Author's Note: Warning: This chapter contains a flashback that a bit dark and angsty, but it does explain why Kat is the way she is in my story. As well as giving a bit of background on Jason. Also I'll warn you that I am not the best at writing fighting scenes but I gave the sparring match my best effort. It was difficult to describe what I saw Kat doing in my mind, but again I did my best. Hope you all enjoy.
Shoutouts: brankel1- I'm so glad that you like the last chapter. The bit about the apron is something that popped in my head when I was editing the chapter, so I'm glad to see that it worked out. Hope you like this chapter too!
Jeremy Shane- Thanks for the review, here's more! Enjoy!
.Scott- Thanks for adding my story to your favs list and your alerts. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. I'm finally on a roll with this story, since it's finally where I wanted it in the beginning.
Chapter 6
"So, how's things going with Kat?" Rocky asked as he handed Jason a beer. Once again everyone was gathered at the DeSantos home for dinner. Jason sat outside with Tommy, Zack and Rocky. Billy and Adam were playing with the twins and the women were somewhere in the house.
"There's nothing to report." Jason said. "We're doing this investigation together and that's it. She's a co-worker right now."
"Stop kidding yourself Lead-man." Zack cut in. "You like the girl and I for one say, ask her out!"
"Why does everyone think that I should ask her out?" Jason groaned. "Seriously, sure there's attraction, but there's no way to make it work. We live clear across the country from each other, neither of us are willing to leave our jobs, and I have Lilly here."
"Speaking of Lilly, when's Liz supposed to show up to get her?" Rocky asked. "I want to make sure I have a chance to hide my soul before she walks into my house."
"She's not that bad." Jason rolled his eyes. "She said she'd be here around six, Lilly's dance class is at six-thirty."
"Have you tried to kiss her?" Zack asked.
"Not since we broke up..."
"Not the soul sucking leech you were married to." Tommy cut in. "Kat."
"I'm not going to kiss Kat." Jason argued. "You kiss her."
"I just might, she's a good kisser." Tommy grinned.
"Wouldn't Anna get a little jealous, you kissing your ex?" Jason quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Who's Anna, Tommy?" Rocky cut in.
"New girlfriend?" Zack waggled his eyebrows. Tommy shot Jason a glare that clearly said, 'thanks a lot'. Jason in return, just grinned.
"Kind of a new/old girlfriend." Tommy said cryptically.
"Oh, I get it. Anna is that school teacher you were dating a while back. You got back together with her." Rocky said after a moment of silence.
"Yeah." Tommy nodded softly.
"Oh there's more to it than that, Dr. Rainbow." Jason grinned. "She moved in with him."
"Bow-Chika-Wow-Wow!" Zack half sang.
"Way to go Dr. Stud!" Rocky cheered.
"Can we please drop this subject." Tommy sighed. Rocky and Zack continued to tease Tommy as he groaned. Jason glanced across the yard and noticed Kat had come out of the house. She was watching Lilly tackle Bobby trying to get to the ball.
Lilly quickly spotted Kat and stood up. She scampered over to the tall blonde, chatting excitedly about something. Kat seemed interested in what the little girl was saying and offered a bright smile. Lilly latched onto Kat's hand and led her away toward another area in the yard.
"Look at that." Jason nudged Tommy and gestured toward the duo walking hand in hand. Rocky and Zack focused on the grill and getting the burgers and steaks ready.
"Kat's always had a way with kids." Tommy said. "Come to think of it, I haven't met a kid that hasn't liked her."
"It's just... I've never seen Lilly take to someone so fast." Jason commented. "It took forever for Lily to warm up to you, and you're her godfather."
"I told you, Kat has a way with kids. They seem to fall for her instantly." Tommy shrugged.
"She would have been a good mother." Jason commented.
"I know." Tommy sighed. "I kept telling her that we could try again, but she got so distant."
"It had to be hard on her." Jason looked sadly at his best friend. "It was hard on both of you."
