A/N: Thanks for your reviews! This one falls into the category of alternate scene and deleted scene. It was the original version of the scene between Jim and Kate from chapter 18 when he came over to her apartment to talk to Johanna for the first time in days after they had their fight. I redid Kate and Jim's part in the final version of the chapter, I cut it way down, probably due to word count. So here's the original, enjoy!

Deleted Scene – Let It Be – from Chapter 18

As Kate moved toward the door to answer Jim's knock, she decided at the last minute to take pity on her mother and find out what the conversation would involve before she left her to deal with it on her own. She unlocked the door and opened it, but instead of letting her father in, she stepped into the hallway with him and closed the door.

"What are you doing?" Jim asked her.

"I want to talk to you first before I let you in," she answered.

Confusion flicked across his features. "Why?"

"Because I think I should stay if this visit has the potential to be as ugly as the last one."

"What is it that you think I'm going to do to her?"

Kate shrugged. "You tell me."

"Katie," he sighed.

"Look," she said firmly; "I've spent the last few days picking up the pieces from the last conversation you had with her. I finally got her cheered up a little and acting more like herself."

"And?" Jim replied.

"And I don't want you ruining it," she answered. "So if you're here to end things with her then tell me now…because I'll have to go in there and sit with her while you do it."

Her father gave her an assessing look. "What are you talking about?"

Kate swallowed hard. It was difficult to have this conversation…hard to imagine that there was a possibility that her parents marriage might be over just as their miracle second chance had begun.

"Katie, what are you talking about?" he asked again.

She felt like he was playing stupid and it made anger flicker in her blood. "Gee, Dad, I don't know what I'm talking about; oh wait, maybe it has something to do with certain statements you made about regretting marrying her. Do you remember that? I know we discussed it."

"I remember what I said…but I never said I wanted to end things with her."

"You can't say things like that and expect her not to think that you want out."

"Is that what she thinks?"

"Of course that's what she thinks," Kate retorted. "Wouldn't you if you were her? She's pretty much convinced herself that you're here to end it…so if that's what you have planned, then I need to know now."

"Let me in, Katie," he said as he stepped toward the door.

She stepped in front of him. "You haven't answered my question."

"You said you'd leave," Jim reminded her. "I'm holding you to that."

"She wants me to stay if it's going to be bad…she can't face it alone."

"You'll both have to trust me," Jim said as he held tightly to the stem of a rose that had apparently escaped his daughter's notice. "Let me in and go."

Kate could tell by the firm set of his jaw that further argument would be useless and only earn herself his ire…not that she really cared if he got mad at her for her nosiness…but she had enough problems. "Fine," she said. "But let me say this, if I come back here and she's a mess again, you and I are going to have problems."

Jim smiled at her. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

He laughed and pulled her into a hug that he was surprised she returned. "You're cute, Katie."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I am not," she said as she pulled away.

"Yes, you are; you'll always be cute to me. You're my little girl…even when you're mad at me…or protecting your mother's heart."

She smiled slightly and noticed the rose in his hand. "Really, Dad; you bring her one lousy rose? You couldn't spring for the whole dozen? It's not like you can't afford it."

"Well maybe if you had paid attention more when you were a kid, you'd know that I always bring her a rose when she's mad at me."

"Yeah, but now isn't the time to be cheap, Dad. This is way more than a one rose screw up…you should have a dozen…and probably jewelry."

He smirked at her. "Are you really the person that should be giving me relationship advice?"

"Seems like someone ought to," Kate replied. "You're not doing too well lately."

"And you are?" he asked.

She smiled. "I'm doing better than you."

"Open the door, Katie."

"Remember what I said," she told him as she opened the door to let them both into the apartment.

"I'll remember," Jim replied. "Now go on…you promised me. We'll be fine."

She nodded. "I'll get my purse and then I'll go…but if she needs me…."

"You're willing to be needed by her?" Jim asked quietly as he studied her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she murmured in response.

"Seems like a shift in attitude," he replied. "Like I mentioned the other day when you stopped in to give me your two cents."

Kate smirked as she eyed him. "Yeah, well, I guess someone had to be here for her since the person she counts on the most ripped her heart out."

He grimaced. "Point taken…but you also don't fool me for a minute."

"Let it be, Dad. It takes care of itself. Just worry about your problems…and how you're going to go in there and fix it."

Jim gave a nod. "Alright…and if you're needed, you'll be notified."

"Good luck," she said sincerely before grabbing her belongings and heading to the door. "She's in the kitchen."

Jim took a breath and waited a moment before turning and heading for the kitchen where his wife was probably waiting for the worst. He prayed he could turn it all around; that his mistake hadn't been fatal to his marriage.