Life, Death, and Time - A Books Of Beginning Collection

Oneshot: Not Afraid

Background: Takes place soon after Dance Of Magic, so obviously Rafe is alive.

Content: Kate x Rafe, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Those five simple words, said with such conviction, hung in the air between the couple. The space between where the girl perched on the end of her bed, and the boy sat in the desk chair was charged with emotion and tension. That only increased when their eyes met, one set filled with certainty and truth, the other surprise. Both pairs of eyes reflected the love and compassion these two had for each other.

"Is there a reason why you would be?" Kate questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Rafe stood from the chair and briskly crossed the room. She scooted over to make room to sit beside her. It was clear to Kate that he had something to say.

He took his place at her side, and took a deep breath. Then he began to speak, "I love you, and I want to support you the way you've always supported me. I don't want you to ever feel like you have to go through life alone, or that you have a responsibility to be there for me and not expect anything in return. We're... you're everything to me, and I just want to get this right. I want it to be a good partnership, and I want you to know that I'm here when you need me."

"You are there for me," Kate said, still very confused. 

"I know, but sometimes I worry- sometimes I worry about you. I've seen how you are with your parents and Michael and Emma. I can tell that they rely on you heavily, and that you carry so much weight on your shoulders. And I can see the mask you put up, the way you hide that you're angry or afraid or exhausted because you know you can't show weakness or they will fall apart. And I don't want you to ever have to put that mask up around me. I don't need you to pretend to be perfect, Kate. You're incredible, the most incredible person I've ever known, but you aren't infallible and that's alright. I'm not afraid of you, not your imperfections, not your moments of weakness, not your darker thoughts. I love you no matter what," Rafe explained emphatically, emotion and tenderness dripping from his words. 

As he spoke, there had been a change in Kate's expression. Her face had gone from confused, to stunned with understanding, to deeply emotional. Tears pricked at her eyes as she reached for one of Rafe's hands, wordlessly squeezing it.

Everything he had said was true. Kate had always had to be perfect. She had, at four, been forced to become the parental figure and raise two children, teach them morals and courage and growth. She had to be the constant shoulder to cry on, the example of strength, through an ever changing set of circumstances, that seemed to get worse and worse. She had to hide her fear as she bandaged Emma's bloody knees, and hide her pain as she told Michael their parents would someday come home. She had to be mature, to be responsible, to put them before herself because that was what they needed, and if she didn't do it, no one else would.

Her mask had become instinctive over the years. Oh sure, it changed with time. Kate had learned to be adaptable very fast. When magic swept into their lives, Kate quickly realized she had to accept it, to handle it. She kept her mask calm as she faced wolves and witches for Michael, Emma, and the children of Cambridge Falls. She cried as little as possible, she hid the fact that she was terrified, that she was filled with frustration that it was up to her to deal with this. She forced herself to meet the situation and the challenges at hand. And then she changed it to allow Michael and Emma their chance to grow, all while never letting her fears and anger become visible. Some things, no matter how strong the children became, they could not understand.

Kate had become the parent that Michael and Emma needed, the support system her parents needed as they adjusted to their new life, the protector the world needed in the times of chaos. She sacrificed her childhood, her comfort, had put her own emotions on the back-burner, would have given her life if that was needed. Kate had made her mask of perfect, even though inside she was far from perfect.