can't take the home out of oklahoma - ii. (k.c.)
a/n: we're soooo back! this is filled with banter and found family and all the sweet angst! also, it's come to my attention through a third rewatch that i've actually been wrong the whole time and kate's last name is in fact carter. if you catch any of my slip-ups, whoopsies! thank you to @cottagecori for letting me ramble about this one the phone for hours and to @sometimesanalice for listening to all the personal lore. i actually ended up having part iii written before i start part ii but now i think it needs a rewrite so that should be up in a few days. comments and reblog are always appreciated!
part i.
summary: You and Kate build a friendship until you stand on the precipice of something more.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, tornadoes, concussions, angst, kissing, scott is actually the villain
word count: 10.7k
Kate pushes the barn door open, a piece of toast in her other hand.
You’ve got another cup of coffee in hand as you follow Kate inside. She stops as you take the place in.
“This is where the magic happens?” You ask, taking it all in. The model town, the polymer tucked up at the top, extra equipment for the truck strewn about through the place.
“Just about.” She answers.
She hangs by the door, as you walk around, taking it all in.
Towards the back, where some of Kate’s papers sit, are photos. There’s some of the Wranglers, some of her Mom. Others of her and Tyler, some with her and Javi.
You nudge one of them aside, looking at one of the pictures tucked in the very corner.
It’s a picture of an obviously much younger Kate and Javi with three others you don’t recognize.
You think you should maybe be surprised that it’s clear Javi and Kate go back so far but in thinking about what you’ve seen from them, it feels like the signs were always there.
There’s a comfortable ease they have with each other that can only come with so much time of knowing someone, the same one Boone has with Tyler.
“You know, I owe Javi a lot.” Kate comments, coming to stand next to you.
“Yeah?”
She nods. “Without him, there wouldn’t be all of this. He brought Tyler and I together in a way. If he’d never convinced me to come back to Oklahoma-“ She breaks off, shrugging.
“I get what you mean.” You say softly.
“He’s my best friend. We’d do anything for each other I think. No matter how far apart we go, he’ll always be there. He’ll always be in my orbit.”
“You guys complement each other in a lot of ways.” You say softly and she nods.
It’s quiet again as you think of the conversation you’d caught on the stairs last night.
Javi, telling Kate she should give you another chance.
Kate, saying she doesn’t want to get hurt again.
You want to ask about these three people you don’t recognize but you know well enough that Kate probably wouldn’t tell you, would probably get annoyed at you for not having the wherewithal to not ask.
A knock against the wooden door of the barn pulls both your attention. It’s Javi, standing tentatively at the doors.
“Owens says we’re gonna leave in about an hour, so to be ready by then.” You nod, going to step away and Kate gestures her head, beckoning Javi in.
You wait as Javi walks over. “Just showing her all the grant stuff.” Kate says, gesturing to the messy table next to you. There’s a white board hung on the wall, grant and sponsor deadlines in a sprawling handwriting that screams Boone.
“That’s right, we’ve got the deadline for the proposal to talk to the governor and the senators this Friday.” Javi says, picking up a binder. “Good thing California’s got the experience writing proposals.”
“Really?” Kate asks.
You shrug. “Nothing too impressive, just research proposals. I haven’t written many as I’ve read them — comes with the territory of working in a Writing Center for four years.”
“The hell’s a Writing Center?” Javi asks, flipping through the binders, presumably to figure out what they should take on the road with them.
“Place to help students with their writing on college campuses. I spent two years one in my undergrad and then both years of my Masters.”
“You’ve got a Masters?” Kate asks.
“Yeah but not in anything useful.” You say with a shrug.
Kate clicks her tongue. “That’s okay. I don’t even think Javi knows how to spell the word conference, so we could use all the help we can get.”
“Hey now!” Javi defends, snapping the binder shut. “I was in the same PhD program as you!”
-
“Agh!” Kate shouts.
You shut the door, hand flying up to cover your eyes.
“Sorry!” You shout. “I thought you were still in the bathroom!”
You cringe, thinking of the scar running down’s Kate thigh you gotten sight of. You think of the picture tucked into the corner of the barn, the one with three people not around.
Kate opens the door and you spin around. She rubs her cheeks, a dusty pink covering them. “Sorry.” She says. “You just scared me.”
You shrug. “No, it was my fault.”
You two both stand there like in the doorway, awkwardly looking at each other until you hear heavy footsteps. You both look down to see Tyler standing at the bottom of the staircase, hands on his hips. “We’re waiting on the both of you.” He says matter-of-factly. “Hurry up. I’ll leave you here.”
He turns on his heel and you can hear the front door shut behind him.
“He will.” Kate says. “Leave us here. So we should probably-“
You nod, ducking into Kate’s room to grab your bag. She waits for you and then you both walk down the stairs, Kate shouting goodbye to her Mom as she does. Cathy meets her daughter at the door and you slip out, trying to not let your heart twinge at the sight of the obvious love and care Cathy has for Kate.
Tyler tells you you’ll be riding with Lilly and you nod, climbing into the passenger seat of her van as Lilly whoops, shouting something to Javi about finally not having hot cheeto dust all over her radio and dashboard.
Kate leaves the house a few minutes later and your eyes meet through the windshield. She gives you a tight smile and a small wave before climbing into the passenger seat of Tyler’s truck.
“You okay?” Lilly asks and you startle, not having realized she had opened the door.
“Fine.” You respond. She studies you for a minute before turning the key.
“Let’s go chase some twisters then baby!”
-
You shoot up with a gasp, feeling the sweat drip down your back as your breath comes out in short pants. Tears sting at your eyes as you take in the darkened space.
The Oklahoma rose nightlight sits in the corner, the grey cotton sheets beneath you familiar.
Okay. Okay. You were in Kate’s room. You were okay. You were safe here.
You press your palms into your eyes, trying to push back the tears as someone shifts next to you on the bed.
“Are you okay?” She asks softly and you have to bite back a whimper at the humiliating knowledge that you’d gone and woken her up.
“Fine.” You say, pulling your hands away from your eyes. She reaches over to her side of the bed, flicking her lamp on. “You don’t have to do that.” You say quietly. “I’m sorry for waking you. You can go back to sleep.”
Kate shakes her head but doesn’t say anything as she moves to have her back be supported by her headboard. Finally, you sigh, moving to match her position as she waits.
“You know, I used to get them all the time too.” She says, her twang a bit more prominent at this point of night. “The nightmares.”
“How do you deal with them?” You ask quietly, chancing a glance at her.
She sighs, shaking her head. “I don’t know that I used to deal with them per se. When I first moved to New York after it happened, I used to stay up for days at a time until I was so tired I wouldn’t dream. Some nights I’d have to spend hours reminding myself what was and wasn’t real. They’ve only gotten better since I’ve started to deal with what happened head on.”
You want to ask her what it is exactly that happened, an incident everyone but you seems to know, but you can’t bring yourself to dare to ask. She must know the questions you have though because she keeps talking.
“I see you look at that picture of them.” She says quietly. “The one in the barn. I’ve been waiting for you to ask.”
“I didn’t think I should.” You say quietly.
“Well, I don’t think I’ve ever made it clear you could.” She responds. “They were friends of Javi and I’s. That photo in there, it’s the last photo we ever took together. We were storm chasing that day; they were helping me with my dream.” She lets out a shaky breath. “The storm we ended up in was an EF-5, not the EF-1 we had been hoping for. We tried to hide under an overpass. Praveen was taken first, he never made it. Addy and I were trying to climb up when I got cut.” You think of the scar down Kate’s thigh, the one you’d only seen that one time on accident. “Addy got hit by debris right after. My boyfriend at the time, Jeb, he helped me get up, to cling to the metal piping. He was holding on to me until he wasn’t.” She swallows. “For years, I’d see them in my dreams. I’d wake up think Jeb was telling me we were going to be okay, that Addy was chasing one more storm with me, that Praveen was still there with his cautious concern. For years, I thought it was my fault.”
“Kate, I’m so sorry.” You whisper. “I couldn’t- I couldn’t even imagine.”
