Chapter Eight: Concessions and Confessions

After paying and putting the gifts in the car, the two of them end up at a cafe nearby. It's quiet inside, the morning crowd long gone. Private and peaceful.

Kara isn't a coffee fan, so she's sipping on some sweet tea while Theo stares at her.

"You wanted to talk," she says after a minute when she realizes he isn't going to talk first.

"When I was thirteen, my best friend died," Theo says. Kara's eyes shoot open wide in shock.

Wow! Right off the back, diving right in!

"I... I heard."

"There was a storm and I had left one of my stupid toys at the end of the dock. Avery probably saw it and went out to grab it, but the dock was super slippery from the rain and-!" Theo slumps back in his chair with a frustrated sound. His curly hair falls over his eyes when he ducks his head.

"You don't have to tell me this if it's painful," she assures him, worried. He looks like he's in agony thinking about it. How guilty does he feel over something that wasn't his fault?

"She lived in that house. In your house. They never even found her." Finding Avery moves ever so slightly up her list of objectives. "I made a mistake that day that cost my best friend her life."

"No, Theodore, don't-"

"It's fine. I've talked to someone about it, believe me, I know it wasn't actually my fault and Avery made her own choices. I've moved past that." Has he really, though?

"Why are you telling me all this," she asks him gently.

"You're really staying in that house, right? There's no talking you out of it?"

"That's right," she confirms suspiciously. Is this it? Is this the part where he throws a fit and demands that she leaves again? Kara sets her jaw and prepares herself for an argument.

"Okay." Wait, huh?

"Okay?" Just like that?

"I freaked out a few days ago and said some things I shouldn't have. That was a real dick move on my part, and I'm sorry. I've been trying to apologize ever since, but I wanted to do it in private." So those times he's just been watching her with that strange look on his face... That wasn't him being weird or creepy or rude? Well, no it was definitely a little weird, still. But she can forgive that.

William's words echo in her head, then. 'He's sorry, too, and he'll get around to telling you.' Not just a father's placating words, but a deeper insight?

"Why not just apologize to me at my house? You've had several opportunities now. Everytime we were alone you could have said something," she points out. Even yesterday would have worked, after Blake went home and it was just the two of them. Instead, he dragged her out to the city miles away from her home.

"I don't really do well near that house," Theo admits. "Bad memories. And this was important, I wanted to sit and talk it out somewhere nice."

Is he implying that her home isn't nice? Again? Well, he hasn't seen the inside since she started working on it, so that's actually fair. The thought of him thinking her house is shabby bothers her, though. Kara has put a lot of work and love into rebuilding that place.

"Right... Someplace nice." If Theo notices her irritation, he doesn't speak on it.

"Anyway, I just want to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that and I definitely shouldn't have just taken off after you fell in the lake. I made a promise to... To Avery and myself, I guess, that no one would die in that lake every again."

"Apology accepted. I'm sorry, too. I misjudged you, Theodore," Kara admits a bit guiltily. "It won't happen again."

"Truce?" Kara's heart- her human heart anyway- skips a beat in her chest. Theo's warm eyes stare into her with earnest and open emotion. Kara finds herself leaning closer, looking deeper into that color. It mirrors the coffee in his hands, warm and rich.

Kara knows he's telling the truth, now. She can feel it. So, all this time he really hadn't meant to be rude or disrespectful. Then, when he started acting all weird it wasn't him being creepy; it was just a man unsure how to voice his inner thoughts.

"Truce," she agrees, sipping more of her tea. It's really just an excuse to hide her smile behind the mug as she nervously looks up at him again. For a human, he's not so bad.

Kara finishes her tea slowly and Theo downs the rest of his coffee in one gulp when she starts to get up.

"I guess we better go home, then," he says with a frown. "It's a long drive."

Ugh, the drive.

"I guess so. But, I wouldn't be opposed to maybe... doing this again?" Kara does her best not to regret the offer immediately. A truce doesn't mean she has to willingly subject herself to even more time spent with a human.

She gets the feeling he could use a little company, though.

"Really? I kind of got the feeling you didn't like me," Theo points out.

"Well, I had the impression that you were a rude and disrespectful bully. I was wrong and I'd like to see who you really are." Kara shrugs and opens the door for him. "We don't have to, obviously. I much prefer staying at home. I'm just saying, the offer is out there."

"Thanks. I might take you up on it some day." Well, hopefully not too soon. With Blake's party, her social card is full for the week.

The drive home is quiet and a little easier than the previous one had been. Kara rolls the window down and the wind helps her carsickness. Theo turns the radio on halfway and hums under his breath.

It's not awful.

The hour passes them by and soon Theo is pulling into the driveway of the Hart house. For a trip that lasted almost four hours, it suddenly feels as if it was over in the blink of an eye.

"I'll help with your bags," he tells her, sliding out of the car quickly when she unbuckles her seatbelt. Before she can open her door, he's suddenly there opening it for her.

"Um... Thanks."

"Sorry, it's southern hospitality rules. Plus, my mom is totally watching from the window right now and I'm pretty sure she'd throw something at me if I didn't."

There's polite and then there's underfoot. Kara let's it slide for now and hops out of the car.

"We can't have that, I guess," she mutters, unable to help the small quip. Theo grabs almost all the bags before she can and leaves just a few for her to carry along the path through the woods. Kara is starting to see the trail, now, finally. It looks a lot less leafy than it had that first time.

Has someone been out here raking the path clean?

When they reach her door, Theo sets the bags down at her feet.

"Hey," she says, giving him a small smile and catching his arm. "Help me bring this stuff inside, I want you to see something."

"Kara, I'm not-"

"I think you'll be surprised," she interupts with her other hand raised to grab the doorknob. "Consider it part of your apology."

Theo reluctantly agrees with a nod, picking the bags back up and following her in as she tugs him along.

In those three days of no interference, Kara had been very busy. The hallway is now a soft green, with the wooden floor swept, mopped, polished- with the help of her magic- and the kitchen and bathroom are both furnished and finished.

Her house is full of a soft orange light, no longer dark and dreary. She closes the door and beckons Theo to follow her down the hall to the living room where she sets the bags down.

"Welcome to my home. It's not perfect, yet, but I think you can agree it isn't just some ugly old shed," she points out, playfully glaring at him. Theo looks around, taking in every detail until his eyes land on her.

"No, it's isn't ugly at all." Kara's heart skips again and her smile falters.

"Right, so- um- I just wanted you to see. To know that it isn't- well, you seen it, you can g- wait!" Theo jumps and Kara flips the light on in the living room. "The party is tomorrow, one o'clock, right?"

"Yeah," Theo confirms, confused.

"Come over around noon, then. We'll wrap this stuff and take it over together. It's from you as well, right? Group effort."

Theo let's out a soft breath and nods.

"Yeah, I can do that. I can... Definitely do that. Tomorrow, then." Kara tips her chin up proudly and crosses her arms.

"Don't come in without knocking, though. I understand that some people here don't mind that, but I like to know ahead of time when people will be in my space." Theo nods quickly, palms up in surrender.

"Hey, no argument here. I didn't plan on it. Goodnight, Kara." He starts to head back down the hallway and Kara follows him to the door.

"Goodnight, Theodore." The familiar look of displeasure crosses his face and Kara chuckles. "Theo."

He turns quickly, but she's almost certain his face is a shade of crimson as he opens tbe door and steps outside. He shoves his hands into his pockets and starts back towards his house.

For a human, he really isn't that bad.