“…You always…went to dad…” Chris sucked in another short, shaky breath. “…Promise…you won’ t go back to him…” His brow furrowed hard. He’d never been able to protect her from him, from the essential brainwashing he’d put them both through. “…Promise, Kate…”
“I… I promise, of course I promise,” Kate sniffled, rubbing at her nose with her shoulder. “I’ll be here with you, fighting side by side until the very end…” Kate let out a wet laugh. She’d rather be with Chris, than spend any more time with her father. “… Love you, Christopher…” she added quietly.
“She’s a nurse, Kate…and I’m not sure that it’s a doctor we need for this. Just…trust me, please?” Chris sighed slightly. It was going to take some doing to explain everything to Melissa, but he was sure that she would help with everything that had been going on. Kate was all he really had left now, regardless of what had happened.
"As long as she knows what’s she’s doing, than I trust you,” Kate nodded, waving a hand as if to show total trust. Chris looked weathered… and old. Briefly, she wondered if she looked like him, but that made her cringe. “When do we see her?”
Chris blinked as she shot questions at him. He hadn’t heard her talk like that since they were much younger. There tended to be more sarcasm and vitriol these days. More orders, taunts, fewer questions. “No. But I know some people who can help us.”
“Is that legal? Shouldn’t we go to a doctor?” Kate shook her head, unsure. “Who would we go to? Are these people friends?” Kate looked to the man in front of her. If he was her brother, he;d protect her right? He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t lead her into a trap or something, right?
“…Kate…” There was no point in both of them dying. Not the last two Argents, aside from Gerard of course. But the older man didn’t properly count. ”…You left once already, Kate…what’s stopping you from doing it again?”
“Because it’s different now… Because I need you, and you’re …” Kate stayed silent before she shook her head. “You’re going to die and I’m going to be stuck here alone and with no one to turn to, no one but Dad, and… what’s the point Chris?” She met his eyes. “You’re all I got left.”
Chris furrowed his brow slightly. She was right about being better off not knowing, though he’d been planning on being selective in what he told her anyway. “If you really don’t want to hear any of it…I won’t tell you. Just…we’ll figure this out.”
“But how? Do we get a doctor? Aren’t they expensive?” Kate frowned. “Are you a doctor? Am I doctor? Does Beacon Hills have a hospital?"
“…No, Kate…” Chris drew in a shaky breath, his body shuddering involuntarily at the effort. ”…I’m supposed…to protect you…now get out of here…”
“Christ, Chris! I’m not gonna repeat myself. I’m not leaving you!” She shook her head, steeling herself for what was to come. Without thinking, she clutched his hand and squeezed. “I’d have nothing left without you.”
Chris smiled slightly when she handed the phone back to him after looking at the picture. ”Yeah…it’s from a couple years ago.” Before she’d died, before everything had crumbled to the ground around them. “I don’t know what’s going on but I promise, I’ll find out.” He furrowed his brow lightly. “What is it?”
"What if I’m better off not knowing? I mean… What if I did this to myself?” Kate paused, looking away as if the floor could give her answers. “What if I’m a bad person?” She looked back at him. “A couple years is a long time, what if I’m some kind of criminal?”
“…I’m sorry…I couldn’t save you, Katie…I couldn’t…keep my promise…”
”…It’s okay… I don’t–I don’t always need to be saved. Christopher– focus on me right now, come on, please don’t do this to me, not now. Promise’s are made to be broken, right? Please… Stay with me…“
