[RP for ki2k] Welcome home, honey...

[hattie_notqueen]

Hattie had made dinner. Her back was now killing her, but she'd made it. Something she hoped Kitt would like, since she realized that they didn't eat much together. Still, food was food and while she wasn't a big cook-

Oh, who was she fooling? It wasn't very tasty looking at all. A little black on the outside and maybe a little under-done on the inside? Meatloaf wasn't SUPPOSED to be good, was it?

"Hi, honey, welcome home!" She called it, meaning it to be a little on the cute side, wincing at her meatloaf attempt. Tossing the towel over it, she shook her head and grinned as he came down the hall.

Comments

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Hattie was aware that he was still turning it all over in his head, the overly analytical part of himself working overtime yet again and it made her smile. She loved every part of him, particularly the parts that he wasn't even aware that he carried from form to form with him.

Her cheeks heated when he spoke and she took a deep breath, trying to brush it off. "You say that because you have to. I'm pregnant."

Grinning, she kept the hold she had on his hand and pulled him through the spacious kitchen and toward the large doors that opened into the courtyard in the back. "Come with me."

Without giving him a chance to answer, she swung their hands a bit and crossed the courtyard. "You being you," she started, "I have to admit, I've missed all of you." Below the courtyard lay acres and acres of land. But there, in the not-too-far distance, one could see an almost exact replica of Kitt's previous test track from the Foundation. "I thought you needed a place to play."

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He looked at her and snorted. "Do not. I'm saying it because I love you and I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, pregnant or not." So there. The frown lines on his forehead had finally smoothed out as the smile touched his eyes. Silly creature. Silly, beautiful, wonderful Hattie.

He followed her silently, the smile firmly in place as he wondered what in the world she was up to. First dinner, and then what? He shook his head, amused at her instruction. She didn't even need to ask - he'd follow her anywhere. He only stopped following her when his eyes found what she'd brought him out to see.

For a moment, he stood there, gripping her hand tightly, stock-still and barely breathing. The next moment a smile big enough to split his face had broken out as he let go of Hattie's hand and picked her up, all the way off the ground, to squeeze her to him instead as tight as he dared. The moment after that, he'd put her down and dashed off with a little whoop of excited joy as he ran for the track, shedding his tie along the way.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

All the uncertainty she had felt in the day and a half it had taken to plan and build the immense track was washed away the moment she saw the smile break across Kitt's face. A burst of laughter escaped when he lifted her off the ground and she shrieked when he hugged her tight, the laughter continuing as she wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him back. The sheer glee racing through him was tangible, it really was, and she beamed after him as he took off across the grounds.

Following, she laughed as she saw the tie go flying. When she reached it a minute later, she scooped it off the ground and hugged it close, her own smile as big as his had originally been. A deep breath and she released it on a breath of happiness.

"I love you!" She yelled it across the distance between them, not even sure he could hear her. It didn't matter, she knew it.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He didn't hear her, but it didn't matter. He knew it. He shared it. And even when the roar of the car's engine as it went blasting around the first turn at speed announced his change, he still felt it. That warmth that lit his soul from within. She loved him. He loved her.

They had the best life together, better than he could ever have imagined. She loved him. All of him. For the first time, he didn't question that, he simply accepted it.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

It was the sight of the sleek black body careening around the corner that made her feel content and complete again. Watching Kitt being free like that made her feel like she'd done something for him that he could do.

On the hill overlooking the track, she eased back on the grassy hill and leaned back to watch. A few turns and turbo-boosts there and she leaned back completely and rested her hands on her stomach. The baby was active and between the sound of squealing tires and the feel of the baby moving, she honestly felt life couldn't get any better. The sun was shining and she started to doze off.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

One scanner was keeping a watch over Hattie, the others were all about the track.

It was magnificent. Smooth under his tires, with just enough grab to keep him on his toes, so to speak. Obstacles that were challenging but not impossible. Just the right amount of privacy, with enough openness that he could make himself a spectacle if he wanted to. He wanted to, for Hattie, and for the first few times around the track he did exactly that.

After, the track was for him. His test track had always been one of the few places where he could go to just let himself relax, allow his mind to wander and just let himself be.

It was all very Zen-like, really. A form of meditation that perhaps only he would ever be able to truly understand. The speed, the rumble of the powerful engine, the calculations he put into every maneuver - it was soothing, draining away his concerns of the day.

