Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Katherine Howard stood outside the church hall looking at the small piece of paper tacked in the window.

D.V and S.A Support Group.

She knew what the D.V stood for, her case worker had explained it to her.

D.V.

Domestic Violence.

Katherine could guess what the S.A stood for.

Still staring at the sign, fiddling with the silver K dangling off her choker, Katherine nearly jumped out of her skin when someone spoke from behind her

“You can come in if you want. We don’t bite I promise.”

Katherine span around and found herself face to face with a young woman, pale with long dark brown hair that was tied up in two space buns with the rest hanging loose. She wore a black turtle neck, skin tight top, tucked in to a green skirt that came to her mid-thigh. Fishnets led down to black ankle boots with a small heel.
The woman was smiling, red lipstick covered lips stretched wide in a welcoming grin.

“Oh, n-no I was just – I mean I wasn’t. I was just leaving.” Katherine stammered, reflexively clutching at her choker before brushing past the woman and hurrying out of the hall into the cold night, as the smiling woman watched her go.
.

.

.

But she didn’t leave.
For some reason Katherine couldn’t bring herself to go home, just as much as she couldn’t bring herself to go into the room.
So she just sat on the bench outside the church, her headphones in and alternated between staring, without really seeing, at the cross illuminated on top of the beautiful old building or the ground in front of her.

She was sat there for a long time.

Longer than she realised, because suddenly a pair of low-heeled black boots appeared in her field of vision.

Katherine looked up to see the same woman who had spoken to her inside standing in front of her, still smiling but a little less broadly, more subtle and kindly. Katherine quickly pulled her headphones out so she could hear the woman talk.

“Budge up.”

Those were not the first words she had been expecting, but nonetheless, Katherine moved across the bench to create space for the other woman, who sat down next to her, swinging her legs a little as she looked up at the cross.

“It’s sort of peaceful isn’t it?”

Katherine shrugged, slightly unsure of what to make of this woman.

“Yeah. I guess.”

“Do you want to come for a drink?”

“What?” Now Katherine was just confused.

“A drink. With me. Well me and my some of my friends.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“No, but I know you. Or I know your look. I’m Anne, see now I’m not a stranger anymore. So drink?”

Katherine blinked, hand going back to her silver K.

“What do you mean, you ‘know my look’?” she was almost afraid of what the answer would be.

“The look on your face when you were stood outside that room. Same look I had on my face. You wanted to go in. But someone was in your head, stopping you. It’ll get easier I promise. One day your going to walk into that room. And it will get better from there. I promise.”

The woman, Anne, was looking at her with kind eyes. Katherine was put slightly more at ease by the fact that there was no pity in those green eyes.

“And something that will make it easier is having a friend. So. You. Me. Drink. Talk. Fun. Sound like a plan?”

Anne was now on her feet, looking expectantly down at the girl on the bench. Katherine bit her lip, then got to her feet.

“Awesome!” Grinned Anne with a little jump of joy, before walking purposefully down the road towards the main road.

It took her a few moments to realise that she was walking alone. Turning she called

“Well come on then!”

Nothing.

Nothing.

And then.

Hurried footsteps. Katherine hurried to Anne’s side and fell into step beside her.

“I’m Katherine.”

“Nice to meet you Katherine” Anne chirped, slipping her arm through Katherine’s “Now let’s go get that drink.”

Chapter Text

“Wassup Queens?!”

Anne drawled in an awful American accent as she walked up to a table in the corner of a bar called Holbein’s.
Sat at the table were two young women. There was a blonde, curvaceous woman, her hair half up half down, wearing a dress of different shades of grey that had lines of sparkles running down the skirt.

Opposite her was a black woman with short slick hair. She had strong, proud features and sat almost regally at the table.
The word “Royal Punk” crossed Katherine’s mind because the black woman’s clothes were a complete contrast to her stately stature. Black jean shorts over ripped fishnets a black and pink crop top revealing a toned abdomen and a black and silver cropped jacket with slightly puffed sleeves.

“Have you been picking up strays again Anne?” Royal punk lady said with just the faintest trace of an accent.

“Well I always did want a puppy Cleves.” Snarked Anne as she settled into a seat at the table before smiling at Katherine and patting the seat beside her.

“Girls this is Katherine. Katherine this is Jane” she pointed at the curvy blonde “and Anna Cleves. Remember I’m Anne, she’s Anna, don’t get us mixed up.” Anne chirped happily at

Katherine smiled a little nervously at the two women she was now sat with alongside Anne.

“Hi.”

“Hello love.” The blonde, Jane, said with a warm smile. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Oh erm, just a coke please.” Katherine mumbled.

Jane got up to go and order the drink and Anna surveyed Katherine.

“So” she said “Where did you meet Anne? Did she follow you home? We’ve told her to stop doing that but Anne has a listening problem.” Anna said smirking at Anne who cheerfully
flipped her off, but looked a little more contrite when Jane raised an eyebrow at her.

“We met at church.” Anne said like it was nothing, but Katherine didn’t miss the slight glance exchanged between Jane and Anna.

“Ah ok. So Katherine what do you do?”

“I erm, I just moved back to London. I- well I’m looking for a college course, or-or-or a part time job or something…” she tailed off with a half shrug.

“College? How old are you?”

“Eighteen” Katherine said shortly.

She was worried that the trio of women would think she was rude or that they would feel awkward around her. But Jane just smiled and said with interest

“What do you want to do at college?”

“Music.”

It was the most confident that Katherine had sounded since Anne had come up to her outside the church.

The trio of friends fell into easy conversation as Katherine sat politely, drank her drink and answered any questions put towards her.

Finally, the bartender called for last round and Jane, Anna, Anne and Katherine all rose to leave, Katherine, shouldering the rucksack she had carried with her all day and night.

“Do you need a lift home?” Anne asked brightly, and Katherine went slightly pale.

“N-no. I’ll get the bus, it’s-it’s okay.”

“Don’t be silly!” Jane said, looking kindly concerned “It’s far too late for a girl your age to be walking about alone. We’ll drop you off. I don’t want any arguments.”

Katherine opened and shut her mouth before her shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Okay. Thank you.”

The quartet walked the short distance to Jane’s car, which was in fact a seven-seater. Katherine wondered why they need the extra seats. She had only heard two other names mentioned during their conversation, Aragon and another Catherine.

