Chapter Twenty-Five: The Calm Before The Storm

One last moment Of Peace

For the Remainder of the month every night Katie would sneak into Han's room where he would be waiting to hold her tightly to him and they would fall asleep in each others arms.  Within the circle of his arms Katie's nightmare's  never made an appearance, it was as if His arms were a dream catcher catching all the bad dreams and chasing them away. It reminded her of last summer when he would hold her for the same reason, It was as if nothing had changed but reality was Everything had changed. Katie opens her eyes blinking  as the morning sun filtered through his half closed blinds, splashing onto her face. She turns and sees Han had shifted in his sleep and was now rolled facing away from her, his well toned muscled back to her. She moves closer and splays her fingers across his shoulders, tracing the plains of his back, making him shiver in his sleep. She takes her hands away and snuggles close, burying her face in his back, kissing with a soft feather like touch. Han groans in his sleep and rolls over, his eyes opening to slits as he faces her.
 
"What are you doing?" He mummers, sleep making his voice deep and sexy. Katie just looks up at him and stretches, kissing the sleep from his lips. His hands snake around and grab her around the waist drawing her closer to deepen the kiss. Happiness floods through her as she realizes he was no longer holding back with her or pushing her away. "If you keep squirming things will get interesting" he whispers against her lips, making her still and break the kiss. He opens his eyes and his hold on her relaxes, a sleepy smile stretching across his now swollen lips to show her he was teasing, She scrunches up her face in annoyance and swats at him making him laugh holding his chest where he had swatted like he was hurt, making her giggle.
 
"You butthead." she says between giggles making him laugh harder.
 
"Did you really just call me a butthead?" He says. Katie just grinned up at him and kissed him on the nose, such a sweet gesture it made his heart swell. This is what it would be like waking up to her every morning. All he had to do was wait one more year and he wouldn't have to hide, they wouldn't have to wait until the others were gone to curl up in eachothers arms. That life was just out of reach but it would soon be within his grasp. Suddenly it was like he was a small child again and needed to be held, he draws her close and smiles as she wraps her arms around him, sensing what he needed. He nuzzles his face against her collar bone and kisses it softly, clinging to her as she held him in the safety of her arms.
 .
The softness and venerability he was showing was shocking yet so tender Katie lept at the opportunity to hold him. It was so different then the man he showed the world, but it was Han in very movement and every touch. She felt him curl up and she held him, protecting this moment in her mind, committing it to memory. The feel of his silky hair under her chin, the thudding of his heart against her chest, his breath warm and ticklish against her collar bone. It was bliss, it was perfection, she never wanted to leave this moment. But a knock on his door shatters it bringing the real world whooshing in around them.
 
"Yo Love Birds I know you're in there? DO you want Pancakes? I'm in the mood for Pancakes, blueberry style!" Melina's chipper morning voice filters through the closed door. The two groan and she releases him as they both slide out of bed, unable to hide from the world any longer.
 
"Yeah Lina that's fine, Just give us a sec please?" She calls grabbing the clothes she had laid out the night before. From where she was she could hear Melina making a gagging noise in the hallway before padding down the stairs to make her famous blueberry pancakes, Han gives her a wink knowing full well What Melina thought they were doing. Katie's face flushes a self conscious shade of pink before ducking out of the room to shower. Han puts on a Shirt and quickly finds a pair of jeans as he hears the shower turning on, thought of Katie in there fill his mind and he quickly shakes his head trying to rid them. No that is NOT where his mind should be going, He didn't mind sharing his bed at night holding her but thoughts like that.... out of the question. He finishes getting dressed and walks out of the room to the bathroom , leaning against the wall next to the door as he listened to Katie hum softly in the shower. The shower stops and ten minutes later Katie emerges, hot steam billowing out the door behind her, when she spies Han standing there she jumps and suppresses a scream. "HOLY S**T DON'T DO THAT!" she hisses, he just smirks and heads into the steam filled bathroom for his own shower, jumping in surprise when she swats his a*s,, her laughter echoing through the hall as she speed down the stairs.
 
Katie's laughter stops short as she smells the scents omitting from the kitchen, Blueberries, bacon, maple syrup, and the floury scent of Pancakes, her mouth instantly watering. She enters the kitchen to find Melina dancing and singing to some Spanish song as she flipped a pancake, a stack of Ten already on a plate on the breakfast bar. Melina spins around and freezes when she sees Katie sliding onto a Bar stool, a shy smile on her lips.
 