"Especially Kat. She grew really distant to me before she left for DC." Tommy said without looking away from Kat. "Imagine giving up all your dreams for a baby, and then..." Tommy blew out a breath. "She felt that she didn't have anything left for her. She couldn't pick up her dancing career again and..."
"I get it." Jason nodded.
"I still think about him." Tommy said after a moment of silence. "I wonder what he would be like now; if he'd like sports and martial arts; if he'd be smart; who'd he'd look more like. It's just a shame the way things turned out for us."
Flashback, 10 years earlier...
Tommy stood in the doorway to what would be the nursery in a couple months, watching Kat gently folding all the clothes she had just purchased. When she had told him six months ago that she was pregnant he thought that they had screwed up their lives. Kat had to give up her spot in the Royal Academy and walk away from her degree. He, himself, had thought that he would have to give up school to raise his child, but Kat had insisted that he finish his degree.
Now they were expecting their son in seven weeks, and both of them were ecstatic. Tommy couldn't care less if he did have to drop out of school to take care of Charlie. The second he saw his son in the ultrasound he knew that there was nothing more important in the world than Katherine and Charlie.
"I love this shirt." Kat said suddenly breaking Tommy out of his thoughts.
"Which one?" Tommy asked. Kat grinned as she held up a tiny light blue shirt. In bright red lettering it read, DADDY'S CARBON COPY. "You think he'll look like me?"
"Well, genetics say that you have the dominant coloring. Odds are that he'll have dark hair and dark eyes. I hope he looks like you." Kat shrugged as she folded the shirt and put it away in the dresser.
"Hey Kat, let's go out to dinner tonight." Tommy said as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He gently rubbed at her swollen belly.
"Why? It's not a Friday or a holiday... Did I forget an anniversary of something?" Kat asked in horror. She knew Tommy was supposed to be the one with the bad memory.
"No Angel Eyes, you didn't forget anything. I just feel like taking you out, some place nicer than just a burger." Tommy laughed before pressing a kiss to her temple. "Maybe we can go with Jason and Liz."
"Sure." Kat grinned. "We can check on the newlyweds."
"You read my mind."
"Don't I always?" Kat beamed. "I'll get dressed and you go call Jase."
An hour later Kat and Tommy were sitting in an Italian restaurant with Jason and Liz. They chatted and ate happily. Jason and Liz were beaming having only been married for two months. Liz and Kat kept chatting about the wedding plans for Kat and Tommy's upcoming wedding, or about the new baby.
"Why Charlie?" Jason asked, interrupting the girls' chatting.
"My grandfather was Charles." Kat answered. "Charlie's middle name is Tommy's grandfather's name. Charles Edward Oliver."
"I think that's cute." Liz commented.
"That sounds good to me." Jason nodded.
"So glad we have your approval, bro." Tommy laughed. "We couldn't name our son without your approval, you know."
"You know what Tommy... Stuff it." Jason snorted. "You could name him 'Bingo' for all I care. I probably wouldn't call him that, but you could name him that."
"Yes cause I want to think of a farmer's dog every time I think of my son." Kat rolled her eyes. The other three laughed. They finished their desserts and left.
"It's such a nice night, how about a stroll through the park?" Tommy suggested. "That is if your feet can handle it baby."
"Don't you worry about my feet. I'll let you know if I need a rest." Kat quipped.
"I'm in." Liz grinned. The two couples walked through the park talking between themselves, caught up in a world all their own, they never noticed a man sneak up behind them.
"Give me all your money and jewelry. No one has to get hurt." The deep raspy voice said as a strong arm wrapped around Liz, pulling her away from Jason.
"Okay, we'll do what you say. Just don't hurt my wife." Jason pleaded as he took out his wallet. Tommy did that same. Kat clung to Tommy's arm, fear evident in her sapphire eyes.
The man took the wallets from the two men, still holding Liz against him. "You too sweetheart." He smirked at Kat. "I said jewelry too."
"Please no." Kat covered up her diamond earrings. They had belonged to her grandmother and were all she had left of her.
