I really adore the casually prioritized importance of friendships in the new Twisters movie. Like obviously there were sparks of romance that i thoroughly enjoyed but the point is that that was never the point. The way that Javi and Kate took care of each other and looked out for each other even when they were fighting. The way the whole tornado wranglers crew acted like family and welcomed Kate right in. The way Tyler was genuinely interested in getting to know Kate and working together with her. There was no big fight between Javi and Tyler over Kate or anybody else. Kate spent the whole movie processing a lot of trauma and was able to be supported by the friends surrounding her instead of having all of her interactions stopped up with an intense budding romance. I just really love it when friendship and people are the most important things.
I’ve seen Twisters a couple of times now and something that isn’t being talked about enough is the way Tyler looks at Kate.
The best scene for this example (I can’t find a gif) is when they’re at the lunch with her mom and he tells Kate to keep her clothes on and she stands up.
He looks at her like she hung the fucking moon.
And I fucking LOVE IT.
How he comes to her and gives her the pizza, how he WAITS FOR HER TO OPEN THE DOOR AGAIN. How he talks with her at the rodeo and they work together to get people to safety. How he covers her from the car during the tornado. How he goes and finds her after it and he looks up at her bedroom window the day he leaves. How he brings her into the Tornado Wrangler Family and she’s herself again.
And THAT PICTURE SCENE. Oh my god- I’m melting. At first I thought he was the one taking it but when he was stood to the side watching and asked for a copy….god I love them.
I can imagine Kate finding that picture one day - maybe inside his cowboy hat, maybe somewhere in his truck so he can always see her when she’s not with him - and Tyler getting all smitten and blushing as she teases him relentlessly.
There might not have been a kiss scene but seeing the bts helps heal that small hole. But either way, Tyler and Kate’s foundation and growth of relationship is one of the BEST ever! And with the extra scenes after it ends, helps solidify the happiness and exterminate the fear that their story is left so open it might not exist after the movie.
But it does. It does exist.
This man DRILLED his truck into the ground outside to go after her. (Which is Iconic, by the way.)
That man fell in love at first sight, even if he didn’t fully know it yet. The minute he saw her, his eyes never left her. And I loved every second of their rivalry (and the way it hops between them both explaining a twister) and friendship and relationship.
This movie will forever be one of my top favourites.
Whether you like disaster movies, with a sub-plot of romance and comedy or not— please. Everyone. Go and watch this movie. Even if it is just to see the chemistry between these two characters.
Husband!Tyler Owens x Wife!Reader, Ex!Javi Rivera x Ex!Reader
Summary: 5 years ago you used to date Javi Rivera before the incident with your friends. You, Kate, and Javi all go your separate ways. What happens if 5 years later you all reunite and Javi sees you again married to a certain cowboy?
warning: Language, Javi being jealous, Mentions of sex but none, Javi is kinda an asshole and leaves a hand mark on Reader (you) and kisses you, use of Y/N
"Here let me help ya down sweetheart," Tyler says holding out his hand and helping you down from his truck as fans surrounded the truck of the run-down hotel with music blasting "Who that?" Kate asked Javi in the distance Javi rolled his eyes "Tyler Owens" he said before Scott jumped in "Hillbilys with a YouTube channel" Kate looked at the crowd as Tyler started to hype up the crowd.
After all the chaos some people started to leave pleased to have met The Tornado Wranglers. "Y/N?" you heard someone say behind you. You turned around to look at them "Kate? Hey" you said as she smiled at you "So I still see you Tornado Chase" She said holding her clipboard "Ya" You said looking at her just then you heard a familiar voice behind her "Kate you ready for-" Javi stops in his tracks as he sees you. "Y-Y/N?" he said before smiling nervously "Hey how are you doing" He said before hugging you tightly. He felt your body tense up as you slowly hugged him back. "Hey Javi," You said before slowly pulling away "I'm alright..you?" you asked him as he smiled "Been better but more happy to see you"Just then you felt an arm around you.