“What’s the address?” Jane asked as they got in the car, Jane in the driver’s seat, Anne in shotgun (which she had yelled so excitedly on the way to the car that several people at the nearby bus stop turned to look at her. Katherine and Anna sat behind them, Katherine behind Jane, Anna behind Anne.

“137 Archibald Road.” Katherine all but whispered.

Twenty five minutes and two warnings from Jane to Anne later and they pulled up outside the address Katherine had given.

Silence descended over the car.

“Oh Katherine, sweetheart…” Jane said upon realising what they were parked outside of.

“Thanks for the lift” Katherine said in a rush before bailing as fast as she could out of the car, hearing the door close behind her. She had made it twelve steps when she heard the
sounds of three other car doors closing behind her and she froze when she heard what she was pretty sure was Anne’s voice say

“Katherine wait!”

Then Jane said

“Katherine get back in the car. Please love? We cant let you stay here!”

Without turning round Katherine replied

“I’ve got nowhere else.”

“We can find you a hotel. Or-or you can stay with us! She can, right Jane?” Anne’s voice said with a renewed spark of brightness.

“Of course she can” Anna answered Anne before Jane could.

Slowly Katherine turned to face the three women.

“You don’t even know me.”

“That doesn’t matter” Anna said firmly, her accent thickening slightly and Katherine looked at the mistrustfully.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing.” Anne said with a slightly hurt frown when Katherine shook her head and said

“People always want something.”

“All we want love is for you to be safe. People get killed in places like this Katherine. Please, let us help. At least for tonight.”

A tear crept from the corner of Katherine’s left eye at the look of true concern on Jane’s face, the anxious earnestness on Anne’s and the stoic protectiveness on Anna’s.

These women didn’t know her.
Had no idea who she was.
But they wanted her safe.

She could see it now, they really did want to help.

“I’ve got nowhere. No one.” She whispered hoarsely, fighting back the tears she didn’t realise she’d been holding down since… since she didn’t know how long.

“You’ve got us.” Anne said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

And Katherine broke.

She burst into tears and at once Anne and Jane were at her sides. Anne grabbed her hand and Jane wrapped an arm carefully around her back, lightening her touch when Katherine involuntarily flinched.
Slowly, kindly, carefully, the three women led Katherine back to the car and together, they drove away…

Leaving the sight of the homeless shelter behind them.

Chapter Text

“Anne?! Did you take my charger to the meeting without ask- oh who’s this?”

A beautiful woman with hair that went from dark brown to a honey colour had come storming into the hallway as soon as the house’s front door closed behind Jane.
She had been glaring at Anne, before her eyes fell on Katherine’s tear stained face peeking out from behind the subject of her glare.

Anne stepped to the side and grabbed Katherine’s hand.

“This is Katherine, Aragon.”

With no further explanation from Anne, Jane stepped forwards and said

“She needs somewhere to stay for a little while.” Then the blonde turned to Anne and said a little pointedly “Anne why don’t you take Katherine to get something to eat.”

Sticking her tongue out at the woman she had addressed as Aragon, Anne pulled Katherine down the hall and left into a kitchen.

“I feel like pancakes” she said, releasing Katherine’s hand and skipping over to the cupboards “Triple chocolate chip pancakes. With cream. And sprinkles. You like?”
Katherine managed a small smile and nodded as she all but collapsed down onto a chair at the kitchen table. As Anne zipped about from fridge to cupboard to cabinet to oven, making one hell of a mess as she went, Katherine did her best to make herself look presentable.

On the way to the house from the shelter, Jane had mentioned something about a ‘house meeting’, which Katherine assumed she would have to attend. So she used her phone as a mirror and made an attempt to sort herself out. She combed her fingers through her long dark hair, and did her best to wipe the tear tracks from her face and sooth the red rimmed circles under her eyes.

Suddenly, a plate of pancakes completely covered in chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles appeared before her and she blinked up at a smiling Anne.

“Bon appetite!” she giggled carrying her own plate to the other side of the table and sitting across from Katherine.

The two ate in silence until…

“Do you want to play Mario Kart?”

“I’m sorry?” Katherine said in surprise and Anne grinned.

“Mario. Kart. It’s boring playing alone and for some reason no one will play with me anymore. Want to play once Aragon gets her boring bum out of the living room?”

“Yeah. Yeah sure. Thank you.”

“You know, you can stop saying thank you. You’re one of us now.” Anne said in a surprisingly calm and mature sounding voice.

Katherine was spared having to answer that by Jane and the Aragon woman entering the kitchen. The latter of the pair now smiled at Katherine and extended a hand for her to
shake, saying

“Sorry about before. I’m Catherine Aragon. Everyone calls me Aragon.”

“I’m Katherine. Howard.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Jane smiled at the interaction and then said in a soft and soothing voice

“Katherine would you come to the sitting room please? We have a house meeting whenever someone new comes to stay even for a little while.”

Katherine gulped, tugged on her K and then rose and walked into the front room that Anne had pulled her past on the way to the kitchen. Anne followed close behind her, but suddenly pushed in front with a squeal of delight as she rushed forwards

“CATHYYYYYY!”

Anne had thrown herself at a slender black woman, lighter skinned than Anna, but with the same regal presence though it was a little more subdued. Her jet hair was hanging lose in a low afro cloud and she smiled as Anne jumped into her arms, wrapping her legs around the other woman’s waist and her arms around her neck whilst peppering ‘Cathy’s’ cheeks with kisses.

“Hello love.”

“I thought you weren’t going to be back until next week!”

“Conference wrapped up and I… I didn’t want to do any tourist spots on my own.”

Anne finally relinquished her legs from the other woman’s waist and stood up, but kept her arms around her neck.

“Awwwww, translation; you missed me so you came home early!” Then Anne seemed to remember she wasn’t alone and turned round, grabbing Katherine’s hand and pulling her further into the room.

“Katherine, this is Catherine ‘Cathy’ Parr, Catherine ‘Cathy’ Parr this is Katherine.”

Catherine Parr smiled at the younger woman before her and said with a quirked eyebrow towards Anne.

“Only Anne calls me Cathy, Catherine is fine. Or Cath. Or Parr. Or ‘stop reading and listen to me’.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Okay” Jane said “Places everyone.”

