A/N: We're here! Katie and Ned will meet again somewhere in this chapter! I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but I hope you enjoy xx Mariah
It couldn't have been later than seven when Katie started to wake up. It was the feeling of fur and soft kitty paws that wake her up.
"I'm up," she muttered, tossing onto her stomach and yawning. "I'm up Stitches. Okay? I'm up." The cat continued to paw softly as her arm leapt onto her back, nuzzling against her neck. "Ok. I get it," she muttered, moving slightly and letting him jump off as she pulled herself from the bed. She wiped her eyes and walked out of the room and slowly down the stairs. "You're hungry, aren't you?" She yawned, covering her mouth as she hopped off the last stair and picked the cat up, giving him a kiss on the top of his head before setting him back down. "C'mon… I'll fill your bowls."
She walked into the room and quickly filled his food and water bowl as she rubbed her tired eyes with the insides of her palms, her eyes were dry from the brightness of the kitchen. She leaned onto the island and yawned again, rubbing her eyes as she took the minute to try and wake up. It was almost seven thirty, from what she could tell of the blurryish clock. She should've grabbed her glasses. She didn't need them all the time, but she'd had them since she was eleven. She even had contacts that she could put in if she really wants.
"I need coffee," she went around the kitchen and opened a cupboard to grab a coffee mug, filling it with water. After deciding to just go with her usual, she grabbed the coffee grounds container and spooned some into the filter before pouring her water in.
She pressed the medium cup setting and set her cup under the spout and waited for it to make.
"You're a good boy," she whispered, picking up a well fed Stitches and pulling the surprisingly cuddly cat into her arms. A loud purr echoed in her ears as he nuzzled his soft face against her and she kissed him multiple times before she felt satisfied enough. She'd love Ned forever for getting him for her. "I love you so much."
He struggled to get free moments later and she set him down, but he didn't go far, lingering around her bare feet for another minute or two before disappearing back up the stairs.
The machine beeped and she grabbed her mug and bag that sat the door as she rounded the banister and climbed the stairs, sipping from her coffee cautiously. A fleeting expression on her face showed malcontent, yet soon she was smiling broadly once more as if nothing was wrong at all. She glanced down at the green mug, thick, ceramic, warm to touch. It was her favorite. It always protected her hands from being burned even when her coffee was fresh and hot.
She was soon back in bed, lying back as Stitches lounged net to her on Ned's pillow.
"You're so lazy," she laughed and rubbed his back. He rolled onto his back and meows loudly as she rubbed his belly. Stitches loved a good belly rub from Katie, mostly because she always had nails to itch the best places. "Oh I was just kidding. I love how lazy you are. It helps me indulge a little, you know?"
She sighed. Her only companion was a cat right now. She really needed to get out more. Make new friends.
Stitches, who purred against her forearm, rested a soft cat chin on her elbow. She took a sip of her coffee and set it down beside her as she picked Stitches up and kissed his cheek.
Her phone rang and without looking, grabbed and pressed it to her ear.
"Hello," she yawned.
"Morning sunshine," her mom laughed. "You just getting up?"
"No. Stitches woke me up about ten minutes ago," she said. "I have to get dressed soon and pick up Delia."
"You're leaving today. I forgot, honestly." Melinda sighed. "I'm just so tired. Emma has been crying nonstop for the past week. She's teething and nothing helps."
"Oh mom," she muttered. "I'm sorry. But from what I can tell, no crying?"
"Your dad is a baby whisperer," Melinda cursed. "He's perfect."
"And you're the ghost whisperer," she chuckled. "Makes sense."
"God, Katie I haven't slept in like a days. I'm so tired." Melinda hummed. "I'm going to take a nap while I can, okay? I just wanted to check in with you. Call me before you take off?"
"I will," she said, moving to get out of bed. "I better start getting ready. I love you mom and you'll get through this. You always have."
"Yeah, it just sucks." Melinda sighed. "I love you too baby girl. Goodnight. Well, morning. But whatever, goodnight."
"Goodnight mom," she laughed and tossed her phone onto her bed as she opened her closet.
Katie opened her family's front door and walked in, setting Stitches on the floor. She had settled on comfort for the plane ride with leggings and a flirty blouse. She toed her flats off and walked into the kitchen, where her mother was holding a screaming Emma. Her father was beside her mother, holding an ice cube to her screaming gums, to no avail.
"Katie, I didn't know you were going to stop by." Melinda's face was tired, but bright when she saw her oldest.
"I hope you don't mind but I didn't want to leave Stitches all cooped up in that house, it's starting to become a sauna." She said, walking over to wash her hands.
"Oh of course not! He still so cute and small to leave all alone anyway." Melinda gushed, rubbing Emma's back. "Oh, baby… I know your gums hurt. I don't know what else to do."
"I should probably get going," she sighed, hugging her mother from behind. Her mother kissed her cheek and she rubbed her sides. "Want me to try with her?"
"Knock yourself out," Melinda muttered and Jim kissed her temple as she passed Emma to her sister. "I need coffee."
"I'll make some," Jim whispered in her hair. He held her in his arms, kissing her cheek. "Sit down and relax. I'll take care of you."