"Hey sweetheart," Tyler said looking at Javi "Javi.." he said as Javi started to connect the dots "Your dating Tyler Owens!?" he said his voice getting angry as Tyler smirked cocky "Married actually" he showed Javi your wedding ring "Married?! What the fuck!?" Javi yelled as Kate pulled Javi back "Javi we have to go.." she said dragging him away to his group and his van. Tyler kept on smirking watching him get dragged off "Didn't like how touchy he was being had to come to rescue ya" He said stealing a kiss from your lips as you giggled.
"So that's your ex?" Tyler chuckles "Really upgraded since then" He smirked at you as you frowned "Me and Javi didn't end on good terms but don't say that about him..." You said as Tyler looked at you
"He dumped you and you worried about his feelings still sweetheart?" he said raising his eyebrows, making you frown more at him. "Just forget it hon," he says grabbing your hand and walking to your hotel room with you.
A few days went by and the air felt tense you could cut it with a knife Javi kept looking at you trying to find any chance to talk to you without Tyler and anyone else around "Why him?! Out of everyone you married him!?" he yelled as you kept walking away from him. As you kept walking he pulled you back to him and made you look at him. His face was angry "I'm talking to you" He said in a whisper "You dumped me Javi not the other way around...you have no right to choose who I marry and who I don't...you, not my boyfriend anymore... I like to keep I that way.." you said pulling your arm away and look at the hand mark he left. "Don't you remember all the good times we had..." he pleaded with you like that would change your mind.
"Y/N..." he said leaning in close to your face "Remember all the fun times...when we went out...when we stayed in...when we got drunk and we would have the best sex ever...?" he said with hurt in his eyes "Javi.." but before you could finish he grabs your cheeks and pulls u in for a kiss. You jump back quickly "Javi what the fuck!?" you yelled at him as he stared at you "I.." you didn't let him finish "I'm married! And you can't just come back into my life 5 years later after dumping me feeling sorry for yourself!" you kept yelling which made a lot of people including Kate and Tyler who looked at each other and started to walk towards you both.
"What's going on here?" Asked Kate before Tyler was by your side quickly "You harassing my wife?" Tyler asked his voice getting serious which was a very rare sight. Javi looked at you "Y/N....remember when I was your man...?" he asked his voice still pleading with you. You felt Tyler's body tense up at Javi's words and he clenched his jaw in anger as Kate pulled him away again as he kept yelling. Tyler looked at you "What was that about..?" he says "I-I don't know!" I said and he sighed and grabbed your hand and kissed your wedding ring before pulling you to him gently and hugging you as you hugged him back.
Tadaaaaaaa all doneeee!! Lmk if you like!! send as many requests as you want!!
have we considered the hilarity of kate becoming a Livestream Cryptid Gf™ yet. Like I think she’d be on occasional Tornado Wrangler videos & cameo on streams & such, but mostly if there’s an update she’s excited to share.
So I can’t help but picture the Wranglers doing a subscriber milestone livestream and when Kate passes through the background the chat goes absolutely wretched with “KATE SPOTTED 🫵” “KATE HI” “K8!!!!” “KAAAAAAATE” (katydid emoji) (katydid emoji) (katydid emoji) (katydid emoji)
Not gonna lie, watching “Twisters” has helped me understand the appeal of those cheesy romance novels with the hot models on the covers. Because the movie felt like it was written by an author of those kinds of novels.
Think about it. The plot is about this down-on-her-luck city girl (not really city, but that’s a minor point) who is feeling lost, partly because her boyfriend died in a tragic accident. So, to help her get out of her funk, she accepts an offer from her friend to go back home in rural Oklahoma.
While there, she meets a rough-and-tough, handsome country boy who comes off as a bit arrogant at first. But then she gets to know him and learns he’s actually good at heart, humble, loves dogs, helps people in need, and is genuinely just a goofy nerd about his hobby. The country boy is also intelligent since he has a college degree, he respects the protagonist’s intelligence, and he spends the 2nd half of the movie making sure she achieves her goals. He’s basically her number one fan throughout the whole movie, telling her she’s great and that he’s in awe of her work. And then, our protagonist makes the country boy chase after her, which he happily does.