A moment later and everyone but Katherine was seated. Aragon was sat in a chinse armchair. Anna was sat on the right of the sofa, Jane in the middle and Parr on the left. Anne had pulled a beanbag over to the left side of the sofa and was sat in it, her head leant against Parr’s legs, as the latter ran her fingers through the beanbag girl’s hair.

“You can sit down Katherine.” Jane said kindly and Katherine perched on a stool, one hand clutching the strap of her rucksack and the other, picking at her choker.

She was terrified.

Katherine was prepared for a full-scale interrogation. After all she probably would if she was letting a virtual stranger sleep in her house.

If she had a house.

But Jane didn’t launch into a litany of questions.

In fact Jane didn’t speak at all to start with.

It was Anne who spoke first.

“I know why you didn’t come into the meeting.”

“What?” Katherine said in slight surprise.

“I know why you didn’t come into the meeting. You’re not ready. You’re not ready to hear it. You’re definitely not ready to talk about it. And that’s okay. I wasn’t either. And it’s okay, we aren’t going to make you tell us anything you don’t want to. That’s not what this house meeting is for.”

“What is it for?” Katherine blurted out nervously.

“It’s for you. To talk. About anything you want to. Anything you think we need to know. Anything.”

Katherine opened her mouth.

Then closed it again.

Then opened and closed it again and again.

Open.

Close.

Then swallowed and said hoarsely.

“I don’t know what- I don’t know where to start…”

Anne readjusted her position in the beanbag, wrapped an arm around Parr’s calves, and reposition where her head was lying on the other woman’s thigh.

“Start at the beginning.”

Chapter Text

“I was fifteen when I met him.”

Katherine was staring at a fixed point on the ground as she spoke, too afraid to look at any of the women in the room.

“He was a friend of my parents. Said he loved me. I should have known better but I didn’t. We started seeing each other. Henry, he… had a temper.”

And for a moment she almost told them everything.

But the words died in her throat and instead she skipped to the end.

“I got attacked. Two of his friends, at a party. They…” tears began to build again but she choked them down “They took turns. Henry found out. Blamed me. Tried to kill me.”

A moment of silence, punctuated only by Katherine sniffing.

“He’s in prison now. They all are. My family didn’t want anything to do with me. Blamed me for everything. Kicked me out and I ended up here.”

Only now did Katherine look up.

Aragon looked stoically sympathetic.

Anna looked angry, but not towards her.

Jane had a look of heartbroken understanding aimed at her.

Anne…

Anne didn’t look like she was in the room.

Katherine didn’t realise how zoned out of the sitting room she had been when she had telling her story. If she had been aware of her surroundings she would have noticed the little side scene happing to her right.

Anne was still sat on her beanbag. But now her knees were pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped round them, chin resting on top. Her beautiful eyes were glassy and staring listlessly into space. The only movement was the slight tremble of her bottom lip and the rapid rise and fall of her shoulders as her breathing grew quicker and quicker.

Catherine Parr, over the course of Katherine’s story, had silently moved off of the sofa and was now sat on the floor so close to Anne that their bodies seemed to have melded together in places. The caramel skinned woman, had her arms wrapped around Anne and was whispering almost silent words into her ear. Her breathing was over exaggerated and slow, like she was trying to pace Anne’s lungs with her own.

“Anne and I are going to take a walk.” Catherine said quietly, getting to her feet and lifting Anne as she did so.

“Move your legs Annie.” She encouraged and slowly Anne began to move forwards towards the door.

“Anne I-I’m sorry.” Katherine said helplessly, filled with guilt by the reaction of Anne to her story “I didn’t mean to upset her-”

“No!”

It was Anne’s voice that barked the word, harsh, brittle and angry. She had stopped dead in her slow tracks and stiffly turned to face Katherine.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare say sorry. Don’t you apologise for what he did. What any of them did. Don’t you dare say sorry for what they did or for telling your story.”

There was silence in the room as Anne and Katherine stared at each other for a long moment.

Anne’s eyes full of fire, ferocity and passion.

Katherine’s eyes full of tears of sorrow and gratitude and thanks.

“All in favour of Katherine staying as long as she likes?” Anne said to the room, raising her hand in the air.

Katherine looked around the room as Parr, then Anna, Jane and then Aragon all raised there hands.

“Right then. That settles that.” Anne said and then all the fierce strength seemed to drain from her. Her shoulders sagged and she swayed where she stood, prompting Catherine to grab her by the shoulders and support her body against her own.

“Cathy?”

“Yes Annie?”

“I think I want to go for that walk now.” Anne whispered.

“Okay.”

And with that Catherine and Anne left the room.

It was Jane who spoke next

“Anne’s right, it’s settled, you can stay as long as you need or want Katherine. It’s not like we’re short on space, especially since Grace and Courtney moved out. Anna let’s show her to Vicki’s old room.”

Still slightly in a daze, Katherine followed Jane and Anna out of the sitting room, up the stairs and down the hall to a door at the far-right end.

Jane opened the door to reveal a bedroom. The wall’s were painted sea green, and there were a few dark dots where bluetack had clearly been holding up posters. On the left side of the small window, was a single bed with…

“Yeah the Spiderman bed covers were Anne’s idea.” Anna said with a smile and a shrug “No one except Aragon had the heart to tell her no.”

“It’s the smallest room I’m afraid, Vicki claimed Grace’s as soon as she moved out, because it was bigger.” Jane said apologetically and Katherine looked at her surprised.

“It’s perfect. I cant thank you enough.”

“You don’t need to thank us dear. Like Anne said, you’re one of us now.” Jane said, putting a gentle hand on Katherine’s arm, then saying a little more business like “The Bathrooms are either first door to your left or third door from the stairs. If you need anything, I’m in the bedroom downstairs, Anna is next door. Aragon is next to the second bathroom and Parr and Anne are in the attic room. Do you have wash stuff? Pyjamas?”

“I have wash stuff, but I got rid of loads of my clothes, in-including my pyjamas. They took up to much room in my bag.”

“Well, you’re about Parr’s size. I’ll text her, make sure it’s okay if you can borrow some of her night things.” Jane assured her.

“Thank you” Katherine said, then hesitated.

“What is it Katherine?”

“Could- could I use your washing machine? I… I haven’t had a chance to – to wash some of my stuff in a while.”

