KATHERINE'S RETREAT

Katherine lay in her bed, all curled up in a little ball. Try as she may, she could not seem to shut out all the emotional transmissions of the people around her. It seemed like hundreds of people were all trying to talk to her at once and her head was throbbing from the her efforts to try to block them out. It seemed to her that she had totally lost the ability to block them out. And after the fiasco at the zoo on Saturday night, things had gone steadily downhill from there to the point where she was a total emotional mess. It had now gotten to the point where it seemed that the walls were about to collapse completely around her. Giving up on the idea of resting, she got up, dislodging the kitten from her perch on top of her hip as she did so.

After a quick shower, she sat down at the computer and typed out an email to Giles, ignoring the tears streaming down her face as she wrote. Afterwards she phoned May-Ling and Jeremy and asked if they could run the coffee shop without her for the next few days. Both of them were agreeable of course, and they expressed their concern for her. She hated to bother May-Ling especially since she knew she was trying to get the new oriental restaurant ready for it's grand opening, but she couldn't take it anymore. Katherine knew there were many people here in Sims City that cared for her and would do anything to help, but she felt she had to get away. The voices were just too loud right now for her to even think straight.

Throwing some clothes in a bag, along with a box of cat food, she put it by the door along with her guitar. Writing out a quick note to Connor and John, she put on a light windbreaker and stuffed the playful kitten inside it. The little calico ball of fluff immediately stuck her head out so she could see out as she made herself comfortable, enjoying the feel of being cuddled up next to Katherine's warm belly. Katherine slung the guitar over her shoulder and picked up the bag and stepped outside into the bright afternoon sunlight.

Once outside she started to head over to Rayden's house next door, but she hesitated. Instead, she turned the other direction and headed over to the rectory and chapel across the street from her house. When she rang the doorbell of the rectory, Brother Cadfael answered. She and him had swapped different herbal healing ideas and recipes several times, but other than that she didn't really know him that well.

"Is Father Alec available?" she asked. Brother Cadfael looked the little woman standing at the door up and down, and started to chuckle at the comical sight of the kitten sticking her head out from the windbreaker she was wearing. But the travel bag sitting on the ground by her feet and the distressed look on her face caused him to feel immediate concern instead. It looked like to him that she was all packed up and ready to leave.

"I'm sorry, my child. He's gone out for awhile. I'm not expecting him back till later this evening. Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked gently, hoping that she would be willing to confide in him. For a moment it looked like she might choose to talk to the kindly old monk instead, but she hesitated and then changed her mind. Katherine just shook her head sadly and with a soft smile told him just to tell Father Alec she had came by.

Bidding him good day, she then turned and walked back across the street towards Rayden's house. Not bothering to go inside where she would have to answer unwanted questions, she walked around the condo and went into the back yard; sending a brief mental message to Rayden that she wanted to spend some time alone up at the cabin. The short cut way to it immediately materialized in front of her and she headed straight across the meadow towards the cabin. Glancing behind her, she watched the city disappear from sight. Already blessed silence was beginning to wash over her frazzled nerves as she left the mental *noise* of all the people around her far behind her.

Stepping over the sleeping hound dog that managed to acknowledge her arrival with a single lazy thump of the tail, she went inside. Rayden had left her a little gift of a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a fruit basket on the table. Her empty stomach growled but she didn't stop to eat anything. She put out some food and water for the kitten, and smiled when she noticed Rayden had also left a fresh litter box available for her little four legged friend. Once the kitten was taken care of, she went into the bedroom, stripped down to the buff and then crawled into the soft, comfortable feather bed. As the kitten bounced around the cabin, exploring every nook and cranny of it, Katherine fell into a deep and peaceful sleep for the first time in well over a week. It was well into the next morning before she woke.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Connor came home that afternoon from helping Jeremy close the coffee shop to find John Clayton sitting waiting for him with a piece of paper in his hands, a deep look of concern on his face. Without a word, he handed the note to Connor.

My dear ones,

I have to get away. I can't take this anymore.

I'll be up at the cabin so you know I'll be safe.