"Katherine, please." Liz begged as she felt the cold metal of the gun press into her back. Tears rolled down Kat's cheeks as she took the earrings off. She laid the precious keepsake in the man's open palm.
"You have everything of value to us, now let go of my wife." Jason ordered.
"You know, I think I'm going to take her with me, just to make sure you pretty boys don't get any ideas."
"No!" Jason yelled as he lunged for the guy, unaware of the gun. Tommy pushed Katherine back, and made an attack alongside Jason. Liz fell to her knees, free from the man's grip. She scrambled across the ground to get away from the fight.
"He's got a gun Jase!" She screamed, but her warning came too late as a shot rang out in the still night air. The man stared with wide eyes, unable to believe that he had actually fired the gun. Jason quickly ran over to Liz and began checking her over, she wasn't hit.
"Tommy!" Kat's voice trembled. She was on the ground her arms wrapped around her. Tommy forgot about the robber and rushed to Katherine. She was bleeding from a single gunshot wound to her abdomen.
"Kat! Oh my god!" Tommy cried. He pressed his hands over her bleeding wound trying to apply pressure.
"Charlie!... Tommy, I think he shot Charlie!" Kat sobbed. Jason appeared next to Tommy.
"We have to get her to the hospital!" Jason exclaimed. "Liz, run ahead and call an ambulance!"
In the panic, no one noticed the robber sneak away, carrying with him the men's wallets and Kat's earrings. At that point, they didn't care, all that mattered was getting Katherine and Charlie help.
"Please, Tommy! Can you feel Charlie moving?" Kat was hysterical at that point. "I can't feel him move!"
"Kat, you're bleeding! You've been shot! We'll worry about Charlie in a minute!" Tommy was nearly as hysterical as Katherine. In his mind he knew it was logical to tend to Katherine first because without Kat's womb and heartbeat Charlie had no chance, but in his hysterics he couldn't explain that to his future wife. She fell silent, both Jason and Tommy knew she was growing weaker as she bled more.
Jason heard the sirens of the ambulance just a few moments later. He scooped Katherine up into his arms and ran in the direction of the siren. Tommy gripped Kat's hand as he ran next to them. Liz was standing next to a cop as the ambulance pulled up next to the police car. Jason rushed Katherine over to the medics and laid her on the gurney.
"My baby." Kat whispered. "Please, save Charlie."
"How far along is she?" the medic looked up at Jason. He looked over to Tommy and took a step back.
"Seven months." Tommy answered. "Kat's not allergic to any medications and has no medical issues. Please just save them both."
"We'll do our best." The medic nodded and focused his attention on Katherine. Tommy rode in the ambulance with Kat while Jason and Liz followed behind in their own car a short time later. They gave a report the police first.
Jason walked into the waiting room, Liz trailed slightly behind, and spotted Tommy pacing the floor impatiently. "Any word?"
"They're doing a caesarian right now. I don't know anything more than that." Tommy shook his head. Liz collapsed into a chair and curled her legs against her chest. Jason put his hands on Tommy's shoulders.
"Charlie is your son, he's strong. Everything will be just fine." Jason reassured the distraught man.
"Did they catch the bastard?"
"They're scouting the park and put out a report. They're sending fliers to all the local pawn shops with his description. They're sure he'll try to pawn Kat's earrings." Jason explained. "They'll catch him."
"I hope so. I want to see him pay." Tommy said darkly. Jason nodded and then sat next to his wife, pulling her against him. Tommy resumed his pacing.
After what seemed like an eternity, but was only about an hour and half, a doctor appeared in the waiting room. "Thomas Oliver?"
"That's me!" Tommy rushed over to the elderly man. "How's Kat and Charlie?"
"Katherine is going to be just fine. She's resting now in her room. She came through just fine." The doctor replied. Tommy visibly relaxed, just slightly though.
"And Charlie? How's my son?"
"There's no easy way to say this, the baby didn't make it."
"What?" Tommy gasped, it felt like the world was spinning out of control. Jason reached out and took hold of him, keeping him from falling backwards.
