A season for change: Part 5
(Kat arrives in Agnes late on Friday and goes straight to Peters.)
Knock, knock, knock. Sophie walks to the door and opens it. "Kat." She cries happily, pulling Kat into a hug. Kat welcomes the hug. She's missed Sophie and Peter.
"Where's Peter?" Kat asks after the hug ended. She set her bag down by the door.
"He wanted to be here, but he had to run into town real quick. Curtis needed him to help with something." Sophie answered. Kat looks disappointed, so Sophie changes the subject. " Well, you look good, how's college?" She asks and her and Kat head to the couch.
"It's pretty good. I'm sure you've read my letters though. It's different from Horizon. But I'm taking it one day at a time and things seem to be getting better and better." Kat says with a smile.
"How are things with you and Hank? Long distance relationships can be hard." At the mention of Hanks name, Kat's face clouds a little. "Oh sorry, I didn't know it was a sore spot."
Kat sighs. " It's OK. It's just that we had a fight. After the prom, I mean morp, " Kat smiles at the memory. " We really started to get close again."
"I know I remember." Sophie says with a smile. Kat and Hank had spent a lot of time together over the summer. Kat had even stayed at Hanks for a while when things started to get bad with Jack.
"Well, things were great. And then this whole thing with Jack happened and he just doesn't get it. I mean, I know he still loves me and I love him, but he can't get past the fact that I did nothing about Jack."
"Is Jack the only problem?"
"Yes. As long as we don't talk about him everything is OK, but the second Jack's name is mentioned, Hank sees red." Kat sighs. " You'd think he's want to talk to me about it. After all he was the one who told me to talk to you and Peter about it."
Sophie smiled, " I don't think Peter would have not let you talk to him about it." She thinks for a moment and then gets more serious. "Peter's been really worried about you, so have I. How are you doing since...?"
"Well, I still think about it." She stops for a moment, debating on whether or not to tell Sophie about the nightmares. "I still have nightmares. They're not as bad as they were and they're less often, but they still happen. My roommate wants me to tell her about what happened. I was about to when Hank called the other night, but then we got into a fight, so Tammy doesn't know. I'm not sure I should tell her." Kat looks up at Sophie.
" If you're still having nightmares, Kat, then maybe you should tell her. If the two of you are as close as you say you are, then she'll understand. Maybe you should also think about talking to someone about it."
"You mean like a counselor?" Kat asked.
"Well, maybe. I know that you just went through three years of counseling, but that was about your sister, not Jack. Talking about it always helps."
" I know, but it seems all I do is talk about it. I told you and Peter. Now Hank and I are trying to work through it." Kat thinks a moment. " I think maybe if I work things out with Hank it will help. The nightmares are getting less and less, and although I think about it, it's not like it's consuming me. I just worry about what Hank thinks. I know this is hard for him. I'm his girlfriend. I know he wanted to go after Jack."
"Boy did he ever." Sophie said. " It took Peter and Curtis to hold him back when they brought Jack out." Sophie stood, heading for the kitchen. "Hank may be small, but he's strong."
"I kind of would have liked to see that." Kat said with a laugh, but then remembered. " I just wish Hank wasn't so angry about what happened. What Jack did was wrong, but he needed help. That's why I couldn't press charges."
"I know Kat." Sophie said walking back into the room, with two cups of tea. "I don't know what I would have done in your situation, but I think you made the right choice. Jack didn't know what he was doing."
" I know. I just wish Hank did."
(It's early the next morning. Kat, Sophie and Peter are getting ready to go to Horizon. Kat and Peter talked the night before about how Kat was.)
Knock, knock. "I'll get it." Kat called. She opened the door. On the steps sat a vase of roses. She leaned down and grabbed the card. " Please forgive me." She said to herself softly as she read. Suddenly a shadow appeared over her.
"I'm sorry." Hank said. Kat looked up smiling. She was still upset that he'd hung up on her, but she hadn't seen him in a month and her joy won out. She stood and gave him a hug.
"It's so good to see you." He said hugging her back. But then he pulled away. "Am I forgiven?" He asked.
"What do you think?" She asked. Then she kissed him.
There was a sudden noise and Kat and Hank broke the kiss off. Turning around they discovered Peter and Sophie in the door way.
"Look who came to see me." Kat said blushing at having been caught.
"I came to see if Kat wanted to go to breakfast with me." Hank said quickly.
"Is that OK Peter? I know I said I'd help you with that program and the cliffhangers propably want to see me." Kat said.
"It's fine. You two have fun. We'll see you tonight and tommorow morning before you leave." Peter said. Kat and Hank headed for his car.
"Have fun you two." Sophie called after them. Then turning to Peter," They're really cute together aren't they?"
"Not as cute as us." Peter said, pulling Sophie into a passionate kiss.
(Later that morning Kat and Hank are sitting by the river. Kat is leaning against Hank and Hank has his arms around kat.)
"We used to come here last year." Kat said," remember?"
"It wasn't that long ago, Kat." Hank says softly.