You think of Texas, of the horrors you’d seen there. And yet it almost can’t compare to the loss Kate’s lived through.
“It’s why I’m glad you’re joining Javi and I in DC next month.”
“How do you mean?”
She wraps her arms around herself, a tear trickling down her cheek. You resist the urge to reach out and wipe it off her face.
“Praveen’s parents told me after the funeral that they could never be angry with me for what happened; that they knew their son had died doing what he loved. Praveen had gotten struck by lightening a few weeks before and I don’t know, I think they knew that those were the risks he was taking after he decided to keep going back out. Addy’s parents blamed me though. Said that I encouraged her recklessness, that Addy would’ve been safe if it hadn’t been for me.” She swallows. “But Jeb’s parents- they’ve got money, the degrees in science. They’re pretty prominent in the meteorology community but they’re not storm chasers in any form of the term. They didn’t just blame me for Jeb’s death, they blamed Javi.” Another tear drips down her face. “Javi never even got close to the storm. Jeb was dating me; he’s the one followed me into the storm. He never would’ve been there if it hadn’t been for me. But they put that stain on Javi’s name too, it’s why Javi had to fight so hard to get StormPar together, it’s why he had to bring Scott on. I’m terrified it’s gonna affect what we’re trying to do here too.”
This time, you finally reach out for Kate. You take her hand, squeezing it. “Kate, you’re testing the unprecedented out here and it’s working. You’ve got the support of all the Wranglers, all their supporters. You’ve got this. You and Javi and Tyler - you guys are going to change the game, I’m sure of it. It doesn’t matter what they say, I see it every time you guys go out into the field and cause a storm to collapse. You’re going to change the world, I just know it.”
She gives you a watery smile as you bite back the you don’t need me for that.
“I hope DC is going to be good.”
“It’s going to be great.”
She sniffs, taking her free hand to wipe at the nose. “Anyways, I didn’t mean to make it about me.”
“No, you didn’t-“
She cuts you off. “Just that if you ever want to share that stuff that’s haunting you, the stuff that keeps you up at night, I’d listen.”
-
“You guys, I thought we had a no work at the dinner table rule.” Dani says.
She shrugs, crowding over your phone with Javi. “Technically foods not here, so it’s not dinner time.”
You’re inside with her Mom and Tyler and Dexter, getting ready to bring out all the food for dinner. Javi chuckles as they scroll through the outline you’d drawn up earlier in the day.
Suddenly, your phone starts ringing with a call and her and Javi shoot back like they’ve been burned.
She doesn’t recognize the name on your phone, but she knows you haven’t spoken of the life you’d left behind nor talked to anyone from that past.
“What do we do?” She hisses.
“Kate, just decline it.” Lilly says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
It probably is, but it doesn’t save her from pressing the wrong button and answering the call.
Her hands fly up to her mouth, looking around the table as they all fall silent.
Hello? Hello? Are you there?
She can hear a man say and she glances at Javi, wide-eyed, unsure of what to do.
Sweetheart, can you hear me? Are you there?
Javi’s hand darts out and ends the call.
It feels like the table lets out a collective sigh of relief when the phone starts ringing again.
Lilly reaches around Dani this time and ends the call. Javi picks up your phone again, going back to reading the outline.
“Kate man, you’ve got all those fancy degrees and you’re telling me you don’t know how to decline a phone call?” Boone crows from the end of the table.
“The question should really be are we going to say anything to her.” Dani says with a smirk on her face.
“Oh please don’t.” She groans, letting her head fall into her palm.
“Oh fuck.” Javi mutters from next to her and she steals a glance at the phone. “Kate can’t decline a call but apparently I can’t swipe away a voicemail notification either.”
Out of her peripheral vision, she thinks Dani’s eyes flicker up over her head.
“Hey guys, this feels like a real invasion of her privacy.” Lilly says and she’s right. Her Mom would wring her neck if she knew what her and Javi were reading right now but it’s like a bad car wreck they can’t look away from as the voicemail transcribes itself.
“Hey guys, she’s coming back, I’d put it away.” Boone says, shifting closer to take the phone.
“Okay, yeah, like put it away right now.” Dani says, scooping the phone up but it doesn’t make her forget what she’s seen and she knows Javi won’t either as they share an uneasy glance. “Here.” Dani says, offering you your phone as you slide the platter down in front of her and Javi.
She swallows, chancing a glance at you as your confusion about the obvious fuss over the phone turns into a hard look, sliding the phone into your back pocket.
You’re quiet through most of dinner as her and Javi keep looking at each other, both unable to participate in the conversation either.
Hey, sweetheart, it’s me. It sounded like you picked up there for a minute but maybe it’s a fluke, I don’t know.
I miss you, darling. I miss you so much. The last six weeks have been so hard without you and I just hope that you’re safe wherever it is you’ve gone. Your sister still calls me sometimes to ask where you’ve gone and I still listen to your favorite music hoping it’ll make you be there.
I know you’ve said we’re done, that you didn’t want to be with me anymore, but if you ever want to come home, please let me know. I still love you baby, I always will you. You can come home whenever you’re ready.
-
“Man, California, what’s all this? It’s like an art project.”
You look up at Javi from where you’re cutting out paper.
“I’m getting the questions for tomorrow’s video ready.” You smack Javi’s hand that’s reaching out for the pile that has Boone’s name on it. “Stop it - you don’t get an advantage.”
Javi hisses, retracting his hand as he glances at the kitchen. “And the cookies?”
“I got drunk and made cookies. Kate’s Mom said I could.” You pause, looking up at him. “Well, the getting drunk was all me. But Cathy did say I could make cookies.”
Javi chuckles. “Okay California, so what I’m hearing is I’ve got to catch up to you?” He asks, pulling another beer from the fridge.
You shrug. “Sure, but you’ve got to help me pull the cookies out to cool.”
He nods, sitting across from you at the table as he takes a draw from his beer. “So California, I gotta ask-“ You groan. “That voicemail.”
You sigh before reaching out for your own drink (a strong dirty Shirley Temple, Boone had teased you as you’d made them for you and Dani) and taking a long sip. “My ex.”
“Sounded like you broke his heart.”
“I probably did.”
“Why?”
You sigh again, looking over at your phone that had all the questions written down on it, the Sharpie squeaking against the cardstock you’d found shoved into one of the closets.
“It just wasn’t working. The relationship wasn’t right anymore. It probably hadn’t been right for a while, maybe ever, but I wanted to make it work.” Javi waits for more information and you sigh, capping the pen. “He was in the Navy and-“
“C’mon California, don’t you know better than to date a military man? Coming from a former military man.”
You raise an eyebrow. “You? Actually, yeah, that tracks.”
Javi chokes. “The fuck does that mean?” He says hotly but there’s no real malice behind his words, a wide grin on his face.
You give an unimpressed look. “Do you really need me to explain it?”
Javi laughs, shaking his head. “Nah, I get it.”
You nod, uncapping the Sharpie again as you start on Kate’s questions. “Anyways, he was also eight years older than me.”
Javi makes a noise through a laugh. “Hoohoo, so you mean to tell me you were the scandalously younger girlfriend?”
“I wouldn’t say it was scandalous. I was 22 when we met.”
“Making him 30. That’s pretty scandalous to me.”
“We only went on two dates and then decided to be friends so by the time we did date I was almost 24 and he 32.”
“That’s still pretty scandalous.”
You snort, setting Kate’s questions aside. “Yeah, well, my friends would agree with you there but honestly it never really phased me.”
Javi takes another draw of his beer. “Yeah, cause you were being groomed.”
The deathly look you give Javi sends him into a fit of laughter.
“I was not!”
-
“What are you guys doing?”
You look over at Kate and Tyler from where you’re laughing at the meme Javi’s showing you. You swallow the rest of your laughter, sliding off the kitchen counter like you’d been caught.
“California and I got drunk. We’re bonding.”
Tyler looks unimpressed as Kate steps into the kitchen, surveying the cookies. “Can I have one?” You nod.
“Damn California.” Tyler whistles when he sees the amount of cookies sitting in Kate’s kitchen.
