Runaways and dreamers

Chapter 25- One last favor

Katie was taken aback at first, but returned his warm hug nonetheless after a moment's hesitation. "Wait, you aren't mad?" She questioned after he let go and stared into her fiery eyes.

Tommy raised his eyebrows, chuckling a bit, "Mad? Why would I be mad at you? I've missed you so much. But I know how you think, I didn't blame you for leaving. It hurt yeah, I was in love with you. I would've jumped off a cliff head first into shallow water if you'd asked me to back then. But I wasn't mad that you left. I couldn't be mad after all the good and beautiful times we had. It's all about the journey right? I missed you like crazy, but I was never angry. I only wondered where you'd gone, what'd happened to you, and if it was my fault that you had left."

"It wasn't," Katie answered honestly, "I'm afraid of commitment, you of all people know that. It was never because of you that I left, I left because I don't know how to stay. I'm so sorry, Tom. You were my biggest regret."

"And you were mine. But it's okay, I forgave you a long time ago, I'm alright." Tommy sighed, there was a forlorn element to the feeling in remembering what might be best described as a lost opportunity. However, it was a happy sort of forlorn, smiling at the remembrance rather than crying at the loss.
However much they had loved each other though, they had both moved on—neither of them was still in love with the other. No hard feelings, only the little pieces of regret and curiosity they still had from not knowing what might've been.

Jace was still inside the store, standing there looking confused but not following them. "Who's that?" Tommy nodded toward Jace who stood motionless right where they'd left him.

"Oh," Katie felt strange as heat rose in her cheeks, "that's Jace."

Tommy arched a brow at her, his bright green, blue rimmed eyes staring at her inquisitively with a hint of humor, "I don't think I've ever seen you blush before. He must be really somethin'."

Katie rolled her eyes, trying to play sarcastic in her embarrassment, "Whatever, Tom." She laughed, unsure how to explain Jace, "He's cool, in some ways he reminds me of you. He knows my whole story but yet he's still right there."

"Do you love him?" Tommy asked, getting right to the point.

Katie faltered, "I told him I do."

"Do you?" Tommy pressed seriously, raising a brow.

"I think so..." She answered, feeling slightly uneasy as it settled on her what that meant. Commitment. Her greatest fear.

Tommy smiled, his smile as adorably lopsided as always, he hadn't changed much, "Good." He glanced back at the store, Jace stood watching but not coming to interrupt. Jace trusted Katie not to run off with Tommy. It was plainly clear to Tommy, from the look on Jace's face, that Jace loved Katie as much as he himself had all those years ago. The look was entirely recognizable to Tommy—someone who had worn it often.

Katie started to feel it again, the overwhelming desire to run. It was the only way she knew how to cope. The best way she knew to escape confrontation. It hadn't entirely hit her until now what saying I love you implied and demanded. Tommy could see the doubt in her eyes as she started to think about having told Jace that she loved him. There was no going back from that...

"But Katie, there's one thing I wanna ask you to do, for me." Tommy stated, reaching out and taking her hand to keep her from bolting. She was on high alert, a chill running down her spine as her brain switched into overdrive and she overthought the situation. Tommy's statement triggered the feeling of confrontation, she knew she couldn't easily say no to him and part of her knew that anything he'd ask her to do would be serious and difficult- he'd never ask anything frivolous. Her body told her to run as fast as she could away from any difficult things and potential confrontation.

"Don't run this time." Tommy stared straight into her eyes holding her gaze in a deadlock, "This guy will do anything for you, I can see it in his face, please don't leave him in the dust like you did with me."

"I can't." Katie whispered, her voice cracking as she averted her gaze downward, finally not holding back her deepest thoughts—the kind that scared even her, "It's all I know how to do."

"No it's not, I know you're capable of staying. You've run from everyone who's cared about you. You're running from commitment." Tommy paused, taking a deep breath, "I don't want to see you run again, not only does it put you in pain and regret, it breaks the one you run from. So please stay this one time. Do it for me, Katie."

"No, I'm not running from commitment. I'm running from everything." Katie shook her head, feeling herself retract as the conversation neared the edge of vulnerability, "I can't stay, I don't know how. I run from my problems, that's all I've ever known and I can't stop. I can't stop running. I just- that's why I've always been adventurous. Cause if I keep running and running then my problems can never catch me. I don't know why I told him that I love him, I mean I do but saying it- I don't know it just came out." Her breathing was quickening and shallow, raspy as her eyes darted around like an animal being hunted.

"It came out because your heart means it. And Katie, you can't run from everything-"

"Yes I can!" Katie snapped, her walls flaring up again, "And I have, and now I'm incapable of stopping. I can't trust, I just don't have the ability and if I run then my problems can't get to me and eventually they'll have to disappear. I run from my problems, I always have and always will." She felt bad for snapping at him but her fear and emotions always seemed to get the better of her.

"Love isn't s problem. And anyways, problems don't go away until you face them." Tommy replied gently.

"I won't face them." Katie whispered, her voice choking up because she knew what she had to do but that she didn't know how or if she could do it, "I'm sorry. I have to keep running. I don't know how to stop."

Tommy pulled her into a hug, he was fully aware that running was all she'd ever known but he was desperate for her to get her happy ending after all she'd gone through. "Trust him." Tommy whispered, "If you trust him, you won't have to run."

Katie took a deep shaky breath as she leaned against his chest and hugged him back. Slowly she began to calm down. Tommy had always been able to talk her into or out of just about anything. She knew he only wanted the best for her. "Promise me you won't run, for me, just this once." Tommy spoke quietly, still not letting go.

Katie nodded as she took a steadying breath, "I'll try."

Tommy pulled back, kissing the top of her head, "I don't know when or if I'll see you again. But in case I don't; I love you. I always have, and I hope Jace is your happy ending. You deserve a happy ending more than anyone I've ever met."

A smile was present on Katie's face as she answered back, "I never told you, but I loved you too. I still do—always will. You deserve a happy ending more than I do. I hope you get yours."

"Well here's to our happy endings then." Tommy smiled, nodding as if giving a toast. He pulled in her in for one more hug, "Good luck, Katie. I hope I see you again."

"Thanks, I hope I see you too."

Tommy grinned, giving a small chuckle as he began to walk away, jokingly saluting her. Katie laughed, shaking her head as she saluted back. She watched him walk away before turning back toward the shop and heading inside. She was determined to try her best to stay, partly for atonement for Tommy and partly because she really did love Jace.