Author's Notes: So we have Thanksgiving in June LOL This chapter is one of my favs mostly because of the banter between Katherine and her brother, it's modeled after me and my youngest brother. And Jason's talk at the end... if I guy did that for me in real life... (Sigh) There aren't many guys who are old fashioned so I couldn't resist making Jason that way... You'll see what I mean when you read the chapter! Hope y'all like it.

Shoutouts: Kelsey. Marie. Scott- Welcome back! I'm glad that you like how this story is going. It will grow darker in the coming chapters. I said before that I like my heroes or heroines to have some type of tradgic background that they continually have to fight, so of course I couldn't resist giving poor Kat that kind of back story. I'm glad that you think I'm telling her story well. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Jeremy Shane- Here's more for you!

brankel1- I'm glad that I could convey some of the emotional turmoil to you as the reader. I try my best to describe the scene from my head but sometimes what I see isn't exactly what's conveyed. I originally had that chapter somewhere else but when I was reading through I decided it belonged where it is now. Especially with this chapter right on it's heels. I loved that last part too, that made me tear up more than the actual funeral, but it was a good cry. The happy but sad kind... if that makes any sense. LOL Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 18

"Hey Snowflake." Jason greeted as Kat walked through the front door. "You okay?" Kat had got up early and left the house before Jason could say anything to her. He had climbed out of bed and sat in the livingroom waiting for her to return from wherever she had gone.

"I'm fine." Kat nodded. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Kat, I thought we were past the whole keeping everything bottled up inside thing." Jason shook his head. "What's on your mind?"

"I went to see Charlie." Kat admitted quietly as she sat on the couch next to him. Jason wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple.

"How are you doing?"

"Good actually." She replied. Kat looked up at him with her bright blue eyes and smiled warmly. "I think I'm ready to let him go."

"You sure Kat?" Jason raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure." Kat nodded. "Charlie wouldn't want me to spend the rest of my life alone mourning him. I'll never forget him, but it's time to move on."

"I'm proud of you Snowflake. That wasn't an easy decision."

"I've also decided to transfer to the west coast." Kat grinned. "Of course you realize that I'll be making frequent trips to LA, but that's okay. And I'll have to turn down that promotion if they offer it to me..."

"You're serious?" Jason cut her off. "You'll move here?"

"You're here silly. Where else would I be?" Kat laughed.

"Oh Kat! You have no idea how happy that makes me!" Jason hugged her to him tightly. "You can move in here with me if you want, or we can find you a nice place of your own, either way..."

"Here is fine Jason." Kat said softly as he entwined her fingers with his. Jason pressed his lips to hers, overcome with joy. Kat was really moving back home to be with him. She wanted to be with him!

"Come on, that's why you guys have a room upstairs." John, Kat's oldest brother, teased as he trudged into the livingroom.

"Morning to you too John!" Kat said brightly.

"Did I ever tell you how much I hate your bright and chipper morning personality, Fred?" John mumbled as he flopped into the oversized chair across the room from the couple.

"About as much as I hate your groggy, coffee first personality." Kat replied.

"I have to ask... 'Fred'?" Jason laughed.

"An old nickname." Kat rolled her eyes.

"Why 'Fred'?"

"I can answer that one." John sat up straighter. "Kat here is the only girl of four children, so she always wanted to be just 'one of the guys' so as a joke we gave her a boys name. It just kind of stuck."

"That's cute." Jason laughed.

"We also call her 'Grace' every so often." John added.

"Because she's a dancer?"

"Actually, it's a pun on my ungraceful diving accident." Kat shook her head. "My family best deals with things by turning them into jokes. It seems though that I'm the only one who never caught onto that trait."

"That's the diva in you." John laughed. "You're so bloody serious all the time."

"Yup, that's me." Kat grinned. "I'm going to go start a pot of coffee before Mr. 'I need ten cups of coffee to function' wakes up."

"Tommy?" Jason laughed.

"The one and only." Kat nodded before leaving the two men in the livingroom. She started up the coffee pot and then took the eggs out of the fridge, along with a package of bacon. Might as well feed the troops as they get up.

"That smells heavenly, Kitty." Micheal Hillard's deep voice boomed through the kitchen as Kat was cooking up the eggs and bacon.

"Morning Dad." Kat called without looking up. "There's coffee sitting by the sink and mugs are in the cupboard right above the pot."

"You do know how to treat an old man, honey." Micheal chuckled. Kat heard shuffling behind her and mugs clinking as her father pulled out a cup.

