Author's Note: Finally! Well, I'm sorry that it's taken so long guys and girls, but I can finally update! Let me see... I had to move house, interstate, so I didn't have a computer for about... 2 months, and then we moved in, and my old computer decided to die after a blackout, so then I had to wait ages to get my new one, no thanks to my brother, who actually did everything he could, which included making my dad take even longer to decide by giving him a lot more options than was necessary. So anyway we got this one the other day, and when I went to set up the internet, coz we're in the country, we only have the option of dial-up, but I set it up and it kept going engaged, and cutting off the real phone, anyway it turns out we had the phone line in the wrong plug in the computer. But have no fear, I'm BACK! And I can update more often, especially since I've finished writing the story, it's 13 chapters in total, and I'm already onto the 8th or 9th chapter of the sequel! So... ENJOY!
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Rating: PG-13 for adult themes, coarse language, and slash references (from this chapter onwards)
Thank you to all my very wonderful reviewers, these include C-chan96 and Orli-anon, who review every new chapter, thank you so much I love you both! xoxox
Here it is, the one you'd probably given up waiting for.
Chapter 9:
Katie was walking around her house. "Luke? Chloe? Come on guys, where are you?" She heard giggling and followed the sound out to the backyard. Leaning against the veranda post, she smiled to herself as she watched them play happily. She heard herself sigh contently as a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist as best they could, and she leant back against the broad chest.
"Ready for another one?" Her husband asked.
She laughed softly. "You bet. I can't wait until I get this one out."
"Only 2 months to go," he teased.
She snuggled further into his arms.
"I love you Katie," he whispered, gently nuzzling her neck.
"I love you too-"
Katie stirred. Charlie immediately sat up.
"Katie? Hey, it's ok," he reassured as she struggled to sit up for a minute before giving up and relaxing back down.
"Charlie? Is that you?" She whispered hoarsely.
He smiled, although she couldn't see it because she still had her eyes closed. "Yeah it's me." He watched for a minute as she struggled to process everything.
"Where am I?" She asked, still extremely hoarse.
"Here, drink some of this water," Charlie said, holding the straw up to her mouth. She gratefully swallowed a few slow mouthfuls.
"You're in hospital," he explained as she slowly opened her eyes, trying to focus. "You had internal bleeding, and Adam and I brought you in."
She stared at him for a minute before nodding once. Immediately her face contorted in pain and she closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Charlie asked softly.
"I don't think I should've moved my head that quickly," she explained slowly, slurring slightly.
Charlie smiled as she yawned. "Go back to sleep," he said.
"But-" she protested weakly.
"No buts. I'll still be here, I promise. Unless I've gone to get some coffee or something. Now go back to sleep."
Katie smiled a little at him before resting against the pillows and closing her eyes, falling back asleep almost immediately.
~*~*~
It was dark when she awoke, and she could hear hushed voices. She opened her eyes and saw JT and Charlie whispering to each other.
"Hey," she said softly, causing both boys to jump.
Both looked at her.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty," JT smiled.
"How are you feeling?" Charlie asked, automatically switching back into concerned mode.
She smiled. "I feel pretty good actually. Better than I did before. What time is it?"
Charlie glanced at his watch. "Shit," he said.
"What, what is it?" Katie stared at him.
"It's almost ten."
"Go home," she told him. "You can come back tomorrow."
"I'll make sure she doesn't bolt," JT joked. "Sweetie, don't laugh, it'll hurt."
Katie rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks for telling me." She looked at Charlie. "For God's sake, just go. Make sure you come back. Bring some people. And tons of chocolate!" She called after him.
"So what's the deal with you two," JT asked her after Charlie had walked down the corridor. "Is he like your steady or what?"
Katie smiled. "No. I have no boyfriend, steady or otherwise. Charlie is my best friend." She grinned teasingly. "He's kinda like you, 'cept he's better looking."
JT gasped and covered his heart with his hand in mock shock and hurt.
"What about you?" Katie asked. "I think I remember something about a new sweetheart"
JT smiled. "You know, I did mention something about me having a new sweetheart, didn't I."
