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Post by Shana O'Malley on Apr 30, 2010 14:57:40 GMT -5
"Don't apologize, I didn't think you would have."
Shana was being nice to the girl- no, woman. She didn't see a reason not to be just yet, even if she liked the way she hesitantly looked back at Mateo.
"I live here," she decided to say, forcing herself not to look at Mateo to see his reaction, however badly she wanted to. "And anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you."
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Apr 30, 2010 15:27:07 GMT -5
For a man who seemed so completely in control at all times, this situation was chaos for Teo. It was bad enough that Kate still had the power affect him so completely. But here she was, in his house, face to face with Shana. He had no good explanation for who Shana really was to him, or why she was here. So when she simply said that she lived here, Teo didn't bother to elaborate. His face was carefully expressionless, but he also avoided everyone's eyes.
"Well, why don't we all have a seat?" he said, nodding toward the table.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 2, 2010 22:31:53 GMT -5
Kate wasn't as capable as far as looking at Teo went. Her eyes darted to him as soon as Shawna revealed that she lived there. "Oh..." was all she could manage. She became flustered and disgusted with herself at the same time which only served to fluster herself even more.
When Teo suggested sitting she nodded and blinkingly went to her designated seat. Twice she looked at Shawna and took a breath to say something, to ask something, but the words wouldn't come.
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 3, 2010 22:27:05 GMT -5
What Teo really wanted to do was tell everyone else to leave, so he could be alone with Kate. But being alone with Kate was dangerous. Hell, just having her here right now was dangerous, because when he was looking at her he simply couldn't remember any of those "good reasons" why they couldn't be together.
And of course, having Shana there was a complication he had never expected. He was keeping her there against her will, which made him no better than the kidnappers who had taken Sedona as a little girl. If Kate found out about that, he could only imagine what her reaction would be. He pictured her glaring at him with disgust and loathing, and as much as he hated the thought of it.... he would deserve it.
The best thing to do, he decided, was distract Kate from Shana altogether. "So... Kate, you look great. What have you been doing? Weren't you in the States?"
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 4, 2010 2:25:53 GMT -5
They would both do what they had to do if it came down to it, that was the way it was between them. They may love each other very much, but their views on life were very different. If Kate were to learn of Shana's abduction she would do just as she did with Sedona and that was fight tooth and nail to get the girl out. Her sense of justice overshadowed even her love if only because it defined her.
"I joined the Bureau." she told him. Just as she had intended to do when she told him she was leaving, although she had no doubt that if he had wanted he could find out everything about her, what she had been up to...he had those sorts of connections.
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 4, 2010 16:39:00 GMT -5
No one would even know by looking at him, but right now, Teo was in his own private hell. Just having Kate in the room and being unable to touch her was bad enough. But to have her in the same room with Shana, while Sedona and Gio sat there, watching him and expecting him to lose it... It was too much. He felt like all eyes were on him, and it was an unpleasant feeling.
"I know," he replied to Kate quietly, meeting her eyes for just a second. "I... I kept tabs on you. I needed to know that you were doing all right. I guess I just... well, are you all right?"
What he was really asking was whether she was seeing anyone. And yet, he really didn't want to know the answer. If she was seeing someone, it would hurt. And if she wasn't... well, he didn't want to think about that possibility. Even if they were still both single, he knew that they could never be together.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 4, 2010 18:40:29 GMT -5
Her brow rose slightly when he said he kept tabs on her, not that she expected anything less, but still. With a mild shrug she nodded," As well as can be I suppose." she didn't really want to go into what had happened in the states, perhaps she was just a little embarrassed. The truth was she was reckless, she would forge head long into danger without regard to the consequences or her health, so long as she got her man.
As for her "man" she had dated here and there but nothing serious, how could she have something serious when she never really got the closure she needed from Teo?
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 4, 2010 23:32:50 GMT -5
Merlin, this was awkward. He shot a desperate look at Sedona, then at Gio, hoping that they would take control of the conversation so that he would not be forced to make small talk with the only woman he'd ever loved. If he didn't know better, he would think that Dona was doing this on purpose, just to make him miserable. How many times had she accused him of being cold and unfeeling? But she had to know what seeing Kate would do to him.
"You look..... well," he said again. It was an understatement. She looked stunning, and it was difficult to breathe just looking at her. But he couldn't say that to her. "What... brings you back to London?"
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 5, 2010 14:27:51 GMT -5
She was still feeling the affects of being hit with Shana. How could Sedona do that to her? Invite her over there without telling her about the girl who was living with Teo. Didn't Sedona see that would hurt her? Or maybe it wasn't a big deal, maybe they were just room mates and Sedona didn't see the point in bringing the girl up. But why would Teo have a roommate? It wasn't like he was struggling for money or anything.
"Business." she answered, then because she couldn't take it anymore she asked, "How long have you two known each other?" she asked referencing Shana and Teo.
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Post by Shana O'Malley on Jun 6, 2010 0:45:13 GMT -5
Shana had been quiet while Kate and Teo seemed to reacquaint. She shot a look at Sedona, who only shrugged.
Oh yeah. There was definitely a history here, and Shana was just angry enough at Teo that she didn't mind acting haughty. Or flirty. Or whatever would cause one of them to come unglued.
She was the first to answer to Kate's question, perversely glad that the situation was bothering the brunette. God, the tension could be cut with a knife.
"About a year," she said coolly. "I moved in practically the same time we met."
