A/N - Sorry for the delay, guys, but the next chapter is up and I really hope you like it! If you have any suggestions, send it over!

-Nina K.

"Kate?"

It was already morning. The sunlight was beaming in the room even though the shutters were closed. Rick was startled awake when Kate moved abruptly, her face contorting as if in pain.
He figured out she was having a nightmare and tried to wake her up. "Katie. Kate, wake up." he shook her arm slightly, but she didn't flinch. Nothing changed. He shook harder. "KATE!"

She opened her eyes and pulled herself up to a sitting position, taking in deep breaths to try to calm down. Her heart was racing, instead of slowing. She was having a panic attack.

Rick lifted her head, so she would face him. He looked in her eyes and felt her relax under his gaze. "That's it, Katie. It's okay." he pulled her to him, so she would be lying in his arms. "You're safe here. I'm with you. Always." he kissed the top of her head and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Are you hungry, Kate? I can just cook something for us. I bet my mother is not up yet."

"Does she know I stayed in last night?" she asked, shyly.

"Yeah, she does. She kind walked in here last night and caught us snuggled up." he blushed. She had never thought Richard Rodgers was the blushing type, but she blushed aswell at the idea of being caught by his mother. "She's okay with it, though. She doesn't really mind, she knows I won't do anything...inappropriate."

"Oh, right... Is she really okay with it?" he nodded "Alright, then..."

"So, Katie... What would you like to eat for breakfast?"

"I don't know, I eat a bit of everything. Whatever you want is fine."

"Okay, let's see... I can make you pancakes, waffles, french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon... All I'm asking is for you to choose one!"

"Pancakes is fine." Rick grinned at my answer and ran to the kitchen. I followed him slowly, though. Studying every inch of the Rodgers' loft. Everything was so different and exotic. The combination of colours was weird and pretty at the same time. 'Martha's taste for art' Kate thought.

She sat on the stool by the island and tapped her fingers on the counter as Rick flipped the pancakes in the pan. She watched him in awe, memories of her mother's sunday brunch filling her mind as tears filled her eyes.

"Here you go, Miss. Blueberry pancankes and extra syrup for -" he broke off when he saw a few tears sliding down her cheeks. 'I really need to stop crying in front of him.' she thought. "Kate, what's going on?"

She dried her cheeks with her hands "Nothing, Rick. I'm fine. Let's eat. These pancakes look really good." She said, putting a piece in her mouth and moaning in pleasure as she chewed. 'Gosh, this is amazing!'

"Glad you like it" he joked, giving a peck on her lips, just as they heard a knock on the door. Kate froze as Rick walked towards it and cracked it open.

"Oh, Richard, thank God you're still home! I forgot my keys!" Martha rushed inside the loft, waving her hands in the air as to be more dramatic about the awful situation of leaving her keys behind. Approaching the kitchen she saw Kate. "Oh, good morning, Katherine. I'm glad you look better, kiddo!"

"Thank you, Martha."

Martha turned around, on the way to her bedroom and winked at Rick before whispering in his ear. "Take care of this one, Richard. Keep her. She's so much better than Meredith!"

Rick approached Kate, who kept eating the pancakes he'd made. He sat down on the stool next to hers and turned around to face her. "Katie, I know it's hard for you, but you'll have to face your grandparents sometime soon. I bet they're worried, both of them. And I want you to know, that I'll be here for you, okay? You can always count on me."

She brought her hand up to his cheek and caressed it. She smiled at him, before leaning to kiss him on the lips and thank him. "I believe the sooner the better. I think I should go see them later today... Will you come with me?"

"Yes, Katie. I will."

Kate hesitantly knocked on the loft door. She knew Rick was right there by her side, her hand was clasped in his, but yet, she was nervous.

A worried Phillip opened it and his face changed to relieved. He looked from his granddaughter to the young man, then to their clasped hands and back to Kate, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Katherine, I'm so very,very sorry about what Erin said last night. I know you overheard it and I beg you, please forgive her. She didn't mean what she said, she was drunk-" Kate broke him off.

"Don't you get it! Especially because she was drunk, I know she meant every single word! Mom always said that when people drink to much they let out everything they feel and think. So don't you tell me she didn't mean it. I know she did. She's been treating me like crap ever since I got here. Don't you think I've noticed?" her eyes were filled with tears, but this once, she refused to let them slide down.

"What is all this yelling, Phillip?" Erin asked, walking down the hall towards the living room. She saw Kate standing there and anger grew in her. "Katherine, what are you still doing here?"

Kate was taken aback by the question. "Wh-What do you mean 'still doing here'? Last time I checked I was forced to live here with the two of you!"

"I thought that after what you overheard last night you were not coming back! I remember everything that I said and you know what, I meant it!"

"Erin!"

"Don't, Phillip. She needs to know! If it wasn't for her, my Joey would still be alive and this looped condom wouldn't be here! Our daughter would be alive, our grandson would too. We would get to meet our non-accidental grandchild and-"

"Erin, Johanna would never let us meet either of our grandchildren if she was alive. Not after all you told her when she was pregnant with Kate!"

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing. That's how her grandmother saw her? A looped condom, an accident, a child that was not supposed to be born?

The world that surrounded her was spinning, her eyes couldn't focus on anything. She could feel her body falling and hands, warm hands, reaching for her just before she hit her head. And the last thing she saw was Rick's face right above hers.