"Come on, spill," Katie begged.
"Fine, ok, I'll tell you." JT said. "His name's Paul."
"How hot is he?"
"Can you think about anything else? He's very hot. He's about my height, blonde hair, and he has THE bluest eyes that you've ever seen."
"Aww man, how come most of the hot ones are gay?" Katie groaned playfully. "Do you have a photo?"
JT pulled out his wallet and handed her the photo of himself and Paul.
"Mother may I! Shame he's gay." She pouted, handing the photo back to him. "How long have you been going out?"
JT lowered his head and mumbled something ineligible.
"What?"
JT looked up at her. "6 months."
"You little - I can't believe you didn't tell me! What does he do?"
"He's a chef. He owns Hope."
Katie's eyes bugged out a little further. "Holy shit! Are you serious? Hope is, like, THE coolest restaurant here, especially for young adults! I can't believe you're going out with the owner! Oh my..." Katei trailed off.
JT was laughing. "You really need to slow down or you're gonna hurt yourself."
Katie caught her breath again. "Can I meet him?" She asked, totally serious.
"Sure," JT replied, "he'll be here in 20 minutes."
"What?"
"He'll be here in 20 minutes to pick me up," JT said.
"He can't see me like this! I look like death not even bothered to be warmed over, or whatever!" She exclaimed. "Am I allowed to get up?"
JT looked at her weirdly. "Why?"
She stared at him was stupid. "Duh, so I can try and look a little better for when Paul comes?"
JT shrugged. "Just be careful," he warned.
~*~*~
When Charlie arrived the next day, Katei was dozing. She opened her eyes as he sat down in the chair beside her bed.
"Hey," she said contently. "How are you?"
Charlie smiled. "I'm pretty good. Well, I'm spending my weekend in a hospital with you instead of skating with the Ducks, I guess you can imagine. You sound pretty good."
Katie laughed. "I am. I'm going home this afternoon."
Charlie grinned "Excellent."
She nodded. "Damn straight. When were you supposed to go skating?"
Charlie shook his head. "It was just an extra practise, it doesn't matter."
Katie just glared at him.
Charlie threw his hands up in frustration. "It was at 4 o'clock, why does it matter?"
Katie smiled. "That's much better. Now you are going to go to this extra practise, and I am going with you. I can't do much but I can offer you support from the stands."
"What stands?" JT asked, walking into the room, now back on duty. He and Charlie greeted each other before JT turned back to Katie, his eyebrows raised in expectance of an answer.
"The stands at the hockey rink at school. JT stop looking at me like that, I know what I can and can't do, ok? I'll be sitting down most of the time and when I'm not, Charlie will be with me. And I was fine when I got up last night, remember?"
JT smiled. "Hey, I was just curious, don't get snappy at me. And you know that I know that you were fine last night. Speaking of," he remembered, "Paul really liked you. He was wondering if you wanted to go out with us one night, start out from Hope and wing it from there."
Charlie watched curiously.
Katie nodded. "Yeah, sure! That would be heaps of fun." She turned her attention to Charlie. "You wanna come with us?"
Charlie laughed and shook his head, "Nah, I'll be fine. I don't really want another night on the town with you for a couple of months at least."
Katie pouted. "Aw please? Pretty please? If you don't come I'm gonna be like the third wheel."
"How are you gonna be the third wheel?" He immediately challenged as JT looked on in silence. Even if the two of them couldn't see it, those two definitely had something special going on.
"Because," Katie replied, "Paul and JT are gonna know everything and I'm gonna look like an idiot."
"What are you going on about?" Charlie asked, but he turned to JT before she could answer. "Is she like, totally drugged?" He asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Uh, no." JT replied a little too quickly. "I'm not surprised she hasn't told you. Paul is my boyfriend. I'm gay."
"Oh, ok," Charlie said, shocked. Turning to Katie, "I didn't see that one coming."
JT smiled but was cut off by Katie.
"JTeeeeeeeeee, when can I go hooooooooome?" She whinged.
