Painful Discoveries
The mood of the room changed drastically as the words echoed. 'Carrie, what are you doing here?' No one could believe that David and Carrie knew each other, that they shared a past. After letting the sight of her sink in, David walked over to her and embraced her in a big hug, a hug that she thought of fighting off until she realized just how good it felt. It had been far too long since she felt the security of being in his arms, the comfort that it was always able to provide. Feeling five sets of eyes digging into the back of his head, David pulled Carrie into the back corner. He desperately wanted to find out why she was here, but knew that this was neither the time nor the place. He also was curious to find out if she was glad to see him or if she still felt responsible for the events that transpired in each of their lives. While she had every reason to be angry with him, he hoped that deep down, she had resolved those feelings. Putting the urge to find out behind him for the moment, he simply whispered into her ear, "We have some free time after this, do you want to sneak away, and you know…talk?"
"You mean they don't schedule every minute of our time around here?"
"They try, and believe me, they are getting there, but they haven't succeeded yet. So, do you think you will be able to shake your first week baby-sitter?" David asked, motioning in Daisy's direction.
"Are you kidding? I've been giving people the shake all my life, and trust me, she won't be a problem." Carrie and David just sat there for a few moments, neither saying much of anything. They just sat there staring at each other; the shock of seeing each other was almost too much to bear. Carrie was the first to break the silence when she asked, "What's the deal with those people?" regarding the Cliffhangers, who were talking and starring at them from the other end of the room, obviously questioning how the two might possibly know each other.
"Oh, they have issues you can't even begin to imagine."
"Bigger then you and me?"
"Maybe," he said coyly.
"So share," Carrie begged her curiosity beginning to show. There was nothing like the security of knowing there were people around here more messed up the she was.
"Later."
"OK, then, where's the infamous Sophie person that everyone keeps talking about?" Carrie wanted to keep the conversation moving rather then allow David time to question her presence here and find out what she had been up to since they last saw each other. It would all come out, but she wanted it to happen far from these people she didn't know, and for the most part, didn't care to know.
"Your guess is as good as mine. She's never this late."
~*~
Peter was just leaving his office to find Kat and Hank when he realized that the Cliffhangers were waiting on Sophie, who wasn't going to show up. Knowing full well that he could not leave them waiting; he started to backtrack, mentally cursing himself for not asking someone else to cover Sophie's group today. The day was just beginning but he knew that by the end of it, he was going to feel the impact of doing both his and Sophie's job for the day. As he headed down the hallway to the classroom that the Cliffhangers were currently occupying, he was almost knocked over by the deafening silence. While under ordinary circumstances he would hang back and let them work things out, he didn't have the time today. Kat and Hank were still waiting for him. Walking in, he was surprised to find David and Carrie huddled closely together in the back of the room together and made a mental note to check both of their backgrounds to see if their were any potential red flags. Newbies hardly ever bond with the students on the first days. In fact, they hardly ever talked to anyone and the sight of David and Carrie huddled in the back set off a feeling in him that he just wasn't able to shake, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he was reading far too much into the situation. "Morning guys," Peter said, trying to break up whatever was going on in this room.
"Hey Peter. What are you doing here? Where's Sophie?" Juliet asked.
"Sophie's at home. She wasn't feeling to good this morning, which means you guys are stuck with me for the day."
"Sophie had morning sickness, huh? Is there something that the two of you are hiding from us Peter?" Shelby prodded.
"I didn't say that Sophie had morning sickness, I said that she wasn't feeling well this morning. Besides, you know full well about her condition and how difficult it is for her to get pregnant, so you are not, and I repeat, not to bring this up to anyone else here and especially not to Sophie when she comes back, understood?" He said with a tone of anger in his voice. He felt bad about loosing it in front of the students, but he could not help but think about how bad hard this would be on Sophie if people around here thought that she was pregnant and she wasn't.
"So, what do you have planned for us this morning?" Scott asked, seeing how much Peter was troubled by the previous conversation and wanted to lighten the mood and take his mind off things.
"Whatever it is, it's going to have to be quick. I'm pulling double duty today and Kat and Hank are waiting to talk to me."
"Kat and Hank are here," Juliet squealed, "why didn't you say something sooner. I've missed her so much and I am so glad that she's back."
"Me too Juliet, but you must remember that her role here is different now. She is no longer a peer."
"Does that mean we have to respect her and listen to her?" Ezra asked sarcastically.
"As much as you would respect me, or Sophie, or any other counselor here."
"Oh good, then nothing has to change," Shelby said with a crooked smile on her face.
"Shelby…" Peter said with a tone that implied that Peter wasn't up for these types of games right now.
"I'm sorry…. We'll show her more respect," she said trying to appease him.
Preoccupied with everything that has been going on, Peter came up with a solution that would free him of the Cliffhangers for awhile. "I'll make a deal with you guys," he started when he realized that David and Carrie were still in the back of the room. "Would the two of you care to join the rest of us?" he added.
With a quick look at each other, but not a word, they got up from the desks they were sitting on and joined the rest of the group up front.
"Now, as I was saying, if you guys can stay out of trouble, I'll let you off without group this morning, giving you some free time to catch up homework and studying. But please keep in mind that with the addition of Carrie we will be having group tonight and there will be no getting out of that one. Sound good to everyone?
A round of cheers was all Peter needed to hear and he left them to find Kat and Hank. He could not help but be curious as to why the two of them needed to talk to him. Kat wasn't even expected back until tomorrow.
~*~
"Do I look any different?" Kat asked once she and Hank had made their way into the woods.
"Why, do you feel any different?"
"I feel," Kat started as she spun in circles with her arms out," like I'm on top of the world.
