Tom's POV

Simone and Gordon left for work, Bill decided to visit Andreas and others. I had different plans. I want to take Kate to a small trip, maybe we can have a picnic, walk the forest, anything she wants to. I know she likes that kind of stuff. It was already 12 and we better leave as soon as possible, she didn't come down for breakfast. How can she sleep for so long? I went to check on her.

I opened a door without knocking first and saw her peacefully sleeping in a bed. I missed her sleeping face. I took off my shoes and lied next to her, wrapping her in my arms, her back leaning on my chest. I breathed her scent deeply, down to my lungs. She snuggled closer to me.

"Tom..." Her morning voice is sweet and soft.

"Yeah, it's me." She didn't bother to turn to my side.

"Your parents shouldn't see us like this."

"They left already. You slept through the whole morning. And Bill went to see Andreas. You should have breakfast."

Kate turned to my side, facing me and looking in my eyes, smiling to me. She slowly brushed off hair from my face and placed her cold hand on my neck.

"You are hot." I chuckled.

"Pfff, tell me something new." She smiled. "You are cold, as always." I removed her hand from my neck and kissed it gently.

"That's why you should warm me up." She snuggled even closer to me. What got on her? She is so happy. Did she miss my touch as much as I missed hers?

"I want to take you on a small trip today. We can have a picnic and see the forest. But we better start going." She looked away.

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"I just don't want to leave the house!" She turned on the other side, I grabbed her wrist and turned her back to me with a bit of force. Her eyes widened from my tight grip.

"What's wrong?" She didn't answer. "Come on, tell me what's wrong? You were so excited about Germany, you wanted to see everything here and now you want to stay home?! I don't believe you." I know she is worried about something.

For a minute we were quiet, she's probably thinking of what to answer.

"Kate!" I demanded.

"I'm scared, Tom. I'm scared to leave the house." She buried her face in my neck, making my body shiver as I felt her lips lightly touching my skin. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"What are you scared of? What happened?"

"You know what." She mumbled. "I'm scared that if I go out someone will follow me and take pictures. I couldn't sleep this night. I though someone was standing down my window. I'm becoming a paranoid. I can't go out... I just can't." Her voice breaking as she said that.

"I felt same. The first time a paparazzi took pictures of me, I was scared too. I thought they were hunting me, chasing me, I imagined them everywhere. I understand what you feel but you get used to it, I promise." I tried to calm her down, she pulled away from me, again looking in my eyes, questioning my words.

"You don't understand it, Tom. Whole my life I tried not to stand out, to hide myself from everyone, specially after I've become a programmer, privacy comes first to me. I'm scared. I'm scared that... what if I don't belong in your world..." I felt happiness and sadness at the same time.

"You are my world." I mumbled and kissed her forehead. She chuckled.

"That was cheesy." She commented and I smiled.

"Maybe, but it's true." Smile faded away from her face, she's still upset. "Kate, don't be scared. I'm here, with you. I won't let anyone come close to you. I promise you, I can keep you safe." She nodded.

"I read what people say on the internet. I didn't know they thought so bad about me. They hate me. They don't know who I am and ask so many questions. Who is she dating and stuff like this."

"You shouldn't have read that. Just... come on, just fuck it okay? Don't pay attention! Forget it. After music video they'll stop asking questions." That video should clear out she's our friend and works for us.

"I hope so."

"I promise it will get better. Not because people won't pay attention to you, they won't stop being curious. But you will get used to it and eventually you won't care anymore." I kissed her cheek. I feel a bit more daring today.

For what seemed to me eternity we laid on a bed, hugging each other, I warmed her up. I felt her heartbeat next to mine. I want to stay like this for another eternity.

"Tom, you came here to spend time with your family and friends. You should go to Andreas and hang out with them." I chuckled.

"You seriously think I'll leave you alone? Tomorrow is our last day. What about we go to a park? Today we can see the boys. Just get dressed and eat something! You haven't eaten since yesterday!" She turned on her back, releasing herself from my grip.

