Out Of The Past

"You sure you don't mind watching them Mike?" Kat asked me again.

"No, now go and try to have fun with the stick in the mud" I said to her.

She gave me a knowing look but said "Mike I really wish you'd try to get along with him"

I shook my head "Kat I am glad you are happy but I don't like him, I'm sorry" I told her sadly.

It was an old argument and it wasn't going to end anytime soon if ever. She just looked at me for a moment before coming forward and giving me a hug 'see you later, alligator' she told me with a sad smile on her face as she turned around and headed out the door

"Night Kitty Kat" I said.

"Oh you! Are you ever going to quit calling me that?" she said in mock exasperation 

"Nope" I replied with a grin on my face and she just shook her head and headed on out pulling the door closed behind her.

That had been my nick name for her since she was a tiny baby and me not much older. Mom had told me once that I had overheard her calling Kathleen by the nickname Kat and shortly afterward had been holding her when she started making little noises almost like purring and I had dubbed her Kitty Kat with the name sticking ever since. 

I had always been close to my sister and she to me and I still called her my Kitty Kat even though she was 26 now with two little ones, somehow I knew I always would.

After it shut it was my turn to shake my head as I walked back into the living room to see what the munchkins were up to.

They were happily ensconced watching some kids' thing as I sat down and within moments were crawling up on my lap to cuddle. 

I just held them, thinking about this new man in their lives.

I wanted Kat to be happy and it seemed that she was but I didn't like him. 

It was too bad Martin had died; he was a good man and loved the boys to death not to mention Kat. 

This new guy was a cold fish and I noticed how the boys reacted around him, Kat should be paying more attention to that little fact which I felt told a lot about the guy but she was in love.

He also didn't like me very much at all nor my relationship with the boys. 

I did not see this ending well for someone.

They were only going to be gone for a short while so I didn't bother bathing the kids or putting them down tonight and precisely at 8 they rang the doorbell.

I answered it to find John standing there looking glum as usual "where are the boys?" he asked me succinctly. 

"In the living room" I told him.

"Get them please" was all he said.

"Sure, why don't you come on in?" I asked. 

"No, I'll wait here thank you" was his response.

I shrugged my shoulders and headed back into the living room where two little faces looked up at me.

"He's here ain't he?" David asked in a strange tone while Jimmy just shook his head back and forth.

"Yeah honey and mommy too" I said to them.

Then they were rushing into my arms and I was holding two small bundles as I picked them up and carried them back with me to where John was waiting impatiently at the door.

"Well then let's go now shall we" he said and the boys just burrowed into me more.

I didn't like this. 

They seemed almost afraid of him.

"Now boys" John said. 

I kissed each of them and told them "you be good for momma and I'll see you tomorrow ok?" which got nods from them as I set them down and they took one look at John and then scampered by him running for the car.

"Well I'll see you later John" I said as he glanced back at the running boys with distaste plainly on his face.

"Yes, oh and Mike just to let you know we are looking into finding appropriate child care for the boys" he told me and then turned while my mouth had just dropped open and walked away.

"John the boys are fine here, I love having them" I said to his retreating back but got no response as I quickly hurried after him.

I caught up with him at his car and could see Kat looking fearfully at us with the boys staring wide eyed from the back seat as I reached him and called.

"John, wait just a minute now."

He turned swiftly and said "what?" 

"What was that comment supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Exactly what I said, they need a structured environment and one with more appropriate...training" he replied coldly.

"John they're 3 and 4 years old, they need to be kids and the environment here is just fine" I told him in just as cold a voice.

"Well that's not your decision to make, now is it?" he replied.

"No and it's not yours either" I told him.

"Don't interfere in what's none of your business" he said stepping up to me.

"Or what?" I said not backing down.

"Please stop it" I heard Kat say and only now realized that she had gotten out of the car and came up beside us.

John and I just glared at each other before I said "has he told you what he intends to do with the boys?" 

"Ah...we've been discussing some things Mike but nothing is decided yet" she hurried to say.

"Wait in the car Kathleen" John ordered her.

"Why should she, you're discussing her children after all" I said emphasizing the word "her".

What scared me though was her saying "yes John" and walking back to the car meekly as I turned to her shock "Kat?" I said but she just kept walking.

I turned back to find John getting in the car and slamming the door as I could see the boys crying in the back seat.

"This isn't over John" I called out loudly to the retreating car but he just smiled as he backed out of the drive.

What had this guy done to Kat? 

