Readers/Reviewers – Thanks for all the reviews. I wasn't expecting this much of a response for this story cause it's a K/G. I'm glad people enjoyed this, it was fun to write.

tormented soul & supergirljen – Thanks for beta and editing this for me.

A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 16 – Final Move

Monday morning, Lizzie and Miranda met Gordo at his locker. Their efforts to distract him over the weekend didn't really work.

"Hey Gordo," Lizzie said to him as they walked up.

"How you doing?" Miranda asked tentatively.

Gordo just shrugged as he closed his locker and leaned back against it. The girls looked at each other; they were really starting to realize how deep their relationship actually was. To them Gordo actually looked like he was in pain and frustrated that he couldn't do anything. He had to let Kate fight this one on her own.

From down the hall, they heard Gretchen say something and then laugh. Gretchen hadn't wasted any time spreading rumors about Kate and Gordo. When the three of them had heard some of them later in the day on Friday, Miranda once again offered to beat Gretchen into the ground. Gordo, very reluctantly, said no.

Hearing Gretchen laughing was starting to grate on Gordo's nerves. Sighing, he titled his head back against the locker and closed his eyes.

"Gordo?" Lizzie asked softly.

"I don't know. I'm just sick of this secret crap," he said as he opened his eyes. "Maybe she was right, our two worlds don't mix."

"Looks like we'll find out," Miranda said suddenly. As Gordo and Lizzie looked over at her confused, Miranda pointed down the hall. Turning to look, they watched as Kate walked past Gretchen like she wasn't there, heading towards them.

Standing up straight, Gordo couldn't help but smile a little as he looked at what she was wearing. A pair of faded jeans, white sneakers, and a pale blue t-shirt that exposed her stomach a little. It reminded him of the night on the roof of her father's apartment building.

Kate stopped right in front of Gordo and as he was about to say something, she pressed a finger to his lips. Gordo watched as a smile tugged at Kate's lips.

"Well, well, if it isn't the happy couple," Gretchen said from behind Kate.

Kate turned around and backed up, so she was standing next to Gordo. "Don't you have a nose job or dye job you have to go to?" Kate said sarcastically.

Gretchen scowled a little and glared at Kate. "Be careful Sanders. Wouldn't want anyone to think you really like the little dork."

"Screw being popular, I don't care anymore." Kate then took a threatening step towards Gretchen, causing her to backup a step. "And if you ever call Gordo a dork again, you're really gonna need that nose job."

Gretchen let out huff and started to walk away but Kate wasn't done. "Oh Gretchen," Kate called with a fake sweetness. When Gretchen was looking, Kate turned around and grinned at Gordo. Before he could react, Kate had him pinned up against his locker and gave him a long kiss.

Gretchen and her cronies let out a disgusted noise before walking away, but this was oblivious to Kate and Gordo as they looked at each other with identical grins. "Kate?"

Reaching out, Kate gently brushed some of his curls off his forehead. "I did a lot of thinking this weekend and I forced myself to really look at my life. I've been a horrible girlfriend. I put my petty fight with Gretchen before us. Remember when I said popularity is like a drug?"

Gordo nodded, "And you said you didn't think you were strong enough to fight it."

"Yea. But you make me strong enough to fight it." As soon as she said that, Kate closed her eyes and snickered. "Did that sounds as cheesy as I think?"

Gordo grinned and chuckled softly. "A little."

Kate opened her eyes and looked straight into Gordo's, ignoring everything around them. "Well, I realized something about us this weekend." Kate took a deep breath and continued to look into Gordo's eyes. "It wasn't giving up being popular just to be with you, but give you up just to be popular and I can't give you up." Leaning in, this time Kate gave him a short, sweet kiss. "I love you."

Hearing Kate tell Gordo she loves him left Lizzie and Miranda a little stunned. They knew they liked each other but hearing her say she loved him, threw them a little.

Gordo reached out, brushed some hair behind her ear and then gently trailed his fingers down her cheek. Kate shivered a little at his touch. She noticed Gordo's eyes change slightly, almost as if they were asking a question. Suddenly, she knew what they were asking and she gave him a small nod.

Leaning in, Gordo gave her a small kiss and pulling back, "I love you too."

They were then interrupted by a small cough behind them. Kate turned around and noticed Taylor Austin and Samantha Pollard standing there. They were two other cheerleaders and while not exactly friends with Gretchen, they were apart of her group.