"Don't mind me continue cooking." Katie says staring at the pancakes. Melina waves her hand at them and goes over to the hot pan where she kept the bacon.
 
"Help yourself, here's the bacon." She says sliding a plate full of still sizzling bacon. Katie's eyes bugs out as she takes in the heady aroma, piling her plate full.
 
"Save some for me." Han's voice says behind her, and a moment later a hand was resting on her lower back as he joined her at the bar. She looks up at him and smiles, taking a giant bite of pancakes, groaning as the flavor hits her tongue. Buttery, fluffy, sweetness from the cake, tartness from the blueberries, they were perfect,  better then all of Mia's pancakes. A twin groan comes from Han as he too tastes them, Melina just Beams, her white teeth gleaming from between her lips. "Oh Man Melina this is amazing!" he says making her smile wider a giggle of pride escaping her.
 
"Its my Abuelo's recipe." She says, using the Spanish word for grandfather, "He use to make these for me every Tuesday when I would spend summers at his house. My Abuela was so jealous that she couldn't make them the way he did, it was a family recipe that went back generations in his family." She explains turning around to take the last pancake off the pan before it burned. She switches off the stove top and cleans up her mess, cake batter drippings and flour marks, before settled down on the last stool to eat. "I was the only one he gave the recipe too before he passed, my father was jealous of Me" She says, pride in her voice. The others Smile at her and nod, Her Abuelo did right giving her the secret. The three fall silent as they all enjoy their food, too busy stuffing their faces to talk.
 
After they had eaten their fill, 5 pancakes each and numerous amounts of bacon later, They clean up their mess and sit back down, not knowing what they were gunna do that day. Han smiles an evil grin and Katie just stares at him, seeing the gears turning in his mind.
 
"What are you planning?" She asks, her voice weary. Han just gives her his little grin.
 
"Think we should show her what I can do with the Mazda?" He says, his eyes gleaming with mischief. Katie just grins a matching evil grin and turns toward Melina, who was just staring at them with wide almost frightened eyes.
 
"What Mazda?" She asks, her voice shaking. Han and Katie look at eachother and nod jumping off their stools, Katie grabs Melina's hands and propels her out the front door, while Han grabbed his three sets of keys. "What the Hell Are you doing? Katie let me go!" She Screams, but Katie ignores her, keeping her grip tight on her wrist as she propels her to Han's Car. Once There Melina Yanks her arm hard and Katie lets go, rubbing her wrist she glares at Katie. "What to tell me what the hell is going on?" She snaps, putting her hands on her hips. At that moment Han reached the car and unlocked it Katie gets in the passenger side and Han the drivers side, Melina just mills outside, not budging until someone explained to her what was happening. Sighing Katie rolls down her window and climbs half way out twisting to look at Her best friend.
 
"If you don't get in the Car we can't tell you, its more of a You have to see it to understand it." She says sitting on the window frame, her legs still in the car. She can see Melina waging a battle in her head if she should go or not, but in the end her curiosity got the best of her and she slips into the back seat, Katie hoots in excitement and slides back into the car. "Buckle up, He drives like a mad man." She says snapping on her seat belt, receiving a glare from Han. "What its true?" She says giving him big Bambi eyes. He smiles and looks at Melina in the review mirror
 
"Its true I do." he admits.
 
"S**T!" Melina yelps as Han backs out of the driveway and speeds down the street, Katie and him Laughing as Melina pressed herself into her seat, holding on to the "oh S**t" Bar. Han looks in the mirror repeatidly as she weaves his way to the Parking garage, making sure that Melina was still breathing, her face was ghost white and he felt sorry for her. He slows down and sees her grateful smile. Ten minutes later Han was parking the Car in the same place he had when he took Katie driving. Katie flashes back to that day and the betrayal she felt returns as she swallows the lump hat was suddenly in her throat. Han watches as the memory of the last time they were there together ran through Katie's mind, the look of betrayal raw on her face, Melina arches her eyebrow at him in the mirror and he shakes his head, putting his hand on Katie's. Katie turns to look at him and gives him a shy smile letting him know that all was forgiven. He smiles and opens his door, waiting for the others to follow him to the sheet covered car. Melina crosses her arms and hangs back. "OK will you tell me now?" She whines, her uncomfortableness growing. Han tosses her a set of keys and Katie grins knowing what he was doing, Melina catches them, cupping them in her hands.
 
