Spread Your Wings and Fly

Chapter 25

And another!

Chapter 25
Katie Pov

Matt and my parents weren't home yet so I just left them a note and a text. I didn't know when they would be home and I couldn't wait around forever.

Everyone had agreed to helping Sena and so they were now at their houses packing items for the trip. We'd all then agreed to meet at Keith's house because that was the most secluded out of them all. Our journey pretty much started there and now we were going back.

All I had was a small suitcase and my backpack. I didn't need much which was good. Just seeing my Paladin outfit gave me nostalgia. It had been five years and I wasn't as small as I'd been before. I had grown quite a bit for someone like me but I was still easily the smallest Paladin. I was glad the suits would adjust to fit the wearer.

"Good, you're here." Keith smiled kindly at me as I dump my bags in his hallway. I look around the place and notice the pictures. There are at least a dozen of him and Lance and even more of all the team.

But there's one that catches my eye the most. It's captured two small children, a boy and a girl. One is quite a bit smaller than the other but they look like they're having the time of their lives. They're lying on their backs on green grass, both with faces laughing. The boy has raven black hair and violet eyes whereas the girl has light brown hair and hazel eyes. They're eyes are full of happiness and their faces full of excitement for the future.

Nobody would've thought those children would become who they are now.

I feel Keith's presence behind me and turn to look at him. My eyes are tearing up and when I look at his, they're full of sadness. I try speaking, but nothing comes out at first. My throat is all clogged up and all I can get out is his name.

"Keith..." The tears start falling but he knows what I meant. Even after all these years, he remembered. He remembered but didn't tell me, didn't even acknowledge he had known me before.

This made me mad. More than mad. It infuriated me. Since I couldn't get any words out I did the next best thing. I hit him. I pounded on his chest with my fists, my tears streaming down my face. I screamed incoherent words at him. But he didn't fight back. He just let me punch him and he took them.

Once my anger had drained out of me I collapsed against him. He held onto my full weight and whispered soothing words while he stroked my hair. I sobbed into his shirt and made it wet again.

"Shhh. I'm so sorry Katie. I'm so so sorry. Everything is okay. Shhh." I couldn't help it though. I sobbed into him until all my tears had been let out. When I finished, he held my wrists gently and made me look up at his face. He took a deep breath before starting.

"Look, I know I should've said something to let you know I remembered you. I know I should've done something. But I just couldn't. You... you were my first and pretty much my only friend until I met the rest of our team. Yes, Matt was my friend too, but he wasn't as special as you." I sniffle and croak out some words.

"But why? That doesn't make sense. Why didn't you leave me a sign or something? For my whole life I've been wondering why you wouldn't keep our friendship via letters or something like that. And then when I saw you that night and you didn't acknowledge me, it broke something inside of me. You broke something in me Keith!" With each word, my voice became stronger.

"I didn't tell you because..." He pauses and takes another deep breath. "I didn't tell you because... I love you." I take a step back, shaking my head.

"No. You don't. You love the old me."

"No Katie, I love you. The past, present and future you. I love you and have loved you since I was 7." I shake my head faster, my mind racing.

"No. You don't love the new me. You can't love the new me. I'm a monster Keith! I-I-I can summon twin blades and I barely know how to control that power! I hurt people constantly and it's like I have no control over my mind! It's not natural! And... and... and..." I didn't want to say that last bit but I knew it was the only way to protect Keith from me. Even now, I wasn't thinking straight. The sadness had taken over my body.

"Katie, I don't care. I don't care about any of it. You are you and that's just the way it should be. If you say you're a monster, then I love that part of you too. I love every part of you and always will." Keith looks so hurt and I feel really bad. But I have to do this.

"Keith. We won't work out. Our futures don't cross. We wouldn't work together."

"That's not true. Katie..."

"It is true! You'll be better off with someone who doesn't have to be cared for every minute. I have PTSD Keith. PTSD! I get flashbacks and dreams of horrible things. You can't be there for me every second of every day! It's better if we just stay friends."

"I don't care! I don't care if I have to stay by your side 24/7. I love you and love being with you. I know there is no one else for me." I start sobbing again and Keith hugs me.

"Katie, there is no one I would want to be with. You are my everything. Every time you went off on missions alone or with someone else, I'd worry. I kept that worry hidden but it scared me. You out there without me scared me. This probably makes it sound like you need a protector or something but that's not what I meant. I just wanted to keep you near me, to make sure you were okay. Ugh! Sorry, I'm not good with words and all that." I chuckle and wrap my short arm around his torso burying my face in his soaking wet shirt.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You are yourself and you're the most important person in the world to me." I just bury my face deeper and hold onto him. My solid ground. My best friend.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And another done!