A/N okay this one is real short (well in comparison to usual anyway) I had
to break up chapter forty into two separate chapters. (geeze that seems to
be happening more often lately) But anyway enjoy and feedback is always
appreciated!
Just a note, I didn't receive any reviews on the last chapter #39 it was posted really far down on the board so some might have missed it. So read 39 first if you haven'' already.
Enjoy
Redemption
Chapter Forty
She heard the knock at the door and the quiet click as it was opened. Jack's voice was easily recognizable as Eric let him in and they talked for a few moments in the hallway but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
"She still hasn't said why she left," Weiss said quietly as he and Jack stood in the hallway. "She hasn't said much of anything at all actually."
"Did she sleep?"
"An hour, two maybe but no more than that?"
"Any nightmares?"
"No," he shook his head and took a sip of coffee. "There is one thing though, something that she said, I'm not even sure that I should be telling you but...," he paused still unsure if he should really be telling Jack, Kat's secret but he knew she would never tell him. "She has nightmares every night," he explained. "She's had them- well she hasn't slept through the night since she was six when her mom died." Jack was silent and Eric knew exactly what he was thinking. "I know what you're thinking, how could we not know, well you know Kat, keeping secrets and hiding the truth is what she does best."
Jack nodded in agreement, "thank you Agent Weiss, for taking care of her."
"She's in here," he nodded towards the living room and Jack followed him down the hall.
"Kat, your da-....... Jack's here," Weiss entered the living room but Kat didn't even look up at them. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor concentrating on eating a bowl of cereal and watching a rerun of The Simpsons on television. "Kat?"
Still no response as she didn't take her eyes off the screen.
"Well I'll be in kitchen if you need me," Weiss shrugged and walked away.
Jack waited until Weiss had left the room before approaching Kat who paid no attention to him but kept eating her cereal, her eyes glued to the TV. When she didn't acknowledge him he pulled the ottoman over and sat down beside her. "I brought you some clothes and shoes," he set the knapsack down beside her. She still didn't respond but he was pretty sure he saw her hand shake as she took another bite of her cereal.
"I have an early meeting so Agent Weiss is going to bring you."
Nothing.
Beginning to get frustrated Jack took the TV remote from beside her and shut the television off. He leaned in close to her and spoke quietly and calmly. "I'm not going to play your games Katarina." He saw her tense up even more but kept her eyes focused on the blank television screen. "You're not going to talk and explain the problem then fine, but I will not be a mindless participant in whatever little game you have going on in your head."
That was all he had to stay. Kat sat frozen as he stood up and walked out of the room. He stopped in the archway and turned around catching her offguard.
"Don't you ever leave like that again," he said harshly.
Kat sat for a moment slightly disoriented and willing herself not to cry.
"Jack wait," she called out turning to where he'd stood moments before but she was too late, he was gone and the click of the front door resonated in her ears. Kat sat in front of the blank screen for a good ten minutes before finally rising to her feet and entering the kitchen.
Weiss leaned against the counter drinking a cup of coffee. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she dumped most of her cereal in the garbage and slammed the bowl down on the counter.
"You told him didn't you," she turned to face him angrily.
"You keep too many secrets, and you certainly weren't going to tell him," he set his coffee down and took a step towards her his hands resting on his hips. This wasn't going to be pretty.
"It wasn't your secret to tell!" her eyes flashed. "It wasn't any of his business."
"Maybe not but some secrets shouldn't be kept, kid." He crossed to the sink and dumped the rest of his coffee down the drain.
"God, I hate it when you call me that," she near exploded.
"Well then stop acting like one," Weiss swallowed hard. "Get off your high horse, stop trying to be supergirl and doing everything by yourself and for f**k's sake, let someone help you for a change!"
"You don't know anything about me, who are you to judge-"
"I'm someone who cares about how you live your life." Weiss cupped his hands over the sides of her face, holding her still. "You've changed Kat since you've been back Kat, everyone can see it, even Marshall asked me what was wrong with you." He swallowed hard and lowered his voice slightly. "One day you're actually getting along with Jack and the next you can't stand the sight of him. Sydney and your dad, they're trying Kat they really are, but you're not giving them anything to work with."
"Of course I did! I came back to find that the person I was no longer existed! You just don't understand."
"You're right I don't," he shook his head. "What I do understand is that you've had a tough life. I don't dispute that. You got a shit deal and you didn't deserve any of it. You're strong and independent and you've never relied on anyone but yourself, but that's not the way it has to be. You don't have to turn to ice every time someone tries to get close to you. You can let them in and let them help you and still be independent. You want things to change, you want your nightmares to stop, you want to get on with your life but you won't let anyone help and you can't do it alone. But Kat, you can't live your life until you learn to trust and to have faith in your family and friends and let them help you. Let your father help you and stop being a pain in the ass-"
"Don't call him that please-"
"He's your father whether you like it or not, that's not going to change so just let him help you." He stepped back from her hating to see the look of confusion in her eyes. He knew what she was thinking; Good Ole Weiss who was always on her side was joining the enemy. "I'm not trying to hurt you 'Shiner, I just want you to understand that you don't have to do this alone."
"Forget it," she shrugged him off.
