CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
TRAUMA

    It was 2 days later when Kate had to leave for New York and Kit didn't want to let her leave. She knew that she had to, Kate needed to pack up her apartment and still technically quit her job, so yeah she had to go. That didn't mean that Kit didn't hate it.

    She had a few hours until she needed to get to the airport. Kit had offered to take her, but Kate had been promised door-to-door service by Javi. When she heard Javi's name, she paused. They still hadn't actually talked since Javi had said what he said after the rodeo. He'd been around a few times but Kit had done everything she could to avoid him.

    "You okay?" Kate interrupted her thoughts and Kit looked up. She nodded.

    "I'm fine," she insisted. Kate looked at her unconvinced.

    "This about Javi? You two haven't talked since the rodeo." Kate didn't want to push. She knew what Javi had said was way over the lines. It was for her too. He'd apologized, but Kate still would admit that yeah, she was hurt. She just didn't want to hold onto any resentment.

    Shaking her head, Kit turned towards Kate. She had to leave in a few hours and the last thing Kit wanted to do was spend that few hours talking about Javi.

    "Not important," she leaned forward and kissed Kate softly. Partially because she wanted to, and partially because she was hoping it would get Kate to move on from the subject.

     It almost worked too. Kate smiled into the kiss and pulled Kit closer. Then she realized what was happening and pulled away.

    "Don't distract me," she scolded, she was still smiling. "I'm serious, you need to talk to him." Kit made a face of disgust.

    "I don't want to talk to him. He's a shitty friend and he doesn't deserve my forgiveness." She was going to be stubborn about this. Yeah, she considered him her brother, but just like with her actual brother - that didn't mean she had to talk to him or forgive him.

    Kate sighed and shook her head. She didn't exactly know what to do. She was on Kit's side. What Javi had said- was too far. But she needed them to talk. They both were the only people she had left from that day. Kate needed both of them.

    Biting down on her lip, she looked up at Kit. She was upset. Kate didn't want to go back to New York when she was upset.

    "Kass," her voice was gentle when she spoke. "I know you don't want to talk to him. I don't blame you. But will you please? Just once, if after that you never want to after then I will not bring it up again, just once, please?"

    Kit crossed her arms, she looked down while she thought. She could do it for Kate. She'd do anything for Kate. That didn't mean she wanted to talk to Javi though.

    "Fine."  She said. She looked up at Kate. "Only for you." She was reluctant and Kate could tell. She leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

    "Thank you," Kate mumbled into her cheek before she pulled away. Kit softened again, but anxiety spun in her stomach. She didn't know how this conversation with Javi was going to go, especially after the last two they'd had.

....

    Over the last 2 days, Kit had unfortunately done a lot of talking. First, it was the lectures she'd received from her team and Kate about running into the tornado. Then it was she and Kate talking about everything and figuring out what they were - they still didn't have a label but that wasn't the point.

    There had also been a rather long conversation after Kit had gone to the barn in the middle of the night when Kate was still asleep. She was still technically on best but she needed to write a song and she couldn't do that in the dark. Kate had found her about 20 minutes later before she spent what felt like hours talking about how Kit needed to be resting. Normally Kit would have tried to argue that she was fine, but Kate gave her a look and she knew she wouldn't win. After that, Kit didn't break the bed rest again.

    Needless to say, Kit was tired of talking. She was also tired of arguments with Javi and she just wanted to move on. Unfortunately, that didn't happen until she talked to him. Not for her, but for Kate.

    They pulled up at a diner about an hour after  Kit had agreed to meet Javi. The Wranglers had met them there so Tyler and Kate could talk storms - it was also because Kit had seemed so panicked that Kate asked them to be there in case the conversation with Javi went wrong.

    Chewing on her lip, Kit was seated in the vehicle. Her legs crossed while she looked down, fiddling with her hands. She stopped when Kate placed her hand on top of hers, still looking at the road ahead.

