Author's Note: Well people, it's show time! I know you all have been waiting anxiously to find out what's going to go down between Collin and Katherine. Forewarning: This is a lengthy chapter and a LOT is going to be going down. (Cheers!) Well, that moment is here and I can't wait to read your reviews to find out what you think of the mess that's about to unfold. So, I'm not going to waste any more of your time. Let's get on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers series, any of the show's characters, or the entire plot of this story. The plot was inspired by the 2009-2010 storyline of NBC's Days of our Lives. All parts of the plot that I changed to fit my liking or parts that I created myself I can take credit for. Please, no stealing
"The Cat's out of the Bag"
Silence filled the room of Katherine and Collin's sweet as the brunette man stared at his wife with impatience heavily swimming through his features. He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot rhythmically to let her know he wasn't playing around. Katherine's hand went to her hair and she began twisting a golden lock around her fingers. Why had it all come to this.
"Katherine, I want the truth." Collin's spoke roughly. "What is this secret you and Rocky seem to have about our daughter?"
"There is no secret Collin, I swear."
Collin sighed and ran his hands over his face. "Something's going on Katherine, it's written all over your face. Save yourself the trouble of lying to me and let me know what's happening with our daughter. What is it you aren't telling me? Is she sick or something?"
"No Collin, Neveah is perfectly healthy and she's fine. There is no secret."
Collin stared at Katherine and pursed his lips before sniffing and nodding his head. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play."
"What are you doing?" Katherine asked as he walked towards her.
Collin leaned close to her and could feel the fear emanating off her shaking form. He put his lips dangerously close to her ear and growled. "Pack your bags. We're going home."
Katherine gasped and snapped her head to her husband. "What do you mean we're going home? Collin, we just got here!"
"Then you tell me what's going on between you and Rocky and maybe then I'll reconsider leaving."
"Collin, there's nothing to tell. Please honey, I love you so much."
"If you loved me, you wouldn't be keeping secrets from me. Katherine, I always tell you the truth regardless of how painful it may be. Why can't I get the same consideration?"
Collin studied her face as her mouth began moving as though it were trying to form words. When nothing came out of her mouth, an idea crossed his mind.
"You're sleeping with him, aren't you?"
A look of anger crossed her face before she shouted her disapproval. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing? Collin, I may be a lot of things, but am I am not some worthless whore! I am your wife for Christ's sake, and do you know how long it even took us to get to that point? You're damn right we're going home. You don't trust me, so what's the point of us staying here any longer?"
"Fine by me."
Katherine pushed her way past Collin and went to the armory where she'd stored her things to begin throwing them over her shoulder onto the bed. So much for her honeymoon plan. At this rate, things were about to get much worse and it was all thanks to Rocky.
Angel Grove: Youth Center
Julia's eyes remained fixated on the juice bar as she carefully performed a walking handstand towards the center of the balance beam. She then lowered her arms to where her elbows were jolted outwards as she slowly lowered her chest to the beam to the point her breasts met the scratchy material of the beam. She winced from the soreness she was feeling in her arms and took a deep breath before focusing on her back to force her legs forward so they would tower above her head. She then proceeded to let her left leg move to point upright in the air, her foot straight and pointed, before lowering her right leg until her toes met with the beam. Julia slowly straightened her arms and put pressure on her right foot before quickly pushing herself upright.
After finishing what seemed like a tough moment of concentration. She took a deep breath and spun on her toes so she was facing the wall opposite the juice bar. She tucked her lips in and held her breath before doing a back handspring off the beam. She landed on the blue mat, both her feet planting perfectly and smiled before throwing her hands up in the air, signaling the end of her routine.
As she prepared to descend her arms, she could hear applause emanating from behind her. She lowered her arms and slowly turned around. Steve was standing in the doorway leaning against its frame as he stared at her clapping his hands slowly and quite loudly.
Julia could feel fear building in the pit of her stomach and turned around quickly to retrieve her drawstring bag. Just as she prepared to leave, she felt a hand on her shoulder, gripping it tightly. She looked up and frowned as Steve stared down at her.
"Let go." she commanded.
"Not a chance." he whispered spitefully. "Why don't you tell me where your friend Katherine has gone?"