You could call her a lot of things but meek was not one of them I thought as I walked slowly back to the house and inside where I just sat down and thought about the current circumstances.

Kat had met this idiot about six months ago now and it had turned very serious very quickly. 

She told me they were going to get married soon and I was not happy with the idea at all.

She had always been so strong but especially so since Marty had been killed, now though she seemed to be a puppet to his wishes.

John was very controlling and that worried me greatly. The boys had taken an instant dislike to him and for ones that young to do so meant a huge red flag to me.

It had not gotten any better in the intervening time and it became quite clear early on that he did not like the relationship I had with Kat nor the boys and had steadily done everything in his power to drive a wedge between us. 

With the boys it hadn't worked and with Kat it had been only mildly successful although more and more so as time went on.

Children knew who they loved and John's efforts had met stone walls in trying to turn them against me.

Now this. 

I had been concerned enough from early on that I had hired a private investigator to look into the man, deeply into the man, but they hadn't turned up anything. 

John was a wealthy businessman in the LA area who had no criminal background and nothing seemed to be improper that they could find and they dug quite deep. He went to some church regularly and seemed quite involved there but that was it. Other than church he led a quiet life with a house up in the hills and stayed to himself. 

Very nice, very uninteresting and very quiet, but there was something wrong with this guy, I could feel it.

Marty, why did you have to die I asked for the thousandth time as I sat there thinking.

Marty had been so good for Kat and had loved those boys to death and after everything he had been through to go and get killed in such a way was to this day enough to infuriate me.

Marty had gotten out in 1993 not wanting to serve under the new administration that went into place then that was decidedly anti-military. He had joined in 1983 and not only lived through but served under a one of a kind President who truly made one proud to wear the uniform of our country. 

After leaving he had joined the fire department here in LA as a paramedic and it was only 3 short years later that he had been taken senselessly by some drug seeking punks. 

The hell of it was he didn't need to work at all but wanted to do something worthwhile with his life, and he paid for it dearly by working an area no one else wanted to go into much less work in

He had responded to a call, a child down, in the hood. 

When he got there he and his partner were attacked as soon as they entered the home where the supposed child was located.

There was no child injured or otherwise.

Martin's partner was struck in the head with a blow hard enough to cause permanent brain damage but Martin had fought back with the years of training he had. 

They found two dead at the scene from Martin's attentions but one of the cowards had plunged a knife into Martin's back and as he fell stabbed him repeatedly with it. 

Martin had still managed somehow to hit his emergency button and all of his attackers suffered injuries but for Marty, it was too late. 

When the police arrived they found his partner unconscious, two attackers dead, two others unconscious and Marty dying.

He never made it to the hospital and his last words were for Kat and the boys, and me, to take care of them for him.

I had given it up a year after Marty and just before David was born, he had been right, the new administration was not one to work under. I had thought that it couldn't be that bad but the new President proved me wrong there. 

There would never be another Reagan, sadly.

I had joined the sheriff's department as a reserve deputy at a friend's urging to have something to fill my time and with my background, at least what they had access to, I had no problem getting in. 

It was fun and I enjoyed the work immensely. 

With Martin's death a rage had exploded in me that sought an outlet in his attackers. It had taken a year for it to happen but none of them were still walking the earth. 

These punks had no concept of true warfare especially a shadow war. 

My only regret is that they died quickly and relatively painlessly

Kat I had always been close to but those two little ones had been my life since the day Marty brought David out from the delivery room and placed him in my arms and I watched as his tiny little eyes had opened up and seemingly stared right into mine and a small smile had appeared on his face while I just said "well hello there little one" and he gurgled happily.

I know they say that infants can't see clearly when they are newborn and that they don't make purposeful facial expressions and such but I can tell you this kid on that day and later on Jimmy as well looked right at me and I felt the love blossom in my heart and spread outward from there.

That look was definitely focused and direct and didn't waver; I was in love from that moment on.

Marty had been more than a brother to me and I was a part of their lives constantly. 

I raised those boys along with Marty and Kat and I almost thought of them as my own sons.

After Marty died they became exactly that to me although I always made sure to keep their daddy alive with comments and such even though they couldn't remember him sadly.

Kat had fell apart understandably after Marty died and eventually when she got herself going again wanted something to do and had found a job to occupy her.

I had the kids.

I was quite happy but I think they reminded Kat too much of Marty and caused her a great deal of pain.

Don't get me wrong she loved them to death but she seemed to let them stay with me a lot of the time when she could have had them with her.

