11.

*Joe*

I rolled over in my bed and looked at the red digital numbers on the alarm clock in my hotel room. 3:15 a.m. I knew that I should have been sleeping, but I simply couldn't. I had only been able to sleep for a couple of hours, and even then, my dreams had been of Katelyn. She was impossible to not think about and I found myself always lost in thoughts of her. I would catch myself thinking of the exact color of her eyes or the way she swung her arms when she walked. I would find myself thinking about the way she stirred her coffee or her laugh. Mostly, though, I would just remember things. And those memories somehow kept me going.

I remembered her in class that day, unswayable and strong. I remembered watching her in P&E one day and being blown away by her sheer power. I remembered that day in the woods when she'd run towards her goal as if her life depended on it – because maybe someday, it would. I remembered watching her as she sat at the breakfast table with her friends, laughing and talking. I remembered the way that she'd accepted the challenges in my class as if they were nothing, always making a molehill out of a mountain.

"Katelyn," I sighed as her name fell from my lips naturally. With another sigh, I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I got in, even though the water was cold, and my muscles relaxed as the water turned warm. I stayed in the shower for a long time, until I finally decided that it was time to get ready to go home. I wrapped a towel around myself and then went out into the main part of my room to pack everything away. As I did so, I couldn't help but think how much I'd love to stay behind in Italy with Katelyn. Helping her with surveillance and her targets. Spending time with her in a coffee shop. Just talking to her and watching the way her eyes lit up when she smiled.

But I knew that I couldn't push her into anything. If she was going to remember, then she was going to remember. On her own time. Memories are a tricky thing and I knew better than to play with them. No matter how desperately I needed Katelyn to remember me, I wasn't going to press it.

I finished packing and grabbed my bags, ready to head to the landing strip where the helicopter would be waiting. I promised myself that I would come back. I would be able to find Katelyn again. She would want me to. After all, she had called me back to Italy, right? She liked spending time with me. Everything was going good and I told myself that it would continue to go good as long as I went with the flow.

And that was my comforting thought as I headed for the landing strip.

*Katelyn*

I spotted Joe heading for the helicopter and I approached him, holding the two cups of coffee that I had bought that morning. He smiled and raised a hand in greeting when he saw me. "Hey, Katelyn."

"Hey," I replied, holding out a cup. "For you."

He grinned as he took it. "Let me guess: payback?"

I laughed and pulled at the hem of my red T-shirt. "Yep."

He took a sip and then thought for a moment. "Let's see…three creams, four sugars. You're good."

I smiled. "One of the best. Or, so I've been told."

A slight wind began as the blades of the helicopter began rotating. Overhead, birds flew in a sloppy formation and the sky was that pink that it got when the sun was about to rise and shed light on the world.

"Any plans for the day?" Joe asked conversationally.

"Not really. Need some help with those bags?" I asked, gesturing. He had set one bag down so that he would be able to take the cup of coffee that I'd offered to him.

"Sure," he shrugged. "If you don't mind."

"I don't," I replied and grabbed the bag.

We hefted them into the back of the helicopter and then Joe faced me, still smiling. "Thanks for asking me for help. It makes me feel useful."

"I'm sure the CIA finds you plenty useful," I replied with a laugh.

He shrugged. "Every now and then."

I rolled my eyes. "So what are your plans, now?"

He leaned against the helicopter. "I'll wait around. Do a little bit of work. Try to make myself useful."

My straightened hair was blowing in my face, but I managed to turn slightly so that I'd be at an angle where it wouldn't be so bad. I had finally figured out a way to exit a helicopter without messing up hair, so I applied that strategy.

"You know," Joe said. "If you need anymore help, feel free to let me know. I don't mind. This has actually been kind of…fun."

I blushed as I said, "It's been fun for me, too. And I want you to come back."

"Why's that?" he asked curiously.

"Because…" I blushed more profusely and looked down at my flats.

"Let me see if I can fill in the blanks," he said and suddenly, his arms slid around me and he pulled me into a kiss. Instantly, I was filled with this sense of joy and my lips moved with his easily in this sweet, intoxicating and slow kiss. His cologne was making my head swim and I had flashes of lost memories, coming and going in my mind like a scratched DVD.

And I had the strangest sense of familiarity….

When he pulled away, I looked into his bright green eyes and whispered, "Have I kissed you before?"

He touched my cheek gently. "The question is: Do you want to kiss me again?"

"Yes," I found myself whispering.

And then he pulled me back into his arms for another sweet kiss.