"No." Liz gasped behind Jason.
"The baby was breech was in a breech position. The bullet hit high in the womb and struck his shoulder. He bled out before we got him out. I'm very sorry Mr. Oliver." The doctor laid a sympathetic hand on Tommy's arm.
"Does Kat know?" Tommy finally asked as the doctor turned away.
"She hasn't woke up yet." the doctor shook his head. "Would you like one of the staff to tell her or yourself?"
"I..." Tommy swallowed. "I'll tell her."
"I'm so very sorry." the older man said again before disappearing behind the double doors.
Tommy was shown to Katherine's room where she lay on the bed, fast asleep. He collapsed into the chair next to the bed and grasped her hand. Jason and Liz sat quietly across the room, unsure if they should stay or leave. A couple hours past until Kat started to stir.
"Tommy?" Kat's voice was raspy and hoarse.
"Oh baby!" Tommy jumped to his feet and kissed her cheek. Tears streamed down his face. "You're okay."
"How's Charlie?" She asked quietly. "Is he beautiful? Have you held him yet?" Tommy's breath caught in his throat and his heart felt like it sank to his toes. She must have seen something flash in his eyes, as her eyes went wide and her face paled even more. "No!"
"I'm so sorry Angel Eyes." Tommy hugged her to him. She cried into his chest as her body was racked with tremors. Tommy cried into her hair. "I'm so sorry."
Jason hugged Liz to him as they both cried as well. Jason silently vowed to make sure that the man who killed Charlie would pay, and pay dearly. He would do that for Tommy and especially for Katherine.
End Flashback...
"You know, it's because of Charlie that I joined the force?" Jason said. Tommy looked at him half shocked and half unsurprised.
"I wondered if that wasn't the reason." Tommy nodded.
"I never wanted anyone to go through what you and Kat did."
"Well I'm glad that you joined. If you hadn't they may never have found that guy." After joining the force, Jason had taken over the case, promising to never let it close. After a year, Jason linked another robbery to Charlie's killer. The final 'nail in the coffin' for the man, had been the earrings he stole from Katherine. His girlfriend was wearing them when they arrested him.
Kat had already left town and was in Washington DC at the time. She did come back for the trial and looked her son's killer in the eyes. She told him that she hoped he rotted in hell for all eternity and turned on her heel and left. After evidence had been released Jason sent her back her earrings, he didn't know what she had done with them.
"I think that Charlie is the reason that Kat joined the bureau. To fight for victims like Charlie." Jason said as he looked back at Lilly and Katherine. Lilly was showing Katherine a kata that he had taught her. Kat smiled and nodded her approval at the small girl.
"That makes sense." Tommy nodded. They watched together as Lilly performed a nearly perfect spinning kick. Jason smiled proudly. "She's getting really good."
"Yeah, her mother hates her learning to fight, but it's teaching her discipline and self control." Jason said. He watched as Kat spoke to Lilly and then took a defensive pose. Lilly watched wide eyed as Katherine spun on her right tip-toes and swung her left leg out, her shoulders dropped toward the ground at the same time. With her toes pointed from years of dancing, Katherine's move looked more like a ballet move than a spinning kick.
As Katherine's body returned to an upright position, she dropped down on her haunches, swinging out her right leg in a sweeping kick. She used the momentum of her spin to stand up and position herself back into her defensive stance. Tommy and Jason mirrored Lilly's expression, wide eyed and slack jawed.
"Where'd she learn that?" Jason questioned.
"No idea." Tommy replied. "I wonder just how many more new moves she's learned."
"Maybe I should challenge her to a spar and test out her new skills." Jason laughed.
"You so totally should!" Zack chimed in.
"Do it." Tommy nodded. "I'm interested to know what she can do now."
"I'd pay to see you fight Kat!" Rocky exclaimed. "I'll give ya $100 if you pin her!"
"I'll chip in the twenty in my pocket." Zack added.
"You got anything Tommy?" Rocky asked.