"Her whereabouts don't concern you Steve. Now would you please let go."
"You know where she is Julia so save yourself the trouble of lying and just tell me."
Julia sighed before pushing his hand off her shoulder and standing. She sucked her chest in and glared at him hard.
"For the last time, I don't know where she is. She was so angry that I'd told you the truth yesterday that she denied me the right to see Neveah and left. Last I saw her, she'd gotten into her friend Tanya's van and sped out the café parking lot thanks to you. I haven't heard from her or seen her since."
Steve stared at Julia and realized she was telling the truth before sighing. "I…didn't know she was going to do that. Look, I'm really not trying to cause anyone trouble."
"Like hell you aren't. Steve, you've been rambling about how you're going to get a daughter that is no longer yours back from her family!"
"I deserve to get a chance to know her Julia. If Katherine isn't going to let me see the child I never got to know, I'm going to find a way for me to see her, even if that involves me getting custody."
"You can't do that!"
"Oh, can't I? You denied me parental rights that were rightfully mine Julia."
"You left me Steve. What was I supposed to do?"
"How about telling me Julia? Whether I was away or not, you could've found me or at least gotten a hold of me to tell me that you were pregnant. I would've been there for you Julie Bug."
Julia felt the familiar burning sensation associated with tears in her eyes at the sound of her old nickname. How could he stoop so low as to resort to calling her that?
"Get away from me." Julia said as she pushed her way past him and ran out into the hallway.
"I will be getting custody of my daughter Julia, whether you want me to have it or not. I am her father and I deserve to be there for her!"
Kimberly's House
Kimberly pushed the front door of her home open and growled before throwing her keys into the decorative plate on the side table beside her.
"Tommy?" she shouted up the stairs. "Are you home?"
Tommy responded with a "yes" from upstairs before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. He peered over the banister and stared down at Kimberly questioningly.
"Is something wrong, you seem upset?"
"Oh yeah, something's definitely wrong. What has the world come to, I mean honestly?"
Tommy raised an eyebrow before walking down the stairs to follow her as she walked into the kitchen and pulled her chair back, making it scrape against the tiled floor loudly. He pulled himself out a chair and took a seat beside her before placing a hand on her knee.
"Kimberly, what's wrong?"
"I don't even know why I'm upset, I mean it doesn't concern me! But still I-"
"Kimberly, why don't you start at the beginning? What's got you so…worked up?"
Kimberly took a deep breath before turning to look him in the eyes. "Katherine's baby, Neveah…she really isn't Katherine and Collin's daughter."
Tommy's mouth fell open in shock at the news. "Are you serious?"
"Yes Tommy. Do you remember my gymnastics student Julia? She's Neveah's biological mother. She told me Katherine lost her baby when he was three months pregnant but instead of telling Collin about the miscarriage, she decided to lie and pretend she was pregnant."
"How'd she manage to pull that one off?"
"Beats me. Anyways, Rocky was with her when she lost the baby and Katherine, he, and Julia are the only ones that know the truth. Katherine met Julia at some conference with this doctor and he agreed to deliver the baby and give her to Katherine to adopt."
The mentioning of the doctor made Tommy raise a questioning eyebrow. "Did you catch the doctor's name?"
"Why does it matter Tommy? Didn't you hear what I just said? Katherine's baby really isn't hers and Collin's! The worst part is that Steve kid we stopped from hurting Julia at the Youth Center is the baby's father and he's determined to take the baby away from Collin. He's such a jerk! If there's one thing I know it's that a mother rightfully belongs with her child! Collin and Katherine are that baby's parents and she deserves to be with…them…"
Tommy stared at Kimberly questioningly as her face suddenly saddened. "Kim, what's wrong?"
"I did the same thing Steve's trying to do." she said as her eyes fell to the floor. "I was selfish and only thinking about me and…I took a baby from Collin that was rightfully his and he didn't get the chance to know her at all. I was so…scared of letting her be raised by his family like Jake that I didn't even let him know until it was too late. Tommy, as much as I hate the guy, he was still her father and I ripped her from his life forever. I wanted you to be her father so badly and yet…"
By this time, Kimberly had begun crying. Tommy scooted forward to where he could reach her and he placed his fingers to her chin to tilt her head up so their eyes could meet. His heart ached as her chocolate brown irises drowned in the river of tears that were streaming down her cheeks.