“Of course you can sweetheart!” Jane said, like the question was ridiculous “Why don’t you take out what you need then give the rest to me and I’ll get it washed tonight?”

Turning, Katherine put her rucksack on the bed, pulled out her washbag and a small bundle then handed the rucksack meekly to Jane.

“Perfect. Do you want to shower?”

Katherine nodded.

“There are fresh towels in the first bathroom. Get some sleep.”

 Once Anna and Jane left, Katherine took her washbag to the bathroom Jane had directed her too. Truth be told it took her two wrong doors to find it.

She got in and set the temperature as high as she could stand. As she stood under the shower head she let the almost scalding water wash over her, and imagined it washing away not just the grime of the shelter but the grit of telling her story.

There was a knock at the door and over the patter of water, Katherine heard Jane’s voice say

“Katherine? Parr’s night things are outside. Let me know if they don’t fit!”

“Thank you” Katherine answered, hoping she had spoken oud enough for the caring woman to hear.

Eventually she shut off the shower, not wanting to waste her new friends water.

Huh.

Friends.

Maybe that’s what they were now.

She cracked the bathroom door and grabbed the small bundle of clothes. Parr’s pyjamas were soft, a pair of blue and black plaid bottoms and a pale blue long sleeved top with three snowflakes printed on it.

Katherine slipped into them, brushed her hair and her teeth then padded softly back to the room Jane had shown her too.

She was about to get into bed when she paused, went back to the small bundle she had pulled out of her bag before giving it to Jane. She opened up the blanket and pulled out the little soft toy inside. The little fluffy dog was the cleanest thing she owned.

Holding her choker and the soft toy in her hands she climbed into bed, laying her head on the Spiderman logo, splayed across the pillow case.

It was then she realised how utterly exhausted she was.

She was drained.

And so she slept.

That night was one of the rare occasions she didn’t have nightmares.

In fact she didn’t dream at all.

She just slept.

Chapter Text

When Katherine woke, bright midday sunlight was bleeding around the edge of the curtain into the room.

There was a moment of panic, when she didn’t remember where she was.

But then the smell of cooking reached her nose and five faces flashed through her mind.

Anne.

Anne’s girlfriend, Parr.

Royal punk, Anna.

Blonde. Kind. Jane.

Aragon.

She was in their home.

They had let her stay.

They had been kind and wanted nothing in return.

That made a nice change.

Katherine swung her legs out of the Spiderman covered bed and slipped her feet into her boots. She quickly put her choker back on, wincing as her fingers brushed the raised line.

Katherine headed to the door, opened it and almost tripped over a small stack of clothes. On closer inspection she realised they were her clothes, the ones Jane had taken to wash last night, clean, dry and neatly folded. On top was her grey and pink hoodie which, after putting the rest of the clothes on the foot of the bed, she picked up and slipped on over Parr’s pyjamas.

As she turned the corner towards the stairs, Katherine almost collided with a pretty woman, coming out of a door on the left. Her blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail and a startled expression on her slightly elfin face.

“Sorry!” Katherine blurted as the woman looked at her slightly confused, until a look of realisation dawned on her face.

“You Katherine?”

“Yes” mumbled Katherine, and the blonde smiled warmly at her.

“Vicki. Vicki Manser.” she said extending a hand, which Katherine hesitantly shook, surprised by the petite woman’s strong grip on her hand. “You better hurry up if you want some food. Parr’s cooking which means Anne will try and stuff her face with literally everything on the table.”

Vicki led Katherine downstairs and too the kitchen. Parr was stood at the oven her back to the kitchen door and the smell of bacon wafting over her shoulder. Aragon was sat at the head of the table, pouring over a newspaper whilst Jane was nursing a large mug of tea.

And then there was Anne.

Anne.

Who was skidding around the kitchen on a pair of, of all things, heelies.

“Katherine!” Anne grinned rolling up and stopping with a slight stumble in front of Katherine and Vicki “Vick-monster!”

“Mornin’ Anne” Vicki said, walking around to the counter and pouring herself a large, very large coffee and then adding a lot, I mean a lot, I mean A LOT of sugar.

Like an extraordinary amount.

“Morning love” Jane said giving Katherine a smile “How did you sleep?”

“Better than I have in ages” Katherine said quietly with a small smile of her own.

“Grubs up!” Anne crowed skidding on her heels and falling into a seat as Parr turned with a plate of piping hot bacon and a second plate holding scrambled eggs.

As Anne made a lunge for the plate of bacon she shrieked as Parr cracked her spatula across the space bun woman’s knuckles.

“Katherine first. And none for you until you wash your hands!” Parr ordered and Anne slunk from the kitchen nursing the back of her right hand.

“Help yourself” Parr said with an encouraging nod and Katherine daintily took a spoonful of scrambled eggs and two pieces of bacon.

“There’s salt and pepper in the cupboard and ketchup in the fridge” Aragon provided helpfully.

Anne came wheeling back into the kitchen and let out an

“Oof!” as she collided with the table, making Katherine’s plate slide slightly to her left.

“For heaven’s sake Anne!” Jane cried “I will confiscate those things if you cant control yourself!”

“Sorry! Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Anne mumbled before shovelling eggs and bacon onto her plate and then coating the lot in a tidal wave of ketchup.

No one spoke for a while, all to busy focusing on eating or in Vicki’s case, consuming another cup of coffee.

Then through a mouthful of food Anne said

“Do Kathing, oo yo ike bowng?”

“I’m sorry?” Katherine asked in confusion.

“She said, so Katherine, do you like bowling?” Parr translated whilst Aragon looked at Anne in disgust as the latter swallowed and then said as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

“Yeah! We’re going bowling and then out into town today. Want to come?”

“Don’t let Anne bully you into coming if you don’t want to!” A voice shouted from the other room, which she realised must have been Cleves.

“N-no I’d like to come, i-if that’s alright?” Katherine felt a little unsure of herself but was put relatively at ease when Jane beamed at her and said kindly

“Of course it’s alright love! We’re aiming to leave about half one, so you’ve got a couple hours to get ready yet.”

“How long was I asleep?” Katherine asked, surprised to hear that there were only a couple hours until 1:30pm.

