Once A Stranger, Now A Savior | Life Is Strange / LIS

8.

I walked back in, smiling to myself as I sat on Kate's hospital bed, watching her draw in her sketchbook. "What're you up to?" I asked her, peaking at it from where I sat.

Kate glanced up at me, smiling as she replied, "I was thinking about that children's book I was planning to write."

I pushed myself off of the bed and looked over at the finished drawings beside her, picking up the sketchbook and skimming through the pages.

She's come so far.. I'm so proud of her for staying strong.

I put the book down and looked at Kate, the pain she once had almost vanishing completely. I could see how much she was recovering; despite her struggle, she was still the strong and beautiful girl I admired from the moment I came to Blackwell.

She looked adorable, all focused on her sketchbook as she drew; at the same time, she was calm and composed, like she was letting the pencil take her away into another world. Kate Marsh was a dreamer, and I'm glad the nightmares have finally started to go away.

"What?" Kate asked me, shaking me out of my daze.

I shook my head with a laugh, answering, "Nothing, it's just that you look pretty cute when you're focused."

Kate froze, the pencil hovering over the sketchbook. She looked away from me sharply, looking down at the sketchbook, and then back at me. Confusion swirled in her eyes; I kneeled down on the floor in front of her, taking her hands, "Kate, look at me." She kept her eyes on the sketchbook, I let go of one and put it under her chin, propping her chin up, "I promise you, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. You're safe now, okay?"

Kate squeezed my hand, swallowing hard as she looked me in the eye, "Theodore, I know that," she whispered, "and I'm grateful. It's just that.." A tension I couldn't describe filled the air, thick enough to cut with a knife if I had one. "I felt so.. gross after the party; I still do, and I don't even know why I do, I just.. I don't want it to happen again, you know?"

Was she.. Oh dear God, I hope not.

I squeezed back, giving her a reassuring smile, "Kate, listen. I'm staying with you until they let you out of here, okay? Until then, I won't let anything happen to you. Depending on who comes to visit, I'll leave you alone with them in the room when you want me to, okay? If you can trust them, I can, too."

Kate nodded at me, her lips pressed together in a thin line.

A knocking on the door came about, so we both turned to look. I got up, walking briskly to open the door, finding Max Caulfield standing in front of me. "Theo!" Max exclaimed, the grin on her face unwavering.

I turned to look at Kate briefly, then back at Max.

I could've sworn she was smirking..

I smiled weakly, muttering a quick 'hey' as I opened the door. Bright white hospital corridor lights and electric blue hair could be blinding to sensitive eyes. "Price?" I said to Chloe once I stepped outside, surprised that she was here.

"Hey, Jones." Chloe said to me as I shut the door. "Someone's looking hella happy," Chloe noted, smirking when she saw the red tinting my cheeks. "Max told me about how you stopped her from jumping.. How is she?"

I looked back at the closed room door, wondering what Max was talking about with Kate. "A lot better now, thanks for asking, Price." I answered, the corners of my lips turning upward. "But what about you?" I asked, diverting my attention towards her, "What've you been up to since you, well, left Blackwell?"