A month Later-
Making her way down the narrow hallway Kate turned left jumping when she pumped into a man who grabbed her arm steadying her
"Are you okay?" he asked, letting her arm go when she regained her balance
"Yes, yes I'm fine"
"Were you looking for something in particular?"
"Sorry?" looking past him towards the blue door she sighed
"This is the players area, unless you're a player.." he looked her up and down "I need to escort you out"
"I was actually hoping you'd let me past, I'm with Cairns daily" she held up her lanyard that had her ID
"Interviews have been moved to Fridays"
"I'm aware of that, but this one is rather important"
"Who you after?"
"Ah.. Dylan Mulholland?"
"Mulholland? What the heck you wanna interview that meathead for?" he laughed
"If you'd just check.."
"No need, he left half an hour ago with one of cheerleaders"
"He what?"
"You know the girls that support the teams at their games"
"I know what a cheerleader is" she rolled her eyes
"Mm-yeah I bet you were one back in school right?"
"Excuse me?"
"Maybe you'd like to interview me? I can promise I won't stand you up like Mulholland" he winked
"Thanks but I'd rather not" she turned to leave
"Hey now baby, you won't know unless you give me a shot" he grabbed her arm
"Let go of me"
"Come on, live a little"
"I said.."
"Let her go" a familiar voice made her turn her head
"Dylan.." she whispered when he stopped next to them
"I'm just playing" he held both hands up as Dylan shoved him back
"Piss off Carrington"
"If you change your mind" he winked at Kate, moving around them he made his way back to the locker room.
"I.."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Dylan gripped her wrist pulling them towards the exit
"Oww.." she struggled when he pushed open the door, the sun making her wince
"Seriously are you trying to get into trouble?" he continued walking
"Would you stop!" she yelled pulling her hand free "I came here to see you, not that dick who hit on me" she rubbed her wrist with her free hand.
"Why?" he crossed his arms "I'm pretty sure you said everything you wanted to a month ago"
"I'm not here about us"
"Then what do you want?" he watched her in confusion when she reached into her back pocket, holding out a pair of rolled up socks in her hand between them
"You left this at mine"
"Seriously? You came here to return a pair of socks?" he snatched them from her "a pair that aren't even mine" he dropped them back in her hand, turning he went to walk off
"Dylan.."
"What?" he spun to face her "what could you possibly want!"
"I.."
"Spit it out!" Reaching into her other back pocket she pulled out a folded piece of paper, unfolding it she held it out for him
"What's this?"
"It's from Theo.."
"Theo?" he questioned, taking the piece of paper he turned it up the right way to read it "Cairns footy day?"
"He wanted to sign up"
"And you let him?"
"You have met Theo right?" she raised an eyebrow
"Good point" he laughed slightly
"It's his first game, he wants you there.. I told him that you were busy but.."
"I'll be there"
"Really?"
"I made a promise to him that no matter what happened between us I'd still be there for him"
"Thank you"
"Is Mike going to be there?"
"Just for half the day"
"And you.." he cleared his throat "you'll be there?"
"I'll be in Port Douglas, unfortunately it's not something I can reschedule"
"Right.."
"He's staying with Mike's Mum while I'm away" she looked down at her watch "in fact I actually need to head off I just wanted to make sure you got that"
"You're leaving now? Today?"
"I was supposed to be there an hour ago.."
"I.."
"It would mean the world to Theo if you went, I know how much he misses you how much.."
"Kate?" he watched her in confusion
"I should go" she forced a smile, reaching down she picked up the roll of socks "can't forget these"
"I guess I'll see you around?"
"Goodbye Dylan" she struggled to say, giving him a slight nod she made her way over to her car not looking back when she got in and drove away.
Standing in the middle of the empty parking lot Dylan looked down at the flyer in his hand he noticed something black having soaked through.
Turning it over he took a big breath when he saw a note in fancy handwriting
'Thank you for everything, for loving my little boy for even loving me despite everything. This isn't how I wanted you to know but I'm leaving Dylan, leaving for good.
