Non-Denominational Secret Santas

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Higher Ground characters or locations. The only thing I made up was the plot.

Chapter 6: Katherine Ann Cabot

[SCOTT]

Kat was not particularly comfortable with having drawn Scott's name. She had never really had much to do with him, and had no idea of what would be a meaningful gift for her to give him.

She kept it in the back of her mind, never thinking about it hard, but never forgetting it either. But as December twenty-first came closer and closer, she knew that she could not put off thinking about it for much longer. Finally, she decided that she would go talk to Peter. He had, after all, promised to help anybody who needed ideas for the assignment.

She found him in the main lodge, just finishing a game of chess against a Ridge Runner. "Checkmate," the boy was saying.

"All right," Peter said. "You win this game, but I'll beat you next time." He looked up to see Kat. "Need something, Kate?"

"Yeah," she said. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yep," he replied. "Ryan, can you put the chess board away?"

"Sure thing," the boy said, gathering the pieces together as Peter and Kat retreated to the back of the room.

"What's on your mind?" Peter asked.

"I'm really stuck on the Secret Santas thing," Kat said. She bit her lip. "I have no idea what to get my person."

"Whose name did you draw?"

"Scott's."

"Scott's, huh?" Peter repeated thoughtfully.

Daisy came over at that second, nodding first at Kat, then at Peter. "Hello fellow juvie reject. Hello Peter."

Kat laughed. "Hey Daisy."

"I have a request, Peter," Daisy said. "Can I have the tires from your motorcycle?"

"What for?" Peter asked. "You building something?"

"No," Daisy answered. "I just need the tires and some smoldering tools. The sooner the better, because I'm running short on time."

"Well, Dais," Peter began, rubbing his neck. "I don't think that setting tires on fire is something we're gonna condone at Horizon…"

Daisy sighed. "This is the stupidest assignment you've ever given, Peter." She walked away without another word.

"Burning tires?" Peter looked questioningly at Kat, who shrugged.

"Do you have any ideas for Scott?" Kat asked again.

"You want to know what I think, Kate?" He raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

"I think you and Scott have a lot more in common than you think. And I believe you can come up with the perfect idea yourself. Just come up with the things you have in common with him. You two are very similar."

"But what—"

They were interrupted again by the flash of a camera. Both turned to see Juliette wave as she ran off. "Where'd you get the camera?" Peter called after her.

"Sophie loaned it to me!" Juliette yelled back as she left the main lodge.

"All right," Peter said hesitantly. He looked back to Kat. "Do you see what I'm saying? About the Secret Santas?"

"Yeah." Kat drew out the single syllable thoughtfully, then smiled. "And it's non-denominational Secret Santas, Peter."

He laughed. "That's right, pardon me."

"I still have no idea what to get Scott."

"Think on it for a while Kat. Don't look at this as a typical assignment. Look at it as an opportunity to say something meaningful to another Cliffhanger."

"Something meaningful?"

"Yep," Peter replied. "Think about that, Kate. I know you can come up with something perfect. You're good at this kind of thing. You understand people. That's what causes the other Cliffhangers to respect you so much."

Kat scoffed. "Respect me?"

"You're a natural leader, kiddo," said Peter. "It's a good trait." He smiled at her again, and Kat detected pride behind the familiar expression.

"Thanks, Peter," she said quietly. "I think I can figure something out now. I think I know what to do."

"Good for you." Peter watched her walk confidently away, and he found comfort in her success. Not just with Secret Santas, but with her own life. Katherine Ann Cabot would be a wonderful asset to the rest of the world.