Hey people!
Sorry for the short first chapter but here's a longer chapter 2.
My usual warning for people who are new to my fics, they're normally pretty dramatic, some even farfetched but that's half the fun of writing them. I don't pretend to be an expert in naval or medical procedure, I try and do some research but I'm sorry if I get it wrong or offend people with my errors.
Disclaimer: I didn't create the characters, nor do I own them.
A shout out to my loyal reviewers, thanks so much, it's always appreciated. You guys keep me writing.
To Little Rose, I promise all your questions will be answered in the next few chapters.
On with the show...
From Chapter 1
She wanted to scream but couldn't, her body was frozen and her eyes fixed on the person in front of her. She could hear her own heart beat, she managed to blink, she tried to refocus on the figure standing in front of her. She opened her mouth to try and speak, it came out as a whisper.
"Jim?"
He stood there admiring her on the verge of tears, it had been nearly 5 years since he had laid eyes on the love of his life. He smiled as tears overflowed and rolled down his cheeks.
"Hi Smudge..."
Charlotte
Chapter 2
Kate was in shock, she could barley string a sentence together.
"How... you're..."
They stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity. Jim stepped towards her, Kate's instincts kicked in and she stepped back. He looked hurt, he never thought that she would be afraid of him.
"I'm sorry Katie! I didn't mean to scare you!"
Kate still couldn't comprehend that it was Jim standing in front of her. She side stepped him rubbing her eyes making sure her they weren't deceiving her.
"How are you alive?!"
She walked around the room keeping some distance between them, Jim attempted to get closer to her.
"I had to go away, my life, your life was in danger, I had no choice."
He pleaded with her hoping she would understand, Kate stopped moving and glared at him with an icy look.
"What are you talking about?!"
Jim walked towards her, he wanted to hug her, even just touch her for a second.
"Madelaine, she leaked my identity, she knew you guys were on to her, they wanted me dead and anyone that was important to me. If I was gone you were safe, so we came up with a plan to fake my death."
Kate could feel her shock wear off and her anger rise.
"How could you not tell me!? This is bullshit! I watched that boat explode, do you know what that did too me?"
He tried to reason with her.
"You've got no idea how sorry I am."
He reached out to touch her arm, she snatched it away. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she was feeling so many things. She closed her eyes to try and steady her mind, she took a few deep breaths in. It wasn't working, she couldn't calm herself, she had to yell.
"Sorry?! I watched you die and you're sorry?"
Jim didn't have a response, he had hoped it wasn't going to be this way, he had dreamt of this moment for years, he wasn't letting her go without a fight.
Kate's breathing became erratic, her heart was beating so fast it hurt. He dared to meet her gaze.
"You have to know I thought about you every day!"
Kate was near the point of hysteria, she threw her hands in the air out of frustration.
"And you didn't think I thought about you? I looked at your grandmother's ring every day for a year before I gave it back to your mum! And don't get me started about your family, they still wanted me to be a part of it, they were so lovely! But I couldn't do it Jim, it was too hard, I felt like a total bitch!"
Kate thought she was going to hyperventilate she sat on the couch and clutched her chest. He sat next to her, it hurt him to see her in so much pain, he wanted to hold her, kiss her, make her feel better.
"Katie..."
Kate put her head in her hands, she sat there for a few minutes thinking, she looked up at him and shot him an inquisitive look.
"Wait a minute, that cell was dissolved over 12 months ago!"
Jim looked away and stared out the window, he knew she would figure it out.
"Yeah, I had to wait 6 months before I could come back..."
Her voice began to get louder.
"And the other 6 months?"
Jim couldn't look her in the eye, he could feel her glare burn in to him. His silence made her feel more enraged, he could have come back 6 months ago but didn't. How could she trust him again after he disappeared for 5 years?
They sat there in silence, she glanced at him periodically trying to work through it in her mind. He seemed like the same genuine person she had loved but 5 years was a long time, people change, things change, she was the perfect example of that. She needed to compose herself enough to get an explanation.
"Why Jim..."
He looked down at her hand resting on the couch, he slowly slid his hand over and touched the tip of her fingers. She flinched but returned her hand slightly touching his, she had to check that he was real. Jim looked up and smiled slightly.
"Please understand that I did this to protect you, if I hadn't disappeared and something happened to you I would never forgive myself. They were ruthless, you saw that with your own eyes, their threats were real. I wasn't going to take any chances, please, just put yourself in my shoes, what would you have done?"