I got a job offer and I'm going to take it because being in the same town as you and not being with you is just too hard, I'm sorry Dylan for everything. If you had asked me that day to 'Stay' I would have, because your who I want to spend the rest of my life with I love you number twenty-five I'm sorry it took me so long to realise.
Take care of yourself,
always,
Kate Xx'
Looking back up at the empty spot where her car was parked Dylan raced across to his bike shoving the flyer into his pocket he pushed the helmet over his head. Turning on the bike he raced out of the carpark in the hopes of catching up to her.
...
After having driven for an hour with only 20 minutes left of her trip Kate rested her arm on the door rolling her eyes when a motorbike sped past her only to break in front of her causing her to slow down
'What the hell' she honked the horn at it when it braked again, the driver waving there hand over to the side of the road 'What's wrong now?' she huffed putting her indicator on she pulled off the road.
Shifting her car into park and turning off the ignition she clicked her seatbelt off and exited the car just as the driver of the motorbike hoped off
"What the hell is wrong with you!" she yelled stomping towards the top half of his face covered by his helmet "are you seriously that impatient to get ahead you couldn't wait another twenty…" her rant was stolen away from her by a pair of soft lips against hers,
using her hand that wasn't trapped between them Kate placed it on his shoulder shoving him away in anger. "Who the hell do you think you are" she hit him in the chest
"The man you love" he answered unclipping his helmet and pulling it off
"Dylan?"
"Hi.."
"What.. what are you doing here?"
"Stopping you from making the biggest regret" he dropped his helmet on the ground while taking a step towards her "don't go" he wrapped his hand around her back pulling her flush against his chest her hands came to rest against him "stay"
Bunching up his shirt in her fists Kate tugged slightly "Why are you doing this now.." she dropped her head
"Your note.."
"What note?"
"On the back of Theo's flyer" he reached into his pocket pulling it out he showed her
"I didn't write this" she took the flyer from him "this isn't even my handwriting"
"But if you didn't then who.."
"I'm gonna kill her"
"Who.."
"Bloody Tanya, I knew I should have kept my mouth shut"
"I'm sorry who?"
"Mike's mother, she came over last night to pick Theo up we had some wine and I told her.." she sighed "I told her about you, about us"
"Right.. and you think she wrote this note?" he took the flyer back off her
"Clearly, the flyer was on the kitchen table and I passed out on the couch from exhaustion"
"Well.." Dylan cleared his throat "this is extremely awkward then"
"Did you mean it?" Kate looked at him sadly
"What?"
"When you asked me to stay.."
"Did you mean it?" he stepped forward
"I.."
"I know you didn't write it but if you did, would you have meant it?"
"Yes.." she dropped her head
"Look me in the eyes and tell me Kate.." he placed his thumb under her chin lifting her head so her eyes met his
"If I wrote that note yes, yes I would have meant every word"
"Do you want to read it before you.."
"No I don't need to"
"Kate.."
"Everything I feel in here" she wrapped her hand around his placing his open palm over her heart "it's all for you.. Dylan I love you.."
"Say it again" he took the last step forward so they were chest to chest
"Dylan Mulholland"
"Yes?" he reached his free hand up threading it through her hair
"I love you"
"You really mean it?"
"I love you" she repeated
"I love you so much Kate" he said breathlessly meeting her lips in a passionate kiss.
Reluctantly ending the kiss he rested his forehead against hers "Come with me"
"Where?"
"Home, come home Kate" he moved his head back to look at her
"And where's home" she rested her hand against his cheek
"Wherever Theo and I are that's home"
"I couldn't agree more" she smiled widely, lifting up on her tippytoes she met his lips in a kiss filled with everything she was feeling.
Hey Everyone or whoever reads this story, the next one will be a flashforward/Epilogue so I hope you've been enjoying.Sorry I haven't updated for awhile, I've been all over the place and haven't found the time. Enjoy.. Xx