WORTH IT?


Disclaimer: None of the characters (except Father Wyatt) belong to me. They belong to NBC and JER.


A/N: Warning, this isn't for those people looking for a fluffy happy ending. There is death involved. So be warned that a character... or two... or maybe more... will die. I also changed Kay's personality to accompany what happened to her as far as this fanfiction story goes. I also had Deanne's Kay in mind when I wrote this tale, not the latest Kay recast. Oh, and the LA six storyline... did NOT happen. Did not, has not, and by the looks of this storyline... will not happen. If any type of ending I can guarantee... to quote Stephen King's "Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption": "I hope..." Please keep that word in mind as you go through the second part of this fanfiction...


PROLOGUE:

"Hello, Kay. How're you doing today?" He looked down at the young woman before him. His eyes regarded her, taking her in as if trying to break through and see the spirit within. A spirit, he's heard from her loved ones, that was broken by tragedy.


She hadn't spoken a word when her mother brought her into his office. She nodded her head softly in acknowledgement when he introduced himself to her. Still, though, as she sits quietly, Miss Katherine "Kay" Bennett hasn't uttered a single word. It was strange to imagine that this young woman before him, from the countless stories her family would tell, was once so spirited, so full of life and determination. And though, he also heard, Kay's behavior was far from angelic... no one could deny that she had spunk and energy pouring from her being. Regarding her at this moment... you would have thought that she had lived that life another lifetime before this.


He shuddered to think what caused this drastic change in her. Oh, he had heard everyone's point of view as to what happened to Kay. He wasn't here in Harmony when the events in her life unfolded. Everything he's learned about Kay were all from those that knew and love her. Mrs. Bennett had asked if he could somehow help them at least get some of the old Kay back. Looking at the woman before him and thinking about the infamous Kay of old... the task seemed too daunting, and the results too much of a miracle to ask for. What in heaven's name happened to Kay Bennett?


"Well," he sighed to himself as he sat in the chair opposite of Kay. "If they're asking for a miracle, they certainly came to the person with the right profession." Out of habit, he briefly placed his hand near his neck, his thumb slightly rubbed his priestly white collar. He gave a small cough, sat back in his chair, and set his sights upon her.


"Kay? You know why you're here, right? Why your mother brought you in here to meet with me? She's worried about you..."


Kay's blue eyes stared silently into his own blue eyed gaze. For a moment, he began to feel uncomfortable, especially as he realized what kind of look she was giving him. He had seen it before from people he had given guidance to. It was a look that said "Why should I trust you, much less talk to you?" He knew she was giving him that look... yet, as he shifted in his chair with a start, there was something else lurking in her eyes. "Was she... is she trying to look into me?" The thought ran in his mind as quickly as his own eyes darted away from hers.


Suddenly, a miracle occurred in the parish office of one Father Wyatt Young.


"I wonder, Father, is it worth it?"


Wyatt sat up with curiousity and subtle eagerness. It was the first time he had heard her voice, much less hear her outside of breathing. His blue eyes equally staring into hers, "Is what worth it? What're you asking, Kay?"


"Love. I'm asking... I wonder... is love worth it? I wonder, Father, if love was worth everything that happened these months. Is it?"


He hesitated. Usually if a parishoner were to ask such a question, Wyatt would know right away how to respond. Often or not, he'd give them the same old lecture about the wonders of God's love and how its worth everything and anything... yada yada. However, he knew that this wasn't the case for Kay Bennett. At least, there was something in her voice, in her eyes, that told him otherwise.


He ran a hand through his dark hair, taking a pregnant pause. Slowly, "Love? Well... uhm, Kay... what do you think? I could tell you what I think, but we're not here to talk about me. What do you think of love's worth?"


Kay's eyes seemed to change color... change emotions. Her eyes turned from weary to cold and hard. Wyatt gulped quietly, afraid that maybe he shouldn't have replied to her with questions instead of straight answers.


"What I think? Father, do you really want to know what I think about love? I can tell you right now everything that I now know about it. Which, I'm guessing, that's why you're talking to me. To learn why I am the way I am now... and if you can somehow change me back. At least, that's what my family has asked you for, right? To find the way to 'exocise' my demons?"


In that moment, Wyatt realized that for the first time, he was beginning to see the Kay that her family thought died long ago. Some small hope stirred in him as he regarded the hardness in her eyes and the edge in her voice. There was a fire still burning, and he'll be damned now if he didn't do anything to help keep it alive.


"Kay--" He started, but stopped when she reached over and grasped his hand into hers.


"Hear me out, Father, and you decide. Tell me if I can be healed... or if there's nothing left of me to be healed. Afterall, I'm sure that they also told you the part of me that died. The big part of myself that could never be whole again." Her eyes softened, as did her voice. Not just becoming soft... but weak and tired.


Father Wyatt nodded, determined now more than ever. "Alright, Kay. Tell me your story."