FINDING A WAY FORWARD
I Will Stay With You
Able for the first time tonight to look into Kate's face without being observed by others Caroline's smile faded and her expression turned serious. The enormity of what faced them, all that they had to work out as a couple began to sink in. And a couple they were after the events of the last hour. Was it really only an hour? So much had happened in such a short time. Her whole life had changed in that space of time. Their whole lives had changed.
Kate could see by Caroline's expression that her mind was leaping ahead, taking on the problems which faced them. Anticipating the future and planning for contingencies was what made Caroline such a good administrator of the school, but it could work against her in her personal life. Taking Caroline by the shoulders and moving her own face a little lower so that her eyes were on a level with Caroline's, she called her softly, "Caroline."
Hearing the tenderness in Kate's voice as she said her name, Caroline came back to the present and met the deep brown eyes that were looking intently into her own. For a moment she was lost in their depths, feeling Kate's hands on her shoulders, remembering the intensity of their kisses such a short time ago, Caroline's emotions overflowed her heart and tears formed in her eyes. "You came back," she marveled. "I am glad." Seeing Kate's face light up again, Caroline took a deep steadying breath and said, "I have a room upstairs. Will you stay with me tonight?"
Kate did not respond immediately, so Caroline rushed on, "I know we've only just begun to… to… but I would really like it if you would stay. We don't… you don't… I mean... If we could just be together. Then candidly, I'm almost afraid that this isn't real, that I'm dreaming and you'll disappear. Tomorrow I'll wake up to my old misery. I…" Caroline stopped abruptly, appalled at what she had just admitted. Blushing deeply, she looked back into Kate's eyes to find them kind and understanding, her old Kate was back. None of the hardness she had become accustomed to finding in Kate's face these recent months.
Kate gently pulled Caroline toward her, wrapping her arms around Caroline, holding her close, whispering into Caroline's ear, "I will stay with you tonight." Pulling back, she looked into those incredible blue eyes once again filling with tears. Allowing her hands to slide down Caroline's arms, she grasped her hands and squeezed them saying, "I need to get my things." Letting go of one hand she pulled Caroline toward the table where she had found her sitting abjectly such a short time ago. Caroline, having forgotten to breathe for a moment when Kate's whisper into her ear sent a visceral sensation through her body, caught her breath and followed where Kate lead.