"As soon as all the papers are ready and signed," JT said. "Not soon enough," he mumbled as he walked out the door.
"I heard that!" Katie called indignantly after him.
JT stuck his head back inside the door. "You were supposed to," he said, and disappeared.
"At least he can get rid of you," Charlie muttered jokingly under his breath, only to get whacked with a pillow in retaliation, meaning the start of a reasonably gentle pillow fight.
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Rating: PG-13 for adult themes, coarse language, and slash references (from this chapter onwards)
Thank you to all my very wonderful reviewers, these include C-chan96 and Orli-anon, who review every new chapter, thank you so much I love you both! xoxox
Here it is, the one you'd probably given up waiting for.
Chapter 9:
Katie was walking around her house. "Luke? Chloe? Come on guys, where are you?" She heard giggling and followed the sound out to the backyard. Leaning against the veranda post, she smiled to herself as she watched them play happily. She heard herself sigh contently as a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist as best they could, and she leant back against the broad chest.
"Ready for another one?" Her husband asked.
She laughed softly. "You bet. I can't wait until I get this one out."
"Only 2 months to go," he teased.
She snuggled further into his arms.
"I love you Katie," he whispered, gently nuzzling her neck.
"I love you too-"
Katie stirred. Charlie immediately sat up.
"Katie? Hey, it's ok," he reassured as she struggled to sit up for a minute before giving up and relaxing back down.
"Charlie? Is that you?" She whispered hoarsely.
He smiled, although she couldn't see it because she still had her eyes closed. "Yeah it's me." He watched for a minute as she struggled to process everything.
"Where am I?" She asked, still extremely hoarse.
"Here, drink some of this water," Charlie said, holding the straw up to her mouth. She gratefully swallowed a few slow mouthfuls.
"You're in hospital," he explained as she slowly opened her eyes, trying to focus. "You had internal bleeding, and Adam and I brought you in."
She stared at him for a minute before nodding once. Immediately her face contorted in pain and she closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Charlie asked softly.
"I don't think I should've moved my head that quickly," she explained slowly, slurring slightly.
Charlie smiled as she yawned. "Go back to sleep," he said.
"But-" she protested weakly.
"No buts. I'll still be here, I promise. Unless I've gone to get some coffee or something. Now go back to sleep."
Katie smiled a little at him before resting against the pillows and closing her eyes, falling back asleep almost immediately.
~*~*~
It was dark when she awoke, and she could hear hushed voices. She opened her eyes and saw JT and Charlie whispering to each other.
"Hey," she said softly, causing both boys to jump.
Both looked at her.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty," JT smiled.
"How are you feeling?" Charlie asked, automatically switching back into concerned mode.
She smiled. "I feel pretty good actually. Better than I did before. What time is it?"
Charlie glanced at his watch. "Shit," he said.
"What, what is it?" Katie stared at him.
"It's almost ten."
"Go home," she told him. "You can come back tomorrow."
"I'll make sure she doesn't bolt," JT joked. "Sweetie, don't laugh, it'll hurt."
Katie rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks for telling me." She looked at Charlie. "For God's sake, just go. Make sure you come back. Bring some people. And tons of chocolate!" She called after him.
"So what's the deal with you two," JT asked her after Charlie had walked down the corridor. "Is he like your steady or what?"
Katie smiled. "No. I have no boyfriend, steady or otherwise. Charlie is my best friend." She grinned teasingly. "He's kinda like you, 'cept he's better looking."
JT gasped and covered his heart with his hand in mock shock and hurt.
"What about you?" Katie asked. "I think I remember something about a new sweetheart"
JT smiled. "You know, I did mention something about me having a new sweetheart, didn't I."
"Come on, spill," Katie begged.
"Fine, ok, I'll tell you." JT said. "His name's Paul."
"How hot is he?"
"Can you think about anything else? He's very hot. He's about my height, blonde hair, and he has THE bluest eyes that you've ever seen."
"Aww man, how come most of the hot ones are gay?" Katie groaned playfully. "Do you have a photo?"