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Post by Sedona Rossi on Jun 6, 2010 0:49:11 GMT -5
Sedona finally had to butt in, this time to save her brother rather than tease him or harass him. "Shana's a friend of mine," she said, her voice even, as if daring anyone in the room to challenge her on the subject.
"She needed a place to stay, and I begged Teo. You know how he can never say no to me."
Her intention had not been to hurt anyone, and maybe she hadn't thought this all the way through, but they were here now, and they would have to make the most of it. "Kate, you really do look wonderful. We've missed you."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 6, 2010 4:41:38 GMT -5
It was too late for that, Kate had been hurt, very deeply with Shana's words. Even Sedona's excuse couldn't fully eradicate the bitter taste in the back of Kate's mouth. Still it went a ways in easing Kate's fluster. Besides she had no claim on Teo, they were long in the past and truth be told she knew she could never go back to him, he wasn't good for her.
"I see." she said quietly, then nodded toward Sedona, "I've missed you guys as well."
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 6, 2010 8:59:21 GMT -5
Teo shot a grateful look at Sedona, since he had no idea how to respond to Shana's comment. But when Kate spoke, he knew that it hadn't really helped. She was hurt, and even though there was a part of him that had the perverse need to make her hurt the way she had hurt him when she left, he still felt that odd pang of guilt that he only ever felt when someone he loved was in pain.
He released a breath, and, ignoring Shana, focused on Kate. "Maybe we should talk alone for a moment," he said, his voice unusually gentle.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 6, 2010 18:37:51 GMT -5
Kate was embarrassed, it didn't help that this was the only family that could read her the way they could, trying to play nonchalant she shrugged, "About what?".
Teo may know that she was stung, but Shana didn't and for some obscure reason she'd have rather died than let Shana know she was hurt. If only she could hold things together better than she had been.
"I'm dying for some real Italian food, you guys have no idea how bad it is in the states." she said with a kind smile.
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 6, 2010 23:41:47 GMT -5
Teo frowned. Maybe it wasn't what she intended, but to him it felt like another rejection. She didn't want to talk to him alone... maybe because she didn't trust him... or herself. Or maybe she just didn't want to hear what he had to say. And what was that? What exactly was he supposed to tell her that would make her understand about Shana? Because the sad truth was, whatever she was thinking about the situation was much better, more acceptable than the reality.
"Nevermind," he said, clearing his throat. "Come on, everyone, start passing the food around. Where in the States were you, Kate? You must not have been in one of the larger cities, I've heard New York actually has some pretty good Italian places."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 7, 2010 8:12:49 GMT -5
Leaving had been the hardest thing she had ever done in her entire life, and there were only too many times she thought about going back home, back to him. She dreamed about it, she cried about it. But being with him would have torn her apart in the end, that's why she had to get away, she had to be strong. Now being in the same city with him she was going to have to be even stronger.
"Well actually that's exactly where I was...but nobody does italian the way the Rossi's do." she smiled, there actually were a few decent Italian places in New York, but she couldn't eat there without thinking of Mateo, and Sedona, and Gio and the entire clan she had left behind.
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 7, 2010 22:46:08 GMT -5
(I don't think we ever established what happened to Mrs. Rossi...)
This much was certainly true. Although Mateo didn't generally cook, he could definitely do it if he had to. But Lucille, his cook, was well taught in the old family recipes that had been handed down through the family over the years. Now that their mother was gone, Lucille was more invaluable than ever.
"Well, I'll give you that," he replied. "Nothing beats a good home-cooked Italian meal. I'm sure Ma would be proud to know that she ruined Italian restaurants for you. She always was very fond of you."
In fact, on her deathbed, Renata Rossi had asked for Kate, and had yelled at Teo for not marrying the girl while he had a chance. The way she saw it, he was to blame for the fact that she would never live to meet any of her grandchildren.
But it hadn't been meant to be. Teo would never bring children into the life that he lived. It wasn't fair to them, or to him. He was never going to be the loving, adoring father taking his kids to ball games and ballet recitals. He'd made peace with that idea long ago.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jun 15, 2010 16:07:34 GMT -5
Kate nodded, she could tell he was perturbed but they would just have to move past it in their own way.
Then he brought up Mrs. Rossi. Kate wasn't there when she died, and she had always regretted it. She sent flowers when she had heard although she had a ticket to go to the funeral she simply couldn't bring herself to go. In her own way she felt that she had abandoned all the Rossis when she left. Though at the time it was what she felt she had to do, get out before she got caught up, there wasn't a day that passed where she didn't have doubts.
"...I miss her." she admitted.
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Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Jun 16, 2010 23:52:39 GMT -5
The emotion that was still between them was difficult to bear. It was so thick that it seemed to weigh down the air in the room. So he was trying to focus on a time before they had started dating, when they were just friends and nothing more. When she was just Katie, the girl who had helped Sedona through her kidnapping, and was so close to them that she was practically another sister.
The trouble was, Teo couldn't entirely remember a time when he didn't love her.
"I miss her, too," he said. "We all do. Sometimes I think... she was the real boss of this family. When she said something, we all listened. And she never put up with any funny business from us. Remember that time when she caught us kissing out by the pool house?"
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Jul 13, 2010 11:48:27 GMT -5
Those were good times and Kate couldn't even get upset that he had brought up them kissing because the memory was too funny she began to laugh, " I wasn't expecting it at all, and just when we were finally getting into it she called us." she laughed again, " We jumped so high...and you fell into the pool taking me with you." that wasn't quite true, and Kate's smirk showed it. She had pushed Teo in the pool to portray innocence although it didn't quite work out considering she had still been tangled up with him and fell in right after.
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