Cat looked at the ring on her finger. She turned to look at Benji. "Yes..." She smiled and hugged him.
Benji held Cat close. "I love you." He smiled and ran his hand over her back. Cat sat up and looked at Benji. A tear rolled down her cheek. Benji wiped it away. "What's wrong baby?"
"Nothing." She smiled. "Just, Joel told me he was gonna propose to Tate."
Benji winced. "He didn't tell me. Cat I'm so sorry."
Cat put her right hand on his cheek. "Don't be sorry." She kissed him gently. "I'm happy. I love you."
Chelsea came into the kitchen. "Cat? Where's Joel? I really need to talk to him."
"He went to the basement." Benji informed her, pointing to the basement door.
"Thanks." Chelsea said before leaving the kitchen. She went down the stairs and saw Joel. He was facing the other way holding something in his hands. "Joel?"
Joel jumped and dropped what he was holding. It hit the cement floor with a metalic clank. He turned to look at Chelsea. "oh.. Chelsea..."
"Joel, what were you doing?" She stepped closer to him to try to see what he had dropped.
"I wasn't doing anything." He told her, kicking the object away.
Chelsea stood there. "Joel, please don't lie to me."
"I wasn't doing anything Chelsea! Just leave me alone." Joel practically shouted. He ran up the stairs and bumped into Billy as he was coming down the stairs.
"Joel? Something wrong?"
"Just leave me alone Billy," He went into the bathroom and locked the door.
Billy ran down the stairs to the kitchen. "Benj, there's something wrong with Joel."
Chelsea came out of the basement as Billy finished his sentece. "You've got that right." She whispered, holding up a small dagger letter opener.
Kat, Sky and Paul came into the kitchen with groceries in hand. "Chels, what's with the dagger?" Sky asked.
Chelsea shook her head. "Joel was holding it. He dropped it then ran up here."
"He ran into the up stairs bathroom," Billy looked at the stairs. "Someone gonna go up and try to talk to him?"
Paul set down the bags he was holding and went up the stairs. He knocked on the door. "Joel?"
"Go away Paul."
Paul sighed. "No. Now what's with the dagger in the basement?"
"Nothing. Now leave me alone!"
Paul sighed and went back to the kitchen. "Sky, I need you to pick the lock."
"Okie..." She grinned and went upstairs. She picked the lock and opened the door. "What in the fuckin' hell Joel?!"
Joel was sitting on the side of the tub with a razor to his wrist. "Get out Sky!"
Sky walked over to him and took the razor. "No!"
He stood and towered over her. "Sky you wouldn't understand! Now get out!"
"I wouldn't understand the pain of cutting?! You want pain? I'll show you some fucking pain!" Sky slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "We all lost her now get over yourself!" She left the small bathroom before tears fell from her eyes.
Joel sighed and punched the wall leaving a fist size hole. Billy came into the bathroom and grabbed Joel. "Are you happy now? You made Sky cry. Tatum's sister."
"You think I wanted to make her cry? no! I just..."
"You just what Joel? Huh? What?!"
"Nothing, just leave me alone." Joel tried to push past him, but Billy stopped him.
"Listen Joel. She's dead. There's nothing you can do to bring her back and suicide won't solve anything. It'll only make the rest of us hurt even more," Billy tried to look at him. Joel was almost in tears. "but it's not like you care about anything but your own mysery."
"You'd do the same thing if you lost Sky." Joel said coldly, fighting his tears.
Billy glared at Joel. "I wouldn't try to kill myself if Sky died."
"It wouldn't be your fault if she died. I made Tate leave. I had sex with one of her best friends because I'm a bastard!"
Billy was getting sick of hearing Joel complain and whine. Billy tried to hold his hand, but he couldn't hold back any longer and smacked Joel. "I'm sorry, but you needed it Joel." He pushed past Billy and went to his room. Billy sighed and went downstairs, "It's no use, he's going to keep acting like this."
Chelsea shook her head. "If I... God, this is all because of me."
Kat sighed. "Will all of you stop saying that?! I mean seriously, it's not like you forced her to get in the car." She ran outside and Paul followed.
"Kathryne! Kat, please stop." He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "Kat, it's alright." He hugged her and kissed her forhead.
"But I can't listen to them say that." She started to cry into his shoulder.
"Babe, it's hard. I know it is. But it's all gonna be alright." He took her chin and brought her lips to his.
~
Cat went to Joels room and went in. She saw him sitting on the edge of his bed looking down at his bloody and swollen knuckles. "Joel..."
He didn't look up. "Go away Cat."
"No." She said bluntly; She sat next to him on the bed and took his hand, "You broke your finger."
"I don't care." He told her, pulling his hand away he winced.
"Joel, stop this, you're hurt." Cat took his hand again to examine it further.
He shrugged, "I deserve it."
Cat glared at Joel slightly and poked his finger. He didn't move. She tensed her jaw and twisted his finger a little.
"OW!" He yelled pulling his hand away from her.
"OK! Now multiply that pain by a thousand and that's how the rest of us feel."
"I'm sorry Cat."
She hugged him. "You're going to have to get over yourself and the fact that it's not your fault she died."
"I didn't mean to make Sky cry." He let go of Cat and looked at his hand.
"You did though. And I see she smacked you."
"So did Billy." Joel sighed.
"I can't say you didn't deserve it. But you need to work things out with Chelsea."
Joel braced himself and set his finger. "Just let me take care of my hand first." Cat nodded and went to the bathroom with Joel. She helped him tape and bandage his hand. "Didn't think I'd have to do this anymore." He sighed.
She chuckled at Joel. "Tate and Sky wore off on you."
Joel went to the living room and saw Chelsea sitting on the couch. "Chels? Can we talk?" She nodded as he sat next to her.
"Joel, you're a hypocrite. You always yelled at Tate for trying to cut, then you try." She held up the razor Sky had taken from him earlier.
"Yes Chelsea, I'm a damn hypocrite." He paused and looked at her. "Why'd you come to the basement earlier?"
"To talk."
"About?" He asked; sittuating himself on the couch, he looked at Chelsea with a hint of confusion.
"What happened." She paused and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Why did we have sex?"
Joel looked at her. "I.."
Chelsea sighed. "Why Joel? I mean we were both sober." A tear glistened on her cheek. "So why?"
"I don't know Chelsea, but..."
"But what?" Pain and sadness showed in her eyes. "I mean, do you regret it?"
"That's a hard question to answer."
"Yes or no?"
Joel sat there looking at the floor in thought. He turned to Chelsea. "Both..."
"Both?" she questioned.
"Yes, I regret it because of Tatum. But no if under different circumstances." Joel looked at her slightly confused, "I'm sorry Chels, that's how I feel. I can't explain it."
Chelsea stood and looked at him. She was confused. "Joel I..." She couldn't finish what she was saying, she just turned and walked out of the house, tears streaming down her cheeks.