CHAPTER TWELVE.
YOU WANT ONE

Tyler Owens moved fast. That was what Kit noted when the minute that Kate asked if he could get a new model up, he was practically out the door. She had to blink, processing exactly what was happening. It didn't work very well, she was too happy about the fact that Kate was doing this.

The first thing that happened was Tyler reaching out to the rest of their team. However since it would take them a few hours to get back, Tyler, Kit, and Kate were alone. Both Tyler and Kit somehow felt like the third wheel.

Right now Kit was the center of that, she was sitting on a chair, swinging her legs a little bit while Kate and Tyler talked science. Kit may have been better at it than she was 5 years ago, but it still wasn't exactly her thing. So instead of participating in that, she sat and took pictures of the two of them while they worked. Neither of them noticed.

"Let's see how the model responds," Kit caught the end of Tyler's statement and hopped off her chair to walk over. She peered over his shoulder, just like she used to do when Praveen was looking at the scanner.

She watched closely as the experiment played out, working exactly the way it was supposed to.

"So in theory.." she slowly started speaking. Kate looked at her. "This should have worked?"

Kate looked at her with a soft smile before it fell a little when she looked back at the computer.

"Yeah in theory," she agreed. "But it wasn't an EF5 that day. I mean.. we never had a chance." Kit placed a hand on top of Kate's, unable to help herself. Kate apparently didn't mind because instead of pulling away, she flipped her own hand and linked her fingers with Kit's.

Tyler noticed this too, he shook his head a bit. Then he looked from the computer to the two women and sent them both a soft grin.

"You want one?" Kate looked at Kit. Like she wanted to make sure she was okay with this. There was an unspoken fear in both of them. A fear that they were going to face the same situation they had ended up with last time.

The hope in Kate's eyes was still clear, but it was apparent that if Kit shut it down she would stop. Kit shook her head, that wasn't happening. Kate had wanted this for years, and she deserved her chance to prove her theory right. So with a simple shrug, she looked at Tyler.

"Hell yeah, we want one."

....

They were about to head out to go chasing, Kit was standing in her room looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her usual flannel and boots, but her eyes went back to her dress and the hat Kate had bought her.

It was a stupid decision really, she didn't know why she was struggling so hard with what to wear. It was like there were two options. The two different versions of herself, old and new. Was she ready to face them both?

Narrowing her eyes at herself she moved her shoulders back to stand up straight. She went to unbutton her flannel, bullring it off her arms when suddenly before she could even notice the door to the room opened.

Kate was there and her eyes widened a little. Her eyes fell as Kit sported nothing more than her shorts and her baby pink lace bra. Kate practically froze, unable to keep her eyes off of the woman. Her hair was down, curled so it fell just below her shoulders. She had tiny scars all over that Kate credited to the EF5 but it didn't make any difference in how beautiful she looked.

Once Kate actually clued into what was happening and what she was doing she began stumbling over apologies and stepped back, going to shut the door. She hoped that she hadn't been in her thoughts and staring for too long.

"Kate," Kit giggled a little bit. She wasn't the least bit embarrassed. They went to school and used to spend every waking second together. This wouldn't be the first time she'd changed around her. Granted maybe it was a little more awkward because of the whole Kit admitting she was in love with her and her not feeling the same thing.

"Sorry!" she heard Kate call from outside the door. Despite the fact that she hadn't finished changing, Kit rolled her eyes and called her name again.

"Kate it's fine, I'm just deciding what to wear. You can come in." The door moved hesitantly, Kate clearly unsure.

"I can just come back later," Kit laughed again.

   "Kate I promise you, it's fine," She insisted.

Kate very slowly made her way in, clearly a little embarrassed herself. Kit wasn't sure why, it wasn't like she was the one walked in on.

She stopped in the room completely and shut the door behind her, Kate tried to avoid looking at Kit but she couldn't help it. God- she was beautiful.

"Do you need something?" Kit asked sweetly, completely unphased by the situation. Kate felt like her brain had short-circuited. She couldn't even remember why she had come in the first place.

"Are you changing?" That wasn't the intended question but it slipped out anyway Obviously she was changing, there was a reason she had no top on. Kate was just wondering why.

"Oh, I can't decide what to wear." Kit frowned a little. "Flannel over a sundress? Or just my shorts and tank top." Her eyes jumped between the two outfits.

The sundress in question was one Kate remembered well. It was short and yellow, with slightly puffed sleeves, and was covered in white daisies. Kate had been with her when she bought it. It sounded stupid in her head but the first time Kit had twirled around in it was when Kate had begun to realize that the feelings she had for her were a little more than just friendship. Seeing the dress again now, now brought all those feelings back.

Unfortunately with those feelings also came a few reminders. Kate so badly wanted to tell Kit the way she was feeling, she just couldn't yet. It felt like every time she tried, she ended up thinking of the EF5. Of Connor who Kit had lost, of Jeb who she had lost. She was afraid to start something new.

