Savior

Chapter 75

-xx-

Cate grinned to herself as she ran her hands over the countertops. Derek was adamant about adding a few upgrades to the kitchen, and she was ready to admit the new granite made the room feel complete. "This is gorgeous."

The brunette glanced across the room to her sister as her smile grew. "Derek knows what he likes," she quipped. "He ordered the countertops when the sale went through."

"Good thing the inspection went smoothly." Cate nodded at her sister's words. "Mom mentioned you guys got a steal. I'm obsessed with this place."

Cate pursed her lips as she took in the new opening between the kitchen and family room. They expanded the doorway to the minimum needed for support. "I love a good quick sale," Cate answered with a wink. "We got a good price because the basement isn't finished yet."

Jackie nodded. "I bet that's on Derek's to-do list." Cate's smile gave away her answer. "You're lucky he's so hands on."

"He's been renovating houses for years," Cate said softly. She turned back towards Jackie as she sat on the window seat she loved so much. "But he's determined to make this perfect."

"He is well on his way," Jackie said with a grin. "You guys have made some great updates already."

Cate rested against the island and sighed. "We should be move-in ready in a few weeks."

The older sister watched her younger sister intently. The way Cate would run her hand over her eyes, and the soft sighs that she would exhale often. "What's going on, Cate?" Jackie asked quietly. "Are you still dealing with the headaches?"

She nodded. "Every once in a while," she answered. She hoped the fake smile she applied would help get Jackie off of her case, but the look on her sister's face was proving otherwise. "I'm fine, Jacks."

Jackie pursed her lips and stood from the seat before making her way over to the island. "Did you go back to the doctor yet?"

"It's only been a few days," Cate countered. "I'll be okay soon."

"Well, you better be," Jackie began. "And you better leave some counter space in here." Cate lifted an eyebrow at her sister's words. "You didn't hear this from me," she started as Cate cut her off with a raised hand.

Cate chuckled softly. "Mom booked the shower didn't she?" Jackie pursed her lips and tried to look away from her sister. "That's why she kept asking what we needed for the house."

Jackie nodded. "Subtly is not her strong suit," she admitted. "She wanted me to talk you into filling out a registry, too." The two laughed. "I'm not sure how I was supposed to convince you to just register for wedding gifts after explaining that you don't want a shower."

"Where is it?"

Jackie grinned. "Corelli's," she answered softly. "And yes," she began as Cate opened her mouth, "she booked the mimosa bar. I wasn't going if she didn't."

Cate rolled her eyes. "I just hope she didn't invite the family we didn't invite to the wedding."

-xx-

Derek released a soft sigh as he slid through the door to their apartment. The light from Cate's laptop illuminated the living room and he could see her typing away in an e-mail. "Hey babe," she called out as she heard the door shut and lock.

"My Catie," he answered gently. He slid his go-bag from his shoulder to the floor next to the table by the doorway. Cate jumped at the sound of his keys hitting the bowl on the table. "Sorry," he muttered.

He ran a hand over his head as he stepped through the living room. He stepped around the coffee table to sit by Cate on the couch; she extended her feet to rest them in his lap as she began to close her laptop.

"Finish," he insisted as he rested back on the couch.

She winked in his direction as she continued on with her work on her laptop. "How was your flight?"

He smiled gently. "It was not quick enough," he responded with a chuckle. "I've been dying to get home to you."

She pursed her lips as she typed away on the keyboard. A pained sigh escaped her lips as she hit send on the paperwork and closed the laptop cover. "You weren't gone long," she said softly as she turned her attention to him.

"Do you have a headache?" he asked seriously. She slowly nodded her head. "C'mon," Derek began as he moved her feet to stand from the couch. He extended a hand to her. "Let's get your medicine and get you in bed." Cate hung her head as she took his hand and stood from the couch. Instead of starting towards the kitchen where he knew her pills were in her purse, he pulled her into a tight hug. "Stop being so stubborn," he whispered against her ear. Derek kissed her forehead as she squirmed out of his hold.

"I'm not stubborn," she retorted. "I'm fine."

He shook his head and started towards her purse on the kitchen island. "You don't need to put up this front with me, Catie. If you're in pain, the doctor said to take them."

She sighed as she followed him into the kitchen, but directed herself towards the refrigerator in search of a water bottle. "I just want to feel better already."

The whine in her voice caused him to smile as he flipped on the light in the kitchen. She sighed and rested against the island counter as he shuffled through her bag in search of the pill bottle. "You need to step away from the computer for a few days," he said as he pulled the bottle from her bag. "Two Tylenol."

Cate pursed her lips together as he handed her the pills. She downed them and followed it with a sip of water. "Thank you," she said softly.

Derek turned to view his fiancée from head to toe. Emily and Derek had been assigned to travel to issue an in-person profile, and ended up being heavily involved in the capture of their suspect upon arrival. It was a quick thirty-six hour trip, but Derek was hesitant to leave Cate home. He enlisted Jackie to spend the day with her after she got her hair washed. "You haven't been sleeping," he pointed out as he stepped towards the brunette.

Cate pursed her lips as Derek placed a hand to each hip and held her in front of him so she could not look away. "I have," she argued. "Not much, but I have gotten some sleep."

Derek shook his head; the bags under her eyes were a dead giveaway. If he knew her well enough, she had perfected her make up before she went to her sister's salon the day before. But she was standing in front of him make up free and in serious need of a good night's sleep. "You seem to need a full night of sleep, Cate. This," he said as he placed a hand gently to her head, "Will not go away if you push yourself too hard."

"I was finishing a sale," she explained, noting what she was working on when he came home.

"Limited time in front of your laptop," he repeated Savannah's words from her discharge. "More rest, less work." She rolled her eyes and tried her best to look away from Derek. He moved his hand from her head to her cheek. "I'm only being hard on you so you get better."

She smirked at his selection in words, but found herself too tired to retort sarcastically. "I know," she muttered.

"We have a lot coming up, so you need to get your rest now," he warned. "We're flying to Chicago next weekend."

Cate's smile cut his words short. "And there's something the weekend after," she said with a lifted eyebrow.

Derek grinned. "Who let the cat out of the bag?" Cate chuckled, as if he should know the answer. "Jackie?"

She nodded. "Of course," she replied with a shrug. "Is your mom able to fly in?"

Derek nodded as his smile grew. "And my sisters," he added. "Desiree is flying in from London on Friday, but Mom and Sarah will be here Thursday night."

"Are you nervous?" Her eyes twinkled as she watched him process his thoughts. "It's the first time our families are going to meet."

The smile on his face was enough of an answer. "They love you, Cate. They'll love your family, too."

"In six weeks, they'll be back in town for our wedding." She beamed at her own words. "It's so crazy that everything is flying by so quickly."

"More reason for you to rest," he added softly. "Let's get you to bed."

-xx-