A bit of a shorter chapter than the others. Sorry for not uploading sooner.

Enjoy!

"How do you like the party so far?" Eddie asked Kat.

Kat grinned at him. "It's great!" She said over the loud music. "But won't the neighbors complain of the sound?"

"Who cares!" Eddie shrugged. "If cops show up we will make a run for it."

A person with red hair plopped herself next to Kat, wrapping an arm around the teen. "Why are two sitting on the couch when you can dance instead?"

"We did dance," Eddie said, sipping his cup of soda.

"No beer?" Madison asked.

He shook his head. "I'm driving so can't afford to get another DUI." He glanced at Kat for a second. "And I have to take our little friend home."

Madison looked at Kat. "You can sleep in my brother's room if you like. He is spending the night over at some friend's house."

"I would have accepted if I haven't sneaked out tonight," Kat said. "Maybe next time."

"I'll remember that," Madison smirked. She glanced around before looking back at her friends. "Be back soon, need to find someone."

"Have fun," Eddie wiggle his eyebrows. "If you know what I mean."

Madison rolled her eyes and left them alone.

"Well, we won't be seen her again today," Eddie laughed.

Kat let out an awkward laugh. She took a sip of her soda and turned to look at Eddie. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Let me check," he glanced down at his watch. His eyes widen when he saw the time. "Shit. It's almost six in the morning."

"Crap!" Kat shot up from the couch. "My mom will be waking up soon."

"Let's go!" Eddie grabbed her hand and they both ran out of Madison's place.

Kat held on to Eddie tightly the ride back to the apartment. Her heart started to pound faster as the minutes ticked away. Eddie had insisted to drop her off in the alley so she wouldn't have to run to the apartment.

She had thanked him and will text him later on in the day. She climbed up the fire escape as he sped off. Kat cringed at the noise the motorcycle made and hoped that her mother didn't awake at the noise. She ran up the stairs until she stood in front of her window. She pulled the window up and quietly climbed in, forgetting to close it. The teen changed in her pajamas and was about to get in her bed when she heard a door opened in the apartment. She knew that it was her mother's bedroom door.

"Shit," Kat whispered. She kicked the clothes that she wore at the party under her bed and jumped in the bed. She cringed when her arm hit one of the nightstands.

"Kat?" Her mother asked, coming towards her room. There was a knock in the Kat's bedroom door. "You awake, sweetheart?"

Kat cleared her throat. "Um just woke up. You can come in if you want."

A second later her bedroom door and her mother stepped in. "I didn't expected you to be up this early on a weekend."

"It's just that—"

"Your window is open," Liv frowned.

"It was getting a big warm in my room last night," Kat lied, sitting up. "The chilly breeze must have woken me up."

Liv poked her head out before getting back in and closing the window. "Next time don't open it all the way up, just halfway."

Kat forced a smile on her face and nodded. "I will."

"Coffee?" Liv smiled, walking back to the bedroom door.

"Please?" Kat said. "I will just go and wash up."

Liv padded out of the bedroom. "I will start making breakfast."

Kat heard her phone starting to vibrate. She quickly got it from the nightstand and checked who sent her a text.

Got caught? – Eddie

Kat smirk.

Almost. But got away with it. – Kat

Not going to sneak out again? – Eddie

Are you kidding? It was exhilarating! – Kat

The teen giggled quietly before taking her phone with her to the bathroom.

"So how are things with your mom and Haden?" Mark asked, staring at the few skaters in the skate park.

"Things are getting more tense between them," Kat turn to look at Mark. "It's because of this reopened case they were working on. It's taking a toll on her since she got the confession. No matter how hard she tries to hide it, I can still see it."

Mark gave her a puzzled look. "But they caught the bad guy, right?"

"They did but today is the guy that my mom helped put away hearing." Kat heaved a sigh. "The guilt is eating her away. Cragen has been trying to make her not feel like that but so far it's not working."

"So Haden is pissed at your mom and the others."

"Something like that."

Mark huffed irritated. "Well everyone makes mistakes. He shouldn't be acting like a dick towards your mom and the other detectives. No one is perfect."

Kat's phone started to ring. The teen checked who it was and mumbled, "It's my mom."

"I'll leave you some privacy," Mark grabbed his skateboard. "Be back in a few minutes."

Kat nodded and watched him skate away. She answered the phone as soon Mark was out of earshot. "Hey, mom."

"Hi sweetie."

The teen could detect the shakiness in her mother's voice. Kat frowned in concern. "Mom, are you alright?"

There was a big pause before Olivia answered. "I'm just tired. It has been a long day. I'm bringing some take out for dinner."

"Okay," Kat got up from the cement floor. "I'll just start heading home."

