Finally, the angst is over! I know you might be thinking, but she uploaded three chapters at once (lokk how nice I am) how can she be so bipolar? the answer is: I write during my free period at work. do the little chapters sum up to a huge one, so I break it into parts.^^

The next morning, Catherine awoke with a jolt. She had has the same dream again. Over and over she watched Annabelle pass away.

"Meooow."

She looked down to her left and saw the kitten was still using Ezio's big hands as a blanket. She sighed and bent her knees to rest her elbows on them. She rubbed her forehead.

"You okay?" she heard Ezio say. His voice was thick from sleep, and he squinted against the light.

Catherine didn't trust her voice, so she merely nodded and laid back, staring at the ceiling. She looked down when she felt a weight on her chest.

"Mrrreow" She absentmindedly stroked the kitten.

A hand pushed the kitten away from her and curled around her right side. Ezio pulled her to his chest.

"I know it's hard, believe me, I know." He whispered into her hair. "But you have to be strong now. Derek and Miley still need you." He kissed her head. "Especially Miley."

"I know." She squeezed his shoulder. "Thanks for everything." She pushed away a little and looked at him. His eyes were full of warmth and understanding. He leaned down and kissed her softly. When he pulled back, she was a little wide eyed.

"What was this one for?" she asked him, a little red tinge on her cheeks.

"Maybe I just like kissing you." He grinned sheepishly at her.

"That was cheap. Tell me." Ezio saw a teeny tiny little smile on her lips. He kissed the edge of her mouth and whispered against it.

"Is this a smile?"

"Don't change the subject." Catherine smiled a little wider.

"Well, maybe I'm still confused as to why I like kissing you."

"Do you have any theories yet?" her blush became stronger.

"I think…I might be liking you." He watched as her face became redder and redder, until she hid it in his chest. "But that's just a theory of course." He grinned.

"Miley's gonna kill you." She giggled into his chest.

He put his finger under her chin and made her look at him. Catherine had never seen his eyes so serious and intense looking.

"It would be worth it." He said.

"Worth what?" Catherine swallowed.

"You." He leaned in to kiss her again. The kiss was very passionate, and…

BAM

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Miley stormed in.

"I told you." Catherine giggled at Ezio, who rolled his eyes.

"Get out of here, brat." He rumbled and hugged Catherine closer. He rubbed his face on her hair.

"I'm not a brat! And what are you still doing there, get away from my sister, you perv!" Miley made to grab the blanket.

"What, are you going to watch?" Ezio looked back at her from over his shoulder. Miley scrambled away, yelling 'eeewww'.

"I thought so." Ezio turned back to Catherine and buried his nose in her hair.

"What is it with you and my hair? Every time you wake me, you're stroking or playing with it." Catherine looked at him. Her eyes seemed a little brighter, more alive.

"It smells nice." He said simply. "Hey, do you want to come down and have breakfast with us?"

Catherine breathed deeply and nodded.

"I can't stay in this bed forever, can I?"

"I hope you won't." Ezio kissed her again. "Come on." He helped her up, and stared.

"What?" she asked, stretching her legs a little.

"So that's where my shirt went…" Ezio muttered. He was staring at her exposed shoulder.

"Do you like it?" Catherine whispered.

Ezio nodded.

"It looks good on you." He reached out and ran his warm palm over the curve of her shoulder. He trailed a line from the base of her neck to her ear, making her giggle.

"Are you ticklish?" he grinned.

"N-no…" Catherine stifled her laughs as his finger rubbed a sensitive spot behind her ear.

"No?" Ezio poked her side with his other hand. She violently shook her head no. "Oh, but I think you are…" he started poking her.

"No!" she shrieked and fell backwards on the bed. "Stop it, Ezio, it tickles!" she kicked and squirmed away from him until she was sitting against the headboard.

Ezio crawled on the bed and put both of his arms on each side of Catherine.

"Trapped you." He smiled at her.

"What now?" she panted. Ezio opened his mouth to answer, but his stomach growled loudly. He grinned at her.

"Breakfast." He pulled her out of the bed with him and they went downstairs to the kitchen.

"Catherine!" Leonardo hugged her. "It's so nice to see you up again."