You give a nervous laugh, scrubbing your forehead with your wrist. “Yeah, I know. Its my Dad’s recipe — I always forget how much the recipe makes and I even halved it.”
“So you disappeared from the barn to drunkenly make cookies?” Kate asks, not to you, but to Javi, and your face falls.
Right.
Right, Javi had been in the barn with Dexter and Kate and Tyler to talk science stuff. You couldn’t find your place in the conversation with Boone and Lilly and Dani as they had s’mores, so you’d come inside to make cookies.
Javi shrugs, a lopsided grin on his face as the alcohol paints his cheeks a rosy red. “Just trying to get to know our new team member, s’all.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to distract him.”
Kate shrugs as she takes another bite. “Not like it’s hard.” She swallows. “He’s like a toddler — he gets distracted by food and shiny things.”
“Hey now!” Javi says as you hear the front door open again. “Nah, California here was just telling me about her scandalous-“ Javi pauses as Boone and Lilly come through the kitchen, Dani behind them as they wait for him to finish his sentence. He must see something on your face cause he softens. “Nah California, that’ll just be between us.”
You give him a tight smile before turning to Tyler as the newcomers realize there’s cookies. “Owens, what time are we leaving tomorrow?”
“1. And we need to film that video for the YouTube channel, which is what I’m guessing this all is.”
You nod as he gestures to the table with the stack of questions on it.
“I hope Tyler loses again.” Lilly says and Tyler gives her a face in return. The group laughs at him, presumably thinking about after he had lost the game of Twisters last week, he’d had to feed Kate’s angry rooster Mr. Biscuits, who Tyler had, up until that point, thought was a dog.
“Hell no, I’m not doing that again.”
“Um,” You say as you pull the sleeves of your (Javi’s, though he doesn’t seem like he’s going to ask for it back at this point) pullover down your arms. “Can someone make sure the cookies get wrapped up? I think I’m gonna head to bed for the night.”
“Wait, but we were gonna watch a movie!” Dani protests.
You shrug. “Tired.”
It’s a weak excuse as the energy shifts in the kitchen.
Kate clears her throat. “I can. Make sure the cookies get put away.”
You give Kate a small smile. “Thanks Kate.”
“No problem.”
You turn to leave the room, various calls of goodnight following you as you walk up towards the stairs. You sigh when you reach Kate’s room, shutting the door behind you. The sleeping bag you’d gotten had migrated its way inside as you always ended up falling asleep on Kate’s floor.
She’d offered to share the bed again more times than you could count but ever since you’d awoken her from your nightmare, you’d elected to sleep on the floor in hopes to ride them out alone.
You all but flop onto the floor, feeling your body protest as you do. As much as you dismissed the uncomfortable sleeping conditions to the group and especially to Kate, your body protested more than anything after sleeping on the wooden floors of Kate’s house.
Your phone dings and your stomach drops as you look down at it.
Hope you’re safe wherever you are.
You swallow around a scream, seeing Jake’s name on your screen. Your fingers begin flying across your screen without your permission.
Jake gets blocked first, then Javy. Natasha and Bradley. Pete and Bob and Sophie, Elle and Sam following. Mickey and Julia and Reuben.
Before you can even realize it, most of the people you knew who were wondering where you were now had been blocked. Maybe you should’ve done it before now, seeing as how desperate you were to leave those memories in Texas where they belonged.
Angry tears sting at your eyes as you resist to throw your phone, deleting photos en masse.
As you hear laughter from down the stairs, an ache settles in to your bones.
Six weeks gone and it still sort of felt like you were always standing at the edge of this group, never quite able to find your place. They seemed to like you more now, Kate especially, but it still felt like the bonds they’ve woven together in the last year would always put you on the outs.
A lot of the time it still felt like you’d never really run from the memories of Texas, your past life left behind.
-
Kate says your name softly. “Are you awake?”
You shift in the sleeping bag, turning to face her. “Kate?”
“I’m sorry.” She whispers. “Seeing that voicemail- that was wrong of us. We didn’t mean to.”
You shrug, though you doubt she can see it. “Not your fault.”
“I know you don’t want to talk about why you left but I- it sounded like he really cared about you.”
“Caring about me doesn’t mean our relationship was right. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t unhappy for a while before I left.”
Kate sighs. “I get what you mean. It just sounded like he really missed you.”
You swallow, turning back over. “Yeah.”
“I get that we can’t make you stay.” She whispers. “But I understand how someone could miss you that much. I think I’d miss you that much if you left.”
Your tears are resurfacing but you can’t bring yourself to respond to Kate’s words.
After a few minutes, when it becomes clear you’re not going to respond, Kate bids you a quiet goodnight and rolls back over.
I think I’d miss you that much if you left.
-
“Now, you might be wondering where our fearless leader Kate is today.” Boone says through the grainy feed of the live stream.
“And her lovely sidekick Javi.” Lilly adds from her end.
“Tyler, why don’t you tell the viewers at home where they are?” Boone prompts, facing the camera to Tyler.
“Well folks, they’re in DC with our lovely social media manager to talk to the governor and Senators from a bunch of the states in Tornado Alley, particularly Oklahoma. They’ll be presenting the research we’ve been done out here in the last year in hopes of getting more state budgeting allocated to tornado research and relief.” Tyler informs the livestream and you grin as you type out a comment.
Tyler wasn’t invited because he’s not smart enough.
Boone lets out a bark of laughter, repeating the comment to Tyler. Tyler makes Boone gesture the camera over to him, getting real close as he drives. “I know where you sleep at night.”
Hello FBI, there’s been a threat made against my life.
The group sets off into laughter as Boone struggles to relay the message to Tyler through his laughter.
“What are you doing?” Kate asks, sitting down next to you, Javi across from you.
“Causing chaos in the livestream chat.” You exit it, turning your phone off. “How come you guys aren’t eating?”
“I think I’d throw up right about now.” Kate says, looking over to Javi, who does look much paler than normal.
“You guys can’t seriously be nervous?” You ask around a mouthful of Cheerios.
“You’re not?” Kate asks in disbelief.
You shrug. “I’m used to public speaking. Besides, I’ve been told I’m a pretty good presenter, if I do say so myself.”
“Great, want to present all the data?”
You blanch. “I wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of that. All I gotta do is talk about Tyler and well, he makes that part pretty easy.”
-
“So, it’s like I was saying, when I backed out of StormPar, a lot of these guys came over because of Kate.” Javi says as he makes introductions of his team, the ones who’ve been out in the field, using the radars to collect the data from the tornados Kate and Tyler have collapsed.
“Javi.” Someone says and the group turns. Javi’s face sours noticeably.
“Scott.” Javi says with a grim face before turning to you. “This is Scott, my ex business partner.”
His eyes gloss over you as they land on Kate. “See you’re still wasting your time with Carter here.”
Javi’s eyebrows scrunch up but you put your hand out, stopping him. “Sorry, Simon, was it?” Javi snorts.
“Scott.”
“Right, Sonny. Sorry. I mean- do you like take pleasure in being an asshole? That’s not a very attractive personality trait.”
“It worked for Owens, does it not?”
“Oh, Stephen, sweetie. The internet would never make thirst traps of you like they do him.” Javi has to cough in his fist to hide his laugh and Kate has a hint of a smile on her face. “Oh, I know! You must be jealous of Javi’s sauve charm or- no, it must be because you think Kate should be in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning right? Cause women can’t have degrees.” You snap your fingers. “That must be it.”
Scott gives you a displeased smile, turning to Javi. “When did you two get a guard dog? Couldn’t face me on your own?”
Javi introduces you. “She’s Tyler’s new social media manager, been out there giving us a hand.”
Scott clicks his tongue. “Maybe she’d like to meet my new investors.” Scott turns, gesturing over a woman and man, and the sight of them must mean something to Javi and Kate as they both take a step back, their faces going pale.
Scott introduces them to you with a smirk on his face. “She’s working for Javi and Kate, figured it might be good for you all to meet.”
The woman, in particular, has strong displeasure written on her face. “So, you decide to follow these two into a tornado?”