"No, I'll come to pick you up." Liv said. "Where are you?"

"At the skate park in Chelsea," Kat sat back down. "Mark felt like skateboarding after school and we decided to come over here."

"Stay where you are. I will be there shortly."

"Yes, mom." Kat said.

"See you soon, sweetheart."

"Bye mom."

"Bye honey."

Kat hanged up and tucked her phone in the pocket of her sweater. She watched Mark skateboard and give tips to other skateboarders while she waited for her mom.

"Want to try it?" He asked, laughing slightly.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"Come on!" Mark waved her over to where he was standing.

Kat bit her lip for a moment, thinking it over. "Will you catch me if I fall?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She stood from where she was sitting down and walked towards him. Kat felt butterflies when he grabbed her hand to help her get on his skateboard.

"Just hold my hands for now," Mark said. His light brown eyes stared to Kat's dark browns ones for a moment.

He didn't how it happened but he knew that it was during middle school when his feelings towards Kat started to change from friend to something more. It was just like any other day at school. He was casually eating with Joe and Kat in the cafeteria when he turned to look at Kat when she asked him a question. He had stared at her eyes and felt he was getting lost in them…until Joe interrupted his thoughts and brought him back to reality.

"Ummm….Mark?" Kat coughed. His staring was making her blush.

He blinked and looked away quickly. "Sorry," cleared his throat. "I was just thinking about something."

"Oh," Kat said. "Hopefully nothing bad."

"Definitely not," he smiled reassuringly at her. "It was the exact opposite. Let's um let's get to it shall we?"

"Yeah," she smiled back at him.

True to his work, Mark didn't let go of Kat's hand as she rode on his skateboard. He laughed when she let out a small shriek when she almost lost her balance. He still not let go of her hands.

"I think that is enough skateboarding for one day," Kat stepped off of the board.

Mark chuckled. "Another lesson next time?"

"Yes," Kat tucked her hair behind her ear. "It was fun."

He ran his fingers through his messy brown hair. He glanced towards the entrance and saw a very familiar figure standing there, watching them. "Your mom is here."

Kat looked to where he was staring. She waved at her mother before turning to look back at Mark. "Want a ride home?"

"Na," he shook his head. "I'm going to stay here for a bit longer."

"I'll see you soon," Kat hugged him before walking away.

Mark smiled slightly at her retreating form before going to back to skateboard.

Kat stared at her mother in silence. She knew something was off when the detective picked her up from the skate park. There was a great sadness in her mother's eyes that made her wonder just how much this case is affecting her. Was it much worse than Kat had expected it to be? Or did her mother and Haden had another disagreement?

She put her fork down and pushed her plate away. She stood up from her chair and walked to the kitchen. Kat could feel her mother's eyes on her but she didn't look back at her.

"What are you doing?" Olivia turned around in the chair, starring at her daughter opening.

Kat opened the freezer door. She grabbed the strawberry ice cream carton before closing the door again. She took two spoons with her as well and exited the kitchen. She sighed and hoped on the counter and moved some of the stuff away. She stared at her mother and patted the empty space next to her. "You had another shitty day because of this case again. So why don't we skip takeout and just eat the hell out of this ice cream carton."

A faint smile appeared on Olivia's face as she stood up from the chair. She hopped on the counter, next to her daughter. She took a spoon and watched Kat open the carton. "I appreciate what you are doing."

"What happened at the hearing?" Kat dipped her spoon in the ice cream. She filled her spoon with ice cream. She passed the carton to her mother. "Was the guy able to gain his freedom back?"

"He was," Olivia softly said.

"Then why are you not happy?" Kat frowned. "Is it Haden?"

Liv put down the carton next to her and grasped her daughter's hand. "We had to end the relationship."

"Why?" the teen asked. "Was the case getting between you that bad?"

"The district attorney is going to start investigating past convictions. Starting with our precinct," Olivia tried to hide the sadness from her voice. "David is going to be in charge."

"And that's going to be a conflict between you two."

The detective nodded. "Yes."

Kat let go of her mother's hand and hugged her. She hasn't seen the detective this sad since Elliot left. She closed her eyes and just kept hugging her mother. "I'm sorry for what you are going through, mom."

"I'll be fine. We had tougher situations before." Liv held her daughter closer. "I just need some time."

Kat didn't say anything as she let go of her mother. She cleared her throat and smiled faintly. "Why don't we sit on the couch, watch some crappy show on the TV and finish the ice cream."

Olivia chuckled and grabbed the carton. "Race you there."

"You're on," Kat laughed and hopped off the counter.

I hope this chapter was okay with all of you guys.

Next chapter will be up soon (maybe something around the upcoming weekend).

Don't forget to review!