A/N: Sorry this update took so long :) Enjoy! xx Mariah
Katie surprisingly woke up relaxed, happy, and well rested for once. Ned's arm was snug around her stomach, his face near the back of her head as his breath moved over her neck. She turned to see her handsome husband still fast asleep.
She smiled at the sight of his face, leaning in to kiss his cheek. She moved in the bed enough to wrap her arms around him and settle in against him. He was jostled awake a bit, but even half asleep, he responded by pulling her close to him.
"Bad dream?" He asked quietly.
"No, I just wanted to feel you." She whispered as shifted her body closer to him, her leg hooking around his waist as she placed light kisses on his shoulder, roaming to his chest, and then daring a lick of his nipple. This got his attention and he moaned, his hands going to rub his eyes. She turned her head up to face him. "I don't want this to happen."
"We don't have to think about that yet," he reminded her, reaching down to place his hands on her jaw and tilt her head up. "Okay?"
"Okay. I'm thinking about something else now, she nodded, and then closed the space between their lips.
His hands slipped into her hair and pulled her bost up to meet his better. His hands traveled down over her shoulders and down to her hips where he pulled her flush to him.
She was still undressed from the night before and his hands quickly found her center. She moaned at his touch as he readied her for him. Her hands explored into his pants with a teasing smirk and another moan as she grasped him. His forehead pressed against hers and he groaned before he kissed her.
Katie quickly pulled his pajama pants down and slowly slid onto him. Their mouths met as they both smiles at each other, laughing almost as they pulled back.
"Mm, I love you," she moaned, moving her hips over him slowly.
"I love you," he gasped, grasping her hips as she rode him in earnest now.
This time they come together as her hips moved faster and more erratic.
She cries out, her orgasm the most intense she's ever had as their lips meet. Ned held onto her as he quickly rolled on top of her. It wasn't long before he groaned and spilled into her, leaving them both panting, until he sagged over her.
"That's a good way to wake up," she giggled into his neck, lips hot as she kissed him. "Considering what's going on."
"Yeah," he gasped, holding her close, leaning down to kiss her shoulder as he flopped down next to her.
"You know if I'd known it would get this bad with Mason..." He cut her off.
"We don't have to talk about that what ifs," he said, shaking his head. "We're in the now and right now if this will keep him at bay then I'll do it. I'm not doing it for him. I'm doing it for us."
She nodded, looking over at him. "I know and I love you for being here through all of this. Thank you for standing by me."
"Always," he smiled. "You know I've got you're back."
"Yeah, I do." She smiled, moving to lie on his chest.
That's why it hurt her the most as Katie watched Ned pack stuff into his truck from the upstairs bedroom window.
"I hope you're happy, you son of a bitch," she muttered to herself.
She watched as Ned slammed his door and drove off like a madman. Her phone vibrated and she looked down at it.
Babe [Sent July 18th: 9:00 am] - Think that was good enough of a show for him?
Katie [Sent July 18th: 9:01 am] - I hope so, but I still hate that we are doing this. We shouldn't give into some psycho. I hate it. I hate it. Have I said I hate it?
She walked away from the window and sat down on the bed, feeling her emotions get the best of her. Her phone vibrated in her hand and when she wiped away her tears to look at it, she burst out laughing. Ned always knew what to say.
Babe [Sent July 18th: 9:03 am] - Yes, but not as much as you've told me how good I am in the sack.
Katie stayed home most of the day. She busied herself with tasks she hadn't thought about in a while.
She reorganized her bookshelf and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors. She even reorganized her closet a bit, getting rid of a few things she knew didn't fit right.
After that, she sat down on the living room couch with a sigh. She wished Ned was here.
He would be getting off work right about now. He usually would be walking through the front door to meet her with a hello kiss. He'd sit beside her and tell her about his shift, the bad and good moments, and even the funny ones too.
But as she looked down at her watch, she started to feel Amber's toxic energy seep through her.
"Where are you?" She groaned, rubbing her forehead as a migraine pounded against her head. Amber appeared in front of her as Katie regained enough strength the rest her head on the back of the couch and look up at her. "What do you want from me?"
"You know what I want, you silly, silly girl." Amber chuckled, shaking her head at Katie with a smug smile. "At least you should. Unless you really are as dumb as I think you are."
"What do you mean?" She whimpered, her head spinning. "Just leave me alone. Haven't you caused enough ruckus in my life?" Pain seared through her head better than a branding iron, her mind conceding to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. Without meaning to her body curled into something fetal, something primeval and all the while the pain burned and radiated through her.
"You'll see," Amber smiled, looking over her. She breathed in her energy, draining it from her as Katie went limp. "Everyone will." Amber traced over Katie's head until she sat up again, animated with her power. "That's right... now you're going to do what I tell you."
Katie's head slowly nodded as Amber laughed.
It may have taken her months, but she'd done it. Amber had finally taken hold of Katie completely and there wasn't anything stopping her now.
Ned grabbed his bag of clothes from the passenger seat and walked toward the front door of Joshua LeTrai's home. He'd only been here once before when he had to have the man sign an order for a late night drug bust last year.
Ned walked up the steps and raised his hand to knock, but the door opened before he even had a chance and Josh smiled at him.
"Hey, Ned. Come in," LeTrai nodded, opening the door a little wider for him to step inside. "How'd everything go today? Did the creep reach out?"
"Not sure. Haven't talked to Katie since we stagged the move-out." Ned stepped into the house and he looked around. It was fairly neat and he could see a girl sitting on the couch watching television. "Is that your-"
"My daughter, yes," LeTrai explained, closing the door behind him. "That's why I took the few days off. Thought we needed some time together, you know. She's gonna come and sit in my office with me tomorrow."