Kate sighed, she probably would have done the same, but she wasn't ready to admit that to him just yet.
"So, where were you?"
Jim looked at her, then at the floor, she had every right to ask but he was scared of how she would perceive him. It was a dark period of time for him, a time he'd rather forget. Kate noticed his hesitation, his demeanour changed, it was like he shrunk a little, he looked like a child who was about to be disciplined. She sensed there was something wrong, as mad as she was she wanted to let him know that he was in a safe space. She sighed and hovered her hand over his knee, she lowered it and gave it a small squeeze trying to encourage him. They locked eyes for a moment, she looked away and got up, she grabbed a bottle from the liquor cabinet and poured him a glass.
"If it's too..."
He shook his head as he swallowed the glass. Kate didn't hear her phone beep in her bag as she was too distracted, I was a message from Mike. "On our way." Jim exhaled slowly.
"I want to be able to tell you, I should be able to tell you, I just don't want you to see me the way others did..."
Kate didn't know what to say, she was a little concerned, a little nervous for what he was about to say.
"Jim, I don't understand, why would I..."
He took a deep breath in.
"For the first year or so I wasn't in a good place. I was angry, angry at everyone. Madelaine, my job, my superiors, the government..."
Kate nodded slightly, she understood.
"Well under the circumstances..."
Jim closed his eyes and interrupted.
"No Kate, I barely recognised myself. I lashed out at everyone every chance I could get. I put so many holes in the walls of my first apartment they made me move out. I wasn't myself, I would have been ashamed for you to see me like that."
Kate tried to not look concerned, maybe he wasn't the same person, suddenly she wasn't angry, she was hurting for him. His eyes met hers, he could tell immediately that she was uncomfortable. He didn't want to scare her but she had asked and opened the flood gates.
"And worst of all, I was angry at you..."
Kate was taken aback for a moment.
"What?"
Jim got up and paced around the room.
"You need to understand the state of mind I was in. It sounds stupid now but I was mad at you because I felt so much for you. I thought that if I didn't have you in my life I wouldn't have been losing so much, that it wouldn't have been so hard to leave."
Kate's heart broke a little, she knew he would never lie about something like that.
"And now?"
He sat back down and clasped his hands together.
"It was a reaction to the situation, I got some help and had started to deal with the life I was handed. I had to accept my fate and move on with my life, but I never stopped thinking of you. The hardest part was that I was forgetting you, what you're touch felt like, how you smelt, the sound of your voice was fading. I was told that I needed to forget you and that was something that I wasn't willing to do."
A small smiled crept across his face.
"And then one day, maybe 18 months later, I was in Darwin and I turned on the TV and there you were. You were doing a press release about new ship building contracts. I had secretly kept some photos of you but it was your voice, it changed me completely. I had been living the life that had been created for me but with no real purpose, but at that moment I knew that I needed my old life back, I had to come back, come back to you!"
He moved closer.
"I spent every day trying to find every last person involved in that ring so I could bring them down and return to my previous life. I was moved a lot as I was constantly in trouble for breaking security protocol but I didn't care. What were they going to do? Kick me out of protection? Then finally the day came, there had been no action or chatter about the ring for 12 months. I appealed to return to my old identity, they eventually gave in. I was lectured every day for months on all the risks of returning, but I didn't care. I had to wait another 6 months just to be sure but then I would be free, free to come back."
The smile from Jim's face disappeared. Kate was puzzled by his sudden expression change.
"Jim?"
"I was all ready, my previous life had been wrapped up and I was at the airport. I had someone check, you were still in Cairns at Navcom and as far as anyone could tell you weren't married. It was all happening, falling into place, I stood at the gate but I couldn't get on the plane. All these thoughts hit me, what if you hated me, what if you were with someone and you were happy. It would have broken me and I didn't know how I would react, I didn't want to become that awful person again. I started to feel sick, I woke up in the hospital, apparently I had a panic attack at the airport."
Tears welled in Kate's eyes, they overflowed and rolled down her cheeks. It was like a switch had been flipped, she remembered how happy they were together, how happy he made her feel. Jim gently wiped her tears away and let out a half hearted chuckle.
"Don't cry Smudge, you're voice brought me back to life, I don't know what would have happened if I didn't see you on TV that day, and well, the story has a happy ending, doesn't it?"