I just need some time alone to get my head back on

straight and to figure out a way to get all this

emotional turmoil under control. I'm sorry, dear

hearts. I've been causing you and others to share my

distress as well. Especially you and Duncan, Connor,

my love.

Give my love to Giles, Toni and any others that

ask about me. I will miss you all, but right now I

need to be alone. I hope you understand.

Love, Kat

Connor crumpled up the note and turned away and leaned against the wall. John Clayton put his hand on his friend's shoulder, giving him silent support as the Highlander struggled for control. He decided to ignore the single tear running down Connor's cheek. Taking a deep breath, Connor turned around.

"I blew it big time, didn't I? All this arguing between my cousin and I has just made it all the much harder for her," he said with a wry smile on his face. John just shook his head.

"It wasn't all your fault, Connor. Or Duncan's either. Anytime three stubborn, bull headed Scots like you three get together; sparks are bound to fly sooner or later. Give her the time she needs and she will be back, I'm sure. She loves you too much to stay away very long. Lets go and have a drink and try to figure out how we can help her in the meantime." The Earl of Greystoke took his friend by the arm and led him into the living room and poured him a whisky. They spent the next several hours talking things over quietly. Mostly John just listened, knowing that Connor needed to vent all his frustrations and concerns to someone who would not react in anger to them. He didn't really what to try to give him any advice on how he could deal with the problems between him and his cousin, but he did make a few suggestions. As for Katherine herself, they both agreed that running up to the cabin after her would probably not be a very good idea, at least for a day or two.

It was well into the evening when the doorbell rang, and John went to go answer it. He reappeared a few minutes later along with Father Alec. The priest had just returned back to the rectory and had received the message that Katherine had come by to talk to him. Brother Cadfael had been very concerned about the little empath's obvious emotional distress and had felt guilty for letting her leave without talking to someone.

"Connor, I was just told Katherine had come by to see me. Is there something wrong?" he asked as he sat in the chair next to the Highlander Connor just nodded, his head bowed over his barely touched drink. Seeing that Connor wasn't up to telling the story, John Clayton told the priest about the note he had found and all the events that had led up to Katherine's decision to leave. Nodding in understanding, Father Alec told them that he was willing to listen if they needed to talk things out.

It was well into the night before the priest left Connor's house to go back to the rectory. He felt that he had at least been able to help out with some of Connor's problems. The three of them had decided that it would be a good thing if he paid a *house call* on Katherine first thing in the morning.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning dawned bright and clear, with the promise of being another beautiful warm summer day. There was just enough of a breeze to keep things comfortable. Connor met Father Alec at the rectory, and after a quick cup of tea, the two of them started off to the cabin. The path was not quite the long hike uphill that he had traveled the last time he had gone up with Gwena and Johnny Utah, but it still took them a little while to get there. Apparently Rayden was giving Katherine a little time to prepare for visitors. When the cabin was in sight, Connor told the priest he would wait there until he knew for sure Katherine wanted him there. Settling down on a rock underneath the shade of some trees by the bank of the creek, the Highlander watched with a grin as the priest gingerly made his way across the makeshift bridge over the creek made up of two logs laid side by side.

Father Alec yelled, "Hello the house! Anyone home?" as he approached the cabin. An old wrinkled hound dog rose up and bayed his welcome, his tail wagging happily at the prospect of someone coming to pay attention to him. Behind the happy dog, the screen door opened and Katherine looked out, her solemn face breaking out in a smile when she saw who it was.

"Father Alec!" she called as she ran out to greet him. He enveloped her in a comforting hug, holding her until she stopped trembling in his arms. Ruffling her hair, he smiled down at her.

"Brother Cadfael told me you had come by to see me yesterday afternoon. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed someone to talk to," he said contritely.

She reassured him that it was OK as she led him up onto the porch. "This is Beau," she said as the old dog joyfully licked his offered hand. The priest got a little misty eyed as tousled the hound's floppy ears. He couldn't help but think about the dog he had in his previous life before coming to Sims City. He always thought it was funny that it was the little things that would sometimes caused old memories like that to surface.

"Sit down, Father," Katherine said with a smile. "Let me wet the tea." She disappeared into the cabin and reappeared a minute later carrying two cups of tea and a fluffy calico kitten perched on her shoulder.

