Criminal Minds ~ DNF

13

"Do you want a drink? No, don't get up, I'll do it."

"Are you hungry? No, don't get up, I'll make you something."

"Jenny's dying to see you again. No, don't get up, she'll come to you."

"No, don't get up, Sarah can get it."

"No, don't get up, I've got it."

"No, don't get up, don't get up."

George was going to have a hernia if he heard that again. No, wait, that would give them more ammunition.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to baby you," Kate told him. "I've seen your face recently - you look like you're going to kill someone. I don't want to get caught in the crossfire, thank you very much."

"I am drowning in sympathy," George was only half-joking. The love of his family was positively suffocating. "Thanks, Katie."

"Just trying to save myself for when you finally explode," Katherine grinned.

"Hey... I'm sorry about the whole-"

"No, I'm sorry," she interrupted. "You were just trying to live your life, it's not your fault. I shouldn't have said those things. I'm a total homophobe and an asshole to boot. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course, I can. It's alright, really. I'm not sure I'm sold on the idea myself anymore," George admitted.

"Really? No hot guys in America?" Kate pondered, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers.

"No, it's not that..." George debated telling her... You know what, throw caution to the wind. "You know the guy who shot me?"

"Yeah?" Kate's eyes widened, curious yet tentative. The entire family had been tiptoeing around the topic for the week that the brunette had been home and to hear George himself mention it was a bit scary.

"Well, before he did it, he said all these things. He told me that it was all a joke, that he'd never hurt me. Kept calling me all sorts of pet names, really creepy. Then the police showed up, and he fucking shot me," George explained.

"Don't let Mum hear you saying the f-word, she'll go off her tree," Kate warned. "What do you mean, pet names?"

"Pet names," George reiterated. "You know, darling, love, baby. All really soft and loving, too."

"So he's... into you?"

"He sounded sincere enough to me. The look on his face said it all. He had zip-ties around my wrists and a knife to my neck and I started stress-crying, you know how I get." Kate nodded, motioning him to continue.

"Well, when he saw that, his entire mood changed. There was something in his eyes, sort of like guilt. Or realization, I don't know. It was almost like he went from Dream to Clay."

"So you're... into him?" Katherine raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't say that!" George spluttered.

"You're blushing," she deadpanned. "I'm not judging you, but holy shit, the guy almost killed you, George! You almost died because of this man, and now you like him?" Katherine seriously had to work to keep her voice down.

"Kitty, please. I'm not saying that I do, I'm not saying I don't. Just trust me on this one, I don't think he's as bad as he makes out to be."

"You're the FBI agent," Kate mumbled.

____________________________________

Christmas day was interesting, to say the least... Katherine's husband Devon had flown in from Canada Christmas eve, and had been getting drunker and drunker as the day went on. He'd bought his sister Kayla with him, which nobody was really pleased about, but what could they say? It was Christmas.