Chapter 144
Kate ran up into the hills. Tegan's behaviour still upset her a bit. She hated putting that IV line in but she told herself that Tegan really did need it. She jogged up to the ranch closest to the Hollywood sign and stopped taking in the scenery. This was her favourite jogging route and she hadn't done it in such a long time. She heard the sun beetles scream and felt the hot LA morning sun on her face. It was beautiful and peaceful. She stood there catching her breath for a few minutes. She was fairly unfit compared to her normal super fit state. She wiped her brow and the events of the last few months started running through her mind as she stretched. She heard a rustling noise in a bush and snapped her head around. She was completely alone, nothing but nature around her but she felt adrenaline start to course through her veins. She started running again, picking up speed until she was running as fast and hard as her legs could carry her. She headed back down into the leafy suburb. She felt as if something was chasing her. She kept running, passing houses and cars, people walking with strollers. Her breathing was becoming more difficult as her healing ribs started screaming in pain. She kept running fast trying to ignore the pain. She rounded a corner and tripped. "Fuck" she screamed and sat down on her bum after a spectacular fall to inspect her grazed knees and hands. She sat like that for a minute and suddenly the tears came. She started sobbing, head in her hands. Everything just hitting her at once, everything just wanting out! "M'am... are you okay?" said a young guy jogging past. "M'am?" he repeated. "Uh... yeah I'm fine" said Kate getting up. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Yes! I'm fine... thank you" said Kate and started hobbling down the street slowly towards her house.
Kate walked into the house and found Sara, Stephen and Bruce making breakfast in the kitchen. "Hey baby! Did you have a good run?" asked Sara and turned around. Her face fell when she saw Kate's tear streaked face and blood seeping out of her knee. "Yeah.. I'm just going to take a shower" said Kate. "Baby?" said Sara following her into the bedroom. "Kate are you okay? What happened?" asked Sara looking horrified. "I'm fine... I just tripped and fell. Go have breakfast" said Kate wiping her face with a gym towel. "No let me look at that" said Sara taking Kate's hands. "It's nothing Sara" said Kate. "Shhh sit down" said Sara.
Kate's breathing was ragged and she was sweating profusely. She sat down on the toilet and closed her eyes tightly. "Sweetie talk to me?" said Sara softly. Kate just sat in silence trying to normalise her breathing as Sara inspected her grazed hands. "Let's get this cleaned up" she said. "Sara... I'm a doctor I think I can handle a few scrapes" said Kate. "Sometimes all you need is a bit of TLC" smiled Sara and took the first aid kit out of the cabinet.
Kate stretched her neck muscles with her eyes closed. Sara started cleaning the wounds gently. "This one is quite nasty, won't stop bleeding" said Sara inspecting the wound on Kate's knee. "Just put some gauze on it for a few minutes" said Kate. Sara did as instructed and took Kate's hands in hers. "You're shaking sweetie" said Sara. "Just the adrenaline rush" said Kate. "And you've been crying?" said Sara. "I... I just... um" said Kate becoming emotional again. "Talk to me Katy" said Sara taking Kate's face in her hands. "Well... Tegan and I had a fight" said Kate. "You what? Why?" said Sara confused. "She fucking flat out refused to let me put her on a drip... I lost my temper and then I told her that she can do whatever she wants... I'm done with her shit" said Kate. Sara's eyes went wide. She felt slightly conflicted. The urge to defend Tegan was strong but she suppressed it. "Wow... what happened then?" she asked. "Ugh... Big scene... Then she apologised... we're good again... she's on the drip" said Kate. "Okay... so everything's fine" said Sara. "Yeah... I just feel like such a dick for pulling that move in the first place" said Kate. "Well you had to do what you had to do... worked didn't it" smiled Sara. "Yeah... I guess" said Kate. "That can't be why you're so upset though?" said Sara. Kate kept quiet for a minute staring at her hands. "I went jogging up to the ranch... and it was great... I loved it... and then suddenly I just... I don't know I had this irrational fucking fear coming over me... Out of nowhere... like somebody's watching me... and it's silly... sorry... it's fucking ridiculous I know" said Kate shaking her head. "It's not ridiculous sweetie... come here" said Sara pulling Kate's sweaty face to her chest. "Sorry... I'm sweaty" said Kate. "Shhhh... it's fine" said Sara stroking Kate's hair.
