Disclaimer: Other then the knowledge that Ethan Peck is not illegal for me to like, I own nothing.

Author's Notes: Stupid job and career interviews. OH, and even stupider internet not working. Sorry for the delay, even though I can almost promise that the next chapter probably won't be until this weekend. ANYWAY, thank you so much for the reviews, it means so much to me (they, literally make my day a hundred times better). This is a shorter chapter, think of it as a filler. But I did make Patrick very compassionate and Kat less, Kat-like, I guess. (Seriously? Where was my Kat/Patrick fluff in eppie 9? They're just going to draw that out until the second season, aren't they?) I hope you enjoy and I promise I'll get the next chapter (that will have more Bianca, Joey, and Cameron) out very soon. Happy Readings!

There had always been something about the beach that made her chest tighten. In a good way, of course. It could have been the rumble of the ocean as it crashed forward or slithered backwards. Maybe it was the aroma of the sea and the salt that had filled her lungs. For all she cared, it was the simplicity of the stars in the sky.

"It's so beautiful." Her voice was almost a whisper to the waves in front of them.

She looked over her shoulder, staring down at Patrick who was laying with his hands behind his head. Even in the darkness she knew he was watching her with a smile on his face.

"I told you it was a good idea coming here. Lay down. Look at the stars."

She gave him a look that clearly suggested he was crazy. "I'm fine sitting, thank you."

"Worried about some sand getting in your hair?" He shifted, moving his arm to play with the very ends of her hair.

"I'm just more comfortable sitting." Which, she was. Kat only had a few experiences with the beach. It was beautiful, sure, but the whole sand sticking everywhere and the specimens in the water, it all just didn't sit well with her.

"Just lay down." Patrick tugged her hair gently, smirking as her hand went flying to his chest.

"Why don't you sit up?" There was a tone in her words that she almost regretted as he slowly obeyed.

"Better?" She had to stare at him for an extra second due to the darkness of the hour. But she saw the smile on his face and the amusement in his eyes. She also noted the close proximity they now held.

Before she could retort something sarcastic, a chill ran down her back, forcing her to shiver.

"You're cold." Patrick chuckled a bit. "I don't know why you didn't dress warmer."

"How was I suppose to know it be freezing at the beach?" She wrapped her arms around herself, drawing her knees closer. She had thought the pair of jeans and the white turtleneck she had thrown on would be more then sufficient. For all that was good and pure, it was California.

She, of course, had been wrong.

She didn't think Patrick was dressed any warmer though. He was wearing jeans and a black long sleeve shirt. That was it. It's not like he was completely bundled up.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't fully notice that Patrick was shifting his weight. She didn't really realize anything until one arm wrapped around her waist and the other arm wrapped across her collarbone. A new found warmth spread from her back to her legs up to her nose.

A new sense of security followed almost instantly as well.

"Why are you doing this?" It came out without her thinking. She had leaned back into him, enjoying his body against hers, and had opened her mouth towards a potential fight.

She could feel him shrug. "I'm making up for all the things you think I did to you."

A sigh escaped her lips, because she knew he was rolling his eyes at his own statement. She nudged his side, causing him to shift against her. Which, surprise, surprise, made the heat erupt across her body.

Damn the heat and damn Patrick Verona.

"Patrick, come on, you're not the type of guy who goes out of his way to make up for something. Especially when you think it's not a big deal." His head moved forward, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder. She looked to the side, their faces a hair from touching.

"I just want to sleep with you." Kat was unamused. She could feel her eyes opening to that of an owl's eyes and her nostril begin to flare. These warning signs were promptly dropped as Patrick squeezed her against him. "I like you. God only know why I like you," he shifted his head to look down the beach. "You're not like other girls. Which I have explained to you. I'm not good with words and I tend to royally mess up, a lot, because other girls let me get away with it."

Kat laughed. "Yeah, I don't let things slide." Patrick took a deep breath, his eyes focusing towards the pier in the distance.

"Tell me about it."

"So," Kat looked towards the ocean and the horizon that was dotted with stars. "What does that mean? You want to date me?"

"Promise there will be no physical violence." Kat sucked in her lips, turning to face him. His face was directly in front of her face, their noses touching. She slowly nodded her head. "I haven't done the dating scene in a long, long time. Dates here and there, sure, and the whole sleeping with them isn't that big of a stranger to me, either." Kat tried to suck more of her lips into her mouth. "I want to be with you, everything included. But you have to be less stubborn and less mean."

"You're giving me ultimatums?" Patrick rolled his eyes.

"I just told you that I'm not use to the whole just wanting to be with someone. I'm bound to mess up. I can't be running through hoops every time you think I've done something wrong."

Their noses were still touching and all Kat could do was stare into those chocolate eyes. And sure it was pitch black and he was pouring his heart out to her, sort-of, but Kat's brain was going at top speed.