I’m like…did the screenwriters read a bunch of romance novels as their inspiration?
a/n: i watched this film less than 48 hours ago and i'm already unwell. here is my kate and tyler angst but mostly kate! tyler was a moment but kate was the whole movie!
summary: Somewhere along the way, you end up in Kate and Tyler's orbit. They've got you. (tyler owens/kate cooper/female reader)
warnings: tornadoes, i'm from california cut me some slack, angst with a hopeful ending, nightmares, hurt/comfort, temporary character death
word count: 4.1k
It’s by chance you ever end up in the path of the Wranglers and into Tyler and Kate’s lives.
They aren’t even looking for someone to help manage the team but even Boone and Lilly can admit that with the attention they’re getting, they need someone who can keep up.
So by chance, by luck, or all because of a tornado, Tyler ends up connecting with you through a friend of his from UA.
The job description is unorganized chaos, simply put. Managing the crew on a day to day basis is enough, not to mention helping them manage the finances, stay within legal code, managing the social media, and getting their foots in the door for grants and sponsors.
Boone’s convinced you’ll run screaming from the team all the way back to the city, Javi too, but it actually ends up to be a seamless fit.
You help Lilly and Boone with the sales, the production of merch, and all the channels. You’re even the one who sets up a Tiktok, their donations and attention increasing tenfold. You research grants and donors for Javi and Kate and you help Tyler source new equipment for the team.
When all is said and done, three months have flown by and Tyler is forever grateful you’d been blown into their path. You’ve blossomed with this crew and they’re changed because of it.
Not to mention the way you’ve grown into Kate and Tyler’s relationship. Although they never say it, unsure of how to fold you into their dynamic, you’re there in ways that complement their already existing chemistry.
Kate’s quite fond of you too, he knows. He would’ve seen it a million miles away, the way Kate’s eyes had sparkled meeting you, the way they do in the field. But she’d say the same about him, citing the way he goes soft for you in a way he’d only ever done for Kate.
The problem is - he still can’t figure out how you even managed to end up here.
“C’mon.” Javi says, nudging you. “How the hell does a city girl like you find her way to hell’s corner in Oklahoma, managing a bunch ragtag storm chasers?”
You shrug, fiddling with your beer bottle, glancing out at the group sat around the crackling fire. You and Javi are sat a top Ty’s truck, the crew looking intently at you. “You just asking or you really wanna know?”
The group breaks into various calls, corralling you into telling them.
“It’s kind of a long story.” You defend, a sheepish grin growing on your face.
Javi nudges your shoulder again. “C’mon, tell us. We barely know anything about you city girl.”
“A couple months ago, at the start of tornado season, I was in Texas, for a friends joint bachelor/bachelorette party. We were at a rodeo and I had gotten separated from the group. An EF4 hit the place out of nowhere and I wasn’t able to get back to the shelter in time. I’ve always been terrified of tornadoes, we don’t got ‘em where I’m from, but- that was something else.” You shake your head, shaking off the memories. “I should’ve died. It should’ve killed me, but it didn’t. And all I could think of was that I had been given a second chance, just barely. And what I was doing just didn’t make sense anymore.”
Boone lets out a low whistle as Javi’s hand finds your shoulder. Tyler can feel Kate tense in concern, his own brows furrowed.
“Within the week, I’d quit my job, got rid of all my stuff, dumped my boyfriend, and broken my lease. I didn’t know where the hell I was going but I knew I couldn’t stay there. I just needed to- to find somewhere, someplace, where I could do something tangible. I kept thinking that what I lived through was only a sliver of a glimpse into what y’all experience your whole lives out here and I- I just wanted to help.”
“So you found the Wranglers.” Lilly finishes and you nod.
“When I’d left town, I gave Lainey a call. Her and her fiancé had been the one hosting us at their ranch for the trip and asked Lainey if she knew of anything I could do, any place I could go. Next thing I know I’m on a plane to Oklahoma and some self-proclaimed tornado wrangler I’ve never heard of is picking me up from the airport.”
“Is this why you refuse to go storm chasing with us?” Boone calls out as Tyler sits up straighter in his chair, Kate shifting as he does.
“Hold on a damn minute.” He asks, the group falling silent. “Lainey’s fiancé, Smith, he’d been killed at a rodeo just this year.”
