Author's Note-Wow guys, fifteen reviews for the last chapter. I'm speechless. I'm updating quickly this time because I'm going into hospital for three days tomorrow and otherwise you'd have to wait until Saturday. Also, I thought you needed at least some resolution to this before then. See you soon, NYLF xx
It had been hours.
Rick had woken, fed and spent the afternoon with Alexis before bathing her and tucking her in with a bedtime story. She'd only asked where Kate was once. His tight jaw and watery eyes as he explained ensured she didn't ask again. She did ask him to say goodnight for her when she returned though.
That was an hour ago and he was now sat on the couch with a glass of scotch.
He'd tried calling, but was sent straight to her voicemail. He'd sent her a text asking her to just text him if she wasn't coming back tonight, but he hadn't heard back.
He felt utterly stupid.
He'd taken the girl in because she had nowhere else to go. He'd asked where her friend Maddie lived and it turned out she was in halls. Kate couldn't stay there for any length of time. And she couldn't go home, not with her emotions all over the place and her dad in the state he was in.
Yes, she'd said things that hurt him, cut him deeper than he had been in a while, since he'd found Meredith and her director if he was truly honest, but he cared for her. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her because her had sent her away. He didn't think Alexis would either.
He sighed and tried calling again. When he, predictably, didn't get an answer it was all he could do not to throw the damn thing against a wall. But he knew if he did that, she had no way to contact him.
This was a nightmare.
He should have locked himself in his office until they'd both calmed down, at least then he wouldn't have to worry about her safety.
He hadn't meant to give her the wrong impression. He had meant 'sleeping with him' in the most literal, platonic sense and he hadn't meant to make her feel like an 'easy mark' when he'd started talking to her at the library. He groaned and put his head in his hands. How did they mess this up quite so royally in one conversation?
It was nearly ten when Rick was startled from his dozing by a hesitant knock at his door. He was on his feet and across the loft in seconds, before wrenching the door open. There stood Kate, drenched from top to bottom, her eyes red and swollen from crying so much. And she wouldn't look at him.
"Kate?" He murmured, his voice soft and croaky from lack of use. She didn't move. "Kate look at me, please?" She shook her head, a near on invisible movement but he caught it. "Kate you must be freezing." It was true. Had she not been so tense, working so hard to stop all movement, she would be shivering out of her skin. But she still wouldn't look at him.
"Kate?" He murmured again, now starting to get worried. "Are you hurt?" She didn't move and that had him only more worried. "Kate, look at me please." He'd stopped asking and started demanding.
Ever so slowly, she lifted her head until she would meet his eyes, were hers not closed. There was a nasty gash on her cheek, which still hadn't completely stopped bleeding.
Rick gasped and quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, dragging her into the loft. "Kate, what the hell happened?" He asked urgently as he led her to the kitchen.
He didn't even hesitate before lifting her by the waist and perching her on the counter, just as he would Alexis. He quickly found his first aid kit and returned to her side. The fact she hadn't said a word was eating away at him. What if she was in shock? What if she was more hurt than was obvious?
He carefully pulled an antiseptic wipe from the packet before stopping a few millimetres shy of her cheek.
"This is going to sting Kate, but I can't risk you getting an infection, so I'm going to do it anyway." He told her before gently pressing the cloth against her wound.
She hissed and bit her lower lip but otherwise didn't move as he made quick work of cleaning it.
He debated for a moment whether she'd need stitches, but it didn't seem too deep so he settled for butterfly bandages, thanking his lucky stars that he had such an advanced medical kit, as he taped her cheek and smoothed the edges down.
"Now, you gonna tell me what happened?" He asked, moving to put away the supplies and wash his hands. She didn't say a word and he sighed. "Okay. I'm going to get you an icepack for your cheek to bring down the swelling and then get you some pain killers so you won't feel it as much."
He carefully helped her off the counter and went to the freezer to retrieve an icepack.
Once he had the gel based pouch in hand, he wrapped it in a clean dish cloth and gently held it to her cheek, taking her hand in his spare one and holding it up to replace his. He then took two pills from the bottle he'd taken from the medical kit and and filled a glass of water before returning to her side.
"Just answer me one question, okay? Is this your only injury?" He asked softly. She nodded a tiny movement. "Were you attacked?" He knew he was pushing his luck but he had to try. She shook her head quickly. "Okay. Take these and then we'll see if you're ready to talk." He nudged the pills towards her and made his way to the couch.
He'd wait her out if he had to. He just really hoped they could sort this out.