"The cheerleaders talked over the weekend and," Taylor started and Kate prepared herself to hear she had been kicked off, "we want you to stay on the squad as captain. Unlike Gretchen, we don't care who you date. Plus you're a lot more fun to be around. We also took a revote and we want you to be solo-captain."

Kate couldn't help but feel surprised and smiled. "Thanks," she said in almost disbelief.

Taylor and Samantha smiled and nodded in agreement. "Great. We'll go tell the rest of the girls and including Gretchen. See ya at practice," Samantha said as they left.

As they left, the bell rang signaling the start of homeroom. Turning to face all three of them, Kate looked at them, "Can you guys be at the Digital Bean at about six this afternoon?"

"Sure, but why?" Lizzie said.

"A pathetic excuse at an apology," Kate said sarcastically. Agreeing to meet, they headed off to their separate homerooms.

Later that afternoon, Kate was standing in front of the Digital Bean with her friends.

"Why are we here?" Claire asked, standing next to her.

"I want us to hang out with Gordo and his friends," Kate told her friends.

Claire and Alix glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Come on. We're just gonna hang out together, it doesn't mean we suddenly all have to be friends," Brooke said coming to the defense of Kate's idea.

"Fine. Lets get this over with," Alix said.

As they walked in, they quickly spotted Gordo sitting with Lizzie, Miranda, Veruca, Ethan, and Larry sitting at one of the tables. Kate led her group over to them; walking behind Gordo, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "Hey."

"Hey Kat."

Kate smiled at hearing him use her nickname again. "Talk to ya for a sec?"

Gordo nodded to her and then quickly looked back at his friends. "I'll be right back," he said as he got up. Walking with her to the counter, Kate ordered a strawberry smoothie and then turned to Gordo. "So you think they'll get along?" she asked sarcastically as she wrapped her arms around Gordo's waist.

Gordo laughed a little. "I give em about five minutes before Miranda and Claire are at each other's throats." They both laughed.

"How was practice?" Gordo asked.

"Good for the most part. Gretchen had a little temper tantrum when she found out she wasn't captain anymore, then her and some of her drones quit. We lost five girls but I think the rest of the squad is real good."

Gordo nodded and then grinned a little, "How's the leg?"

Kate returned the grin, "A little sore, could use your magic fingers again." As her order came up, Kate reluctantly let go of him and grabbed her drink.

"So what do you want to do for your birthday?" Gordo asked on their way back to the table.

Kate shrugged as she took a sip of her smoothie. "Don't care, as long as it's with you." Then an evil smile passed over Kate's face and she turned to Gordo, "I could make dinner again."

Gordo smiled as he remembered their last weekend together in San Francisco. "Sure," he said smirking at her. Kate thought it was because of what they did after dinner but it was something else. "I say we have Chinese. I hear Great Wall has excellent take out," Gordo told her as he tried his best to keep a straight face.

Kate looked at him confused for a moment but then she realized what he meant. Backhanding his shoulder, Kate laughed. "Jerk."

"How about Friday night, I make you dinner, and it won't be take out," Gordo snickered as Kate hit him again.

"You're lucky I love you," Kate said sarcastically.

Gordo gave her a lopsided grin as they reached their friends. Standing behind them against the wall, Kate watched her friends interact with Gordo's and rolled her eyes. She didn't really care that they probably wouldn't get along but both groups would have to get use to the idea of them dating, whether they liked it or not.

Kate felt Gordo slip in behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She smiled as a content feeling washed over her. Finishing her drink, she put the empty glass on the table and then leaned back into Gordo.

Kate glanced over her shoulder at Gordo and smiled at him. She was surprised at how much one person could mean to someone. Gordo was her heart, if he hadn't been there this summer, she was sure she'd still be dead inside. That thought caused her to shiver.

Gordo felt her shiver and gave her a questioning glance as he held her tighter. She just looked deep into his eyes and smiled. Turning completely around, she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in and kissed him. "I never really thanked you."

Gordo titled his head, "For what?"

"Saving me. Waking up what little was left of my soul and making me happy again."

Gordo smirked, "You're welcome then."

Kate rolled her eyes and smiled, and then turned back around and snuggled deeper into his arms. "It wasn't giving up being popular just to be with you, but give you up just to be popular and I can't give you up."