Your eyes are cautious when they meet his. “Smith gave his life for mine. He’s the one who got me to safety and he paid for it. I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it.”
It goes silent in the group as you avert your eyes. After a few moments, you slide down the front of Tyler’s truck, chucking your beer in the trash.
“It ain’t your fault, you know.” Tyler calls out as you begin to walk away from the group.
You freeze.
“These tornados, they ain’t what they used to be. They take and take. Weather cares little of the price of human life.” Tyler says.
“Those reports you see on the news, they’re true. They’re getting worse every year, that’s why we’re out here. It’s why you’re out here.” Javi follows up as you turn back to face the group. “We’re gonna find a way, to make things better. We’ll never be able to stop the weather, not completely, but maybe we can find a way to keep up with it.”
“It’s okay to admit I’m not contributing much. I mean I don’t know shit about science and I don’t want to get near a tornado for the rest of my life. I’m-“
“Helping.” Kate protests. “You are. You might not think it but you are. We could barely do this on our own, we need you.”
You’re hesitant to accept Kate’s words for what they are but the group seems to be giving their consensus and Tyler’s beckoning you over to him and Kate.
“Listen,” He says, once you’re sat between him and Kate. “We might be the most ragtag bunch of hicks you ever met. But as this grows we ain’t never been able to do it without you. If we succeed, if we do this, you’ll have played no small part in it. You belong here.”
You spend the rest of the night tucked into Kate’s side the both of you quiet as the group carries on.
It’s only as the group is getting ready for bed, Tyler putting out the fire, Boone leaving to find a bush to pee in, that you speak.
“Sometimes I wonder why I got to live and he didn’t.”
Kate looks down at you. “You’ll drive yourself crazy if you go there you know. What you have that they didn’t. What you could do that they couldn’t.”
“Will it be enough?” You say but Kate has no answer for you.
Instead, she shifts upwards and away from you.
“You should really think about coming out with us sometime.” She says. “Tornados are terrifying but they’re sometimes the most beautiful things. The way they manifest, the way the world just changes. You should give it another shot.” She gives you a soft smile before leaning down to press a soft kiss to your head. “Night. Get some sleep.”
You lose track of how long you stare at the dying embers before Tyler comes back with another bucket of water to put the fire out for good.
“You couldn’t have saved him, you know.” Tyler says, setting the bucket down. “But you still have a chance to help us save others. You might not see it but we need you.”
You nod. “Thanks Ty.”
He gives you a smile. “Anytime kid. Get some rest. We’ve gotta get on the road bright and early tomorrow morning. And uh, think about changing your mind on doing some storm chasing why don’t you? There’s a whole world you’re missing out there.”
-
It’s late under the Oklahoma skyline. Your friends have either gone off to their motel rooms or are partnered up into their own conversations but you’re too comfortable to move away from Kate, wrapped around her side.
Your fingers brush up and down her skin, the dying fire crackling before you. As your fingers come to gently trace over her scar, you falter, smoothing your thumb over the skin.
“Can I ask?” You speak softly. “What happened?”
In the months that you’ve grown into this group, Kate has shared little of the story behind the scar. While you’re naturally curious, you know even more that it’s a missing piece to a girl and a relationship you’re still learning.
Kate’s eyes look up at you, firelight reflecting a soft something you can’t name. And then she sits, tugging on your hand.
She leads you to her shared room with Tyler, leading you inside as Tyler looks up from his phone he’s scrolling through.
It’s not unusual these days, to find yourself somewhere with these two. Whether it was curled up in their bed or around a fire or a diner table or in the back of a truck, you found yourself more and more drawn into their presence. The three of you were standing on the precipice is something and lately, it too often looked like you were the one hesitant to take the dive into uncharted waters.
You pause at the doorway, surveying them. “You sure?” Kate nods and you slip inside, shutting the door behind you. Kate nudges you towards the bed and you go, Tyler’s warmth radiating off of him as your back finds stability against his broad frame. Kate climbs in the bed next to you, careful to leave her legs intertwined with yours. You feel her hands reach around your body, hands grazing Tyler’s.
