Chose to release the next chapter upon the universe...
To: Destiny45, moonlite-n-roses, Chylea, zeopurple, Lone Nightblade, Phantom Rogue, The Sushi Monster and blue-ranger-sky... a gigantic thank you for reviewing the last chapter.
Katherine stared at her ex-boyfriend with stunned, blue eyes. She began wondering if she was hallucinating. Mike couldn't really be here in front of her. He was grinning widely- as though he'd won a cash prize or something. He walked up to her and just stared at her, his grin slowly fading. He shook his head, then, reached up to rub a lock of her hair between his thumb and index finger.
"You're more beautiful than ever," he said, his voice low.
"What are you doing here?" Only it seemed as though someone else were saying the words. About a million different emotions were now having an intense war inside of her.
"I needed to see you. I figured you'd come back to America. Anyway, I got here a few days ago," he said. Then, he laughed. "I was all set to do this big search, but- fortunately- here you are. Fate or what, right?"
She stared into his green eyes and memories she'd had a very difficult time trying not to relive began flooding her mind. Memories of when they'd first met... when they'd fallen in love... . There was no denying that they'd had a lot of incredible times together. She smiled as she remembered the man she'd loved with all she'd had in her... the man whom'd hurt her in a way no one else ever had. Her eyes darkened as the memories of their horrible, heart-wrenching breakup overrode the happy memories.
"Kat, I'm so glad to see-" he began.
"So, are you two married now?" Katherine cut in bitterly, unable to help herself. He needed to see her? He was gonna try and find her? Who the hell did he think he was? Anger began rising in her at a rapid speed. She didn't want him here. She didn't want him in the same city or state as her. She really wanted him out of her sight and fast.
He blinked, obviously taken aback and confused by the statement. He frowned. "Excuse me?"
And suddenly he had no idea who she was talking about. Please. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Don't do that, Mike. Anything but the dumb act. It insults my intelligence. Spare me."
"Kat, I really don't know what you're talking about," he said. "Who would I be marr... oh." Realization hit him quickly. Of course. "You mean Rochelle."
Hearing her name only ignited Katherine's anger. The woman he'd broken her heart for. The woman'd he'd fallen so crazy in love with.
He sighed deeply and began looking genuinely embarrassed. "I broke up with her almost a week ago. She, um, didn't take it very well."
"Really? How dare she?" Katherine said, her voice dripping with bitterness and sarcasm.
"I deserved that," he said, his tone laced with guilt.
"We're not gonna get into what you deserve," she said hotly.
"Kat, I- don't you even wanna know why I broke up with her?" he asked.
"I don't wanna know anything about your life anymore," she said.
"Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. Because you need to know. It wasn't working as well as I was telling myself it was. I had to let her go 'cause I... I still wanted you. More than I realized. It was you I loved all along and I am so, so sorry it had to take all of this in order for me to-" he was saying.
"That's enough," she snapped. His eyebrows rose. "If you're really expecting me to fall into your arms simply because you're suddenly free again, you're insane."
"I just told you that I'm still in love with you. I really am. You're the one I want. Kat, you can't say that we weren't good together- better than good! I want us to start over," he said.
She really couldn't believe any of this. If she wasn't so annoyed and furious right now, she'd have thought this was funny. He wanted them to start over. Just like that. "I don't think so," she said.
"Don't, Kat. Please don't. Just, just remember how we were together," he said pleadingly.
"I remember," she said, her voice softer now. "But you didn't just sow a wild oat, Mike. You threw away everything we had- all our years together- for a woman you thought you were in love with. Love. She meant enough to break up with me. And, now, you're here. Saying you want me back."
"I know I-" he began.
"You have no idea what I went through after our relationship ended. It was hell for me and I really thought I'd never get over it. You... hurt me so much, Mike," she said, her voice faltering a little- much to her annoyance.
"I know, Kat. I know I did. If I could turn back time, I would in a heartbeat. But, I know I can't. I'm just gonna have to live with what I did. But it's been a year, Kat. You've had time to heal. Can't you, can't you forgive me? Please?" he asked. He looked as though his life depended on whatever came out of her mouth.
"I have forgiven you. And I still love you," she said honestly. His eyes lit up. "But I can't go back because, like you just said, it's been a year. Mike, I'm not in love with you. Not anymore." She steeled herself against the pain in his eyes. She meant what she said.
