Title: Meant to Be-chapter 10
Disclaimer: I think you know the drill.
Author's Note: Two chapters in one night. You're lovin' me now, aren't you!
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Kim walked back down the hall to the living room and found her perplexed mother standing in the middle of the room. "Kim, what happened to Michael?"
"He spontaneously combusted," Kim smiled sarcastically.
"What did you do?" Katherine crossed her arms.
"I told him that I wasn't looking for a relationship and apologized for you getting him into this mess," Kim answered calmly.
"You told him to leave?!" Katherine asked in horror.
"No. He could tell that I wasn't interested, we said our goodbyes and he went home."
"Kim, he was a nice guy. I know that you're not interested in nice guys, but you could have made an effort. It would have been a breath of fresh air for you to be with someone that treats you right instead of some no good that cheats on you and breaks your heart!"
As luck would have it, Jimmy made his entrance right at that moment. "I knocked, but no one answered." He could tell it was a really bad time.
Kim could hardly see straight she was so livid. "Don't you ever call him a no good again. You never took the time to get to know him, so don't ever pass judgment. We both made mistakes, both of us, but Jimmy has always been there for me. I didn't see you at my bedside after I got raped!," Kim seethed.
Katherine reeled back from that remark, not knowing what to say. Jimmy stood in front of Kim and blocked her view of her mother. "Kim, we should go before you say something you'll regret. He gently cupped her face with one hand and stroked her cheek, trying to calm her down.
The haze of anger cleared from her eyes and she looked at Jimmy, "Where's Joey?"
"He's waiting in the car."
"Kimmy, please don't leave like this," Katherine begged, still not understanding why Jimmy was here.
"I'll go check on Joey," Jimmy squeezed her hand.
"Kim, I wasn't trying to hurt you tonight. I just hate seeing you alone and thought maybe this could work out. I worry about you."
Kim sighed, "Mom, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a big girl. I can get my own dates."
"Then why haven't you?"
"Just because I don't tell you about it doesn't mean that I don't go out," Kim fought to stay calm.
"Aren't you tired of just 'going out'? Don't you want something more?
Kim laughed humorlessly, "Alright mom. You wanna know the truth? The truth is that I am dating someone, I've been dating someone for two and a half months, and I haven't told you about it because I don't want you to ruin it."
"What? How could you not tell me? When have I ever ruined anything?," Katherine demanded.
"You're not going to like it and I know you'll try and talk me out of it."
"Kim, I'm glad you finally met someone. I'm sure I'll like him if you do. I mean, it's not like you're dating Jimmy," Katherine laughed. She quieted at Kim's silence. "Oh god... please tell me it's not what I'm thinking."
Kim could feel the tears forming in her eyes. She really wanted her mother to be alright with this, but it was clear that that wasn't going to happen. Kim's gaze shifted to Jimmy, who had at some point come back in without her noticing. He looked ashamed and it made her sick. "Surprise," she whispered to her mother, trying to conjure up a smile, but failing.
Katherine looked at Jimmy, "How could you do this? Haven't you hurt her enough?" She stalked angrily into the kitchen.
Kim wiped at her eyes, willing the stubborn tears to go away. She saw Jimmy's worried gaze and wanted to say something, but went after her mother. "Mom, I know this is going to take some time to get used to, but he's not the same guy anymore."
Katherine looked at Kim, "Kimmy, that's what you always say and he always ends up hurting you. How many times are you going to let him do this to you? To Joey? How many times do you think you can stand to see him walk away?"
"It's different this time," Kim tried to explain while keeping her tears at bay. "He's not going to hurt me again. Not like that."
"It's what he does, Kim!" Katherine yelled, but quickly calmed herself. "And you always let him."
"You don't know him. You don't know us. I know he screwed up in the past, believe me, it's not something that's easy to forget. But I love him. I always have and I always will. And no matter what has happened between us, he is a good father and I love him for that. Whether you believe it or not, he loves me too and I do believe that. I know you don't want to, but you have to live with the fact that we're together again."
Katherine gently grabbed her shoulders, "He's not good for you, Kim. I know he loves Joey. He'll stay for awhile, but we both know he has a short attention span. When the pressure is on and real life starts creeping in, he'll run. Just like he always does. And your heart will be shattered. It's the cycle that you two go through."
Kim pulled away and clutched her arms around herself, a sign that she was trying to hold herself together. "I don't care if you disapprove. I don't care if you don't like it. You don't have to. But if you want to see your grandson, you will be respectful of him and our relationship. I will not have you saying things about his father in front of him. If you can't do that, then we're going to have a problem." Kim turned around and walked to the kitchen door, her mother's voice stopping her.
"What happens when he leaves again, Kim?
Kim looked at the kitchen door, her back turned to her mother. She turned her head to the side, "You'll be the first person that can say I told you so."