You give a half shrug. “Can’t seem to think of why the decisions of a stranger would matter all that much to you.”
She raises an eyebrow, adjusting her purse. “I just think you should be careful.”
“I think you should mind your own business.” You say sharply, catching sight of the aide opening the door for you guys down the hall. “If you’ll excuse us, we should be going.” You touch Javi and Kate’s arms, nudging them forward.
“And when you die for them, will it be worth it?”
It’s the man this time.
You turn. “Excuse me?”
“When you die for Kate and Javi, for this- this- hypothetical they believe in, like the one our son died for, will it be worth it?”
And suddenly it all makes sense. It all clicks into place.
Kate’s words come back to you, how Jeb’s parents who were meteorologists who had money, how Jeb’s parents blamed Javi and Kate for their son’s death.
Javi says your name softly. “C’mon, they ain’t worth it.”
“Your son didn’t die for some hypothetical. He died for research that’s working.” You say sharply. Kate grabs your wrist, pulling you back. “Maybe you should watch the YouTube channel sometime. Sounds like you could stand to learn a thing or two.”
The aide ushers you into the conference room after that. The presentation goes smoothly, no obvious signs of how much the encounter had rattled Javi or Kate, and it’s obvious that more than a few of them are impressed with what you had to tell them.
Until Kate asks if anyone has any questions.
“Ms. Carter, you’re from Salpulpa, Oklahoma, isn’t that correct?” The governor of South Dakota asks.
Kate swallows. “Yeah. That’s right, I am.”
“And six years ago, you were caught in an EF-5, right? Working on this research with your business partner here?”
She nods, hesitancy growing on both her and Javi. “That’s correct.”
“And this research, you were doing as part of your PhD? But there was a team of five, right? What happened to your three colleagues?”
You frown as Kate glances at Javi. “They were killed, sir.” Javi answers for her. “In the EF-5.”
“Sorry, I just- Can I ask why that matters?” You interrupt.
The governor shifts as the one of the senators from Oklahoma turns to him. “I’d like to know as well.”
“Well, two of my constituents are directly connected to that incident, as their son Jeb was dating Ms. Carter at the time. And they’re raising a lot of concerns about this research you’re out here doing. I mean, how are you going to ask me to sacrifice more lives and money to your data that’s not even backed?”
Kate seems stunned, Javi too. “Well, sir-“
“Sorry, what are you implying here?” You say, cutting Javi off.
“I’m saying that this research is led by two people who have a known history of being responsible for the death of my constituents and I simply won’t put any more time forth on this.” The governor stands, snapping his folder shut. “We’re done here.”
“So you’re saying Kate and Javi are responsible and at fault for the deaths of three equally educated researchers who willingly chose, by no influence of Javi or Kate, to go in the storm that day six years ago? Because I think that is incredibly gross and inappropriate.”
Javi reaches out for your arm. “Stop.” He whispers. “It’s fine, we can take it.”
You shake your head. “No, no because you’re wrong. To insinuate that what we’re doing out there is anything less than helping the people these tornados target is wrong. We use the data from the radars Javi’s team sets up to understand how these tornados are collapsing and when we can’t get to a storm in time, we’re there, on the ground, giving out food and water and helping people dig through the rubble of their lives while you sit in your fancy office, removed from the everyday struggles of these people!”
You finally breathe, taking a step back as you pray Javi and Kate can forgive you.
“You’re new to this team, that’s right?”
You nod. “Been here just under three months.”
“And how did you find yourself here?”
You shrug. “I’ve seen firsthand the destruction and death these tornadoes cause. I’ve seen what these people can do to help. All I’ve ever wanted is to make a difference.
“And when you die, cutting your life short, for this research?”
You glance at your friends. “Then I’ll die knowing I gave my life helping others to change the game. I’ll died knowing I did what I could to make a difference.”
-
Her and Javi sit in their hotel room, uneasy silence between them.
They’d invited you to come with them but you’d seemed hesitant and had retreated to your room down the hall.
“Can we talk about it?” Javi asks finally.
“You ever think about that voicemail we saw?”
Javi shrugs. “Not really, I guess.” He glances at her. “Do you?”
She shrugs, pulling her shorts down. “Sometimes. Just wonder what the hell she’s doing out here when she’s got people at home who seem to care about her that much.”
Javi shrugs. “Whatever they did to force her to Oklahoma, that cut’s gotta run deep because oh boy, she seems to be loyal something fierce.” There’s a knock on the door and Javi slides off the bed. “That’ll be our room service!” He jogs to the door, getting the food and thanking the person. He shoves a fry in his mouth, moaning around it, before he talks again. “I mean, she had the balls to stand up to the governor of South Dakota for us.” She doesn’t say anything response, running her fingers over the starchy fabric beneath her. “Kate.”
She glances up at him. “What?”
“C’mon, talk to me. What’re you thinking?”
“I can’t ask someone else to sacrifice their life for this.” She says softly.
Javi sighs, sitting back down on the bed. “That’s the thing I think you’re missing Kate. You’re not asking. She’s offering.”
“But why?” She croaks. “What is any of this worth to her?”
Javi shakes his head. “That’s the part I can’t quite figure out. I don’t know, Kate.”
-
Your head meets the table as Cathy slides a plate down in front of you. “I need three naps and an IV full of Diet Coke.” You mumble and Dani laughs into her coffee from her seat next to you.
“So, c’mon tell us about DC.” Boone says excitedly. “You said you’d say over breakfast.”
You can hear Javi sigh from across the kitchen at the coffee pot. “It didn’t go well.”
“What happened?” Lilly asks around a mouthful of food. “Javi stumble over his words or something?”
“Well, for starters, we saw Scott.” Javi says as you lift your head from the table. There’s various groans and boos from the group as Javi’s grins grows. “Yeah, but she was mean to him.”
You snort. “Yeah, I said the internet would never make thirst traps of him and he must think women belong in the kitchen. Oh, and that he must be jealous of Javi’s charm.”
“We also saw Jeb’s parents.” Kate softly, immediately sobering your friend’s laughter. Cathy frowns, reaching out for her daughter.
“They’re Scott’s new investors.” Javi explains as Kate looks at you.
“They asked her if dying for me like Jeb did would be worth it.”
Tyler scoffs. “That’s bullshit. You told them that was bullshit right?”
You sigh. “Them and the governor of South Dakota, whose pocket they’re in. Told him it’s was gross and inappropriate to ever say Kate and Javi were responsible for the deaths of their friends.” You sigh, standing up from the table. “Sides, I know my words won’t make any difference to men like him but they didn’t go into that storm for Kate. They did it with Kate. This was something they believed in and it’s something I believe in too.” You push your food towards Boone. “Here, you can have it, I need to go to bed.”
-
She sighs and Javi tosses her an irritating look.
“Alright Carter, cough it up. What’s bugging you?”
She shrugs. “Nothing.”
“Kate, do you really take me for an idiot?” She gives him a curious look. “Look, I see how you are with her. The looks you give her when you think none of us notice. The way you’re always trying to include her in conversation, the way you always want her to be around. What gives?”
She scuffs her heel against the asphalt of the parking lot. “Do you think she’s got a thing for T?”
Javi sighs, rubbing his hands together. “No, I don’t.” He nudges her. “I mean that genuinely. I ain’t just saying it cause I know it’s what you want to hear.”
They both look at where you’re sitting, crowded up into Tyler’s personal space. Tyler’s arm is resting on your head obnoxiously, a cross look on your face as you elbow Ty in the ribs. To an outsider’s perspective, she could see how someone would mistake you two for something more but she knew the truth.
Tyler Owens saw you nothing more than the little sister he had never had and had always wanted. Tyler was protective of his team, it was a given, but with you he was different. There was an innate, inherent bond between the two of you different from everyone else. And if Kate had to guess, it stemmed from where your pasts intertwined, even if they didn’t know how.
But maybe it would be better if you did have something with Tyler.
“Better how?”
She blinks, turning to look at Javi. “Didn’t realize I said that out loud.”