“It’s just coming up to 11:45 now. We always sleep in on Saturdays, all of us, well except Anna who goes for a run and Boleyn who just like to get up at the crack of dawn because she can. So breakfast is really sort of brunch on Saturdays.” Vicki explained, her eyes wide and a broad grin on her face as Anne cheerfully flipped her off.

“Anne” Jane warned and Anne sighed, dropping her hand.

As the group of young women finished eating bacon and consuming unhealthy amounts of coffee, Katherine did what she had become very adept at doing without being noticed.

People watching.

She silently observed as much as she could about the other women in the room, what they were wearing, how they sat, how they ate and so on.

Aragon ate neatly, sat with perfect posture in a mustard yellow corduroy skirt and black blouse. A dainty golden cross adorned her neck and a black headband with tiny gold spikes sat atop her two toned curls.

Jane wore a grey knit top with a plunge neckline which accentuated her curves and a par of dark almost black jeans that just kissed the top of her heeled black boots.

Vicki had on black Doc Martens and blue genes that were artfully ripped and revealed the fishnets underneath. She had a sea green t-shirt on and a jacket that was an odd mix of leather and fur but looked amazing on the blonde all the same. Vicki was now nursing her third cup of coffee and was clearly buzzing on the caffeine.

Parr sat more on the left side of her seat almost instinctively leaning towards Anne. She wore a dark blue and black striped, off the shoulders shirt with long sleeves. It was under a pair of faded blue dungarees. She held a book in one hand as she idly traced her fork through her pepper coated scrambled eggs.

Similar to Parr, Anne seemed unconsciously drawn towards the other woman, sitting so far on the edge of her seat that she was practically in the other woman’s lap. Anne had on a pair of black cargo trousers on with a skin tight sheer green top, with long sleeves. This was over a green bra that was visible through the top and a green velvet choker around Anne’s neck topped the outfit off.

Anne was taking breaks from shovelling bacon into her mouth to tie her long dark hair up into the same space bun style that she had had the day before, except this time she was tying the hair that wasn’t in the buns into two braids that hung down over her shoulders.

Suddenly Anna appeared in the doorway.

Her hair was wet, clearly having just come out of the shower and she wore a simple red crop top that showed off her toned stomach and a pair of black jeans. The look was topped off with a black leather jacket and black heeled boots.

“Are we ready to party queens?” she drawled, with that slightly accented voice of hers.

“It’s just bowling Cleves!” Aragon sighed and Boleyn looked affronted.

“It’s not just bowling Aragon! It’s family bowling, with family food and family fun time, so suck it up and like it! Comprende amigo?” Anne said tossing one of her braids over her shoulder.

“Anne” Jane said in a long suffering voice “What have we talked about?”

“No speaking Spanish to make fun of Aragon” Anne said sulkily.

“Apologise” Jane ordered and Anne folded her arms.

“Whyyyyy? It was just a jo-”

“Just apologise Annie.” Parr sighed and Anne pouted before saying

“Sorry Aragon.”

“Right” Jane clapped her hands “I think we should head out a little early and we can take Katherine shopping.”

“Oh-oh you don’t have to do that!” Katherine stammered, embarrassed.

“We don’t have to you’re right” Anne said solemnly before breaking into a grin “But we’re going to!”

“She’s right love” Jane smiled “Go and get dressed and we’ll head out.”

Katherine cleared her plate and then hurried from the kitchen, as Anne jumped up and started wheeling around the table, shouting as she did so

“SHOTGUN!”

CRASH!

“FOR GOODNESS SAKE ANNE!”

“I’M OKAY!”

Chapter Text

Twenty minutes later Katherine was dressed in the least battered clothes she still owned. A pair of ripped baggy jeans, a black t-shirt and a pink and black flannel over the top. She slipped her boots back on and made sure her choker was secured.

Katherine was halfway through packing her bag to take with her when she halted.

“You don’t have to run” she said to herself out loud. “You don’t need to bring it all with you.”

So she made sure she had her phone and wallet and headed back downstairs.

“You all set love?” Jane asked putting her keys in her bag and Katherine nodded, suddenly going mute as she realised how scruffy and… well, how she looked like warmed up crap next to the other women.

She was a barely put together shapeless mess, while Anne was sex on legs.

As if she was a mind reader, Parr gently put a hand on Katherine’s shoulder and said to her out of earshot of the others

“You look beautiful. And don’t worry about the clothes. Trust me, you’ll have more than enough choice by the time you’re done shopping with Annie.”

Katherine gave the older woman a grateful, if slightly apprehensive smile and then trailed after the group to the front door. Anne had already wheeled herself outside, almost tumbling down the front step and was sat in the front passenger seat kicking her legs back and forth and saying

“Come on, come on, come on!!!”

Jane took one look at the way Anne was bouncing in her seat and tossed Parr the car keys.

“You can drive.” She said and climbed into the seat behind the drivers’ side. Jane patted the seat beside her and smiled at Katherine, clearly encouraging her to sit beside her. Katherine climbed in and then Vicki got in beside her whilst Aragon and Anna got in the back.

“Drive Cathy!” Anne demanded.

And so Catherine did.

“OMG babes you would look sooooo cute in this!” Anne gushed pulling out a purpley pink pinafore dress and white t-shirt set and holding it up against Katherine. “Cathy wouldn’t she look so cute!?”

“Yes love she would.” Parr said patiently, shooting a subtle wink in Katherine’s direction as Anne threw the outfit onto an ever growing pile in their basket.

Everyone had contributed to the small mountain of clothes in their shopping basket.

Jane and Aragon of course had been extremely practical in their helping to choose clothes. They had helped Katherine choose two pairs of non-ripped jeans, four t-shirts, two long sleeved shirts, two pairs of pyjamas and a new hoodie.

Anna and Vicki’s first order of business had been to find Katherine her own leather jacket. Then they had settled on making shoes their next priority.

It was when Vicki and Anna loaded her up with a pair of trainers and a pair of sparkly heeled boots that Katherine turned to Jane, almost in a panic and said a little desperately

“I can’t get all these!”

“Katherine this is all on us. It’s quite alright.” Jane said soothingly but Katherine still looked panicked at the offer.

“Sweetheart look at me. Look at me.”

Slowly Katherine met Jane’s kind eyes.

“It’s alright. Anne said it best, you’re one of us now. And we take care of our own.”

Katherine felt her heart swell a little and then mumbled quietly

“I’ll get a job. I-I’ll pay you back I promise.”