"Hold it right there Mr. Hillard!" Tommy shouted as he came into the kitchen, probably drawn in by the smell of breakfast or, more likely, the coffee. "That's my cup!"

"I didn't see your name on it, Dr. Oliver." Micheal laughed. Kat turned to look over her should at the mug in question. It was a super-sized white coffee cup with a picture of Godzilla on it. Jason had bought it for Tommy many years ago, while they were still in college, as reminder of his dragonzord.

"He's right Dad, that is his cup." Kat laughed.

"Alright then." Micheal chuckled and handed the steaming cup of liquid to Tommy.

"Thank you my good sir." Tommy grinned triumphantly as he took his treasured cup and sat down at the table. Kat laughed and walked past her father to the cupboard retrieving another super-sized mug. She filled it with the rich black coffee and handed it to her father.

"Here Daddy. Jason's not nearly as protective over his mug." Kat laughed before giving her father a peck on the cheek and going back to the stove to finish breakfast. Micheal took a tentative sip of the coffee before moving over to sit at the table with Tommy.

"So I hear that congratulations are in order for you Tommy."

"Uh, yeah. Thanks." Tommy nodded.

"Do I get to meet this girl who had stolen your heart away?" Micheal raised an eyebrow. Even after Tommy and Katherine had fallen apart, Micheal still saw Tommy as another son. He and Tommy had kept in contact, and at times he talked to Tommy more often than his own daughter.

"I figured you'd want to meet her." Tommy replied. "That's why she's here with me."

"Good boy." Micheal grinned. Kat walked over and placed a plate in front of each of the men. "I like the new haircut. It's about time you got yourself a grown up look."

"I liked his long hair Dad." Kat protested on Tommy's behalf.

"Of course you would." Micheal laughed. "You just wanted to rebel a little against your old man and date a boy with hair longer than your own. You just didn't count on the fact that I would actually like said boy." Kat rolled her eyes and shook her head before walking back over to the stove.

"I smell food and coffee!" John exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen with Jason trailing behind him. John plopped down on a chair next to his father as Jason pour two cups of coffee before starting another pot. He then joined the other men and handed John his cup. Kat set two more plates down on the table shortly after that.

"Thanks, Snowflake. This looks great." Jason grinned at her.

"You're welcome Jase."

"You know, he's got such a cute name for you Kat, you should give him a name too." Tommy laughed.

"Don't go there Tiger." Kat raised an eyebrow, falling back on her old nickname for him.

"I'm staying out of it." Tommy raised his hands in surrender.

"I see the women are sleeping in today." Micheal laughed as he began to stand with his coffee cup in hand.

"Oh, I'll get that Mr. Hillard." Jason quickly stood and took the mug from Kat's dad and refilled it before handing it back to him.

"Thank you Jason." Micheal smiled at him. "So tell me about yourself son."

"Uh...",

"Daddy! You've known Jason for years, it's not like I brought home some random guy!" Kat cut in from across the room. "Besides, you're in his house, show some respect to him."

"I meant no disrespect Kitty." Micheal laughed as shook his head and looked back at Jason. "I'm simply trying to get reacquainted with the boy."

"Stop calling him boy, for starters." Kat added. "He's thirty-three."

"I think she told me." Micheal said in a low voice to the other men at the table.

"Kat's just opinionated and strong minded." Tommy laughed.

"There's no telling her anything." John nodded.

"You know, I can hear you." Kat rolled her eyes.

"For heaven's sake, Micheal, stop picking on my daughter and her new guy." Sophia's accented voice cut into the conversation. "You too John, Leave your sister alone."

"Boy does that bring back some memories." Kat laughed. "Mommy, John's being mean to me!" Kat wailed in a little girl voice.

"She started it." John argued in a high pitched voice. "I swear Mum, she threw a rock at me."

"Kids." Sophia rolled her eyes. "They never grow up do they?"

"Not when we're together." John grinned.

"You threw rocks at your brothers?" Jason laughed. Kat turned and looked at him.

"Only when they deserved it." She deadpanned.

"Which was on a constant basis." John added.

"You were especially deserving of it." Kat raised an eyebrow at her brother. Jason was enjoying the interaction between the two siblings. John and Kat's other older brother, Kevin, had already graduated and joined the military before the family moved to America. Her interactions with Todd, weren't nearly as lively since he was eight years younger than her.

"You tried to get us to play dress up!" John said as a look of horror overtook his facial features. "Me and Kev in a dress! No wonder we were mean!"

"You willingly played dolls with me." Kat grinned, knowing she got him on that point.