Javi studies her for a minute before standing. “C’mon, I need to get a jacket, come with me.” She follows as Javi shouts that they’ll be right back to the group and she catches your curious look from across the fire.
Only once the motel door of Javi and Boone’s bedroom is shut, Javi looks at her. “Kate, what’s up?”
She looks at her friend before sinking to sit down on the bed. “I didn’t- I didn’t think I could ever love someone again after Jeb.” Javi’s eyebrows raise. “Ty showed me it could be possible.” She swallows, feeling tears sting at her eyes. “But I can’t ask her to love me back and to die for it in return.”
“Wait, Kate, hang on.” Javi says, raising his hand. “You’re- Are you saying you’re in love with her?” She nods slowly. “Kate, that’s- that’s amazing.” He breathes.
“No, it’s not Javi!” She nearly shouts and he flinches back. “Tyler nearly died for it and I saved him from that fate. But Jeb died because I loved him and so will she!”
Javi sighs, running a hand down his face before moving to sit next to her on the bed. He’s quiet for a minute as their knees knock together.
“Kate, look at me.” She does only to meet with a flurry of emotions. Concern like she might be spooked by his next words, love and care woven into the proudness that’s written there. “Kate, just because- just because they died doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve to love afterwards. Just because Jeb died doesn’t mean you have to suffer and pay the price for that.”
“Their deaths are my sins, their blood is on my hands.”
Javi shakes his head, taking her hands in his own. “No it ain’t. Would you say their blood is on my hands?”
“Never.”
“Then you need to understand that it isn’t on yours either. What happened was a terrible stroke of luck, maybe fate. I’d give anything to have them back with us, to have stopped it from ever happening. But we can’t go back, we can’t make our homes in the past. We’ll miss what’s right in front of us. And Kate, you deserve a love as soft as hers.”
She lets out a shaky breath, feeling her shoulders let some of the tension bleed out from them. For the first time, she doesn’t have the heart to argue with Javi, to tell him that he was wrong. She wasn’t sure she could when he looked so sure and absolute in his words.
-
You watch as Kate and Javi walk up the steps when Boone reaches over and nudges you.
“California, when are you gonna admit you got a thing for Kate?”
Your eyes slide over to him, giving a cool look. “Whenever you admit to the thing you’ve got going with Javi.”
The group lets out a bunch ohs and Tyler cackles. “She’s got you there Booney baby.”
“It’s just stress relief!”
You look back at Boone. “You know no one believes that right?”
“Man, stop deflecting, I was asking about you and Kate first!”
You roll your eyes as Dani breaks into silent laughter from across the fire, Lilly’s shoulders shaking as she works on the drone in her lap.
Tyler climbs off the truck, moving to stand behind you. You glance up at him as he does. “C’mon though. Seriously, what is going on with you and Sapulpa?”
“Nothing.”
Tyler sighs. “C’mon California, you really expect me to believe that little lie?”
You shrug. “It’s not a lie. I’m not denying anything I feel for her but I’m pretty sure Kate doesn’t like me in that way. Most days, I don’t even think she likes me period.”
“She likes you.” Lilly protests.
“Kate’s just a harder read because of…” Boone trails off, looking to Tyler.
“Because of what happened to Jeb, I know.” You say softly. “She told me.”
“I just wasn’t- We weren’t sure.” Dani says gently.
“But you guys always said she was a certain way with T right?”
Dani hums. “Yeah, but they aren’t exactly who I’d take as example from considering-“ She glances at Tyler. “Well, considering their fling lasted all of three weeks before they nearly killed each other.”
“Tyler, anything to contribute here?” Lilly says after a minute and you look back up at him. He’s got his hands on his hips, an unreadable look on his face.
“I don’t know that I should be encouraging any inter-company dating here. Team dynamics and all of that.”
Your eyes grow wide as you almost rocket out of your chair before gesturing to Lilly and Dani, who only laugh. You then turn to Boone, gesturing a hand at him. “Really?!” You nearly yell. “You’re so full of shit Owens!”
Tyler sighs. “California, I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt. I mean, if I tell you something wrong and it turns out to be a misstep, and shit goes wrong and one of you leaves, it’d be a huge blow.”
Dexter shakes his head, finally speaking up. “Kate’s not leaving.”
You can see the silent I know on the edge of Tyler’s lips, the It would be you leaving written in his eyes.
“Hey guys,” Dani calls. “We’re all still here. Wanna include us in whatever silent conversation’s happening over there?”
“I don’t want to get involved.” Tyler says with a wave of his hand. “Y’all are both too important to me for me to get this wrong.”
You sigh, settling back in your chair as you see Javi’s door re-open, Kate and Javi emerging. Boone sighs, patting the spot next to him and you move, falling into the space next to him.
“Boone, anyone ever tell you you need to shower more?” You mutter as Tyler meets Javi and Kate halfway, probably to bid them goodnight.
“I’ll take the shot if you do.” He whispers back. You glance at him as Javi and Kate return to their original seats across the campfire. Javi’s got a strange look on his face at the sight of you and Boone and Kate’s eyes are watery as Dexter hands her a few Oreos.
“You first.” You mutter.
Boone gives you a wolfish grin before sliding a marshmallow into his mouth. “I’ll think about it.”
-
“Guys, look.” Dani calls, and you and Tyler turn, seeing her hold a small puppy.
You coo, walking over to her as she holds the dog out to you.
“Where’d you find this little cutie?” You say, holding the little baby up, scratching underneath his chin.
“Heard him whining under a bunch of wreckage a few blocks over. One of the firefighters helped me pull him out. EMTs said the elderly couple who lived there didn’t make it. Probably couldn’t get to safety fast enough.”
You feel Tyler’s body deflate next to you as he kicks at a piece of wood at the ground.
“Ty?” You ask softly as the puppy nuzzles into your collarbone. You can’t read his face but it doesn’t seem like Dani can either as he scrubs at his forehead with his wrist.
“Could we keep him?” You ask softly. “You heard Dani.”
“We’ll find a shelter for him.”
Dani shakes her head. “Shelter here got destroyed; there’d be nowhere for him to go.”
You turn a pleading look onto Tyler, who has a storm brewing behind his eyes.
“We can’t have a dog on the road you guys. A dog, chasing after tornadoes? Really? Let’s use our brains here. Besides, I think Boone’s allergic.” Tyler snaps, hands falling to his hips.
Your pout grows as you hold the puppy up to your face. “But Tyler, little Enid wants to come with us. Don’t you Enid?”
“Enid?” Tyler asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, we found him in Enid so we should name him Enid.”
“First of all, that dog is not an Enid.” Dani chokes down a laugh at Tyler’s snark as he shoots her a look. “And we are not adopting a dog.”
“I think we should do a group vote.” You say, turning on your heel in search of the team.
“You can’t override me!” Tyler calls after you.
“Watch me!”
You find Lilly and Dexter first, handing food out. “Group poll - should we keep this little puppy? His owners passed away. Dani and I vote for yes. Tyler votes no.” You can hear Tyler walking behind you so you drop your voice to an over-exaggerated whisper. “For the record, Tyler’s vote is wrong. Vote yes.”
“This is not a democracy!” Tyler shouts.
“Man, just let the girl have her fucking dog!” Lilly shouts back.
“What dog?” Kate says, appearing from the back of the van. Her face softens. “This is such a cute little puppy.” She coos, bending down to scratch at his ears.
“I think we should keep him and name him Enid. Tyler disagrees.” You explain as Kate fawns over the puppy.
“He seems like such a sweet little guy, and you’d have so much fun on the road with us, wouldn’t you little Enid?” She coos, taking the dog from you.
“So that’s an enthusiastic yes from Ms. Kate Cooper.” You say, hands falling to your hips.
“Once again, this is not a democracy.” Tyler says sharply.
“It’s an Owens-acracy.” Javi calls from down the street. “Meaning Tyler does whatever the hell he wants.”
“Javi - Yes or no on keeping the puppy?” You shout back.
“Aw hell yeah! Our little storm chasing dog! Our little data dog!”
“We are not keeping the dog.” Tyler says firmly, impatience growing.
