A/N Huhuhuh….I have 69 reviews. *does Beavis and Butthead laugh* And for those of you who are a bit confused, Leonard and Katie are COUSINS, so their relationship is not romantic. They're just close friends. That would be….disturbing, so to speak. And in this chapter we'll learn what happened between Leonard and Penny last night. And why Katie hates hospitals so much.

Chapter Twenty-Five

She sniffed, finally managing to calm herself down.

Leonard gazed at her, a bit puzzled as to why she was crying. "Are you okay?"

Katie sniffled, "Yeah, I'm fine. I mean, I guess. I'm just….thinking of-" She broke off, unable to finish.

"I know," Leonard said softly.

"It was my fault they died." Her voice was quiet.

Leonard's attention snapped to Katie. "What?"

"I said, it's my fault," Katie repeated in a low voice. She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I could've saved them, but…." She broke off. Her voice was too weak to continue.

He didn't have to ask to know what she meant. "I know what you're thinking," Leonard said, sitting up and leaning on his elbow for support, "but it's not your fault. You couldn't have saved them, no matter how hard you tried."

She said nothing, looking down at her shaking hands. "I had a sister," she murmured.

Leonard's gasp caught in his throat.

"I had a sister." She avoided his gaze. "She was never around. Turns out she had a kid and got married to some scumbag she met at a dance. She left when I was eight. She didn't even come to Mom and Dad's funeral."

"Katie-"

"No!" Katie tried to lower her voice.

"I haven't seen her since I was eight…." Katie looked down, her bangs hiding her face.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Leonard wasn't angry or mean about the question- in fact, he was kind and understanding.

"I don't know…." she mumbled honestly. "I just...couldn't…" She tried not to break down all over again.

There was a just-long-enough-to-be-noticed pause between the two.

"Katie," Leonard said. "You know I'll stay by your side."

She whimpered.

"You're crying again?" Leonard asked, feeling guilty.

"No." Katie took a tissue from the table and dabbed at her red-rimmed eyes. "I'm crying 'cause I'm happy."

"Oh," Leonard said, blinking. "Well, there is a first time for everything, I guess."

She couldn't help but smile.

There was another silence, but then, Katie said, "I'll stay with you too, Leonard."

"I've always known we were brother and sister," Leonard said quietly.

"Wanna do blood brothers?" Katie asked, suddenly remembering a line she'd heard from a movie.

"What?" He stared at her in confusion.

"Here." She picked at a scab on her hand. "All you gotta do is pick at that scab on your eye."

"Oh, I see where this is going," Leonard tried not to chuckle out loud. She tried putting it in his face. "No, a verbal agreement is fine."

"Do. Or do not," Katie murmured, "there is no try."

Leonard's attention snapped back to Katie. "Did you just quote Star Wars?"

"Quote Star Wars, I did, yes," Katie replied somewhat proudly, mimicking Yoda.

"I suppose my training has gone a long way," Leonard said thoughtfully.

She looked down, tears beginning to flow again.

Leonard tilted his head to one side and adjusted his glasses.

"Len," she said quietly, her voice choking up again, "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I know I can, but what if I can't?"

"I find your lack of faith disturbing," Leonard said in response.

Katie laughed, wiping her tears away. "Did something happen with you and Penny?" Her voice turned suddenly serious. "Is that why...you went for a walk?"

"We're nervous, and it got a little heated," Leonard tried to explain, tripping over his words. "We're discussing our future and we're just...stressed out."

"Why, can't you just have sex and enjoy yourselves?" Katie proposed, trying to make light of the subject.

"I read that you can really clear your head by taking night walks," Leonard said. "I guess getting stabbed and pinned against a wall is what I receive."

"Oh, Leonard." Katie sighed, reached over, and squeezed his shoulder.

"But I know I can pull through," Leonard decided at last, but it seemed like he was talking more to himself than to Katie. "Hey, Kate?"

"Kate?" She laughed. "That's a new one."

"Yeah. You gotta pocket knife on you?"

"Why would I need one?" Katie suddenly became increasingly worried.

"Gonna go stab the-"

"Great, don't get cocky, kid."