She hugged him back and sighed.

"Ow, get off, brat!" Ezio was shaking his arm around, where Miley was currently biting him.

"I'm not a brat! What did you do to my sister?"Miley mumbled around his sleeve.

"Miley, let him go." Catherine held her hand out to her. Miley ran and hugged her sister, almost bringing her to the floor.

"We were worried about you." She sobbed.

"It's okay, now, I'm sorry I worried you." Catherine hugged her sister back. "Let's eat breakfast, okay?"

"Yes, please, we're starving." Derek hugged Catherine briefly. "No one can cook here."

Catherine smiled and shooed them off to the living room. When everyone was out of the kitchen, Catherine started looking around, making another list of what to buy.

"Cat?" Leonardo called from the doorway. Derek and Ezio were looking over his shoulder.

"Yes?" she looked questioningly at Derek, who just smiled slightly. She narrowed her eyes at Ezio, who was grinning knowingly.

"We made something for you." Leonardo held his hand out. Catherine took it, and let him tie a scarf around her head to cover her eyes. She felt a hand on her own and let herself be led, until they stopped. A gust of wind told her she was outside.

"You can look, now." She heard Leonardo say. She removed the scarf and gasped. The garden was beautiful. It still was very simple, but that only made it look bigger. The flowerbed was full of small growing leaves Catherine recognized as spices, and the roses were so healthy, she was afraid to go near them. The apple tree didn't carry any fruits, but the leaves were a vivid green, waving at them in the wind. Next to the tree was a table, just like the one in the kitchen, and was covered with plates and glasses for them.

"This is so beautiful…" Catherine whispered.

"I'm still hungry, though." Miley interrupted. *insert vinyl scraching noise here*

Catherine laughed and went back inside to finish breakfast. She heard Derek and Leonardo talking and Miley playing with the kitten. She sighed. No. she wouldn't cry again.

"Are you okay?" Ezio said from the doorway. Catherine jumped and squeaked.

"Don't creep up on me like that!" she put her hand on her chest.

"Sorry." Ezio showed her that lopsided grin of his.

Stupid, sexy Ezio… She thought. She turned around again to finish making breakfast, and heard Ezio's boots step closer. His arms wrapped around her, and he rubbed his nose on that sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Ezio, Miley's in the living room." She shied away from him.

"That means she's not here." He murmured in her ear. He held her hips and pushed her softly against the counter with his own.

"Ezio, not here." Catherine batted his hands away.

"She's already used to seeing Derek and Leonardo…" he turned her around and tried to kisse her. She pulled away.

"What?"

"Alright, alright, let's go back upstairs then." He chuckled, but made no mention to leave. He made a trail of kisses from her shoulder to her ear again.

"Stop it." She huffed.

"See, how you're rational now?" he grinned. "Good thing I held back yesterday night."

She looked at him.

"I'm sorry, I…" he started.

"No, you're right." She sighed. "You're right, thank you." She stood on her toes and pecked him on the mouth.

"Mmmh" he licked his lips. "Did you eat honey?"

She blushed and smiled.

"Maybe."

Ezio grinned wolfishly and leaned down.

"I love honey." He kissed her lips greedily. She giggled at the feeling of his tongue searching her lips for more. Poking her own out, she felt him plunge her mouth with his own and moan. When they pulled apart, he licked his lips again.

"Best honey ever."

Catherine giggled and shooed him off to the living room, so she could finish making breakfast. She took everything outside, then went upstairs to change into a dress. She picked a dark brown one, since she wanted to go to the market later. She didn't want to attract too much attention.

When she opened the door of her room to go back down, she met face-to-chest with Ezio.

"You're so cute when you squeak like that." He came in and closed the door behind him.

"Ezio, no. You wanted to eat breakfast, let's go down." Catherine huffed.

"Aww, let me just play a little." He kissed her.

"No." she dodged his arms and opened the door again. "And I need to go to the market later."

"I'll go with you." He quickly said. Catherine frowned in confusion. "I'll go with you." He repeated softly, hugging her. "I don't want you out there all alone." He murmured into her hair.

Catherine sighed and hugged him back.

"Thank you."