“Is Boone allergic?” You ask Lilly, who snorts and nods.
“Yeah but that man would die so happy covered in dogs. He loves ‘em. Had bloodhounds growing up.”
“A dog can’t stay in most motels.” Tyler reminds the group.
“As if he couldn’t be snuck in.” You counter. “Besides, you’re telling me that after a long day of storm chasing, you wouldn’t want to cuddle up with this little puppy here?”
The look Tyler gives you is answer enough.
“Somebody go find Boone and ask him if he wants to keep this dog.”
“Aw hell yeah, we’re getting a dog?” Boone crows, walking up behind you.
“Boone, you’re allergic.” Tyler deadpans.
“Man, I grew up hunting with bloodhounds, I’ve got like a natural resistance by this point!”
Kate holds up the dog, smile wide. “Boone, this is little Enid.”
Tyler sighs, turning on his heel. “We are not taking that dog and we are certainly not naming him Enid!”
“Famous last words.” Lilly mutters.
Tyler flips you all off as you break into laughter.
-
“Man would you stop pouting, you’re ruining my vibe!” Javi exclaims, which only causes you to sink further down in your chair.
“This is fucking stupid.” You mutter, kicking at the dirt as you do.
“I’m not happy about this either.” Tyler says from across the fire pit, begrudgingly looking down at the dog on his chest.
“I’m the whole reason Enid came with us and who does he want to spend time with? Oh, Tyler of course! Smoke practically came out of his ears when he saw Enid in the truck! But nooooo, that’s who the dog wants to be with!”
Boone’s chair creaks as he leans over. “You kinda sound a little crazy, talking to yourself like that.”
You shoot him a glare that has him withering back in his chair.
“I’d want a cat, I think.” Kate says thoughtfully from her seat next to you.
“I hate cats.” You mutter, crossing your arms. “I want a dog.”
Javi lets out a long sigh from next to you. “This is gonna get real old.”
-
You’ve been with the team for four and a half months when it happens.
You’re in some small town, just past the border of Oklahoma into Kansas, when the second storm cell you had all been tracking touches down.
“Hey guys.” You call, panic starting to creep into your voice. “That saying with lightning, how it never strikes the same place twice? Does that apply to tornadoes too?”
Moments after you finish your sentence, the winds kicks up, the sirens blaring.
It’s almost like you’re rooted to the spot, staring at the beast coming towards you as Lilly shouts from down the street to follow her to the shelter.
“California!” Tyler shouts. “What are you doing?!”
You sweep your gaze to him, spotting the truck as you. The unmoored truck.
He catches what you’re looking at and he shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it, come on!”
“I got it, I’m right behind you!” You shout, already darting towards the truck.
You think Tyler curses but then he’s off down the street after the group. “Damn it, Boone.” You mutter, brushing the cookie crumbs off the console that are preventing you from getting to the switch. “The snacks have got to stop.”
Once the button has been pressed and you can hear the gears start, you throw the truck door open, sliding down to follow Tyler.
Except one minute you’re standing and the next, you’re on the ground, groaning.
You blink your eyes open to see debris scattering down the street and realize it must’ve taken your feet out from under you. You push yourself up and realize you don’t know where Tyler went. Your head hurts from its collision with the ground and through the pain, you can feel yourself start to panic. You roll over catching sight of the truck locked into the ground.
The truck.
The truck probably wouldn’t fly. The truck had harnesses. The truck had protected Kate once.
You crawl to the truck in hopes to avoid catching any wind, pulling yourself up and slamming the door as quickly as you can. You tug the harness on, debris hitting the car as the wind speeds pick up.
From the bed of the truck, you can hear Enid let out a bark, climbing over the arm console to curl up in your lap. He lets out a whimper, nuzzling closer to your stomach.
“It’ll be okay, Enid.” You whisper, letting your eyes shut as your hands curl in the dog’s shaggy fur. You guys really needed to take him to a groomer. “We’ll be okay.”
-
She watches her friends filter into the shelter, panic clawing at her as everyone from the town passed through the doors with no sight of you.
Javi’s pushes his way through the doors and he collides with her, her fingers clutching in his jacket. “Javi!”
“She isn’t with me Kate.” He breathes out, backing her up from the doors.
Her breaths coming in stuttering gasps as she clings to him. “Can’t be.”
“Kate, she’s probably with T, they were together. They’re coming, don’t worry.” Boone tries to soothe and Javi confirms his words, rubbing his hands up and down her shoulders.
Until Tyler appears through the doors, the last of the crowd.
“Where is she?!” She’s frantic now, a sob growing as she sees Tyler round the corner. “Tyler, where is she, I thought she was with you!”
Tyler glances over his shoulder, where they’re shutting the doors. “She- She was just supposed to nail the truck down.”
Kate’s moving towards the doors before she realizes it but she doesn’t get very far before someone’s arms are pulling on her jacket.
“Kate!” Javi shouts. “Kate, we can’t help her now!” She looks at him, feeling her eyes sting as she looks at his defeated face.
“It’s just like last time.” She chokes out into a whisper.
“I know.” He says softly. “I know, but there’s nothing you can do for her right now. We just need to wait.”
The mere minutes it takes for the storm to pass drag on, the tears unabashedly slipping down her face.
How could this happen again?
It’s maybe only 15 minutes later she’s standing outside in the clearing Oklahoma sky but it’s felt like a lifetime has passed and when the street is empty, save for their truck at the very far end of the street, it feels like it’ll all drag on for a lifetime more.
Her team is beside her but all she can do is wipe at her face, unable to stop the salty tears against her tongue.
“Kate…” Tyler says gently and she whips around, near snarling at him.
“This is your fault! You should’ve taken care of the truck, it never should’ve been her! She should’ve come with us, you never should’ve let her out of your sight!”
Tyler swallows, eyes growing glassy. “You don’t mean that.” He chokes out.
She doesn’t and she knows she doesn’t.
But this loss stings.
Lilly reaches out a cautious hand, and when Kate doesn’t push her away, Lilly pulls her into a hug. Dani joins, Boone not far behind. She thinks she can even feel Dexter join at the edge as the tears slips down her cheeks. She clings to Lilly, the girl running a hand up and down her back.
And then Javi shouts out.
-
You finally breathe, blinking your eyes open as you do.
You wince, your head throbbing as you begin to take the harness off and-
You pull on the door handle, tripping out of the truck as you start throwing up onto the gravel road.
Tears sting at your eyes, the small rocks digging into your palms as you empty your breakfast onto the ground.
“Yo!” Someone shouts from a ways away, but all you can focus on is the throbbing in your temple.
A hand is on your shoulder, gently pulling you up. You blink, wincing as Javi comes into focus.
“Javi?” You breathe out, leaning into him as the sound of footsteps running towards you gets closer. “Think I- head. My head hurts. Concussion.”
Javi doesn’t respond as another body collides with you. It feels like the wind has been knocked out of your lungs as the person trembles against you. “Thought you were gone. Thought I lost you.” Kate whispers.
“Kate, you’re gonna get vomit all over you.”
“Don’t care.” She whispers, still holding you. “I know you probably have a concussion, I’ll take you to the EMT’s please just- just let me hold you for a little longer.”
You nod. Despite how tight she’s holding you and the throbbing behind your eyes, it feels like you can finally catch your breath as she does.
“How’d you even think to hide out in there?” Lilly asks and you blink your eyes open, seeing the team standing before you. You don’t let Kate go.
“I truly was right behind you T.” You say, locking eyes with Tyler. He looks devastated, the relief of seeing you unable to loosen the tension in his shoulders. “But one minute I was standing and the next I was on the ground and you were gone. I think some debris knocked my feet out from under me and I sort of panicked. I remembered how it had kept Kate safe and it was the only place I could think of in time.”
“You gave us all quite the scare.” Dexter says. “Glad to see you safe.”
“Me too.” You whisper, squeezing Kate.
“Holy shit Enid! You been in there the whole time?” Boone shouts after a minute.
“My brain hurts. Paramedics now?” You ask. “Please?”