"Kimberly, what you did…you did it with good intentions. No, it wasn't right but-"
"There's no excuse for what I did Tommy. I wanted to be the best mother to my daughter as I could be and I wanted the father figure in her life to be worth looking up to. I thought we were doing a great job as parents, but now…"
Tommy sighed and forced a smile. "It will get better Kim, I promise. Even though you lost Grace, that doesn't mean you can't ever have another baby."
"But she was…so special."
"Yes she was, but any baby you have will be special because that baby will be created from love."
Kimberly smiled at that thought before giggling happily. "What are you saying Detective Oliver?" she said playfully. "Are you hinting that…you want another baby?"
Tommy chuckled before leaning forward to give her a quick peck on her cheek. "Well, maybe someday Kimberly but certainly not now. I think we need more time to heal and we need to focus on what's best for Jacob. We'll have this conversation in the future. That is, if you still plan on being with me when that time comes?"
Kimberly smiled sweetly before grabbing his hand to give it a light squeeze. "Of course I plan on being with you Tommy. I love you."
Tommy smiled at her words before pulling her into a warm embrace.
When Collin and Katherine's flight landed early the next morning, Mr. Ignalis was surprised. He was even more surprised to hear that the honeymoon had been cut short after such a small duration of time. A thought crossed his mind, but he brushed it off quickly as he let his son and daughter-in-law in through the main doors of the mansion.
"There's my beautiful granddaughter." he smiled as he held his arms out towards the little girl who was perched on her mother's hip.
Katherine sighed and stared at the older man with puffy red eyes before passing the baby to her grandfather. She took a shaky breath and forced a smile.
"Back so soon?" he said, a playful smirk on his face. Collin slammed the front doors before storming up the stairs and into their bedroom.
Katherine's body began shaking uncontrollably as tears began flooding down her cheeks at an alarming rate.
"My dear girl, what is the matter?"
Katherine walked through the French doors into the living room and collapsed on the loveseat. Mr. Ignalis followed behind her, closing the doors to keep their conversation private from any nearby ears.
"Katherine," he called out to her as he took a seat in an armchair, "what has happened? Why are you and my son back so soon?"
"He knows the truth." Katherine hiccupped. "Well, some of it."
The older man's eyes grew wide with shock. "He knows that Neveah is Kimberly's daughter?"
"No!" Katherine shouted. "He hasn't learned the entire truth yet. He answered my phone while I was in the bathroom. Rocky had called and the reception was so bad he didn't realize that Collin had answered and not me. He said the secret about Neveah was out, which I'm still not entirely sure of what's gotten out. The point is, I wouldn't tell Collin what happened and now he's furious with me!"
"Calm down Katarina, it's not too late to fix things."
"What do you mean it's not too late? Mr. Ignalis, Collin-"
"I heard what you said. He knows there's some sort of secret about Neveah that he isn't aware of. That is where you can use this situation to your advantage. Make something up and be sure to make it a convincing story."
Katherine's mouth formed into a thin line as she averted her gaze to her hands that were folded in her lap.
"I don't know if I can lie about this anymore."
"Do you hear yourself? Can you even imagine what kind of a hell hole will form? He cannot know that this baby is his ex's!"
The two of them grew silent as Katherine's name could be heard as Collin shouted it from the stairwell. Katherine took a deep breath and stood from the loveseat before heading out into the main hallway.
She stood at the base of the stairs and stared up at the wooden panel of the second floor as a feeling of uneasiness swept over her. Something wasn't right.
Katherine nearly jumped out of her skin as Collin shouted her name another time. She responded with an "I'm coming" before ascending the grand stair case. When she got to the bedroom she shared with her lover, her heart skipped a beat at the sight before her.
Collin was seated on the floor beside the closet door that was wide open. His right hand was resting on his knees that were pulled to his chest as his left hand combed through his hair. Several items of clothing littered the carpet along with a few pairs of shoes. What made things even worse was the sight of a broken padlock a few feet from the closet and one of Katherine's most critical secrets being held firmly in Collin's right hand.
