Chapter Nine: Back To Reality

Shattered Fantasy

" KATIE! HAN! We're back! You Guy's AWAKE?" The sound of Dom's booming voice reaches the couple. They both shoot up in bed their eyes wide with panic. The others were home, Checking the clock on her bedside table she sees that it was only 6 in the morning, a full ten hours before they had expected them to arrive. Scrambling out of bed Han rushes out the door quietly shutting hers and opening his, grateful their rooms were across from eachother, and far enough down the hall that they weren't seen from the front door. He just barely had time to jump in bed, pull the sheets over him and get his breathing under control before he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Katie just managed to get her heart rate back to normal before a pounding at her door told her that Dom was right on the other side. Despite the close call she was filled with joy and ripped open her door, plunging into Dom's arms. She squeals as she feels herself being lifted as he spins her around in his arms. " I missed you kid." He says to her putting her back down in her opened doorway. Peering over his shoulder showed Han stepping out of his room appearing to have just "woken up" no sign of affection anywhere to be seen. Turning her attention back to the man who she considered her true father she gives him a Huge Smile and hugs him again.

 

" I missed you too! Where are the others?" She says letting go of him and looking around him for the others. " Oh hey Han, Morning." She says in a disinterested way. Han leans against his opened door in his usual manner arms crossed face serious, he gives her a nod before pushing off the door and heading to the bathroom, the sounds of the shower coming from behind the closed door. Dom looks at him then back at her, one eyebrow raised.

 

"Everything OK there?" He asks in a fatherly tone. Katie forces a laugh and just punches him in the shoulder, showing him things were fine and heads down the stairs to find the others ON the inside though her heart almost faltered, what was that all about? did something happen in the minutes they had been away? sudden realization dawns on her making her miss a step. Dom catches her. "Hey wish you OK?" He says once she was steady. She nods her head without really knowing what he said. The reason for Han's cold demur was the fact that the rest of the family was back, NO more sleeping in the same room, no more signs of affection, they couldn't do anything but hold back and act "normal". Once they got to the livingroom though all her despair was swept under the rug as Mia threw her arms around her and hugged her so hard her breath was squeezed out of her.

 

"Nice to see you too Mia, but can I breath again?" She wheezes in a teasing voice. Mia laughs and lets her go so she could give Lisa a quick hug. Bryan was stretched out on the couch sleeping, clearly he was the last person to drive and was catching up on some much needed sleep. Looking at Mia with mischief in her eyes she sees Mia had the same look in hers. "BRO WAKE UP!" Katie yells before plopping down on his legs. With a startled Yelp he shoots up but was enabled to move due to being pinned under her weight.

 

"Jesus Kit Don't Do that!" He says slightly breathless. Dissolving into a fit of giggles she gives him a huge hug which he returned. Dom may be like a father to her but Bryan was always like the protective older brother that she had always wanted.

 

Han watches Katie with her family from the top of the stairs a smile of love splayed on his lips as he watches the carefree childish wonder that always seemed to come out when she was with them. It was a painful reminder of just how young she was. It was easy to forget she was only 15 when it was just the two of them because her maturity and wisdom was that beyond a typical 15 year old had. After finally composing himself and making sure he wouldn't show an signs of his feelings he walks down the stairs and to the group.

 

"Hey guys how was your trip?" He says sitting on one of the mismatched end chairs. Katie looks at him her eyes going slightly wide before recovering her look of neutrality, making him all to aware that he forgot to put a shirt on. S**T!  Bryan looks over at him and frowns, meaning he too noticed the obvious.

 

"please tell me you didn't walk about the house like that with her here." He says all brotherly. Katie forces a laugh

 

"Nawh I just walked around here Stark Naked you know with the heat and all." Han responded in a sarcastic manner, flashing Bryan a cocky smile. Katie nearly falls off the couch she was laughing so hard, she Shields her face in "horror" at the idea.

 

"EWW HAN THAT'S JUST! GROSS!" She yells earning a chuckle from Bryan. She hears Han chuckling softly. "Go put a shirt on you creep." She says sticking out her tongue earning a not so fake glare from him making her blood go cold. He heads up the stairs without a backwards glance.

