Thanks so much for the kind reviews- they make writing this so much more fun! Alex B. Goode- thanks so much for commenting as you read each chapter, I loved hearing your thoughts. :)

Chapter 4

Jaime glanced over at Katie—Kate—in the passenger seat. She didn't look at him. She brushed her hair off her cheek, tucking it behind her ear and he caught a glimpse of three tiny silver hoops, a stud higher in the cartilage, and a bar through her daith. He didn't even think she had her ears pierced before she had run away.

"I'm glad you're coming home," Jaime ventured into the silence.

Kate's mouth tightened. "I said I'd crash with you for a couple days. I'm not coming home."

"Right." Jaime gripped the steering wheel and didn't say anything else. He had only managed to get her to agree to stay with him and Eddie for a few days when she had realized she could barely lift her backpack, let alone take the subway to wherever she called home. He suspected she didn't want him knowing where to find her, and agreeing to stay with him was better than him giving her a ride to her own place.

Jaime pulled into the underground parking beneath his and Eddie's building and his phone lit up again. Eddie. He slipped the phone in his pocket and jogged around to help Kate out.

She winced as she stood. Jaime took her bag and led her toward the elevators. She didn't say anything as they rode the elevator and went down the hall.

"We're fixing the place up," Jaime said. "It's a work in progress. We don't have anything in the guest room yet, but the couch is comfortable and you can help yourself to whatever you find."

He barely caught her slight nod. He opened the door and could feel Kate tense next to him.

"We're home," he called.

Eddie came out of the kitchen, dish towel in hand, eyebrows raised. When she saw Kate, she shot him a questioning glance, but gave Kate a warm smile. "Hey, Kate."

Kate's mouth twitched in what Jaime guessed was supposed to be a smile. He remembered when she had a bright smile for everyone and would throw her arms around him in a hug. There was a painful twist in his chest as he shoved aside thoughts of what had happened to his sister to take that from her and turn her into the hardened woman standing next to him.

Thankfully Eddie wasn't struggling through like him and was showing Kate around.

He took in a deep breath and let it out. He was here for Kate, no matter what had happened. He would make sure she knew that. Trying to look like he wasn't being eaten alive by guilt and grief, he went to join Eddie and Kate.

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Kate punched in a quick text to her roommate, letting her know she was out of the hospital.

Call me! came the same reply as the last few texts Kate had sent Lacy reassuring her she was fine.

Kate wasn't going to worry Lacy, and Lacy would definitely worry as soon as she heard more than the generic version Kate had sent her. And Lacy had enough to worry about already.

Jaime came into the living room and Kate flipped her phone facedown on the coffee table.

"Morning," he said, pausing in the doorway.

"Morning," Kate answered. She hated the distance between them. She hated that Jaime only seemed to be able to look at her with worry in his eyes. And that would only be worse if he actually knew anything about her. The distance was best for everyone.

"Did you sleep ok?" he asked.

Kate nodded. She stood and started to fold the blankets Eddie had laid out on the couch for her last night. Bending over sent pain searing through her broken ribs and she struggled to hold back a cry of pain.

Jaime touched her arm lightly and Kate jerked away, startled.

Jaime froze, palms out toward her as if showing he didn't mean any harm.

Kate met his eyes, saw the questions and grief there. She shouldn't be here.

"I should—"

Jaime cut her off, holding her gaze, knowing exactly what she was about to say. "You should have some breakfast."

Kate took the stool Jaime pulled out for her at the counter in the kitchen.

"You know it's Sunday," Jaime ventured, his back to her as he cracked eggs into a bowl.

Kate's fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms.

"Jaime…" Her voice was strangled.

"Just come to dinner," he said, turning to face her. "You don't have to stay long, You don't have to stay at all. Just come long enough to see everyone, let them see you."

The longing that wrenched her was as surprising as it was painful. The thought of seeing her grandpa, Erin, Danny, Linda…her dad…

"I told you if you tell anyone I'm here, I'll disappear. You'll never see me again." She started to get off the stool, ready to run from the emotion choking her more than to carry out any sort of threat of disappearing.

"Ok," Jaime said. "I told you I won't tell anyone."

Kate stared at him until he turned back to making breakfast. Her fists slowly unclenched when Jaime didn't bring it up again.

She managed to convince Jaime and Eddie to go to the family dinner. The last thing she wanted was to have any of her siblings show up to bring Jaime and Eddie leftovers if they didn't go to the Sunday meal.

When the door closed behind them, she let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She sank down on the couch and rested her head against the pillowy cushions. Trying to keep Jaime at a distance, making sure she didn't say anything, the hurricane of emotions at being reunited with her family…it was draining.

Her phone buzzed and Kate picked it up, ready to dismiss Lacy's call. But it wasn't Lacy's number. Kate recognized it. It was one of the numbers she had memorized in her hospital bed, looking at the scrap of paper and while thinking of dark eyes and a kind smile.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"Kate, it's Carlos."

She didn't want to feel the warming in her chest that his voice brought, but she couldn't stop it.

"Hi," she managed.

"We need to talk. Can I come see you?"

The time in the hospital, and the night spent at Jaime's, had been a respite from reality. With Hux dead and her missing, she could imagine what was happening back at the bar. Or more specifically, the back room of the bar where the weapons were brought in and distributed.

"Sure," she said. She couldn't seem to get past single word answers for Carlos. A mix of some sort of feeling for him and dread of what he might have to say.

"Great. I can pick you up if you text where you are." He paused and then she could hear a smile in his voice. "How do you feel about family dinners?"

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