"Kate?" Kit narrowed her eyes trying to get Kate out of her own head. She wasn't responding so she tried again. "Katie?" She always had a tendency to overthink, maybe that's what she was doing now.

Kate finally blinked when Kit called her name a third time. Then she looked up. "You okay Katie? You seem a little flustered."

Kate flushed, she didn't want Kit to notice, but she wasn't exactly being subtle. The guilt of thinking about Connor and Jeb and the rest of their team twisted in her gut, feeling guilty that she wanted to be happy. She tried to not let it take over. She was trying to not let the guilt control her anymore. So she glanced at the dress lying neatly on the bed and shrugged.

"You should wear the dress," She said simply. Kit looked surprised but then she smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you always look...pretty when you do." Kit beamed at her and nodded before turning and pulling the sundress over her head.

Kate watched as she slipped on her boots that were lined with yellow that matched the dress, she then finished it off with the hat Kate had bought her.  The fact that she was wearing it made Kate smile a little.

Once her outfit was complete, Kit looked at her and did a small twirl. Kate felt her breathing shallow, not in a bad way either. She just- couldn't stop looking at her. She'd found herself doing that a lot recently.

Kit didn't notice this at all, even if she had she likely wouldn't have said anything. She was still convinced that Kate saw her as nothing more than a friend. She was fine with that. She was also completely oblivious to the way that Kate was looking at her.

Finishing up her outfit, tying a belt around her dress, just to add something, Kit then turned to Kate. Kate who didn't want to be caught staring, immediately looked at the ground. Kit figured she was still embarrassed about walking in on her.

"Okay! I'm ready!" she waved her dress a little bit. Then she crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Kate.

"What?" Kate asked. "Is there something on my face?" Kit giggled.

"No, you're just missing something." She had almost just said she was looking because she was pretty, but she needed an excuse which is why she shrugged. Kate looked confused. Until Kit walked over to the closet and reached up before pulling down another hat. It was the one she used to wear when performing. She walked forward and placed it on Kate's head. "There. Perfect."

Kate raised her eyebrows a little, especially when Kit grinned wider.

"Really?" she asked.

"I told you," Kit explained like it was the most simple thing in the world. "You gotta embrace being a cowgirl scientist Kate. It's who you are," Kit grabbed her hands and was holding her as she spoke, pulling her a little closer just so she would hear it more clearly. Kate's heartbeat quickened, she felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

Kit didn't even know what she was doing or why she was letting herself act like this. Especially after knowing Kate didn't like her. This is how she and Kate used to act before anything had happened. Maybe she shouldn't be acting like that anymore.

The two women ended up a little closer once Kit finished speaking. Kit could practically feel Kate breathing. It made her nervous and made her even more aware that she was likely acting like an idiot.

Kate couldn't even speak, being this close to Kit, it basically sent all rational thinking out the window. She couldn't form coherent thoughts.

It was then Kit pulled back. Just as her and Kate's eyes had met. She put on a smile and turned around.

She missed the way Kate's smile fell a little bit when she pulled away.

"Okay! Let's go," she didn't say anything else. She only picked up her bag and left the room, which left Kate feeling a number of things she wasn't sure about, and left her wondering what the hell had just happened.

....

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Kit mumbled to herself while she walked towards Tyler's truck. She hadn't spiraled over liking someone since she was a teenager. She didn't like it.

It wasn't like it was all that different from how she usually was, or rather how she used to be. When she and Kate were younger she'd always done silly things just to make Kate smile. Now, of course, she hadn't exactly been that way in 5 years for obvious reasons. In fact, unless you counted when she was around Boone who always brought out a more childish side of her, she hadn't really acted like that at all.

That wasn't the point. - Kate didn't know any of this, so maybe she just figured that Kit hadn't changed much from when they had last seen each other. It was a false hope, Kate knew her better than that. That didn't stop Kit from hoping.

Ultimately when it came down to it there was one thing clear. Even when Kit was just trying to act normal? Kate now knew she had feelings for her and because of this Kit was worried Kate would read into her behavior. She was still scared to lose her, she didn't want it to be over something like this.

Tyler was standing by his truck, fixing something - probably to get it ready for chasing. He was distracted, but when he saw Kit coming from the side of his eye, he turned.

She looked frustrated, that was the first thing he noticed. The second thing he noticed, was that leaving the house directly after her was Kate. I like Kit who looked frustrated, Kate just looked flustered. Tyler assumed it had something to do with the hat that was on her head.

"Hey," he called out to both of them as they approached. "You two feel it?" He leaned towards Kit and looked at Kate.

"Feel what?" Kate asked. Kit shook her head.

"If you feel it," She spoke up and Tyler smirked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Chase it!" Kit couldn't help but giggle.