"Okay. I want to go to a park and picnic too." Of course she wants to. She loves nature. "What if paparazzi takes a picture and writes about us ?"

"Are we seriously going to talk about it again? I told you don't worry. I heard way worse rumors about me than dating you. That one is my favorite actually." She giggled and I blushed as I realized what I just said.

"Tom..." She is still laughing. "You are so funny sometimes." She jumped from bed. I'm so thankful for her habit to sleep in a shirt. Her legs are the prettiest ones I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot. "What should I wear?" She glanced at me. I looked away so she wouldn't notice I was staring.

"I don't know. Bill is your stylist not me."

"It's kind of sunny outside. I can wear that skirt and that shirt." She took out really small piece of clothes. A mini skirt and a top with a cut in front. There is no way I will let anyone, specially Andreas, see it.

"You know, it's sunny but weather changes quickly. You better dress warm." I mentally crossed my fingers hoping that it will work.

"Probably you are right. I end up frozen in a sweater, for sure I'll die in this." She put it back and took out jeans and some warm piece of tops. It worked. She walked into her bathroom to take a shower.

When she stepped out, her smell filled up the room and made my head spin. She sat on a bed and started brushing her long brown hair. It's so shiny and soft.

"I'm ready." She said. Another good thing about her is that she doesn't take long to get ready. Her clothes are simple, but they match and outline her gorgeous body, she doesn't use make-up, unless Bill forces her. She is natural.

"Okay, we can have breakfast in a cafe and then meet others. What do you say?" She nodded. "And, by the way, I wanted to tell you, we have a photo shoot on the next day we arrive."

"Sure but I still don't understand for what we need that photo shoot." We left her room and walked downstairs.

"It's sort of a campaign. We will post the pictures on our website, saying 'coming soon' , it will intrigue our fans and the video will be more popular." I explained to her as I opened a door for her to sit in a car.

"Sounds good then." She smiled and I started the engine.

It was a short drive, we decided to take breakfast with us and left to meet others. Gustav arrived yesterday, he was waiting for us at Andreas.

Sam opened the door and we walked in. Georg, Gustav and Andreas were playing a video game, Bill was smoking with Andrew. Everyone greeted us, Kate went to talk to Bill while I sat on a couch with others.

Bill's POV

"Sweetie, it's hot outside, why did you dress so warm?" I asked Kate as she came up to me and gave me a kiss on a cheek. Andrew shook her hand.

"Weather changes quickly, I don't want to freeze." I'm surprised at her ability to look good in everything she wears.

"Anyway, are you okay? You didn't have dinner yesterday and I checked on you this morning, you were still sleeping."

"I'm fine. Don't worry." And I noticed how she glanced at Tom. Probably, he talked to her already and helped her out in whatever the issue was. I'm so proud of my brother and happy for him. He found a girl he loves and I'm more than sure she loves him too. They just need time to figure out everything.

"Hey, Kate, I want to ask you something."

"Yeah, what is it Andrew?" Kate asked.

"Uhm, I don't know if you know but I'm a photographer actually, beginner, but still... I don't know if it's okay to ask but can I take a picture of your eyes? I won't post or publish it. It's for my collection only." Andrew asked her and looked down, uncertain. Kate glanced at me, waiting for my reaction. Suddenly, Tom walked to us and wrapped his arm around Kate's shoulder, making her blush a bit.

"What are you talking about?" He asked all of us.

"Andrew wants to take a picture of Kate's eyes and asked for her permission." I explained to him. There's no way he will let that happen.

"She cant do that Andrew, she works for us and I cant let others see her eyes before our music video is released." Tom calmly explained to him.

"But he said he won't publish it, right?!" Kate asked Andrew. "He said it's for his private collection. " Tom's eyes widened when he heard he wants photos for himself.

"Still no." He answered her coldly.

"Tom, no offense but I asked Kate and she didn't reply yet." Andrew locked his eyes with Tom. He better not challenge him, he has no idea how much Kate means to him.

"I don't care Andrew, I said she won't do it." Tom hissed at him and placed his hand around Kate's waist, she didn't shrug him off but I can tell she is angry, she hates when someone decides for her. She smiled and apologized to Andrew, which surprised me a lot.

