Katara woke up several times after that phone call, as if to compete against the alarm clock before it won as the sun rose for work the next morning. She wasn't hurt, disappointed, or anything of the sort. She was, however, angry — but not for herself.

Jet and Mai. Three years. How?

Now Katara could add onto the list of things she had a distaste for when going to work. The overwhelming fake buttery popcorn smell from the break room that forever lingered over her bland uniform, the overpriced insurance that was consistent with how often she was absurdly blamed for the gouged prices by ignorant customers, and now? Having to be in the same vicinity as Jet, but at least the whole ordeal being in a quiet office in a relatively small town meant she had to keep it brief and low-key.

"Hey Kat," Jet said, squeezed into between the back-and-forth usual conversation with the customers, "What's up?"

One hand holding her purse over the shoulder and the other shoved into her pocket, Katara walked past the disheveled man verifying the documentations before him. Her eyes fixated on the only thing that mattered, work, whilst her mind strayed elsewhere. The only thing she could muster was an intelligible mumble and half-hearted shrug as she found her position for the night, rested her bag beside her feet and sighed at the idea that for the next six hours, Katara would have to entertain the thought that she was unknowingly the other woman and the man who binded each victim was just a few feet away.

Jet finished the last wave of his customers, being quick to swap out with the nearest employee to be forced to endure the next round of complaints, and he made his way towards Katara, who was finding any reason to keep herself busy avoiding Jet…for now, at least. "Hey, you" he said, reaching over to her hair tucked behind her ear, letting it fall over her face. "Wanna come over after work and smoke?"

Ah yes, Jet's S tier personality strikes again. Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with recreational smoking, but when it's all that inhabits your personality, leisure time, and time at work, there lies some problems.

"No, thanks." Katara replied, whilst returning her hair behind her ear, " I have something…planned after work."

"Better than smoking…?" Jet chuckled. "Sure, you do."

"Look I'm just not —"

Ring. Ring.

Katara reached towards the phone, albeit reluctant to do so considering that morning. "Hello, thank you for calling—"

Katara? I need to—

So Mai's moved onto calling their workplace now, nice.

"I'm sorry," Katara retorted, "you must have the wrong number."

A few moments lasted light years, as Mai filled the space with her pleading to be lent an ear, even for a second. But that's all she needed, a second to play out what would be unbeknownst to the trio the true shit storm that would ensue in the years to come, all over indecisive minds and the trauma that followed of many kinds.

Katara eyed her desk, sighed, and pulled the phone away in one swift motion, raising it to the oblivious man-child opposite her.

Jet reached out, "Who is—"

"Congrats, Jet", Katara continued, as her eyes met his, shoving the phone in his hands.

"Your girlfriend Mai. She's pregnant."