"It feels like a long time."
"When a lot of things happen it feels like a long time." Hank paused for a moment thinking about the last few months. " Things change, Kat."
"They say change is the only thing that is consistent."
"I know." He looks down at her. " I still love you though. I want you to know that."
"I still love you too, but ..." She hesitates for a moment not wanting to ruin there weekend together. She sighs. Then pushes herself up off his lap and turns to face him. "We can't put this off, Hank. We need to talk about what happened with Jack. You're still not getting it and until you do, I can't get past it either."
"I know." He shakes his head. " I've been talking to Peter and I think I'm ready to really listen to you about what happened. But I want to also talk to you." He takes a deep breathe. " I want to know what happened exactly and why you did what you did, but I also want you to know why I haven't listened to you all this time."
"I know why you didn't listen to me."
He gives her a questioning look. And then with smile asks, " OK. Why?"
"Because you saw me during the time I worked with Jack. I was scared, because he was so angry. Because you saw him threaten me that night. Because I pushed Peter and Sophie away and didn't want to talk about it. And because I left without going back to campus and dealing with it. I went on to college and ignored what happened. But Hank," She says looking at him. " I really think I'm OK now. At least I do when I'm not here or talking to you." She looks away from him. "I don't know how I'll react when I go back to campus, but I'd like to think that after three years of counseling I've managed to get something out of it."
Hank smiled. "All right now that I told you my reasons." He says chuckling, " Why don't you tell me what happened? Peter and I talked and I think I'm really ready to hear you now."
Kat pleased that he'd been talking with Peter. Then it hits her and she laughs.
"What?" Hank asks her.
"You talking to Peter. I would have loved to see that." She says continuing to laugh. Hank gives her a look.
"Hey ever since you became a counselor, he isn't all bad."
"I know." Kat says and settles back down into Hank's arms. " Peter and Sophie treat me like an equal instead of a student. It's nice, but different." She takes a deep breath. " So are you ready to hear about Jack now, or would you rather enjoy the moment."
"I think that if it will help you. I'm ready to listen." Kat nodded, then stood.
"Where are you going?" Kat reached down taking Hanks hand.
"Come on, were going to campus."
"I thought you were going to tell me about Jack?" He gives her a questioning look.
"I am, but I'm going to have to go back to campus sometime. I might as well tell you about it in the place that it happened."
"Are you sure you're ready to do that?" Hank asked with a concerned look.
"I'm sure. It's been a month and I'm ready." She says with conviction.
"All right then. Let's go." Hank stands and the two walk back to his car.
(Kat arrives in Agnes late on Friday and goes straight to Peters.)
Knock, knock, knock. Sophie walks to the door and opens it. "Kat." She cries happily, pulling Kat into a hug. Kat welcomes the hug. She's missed Sophie and Peter.
"Where's Peter?" Kat asks after the hug ended. She set her bag down by the door.
"He wanted to be here, but he had to run into town real quick. Curtis needed him to help with something." Sophie answered. Kat looks disappointed, so Sophie changes the subject. " Well, you look good, how's college?" She asks and her and Kat head to the couch.
"It's pretty good. I'm sure you've read my letters though. It's different from Horizon. But I'm taking it one day at a time and things seem to be getting better and better." Kat says with a smile.
"How are things with you and Hank? Long distance relationships can be hard." At the mention of Hanks name, Kat's face clouds a little. "Oh sorry, I didn't know it was a sore spot."
Kat sighs. " It's OK. It's just that we had a fight. After the prom, I mean morp, " Kat smiles at the memory. " We really started to get close again."
"I know I remember." Sophie says with a smile. Kat and Hank had spent a lot of time together over the summer. Kat had even stayed at Hanks for a while when things started to get bad with Jack.
"Well, things were great. And then this whole thing with Jack happened and he just doesn't get it. I mean, I know he still loves me and I love him, but he can't get past the fact that I did nothing about Jack."
"Is Jack the only problem?"
"Yes. As long as we don't talk about him everything is OK, but the second Jack's name is mentioned, Hank sees red." Kat sighs. " You'd think he's want to talk to me about it. After all he was the one who told me to talk to you and Peter about it."
Sophie smiled, " I don't think Peter would have not let you talk to him about it." She thinks for a moment and then gets more serious. "Peter's been really worried about you, so have I. How are you doing since...?"
"Well, I still think about it." She stops for a moment, debating on whether or not to tell Sophie about the nightmares. "I still have nightmares. They're not as bad as they were and they're less often, but they still happen. My roommate wants me to tell her about what happened. I was about to when Hank called the other night, but then we got into a fight, so Tammy doesn't know. I'm not sure I should tell her." Kat looks up at Sophie.
" If you're still having nightmares, Kat, then maybe you should tell her. If the two of you are as close as you say you are, then she'll understand. Maybe you should also think about talking to someone about it."
"You mean like a counselor?" Kat asked.
"Well, maybe. I know that you just went through three years of counseling, but that was about your sister, not Jack. Talking about it always helps."