"Kat, feelings can change. Just give me a chance to-" he was saying.
"I can't. I'm sorry," she said seriously. After all she'd gone through to shake him from her system... . Anyway, she no longer wanted to go back to that place. Hearts had wills of their own. It was over. She looked down at the keys she was holding, then, back up at him. "I have to go now. Goodbye, Mike." Then, she got into her car and closed the door before the stunned man could say another word.
'Man. I really can't believe any of this crap is happening,' Tommy thought some time later as he stepped into the hotel room he'd be staying in until Sunday. He'd left Nina's with even more anger than he'd come there with. After his comment about fighting her, she'd said nothing. She'd simply left the room and Tommy decided he'd better just get the hell out of there for the time being.
'Has she always been this selfish?' he thought as plopped down on to the bed. His cell phone- which was sitting on the bedside table- caught his eye and grabbed it to check for any missed calls. There were three. He began checking them. One from his mother or father, Hayley and Jason or Kimberly. He'd informed his parents and Hayley of his unborn son the same day he'd informed his former teammates.
'They probably just wanna know how I'm doing. I'll call them later,' he thought as he dialed another phone number. There was somebody else wanted to talk to right now.
"Hello?" came Katherine's voice after three rings.
"Hey, Kat. It's me," he said.
"Tommy! Hey. This is, well, a stupid question, but, how are you?" she asked.
"Even more pissed than I was before," he said with a laugh. Then, he sighed. "I just left her place. When I saw her... oh, man. Just looking at her, carrying my child... it was just... I could hardly stand it, Kat. To make a long story short, I told her that I'm taking the baby."
"I'm guessing she didn't jump for joy after that," Katherine said.
"She tried to talk me out of it. I'm sure I can expect a fight," he said.
"A normal person would wanna share custody," she said.
"Yeah. Too bad Nina's nowhere near that category. I'm more than willing to share custody, but, if she's gonna be this way... forget it. No way is that woman raising my son on her own," he said, a fierceness in his tone.
"I'm just really sorry about all of this," Katherine said.
"Same here. But all I can do is wait til he's born to actually do anything," Tommy said. "So, what are you up to? Did you do any job-hunting today?"
"Yeah, and I didn't find anything," she said pleasantly.
He lifted his eyebrows at her tone. She sounded awfully happy about having bad luck with a job search. Had somebody put something in her food? Before he could ask if she was running a fever or something, she spoke up again.
"Jason and Adam's aerobics instructor quit and they offered me the job," she told him.
A grin lit his face instantly. "Hey, that's fantastic. I'm really happy for you, Kat." It was nice to hear some good news right now.
"Thanks. I have to say that they are my favorite people right now," she said.
"Hey! What about Technicolor Guy?" he said with mock anger.
"Ehh, he's okay," she said in a bored tone.
"Hilarious. Forget the dojo. Why don't you see if they're looking for any new talent at a comedy club?" he said with a smirk.
"That's a good idea. I'm gonna write down some material right now. They're all gonna be embarrassing stories about you," she said, the amusement clear in her voice. They both laughed, then, she sighed.
"Something wrong?" he asked in concern.
"Mike's in town," she said quietly.
His eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?" Whoa!
"Oh, how I wish," she said. "I saw him at the store and he told me he got into town a few days ago. He also said that he broke up with... the other woman and that he wants me back."
"What did you tell him?" Tommy asked. Mike in California. Where the hell did that guy get off?
"That there was no going back, basically. I meant it," she said. "We're over."
"I think it's for the best. Especially after the way he hurt you," he said. 'I can't believe that guy! I don't even know him and I hate him. He left her, claiming he was in love with somebody else. Now, he's here and actually had the nerve to say he wants her back. What did he think- that she was just waiting around for him to say that? She's a helluva a lot better off.'
"Well, there's another thing. While I'll probably never really get over the way it felt to be betrayed like that, I did get over him and I told him so," she said.
"Do you think he's gonna accept that?" he asked. He really couldn't wait to return home- now that he knew this. He just didn't even like the idea of this Mike guy. If he'd basically followed Katherine from London... something was off. Had to be. Tommy really, really didn't like this at all.
"He's gonna have to," she said.