She licks her lips, breath shaky as her eyes flicker down to the faded tear of flesh.
“It was six or seven years ago now. This project we’re doing out here, the one you’re supporting, it all started because of what Javi refers to as my science project.” Tyler straightens as she talks. “We… we failed.”
“What do you mean?” You ask softly.
Kate’s eyes finally meet yours. “My friends, we were supposed to release the polymer into an EF1, maybe EF2. But- I was wrong. It was an EF5.” She screws her eyes shut. “I lost them one by one. The tornado took them from me and left nothing but devastation in its wake. The scar- it’s a reminder of them, of what I lost that day. The cost of what happens if I don’t get it right.”
“Kate.” Tyler says softly, a firm note hidden beneath it. Something in it tells you they’ve had this conversation before, that Tyler’s heard this story before.
You wrap your arms around Kate, tucking your head on top of hers. “You’ll get it right, Kate.” You whisper. “You’ve got this.”
-
The next morning finds you with a storm on the horizon.
You sit on the top of Tyler’s truck as he beams at you, hands on his hips. “So you coming or what, pretty lady?”
You smile at him, hands wrapped around the chipped mug Boone had lent you. Six months in the field and all you still really had to your name was your toothbrush and a pair of pajamas. “I don’t know, you promise not to drive me right into the middle of that tornado?”
Ty chuckles, shaking his head. “You’ve got my word. No fireworks or nothing. I’ll give you the best storm chase you’ll ever see.”
“Kate coming?” You ask, unable to stop the hopeful question from tumbling past your lips. He nods, though his grin falters.
“Javi too.”
You shrug, handing the now empty coffee mug to him as he offers you as hand to slide down his truck. “Just tell me when.”
No less than a half hour later, the four of you are in Tyler’s truck, cruising down an empty stretch of dirt road of an abandoned town. Your gaze is on the horizon before turning it back to the people in the van.
“So Javi, you never did tell me how you and Kate had met?”
A grin forms on his face. “Kate and I go all the way back, man. She was the OG storm hunter.”
You can see Kate smile in the rearview mirror, your eyes meeting. “They’ve got their own handshake.” Tyler comments, a teasing lilt to his voice.
“When do I get my own handshake?” You comment, chancing a glance back out the truck. “Holy shit, that’s what we’re chasing after?”
“She’s gorgeous ain’t she?” Tyler roars, the truck speeding up.
“I never thought I’d see something like this.” You breathe, eyes going wide. “There’s so little sky to see in the city. Here’s that’s all there’s to see.”
You can’t see the grin Javi is giving you, wonder taking over your features as you crane your head to look closer. “Yeah, you’re going to be sticking around a while.” He says softly. “You’ve fallen for the charm.”
“Ty.” Kate says sharply, tilting her monitor. “Do you see that?” Tyler peers out into the distance where she’s pointing. The car rolls to a stop as them and Javi start using words you don’t understand.
“What? What’s happening?”
“Do we got time to get back?” Javi says, pulling his seatbelt off.
Tyler shakes his head, pressing his seatbelt buckle as he presses another button on his truck. “No, we gotta get low. Now.” His door flies open, and you follow suit, shouting to Kate as you do, asking what’s happening.
She grabs your hand as the wind begins to pick up around you. “I was wrong.” She says. “It’s gotta be an EF3, at least. We’ve gotta get down.”
“Kate! Do you see any places?!” Tyler shouts, ushering the two of you away from the car.
She pauses, scanning the area. “There!” She shouts, pointing to a storm grate a bit farther out more towards the main road. The four of you take off, but it’s obvious you can’t keep up. The wind rages as you feel your ankle twist. The collision to the dirt hurts less than you think it’s going to as the panic in you reaches its peak.
You’re going to die here.
“No, you ain’t.” Tyler says over the wind, arms coming up to support your under your armpit. “Not on my watch.”
Another set of arms lifts you up, as Kate shouts to follow her. The boys carry you the best they can but your eyes are blurry with panic. Kate takes you from them, helping you over to the storm grate.
“Kate, I don’t- I don’t want to die.”