"Well what do you know?" Collin said in an emotionless tone. "I finally got that damn trunk open."
Rocko's Diner
Rocky was busy busing tables when the bell on the front door rang. He looked up and smiled tiredly as Kimberly strolled in, her hair in a messy ponytail and her pink drawstring bag draped over her shoulder.
"Hey Rocky." she said with a smile. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
Rocky chuckled as he resumed cleaning the table. "I wouldn't know. I haven't really gotten the chance to be outside today. I have to get the diner in order so I can open."
"Well Rocky, here's a little advice. If your diner isn't open, you probably shouldn't leave the door unlocked. What if you got robbed or something?"
Rocky laughed a little harder at her suggestion. "Hello Kimberly, I used to be a Power Ranger, in case you've forgotten. If I can handle Rita and Zedd's monsters, I'm pretty sure I can take on a robber."
"Even if he has a gun?"
Rocky nodded before taking a seat in the freshly cleaned booth. Kimberly took a seat across from him and rested her bag in the empty space beside her.
"I was walking towards the Youth Center when I saw your lights were on, so I thought I should pop in and say hello."
Rocky raised an eyebrow. "Kim, I know you better than that. What's bugging you?"
Kimberly sighed. "Have you heard from Steve?"
Rocky shook his head. "He took another day off. I swear, I'm gonna have to let the kid go if he doesn't start improving his work performance."
"Rocky, I really need to talk to him. He doesn't understand that he could be destroying the future of that baby by taking her away from her parents. Collin and Katherine are the only parents she's ever known and she's used to having such a stable home life. Living with a teenage father off of minimum wage just isn't going to cut it. Besides, Julia legally gave up her parental rights. Being that he was never there for the baby, he should be denied his."
"Kimberly, I think the problem is much bigger than that. Can you imagine what Collin's going to do when he finds out?"
Kimberly stared at Rocky s she gave his question some thought. "This is really bad Rocky. We have to get a hold of Katherine now."
"I already tried to. She and Collin are still are their honeymoon. Wherever they are, the reception is horrible. Katherine answered and I could barely hear her."
"Well, call her again. Maybe she's in a different area?"
Ignalis Mansion
Katherine's lips moved as they tried to form words, but nothing would come out her dry throat. Tears burned as they pooled in her eyes at the sight of one of her fake pregnancy pads being held firmly in her husband's hand.
"You were going through my stuff?" she finally managed to get out.
"You want to know something?" Collin asked as he grinned, sending chills through Katherine's spine. "I always got this…eerie feeling every time I came across that padlocked trunk in our cosset. I even tried to open it, don't you remember? You were so desperate to keep me from opening the trunk because it was yours."
Katherine began to slowly walk towards her husband. She held her hand out and asked for the padding, but he responded by shaking his head in disapproval.
"Do you mind telling me what this is?"
"I-it's padding." Katherine stammered. "I bought it about a month into my pregnancy. The lady at the boutique said I could use it to try on maternity clothes for when I was further along into my pregnancy."
"I know what pregnancy padding is used for." he snapped, making her jump in surprise. "What I don't understand is why you would keep this padding and hide it away in some trunk?"
"Why does it matter Collin?"
Collin's eyes shot in her direction as he glared at her, his brown irises now a charcoal black. He slowly stood to his feet and walked towards her. Katherine began to back up until her back met with the wall. Collin slammed his palm on the wall above her head and leaned forward so his lips were close to her ear.
"You are going to tell me the truth, and you're going to tell me now."
"There's nothing to tell!" she lied, her voice shaking with panic.
Katherine ducked underneath his arm and moved away from him. "Honey, you're just stressed out. It was such a long flight after all and-"
"Damn it Katherine!" he shouted, his voice echoing loudly through the room. "I'm sick and tired of being lied to! For once in this hell hole of a life of mine, I'd really appreciate it if someone would tell me the bloody truth!"
The angry man's shouting was suddenly interrupted as Katherine's ringtone reached his ears. Katherine reached into the pocket of her pants and checked the caller I.D. Rocky's name was scrolling across the screen.
