.eight.

*five years earlier*

Katherine rested both of her packed suitcases in the living room, busily preparing herself for the big trip to Brentwood estate to see her family. Luke only watched her, arms crossed over his chest in annoyance as she walked about as though she didn't have a care in the world. Other than the fact that her mother died, she didn't even think about the fact that she was leaving her husband behind. Hadn't even so much as extended an invitation for him to come along with her.

She returned to the living room, Luke sitting on the sofa, fist pressed into his cheek as she sat two small suitcases beside her own. He sat up, attentively. She turned, catching his stare.

"What are you doing with those?" He asked, ocean blue eyes darkening.

Katherine looked at the babies' suitcases. "What do you mean?"

"They're not going with you." He replied, a firm set to his jaw.

"Luke--" She said, raising her voice in protest.

"If you want to go running off to Brentwood like you don't give a shit about anything else, then be my guest. But the babies stay here." He said, his tone resolute.

"But you said--"

"I said you could go to your father's house, I never said anything about the children. You can either stay with them, or abandon them. It's your choice." He added accusingly. Luke was good at altering his words to feel like sharp knives against her. He was good with words. "But I'll have you know, I find it horrible that you'd leave your children to fill your own selfish needs." He watched as a look of horror and sadness spread across her face.

"Luke...how could you say something like that to me?"

He shrugged. It was the truth as far as he was concerned.

"I can't leave the children behind." She insisted.

"Then you will stay." He concluded for her. He rose from his seat on the couch, reaching for the suitcases.

"Luke, have you forgotten that my mother has died? Just like yours? Have you forgotten that you kept me from her and now you do something like this to me?" Tears were brimming her eyes now at the way that he was behaving. She hated the way she had to explain herself and her pain to her husband, her partner. She had just lost her mother and she was having to justify visiting her family to him.

"Why would you bring that up?" He snapped. "You already said you forgave me."

"If I'm forced to choose between my family and our children then I take my forgiveness back." She said, biting her lip nervously. The hot tears were now rolling down her cheeks. When did he become this possessive and horrible person? She did not know. But he was no longer the person she knew and loved.

She hated the game they were playing, but it needed to be done.

Luke smacked his lips, sitting on the couch again. "Fine."  

Now what if she moved away? He thought to himself. He knew that if the children stayed with him, there was a better chance that Katherine would return.

Katherine heaved a tired sigh and sat on his lap, deciding to go the passive route and try her best not to fight with him. He was allowing her to visit her family after all. Her hands running through his strands of golden colored hair. "Don't worry my love. We won't be away from you long."

He pulled her to him and kissed her lips.

Katherine smiled.

But there was a hollowness behind it.

-

Katherine could barely contain her excitement at being on her family's Brentwood estate on the other side of Sydney, on the opposite side of town from Camelot. But it was a strained excitement. One of nervousness, filled with both good and now, bitter memories. She spent her entire childhood here. She fell in love with Luke here too. Something she wouldn't regret, for she wouldn't have her beautiful children were it not for the flawed but good man she was with.

She left the children with their caretaker Herminia and raced toward the older grey haired man who stood outside of a beautiful house she remembered fondly. It was Matthew, her father, a now retired politician. Behind him, her younger sister Elizabeth and her older brother Brek stood with warm smiles waiting for her.

He opened his arms, pulling his beautiful daughter into an embrace.

"Dad!" Katherine cried, suddenly a little girl again.

He searched his daughter's saddened eyes, then pulled her back into the embrace, hugging her even tighter than before.

"I didn't know..." She assured him as she wept into his shoulder. "I didn't know about mum..."

"Come inside." Her father whispered, looking over her shoulder at the luxurious black car with tinted windows which she had arrived in. Luke Hemings' signature cars in what had now corruptly been turned into Camelot.

Katherine turned, motioning Herminia and Meredith to come closer. The maids approached, both babies in their arms. Katherine took Kristiane from Herminia's arms, coddling the child as the group walked inside.

Matthew led them to the family room, and everyone gathered there, gazing at Katherine's beautiful babies, chattering sadly but comfortingly amongst each other.

Herminia and Meredith stood back, pensive and taking mental notes per Luke's instructions.

"Look at them." Matthew said proudly. Break was unmarried and had no kids, and Elizabeth was still a bit too young to have children of her own. Though, Katherine had only been seventeen when she got pregnant and sub sequentially had to marry Luke. She was now almost nineteen. Still a child herself, and having to spend the rest of her life linked to her very first boyfriend. But these were his first grandchildren and he loved them nonetheless. 

Katherine held both babies now, both so plump and fat, they nearly looked too big for her to carry. She gazed at their faces. "They look so much like their father." She observed with a sigh.

Matthew shook his head, not seeming to agree with her observation. "I don't see it. I see compassion and love in their eyes."

-

THIS WHOLE CHAPTER IS A FLASHBACK. and I have gone back and did some editing. I was looking at my stuff from years ago, and saw that I had started editing and never finished. so I apologize for that guys.

but I promise I will finish this year for sure. I will also try to go back and complete my stories that were unfinished. I need a hobby that will keep me distracted because I've been having relationship troubles lately. and I need to keep my mind off things. 

THANK YOU FOR READING AND SUPPORTING. and bigger thank you to the people who still comment on my stories and still read, even after more than 10 yrs.

I LOVE YOU.

-CLARY xx