Two Sides of a Triangle
"Kat?" Syd called, poking her head through the door to the apartment. There was no sign of her. "Kat, it's us, we want to talk."
Although still no answer came, they could hear something. It was a deep, distant mumbling sound.
"I think it's coming from the kitchen," Sky tapped Syd on the shoulder.
"Kat," Z called, getting a little worried.
The rangers went to the kitchen and found Kat, sitting on the floor with her legs spread in front of her. A blanket sat around her messily as a cocoon. Her face was flushed with a fever, a sheen on her brow. She held a cell phone in her hands.
"Kat, it, uh, it's Doggie... I'm, um...I'm sorry...for today. It was out of line, for me to fire you and take out my stresses on you. I shouldn't have lashed out at you and I'm sorry... I miss you... I guess that wasn't very professional... well, um, I should...go...I suppose. Again, I, uh, apologize, for earlier today. Um...take care...of yourself...g'bye."
Kat stared at the screen blankly and played the message again.
"Kat?" Jack frowned at the catatonic (no pun intended) looking woman. "Are you okay?"
Once the message played out Kat went to play it again but Bridge's hand stopped her. Finally, she look up, "he called me."
Bridge smiled, seeing a little bit of the Kat they knew and loved. "I know. Do you know what happened today?"
"What?" she asked innocently as Bridge sat himself down next to her.
"Isinia came by and apologized in person for leaving. She and the Commander had a talk and she told him how you never told her about you guys. By the way—ew, how long was that going on?" Bridge scrunched his face.
"Bridge," Z snapped.
"Right, anyway, he wanted us to come here since you hadn't returned his call," Bridge nodded towards the cell phone in her hands.
"I...I missed his voice so much, but I never got around to calling him." Kat laughed at herself a bit and brushed some hair from her eyes. "I didn't know...I mean he said he missed me, but I didn't know if... "
"Kat, what is this?" asked Sky, kicking some ashes scattered around her open flame stove.
"The contract from HQ," said Kat, shocking everyone. "I couldn't sign them."
"Kat, DC's dying to see you. He sent us here to get you." Z kneeled by her friend. Seeing the redness of her cheeks touched a hand to her forehead. With a hiss she recoiled, nursing her hand, "Kat, you're on fire."
"The fever has started," Kat murmured, pulling her blanket around her again.
"Kat, you have to come with us," Bridge didn't hesitate to gather Kat in his arms, blanket and all. She weighed next to nothing (not to mentioned he threw a CAR one time). "Don't worry, Kat, Cruger will take care of you."
Kat drifted in and out on the way back to the command center, dreaming fitfully of awful confrontations between her and Doggie. "Mm...what's going on?"
"Kat, are you okay?" asked the voice of Doggie Cruger.
"Doggie?" she asked, dazed.
Cruger took the blanket from her right hand and gasped, as did B–Squad. On her hand and encroaching up her wrist were large, wide open wounds, festering with Sirian venom. The angry, agitated red around the marks told him they had been made about two days ago. "How did this happen?"
"I looked at the security footage Kat cut out of the tapes; I think your wife—erm, exwife scratched her, sir." Bridge frowned, reading Kat's aura.
"Kat, can you hear me?" Doggie asked, finding Kat turning to face him. He smiled at the comforting sight. "Hi... "
"Hi," she said in a breathy voice.
"You're gonna be okay, Kat," Doggie laid a kiss to the heated skin of her hand before letting his tongue glide over the cuts.
Kat took in a breath before sighing as the pain edged away from the cuts on her hand. Her fever died down immediately and she could feel her vitality returning. Doggie's tongue glided over the cuts, sealing them up almost instantly. Once he was done he laid another kiss to her skin and held her hand in his.
"Kat, I'm so sorry, about everything," Doggie shook his head, holding her hand tight.
"It's okay, Doggie," Kat smiled, feeling completely well, and a little light headed from the feeling of his tongue on her skin. "Consider it in the past."
"That's something I can't do, because there's something I never addressed properly," before Kat could over–rationalize anything he leaned in, taking her lips in his. He placed one hand at the back of her head, in her curls, and the other behind her back. She responded positively, and he felt a rumbling against him; she was purring. After a moment he released her slowly, making sure she knew how much he wanted it to go on. Looking at her sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks his smiled a bit. "Am I forgiven?"
Kat found herself unable to form words, but simply nodded with a dreamy smile on her face. "Mm...oh, yes, Doggie, you are...entirely forgiven."
"Yay!" Syd cheered, though the moment proceeding it made her quiet. "I think it's time for us to leave."
"I think so too," Kat smiled, nodding at Bridge as they scuffled out.
"I really am sorry, Kat," Doggie said quietly, serious again.
"Hush, Doggie, it's not important. It was a huge misunderstanding, no help on my part, but it's all okay now." Kat toyed with Doggie's hand as she spoke, looking at him intently. "I'm sorry I lied to you. It wasn't my place to interfere, but I just didn't want you to be hurt."
"Kat, don't apologize. The past few days have been trying for everyone, I just want you to rest." Cruger smoothed Kat's hair back tenderly. "I'm sorry I never addressed our relationship properly. I figured you had better offers than a stubborn, old dog—"
Kat launched herself at the man, fitting her knees at his hips. His hands found her rear in support as she kissed him madly. "You...silly...dog...I...love...you... "
"I love you, too," Cruger laughed, breaking from Kat's ravishing for a breath. "To bed?"
Kat smiled sheepishly. Doggie adjusted her in his arms and carried her to his room. Laying her on his bed, like he had done five times before, he smiled. "I do love you."
"I love you too," she whispered up at him, touching his muzzle.
Doggie reveled in the touch, remembering how Isinia had tried but it only made him flinch. "Katherine...all those times...I wish I could have told you then that I loved you."
"Sh," Kat shushed and pressed her lips to his. "You have to stop apologizing."
"I can try," he sighed and gave into his love.