Kate nods, stepping back. “Yeah. Right now.”
-
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Tyler scoffs. “You can’t even see me.”
You’re laying on the RV bed, eyes closed. The lights are dim, the quiet conversation from outside barely audible.
Tyler had shooed Kate out to get dinner and told her she actually had to sit outside and eat it or he’d remove her concussion watch entirely.
“Yeah but I can feel it.” You reach a foot out, knocking Tyler’s knee. “T.”
He takes your foot, but must think better of whatever jerk move he’s going to pull because he lets your feet fall on his thigh softly, hand resting over them. His thumb finds your ankle bones and he rubs over it softly.
“That feel okay?” He asks quietly and you nod. The show of intimacy, however platonic, is nice as you sit there.
“I’m real sorry for putting you in harm’s way kid.”
You let out a breath through your nose, resisting the urge to open your eyes. You know Tyler will just get mad if you do.
“You didn’t. It was an accident.”
“Kate blames me. Hell, I blame myself. It would be okay if you blamed me too.”
“Tyler.” You say firmly. “It was an accident. You never meant any harm to come to me. I am fine, nothing more than a wittle baby concussion. The paramedics checked me out and Dani’s been keeping an eye on me the whole drive. I am fine.”
“You’re not fine!” Tyler snaps and you wince at the loudness in his voice. “Sorry, sorry. I just- You have a concussion, not to mention the bruises and cuts you’ve saddled yourself with. That’s not fine in my book.”
“Tyler, I got hit by a car in college. What’s a little debris?”
A smile tugs at your lips as you remember the way Dani and Javi’s eyes had gone wide as they’d sat with you as the EMTs check out you when you’d told the paramedics that story.
They’d told you it was incredible that this was the situation you’d ended up with a low grade concussion and the other only a sprained wrist.
“A tornado and a car are hardly the same.”
“Technically, the tornado never hit me. Just debris.”
“Semantics.”
“The semantics are keeping Kate’s sanity in tact so please don’t make the difference in front of her.” You say quietly and Tyler sighs again.
“She really cares about you, you know?”
“Thought you weren’t getting involved?”
“I’m not.”
“Then stop talking.”
Tyler pushes your feet away, scooting closer to you. “Your loss would’ve devastated her.” He says softly.
“So I’ll be more careful next time.”
He sighs. “You’re not listening to what I’m saying.”
You crack an eye open. “Tyler, my brain hurts too much for this conversation. Can you please get to the point?”
Tyler’s point never gets made as the RV door opens, Javi telling him that Dani had pulled him off concussion watch too.
You suspected Javi just wanted to be around you but you’d take his presence over Tyler’s interrogation. Javi sits next to you on the bed as you close your eyes again.
“Can I get you anything?”
“No, though I wish I could call my freshman year room mate and annoy her like she did me.”
Javi chuckles. “How do you mean?”
“She got a concussion in a skiing accident and made me talk to her for hours because she was bored and couldn’t do anything. I need payback.”
-
Kate wrings her hands, eyes flickering around the room nervously.
“Kate?” You say cautiously. “Are you okay?”
“I just- I mean, are you sure you’re gonna be okay here? By yourself, you know, I could stay with you?” Her eyes roam over your body. “No, I think I should stay. I’m going to- I’ll go tell Tyler right now. I-“
You grab Kate’s wrist, cutting her off. “Kate.” You say softly. “It’s fine. It’s a baby concussion. I’m going to sit here for a few days and force Enid to snuggle me. It’ll be fine.”
She sighs. “I don’t know, I still think I should stay.”
“Kate, you are no use to anyone here. Anything I need, your Mom can get for me. I’ll be fine.”
Your heart clenches at the concern swimming in your friend’s eyes and it’s going to take every minute of each one of those day to remind yourself that that concerns is only because of the losses in Kate’s past.
She’s lost three friends before, she doesn’t want to lose a fourth.
She sighs, taking a step back. “You’re right. But- you call me if anything changes, okay?” You nod and so she takes another step back.
You can hear Tyler shout up the stairs for the third time in fifteen minutes. “Tyler’s gonna get mad, you should just go.” You say, already taking a step back towards her bed though your eyes never leave hers.
“Yeah, I should-“ With one last look, she slips back out the bedroom door. You sigh, pressing your hands to your eyes, willing yourself to get it together.
“It doesn’t mean anything.” You mutter to yourself. The door creaks open and you glance up, seeing Kate stride through the door. “Kate?”
Kate crosses the room in three steps, pulling you into a kiss. Before you can even process what she’s doing, she’s pulled back.
Her hands fly to her mouth, a shocked expression on her face. “I can’t believe I just did that! Oh, I’m so sorry- Mmph.”
You cut her off, crowding her space before pulling her lips back to yours.
Your hands slide down to her hips as she cradles your head in your hands. Only does she break away when Tyler shouts up the stairs, heavy footsteps on the wood.
“I really should go this time.” She breathes.
“You’ll come back right?” You ask, nudging your nose with hers. “I want to talk about this, I want to make this work with you.”
She nods. “I’ll always come back for you.”
iii.
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Chase You/Chase Me (Pt. 7)
Part 7: Round and around we go
Catch up here: Series Masterlist
Chapter Summary: The attack in McGraw Byrne's offices reveals a deeper conspiracy that runs to the top of the law firm, which Alex pursued head on. But when the dust settles, she is forced to face the music of her own troubled mind.
Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)
Words: 2.1k+
Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / themes of violence, and trauma, language. Reader discretion advised.
Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.
A week after, New York City
Shit. Shit. Shit.
The gunman panted as he ran through the dark and unfamiliar side streets of New York, the covering on his face not helping alleviate the sense of panic overtaking him.
His current state of mind paled in comparison with how calm he walked into the offices of that freakishly bright law firm.
The task was simple - get the phone and get out.
But when he found himself face to face with the woman who'd sent his life into a whirling clusterfuck, he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
He missed.
A brute of a man rammed into him right before he took a shot. Who knew corporate slaves can be combative? By then he knew he was fucked. He snatched the phone then ran.
An earlier scope of the building gave him an easy way out, but the shitty maze of the streets of the business district didn't give much of a reprieve.
I fucking hate this city.
He didn't know how long he'd been running, not until he had to stop by the dead end wall in front of him.
Blue and red flashing lights caught him in a daze, his breath heavy, realizing he was boxed in by police officers in an alley.
"Freeze!" one had shouted. "Raise your arms over your head!"
He didn't have a choice. He's not willing to die for his uncle, nor take another sentence in prison. That scumbag wasn't worth it, regardless of how many times that man tried drilling the thought into his head.
I'm tired of this shit anyway. Though I'll miss the perks.
He raised his hands, then felt his knees buckle when someone kicked him from behind, forcing him to the ground. Someone pulled the ski mask off his head, his face now exposed for everyone to see.
He was the younger, spitting image of Koenig's CEO. Except for those piercing blue eyes.
Now everyone will know, he thought. Poor uncle Peter will be burned to the stakes after he spill every single sordid detail of all the crimes Max was ordered to do.
From that pretty little celebrity in L.A., the poisoned man from Oklahoma, the researchers from Massachusetts, and all of those other victims in between.
Good thing he kept all those souvenirs. He will prove to them that he was just a pawn.
The pawn that was Maximilian Koenig Cornell.
**
A few days after, Rooftop of McGraw Byrne
Alex took another hit of nicotine from the cigarette between her fingers, standing by the edge of the fancy rooftop lounge. She exhaled a plume of smoke, the friction in her throat giving herself a temporary reprieve from her chaotic state of mind.
By the rest of the world's standards, it should have been a beautiful day. The skies above her was indigo, filled with streaks of orange from the setting sun. The peacefulness of it a far cry from the storm that was brewing inside her.
Success shouldn't feel this way. She was having a hard time basking in her recent victories.
Alex was just named junior partner this morning, after successfully taking Peter Koenig and Sadie McGraw down. Max Cornell, who turned out to be Koenig's nephew slash hitman, had confessed. He revealed who really was pulling the ropes, all in the form of well-kept call logs and text messages.