"Let me guess?" he said with a sarcastic laugh. "That's Rocky isn't it? Well go on, answer the damn phone. Don't let me stop you."
"No Collin. I-"
"Answer the phone!"
Katherine squeaked fearfully before flipping her phone open and holding it to her ear. "H-hello?" she answered, her voice quivering.
"Kat?" Rocky's voice came from the other side of the line. "What's going on? You sound terrible. How's the honeymoon going?"
"The honeymoon got cut short. Collin and I just got back and… Oh Rocky, now really isn't a good time."
"Like hell it isn't." Collin's voice boomed. "Why don't you tell your secret-keeping friend to get his ass over here? Maybe then I'll get some answers!"
"Katherine, what's going on?"
"Rocky, I really can't talk to you right. Things…are about to go to hell."
Rocky was silent as realization slowly sank in. "If he lays a hand on you, I swear I'll-"
Katherine quickly ended the call and tossed the flip-phone onto the king-sized bed. She turned back to Collin and put her hands up in defeat as she took a deep breath.
"Alright." she said as she blinked a few tears free. "I give up. What's the use of hiding the truth anymore?"
Rocko's Diner
Rocky shouted Katherine's name a few times into his cell once she dropped the call. At the realization that she wasn't responding, he quickly jumped up from the booth.
"Rocky, what's going on?" Kimberly asked worriedly. "What did she say?"
"We need to get to the Ignalis Mansion now." Rocky said as he untied his apron and ran into the employee closet. Kimberly stared at him in confusion as he came back out as he slid his arms into the sleeves of his leather biking jacket.
"What happened?" Kimberly demanded.
Rocky walked behind the counter and crouched down to retrieve his biking helmet. He grabbed a spare helmet and tossed it to Kimberly who almost dropped it.
"Put that helmet on. Collin sounded pissed and Katherine was scared out of her mind."
"I thought they were in Paris?"
Rocky put his helmet on and carefully latched it before running out the front doors with Kimberly on his tail. He hopped onto the bike and revealed that Katherine and Collin had come back early. Kimberly climbed onto the back of his bike and wrapped her arms around his waist as he gunned the engine to life and sped off towards the mansion.
Ignalis Mansion
Katherine wiped at the tears that were wetting her face as she began pacing across the room. Collin folded his arms across his chest and glared at her.
"Things are slowly starting to make sense to me." he said evenly. "It's like a fog's been lifted and I can finally see clearly now."
Collin felt his heart aching as thoughts of what could be the truth began to fill his mind. He felt like he should turn away from her and leave this situation behind them so they could continue living out their days as the happily married couple they'd been a few hours ago, but his heart wouldn't let him. That was the purpose of its aching. It desired to know if what he was thinking was true.
"That padding that I found in your trunk…it has something to do with this secret about our daughter doesn't it?" he asked straight-forwardly.
Katherine inhaled sharply and nodded before walking over to the bed to sit on its edge. She felt some comfort as the soft mattress lowered her bottom to its springs. As she wrapped her arms around her waist, she nodded.
"Yes." she whispered.
Collin nodded as he let her answer sink in. "Katherine, I suggest you start talking if you know what's good for you. You see, you hold the key to freeing yourself from this situation. It's your choice to unlock this secret and tell me or to push it back into that closet with the rest of your filthy lies."
Katherine began sobbing at his metaphor. He stood their patiently, waiting for her to speak but when the words did not come, he shouted another time for her to tell him the truth.
The shaken blonde stood to her feet and swallowed her pride to look him in his eyes. "You have been hurt…so many times Collin. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt you another."
"It's a little too late for apologies darling." he spat, the word coated with venom. "You have the floor. Let's get on with it."
Katherine sighed as her eyes slid closed as horrific memories revisited her mind of a bloody night she spent alone at a cabin.
"It was…back in August. I was at the lover's retreat waiting for you to show up for the getaway you'd planned for us." she spoke. "When you called and said you couldn't make it, I grew upset and then…There was so much pain and blood. I was all alone."
Collin's brow narrowed at her confession.
"I'd left my cell phone on the mantel and couldn't get up to get it because of the pain so I had to use a cordless phone. Honey, I tried to call you for help but you didn't answer so I called Rocky."
