Present:
"Twice in two days Kit you must really miss me?" he said grinning as he walked over to her
"Not a chance Max" she said handing the cashier some money as she collected her bag
"Can I shout you a coffee?" he asked hopeful as he followed her out of the store
"I have to get back" she said walking off
"Just one!" he asked again chasing after her
"Fine… One" she answered softly as they made their way to the nearest café.
"So you going somewhere?" he asked looking at her shopping bags as they sat down and waited for their coffee's
"I got my new orders" she answered softly placing her bags down
"So you're not going back to the gulf?" he asked confused
"How did you?",
"Know?" he said softly as she nodded
"I looked you up, your pretty famous Kit graduating top of your class coming under fire in the Gulf" he said as she looked at him surprised
"Wow… You've really done your research" she said oddly embarrassed
"Well when one's ex-girlfriend becomes a household name you've got to find out what you're missing out on" he said shyly
"Right… Well I think I should be going" she answered moving to stand
"Kate wait I'm sorry…" he said as she sat back down
"What do you want Max?" she asked sadly
"I just…",
"It's been Six years and you expect everything to go back to the way it was?" she said angrily
"Kate I'm sorry, really I never meant to hurt you, you know that" he said moving forward in his chair
"You know I've heard you say that so many times…" she answered sadly
"After everything we've been through part of you has to at least believe me" he said looking at her desperately
"Ok yes part of me believes you… But no one should have to lie and hide bruises from the ones they love" she answered crossing her arms
"I'm clean now Kate, have been for 5 years I went into rehab and as part of the process to move forward is apologising to those you care about" he answered as the barista placed their coffees down in front of them
"This doesn't mean I forgive you Max, you hurt me in a way that broke me a way that no one should ever be hurt" she answered sadly reaching for her coffee.
Past (Where we left off):
A week later Kate finally emerged from her room for something other than food
"I'm going out…" she said entering the kitchen as she grabbed her keys off the bench
"Kate can we talk?" her Mum asked as she entered the kitchen behind her
"I'm meeting someone so make it quick" she said sitting down at the table
"Who are you meeting at this time?" she said confused looking at her watch
"Just a friend" she said softly
"Kate it's past 7pm" she said sitting across from her
"Yes and I'm meeting them at 7:30 so can we make this quick" she answered looking over at her Mum
"Right, straight to the point then" her Mum began saying softly
"Am I in trouble?" Kate asked interrupting her
"No of course not it's just I'm worried about you Kate I haven't seen you in a week and the only time I ever hear you is when you're having a shower before you escape back to bed again" she answered sadly
"What's you point Mum?" she asked confused brushing a piece of hair behind her ear
"I want you to take your brother with you when you go to Canberra" she blurted out
"What! Why?" she asked confused
"Because you'll need someone to look out for you while you're there and now that he's graduated Uni he wants to explore his options" she said as Kate looked at her confused
"Was this his idea? Just because Max did what he did he doesn't trust me to move forward" she asked sadly
"No, it was my idea because I don't want you to be up in a new town and not have anyone to support you or look out for you" her Mum answered reassuring her
"I'm going to be living at Campus I'll never see him unless I've got time free from class, Jake's life is here Mum I don't need him to come with me" she answered as she arose from her chair
"He's already gone up their to find a apartment" she answered looking up at her
"What since when?" Kate asked confused grabbing her handbag off the back of the chair
"He left yesterday, you would have known if you'd bothered to come out of your room" she answered sadly
"I don't need Jake to fight my battles for me or stand in the way of any future battles I may need to fight" she answered angrily
"Kate…" she answered softly
"I don't need help, look I love you Mum but really I will be fine" she said kissing her Mum's head as she moved past her and out the front door.
Impatiently tapping her leg as she looked down at her watch she sighed ordering her what had to be 4th cup of coffee she looked at him angrily as he sat across from her
"It's 9 o'clock you said we'd meet at 7:30" she said angrily
"I'm sorry Kit I got held up" he answered softly
"Can we make this quick I really don't want to be here" she answered reaching for her coffee
"I want to move to Canberra with you" he answered bluntly
"What? No out of the question" she answered angrily
"Why?",
"Do you not recall what you did to me last week or are you just taking more pills to block it out" she answered confused
"Kit…" he answered sadly
"We're done Max, I shouldn't even be seeing you right now" she answered sadly
"You agreed to meet me here, that must mean part of you still cares" he asked hopeful
"Part of me will always care for you Max but not in that way anymore not after what you did" she answered softly
"Let me make it up to, I'll go clean we can be together" he answered reaching across the table
"It's not just you using Max, your angry all the time I won't stay in a abusive relationship" she answered pulling her hand back
"I love you" he answered sadly
"I'm not doing this Max, I leave in a couple of weeks" she answered
"Will you come back, we can work through things" he asked hopeful
"I won't be coming back, once I'm finished at ADFA I'll hopefully get my first posting to somewhere far away from you" she answered moving off the chair
"I'll find you Kate, I'll prove to you I can do this" he answered arising up to stand in front of her
"Just look after yourself Max…" she answered softly as he pulled her into a hug
"I'm sorry…" he said in her hair before she pulled away slightly caressing his cheek before she left.