Home » The Archives » Chapter 7 » Trouble Under the Hood
| Re: Trouble Under the Hood [message #1869 is a reply to message #1868] |
Sat, 28 July 2012 17:38   |
Lillehafrue
Messages: 478
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northeastern USA
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From: Tawnyangel22 Sent: 4/12/2006 11:56 PM
Tracy Island -- July 10 - 2068
After John left Callie, he went in search of Kat. He was appalled at what she had done. As he headed for the hangar, he tried to compose himself, and think of the best way to approach Kat. What's gotten into her? he thought. I've never seen this side of her before. He shook his head sadly. I've got to make her see how upsetting her actions were to Callie.
Kat was carrying out some checks on Thunderbird Two. She was still smarting from her confrontation with Callie. Her head ached as she tried to write on her data pad, the pen snapped. Damn, she thought, as she got another pen from her overall's pocket. Why me? It's so unfair.
Suddenly she heard footsteps. Looking round she saw John approaching. "Hi, John. Nice to see you," she said, smiling at him.
But John did not return her smile. Instead, he stopped a little way from her and said bluntly, "Kat, I've just left Callie on the beach. She was crying and she asked me to change the rotation back to what it was originally. When I asked her why, she told me that you've accused her of messing things up between us. She wanted me to reconsider my decision, so that you and I could spend more time together."
Kat swallowed hard, but remained silent.
"Is this true?" he asked tersely, trying to contain his frustration with Kat.
Kat had never seen John angry before, and thought he was very angry now. She took a deep breath. "Yes, it's true. I'm sorry, John. I just didn't think."
"You're right. You didn't think. Why do you assume that everything should be planned with you in mind?"
Tears filled Kat's eyes. John watched her, trying to keep his anger in check.
"I'm sorry, John. I was just so disappointed. I felt so hurt."
"Yes, I'm sure you were. But that didn't give you the right to ream out Callie. I made that decision. I was the one you should have come to."
Running his hands through his hair, he turned away for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. Turning back to face her he continued, "I'm really disappointed in you. I thought you were mature enough to accept that sometimes decisions are made for the good of others. I thought you would see my offer to Callie as being generous and accept it for her sake. I didn't realize you'd be so selfish."
He stopped and took a breath. "Put yourself in Callie's shoes. How would you have felt if everyone else had been able to go home for their birthdays except you? I know you had a good time when you went home; would you deny Callie that? She's as close to her family as you are, maybe even closer. I heard all about her family when I was training her in Thunderbird Five. So I knew what a gift it would be for her to be able to spend her special time with her folks." He shook his head. "I fail to see why you had to get so angry with her. It wasn't her decision. It. Was. Mine. I thought I had made that perfectly clear."
Kat's face blanched. She couldn't bear John to be so angry with her. But suddenly Kat felt angry. She wasn't going to take this lying down; she was going to make him realise just how she felt.
John watched her. He wished she'd react, tell him off, do something, anything other than stand there looking pitiful. Yes, he was angry with her, but it wasn't the end of the world. He wanted her to realize that though, yes, he had feelings for her, and wanted to get to know her better, his world didn't revolve around her.
"So, I suppose I'm expected to take this without saying anything? Yes, you have made things perfectly clear, but I happen to have feelings as well. I think I was justified in what I said to Callie, and I don't regret my actions at all. I think she deserved to know just how I have been affected. I know we are only just becoming close friends, but I was looking forward to spending time with you." She gave a hollow laugh. "Just how wrong could I be." Unchecked, the tears began to fall, and she angrily wiped them away,
"Excuse me," John said, his voice hard. "As I said before, the decision was mine. Mine and mine alone. If you had something to say, you should have said it to me. Not to Callie. She was innocent in all of this." He folded his arms across his chest. "What you said, and the way you spoke to me when I told you made me think you could accept it. I see I was wrong."
"So what now? I suppose you expect me to apologise?"
John nodded. "Yes Kat, that's what I expect you to do... and I expect you to be sincere. I'm not sure how she'll take it; you've hurt her very badly. But you have to try."
Kat wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and sniffed. John came closer and handed her a tissue.
She said quietly, but with sarcasm in her voice, "Well as long as Callie is happy, to hell with my feelings, is that the case? I obviously don't matter in this equation, do I? And there I was thinking you had feelings for me. I was obviously wrong. I suppose that you won't want us to be friends now."
John let out an exasperated breath and held out his hands. "How am I supposed to answer that?" he asked in a frustrated tone. "I still want us to be good friends, to know each other better. I still feel attracted to you. But I have to admit that I'm disappointed and angry with what you did." His voice got very low and intense. "But if you can't accept that I'm doing something nice for someone, then maybe we'd better do some rethinking of our relationship."
Kat's eyes widened. She was aghast that he would even consider it. "No, John. No. I'm sorry." She looked down at the floor. "It just seemed so unfair," she whispered.
He moved closer to her. "Kat, you should already know that very little in life is fair, even here. It wasn't fair that Callie would have to spend her birthday in Thunderbird Five when no one else had to. Unfortunately, in making things fair for Callie, I made a sacrifice. I really didn't think you'd mind, seeing as it was in a good cause." He put a hand on her shoulder and sighed. "Now, you know what you have to do. In the meantime, I think that you and I should have some space so we can both cool down. Once you've apologized to Callie, and we're both less emotional, then maybe you and I can spend some time together before I leave for Thunderbird Five."
Kat took a sharp intake of breath. He gave her a small, rueful smile.
"I'll talk to you later, Kat. Let me know when you've spoken with Callie." Then he turned and headed out of the hangar.
"John?" Kat called after him. "I'm so very sorry! I will really try to never, ever do anything like this again."
"Okay, Kat." John stopped and turned to her. "Now go say the same to Callie."
Kat watched him go. She felt a little ashamed, but at the same time she still felt angry: angry with John, angry with Callie. But was she also in fact a little bit jealous, because John had taken Callie's feelings over hers? After all, he had spent time with Callie when they worked together in Thunderbird Five, and they must have got to know each other well. And now he was making sacrifices so that Callie could be happy. No, I can't believe that; it's me he has feelings for, she thought, but all the same she felt very unhappy.
John walked away deep in thought. Kat had really disappointed him, and made him angry. He had never realised that she could behave in the way she had. He hoped she would reflect on her actions against Callie, and see that she was wrong. And not only that what she did was wrong, but also that, sometimes, it's better to give a little to make someone else happy. He also hoped that she'd think twice if a similar situation arose.
Kat watched his retreating figure, and then crumpled to the ground, her tears flowing freely. Finally, feeling completely drained, she got up and continued her work. She found it hard to concentrate, but forcing herself to work began to take her mind off the recent argument with John. After she had completed the checks and work on Thunderbird Two, she cleared away her tools, headed for her apartment and a task she wasn't looking forward to.
...fallout by ArtisticRainey and Tawnyangel22
98% pure evil...and loving every minute of it.
 
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