“You can pay us back by staying with us and not in that god awful shelter. You can pay us back by getting back into education when you’re ready. And you can pay me back a little right now by letting us by you as many clothes as you need or want.” Jane said sternly, but not meanly.

“Yes Miss Jane.” Katherine said with a small smile, before she nearly jumped out of her skin when Anne came to a skidding halt beside her.

“Where’d you go?! C’mon I found all the cool stuff! Cathy’s waiting!”

Looking to Jane, who nodded encouragingly, Katherine let Anne take her hand and pull her off into the shop.

Anne’s contribution to the Katherine Clothes Pile was two skirts (one velvet and one corduroy) a body suit, some leggings and now the pinafore and t-shirt combo.

As they went along it became apparent there was one common theme to the clothes Katherine was going to get.

Pink.

Well pink and black.

Whilst Anne terrorised a sales assistant with her energy as she asked about pink dungarees, Katherine found herself drawn towards a rack of jewellery.

There were pendants and lockets, bracelets and bangles, earrings and more. But what had caught Katherine’s eye was a soft, dark pink, velvet choker, with a small ring in the middle to attach charms on.

The fingers of her right hand traced over the soft fabric, while her left hovered over her own heavy choker.

“That’s pretty.”

It was Parr who spoke, softly and calmly, stood by Katherine’s left shoulder.

Katherine blushed and pulled her hand away from the velvet choker, mumbling

“It’s fine. I already have one. And you guys are already doing so much for m-”

“Oh give over!” Chuckled Parr “It’s a five quid choker not the crown bloody jewels! Put it in the basket love.”

Blushing to the roots of her dark hair, Katherine dropped the velvet choker into the basket, before turning to be greeted by a pair of pale pink dungarees in her face, held by a grinning Anne.

“Cute right?!”

Half an hour and thirty-three ‘thank yous’ from Katherine later, they left the store and were back in the car.

This time, Aragon had called shotgun, smirking smugly at Anne who grumbled under her breath until she realised that meant she could sit beside both Katherine and Parr all  at once, as Jane drove them into town.

Parr, Vicki and Anna all exchanged knowing glances as they watched Katherine ever so slightly relax into her seat as she gave soft, often one word answers to Anne’s relentless questions.

What sort of music did she like?

Did she like to read?

What was her favourite book/tv show/film/song/food?

Why was it her favourite book/tv show/film/song/food?

Why was pink her favourite colour, coz green was way better?

Who would win in a fight Black Widow or Captain America?

Who was hotter, Black Widow or Captain America?

“Let her breathe Boleyn!” Aragon sighed and the others all laughed, making Anne falter in her questions and look slightly woundedly at Parr who smiled fondly back at her and said

“She’s only teasing love.” Smoothing a strand of Anne’s hair back into one of her braids.

“Peace treaty for the rest of the day?” Jane half suggested, half implored to Aragon and Anne “I don’t want you too to ruin today and scare off Katherine less than twenty four hours after she agrees to stay. So, peace treaty. Shake on it!”

Begrudgingly, Anne and Aragon reached between the seats and shook hands.

Katherine smiled at the petulant scowl on Anne’s face as she linked her arm with Katherine’s and pulled her out of the car, as soon as Jane parked, even before the blonde woman could say

“We’re here!”

Due to Anne’s long legs and surprising strength as she pulled Katherine with her, Captain Space Buns (as Vicki had affectionately called Anne in the car) and Katherine were already in line before the others had even entered Hollywood Bowl.

“And how many in your party today Miss?” the boy behind the counter was not much older than Katherine, and he winked at her as they approached.

This earned him an eye roll from Parr and Aragon and scowls from Anna and Vicki. As Katherine blushed and hid behind her hair, Anne glowered at the boy and cracked her knuckles. Seeing the murderous look in Anne’s eyes Jane cleared her throat and snapped her fingers at the boy who was still eyeing Katherine.  

“Seven of us. Booked under the name Seymour.” She said sternly and the boy clicked a few buttons then said still looking Katherine up and down,

“Move to the left and collect your shoes.”

As the group filed over to the left, the boy winked again at Katherine, leant over the counter and muttered

“You can always come back and see me later gorgeous.”

Katherine paled slightly, Vicki glared and Anne lunged but luckily Parr ran interference. She got between Anne and the smirking boy and steered the former away from the latter as Jane put an arm around Katherine and guided her away also, saying quietly

“Are you alright love?”

“Yeah, yeah I-I’m okay.” Katherine said with a shaky smile as the group collected their shoes and Parr kept turning Anne away from the boy at the counter.

Captain Space Buns was distracted from her murderous thoughts about the counter boy by a small argument about why she couldn’t bowl in her heelies.

Finally they were all ready and headed to the lane.

And the bowling commenced.

Just like the way they ate, each of the women had their own distinctive style in the way they bowled.

Aragon scored strike after strike, bowling with precision.

Anne caused people to run for cover as she launched the bowling bowls wildly down the lane, sometimes missing entirely.

Jane never seemed to put enough force behind her swings, so nine times out of ten the bowl ended up in the gutter.

Anna was all power and Parr bowled like she didn’t really care. 

Everything was going fine.

It was going great.

Until the group of young men arrived in the lane next to them.

They were “that type” of guys.

They spent more time staring at each girl’s arse than actually bowling. Katherine could see that all the others had noticed too and she saw that all though she was covering it with smiles, it was both bothering and irritating Anne.

As Anne got up to select her bowling ball for her next turn, one of the guys, a tall, muscular blonde approached her. He said something that no one heard but everyone heard Anne’s response of

“Not interested buddy.”

Anne bowled and all the pins fell down, giving Anne her first strike.

This of course delighted the hyperactive brunette who ran back to Parr, jumped into her arms as she wrapped her legs around the black woman’s waist and giving her a peck.

“Did you see what I did Cathy!?!”

“Yes I saw love.” Parr smiled back, kissing Anne again.

.

.

.

.

“Fucking dykes.”

Every head whipped round to look at the man who had spoken, the tall blonde.

He and his mates were all looking at Anne and Parr, some glaring, some smirking, some leering.

Jane reacted first and said sharply

“Parr take Anne outsi-”

But it was too late.

“What did you just say?” Hissed Anne, detaching herself from Parr and squaring up to the blonde who towered over her and outweighed Anne by at least a hundred pounds.