The backlash of it all reached McGraw Byrne's founding partner. The same form of proof exposed Sadie's hand on the Koenig class action suit, as well as her involvement in tipping off authorities to paint Marcus Sharpe as Aliana's murderer. The intent was to veer suspicion away from Koenig, making thousands of dollars along the way.
Alex had completely unraveled the conspiracy, with the help of Aislinn and Gigi. Beau, surprisingly, was more than participative. But it was obvious for everyone at the firm who led the crackdown, and it didn't take long for recognition to come to pass.
In everyone else's eyes, she emerged the winner.
And now, when all is said and done, there was nothing to escape to.
Alex can no longer disassociate herself from the sight of the gun barrel held by the ghost she tried to forget all these years.
The sound of applause, soured only by Martin Vanderweil's display of pain-in-the-ass arrogance, should have made her want to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Instead, here she was, wallowing with herself to be overcame by old bad habits.
What happened in the library was etched in her mind, clear as day. The memory of that close encounter with death, being brought up to life by the lack of distractions, made her shudder.
Every waking hour was consumed by the man with the haunting blue eyes that meant death. Those same eyes from the past that suffocated her for so long.
A decade spent running away from them, yet they still caught up with her.
She worked so hard not to remember, not to let it bring her down, for it not to be her end game. She's at the top of the fucking career ladder, yet why can't she still have a sense of freedom?
Everything just felt wrong. She felt out of place.
Lost in her frustrations, she didn't hear the whirring of the elevator and the approaching footsteps that followed.
"Thought I'd find you here," Gabe said, stopping inches away from her.
It took everything of her not to swivel and look at him, opting to curse at herself for how her body quickly relaxed by the softness of his voice.
The storm clouding her mind instantly dissipated, leaving her bare. Gabe's presence made the oceans within her stand still, as if awaiting to be stirred.
"Didn't want to be found," she mumbled, closing her lips on the still burning stick of nicotine. Alex struggled to keep her gaze steady at the slowly darkening skyline.
I know. Gabe wanted to say. He knew that finding her here, seeking out the comfort of isolation screamed her desire to be left alone. He had seen her internal turmoil, hiding behind the air of stoicism she projected for everyone else.
That's why he was never more determined to find her. He wanted, no, needed, to be there for her.
Gabe knew he'd been a dick to walk out from her that morning in L.A., right after he admitted what he felt for her.
But there was rarely an opportunity to make it right. Whenever there was, there was no getting through her. No matter how much he tried to reach out, to make her see that he regretted his actions that day, she wouldn't let him in.
He couldn't blame her.
Gabe told himself he'd give her time, to give her space. However, fate had other plans.
He almost lost her that night, and it was a wake up call. When he watched helplessly as Cornell aimed at her, something in him shifted. He's no longer stuck in a limbo questioning who Alex was for him, or why he constantly wanted to be near her, wanting to make everything right.
He was decided to run after her, to stay with her, no matter what. He was done chasing after dreams of the past.
Alex was his future.
"Can't get rid of me easily," he settled on that reply, leaning on the glass railing beside her.
"Really?" she quipped sardonically. "I honestly didn't take you to be the staying type."
That had to sting.
He knew he'd hurt her by leaving, so he deserved that. It wasn't enough to make his resolve waver.
"I am," he insisted. "It just takes me some time to find my footing."
She lifted a hand to him. "Don't go there, Gabe. Just don't - "
"I'm not walking away from you again, Alex," he professed.
She whirled to face him with a look of sullen resignation. "I know."
Deep down, she wanted him too. But not in the fucked-up state she was in. She needed to think, she needed to recover, she needed to get a grip on herself.
But she needed to do it alone.
"I can't deal with us now, it's just.." She sighed. "Everything else that's happened is too overwhelming."
Gabe deflated.
It was the first time he heard her admit defeat. He's gotten used to seeing her fighting every step of the way, that finding her in this state of hopelessness felt alien to him. His chest tightened, hating himself on taking part of what pushed her to breaking point.
"I need to take a step back from everything, Gabe," she said, almost begging. "That includes you."
"What do you mean?"
"Can I to take some time off?" she pleaded, wrapping herself in her own arms. "I have to hit pause for now."
"For how long, Alex?" Gabe's voice was strained. She just made it clear that he wasn't what she needed.
Still he hoped. So he held his breath.
Alex thought quietly for a few moments, before looking back at him in determination. He found a semblance of the Alex he knew.
"A couple of weeks," she answered with a tone of finality.
He didn't want to. But in his heart of hearts, he had to respect her decision. He understood that even the strongest needed to heal. Even the brave Alex Keating.
"I'll arrange it," he relented, closing his fists at his sides to stop himself from reaching out to her. "Anything else?"
She hesitated, biting her lower lip before she continued. "Actually, there is one more thing."
"What is it?" Gabe watched intently as she raised her head to look at him, her mouth curved into that familiar signature smirk that he'd grown to chase after.
"Will you wait for me?"
As per her usual modus operandi, Alex took his breath away by her unpredictability. Almost immediately, Gabe wrapped his arm around her to pull her close. He raised his free hand and let his knuckles brush against her cheek.
He smiled softly, a tad afraid that by holding her this close could break her. And yet, the effect she had on him couldn't be stopped from spilling out, as if it was what he wanted to say all along.
"I've waited my whole life for you, so what's a few more weeks?"
Alex beamed at him, relieved. "I knew you'll be up for the challenge."
"Because I care about you, Alex," he whispered.
"I care about you too."
Alex then dared to take it forward.
Before he had the chance to move away, she tiptoed and surprised him with a tender kiss on the cheek.
Gabe wasn't able to react as quickly, the contact catapulting his senses. Just as his mind plunged back to the ground, she was already walking away, the clicking of her black heels syncopating along with the beating drum inside his chest.
His sight followed her until she stood by herself in the employee elevator, her brown-eyed gaze melting him with earnest affection. As the doors shut closed, so did the heart of Gabriel Ricci.
It shut down in anticipation of her return.
**
Two months later
Mind hazy and craving for Chinese food, Gabe had asked the driver to take a quick detour.
He had just flown from Los Angeles, spending two weeks to assist on a big hotel chain M&A. He got out of LaGuardia at around 10pm, and now his jet lag and empty stomach were taking its toll on him.
The car stopped at the familiar block, and he got out of the vehicle, grabbing his suitcase. He walked the rest of the way, enjoying the craziness of New York City on a Friday night.
For a minute, it reminded him of her.
He heard rumors of her coming back, but HR had been heftily secretive on all things concerning her. With the firm fidgety over Vanderweil's recent harassment lawsuits, he erred on the safe side and didn't poke further.
It didn't take long for him to find Hoi On. Once inside, he greeted the servers in flawless Cantonese, striding straight to the counter.
As he gave his order, the kitchen crew brought out a bag of hunger-inducing takeout box. He was almost tempted to bargain for it instead of waiting for another 20 minutes. Until...
"Order complete for Alex!"
Gabe froze.
His senses were instantly filled by the familiar scent of coffee and vanilla and the echoing beat of heels hitting the floor.
There was no doubt about who was approaching the counter.
He found her standing beside him, the woman he'd missed every single day since he saw her last. The powerhouse junior partner with the easy smile and confident aura.
The woman whose return Gabe eagerly waited for.
"So," Alex began. "I take it tinsel town's fusion of cuisines can't match authentic Brooklyn takeout?" she teased, smiling at him in the same red dress she wore the first time she walked into his office.
He looked down over her - closely looking at the tiny changes in her features. Regardless, she looked more beautiful, taking note of the longer, loose tendrils of brunette hair framing her face.
"No," Gabe shook his head in amazement, his lips breaking into a lopsided grin. "Everything else couldn't compare."
She chuckled. The radiance of her laughter showed Gabe she was really back, and that she was finally ready.
"I bet they couldn't," she winked.
In an instant, Gabe's heart awoke from its slumber. It's as if it knew that this time, the wait was over.
The chase has come full circle.
Author's Notes: This may be the end of this series, but Alex & Gabe will return.
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