[Day: Friday, April 8th. Time: 11:45 p.m.] [Weather: Still Rainin'!] [Katie is sitting in her room. She's curled on her bed, half under the covers, wearing her oversized t-shirt and a pair of boxers. She looks... tired, and is staring down at the phone in her hand, likely listening to the rain patter on the roof. Eventually, though, she dials Kaede's number and puts it to her ear.] [Mini Start!] * Kaede answers on the other end. It takes a while. He sounds awfully groggy. "What do you want at this time of night?" Hi, Kaede. * Kaede replies. "Katie." It's a simple statement, and doesn't have much to it, except that it sounds like he's a little more awake now. Maybe not by much. Yeah. I just called to let you know that my parents are worried, so they're going to start driving me to school tomorrow. Your parents are worried? Yeah. What made them change their minds? I would have thought they'd have jobs to go to. Mom doesn't. * Katie reaches around, bringing her pillow onto her lap and hugging it. Yeah, but that still doesn't explain why all of the sudden. If it's about last time...well, it seems a little of a delayed reaction.. Are you saying that it'd be better if they don't? I'm saying that it's weird to have it all of the sudden and not earlier. Either you have that kind of reaction right away or not at all... * Katie shrugs. "I convinced them." Because you don't feel safe with me anymore. I never feel safe, Kaede. So why will your parents be any different? If someone puts up a field, your parents won't be able to help... I get the feeling you're just trying to get rid of me... Then why should I be with anyone, Kaede? It's just a drive to school. You say you never feel safe. That I understand. If it were an ordinary kidnapper, I'd understand that too... But you're going to put your parents in harms way because you're scared? * Katie frowns. "I am *not* putting them in harm's way," she says, her words clipped. "It's a lot easier to attack someone on the street than in a car." Didn't Haruko do experiments in a field with a motorcycle? I thought it just stopped working. It did. There's a question. What happens with someone who can't go in the field? Their car probably keeps going. The question is would it keep *you* safe? I don't know. But they're driving me. * Kaede rubs the bridge of his nose, not that Katie can see it. "Look. Just...forget I said anything alright? But I want you to be honest with me." * Katie hugs her pillow more tightly, looking out the window at the rain. "About what?" * Kaede lets out a long, pained sigh. "You didn't do it yet, did you?" No. We looked, but we couldn't find him. * Kaede nods and slowly responds. "Whatever happens, don't lose yourself. I know you probably feel you don't know who you are anymore anyways, but that still doesn't make it right.." * Katie squeezes her eyes shut. "Yeah?" Tenjirou may be the bastard, but he's not the problem..I... * Katie stays silent, waiting. * Kaede sighs longly and closes his eyes. "Out of all of us, I should want to kill him the most. What's wrong with me?" I don't know. Kaede, I don't know. There are things wrong with all of us. So tell me the truth, Katie Andrews. * Kaede pauses a bit before continuing. "What do you think's wrong with you?" * Katie wipes at one of her eyes, then the other, stopping the tears from trailing. "The world is insane. People are horrible. That's what's wrong." No. That's the why. Not the what. No. It is the what. I'm going to do what I have to, Kaede. And I understand that. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to do what I have to too. * Katie is silent at that. * Kaede closes his eyes. "Besides...if people were horrible, you wouldn't have so many at your side, would you?" * Katie licks her lips, and she says, softly, "You're my friend. I love you. I can't just change that." And that's the part of you I don't want you to lose. Then please don't show me I'm wrong. Because I can't just change that. My parents are going to drive me to school, Kaede. Starting tomorrow. Okay...Katie? What? I'll see you at school tomorrow. * Katie swallows. She turns her gaze back up and out to the storm outside. "Yeah. See you." Her thumb moves, and she hits the end button. * Kaede hits his too! * Katie puts her phone on the dresser, numbly, and leans, reaching for the light switch. She flicks it off, then curls under the covers, eyes open. * Katie twitches once, then twice, and she's crying into her pillow as she listens to the rain. [Mini End.]