"I got $50 in my jeep."
"There ya go Jase! $170 to pin Kat!"
"Make it an even $200 and I'll do it." Jason smirked.
"Done, I'll hit an ATM on the way back to your house." Tommy nodded. Jason gave a slight nod and stood up from his chair. He walked across the lawn to where Kat was instructing Lilly on her move.
"Drop your shoulders to balance out your weight as you spin around." Kat explained. Lilly did as she instructed, but was unable to seamlessly drop to a sweeping kick from the spin. She sighed as she stood up off the ground. "Don't worry about it Lilly, it took me three years to perfect that move."
"Daddy!" Lilly called out when she saw Jason approaching. "Did you see Kat? Did you know she's a dancer like Mommy and a fighter just like you?"
"I did know that Lilly-pad." Jason laughed. "Kat's pretty amazing, isn't she?"
"She is." Lilly grinned. Jason glanced up at Kat and noticed that she was blushing.
"Did you know that she's a cop just like me?"
"You are?" Lilly turned around to look at the tall woman again. Kat nodded. "Is there anything you can't do?"
"Sew." Kat laughed.
"So um, Kat... I was wondering... well all of us were actually... Would you mind a friendly sparring match with me?" Jason stammered. "We're all kind of curious to know what you can do now."
"Um, sure, I guess." Kat shrugged.
"Yes!" Lilly exclaimed. She enjoyed watching her Daddy spar. She ran over to Tommy, who was still sitting in his chair. "Daddy is going to fight Kat!"
It didn't take long for nearly everyone to huddle around Jason and Kat as they prepared for their match. "Twenty bucks says Jason pins Kat." Rocky whispered to Adam, knowing that he was not in on the deal.
"Jason wouldn't do that." Adam rolled his eyes.
"Twenty says that Kat distracts him and takes him down." Aisha said as she wrapped an arm around each of the mans' necks.
"You're on." Both Adam and Rocky replied as one.
"You ready Snowflake?" Jason smirked.
"As ready as I can be, Fire Breath." Kat retorted.
"Fire Breath?" Zack raised an eyebrow, as Kat groaned and shook her head.
"Are you serious? You're the king of nicknames and you don't get it?" Kimberly shook her head.
"What was Jason's thunder animal?" Billy questioned.
"Red Dragon but... Oh I get it! Dragons breath fire!" Zack did a face palm.
"Nice one Kat." Trini laughed. "You know that can apply to Rocky and Tommy as well."
"I didn't think of that, but hey it works." Kat grinned.
"Alright Kat, show me what you've got." Jason nodded. Both fighters struck a defensive pose as they began slowly circling each other, looking for any weaknesses. Jason knew that Kat was no match for his strength and experience, but she made up for it with agility and quick strikes. He quickly spotted her weak point. Kat favored her stronger right side, leaving her left side slightly more vulnerable.
Jason threw a fake punch to her right side, when she made a move to block his punch, he brought up his right leg to connect with her left thigh. Kat stumbled for a moment before regaining her balance.
Kat had known Jason would be hard to beat, after all he had spent his entire life studying martial arts while she had only been truly serious about it for the last ten years since joining the FBI. She was required to know hand to hand in order to be a field agent and had studied hard to pass her exams. Since then she had been perfecting her own unique style. Watch your left side. Scolded herself.
Jason make another advance kicking just above her head causing Kat to lean backwards to avoid a food to the face. "No fair Jase!" Kimberly quipped from the sidelines.
"That's a perfectly legal move." Tommy argued. "Come to think of it, they never set any ground rules for this match."
Kat caught that last bit from Tommy, and mentally smirked. No rules? I can deal with that. She purposely left her left side open again and waited for Jason to make a move.
Jason saw her vulnerable side open up again and mentally shook his head. Didn't she learn anything the first time? Once again he threw a fake punch to her right, but as his right leg came up Kat dropped down on her haunches and caught his ankle between her hands. In flash Jason was on his back on the ground, his ankle still firmly held in Kat's hands.