She cupped his face with her hands, he closed his eyes trying to savour her touch.
"I understand Jim, I could never imagine what you went through but you can't just come back here after 5 years and expect it to be all the same. It doesn't work like that, my life has changed and no matter how much I loved you..."
A distressed expression overcame his face.
"Loved?!"
She realised what she had implied, she closed her eyes trying once again to settle her mind.
"You were dead Jim..."
Jim knew there was always a chance that she had moved on but he had to know who had replaced him, although he had a fairly good idea of who it was. He couldn't look at her and say his name, he stood up looked out the window.
"Mike?"
Kate kept silent, Jim knew if he turned around to see her face he'd be able to tell if it was true or not. He took a deep breath in a spun round, she looked guilty, he knew immediately what that meant.
"So, you and Mike are..."
Kate shook her head.
"No, we were for a bit after, but it still didn't work."
He was suddenly relieved, there was a chance. She saw his change expression.
"That doesn't mean... oh my god Jim, I don't know whether to hit you or hug you!"
She clenched her fists and let out a frustrated cry.
Jim had a grin on his face, he knew he was winning her over, he couldn't help it, he felt so much joy. Kate walked up to him trying to hide her grin, his smile always made her smile, she punched him on the arm.
"Don't you smile at me!"
Jim slowly reached up and brushed his hand over her face, he expected her to finch or pull away but she leant into it. They stood there, their eyes locked on each others.
"Please believe me when I say it was the only choice. I am so sorry, I really did think about you every day! I tried to get updates on you but Witsec wouldn't allow it after the first few months, they said it would endanger you and I couldn't risk that!"
They sat back on the couch, he slowly moved his hand towards hers, she intertwined her hand with his. Her heart skipped a beat as he turned and smiled at her, something was still there.
She heard a key in the front door and jumped up realising who was about to come through the door.
"Shit..."
Charlie skipped into the house but stopped when she saw the strange man standing with her mum. Mike struggled to get the key out of the lock.
"Kate, I told you to get some WD-40 for this bloody..."
He looked up and froze.
"Lock..."
Jim stood up, Mike yanked the key out of the lock.
"Jim?!"
Kate rushed over to Mike not knowing how he was going to react.
"Mike..."
Mike looked at Jim and then her.
"Umm, Kate?!"
She put a hand on his arm and spoke calmly.
"Mike, yes, Jim's alive..."
Mike shook his head in disbelief.
"What the fu..."
Mike remembered Charlie was in the room.
"Fudge..."
Charlie laughed, Mike stared at Jim from across the room, his look was unforgiving and mean. He stormed over to him, Kate ran after him.
"Are you kidding me? Do you know what she went through?"
Mike looked like he was about to launch at him, Kate had a firm grip on his arm.
"Mike, it's ok..."
Mike looked at Kate, he was amazed that she was so calm. Kate felt a sense of Déjà vu, she laughed in her head, once again she had to defend her relationship with Jim.
"Mike, we've talked, can you just leave it for now, please..."
She glanced down at Charlie, she didn't want Mike to lose it in front of her, he gave her a slight nod.
Jim wasn't expecting a warm welcome from Mike but he at least thought he would be glad he was alive, he mimicked their first conversation.
"Yeah, nice to see you're not dead Jim, yeah good to see you too Mike..."
Charlie ran over to Kate and jumped into her arms.
"Mummy, who's this?"
Jim looked Charlie and smiled, he was glad Kate had started a family, he knew deep down she wanted children. Kate walked over to Jim carrying Charlie, she tugged on Jim's shirt.
"You're tall! Who are you?"
Jim laughed.
"I'm Jim and who are you?"
Charlie looked at Kate for permission, she nodded.
"I'm Charlotte McGregor!"
Jim shook her little hand.
"Pleased to meet you Charlotte."
She gave him a cheesy grin.
"You can call me Charlie, I only get called Charlotte when I'm in trouble!"
He nodded.
"Ok, Charlie it is then..."
Kate put her down.
"Sweetie, why don't you go and put your stuff away?"
"Ok!"
She grabbed her bag and went to her room, Jim watched her run off.
"Kate, she's so cute! A mini you!"
Mike stood there bewildered at the normalcy of the conversation in front of him.
"Seriously, so you're all just fine now?"
Kate smiled nervously at Mike.
"Mike! We should be glad he's ok yeah?"
