One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 4

Kath looked around the parking lot, but she was completely alone. She wouldn't be surprised if her crew and dancers had been cleared from the building when the police arrived, but she didn't care about that. Her only worry was the child. They barely looked older than a toddler. "Hello?" She called out, but she didn't get any kind of response. She sighed, starting to walk towards the back of the tour bus slowly, her heart pounding against her chest as she heard the child crying - it made her worry even more.

Kath poked her head around the back of the bus and she saw the child, a little boy, quickly dart around the other side of the bus as he let out a scared whimper. "No, no, no!" She shushed him, squatting down so she wasn't intimidating him and she reached a hand out towards him. "Sweetie, it's okay... I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm just gonna sit right here." She said softly, the little boy poking his head around to see her but she could see the fear in his eyes - it made her wonder how long he'd been hidden behind the bus, where he came from. There was still no sign of anybody else. She cracked a small smile when the boy yawned, his hands on the bus. "You getting tired? I don't blame you, I'm pretty tired too... what's your name, sweetie?" Kath asked, but she wasn't overly surprised that he remained completely silent but he looked as if he wanted to say something. He was biting his bottom lip, drumming his fingers against the side of the bus but it seemed to be more of a nervous thing than something he was doing to entertain himself or be disrespectful.

Kath went to say something, but she lost her balance as she knelt down and fell backward onto her butt, but she smiled when that made the little boy involuntarily giggle. "See? I told you I was tired." She said with a smile, adjusting how she was sitting so she was on her knees. "My name's Kath, I did a show here tonight... what's your name?" She asked again and the little boy stared at her, his big brown eyes breaking her heart. "You don't have to say anything, can you spell it?" She asked and he hesitated before nodding his head. "Awesome! The back of this bus is really dirty, look."

Kath used her pointer finger, starting to write on it in the dirt so the word: 'KATH' appeared. She backed off slightly as the little boy came around the corner of the bus and to the back of the bus where she was, and he had one hand up by his face, chewing on his fingers out of nervousness but she watched as he raised his hand and started to write out his name the way she did with hers: 'NOAH 4'. The N was the wrong way around and the 4 was slightly wrong, but she could read it perfectly fine. "You're four years old, Noah?" She asked and the little boy nodded his head, tears starting to roll down his face and it was only when she could see his whole body that she could see that he was shivering. All he was wearing was a t-shirt, some jeans and a pair of well-used Converse shoes, she wasn't surprised he was cold.

"I... I'm scared, too." He mumbled and Kath gave him a sympathetic smile.

"It's okay, Noah, I'm not going anywhere, alright? I and you will sit back here as long as it takes... I'm not gonna hurt you, but I'm worried you're getting cold... here, take my jacket." Kath took her jacket off slowly so the movement wouldn't startle him and she held it out towards him. Noah hesitated before taking it, managing to get one arm through the armhole but it was too big for him to be able to get the second arm in and Kath couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Can I come to help?" She asked and Noah hesitated before nodding his head and he watched as she helped him get his second arm into the jacket, fastening it up for him at the front so he wouldn't feel the chill, rolling the sleeves up a lot so he could still use his hands.

"I want Daddy," Noah said, tears starting to roll down his cheeks and Kath bit her lip.

"Where did he go, sweetie? I'll help you find him." She encouraged and he just pointed at the bus.

"There was a bad man inside and he went to help... I hide because he told me to and I hide from the policeman... he have a gun and I got scared and now I lost Daddy." Noah sobbed and Kath's eyes widened - Daniel was his father, the man who saved her life.

"Sweetie... your Daddy helped me today and he's gone to help the policemen make sure the bad man stays away for a very long time... but they're going to call me tomorrow morning so I can see your Daddy and thank him for helping me. Why don't you come with me for the night?" Kath encouraged, holding her hand out towards him and she felt numb with relief when the terrified boy took it.