I felt bad for her and them but I couldn't say I minded all that much. 

Now this prick had entered the picture and Kat had fallen hook line and sinker for him and I was losing my family, I didn't like it one bit.

The next morning I was awoken by the door bell ringing insistently and managed to shrug into a robe and stumble out to answer it.

Looking through the peep hole I saw Kat standing there and quickly opened the door.

"Kind of early don't you think?" I asked her but she didn't smile and walked by me pushing me aside and heading into the living room.

No kids either I thought as I hurried to catch up with her.

I entered the living room and she turned on me and said "you have to stop antagonizing him Mike." 

"ME?" I said incredulous.

"Yes you, last night was uncalled for" she snapped.

"Look Kat I don't think you know what happened last night and I didn't do a damn thing!" I yelled.

Mornings were not a good time for me at all and she knew this not to mention having woken me up.

"And just what do you call that little scene out by the car then?" she screamed back.

"A response" I said coldly.

She just looked at me for a minute before saying "it needs to stop Mike."

"Then tell him to leave me and the boys the fuck alone" I told her.

"Mike he"s going to adopt them and be their father" she said.

"Ah Kat don't" I said.

"No Mike they need a father and he is willing to be one for them" she said which was like a slap in the face to me.

"They don't need him Kat, they don't like him and you know it" I told her shouting again.

"They'll learn! John says they just need proper discipline and they'll be fine." 

"Discipline, they're three and four years old for Christ's sake Kat, what the hell are you thinking?" I yelled.

"Mike you need to stop this, and stop it now. John is in our lives and if you can't make your peace with that then...." she trailed off looking away from me.

"Then what Kat?" I asked very softly.

And watched as she drew herself up and faced me once again "then you will no longer be allowed contact with the children" she told me. 

"You'd do that?" I asked not believing she could actually do that to me.

"Yes Mike I will" she said.

I just looked at her before saying.

"I don't like him Kat, the boys don't like him either and that should tell you something right there" I told her trying to get through to her.

"It'll take time Mike; they see you as their father and consider John an interloper. With time and you not in the picture as much that will change, I'm sorry" she said.

"Why Kat, why are you doing this?" I asked bewildered "I love them so much" I stated. 

"I know Mike, but John will be their father now, not you" she said.

"He really wants to take over doesn't he" I said bitterly to her.

"He wants to be their father and my husband and fulfill his God given duties as husband and father" she said.

God given duties?

"Huh?" I asked. 

"God teaches that a faithful husband and father has certain duties and obligations to fulfill and you are hampering that Mike" she said.

"Oh Christ, Kat, that's a bunch of bullshit and you know it. He doesn't like me anymore than I like him and this is his way of trying to get me out of your lives. You can't let that happen" I told her furious once again. 

"It is Mike and if you want any part of our lives, the boys" lives then you had better face that fact" she said.

"Kat if you try to keep me from the boys I'll take you to court" I told her coldly.

"Don't you threaten me Michael Christopher Reynolds, do you understand me?" she snapped.

"It's not a threat Kat, it's a promise. I may not win custody of them but I will most certainly get visitation and you know it" I said right back in her face.

"Try it Mike and we'll bury you" she said coldly as she walked towards the door.

"Kat one more thing" I said to her retreating back. 

She stopped and turned around looking at me and said "what?"

"He isn't going to get your money or that of the kids" I said to her.

I was surprised when she started laughing then said "he doesn't want my money Mike." 

"Good then if that is the case lets make sure and I'll get Bill over here and you can sign off on it ok?" I told her.

"Why Mike you are in charge of all that, what do you need my signature for on anything?" she said. 

"It makes it better if there should be a problem later" I told her.

"Fine but you're wrong about him Mike, I'll be back at 11" she said and turned walking out the door slamming it behind her.

I quickly called Bill Jamison and got put through immediately of course

"Hi Mike what can I do for you?" he asked

"Bill remember me telling you about this new guy Kat has been seeing?" I asked

"Yeah you weren't too thrilled if I recall" he said

"No and I'm even less thrilled now" I said

"Ah problems?" he asked

"Yeah you could say that" I replied

"What's going on?" he asked

"Several things. I need you to draw up something showing that Kat agrees with what I just told her which is that bastard is not getting any of her money or the boy's money. I also want something that extends the control on this whole thing. The other thing is a family law attorney if you can't do it that can handle a custody issue."