"Low blow." John pouted.

"Okay children that's enough." Sophia cut in again. Kat turned back around and prepared her mother's plate. "You have such a lovely house Jason dear."

"Thank you Ma'am." Jason nodded.

"Oh you can drop that Ma'am stuff Jason. You're not a teenager anymore and it makes me feel old." Sophia chuckled. "You can call me Sophia."

"Uh, okay... Sophia." Jason stuttered. Even in his thirties, he still called all his friends' parents Mr or Mrs, Sir or Ma'am. It was just second nature to him.

"Will we get to meet that charming daughter of yours soon?" Sophia asked. "She looks like such a darling."

"She can be." Jason laughed. "Although sometimes she really acts like a diva."

"You sure she's not related to Fred?" John laughed.

"Ha, you're so funny." Kat rolled her eyes.

"Liz will be here this evening for dinner, with Lilly. Unfortunately it's not my year to have Thanksgiving with her though."

"That has to be rough, not getting to see your child all the time." Sophia said sadly.

"It is, but it just means that I treasure my time with Lilly even more." Jason shrugged.

"You take care of your daughter thought, don't you son?" Micheal asked.

"Of course." Jason nodded. "I make sure that everything Lilly needs is taken care of. That's why I let Liz have the house in our divorce and I don't complain about how much my child support it. I figure that I made that little girl so I better do everything in my power to make sure she has a goof life."

"Honorable." Micheal nodded.

"Here Mum." Kat said as she placed another plate in front of her mother.

"Breakfast smells great." Anna said sleepily as she walked into the kitchen. She plopped down on a chair next to Tommy and swiped his coffee mug. "Thanks doctor, I needed this."

"That's my cup!" Tommy whined. "Come on Anna, get your own." Kat wasted no time in pouring a fresh cup and handing it to Anna.

"He's a bit protective of that cup."

"Godzilla?" Anna raised an eyebrow as her fiance took back his precious mug. "Oh, I get it! Godzilla! Roar!" She laughed. The Hillard's stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Inside joke." Kat cut in. "Tommy always reminded us of an angry Godzilla before he got a cup of coffee. We were afraid that he would rip the town to shreds if anyone came between him and that cup of black liquid." She quickly covered. Jason and Tommy exchanged looks grateful for Kat's quick thinking.

"You know me!" Tommy grinned and took a sip of coffee to emphasize Kat's story. "Not even a great woman can draw my attention away from a steaming cup of java."

"Good to know." Anna tapped a well manicured finger on her chin. "Should I just put a coffee pot in our bedroom?"

"You know something, that's not a bad idea." Tommy laughed.

"Only you would think that was a good idea Tommy." Jason groaned.

The 'family' continued with the small talk and jokes as they finished eating breakfast. After breakfast, Anna, Kat, and Sophia decided to go to the mall for some "last minute Thanksgiving shopping", as if the women really needed an excuse to go shopping.

John had mentioned that he had a love of motorcycles so Jason took him out to look at his. John ended up taking it for a spin as Jason waited in the driveway, patiently leaning against his truck. Tommy and Micheal settled in the livingroom together, flipping through the channels looking for some sports game to watch.

"Tommy, tell me honestly. What do you think about Jason and Katherine being together?" Micheal asked suddenly. Tommy sat up and looked at his exes' father.

"I don't have a problem with it." Tommy replied honestly. "Kat and Jason really do fit well together and they make each other happy. That's all I want."

"Aren't you the least bit... concerned about this?"

"Nope." Tommy shook his head. "You could say that I kind of pushed them together anyway. So I'm good with it. What about you?"

"I like Jason, he's an honorable fellow. I know that he'll treat my baby right." Micheal paused for a moment. "I'm more concerned about Katherine taking on the role of step-mother."

"I see." Tommy nodded. "I hadn't thought about that."

"I just don't want her coming to hate Jason's daughter because she lost Charlie before she even really had him." Micheal sighed. "You know how Katherine is. She'll try to pretend that nothing is wrong, but it'll be there in small glimpses. That envy of a healthy child, the pain of losing her own, the anger at the unfairness of it all..."

"I see what you mean, but what I've seen between Jason and Kat... He's actually got her to open up, even more than I did. She trusts him, and will tell him what he wants to know. Maybe, just maybe, Jason is the key to helping her let go of Charlie."

"I sure hope you're right."

"I know both Kat and Jason better than anyone else. They're good together, and I hope things work out for them."

"Do you think they'll try to have a baby of their own?" Micheal asked quietly.