"I'm sorry Andrew, but I cant do it. We will have a photo shoot in LA, you can take these pictures, it's for your collection anyway, they don't have to be taken by you, no?" She smiled warmly at him. Tom looks so satisfied, he has that amused smirk on his face. He's staring at Andrew with a look that says 'I won'. He can be such a kid sometimes. I couldn't help but giggle at his expression.

"Okay, I understand. Tom is your boss." He shouldn't have said that.

"Andrew, I have only one boss, and I call him boss only because he's paying me. I'm saying no, because I want to say no." She answered him strictly. Andrew nodded and Tom just couldn't remove that satisfied smile.

In a few hours we said our goodbyes and headed back home.

Tom's POV

We got in my car, Bill was with his own. I was happy and beyond delighted, Kate was actually doing what I told her to do. But my happiness came to an end quite soon.

"Tom, what the fuck was that?" She asked me and lightly punched my arm.

"What do you mean?"

"With Andrew! Why did you say he cant take a picture? What was your problem?" She is so angry right now.

"He cant take a picture because... because he cant okay?! No one should see your eyes, I told you, we are staring a campaign!" I raised my voice. I don't understand. She agreed with my decision and didn't even talk back, what have changed?

"He wanted them for his collection! He didn't want to publish them!" She yelled at me.

"Are you serious right now? You hate when people talk about your eyes and now you want them to take pictures? Why? "

"I would decline his offer, I don't want him to take a picture. But the thing is I wanted to decline him myself, he asked me a permission, not you! You shouldn't have answered for me." She looked away, completely ignoring my presence.

"Then why you didn't say anything, huh? You just agreed with me! "

"Tom I couldn't start arguing with you in front of Andrew." She mumbled.

"What? Why? You always talk back to me, always!"

"When we are with Bill or with Gustav or Georg, yes, I talk back, because they know what our relationship is like. If I argued with you in front of Andrew it would put you in a bad position, and don't try to deny it! I saw how satisfied you were when I agreed with you! As if you won a lottery!" It's true. She didn't argue and respected my decision which made me feel as if I was the centre of the world. It would affect my pride a lot if she waved me off. I cant believe she actually thought about my pride in that moment.

"You are right. It would embarrass me a lot if we argued in front of him." I calmed down.

"I know, that's why I'm saying it now, when we are alone... It's not a big deal, but just don't make decisions for me. You can give me advice anytime you want to but don't tell me what to do when others are around. You put me in a position where I don't have a choice." Her voice is also calm, she's not angry anymore.

Kate is smart and very different from other women I know. Most of them pretend that they don't want you to make decision for them, they pretend they hate it when you tell them what to do, they scream and yell at you when deep down they enjoy when you get jealous, they enjoy when you are worried about them. But Kate isn't like this. She is real. She never fakes anything, she tells how it is and how she feels. It surprised me she considered my feelings and did her best not to embarrass me in front of my friends. She pretended it was okay with others but talked to me clear when we were alone. I appreciate it.

"Thank you." That's all I managed to say, thousand thoughts coming to my head. I think I just fell in love with her even more. I will confess to her, I want her to be mine. I will plan everything and do it properly, she deserves the best.

She kissed my cheek and smiled, which made me blush like a little boy.

"How do you think, will Simone let me bake a cake? I want it for our picnic." She asked me and started writing down something in her phone.

"Yeah, sure, but we can buy one, don't bother."

"No, I want you to try it! Let's stop at grocery store and buy ingredients." I glanced at her, she seriously wants to bake for me?

"Yes, sir." And I turned to a store.

Kate started baking a cake and mom helped her out, I heard them sharing recipes and some cooking tips, they are having fun. I'm glad they get along with each other. Gordon and Bill stole some chocolate and Kate threw dough at them. Gordon got a head shot! We all burst in laughter, Bill started wrestling with Kate and guess who won? Of course she did. It was an amazing evening, watching my family all together, having fun with a woman I love.