EPILOGUE:
Silence hung over them like a thick cloud just waiting for a blast of sun light to penetrate through. It was thick, it was uncomfortable... and yet, neither seemed willing to be the first to break.
Kay and Wyatt just sat in their places for what seemed like days, when it was merely a few minutes. Kay was debating whether to get up and leave the poor priest speechless, or remain sitting and anticipating in slight curiousity as to what he might reply to her tale. She watched him and immediately knew that a million thoughts raced through his mind, trying to find the "right thing" or the "priestly thing" to say.
However, as the minutes droned on, Kay found her patience wearing thin. Reluctantly, she got up and headed for the door. Not speaking a word, just giving him a "Thanks for hearing my sad tale" smile and nod of the head, Kay started for the exit.
Her back was towards him as his own voice broke through the silence.
"I can't bring her back."
Not daring to turn around and face him, "I never expected you to, Father. Be a damn miracle, wouldn't it?" She turned to him, casting a tight smile before leaving. "Thanks for your time."
Wyatt stood up and placed a firm, yet gentle, hand on her shoulder. His voice, much to her surprise, wasn't with pity or sad understanding. It was of stern determination and hope. A sound that she hadn't heard in another human's voice since the incident. "Kay, there is a miracle just waiting to be born. It involves you having the courage, having enough faith, to believe in love. To believe in its beauty, in its worth."
"Are you trying to save my soul?" She turned to face him. Her eyes tired and weary, "If you're worried about me committing suicide, Wyatt, there's no need. I'm not that big of a sell-out. And besides," Her eyes narrowed, "I think too much blood has already been spilled in this town."
He closed his eyes and allowed a sigh to escape his lips. Looking at her, "If you're worried about me giving you a lecture, Kay, don't be. I'm not going to preach to you."
She searched his eyes, trying to read into it as if sensing a trap. With hesitation, "Good. Then there's no need of me being her any longer than I have to." Kay slowly turned around again, hands gripping at the door knob. Just as she opened the door and took her first step, however...
"How's your relationship with your mother these days?"
Kay stopped abruptly. Of all the questions or comments this priest could've made, it involved her mother?! Letting curiousity get the better of her, "What?"
When Kay turned to face him, Father Wyatt was sitting back down behind his desk. He looked up at her and repeated the same question. This time, Kay was able to see a small amused twinkle in his eyes. Probably from noticing the puzzled look on her face.
"I talked for the past twenty or so minutes about love and death that had significantly nothing to do with my mother... and yet the first question you ask me is about her?"
Nodding his head nonchalantly, "Basically... you don't hate her anymore, right?"
"No... she's my mom. Of course I don't hate her." Kay slowly made her way back to her original seat, her eyes steady on the young priest. "Looking back, I don't think it was hate I felt... just anger and frustration."
"So you love her." His question came out more like a statement.
"Duh," She replied, unknowingly allowing a small smirk to creep up on her face. "She's my mom. How could I not?"
He folded his hands on his desk, Wyatt's eyes now shining with secretive amusement. As if he knew something that he was just dying to let Kay in on. "Did you want to come in and talk to me today, Kay? Don't worry about my feelings, just be honest."
"I was going to be honest anyway, Padre." Kay remarked. "No, I wasn't looking forward to conversating with you today. Talking to a priest is like talking to a therapist. Except that the therapist has a better sex life."
Wyatt allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. "No argument here. So you really wasn't looking forward to our little chat."
Kay gave him one of her old infamous "Duh" looks. "I thought listening was one of your many job qualifications."
"But you're here."
She began squirming in her seat, already feeling anxiety. "Unfortunately... look, Father, what's your point?"
His eyes steeled itself onto her gaze, making it hard for her to look away. "Why are you here, Kay? Especially since you made it clear that you'd probably rather have all your teeth pulled than spend time with me."
A exasperated sigh escaped her lips, "Look, my mom wanted me to come here. She felt that I'd be better off talking to you than talking to 'God' via my bedroom ceiling. At least I'd get actual feedback, y'know? That's why I'm here. You can thank my mother for this enlightening afternoon."
"And is she happy that you agreed to this little afternoon session?"
"She's thrilled to have me step out of the house. This little excursion practically had her doing back-flips."
Wyatt took a small pause, his eyes finally removing itself from Kay's own to stare onto his desk. Finally, he looked up. "So let me get this straight... and bare with me, Kay. All you have to do is answer 'yes' or 'no'."
"What is this? Twenty questions?"
He gave her an amused look, "Just do this little thing for me, Kay, and I'll let you go and never ask you back."
Kay crossed her arms, smirking, "Oh goody. You promise?"