"Press the unlock button." Han and Katie say together, grinning like fools at eachother. Melina huffs, but obeys, clicking the button and jumping back when the car under the sheet beeps. Han grins.
 
"Go ahead and take the sheet off." her curiosity written on her face is what propels her to gather the course sheet in her fists and yank it off the car, letting it fall to the ground as the Mazda was uncovered. "TaaDaa" Han sings spreading his arms wide when he gets a look at Melina's face, a state of shock.
 
"This is a 1998  Mazda RX-7 with a Veilside Bodykit isn't it?" She says her voice a hushed awe. Katie's jaw drops and Melina shrugs, "What I know my Cars." She says looking at Han who was thoroughly impressed. "Wait why do you have a street racing car? I mean I know Dom and the others raced Katie told me, you raced too?" She asked. Han just goes to the Civic and leans against it.
 
"Something like that. You two take the Mazda, Katie you drive, you know where to go right?" Han says being as vague as possible. Katie was standing there, excitement bubbling inside her as she nodded her head and took the keys from Melina who didn't hesitate to jump in the passenger side of the Mazda. Katie steps close to Han who opens his arms to hold her, placing a chaste kiss on her lips before pushing off the civic to get in. Katie slides into the Drivers side of the Mazda and lets Han go first to lead the way.
 
"Are we racing or something? Cuz this car will beat the tires off that Civic any day." Melina says, settling into her seat. Katie just shakes her head and tells her to wait, listening to the purr of the engine. She loved this car. The memories of Han Drifting in it was fresh in her mind, her adrenaline pumping in anticipation.
 
Han looks in the rearview mirror to make sure the girls were still following him and grins as he sees the flash of orange-yellow. He follows the streets and soon the city falls behind him, replaced by the comfort of the suburbs. The Engine of the Mazda  behind him letting him know that Katie was keeping up, and showing off by revving it. He just shakes his head and takes the turn that lead them on the dirt path, his teeth jarring as the car bumps along the uneven path. He sighs in relief and works the kinks out f his jaw as he hits the smooth street that lead to the base.
 
"Are you sure he knows where he is going? Where are we?" Melina says looking out the window, her anxiety clear to Katie. She felt empathy toward her friend for she had felt the same way her first time out here. She flicks her eyes to her as sees her eyes widen as she sees the old base. She turns her focus back on the road in front of her and sees Han slowing down as they made their way to the runway. " I Knew It We Are racing!" Melina's excited voice says beside her. Katie just grins and shakes her head.
 
"Just wait." She says as she pulls over to a stop next to Han who had pulled the car over to the side and was leaning against it, his feet out in front of him, arms crossed. Katie looks at him and is struck at just how lucky she was that she had him in her life, a light breeze blows sweeping his hair across her face making his good looks even more sharp. She kills the engine and waits until Melina gets out before getting out herself. As soon as she gets out she sees ugly jagged skid marks that looks out of control marring the surface of the runway. Looking up at Han she sees him staring at them, lost in thought. Walking over to him she slips her arms around his waist and leans into him, smelling his Irish spring soap that clashed perfectly with his old spice deodorant. "What happened there?" She asks not having to point to the skids. He puts his arms around her back and she leans her head against his chest, his heart thumping quietly against her ear.
 
"The Day I caught you high I came out here to calm down, lost control of the car and almost flipped it" He says in a hollow voice, "I totally forgot till I saw the skids." Katie shudders as she remembers he had once been in a crash with the original Mazda.
 
"How badly were you hurt back then?" She asks whispering knowing he would know what she was referring to. Melina comes over and was about to say something but caught the look on Han's face and quietly went back to the Mazda and sat int he driver side, her body in the car her feet on the ground. Han was grateful she was giving them privacy as he tightens his hold on the girl in his arms. Looking her in the eyes he saw her concern and couldn't help kissing her full lips. Just a small touch of his lips that he pressed lightly to hers.
 
"I broke four ribs, had a major concussion, fractured wrist, and had to get stitches on my forhead where it bashed against the dashboard in the flip and split open." He whispers back at her when he breaks the kiss. She looks up at him and reaches a hand out to touch his forehead where there was a faint scar on the left side. He closes his eyes and is soothed out of his bad mood just by the smallest touch of her hand. He opens his eyes and smiles down at her. "Alright Enough deep s**t, Lets Drift" He says, seeing the Gleam of excitement in her eyes at the mention of drifting. He lets her go and putting his hands around his mouth he hollers at Melina even though he really didn't have to.
 
