Room 324, Late(r) Monday Afternoon

[vanillajello]

Having put up her posters, Kate had returned to her room to continue her good day with further party planning. But that was sadly not to be: her phone had been charging while she'd been away and she'd finally gotten around to seeing she had a voicemail. So she listened to it.

Bad idea.

Her first thought was that it was a sick joke, that Nathan really was pushing things too far in an effort to be excused for his radio silence since leaving, but she couldn't hold onto that bit of disbelief for long. The woman – Nathan's mom – was far too shaken, the quivering of her voice far too real. It was all real. On the second listen Kate had to sit down on the edge of her bed because the room had started to spin, but it took about four times before it all started really sinking in.

Forcing herself to skip listening a fifth time, her brain instead switched on to practical matters, the first of which was leaving a voicemail of her own. And the second... Was staring dully into the middle distance.

She'd maybe get to something a little more useful later.

[ooc: Post and door open, if you wish to deal with the upset.]

Comments

[therewaslife]

She really needed to stop worrying about his shirts. They would dry and he didn't care if they got soaked in the process of her grieving over the premature death of a friend.

One of his hands drifted into her hair and he massaged her scalp lightly, just trying to keep some sort of soothing contact with her while she cried. She wasn't weak. She was sad. And Bod thought it was perfectly deserved right now.

[vanillajello]

Responding to that, Kate curled her fingers into his shirt. He was there. She knew he was there.

Some of the trembling seemed to be slowly abating, the more severe shudders coming further apart. Not that it meant the crying was really going to stop; she was pretty sure it'd continue on and off for a good long while. It usually did, when she let it start.

[therewaslife]

"Do you want to lie down?" Bod asked her quietly, still holding her tight and still letting her soak his shirt as much as she wanted to.

[vanillajello]

Kate managed a nod against his neck, first, then a mumbled word that sounded heavy with tears. Ugh, she hated when her voice did that. "Yeah."

[therewaslife]

"All right," he said, trying to scoot backwards on her bed so he didn't have to let go of her though they'd both have to shift around some. "Come on. Let's lay down."

[vanillajello]

It was kind of obvious from her movements that she was shaken and a little uncoordinated, but she managed to move with him and shift so she could curl up a little more against his side once she was laying down.

"I hate this."

[therewaslife]

"I know, Kate," he said quietly, still rubbing her back and hair and arms and whatever else he could reach. "I know. You're in shock. You're grieving. There's nothing to not hate."

[vanillajello]

"I need to book a portal," she said, quietly, trying to cling to practical matters. "I already called Mitchell."

[therewaslife]

"I'll book your portal," he offered softly, pressing his lips against her forehead and keeping them there. "I'll do whatever needs to be done before you have to go."

[vanillajello]

"No, you don't have to," she protested. Weakly. Mostly it was for show, an automatic response. "I can... I can do it myself."

[therewaslife]

"I know I don't have to but I want to help," he told her gently. "You're going to have a hard enough time come Wednesday. Please let me help you now."

[vanillajello]

"Okay," Kate sighed, sniffling. "Okay. You can help. You can... book me a portal. And, uh, one back too."

[therewaslife]

"Thank you," he said and kissed her forehead. "I know I can't do much but I appreciate you letting me help when I can. I'm sorry this is happening right now."

[vanillajello]

"This was supposed to be a good week," she replied quietly. "It's not."

Understatement.

[therewaslife]

"I know, I'm so sorry," he said, wishing he could say more. "It'll get better. It'll take time but it will. I'm positive."

[vanillajello]

"I'm not," Kate said, but that was a given. She knew things would get better but she didn't believe it. "How could he just die like that?"

She knew he had no answer; she asked anyway.

[therewaslife]

"I don't know," Bod said quietly, rubbing her back and occasionally pressing kissing against her hair. "It sounds like it was just an unexpected accident. There probably won't be any answers."

[vanillajello]

"I hate that." She hated everything today, she really did. "It's unfair. It's just-- just so random."

[therewaslife]

"Maybe the funeral will help answer some questions," he tried even if having to go to a funeral to get answers just seemed...wrong to him. "Maybe it'll give some sense of...closure."

[vanillajello]

Kate swallowed. "Maybe." She really wasn't counting on it. And other things came to her mind then. "Oh God, his poor mom."

[therewaslife]

"Was he an only child?" Bod guessed quietly. "No one else for her but him?"

[vanillajello]

"As far as I know," Kate replied, just as quietly. "I can't imagine how she's feeling."

Though she knew how bad she herself was feeling, and it had to be worse for Nathan's mother.

[therewaslife]

"I'm sure she's feeling quite awful," he said softly, sighing. "And I'm sure she'll be feeling that for quite awhile. I can't imagine what it's like to lose a child. Hopefully, time will heal her heart as well."

[vanillajello]

Kate was quiet for a moment, swallowing back any sobbing that threatened to start up again at the thought whirring in her head.

"I should call Mom."

Just felt like a thing to do. Later, though.

[therewaslife]

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he agreed quietly, moving his fingers up and down her back slowly. "Give her my best. And if she asks you to come home, you might want to consider it just for a few days, Kate."