“Just hold on to that.” She says firmly. You do as instructed, laying on the ground. Tyler’s body follows yours, clutching onto the grate over your body. His body covers your own, sheltering you from the worst of the weather.
It’s only then you realize you’re shaking, from the wind or the rain or the freezing terror, you’ll never know.
“Stay down.” Tyler bellows over the wind. “Stay low and hold on.”
You whimper, clutching tighter to the grate as the storm’s power increases overhead. “I’ve got you.” Tyler says, Kate repeating his words.
You aren’t sure in the haze when it all stops, just that you can’t stop shaking and the tears rolling down your face won’t end. Kate’s fingers are around yours, gently prying them from the grate as she runs a soothing hand through your hair.
“Are you hurt?” Tyler asks bending down next to you as Kate gets the last of your fingers off of the grate. Your shoulders are shaking, unable to stop the sobs wracking your body enough to answer.
“You’re safe.” Kate whispers. “You’re safe, we’ve got you I promise.”
And yet all you can do is cry. You feel Tyler tentatively reaching out for you, looking over your body for an injury he might’ve missed. His hands pause underneath the Wrangler sweatshirt you’re wearing, hesitating before they slip under. When they come back clean, he pulls you to your feet.
“I’m going to carry you back to the truck.” He says cautiously. You feel him lift you up and your hands find purchase in his shirt. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
By the time you reach the truck, the tears have stopped, drying in tracks on your face. “Kate.” You say softly, as Tyler sets you in the back of the truck. He glances over his shoulder, where he can see Javi presumedly comforting Kate.
“She’ll be here in a minute. You okay?”
You nod. “Just- just shaken up. I panicked and flashed back I guess. What’re the odds you almost get killed by a tornado twice?”
Tyler shakes his head. “You stick around here long enough, it’ll happen more than that. Look, we were all gonna head back to town tonight anyways. Why don’t you come back to Kate and I’s? I don’t think she’ll want you to leave her sight and I don’t want you to be alone.” You nod as Ty’s thumb reaches up to rub away some of the dirt. “You’re okay. We got you. We’ll take care of you.”
Kate returns to the truck a few moments later, wrenching the other side of the back open. “You okay?” She asks softly, climbing in next to you.
You nod. “What were you and Javi talking about?” She glances at the man before shaking her head.
“Nothing. Say, do you want to come back to Ty and I’s place? We’ll get your ankle all fixed up, some clean clothes. It’ll be a couple days before we’re out on the road again. Give you a chance to regroup?”
You nod. “That would be nice. I’d like that.”
She smiles softly, reaching out for you. “We got you.”
-
You’re tucked up under Kate and Ty’s comforter, the fan on low as your fingers find purchase in the soft material.
“Kate? It ain’t your fault.”
Your head peeks up at the low voices on the stairs.
“It is.” Kate says lowly. “It is my fault. How many times is it going to take for me to learn? She could’ve died.”
“But she didn’t.” Tyler insists. “Aside from a sprained ankle, she’ll be fine. She’ll be on the road with us in just a few days, scheduling more presentations and fancy grant sessions than we know what to do with. Fact of the matter is she’ll probably be on the phone with Lilly tomorrow morning bright and early about new designs for like, keychains or something.”
Kate sighs. “I can’t afford to get it wrong this time.”
“You’re not going to.” Tyler says, the stairs creaking, meaning he’s probably moving closer to her. “She trusts you Kate.”
“At what cost? They trusted me then too.”
“There’s no price to be paid here Kate. She trusts you, this team. She’s got us, the same way we got her.” Tyler sighs. “Let’s just get to bed okay? I wanna be next to my girls.”
Something stirs in your chest at the way he says girls as in plural but you’re too tired and strung out to dissect it. Kate slips into the bedroom a minute later, Tyler not far behind her. She climbs into the bed next to you, quick to climb under the comforter. Tyler follows suit on your other side.
“We got you.” She whispers, but this time, you think she may be assuring herself more than you.
-
This was wrong. Something was wrong here.
It almost felt, like in some weird haze, she’d lived this day before.
This was definitely wrong.
“Kate, c’mon! Help us!” Javi shouts. She breaks from her reverie, running to the boys to grab you from them.