"Cry 'uncle'." Kat grinned as she applied pressure to Jason's ankle.
Jason slightly winced but still playfully glared at her. "Never."
"Come on Daddy! Break free!" Lilly cheered from her spot next to Tommy.
"Not gonna happen." Kat said as he quickly bent Jason's leg back until his knee was on his chest and her butt was resting on the back of his thigh, never letting up on the pressure on his ankle. "Surrender?"
"You know most people would surrender under these circumstances, but I'm not most people." Jason replied calmly. In a moment of seemingly inhuman flexibility Jason brought his free leg up to Kat's chest and used his body weight to roll them over. His right leg she had a grip on was wrapped around her shoulder and under her back, but his weight was on top of her chest while his thighs effectively pinned her arms to her sides.
"Dirty move." Kat growled. She fought to free her arms but it was no use.
"We didn't set any ground rules, it's perfectly legal for me to pin you with my weight." Jason smirked. "Do you surrender?"
"Not a chance." Kat said as she began squirming to free herself. Her breasts inadvertently rubbed against Jason's groin. Jason sucked in sharp breath at the sudden contact between the two very sensitive body parts. Kat grinned to herself, she hadn't meant to do that, but it was breaking Jason's concentration.
"No Fair!" Jason hissed, hoping that no one else could see what she was doing to him.
"No rules." She whispered back in a low sultry voice that made Jason's throat go dry. Again she wiggled her body, gently rubbing against him. Jason instinctively pulled away from the friction, giving Kat just enough space to free up her arm. She grabbed hold of the front of his shirt and, with the help of her legs, threw him forward off her chest.
Jason mentally kicked himself as he landed face first on the ground. How could I allow myself to get distracted like that? As he stood up he noticed Kat already in a defensive stance. Before he had a chance to take his pose, she used the move she had been showing Lilly. Kat's foot came dangerously close to his face. Having narrowly escaped a shoe print on his face, Jason was unprepared for the hook of Kat's foot to the back of his legs. Once again Jason found himself on his back on the ground.
"Come on Daddy!" Lilly called out
Jason quickly pulled himself on his feet but stayed crouched low to the ground. He retaliated Kat's attack with a sweeping kick of his own bringing Kat down the ground on her back. She was momentarily winded and Jason took advantage of that. He grasped her wrists in one hand and held them above her head as he straddled her waist. His powerful legs stretched down her slender limbs as his feet locked over her knees. Kat was effectively held down in place.
"Surrender?" Jason cooed as Kat tried to squirm free only to find she couldn't move at all. Jason was too heavy and strong for her throw off.
"Mercy." She whispered. Jason leaned forward until he was just inches from her face. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek.
"They can't hear you." Jason replied in a low voice.
"Uncle!" Kat shouted. A few cheers erupted from the crowd as well as a few groans. Kat and Jason didn't move, however. He stared at her with his intense brown eyes, and she felt completely exposed to him. It felt, to her, as if he could see right through her.
For a moment Kat thought that Jason was going to kiss her. He need only lower his head those last few inches to claim her waiting lips. The longer the moment drew out, the more she wanted him to kiss her. She could feel her lips almost quivering with want of contact and felt her heartbeat speed up at the thought.
"Mommy!" Lilly called. Jason's head snapped up to see his petite ex-wife standing there glaring daggers at him. He was off of Kat quick as lightening. Kat sighed at the sudden loss of contact as Tommy quietly helped her to her feet.
"This is was your teaching my daughter?" She shrieked.
"Our daughter Liz, she's my daughter too." Jason argued. "And it's not what it looks like. Kat and I were sparring..."
"Sparring?" Liz shook her head. "I've never seen a sparring match like that, except maybe in the bedroom! What are you teaching Lilly? That it's okay to pin down a woman half your size?"
"Liz, you're overreacting." Jason sighed.
"I can assure you it's not what you think." Kat said as she stepped forward.
"Don't even start Katherine!" Liz snapped. "Just what do you think you're doing with Jason?"