"That's nice, Josh." He smiled, patting his back. "So where can I put my stuff?"
"I have an extra room you can stay in. It's mainly used as my office, but the couch pulls out." Letrai led him through the living room and kitchen to one of the two doors off the hallway in the back half of the house. He opened the door. "I already had the bed fixed up. I won't be needing anything in here for while you're staying here."
"Okay," he set his bag down and sighed. "Thanks, Josh. I owe you one."
"It's fine, Ned. Anything to help you and Katie out. Tell her I hope everything ends up okay." LeTrai nodded. "I hope we can catch this guy."
"Me too," he said, fishing his phone out of his pocket. "I need to check in with Katie."
"Okay, well I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," LeTrai said, closing the door on his way out.
Ned sat down as he dialed Katie's cell and waited for her to pick up. When she didn't, he sighed and hung up, trying again. When she didn't answer that time, he left a voicemail.
"Hey Katie, it's Ned. Just checking in. Wondering if anything has happened at the house since I left this morning." He paused, sighing. "I hate this too and just know I love you. I'll never stop loving you." He hung up and stood up, shoving his phone in his jacket pocket. He walked out into the house and saw LeTrai fishing a pizza out of the oven. "Hey Josh, I'm gonna head out for work. Thanks for letting me come by before."
"Sure thing. I'll see you later," LeTrai said, nodding. "I left you a key on the hook to get in. Just in case you get off a little late."
"Okay. Thanks, Capt." He said, turning on his foot and leaving.
When Ned got off and Katie still had reached out to him, he started to worry. But when he woke up the next morning and she still hadn't, he panicked.
He rushed over to Melinda and Jim's house as soon as he deemed it wasn't too early and rang the doorbell three times before Jim came to the door.
"Ned," Jim said, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong, you look... worried."
"Katie hasn't answered her phone or anything since yesterday. I haven't talked to her since I left the house yesterday morning. Have you?" He asked, his voice rushed as he spoke.
"Not in a few days," Jim said, backing up toward the stairs "Not sure about Mel." He cleared his throat. "Honey, have you spoken to Katie recently?"
"Not since yesterday afternoon. She seemed fine. A bit agitated that I'd stopped by, but it was unannounced. She might've been having a moment." Melinda came down the stairs, still in her robe, her hair in a towel. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"I can't contact her. I haven't stopped by the house, so I know I might be overreacting, but under these circumstances..." He sighed. "I'm overreacting aren't I?"
"I'll come with you and check on her," Jim said, nodding. "It's never a bad thing to worry a little. But don't worry your head off."
"I can come," Melinda said, just as Emma began to cry upstairs. "Or nevermind. You two go make sure our girl is okay." She kissed her husband before going toward the stairs again.
"I will," Jim said, smiling at her. "Give the kiddos my love. I love you, Mel."
"Love you too," Melinda said just before she disappeared around the corner of the stairs. "Be careful, you two."
Ned and Jim both ran quickly to Ned's car. Mason was too unstable not to worry.
When they arrived at Ned and Katie's home, they went to the door. Ned tried the door, but it was locked and instead of using his key, he just knocked. Katie's car was in the driveway, she would let them in.
After fifteen minutes, Ned tried her cell and when he heard it ringing inside, he looked over at Jim and then back at the door.
"Should we break it down?" He asked his father-in-law just as the lock turned and the door opened.
Katie rubbed her eyes before she stepped into the light. She was still dressed in her pajamas from the morning before. "Hey," she muttered. "What are you two banging on the door for?" Katie asked, seeing Ned standing there with her father.
"Why haven't you been answering your phone or the door? We've been here for the last fifteen minutes yelling for you to open the damn door." Ned yelled, turning toward his wife, who blinked her eyes open at him.
"Hey, why don't we calm down and go inside before the rest of the neighborhood comes out?" Jim said, turning to wave a the few neighbors that had stepped out to see what the commotion was about.
Ned nodded and stepped into the house as soon as Katie did and Jim followed behind, pulling the door shut.
"What happened, Katie? No one has heard from you since yesterday," Ned asked calmly, setting his phone on the banister as he sat on the stairs, his head in between his hands. "I was worried sick about you."
"I think I fell asleep on the couch," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"
"Nine in the morning," he muttered and stood. "And you think? How can you think you fell asleep?"
"I don't really remember," she shook her head. "Amber was here and everything got so bright and I just fell asleep. I woke up when I heard you banging on the door."
He nodded, looking over his shoulder at Jim, who shrugged. He didn't know what to say either. Ned hugged her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm sorry for yelling. I was just scared and the door was locked. I didn't want to break the rouse, you know?"
"Yeah, sorry for not hearing you guys," she said, breathing in his smell. She kissed his neck as she pulled back. "I guess I fell asleep after I cleaned. Like I said, Amber was here and my headache got so bad... I couldn't see straight and I think I just fell asleep."
"You just fell asleep?" Her dad asked. He hummed to himself and shook his head. "That's fishy, Katie. You shouldn't just fall asleep like that. Are you sure you don't remember anything else?"
"It's all a blur," she shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't know what I think I might remember."
"We'll piece it together," Ned reassured her, nodding to Jim. "Has Mason reached out to you since yesterday?"
"Not yet," she shook her head. "Or well, I haven't had a chance to check my phone."
They followed her over to the couch where she sat down and grabbed her phone off the coffee table. She reached to grab it and read over the various notifications that were on the screen. There were several missed calls from Ned and both of her parents. Along with one from an unknown number and text as well.
You can't avoid me for very long Katie
"He texted me," she said, handing her phone over to her dad as Ned sat down beside her. "I don't want you to leave. I don't want to be alone."
Ned sighed and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm not leaving you right now. I promise."
She nodded, pressing a kiss into his shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Ned."