" I know, but it seems all I do is talk about it. I told you and Peter. Now Hank and I are trying to work through it." Kat thinks a moment. " I think maybe if I work things out with Hank it will help. The nightmares are getting less and less, and although I think about it, it's not like it's consuming me. I just worry about what Hank thinks. I know this is hard for him. I'm his girlfriend. I know he wanted to go after Jack."
"Boy did he ever." Sophie said. " It took Peter and Curtis to hold him back when they brought Jack out." Sophie stood, heading for the kitchen. "Hank may be small, but he's strong."
"I kind of would have liked to see that." Kat said with a laugh, but then remembered. " I just wish Hank wasn't so angry about what happened. What Jack did was wrong, but he needed help. That's why I couldn't press charges."
"I know Kat." Sophie said walking back into the room, with two cups of tea. "I don't know what I would have done in your situation, but I think you made the right choice. Jack didn't know what he was doing."
" I know. I just wish Hank did."
(It's early the next morning. Kat, Sophie and Peter are getting ready to go to Horizon. Kat and Peter talked the night before about how Kat was.)
Knock, knock. "I'll get it." Kat called. She opened the door. On the steps sat a vase of roses. She leaned down and grabbed the card. " Please forgive me." She said to herself softly as she read. Suddenly a shadow appeared over her.
"I'm sorry." Hank said. Kat looked up smiling. She was still upset that he'd hung up on her, but she hadn't seen him in a month and her joy won out. She stood and gave him a hug.
"It's so good to see you." He said hugging her back. But then he pulled away. "Am I forgiven?" He asked.
"What do you think?" She asked. Then she kissed him.
There was a sudden noise and Kat and Hank broke the kiss off. Turning around they discovered Peter and Sophie in the door way.
"Look who came to see me." Kat said blushing at having been caught.
"I came to see if Kat wanted to go to breakfast with me." Hank said quickly.
"Is that OK Peter? I know I said I'd help you with that program and the cliffhangers propably want to see me." Kat said.
"It's fine. You two have fun. We'll see you tonight and tommorow morning before you leave." Peter said. Kat and Hank headed for his car.
"Have fun you two." Sophie called after them. Then turning to Peter," They're really cute together aren't they?"
"Not as cute as us." Peter said, pulling Sophie into a passionate kiss.
(Later that morning Kat and Hank are sitting by the river. Kat is leaning against Hank and Hank has his arms around kat.)
"We used to come here last year." Kat said," remember?"
"It wasn't that long ago, Kat." Hank says softly.
"It feels like a long time."
"When a lot of things happen it feels like a long time." Hank paused for a moment thinking about the last few months. " Things change, Kat."
"They say change is the only thing that is consistent."
"I know." He looks down at her. " I still love you though. I want you to know that."
"I still love you too, but ..." She hesitates for a moment not wanting to ruin there weekend together. She sighs. Then pushes herself up off his lap and turns to face him. "We can't put this off, Hank. We need to talk about what happened with Jack. You're still not getting it and until you do, I can't get past it either."
"I know." He shakes his head. " I've been talking to Peter and I think I'm ready to really listen to you about what happened. But I want to also talk to you." He takes a deep breathe. " I want to know what happened exactly and why you did what you did, but I also want you to know why I haven't listened to you all this time."
"I know why you didn't listen to me."
He gives her a questioning look. And then with smile asks, " OK. Why?"
"Because you saw me during the time I worked with Jack. I was scared, because he was so angry. Because you saw him threaten me that night. Because I pushed Peter and Sophie away and didn't want to talk about it. And because I left without going back to campus and dealing with it. I went on to college and ignored what happened. But Hank," She says looking at him. " I really think I'm OK now. At least I do when I'm not here or talking to you." She looks away from him. "I don't know how I'll react when I go back to campus, but I'd like to think that after three years of counseling I've managed to get something out of it."
Hank smiled. "All right now that I told you my reasons." He says chuckling, " Why don't you tell me what happened? Peter and I talked and I think I'm really ready to hear you now."
Kat pleased that he'd been talking with Peter. Then it hits her and she laughs.
"What?" Hank asks her.
"You talking to Peter. I would have loved to see that." She says continuing to laugh. Hank gives her a look.
"Hey ever since you became a counselor, he isn't all bad."
"I know." Kat says and settles back down into Hank's arms. " Peter and Sophie treat me like an equal instead of a student. It's nice, but different." She takes a deep breath. " So are you ready to hear about Jack now, or would you rather enjoy the moment."
"I think that if it will help you. I'm ready to listen." Kat nodded, then stood.
"Where are you going?" Kat reached down taking Hanks hand.
"Come on, were going to campus."
"I thought you were going to tell me about Jack?" He gives her a questioning look.
"I am, but I'm going to have to go back to campus sometime. I might as well tell you about it in the place that it happened."
"Are you sure you're ready to do that?" Hank asked with a concerned look.
"I'm sure. It's been a month and I'm ready." She says with conviction.
"All right then. Let's go." Hank stands and the two walk back to his car.