"YO MELINA! WANNA DRIFT?" He yells making her Jump in her seat. She gets out her eyebrow arched
 
"Did you seriously just say Drift?" She asks, getting a giant grin from both of them in return.
 
 

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 "OH MY GUNDI THAT WAS AMAZING!" Melina yells over the revving of the Engine. Han just flashes her a smile as he slides the car to a stop, His hands gripping the steering wheel tight to the point they were ghostly white. Melina was sitting in the Passengerside Her eyes round her body slightly shaking as she processes what they had just done. Han smiles at her and laughs.
 
"Katie said almost the same thing when I took her out here." He says starting the car up again to drive back to where Katie waited her turn at the Civic. Melina looks over at Han and studies him. She can see how even Katie's name lifted his spirits and made his eyes shine with love, even when he didn't realize it was happening. A pang of jealousy and longing bubbles in her stomach as she wishes she had someone who loved her as much as Han loved Katie. When they reach The other car they see Katie Laying sprawled out on the side of the road in the sparse grass, staring up at the sky at the white puffy clouds that lazily went by.
 
"You know you look adorable when you do that." Melina teases. Katie leans up on her elbows and watches as Melina and Han get out of the car to join her, Melina tucking her legs gracegully under her as she sat down, Han just flopping down on the other side of her, resting his head on her stomach as she eased back down. Melina lays down and Han wiggles out of the way slightly so she too could lay her head on her stomach.
 
Katie runs her fingers through Han's hair and he closes his eyes as the motion lulls him to sleep, the balmy air with a small breeze wrapping around him like a blanket. An obnoxious grumbling from Katie's stomach has him and Melina sitting up as Katie laughed on the ground. Han rests his hand on her stomach and her laughter dies, as another grumble makes itself heard. Han smiles and looks into her Jade eyes.
 
"some ones hungry huh?" He says. Katie just gives him a guilty shy grin and sits up.
 
"We left in such a rush we forgot to pack something to eat, How long have we been out here anyway?" She asks letting Melina pull her to her feet and wiping dirt off her pants. Han Checks his watch and sees that it was 3 in the afternoon, mentally calculating, they left the house at around 10 so that meant-
 
"We've been out here for about 5 hours give or take a few minutes." He says finishing his thought out loud. The girls look at him with surprised. "Hey why not head over to the Friendly's near the Parking Garage, My treat." he says jumping to his feet. he tosses the Keys to the Mazda to Melina, "You're turn to drive it, just don't scratch the paint, it costs an arm and a leg to get it fixed." He says satisfied at Melina's Huge Grin and her mad dash to the Car, happy to finally get her hands on the wheel. Katie starts to trail behind her but he grabs her waist and spins her around in his arms, pressing his lips to hers, tasting her shock on his lips. She wraps her hands around his neck and pressed flush against him, her chest pressing against him in a very desirable way making him tear his lips away and step back as much as he could in her hold. "Do you know how much you test my control?" He asks her, his voice already husky sounding. She opens her eyes and stares into the darkness of his, desire smoldering inside them. She smiles and gives him a quick peck before letting him go to head over to where Melina was waiting. Han doesn't let go of her hand. "Ride with me." He pleads. She shakes her head and he lets her go, watching her walk over to the passenger side and slip in, before getting into his own car. He leads them out of the Base and back to the Garage so they could eat at the Friendly's and go home.
 

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"Today was fun" Katie says as she slips under the cool sheets of Han's bed, the coolness a welcome on her bare legs. Han looks at her through the mirror above his dresser and nods. He studies her figure in the mirror and has to push down his desire. She was wearing a thin spaghetti strapped tanktop and baggie sleeping boxer shorts that looked so damn sexy on her he was starting to lose his control. Quickly he grabs a soft cotton blue tshirt out of his middle drawer and spinning around he tosses at her, laughing as it lands on her head. Grabbing the shirt she shoots him a dirty look and looks at the shirt.
 
"And you are throwing shirts at me why?" She asks holding the soft material in her hands and bringing it to her nose inhaling his scent. She looks over at him and her eyes look down at his front and quickly look back up, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks as she sees why. "OH, you want me to put it on got it." She says in a rush and slips on the shirt, the soft material tickling her ribcage as it slid into place. Han gives her a grateful smile and slides under the sheets beside her, instantly his sweatpants covered legs tangle with her bare ones as she snuggles against him, sighing in complete satisfaction.
 