"It's a great feeling, isn't it?" Hank asked before he ran up behind her, grabbed her around the waist, and swung her around three times before setting her down. "When are you going to tell Peter?"
"Do I really have to?"
"Yeah, but I don't get why you are so nervous. He is going to be happy for you, for us."
"Have I ever showed you my absolute favorite place here at Horizon?" Kat asked, trying to change the subject. She didn't want to talk about this right now. Grabbing his hand, and dragging him through the woods, she didn't give him an opportunity to respond.
~*~
It didn't take Peter long to track down Kat and Hank once he walked out of his office and discovered the waiting room was empty. She had been gone the whole summer, and while he wouldn't admit it out loud, he missed her and was glad that she was back. She was such a positive influence on the other Cliffhangers, and he knew she would do the same thing with her own group. Heading down to the lake, Peter was sure that he would find the two of them there, considering it had long been Kat's favorite place. Whenever she disappeared, that's where he went to look for her. It was the place she ran to when she ran on her first night here, and it was the place she ran to whenever she needed to be alone, to think. Rounding the lake, he saw the two of them, cuddling on a log. When he called out to them, both Kat and Hank stood up to greet him. After shaking Hank's hand, and giving Kat a big hug, Peter sat down on the log and asked, "What can I do for the two of you? How was your summer?"
Looking up at Hank, Kat got the reassuring look she was hoping for and said very quickly, "I have some bad news to tell you, Peter."
From the big smile that had crept across her face, Peter had no idea what type of bad news was about to be dropped on him. "Oh?" He asked quizzically.
"Yeah, you see, Hank…" she paused, "Hank's been transferred."
"That's great, I think," Peter said, even more confused then before.
"I'm going with him." She found herself blurting out.
This statement caught Peter more off guard then Kat had planned, but at the same time, she hadn't planned on just blurting it out like she did, but she couldn't help it, she finally had the courage to tell him. "I'm confused," he finally admitted. "I thought you were looking forward to working here, and now you are just going to through those plans away. Why Kat? I don't get it?"
It was after this statement that she realized it was time for her to be honest with Peter and tell him everything. While he might be disappointed with the fact that she was leaving, hopefully he would be happy under the circumstances. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a sheet of white paper that looked well worn. "This is why I am really leaving. Hank got transferred because of this, because of me," she said and handed him the piece of paper.
Unfolding it, he read what it said before looking up at her and asking, "is this for real?"
"Yeah," she said, nodding her head, but she could feel that her face was expressionless because she could not tell how Peter had taken the news that was contained on that piece of paper.
~*~
It took awhile, but Carrie was finally able to get away from Daisy and the others and met David outside the cafeteria, which was not too far from the girl's dorm, so she was able to avoid getting too lost. "What took you so long?" he asked once he spotted her and she was within earshot. He then got up and pulled her behind the building, out of sight before anyone could see them.
"That Dixie Chick…"
"You mean Daisy?" he questioned.
"Yeah, Daisy, whatever. Any time I got up, she got up and followed me. I finally told her that I was going to the bathroom, and when she decided against joining me in there, I snuck out the window. I was surprised that there weren't bars on the windows."
"Well, if you think about it, just how many places did you see within the last ten miles of this place? We are in the middle of nowhere, so I guess they don't see much reason for the bars." He said as he continued to lead Daisy through the woods.
She was tempted to tell him that she was so drugged up on the way here that she barely even knew what state she was in, let alone what city, but instead she questioned where he was dragging her. She was so lost right now that she had no idea which direction would lead them back.
"Would you trust me? We are almost there," he said as they arrived in a clearing just beyond all the trees. He then went over to a couple to tree stumps and sat down, encouraging her to do the same. They went through the usual good-to-see-you chitchat before David finally got the courage to ask Carrie what she was doing here, but he was in no way prepared for her answer.
"I'm here because of you." She said rather coldly.
"Me?" he responded, confused.
~*~
David just sat there, stunned. Did she really say that she was here because of him? She couldn't have. "How did you even know I was here?" he finally heard himself ask.
"I didn't," she said and let her voice trail off.
"Then how could you be here to see me?"
"I'm not," she said but she was starting to get irritated with him. "I'm not here to see you, I'm here as a result of you. If I had a choice of seeing you every day of my life or never seeing your face ever again, I would choose the later and never look back."
David could not help but be stunned by what he had just heard. He was sure by her returning his hug and meeting him out here now that she had forgiven him. "If you hate me so much, then why did you look so happy to see me?"
"I have news for you. That was shock, not happiness. I honestly thought you were dead. You were heading down that path, and then one day you just disappeared so I just assumed…"she said before letting her voice trail off again. They both knew where she was going.
"I had no idea the effect it had on you…," he said, sounding almost sincere. "My goal was never to cause you any amount of pain. Now, all things aside, including how much you hate me, how did you end up here?"
"After you left, I had no outlet for the pain I was feeling. I thought, and even still do to an extent that you did what you did because of me. I couldn't stand the loss of someone else in my life David, and I found some serious ways to dull the pain."
"And I take it that Jim and Catherine didn't take too kindly to that?"
"Not in the least. In fact they told me that my only choice was to come here and get help or they would turn me back over to the state. The last thing I wanted was to bounce between foster homes for the next two years until I became legal, so I gave in. At least I was away from them."
Just the thought of mentioning her foster parents brought back the memories of her real parents and the tragic death they suffered, and she broke down. The tears rolled down her face, one by one, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. The sight of her so fragile and vulnerable made David realize why he loved her so much and instead of continuing the conversation in its current direction, he let her cry and got down next to her on the ground and held her.