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Jimmy kept a watchful glance on Kim. He had heard the whole conversation; every heart-wrenching bit. Kim stared out the window, not making eye contact with him. His stomach turned in knots, not having a clue as to what she was thinking.
Once at his place, they tucked Joey in bed and went to the living room. "I should get going. It's pretty late," Kim started to walk to the door.
Jimmy grabbed her arm, "Kim wait. Don't leave," he pleaded.
Kim tried to pull away, "Jimmy, I can't do this right now. I need to go home," she started to cry.
Jimmy wouldn't let her go, but pulled her closer to him, "Don't run away from me," he begged her, tears forming in his own eyes.
Kim still tried to pull away half-heartedly, "Don't do this to me. Please. I can't do this right now," she whimpered.
"You don't have to do anything. I just wanna hold you. Please baby, don't leave me," he choked out.
Kim wasn't sure if he was talking about now or ever, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going anywhere. She was tired of running. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried out all her tension. Jimmy held on to her tightly, "I love you so much. You have to believe me when I tell you that. If you don't believe me, I'm not worth anything."
"I love you too," Kim cried.
After a few minutes of clinging to each other as if the world were ending, Jimmy sat them both down on the couch. Kim yawned in exhaustion, "I'm so tired."
"You deserve some sleep," he whispered and kissed her head. She turned her face upward and kissed him fully. Jimmy leaned back and pulled her with him, her body half resting on his.
Kim pulled back from the kiss, "I can't stay here," she reminded him remorsefully.
"I think tonight we can make an exception," Jimmy pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over both of them. "If Joey wakes up and sees us, so be it. It's bound to happen eventually because I'm not going anywhere."
Kim thought about protesting, but decided to stop thinking so much. She smiled and kissed him lightly, "That's good to know."
Jimmy turned off the lamp beside the couch. Kim snuggled closer to him, watching the snow fall outside the window. The room had a soft glow and despite the night's traumatic events, she felt safe and warm. "Why did you let me go tonight?" Kim groaned and playfully accused.
"Hey, I tried to talk some sense into you. It wasn't my fault," he chuckled and pulled her closer.
"Thanks for coming to save me."
"Don't know how good a job I did."
Kim stayed silent for a while. Her small voice pierced the silence, "Don't ever leave me," she whispered.
Jimmy kissed the top of her head, "Not even if you wanted me to."
Kim smiled, "I wouldn't let you anyway."
Disclaimer: I think you know the drill.
Author's Note: Two chapters in one night. You're lovin' me now, aren't you!
@@@@@@@
Kim walked back down the hall to the living room and found her perplexed mother standing in the middle of the room. "Kim, what happened to Michael?"
"He spontaneously combusted," Kim smiled sarcastically.
"What did you do?" Katherine crossed her arms.
"I told him that I wasn't looking for a relationship and apologized for you getting him into this mess," Kim answered calmly.
"You told him to leave?!" Katherine asked in horror.
"No. He could tell that I wasn't interested, we said our goodbyes and he went home."
"Kim, he was a nice guy. I know that you're not interested in nice guys, but you could have made an effort. It would have been a breath of fresh air for you to be with someone that treats you right instead of some no good that cheats on you and breaks your heart!"
As luck would have it, Jimmy made his entrance right at that moment. "I knocked, but no one answered." He could tell it was a really bad time.
Kim could hardly see straight she was so livid. "Don't you ever call him a no good again. You never took the time to get to know him, so don't ever pass judgment. We both made mistakes, both of us, but Jimmy has always been there for me. I didn't see you at my bedside after I got raped!," Kim seethed.
Katherine reeled back from that remark, not knowing what to say. Jimmy stood in front of Kim and blocked her view of her mother. "Kim, we should go before you say something you'll regret. He gently cupped her face with one hand and stroked her cheek, trying to calm her down.
The haze of anger cleared from her eyes and she looked at Jimmy, "Where's Joey?"
"He's waiting in the car."
"Kimmy, please don't leave like this," Katherine begged, still not understanding why Jimmy was here.
"I'll go check on Joey," Jimmy squeezed her hand.
"Kim, I wasn't trying to hurt you tonight. I just hate seeing you alone and thought maybe this could work out. I worry about you."
Kim sighed, "Mom, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a big girl. I can get my own dates."
"Then why haven't you?"
"Just because I don't tell you about it doesn't mean that I don't go out," Kim fought to stay calm.
"Aren't you tired of just 'going out'? Don't you want something more?
Kim laughed humorlessly, "Alright mom. You wanna know the truth? The truth is that I am dating someone, I've been dating someone for two and a half months, and I haven't told you about it because I don't want you to ruin it."
"What? How could you not tell me? When have I ever ruined anything?," Katherine demanded.
"You're not going to like it and I know you'll try and talk me out of it."