"We're leaving in thirty minutes," he began to leave the room but stopped and turned back to her. "How did you know I told him?"
"Because he didn't yell at me," she said softly.
Just a note, I didn't receive any reviews on the last chapter #39 it was posted really far down on the board so some might have missed it. So read 39 first if you haven'' already.
Enjoy
Redemption
Chapter Forty
She heard the knock at the door and the quiet click as it was opened. Jack's voice was easily recognizable as Eric let him in and they talked for a few moments in the hallway but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
"She still hasn't said why she left," Weiss said quietly as he and Jack stood in the hallway. "She hasn't said much of anything at all actually."
"Did she sleep?"
"An hour, two maybe but no more than that?"
"Any nightmares?"
"No," he shook his head and took a sip of coffee. "There is one thing though, something that she said, I'm not even sure that I should be telling you but...," he paused still unsure if he should really be telling Jack, Kat's secret but he knew she would never tell him. "She has nightmares every night," he explained. "She's had them- well she hasn't slept through the night since she was six when her mom died." Jack was silent and Eric knew exactly what he was thinking. "I know what you're thinking, how could we not know, well you know Kat, keeping secrets and hiding the truth is what she does best."
Jack nodded in agreement, "thank you Agent Weiss, for taking care of her."
"She's in here," he nodded towards the living room and Jack followed him down the hall.
"Kat, your da-....... Jack's here," Weiss entered the living room but Kat didn't even look up at them. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor concentrating on eating a bowl of cereal and watching a rerun of The Simpsons on television. "Kat?"
Still no response as she didn't take her eyes off the screen.
"Well I'll be in kitchen if you need me," Weiss shrugged and walked away.
Jack waited until Weiss had left the room before approaching Kat who paid no attention to him but kept eating her cereal, her eyes glued to the TV. When she didn't acknowledge him he pulled the ottoman over and sat down beside her. "I brought you some clothes and shoes," he set the knapsack down beside her. She still didn't respond but he was pretty sure he saw her hand shake as she took another bite of her cereal.
"I have an early meeting so Agent Weiss is going to bring you."
Nothing.
Beginning to get frustrated Jack took the TV remote from beside her and shut the television off. He leaned in close to her and spoke quietly and calmly. "I'm not going to play your games Katarina." He saw her tense up even more but kept her eyes focused on the blank television screen. "You're not going to talk and explain the problem then fine, but I will not be a mindless participant in whatever little game you have going on in your head."
That was all he had to stay. Kat sat frozen as he stood up and walked out of the room. He stopped in the archway and turned around catching her offguard.
"Don't you ever leave like that again," he said harshly.
Kat sat for a moment slightly disoriented and willing herself not to cry.
"Jack wait," she called out turning to where he'd stood moments before but she was too late, he was gone and the click of the front door resonated in her ears. Kat sat in front of the blank screen for a good ten minutes before finally rising to her feet and entering the kitchen.
Weiss leaned against the counter drinking a cup of coffee. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she dumped most of her cereal in the garbage and slammed the bowl down on the counter.
"You told him didn't you," she turned to face him angrily.
"You keep too many secrets, and you certainly weren't going to tell him," he set his coffee down and took a step towards her his hands resting on his hips. This wasn't going to be pretty.
"It wasn't your secret to tell!" her eyes flashed. "It wasn't any of his business."
"Maybe not but some secrets shouldn't be kept, kid." He crossed to the sink and dumped the rest of his coffee down the drain.
"God, I hate it when you call me that," she near exploded.
"Well then stop acting like one," Weiss swallowed hard. "Get off your high horse, stop trying to be supergirl and doing everything by yourself and for f**k's sake, let someone help you for a change!"
"You don't know anything about me, who are you to judge-"
"I'm someone who cares about how you live your life." Weiss cupped his hands over the sides of her face, holding her still. "You've changed Kat since you've been back Kat, everyone can see it, even Marshall asked me what was wrong with you." He swallowed hard and lowered his voice slightly. "One day you're actually getting along with Jack and the next you can't stand the sight of him. Sydney and your dad, they're trying Kat they really are, but you're not giving them anything to work with."
"Of course I did! I came back to find that the person I was no longer existed! You just don't understand."
"You're right I don't," he shook his head. "What I do understand is that you've had a tough life. I don't dispute that. You got a shit deal and you didn't deserve any of it. You're strong and independent and you've never relied on anyone but yourself, but that's not the way it has to be. You don't have to turn to ice every time someone tries to get close to you. You can let them in and let them help you and still be independent. You want things to change, you want your nightmares to stop, you want to get on with your life but you won't let anyone help and you can't do it alone. But Kat, you can't live your life until you learn to trust and to have faith in your family and friends and let them help you. Let your father help you and stop being a pain in the ass-"
"Don't call him that please-"
"He's your father whether you like it or not, that's not going to change so just let him help you." He stepped back from her hating to see the look of confusion in her eyes. He knew what she was thinking; Good Ole Weiss who was always on her side was joining the enemy. "I'm not trying to hurt you 'Shiner, I just want you to understand that you don't have to do this alone."
"Forget it," she shrugged him off.
"We're leaving in thirty minutes," he began to leave the room but stopped and turned back to her. "How did you know I told him?"
"Because he didn't yell at me," she said softly.