JT pulled out his wallet and handed her the photo of himself and Paul.
"Mother may I! Shame he's gay." She pouted, handing the photo back to him. "How long have you been going out?"
JT lowered his head and mumbled something ineligible.
"What?"
JT looked up at her. "6 months."
"You little - I can't believe you didn't tell me! What does he do?"
"He's a chef. He owns Hope."
Katie's eyes bugged out a little further. "Holy shit! Are you serious? Hope is, like, THE coolest restaurant here, especially for young adults! I can't believe you're going out with the owner! Oh my..." Katei trailed off.
JT was laughing. "You really need to slow down or you're gonna hurt yourself."
Katie caught her breath again. "Can I meet him?" She asked, totally serious.
"Sure," JT replied, "he'll be here in 20 minutes."
"What?"
"He'll be here in 20 minutes to pick me up," JT said.
"He can't see me like this! I look like death not even bothered to be warmed over, or whatever!" She exclaimed. "Am I allowed to get up?"
JT looked at her weirdly. "Why?"
She stared at him was stupid. "Duh, so I can try and look a little better for when Paul comes?"
JT shrugged. "Just be careful," he warned.
~*~*~
When Charlie arrived the next day, Katei was dozing. She opened her eyes as he sat down in the chair beside her bed.
"Hey," she said contently. "How are you?"
Charlie smiled. "I'm pretty good. Well, I'm spending my weekend in a hospital with you instead of skating with the Ducks, I guess you can imagine. You sound pretty good."
Katie laughed. "I am. I'm going home this afternoon."
Charlie grinned "Excellent."
She nodded. "Damn straight. When were you supposed to go skating?"
Charlie shook his head. "It was just an extra practise, it doesn't matter."
Katie just glared at him.
Charlie threw his hands up in frustration. "It was at 4 o'clock, why does it matter?"
Katie smiled. "That's much better. Now you are going to go to this extra practise, and I am going with you. I can't do much but I can offer you support from the stands."
"What stands?" JT asked, walking into the room, now back on duty. He and Charlie greeted each other before JT turned back to Katie, his eyebrows raised in expectance of an answer.
"The stands at the hockey rink at school. JT stop looking at me like that, I know what I can and can't do, ok? I'll be sitting down most of the time and when I'm not, Charlie will be with me. And I was fine when I got up last night, remember?"
JT smiled. "Hey, I was just curious, don't get snappy at me. And you know that I know that you were fine last night. Speaking of," he remembered, "Paul really liked you. He was wondering if you wanted to go out with us one night, start out from Hope and wing it from there."
Charlie watched curiously.
Katie nodded. "Yeah, sure! That would be heaps of fun." She turned her attention to Charlie. "You wanna come with us?"
Charlie laughed and shook his head, "Nah, I'll be fine. I don't really want another night on the town with you for a couple of months at least."
Katie pouted. "Aw please? Pretty please? If you don't come I'm gonna be like the third wheel."
"How are you gonna be the third wheel?" He immediately challenged as JT looked on in silence. Even if the two of them couldn't see it, those two definitely had something special going on.
"Because," Katie replied, "Paul and JT are gonna know everything and I'm gonna look like an idiot."
"What are you going on about?" Charlie asked, but he turned to JT before she could answer. "Is she like, totally drugged?" He asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Uh, no." JT replied a little too quickly. "I'm not surprised she hasn't told you. Paul is my boyfriend. I'm gay."
"Oh, ok," Charlie said, shocked. Turning to Katie, "I didn't see that one coming."
JT smiled but was cut off by Katie.
"JTeeeeeeeeee, when can I go hooooooooome?" She whinged.
"As soon as all the papers are ready and signed," JT said. "Not soon enough," he mumbled as he walked out the door.
"I heard that!" Katie called indignantly after him.
JT stuck his head back inside the door. "You were supposed to," he said, and disappeared.
"At least he can get rid of you," Charlie muttered jokingly under his breath, only to get whacked with a pillow in retaliation, meaning the start of a reasonably gentle pillow fight.