"Kim, I'm glad you finally met someone. I'm sure I'll like him if you do. I mean, it's not like you're dating Jimmy," Katherine laughed. She quieted at Kim's silence. "Oh god... please tell me it's not what I'm thinking."
Kim could feel the tears forming in her eyes. She really wanted her mother to be alright with this, but it was clear that that wasn't going to happen. Kim's gaze shifted to Jimmy, who had at some point come back in without her noticing. He looked ashamed and it made her sick. "Surprise," she whispered to her mother, trying to conjure up a smile, but failing.
Katherine looked at Jimmy, "How could you do this? Haven't you hurt her enough?" She stalked angrily into the kitchen.
Kim wiped at her eyes, willing the stubborn tears to go away. She saw Jimmy's worried gaze and wanted to say something, but went after her mother. "Mom, I know this is going to take some time to get used to, but he's not the same guy anymore."
Katherine looked at Kim, "Kimmy, that's what you always say and he always ends up hurting you. How many times are you going to let him do this to you? To Joey? How many times do you think you can stand to see him walk away?"
"It's different this time," Kim tried to explain while keeping her tears at bay. "He's not going to hurt me again. Not like that."
"It's what he does, Kim!" Katherine yelled, but quickly calmed herself. "And you always let him."
"You don't know him. You don't know us. I know he screwed up in the past, believe me, it's not something that's easy to forget. But I love him. I always have and I always will. And no matter what has happened between us, he is a good father and I love him for that. Whether you believe it or not, he loves me too and I do believe that. I know you don't want to, but you have to live with the fact that we're together again."
Katherine gently grabbed her shoulders, "He's not good for you, Kim. I know he loves Joey. He'll stay for awhile, but we both know he has a short attention span. When the pressure is on and real life starts creeping in, he'll run. Just like he always does. And your heart will be shattered. It's the cycle that you two go through."
Kim pulled away and clutched her arms around herself, a sign that she was trying to hold herself together. "I don't care if you disapprove. I don't care if you don't like it. You don't have to. But if you want to see your grandson, you will be respectful of him and our relationship. I will not have you saying things about his father in front of him. If you can't do that, then we're going to have a problem." Kim turned around and walked to the kitchen door, her mother's voice stopping her.
"What happens when he leaves again, Kim?
Kim looked at the kitchen door, her back turned to her mother. She turned her head to the side, "You'll be the first person that can say I told you so."
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Jimmy kept a watchful glance on Kim. He had heard the whole conversation; every heart-wrenching bit. Kim stared out the window, not making eye contact with him. His stomach turned in knots, not having a clue as to what she was thinking.
Once at his place, they tucked Joey in bed and went to the living room. "I should get going. It's pretty late," Kim started to walk to the door.
Jimmy grabbed her arm, "Kim wait. Don't leave," he pleaded.
Kim tried to pull away, "Jimmy, I can't do this right now. I need to go home," she started to cry.
Jimmy wouldn't let her go, but pulled her closer to him, "Don't run away from me," he begged her, tears forming in his own eyes.
Kim still tried to pull away half-heartedly, "Don't do this to me. Please. I can't do this right now," she whimpered.
"You don't have to do anything. I just wanna hold you. Please baby, don't leave me," he choked out.
Kim wasn't sure if he was talking about now or ever, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going anywhere. She was tired of running. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried out all her tension. Jimmy held on to her tightly, "I love you so much. You have to believe me when I tell you that. If you don't believe me, I'm not worth anything."
"I love you too," Kim cried.
After a few minutes of clinging to each other as if the world were ending, Jimmy sat them both down on the couch. Kim yawned in exhaustion, "I'm so tired."
"You deserve some sleep," he whispered and kissed her head. She turned her face upward and kissed him fully. Jimmy leaned back and pulled her with him, her body half resting on his.
Kim pulled back from the kiss, "I can't stay here," she reminded him remorsefully.
"I think tonight we can make an exception," Jimmy pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over both of them. "If Joey wakes up and sees us, so be it. It's bound to happen eventually because I'm not going anywhere."
Kim thought about protesting, but decided to stop thinking so much. She smiled and kissed him lightly, "That's good to know."
Jimmy turned off the lamp beside the couch. Kim snuggled closer to him, watching the snow fall outside the window. The room had a soft glow and despite the night's traumatic events, she felt safe and warm. "Why did you let me go tonight?" Kim groaned and playfully accused.
"Hey, I tried to talk some sense into you. It wasn't my fault," he chuckled and pulled her closer.
"Thanks for coming to save me."
"Don't know how good a job I did."
Kim stayed silent for a while. Her small voice pierced the silence, "Don't ever leave me," she whispered.
Jimmy kissed the top of her head, "Not even if you wanted me to."
Kim smiled, "I wouldn't let you anyway."