    A wave of calmness went over her body and Kit breathed deeply. She didn't know why she was making such a big deal out of this it was going to be fine. Then they parked. 

    Slowly Kit got out of the vehicle, she turned back to Kate who was looking at her with a soft reassurance.

    "Kate-" Kit started to say. Kate pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

    "You got this. I promise," Kit swallowed harshly but nodded. Okay, she thought. She could do this.

    Javi was already there when she entered. His leg was bouncing up and down and it was shaking the table he was at. He had a cup of coffee in front of him that looked like it would fall off if it continued. A lump had formed In Kit's throat that she couldn't swallow back. Maybe she could just turn around?

     It was like Javi had heard her thinking because at that moment he looked up. He gave her a small wave and she began walking towards the table. She slid into the booth with ease but said nothing. She wasn't starting this conversation.

    Silence was all that was between them for a few minutes. Kit refused to speak and Javi seemed like he was too nervous too. Good, Kit wanted him to be nervous. She was mad at him.

    "I..." Javi broke the silence but immediately trialed off. Kit crossed her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. "I'm so sorry Kit."

    He sounded regretful like he was genuinely sorry. If it were any other circumstance, Kit likely would have forgiven him. This time an apology wasn't enough.

    She didn't speak, she just stared at him. Did he expect her to say something? She wasn't planning on it yet.

    "I should never have said what I said," Javi seemed to realize that she wasn't going to talk so he kept going. "I crossed a line."

    "No, really?" she spoke bitterly, her tone indicating sarcasm. Javi winced.

    "Kit I was wrong, for everything. For the stuff, I said about you working with Owens, for what I said after the to rodeo the other day. I was wrong for all of it. I'm sorry." He stopped speaking and waited for a response from Kit.

    Staring at him, Kit blinked.  She reached forward to grab a water she'd been given and sipped it slowly.  Javi kept his eyes on her the whole time. When she didn't respond he begged.

    "Please? Kit say something." She stared at him and then leaning back on her seat, she shrugged

    "What do you want me to say Javi? That it's fine? That I forgive you?" He didn't really have an answer to that, she figured that meant yes. "It's not that easy."

    "I know." He said. "If someone brought up that day to me I wouldn't forgive them either."

    She shook her head a bit and sighed while staring at him. He didn't get it.

    "Javi," she closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe slowly and deeply. The last thing she wanted to do was cry.  "You weren't there." she stopped for a second. "I mean yeah, you were there that day, but you weren't there when it happened. You keep acting like what happened to us is the same and it's not."

    "What?" Javi sounded confused. Kit opened her eyes and started talking slowly.

    "You were there, in the distance, but you weren't there. That's not your fault, but you weren't. You don't know what it was like to see Addy get torn away, or what it was like to turn around and see that Praveen was gone. You don't know how long I tried to hold onto Connor and refused to let him go. How after it all happened I couldn't close my eyes because I kept seeing them die over and over and over again." She was breathing heavily as she spoke. Her voice was getting weaker by the second as the emotions she was trying to hold back crept in.

    Javi wanted to speak. She was right, it was different. They'd all gone through hell but he hadn't actually been inside the tornado. He knew that. He was miles away. Kit and Kate had been inside of the EF5, while he watched it from a distance, not knowing what happened to them.

    "I didn't know what happened to you. You were on the radio and then you were gone and when everything ended I didn't know if any of you were still alive," he grew defensive.

    "I know," Kit spoke quickly. "I'm not saying that you aren't traumatized too Javi. I know you are and I will never know what it was like for you to have to go through that," she paused. "But you still don't know what it was like to see them die. You're lucky for that, because sometimes when I close my eyes I still see it."

    They both went silent. Kit looked like she was going to cry and Javi wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't really thought about that before, maybe he should have but, none of them had ever really talked about that day.

    After Kate had left and it was just him and Kit, the whole talking about what had happened, felt like a conversation that was off the books. They wanted to move on, it was hard with that lingering over them. Then Javi had left too, so that day was never talked about.

