Run Away

10.

Time was a thick woman between Katherine and Harry, that much was obvious. Her sinful touches kept them both awake the first night in Scranton. Their bodies barely touched, his knuckles on her legs as they lay side by side. Harry didn't know what to say, Katherine didn't know where to turn. They hadn't shared a bed in over four years.

The rational fears had set in. What if the other had changed? How could they not? Katherine was rational, always had been. Harry was a dreamer as of recently. By morning, their tired eyes found each other with smiles; both scared of seeing frowns.

Katherine was first out of bed, a habit that was assuring. She tugged on Harry's hand to get him out of bed. "Come on, I want to fix these guys breakfast." She was just as thoughtful. Harry could only take hope in that she was as forgiving as she had been years ago.

Harry grunted with a sleepily smirk, "I'm coming, give me a second I'm old."

Katherine snorted a laugh and headed down the steps to the kitchen. She had developed a certain skill in cooking as a result of taking care of Leo. Leo and Nick loved a good breakfast but none of them had the time for it until the weekend.

The thought of Leo made her throat squeeze. She was desperate to know how Nick was treating him, where they were, but she couldn't. Father Way was persistent that neither Katherine nor Harry reach out to any of their old contacts.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Harry was behind her, hands hesitantly resting on her shoulders.

"Dollar says you know." Katherine was always so witty.

"I miss him, too." Harry nudged his face into Katherine's neck. "Tell me how he's doing, please."

"There's so much of Gemma in him, he's wonderful." She sniffled slightly while starting a kettle. "He loves to play footy and likes reading."

"Wonder who caused that." Harry teased. "Little Miss English Major."

Katherine shifted in Harry's arms. She didn't want to admit she changed her major. After the notorious Harry Meltdown, Nick suggested a different major and Katherine couldn't help but agree. The workload was too much. (read all those chapters? For Wednesday?) Besides, Nick thought Katherine could do more. After a series of fortunate event, she ended up certified as a paralegal and working in a friend of a friend's office. School was still important, and she did earn a degree in gender studies, and she she hadn't been terribly unhappy.

Thankfully, she was spared admitting this to Harry. Chris' looming presence lingered in the threshold with a yawn. "Well this is a pleasant surprise."

Katherine let out a nervous laugh because he was significantly taller than any man she had personally known and for that was a little scary. "We didn't know what you liked, but we tried."

Harry nodded, his cheeky smile rising to the surface like it hadn't before. "I used to work in a bakery, so I think I had this handled."

"Harry you swept floors and made change." Katherine dead panned, making Chris laugh.

"Still, thanks. I'll uh, go get the other guys up I don't think you got to meet everyone last night."

Maybe Chris could tell, maybe fate needed the conversation to happen later, either way Katherine and Harry were spared discussing these past four years. Harry didn't want to confess what was inside, he should trust Katherine (and he did) but coming out was too hard. Katherine should tell Harry about Holmes Chapel but she couldn't.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs and into the kitchen, laughter spilling through the house. There were more guys than could sit at the table, yet that didn't seem to stop them from trying. Katherine was pulled into Harry's lap to free up a space for Frank. Frank was a comfort because he didn't seem to know much about these guys, though he knew more than they did.

"I get it." The boy with the black and white hair spoke first, his eyes sleepy.

"Get what?" Frank appeared to be the only one other than Katherine to be fully awake.

"Why Harry fought so hard for you." He nodded toward Katherine.

Young Katherine would have blushed and hid away in Harry's chest. Current Katherine wanted nothing more, but managed to keep her composure. Her cheeks still burned and her head still rested in Harry's neck. "I'd keep doing it too."

Frank cracked a smile, "It's great when it works out."

"The Father still struggling?" One guy asked, Katherine thought his name was Ricky, but she wasn't sure.

"Let's not talk about pining or feelings, those are gross."

Yes, Katherine thought, Frank was right, let's not talk about those. Chris nodded, chewing on one of the many piercings on his lip. "Well why don't we get to know our guests?"

Katherine stirred in Harry's lap. Harry pressed a small kiss behind her ear. "If you know of Nick Sanchez, that's all you need to know."

"Sanchez?" The youngest looking one, one who reminded Katherine of Niall, looked up to the potentially named Ricky one.

"Shit, I forgot you don't know anything." Chris took a sip of coffee. "Where to begin?"

Harry cleared his throat. "Holmes Chapel." 

So they were going there. The trials of Nick Sanchez began spilling from Harry's lips to these strangers. Despite how bad he might have been, truly evil, Katherine held onto some sense of loyalty to him. He lost just as Harry had. Nick loved as Harry had. Katherine also wouldn't deny that Nina had a part in all of this as well. But she wouldn't fight Harry on it, not now, because she was just happy to have him back, despite how uncertain things were now.