D.Torres – I like the idea for both perspectives but I don't think it'd work for this story and I would've had to have been doing it from the beginning. I want to keep a lot of the story focused on Kate to show her changing, with her evolving feelings for Gordo being the catalyst for the change. I tried using both perspectives in first person once and it didn't come out good (at least by my standards). I may try it again from third person and see what happens, maybe try it with a one-shot. As for the sequel to Wake Me Up, I reread it and noticed that I really didn't hook Kate and Gordo up at the end but more set it up so they could and implied that they would. I'm thinking of doing another one-shot and it'll basically be Kate and Gordo getting together. Beyond that, the plot is still in the works.

Tanguay18, I3itterSweet, catchastar – Thanks for the reviews. I wasn't sure how well a multi-chapter K/G would be received but I'm glad that people are liking this.

A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 4 – Second Chances

It was 4th of July and the city was going to shoot fireworks over the Bay and Kate and Gordo had dragged two lawn chairs up to the roof of the apartment building to watch them.

As Gordo sat in one of the chairs, he watched Kate. She was leaning against the rooftop's railing, just looking out at the city. As he watched her, a small, goofy grin formed on his face. He had always thought Kate was very attractive but with the way she had been changing over the past month, he was finding himself becoming even more attracted to her. He'd never say that though, Gordo knew that the thing Kate needed the most was a friend.

"Gordo," Kate's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Uh?" Gordo snapped out of his daze and for a moment just stared at Kate. She was wearing a tight, dark purple, belly shirt with a pair of low ride jeans and white sneakers.

"Gordo," Kate called again glancing over her shoulder. She grinned for a second when she realized why Gordo was spacing out.

Closing his eyes for a second, Gordo shook his head trying to get his mind out of the gutter. "What?"

"I talked to Claire today," Kate told him as she turned around and leaned back against the railing. "She told me Gretchen is trying to get the girls to kick me off the squad."

Near the middle of sophomore year, Gretchen Taylor transferred to Hill Ridge from Miami. From the second she arrived, Kate and her were rivals in everything. It didn't help matters that they had just been named co-captains of the cheerleading squad. Gretchen knew that Kate was being forced to visit her Dad for the summer and had arranged for the squad to go to a cheerleading camp for the summer.

"You think Barbie can pull it off?" Gordo asked.

Kate shrugged, "Claire, Brooke, and Alix have my back but that's like 3 of 20." Kate grabbed her hair, pulled it back into a ponytail, and just let it fall over her shoulders. "Barbie?" Kate asked Gordo with a smirk.

Gordo snickered. "Miranda's nickname. Miranda would love to smack around her little pampered ass. When she came up with the nickname, Rand reasoned that nobody could look like that naturally." Both Kate and Gordo started laughing a little.

"It's true. There's no way those breasts are real," Kate said sarcastically.

Gordo grinned a little, "I'd be more than happy to check if they are."

Kate looked at him for a moment, not sure how to react. Then suddenly she started laughing. "So much for the enlightened Gordo," she teased.

"Hey, I may be more mature than my counterparts but I'm still a guy."

Kate stopped laughing and slowly let out a breath. Gordo titled his head and studied her. "There's something else bothering you."

Shrugging, Kate slowly walked towards him. "I also talked to Amy." Wiping a hand over her face, she tried to take a steadying breath but failed. "My Mom is getting remarried." she said as her voice cracked softly.

"Kate?" Gordo asked softly as he sat up in the chair.

Tears where starting to form in her eyes. "She barely knows this guy. They've been dating for less than two months and now they're getting fucking married!" In frustration she furiously kicked her chair. As soon as her ankle hit the metal of the chair, she cried out in pain. Hopping on one foot, she bit her lip in an effort to not start crying.

Gordo watched Kate start to lose her balance and quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Kate curled up against him and just started crying.

Gordo did the only thing he could think of and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. After awhile, Kate slowly quieted down and snuggled closer to Gordo.

Kate slowly lifted her head up and rested it on his shoulder. She grinned slightly as she saw the pendant she had given him hanging around his neck. Reaching out, she gently started to finger the pendant.

As she sat in Gordo's arms, all of the pain and anger she had been feeling, slowly just faded away. Suddenly, she remembered the words the elderly woman told her, "Sometimes the best love starts as friendship."

Looking up, Kate stared into Gordo's eyes and Gordo felt a chill as he felt Kate's eyes boring into his.

"But I've seen the way you look at him." A smile started to form as more of what the woman said, started to make sense to her. "Don't hide your heart for too long."

"Gordo?"

"Hmm?"

Kate took a deep breath; she had never been so scared to just ask a simple question as she was right now. "What do you think of second chances?"

"What do you mean?" Gordo asked a little confused.

"Like a second chance to do something that a person missed out on the first time because she, I mean they, let it go by and didn't realize what it could be."

"I guess it'd be a good thing. Why?"

"Because I'm about to take a second chance," she told him. Before Gordo could say anything else, Kate slipped one arm around Gordo's chest and the other around his neck. Sitting up, she pressed her lips against his. Quickly recovering, Gordo slowly started to kiss her back.

After kissing for a few minutes, they broke apart and looked at each other.

"What was that?"

Kate giggled, "Its called making out."

Gordo tried to give her an irritated glare but couldn't hide his smile. "You know what I mean."

"I don't really know. I do know that you make me happy and I like being with you." Kate closed her eyes for a moment, trying to summon her courage, and slowly reopened them, "What if instead of a summer friendship, this was a summer romance?"

Gordo tried to process everything that happened; his mind was screaming no but everything else wanted to say yes. "Are you sure? I mean I don't want you to get more hurt."

Kate smiled softly at him, "I want this. You're the one bright spot in my other wise crappy life."

"Then yes." As soon as he gave her his answer, Kate quickly kissed him again.

Putting her head back on his shoulder, she tightened her arms around his chest. "So you going to ask me out or what?" she teased.

Gordo snickered. "Kate would you like to go out this weekend."

"Hmm. I'll have to check my schedule," she joked with a grin. When Gordo's hands gripped her ribs and he threatened to tickle her, she answered him. "Yes. I'll go out with you this weekend."

A few seconds later, the fireworks started going off overhead. Kate shifted into more of a sitting position and leaned against Gordo's chest. Letting out a content sigh, for the first time in a long time, she was really happy.