From the shadows Kate saw a familiar mare race over to her. "Hey there girly. Where is your owner? On the loose again?" Kate chuckled. She stroked the mare's silky snout and rubber her neck. Vaek was a gorgeous mare and Kate could see why Eli loved her so. Peering over Vaek she saw Eli running towards them with a scolding expression. "I found your horse, maybe you should keep a tighter lead on her next time."

Kate breathed in the fragrant night air and wished she could freeze time. If only life were always as simple and peaceful. She often felt that it was unfair to Eli that she was not plagued with as much worry as him, but she had always been a free spirit. She knew that Eli was going through a rather turbulent time with the reappearence of Katrina. Personally, Kate had never known Katrina, so she had no idea why Eli would dislike her.

As she patted Vaek, Kate wished she could ride. She was not as afraid of horses as she once had been. In fact, now she would go as far to say that she was completely comfortable around horses. However, she still had not ridden and constantly wanted to. In her head her mother's words from her childhood came back to her. "Kate darling, horses are dangerous, you should be wary of them. A person who puts himself on a horse is dancing with death himself."

we backkkkk ;)

It didn't take long for Katrina to get a bag packed, since she had barely unpacked to begin with. She was a pro with these things by now, unfortunately enough. It was never her plan to be the one to hurt people, or the one who left everywhere. Just yesterday it felt like she was being courted by some of the best vet schools in the world to pursue a university education, and now she was forced to revisit not one, not two, but three pieces of her past she'd left behind, hoping for an 'out of sight, out of mind' experience.

While she packed quickly, she processed her emotions at a fraction of that speed. She knew it would take Scott at least double the amount of time it took her. This confidence inspired her to sit down on 'her' bed, though this room hardly felt like home. Nothing did.

As she was sitting down, she felt all of her emotions consume her, eating her alive from the inside out. This was why she subscribed to concealing and not feeling--she had never been so sure. All of the words, all of the feelings, everything on her heart was wickedly contrasting, meant to send her to a place she hadn't been in a long, long time. She had found Scott, or maybe he had found her. It was moments like these that Katrina could acknowledge why people believed a higher power existed. She was certain that if there was a God or gods, they were looking down on her, laughing. This was that karma thing the Buddhists believed in, and what had gone around was certainly coming back around in massive, overwhelming waves.

It felt surreal to hold him in her arms, but as much as she tried to objectify it, to simplify it to the point of invalidation, she couldn't. She realized now that unless this was all some sick joke with terrible repercussions, she had found--quite literally--her soulmate. Not that she believed in those, but he was the first person she couldn't emotionally seperate from, the first to ask her what she was running from so long ago. While a perpetual skeptic, Katrina came to the conclusion in that moment that she couldn't do life without Scott again, and she prayed to that higher power she couldn't fathom that he felt the exact same way. Katrina was beyond terrified of marriage, of 'settling down,' yet the idea of doing it with Scott seemed normal and comfortable. If she had been any less tired, letting her mind wander here would have been the biggest mistake since running away from Moonlit, yet it was an oddly comforting notion in that moment of high emotions and uncertain outcomes. Something about Scott made it possible for her to not only picture her future, one vastly different than her fears told her was possible, but embrace it with little anxiety.

A few moments had passed in a matter of minutes, which felt like seconds. Her mind had quickly drifted from Scott to less pleasant thoughts, like the scene she was about to immerse herself in. She hadn't seen Diego in years, she couldn't bring herself to. They were close when they were young, but she doubted he'd remember anything about her, let alone that she existed. She fully expected him to give the Van Horan cold shoulder and spend the entire trip in silence. Somehow that was worse than anger and conflict. Not only that, but her first experience with him would be bringing him to see their sick father in whatever condition he may be in.

Checking her watch and assuming that it would be okay to go get Scott, she spent the walk over silently hoping he had an active passport, and this trip would be minimally traumatizing, just a warm-up for what she fully expected to endure in the coming weeks.

Knocking on his door after a hasty walk across the lawn, she felt ever grateful for impeccable timing. Though she was reluctant and skeptical about having Scott join her in this misery, she was beyond thankful for the way he made her feel. Somehow, after everything they'd been through, he was still the calm in her storm.

Scott paused in the middle of his packing. What was he doing? Running off right after he and his brother were offered this amazing job and even got their sister there too? This wasn't like him at all. Not to mention Eli is going to kill him for not saying goodbye in person, not just a measly text that he was about to send. And dear Lord not even going to think about what Adria would do. His father had always told him not to give up a good future for a girl. Was this exactly what he was about to do? Or is he pursuing his future?

Scott took a break and sat on his bed. He was tired. Not because it was so early in the morning though. He was tired of waiting. Yes he now has Katrina again but he still doesn't. She running off again and what does he do? He chases her. It seems like he always has been. He was tired of chasing. Tired of waiting for her. Is it even worth it anymore? Scott thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Must be her. He hastily put the rest of his things in his bag and went to the door and opened it to see Katrina. "You ready?" He asked.

Katrina gave a tired half-smile and then nodded, pausing shortly after. "Scott," her tone was soft, but cold--pained. "You don't have to do this." Truth be told, she'd avoided saying it because every part of her being wanted to force him along to Spain, but it was all for her own benefit, it was all selfish. The only place she wanted to be right now was in his arms because it was the only place she felt safe. Leaving was the last thing she wanted to do, but this time it wasn't her own terrible instincts that were causing it.

She backpedaled hastily, fearful that he'd become sober on reality and take her up on her offer. She knew her words couldn't erase two years of damage but she sure could try. "I'm not leaving again, I promise. So if that's the only reason you're doing this..."

She felt vulnerable in that moment, looking up at him again. She still felt like a fourteen year old girl sometimes, leaving home for the first time. She realized now how much healing would have to take place between them. He would always fear being left, and she would never feel enough, never feel like anything she could do would be enough to fix what she'd done. Yet, she recognized this wasn't something to run from--this was a challenge, and she would do everything in her power to make things right between them. If not for her, for the ghost of a man that stood before her, every piece the same person she once knew, yet not him at all.

I left this kind of open, I didn't know what the Diego and Adria plan was so I just made a smaller post LOL. ))

Scott looked the smaller girl in the eyes. "That's not why. I'd still come with no matter what." Now that took a lot out of honest little Scott. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe it was just his desperation to keep her by his side. Maybe if he chased her one more time, she'd stay for good. He heard her words and his heart cried to believe them but his brain didn't want to. It's funny how the brain and heart can be at such odds with each other.

"Look," Scott continued, "If you really don't want me to come with, I won't. Just what ever is more comfortable with you." That was his brain talking. Did he actually want to stay and wait for her yet again? Absolutely not. Scott wanted to punch himself in the gut for saying that. Now there was that possibility of her leaving. He started fumbling and fidgeting with his hands. "Wait. Don't answer that. Please. Don't leave me." Scott pleaded. He would regret acting this way but right now he didn't care. "I want to come with, I really do."

(AHHHHHH I bout cried writing thissssssss ;-; but I gonna try to be back lol at least get on once a day when I can LOL replies will prolly be shorter tho)