"I don't know. A baby around Lilly... and Kat... That's a tough question to answer."

"Sophia really wants Katherine to settle down and have a couple children. We both had hoped she would go back to you."

"I did too, for a long time." Tommy nodded. "But she's happy with Jason right now..."

"And when she's supposed to return back to New York? What of their relationship then?"

"That's something that they're working out." Tommy shrugged. "Don't rule out Jason, Mr. Hillard. He's a terrific guy and Kat's lucky that he's so head over heels for her."

"I get that feeling too." Micheal nodded. "I can see the way he looks at her, and she looks at him. They're both very lucky to have found one another. I just worry, that's my nature. Katherine is my only daughter and I just want to know that she'll be happy and taken care of."

"I know, and Jason can do that. They'll figure things out for themselves." Tommy nodded.

"For some reason, knowing that you're okay with this makes me rest a bit easier." Micheal smiled. "If you can overlook your best friend dating your ex-fiance, mother of your son, then I suppose I shouldn't have much to worry about."

"Exactly." Tommy grinned. He flopped back down the on couch just as a soccer game came on the station he had paused on. He instantly recognized the sandy haired man leading the home team to the field. "Hey, that's one of my former students!"

"Which one?"

"The lead man." Tommy pointed out for him with a proud grin. "That's Conner McKnight."

The women were still out shopping at one in the afternoon, John and Tommy both had fallen asleep while watching the television, leaving Jason and Micheal pretty much alone in the house.

"Um... Can I talk to you Sir?" Jason asked a but nervously.

"Sure son." Micheal nodded. After his talk with Tommy, he truly was more at ease with the idea of Jason and Katherine being together, although he still had some worries.

"Privately." Jason gestured down the hall toward his study.

"Sure." Micheal followed Jason down the hall and into the room. "What's on your mind?"

"I just wanted to let you know, that I love your daughter very much." Jason began. He clasped his hands behind his back trying to hide his nervousness.

"I can see that." Micheal nodded.

"I hope that I can put some of your concerns to rest." Jason said, Micheal opened his mouth to speak but Jason quickly continued. "I know that you're worried. I can see it in your eyes. I have nothing but Katherine's best interests at heart."

"I can imagine you do, Jason. But what happens when it's time for her to go back to New York? Or have you thought about how she'll feel being around your daughter all the time?"

"We've discussed both of those issues, Sir." Jason nodded. "We talked again last night and this morning too."

"And?"

"Kat's fine with Lilly and even adores my daughter. Of course there will always a bit of sadness that she couldn't see Charlie grow up like that, but she's ready to let him go. She said her good-byes this morning and came home to talk to me about it. I think she's finally healing."

"That's good." Micheal smiled. "I was worried that losing Charlie would consume her for the rest of her life."

"It nearly did." Jason nodded.

"What made her change her mind?"

"She hasn't gone into much detail, but I think it was me, Sir."

"You've really gotten under her skin huh?"

"No deeper than she's gotten under mine."

"What about New York?" Micheal reminded Jason of the second pressing issue.

"Kat said this morning that she's going to transfer to the west coast. She's moving back here." Jason answered. "Before you say anything, I never asked her to. I would never ask Katherine to give up something like her career for me. She chose that without discussing it with me."

"She really must love you." Micheal grinned. "You make sure you keep her happy."

"I will do my best." Jason nodded. "Which brings me to the real reason why I asked to speak with you."

"What's that?" Micheal raised an eyebrow, already having a suspicion of what Jason wanted from him.

"I would like to ask your permission to ask Katherine to marry me." Jason said as calmly as he could as he took a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Micheal. Micheal fell silent, seeming to study Jason from head to toe and then studied the diamond ring in his hand. "That belonged to my grandmother on my father's side. I picked it up from my father yesterday."

"A little fast don't you think?"

"I know it seems fast since we've only been together for a month, but Sir, I've known Katherine for years. I've been there with her at the worst times in her life, even if I wasn't the one comforting her, I was still there. I've always loved Katherine, I just didn't realize it until we were together. I want to be the one offering her the strength she needs to be who she is. I want to be the one that she opens up to. The one she can cry in front of. I want to be the one to wipe away her tears and make her smile again. The one she sees every morning. With your permission, Mr. Hillard, I want to make Katherine my wife, if she'll have me."

Micheal looked at Jason as a grin covered his face and his eyes lit up. "Well said my boy." Micheal took Jason's hand in is own. "You have my permission."

"Thank you, Sir!" Jason exclaimed.

"Welcome to the family, Jason."