“I said, fucking. DYKES.” The blonde spat before grinning nastily and saying

“You need a night with a real man. I’ll fuck that gay shit right out of you.”

Anne looked ready to rip the man in front of her to shreds when Parr’s calm voice said sternly but soothingly

“Annie. Walk away. He’s not worth it. Come back to me Annie. Walk away.”

And it almost worked.

Anne took a deep breath and turned away from the homophobic piece of shit in front of her.

But then that homophobic piece of shit extended his arm and slapped Anne’s arse.

That did it.

Aragon and Vicki were holding back Anna, Jane was comforting a shaking Katherine but no one was quick enough to stop Anne from whirling around and punching her assailant in the face.

The blonde stumbled but righted himself. It was too late however as Parr had grabbed Anne and bundled her out of the lane and back towards the entrance, closely followed by the others.  

They all hauled ass into the car and had already driven off by the time the gang of men came storming out of the bowling alley.

Aragon drove them home with Anna riding shotgun.

Vicki sat behind Anna, whilst Jane sat in the middle with Katherine on her right side.

Parr and Anne were in the back.

The ride home was silent.

Well almost silent.

Except for Katherine’s shaky almost silent sobs, as she leant in to Jane’s comforting embrace and Anne’s constant mumbling of

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m really really sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” over and over as she huddled in a ball on the back seat, her head in Parr’s lap, the smaller woman stroking her dark brown hair.

When they arrived home everyone dispersed.

Jane walked Katherine into the kitchen and insisted on making her a soothing cup of tea.

Anna and Vicki went to Anna’s room, taking it in turn to take swings at Anna’s punching back.

Aragon sat in the sitting room watching some documentary on TV.

And Parr helped Anne climb the stairs on shaky legs to their attic room.

Everyone was shaken in some way by what had happened, but Anne was distraught.

Not by the homophobic piece of shit’s words, she and Parr had experienced their fair share of comments like that before.

No it was the way he had so easily put his hands on her.

And the way she had so easily lashed out with violence, in a way she hadn’t done so in a long time.

All she could think about as she curled up on the bed with Parr was the throbbing in her hand and Katherine’s teared stained face.

She had to fix that.

She didn’t want to be another person in Katherine’s life that she was afraid of.

Chapter Text

“Katherine?”

Katherine looked up from where she had had her head buried in her new copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Jane was stood in the doorway, looking with a small smile on her facer at the teenager.

Katherine thought that despite the smile, Jane looked slightly sad. There was a distant look behind her eyes as she watched Katherine.

“Are you alright Jane?”

“Hmmm?” The blonde blinked and then smiled genuinely “Yes I’m fine love. Anne wants to have a family meeting.”

“You want me there?”

“Of course silly. You’re part of this family now, whether you believe it or not. Come on.”

Katherine got off her bed and pulled on the pink fluffy hoodie that Cleves had picked out for her when they went shopping the week before.

Yes, it had been a week since the incident at the bowling alley.

And in those seven days, Anne had not left the attic room she shared with Parr.

Even Catherine hadn’t been able to coax her out of the room.

The rest of the house had felt too calm and quiet without Anne bouncing off of the walls around them.

When they got downstairs, everyone was sat in the living room, waiting.

And there was Anne.

She looked like Anne, but… not.

Her hair was not in it’s usual space buns but hung flat and lifeless down to the middle of her back. She had dark circles under her eyes, she looked paler than ever but this just made the long red scratches down her arms look even more painful and angry.

She was in a pair of grey jogging bottoms, bare feet and a green knit sweatshirt.

As Jane and Katherine entered the room, Anne gulped and her hands jumped up and started fiddling with her own choker.

Jane and Katherine sat down on the sofa as Anna budged up to make space, squashing Vicki into the side.

Parr was sat in what was normally Anne’s seat, the beanbag, her dark eyes watching Anne carefully.

“Annie?” she said after a few moments of Anne staring at the wall, pulling at her choker. Anne blinked and looked down at her girlfriend, who smiled softly and said

“Do you want me to stand with you?”

Anne took a deep breath, lowered her hands and shook her head.

“I…” she paused and swallowed before saying in a croaky, scratchy voice “I am so, so sorry about what happened at bowling. I didn’t mean to ruin the day, or embarrass you guys or make you scared Katherine. I just…”

Anne sniffed and hugged her arms around herself.

“I need help. I thought I was better but I’m going to go back to Doctor Moss. See about getting back into therapy again. But I just wanted to say that I was sorry and please don’t hate me anymore. And don’t be scared of me Katherine. I don’t want you to be scared of me.”

There was silence in the room.

Until.

“You idiot.”

Every single mouth in the room dropped open including Anne’s and every head turned to look at Katherine, who looked slightly stunned at her own words.

But she ploughed on anyway.

“I wasn’t scared of you Anne. I was scared for you. I didn’t want that – that – that arsehole –”

Aragon actually let out a gasp when Katherine cursed and Jane looked scandalised squeaking out

“Katherine!”

“S-sorry!” Katherine squeaked, her face going fire engine red with embarrassment, as the strength behind her words failed and she reverted back to meek Katherine to finish her sentence. “I just didn’t want that guy to hurt you.”

The room was dumbfounded.

Where had sweet, scared – of – her – own – shadow, little Katherine gone for those thirty seconds?

True, she was back now but even so!

Vicki was the next one to speak.

“She’s right Anne. And none of us hate you. Ever. Okay Captain Space Buns?”

All the other’s vocalised their agreement and Anne visibly relaxed. A ghost of a smile even began to dance on her face.

“I love you queens” she mumbled before diving into the beanbag beside Parr, who kissed the taller girl’s forehead.

“Right” Anna got to her feet and clapped her hands “Since we’re all sorted now, I say we go out to celebrate!”

“I’m not sure Anna…” Jane said glancing at Anne and Katherine, but Anne shook her head.

“I want to. I don’t want to be scared of going out, of doing things, of – of being alive. Where should we go?”

“Holbein’s is having a Halloween theme night! We should totally go there!” Vicki was now on her feet too “You get two free drinks if you dress up as well!”

“That settles it. We’re going to Holbein’s!” Anna said and even Jane smiled at the thought. Aragon saw Katherine open her mouth but hesitate.