Katie cradled Emma in her arms, kissing her forehead. Her face scrunched up to cry again, but Katie moving her finger to mouth, massaging her swollen gums. She could feel three teeth ready to poke through, so her baby sister was almost through this. Emma watched her with wide blue eyes, her crying had stopped.
Melinda had gone into the living room, lying down on the couch, so she walked over to her father.
"When was the last time she slept?" Katie eyed Jim, who was pouring a cup of coffee for himself. He looked almost as tired as her mother did, except his was from work and home.
"She got a couple hours yesterday," Jim sipped at his coffee. "But she was up all last night with Emma while I was at work. I gout hourly texts."
"I wish I could take you," Katie whispered to the calm infant in her arms. "But I hardly like planes on my own, let alone with a six month old."
"At least you'll have Delia on the way there and Ned on the way back." Jim rubbed his daughter's shoulder, kissing her cheek. "I wish we could've come too, but Emma and Lana together are too much work to travel, plus Mack has a swim meet and Aaron has a baseball tournament."
"Hey, Ned understands. He's happy you're throwing him a barbeque when he gets back." She smiled at her father, following him into the living room. She placed Emma on her back in her playpen, kissing her forehead. She'd cried so much, she'd fallen asleep the moment she was tucked in. "She's down. I don't know for how long but… at least you can get a nap."
Jim was sitting on the edge of the couch, helping her mother sip from the cup from where she was laying. It didn't happen to often, but when her mother let her father take care of her, it was a sweet sight. "Get some sleep," he whispered, pulling the blanket over her. "I can take the kids out and keep it quiet for you and Emma."
"Okay. That would be nice," Melinda muttered, turning her head to look past him and at Katie. "Thank you for helping, and stopping by before you left."
"Of course mama," she walked over to her, giving her a hug as her father went to rangle the older kids upstairs. "I love you."
"I love you too baby," Melinda kissed her cheek and then closed her eyes.
Katie made her way out and back to her car, ready to pick up Delia and get on the road to the airport.
After a three hour flight, Katie squeezed Delia's hand when they landed. There had been minimal turbulence, but there had been some, which had caused her to hold her mother in-law's hand multiple times.
"I'm so happy you were here," she sighed, going to unbuckle her seatbelt. "I hate flying."
"I find it peaceful," Delia squeezed her hand and looked out the window.
"I feel like I'm trapped in a metal ball of death. Especially after what happened to Andrea," she muttered, standing up as soon as the plane came to halt. Many other people did too and Katie pulled hers and Delia's carry-ons from the above head cabin. "I just want to get out of here."
She gave Delia hers and made her way to the door, walking out into the airport. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she waited for Delia.
"You excited to see Ned?" Delia locked her arm with Katie's as they made their way through the seas of people.
Katie had been able to see ghosts for as long as she can remember, so her description of the airport was one of a cacophony of noises. She could heard the voices of the young and old spirits, following their loved ones to their destinations. Her surroundings were too loud. She could hear the suitcases being dropped onto the conveyor belts and the cheery welcomes of the check-in assistants. In the background, she heard the soft music of today's hits being played on the overhead speakers and the tinkle of sculptured water features. And all of these ambient sounds were punctuated periodically by the sound of a aeroplane taking off or landing on the tarmac runway outside.
Thankfully, there were so many spirits she was able to get by without any noticing she could see them. Delia pushed her way through the crowd as Katie texted Ned, asking if he was there yet and if he was where they should meet.
"Katie?" Delia caught her attention and she smiled.
"Sorry," she said. "It's kind of loud. With all of ghosts and music and planes and everything. It's just loud."
"Overwhelming?" Delia laughed, rubbing Katie's back.
"A little," she sighed, looking down at her phone. "Ned hasn't answered me. I don't know where he might be. Should we just keep walking until we see him?"
"I think I knew where he is," Delia smiled, taking Katie's bag from her.
"Where?" She looked around, just in case she had missed seeing him, but to no avail.
"Turn around Katie," Ned's voice filled her ears and she felt his hand touch her shoulder.
Her eyes slowly filled with tears and before she knew it, she was hugging him tightly, her tears dripping from her cheeks on to his starched uniform. His arms were encircled around her, making her forget where she was except for that smiling face in front of her.
Seconds passed, her brain taking him in, struggling to comprehend that he wasn't one of the pictures she kept beside their bed or the ones on the wall, that he was right here and he will never go away from her again. Her brain couldn't formulate a thought, at least not one based in any language, and if she didn't kiss him soon her atoms will tear themselves apart.
The warmth of his mouth met hers, giving her hope like he always does. One of his hands clasped around her lower back, the other stroked her hair. With each soft touch more tears feel, tears neither of them wiped away.
"Ned," she whispered into his shoulder as he held her. "I missed you. God, I missed you so much."
"I love you," he tilted her chin up, wiping a tear away. "And these leggings."
"I hate that that is the first thing you said to me," she joked and hugged him again, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I know," he said, kissing her again and picking her up as a few people clapped and whistled. "But I'm so glad you wore these leggings."
"Shut up," she laughed and grabbed his hand as he set her back down. "Come on. Your mom is here and she missed you too."
A/N: There will be a better reunion next chapter. I promise.