually…Could I talk to you privately for a few minutes?"

"I – yeah – I suppose…"

"All right. You three can go out into the waiting room. I'll call you back in once I'm finished speaking to Katie."

"All right." Mom got to her feet and glared at Kendall and Dad, since neither of them had moved. Grumbling to themselves, they stood up and headed out of the room.

Doctor Harrison looked at me once the door had closed. "So. I get the feeling there's a lot about your relationship with James that you're not telling me."

My response was to shrug.

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

I bit my lip.

"I see."

"I didn't say anything!"

"You didn't have to. What exactly is your relationship with him?"

"A complicated one…"

"Does he feel the same?"

I nodded. "He does."

"Well, that sounds like a good thing."

"I think so."

She eyed me. "Is he a source of comfort for you?"

I stared at her. "Of course he is. He's there for me when I need him and vice versa. Look, I get you're a therapist and everything, but I don't get what this has to do with anything."

"I'm trying to figure out just how your parents' problems and separation has affected you."

"Not well, believe me."

Her next question was a little more blunt: "Are you sleeping with him?"

That sent me to your feet. "Pardon my French, but none of your fucking business, Doc. I don't think my sex life is relevant to any of this."

"Actually, it is, because James is your brother's best friend, and you're not too happy with your brother right now. Could you be doing this to get revenge on Kendall?"

I stared at her. "No! I love my brother! Sure he's a self-righteous pain in the ass, but he's still my brother, and I would never do anything like that to him! And I shouldn't have to justify myself or my actions to you! You and the rest of my family can continue on with the therapy session – I'm out of here."

And with that, I stormed out of the office, flipped my dad and brother off (maybe not the smartest, nicest thing I had ever done), and dashed out the door. I climbed into my car and drove straight back to James', absolutely seething.

I parked and headed into the house. I had seen James' car in the driveway, so I knew he was home. I just wasn't sure if I wanted to talk or beg him to fuck me or just ignore him.

I could hear James rummaging around in the kitchen, singing a Mayday Parade song, and I smiled a little, already feeling my body relax. It was amazing how he could just comfort me by being in the next room.

I made my way into the kitchen. "Hi."

He looked over at me. "Hey. It's only 7:45. I thought you'd still be at the therapist's."

"The therapist asked some questions I didn't like, so I left."

"Um…"

I frowned, replaying my statement in my head. It kind of sounded like an oxymoron in a way. Weren't therapists supposed to pry into your lives, help you realize and understand things about yourself?

James looked amused as he watched me come to my conclusion.

"Oops," I mumbled. "Guess my temper got the best of me."

"So I see."

"My bad…"

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around me. "I'm sure you're not the first patient the therapist has had whose walked out in the middle of a session."

"I hope not…Now I feel bad. But Kendall was being such a jerk, and Dad wasn't helping, and then the therapist wanted to talk to me alone and I just kind of snapped."

He kissed the top of my head. "I'm sure the therapist will forgive you."

"I hope so." I buried my face in his chest, sighing. "Now I feel awful about it."

"You reacted. It happens."

"I guess…"

James pulled back from me. "Well, it's Friday night…it's still early…"

"Yeah…" I had a feeling I knew where this was going. And I was definitely game.

"Maybe we could do something…"

"Mmm hmm." I was definitely down for it.

"Like see a movie."

Um…what?

I blinked in confusion. "See a movie?"

He nodded. "And maybe grab dinner?"

Um…well…okay. That sounded suspiciously like a date…And he hadn't mentioned sex. This was just getting weird.

James looked at me hopefully. "We could go see that new thriller…"

I bit my lip. Going to see a movie with James…There could be worse ways to spend a Friday evening, right?

"You know what?" I said. "Let's do it."

He smiled. "In that case, let's go."

James' POV

"Don't say it…"

"You asked me out," Katie grinned. "You asked me out on a date."

"I – yeah – well – whatever!" I stuttered out. "You were upset and embarrassed. I had to do something."

"You still asked me out."

"Fine. I asked you out."

Her grin widened. "You caught me by surprise, you know."

"I did? How?"

"I thought you were suggesting sex," she admitted. "I was not expecting you to say 'let's go see a movie'."

"Oh. Well, it seemed like a nice change of pace."

"It was. So thank you." She reached up and pecked my lips. "So…to continue…"

So, not really a lot happened. Sorry if it got kind of boring, that wasn't my intention for this chapter. Hope you liked it anyways.

So...reviews? The review button is kind of cold, so warm it up by clicking on it! It'll really appreciate it ;) I'd love to hear what you think of the chapter :)