"I said if you feel it." She raised her voice a little more, she leaned into Tyler making a face that made him shake his head.

"Chase it!" The Tornado Wranglers catchphrase was spoken. The camera wasn't on or anything so it wasn't being filmed but that didn't matter to either Kit or Tyler. Yes, technically they didn't need to say it. They weren't working, but in a way, it was a sort of tradition. A thing that Kate was still trying to understand.

It wasn't that she was jealous okay? That's not it. She just was still trying to understand how Kit and Tyler, and Kit & the Wrangler's relationships worked.

She was also worried, she wouldn't say that part out loud but she was. What if something happened to her when she was on one of those chases with the Wranglers? She tried to not think about Jeb and how she lost him, or about how scared she was that she was going to lose Kit too. It was one of those thing that she was constantly thinking of but couldn't mention. She couldn't question the safety of the Wranglers, because they were there for Kit when Kate wasn't.

Despite the whole, Kit admitting she was in love with her thing and even though they were fixing things after 5 years of no communication. Kate and Kit absolutely had a lot more to talk about. They needed to in order to move on, and if part of what they needed to talk about included Kate finding a way to reveal her own feelings for Kit, well that wasn't important.

"You know y'all aren't camera right?" Kate asked the two, crossing her arms across her chest, the tone her voice took on made it evident that she was making fun of them. Tyler grinned a little. 

"Come on Sapulpa. We're still Tornado Wranglers, gotta act like it." He insisted. Kit climbed into the truck and grabbed one of the T-shirts Tyler had made before she climbed back out and tossed it to Kate.

"See! Now you can be one too!"

Kate looked like she was going to reply to Kit's comment. To make some comment about the T-shirt that sported Tyler's face. Then she didn't, instead her eyes shifted to the way the clouds were moving while the breeze hit them.

Kit could tell that she was tracking the weather. The way she was staring so intently, so clear with an enchantment of the sky. It was nothing new, it was the way she'd always done it, but it was nice to see again after so long.

"We need to go now, something is coming." They were the next words to leave Kate's mouth. She didn't wait a beat before she hopped into Tyler's truck.

The smile on Kit's face didn't leave, not even as she moved to sit in the backseat while Kate sat up front next to Tyler.

She rolled down her window and leaned forward as Tyler started driving. Maybe it was because Kate was here and she was getting to chase with her again. Maybe it's because she was genuinely starting to heal, but Kit was excited, and she couldn't wait for Kate's theory to be proven right.

"Kit! Wrist brace!" Kit glanced at Tyler a little confused. Without looking he tossed her the brace she'd left at the front back to her. Immediately she made a face. Sometimes she didn't like wearing it. Today was one of those days.  "Kit, don't make me call Dani."  Tyler threatened.

Kit clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes but put it on anyway. She'd been told by all
The Wranglers that getting her to wear it and take proper care of her wrist was sometimes like trying to get a kid to eat their vegetables.

She'd mentioned that she also hated vegetables. Boone and Lily were the only ones that laughed.

"Good Girl," Tyler made fun of her from his seat and she reached up to punch his arm.

"Oh shut the hell up and drive,"  He laughed, the punch having little effect on him, he just kept driving.

Kate was grinning at them both, also making a note to watch out for Kit's wrist. Not that she was worried but she was definitely worried.

It wasn't just her, Kit had seen the scar on Kate's thigh when they sitting at the dinner table the previous night. She hadn't thought about it, hadn't brought it up, and wasn't planning on it. It was like both she and Kate had these mental checklists for each other. They needed to know the other was okay.

The subject moved on and Kate started looking around through the truck. Tyler had an annoyed but slightly amused look on his face. Then Kate opened the glove box, where at least a dozen headshots of Tyler were placed. She looked back at Tyler and raised her eyebrows.

"Really?" Kit leaned forward.

"You should see how many he keeps in the RV," Kate laughed and looked at Tyler who flushed in embarrassment.

"Shut up and do your seatbelt up Kit." He was driving so he couldn't hide his face or even brush off the embarrassment as nothing. Kit giggled even more and she fell back against her seat, doing her seatbelt up while Tyler picked up the pace.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Tornado Wrangler." she ignored when Tyler flipped her off but she didn't stop laughing. Kate didn't either.

Things were so nice at this moment. No one wanted anything to go badly. For once, Kate wasn't filled with an overwhelming amount of guilt for letting herself be happy, and for once Kit didn't really care about driving into a tornado, because Kate was here.

note.
very short chapter i know. however i loved it, i have 0 regrets. i wanted to write flirty kate and kit and i did so.
also tyler is really out here just slowly pushing them together without them realizing it and it's funny.
anyways, kit and kate- what can i say?
everything just feels...nice. and if you've noticed that I haven't brought up the song kit  left for kate yet... everything has a reason.
that's all i'm going to say.
have a wonderful day! comment & vote.
until next time!

- c.j