"And just who might this bright eyed little beauty be?" He asked as he accepted his cup.

"Her name is Colleen, Father. Rayden and Ev gave her to me as a birthday present," she said as she sat down in the chair next to him. The kitten immediately jumped down and walked stiff legged over to Beau, her back arched and her tail fluffed out like a bottlebrush. Stopping in front of him she swatted his nose with her little paw and spat at him ~ Beware! Me big vicious tiger - eat ugly fur creature! ~

The old dog just groaned in reply and covered his nose with a big paw, an action that caused both Katherine and Father Alec to break out in laughter. Somewhere in the kitten's tiny brain, she decided that the other end of the huge furry creature might be safer to approach and she promptly pounced on his tail. Beau glanced back at the impertinent youngster and obliged by slowly swishing his tail back and forth on the well-worn wooden planks of the porch, giving the little furball a moving target.

The kitten's antics keeping the mood light, Father Alec talked with her about everything that had transpired that had caused her to retreat up in the solitude of the cabin. He told her about the long talk he had with Connor and John the night before; and Katherine nodded her head in approval and asked where he was now. The priest just smiled and pointed to the other side of the creek.

"He's over there waiting to see if you want him around. Shall I go get him?" he asked hopefully. It would be much better if both of them were there to talk things out.

"No need," Katherine said with a smile. She got up gracefully out of her chair and went over to an old fashioned dinner bell hanging on the end of the porch and rang it loudly, an action that caused the kitten to fluff up and spit again, this time at the harsh clanging noise. As they watched, Connor walked out from under the trees and looked over at the cabin. When Katherine motioned for him to come, he took off in a run, not bothering to use the bridge, but instead he used the abundant rocks in the knee-deep water as stepping stones to bound across the creek instead. Running up onto the porch he swept Katherine off her feet, hugging her tightly as she laughed at his exuberance. The priest chose to tactfully ignored the joyful reunion and concentrated on petting the old hound dog at his feet instead of what was going on a few feet in front of him.

A surprised yelp from Connor made him raise his head just in time to see the small kitten scurry up the back of Connor's jeans and his t shirt, digging her tiny needle sharp claws in deeply as she made her assent. Once she climbed her chosen mountain, she perched on his shoulder, rubbing happily against the side of his face.

"I think she missed you!" Katherine said with a laugh. He mumbled something under his breath in Gaelic that made her chide him gently for using such language in front of a priest. Connor grinned sheepishly at Father Alec and then asked her whether or not there was any food left over from her breakfast as neither one of them had eaten anything that morning. The answering growl from Kat's tummy at the mention of food told him that she hadn't either.

"Katherine Patricia Ann Dixon! Just when was the last time you had anything to eat?" he growled at her. It was her turn to look a little shamefaced as she admitted it had been well over a day since she had. Giving her a swat on the bottom, he told her that he would make something for all of them and that she dang well better eat a very good helping of it!

The three of them moved inside the cabin and Connor made good on his statement by preparing a hearty farmer's breakfast made up of ham, diced potatoes, eggs and cheese all scrambled together. He served it too them along with some of the cantaloupe and other fruit he had fished out of the basket in the middle of the table.

They spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon talking together and laughing at the antics of the kitten who alternated bouncing off the walls of the cabin with sleeping on a handy shoulder or lap. While Katherine fixed them a late lunch, Connor took Father Alec on a grand tour of the area around the cabin. When they passed the large herb garden growing out in the back, he commented that Brother Cadfael would have a royal fit if he knew all that was up there and going to seed. Connor assured him that neither Katherine or Sarah Jo would mind if the monk came up and harvested some of the herbs. When they returned to eat, Katherine agreed wholeheartedly and they made arrangement for Father Alec to bring him up Sunday afternoon if he wanted to come.

After the meal, Katherine went into the small bedroom to take a nap while Connor escorted Father Alec back down to SIMsCity. He knew John and all of Katherine's other friends would be awaiting word on how she was doing. After he finished helping Jeremy close the coffee shop, he planned on returning up there. His little wife had made it quite clear that voices or no voices, she would rather not spend another night completely alone again. And for that matter, neither did he.