Kate didn't want Jim to have to explain it again, well not right now anyway. Mike chucked his hands in the air out of utter confusion.
"Yeah err, well I guess I'll catch up with you later?"
He turned to leave shaking his head, he paused for a moment and turned back and grabbed Kate by her arm.
"Walk me out Kate!"
She rolled her eyes and followed him to the door. He whispered in her ear.
"Just think about what's you're doing, he's been gone for 5 years Kate!"
Kate frowned.
"Mike, I'm not..."
He squeezed her arm and left, she shut the door.
"So umm, wine?! I think we need wine!"
They sat on the couch and she poured them a glass. Jim still couldn't stop staring at her, she looked out the corner of her eye as he sat there with a big grin on his face.
"You haven't changed a bit Katie, still just as beautiful as the day I met you!"
She leant back into the couch held up her glass to cover her smirked, he still had that charm. She forced an annoyed look on her face.
"Don't try and compliment your way out of this! I'm still a bit pissed!"
He laughed.
"But less than before right?"
Charlie came running out and leapt on to the couch in between them, she turned her attention to Jim.
"Are you in the Navy like Mummy?"
Jim shook his head.
"No, I'm in the SAS."
Charlie scrunched up her face not knowing what that was.
"Ahh, it's kind of like the Navy but with no boats..."
Charlie kept staring at him with a blank look. He thought for a moment, how was he supposed to explain, he decided to change the subject.
"So, how old are you?"
Charlie shoved her hand in front of Jim's face.
"4 and a bit."
Kate bent down one of Charlie's fingers.
"That's 4 hunny, she'll be 5 next month."
She turned to Kate.
"Can I watch Moana?"
Kate nodded.
"Quietly though!"
She rolled off the couch and turned on the TV.
They sat there and watched her stare at the TV. Kate turned her body towards Jim, she desperately wanted to stay mad at him but she couldn't, she was so happy he was alive. A thought suddenly popped into her head, they were engaged before he left, did this mean they were still engaged?
Jim glanced at her and laughed, Kate took another sip of her wine and looked at him over her glass.
"What?"
He tapped her on the head.
"I know you Kate McGregor! Your face gives you away. You've just remembered that we were engaged and you're wondering what this all means?
Kate cursed in her mind, damn him, he did know her so well. She tried not to confirm that he was right.
"I guess that's one of my questions..."
Jim laughed at her annoyance.
"Look, we have lost so much time already, I'm not gonna beat around the bush, I want to be with you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me I promise that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you!"
Kate took another large sip of her wine and raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know I'm not already with someone else? Maybe your intel was wrong..."
Jim looked around checking for any evidence of another man in her life, she playfully hit him on the shoulder.
"Have you been spying on me? Was that you out the front of Mike's house last night?"
Jim looked utterly confused.
"Ah, no idea what you're talking about Kate..."
Kate shook her head.
"Never mind then..."
Jim put a hand on her knee.
"Is there someone else?"
Kate shook her head and looked at Charlie.
"Jim, things are so much more complicated now."
She placed a hand on his, she wanted him to know it wasn't a "no" but it wasn't that simple to say yes either. He placed his other hand on top of hers.
"It's only complicated if we make it complicated..."
Kate knew he wasn't going to give in.
"Jim, I know there's something still here but..."
She knew he was a good guy but she had to think of Charlie.
"But Jim, this is a lot..."
She glanced over at Charlie, she had spun round and was now staring at them. Kate moved her hand away.
"Can we finish this later?"
Jim nodded, he didn't want to push her, he'd over whelmed her enough for one day. He got off the couch and sat on the floor with Charlie.
"What's this movie?"
Charlie jumped into his lap.
"Moana! It's my favourite!"
Jim watched the TV for a moment.
"Oh yeah, the one with the silly chicken!"
He made a goofy face and made a chicken noise, Charlie giggled.
"Have you seen this? But you're a grown up!"
He laughed.
"What? Grownups can't watch cartoons?"
She laughed and began to sing the theme song.
"See line where the sky meets the sea, it calls me... she loves the sea just like Mummy and Daddy..."
Jim looked back at Kate, he had assumed that Mike was the father but a small part of him hoped it wasn't. He moved Charlie back on to the floor, she turned her attention back to the TV. Jim sat back next to Kate.
"So, Mike's still at sea then?"
Kate gave him a look to say "really?" Jim laughed, he shouldn't have asked.