"Mike what did she say to all of this?" he asked

"Well she is so certain that this guy isn't after money that she agreed and will be back here at 11 to meet with you and sign whatever I want. As to the other she definitely doesn't agree with that. Bill she wants to keep me from the boys" I said.

"Oh Mike I'm sorry, really sorry. I know how much you love them" he said.

"Yeah" was all I could reply.

"I'll get some things drawn up and be over there in about an hour that will be airtight and keep you in control and I'll bring a friend with me who can discuss the rest with you" he told me.

"Ok thanks Bill" I said as we hung up.

Oh damn.

I just sat there for a while before going and getting into shower and trying to make myself presentable for the day. 

I came out and put a pot of coffee on while I heated up some leftover sausages and grabbed a Pepsi from the fridge. 

It was about 5 minutes after I had finished eating that the doorbell rang and I went to answer it and found Bill standing there with a lady I hadn't met before

"Hi Mike" he said shaking my hand and introducing the lady "Mike I'd like you to meet Kendall Roberts who specializes in child custody and family law" he said as I shook her hand and invited them inside.

We all sat down and Kendall asked me to relate what my concerns were which I did.

"So you take a fairly active role in their raising?" she asked when I was finished. 

"Yes a very active role" I replied.

"I see, well I won't kid you I can probably get you visitation but not much more than that" she said.

"I don't like this guy and the boys don't like him either" I said.

"Mike I hate to say this but that could be for exactly the reasons she told you. The boys see you as their father and resent the new man in their mother's life" she said.

"It could be but I don't think so Kendall. There is something wrong with this guy" I told her.

"Have you seen any signs of abuse Mike?" she asked.

"No, other than they seem afraid of him there aren't any marks and they haven't said anything" I told her.

"Well, like I said I am pretty sure I can get you visitation but that's probably going to be about it" she told me.

"Well I hope it won't come to that" I said as Bill started to explain the documents to me.

All too soon the doorbell was ringing and I got up and answered it to find Kathleen standing there.

She entered past me without so much as a greeting and went into the living room greeting Bill and Kendall whom Bill introduced simply as his associate.

I joined them and Bill started removing papers of his briefcase.

Kendall surprised me by removing a video recorder from a bag which I had thought was a large purse and proceeded to take a stand out and set up both to film what transpired.

"What is this Bill?" Kat asked looking unhappily at the camera that Kendall was just now turning on before resuming her seat.

"I'm sorry?" Bill said.

"What is all this with the camera and all?" she asked again, this time on camera though.

"Simple precautionary measure, Kathleen, which we use on most things now days. Technology is great isn't it?" Bill said, smiling disarmingly.

"We film such things as this, to allay any claims of duress or intimidation." he went on to say.

"Fine." Kathleen muttered.

"Now Kathleen, there are a few things we have to get out of the way first of all, alright?" he asked.

"Sure." she replied.

"I am William Jamison, and with me to my right, is Kendall Roberts, also present to my left, is Mike Reynolds, a party to this action, and I need you to state your name please." he said.

"Kathleen Reynolds." she said.

"Kathleen, you understand that you are being recorded during this meeting?" he asked. 

"Yes I do." Kat answered.

"And do you consent to being recorded, and understand that this recording constitutes an official record of this proceeding?" he asked.

"Yes, I consent to being recorded, and I understand that as well. Also I understand, Mike can use it against me, in the future, as well." she said, angrily looking over at me.

I didn't say anything.

"Very well Kathleen, we are here today regarding the money being held in trust. Now..." Bill started, and Kathleen interrupted. 

"Look Bill, why don't we save some time here? Mike thinks John is after our money, and wants to prevent it. He's not and I am here to sign whatever you have come up with, to prevent it should he try. But since he's not, there won't be a problem, will there?" she said, again angrily.

"Well, we all hope not, Kathleen. I do need to ask you this though. You understand that by signing these documents you will be leaving and extending control of the monies to Mike?" 

"Yes I do." she said.

"Do you understand that by signing these documents, you will continue to have to go through Mike, as you do now, for anything beyond the allotted distributions?

"Yes I do." she replied.

"Do you do this of your own free will, without any duress from any party present, or not present?" he asked her.

"Yes, I do this of my own free will and without duress of any kind." she said.

"Do you understand that by signing these papers, you are forfeiting your right to legal recourse to challenge them at a later date or time?" Bill asked.

"Yes, I understand this. Mike has done very well, and we have never wanted for anything, I think he is worried needlessly, but I don't have a problem with this." she said. 

"Fine, that's fine." Bill said, and then started handing Kat papers one at a time, which she signed diligently, before returning them to him.