“I don’t want to die. Kate, don’t let me die.”
But it’s some ill-fated prophecy, the way she keeps failing, because the minute the boys let go, you’re gone.
Your screams pierce through the air as all she can do as watch.
The wind comes to a stop, it all falling still around them as the boys stand there in horror.
“What did you do?” Tyler asks lowly. “What did you do Kate?!”
She freezes, unable to understand what just happened.
“How do you keep letting this happen? How do you keep failing? How come you can’t get it right when it matters?” Tyler’s shout grows.
A breeze kicks up again, a torn, bloodied Wrangler sweatshirt coming to lay at her feet.
She’s going to be sick.
“It’s your fault Kate!” Tyler’s harsh yell comes as she stands there, rain and wind whipping around her. She stares numbly at the spot where you had just been, the only thing left being the sweatshirt, feeling her fingers clench around nothing.
You had been gone in a matter of seconds, slipping through her fingers like smoke.
“No, but I-“ She licks her lips. “No, it can’t-“
It can’t end like this.
“Yes, Kate, yes it is!” Tyler yells, coming closer to her now. “It’s your fault that’s she’s gone! It’s her blood on your hands! It’s your fault she’s dead, just like all the others!” Tyler shouts, pacing closer to her. She flinches, raising her hands to cover her ears to block out his yells.
“Owens, stop.” Javi calls out but it all sounds muddy as she squeezes her eyes shut, willing for this to be over.
Behind her eyes, she could still see the terrified look in your eye, the way you had pleaded with Kate to not let you die. The scream you’d let out as the wind had pulled you away from her.
Suddenly, there’s a hand on her, wrenching her wrist away from her ear.
“It’s your fault she’s gone. It will always be your fault.”
Her eyes fly open, mouth around a scream.
-
Kate’s scream shatters any illusion of silence in the house as both of your heads whip towards the bedroom.
You’ve barely had a chance to rise from the table, where you’d sat with Ty in the morning light, Tyler moving closer to the bedroom, when Kate’s rushed footsteps pound against the creaky staircase and round the corner.
Her eyes are wild with fear but her body sags in relief at the sight of you. She pulls you to her chest, all but collapsing into your embrace, a sob escaping her chest.
Tyler’s brow is furrowed in concern, at least what you can see of him over Kate’s shoulder. One hand stays wrapped around her waist, the other coming to rake your nails gently under Kate’s sleep shirt as she continues to sob.
“It’s all my fault. I knew the storm was going to be too big- but I-“
You shush Kate, continuing her movement. “I’m okay, Kate, it’s okay.”
“It’s not!” She shouts, wrenching herself away from you. She wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand sniffling as she does. “It’s not okay! I could’ve gotten you killed!”
“Kate, it’s not your fault.” You try to soothe, taking a step closer to her but all that does is prompt a fresh round of tears.
“Yes, it is.” She nods sadly. “Yes, yeah it is. It was my fault then and it would’ve been my fault now too.”
You shake your head, closing the distance she’s tried to create between the two of you. “No, it’s not Kate.” You say firmly. “It wasn’t your fault then and no one blames you for those losses. It wouldn’t have been your fault yesterday and I wouldn’t have blamed you either. The weather we chase is unpredictable and ever-changing. Loss is the name of the game we play.”
She heaves a breath, her shoulders shaking. “You’re not an acceptable loss.”
“Kate, if I had died yesterday, I would’ve died knowing you and Ty had done everything you could’ve to keep me safe.” You cup her cheek, brushing away a few tears as you do so. “You did everything you could’ve for your friends back then too.”
“I couldn’t save them.” She croaks. “I couldn’t save you.”
You crowd her space, nudging her nose with your own. “Hey, you know you did, right? You saw the signs. You knew to take shelter, where to hide. You did save me. The part that matters isn’t that you could’ve failed but that you didn’t.”
Kate’s forehead meets your own, her hand finding your fingers. “I- Please don’t leave.” She whispers. “Please don’t leave me.”
You feel breathless at her request, at the desperation in her tone. Your eyes meet Tyler’s.
“I’m not going anywhere.” You whisper back. “I’m here Kate. We’re here.”