"Yeah ok, stupid question, so that must be hard on you then?"
Kate shrugged, she didn't want to bad mouth Mike, he had done a lot for them. She looked at Charlie.
"She misses him when he's away but when he's home he'll try and spend as much time with her as possible. But yeah, babysitters are hard to come by, Maxine helps out if she can!"
"Well, you can add my name to the list!"
Kate raised an eyebrow doubting his ability, he looked hurt.
"Hey, I've got 7 nieces and nephews, I am, well was, the number 1 favourite Uncle!"
Kate smiled, she could see Jim with kids, after all he was a big kid at heart. Jim got up from the couch.
"Well I'd better get going, my stuff arrives today..."
Kate put her glass down and looked at him quizzically.
"Stuff?"
He picked up his jacked and swung it over his shoulder.
"Yeah, I bought a house here, actually just a few streets over..."
Kate was stunned.
"Oh, right so you're just moving here?"
Jim shrugged pretending like it wasn't a big deal. Kate rolled her eyes.
"And you're just so casual about buying a house."
Jim laughed and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"I told you Kate, I'm not going anywhere..."
Jim waived at Charlie.
"Bye Charlie!"
Charlie jumped up and waived.
"Bye Jim!"
Jim left, Kate flopped back on to the couch and laughed to herself.
"What just happened?"
Charlie heard her and jumped on the couch.
"What Mummy?"
Kate pulled Charlie in for a hug.
"Nothing Sweetie, Mummy's just trying to think..."
Charlie laid her head on Kate's shoulder.
"Mummy, I miss Daddy!"
"Already?"
She nodded.
"He's gone a lot!"
She squeezed her tight.
"Ok, I'll give him a call, maybe he can make us dinner again huh?"
She picked up her phone.
An hour later Mike arrived with multiple bags of shopping, he struggled to get in the door, Kate ran over to assist him.
"What's all this?"
He plonked the bags on the kitchen bench.
"Kate, I know you'd have nothing in the cupboard!"
Charlie was still watching Moana. They sat at the kitchen bench, both avoiding the obvious topic but Mike had to know what they had discussed.
"So, Jim?"
Kate nodded and avoided his glare.
"Yeah, I still can't believe it!"
He knew she didn't want to go into all the details, Jim had never been a pleasant topic between them.
"Kate..."
He cringed, it came out more judgemental than he meant. Kate put her hand up to stop him.
"Mike, I don't know..."
"You didn't even know what I was going to ask..."
Kate walked up to him and stood close.
"I know exactly what you were going to ask or rather where the question was heading and the answer is 'I don't know'. Mike, you remember what you were like when Jim was around and I know we had some unresolved feelings but we can't keep doing this. I know that I keep having these thoughts and moments but we tried to make this work multiple times, we need to let it go for everyone's sake."
Mike looked at Charlie then at Kate.
"I know, we're in a good place right now aren't we? But you can't be angry at me for being concerned. How can you trust him after he did to you?"
Kate let out a frustrated huff, Mike had always been overprotective, she understood to a point seeming they had a child together but on the other hand she wondered if it meant that he didn't trust her judgement.
"Mike, he's explained the situation to me and when we don't have little ears around I will explain it to you, or I'm sure Jim will be more than happy to put your mind at rest."
He rolled his eyes, Kate grabbed his hand.
"Mike, I trust him and you should too, but I told him that things are different now. Look, I don't know what's going to happen between us but you need to trust me and my decisions. Charlie is my number one priority, I promise."
Mike sighed.
"I just don't want things to change..."
Kate started to unpack the groceries.
"Mike, you know more than anyone that change is inevitable, we just need to compromise that's all..."
Mike's phone rang, he looked at the caller ID, it was Maxine. Kate leant over and saw that it was Maxine, she scoffed.
"And there's more compromise..."
Mike looked annoyed, damn the Navy and their timing, he answered the phone. Charlie ran up to him.
"Who's that Daddy?"
Mike put his hand over the phone.
"It's Auntie Max, I have to talk to her okay?"
Mike walked out into the backyard, Charlie put on a sad face and walked over to Kate.
"Daddy has to go to work doesn't he?"
She hugged Kate, she bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"Maybe..."
Charlie crossed her arms over her body and frowned.
"That means yes!"
She stomped off into her room, Kate sighed, she was about to go talk to her when there was a knock on the door. She groaned and answered it, it was Jim.