Once they were all signed, and Bill had them put away, Kendall looked at me and asked, "May I?" 

I nodded my head and she began.

"Mrs. Reynolds, I am an attorney with Bill's firm, and I specialize in family law." Kendall told her, which caused Kat to turn and look at me, shooting me daggers.

"You certainly didn't waste any time, did you" she said, bitterly. 

You and those boys have been my life Kat, and you know it." I said.

"Have been is right." Kat replied, with ice in her voice.

"Mrs. Reynolds, Mike simply had some questions for me. About the situation and I wanted to discuss it with you, since you are here." she said.

"There is nothing to discuss. I have said all I am going to say, and if you want to take me to court, then give it your best shot." she said.

"No one wants to do that, Mrs. Reynolds, but you would have to agree that Mike has had a significant role in their lives, up to this point, and removing him as you have threatened to do, would have an adverse impact on the children." Kendall said.

"Yes he has, but John is in the picture now, and he is going to be their father, not Mike, and Mike has to accept that." she said.

"They have a father, remember or have you forgotten Marty?" I asked. 

"You son of a bitch." Kat said, as she got up and stormed out of the room.

"Truth hurts doesn't it?" I called after her.

"Fuck you Mike." she said, without ever breaking her stride, and I soon heard the door slam, as she departed.

"Well that went exceedingly well." Kendall remarked wryly.

"Yeah." I said. 

They packed up their equipment and were soon gone; leaving me to wonder just what was in store next. 

All I could be thankful for, was John would never get much out of them, if that was what he was after.

I didn't hear anything for several days, and then one afternoon the doorbell rang, and I got up to answer it, surprised to find John standing there.

I let him in, and he walked into the living room, where he sat down, all without saying anything.

I joined him and he spoke.

"Kathleen has been quite upset." he said. 

"I'm sorry to hear that" I said diplomatically rather than say it's her fault

He looked at me for a bit, before saying, "why don't you like me Mike, what have I done to you?" 

Did he really want to know?

"You mean besides trying to come between Kat, the boys and Me?" I asked.

"Mike, you're not their father, nor her husband." he said.

"I am not her husband, but I am her brother, and I've been like a father to those boys. I love them as if they were my sons." I told him.

"Well they're not, and you're not, they're going to be mine." he said.

I just looked at him before saying, "So I've heard." 

Then completely changing the subject he said "That wasn't a very nice thing to do the other day." 

"Oh?" was my reply.

"Do you really think I want her money?" he asked.

"I don't know, but now you won't get it." I told him.

"Oh, we'll see." he said. 

"No, John, we won't. Even if Kat should die, you won't inherit anything." I told him, which got a cold look from him, but he didn't say anything.

"Mike, I came here today, to see if we could work this out like men, but I can see that it's no use. I hope you find the Lord to guide your path." he told me, as he stood up, and headed back out as quickly as he came.

"Is that what this is all about, the fact I wouldn't go to your church?" I asked his back as I stood up.

He stopped and turned back to face me. "Oh it's a lot more than that, Mike. The boys will be raised by God's laws, and you don't believe in that, which makes you detrimental to their moral upbringing." he said, and turned back, walking to the door and going through it, pulling it closed behind him.

I was left with my mouth hanging open, as I heard the door close behind me.

I went over and picked up the phone, dialing Kat. 

"Hello." I heard.

"Kat..." I started to say.

"Mike, please don't call here, John says I shouldn't talk to you." 

"He just left here, after saying I was harming the boys" moral upbringing." I told her.

"I'm sorry Mike." she said, but before I could say anything the phone went dead.

I tried dialing back but there was now no answer, and sadly, I just gave up and went back out and sat down.

I didn't hear anything for several days, and it felt as if a hole had been torn out of my heart, and life, without the boys there.

They had been so much a part of me for so long, that it was a physical pain now.

Then about a week later, the phone rang, and it was Kat.

"Hi Mike." she said.

"Hello." I said coldly. 

"Look, the boys are missing you." she told me. 

"I...I'm missing them too, you know that." I said to her.

"We'd like to drop them off, and they can spend the night with you, I'm sorry Mike." she said.

"I'd like that, a lot." I told her.

"Ok, then we'll be over in a while." she said. 

"Thanks Kat." I replied. "Thank you." 

The phone went dead without her saying anything else, and I was left to wonder what was going on, and why the sudden change of heart on their part.