 

Han falls back on his bed with a sigh, throwing his arm across his face, a shield against the bright morning light. Watching Katie with Bryan and the others made him realize just how impossible it was for them. He knew what he had to do, He had to cut things off between them now before things progressed. The idea left him cold and angry. WHY? why did he have to care about someone so far out of his grasp? It was torture, what could he have done to deserve this? The sound of his door quietly shutting alerts him that he was no longer alone, but he didn't bother looking. He knew who it was just by the way his heart rate seemed to kick up a notch. He feels her lay down next to him and the feel of her hands against the bare skin on his chest. Shivering with pleasure he automatically wraps his arm around her, drawing her close until she was able to rest her head on his shoulder, never taking his other hand away from his face. He knew if he did his will would dissolve and he wouldn't be able to stop himself from crushing her lips to his. He keeps very still has she trails her hand absentmindedly up and down his front, stopping just above his belly button. It was the first time she had ever done that when she knew he was awake. Her touch was cooling against his hot skin. Normally she did it when he was asleep, but he always woke up at the first touch, he just let her think he was still sleeping. His breath hisses as it escapes his clenched teeth when he feels her lips connect with his chest, her own teeth scraping and biting playfully. As his will starts to break he pushes her off him and sits up, placing his feet on the side of the bed, his back to her.

 

Katie moves to sit behind him  and wraps her arms around his neck, placing her head against his back. At the way his body stiffened at her touch she knew something was wrong. In the back of her mind she knew what was about to happen, but her heart wouldn't accept it. Snuggling closer in a last attempt to bring him back to her she feels him slipping away, the distance between them a painful blow to her fragile heart.

 

"Han please don't do this, don't push me away." She whispers. In a bold move that no way showed what she was feeling inside she puts her legs on either side of him and presses against him until she was flush with his back. Leaning forward she places a kiss on the side of his neck biting it sensually. A low growl from deep inside him rumbles through him making her breath and heart pick up. " Let me back in Han," she breathes into his ear before trapping  his ear lobe in her mouth. A moan of desire escapes him as he sags slightly into her arms. But still he doesn't respond to her or touch her. "Please," She begs, biting down softly. That was her mistake.

 

He was lost in the emotions this girl was creating in him. At the sharp pleasure of her biting his ear the spell was shattered as he started to become very affected. He rudely shakes her off of him and stands up, going to the only window in his room. Taking a few deep breaths to regain his composure he finally is able to calm his body. Slowly he turns around to face the girl he cared for.

 

Katie falls back on the bed as Han escapes her arms. she curls up in a ball and watches him struggle to control himself from his window. By the time he turned around she had walled her heart from the pain she knew was about to be unleashed, She didn't even have to see the look on his face to know that their little whatever this was was over. He walks over and stands by the bed, his hand out to help her off of it. Batting his hand away, not wanting to touch him she leaps off the bed and stands over by the dresser on the other side of the bed, so that the entire bed was between them. It might as well have been the grand caynon. The look in his eyes made her cold and more lonely then ever in her life.

 

"Katie we can't do this anymore." he says his voice strained, each word tearing into him with a burning pain. He watches her face crumple in defeat and it killed him, but he knew he had to keep going, he had to drive this wedge between him. Not for him but for her, to make sure her life wasn't screwed up because of him. His next words he knew would be a low blow but he had to say it. " I wont be coming to your room anymore, You'll have to fend for yourself from now on." He says crossing his arms. " You need to leave now." He sees the tears pool in her eyes but he doesn't look away, he doesn't show sorrow for what he had done, he locks his feelings deep in his heart and acts as cold as he can.

 

"Han we can still sneak" She says her mind reeling. She knew this would happen but that didn't mean she had to accept it. His lips turn up twisting his handsome features into a cruel smirk.

 

"What did you think would happen once they got home? We would stay in that fantasy?" He says not even trying to hide his mocking condescending tone. She gasps and takes a small step back, her hand flying to her mouth.

 

"Why are you doing this? why are you being so cruel?" She says her voice betraying the breaking of her heart. For a moment she sees his cold exterior falter, showing the raw smoldering feelings that were just under the surface. But with a shake of his head that cruel smirk was back and trained on her. He uncrosses his arms and strides up to her until he was right in her face.

 

" Wake up Katie, It's time to come back to Reality, You need to stop living in a dream, it can never happen between us. Do you understand? NEVER," He says his voice low, the Cruelty and mockery in it making her flinch violently, "I'm 25  and you're just a... A Kid." at that word her actions become almost involuntary and it wasn't until she heard the slap and felt the sting did she realize she had slapped him hard in the face, rage coursing through her.

 

his head snaps to the side from the force of her hit, his cheek and chin instantly starting to sting. He places his hand on his cheek and looks back at her. The look of utter hatred and betrayal in her eyes was more painful then the blow itself. Even though it killed him to see her looking at him like that he knew it was for the best.

 

" You need to leave, Now." He says his voice so low, holding no room for argument. She flashes him a cold smile.

 

"I couldn't agree more." She says turning on her heels, she flees his room, surprisingly shutting his door quietly. As soon as the door shut closed behind her he sagged onto his bed. For the first time in almost 8 years tears flooded down his face as he cried his grief out. He had just lost the one person that meant more to him then anyone, and he didn't know if he would ever be able to get her back.