Quickie:
SassyLostie - Yay! I'm doing well with Cass and Clem even though you don't like them! Yay!! Hehehe.
Asherlay - Oh then you're slightly ahead. Silly beans, why are you still over here?
Well, I told you that there were going to be longer breaks between chapters. I'm trying to keep to a 5-day schedule though so it's longer, but not TOO much longer. Enjoy!
P.S. Sorry for the shortness. :)
Chapter 41
When he finished the call with Cassidy, Sawyer got up to find out where Kate had gone. He found her upstairs in their bedroom, lying on the bed with Mackenzie. Certain she was asleep, he turned to leave the room.
"Hey," she called.
He turned back around and she was sitting up now.
"How'd it go?"
"Fine."
She waited for him to continue, but he didn't, and her curiosity got the better of her.
"That's it? Just...fine?"
"Yeah." He sighed, and sat with her on the bed. "It's all good and settled."
"What's settled?"
"She wanted to make some sorta agreement about seeing Clementine."
"So what was all the yelling about?"
"Cassidy wants her to spend the summers here, and come for a weekend during Christmas vacation."
"Well…that doesn't seem so bad."
"Not so bad? I was hopin' that she'd be gone after that phone call. Guess it was wishful thinking."
"Wait. What are you talking about?"
"She wants to leave Clementine here for the rest of the summer," he said miserably.
"What??"
"Yeah. You happy now, sunshine? Now we gotta take care of another kid."
"What do you mean am I happy now?"
"You wanted me to do this!"
"I wanted you to want to do this."
"Well maybe you shoulda listened when I said I didn't want to!"
"You said yourself you didn't want to turn into your father! I was just assuming – "
"Yeah well maybe you shouldn't assume things."
"I'm sorry that I was trying to help!"
"Don't be. Just stop!"
Sawyer got up and left the room, but Kate quickly followed him out into the hallway.
"Stop what?" she called.
His shoulders slumped, he sighed, and turned back around.
"Tryin' to help!"
She walked over, and they were face to face now, at the top of the stairs.
"All you ever wanna do is help. Maybe nobody wants your help, Kate!"
She stared at him, trying to hide the hurt in her.
"You think I don't know what you're tryin' to do? Helpin' people ain't gonna change who you are, Princess, or what you done. So quit pretendin' you're foolin' everyone."
When he saw her look down without a response, he turned to start going down the steps.
"Is it so hard to believe that I'm trying to start over, Sawyer?" she said quietly.
He stopped on the second step and leaned back against the railing. Holding his attention, she gained the courage to look up at him again.
"That's all I've been trying to do since I've been here. I'm not trying to change who I am, or what I've done. I'm just trying to put it behind me and start fresh." She paused. "And you know - helping each other out - that's part of what a relationship is. You help me, I help you. That's how we take care of each other."
He lowered his gaze, slightly stunned by her words. After another few seconds, he looked up again.
"So what part of starting over includes havin' to help everyone?"
"Everyone?" she said with a laugh.
"Charlie and Claire?"
"They needed a favor. I was being a friend."
"I'm sure they woulda found some other friend."
"Well it was a good learning experience. And I think even you managed to have some fun."
"Tell it to the pox," he denied it.
She smiled. "The point I'm trying to make is everyone should be allowed to realize their mistakes, so they can move on and start again, and know better the second time around."
He grunted.
"Like with Clementine. You get a chance to start over with her."
"Who said I wanted to start over with her?"
"Don't be like that."
He sighed, and said quietly, "What if she doesn't like me?"
She grinned. "What's not to like?"
"You and her might have differing opinions, Freckles."
Kate stepped down the two stairs, and looked up at him, smiling. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Well, either way you'll still have me."
He wrapped his arms around her back, and pulled her closer with a smile.
"Guess it's a win-win kinda situation then."
"Guess so," she laughed, leaning up to kiss him.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted their moment. Kate looked up at Sawyer, surprised.
"Already?"
"I didn't know," he reasoned.
She looked up at him and noticed the uneasiness in his eyes.
"Do you want me to answer it?"
"No, I got it."
She nodded and released him so he could head down the rest of the stairs. Slowly, Kate went down the rest of the steps as Sawyer opened the door to meet his daughter for the first time ever.