"I ran so fast... I just couldn't stop running... I pushed and pushed and my ribs were screaming in pain but I kept going... that fucking invisible thing chasing me and then I tripped... something physically forced me to stop. And that's when I just... lost it... and started sobbing... it was as if everything I've built up in the last few months just wanted out... right there and then... on the fucking sidewalk... in front of the world to see" said Kate emotionless. "It's okay... it needed to come out... you've been so strong... for all of us... it needed to come out... just let it come out now baby... You don't always have to be the strong one... Let it out" said Sara. She felt Kate's shoulders start to shake under her arms. "Let it out" said Sara softly, still holding her lover tight. "It's okay... everything is okay" said Sara allowing Kate to break down. After a few minutes the sobs started subsiding. Kate got up and held Sara in her arms with her eyes closed. "Thank you so much for being here for me Sara... I love you" she whispered. "I love you too my angel... everything's okay" she said. "Sorry for being such a mess" said Kate. "Hey, we've all been there" said Sara.
Kate pulled away and took Sara's face in her hands and looked into her eyes. She pulled Sara closer and gave her a long, passionate kiss. "Wow... where'd that come from?" laughed Sara. "Just needed some pain relief you know" winked Kate and hobbled to the wash basin. "Happy to oblige" smiled Sara. "Fuck what a mess" Kate mumbled looking at her hands and laughed. "Oh no, here's another bleeder on your elbow" said Sara. "Ugh... so embarrassing" grunted Kate. "My poor baby... let's take a shower and get you cleaned up" said Sara. "Yeah, I've got blood, sweat and tears all over your" said Kate softly touching Sara's cheek.
After the shower Kate sat on the bed and allowed Sara to bandage up her cuts and scrapes. "Ouch" complained Kate. "Ahhh poor thing! Almost done" said Sara. "You're good at this" said Kate. "Well, I've cleaned up quite a few of clutzy Tegan's wounds when we were kids, home alone. You know what the problem is with Tegan?" said Sara. "What?" said Kate. "After last night... well... she feels invincible" said Sara. "Maybe... but she's not" said Kate. "I know... I'm just saying. She has a serious case of rock star syndrome" said Sara laughing. "You're a loyal sister Sara" smiled Kate. "I feel like crap today... can't imagine what Tegan must feel like. But yeah... I do feel invincible" laughed Sara. "Sweetie? You okay? What's wrong?" asked Kate pulling Sara's chin up, in full doctor mode again. "I'm fine... just tired with a monster headache. And I only had one glass of champagne, not fair" said Sara. "Ah the emotional hangover... Probably just all the stress from the last few months leaving your body. But now you have all the time in the world to just relax" said Kate. "I know... I'll take a couple of aspirins and then I'll be good as new" said Sara. "I can't wait to spend some quality time with you... just the two of us" said Kate.
"I better go, I promised Tegan I'd take out the IV soon" said Kate. "Tegan can wait, probably still snoring away. Relax, I'm going to grab an ice pack for your ribs and then I'm making you coffee and some breakfast, you must be starving" said Sara. "Thank you... I feel sooo much better, I guess I just needed a good... Um... purge" smiled Kate shyly. "You know what I love about you... I mean it's one of the million things I love about you... How sensitive you are, you're so strong yet so vulnerable at the same time. I find that incredibly attractive" said Sara. "I'm a weirdo I guess" laughed Kate. "Yeah well... You're my beautiful, sensitive, amazing weirdo" said Sara and kissed Kate's lips. "You make me shy... Stephen and Bruce must be wondering where you went" said Kate blushing. "Nah, Alex took them to the driving range to go hit some balls. They love him, he's like the son in law they'll never have" said Sara laughing. "I can take them golfing, I'm kind of sporty. Maybe Alex can teach me" said Kate. "I'm sure you can but you know... Male bonding" said Sara. "My big brother's a good man" said Kate proudly. "He's a sweetie... Just like his sister" said Sara before kissing Kate on the forehead.
A/N: a short one ;)