"You didn't want to come here."
Sighing, "Yes."
"But your mother wanted you to come here."
"Yes."
"So now you're here."
"Yes."
"You're here even though you'd rather be somewhere else."
"Big fat yes."
"But you're here, and you're mother is happy that you're here."
Another sigh, "Yes."
"And you love your mother."
"Yes."
"And because you love your mother, you felt that she was worth sacrificing your own discomfort to see to her happiness."
"Yes--" Kay stopped short, realizing what she was about to admit to this priest, this witty, underhanding, tricky bastard priest. "Oh my God... you son of a b--"
Wyatt held his forefinger up as he cast her a playful, self-satisfied grin. "Careful, Kay. We are afterall in His Lord's house."
"Well does He know that one of his servants would make a better lawyer than a man of the cloth?" Kay quipped, her arms crossed tightly. She was, however, unable to hold back an equally amused smile.
"That's what my own father once told me. Said I'd have better benefits as a lawyer than a priest."
"Oh yeah... how many lawyers do you see today claiming celibacy? Besides Ally McBeal?"
Wyatt chuckled, "Are you always dripping with wit and sarcasm, Miss Katherine Bennett?"
Kay was about to open her mouth with another retort when she fell silent with realization. A small bashful smile appeared on her face. "I used to, Father Wyatt. Before the incident... My God, it feels like ages since I talked like this. Ages since I was able to go back and forth with someone so freely..."
A sincere grin appeared on his face now. "Well, I'm sorry that it had to be with boring old me, Kay. Someone whom, as I seconds recall, you'd rather not be chatting with."
Surprising both herself and Wyatt, "No!" Again, with the bashful smile, "No, don't be... if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. You're just trying to help and here I come, quick to the defense."
"Kay, I can't explain to you why bad things had happened to you, and to this town, in the last couple of months. I can't tell you that love had nothing to do with it, because in a twisted way, it was involved. Like how often or not God is used as a scapegoat, as a way to blame bad things. So often is the goodness of love when anger, hate and sadness taints it. I can't speak for anyone else outside of this room... but I will speak for you.
"You can be healed. Not all at once, but eventually or why else try to provoke a fight between us? Deny it all you want, Kay, but you felt an argument growing. Not saying that fighting is good, but the fact that you still feel that you can fight... it still says that you're alive. You're alive and that you've got the fire in you to burn so brightly. Even bright enough to love again...
"You've been hurt tremendously, Kay. No one can fault you for that. You've seen the negative side of allowing outside forces into your life, controlling you, blinding you. It's okay to want to defend yourself from it by shutting off completely from this world. Less chance to get hurt again. It's not okay to actually do it. There's a fine line between want and doing. Sometimes the line blends well into the two areas, and sometimes it's best to separate."
"So what do I do now, oh dear sage Father Wyatt?" Kay asked, this time half sarcastic, yet partially scared for herself.
"I don't know, Kay..." He replied, smiling. "We made a deal about me not asking you to come back and seeking anymore help, as I recall. I intend to keep my end of the bargain."
Wyatt stood up now, heading towards the door. Holding it open to her, "Time's up anyway, Kay. Your mother's probably in the chapel waiting for you now."
Kay looked up at Wyatt and a whole range of emotion flooded through her. From shock to sadness to anger, then when she caught him looking down at her with a sparkle in his eyes, Kay finally smiled with realization. She stood up and walked towards the door.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Kay Bennett." He held his hand out to her, as if it might be the last time they'll ever meet.
Grasping his hand, returning the handshake. "Same here, Father."
Still holding on, his eyes never leaving hers. "And for the heck of it, I'll wonder for you if love really is worth it, Kay. That is a good question, by the way."
"Good." As their hands fell away from one anothers and as Kay walked on out the door, she turned back to face him. A dawn of her former self basking onto her new self smiled at Father Wyatt. "Because I'd like to hear your answer at our next session. I'll have my mother call in to set an appointment. Who knows? Maybe you can even make a housecall."
"Would it be worth the trip on down?" He asked, smiling at the young lady, filled with hope for her.
Kay Bennett smiled, a real smile that has been long kept in the dark. A smile that was once thought dead right along with her unborn child and any hope she had for herself and a peaceful future. "I think I'm worth it."
~~~~~~~~~~~
THE END
a/n: Please R&R. No flames, thank you. Too tired to write anymore comments except that yes I am still the same author for yet my first Passions fanfic that is still uncompleted... I'm just still stuck on how to end it, is all. Can I help it if my first Muse ran off to marry Stephen King's muse and left me alone to fend the other fic bunnies/muses that bug me?