"Well, well, well. Ex-boyfriend to the rescue, huh?"
"It wasn't like that! I told you what happened months ago when you asked. I found his number in my purse after he gave it to me at the diner and I called him to take me to the hospital."
"Only, you weren't going there to be treated for a hemorrhage, were you?"
Katherine stared at him as he walked towards her. She felt herself shrink as he towered over her, staring her down like a hawk ready to attack its prey.
"No…I…lost the baby."
"Well…I finally got the truth out of you." Collin said as he felt his own eyes begin to burn with beckoning tears. "Rather than tell me about losing the baby so I could have time to grieve for our loss, you decide to entertain yourself by playing the ultimate game of pretend!"
"It wasn't like that!" Katherine shouted. "I was devastated and controlled by my grief! You have no idea what I went through that night!"
"You're damn right I don't know what you went through, and that's because you never told me!"
Katherine sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands as Collin continued to shout.
"You wore that padding around for nine months and put on your little show so I'd never know you'd lost the baby. There was no sex, I couldn't touch you, and you wouldn't allow me to see you while you were naked. No wonder you don't have any stretch marks dearest. You lied to my face and what's worse…"
Collin blinked a few tears free as the thought that crushed his heart made its way out his mouth. "Neveah…isn't my daughter."
"That's not true!" Katherine said quickly. "Neveah is your daughter Collin!"
"I can't believe you did this to me. I love that little girl so much. I was there moments after she was born. My finger was the first thing she wrapped her tiny little face around. I saw her eyes open for the first time as she took in the world and all its wonders. I rock and sing her to sleep every night. I cuddle her close as I tell her about the hopes and dreams I have for her. All of that time and all of the love I gave...was to a little girl that isn't biologically mine."
Katherine let the words float through her ears. He didn't know how wrong he was, but she couldn't bear telling him anything more.
"You lied to me…" he whispered. "You lied to me!"
Katherine stood to her feet and grabbed his face in between her hands to cup it gently. "Everything I did was because I love you."
"Lying to me about a baby isn't love! It's insanity!"
"No it isn't! I love you so much that I'm willing to do anything for you. You deserved to be a father more than anything Collin. When you found out I was pregnant, you left Kimberly to be with me so we could raise our little family and live out our happily ever after. I was scared that…once you found out the truth about our little girl…you'd leave me for her."
"That's preposterous!"
"Oh, is it? Come on Collin, just admit it. You would've left me in a heartbeat for Kimberly had you known the truth."
Everything happened so quickly at that moment that Katherine was stunned. Collin put his hands to her chest and shoved her away from him so hard that she fell to the floor. Just as her back made contact with the wood, the door swung open as Kimberly and Rocky rushed in.
Rocky quickly ran to shove Collin away from Katherine as Kimberly went to help her up.
"Oh my God, Katherine, are you okay?" Kimberly said quickly as she crouched down to help her sit up.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Katherine asked as she began crying.
The two girls turned their attention away from each other as Collin began yelling at Rocky. Rocky pushed his hands against the man's chest to keep him from walking towards Katherine.
"Back off Collin!" Rocky shouted. "This isn't helping."
"Yeah, you'd know an awful lot about helping her wouldn't you. And what the hell are you doing here Kimberly?"
"I'm here to save another one of your victims." Kimberly spat as she helped Katherine to her feet. "How dare you put your hands on her Collin?"
"How dare you defend her after what she did to me?"
"What makes what she did any different from what I did?" Kimberly asked. "She kept the truth about a child from you Collin, yes, I understand that. That's still no reason to harm her."
Collin raised a finger at Kimberly. "You are going to shut your trap and get out of my house!" He then turned to glare at Katherine. "As for you…I want you and…whoever's child that is to get out of here as well."
Katherine's mouth fell open.
"You can't just toss a poor innocent child out on the street Collin. She's just a baby. She can't help the situation she was born into. Besides, she's your daughter. Whether that's by blood or not, you're still her daddy. You're the only father she's ever known."
"Now you're taking my fatherly duties into concern? Get out of here. All of you!"
Katherine's bottom lip began quivering at his words. "Honey-"
"I said get out!"
