I Can't Give a Shit Anymore

A Few Days Later…

Kate's POV

I woke up to the few rays of sunlight peeping through the living room blinds as I lay on the leather sofa. Judging from the light and the electronic clock above the windows, I deduced that the time was 6:30 I the morning. I got up from the couch and decided to take a morning walk since no one else would be awake for another hour. I grabbed a pair of boots by the door and slid them on under my sweatpants. I walked out of the house silent as a church Rattata and shut the door quietly.

I walked towards Sekra Range and observed how the dew-dropped grass freely reflected the waves of sunlight, making the whole field look like Arceus sprinkled diamonds everywhere. Smiling, I kept my pace and made it to the small alcove of trees that just a few years ago, was burnt to a crisp. I leaned against a tree that still had some scorch marks on it and watched the sun rise up in the sky. Funny, all this beauty was happening even though a large part of my life is gone.

In the midst of my reverie, I saw Keith's figure walking towards me in his uniform. It was then that I realized that I forgot to wear Vatona's hearing aid, but that didn't bother me. Keith started talking but I stopped him, "I'm not wearing my hearing aid."

He smiled at me, "I figured, just making sure. Why are you up so early?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Woke up early for once and I needed to get out of the house."

His smile faltered a little bit, "I understand the feeling. Oh, and I need to tell you something."

I was confused and curious at what he signed, "What is it?"

He deflated a little bit, "Hastings wants to talk to you over voicemail. Sven and Wendy are setting up the call through your TV now."

I sighed deeply, just when I wanted that part of my life to be over, "Okay…let's go."

We walked back to the house in total silence, but Keith grabbed my head reassuringly about halfway through. I walked into the house to see Jamie sitting on the couch in pigtails and a pale blue sundress while Sven and Wendy were connecting my styler to the TV.

Jamie saw me and immediately ran up to me, "Do you like my dress? It's very pretty, Sven got it from the attic because I spilled orange juice on my other one."

I couldn't hear her and she was talking too fast for me to read her lips. I just smiled and nodded and looked over at the TV. I signed to Sven, "If y'all are done, can you take Jamie to Wintown. I don't want her to hear all the stuff Hastings and I are going to talk about."

He nodded, "Sure, just…make sure you don't say something you don't mean."

"I understand, but talking to Hastings doesn't scare me anymore. He's not my boss anymore, and I don't think he'll ever be again."

Sven chuckled lightly, "I wasn't talking about Hastings; I was talking about Keith."

With that, he, Jamie, and Wendy left for Wintown. I looked over at Keith who was toying with the remote. He looked, dare I say, cute when he was concentrating. He would bite his lips and his bright green eyes would sparkle with intense focus. I wanted to spill all my feelings onto the floor right that second, but I didn't know how. I mean, I can handle other people's emotions, but I can't handle my own.

I walked upstairs to grab Vatona's hearing aid that was on my nightstand. Walking downstairs, I was too busy drowning in my own thoughts to notice that Keith had finished and was setting up the call. The dial tone from the television broke me from reverie and I watched as Keith stood next to me in salute. After 3 tones, Hastings finally answered, "Good morning, Ranger Keith and…Kate."

I watched Keith salute him and Hastings nod in approval. I just stood there with my arms crossed over my chest and raised my eyebrow at him. Seeing that he wasn't going to get a salute out of me, he moved on to say, "As you know, Team Malum is on the rise for complete and total domination of Fiore. Our job is to make sure that never happens."

I muttered under my breath, "And y'all are doing such a good job at that."

He glared at me to which I returned a smile, I didn't owe him anything now.

"As I was saying," he said very tightly, "Our job to make sure that doesn't happen. But, along the way, there have been some…unplanned events."

I scoffed, "You call the kidnapping of my father an 'unplanned event'?"

He ignored me and turned to Keith, "Since this has happened, I'm sure you're aware how the focus has shifted to finding Jake O'Malley."

Keith was formal as ever as he said, "Affirmative sir, we're looking into the disappearance as we speak."

Hastings smiled and nodded, "And to that I say well done, however, the Operators and the Rangers in Fall City have compiled a list of possible locations for Malum to be hiding. The Top Rangers and Kate are to search these locations thoroughly and, if possible, thwart Team Malum before they grow too strong."

I was shocked, "But…what about my father?"

I didn't have to see the screen to know that he was remorseful, "He could be in one of those locations, Kate. You still have hope."

I glared at is image, "Sir, what if Team Malum knows we're searching for their hideout? On the off chance we find it, they could easily kill him to send a message or worse."

Hastings looked exasperated, "Kate, this mission is crucial to the safety of the region, we need to know what they're planning."

"Sir," I said tersely, "Do you even know what they're planning? Or are you just going off of some hunch?"

Keith pleadingly said, "Alley Cat, don't do this."

Hastings' voice reached a steely calm, "Kate, Malum is nothing like Dim Sun. They are not afraid to hurt people to get what they want and what they want is world domination." His voice started to crescendo, "It is your job to stop criminal organizations like these; do you understand?"

I gritted my teeth, "Sir, I understand clearly. But it is not my job to protect people anymore, it is not my job to save the world, and it is NOT my job to take orders from you. Do YOU understand, sir?"

I turned and walked away, but before I could reach the door, Keith grabbed my arm and whispered, "Alley Cat, please help us. If you don't, then Malum might kill your father before we can save him. Think about Jamie, she still needs her dad, even if you don't."

I drew a deep breath and walked back in front of the screen, "Fine, I will help. But just know this, I'm not doing it for you, Erma, or the Union; I'm helping out for Jamie's sake. Once I rescue my father and eliminate Malum, I'm not to be called from the Union to help out with anything. Ever!"

With that, I ended the call and turned to face Keith who was just glaring at me.

"What? Don't look at me like that." I defended.

He swept his arm over to the black screen, "Was that really necessary? Telling him off like that?"

I scoffed in disbelief, "Yeah, he's not in charge of me anymore. I don't have to report to him."

He rolled his eyes, "I know, but can't you show the least bit of respect?"

"I only give respect to those who've earned it, Keith, you know this!"

He nodded, "Yes I do, and he has earned it!"

I scoffed, "Well he lost it when he discharged me for an idiotic reason."

He shook his arms like it was obvious, "But he could be your ticket back into the Union. Alley Cat!"

I finally lost it and shouted, "Well I don't want to go back to the damn Union if it means losing my father!"

Silence filled the room as I walked over towards the kitchen and grabbed a Coke can out of the fridge. Keith tried to reconcile me, "Alley Cat…I'm sorry about your dad, I'm sure we'll find him."

I set my soda can down, "Listen, I've agreed to help you out on your mission, let's not screw that up by supplying me with false hopes. Okay?"

He sighed, "Alley Cat, you've changed."

I scoffed, "Well, having your father kidnapped and held by a criminal syndicate tends to do that to people."

He shook his head, "No, I mean on the inside, where's the Alley Cat from before? The one who loved to help people out no matter the cost?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know, Keith."

He sighed, "Well you better find her soon, because that's who I fell for." And he walked outside to get the others from Wintown.

A.N. Hey y'all, sorry about not updating in a while, but inspiration and ideas are wearing thin. If y'all could PM me ideas that would be so helpful!:) Otherwise, I might have to put the story on hiatus. Please read and review