"I'm not doing anything." Kat shook her head.
"Oh, no? I saw that look! Have you forgotten that he's Tommy's best friend? Your ex. And that Jason is my ex? You don't sleep friends' ex's!" Liz growled.
"I haven't forgotten who is who's ex or who his friends are!" Kat shouted. "I didn't do anything!"
Liz took a couple steps toward Katherine. "You were my friend once, so I'll say this one time. Stay away from Jason." She nearly growled. "Have you forgotten you had a child with his best friend, and I have a child with him? He should be off limits to you."
Kat took a step back, unshed tears filled her blue eyes, it hurt for Liz to throw Charlie into her face like that. She had once counted Liz as her friend, but now... Too much time had past and Kat was quickly remembering why she distanced herself from Angel Grove.
"I haven't forgotten." Kat whispered as she shook her head. She quickly walked away from the group toward the house. I could never forget Charlie, he's the reason I do what I do.
"What the hell is your problem Liz?" Jason snapped as Kat ran off, Tommy followed closely behind her. "Kat didn't do anything to you! How could you use Charlie's memory like that against her?"
"Someone had to put her in her place Jason!" Liz replied coldly. "You should remember that too. She was Tommy's at one point. She should be off limits to you."
"Liz you don't have any say in who I see or what I do with my friends." Jason fumed. "Tommy doesn't care if I were to start seeing Kat. She's not off limits, as you so put it. So back the hell off, now!"
"You're treading a thin line Jason." Liz shook her head. "When friends start messing with friends' ex's things get muddy really fast. Think about that."
"Your concern in noted Liz." Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "I think you should go now. Lilly will be late for dance class if you don't."
"I'm well aware of the time." Liz snapped as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Lilly, it's time to go."
"Coming Mommy." Lilly said as she appeared from behind Rocky. She had hidden herself when her parents started yelling at each other. "Bye Daddy." Lilly hugged Jason and placed a kiss on his cheek before she grabbed hold of her mothers hand. Liz left the yard through the gate that she had entered, with Lilly in tow.
"What crawled up her ass and died?" Zack shook his head.
"I'm going to go check on Kat." Jason said as he marched toward the house. He walked in the patio door and saw Tanya leaning against the doorframe to the livingroom. "Where is she?" He asked her.
"She's sitting the hallway leading to the spare room." Tanya replied, not even pretending she didn't know who Jason was looking for. "Something really shook her up." Tanya had stayed inside to finish preparing the salads for dinner, so she had missed the scene between Liz and Kat.
"Liz got under her skin." Jason grunted. "Some days that woman..."
"Just some days?" Tanya raised an eyebrow.
"You know what I mean Tan. I'm going to go check on Kat."
"Tommy's with her."
"I know, I saw him follow her." Jason nodded as he moved toward the hallway. He spotted Tommy sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with Kat curled up on his lap. She was shaking and it was obvious that she was crying. Tommy looked up at Jason as he approached, but gave him a look that clearly said it wasn't a good time.
"How could...she say that?" Kat hiccuped. "I could... could never... forget Charlie!"
"I know Angel Eyes." Tommy soothed as he rubbed her back. Jason looked at the ground, once again unsure of what he should be doing. "Liz is just jealous and she's lashing out at you because you are an easier target than Jason himself."
"She used to be my friend."
"I know, I know." Tommy continued to rub her back in small circles. Jason slowly backed up and sank down onto the couch and watched Tommy soothe Kat. He couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest wishing that he could be the one with Kat curled on his lap. He wanted to be the one slowly rubbing her back and press a kiss into her hair.
Jason softly sighed as he stood and left the livingroom. Tanya gently touched his shoulder with a look of sympathy and he offered her half a smile. He walked outside and leaned against the house, closing his eyes. When did I fall in love with Kat? He asked himself. He had always known that he liked her, but he couldn't understand when he had fallen for her. He inwardly groaned. What am I going to do when she leaves back to New York? More importantly, can I convince her to stay here... with me? Can I prove that she should give me a chance?