Katherine burst into tears as Rocky and Kimberly went to her and led her out of the room. As the door closed behind them, Collin sank to his knees and began to cry.
Ten minutes later, Katherine had a bag packed for her and Neveah and she was heading down the grand staircase. Kimberly was standing at the bottom of the steps waiting on her.
"Why are you still here?" Katherine asked as she wiped at the tears on her face.
Kimberly sighed and forced a sad smile. "Katherine…I know that we don't exactly get along…but I couldn't just stand by and let another mother go through the pain of losing a child."
"What do you mean?" Katherine asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Julia told me about Steve pursuing to get custody of Neveah and I wasn't going to let him do that. When I found out, I went to Rocky after Julia informed me he knew the truth. He called you on your honeymoon soon after that and…well, now here we are."
"Don't you hate me?"
Kimberly shrugged. "I never said I hated you. I just…disliked you to a certain extent. But now, I hope that we can at least be on good terms. I'm going to help you through this Katherine. Steve isn't going to win, and as for Collin, it's his loss. That little girl of yours is something special and if he's willing to throw her away like a piece of trash-"
"Kimberly…thank you."
Kimberly smiled before giving her a thumbs up. "Any time Kat. I'm gonna go outside and see if Rocky's back with his car. I guess you can go and get Neveah together."
Katherine nodded as Kimberly exited through the front doors.
Just as Kimberly was out of sight, Katherine felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped in surprise and spun around to come face to face with Mr. Ignalis holding Neveah.
She held her arms out and he placed the little girl within them so her mother could hold her close.
"I knew this would happen." she said softly. "This is exactly why I didn't want the truth to come out."
"Even though the truth has come out, it still isn't the entire truth Katarina."
Katherine's eyes narrowed. "That truth is going to stay buried if it's the last thing I do. You can't say anything."
"Imagine what good you'd be doing by getting everything off your chest my little raven?"
Katherine shuddered at the pet name. "I've already lost the man that I love and my daughter has lost her father. I don't think I could take losing anything else."
Mr. Ignalis motioned his head towards the front doors. Katherine turned around and felt tears spring in her eyes as Rocky leaned against the doorframe. She quickly walked to him and he welcomed her with open arms before wrapping them around her and her daughter tight.
"I'm so sorry about all this." he said as he kissed her forehead. "This is all my fault."
"No Rocky." she sniffled. "It's mine. I made this bed and now I have to lay in it."
"Speaking of beds Katarina," Mr. Ignalis called out to her, "where will you go?"
Katherine looked up at Rocky before removing herself from his embrace to turn back to the older man. "I haven't thought about that."
"You could stay with me." Kimberly's voice came from the doorway.
Rocky's eyes widened at the suggestion. "Are you sure that's a good idea."
"Yeah." Mr. Ignalis's said, inputting his opinion. "You two in the same house is sure to cause a cataclysmic explosion."
Kimberly laughed sarcastically before shooting a glare at the man. "Katherine, I'm being serious. Tommy and I…haven't taken down Grace's things yet in her nursery. You are more than welcome to let Neveah stay in her room. Plus, there's a guest bed in there."
Katherine felt a little hesitant, but the offer did come with a few perks. "I'll do it." she smiled. "Thanks Kimberly."
"No problem."
After exchanging goodbyes, Katherine was following Rocky and Kimberly down the steps towards Rocky's red pick-up truck. As she climbed into the backseat and held Neveah close, she looked over her shoulder towards the mansion as the truck's engine coughed loudly. As the truck pulled out of the driveway, Katherine blinked a few tears free at the sight of Collin watching the car disappear from the balcony of a room she'd once called her own.
Author's Note: And so ends another chapter. I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed with how this turned out since I wrote it all off the top of my head. The way the whole fake pregnancy came out on Days of our Lives was WAY different and it took a much longer time. I decided to cut down on a few chapters by not going into all the extended and extra detail like the soap opera did so I'm sure you're all happy you didn't have to wait another ten chapters for the blowout. So what's going to happen next, you may be wondering? Well, leave me a review and I'll be sure to post the next update so you'll know soon. See you next time guys!