“What is it novia? (sweetheart)” she asked and Katherine looked down a little embarrassed as she said.

“I don’t have a costume.”

And just like that Anne seemed to begin to get back to her normal self.

She jumped up from the beanbag, grabbed Katherine’s hand and pulled her from the room, saying as she did

“I can fix this!”

“I was saving this. Do you want it now?”

“I don’t know…”

“C’mon Kitty! Please!? Grace left it behind without using it and you’ll look so good!”

A pause.

A deep breath.

“Okay.”

“YEY!”

“Did you just call me Kitty?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I like it.”

“YEY!”

“Anne?! Katherine?! Come on we need to get going!”

Jane was calling up the stairs as she fixed the position of her witches hat and smoothed down the little black dress she was wearing over black tights and black heeled boots, complete with a cape covered in little silver stars.

Vicki was straightening the tie of Anna’s men in black agent costume, having spent the last hour, intricately painting her own face to look like a Day of the Dead sugar skull.

Aragon had, in a rare moment of humour, pulled out her old Nun costume, wimple included.

Parr had come downstairs ten minutes earlier, after letting Anne dress her up as the Joker. When Jane had asked if Anne had gotten Katherine a costume, Parr had shrugged and said

“Katherine was in the bathroom, the whole time I was up there. I assume she was getting dressed.”

“Anne, Katherine let’s go – OH MY GOODNESS!”

“It looks wicked doesn’t it Jane!”

Anne came leaping down the stairs in full Harley Quinn make up and costume, complete with baseball bat.

Behind her, came Katherine.

She was wearing a pair of gold, pointy toed high heeled boots and a purple sort of leotard with a short purple cape with gold trim.

But that wasn’t what had made Jane shriek.

No it was the fact that the majority of Katherine’s long brown hair, or the bottom half at least, was now…

Hot pink.

“We tried to do all of it but we didn’t have enough dye! How cool does she look? She’s Anne from The Greatest Showman! Grace left the costume here because she ordered it in the wrong size.”

Katherine was hovering on the bottom step, twirling the ends of her now pink hair and looking nervously at Jane.

“Is it okay Jane?” she asked a little tremulously.

Jane blinked.

Paused.

Then smiled.

“It looks wonderful Katherine. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

Seemingly happy with the response, Katherine hopped off the last stair and made her way to stand by Anne who jokingly prodded her in the ribs with her bat.

A thought seemed to occur to Jane suddenly and she slowly turned to fix Anne with a narrowed gaze.

“Anne Boleyn. Did you use my new towels to do this? My brand new, WHITE, towels?”

Anne rolled her eyes and responded

“No Jane, Jeez. Give me some credit. I used my black one. You know, the one that I had the ‘glitter incident’ with?”

This pulled a snort out of Vicki and Anna as Anne continued

“The only things stained pink are…”

And here she held up her hands to show that her palms were stained pink.

“Apparently wearing gloves is an instruction not a suggestion.” Anne shrugged.

Aragon suddenly cleared her throat and held up her phone.

“Just got a text from Courtney. She and Grace are going to meet us there. So shall we ladies?”

And with that they all filed out of the house.

Holbein’s looked like it was full to bursting.

As Anna, Vicki and Aragon all entered, Katherine hesitated and Jane stopped beside her.

“Are you alright love?”

Katherine nodded mutely.

“We can go home if you want to. No one will think any the less of you for it sweetheart.” Jane said, squeezing her arm.

Katherine took a deep breath and shook her head.

“No. I want to. I just… stay close?” she asked and Jane nodded with that soft smile of hers.

As they headed to the door to enter the building, Katherine glanced to her left and saw that Anne and Catherine seemed to be having the very same conversation.

Parr was holding Anne’s hand, their heads pressed together as Catherine muttered unheard words into her girlfriend’s ear.

Even as Katherine watched Anne did what she did. Took a deep breath, nodded her head and said something that sounded like

“Stay close to me.”  

It took two hours for Jane to finally relent and allow Katherine to have a drink and even then it was only a small Jack Daniels and Coke and even then she only let Katherine drink half before she subtly moved it away as Katherine was laughing at a story from Anna.

Katherine had also gained two new friends.

Grace Mouat and Courtney Stapleton.

Grace, stunningly beautiful, dressed as Princess Jasmine who had spent ten minutes apologising after scaring Katherine by pulling her into a fierce hug without warning her.

Courtney, also stunningly beautiful had been more reserved in her greeting, a simple wave.

By 10:30, Anne had disappeared with Parr and Anna and Vicki had dragged Katherine onto the dancefloor.

For once, Katherine was having fun.

She really was.

.

.

.

And then she wasn’t.

There were too many people and it was too loud and it was too crowded and they were too close and it was too hot god when did it get so hot and she couldn’t breathe.

She couldn’t breathe. 

She couldn’t breathe.

She couldn’t breathe.

“I’ve got you”

And then Anne was there.

“I’ve got you. Listen to my voice. I’ve got you. Take my hand. That’s it, that’s it take my hand. I’ve got you.”

Still gasping for breath, Katherine reached out blindly until she found Anne’s hand. She let the girl dressed as Harley Quinn pull her through the crowd, until she felt cool air hit her like a wall.

She was outside.

But she still couldn’t breathe.

“Look up. Look up Katherine!”

Still struggling to catch her breath, Katherine looked up.

“Look at the sky Kitty. It’s okay. In for 3, hold for 3, out for 3. In, hold, out. Look at the stars Kitty. Count them.”

It took a while. Almost seven minutes actually, for Katherine to be able to breathe again. Anne didn’t let go of her hand the whole time.

Finally, Katherine looked away from the sky.

“Thank you.” She whispered.

“No biggie!” Anne said with a grin before softening slightly “Does that happen a lot?”

Katherine nodded.

“Gonna have to do something bout that Kitty Kat. Don’t worry, we’ll work it out.”

Anne’s grin returned

“But not tonight. You’re okay now. The storm’s passed. You’re okay.”

Anne rubbed the back of Katherine’s hand with her thumb.

“Want to go back inside?”

“Do you… do you mind if we wait a minute?” Katherine asked quietly and Anne shrugged, blowing a strand of pink hair out of her face.

“That’s cool.”

A beat of silence and then…

“Do you Jane will hit me if I try and get you some tequila shots?”