"Ok, I will be more understanding and forgiving, if you promise to take it slow."

"Of course, no breaking Kat's virtue, got it." She couldn't help it. Her head spun around to face forward once again. Patrick's eyebrow raised, partly in confusion, partly in question. "What? What happened?"

"Nothing." It was mumbled as she drew her knees closer to her, pressing Patrick's arm into her stomach.

"No, what happened? Did I say something wrong? It hasn't even been three minutes into our relationship."

Her stomach twisted. Their relationship? Did he really say that? A smile spread across Kat's face.

"We're in a relationship now? Wow." Their eyes met again. Patrick laughed and gently leaned down to kiss her.

Let's be honest, talking seemed to get them in trouble.

---

Kat yawned widely as she walked towards her locker Monday morning. She would love to say that she was allowed to sleep Sunday away, considering they had been out on the beach until three in the morning, but she had no such luck due to Bianca and Dawn's cheerleading thing.

Damn whatever little mother-to-be who had gone into labor early, causing her father to rush out and forcing Kat to function.

It wouldn't have even been that bad if she had gotten sleep Sunday night. The downsides of happiness, Kat had thought bitterly. Because as giggly as she may have been, Kat Stratford did not do the who girly, swooning thing with guys.

"You look like crap." Kat did all but throw herself at Bianca and try to kill her.

"Well then, walk away and don't be seen with me." Her voice was flat and she was having a hard enough time opening her own locker. Patrick was causing her to be an invalid.

"Why do you look like crap though? Didn't you sleep?"

Was Bianca for real? Kat looked over at her younger sister with disdain. Of all the days for Bianca to be perceptive. Sure, two weeks ago when Kat was trying to hint to her about dad's room inspection, it flew right over the blonde's head.

Now, of course, Bianca was another Nancy Drew.

"Go away." Kat turned back to her locker. She twisted the knob around and around, only finding that it was still locked. Obviously God hated her.

"Having problems?" Both girls looked to see Patrick, bright eyed and bushy tailed, standing on the opposite side of Kat.

"You go away too." Kat mumbled, trying to unlock a simple, high school, inspired lock. When it, once again, refused to open, she growled and slammed her hand into the metal. Both Patrick and Bianca took a step back.

"I'm, uh, going now." Bianca gave her sister a scared smiled, throwing a pitied look towards the curly haired rebel.

"I thought you were going to be less mean." Patrick taunted, his smile shining through the sarcasm. He nudged Kat from her own locker, his fingers moving with swift speed.

"You would kind of need my locker combination." Kat stated, turning to see Patrick's smile wider then before and her locker door swung open. "How?"

"You're not good with keeping tabs on your shit." Like magic Patrick pulled a notebook out from somewhere. Kat grabbed it from his hands.

"How?" There was a slightly whine in her voice.

"You left it last week, after you yelled at me." His face was steadily moving closer to her. "You know, when you said you were over me."

Kat, even though frozen and waiting for the familiar heat to rush across her nervous system, had the urge to hit him, hard.

"I thought we were going to move slow." She still hadn't budged from her spot.

"I think I'm moving slow enough." The urge to hit him was strongly taking over the anticipation for his lips.

And, on some level, Kat thought almost simultaneously with the urge to hit him, they should care that they were at school. They both had reputations to maintain and faces to put upfront. The rumor mill would be going at lightning speed, there was no doubt about it. The cannibal and the scary girl were a couple. It was surely front page news.

"Patrick, we're at school." His lips were, literally, millimeters from hers.

"So?" He kissed her before she could rant any further, pulling away fairly quickly. "You want me to prove to you I'm not just in it for the sex." He shrugged, smirking a beat later. "Even though sex wouldn't be bad."

Kat rolled her eyes, hitting his shoulder and moving to look in her locker.

"So, exactly how much sleep have you gotten this weekend?" Gently shutting her locker, she turned around and leaned against the cool metal. She sure as hell was not going to tell him none at all, because whether it was true or not, he would assume that he was the reason for her sleepless nights.

And if her father had taught her nothing else, she did not give or tell boys things they wanted or wanted to hear. Or, well, in this case confirm their assumptions.

"I had a lot of homework and cheerleading functions to attend. I was a little too overwhelm to sleep." She inwardly winced as his smirk grew.

"I tend to do that to girls." Kat gently raised her hand, patting his cheek.

"Aw, you think you're special, that's so cute." She pressed off the locker and shifted to walk to her class. A class she shared with Patrick. A class that he seemed not to be going too because he stood perfectly still. "We're going to be late."

"You're going to be late. I'm not going, I have some stuff to do."

"Then why would you bother showing up?" Kat made a face, mildly noticing the crowd thinning to beat the bell.

"To see you of course." He leaned over, kissed her cheek, and just like that was gone from the hall.

Kat looked to the ceiling, rolled her eyes, and turned on her heel. "It's going to be a very, very, long week."