    Javi had always thought it was for the best.  That day had left them all with memories they wanted to forget. But because of this, it also meant that he had just never really thought about how bad it must have been for them, he only thought about how bad it was for him.

    Kit knew this too. She had never blamed him for not thinking that way. She knew that it must have been hell for him to wonder if any of them were okay. If she was being completely honest, she likely never would have brought it up. The only reason she was now was because Javi had used that day as an argument when he wasn't there to see what had happened. She needed him to understand.

    "You know," Javi said. He was kind of avoiding Kit's eyes but managed to look at her for a second. "I never really thought about. the fact that you had to see that," Kit nodded chewing on her lip out of anxiety, then she managed to whisper.

    "So that meant that you could throw his death in my face?"

    Javi's eyes widened immediately and he paled. He had done that. He'd been upset and worried and then Kate had mentioned Riggs and he'd said what was probably the worst possible thing to say.

    "Kassidy, I am sorry," he said again. He reached his arm out, to try and grab her hand and provide some sort of comfort. She pulled hers away.

    "You asked," Kit swallowed harshly. "If this is what Connor died for. We haven't talked a lot about that day but I told you that he died saving me. When you said what you said, you made it sound like somehow because I was working with the Wranglers... his dying for me meant nothing. It was like my life was worth less. Like you think he should be here and not me."

    Kit allowed her tears to fall. She'd tried to hold them back but she didn't see a point anymore. When Javi had said those words it had felt like the 5 years she spent convincing herself she should be alive meant nothing.

    "Kassidy- Kit- I- No?" Javi shook his head violently. "No." He repeated. "I fucked up when I said that, but don't think for a second that I think that."

    "Logically I know that okay? But you said it. It's not something that's just easy to forget...or forgive."

    Kit looked at him and he nodded. It was fair, he couldn't blame her. He opened his mouth to apologize again.

    "Javi, you don't need to keep apologizing. I already know you're sorry." She gave him a sad smile. "I don't want to lose you, okay? I'm not saying I forgive you or anything because I do need a little time. That doesn't mean I want to lose you."

    "There has to be something I can do right? To make it up to you?" He couldn't take what he had said back, but he could prove how sorry he was.

    Kit's first thought was to say no. She didn't think there really was anything to do. All she needed was time to find a way to get over it. Then her eyes wandered over to Kate. She was standing next to Tyler, looking up at the clouds with a smile. Kit felt a smile of her own begin to form, though it was soft and small. She turned back to Javi.

    "I only have one thing you can do," Javi nodded.

    "Yeah, whatever it is, I'll do it."

    "Kate needs another scientist if she's going to get this project off the ground. If she's going to get investors for taming a tornado. You started STORMPAR and have more research which makes you credible when it comes to this. So help us, help Kate, and turn STORMPAR into more than what it is," Kit had not even a hint of amusement in her voice.  This is what they needed, it's what Kate needed. So that's all she wanted.

    Javi's eyes followed where Kit had been looking. Of course, it was Kate, it was always Kate. He didn't know how he didn't realize they were in love sooner. Honestly he kind of felt like an idiot. Now Kit was asking him to partner with them, he didn't have any hesitation when he answered.

    "Yes."  Their friendship would probably never be the way that it was. He could never unsay what he had said to her or to Kate. For Kit, none of that mattered anymore. What mattered was that Kate had tamed a tornado, and the rest of the world needed to see that too.

    Together she and Javi walked out of the diner. When Kate saw them, she walked towards her and looked at her softly.

    "Everything okay?" She sounded worried. Kit nodded.

    "Everything is fine," she looked at Javi who sent her a small smile and nodded, just confirming that he was still on board. Kit grabbed Kate's hand and squeezed it. Kate looked relieved, she leaned into Kit and wrapped an arm around her. "Now that's get you to the airport."

....

