Chapter 10
The days past by slowly. Cat wrote, Megan watched DVD's, and Chris drove. They didn't talk. They didn't sleep together. When they stayed at an operator's house, or a hotel, he slept on the floor or a chair. No longer did they touch. That was getting to Cat.
Cat regretted blowing up and dragging it out. She wanted to feel Chris against her again, she wanted his lips and his hands. With him, she knew someone cared. Without him embracing her and treating her as if she had some disease, she felt broken. As she sat on the hotel bed, she started to cry. Megan was asleep, Chris was out getting dinner. And she was crying.
When Chris opened the door, he did it quietly. He wasn't sure if Cat was asleep or not. Honestly, with things were going, he had no idea whether she was even tired. She may have been ready to run a marathon. He didn't have any clue.
Since that night, he had been kicking himself in the ass. Looking over what he said, he basically said she was a slut. 'On your back in a crappy hotel' what the hell was he thinking! She hadn't ever kissed a guy before him and he was calling her a damn slut. God, what the hell was he thinking?
At night he kicked himself even harder. He could be sleeping with her in that bed, but oh no, he had to be an idiot. Now he was stuck on the hard ass floor.
When he opened up the door and walked in, he saw what Cat was doing. And it sure as hell wasn't sleeping. Her body was curled into a ball on the bed, shuddering as she cried. He sat the food down on the counter, letting his coat fall on top of it. Walking to her, she finally became aware of his presence. She sat up, wiping furiously at her eyes.
"Shh-Shh, come here." He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest. "Shh, it's ok. Shh."
Chris held Cat that like that for over an hour before she was just a snotty, red cheeked, hiccupping ball against his chest. He got out his handkerchief and wiped her cheeks then her nose.
"You're ok, sweetheart. Calm down, it's alright." He whispered, cooing soothing words and stroking her hair.
When she had stopped crying, and hiccupping, he laid back with her against his chest. She struggled for a few minutes, uncomfortable until he held her still. Then she just lay tense against his chest.
"I'm sorry...for what I said. I didn't mean to incline you're a slut, or anything like that. I just meant that....that you....you deserve a lot better than me. I could die any day, you....you shouldn't carry that burden. That's all I really meant."
It took so long for Catherine to answer that he thought she might have fallen asleep. Or that she just didn't want to discuss what had happened earlier.
"I didn't think you meant it that way. I'm sorry I've ignored you."
"Nothing to be sorry for. I did the same thing to you." Chris whispered.
"Are we over the blowing each other off thing then?" Chris nuzzled his head in her hair. It smelt of strawberries.
"Yeah, I think we are."
"I missed you in bed with me." Chris smiled against her hair.
"I missed it too. I hate that hard-ass floor."
That same time the next night, they were driving to the airport. After three hours on a plane, they were driven to another operator. This one was much crappier than the others. That's because it was a police station.
In a back room were four bunk beds. Each had a plain pillow and green blanket. That night, none of them slept that great.
The next morning, around four, they were up again. They boarded a plane and flew to Seattle. It was second time that Catherine cried.
Chapter 11
At eight in the morning on a Thursday morning, in February, things changed. Chris, Catherine, and Megan were driven in a black Sedan to the country woods of Seattle. The weather was horrid. Megan was curled against Catherine's side, watching SpongeBob. Catherine was nodding off, dark circles under her eyes, and her hips were aching.
To Catherine, Chris looked like he was just peachy. Under the skin though, she couldn't be more wrong. He was more stress than he had ever been. To him, he never wanted Cat to leave his side. Under that, he was scared she would change her mind later on. Under that, he was worried about what kind of father figure he'd be. Above all of that, he was scared that she would die on his watch. If that happened, he knew he wouldn't be able to live with the guilt and regret.
When they had driven about four miles, or deeper into the woods, they reached a log cabin. A-framed and two stories. It was surrounded by nothing just trees, trees, and more trees. Agents surrounded the house, some hidden, some not. When they walked through the door, three agents sat in the living room, a coffee table in front of them with stacks of paper covering it.
An agent in a black suit carried the bags to a room off the kitchen. He motioned for Catherine to follow. Another agent took Chris to the kitchen table. He didn't give her a second glance as she walked by, carrying Megan. The agent let the bags fall to the floor, and shut the door behind him as he stood at the door. Catherine stared at him.
"Is there something else?" Catherine asked.
"Ma'am, there are some things you need to know."
"My name isn't ma'am, sir." His lips upturned and Cat had to smile.
"Ms. Kelly, you are here for your own protection. And your daughter's. May I be frank?"
"Go for it."
"As far as fucking your Witness Agent, it stops now." Cat's jaw dropped.
"Excuse me? What in the hell makes you think I'd spread my legs for a man I've known less than a month?" Cat walked to the door and snatched it so fast, every head turned to look. "And as for your thought on my personal life, you can keep your frank little ass, out of it!"
A few snickers sounded the room, the crying of Megan and Cat's hard breathing. The agent glanced down before returning her gaze.
"Ma'am, I don't care what you did before here. I'm just telling you the fact of it is, it stops here." Cat tightened her fists at her side.
"And sir, I'm telling you, that the next word out of your mouth that concerns myself and any male, will result in the hardest kick of my life to a region that would hurt quite badly on your body." With that the agent walked out the front door.
Cat was still steaming when Chris came into the bedroom about an hour later. He kicked off his shoes, let his coat fall on the dresser and flopped down on the bed.
"Do you understand what held me back now?" He whispered. Cat turned over, looking at the ceiling.
"Yeah."