"They are coming home tomorrow night." He whispers to her, hating that it would put a damper on her mood. She frowns agains this chest and leans back to look at him.
 
"Yeah I know, Tomorrow, we have to pretend again." She says, anger entering her voice. He cups her chin in his hand and softly kisses her forehead making the frown on her lips turn up.
 
"One more year, remember that." He whispers against her forehead feeling her nod as she snuggles closer to him. They cling to eachother for a while, content on just listening to the sounds of eachother breathing and hearts beating in time with one another. Suddenly Kid Rock's voice singing Bawitdaba breaks their peace as Katie's Cell phone Rings. Cursing Katie rolls over and snatches her phone off the bedside table where it lay charging.
 
"Shawn do you Know how late it is over here?" She says as she flips open the phone. She notices Han going Perfectly still at the Mention of her brother.
 
"Hey kiddo did I wake you? Its midnight there right?" Shawn's fuzzy voice says to her through the tiny speaker in the phone. Katie Smiles at his voice, she hadn't talked to him since Christmas.
 
"1 Don't call me Kiddo and 2 Yes its midnight here, what is it like 4 pm there?"
 
"Close 5, Wait a minute," He correct her. Katie hears him put his hand over the phone but she could still hear muffled voices "Neela,  I'm ON the Phone is Katie, Give me a sec!" He yells, then taking his hand off the phone he says to Katie "OK I'm back. How you been Kiddo?" Katie smiles
 
"I've been good, Tell Neela I say Hey." She says. Han Visibly Flinches and rolls over in the bed to sit on the edge, his back towards her, making her frown. She could see by his taut body language that he was upset, his hands balling into fists at his side. "Hey Shawny," She says into the phone using her old nickname for him. "Can I call you back tomorrow when its a better time, I'm kind of falling asleep over here." She lies, watching as Han gets up and paces the room, His hands raking his hair.
 
Katie's volume on her phone was loud enough that Han could easily hear the odd Twang of Shawn's voice on the other line. His voice sends memory after memory bombards his brain as images of the crash come back to him. He was having a flashback, something he hadn't had since moving back here. He gets up and paces the room, his ribs aching as the memories keep assaulting him, phantom pain from when he had broken them.
 
"Alright you too. Love you bro, bye." Katie's voice penetrates the fog of memories but only for a second before they descended again. He doesn't even hear her slip out of bed until she was standing right in front of him, But he couldn't see her as his mind is gripped in the flashback. He was lost, drowning in Flashbacks and memories.
 
"Katie-" He says. Katie stares at the man she loved, His voice barely recognizable, it was small and childish, full of panic and fear, she had heard herself talklike that enough times to know when someone was having a flashback so great they lost themselves in it. The pain on his face was so heartbreaking, where was the strong man she knew? "Katie Help me." He whimpers. She snaps out of her shock and grabs hold of his hands that were trembling so hard hers started to just by holding his. She guides him back to the bed and holds him close in her arms, tears sliding down her face as she hears him whimper again. 
 
Images of the car flipping over and over, the pain in his side exploding as he breaks his ribs, his head pounding and fuzzy as he bashes it on the steering wheel. All these images and sensations wreck havoc on his body as whimpers of fear rip through his lips.
 
"Han snap out of it Baby, listen to my voice, fight through it, come back to me.", Katie's scared whisper penetrates once more through the fog and he clings to it for dear life, trying to fight his way out of the drowning hell hole he was in.
 With one final shaky breath the fog clears and his room comes back into focus, as the memories recede into the back of his mind, hibernating like a sleeping dragon. He feels her arms around him and he relaxes. He lifts from her arms and he lets go, when he looks at her he sees her fear for him shining in her eyes. He gives her a weak smile, not trust his voice yet. She smiles at him relief replacing the fear. He draws her in a hug and holds her tightly.
 
"Thank you," He whispers, the words seeming inadequate for her bringing him back from his demons.
 
"For all the times you helped me." She says lightly. He hold her at arms length and sees her understanding and knowing look. She had been there more times then he knew. He draws her close and Gives her a deep passionate kiss, his tongue slipping easily in her mouth, tasting her minty toothpaste. A groan escapes her as she wraps her hands around his back, her nails dragging down it. A warning growl rises up from deep within him as he breaks the kiss.
 
Katie slides back under the covers and opens her arms wide when he follows her under, waiting to hold him close. And the two fall asleep with eachothers arms. Unaware of what was to transpire come morning. not knowing they were in the calm before the storm