"Hey, I just realised I didn't leave you my number..."
He paused, he could tell by the look on Kate's face that something was wrong.
"Is everything ok?"
Kate looked towards Charlie's room, then to the backyard where Mike was on the phone.
"It's not a good time Jim..."
"What's the matter?"
"Charlie's upset, Mike's on the phone to Maxine, I think he's been crashed sailed."
Jim attempted to walk into the house, she tried to stop him.
"Jim..."
He pushed past her and looked around.
"Which one is her room?"
She pointed to the room on the left, he headed to her room and turned at the door.
"I've got this!"
He knocked on the door, he heard Charlie yell out.
"Go away! I'm mad!"
Jim laughed and poked his head in the door, she was on her bed with her arms folded.
"Can I come in, please?"
She hesitated then nodded, Jim entered and sat next to on her bed.
"What's the matter?"
She pouted.
"Daddy has to go away again!"
Jim nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah, but his job I really important..."
Charlie sighed and uncrossed her arms.
"I know, but I miss him a lot!"
Charlie leant against him.
"I bet he misses you too, do you know what he does out there?"
Charlie looked up at Jim.
"Kinda?"
Jim wrapped his arm around her, Kate was at the door peering in.
"He protects the sea and the people of the islands, he fights the bad guys so that peace is restored just like Moana!"
Charlie's eyes lit up.
"Really?!"
Jim nodded.
"Yeah! How cool is that?!"
Charlie's face lit up, she jumped off the bed and swung open the door, Kate jumped back, Jim looked up at her, she knew she'd been caught listening. She smiled at Jim with an appreciative look and mouthed the words 'thank you'.
Jim walked out the room and followed Kate into the lounge room. Mike hung up his phone as Charlie hugged his leg. He looked up and saw Jim, before he could say something Charlie tugged on his shirt, he picked her up.
"Daddy, are you really like Moana?"
Mike looked confused, Kate stepped towards him.
"Ah, you save the sea and help the people of the islands."
He smiled at her, she shook her head.
"Oh, don't look at me, it was all Jim."
He glanced at Jim and nodded.
"Ah, thanks."
Jim could tell he wasn't thrilled that he was the one that made Charlie forgive him.
"No problem, happy I could help!"
He put his phone back in his pocket.
"So, I have to sail in 4 hours..."
Jim felt like he was interrupting a family moment.
"I better go then, I'll come back another time..."
Charlie reached out and grabbed Jim's hand.
"Don't go..."
Jim awkwardly glanced and Kate and Mike, Mike wasn't impressed that Charlie had immediately attached herself to Jim, but there was nothing he could do.
"I've gotta go get ready..."
Mike knelt down to Charlie.
"You'll come and see me off?"
She smiled and nodded. He kissed her on the forehead and left. Kate sat on the couch, Jim sat next to her.
"You really are the child whisperer!"
Jim smirked and sat back satisfied.
"Told ya, it's one of my many skills! You know I meant it when I said that if you needed a hand, I've got some time off so even if we're just friends Kate, I'm happy to help okay?"
Before she could answer Charlie hopped on to the couch.
"Uncle Jim..."
Kate smiled at Charlie's instant liking to Jim, she nudged him with her shoulder.
"You're in!"
Charlie attempted to climb on to his knee, Jim helped her up.
"Yes Charlie..."
She put on a persuasive smile.
"Do you wanna watch Moana with me?"
Jim laughed and tickled her.
"Again!?"
She laughed and nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! Pleeeeease!"
Jim gave in and sat on the floor, Charlie draped herself over him. Kate sat on the couch watching them, her initial shock and anger had worn off but now she had a million more thoughts run through her head. She told him that things would be different, she kept telling herself that too but it was like he never left. Could they just pick up where they left off? It surprised her that she was able to trust and forgive him so easily but she believed him when he said that he did it to protect her.
She smiled to herself as she watched Jim and Charlie joke around, she had never seen her take to someone as fast as she did to Jim. She picked up her glass of wine and sipped it, she closed her eyes and pushed all her thoughts to the back of her mind, stop over thinking Kate, it won't do you any favours. She put her glass down and joined them on the floor, she laughed along with them. She was going to enjoy this moment, after all, when do you ever get a second chance at a life that you thought was gone?
End of Chapter 2. Please don't forget to review. Xx