I should have kept wondering, but the arrival of two small babies took all thought from my mind, as they ran screaming "UNNNNCCLE MIIIIKE!" into my arms, and I held them to me, just breathing in the scent of small boy.

"Oooooh, I missed you guys sooooooooo much." I told them, while squeezing them to death.

Kat left immediately, as soon as she saw them inside without saying anything, and I spent a wonderful day and evening with the boys.

They were picked up the next day and over the next week things seemed to dramatically improve between us.

The kids spent every other day with me, and I was back in heaven. 

John wasn't any friendlier with me than I was with him, but he also didn't say anything else either.

It was about a week and a half later, when I began to realize how important that time would be to me, and that my life would forever change. 

Everything was going quite well, too well, and this day was no exception.

I had the boys, and had just given them their bath, which was always a wonderful adventure, with more water all over the bathroom, than remained in the tub, by the time we were finished, when we finally ended it and got them out to dry.

As soon as they were dry, they took off, leaving me to clean up the mess, as soon as I checked to make sure they were where they always were, playing in the living room.

Getting them into clothes at this age, was damn near impossible, and I didn't even try, after a bath until bedtime. 

They knew quite well that come bedtime in a very short while; the pajamas would go on but until then they streaked around the house, in their birthday suits, compromise and no headache that way.

Poor Kat wondered if they would ever wear clothes, and sometimes I wondered the same thing, although by next year, getting David, at least, out of clothes would probably be the problem as that was usually when modesty suddenly came into play.

I finally got the flood cleaned up, and got back into the living room to relax a bit, while the boys watched Barney for the seven millionth time. 

I had really begun to detest that creature, not to mention him changing all the old children's songs with new inane words, uuggghhh.

It was about 15 minutes before I was going to put the monsters down, when I noticed David staring behind me and turned to find Kat standing there with John.

They must have let themselves in, with the key Kat had

"Hey there, I didn't hear you come in." I said, but quickly got the idea that they weren't happy about something, as they continued to stare at us.

"What's wrong?" I asked. 

"I'd like to know what is going on here?" John asked coldly, and I for the life of me didn't get it. 

They weren't even supposed to be here tonight.

"Going on, nothing. The kids have had their bath and they'll be going to bed in about 10 minutes from now." I said, confused.

"Why are they naked in your living room?" he asked me.

"Cause they hate wearing clothes, unless they have to, I'm sure you've noticed." I said chuckling.

"Yes, I have noticed, and I've wondered why." he said. Looking at me.

"Look John, I don't know what your problem is, but Kat can tell you they are little nudists." I said, trying to calm him down.

"Yes, and I can see where they get it from." he told me.

"Now just a minute, they got out of their bath about 20 minutes ago, and they are going to bed in their pajamas soon. I don't understand what you're upset about, and they didn't "get" anything from me, if that is what you are implying." I said now finding this not so funny.

"Maybe you can tell me where they got that?" he said pointing behind me and I looked to find David fondling himself.

"They were born with it." I said, not happy with where this conversation was going.

"I suppose you think that is funny." John replied. 

"Actually yeah, I thought so. But what I don't find funny, is your insinuations." I told him.

"Kathleen, get the boys, now." he ordered Kat.

"Just a minute." I said.

"And for God's sake get some clothes on them." he added to Kat, while turning to me. "Don't interfere or I'll call the police."

"The police what in hell for?" I asked, incredulous, but he ignored me, as Kat got some clothes on the boys, and picked them up, carrying them with her to stand beside John.

"Kat, you can't stand for this crap." I said.

"How could you?" she asked me, leaving me completely shocked, as she turned walked away with John on her heels

"Kat."

"KAT!" I called but got no response, as the door slammed.

"Kat" I whispered to a now empty house.

What the hell had just happened?

To say I was stunned was an understatement; this just didn't make any sense at all.

It was a lonely and confusing rest of the evening for me, until I finally called it a night.

Sleeping wasn't any better, as I tossed and turned all night, only to awaken to the doorbell the next morning.

God it must be Kat coming to explain what in the hell had happened last night, she loved early mornings.

Yuck.

I grabbed a pair of shorts, and tried to put them on, while stumbling down the hall to the door, where someone was trying to wear my doorbell out.

"I'm coming already, keep your shorts on." I yelled, as I finally got to the door, and opened it. 

"Kat...." I started to say but froze, with my mouth open at what confronted me.

"Michael Christopher Reynolds?" the man in the suit standing next to two uniformed deputies asked. 

"Aahh, yes." I answered, confused.

"You're under arrest......."