He loved Hattie, so much.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Something about the way he was moving showed just how happy he was. Hattie could tell. It wasn't something she would have been able to describe to anyone else, but she knew. She lay there with her eyes open watching him as long as she could, but the sun eventually got to her and she went from dozing to actually sleeping.

It wouldn't have mattered how long he was out there. He was safe, she was safe and they were both completely happy.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He felt a momentary pang of guilt at the fact that she'd fallen asleep. It either meant he'd lost track of time (impossible, not like this!), or that he'd been at it for too long.

On the other hand, it wasn't that late. They could still make time for dinner somewhere nice, or even just order a pizza in and watch a movie. The sun hadn't sunk below the horizon yet, and wouldn't for another hour at least. No, he'd let her sleep, and he'd continue to enjoy his fantastic gift, and he'd make sure she had a foot massage after dinner. She deserved it.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

If he'd cut his time short on the track just because she'd fallen asleep? SHE would have felt guilty for the rest of the night. She'd led him out there so that he COULD enjoy it. She, on the other hand, was six and a half months pregnant and enjoying the sun on their estate.

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she was keeping track of the sounds of him turning the corners and the number of paces he was taking himself through. Proud didn't even cover how she felt about him, either.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

There was no guilt-inducement happening this evening. Kitt carried on until the sun set low in the sky, and then he continued for several minutes after that. A little practice with night-time driving and turbo-boosting never hurt. The evening was warm, so he had no worries about Hattie being uncomfortably chilly. The stars were just beginning to poke out of the darkened sky when Kitt - the human - trekked back up the hill towards Hattie and flopped down beside her, blissfully content.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

The sudden movement by her body caused her to sit up and strike out and she caught Kitt in his shoulder. Immediately, she was contrite. "Sorry," she said, catching her breath. "You scared me."

Pushing her hair back she caught the smile that was still on his face and reached out to push HIS hair back. "Did you have fun?"

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

"I had a great time until I mysteriously dislocated my shoulder." His smile was still wide and exuberant. "Are you hungry?" Personally, he was starved.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

"I said sorry," she said, struggling to lift herself off the ground. "Now, about dinner. I was thinking out earlier, but-" And here she yawned. "We could order in. Watch movies in the suite. Lay in bed. Cuddle."

Once he was standing, she hugged him close.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He laughed at her, shaking his head, his mood the best it had been in far too long.

"I was thinking much the same thing." He smiled again, standing up to offer her a hand, then pleasantly surprised when she hugged him. He returned it, kissing her hair. "I love you, Hattie. Thank you."

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

"I love you, Kitt. I'm glad it made you so happy."

Squeezing once more before letting go, she took his hand and let him lead the way back to the house. Inside, she stretched and said, "You order what you want and what you think I'll want. Pizza, Chinese, whatever. I'm going to take a quick shower and change."

Laying on the grass for so long had left her feeling dusty.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He nodded, smiling and watching her until she entered the bathroom, then turned to the phone. He could probably do with a shower too, come to think of it, but he'd wait. Someone needed to be around to answer the door, and he still wasn't completely used to the idea that they actually had staff to do that sort of thing.

He thought about it for a moment, and then decided to order both pizza and Chinese. What they didn't eat they'd save for breakfast. Michael had always thought cold pizza was the breakfast of champions, so why not?

After he got off the phone, he made his way to the bookcase, perusing the DVD titles they'd stocked up on, getting ideas. Something light, maybe funny. Nothing too dark or intense. The entire day had been too perfect to spoil it with a downer of a movie.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Shower was hot and nice and she shampooed and stuff and got out. The towels in this place are amazing, she thought in her tiredness before remembering that it was THEIR place. She changed into a pair of maternity pajama pants and a tank top.

Taking a moment to look over her stomach in the mirror, she caught Kitt's eye in the reflection and blushed. "What'd you get?" And then noticed his perusal. "What'd you pick?"

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

"Pizza and Chinese. I figured you'd maybe mix them together, use the Chinese as another topping or something." He smiled to himself, ducking instinctively in case she threw the toothpaste at him. "I haven't picked anything yet. I was thinking a shower of my own." He stopped looking at the titles, moving towards the bathroom to shimmy past her at the sink.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Hattie gave him a mock offended look, completely not offended. She did, however, swat his behind when he scooted past her. "I could definitely watch you in the shower," she told him with a wicked grin. "It would make a great day? Perfect."

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

He stuck his tongue out at her, stripping without a hint of self-consciousness. "Go and pick a movie." Pervert. He grinned at her. "Money's on the dresser, if anyone gets here before I get out."