    After the whole talking with Javi thing, Kit needed a break. Though part of her wanted to go with Kate to the airport, she opted to ride with Tyler and meet her there. It gave Javi and Kate a chance to talk too.

    Tyler of course, was kind of an idiot. When they pulled up to the airport, it was a no-parking zone. He didn't care, and when the parking attendant tried to get him to move he only shrugged. Kit raised her eyebrows a little bit. They were like 20 steps from somewhere he could park, why didn't he just go there? He only shrugged when she asked.

    She climbed out of the vehicle and walked towards the STORMPAR truck. Kate was smiling and Javi looked happy which meant that Javi had told her. Kit held back a smile.

    "Owens!" Javi greeted them when they approached. Kate was too busy watching Kit while she walked.

    "StormPAR," Tyler nodded. "Sapulpa," Kate looked at him. "Still not telling us when you're coming back?"

    Kit let out a small giggle. She'd already teased Kate about that the entire morning, though she wouldn't actually admit that a small part of her was nervous that Kate didn't know.

    "I don't know," Kate shoved her hands in her pockets and stepped forward. "This could be it,"

    Kit's eyes flickered but she tried not to let it get to her. Kate was coming back, she'd promised, Kit still couldn't help but feel a little anxious at the idea of her disappearing again.

    Tyler noticed this too, he ended up leaning on her, with his elbow on her shoulder. She glared at him but really was grateful. It was a way of showing her comfort without making it obvious that she was nervous.

    "Can't tell if you're joking or not," Tyler said, he nodded a little to Kit who hadn't noticed. He was trying to tell Kate that it really was Kit who was nervous. Luckily Kate did notice, and she could see the worry behind Kit's eyes. A sudden idea came to her and she moved toward the woman.

    "Well maybe if you feel it,  you should chase it." Kate stared directly at Kit whose eyes narrowed. What was she talking about?

    Kate turned around and walked towards the door and Kit suddenly felt confused. They hadn't even said goodbye? She turned to Tyler and Javi who were both looking at her like she was an idiot.

    "What?" she asked. Tyler raised an eyebrow. Then it clicked. Oh, Kate wanted her to go after her. Javi pushed her forward.

    "Go," Kit didn't have to be told twice, she took off into the building, in the corner of her eye she could see the parking attendant yelling at a smirking Tyler, she didn't see what he did next but she heard a loud drilling noise and figured it was something stupid.

    That wasn't her focus. Her focus was Kate. She moved quickly to where Kate was standing and looking at the flights. Then she stepped next to her and turned.

    "Leaving without saying goodbye?" She asked.  She faked a frown. Kate looked at her and shrugged.

    "I told you to chase it," she had a grin that made Kit roll her eyes. Then she stepped forward.

    "You coming back to me?" she asked softly, she wrapped an arm around Kate. Her eyes flickered to Kate's lips. Kate tilted her head.

    "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," Kate replied. She wrapped her arms around Kit's neck and pulled her a little closer. "You said together or not at all. I'm taking that seriously,"

    "Good," Kit said, and then without a second of hesitation, she leaned in and closed the gap between them. Neither she nor Kate stopped smiling.

    As they pulled away, an announcement came on. Flights were canceled because of the weather. Kate looked at her and Kit couldn't contain the grin on her face. She grabbed Kate's suitcase and offered her a hand. Then they walked out of the airport together.

   Kate sent an email resigning from her job later that night.

....

note.

and with that, the movie timeline is done! we are onto the extra chapters! still taking suggestions for what people want to see. i was thinking of doing some of their "firsts," so what of those would you want?
also, good god, this chapter is horrible. i literally rewrote the kit and javi conversation like 10 times and i still hate it. i am so sorry. chronic illness is beating me up this week and it gave me a bit of writer's block. i hope you like it anyways.
also, i lied, musician kit comes back next chapter because i have an actual idea for it.
please vote and comment! i'll see you next time <3

- c.j